#sun-bert

[evilgoodguys]

it’s always sunny on sesame street

[huariqueje]

Sun setting in the North Sea - Bert Welmers

Dutch , b. 1946 -

Oil on canvas , 82 x 82 cm.

[bunny-j3st3r]

I FORGOT MY FURBS

[levmada]

in this exposé i will

Isayama talks about his drawing in way too humble a fashion. but this is especially true when it comes to emotions and expressions - especially in aot where emotions and the nuances of character emotions are portrayed outside of dialogue.

but - especially wit - went about doing a disservice to Levi in particular when putting his character to screen. i don't think it's too controversial to say that most aot fans are anime onlys right? and it's much less controversial to remember the very bad take that throughout aot Levi is emotionless.

obviously, this is clear enough in the anime. but the manga really brings the emotional spectrum of his character to all new horizons. it's been stated by Isayama that Levi is the most emotional character in aot. and if you cross-examine scenes in the manga vs the anime, this is unmistakable.

so i want to give a few examples of where the anime - mostly wit - miss these nuances in Levi's show of emotions.

thank you to this person on twt for giving me this idea with examples!

i'll start with what i consider the greatest offender of all (from the moments on my mind for now):

right as Midnight Sun starts, Levi has just managed to get back to Wall to find that Zeke is escaping and Armin is half-dead. he failed in carrying out Erwin's order.

i mean WOW, right? in both, Levi looks exhausted yes, but in the manga he looks frantic. on the verge of tears almost.

this is going to be a trend, where the anime portrays Levi in a much more hardened and determined manner compared to, arguably, how he really is. i think that there's a balance that the manga depicts much more equally.

later, Floch is recounting how he found Erwin. he found him alive, and considered putting him out of his misery, but decided that Erwin didn't deserve mercy.

this scares the shit out of Levi - much, much more clearly in the manga. in the left 2, he looks afraid in both, but in the manga, that fright is just. so much more intense. you know how strong Levi's feelings are.

right after RtS, Levi and Hange have come to let Eren and Mikasa out of jail.

understandably, Levi is neck deep in mourning. not just Erwin, but every life that was sacrificed just so he could fail; the two veteran squads that died when Bert transformed; Moblit; and of course Hange was badly injured too.

his depression is TANGIBLE in the manga. the anime doesn't convey it as well... (if at all i would argue)

in season 3, when Kenny has given his speech about how everyone is a slave to their own vice, and he's just retorted to Levi, "what're you, a hero?!"

clearly in the manga, he's much more exasperated. his head is hanging more and he looks pleading instead of angry.

the anime didn't even include this panel.

he feels sorry for him.

the attack on Liberio. Levi is cutting Zeke from his Titan.

in the manga, it's so INTENSE. i'm sure he's experiencing the same exact feelings as he did 4 years before. this moment is supposed to be his triumph - when he completes his promise to Erwin. you can clearly see the longing and disappointment, but along with forced determination, because putting on a show of killing Zeke is torturous for him, but it's his duty.

(i posted about this earlier but) Levi has just cut Zeke out of his Titan and needs to put down a grenade in order to give the impression that Zeke is dead. then he notices Magath, but most importantly that two kids are directly below him.

in the manga, his head is more downturned as opposed to above them, which is important in the scope of getting across that Levi doesn't see them (or Marleyans for that matter) as below him.

in the manga it's clear that he finds absolutely no satisfaction out of it, which is seen in the anime version too, but like i've said, not like Isayama gets it across.

[strangerqueerthings]

The Camaro

Neil was adamant: Billy had to get his own car if he wanted to go anywhere that wasn't school, and he had to pay for it himself.

Billy was equally adamant that he was going to get his hands on one.

So he worked his ass off, starting at the age of thirteen. He started small and local, mowing lawns, or offering to help elderly neighbors with grocery shopping- and bringing them in for them afterwards.

The latter got him far more pinched cheeks than he wanted, but when he laid on the charm, he was paid well.

To his delight, an elderly neighbor, Mister Grant, gifted him with a bike. His grandson never visited anymore now that he was in college, and Billy had been so helpful with the yard work, so he was happy to give it to him.

Billy kept the bike at Mister Grant's, afraid that Neil would take it away, or worse, destroy it or give it away- if Neil knew that he'd been given something like a bike, he'd accuse Billy of being weak by accepting charity.

The bike opened up entirely new venues of work, expanding his reach. More work offers, thanks to the bike, and his work ethic- which was talked about, spread by word of mouth.

All the while, he checked out car maintenance books from the library, rode his bike to the closest mechanic and volunteered to help, in exchange for the mechanics explaining what they were doing, so he could learn as much as he could about cars.

By the time he was sixteen, three years of working in the sun, doing manual labor, Billy was tanned, fit, and had plenty of money to start searching for something even better than a bike.

His first car.

Billy had never even dared to dream about getting a new car, even a relatively new used car. He'd saved up nearly 1,500 dollars, had it hidden in various places to keep it out of Neil's reach, going to the bank to swap out coins and singles for bigger bills so it'd be easier to hide.

He had finally brought the bike to the house. He told Neil he'd bought it used, to help him get more work, and Neil had almost been pleased at his work ethic- but as Billy had expected, it was taken away as punishment whenever Billy pissed him off.

He browsed the sale pages in the newspapers, kept his ear to the ground for deals, and finally, a few months after his birthday, Sid told him a cousin was selling his Camaro.

"It's kinda shitty," he drawled, exhaling clove cigarette smoke into the summer air. "He swiped a few cars and a mailbox with it, so it needs body work. He also didn't do a lot maintenance on it, and it's a 79, so... yeah. He's selling it for cheap."

"Does it run?" Billy asked. That was all that mattered, really.

"Yeah," Sid said, nodding. "It runs, it just... it's a mess. Real fixer upper."

Billy hadn't minded in the least. He'd wanted something with horsepower, something that would be loud, go fast, but he'd suspected he'd get something rusted and slow with the money he had.

"How much?"

Sid shrugged.

"I think he said 900 or so, but you know... you could probably haggle."

Billy did just that. He ignored the scratches and dents- they were all cosmetic. What he pointed out were all the mechanical issues- just like the guys at the mechanics had told him.

'College kids who have something like a Z28? They don't know shit about cars, just the model,' Bert had said, and had showed him what to look for, and told him what to say to bluff his way into a reduced price.

"I don't know," he said, putting the dusky blue car into park after a test drive. "That clunk? That's a CV joint- either I'd have to replace the boot, or the entire front axle."

He popped the hood and got out, peering into the guts of the car he already wanted more than anything in his life- save for freedom from Neil. He winced audibly, a sharp, hissing intake of air through his teeth.

"Yeah, I dunno," he said, folding his arms over his chest. "The serpentine belt is starting to look a little frayed. I'd have to replace that before disaster hit."

He pulled the dipstick out, examining it, making a show of sniffing the oil on it, and made an overly exaggerated face.

"When's the last time you changed the oil, man? It smells burnt."

Derek looked taken aback, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Honestly... idunno," he said helplessly.

Billy replaced the dipstick, closed the hood with a loud clang and dusted his hands off.

"Yeah I dunno," he repeated. "Nine hundred bucks can get me a car that isn't riddled with issues- mechanical OR body."

"It's a Z28, man," Sid's cousin said, scowling.

"Yeah, but she's nearly fifteen years old, and she's been poorly maintained- and I'm being generous," Billy retorted. "I'd be better off saving up for another three years for something better than getting this heap. It'd cost me nine hundred to fix all the shit that's wrong with her."

Derek was quiet for a bit, and Billy shrugged, moving to pick up his bike and head home.

"Eight hundred," Derek blurted.

Billy paused, making a show of consideration.

"Six hundred."

"Seven hundred."

"Six fifty, and you write the bill of sale as five hundred so I don't pay as much on the title fees."

Derek sighed, defeated.

"Done."

Derek wrote out the bill of sale, and filled out the title. They both signed where appropriate, and Derek handed the title and keys over to Billy, who fought to keep his hands from shaking as he took them.

Registering the Camaro would have to wait- he couldn't take her home as she was. He took her to the shop, where Bert congratulated him on his haggling, and enthusiastically offered to help him fix her up.

By the time October came around, Billy pulled up at home in the Camaro, and Neil came outside, clearly surprised at the car his son had managed to find.

She was perfect.

He and Bert had changed out her fluids and filters, put new tires on her, replaced her old serpentine belt, put in a whole new front axle, and had hammered out and smoothed out the dents and scratches.

She looked good as new, gleaming in the driveway.

Billy handed him the title and bill of sale, showing him how much he'd paid, and Neil had immediately held out his hand for the keys.

"You may have paid for it, but legally, you can't own it until you're 18," he said. "When you turn 18, it's all yours, provided you don't do anything stupid."

Billy's heart sank, but he knew it was going to happen. He placed the keys in Neil's open palm, watching his father's fingers curl around them.

"I'm not going to ask how you got the money for a car that looks this good."

"She didn't," Billy blurted. "I worked on her. I fixed her up. She's been at Bert's. Bert helped me learn how to work on her, so I can maintain her upkeep without using my money for someone else to do it."

Neil glanced at the Camaro again, his look appraising, critical.

"And here I was worried that you'd learned nothing."

He turned to go back into the house.

"Glad to learn I was wrong."

Billy didn't dare read too much into it, but he could have sworn there was a note of pride in Neil's voice. It made the affection he felt for his new car swell in his chest.

Neil may have taken ownership of her for now, but he hadn't been mad. He hadn't punished Billy for taking initiative.

For once, he'd done something right, and the proof of it sat on four wheels, gleaming like a beacon of freedom in the driveway.

[ayyy-imma-ninja]

Got another SK question, they share the apartment do they share a room Bert and Ernie style or do they have their own if so what is their rooms like?

Sun and Moon each have their own room in the apartment space and sleep in their own beds (the only exception is when one of them is regressed and requires supervision, or if plagued by nightmares).

They still charge and plug in to keep their batteries up, but they find laying in beds rather comfortable. Makes them feel more human.

[hardtofindeggs]

putting on your heels in a rush, you hold on to the door for support before yelling "EREEENN!!!!! COME ON! I DON'T WANNA BE LATE!", putting down your foot and grabbing your keys and purse in one hand before turning to look into the circular mirror you've placed near your door for any last minute adjustments. eren walks into frame behind you as you're carefully fixing your hair, delicately placing a kiss on your neck, below your ear, "you smell nice" he says as he separates to look a mildly stressed you in the eyes. "thank you... now come on! i don't wanna be late to bert's!!!" "please, when have we ever been late to anything?" he grabs his car keys as he opens the door for you. "thanks to me!!!" you wait for him to step outside and watch as he moves aside for you to lock the door, placing another kiss, this time to the nape of your neck, before he says "of course, baby...all thanks to you". you smile and roll your eyes before sliding into the passenger seat of eren's car.

in the car you ask to play some music and he hands you the aux, "trying to fit the vibe, babe?" you nod as you place your free left hand in his waiting right one. finally settling on one of your playlists and the first song to start playing is motive by ariana grande.

it's a nice time now, where the sun's almost fully set but there's still a thin orange tint in the sky like the sky's on fire. looking over to eren's side of the car and out his window to see the moon in a pretty crescent shape. warm summer breeze surrounding the car, window slightly cracked so your hair doesn't get messed up but so you can can enjoy this breeze.

"y/n" eren says as he turns to face you before you two step out of his car and into bertholdt and annie's shared home, the orchid's you got them as a housewarming gift secure between your hands, "yeah? everything okay, ren?" "i love you" you smile softly before planting a gentle kiss to his knuckles, "i love you too, eren". a content smile spreads on his handsome face before he steps out of the car, moving to open the door for you too before you enter your friends' new house, hand in hand

[reddiesworldsblog]

daily reminder day 280: eddie k-tozier is alive and well and right now he and richie are trying to figure out which couple costumes they should wear to this halloween party they were invited to.

daily reminder day 281: eddie k-tozier is alive and well and right now he’s terribly dancing to the music he’s playing as cleans the house. eddie is truly in his natural habitat right now.

daily reminder day 282: eddie k-tozier is alive and well and right now he and richie are at the store buying a bunch of candy so they can get ready for trick or treaters.

daily reminder day 283: eddie k-tozier is alive and well and right now he’s working in his shadow work journal that he finally caved and bought from the tik tok shop. he’s mad that it was actually worth the money.

daily reminder day 284: eddie k-tozier is alive and well and right now he’s pissed off that it’s feeling like summer in the middle of fall for some reason. it’s spooky season so he wants the weather to feel like it goddamnit.

daily reminder day 285: eddie k-tozier is alive and well and right now he and richie are in the shower together and eddie insisted on washing richie’s hair. and since eddie is so convincing, richie lets him, getting on knees and hugging eddie around the waist so it’s easier for eddie to wash it, pressing little kisses to his tummy every now and then.

daily reminder day 286: eddie k-tozier is alive and well and right now he’s catching up on some mimimimi’s now that richie is home from his mini tour. don’t tell richie this, but eddie has come to the conclusion that he sleeps better with richie there with him.

daily reminder day 287: eddie k-tozier is alive and well and right now him and richie are dressed up as bert and ernie for Halloween and are setting up for trick or treaters.

daily reminder day 288: eddie k-tozier is alive and well and right now he’s shivering his ass off with how cold it is right now. richie see’s that eddie is shaking and decides to wrap his big arms around his cold husband from behind. eddie can’t help but smile and cuddle back against him as richie kisses the top of his head and sticks his cold nose into the soft warmth of eddie’s hair. it’s officially cuddle weather everyone.

daily reminder day 289: eddie k-tozier is alive and so well right now because richie has taken him on a little retreat in celebration for eddie’s big birthday. he was woken up with kisses and flowers and the plane tickets to the resort and…it’s just been a great birthday so far.

daily reminder day 290: eddie k-tozier is alive and well and right now he’s bundled up in front of a fire right now with his richie just talking about any and everything.

daily reminder day 291: eddie k-tozier is alive and well and right now he and richie are sharing a doobie as they watch the sun go down in their backyard, laughing uncontrollably in between little kisses.

daily reminder day 292: eddie k-tozier is alive and well and right now he’s watching richie cook for them and eddie has every urge to climb him like a tree and bite his husband on the shoulder. and so he does. because he’s allowed to and that’s his richie, so why not?

daily reminder day 293: eddie k-tozier is alive and well and right now he’s making a playlist for him and richie for whenever they go on long car drives. because you can’t have a long car ride without some roadtrip music.

daily reminder day 294: eddie k-tozier is alive and well and right now he hopes you’re having a good day/night and also wants to remind you to put that gd dr. pepper down and drink some WATER you feign!

daily reminder day 295: eddie k-tozier is alive and well and he just got home from a very draining day of work. when richie sees him from the couch, he instantly moves his laptop out of the way and holds his arms out for him. and who is eddie to decline the comfort of his husband holding him? he curls up in richies lap and lets richie hold him, and he’s thankful that richie doesn’t push him to talk about it. later, richie decides to make eddie a relaxing bubble bath and a glass of wine to wash the day away. and afterwards they end the night with ordering chinese food and cuddling on the couch watching a cheesy movie that they make fun of throughout. eddie passes out at some point with his head on richies shoulder, mouth slightly open and close to drooling on richies old t-shirt. and richies more than happy to pick him up bridal style and carry him to their room. where he tucks eddie in the comfort of their bed and getting in beside him to cuddle him. this was just the kind of night eddie needed and richie is always happy to give him that. because he deserves it.

[celiciaa]

GILBERT VON OBSIDIAN MAIN ROUTE....

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE, ROMANTIC, HIS SIDE STORY.

I want to keep the little rabbit.

translations are not 100% accurate. expect mistakes.

trigger warning: strangulation.

minors and ageless blogs dni.

I knew that if I brought her to Obsidian, she would notice it someday.

My body has already reached its limits, and I have been told that I will die at any moment.

If I have a seizure, I will leave immediately. Even in my daily life, my heart hurts and I can't even breathe.

Up until now, I've been good at deceiving people, but even that is becoming more and more difficult.

(…..I’m giving up.)

When I woke up, the seizure had subsided and the little rabbit was sleeping by the bed.

I wish it had been a dream, but the fact that the little rabbit found out seems to be real.

(…..If she finds out about my illness, I'll have to kill her.)

Emma: Nnn…..

The moment I moved, the little rabbit almost slipped off the bed.

I quickly grabbed her and pulled her gently into the sheets so as not to wake her up.

Even though I covered her with a blanket and treated her like a cuddling pillow, her eyes would not open.

Apparently, she was quite tired. // It seemed that she was quite tired.

(….Your eyes are all swollen up.)

(Damn, that Walter…..)

I can't even hope to hear anything.

(What should I do when she wakes up?)

The morning sun rose and the room was filled with light, but no conclusions were reached…..

With a big sigh, the little rabbit began to squirm in my arms.

Gilbert: Good morning, little rabbit.

Emma:…..

(After all...if you open your eyes, you'll understand even if you don't like it.)

Gilbert: Wow, what a terrible face. You have dark circles under your eyes.

When I trace my finger around her eyes, the little rabbit’s brow furrows, as if they are swollen and sore.

Emma: Lord….Gil…bert…..

(….I wish you could pretend you didn't know anything.)

The little rabbit, after waking up from sleep, grabs me by the shirt and presses her forehead against my heart.

She was warm enough to be hot for my cold body.

Gilbert: Judging from your reaction….he must’ve told you the whole story.

(Now that the disease is known, the little rabbit can't be left alone.)

(…Otherwise, the plan will be disrupted.)

Even if one day I’ll die from illness, it must be kept a secret.

Just as Rhodolite covered up the death of His Majesty the King,

My own death at Obsidian has a wide range of effects.

And the absence of the royal family could lead to an invasion by an enemy nation,

There is also the possibility that any remaining nobles in the country will return to the country to its former state of corruption.

(I'm prepared for a "substitute", but the little rabbit will notice that it's not me.)

Even if the little rabbit promised not to tell anyone, she is not good at lying.

There is no guarantee that it will go unnoticed.

(But if you don't know anything about it...)

(If you decide not to go any further——)

Emma:…..I was told….that you don’t have much time to live.

(…….)

Emma: I can't pretend….I didn't know.

Gilbert:….I see.

(I’m not going to pretend it didn’t happen either….)

(——……You stupid little rabbit.)

Gilbert: If that's your choice.

I pulled it away with a strong force and straddled the little rabbit's body.

(You must have guessed that if you step in, you will be killed.)

(But...with this, I wonder if I can die without regrets.)

(If the little rabbit is dead, then I have…..nothing left to think about.)

I put my hand on her slender neck and tightened the trachea.

Emma:….Haa…ah….aah.

Gilbert: I don't make exceptions, even for you.

Gilbert: If you knew, I'd kill you.

The little rabbit grabs his hand so hard that his nails dig in, and she desperately resists death.

For the time being, it seems that she doesn't want to be killed quietly.

(I've been nice to you for a long time, so I guess you misunderstood me.)

(I wonder if I saw such an illusion that she wouldn't be killed.)

Blood oozes on the back of my hand.

It was painful.

It hurt even more than when I was having a seizure and couldn't breathe.

Emma: I won’t…tell anyone….

Gilbert: I don't believe in humans.

Gilbert: A beast that has decided not to love anyone. I can pretend to be a good friend and kill you without hesitation.

Gilbert: I think I've said something similar before.

The more I strangle the little rabbit, the more painful it becomes for me.

I even had the illusion that I was being strangled.

(When I kill someone, I don't think or feel anything. I gave up on those feelings a long time ago.)

If so, then what is this pain and suffering?

I don't understand.

━━FLASHBACK━━

Emma:...You let your guard down, didn't you?

Gilbert:……….

Emma: Gotcha!

Gilbert: Even though you're afraid of me.

Emma: That's a different story. I hate to lose.

Emma: Even if the prince is from an enemy country, even if he does not see humans as people....

Emma: That's not a good reason to lack civility.

Emma: This thank you is just self-satisfaction.

Emma: I think I'll sleep well tonight.

(Ah...why at a time like this——)

━━FLASHBACK━━

Emma: I don’t think you’ve killed them.

Gilbert:…You don’t think?

Emma: It’s just a hunch…..

Emma: If you have forgotten how to be lonely, it means that you used to be lonely a lot.

Gilbert:……

Emma:….It can’t be helped, I won’t accept it, but as long as there’s an option of being the "caretaker," I'll reconsider it.

Gilbert: Ah, little rabbit…are you perhaps thinking of something naughty again?

Emma: I’m not thinking anything like that!

Gilbert: Haa...little rabbit is still warm as ever.

Gilbert: Obsidian is a cold country, so I want to take you home with me.

━━FLASHBACK ENDS━━

(Even though this is not my first time to kill... so, why——)

━━FLASHBACK ━━

Emma: And Lord Gilbert is my friend.

Emma:….If you're my friend, don't try to leave me.

Emma: I...did not dislike Lord Gilbert's malicious kindness.

Emma: Why would I want to kill such a person?

━━FLASHBACK ENDS━━

Emma: ——Pl…ease.

A hoarse voice spills out from her shallow breathing.

Emma: I—I’m——…….

Emma: ——…..Your fri…end.

(……)

━━FLASHBACK━━

Albert: Listen, Gil. I'm on your side no matter what.

Albert: I promise. I won't leave you alone…..okay?

━━FLASHBACK ENDS━━

Gilbert:….What friend.

Before I knew it, my hands were released.

I didn't mean to let go, but it was moving on its own.

The little rabbit was lying there limp, not opening her eyes.

I touched her mouth with a slightly trembling hand and felt her weak breathing.

At the moment, the breath that came out of my mouth was tinged with relief.

Blood drips from my torn skin and stains the little rabbit’s white blouse.

Gilbert: The more they betray me, the better.

Gilbert:….Even you would betray me, too.

(I can't kill her...)

(…..I couldn't kill her.)

This is a serious matter.

Emotions that should have been there in the past burst forth.

I thought I had let it go after I became the trampling beast,

It seemed to remain firmly in my heart.

(Love…no one.)

(….I was determined not to love you.) // (…. I had decided not to love you.)

I grasp my fingertips and put my forehead on the shoulder of the little rabbit, who has stopped moving.

━━FLASHBACK━━

Emma:......How can I turn you back into a person?

━━FLASHBACK ENDS━━

It hurts. It hurts. It hurts——…….

(I.….)

(I didn't want to go back to being a person.)

 ▸       [  previous / next ]

[walkingthroughthisworld]

79 years ago this week [29AUG23], Staff Sergeant Lafayette Pool set the standard for American tank commanders over the course of three days in the late summer of 1944. As commander of the M4A1(76)W medium tank nicknamed "In the Mood", Pool skillfully led his tank crew and the rest of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 32nd Armor Regiment through enemy held terrain. Starting in Braisne, France on the morning of 29 August, S/SGT Pool led a company advance against three defending German Panther tanks. Pool and his well-trained crew destroyed one of the Panthers with two rounds, forcing the remaining pair of enemy tanks to retreat. Pool continued to lead the American column in a flank attack over a low water crossing and into a German-held town that resulted in overwhelming and destroying the enemy with complete surprise. The next night on 30 August, Pool was leading I company once again into their bivouac positions when he came under fire from another German Panther. The incoming round ricocheted off the side of “In the Mood”, and Pool immediately actioned his tank onto the threat, causing the German crew to evacuate their tank after being hit. S/SGT Pool coordinated for the other tanks in his platoon to cover him as he moved “In the Mood” forward to destroy the Panther. As “In the Mood” set the German tank in flames, other German Panthers appeared as the sun set. Fighting in the dark, Pool ordered his gunner to engage the flashes of the enemy tank guns, while continually maneuvering his own tank to avoid incoming fire. After destroyer another Panther, the remaining German tanks withdrew. The next day on 31 August, “In the Mood” once again led the 3rd Armored Division, engaging and destroying two German anti-tank teams armed with Panzerschrecks (bazookas) and then destroying an anti-tank gun literally hiding in a haystack. After these engagements, Pool twice made contact with retreating German columns, destroying two more tanks, another anti-tank gun, dozens of lighter vehicles, and an untold number of enemy casualties. For his actions commanding “In the Mood”, Staff Sergeant Lafayette Pool was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Pool’s battalion commander, LTC Walter B. Richardson, attributed his success to his focus on training and developing his crew to strict standards. Today, Pool is looked at as the exemplar of the American tank commander. Crew of "In The Mood" 29-31 August: Staff Sergeant Lafayette Pool-Tank Commander Corporal Willis Oller-Gunner Corporal Wilbert Richards-Driver Technician Fifth Grade Del Boggs-Loader Private First Class Bert Close-Assistant Driver/Bow Gun

[queen-dahlia]

𝐆𝐢𝐥𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐯𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧

𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟭 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗣𝗢𝗩

Suitor's POV's are getting shorter and shorter (っ- ‸ – ς) and more flashbacks for this one

CW: Gil strangling Emma/Reader

Note: Translation is not 100% accurate. Expect grammatical errors.

// : alternate translation | ⫘⫘ : flashback

I knew that if I brought her to Obsidian, she would notice it at some point.

My body is already at its limits, and I have been sentenced to die at any moment.

If I have a seizure, I will leave immediately, and even in my daily life, my heart hurts and I cannot even breathe.

Until now, I've been able to deceive them, but the current situation is that even that is becoming more and more difficult.

(… I'm giving up.)   //   (… I'm sorry.) **

When I woke up, the seizure had subsided, and the little rabbit was sleeping by the bed.

I wish it had been a dream, but it seems that the fact that the little rabbit found it is real.

(If someone finds out about my illness, I'll have to kill them.)

Emma: "Nnn..."

When I move, the little rabbit almost slips off the bed.

I quickly grabbed her and gently pulled her into the sheets so as not to wake her up.

Even though I covered her with a blanket and treated her like a hugging pillow, her eyes would not open.

She was apparently quite tired.

(... Your eyes, they're all swollen...)

(Damn, that Walter...)

I can't even hope to hear anything about it.

(What should I do when she wakes up?)

══════════════════

Eventually, as the morning sun rose and the room was filled with light, there was still no conclusion reached...

I sighed a big sigh, and the little rabbit began to squirm in my arms.

Gilbert: "Good morning, Little Bunny."

Emma: ". . . . . ."

(After all… if you open your eyes, you'll understand even if you don't like it.)

Gilbert: "Wow, you look terrible. You have dark circles under your eyes."

When I trace my finger around her eyes, I see a wrinkle between her eyebrows, as if they are swollen and sore.

Emma: "Lord… Gil… bert."

(... I wish you didn't know anything about it.)

After waking up from sleep, the little rabbit grabs me by the shirt and presses her forehead against my heart.

She’s warm enough to be hot for my cold body.

Gilbert: "From the way you reacted... that guy must have told you everything."

(Now that my illness is known, I can't let the little rabbit go.)

(... Otherwise, it would be a problem for the plan.)

Even if I die of an illness, it must be a secret.

Just as Rhodolite covered up the death of His Majesty the King,

My own death at Obsidian has a wide range of effects.

And the absence of the royal family could lead to an invasion by an enemy nation,

There is a possibility that the remaining aristocrats in the country will do as they please and return the country to its former state of corruption.

(I'm ready for a "substitute," but the little rabbit will definitely notice that it's not me.)

Even if the little rabbit promised not to tell anyone, she is not good at lying.

There's no guarantee that she'll do well without being noticed.

(But if you don't know anything about it...)

(If you decide not to go any further—)

Emma: "I was told... that you had little time to live."

(. . . . . .)

Emma: "I can't... pretend that I didn't know."

Gilbert: "… Yes."

(I'm not going to pretend this didn't happen...)

(—… You stupid little rabbit.)

Gilbert: "If that's your choice."

Pulling away with strong force, I straddled the little rabbit's body.

(You would have guessed that if you stepped in, you would be killed.)

(But... with this, I wonder if I can die with no regrets.)

(If the little rabbit has died, I, too... have nothing left to regret.)

I put my hand on her slender neck and tightened her windpipe.

Emma: "…haa…ha……aah."

Gilbert: "I don't make exceptions, even for you."

Gilbert: "If you knew, I'd kill you."

The little rabbit grabs my hand so hard that her nails dig in, and she resists death.

For the time being, she had no intention of getting killed quietly. **

(I've been nice to you for so long, I guess you misunderstood me.)

(I wonder if it was an illusion that she was the only one who wouldn't be killed or something.)

Blood oozes on the back of my hand.

It was painful.

It hurt even more than when I was having a seizure and couldn't breathe.

Emma: "I won't... tell... anyone."

Gilbert: "I don't believe in humans."

Gilbert: "I'm a beast who decided not to love anyone. I can pretend to be good friends and calmly kill you."   //   "I am a beast who has decided not to love anyone. I could pretend to be a good friend and kill you with impunity."

Gilbert: "I think I've said something similar before."

The more I strangle the little rabbit, somehow, the more painful it becomes for me.

I even had the illusion that my own neck was being tightened.

(When I kill someone, I don't think or feel anything. I threw those feelings away a long time ago.)

If so, then what is this pain and suffering?

I don't understand what it means.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Emma: "... I caught you off guard, didn't I?"

Gilbert: ". . . . . ."

Emma: "I got you!"

Gilbert: "Even though you're scared of me."

Emma: "That's not what I'm talking about. I hate to lose."

══════════════════

Emma: "Even if the other party is a prince of an enemy country, even if he doesn't see people as humans."

Emma: "That's not a good reason to lack civility."

Emma: "This thank you is just self-satisfaction. It felt good to be able to tell you."

Emma: "I think I'll sleep better tonight."

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

(Ah... why at a time like this—)

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Emma: "I don't think you killed them."

Gilbert: "… A hunch?"

Emma: "Just a hunch..."

Emma: "If you've forgotten about loneliness... it means that you used to be lonely a lot."

Gilbert: ". . . . . ."

══════════════════

Gilbert: "Ah, Little Bunny... Are you thinking of something naughty again?"

Emma: "I'm not thinking of it!"

Gilbert: "Haa… Little Bunny is as warm as ever."

Gilbert: "Obsidian is such a cold country, so I want to take you home with me."

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

(This isn't even my first kill... Why—)

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Emma: "Lord Gilbert is my friend."

Emma: "… If you're my friend, don't try to leave me."

Emma: "I... did not dislike Lord Gilbert's malicious kindness."

Emma: "Why would I want to kill such a person?"

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Emma: "—Please…"

A hoarse voice spills out in shallow breaths.

Emma: "I-I'm…—"

Emma: "… Your friend…"

(. . . . . .)

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Albert: "Listen, Gil. I'm on your side no matter what."

Albert: "I promise. I promise I won't leave you alone. Okay...?"

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Gilbert: "… What friend."

I found myself letting go.   //   I found myself letting go of my hands.

I didn't mean to let go, but it was moving on its own.

The little rabbit remains limp and does not open her eyes.

When I touched her mouth with a slightly trembling hand, I felt her breathing weakly.

At the moment, the breath that came out of my mouth was tinged with relief.

Blood drips from my torn skin and stains the little rabbit's white blouse.

Gilbert: "It's that guy who betrays me the most."   //   "Such a person betrayed me." **

Gilbert: "… You'd betray me, too."   //   "Even you would betray me."

(I can't kill her...)

(… I couldn't kill her.)

This is a serious situation.

Emotions that should have been there in the past burst forth and overflowed.

I thought it was something I had let go of since I became the trampling beast, but,

It remained firmly in my heart, apparently.

(Love… no one.)   //   (I love …no one.)

(… I had decided not to love you.)

I grasp my fingertips and put my forehead on the shoulder of the little rabbit, who has stopped moving.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Emma: "… How can I turn you back into a person?"

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

It's painful. It hurts. It hurts——…

(I...)

(I didn't want to be a person again.)

[geoffrard]

please tell me more about this geoff/gerard proof 👀

anon how much time do u have

thought about being jokingly tinhatting with my response to this but i dont actually think they full fucked or whatever. so instead i'm just gonna dump several thousand words of an earnest attempt to outline why geoff and gerard deserve the same treatment received by other legendary canonical friendships like bert & gerard, mikey & pete, etc etc

also i caught the riot fest covid so idk how comprensible i will be. and idk how much sense some of this will make if you don't already have, like, rudimentary knowledge about geoff rickly's start in the hardcore scene in new brunswick, nj, so obligatory plug of the thursday primer that me and nic @raytorosaurus put out a while ago.

but tl;dr, geoff rickly and gerard way were drawn to each other literally from the beginning. since then, neither have left the other's orbit. they are legit cosmically connected narrative foils who could have been each other's closest confidant but never have been more than incredibly meaningful people to the other due to instance after instance of wrong place, wrong time.

i'll do my best to sum up some of the most poignant moments in their over twenty-year-long friendship, but nic and i are drafting several other posts that more diligently delineate the connections between thursday and mcr in their overlapping, mirrored careers and similarities/divergences in their goals/approaches as musicians.

so anyway despite what you might have assumed from the story that goes around where geoff heard gerard and mikey (badly) playing vampires at the eyeball house and wasn't impressed, i believe that at that point they'd already been friends for a while.

this is how gerard recalls the moment he met geoff:

Way: I remember it super vividly. Do you remember? I was walking out of the record shop that Alex [Saavedra, Eyeball Records] worked at on Kearny Avenue and you were standing against a wall wearing a black t-shirt. You were rail skinny and you looked like you were dying and you were so pale with this jet black hair. Rickly: My vegan lifestyle was not agreeing with me. Way: It looked like the sun was killing him. [long pause] And I thought he was super cool. (from their interview with vice in 2015)

long pause and i thought he was super cool.....like....

this is what geoff looked like back then btw. im guessing it was around 2000/early 2001 that they met since thats the outer limits of geoff's black hair goth days

(source)

gerard designed shirts for bands in the scene, including this one for thursday, probably done around 2001 when the dove became the main symbol associated with thursday. at this point mikey was a regular at the eyeball house but gerard was still hiding away in his house, but would always talk about his brother.

Geoff: "I knew Mikey from parties at the eyeball house. I liked Mikey a lot, and he was like, 'you're gonna love my brother Gee (he called him Gee all the time), Gerard, he's the best comic book artist, he's always at home, just working on comic books.' So I was like yeah, I wanna meet this kid, you know, I wanna make comic books with him, you know, that sounds awesome!" (source)

after that geoff kept asking mikey when his brother would come down to the eyeball house, because he'd loved comics since he was a kid, but he was too shy to verbalize that, and his love of comics wasn't something he'd ever actually shared with anyone other than his grandmother, who had just passed away, but he heard that this quiet guy who'd sometimes hang out with the scene's resident kid brother was this amazing comic book artist, and geoff decided that gerard was a person he wanted to know.

So like they were literally talking about writing a comic book together: geoff would write and gerard would draw. but they never were able to spend that much time together. thursday found massive and unanticipated success in late 2001 when understanding in a car crash started playing on mtv nonstop and gerard was still a hermit for the most part but had started to piece together the band that would become my chemical romance.

so then blah blah blah the story where gerard and mikey introduced the idea of their band to geoff we've all heard it. i linked it above but you can read the excerpt from dan ozzi's sellout here if you aren't familiar with the details already.

and that story ends with geoff listening to their demo and realizing that this little band actually had something. but i firmly believe that geoff loved the scene and was so compelled by gerard's art and wanted to collaborate creatively with him that he would have been willing to do it regardless of if he came around to their music or not.

geoff said this in a podcast in 2018:

"Gerard is sort of like... when he's not sort of hiding out in his house somewhere, he's actually so charming and personable. There's a reason why I was so drawn to him, and that he's, like, a superstar."

obviously we'll never know, because geoff was so compelled by the music that he played their demo to death in the tour van and then took the only two weeks that thursday had off in one of the busiest years of their career while in the midst of a super contentious legal affair with their record label to produce bullets.

okay now that i am looking at what i have written so far i look like an insane person and that is okay but i think that i will save the rest for another longer post about the fated careers of mcr and thursday. but i feel that i have done my job by just giving you this taste. more to come but their friendship literally so expansive and detailed (in ways that I don't usually see articulated here) that a single tumblr post is never going to do it justice. as i said, stay tuned, we're working on something more.

tl;dr (another one) gerard and geoff are perennially obsessed with each other & have been since literally the first time that they laid eyes on each other and it comes out the second that either of them have to be even a little reflective on the other's career thanks for reading my manifesto bye.

[two-of-them-tournament]

TWO OF THEM TOURNAMENT ROUND 1

Begins March 15 at noon EST. There will be 8 polls per day. Matchups under the cut.

DAY ONE

Troy Barnes & Abed Nadir (Community) VS Booster Gold & Ted Kord (DC Comics) WINNER: Troy & Abed!

Ingo & Emmet (Pokemon) VS Newton Geiszler & Hermann Gottlieb (Pacific Rim) WINNER: Ingo & Emmet!

Kagamine Rin & Len (Vocaloid) VS Sherlock Holmes & John Watson (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes) WINNER: Holmes & Watson!

Sans & Papyrus (Undertale) VS Sun Wukong & Six-eared Macaque (LEGO Monkie Kid) WINNER: Sans & Papyrus!

Breekon & Hope (Magnus Archives) VS Ace Trappola & Deuce Spade (Twisted Wonderland) WINNER: Breekon & Hope!

Dipper & Mabel Pines (Gravity Falls) VS Achilles & Patroclus (Greek mythology) WINNER: Dipper & Mabel!

Mario & Luigi (Super Mario Bros) VS Ash Ketchum & Pikachu (Pokemon) WINNER: Mario & Luigi!

Jessie & James (Pokemon) VS Timon & Pumbaa (The Lion King) WINNER: Jessie & James!

DAY TWO

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern (Hamlet) VS Benson Mekler & Dave (Kipo) WINNER: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern!

Pippin Took & Merry Brandybuck (Lord of the Rings) VS Benton Fraser & Ray Kowalski (Due South) WINNER: Merry & Pippin!

Frodo Baggins & Samwise Gamgee (Lord of the Rings) VS Sailor Uranus & Sailor Neptune (Sailor Moon) WINNER: Frodo & Sam!

Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens) VS Finn & Jake (Adventure Time) WINNER: Finn & Jake!

Statler & Waldorf (The Muppet Show) VS Strong Bad & The Cheat (Homestar Runner) WINNER: Statler & Waldorf!

Bert & Ernie (Sesame Street) VS Vex'ahlia & Vax'ildan (Critical Role) WINNER: Bert & Ernie!

Sonic & Tails (Sonic the Hedgehog) VS Jadzia Dax (Star Trek) WINNER: Sonic & Tails!

Phineas & Ferb VS Carl Carlson & Lenny Leonard (The Simpsons) WINNER: Phineas & Ferb!

DAY THREE

Sam & Max VS Will Graham & Hannibal Lecter (NBC Hannibal) WINNER: Sam & Max!

Spongebob & Patrick (Spongebob Squarepants) VS Eddie Brock & Venom (Marvel Comics) WINNER: Spongebob & Patrick!

Wallace & Gromit VS The 10th Doctor & Donna Noble (Doctor Who) WINNER: Wallace & Gromit!

Geordi LaForge & Data (Star Trek) VS Frog & Toad WINNER: Frog & Toad!

Spock & Jim Kirk (Star Trek) VS Wug Test (Linguistics) WINNER: Spock & Kirk!

Bill S. Preston & Theodore Logan (Bill and Ted) VS Fireboy & Watergirl WINNER: Bill & Ted!

Nadja of Antipaxos & Laszlo Cravensworth (What We Do in the Shadows) VS Heinz Doofenshmirtz & Perry the Platypus (Phineas and Ferb) WINNER: Doofenshmirtz & Perry!

Nastya Rasputina & The Aurora (The Mechanisms) VS Harry DuBois & Kim Kitsuragi (Disco Elysium) WINNER: Harry & Kim!

DAY FOUR

Pinky & The Brain (Animaniacs) VS Scooby & Shaggy (Scooby-Doo) WINNER: Scooby & Shaggy!

Nico Di Angelo & Will Solace (Percy Jackson) VS Timmy & Tommy (Animal Crossing) WINNER: Timmy & Tommy!

Calvin & Hobbes VS Bunsen & Beaker (The Muppet Show) WINNER: Calvin & Hobbes!

Kris & Susie (Deltarune) VS Mercutio & Benvolio (Romeo and Juliet) WINNER: Kris & Susie!

Wirt & Greg (Over the Garden Wall) VS R2-D2 & C-3PO (Star Wars) WINNER: R2-D2 & C-3PO!

Mac McDonald & Charlie Kelly (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) VS Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde WINNER: Mac & Charlie!

Phoenix Wright & Maya Fey (Ace Attorney) VS John Doe & Arthur Lester (Malevolent) WINNER: Phoenix & Maya!

Legolas Greenleaf & Gimli (Lord of the Rings) VS Jedediah Smith & Gaius Octavius (Night at the Museum) WINNER: Legolas & Gimli!

RECAP

[ashen-crest]

[ID: a digital drawing of Ambrose and Eli as Bert and Ernie. Ernie-as-Eli is wearing golden sun earrings, a beige shirt, and pointing to a purple potion bottle in his hand. Bert-as-Ambrose has blue hair, pointed ears, a navy long-sleeve shirt, and is looking at the potion bottle. They're both standing by a cauldron with bubbling purple liquid. end ID]

Ambrose & Eli as Bert & Ernie

Now, I don't really read reviews unless I'm specifically tagged in them or need review quotes. But someone told me that a review of A Rival Most Vial compared Ambrose and Eli to Bert and Ernie, so...I had to draw this. Enjoy.

[notmorbid]

we all want impossible things.

dialogue prompts from we all want impossible things: a novel by catherine newman.

you're so gorgeous, i could bite your face.

i have been madly in love with you for __ years.

i'm not ready for this, whatever this is.

you've done 'in sickness and in health' magnificently.

it's kind of my dream, getting you all to myself.

you have a voice like an angel.

don't slut shame me.

this was my home for so long.

turn off hgtv and go back to school.

i feel like i have no memory of you knocking, but here you are.

what does 'hanging out' mean, exactly?

do you have any actual human feelings?

texting one of your boyfriends?

how's your falling in love disorder going?

i can't believe i prayed for this.

i know teenagers are not always what they seem.

i have to express my love or i'll die.

if there's anything more depressing than a sun-dried nectarine, i couldn't tell you what it is.

i just craved the desire. the before part.

i want you to be crazy about me.

have some lox. it's the jewish superfood.

can you please not have an actual heart attack?

do you think when cats hear an owl, they think of themselves as predators or prey?

i can still feel all that rage sloshing around inside me.

did the word 'boo-boo' come from bubo? like, during the plague?

i can't figure out if i should be worried about you.

i feel like i've been poisoned by a fairy tale witch.

you're a sight for sore eyes.

i feel like you should either die and feel good, or feel shitty and be getting better. it's not fair to feel shitty and die.

are you going to end up writing about this?

i would give anything to keep you.

i have ever mixtape you ever made me.

i just want to say yes to everything.

okay, professor mcsmarty-pants.

it's a memoir called 'lies i can't quite remember'.

am i thinking of anne rice or ayn rand?

how in god's name could ernie and bert afford a brownstone in park slope?

diagnose me.

you're the nicest smoking-hot person i've ever met.

yes, i am judging you.

that's all i want. just to love and be loved.

i thought they had a butch doll, but i think it's just a boring actual boy.

where are you seeing so many dicks?

do you maybe want to watch less straight porn?

you probably make your own kombucha.

i think you're going to have to get over yourself a little bit.

you can just go ahead and feel all your feelings.

i think i'm fine. i'm at least mostly fine.

you are secretly a dick, and i'm the only person in the world who knows it.

do you want to come inside and make out with me?

i just want to camp out with you downstairs.

you'll go when you need to go.

try to be forgiving of yourself.

stay gold, ponyboy.

you're not as mysterious as you might imagine.

be with me. please.

because i'm in love with you.

i am not 'banging' your father.

[dangercocktail]

The Arcade

Diego smoothed the front of his striped polo as he checked his reflection in the dark glass of the arcade’s front door. The neon lights of the street sign behind him cast blue and pink streaks across his visage. Staring back at him, his reflection showed a modestly tall nineteen year old, slim in frame, with a day’s stubble beginning to emerge on his upper lip. Diego’s eyes flicked quickly over to the “Help Wanted” sign scribbled on paper posted behind the glass walls. Running a hand over the curls of his hair, Diego took a deep breath and pushed open the door. 

A wave of air conditioning and scent of popcorn greeted him as he entered the whirring, buzzing, and dinging world of the arcade. Bright screens cast a pale glow over the faces of teens and young adults alike as they gathered round cabinets of Ms. Pac-Man, Dig Dug, and Galaga to cheer on their friends. The sun had set outside; the dark and bright clash of the interior arcade caused Diego to squint slightly as his eyes adjusted. He scanned the rows of games cursorily, glancing out of instinct at his favorites. Q-bert and Burgertime were both taken by young kids who didn’t seem to know what they were doing. Diego chuckled and thought that if he got the job, he’d be sure to show some of the younger kids a few tricks of the trade.

Approaching the counter, Diego made sure to put on an easy going smile. He saw that the manager Sam, only one year older than Diego himself, was filling bags of popcorn. Diego laughed quietly as he watched Sam scoop one load of popcorn into a bag and then another into his mouth. The guy loved to snack apparently, Diego thought; remembering Sam’s trim track days in high school. They had never been close friends, more friendly acquaintances but Diego had no idea that Sam’s body weight had exploded when he began working at the arcade. Sam’s love handles were wide enough to resemble an armchair. He hoped that Sam had enough fond memories of him to offer Diego the job.

“Hey Sam,” Diego said casually but confidently, offering a friendly smile. 

“Oh hey Diego,” Sam said, his mouth full of popcorn. “What’s going on?”

“I wanted to inquire about the Help Wanted sign out front,” Diego asked. “I’m out of junior college for the summer and love this place. Working here for a few months would be excellent.”

Sam placed the scoop back into the popcorn machine and wiped his buttery hands on his work polo. The shirt struggled to contain his soft mass, the wide indentation of his belly button jiggled as he walked over to Diego.

“Hey man, that would be great. I already know you’re a good dude and I’ve seen your arcade skills.” Sam was grinning but a dark cloud passed his eyes briefly. “But you know what…I’m not sure you’d fit in around here.”

Diego frowned slightly, his brows furrowed.

“What do you mean, Sam? I love video games,” Diego said, raising an eyebrow. “If you’d like a demonstration, pick any cabinet and I’ll show off some of my skills.”

Sam frowned slightly himself, his chubby cheeks and chin bunching up. “No it’s not that, I can’t fully put my finger on it but something changed when I started working here…like the first day…”  Sam’s voice trailed off as the thought left him. “No you know what? You’re perfect. You’re hired!”

Diego felt a rush of excitement inside. His summer vacation was about to be filled with cool air conditioning and video games.

“When can you start?” Sam said, back to filling popcorn bags and dropping alternate scoops into his own mouth. 

“Right now,” Diego said enthusiastically. “Thanks so much Sam, this is wonderful.” 

Sam laughed, his cheeks bulging with popcorn. 

“Nah man, I love that you are so into it. Let me get you a roll of tokens and a drink, hang out, take in the vibe of this place, and we’ll get you fitted for a work shirt tomorrow. Hey Paul!” Sam said, looking away from Diego to the prize wall. 

Cashing out a customer stood Paul, another guy Diego remembered faintly from high school. Paul had been overly skinny in high school, his gym shorts frequently falling down when they had run the mile. The guy had to have been barely over one hundred pounds. In that slim memory’s place stood a rotund ball of a man. Paul’s glasses rested on a face that was almost completely spherical, his cheeks comically inflated. The arcade polo barely covered his bulging belly, round and firm as opposed to Sam’s quivering softness. Paul waved a chubby hand at the two of them as the customer walked away.

“Give Diego a roll of tokens, he’s starting with us tomorrow,” Sam said. “Here Diego, let me get you a Dr. Pepper to drink while you play.” Sam turned from the popcorn machine and filled a large cup with soda. Popping a straw through the lid, he handed it over to Diego.

With soda and tokens firmly in hand, Diego was feeling on top of the world. He had a new job in a place he loved to hang out, a free drink and tokens, and a great way to spend his Friday night. He ambled his trim body around the aisles of games, the cabinets humming with a new sheen now that he considered himself their caretaker. 

He took a long sip of Dr. Pepper, weighed his options judicially, then chose one of the hardest games he knew, Dragon’s Lair. Popping in the two tokens required to play, he took another sip of soda and went to work mashing buttons. Time became an intangible concept as he made it surprisingly far in the game on his two tokens, grabbing a sip of soda whenever an animation gave him a moment to breathe. When he finally died and exclaimed in disappointment, he realized his soda was empty. His stomach gurgled as the scent of popcorn tickled his nose and he walked back to the snack counter to buy some from Sam.

“Hey Sam, let me get some popcorn,” Diego said, pulling out his velcro wallet. 

“Absolutely my guy,” Sam said, pulling the largest bag they had. He then opened a box of Milk Duds from under the counter and poured them in. “Perk of working here.” He winked at Diego who smiled back. Handing over the popcorn along with a new Dr. Pepper, Sam waved away the offer of money, sending Diego back to the arcade cabinets feeling really happy with his choice of workplace. 

Burgertime had freed up in the meantime so Diego planted himself in front of a game he knew he could destroy. Setting the popcorn and soda over the second player buttons, Diego went to town building burgers and dodging sinister hot dogs. A small group of young teens gathered around to watch his expertise, deftly moving the fingers of one hand over the buttons while his other hand escorted soda, popcorn, and milk duds to his mouth. 

He reached Level 28 where the bugs of the game began making themselves known and soon lost his last life. The crowd gathered around him moaned in sympathetic misery as they shuffled off to watch other players. Diego picked up the empty popcorn bag and accidentally knocked his empty soda cup to the ground. Bending over to pick it up, he heard a loud rip. 

Standing up quickly, Diego fumbled around his backside to find a large tear of his jeans opening to his white briefs. As he kept patting incredulously, his brain was trying to reconcile why his butt felt bigger and more padded than it ever had. In fact, his pants felt incredibly taut. Standing back up, he undid the tight front button of his jeans and a small belly released forward, his brown flesh settling in a new roll of fat that peeked out from under his very tight polo. 

“What the actual fu..?” Diego began to say when his brain went fuzzy like television static. He couldn’t remember what he had looked before. Have I always been overweight, he thought, scratching the lower part of his belly. He felt hungry and walked to the snack counter, his chubby belly bouncing slightly. 

“Hey Sam,” Diego said, setting his empty bag and cup on the counter. Sam was refilling the nacho cheese machine and eating his own massive plate of nachos. ‘Any chance for a refill?”

“Yea man, of course,” Sam said, his mouth full of cheese and chips. Sam grabbed the bag, filled it with popcorn, then instead of filling it with Milk Duds, put the bag under the spigot of liquid nacho cheese and drenched the popcorn. He filled Diego’s Dr. Pepper and replaced the straw with a strand of Red Vine. 

“Doing okay on tokens?” Sam said, handing the snacks over.

“100%” Diego said, patting his belly. “Having a great night.”

Diego wandered over to Ms. PacMan which was still occupied but found Joust currently open and planted himself in front of it. Popping in a token, he grabbed a handful of cheese covered popcorn and began playing. Joust had never really been his game but he liked the ridiculousness of the ostrich mounted knights. Tonight for some reason, he was killing it in the game, racking up a high score he never came close to. Between deep sips of soda and handfuls of popcorn, he was annihilating the computer’s coded patterns. 

His eyes only drifted away from the screen for a moment midgame when he felt something cold touching his stomach. Looking down, Diego saw a round slab of fat pressed up against the cabinet, his belly 3 times the size he had remembered it. He noticed a small set of chubby breasts pushing forward over the large belly, his nipples apparent through the sheer cotton of his polo. Glancing at his hands, Diego discovered that his fingers had inflated as well, the tops of his hands puffy and his fingers slightly swollen. His pants felt skintight and ready to burst. 

All of this hit Diego as incredibly wrong and backing up from the game, he began to panic when suddenly, his mind went fuzzy again. He was hungry. Diego ran a chubby hand over his stomach and burped. 

Waddling to the counter as his thick thighs rubbed together, Diego waved at Sam who was handing a slice of pizza to a group of teenage girls. When Sam finished the transaction, he himself waddled over to Diego and grinned. 

“What can I getcha buddy?” Sam said, his polo creeping up on his belly. He tugged absentmindedly at it and Diego swore that Sam was fatter now than he had been when Diego initially came in. 

“Weird request bud, but do you have some bigger clothes I can borrow? These are for skinny guys,” Diego said, gesturing to his tortured clothing. 

“Oh I feel you there man. Yea I have a work uniform you can have since you’re working here anyway. Why not start now?” Sam opened the divider to let Diego squeeze through, his wide ass rubbing against the sides of the counter’s entry. The two waddled to the back where Sam rummaged through some bins, his breathing labored from the effort.

“What are you…XL? XXL?” Sam muttered, pulling polos and black pants from the bins. Diego thought for a moment that he was a medium but that couldn’t be right. He patted the expanse of his belly and remembered his actual size. 

“Oh I graduated to XXXL two weeks ago. Gotta stop eating all those doughnuts for breakfast,” Diego said, chuckling along with Sam who agreed he needed to do the same. Pulling off the shreds of his original outfit, Diego put on the arcade’s XXXL work uniform and found it a comfortable fit. His belly loped over the front of his pants as his fattened chest stretched the stripes of the polo in two curved lines. 

“Up for some pizza on your first shift?” Sam suggested, as the two waddled together back to the front. 

“One hundred percent,” Diego said. He was starving. He grabbed two slices of pizza and made a sandwich, then began eating alongside Sam. Paul waddled over from the ticket counter and the three gave themselves over to a snack counter glut. As Diego felt the button on his pants began to strain and the front of his polo begin to creep up, he felt a brief moment of fuzzy terror quickly replaced by one thought: he loved working at the arcade.