#/except for that one time in the AU when he ripped the universe apart because he had fell 👀

[liveyun]

you’re an idiot (so am i) | j.jk

pairing. jeon jungkook x fem oc/reader

rating. M

genre. enemies to 👀, university AU, neighbours AU, comedy, drama, romance, angst, slight smut

warnings. coarse language, crACK like lOTS OF IT, theyre both idiots. excessive bickering,,, gym related stuff,,, Medical school itself is a warning,, unhealthy amounts of protein mentions,, i’m Sorry if you’re a gymbro 😭🙏🏾, awkwardness, oc gets slightly injured, it gets slightly smutty 👀, unspoken feelings bc they both suck at communicating, some Cute stuff, that should be it but lmk if i missed any, its 4am

wc. 4.5k +

if this writing style flops, i’ll probably quit writing too 💀

it’s 7:04 AM

or is it really. what is the time again

unfortunately you are awake.

and it’s not by choice.

it’s because your protein 💪 PROTEIN 💪 MORE PROTEIN 🏋️ gymrat neighbour is up, doing burpees in his living room

and the walls between your apartments are criminally thin

and you’re convinced he’s trying to invent a new form of torture through burpees because the sQUEAKING OF HIS DAMN SHOES ARE JUST AS LOUD AS AN ALARM CLOCK!!

why is he even awake at this ungodly hour, you wonder for the 8293838th time since moving in

you feel like crying

for rEAL.

it was around 5:30 am when u finally had let out a sigh of relief at having finally completed your assignment

you roll out of bed, hair resembling a bird’s nest

what else is bed hair supposed to look like

“O YEA!”

here we go

again

you feel like ripping your already damaged hair bc why does he have to be so damn loud

has no occupant not filed a complaint against him yet?

so now u consider knocking on his door to complain... but you remember what happened the last time you tried

jungkook had answered the door holding two dumbbells liKe they were extensions of his arms, shirtless, smiling so brightly it could cure vitamin D deficiency

you knew you were cooked the moment smirked at you gawkinG at his physique and you felt your cheeks warming up

“oh, hey, Y/N,” he’d said, casually flexing mid-sentence with that stupid grin on his face “need something? Or just admiring the view?”

you haven’t known peace ever since

by 8:15 AM, you’ve surrendered to fate and shuffled into the kitchen for coffee

you swEar you hear Jungkook’s blender whirring as he makes another one of his infamous protein shakes

does he even eat anything which does not have protein powder

like ok you understand the value of protein

but anything which has that stupid thing in it automatically tastes like the Biggest Piece of Dogshit

and somehow that’s what you neighbour has 24/7

last week he had accidentally left one in the communal fridge

it smelled like death and regret.

absolute L

anyway u think u need to get something in ur system too and thats when u open your fridge

and sigh

it’s empty.

except for a jar of pickles and a, uh, questionable carton of oat milk

yea. you’ll have to get brunch today. no futher questions asked

10:32 AM

ur first class of the day

and guess what

u have made the mistake of sitting near Jungkook in the lecture hall.

again! 😍

u swear that u are trying to focus on the lecture but is it really your fault that jungkook looks extra,,,...,,,

beefy

his notebook is open, but instead of notes, he’s drawing a disturbingly accurate diagram of biceps

and the shading looks pretty accurate too

he notices you staring, oof “anatomy is about more than just books, Y/N.”

you feel a muscle near your eye twitch

“i really don’t remember asking.”

ouch

that came out a bit too rude. . .

you feel like u should say sorry or something but he just flashes you that golden retriever grin

and somehow, you’re the one who feels stupid

12:10 PM

you’d think a med school lunch break would feel like a break

but no

the first thing you hear is the unmistakable pop of jungkook’s tupperware lid. it’s like pavlov’s bell, but instead of a dog, it triggers your impending irritation

of course it’s chicken, broccoli, and rice. gymrat starter pack™

does this man even know other foods exist?

atleast it doesn’t look unseasoned so maybe you can take it

you’re not the one having it anyway

“bon appétit,” he says with that smug grin, shoveling a forkful into his mouth like he’s filming a mukbang

you side-eye your sad excuse of a sandwich. “don’t you ever get bored of eating that?”

he gasps like a victorian man having seen the ankle of his wife for the first time

“bored? of gains? never.”

the chewing. oh god, the chewing. it’s so loud you’re convinced he’s doing it on purpose

crunch. chew. sip of water from the world’s largest bottle. repeat.

“do you have to eat like a vacuum?”

he pauses, fork mid-air, and looks at you with wide, innocent eyes. then he grins. “do you have to be this cute when you’re annoyed?”

wha— cough!!

did you just choke at your sandwich infront of him?

-100 aura points

your brain just blue-screens

what the hell are you supposed to do with that information

12:22 pm

you haven’t touched your chips yet. you’re saving them for after jungkook’s food massacre ends

his tupperware is licked clean but he’s already eyeing your bag of chips like a hawk

“you gonna eat those?”

“yes, jungkook, i’m gonna eat my chips”

“cool”

c r u n c h

he’s already eaten half the bag.

u are genuinely considering homicide now

the girl from the next table suddenly waves at him, all giggly and twirling her hair like she’s auditioning for a romcom

“hey, jungkook! you should totally sit with us!”

he glances at you, one brow raised. “should i?”

“why are you asking me?” you snap, already annoyed (but like, annoyed in a normal way, not jealous. definitely not jealous)

you miss the way his lips quirk in the corners

“nah, i think i’ll stay here,” he says, smirking. “you’re better company anyway”

...

why is your face heating up. why. stop it

1:00 PM

you’re walking to your next class when jungkook catches up, sipping his protein shake. the smell is somewhere between expired yogurt and pure evil

“so, lunch was fun,” he says casually, like he didn’t commit multiple crimes against your sanity earlier

“for who?” you mumble, giving him the nastiest bombastic side eye

“for both of us,” he replies, grinning. “don’t lie, y/n, you’d miss me if i wasn’t around”

“i’d miss the peace”

he laughs heartily and it’s the kind of laugh that makes you want to both strangle him and maybe... smile a little

1:12 PM

ur phone dings

dumb(bell)kook : (now) bring more chips tomorrow

or don’t. i’ll just steal them again

>:D

you stare at your screen for a second, debating whether to respond or block his number

you type back

you : (1:13PM) touch my chips again and i’ll report you to student conduct

his reply is instant.

dumb(bell)kook : (now) bet they’d let me off for good behavior 😛

2:47 pm.

group project time!

otherwise known as “watch y/n slowly lose her sanity” time

you're hunched over your notes, trying to come up with literally anything for this cursed assignment while everyone else is glued to their phones

“guys, any ideas?” you try, for the fifth time, because teamwork makes the dream work, right?

wrong. dead silence. you can practically hear your soul exiting your body

one guy mutters, "we could... idk, make a powerpoint?" and goes back to scrolling on instagram. helpful king

you’re about three seconds away from making a powerpoint on why you hate everyone here when the door swings open

in walks jungkook, twenty minutes late, balancing a protein shake in one hand and a clipboard in the other

like he’s about to announce his plan for world domination

he slides into the chair next to you, annoyingly fresh, as if he hasn’t just already benched three cows at the gym

“did i miss anything?” he asks, sipping his shake and eyeing you with those boba lookalike peepers like he’s the main character

why are his eyes so

cute

“yeah, we solved climate change and made contact with aliens. you're late.”

he smirks. smirks. “nice. guess i’ll tackle world hunger next.”

one of your lab mates looks up from her phone just to whisper, “he’s so hot..”

my ass.

“he’s useless”

you’re about to drop-kick the clipboard out of his hands when he lazily stretches and says, “so what’s the plan, y/n? you always have the best ideas”

and just like that, everyone turns to you like a pack of hyenas waiting for their next meal

you might actually murder him. right after you finish this stupid project.

>:-)

midnight.

you’re staring at your notes like they’re written in ancient alien hieroglyphics. focus? yup, that’s a myth

through the wall, you hear it. again.

jungkook’s obnoxious gym playlist thumping loud enough to summon the gods of protein.

how about you just summon the reaper to maybe reap your soul or his

you try to ignore it. you really do. but then the bass drops, and you swear the walls start vibrating

ARGH

that’s it. you’ve snapped. you slam your pen down and march out of your apartment like a woman on a mission

by the time you’re at his door, you’re already regretting this decision

but sleep-deprived y/n? she’s not known for her impulse control

you bang on the door like your life depends on it

>:-(

after a moment, jungkook opens up, looking like he just stepped out of a gym rat rom-com. damp hair, earbuds in, wearing a tank top that shows off way too much arm.

good lord, those tattoos..

“what’s up?” he asks casually, pulling out an earbud, as if you didn’t just nearly break his door down

whats up? what thE hELL DOES HE MEAN WHATS UP??

“it’s midnight!” you yell, waving a hand in the general direction of your apartment. “some of us need sleep to survive!”

he blinks at you, tilting his head like a confused golden retriever. “but you’re awake now. want to do a quick set of push-ups?

you stare at him. you need to go to the store from where he bought the audacity. “push-ups?!”

“yeah,” he says, dead serious. “it’s a good way to burn off frustration. i do them all the time when i’m annoyed.”

“maybe i should start,” you mutter, narrowing your eyes. “because i’m annoyed right now.”

jungkook grins like the demon he is. “great! i’ll grab my mat.”

before you can stop him, he’s already turned back into his apartment. you briefly consider running, but it’s too late.

this is your life now.

five minutes later, you’re on the floor of his apartment, struggling to do one (1) push-up while he effortlessly does twenty in the same time it takes you to collapse in defeat

you feel like someone has bathed you in sweat

“this is humiliating,” you groan, face smushed into the mat

maybe you should’ve just slept

“nah, you’re doing great,” he says, way too cheerfully for someone torturing you. “just three more and you’ll hit... like, five total.”

you debate throwing a dumbbell at him but decide against it

jail isn’t worth it.

yet.

five minutes later you’re on the floor of his apartment, now two (2) push-ups deep and already regretting every decision you’ve made up to this point

you try again, your arms shaking with the effort, your brain screaming for mercy, when—

crack

“ow, ow, ow!” you yelp as your shoulder protests in a way that’s probably not supposed to happen

“that’s it, i’m dOne” you wince, face red from the sheer humiliation and pain

jungkook is standing there with a weirdly sympathetic expression that’s 90% amusement and 10% concern

he’s crouching beside you now, and you can't help but notice his Bambi eyes, all big and concerned, looking at your shoulder like he's actually worried for you

fml

this is so unfair

“u good?” he asks, voice unusually soft, and you can’t help but notice that barely there scar on his left cheek pulling slightly as he frowns and looks down at you

you glare at him, wincing a little more than you’d like to admit

does it look like ur good lol

“i think i pulled something” you mutter, still holding your shoulder, and mentally kicking yourself for agreeing to do this in the first place

you knew you shouldn’t have agreed to him

“mm,” he hums thoughtfully, his gaze flicking to your face, and then down to your shoulder with that gentle focus you didn’t think he was capable of

oUuu

“you should’ve asked for help, rookie” he says with that familiar cocky grin, but you catch the slight crinkle of concern in his brow, the mole beneath his lips almost beckoning you to stare at it

why is he so dumb but also so stupidly handsome?

and then his fingers are brushing against your shoulder again, carefully massaging the area in a way that’s too intimate for someone who’s just your annoying gym-obsessed neighbor

your heart rate spikes, and suddenly the injury doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore

“i’m fine, really,” you lie, trying to brush it off, but the way his Bambi eyes are looking at you—all soft and worried—has your head spinning

oh god

“i don’t think you are” he mutters, voice low, as he places a hand gently on your waist, pulling you just a little closer

god, stop being so touchy

the fact that he smells like musk and with some citrus-y notes underneath doesn’t help either

you feel your cheeks warming and lips parting

you feel yourself leaning in despite all logic telling you to stop, and then his eyes flicker down to your lips and back to your eyes, slow and cautious, like he’s waiting for your permission

you really cannot help but feel your heart skip a beat at how beautiful he looks. no like for real, his hair is slightly overgrown, curled at the ends which fall gracefully over his face

and how soft his lips look

your brain is too far gone, and the next thing you know, you’re kissing him, hand tangled in his hair, pulling him even closer

his hair feels so silky soft

but his lips are even softer, but there’s a desperate edge to the kiss, and you don’t know if it's because of your injury or the fact that you’ve both been playing this weird tension game for far too long

you feel like u can finally die kissing him like this

his hand slides down your back, pressing you into him as if you might disappear, and you pull away, gasping for air

jungkook’s eyes are wide, his pupils blown and heavy-lidded, his chest rising and falling quickly as he looks at you with an unreadable expression

“shit, i… i didn’t think i was actually going to do that” he murmurs, his voice rough and nearly trembling if u hear closely

you stare at his lips again, the mole under them, the way he looks so dumb but also so dumb handsome

his mouth parts to say something stupid again but you shush him with your pointer on his lips

“shut up and kiss me again, you idiot” you mutter, pulling him back in without a second thought

oH WOW

Jungkook doesn’t need any more encouragement. this time, it’s all teeth and heat, a kiss that feels like it might burn the air around you both

and your shoulder? completely forgotten, left in the dust

the kiss doesn’t end in some grand, romantic crescendo like the movies promised

you both were shamelessly making out on his mat

you were perched on his lap and both of u were busy eating eachother’s mouths (it sounds gross but that’s what exactly u two were doing) when suddenly you give his hair a tug

and you hear a moan spilling from him

his hips buck up and you gasp, but it ends with him abruptly pulling away

he’s breathing like he just ran an hour on the treadmill. cheeks all flushed, lips shining with saliva and eyes wide

and your heart is hammering in your chest like it’s trying to escape

jungkook stares at you, lips slightly swollen, eyes wide and wild, and for once, the idiot looks just as lost as you feel

“i—uh—” you stammer, the words tangling in your throat because what the hell are you supposed to say after something like that

“y- yeah,” he cuts in, his voice rough and strained like he’s been punched in the gut, “same”

same? SAME?!

you glare at him, more out of panic than anger, because suddenly the room feels too small, and his scent—something annoyingly musky and Jungkook-ish—is now overwhelming you

“i, uh, should go” you blurt out, scrambling to your feet and clutching your sore shoulder like a lifeline

jungkook doesn’t stop you, just sits there on the floor, looking up at you with a furrowed brow and an expression you can’t quite place

“cool” he mutters, dragging a hand through his messy hair as his jaw clenches

you don’t say anything else, don’t even look back as you practically bolt out of his apartment and into the safety of your own, slamming the door shut behind you

breathe, you tell yourself, leaning against the door, your heart still racing, your lips still tingling from his kiss

you won’t lie, you really didn’t think it would take just a tug of hair to have Mr. Muscle moaning under you

and that kind of inflated ur ego too

>:-)

but now

as u stand behind your closed door

the warmth that had filled your chest moments ago is quickly replaced by a knot of confusion and panic

because this wasn’t supposed to happen, not with Jungkook of all people

he’s my annoying gym-rat neighbor. this is… this is stupid

or is this really?..

no matter how much you try to convince yourself, your fingers keep brushing your lips absentmindedly, and your brain replays the moment over and over again like some kind of cruel joke

the next morning, you half expect him to blast his gym playlist at full volume to piss you off like he always does

but it’s quiet

too quiet

jungkook doesn’t blast music. doesn’t clank weights around. doesn’t do anything to make his presence known, and it’s driving you insane

you don’t know why it bothers you so much, but it does

when you leave for class, you catch a glimpse of him locking his door, but he doesn’t even glance your way

just slings his backpack over his shoulder and walks off like you don’t exist

asshole

yea that hurt. a Lot. like a good amount, because you are sure that you felt that pain in the centre of your chest

but it’s not like you’re any better

you bury yourself in your textbooks, pretending the kiss never happened, even though your stupid brain refuses to let it go

your chest feels tight every time you hear his door open or his voice filter through the thin walls

and you hate how you feel disappointed every time he doesn’t acknowledge you

like you really are a stranger to him

:-(

it’s pathetic, but you can’t help it

the silence between the two of you stretches on like an invisible barrier

days pass, and the two of you become masters of the fine art of avoidance

there’s a strange art to it, like walking on eggshells in your own apartment

even if u two live in separate apartments, it just feels

weird

you are so used to him being so noisy and what not

but the silence is heavy, uncomfortable, like an unfinished sentence hanging in the air

and it’s clEar neither of you know how to handle whatever the hell this is

you can’t figure out whether it’s a relief or suffocating

and every time you pass him in the hallway or see him through your apartment window, it’s like a silent conversation you’re not having

and that, somehow, feels worse than everything else

you want him to say something. anything.

but he doesn’t

and neither do you

and it makes you sick how easy it is to fall back into the rhythm of pretending he doesn’t exist

even when he’s right there.

you go to class and he’s there

sitting three rows ahead of you like he’s deliberately trying to ignore you

and with that girl who cannot seem to have her hands off his bicep

and you’re… fine with it

totally fine

you are just hoping that your glare is enough to burn a hole in her skull

it’s just that you can’t stop staring at the back of his head

like maybe he’ll turn around and say something but nope

the entire lecture passes and he doesn’t even glance over

and you try not to overthink it but you’re pretty sure jungkook is doing the same thing to you

ignoring you

on purpose

you’re not imagining it, right?

lunch rolls around and you sit down at your usual spot

jungkook’s sitting at the table next to you with his back to you

he doesn’t even look up when you sit down

normally, he would’ve sent you a little half-smile or asked about your day or whatever. .

but now? nothing

it’s like you’re invisible

and that’s fine. you don’t care.

but deep down, you feel this weird lump in your chest

because you didn’t expect this coldness from him

even after everything that’s happened

and you’d even unconsciously brought his favourite flavour of chips he especially likes..

:(

then you see him texting on his phone

and you can’t help but peek over at his screen

jungkook is texting someone

and it’s not you

for some reason, that stings more than it should, but you swallow it down and pretend you didn’t notice

the silence between the two of you stretches out for days

it’s like the entire universe is pretending you never had that moment together

the night when everything took a wild ass turn

but jungkook’s acting like it never happened

and so are you.

and maybe, just maybe, that’s better

maybe he regrets kissing you.

maybe you even made him uncomfortable?..

and maybe this is easier

you can’t decide if it hurts or if you’re just overthinking it

either way, you stop checking his texts, stop wondering what he’s doing in his apartment

you try your best to pretend it’s okay

but deep down, you miss the stupid moments

the ones where he wasn’t so distant where it feels like something ended between you two before it could even start.

it feels like it’s been over a decade

:(

and you hate it.

but you push it aside

it’s just… the silence is way too loud now.

you’re sitting in your room, trying to convince yourself that letting go of jungkook is the right thing to do

and perhaps ur failing miserably lol

but it’s hard because every five minutes you catch yourself staring at something that reminds you of him

your notes? he doodled on them during lectures

your hoodie? yeah, it’s his. he lent it to you one day and never asked for it back

your heart? yeah. he kind of stole that too

you’re spiraling between sleep and insanity when there’s a knock on your door

no, wait—it’s not a knock

it’s banging — like someone’s fist is about to break through the wood

WHO CALLED THE COPS ON YOU ONG

you jump up, your heart pounding, and open the door

and there he is

jungkook—standing there, looking like he just ran a marathon and fought a bear at the same time

hair all messy, slight bags underneath his eyes and kinda disheveled outfit

for a split second, you freeze, your breath catching in your throat

oh

it’s been weeks since you’ve seen him, and suddenly having him standing in front of you is making your heart race like crazy

“i can’t—” he stops, breathless, hands on his knees like he’s about to collapse

you’re standing there, eyes wide, totally taken aback by the sight of him, feeling a mix of relief and something else you can’t quite place

yet

“i can’t take it anymore,” he says, looking up at you with that ridiculous face of his

you grab that meaty bicep of him, ushering him to stand up

“what are you talking about?” you ask, completely confused

“you. i’m talking about you,” he says, taking a step closer

hUH

the air around you feels like it’s being sucked out of the room

your head is spinning because after all this time, here he is, right in front of you

“i like you. i’ve always liked you. and i didn’t know how to tell you, so i…”

“i got all this gym equipment just to bother you. i’d turn the music up way too loud, and i thought that’d make you notice me. i sat next to you at lunch, even in lectures, doing everything to annoy you because i didn’t know how else to approach you, i really thought—”

“jungkook.”

you blink, processing everything in a blur, your heart still hammering in your chest

but he doesn’t quite listen to you. “i knew you liked my sketches we had during cardio lectures, so i always made sure to draw—”

“juNGKOOK!”

you cut him off, smacking his idiotic shoulders “you’re an idiot.”

jungkook stops, eyes widening a little, but there’s this look of relief on his face

like a huge weight has just been lifted off him

almost like when u get to pee after holding it in for hours

“i know,” he says softly, and for the first time, you realize how vulnerable he looks standing there

he somehow looks

small.

“then why didn’t you just talk to me like a normal person?” you ask, your voice a mix of exasperation and amusement

jungkook smiles sheepishly, his pearly whites flashing. “i guess i thought this would be easier.”

easier.

only if he knew that each moment without him felt like the earth opening up and swallowing you

AND!!! HIS FAVOURITE ONION VINEGAR FLAVORED CHIPS!! which used to be your absolutely hated flavour but somehow you’ve caught a liking to them recently

how ironic

the room feels heavy with tension as you both stand there, unsure of what to say next, but his gaze is so intense, it makes your heart skip

“say something,” he says, his voice quieter now, almost pleading. “please.”

you can feel the heat rising in your cheeks, still flustered, but there’s something about his earnestness that makes everything else fade into the background

and the way his caramel brown eyes nearly sparkle underneath your dimly lit apartment lights

you shake your head with a smile.

“you’re an idiot.”

but you're smiling like a total fool because what else are you supposed to do when the guy you’ve been in love with just confessed to you?

jungkook’s face softens, and then he smiles too

a smile which looks so adorable you feel your heart will burst

and it’s over for you

“so, uh…” he scratches the back of his neck, looking bashful. “does that mean you like me too?”

you roll your eyes, your heart racing all over again, and grab the front of his shirt to pull him inside

“kiss me already”

the door slams shut behind you.

and the rest

as they say, is history

:-)

a/n : i love them bad :’(

mlist | let me know what you think anonymously :))

[elenaramirez]

location: near the stalls

status: closed (@elio-del-vecchio)

Was she enjoying herself a little too much at a demon-lead event? Maybe. It was hard to say without any kind of reference. But seeing as Elena was by no means the only deity at the carnival, it seemed fair to assume that no one was going to fault her for it. With her most recent foray into the Maze of Mirrors ending in some rapidly fading bruises and a failed attempt at befriending the Hellhound within, she decided it was time to explore the stalls only for the crowd to part and reveal a familiar face.

"You got anything edible in there as well or is it all for show?" She questioned with a grin, hoisting herself up to sit on a low, nearby wall, kicking her feet against the blade of her long-sword. "And why does it feel like this is less of a costume and more of a reenactment of a previous job of yours?" Honestly, she wouldn't put it past Elio. Despite his abilities and his knowledge, he never seemed to consider himself above some honest hard work. It was one of the things she liked most about him. All that power and it had never gone to his head.

[lara-kaminari]

The benefits of the modern era

(Sebastian Sallow x F!MC)

AU University / +18/ ONE-SHOT / Explicit Language / Fantasize.

-----

Note: I had this thought and I had to write it down

----

Sebastian Sallow is a great lover of the modern era.

He loves advances in technology, medicine, music and art. It has evolved enormously in different aspects of everyday life. Who would think that today you press a button and you can communicate with a person twenty countries away? It is exquisite. So much to learn just one click away from achieving it.

However, above all the existing achievements of the human species, what Sebastian Sallow loves most about modern times are short skirts. Blessed invention of this new century, amen to freedom and free expression of bodies!

Perhaps, in a bleak time where light is produced only by candles and not by electric bulbs, Sebastian would be content to see the ankle of some neglected damsel. Now he pities those ancient customs full of false decorum and little skin-to-skin contact.

In fact, if it comes to that, Sebastian also loves the university library: It's comfortable, spacious, has those soft armchairs that are usually backless. Covered by a rigid fabric that can be made of different materials: leather, fabric, plastic, the interior is filled with soft materials such as polystyrene pieces which makes it adaptable to different spaces and uses. Its structure resembles a large cushion as it has no legs, resting its entire base on the floor. He can just lie down with a good book between his legs and enjoy the world from a different height.

The low height allows him to see the girls climbing the moving ladder to grab a book from the high shelf or those who spread their legs a little apart as they sit at the table in front of him.

And there he was. Sebastian snuck up stealthily, grabbed a book and leaned back on the colorful rubber seat in the corner of the place.

If anyone messed with him, he would make believe he was reading some very important history for his exam.

There was not much activity the first hour. Indeed, the warmth of the room and the comfort meant that sleepiness began to wash over him. It would have been a wasted morning except that, suddenly, he heard a stack of books fall and someone groan in pain, very close to where he was.

Sebastian sharpened his vision, the bookshelf hid a girl who now bent down to pick up her books. The position of the two was a blessing for him: the sight of striking green panties greeted him. Quite a sight.

The girl kept crawling to pick up all the scattered books. Something she was whispering, but Sebastian didn't give her enough interest. His attention was fixed on those high socks squeezing her thighs. The sight was enchanting and more so because she was swaying as she picked up each book without realizing she had a shameless onlooker.

Sebastian wondered how hard it would be to agree to such a fuck. Desperate bitches don't usually go to the library. Maybe she'd just be an easy-to-win bimbo. A couple of nice words and he'd have her in the bag. An hour locked up with her and I'd come home with that cute pair of green panties tucked in my pocket.

Those panties that fit those lips perfectly, Sebastian could run his fingers down the middle of those pretty legs and hear her let out good girl squeals. He could rip that fabric and fuck the girl in the middle of those soft couches while the stranger struggles not to scream. Maybe force her to bite the fabric of her panties to keep her quiet while he fucks her ass in the nearest bathroom.

He placed his hand above his fly, settling the future problem between his pants. This was no time to make a scene.

Sebastian moved back into the position of innocent reader when he saw the young woman shake out the bottom of her skirt with the intention of getting up. Perhaps, when she passed in front of him, Sebastian would catch her eye. A good conversation, a couple of compliments, nothing would make him happier than to feel what he could only taste with his eyes.

—Hi Sebastian, studying again?

Shit.

—Hi MC, you know me.

Fantasizing about his best friend he's known since the fifth year of high school is not a source of pride for Sebastian, this could become a problem if he doesn't undo that mental image right then and there. It was just a silly thing, no green panties and short skirts, just a misunderstanding.

—Sebastian, are you all right?

In an ancient era, he would be a man of honor who would not accept false advances. He would stand up, absolutely spotless, and say something like, "Splendid, my dear, never been better," and then walk far away without looking back. But this is the modern era and men don't have as many social skills as they used to.

Stupid modern era.

[snastheskeleton64]

We Have Been Wrong About Soulless-ness.

A analysis of soulless beings, meaning Ink!Sans and Flowey as the only sources. This is just a theory, I'd like to hear feedback if anyone wants to prove this wrong.

Let's take a look at ink sans real quick, shall we? Ink sans is a 'sans' from a abandoned AU that turned up in the middle of no where of what is now the 'doodlesphere' that holds all of the AU's. I believe in the multiversal lore ink's AU was the 'first' one to be created, but the creator didn't finish. Ink doesn't have a soul, since he ripped it and is now a empty husk. But then we have the creators paint from when a AU is created (I'm 98.5 percent sure its been a while) which gives him the illusion of feelings. In this state, he can walk and talk and function normally, with being a little off due to not having explicit vials for empathy and other emotions related. Without the vials he returns to the empty husk state, making him unable to function. This peaks my interest, because flowey on the other hand has determination to have his feelings, except for caring about people. Except, that's not technically true because in the genocide route when flowey thinks your chara he says that he thinks that living on the surface won't be as bad anymore with chara there, meaning he DOES have people he care's about, but its limited and it has to be someone very close to him, which its obvious he cares about care-a more then anybody else. Now, what does all of this mean? I think I know how living works in the undertale universe: in order to have 'sentience', you need 3 things: A vessel (body), a conscious (like how asriel's conscious is in a flower), and something to bind those 2 together, which is normally a soul. The disadvantage of having a soul as your bind is when the soul dies, it destroys the 'vessel' too, making it decompress to dust. I believe human bodies DO dust, but they take a while to dust then monster bodies. Monster/Human dust can hold a conscious, which is why when determination was applied to the flower asriel died on, he woke up since his conscious was binded to the flower. Determination and the creators paint can bind a vessel and conscious together, with their own disadvantages. Determination gives you feelings, but it makes it hard to care about people because determination makes you feel powerful, and when power gets to your head you care about people less. Its not impossible, but its hard. Creators paint can make you feel a specific emotion at your will, but its temporary. When ink teared his soul apart, his vessel and conscious still stayed together and ended up in what's now the doodlesphere. Why did this happen? I don't know, I'm here to explain soulless-ness, not the logic of AU's. So this time he somehow made a exception, and now he's left like a empty machine. His conscious is still binded to his body, but nothings making it work. The paints take the part of what he would feel if he had normal emotions, and puts it to place. Like vials are buttons to press to make something do something. When ink has the mixture of all of his paints in him, he is mostly himself. Minus empathy, pain, and all those other things. The only resemblance of what makes him a 'sans' is his vessel. His personality is different from a normal sans because its divided into portions in his vials, and there isn't a vial for every quirk of a sans. And the creators paints from what I've seen are pretty intense, unlike sans who is lazy and mostly non serious. Now, here's the final question: Does any of this matter? Nope. Not one bit. I doubt this will be useful to anybody, but I know it's pretty interesting to me, so I figured I'd share it. Inks a pretty neat character, and despite the dislike because he's so popular he does have some pretty interesting quirks to him that makes him enjoyable. If you've gotten this far, thank you for reading my rant. And yes, I know 'binded' is technically not a word but I'm using it anyways.

[aimfor-theheart]

soulmate au + getou perhaps…..

vic beloved............of course!!!! <3333

soulmate au

getou x reader

cw: canon compliant, blood, gore

∘₊✧───────────────────✧₊∘

you're shaking so hard that your teeth are audibly clicking together. you have to clamp down on your jaw to get them to stop. and even then, the shivers rack through you like a storm tears apart a tiny tree.

you're crouched and hiding, trying to keep as silent as possible.

you're trying to hold your breath, heart punching hard against the inside of your chest, arms wrapped tightly around yourself.

the desperate pleas for mercy go unanswered except for the sounds of grating screams. viscous liquid—blood, your mind distantly fills in—slops against the ground. the walls. you didn't think it had much of a sound until—until—

when the man finds you, he has a wild look in his eyes. dark as a moonless sky. vengeful. righteous.

the little girls, nanako and mimiko, are freed from the cage and holding each other.

you'd been hit for trying to help them once—a long time ago. you still tried. you don't think it matters to this man, though—who is massacring everyone here. you think because of how badly the little girls were treated.

in ways, you don't suppose you can blame him but—

you lift your arms up reflexively when he raises some strange, glinting weapon. monsters, which you can't tell are imaginary or not, chitter and warble and feast on the corpses.

you squeeze your eyes shut and brace for something. anything.

it never comes.

your chest is heaving desperately. you think you're gonna pass out or be sick or—

he grabs your wrist, lurching you towards him.

there's a horrified look on his face now.

"is this your soulmate mark?" he asks, his own breath staccato beats.

your mind reels in shock. you pull at him a little, to get away, and he squeezes harder.

"is this your soulmate mark?!" he demands, wilder now, long black hair a mess around his shoulders, in his face.

he's covered in blood.

your mind finally processes what he says.

"y—yes. that's my—that's my soulmate mark." you whimper.

his face somehow grows even more frightened for a moment as he looks at it. and then his eyes, violet like a stormy sky, collide with yours.

he lets go of you like you've burned him.

he's heaving just as hard as you. you look at each other like two wild animals—terrified and desperate.

then he rips part of his shirt down, and reveals he has a matching soulmate mark.

it's perfect twin, stark against his skin.

"are you a sorcerer?" he demands now, desperate.

your mind has screeched to too much of a halt to get out anything but, "w—what—"

"she's not like us." one of the girls says. "but she was always nice to us."

the man looks at you. you look at him. at the bared soulmate mark. at your own, now flaring with heat.

"get up." he snaps. "go to the girls and stay beside them."

as if possessed, you rise, jerky, a puppet on strings.

when you cross to them, you do it through blood and gore, you do it past monsters and ghouls, through corpses and the dead. you walk like a ghost yourself. already dead, maybe, too.

he raises the weapon behind your back. you don't see it. but you hear it come down on another person—on bone and muscle and tissue. you hear their cry.

your mark burns and burns and burns, glowing in the dark, in the gore of it all.

and over his chest, like a burning star, through his bloodied shirt, his own burns just as bright.

in another universe writing game!

[polysyndetonaddictsupportgroup]

📓 <333

Okay back to answering these

I have this one very sprawling, episodic fic I call the Peter Parker Roommates AU that I deeply adore that’s basically based on the idea that, when the three Peters hugged at the end of multiverse, they got kind of glitched together and gained the ability to hop into each others universes.

They discover this fact entirely by accident after the entire matter is settled, everyone’s been sent back to their home universes and forgotten Tom Holland!Peter.

WHAT THEY SHOULD DO:

Tell the fucking wizards

WHAT THEY DO NOT DO:

okay so the thing is

They know, okay? They know that this is probably “cosmically dangerous” and “endangering the fabric of reality” or whatever. They all don’t want to rip a hole in the space time continuum that destroys all of existence.

But there’s a very compelling counterpoint to not telling the wizards.

And that’s that all of them are homeless and rent is very very expensive in every version of New York City and it is very very hard to get a roommate when you’re secretly fucking Spider-Man. They have never had such an unparalleled opportunity to split rent three ways before.

the thing is that apparently changing the fates of people who were “important” to your “past” may or may not change the world you come back to. 2/3 Spider-Men did not know they would be homeless coming out the other end of this and are very unprepared. The last 1/3 only had like 7 minutes of forewarning and is likewise caught off guard.

THE SPIDERMEN AND THEIR RESPECTIVE LIVING SITUATIONS:

Tom Holland!Peter (“Pete”): cold, homeless, alone, and sad. Has no idea if he still legally exists or not

Tobey McGuire!Peter (“Peter B.”): see the thing is that he’s been figuring things out and on/off with Mary Jane for a long time and when he left his universe last he and MJ were actually making a pretty good go at long term domesticity and had an apartment together and were really happy. He gets back and they’re very much off again and not on speaking terms, apparently, for reasons that he can’t figure out because they’re not on speaking terms. He has no idea where he lives. He cannot find it. He has tried. Where are all of his things. Currently has the clothes on his back and nothing else.

Andrew Garfield!Peter (“Peter P.”): not technically homeless but seriously considering it as a preferable alternative. The thing is that when he last left his universe he was living on his own, having moved out of Aunt Mays house for her safety and sanity. The universe he returned to was not that. He’s back in his childhood bedroom and apparently in this universe he was fighting a crime ring he was not fighting when he left because his closet is full of cocaine and he does not know why or where he got it or what mob he stole it from. It’s just. It’s an enormous amount of cocaine. He can’t remember what to do with it. He needs to get out of his aunts house and take his cocaine with him.

Anyway they realize that Peter B.’s aunt may never lost her house (a de-Goblin’d Norman Osborn paid it off and refused to accept any reimbursement whatsoever in complete guilt over what happened with Pete’s May). However, she is the oldest out of any May by a lot and needs to be in full time assisted living care home (also forcibly paid for by Norman Osborn for reasons that. Yeah. Would not explain. Makes sense why now.) and the 3 Peters decide to move in together at Peter B’s home and split living costs from there.

Honestly it’s too sprawling of a fic to adequately summarize so here are the highlights:

Peter B’s universe has a long time Daredevil that he’s absolute best friends with and neither of them will admit that they’re friends. They’re in a “purely professional” relationship except they like send each other recipes and go antiquing together on the weekends. Both of them fucking hate their universe’s Avengers, who just cropped up.

Okay it’s not that they HATE them it’s just that they hate them. The thing is that this universes avengers didn’t get the hard launch of an alien invasion. Peter B’s universe had Just Spider-Man for a very long time and then Daredevil and Luke Cage and Jessica Jones and other street folk popped up and now the government is trying to roll out their own superhero team. The thing is they don’t have a super large amount to work with since there’s no alien invasion and people fucking love Spider-Man and other solo heroes so they just play the team angle really hard. The government basically launches a PR campaign that’s about how superhero teams are inherently more trustworthy and have more accountability because you have them keeping each other in check. They’re trying to rope in Spider-Man because he’s got the most street cred out of anyone like just join a TEAM get support from a TEAM and it’s just. It’s so annoying and inconvenient. Leave him BE.

Daredevil is having similar problems and is similarly angry about it. He’s not joining a team with tony stark out of all the godforsaken people. Get off of his rooftop and stop trying to recruit him.

They decide ��fuck it” and to form a “team” with each other so that way they can say LOOK we have a TEAM we did the TEAM thing leave us alone now. What’s their team name? Uhhh… red. Team red. Because they both are wearing red. Leave them alone now.

This leads to some random guy named Deadpool taking out billboards and television ads begging to be made a part of their team. They don’t know who he is. He left a muffin basket nailed to the Peters front door with a knife as a bribe/for your consideration gift. How does this man know where they live and who is he. Anyway the muffins were fantastic

(Pete during Peter Bs biweekly bitchfest about the avengers: hey it’s probably a good idea you’re not teaming up with them because shield was secretly nazis in my universe

Peter B, slamming his hand on the counter: I KNEW IT)

(Peter B’s Matt (“Mr. Murdock”) waking Pete up in the middle of the night: what do you mean they were secretly nazi’s

Pete, violently realizing that his attorney was daredevil the whole fucking time: oh I’m gonna torture him with that *cue three months straight where he makes a bunch of lawyer jokes around his universe’s daredevil to drive him mad with paranoia*)

Mike Murdock shenanigans when Pete’s Matt gets caught as Daredevil, arrested, and put on trial and Pete, who has decided he owes him a life debt for his help when he was in the hot seat, concoctes a wild scheme where they claim it was his twin brother Mike Murdock all along. Forces Mr. Murdock to go along as their “Mike” by promising to find a way to reveal SHIELD as secretly nazis, because they’re so fucking annoying and Mr. Murdock wants public humiliation and pain for the inconvenience of having to deal with them

When they do reveal them as secretly nazis they do it through Peter B’s universe’s Bucky, who ends up moving to Pete’s universe in a sort of recovery/witness relocation thing. He moves in with Pete’s Matt (“Matt”), who hates this fact. Leave his home.

Peter B’s universe’s Steve hurdles into depression when it’s discovered that he was working for Nazis and Bucky doesn’t want to see him (he immigrated to another universe and they were planning to tell 0 people that fact) and keeps moping where Peter B has to see it, ruining his now AMAZING mood now that the avengers and shield were publicly ruined. So he drops him off at Matt’s apartment. Matt hates this fact. Leave his home.

This Steve decides that immigration to another universe is the only and best option and becomes a barista and decides his fake name is going to be his favorite character from his favorite book from the 40s that was sadly mostly unknown. So he goes around as Frodo the Barista now. What do you mean that book is popular here. He can’t change it again.

He fights crime as a vigilante in Brooklyn with his Bucky in his free time. Matt is frothing with rage that this is his problem and demands Pete do something about it. Pete starts spreading the rumor that this is the ghost of Captain America and Bucky Barnes haunting Brooklyn, obviously. He is aware that his universes Bucky is still alive. People believe it anyway. Now there’s ghost tours in Brooklyn to see the ghost of someone who’s still fucking alive.

(Matt: I need them out of my home I can’t take this anymore

Foggy, squinting at him: you fucked both of them didn’t you

Matt: that is BESIDES THE POINT)

Peter P’s universe is the only one without a daredevil and he is SO UPSET. He loves daredevils. He wants one so so bad. This is so unfair.

Then law student Matt Murdock starts dicking around in black sweatpants and Peter P could not be more excited. Oh god oh fuck yes yes yes yes it’s happening

His Matt is deeply confused as to how he already caught Spider-Man’s attention and doesn’t want to team up with him. He’s just cleaning up his neighborhood. This isn’t a Thing he doesn’t have a superhero name. When Peter p insists on knowing who he is he just replies “I am a Man of Justice”

Peter P is so fucking psyched and blinded that he got a dramatic theatre kid Matt Murdock that he forgets himself and decides “I’m gonna call you MJ. You look like an M name” and then has a panic attack because BOTH the other Peters fell in love with an MJ. Did he jinx this cosmically?? Oh god

The thing is that Peter P’s universe didn’t get an Avengers, they got a fantastic four. Peter P is in a very unwilling and one sided rivalry with Johnny Storm on account that Johnny Storm keeps trying to rival him and he’s like. Fucking 17. Peter P is an adult man in grad school he can’t, this is, it’s just embarrassing is what it is. However Pete fucking betrayed him by dating Johnny Storm (re: had a star crossed and doomed to fail genuine relationship with him that helped him recover from losing MJ and Ned and crashed and failed due to the fact that Reed Richards was chasing the multiverse and Pete decided he couldn’t risk what he had with the Peters after losing his entire family to the multiverse last time. They broke up and both were devastated)

(Peter P, under the impression he has Big Brother Authority, which does not exist: I FORBID IT

Pete: I do not care man

Peter B, has a headache: let’s all take a step back

Peter P: he’s, he’s immature and bad and always dating new people every week and and he is trying to steal your sweetness

Pete: *stares at him* *ungodly screeching*)

The thing is that the Johnny Storm led to an agreement where they could not date each others friends/enemies multiversal counterparts because it got weird fast. What do you MEAN that your MJ is your Daredevil Pete has ONE FRIEND IN HIS ENTIRE UNIVERSE AND THATS HIS MATT PETER P CANNOT DATE HIS MATT

This leads to a period of time where Pete insists upon living out of a little hobo sack in his universe, which leads to an even more embarrassing period of time where Peter B is aggressively trying to hunt him down and force him to talk about his feelings, which is the one thing Pete is refusing to do. Peter B refuses to let Pete (who is in his self destructive loner phase, they all have one, it’s a Peter Parker thing) live alone. He needs a roommate who can patch him up or peter b will fucking web them together. Pete says “fine” and gets a roommate. The roommate is the Punisher. He is the only one who thinks this is a solution. Except Frank is weirdly good with angst riddled seventeen year olds and pete gets more emotional actualization and moves back in with the other Peters

Peter Bs JJJ has actual journalistic integrity and some modicum of concern for this random teenager that his photographer took in and thinks he just needs stability and structure and support in life to succeed. He keeps trying to be a mentor figure in Pete’s life who is simply not having it.

He eventually ends up in multiversal shenanigans and discovers Pete’s version of him, who he decides is the Evil Version of him who sells fucking scam multivitamins and slanders a perfectly nice young man. His thing was different they’re not talking about that anyway he has to kill the version of him without journalistic integrity

Peter B, could not be more tired: *deep breath*

Mr. Murdock is in a long standing polycule with his Karen and his Foggy and the thing is that both his Karen and his Foggy have baby fever but can’t adopt because their lives are hostile to children’s continued survival and he decides that what he really needs for them is a durable orphan who can be their like, pseudo child and he can be like the weird uncle to. He just sort of shoves Pete in their path, who fucking owes him for the entire thing with Mike Murdock, and it’s really very extremely awkward when they figure out he was doing it to help Karen and foggy get out their latent parenting instincts. Pete feels violated.

There’s this entire subplot with scarlet witch and multiversal versions of her orphaned twins trying to find a version of their mom (who died in Peter B’s universe) that they can be with that would take too long to get into but whenever they misbehave on the quest to find Pete’s scarlet witch and see if she ever considered motherhood they threaten to send them back to their home universe to be Mr Murdock’s durable orphans

There’s a lot more but this is very long already

[yurobox]

I keep forgetting I have this account and I post things here... HERE ARE MY MASHUPPSSS!!! MINI STORIES WILL BE UPLOADED RIGHT NOW :DD

Starlight & Virus

Virus and ST, are still siblings instead, a few moments before Nightmare reluctantly ate the black apple, Error showed up and started destroying the place which caused a glitch on the said apples and he left leaving half of the universe destroyed.

For Starlight, he tried saving his brother and when all hope came to a loss, Virus ate the glitched out apple which indeed caused him to glitch and turn into a corrupted version of Nightmare, but to the extent of Virus clothes being glitched and remained having passive clothes., it was painful. He could've died. But he survived.

Starlight however, was also overwhelmed by too much going on, turned to stone, instead of the usual 500. He only got stuck for 200 years. Of course, he got out of his own and since it's only been 200 years, the AU was only slowly recovering when he started to walk around to only see half of his AU glitchy and dangerous.

Ever since this incident, Starlight had been taken to the omega timeline where he currently lives in search of his brother. (Yes he met Dream :DD!)

Vial

Vial was like Killer, but he got bored on just killing he wanted something more but he felt uncomfortable of his soul, he disliked it so much he ripped it apart, which only caused half of his soul gone and his universe breaks, because apparently. His soul was one of the main cores in his au. Everything was wiped out except a comically large knife and some papers and crayons.

At first he couldn't hold the knife and just kept drawing until his sanity dropped to the point he's hallucinating and his crayon drawings are his friends and that made him insane enough to pick up the knife (how the knife got large was a size glitch.)

He started to draw said companions but it didn't work until he pierced harder into the white blank space and revealed thousands of multiverse to explore and saw scrapped and unused clothes from another au and decided to take it and now he lives as an explorer and tormentor of the universe

Corpse

Corpse was like Horror, like any other Horror, he was sans, Frisk killed the king and walked off with his soul and got the neutral ending until things go wrong and you get the whole charade.

But not this one. Frisk here was doing genocide. And Genocide they did. They left with the King soul and somehow managed to get away from Corpse by plain manipulation and escaped.

And so problems started. Like the actual horrortale, they lost the core power, had to take his eye, and you get the drill. This time, since his brother was found dead the moment Frisk got away. He couldn't take the betrayal and started killing every monster by eating them. But then Frisk kept coming back. The betrayal continues and he gets even aggressive each time.

And then Frisk stops for good and then he's alone, a starving beast waiting for the same person he's never gonna see ever again.

Poptart

Poptart! Well. It started out as xtale right? There's no event. Everything is normal. Except that Cross.. is a bit tall. At least that's an alternate change.. and then. Something happened. A purple parasite, or whatever that thing was started infecting the whole place, heck! It even got gaster! Cross couldn't escape it. He couldn't. He tried. But he didn't try hard enough.

Of course, the fresh blob had taken Cross form and Cross had tried multiple times to escape the predator grasp yet he gave up, he lost hope, now he's just a numb host for the "Fresh" parasite had taken him and changed him into someone named Poptart who took a liking with Vial.

[kieranwritess]

COD MWII x Cyberpunk 2077 AU Brainrot

Fandom: Call of Duty

Characters: 141, LV, Graves, Laswell

Notes: cw for graves /lh, perhaps a bit of implied soapghost, bisexual soap, bisexual johnny silverhand, probably ooc but i do what i want ❤️

a/n: inspired by @yeyinde and my midnight-fueled obsession :) I'll probably make a part two to this because it's now my baby. knowledge of Cyberpunk 2077 is recommended because I reference in-universe characters. yes it's very niche, no I don't care.

- set in 2077

- they would all hate Johnny Silverhand. no exceptions.

- Soap's a little sad he shares a name with that fellow bi disaster bastard tho

- in a similar vein, they'd probably not be too fond of River; Price would envy him for his naivety and Gaz sees himself in River

- fanon Rogue and Price would 100% bond over being mother hens to a ragtag group of idiots

- Graves but Meredith Stout

- no questions asked

- the bitch would work for Militech or some other arms corp

- probably Militech because it is very American™ and he's a little yeeyee boy

- i might have Rudy's characterization wrong, but I feel like he'd have started in the NCPD like River

- poor boys only wanted to make the world better but instead Rudy became jaded and is sort of resigned to his job like Han

- Alejandro would be his buddy from Heywood who was always trying to get him to quit the force

- Ghost is probably the most like V in terms of skills and attitude

- but he's not some gonk kid who wants to make it big, he's made it big

- fixers either love him or they hate him

- one of those "going down in a blaze of glory" dudes

- would never work with Dex, though, and is especially relieved he never did after he hears about the Arasaka heist

- Price: veteran, but in a Mitch way and not a 6th street way. I feel like he had the potential to be a fixer, but wanted to try to have a quiet life after the war (Price bbg, there is no such thing as a quiet life in NC)

- is kind of like Takemura in the sense he'd love to run off and join a nomad clan (because fuck this place, honestly)

- but NC is all he knows and he has people he cares about there (read as: poor dude is attached to the 141 boys)

- Johnny (Silverhand) respects him, even if Price wants to rip him a new one every second they're around each other

- he could definitely become a mentor figure to V and would consider joining up with them if they take The Star ending

- honestly, i can still see Laswell working for the NUSA government

- but I'm not sure how we'd get a connection between her and the 141

- fuck logic, Price and Kate are still besties

- Soap and Panam get on like a house on fire

- a propensity for a little rule breaking and an affection harbored for an authority figure (i'll let you decide in what sense) brings them together

- I probably hc Gaz as younger than he actually is, but he gives off baby solo vibes

- brb thinking back to Jackie and V at the food stall outside of H10 and crying about it

- anyways

- Gaz would probably be the most like streetkid V

- bro knows his way around local fixers

- hc that Ghost and Gaz met on a job before Ghost made it big time

- and Ghost is all "I work alone >:(" but they discover that they work well together

- again thinking back to the streetkid intro, albeit Ghost is nowhere near the same as Jackie personality wise

- they probably grew apart after Ghost becomes a solo

- but Ghost is the first one to suggest Gaz when asked to put together a team for a big job (i.e. the heist but it doesn't go sideways)

- and yeah imo that's how c77!141 is put together

- Ghost knows Gaz, Gaz grew up around Price, and Price knows of Soap through the grapevine

- I guess to "convert" each of them into ttrpg factions, Soap is a techie, Ghost is a solo, Price is prolly a fixer, and Gaz might fall under lawman (as a PI or something)

- i am making less and less sense so I'm gonna stop here for now

[elliebell77]

Hello :D

I would please like an info-dump of Vess

I really liked the character so I am interested to know more about them

OMG HIII

ok essay under the cut:

TLDR: Vess, short for Vessel, is a fusion between Gaster and Chara. It's running around gathering all the gaster fragments scattered across time and space to rebuild him, but consequently taking fragments from an AU means it's destroyed.

ok, that is... a chaotic image. But I think it helps. and by helps i mean it helps me and absolutely no one else.

The version you probably saw and know was my first version. Vess has undergone a redesign since then which is why it looks different.

ok i'm gonna be honest I wrote the whole thing out but its like 3 pages no joke so I'm just gonna save you the time and give you the highlights.

Vess is the result of gaster and chara making a deal. Basically, Chara would get a sick ass new body and a lot of EXP and in exchange they would gather all the pieces of gaster scattered across the entire multiverse. Yes, every single one of them. It's named Vess because it's body made from is the empty vessel from the very beginning of deltarune.

The line between Doc and Vess' souls is a soul bond, if that wasn't obvious. This bit of worldbuilding fanon is usually used in a romantic context, but ive always headcanoned that a soul bond can be anything so long as the intent is strong. Siblings, for example, or parent and child, or platonic relationships, to name a few.

In this particular context, this soul bond is one of business partners. This connection gives chara's soul the structure it needs to survive, since at this point with how long chara's been dead it's basically just deteriorated into a shapeless blob of DT unable to actually sustain life, and also serves as the tether Gaster needs to stay in the mortal plane. As chara gathers the fragments, both souls benefit as they grow stronger. For chara that is gaining more of their memories and old personality, and Gaster gains HP and more of his physical body back.

The only downside of this arrangement is that when when Vess takes gaster fragments from an AU it actually, uh... completely destroys the AU?? like, the whole thing kinda just collapses. As it turns out, Gaster is actually like a major part of the universe's core code and as a result, casually just ripping that chunk out causes the whole world to kinda just fall apart and dissolve into nothing.

Vess and Error actually have a weird kind of rivalry going because of this. Except he doesn't know that he could totally kick Vess's ass like laughably easily

See, Vess isn't really that strong at battle. At all. Maybe as it grows stronger and gather more fragments, but as of right now it finds itself running away from a fight far more often than it does running into the fray

It does have the red knife, but this isnt actually that useful for battle. I mean, it could use it, but most utmv characters would easily outshine Vess in battle. It usually negociates its way out of battle if it's unable to run; chara loves striking deals, after all.

The red knife is actually used for AU hopping. It's fair inferior to other methods of transportation, but it was the best Gaster could create at the time. It physically rips the fabric of time and space to create a rift/portal to wherever Vess wants to go, but this tear doesn't just... go away after a couple minutes like other characters' portals do. It can be stitched up, but it takes a long time and Vess simply doesn't have time for that when they're being, say chased out of an AU.

[late-to-the-magnus-archives]

Cloud City, Chapter Eleven - a Malevolent AU

He feels Hastur on his lips and under his tongue, behind his eyes and so very careful not to knock Arthur out of his own body because if he is too much himself, he would.

And then it’s gone, and Arthur is gasping, and somehow on his knees, and the bugdog is licking his face with concern and making weird little whimpering buzzing sounds. “Got a kiss after all,” he blurts, laughs weakly, and hangs his head to keep from passing out.

AO3 || Masterpost

-------

They go south toward the water. They go south because no one in their right mind would. This is blocks past Arthur’s apartment building. Not even criminals hide in this place, and Arthur is all too aware that if they find anything alive down here, it will be a monster.

Talk to me, Arthur, Hastur says as Arthur jogs. You’ve been quiet for too long.

Arthur snorts. “Too long, eh?”

Except when asleep, you’re never this silent. Sometimes, not even then.

“Ha,” says Arthur unsteadily, and keeps jogging.

The ocean is in sight now, and the air has gone humid and briny, salty and fishy, unpleasant and still. Every building is boarded up from windows to doors, at least facing the street.

Arthur’s steps sound so damn loud. “Well,” he says. “I guess it doesn’t really matter that I suck so bad at understanding anyone or anything, since I’m about to die.”

Really? says Hastur, dry. That’s where you’re going with this?

Arthur turns down an alley, finally off the main street, and leans against the wall. “Hastur. In the last two days, everything I knew about the universe, my co-workers, my friendly enemies, and my own body has been ripped away, set on fire, and glued back together in a language I don’t fucking speak. You know, I could use a minute?”

Ah, Hastur says.

“Yeah,” Arthur says, and sits right on the ground.

They’re going to be searching for you.

“I know. I know I have to confront him. I know I have to use the dagger on him. I know all of it. I just need a minute, okay?”

Okay.

And so Arthur takes his minute. He takes his minute, and makes it more, just sitting in a silence he has always shunned—a silence he’d been sure was filled with sounds of his daughter, with lies from his parents, with Bella’s soft Don’t leave me before Arthur did, trying to chase down the guy who’d shot her.

And he’s right: it is. But it has more, too.

It has doubts about every arm’s-length relationship he’s ever had. About half the cases he was on, which he’d solved with the same reasoning and instinct that so misled him here. It has questions about Hastur, and their relationship, and what it means that Hastur—an inhuman spirit who will pour all Arthur is out like holy wine—is the only person who actually knows him.

It hits Arthur then that he’s known Hastur longer than his daughter was alive, and that’s the one that undoes him.

He weeps.

Of course, it starts to rain. It doesn’t all land on him, there in the alley. The eaves far above keep much of the water away, and the gutters that still work rush and roar on either side, bleeding the sky into the sea.

He just has to get it out. Just has to sob right past, to let this poison of emotion and terrible thoughts spill, spit it up like bad food he shouldn’t have eaten.

Arthur, Hastur says.

Arthur’s not sure how long it’s been. It’s getting dark. “Yeah?”

You need to eat. The last thing you need to do is pass out while fighting for the survival of humanity.

Arthur chokes a laugh. “Asenath did her thing, remember? I'm fine."

For a while, you'll be fine. You had coffee fifteen hours ago, then you threw up. Asenath helped, but you need food.

Arthur sighs. “How can so much be happening so quickly?”

From my point of view, it’s all been too fast.

Arthur snorts. “Yeah, sure. You can just Contract again.”

Arthur—

“I know, I know. It’s hard to find someone who can host your magnificence, but trust me. It won’t be your last time on Earth.” He sniffles, then pulls out his handkerchief to blow his nose.

You, on the verge of losing everything, murmurs Hastur, offering comfort to me.

“Some of us try not to be an asshole. Take notes,” says Arthur, and stands.

A truly unique human.

“Sure. What’s our plan?”

Now that it’s getting dark, we’ll sneak back to Asenath’s. We know who it is now. We can find a way to track him.

“Can we, though?”

It’s that or trying to find him on our own.

“He could be fucking anywhere.”

Looking for you, no doubt.

“We could set a trap. Call him. I’m bait.”

And he’d show up with so many people we’d never get away. No. It’s hunt or be hunted.

“Fine. But they’ll be watching Asenath’s.” Lower: “Assuming she got away.”

In ordinary circumstances, they’d never know what happened. You simply were there, then vanished. But in this case… I’m fairly sure they know who took your place in the cell.

So yet another impossible threshold was being crossed tonight, it seemed: “Are you saying the coppers are going to go up against the witches?”

I am.

“That… that is gonna go really badly.”

Yes, it is.

“Will it stop if I take out Parker?”

I don’t know, but I do know the police won’t win.

“Fine,” says Arthur, peeking out of the alleyway. The street is quiet and dark; apart from pattering rain, there isn’t a voice, a radio, a dog. “Good as it’s going to get,” Arthur says, and begins the slow climb back up the long hill toward the populated areas.

Toward the witch’s street.

#

It’s blocked off.

From two blocks down, Arthur stares. All six police cars the city owns are here, pulled up in such a way as to prevent easy access to or egress from the street. From Arthur’s position, he can’t really see what’s going on beyond the cars. What he can see is not good.

There are sparks of light. A flickering, like flame. Smoke rises from several buildings, right and left. Listening hard, he can hear muffled gunshots, as if inside the buildings.

“Shit,” he whispers.

They acted faster than I expected, says Hastur.

“Makes sense,” Arthur murmurs. “If I remember what Parker said. When their Defiler comes into my body, the eye and the hand somehow won’t be his. They don’t want to risk making their horrible rot god angry by letting you get more body parts first.”

We need to leave. We don’t know where Parker lives, do we?

“Not a clue. Don’t have a way to find out, either.”

What do you want to do?

Arthur thinks. “Back to the station.”

Closer to the danger?

“Only an idiot would go, right?”

That doesn’t make this sound like the wiser choice.

“I think what we need to do is stake the place out, watch for Parker, and follow him home.”

Admittedly… that’s not a bad idea. If we can remain undetected.

“We’ve done it before.”

Never with quite so much at stake, or with such handicaps.

Arthur’s body isn’t working right. He can't seem to catch his breath; his hand trembles, and he feels weak. “So I’ll be counting on you paying attention.”

I am.

“Then we’ve got this.”

Exercising caution, they made their way toward the station. Arthur avoids all main streets; it is easier to creep around now that the unseen sun has set. Cloud City is dark at night, unnaturally so, made worse by Arthur’s failing sight.

It feels oddly claustrophobic, even though he is hardly trapped; he keeps having to stop and breathe, just breathe, reassuring himself the world had not closed in, that he is still free. “I hate this,” he whispers.

It’s almost over, Arthur.

One way or another. “Yeah.”

You can do it.

“I have to. So I will.” And he will. “Just another ten blocks.”

Slow. We can do this, Arthur. I believe in you.

How strangely reassuring that is. “Thanks.” And in the dark, Arthur sneaks on.

#

They’re nearly to the precinct when it happens.

A weird snapping-fluttering sound. Wings flapping, maybe, but without feathers; like a gigantic bug, but not buzzing; it almost sounds like paper.

Could it be from the Wastes? Some new and horrifying insect? Arthur waves his hand over his head, trying to make whatever the fuck that is go away.

Oh, no, Hastur whispers, and Arthur stops.

Before them lands a… creature. It reminds Arthur of his childhood, before they moved here—a sudden and sharp recollection of a picture book, of full-color images of little red bugs, cute and covered in spots.

He’d forgotten. It’s been so long—so many years since he was outside this city, in a place he hardly recalls, and almost seems like a dream. But this thing is… sort of like that?

It’s round like a dinner plate and about the same size; a lovely, cheerful red, shocking in the gloom, with big black spots at random. The wings are what made that paper-flapping sound—they’re clear, delicate, almost like a veil. It has six little legs like black wires, bent and active, letting it scurry from side to side.

But the face is not a bug’s face. It’s some sort of weird, squished dog—bulging eyes, dangling tongue, black nose pressed into its flat, beige cheeks.

Arthur stares.

I’m so sorry, Asenath.

“Asenath?” Arthur blurts.

The bugdog flutters.

“Wh… what, the coppers turned you into a bug?”

The bugdog is laughing at him. It’s not a voiced sound; he can’t even tell what’s making those rapid, happy clicks, but he absolutely knows what that sound is.

“Hastur,” Arthur says warily.

Hastur sighs. This is a piece. A slice. Like a lock of hair, cut off but still bearing the original’s DNA.

“What’s DNA?”

Hastur pauses, then changes tack. This is what remains of Asenath on this mortal plane. And then they both—Summon and bugdog—give Arthur a moment to parse what that means.

He does. He leans on the alley wall; it seems too hard to stand. “You? They killed you?”

The wings flap. There are words in the sound, but Arthur can���t make them out.

Hastur can. He. Not they. She was completely fine until Yang got involved.

Flap-flap-flap.

Even then, it was close... but they’d murdered another person tonight after we got away, bringing the number to seventy-nine.

Flap-flap-flap.

This was too much—more power channeled than she could channel. She knew she’d lose, so she chose to split herself.

“Oh,” Arthur whispers.

Flap-flap-flap. He could almost understand—

Their fight destroyed the station. Yang doesn’t have a proper coven anymore; she’s very proud of the mess she made.

“What?” And Arthur turns on his heel and runs.

Arthur, wait!

Arthur is not waiting. He stops in front of a door and kicks.

The moment before his heel connects, power zips through his body (and his heart stutters, hurts), but the door slams open, lock broken, and he runs inside.

His last ring pops. The last one. That was it. Arthur doesn’t even comment. 

Arthur, what the fuck? says Hastur.

He got Asenath killed! He’s dying anyway! It doesn’t matter! Nothing matters! “Do your fucking worst!” Arthur snarls at him, at everything, racing past dummies and tables of fabric, heading for the stairs.

He takes them at a run.

Arthur, what are you doing?

He doesn’t answer, gasping heavily. His body fights him, struggles, but he doesn’t stop until he gets to the roof.

Arthur bursts through that door and doubles over, panting. Behind him, the bugdog flutters with great curiosity before apparently making a guess, and it flits over to the edge of the roof looking north. That’s where Arthur is going. He’s gasping still, but doesn’t care, because from up here, he can perfectly see what remains.

The station is on fire.

It’s largely destroyed; rubble litters the street on all sides of it, entire walls gone, roof caved in. There are no bodies, but Arthur isn’t sure he could see them if there were. This is enough: the place was brought down, and it sure looks like it blew out from the inside.

He stares at it. He wonders how many coppers died. He wonders what will happen to the city now. “Are all the witches dead?” says Arthur.

Flap-flap-flap.

No. In their own homes, they can neither be taken, nor harmed; Asenath thinks the officers sent there were intended to die, to be gotten out of the way, perhaps to grant him more power.

“That means he doesn’t think he needs their help from this point out,” says Arthur. “Are we sure he hasn’t hit eighty-one murders?”

Flap-flap-flap.

If he’d done all eighty-one, with that amount of power, you wouldn’t have been able to hide.

So that is terrifying. “What… what do we do?”

Flap-flap-flap.

No.

Flap-flap-flap!

No. That’s fucking stupid.

“Give me a vote, idiot,” says Arthur.

Hastur’s low growl makes him shiver a little. She suggests heading to a hidden shrine of hers and using the tools she has there to draw Parker to you. It’s a bad idea, and we’re not going to do it.

Arthur looks at the bugdog.

It flaps at him, wings so fast, they’re a blur.

It’s too much. “Asenath really is dead?”

Flap-flap-flap.

His heart hurts. “Are you in the Dark World?”

Flap.

No. “With the… the Mother?”

Flap-flap-flap!

Joyful, that scuttling, and of course, it would be. “Good for you,” Arthur says around the lump in his throat. “You earned it.”

Flap-flap!

Heck yeah, she did. “Your mouse going to be okay?”

A happy little series of flaps.

She says her sisters have Gertrude, and all is well, and you are not to grieve.

Right. Easy-peasy.

So he’d made another mistake. His life was all mistakes right now; he couldn’t trust his decisions, even the ones that he made to try to avoid hurting someone. What the fuck, why not say it? “I’m sorry I didn’t kiss you.”

The bugdog skitters over, climbs onto his foot, and presses its weird dog-face to his shin.

Forgiveness? Pity? Agreement? It’s all there, and it nearly does him in again.

Arthur wipes his eyes, then looks toward the station. Flames lick out the ruined roof; there’s no sign of life at all, which strikes him as odd. No firefighters; no rescue workers.

He looks around. This building is only six stories and does not show him behind or over the skyscrapers, but he still can see a lot—up and down the street, through various apartment blocks, all the dark fronts of stores. There’s no one. Not even a curious gawker. “Where—” His voice cracks, and he clears it. “Where is everybody?”

Flap-flap-flap.

Inside. The witches know what we do this night; they have cast a city-wide spell to keep everyone inside.

“City-wide? I don’t feel anything.”

You have me.

Arthur snorts.

No, Arthur, Hastur says, amused, warm, terrifying. You have me. And then, he—

For a moment, Arthur can’t breathe because Hastur is.

Hastur fills. Hastur already was, but whatever he does now, Arthur feels him in every cell and every vein, flowing like blood through his whole body, sitting like fat under his skin, singing like thoughts in his brain, bearing his weight, strengthening his bones, under every single fingernail and at the root of every hair.

He feels Hastur on his lips and under his tongue, behind his eyes and so very careful not to knock Arthur out of his own body because if he is too much himself, he would.

And then it’s gone, and Arthur is gasping, and somehow on his knees, and the bugdog is licking his face with concern and making weird little whimpering buzzing sounds. “Got a kiss after all,” he blurts, laughs weakly, and hangs his head to keep from passing out.

#

So. Not a normal Summon. Four hundred years to find someone who could handle him. Servant of the King in Yellow. Arthur is willing to bet that’s more like right hand man of the King in Yellow, but he can’t bring himself to say it.

It doesn’t matter. None of this matters. Only one thing does: he has to confront the ex-lover who’s walking around with the power of many murders he wields like a club, and has to find a way to kill him.

That, and he can’t trust his decisions. That’s so fucking clear; not one thing he’s chosen of late was right, and with so much on the line, he’s not sure he can risk blowing another one. “Tell me my options,” he says to his strange companions.

Flap-flap-flap.

Hastur growls.

“Say it,” says Arthur. “I can almost understand her, anyway.”

You—well. Good for you, says Hastur. Pity we didn’t figure that out years ago; I could have attuned you to great magicks.

“Hastur, you’re fucking stalling.”

Hastur sighs. Very well. She says she has a Black Mirror. I disbelieve this statement; there are none left in the world.

Asenath chitters at him angrily.

Yes, well. Hastur huffs. Through it, you can communicate with Parker, wherever the hell he is right now, and draw him to you into a trap she proposes we set up.

“Okay,” says Arthur, trying not to pass judgment yet. “And your plan?”

We track him down, hunt him, and slit his throat from behind.

“Track him down… somewhere in the city.”

He’s looking for you. He’ll be staking out your office and other places you’re known to hang out. Dryly: Finally, a valid excuse to go to Jack’s Bar.

“Very funny,” Arthur mutters. “Meanwhile, he’s getting ready to do more murders and get to full power, right? Do my chances go up or down while he does that?”

They are the same.

Asenath disagrees, wings whirring.

No, says Hastur. They are the same.

Arthur does not think they are the same, given that Hastur already said eighty-one murders would make Parker too powerful to avoid.

Still; even with this, he’s more of the stakeout type—more the kind who’d prefer to sneak behind his prey and gut him, much prefer to do this without having to meet Parker’s gaze. He'd rather do it Hastur's way—so. Since that’s where his heart falls… “We do it Asenath’s way.”

Hastur’s surprise is palpable. What?

“Asenath’s way.”

Apparently, the bugdog is surprised, too. It skitters in a circle, weirdly almost dancing, then pauses to wriggle its rear end. At Hastur, Arthur is sure. He laughs.

Arthur, this is a bad idea.

“Why?”

Because he’ll simply show up with whatever’s left of his coven and overpower you.

Flap-flap-flap.

Arthur understands. “Not if we set the trap right.”

Arthur…

“The risks are huge the other way, too,” Arthur says. “I’m weakened. All my rings are gone—even the weird ones in that bag, which shouldn’t have worked. All I’ve got is my onyx taper, at this point. If I’m going to get a shot at this, I can’t rely on the luck of my past. I can’t just… assume I’ll overpower him, or outlast him, or whatever else. He’s horrifyingly strong. I’m fucking not that. A trap is the best bet.”

You don’t actually mean that, do you? says Hastur, who has always known when Arthur tried to lie.

“No,” says Arthur. “That makes it more important that that’s what we do.”

Arthur…

“No. I suck at all of this. I’ve misjudged everyone and everything. My gut says to do your thing, so we’re going to do hers.”

You are… ridiculous.

“Sure. Whatever. Where are we going, Asenath?”

Willful.

“You’re the one who picked me.” And Arthur does not add and is choosing not to shove me out of my body because surely that impression was wrong. Summons can’t do that.

(Maybe this Summon can.)

(Thinking about it will only fuck him up, so he doesn’t.)

The bugdog buzzes, then skitters for the stairs.

Arthur doesn’t hesitate to follow.

(chapter twelve)

[wittywallflower]

Steddyhand modern AU where they oops themselves into a throuple.

Ed and Izzy are roommates who run a business together. They are kind of an on-again-off-again, open-ish polyam sorta-couple that has never once had even a second of healthy communication about their relationship in the twenty years they’ve known each other. 

Izzy meets Stede first because he actually attends the meetings for the local business owners association or whatever. Technically Stede should be competition but Izzy quickly decides he is an idiot and will probably go under soon. He’s weird as hell though, Ed would love that. 

Ed does love that. He is delighted by the crazy shit he hears about the new guy and wants to meet him. The two hit it off because of course they do. That wouldn’t even bother Izzy all that much except between their flirting and their dumb dates, Ed and Stede want to talk about cooperative business ventures. And the business, that’s Ed and Izzy’s thing. They’ve worked hard to build it, together, and Izzy works hard still to protect it. he doesnt want to risk it on some crazy scheme these two come up with just because Ed is bored. So yeah he hates Bonnet, but its not romantic jealousy (or is it?)

The tension between Stede and Izzy comes to a head one evening when they are both drunk and still seething over an argument they had earlier in the day. Drinking turns to shouting. Shouting turns to shoving. Only a couple punches are thrown but there;s a lot of undignified scuffling around on the floor. 

Izzy isn’t really sure later when wanting to rip Stede’s head off had turned into yanking that golden hair to pull him closer. Or who hungrily took whose lips first. He remembers a soft handkerchief cleaning his bloody nose on the short trip to the bedroom, remembers checking Stede’s split lip to assess if it could withstand further kissing. He doesnt remember how Edward inserted himself into the situation, but he does recall the man giggling as they tried to arrange the three of them on the bed and he nearly fell off the mattress. 

He remembers everything after that too. Every touch, every kiss, every gasp and moan and sigh. The shock of twenty fingertips softly exploring him was a sensation burned into his brain forever now. He remembered it all. And he didn’t regret a second of it, even if it would be easier to. 

No one says anything about it because thats just how Ed and Izzy are (emotionally incompetent) and Stede like just came out two months ago. He hasn’t dated since university and he’s certainly never had a threesome. He is completely unequipped to handle all this. So he just follows their lead.

So things mostly go on as normal with Stede and Ed spending time together and Izzy’s often around when they do. But Stede is a sweetheart, and a gentleman, and he also cannot stop thinking about how enjoyable that night was. It seems rude to not express that, but one doesn’t just say “thanks for that phenomenal sex”, do they? How does one, err, request a repeat?

Stede spots a gift he thinks Izzy might like and gives it to him. A short while later he notices the bag Izzy carries is nearly falling apart and replaces it with a nice satchel. Black leather, very cool, very much Izzy’s aesthetic, very much designer label and expensive as hell. 

Stede has to cancel a date with Ed one night, but orders an absolutely ludicrous amount of takeout delivered to their place anyway. A lot of it is Izzy’s favorites. 

Then there’s the concert tickets. He and Ed had given up hope of affording even nosebleed seats as soon as the tour had been announced, but Stede gets VIP, backstage passes, the works for all of them. Stede doesnt even like the band!

Izzy can’t take it anymore and has to ask Stede what the fuck. Why the gifts and the gestures and all this stuff? Is it just to butter Izzy up so he’ll agree to whatever dumb business idea the other two have? 

“I didn’t think I needed a reason to do nice things for my boyfriend!”

“...boyfriend?” Izzy asks, just utterly shocked. He’s echoed by Ed, who sounds less surprised and more… considering.

“Um. Yes?” Stede, to his credit, does immediately read the room and start to realize he may have misstepped. 

Izzy can’t even speak. 

“Are you.. is it wrong to call you that? I just thought.. i mean, after that night..” Stede blushes fiercely. “I call Ed my boyfriend, after all, and i care about you just as much as I do him…

Stede trails off with both men staring at him. 

Finally Ed chuckles. Izzy turns to scowl at him. 

“What? Don’t look at me, mate. I thought you two already had a totally different arrangement sorted out. I didn’t say anything about it because I figured you’d be embarrassed about having a sugar daddy.”

[l-anna-art]

For the ask game, an AU where AFO is an emperor who has just found the son stolen from him and who is now trying to mold him into the perfect successor, please!

It takes place in the same universe as BNHA except that this time, AFO managed to get his brother back before he transferred OFA and to keep him alive. Two centuries go by and AFO builds his empire little by little without being threatened by a resistance too weak to oppose him. He manages to dominate Japan and to sink his claws into the world's major powers, he even discovers the joy of becoming a father. In short, everything is going well for him.

Except when it comes to his little brother. He is unable to improve things with him, and one day when he was busy away from home, Yoichi managed to escape and take baby Izuku with him. It will take AFO 14 years to find his son.

It was Yoichi who named him Izuku. AFO named him Mikumo.

When he was born, Izuku's hair was as black as AFO's before he turned white. As time passed, his hair lightened to a soft green.

Izuku is very good with languages. He speaks several of them fluently.

In order to escape from AFO, Yoichi's group made a habit of regularly changing countries. This and the fact that AFO was looking for a black-haired child did not help him to speed up the search.

Once in the hands of his father, Izuku's life is completely changed and he is not sure how to react. Inko was very kind and he was even willing to give AFO the benefit of the doubt, because apart from the stories of his uncle and his resistance group, Izuku never experienced AFO's megalomania head on. He lived less than 2 years in Japan and was too young to remember it. In other countries, his father's influence was invisible to his level and he often argued with Yoichi about many things, especially about what he could do with his quirk, similar to AFO's.

Izuku soon learns that his uncle's accusations are well-founded, and not as serious as they should have been. AFO is not happy that his brother stole his child and he doesn't leave Izuku in peace for a minute. Unlike Yoichi, he is also very tactile. At first it was tolerable, but as time goes by he becomes more and more intrusive. He is always behind his back, wearing him down mentally and physically with more and more lessons to make up for his shortcomings. Every mistake is punished, but every success and good behavior is praised and rewarded (the punishments go up if Izuku continues to misbehave in spite of the reprimands).

In an attempt to gain Izuku's good graces and to have something to take away from him if he disobeys, AFO showered him with gifts and regularly offered him news shiny quirks.

Since they are a subject that both are passionate about, AFO uses it as an excuse to spend more time with Izuku.

When he tried to run away because he couldn't take it anymore, AFO ripped out all the quirks he had stored, and he was stuck in a version of his room with no doors or windows until AFO decided he had learned his lesson.

After a while, Izuku begins to suspect that AFO is using a quirk to play with his and Inko's memories, because the more time passes, the more illogical some of their interactions and his memories become.

[batpham-discord-highlights]

Spider-verse Meets BatPham

Source: ghosts-bats-and-more

Fandoms: DP, Batman, and Spiderman (heavy on the Spiderman)

MF

Batpham plus 3 spiders au: Post nwh spider bros get sent to a universe where no one knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man.

they restart their lives in a new New York and take turns, resulting in Spider-Man becoming a cryptid because sometimes he's a teen, a 29 year old, or a 40 year old.

(When the Bats find out, a betting pool comes into play)

K

Okay but like I gotta know what they do for names when out of the mask. Clearly they're the Parker brothers but like, are they all still Peter or does any of them have a braincell to come up with aliases?

CH

Okay, but what if it was 4 peters

If we add in 🅱️eter

K

🅱️ eter and Peter 2 are the dad and mom friends respectively lol

CH

🅱️eter is dad friend supreme

Bruce is somewhat happy that he has someone to relate to (???), with 🅱️eter being in the business for so long, but he's still confused as to why there are so many Peters here

K

🅱️ eter: eh, you get used to it

MF

Actor names I guess? that's the names given to them in the spider-verse blog I co-run

CH

Alternatively: Burger, Peter, Benjamin and Parker, from oldest to youngest

CH

Or Burrito

I think Burrito is better for 🅱️eter

It's what the B stands for

MF

Burrito! that's the nickname they gave him to differentiate him from RIParker

(aka the blond dead one)

CH

RIP in Peter

Wait

Rest in Peter 😔

You have Burrito, Pigter, and angst man

Imagine a Batpham crossover with comic Peter

Mr. Peter "I have reset the universe before, have no real weaknesses and am radioactive, fight me" Parker

K

His weakness is thinking fast

MF

YGKJFINS

They have spidey sense but not common sense

CH

In the wiki, his weaknesses are: Pesticides, bad luck, can't drive and anti-venom

CH

That's... That's all the spiders...

K

they all share one braincell and it died with RIPeter

MF

Parker Luck ™️ caused them to be discovered in this universe

CH

Gwen would've been the next braincell holder, but even she hasn't seen it in years

MF

mhm

Tom Peter lost braincell privileges for erasing himself from his universe's memory

CH

Tobey's Peter got rid of it with that dance...

Andrew's Peter never even had it, except for the smort moments

K

They don't let Mom (Tobey) Peter or Dad (Beter) Peter live those dances down

I have one more question about the au: do they coordinate to wear matching suits in Gotham or do they have their variations still there? Cause the conspiracy theorist within every batfam member would be on high alert over that

MF

small variations

to tell each other apart

(also the Bats have different suits, it's not out of the ordinary for them to switch yknow?)

K

Makes sense

CH

It's tiny little variations, but conspiracy theorists are constantly confused, because they swore that Spider-Man just left??? Why is he back????? And again???????

MF

and why does he seem older???

CH

Also, another little fun thing is that all the spiders are connected spiritually

CH

Why does that guy have a gut and is tall as shit, but then this one is tiny as can be

MF

Danny thinks Spider-Man is a ghost

for the betting pool

K

Like clockwork

Just shifts between stages of life

CH

WHAT IF ALL THE PETERS KIND OF SET OFF DANNY'S GHOST SENSE???

Because they're all spiritual and have probably died at some point

Comics Peter died like 3 times

MF

TOM'S PETER WAS SNAPPED SO DOES THAT COUNT???

K

Danny: why do you set off my ghost sense? Are you dead?

Beter: haha only on the inside

MF

Tom: I was in Soul World for 5 years?

CH

Comics Peter was shot with a ton of sedatives and then buried alive by Kraven, killed by Otto after Superior Spider-Man, and also by Wade

MF

oh yeah the body switch thingy

Batman being Batman decides to investigate

K

Batman tracks one Spiderman back to an apartment only to find a whole herd of Peters eating cheap ramen together.

MF

pfffft

there is also a hanger rack filled with other suits of various designs and sizes

K

Trying to think quick they claim to be in town for a convention and they're cosplayers

MF

Batman: Then why did Spider-Man come here?

Tom Peter: To hide his identity?

K

Other spideys ^

MF

Batman: Then why am I hearing reports on Spider-Man changing ages and heights?

CH

Batman doesn't know whether to believe him or not because how on earth is such a vigilante so dumb??? There's no way

MF

it gets more suspicious when they introduce themselves as Parker

CH

Batman: why are there so many Parker's?

All the Peter's: ...large family?

K

A bajillion Parkers and one Ben Reilly

MF

Comic: He's our cousin.

Danny: I heard that excuse before....why does he look identical to you?

Ben: Because families are always identical in blood and genetics?

Comic: It's not like the Spider-Verse is real...

Burrito: facepalm

CH

Kaine: Haha, suckers

MF

Comic: Shut it Kaine.

CH

Kaine is just sitting there with 'imperfect clone' trauma

Dani relates

Batman: Why do you go back to one specific tattoo parlor for the same tattoo a lot?

Kaine: ......

Kaine: I have the right to remain silent

MF

Comic: HA

CH

Kaine sets off Danny's ghost sense the most because he's the spideriest

Danny: You taste of angsty spiders and lots of cobwebs

Kaine: how do you even know what those taste like

MF

Danny is the spider detector

K

Tries to use the thermos on them cause spiders be sus

CH

It doesn't work

What if he could make his ghost sense change how it looks depending on who it is

MF

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

CH

Danny, opening his mouth as 17 ghost sense spiders crawl out again, with narrowed eyes: Spider-Man

K

Porker pops up out of nowhere: And Ham!

CH

Alternative to this au, it's reversed

Batpham and Danny end up in one of the spider's universes

Probably 616's

Just because Jameson

K

JJJ would have a field day

CH

J. J. J.: There has been a recent influx of weird vigilantes. Could this be the cause of Spider-Man?

Danny: yo what

K

Peter: How is this my fault this time?!?!

CH

Peter, getting ready to adopt Danny: Ah, I see

Danny is very adoptable

MF

Nightwing: Back off we had him first.

CH

Peter: And??? I'm a New Yorker

Tim, whispering to Bruce: Watch out, he's a new yorker

Giving him Ditko's Peter attitude,, he would be too powerful

Little pissy man against rich bajillionaire

MF

yes

and back to the original idea: many pissy spiders vs one paranoid bat

CH

They're overprotective little bastards and everyone is concerned

K

Batman vs all the webbing they leave around from swinging

CH

To quote something I heard in a video a while ago: "The villains reflect a bit of what the protagonist has; Batman villains are masterminds with personas, Spider-Man villains are spiteful nerds"

K

But then again it adds to the city's spoopy aesthetic

MF

lol yeah

although it dissappears after a few hours

and it depends which fluid a spider uses

sometimes it's organic, other times? nope

they ask Spider-Man how it works several times and get varied answers

CH

Batman: how does the web fluid work?

Spider-Man: Good question

MF

Spider-man: It depends what kind of fluid I use

Spider-man: It's always different

CH

Also depends on the universe

[lovaboy]

a problem i’m having with MoM + wanda stans is that it was written by michael waldron (who wrote that idiotic sylki plot) & ppl are going to use that as an excuse as to why wanda’s character was “ruined” even though she’s consistently been shown to be a very unstable character capable of mass destruction since she was introduced. like i do think michael waldron made a lot of dumb fucking plot choices that don’t make any sense but also he picked up wanda’s story where wandavision left off, so... anyway, spoilers and lots of rambling under the cut

so first off, her lack of control wrt her powers. when pietro dies in aou, she sends out a shockwave because she screams. she (albeit accidentally) blows up that building in civil war. vision in infinity war is the reason she enslaves an entire town out of “grief” or whatever because initially she didn’t realize what was going on, and even then it took her far too long to let the innocent people go because she wanted her fake little family to stay together. and now in MoM, the darkhold is bringing to the forefront what anyone with a brain already knew: wanda maximoff is dangerous. she will do whatever she wants to get her way, and the darkhold lets her do so almost completely unchallenged (see the way she rips apart CAPTAIN FUCKING MARVEL on top of the other “illuminati” members).

(i also need to mention here that giving wanda, a character who is jewish in the comics, a plot line revolving around kidnapping america in an attempt to use her to get to au wanda’s kids, is wildly antisemitic. not that that’s anything new with the mcu, considering they also had wanda and pietro willingly join hydra.)

none of her arguments even make sense!!! wong literally says “you could just… ask america to send you to another universe” and her response is “well what if my boys get sick??” like ??? as if giving unrestrained multiversal travel to the most unstable magic user in the mcu is worth the risk bc one of her kids might get cancer or something. get a grip, wanda.

not to mention the fact that she’d have to kill her own alternate self in order to even exist in that universe, and the fact that those boys would never be hers. HER twins were a figment of her imagination brought to “life” by her magic. they weren’t real, and the experiences she had with them are not universal. trying to pretend she’s the mother of these au twins was never going to play out the way she wanted. and btw what about vision??? where is he in all of this?? he was the catalyst and he wasn’t mentioned or shown a single time.

anyway, her entire plot line based around being a “mother” is just ridiculous, honestly. “i’m not a monster. i’m a mother.” “all mothers create their children out of magic.” like what are you people talking about. WHAT are you saying. no real mother is going to kill a child to get what she wants, and to have wanda say TO HER KIDS FACES “i would never hurt someone!” when they JUST saw her choking the life out of america… did anybody read this script after waldron wrote it? did he just plug some prompts into ai dungeon and let it run wild? jesus christ

and then you take into account the aos darkhold giving aida the knowledge to literally build her own human body and it’s like. well why the fuck didn’t wanda just do THAT? if the darkhold is the same in every universe (as basically confirmed by wanda destroying every darkhold ever by collapsing the temple ((which was stupid as fuck))), there’s no reason this spell couldn’t have been used. she could have built her kids exactly the way they were except they’d be human this time. but then they’d have to bring in ghost rider and god FORBID it be robbie reyes like the aos universe because then they’d have wanda kill him off like she does with sara and maria rambeau. because she just can’t get enough of harming/killing the characters of color she comes in contact with (monica rambeau i’m sorry they treated you like that in wandavision). regardless, the solution to all her problems was in the same goddamn book she’s been reading, but instead she decides to go hunt down a child with the intent to kill her.

but i’m not done yet!! there’s also the “wanda is being held hostage by the scarlet witch in her own mind” plotline that is IMMEDIATELY fucking thrown out the second the scene is over. professor x sees “wanda” amidst the rubble of her destroyed childhood home and is like “i can help you out of here,” only to get his neck snapped by “scarlet witch.” personally, as this is NEVER REFERENCED AGAIN, i think it was all a ploy by wanda. i think she was trying to throw him off his guard, and it worked. because she’s massively overpowered and everyone else is nerfed. but that’s just a theory. EDIT: i’ve been informed that this was a scene most likely regarding au wanda who was being possessed by 616 wanda but i’m leaving it in for anyone who had the same thought as i did. i feel like wong said something abt wanda being possessed by the scarlet witch at one point but yknow. brain fuzz.

anyway, her “sacrificial” scene at the end means nothing when she isn’t shown as having any real remorse over what she did. she never even fucking apologizes for repeatedly almost killing america??? she gets the shit knocked out of her by america, has a weird “emotional” scene with her au self, and decides for some reason to tear down the temple afterwards. there’s no real reconciliation with what she’s done, there’s absolutely no consequences as of yet because there’s no way in hell she’s really dead. she never acknowledged that she did anything wrong, she just told corpse strange that no one would ever use the darkhold again. that last scene wasn’t a “heroic sacrifice” or a “redemption arc,” it was a suicide.

in conclusion. the horror aspect was very fun, i liked america, strange was fine (he was NOT a hypocrite in using the darkhold btw considering he was trying to save the child wanda wanted to murder + save the entire multiverse & is suffering the consequences), i think it’ll be fun if he turns into a villain next, and while i fully believe wanda’s arc was continued properly from the end of wandavision, she’s really fucking dumb in this because the plot makes no sense compared to the grand scheme of the mcu. also lizzie olsen does not have the range for the rage wanda was supposed to be showing in the scene at kamar-taj. the end.

[mrpenguinpants]

Genshin: University AU [V1]

I love modern au. Or any “everything is fine, no one died, it’s just a fever dream” au. Half of me is thinking, damn maybe I should answer this serious- LOL HAHA no. That’s not happening. Time to crack my knuckles and let my brainworms take over again.

Once again, this is 90% crack 10% content. I want to switch up my characters from the last brainworm post but I included Kaeya and Diluc.

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Today’s appreciation post goes to twistedwishes. Hey! I’ve been seeing you pop up a lot lately and thanks for the support 💕💕 I hope things are going better for you and you’re doing alright^^ I feel kinda bad for making appreciation posts on crack fics but hopefully this is somewhat funny haha. 

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Genshin: Holding Hands [V1]

Genshin: When you’re cold [V1]

Genshin: Roommate [V1]

Genshin: Royalty AU [V1]

[Masterlist]

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[taglist]  <- if you want to be added, please read this first.

  @mikeysbike @hanniejji@unionwitch @musekala @twistedsunnshiii @stanzastic @akaasea @xoneaboveallx @adoring-ghost @asheseiler @childelover @dilucsz @dai-tsukki-desu @thicmitten @youaskedfurret @diaxfeliz @wintergreen-aix @dandelily @thegayrubberducky @lovelykittycatmeow @yuunoagivesmelife  @dokidokisama @simpygrimoire @minakohasmanyhusbandos @strwbrry-lia @tigerpriestess @yuu-yuukurotsuki​

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Diluc

Absolute pretty boy who has braincells, but only if Kaeya is not there. In his mind, Kaeya’s presence makes his room loose 40% of their common sense. He can’t prove it just yet but he’s working on it. He majors in accounting but also has a minor in marketing, logistics’ management, fia- he majors everything business related. He’s going to become the next Elon Musk through smarts or by getting the competition drunk. There can be no contest if he’s the only candidate. He’s actually a hard working guy that overworks and stresses way too much. You have daily “Diluc recharge” evenings where he just hangs onto you while you go through your day.

“Don’t fucking talk to me until I’ve had my coffee,” except there is no coffee - he drinks grape juice out of juice boxes and his only energy boost is when he meets up with you - and that’s his constant mood. So he usually only hangs around you and Jean, since she has childhood friend status and is actually an angel. By default, Lisa is added and Diluc doesn’t mind her but if he see’s Kaeya, it’s full on war paint mode. If he's not busy with work or studies, he's usually with you either in your dorm or his apartment.

He has a fanclub and he seriously hates it and tries to do everything in his power to get Ningguang to take it down. Shouldn’t this be against his rights? But she refuses for whatever reason and makes a whole speech about free will. No matter what he does, someone manages to take a picture and it get’s printed in the university’s newspaper. The only bonding time he has with Kaeya is every Monday, where they collect and burn all the universities newspapers before anyone can get their hands on it. You always bring marshmallows to make smores during their arson activities.

“When I graduate I’m going to burn this school down to the ground. That’s not a threat it’s a promise.”

Ningguang

Is secretly the leader of the Diluc fanclub - not that she likes Diluc, she’s in a questionable platonic poly marriage with you and Beidou - but it was the easiest way to gain funds for the student council. Which she is the president of, so rip Diluc the fanclub stays. Ruthless business woman I tell you. But she can run in heels so her danger factor rises by at least 20%.

Majors in social sciences and law but more specifically the political science & government. She saw the Imperial State Crown that the Queen of England wears and says yes, that’s mine now. If she’s not with Beidou and you planning on “how to infiltrate the state government just for lols”, then she’s with Keqing, Ganyu, and Zhongli discussing student council things. Should they or should they not tell the student body that they can see everyone’s search results? Sit back and relax as the school goes into chaos. 

She’s probably the scariest person on campus No, she is the scariest person on campus. She’s the scariest person on campus. But secretly she’s popping 20 aspirins just to make it through a night. She has the digestive system of steel. She still holds the title of "seriously do not try and beat her in a drinking game it's never going to happen" and that's her proudest achievement in life but sadly she can’t put it on her resume. Kaeya is still trying to beat her out of spite but so far it hasn't been working. You’re seriously concerned for her when she get’s challenged but Beidou gives you a way-to-hard slap on the back and cheers her on. If Ninngguang somehow get’s alcohol poisonings she’ll somehow find away to make a profit out of it.

"I'll let him die, I'll get the insurance money."

Kaeya

One day he chugged too much mouth wash, passed out, and somehow woke up in university majoring in law. His idea is that if he is apart of the law, he can therefore stand above it. To be fair, his only goal in life is to say “I am the manager” and he can go live the rest of his life in bliss or as a hermit. He’s secret best friends with you but wouldn't be caught dead beside you. He will stab a bitch if you ever get hurt but will still trip you on the way home. Seriously, you have no idea why people find him attractive. Your guess is it’s the eye patch or the clap of his ass cheeks that keeps alerting everyone.  

He’s apart of the newspaper club and if anyone asks: No, he has no idea who keeps taking all the newspapers and burns them in the back of the campus. Originally, he joined because he was nosy and needed to join some type of club for his resume. He sometimes feels bad for his junior assistant Amber because he keeps tricking her and says that Diluc is secretly a demon that is trying to steal all the jobs and is apart of the lizard government hell bent on eradicating the human race. He even brought out a whiteboard for this joke, he’s dedicated to his job ok? 

The type of guy to try and be humble and say his work is “okay” but will choke a bitch if anyone agrees. He tends to leave everything last minute and says that it’s his drug since actual drugs could land you one year in prison and a maximum penalty of $2,000. You have to awkwardly hold in your concerned mother head shake when you see him speed running his assignment literally right when the professor is walking around to check if students finished. 

“I was taught how to lead not to read.”

Mona

Broke wallet #2. Zhongli is broke wallet #1 but Childe simps for him so is he really a broke wallet at this point? In this essay, I Mona Megistus, will explain why I have the rights to the title “Broke Wallet #1″...

Believes that astrology should be an actual career path but refuses to take astronomy as her major. I can read the stars not a textbook that tells me how to calculate the mass of the sun divided by the fucks I give. Instead she went into Philosophy and cries to Albedo, who is an actual prodigy genius- sir lend some braincells to everyone else please?, that her professor keep turning her paper down because “star reading” is not an academic source.

Fischl wants her to join the occult club because, surprisingly, Mona is very good at telling people’s fates through her crayon sketch ouija board. She thinks first year Fischl is cute but is put off by the cosplay roleplay that she has going on. She would join except that stupid hat wearing gremlin in her lit class would make fun of her if he found out.

You gave her half your lunch one day and bought her a doughnut "because she seemed upset" and "out of the goodness of your heart" whatever the hell that means. She thinks you pensioned it but once that thought comes she takes a bite. Poison from a doughnut is not the worst way to go out, classes are hard enough. She’s waiting for the lord to strike her down anyways. 

“Its not about passing, its about doing better than everyone else.”

Venti

Slept through most of highschool and people question how he got into university. He’s a music major (wow how fucking original is that), and if anyone asks him to serenade someone or just do anything, he’ll do it for the right price. Or if you buy him alcohol because he still keeps getting ID checked. He’s banking on Kaeya actually becoming a lawyer or being on good terms with Diluc so he can finally stop being arrested for looking like a toddler.

Takes one step into classes and quickly nopes out and goes back to bed. Professors have no idea how he hasn't dropped out or failed. He just has some god given talent. He does whine at you to pretty pretty please with a cherry on top tutor him because you're such an angel and would never leave your poor but awesome best friend hanging right? He needs to get this essay down but how he is suppose to explain how the number 10 is symbolic and connects to the universe or the meaning of life. Do you think he can just say it’s apart of his culture and make up some random myth to pretend it looks like he knows what he’s doing? 

He’s honestly going with the flow and put his brain on the back burner all of highschool and only now realizes wait, I actually have to use my brain?

He’s been banned from most club chats since Venti has the no chill card. Someone says “lol I look ugly today.” and he’ll respond "yup, you look like a cow." and he get’s banned. Zhongli keeps a speed run timer on his phone just to document these occasions.

"Sad spelled backwards is das and das how it be sometimes."

Childe

An actual dumbass that somehow does well. He eats sandwiches with the crust off, this heathen. Surprisingly he’s studying to become a physical therapist but most of his experience has come from breaking his own bones. You’re scared how he's going to be if he actually becomes a therapist. If he'll make bets with his patients or try to one up whatever crazy injury they get into. Everything is a challenge to him that sometimes the best way to deal with Childe is to knock him out. 

This man really knows the way to a Zhongli’s woman's heart. Through micro transactions. Mona saw him accidently drop $20 and just shrugged and walked off. She has never been both spiritually and physically offended in her life. She did take the $20 though. As much as you hate leeching on Chile when he’s basically a walking wallet that probably uses bills as tissue paper, you can’t help but give him puppy eyes while planning on how to get into his will. If he even plans on having one, he might honestly write “whoever wins in a gladiator style duel in my funeral’s tournament, they will get my fortune.”. 

Any sport the university offers Childe is probably in it. Which is how he met Zhongli, challenged him to a fight, proceeded to have his ass handed to him, got a backhanded compliment, and screamed to you he was in love and how he found his soulmate. He's secretly very sappy and has cried and watched every Disney and Pixar movie at least 28 times.

"IM NOT TOO SPICY! I’M A TINY BIT ABOVE MILD IF ANYTHING!”

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God if it isn’t Scaramouche, it’s Childe that ruins the aesthetic. This is why I hate you. Why do you people enable me like this, it isn’t even good. This is pretty much a @ yourself moment and I vibe hard with Venti. This entire post was just to make a joke about the clap of Kaeya’s ass cheeks alerting the guards.

This week might slow down since I have classes and assignments. My reply’s are gonna be late too, sorry;; (oh and thank you to everyone that was so supportive and nice when I mentioned it. All of you. Beautiful 💕💕 )

[attackfish]

Didn’t you have a nation swap AU where all the nations were one step to the right? So Zuko and Azula were from the water tribe and sokka and katara were air nomads and so on and so forth. How about 5 more for that one?

That's not quite the premise of the AU. Only the kids are switched, and it's not a rotation. Earth and Fire are swapped and Air and Water are swapped. But anyway, here's the universe tag: [Link].

1. It's hard for Zuko to grasp how it was that Long Feng plucked power so easily out of his father's hands, how his father let his power erode out from under him, without ever noticing. He can't figure out how Long Feng convinced his father, or maybe let him convince himself, that the ceremonies and parties, and rigid dinners where each dish could only be eaten in a specific way and at a specific time, and swanning around the palace and gardens with beautiful nobles in beautiful clothes was the important part of ruling, or any part of ruling at all. He remembers being very young indeed, and asking, yes, but what does any of this do?

2. The answer of course was that it pleased the spirits, which they had to be even more careful to attend to, because the Avatar had disappeared. This satisfied Zuko for a little bit, but he and Azula were both children who got everywhere, who snuck around, and delighted in escaping their minders. It wasn't long before they followed Long Feng down to his office, before they watched from behind the decorative canopy over the door, and saw him meeting with his men, and with the city watch, watched him exercise real power. Even as children, they could feel the difference between this and what their father claimed to hold.

3. Perhaps if his parents had been interested at all in either of their children, Zuko might have been able to warn them, been able to make them understand, but they weren't, and they tut tutted at his "vivid imagination". He was a fool. Azula never tried to say anything to their parents. And now they're dead, and Azula and Long Feng killed them, and he barely knows what to feel about it, except like a failure and a fool, who let everybody down.

4. It is perhaps strange that the person who first looks at him as a boy who needs to be held, and listened to, and given comfort, is the person who tried to conquer Ba Sing Se when he was a little boy. One of the first things Zuko remembers hearing Long Feng doing was discussing with the generals how best to fight the Dragon of the West. He can't help but wonder what Iroh would have done back then, if he had won, if he had breached the palace, what would have happened to him and to his family. But here Iroh is, with an arm around his shoulders, and a cup of jasmine tea to give to Zuko as he listens to him try to come to terms with the weight of it all.

5. Iroh too had a little brother who turned out to be a monster, who was willing to rip apart family, and he walked through life oblivious in ways so similar to Earth King Kuei. It's hard not to see his own life and family reflected back to him, and all of the mistakes he made. This new young Earth King has made none of them, and yet, it's he who feels like a failure. Iroh wraps him in his arms and tries to let that be enough.