#this turned out to be a lot longer than I was meaning

[thinkinonsense]

SEVEN DAYS

x2!logan howlett x fem!reader

cw: desperate!logan, eating reader out, fingering, squirting?

masterlist

the mission was only supposed to last for two days. forty-eight hours and he would return home to you. instead it was dragged out much longer than it needed to be.

logan wanted nothing more than to be home in your arms instead of a motel room alone, painfully hard, trying to tune out scott snore on the other side of the wall.

so, on thursday afternoon when him, scott, and storm returned to the mansion, logan wasted no time hunting you down. he could smell you the second he walked through the front door; you were in charles office. charles, hank, jean, and you were meeting to discuss a new experiment when logan bursts through the door.

"logan! pleasure for you to join us." hank announces.

your head snaps up from your scribbling to see that your lover has returned safely. he looked like a lion ready to pounce on a naivë little lamb.

"just came by to pick something up." logan answers, ignoring everyone else in the room as he made a b-line for you.

"hey, baby–"

within seconds, logan lifts you up over his shoulder and out of the leather seat. you squeal, dropping your notepad and pen. your kitten heels kick his abs as your squirm in his arms.

"logan!" you hiss, swatting his toned back as he turns around to walk out of the room, unphased. "what the hell! put me down!"

he ignores you, pulling down your dress to cover your behind from your co-workers. no one was shocked by logan's actions. the man wasn't a patient person by any means. they all watched as you left over logan's shoulder, face blushing with embarrassment.

when logan finally shut your guys bedroom door, he placed you down on the edge of your bed; yet to say a word to you. instead, he falls straight to his knees in front of you. his big callous hands, rubs the soft skin of your inner thighs, opening your legs.

logan couldn't help but moan when he saw the pretty lacy light blue panties you were wearing. you could see the neediness in his eyes as he licked his lips. before he can remove your underwear, you cradle his face in your much smaller palms.

"you alright, baby?" you ask, looking down at him.

similarly to a cat, logan rubs the scruff of his beard against your thigh, pressing his nose against the thin panties; inhaling the scent of your arousal. you run a hand through his hair, scratching his scalp softly before your fingers tugging on the kitten tuffs, making him whimper against your pussy.

"mhm..." he manages to say. "i missed you."

"aw, i missed you–"

"missed your scent, your lips, your mouth..." his words are muffled as he kisses you messily over the lace. "missed this fuckin' pussy so much."

you gasp when he pulls down the soaked material and moves back for a second to look at you. he spreads you apart with his thumbs, watching you twitch and clench at the cool air hitting your pussy. she was warm, wet, and welcoming to him. logan couldn't imagine a better way to spend the rest of his day.

"there's my favorite girl." logan smiles before spitting right on your button and latching his mouth onto you. you moan loudly as he talks to your pussy, acting as if you weren't even in the room.

"you've missed me too, huh, pretty girl?" he moans incoherently as his tongue runs over core.

it's a struggle to keep your eyes open but it was worth the sight of logan's head in between your legs. the noises he made with your slick were unbelievably lewd.

"must've missed me a lot." you giggle, trying to catch your breath as he wraps your legs around his head.

"you've got not fuckin' idea." he mumbles into your folds. spit and slick pooled onto the sheets that laid under you as logan feasted.

logan looks up at you and fears he might cum just from the image of you with your head thrown back, eyes rolled back and mouth slightly parted as you sing his praise of 'right there, logan!', 'such a good boy for me'.

the 'good boy' comment threw logan's mind into a frenzy. he needed to hear you. he needed to be surrounded by your presence. two of his fingers dip into you, fast and rough. your thighs squeeze his head, threatening to pop it right off his body.

there was no time to warn him before your high hit. logan slurped up every bit of honey you had to offer him. you reach down for the hand that wasn't busy locating your sweet spot and place it on your tit. logan could feel your heartbeat and it only sent him further on his spiral, adding a third finger and repeatedly hitting that spot that made you see fireworks.

"i c-can't, logan" you mewl, wiggling back from logan's tongue. he catches you, latching back onto your button. "it's too m-much!"

"she's takin' me just fine." his voice is muffled against you in the dirtiest way possible.

the pressure builds in your tummy. there were no words in your brain at this point, moaning and babbling about nothing.

"that's the spot, huh?" he groan, smirking up at you. logan's fingers twist up, slamming against that gummy spot deep in your walls.

the motion caused you to let out more slick than you ever had before, gushing on logan's face. you can hear him curse as he licks you clean.

“it’s only been seven days, you know?” you giggle, trying to catch your breath.

he climbs up your body to capture your lips, letting you taste yourself. you moan into his mouth, as logan grinds down on you, needing more.

“seven days too long, sweetheart.”

⭒˚‧ ︵‿⭒ཐིཋྀ ཐིཋྀ⭒‿︵ ‧˚⭒

a/n: just something short n sweet before i post part 2 of dad!logan x teacher!reader <3

[allmoshnobrain]

You're a short girl, and sometimes that messes with your confidence. Your boyfriend doesn't seem to care at all, though.

✦ on this fic: simon 'ghost' riley x fem!reader, fluff, reader is short and it makes her a bit insecure

✦ a/n: this is my first time writing for anything other than metallica/megadeth/venom which is what i usually write for but i've been daydreaming a lot about this man and needed to get this out of my system 😭 also it was a great way to warm up and start writing again after my break!! hope u guys enjoy it 💖

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

It takes him a while to pick up on your insecurity.

It's subtle, and honestly, he’s not exactly great with subtle. He fails, at first, to catch the way you pout, the way you frown whenever you see a hot actress who’s taller than you, or a long dress you think would look better on someone with a few more inches.

He finally catches on, though, one night when you’re cooking dinner. It’s kind of a slip up, really — a tiring day and your period cramps the worst they’ve been in the last few hours just making it easier for you to get upset over the smallest thing. So when you can’t reach one of the trays on the top shelf and have to ask him to grab it, he turns around to see you teary-eyed and upset, which is not how this usually goes.

“Love?” he asks, his brow furrowing when he sees your state “What’s wrong?” He glances at the glass tray in his hands. “Did I grab the wrong one?”

“What? No, no, it’s fine,” you mutter, his confused look quickly shifting into worry when he notices the tears in your eyes.

“Hey,” he quickly puts the tray down and gently grabs your chin. “Talk to me. What is it?”

He’s firm, straightforward but not harsh, which just makes you feel even more ridiculous for almost crying over something so dumb.

“I’m being silly,” you say, but he shakes his head. 

“Don’t say that,” he mutters. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

That last part sounds almost like a command, his voice all firm and serious — something that would probably annoy you if he didn’t sound so genuinely concerned. You sigh.

“I wish I was taller,” you whisper, hoping he wouldn’t hear it, but he does. Of course he does.

“You wish you were taller?” he repeats, now more confused than worried. “Why?”

“I just don’t want to feel useless, always needing your help,” you half-lie, because that’s not really it.  And of course, Simon knows — he always does. You can tell by the way he raises his eyebrow slightly at you, disarming you instantly. “I wish I was prettier,” you finally mutter.

“You are pretty,” he says slowly, like he’s still trying to figure out where all this is coming from. “You’re beautiful. And I like helping you.”

“But tall girls are… More beautiful,” you sniffle, and he snorts.

“Who said that?”

“I said,” you frown. “Like, every time I see a cute dress that’s too long, I just think I can’t wear it. It won’t look right on me. I always feel like I can only look cute, but sometimes I want to look, I don’t know, gorgeous. Tall girls just always seem to look gorgeous to me, and I...”

“Oh, shush,” Simon grumbles, sliding an arm around your waist and pulling you closer. He tilts your chin up gently so you’re looking at him. “You are gorgeous. And you’re beautiful, and you’re mine. And I like you small — easier to hold.”

You can’t help but laugh. It’s shaky, and you try to hold it back, wanting to stay in your little pity party a bit longer. I mean, seriously, what does he mean by "you’re gorgeous" when you feel the exact opposite?

"Easier to hold?" you say, trying to sound offended but failing as a giggle slips out.

"There she is," he hums, kissing the corner of your mouth, and that’s when you realize you’re smiling. "My girl. Don’t be upset, love. You don’t need to be taller to be pretty. And if you ever need to reach for something, well, that’s what I’m here for."

“You’re just saying that because you’re my boyfriend,” you tease. He lets out an exasperated sigh.

“I’m not.”

“You are!”

“Goddammit, woman. Will you quit trying to convince me you’re not beautiful? It’s not happening,” he frowns, then leans in, pressing a small, tender kiss to your lips. His arms wrapped around you are comfortable, warm and firm and feel like home.

It never fails to disarm you, how soft he can be. Out of the blue, always when you’re not really expecting it. Just when you think you’ve finally managed to annoy him or maybe this is the time he’s gonna get tired of you. He never fails to prove you wrong. 

He never fails to prove that he loves you, just the way you are.

[toadtoru]

GOOD LUCK BABE

when you wake up next to him in the middle of the night / with your head in your hands, you're nothing more than his wife / and when you think about me, all of those years ago / you're standing face to face with "i told you so"

pairing: shoko x fem!reader contents: angst, angst, angst, no curses au, reader is rich, reader is addressed with she/her pronouns, childhood friends to ???, no-curse au, some gojo x reader, alcohol consumption, smoking and weed wordcount: 4k

“Do you like him?”

You’re twenty-one the second time Shoko asks you this question. You’re out on the balcony, attempting to ignore the loud yelling and music being blasted from the small apartment behind you. You lean over the railing, looking down at the people below you. Shoko takes another drag of her cigarette. She glances back at the closed door behind you. She can easily catch the white blob of hair amongst the partygoers. 

“Of course I do! You’re all my best friends.” 

You both know that it’s not what Shoko means.

“Yeah, but do you like him?” Shoko repeats, and you pout when you realise that she’s not letting you off the hook. You send her a look while gently tapping your fingers against the railing. Shoko’s eyes follow the movement, trying not to glare at the diamond ring on your finger. 

You grew up different; Shoko knows that. Whereas she and Suguru grew up relatively normal, had parents who worked simple jobs and came home to cook dinner, you and Satoru were raised by maids and strict rules. She supposes this is the reason you’re so nonchalant about all this. Whereas Shoko as always had the choice, you never had. Still, it bothers her how willingly you let yourself be captured, how little you fight for the freedom to be your own person. She wishes she could shake you till you understood, but instead, she’s stuck here on this shitty balcony, hoping that you might answer her question truthfully for once. She takes another drag of her cigarette, inhaling deeply and hoping that you won’t notice how tense her shoulders are. 

“It doesn’t matter if I like him,” you say, shrugging. You glance over at Shoko, and something passes between you for a moment. Your eyes flicker to her lips, still wrapped around her cigarette. It’s barely a second before you’re making eye contact again. 

“I’m just happy my parents chose Gojo and not that asshole from Zenin Enterprises.” 

You’re twenty when you go to a bar for the first time. It’s your birthday, officially the last one to turn twenty out of the four of you. It’s the first time in six months that you managed to get together. After you graduated, Satoru immediately started working at his dad's company; you and Shoko started at separate universities; and Suguru… well, none of you really know what he’s doing. Shoko recalls him saying he has some kind of sales job that causes him to travel a lot. 

By this time, purple circles have settled under Shoko’s eyes, and cigarettes are a staple in her purse. In all honesty, she doesn’t want to be here. It’s a fancy place—more of a club than a bar, really. Satoru’s choice, of course. There’s no way that you picked this place. 

You look stunning. Dressed in a top and a mini skirt, you look both expensive and endlessly tempting. You’ve already drank some at your place, where you all started, and you’re pleasantly giggly, hanging on Satoru's arm. Shoko wishes you’d hang off her like that, but recently there’s been a weird divide between you. You’re hard to get a hold of. 

You catch her eyes and smile. “You look nice tonight, Sho,” you say, lips curling teasingly as you reach out to pull a piece of hair behind her ear. “Your hair has gotten longer,” you add with a hum. 

Shoko shrugs. Suguru and Satoru are talking about something that she’s not a part of, so she moves closer to you. “How have you been?” she asks casually, trying to act like she isn’t hanging off every word you say. 

“Come dance with me,” you reply, grabbing her hand and pulling her out on the dancefloor. Shoko follows you wordlessly. She’s never been much for dancing, but for you, she’ll make an exception. 

“I’m alright,” you say. “School is hard,” you add, and Shoko follows the way your body moves, easily falling into a rhythm with the music. She wonders why you couldn’t have this conversation at the bar, but in a way, she’s happy that she doesn’t have to share you with the boys for a while. Your fingers are intertwined as you both ignore everyone else on the crowded dance floor. It’s hot, and the music blasts from the speakers beside the DJ, all contributing to making Shoko feel dizzy. 

“What about you, Sho?” you ask, dancing closer. 

“School is hard,” she repeats after you, grinning when you roll your eyes. You dance for a little while longer, silence creating a distance between you. Shoko wonders why it’s like this all of a sudden. You used to always be close; the silence between you was never uncomfortable like this. 

“I miss you,” Shoko says. She doesn’t even know why she says it. These are the kinds of things Shoko feels in silence. She never shares them with other people. But for some reason, she can’t stand the thought of not being able to share it with you. You smile, but it doesn’t reach your eyes. 

“I’m dating Satoru.” 

Cutting Shoko open with a scalpel would probably have hurt less. The music becomes white noise, the room feels small, and the air becomes hard to breathe. She looks towards the bar where Satoru’s talking with Suguru. As if on queue, Satoru looks up from his conversation to look at the two of you. He smiles at Shoko when their eyes meet. Satoru, Satoru, Satoru. Bastard. It’s always him, isn’t it? 

“I need a cigarette,” Shoko mumbles, walking towards the smoking area of the club. 

“Sho,” you say, following her as she makes her way through the dancefloor towards the doors with the smoking sign. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” you say, and Shoko shakes her head as she pushes the door open and exits onto a small rooftop. The air is chilly, and there are several people already there, smoking and talking. 

“I’m sorry,” you repeat as Shoko lights her cigarette and takes a long drag. “Will you at least look at me?”

She does. Soft, kind brown eyes locked on you. You’ve always revelled in Shoko’s attention. It made you feel special to be deserving of it, for a person who’s usually nonchalant and seemingly careless, that you were interesting enough. Even when she would tease you and push your buttons, you liked it.

You don’t like it right now.

“Why?” Shoko asks. Your brows knit together. 

“Shoko, I’m sorry if you’re mad–”’

“No. Why him?” Shoko interrupts. She takes another drag before blowing the smoke off to the side. You frown. 

“You promised you’d stop smoking,” you say, and Shoko laughs. 

“Is it your parents?” she asks, stepping closer. Smoke fills your lungs as she blows some onto your face. You turn to the side, but she grabs your chin and makes you look at her. “Is it you? Do you like him?” She asks. You frown. 

“Yes,” you reply, though it’s half-hearted and soft. 

“Speak up,” Shoko says, but you don’t. Your brows are furrowed, and there’s a little pout on your lips. Your hands come to tug on her shirt as if you’re beckoning her to come closer, but she doesn’t, not even bothering to look down at where you’re holding onto her. 

She feels an awful desire to kiss you, to show you what liking—no, loving—someone really is. She doesn’t fight it when she leans in, pressing your lips together. This kiss is much different from any kiss you’ve shared before. It’s meaner, more desperate. As if Shoko is trying to put every word she won’t speak into this moment, lips moving against lips. Your fingers move from her shirt up to her neck, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss. 

Shoko tastes like smoke and the beer she took three sips off when you first arrived. It’s deprived; how good it all feels to let go. Then you part and you gasp for air for a few seconds before you step back, wiping your hands in your shirt and turning around, disappearing into the bar. 

You’re fifteen when you say the words that make Shoko take the first drag of a cigarette. You’re sitting on the floor in your room, watching some show that you begged her to see. Shoko can’t even remember which one it was, although it doesn’t matter all that much. You’re huddled close together, giggling whenever the main characters do something funny. Your eyes are on the screen, but Shoko can’t help but look at you. 

It’s dark out. She should’ve been home hours ago, but your parents aren’t home—they never are—and the maid left hours ago. 

“Have you ever kissed anyone, Sho?” you ask. Shoko blinks, turning to look at the TV again. A kiss scene is unfolding. Fairly innocent, she thinks. She looks back at you to find you already looking. Your faces are awfully close, only illuminated by the blue light from the show still going, though it’s all background noise at this point. 

“No,” Shoko replies bluntly. You smile, your cheeks heating up as you lean in closer. 

“Do you want to?” you ask. It’s innocent. You’re smiling, your eyes darting down to Shoko’s lips for a second before they’re back up. 

“I don’t know,” Shoko replies. Already at fourteen, she hates how she feels around you. There’s something disarming about you that makes Shoko lose all her cool and turn into a complete puddle of weird, awkward teenage mess. Her heart always seems to hammer in her chest, and her hands feel clammy. 

“We could try, you know,” you say. You’re so close now that Shoko can feel your breath on her lips, smell the fruit rolls you ate earlier. It’s so very you, so sweet. Blood roars in her ears, and she doesn’t say anything, afraid her voice might betray her. 

“For practice,” you add, and Shoko finds herself nodding along. For practice, sure. She ignores the gnawing feeling in her chest, the looming knowledge that she can never come back from this. Shoko has never been much interested in love or boys. She’s always opted for medical books and crime mysteries instead of chick flicks. Though with you, it’s always been different. You could rope her into watching The Notebook and Titanic as many times as you wanted if it meant Shoko got to spend time with you. 

“Is this okay?” you ask, placing your hand on Shoko’s cheek, and she nods again. “Yeah,” she replies, almost breathless. You’re so close now.

So so close. 

It’s innocent. There’s no tongue, no great big sparks. Yet Shoko feels electric. Your lips are soft. So soft. And despite how blunt you were just seconds ago, you feel shy now all of a sudden, pulling away with flushed cheeks and a sort of dazed look on your face. 

“Thank you,” is all you can think to say, and it makes Shoko snort at your reaction. This causes a giggle to be pulled from you as well, and you sit there for a while, just lingering in each other's presence, high on the experience of your first kiss together. It’s innocent, sweet. Shoko wishes she could bottle up the feelings you give her and save them from the rot she’s already feeling building up inside of her. 

She reaches for your cheek and pulls you in for a second kiss. You let her, getting braver this time. Your lips move against each other. It’s inexperienced and clumsy, but Shoko wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Then you whisper the god-forsaken words. 

“I wish you were a boy, Sho.” 

And Shoko feels the rot fester in her gut. 

“I should go,” she replies, stumbling out of your room and down the hall of your obscenely large house. She ignores your calls for her as she slips down through your kitchen.

She stops in her tracks when she notices the small packet on the counter. The maid must’ve left it, she thinks to herself as she picks it up and inspects it. Shoko and you have spied on her during enough smoke breaks to know. Two cigarettes left. She glances at the door. You haven’t followed her downstairs. She puts the box in her pocket and walks out your front door. 

How can two cigarettes hurt?

You’re twenty-three when you walk down the aisle in a beautiful white dress. Shoko watches from the fourth row, right next to Nanami. You and Satoru stand in front of the altar. Suguru sits on the front row with Satoru’s family. You hadn’t asked Shoko to sit with yours. 

The vows are formal. Clinical, almost. As though someone else wrote them for you, as though neither you nor Satoru actually feel the things you say. Nonetheless, you look blinding in your dress, even more blinding as you walk down the aisle and lock eyes with Shoko. 

She smiles at you. Purple rings have become more prominent under her eyes during the past few months. She’s told you they’re from late-night cramming and studying, and while that’s not technically untrue, there's another reason why she sleeps so badly as well. You smile back, and Shoko feels the green little thorn in her stomach reach just a little deeper. 

“Why are you looking all gloomy?” 

It’s playful. There’s no ill intent behind it. Satoru, as always, pretends to be unaware of anything that might start an uncomfortable conversation, instead resorting to acting like a fool. Shoko sighs. 

“Fuck off,” she says, though there’s no edge in her tone. She can’t ever really hate Satoru. No one can. That’s what's so annoying about him. Satoru walks forward and joins Shoko on the balcony from the venue of your wedding afterparty. Shoko doesn’t know where you are. Probably somewhere entertaining your guests, pretending that this is the happiest night of your life. 

Satoru eyes the cigarette between Shoko’s fingers as she takes another drag. 

“I thought you were quitting.”

“School’s been stressful.” 

“Ah,” Satoru nods, resting his arms on the railing and looking out over the city. It’s a peaceful night. The sky is clear, though you can’t see the stars due to the light of the city. Shoko exhales. 

“Are you doing alright, Shoko? You seem distant,” Satoru asks, eyes trained on the view in front of them. Shoko hums. 

“I’m alright,” 

They stand like that for a while, neither of them saying anything. Shoko wonders if she should just tell Satoru everything. About how she’s in love with his wife and has been for years. How she wakes up in the middle of the night, gasping for air and chasing dreams of you. You with your soft lips and pretty smile. You who never flinches away, you who remains the centre of Shoko’s world no matter how hard she tries to untangle herself from your web of love and praise.

She imagines it wouldn’t go down well. Even if Satoru has married you out of duty, she knows he still loves you. Maybe not as a wife, but as a companion. You’ve known each other for so long, known that you were promised to each other since you were mere children. 

“Ah, fuck, I better go save my wife.” 

The moment has passed. Shoko looks back towards the glass doors to the party. You’re stuck talking to some elders. Shoko doesn’t know who they are, but she assumes they’re from Gojo’s family. You glance towards the balcony. “Save me,” you mouth, and both Shoko and Satoru snort. 

“Duty calls,” he sings as he walks past Shoko. He looks back over his shoulder once. “Come back once you’ve finished that one, okay?”

You’re eighteen when you all huddle together on the floor in Suguru’s room, giggling and whispering about the joint that the boys somehow managed to secure. Suguru lights it and takes the first inhale. Satoru follows, cheeks immediately turning pink and a dopey smile settling on his lips as he passes it to Shoko. You watch Shoko curiously before she hands it to you. 

Carefully, you fold it between your two fingers, eyeing the little roll carefully. “How do I do it?” you ask, and Shoko snorts. Satoru is giggly already, lying down and putting his head in Suguru’s lap. Suguru looks mostly unaffected, yet he cracks a smile and pinches Satoru’s cheek. 

“You put it between your lips, and then you inhale. You gotta feel it all the way in your lungs,” Shoko explains. You try to do as she says, but when you exhale, barely any smoke comes out. Suguru chuckles. 

"Yeah, that was not an inhale,” he says, and you poke your tongue at him. Shoko moves closer to you, ignoring Suguru as she puts her hand on your thigh. 

“Try again,” she says, and you do, looking at her at the same time. Shoko smiles, and you choke, coughing out some as you feel tears prickling in your eyes. Shoko rubs a soothing hand along your thigh while Satoru laughs. You pat your chest, coughing furiously as tears run down your cheek and Shoko smiles at you. 

So cute. 

“C’mere,” she says, once your coughing has subsided. You pout at her, but move closer nevertheless, till you’re in her lap. The boys are quiet now, watching your exchange as Shoko puts a hand on your waist, taking the joint from your fingers with the other. 

“You ready?” she asks, and you nod wordlessly. Slowly, she inhales before leaning into you, blowing into your mouth. This time you inhale, puffing your chest out in a manner that makes Shoko grin. You exhale again, and Shoko pats your cheek rewardingly. 

“Good girl,” she mutters, and your jaw drops. Suguru coughs, and you can hear Satoru’s giggle increasing as you climb out of her lap and grab the joint again. Shoko smiles at you. The knowing kind that makes you want to bash your head into a wall. You ignore the heat in your cheeks as you peel your eyes away from her. 

“Okay, I can do it myself now, thank you,” you say, taking a big inhale. You hold it for a few seconds before exhaling again, white smoke leaving your lungs. 

“There you go,” Satoru says, flashing you his perfect white teeth. You frown and take another drag, for good measure, before Suguru takes the joint from you. 

“Woah, there,” he says, raising a brow at you. “This is your first time, right?”

“Yeah,” you reply, already feeling lightheaded. “So what?” 

“Might want to take it easy,” he says. You don't bother to reply, instead looking back at Shoko. She’s leaned back, resting on her elbows. She meets your gaze, tilting her head to the side. Taking you in. Examining you. You fiddle with your fingers in your lap, but you don’t break eye contact.

Then she nods at you. A tiny one, barely noticeable. You almost think you imagine it, if it isn’t for the teasing look in her eyes. 

An invitation. 

You don’t hesitate to take it, climbing over and promptly laying your head in her lap. Shoko laughs, but she lets you, adjusting herself so she can sit up and play with your hair. You hum, closing your eyes and wrapping your arms around her. You feel light, pleasant. 

“Someone’s feeling touchy,” Shoko says, smiling as she watches your brows knit together. She brings a finger down, running it over the crease formed between your eyebrows, forcing you to relax. 

“You’re my best friend, Sho.” Your voice is airy. “I’m allowed to feel touchy.”

You’re twenty when you kiss Shoko for the second time before slipping inside the crowded bar again. Shoko waits a few minutes before she follows you back in. She can still feel your pillowy lips and taste the gloss you wear. She feels dizzy, almost, under the neon lights, but she’s unsure if it’s the alcohol and nicotine or just you. 

Her eyes land on the table where she saw Satoru and Suguru earlier. The white blob of hair is easy to spot; it always is. Even when you’re running your fingers through them. 

Ah. 

Even when you run your fingers through Satoru’s hair while you kiss him stupid. His hands are on your hips, pulling you in. She can’t see your face, only your back. In a way, she’s glad. It makes the whole ordeal much easier. 

“There you are.” 

Suguru moves towards her, smiling casually when she turns to look at him. 

“I assume she’s told you?” he muses, nodding his head towards the two of you. Suguru’s hands are in his pockets, and his hair is tied back. Shoko shrugs. 

“Yeah,” Shoko says. She looks at you again before turning back to Suguru. “How long have you known?” she asks, and Suguru scratches his neck and hums. 

“About a month,” he says. Shoko shifts from one foot to another and nods. A month. A month and you didn’t tell her. She scoffs. Suguru raises a brow. 

“Are you upset?”

“No,”

“Alright,” there’s a teasing edge to Suguru’s tone that tells her he doesn’t quite believe her. Shoko’s brows narrow, and she feels her fingers itching for another cigarette. 

She gives you a last glance before pulling Suguru out with her for another cigarette. If you wanna kiss boys in bars, then so be it. 

You’re twenty-six when Shoko opens her door in the middle of the night and finds you on her doorstep, completely drenched from the rain. 

“I’m afraid there’s something rotten inside of me,” you say, and if your eyes weren’t brimming with tears, Shoko might have blamed your wet cheeks on the rain and tried to shrug it off, but it feels impossible with the way you stand there with red rims around your eyes. “I’m afraid that there’s something wrong with me, and it’s only a matter of time before you all figure it out,” you repeat, almost gasping for air as if each word brings you physical pain to speak. 

And Shoko steps aside, because what else can she do. How could she turn you away when you’re all she’s ever wanted, all she’s ever loved. Yet none of you make another move to do anything else as Shoko stands with the closed door behind her and you stand in the middle of her living room, your soaked clothes dripping in a puddle underneath you. 

“What’s going on?” Shoko asks. Your lips are downturned and your brows are furrowed, and you look so miserable that it makes Shoko’s stomach churn. 

“I don’t love him.” 

A beat. 

Shoko stares. Your eyes are trained on the puddle beneath you. 

“You were right. It doesn’t feel right when I’m with him. He’s my best friend, but—”

“Why are you here?” Shoko interrupts. She rubs the bridge of her nose, taking in a deep breath. 

“Sho-” you stumble across the room, but Shoko places a hand up and you stop in your tracks. 

“Stay there,” she says, and you frown. 

“I’m sorry, okay. I should’ve listened to you,” you say, knowing that it won’t help anything but saying it anyway.

Shoko always thought she would feel satisfaction in this moment. Some sense of superiority. To be able to say “I told you so” with a smile dancing on her lips. That all of it—all of the rot and pain—would be worth it once you realised you were wrong. Instead, she just feels bitter. 

“Yeah. You should have.” 

She realises she’s wasted so much time. Waiting, and waiting, and waiting. And for what? Shoko sighs. 

“You should leave.”

thank you for reading!

i'm satoru when i get high btw. very giggly, very happy, very in love with all of my friends.

tagging @madaqueue since you asked, my munchkin. <3

masterlist | divider by enchanthings

[evanescencelovrr]

Part 8 college!simon x reader. Reader works her first shift at the bar and meets team 141 🙊 feel free to like comment & reblog!

Masterlist here ✉️

First shift. You muttered to yourself, buckling your black belt in your jeans. All black outfit, perfect for waitressing. Your hair was tucked in a bun to keep it neat, some strands fallen. Closing shut your mirror, you eyed your dorm room, taking off the lights before leaving with your bag.

“I wonder what that crew is like…apparently they must mean a lot to him.” You said, under your breath as you walked to the main street. The bar was located behind Campus apparently and took about 15 minutes to reach. It wasn’t horrible—you saw shitty motel buildings and broken neon lights along the way.

Cars passed by every now and then. Your mind drifted back to Simon. Maybe that was where he got those eyebags from—working all these night shifts.

The bell rings as you enter and of course, you hear an electric guitar strumming over the speakers. Glasses clink and the displays are showing a football match. You nervously approach the counter and soon a man comes in—mohawk, beard and sharp eyes. Tanned. Tall, muscular and a rag thrown over his shoulder.

What you didn’t expect what his strong scottish accent. “Aye, y’er ere’ fa’ the job, lass?”

“Yes—“ You furrowed your brows, slowly comprehending it to which he barked out a laugh. You weren’t sure you heard him right and the words just spilled out your mouth.

His shiny teeth glittered in the lights. “C’mon, love, no reason t’ be scared. Names Johnny.”

“Of course sir—“

“Johnny.” He said firmly, eyes cutting a glance at you as he began cleaning the glasses with his rag.

You nodded and bit your lip—first mistake. You then made your way behind the counter, boots thudding against the ground. You always wore your lil platform combat boots—added a nice touch.

“Lieutenants got a hold on’ ya?” Johnny said suddenly, eyeing you. Confused, you turn to look at him and you shake your heard, lips tugging down a bit.

“I wouldn’t—“

“Damned man. Cannae help it, you’re a pretty one.” Johnny smiled, rolling his eyes and grinning.

You stare mildly shocked at his carefree attitude, not knowing what exactly to say—or how Simon would respond to this.

After a pause, you then say, “Show me around, yeah?”

“Look at er’ givin’ me orders.” Johnny teased and then got to work, dropping his causal persona. He led you gently to the kitchen, showing you where to restock the fruits. Oranges went in one crate.

Apples in another.

Lemons to the side.

You nodded.

He then showed you how to clean the damn ice maker, which took a good portion of training. He even had you do it, watching you. A half hour at least passed.

“Y’er gettin’ it.” Johnny said, pleased. He patted your back hefty, and you nearly groaned at each pat. He was heavy handed.

You scoff a bit and smile, slowly getting comfortable. After that, was washing and soaking the glasses in lukewarm water to get stains out and debris. And then drying them. And then placing them on the hanging racks by the bar counter for use.

Just then, the door rung and Simon walked in, ready for his shift. When he rounded the counter and saw you, back facing him and drying a glass, he froze momentarily. He then slid his hands into the dark wash of his jeans, black button up wrinkling.

“See ya’ made it in one piece.” A gruff voice said from behind you. You recognized it.

You turned around and grinned, brow raising slightly at his appearance. He sure cleaned up nicely, although his stubble remained rough, hair uncombed. It looked like he ran his fingers through it multiple times.

“Johnny over there s’been keeping me alive. Does he always have a knack for teasin’?”

“Shit, shoulda mentioned that to ya. Don’ let em’ talk his way in y’er panties.” Simon said gruffly, although eyes flashing in amusement. His heavy lidded eyes raised and you found yourself staring a bit longer than necessary, and then turned around. Carefully rearranging the glasses so they stood upside down—the wet ones draining.

“Would be funny all he found were a pair of balls. Steel ones.”

With that, Simon let out a small laugh. A choked out chuckle, shoulders jerking up and grin stretching wide. The curve of his nose wrinkled, eyes flashing down to undo his cuffs to raise his sleeves over his hair forearms.

“Steel ones you said? Quite the image.” And with that, leaving you dazed and flustered, he went off to the kitchen.

——

As Simon approached the kitchen to begin slicing the oranges, and lemons, Johnny appeared.

“Ya’ got a lass under ya now?”

“Shut it, before I stuff Price’s unwashed sock in y’er mouth.” Simon is at it, gruff and glaring. Brows pinched together, big hands cradling the lemon. He tosses it up, then catches it, giving a sharp glance to Johnny who grins mischievously.

“I ain’t signin’ myself up fa’ tha’.” Johnny winced playfully and moved back, to which Simon found it pleasing. Even at work, he was still regarded as Lieutenant—which should still be. Regardless of being at base or not. His position would remain.

He then glanced at you, who leaned against the counter and spoke to a customer. Your grin, although some strands fell delicately, most was tucked away neatly. You shook the drink, mixing and poured it over.

You seemed to be adjusting pretty well.

‘’Aye, lass, come work the back, yea?’’ Johnny called out, from the kitchen. You moved swiftly on your feet, after given the man his drink to which he dropped tips on the counter.

‘’Ya forgot—‘’ Simon started when you breezed past him, sighing through his nose. He walked up, cleaning his scarred hands with the rag, and then slid the tips over.

‘’For that girl.’’ said the man, drinking his mojito and eyeing Simon. He didn’t like this fella. Something itched at him. Maybe it was the sly twinkle in the mans eye, the slight lift of his lip. Bushy eyebrows peeked out.

“Didn’t need ta’ explain yourself.” Simon muttered, stuffing the tips in his pockets, although in his left, making sure to keep his tips separate from yours. Seems you still had some learning to do.

The man returned to his drink, although occasionally eyeing Simons back who now worked the front of the bar. He used the calculator to punch in numbers. Just then, a crowd of people came in—as usual. Night settled now and chatter arose in the bar.

Barstools shook as people sat, slamming hands and cheering. Simon approached and leaned his hands on the edge, eyeing them. “What ave’ we got?”

“Whiskey, neat.”

“Same here.”

“Gimme a scotch, good man.”

Behind, you worked cutting the oranges skin off. Stealthy hands worked and even Johnny let out a whistle. “Things ya’ canna do with those hands.”

You found your breath catching and you shifted on your boots, leaned over the table. You pinched your brows. “You woke up cheery today.”

Johnny laughed and sautéed the vegetables, steam rising. A crackle sound rung in the air, then hissing as he mixed in steak. About halfway, he flipped it expertly. “Jus’ focus on makin’ them hands work, yea?”

“You got it, Johnny.” You quirked, releasing some of your rigidity. He grinned, eyeing you for a second appreciating your tenacity. Slowly, you were getting used to this work environment. It appeared to be smooth, occasionally filled with teasing and banter. Maybe this wasn’t so bad—you thought.

Simon didn’t like as soon as you arrived—new recruit—you’d gotten stares. What he didn’t like were the usual assholes that crept up here every night. He figured he should give you a heads up, although maybe you knew. He wasn’t sure.

And he also wouldn’t lie, you were a pretty thing. He stilled himself once he realized his train of thought, then went back to shaking the drink harder. Almost as if threatening the damn drink. Brows pinched in semi focus— and a hint of irritation at himself. He then removed the shaker and poured smoothly the drink into the glass, pushing it towards the rugged man.

Just then, he spotted Price who arrived. He took his jacket off, resting it on the hook in the small closet next to yours. The man didn’t take long to realize what had changed. ‘’We got a new one?’’

“Aye, shes in the back.” Simon responded, voice lowered.

“She?”

“Got a problem?”

“Nah, just thought you’d bring in a little lad, is all.” Price grinned widely, small eyes crinkling. His mustache brushed his lips.

Price earned a look from Simon. His usual stoic, and cold demeanor not wavering. As Simon leaned against the soda machine, he then perked up when a woman approached the bar, lipstick smudged and hair a wavy mess. Price took this to his advantage and moved to the back.

“Gimme—“

“Gimme a…Malibu mixed with pineapple and cranberry.” She mumbled, grasping the counter and smiling at Simon.

Price then saw you, peeling away at the oranges skillfully. Beside you were a whole basket—unpeeled. And another—ready to go. Price grabbed his apron and tied it round’ his waist, chin tilted down, eyes not leaving you. “Recruit, see ya’ made it to the team.”

You jumped as you were stuck in focus and the man smiled, one corner lifting up. He looked like a millennial dad, you thought. Shifting on your boots, you watched as deft fingers made a skill-full knot behind his back and then he moved to the table beside you.

He grasped at the large knife, as it shined in the overhead light.

“Names y/n.” You said, Johnny taking a long glance over at the scene as Price began slicing smoothly at the chicken.

“You up for waiting tables?” Price said gruffly.

“You got it, sir.”

And at that, Price gave you a smug smile, eyes flashing over you. Johnny then prepared a plate, handing it to you. His tall form towered over you for a moment before going back to prepare another round.

“That ones’ fa’ table five, love.” Johnny said and your eyes peeked up at the nickname. Honestly it seemed casual for him—maybe there was no meaning behind it.

Nodding, you grasped the plate and then caught eyes with Price. He was busy slicing the flesh clean.

Wasn’t so bad for my first shift, you thought.

[allllium]

The Perfect Gift

~ Today is my birthday and I immediately thought about Remus being the best boyfriend ever so here's something short and sweet about Remus being amazing for your birthday <3

~ Fluff, Remus being a little insecure, WC: 963

~ Remus gets you the perfect birthday gift

Remus was really nervous. He often is around you but this time it's worse. Today is your birthday and he got you what at the time seemed like a great gift, but now, after seeing the things you got from everything else, he doesn't feel like it's so great anymore.

All day he has seen you get these amazing, slightly expensive gifts, all of which now make his gift pale in comparison. He decided not to buy you anything this year, feeling like nothing was good enough for you, instead he made you something. More like he tries to make something and ending up needing his mum to help him.

He holds the bag tentatively in his hand. A simple black bag with a ribbon of your favorite color keeping it tied. He makes his way to the muggle restaurant you agreed to meet at for dinner. After spending all day at a birthday party with your friends and family, you went shopping with a couple close friends to get new clothes for a fancy dinner.

"Rem!" You light up when you see him. You'd just gotten there moments before and decided to wait outside until he showed up.

"Hi angel." He greets in a gently murmur, pulling you in for a quiet kiss.

"You got me a gift?" You smile and ask. Of course you expected it considering Remus gets you gifts more often than you can count.

"Obviously. I love any day where I can celebrate you." He begins to walk into the restaurant as if he didn't just make you swoon. You move quickly to catch up and grab his hand.

"What is it?" You question inpatiently. You've been waiting all day for this, not just for a gift but getting a gift from him specifically. You know whatever is in that bag will be much more thoughtful and meanful to you than anything else you've gotten today. Everything else were things that people spent a lot of money on to make up for the up they don't really know what you would want. Remus knows.

"You're gonna have to wait till after dinner."

"Awwww why?" You immediately whine.

"Cause I said so."

"Meanie." You whisper, walking up towards the hostess.

Dinner lasts well over an hour. Well dinner lasted about 20 minutes once you got your food, but you and Remus stayed far longer. You spent the time talking and laughing and on Remus's end clearly procrastinating giving you your gift.

You know he's doing this because he's been fiddling with the ribbon and steering the conversation away from it every time.

"So what's making you overthink this time?"

For a moment he gives you a strange look but he quickly smiles and asks what you mean.

"Well you won't give me the gift which wouldn't matter except you've been really excited about it for weeks. Obviously you're thinking about something and I guarantee you have no reason to." You swiftly explain.

"I'm sorry, angel. I didn't get you a gift. I made you one well my mother and I made you one. But I don't know if it'll match up to the other gifts you got today." He shyly says. His face turning a shade of red.

"You made me something?" You grin wildly at him and his overly sweet heart. "Gimme it. Please."

"I don't know maybe I should get you something else."

"Hell no. Hand it over before I come over this table and get it myself." The threat comes out of your mouth before you have the opportunity to stop it. Remus only smiles at you, both because he knows you'll actually do it and it makes him feel slightly better about his strange insecurity.

He finally sighs and hands over the bag. Knowing he really has no choice. He watches anxiously as you carefully pull off the ribbon and remove the tissue paper. Watching as your face drops and eyes slightly tear. For a moment he thinks he was right in being scared but you jump out of your seat and move to his side of the table. Your chair scraps loudly against the tile floor and he winces at the noise.

At his side of the table you hug him enough to push the air out of his lungs. You grab his face and give him many quick kisses, ignoring the strange looks from people at surrounding tables.

"I love it. I love it. I love you!" You exclaim.

"Are you sure?" He asks, confused by your out of ordinary outburst.

"Remus this is the best gift I've ever gotten. I love you so much." You immediately ask him to put it on you. Lighting up even more if possible when you look down at your wrist to see the gorgeous bracelet. The gorgeous bracelet that your amazing boyfriend, and his mum, hand made just for you. The gorgeous bracelet with carved, metal charms dangling from it. The gorgeous bracelet that somehow fits you perfectly.

"I thought that I could make you more charms as time goes on. Things that represent what we are together, y'know." You look at him for a split second, with tears in your eyes, before looking back down to closely admire the charms you already have. As of right now there's a wolf, a star, a flower, and a sun. The sun is special. You flip it over to see a small engraved heart with both your initials in it.

"You are the most perfect man to exist." You turn to him and say. "Seriously this is the best gift ever."

"I love you." He says. Standing from his chair and pulling you in by the waist.

Putting your head against his, you whisper, "I love you more."

[catofadifferentcolor]

Terrible Fic Idea #92: Percy/Apollo, but make it The Trojan War

Into every fandom, a time travel fic must fall - or in this case a second one, because I somehow got to thinking about the delightful PJO trope of Percy being thrown back in time to The Trojan War and realized that doing so misses out on a fantastic opportunity.

Or: What if post-TOA Percy Jackson and Apollo time travel to shortly before The Trojan War?

Just imagine it:

Everything follows canon through TOA, with one exception: rather than struggle to catch up in the mortal world following the Second Gigantomachy, Percy elects to stay at Camp Half-Blood. There he can homeschool at his own place with programs tailored towards ADHD children and still visit his family on the weekends - and not get into any more ridiculous situations in the mortal world when one of the gods kidnaps him or sends him on a quest to find their sneakers.

This, naturally, stresses his relationship with Annabeth - who, now that she's no longer living at camp full time, calls it the easy way out. But Percy is tired and struggling in mortal high school where everyone thinks he's a delinquent idiot when another option exists seems foolish. Percy and Annabeth break up and drift apart.

Enter Apollo, fresh from his latest stint as a mortal. He's trying to do his best by his children, which includes popping by camp as often as he can get away with - which in turn means spending a lot of time with Percy, who at this point is unofficially running CHB because it's not like Dionysus or even Chiron have done a brilliant job of it in recent times.

(First aid, strategy, and mythology classes are made mandatory. Percy personally ensures every demigod knows enough about self-defense to be able to survive long enough to run away or for help to arrive. Bullying is cracked down on so hard that it's this, not Percy's generally parental nature, that has people calling him Camp Mom.)

Percy and Apollo become friendly. Enough so that some of Apollo's kids assume they're dating and keeping it on the down-low so as not to draw Zeus' ire. Or Poseidon's. Or anyone else's. It's on one of their not-dates that they're yeeted into the past, without warning or explanation.

And so 19-year-old Percy Jackson and post-TOA Apollo find themselves in Ancient Greece c. 1220 BCE, roughly thirty-five years before the destruction of Troy.

The time travel is immediately obvious, as Apollo becomes the closest thing a god might experience to being high the moment they land in the past - being a powerful god in modern times is nothing like being a powerful god at the height of his power in ancient times. It's overwhelming (and somewhat alarming from Percy's POV, but kind of funny in retrospect.)

The specific date is harder to determine, but made clear when Hermes shows up and starts going on about you'll never believe what father's done now: he seduced the Spartan queen as a swan and she's laid an egg. Hera is furious - especially as they're saying the girl that hatched from it is the most beautiful in the world, even though she's only a few days old. It's nuts. By the way, where have you been? You missed the last two council meetings. Do you want Dad to punish you?

Apollo at this stage is very high. He's also been USTing over Percy for quite some time and is worried what the gods of this era might do to Percy without divine protection (smiting or seduction, it's all on the table). But mostly he's very high, and so to keep Percy close and safe he declares he's been off having the dirtiest of dirty weekends with his latest lover and that Hermes' presence is ruining the mood. So if he would kindly leave, please and thank you, he'd really rather get back to it without an audience.

This, naturally, is a surprise to Percy, but he rolls with it because 1) he doesn't have any better ideas on how to get rid of Ancient Greek Hermes so they can figure out what the hades is going on and 2) he's been USTing over Apollo ever since he recovered enough from Tartarus to start feeling attraction again.

Fueled by mutual UST, they put together a cover story that should hold the next time a god with too much prurient interest shows: Percy is now Prince Persē of Gadir - a Phoenician colony that will grow into the future Cadiz - well past the edge of the Greek world at this stage but not beyond belief for Poseidon to have visited, as it's obvious who his father is. They claim his mother is the King of Gadir's youngest sister and as such Persē had a royal upbringing, but was far enough down the line of succession that he was free to chose to sail east and explore his father's homeland. Apollo caught sight of him on his journey, one thing led to another, and here they are.

(Are there easier, more sensible cover stories? Possibly. But the UST refuses to let them consider any of them now that a fake relationship is on the table.)

Deciding what to do about The Trojan War is much harder. On the one hand, it's a lot of senseless death and destruction. On the other, without it we don't get The Iliad and The Odyssey - two of the most influential works of literature in western civilization - and Aeneas doesn't go off to Italy (leading to the founding of Rome, which would change the history of western civilization a lot). In the end, they decide to let the war happen but do their best to mitigate the worst parts of it.

And so Percy goes off and becomes a hero of Ancient Greece while pretending to be in a relationship with Apollo.

This stage of things is filed with angst from both parties, as both Percy and Apollo want a real relationship with each other but think they're abusing the other's trust by eagerly faking their relationship. There's a lot of PDA, a lot of feelings, and limited communication. It goes on for quite a while and would probably exasperate quite a few people if everyone in the know didn't think they were already in a relationship.

It's also filled with modern day Percy being confronted by realties of life in Ancient Greece. It's not just mortals knowing about - and interacting with - the gods: it's everything. It's food and clothes and language and culture and housing and travel. He can play a lot off it as being a traveler from the edge of the known world, but some of it has him asking Apollo if he's being rick rolled.

Apollo, meanwhile, is having troubles of his own. He is not the god he used to be and it's hard pretending otherwise. He tries to walk the line of doing enough to be believable and holding back enough not to despise himself, but it's a fine line, he fails often, and he spends a not insignificant amount of time worried he's backsliding.

And so it goes until 7-year-old Helen of Troy is kidnapped by Theseus to be his wife.

This, naturally, does not fly with Percy, who by this time has built up something of a reputation as a hero. He teams up with the Dioscuri to rescue Helen.

One would think this would earn him Zeus' favor. It doesn't. Instead, Zeus sends monsters to harry him for refusing to let Castor and Pollux take Helen's captors' loved ones captive and raze Aphidna for Theseus' crime. Percy manages to hold his own for quite a while but eventually, exhausted from the near-constant fighting, is gored and left for dead by the reformed Minotaur.

...and when Apollo arrives, frantic, to heal him, Percy ascends instead, becoming the greek version of Saint Sebastian - a minor god of heroes, strength in the face of adversity, and athleticism; sort of halfway between Hercules and Chiron.

Then and only then do Percy and Apollo finally get their act together, confessing to each other how much they care for the other and how much they don't want this to be fake any longer.

History proceeds apace - albeit with Persē being a second immortal trainer of heroes.

24 years after their arrival in the past, 16 years after Percy's ascension, The Trojan War begins. Despite their best efforts, there's only so much they can do - war is war and gods are gods. They are able to stop some of the worst excesses on both sides, but in the end Apollo still sends the plague that causes Agamemnon to take Briseis for his own, which caused Achilles' departure from the field, Patroclus' death, &c - not because Apollo was trying to maintain the timeline, but because in the instant he sent it he was angry and reverted to his old ways.

Troy falls...

...but when Zeus tries to use this as an excuse to ban gods from interacting with their demigod children, Apollo is able to say that's a bit extreme isn't it? with enough backing from the rest of the council that Zeus is forced to amend his ruling so that the gods are only allowed to freely visit their children on the "cross quarter days" that fall between each solstice and equinox (1 February, 1 May, 1 August, and 1 November).

This changes everything and nothing.

Time continues its inevitable march. Greece has its golden age before being conquered by Rome, which splits apart under its own weight and forms several smaller countries, which eventually spread their cultures around the world...

Apollo and Percy are there for it all. Persē is a minor figure in mythology, but never forgotten. He is ever-present in Apollo's temples - though the Church will later try to rewrite their myth so that they were merely sworn fighting partners, rather than lovers who eventually had a quite lovely wedding on Olympus (and then, at Poseidon's insistence, an even bigger ceremony on Atlantis). Percy takes over day-to-day operations of CHB from practically the moment the Trojan War ends.

...and so Persē is there the day Sally Jackson tries to get her son to camp, and is able to intervene when the Minotaur attacks on their border. He's able to meet her and her young son, Perseus ("Mom named me after you and the guy that killed Medusa since you're the only two heroes to have happy endings!"), and guide him through the trials that come with being a child of prophecy.

One day that Percy will hand Luke - who was never happy with the limited attention the gods were allowed to give their children - a cursed dagger so that Kronos can be defeated. That child will be offered godhood, turn it down, and go on to have a happy life with his eventual wife, Annabeth. He will never have his memories erased and be sent to Camp Jupiter. Gaia will not rise until long after that Percy's grandchildren are dead, and Zeus will not be quite so bullheaded when the proof of it is brought before him. That Second Gigantomachy is swift, well-coordinated, and fought without another Greek/Roman war brewing in the background.

And when they finally arrive at the day Apollo and Percy were originally sent back in time, Percy admits that while he is happy some version of him was better prepared for the war he was asked to fight in and allowed his peace afterward, he would change nothing about his own life, for it brought him to Apollo. The sunrise the next morning - on the first morning of the rest of their lives - is particularly spectacular.

Bonuses include:

Gaslighting Poseidon into believing that he's met Percy before the first time they're introduced. ("What do you mean you don't remember me, Father? You were present when I came of age! You gifted me this trident! Have I displeased you in some way?") It's an absolute masterclass that eventually manages to convince Poseidon that, yes, of course he knows Percy - and, maybe, he should check in on all his other demigod children to make sure he's not missed someone. (Two. He lost track of two of the others. Maybe he should be more careful about siring children in the future.) Apollo practically has to stuff his fist in his mouth to keep from laughing.

As much historical accuracy as can be crammed into the Percy trying to make sense of Ancient Greece chapters as possible. Think Of a Linear Circle - Part III by flamethrower levels of historical research. As much as can be shoehorned in without bogging down the plot.

Percy and Dionysus bonding over their mutual dislike of Theseus, though Percy generally gets along with his other half-siblings, especially the ones who come to camp young enough to keep from getting big heads over being the children of Poseidon.

Though Percy adores all the children in Cabin 7 (most of whom are born via blessing this time around), he and Apollo have at least one child of their own - maybe a demigod born before Percy's ascension to sell their fake relationship? Maybe a minor god who's later attributed a different parentage by mortals? Dealer's choice on details.

It never being made clear who, or what, or how, Percy and Apollo were sent into the past. All of Percy's oddities are attributed to him being foreign or formerly mortal, all of Apollo's to the fact that he's in love with someone who didn't die before their first anniversary, and no one ever guesses time travel is responsible for their eccentricities. Or that time travel was ever an option.

And that's all I have. As always, feel free to adopt, just link back if you ever decide to do anything with it.

More PJO Ideas | More Terrible Fic Ideas

[vickyvicarious]

Quincey Morris said nothing about his intention, but I knew that all night long he patrolled round and round the house.

Joining the ranks of the blood- and sleep-deprived, Quincey Morris!

As always, I love the way he jumps right into taking action. He's reminded of vampire bats, he thinks the blood must go somewhere... so he patrols to keep an eye out for vampires, bats, people who are taking blood, whatever. Doing his best to guard her.

I do wonder about how much blood each man has given, though. It kind of feels like increasingly less, at least based on their activity levels afterward. Part of that may be due to circumstance; Arthur could afford to give more because he didn't have any urgent need to be doing anything else. Both Jack and Van Helsing had to be able to stay awake afterwards. And it's possible they are just getting more reckless with their own behavior as we go down the line. But still, Quincey being able to patrol around all night is a step up from resting first here and then at home (Art), resting for a while then going back to more sedentary work (Jack), resting for a bit then staying up at night sitting still (Van Helsing). He still gets some rest first, but then he is up and about and sleep-deprived. I don't feel like we can put all of that down to his manliness, royal lot of it or no.

A part of me wonders if Van Helsing saw that it wasn't going to be enough to save her, and cut off the flow a little earlier. Like, Quincey definitely still gave a lot, but maybe not as much as they'd otherwise have taken? Thinking of this line in particular: "Lucy had got a terrible shock and it told on her more than before, for though plenty of blood went into her veins, her body did not respond to the treatment as well as on the other occasions."

Perhaps Van Helsing just wanted to ensure that she didn't die right then of blood loss, because he believed that would mean she'd turn into a vampire. He's clearly doing his utmost to save her when he can, of course... but also, earlier that day, he told Jack ""If [death] were all, I would stop here where we are now, and let her fade away into peace, for I see no light in life over her horizon.""

So it's possible that at this point he expected her to die no matter what, and just took the minimum amount of blood to hopefully ensure it is a human death. The possibility that one type of death will lead to vampirisim and another will simply be a human death certainly could be supported in today's entry:

At times she slept, and both Van Helsing and I noticed the difference in her, between sleeping and waking. Whilst asleep she looked stronger, although more haggard, and her breathing was softer; her open mouth showed the pale gums drawn back from the teeth, which thus looked positively longer and sharper than usual; when she woke the softness of her eyes evidently changed the expression, for she looked her own self, although a dying one.

The difference seems to be between sleeping and waking here. But maybe that's only possible thanks to Quincey's blood in her. Or maybe it always would have been, but without Quincey's blood, she wouldn't have regained the strength necessary to wake up in the first place, let alone die awake/in a more human state.

[theoryofweirdness]

What if Dipper and Mabel Pines were in Super Smash Bros?

This is something I wrote several years ago and it's just been sitting on my drive. I posted it on Ao3, but recently became aware that Tumblr might be a better platform. So, here goes my first real post on this site.

Ever wondered what it would be like if Dipper and Mabel from Gravity Falls were playable characters in Super Smash Bros.? Well, wonder no longer, because here's my extensive idea for what their moveset would be like. Though sadly, I don't have art of this, since my digital art skills are... lacking, at best.

I also haven't 100% figured out all the nuances like how much damage every move does, so if anyone has any balancing-related suggestions (for that or anything else, really).

General Overview

Statistically speaking, the Mystery Twins would be fairly weak, with relatively low average damage and launch power, as well as being lightweight and not particularly fast. This makes sense as they are both (physically, at least) completely ordinary just-barely-teenagers with none of the inherent supernatural powers of most of the other child characters like Ness, Lucas, the Inklings, or the younger Links. Even though they are older than the younger Links (not sure about Ness/Lucas/Villager), the Links have the Triforce of Courage making them stronger and granting them the combat prowess of previous Links, Ness and Lucas have their supernatural PK abilities, etc. 

The Mystery Twins make up for this statistical weakness with versatility due to their variable moveset. Many of their special moves are also able to temporarily either nerf opponents or buff themselves to even the odds. They are also significantly stronger when working together, since for most moves, they’ll attack at the same time, but even together, their raw damage wouldn’t be particularly excellent. The Mystery Twins would be a very difficult fighter to play effectively, but I’m hoping they’d also be a very fun one. I am aware that this fighter would be a nightmare to program and animate, but this is my imagination, so such paltry concerns as “budgets,” “programming,” and “animation time” mean NOTHING!

We'll start with their special gimmick, since that's key to understanding how this character works:

Gimmicks:

Mystery Twins Forever: This is basically the fact that they’re a two-part fighter, like the Ice Climbers, and work in much the same way, though with one notable difference. Using their D-Special when neither twin is KO’d will switch which twin is in front and under direct control (same as pressing [L] in Gnome Gemulets), changing most other moves. 

Because of this, they essentially have two different movesets (similar to Zelda/Sheik from Melee and Brawl), meaning there’s a lot of versatility to this character, though of course it’s dependent on both twins being around. Though they are a single fighter, each twin is a separate entity and can be independently KO’d, just like the Ice Climbers. Try to avoid this, as it will both limit your move choices and make an already complex and statistically inferior fighter much weaker. 

A KO’d twin respawns only after the other is also KO’d, or after using a Final Smash. If the current active twin is KO’d, you lose a stock (or point) and both respawn. KO'ing the non-active twin will not affect points or cause stock loss, but does replace the remaining twin's D-special with a different move.

On the fighter select screen, you can decide which twin will start as active, much like Pokémon Trainer can choose the starting Pokémon.

Special Moves

[B] Neutral Special (Dipper) - Growth Ray: Dipper turns the size-altering flashlight’s blue Growth Ray on himself, increasing his size for 10 seconds, with the same effect as the Super Mushroom item. Others very close to Dipper (such as Mabel) can also be affected. There is a 20% chance that Dipper fumbles the flashlight and points the growth ray forward (with the same hitbox as the normal shrink ray), not affecting him at all, but potentially growing other fighters who touch it.

Duration: 10 seconds

Backfire chance: 20% (1 in 5)

[B] Neutral Special (Mabel) - Shrink Ray: Mabel turns the size-altering flashlight’s pink Shrink Ray on enemies, creating a short-ranged cone in front of you that shrinks enemies hit by it, causing the same effect as the Poison Mushroom item for 10 seconds. There is a 10% chance that Mabel fumbles the flashlight and shrinks herself (and Dipper, if he's there) with the same hitbox as the normal Growth Ray.

Duration: 10 seconds

Backfire chance: 10% (1 in 10)

This move is of course based on the size-altering flashlight which Dipper created in s1e11: Little Dipper, though its function seemed both too powerful and too confusing to put into a single move, so I split its two options between the twins, on the grounds that Mabel also uses the flashlight in that episode, and it is her magic item in PinesQuest, in which case shrinking is the only thing it does.

Both rays have slight startup lag to take out the flashlight and aim it, so you can’t just surprise someone with a sudden growth. No other fighter can so easily buff themselves or nerf opponents, but overuse of this powerful move is inadvisable, as that gives enemies more chances to take advantage of it (though in team battles, you could also grow your teammates!), and also provides more chances for it to backfire. However, this is the main means by which the Mystery Twins’ low stats are directly compensated. The move can’t be used again (by either twin) until its current duration wears off (no matter what happened). Use it strategically!

[<B>] Side Special (Dipper) - Memory Gun: [EN] Dipper fires a short-ranged blue energy projectile (about the same range as Z-Suit Samus’s charged Stun Pistol N-Special) that deals small flinching damage. It also makes the target temporarily forget how to use their special moves, disabling them for 8 seconds. This can be reflected and also absorbed. The ray will have no effect on subsequent hits aside from the light damage until the disabling effect wears off. If the ray hits a fighter while they are performing a special move, it won't take effect until that move is over.

This move is based on Dipper’s use of the memory gun in s2e07: Society of the Blind Eye and s2e15: The Last Mabelcorn, and the fact that he evidently had it in his backpack all the way from s2e07 to s2e13: A Tale of Two Stans.

Damage: 2%

Duration: 8 seconds

[<B>] Side Special (Mabel) - Leaf Blower: [WI] Mabel uses a leaf blower to suck in objects and blow wind. Hold {B} to suck in air. The sucking grab box is visible, similar to King Dedede’s Inhale N-Special. She can’t suck in other fighters unless they've been shrunk down, but she can suck in projectiles and non-heavy items. If she sucks in a projectile, item, or shrunken fighter, the suction stops, and the object will shoot back out of the leaf blower when [B] is released, again similar to King Dedede’s Inhale, and with a similar sort of speed boost.

If Mabel doesn't suck in anything after 3 seconds or if you just tap {B}, she’ll blow wind in a cone straight out in front of her, causing a visible windbox similar to the Gust Bellows item, but smaller and weaker. Mabel can move left and right and jump once while holding the leaf blower. This move is based on Mabel shooting Jeff the gnome leader out of a leaf blower in s1e01: Tourist Trapped.

[^B] Up Special (Dipper) - Magnet Gun: Dipper fires a beam from Ford’s Magnet Gun (which he uses in s2e17: Dipper & Mabel vs. The Future) which can grapple onto ledges when used in the air. On the ground, it’s fired straight forward by default, but can be angled slightly up or down. In the air, it’s always fired at a 45° upward angle but will autocorrect toward ledges within a wide radius of the end of the beam. The magnet beam appears instantly at full length (though it will be interrupted by walls that can't be grappled onto) and can’t be reflected or blocked, but can be dodged.

If the beam hits an enemy, Dipper will either pull them toward himself as a command grab, or him towards them, depending on the difference in weight between Dipper and the target. If the enemy weighs more than him, he’s pulled toward them; if he weighs the same or more, the enemy is pulled toward him. When Mabel is present, she holds onto him and they collectively weigh twice as much for this move.

If Dipper is pulled toward another fighter, he'll automatically footstool jump off them upon contact, pushing the enemy down while gaining height himself. The same will happen if an enemy is pulled toward him while he is in the air.

If Dipper is on the ground and pulls another fighter toward himself, this special move can be canceled immediately into a grab when the enemy enters his reach, making this move potentially the longest grab in the game.

This move causes no damage.

[^B] Up Special (Mabel) - Grappling Hook!: [PH] Mabel fires her grapple gun upward, acting as a tether for recovery, which can also cause damage with decent launching ability. It’s a long tether that can grab onto ledges, basically the same as Joker’s default U-Special. On the ground, the hook is fired at a slight upward angle and has significant end lag as it retracts. In the air, it’s fired at a 60° angle by default but can be changed with directional input to 90° (straight up) or 45°. The area in which it will autocorrect to ledges is smaller than for Dipper's magnet gun. The hook can be reflected, but won’t bounce back at Mabel if it is; it just falls to the ground and must then be retracted.

Damage: 12%

Dipper’s Magnet Gun is better at horizontal recovery and can be very useful for combos, but doesn't actually deal any damage and its effects are very conditional. Mabel’s Grappling Hook is better for vertical recovery and actually deals damage, but has a lot less combo potential and more end lag. If both twins are present, they’ll hang onto each other and both be moved by either version of this move.

[vB] Down Special (both present and within reach of each other) - Tag Out: You switch which twin is under direct control. This can be used in the air (but only if the twins are within reach of each other) and is accomplished quite quickly, but does still leave you open for about a second. The newly active twin's Zodiac symbol (Dipper: blue Pine Tree, Mabel: pink Shooting Star, Stanford: red Six-Fingered Hand, Stanley: gold Mackerel) will appear on the damage counter, and will also flash in the air overhead when switching. If one twin is KO’d, this move changes (see below).

[vB] Down Special (Dipper alone) - Enter the Mindscape: [MA] Dipper casts the Mindscape projection spell from Journal 3 (seen in s1e19: Dreamscaperers, though in Smash it’s quicker, and he won’t say the words as that would give him away), causing his physical body to collapse, but entering the Mindscape as a ghostly, nearly invisible psychic avatar (inspired by what happened to him when Bill possessed his body in s2e04: Sock Opera). In this form, he can fly around freely with directional controls and pass through all parts of the stage, though speed is limited. The astral projection is intangible and immune to physical-, fire-, ice-, earth-, water-, sound-, toxic-, and wind-based damage, but not to magic-, electric-, or energy-based ones. However, Dipper’s real body is completely immobile and open to attack.

Pressing [B] again will immediately return Dipper to his real body. If you do so while overlapping an enemy fighter, that fighter will take heavy damage and become dizzy (like with a shield break; this is due to Dipper entering their mind and inflicting psychic damage). However, there is some end lag when you return, so don't get too cocky.

This attack cannot be blocked or countered. Fighters with higher damage will be stunned longer. If either Dipper’s real body or astral projection is hit, he’ll immediately return to normal (with end lag) though he’ll only be launched if the physical body is hit. You definitely need to keep an eye on Dipper’s real body when using this move, as well as watching out for attacks that can actually hit his astral projection, since they’ll deal 1.5x damage.

Dipper will be automatically returned to his real body after 12 seconds, but returning this way cannot affect enemies and will cause Dipper to become dizzy instead. If Dipper successfully hits someone or lets the move time out, there is a 20-second cooldown before he can use this move again.

If this seems a bit ruthless for Dipper, put it down to him seeking revenge for Mabel.

Duration: 12 seconds

Damage (non-launching): 25%

Immunity (x0 damage): PH, FI, WA, IC, EA, WI, SO, TO

Vulnerability (damage taken x1.5): EL, EN, MA

Cooldown: 20 seconds

[vB] Down Special (Mabel alone) - Attack Glitter: [WI] It’s pretty but it hurts! Mabel blows (or possibly coughs up?) a cloud of glitter into the air in front of her (based on the attack glitter used on Soos in s2e11: Not What He Seems). The glitter cloud floats in the air for 8 seconds, causing small, non-flinching tick damage over time and slowing down other fighters moving through it, similar to the Swirlix Pokéball summon (“I got glitter in my eye!”). 

Hold {B} before releasing to gather more glitter and create a larger cloud. Though each cloud only lasts 8 seconds, there’s no cooldown (Mabel always has glitter), so she can make more than one at a time. 

Damage (per tick): 1%

Normal Moves

If both twins are present, they will perform their neutral attacks at the same time, allowing you to set up “team” combos if positioned properly.

[A] Jab (Dipper): [PH, EN] A basic but quick 1-2-3 punch that can be used for jab-locking but is very weak until the third hit, which is enhanced with a glowing blast of power from the Gnome Battle Cuffs. Launches on the final hit.

This is Dipper's basic ground combo in Rumble’s Revenge, with the added power boost on the last hit being based on his charged-up attack from Gnome Gemulets.

Damage (1, 2):

Damage (3):

[A] Jab (Mabel): [PH] A one-two spammable swinging punch (similar to Villager’s Jab). It has slightly more reach than Dipper’s jab, as well as better damage per hit, but it's slower. Can launch on either hit at higher percentages. This is Mabel's basic ground combo in Rumble’s Revenge.

Damage (1, 2):

[>>, A] Dash Attack (Dipper): [PH] A fast side kick that launches diagonally upward at a slight angle. This is Dipper's dash attack in Rumble’s Revenge.

Damage:

[>>, A] Dash Attack (Mabel): [PH] A straight punch that's stronger than Dipper's kick, but launches at a lower angle and has more end lag. Same as her dash attack in Rumble's Revenge.

Damage:

Smash Attacks

When the twins are present and within reach of each other, they’ll perform a combined Smash Attack.

[<<A>>] Side Smash (Dipper): [SL] Dipper slashes downward with the Manotaurs’ bone spear (seen in s1e06: Dipper vs. Manliness, also his strength item in PinesQuest). Has less forward reach than Waddles, but a wider vertical hitbox, a sweet spot at the spear tip, and also less start and end lag. This is one of Dipper’s only moves that’s potentially stronger than Mabel’s corresponding one, if you land the sweet spot. Similar to Marth's S-smash.

Damage (min, sweetspot):

Damage (max, sweetspot):

Damage (min, normal):

Damage (max, normal):

[<<A>>] Side Smash (Mabel): [PH] Mabel sends her pet pig, Waddles, charging forward a short distance (based on Mabel's ground combo finisher in Rumble’s Revenge, which is itself based on her siccing Waddles on Robbie in s1e10: The Time Traveler’s Pig). Distance increases slightly with greater charge. Waddles moves the full distance whether you hit someone or not, before turning around and running back to Mabel for a hug. The run back is a sourspot that's much weaker. Waddles does not count as a projectile and cannot be reflected (he would never hurt Mabel).

The alternate costume of Stan (#8) uses Shanklin the Stab Possum from Lost Legends Part 4: Pines Bros. Mystery instead, to the same effect.

Damage (min, forward):

Damage (max, forward):

Damage (backward):

[<<A>>] Side Smash (Combined): Both twins perform their respective S-smash, with the active twin facing forward and the inactive twin facing backward.

[^^A] Up Smash (Dipper): [SO] Use awkwardness as a weapon! While charging, a lamb costume appears on Dipper and he performs the Lamby Dance. When released, he cuts to the end pose, causing a semicircular burst of music notes above and around himself that will damage and launch enemies. This is based on Dipper's ground combo finisher in Rumble’s Revenge, which is itself based on Dipper doing the Lamby Dance for the ghosts in s1e05: The Inconveniencing.

The hitbox is similar to Samus’s U-smash, but all at once instead of individually. Only the notes are a hitbox, but it’s pretty wide even on the sides, However, it's on the weaker side for a Smash attack.

Damage (min):

Damage (max):

[^^A] Up Smash (Mabel): [FI] Mabel fires a blast from a confetti cannon (used against zombies in s2e01: Scary-oke) directly overhead. Similar to Ivysaur’s U-smash, it can hit very slightly in front but is much better for anti-air. It’s stronger than Dipper’s embarrassing dance, but with a lot less reach. 

Damage (min):

Damage (max):

[^^A] Up Smash (Combined): [FI] The twins perform both U-smashes at the same time, as Mabel gives an explosive confetti finish to Dipper's dance, combining the power of Mabel’s cannon blast with the reach of Dipper’s music notes.

[vvA] Down Smash (Dipper): [EA] Dipper casts a spell from the Journal that summons two zombie hands out of the ground on either side of himself, which can launch enemies directly upward. Similar to Megaman’s D-smash, though somewhat weaker. Based on Dipper summoning zombies during s2e01: Scary-Oke.

Damage (min):

Damage (max):

[vvA] Down Smash (Mabel): [BL] Swing a golf club in a wide-reaching attack that hits from back to front, covering nearly a complete circle around Mabel, with only directly overhead being uncovered. It doesn’t reach as far outward as Dipper’s zombie hands, but is faster and can actually launch enemies quite hard. This is one of Mabel’s only attacks that’s faster than Dipper’s corresponding one. It’s based on Mabel's mini-golf skills showcased in s2e03: The Golf War.

Damage (min):

Damage (max): 

[vvA] Down Smash (Both): [EA, BL] Instead of causing damage, the zombie hands summoned by Dipper’s spell will hold enemies still, then Mabel swings her golf club to knock them out of the park, breaking the zombie hands and gaining a damage bonus as the trapped enemies can't defend themselves.

Tilts

If both twins are present, they will perform their tilts at the same time, similar to Ice Climbers. 

[<A>] Side Tilt (Dipper): [PH] Two quick slices with a fireplace poker, based on Dipper's duel with Wax Sherlock Holmes in s1e03: Headhunters. This move is fast and has decent reach, but it’s not particularly strong. It’s useful in combos or as a “get off me” tool, but not for launching.

Damage (per hit): 

[<A>] Side Tilt (Mabel): [PH] Swing a karaoke machine for a strong attack that can launch enemies quite well, but has both start and end lag. Based on her use of the karaoke machine as a “surprisingly good weapon” against zombies in s2e01: Scary-Oke.

Damage:

[^A] Up Tilt (Dipper): [PH, EN] Dipper jumps slightly forward with an uppercut. (This is a combination of the only time Dipper actually hits Rumble McSkirmish during their battle in s1e10: Fight Fighters, and his charged attack in Gnome Gemulets). It’s similar to Megaman’s U-tilt, having a sweet spot at the very start of the move (indicated by a flash of energy from the Gnome Battle Cuffs) and significant end lag. This is one of Dipper’s only moves with more end lag than Mabel's corresponding one. In fact, it's one of his only moves with significant end lag at all.

Damage (sweetspot):

Damage (sourspot):

[^A] Up Tilt (Mabel): [PH] Spin a stretchy sleeve overhead to multihit enemies, based on the charging-up animation for her charged attack in Gnome Gemulets.

Damage (per hit):

[vA] Down Tilt (Dipper): [PH] A very short and weak but fast and spammable kick that barely flinches enemies, much like Ness or Lucas’s D-tilt. It isn’t based on anything in particular, there’s just not that many actual times when Dipper fights things, so I’m pulling from other child characters.

Damage:

[vA] Down Tilt (Mabel): [PH] Mabel curls into a ball and rolls forward a short distance, similar to King Dedede’s D-tilt, though much weaker.

Damage:

Air Attacks

If both twins are present and within reach of each other, they’ll hold onto each other and use a combined air attack, improving both hitboxes and damage, though often at the cost of end lag.

[A] N-Air (Dipper): [BL] A basic aerial kick with a lingering whole-body hitbox, similar to Mario’s N-air (and many others). Based on the first hit of Dipper's aerial combo in Rumble’s Revenge.

Damage (initial kick):

Damage (lingering hotbox):

[A] N-Air (Mabel): [BL] A basic spinning move, similar to DK or Ness. She never does this in any medium I’m aware of, but it certainly seems like her style. Hits once but is stronger than Dipper's lingering kick.

Damage:

[A] N-Air (Combined): [BL] Mabel grabs Dipper’s arms from behind and spins him around right as he tries to use his normal kick attack, resulting in a spinning kick with greater than normal reach and a sweet spot on Dipper’s foot, though it does now have some landing lag (Dipper was not prepared for this).

Damage (middle):

Damage (sweet spot):

[A>] F-Air (Dipper): [BL] Dipper swings his hat in an arc from high to low, which somehow actually does damage. It's fast and has a wide hitbox, but is pretty weak. Based on the final hit of Dipper's air combo in Rumble’s Revenge. For alternate costumes without a hat (such as tuxedo and Gideon's suit), he’ll suddenly be holding his normal pine tree hat for this move. The Ford alts use an explorer-style pith helmet.

Damage:

[A>] F-Air (Mabel): [BL] A diagonal downward punch, similar to Little Mac’s F-air. Not as big as Dipper’s hat swing, but with more damage. Based on the first hit of Mabel's air combo in Rumble’s Revenge.

Damage:

[A>] F-air (Combined): [BL] Dipper’s hat swing carries enemies downward into Mabel’s slightly delayed punch, which becomes a sweet spot that can spike diagonally.

Each hit does the same damage as when performed individually.

[^A] U-Air (Dipper): [BL] Dipper swings the Journal overhead from front to back. It’s a wide attack, similar to some other fighters’ “headbutt” U-airs, and can be used for juggling, but isn’t very strong, at least in comparison to other U-airs with similar hitboxes like Ness's.

Damage:

[^A] U-Air (Mabel): [BL] A back-flipping kick, similar to Mario's U-air. The twins' U-airs aren't really all that different.

Damage:

[^A] U-Air (Combined): [BL] The respective air attacks collide in the center for a strong launching blow, similar to Sonic’s U-air.

Damage:

[<A] B-Air (Dipper): [BL] Dipper kicks backwards with both feet, similar to Mario’s B-air. Not based on anything, really.

Damage:

[<A] B-Air (Mabel): [BL] Whip a stretchy sleeve backward for a long, but somewhat weak attack, similar to her Z-air.

Damage:

[<A] B-Air (Combined): [BL] Dipper holds onto Mabel’s stretchy sleeve while she flings him back, creating a sweet spot as he kicks outward. 

Damage (sourspot):

Damage (sweetspot):

[vA] D-Air (Dipper): [BL] A downward axe kick. Can spike enemies at the start of the move and has more reach than Mabel’s stomp, but isn’t as strong. This is the second hit of Dipper's air combo in Rumble's Revenge.

Damage:

[vA] D-Air (Mabel): [BL] Stomp downward with both feet, which has more startup lag than Dipper’s kick, but is also stronger and has a longer-lasting hitbox, kind of like a smaller version of Captain Falcon’s D-air. This is Mabel's aerial combo finisher in Rumble’s Revenge.

Damage:

[vA] D-Air (Combined): [BL] Similar to their combined F-air, Dipper performs his attack slightly ahead of Mabel and can hit foes into hers.

Damage:

[Grab] Z-Air (Mabel only): [BL] Mabel whips a stretchy sleeve forward for a decent-reaching, though weak attack. Unlike most Z-airs, this cannot grab ledges.

Damage:

Grabs and Throws

If both twins are present, the throws are changed; otherwise they are the same for either twin.

[Grab] Grab (Any): A basic short-ranged grab.

[Grab, A] Pummel (Both): Mabel ties up the enemy in her stretchy sleeves while Dipper punches them in the face (or whatever else is at his eye level).

[Grab, A] Pummel (Single): Holds the enemy with one hand and punches them in the face (or whatever) with the other. Easier to escape than most grabs. Based on grappling in Rumble’s Revenge.

[Grab, >] F-Throw (Both): [PH, EN] Mabel grips the foe with her sleeves and Dipper punches them outward (obviously making use of the Gnome Battle Cuffs), causing the foe to snap back into a second, stronger punch that knocks them out of Mabel's grip. This throw hits twice, but does take a while.

Damage (total):

[Grab, >] F-Throw (Single): [PH] Weakly toss the enemy forward. This is based on throwing enemies in Rumble’s Revenge; it's the least effective attack.

Damage:

[Grab, ^] U-Throw (Both): [PH, EN] Dipper uppercuts the tied-up enemy into the air, then Mabel whips them back into the ground. Hits twice.

Damage (total): 

[Grab, ^] U-Throw (Single): [PH] A basic and weak upward toss.

Damage:

[Grab, <] B-Throw (Both): [PH, EN] Mabel spins the enemy around a full circle with her stretchy sleeves, which can hit other enemies, similar to Mario’s B-throw, while Dipper charges up the Gnome Battle Cuffs, then punches them out of Mabel’s grip and backwards over her head. This is the twins’ strongest throw in terms of launching.

Damage:

[Grab, <] B-Throw (Single): [PH] A basic and weak backward toss.

Damage:

[Grab, v] D-Throw (Both): [BL] Dipper curls into a ball on the ground, then Mabel shoves the enemy, causing them to trip over him. Leaves the enemy prone. Based on when Wendy does this to Ghost Eyes in s2e18: [Weirdmaggedon].

Damage:

[Grab, v] D-Throw (Single): [PH] A basic and weak toss onto the ground that pops the enemy upward.

Damage:

Movement

(Speed and jump height are stated as an approximate comparison to existing fighters.)

Walking, running, and jumping animations, as well as idle animations, are taken from Gnome Gemulets.

[<>] Walking: Despite being light, the Mystery Twins aren’t particularly fast. They're probably similar to Lucas and Ness.

[<<>>] Running: Still not particularly fast, but better. If both twins are present, they’ll hold hands while running.

[^] Jumps: 2, a bit below average in height.

Wall Jump: No

[v] Crouch: They kneel down.

[v, <>] Crawl: Yes

[Shield, v^] Spot dodge: There’s nothing approximating dodging in any of their games, so these will probably just have similar animations to those of the other Smash fighters that share their proportions (Ness, Lucas, Villager, Inkling).

[Shield, >] F-roll: See above

[Shield, <] B-roll: See above

[Shield, <>v in air] Air dodge: See above

Ledge roll: If both twins are present, they’ll pull each other up, though the animation takes the same amount of time no matter what.

Miscellaneous

If both twins are present, they will perform a different, unique taunt on the Up and Down Taunts. For the Side Taunt, if both are present, they’ll do both at the same time.

Up Taunt (Both): A simple high five. This is a double reference, first to their end-of-level victory high-five in Gnome Gemulets, and second to Stanley and Stanford’s “high six.”

Up Taunt (Dipper only): Pumps arms up and down in a victory celebration while saying “Yeah-ha-ha!”. This is Dipper's end-of-level victory screen in both Rumble’s Revenge and the Take Back the Falls mobile game.

Up Taunt (Mabel only): Jumps up and down in joy. 

Down Taunt (Both): Awkward sibling hug (pat, pat). Seen in both s1e01: Tourist Trapped, and s2e19: Escape From Reality.

Down Taunt (Dipper only): Dipper pulls out a magnifying glass and inspects something on the ground. References both the theme song and Dipper’s general investigative nature.

Down Taunt (Mabel only): Mabel snuggles with Waddles, just like in the theme song (and plenty of other times throughout the show).

Side Taunt (Dipper): Dipper opens his journal and writes something in it. The first time this taunt is performed on [name of as-yet-undecided Gravity Falls stage], it starts a Journal Entry on whichever other player is both next after you in the player order and not on your team. These will be similar to the Palutena’s Guidance conversations, opening a text box that resembles a page from the Journal at the bottom of the screen, where Dipper reads his observations about that fighter, with commentary from Mabel and occasionally other characters as well. I’m not sure whether I’ll ever actually write these out (suggestions welcome).

Side Taunt (Mabel): Mabel takes out both a sock puppet of herself and a puppet of either another Gravity Falls character or a random other fighter currently on-screen and plays around with them. The second puppet can be any one of Dipper, Ford, Stan, Soos, Wendy, Gideon, Pacifica, Robbie, McGucket, or other fighters present on-screen. If a Pokémon Trainer is present, the puppet can be of them or any of their three Pokémon.

Idle Animation: Same as in Gnome Gemulets (I don't remember what it is).

Stage Entry: The twins fall out of a dimensional rift, like the one Mabel falls into in Lost Legends Part 3: Don't Dimension It.

Origin Symbol: The Zodiac Wheel (duh). No, it’s not too complicated. What are you, a cop?

Kirby Hat: Since there are two potential N-Specials here, there are also two Kirby hats, as Kirby only inhales the active twin.

Dipper: The Pine Tree hat (duh). (Growth Ray)

Mabel: Mabel's hairstyle, with a Shooting Star clip on the headband. (Shrink Ray)

Palette Swaps/Costumes

All of Dipper and Mabel's palette swaps are alternate outfits that they (or others) wear throughout the show.

1) Dipper and Mabel’s most iconic appearance.

Dipper: red t-shirt, dark blue vest, Pine Tree hat, gray shorts, black sneakers, holds Journal 3 (unless otherwise specified, he’s holding Journal 3 in all of these).

Mabel: purple skirt, pink headband, magenta Shooting Star sweater, black flats.

2) Fancy dress outfits from the ball in s2e10: Northwest Mansion Mystery.

Dipper: tuxedo, brown dress shoes, no hat

Mabel: fluffy pink dress (if Peach, Daisy, and Rosalina can fight in ball gowns, so can Mabel), weird hat thing, high heels, uses a feather boa instead of stretchy sleeves.

3) Mystery Shack employees/Anti Gravity AU inspired.

Dipper: Soos's dark green Question Mark t-shirt, cargo shorts, and cap.

Mabel: orange headband, white t-shirt, Wendy's green flannel jacket, boots, uses a rope lasso instead of stretchy sleeves.

4) Secondary antagonists inspired.

Dipper: Gideon's light blue suit and Pentagram cape, holds Journal 2.

Mabel: Pacifica's purple shirt, skirt, jacket, boots, and hairstyle, uses a purple scarf instead of stretchy sleeves.

5) Pool outfits from s1e15: The Deep End.

Dipper: red swim trunks, white t-shirt, whistle, sandals, red-and-white “Night Patrol” hat.

Mabel: pink one-piece swimsuit with a yellow star on the chest, flip-flops, uses a jump rope instead of stretchy sleeves.

6) Goodbyes, based on the series finale. Dipper: same as #1 but with Wendy’s trapper hat instead of his regular one, and holding the blue Pine Tree Journal.

Mabel: red birthday cupcake sweater, pink skirt and headband.

7) Outfits from s2e13: Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons; Dipper: elf costume consisting of a green tunic and cape, pointed ears, no hat, replaces S-Smash spear with a sword.

Mabel: orange Ducktective sweater and headband, blue skirt.

8) Original Mystery Twins/Relativity Falls AU. Stanley and Stanford as kids, with their appearance from s2e12: A Tale of Two Stans/Lost Legends Part 4: Pines Bros. Mystery. Ford takes Dipper’s place, Stan takes Mabel’s. They have different voice actors and lines than the younger twins (applies to #12 as well).

Ford: white t-shirt, brown jacket and shoes, dark green pants, holds Journal 1, replaces Dipper's hat with a light brown pith helmet.

Stan: red-and-white striped t-shirt, jeans, missing tooth, band-aid on face, brown shoes, uses a rope lasso instead of stretchy sleeves and Shanklin the Stab Possum replaces Waddles for the S-Smash.

Additional Alternate Costumes (just for fun)

9) Evil versions. They have different voice lines and facial expressions. Dipper: Dippy Fresh, the twisted, ‘90s-stereotype version of Dipper created by Mabeland in s2e19: Escape from Reality, has a different voice actor.

Mabel: Anti-Mabel from Lost Legends Part 3: Don't Dimension It, wearing a black sweater with an x-eyed cat face on it.

10) Outfits from Dipper vs. Manliness. Dipper: Manotaur loincloth and tattoos; Mabel: Yellow skirt and headband with black lightning bolt sweater.

11) Trick-or-treating costumes from s1e12: Summerween.

Dipper: peanut butter costume

Mabel: strawberry jelly costume, Waddles wears his brown business suit costume.

12) “Modern” Stan twins; same as #8 but wearing downsized versions of their “modern” attire.

Ford: red turtleneck, brown trench coat, black pants, shoulder bag, holds Journal 1.

Stan: black Mr. Mystery suit, red string tie, eyepatch, and Mackerel fez, uses a rope lasso instead of stretchy sleeves. 

13) Outfits from the Woodstick Festival in s2e09: The Love God. Dipper: dark red v-neck shirt, vest, jeans, sunglasses on forehead, no hat, holds Journal 3.

Mabel: Rainbow-striped pride sweater, purple skirt.

14) Outfits from s1e13: Boss Mabel.

Dipper: Mystery Junior suit (similar to Stan's #12), combed hair, eyepatch, no hat.

Mabel: blue business suit and glasses, Stan’s Mackerel fez, uses a rope lasso instead of stretchy sleeves.

15) Campaign manager outfits from s2e14: The Stanchurian Candidate.

Dipper: red “Team Stan” t-shirt, no vest, yellow visor.

Mabel: red-and-white striped sweater and headband, blue star-spangled skirt.

16) Inspired by my Reunion Falls AU fanfiction One Day Reunited.

Dipper: dark brown jacket (same as #8 Ford), red t-shirt, hiking boots, cargo shorts, no hat, holds blue Pine Tree Journal

Mabel: purple “Love Yo’self” sweater, yellow skirt, purple headband.

17) Reverse Falls AU version #1. They have different facial expressions and voice lines.

Dipper: similar to #4 but also with an amulet, holds Journal 2.

Mabel: light blue dress, amulet on hair band.

18) Reverse Falls AU version #2. Dipper and Mabel are replaced with Reverse Gideon and Pacifica, respectively. They have different voice actors and lines.

Gideon: Similar to Dipper’s #1, but with a light blue shirt instead of red, plus white hair and freckles.

Pacifica: tie-dyed shirt, ripped jeans, hoop earrings, bracelets, uses a scarf instead of stretchy sleeves, replaces Waddles in S-Smash with a chicken.

19) Gravity Rises AU inspired. Dipper and Mabel switch roles, Zodiac symbols, and movesets. They have different voice lines.

Mabel: blue-and-white Pine Tree t-shirt, brown pants, orange hoodie, holds Journal 3.

Dipper: dark blue t-shirt with a yellow Star over yellow long-sleeve shirt, black shorts, no hat, band-aid on face, sleeves of his shirt stretch just like Mabel’s sweaters.

Victory 1: Lower down from the top of the screen on Mabel's grappling hook, just like when they destroyed Gideon's robot in s1e20: Gideon Rises.

Victory 2: Do the short victory dance that happens when you solve certain puzzles in Gnome Gemulets, finishing with a high five (or high six, as the case may be).

Victory 3: Awkward sibling hug (pat, pat), same as the D-taunt. Yes, even the Stan and Ford alts do this.

FINAL SMASH

Like most of their moveset, the Mystery Twins’ Final Smash changes depending on which of them is present when it’s activated, though after using any of these Final Smashes, a missing twin will respawn. This is the only way to cause a missing twin to respawn without being KO’d.

Dipper only - Quantum Destabilizer: Dipper fires a straight shot from Ford’s Quantum Destabilizer, the super weapon with which he unsuccessfully attempted to destroy Bill Cipher in s2e18: [Weirdmaggedon], though it will certainly prove effective against Smash fighters. This is very similar to Dark Pit’s Final Smash; the narrow beam travels the length of the screen and will heavily damage and launch anyone hit by it, resulting in an instant KO if it takes a fighter’s damage above 100%.

Damage:

Mabel only - Imagination Unleashed: While mounted upon the dolphin-man-hallucination-monster Aoshima and karaoke singing either “Don’t Start Unbelieving” or “Taking Over Midnight” backed up by the music of her totally-a-different-art-style dream boys Xyler and Craz, Mabel unleashes her disturbing extraordinary imagination in a glittery tidal wave of rainbows, waffle soldiers, cat faces, stickers, flying sweaters, random stuffed animals, and of course, shooting stars. This is very similar to Wii Fit Trainer’s Final Smash, and is based on Mabel’s Mystery Power attack in Rumble’s Revenge.

Damage (per hit):Both - Unite the Zodiac: A large image of the Zodiac Wheel, albeit missing the image of Bill Cipher in the center, appears around the twins. Any enemies it touches take Bill Cipher’s place in the center of the wheel. After a cinematic of the ten members of the Zodiac united around the wheel, a white pillar of cosmic energy erupts from its center, obliterating anyone inside. This is always an instant KO on anyone it catches… damage doesn't matter, no exceptions.

Since the Zodiac Wheel Prophecy was unsuccessful in the actual show, it’s unknown what would have happened had it worked, so I’m free to interpret it however I want for Smash. I don’t necessarily think this is what would have happened, but it works quite well for a Final Smash. The initial capture hitbox is a ring around the twins, and its limits are pretty obvious.

[cattnipt]

hey hey! love your art a lot and was wondering if you would ever post speedpaints or give any sort of insight into your rendering process? i’d be very curious to see how you make your pieces come together and how your style - being so consistent yet so varied and expressive when applied to any given drawing - uh, builds, i guess. thanks a bunch!! keep it up either way, your work is super inspiring. <3 :)

Hi!! First of all, thank you so much and what the hell I'll cry, CONSISTENT?? EXPRESSIVE??? WOAH.........

As for speedpaints hmm I've always thought to myself that recording speedpaints would be really interesting but in actuality I don't really know how to......do that ? My drawings take so many hours to render, would the footage of it all just clog my computer?? Where would I upload them?? Youtube???

But honestly I'm so honoured by this ask that I think I'd like to genuinely give it a try :o

But when it comes to insight regarding rendering.... bit of a harder thing to answer honestly. Especially since I get about 90% of all the colouring work done within the typically flat colour stage before rendering since I wing all my colours on the go. My initial colours are usually pretty messy and soft (as is my sketch), but in the rendering phase I make it a point to use a lot of harder edge or at least high opacity brushes to define shapes more and make them sharper.

I do all my rendering on one merged layer with my initial sketch/lineart and base colours usually with additional airbrush/colour tweak layers merged as well. I try to use a lot of colour variation within everything I'm rendering, and my initial colours usually utilise a lot of airbrushing to set the base for those colour variations. I of course do additional effects/backgrounds/sometimes specific parts like props on separate layers but all of my main rendering happens on one

This is a very poor explanation I'm sorry, I hope the progress pictures show at least something HAHA

here's also a random water painting tutorial I made for a friend that maybe explains my initial colouring stage slightly?

Don't know if this explains literally anything, but thank you so much for your ask :-D !! I'll look into speedpaints and update here if I ever figure those out.....

[spacedlexi]

people dont talk enough about how heartbreaking the marlon betrayal mustve been for clem too,,

this dude saves the life of her and her kid. takes them in has them patched up gives them their first hot meal in who knows how long. gives them a safe place to stay. possibly permanently. confides in her that hes trying to be a good leader but feels like and fears that hes failing. asks her to help him take care of the rest of the group. helps her get over her fear of dogs by asking her to trust him. and things go well. she feels safe. like this place could really finally be the home shes been looking for

but as soon as she finds out what happened to the twins. that marlon planned on giving up her and aj too. she immediately becomes a liability to him and he attempts to kill her for it. locks her in the basement to die by walker. then tries to turn the group against her so he can shoot her instead when the first method fails. and he nearly succeeds

then a majority of the group turn against clem the minute aj kills marlon. ignoring marlons mistakes but condemning aj for his. like clem wasnt betrayed by marlon in the exact same way he betrayed the twins. like she literally wasnt almost killed twice? and how long had he been considering giving her up? was it always some contingency he planned? did he truly want to keep them around and things only changed when he feared the raiders had returned? she'll never know

[peppermint-moss]

PUT ME IN A BOX, BOY, PUT ME IN A BOX! PUT ME IN A BOX AND CALL ME ANYTHING YOU WANT, BOY! - Worth it by Haley Heynderickx

-----

Uh oh mr. citrus clementine.... someones in a pickle (been trapped in his own mind for months after having to lobotomize himself to gain critical information that would have otherwise killed him and wiped out any memory of his existence)

commission info || ko-fi (tip jar)

bonus: was messing around with finishing details and accidentally made this which i thought looked sick as fuck

[rearranging-deck-chairs]

if graham thought the used to be a man thing was just joking and like 5 minutes earlier she said she used to live in the outback for 123 years, he also definitely doesnt have ANY idea how old she is does he

[hunter-sylvester]

I honestly feel bad for Hunter. Having neglectful parents suck, I can see why he’s so attached to Kevin. Especially considering they’ve been friends since third grade (I think). I’d be scared if my friend started running off with some chick too tbh. Because now it’s not just us anymore.

[although Hunter still has Robbie, I love Robbie]

You and me both, Anon 💔 [prev ask for context]

And you’re preaching to the choir about neglectful parents lmao there’s a reason I relate to him so heavily. More like about a million reasons but that’s beside the point.

I agree and I definitely think it plays a very large part. Even the band’s name changing is symbolic of that loss of the illusion of them that Hunter was living under. I didn’t touch on it much in the previous analysis because I was trying to stay focused on his parental issues. But when discussing his attachment to Kevin in any way it’d be an oversight to ignore the fact that Hunter is in love with him. Dare I say canonically.

“When I first got the script, the first thing which popped out to me was that Hunter seemed like he was in love with Kevin.” – Adrian Greensmith

It's how Adrian played Hunter. It's as close to canon as it can be without it being in the script.

Although I do not think that it's entirely necessary to accept him being in love with Kevin for the following to make sense, it does enrich it imo.

So in my mind he subconsciously believes that Kevin and he are something. Something more than simply best friends. Not that he’s able to realize that. He automatically pushes everything down the second he feels it. Unless it's anger, of course. [emotional regulation issues | father]

You can see him repress his emotions so clearly here.

And yeah, the bandname. In the same scene, we get a quote I always read entirely too much into love to analyze deeply. Watch how he says it. It means way more to him than it should.

Skullfucker is them. It's Kevin & Hunter. It's his idea of them and their future. Of touring and performing together. Of striding into adulthood together.

His preceding "You can't. You can't-" is him practically begging Kevin not to abandon him. [abandonment issues | mother]

"You can't leave me because we are Skullfucker. Skullfucker is us. You can't break us. You can't throw me away, you were supposed to be the one that doesn't throw me away because we're us. You can't break Skullfucker."

It makes sense that Skullfucker is quite a 'strong' and over-the-top, even violent name. It's everything Hunter wants to project outward to protect himself and what he has with Kevin. Aside: it changing to Skullflower, which has a softer connotation while still befitting a metal band, can easily be read as symbolic of Hunter being forced to learn it's okay to be vulnerable as well. But that'd be a tangent and a half.

Kevin is shattering his entire world in the scene. He's taking a fucking sledgehammer to it.

"You need me a lot more than I need you. Without me all of your dumb fantasies disappear. But without you I might actually live a real life." - Kevin Schlieb

"Dumb fantasies" can be read as the more obvious. Namely, their band making it big while Hunter has to make zero compromises to his vision. Or there is the arguably more painful version. Hunter's dumb fantasy is them. Them together. Them being anything. Which certainly all falls apart without Kevin.

Aside: I wish to note that while I think Kevin makes a good number of painfully accurate points during this fight, I don't think he means all of it at his core. It's said in the heat of the moment and should thus be taken with a grain of salt. "You need me a lot more than I need you. Without me all of your dumb fantasies disappear." These lines I view as painfully accurate. "But without you I might actually live a real life." This one I think is not to be taken entirely at face value. It is said in anger with the intention to hurt in my opinion. And it works. But it's not what Kevin actually thinks.

He lashes out after this. As it's the only way he knows how to deal with anything and it beats having to examine why this is shattering his very being. [emotional regulation issues | father]

Aside: let it not be thought that I in any way condone his actions leading up to this scene. While the speech class scene is my favorite scene in the movie, Hunter's actions in it towards Emily are inexcusable. And the consequences that follow are something he brought upon himself.

There is also a case to be made for this being an example of or affected by Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, as I view all the members of Skullflower as being AuDHD (ADHD + Autistic).

But to circle back to Kevin running off with Emily...yeah. Of course that shatters him. Kevin is the only person that he feels safe around and on top of that he's in love with him.

His bubble of safety and his presumption that Kevin is his are turned to dust before his eyes and he doesn't even know why it's hitting him as hard as it is.

Also yes, they have indeed been best friends since third grade.

"Hunter's been my best friend ever since he stopped Molly Levine from pulling out my hair in third grade" - Kevin Schlieb

And yes, Robbie rules. We love Robbie in this household. I love that he's someone Hunter can also lean on. Even if it does have to be through very heavy projection.

And a hug. You can't fault a good hug.

I will emphasize tho, he never actually loses Kevin.

He couldn't. The way in which he thought he lost Kevin was a way he never had him to begin with. Kevin is still his best friend, still his bandmate and still someone who is safe and who is there for him. Kevin was just angry at him (and for good reason, let's be real). But he wasn't actually abandoning him. Hunter only felt like he did. [abandonment issues | mother]

Look no further than the fact he broke him out of Rehab. He came back for him because that is what Kevin does. Even if he gets mad, even if they fight, even if Hunter acts entirely out of line, Kevin is never gone. Never lost.

There will be consequences, absolutely. But he'd have to do a lot worse to actually lose Kevin for real. Tune in next time, where I will explain why Hunter and Kevin's relationship fits a BDSM bratting dynamic /j ANYWAY-

I do think their relationship is special. Just not necessarily in a way that involves kissing, unfortunately for Hunter.

Thank you so much for asking, Anon 🤘 If you are the same Anon from last time, then thank you again. I enjoy going on these incomprehensible rants and I'm massively thankful for being asked about my special interest like this. It's very nice ^-^

[jacqcrisis]

So Ronan the dragonborn cleric has his journal and a habit of drawing. Alongside his dry recounts of the day, the more spicy prose written in draconic that frustrates his nosey companions, and simplistic stick figure diagrams of action he can't draw properly, are more detailed sketches. These sketches are generally reserved for animals or plants, especially flowers, he happens across and enjoys, jotted down to the best of memory alongside the words written about the days events.

But between those, every now and then, are drawings of people, most notably people he finds important in some way. These sketches aren't hyper realistic or artful as his capabilities are amateur at best, but they are detailed and good enough you would recognize who they were depicting. He's not trying to become a master of the art, but just good enough that he can have a visual reminder of someone if they should leave him or pass away.

Sometime during Act 2, after the conversation with the mirror about Astarion not remembering what he looks like but before he confesses to feeling something more, Ronan notices his journal is missing. Again. It happens often enough that he's not worried, but he would like it back so he does the rounds around camp to see which sticky-fingered companion took it tonight.

After checking with nearly everyone save Wyll, Ronan finds Astarion a little ways away from everyone, sat near a torch and hunched over conspicuously. Upon silently walking up to him, standing just behind him, Ronan waits just a few moments until his presence is felt. Predictably, Astarion jumps to his feet, hand going for a dagger with the journal clutched to his chest as he whips around to face his would be assailant.

Of course, it's just Ronan and Astarion sighs in a melodramatic relief, commenting that they should perhaps bell the dragonborn when he isn't in his horrendously loud armor. Ronan grunts, holding out a hand expectantly and what follows is a rather typical back and forth as Astarion teasingly mentions all the 'dirty little secrets' he's supposedly gleaned from the journal while Ronan steadfastly asks for the damn thing back as he'd like to make an entry and get to sleep. But something's off, as usually after a minute or two the leather bound book is halfway into Ronan's hand, being pulled away a time or two, yet Astarion is keeping it close to himself, as if reluctant to give it back.

Ronan notices, interrupts Astarion in midst of being complained at over his assessment of the rogue's battle performance to ask if everything is alright. For a moment, Astarion says yes, of course, well as good as he can be starving and exhausted in the middle of this godforsaken place but-

And he stops, chewing on his lip, troubled as he opens the journal again to flip to the page he'd had his thumb wormed into this whole time. He touches his face and Ronan can feel what's coming before Astarion opens his mouth to ask if the person on the page is him. He doesn't even need to see the sketch Astarion shows him; there's a lot of the elf drawn in that journal.

Ronan nods and then immediately mutters something akin to an apology that his artistic talent is lacking, receiving a joke about how Astarion certainly wouldn't hang anything he's drawn by his bedroll that trails off. Then he's silent for a moment, taking the journal back to stare down at the page before he supposes it's the best he'll get. It's a want for a way to help that strikes Ronan as he watches, struggling with what to say and wishing he had some way to alleviate that grief, to show him-

But there is a way to show him, isn't there?

It takes some convincing and a promise to not probe into Astarion's thoughts, but eventually a reluctant vampire is standing illuminated in a holy daylight summoned eagerly for just the occasion. He's instructed to close his eyes as Ronan crouches down to get the best view he can and takes Astarion's hand to press his palm to a scaley temple. The connection is immediate, Astarion's sight filled with a clear picture of himself, of a face he hasn't seen in centuries mirrored perfectly through Ronan's steady and concentrated gaze.

He's given as much time as he needs, Ronan seemingly happy to stare at him as he takes it all in. There's something filtering through the cleric's ironclad concentration, made only more apparent at every observation and joke Astarion makes while refamiliarizing himself with himself. Words and phrases pop into mind, squashed before they complete like the sound of them being thrust underwater to muffle and become incoherent.

Comments about his features, about his voice, about the hand still curled against Ronan's temple, about how close they are. Noachi, that draconic nickname Ronan's given him that he still has no idea the meaning of, thought less like a word and more like a fond prayer floating through as Ronan chuckles at some quip Astarion makes about not remembering his chin being like that. But there's another thing that Ronan can't seem to stop coloring his perception and his thoughts.

It's not a word or a phrase or even a picture. Merely a feeling, a warmth, deep and radiating, growing stronger and stronger the longer Ronan is staring at Astarion. So much so, it colors the picture he's presenting as a glow emanates around Astarion that has nothing to do with the magical daylight or the nearby torch or anything about himself, as if that warmth Ronan is feeling is warping his very sight.

And it's a feeling that Astarion recognizes, has tried not to recognize for a little while now, ignoring and writing it off and burying it at every turn. A feeling that answers back within him and that shakes him. Frightens him enough, he takes his hand away, opens his eyes to break the connection.

Astarion thanks him, kind of, inbetween commenting that he hopes Ronan is happy he's probably satisfied his need to stare at Astarion for the evening before actually saying something that amounts to gratitude. It gets him another chuckle, and Ronan bows his head with a little smile, telling him 'anytime, noachi' before leaving Astarion alone. The daylight fades away to nothing and Astarion is left by the torch, watching Ronan take his journal to the rest of the rest of camp as he touches his face, lost in thought.

[figureofdismay]

I keep seeing that post claiming that they've only ever seen people in fandom complaining about the writing and characterization of women characters, never men characters, when the time I spent in m/m slash shipping circles -- and also many m/f shipping fandom circles -- was almost entirely made up of watching people complaining about the bad/sloppy/"ooc"/cowardly etc characterization of male characters. Like, that may be their experience but it's extremely not universal lol

What's more, a lot of the time I think people view "complaining about the writing of women characters" in a way backwards to the initial intent these days. For a long time on here in like 2014 to 2019 fandom, complaining about the writing of women characters was the main way people tried to show that they supported women and picking apart every portrayal was socially rewarded because it was the pathway people felt was available to them to seek better female representation in media. Of course this backfired with a combination of lots of fandom folks getting totally burnt out, and lots of fandom folks ended up scared to make women characters do anything or suffer anything because they had seen the furor of the backlash many times, and which obviously has a chilling effect on fandom overall.

I really don't think any of this started because 'fandom hates women' but as an expression of fandom wanting to see 'better' women characters that weren't cookie cutter tropes, and complaining and attacking each other over fan works and opinions was the only way they could feel like they were 'doing something' because complaining about the writing of popular franchise women characters on Twitter or the Mary Sue did very little. And of course 'good representation' is a horrifically flawed premise because no one character can make every woman feel seen (or every queer person, or, you get the picture). And now people are so used to self policing in fandom and trying to guess what will get them decried as Problematic that people avoid a lot of interesting and marginalized characters out of genuine fear of the social consequences of getting it "wrong." Those consequences fandom repeatedly demonstrates for them as impossible to predict but potentially very real and lasting on community connections.

Unfortunately this has an identical effect on fandom as "people hate women and minority characters" and it's as straightforward to navigate. "Help them branch out to minority characters they might identify with on other grounds" won't help with this. Neither will yelling at them that they hate women and minorities and should feel ashamed. What would help is 'stop participating in dogpiles and call-outs' and 'support fan works about Weird characters and nuanced takes' and 'don't assume that the person saying some female character has flaws hates that character and jump to attack' and 'if someone says something with unconscious bias about some character don't assume they hate women and jump to attack' and 'if someone ships that woman character with someone you find Problematic don't assume they hate women and jump to attack.' basically, fandom is a hobby for fun and enrichment, and if people feel like paying attention to many marginalized characters is something stressful that will get them shamed and heckled, they won't Learn To Be Better, they'll just avoid you and the character and characters like them in future.

[louisarmpits]

.