#[ it's so hard to start threads w/ kids ]

[mythvoiced]

# Miyoung and Yeo? :3c

@jeoseungsaja | cell phone headcanons

—

- what your muse’s name is in mine’s phone At first she'd probably be supers polite and just keep it as 'Wang Yeo' but after their friendship deepens and she starts considering him the platonic soul in her life that has helped her learn how to love life again, she might actually still keep 'Wang Yeo' BUT WAIT hear me out, this time with a cute lil emoji, like this 'Wang Yeo 🦊' because Miyoung is kind of awkward when it comes to her contacts and naming and such so she just goes... name + cute emoji~ Also, I imagine, for the longest time, Yeo is the only contact in her phone that isn't work related and she fully likes it that way~

- what your muse’s picture is in mine’s phone I COULDN'T DECIDE I FOUND SO MANY I LIKED, ahem I do think Miyoung might be more direct about asking for a picture for the express purpose of using it for his contact. So I chose this one and I like to think maybe they're casually spending time together and Miyoung randomly remembers she wanted to ask him for a photo and asks him now

- what your muse’s ringtone is in mine’s phone Now this may be fueled by my current brainrot, but listening to this soundtrack, I do think Miyoung would enjoy it greatly and I believe she'd choose pieces from it that she associates (vibes only) to people in her life, and while this track was coming to an end I just 'hey you know what-' SO I HOPE IT'S OKAY

- my muse’s last text to your muse

[ txt | Wang Yeo 🦊 | 11:12AM ] I found a set of small ceramic foxes!

[ txt | Wang Yeo 🦊 | 11:15AM ] Oh, sorry, good morning by the way!

[ txt | Wang Yeo 🦊 | 11:15AM ] I'm out with Jaemin right now, but would you be interested in one of them? I can bring them over later!

[ txt | Wang Yeo 🦊 | 11:16AM ] Because I bought them, of course 😎

[carmenberzattosgf]

when you and carmy finally decide to start actively trying for kids, it’s like you’ve created this insatiable man. he’s waking up early to fuck you, coming home for breaks to fuck you, then once (or twice) when he gets home. he’s sending pictures from work of his bulge pressing against his jeans, or even a photo of him in the bathroom, jeans unzipped and his cock out, his hand squeezing the base of it, saying: Thinking about you. Gonna fuck you the moment I get home.

so he’s cumming in you at least three times a day (more if he can). sticking pillows beneath you to keep your hips elevated, thrusting into you so hard that his load from the previous round is seeping out. “shh, i know, i know, i got ya. such a good girl.” he coos when he pulls out momentarily just so he can scoop his cum up with his fingers to push it back in you. then he’s lining himself up and fucking into you again so he can give you more -💫

Oh he’s so fucking dedicated to getting you pregnant. Plus he’s getting to fill you up with his cum multiple times a day, which is something that makes his head spin. He already had a thing for seeing his cum drip out of you, but seeing it when he knows you’re not on birth control? And when it’s so much cum? It’s no wonder he’s hard all day.

The waking up early part—yeah I feel like this is when some somno comes into play. You have to beg him to do it though, because he’s terrified of going too far.

“Carm, please it’s okay. If you start while I’m asleep I’ll have an easier time getting back to sleep. I am not made to be awake at four am, baby.”

“Are you sure? You don’t have to. I just don’t wanna hurt you.”

“I’m positive, Carmen.”

That next morning he wakes up hard. He debates jacking off in the shower to make the urge go away, but he can’t resist your sleeping frame laying next to him. You’re on your side, back towards him. Carmy carefully kicks off his boxers before he presses up behind you; his chest is flush to your back.

You haven’t moved yet, still deep in sleep. He slips his fingers underneath your shirt, caressing your skin before letting his hand rest flat against your stomach. A quiet, broken moan leaves his lips as his cock grinds into your still covered ass.

Carmen can’t tease himself anymore. He gently pulls down your underwear to your ankles. You shift slightly, but don’t wake up. With his bottom lip in between his teeth, he sinks his cock fully into you with one smooth thrust. He whimpers, feeling the cum he fucked into you last night seep out around him. He starts a slow, deep pace. He wants to savor the feeling of your warm cunt for as long as he can before he has to pull himself out of bed.

The sound of his muffled moans wakes you up. “Carm?” You barely have your bearings. You note darkness in the window of the bedroom, so it must be early.

“Baby—baby, baby, baby—so good. So fucking warm and tight.” Now that you’re awake, he sucks on the skin of your neck, and quickens his pace. He sounds utterly debauched, whining with no shame into your neck. “Love you—love you so much. T-thank you for letting me do this—fuck.”

“Love you, Carm. Feels s’good. So—so full,” you mumble sleepily. You muster enough strength to reach an arm behind you, threading your fingers into Carmy’s hair as he sucks a deep bruise into your pulse point.

“Shit—“ Carmy groans, cock twitching inside of you. “Close— so fucking close, baby. Such a—such a good girl for me.” He moves his finger tips to your bud and circles it in a way that makes your head spin. Carmy knows you inside and out. Every touch of his finger tips is skilled, desperate to bring you pleasure.

“Carm—Carmy. Please. P-please fill me up. Wanna go back to sleep dripping. W-wanna make you a real daddy.”

That one little word brings Carmy to orgasm. He buries himself inside of you, wanting his cum to spill deep in your cunt. Deep enough that it’ll still be there when he gets home from work. The feeling of his cock stuffing you full sends you over the edge, too. You try to keep your eyes open, but as soon as your peak is over, you drift back asleep.

Carmy stays inside of you until his alarm clock goes off. It takes him every ounce of strength he has to pull out of you and get ready for work, but he manages. He makes sure your all covered up with the blankets before he kisses your forehead and heads out the door

He struggles all morning at work. He can’t focus on the dishes in front of him. Instead his mind wanders to you. Your body, your moans, and how your cunt squeezed him replays in his mind over and over again. Eventually, he has to excuse himself to take a break in his office.

His text pings your phone at around 2:00pm. There’s two picture attached. In the first one, the camera is angled to show off the bulge between his legs, prominent in his slacks. He’s in his office chair with his legs spread wide.The next image is taken from the same angle, but his tattooed hand grips his cock through the fabric in this one. Another text comes through a moment later.

See what you’re doing to me? Can’t work one out. I don’t want anything to go to waste. Gotta save it all for you.

The text you send in reply is simple:

Only a few more hours until you get to come home to me. I love you <3

You don’t expect another reply back, but evidently Carmy isn’t finished yet.

I think imma have you sit on my cock while we watch a movie or something. Want to make sure it takes.

When he gets home, he doesn’t pounce on you immediately. In hand, he has your favorite take out. If there’s one thing about Carmy, he always feeds you good before he fucks your brains out.

He gets you to cum twice around his cock before he even thinks about his own high. He read online that the female orgasm increases the chance of implantation.

When he does finally cum inside of you, your brain has already gone a bit fuzzy. Carmy sticks to his word, though. He reaches to the back of the couch to pull a blanket out over your connected bodies. Your back presses up against his chest as you watch what he’s put on the tv.

Carmy is very pleased with his efforts when your next period is late.

[corvidcrossbow]

Since I made a post about Mother's Day w/ Daryl, I gotta make a Father's Day one too.

For obvious reasons, he didn't like Father's Day (me neither Daryl). It felt insulting to see people celebrating their dads, felt so forced and unfair, stupid even. How come other people got to have fathers who were there for them and cared for them while he didn't? What made him undeserving of that? (Mother's Day was already hard enough when he was young, sitting in class and nearly trembling from how hard he was straining himself to not cry while those around him made cards and talked about their plans for the weekend with their moms) So he tried to push the existence of the holiday out of his mind.

Fatherhood was never something he pictured. Even when the hypothetical idea of kids crossed his mind, he was sure it would never be plausible: he'd just follow footsteps and end up some doped up abusive deadbeat as well. Although he never pictured an apocalypse with the undead either, and that pushed the idea of fatherhood even further into a realm of impossibility.

So both those happening, and someone as perfect as you being directly involved in it, was leagues outside his imagination.

The first Father's Day after your child was born was rough. He enjoyed how the collapse of society made people lose track of the dates, too occupied with survival to care about minor things like this. But with the stability Alexandria provided, over time celebrations reintegrated into routines, this included, and he was not fond of the reminder.

He didn't mention the day at all leading up to it, or of, continuing his ignorance and hoping it'd slip your mind. He knew it wouldn't: you were too attentive and appreciative of him to miss any excuse to celebrate and congratulate him no matter the context.

But you threaded lightly, knowing it'd be touchy and let most the day pass by as any other would, just being extra sweet on him. You never wished him a ‘Happy Father's Day’, instead when you were going to bed that night thanking him for being a father, for everything he did for you and your daughter and how good he was at it.

He ended up just breaking down, falling apart in your hold and attempting to bury himself in you the same way he tried to bury so much else.

The next couple years were largely similar; little acknowledgement to the day, but extra acknowledgements to him. It was your daughter that started to make it more distinctive. A little older now, she saw the other kids in the community making little gifts and cards for their fathers the same way they did for mothers on the respective day. Even those who didn't have dads made them in memoriam.

So of course she did it too, she loved her daddy and did those things all the time anyway. Why not do it when it's even more special? She didn't even tell you about it, secretly assembling it all herself.

You shared Daryl's surprise when she presented her crafts, repeatedly saying the token phrase you'd held off from using. He was mostly frozen for a moment, trying to just see her and this singular day rather than previous decades of Father's Day's that came before, all negatively tinted and crossed out from his personal calendar.

He accepted it all, and her innocent recognition of the holiday's purpose. Though the urge flared up in some part of him, he couldn't shut her down. She meant well, and wasn't to blame for his rocky relationship with the day and his own father. He wouldn't create reason for her to despise the holiday too, and how could be cold to the human embodiment of sunshine while her toothy smile was beaming at him?

He put her to bed that evening, spending an extra while stroking her hair and admiring how peaceful she looked while sleeping. Despite the state of the world, she had the privilege to not only sleep, but feel safe while doing so. And he's what allowed that; gave her that.

She got to feel safe from all the horrors he'd seen: the walkers, blood, guts, violence, death, immorality, all the disturbing things about life that were amplified by the apocalypse.

But more importantly, she felt safe with him.

She got to excitedly jump on him while he was still asleep in the morning, roll around and shake him till he finally got up. She got to play with him in the dirt while out in the yard, or sit him down with jewelry and accessories surrounded by stuffed animals and toy dinnerware. She got to chase him around and bombard him with curious questions and learn everything she could from him.

She got to make messes and break things, make mistakes, and know he'd always help her clean or fix them.

She got to show her emotions and be a kid and cry, and know he would always hold and soothe her, wipe away her tears and do anything to make sure she was okay.

And she never knew a different response. She never knew the yelling or insults, the degradation, the mockery, the beatings and burnings and whippings. She got to fall asleep by her father's side, lulled to rest by his comforting voice, be in the most vulnerable state a person could be, and know that the last thing he would ever do was hurt her; the idea – the worry – of him hurting her did not exist in her mind.

Daryl'd crumbled to tears by the time he returned to you that night, collapsing into your arms the way he did every time the reality of being a parent hit him. He would never truly understand how he got to this point in life, how every unfathomable thing – good and bad – had genuinely occurred and this is what was real.

From the instant you found out you were pregnant, he'd promised you, promised himself, and promised his child he would always be the father he'd wanted, that he'd deserved, that his kid deserved and that every child deserves. He healed his own childhood by assuring his daughter'd have a good one, and that he'd be regarded as a good part of it.

She made Father's Day something that could actually be ‘happy’ for him.

The daddy issues hit a little too hard while writing this

I fr don't know where the last week of my life went I just remember watching Lost 🗿

[crystlizabeth]

TwinDad!Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley with his girls!

The twins are OC’s!

.˚₊‧ ── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ‧₊˚.

- dad!Simon who was left with his twin girls while his wife was at work.

- dad!Simon who had to tell Zhuri her mama will hurt him if he took down her hair because she wanted to wear it a different way.

“Zhuri you cant take your hair down love.”

She gave him a hard glare a glare that seemed a little familiar coming from her face, she was his after all. “Why not” she huffed her arms crossing looking up at her father with a dirty glare her hip popping out in a sassy manner.

He Tsked at his daughter his hand coming to his hip “Because your mother will hurt me.” He answered simply.

She uncrossed her arms dramatically her little foot stomping as she threw her head up, “but I d’ wanna wear pigtails daddy!” She huffed.

“Zhuri ila, drop the sass.” He spoke trying to sound stern but couldn’t help at the helpless kid.

-dad!Simon who honestly had no trouble with his other daughter with her hair but with her shoes…

-dad!Simon who had to comfort little Sa’diya as she cried because she couldn’t tie her shoes laces now but could do it when her mommy was home.

“Sy sweetheart let me help you..” Simon said crouching down next to the little girl who wiped her teary eyes.

She shook her head, “Nuh uh I can do it! Mama show me yesterday.” She snuffled her little lip quivering.

Simon who hated seeing her this so he talked her through tying her lace Sa’diya telling him she knew what she’s doing every time he point a to her shoe.

-dad!simon who deals with his hellion Zhuri as she tries to start a WWE match with him as he helps her twin sister. But it end with the girls getting at eachother.

“Stop it Zhuri!”

“Your not the boss of me ‘Diya!” Zhuri shouted hanging on her father trying to pull him back.

“Did you brush your teeth I can smell your breath from here smelly.” Sa’diya said glaring at her sister.

Zhuri responding by blowing a raspberry at her.

-dad!Simon who thought okay maybe breakfast will be easier wrong. leaving them to eat as he collected their school bags the twins began to argue again.

-dad!Simon watch Zhuri show her sister her chewed food and Diya threading to throw her scrambled eggs at her and ruin her hot pink hello kitty shirt.

“You wont.” Zhuri said.

“Bet I will.” Sa’diya replied.

“You wouldn’t.” Zhuri dragged on.

Simon watched as the oldest twin grab some of her eggs in her hand getting ready to throw it as her sister “Sa’Diya Jovonnie. Put. The. Eggs. Down.” Simon spoke sternly from the kitchen counter, knowing if he let this go on he would be cleaning up egg and have a crying child because her favorite shirt had egg on it.

He watch as she dropped the egg back on her plate glaring at Zhuri who sat across from her with a cheeky grin on her face. “Listen ya little shit keep at that with ya sister imma let her have it at ya.” Simon spoke out knowing Zhuri was taunting her sister.

“What! I’m not doin anything daddy!” Zhuri protested turning around in her chair a grin still plastered on her face her little dimples popping out.

He hummed in response.

-dad!Simon who finally got them him his truck in their booster seats. The girls for once this morning not arguing but talking about a little art project they had.

-dad!Simon who had to walk his girls to their class because no is never an option with them. Carrying both pink and purple backpack on his shoulders his hands being held by the two girls at the walk him to the front of the school.

-dad!simon who watches Zhuri look up at him telling him to stop before they get all the way up knowing how he is with his face.

“Daddy if you want your mask you can put it on.” She whispered smiling at her father.

“It will be alright darlin’ it doesn���t bother me like that love im with you two alright.” He smiled lightly at the girl pulling her into a small hug in his crouched down position.

Simon giving her a kiss on the side of her face causing a fit of giggles.

-dad!simon who knew this was not ‘Diyas favorite place once he got to her classroom he little hand griping on to her father’s jacket.

-dad!simon who watched her eyes fill with tears because she did want to be here.

“Do I have to go in..” she mumbled.

Simons hand who tilted her head up looking down at her with a reassuring expression “it’s alright love, I promise. I’ll be here to pick you up this afternoon as well,”

She nodded lightly “will mommy be with you?” She asked. Sy was a mamas girl for sure not that she didn’t want Simon around but Zhuri was the same way with him. He leaned down kissing her forehead “that’s from yer’ mama she loves you lots and we’ll see her tomorrow morning okay luv?” He spoke softly.

A small sniffle and she nodded “you got this Sy, your strong, confident girl, you can do it right.” He said still looking down at her little brown eyes her lashes wet from tears.

“I can do this, I’m strong and confident.” She said. Simon chuckled.

“Atta girl.” He kissed her head once more watching her as she walked into her classroom.

-dad!simon who now had to deal with his hellion and her teacher who liked him. But Zhuri always shut her down.

“Why are you talking like that to my daddy?” Zhuri crossed her arm’s sassily looking at her teacher who had started lightly flirting with Simon.

“My daddy doesn’t like other girls besides my momma, and me obviously.” She grinned.

Her teacher got quiet but let Zhuri know that she should say goodbye to her daddy, Zhuri who gladly tackled her father hugging his torso Simon who laughed picking her up “you’ll get points from your mama with that one.” He chuckled kissed Zhuris cheeks setting her back down.

“Bye Daddy!”

“Bye ya hellion don’t cause trouble.” He said.

“Cant promise anything!” She grinned.

-dad!Simon who always come back to the thought that he would never have children or family but now he stood here with his girls. Learning to do their hair. What foods they like and dislike. Going through a phase where he would call them each others names to the point they started playing tricks on him on who’s who. Now he sat at gymnastic meets, softball games and whatever those girls wanted to do may it be soccer, basketball ball, swim. Simon was right there, he would sit with them playing tea party and doctor. He would let the girls color in his sleeve when he needed them quite.

-dad!Simon who when her first held them his whole world lit up. And he knew that he would do anything for them. He would kill for them.

.˚₊‧ ── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ‧₊˚.

[wangxianficfinder]

Fic Finder

June 30th

~*~

1. Ok this might be a shot in the dark. But do you know of a fic where basically it’s an arranged marriage (kind of) between lan zhan and trans (ftm) wei ying. It believe it is based on a reddit thread of a gay guy who got into an arranged marriage with a woman, but they actually are a trans man. Anyways…the reddit posts are deleted by now. But I remember reading this fic a couple years back and I can’t find it anywhere. Either it’s been deleted or hopefully someone else is able to find it 😭

FOUND? Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach by Khashana (T, 8k, WangXian, Modern, Arranged Marriage, Marriage of Convenience, fake married, Sort Of, Rule 63, Trans Woman WWX, Partial Cisswap, implied background/societal homo/transphobia, But nothing overt, background LXC/Qin Su also in a marriage of convenience way, gender euphoria, the mortifying ordeal of falling in love with your spouse, based on that one reddit post, Light Angst, Light Pining, this fic is soft mostly) I think #1 might be this one, although wwx is a trans woman in it (it's a wlw wangxian AU) rather than a trans man

~*~

2. Hi!! I cant remember if I already sent this or just thought really hard about it 😪 Im looking for a modern AU fic where WWX is dx'd ADHD and he and LWJ slowly start a relationship. The scene I remember most clearly is there being fireworks and it send LWJ into a meltdown. Ether just before or after the meltdown he found out LXC and LQR have been trying to get him diagnosed with Autism.

Xiao Xingchen is an adult psych who specalizes in neurodivergence iirc, and WWX helps make LWJ feel more okay w possibly being neurodiverse by talking about his experience w ADHD and Xiao Xingchen.

🙇‍♀️ thank you! @la-voce-to-me

FOUND! together, we're just enough by lulu_kitty (E, 134k, WangXian, Modern AU, Bartender LWJ, single dad wwx, Kid fic (sort of), Excessive Fluff, Yearning, neurodivergent wangxian, canonical parental issues, lwj in jewelry, accidental sugar gege wwx, Bottom LWJ, Service Top WWX, Bisexual WWX, Rich WWX, a-yuan is a wei but still also a wen, wwx is a-yuan's biological baba, Older WWX, Younger LWJ, Slow-ish burn, Light Dom/sub, Brief LWJ/Others, Past WWX/Other(s)) sounds a lot like the happenings in chapter 8!

~*~

3. hey admins! i'm looking for a fic where wwx is from the modern world back and somehow goes back in time to the cloud recesses and spends some time there, and towards the end of the fic lwj goes back to the modern with wwx. (i also remember that wwx and lwj goes back and forth often visiting each others home) thanks! <3

FOUND? Wrong Turn, Right Place by diamondbruise (E, 71k, WangXian, Time Travel, kind of, it’s more reality travel but there’s modern wwx and cultivator lwj, Mutual Pining, Angst with a Happy Ending, Jealousy, Idiots in Love, Slow Burn, Misunderstandings, Cultural Differences)

~*~

4. This for fic finder. Its an old fic. Modern au focused on junior quartet. I dont know if the fic is several fic or in one fic. Junior quartet is in a club where they make a magazine (sorry i forgot the word both in my language and in english). They have an access to a school forum. LJY found an old forum talking about wangxian. Like the people in that forum failed to make wangxian happen in the past. If i remember correctly, they tried to matchmake wangxian. They ask LWJ to accompany them to yunmeng. In yunmeng, there are big festival happened there and they meet the jiang family in second floor of the restaurant to watch the festival from there. I think the jiangs is a respectable family that many people know them. So long story short, they manage to matchmake wangxian. I dont know if LJY release the news to that old forum or someone did. Just that LJY have an inkling the account that helped them is NHS. I dont know if this is important but LJY username has connection to chicken. I think thats all. Thank you @idontknowwhattowriteforusername

FOUND! Operation Old Men by Chiharu (Not Rated, 37k, WangXIan, JL & LSZ & LJY, JYL/JZX, Modern, Boarding School, Single Parents, Everyone Is Alive, Matchmaking, Family Dynamics, Hospitals, Meet the Family, Family Vacation, Weddings, School Reunion, Happy Ending)

~*~

5. this for ficfinder! i need help looking for a time travel fic wherein established wangxian travel back to their teen years. iirc wwx and lwj writes to each other in secret and wwx invents talismans to give to the jiang sect so that he can repay his debts and leave the clan when he is at a certain age. lwj also leaves (??). i think they become rogue cultivators tgt. im pretty sure i have this downloaded but i cant find it from hundreds of fics bc i cant rmbr the name 😭

FOUND! Trials of Time by Muggle_Diary (E, 32k, wangxian, major character death, underage, time travel, not jiang friendly, not YZY friendly, not JC friendly, butterfly effect)

~*~

6. Hello!! So i think the fic got deleted but all i can remember was wangxian had mythical creature eggs? Like they had a dragon,tiger,snake&turqoise and phoenix and they can talk telepathically at first then they can shift to humans later on!Thank you again so much!!!!

FOUND? For #6 with telepathic creatures, I haven't read the fic, but could it be that magical marriage ribbons series?

FOUND? #6 is My Immortal. I can't do the link on I'm my phone. It has the mythical beasts.

~*~

7. Hii, I'm looking for a fic in which lan zhan goes to a party with lan xichen and then keeps going to the same house where the party is at many times and hangs out with wei ying on the basement sofa

~*~

8. hii!! i recently read a fanfic where wei wuxian can't sleep because he gets horrible nightmares, there's one particular scene where the juniors are practically dragging him into cloud recesses, and he's falling asleep whilst walking and they meet with Lan wangji. if you could help me find it, that would be super great !! @spaaarkie

FOUND? hunters seeking solid ground by Attila (E, 23k, wangxian, Canon Compliant, discussion of canon character death, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, bed sharing, Getting Together, Yearning, Literal Sleeping Together, Really Excessive Amounts of Hurt/Comfort)

~*~

9. I thought I had subscribed to this fic but I guess not... Looking for a WIP in which WWX is ambushed in Yiling, but he has A-Yuan with him so he's extra desperate in trying to fight the attackers off. There might be fire involved? Either the title, the description or the tags have some reference to "hysterical strength" (maybe! not 100% sure about that one!). Thank you. 🖤❤️ @linderel

FOUND! Hysterical Strength by covalentbonds (Not rated, 3k, WangXian, WIP, Canon Divergence, Inspired by a Bollywood movie scene, Everyone Lives/Nobody dies, Parent WWX)

~*~

10. hi!! i'm looking for a fic i read about a year ago(?) on ao3, where during the cloud recesses study arc (i think?) lqr and the other teachers notice that wwx's basic education is lacking and wwx says it's because yzy doesn't let him join jc's lessons because wwx is supposed to be a right hand man and his education is therefore less important, so the lan elders and scholars all team up to give him remedial lessons; i think there's also a part where they build a case against the jiang sect because the sect scholars failed their responsibility to teach their disciples equally. the fic holding shreds by barisan reminds me of it a little bit, but instead of yzy's physical abuse of wwx the one i'm looking for is all about the emotional abuse and education inequality

FOUND?🔒💖 Hoards and treasures by apathyinreverie (T, 21k, WangXian, Siblings, Family, not particularly Jiang friendly, YZY Bashing, slightly darker Gusu Lans, LXC being the best brother, Some manipulation, But with the best of intentions, and not between wangxian, Dragon LWJ, Fox WWX, Smitten LWJ, Fluff, perfect happiness, adorable WWX, Romance, Some worldbuilding, courting) in this one, Xichen is speculating that WWXs education was stunted, especially in sect etiquette, deliberately by mme yu.

FOUND?🔒 in the shadow of moonlit flowers by Reverie (cl410) (T, 56k, wangxian, LXC/NMJ, cloud recesses, NHS & LWJ friendship, developing relationship, LWJ pov, minor injuries, autistic LWJ, implied/referenced child abuse, aka YZY warning, genius WWX, light angst, hurt/comfort, WWX protection squad) in this one the lan sect does the scholar case thing where they accuse jiang sect of failing their duties by neglecting to educate wei ying.

~*~

11. hi, i'm looking for a fic which i found on twitter but im sure links to AO3 — basically everyone in the universe is some sort of animal (wwx is a fox, lwj is a dragon?) and they're classified by their mating cycles (whether they mate for life or seasonally). wwx and lwj gets engaged but lwj calls it off as wwx is a fox and therefore mates seasonally vs his for-life situation. wwx gets sad about it and then they find out wwx actually can mate for life! i used to find it easily before but for some reason no matter what i search, it just won't come up and i don't think i was logged into ao3 at the time i read it either. hope someone remembers it as well, thanks!

FOUND? what you have tamed by lianhua_lianzi, Senforza (E, 94k, WangXian, Animal Traits, misunderstandings, Courting Rituals, Pining, Lan family dynamics, Drama, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Arranged Marriage, Wangxian break up but get back together, Eventual Happy Ending, Implied Mpreg, Unresolved Sexual Tension, unintentional and eventually resolved “gaslighting”, Dragon LWJ, Fox WWX)

~*~

12. Hi I’m trying to find a fic where jiang Cheng is being forced to get married/find an heir. I remember that a member of YunmengJiang approached him with a list of members of the sect that would leave if he didn’t get an heir. I think it was mentioned that people were okay with him not having getting married since they assumed Jin Ling would inherit and Jin Guangyao would have another child but once his crimes were revealed they started to pressure him.

I know it wasn’t a Jiang cheng/lan Xichen or jiang cheng/nie Huaisang

FOUND? Karma by such_stuff_as_dreams_are_made_on (Not Rated, 2k, JC & OCs, Post-Canon, Arranged Marriage, Light Angst, Minor WangXian, Not JC Friendly)

~*~

13. I’m trying to find this fic where Wei Ying is looking for spouse for some reason and he starts asking everyone in Cloud Recesses but Lan Zhan even ask LXC to be his partner right in front of LWJ

If you have an idea about what I’m talking about thank you!!

~*~

14. so theres this fic in which jiang cheng and wei wuxian sit in a boat in jiang cheng's memories and wei wuxian sings a song that he altered slightly. im pretty sure it was a reconcilliation fic but im not sure but jc was a bit emotional. i can't find it, please help!

related to the previous ask, what i described is also only a scene from that fic and probably not what the entire fic is about. i only remember that one scene. @theartisticdoofus

FOUND? sing to the clouds in summerby stiltonbasket (G, 28k, JC & WWX, JC & JL, wangxian, JL & LSZ & LJY & OYZZ, 13k words of JC figuring out that LSZ is his nephew, ft. LXC and NHS the overprotective uncles, and LWJ giving JC death glares, Family Secrets, Reconciliation, Sad JC, Uncle-Nephew Relationship, Eventual Happy Ending, Podfic Available) the song is in chapter 4

~*~

15. Dear FicFinder Team, here I am again with only vibes and one scene. It was a WIP CQL post-canon fic, set during WWX's wanderings. At some point he exorcises a ghost in a tower (not one of the watchtower fics tho) and the last scene was WWX on his way back, kneeling in the grass to make offerings to his shijie and finally letting himself cry about her death. Maybe there were food descriptions too, I read this very early on and cannot find it in my history. It was exquisitely written too. @kinoumenthe

FOUND! the earth remembered me by remux (T, 30k, WIP, WangXian, POV WWX, Post-Canon, Emotional Edging, Letters, emotional support strangers, Original Character(s), lwj's quiet devotion)

~*~

16. Do you know the name for a fic where WWX is invisible (for some reason) and is in LWJ room (for some reason) and WWX watches LWJ hump a pillow but then LWJ notices that someone is in the room with him yada yada they have sex i forget when it gets revealed that it’s WWX

NOT FOUND! Mak Siccar by therealandraste (E, 20k, WangXian, Case Fic, Post-Canon, Misunderstandings, Pining, Happy Ending, Paperman smut - only god can judge me, Original Character Death(s)) the details don't exactly fit but

FOUND! Clinomania by malkinmalkout (E, 6k, WangXian, Voyeurism, Masturbation, Somnophilia, misuse of talismans, PWP, Riding, Oral Sex, binding, Happy Ending, canon typical non-con)

~*~

17. hello I'm looking for this twitter threadfic written by cerbykerby where wwx is a mermaid captured and brought in for studying by scientist lwj and others, and they eventually become mates. i've tried looking through their account for it but the fic is old and the search is way too far down, and i can't find the full fic. pls help out thanks!

FOUND? this is the unrolled threadfic by cerbykerby, I think

~*~

18. Hi! First time requesting something like this, but I really need help finding this one fanfic. It’s a incomplete wangxian fanfic and the summary of what I remember was that when WWX wakes up in MXY’s body after thirteen years, people are actually praising YL WWX because somehow (I cant remember how) the truth behind his actions and why he did what he did in the first place. JC faces some hate from the cultivation world, JL doesn’t hate WWX, and LWJ is extremely protective of WWX. Hope all this information helps!!! @nikki-g-m

Could #18 be that fic where a painter/theater guy did an interview with drunk wwx during the burial mounds arc and then it got published after his death so that when he resurrects its's all settled already (?). I dont remember the name either but maybe someone else will

FOUND? 💖 The Ballad of Hanguang-Jun and The Yiling Patriarch by Theladyofravenclaw (T, 40k, WangXian, ChengQing, Burial Mounds Settlement Days, Burial Mounds Arc, Canon Divergence, Fix-It of Sorts, Humor, musical theater?, Misunderstandings, POV Outsider, Crack treated seriously) The commenter on 18 was thinking of The ballad of Hanguang-jun and the Yiling Patriarch, though idk if this is the fic OP wants

FOUND? i think its deleted? Have You Heard Of The Yiling Patriach by R_PONTS

~*~

19. literally just reading a random wangxian fic when I I remembered this one fic I read a while ago. I can’t really remember a lot of details but from what I remember Wei ying is the cloud recess for whatever reason and he get the silencing spell out on him and he panicked and starts scratching and clawing at his throat and everybody’s watching horrified like please y’all help me remember 😭 @saintzx

FOUND?🔒 The Second Hand Unwinds by trulywicked (E, 56k, wangxian, JYL/JZX, WIP, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Time Travel Fix-It, Not JC Friendly, Not Yunmeng Jiang Sect Friendly, Not Jiāng Family Friendly, Not YZY Friendly, Time Travelling LWJ, Protective LWJ, Fluff, Minor Angst, Minor Character Death, JGS is his own warning, Wooing, LWJ is romantic af, Inventor WWX, Genius WWX, Cloud Recesses Study Arc, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Protective Gusu Lan Sect, Supportive LXC, Good Uncle LQR, WWX Protection Squad) The clawing is because he's desperate to defend JC against LQR's (rightful) admonishing, after JYL told him he should've tried harder after being silenced on a previous occasion defending JC

~*~

20. Hello

Love your blog!

A) I'm looking for a fic where wwx was raised by WRH, but it is introduced with him being the one to raze Cloud Recess and starting ti flirt with a prisoner LWJ who's very much " bro, wtf" in his inner monologue.

He's bff w Xye Yang and at one point thinks of doing lwj favors

B) Modern au where wwx and lwj had been married, adopted LSZ and then divorced due to someone either framing wwx or LWJs fam pressuring him to it. Wwx still has visitation rights and all, and at one point lwj buys them a house as an apology, but wwx is less than cash money above it, bcs lwj didn't truly fix the mistrust or whatever the reason for their breakup was @midnightlighthowlite

20B)

FOUND? 🔒 Life as a House by Terri Botta (Isilwath) (T, 55k, WangXian, Modern AU, Corporate Espionage, Post-Divorce, Father-Son Relationship, Reconciliation, Therapy)

~*~

21. Hello there, I’m not sure if this is a fic finder or an in the mood for, because I’m looking for a fic and more like that.

So you know how theres this TikTok Sound of someone called Nick who asks for the WLAN Password and its I Love You Nick and Nick is in a lot of denial about being lovers even though their anniversary is coming up?

I found a fic that was basically WY and LZ in a relationship, and WY/LZ (but more likely WY) didn’t realise that they were anything more than friends, and it was very funny.

More comedic than anything else. But I cannot for the life of me find it, and everytime I try and search for it, only the sad version shows up.

Please send help, I need to read this fluff….I crave it. @desperation-is-my-middle-name

~*~

[the-writer-ofthe-fandoms]

Silent Cosmos (Edward Cullen)(Ch. 1)

Pairing: Edward Cullen x GN! Mute!Reader

Words: 3.0k+

Warning(s): Mentions of past car accident, mentions of minor character death/parents dying, swearing, implications of past bullying, mentions of high school lacking services, blood mention.

A/N: YAY i finally have this done. I’ve had this idea since before i started grad school and finally got it done! I hope yall enjoy :) This series takes place before Victoria’s army comes to Forks and Edward may be OOC but like, oh well.

Also in this series, Bella and Edward had a mutual break up w/ no hard feelings <3

Series Masterlist

---

"On foot

I had to cross the solar system

before I found the first thread of my red dress.

I sense myself already.

Somewhere in space hangs my heart,

shaking in the void, from it stream sparks

into other intemperate hearts."

--Edith Södergran, 'On Foot I Had to Cross the Solar System'

On one unfortunate night when you were seven, a drunk driver hit your parents car. Your mother on the passenger side died instantly, your father later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. You were injured severely, but the doctors managed to keep you alive... At the cost of your voice. Chunks of glass tore through and stabbed your neck; the damage to your larynx was the worst, the second was nerve damage. You could speak in a very harsh, almost whisper-like, voice but it caused an intense amount of pain. You were upset. You hated that driver for what they took from you.

Your aunt and uncle took you in, and were able to help you adjust as you grew. They learned and taught you sign language, they helped you cope with the loss of your parents as best they could, and were always supportive. Despite their work lives keeping them away, they always tried their best to give you attention when they had the free time.

You found ways to enjoy life again, particularly in the stars. They were almost comforting to you when you were alone, looking out your bedroom window. You weren't sure why you have such an affinity for space and what it holds. Maybe because your father brought you out at night to point out all the constellations and their stories. Those moments with him started your interest. And now, you believed your parents were amongst the many stars in the vast universe.

You grew content with not having a voice. You adapted and overcame the curveball life sent your way. You just wished the pain wasn't constantly lingering.

---

It was the day you started going to your new highschool in Forks. It wasn't ideal transferring to a different school, but your uncle's job called for it. He was a firefighter and he was offered a sizable pay increase and rank promotion to fire captain if he took up the position for the Forks station. Your aunt, a nurse, was able to transfer to Forks hospital. They discussed the idea of moving with you of course, and you not wanting to hinder your uncle's promotion or damper his excitement, you supported the move from California to Washington.

You could already tell this rinky dink school wouldn't have anyone that understands ASL and the school said they are still looking to hire someone to be an interpreter of sorts, so you were mentally preparing yourself for the mess you may be entering. At least you transferred only three weeks into the new school year, that would make any school work you needed to catch up on relatively easy. It also helped it was your senior year as well.

As soon as you got out of your car, all of the heads of the student body snapped in your direction. You guess they've never seen a new kid before. You make your journey towards the building, hoping that no one would bother to talk to you. You already saw a teen walk up to you, he had straight black hair and a toothy grin.

"Hi, I'm Eric. You're the new kid." He seemed friendly.

You offer a little wave and sign, hoping he would get the inclination you could not speak.

"Shit... I don't know sign except..." He gave you the sign sorry before pointing to his ears and back to you. You shook your head and tapped your throat. "Oh! You can't speak." You nodded. "Sorry about all the confusion. Welcome to Forks High, home of the Spartans. I'm pretty much the eyes and ears."

You simply nod along when necessary and smiled as he gave you the very quick run down of most of the immediate gossip of school, which was centered around you, the new kid. He seemed like a nice guy but glancing at the clock you passed by in the hall you knew it was close to your first class.

"And don't get me started on the Cul-What?" You interrupted him as you held out your schedule to him, pointing to your first class. "Oh yeah, guess class is starting soon. Lets see... you're in 103 for English with Mr. Baker which is..." He glanced up. "Right down the hall. I have History right next door."

You smile at his help and follow him through the sea of students.

You wave Eric goodbye and enter classroom 103. You felt eyes of everyone land on you, but none more eye-catching or captivating as the gold pair near the back of the classroom. His gaze was intense, eyes wide, as he stared at you. You held his gaze. You weren't sure what to think at the moment but before anything could come to mind, an older gentleman walked in and stole your attention. You assumed correctly this was Mr. Baker.

---

Edward was the first to arrive for his first period class. He was always punctual, but there was a difference now. He no longer had Bella in tow.

It was a mutual end to their quick relationship. While her blood did appeal to him greatly, the fastness of their relationship hurt them both emotionally at the end. It was purely fascination of each others beings that they mistake as something else. While it did hurt, Edward could admit to himself he wasn't distraught over it. They remained friends and he was content with that.

Slowly, other students began filling the classroom as the clock ticked on. Everyone filling seats they usually sat in despite there being no assigned seating. No one ever sat next to him, often feeling intimidated by his status as a Cullen. The vampire paid them no mind, occupying his attention to watching the typical Forks rain traverse down the window he always sat by. He tuned out everyone's thoughts the best he could, letting his usual melancholy about his nature linger in his mind.

Edward perked up when he heard an fast-beating heart breakthrough his attempts of zoning out. Shifting his focus to the doorway his eyes latched on to the new student.

You.

It didn't take reading thoughts to feel the buzz of a new student arriving in the small school.

He felt... strange. Much like with Bella, your scent invaded his senses and made him thirsty, yet, that wasn't what caught his immediate attention.

It was the eyes. Something about them captivated Edward. He wasn't sure what about them had him staring at you, who now stared back at him. The vampire attempted to discern your thoughts and he caught an inkling of curiosity starting to bleed out before the teacher took your attention away.  His stayed on you, and didn't pay him any mind or had any idea he wad, and focused his enhanced hearing on the conversation.

"Hello, new student?" The teacher greeted and softly spoke your name. The auburn haired male watched as the you nodded.

Edward's curiosity peaked when he finally heard their thoughts, clear as the days outside of Forks.

"Yes, that's me. Do you know sign?" He heard their thoughts as he watched their hands easily relay in sign language. I'm expecting a no they internally sighed.

"Oh shoot I wasn't told..." A worried look passed on the teachers face as his sentence trailed off. Edward can hear his thoughts complain that the school failed to inform him about the new student outside their name and grade. A look of exasperation briefly flashed on your face.

Who would of fucking thought Forks High, a small-ass school, would not inform their teachers. Fantastic. Wonderful. I love it. It was a pointed statement that had Edward both mildly shocked at the language and pretty amused. I wonder how much others outside of Eric will put up with me here.

Edward sighed. He knew he shouldn't involve himself with another human but he couldn't help it. Whatever captivated him and the resignation you mentally expressed already had moved him. He got up from his spot and quickly moved to the front of the classroom.

"Apologies, I don't mean to cut in but I know sign."

---

You blink at the golden-eyed student he approached you and the teacher. You felt a grateful smile tug on your lips as you faced him. Immediately, you felt some appreciation and felt good about being wrong on your previous assumption.

"Thank you, Edward." Mr. Baker smiled in relief. Edward gave the teacher a small, tight lipped smile at him and faced you. The teacher introduced you to him. "And this is Edward Cullen."

"I'm sorry for any inconvenience." Edward spoke as you signed, his voice soft and velvety. Observing his face, you watched as his brows furrow at your statement, which became almost a second nature for you due to the way your previous school treated you. You often faced irritated glances or your existence ignored entirely outside the feo close friends you accumulated.

"Please relay to them-" Mr. Baker spoke but you immediately shook your head and held up a hand.

"I am neither deaf or hard of hearing, sir. I just can't speak." Edward translated for you again. "I look forward to class with you both." A smile appeared on his face again.

"You too. And you aren't being an inconvenience at all. It's the fault of the school, really." Mr. Baker offered a kind smile. Edward left the two of you, as if knew he wouldn't be needed again. "Take a seat wherever you want, I don't do assigned seating unless it becomes an issue." Mr. Baker gave you a kind smile and gestured for you to pick out a seat, while he moved to the classroom computer. You take a glance around, only seeing three spots open.

Your eyes landed on the one next to Edward, causing you to perk up. Though, you hesitated, his small smile and the single, subtle nod assured you it was fine to sit by him. Holding your backpack strap a little tighter, you move between desks to join him.

---

Edward watched as you sat next to him. You offered him a quick smile before you started pulling out your notebook and your small pencil case. You didn't look over at him as you stared up at the board, waiting for class to start.

The vampire was curious and while he knew it was an invasion of privacy, he couldn't help but try and focus in on more of your thoughts. Except he was met with...

What? His brows furrowed. Edward felt overwhelmed for a moment, his sense felt almost deprived as he tried peering in your mind again.

Edward suddenly saw what he perceived as a galaxy. Stars, planets, moons, a sun... it was vast and it was breathtaking. It wasn't something he never saw before, this detailed, in a humans mind. He was able to view this scene for just a few fleeting moments until he suddenly felt warm energy push against his mind.

The vampire blinked. His presence was back in classroom 103. He glanced toward you. Paying close attention, he didn't see anything that indicated you were in any way aware of what just occured. He heard the teacher swear under his breath as he attempted to get the projector working, and used this moment to speak with you.

Softly, he called your name, bringing your attention to him.

"How are you liking Forks?" Edward recognized he was a bit awkward, but you gave no inclination that you minded or judged him.

"It's wet. But I don't mind it. The scenery is nice." You signed and it was as if the cosmos that warded him from your thoughts was lifted. Hearing your thoughts again after being blocked out by the cosmos left him perplexed and curious.

"Forks does have its charm in scenery." He chuckled. "But I assume that isn't why you moved?"

"No, but it definitely is a bonus." You smiled. "My uncle got a promotion so we moved up from California."

"What does he do?"

"He is now the fire captain here."

Edward had a kind smile and offered a small congratulations to him. He then spoke again, "What does your class schedule look like?"

You reached into your zip up hoodie pocket and pull out a folded piece of paper. Unfolding it, you slid it to his desk. His golden eyes scanned the paper and he felt some sort of happiness that your schedules almost align completely. The only class difference was your last two classes, which would have you taking gym and history without him.

"Looks like we will be seeing each other a lot. We have almost all the same classes."

That's a relief. Edward suppressed a smile at your thoughts. I hope we can be at least friendly with one another.

"Since we have most of our classes together, would you like to be friends?" He asked. He could already hear Rosalie scolding him for getting involved with another human, but he didn't particularly care what she would think.

You were another anomaly to his, otherwise, stationary life. He has no plans to try and initiate a quick romantic relationship again. He simply was curious to the stars that lingered behind your eyes.

---

It was nearing lunchtime. You glanced out the window of your math class while the teacher closed out her lesson and began explaining what the homework was going to be. You were very grateful for Edward sticking by you in each course. He was able to help you talk to your teachers, answer and ask questions, and made Forks high a little more welcoming.

You had met two of his siblings in that time frame, Emmett and Alice, who were both a delight. Alice already expressed how much she was excited to finally get to know you, which you assumed she was wanting to meet the new kid, and Emmett offered to watch your back in gym with the biggest grin you've seen on a persons face. It also warmed your heart to find they also knew sign too.

The initial worry of being a forever outsider like before began melting away. So far things have been pleasant unlike your last experience.

As you mind wandered off to old school memories of bullies and loneliness, you were still unaware of Edward trying to discern your thoughts again. You missed the look of confusion and frustration on his face. Although, you did manage to hear him make a noise that sounded like frustration, which snapped your attention on him.

"Everything okay?" You ask him. He glanced up at the teacher who was now facing the board writing the homework down.

"Just... wanting class to be over." Edward gave you a tight lipped smile. "Mrs. Johnsons' classes are usually a bore."

You nodded with a smile and silent chuckle.

The class bell rang, signaling an end, and practically everyone ran out for lunch. You eyed the crowd trying to leave and shrug your shoulders. You scribbled down the equations Mrs. Johnson assigned before putting your class materials away and preemptively pulled out your brown bag lunch.

You glanced to Edward while you both stood up. You weren't sure if you should continue sticking by his side until it was time for your last two periods or find your own corner to decompress. Perhaps giving him a break from-

"Are you ready?" His soft voice cut through your thoughts. You blink, pausing for a moment, before nodding.

"Lead the way." You smiled, though you were sure it came off as nervous. There will be so many people...

"Would you like to sit with my family and I, or would you like to go somewhere quiet?" You looked at him a bit shocked, were you that easy to read? You could see the twitch of his lip like he was going to respond but he kept quiet.

"Somewhere quiet, just for today."

"Follow me then."

---

Rosalie sighed as she leaned against the table, waiting for her siblings to join her and Emmett for lunch. She then looked to her partner and leaned against him, who laughed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Her golden eyes followed Bella's form with a glare as she sat down with her friends.

"Come on, babe. Her and Edward have no hard feelings." Emmett spoke in a quiet tone.

"It's still a danger to us." She grumbled.

"Nope! She still becomes a vampire like us." Alice suddenly sat down with a bright smile.  Jasper was quick to sit down next to her.

"Even after what happened with the Volturi and James?" Emmett asked.

"Yep. While the course of her and Edward's relationship definitely changed, she still becomes a part of our clan."

"Great." Rosalie rolled her eyes and then glanced around at the table. "Speaking of Edward, where is he?"

"Probably off with the new kid." Emmett smirked. "They seem pretty nice. Edward's been helping them since they can't speak."

"Another human?" She looked to her partner then to Alice. "Did you..."

"Have a vision of them? Yes. The day before Edward and Bella parted their romantic relationship, I had a vision of them coming to Forks. And then after meeting them, I saw them and Edward, looking pretty close." She smiled and giggled.

"Great, another human who is going to choose to be a vampire." Rose scoffed.

"Rosalie-" Alice's usually bright expression drops. Everyone at the Cullen table looked at her with worry as it appeared her eyes glaze over. Jasper immediately gripped her hand under the table as he could feel a wave of sadness wash over from her.

"Darling?" Jasper whispered.

Alice blinked rapidly. She looked to the others with a worried expression. "I... I didn't see the specifics but... It wasn't their choice."

It was silent between them. Rosalie's eyes were wide, Emmett clenched his fist under the table, Jasper tried his best to calm everyone, and Alice simply blinked and tried looking to the future again.

She could see you, crying and writhing as the venom from a bite on your arm took hold, blood all over you. Edward and Carlisle were right by your side, speaking. But she couldn't hear what they were saying.

All she heard was a high pitched ring.

And then the vision flashes a blinding white and she swears she could feel intense heat against her face.

She was back at the table again with her family. It was the same vision as before. Never had she seen such a bright light, heard such a noise, or felt anything like that from a vision.

"We have to talk to Carlisle."

[pearlywritings]

Can we get a...

synopsis: twins’ seventh birthday is almost half a year away, but it seems that they already have a gift in mind. Though you surely did not expect this.

pairing: Diluc x fem!reader, your twin sons Rufus and Lucas

tw: fluff, pregnancy

word count: 3.5k+ words

Family AU Masterlist

What a peaceful February afternoon. The fire flickers and wood cracks in the fireplace, warming up the area around. In this peaceful noise you make out Adelinde's voice quietly discussing something with Elzer in his study, with a door left slightly ajar - a precaution so she can always hear in case you call for her. But you don't think you'll need her help anytime soon, feeling quite cozy at the moment - multiple pillows support your back as you are resting on the sofa, big comforter covers your body from stomach and down, two boys are snuggling under it from both sides of your body, providing additional warmth and contently squinting from your fingers threading through their thick locks and gently massaging their heads. Their teacher has just left not so long ago and you are letting them relax after the whole morning of studying. After all, a break for yourself was around the corner as well, so the trade papers you'd been reviewing were put on a coffee table aside. You'll have enough time to finish this little work Diluc still lets you do in your condition, while he himself is out to check on the tavern in the city and, as you are guessing, buy kids some treats for their good behavior as well.

You feel Rufus shift a little on your right, bringing your mind back to reality - for a moment the serene atmosphere lulled you into a slumber. It makes you aware of what the two redheads have been doing ever since they joined you in the living room to cuddle - silently exchanging glances over your six-(almost seven)-month pregnant stomach. They are up to something it seems, but there is no hint of mischief in the air, so it should be something harmless - you won't pry until they want to share it with you.

Which happens pretty soon, as the boys nod simultaneously and then two sets of ruby-like eyes glance up at your face and you see it as a signal for a conversation, drawing your hands away from their heads and resting around their half-turned to you bodies.

"Mama?" Rufus is the one who starts the conversation after a few more moments of silence. You tenderly smile and rub his back in reassurance.

"Yes, baby, what is it?"

"Remember how it's our birthday in August?" The boy continues as his brother fumbles with his fingers a little, giving out his nervousness. You know your boys, despite their quite creative and energetic nature they rarely ask for something overly crazy or something you and your husband couldn't afford for them, so this one must be really serious, if the younger of the twins fidgets at the prospect of it. Your fingertips slide to his arm and down to his hands, offering to hold them, and Lucas puts them onto your palm almost immediately.

"Of course I do, loves," your smile never disappears, if anything it gets wider - they will be turning seven, hard to believe it's been several years of your babies' lives already. "Oh! You have something in mind for how you want to celebrate it?" They shake their heads, so you try another, "presents?"

This time they confirm your guess with a nod and Lucas, playing with your fingers, hums. 

"And what might it be?" You ask curiously, once again witnessing how the boys exchange glances, as if deciding who'll be the one to announce it. To your surprise they both take deep inhale, look back at you and blurt the question out together:

"Canwegetadog!?"

"Wha-" caught off guard you stare at them with wide eyes, though very quickly recovering. "I am sorry, could you repeat that? I don't think I heard it with all this speed."

Twins pout, as if saying it again offends them very much, but eventually Lucas shakes your hand a little, asking for your attention, which you direct at him.

"Yes?"

"Me and Rufus were wondering… Would you and papa let us get a dog?"

Oh. A pet? Wow, this is new and serious indeed.

"A dog?" They nod again, tense like bowstrings awaiting for your reaction, almost not blinking as they stare at you. A little bit caught off guard you keep your silence for a few seconds, thinking over their request. But it looks like the lack of response from you is concerning for the twins, as they become even more fidgety and avert their ruby eyes, thinking they did the wrong thing, after all, that's an almost life-changing matter. They nearly jump when your hands come to rest on their backs, comfortingly rubbing.

"What kind of dog? Do you have something in mind or you just decided you simply want a dog?" 

As if by a wave of the magic wand their shoulders relax, gaze back on you and smiles once again plastered on their cute little faces. Rufus immediately starts untangling himself from under the comforter.

"Oh, we can show! I'll go get it, wait a moment, ma!" Finally free, he jumps off the sofa, swiftly turns back to tuck the fabric back at your side and quickly runs to the stairs and to their room. Lucas presses himself into you again, one arm wrapping around your stomach and his face tucked into your ribs.

"You are not mad?" You hear in a muffled question, which makes you chuckle and put your own hand on top of his.

"Of course not, Lu. An animal companion is a sweet idea, I love it. But before I, or your father make any decisions, we need to fully understand what you two want and how to operate it," and for you to know what to use when appealing the idea to your husband, because it happened so that there’s never been a conversation about pets, aside from his falcon, who is more of a companion to him, and the kids are still wary around her.

"Oh, you mean like, the size, the eating and walking habits, how it is with people?" The younger peaks up and you are amazed at how clever he is.

"Yes, that's what I mean…how do you know?"

"We read it in a book brother went to get. Dad let us use the library in his study and Rufus found an encyclopedia about dogs. There are pictures and all kinds of interesting stuff. We asked Addie to help us a little with the words we didn't know."

You hum in acknowledgement, not having time to say anything else, because you can hear your other son reappearing on top of the stairs and soon tapping his way down and back to you and his brother.

"Here!" He proudly presents you a pretty slim volume and this time you don't even need both hands to take it. Lucas patiently waits for his brother to climb back under the warm fabric and get comfortable and only then tells you to open page 56.

Placing the book partly on your belly, you start searching for the page and find it pretty quickly, as it appears to be the first one in the Snezhnayan national breeds section. While many domestic animals were bred and selected in their homelands, it's not strange to see some of them distributed to other regions as well, so, the non-Mondstadt-originated dog doesn't surprise you.

Seeing the name of the breed though makes you snort on the inside, imagining the look on Diluc's face when he hears about it.

"Snezhnayan Borzoi?" You ask, looking at the illustration of a very elegant dog with long slim legs, equally long curved body, long snout, long tail, long beautiful fur… yeah, everything about this dog is long, which in the end gives a very noble-looking complexion. 

Boys nod.

"Yes, we really, really want it… Look how pretty it is!"

"And you both agreed on the same dog?" You ask a little bit in disbelief, knowing very well, how different some of their tastes are.

"Well…" Rufus trails off, staring at his brother, who returns the same kind of look to him.

"We wanted different," Lucas admits, "but when we told Addie, she said two dogs are too much."

Even if they don't elaborate, you understand the meaning behind it. Too much in general. And also there is soon going to be a new member of the family, which means your and Diluc's attention would be occupied even more, and if one dog (or a puppy, at first) is still manageable, two is hardly so.

Looks like your boys are growing so well, learning to make some sacrifices and be open to compromising, your heart couldn't be more happy for them.

"This beauty is pretty indeed," you say after their explanation and you can see how ruby eyes light up with hope. "And you came to an agreement, great job, boys!"

Two sets of arms wrap around your neck and both of your cheeks get a loud smooch.

"Thank you, mama! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

You laugh joyfully, turning head side to side to kiss their foreheads.

"Don't thank me just yet, we still have a game to play," ah, yes, the game the three of you practice before laying out some of the ideas to their father. It both helps to convince him faster and for the twins to develop the argumentative skills. And also works vice versa when they go to dad first with the matter where you have the final word in.

"Why don't you prove to me this sweet dog is the one for you and that generally it is a good idea," the smiles get wider, as they understand what you are implying, and by the confident looks on their faces you can guess they’ve already thought beforehand of what to say to you.

"Yes, mom! So," Lucas decides to not beat around the bush and start right away, "we do not ask for two dogs. We know it is a big deal," he says it so proudly, that you can hardly contain a chuckle.

"Secondly," Rufus points into the book and you glance at the numbers presented there, "this dog is big."

"And why is that good?" the older twin furrows his brows for a moment in thought, pursing his lips. You patiently wait, before he comes up with something.

"I think a small dog is hard to notice and if it barks, the sound is too, um…" ruby gaze darts to the side for help.

"Disturbing," his brother offers.

"Yes, disturbing! And you'll soon have a baby…" both boys look at your belly and Rufus gently pats it, which brings a bright glint to your eyes. They are so considerate.

"Besides," Lucas chirps again, "they are quite lazy while inside and won't be too noisy. When outside they love to run a lot and we have a lot of land around for it. I think we can easily go for a walk three times a day with it."

"Hm, but it says here that each walk should take at least an hour. Sure you can handle it?" You point at the paragraph with the descriptions and boys start thinking. "You should understand that this will be your dog and it will listen to you."

"Yeah, we read that borzoi do not really listen, and to the people who are not their owners…" Rufus sighs, and you see the understanding that maids will be of little help sink in. "But we will try very hard! We can walk after breakfast… ah, wait, the classes…" at that you chuckle, and reach to ruffle his hair.

"Don't worry, I am sure your dad won't mind rearranging the beginning of your classes to start a bit later," their faces beam with a smile again.

"And then we can easily walk in the afternoon and evening!"

"That's great, loves," the praise encourages them even more and by the time it's lunch hour, the twins have laid out some more proving points, making you believe Diluc would be easily swayed.

"You really want this dog, aren't you…" you muse, finishing reading the article the book offered. They eagerly nod. From the corner of your eye you notice Adelinde, who has come out to check on you three and the fireplace. Suddenly she chuckles.

"Sorry, My Lady, I happened to overhear your conversation."

"Oh, that's fine," you offer her a reassuring smile, which she returns with a sweet one of her own. "But what made you laugh, Adelinde?"

"Just remembered how animated young masters have been for the last couple of days, when talking about this beautiful dog in my presence."

"Is that so?" The boys sheepishly giggle, starting to make their way out of the comforter's embrace. "Ah, nevermind," shaking your head and passing a book back to Rufus, you move the comforter completely off of you, and, with some assistance from Adelinde, rise to your feet.

"It's time for lunch, isn't it? Let's go have it, and when dad comes home in the evening, you'll talk to him, alright?"

"Mhm!"

"Good. Now go and put the book back into your room, wash your hands and be ready to dig in," your sons disappear as quickly as you finish your speech. The woman next to you offers you her arm and you thankfully lean on it, even if it's just mere meters to the dining table.

An opening door draws your attention from the book and instantly the bookmark is placed between the pages as your eyes connect with your husband's vermillion ones. The jacket has probably been taken away by the maids to clean and dry and he also lacks a cravat and a vest. What he isn't lacking is a small smile brightening up his whole face and reflecting in the burning fire of his soul.

"Good evening, my flame," the greeting is sweet on his tongue and the almost unnoticeable sprint in his steps is an indicator of how much the Master of the Dawn Winery has been craving to be back with you, his wife. The bed dips under his knee and the gloves are swiftly taken off and thrown to the side. Big scarred warm palms cup your cheeks and a kiss is pressed against your lips, sealing his words like a barrel of dandelion wine.

Diluc cradles your face in his hands so delicately, so gingerly, you start thinking he is back to viewing you as a glass piece that can easily break, which was proved wrong many times before. You kiss him back with a little more force to remind him you are not fragile and the man seems to chuckle, drawing his face away to gaze at you lovingly. Only for his eyes to widen a little when you peck his nose and rub yours against it.

A rich laugh is born within the confinement of his chest and a few more fleeting kisses are placed all over your cheeks.

"Missed me this much?" You murmur quietly, afraid to break the atmosphere. Your husband hums, rubbing his thumbs over your cheekbones.

"Yes…missed you so much," then his gaze flits down to your stomach and the next moment the palms are pressed against your rounded belly, with lips following soon after. 

"Missed the little one too, love."

Instantly your fingers go into his flaming hair, releasing them from a high ponytail and carefully running digits through the heavy locks. You let him have his moment, lovingly staring at the back of his head, listening to the softest murmurs offered to the baby in your belly, your third child, your soon-to-be-joy. Just two more months.

"Do you feel sore?" His burning gaze is back on your calm one, worrying about you overworking your body - you are carrying a big weight on your midsection all the time, he knows it's hard.

"Luc, love, have you forgotten? You literally increased payment to my maids to take care of me whenever you can't. Soon I'll get addicted to all these nice massages."

"That's not a bad thing."

"Yeah, I am aware, and you could use some too. I can feel your tense back under my fingertips"

"Love," he groans but you know, it's not of annoyance, just him being playful. "Besides you know our staff adore you. Helping you in any way possible, especially now, is no trouble for them."

“Your ability to convince me of anything in the sweetest ways possible scares me,” you laugh, when he gives you an unamused glance, and poke his cheek with a finger.

“Speaking of convincing, have boys already gotten to you with one?”

You bring your hands from his hair to your stomach when your husband draws himself back and off the bed to properly undress and change while having a conversation with you. By the sound of him lightly chuckling you know they have.

“Oh, when I tell you I got worried when they met me at the front door and urgently asked to go to my study - you better believe it,” he grabs the gloves he threw away minutes ago and walks to put them in a drawer.

“So, how went the discussion of their desired birthday present?” You really are curious - after all that’s such a big decision and, by the looks of it, means a lot to your sons, who, as it now becomes clear to you why, have even spent the last week being on their best, borderline perfect behavior.

Diluc grabs a hanger from a wardrobe and puts it on the bed, starting to work on his shirt. A concentrated look on his face doesn’t go unnoticed by you, and the need to know his thoughts stirs impatience inside.

“Tell me. Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me!”

“Well,” a fond look of his crimson eyes graces your somewhat displeased expression, quickly making you melt, earning a smile from him as well, “it went very well.”

“For you or for them?”

“What if I say both?” he teases and you almost roll your eyes. If the bed wasn’t so big you’d reach out and kick his leg.

���Come oooon, I am intrigued!”

“I know you are,” a chuckle.

“You know and yet you keep it a secret? Unbelievable. Your brother’s antics rub on you it seems. Don’t look at me like that, we both know you were even worse in your teens.”

“One day he won’t see the light of it,” Diluc promises without malice and, finally changed, climbs onto the bed to settle by your side, only to be attacked by your loving kisses and a big hug, which he accepts eagerly, encouraging your affectionate clinginess.

“Tell meeee, did they do well?”

“In their game of conviction? Of course they did, you are their teacher,” at that you giggle.

“So… Does that mean you told them you’d get a dog? The exact one they want?”

“I didn’t say I’d get them a dog, but I promised to think.”

“Only to get it as a surprise?”

“You know me too well, my flame. And though their choice surprised me, I don't have anything against it.”

“Though the land of origin has it against you?” The man sighs at your joke, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“It’s going to be hard, but I’ll put someone from my people in charge of that. After all, borzoi aren’t popular in Mond, it’s probably been years since the last time some noble adopted a dog like that as an,” he twists his fore and middle fingers, “ ‘exotic pet’.”

“True,” you agree, reaching out to take his hand and put a head on his shoulder. “You think we'll handle it on top of everything?"

"I think we will. I suppose we'll have some time to get adjusted to having the baby here. Then I could help Ru and Lu train the puppy. Borzoi are quite temperamental, after all, they’ll need assistance."

"And once again you are ready to go such lengths to make our babies happy. You are a great father, you know?”

He doesn’t even need to respond, because you both know the answer to this question. Diluc leans to rest the cheek against your head and intertwines your fingers, gently squeezing to tighten the hold. Your words, this exact admittance brought a bigger smile on the man’s face and caused butterflies to dance in his chest, caressing his heart with the soft trembles of their wings. Yes, he’d do many things to assure his family’s safety and happiness, as it became his life purpose after meeting you.

Besides, birthdays happen once a year, right? And getting a dog isn’t all that extraordinary, - knowing his boys and their wild imagination he could’ve expected something mind-blowing (like that time when they saw Klee using her bombs and begged you two to install those instead of the fireworks. Obviously you two declined, letting Albedo take care of that part, so in the end Rufus and Lucas still were entertained and content with the fire show).

So, yeah, Snezhnayan Borzoi it is.

Maybe he could teach it to bark at Kaeya. Just because he can.

[neiptune]

I think there's been a glitch

c/w: 6k wc, wedding date trope, friends to (possible) lovers, mentions of alcohol, mentions of cheating, levi's smoothness has your brain short circuiting

Just as expected: you’re hating every second of it.

You love your family, you really do. Doesn’t matter how loud and overexcited and nosy they are, it’s always nice to take a few days off to travel back home. Sometimes it’s for birthdays, minor special occasions, surprise visits. Nothing was spontaneous about this specific occasion, though. Train tickets were bought months in advance, your dress picked facetiming your mom (she insisted), your arrival highly anticipated by aunts and uncles and cousins and old friends all coming together for the most significant event of the century: your little brother’s wedding.

To be absolutely honest, the day had a good start. Waking up at dawn didn’t bother you, not with the nutritious breakfast your mom had prepared and the excitement stirring behind your brother’s tense smile. The wedding was agreed to have a mix of traditional shinto-style (to please the bride’s family) and more laid back, western-style influences, something your family has always been accustomed to, given your dad’s roots.

The ceremony held at the shrine was emotional even for you. Hiromi looked gorgeous in her uchikake, gold threads and foil with motifs of waves and cranes standing out on a bright crimson base. You watched them drink the sake and exchange cups first, then vows and wedding rings. It was so hard to process than the man getting married was the same kid who once pooped himself in his crib at daycare and then proceeded to take off his diaper to play with the poop like it was play-doh. Sweet, sweet memories.

Everything started going downhill at the fancy hotel where the reception was set to be held.

The convention room is blinding in its beauty: white pillars, draping fabrics, pretty fairy lights and elegant floral arrangements compliment the venue and the minimalist but luxurious style your families decided to go with. You’re not foreign to wealth, your parents have worked hard to grant you and your sibling a comfortable life and you’re grateful for them. What you don’t like about your family, is how for your aunts and uncles and cousins, everything should constantly be tied to money and profit. Which is why they all turn up their noses when you reply to the dreaded “what’s your job again?” question. Which is why, at every family reunion, you’re forced to sit with your younger cousins and take part in the salary conversation (they could literally compare and brag for hours about raises and bonuses and working overtime and paid vacations). Which is why Aiko, already CEO of a join-stock company at her young age, had first introduced you to one of the employees from the financial department.

Floch Forster was certainly attractive, a real gentleman who’d take you out for fancy dinners, casual dates and fun rides on his flashy, red porsche cayenne. You liked him but your family had always liked him more, your brother going out for drinks with him, your dad inviting him over more and more frequently to watch baseball games or ask for help for the restoration of his old kawasaki ninja, a project he’d been working on for a while.

In the end, the relationship simply didn’t work out and you broke up with him in the most amicable way possible, the time spent together still worth cherishing. You were just too different from each other: his interests not matching yours, his friends way too stuck-up, his parents looking at you like you were some kind of gold digger.

But that’s when he became petty, cruel even, mocking your dreams, deriding your aspirations, sharp edged phrases and words thrown your way so harshly they still dance around your brain from time to time.

Are you surprised by his presence at your brother’s wedding? No. You knew he’d be invited, they’re still friends and you never really told your sibling how the separation actually went down. Is it shocking that he’s here with a pretty brunette anchored to his arm? Also no. He might be an asshole but he’s hot and rich, two qualities weighing pretty damn heavily on the bachelor scale. He’s also the main reason why you’d asked your painfully stoic, blasé friend to accompany you to the reception.

Yes, it was both a childish and desperate move, but you were willing to take drastic measures to save face before your very much extended very much elitist very much expectant family after the fatal phone call with your mom where you’d suddenly blurted out that you’d bring a special someone with you to the wedding.

Your love life (aka currently a big big void made of emotional unavailability & crippling loneliness) was yet another topic open to be attentively scrutinized by those around you. Normally you don’t mind, you really don’t, but just this one time you wanted it to be different. As much as you try not to let it get to you, the facts are that your younger brother is now married, your hot rich ex boyfriend has probably already proposed to his new girlfriend, you still haven’t been given the raise you were expecting and it plainly just sucks to be alone at weddings. It’s the fourth one you have attended on your own now and you can tell by your aunt’s sympathetic gaze and your cousins’ knowing giggles that you’re not gonna be able to push the he had to attend an emergency meeting with external partners lie any longer.

Frustration makes your stomach churn. Why couldn’t he have indulged you just this once?

“Oh, come on”

“No”

“Please!”

“Still no”

“I can beg”

“You’ve been begging for the past ten minutes”

“I can beg better?”

Levi’s resolute glare didn’t soften like it did on the rare occasions when he accommodated your requests.

“Why do you even need this?”

You heaved a deep sigh over his obstinacy, index finger lazily tracing the edge of the steaming cup in front of you. You’ve always been a coffee person but his is the only tea you’ll drink.

“D’you want the honest answer or the pathetic, moping one?”

He raised an eyebrow with a far too evident interest that had you rolling your eyes.

“Both”

“Well, if you must know, it’s because I’m a lame, lonely, disappointment of an adult who’s scared of facing her family’s overcritical comments and knowing glances at her younger sibling’s wedding” you paused to take a deep breath “that and the fact that I already lied and said I was gonna bring someone and my perfect ex everyone loves so much is gonna be there”

Levi slowly took a sip from his own cup, the classic bergamot flavor notes lingering with tantalizing velvety softness on his tongue.

“They both sound pathethic and moping to me”

You shrugged with a weak smile.

“They’re both honest, too”

“You’re gonna be fine” he pushed the little plate of shortbreads towards you.

“Did you hear the part about my perfect ex?” nevertheless, you accepted the cookie offer and, much to your friend’s horrified expression, dipped one into your tea prior to taking a bite.

“Give him my love” Levi ignores your frown and, more importantly, the annoyance he felt listening to you belittling yourself so blatantly.

“Okay” a defeated sigh leaves your lips as you take another cookie “not sure why I thought you’d get it”

“The fuck is that supposed to mean?”

Mouth still full, you gestured vaguely with your hands, tiny crumbs attached to your fingertips catching his attention for a split second before you speak again.

“Why would you? You’re a functioning adult. Should’ve asked someone as fucked up as me, maybe Reiner from the marketing department will—”

“A functioning adult?” Levi cut in, tone oozing with skepticism “that’s new. You usually refer to me as the clean freak with a stick up his ass”

“Which you are” your clarification is met with another glare “but you wouldn’t understand what being lame means”

“How so?” he challenged, eyes narrowed and some sort of weird warmth in the pit of his stomach he didn’t know how to shake off.

“You have your shit together, Levi. M’sure your family wouldn’t shoot sympathetic gazes your way if you showed up to your brother’s wedding on your own”

“I don’t have a brother”

“Not the point” you let out an obnoxious groan as you slightly pushed the empty cup away and dropped your head to rest on your overlapped arms, forehead pressing on the soft fabric of your sleeve. Levi sat still, grey eyes fixed on you.

“You’re not lame, idiot” no one else would’ve been able to tell that his tone had gone softer “I’m not dating anyone either and you still think I’m a functioning adult”

Exasperated, you turn your head so that your cheek is now pressed to your wrist as you glare at him.

“But that’s your choice. You don’t like anyone. While I had three of my coworkers come to my desk just to ask who the handsome dude passing by to bring me a homemade bento box was”

Half a smile dripping with smugness tugged at his lips, one that caused you to roll your eyes again.

“Don’t even” you warn, already gagging at the idea of him considering to visit you at work more often “forget I said anything. I’ll handle it”

As Levi inched across the table to flick your forehead and then got up to collect your cups, you had to quickly whisk away the thought of how much your family would have genuinely liked someone like him too.

On second thought, it’s not really fair to blame him. You might not be a greatly functioning one, but you’re still an adult. You can face something as trivial as the disappointment of multiple generations of your family, right? Either way, it would’ve felt wrong. It would’ve been awkward. Levi is stiff, way too cold, the opposite of cordial. He would hardly be credible as the good friend he actually is, let alone pass for a boyfriend. Has he ever even dated someone? You’re sure he has, given how weirdly popular he is. Yeah, there was one girl, what was her name again? Petra? Ugh, he hardly shares anything truly personal with you anyway. Sure, you can guess he’s a good partner. Handsome, kind, talented enough to cook killer meals, maybe even good in bed. It just wouldn’t hurt him to be a little more… amicable. But maybe that’s what women find attractive? The fact that he’s like this weird, interesting secret thing to continuously discover and unwrap until it suddenly turns into the perfect, passionate lover any woman wants to end up with?

The champagne you’re downing at the hotel bar is proving to be a wonderful ally, although your mind currently seems to be wandering a little. Or it was, at least until a familiar, awfully close and quite frankly unsettling voice causes a harsh return to the pathetic reality you’re trying to escape.

“Drowning your sorrows in alcohol? You haven’t changed at all” the venomous smile on his face is so painfully familiar it has your insides twisting right away.

“I’m really not in the mood, leave me alone” you mutter, not even sparing him a glance as you stubbornly focus on the golden bubbles popping in your freshly filled flute.

But Floch takes a seat right next to you and elegantly orders two martinis.

“Shaken, not stirred” he adds, to live up to yet another clichè. You can hardly suppress a snort.

“I would argue you already are. Alone, I mean” the rhythmic drumming of his fingers on the mahogany counter distracts you for a few seconds. When your gaze finally meets his, the fake sympathy glistening mischievously in his amber eyes almost has you barfing on the spot.

“Where’s your trophy wife? Is she even legal?”

Unperturbed, Floch smiles sweetly at you.

“She reminds you of yourself, doesn’t she? A young dove in need of rescue, held captive by the wrong guy” he inches closer, smile growing wider “but she’s nothing like you. You’re too exhausting to love, no one in their right mind would choose that”

And just like that, memories that cut as deep as razors make their way back to you right then and there.

If you really want to lose weight you shouldn’t eat the free bread at restaurants.

I feel like you’re faking this just to make me feel guilty.

You’re not that attractive anymore, you know that?

I’m sorry you feel that way.

Could’ve done so much better than you all this time.

Now I don’t feel so bad about having cheated.

The flute in your hand might very well shatter from how tightly you’re holding it, knuckles white as two drinks gracefully slide in front of you. This is exactly what you wanted to avoid, not him entirely but letting him know that he can still get under your skin.

“Fuck you” in a final, desperate attempt at playing off your discomfort as indifference, you hold him level in your gaze, a boldness so weak it has him chuckling.

“Am I interrupting something?”

You both turn to your right, the shock laced into your features comical enough to be met with a patient, slight smile.

Levi looks nothing less than dashing in his black suit, hands buried in the pockets of pants you wouldn’t even think he’d own. Since you’re pretty sure the alcohol has you hallucinating at this point, you open your mouth to voice your surprise, Floch’s presence long forgotten and filed away at the back of your mind. But right before you can sabotage yourself with dumb, unnecessary inquiries, Levi takes a step forward and with one, swift motion, cradles your cheek in his hand to gently press his lips to your forehead.

“Sorry I’m late” he murmurs, fighting back another smile before the dumbstruck way you keep looking at him.

“We haven’t met” Levi’s eyes follow the voice and flicker to the person sitting next to you. That’s when you snap back to reality once again. Goddamn, maybe the champagne wasn’t that good of an ally after all.

“We haven’t” he replies and Floch introduces himself, offering a hand that never gets shaken. Levi gives him a nod instead, a silvery gaze cold as steel you’ve never seen him direct to anyone. Perhaps that’s why it makes you shiver.

“Should we go? I’d like to meet your parents” his voice is kind as he looks at you again and you accept the support of his hand to hop down from the barstool. He doesn’t let go as he guides you away from the hotel bar and lightly squeezes your hand even if it’s cold and clammy.

“How are you here? When… why?” you whisper, still unable to shake off the shock of his sudden, unexpected presence.

“Stop asking dumb questions and play your part”

That’s more like it, you think. Thank god for the infuriating, irritating tone and impatient glare. Their familiarity will certainly be enough to ground you despite the warmth you can still feel on your forehead, right where his lips were pressed a few seconds earlier.

But then he looks at you again, head slightly tilted to the side, eyes slowly taking in your figure so blatantly, in a way so uncommon for him, it has the same warmth from before exploding in your chest as well.

“You look very nice, by the way”

Fuck being grounded, apparently.

The champagne is no longer buzzing in your veins but it might as well be since your mind feels all over the place and you haven’t had a single second to collect your thoughts. Not in the middle of so many introductions, your mother’s obnoxious questions, your very much tipsy aunt’s inappropriate jokes, the microphone you had to approach and the speech you had to give in front of hundreds of people, one of them always focused on you with such intensity you won’t have to rewatch the videotape at family reunions to know that words came out ungraceful and wrong.

To be honest, the most unsettling thing is how smoothly the whole thing is going. It’s not weird, it’s definitely not awkward and he seems to be in complete control. Staggered, you’re left watching with wonder floating in incredulous eyes, a Levi you don’t think you’ve ever met before. It’s so effortless, the way he speaks to people he’s never met before and manages to come off as interesting, witty, charming. He’s smiling, he’s even respectfully offering elegant chuckles to uncomfortably personal questions and stories you just know he doesn’t actually think are funny.

As you dine at the table filled with curious old friends and noisy cousins, for the first time able to stay silent as all the attention is directed towards someone other than yourself, a weird thought crosses your mind. Levi, your friend Levi, fits so well. He’s perfectly at ease around chatty strangers, bold roses, tea lights and candles in clear metallic holders. How’s that even possible? The Levi you know, your Levi, curses under his breath if his usual barista tries to make small talk. He grunts if the cashier at the cinema chirps an overly excited hope you enjoy the movie, sir. You literally know he’s once replied to one of his clients’ email with please stop hoping your email finds me well, it never does.

So who’s the person sitting next to you, warm knee flush against yours underneath the table, features relaxed, pink tinted cheeks, courtesy of the cabernet sauvignon you’ve been served? It has your head spinning, the thought of him enduring a 4-hour train trip (he hates trains) to reach a town he’s never been to (he hates Kobe and its humid, subtropical climate) to attend a wedding (he hates social gatherings) as your date. What had him changing his mind? When did he change it? How is he so good at coming off as this bundle of… of… confidence and magnetism and graciousness?

He’s been impeccable so far, going as far as to bring a shugi-bukuro envelope with 50.000 JPY inside as a wedding gift.

Isn’t that what they’d expect from the groom’s sister’s partner?

Clearly, you have every intention of giving him that money back. As soon as you recover from the sudden and absolutely unexplainable embarrassment you feel every time his eyes flicker to you during a conversation or the shudder that runs down your spine when his hand gently presses on the small of your back to guide you from one table to the other, as different family members and friends of yours excitedly motion you to approach them.

It doesn’t have anything to do with him specifically, you tell yourself. It’s just the shame you must be feeling at carrying out such a pathetic act in front of everyone, it’s the awkwardness of having forced one of your closest friends to go out of his way to support your stupid, childish plan that now has you feeling all weird and vulnerable. Levi is not being his usual self and that makes you uncomfortable because you’re not allowed to be your usual self in turn. No sarcastic remarks, no witty comebacks, not a drop of the usual teasing you enjoy annoying him with.

It’s not him, it’s the whole setting. That’s what you tell yourself when Levi asks you to dance.

“Why?” you come off as defensive and he furrows his brows, confused.

“Because it’s what couples do at weddings?”

“We don’t have to” you’re not sure what you’re doing at this point “you can’t even dance”

He huffs at that, inching a little closer to casually lift the strap of your cocktail dress, cool fingertips barely brushing the skin of your arm as they guide the thin length of fabric up to your shoulder. The simple, intimate gesture stirs something in you.

“Are you coming or not? He’s watching”

You follow his gaze and meet Floch’s, three tables to the left. At this point the thought of him seems so worthless, so distant in time, you don’t even care about his judgmental glare anymore. But you don’t have the chance to make that clear, because your date whispers a soft “come on” so close to your ear his voice seems to trickle down your spine just to make you shiver and then offers his arm as an invitation for you to get up.

Regular you would’ve mocked the gesture, called him a victorian ghost or something. Current you, on the other hand? Apparently she’s accepting the support of his arm and can barely register Aiko’s excited squeal as she follows him all the way to the different couples already filling up the middle of the convention room, too disoriented to even remember she is the one who can’t dance. Still, the upbeat rhythm of the song being played is familiar enough to give you a false sense of security: you can wing it. Until you can’t. Because right as you position yourself in front of your friend with a tense smile, the familiar beat is abruptly taken from you. The music doesn’t stop, it just has the audacity to change into an excessively romantic, exceptionally slow, sappy track.

But Levi doesn’t look as dazed as you. He doesn’t waver as he pulls you close with one swift motion, right hand warm on your back while you barely have the time to balance yourself, fingers tightening around the fabric of his jacket, right above the shoulder.

“You’re being weird” he clasps your other hand, one eyebrow raised in that overcritical way of his.

“You’re being weird” you parrot back.

“What d’you mea—fuck” he curses as quietly as possible when you stomp on his foot, looking down for the first time to notice how weirdly and out of step you’re actually moving.

“Shit, sorry!” you, on the other hand, are not as quiet and attract the unwanted attention of the couple dancing nearby.

“What exactly are you doing?” Levi’s tone is familiarly mocking, which takes some of the weird awkwardness away.

“I’m not really good at this, okay?” you retort, praying your harsh reply remains private this time. Amused, he hums.

“No way”

“Shut up” you whine and accidentally step on his expensive leather shoe again, hard enough to make him hiss.

“Just follow my lead” Levi gives your left hand an impatient squeeze and you scoff with a theatrical ugh.

“Sexist”

He rolls his eyes but says nothing because you comply and honestly try to keep track of how he’s moving, intensely focused on not trampling on his foot again.

“Hey” his voice is dangerously soft once again “eyes on me”

Reluctantly, you look up from your feet and take a deep breath.

“Why are you this tense?”

“M’not a good dancer” you blurt the words out, as if to convince yourself. He’s noticed, of course he’s noticed. Idiot.

“Okay” Levi stops for a moment and gently grabs your wrists to guide your arms around his neck. He then positions his hands on your hips and applies the slightest pressure to guide your movements. “Better?” he asks and you know he’s just wondering if this is easier for you, but the dryness of your throat seems to be taking over your ability to speak. You resort to a simple nod as he sways to the beat, feet barely lifting while stepping from side to side. You get accustomed to the movement after a while and manage to move your body slowly back and forth, the comfort of not feeling like a wooden block allowing you to relax a little.

“How are you so good at this?” it almost sounds like you’re accusing him, must be why he cracks a smile.

“Took a few classes with Hange, they were obsessed and had no one else to go with”

You’re finally able to let out a genuine, incredulous laugh.

“I’m sorry, what? So you just joined? Goodness of your heart?”

Levi shrugs.

“They had to buy me lunch for a month. Totally worth it”

There’s mirth glistening in his eyes when the pressure of his hands changes slightly, the left one tightening on your waist to subtly guide you in the opposite direction. Has he danced like this with Hange as well? If yes, did they feel as flustered and ridiculous as you’re feeling? Probably not, because they’re friends and friends should not experience the weird body reactions you seem to be having at the moment, goosebumps blossoming underneath his fingertips, the staccato of your heartbeat, blood wooshing in your ears. Fuck.

“Tense again” his eyes are narrowed now, but not in his usual, threatening way. He’s studying you, looking for something he can’t seem to pinpoint amidst your dazed expression and sweaty hand. He would’ve been grossed out by anybody else’s palm but this is you, so Levi can’t really bring himself to give a shit.

“I’m sorry” you murmur and the sudden, sheepish route catches him off guard. You’re avoiding his gaze, eyes focused on something, somewhere over his shoulder.

“For what?”

“This whole charade” you whisper the last word, head hanging low just an excuse not to look at him “I’m so pathetic you felt bad enough to drop all your plans, come all the way here, be perfect and nice to everyone, spend so much money and I can’t even dance…” you sniffle, horrified by the sensation of being on the verge of bursting into tears in the middle of the dance floor.

Levi is silent long enough to prompt you to timidly look up from your shoes again. You’re worried he’s gonna be mad because what the hell, this is what you wanted. You asked him to do this for you and now it’s too late to whine about how sorry you are. But he doesn’t look mad. His features are unreadable as you return his gaze, which stirs a whole new kind of nervousness in you.

“I’m going to twirl you” the gentle warning takes you by surprise as Levi takes your hand from behind his neck, steps back a little and lifts your arm above your head. A bit stiffly, you turn around under it.

“Again” he prompts, arm already guiding you through another twirl. You comply, so clumsily a chuckle slips past your lips and Levi cracks another smile as you balance yourself against him, arms around his neck once again.

“See? You can dance” he mutters with a tone so soft it makes your heart squeeze.

“Please” you scoff, voice still a little broken that just won’t. Do.

Levi hums to himself, like he does whenever he’s trying to come to a decision.

“Let’s dip”

Your eyes comically grow in size.

“Let’s not?”

“I’ll do all the work” he playfully gives your hip a light squeeze to emphasize his words “you just have to let go”

“I’m not exactly good at letting go” you hope he can sense the warning in your tone but all you get is another eye roll.

“Yeah, I noticed” his tone, unlike yours, is weirdly serious “d’you trust me?”

Oh, well, putting it that way surely isn’t fair.

“Unfortunately, you’ve given me a reason or two to do that” you heave another sigh, defeated. Another smile tugs at his lips.

“I’m gonna do it slowly” he reaches behind his neck to grab your hand again, while his fingertips rise from your hip to your upper back.

“Twirl” Levi gently spins you again and his touch is featherlike when it glides down your side, grazes your stomach and settles on your lower back as you turn around, warm palm pressing firmly against it. The hand holding yours anchors your arm around his neck, then finds place on the nape of yours.

“Now, relax” it’s barely a whisper, so close you can’t hold back a shudder he pretends not to notice.

You soften your knees and then, with a movement so swift and natural, you’re turned to the side and pressed flush against him for a second, nestled in his embrace before you shut your eyes and Levi gently dips you, one of his strong arms secured around your waist to support your weight, the hand sustaining your neck tightening around your hair for a moment so brief you think you’ve imagined it.

He pauses as if you weigh nothing, then slowly brings you up again and you open your eyes, brows furrowing right as he lets completely go of you and the warmth of his arms is taken away so abruptly.

“You okay?” you didn’t think you’d be the one asking the question but something seems to be bothering him as he returns your confused gaze.

“Yeah. Can we take a break?” still weirdly well mannered, you find yourself thinking as you agree to make your way to your table again. Only he stops you right before you can take a seat next to Aiko, who’s blatantly gushing over you’re not sure what, precisely. Is it him? Or the weird dance that had you looking like a complete fool in front of everyone?

“How long before the cake?” he politely asks your cousin and she shrugs, not even attempting to hide the wide grin stretching her lips.

“Maybe around ten minutes”

“Permission to steal the groom’s sister for around ten minutes?”

Aiko’s chuckle isn’t enough to distract you from the tightening of your chest, something not entirely unpleasant swarming around in your stomach when he slips his fingers in between yours.

“Permission granted” she winks and you still, for the life of you, cannot understand why your heart flutters as you follow him outside the room, away from the party and the music and the chatter and all those happy, proud glances you’re no longer able to return because of how embarrassed you are by your own lie.

“Where are we going?” you bring yourself to ask, finding it exceptionally odd that he’s waiting for the elevator.

“My room”

“What? Why?”

Levi turns his head to look at you, eyebrows furrowing at your strangled tone.

“I forgot the wedding gift on the nightstand”

“Oh” you let out a nervous chuckle “right. And why d’you need me for that?”

“You look like you’re about to throw up, thought you could use a few minutes away from the crowd”

Well, he’s not wrong. But that doesn’t mean he gets to know.

“Dunno what you’re talking about” you flash him a fake smile and he skeptically hums as the doors open and you step inside.

Of course his room is located at the top floor of the building, where all the suites are. One thing about Levi is that he likes treating himself: whether it’s shopping from brands that produce top quality loose leaf teas, selecting premium suiting fabrics or always ordering the most expensive red wine at a restaurant, his taste is impeccable. He travels first class and only stays at 5-star hotels, so you really shouldn’t feel the guilt pangs stinging like needles in your throat when he swipes the key card through the magnetic reader and swings the door open. You shouldn’t feel so bad while taking in the king size bed, the LCD tv, the additional area with armchairs and a whole sofa, the private balcony. But you do. And when he turns to look at you, still standing by the door with a heartbreaking, bashful expression taking over your features, Levi clenches his jaw.

“What are you doing?” you ask as you watch him slide the balcony glass door.

“So many questions” he prompts you to precede him with a slight tilt of his head.

“What about the gift?”

Levi hates seeing you so defensive, so upset. He’s not used to that weird self-consciousness, not when you’re with him at least. Didn’t he come to obtain the exact opposite of what he’s getting? Isn’t he here to shield you from embarrassment, uneasiness? Why are you persisting in your stubborn shame?

“I get around ten minutes, remember?” he attempts a smile your tense features choose not to mirror. You sigh softly instead and, still uncertain, accept his invitation.

Outside the air is cool, a balm for your feverish skin. The balcony furniture includes two wooden armchairs, one small coffee table and a small couch. You plop down on the latter, not even having the energy to properly appreciate the beauty of a sparkly Kobe right at your feet, silhouettes of skyscrapers standing out against the night sky, the flickering lights of the harbor shining in the distance, tower so familiar you’d recognize it from a mile away. It’s home.

“So” Levi makes himself comfortable next to you, the breeze gently combing his hair back “wanna tell me what’s wrong?”

Plenty is wrong, the most urgent matter being the overpowering attraction you’re feeling for one of your closest friends. It’s fine, no use lying to yourself any longer. Maybe it’s always been there, underneath all the teasing and the jokes and his rare smiles that always felt like small victories you got to collect and preserve in your memory at the end of each day, when  you’d often replay the hours spent together as pretty movie frames in your mind right before drifing off to sleep. But it’s easy, playing weird feelings off as regular familiarity that comes with friendship. You just didn’t think this night would make things feel so different, so good.

He’d be a great actual date, a wonderful actual boyfriend too, probably. He’s already a wonderful, actual friend. One that dropped everything to rush to the rescue of annoying, silly you, seemingly an adult but really a scared excuse of a grown up who can’t confront her family on a matter as trivial as not being in a relationship. It’s mortifying, really. You wouldn’t think it’d feel that humiliating, especially not in his presence.

Slender fingers delicately close on the fist you don’t realize you’re clenching. They’re warm as they try to make their way underneath yours, a silent plea for you to let go of the fabric clutched in your hand.

“I already told you” your hand lets go at last and slips easily from underneath his touch, the silk of your carefully picked cocktail dress wrinkled already.

“You feel guilty about me dropping all my plans, coming all the way here, beng perfect and nice to everyone, spending so much money…” he’s being playful but the teasing doesn’t elicit the eye roll or chuckle he was hoping he’d get. Your head just hangs lower, chin almost pressing to your chest, as if you’re trying to curl into yourself.

“About that, you’re gonna accept a complete refund. Train tickets, this room, wedding gift, everyth—”

Levi cuts you off by grabbing your jaw and turning your head towards him, eyes narrowed in a familiarly impatient gaze. He can’t believe the nonsense you’re sputtering out, the weird formality of it all.

“Stop that” his voice vibrates with determination and words are forced to die in your throat as he inches closer, grip loosening ever so slightly “you keep looking at things and seeing the opposite of what they are”

“So what, you didn’t spend a fortune to be here?” you challenge and he sighs, as done as a person can humanly be.

He lets go of your jaw but you don’t pull back.

“You asked me to be here”

“And I’m trying to apologize for it!”

God, you’re wearing him out.

You get up from the couch and, out of frustration, rest your back against the railing, palms behind you pressed on the cold, metal edge. Levi is looking at you so intensely you’re tempted to turn around and just take the view in to calm yourself because this is going downhill enough to become a fight and fights with Levi are never pretty. You should know.

“Remember the reasons you put forward to try and convince me to come?” his calm tone is such a sharp contrast to his hardened features, it takes you by surprise.

“Pretty sure I called myself lame and pathetic quite a few times” you shoot him a frown.

“Yeah” he gets up as well “then I end up actually getting here and guess what I found?”

You let out a dry laugh, one with not an ounce of humor embedded in it.

“A version of me worse enough to be brought in your room to hide?”

Two well measured steps and Levi is in front of you right as you cross your arms in defense.

“The version of you I already know” he retorts, exasperated “beautiful, intelligent, clumsy. A functional adult with a family that loves her very much”

“You’re drunk” you breathe out but it’s yours the head that’s spinning. Somehow, Levi knows. At least that’s what you guess when he steps closer, arms effectivey caging you against the railing as he slightly leans forward.

“Hardly” he mutters, pensive, and you swear his eyes flicker to your lips for a second “you don’t see things for what they are. I didn’t see a perfect ex, just a self entitled asshole. Didn’t meet hypercritical family members, just old-school people who are unyielding in their affection for you. I could’ve stayed home, honestly, you seem to be bothered by me the most”

“I’m not bothered by you, don’t be fucking stupid” you blurt out, saliva levels down to zero at this point. What is he even doing? Why is he so close, why does he smell so nice and where the fuck is that wedding gift?

“Ah, there she is” Levi offers a soft smile “had me missing her all night”

He then moves a strand of hair away from your forehead and the pads of his fingers linger on your temple, then barely graze your skin as they travel all the way down to your cheek and along your jaw.

You’re unfamiliar with this version of him. It’s a version that compliments the one that’s met your family and friends, the wedding date you’ve been lucky enough to score. This version knocks the wind out of your lungs and has your knees weak.

But then something happens, the snap of invisible fingers and, just like that, the magic wears out. Your skin is left burning and his arms set you free as he takes a step back and shoves his hands in his pockets.

“I had a good time so enough with your guilt-ridden bullshit”

You’re barely able to catch your breath, still dizzy from the change of the overall mood. Perhaps he’s right and you’re the drunk, hallucinating one.

Levi slides the balcony door again but goes back inside first this time, leaving you little to no time to pull yourself together or calm the pounding of your heart. He collects no envelope from the nightstand before you both leave the room, a burning sensation churning in your stomach as you follow him down the hallway, feeling utterly boneless when you stop in front of the elevator. Maybe that Petra girl did have a point.

“There’s still one thing you probably haven’t noticed about me” right as a ding echoes in the empty hallway he turns his head to look at you, standing a few feet behind “I’m a terrible fucking liar. Wouldn’t convince anyone if I tried”

[angara-mfrp]

Wow, has it actually been another year already? Apparently so! And as such, we are now bringing you yet another ADZ Wrapped! For those of you who have been here since last year, you know the drill. For those of you who haven't, well...it's exactly what it sounds like!

This post is so long this year compared to last year that we need a readmore. Under the cut we go!

Our biggest change was probably the addition of three new mods: Vega (Mod Budgie), Laur (Mod Quoll), and Nox (Mod Magpie)! The need for new personnel just speaks to the success and growth of the group, and we thank you all for our chance to grow. And haven't they just done a fantastic job?

Next, raw data! Including the mod team, we are now up to 108 muns and a whopping 253 muses! That is far bigger than we ever could have imagined. Our largest Direction was Center, with 73 muses! Just behind it was North with 58, South with 46, West with 39, and then East with 36! To put things in perspective, our biggest Direction last year had 30 muses, and our smallest had only 6. Of course, Direction size doesn't necessarily indicate popularity. South Advocate Mikaves Bell, written by Owl, has been actively pursued by at least three different guys this year! North Advocate Vera Graves also seems to have some admirers lurking about, though the only one to have actively made a move is Randy Orlando, written by Sety! Poor guy, you tried so hard...

Our member base has also made a lot of progress in their Wave resistance! While we do have quite a few new arrivals, with 111 muses at Rank 0, we have 58 muses at Rank 1, 43 muses at Rank 2, 16 muses at Rank 3, 11 muses at Rank 4, and 14 muses at Rank 5! We'd also like to shout those who have managed to hit Rank 5 just this year: Arcade with Alcryst, Sami with Dan Heng, Katie with Hesperia Doshin, Lizard with Julian Zenith, Hansie with Kris Dreemurr, Lemon with Agent Eight, Crea with Nathrae Amatista, Soren with Neuvillette, and Mocha with Yusei Null! (I, Addison, also managed to hit Rank 5 with Musiea and Ronan Muir but y'all know I work from home. My ass does NOT need celebrating.)

While the majority of muses (200, to be exact) are 18 years or older, we did have quite a few young muses this year! 37 of our current muses are 17 years old or younger. And though they are small in number, the kids and teens have made quite an impact on the community! We've also seen a lot of Path development. Idealist continues to be the largest at 46, while Passive, Intellectual, and Opportunist all tied for the next place at 19 muses. Cynic is just behind them at 18 muses, then Contrarian at 14 muses. We have just one Dissenter, and that is Primrose Ossler, written by Oz! Currently, the Tormentor count is at 0...phew!

As far as things within the server, ADZ grew so much that we needed to add 3 more permanent IC channels, with 3 corresponding OOC channels! We've had a total of 479 drabbles and threads submitted! There have been 149 IC deaths, much to Vera's dismay. The fastest death was N, written by Edel, whose robot body just couldn't handle being in the lake! While humor is subjective, the mods found that Heavy Weapons Guy, written by Fish, had the funniest death. He was mistaken for a prop during the talent contest and killed by Spy, which led to an IC reenactment of the ever iconic "Heavy is dead" video! The golden pan incident was also suggested. We were also very chatty, with around 330,000 IC messages being sent this year!

This year has led to a lot of progress with lore and events. While Yden and its Cache were technically revealed in very late 2023, people didn't start going to Yden until this year! We also ventured out to Oure, a Cache in need of desperate help, which has now put power back into the hands of its people. We've had one exploration quest this year, to the Cursed Ruins outside of Yden, which revealed some secrets of the past and the debut of the mysterious "lifeblood of the planet"! Spooky...we also had our second ever mini event, where some of the Advocates went to a banquet with the "president" of Oure to learn more about why someone sent out a message asking for help. We did have three festival events this year, First Dawn on Yden's beach, Festival of Fortune in Oure, and then the return of Seven Nights of Fright, which took place across the three locations! However, we did have quite a chonky two-parter of a lore event with Casino Morale! Everyone worked to spy and gather intel in the first part, while in the second, everyone worked together to fight off an evil woman turned tentacle monster and protect those who were affected by her rampaging. We also introduced member-run events as a means of keeping people busy and giving the mods time to make lore and festival events as great as they could possibly be. The first was EVO Outbreak, run by Birb! The second was Dreamers, run by Lizard! The third, which is ongoing, is Seeming (Un)Seelie, run by Kira, Xeno, and Chii! We're glad we decided to give you all a chance to let your creativity really shine, and we can't wait to see what you do in the future! We also had SYNC errors galore, with the most entertaining ones being either the "affected users are dumb and friendly" error, or the "affected users are now tiny" error. Of course, we aren't sitting idly by either, and we very much plan to introduce more fun events and harrowing events this year.

We've also had plenty of funny moments brought about from events and user shenanigans overall! Alfred, written by Vega, dug two holes this year. One was for the sand sculpture contest, but another was just for enrichment. Many people fell into that hole! The emu race was also a lot of fun, with emus proving just how dumb they are in the most spectacular way. Nobody was as forgiving and appreciative of her incredibly stupid emu, Adderall, as Lumera, written by Arcade, but Jiaoqiu, written by Ike, rode to victory in the second race atop an emu named after his most hated ingredient! Cephalon Ordis, written by Laur, was dragged behind his emu in his trash can drone. He hated it, but everyone else loved it!

Humor, written by Wren, attempted to start a fight with a kangaroo...how did that go, again? Genuinely cannot remember if he won or if he got his shit rocked. Vash the Stampede, written by Stan, didn't have a great time with the emu costume contest, as his participating emu decided to wake up and choose violence despite his nice costume. Hermes, written by Twin, was a true innovator in the same contest! He used his god powers to turn into an emu, but he got caught, and he and Elise Liedl, written by Soleil, were disqualified. Of course, nobody suffered quite like Cecil, written by Max, during the maze race. When 56 relic frogs get loose in the maze, you cannot dawdle! Poor Cecil had to face all of that goo in a truly harrowing scene that was, unfortunately, televised.

This year also brought about our biggest drop day ever (maybe aside from when we opened), as well as expansions to all of the residential areas within the Angara Cache! We also revamped the quest and mutation systems to make them even better. So much has been done that listing it all here would make this post needlessly long!

Our point in doing this is to look back on our progress, what we've learned, how we've grown, and how much fun we've all had. Even if you weren't shouted out directly, please know that we appreciate you being here and we value your membership and your place within our not-so-little-anymore group. We're thankful for all of the adventures we've had with you this year, and we hope to have many more with you in CY1025!

And, just in case you haven't been directly shouted out? Here are some highlights from our legendary moments channel.

[goldthorn-archive]

19 and 24 for benny x the vandals i’m not sure if your taking prompts for them but kinda like the idea of the vandals reassuring benny and making him feel comfortable

prompts / thank u for this omg i hadn’t thought of benny for that prompt list but! u are so right! had to stop after i got to 24 bc this is gonna get too long but dw, def gonna work prompt 19 in once they’re at the bar w the rest of the club. wasn’t originally gonna start this scene here but u made me Think. also just realised this is only benny x johnny but, the rest will join in by the time i’ve finished this!

Johnny wasn’t sure how Benny was going to react. The shopping bag was on Benny’s bed, and what with the pink tissue paper and the loopy cursive on the side, there’s no way Benny wouldn’t immediately know what Johnny was suggesting for tonight. And, really, it was a suggestion. Johnny wanted this, but he would not be disappointed if Benny said no. Actually, he’d be proud of Benny for voicing a boundary, something the kid really needed to work on.

Benny comes back from the bathroom and freezes in the doorway at the sight of the white and pink bag on his bed. Johnny’s sitting in the armchair in the corner, looking at him. He’s expressionless, and Benny doesn’t know what to make of it. He runs his hand through his just-styled hair, gulps, and walks slowly to the side of his bed.

The tissue crinkles loudly beneath his fingertips, and Benny’s breath hitches at the sight of pale pink fabric.

“Bought you somethin’,” Johnny says. Benny nods automatically, still staring into the bag. He moves the tissue paper a little more, sees the ruffled straps, swallows hard. With two hands, he carefully lifts the garment up, the floaty pink… dress? hanging in the air. It’s pretty, Benny notices, baby pink with black thread along the edges, a long thin black bow hanging down in the centre from the neckline. There’s no shape to it, really, but there’s also just — not much fabric. It’s hardly longer than one of Benny’s T-shirts.

“Thought you might look good in it,” Johnny says warmly, softly, as if not to spook Benny. All the same, Benny’s head snaps to the side at the comment, looking at Johnny with wide eyes.

“You want me to,” he pauses, “wear it?” Johnny nods, as if he was suggesting Benny wear a leather jacket or a different belt or something normal and not, well, not a dainty little thing from the women’s section.

“There’s something else in the bag too,” Johnny juts his chin forward, gesturing for Benny to take another look. Benny puts the pink — top? dress? he’s still not sure — down on the duvet and reaches a hand back in the bag. He gropes blindly for a moment, then feels a small bit of fabric and lifts it up. Benny looks down at the small loop of pink fabric, the elastic scrunched small in his hand, a little matching black bow. He looks at for a long moment and oh, he feels heat rising on his cheeks.

“Uh, ’s a garter,” Johnny offers helpfully, as if Benny hadn’t worked it out himself. He puts it down on top of the dress and looks back at Johnny. He’s not sure what he’s feeling, but there’s a weird energy thrumming through his veins. When Johnny had said they’d probably be going to the bar tonight, that it was a closed door night, Benny had put on his favourite jeans (the ones that slung low on his hips so the dimples of his back were visible) and a black muscle tank, had styled his hair all nice (knowing it would quickly be ruined) and he’d felt ready when he walked back to his room from the bathroom. He’d felt confident after rubbing some chapstick on his lips and trimming his moustache a little. Now — now he doesn’t know what he feels. His knees are a little shaky.

Johnny must notice this because he gets up and walks right over to Benny, puts a hand on his shoulder, fingers grazing the back of Benny’s neck.

“You don’t have to,” he murmurs, voice low in Benny’s ear, “There’s no need to rush — we got all night.”

[td-brick]

I WANNA HEAR ABOUT JO

OKOK!!!! It's pretty late where i am so sorry for any typos or weird wording. I have a lot to talk about probably but first i'll elaborate on what i said in the other post about her being less willing to receive help. I dont think thats really just in relation to her and brick or even her and romantic relationships in general, i think it reflects in most facets of her life. Which idk to me is obvious looking at canon but jts also interesting to think about why shes that way. I think she already wasn't super sociable even before that (autism to me.. she was a micromanager and very bossy/blunt/direct/etc when interacting w other kids) but i think also being a competitive athlete she started developing the "every man for himself" esque idea in her head. Especially combined with the misogyny she would have faced as a girl going into a very guy dominated profession/hobby especially one that's considered more masculine at that she would have started to be more self-reliant and detest working in teams and having to rely on other people for help or anything like that. I feel like this would have also lead to her developing the internalized misogyny we see she has in the show, she feels like shes not really allowed to like anything more feminine because it will lead to people not taking her seriously as an athlete. And also this leads me to some frequent thoughts I have about her although it's more me complaining about how other people perceive her. Hold on i wrote a thread on twitter about that I'll just put it here. There are definitely typos there but if it's hard to read I rewrote it with correct spelling in the alt text

And also the elusive google docs paragraph I wrote about her. This is pretty bad  imo which is why i rewrote it entirely here instead of just copy and pasting this but 😭😭 i don't know maybe it adds more context to a few things so I'm posting it anyways

Also correct me if i'm wrong about any athletics/sports stuff I was guessing based off what i've seen but i haven't actually done anything related to that in like 8 years so

[yomiurinikei]

the ask i got for this fucking SPLODED idk what happened to it… but! mido-do-do-dori!! :3.. she’s so silly to me i need to wrap her in a blanket

•FIRM red velvet supporter. #1 advocate. biggest fan. which is funny bc she prefers vanilla over chocolate

•likes sweets but has a low tolerance. they make her feel sick/jittery easy. which isn’t even a result of her disability (iirc it shouldn’t be?) she’s just sensitive to sweets

•kakeru always let her try all the donuts in the box if anything was new, then pick what she wanted, since he’d be having the rest bc she couldn’t

•an oddly particular eater in general. she’s just picky in Strange ways. BIG fan of crackers she has tons of assorted types. 

•had short hair for a good while and liked it, but kinda affiliates it with a time when her condition was Really poor, so she’s grown her hair back out

•speaking of, has kinda thin hair. she’s a Wee insecure abt it but not enough to ponder haircare habits

•generally stresses a bit over her appearance, but gets VERY flushed if u call her on it

•the type who’s Curious abt makeup but too embarrassed to ask

•just a highly stressed creature in general to be so honest. making friends is Also rough on her bc one, she got so used to the social structures of the hospital, and two, poor girl has the yamaguchi scary expression curse

•likes fish. she’d really enjoy going to an aquarium to see all the types- but doesn’t have a particular fondness for big or colorful fish. lowkey finds minnows the cutest

•really likes the look of embroidery and wishes she could embroider well. just doesn’t stick with it, but she Does have more knowledge than your average person

•once got her thread so Miserably tangled she just slumped to the floor and cried. not projecting NOT PROJECTING

•would be really good at effectively Any instrument if she ever got the chance to try

•doesn’t even have perfect pitch or anything, but scales and harmonics and even just things like rhythm and tempo would just make Sense to her

•her aforementioned stress is a Big issue post tragedy. on the one hand, she’s way better at managing it- but consequences can get so high, if she loses it, it’s usually for good reason, which makes it hard to relax

•favorite method of self regulation is to try and tap her hand against her chest in time with her heartbeat (as she guesses it is), but she feels watched if she does this in public

•looks up to rei a Lot. rei coming in and saving the cast in 6.5 was something that stuck with her

•in her early days as an employee at the foundation she wanted to trail around after rei a lot, but that was Hard to pull off. 

•her shadowing habits have worn off, but getting to work on something for rei + get commended by her still means a Lot. she’s very inspiring to midori

•(rei has Somewhat picked up on this. she’s too busy to do much w it but she is a bit extra kind to midori. will offer the last treat in the break room to her first)

•(…in a way, it feels to rei like a means of recognizing kakeru. she was in the locker when he tried to save kanata. she thinks a lot about what she would’ve done if she weren’t tied up, and what kinji could’ve chosen to do, and the things that kakeru did. she can’t try to step into his role, not for a million different reasons- but irregardless of her views on the afterlife, she thinks he’d be glad to know his choices are leading to more kindness for midori)

•Not the reason minako started trying to curb her addiction, but midori was the one who came up with using lollipops as substitute for the motions/ritual of it. 

•keeps a few in her bag because she’s around minako so often

•…also admittedly Enjoys giving them to kids she sees (family of foundation members) though she grapples a bit with “…am i really encouraging them to take candy from strangers?”

•hm. i think as she grows older and gets closer with the 6.5 cast, she does get better about her issues with feeling like a burden/unhelpful…. 

•but she just feels sort of.. Aimless. she doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life or where she wants to go. a lot of those more common exploratory experiences in childhood were shot down by her illness

•midori needs to learn that it isn’t too late to try new things, and also that it’s okay to just do what makes her happy, there’s value in whatever she’s inclined to doing- but she’s not there yet. she has time to learn though

•for a while she tried to kinda shadow hikaru, but pretty quickly went from doctor -> diagnostic specialist -> receptionist -> “oh i am Not built for this”. hospitals just stress her out!! she doesn’t need/want to be spending More time there

•+ probably not the best for her health

•dog person with a preference for big dogs with long coats. usually too shy to ask to pet one on the rare occasion she sees one- ryutaro will Always without fail ask for her, as soon as he notices it. has shouted across the street “HEY CAN WE PET YOUR DOG ?” before midori spotted it before. she gets flustered, but is v happy for the opportunity 

•kinda has eclectic taste, in terms of style/decor? curating an aesthetic never occurred to her. she’s Very content so i have no notes i fully support her!!!

•i think.. her relationship with her grief is just Weird. compared w ryutaro and kiyokas more normal bickering relationship, kakeru was like… sorta her best friend, tho she doesn’t realize it. he always looked out for her like a good big brother, but he also brought donuts to her hotel room and had fun passing time with her. she misses his presence in So many ways. doesn’t really feel particular survivors guilt, her biggest struggle is Regret. she wishes they had more time

•cries a lot the birthday where she turns older than him

•in non despair, i think she’d want to become a paralegal, but kakeru would try and dissuade her because of the stress. who wins the debate is up to you !

[fruitycasket]

Carleton Told A Lie (5 of 6)

This is it, Carleton will finally prove Marvin is the villain of this piece, or he'll make some grave mistakes trying--ones neither he nor Sunday may be able to truly understand the severity of.

Word Count: 2,201

Note: Read the next entry, previous entry, or start from the beginning. Can also be read on Ao3.

"Using an object's own mana—or a living creature's malia—transmutation changes it."

It was silent and still for ages. Sunday and Carleton waited for what could have been five minutes or an hour for any sign of the bag moving, or the adults returning, or a bell ringing. When nothing happened for a while, Carleton finally gathered the courage to peel himself from the wall, make a dim light, and whisper. "I knew it."

"We don't know anything," Sunday snapped. He stayed glued to the wall for a while longer before moving, this time making sure not to jostle any rakes.

"They know Marvin's a freak, and they're hiding it from everyone!"

"We have no clue what's going on, n-no proof. For all we know he's under a curse or something, Carleton. We don't even know what's in that bag! And it should stay that way. Let people who know what they're doing handle it."

"And by 'handle it' you mean hide it until he starts killing people, Sunday?" Carleton turned to the weighed down trapdoor and loomed over it, hands twitching. "Besides, we do know what's in it. Now we just need proof."

Sunday couldn't help but laugh at the audacity of it. "I'm going home." Then he paused, and realized he did not want to be locked in an enclosed space with whatever was in this shed. "No! Wait wait wait, Carleton, seriously, let me unlock the doors first, at least."

Carleton looked back with narrowed eyes. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Whatever. Run home and hide, then."

Sunday opened his mouth to snark back and hesitated. Never mind. The less noise he made the better—for multiple reasons.

His regrets were hitting him full force. He should have gone home like Caoihme, or better yet, declared Carleton a liar right then and there in the lunchroom, beat him, and left it at that. Anything would have been better than getting locked in a dark, musty shed with a bunch of dead animals and a twitching bag of horrors. It was hard to get worse than being forced to open a padlock from behind a door.

In the middle of the night.

Backwards.

With Carleton breathing down his neck.

It's just like the cards, he told himself, But this time I'm moving something much smaller, in a very, very tiny space.

And a maniac is watching my every move.

Just like the card test, indeed.

If he were truly in a rush, he figured he could break the lock apart. But if he broke it, he couldn't re-lock the shed, and that'd become evidence someone had been here after the other kids were chased off. It might not be evidence Moira or Ramesses could trace back to anyone in particular, but it would cause them that much extra stress, and who knew how it might impact Marvin if he found out. Sunday doubted he could fix what he'd done but hoped he could at least minimize whatever fallout came after.

There were less sentimental reasons to preserve the lock, too. Ramesses seemed to know what the thing in the bag was, surely he wouldn't have ordered the shed vacated as fast as possible and locked up if he didn't think it was warranted.

So there were Sunday's two goals:

Get away with this stupid plan and let whatever was in this shed stay there until a real adult came to take care of it.

He thought, maybe, once the lock was off, he could drag Carleton out and back home before he did anything stupid. But what did he know about fighting or subduing people? That was Caoimhe's area of expertise. And what if trying to do that just made everything worse?

One thing at a time, Sunday decided.

He imagined the interior of the lock in his mind's eye as he reached out to it through the wooden door. It was reasonably easy to find, no probing required, and soon a (hopefully) dim thread of magic was curling around it. He could feel no fiddly numbers to blindly guess or grooved circles to spin into place, so that meant this door was locked with a key. That meant there were… pins? To push into place?

Carleton snorted. "You done yet?"

"No." Sunday pretended that Carleton wasn't there, even as footsteps shuffled through the dark. "Don't touch the bag."

"I'm not."

At least he was smart enough not to mess with the trapdoor until Sunday was done. Little victories had to be taken whenever they appeared, at this point.

Getting the lock undone was about as stressful as picking a lock, backwards, in the dark, behind a door could get. Worse still was the possibility that all this would be for naught, that Moira or Ramesses or both were waiting outside the door to catch him the second he got it open.

When he finally figured out how to hold all the right gears way, he popped the lock open and listened for it fall into the grass outside. He listened a little longer for any witnesses and was reasonably sure they were in the clear.

"Done," Sunday sighed, "Alright, we should go"—

"We aren't going anywhere," Carleton was already starting to move the bags off the trapdoor, "You are going to run away and I am getting my proof."

"Dammit, Carl—If you care so much about the cats, why not just tell someone to look in the shed when we get back?"

"Because"—

But Sunday already knew what Carleton was going to say. He didn't want to hear it. "What's in that bag is dangerous, those adults are dangerous, this is, this is… Caoimhe was right Carleton!"

Carleton's body language changed the nanosecond he recognized Caoimhe's name. He tensed, his fists clenched, his eyes became hard and sharp as twin diamond scalpels. "You're in denial."

"I'm in denial? Me?" Sunday had no clue what to do. The smart part of him screamed: Vanish! Disappear and let Carleton get himself in trouble, or get Marvin in trouble, or whatever the hell. Run home. But a stupid part thought he could talk Carleton down. "Carleton, you can't be"—

"Your friend is sick," Carleton started to back away. He kicked the bags off the trapdoor, "He's a monster, and you still can't see it. You, more than anyone at that school, need to see this."

No, he didn't. "Carleton, don't."

"Run away, if you don't want to see." The trapdoor creaked open.

"You're mad." Sunday backed away, reaching blindly towards the shed doors. When had it gotten this bad? When had Carleton gone from a run-of-the-mill jerk to… this?

"Of course I am, you should be, too. You will be, once you get it, once you know what he gets up to." Carleton cast another spell and simultaneously pulled the burlap bag out of the trapdoor and undid its string so its contents could spill out onto the shed floor.

Something pale and damp and squirming tumbled out.

Carleton recoiled. He stopped watching his volume. "What the fuck."

His voice was a gunshot in the night. Sunday was sure they were caught and stopped in his tracks, straining his ears for any sign that Moira and Ramesses were returning. "Shit, Carleton, you have to keep it dow"—

"No, no Sunday, this is them. The cats. This is what I was talking about!" Carleton reached into his coat for his camera as the thing on the floor writhed. His eyes were wide as dinnerplates. Sunday was sure his own were a mirror image.

The thing made no noise. It smelled sweet, not like any number of dead animals, but some kind of near-overripe fruit, cooking beef, cold winter air, organ meat, and old paper. It was hard to see any details of it in the near darkness of the shed, half of what Sunday saw could have been mirages. But it looked white. And furry.

Sunday turned to run, but Carleton stomped over and snatched him by the back of his shirt.

"Look dammit!" Carleton snapped, "Sunday, your friend did this!"

"I don't care"—Sunday struggled, nearly slipped free, but Carleton yanked him backwards when he realized his grip was weakening.

They both lost their balance and fell in a heap, yet another loud noise to attract undue attention. If Ramesses and Moira came back now, they were done for.

But all that fear was dull, nothing compared to the immediate threat of the thing half-hanging from the bag.

It undulated in response to the struggle around it. A thousand little voices whined and howled from its body with steadily increasing volume, the outline of several sets of paws pressed hard against their cloth prison. Then those paws began to reach out of the bag, bone white with finger-like toes, some of which looked like hands. Gnarled claws dug between the seams of the fabric and into the wood floors.

A head finally squirmed free. Two big, empty eye-sockets framed by a rictus grimace of differently shaped, sized, and colored teeth appeared in the gloom. At what might've been the "bottom" of each perfectly round pit of an eye, a star shined pale purple.

When those stars turned their gaze on Sunday, it felt like they'd shot into his skull and begun bouncing around each nerve, probing every memory and thought and dream he'd ever had.

It spoke in a voice that wasn't loud, but deep. Organ-churning. "Not. You."

The thing swiveled its head around to face Carleton next, "You"—

Sunday could barely warn Carleton not to do anything stupid before he snapped a picture of the beast with the flash on.

That was when it all went to hell.

The thing yowled, snapped its head away from the camera with a thick squelch of too-many neckbones. Its eyes flashed, morphed from purple to red to yellow, then settled on light green. Suddenly, it moved with a purpose. Its languid, almost liquid-y form solidified, stiff fur rose on its back as its body roiled and burbled. An absurd number of legs, each sticking out at awkward angles—some normal, some with too many bends—huddled beneath its body as it freed itself wholly from the bag.

"W-We should go," Sunday whispered.

Carleton didn't take his eyes off the white thing. "Yea"—

It lunged.

At this point, Sunday was sure Moira and Ramesses knew someone had come back to the shed. There had been too much noise, and now that flash of light from Carleton's stupid fancy camera, and this.

"Fuck's sake!" Sunday squeezed his eyes shut and teleported himself and Carleton outside the shed as the cat's myriad claws grazed Carleton's shirt. When both of them realized they were intact, not half-sunk into the floor or carved in half by a garden box, they scrambled for the exit gate.

Behind them, the white "cat" soared through empty air and crashed into the desk, scattering tiny corpses and effigial drawings in every direction.

It spun on its heels and followed its disturbers outside, the tips of its fur illuminated into pinpricks of starlight by distant streetlamps. The rest of it remained strangely shrouded, difficult to look at directly. Sunday gave up on glancing over his shoulder to gauge its distance.

There was little point. It was obviously faster than them.

It reached them with outstretched claws and managed to score shallow footholds into their heels and calves. Fighting through the pain and exhaustion, Sunday teleported them again before any grave damage could be done, this time to an empty spot on the other side of the gate. He didn't remember this well, either, but when it was said and done, the worst damage he'd done to himself or Carl were some blades of grass lodged into their skin from coming in a little too low.

Exhausted and aware running would do them no good, the two pressed themselves low to the ground, against the garden wall, and waited.

The thing either jumped or stretched its body so that its head, and some of its limbs, dangled over the wall. It looked down at its quarry with its burning, twinkling pupils.

There was no malice in its glare, just a universes' worth of weight and age, a pressure it exerted just by existing.

What was it?

What did it want?

The creature's ears swiveled forward, then back towards the house. It's magic withdrew from the air, leaving a final phrase ringing in Sunday's head:

"Why are you here?"

Satisfied it had seen the intruders off, the creature jumped back into the yard.

Sunday and Carleton popped up immediately and ran as fast as their legs could carry them, only slowing when they were a safe distance away.

Back at Marvin's house, the white monster skittered up the wall and towards the only dark window, where it waited on the sill, swishing its many tails.

The faint sound of a ringing bell cut through the quiet, and it was Carleton's turn to be the sensible one. "We've gotta go, Sunday."

Sunday nodded and they limped away, bruised and wheezing.

Carleton had gotten his picture.

And the White Cat had gotten out.

[furby-science]

The Sterling Saga: The Hardest Part is Getting Started...

I'm what the kids call a Scorpio/Sagittarius cusp. It gives me the worst qualities of both, but the Sagittarian ones are especially irritating. I can handle living a life of hermitude and psychological trauma (I'm missing out on a fireworks show as I type this). What I can't handle is constantly being haunted by the ghosts of my own dumbassery.

I know they're there. I anticipate them. I do everything I can to keep their rattling chains out of my halls.

...so you would think that, even with my tendency to get an idea in my head and then haul off and relentlessly pursue, I would at least have had enough sense to back up my talking furby on fucking Google Drives or something.

...I did not. Thus begins our next great adventure!

Let me give you a little breakdown of how Sterling works. His main computing system is a Raspberry Pi Zero W attached to a speaker and motor controller. His programming is stored entirely on a microSD card. This is the primary copy of his data. His old backups were stored on an old computer of mine which I no longer have, though the hard drive is still in my possession. I hope. I haven't gone through my moving boxes yet.

So, I can take two routes when it comes to retrieving Sterling's data: I can either go through a million boxes, find that hard drive, get an adapter, plug it into my wimpy-ass Lenovo Yoga and get to the data that way, or, I could pop Sterling open, pull out that MicroSD card, pop it in a card reader and back up the primary copy onto the Yoga and the cloud for safekeeping.

Both options are time consuming, but one of them is the fun kind of time consuming and the other is the boring kind of time consuming. So, I'm going with option 2. If option 2 ends in tragedy, I can still hopefully buy a new rig and do an emergency recovery of the data that exists on that hard drive. Hopefully it won't come to that - if I was smart enough to put him together, I should be smart enough to take him apart, right...?

"How in the hell did I do this...?"

After unceremoniously cutting open the zip tie and pulling off his fur, I was met with a sight I vaguely remember: the non-electrical wire that holds the bottom of his carapace in place, covered by insulating tape, and above that, the wires leading to his touch sensors.

One interesting thing of note is that the wire actually goes into his shell, rather than being wrapped around the outside of it. I have no idea why I did this. Surely, there must've been a reason. To keep the battery hatch in place when the hardware wouldn't fit, maybe? I'm not entirely certain, but why else would I take such an approach? Running that metal wire so close to the hardware is just asking to short circuit something otherwise, unless it was positioned just right.

I undid the wire with some pliers, and this is the part where I chickened out. I don't have a screwdriver well suited for unscrewing him, or needle and thread for his ears for that matter. Not to mention a MicroSD card reader (besides my phone that is). After suitably defiling him, I put the old man back together the best I could and made a shopping list of supplies for tomorrow.

The current plan is to get the necessary supplies and very carefully extract that card, ideally without harming Sterling's hardware. Though if I do, it's not a huge loss: I can easily replace aluminum tape or a speaker. I can't easily replace three months' worth of nonstop, agonized coding - or a friend, for that matter.

And so he sits, like a sleeping Buddha unfazed by the ever-shifting cycle of samsara while I scramble to purchase an appropriately sized screwdriver.

If only I could be so enlightened...

[webbedphantom]

A Drabble Continuation from this thread here Featuring @caramialunaestelle's Aigis (w/permission ofc)

Mirror Match

Madicce Tower 30th Floor Ventilation  Evening

‘Heh… piece of cake.’

This was hardly his first time breaking into a massive corporate headquarters to find incriminating evidence, but this was by far the easiest. The vent wasn't hard to find, there were no lasers or camera systems of any kind inside it, and it was incredibly easy to navigate. Almost like it was built for him.

Overconfident much?

‘Are you kidding? This is the freest infiltration we've ever had in our lives! It's almost like they're inviting us in!’

And that doesn't concern you at all?

‘Nah, you saw the news. They're moving to Osaka, of course the security is light. Besides, they have no idea we're after them. Quit being paranoid-’

His Persona responded with a huff, but quieted down. He still didn't like this, but Aaron had thought this through well enough before charging in here.

… So why did this still feel like a trap?

‘Bingo.’

They'd been crawling around in the air ducts for a while, occasionally catching a glimpse at the rooms below, though most of them were empty. Made sense, given the move, but he'd hazard a guess that the more complicated systems, things that you couldn't just buy in Akihabara to fill an office space would likely take another month at least to move out.

And he'd been right.

He popped open the vent and dangled down into a large dark room with a massive supercomputer. The kind of thing you'd see in cartoons and the like, which was kind of surreal to see in person. The room itself was cold, which was to be expected given the amount of coolant needed to keep the machine from overheating, but this was seriously overkill. The computer was on but seemed to be in sleep mode, yet the air was so cold he could see his breath, could feel his body start to shiver, and could already feel his strength being sapped from him. It was like being in a freezer set to the max, which was only heightened by his weakness to low temperatures.

He was starting to see what Arsène was talking about.

Still, he wasn't an amateur anymore. He'd learned a breathing technique to help keep his body warm, and aside from a few infrared cameras (which were utterly useless when he was in a room this dark. Thank you, Phantom Cloak!) there was nothing to stop him from getting what he needed and getting out before he got too cold.

He swung down from the ceiling, landing in front of the computer console, standing to the side as he woke up the screen to turn the brightness to low to keep the cameras from getting even the slightest hint of his presence, before inserting a flash drive with the head of an eyeless cartoon cat at the end of it.

‘Alright Alibaba… do your thing.’

Alibaba was the name of a codebreaker program that Futaba had developed for these types of missions, able to hack in and automatically copy any suspicious data in mere minutes from even the most secure of computers.

Yet somehow… the computer knew exactly what it was and responded.

A1I8A8_ver:2.18 detected the screen read out, triggering a loud ping to ring out from the speakers as all the lights flashed on.

“GAH!!”

“Phantom Spider Protocol Initiated. Connecting to “ZephyrKonoe” on Madicce Internal Communications.”

He could barely even process what just happened, still stunned by the sudden flash of the lights, once again worsened by having his third eye on at the time.

I warned you.

“Shut up…”

“Greetings, Spider… I've been expecting you.”

Konoe's voice played over the intercom, a voice he was somewhat familiar with, though laced with a sinisterly smug tone that sounded both unfitting and natural at the same time.

“H-how the-”

“I'm sure you have a lot of questions. I'd have been happy to answer them if you'd had the decency to schedule an appointment. But instead, I think I'll have to escort you out…”

The sound of a glass tube sliding open came from the back of the room, his vision finally coming back to see that a black figure had fallen to the ground and landed on its knees. A figure that was dressed rather similarly to him… but yet oddly without any spider symbols, or spidery imagery at all, instead replaced with these diagonal red lines all across the outfit, meeting at the head where he was met with a sleek metal face with a large T-shaped screen, somewhat reminiscent of a knight’s helmet.

“Connecting to Madicce Remote Play.”

The figure, which seemed to be some sort of android, then stood upright, the screen suddenly lighting up with two small, menacing red eyes glaring at him as Konoe's voice now came from within.

“I usually let E.M.M.A. handle the security systems, but for you… I'll make an exception.”

Aaron's lenses widened. What was that thing? How did he know he was coming?? How did he know all his weaknesses??

He shook his head, standing up tall with his fists clenched. He could worry about that later. Right now he had to focus.

“I’ll admit, that was a nice entrance. But if you think you're scaring me off with a bit of theatrics, you've got another thing coming.”

Konoe chuckled, his voice crackling out of the android's speaker. “Well, I suppose I'm no Batman.” He quipped, giving Aaron pause. “But then again, neither are you. So how about we skip the dramatic speeches and just start the boss battle already?”

“Fine by me!!”

He leaped into action, going for a right hook, but the android dodged effortlessly, catching him by the wrist and flinging him into the wall behind it.

Aaron recovered quickly, springing off his hands towards the left while firing a webline at the back of its head. Yet not only did he miss, but without even looking it managed to fire a grappling line from its wrist directly into his path, snagging him by the coat and pulling him in for a clothesline that he was just barely able to slide under.

This thing fought like him, albeit a bit more stiff in its movements. And somehow it seemed to know every move he made before he made it. How in the hell was that possible??

“Like my new toy?” Konoe taunted, chasing after him and throwing out a barrage of punches and kicks, all mirroring moves he had used before. “I call it an Adaptoid. It's been trained off thousands of hours of footage of you in action, and is able to replicate any move you made to perfection!”

That explained it. It must be running a prediction algorithm to figure out what his next move will be… except that didn’t make any sense either, especially the more they fought. Aaron kept trying to fight back, trying to block hits, but no matter what every punch he threw missed, while every punch the Adaptoid threw weaved through his blocks perfectly to land a hit. Every. Single. Time.

It wasn’t just guessing, wasn’t even an advanced prediction algorithm. Those could be wrong, could make mistakes, but this thing knew exactly what he was going to do and just countered it perfectly.

Was it reading his mind?? That couldn’t be it. Even if robots could read minds, Arséne would be scrambling whatever it picked up into nonsense. Plus… didn’t Konoe say he was handling this himself?? But he wasn’t even here! How could he be reading his mind from so far away??

“Can you believe this is only a prototype!? It already puts all your little trinkets to shame! Just imagine what the real thing could do!!”

That… that stung. And the worst part was he couldn’t even retort, it was taking everything he had to keep standing under this onslaught, especially in the cold. He needed to get out of here, get warmed up. Then at least he could have Arséne out here to give this guy something else to hit.

He stopped thinking, swatting the next blow away entirely on instinct and leapt back, clutching his side as he did so.

‘Definitely cracked a rib… maybe even two. And it’ll probably take a miracle to avoid breaking anything else-’

“What’s the matter? Giving up already?”

He didn’t respond, just taking a moment to catch his breath and warm up a bit before he made his next move.

“Ah, I see. The classic “brainstorm a way to win and make a desperate last attempt” play. You don’t actually think you can beat me, do you?”

No, he knew he couldn’t. Not until he figured out how to counter this “predicting his every move” shit. But he didn’t have to beat him in a fight in order to win. That wasn’t the mission, after all.

“You’re piloting a prototype, right? You can mimic my moves, but you can’t recreate my powers, can you? And I’m willing to bet-” His eyes flicked down to the android’s waist, noting the lack of a utility belt on its outfit. “You didn’t give it any of my tricks either.”

He tossed one of his electric spell cards towards it, which it dodged effortlessly, but that was only a distraction. His real move was to chuck all three of his fire cards at the large metal door behind him, colliding in its center to release an explosive Agidyne, not only knocking it down with a loud THUNK, but warming up the room and filling the air with mist.

“Why don’t we take this outside?”

_____________________________________

Aigis was patrolling the north side of the building as she’d been instructed to, flying around the upper levels looking for any signs that the Spider might need backup. All had been quiet so far, even on Labrys’ end down near the ground floors. Perhaps everything was fine after all.

She briefly considered landing on one of the surrounding rooftops for a lower profile, when she heard an explosion coming from inside. It was faint, muffled by the walls like it was from somewhere pretty reinforced, but it was definitely an explosion.

“Aigis to Labrys; I’m investigating a possible hostile inside. Stay on guard.”

She moved closer to the building and casually crashed through a window like it wasn’t even there. “I’ll keep you informed.”

_______________________________________________

“Clever. Very clever.” Konoe remarked, chasing Aaron through the building as their fight continued through the rest of R&D. “Not that it’ll make any difference. You won’t fair any better out here.”

The android was hot on his trail, Aaron barely managing to stay a step ahead by focusing entirely on his movement. No fighting, just running. Which was a lot easier now that he was out of that freezer.

‘Just gotta play keep away long enough to get warm, summon Arséne for support, then snap a picture of it and find some other evidence. Surely there’s gotta be something left around here?’ 

As if to answer his question, Konoe’s voice taunted him again, his smug tone really getting on his nerves. “There’s nothing to find out here! All our files and experiments are on their way to Osaka, and the only computer left in the building is the one you just ran away from. You’re only delaying the inevitable.”

‘Man, again with the mind reading schtick??’

“If you leave now, I’ll allow it. I’m getting bored of this game of tag. If Mitsuru wants to go against me, she should do it herself.”

He was starting to get tempted by that offer. Every room they fought through was empty, aside from a few now activated security systems trying to slow him down. Turrets, security doors, the works. And given his current state, it was going to stop him eventually.

He knew he wasn’t out of options. There was one thing left that he was praying would manage to get what he needed, but he wasn’t going to be able to check if he was putting all his energy into avoiding this damn faker!

‘At this rate, I’ll be lucky to even grab a picture of it-’

But just when he was starting to lose hope, something crashed down through the ceiling between them. Another android, but one he was really happy to see.

“AIGIS!!” He yelled out in delight. “The super fighting robot coming in clutch yet again!!”

The Adaptoid paused for a moment, Konoe letting out a huff on the other end. “I was wondering when she’d send you in. I was starting to think our dear Princess had underestimated me.”

Aigis seemed to recognize that nickname, her gaze shifting into a fierce glare in response. Something else that gave him pause for a moment, until he realized how much venom Konoe had added to the word.

‘Oh god, they really are exes-’

“Just buy me some time.” Aaron said, struggling to catch his breath, yet still determined to see this through. “I’ve got a mission to complete.”

“Affirmative.” Aigis responded, giving him the slightest glance over her shoulder. “Go. I will handle him.”

“Oh yes, by all means-” Konoe interjected. “Handle me.”

The two immediately began to clash, the prototype somehow managing to hold its own against her despite its incomplete toolset. But he couldn’t stick around to watch-

Aaron bolted off towards the computer room, dodging the turrets and other security measures as he made his way there.

‘Please still be on, please still be on, please still be on-!’

He rounded the corner past the collapsed door, out of range of the turrets. He caught his breath for a moment, looking over at the monitor which-

“YES!!”

The screen had glitched out, a small progress bar forming out of misplaced pixels with a number below it reading out that Alibaba had managed to copy 0.00018% of the data stored on the system. The computer was protected against an older version of the software, but this one, ver:2.20, had managed to find the slightest vulnerability in the code to get a foothold.

It wasn’t much. But it was something.

He ejected it out of the console, an alarm blaring in the room as he made his escape.

“ALERT! ALERT! DATA BREACH IN ADAPTOID DEVELOPMENT WING!!”

“NO!!!”

Konoe screamed so loud Aaron could hear him from here. And he only got louder as he managed to get away from the anti-shadow weapon and bolted towards the Spider as he made his way to a weakened part of the ceiling to make his escape, smashing through it to get back to a section with windows. “YOU’RE NOT LEAVING HERE WITH ANYTHING!! IT ISN’T POSSIBLE!!!”

He was gaining rapidly, and in Aaron’s current state, he’d almost certainly catch up with him. But while the android was as fast as Aaron at his best… when it came to moving through cramped hallways, no one was faster than Aigis.

She collided with the Adaptoid, slamming it into a wall and firing her weapons at point blank range, finally managing to do some significant damage to the thing.

“Back off!!” Konoe shouted in frustration as the android backhanded her with all its might. “I WILL NOT BE SLOWED DOWN BY AN OUTDATED ANTIQUE LIKE YOU!!” 

Aaron meanwhile finally broke through to the normal office spaces, spotting a smashed window at the end of the corridor.

‘C’mon c’mon, I’m almost there!’

But Konoe and Aigis soon burst through the floor behind him, still battling it out as the android desperately shot out its grapple line to try and pull him back.

Aaron barely managed to dodge it in time, ducking underneath it as the force of Aigis’s attacks managed to send it off course. He could still make it. They could do this.

He turned around, gathering curse energy into his hands as he crouched and aimed it towards the two, striking a pose he’d learned from the arcade.

“Aigis!!” He shouted, immediately catching his attention. “Uppies!!”

“Confirmed!” Aigis responded, digging her legs into the android’s chest before firing her thrusters at full strength to rocket off along the ceiling. Then, just as it made an attempt to grab her, Aaron fired a massive web ball to pin it to the floor.

“You- YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THIS!!” Konoe screamed, already beginning to tear through the webbing in a frantic rage.

The Spider merely smirked under his mask, sticking his hands up in the air for Aigis to grab as she passed, carrying them both at high speed towards the window.

“Hasta la bye-bye, sucker!!” The Spider quipped, giving the android a salute and a mocking wink.

But the android wasn’t done yet. It freed itself from the webbing in a matter of seconds, bolting after them even after they flew outside. Only to be met with a giant battleaxe slamming up into its jaw as Labyrs entered the fray to hold it off a little bit longer.

“OH C’MON!!” Konoe shouted, his voice crackling through the now broken speaker. “THERE’S ANOTHER ONE!?!?”

But that was the last they heard as they escaped, the Spider dangling from Aigis’ grasp as he was finally able to take a much needed rest. “Phew… thanks. I definitely owe you one for that-”

“You owe me two.” Aigis corrected, a smile on her face. “You still have not paid me back for last week.”

Aaron chuckled. “Okay, two then… After we report back to HQ, you get to pick the movie.”

__________________________________

Akira Konoe stared at the screen on his laptop with a perplexed look on his face. He was furious, yes, but also confused.

“He shouldn’t have been able to do that…” He said softly to himself, reaching out to shut the thing before leaning back in his chair. “He shouldn’t be able to change things yet,,, it’s still our past…”

His brow furrowed, hand moving up to his forehead to rub his temples. It didn’t make any sense. Thanos wouldn’t arrive until the end of the year, there should still be time before the timeline could be changed, and yet… somehow Aaron had managed to do what he never could. Even if it was a small change, he’d done it.

… but that worked both ways.

“E.M.M.A.”

Ping.

“We’re moving up our timetable. Tell the mobile division we’re launching the app tomorrow.”

“Understood sir.”

[opinated-user]

If Lily were remotely interested in actually combating fandom racism she'd focus on other characters in TOH and not just the white one she hates. If you're complaining about a white guy all the time, that's not progressive, because you're still discussing a white character and making him the center of attention instead of celebrating the stories of POC in the cast.

The only time Lily ever made a video that was start-to-finish praise of any POC was when it was Kuvira, a dictator who ran reeducation camps, created a weapon of mass destruction and threatened to murder everyone who disagreed with her. That was years ago.

It took her ten years to write one black main character.

Until her video on The Princess and the Frog this year, she had never talked about a piece of media focused on black people, even though she claims to be left-leaning. Being willing to watch things centered on black people is such a low bar even most conservatives clear it by accident.

In her infamous writing tips thread, she said that you should only have one cishet white character and a really good writer will have only one cis, one het, and one white character. (This rule is ridiculous for large casts, but I will acknowledge for the core main cast it's a perfectly applicable idea.) She has never written anything that doesn't have a majority white cast. Regularly her writing writes out existing POC rather than center them.

She claims to be Native not even based on blood quantum, a practice the Cherokee people and many others do not believe in, but based upon having thick black hair. She isn't recognized by the tribe. She does not educate anyone on anything pertaining to indigenous issues and didn't even mention Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women until she talked about how if she was murdered she'd be one of them. She has never written a Native character or talked about Native characters in media.

When movies that have a majority black cast come out, she disses on them.

When anything is made by Asians, she will dismiss it, not acknowledge that different Asian cultures exist, and center whiteness (such as only ever talking about Raya and the Last Dragon in terms of Lindsay Ellis, a white woman (who she then straightwashes on top of centering)).

When a POC such as Luz is anything other than cheerful and joyous, they are, to her, totally devoid of worth and ridiculous.

If Hunter were black Lily would focus on Amity instead, because she always, always devalues POC and redirects her attention onto a white person. When she made a black OC, it was in order to beat up some white people, romance a white person, and adopt white kids. She cannot, under any circumstances, create anything that focuses entirely on POC with the sole exception of focusing on a light-skinned WOC dictator whose war crimes and crimes against humanity she not only excused but viewed as cool.

She does not fight fandom racism.

She partakes in and upholds it.

Even if her fans can convince themselves all the people she's abused are liars, even if they're not aware of her past, I genuinely do not know how anyone can look at her work and not see how blatantly racist this woman is. Her only black characters are all tied to slavery, with white characters being the victims of slavery and black people benefiting. I grew up in a racist family and I am doing a lot of work to deprogram myself. It's not easy and I have a lot I haven't learned. But even I, even as a preteen writing stories, never wrote something that messed up, because it simply never would have crossed my mind to reverse victim and offender in the context of slavery.

Watching Stitch is her "I have a black content creator I watch/friend" moment the way many people in fandom/the real world use that as their get-out-racism-accusations-free card, but it's insufficient.

If she doesn't want to be seen as racist she needs to stop being so blatantly racist. It's not hard.

but it's hard for her, because that means admitting that she needs to do work on herself to get ride of all the biases she has and she alreay barely puts any work on her channel.