#i want to do more low-poly inspired stuff i think...

[sharkthing]

trying something different

[bad-art-with-style]

Decided to finally draw up an emo band for League of legends, roles for each character are:

Talon (originally the drummer but becomes the lead singer when front man quits, didn’t want to join bc he got bullied for being emo in middle school, is now here after being “lovingly encouraged” to join by his friend briar).

heavy Gerard way/early my Chemical romance inspiration for him, learned to play guitar because he thought it was cool but switched to drums because it annoyed his sisters more. Is still an emo kid and fully embarrasses it as time goes on. Weapon is a drumstick he grips the same way you would a straw when pretending to be the wolverine. Could also just have it attached to a bracelet or doe thing idk.

Hwei (front man but later leaves the band after being lured away, probably joins again later on)

inspired by lead singer of paramour, he gets two outfits shown bc I love the second one but I think the first is a bit more in brand for the vibe of the group. Is definitely going to be monochrome but have bits of his usual color pallet show up either in the threads and paint or as like a pattern or something. Weapon is probably going to be a mic and paint can just be a punch of music noted or sheet music.

Varus (bass player/ back up guitarist, becomes lead guitarist after Hwei leaves. Did some solo stuff and traveled between a few other groups before being approached to join by Hweii)

deisgn inspired by Andy black from black veil brides (Basically stole his look) and Ronnie from Falling in reverse. Was an ex military dude who fell into music after service, is in his late twenties while the others are in their early twenties so he gives off big older brother energy. Is in a poly relationship with Valmsr and Kai who basically adopt the other members of the band and are down to kill anyone who tries to hurt them. Don’t ask how I’m going to turn his guitar into a bow, it’ll some how happen.

Briar (pianist for a different emo band but is friends with Talon and low key forced him to join bc she knew he was still and emo kid at heart)

is a member of a trio that includes Rell and Jinx ( their designs will be posted as soon as I figure out the fuck I’m going to do with Rell’s armor), she plays keyboard and meet talon either in college and found out about his “emo phase” or was a friend of his in middle school so was their when it happened, either way when she heard about a band looking for a drummer she hoped on board to sign talon up. Is also besties with Alune from heart steel and is the calm one out of the two.

Her pilary is the piano btw, has a lot of spikes and shit, didn’t get around to designing it. Might show up later. Design is just based off goth girls from the 2000s.

[bluerogueanna]

Another way I write my stories and ideas is by abusing my computer's basic notepad program. The poor thing has seen some nasty stuff, incomplete ideas and unoriginal ideas. My laptop died with a dozen or so unfinished stories. And while most of this I just write for fun, to read on my own when the WiFi is down or wathever, I have done some fairly interesting things on my computers.

Recently I also started doing some 3D models, inspired by great people here that do great low-poly stuff that resembles the 64 and 128 bit era of games I love so much. I'm still finding my own style but I love doing little 3D fellows, it's addicting. But that's a post for another day, today I just wanted to share some quick basic ideas I've been thinking about. I wanna post them here but like with the rest, I just wanna make sure they're readable. Like with my blog, I tend to ramble and go on tangents while writing my stories.

In a way, I do it for myself to give me a nice guide for when I eventually draw the characters and worlds. But wathever I end up writing or not, I always think of how it would look like for someone else if they were reading it online or on a magazine, stuff like that.

I'll share the stories in greater detail sometime next week, but here are the basic general ideas for these three stories. I'm quite proud of them and I even made tons of reference art for them. For one in particular I even made mock-ups for the protagonists as characters for a romhack/mod I'm constantly working on.

Enough rambling, I think.

The first story I wanted to share is about a "Witch" who recently moved out to a newly bought cabin by the mountains. Sorrounded by trees, wildlife and caves, the woman wanted to research nature by directly living around the beings she wanted to document and write extensive reports on. The world she lives in is full of interesting beings, magic and creatures of all sizes. She hopes to become an important figure in the world of scientific advancement and ecological preservation efforts. As soon as she has moved all her gear and notes, a corvid of some kind makes a nest within her home. She makes them her first subject and begins taking notes on the little bird's life, its diet and behaviour. She can't help but become friends with the bird as it builds a family right by her bedroom window. She expected the change in her life to lead to a peaceful and reclusive existence. But she would get more and more visits, some becoming permanent residents within her increasingly constricted home. Ever the optimist, the "Witch" takes every change as an opportunity to broaden the scope of her research. She would have the chance to closely examine life forms that not many have even seen up-close, while also dealing with sudden changes to what she imagined as a comfortable solitary life.

Next, a story about a strange cult of some sort. In an otherwise quiet and peaceful city, people have noticed strange pamphlets and signs posted all over the many public parks. Some officials call the displays vandalism, the local church calls it heresy and the public thinks it's just some sort of circus or similar performance. In truth, the papers were posted in hopes of recruiting members for a new religion, one where "the true sinners would finally face justice" and claiming to have a place where people would never feel rejected, neglected or abandoned. Where nobody would be taking advantage of their faith or their good will. A place for the people in need to enjoy a decent life. Many citizens dismiss it as some sort of mockery of their own beliefs. But nobody already religious takes it seriously enough to do anything about it. And the few who decide to find the new group to see if they were telling the truth would quickly see that not only was this new religion serious about their mission, but it already had dozens of followers from all over the country. Their devotion perplexed many who didn't understand their convictions or their methods. But anyone interested would witness true justice enacted by a deity who listened to their prayers.

Lastly, a story that touches on sensitive topics and tragedy. A mercenary who has worked her entire life to protect the hides of unsavory individuals gets tired of saving the lives of unworthy people and moves out of the city she grew up in, hoping to find different kinds of clients. On her way to a neighbouring Queendom, she bumps into a girl wearing barely anything other than a hood to cover her face and some sturdy-looking boots. The girl is on her way to a city close to the Queendom and after walking together for a while, she hires the mercenary to escort her safely to her destination. At first, the mercenary just can't understand why she asked for protection. The girl could use magic and was good with a sword. But soon it would become clear that she was being followed. Whoever she was, there were all kinds of creeps out to get her. And she notices none of them want to hurt the girl, they want to take her away alive. And because the mercenary couldn't have worse luck, whenever she did a good deed on her way to the Queendom and was about to be rewarded for her efforts, the girl's attackers would quickly scare away everyone with their violent and vulgar actions. Through her many attempted kidnappings, it was discovered she wasn't royalty, but that she had some kind of rare blood that they wanted to extract out of her. And the mercenary wanted two things out of the girl. She demanded to know what the girl really was and she wanted her to make up for all the rewards she missed out on because of the constant harrassment from her would-be abductors.

Any and all feedback is appreciated. Thanks for reading!

[weasleyswizardpleases]

Low Profile (reader x fred and george)

Summary: You and your best friends find yourself entangled in a secret polyamorous love affair, right under their family’s noses.

Warnings/Notes: Cw language, kissing (but no sex of any kind), family not accepting poly/queer relationship, bruising. This is for the wonderful and talented @lunalovecroft​’s 2.7k trope-inspired writing challenge! It’s also part of my loose series of fics that take place over the summer when y/n stays at the Weasleys’ house. No twincest- v shaped poly relationship. Here’s my masterlist if you want more! Enjoy!

Ever since you and Fred hooked up the first night of the summer, you’ve been joined at the hip even more than usual, and since George is always with Fred and usually with you, he had to be told once it was clear that you and Fred were gonna be more than a one night stand. You were a bit sad, knowing that it’d probably make him feel left out, in a way. You noticed that George looked a bit miffed when the two of you told him you were dating, in the loosest sense of the word. 

“What’s the matter, you jealous Georgie?” you tease, putting your hand on his knee flamboyantly. He blushes and you and Fred exchange a look.

“Oh my god, you actually are, aren’t you?” Fred asks, half-mocking. For once, George seems to be at a loss for words. He looks quite uncertain and a bit sad. You figure that you may as well break the tension and speak honestly; it’s more important to you to be frank and maintain your friendship than anything else. You clear your throat.

“George, honestly, if you’d been there instead of Fred that night, I’d probably have hooked up with you, too. We’ll all still be friends. That’s why we’re telling you, so we’re not keeping secrets,” you say, trying to goad him into speaking. He shakes his discomfort off and begins.

“Oh, I knew this would happen! We used to just be friends before the two of you started making eyes at each other all the time. Now I’ll barely be able to talk to the two of you- my two best friends, mind you- without all this lovey dovey shit. What an absolute nightmare!”

You open your mouth to speak, but George barrels on, looking at Fred this time.

“And you, some brother you are. You know how I feel about Y/N, I thought we had an agreement to keep it platonic all around?”

“It’s not my fault they’re interested in me!”

“George, I said I would have kissed you that night too! Actually, that’s what I’ve been trying to say to both of you. I’ve got feelings for you, both of you.”

They stop bickering and turn to look at you, turning the idea over in their minds.

“What are you saying?” asks Fred, looking a bit hurt.

“I’m saying,” you take a deep breath, “that I’ve never been better friends with one of you than the other. We do everything together. I don’t want that to change. Besides, you two are identical. Did you think your birthmark was that big of a selling point, Freddie? Of course I think you’re both good-looking, look in the mirror for goodness’ sake!”

They blink at you, then turn away to confer with one another in whispers. You tap your foot impatiently, but when they turn around, they’re beaming.

“So what you’re saying is you’d be fine with us sharing you?” George asks.

“More than fine. I’d be absolutely chuffed,” you say, returning their smiles.

“It’s settled, then,” Fred says, and plants a kiss on the top of your head. You look up at George permissively, and he puts his arm around you and gives you a squeeze.

“One thing, though. Mum and Dad can’t know. Mum especially. She’s not the most open-minded when it comes to this stuff. Especially with us. At least, I doubt she is,” Fred says.

“Yeah, funnily enough it never occurred to me to ask what she’d do if my twin brother and I started a poly fling with our best friend who also lives with us and sleeps in our bedroom, but if I had to guess, I don’t think she’d approve,” George adds, smirking.

“That’s ok. We have a pretty good track record when it comes to keeping secrets,” you say, a mischievous glimmer in your eye.

That evening, you’re helping Molly fold linens when she steps away for a moment to take the kettle off. You feel four hands slip around you from behind and soon you’re pulled into a kiss, Fred on your left, kissing you hard on the neck and collarbone, and George kissing your lips, taking your bottom lip gently between his teeth. You kiss them passionately but push them away after a second, regaining your composure.

“Not here!” you hiss, grinning. They exchange a cheeky glance and kiss you on each cheek before scurrying back to their room, giggling. You shake your head and turn back to folding sheets, just as Mrs. Weasley returns.

“My, my dear, that’s quite a bruise you’ve got there, what happened?” Mrs. Weasley clucks, gesturing to your collarbone where you’re surprised to see a dark, newly formed hickey.

“Oh, pickup quidditch match. I’m not very good, I’m afraid,” you say, the rush of the small lie filling you with butterflies.

“Well now, we are wizards after all. We can’t have you running about looking as if you’ve been sleeping under the whomping willow,” she says cheerfully. She extracts her wand and uses a quick healing spell on the spot, which fades quickly. You wonder if she really doesn’t recognize the bruise as a hickey, but you shrug. The twins have certainly gotten away with worse under this roof.

That night, you and the twins are in the kitchen having a midnight snack. The rest of the house is quiet. You’re sitting on the countertop, helping yourself to a biscuit, and George is leaning on the counter beside you. You feed him a little bite and he licks the crumbs from your fingers playfully. Fred is rummaging through the fridge across the room, and George peers into the fridge nosily. Something piques his interest, and he heads over, whispering to his brother indistinctly. You catch them giggling, and can hear snatches of their conversation. They appear to be working on something as they chat eagerly.

“Take the…”

“... and the… yes! Use a…”

“... that’s just bad…”

“...dare you…”

You hear the familiar sound of compressed air decompressing, and Fred whirls around with a pie tin full of whipped cream in his hand, grinning devilishly.

“No!” you whisper-scream, nearly falling off the countertop, but you’re not fast enough. Fred flops the tin into your face with a splat, and George laughs so hard he winds up on the ground kicking. You lick the cream from your lips, hungry for revenge.

You know Fred is secretly quite vain about his hair, and you waste no time sliding off the countertop and wrapping him up in a hug from behind. He suspects your ulterior motives immediately, but it’s too late for him to escape.

“Oh darling, give me a hug my sweet,” you say, making exaggerated kissy noises while burying your pie covered face in his nice clean hair. He flails about, and you tickle his ribs defensively, causing him to buckle. You fall to the ground with him, giggling and shoving at one another. Just as George joins in, trying to drag you off of his brother, kissing you all over as he tugs on your legs, you hear a floorboard creak. 

Ginny, whose room is closest to the kitchen, stands at the foot of the stairs, gaping at you. You’re sure she saw the kissing, and, well, the whole situation does look a bit… familiar. You whack George on the head and nod in Ginny’s direction.

“Oh, hello Ginny,” Fred says, disentangling himself from his situation beneath you.

“Hello, big brother,”

“Hello, Ginny,” George says, surprise straining his voice.

“Hello, other brother,”

“Hello, Ginny,” you say uncertainly, standing up and wiping your face off with a tea towel.

“Hello, Y/N,” she says. “Some of us are trying to sleep, you know,” she says, raising an eyebrow knowingly. Everyone speaks in hushed tones once again, having remembered that it is indeed the middle of the night. She nods curtly and scampers back upstairs, smiling cheekily.

“Did she see?” George whispers.

“Oh, she saw,” you assure him.

“But she wouldn’t say anything, right?” Fred asks.

“Surely not,” his brother replies nervously. 

“But if she does…” 

“We’re toast. No way mum believes us over her.”

“You guys are being too paranoid. Ginny isn’t a snitch like Ron and Percy, she wouldn’t blab on us for a bit of… roughhousing,” you say hopefully. The twins agree, and you help each other get cleaned up, George dabbing your face clean with a wet towel, giving you gentle kisses in between. 

The rest of the week goes by uneventfully. As far as you know, Ginny doesn’t say anything about what she saw, and life in the burrow goes on as usual. In the mornings, you and Hermione read quietly in the living room over tea. She reads the paper, you look at the comics, every once in a while stopping to remark on a thought you’ve had. 

Then George wakes up. He’s quiet in the mornings, a bit slow, although not very grumpy. Then Molly gets up and usually whips up some sort of breakfast, and by the times everyone’s up you all gather round the long table and eat together. Then, if you’re lucky, you run off outside or to a neighbor's house or abscond to the attic with Fred and George, away from prying eyes and away from Molly’s commands. If you’re unlucky, Molly enlists at least one of you in some chores, usually out in the garden. 

The next time the three of you come close to getting caught, you’re doing just this- de-gnoming with Fred, George, and Ron when Ron gets a headache and goes inside, complaining that it’s far too hot. In reality, the day is rather mild, although the sun is bright enough that Fred and George both have pink sunburns radiating across the bridges of their noses. You flick Fred on his sunburnt cheek and he winces.

“Ow! What’s that for?!” he asks, nearly dropping a gnome right back into the grass. 

“I need your attention!”

“For what?”

“A kiss,” you reply devilishly. He obliges you and kisses you dramatically, dipping you low, holding you in his arms. “Like this, mi amore?” he asks in a silly accent.

“Lunchtime!” Molly calls from the doorway, causing Fred to drop you to the ground and George to leap in front of the two of you oddly, trying to obscure his mum’s line of sight. You brush yourself off and head for the house, hoping Mrs. Weasley didn’t see anything.

“Fred Weasley!” Mrs. Weasley says shrilly, and you all cringe. You hold your breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop. “Fred, did I just see you toss Y/n to the ground? That’s no way to treat a guest, especially when you’re meant to be doing housework!” You sigh deeply, relieved. “Come in, dearie, I swear, sometimes I don’t know who raised those two!” she says, putting an arm around you to guide you in the house.

[glowinggator]

Long Haired! S/O

Request: I love your stuff to much. its exactly what I'm in the mood for right now. whenever you feel up to taking request or something let me put this idea out for you if you like it: Any of the Turtles (Plus April but I'm mainly here for the turtles) with an S/O with long hair? Or maybe even the opposite way and an S/O with short hair. like I personally prefer the long hair option but I know someone out there would probably love to see the short hair option so that would be nice too.

either way you write them so well I'm sure it would be sweet.

A/N: Assuming that it’s straight hair, by the way! Although if people are interested, I’d love to do a curly-haired version as well <3

Characters: All! Separate, Non-Poly {Raphael, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, April O’Neil.) 

Content Warnings: None! 

Word Count: 1149

Raphael:

He loves your hair so much! It takes a lot of patience and dedication to grow your hair out that long!

He loves to braid your hair so much! He likes it when you sit in between his legs during movies so he can braid it.

He’s so gentle too: You can’t remember a single time where he’s tugged on it while brushing or braiding it. You’ve fallen asleep so many times while he plays with your hair.

He googles so many intricate designs to try out. Although, he usually defaults to a waterfall braid if he’s tired and there’s nothing in particular you want. He also likes to weave in flowers, if you’re not allergic to them!

He always has a bunch of hair ties on hand for you. (Most of them are in red!)

If you fight with them, he always makes sure your hair is tucked away and safe before engaging. Long hair is too easy to grab!  

He loves to play with your hair while cuddling, especially. There’s something so calming about laying on his plastron while he runs his hands through your hair.

Bonus! He’s so fucking tall, that he’s actually exempt from being suffocated by your hair while spooning. Love wins <3

Leonardo

Low-key jealous </3 Just kidding, he loves it.

He loves to brush your hair, but he hits his fair share of tangles. Please teach him how to hold your hair properly.

He’s also one to look up cool braids to put in your hair! He takes a lot of inspiration from fantasy hair styles. (Specifically, he really wants to do the Legolas braids.)

He carries scrunchies in your pocket for you because he thinks they’re cute.

He doesn’t get that hair just falls out sometimes? He’s so confused and concerned when he finds a random strand of hair in his room. He thinks you’re dying, lmao.

He’d love to dye your hair someday! He’s instantly mind-boggled at how much time it actually takes, but he’s still super stoked anyways.

Absentmindedly plays with your hair during movie nights. He doesn’t even realize he’s doing it half the time, but it feels really nice.

He loves to pet your hair while cuddling. It’s so gentle and sweet, and it puts you to sleep really quickly.

Donatello

Oh, long hair? Cool. He thinks it’s impressive that you’ve managed to grow it out so long, and keep it healthy as well!

A lot of the sweet routines you form in regards to your hair actually takes a bit of time to develop! It’s something that certainly grows over time.

One of the first things is simple. He installs a little hook next to the entrance of his lab where he leaves a bunch of hair ties for you. (Always in purple, unless you ask for more colors.) He doesn’t want your hair to get damaged, or for you to get hurt, if there’s a stray spark in the lab. After a little while, he starts carrying some on his person as well.

He gets overstimulated really easily when it comes to texture, and having hair in his face while cuddling really hits all the checkboxes with that. But obviously, he’s not going to give up cuddling time, so what does he do? He starts braiding your hair before bed! And that’s when he finds out he really likes to play with your hair.

Every night before bed, he braids your hair. It’s a really sweet routine that you share with him. (And you get to listen to him talk about his day! Brothers, inventions, WOW lore, it could be anything really.)

When you’re watching something together, he’ll absentmindedly play with/pet your hair. After a while, he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it.

Michelangelo

TIME TO BUST OUT THE HAIRSTYLE MAGAZINE... HE’S BEEN WAITIN’ FOR THIS ONE

For real though, he loves long hair. (And short hair! He thinks it’s all super pretty…)

He’ll bust out the bobby pins, the hairspray, everything. People will literally ask you who does your hair, and your brain fucking fries trying to think of how to describe your non-human boyfriend in a human way. Halo braids, half-up bows, flower braids… he’ll do it all.

He’s a little rough at first, but he gets the hang of it pretty quickly. He’s not immune to the stray tangle, though.

He likes to carry bobby pins around for you, which is a contrast to the rest of his brothers! (Bangs are Hell, and you never know when you’ll need one! For your hair OR for breaking into someone’s house! <3) He also carries around little butterfly clips and stuff. If you ask he’ll start carrying ties around though <3 King.

Loves to screw around with your hair at the randomest of times. He loves to hold your cheeks when you kiss, and sometimes when you part he’ll lift up your hair a little and make silly monster noises. It’s so dumb but it makes you laugh so much.

He’d be so good at dyeing your hair, please let him!! He’s really patient, and his eye for color is great.

He loves to play with your hair while cuddling. He does a really specific thing where he’ll part your hair into a bunch of different sections before scooping them all back together and running his hands through it. It actually feels really nice on your end (and helps combat tangles), and it keeps his brain busy. You fall asleep super quick every time.

April O’Neil

Oooh, pretty!! She has super long hair herself, her’s is just really curly. So she has a lot of respect for long hair!

Loves to play with your hair during movies, if she’s the big spoon that night. She usually twists the strands around her fingers, or gently pets them. It’s really relaxing, and her touch is so gentle. You can’t count how many times you’ve fallen asleep like that.

She always has these really nice hair ties on hand, it’s great. Her hair ties are super stretchy and never snag, which is awesome. She has like, three on her wrist at any given point in time.

Loves to run her hands through your hair after kisses.

She’s never actually dyed her own hair, just because bleaching natural hair is such a process. (Plus, she does NOT want to deal with teasing from the boys during the early stages of bleaching. They would never let it go </3) However, she’s really good at dyeing hair once she gets into it! She’s meticulous, and there’s not a single strand left uncolored. Her hands are steady as she works, and it’s so calming. She has the best hair-dyeing playlists too. She always makes you laugh too, so sometimes a little dye will get on an un-vaselined patch of skin, but honestly? It’s just a cute reminder of her.

[venteamocha]

Hello! Sometimes I see you post stuff from IF blogs and I've recently started playing some IF games, which I've enjoyed so far. Do you have any IF stories you'd recommend in particular? I'm not attached to any particular genre and I don't need romance or a self-insert main character, (though I'm not opposed to either). Though, it's a definite plus if it's LGBTQ+ inclusive! I'm not really sure what the "cornerstones" are of IF so I'll take any and all recommendations haha

Oh god, I play so many IFs. So many. And it’s not even close to all of them, but I’m trying!!

Tbh IFs without romance seems to be very rare, I think because when I think IF I think Choice of Games, and those pretty much always have romance in them. At least, the most well known ones do. But a well done one without romance would be nice too!

Okay, this is a list of my favourites! They’re all LGBT+ inclusive, and most have gender selectable love interests, or at least ones that change gender depending on the gender and sexuality combination you pick. In no particular order, of course.  Behind a cut because I’m gonna give them each a mini review. Because I haven’t done that yet.

(There are so many.)

Mind Blind: I absolutely love our big brother Nick, I love how witty and sharp so much of the dialogue is, I love how the MC clearly has a rather large handicap, but is still such an important person to so many people and not looked down on in the slightest. And when they are, we all know it’s because that person is a jerk! They’re not defined by what they aren’t, but what they are, and that’s a great message.

Shepherds of Haven: Part of why I love this one so much is I just love fantasy settings and this one just pulls it off so well. The cast is full of amazing characters, and I gotta say I die inside pretty regularly for not being able to afford the patreon content, lol. The author puts so much amazing stuff on there, and gives us so much great content in the game and through answers on tumblr, and you can tell this whole thing is just the best thing ever to them, and that makes it the best ever for us readers too!

The Wayhaven Chronicles: I’d be shot if I didn’t mention this one, the series that literally killed dashingdon when the book 3 demo dropped!! Again, another author that cares a lot and does their best to do right by their fans. We’ve been given drip after drip of these amazing characters backstories, and I just cannot wait for more! It’s definitely very romance centered, but the overall plotlines are also very good, and I have to say that no matter who I romance, I just feel like the group as a whole is a family. And that’s wonderful.

Speaker: I really like the lore. I really like the lore. I can’t wait until we get more of the overall plotline. Mostly I want my Speaker to get in deep trouble so Seb, Li and Seer (best sister ever) go off and beat the shit out of whatever is causing it. This probably says something about me, but what can I say, I thrive on angst and inflicting near death injuries on my OCs. Sometimes I even kill them, although all of this is offtopic. Or is it? I guess we’ll find out, although I doubt we’ll actually be able to kill off Speaker. And yes, I am definitely playing the Seb & Li poly route. I love them both so much. 

Wilhelmina: I love vampires, ok? Ok? And this one is based off Dracula!! The OG!! And you can choose Drac’s gender!! Shit, sign me up forever!! Yeah, she might be literally killing my bff, torturing my fiancé and low key fucking with my mind, but vampires are hot!! Let me live! Or not. But yeah, this is a really well done retelling of the Dracula novel and I like how well it works as an IF. Did I mention I like vampires?? Especially when they get all monstery?? (This one has an MC with a set gender, as it’s based on an already existing literary figure. Mina can have a same sex relationship with dracula, if you make drac a female, or with Lucy, a female love interest.)

More Things in Heaven and Earth: Hi Nell!! First off, I gotta uncover a deep shame of mine. My family literally has a Shakespeare heirloom collection. As in, my greatgrandfather passed down through the family a collection of Shakespeare that was published in 1911. In ye olde englishe. I tried to read it when I was like 10 and was like what language is this?? What the fuck? What the fuck??? And ended up reading As You Like It, a bit of Romeo and Juliet, and a little of Hamlet. Didn’t touch the rest of it. I only got into the other stories through trashy ya reimaginings. That said, this retelling of Hamlet inspired me to go read the whole of the original and now I have a lot of fears for these characters that I’m so much more attached to, oh god I hope my Ophelia has a happy ending. I hope Hamlet himself has a happy ending. The dialogue is so well done, everyone is engaging, and yeah it made me finish an old af book when nothing else did. (This one also has an MC with a set gender, female, for the same reason. However, there are two gender variable love interests, so you can very much play a bi or gay Ophelia if you so choose.)

Guenevere: I love King Arthur. All the myths. I have so many books based on the King Arthur mythos, oh dear god. I love pretty much every version of it. All the movie and tv shows too! I just can’t get enough of those knights. I could go on for paragraphs about how courtly love worked and how all the different social castes were, but I’ll try not to. This series lets you customize Guen as a character to an amazing degree, considering that she’s also based on an actual literary figure like the other two I mentioned above. It really feels like she becomes your own character, and yet she still exists within this world very very well. I worry quite a bit that the author might have bit off more than they can chew with the current book they’re working on, what I’ve seen of it looks absolutely massive in scale. What is out so far is a wonderful read though, full of drama and laughter and lots of chances to make the story your own.

Bastard of Camelot: Yep! Another King Arthur series! Sue me! This one lets you set Mordred’s gender though, so it’s more inclusive in that way. It is very interesting to play as one of the “bad guys” of the King Arthur mythos. You can play them as straight up evil, as good, or you know, a bit of column a and a bit of column b. Or they can just be a rude little shit. It’s got dragons too! You get a dragon pet! Dragons are cool. It can be a bit tough to play sometimes, since a lot of people dislike Mordred quite a lot because of prejudices. Hopefully this will change a bit later in the series if you’ve been a fairly good person up to that point. Gotta say though, as a warning, that Mordred is a product of incest. It’s not glossed over, and it does cause a lot of problems for them in the story.

God of the Red Mountain: I just love that this inspired me to read more chinese mythology tbh. There is just so much here! And it’s just such a good read. I wish I was better at describing things. The MC being a spirit that you can define, the whole setting, most of the love interests also being spirits, the massive amount of history and culture and lore, how it all fits together. It is such a well done story. I really wish it got more attention than it does. I still miss Big Sister. I still can’t wait to find out more about the foxes, and how we can heal our MC.

The Nameless: Another one that lets you play as something otherworldly. I love the lore behind this one, and I love all of the cast I’ve met. I kind of like that our MC isn’t loved right off the bat, that we’ll have to win over all of our love interests and even the other npcs. I’m up for the challenge! Everything I’ve read on the tumblr for these characters just makes me love them all more tbh. I love how much they’ve written for all of them! Most of all though, I love Oisein. All the art of them is just *chef kiss* and their personality is magical.

A Mage Reborn: This is a really recent one but!! Wow, it’s really well done! That cliffhanger!! Oof!! Not many books literally start with killing your MC off! That takes guts! I told the author this already, but I love the way they formatted this, the way it starts with the end, so to speak, and then fills it all out. It just made everything feel so poignant, how MC is literally looking back at all these moments in time in the last minutes they have before they die. Shit. That’s powerful. And there’s gonna be more??? Can’t wait for that angst. Give me that drama. Of course I picked the one who had me killed, that’s just how I am!

These are all just the COG type games, there are a few twine games with graphics I’d throw on here, but the list is long enough as it is and they feel like they’re in a different category to me. Maybe it’s just me?

[zayashmaya]

Oh my God please share your poly thoughts on Luna Tagora and Galekh.

With pleasureeeee!!

I’ll do sfw stuff and maybe nsfw hcs another time.

- Luna loves Galekh’s secret artistic side and encourages him to do more than simple notebook doodles. He is still very guarded about his sketches, but Luna understands that we all need a mental safe space for ourselves so she doesn’t pester him about her curiosity. She took him to meet Charun because she is chaotic and wanted to see if these art snobs would play nice (spoiler alert they got along). Tagora will never let those secret sketches go, though. Partly because he wants to see what the hell Galekh drew and partly because the very act of being an annoying snoop pisses Galekh off to no end. Luna lets them strife for the funny drama. All three of them enjoy peaceful walks so they’ve made a habit of showing Luna new places, the safer parts of highblood gardens, etc. Luna inspired him to bring a sketchbook on their walks so whenever they want to relax, Galekh can shut his mind off and work while Luna and Tagora quietly talk among themselves. 

- Galekh discovers the addicting joy of having something small, cuddly, and warm in his lap while he reads by the fire. He’s had little experience with red/pale intimacy, and Tagora is quite literally an angry cat with claws who always wants his space. Even Luna knows that physical intimacy with Tagora needs to be expertly skated around. As such, Galekh never really knew what he was missing until Luna entered the quad. And he quickly realized how much he enjoys having her anywhere near him. He wants it pretty badly once he’s hooked on it, but he either hits uncharacteristically shy mental blocks and doesn’t ask, or he goes off on a thesis-sized tangent that all says one thing - please come cuddle with me. Luna picks up on his neediness early on in the relationship. Galekh is lucky that she’s like a puppy who inserts herself into people’s spaces (if they let her). Snuggle times are wonderful for both of them. Galekh’s chest is very comfortable - he’s not a chiseled muscular athlete, his muscles peak through a bit of chub. And his pecks are like pillows. Luna is thriving. And Galekh is very enamored by her complete trust in his safety. And she’s so soft. Galekh craves dat tactile sensation of caressing Luna’s warm squishy body, her tummy rolls and thick thighs, and her fluffy hair reminds him of his lusus. Tagora sometimes side-eyes this scene because he thinks it’s a little to palerom for his liking, and he is very protective over his quad with Luna, but once Luna starts her horny endeavors to make out with Galekh, Tagora knows he’s in the clear. 

- They all take pictures of each other, especially during candid moments, and it’s so incredibly obnoxious how in love/hate they all are with each other like it’s truly mind boggling to some outsiders who witness their domesticity. Galekh and Luna work out with Stelsa and you bet there’s picture-taking of Galekh’s perfect fat ass and his muscular back and his sweaty concentrating face all flushed indigo and hair tousled like he’s a greek statue. Luna makes sure to get his tattoo into some shots before she sends them to Tagora for that extra kismesis flavor. And she of course has to take creep shots of powerhouse Stelsa for Tyzias. She knows that’s Tyzias’s kink. Luna takes candids of Tagora after he’s showered and particularly relaxed. Settled onto the couch in nothing but a bathrobe that’s sliding down one shoulder, his hair loose and a little disheveled, cradling a mug of Galekh’s hated coffee, and watching the television with a relaxed expression. Galekh texts up a fury over how patheticly complacent Tagora looks with his shitty coffee brand but Luna knows Galekh is nutting over how enticing Tagora looks in the photo. And there is an unspoken unity among Galekh and Tagora to always send pictures of Luna to each other, no matter if she looks silly or cute or beautiful or messy af. All three of their phone storage content is just ... embarrassing. 

- Luna is an expert in palerom intimacy. Truly a woman sent from the gods with golden hands. All of Alternia would bow at her feet if they experience what Tagora experiences during an intense palerom grooming/snuggle session. It’s why he guards his relationship so fiercely - Luna is actually a total catch and nothing short of betrayal or death will shake Tagora off of her. She looooves calming Tagora down to the point of sending him into a stupor-like state where he is endlessly purring and borderline paralyzed from all the positive emotions he’s experiencing. I’d call this something like a palerom subspace. It’s a very intimate moment because Tagora is at his most vulnerable. Usually his head is in her lap with his arms around her waist while she slowly brushes his hair, runs her nails along his scalp, softly traces his horns, grooms the base of his horns (a huge weakness for trolls), and talks low and sweet to him, sometimes telling him how much he means to her, sometimes telling him that he deserves to rest and he works so hard and she’s so proud of him, like idk ya’ll I think this would be considered the filthiest degenerate porn to Alternians. Galekh accidentally witnessed this once and he’s been curious ever since, and also incredibly scandalized. It’s the most embarrassed he’s ever been. Thank god Tagora didn’t spot him or there would be actual physical violence. Galekh wants to understand this palerom ritual just for the sake of knowing, but a part of him also deeply yearns to experience Luna’s attentiveness like that. Eventually Galekh and Tagora reach a mutual agreement (with a 600 page contract on Galekh’s limitations and what lines not to cross). They are honestly just so goddamn extra because they do ALL this shit just so Galekh can have his hair petted without Tagora having a conniption. Luna is happy to oblige! 

God i rambled with these and I still feel like there’s more for me to explore askjfda i’ll leave it here, hopefully you see the dynamics i’m trying to portray here! 

[kinetic-elaboration]

July 16: Writing Projects

So...this was a week. I was so tired today. I got what I wanted out of the work day--I actually think, despite the drama, I’m enjoying work more? But I got home today and immediately took a long nap and now I’m out of it. I’m tired but not falling asleep; I’m still kinda hungry; I want to shower but also not get up.

Anyway, I hope to be creative in some way this weekend. For a variety of reasons, that didn’t happen this week; I barely even read anything (non-work related). I feel like I need to get back into it. I also feel like I need it some.

Some projects on my mind:

Sleeping Beauty AU: This isn’t actually on my mind but I feel like it should be? I still want to actually write out that ch6 outline I planned out forever ago but nevertheless... I do feel a hiatus coming on. A little frustrating because I don’t want to have to start at the beginning again later but I did give myself a tentative posting date of, like, 2022 so it’s fine.

Poly Fic: Recent events are transpiring to make this a very important, though also increasingly difficult, project for me. I need to work stuff out, friends. Got some new ideas and new insights. I might be able to start writing some of the early stuff, maybe, if the inspiration strikes. But the big thing is still hashing out the rest of the outline: big picture of the second half, then details all the way through. I’m excited but intimidated by this process--emotionally speaking.

Slow Summer Vibes: Still the vaguest lol. I know I should fold this into another fic I’ve already started but idk... I have like 3 images in my head and I just wanna do something with them but I am very low on details.

New Man: In addition to re-writing the outline, I had some additional thoughts  on the... emotional verisimilitude of the piece. It’s still probably going to be a hot mess. But I feel like even if I can’t give it its proper due, maybe it can give me something, which is more important. Again, current events.

Slide: I haven’t actually been thinking about it that much, but...it’s the right season.

...There actually are more but I gotta sleep or something.

[innotherlands]

This week has been a constant back and forth for me in regards to whether I think Bellarke will be canon/not canon, and I just don’t know what to think anymore.

I was feeling pretty negative up until the episode yesterday and then made a complete 180 back to believing in Bellarke endgame after I saw Echo’s Roan apparition. It appeared to me that what we have been saying about B/echo’s relationship this whole time, i.e. It is not equal and Echo sees Bellamy just as another master (and frankly, that Bellamy also does not value her opinion like he does other people’s *cough* Clarke *cough*) is finally being addressed and will hopefully lead to a breakup and result in E/cho finding an identity as an individual rather than a follower. I saw that and thought, okay here we go, they’re finally taking the necessary steps to get to Bellarke canon.

At least, that’s what it seemed until the second script to screen came out with low key romantic vibes between Clarke and G/aia. Lines such as (I’m paraphrasing) “more personal” “they moved apart” “and Indra senses” indicate that scene was trying (emphasis on trying) to portray a budding romance between the two. The thing is, when I watched that scene I saw nothing but friendship. I don’t know if I interpreted it wrong, they failed in translating what they really wanted to say from script to scene, or if it was just a weirdly worded way to say that they are developing a friendship and respect for each other. When I read that script my stomach sank, and so I went back to thinking that Bellarke isn’t happening.

At this point I honestly don’t know what to think. I was so sure before the season started (before the Bob/Bellamy drama) that Bellarke is going to be canon. The season premier just seemed to be communicating two different things at the same time.

Yet every time I think about it, I see Bellarke endgame as inevitable. It goes against the story that they have been telling for 6 seasons to end any other way, especially after the obvious romance in season 6. I was not at all confident in canon Bellarke post season five, but season six managed to completely change my mind. I just can’t see why they would write what would be interpreted as blantantly romantic scenes in any other couple and the foundations of a B/echo breakup if they weren’t intending to go there. Things like:

Clarke looking high key scared when Bellamy mentions the radio calls, and visibly relaxing when he reveals that Madi told him; what, pray tell did she say in those calls that she was so scared of Bellamy having heard? A love confession?

Paralleling Bellamy and Clarke with Gabriel and Josephine - they literally ended the season in their clothes

Bellamy dismissing every idea that E/cho suggests while championing Clarke as a leader/ agreeing with her suggestions

Emphasizing that E/cho doesn’t care about “doing better” like Bellamy and Clarke

Clarke listing “leaving Bellamy in Polis” as her biggest regret. She’s had to do so many terrible things, and that’s her biggest regret? Even though it all turned out okay? I see you girl.

Showing that B/echo don’t really know each other, even after spending 6 years together on the ring (although we don’t know how long they’ve actually been together, all we know is that he forgave her after 3 years; they read as a relatively new relationship to me) - Bellamy had to tell E/cho that Octavia got arrested at a party, which she should have known as it’s pivotal to his character. E/cho also has been lying about her past/identity (and I once again ask, how did he even forgive her if he didn’t know anything about why she was actually so loyal to Azgeda?)

The consistent blocking and framing of E/cho between Bellamy and Clarke. In the first episode Clarke even completely blocks E/cho from the camera’s view while Bellamy and Clarke gaze at one another

The absolutely adoring way that Clarke looked at Bellamy when he brought Madi back to her

Bellamy picking a fight with E/cho over not being emotional enough just after having an emotional and cathartic conversation with Clarke (and watching her dance with another dude)

Clarke understanding what Bellamy needs re: Octavia, juxtaposed with his obvious annoyance with E/cho’s attempts to get him to forigive her

Bellamy being the first one (and only one without help) to figure out that Clarke has been body snatched.

E/cho spending an entire episode worrying about Bellamy while he was - at the same time - ready to burn sanctum down over Clarke and forgo a peace deal without sparing a thought for E/cho (and the rest of his family)

“Don’t you remember what it’s like to lose someone you love?”- Russel talking to a Josephine about (presumably) Gabriel

Paralleling Russel and Simone to Bellamy and Clarke (remember when Simone said Russel uses his heart, implying that she uses her head? Or when Bellamy and Clarke exited the Sanctum bar the exact same way as Russel and Simone had moments before (if I had a gif I would use it, but believe me it’s obviously intentional when you look at it)

The camera moving from Lexa (her past love interest) to Bellamy (her current love interest) in Clarke’s mind space

Clarke’s unwillingness to face Bellamy in her mind space for fear that he hadn’t actually forgiven her for her actions

How Clarke gave up on herself when she thought that Bellamy had given up on her.

How Bellamy was the first person to realize that Clarke was still alive, through Morse code no less. How attentive to somebody do you have to be to notice something like that?

Bellamy abandoning everything at just the slightest chance that Clarke could be alive; he knew that taking Josephine!Clarke would anger Russel and likely lead to a perilous situation for his family and girlfriend, and yet he did it anyway. There are so many variables that could have lead to failure, i.e. running out of time before Clarke and Josephine merge, Josephine herself, the CoG, the location of Gabriel, whether or not Gabriel would actually help him, etc. Bellamy had everything to lose if he didn’t succeed, but he ultimately decided a loss of Clarke is worse than risking his entire family’s safety over the long shot of saving Clarke.

Bellamy staring angstly at Josephine!Clarke and waiting what felt like forever to say “I won’t let you die” (which we and likely Josephine took as “I love you”).

How Bellamy instinctively knew when Clarke had returned in the cave

“Clarke, you gotta run” “No, I’m not leaving you!”

The CPR scene. There are so many things here: Bellamy finally admitting he needs Clarke after denying it during the red sun, including himself and Madi as the people that need Clarke (not Abby?), the repeating of the head and the heart (the symbolic representation of their relationship) as almost a mantra, Bellamy’s words inspiring Clarke to fight back (we all know his crappy CPR didn’t do the trick), Bellamy beating Clarke’s heart for her - symbolically being her heart when she was stuck in her head, the way that everybody thought they were going to kiss after she woke up (we know our girl wanted to, but she’s not a cheater), the fact that Octavia tried to tell Bellamy that he should let Clarke go but he wouldn’t accept it, how Clarke literally nuzzles his shoulder after she wakes up.

Gabriel saying “I have to let you go now” and Bellamy later saying “I won’t let you go” - it’s a symbolic passing of the torch and proof of Bellamy’s devotion to Clarke

The music during the CPR scene being the same (albeit more emotional) as when Abby was doing CPR on Kane

The increase in intimacy the episode after Clarke was revived: Bellamy’s hand on Clarke’s thigh, the gazing into eachother’s eyes, the casual touching, Bellamy’s “I didn’t protect you” and obvious guilt over choosing to save Clarke over his family’s safety (not that he regrets saving her - his guilt is his acknowledgment that he chose Clarke over everybody), his adamant refusal to let Clarke go into danger even though it was the best way to save their friends, Gabriel’s intrisic knowledge that Bellamy wouldn’t want Clarke to be put in danger, the way they stared at each other after Clarke took off their gags, etc.

“E/cho’s in trouble too, I’ll do what I can for her” followed by a less than emotional stare and the stark realization that he actually has a girlfriend and her name isn’t Clarke

The absolutely lovestruck way that Clarke stared at Bellamy when he was giving his speech about the primes

The way E/cho and Bellamy reunited after he heard she was in danger and we Clarke’s bittersweet reaction to the hug but not E/cho’s face. Also, a pat on the back and no kiss? That’s funny.

The emotional Bellarke hug(s) at the end of the season where they are shrouded in golden light and are silhouetted with sun spots reaching over their entwined bodies - this is a tried an true romance trope and the director had to have known when shooting the scene

All of this happened in season 6, and that isn’t even mentioning the stuff from previous seasons like “a traitor who you love” “the hostage taker and his girlfriend,” the radio calls, “I’ve got you for that!”, “we can’t! lose! Clarke!”, etc. that just scream Bellarke romance. I look at all of it and just think that the story can’t possibly end any other way than Bellarke canon. There’s too much evidence supporting a Bellarke romance and B/echo breakup. E/cho could find herself away from Bellamy and Clarke will go to the ends of the earth to save him. But with the potential C/laia stuff now I am so anxious and stressed. This season could honestly go either way, and I wish I could skip forward to the ending so I could just know once and for all. These next months are going to feel like forever. For now I’m going to watch and hope for the best, trusting what my eyes have been telling me all these years to be true. I just hope Jason can follow through.

[haiyuta]

truth or dare | Bang Chan & Felix

Summary: finding out your best friends are cam boy. Admitting it to them they ask you to join for a game of sexual truth or dare 

word count: 5.7k || Genre: poly! camboy chan, camboy Felix, blowjob, fingering, teasing, smut, love, kissing, 

a/n: Inspired by this anon ask here. This was a joy to write so I really hope you enjoy. IM SO WHIPPED FOR CHAN AND FELIX. (I should have edited it more but I’m soooo burnt out sorry)

Going to university was hard the studying, struggling for money, and the lack of sleep.  At least you had a bright side to this money pit hell. Bang Chan and Lee Felix your two friends. 

Pressing your face against your palm you let out a sigh looking at the long list of math equations you just couldn't get. "Y/n I know it's hard, but I believe in you," you heard Chan say sitting next to you. 

Currently, you and Chan were sitting outside in a shaded area for studying. Well, you were studying while Chan was making paper planes next to you. Glancing at him in jealousy you wish you could slack at a time like this. With a sigh, you whined out "I just can't get this."

"You can do this," Chan insisted moving your study material over to look at it "only oh," he paused "50 more problems to review," he trailed off gazing at the material. 

"You guys are looking down," a deep voice said sitting opposite of you. Rolling your eyes to see Felix across from you.

"Just math studying she's not getting," Chan said going back to his general paper airplane. 

Felix gave a small hum in understanding as he watched the two of you carefully. "Chan, we are hanging out tonight right," Felix asked pursing up his lips. 

"Oh yeah boys’ night," Chan grinned lifting his hand for Felix to high five him. 

"Can I come over," you asked eager hearing that. Boys night was normally 2 times a week on a Friday. The night where Chan and Felix would hang out without you more like it. Even after knowing them for a year they always refuted you going to this 'boys’ night'. 

"Well," Felix trailed off gazing at you. You smirked always asking Felix since he never could deny you. You could see his brown eyes flicker to you and the blond wanting to say something. 

"Sorry Y/n it's a guy thing," Chan quickly made up for Felix awkward disposition. 

"You always say that," you huffed looking at Chan. "I'm one of your closest friends I mean I'm not like you and Felix, but I think I matter," you gave a fake pout. 

Chan gave a gentle smile "aw look she's pouting how adorable," he hummed. You felt your stomach twist with the word 'adorable'. "You do matter but no dice sorry," he shrugged grabbing his bookbag. 

"See ya Y/n," Chan said wrapping his arm around your neck for a side hug. "Guys night starts soon," he gave a wink. "Maybe one day you can join," he added.

"Yeah someday," Felix trailed off looking between you two. Felix gave you a small wave with a sheep smile "sorry Y/n guys night," he grinned giving you a small fist bump as they walked away together. 

Without words, they were gone. Damn those boys you thought to yourself. 

It's been hours since you've seen both of them and it was relatively frustrating. You would like to go to Chan's place for a night in. Being a college student, you were stuck in the dorm while Chan was privileged enough to have his own apartment a little way from the campus to go to. 

Placing your bowl of old Chinese next to your side laptop you stretched your neck. Your roommate was always at her boyfriend’s, so it was just you at this point. 

Opening your laptop, you just wanted to relax a little before you go to sleep. Looking at your phone your last text from Felix was a random meme he sent you. Smiling you quickly sent a reply to him. 

The internet was dull, social media was boring and the loneliness of the night was getting to you. You were frustrated about school and your friends. Why couldn't you just come over? you thought trying figure out why didn't they want you to come. 

Was it you? Did they want time away from you? Were they doing something illegal? you thought to yourself.

Without thinking you decided to play some games to get your mind off of them. They would be upfront with you if it was something about you. 

Typing in an online game you sighed ready to melt away on a video game for the night. Playing the game, it got your mind off of Chan and Felix for a while. The mindlessness making you relaxed. 

Pushing your headset away you saw the video game gave you a cam site pop up on the game. "what the," you hummed looking at the site. 

It was bright and flashy site and it was called "Cams4you" quirking an eyebrow you looked at the site it was tasteful you must say. The layout kind of like YouTube but with streaming content. It wasn't all sexual some was asmr, talking, mukbangs. 

The site was interesting your finger on your mouse looking at some of the safer cams. The asmr range was nice. Next to the live stream was a large red how many people were watching and then had a money jar where you could donate to the creator. 

A large "want to see all the content sign up now," it read. Rolling your eyes, you wanted to click off but for some reason, you didn't. With a throwaway email account, you signed up for an account thankfully no credit card number required. 

To your surprise, there was more content on the page. It was organized nicely with genres like cosplay, female, male all that gaze. A small smile slipped on your mouth as you clicked onto the male. 

Browsing through the male streams you stopped to see an empty room in one. Wait that room looked familiar you thought to yourself. Clicking the link your finger slipped off the mousepad to see Felix in the background of the Cam. 

Your Felix on a cam site. Staring at the screen clicked it watching in awe as he plopped himself down on the computer chair. He looked different the camcorder giving him a clear yet grainy vibe. His colored hair swept nicely across his forehead. 

Your mind raced at reality. Lee Felix your friend was on a cam site. Then your mind processed he was at Chan's house. So that means Chan is in on this too. 

Turning up the volume you heard Felix start to talk it looked like he was reading comments at this point. "Am I good," his deep voice was so different it was husky and smooth. He gave the camera a grin "I'm fine I'll probably go to sleep soon," he said nodding cutely.

Looking over at the door he gave a low whine "where is Chan at," he said. Looking down at this phone.

"I'm sorry guys no sexual stuff for me tonight I'm kind of out of it," he said looking at the camera. Your eyes went to the comments as they gave him hearts of 'it’s okay we still love you' kind of comments.

Chan came in a second later his shirt already off and it made you go completely still at seeing your friend’s bare chest. His broad shoulders gave him a large look as he sat down in the chair next to Felix. 

"Did our baby girls miss me," Chan said leaning forward to look at the chan. You even noticed he had blue eye contacts in making him look positively handsome. 

"Mmh a little but they still love me more," Felix flirted with the views giving them a small wink. 

From there they just talked really until Felix excused himself to go to sleep in the living room. "Don't leave Felix you can sleep in my bed," Chan playfully yelled at his friend. 

"No thanks I need sleep and not hearing you jerking off," Felix yelled back as he left. 

It was weird seeing your friends so flirty to each other and the camera. They were naturals you thought. With another right click, you went to their channel checking it out. It was called Aussie Boys with a selfie of Felix and Chan as the icon. Most of the videos were available they did have pay to watch ones but mostly those were special event ones that were locked. Your eyes widen looking at the number of average views they get. It was a baseline 1,000 plus. 

On your headset, you could hear Chan whimper for a second. The sound made your spine tingle. Looking at the video again you bit your lip watching Chan as he slowly peeled off his baggy pants. 

Without question, you closed the laptop. This was too much you just learned they own a cam channel and watching Chan get off. Somewhere in your morals you just couldn't watch Chan get off. 

An inner debate went off inside your mind and your stomach twist, you couldn't keep away from watching. 

Opening your laptop, you refreshed the screen to see Chan lightly teasing his head. It was bright red and looked so aching. Your fingers tingled wanting to touch it. 

"Ah fuck," his thick accent cussed out. Donations came flooding in as he jerked himself off. Leaning in the chair he looked eternal his blond hair so light his hand jerking himself off. You bite your lip wanting him. 

You were fucked you thought to yourself. 

After finding out Felix and Chan did a cam show you tried not to act differently toward them, but you saw them all. You've seen them bare, jerking off, kissing, laughing, moaning and it couldn't leave your mind. 

You watched all the backlog of them on stream. They were funny and handsome had lots of donations and incredibly popular. Some streams were a teasing stream, some were mukbangs some just playing video games. People watched it because it was Bang Chan the handsome blond older Australian and his friend Felix the shy cute younger Australian. 

You also noted about them they kept bringing up a third person in their stream. It struck you as weird. Slightly jealously filled you realizing they claimed she was a streamer and they knew her and wanted her to join them for a game. 

In reality, you can't be jealous because they don't know you are aware of their activities. It was coming to a point you felt like you needed to tell them. 

Sitting at a quiet coffee shop you sighed looking at the coffee you didn't know how to say it to them. They called you here because they wanted to have a talk.

"Hey y/n," you heard Chan say slipping into the chair on your side. He still looked amazing his blond hair swept nicely his smile bright as could be. 

Felix gave you a small hey as he sat across from you. His disposition was still awkward you could tell. You gave them a warm smile back "hey guys," replied. 

"I love this place," Felix hummed enjoying the privacy of the cafe. 

You chatted lightly with them enjoying the moment with them. Forgetting about the whole cam thing until Chan had to bring it up.

"So, Y/n we brought you here today," Chan paused his brown eyes flickered from you to his hands. His thick hands twiddling their thumb. 

"Chan, I don't think," Felix started. The dynamic was there Chan was the "leader" of this whole thing while Felix was more tentative. 

"Your cam boys aren't you," you finally told them. Felix's eyes widen at your words his face slightly burned red at your words. “That’s what you wanted to tell me,” you said.

Chan smirked "And how did you find out about that," he raised an eyebrow at you. "Was our Y/n pleasuring herself to our stream," he teased.

You felt your face go red "you wish I had the cam program pop up and I clicked on it, you guys leave me every other Friday night I was bored," you declared. "I found your page and watched your streams," you said. 

The tension slowly grew at your comment. You see there everything watched them do everything together. Felix choked on his drink lightly "so you saw," he blushed shyly looking at Chan. 

"I did," you affirmed you saw it all of Felix his chest, his body his moans.

Chan leaned back on the chair "okay well that makes this easier now right Felix," Chan smirked looking at you and him. 

"Sure," he hummed his deep voice doing things to you. 

"Y/n please join us for a stream," Chan asked. Your eyes widen at the words you felt a little outer body at his words. 

"Me," you asked looking between them. "So, in your new streams you were asking about me joining," you said shocked. 

"So, you've been watching," Chan teased at your words.

In your mind, they were basically asking you to have sex on stream with them. "Do you want this Chan," you asked him. He gave a nod his eyes glazed with excitement. "And you Felix," you asked the other male. 

Biting his lip, he gave a small "yeah," back at you. 

This was odd in a good way you thought looking down at the clothing you were wearing. Chan told you to wear whatever you want. But he recommended something airy and cute for the stream. So, you decided to wear a black skirt for easy to remove and a tucked in shirt. 

You marveled at the set up they had. The lights were bright giving them a good look to it, the camera was at least a 100 plus dollar one with a two-monitor set up. The camera was dead center in the room as it was angled to show you guys in the large gaming chairs and the bed nicely. 

Chan was setting up the stream next to you while Felix was sitting next to you in his chair. You were sandwiched between the two of your friends.  Felix small hand played with your hand trying to comfort you. 

The camera went with a red light signaling it was on. The monitor that mirrors what people were seeing showed it was showing you and Felix and Chan at the computer. "Hey guys," he hummed looking at the chat. People started to join at a rapid amount which made you assume they had alerts of the stream.  

"Hello everyone," Felix deep voice hummed waving at the camera. 

"Who’s the new person," Chan read the comment slowly a small smile lifted on his lips "she is our friend we were talking about," he hummed "and she's a little shy about being on camera so give her lots of encouragement," Chan spoke. 

The chat did just that with lots of "hellos" and calling you "pretty". "Hey," you said waving at the chat a little stiff in front of the camera. Your heart was thudding against your ribcage eagerly with anticipation. You would be lying if you never thought about Felix or Chan in a sexual manner. They both were incredibly handsome, friendly and anyone you would love to be with them. 

You all talked it out before even daring this. Chan explained and reassured you he wouldn't force you to do anything you didn't want to. Making sure you were comfortable with this new three-way relationship to move into a more sexual manner. 

Felix grabbed your hand a little firmer. Gazing up at the younger male his eyes held so much eagerness in this. Before you knew it, you felt Felix capture your lips. It was a surprise, but you mellowed into the kiss.

"Felix is a little eager one," Chan hummed shifting in his seat. "I know our guest is pretty but wait for the game," Chan teased. 

Breaking the kiss, you looked at Felix in shock at the kiss. It was soft and eager and everything you imagined it could be. 

"Okay so today we are going to play Sexy Truth or Dare," he hummed at the camera. The comments spammed as he told them today's stream. 

"Here are the cards," Chan said bringing up the cards they were black with a sexy kiss mark on them. "Are you guys ready," Chan smirked. 

"Of course," you said feeling your stomach fill with excitement to finally get this started. 

"And these cards are mostly truth a slight dare nothing too major yet we're saving that for later," Chan gave the camera a wink. It was shocking how good he was to the camera. His winks and looks made people pour money at him for just being him. 

Your eyes widen in the list you saw a recent tip was 100 dollars from a random user they commented: "I can't wait for this". A shiver went down your spine realizing that people were actually watching you guys. 

Felix glanced at you his cheeks a little red his freckles showing under the lights. While his hair held a shine to it. Your mind whirled being in-between those your good-looking friends. One who already kissed you. 

Chan raised the card to Felix letting the other male take one. 

Felix's eyes flickered looking between the two of you. Clearing his throat, he spoke the question "Would you rather spank someone or be spanked?" He read out. Looking at you guys and at the camera, he gave the views a smile. "Personally, I would rather be spanked," Felix said embarrassment laced his voice. 

Chan gave a small giggle "Let me guess you couldn't go through with it," he poked fun at Felix.  

"Felix wouldn't hurt a fly Chan," you hummed back grabbing Felix soft hand into yours. "He's our soft boy," you praised him. 

Felix let out a little chuckle "I can show you how hard I can be," he raised an eyebrow at you. The subtle flirting making your body feel all fluttery inside. 

Chan spoke up "Y/n take your card," lifting you the deck. Chan had this aura that made you feel so comfortable. 

Taking the card, you realized it was a dare card. The dare was already pretty lewd you thought. "Blindfold yourself and try and guess who’s kissing you," you quirked an eyebrow. How situational is that? 

"Did you," you started wanting to call him out for setting you with such a direct card so early. 

"And look what we have here," Chan said looking at the camera picking up the blindfold for you. "Let's see if our good friend can tell us apart," Chan teased. 

"Can I," he asked holding the black silk blindfold. Breathing in you gave a small nod in consent as he went over to tie it around your eyes. 

"And just so she won't know me, and Chan will be on the same side so she can't tell," Felix added. You heard them both get up walking around to one side. You guessed on purpose to mix you up. 

You felt a hand reach for your chin the person guiding your lips to theirs. Your mind raced as you met the person's lips. The excitement of not knowing you who were kissing made your mind whirl. Placing your lips to the person you imagined Chan or Felix kissing you making your body buzz with want. The first press of the lips was gentle testing the water kiss. Slowly as that came it was a harder kiss on your lips.

You felt a small peak of their tongue egging you to open your mouth. With ease, you did let them slip into your mouth. The kiss was hot and warm making you want more. But before you could really get into the kiss they pulled away. 

Who was it? You felt like it was Chan. Felix wouldn't be so bold so early you thought. He did kiss you a second ago so maybe he was so bold. 

Before you knew it, you felt a hand lifted to your chin so your lips met there's. You were stirring for more contact wanting more affection. The kiss was soft and tentative with a force you never felt before like the underline emotion was just pure want and need. Either Bang Chan or Felix didn't try for much tongue all they did was lightly lick your bottom lip in want. You felt yourself sticking your mouth out ready to open kiss him. He pulled away before you could really get into it. 

The person sighed and got up as they placed themselves back into their chairs. "Y/n you can take off the blindfold," you heard Chan say. You felt on the other side must have been Felix helped you. 

The light made you blink a little hard. "So, y/n who kissed you," Chan grinned. 

A firm line formed on your lips as you decided. "I think the first one is," you paused he was more assertive so it must be Chan. "it was you Chan," you declared. 

Chan gave a shocked expression for a second "wow that's talent," he praised.

Shifting a laugh, you nodded "Felix is a little more tentative overall," you added looking at the other handsome male. 

Chan gave a flirty smile "kissing Y/n was nice right Felix," Chan asked the other boy. "I mean you did get to kiss her before me and all," he hummed. 

Felix gave a small nod in understanding "her lips felt amazing," Felix said his eyes slightly looking up to remember the kiss. Being praised stirring up a good feeling in your body. 

"Chan pick your card," you said reaching for the deck. Felix was busy thanking all the donors on the screen reading out the comments. One stuck in your mind "that Y/n looked perfect between the boys". The praise was almost endless, but did you look amazing between these two amazingly handsome males. Did you fit into this dynamic? 

"Got a dare card," he smoothly said looking at the words. Reading it slowly he spoke "Whisper in the persons next to your ear something you've always wanted to see me do in bed," he said with a smooth accent. 

"Sorry views this is for our Y/n ears only," Chan gave the camera a wink as he leaned down to your ear. His warm breath hitting your ear. "Y/n I want to see you whimper my name begging for my cock wanting it so bad yet not getting it," his smooth Aussie accent told you. 

Immediately you shifted in your seat with want. "Bang Chan," you lightly gasped out covering your mouth. 

Giving you a wink, he went back to the views. "Before the next round, I'll read out some comments," 

"Felix you look adorable today," Chan read the comment out. "He looks adorable all the time, to be honest, we're just lucky we get to see it."

Reading the comments, you got an understanding of the cam feel. It felt like a YouTube vide kind of. The comments were nice, donations were flooding in. You totally forgot at least 500 people were watching you kiss your best friends. 

"Felix take a card," you hummed reaching for the deck and passing it to him. Giving you a firm smile he took a card. 

Giving everyone an embarrassing smile "I watched hentai and I have no shame," he declared putting the card down. Your eyes widen at the confession admiring how confident he was in his answer. 

Trading the cards to you, you picked one up and read it aloud. "Touch yourself for 60 seconds," you read out. 

You stiffen your back at the comment. "Um is it okay if I sit on the bed," you asked. 

"Anything that makes you comfortable," Felix said. Putting the card down you sat at the edge of the bed. The comments went wild with the realization sexual stuff will happen. 

You looked at both of them in awkwardness as you lifted the skirt revealing your lace panties to them and the screen. Looking at yourself through the monitor you looked lewd. At that moment the whole room shifted with sexual tension. 

You calmed yourself as you slowly brought your hand go down to pleasure yourself. You teased your slit drawing the wetness near. The exoticness of your two friends watching made you more aroused. 

Touching yourself you were delicate and needy the tension slowly grew as you played with your clothed slit. Peeking out to see Chan with a pleased grin and Felix with a needy wanting look. 

"Forget about these fucking cards," you heard Chan say in an aggressive manner as he put them down to go to the bed. 

"Felix can you help out beautiful girl here," Chan hummed sitting on the bed pulling your back against his chest smoothly. 

Felix did as he was instructed. Even in this situation, Chan was more of the dominant right now and you both fended to him. "Felix please," you begged spreading your legs open for him to touch you. 

"We don't want her to come so early so just tease her," Chan hummed out the order. Leaning his mouth toward your neck he laid a few kisses on your neck as his hands went to your waist. His large hands met your waist as he roamed your body. 

"Just relax," Chan whispered in your ear as his hands went further up to meet right below your bra. "I'm right here baby girl," his deep voice so naturally seductive making you buzz with want. 

Felix slowly fingered you his gentle touch made you whimper for more. Looking down at the male he looked so focused on your slit. His fingers lightly petting you slowly only slightly entering to feel your velvety wetness. "She's so damp," Felix deep voice hummed. Spreading your fold to show the camera you off. 

Chan hard manhood stood firm against your back as his hands groped your breast. He felt the fabric over them as he ran his smooth palm over them. Lifting the shirt up enough to show the stream. "I picked out her set for her," he mentioned proudly, of the black lace he bought you. 

The stimulation with being in between two hot and bothered males made your body heat up. Chans fingers found your bra snapping it off in a cool manner. Letting your breast be free for him to play with. 

"As much as I like it on you, I like it off a lot better," Chan uttered. His palm enveloped your breast as he played with them. "So warm in my palm," his dirty talk making you wet. 

"She's so warm Chan," Felix spoke up finally as he teased you. Licking his lips, you knew he wanted to dive in and enjoy himself. 

Chan one hand played with your nipple. Taking the small bud and playing with it "Oh I would love to see them filled with milk one day," he leaned down to whisper. The insinuation of breeding you made your spine chill with want. 

"Ah," you let a mew at the feeling of him pinching and rubbing your nipple paired with Felix now inserting his finger into you this was too much. The familiar feeling of excitement pooled in your lower belly wanting to come soon. 

"Mmh look at the chat praising you," Chan accent came out thicker at the moment. His fingers teased your nipples his one hand traveling down to your slit as he slowly found your clit as he played with it. 

"Don't come, baby," he hummed in your ear. His hardness lightly rocking against your back. Both of their hands playing with you. 

"You're close aren't you," Chan groaned in your ear. With a shaky head, you nodded feeling the coming orgasm fill your stomach. 

"Felix stop touching," He demanded you turned your head to see Chan had a large smirk on his face. "Mmh clean his fingers for him won't you," Chan teased out. 

The loss of contact made your body slightly settle. You gazed at Felix a gentle grin on his face "open," he ordered lightly. 

Without words, you opened your mouth accepting his fingers tasting yourself. The visual of seeing Felix stand before you as you swirled your tongue on his fingers made you want them more. Cleaning his fingers, you probably looked so desperate at this point. 

"Look what you've done to poor Felix," Chan pointed out the outline of a line of his dick showing in Felix's sweatpants. "Got him all riled up," he pointed out once again. 

"Get on your fours baby girl," Chan told you a light pinch on your butt making you shift. Following his orders, you did what he asked. You wondered if Chan was naturally like this or was this a show for the cameras. Something inside you guessed this isn't an act. 

"Now give Felix some pleasure he deserves it," Chan hummed watching from behind you as you grabbed Felix sweatpants pulling them down slightly revealing his briefs. He was already hard against them making an outline. 

You ran your fingertips over his clothed dick lightly teasing the member. "Fuck Y/n," he gave deep moan at the lightest touch. 

Feeling behind you Chan grabbed your hips tapping your ass lightly. "Her ass is amazing," Chan praised. He grabbed at it in a harsh manner feeling it. 

"I want to feel it," Felix groaned as you kept your light touches up. 

"One day you can have it," Chan teased out at Felix. "Today it’s all mine," he added.

Chan fingers lightly played with slit pulling the underwear down slightly. "So many donations I think people like the show," he hummed at the camera. The monitor gave you a perfect view of Chan behind you. 

Pulling off Felix’s briefs to reveal his dick. "Suck it please," Felix whined out practically begging you. Grabbing it you lightly jerked him off. The feeling of Chan behind you made you moan as he slowly entered you. 

You panted with want but wanted to please Felix as well. Wrapping your mouth on his dick you felt Chan lightly thrust in you making sure you could take him. 

"Suck him off good Y/n," Chan egged you on. You moaned feeling Chan starting to slowly thrust into you. Your stomach stirring at the feeling of being fucked. Felix in front of you letting deep moans lace the air. You adored the sound of the younger male deep voice. 

Chans hands were wrapped around your waist as he steadied you as he gave a gentle pace inside you. "Seeing you suck off Felix is so hot," he admitted a breathy groan laced his sentence. 

Your gag reflex was lightly getting in the way, so you lightly backed off. Felix's hands met your head as he thrust into your open mouth his hips rocking in your mouth. The more he did that the more you gagged on him. 

"Oh, fucking hell you clench around me every time you gag," Chan cursed "It feels amazing," he rocked into you harder. 

The scene was lewd as it could be. You are blowing off your friend while your other friend took you from behind. 

The warmth in your body was flaring up you felt your stomach tighten your skin so warm from the teasing. Wanting to help Felix before you came you focuses on the person in front of you. 

You hollowed around him sucking him lightly. Your tongue peeking out giving kitten licks to his mushroomed head. 

"She's so good," Felix gave a deep moan as he rocked his hips in your mouth. Pressing his fingers in your hair he lightly pushed you deeper as he balls tightened as he came in your mouth, you gagged lightly feeling the ropes of come touch the back of your throat. 

"Fuck the clenching," Chan moaned from behind you. Felix unlaced his fingers from your hair his hand grabbing your chin letting the cum lightly drip out of your mouth. 

"What a good girl we have here," Felix said a slight smirk on his face as his thumb touched the cum coming out. Catching it on his thumb he moved it to your mouth making you open your mouth to accept the fallen cum. "All of it my girl," his dark eyes held so much love and lust as you stared up at him accepting his finger cleaning it. The shift from cute too so sexual made you whine with want. 

Chan wasn't done with you as his thrust became sloppier signaling, he was about to come. Your arms tired from holding yourself up you laid your head on the bed letting Chan fuck you into the bed. 

You eyed Felix as he went back to the stream a lazy smile across his face. It made your heart flutter knowing you did that for him. You pleasured him into that handsome smile of his. 

"You feel so good baby girl," Chan moaned as his hips were starting to stutter into you he was so close and so deep inside you. 

Finally, after all the teasing, you could finally let go. You let the pleasure envelope you as he drove into you. The feeling of the tension washing over you signaled you came; a flow of moans left your mouth as you let go. The pleasure washed over you in an amazing way. 

Chan soon chased his orgasm his Australian accent came out thick as he praised you. 

Felix said some words you couldn't care less about to the stream thanking all the watchers and donors you think. Saying he loved the feedback and this experience as he shut off the stream and the bright studio lights in the room. Chan grabbed you pushing you on the bed. 

You looked up at the male wide-eyed to see a lazy smile on his lips. "You're a natural," he praised you deciding to lay next to you. 

"Yah why do you get to cuddle Y/n," Felix playfully pouted at the scene before him. 

"Um because she likes me the best," Chan rolled his eyes covering you with his arm. 

"I want your cuddles Felix," you whined reaching out for the other male. He accepted your arms and laid in them. Sighing with content you felt Felix shift on the bed.

"We really did that," Felix hummed laying in the packed bed. 

"We sure did now go to sleep before I kick you out the bed," Chan laughed out lightly. You didn't know what morning had for you. At least you had your two best friends next to you. 

[calpalirwin]

B.U.B

Summary: What’s better than your best girl and best mate getting along? Well, nothing really. If you knew the rumors were false, that is. 

A/N: You’ve heard of enemies to lovers. You’ve heard of fake-dating to real dating. Might I introduce a new trope called hostility turned platonic friendship turned stand-in boyfriend? Aka my brain child with @here-for-the-uproars​

Content: Swearing, general tom-foolery. Fighting!

DISCLAIMER: NOT A poly!Cashton or poly!5sos fic!!!!

Need to catch up?

 Part 1

And away, and away we go!

Part 2

Ashton let out a chuckle when he pulled into Luke’s driveway and found Calum’s Range Rover already parked. Seemed like his friend had had the same idea to prepare the blue eyed blonde for his date with Sam. Ashton would be damned if Sam came home pissed off because Luke didn’t listen to reason. “Bro, we told you sunflowers!” Calum’s voice was telling Luke when Ashton walked in and found them in Luke’s bedroom.

“But roses can be our thing,” Luke protested.

Ashton sighed. Sam would cry if Luke gave her roses. Her night would be ruined before it even started.

“Ash!” Calum smiled gratefully at the other man. “He’s seriously going to give her roses.”

“Roses are romantic! What’s wrong with roses?!” Luke laughed in his confusion.

“Everything!” Calum shouted.

“Ash, tell Cal he’s being crazy. Girls love roses,” Luke said, blue eyes pleading with Ashton to give him validation that the blonde knew how to woo a girl.

“Luke, mate, if you give Sam roses she will burst into tears,” Ashton said simply.

“Because she’ll be so happy because she loves roses?” Luke asked hopefully.

Ashton shook his head. “Sam hates roses. Reminds her of her grandparents.”

“Why would she hate something that reminds her of her grandparents?” Luke asked.

“Because they practically raised her and died when she was in high school. Roses are the bad memories. Sunflowers are the good ones.”

“Well, fuck,” Luke said, frowning. “Think I got time to get sunflowers then?”

“Are you going dressed like that?” Ashton asked, pointing at the other man’s attire.

“What’s wrong with how I’m dressed?” Luke asked, crossing his arms.

“Your boots, Luke. Sam hates glitter. Says it gets everywhere.”

Luke shot daggers at Calum. “But Cal said!”

Calum laughed.

It was Ashton’s turn to cross his arms. “Did you really tell him to wear those boots? Are you trying to ruin this for Sam?”

“Oh, c’mon,” Calum continued to laugh. “I said no to the roses.”

Ashton rolled his eyes. “Here,” he said, reaching down to tug off his own boots. “Switch with me.”

“What?” Luke asked, taking Ashton’s boots. “I have more boots.”

“Yeah, and I bet each pair is more glittery than the last, you fuckin’ eccentric cowboy. Now, put on the boots. Cal, go get him a new shirt while I call the florist to get a bouquet ready.”

“What’s wrong with my shirt?” Luke pouted, kicking off his boots.

“Too shiny,” both men told him. “Here, wear this instead,” Calum said, handing Luke a hanger with a pin-striped blue suit.

“So, now my pants are wrong, too?” Luke continued to pout but grabbed the change of clothes anyway.

“Shut up and change. Cal, grab him an extra jacket,” Ashton instructed before speaking into the phone. “Yes, hi. It’s Ash. Yep. Uh, five minutes? Awesome, thanks Bryce.”

“I’m gonna be too hot in this,” Luke said, now changed into the blue suit and Ashton’s boots, a leather jacket draped over his arm.

“It’s not for you,” Calum told him. “It’s for Sam.”

“I gotta get back before Sam realizes I left. Make sure he leaves in 5 minutes, Cal cuz he’s gotta pick up the new flowers and if he’s late…”

“Sam will kill him. I know,” Calum said, waving his hand at Ashton.

Fifteen minutes later, Luke was knocking on Ashton’s door, in his blue suit and Ashton’s boots, sunflowers in hand.

“So this is where your boots went?” Sam said, looking at Luke’s feet and up at Ashton, having wondered why her boyfriend was only in socks and knowing his boots anywhere.

Ashton shrugged and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “All of his are glittery. Have fun, baby.”

~~~

Paparazzi were hot on Luke and Sam’s trail when they emerged from the theatre, smiling. Luke because- after being cramped in the theatre seats- he was grateful to stretch his legs; Sam because she had enjoyed her evening out with her friend.

“Luke, where’s Sierra? Are you guys done? Sam, what about Ashton and Calum? Are you just making your way through the band? Can we expect to see you out with Mike next? What does Crystal think about that?”

Sam tensed at the accusations while Luke laughed. Sam had gotten used to the paps and their outlandish idea that the woman was actually dating both Ashton and Calum. But now she was a tramp working her way through the whole band? Because she went out with her friend? God, the world needed to get a fuckin’ grip. “Get me home, Luke,” Sam spoke in a low whisper, the words eating away at her. Is that what everyone really thought of her? She tried her hardest to let the words roll of her shoulders, but this particular attack was cutting her deep. Maybe if she wanted to be friends with the boys she needed to do it private. But, the very thought made her angry. She shouldn’t have to hide her friendships because the world couldn’t grasp the idea of a man and woman being friends.

“Relax, they’re just words,” Luke continued to laugh.

“At my expense. You being spotted with out with women wearing your coat makes you a player. It makes me a whore. Are you even listening to what they’re asking me?”

“Honestly, I tuned this stuff out long ago.”

Sam rolled her eyes, fighting back the tears. “They’re asking if I’m sleeping my way through the band and if Mike is next.”

It was Luke’s turn to tense up, any trace of laughter gone. “Fuckers,” he growled, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Hold the jacket up to your face. Can you run?”

She shook her head. “I mean I can, but your legs are a lot longer than mine. I won’t be able to keep up.”

“You make the pace, I’ll match it. Just keep your head down and the jacket up. I got ya, sweetheart.”

Sam picked up her pace, the ground a blur as she moved next to Luke, trusting him to guide her in the right direction as she focused on putting one foot in front of the other as fast as possible. “Fuck off,” Luke growled at the paparazzi, slamming the car door shut on Sam’s side with more force than he meant to when she was safely inside. “You okay?” Luke asked, his voice soft and full of concern when he got in the driver’s seat.

Sam nodded her head, letting out a shaky breath. “I will be.”

“You wanna stop for ice cream? Or do you want me to just take you home to Ash?”

“The second one, please. There’s ice cream there.”

Luke nodded and carefully backed himself out onto the street. “I’m sorry I laughed. I didn’t realize it affected you this bad.”

She brushed him off with a wave of her hand. “Normally it’s not that bad. They got used to seeing me with Cal. But this? Fuck, I really should’ve thought about the implications better.”

“No,” Luke said sharply. “You can go out with whomever you want. Don’t ever let them make you feel bad, sweetheart. What do Ash and Cal say when this happens?”

Sam chuckled, a harsh but humorous sound. “They take turns holding each other back from knocking the paps on their asses. But, for the most part we just keep our heads down and walk fast.”

“Shit…” Luke muttered with a shake of his head. “You know we’re eventually gonna have to do a press tour just about you, sweetheart. Set the record straight. Maybe actually knock out a few people.”

Sam laughed with a little more life. “Please don’t hit anybody. Your management would flip.”

“I’m not gonna make that promise, because I feel like there’s a good chance I’ll break it. But, I’ll try.”

~~~

The front door of the house was already being pulled open before Luke had even put his car in park. “Baby, are you okay?” Ashton asked, worry on his face as he yanked the car door open.

“I’m fine, Fletch,” Sam said, pushing him out of the way so she could get out of the car. “They said nasty shit, but it’s nothing new.”

“No, they went too far this time,” Ashton said, his tone sharp, his eyes darkening.

“Fletch, please don’t. I just want some ice cream, and maybe a bath,” Sam said with a sigh.

Ashton’s eyebrows furrowed together, but he swallowed his rage, wrapping an arm around her. “C’mon, baby. Did you have fun with Luke at least?”

She nodded, holding out her hand for Luke to follow. “Yeah, we had fun. Missed you though.”

“How’d you enjoy being a bub, Lu?” Ashton laughed, the tension in his shoulders fading at Sam’s admittance of having fun. That’s all he cared about. As long as she had a good night, that’s all that mattered to him.

“Way harder than it looks,” Luke laughed.

“Aw, so you don’t wanna be my bub, sometimes?” Sam teased.

“Oh, I’ll do it,” Luke nodded eagerly. “Just say when and where, sweetheart.”

“Good, partner.”

“I call you sweetheart and I get partner?” Luke laughed.

Sam shrugged. “We find inspiration where we can, partner.”

“Consider yourself lucky. I’m still ‘Fletch’,” Ashton added.

~~~

“Wait, so when do I get a turn?” Mike asked Sam as she studied the chess board.

“Turn at what? Sam asked, moving her rook forward. “Check mate.”

Mike frowned, his green eyes wide as he looked at the board. “Fuck, that was fast.”

Sam leaned back and shrugged. “Wanna go again? Or answer my question?”

“Huh?” Mike asked, still taken aback that the chess match had lasted a whopping ten minutes.

“You want a turn at what?”

“Oh. Being a bub. Do I get a turn?”

“Will Crystal let you have a turn?” Sam asked, looking over at Mike’s fiancée.

“Only if I get a turn after,” Crystal laughed.

“Whoa, shouldn’t I get a turn first?” Sierra cut in.

“Am I ever gonna get my girlfriend back?” Ashton fake-pouted.

“Should’ve dated someone less loveable,” Sam laughed, getting up and crossing the room to him.

“And miss out on all this? Nah,” Ashton decided, kissing her deeply.

~~~

True to how Ashton had raced over to Luke’s before his first “date” with Sam, Ashton pulled in Mike’s driveway and found out that Calum had once again beat him to the punch.

He walked in as Calum was walking out, a grin on his face. “Leaving already?”

“Mike doesn’t need us. Fuckin’ nerd boy is more observant than he lets on.”

Ashton chuckled and walked back with Calum to the cars. “So, Sam will have fun?”

“Yeah, she’s in good hands. Should’ve fuckin’ figured, yeah? I mean, he is engaged.”

Ashton chuckled again and drove home to wait with Sam for Mike to knock on the door, sunflowers in hand.

He waited, phone in hand for tabloid notifications, like he did every time Sam went out. And they came. And then Mike and Sam breezed through the door, huge grins on their faces. “Enjoy the rest of your night, queen,” Mike winked at her, placing a quick kiss on her cheek. “See ya, Ash.”

“Get home safe, king,” Sam laughed, giving Mike a last hug before Mike was bounding back out to his car.

“King and queen, huh?” Ashton asked with a quirked eyebrow.

“Chess reference,” Sam shrugged.

“Can I put in a request for a new nickname?”

Sam wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “Nah, you’re Fletch.”

Ashton chuckled and then his typical question rolled off his lips. “Did you have fun with Mike, baby?”

Sam nodded, “Missed you though.”

“Well, c’mon. I’ll run you a bath.”

Sam’s eyes lit up. “Ooo, can I request a reminder of who’s girlfriend I am, too?”

Ashton licked at his lips. “You can have whatever you want, baby.”

“I want you, Fletch.”

~~~

“If you don’t vote for Sam, I’ll kick both of your asses,” Ashton growled quietly at Luke and Mike as the three watched Calum and Sam busy in the kitchen.

Calum and Sam had been fighting constantly over who was the better cook and the gauntlet had figuratively been thrown down when Sam challenged Calum to a bake off for Duke’s birthday. Ashton knew Sam would be distraught for days if she lost, not that he believed she would lose. But he could ignore Calum pouting over the loss for a day or two. He couldn’t ignore Sam, though.

“That empathy hoodie is mine, bub,” Sam said with a glare.

“Not a chance, princess. Say hello to dog walking duty for the next month.”

“Honestly, either way this is a lose-lose for you, bub.”

“Ha,” Mike snickered. “Bub, how cute.”

“Yeah, bub. As in the original,” Calum snapped.

“Your pet names are trash,” Mike said with a smirk.

“If I had known there was a theme, I’d call her duchess!” Luke pouted.

“I’d prefer baroness, partner,” Sam told him.

“Partner! Cuz you’re a fuckin’ eccentric cowboy!” Mike laughed loudly.

“Still better than ‘Fletch’,” Luke continued to pout with a pointed glance at Ashton.

If it was possible, which is was, Mike laughed louder. “Fletch! You got middle named and it’s not even the whole thing! Ha!”

Ashton rolled his eyes. “She comes home with me at the end of the day, that’s all that matters. And at least she uses my name, partner.”

Mike was now doubled over as he fought for breath he was laughing so hard. “You fuckin’ cowboy!”

“Done!” Sam announced, throwing up her hands, and doing a little happy dance. In front of her were four cupcakes: 3 for the human judges, 1 for the dog judge.

“Finally!” Mike cheered. “The king wants his cupcakes.”

Calum rolled his eyes as both him and Sam gave the cupcakes to the men. “Yeah, yeah. Shut up and judge.”

Calum and Sam watched carefully as the men bit into the cupcakes. “Holy shit! It’s an Oreo!” Mike said around his mouthful of Sam’s cupcake. “Winner. Done.”

“Sam,” Ashton agreed, because of course he was going to pick Sam over Calum.

“Sam,” Luke nodded, because fuck Calum for being original bub over him.

Calum shot a glare at Sam. “You! You rigged this!”

“Did not!” Sam shouted, hands going to her hips.

“Bullshit! You sleep with one of the judges!”

“You picked the judges!”

Calum’s brown eyes were hard as stone as they narrowed. “Fine. Winner take all with Duke?”

“You’re on, bub,” Sam said with her own death glare.

“Bring it, princess,” Calum said with a snarl he hadn’t associated with the pet name for Sam for coming up on two years now. Ashton didn’t like it one fucking bit. Neither did Sam, but she was too busy being angry to care for his tone, her own competitive streak showing it’s true colors.

The two dog-friendly cupcakes were placed in front of Duke. Duke took one sniff of Calum’s cupcake and snorted. He carefully sniffed at Sam’s cupcake before swallowing it whole. “Rigged!” Calum declared, throwing up his hands.

“I won fair and square!” Sam defended.

“Bull fuckin shit ya did!”

“Just give me the damn hoodie, bub,” Sam said, her voice a dangerous level of low.

“No,” Calum said, his voice matching hers.

Ashton got up quickly to put himself between the two, having never seen them fight like this, and honestly both a little worried and ready to knock out Calum if he crossed the line. Which is something Calum was known to do in the heat of the moment. “Let’s just calm down,” Ashton said, keeping his voice calm and even, the way Sam’s voice usually was.

“Tell him to stop being a sore loser and give me the hoodie.”

“Tell her that the bet’s off because she’s a cheater.”

“I didn’t cheat!”

“BULLSHIT!”

“Why don’t we just forget the bet?”

“You’re taking his side?! Fletcher!”

Ashton’s eyes went wide. Sam only went full middle name when she was seriously pissed off. “Baby, I’ll buy you your own empathy hoodie.”

“I have my own hoodie, he’s wearing it.”

“Come and get it, princess,” Calum taunted, beckoning with a finger.

Sam let out a wild scream and lunged at Calum, tackling him to the kitchen floor. “GIVE ME THE HOODIE!”

“NO!”

“Give me the hoodie, or you’re not longer bub!”

“You can’t un-bub me! I quit!”

“Fine!”

“Fine!”

“No!” Ashton shouted, his eyes wide. “You guys have tickets to see Wicked in two weeks.”

“Oh, I’m still going!”

“Like hell you are! You can’t resign from your bub duties and still get the benefits!”

“Just admit you cheated!”

“I DIDN’T CHEAT!”

“YES YOU DID!”

It took Ashton holding Sam back while Luke and Mike stripped Calum of the beloved green hoodie before Ashton could get Sam in the car, clutching her hoodie in victory while Calum screamed in the driveway.

“Fletch?” Sam sniffed, upset over her fight with Calum, but pleased with her victory.

“Yeah baby?” Ashton asked, feeling like the fight had just aged him a decade.

“Will you see Wicked with me?”

Ashton sighed deeply. “Make up with Cal, baby.”

Sam’s eyes narrowed. “I did nothing wrong. He needs to learn to deal with losing.”

Ashton let out another deep sigh. “We’ll see what happens, okay?”

~~~

“Where’s Ashton and Sam, Calum?” the paparazzi asked as Calum walked around town alone. It was day 3 post Cupcake Gate and he needed to get out of the house. “What happened to your empathy hoodie?”

“Lost it,” Calum muttered darkly.

~~~

Day 4 post Cupcake Gate, the paparazzi spotted Ashton and Sam and went nuts. “Hey, where’s Calum? Did Calum get jealous of Luke and Mike? Is Hoodson over? Is that his hoodie?!”

“It’s my hoodie,” Sam glared.

~~~

Wicked was in three days. Calum and Sam still hadn’t made up. Ashton, in an attempt of sheer desperation, ordered five more tickets. He was going to get Calum and Sam back on track and he was going to need all the backup he could get.

~~~

“Baby, you gotta start getting ready,” Ashton said, nudging her shoulder.

Sam, curled up on the couch in a blanket, turned to Ashton with a blank expression. “Why? You don’t wanna see Wicked with me. I’ll just catch it next time or something.”

“Samantha Hudson! I have had enough of your pouting! Go. Get. Dressed.”

Sam rolled her eyes at his theatrics and use of her full first name. “Fletch, this is dumb. You don’t wanna go. I don’t wanna go. Let’s just stay in. It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong, baby. I do wanna go.”

Sam raised an eyebrow. “Really? You wanna go see Wicked?”

“I really do.”

Sam smiled at him. He had been trying to make her happy for two weeks now, and she had been a straight-up bitch. But he kept trying. And now he looked downright happy to sit through a musical they both knew he didn’t give two shits about, because it would make her happy. And seeing Sam happy made Ashton happy. Plus, Ashton really needed Sam to come see Wicked with him. Half his plan depended on it. The other half depended on Luke and Mike dragging Calum kicking and screaming to the theatre. “Fletch, I love you.”

“I love you too, baby. Now go get ready.”

She got up and walked to the bedroom “This is really sweet of you, but it’s not gonna be the same with- Oh, Fletch!” she gasped, stopping when she saw the dress lying on the bed and the vase of sunflowers on her night table. “You’re up to something, aren’t you?”

“Just appreciating my baby,” he smiled at her.

~~~

“Fletcher!” Sam growled at Ashton at the same time Calum muttered an “I’m gonna kill you both,” at Luke and Mike as the group met up outside the theatre.

“Hey,” Ashton said quickly. “This dumb feud has lasted long enough.”

“Dumb feud,” they both scoffed. Then, “Look, she’s even wearing my damn hoodie,” Calum added.

“I get cold, Thomas.”

“I’m not sitting next to a cheater.”

“Who said I wanted to sit next to a crybaby?”

“Well I want to sit by Ash.”

“Tough, Thomas. He’s my boyfriend. I’m pulling rank tonight.”

“You can both sit next to me,” Ashton compromised.

“Wow, Si, you can’t fight Mike over me like that?” Luke joked to Sierra with a fake-pout.

“I’d have to actually like you first, mate,” Mike said, clapping Luke’s shoulder as the group finally made their way inside.

“One licorice, please,” Calum told the concession stand worker.

Sam gasped in outrage. “He doesn’t even like licorice!”

“Baby, I’ll buy you a box. It’s not a big deal,” Ashton told her before turning his attention to the concession stand worker. “I’ll have the same please, and 2 waters.”

“Sorry sir, that gentleman just took the last box,” he smiled politely, pointing at Calum.

Sam let out another gasp and had to hold back from stomping her foot like a toddler. Calum however, didn’t seem to care for being mature as he sneered at her and took a huge bite from one of the pieces of licorice, chewing obnoxiously as he did so. I hope you choke, she thought viciously as Ashton mumbled some under his breath that sounded vaguely like “Fuckin hell, this is gonna suck,” and ordered Sam her favorite chocolate instead.

Ashton was right. The musical itself wasn’t bad. It was the two people he sat between that made his skin prickle. It didn’t help matters that he knew the paparazzi had spotted Calum and Sam’s preshow spat and would no doubt be waiting for more dirt when the show was over. This was why he hated musicals. He hated that everything he did was scrutinized by the public eye, every inch of his life overanalyzed and picked over. God, it was such a headache. And Calum and Sam weren’t doing him any favors by being at each other’s throats. He missed Calum being his and Sam’s paparazzi buffer. He missed Calum. Hell, he missed Sam. Things just weren’t the same without his best friend and girlfriend being best friends themselves. He didn’t want to go back to how things were in those first months he had dated Sam when Calum had been unsure of the woman.

He let his mind run it’s course of worst-case scenarios until he caught the tears streaming down Sam’s cheeks as she lip-synced to one of the songs, her eyes not on the stage but on Calum. Ashton moved his eyes to watch Calum and held back the grin when he noticed Calum was singing the song back to Sam. Yeah, Hoodson just might make it after all.

“Here,” Sam told Calum, tugging off the hoodie as they stood in the foyer after the show.

“No, keep it,” Calum said, crossing his arms. “It’s gonna be cold outside.”

Sam shook her head and pushed it into Calum’s arms anyway. “I’ll wear Fletch’s.”

Calum let out a short breath that held the trace of a chuckle. “Well, here then,” he said, accepting the hoodie and pushing the box of licorice in Sam’s hand. The box was still full, except for one piece that had a bite taken out of it. “Truce?” Calum asked.

Sam grinned and threw her arms around Calum’s neck. “I’ve missed you, bub!”

“I’ve missed you too, princess,” he replied, hugging her tightly.

“Hey bub?” Sam asked once her and Calum let go.

“Yeah princess?”

“Can I have a piggyback ride to the car?”

“Jump on,” Calum said, crouching down slightly and hooking his arms under her legs as she jumped on his back.

The paparazzi was waiting like Ashton knew they would be. And they went nuts over Sam being carried by Calum, the group’s laughs echoing into the night. And Ashton didn’t care one fucking bit what anyone thought about his mate carrying his girl. Hoodson was back on track.

~~~

What followed Calum and Sam’s two week long friendship crisis was what was affectionately referred to as the BUB Accords. It was an agreement that had a strict no pettiness policy, and after further debate, came to decide that when Luke or Mike took out Sam, Ashton and Calum would take out Crystal or Sierra. It drove the paparazzi ragged trying to keep track of “breaking stories” which only made it all the more fun for the group of friends.

It almost became a game of who could create the wildest headline in the tabloids- Cashton with a girl who wasn’t Sam, or Sam making her way through the rest of the band. A game that only got funnier when Sam started going on “dates” with Crystal and Sierra. Well, right up until the entire group of seven went out and all hell broke loose anyway.

It had started out innocent enough. The boys had dropped their newest album. Sam had gotten accepted into her school’s doctorate program. It was time to celebrate.

The group of seven stumbled out of the night club, grins on their faces, arms wrapped around shoulders, just absolutely in love with each other and their lives.

“Hey, Hoodson! Glad to see you back on track. Calum, did you finally get tired of not fucking her? Sam, how well does Calum fuck? You gonna leave Ashton for him? Have you fucked Luke or Mike yet? What about you, Crystal and Sierra? You girls gonna fuck the other 5SOS boys, too?” the paparazzi yelled at them.

Sam wasn’t sure which comment made Ashton and Calum lunge first, but when the paparazzi added Crystal and Sierra’s names to the mix, Luke and Mike both threw a punch.

It was a mix of the four men wrestling the paparazzi to the ground, fists flying, curses and screams filling the night air.

“Alright, fuck!” Ashton growled as the cops jerked him roughly to sit on the curb, his lip busted and bleeding.

“Look, I’m gonna be real with you,” Calum was saying, his brown eyes darker than the group had ever seen. “You, Mr. Officer, better book up me and my mates. Because if you let us go, you’re just gonna have to break this apart again.”

“Sir, have you been drinking?”

“A little,” Calum said truthfully. “But I don’t even have my car keys. Ashton, is designated driver and he’s as sober as can be. And you can’t arrest me for being drunk outside a bar.”

“I can arrest you for disorderly conduct and give you a hefty fine for disturbing the peace. On top of whatever they’re gonna press charges on you for,” the officer told him.

“Do it then. Arrest all of us,” Ashton spoke up. “We’re all guilty. We’re not fighting that. But if you FUCKERS” Ashton shouted loudly at the paparazzi who were nursing their wounds nearby, “wanna press charges, I’ll go ahead and press my own. You filmed me without my permission. That’s harassment. And you bet your ass I’ll drag this out and waste your time and money.”

“Same goes for us,” Calum, Luke, and Mike agreed.

~~~

“Michael Gordon Clifford!”

“Lucas Robert Hemmings!”

“Calum Thomas Hood!”

“Ashton Fletcher Irwin!”

The men held back a wince. “Hi, Mum,” they said in unison.

The phones all on speaker and on the coffee table at Ashton’s the next morning held the voices of four very angry mothers shouting their disappointment and rage at their sons. “Just because you’re an adult! I raised you better! What on Earth were you thinking?! You need to learn to control that temper!”

“Mum, you do-”

“I’m not finished!”

“Hey, Mums!” Sam announced happily, hoping to ease the tension.

“Sam! Hi, darling!”

“Look, I know on the outside this looks bad. But, I promise you there’s the side of the story that you aren’t getting.”

“Sam, honey, there’s never a good reason to start beating people up.”

“Normally I would be in total agreement, Mums. However, a line was severely crossed last night. I mean, I’m sure you’re all aware of what the tabloids have been saying about me and my friendships with Cal, Luke, and Mike, along with the accusations regarding my relationship with Ashton. It’s never been good. It’s been downright nasty sometimes. However, last night the line was crossed. I’d rather not repeat what was said. But it was besmirching of not only my name, but Crystal and Sierra’s names as well.”

“They said what?!”

Sam sighed. “They, that is the paparazzi, accused us women of… let’s use the term sleeping… our way through the band.”

“Are their hands okay?” came the worried reply.

“Your sons are fine. The paparazzi on the other hand… not so much.”

“Good.”

The BUB Accords were later amended to include a “head down, coat up” rule in dealing with the paparazzi.

____

Tag-list?

@baldcalum​ @cxddlyash​ @here-for-the-uproars​ @cashtonasff5sos​ @flameraine​

[victorluvsalice]

AU Thursday: Tell Me Where To Find Shelter -- Layers of Victor

Saw this meme going around the #fallout4 tag a while back (I believe I specifically ganked it from @radbeetle), and thought it might be fun to do for my Sole Survivor!Victor. And my Malkavian!Alice, but let’s start with SS!Victor. XD

LAYER ONE: THE OUTSIDE

- Name: Victor Fitzwilliam Van Dort

- Eye Color: Very dark brown – it can be very hard to tell the difference between pupil and iris!

- Hair Style/Color: Black, generally combed back with two "tufts" of bangs falling over what little forehead he has

- Height: Six feet three inches (and thin as a rail)

- Clothing style: Relatively formal pre-War – he grew up in a household that impressed upon him that you wore ties and suits whenever you were in public, and often even in private. Post-War, he spends a lot of time switching between a pair of upgraded Vault suits from Vault 111 while looking for clothes that actually fit his lanky frame. He's a lot more casual in his style once he does – though he still likes a good sweater vest, and he keeps a few suits if he needs to look fancy.

- Best physical feature: Victor would personally say his hands – he's a pianist and a tinkerer, and he appreciates his long reach over a keyboard, along with his ability to finely handle delicate parts when upgrading or repairing things!

LAYER TWO: THE INSIDE

- Fears: Total darkness (as in you can't see ANYTHING – as long as there's some sort of light source, he can manage); blindness (related to previous); small enclosed spaces (being locked in a cryonic pod will do that to a guy); losing those he cares about again (he – has a lot of trauma from seeing Victoria shot, Shaun kidnapped, then trying to open Emily's pod after he finally got out, only to see her corpse half-rotted inside)

- Guilty pleasure: Pre-War, it would have been comics – he was always a little embarrassed about how much he continued to like the adventures of Grognak and the Unstoppables and whatnot after his teenage years (not helped by his mother sneering at the stories). Post-War, though, he ditches the "guilty" part – especially after meeting Kent Connolly and getting to play Silver Shroud. XD I'm not sure he has one post-War – he occasionally feels weird about how much he enjoys modifying his weapons and armor? But that's quite practical as well as pleasurable, so. . .

- Biggest pet peeve: Being rapidly promoted in organizations that he's only just joined (Preston, you're easily one of his best friends, but SERIOUSLY, dude, GENERAL?)

- Ambitions for the future: To continue keeping his little portion of the Commonwealth safe, and start training up someone with some more Charisma to be the General of the Minutemen once he retires (he's still not sure why people follow him when he's so socially awkward)

LAYER THREE: THOUGHTS

- First thoughts waking up: Depends on what wakes him up. If he's waking up on his own, it's generally a variation on "Breakfast? Where breakfast?" If someone else wakes him up, it's generally "Why are you shaking/licking me, I don't wanna get up yet." And if it's combat nearby, it's generally "SHIT WHERE'S MY GUN oh wait are they shooting at me still should find gun."

- What they think about most: All his various responsibilities – finding his son, acting as General of the Minutemen, working with the Railroad, helping the people on the settlements, wondering what the hell is going to happen between him and the Brotherhood of Steel, or him and the Institute. . .it doesn't do much for his anxiety, is what I'm saying.

- What they think about before bed: If he's not exhausted enough just to collapse onto the nearest sleeping surface, then probably what I mentioned above. He's probably up late trying to plan routes to help settlements that have called for assistance and follow leads on the Institute and whatnot.

- What they think their best quality is: Victor would consider it his willingness to be helpful whenever possible. He generally enjoys helping people, and it makes him feel better in general to help improve the Commonwealth in some small way. (Not to mention, him helping out personally with the problems of a lot of the families/communities in the Commonwealth has earned him a lot of friends for his Minutemen! A General so hands-on seems to impress people.)

LAYER FOUR: WHAT’S BETTER?

- Single or group dates: . . .this gets a little harder to answer when he was in a polyamorous relationship pre-War, you know. XD But yeah, Victor prefers one-on-one, or one-on-two in the case of Victoria and Emily. A group date puts the pressure on him to perform like the perfect boyfriend/husband, and he doesn't need the extra stress. Maybe he'd be okay with a double date if it was with some very close friends.

- To be loved or respected: Victor would rather be loved, or at least liked – though part of that is low self-esteem telling him people aren't going to respect him. (Or like him, for that matter.) It's what informs his desire to help people, at least in part.

- Beauty or brains: While Victor isn't immune to a nice face or body, he really likes having someone he can talk to about stuff. Sharing interests is fun, and he appreciates someone who will at least try to keep up with his nattering on about butterflies and robots and whatnot.

- Dogs or cats: Dogs! Victor gets along decently with cats, but he is first and foremost a dog person. He had a dog named Scraps when he was a child, and he, Victoria, and Emily were making plans to adopt one before the bombs fell. Meeting Dogmeat at the Red Rocket really helped pull him out of his post-War "almost everything I knew is gone and I'm a stranger in my own state" funk.

LAYER FIVE: DO THEY?

- Lie: Yup. Victor will tell the usual social "white lies" (even if he's not very good at them), and he's done bigger lies in the past – like not telling his parents that Emily was more than their "roommate." (Of course, that was done not to have a family blowout about him and his wife having a girlfriend.)

- Believe in themselves: Not usually – as stated, Victor has pretty low self-esteem, thanks mostly to growing up with a mother who was criticizing him and everything he was when she wasn't absent doing social climbing stuff. It's hard for him to think of himself as being someone who has worth, sadly. He gets better when he starts seeing more results of his actions in helping the Minutemen and the Railroad, and realizes he's genuinely making a difference for people.

- Believe in love: Yes – his relationship with Victoria and Emily was one of the high points of his pre-War life. He was utterly heartbroken when Victoria was shot, and Emily later died due to the life support to the other pods being cut off. But then later he meets Alice, and. . .well, it takes some time, but he manages to come around to loving and being loved again.

- Want someone: Pre-War, not really – he was in a happy threesome and wasn't currently looking to expand. Post-War, most of his life precludes wanting anyone – though he does develop a bit of a crush on Piper as time goes on. And then, of course, he meets Alice, and eventually ends up wanting her. . . (Yes, in-game I intend for him to romance Piper – and there's a chance in the AU he, Piper, and Alice would end up in a poly situation. We'll see where this goes!)

LAYER SIX: EVER?

- Been on stage: Pre-War, never officially – Nell had him play piano at some of her parties (which was always stressful, as he felt all her guests were either judging him or just hated him for being related to her), but that was as far as performing got. He of course had the speech he was asked to do that he was practicing the day the bombs dropped, but – well, the bombs dropped. Post-War – he probably will have to give some inspirational speeches to his Minutemen troops, which he will somehow get through and then go have a little quiet panic attack somewhere.

- Done chems/drugs: . . .I have occasionally toyed with the headcanon that Victor was unwillingly dosed with Psycho, or a drug like it, back in his Army days and has been haunted by the experience ever since. But other than that, not the hard stuff – Victor doesn't even smoke (he tried once – after nearly coughing up a lung, he refused to ever try again) and he tends not to drink (he's tried that too, and discovered he's an embarrassingly chatty drunk, so he doesn't typically indulge). He will, of course, take Rad-X and Rad-Away, because those are freaking necessary to survive in parts of the Wasteland.

- Changed who you were to fit in: Occasionally attempted, never stuck. He's not good at keeping up a facade. One of his most embarrassing memories is trying to ask a girl to dance at a party his mother dragged him to when he was about 16, imitating the more popular "jock"-kinda guys, and getting laughed at so much he retreated to the buffet for the rest of the night.

LAYER SEVEN: FAVORITES

- Favorite color: Blue

- Favorite animal: Dogs, butterflies

- Favorite movie: Victor will confess to a love for schlocky monster movies, so he was quite enamored of Night of the Fish Men's Revenge when it came out (he's quite excited when he sees it in the projector in Eden Meadows Cinema, and quite sad that he can only get it to play the title screen). He also enjoyed Another Day In the Monster Factory for much the same reasons.

- Favorite game: With his affinity for comic books and a secret love of roleplaying (which becomes not-so-secret once he starts Silver Shrouding), Grognak & The Ruby Ruins quite appeals to him. He likes that it has some replay value too, with changing up your party and whatnot. The action of Pipfall appeals to him too, though that time limit can be stressful!

LAYER EIGHT: AGE

- DOB: June 9th, 2050 (he was 27 and a few months when the bombs dropped)

- Day of their next birthday, they will be: His next birthday according to the game would be June 9th, 2088 – he'd be 238 in terms of time passed, 28 in terms of biology

- Age they lost their virginity: Twenty – Victor had been yanked by the Army into Canada to help with the Sino-American war shortly after graduating high school, but got some leave around his twentieth birthday to go home. He immediately caught back up with his high school sweethearts, Victoria and Emily, and ended up doing the deed with Victoria. They managed to keep it a secret from their conservative parents, fortunately.

- Does age matter: In general? Victor is willing to listen to advice from those older than he is, certainly – though he tends to take it with a grain of salt depending on their obvious biases. In a relationship? Unless one of the parties is a minor, Victor won't get involved, though bigger gaps will probably make him wonder what exactly they see in each other. (He allows this is hypocritical of him to a degree, as Alice is much older than him even taking into account the freezing – but on the flip side, she was Embraced at 20, he was frozen at 27. . .)

LAYER NINE: IN A BOY OR GIRL

- Best personality: Victor likes people who are sweet and kind, but have a tougher or sassier side to them as well. Victoria leaned mostly toward the "sweet" side, but was also pretty determined when it came to getting what she wanted from him; Emily was cheerful and enthusiastic, but if you angered her – wooo boy; Alice of course is snark incarnate, but is kind to people and generally likes helping others. Even Piper is one of the kinder companions, but doesn't shy away from sarcastic comments.

- Best eye color: Well, Victoria and Emily both had blue eyes (of differing shades), and Alice's green eyes were one of the first things that struck Victor about her, sooo. . .blue or green!

- Best hair color: I'm not sure Victor has a preference here – Victoria was a super-light brown, almost gray; Emily was a blonde; Alice has dark hair that looks black or brown depending on the light/how well cared for it is (and she says her hair was almost red when she was a kid!); Piper has dark brown/black hair. I guess pre-War he went for lighter; post-War he goes for darker?

- Best thing to do with a partner: Victor likes finding some sort of creative interest they can share, or at least do at the same time. He would sit in the living room and draw while Victoria embroidered in the afternoons; and he and Emily both played piano, so they'd often have little duets. With Alice, he probably ends up illustrating some of the stories she tells – maybe eventually they throw together a book of sorts, with Piper's help!

LAYER TEN: FINISH THE SENTENCE

- I love: Alice! And the rest of my friends too, of course.

- I feel: completely out of my depth, most of the time.

- I hide: how anxious all of this makes me – not sure how well I'm succeeding, but. . .

- I miss: the life I had before, in Sanctuary.

- I wish: that Victoria and Emily hadn't – that t-they were still here to meet the friends I've made.

[skeksissquid]

Progress Blog: Year 2 Week 10 -10-29-2020

      Before I start this weeks blog, I want to apologize for being inconsistent with posts. I don’t have an excuse for it. 

     With that being said, over the past two weeks, I did a lot more focus on value structures with my traditional art, trying to take inspiration from Sin City’s art style by Frank Miller with results that I can say that I’m pretty happy with. In addition to this, finally I have been assigned with doing prop models and I got the chance to start working on the model for Alfraid himself! So that has been a huge relief for me since I was starting to get worried about not being much of an asset on the team thus far. On top of that, I might have another idea worth pitching for a team to be made, . . .

     To start things off, I’m going to go over the traditional pieces that I was really proud of over the past two weeks. Namely the pieces for inktober on Dune and armor as well as my product for an art challenge Mr. Compton put out where we were supposed to make a piece using only shading. For the first portion of this challenge, I ended up struggling hard since I was trying to go for an angular style showing only parts of the outline of a gargoyle, but I ended up accidentally creating lines again while doing this, and it was too much of an effort to really continue with it so I ended up starting over. After trying to find some references for an art style, I looked at some of the references that Compton posted, and say one of Frank Miller’s pieces. I wasn’t accustomed to the style, but it looked like an interesting challenge, so I tried working around that in order to see if it’d work or not. To my surprise, it worked wonders! After doing the original shading in pencil, I decided to go over it using a sharpie, and it really turned into something cool then. Once I was finished with that, the style really appealed for whatever reason to me, so the following day, I tried to make another piece using a similar style, and I think it looked pretty good as well, even if it took a couple hours of using markers.

Inktober: Armor (Yes, I know there’s supposed to be pens or marker but I didn’t have any at the time)

Inktober: Dune

Gargoyle Original Sketch

Gargoyle Final Product

Personal Piece Using Just Sharpies

     As for prop work, I have been pumping out tons and tons of stuff since Alfraid needs at least 30 prop models by the deadline and I have been making multiple a day, UVs and all. (Please note that some of these models have variations that will not be shown for the sake of efficiency)

Bedframe

Mattress High Poly

Mattress Low poly

Hanging Bat Decoration

Broken Crayon

Cup

Jar

Desk lamp

Damaged Pencil

Shelf

This Abomination of a Rat Plush Toy That I Will Be Redoing

Alfraid Front (WIP)

Alfraid Side (WIP)

Alfraid Head (WIP)

     And finally, the design work that I’ve been doing. To put it bluntly, there’s a game idea that I came up with for a design meeting, and apparently it was a really good idea, and simple enough for it to be executed within this year.

Design Document:

Self Preservation:

Don’t hide your eyes! Fossilize!

PLEASE NOTE: THIS DESIGN IS INCOMPLETE CURRENTLY

Premise:

You are a dinosaur. See that asteroid? You got a minute to find the best place to fossilize in; the best fossil wins. What’s that? Someone else in your spot? You can fight them to push them out of your spot! Just don’t get hurt or it’ll affect your preservation.

Base Gameplay:

You are in a top down procedurally generated environment where you are trying to find the best place to be preserved, ie; swamps, marsh flats, caves, etcetera and be at that location as the minute clock for the end of the round (the asteroid hitting). But there’s a catch: this is a multiplayer game, and each other player is also trying to get into these well preserving places as much as you are. When other players block your path, you can attack them, pushing them away and damaging their fossil and their final score. 

At the end of each round, you gain points equal to where you oh so graciously died, as well as based on how much damage you took ( damage penalizes your score) with the goal of the game being having the highest points in the end. This game would most likely be a mobile game due to its simplicity and fast paced nature.

Additional Information:

Due to the somewhat grim nature of this game, the art style for this game will be kid friendly, and likely will be 2.5D.

Chances are that there will be a “class system” where you get to play as different prehistoric creatures (ex: T-rex, Triceratops, Pterodactyl, etcetera) and each of these classes would excel in certain things and flounder in others. For example, an Ankylosaurus would be very slow, but wouldn’t take much damage from being attacked and wouldn’t be pushed away by attacks, while something like a velociraptor would take a lot of damage from attacks, but they would be incredibly fast and be able to deal a lot of damage.

What I hope to Accomplish next week:

- Work on more props

- Maybe finish on the Alfraid model

Problems that I might run into:

- Zbrush license issues

[reytatouille]

hey so your fjord model completely blew me away; do you have any process pics? If not, can you explain a little of your process, for both fjord and beau? absolutely stunning.

Hey !

Thank you, that’s super nice ! I usually post my progress on Twitter but I can make a recap here ;D

1 - First thing first I make a base model in 3Dsmax. I know a lot of people start in ZBrush directly but A) I am not comfortable enough when it comes to creating from scratch in ZBrush and B) I don’t have to do retopology when I’m done he he. I also think it’s easier to manage a shape with a few points rather than sculpt in it but that’s a personal preference so if you’re more at ease with sculpting, go for it ! For this model I tried to stay relatively low poly (and then people from Ubi told me their models were up to 50K and I realized I could have put more edges).

The ropes are still splines at that point and are not transferred to ZBrush. I later used this tutorial to make a high poly version that was then baked on the low poly:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxAYvMs117I&t=120s

I put a placeholder for the hair so I could see what the silhouette would look like eventually. 

When I’m done I send the model over to ZBrush !

2 - I import each asset in .obj one by one, starting with the body. To avoid ZBrush making mush out of my shapes when subdividing them, I add one level of subdivision, then come back to the now slightly different first level of subdiv and reimport my original asset. That way it regains its original form and I keep my levels of subdivisions. This method can create some artefact on squared shapes but it’s the only one I found that worked.

When working in ZBrush I try to apply some tips I’ve learned from watching FlippedNormals’ tutorials and work by levels of details: low, middle and high-frequency. Here is the video that explains it the best but I really recommend most of their channel, you learn a ton of important principles when it comes to sculpting ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKstQNoI2w0

Second important tip: never work with the default orange material, it lies to you.

ZBrush is also a good moment to check my overall proportions and anatomy. I use the Transpose Master in ZPlugin to make my different subtools one, I move and resize everything that feels off and then I reconvert them into separate objects. You don’t loose any subdivision information and it’s completely undoable so it’s very handy !Another thing when working with ZBrush: step back and look at the whole thing from time to time. Remember where your area of focus should be and check that you didn’t overdo it in areas that shouldn’t draw the focus away. For exemple at the beginning I had spent a lot of time on the folds of the boots at the ankles. Turns out the hard shadows they created were catching the eye too much and drawing the attention away from the face. So I smoothed them down a bit. 

When I’m done with the sculpt it’s time to do some UVs !

3 - For that part I come back to 3dsmax. I use the ZPlugin “FBX Import/Export” to transfer everything at the lowest subdivision level. And then it’s UVs, yay ! I’m not going to explain how to make UVs, I’ll just say I used two UDIMs, one for the whole body and one for the face. Looking back three would have been nice since the hood is too low definition for being so close to the face. I used a checker to make sure all the UVs have the same size.

Beautiful, I know.

When the UVs are done I export each asset one by one in .OBJ to update the ZBrush model. There again I go back to the first level of subdivision and I reimport, it keeps my higher levels of subdiv.

Ok now we have a low poly version and a high poly it is time for texturing and… baking. Oh dear I hate that part.

4 - So, I’m gonna be honest, when it comes to baking normal maps ZBrush has always been the death of me, and since Substance Painter was involved in my process I decided to do everything in Substance. It was my first time using it so I lost a whole day trying to understand how to make it work :)

Basically you start your project by importing your low poly in .fbx, with every asset named NameOfAsset_low. You then can bake your maps by importing your high poly as a fbx, with every asset in it named NameOfAsset_high. And then ask Substance to “match by name”. 

And then time to work ! I can’t really give tips on Substance to be honest, I’m very new at it, but there are tons of very good tutorials out there ! I worked using PBR Metallic Roughness. I made the opacity map for the edges of the cloth by simply taking the smallest brush size I could and painting threads. There’s one thing a recruiter told me once about Substance, that vaguely sounded like “With Substance kids these days don’t know how to paint textures, it’s all automatic”. So I think using the materials available in substance is nice, but you need to work over them after that. FlippedNormals’ channel has videos on Substance and how to think while texturing so I recommend checking those !

Then I just exported all my maps and put them on my model ! For Substance to Arnold there is a good video explaining in which slot goes which map: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgiZ-ZOEPNg&t=2103s

5 - And now… the hair. The hair was a first too, and it was quite difficult. 

I learned the principle of the method from this video (it’s a very interesting interview with the guy who made the hair for Horizon Zero Dawn):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z58OQ9x0E68

And I found another tutorial that used the method but with tools I knew how to use (I have never touched xgen in maya and the fibermesh in ZBrush seemed more approachable): https://www.artstation.com/artwork/GW9JB

For baking I used 3dsmax (you really need to up the global supersampler to get something not horrible) and xNormals. 

When I had all my hair strands all pretty and baked I started placing them. I think I put way too many of them and I would certainly do things a little differently but the method itself is good, I think you just need practice to get better results. For the eyebrows and lashes I couldn’t get something satisfying on ZBrush so I painted the maps by hand. The normal map is a combination of xNormals’ HeightToNormal baking and handpainted normal.

And we’re not done yet ! Because that’s a three weeks of work model. 

6 - The rig and skin. I’ll just say I used a CAT from 3dsmax. Those are extremely easy to learn and use with tutorials on youtube and they can really bring a character to life. I merged most of the objects together and then skinned them to the CAT. Here you need to know anatomy but if you want references you can check out Hippydrome, a handy website for modelers and riggers showing where articulations should be and how they work. It can also help with good topology ! https://hippydrome.com/

7 - Lighting and rendering. I used Arnold on 3dsmax for rendering everything. It’s very simple to use once you’ve learned the basics: 

A) for the light settings you use intensity first, exposure second, and you change the color using temperature (Kelvin)B) for rendering settings you start low, you check where the noise is and you up the corresponding samples 

For lighting I used 4 lights. From left to right: a rim light, a key light, a secondary and a fill light. The fill light is a skydome. I used this article to get a good base: https://3dtotal.com/news/inspiration/10-top-tips-for-lighting-and-presenting-your-sculpts-by-james-w-cain-zbrush-hair

And I think that’s all !

As you can see I spent a lot of time researching tutorials, but in parallel I also asked for a lot of feedback from friends who work in the industry. 

For Beauregard I only did modeling on 3dsmax, UVs, handpainted textures in photoshop, rig/skin and rendering in Arnold. She took me a week. For Fjord I introduced new elements and methods: I decided to use ZBrush and Substance, and I wanted to make hair cards. He took me three weeks.I think starting simple with Beauregard helped me figure out a lot of stuff and made it much easier to work on Fjord after. Struggling every step of the way can be overwhelming and make me loose interest in a personal project, so I really recommend starting small and introducing difficulty and new methods when you’re at ease with the basics. Finished is better than perfect !

I hope this will help you in some way. Don’t hesitate if you have specific questions I’ll be happy to answer as best as I can ! 

[lesliesmodsfolder]

Sims 4 Miscellaneous Pack 2 by Gauntlet101010

So, when making my graves I have to admit that I found the Sims4 is missing one BIG aspect of life.  Namely religion.  As a guy who makes a lot of graves I find that I kinda do want religion in my game.  But not any actual religions!  No, I want the religions found within the Sims universe!  Namely the Jacoban and Peteran religions form the Sims Medieval and the Kine Society from the Sims 2 PSP.   Oh and the Door of Life and Death is in here too.  Because ... I want it.

Details and Download under the cut

Other have ripped a lot of Jacoban and Peteran stuff, but NOBODY has ripped them with correct textures.  My items have official textures, correct prices and I've gone as far as to make sure even the environment scores are accurate as well!  I went through so many items to find correctly corresponding environment scores, but I finally did it.  I really hope there isn't a typo anywhere since I had to manually type out the titles and descriptions... I also like the Kine society form the PSP game.  I find them to be a really fun depiction of a cult.  It's a shame they aren't in any other games and that I can't rip form the Sims2 DS.  As it stands, most of the meshes and textures are too low rez even for me, so for the first time I've heavily modified existing items to mimic items found in the Kine Dairy.   It was important to me to rip the holy books from the in-games religions as well, but I've merged the Medieval ones since they share tuning.  I mean, what's a religion without a holy book, right?  Even if they aren't specified in the game I did my best on all of them.   Sims2 PSP Kine Society Banner - A conversion from the Sims 2 PSP it's kind of low rez, but kinda works if you don't zoom in too much. Kine Society Door - This is a remake using a basegame door modified to sort of resemble the door to the Kine Dairy.  It uses all the colors the door had before as well as one sampled from the Sims2 game. Kine Society Refrigerator - This is a remake based off the fridge from the refrigerator found in the game.  It's based off the fridge from Get to Work, but I made it basegame compatible.  It has all the colors that fridge had as well as the red version from the Sims 2.  The pink milk cartons are actually converted from the Sims 2 since I enjoy the Tragic Clown's cameo on the side.  It's pretty high poly. Kine Society Cow Horns - A conversion for the PSP game. Kine Society Cow Picture - It gets a bit pixelated if you zoom in.  I think it mostly works. Kine Society Cow Poster - A VERY pixelated picture, but I think it also kinda works. Beelzebeef Statue - This is the object that inspired the whole set.  It's a shame there isn't more Beelzebeef items in the game and I can't rip from Sims2 DS, so this is the best it gets.  I think the faceted look work alright since it's a statue after all.  Although the carpet is really blurry. Beelzebeef Statue 2 - A version without the blurry carpet, incense, and offering.  IMO this works better, but I wanted the full version as an option. Kine Society Cowprint - Wallpaper based on the ones found in the Sims2 PSP.  The wood on this is darker than in the game, but whatever.  In the end this actually turned out to be decently close to what's in that game.   The Bovinomicon - A confident book.  I feel like the religions really need a readable book to really work and it was neat to bring this into the Sims 4. Sims3 Door of Life And Death - The full door, robbed of it's supernatural powers.  How can I make Grim Reaper stuff and leave this out?  I managed to get it and all it's recolors!  The footprint only extends to the rood itself, however, so Sims can pass through the statures like they don't even exist.  This was actually tricky to get.  In the end I just deleted any element that caused an error when the package was opened in TSW using the Sims3 Package Editor until it opened successfully.  After that I could easily extract the correct texture colors. Door of Life And Death - Door - This is the door alone, separated from the door proper.  I mean ... why not? Door of Life And Death - Mat - The welcome mat is kinda neat all on it's own. Door of Life And Death - Statue - The statue from the door, rotated to face forwards.   Sims Medieval 'Watcher's Eye' Archive of the Priest - This desk also has working candles!  It's modified to have a flat surface instead of the tilted one.  I was surprised to find that it was much taller than an ordinary desk from the Sims 4. 'Watcher's Eye' Archive of the Priest Chair - This is a chair made specifically to work with the Priest desk.  It's as high as a stool, so it really can't be used with anything else.   Jacoban Fireplace - It can't be used for cooking, despite the pot.  Just a fancy old-fashioned fireplace. Jacoban Ceremonial Altar - Also has candles! Stone Loveseat in High Jacoban Style Early Jacoban Temple Pew Proclamation Board - A conversion of the proclamation board with all states - with paper, without paper, torn from the top and from the bottom.  Not only is it a lamp, but it's also a master board for the Sims 4 containing the tuning for the parenting bulletin board, City Living's festival board, and Jungle Adventure's adventure board!  There are some clipping issues when you post messages to it while there's a paper on there, but it's the best I can do without the messages floating too obviously away form the board itself.  It's cloned from a basegame items, so even if you don't have any of those packs, it should still be useful. Jacoban Pulpit - If you have City Living this is a working podium!  If you don't this is still a neat candle.  I don't really know what happens if your code references a function not found in the game.  It contains unused textures you can only see in debug mode.  They're kinda small, so it's not perfect for them, however.  Someone else made their own conversions, but it seems like it was made a long time ago and didn't have the official textures.  Also it seems to have been made before City Living and relies on an old "political" mod.  So I feel like this is more necessary than some of the other items here. Jacoban Grand Guiltstone Grand Gilded Qualmboard of the Jacoban Jacobite Triumph Pennant Altar of Peter Humble Peteran Work Bowl Peteran Civic Fountain in Ochre Masonry - A non-working fountain. Hooded Guardian of the Infinite Spill - Another non working fountain.  It's actually supposed to be for the Peterans. Peteran Pulpit - Basically the same as the Jacobian Pulpit, it also includes unused textures. Hooded Guardian of Peteran Conjecture - A big 'ol statue Peteran Stone of Remembrance Celestial Wall Totem of the All-Seeing Watcher - Actually ascribed to the Peterans. Peteran Urn - A seemingly unused item I converted while converting everything else. Peteran Watcher Wink - A wall banner Giant Peteran Water Cup Peteran Wood Vow Pall Gilded Gimcrack of the Advocate - A neat little statue in a boxlike structure. Gilded Saint Nook of the Syncresis - A neat little statue in a narrower boxlike structure. Sublime Altar of the Glorious Watcher - Doubles as a candle too. Majestic Altar of the Merciful Watcher - a gigantic alter over two stories high!  Fit for a grand cathedral! Prodigal Fountain of the Unsparing Watcher - A non functional fountains.  It was part of the set, so I ripped it. Jacoban Gospel - A focused book.  Comes in an "Archive" and "Altar" version, but it's the same book with different covers.  It was a real pain getting the book to work with the Archive book's texture, but I managed.  These books all use the Sims Medieval's icons as thought bubbles! Peteran Gospel - An Energized book. Watcher's Tome - An Inspired book. Pre-Watcher Pagan Relic - Pagans exist too, ya know!

Download here (DeviantArt)

[ravenwolf1132]

Family Matters

Ok everyone! Here we fucking go, my HP/SD crossover! For those of you who are not aware, I posted this on my fanfiction account a while ago then decided to rewrite it. This is the rewritten version. If you want to read the original, it's still up on fanfiction.net but I'm not posting that one here.

Now the story follows Harry when after his third year at Hogwarts ends, his relatives are out of commission thanks to a car crash. Which lands him at the Mystery Inc household cause, low and behold, one of them (a certain Norville Rogers) is his distant cousin. For there shenanigans ensue. The Mystery Inc are in their mid to late 20s and we have a nice heaping helping of Poly Gang since all four of them are married. Also, Shaggy is a werewolf and the entire Gang knows about magic, unbeknownst to Harry who is actively trying to hide his magic from them and does not realize they already know. So that's going be a trip and a half for Harry when it's finally revealed.

On with the show!

(Ok, I tried to put this in a read more but I can't find the HTML option. So uh, enjoy the long post I guess??)

Chapter One - Welcome to America

It was odd when Harry was waiting outside King’s Cross Station and the Dursleys had yet to arrive. Maybe they had finally given up and stopped caring? Fat chance, though, there were two parts of him that both felt relieved and almost betrayed. For the longest time, all Harry had wanted was a family that cared about him and when he was younger, he did everything in his power to try and earn a real place in the family. Of course, early on he realized that was never going to happen, so he just stayed quiet and did as he was told. In hindsight, perhaps he should have fought back against the Dursleys, do everything he possibly could to defy them, show them that he wasn't a failure or a waste of space, and if they wanted a monster, a demon, a devil, they should have gotten one. Though that might have landed him in Slytherin by the time he got to Hogwarts, maybe it was worth it, just to get some payback. Ron would’ve never believed him had he heard Harry's thoughts, though he was sure, at least, that Hermione would be on his side. 

Though, Harry would never get the chance to get any form of payback since, on the way to pick up Harry from King’s Cross, they had gotten into a car crash. Vernon perished on impact and Petunia was fatally injured. Dudley managed to get out alive with only a few injuries, but would never manage to remember anything about the crash and quite possibly, a lot about his life. Harry wrapped the leather jacket that Sirius had given him around his body as he waited for the Dursleys who would never arrive. It was nearly lunch when Harry finally gave up and started to walk. He slung the bigger-on-the-inside satchel that Hermione had charmed for him that held literally everything he owned in and continued on his way.

He never took the time to admire London, despite how many times he had been here and the fact that he lived just outside the city in Surrey. Hedwig was perched on his shoulder with her head tucked under her wing leaning against the messy curls on Harry’s own head. As they walked, Harry glanced at the tall buildings and marveled. Sure, magic was impressive, but sometimes, what the Muggles do, what they can make and build, and what they take for granted and seems mundane to them, is even more impressive. They built all of this without the aid of magic, and perhaps that was a good thing. While Harry was eager to leave his past in the Muggle world behind, it still fascinated him to no end. Same for Hermione and even Ron.

Hermione, of course, grew up in the Muggle world, but still wasn't content on leaving that world altogether. She went to summer school to catch up on the courses they don't have at Hogwarts and even started up a little tutoring club in third year for muggle-born and half-blood students, occasionally the odd pure blood, for Muggle classes. She did extensive research on how to be a teacher for certain classes and eventually had to ask the upperclassmen for help. The older Ravenclaws, especially the muggle-borns, took to the idea immediately. Contrary to popular belief, most of the ravens don't actually care about grades, what they value is the knowledge. Through hanging out with them, Hermione started to pick up their philosophy as well. She began to prefer her own study and learning methods over the teachers, only after she did some research on them to make sure it does work. She gained a particular hatred towards Snape, because while he may be a great potions master, he was no teacher. 

When he and Ron joined her little group, which had attracted attention from across the entire school, Ron was of course a little apprehensive. Ron grew up with an all Gryffindor family and a very biased one at that, especially towards anything that wasn't strictly light side. Sure the twins were an exception and perhaps Charlie and Bill, but still, whatever way you look at it, no matter how good they are, the Weasley’s are a biased family. However, slowly but surely, after being exposed to so many different people, from different alignments and houses and mindsets and even religions, Ron slowly began to let go of the biases he grew up with. It even got to a point where he could tolerate Slytherins and understand not all of them are bad, begrudgingly, but still. He found that there were many like-minded people he found in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw houses that were fascinated by Muggle tech and wanted to find some way to get it to work around magic. When Hermione saw the work he was putting into it and he found the motivation to actually do his homework from it, she left him to it, even encouraging him.

Last year, Ron would babble on and on about the things that he and his little tech group found out about, he even told his dad about his findings which helped him to finally get noticed amongst his family! Watching Ron be so happy and relishing in the feeling of finally being noticed for once, made Harry and Hermione happy for him too. They encouraged his behavior and it helped mellow him out too, no longer did he feel the same amount of jealousy or envy from being Harry's friend because he was being dotted and fawned upon now, and Harry happily took a backseat to this since he never really cared much about his fame. When he did feel stressed or had a bout of jealousy coming on, he'd smile and wait it out, trying to think about other things and often retreating to his work. Harry and Hermione could easily pinpoint what causes him to retreat, sometimes he's had a rough day, others he needs to cool off before he blows, and sometimes he just has this random bout of inspiration and has to get working on it before he loses the idea. He's grown accustomed to carrying around a sketchbook and notepad in classes so he can write down and sketch out his ideas.

A new dynamic had taken root among them. Ron had turned into the inventor, the strategist, he was the one to come up with plans and give advice should they need it. Hermione became the researcher, the one who keeps the others informed, not much changed here. However, while Ron may be good with long term and more permanent plans, and Hermione was their walking library, both of them had weak points. Ron's plans were great and all, but you can't change them on the fly easily, and Hermione, while amazing when it comes to knowledge, didn't know how to handle a stressful situation well. That is where Harry comes in. Harry is a quick thinker and very observant, he can work well under pressure and is at his best helping others. Each member of the golden trio balances the others out. Without Ron, Harry and Hermione won’t know what to do with themselves. Without Hermione, Harry and Ron wouldn’t have a clue what they're doing. And without Harry, Ron and Hermione would end up in situations where they can't get themselves out of.

As he dwelled on this, reminiscing about how far he and his friends had come, he realized he had gotten lost, and hungry. Pulling himself back to reality and the present, he looked around for somewhere to eat and get directions from. Noticing a small corner cafe, he walked in and up to barista.

“‘Ello there, lad,” the barista welcomed, “welcome to Cali's Corner Cafe, my name's Sally, what can I get for ya?” 

Harry turned his head up to the menu, feeling Hedwig's soft feathers brush against him. “May I have a BLT club with Turkey, ham, provolone, and extra bacon? Oh, and a couple of cucumbers? No dressings, please.” he asked shyly.

“of course, lad,” Sally said, “Any drink? Soft sodas or juice?”

“Just water is fine.”

“Coming right up!” She chirped. “Why don't you go find a seat? We'll call you up when it's ready for you.”

Not wanting to move very far, he sat down at the bar table. Thankfully, this cafe didn't sell alcohol, so he was allowed to sit up there. While he waited, he reached into his bag and pulled out a notepad for him to pass the time with. The spell Hermione had bewitched the bag with didn't require any sort of wand-waving to summon things from it, all you had to do while having a clear picture of the object in mind, was stuff your hand in and pull out once you grasped it. Though sometimes it doesn't always work, so you grab something that's the wrong thing. Thankfully, he pulled out the notepad and not something like one of his school books, summoned a couple pencils, erasers, and sharpeners, and started to work on the first thing that came to mind. Since he was hungry, he worked on a new recipe that he had been dying to try out. Sally came back over with his food and Harry pulled out his wallet with a Gringotts bank card and paid quickly. While Sally was handing him his recite, she looked over at the Tele. 

“Oh dear, how awful.” Sally bemoaned, Harry looked up from his half-eaten a sandwich and feeding Hedwig some of the extra bacon strips. “That intersection is quite dangerous, I hope everyone made it out ok…”

Harry glanced over at the Tele and saw it depicting a crash just a few blocks from Kings Cross. Maybe that's why it was taking the Dursleys so long? The more he watched, the more he began to recognize the victims of the crash. There was a walrus of a man hanging out the windshield of the car, obviously dead and very familiar to Harry. The two just barely surviving members of the crash looked strikingly similar to his aunt and cousin. But the thing that made him realize that they didn't just look like his relatives, was the license plate number, it was his uncle Vernon's car! He jumped out of his seat, startling Hedwig from her perch.

“What's wrong, sonny?” Sally asked worriedly. “Do you know them?”

“‘Know them’?” Harry echoed, “They're my aunt and uncle! I live with them! Oh god, if they're gone, where am I gonna go now?!”

He started shoving his things into his bag and Hedwig tried to comfort him by perching back on his shoulder and nuzzling him.

“Alright, alright, sonny,” Sally said, trying to calm him down. “We'll call a constable to see what to do, ok?”

“Yes, please do!” Harry begged, “And hurry!”

Harry didn't know how this had happened. The constable was a nice man named Constable Wright and was able to confirm that Harry was their nephew. Unfortunately, with no living relatives, they had to search elsewhere in order to find him someplace to live. However, they did find out Harry had a distant cousin in Ohio, America. They quickly arranged a short-notice flight to America after contacting his relative, a man named Norville Rogers, and having him agree to take Harry in. So, Harry went from a 10 hour train ride from school to Kings Cross, be in London for only a couple hours after finding out his aunt, uncle, and cousin are dead or badly injured and in no fit shape to take care of him, to an 8 hour flight from the UK to Ohio in less than twenty-four hours. What a great way to kick off the summer.

Harry was determined to let sleeping dogs lie when he got to America, but he couldn't help but feel nervous. What if his new caretaker was like the Dursleys? When the plane finally touched down, Harry grabbed his satchel, which managed to convince the constable that it was all he needed, and headed down to the baggage claim. Standing there, holding a sign with his name on it, was a very tall man, well over six feet, waiting for him. He had long light chestnut hair pulled back in a ponytail at the nape of his neck and his eyes were a honey golden color, he wondered for a moment if he were a werewolf. He looked ragged, like a more clean-cut version of Professor Lupin just without all the scars. He had a small beard on his chin and a bit of a five o'clock shadow. He wore a white tank top underneath a green flannel and had beige cargo pants and a set of black leather dress shoes. Sat patiently at his side was a large brown service dog sporting the signature vest and collar leashed to the man. That had to be Norville. Funny, he was expecting a lasso swinging cowboy or lumberjack redneck, not a scruffy bohemian hippie man. 

With Hedwig perched on his shoulder, Harry cautiously began to walk up to the man, silently praying that the dog wouldn't attack him on approach and that this man, his other cousin, was nothing like the Dursleys. The dog stood and with the sudden movement beside him, Norville also looked to the side. He gave Harry a friendly smile, but Harry's body had already frozen still and tense. The dog began to move forwards slowly and Harry could feel his heart racing, was it going to attack? His body hunched over, his shoulders coming up and he lifted onto his toes, keeping his arms tucked into his body and his knees loose should he need to run or fight the dog off. Hedwig noticed this and spread her wings enough so she could easily take flight and kept a glaring golden eye on the dog. The dog, whom Harry could see was practically his height on all fours, faltered a little when it saw Hedwig prepare to strike, but continued to come closer. Eventually, the dog sat in front of Harry and bowed its head looking up at him. So, the dog wasn't going to attack him? But all the other dogs attack him, why didn’t this one? Is it because it's a service dog? But aren't they known for protecting their master’s too? Looking down at the pooch, it was waiting for Harry to do something. Holding his hand out slightly, Harry reached for the dog’s head and went to pat it, he hesitated for a moment before his hand came into contact with soft, fine, fur. He visibly relaxed at the touch and scratched the pooch's head, its tongue poked out of its mouth and its tail swung lazily side to side with content.

“Sorry, Pooch,” Harry said, “I'm just not comfortable around big dogs, I thought you were going to attack me. Looks like your a better dog than all the ones I've met.” Of course, that didn't count Sirius or Lupin since they were actually people.

“Well, like, looks like you made a new friend, Scoob ol’ boy.” The man, Norville, Harry guessed, his cousin. He smiled at Harry, giving him a wide goofy grin. He held his hand out to shake, “Nice to meet ya’, kiddo. Name's Norville Rogers, but just call me Shaggy.”

“‘Shaggy’?” Harry echoed, tasting the word, it left a sour taste in his mouth, “Sorry mate, but no matter how good you are with the ladies, I am not calling you that.” Harry didn't care whether he was being rude to the man or not, he wasn't going to call someone the equivalent of having sex.

“Eh? What do ladies have to do with anything?” Norville inquired innocently.

“What? Do you prefer blokes, then?” Harry asked, raising an eyebrow. Scooby snickered as Norville’s face reddened. Though through the look on his face, it was surprise and embarrassment, not anger, that caused it. Norville chuckled.

“Well, it seems there's, like, a cultural difference here, cause in America, the word “shaggy” means scruffy or messy.” He explained.

“Oh,” Well that made more sense, but it also made this next bit more complicated to explain. “well, in England it kind of implies you like to…” he looked around as if he were about to tell a secret. “That you like to have sex.”

“ah,” Norville stated simply, his eyes widening a bit. “Well then, I guess we need to find something else for you to call me then.”

At that moment, both their stomachs rumbled, Norville's louder than Harry's. Harry rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed, and put a hand over his stomach. Both of them laughed softly.

“After we get something to eat,” Norville said. “I'm starving and I'm sure you're hungry too from your flight. C'mon, I know a place downtown.”

Norville turned and started walking towards the door and Scooby looked back at him, gesturing for him to follow. These guys didn't seem too bad, maybe things will turn out alright.