#{STICKS; IC}「This Place Has Gone Crazy」

[themissilesilo]

"Thank you all for coming to my conference, "Knuckles: Engineered Superweapon of Echidna Secret Society or Spontaneously Generated Mutant Chao-Child of the Master Emerald?"

[hedgehoghavoc]

— TAG GAME !

Search “your name + core” on Pinterest, then share 6 images and tag 6 more people

STICKSCORE

TAGGED BY NO ONE, TAGGING NO ONE, STEAL IT

[itsnesss]

LANDO NORRIS x reader? Just walking around, having a cute little date

𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬 | lando norris × fem!reader

summary | a quiet, cozy date with lando turns into the sweetest evening—just walking, talking, and falling a little more in love with every step

warnings | extreme fluff, tooth-rotting sweetness, mild teasing

word count | 1.0 k

🖇 more ln4 🖇 f1 masterlist

He takes your hand without asking. He just laces his fingers through yours like it’s the most natural thing in the world, like holding your hand is already part of his routine. Maybe in his mind, it is.

“I don’t want to do anything crazy today,” he says, turning toward you as you walk through a quiet city street. His smile is soft, almost lazy, like the world has paused just for the two of you. “I just want to... walk with you.”

And that’s exactly what you do.

No plans. No fancy reservations or carefully mapped-out stops. Just your steps next to his, moving at a slow pace while the sun begins to dip and paints everything in gold and orange.

“You know what I love about this?” he asks, still holding your hand, still focused only on your face.

“What?”

“That you���re not in a rush.”

You frown a little, curious. “And that’s a good thing?”

“It’s amazing.” He gives your hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m always surrounded by people who are in a hurry. Literally. Mechanics, engineers, fans… me. Everything is always fast. But you…” His thumb brushes your skin. “With you, everything slows down. And I like that.”

You stay silent for a moment, letting his words settle into your chest, warm and fluttering.

You don’t answer with words. You just lean in a little closer, your arm brushing his.

You end up in a park neither of you knew. There are kids running around, a guy walking an enormous dog, and an elderly couple on a bench, sharing an ice cream.

Lando tugs you gently toward a snack stand.

“Hungry?” he asks, scanning the small menu. “Because that Nutella waffle is calling my name.”

You laugh. “Everything calls your name.”

“I’m just that popular,” he says with a dramatic pose that makes you burst out laughing. “But not as popular as you, clearly.”

“Me?” you ask, surprised.

“Yes, you. You’re the only one who can make me disconnect from everything. You’re basically a rockstar.”

You blush. He notices. And he grins proudly, knowing he caused it.

You sit on a bench with your waffles, sharing one napkin and playfully bickering every time one of you gets chocolate on the other.

“Hey! That was cheating!” you protest when Lando dabs a bit of Nutella on your nose.

“Cheating? No, no,” he says, pointing at you with his plastic fork. “That was sweet justice. Literally.”

You stick your tongue out at him, and he sticks his back, of course. He leans in, wipes the chocolate from your nose with his finger… and licks it.

Your eyes widen in surprise. He just grins, shamelessly. “Hmm. Sweet. But you taste better.”

And there it is again. That stupid smile that always manages to make your heart race.

Later, when the sun is fully gone, you wander the softly lit streets. Streetlights and shop windows light your way. Lando stops now and then, not because there’s anything interesting to see — but just to stretch the evening out a little longer.

You pass a closed shop with a display of old books. He pauses in front of the glass, tilting his head.

“Do you read much?” he asks.

“Depends. Do you?”

“I read manuals,” he jokes. “And WhatsApp messages. That counts, right?”

You bump your shoulder into his, and he stumbles back with exaggerated drama, laughing loudly.

“Honestly, I should read more. But I have trouble focusing... unless you’re around. Strangely, you make everything feel quiet. Peaceful.”

You stop walking too. You look at him. No cameras. No fans. Just the two of you, standing in front of a dusty window, under a flickering streetlight. Lando steps closer, still holding your hand.

“You’re my safe place,” he murmurs, glancing down at your lips. “Even in the middle of anywhere.”

You lean in first. Or maybe he does. Doesn’t matter. What matters is the kiss — slow, soft, full of all the things you didn’t need to say.

It’s the kind of kiss that doesn’t need a reason. The kind that blooms during an ordinary evening because your heart just can’t keep holding it all in.

“You realize this date has absolutely no plan?” you say after, still walking, still with his fingers tangled in yours.

“And it’s the best date I’ve ever had,” he answers instantly.

“Even better than that time you had dinner with Tom Holland?”

“Obviously,” he says, pretending to be offended. “Tom’s cool, but he doesn’t laugh like you. He doesn’t look at me like you do. He definitely doesn’t take slow walks with me just to check if the stars are out.”

You glance up. And there they are. The first stars.

“What now?” you ask.

“Now I get you something warm to drink,” he says, pointing at a small, cozy-looking café with glowing lights. “And then… we keep walking.”

“To where?”

“Until the world says stop. Or until your feet get tired. Whichever comes first.”

The café is tiny and smells like vanilla. You order one hot chocolate with marshmallows — just one — and sit in a quiet corner, sharing it like two teenagers who don’t want the moment to end.

Lando looks at you like you’re his entire universe. Like this unscripted evening is the best gift anyone’s given him in a long time.

“Thanks for not rushing,” he says, gently tracing your wrist with his thumb.

“Thanks for walking beside me,” you answer.

He leans in and kisses your forehead. Slow. Soft. Like it’s all he needs to breathe.

You step out of the café with warm hands from the drink and even warmer hearts.

The city has gone quieter. Fewer cars. Fewer voices. Everything feels hushed, as if it knows you’re having a moment.

Lando stops again.

“Look,” he says, nodding toward your reflection in a shop window.

You look tired, windswept. Your cheeks are flushed. Lando’s eyes are glowing. And you’re both smiling.

“I don’t know when it happened,” he says, turning back to you. “But I like you. A lot.”

You don’t say anything. You just wrap your arms around him.

Because you feel the same.

Because this aimless walk turned out to be the best path you’ve ever taken.

[satorupi]

the digital clock reads 7:15 and the warmth of summer has perspiration running down your back in wet droplets, cami sticking to your frame uncomfortably. global warming’s a bitch and all, you know this -- but this is just ridiculous. it’s so goddamn hot.

it doesn’t help at all that the fan is shitty. that the windows of your dorm can’t open more than a crack without insects getting in, ready to ruin your night and your sanity.

it doesn’t help that satoru is clinging, knowing he runs far hotter than you do. who cuddles in weather like this?

answer: your boyfriend! in fact, he insists on it.

from coming over to help you clean up for the long-awaited move, to an impromptu sleepover, half laying on you in a too tiny bed. a 5 minute ‘break’ turns to an accidental 2 hour nap – both of you are actually…quite ridiculous. truly.

you couldn’t exactly kick the man out, he’s already settled and sprawled out on your bed like the space is his. all six feet and infinity inches in your space, too long legs intertwined with yours. strands of ivory hair tickle the side of your face as he noses at the pulse in your neck lazily, basking in your warmth. half pressing your body into the sheets with his weight.

appreciating it, while you’re here sweating buckets.

“toru, baby,” you start, fingers still toying with his hair, waves of sleep threatening to pull you back under and into its grasp, “let’s just go to your place.” it truly wasn’t that important to you to sleep in this shoebox one more time. but no, satoru wanted to be all sentimental. your boxes are already packed and sealed off with tape, half of your wardrobe down at his place, left side of his bed already claimed. your attachment to this tiny, sorry excuse for a dorm is… little to none. nonexistent.

his hum is noncommittal, murmuring against your neck, “..but we’re having a moment.”

a moment, he says. the shitty box fan clicks and sputters mid oscillation before pitifully whirring once more. spinning back in your direction to push out breeze that does absolutely nothing for your current situation. you silently hope the next pass would do you two more favors.

“we are not—” you grit your teeth, wriggling in his hold before you groan in defeat, “i can feel your sweat on my neck. get off’a meee!.”

“we’re bonding!” he insists, smacking the lightest kiss to your neck before he’s pulling back. his eyes are the hue of cloudless skies and fixed on you, cheek smushed up against your sternum, “you’re gonna be all sentimental last minute when you can’t come in here again and then..? and then you’ll be all sad—”

“i will not—”

“—and you’ll go on and on about,” he yawns loudly, snuggling closer, “about how sad it is. then you’ll cry and cry..”

as if. you’d been here for no more than a couple semesters, nothing about this would be missed. “i care more about you getting off of me so we can go to your place, satoru.”

“and i care for not seeing you cry over missing your ‘shoebox’.” his rebuttal comes quick, despite the tinge of sleep still in his voice, “one more night.”

flowing electricity hums from outside. somewhere deep in the trees lining the campus cicadas buzz and whine incessantly. the sun’s gone down but the heat hasn’t. it’s quiet for a little, your fluttering eyes are the only reason you concede for now. it’s hot and you feel all sticky and sleepy. ‘sides, you like being in bed with him (sweat and lack of space aside, of course).

satoru shifts minutely, sniffling, hand on your hip drawing idle circles. his roots are damp with sweat, strands plastered haphazardly on an equally sweaty forehead.

 “is it just me or is it crazy hot?" he groans like he’s not the one that said you two should stay here, like he’s not the one that’d coaxed the both of you into a near perfect (but sweaty) slumber. “oh wow, tell me more.” you lift a hand to swipe at your damp forehead, breathing out a hot breath of air, “get up. we’re going to the konbini for ice cream.” and then? his apartment – no way you’d last throughout the night with a broken fan and an oven for a room.

“baby, noo.”

you’re already peeling him off you like metaphorical velcro despite his protest with a soft slosh of damp flesh that has you grimacing. it takes far more effort than you’d like to put out with how your limbs had been intertwined.  “baby, yes. up, up.” lugging a man far heavier than you up proves to be a struggle and a single tug has you sprawled back on his chest with a groan, thick arms banded around your center. 

“3 seconds to let me go or kissing me for the rest of the semester. 3, 2..”

the weight of his arms at your center eases before your lips can even form the shape of that last number. “good boy.” you’re already halfway across the room and scoping the space w/ sleepy eyes for clean-ish shorts at least, but everything’s either sealed in boxes or already over at satoru’s. you settle on his hoodie he’d discarded on your desk chair earlier in the day, throwing the fabric on and letting it drown your frame. it smells faintly of detergent and wash you know is yours, lower hem mid thigh. your previous outfit hadn’t exactly been public safe – tiny boy shorts and a cami, this is much better even if you kind of look like a bum.

“come on, get up. put your shirt back on, you’re coming with.” you would not leave your beloved in here to roast even if he’s adamant on keeping both of you in bed. “popsicles and aircon, baby – let’s go.”

the promise of the treat works great as a convincing agent. he's up on his feet and tugging back on a t-shirt. now you both look a mess, a matching pair. “yeah, yeah. too hot in here anyway.”

𔘓

the aircon of the konbini is a welcoming caress against too heated skin and you swear you almost cry in sheer relief. it’s the greatest kind of salvation, pushing you from the edge of what felt like literal heatstroke. the store is mostly empty at this hour, save for the tired cashier behind the counter and the hum of coolers working overtime.

“best idea ever,” he groans, dragging the words out. “i thought we were gonna die.”

you huff in your amusement, following behind him as he grabs at one of the baskets provided. you have a mental list that you’re veering off track from. first variant – a bogo deal on a soda ice pops, ice cream bar on ice cream bar. magazine you know you don’t need but you shove it in the cart anyway just for the prize inside.

“do we need all this?”

“no,” you answer, already reaching for the pickled plum onigiri. “but we want it.”

“right, we should get it.”

𔘓

at some point he disappears with the cart as you’re browsing, bundling stuff in your arms by the mean time. reappearing in a moment just to press a frosty can of cold brew against your cheek with 0 warning. you jolt, angling away from the press of the can with a narrowed gaze shooting up at him. “babe!”

“you said you were hot.” the shit eating grin on his lips tells you that he’s just pestering you.

“quit wandering off.” you loop an arm around his for good measure, keeping to his side. the basket grows heavy with nonsense — 3 different pocky flavours, sour candies, junk and more jun.

by the time you get to the register it’s near overflowing. the cashier doesn’t even bat an eye, scanning the items one after the other wordlessly. another pair of sleep deprived college students coming in to stock up on junk food and soda – fork found in kitchen.

the outside air isn’t as intolerable as the air of your dorm had been, cool air of the night curling around your frames as you two walk back. not as good as the aircon but it’d do. the plastic bag in his hold rustles as you rummage through it, fishing out a lemon soda, wiping the mouth before you crack it open. carbonated bubbles sizzle and pop on your tongue, soda almost sickly sweet but ridiculously refreshing. the pocari sweat might’ve been better for the weather but the sugar rush was truly worth it. satoru on the other hand snacks on a rapidly melting melon soda popsicle, fingers sticky with juice running down the wooden stick as he snacks on the sweet.

“you’re so messy, jeez.” switching your drink to the hand holding one of the bags, you swipe around his mouth with the sleeve of his stolen hoodie, shaking your head. “where’re your manners?”

he doesn't answer, just dips to press a syrupy kiss against your lips, only making them sticky. he laps at the popsicle one more time before pulling off, “left them at your dorm,” tossing the left-over stick in the direction of a bin you're passing.

which just bounces off the rim and lands right on the pavement.

“you have shit aim,” you huff lowly in amusement, both of you eyeing the fallen stick, “you’re gonna pick that up, right?”

he shrugs, wiping around his mouth, still walking ahead “it’s biodegradable.”

he runs back to make sure it's in the bin regardless.

𔘓

his hand is all tacky and sticky intwined with yours as you walk back but that doesn’t stop the light swinging motion, laced hands swinging between you. it’s an easy, quick walk back to your dorm and the drastic change in temperature outside compared to in here could quite literally bring tears to your eyes. you two settle for leaving the door cracked for ventilation, huddled up in his lap on a beanbag on your floor. the bags lay abandoned on the desk, now cleaned hands swapping sour patch kids and cola candy like you couldn’t just feed yourselves.

“open,” he murmurs, absently pushing another cola bottle candy past your lips. the amount of junk you’d both eaten is near cavity inducing, but you write it off as some sort of you x your dorm separation party to make it seem better. the bed’s waiting for you two when you finally move back over to sink into its soft embrace -- all rumpled sheets and strewn pillows but so, so much better than the beanbag.

you’re tangled up against each other again despite the heat and all your complaints, skin sticking where your limbs happen to overlap. the door’s still cracked and you silently hope no one roams by at this hour with how your bed is positioned. the fan above oscillates, blowing that same feeble breeze that barely cools the sweat off your skin. just stirring up noise. with a gentle (not too sticky) hand, satoru tilts your face toward his, thumb brushing the corner of your mouth, wiping away a phantom drop of sugary residue. “and you say i’m the messy one?” he is, you both know that.

“you’re the one with the blue around your mouth.” he hums noncommittally, still gripping as your mouth, fingers tilting your chin up to plan a kiss against your lips. it’s soft, slowed like the crash after too many sweets.

“now we’re matching.” he tastes like sucrose and citric acid, mixed taste spreading on your tongue. satoru hums gently into the press of your mouths together, pulling back just enough to get a proper breath in. his gaze is near adoring looking down at you, gracing the corners of your lips with the gentlest presses. “i’m going to be so insufferable when you actually move in full time.”

“even more than now?” you joke, basking in his kisses and attention.

“even more than now.” he sings lowly, forehead bumping against the central part of yours before he’s moving his face back down into your neck like it belongs there, exhaling slow against your skin.

it’s a long beat of silence again, fingers having found its way back into his hair to toy with his strands as his own hands draw circles on your lower back under your cami. you break it, of course. “still so, very hot.” you angle your head so his face isn’t hidden anymore, thumbs brushing his temples gently, “are we actually staying here? like all night?”

“nuh uh. we’re going home?”

home? the grin you’re fighting off (poorly) at that is near dopey, head tilting, lashes batting up at him. “hm? we’re going home?” he doesn’t let on that his mind had been set on it the first time you’d asked – both your sleep qualities were sure to be shit in here.

and like the insinuation is the easiest thing to ever leave his lips he just nods, brow quirked because he’s sure he’d just said that. “yeah, in 20.”

“what happened to sentimentality?”

“misplaced it somewhere between the popsicle and the 3rd pack of gummies,” he says, brushing at a stray sugar granule near the corner of your mouth as if it adds to his point, “we can be sentimental in a room that won’t give us heatstroke, angel.”

you pretend to contemplate for a moment, face screwed in thought, finger tapping your chin. “i’ll give you a kiss if you make it 10 instead.”

he’s sure you know he would’ve done it without the offer but his grin is all teeth, nodding anyway, “2 and i’ll make it 5?”

“deal.”

[themissilesilo]

The badger's immediate reaction to the physical contact is to jerk away from it, mostly just startled by the sudden feeling of something on her shoulder. It does break Sticks out of her thought loop at least, but now she's just giving the hedgehog a skeptical look. She could tell Sonic meant well, and she knew better than to underestimate what the hero was capable of. The reassurance that he had her back was nice, but felt tainted by the feeling of yet more dismissal.

"...sure, whatever you say." Of course he doesn't get it. He hasn't done the research. Poor sap. But it just goes to show she can't let herself get in a panic when the ignorant, helpless masses are going around thinking that everything's hunky-dory with the moons. Someone's got to have their head on their shoulders around here.

Oh, she gets worked up over this kind of stuff. Alright, he didn't expect that. To be fair, never really interacted with a conspiracy theorist before either. So, in an effort to help her, Sonic softly places a hand on her shoulder in the hopes of the physical contact being able to ground her to reality, and a reassuring smile is given to her in hopes of showing he meant what he was going to say.

" Hey, you don't have to worry about any of that, alright? Negative Chaos Energy doesn't really work like that, and Dark Gaia's slumbering for another thousand years. Even if he's woken early, I have a good relationship with Light Gaia, so he can be put back to sleep easily! Promise, everything's alright with the moons. "

[agroupiewhore]

Some random headcanons about what it would be like to date Enzo and a little imagine with him. I haven't wrote anything in ages so apologies if this is shite. Please no hate but let me know if you like this etc. I am always welcome to feedback/ thoughts/ comments/ concerns. Sorry in advance for grammar and spelling and punctuation

🐟🐳🐙🔵🪱

(THIS MANS JAWLINE IS MORE STRUCTURED THAN MY LIFE)

*Disclaimer: This is my own work and my own self-indulgent ideas, none of this is based in reality. And warnings for making out etc, nothing too explicit (PG-13)

✨️ There is no way you ever have to carry your own bag. This man is rushing in to help you. Whether that's your handbag on date night or all of the shopping bags after your weekly grocery shop run. And yes, he refuses to make 2 trips to the car.

✨️ Speaking of weekly shops runs, Enzo is that boyfriend who always pushes the trolley/ cart.

✨️ Matching Adidas trackies. Never quite knowing whose joggers/ t shirts/ jackets that belonged to.

✨️ Wearing his boxers after sex to go down and make a fresh batch of coffee.

✨️ Is always entertaining you with unusual facts and information about Uruguay and is keen for you to learn and embrace his culture and he is keen to learn more about yours.

✨️ Matching your nail varnish to his bow tie/ tie/ shirt colour etc.

✨️ Midnight beach walks where you tell eachother all your hopes and dreams and desires, all the 'deep stuff' you feel you can't tell eachother when it's daylight as it seems to real.

✨️ This man can dance. He has so much natural rhythm and is such a natural. He'll always be the first one up on the dance floor at parties and cast parties and would much rather spend the time on the dance floor with you rather than talking. Also at home will put on whatever dance music he wants and will just start dancing with you.

✨️ Dressing up as Kylo Ren and Rey for Halloween. "Well I mean... I think we should go as them, it would look good" "Fine"

A Perfect Day

You went to open the fridge to find the pouring cream for your iced coffees but were distracted by the note attached to the front, wrote in Enzo's beautiful cursive handwriting. You smiled to yourself as you read it. He always left the most beautiful love notes and this one was no exception. It simply read "You're my happy place". You took the note off the fridge and folded it neatly and placed it in your dressing gown pocket. You were saving them all, for what you weren't sure, but you pictured a future for you and enzo, maybe one day sticking all the notes down into a scrap book and passing it onto your daughter. To show her how much she should be loved by another. You smiled at the thought and opened the fridge, finally, to find the pouring cream. After Enzo had finished filming, touring and surving the awards season the two of you finally had some time and moved in together. The first thing he had done was gone out and found the most fanciest coffee machine. You guys hadn't even bought a bed yet at that point. You finished making your drinks and went back upstairs. Enzo was sat up in bed, shirtless.

"Well damn, it's hot this morning." You laughed as you sat back in bed next to him, being careful not to spill anything. "Here my angel." You passed him the iced coffee. He carefully took it from you and took that first heavenly sip.

"Hmm, perfecto." He said closing his eyes with a satisfied smile on his face. "I do not know how I survived without having you around, only you can make my coffee right."

"I'm sure there is someone else who could, I could always teach them, it's not too hard. There aren't any crazy secret ingredients." You replied "I just make it with love, I think that's why it's so good." Enzo leaned over and kissed you. "I love you so much, mi amor." He said as he took your hand. "What would you like to do today?"

"We need to go shopping to get a couple things and I was thinking maybe we could have a go at making our own pizzas for dinner?" You suggested, admiring him.

"You always have the best ideas, I have a couple more things to add to the list so please don't let me forget my love." Enzo said as he got out of bed. It would never get old seeing how beautiful he was. It was like he had been sculpted by the world's most incredible artist whose attention to detail no one was able to match. You felt so lucky to not only be with one so handsome but to also have discovered someone with a soul that was equally as beautiful. Enzo gave all of his love and time to you. He was always there, his strength and resilience gave you strength. He was so honoured and humbled to have been given such an important role in the film and the sincerity in which he handled his part was inspiring to you. He never got angry when you would call him in the middle of the night due to the time differences or when he had come home to see that you had used his entire bottle of his most expensive cologne. You had missed him a lot while he was away filming so decided one night to spray a little of it on to the pillow next to you, then a little onto your wrist; just to make it seem like he was there with you, however next thing you knew you'd unintentionally sprayed the entire bottle around the house and it was now empty. Enzo found it to be a most romantic gesture and when he left again to complete filming took a pot of your lip balm to apply each night so it could feel like you'd just kissed him. You heard the shower turn on and got up from the bed again to decide what to wear for today. It was a simple errand day so you grabbed a pair of Adidas joggers and a black long sleeved top.

"Wow, you look so beautiful." He said staring at you.

"What? These?" You laughed. "It's a step up from pajamas."

"You look perfect, I love it so much I will also wear mine." He said as he began looking in the wardrobe.

"Maybe one day you could surprise everyone and wear Nike." You laughed. You admired him once again as he got dressed and then you both finished your coffees. Ofcourse Enzo insisted on driving and you sat in the passenger seat and played DJ. Enzo was a cautious driver, especially whilst you were in the car. He could never understand men who drove dangerously to try and impress their partners. How could he risk your life? He couldn't live with himself if anything happened to you, especially if he was the cause of it. You thought is was sweet how he was always so gentle and careful with you. He parked up outside the supermarket.

"I can get my door." You said quickly, opening it as soon as he turned off the ignition. A few times Enzo had managed to run around to open your car door whilst you rummaged around for your handbag or wallet. He was always the gentleman.

"You know I love opening it for you." He said sweetly as he linked his hand with yours. "I'll push the cart."

"I wasn't even going to try." You laughed. Enzo had to push the trolley. He just had to, it wasn't an option for you ever. It made him feel helpful and supportive. You took the list out of your pocket as you walked in with him and began looking down the aisles.

"We have to get these crisps, you'll love them." You said, standing on your tip toes.

"I got it baby." Enzo said, barely having to extend his arm to grab the pack. There were times when his height came in handy and this was certainly one of them. One time the two of you had a fight that had started off as a result of something so small and petty and then seemingly didn't stop and just kept getting worse and worse. It was the first night the two of you went to bed without apologies or saying how much you loved one another. The next day you didn't say a word to him, you'd returned from work and Enzo had moved all of your favourite snacks and drinks to the top shelves so you had no choice but to talk to him.

"And can you get those ones as well, my love. That flavour looks good too." You said pointing to the packet next to it.

"Anything for you." He said, grabbing everything you asked for. You carried on walking through the supermarket getting everything you needed to make pizza later.

"I'll get this." You said, putting your card on the card reader first.

"No, no!" Enzo insisted. "Baby, we talked about this".

"I'll pay." You said "It's fine honey". Enzo muttered in Spanish about how he should be the one paying. The two of you walked back to the car and together loaded the shopping into the back of the car and drove back.

"Are you going to let me carry any of the shopping?" You asked.

"Not a chance." Enzo laughed and leaned over to kiss you. You kissed him back and gently tugged on the back of his hair to be able to kiss down his beautifully structured jawline.

"I love you so much." You said, between kisses.

"I love you so much more." He said. He kissed the tip of your nose and rested his forehead against yours. His soft eyelashes gently brushing your skin. "I got the shopping, don't worry." You got out of the car and opened the door for him. Enzo grabbed all the bags and followed you in.

"Baby, one day all the bags are going to break and I don't know what you will do." You said as you began putting everything away. "Leave the pizza ingredients out, my love."

"Anything for you, I will cut mine in to a heart shape." He said, doing as you asked him. You smiled at him.

"I might try and do a star or something, I don't know." You said. "Maybe the shape of a coffee bean."

"You know me so well." He said smiling as the last of the shopping was put away. The sun was beginning to set and the sky was turning a beautiful pink colour. You went out onto the balcony and looked out. The view was beautiful, just like your life now. You heard the doors slide open and Enzo stepped outside. You continued to look out as you felt his strong arms wrap around your waist and pull you closer. He kissed your neck gingerly taking in the smell of your perfume and moisturiser. The two of you fitting together perfectly, the final missing piece of the jigsaw to your life.

[return-of-the-queen-au]

Just thought of the funniest level mod for a hat in time

Disclaimer, if this ends up actually being a thing it'll probably take LOTS of effort and I'll kiss whoever did it because I can't code or make levels for shit

But imagine. You know those mods that have multiple levels? Okay that, but pre disaster subcon.

like we get multiple levels where we get to interact with the people of subcon, the guards, the flower girl, the town folks and even get inside the manor without worrying about a crazy ice monster killing us.

And the levels are just more silly versions of the normal levels we have of subcon.

(Obviously the interpretation of the characters are my versions, but obviously I don't mind seeing how others see things.)

Contractual obligations:

We meet the prince and he greets us right before entering subcon. He notices that we're a foreigner and that we're looking for a specific object. He says he hasn't personally seen 'em, and that he'll help you find them by checking places we can't go in, but days to ask people around to see if they did see the time piece.

And it turns into us doing various (and really easy) tasks for the townsfolk, while also knowing some lore which is just them talking about what's happening rn and their personal lives.

in the end, we get this kid going to us saying he found this hourglass shining and that he noticed we were looking for it, so he gives it to us.

The subcon well: apparently there's some problems in the well, it's clogged and everyone is annoyed about it.

as we go around, the prince jumpscares us by popping out from somewhere (probably an ally or something like that.) doing the iconic snatcher "WHY HELLOOOOO THERE! you didn't forget about me, did ya?"

Before he says anything, he apologies for scaring us. He says how it was really just a prank he found funny. He giggles about it.

But either way, he needs our help.

He noticed how we were really helpful with his subjects and he thought he could ask us a favor to help him too.

he rambles about how he would have made us sign a contract but since we're a kid, he has to stick with shakes of hands and pinky promises.

Then he tells us how the well, or any of them in subcon, are clogged and it's bothering everyone. Especially Vanessa because the well is connected to the pipes in the manor and now they're clogged too (and Vanessa can't take a hot shower and she hates it.)

So he's asking us to help unclog the well (and the pipes) so everyone is happy.

"Normally" he would have asked an actual plumber, not a random kid who is ALSO a foreigner, but for some reason none of them are available and there's no way he's touching the well any time soon. It's too dirty in his opinion.

anyway, the level is similar to the original one from this point, we get the time piece from unclogging everything.

Mail delivery service:

Once again with the prince scaring us to death at random when we start exploring the place.

he apologies again, but not for the scare but because he's asking us again to do stuff. Yes he laughs again at hat kid getting scared.

This time he complains about how literally no one is available and that he bets he soon will have to ask you for your help again.

but this time he has a good offer.

We have to deliver some letters and packages (but this time it's dlc style where we have to deliver under a timer.)

He says that if we do him this little favor he'll give us a time piece he found in a random bush around the manor.

Once we're done, he thanks us, saying how he really needs to hire a new mail man because the last one has gone *poof* for some reason he doesn't know either.

Toilet of doom:

the public bathroom is acting funny. we notice because there's a line with way too many people that passes through the entire town.

once we reach the end (or start.) of the line we see two guards.

When we go talk to them they sound worried, saying how they've been waiting for the guy in there to come out so the others can use the bathroom but guy has been there for HOURS.

They tried asking both the queen and prince but both said they refuse to go near that bathroom, they think it's too filthy (and smelly. Especially smelly.)

when we go and reach for the bathroom door to open it, you struggle and it doesn't open. So we beat it up with the umbrella until it opens and a boss fight happens.

it's pretty much the toilet of doom boss fight but we see everyone around us occasional complaining about the smell.

Queen Vanessa's manor:

Vanessa centric level! We don't see the prince in here.

We basically get asked by two guards to go to the manor because the queen wants to see us, and so we do.

We get all vibes of the queen being some cold hearted dictator and when we enter we head the famous "WHO GOES THERE?!" From Vanessa.

We don't run (because we can't) and when we see Vanessa come in we see the pre monster Vanessa, who immediately recognizes us and goes "oh hello there!!!!! You're the foreigner my dear prince told me about!!!! The one who helped my subject and was kind enough to.....unclog that disgusting bathroom..."

In general, we see Vanessa as some really sweet and kind woman. She even offers us cookies (that aren't poisoned!)

We talk to her for a bit and then she tells us that she asked us to come over because she needed help.

the entire manor is a MESS and normally she would just ask her maids to help her clean, but they would take too long because the manor is big, and she needs the manor squeaky clean because the prince is coming back soon from his studies abroad. (Which is why we don't see him on this level)

So the task is to once again go around the manor, but instead of hiding from Vanessa, we clean around. (There can be maids around, like 2-3. Definitely looking the same or maybe the only difference is the hair.)

Anyway, just like in the og, we can snoop around Vanessa's diary and we get the time piece in the attic.

The final boss fight/your contract has expired: basically right after the whole misunderstanding mess.

We see everyone frozen and the manor doors open.

Stealth little game as we roam around with Vanessa (very angrily) looking for people and crying about the prince cheating on her.

We have the choice to go to the cellar and see the prince freezing there, we can't talk to him but if we're quiet enough we can hear him sniffle and quietly cry.

Anyway!! Once we reach the second floor we see Vanessa and there's this whole chasing part until we go out of the manor. From there we start getting chased AGAIN until we just run away completely from subcon.

The storybook from the time rift will probably be town folks centric during the whole disaster, we see the flower girl and any character we helped in the first level and how they ended up (likely dead and frozen.)

[themissilesilo]

"Yeah, yeah, fiery warrior princess and all that."

"Prove to me you're not possessed by a demonic god in the next five minutes or I will crush both of us with fifteen metric tons of Himalayan salt."

[hedgehoghavoc]

"I am a girlboss, I am a war criminal, I am a lunatic. I am clinically insane and the next Light Gaia and I am never going to die."

[airanke]

I crave to know Agaria, Svanhild and the Leo crew (Alanna, Howitzer, Mikino and Miraj)

I HAVE BEEN ATTACKED BY A LIST OF CHARACTERS

AGARIA!

Flower: Seaside daisy <3 They're so beautiful and grow by the sea and that's very Agaria of them. Gemstone: Sea glass! I know it's not a gemstone, but TBH Sea glass is much better for her than literally anything else haha! Element: Earth <3 Stalwart, hardy, and strong! Color: Salmon pink, the color of the sky when the sun is setting and sometimes rising <3 Word: sillage, "the scent that lingers in the air, the trail left in water, the impression made in space after something or someone has been and gone; the trace of someone's perfume", fits beautifully with her adventurous heart. Food: Crazy Shake! Weapon: Gauntlets for maximum PUNCHING POWER!

SVANHILD!!!

Flower: Skeleton flower... delicate and exposed in rain like she is <3 Gemstone: Quartz! Clear and beautiful and reflects the light in lovely ways. Element: Ice. She leaves a chill on those that meet her, a mix of her poise and her way of speaking. Color: Jagged Ice (D5ECEF WHATEVER THIS BLUE IS, THAT'S HER)! Word: petrichor, "the scent of rain on dry earth". Food: Candied grapes!!! Weapon: Wakizashi! Svanhild is definitely the backup weapon, or a weapon that one might not expect to be there <3

ALANNA!!!

(Also all of Leo's family have specifically chosen flowers that I will tell you why at the end HUEHUE)

Flower: Coneflower!! They are low-maintenance and attract beautiful things and we know this is true of Alanna <3 Gemstone: Granite. I don't know why, I could not TELL YOU WHY, HOWEVER... IT CAME TO MIND, AND I'M STICKING WITH IT. Element: Lots of Earth here. Strong. Supportive. The land beneath Leo's feet. Color: Red - like. R E D . PASSION. Word: eunoia, "beautiful thinking; a well mind" YOU KNOW IT'S TRUE!! Food: Popcorn!! Especially like, caramel corn, or like you know luxury popcorn??? If that's even a thing?? Popcorn drizzled with chocolate and sprinkles!!!! That's Alanna!! Weapon: You already she's a lance, the Warlord that she is.

HOWITZER!!

Flower: Hosta!! Honestly mostly for the leaves, this plant comes with some GORGEOUS leaf options!!! Gemstone: Obsidian. I'm noticing a theme here and it was a little unexpected haha! Element: I know it's not TECHNICALLY an element, but Smoke. This man is all mystery and tricks (given that he's a fucking Soul Hound) Color: Dusky blue - like when fog covers the sky right as it's starting to get dark. That's the color Howitzer is! Word: querencia, "a place from which one's strength is drawn, where one feels at home; the place where you are your most authentic self" is so this man. Food: watermelon salad. With mint. Very specific, but Howitzer is so laid back and relaxed that he would definitely be a refreshing food <3 Weapon: I said dagger initially, but he would be a balisong hands down (y'know, a butterfly knife).

MIKINO!!!

Flower: Hens and chicks. It's a succulent. It has spikies on it but it's PRETTY. Like Mikino. Gemstone: Ruby. A beautiful red to go with Howitzer's OBSIDIAN. Element: Fire. Oh my GOD fire. Color: Wispy gray - she's fog over an early morning sky, maybe with hints of pink in that melancholy gray! Word: ephemeral, "lasting for a very short time" (... you know why. I mean she's not GONE, but... y'know) Food: Salsa - technically not a food, but the variety of things you can put salsa on, and it potentially having the option to be made like, with some sweetness?? Like a mango salsa!!! Spicy and sweet! (Also I say technically not a food because to ME personally Salsa is more of a dip. Like you wouldn't eat a bowl of salsa and call it a meal y'know?) Weapon: not a weapon per se, but a Gjallarhorn suits her. Because Banshee.

MIRAJ!!!!

Flower: Cosmos!! They're so pretty and look delicate but you know Miraj is a tough bean <3 Gemstone: Pearl... lovely little man's, cared for by big ocean father before Leo aaa yes. A little pearl <3 Element: Water. I think. It fits him best, especially given what Time-worn children do (IYKYK). Color: Sunshine yellow!! Joyous color for joyous boy!!! Word: mudita, "taking delight in the happiness of others; vicarious joy" Food: ICE CREAM!!! Weapon: Shield. Unexpected face smack TBQH!

All of their flowers are known for being very resilient and difficult to get rid of 😏

[aishathevar]

Merrock Task #24 - All About Love

A LITTLE ABOUT LOVE

What does love mean to you? - Something steadfast, and reliable. Someone who knows you even at your worst moments.

When is the first time that you can remember experiencing love? - Days my parents took off to spend with me and my sibling. A small thing that didn't mean a lot to me then but does now.

Who is the very first person that you ever loved? - My parents.

How many relationships have you been in? - Probably one serious relationship.

Has love ever gotten you in/out of trouble? - Yes to both.

Do you show your love through grand or small gestures? - I appreciate the small gestures. Something that proves you were thinking about them over time rather than something flashy to show-off.

How do you feel about saying ‘I love you’? Is it easy for you, or hard? - Depends on the person, I think. With family, and friends, it comes easy, but with someone you are vulnerable with...then yes.

Is there a difference between loving someone and being in love with them? If so, what is it? - It is different, considering you can think you love someone, until you truly get to know them and what being with them could entail.

Do you love yourself? - Yes!

HEARTBREAK & THE DOWNSIDE

Have you ever had your heart broken? - In a way.

Have you ever broken someone’s heart? - Yes.

What is the worst break-up that you’ve experienced? - I don't think any was ever that deep in my opinion to consider it the worst.

How do you typically handle a break-up? - A bit of sulking, though I do bounce back pretty quick, since I know it's probably for the best in the long run.

Have you ever cheated on/been cheated on before? - Absolutely not.

What’s your go-to movie, song, food or activity that you need to get through a break-up? - Rocky road ice cream, and movies with sad endings.

Did your last relationship end well? - On my end, yes. Though maybe not the most mature way to go as far as breakups go.

SINGLE & READY TO MINGLE

Do you enjoy being single? - It's not the worst.

In your opinion, why are you single at the moment? - Not a big one to openly acknowledge any feels that come my way.

Do you like to date? - Not really, if I never had to go on another first date, I'd be happy.

What is your favorite way to meet new people? - Being at the right place at the right time, or maybe meeting cute strangers at the club, not so much online as recently.

Are you on any dating apps at the moment? - Yes

Have you ever gone on a blind date? - Yes

What kind of relationship are you most interested in? - Something worth sticking around for.

What is the best part of being single? - Having time devoted to just myself, not having to check in with someone else.

What is the worst part of being single? - The Valentine's season does remind me I'm a bit lonely in some ways.

What are you looking for in a partner? - Someone considerate, thoughtful, and willing to put up with my spontaniety and yapping.

THE SPICY STUFF

Do you enjoy sex? - Yes

How long have you been sexually active? - Maybe since I was 17-18?

If you are single, are you still sexually active with others? - Kind of?

Are you the casual sex type, or do you need a relationship? - I do appreciate a good dalliance now and then, but I am a relationship girly at heart.

What kind of lover do you consider yourself to be? - A very giving one iykyk.

Sex toys in the bedroom? - Why not?

Have you ever had sex in public? - I plead the fifth.

FUN STUFF ABOUT LOVE

What is your favorite love song? - So My Darling (acoustic) by Rachel Chinouriri

Favorite romantic movie? - Crazy Rich Asians

Best date that you have ever been on? - One that was surprised to me without me knowing by an ex. She took on planning every aspect, and it was very endearing.

What’s a meal that says 'I love you’? - Any type of food dish that is special to whoever made it. If it was taught by a relative, or learned it in a cooking class, whenever it is made with love, or with thought it is a love language to me.

What type of valentines would you send out if you were in school? - Probably something prepacked, and whatever was popular at the time.

Favorite Valentine’s day candy? - Conversation hearts

Who was your first celebrity or “famous’ crush? - Zoe Kravitz and Theo James specifically from their roles in Divergent.

How do you feel about Valentine’s Day? - It's a cute day for celebrating any type of relationship, platonic or otherwise.

Do you decorate for Valentine’s Day / the season? - Of course! Whether it be just me, or with help from the roomies, I love decorating for the season.

What are your Valentine’s day plans? - I'll be working.

[themissilesilo]

"Hey! Mobius to Sonic! Snap out of it and pay attention, I haven't even gotten to the part about the Time Eater."

Not sure what the badger is talking about... but they sure are cute.

[hiccanna-tidbits]

@jackunzel-time

Jackunzel Month Week 2 - Coming of Age

***

"Okay, can I look now?"

"Not yet!"

The kitchen is once again filled with the sounds of Rapunzel banging around, plates and dishware clattering as she searches the fridge. Jack's got a sneaking suspicion this all has something to do with the huge, tinfoil-covered mound on the top shelf.

For an entire week, Rapunzel insisted they put every ounce of leftovers in the bottom half of the fridge, ignoring the Mysterious Object™️like a leaky faucet you handn't gotten around to fixing. Not that Rapunzel doesn't occasionally need her home fridge for work-related things, but she isn't normally cagey about it.

Jack once again resists the urge to peek out of the blindfold.

"Come ooooon, Zellie! This anticipation is going to kill me before our starving artist lifestyle does."

Rapunzel laughs. "Starving? I'll have you know, sir, that I've had no less than 5 whole french fries today!"

Considering it was 9 pm, this was not an ideal french fry quota. Rapunzel definitely had time to eat more fries today.

Jack wonders idly if Rapunzel's just getting too caught up in her work to take lunch breaks, or if her manager is crunching her deadlines again.

Before he can get too far into plotting how he would swap her boss's salt and sugar without getting Rapunzel in trouble, he hears the distinctive sound of a lighter.

"Are you torching our apartment?" he asks. "Because if so, I'm very offended I wasn't invited to participate."

Rapunzel scoffs. "Don't be silly! Like I'd set the place on fire without getting home insurance first. And it isn't as though either of us can afford that."

"You're still making me nervous. Usually I'm the one who plays the pranks."

"Hmmm, well...that would have been a good idea, actually." Rapunzel sounds a little regretful. "But no tricks today, I promise. Now open your eyes!"

And at last, Jack gets to see what all the fuss is about.

A stunning, snow-white cake sits in the middle of their dining room table, covered in sparkly silver candy orbs and carefully sculpted fondant snowflakes. All around the side are little hand-painted winter scenes, meticulously crafted by an icing brush in a process that must've taken hours. On top, a "2" and a "6" candle sit ablaze.

Rapunzel, of course, spends all day at work decorating cakes. It's her career. (Or, at least, it has been for the past 6 months--the longest she's gone without leaving a job to date.)

It still seems like she went the extra mile with this one.

"What--" For a long moment, all Jack can do is stare with his mouth hanging open.

"What the hell," he says finally. "How did I forget today was my birthday???"

Rapunzel's surprise quickly turns to laughter.

"Oh my god, how did you forget?"

Easy for her to say. Back when Rapunzel lived with her crazy mom, who practically kept her a prisoner in her own house, birthdays were easily the most interesting thing that happened all year. Birthdays with the Overlands were always much more...lowkey, so to speak.

"In my defense!" He holds up his hands. "Nothing interesting happens when you turn 26. Pretty much all the milestones are finished, so it's just another orbit around the sun."

"Nonsense!" Rapunzel sticks her lip out in disapproval. "That's no way to talk about your coming-of-age ceremony!"

"Coming-of-age?" He raises his eyebrows. "I think we missed the cutoff for that a while ago."

"Well, 26 is your age now." She crosses her arms, chin up defiantly. "And you have come to it. So therefore you have come of age."

He chuckles. "Is that how that works?"

"Why not? Teenagers and college kids shouldn't get to have all the fun!"

"My point still stands, though," he argues. "You don't really...unlock the same kind of stuff in your 20s that you do when you're younger. It's not like there are new magical adventures that you suddenly have access to when the clock strikes 12 on your 26th birthday."

"Says who?"

His girlfriend's conniving smirk sends a wave of excitement through him. What is she plotting?

"Did you find an elite 26-and-over club to join?"

"Not exactly." She leans over the table, smirk widening. "But someone did have a chat with your boss about how many great snowscape photo opportunities there are in the mountains, and how you're going to need to not come into the office for while to get all the best shots."

Jack's eyes widen as her meaning dawns on him. "And Mr. North was cool with that? Me taking a vacation right before the holidays?"

"I mean. He could hardly resist the offer of having his best photographer out getting festive snapshots for the December issue of the magazine. You'd do more good on the field than stuck behind an editing desk, right?"

"No kidding."

Jack sits down, getting ready to blow out the unexpected birthday candles. He pauses, something occurring to him.

"Wait, what about you? I'm not about to go off and leave you to handle the bakery's holiday rush on your own!"

Rapunzel hums thoughtfully.

"Well, funny thing. I told our head baker that I just hadn't been feeling very inspired lately. And if I went somewhere, say, fresh and exciting, then the muse was sure to strike again and I'd pump out a collection of the most beautiful winter cakes the bakery's ever known. Ones to really send that holiday profit flooding in."

"So...you snuck around and got us both a week off for my birthday by spinning it as a work trip? And on top of that, you just casually whipped out the most gorgeous birthday cake I've ever seen in my life?"

She nods, beaming.

"You're my goddamn hero."

He stands up and sweeps her into his arms, pulling her into a kiss worthy of being the Big Dramatic Finale to any coming-of-age film. All these years later, and it still feels like cameras should be spinning around them with rock music building into a triumphant crescendo.

Maybe that's cheesy, but to hell with it.

"Have I ever mentioned I'm in love with you?" he murmurs against her lips.

"I would hope so, Overland. We've been dating for 9 years now."

***

Half a hazelnut chocolate cake and two celebratory hot cocoas later, Jack finds himself being dragged toward the car in the encroaching darkness of 5:30 pm.

"Zel, what--"

"Come on! I booked us a night in a cabin, and we need to take off before the roads get icy. It's supposed to snow in a couple hours!"

"But what about--"

"I packed the car while you were at work." Rapunzel doesn't miss a beat. "Don't worry, I grabbed all your favorite sweaters! Your snowboarding stuff too. And the sleeping bags. And the cozy socks. And the snow chains. And the binoculars. And the sled. And the scarves."

He doesn't have time to form a reply before he's being bundled into the front seat and covered in one of his favorite fluffy blankets. The sheer amount of alpine field guides and brochures on the car floor make him do a double take.

"You have an itinerary?" he asks, surprised.

She hums uncertainly as she pulls out of the driveway.

"Well...nothing too rigid. No coming-of-age road trip of self-discovery can be that structured, or else it might get in the way of spontaneous epiphanies about who you truly are, right?"

"Right."

Rapunzel looks like she's about to burst open with what she isn't saying.

"I sense a 'but' there."

"I did find a really cute place for us to sled." The dam breaks as Rapunzel pulls out of the driveway. "And there's this secluded little mountain animal rescue we have to see. And this four-star cafe we can stop at for hot cider and soup, and this really pretty snowy hike that I don't think is too tiring. Also this ski and snowboard slope we can check out if we have time, with this really cozy lodge, and--"

She cuts herself off mid-sentence as soon as she picks up that all this might be a little overwhelming.

"Buuuuut," she amends slowly. "It's not like I've put down a deposit for anything. We could just drive through the mountains and stop whenever we feel the urge. Find the best secret spots and have them to ourselves, you know? Have deep conversations and be alone with nature and reconnect with our humanity and our sense of purpose. Or something like that."

He can't help but laugh at the way her brow scrunches as she goes deep into thought.

"That sounds great."

"Do you...have a preference?" She gives him a searching look as they pull onto the freeway, already glowing with streetlamps and taillights. "Agenda or no agenda?"

"Whatever you're down for, I'm down for. Hell, I'm just happy to have an unexpected week of vacation."

"I guess that's the thing about these types of 'finding yourself' stories. You kind of have to figure them out as you go along."

"Then let's do some figuring!"

Rapunzel hits the gas, and off they go into the winter sunset, bound for their next coming-of-age adventure. One to perhaps be followed by many more, depending on how many future ages they deem it significant to "come to."

***

Tfw you keep aging but The Blorbos™️do not, so the only logical solution is to force them to age with you XD God dammit, if I have to be in my mid-20s, then so do my comfort characters!!!

Fr tho, I often find myself wishing there were more aged-up AUs in the RotBTD fandom. Most fandom olds returning to (or who stayed in) the fandom aren't the teenagers we were when we first got into the big four anymore, so...why not let them grow up with us??? It's not like their canon ages are some sacred, set-in-stone thing that can't be changed since people do in fact get older as time passes ajdnlshbf

And like!!! Don't get me wrong, I love a well-done high school or college AU, and they can be a lot of fun!!! But I think as I've gotten older I wonder more about how the RotBTD kids would navigate adulthood, and how they would change/adapt and how they would stay the same throughout their lives.

Jackunzel I feel like would be one of those couples who would just be it for each other. Like they get together in late high school--probably junior or senior year--and everyone keeps waiting for the spark to die in college and for them to get stir-crazy (as people who get into committed relationships young often do) or bored of each other, and they just. Don't. MFs hit 30 and are still in the honeymoon phase with no sign of getting out XD

Rapunzel is so right here btw. Twenty-somethings DO deserve to have indie coming-of-age dramas made about them!!! Kids and teens and college students shouldn't get to have all the fun!!! Besides, there's plenty of growing/maturing still to do in young adulthood, so why stop writing stories about that just because the people in question are out of school??? Tbh I'm so tired of movies with adult protagonists being either fluffy (hetero) romcoms or a drama about Some Guy with a wife and kids like??? There are other types of adults besides straights in the dating pool and middle-aged people with tidy little nuclear families!!! I promise!!!

Guess I'll just have to write all those funky little RotBTD twenty-something AUs myself ajshdkuys

Shout-out to the RotBTD discord for giving me the idea of having Rapunzel be a cake decorator and Jack be a photographer! I sometimes struggle a bit with future career ideas for the RotBTD kids, but these fit really well :D Jack definitely seems like the kind of person who would like something freelance and loose-scheduled where he basically gets paid to capture the beauty in the world around him :O And we know Rapunzel can bake, and she likes art, so...

CAKE ART CAKE ART CAKE ART CAKE ART

VERY happy I found that snowflake-and-orb cake, because that definitely seems like something Jack would enjoy 🤍❄️ And now I kind of want to try it 👀👀👀I DO have to wonder how they did that little picture with the tree and the car :O

As always, moodboard pic credits available upon request!

[slocumjoe]

how would companions be at the beach? who gets sunburnt for a week? who tries drowning who?

Companions have a Beach Episode

Cait; is kicking ass and taking names at volley ball. Any who step up to the net are swiftly executed, either by shame of their devastation, or Cait spiking too hard and beaning them in the head. Being a ginger, this girlie is 2x vulnerable to sunburn. Doesn't put on sunscreen, thinks its dumb. Regrets this immensely. But before her skin starts peeling off of her like an onion, and in between claiming victims, she's throwing back fun beach cocktails. Doesn't drink water. On a hot, sunny day. When she's exerting herself. Also comes to regret this. This could have gone much worse if she didn't gorge herself at the BBQ. She wears baggy swim shorts and a loose tank top.

Codsworth; Hangs out at a gazebo with a makeshift kitchen/bar area. He's not risking sand getting in delicate places, absolutely not. No, Codsy stays nice and cozy, and makes those aforementioned cocktails, as well as other cold drinks and food. When he isn't serving something or cooking, indulges in some sort of activity, like a puzzle book, a normal novel, something like that. He enjoys the energy of the beach, the sand and sun and surf, but practically...he just really wants to take a broom to it, y'know? Just...just to see if he could...but that's rude to nature. So, it's best he keep to a more manageable area. One that doesn't give him cleaning itches.

Curie; Sets up a beach towel under an umbrella, and relaxes with a good book and iced drink. Despite not going out in the sun, puts on sunscreen to set an example. Periodically chases people down with a bottle if they've yet to apply it. You are not allowed to get skin cancer on her watch. When she isn't hunting Cait for sport, Curie is simply enjoying the beachy soundscape, warmth, and general chill vibes. Will get up and check on everyone, make sure they're drinking water, et cetera. Half of her time is spent relaxing, the other half Mama Hen-ing. These people lack self-preservation instincts and it kind of drives her crazy. Wears a pastel blue two-piece with ruffles.

Danse; is in his element. Warm weather, fishing, grilling, bright-colored, gaudy-patterned shirts. This is his happy place. Gets a cooler of beer, a pole, and sits by the shore, soaking up sun like a cat. Lives out his ideal life as an old beach bum and for once, has a good day. This is Danse at his peak. He shows up in knee-length khaki shorts, socks and sandals, and a borderline-neon floral button up. Anything he catches, he grills over at Codsworth's gazebo. Spends his day fishing, bbqing, and drinking, and shocks everyone with the fact that, yes, Danse is capable of basic joy and relaxation. Just...very sparingly.

Deacon; Redhead. Unlike Cait, knows the divine agony that is a bad sunburn, and lathers himself in sunscreen. Wears a speedo, crocs, and an obnoxious sunscreen streak on his nose. Participates in volley ball, wrist is sprained by a hard serve from the Red Menace herself. Afterwards, lets Piper and later, MacCready, use him as a sculpture base. Seeing as his day was spent underneath piles of sand, didn't do much. Had a lot of drinks, though, courtesy of Piper engineering a long curly straw for him. Has to be dug out for BBQ against his will, wanted to spend the rest of his life as a mermaid. When he emerges, is caked in sand and looks like a golumn. All that sunscreen turned against him. For the next week, greets people with "Hi, I have so much sand in my ass, how ya doin'?"

Gage; Tends to dislike casual, hang-out activities on principle. Whereas Danse doesn't like them due to his social anxiety and gets nervous around people. Gage doesn't like them because he doesn't like people period. The beach is one such activity, with the added bonus of causing him physical pain. Due to his half-blindness, prolonged exposure to brightness really strains the one eye, so he sticks to Codsworth's gazebo for shade. The ocean is basically a giant disco ball and that shit triggers migraines for him. Spends the day observing the others and chainsmoking. Keeps tally of Cait's various volley ball crimes. Plays catch with Dogmeat until the pooch collapses from exhaustion. Generally does what Gage is always doing—keeping tabs and making notes. Also, mooching off free food.

Hancock; the thing about Hancock, is that it's difficult to keep him in order. You're rarely going to see him in a group, doing group pre-ordained stuff. He sticks around the others for maybe ten minutes before he wanders off to see whatever he can find. Comes back a while later with his pockets full of rocks, shells, even bones. Codsworth empties a bucket for him to put his treasure in, and Hancock's back out on the hunt. Spends his day beachcombing. Brings back stuff for MerDeacon, gets a big clump of kelp for the hair, and seashells for modesty. Hancock just paces up and the down the beach, pondering shit, collecting shit. Basically this image;

MacCready; didn’t intend on sculpting a mermaid onto Deacon, but God presented him an opportunity. MacCready has based his entire life on taking opportunities given to him. Has so many fruity drinks as he crafts his masterpiece. Whereas Piper is more interested in forming the excavation site around the corpse of this behemoth sea monster, MacCready's more interested in giving the Deac very crude and childish features, such as breasts in the image of Deacon himself. But wait, aren't mermaids seals? Seals have multiple nipples, right? Guess we have to make more Deacon tits! This descent into madness might have something to do with the copious pina coladas he put away. Getting beaned in the head by Cait also probably didn't help. Wears gym shorts and a tank top.

Nick; Curie had the right idea. Only, Nick improves on it by moving his spot much, much farther down the beach. Takes a radio, wine coolers, and various books that he goes through over the day. Reads shlock romance pulp fiction, because he felt it more thematically appropriate to the beach. Has a few towels down for cushy-ness, being an old man. Needs his back supported. He wears shorts and a long, thin-material cardigan, almost like a robe. Wouldn't look out of place telling an officer he most definitely didn't kill his husband. Nick appears later at lunch/dinner/dinch, but until then, he's sequestering himself under an umbrella and he's having a moment of peace. Considered participating in whatever the others were doing at one point. Decided against it when he saw whatever the hell was happening with Deacon.

Piper; was almost a victim of Cait, dipped when a volley ball went past her head and it sounded like an actual bullet. Wisely moved out of the firing zone and began construction of a sandcastle. She blinked, and there was Deacon, and six nipple-Deacons. Doesn’t know how it happened. Didn't question it. Turned her castle into the excavation site of a prehistoric sea creature, washed ashore and buried beneath the sand. It pays to be adaptable like that. Piper spends a good chunk of the day pissing, as she's the type to need so much water when its hot out. She doesn't start slinging back fun cocktails until its lunch/dinner/dinch. Then, it's a cocktail for every hotdog, burger, serving of fish...and Piper can put away bbq. Wears a red halter one-piece.

Preston; is the only one to consistently survive Cait's bloodbath, so he keeps her busy, so as to let the others escape her rubbery death blows. Basically just plays ball with her until she gets tired, same as Gage with Dogmeat. Preston takes some breaks, and drinks water, but its a matter of attrition. Its an endurance test. He passes by the skin of his teeth. The game ends once Cait is lured away by bbq and alcohol. At that point, Preston is better considered a husk than a man. Drops an ice pack on the ground and lays face-down on it, and takes a nap like that.

X6-88; shows up in his usual black trench coat and not a single bead of sweat forms. Haunts the gazebo for sugary drinks and treats. Everyone tries to ignore him because they get second-hand heat stroke just looking at him. He's loathe to get near the water and loathe to get sand in his clothing. Becoming the Phantom of the George Foreman Grill was the only outcome for him. Backseat sous chef, constantly questioning Danse and Codsworth's methods or choices. Codsworth politely takes the criticism, and ignores it. Danse just chucks candy into the bushes to lure him away.

[themissilesilo]

"So was she a Chao, Emerald, or Secret Surviving Echidna? Be specific Rad Red."

Girl what the fuck.

“My mother???”

[kedreeva]

Steve gets to have the talk with Jonathan that he wanted to have at the end of S1

I know who sent this one, and I know why she went on anon, and I SEE YOU, SUNSHINE.

collected on AO3

-----

It doesn’t take long for Steve to feel out of place in the too-bright waiting room. He’s exhausted and achy and still reeling from spinning his entire life hard 180 degrees only to find himself in utter freefall. He’d already had his own injuries looked at and been told to have someone keep an eye on him for his concussion, but there was no one at home, so he’d collapsed into the nearest unoccupied chair.

But now the lights are too bright and the kids had all shot up to see their friend when he woke up, and the adults had either gone with them or disappeared for business, and Steve finds himself once again alone. The silence - or near-silence anyway - is nice, but every time the dying light down the hall flickers, his heart kicks his ribs and he’s right back in Jonathan’s living room. He’s watching the girl he loves point a gun at his face while his misconception of the world as a safe place falls apart behind her.

He heaves himself to his feet, and heads for the door.

The chill November air greets him sharply, and he welcomes the way it braces him. He doesn’t go far – not supposed to be alone – just leans against the cold bricks of the front entrance to take a few deep breaths. He closes his eyes, head tipping back against the stone.

The door opens to his right, and he hates the way his hands twitch for a weapon, so he sticks them in his pockets as Jonathan joins him. He doesn’t know what to say, how to break the ice; he’d broken too much already in the past 24 hours. How can the knowledge of what he’d said live right there beside the knowledge that he’d lay down his life for this boy without a single thought? Sorry isn’t big enough to bridge the gap he'd made between them.

“How’s your brother?” he says, because he has to say something or he’ll crawl out of his skin and they’ve had enough of that tonight.

“Alive. Happy to see his friends,” Jonathan says, not looking over as he leans back against the wall now that he’s had an invitation. He puffs out a laugh. “Maybe not as happy as the kids were to see him.”

Steve manages a thin smile around the shards of his heart. He cannot imagine having friends that care that much, the sort that would go to the ends of the earth for him, that would burn it to the ground to save him. Tommy’s loyalty ended at a single rejection.

Jonathan may have rightfully kicked Steve’s ass, but he’d also taken his hand. He can still feel the gut-pull shiver of Jonathan demanding jump and his own instant and unthinking obedience. He can still see the flicker of lights through the window. He can still hear his one, crystal thought: he can’t leave them.

Not Nancy. Them.

“They’re good kids,” he says quietly. “Your brother too.” His breath twists up in his lungs as his face pinches up. “Look, I uh- I shouldn’t have said what I said about him. Or you.”

Jonathan remains quiet, not looking at Steve for so long that Steve nearly opens his mouth to continue the apology he’d gone there to make, but Jonathan beats him to the punch again. “It was pretty shitty of you. Honest, but shitty.”

“It wasn’t,” Steve says, and then quickly amends- “Honest, I mean. That’s why- I don’t know, dude. Maybe you knocked some sense into me. I was being a huge dick to you because I couldn’t handle my own problems.”

“King Steve has problems?” Jonathan asks, though it sounds more like a barb than a question.

Steve pulls a hand from his pocket to run it through his hair. “I guess,” he says with a little shake of his head. “I don’t know what it is about Nancy. It’s like… she’s the first person that’s ever looked at me like she just… expects me to be a better person than I am. And the crazy thing is, when she looked at me like that, I wanted to be, I just… I didn’t know how. I either had to climb up to her level or drag her down to mine and when I saw I saw the two of you, I was just… I dunno. Furious.”

“It wasn’t like that,” Jonathan says. It’s not the truth, Steve knows; or at least, it’s not the whole truth.

“It was, but that’s not- that wasn’t it. I thought it was, but it wasn’t,” Steve admits. It feels weird to say it aloud. “I thought I was mad that she… would come down to my level, I guess? After I let myself think… it doesn’t matter. And I was mad at you for… I dunno. Being the reason.”

“Nothing happened, Steve,” Jonathan says, a little hotly.

“That’s not true,” Steve says. “I mean, yeah, okay, you two didn’t screw or whatever, but… something happened. She went to you for help. Not me. Or, y’know, it’s- it’s worse than that. She did come to me, and I was too much of an asshole to help her. I was too worried about my dad’s opinion. He’s not even- It’s stupid. I should have helped her sooner. I was furious at myself for not listening to her. I should have.”

Jonathan doesn’t argue that, and Steve tries again to pull the knife of the realization from his gut, but it doesn’t move. She’d needed help, and he’d walked away, and he’d gotten exactly what he’d deserved for it. He’d gotten off easy, looking back.

“Well, you can’t go back,” Jonathan says, almost as if he’d read Steve’s mind. “None of us can, after this. There's only forward.”

“Yeah,” Steve agrees. He’s going to try to get back to normal, or make a new normal at least. He’s going to make sure they think this is over, and then he’s going to do his level fucking best to forget any of this ever happened.

Almost any of it, anyway. Maybe not the part where he's trying, now.

“I’m sorry,” he says, trips over the words in his rush to make good on his decision. “I meant- I meant to say that, before. It’s why I… came over to your place. I wanted to apologize. Even before the monsters.”

He’d wanted to apologize once the monster had gone, but Nancy had rushed them into the cars and told him to meet them at the school gymnasium, and then they’d been so frantically trying to find where the kids had disappeared to that nothing had even been explained until they finally sat down at the hospital. Steve still isn’t sure he totally understands, but he’s not sure if there’s explanation missing or if it’s the concussion talking.

“I already… told Tommy and Carol off, that bridge burned pretty goddamn quick. I cleaned off the theater sign. I was coming to apologize to you, and then I was going to see Nancy, and apologize to her, too,” he adds, remembering the speech he’d thought about the entire drive out to Jonathan’s house. “I want to do better. I messed up and I don’t know if I can make up for it, but I want to do better.”

“Okay,” Jonathan says. Simple as that.

“Okay?” Steve echoes dumbly.

Jonathan shrugs and pushes away from the wall. “Yeah. You want to do better- okay. But, I’m freezing my ass off out here. Come back inside.”

Jump.

Steve pushes away from the wall, too, and follows him inside.