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honeydippedwaffles · 8 months

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Smallest Drop

Summary: Tav overhears Astarion complaining about their situation and decides to do what she can to make it a little better for him and she ends up surprising him in the process.

Tav isn't referred to by name. There might be a part 2 if this is well-received.

Content Warnings: She/Her Tav

Word Count: 1.8k words

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

It started when she overheard a passing comment from behind her, grumbled in response to something Lae’zel said.

From the earliest parts of the day, they’d been making their way through difficult terrain; surrounded by thousands of bugs and mud up to their ankles. She’d tried not to complain about it though Astarion never shared her focus on quiet suffering and he had a fair point.

Though they’d managed to set up a fairly comfortable camp outside the grove – not wanting to impose nor deal with the druids for too long – they hadn’t really found any chance to properly bathe since their abduction.

The late afternoon glinted into her eyes as an idea presented itself.

She slipped away from the group almost excitedly to find the abandoned house where she’d spied it not long ago. After making sure it contained no nasty surprises, she’d left. It didn’t really have a roof and the majority of it had been burned down by some form of magical fire but most importantly, it had a tub.

One night together shouldn’t have made her so weak for the elf but despite all his sweetened words and falsities, he captivated her attention. She knew he meant little by it but sometimes those words made her days brighter regardless.

And she wanted to return the favour given how the muddy path came from her badly thought-out route.

The river running close by provided her with clean and cool water, not the easiest to move in large amounts but still able to fill the tub. It didn’t leak (a minor miracle) and she managed to use a little more of her already-exhausted magic to get a few charms warming the water up.

She smiled at her work proudly and left the charms to do her work while she made her way back to the grove to get some soaps.

Her shoulders shook a little as she eyed her small surprise. Proud and excited, she now faced the greatest of tasks.

Encouraging Astarion to actually step away from camp.

“No, thank you,” he said, dismissed her with the casual wave of a hand. “I’ve had quite enough traipsing through the forest for one day. If you want to continue finding every possible swamp insect to attack you, you’re welcome to be my guest.”

She sighed. “But I have something to show you. It’s a surprise.”

He smiled, strained. “My, aren’t you a desperate little thing. Maybe I’ll join you a little later in the night but for now, I’m afraid I don’t have the energy or the interest.”

“No, it’s not…” she groaned. “It’s just a bath, alright? I overheard you complaining about being dirty earlier so I found one for you.”

“Did you now?”

“Yes. Come along. Those runes aren’t going to last forever and I know you’re going to fuss about the water temperature.”

Astarion chuckled and she immediately knew he didn’t believe her. “I appreciate the creativity, darling. Really, I do, but you’ll find direct offers are far more effective on me.” He leaned closer and she became suddenly aware of how many eyes watched them from around the camp. “But if you’re really going to such lengths, I’m not going to deny you forever.”

Flushed, she stepped away and ducked her head. “Fine. I’ll use it myself but you better not complain once more about it.”

She ignored the slightly concerned expressions of her friends as she stormed back into the tree line by herself. Why she even thought he’d appreciate it… she shouldn’t have even bothered offering it to him. She really needed to be more selfish if she wanted to not get turned down by the vampire spawn again.

It stung more than she expected it to, even if she wasn’t offering anything more than an actual bath.

She brushed her fingers over the surface of the still-warm water when she got there and sighed. It still felt like a waste, even if she used it. Amazing how homesick she’d grown for her house when stuck out in the wild with nothing more of comfort than a single bedroll.

Maybe she should have stolen one of those beds from the goblin den they cleared.

The floor creaked and her hand flew to her weapon, spun around only to find a very arrogant elf who appeared annoyingly surprised.

“My, so it wasn’t even a ploy alone,” he said. “You genuinely managed to find a bath. I respect your dedication if nothing else. There are certainly easier ways of seeing me undressed.”

She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the water. “I was trying to do something nice for you but as you’re not interested, feel free to return back to camp.”

He stepped close enough to brush his fingers against her cheek. “Whoever said I wasn’t interested?”

“You did. In very direct words.”

“Well, things change. I’ve decided you’re quite right. It’s been far too long since I got to wash and you’ve been so sweet, setting it all up for me. I couldn’t be rude and turn you down right now, could I?”

Cursing the elf beneath her breath for his indecisiveness, she moved to walk past him. “Enjoy.”

Once again, she surprised him and Astarion took a second to respond, calling to her as she reached the edge of the charred flooring.

“You’re not joining me?”

She looked back at him. “Am I meant to be?”

“Why, yes. I can hardly be expected to do things like washing my hair all by myself. What if I get lonely or attacked?”

She frowned at him but he kept smiling at her in the same insistent way he did when he wanted something. The corner of his lips pulled up as though he knew a joke and didn’t want to share it. She couldn’t help herself but relent under his burning gaze; he’d done the same thing when she’d agreed to let him drink blood from her throat. Perhaps she should be concerned with where her willpower went when it came to this man.

“Alright,” she said. “I’ll help with your hair if you really need.”

“How fun.”

He insisted on being as distracting as possible when he got undressed. His constant glances at her met nothing in return but she couldn’t help glancing at the scars as he lowered himself into the tub.

Their ridges made her uncomfortable. Not knowing what it said frightened her for Astarion’s safety rather than her own.

Nothing good ever came from runes carved into flesh.

“There’s no need to act so shy, beautiful. You’ve seen me in far more compromising situations than this.”

She wouldn’t call their night together compromising but she ignored the comment regardless. His soft sigh of relaxation as he settled into the water worked wonders for clearing up her irritation.

How he managed to be so magnetic astounded her. She found a spot to sit behind him and slowly, gingerly, began to help him with his hair. Despite being ridiculously soft considering how long they adventured in the wilderness, it needed some careful care and attention.

She took care to stay gentle when she found where tangles turned into knots and worked them free without pulling. He gave a small hum when she had to give a soft tug and she took it as an okay to use a little more force.

“We don’t have much to work with but I did manage to get some things from the grove,” she said. “It won’t be up to your standards but I don’t think anything really is.”

Cagey about his past, all she knew surrounded the small snippets he gave her when upset or ranting. She doubted he’d ever had much time to fuss over which hair products he used, too busy watching over his shoulder for a constant threat. He still did so now when he thought nobody could see. His meditation never held him deeply as sleep took her.

“Regardless of whether or not it’s professional, I won’t complain about your skills with this.”

“Skills at detangling your hair?”

“At winning my favour.”

She frowned a little and focused on the white locks where they curled between her fingers. “I’m not only doing this because I want to impress you.”

“I’m sure you have other motivations,” he hummed, teasing. “But you know you’re more than welcome to join me whenever you’re ready. You chose a good-sized tub for both of us.”

She ignored him again, instead focusing on working out a tight knot. Once done, she encouraged him to lean back a little so she could massage the soap gently into his hair, rubbing soft circles against his scalp until his eyes fluttered closed and the smallest hint of relaxation showed in his expression.

Good. He carried far too much tension and she stopped herself from continuing the slight massage down to where she could see the stress in his neck and shoulders. How uncomfortable it must be but she didn’t want to encourage whatever strange idea he had about this situation.

Still, even if she hadn’t planned anything, she couldn’t deny her attraction.

She wanted to press her lips to the pale skin of his neck and trace the path of the water droplets as they pooled against his collar bone. She wanted to trail her hands over his sides and pull him close.

She coughed to stop her thoughts before they ran too far.

If the parasite in her skull didn’t kill her soon, she may just die from the way this elf made her heart pulse unnaturally fast.

“Everything alright?”

He sounded… well, still as flirtatious as ever but more concerned than she thought he would. She snapped her attention back to him and almost lost herself in those stunning eyes.

If she wanted to, she could so easily fall prey to his sweetened words and he really wouldn’t mind. He would encourage it even.

She finished washing the last of the soap from his hair and stood up somewhat uneasily. Pride still shone in her chest as he sat up properly, appearing far cuter than she anticipated with his hair falling flat against his skin.

She saw the invite on his lips before he even said it. Watched him flick whatever switch he had to draw her in and she hurried to leave.

“I’ll see you back in camp, alright?”

His confused expression followed her as she stepped away from the building but he didn’t call her back. She found her way back to camp with a slight heave to her chest and a desperate need for a distraction.

Though she really should have thought it through before she asked Lae-zel to spar with her. The bruise kept her up for the entire night – long enough to realise he didn’t come past for a taste of her blood in the evening.

#baldur's gate 3 #baldur's gate iii #baldurs gate astarion #astarion #astarion x tav #astarion x reader

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lunareiitic · 4 months

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HSR 1.6 SPOILERS AHEAD BE WARNED

I saw a discussion on Reddit earlier where someone talked about how gracious Herta is to Ruan Mei and felt that the plot shows that Ruan Mei is taking advantage of her and I felt like... it's not a bad conclusion to draw from the text but. It feels not correct. Like yes, Herta essentially does let RM do whatever she wants, especially with regards to the space station, and RM doesn't seem to be very thankful for it. (Setting aside the fact that it isn't really Herta's space station. Asta's the one who bankrolls and manages it. It's just got Herta's name on it. Herta is just as uncaring to the researchers lmao) But to call RM a "passive manipulator" (yes, I saw this take too) of her and nothing more I think... overlooks both of their personalities? Taking into account that both of these characters are essentially confirmed autistic (go see the official post about the Genius Society, you can't make this up) their dynamic is a little tragic but very true-to-life.

Herta is loud, pushy, and bratty. She's like a cat- she doesn't take no for an answer and the moment you try to get her to do something she doesn't want to do she goes limp and useless. She admires Ruan Mei because she's nothing like her. And RM would never push Herta to do anything. RM doesn't push. She doesn't even really manipulate. The woman cannot lie to save her life. All she did was ask Herta if she could use part of the space station and Herta obliged, and it sounds like she'd been waiting for Ruan Mei to finally ask her for something. RM doesn't really have a malicious bone in her body. That's what makes her so terrifying. People are often just willing to do as she asks and she makes no pretenses or illusions about herself, her motives, or her life. The closest she gets to lying is just not answering when pressed. She is so socially inept she has to drug the trailblazer into silence so they'll help her. And I think this is... out of embarrassment? If it were me, an autistic bitch who cannot lie to save my life, I would want to do something similar. She knows she's gotten herself into a situation because she left the incubator on too long and then the space station got attacked, but admitting that to Herta would wound her pride and also cause friction between them. You can tell that she brought the Trailblazer into that Genius meeting because she was afraid Herta and Screwllum had caught on to her, and once she realizes that it's just them debating about (in her eyes) nothing, she lets the Trailblazer go. I've seen people call that "callous", as if she was dropping them as soon as they were not useful to her. But she says why she does it basically immediately- she thinks it would bore us and she has something else more important that she needs our help with.

I think the part of Ruan Mei's character that people are overlooking right now is that Ruan Mei does care. Look at the story bit for Genius' Repose, where she serves machine oil in a teacup for Screwllum and promises to send a box of homemade sweets to Herta's flesh-and-blood body. She's the kind of person who is actively thinking of her mother and her grandmother and their little home in the snow every time she eats something sweet. Her creations are literally desperate with love. Love, love, love, love. Love that feels alien to her, love that she can't put into words, love that her alexithymia won't let her ascertain and compartmentalize. Love that is as elusive and vexing and important as that spark of the divine soul she's been chasing all this time. She loves and she loves deeply, to the point of obsession. But she's in love with the past as much as Herta is- their signature light cones both have them reflecting on a past version of themselves that they know they cannot have back. She quite literally brought her mother back to life because she couldn't bear to break a promise to her late grandmother (who... somehow, is still waiting for her... somewhere). She's a deeply sentimental person. Haven't you ever looked at other people and felt, even for just a moment, that you are apart from them? That they have something you lack? What if you let that feeling consume you? Ruan Mei yearns for a world that she cannot touch because she's lost the trees in the greater forest of her mind. She feels the need to become god because she feels so utterly alienated from the world around her. But she can't escape herself, no matter how far she runs.

I guess what I'm trying to say, is that Herta and Ruan Mei are friends, even if Ruan Mei doesn't feel that she's capable of it. It makes a lot of sense that they're both ice too, element ruled primarily by The Remembrance. I wonder how they both feel about that?

#hsr #honkai star rail #hsr spoilers #ruan mei #herta #this got away from me but I have been thinking about her nonstop for two weeks now

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partycatty · 2 months

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So ive been obsesed with janet cage since she appeared in the end of mk1 and now shes finally being released with peacemaker and im desperate for something ANYTHING PLEASE 🙏 😭

YOURE SO ME FR I LOVE JANET SO MUCH GENUINELY i need her so bad she's my pfp and banner on discord rn HAHA thank you for sharing your thoughts bc i was so afraid i was alone HEHE

janet cage > this one's for you, baby!

janet's got a wittle crush on the reader, and will go to stupid lengths to show herself off

notes: you're in the genderbent universe :3 but because i'm stupid, the chosen ones' names are gonna remain the same because i couldn't think of a genderswapped name for them and wasn't about to do them dirty with new names LMAO

[ masterlist ]

it was only a couple months into training, and things were looking... decent? at least, you could consider yourself improving. sure, combat was something you trained in, but when it came to you versus whatever horrors outworld contained, you tugged at the collar of your shirt.

janet, however, seemed unfazed. actually, she seemed ecstatic! you'd seen a couple of her movies and knew she could kick ass if needed. her physique impressed you, as did her endless charm and effortless ability to piss the swordswoman off. her attitude was brushed off for your sake. you knew she had just gone through a messy divorce with her ex-wife, is in talks of selling her mega mansion, and new roles were coming up dry. you'd think she'd be bitter but it turned out to be quite the opposite. her typical swagger and flourished gestures tore you from your thoughts.

"there she is!" janet exclaims, swinging a toned arm around your shoulder and tugging you close to her side. "you miss me? i bet you did!" you recall the last time you interacted with her: lunch. twenty minutes ago. even still, her perky attitude flustered you quicker than you'd like to admit.

"suuure," you sarcastically reply, hoping to toy with her ego a bit. "as if i didn't see you at lunch."

"it's hard to not miss me when i'm not around," she sighs dramatically, as if she has the hard life. "no need to lie to me, babe. you love having me around." your insides twist at the name. as you eyes are downcast, janet's eyes light up more than usual with a slight blush to her cheeks.

"whatever you wanna believe, miss A-List," you swat her arm, and she removes it though her grin remains unfaltered. janet pauses for a moment, lifting her sunglasses from her eyes and settling them on top of her head. you're winded by her beauty. you had seen it on screen as mentioned before, but there was some alluring power of her eyes when they were only a couple feet from your face. janet could kick ass, but she was also a gorgeous actress.

"tell you what," she shoots a single finger gun at you, once again removing you from your daydreams full of her face... among other things. "you won't have to miss me tonight. raiden and i planned to spar after dinner. you'll watch me kick her ass, right?" there was a hint of pleading, almost nervousness in her gaze. as if she needed you to say yes. her brows knitted together for only a single twitch.

"don't sweat," you reassure her, taking her strong hands in yours with a soft smile. "i'll be your cheerleader." with your confirmation, you turn on your heel and head the other direction to tend to your own duties. what you don't notice, however, is janet whooping to herself as soon as your back is turned.

just as the sun hits golden hour, you and the girls are waiting by the sparring ring. raiden stands straight, hands behind her back as she waits for her opponent to arrive. and so she does. janet comes jogging into view, waving at the crowd of monks and earthrealmers. she waves and smiles, blowing kisses to an unamused audience. she acts like it's another one of her performances. liu kang rolls her eyes.

"i bet your chakram hat that janet gets her ass kicked," you mutter to kung lao, who stood beside you with a smirk. she nudges your shoulder.

"aren't you supposed to be on janet's side?" kung lao mumbles back with a knowing grin. when you return with a perplexed frown, she scoffs. "everyone and their mother could figure out you're into her."

your cheeks puff up out of frustration, ready to rip kung lao a new one for being so loud and direct, but you see a hand snap in your face. snapping your neck to the source, you meet your eyes with janet's, who was leaning down to catch your attention.

"hey hey, eyes on me, sweet thing," her voice feels like honey when it drops low, and you snap back to her attention with a dazed look in your eye. your heel drives into kung lao's foot when you hear her snicker. "atta girl, check this out." a part of you dies inside from embarrassment. damn her and her confidence.

the spar begins, and admittedly it's evenly matched. punches are matched with kicks, parries and dodges slightly rile the crowd up from how equal the combat is. while raiden is calculated, janet is quick, and it becomes apparent that janet actually has a good chance.

that is, until she successfully knocks raiden to the ground. she's doubled over in pain, trying to prop herself up enough to come back from the near-knockout. janet winds up a fist almost comically, winding it in circles with a grin. just before she lands the blow, she turns to you with a beaming, cocky grin.

"this one's for you, baby!" janet shouts out, pulling her sunglasses down with her other hand to wink. before you could even consider being flattered, raiden flips up and shifts her weight, readying a godlike kick.

WHAM!

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

janet sits awkwardly on the cot, fidgeting with the now broken pair of sunglasses in her hands. she can't seem to bring herself to focus on you, even as you're leaning into her to wipe her wounds.

"you should have been more careful," you gently scold her, holding her face up by her chin to wipe the dried blood on her nose. "i don't need the whole show to be impressed, janet."

she smiles lazily, eyelashes fluttering as she inspects your features. "did i at least look hot getting my nose broken?"

you want to sigh and scold her further, but you decided to indulge in her entertainment and smile back, and janet visibly tenses up at your warm stare.

"very."

her lazy smile turns into a lopsided grin as she realizes you're calling her hot. not that her ego needed it really, she knew she was hot. but you saying of it all people, dear lord she was reeling. although she was an actress, a damn good one, you could see she was visibly straining herself from losing it. so, considering you had the upper hand, you hold her face by her cheeks and squish gently with a teasing smile.

"you're blushing."

janet frowns dubiously. "am not."

"i can see it. you're blushing." your eyes flicker between hers, and then to her lips briefly. she sucks them in, focusing on your own lips with dazed eyes.

perhaps janet could use another lesson, you think. so, instead of indulging in what you both want, you let go of her face and place the bloodied rag in a discard bin, wiping your hands on your thighs. janet freezes with a pleading look, knowing exactly what you're doing. you're playing a sick game of cat and mouse.

"where are...?" janet's voice trails off sheepishly, the hardest indicator that you've caught her off guard. she wants to stand up and follow you out, but the monks told her to stay, and a pounding migraine from the blow made sudden movement difficult.

"gotta fight for what you want, janet," you coo innocently, waving with your fingers before you exit the tent. "just don't get your ass kicked. maybe then i'll reward you."

you're not around long enough to see the steam spilling from her ears and her beet-red cheeks.

#mortal kombat #mortal kombat x reader #johnny cage #mk1 #johnny cage x reader #janet cage #janet cage x reader #marley writes ☆

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fantasyescapes17 · 1 year

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Patience (Part 1)

An elaborate charade- that is what your life has been for these past few years, and it has taken the help of more than one person to balance your delicate lies and secrets. Now entering your final season as an eligible young lady seeking wedded bliss, will you be able to keep up the act in order to achieve your dreams?

Genre: Choi Seungcheol x female!reader. Regency!AU (It's sort of Bridgerton-esque in the sense that I give zero attention to historical accuracy and prioritize aesthetics lmao) You are Jeonghan's sister so your last name is Yoon, but the reader has no other specific characteristics, physical or otherwise.

Word Count: 4.1k+

Part 2

Series Masterlist

"I'm afraid the upcoming season will be Miss Yoon's final opportunity to secure herself a decent husband," the obnoxious woman remarked.

She did not seem embarrassed that the subject of her gossip (i.e, you) sat immediately across from her in the lavish parlour and well within earshot. She looked straight at you and silently dared you to respond to her callous comment.

You did not indulge her. You merely sipped your tea.

"Oh, surely not," her friend replied with a hint of embarrassment. "You mustn't say that, Mrs. Patty! Miss Yoon still has plenty of time before we can write her off as an old maid. She should be perfectly eligible for another two or three seasons, I dare say."

"She might have been, if not for that darling younger sister of hers. I believe little Miss Mina is eighteen now, and will be making her debut in society next season. Am I correct, Miss Yoon?" Mrs. Patty demanded of you.

You couldn't ignore a question addressed directly to you. You placed your teacup on the table and nodded reluctantly.

"Yes, Mother believes that my sister should be ready to debut next year," you replied softly.

Miss Patty looked triumphant. "Well! There you have it! Anyone who has laid eyes on Miss Mina knows that she is the loveliest little creature and I am sure her paltry dowry will not prevent an eligible man from proposing to her. Miss Mina will be snatched up instantly- and then what shall happen to our dear Miss Yoon? With her younger sister married before her, she won't have a chance!"

The other woman frowned. "Indeed, Miss Mina is uncommonly beautiful. She will have her pick of eligible men."

You rose from your seat abruptly. "Pardon me, ladies. I shall call for some more tea and cakes- we seem to be running short."

You exited the parlour before they had a chance to object, and cursed your mother for leaving you alone to handle the guests. Mother should have known that these infuriating women would show up the instant they heard that the Yoons had arrived in London for the season.

You turned towards the kitchens, hoping that the maids would not offer to help and make your journey redundant. Luckily, the servants were busy unpacking and carrying in your family's belongings. It had been a long journey from the countryside to your London abode- but a necessary one. The Yoon family could not absent themselves from the London season when they had two eligible members of marriageable age.

You turned the corner of the main hallway and came face to face with the other eligible Yoon. Your half-brother, Jeonghan.

"Jeonghan!" you called out to him hopefully. "Are you going out? Will you take me with you?"

Jeonghan was in the process of lacing up his riding gear and stood to greet you. As your father's only son from his first marriage, Jeonghan became the heir to the entire Yoon estate upon your father's passing.

"I'm afraid not, sister- I am going out riding with the Lees. You would be required to bring a chaperone," he replied slyly, reminding you, quite unnecessarily, that you could not be seen in public in the company of other single men without a female chaperone present.

You sighed. "All right- but could you stop by the parlour room before you leave?"

"Why? So that Mrs. Patty may set up a meeting for me with her third niece? There are many things I would do for you, dear sister, but subjecting myself to Mrs. Patty is not among them," Jeonghan replied calmly as he continued to tie the straps of his riding gear. "I am sacrificing plenty for you already. I shall have my hands full at the Grisham's ball tomorrow."

You blinked. "What will happen at the Grisham's ball?"

"I have heard that a certain Mr. Hessington has expressed an interest in you. We shall have to take precautions to ensure he does not find the opportunity to express this interest in front of your mother."

"Oh dear. What does Hessington want?" you despaired.

Jeonghan smirked. "He wants marriage. They all do. That is the purpose of this elaborate charade of having a season and attending all these social events, is it not? To find a suitable partner in marriage?"

"Jeonghan, there is only one season left," you reminded him miserably. You reached for your brother's arm. "You must make sure nobody proposes to me this season. From next year everyone will focus on Mina and I will be forgotten- and once she is married then my prospects will be entirely extinguished. You must ensure nothing comes in the way of this."

Jeonghan sighed. "You must be the only woman in London who is actively trying to make herself less eligible for marriage."

"And I have been doing a wonderful job so far. Mrs. Patty said herself that I'm as good as an old maid next season if Mina gets engaged before me. And she surely will be. After that, they'll throw me aside with the old maids and governesses and widows."

"Six months more?"

You nodded eagerly. "Six months more. I will be in your debt forever, Jeonghan."

He sighed. "You certainly shall be. I've become nothing short of a villain in my step-mother's eyes since you persuaded me to tell her that I had reduced your dowry. She has most of the ton convinced that I am an evil brother stealing his sisters' rightful inheritance."

"But we had to do that. A large dowry would make me attractive to men looking to marry for a fortune," you reminded him.

Jeonghan sighed. "I know. All the same, I've set aside your money. You and Mina will have your dowries once this charade is over. All of the dowry, I mean, not the paltry amount I told your mother you would receive."

You shook your head with a smile.

"I don't need it."

"Don't refuse money when it's offered to you, good god, woman, have you lost your senses?" Jeonghan said lightly. He placed his hands on his hips and smiled back at you. "You seem more cheerful than usual."

"We're almost at the end of this charade. Six more months," you replied excitedly.

"Well, do try to look less cheerful. For all the ton knows, you're a woman with little dowry, no prospects, a prettier younger sister, and getting on in age. People will begin to wonder what you have to be so happy about."

You smiled to yourself.

You had plenty to be happy about. And Mrs. Patty and the rest of the ton could choke on their tea and biscuits- they would never find out.

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

Your mother maintained a tight grip on your arm as she steered you around the corners of the large ballroom on the Grisham's summer estate.

Your arm was beginning to feel numb.

"Now," your mother said firmly. "Don't you be discouraged by what Mrs. Patty says. You're a young woman of good breeding and though you're not nearly as charming as Mina, there's nothing wrong with you. Lesser women than you have secured wealthy husbands, do you understand?'

You resisted the urge to sigh. "Yes, mother."

"But you mustn't become lax about this. You need to consider what might happen to us if … if that boy Jeonghan decides to cast us out. You and your sister must marry well before that happens."

You turned to your mother in surprise. "Mother! Jeonghan would never do such a thing!"

Your mother had very little love for her stepson and she was not shy about admitting it. "Well, he's already stolen half your dowries, there's no knowing what he'll do next. We may be on the streets soon. Even sooner, if he decides to marry and his new wife decides to be rid of us. Your marriage is important."

You sighed. "Yes, mother."

"Now put on a smile and look a little more graceful."

You took a deep breath and straightened your shoulders. It was a delicate line you walked in social events such as these. You had to look dignified and well-mannered enough to satisfy your mother, but not so captivating that you captured the attention of any potential suitors. It only got easier with time. You were older and consequently less attractive than the young girls in the room, and the ton would certainly have heard the news of your reduced dowry.

You tried not to make eye contact with any men as you quietly moved through the crowd like a wallflower. You were suddenly and abruptly met by a very tall man that appeared before you.

"Miss Yoon. May I have the pleasure of the next dance?"

You breathed a sigh of relief as you recognised the man. He had a mischievous smile on his face. "Mr. Kim! Oh thank heavens, I was worried that it was an actual suitor."

Mr. Kim Mingyu had the decency to look offended as he took your hand and swept you skillfully towards the dance floor for a lively waltz.

"Do you think that we would allow an actual suitor within ten feet of you? We've been doing this for three years now, Miss Yoon. We're professionals now, I dare say. There's one of us stationed in each section of the room and we are ready to intervene in case any man shows the slightest bit of interest towards you."

You laughed. "Well, don't I feel well-protected."

"You are."

"I'm very sorry that you all have to spend your social gatherings watching out for me in this manner. Hopefully, this is the last season that this will be required," you apologised honestly.

"Nonsense. I rather enjoy it," Mingyu chuckled.

You shook your head. "I don't believe you. Surely you would rather save your dances for a woman in whom you have a genuine interest? I notice that the young lady in cerulean blue over there cannot keep her eyes away from us."

Mingyu cleared his throat and took a quick peek in the direction you nodded your head. "Ah. Well, that can't be helped. She's better off without me in any case, I've garnered a reputation as a rake. Dancing with me would only tarnish her prospects."

You raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Yes," he replied simply.

"I suppose I cannot argue- being in the unique position of not caring about my own prospects makes me a poor judge. May I ask what you have done to have yourself labelled as a rake by the ton?" you enquired.

Mingyu smiled. "Other than being naturally charming, rich and handsome?"

"I'm afraid those qualities make for an eligible bachelor, Mr. Kim, not a rake."

Mingyu merely chuckled without offering further explanation as the dance came to an end. He gracefully led you off to the side, where you were drawn into a conversation with some other co-conspirators- namely Mr. Lee Seokmin and Mr. Kwon Soonyoung.

"Miss Yoon," was the cheerful greeting you received from a grinning Mr. Kwon. "I hope your quest to prevent all offers of matrimony fares well? I am pleased to report that the ton seems to be losing interest in you."

You smiled gratefully. "You bring glad tidings, Mr. Kwon. But I heard that Mr. Hessington…."

"Mr. Hessington is being informed of your reduced dowry and impending state of poverty at this very moment," Mr. Lee Seokmin reassured you. His eyes subtly darted towards the other end of the ballroom where your half-brother was in the middle of a conversation with Mr. Hessington himself. You could not hear what was being spoken, but there was no mistaking Mr. Hessington's alarmed expression at whatever Jeonghan said to him.

"Delightful," you replied.

"We have further pleasant tidings for you," Mr. Kwon continued. His hand slid into his waistcoat and he cast a furtive glance around before withdrawing something and slipping it surreptitiously into your hands. You tucked it away into the folds of your gown hastily- but not before ascertaining that it was a small envelope.

Your eyes brightened in anticipation. "Could it be…"

"Indeed," Mr. Kwon replied with a large smile. "I was able to stop by a certain estate that shall remain unnamed on my way to London, and catch up with a dear friend of ours. He bid me to deliver a letter by hand that he dared not risk sending by post, lest it be intercepted by unwelcome parties. It will be safe, I trust, in your possession?”

You couldn’t hold back your smile. “Very safe, indeed.”

“I certainly hope so, because your mother approaches us and she looks rather red in the face.”

Your plans to sneak away to a quiet corner and read your letter were thwarted instantly by the approach of your mother. She was flushed and huffing, although she attempted to calm herself when she noticed that you were in the company of Mr. Kwon and Mr. Lee- while they were not the most eligible bachelors in the room, they were eligible and rich enough for your mother to greet them with her politest smile.

“Mr. Kwon, Mr. Lee. What a pleasure to see you in London,” she tittered. “I do hope you will find the time to call on us for tea later this week."

They both greeted her politely and accepted her invitation with the usual graces, before your mother took hold of your arm and steered you away from them.

"Is everything all right, mother?" you asked, concerned.

"All right? I have just heard- the most terrible news- Mr. Hessington had expressed an interest in courting you but that odious brother of yours has gone and told him about your dowry! I have half a mind to expose that conniving little man for what he is- a thief, a monster-"

"Mother, you must calm down," you insisted gently. "There must be some misunderstanding-"

Your mother was distraught. "Oh, what shall we do? If you are not married this season- we shall be left on the streets unless Mina marries exceedingly well but if that boy Jeonghan continues to ruin her prospects as well-"

"Nobody could ruin Mina's prospects. She is the sweetest, prettiest creature and you know everyone will fall in love with her when she comes into society. Perhaps we should accept that my time is coming to an end, mother…."

"No! No, you cannot give up, my dear. We shall find you a husband this season!"

You sighed. "Yes, mother-"

"Go, go back to Mr. Kwon and Mr. Lee- perhaps one of them will ask you to dance, they seem like nice young gentlemen and the evening is not yet over…"

You extricated yourself from your mother- but instead of returning to company, you slid along the length of the ballroom until you succeeded in finding a remote and private corner behind a table of refreshments and some heavy curtains. You eagerly pulled out the small envelope Soonyoung had given you and unfolded its contents as your heart swelled in anticipation.

My love,

It has been too long since we last spoke. I hope you and your family are well. Although I have met your brother a few times this year and heard news of you from him, it saddens me that you must always be so far away from me.

I will be travelling to London on business next week- I may not be able to stay the entire season, as you know well, but may I be so bold as to ask for a glimpse of your beautiful smile while I am in the city? I would be honoured if you would grant me a dance at Almack's on Thursday night. But do not put yourself to trouble, my love- if the thought of meeting me in public makes you uneasy or if your feelings for me have changed during our separation, know that I would never resent you. I desire nothing more than your happiness and well-being.

Forever yours

Your heart danced wildly as you tucked the contents back into the folds of your dress. It had been too long since you had received a letter from Seungcheol- a few close calls with your nosy mother intercepting your mail had made it too dangerous for him to write to you by normal post.

But to finally see him again after so many months apart! And on Thursday, so soon! You had to turn your face to the wall to hide your giddy smile. Three years of a secret, clandestine courtship had not diminished your adoration of the man in the slightest. You still felt as strongly for Mr. Choi Seungcheol as you had the very first time he smiled at you with his bright smile and took your hand in his gentle grasp for your very first dance, so many years ago.

You took a moment to compose yourself (it would not be appropriate to be seen looking so giddy) and slipped out of your corner. Your brother had been poking around at the refreshment table and he approached you when he saw you- Jeonghan's expression was grim.

"I think I shall avoid dining at home for the time being," Jeonghan told you drily. "I fear my step-mother may really intend to poison me for what I have done tonight."

You sighed. You were not ignorant of how much Jeonghan had sacrificed for your sake. "I am sorry for the trouble I have put you through because of all this, Jeonghan. I will try to calm my mother."

His eyes softened. "I don't require an apology from you, sister."

"Gratitude, then?" you offered gently.

"If you could keep your mother away from any sharp objects or poisonous substances, that should be sufficient recompense for now," he replied with a chuckle. "So. I heard from Mr. Kwon that a certain Mr. Choi will be in London in a few days."

You bit back a smile. "Yes."

Jeonghan patted you on the arm gently. "I am glad you will have a chance to see him. Perhaps we can arrange to have your mother occupied elsewhere for the evening…"

You shook your head. "I will handle mother myself, Jeonghan," you reassured him. "You have done plenty. "

Jeonghan looked contemplative for a moment. "I sincerely hope you and Seungcheol can be happy together soon, sister. I would not have put my own reputation at stake if I did not hold his character- and yours- in the highest regard."

You smiled. A genuine compliment from Jeonghan was rare, and that made it all the more precious. You squeezed his hand on your arm.

"Thank you, brother."

"Now- let us walk away quickly. I see Mrs. Patty approaches and she has that idiotic niece of hers right behind her…"

—----------------------------------------------------

The days trickled past slowly and painfully until Thursday evening finally arrived. Through your own clever manipulations, you had persuaded your mother to attend a card party being held by Mrs. Patty and to allow you to attend Almack's alone chaperoned by Viscountess Hong- one of the few married young women that your mother could be persuaded to entrust you with.

"I hope, Viscountess, that you will recommend my daughter to some of your acquaintances," your mother pressed. "You have done so well for yourself. I hope you can be a positive influence on her."

Viscountess Hong smiled. She had not been married long; her husband, Viscount Joshua Hong, had been renowned as one of the most eligible bachelors in London not long ago. It did not come as a surprise to anyone when their marriage was announced in the papers, however. The gossip-minded members of the ton had long known that Viscount Hong was smitten with a young lady of humble origins.

Your mother admired any woman who could achieve the difficult task of marrying above her station.

"I will be a responsible and careful chaperone, Mrs. Yoon. You may rest assured that I will take excellent care of your daughter for the evening," the Viscountess promised.

Your mother waved you off and you could not help the butterflies that erupted in your stomach as you climbed into the Hongs' carriage. Viscount Hong was waiting outside and greeted you in his usual kind and pleasant manner.

You thanked him nervously. "I'm very grateful for your invitation. I was worried that my mother would not be persuaded to let me visit Almack’s tonight without a female chaperone."

Viscountess Hong took your hand warmly. "Of course, we would never allow that! I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Seungcheol often this past year, and the man never smiles quite as brightly as when someone mentions your name. I'm afraid the man is quite devoted to you, Miss Yoon."

You felt shy, and bit your lip. "I-I do care for him a great deal."

Viscountess Hong beamed.

It was a pleasant carriage ride to Almack's- the Hongs kept you engaged in conversation and their friendly presence helped calm your nerves. As Viscountess Hong told you about the day she first met her husband, your mind drifted back to your own fateful introduction to Mr. Choi Seungcheol four years ago.

—------------------------------------

The estate was magnificent.

"Oh! A marble fountain! It is so beautiful!" your younger sister Mina cried out in delight at the sight of the immaculate gardens and the enormous white fountain that towered in the centre, gently spouting water.

Your mother (despite being notoriously difficult to impress) also looked at the enormous estate and manor appreciatively. "Indeed, this estate is quite lovely. Perhaps we should plant some flowers like those back home. You say this manor belongs to Mr. Choi?" she asked your brother.

Jeonghan nodded. "Yes- Mr. Choi Seungcheol was a close friend of mine at Oxford. His father passed away two years ago and he inherited the estate. He was more than happy to invite us all to stay at the manor while I take care of some business here in Derbyshire. The weather is lovely here this time of year."

"Very generous," your mother remarked thoughtfully as a servant unloaded the marriage behind you. "And… is there a Mrs. Choi?"

Jeonghan smiled tightly. "There was. she passed away in childbirth four years ago."

"He is a widower, then. And has a child," your mother remarked, displeased.

Jeonghan nodded. "Yes."

"Pity," your mother whispered to you, as she took your arm and walked towards the manor out of Jeonghan's earshot. "I was almost beginning to imagine you being mistress of this lovely estate. But you may find a way to have a marble fountain without having to marry a widower."

You blinked at your mother in surprise. It was no secret that she had not been your father's first wife.

"But you married a widower," you said, surprised.

Your mother shot you a sharp look.

"Exactly, my dear."

Before you could question her further on this hypocritical viewpoint, the entrance to the manor burst open. Servants emerged to unload your carriage and carry your things inside. They were followed by a tall, well-dressed man with a handsome smile that you barely managed to glimpse before your view was blocked by your brother stepping into your path.

“Seungcheol!”

The two men shook hands warmly, and you could see from Jeonghan’s unusually relaxed manner that he carried a great deal of affection and trust for Mr. Choi. They exchanged greetings for a moment, before Jeonghan finally stepped aside and allowed you to feast your eyes on Mr. Choi properly.

“Seungcheol- allow me to introduce you to my family. My father’s wife, Mrs. Yoon- and my two sisters, Miss Yoon and Miss Mina.”

You curtsied without taking your eyes off the startlingly handsome man. Seungcheol bowed politely in return. His manner was calm and suited a respectable and confident man- but there was something in his large eyes that sparkled with liveliness and joy. You had seen handsome men before- Jeonghan often had friends over for dinner and you had spent time in society.

But no man had ever made you feel quite so giddy.

“We are very grateful for your hospitality, Mr. Choi,” your mother said performatively. “Your estate is lovely. My daughters and I were just discussing how delightful that marble fountain is.”

Seungcheol smiled and glanced at the fountain. “Ah- yes, that was my own personal selection. I am rather fond of it myself. And allow me to say, madam, that it is a pleasure to be host to you and your lovely daughters. Your arrival has been long-awaited- not only by myself but by certain other members of my household.”

It was only then that you finally tore your eyes away from Mr. Choi’s smile and noticed that another person stood behind him. A small, dark-haired boy of no more than four years old with the same bright eyes as Mr. Choi was clinging shyly to his father’s legs.

“Allow me to introduce my son- Jiwoo.”

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

A/N: So this is my first time posting for Seventeen! I used to have a moderately successful fanfiction blog for a different kpop group on here a few years ago but I took a break and just wanted to start afresh since Seventeen is the only group I keep up with these days, and I miss writing.

I mostly plan to write some fantasy AUs over the next couple months (got some more regency, royal and other fantasy ideas brewing) so we'll see how it goes.

#seventeen fanfiction #seungcheol fluff #seventeen scenario #seungcheol angst #seventeen fluff #seventeen angst #svt #svt imagines #regency!au #historical!au #seungcheol x reader #seungcheol fanfiction #seventeen scenarios #s.coups #s.coups fluff #s.coups angst #s.coups fanfiction

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sugar-grigri · 7 months

Text

How to carry out a successful attack?

I'm going to give a quick review, as this is a transitional chapter intended to lead into the action of the next chapter, but it's still packed with juicy information.

The first few pages give quite a lot of information about the weapons…

Their relationship with death is interesting: one sees it as a divine consecration, the other finds it not bad, and Miri is the only one to face up to his own condition in this respect.

Not being afraid of death means not having too much trouble giving it…

Miri convinces himself it's a heavenly intervention, not because he finds the idea of being superhuman interesting, but because it relieves him of responsibility for the massacre he's about to commit.

For this massacre was inevitably destined to be extremely cruel, amputating people and leaving them screaming in agony to attract Chainsaw Man.

Miri convinces himself to stare at the clock and not look down at the child crying in front of him.

As for the weapons of the whip and spear, they pay no attention to their surroundings, one hiding behind her sunglasses, the other focusing on his cigarette.

This case shows the paradox surrounding Miri: as I've already detailed, he's not at all free, he's self-convincing in a kind of denial, but he's well and truly instrumentalized by the church.

He has no desire to spread suffering, yet he carries out the order assigned to him.

Non-observance of his environment is what made them lose in reality, believing that their intervention was celestial indicates that they were no longer paying attention to the concrete, loving to verge on overpowering and despising humans to the point of deciding what will make them suffer the most.

Quanxi used the opposite strategy: like a predator carefully examining her prey, she didn't put herself forward and focused on her mission. (Yes, if Quanxi imitates the feline by growling, it's not just to make lesbians scream, although it does have its effect…)

If she waited 5:00PM piles, it's because the public hunters wanted to make it look as if the attack had indeed been carried out by the church, in order to disengage public opinion and support them.

The paradox here is that Quanxi has indeed neutralized the threat, having killed the 3 weapons, even though a unit of hunters will be dispatched.

The 3 weapons were associated with specific demons: whip, spear and sword, none of which could produce the sound of gunfire.

My hypothesis is that the unit sent in simulated the attack by firing into the void to provoke general panic.

It's for this reason that the newspaper doesn't know the number of victims, and we also see a lot of hesitation on the part of the presenter: he only has one source of information (the State), and it's deliberately fragmentary.

We also see information on the workings of the church: the real leaders of the church are the ones who centralize information, while Haruka is just an empty shell (as we suspected) who is only there to recruit young people.

The attack wasn't even communicated to the guru, nor to this man who knows all about weapons. What's more, he uses the ambiguous term "weapons", but does he know what they actually are ?

Fujimoto is looking to develop the relationship between Asa and Denji, so what better way than to set up a rival - a rival who alone would be up to the task of countering Quanxi's power?

Ladies and gentlemen, nb hoes… her return has been announced…

#csm spoilers #csm 143 #chainsaw man #csm #csm part 2 #sugo miri #quanxi #my thoughts

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tookthe-405 · 1 month

Text

On our way

Flashback 1: We were younger…

(I wanted some more backstory I’m sorryyy)

DAILY CLICK 🇵🇸

DONATIONS 🍉

(Not so loserish)ellie x fem!reader

a/n: some fluffy flashback from when they were 14 to give some happiness :)

Max and Chloe coded!! (Just realised that wtf)

put my whole childhood homoromantic friendship into this 😪

RILEY MENTIONED!?? they did you dirty my love

c/w: compulsive heterosexuality?!(not much though), a chicken heart?😭, a bit of fighting (ofc!), jealousyyyy, panic attack (yes again)

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡ ⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡ ⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡ ⋆

(Reader and Ellie are 14)

(4 years ago)

Readers pov:

9/14

Whatever negative, people say about eighth grade, it's true. Eighth grade sucks. Seventh grade is manageable. Sixth grade? fine but Eighth grade was a new level you didn't know you had to go through. Few weeks in and its already a nightmare for you and all your friends. Thank god you found some.

When you got into middle school a few years ago, you and ellie managed to persuade joel to send ellie to the same school as you. Which wasn't a hard decision for him, because in a small town in Boston, he didn't have that many options.

But you didn't get into the same class, which was quite scary for you at first. Ellie, on the other hand, is good at talking to people, sometimes a bit too well, and then she says things that she should probably have kept to herself.

However, you had problems at the beginning of the 5th grade. The fear of being rejected by people you studied with for a years had haunted you.

Some of the classes were mixed together and you still remember how quickly you scanned the room, so you could find ellie to sit next to her, and unsurprised there were a few people around her laughing. You stood next the crowd, too shy to get Ellie's attention. She didn't notice you at all at first, but talked and laughed with the classmates around her.

That was the first time you felt afraid of losing her to people who are more In so many patterns. For a few seconds, you just stood there and watched her. Her easy-going but also attentive nature, which attracted people like the light a moth.

It was like magic.

She played with the feelings and laughter like water. Light in her hands, without meaning and purely out of feelings, but so careful. This was her stage, she was in her element, and you would always just sit in the audience, with an astonished and envious gaze.

But then she saw you and brought a gap through the crowd to show you that she had secured a free seat for you, with her backpack.

But today it is no longer the case. Eighth grade is a lot of shit, but you've finally made friends in the meantime. For a matter of fact, you're talking to one right now, but you're too engulfed in your thoughts.

"Hellooo you still there?"

Your body stiffens and you quickly turn away from the window, into the direction of Isabella .

"What?" you completely forgot that you are currently in biology and In the company of a friend… and that you still needed to finish a partner project.

Isabella giggles softly.

“You’re always doing that, what is your head thinking about?”

she playfully taps your forehead with her index finger. You grin slightly and wipe her finger out off your face.

“Nothing I’m okay”

“I Hope so because we Are supposed to dissect a chicken heart and not stare out the window”

A glance at the table and there is the chicken heart she’s talking about.

“Yeah no thank you” you say with a grimace that makes her laugh.

“It’s okay we can google the tasks at home, this is torture.” She sighs, puts the lid over the heart and takes of her gloves, you do the same nodding.

“So” she turns to you again with that curious grin of hers.

“What have you been daydreaming about the past few days?”

You let out a nervous laugh and wave your hand in the air.

"nothing what am I supposed to dream about, so…"

She raises her eyebrows reproachfully, she knows how you lie.

"You don't have to tell me, but is it a certain someone who starts with E?"

Your blood freezes with shock, but also respectful fear, of her alleged knowledge.

"what i don't know who you mean" Sweat forms on your palms and you quickly rub them together so that they don't Stupidly betraye you.

"I guess I hit the bull's eye, I knew you liked him?" Your forehead frown on its own and your stress sweat turn into anxiety sweat.

"Him?"

Isabella nods. "Eliza, you like him… Right"

The first two letter almost give you a heart attack but then you just frown at her.

she seems confused by your confusion, you turn around slow, as you are sitting in the first row, to stare at the boy in the last corner.

He just laughed and pressed the chicken heart into his sitting partner's face.

Ew.

Isabella doesn't seem to notice how disgusted you are, because she gives you a promising and excited look. Something pushes you to lie, you couldn't control it even if you tried.

"Yes, that's it" a sad smile on your face as you say the words.

Before she can react, the door is opened in a loud swing and ellie is standing in the doorway, grinning, behind her a few boys and girls.

"Hey" she gives you a warm smile that you knwo all to well, her arms resting on the table.

Then she looks up at Isabella emotionlessly.

"Isabella"

"Ellie" she replies dryly.

Yes, the two don't like each other very much. Then ellie's smile turned, quickly, sending it back to you.

"Aren’t you done yet?"

"No, young lady, they are not, and you knock before you come in" Ms. Perlow's voice booms through the room.

Any normal student would be scared, which justifies this woman is scary, but ellie isn’t sacred at all.

Grinning, she raises her arms in the air, as if she’s been caught stealing. A few children giggle at her gesture, but the older woman doesn't think it's so funny.

"Ellie, it's the same every time, you make a clown out of yourself for God's sake, leave this task to the boys"

Mrs. Perlow looks away for a moment to massage her temples with her thumbs and pointing fingers, which you felt a bit sorry for, she was soo old. Ellie of course doesn’t care.

She quickly rummages for something in her jacket pocket and nimbly presses a small piece of paper into your hand.

"Okay, till next time, Mrs. Perlow," she calls into the room before disappearing out the door.

"I hope not," the teacher murmurs audibly, however, and whispers break out again, in the classroom.

Your fingers try quickly and unevenly to open the note.

Meet me at the new dinner down the street, I’ve got news and please don’t bring Isabella along

- your favourite person ever

P.S your hair looks pretty :)

With each step, you tousle the autumn leaves on the ground. It was kind of fun though, so you didn't stop, the scurrying sound of the dead plants in your ear.

Ellie mentioned a new dinner, which you have already drove by once with joel. After a few weeks ago, you passed by the former tourist center, which was soon to be renovated into a dinner.

Ellie thought it was better right away, because there is no one who wants to look around here in a small town Beverly farms. The eastern side of Beverly wasn't really interesting, she was right, but you always thought the little town was cute.

Here is everything you need and you have the sea right in front of your nose.

As you walk down the street with your backpack on your back, you think about what Ellie must have meant by "ive got news".

Before you know it, you'll be standing in front of the new store. "Seth's dinner". It actually looks very cozy, the light inside seems warm and a few people have already become aware of the place.

It seems to you just in autumn, very hopeful? A new beginning that is going well, a small but beautiful change in this small town. When you open the door, the door snorts cold from the air, the pleasant air surrounds your face.

There also seems to be a bar, graceful bottles on the wall and behind the counter. But otherwise it seems to be a normal dinner. Greasy smell of fries, burgers and beacons in the air, but on the order table it is written (in beautiful handwriting) that there should also be donuts and pancakes in the morning. In the evening, the bar opens.

At the counter, an older man is eyeing you, who is drying a glass. You've never seen him before, and he looks spooky right away.

Your head turns in every direction until you see the waving hand of Ellie, who had held a seat across from her in a corner of the table. It looks a bit like the dinners in Joel's old movies.

With a loud noise, you drop your bag and sit down opposite her. You let out a tired sigh, but then you notice Ellie's excited look. You shrug your shoulders uninformed.

"What?"

"Wait, I want to order before I tell you"

Her legs were constantly wriggling with hustle and bustle and you can't help but smile a little. The waiter came to your table and you two ordered 2 fries.

"Okay, tell me now" you say

Something good releases in your chest, you suppress the distracting feeling before it could reach the surface. The sparkle on ellie's face made you nervous in various ways.

"Okay, but promise me you won't be angry, ok?"

Okay, so the bad nervous feelings won. You strain straighter, ready for whatever might come your way.

"How old are we ellie, you don't always have to say that, when you've done something"

Ellie laughs so bright, that sound that you appreciate so much every time, as if it gives you water just before you dry out.

"remember how We wanted to go fishing with Joel this weekend"

You shake your head.

"You wanted this, not me ellie"

"yes, anyway, and you know Riley, don't you? From my English course"

Your shoulders slumped, just as you were about to answer, your order arrived. The old man from the counter. You automatically avoid eye contact. As he quietly, almost like a ghost, puts down the plates in front of you, he stops abruptly and stares at ellie's legs.

"Can you stop fidgeting like that, it drives me crazy"

His voice is exactly how you imagined it, rough, a little hollow somehow and he sounds like he's been a smoker for 10 years.

Ellie looks after him with a pissed expression on her face and starts shaking her legs even more out of provocation.

"Whatever, Riley wanted to come this time and her parents allowed it, isn't that cool"

You're not as enraptured by the idea as Ellie is and you tap with the tips of your fingers, and an unpleasant feeling in your stomach, on the table a little rhythm.

Ellie's foot bumps against yours and you look up at her even before she grabs your hand.

"Now I understand what the old man means, it really makes you nervous" she Chuckles and you just feel her hand for a moment. It lightens yours gently, but not considerately, as physical contact is normal between you.

Or at least it should be. But her fingertips triggered a wave of heat that spread to your face like wildfire.

You quickly flinch back, worried that Ellie might feel your pulse, which beats very erratically. Your thoughts are circling around, unsure if the feeling is positive or negative. It feels… nice? Exciting and it's directly addictive, you feel your inner self wanting to reach for more, but an indecent anxiety accompanies you every time you allow yourself to think this far.

"so you don't like idea huh?"

Your head goes up. Shes the same as always, reddish hair, green eyes, those freckles… Ellie's own gaze has descended. You never wanted to see her like that. Now you nudge her under the table with your foot.

"No, I think it's a good idea" you lie straight to her face.

The well-known grin creeps back onto her face and she stuffs a french fries into her mouth.

Then she proudly told you how she was sent to the school principal almost twice, but also about how she got a B+ in math and how the subject gets way too much hate.

You tell her that it deserves even more hate and about the weird interection with Isabella.

Ellie choked on a french chip and coughed so hard that Seth almost kicked her out. She said that she would know if you liked someone and that Isabella shouldn’t think she could be more important to you, than she really is.

This gave you a tingling feeling, so that you almost completely forgot about riley

"I don't understand your anticipation about something like that" Confused, you watch Ellie excitedly digging her fishing stuff out of the rack.

After joel voluntarily took her with him a few times, it became a little tradition and she got her own fishing set, which she takes care of like a mother.

"I like fishing and I like to eat fish, it's a perfect fit."

You're leaning your shoulder against the door of the garage when she bumps her head under joel's workbench.

“Ow”

He can't stow boxes well and safely. But there isn't much space here either, the green pick up truck, tools and the bench on which he has already built the craziest things for ellie.

"I don't get it no, I don't like the hunt and the taste of fish very much"

You always feel like an unnecessary murderer,since you kill the beings and it doesn't give you anything.

Ellie grabs her personal spare fishing line and packs it into her fisherman's backpack.

"Then you can leave the fishes you catch to me… if you catch any at all" She grins at you challengingly.

"Hey!" You point your finger at her. "I'm not that bad."

“No, I wouldn’t want to be reminded of how bad I am either, I get it." She says and you can hear her fucking smile in her voice.

"whatever ellie, i don't like it and it’s not because I’m not good at it"

"Oh no its not that your not good at it, its that your terrible at it"

Annoyed, you roll your eyes, turn around and leave Ellie in the room, but you both have a grin on your mouths. In the kitchen, Joel waits in his typical fisherman's outfit at the dining table, with a magazien about horse races.

He actually just looks like a forester. "Hey little one you ready for the trip?"

You let yourself fall across from him, on the wood table , which Joel must have built and sanded himself.

In the beginning, you had a lot of trouble with him, he was older and taller than most of the fathers you knew.

He was also a bit old to be ellie's father. Which, in the end,turned out that he wasn't. Not exactly.

That's why he was a little colder to you at the beginning, to test you. What does it take you to leave ellie, how quickly can someone get rid of you.

He wanted to know so he could protect her from it.

That's what you're understanding today.

Ellie couldn't afford to lose any more people, and you'd be lying if you said you would have done it differently in his place.

Yes, he was a bit intimidating at first, but after a few months he softened.

Now ellie worries that he loves you more than her, but you know the truth. No one could get close to ellie, just like no one would ever get close to sarah. Probably not even Ellie herself.

You really wanted to know what name would use Ellie for the both of you?

The thought of a name, It scares you both. Because it was more than friendship yet less than- "hey you okay?"

Joel and ellie stare at you.

You nod quickly and look at the clock.

”Didn’t she wanted to be here already?" Your question was more directed towards Ellie.

Then the house bell rang and your hope falls deep and painful.

Ellie's face is starting to shine again, and even though that was one of your favorite pictures, it started to annoy you very quickly the last few days.

"Wait, I forgot my gloves," she dashed up the stairs with her huge hiking backpack and her much too loud shoes.

Her nimble footsteps could be heard throughout the house. Your gaze flicks back to a very concentrated joel, who twitches his head towards the door, to make it clear to you that you should get it.

You let out a little sigh and wander extra slowly to the door, maybe she left. She didn’t.

But You can't lie, riley was pretty. and nice. clever too. It annoyed you to the bone.

"hey"

You look at her for a moment and immediately notice the backpack and the fishing rod. God ellie will love her.

"Hey come in"

You politely open the door for her, before she enters the house she quickly takes off her shoes. Jesus, good manners too.

"Riley, Welcome, we'll leave as soon as this girl finds her gloves" he laughs in his typical raspy voice.

"Don't talk about me if when not in the room," Ellie yells down and Riley giggles. "Thank you for taking me with you this time, Mr. Miller.“

You didn't know Riley, but you can tell right away that she's very intelligent and that you understand Ellie liking for her.

As much as you try to cover it up.

Joel shakes his head. "You can call me Joel"

Riley nods briefly, and Ellie shoes can be heard whizzing down the stairs again. When she sees Riley, she freezes for a moment, even though she knew she would be here.

For a moment you wondered why she did that, but then you got it.

"Hey Riley"

"Hi Ellie"

The drive to the lake was 20 minutes. And they were the worst 20 minutes of your life. Ellie wanted to sit next to riley so bad she left the front seat to you. She never does that.

From the mirror you could see the two of them laughing, talking as if they have known each other for years.

For the first time, it seemed to you that ellie wanted to share her stage with someone. It's as if she's brought someone from the audience to the stage.

And that someone wasn't you.

You didn't say a word the whole way. Not a word.

When the bluish lake was visible trough the many trees, you wanted to drown in it. Now you still want that.

The weight of your backpack bends your back right now, and ellie and riley never looked happier.

"Have you ever fished before, riley?"

you ask the tall girl.

She nods. "My grandfather used to take me on his trips sometimes."

"So cool," Ellie murmurs.

You thought everything was shit in this place. The lake looks so unwelcoming in the fall, as if it is personally trying to tell you to just give it up.

The old wood of the jetty squeaks and slips because of the humid air and you doubt the stability of the old thing. Joel prepares a place where he can fish in peace and quiet, and gives you younger people the freedom to do it on their own.

As the youngest in the group, it doesn't help that you really are bad at fishing, but you should be able to do connect the purr and the fishing rod.

Actually, you only have to manage to connect a fishing line, the rest takes care of itself.

Too bad you're so bad to make this fucking knot.

and you really try, but it just doesn't work. After a while you get too uncomfortable that you can't do it and you drop your fishing rod loudly on the wood.

Riley looks at you confused.

Joel was back at the car searching for the bait that disgusts you so much that you’re always afraid that the worms are still alive.

Ellie looks at you and stops at your bright red face. You can't read her look, you can't understand so much about what's been going on with her over the last few weeks, maybe even months.

But maybe you’re the problem too.

"Can you help Joel for a moment, we'll come right away" Ellie jerks her head in Joel's direction, as she talks to Riley.

She doesn't give you one last look before she goes past you towards the car.

The freckled girl steps forward and picks up your fishing rod, in front of you while you stare into the air like a little child.

"Whatever is going on with you today, the fishing rod really didn't deserve that"

You look downs a bit again to meet her eyes.

"What's wrong with you Ellie?"

"With me? nothing at all… What is wrong with me?"

Her shoulders tense just a little bit, but you don't miss it.

"The only thing you're talking about is riley, the only one you want to impress is riley"

Ellie takes a few steps back for some reason and looks behind you, probably at joel and riley who are still looking for the fishing lure, out of respect.

"I don't know what you mean"

You let out a snort and look at her. “I don't know you like that and it's driving me crazy"

"Why? Why can't I change, what's your problem?"

You want to seek closeness, her hand in yours to make the emotional distance disappear, but she takes a step back again when you try it.

It makes sense that she doesn't want that right now, but it still hurts incredibly how she runs away from you.

"It's not about you changing, it's good that you do, I don't care about that, but not who you do it with, Ellie" you remark.

For a second, she seems so far away, as if worlds universes separate you. In some summers, ellie and joel visit their family in texas, or drive into town for a few days. The separated time is not pretty, but neither is it gruesome.

Cause you can’t wait for her to come back, and she's just as excited about it as you are.

But I’m this moment, right now, you feel more separate from her than ever before.

"It's not always about you, I'm not your-"

Both of you weren't sure how it happened, because all of a sudden she was in the water. You don't know if you pushed her or if she fell in because of her distance steps. But both would be your fault.

The sound the jetty makes, the platch of the water, the way she is so shocked as soon as her face reaches the surface.

With your hand in front on your mouth you watch as she stares at you indignantly. Thank god she can swim.

Her eyes and the light green of the lake, bite each other just a tiny bit. It almost seems to you as if it was so destined, ellie and the lake. And maybe that was the case, but not in autumn.

You can't imagine how cold the water is and her blue lips testify enough. But Ellie doesn't budge. For a few seconds, she just stares at you. Maybe so that she can picture it again later or to make you realize what you just done.

You two didn't have to check if joel and riley noticed, you can already hear the stomping footsteps.

"Im sorry I-" you turn around so fast that you get dizzy and you almost fall into the lake too , you run so fast down the jetty that Joel can't stop you.

You're not quite sure where you're going. It all looks the same anyway. A play of colours, of orange and yellow on the ground and in the crowns of the trees. The sounds of birds and the dead leaves in the air.

As soon as you don't feel your legs anymore, you stop.

Your lungs sound like they're about to give up on you, and you are about to hyperventilate. It feels like you're always running, if not physical, then emotional.

You run when you're awake, when you're asleep, when you're sitting, Whether that's on ellie‘s old couch or when you have dinner with your family. Something scares you and it's always in the back of your mind, no matter where you are or with whom.

All of a sudden, your chest feels too tight and your head too much, but the world feels too small. It's as if all the air in the world is evaporating in front of you, and you can't do anything but try to get some oxygen with every breath. Your arms rested on your knees, your head spinning and-

"Hey?"

Your eyes rush open so wide and fast it almost hurts.

Ellie's clothes are completely soaked, so is her hair and she shivers slightly. And she's standing in front of you? She’s wearing an fishing jacket, a thick one and a wet one, but she doesn’t care.

"Hey it's okay im sorry I shouldn't have said that" she says it so fast, your brain almost misses it.

she doesn't ask if she can touch you, even if a precaution wouldn't have hurt you. At first only your hand, she grabs it very carefully and her cold skin makes you twitch a bit.

After that, she holds your cheek in her other hand to make you look up. You could still feel the drops of water hours later.

"Come here its okay, I’m fine" She takes puts both of her arms around you and one hand rests on your head.

She literally presses you against her. Her hand gently caresses over your hair. You've shoved her into an ice-cold lake and she's holding you like you're gold. As if you weren't a monster - as if you mean something.

Like a lost piece of a puzzle, your own arms sling around her and you put your head into her shoulder.

You cry so often, and you know it. You know how overwhelming it is for you, for the people around you, maybe even annoying, but not for ellie.

The animals of the forest hardly bothered, even if it was like the whole forest when quiet for a short minute. But you might have imagined that too.

"I'm really sorry ellie"

Your breaking voice is very low, though she hears it anyway.

"I know everything is okay I’m fine, I’m sorry too"

Out of surprise, you stiffen for a moment.

"I dragged you out here and hardly spoke to you. You're only here because of me" she explains and You can’t deny that.

You were going to stay like this a little longer, but suddenly ellie's breath hitches.

"don’t fucking move"

Her words run like a cold down your spine and into your ear, all the way to your legs. You were prepared for something that would tear you apart from behind But not knowing what it was almost killed you by itself.

Her arms loosen and turned you around a little in the other direction. Her eyes are still directed forward, into the forest.

When you slowly turn around, theres only a… deer?

You suppress the urge to tease Ellie, expecting that a Serial killer with a pointed hook was standing behind you, but the beauty of the creature was already enough to shut you up. It's still a bit young, probably still baby.

The white dots reminded you of freckles, of ellie.

The same ellie who was still standing next to you, way too close. But by too close you mean “exactly close enough”. Just perfect.

The two of you watch as the animal sniffs around on the ground. Ellie's wet hand prushes yours just a little.

A daring, yet intentional invitation, which you immediately accept.

The deer looks up even though you didn't make a sound.

And it's hard for you to breathe, as well as blinking.

This moment, this gracious moment should last as long as possible. It seems to both of you as if it is looking right into your souls, your hand squeezes ellies even tighter.

"Do you have your phone with you?"

With her big eyes she is still watching the deer. You shake your head.

"That's fine. I think it wont leave us, just for a little while.

a/n: I tried to make it a little less angsty (I failed forgive me)

INTERACT W LINKS ABOVE!!!! 🍉🍉

anyways hope you liked it pls repost and like!!! Next chapter the road trip will start I promise 🤞 (no hate to Riley btw I love her but let’s be fr reader would be jealous)

@yourelliewillms @bready101 @liasxeatt @darkerstarsstuff @elliezato @macaroni676 @crxmxnzl-c0rpzes @lovelyxbaby @yalaysbee @moonchild184 @a-little-bit-of-everybody @gosomewjere

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koshercosplay · 5 months

Text

Her sword was out before the creature could even blink.

"Don't come any closer," she snarled. "I know what you are."

The goblin in front of her bared it's teeth. "And I know what you are, princess."

She gave a start. It knew that about her? Or was it just a petty insult?

"Doesn't matter." She lifted her chin. "I want you out of this kingdom. Your kind don't belong here." It was thrilling to finally put her training to good use. One by one, the goblin menace would finally be over in her lifetime.

The creature tilted its head to the side and began circling her. She swallowed thickly and followed it's path with her sword outstretched. It's pale green skin seemed to shift in the sunlight, and the pointed ears poking through it's thick hair reminded her of toadstools peeking out from the soil beneath their feet.

"The princess finally comes out of the castle. Finally getting her hands dirty for the first time." It stopped moving and swooped into a condescending bow, never taking it's eyes off her face. "Please accept my most heartfelt congratulations," it sneered.

She bristled at the implication of her softness and tried to match the goblins' jeering tone as she responded, "I've been training for this my whole life." She narrowed her eyes. "I'm not afraid of you."

"Then why haven't you killed me yet?" It's yellow eyes glinted.

"Why-" She couldn't believe her ears (which were blissfully rounded, thank you.) "Would you like me to apologize for allowing you a few more seconds of your slimy existence?"

"Slimy?" It ran a finger down the length of a bare arm and made a show of holding it up in mock ignorance and examining it closely, before dropping it to hang loosely at its side. "The fact that you believe that shows me what good your training has done for you."

It held its arms out to either side, as if initiating some bizarre attempt at an embrace.

"Come on, then. Kill me."

Her sword was still pointed at it's chest. It would be an easy kill. But even as she leveled her gaze and prepared to strike, something stopped her. She could already hear her father scolding her for taking so long, but there was something wrong.

Against her better judgment, she dropped her arm and let her sword rest by her side, keeping a firm grip on it, just in case.

"All the goblins I've heard about put up a great fight with our warriors." The goblin had the nerve to roll its eyes. She pressed on. "Why are you being so... so- boring!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, princess. Would you like me to be more entertaining?"

In a flash, the goblin was entirely too close to her, and she could feel it's breath on her face as it closed its hand on hers over the hilt of her sword. And to her immense embarrassment, she froze. Absurdly, she noticed that the goblins' skin was not, in fact, slimy. Interesting.

In another second, the goblin had twisted the sword out of her hand and thrown it halfway across the clearing and took a few steps back.

"Oh no! The poor helpless princess was set upon by a goblin!" It called out loudly, and she cringed. "She couldn't possibly hope to defeat its superior intellect and battle skills!"

She shook herself out of her frozen state and dared to step forward.

"I would thank you to stop talking now," she said coldly.

It appeared to consider her words.

"Yes, you're quite right," it said, mimicking her lofty tone. "You're too boring to bother fighting with."

It turned and began walking away with an infuriating spring in its step, as if she wasn't standing right there, armed to the teeth. She silently drew out the tiny dagger from her right gauntlet and took careful aim. This time she wouldn't hesitate. The goblin paused, and then turned around so quickly that she didn't have time to hide her actions. Caught in the act.

"You're preparing to throw something at me, which will only end in your injury, not my death. Come now, let's part friends." It grinned at the look on her face.

"Don't worry. I know we'll never be friends." It turned away from her and began walking again. "You're too busy trying to kill me."

"What- but-" she spluttered. "Only because you lot are trying to kill us!"

That made it pause again, although this time it didn't say anything. She started walking towards it, closing the distance between them and wondering at how silent it's footsteps had been in comparison to hers. It was still keeping its back to her, either in foolish bravado or sheer confidence in its speed. It turned quickly when she approached some invisible boundary.

"Are we?" It suddenly said, fierce and low.

"Are you... what?" She responded, confused.

"Are we trying to kill you?"

She bit back the urge to make a derisive comment. What was the point of this circular conversation? Time was marching on and she still hadn't killed a goblin.

"Yes. You are. It's been well-documented and you know it."

It looked at her in disbelief.

"You really believe that?"

"Why wouldn't I?" She said defensively. "Everyone knows goblins are vicious thieves who will do anything to snatch a penny. I'll have you know my uncle was killed by a goblin in cold blood!"

The goblin was silent for a moment, yellow eyes searching her brown ones.

"I haven't tried to kill you."

"You are clearly the exception."

"Hm, well I know plenty of goblins who have never gotten into a fight."

She scoffed, this time letting her derision show freely. The goblin seemed insistent on continuing the conversation instead of fighting, which was incredibly frustrating. It wouldn't be honorable to kill it while it refused to fight, although it sure would be easier. She decided to voice her confusion aloud, again.

"Can you tell me why, exactly, you are so determined to avoid fighting me?"

"I heard humans smell so bad, you can tell they're coming from a mile away. I had to see for myself."

She began to get offended, and opened her mouth to give it a piece of her mind, before she realized it was grinning again.

"What's your name?" It asked her, taking her by surprise.

"Fern," she said instinctively, too taken aback to remember she wasn't supposed to answer that question.

"Fern. What a good goblin name." It winked at her. Asshole. "My name is Ash." It started walking away again, but this time, it motioned for her to follow it.

Was she insane? She came out here to kill her first goblin and take her place alongside her mother. She should be wiping its blood off her sword and heading back to the castle in victory, not standing around chatting history and exchanging names with it!

On the other hand... she tilted her head as she took the first few steps to follow the goblin- Ash. No one else that she was aware of had ever been invited somewhere by a goblin. History was littered with failed agreements, betrayals, victories and defeats. But who'd had a conversation with a goblin, been left alive, and then invited somewhere?

As far as she could tell, Ash was leading her along a fairly well-traveled path through the forest, although it was leading her unnervingly far from where she was supposed to be. Someone would come looking for her soon. Most likely Arvit.

She groaned inwardly. Arvit would chastise her, loudly and publicly, if she didn't make it back by nightfall. And she wouldn't be allowed this opportunity again for a long while.

Ash was silent ahead of her, unaware of or uninterested in Fern's movement. She studied the goblin from behind even as she kept careful track of their journey, so that she could lead her soldiers here in the future. It was lean in body, and it's skin had an unhealthy pallor, from what she could see of its bare arms and legs. It's simple tunic and well-worn, knee-length trousers, gave the impression of someone who traveled a lot and lived simply.

She surprised herself by wondering where Ash had gotten her clothes- Wait. Was Ash a woman? It was always so difficult to tell with goblins. And since when did she care anyway? It was a goblin. It's not like they were going to end up best friends. She lifted her chin and straightened her shoulders, trying to give off an air of confidence. She was the one in power here. Not the goblin.

Their surroundings slowly changed as they kept walking, going from dense, lush forest to darker, more sinister woods. Fern started jumping at every distant creak or snap of a twig. Something hooted nearby and she nearly dove behind a tree. Ash resolutely kept walking, paying no attention to any of the sounds around them, although it did take the time to point and laugh at Fern when she stumbled and fell into a pool of mud.

Finally, she planted her feet and declared, "I'm not going any further until you tell me what's going on."

Ash stopped and turned around, and deadpanned, "Don't worry, I didn't bring you here to kill you."

Fern snorted. "You can't kill me. You would have already if you'd been able to."

Silence fell between them, and Fern realized that the darkness around them wasn't just from the woods. It was truly past sunset, and she was so screwed.

#my writing #this is based on that post i made a while ago #about turning the antisemitic jewish goblin trope on its head #ive been playing around with the idea of actually writing it for a while #(fern's gonna unlearn her internalized antisemitism REAL QUICK lmao)

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sporesgalaxy · 10 months

Text

good morning on this fine friday at 5am my time! circe clawthorne jumpscare.

I truly think this is very very close to final, moreso than usual lol. I'm quite happy with this

I really can't tell if it would be more difficult for me to try and convert this into proper paragraphs or make it a comic...

well here it is. but wait there will be more!

•••

?: [distantly] Philip?

?: [closer] Philip!

?: Philip Wittebane!!!

P: [weirded out cuz hes in the middle of the woods] What in the–

C: [running up to him excitedly] Philip!!! It’s SO good to see you again!!!

P: [backing away] See me again? Do we know each other, Miss?

C: !

C: Come on, Philip!

C: Surely the King of the Witch Hunters can recognize the Dread Witch Beezelbella when he sees her!

—

P: …

C: [smile falters nervously] ...

[Philip bolts]

C: Wh- Philip!

[He sprints through the woods as fast as he can, but weaving between the trees slows him down.]

[Circe suddenly cuts Philip off, riding on her staff]

P: [flinches away from her so violently that he falls on his ass] GAH!!

C: What are you running away for?!

P: [shielding his face, peeking at her erratically, as if afraid to look directly at her for too long] You’re not real!! You’re some cruel illusion!!

P: Sent to– to torment me, or tempt me to forfeit my soul to the devil!

P: Well it WON’T WORK!! So– gh– [flails his hands in her general direction] BEGONE!

–

C: No no no no! No tricks, I promise!

C: [REALIZES SHE IS LEVITATING] Ah!!! Er…

[she jumps off the staff and holds it behind her conspicuously, too frantic to remember to store it as a palisman]

C: [smiling nervously] I meant to save that for later!

P: [STARING]

C: Here. :) [holds out her free hand to help him up]

P: [looks somewhere btwn angry and scandalized]

[Philip pushes himself further away from her before standing up on his own. He struggles a little because he now seems reluctant to take his eyes off her. Circe looks saddened but not entirely surprised.]

C: Really, I--

[tries to gesture, but is still holding the staff in one hand, and ends up accidentally swinging it towards Philip.]

[Philip flinches again, and stares at it like it might explode.]

[Circe quickly reduces the staff to just a bird and pockets the palisman in her cloak]

C: [smiling apologetically, holding up palms to show she’s unarmed] I’d never dream of hurting you!!

C: [looking at him and still smiling but with pleading, sad eyes] You know that, don't you Philip? No matter how we've changed, I...I'll always love you.

P: [mentally recalculating] …I...see.

C: [beams] Yes!! I pinky promise! [holds out pinky for a second, but quickly drops it]

P: [less defensive body language, but still clearly a little wary] Hm…

–

C: [a bit nervier] Ah-- before we go any further, I need to re-introduce myself!!

P: [skeptical] Re-introduce?

C: [trying to stay chipper but looking more stressed] I know I look different, but it’s…it’s still me!! [she pulls her hair back into a ponytail, looking a bit uncomfortable] See?

P: The…Dread Witch Beezelbella.

C: [frustrated] Your sis– your sibling!!! You know, the one who raised you?? Who spent all those years putting gruel on the table??

P: [frowning] The one who died seven years ago.

C: Er– well– I had to...go away for a while. But I’m here now!!

C: [trying to bulldoze through it] And really hardly anything has changed!

C: I've simply learned I’m much happier being your sister! That’s not too complicated, is it? You understand, don’t you??

P: I…suppose–

C: [bulldozing again] Spectacular!!!!

C: So, you’ll call me Ci– [seems to realize something] Er…just C.C. is fine for now! [nervy smile]

[Philip gives her a perplexed look]

C: Probably easier and, er…good for an Adjustment Period! [nods to herself]

P: [mostly just baffled] …C.C.

C: [nodding more] You've got it!! Same person, new gender! None of the old name and no man words, pretty please!

P: --

C: [before Philip can reply] Great!!!

C: Now, with all THAT out of the way: It’s YOUR turn! [stepping closer to him, as though she wants to hold his hands] Tell me everything! How are you?! What’s happened while I was gone? What have you been up to??

–

P: [leaning away] Oh. Er…

P: I’m…doing very well. I… [“thinks”, bringing a finger to his chin a little too theatrically]

P: …Goodness, so much has changed, I’m not even sure where to start!

P: Really, you ought to just visit the house with me and see what’s changed for yourself. [grabs her arm and gently tugs]

C: [Withdraws, very nervous] Oh, no no no, I can't go into town.

C: You and I of all people should know how–!

C: --!

C: [Squints]

P: …Is something the matter?

C: [Squints harder]

C: ...Do NOT Witch-hunt me, Philip!!!!

P: I have no idea what you’re talking about. I'm only trying to show you--

C: Oh for goodness' sake, NO!!!! I will NOT set foot in that town EVER again!!

P: ...Then you should wait here for just a moment, and I'll return shortly– [beginning to walk away]

C: [Grabs his arm to stop him leaving] [exasperated] I am not an idiot, Philip!!!

C: [sighs] Look, I know this is going to be difficult for you to accept, but magic didn't turn me evil! I'm still just ME!

P: [MAIDENLESS STARE]

–

[Circe continues holding Philip’s arm to keep him there, and for now, he lets her.]

C: As it turns out, you DON’T have to sell your soul for magic! We were completely wrong about it!

P: [EXTREMELY skeptical] Is that so?

C: [frustrated] It’s true! I could prove it to you!

C: ...Well, I guess I can’t PROVE that I still have a soul. Not that I know of. [to herself] I wonder if there’s a spell for that…

P: [extremely sarcastic] Perhaps we ought to enlighten the entire town to the existence of this fascinating *benign sorcery*.

C: [annoyed] Really, Philip?

P: Well, why not?? Since you can *prove* that it’s harmless, let's go prove it to everybody! It would make our lives *so* much easier…

C: Stop it.

—

P: Why, no one would have to do chores ever again!

C: Philip!

P: Maybe we could all be in one big witch’s coven together--

C: ENOUGH!!

C: You've been clear enough already!!!! You still don't like magic, and you don't trust me!!!

C: [takes a deep breath] ...

[Gently, Circe lets go of Philip's arm, which she had been gripping rather tightly.]

[She watches as though expecting Philip to bolt again, but he doesn't.]

[She fidgets with her sleeve as she continues.]

C: Philip, please. Just...just listen to me for a moment.

P: [Opens mouth, looking indignant]

C: [cutting Philip off] You don't have to believe me! I know that you...probably won't. I had hoped--

C: [doesnt finish that thought, looking bitterly sad]

C: ...There's something I need to tell you, but I want to know you'll listen.

P: [scoffs] Why bother if you know I won't fall for it?

C: Because...! Because I have to do something!

C: ...Philip--

[She reaches toward him, and he shrinks back.]

P: You've been gone for nearly a decade.

C: ... [confirmingly guilty face]

P: It took you that long to-- to bother telling me anything?!

P: Why in the hell would I want to believe that?!

—–

P: How could I?!

P: How could I possibly believe that you’d *vanish without a trace,*

P: and then– *reappear out of thin air,* just because-- what, the whim finally struck you???

C: No--! It-- it wasn't a whim, Philip, I would never--!

P: [pulling at his hair] AGH!! Then where have you *been??!!!* Why come back *now??!*

C: I-- it's difficult to explain--

P: I spent YEARS trying to hunt down that *witch*–!

[Circe grimacing/wincing rxn shot]

P: [gesticulating wildly] YEARS hopelessly wondering what might’ve become of you!!!!!

P: I WASTED my LIFE searching for answers!!!!

P: Of course I don't want to believe this!! That you could have come back this whole time, but-- [voice breaking]

P: ...But you chose not to.

–

C: 😟

P: [still angry, but quieter now] And what a cruel joke it would be, for you to finally be here.

P: [hand gravitating towards knife on belt] After I’d finally managed to give *up* on you.

[Circe wants to hug him. She wishes he were still small enough that she could pick him up and squeeze him with all her might. But she thinks better of it. No matter how much she loved Philip, she couldn't afford to trust him right now.]

[Philip's hand is hovering over the spot where Circe knows his knife sheath to be. She feels her heart break a little more.]

[She steadily meets his eyes and keeps her hands at her sides, ready to pull out her staff if necessary. She won't be able to hurt him the way he's apparently resolved to hurt her, but she could run away.]

[She had desperately hoped that Gravesfield's claws wouldn't be sunken so deeply into him, but she knew what it took to survive there. And he had been forced to survive it even longer than her.]

C: ...I’m sorry, Philip.

P: ...

C: I'm sorry for leaving you in Gravesfield alone.

C: I didn't think I had a choice.

[Circe shifts her weight uncomfortably. It feels wrong, measuring how she speaks to Philip, her brother, the person who knew her better than anyone not too long ago. But he isn't the only one she's protecting anymore.]

C: ...truthfully, I…

[It feels loathesome to admit after so many years of spending so much of her energy hiding it.]

C: …I thought you would be better off without me.

—

P: [genuine confusion] ...What?

C: You're a genius, Philip. I knew you could do anything you put your mind to. Make a real future for yourself.

C: But I-- I could barely even keep us fed until we--

C: [looking terribly guilty] ...started working together.

C: I thought that once you could take care of yourself...

C: You could have a normal, happy life. Without me.

P: [pissed] And how do you know that you couldn't be a part of it!? You ran away before you even tried!!

C: I tried for years!! All my trying ever did was put targets on our backs!!!

C: [bitterly] Because I couldn't hold down any job but the most dangerous in Gravesfield.

---

P: What targets?! We were heroes!

P: If you had just stayed, if you had never listened to that witch, we still would be!!

P: Did she say I'd be better off without you?! Is that how she convinced you to leave?!

C: [low, serious] No.

C: I... [ashamed] ...I made up my mind before I met Evelyn.

C: I had already decided you were better off without me.

C: [intense] She's the reason I'm still here to discuss it with you.

P: [shocked, unsettled, doesn't want to process that]

P: That...that can't be true! Everything was fine until she came along!! This was all her fault!!

P: You'd still be normal if it weren't for her!!!

C: [angry on Evelyn's behalf] No!!! I was never normal!!!!

C: And you were the only person who couldn't seem to tell!!!

C: [tearing up] It was going to get us both killed, sooner or later!!!

C: *I* was going to get us killed, because I'm like this!! Because *I* can't live a normal life!!

C: I wanted to protect you. To make your life easier than mine had been, but--

P: You were protecting me just fine before you ran away!!!

P: And what's this nonsense about us getting killed?! We were heroes! We saved the whole town from evil!

C: We were never heroes! We weren't saving anyone!

C: We punished people who didn't fit in!

P: Didn't "fit in??"

P: We punished monsters!! Demons who tortured our neighbors!!

P: Any one of those witches would have sacrificed all of Gravesfield to the Devil had we not stopped them!!

C: And what about us, Philip?!

C: Is there anyone in Gravesfield we wouldn't have sacrificed, had the court willed it?!!

C: [crying] We were such hypocrites!

C: The suspicion, the accusations-- it was exactly the way they used to treat us!! We were outsiders, too!!

P: [falters. that kinda gets to him but he wants to pretend it didnt]

C: [miserable] I justified so many awful things to myself. To you.

C: All because I was too scared to see the truth.

C: And once I finally did...I was too gutless to ask you to face it.

C: We were never any better than anyone else.

C: All of it...

C: It was just murder.

P: [not as much conviction] Don't be ridiculous--!

C: Don't be naive!!

P: ...

C: ...

C: ...I am truly sorry, Philip.

C: I'm sorry that I got us into this mess.

C: I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you like I was supposed to.

C: I was rash. And stupid. But I only ever wanted to keep you safe.

C: ...I still want you to be safe. I'd hoped you could understand, but...

C: [difficult for her to give up on him] ...if you refuse to listen...there's nothing that I can do.

P: [trying to not want it to be real] ...

[Philip looks conflicted, frustrated, trying to find his anger and righteousness again]

P: I-- rrgh!! You're impossible!!!

[He begins to walk in one direction, pulling at his hair, then suddenly turns on his heel and walks the other way again]

P: [exasperated, tring to convince himself] Literally! This is-- this is all impossible...!

[He buries his face in his hands and plops down on a log with an angry grunt]

[Circe watches him, wondering what he’s thinking now.]

[After he just sits there with his face in his hands for a moment, she slowly approaches and sits carefully next to him.]

P: [he is resting his elbows on his legs. He clasps his hands, uncovering his face, forehead against his intertwined fists.]

P: ...

[shot of Circe looking at him sadly]

–

C: …Are you happy in Gravesfield?

P: [Hands still clasped, his eyes open, looking into the woods] …

C: Philip?

P: [flatly] That doesn’t matter.

C: [Leaning forward, trying to look in his eyes] …It matters to *me*…

[Philip unclasps his hands but remains hunched over. He instead holds his elbows, which still rest on his legs. Does not look at Circe.]

P: [cold] So you say.

[Circe shrinks back]

[the two sit in silence for a moment. Birds chirp, and the bare tree branches sway in the breeze above them.]

–

C: [quietly] …are the trials as bad as they used to be?

P: …

P: [even tone] Less frequent.

C: [hopeful] That’s good.

P: … [furrows his eyebrows]

C: Do you still–

P: Yes.

C: [saddened] …

P: I am protecting people.

P: I’ve prevented what happened to you from happening again a dozen times over.

[Circe pales. Philip still is not looking at her.]

P: [clearly bitter about something] I’m *careful.* [seeming more vexed than proud] I’ve done more research than *anyone.*

C: [examining his face] …Research?

P: …

C: [dawning ] Do they *understand* that’s what your doing?

P: [intensely, looking only at the ground] It doesn’t matter. I can prove it.

C: [scared] Philip, are you in danger?

P: [breaks a twig off a branch on the fallen log with his left hand] [curtly] *No.*

P: [looks annoyed at the stick momentarily. passes it to his right hand] Because *I* am not a witch.

P: [slightly hesitant] …obviously.

—-

[Philip starts doodling in the dirt with the twig]

C: [losing patience with his stubborness] Do you honestly still believe that only real witches get accused? Get *punished?*

P: [stops drawing. gives her an angry sideways glance. then glares at the dirt again] …

P: …*Yes.*

P: As long as you do it *correctly.*

C: [furrows eyebrows] ……

[Philip resumes, scratching the dirt more forcefully.]

C: But–

P: Witches die because they are born doomed.

[as he says “doomed,” Philip finishes drawing The Belos Mask with a final, forceful scratch]

C: That’s what we were *told*. That doesn’t mean it’s true.

[Circe looks at Philip, expression somewhere between grim and pleading, but he won’t look up from his sketch]

——

P: [darkly] What does that mean for you, then?

[Circe is taken off-guard]

P: Do your witch-friends know what you used to do?

P: Or are you lying to them, too?

C: I–!

C: …

C: [quieter] …Not all of them know.

P: [snidely] Hmph.

C: [with a bit more conviction] But the ones that *do* know…

C: They know that I was scared. And trying to keep us safe.

C: There are people who understand that I truly thought I was doing the right thing.

C: [guilt] That I would give anything to undo it now…

C: [focusing on Philip again] They trust me, and love me, even though I’ve made…terrible mistakes. Even though I’ll *always* make mistakes.

C: [trying REALLY hard to get through to Philip] *Gravesfield isn’t all there is.*

P: …

[Philip scratches out the doodle forcefully.]

P: [unhappily] Good for you.

—-

[a prolonged beat of silence, save Philip’s stick scraping against the ground as he scribbles slowly, randomly on the spot where the doodle used to be]

C: ...If you want–

[suddenly, Philip throws his stick to the ground and turns to Circe]

P: [frustrated noise] Would you just get this over with already?!

C: [taken aback] What?

P: For Christ's sake, I don’t care what you want anymore!! Just take it!!!

P: You win! Enough with this awful vision!!

C: [baffled] Wha–! I-I’m not–! You still don’t believe that I’m real?!

——-

P: You *can’t* be!

P: [breaking a little] I only *want* you to be real!

P: I *want* you to be *alive*!

P: I don’t *want* to be *alone* any longer!!

P: But you insist on dragging out this awful charade!!

P: [becoming more desperate than angry] Why can’t you just lie to me?!

P: Tell me that you never wanted to leave at all!! That you're back for good! That nothing’s changed!!

P: *Something*– *anything* that’s actually easy to go along with!!! Isn't that what you're supposed to do?!

[Circe looks hurt]

P: Don't I even get to die thinking that I could be reunited with– with you?!

P: [losing steam] …What could you possibly want that you haven’t had the chance to take from me already…?

[a beat. Circe’s expression has closed off considerably. Philip rubs his face for a moment, then looks up again.]

P: Please. Get it over with. Kill me, or whatever it is you came here to do.

P: Or for God’s sake leave me be.

[wide shot of them sitting in unhappy silence]

——

C: [very quietly] …Alright.

[Circe stands, brushes her skirt off. Philip remains sitting, not looking at her]

C: I suppose I’ve done all that I can, then.

P: …

C: I won’t disturb you again.

P: …….

C: I’m still thankful that I could see you one last time.

P: ………..

C: [trying to keep composed] Please…stay safe. Take care of yourself.

P: ……………..

—

C: I love you.

P: …………… … …

C: [offscreen] Goodbye, Philip.

[she walks away]

[a beat passes]

[Philips resolve breaks. As he looks up–]

P: Ca– C.C., I–

[–he realizes he is alone again.]

P: ….

P: [slowly, he stands. brushes his jacket off. walks away.]

#circe clawthorne #toh #suicide mention #<- still just implicative but closer to explicitly referenced now #ohhh they both have so many problems. yippee!!!!

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wittlesissyb4by · 2 months

Text

Part 2

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

“You’re sure you’re sure?”

“Yes!”

“It’s really gross, Lindsey,” Heather reiterated, still clutching Brandon’s hand, “and it…might be a little weird.”

I nodded, showing my resolve, I spent the last 3 years of their relationship watching Brandon treat my best friend like absolute shit. I think it would help a lot to see her clean up his actual shit.

Heather sighed and shrugged, “Okay. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She snapped her fingers and pointed to the floor. Brandon followed this command quicker than he did the others. Eager to get out of his soiled diaper, he clambered down immediately. Heather went over to the side of the couch and pulled out a large pink bag. I didn’t even realize it’d been tucked away there the whole time.

She rummaged through it a bit and pulled out a disposable mask. “For the smell.” she said, “You’re gonna need it.”

“Don’t you need one?” I asked, noticing she didn’t grab one for herself.

She shook her head, getting down on her knees between Brandon’s spread legs. “Na, this isn’t even a bad one.” Judging by how awful this one smelled, I’d hate to see what Heather thought of as a ‘bad one’. I got down next to her, a little behind, but peeking over her shoulder.

Heather exhaled, then put on a jovial face. “Okay Brandi!! You weddy to change your stinky diapurr??”

Brandon nodded his head so hard his pacifier plopped out. Heather didn’t bother putting it back in, just asked him patronizing questions in that sing-song voice.

“Who’s my stinky girl?! Hmm?? Who’s my stinky girl??”

Brandon was putting on his highest pitch voice, giving it everything he had like he was afraid she would change her mind if he didn’t do it well enough. “I am Mommy, I’m your stinky girl!!”

“You sure arrre!!” she cooed, booping him on the nose.

It was kind of strange to watch. Heather had never been the “motherly” type. She never wanted kids, she never had any interest in the idea of being a housewife. She was a go-getter. So to see her fawning over Brandon and his diapers like this was certainly a sight to see.

“You want changies??”

“Yes Mommy! Me wants changies!!”

Heather pressed her hand to the front of his diaper, and the other to one of the tapes. I was surprised at how she didn’t flinch at touching the soggy padding. The Heather I knew would wash her hands twice after going to the bathroom.

Once she had both the tapes undone, she grabbed the entire front flap and looked back at me, “Hold your breath.” she said.

Even with the mask, even with me stopping myself from breathing, the smell was still quite pungent.

“Ohhh my goodness!!” Heather exclaimed. “That’s quite the load!”

Brandon covered his face with his hands. Now that he was splayed out on the floor, with all the evidence of what he did, his most vulnerable parts showing, he must have been overwhelmed with shame. I had imagined worse in my mind. It wasn’t as runny or spread out as I imagined. He must have been on a high fiber diet. Oh god…was I really examining his feces??

“Do you mind handing me some wipes?” Heather asked, reaching her hand back. She glanced back at the scene of the crime. “Lots of wipes…”

I found the crinkly package located on the side of the bag, I popped it open and yanked out at least 5 or 6 like I was pulling tissues when knee deep in the flu.

“Thanks, bestie!” she said when I handed them to her. I watched as she used the front of the diaper to push down his crack and clear most of the damage away. It was ingenious really. I’d never changed a diaper myself, so I was honestly very impressed by Heather’s expertise. She slowly, methodically used the wipes to clean the remaining areas. Brandon gasped and whimpered when she brought her fingers between his crack. I noticed she’d covered one with the wipe and slipped it all the way inside his cleanly shaven butthole.

“Don’t let him fool you,” she said with a wink, “He loves it back there. He was begging for a pegging last week!”

We both giggled at that, much to Brandon’s chagrin. Heather needed a few more wipes from me, dropping the used ones in the dirty diaper down below. Finally, she made her way up to his balls. He flinched from the cold, but then relaxed. It took several passes to wipe all the sticky juices leaking from the flat, coin-like cage.

She looked back at me again. “I have to take his cage off to clean underneath. Maybe look away?”

“Why?”

“Well…you’re gonna have to see his penis.”

“I can already see his penis.” What’s left of it. I thought.

Heather laughed. “I guess you’re right.”

She reached between her breasts, pulling out a dangling chain. At first I thought it was some sort of jewelry I hadn’t seen, but Brandon never bought her jewelry. Instead, it was just a tiny little key.

It took me far too long to put it all together. I blame the wine.

She lifted it off her head, and brought it to what I assumed was the locking mechanism on the side. It took her a couple times to get it in the slot, apparently she hadn’t had as much practice at that part. Finally, she made it in and turned it with a soft click!

Brandon’s breathing was quick, syncopated, and desperate. Heather lifted the top off and several ropes of precum followed. The head of Brandon’s penis was so shriveled and purple from being stuck in an almost inward position for so long. But it only took a couple of seconds of fresh air to send it pointing straight up to the ceiling. It was probably only maybe 4 inches, possibly 4.5 if it hadn’t been locked up so long.

“Sorry,” Heather laughed awkwardly, embarrassed by her boyfriend’s erection.

“It’s okay!” I assured her, but I had to ask, “Is it always that…small?”

“Actually…” Heather chuckled, “this is probably the biggest I’ve ever seen it.”

It was hard not to laugh, so I didn’t bother trying. “It’s so…cute. And pathetic! No wonder he drives a giant lifted truck!”

Brandon didn’t think that was nearly as funny as Heather did.

“But…isn’t this how you…control him?” I asked, “What’s stopping him from running off now that his little pecker is free?”

“Oh I have other ways.” Heather smiled wickedly, turning back to Brandon. “Petrificus”.

Brandon’s arms immediately snapped to his sides, his legs even more rigid than his cock. It was like he had been frozen in place.

“What the hell was that?!” I asked incredulously.

“Just a little command.”

“Does he do that on his own or is it some sort of…” witchcraft, I wanted to say. But that would sound too ridiculous.

Heather just shrugged. “I don’t even know, really. Apparently they had him on some sort of hypnosis regiment at The Facility, and all I have to do is say some special words and he obeys.”

“Like a dog?”

Heather laughed at that, “Yea, I guess so!”

“What other ‘tricks’ can he do?”

“Hmm..” Heather had to think for a second, then one popped in her mind. “Pollex” she said.

One of Brandon’s arms instantly shot upward and inserted its thumb into his mouth. He started suckling instantly like a piglet on the teet.

“That’s amazing.” I reveled in awe. “You must do that all the time!”

“Mm…not really.” She said, shrugging, “I much prefer to make him obey me the hard way. On his own volition, you know? But it is fun to slip those words out in public or at random times. You know, when he’s being a big ‘ole dummy.”

At that last word Brandon instantly yanked his thumb out and replaced it with that ridiculous pacifier, like he was clinging on to the last bit of air and the head of that rubber penis was his only lifeline for oxygen.

“It’s hilarious when we’re out and he doesn’t have that pacifier around. If I—or even someone else—says dummy he is scrambling for anything he can put in his mouth to suck on!”

“That’s…honestly really cool.”

“Crazy what they can do to the mind isn’t it?” She chuckled, then turned back to him. “Rellex”

Brandon’s arms and legs instantly went limp again, like a puppet getting its strings cut. His dick, however, was still as stiff as ever.

“Now where were we…”

Upon my limited inspection of Brandon’s penis, it looked relatively clean. Still, Heather must have thought it required a wipedown. Brandon shuddered when she wrapped the cold wipe around it, but that discomfort was immediately replaced with incessant breathing. I got the feeling Heather didn’t give it this much attention often. Or maybe she did, because she seemed to take pleasure in slowly moving the wipe up and down more than she needed to. But right as Brandon’s breaths became heavy like he was about to…she pulled it away, leaving Brandon mewling and whimpering on the floor.

She tossed the wipe down into the dirty pile with the others, folding the diaper over and then rolling the soiled mess up, taping it together, and setting the poopy package off to the side. Further away from me, thankfully.

“Lotion?” She said to me. Like a surgeon’s assistant, I searched the bag and handed the item to her.

She smiled in appreciation as she took it, squeezing a generous amount into her hand and rubbing them both together. Putting her oiled palms on the creases of his thighs and pelvis, rubbing down the entire area except for his sensitive bits. Eventually, she started tracing one hand down until it was between his crack, pressing her finger into his hole again. He didn’t even try to fake displeasure, his eyes were in the back of his head now. She used the other hand to cup and knead his balls, then made her way up the shaft.

It was an intimate moment that I felt I shouldn’t really be watching, but I couldn’t look away. I was enraptured by this bizarre scene, the same way you couldn’t help but look at a car accident.

She made a ring with her fingers and brought it up his penis ever so gently. His hips practically followed her upward, lifting off the floor until she pulled up higher than he could, so he dropped back down in frustration while simultaneously jamming her finger further into his ass.

She repeated the process over and over again. Only going upward in one long smooth stroke. Never going down. It was driving Brandon absolutely crazy. He was a whiny puddle on the floor. I’d never imagined he could make such high-pitched, desperate and—frankly—pathetic sounds.

“Awww!! What’s the matturr, little one?” Heather teased, knowing exactly what she was doing.

“P-p-please let me make cummies, Mommy!!”

Make cummies? That’s a new one…I thought.

“Hmm…do you think you deserve it?” She asked, still doing that upward stroke gently and inserting a second finger into his ass. He welcomed it gratefully.

“Yes Mommy!!” Brandon practically shouted. “I’ve been a good girl! I’ve been a good girl!!”

“Hmm…watta you think Lynds? Has Brandi been a good girl?”

I shrugged exaggeratedly, happy to join in on the playful fun with my best friend. “Oh I don’t know…..”

I saw a lightbulb go off in Heather’s head. “I think Ms. Lyndsey should decide if the baby girl gets to make cummies or not! How’s that sound?”

Brandon turned to me with those misty little doe eyes. His normally hardened features now pleading and desperate. I’d never seen him so vulnerable. The man I spent the last 3 years loathing was now (figuratively) in the palm of my hands. It was surprisingly endearing to have this much power. This was fun! I could see why Heather seemed to enjoy it so much.

It was my turn to exaggeratedly ponder by tapping a finger to my chin. “You know,” I said to him, “You and I have hung out with each other dozens of times. We’re ‘friends’ on social media. I’m sure Heather talks about me a lot…” Heather nodded in agreement. “So all you have to do in order to cum is: tell me what my last name is.”

Heather must have enjoyed the challenge I presented, she smiled brightly, turning back to him expectantly. Finally going up and down on his dick, slowly, as if to show him what was waiting for him if he answered correctly.

Brandon’s face, however, was horror-stricken. Something so simple could get him the orgasm he so desperately desired after so long. All he had to do was pay the slightest bit of attention to the most important people in his girlfriend’s life. But he now realized he couldn’t even do that. He was going to suffer for always being so self-centered.

The pacifier fell from his mouth, he had drool running down his chin from being so infatuated with it before. But now, his bottom lip quivered, his eyes darting left and right for a modicum of recollection. As the silence drew on, Heather stopped her stroking motion, the two of us waiting expectantly.

Brandon realized his time had run out. He had to venture a guess: “Uh…Smith?”

Heather sighed and scoffed in disbelief. “It’s Johnson.” She told him, like he was a fucking idiot. “Literally the same as yours!”

No relation, thankfully.

Brandon looked like he was going to cry as Heather removed her hand from his swollen, purple penis. Actually, he was crying! Tears were now streaming down his face. This big, burley man had been reduced to a feeble, blubbering mess. He started moving his hands to the area in desperation, but must have thought better of it, returning them back to his sides as Heather scooped up the front of the cage again.

“Do you mind fetching me some ice cubes?” She asked me.

A strange request, but sure. By the time I got back from the freezer with the ice tray in hand, Heather had the pacifier back in Brandon’s mouth to muffle his cries.

“I only need one or two,” she said. I popped them out and handed them to her. I watched as she pressed one to the tip of his penis, and the other on the sensitive part underneath the head.

Brandon flinched and floundered from the cold, still whimpering pathetically. Within no time, Brandon’s penis had shrunken down to its flaccid, acorn-length state. Making it easier for Heather to press it back into the tiny cage to the sound of Brandon absolutely bawling.

“Pick out a diaper for him.” Heather hollered over the crying, not the least bit bothered by it, even giving me a smile and a wink while her boyfriend writhed in his dress on the floor. Powerless.

I was surprised by just how many different types of these ‘adult’ diapers there were. The prints certainly didn’t look like they were made for adults. There were zoo animals, cartoon dinosaurs, mermaids, princesses, and unicorns. I chose the one that had the last two on it. The pink accents matches his dress perfectly, and it seemed quite fitting for the state he was in.

“I knew you would pick that one!!” Heather laughed as I handed it to her. But when I pulled it from the bag, a long strand also came with it.

“What is this?” I asked.

She glanced over while unfurling the diaper and doing some sort of creasing and fluffing to it. “Some ribbon.” She said.

“What’s it for?”

“I use it to ‘decorate’ him sometimes.” She shrugged, “I put it around his neck like a collar, around his wrists, his hair, or his…”

“His penis?!”

She laughed, nodding.

“Oh my god! We HAVE to do that!!”

I thought back to the time in college when we for some reason decided we wanted to take our Christmas present wrapping to the next level. We must have spent hours watching Youtube videos and perfecting the method. But none of them looked quite as good as the one we wrapped around Brandon’s little caged penis. Like a tiny package only Heather was allowed to open.

“It just makes it look so much cuter, doesn’t it?!”

Heather had to wipe moisture from her own eyes on account of how much she was laughing. Who would have thought we would be bonding over beautifying her boyfriend?

“Now the powder!”

A cloud of dust later, Brandon’s bits had a fresh blanket of snow. Each step of this whole diaper change plunged him further and further into that prissy pampered pansy look.

“Oh! One more thing!” Heather took the bag from me before I could do anything. “Sorry,” she said, rifling through the contents, “Didn’t want you to have to touch this one…” Eventually, she found what she was looking for. It was a little steel bulb with a pink jewel at the base. I at least knew what this one was.

“I call it his ‘assy paci’!!” Heather gleamed. It had me cackling while she took some baby oil and spread it over the top, smearing it around before pressing it to Brandon’s hole. It went in much easier than I thought it would.

“No more stinkies for you today!” she teased, booping him on the nose.

Finally, it was time to pull the diaper up and tape it shut. Heather extended her arms and let Brandon use them to pull himself up, like he was incapable of doing it without her. His eyes were still misty, he sniffled behind his paci, face all puffy.

Heather picked up the dirty diaper and handed it to him.

“Outside.” She said, “I don't want it stinking up the house.”

Brandon hung his head, but silently obeyed. Clambering up on his feet for probably the first time since I'd been here. The combination of the buttplug and the fluffy diaper gave him quite the comical waddle as he made his way to the door. He stopped, sighed, and seemed to be gathering some courage. Looking back at Heather in hopes that she would change her mind. When she didn’t, he exhaled and grabbed the knob. The light of the sunset peeked through when he finally opened it, crossing the threshold and shutting the door behind him.

“You have a trash can outside?” I asked, not remembering one.

“More like a dumpster…down the block.” Heather giggled.

“Do you keep him diapered all the time?” I asked.

“All day, every day.” She replied. “I actually let him go to bed without them once and he ended up soaking the sheets. Haven’t made that mistake again!”

“What about when he goes to work?”

“He wears them under his clothes. I’ve had to go in several times to change him on his lunch break.”

It was so much to grasp. I understood why she hadn’t told me about it all until now. There was no way I would have believed something like this if it were conveyed through a text message.

“What does he do all day?”

She shrugged, “Well, when he’s not cleaning the house in a skimpy maid outfit, he plays with his blocks, stuffed animals, trains, stuff like that.”

“Isn’t that…boring?”

“For him? Or for me?”

“Yes.”

She laughed at that, our way of saying ‘both’, then inclined her head. “I’m sure it is for him. It’s very mindless. I like it because it makes him look cute and innocent. Much better than when I had to listen to him play video games or watch Football…”

I remembered the time we were over to watch the Cowboys and he punched the middle of the screen when the ref made a “dumn fucking call” (according to him.)

“It’s the other things I make him play with that are more entertaining.”

My interest was piqued. “Ooohh! What?? Tell me!!”

But just as Heather opened her mouth, Brandon came back in the house, looking exasperated and emasculated.

“Hi honey!” Heather chirped, like he was a husband coming home to a housewife after a long day of work.

“Would you be a doll and go get us each a fresh glass of wine?”

Brandon just nodded and made his way straight to kitchen.

“Then I want you to go get your special toys!” Heather called over her shoulder.

I’m not sure what she was referring to, but whatever it was, it stopped Brandon dead in his tracks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part 3 won't make it to Tumblr. I have to keep some things exclusive for my subscribers. If you'd like to join, read the rest, and help support me, go to Substar, Reams, or Allmylinks!

#besties #part 2

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robin-buck1ey · 10 months

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I see a lot of people talk about how they wouldn’t be upset if ronance was endgame but they would prefer Nancy to be on her own, and while that’s totally valid, I just wanna quickly shine a light on something.

Nancy does need sometime of her own, so much crazy stuff has happened that she just wants to keep atleast something the same. In this case, that’s Jonathan. She knows it’s probably best they break up, and so does he, but they’re both scared of what that means and afraid to add any more dread to their crazy lives.

So yes, Nancy needs time to reflect and be independent and truly find herself, however people often forget the exact dynamic Robin and Nancy have.

Robin and Nancy don’t rely on eachother, they are both strong, independent, intelligent women. When they paired up throughout season 4, it was always helping eachother, backing, and empowering one another.

There was never dragging the other down once they knew how the other worked and their strengths. They quickly realized working together allows them to join their strengths to become a power duo.

The comparison between jancy and ronance as detective duos is quite clear. Nancy is constantly having to fill Jonathan in or he’s doubting her ideas or plans. Robin is adding to Nancy’s ideas and sometimes a step ahead.

If Robin and Nancy were to be together, it’s not to be the same as her past relationships. Nancy isn’t going to be trapped in an expectation, she’s still going to be independent, learning, and not have to worry about doing what she desires because she thinks it might affect her partner, she’s not going to be doubted in anyway, they will be stronger together. Not hold eachother down.

Nancy needs to be free. But that doesn’t mean she has to be single. It’s seemed that way because she’s felt trapped in her relationships throughout the show, but ronances dynamic is different. That’s what makes them stand out so much.

Robin sets a side of Nancy free, and that was hard for Nancy because she just try’s to make sure that everything is “perfect” but Robin knows it isn’t, and she’s patient to let Nancy open up and share her thoughts and ideas, she wants Nancy to lead her own life, to do things when and how she wants to.

It’s apart of what she liked about Tammy Thompson, “she has dreams!” Is what she had told Steve when he had mocked Tammy’s career choice.

Nancy has dreams too. She’s determined, focused, and dedicated.

While Steve doesn’t appear to be very aware of this given his ideal for their future to be 6 kids and stereotypical life, Jonathan is aware of this, and it’s exactly why he wants to break up.

He said it himself, Nancy would rather give up her dreams to be with Jonathan, than to live them out and he can’t be what she needs to follow those dreams. Nancy is is dedicated to her dreams but also the ones she loves. She puts them above everything else, constantly risking her life to save others.

Nancy’s relationships have trapped her, but a relationship doesn’t have to be a cage, it can be the key to escape one. To break free. From Hawkins, from their fears, from societal expectations.

Ronance being endgame wouldn’t mean Nancy doesn’t get what she would being single, it just means she’d have someone right there helping push her further, supporting her every step to success and happiness.

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the-way-of-words · 8 months

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Sing A Song For California

Nick Folio x Ofc (Mel) Content Warnings: oral sex, hair pulling, unprotected sex (don't be dumb like these guys, wrap it up) Contains sexual situations with a fictionalized version of a real person. This is fiction. None of this happened. If this isn't your thing though, then hit the back button or scroll on. So, this started as a smut prompt (found here) request from an anon for Folio with the prompt of Louder/Quieter and it uh, kinda took on a life of its own. Sorry about that. This is a follow up to All We've Got's Tonight and happens to be PolyVerse adjacent. Seriously, I don't know why I'm like this. But anyways. Have at it! And dear anon, I hope you enjoy.

Tag team: @ladyveronikawrites, @nerdraging4point0, @cncohshit, @jxstthisonce, @shaydayhere, @kingdomof-omens, @no-clean-thoughts

My master list can be found here.

~~~

<NF> So, you're in L.A., huh?

Mel looks up, confused, swings her head around to see she can spot him, but he's nowhere to be found.

<Mel> … You stalking me Nick Folio?

<NF> And if I am?

<Mel> I own pepper spray, you know

<NF> Hah. I promise to behave

…

I may have been checking out your Instagram… and what a coincidence, we're in the same city.

Her cheeks heat. She hasn't seen him since he convinced her to come to his show, days after they met. It's been awhile, months in fact, but it's hard to forget how his hands felt on her body, the heat of him against her. It doesn't help that every now and then she gets a text, or a dm on Instagram; just to check in, say hi. She's very proud of herself for keeping it casual, for not going any deeper, as if she were trying to build something.

<Mel> That is quite the coincidence.

<NF> Would it be too much to ask if I could see you?

It shouldn't be such a complicated question to answer, but it is. If Mel's honest with herself, she wouldn't mind seeing him again; has thought of that night plenty of times in the dark of her bedroom when she's feeling lonely. Not that she'd let him know that.

<Mel> That's bold of you. For all you know, I could be here with a boyfriend.

She isn’t. She’s been in town visiting her sister this week, but he doesn’t need to know that.

<NF> You got a boyfriend, honey?

Honey. The word spreads heat through her. She can still hear the almost taunting way he said it after he left a hickey on her neck. Can see the self-satisfied smirk on his face, proud of the proof they'd been together that'd stay even after he was gone. He's got a possessive streak, she thinks, and she doesn't know if it stokes the fire, or gets on her nerves more.

<Mel> …No. But the thought of you squirming a bit was worth it.

Even though it's probably not the smartest decision, Mel gives in; gives in to the pull in her gut. She might be mad at herself for it in the morning, but that's tomorrow's problem.

<Mel> … When would you have in mind?

They meet at some restaurant Mel knows she won't remember the name of. It's awkward, or at least it is on her side; it feels more like a date than she thinks it should. The place is casual, and she appreciates that, but it still seems a little much for something they both know is just going to end with sex. As loath as she is to admit it though, she missed him, missed his stupid face and the ways he can make her laugh.

There's a get-together tonight, at his bandmates' house, and he wants her to come, if you want to. It's said in a rush, almost like he's afraid she'll say no, and it's cute; how nervous he seems. Mel says yes, in the end, because why not? She's already here, sitting at this table with him… and what’s that saying? In for a penny, in for a pound and all that.

And that’s how Mel finds herself with a beer in her hand, sitting next to Nick Folio in the living room of a strange house, playing the most intense game of Uno she’s ever seen.

“Uno.”

The statement comes from the only other woman in the house, Holly, and Mel’s realizing she might be why the game is so heated. The other woman smirks into her remaining card as the men around them groan, and she can’t help but laugh. They’ve played three previous rounds and the woman in question has won all of them.

“Haven’t you won enough?” Nick asks beside her, eyeing Holly suspiciously, “Are you sure you’re not cheating?”

The woman scoffs, “It’s not my fault you all suck this game…” she trails off to point at Mel, “except her… she’s kept me on my toes the entire night.”

It’s true, if anyone has been close to beating Holly, it’s been her, and even as she tries to keep a straight face, Mel can’t stop the smile that curves her lips up. She’s next to declare Uno and thanks to Nick serving a reverse card, she wins the game, effectively stealing the other woman’s fourth win. Whatever she was thinking a “get-together” full of band dudes was going to be, it wasn’t this. It seems more like an intimate gathering among friends and it’s got her insides at war with each other; she’s a little giddy at the fact that he seems comfortable enough to bring her around his friends, but panic wants to take root in her belly. This is feeling like more than a casual hook up.

Yet despite the pterodactyls flying in her stomach she accepts the high-fives and congratulations with glee.

One by one, they seem to drop. First, Jolly, the tall Swede who plays the guitar in their band, bids them good night; leaving with a kiss pressed to Holly’s cheek. Next is the other Nick, the bassist, who everyone seems to call Nick or Nicholas, referring to the man who brought her here by last name only. Mel finds herself a little curious when he pauses after he says goodnight, leaning into Holly for a split second before seeming to catch himself. He jerks back, putting a little more space between them before kissing Holly on the cheek as well. Then it’s just the four of them.

Conversation flows. The easy back and forth she has with Nick seems to extend to Holly and Noah as well, and Mel takes the time to observe the other two. She’s sure they’re a thing. There’s a closeness between them that speaks of more than casual friendship. Yet before this moment, she was almost sure that Holly and Nicholas were the item. It’s information Mel files away for later, to ask Nick about if she gets a chance. They don’t stay for much longer though, long enough for the woman to pull the promise of a rematch from Mel before she and Noah walk hand in hand up the stairs.

The room feels charged as soon as they’re alone. Almost as if the only thing holding them at bay were the others in the room. Heat warms in her gut when he turns his head, smiling at her a split second before reaching for her. Mel goes willingly, allowing him to pull her into his lap and his tongue into her mouth as soon as their lips meet.

His kiss is as good as she remembers, so is the sound he makes against her mouth when her fingers weave into his hair and tug. He retaliates by slipping his hand under her shirt, working it up her torso until he can pull one cup of her bra down to pluck her nipple. She can feel herself clench around nothing as she pulls her mouth away to whimper.

“Shhh,” he shushes her, bringing her mouth back to his, even as his fingers continue to tease. Mel can’t remember the last time she was in this position; making out in a stranger’s house with a guy she doesn’t really know. It reminds her of times long past but before she can let herself spiral too much about how she’s too old for this and any other reasons she should stop, Mel decides to allow herself another night with Nick Folio and save any self doubt for the day after.

His hand abandons her chest to join the other one at her waist, both of them gripping tight to help grind her down against him. They groan into each other’s mouths, abruptly pulling apart when they hear a thud from the ceiling above.

“Are your friends going to mind if we…” She asks, panting.

Nick chuckles, breathless, “Nah, Holly’s here… which at the very least will keep Nicholas and Noah occupied, if not Jolly too.” He kisses at her neck as his hands leave her waist to grasp the hem of her shirt, distracting her before she can even begin to dissect what he just said. “And if we stay quiet enough, there won’t be a reason for any of them to come looking.”

Whatever thoughts or concerns she had about his bandmates—and Holly—fly out the window when he nips the skin of her throat; her fingers tightening their grip on his hair the moment he sucks at a particular spot. “You are not leaving another hickey on me.” Mel makes sure he can hear the adamance in her voice.

He looks up at her and smirks, “What’s the matter, honey?” There it is again, honey. Her insides turn molten when he says it, even as the cocky asshole continues, “Didn’t you like having something to remember me by?”

“I think you liked the thought of marking me as yours.” She throws back at him, leaning in to capture his lips again before giving him any time to answer. He kisses her back roughly, as if he knows exactly what she’s doing, but he lets her do as she pleases, letting her kiss down his neck to nip at his own throat. She sits back to tug at his shirt, and he raises his arms, letting her pull it from his body and Mel remembers how her mouth watered at the sight of his dick last time. How much she wanted to feel the weight on her tongue, so that’s exactly what she sets out to do.

She kisses a path down his chest, noting the ink now covering the expanse, sliding backwards on his lap until she can get to her knees on the floor. His pupils are wide in the low light of the living room when she looks up at him, his hands flexing and releasing against his thighs.

“I seem to remember you telling me there would be time for this last time. So…” her hands go to the button of his jeans, “are you going to let me have you in my mouth?”

He huffs, “I don’t think you need to ask, but yes.”

Their hands bump against each other as he hastily helps her get his pants shuffled down enough for her to take him in her hand. She wraps her fingers around him, stroking him in a loose grip until his hips lift on their own accord, chasing her hand as she draws back. Nick groans out loud when she licks at the head, wrapping her tongue around it as she closes her lips around the sensitive tip. He whines when she pulls back.

“I think you’re going to need to be a little quieter than that.” Mel says around a smile.

Rolling his eyes, Nick looks down at her, “We’ll see what you say about ‘quieter’ when I get my--”

His words cut off instantaneously, head falling back when she takes him back into her mouth, tonguing his shaft as she works her way down. Mel bobs her head, taking more of him with every pass until her lips meet the base. He’s a mouthful, but she can take it. She lets him rest in her throat as she swallows around him, massaging the underside with her tongue; a trick she learned years ago drives men crazy and Nick is no exception. Tears blur her vision and she finally slides her mouth back, then forward again as she blinks the tears away.

His head is still tipped back when she looks up at him, the long line of his neck exposed and even as his dick is in her mouth, she can’t help but think he’s beautiful like this; lost in the heat of her mouth with his fists clenched tightly in the back cushions of the sofa. Her eyes roll back as he raises his hips to meet her, yet just as they begin to work in tandem he’s patting at her shoulders, running fingers through her hair to her attention.

She hums, continuing to jerk him off when pulls off his cock, “What is it?”

Mel takes pride in the way he rolls his eyes at her, hand closing around her arm lightly to tug her up to him, “Come on… get up here.”

“Impatient, aren’t you?”

“You telling me that if I reach my hand into these shorts of yours, I’m not gonna find you already wet?”

Standing between his legs, she plays with the waistband of her shorts. “Well, why don’t you find out?”

He surges forward, making quick work unfastening her shorts and thank god they have a little give because he doesn’t even bother with the zipper; just tugs them down her legs to let them pool at her feet while his fingers find the real prize. Nick touches her over her panties at first, smirking up at her triumphantly when the pads of his fingers brush against the damp fabric. And when he slips those fingers under the elastic hem, digits nudging through her folds to find her slick opening, she shoots a hand out to grasp his shoulder; something to keep her steady as her head falls back.

“Yeah.. that’s what I thought,” Nick says, and she can hear the smirk in his voice. He teases her, touching her everywhere but where she needs him the most. “Shit, come here.” His hands close around her waist, tugging her down to straddle his lap once again--

Her eyes roll back when she sinks onto him. Fuck, he feels as good as she remembers, splitting her open and filling her in all the right ways. Heat licks at her insides as she moves, want curling in the base of her spine when she closes the gap to bring their mouths together again. His hand weaves into the hair at the nape of her neck, fingers flexing and holding tight, and she moans, the sound swallowed by his mouth. It feels fast, and rough, and desperate, but it's exactly what she needs. Mel falls apart around him the second he presses his thumb to her clit, and he follows straight after, groaning into her mouth as he raises his hips, hilting himself inside her before he stills.

The morning after is less awkward than she expects. They both wake to the smell of fresh coffee and minimal teasing from his bandmates, although Mel’s pretty sure Holly’s presence has something to do with that. While she thought she knew what this was walking into it, every bit of this encounter has felt like something more than just a hook-up between casual acquaintances and she doesn’t quite know how to deal with it. So she doesn’t. She accepts the coffee, and later she lets Nick drive her back to her sister's house instead of calling a cab like she planned.

“So…” He begins as they pull up to the curb in front of her sister’s place. “If I wanted to get to know you more seriously… would you allow it?”

He almost sounds nervous, a far cry from the confident, almost cocky persona she’s accustomed to. His face gives nothing away when she looks at him, eyes hidden behind the dark lenses of his sunglasses.

She shouldn’t, Mel thinks. She should keep this as casual as possible because he’s a rockstar and while she knows they have something, it's something that’s probably better let be. But that is not what she says. No, what she says is, “Maybe.” Because she’ll be damned if she makes it easy for him. She smirks, leaning in to give him a kiss on his cheek before opening the door, “I guess you’ll have to see.”

#nick folio/ofc #nick folio x ofc #bad omens fanfiction #bad omens fanfic #bad omens fic #rpf #bad omens rpf #nick folio fic #nick folio smut #prompt fic

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odusseus-xvi · 7 months

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q!BAGHERA post because I am ecstatic

I want to talk about what happened yesterday (just in case, this isn't about drama or whatever this is talking about what the evolution of the character might be, no discourse, no drama, this isn't the subject of this post) because of HOW MANY POSSIBITIES IT OFFERS for Baghera and how TERRIFYING they all are.

Let me tell you I am terrified (ecstatic I love the angst gimme) because Baghera yesterday, discovered what BBH did (only partially, she doesn't know about the torture yet.. OH and when she does...). But that's the thing. She was upset at BBH, but what's worse is what BBH did to her. As of late Baghera has been lost, scared, and while everyone has moved on in their grief (they are all still grieving obviously, but they are at a point where they have grieved quite a bit and are now trying things) she has not even gotten the occasion to at all. She is trying to grieve her missing children AND her childhood she remembered she never had, AND Bad which is very obviously looking terrible, but everyone is moving along, trying to pass on to other things or trying to find solutions. Forever comes and tell her to try and be happy, but how can she ?

Here comes yesterday. Here comes BBH. I always suspected, and it was proven multiple times that Baghera was very much his moral compass. But at the time she came back, it was already to late. It was done. He did the mistake. And the thing is BBH is one of the only ones she decides to trust with some of her secrets, because it's her bebou, it's her partner in crime. It's the father of her children. And Bad decides to do the same, except HE puts her at test. She doesn't know it yet, he asks her to make the promise not to tell anyone and not to intervene. She oblige, obviously. And he shows her.

And she is shocked, she is starting to stress out. She is obviously angry at Bad, and at the same time... She promised, but it's fucked up, but it's her best friend, but it's too similar to her childhood she has to help, but it's Pomme's father she can't betray him. And when she makes it clear to Bad she is not happy he starts behaving in a way he never did with Baghz (when I tell you I got chills) , when he lied to her before it was mostly playful, but there it felt like manipulation, he cut her words short, "Is he oka-" "Yes he is don't worry.", he doesn't let space for her to be mad.

She promises to Ron. "I'll get you out of here. Give me one or two days"

And then when Forever etc. comes around she is still processing all this and she makes a quick decision, a terrible one. She lies to them. She protects Bad. But it's also to protect Ron. She may have an occasion to free him. And in that moment, she hates what she is doing. She doesn't want to lie but Bad has put her in an impossible position. And in trying to solve everything, to not betray anyone, she is forced to betray everyone. And she realises it. She hates it.

And that's where we get for what happens then. Because she is already lost and lonely, and one of the only person she could have used to get out of this downward spiral has betrayed her. He has lied and made her betray everyone else. And she will have to betray him soon. She will feel truly alone. She feels like she betrayed Forever, and in a way she did. She feels terrible, she can't trust him anymore, she has crossed the limits herself, she is too afraid. The French suspect her of things, she suspects them in return. (obviously she will still play with all of them because cc!Baghera is still friends with all of them, what I mean is she will just bottle up all those feelings again.)

That leaves three options.

First is Fit. But even if there is mutual respect in their respective secrets, that respect includes NOT giving away their secrets.

Second is Jaiden. "We have to stick together." But unlike anyone else, this will most likely end up in a downward spiral as well. They will just comfort each other in their compassion for Cucurucho, and in the end their past with the Federation.

Last is her "true and only" family. When she will truly be alone, there will be one option, that will always remain open.

The Federation.

Basically, unless there is an unforeseen turn of events, that can always happen, I want to say she is doomed.

And I can't wait to see what cc!Baghera comes up with.

#qsmp #qsmp baghera jones #qsmp baghera #qsmp forever #qsmp pomme #qsmp badboyhalo #qsmp bbh #qsmp french #qsmp fit #qsmp jaiden #qsmp federation

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sgiandubh · 5 months

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An intimate lunch

Coming back to this particular C pic, which has sparkled endless comments, today (still very busy days for me & I gave in and binged TCND - this explains the ungodly hour):

Dots have been connected (there are, after all, alternative Keepers of the Dots, a sobriquet I am therefore relinquishing, thanking again the friend who gifted it to me). And comments -ranging from stan blindness to unreasonable conspiracy theories - have been written too.

Tellingly enough, the wording of the Finch and Partners IG post was quite suggesting: 'an intimate lunch' means more than promo, almost a personal get together with, at the very least, carefully selected people.

Was she coat-tailing? Very probably, to the extent she is understandably interested in getting more acting (directing?) projects after OL. And to make it clear: there is nothing bad to it.

Did she know Cooper before? There is no way in hell to confirm it with 100% accuracy, but my guess is no. Someone, as it has been pointed out, obliged. These are the simple, expected minimum benefits of a PR agent, a Rolodex and of networking. And it is true: she has been consistently on Finch's list and invited at many of their events since at least 2016. Which is to say, since IFH? Oh. OK. No further questions, Your Honor.

Was it a reward for dragging along McIdiot at that Netflix gala, the day before? Even taking into account her visible lack of enthusiasm, I am afraid things are not as simple and mechanic as alternatively dangling the proverbial carrot and stick. It's a quid pro quo, not a reward. A part in a movie would be a reward - not a lunch in town: that would be selling herself very cheaply.

But of course, we are all idiots, as this reaction from a particularly ungifted Mordor pundit would like us to think:

This post is not about S, of course. And the posited question is a superb logical fallacy: S is 'never invited to any of these events', because his side projects are different and his social media communication strategy is different, too. She was not there because of S and no one on this side of the fandom seriously suggested it.

Also, let's not show more idiocy than you are naturally able of, denizens of Mordor: Cooper did not really need her 1 (one) Academy Awards vote. And do you know why? Well, her vote would not make any serious difference among the 7,999 others, this is why:

Yes, the Britannica: I know it pisses you, and many other people, mightily off.

But perhaps she was there also because of this?

Enlighten me, please, since I am such a forgetful idiot, what on Earth might have happened to The Cut? You know, the project she was shooting just before the SAG-AFTRA strike began?

Crickets. And, which is more alarming...

If proven correct, this IMDb info is not very good news and I would be bereft for her. Honestly. Check the link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26697087/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cl_sm. It lists the entire crew, up to the last best boy. Whatever happened to C's part? Whatever happened to C? The movie is now announced in post-production. Surely we'll know very soon, one way or another. But if her part has been slashed out, it's only normal to be more active and scout any possible project opportunity.

Ultimately, the core problem remains unchanged: since she did not post this picture on her socials, she is still as uninterested in them as she's always been. Always. And sorry for repeating myself, but spare some scarce mention about make-up and attire (presumably to be nice to personal friends), she does not engage with this fandom. At all. That does not leave her stans with many options but to write their own fanfic, while accusing us (who may know a bit more than them, at any rate) of doing the same.

Smart girl, C. I am sure S&C divided their respective roles in the 'Coping with the Narrative' in-house production for a very long time and this is the most important thing of them all. The rest is babble, including this post.

#fandom

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freyito · 5 months

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9ꜱ, 2ʙ, ᴀ2, ᴀᴅᴀᴍ, & ᴇᴠᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴄᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ꜰᴛᴍ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

so! self indulgent. way self indulgent. getting this outta my head before it drives me CRAZY!!!! i know mk is like my hyperfixation rn but, i really love love love drakengard and nier. and Nier: Automata was the first game I played of the series. OBVIOUSLY this is beyond canon divergent, but i was thinking... (aside from 2b and a2) these guys probably know transgenderism and stuff but like... how would they react when PRESENTED with that yknow yknow... ANYWAYS PLAY NIER AUTOMATA (AND REPLICANT), REAL GOOD GAMES

cw: sfw, fluff, implied romantic feelings (no relationship), SPOILERS, so so so beyond canon divergent, male reader, afab, not proofread.

Nines is curious by nature. He's studied on humans and the human condition. Almost terrifyingly so. He's actually so so so interested in the fact that your trans. Not in a creepy way. Androids have no need to identify, really. And when they wish to be perceived differently, it's quite literally as simple as the switch of a button.

So, to not only be housing a human at the bunker, but one as interesting as you... boy, you are in for so many questions. So. Goddamn. Many. He's curious about your body- but don't take it in a perverted sense. Simply, what do the hormones do? How does your body balance it out? It's all sooooo sooooooo interesting.

He'll even ask if you could lift your shirt for him. He's so unaware of boundaries and proper etiquette, it hurts. But he simply wants to see the scars. Why? Dunno. It'll satisfy his curiosity. Maybe a little more! Nines just wants to know you more intimately. Yes, he knows allll about humans. But he doesn't know about you. He cannot hide it.

2B keeps her distance about the topic. Out of respect, but also, she still prioritizes her mission over you. Unfortunately. Though, at the very edge of her mind, she has all sorts of questions. Mainly about how society would've treated you. Perhaps you are not of those times, but she is deeply aware of the prejudice of the past civilizations.

But, some days, she lurks by your room, too afraid to wander in. She is afraid of her own curiosity. You do not get to see her much, seeing as it is forbidden to bring you down to earths surface, in fear of losing the last human to exist. You are too precious. To her, yes. But to YoRHa, as well. She will not admit those feelings, however.

She does find her courage somewhere, simply asking how it feels. An odd question, from an Android as straightforward as her. But nonetheless, you indulge in her curiosity. And if you were to ask why she's asking? She'll brush it off. It is important to the mission. You are important to the mission. It is important that she understands.

A2 does not care much for humanity. She shows barely any interest in you, even if the rumors of you spread like wildfire amongst the resistance and the machine network. She's lost her purpose, there's not much to care about, aside from her well-being. So why would she care for an interesting anomaly like you?

Why, she asks, when she finds herself seeking you out at the resistance camp. Locked away in a make-shift room while waiting for transport to the bunker. This is her last chance, she knows. She also knows it is dangerous, but she figures it'll be worth it. The last human remaining, something she had thought was long dead. A lie. That's really what she thought you were.

Yet, A2 is surprised to see that you are very very real, and the honest truth. It does not reignite her flame for her mission, but something within her swells. She simply stares at you, almost expectantly. She does not say a word. You can just barley see an ounce of curiosity and excitement behind that flat expression. And when you open your mouth to speak, she walks out of the room, and away. That is the last you saw of her.

Adam

Adam knows almost as much as Nines does. Maybe even more. He caught wind of your existence when one of the stubbies near SCREAMED across the network. He was quick to pick you up before the Androids did. He even created you a nice little room within the copied city. Something like home, no doubt. Or at least, a resemblance of it. He stays every present, not once does he leave you alone. He even stations a Biped by you that he can tap into.

He peppers you with questions on the daily, yet still keeps a maximum of thirty. He's logging your existence. He's actually worshipping it, really. Some sort of pseudo-god in a wasteland. He's so very respectful about his questions and knows when to lay-off, as much as his mind burns with questions.

At the end of the day, though, Adam's practically on his knees, begging to see just how your body has held up. He wants to see what testosterones done, he wants to see this marvelous thing called "top surgery", he wants to see it all. ONLY if you allow him too, of course. Regardless, you are stuck with him and his brother until his inevitable demise.

Eve

Eve was actually the first to find you once that stubby alerted the machine network of a human. Yet, before he could even touch you, his brother had whisked you away to the copied city. Only there did you get to meet Eve in full. He is a lot less contained than his brother, most days he spent leaning over your (uncomfy) bedside, asking you all sorts of questions. About how it feels to be human, what hurts more (like if he threw a block at you or a machine at you!), he is less so interested in your identity.

But when he connects the dots, oh boy. More questions. More and more as the days go by. When his brother isn't there, he's asking alllll about your anatomy. Why can't you switch it so easily like he could? Wait, that's a silly question, he knows the answer. Did you know in old civilizations you we-

Adam shuts Eve up real quick before his questions can border insulting. He means you no harm, and actually he feels kind of hurt if he insults you! He's just so damn curious and he has to know allll about you. For now, you are the second most important thing in his new life, something he would willingly go to this thing called hell- you know that place, right?- for you. And back!

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