#time for Peak Softness (TM)

[multiverse-menagerie]

Perhaps could I request the bg3 companions going through Tav's sketchbook and finding that it's riddled with drawings of each companion, but especially them. Maybe it's the early stages of a romance or smthn?

I’ve been slowly spinning this around in my head, yessss

Gale

At first, Gale thinks journal is a book you’ve left for him. He’s not really one to go through your personal belongings after all. But upon opening the journal and finding swaths of drawings of your party and him, he’s thrown a little off kilter

He returns it to you immediately (read as: he fights with himself for a good ten minutes to stop looking at the sketches of himself and return the book to you) but asks you about your hobby

Listens very intently to however much you’re willing to tell him. Gale would ask, “are those me? or do you know some other roguishly handsome wizard with a penchant for fancy robes?”

He’s trying Very Hard to downplay his feelings about the whole matter. He’s not used to being the admired one…but he’s certainly not complaining

Shadowheart

As she hopes everyone will respect her need for privacy, Shadowheart strives to do the same for others. Despite many opportunities to peak at your journal, she resists and eventually asks you about it directly, but with no pressure

shy!Tav, nervously showing off the sketches and trying to gloss over how many of these drawings are of Shadowheart - after a deep breath, Shadowheart ignores the blush rising on her skin and asks about some of the other drawings

Confident!Tav, flipping through the sketches and happily showing off the images of Shadowheart especially - Shadowheart flusters, sputters out a near incomprehensible jumble of words and rushes off

Either way, the moment lives Rent Free(tm) in her head and she hopes you’ll show her the journal again

Astarion

STUNNED. like, almost drops your sketch in surprise bc wait. Holy shit. Is that him??

recovers smoothly, plays down the way his adrenaline has spiked

It does not matter how good the portraits of him are, sketches or fully finished drawings, he is Memorizing those pages

If you draw him with any soft expression, he’ll point out that image to you and be like “I think you’ve messed up on that particular reaction, dear” (that’s how he looks at you, shh don’t tell him)

Wyll

He spots you watching him one day as he’s training, your eyes flipping between him and the journal in front of you. Eventually he gives in and wanders over, inquiring about what you’re up to

when you show him the spread, sketches of him doing swordplay (and a few close headshots) - Wyll is both very impressed and very flustered

He compliments your skills, though jokingly questions the subject of your drawings. Certainly someone else would make a more attractive drawing, he says, gesturing vaguely to his mismatched eyes and newly acquired horns

Is surprised by the fierce frown you give him, the disapproval in your voice at his suggestion. You’re drawing him for a reason. Thoroughly chastised and a little embarrassed, Wyll thanks you (he doesn’t elaborate beyond that but you get the idea)

Karlach

Karlach is too afraid to touch anything that seems even vaguely flammable, but she’s seen you scribbling into your journal on many an occasion. Eventually her curiosity gets the better of her and she asks you about it

If you’re hesitant to show her, she’ll back off…but kind of pout like a little kid. Not in an attempt to make you feel bad but just bc that’s who she is. If and when you decide to show her the sketches, she’s super hyped

Jaw on the floor. She’s not got the patience or skills for drawing, not really, but your talent blows her away. And then she sees the drawings of her and she’s like - mouth open, heart eyes

jokes about how you’ve drawn her, with a huge grin on her face the whole time “how long have you been staring at my thighs to get the drawing this accurate? should I get a new outfit for your next page?”

Lae’zel

She’s never really cared much for her appearance - don’t get me wrong, she thinks she looks great but she’s never really been the one to stare at her reflection or anything

But Lae’zel sees herself in your sketches, drawings of her in softer states, in relaxation, and shes…surprised

Part of her bristles - she’s a strong warrior on a mission, she doesn’t need you seeing her as soft. But a different part of her…eases. Relaxes. You see her as an individual worth affection.

Lae’zel wouldn’t comment much about the drawings, but she would ask to sit and watch you draw, if it wouldn’t bother you. Your skilled hands, the way your brow furrows as you draw. Yes. She likes that.

Halsin

At first, Halsin is simply impressed by your talents. Artistry has always been something he’s enjoyed, no matter the form, so he’s happy to get to see your work

When he comes across the pages devoted to him, he’s thrown off a little. He’s used to being admired, if we’re being honest. As long as he’s lived and as many people he’s been with, it happens. But he’s not used to…this. Being part of the art but without any expectation of him.

Traces a finger over the lines of his face - somehow you’ve captured a look that makes him seem so…heroic. Is that how you see him? Warmth feels his chest and he goes to seek you out

You don’t get much of an answer, when you ask why he’s scooped you and paying you extra attention, nuzzling his face into your hair

[orviposition]

I'm an Omega kdj truther till the day I die but at times I can't deny the fact that he gives off beta vibes like yk this emoji 🧍🏻🧍🏻🧍🏻, like that's him

on the other day, let's say that he is an Omega, what do you think his scent would be like, and yjh and the rest of kimcom???

my favorite omegaverse scenario regarding kim dokja is "beta kim dokja gets bitched into an omega" it's about the scare of his body changing and the desperation during his first heat etc etc. as for his scent, i'm of the opinion he's actually on the fresh/spring side. like cherry blossoms and strawberries. (imagine if singshong said sike! and made him smell like tomatoes lolol)

yoo joonghyuk is obviously an alpha. always has been always will be. i take no criticism on the matter. his scent however is harsher on the nose. like the sea. and a hint of sandalwood perhaps

han sooyoung is an omega. i also DO NOT take criticism on this. if you don't agree you're wrong. she has a lemon scent.

yoo sangah is definitely an alpha. however her smell is sweet and soft like milky chocolate

jung heewon, also an alpha. have you seen her. peak strong and mentally fragile Alpha(tm). as for her scent hmmm cocktail?

lee hyunsung is also a case of alpha getting bitched to beta bcs he's surrounded by other alphas (yjh. ysa. jhw) more dominant than him (yes this is me advocating for jhw pegging lhs. sue me) his scent is grass adjacent

lee seolhwa, beta. her scent is mild. like snow but warmer.

lee jihye, beta. scent: the sea, (softer than yjh's ofc) but due to the scent being similar to yjh she gets confused for an alpha all the time

kim namwoon, hmm it's tricky but i'm going with alpha. a classic immature one too. his scent is very harsh, like ash. but when he's with jihye his scent becomes softer like dark/bitter chocolate

jang hayoung, omega, smells of sweet chocolate. kdj wanted her created as the complete opposite of yjh. and that is the result

[pumpkinhcad]

HAMMY'S POSTING. Behold, the Character Inspiration Chart! Or, as I like to call it, the "Little Guys that Remind Me of my Little Guy" Chart. Depending on who you ask, it's practically the same thing. Also Pump is not my OC obviously (I wish I could create a character this peak), but I do make associations with other characters as I write him so that's why I decided to make that my daily About post today! And I'm going to yap about ALL OF THEM.

I feel like Greg from Over the Garden Wall is the most obvious inspiration here. After all, I have written him before! So my "potato-shaped little brother who loves Halloween" experience shows. Greg is not as morally-dubious as Pump is, but he does have his off-the-wall moments; like him throwing the money he received from Endicott down a pond in Ep.5 because, in his words, "he's got no sense, no sense at all" (he and the rest of the group were planning to steal from him to get onto a steamship). I also just really like his half-sibling dynamic with Wirt, it's why I love both characters.

Lilo from Lilo & Stitch feels fitting here. I think they got some stuff in common. Both have an older sister that stepped up due to their parents' absence in some capacity (Pump's parents are not dead but they're THAT absent); both are The Weird Kid(tm) with a liking for the eerie (Lilo tried to curse those girls that are always bullying her and showed up to a Halloween costume party as a dead hula girl, it's obvious); both can throw hands (Mertle and Roy are equally deserving lmao); and they both have a best friend who is as weird as they are. These two would be besties, I'm sure.

Bitsy from Uprooted: Dimwits of the Dimwood is one of my more off-the-rocker choices?? But I think it makes sense. Both are little guys that live in the moment and will say the most unhinged things when you least see it coming. Both are also pretty clueless and airheaded but have moments where they're very observant and, dare I say, sound of mind? Not always, barely ever, but it's there. Also I just think Pump would also think there's a difference between lemons and lemon juice, it sounds in-character.

It took me a moment to choose a character from this particular anime, but in the end I decided to settle for Bo Suzuki from Crayon Shin-chan and not somebody like Shinnosuke Nohara himself, for example. I think he's Shin-chan's most underrated friend, probably because, just like Pump, he's always going with the flow and following his friends on whatever they're doing. But he has also shown to be one of the more independent and mature kids of the Kasukabe Defense Organization. Both are also interested in the paranormal and urban legends and collecting strange things as a hobby (Bo loves strange rocks, Pump loves bugs). We have also never seen either of their parents on-screen so, yeah. Oh and Bo learned how to drive the school bus just from watching the school principal drive it every morning, which I also see Pump somehow figuring out??

Scott Malkinson from South Park is one of my favorite characters ever and someone I have also written in the past. Hell, one of my dumbest pipedream headcanons is that they're cousins, because I think it's funny. Neither of them is particularly bright, nor self-aware. Both are also on the chubbier side, ridiculously strong, curly-haired brunets. No, legit, Scott is, like, the strongest playable character in Fractured But Whole. Both are also often targets of bullying by kids that are objectively bigger than them, but they take it in stride most of the time.

Funny that I have not mentioned it whatsoever in the last three bullet points, but I also consider how a character sounds to be very important for my characterization/inspiration choices. Bitsy, Bo and Scott have very particular voices (Bitsy is pretty soft-spoken, Bo is slow-speaking, and Scott has a lisp), which is a trait I also see in Pump. It mostly boils down to me finding how they sound to be charming.

Last, but not least, Suneo Honekawa from Doraemon. If anyone thought Bitsy was a reach, this is the actual reach lol. These two barely have anything in common (Suneo is an outright coward, a mama's boy and avoids all battles he knows he cannot win), but every single time I write Pump being a bit smug or prideful I just imagine Suneo and his silly theme song. Also both of them come from fairly wealthy, middle-to-high class families whose parents are usually absent due to work (at least Suneo's father is). But it's mainly a pride/ego thing. If Pump closes his eyes and is bragging about something, I see Suneo, end of story.

Could there be other characters in the future? Maybe, I'm not sure, it has taken me a couple of weeks to gather enough characters to make this chart as is. Overall, these are some of my strongest picks and I'm pretty happy with how this chart and post came out. Hope this gives everyone a better idea about how I like to characterize my Pump!

[icyfox17]

Top 5 Psych characters :3

shawn ofc:)) hes literally SO iconic like. peak character. genuinely. my adhd bisexual king 🫶🫶🫶 (oh dear there's a pattern here...) I love love love how silly he is and I love that he just? has no shame LMFAOOO i can't watch comedies a lot bc of the second hand embarrassment but psych beats that bc like. shawn does not get embarrassed. he does the most ridiculous shit ever but has NO shame. i love him. i aspire to be like him. and the Serious Shawn TM moments? literally the best parts of the show. i love bamf characters and shawn is one of the most bamf characters ever and i just the tension the show creates of having the silliest guy ever become super intense when his loved ones are in danger? ITS SO GOOD KJSDFSFAKJSDFKJ i need to rewatch psych again aaaaaaaaa but yeah i just!! hes such a guy . he cares a lot but isnt always the best at showing it and hes so so flawed but at the end of the day he WILL do his best to help people. he cares a lot about people and i justjksdfalksjdfnk :((( i love him

Desperaux !!!!!! HE IS THE SILLY OF ALL TIME OKAY WJKAEFAWKJFE I LOVE HIM SO MUCH 😭😭😭😭😭 hes just so… cool and so funny and my fav trope is when the villain gets soft for the good guy and like its not the exact same but its basically that trope. i love how impressed he is by shawn and i love how fond he is for him and hes so badass and so sexy and i just KJFDJASDFLJK I LOVE HIM !!!!

Gus and Jules are tied i love them both so dearly. I love how at first you almost think theyre the "normal" ones but you quickly realise theyre just as chaotic as Shawn is. I love Gus, he's also just so so silly and I love how committed to the bit he is and he's such a good friend I WANT TO CRYYY. Jules is just so . Insane HELP I LOVE HER KJSFKJSDKJ she's so committed and so passionate and I really? idk i admire her. she's so cool. and makes me want to cry sometimes KJFKJSD I LOVE HERRR

i really like that one side character from the canada eps HELPPP macintosh <3 i love u u deserve the world ur so silly

lassiter:)) his character arc is really engaging to watch and he needs soososoo many hugs

[recusant-s-sigil]

Rating: PG

Word count: 869

Tags: Vanitas is Darkness, prologue is a different writing style, Re:Formed AU, Vanitas contemplates his life, Post-Melody of Memory, wayfinder family, Angsting about emotions TM, So Vanitas how's that existential crisis treating you

Summary:

An amnesiac Vanitas finds himself living with Terra, Aqua, and Ven, who help him remember who he used to be. Will he be able to figure out how to cope as (D)darkness in a world aligned with light?

Notes:

This prologue is a different style from the rest of the fic. I recommend listening to Night of the Dark Dream from KH3 until Ven appears, then switch over to his theme for optimum reading experience.

-------------------

Never have I felt so at home than amongst these shadows. This comfort is like that of an old friend not seen for many years: we are strangers now, but somewhere in the back of my mind is familiarity. So why don’t I remember?

I can’t help but follow the flow as the darkness moves, enveloping me as I do it. I’m indistinct from the rest, formless and fluid. Whispers around me tear at my nonbeing, begging me to join them. Why don’t I want to?

No, I tell them. Let me go. I don’t know why I’m so insistent on giving up the comfort of this collective, but the darkness recedes, leaving me standing, standing on solid ground.

Examining my newly-gained form, I can tell I’m bipedal. Testing out my limbs is natural, as if I’ve been something similar before. I move my hands to my face to find metal and glass. My helmet must be tinted, seeing as I still can’t make out my surroundings. Or it’s just really dark here. Hard to tell.

There’s a pull in my body. I follow it until I can hear the crash of waves. A brilliant light shines on the horizon, obscured by my helm. So my first guess about the tinted glass was right.

Finding a rock, I sit down and watch the light reflect off the peaks and crests of the water.

I wait there for what seems like ages. How long has it been since I regained this form? I breathe in sync with the waves every now and then, just to feel my chest rise and fall. Sometimes my breath fogs up the glass and casts everything in a hazy glow.

“Hey, is that…” I hear a voice call and the crunch of footsteps on the soft sand. Someone’s running up to me.

“It is! I knew I’d find you here.”

I turn to look at the boy standing on my left. He’s staring at me with big, kind eyes, a warm and oddly relieved smile on his face.

“I had this feeling you’d returned, so I left a note for Terra and Aqua to tell them I’d left to find you. And here you are!”

He seems so happy to find me. Why? There’s a dim memory from long ago trying to surface when I look at him, but it can’t quite make it. What relation did I have with him to make me feel this way? I decide to take off my helmet to get a clearer look.

Big mistake. The light on the horizon hurts my eyes, as does… his light? Why is his light so powerful as to cause me to flinch? Still, I let myself adjust and when I can finally open my eyes properly, I jump to my feet on impulse. Something flashes into my outstretched hands and I point it at him. I speak aloud for the first time.

“Who are you? Why are you looking for me?” My tone is angry, but the aggression poorly masks my surprise and fear.

“Hey, whoa, it’s okay,” the boy says, holding his hands up defensively. Or perhaps as a show of peace? “Please, put your Keyblade away.”

“So this is called a Keyblade?” I say, lowering but not dismissing it.

Upon further inspection, what I’m holding is an aptly-named weapon, for it does resemble a key, if only in shape. The long part is wrapped in chains, and there are blue catlike eyes decorating it at the tip and hilt. The design is intricate with a gear motif. From the bottom dangles a keychain with various interlocking gears.

The weight of it feels comfortable in my hands, but I don’t remember if I know how to use it or what its purpose is or why I even have it in the first place.

“You don’t know what a Keyblade is? Hm…” The boy seems lost in thought. “Do you know my name?” I shake my head slowly. How do I tell him that he feels familiar yet I don’t remember him at all?

“Do you… know your own name?”

Again I shake my head. I remember nothing from before, if there was a before.

He asks an unexpected question. “Do you want me to tell you?” My eyes widen at that. He’d give me this vital piece of myself back even though he doesn’t know if I’m telling the truth? I think he thinks I’m the kind of person to be honest. I might be. And why would I lie about something as important as this?

“Your name is Vanitas.”

Vanitas. That feels right.

“Okay, so I’m Vanitas. Who are you?”

“I’m Ventus. Call me Ven.” He holds out a hand and waits for me to shake it. I hesitate for a long while before my Keyblade fades from my hand and I take his. I shiver with the contact. Such strength of heart.

Such light.

Before I can ask him anything else, Ven summons his own Keyblade and opens a portal. How do I know what he’s doing? Can I do it too?

“Come with me,” Ven says. I put my helmet on before following him through the glowing gate.

[husbandhoshi]

A fic I haven't read yet from you, but I want to

Definitely Eat, Play, Love. Once I find the capacity and time to read fics over 10k, just know I will be very annoying about it. Sorry in advance. It's your comeback fic, it's Cheol AND it's enemies to lovers????? This is peak RJ content tbh.

What made me the most emotional after reading

I know I am a very hyperbolic and dramatic person but, the way your headcanon about moving in with Dino specifically has not left my mind since I read it. I was also embarrassing close to tears when I finished it. Still haven't forgiven you for making me feel my feelings and for Dino of all people no less smh /lh.

What I like the most about your writing

I think I said this in the tags of the Josh drabble I recently read from you but, you have such a great balance between softness, filth (complimentary) and humour in your writing. It doesn't feel jarring reading about how these people know each other and how much they each other vs the smut (tm) vs injections of humour whatever you choose to place them. It all blends together so incredibly well.

RJJJJJJJJJJJJJ.... u are literally THE SWEETEST alive. dont even apologize for anything -- it is sooooo flattering to me that u take the time to read my fics and then find some crazy unique combo of reaction pics and THEN write such thoughtful FUNNY tags?????? like u have made me happy enough to last several lifetimes. do NOT worry.

and the DINO WORMS... THEY GOT U.. THEY GOT U SO BAD. i wish there were like 10 of me bc then the dino fic ive been wanting to write would be done and u could suffer :)

n the feedback abt the writing not being jarring 🥹🥹🥹🥹 there are def SOME fics floating around the masterlist that suffer from that but im glad that the ones you've read you've enjoyed <3333

[trans-yllz]

here's the list. because I am insane:

if we're being honest folks, I just can't resist an incredibly smart, competent, dangerous, powerful character. I can't resist the charm and the arrogance and the skill. we love an underdog and all that and people don't have to be good at anything to be valuable blah blah blah but I'm a simple man alright. wei wuxian is an incredibly talented, charming, attractive, and intelligent fictional man and I am not above admitting that the whole thing, predictably, has worked on me in real life. he's just good at everything, and I'm madly in love with him. he's perfect. he could kill me. he could kill anyone. he's so smart. he's talented. he's the love of my life. have I mentioned that he's perfect? I am not immune to falling for the dangerous prodigy genius who is unmatched in his skill and could charm the birds from the sky

wei wuxian is so human. oh wei wuxian is So human. I know that I just said he's perfect but he's so human and flawed and complex and I love it. it's so easy to like. hurt and laugh and cry and grieve and be angry along with him. there are so many moments in cql that instigate catharsis because he is a Character I Relate To tm, but I don't think any other character in the story or in media in general makes me feel Angry for them like wei wuxian does. at the peak of the post sunshot campaign arc when everyone is slandering him all the time, I always feel So mad about it, like someone is insulting my friend. because wei wuxian just feels so human. so much of his character works so well As A Character - a moving piece within the machine of a story, there to do its job and represent something meaningful and important, a function of the bigger picture meant to communicate something to the viewer and drive the narrative home. but he is also so human. so delightfully human and lived in and breathing, and it makes it so easy to adore him, because he feels like a real person that you love

I love wei wuxians arrogance honestly, his unfaltering belief in his own abilities and powers and actions. both in a gay hiiiii yiling laozu twirls my hair way and in a just like. it's very satisfying to watch way. him standing up to wen chao, shooting those arrows blindfolded without ever faltering, walking into jinlintai and demanding to know where wen ning is. it fucks. but more than just the confidence I love that he uses it to uplift others, never stepping on anyone's neck to boost his own ego. like moment I fell in love w him moment I Knew he'd be my little guy was when he recited the lan sect rules at the wen indoctrination camp. not only was he being cocky and arrogant and standing up to wen chao, he was also using the opportunity to show solidarity w lan wangji and the lan sect. and not to sound cheesy and lame and cringe but wei wuxians utter sureness in himself, his confidence and lack of shame, inspires me to be a more confident person in real life. I love you little wei wuxian that lives in the back of my head and encourages me when I feel embarrassed or out of place or awkward or silly

I love that, above all else, wei wuxian is kind. he is not always nice or soft or civil, but he is almost always kind, to the people who deserve it. I know that he killed like thousands of ppl in a moment of utter insanity and tortured wen soldiers with such ruthless, unabashed bloodlust that it even freaked jiang cheng out a little bit, but that's sort of the best part of it? that wei wuxian was pushed to do so many unspeakable things and yet still he is fiercely, defiantly kind. always. like it would be so easy for him to turn out bitter and cruel and resentful (like someone else we know 🤨) but he still manages to move through life with nearly ceaseless joy and kindness for others. even after he's resurrected and he wakes up with such exhaustion and discontent and indifference towards life and the world, he is immediately kind to the juniors, to the girl who lost her mind to the fairy statue, like its second nature to him. wei wuxian has suffered and he has killed and he has lost his mind and he has died and still he is kind to the girl people call crazy and her mother, without a second thought

this almost ties into confidence but it is not quite the same thing - I adore the fact wei wuxian is never anybody but himself. he likes to show off sometimes, he can manipulate people into seeing what he wants them to see, and he is, unfortunately, very good at hiding his hurt and his pain. but he is always, unapologetically, wei wuxian. he never falters or changes for anyone, ever. he lies, and he manipulates, and he puts on a show, but he never makes himself anyone he's not in order to get people to like or respect or love him. of course he's keeping the massive secret of his missing core, and you could argue that he's doing that to protect his image, but even at the face of that lie he is still always himself. and wildly he has this crazy aversion to vulnerability and openness, so good at deflecting from his sorrow, but somehow it is never contradictory to the honesty with which he carries himself. I don't know how else to describe it, he is just always, no matter what, wei wuxian, even when he is refusing to let someone see him cry. he just doesn't tuck parts of himself away in exchange for anything, never lets anyone beat him into being someone else. and I think that it is very brave an admirable from a person standpoint, and very unique and engaging from a character standpoint. I find that a lot of "confident" characters in fiction are always secretly insecure or putting up a front or hiding who they really are, that they're hiding some other version of themselves away in order to earn approval, and that can be great too, but I love that wei wuxian is Truly confident, truly sure and earnest and himself. and the little wei wuxian that lives in the back of my head who is only ever himself, encourages me to only ever be myself, too

*makes a list of my favorite things about wei wuxian in the notes app of my phone like a normal person*

[celosiaa]

steady, love (chapter 7)

Summary:

Martin is not doing well.

Jon is there with him through every step.

(because I became obsessed ™ with the idea of Martin dealing with the physical and emotional aftermath of leaving the Lonely)

Chapters 1-7 are up on ao3 under the same username!

(The EYE speaks in glitched text.  Jon’s thoughts are italicized.)

WARNINGS: illness, hospitals, medical talk, addiction mention

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)

P̘ͮnͯͧ͋̏e͓̳̭͗ͩu͔̲ͥ̽̿ͯ̾m̲̑̉̿̏̅ͨ̿̔o̭͚͗̏̉̂̌ͪ̿͗n̪̟̫̩͉̍̓ͤ̈̿̂i͙̥͕̱̯̿ͮ͋̄ͣ̄̀a͎͔̮̻͗͊ͣ̓ͯ̄͛͒͑ ̝͇͍̯̫̺̋ͫͯ̍́ͤ̄ͤS̹͍͓̪̠̙̯̟̥̔ͬ̑̋ͪ̚e̻͉̳͈͕͔̟͍̲̖ͭ̈́̎̿ͦv͈͓̼̲̭͍̖̲͐̒̿͊ͬ̉ͭͅe̻̫̞̬̬̤̯̹ͨ̃ͤͩͤ̉ͦ̈r̪͚̙͖̩͉͓͙ͤ͐̆̽̑̊͒̚i̼̘̖̼͕̫̦̻̩̙̬͐̓ͣ̇̚t̤̙̹͉̭ͭ̄̔ͭ͊̍̓͛͋̚ẙ̼͙̩̻͈͙̈́́̒ͣ̿̋ͣ̚ ͙̺̱̣̪̒ͩ̋͑ͫͤͭ̓̌Î̺̼͓͇̖͖͋͒ͥ̓͋̇ṇ͇͎̓̿̄͛̐̂̽̿̓d͚̤̩̹ͤ̍̈ͭ͐̄͗e̫̺͓̺̤̺͋̒͋̂x̖̟̦͊͂͂̾̓ ͈ͨ̈̾ͣ̿̅Ŝ̗̗̈́̇c͓ͪͧ̓o̭̜re:

aͦ ̀c̤̏l̠ͪi̻͍n͉̿̋i͖ͨ̉c̘ͬͬa��̖ͅl̹͊͂̈ ͉̊̉̔ẗ̗̥̣ö̻̳̓̄o͒͛̋̈́̚l̘̳͂̃͒ ͎̋͌ͪ͋f̙̖͑ͥ̒̍ọ̼̭ͭ̈̃r͎̥̪̓̏̇ ͖̞͍̐ͫ̀m̱̣̖̤̎ͯͩe̮̫̙ͯ͐̚ͅȧ͉̥ͨ̂ͧͣs̮̟̗͇ͧ͒̅u̥̥͕͔͕̔̾r͙͍̘ͨ̈́͗̂ḯ̠͙̹̘͒̍n̗̐̌̎̋́ͭ̊g͚̝̜̳̬̈́ͦ̂ ̘̗̗̓͂ͭ͊͑t͓͙̯̩͒͌̾͌h̲̳̝͓̊̓̆̚ẻ̥͚͉͙̑͒̑ ̫̤͊ͦͥ͊̄̈́l̮̦̯̏̎̽̈́ͥỉ̟̖̲ͯ̿̓̊k̜̬̮̙ͬ̑͂̂ḛ̭͕̽͊̄ͦͅl͇̺̼̤̿ͦ͒̚ï̠̙̮̪̠̓̎h̯̱͔͖ͭ͗̉ọ͖̝̘̔̊ͮo̳̬̬̩ͧͩ͋d̲̦̩̰̿̍͒ ̲ͨ̀̾͋͋ͩo̤͖̤͋ͨͭ̚f͌ͥ̈͂̄̅̈́ ̞ͨͭͬͭ̚m̮̪̄̆͋̔o̬̰̺̤ͥ̈́r̘̳̈́̔̐ͅt͕̳͇̎̉a͓̤̫͕ͪl̤͍̰͋ͮì̫̠̂͒t͙̥ͧͥẙ̤ͦ̓ ͓͇̺̻f̤́͂r̼͑̏o̦̱̘m͐̓ ̲ͮp̙̀ṉėu͉monia.

A̮ ̞s̬ͨc̥͈ǒ͆r͈͂e̪ͤ̚ ̼ͬͯiͭ̾̑s͙͗̌̓ ̮̪̝͙g̻̿̊͛i̹͛̒ͬv̯̄̿͊ͦe͚̺ͣͨͦn̙̹͂ͤͩ ̠͙̝̊͒b͊̇̔̆̉a̝̰ͧ́ͨs͕͖̝͗̌ḛ̣̥̄ͣḓ̥͌̄ͩ ͚̙͈͊ͯu̘ͪ̋̊̂p͕̥ͫͫ̚ȯ͖̙̒ͬn̗̓ͮ̎̿ ̘̽̈́̊͂t͙̞̻̯̏ḫ͉̰͕͚e̼̫̳̩̤ ͇̐͆͆̅f̓ͭ̄͛ő̜̯̫l̹̉ͪ̂l̩̘̻ͦo͔͕̊w̯̞̃i̇̍̈́n̞̾ͩg͙͒ ̻̊f̻̚a̽c̰t̄ors:

God, shut UP.

Jon buries his face in his hands, the familiar hunger-driven brain fog beginning to settle in.  It’s been nearly thirty minutes since Martin had his x-ray, and he’s been dozing ever since.  Left with nothing but the silence for company, Jon’s head has been spinning with information that he doesn’t want, he doesn’t need, he doesn’t understand.

He rubs at his eyes.

Christ, I am exhausted.

Before he can sink further into his misery, there is a sharp rapping on the door, and Jon is forced to pick up his head and push wearily forward.  Martin’s eyes flutter open along with the door, which reveals Aaron, cheery as ever.

“Hi again, how are we doing in here?” he says, flashing a wide smile in Martin’s direction.

Eyes still half-lidded with sleep, Martin gives yet another thumbs up in response.  At this, Jon cannot help but roll his eyes and sigh, sharing a sidelong look with the doctor.  Aaron returns the look, nodding at Jon in acknowledgment before he continues.

“That good, eh?  Well, the results are in, and—drumroll please…”

With a flourish, he slides Martin’s x-ray in front of the lightboard and points at dense-looking white spots on Martin’s lungs.

“You’ve got a pretty significantly sized infection in your left lung, with a small spot of infection in your right.  Which means that it’s a double pneumonia, and a pretty nasty one at that.  But you knew that already, I’d wager.”

Martin lets out a faint sigh, and nods.  Seeming to sense his growing fatigue, Aaron lowers himself to sitting on a rolling stool, and turns to address both Martin and Jon in a softer voice.

“What happens next is this: we need to get that fever down a bit and get you some antibiotics.  So we’re going to keep you here for a few hours while we get you those, as well as an IV to get you some liquids, and see what happens from there.  If you seem to be doing better, we’ll send you home with oral antibiotics and oxygen, in case you need it.  If not, we’re going to have to send you to the hospital in Aberdeen for treatment tonight, since I can’t keep anyone overnight here.  Does that all make sense?”

Sending a glance towards Martin, Jon squeezes his hand to elicit some sort of response, but he merely continues to stare at the doctor, blinking owlishly.  Jon clears his throat.

“Err, yes—that makes perfect sense, thank you,” Jon replies for him, certain that Martin had not taken in anything that had just been said.

“Happy to help,” Aaron replies, shooting Jon a lopsided grin. “Anything else I can do for you in the meantime?”

Jon takes a moment to think, watching as Martin’s eyes droop closed once again.

Basira.  She’ll want to know.

“Actually, yes—is there a phone I can use here?”

“’Course, just take a right down the hall.  Can’t miss it.”

“Thanks.”

Aaron stands from his stool then, clapping a hand on Jon’s shoulder.

“No trouble!  Isla—Martin’s nurse—will be around to get all that stuff to you.  I’m just a shout away if you need me, alright?”

“Right.  Thank you, Aaron.”

He dims the lights as he exits, closing the door behind him.  Turning his attention back to Martin, still drifting into fever-induced slumber, Jon takes up his left hand again, holding it in both of his own.  Slowly, nervously, he begins working his fingers over Martin’s palm, clumsily imitating Martin’s well-practiced massage technique.  He looks down at his own hands, scowling at the scars peppered across them, faded and pale against the dark of his skin.

My hands are too rough, this is foolish.

He is proven definitively wrong when Martin lets out a soft sigh of contentment, fogging up the mask instantly.

Jon grins from ear to ear and keeps going.

(13:37)

His left knee aches as he walks unevenly toward the hall phone, old injury pulling at him in the wake of half-carrying Martin to the car that morning.

Should have brought my brace.

Martin has been sleeping on and off for the past few hours, rousing only to cough or smile pleasantly at Isla when she comes by to tend to him.  He’s been set up with IV fluids and fever reducers since noon, and his first dose of antibiotics went down with little issue.  Left only with the prospect of waiting to see what happens, Jon finally feels comfortable enough to leave a sleeping Martin in the room for a while to call Basira, grab some coffee, find a bite to eat, and—

No, you will NOT smoke today.  Not an option.

Reaching the phone, Jon hesitates for a moment, mulling over what to say before finally dialing Basira’s number.  She lets it ring out a few times before picking up brusquely.

“Hussain speaking.”

“Basira?  It’s Jon.”

“Jon?  I don’t recognize this number.  Where are you?  What’s going on?” she asks rapidly, voice ticking up in concern.

“I’m calling from the village clinic.  You said to call if Martin got worse, and…well, he has.”

“Shit.  What happened?  Is he alright?”

Jon sighs exhaustedly, running a hand through his hair.  He can’t quite keep his voice from shaking.

“I’m…not sure, yet.  They’re keeping him under observation for the rest of the day to see if he needs to go to the hospital.”

“Jesus.”

“He was running a fever of nearly 40 this morning and sounded like…well, like he couldn’t breathe, so I took him here for help.  Apparently he’s got pneumonia.  He’s fallen asleep, so…I thought I’d call to let you know.”

“Oh, Jesus.”

“Y…yeah.”

Jon’s voice breaks roughly.

“How are you holding up?” she asks, in what might be the gentlest tone Jon has ever heard from her.

A lump forms immediately in his throat, making his eyes sting and his vision swim at the edges.

Pull it together, come on.

Tipping his head back for a moment, he blinks away the tears and takes a damp, shuddering breath that must have been audible on the other end.

“Hey, hey, it’s alright,” she soothes, her voice nearly a whisper.

Jon clutches at the receiver, as if it will somehow bring her closer.

“I-I’m fine, Basira.  Just…just tired.  And worried,” he says, voice thick.

“And hungry?”

“…yes.”

She sighs at this, pulling her phone away from her face for a moment.  Jon braces for her tone to be harsh upon her return, but to his relief, it remains decidedly softened— understanding, even.

“The statements should be there by tomorrow.  So there’s something good, at least.”

“R-right.  Something good.”

Silence falls for a moment before Basira continues, her voice returning to her usual matter-of-fact register.

“He’s going to be alright, Jon.  Even if he does have to go to the hospital.  He’ll recover, and then you can get back to your usual hopeless pining.”

At this, Jon can’t resist huffing out a laugh.

“Well…it’s not so hopeless anymore, actually.”

She gasps in shock.

“You’re joking!  You actually went for it, then?”

“Not-not exactly, it just sort of…happened.  I don’t know exactly how, but—yeah.  It’s…good.  Really good, actually,” he stammers, unable to keep his smile from bleeding into his tone.

“God, listen to you.  You’re like an enamored schoolboy,” she replies fondly.

Jon sputters in mock-indignation, pulling a hearty laugh from Basira.

“Well, I’m happy for you both.  You deserve something lovely, for once.”

“So do you, Basira,” Jon replies softly.

“…thanks.”

They allow the silence hang for a moment.  Basira then exhales sharply before continuing.

“Well, enough of the mushy shit.  Let me know what the doctors say, alright?  And tell Martin I hope he feels better soon.”

“I will.  Call you later, then.”

“You’d better.”

She hangs up on him, as always.

(14:43)

Half-empty coffee and a bagel in hand, Jon walks back to Martin’s room from where he had been standing outside, fiddling with an unlit cigarette for the better part of an hour.  It had taken everything in him, but he had managed not to light it, instead walking back through the clinic doors and deciding to snag some food on the way back to the room.  He cannot help the guilt welling up inside—for his struggle, for the way his hands are shaking, for bringing the cigarettes with him in the first place—

He opens the door to see Martin smiling back at him, and it all fades away.

Cheeks flushed and face pale, Martin is half-sitting in up in bed now, the heat no longer rolling off him with such vicious intensity as before.  His oxygen mask has now been replaced with a nasal cannula, allowing Jon a clear picture of the sunny smile Martin offers so freely.

Something warm tugs at Jon’s heart, and a wide grin spreads across his face.

“Well, well, look who’s got an upgrade,” he says lightly, stepping toward the bedside.

Martin’s own smile widens at this, and he reaches out for Jon’s hand as he sets his coffee and bagel on a nearby table.  Scooting his chair closer before sitting, Jon gently takes Martin’s hand in both of his own, closing his eyes and lowering his lips to the back of Martin’s palm.

3̙̩8͖̓͊.̘̹̎7͖̏.͙

At last.

Jon smiles against Martin’s hand for a moment before looking back up.

“Your temperature’s down,” he says, trying not to sound as dizzy with relief as he feels.

Martin nods quickly before clearing his throat, causing something to catch in his chest.  Turning away at once, he presses his face into his elbow as heavy-sounding coughing erupts from him, causing Jon’s brows to knit closer together in worry with every moment that passes.  Mercifully, the coughs fade away after about fifteen seconds.  Martin flops back gracelessly against the pillows, panting and exhausted.

And still smiling.

“Lucky to have you,” he rasps, lifting a hand to Jon’s cheek.

Jon leans closer, expression lightening, and brings up a hand to press against Martin’s palm where it rests.

“Lucky to have you,” he whispers, gazing intensely into the warm hazel of Martin’s eyes.

They remain like this for several seconds, neither wanting to violate the sanctity of this moment.  Martin then inhales sharply, mouth open to say something—before snapping it shut again, looking suddenly nervous.  Jon’s brows furrow instinctively.

“What is it, darling?” he asks, head tilting to the side of Martin’s palm.

The corners of Martin’s mouth curl up at the term of endearment, pulling a deep flush to his cheeks and ears.  Looking up again, he determinedly matches the intensity of Jon’s gaze.

“I…I love, you, Jon.”

He inhales more confidence.

“I love you.  Just…so much.”

Every nerve in Jon’s body is on fire.  Vacantly, he knows that his mouth is hanging open, his eyes wide, his face flushing with heat—but for a moment, he cannot move, nor breathe, nor speak.

Martin LOVES me.

Martin loves ME.

At last, he regains some measure of control, managing to keep hold of Martin’s left hand while shifting his weight to sit on the edge of his bed.  Reaching out his other toward his face, he cups Martin’s cheek with a still-shaking hand.  Their faces are just inches apart now, hovering, begging to be pressed together.

“I love you too, Martin Blackwood.  More than…more than I know how to say.”

Martin smiles then, wide and charming, before craning his neck up to brush his lips against Jon’s, questioning.

“Say it like this, then?” he whispers.

“Gladly.”

Their lips meet in a gentle blush of a thing, hesitant and brief, before deepening into a warm, unhurried kiss.  Martin’s hands move into Jon’s hair as they find the perfect rhythm, gentle and passionate and utterly their own.  When he manages to pull small noises of pleasure from Martin, Jon grins against his lips in pride before pulling him back in for more.

After nearly a minute, Martin urgently pushes back against Jon’s chest.  Immediately breaking contact, Jon pushes himself away frantically, careful not to touch him, panicked at the thought that he’d done something wrong.

“M-Martin, I’m so sorry, what ha—”

He is cut off as Martin pitches forward violently, coughing deeper than Jon has ever heard—as thick grey fog pours from his mouth, his eyes, his nostrils.

“God, Martin, here, here—”

Jon braces him by the shoulders as he leans forward, chest rumbling in desperation to clear the way for oxygen.  Guilt floods Jon as he feels the force of Martin’s convulsions beneath his hands.

Why did you kiss him?  Damn it damn it damn it

Dense fog is filling the room now, and Jon is struck with terror at the thought of anyone entering the room to see this.  The tendrils have nearly reached the door, could snake beneath it at any moment—

Tͮ̀h̥ͫ̎̂ë̗̹̯̜y̬͔͖̝̅̇ͧ ̯͙͈͖͙̈́͛̚w̮̺̻̜̔̈́ͬͩͮi̙̠̙͍̤̒ͩ̂̽l̺̣̣͕̩̥̟̈́̔ͨl̯̺̩̳̰͂̍̉̈́͌ ̼̼̬̟̞̘̏̈́̌͑ñ̩̞̲̯̤̅̉ͮo͓̝̠͌ͤ͊͗̿ͤṭ̯͂̈ͥͧ̂͆ ̳̦̣̃ͬ͒c͓ͥ̍͛̃o̔ͪ̈́m̓ͮe.

Jon pays for this knowledge with pain, every Mark on his body throbbing furiously.

Breathe it in, and let it go.

Breathe, let go.

Focus.

At long last, Martin’s hacking subsides, leaving him utterly spent and hunched forward on the bed.  Jon begins rubbing slow circles on his back with aching hands, calming him as he finally manages to regain his breath.  After a few moments, Jon gently guides him to lie back against the pillows.  Tears leak out of the corners of Martin’s eyes as he does so, and Jon’s heart clenches briefly with sympathy before Martin begins to laugh, a toothy grin spreading across his face.

“Wh…what is it, Martin?” he asks, confused.

“I think…I think that was the last of it, Jon,” he says, voice wobbling.

Jon inhales sharply, taking Martin’s hand.

“What? Really?”

“Y-yeah, really.  I can feel it, I…I think it’s really gone.  I’m not…I’m not Lonely, anymore.”

More tears spill over Martin’s cheeks as he resumes his weak laughter.  His own eyes brimming, threatening to cascade over a growing smile, Jon cups Martin’s face in his hands, wiping gently at his tears with his thumbs.  He then moves upwards, stroking a hand through Martin’s soft curls, watching as the last remaining bits of the fog dissipate forever.

A few minutes later, Martin smiles up at him, playfully swatting at his forearm.

“Let’s not do that again until I can breathe properly, though.”

At this, Jon laughs in earnest, before pressing his lips tenderly against Martin’s forehead.

I love him I love him I love him I love him

And he loves me.

He loves me.

[lwh-writing]

I was just contemplating Fullmetal Alchemist (as one does), thinking about the absolute peak hilarity that is Ed, Al, and Havoc, the certified Country Boys(TM), teaming up to bully Mustang, the certified City Boy(TM), when I was struck with an epiphany.

Riza Hawkeye is the OG Country Girl.

Like....

Lived in the middle of nowhere with her father in a 1900ish setting. In THAT time period and THAT location, she and Hawkeye Sr. would've had to have at least a homestead type of deal. Something small that they could work on and live off of on their own, unless they hired farmhands (which I doubt).

So a two-person homestead. I would love to claim they cultivated dairy to go with Arakawa's background, but to make that livable, it would be too many cows for 2 people to realistically handle on their own. So either they did a smaller animal, like, say, sheep and goats, or they harvested corn, wheat, or tobacco. Midwesterner here, so let's say corn and wheat.

Anyway, Riza and her father living it rough on a homestead.

Money's a bit tight at times, but Hawkeye Sr. can take care of most of the repairs with his alchemy, so they always get by.

They've got chickens, two cows, and a lovely mare who pulls the cart whenever they need to go to town.

Three-year-old Riza being super excited about feeding the chickens for the very first time, giggling and squealing with joy as she throws feed everywhere.

Five-year-old Riza walking five miles into town to attend classes at the little one-room schoolhouse. There are a little more than thirty total students, only eight of which are anywhere near her age.

Seven-year-old Riza holding back tears when Hawkeye Sr. teaches her how to pluck and prep a fresh chicken. She can do it all on her own with a dry eye by the time she's eight.

Eleven-year-old Riza finding a goat one day on the farm, and after checking with the neighbors to see if they're missing one, decides she might as well keep it.

This is a mistake. The goat and Riza are mortal enemies. The thing will refuse to stop nipping at Riza whenever she goes out to milk it. But it keeps giving milk and sneaking away only to come back with baby goats, so she's left to suffer in silence.

Twelve-year-old Riza waking up at dawn in the summer to go detassel corn. Comes back around noon with scrapes all up and down her arms and eats enough to feed an army.

Thirteen-year-old Riza learning how to shoot and being known as the best shot for miles around before the year is up.

Fourteen-year-old Riza coming home from school only to find a sharp-looking, sweet-talking, soft-handed City Boy who her father claims is going to be his alchemist apprentice from now on.

Riza despairing about Roy-Fucking-Mustang and his complete and utter incompetence at everything that isn't alchemy. The boy can't cook, can't hunt, and wouldn't know the first thing about farm animal care if Bessie the Demon Goat bit him in the eye.

Eventually, Riza puts Mustang on cleaning and laundry duty, because that, at least, he can do. (Thank God for his three-dozen sisters and their insistence that Roy pulls his weight with chores.)

Riza's schoolhouse friends sighing over "that handsome Roy" and Riza blanches because she could never see herself falling for someone who thought milking the cows hurt them somehow. (It doesn't. Refusing to milk an animal is extremely harmful to the critter involved, and it's very likely that they could get an infection and seriously injure themselves and/or die. Don't let the radicalized vegans fool you)

Riza, to her chagrin, does develop a crush on Roy-Fucking-Mustang, who wouldn't know farm animal care if Bessie the Demon Goat bit him in the eye.

Roy, for his part, has long been crushing on Riza Hawkeye, the swol farmer's daughter who could pick him up with one hand a shoot a goose out of the sky with the other.

Neither admits it though because Roy has long since embarrassed himself past the point of no return, and Riza has complained too much to the folks in town that if she were to romance Roy now.... Well. Ain't either of the kids going to make the first move, so no move is made.

Fast forward a decade or so and Team Mustang is investigating something in the country.

Ed, Al, and Havoc are giving Mustang shit about approaching a horse wrongly and how there ain't no fancy cars out here.

Roy tries to refute it and shut them down, but Riza snorts and idly says something about him still not knowing jack about farming despite living on hers for two years.

Riza exposes Roy. Ed, Al, and Havoc rejoice. Roy despairs about his secrets being out, and Maes demands any and all pictures once he finds out.

And that's how Roy Mustang spent the rest of his days being bullied by four blond-haired Country Folk(TM).

[daedalusdavinci]

My Riddlebat Recs

ive read most of the stuff in the riddlebat tag. most of it. i dont really read any batman 22 stuff, but ive read just about everything else. that said, heres a list of some of my favorites ive read!

first of all, jovialJuggernaut and fromjannah write my absolute favorite riddlebat fics of all time, so theyre gonna be on this list a LOT. i dont think i put all of their fics on here, tho, so im just telling you right now that you should 100% check out everything both of those authors have. i will link some of my favorites below tho along w some of my other recs

baby lose the costume

by @fromjannah

"Hey," Eddie says, impossibly soft. The lights are so bright. "C'mon, Crusader. You're here. Listen to my voice." Bruce can only oblige. Easy as breathing.

Bruce, Eddie, and a late night visit to Arkham that goes a little sideways.

read all of fromjannahs unburied fics. do it. immediately. rn. they are all devastatingly good and frankly some of the best riddlebat fics out there. this one in particular is so melancholy and aching and it wrecks me every time yes i reread it all the time i reread ALL of their unburied fics

once more to see you

by @fromjannah

The Riddler has been missing for over a year -- that is, until tonight. Bruce Wayne has very normal feelings about this.

shortened version of the summary bc im just reccing everything from fromjannah and you need to just start accepting that theyre all good. the way they write eddie is so perfect

ghar aaja pardesi

by saheeli (@sa-heelies on tumblr i think?)

Bruce gets the news on a Tuesday. The letters start coming on Wednesday. Or; Eddie escapes from Arkham again. He leaves a trail of clues behind him so that Bruce and Barbara can follow.

ohh this one is so good. i think its the longest of the unburied ones and i think it was the first one i read?? the set up and eventual payoff is so good and sweet and barbara and eddies relationship OFC is iconic. this was the fic that made me realize i desperately needed to listen to unburied

a dreaded sunny day

by @lesbiantriphosphate

“Who do you think I am, Bruce Wayne?” He smirks. “Or should I be asking: do you know who you are?” Bruce takes his time to decide whether to continue the banter or answer truthfully. He can’t tell whether Eddie wants to continue their comfortable Riddler-versus-Batman game of talking around in circles, or if he’s just searching for an entrance into a more geniune conversation. “I think…” he starts and stops again. “Far too much, in my humble opinion,” Eddie quips as he makes his way over and sets two steaming mugs on the table.

more unburied bc the unburied dynamic is the best dynamic. this one is really fucking sweet ;;;;;;; i love it so much its very short but its such a good read

Unasked

by penguistificial

Edward had thought the only flaw in his perfectly planned crime was that nobody would ever be able to appreciate it - apart from himself. And yet, Batman had deftly deciphered all his clues, seen the solution Edward hadn't thought anyone would ever find. Doesn’t a correct answer deserve a reward? But, what to offer? What would be both acceptable and accepted?

this ones good! its a different take on their dynamic than the fics i usually read but its a very good take

Kings, Knights, Pawns

by jovialJuggernaut (@jovialjuggernaut-draws on tumblr)

riddle man gets to smooch the batman but its a slowburn so thatll be checks watch in a while updated summary when i can think of a good one update: it took 12 chapters but we made it, they smooched

the summary doesnt do it justice, honestly. as far as comics riddlebat goes this is THE riddlebat fic of all time as far as im concerned. this is the blueprint. this is It(TM). liam has such a way of writing eddie hes so irritating and whiny and fidgety as hell you just HAVE to love him. this fic is peak adhd4autism and the way they write bruces autism in this honestly totally influences the way i write bruce all the time. gamechanger of a fic, youve GOT to read it

Hurricane

by jovialJuggernaut

A hurricane hits Gotham and something (someone) washes up in the Batcave.

eddie w eds!!!! yes!!!!! one of my favorites of liams fics. that said, you should read ALL of liams riddlebat fics. they all go hard as fuck and honestly if i looked any further into my bookmarks itd all just be liam all the way down

[st0rmyskies]

Ignore if I'm annoying you

Wind is Totally in on it. He knew from the second Wars brushed off getting his tunic dirty to take some firewood from Twis arms and carry it himself. Also, when the Captain considered giving Twi his extra blanket when they stayed in the cold mountains, something he wouldn't even do for their Omegas (at least not without being prickly or boasting about it). So he approached Wars, told him he knew he liked him and wants to help him impress Twi. He likes Wars and spending time with the Cool Captain (tm) and this is his chance.

Which brings me to hc 2:

Wars loves Kids. He can be brash and abrasive to adults, sure, but never to kids. Even if they prank him and annoy him, he is patient as a saint. He grew up an orphan so he knows the struggles. It's up in the air in whether he wants kids or not I think, but other people's kids? He doesn't mind. Doesn't hurt his ego that he is an admired, flashy hero either.

This is probably the quality Twi finds attractive about him, cause he too likes kids. He watches Wars and Wind and their (to him) ridiculous games, hunts and wood collecting competition and thinks it's endearing af. That's probably why he doesn't notice wars courting him, cause 1.why would he and 2.he is just indulging Winds games.

Sorry for the wall of text if you're still reading kudos.

Anyway, the others think the same thing for a long time. When they notice, I think it depends on their own stance on Twi/wars how they'd react. Honestly, Wars isn't subtle about liking Twi. Twi thinks they are being sneaky, but Warriors very much isn't. All the times they engaged this far, there was a large chance of someone knowing / overhearing, peaking in the wilds heat chapter where literally everyone knows wars and twi are in there at the same time. That already clues them in that these two are not competitors but partners. I don't think he'd be self conscious about liking Twi at all. In self indulgence, I'd like to think that he'd want to show it openly, even, to let Twi know that what he craves isn't something sinful or something that needs to be hidden away. I think he'd want to show Twi he's worth it and can allow himself to love out in daylight as well as behind closed doors.

That is to say, I don't think WARS knows what he is doing until he hits his rut full on because after Twi had his soft coming out, he's just showing he's being supportive.... Right?

~🦈

This is absolutely NOT annoying, Shark Anon, I am in love with the relationship-building and Warrlight is so precious in every iteration ngl. While I have some much messier plans for the pair, I especially love the idea that Wars loves kids and that's a big part of why Twi is so attracted to him.

[blackberry-gingham]

Talk Tonight | Sabretooth x GN!Reader

<prev... | Chpt 5

The monster is here

tag list: @samatedeansbroccoli @smokeywhalee @mickeyperkins @the-goon-tm (sabretooth tag list open to additions!)

tags: amnesia Sabretooth era (it's a comic thing, trust me), mentions/threats of violence, gender non-specific readerEver since that very first time, more and more Victor seems to find his way to your bed at night.

This is a gift in his eyes.

No one's ever wanted him around before. And definitely not like this. All day long, Victor wants is to repay you with thanks.

He licks your hand while you rest. Sometimes your cheek, if he's close enough.

Nothing makes him happier than that feeling... The one where you wrap your arm around his head or chest. The one where you tug his big frame closer until he finally moves over to you.

He likes it when you touch his face. Stroke his hair. Caress his jaw.

His lips curl into a little smile. Your fingers tickle against the stubble and tufts of fuzz along his cheek. Long and terrible fangs just teasing your line of sight as he purrs and grins.

One night... You find yourself in a curious mood. Gently, you run a thumb over his lip. The tooth sticks out from the bumpy grid that all the rest follow. You can feel the ridge it creates under the skin.

Just that light touch is enough to wake him. He snaps awake, clearly and yet rather oddly startled.

You apologize immediately and back off.

He's not upset at you. He certainly doesn't want you to... Not touch him. He lays his head back down. Tries to purr. To be unintimidating. Non threatening.

"Did that hurt?"

"Uh-uh", he shakes his head no.

You nod.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up", you lay down, giving him his space.

" 'is fine", he nudges your hand with his pointed nose, nuzzling it under your palm, begging for more touch.

You oblige and rub his head. He purrs and nuzzles against you. That little toothy grin starts to peak through, fangs just barely on display. He thinks about it. Self conscious.

Maybe... You don't like them? Is that why you were poking around?

He closes his lips. The teeth are safely out of sight. You don't seem to notice either way. Makes sense, given that you're not looking.

"They're kinda pretty, you know"

Victor glances at you inquisitively. You continue to stare straight ahead at the ceiling.

"Those teeth, that is. Nice and pearly and sharp", you laugh, "I like them"

Such a simple phrase. A throw away line. The kind of thing you're supposed to say, at minimum, when you compliment.

And yet... It means so much to him to hear you say that. For reasons he can't explain. Reasons he doesn't understand... Memories that have long since been lost. Maybe for the better.

It stirs something inside him. Adoration.

He crawls a little closer, just so he can see more of your face, "Ya mean that?"

You turn your head, laying there on the pillow. A little smile. A hand on his cheek, playing with the corner of his lips, "Of course"

Victor takes your wrist in his hand. He holds it still and brushes against with a purr. His claws tickle against your skin. They're sharp, but they don't pierce. He licks your palm with a slow, prickled tongue.

Your fingers curl and twitch at the stimulation, a sensation that thrills you down to your core.

He presses his cheek against your palm. His breath warms it as he sighs. He turns to face you. Eyes turned down, like he can't, or won't, meet yours.

Instead he glances at his claws. He flexes them, just enough to pucker your skin.

"These too?"

His voice is quiet. Nervous. You'd almost dare to call it shy.

You take a shaky breath, "Yeah...", you run your free hand along the claws. They're long and smooth. Shaped like fingernails, but extending into natural points.

Carefully, you pull them closer. All the while your eyes are locked to his. Victor's purring goes quiet. He's Watching.

You kiss his finger, just above the nail bed. The skin is smooth. Not quite soft, but not as rough as it use to be. Not after all the care he's had from you.

His breath hitches. There's that same feeling... That same anxiety. The tightness. The freeze. The fear.

What is it about these parts of him? Why so much hesitation?

He looks back to your face.

You're smiling.

You kiss his hand again. You stroke his knuckles. No fear. No hatred.

The only thing you've ever given him... Love.

Victor releases your hand. He wishes he was better with words. That he had more to say. Nicer, eloquent things... Oh the things he'd tell you if he could.

He'd even find the words for these feelings of his.

But for now... Maybe he can show you instead.

Just that little bit more, already so close to you... He hovers just above your face. His body is heavy and comforting as he lays on you. His breath is warm and soft against your skin.

The tip of the tongue is all he dares for now. Just a tiny kiss as he licks cheek. He needs to know...

Is it possible for you to feel this way about him? The way that he feels for you?

Your breaths are small. Quick. He licks the corner of your mouth, again just the tip.

What he doesn't expect is the last minute turn.

You catch his lips with yours. His are thick and chapped. Rough and textured after such a hard life of living. You support his cheek with a cupped hand. Just to hold him.

He only pulls back when you let go.

Victor's breathing is gentle. Face just inches away from yours, he meets your eyes once more. It's that smile of yours that gets him you know. The little mischievous grin.

Maybe you shouldn't be doing this...

Getting so attached to a stranger. A mutant. He sleeps in your bed, lives in your house, hides from the others... This is dangerous. But oh so fun.

Victor purrs softly, just enough that you can feel it.

He feels it too. The danger. The excitement. A human and a mutant? The world would have you believe such a thing is impossible.

He shouldn't be doing this. He shouldn't let you do this either... But he doesn't care.

With a rumbling growl, he wraps his arms around you, pulls you closer. Your head tilts back, laying just lightly now on the pillow as you rise into the kiss.

Victor's kisses are hungry. Rough. But strong and each and every one as dedicated as the first. Just like him.

He nips, but doesn't bite. Enough to tease, but not to hurt.

A life so filled with vicious intent. With savagery. Murder and blood and gore and death... Teeth that have torn apart countless...

And now? Now he couldn't even imagine such a thing. How could he ever bring harm to you... To someone he cares for so deeply. Someone who cares for him just as much.

Someone he loves...

When next you wake, it's half buried. Victor snores away, hopelessly wrapped around you as he sleeps. He's lost his shirt over the course of the night, but for once... You're not quite complaining.

You run a tired hand along his shoulders, down his arms. So firm. So soft. The hairs tickle your palms and you enjoy the sensation.

It's not long until he wakes.

Victor purrs right away with a little huff as he nuzzles against you. First he licks your cheek, then he kisses your lips. Once, then again, and one more time after that...

Most all of your nights and mornings together seem to go like that. You've never been closer to anyone in all your life. It's unsurprising that he feels the same way.

You know, the day started out so normal... How did everything manage to go so wrong?

You were working. Typing away, as usual.

Victor was exploring the grounds. He never could get enough to sate that curiosity of his.

Today he sniffs around the cellar. There are twin trap doors outside leading down to an old staircase and a dark, deep hole. The whole thing looks unreliable, from the doors to the stairs to the cellar itself.

It makes him uneasy, but... More than in the traditional sense. There's something wrong. Something just like the cage or the tight little landing at the top of your stairs.

Why oh why does he think today is the day to be brave?

He uses the prop to hold open the doors and creeps down the stairs. It's not so bad with the sunlight pouring in. He looks around. Takes a sniff.

It's just like any other room. A little dusty. A little unorganized. But there's no trouble.

Victor gives an excited little purr and throws himself into exploring. All the shelves and jars and boxes. So much to see, so much to smell!

He loses track of time. Forgets his surroundings.

All it takes is the slam and lock of the trap doors to remind him.

The room is plunged in darkness. A violent shiver runs down his spine. Every hair on end. His heart pounds in his ears. The shadows seem to move, to close in and reach out.

They're choking, suffocating.

Can't think, can't see.

He bolts back towards the doors and gives them a shove. Locked. He shoves them desperately, banging against them. The pounding in his chest grows louder and louder. It's all he can hear. It's deafening.

Panic consumes him, it-

It dawns on him. He's been here before...

The... Memories. His memories. His life, flashes in front of him.

Memories of being locked away by his parents for days at a time in a cold dark basement, just like this.

Memories of having his fangs and claws torn out to give some air of "normalcy", just for them to regrow and be forcedly emoved once more again and again.

Memories of the fear. The hatred. The anger.

Memories of a promise. The one he made to himself.

That everyone else would pay from what was done to him. That no one deserved mercy. It was never afforded to him, that's for certain. But above all...

The promise that he'd never be made to feel that afraid ever again.

Sabretooth's eyes narrow to slits. He opens his terrible jaws wide and roars a blood chilling racket.

With one solid pounce, he breaks through the metal doors.

Fury consumes his mind. His vision feels spotty. A redness creeps into the edges. It blots out all the other colors. Breathing hard, he whips his head around. He takes in the surroundings. Remembers the last few weeks.

The fight with Logan. His time in the fucking X-Men's prison. His escape. His time here, with...

"Victor?", You throw the back door open, looking around worried. What a horrible sound you heard... You see him. You come over, breathing a sigh of relief, "There you are kitty cat", you laugh, "Everything ok?"

He doesn't respond.

His eyes are... Intense. Focused. Like a hunter. So unlike himself.

"Hey...", you reach out a concerned hand to him, "You ok?"

Sabretooth grabs your wrist before your palm can find his cheek. His grip is crushing. It hurts.

You gasp in pain and surprise, clasping your free hand to his fist, as if there's any chance you could pry yourself free, "Hey, you're hurting me asshole!", you snap. Rightfully angry, you try to wrench away.

He doesn't let go.

Instead he growls, yanking you closer. Threatening.

You stiffen like a board. You've never seen him like this... What's wrong? What happened? Any other emotions are gone. As those terrible fangs, the ones you've loved in so much, get closer and closer...

Terror and confusion seep out of your every pore.

And he can smell it.

He's smelled this concoction so many times... He'll remember it to the ends of the earth. Sour and heady and so, so delicious.

The red is still there. It pulses his vision. Creeping in until it's all he can see. It overtakes the rest of the world, all his senses and his thoughts. Like a virus. A cancer.

His head is filled with rage. With thoughts and anger that he hasn't felt since that fucking runt poked his brain.

You swallow down the fear as best you can. He's acting so... Unlike himself. So terrifying. But... You know him.

He wouldn't mean to hurt you. That's not the Victor you know.

The thoughts take over. It's not a battle anymore... They've already won. He knows what he has to do next. Gotta keep you quiet...

He slowly takes his hand off of you. His mouth eases open, making way for a low, bloodthirsty snarl. Just looking at you standing there. So defenseless. So helpless. So... Easy.

"Are you sure you're alright? You're acting real strange Victor...", with one last attempt to break through... Without a shred of hesitation... You reach up to press an open wrist to his forehead.

Hm, warm, but not any more so then usual... Maybe h-

Your skin feels so cool against his. Refreshing. Comforting.

His pupils dilate, round and wide once again. Normal.

The thoughts from just seconds before feel... Hazy. Diluted. He looks up at your hand, then down to your face. Even now, you show nothing but care and concern.

For a monster like him.

His head... Fuck, his head! No, this is a trick! To get him away from his thoughts again!

Right?

He shakes it out with a savage roar. Just enough to get you off of him. To keep you away...

Without another word, he pounces off towards the tree line.

He needs time to think.

He runs and runs, until finally he can hardly smell you.

Sabretooth finds a good tree, and leaps up into the lower branches effortlessly. Fuck.

What's happening to him?

Think think think... Gah, there's a fucking warzone inside his head. A piece of him he forgot exists. One he thought he killed off long ago...

This is insane. Why is this happening? Why now? After all he's done to fucking get rid of it. All the work and effort it's taken, wasted just like that? He roars, holding either side of his pounding head.

His thoughts race a mile a minute, back tracking over the past several days. Why didn't he just kill you? He wan-

Or... No. No, maybe he didn't?

But, but that doesn't make sense. He's never hesitated before. Never regretted. Never felt-

Never felt.

Memories, specific ones now, flash inside his mind. Clear and warm, just as perfectly preserved as when he experienced them. You washed his paws and brushed out his hair. Gave him clothes and a place to sleep. Food, and shelter, all there in your own home...

He snarls, and shakes away the thoughts.

How pathetic.

So he's a pet now, eh? A poor little house cat? He should go back there a-

He stifles a groan. It's so hard to control his thoughts. No... No. Which is it? Which is him? The anger... Or the person.

Not a pet. There's nothing degrading or humiliating about any of those things. He needed the help, and you gave it. Simple as that. No pity. No patronizing. No...

Not like a pet.

Like a person.

Common courtesy. Basic, human to human decency. But...

His eyes snap open with a snarl. Think of all rest. Think of all the other things...

When you scratched his head. Let him rest it in your lap. Pet his face. Kissed his nose. Rubbed his belly.

What do you call that? What's that if not... Coddling an animal.

Yes... Exactly.

His whole body trembles, seething with anger from his very core. Shick. His claws extend, digging harshly into the bark of the tree. That seething anger builds and builds until it turns into rage. His vision pulses with it. His body aches with it.

God, it hurts. The anger.

Hurts like hell. Just thinking about the way you treated him. The way touched him, fucking held him like that. How dare you. He- He....

He misses it.

He wishes he could feel that all again, right now.

Like wind leaving a sail, the anger subsides. His body stops trembling. He can think a little more clearly... It doesn't hurt everywhere. The seething pain he thought you were causing is nothing.

It aches at best. Aches only in particular places.

His head. His face. His back. His stomach. His chest.

Damn his chest hurts.

His heart is pounding like hell, just thinking about you.

Victor drops his head sadly, resting his chin on his folded up forearms. He misses you. Even after such a short time?

He snarls. How pathetic.

He stops. Quiets the rage.

No. How human.

[eolewyn1010]

Yes, I have in fact ended my reblog spree for today (I think), and now on to other matters: My weekend <3

Bavaria sure has A Landscape(TM). Granted, my usual route every week goes mostly through Brandenburg which is just kinda. Flat. So it ain't much of a contender. But anyway. Bavaria in winter. A hellhole to travel through, but what a beauty.

Sänk ju for träwwelling wis Deutsche Bahn, I guess? Germany, get your shit together and invest money into functioning public traffic services. Yesterday, I spent nine and a half hours on trains (some of them not the ones I had planned to go by) and freezing my ass off at stations, waiting for a replacement bus that never showed.

Statistically speaking from my personal experience, when people older than 50 are on a train in a group, they will have atrocious manners. No trace of basic politeness towards fellow travellers. I'm "young people these days", and I was behaving better. Fascinating.

WHY IS FOOD IN MUNICH THAT GOOD?? Like, it's expensive, but there's expensive food in Berlin, too, and it tastes like ass. I order an expensive meal in Munich, and I wind up not regretting a cent. I'm baffled. And I wanna eat there again.

Apparently, everyone can iceskate but me. That's probably a gap I should fill in some day, but I don't enjoy pain, or cold, or wet, and my sense of balance is really underdeveloped. It looks really nice from a distance tho.

Munich's internal train network makes way more intuitive sense to me than Frankfurt's.

I met two people I've only ever written with so far in person for the first time, and I think they didn't hate me! Yeah, the anxiety corner of my brain was there in the beginning like, "you're so annoying!", but I managed to convince it that, if they actively hated spending time with me, they probably wouldn't bother for so long to pretend otherwise. And then I had a good time! I had legit fun! In the presence of other people! Who knew!

Thermo tights are my best friends. Lovely thermo tights. Dude, what a German winter. I could swear we haven't had Weather(TM) like this in several years.

So. Much. Architecture! I wanna have a piece of Munich and take it home with me. Pretty pretty houses. And parks. Etc.

The receptionist at the hotel greeting me like, "Servus", me instantly going, "Hallo" - peak awkward stranger syndrome. If I'd had time enough to out myself as a Saxonian, I probably would have done that, too.

As for the actual Thing(TM). Well.

The Thing(TM) is a reading performance of Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol on stage, and I was only looking forward to this for half a year or so.

The lighting? So goddamn pretty?? They don't do very atmospheric stage lighting in the theater where I used to go with my school as a kid, and I didn't really have many opportunities for other theaters as an adult, so... mind = blown. It was really just a reading performance, but the lighting alone took it a huge step closer to a full-on play.

The MUSIC. Oh my god. I'm reasonably sure they never strayed far from that one Christmas song, but, again, all the things they did with it built out the storytelling way beyond "two guys reading out a well-known story on a stage". Mind = blown again.

The two guys? Yeah, they just happen to be the actors of two of my favorite characters of all time, and there they were live and read-acting the shit out of this story. *squee*

We were, like, five meters away from the stage? We got so great seats, you guys. We could see their performances so fucking up close. Nothing evades my eyes!

I know I'm biased because of my dumb little shipper heart usually having fun with their Tatort characters, but was Christmas Carol always that gay? "His partner" this, "the only one who grieved for him" that, "he was Marley's only heir", that dramatic "JACOB!" yell with hand reaching out to him, and there was the comment about his co-apprentice from way back when having had a soft spot for him. Okay then. You kids have fun. So did I.

Miroslav Nemec performing Ebenezer Scrooge - yeah, I was told before that he was the weaker voice actor out of the two. So I was not prepared for him going to town on Scrooge's facets and development and all that he tries to conceal and all that just bursts out of him. The fears, the joys, the attempt to appear cold and unfeeling when confronted with a break-up, the genuine love and worry he shows early and late in his life for various people. Yeah, no, that was awesome character work.

Udo Wachtveitl playing Basically Everyone Else was. A treat. Like, he believably speaks the role of an excited 8-year-old! He has all the gloom and doom of dead Marley - and then injects a dose of ridicule, just because. He's very grave about his roles in one moment, and the next, he stumbles in belatedly as the Ghost of Christmas Present, chewing a snack on stage. Or running into walls. Or making sounds I didn't know a human person could make. So many voices that he can just pull off. Boy, I hope acting this is as much a joy to him as it is for the audience to watch him.

We met Miro Nemec afterwards. And he was in a hurry, he had a cab waiting, but he still? Signed our stuff? And was super nice? And not impatient for a moment? He even asked if he should use another pencil and try again because he wasn't sure the signature on my photo was visible. I can't believe I've met the actor of one of my favorite characters in the big wide world, and he just has the audacity to be a huge, kind sweetheart.

That is all I can remember for now, but. I don't regret a thing; this was the best weekend I've had in a long-ass time. What a highlight. I don't often do highlights. This one was spectacular. So much love goes out to my accomplices this weekend, and so much gratitude to everyone involved in the making of this performance. (Miro gets a little extra love just because he's a sweetie.)

[aemiron-main]

hey! it’s @byler-barista-anon :)

if will and mike were in a coffee shop au, who would be the barista and who would be the customer? how long would it take for them to fall in love and get together?

have a wonderful day,

- barista anon 💙💛

OMG HELLO THERE AAAAA!! 💕💗💕💗

I think that Will would be the barista and Mike would be the customer!

I think that it would take a few years, honestly. I like the idea of Mike and Will meeting and Mike’s a regular customer for like a year & then disappears for awhile & then shows up again for a few months & then disappears for awhile, and each time he disappears, his style changes (like how we went from fair isle sweater Mike to hellfire Mike but if fair isle sweater Mike was older), and Will’s basically watching him evolve like a Pokémon LMAO. But anyway, I think that Mike is pretty standoffish, as he usually is, and tired and just wants to get his coffee and go. And as we’ve seen with the “SIR-SIR!” thing in s4 when Mike’s trying to order pizza, Mike can be a bit of a Karen. So I think that Mike is usually just quiet/even bordering on rude/snippy on days when he’s extra tired when it comes to the baristas. And the baristas know this. Will, unfortunately, is the new hire. Mike, unfortunately, is the regular who has a reputation of being grumpy and kind of difficult to deal with. So, on Will’s first day on the job, when his coworkers see Mike come in, they push Will to the front to deal with him. And will does. And Mike is grumpy, sure, but will is always nice to him, and while the two don’t really exchange words, and Mike is still grumpy, nothing eventful really happens.

So, I don’t really think Mike pays Will much mind until Will accidentally dumps Mike’s coffee all over Mike, and Mike goes to be a bit of a a Karen/snippy, right until he locks eyes with Will’s big sad baby cow eyes LMAO and while it’s not love at first sight, mike doesn’t have it in him to be a karen, especially since Will is frantically apologizing and handing Mike handfuls of napkins. But he IS still mike, and he IS still a snippy, grumpy guy. So, while he doesn’t pulls a Karen, he DOES roll his eyes and mutters something about “watch what you’re doing,” and will, who may be kind but is also snarky, fires back at mike with a “I could say the same to you. Usually, when somebody hands you something, you grab it!” And then there’s silence. The other baristas are staring, waiting for Mike to retort, or storm out. But mike just sort of looks take aback, and mutters what sounds like it could have maybe been the tail-end of a “sorry,” before he sulks out of the shop.

And from that moment on, will is saddled with the role of “mike handler” by the rest of the baristas, because for whatever reason (probably the sad baby cow eyes), Mike didn’t get upset about will spilling the drink, didn’t make his usual offended noise or eye-rolls that he does whenever the other baristas have spilled his drink previously.

And so, will always ends up dealing with Mike’s orders. And the two of them don’t say much to eachother, but there’s tiny, tiny things about mike demeanour that shift. He’s not quite as grumpy. His tone is a soft-tired, instead of a snippy-tired. He even comes up quietly to mention a mistake with his drink, instead of his usual dramatic eye-roll and hand gestures whenever they’ve made a mistake with his drink in the past. He even returns Will’s smile once, with a tiny, tight smile of his own.

And then Mike disappears for a few months. And Will doesn’t pay too much mind to it, but he does notice the absence. And then mike comes back.

Mike’s in his peak metalhead phase tm, with a leather jacket, and his hellfire shirt, and longer hair. He even starts wearing rings similar to Eddie’s, and Will sees them when he hands Mike his coffee & comments on them. And mike is sort of hesitant at first, almost worried that Will’s going to mock him. So there’s an awkward moment of silence before Will tries again with “They’re cool!”

And then, Mike smiles, a real, genuine smile, and launches into his Nerd Mode TM and explains that they’re dnd related/inspired by his dm, Eddie, and asks will if he knows what dnd is, and will ABSOLUTELY does, and so the two of them end up excitedly chatting about it until Will notices the growing line of customers behind Mike. And the two of them end up chatting about dnd each time Mike comes in, and Mike seems to be more easygoing now, less skittish and grumpy, genuinely happy. And he listens while Will tells him all about Will the Wise, and Will listens while Mike tells him all about hellfire.

And then one day, there’s the customer to end all customers. On the outside, he’s an average, middleaged man, perhaps a bit scruffy and angry-looking. He already seems to be in a rush and upset/frustrated. And Will, distracted by Mike, drops the man’s coffee, spilling it onto the man’s shirt. And the man absolutely loses it. He’s up in Will’s face, shouting at him, livid, going on about how Will’s ruined his shirt, and how it’s such a simple task, and yet somehow Will’s still fucked it up.

And for a moment, Mike’s a little bit excited, because he saw how this sort of thing played out between him and Will, and he expects Will to fire back with some sort of retrofit. But when he turns to look at Will, he can see that will looks sort of distant, as if he’s not really there. He looks scared, even. And that’s when mike’s attitude twists from excitement to concern.

Will, who grew up with Lonnie’s yelling, isn’t doing a great job of coping with the current situation. Usually he’d try and leave in some small way, diffuse the situation, duck down to grab some extra napkins or something, hide without really hiding, just for a brief moment. But instead, he’s frozen, standing there as the customer rants at him. And the man reaches over to grab Will by his shirt, since Will is still frozen, and the customer is increasingly angry that Will isn’t really reacting to any of his ranting.

And even AU Mike is still a Will protector, so he steps in, leaning across the counter to sort of out himself between Will and the man, like “is there a problem here?” And he’s in his metalhead phase and looks sort of scary/ grungy, and does his best to look intimidating even though he resembles the pack of disposable straws sitting behind Will. But despite his lanky stature, there’s something about his demeanour that makes the other man back down. But the other man is still mad, and points at will and goes “Maybe if he watched what he’s doing, there wouldn’t be a problem.” And Mike levels the man with a Look TM and hits him with the “I could say the same to you. Usually, when somebody hands you something, you grab it.” And then mike makes a Show TM of picking up his drink without dropping it, in a sarcastic “look how easy it is!!” way, and the other man just sort of stomps out without his drink.

And Mike turns to Will, and in the softest Will Voice TM, asks him if he’s alright. And there’s still coffee all over the counter, all over the dnd notes that Mike brought, and Will just sort of nods, still sort dazed, but Mike doesn’t believe it because will still looks like a deer in the headlights. So, he puts an arm around Will’s shoulders, similar to the arcade scene in s2, and steers him over to sit down, and ignores Will’s protests about needing to clean up the mess, because in Mike’s words “well, you’re the Mike handler, so you’re still in charge of me!“. And will is momentarily mortified that Mike knows about the “mike handler” titles/ jokes, but mike’s smiling at him so gently, that will can’t help but laugh and relax a little bit. And the two of them leave the mess for Will’s coworkers (rip) and spend the rest of the afternoon chatting about dnd, and Mike keeps shittalking the asshole customer and throwing dirty glances at the door as if he’s gonna stomp back in at any time. And eventually, the two have to part ways, but Mike gives Will a tiny little wave as he goes out the door, which Will returns with a tiny wave of his own.

And then Mike disappears again, for a few months (partially because he felt guilty because Will was distracted talking to Him when he dropped the drink on the angry customer). And then he comes back, looking more like end of s4 Mike except with a combo of hellfire Mike and fair isle sweater Mike aesthetics. And Will is happy to see Mike again, and almost wants to ask him where he went/why he keeps disappearing, but he can see that Mike looks nervous, so Will doesn’t want to pry and scare him away.

And then mike says something really quickly, mumbling and staring down at his hands. And Will doesn’t quite catch it, so he asks mike what he said. And mike nervously looks up at him and blurts

“Iwaswonderingifyouwantedtoplaydnd?”

And Will, thankfully, catches it this time, and looks a bit confused as to why Mike is so nervous, because they’d discussed Will joining hellfire before, and mike was sure that he could talk this Eddie guy into letting Will join, so it’s not like it’s a new idea. And so, will looks confused and asks like “Like hellfire, right?”

And Mike looks even more nervous now, looking away from Will, and the hand holding his coffee is shaking, so will, boldly, puts his hand on top of mike’s to stabilize it, lest there be yet another coffee spill. And mike looks like he wants to BOLT, like he wants to RUN, so Will boldly goes

“You’re not going to disappear on me again, are you?” And mike looks embarrassed and nervous again, and Will almost regrets saying anything, but before Will can apologize for prying, Mike sets down his coffee, and starts rifling through his bag. He pulls out a bunch of papers, which will recognizes as various dnd pages, filled with writing and crude little drawings. But the closer Will looks, he realizes that it’s not just some dnd pages: it’s a whole campaign. A whole campaign based on the tales of Will the Wise, of all the lore that Will had told him during their years of chatting. And before he can say anything, Mike sucks in a breath and puts his hand on top of Will’s. And he looks up at Will, soft and nervous, before speaking.

“I was thinking. We could start our own party. A new party, you and me.” And then mike glances over to where his hand is on top of his Will’s on and will just gets it, gets what mike’s implying. He gets why Mike disappeared, spending the time writing the campaign. And so, he looks at Mike, and that’s when Mike gets it too.

and the two of them go on to be dnd bfs!!!!!!

I also offer the idea of: established byler coffee shop au except will works at the coffee shop & Mike comes in every day and pretends that he doesn’t know Will and flirts with him and tries to get his number.

Mike: so. you come here often?

Will, wearing an apron and very obviously employed: mhm. I work here.

Mike: you remind me of coffee.

Will, slightly confused: oh?

Mike: hot.

And eventually, some of Will’s coworkers start to notice the flirting and are like “who IS that guy, he’s really heavy handed with the flirting but also kind of awkward??” and will just laughs it off. And then his coworkers see Mike pick will up from work one day and it all Clicks.

And I also offer: barista Mike and artist Will and Will comes into the coffee shop to work on art sometimes & Mike eventually starts putting Will’s art up all over the coffee shop because he loves it.

Thank you!!! I hope you have a wonderful day too! 💗

[travelling-on-the-octopath]

Okay I know I asked for dmcl author recommendations from you before lmaooo but!! Do you have any specific dmcl fics you would recommend? 👀

LORD, the trials and tribulations of trying to make this post. First I couldn't save it, then I couldn't open it, then I had to fuck with the beta--anyway. Onto our scheduled programming:

Hi okay I'm so sorry this took me so long but I wanted this to be Comprehensive(TM). I made this by searching my favourite tropes/tags and putting them through the dimiclaude relationship tag on ao3, so we're now left with a list of fics I well and truly give my stamp of approval (whatever that's worth) to. I've consumed so much Dimiclaude angst and fluff and stupidity in one go that I think i need to lay down, but all these fics are so fucking good.

AM-canon dimiclaude:

In-game:

I'm realizing, making this list, that a lot of these are just--pain. But this has a happy ending! Timeloop Dimiclaude wherein Dimitri tries and fails to save Claude at Derdriu, until he succeeds.

Post-game:

Okay so, obvious answer

I'm always honoured when @dmicld asks me to beta a fic, because their writing is fucking fantastic and I have a great time giving it a read-through, but this one had me gnawing through my couch cushions, banging my head against a wall, and then it made me want to do it all over again with another read. Peak writing, peak dimiclaude, perfection. Ouchie. Cannot recommend enough. 

VW-Canon dimiclaude:

In-game:

Oh, this one :( This line fucking got me: "[Claude's] mother had told [the story] to him a long, long time ago, when he still believed that families would take on monsters for each other." Interwoven with the lyrics of one of my favourite Taylor Swift songs, Wonderland, and you have a soft, agonizing MCD dimiclaude fic that spans form Remire to post-skip with a non-linear narrative. I actually listened to the song as I read it and OW. OW. Respect to the author because I think Wonderland is the Dimiclaude song of all time. I won't be able to listen to it without think of Them(TM) and bawling my eyes out.

Can't type through my tears so have this one line from Claude's point of view about Dimitri:

“You couldn’t just have me bury you once, could you,” he says softly. “You had to come back so I could do it again.”

Post-game:

[i have decided to fill in this gap in dimiclaude fics with my own goddamn hamds, WITHOUT the Unideal Dimiclaude Trope. I couldn't find anything :/]

CF-canon dimiclaude:

In-game:

Jesus fucking--ow ow ow. I just. OOF. Claude being tenderhearted, allowing himself to love Dimitri completely, and living in the aftermath of his death on CF. The repetition the author uses is so fucking effective. A choice for straight pain.

Post-game:

These are all fics that are like: "Claude and Dimitri have lost it all. How fucked up can things become, and how fucked up can THEY get? Tune in to find out."

NSFW - I'm trying not to recommend fics from the authors I've already mentioned in my previous response to you, but I liked this one a lot because of how everything's just gone to shit; my Unideal Dimiclaude Trope is framed in such a way that I know the characters are making the most of an absolutely shit ending for themselves. Everyone is either dead or suffering heavy emotional/psychological damage--Claude is fresh of murdering everyone responsible for the war and Dimitri was tortured for who knows how long. Even then, it's not a story of complete moral bankruptcy so much as it is a story of tragedy and humanity.

NSFW - Implications of pre-skip dimiclaude is always a favourite of mine. This fic makes the most of what little the game mentions about the other countries and brings sexuality into their cultures, which I know is hit and miss for some. Again, the Unideal Trope, but it's framed as precisely that: unideal. The tension between Dimitri and Claude is a more-than-welcome addition because of how tense it should be when Dimitri is kept from Faerghus. Very good as far as the picking-apart of the dimiclaude dynamic in different settings goes, and amazing pacing.

Implications of the Unideal Trope at the end but at this point I think it's home is in the CF canon. Everything is bad, they're miserable, happiness is fleeting. They used revenge as fuel, but now they're stranded in the cold. I love to see them suffer knowing how good things could have been.

Other Canon dimiclaude

This was so :( Heroes!Dimiclaude wherein Claude just. Wants Dimitri back. They seem to have different relationships with each other pre-skip according to their own timelines, but it adds to the dynamic in my opinion.

You are NEVER gonna guess who's the sun and who's the moon here. Seriously. And honestly? Banger interpretation, the author has a ginormous brain. It's definitely the most poetic on the board here, and it's really short, but it hits all so many of the good spots for me that I think about it a lot. This Dimiclaude <3<3 They're dark, they're unhinged, they're morally reprehensible and murderous; you love to see it. At least I do.

(okay, booo, it's telling me there's a ten-link limit.) Forward, Relentlessly by straylize, wherein the routes are joined; Claude saves Dimitri from Gronder, and is the one to talk him down from marching on Enbarr with nothing but his lance and ghosts.

Fódlan-AU dimiclaude

Your blessings and your curses by ShiDreamin. Oh. My god. This fic. The prose is stunning, and if I weren't already infatuated with Claude this fic would have done me in. Set in Fódlan but with other gods, and, ah, cute misunderstandings ensue between dimiclaude. very silly, very cute, 10/10 would recommend.

Fold me in your arms, let me see the sky by ShiDreamin. I think this author might be becoming a fav of mine because this one was Good. Almyran worldbuilding, and how the Dimiclaude dynamic plays into that a little.

Non-Fódlan-AU dimiclaude

Cute earth god!Claude and wind god!Dimitri piece, called Burya by Livruka

At this point by bias for god!AUs is showing but oh well. aubade by s0ckies is so <//3 god of the moon!Dimitri and god of the sun!Claude. That's it that's all but it's short, hits home, and has all the highlights of a cute dimiclaude interaction. plus it was based off a STUNNING art piece, which really sells the vibe of the whole thing.

-

Sadly, I don't read a lot of longfics/WIPs often, so I have no recs that are Of Substance in terms of intricate plots and such things. I'll definitely be back with more eventually, but these are the ones I can happily shove at other people ^^"

[mizunetzu]

hi i was wondering if you could do something for kageyama, kei, and sugawara with a really shy and soft boyfriend(he/him)? he still goes to their practices and stuff but he gets a lil shy around the other guys :3

bruh I was workin on this but then tUMBLR WAS A BITCH AND CRASHED HAHDHDH I WAS CHEESEd

——————

Headcannons - Kageyama, Tsukishima, and Sugawara with a soft n’ vv shy bf

⚠️warnings - none

Pronouns - he/him

——————

Kageyama:

ngl

mans does n o t know the term “being shy”

HAHA RIP HE DOESNT KNOW WHY UR SO NERVOUS AROUND THE TEAM (minus him ofc <33)

You go to his practices mainly so u can walk home with him, but sOMETIMES (and I mean SOMETIMES) when ur club ends early, u watch his practice

Bruh but everytime ur there it’s fine for like,,a few minutes before hiNATA THAT LIL SHIT

STARTS

B O U N D I N G

TOWARDS YOU

mans is the type of person to think y’all best friends bc ur his friends ‘friend’

“Kageyama~!! Your boyfriends heeere~!!”

He thinks it’s fine *to an extent. If Hinata hugs you for like 0.5 seconds too long he’s whooping ASS*

Kageyama really does not know why ur so shy

“Oi. It’s just Azumane-San. Why’re so scared?”

“He’s-hes going to murder me...”

What’s he gon do? Get nervous? HAHA-

On the days you feel extra brave tm~!!

You bring over cheap snacks and stuff (there’s like 12 of them no way ur buying the expensive shit)

Ur always fckin shaking when u step in all like

*has big bag* “I...i brought snacks...”

Volleyball players: happy

(Y/n): scared

Crops: watered

You always bring a carton of milk for Kageyama that you give to him in private doe

One time Tsukishima saw

“Ara? Is the king exploiting his commoners for milk?”

You DIED INSIDE and had to stop kags from BEATING THE SHIT OUT OF TSUKKI-

Tsukishima:

HAHA

AHAHAH

DID YOU THINK YOU WERE SAFE BECAUSE YOU HAD THE BOYFRIEND PASS

well he won’t tease you as much but

HE WILL NOT STOP POKING FUN AT U AROUND THE TEAM OR LITERALLY ANYWHERE

but he’s the type of guy who’d lowkey bully his crush soo

Tsundere? Tsundere.

Whenever he catches you clinging to the back his uniform in the halls

“Hm? What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you need me to hold you hand now?”

When u fumble on ur words during a presentation

“I didn’t know the great (L/n) (Y/n) was capable of stuttering.”

ITS WORSE IN FRONT OF THE TEAM BC HE KNOWS THAT THOSE BIG ASS MEN SCARE U

“Ara? What’s wrong? Why won’t you say hi to my teammates? Don’t be rude, (L/n)-kun!”

Bruh it happens like everyday bc ur sibling goes to Akiterus college and sometimes u stay longer to go with him there

Or u just stay so u can walk home with him and yams

One time Noya and Tanaka notice u were looking for tsukki

He was kinda late to practice

They walked over to tell u that

“Oh? Tsukishimas running’ kinda late today.”

“...”

You just,,,stood there, sweaty, red in the face and fumbling with ur hands

THESE TWO ARE PEAK SCARY WHAT

In comes tsukki to the ‘rescue’

Except this mAN STARTS FUCKING TEASING U

how r u alive

Sugawara:

the ONLY one who’d understand you and ur shyness

When u get shy around the guys? Already telling them to give u space

Asahi trying to give you water bc u seemed parched? Suga already taking the water from his hands before he tOWERS OVER U WITH HIS HUGE SELF scares u for some reason

Hinata and Noya being Hinata and Noya? He’s ushering them away while asking if u wanted a mint

THIS MAN IS SO SOFT FOR U

SOFT BOYFRIENDS SOFT BOYFRIENDS

You’re much more comfortable with like,,,pda and basically everything when it’s just you two

Like haha? Cuddles? You’re already on top on him-

But when Suga grabs ur hand while walking to school?

HAHAHA

R E D

FLUSTERED

SHORT CIRCUITING

it’s worse in front of the team

One time he made the mistake of kissing you on the cheek during practice

“Koushi you forgot something..!”

You were holding his water bottle

You meant his water bottle

He blushes before leaning down to kiss your cheek

(Y/n).exe has stopped working

YOU LITERALLY STOPPED BREATHING

HAHEHERYTITI

“I-I-I me-meant your...your water bottle-!”

He finally caught on when your eyes were darting across the gym, watching everyone coo or snicker at yall

HES SO SORRY HAHABDHS

Team ships u

I ship u

I’m pretty sure suga ships y’all too

——————