#‘spiffy’ I’m crying

[noelletism]

she’s so sassy sometimes, but she’s also a huuuuuuuge fucking dork :P love her

[thatsdemko]

without you there’s nothing to live for - l.norris

masterlist

pairings: lando norris x fem!reader

warnings: jealousy + insecurities + fluff + build up(kinda long I’m sorry about that) + some errors here or there

a/n: while I had bits and pieces of this work in millions of other lando drafts I think I have to give credit where it’s due to @userlando and her anons ☺️🫶 I’m in such a shit mood so i figured posting this might make me feel better. enjoy xx

Lando Norris was annoying. a childhood friend of yours that somehow stuck throughout the years and never seemed to vanish. he was like a a piece of gum stuck to your shoe, he just never left.

and while you’re thankful he’s the longest lasting friendship you have; did you fail to mention he could be annoying?

his hands drum against the kitchen island, a distraction worthy of you flicking your pencil in his direction, but he’s too quick the pencil would just end up behind him, so you result in throwing him a very pointed look that shuts him up.

“is that pencil up your ass too today?”

you give him another look before staring down at the empty grocery list you failed to create, because lando has claimed your flat as his flat. the lavish lifestyle penthouse was abandoned at the instant call of your arrival to Monaco, and now all of his expensive taste clutters your space.

“did you put eggs on the list? I need eggs. it’s good protein—“ he shuts up to the sound of you breaking the pencil in half, another annoyed look tossed his way.

lando could be a lot. but there was no one who could keep up with you. there was no one like him in your corner, and while he pushed your buttons you were eternally grateful for his loyalty despite your rather jaded friendship.

“let’s just go to the store? I’ll drive.” he says like there’s another alternative to the store. ever since he got his license and moved in, you’ve never even put your foot on the accelerator. you’ve almost forgot the thrilling feeling of driving.

“eggs have been added to the list.” you finally say, typing up your notes of a grocery list once you were finally able to think straight without lando tapping away or chatting your ear off.

god was he annoying, but you loved him for him.

—

his wallet funds are bigger than what you have. you feel guilty every time he buys, but it’s not like you have the funds to do so. he knows that guilty look across your face when he ends up paying for 10% groceries and 90% female hygiene products. he doesn’t mind, just shoves his card in the machine and says a thank you for the person who bags your things.

“you have to let me pay you back—“

“no, nonsense.” he cuts you off, the conversation goes like it always does. you beg, and beg, to try and wiggle in a payback, but he refuses. all those years of your parents giving him shelter, taking him to races, or letting him play in your backyard it’s the least he could do.

“but the price adds up, and you’re paying for most of the rent—“

“I won’t have this conversation with you. just get in the car.” he says it without letting you have another word in. it’s his turn to shoot you down with pointed looks every time you try to mention money.

“y/n?! is that you?”

lando’s heart nearly drops to his stomach at the sound of that voice—that voice, being your ex boyfriend. he came out of nowhere, like the stalker he is, and finds himself walking around lando’s spiffy mclaren with wide eyes and confusion at your presence with the formula one driver. he must’ve forgotten lando was your best friend.

“you going to introduce me to your new boyfriend?”

before you can protest lando shakes his hand. you can tell by the grip lando has on him it’s a firm hard handshake. one to prove a point about the 2 a.m calls of you crying to your best friend from across the world. he was a shitty man, and maybe showing lando off like that would put him in his place.

“this is lando, you guys met awhile back.” you say.

you watch the two of their eyes glimmer in the sunlight with hatred for one another. lando was the guy you told him not to worry about— and he still was— and he was the guy lando was desperately wanting to kick ass.

“don’t remember that.”

“I actually remember, didn’t you spend half the night snogging another girl?” lando’s gentle reminder makes your ex’s face flush pale. you watch a little smile lift to lando’s lips before you both excuse yourselves to head home.

“my new boyfriend is so cool.” you say in a sarcastic tone once it’s just the two of you in his car.

lando let’s out laugh, and just puts the car in reverse. the simple act makes your head spin. his hand reaching behind the head of your seat, the way his eyes quickly glance on you before he looks back to ensure no one is coming. these thoughts were never present until this run in. would lando be a good boyfriend?

you can’t help but explore those thoughts in the twenty minute car ride home in pure silence.

your mind wanders to the idea of waking up to him in your bed. his legs tangled with yours, lazy soft kisses pressed your cheeks. you could melt at just the thought of it.

or maybe he’d make you eggs. you’d wake to the smell of bacon grease and him shirtless—like he always is in the kitchen— creating a masterpiece meal that you devour in minutes.

what switch has suddenly changed in you? because now when you look at lando, your heart does things it never did before. your head spins of ideas of him as your boyfriend and it’s so sickening you could throw up.

“I’m going to unload the groceries, you’re more than welcome to sit and stare into space for as much as you need.” his words spook you. a little yelp escaped your lips that he’d caught you. your eyes bug wide—like they always are when you get into your daydreams— and mind so full you lose track of time and often forget your surroundings. you had no clue you’d been sitting in the driveway this whole time.

“where do you want the tampons again? I seem to forget.”

“under the bathroom sink please.”

you wonder if you can shove your thoughts under there too. a nap is needed to clear your mind of whatever seems to be boggling it all about lando.

—

a nap certainly did help, however, waking up to lando shirtless in your bed also napping? yeah, all that hard work of suppressed thoughts came right back.

you think about taking your finger and running it all over the divots, curves, and muscles of his body. you think about how much stronger he’s been looking lately and how the little hair on his chin is growing onto you. what is going on with you?

it was common for lando to come in your room and sleep with you. nightmares were rare for you, but they happened more often than you expected and lando always wanted to be there for it. but this was just a nap? why did he have to come in and sleep with you? he could’ve just slept in his own bed, that certainly would’ve helped your heart if he did.

you roll out of bed and tip toe around your bed, until your heart makes you stop. you stare at his peaceful state. the way his curls fall over his forehead, the thick long lashes you desperately want, the soft smile on his lips— his eyes are opening, shit, you think to yourself.

you quickly book it out of the room to save yourself from the embarrassment of him catching you watching him sleep. what a creep you were becoming in the matter of hours. this is why you shouldn’t like your best friend. hell, this is why you shouldn’t let your man best friend live with you. it was destined for one of you to fall in love.

but it was also destined for you to most likely get your heart broken.

lando doesn’t date women like you. you’ve seen his roster of women rotating in and out of your place, none of them looked like you: an average woman with average looks. who’d want that?

a little part of hope lingers in your chest when you see him enter the kitchen. his lips press against your temple as he mumbles a good morning.

“how was your nap?”

“not long enough.” you admit watching him type away on his phone. his elbows are pressed against the granite counter tops, his fingers work vigorously against the screen. a little smile appears on his lips that make you nauseous. it could just be max, but it could be another girl.

almost two hours ago this wouldn’t of mattered to you. you wouldn’t of cared if lando invited a girl over and you stayed locked up in your room, but now all of a sudden it’s bothersome.

“what’s got you all smiley?” you ask, partially out of curiosity but partially to just kill your heart with his response. he sets his phone face down on the counter resting his chin in the palm of his hand, “max is coming over, and so is pietra.”

“exciting.” you grin, though the words disagree with your expression making his face drop with worry.

“are you worried max is going to take your best friend spot? he could never, y/n.”

best friend. yeah, that’s all you’ll ever be when girls like ria and pietra exist. deadly beauty that could put a man in his place. when was yours ever going to show up?

—

you’re tipsy off the expensive bottle of wine max brought. your body is pressed against lando’s for support as you all laugh about something max said. you can’t help but wrap your arms around his strong bicep, resting your head against his shoulder listening to pietra expose Max’s recent mess up.

lando doesn’t take notice in the way you’re seated. he knows you’re beside him based off the heat that radiates off your body. you always got overly warm when drunk, and sometimes a bit too affectionate, but he didn’t mind. he actually loved it when you wanted to be beside him.

“so when did this happen?” pietra points her finger between you two, a bright smile pressed against her lips as she cozies herself up to her own boyfriend.

lando clears his throat. he practically yanks his arm out of your grip leaving you to fall back against the cushions beside him. you hide your face into his back out of embarrassment suddenly becoming aware of how you two look. “oh umm—“

“oh gosh! I’m so sorry. I think it’s the wine talking in me.” she quickly apologizes, a blush filters her face similar to yours.

“it’s not the first time today that’s happened.”

“do tell,” max sits on the edge of his seat listening to lando explain the run in, your face is still pressed into his back. you’re hoping that maybe if you just stay there you would disappear into thin air or end up in your bedroom sound asleep away from all of this.

“I still want to kick that guys ass—“

“wait,” pietra cuts off max, her voice demands all the attention in the room. you pry your head from out of lando and peer behind him at her, “you didn’t even tell him you are just friends? you let him assume that you’re dating?”

lando’s mouth opens and closes. nothing seems to come out making max throw his head back in a laughing fit, “oh god! I owe ria money for this, you like y/n!”

Lando’s face is flushed red, a similar color to the glass of wine in his hands. there was nothing he could say. he couldn’t even protest it when it was true. he hadn’t even realized he never corrected your ex boyfriend, because truth be told, he wanted to be shown off as your boyfriend.

“come on pietra, let’s leave these two alone.”

they leave as quick as they came, leaving only the half full bottle of wine for yourselves. you both sit in silence, no one musters up the courage to speak.

you both get ready for bed like nothing happened. the awkward silence eats you up. you want to speak up and tell him you feel the same, you want things to go back to normal. you just want annoying lando back.

when you finally finish your nighttime regiment, you’re ready for bed. you turn the corner into your bedroom and see the silhouette of lando reflecting against the wall. your night light was on, and he was laying in your bed, cozied up under the covers.

“sleeping in here tonight?” you ask slipping under the covers beside him, he moves himself closer to you occupying the middle of the bed.

“you don’t mind, do you?”

you shake your head curling your body against his, “I like it when you sleep with me.” you say making a sense of pride soar through his chest. he likes the way your body molds against his.

“your new boyfriend will protect you.” he smiles down at you, carefully place a kiss to your forehead before reaching over and turning off your lamp.

“thank goodness he’s here, I can’t sleep without him.”

“you know I’m talking about myself right?” he lifts his neck up, face looking down at you, your eyes closed practically half asleep already.

“goodnight, boyfriend.”

“goodnight, girlfriend.”

tags: @oconso @xcicix @imsorare @weasleyswizardwheezes-blog @monzabee @lpab @frreyaa @motorsp0rt @lovelytsunoda @smoothopz

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[gh0stsp1d3r]

ℒℯ𝒶𝓋ℯ 𝒽ℯ𝓇 𝒶𝓁ℴ𝓃ℯ

warnings: angst and fluff, Rafe is an asshole. This can be platonic or not ! reader is also just as chaotic as jj. dare I say they match each others freaks.

“Well, here are the hors d’oeuvres right here.” He pointed to a table.

“Okay.”

“We’ll be right back, okay?” You told them with a smile, grabbing onto JJ’s arm, suddenly feeling cornered by the three boys in front of you.

“No, we’re actually gonna follow you in here just to make sure…” Rafe started.

JJ grabbed your arm this time, he ran inside, shoving the doors in their faces, you all interrupting the kooks dining by running into chairs and shit.

They were behind you, JJs grip never letting go of your arm. You let out a cry when you tripped and fell over a plant, jj looking down at you and quickly helping you back up, despite them being right behind you both.

You both ran into a room, jj sighing in relief, thinking you both finally got away.

“Are you alright?” He asked you, his hand on your arm. You nodded, seeing some doors and nodding your head towards them.

“Ah, excuse me, guys.” JJ knocked on the door rapidly.

“I’m taking a shit!” The man yelled. Jj went to the next on, trying to open one, both being locked. He groaned in annoyance and you turned a corner, but Rafe was already walking towards you.

You backed up, hitting JJs chest. He wrapped an arm protectively around you and scowled at the boys in front of him.

“Hey, what you doing in the locker room?”

You both tried to get away, but you were suddenly grabbed by your arms, JJ being shoved onto the ground.

“Cute outfit.” JJ remarked before falling onto the ground.

“Shut up!” Rafe rolled his eyes, Jj glanced over at you being held tightly on your arms.

“Leave her alone.” He told Rafe, Rafe laughing and shaking his head.

“Afraid I can’t do that, bro.”

JJ was put into a chokehold while Rafe stands in front of him. “Hold them still. What- what do you think? A four iron, right? Alright, keep his head still, I’m gonna line this up.” Rafe pretended to hold a gulf club in his hands.

“Very Rafe of you. Five on two?”

“If you could please stop talking? It’s very disrespectful, I’m trying to hit a ball, right?”

JJ struggled against the man who held him in the chokehold, you scratching the men who held you in place.

“Fuck you.” You spat out to Rafe, his eyebrows raising.

“Wow! Lotta talk for a little lady like yourself.” Rafe chuckled, amused.

“Let us go!” You cried out, fingernails clawing at the man who held you. The man didn’t say anything, Rafe turned to look at you with raised eyebrows, ignoring you and just laughing in your face.

Rare leaning down to JJs level, smiling at the struggling boy in front of him.

“Your face looks really bad. Starting to look like your dad a lot more.”

JJ spit in his face.

“All right. It was-“ Rafe stepped back, the lights being turned on and off, a voice interrupted Rafe.

“Gentlemen!” You and JJ were shoved away, pretending to look innocent. “Is there a problem?”

“Oh! Pardon us, officer. No, there’s not an issue. You know we- we just-“ JJ spluttered. “Actually, yes. No, there is an issue. Uh, we got a criminal trespass in progress here. Beep! Call it in, right?”

“Blatant disrespect for private property.” You chimed in. “Terrible, real criminal shit.”

“Yeah.” Rafe nodded.

“We’re in violation of all kinds of shit, sir. But these.. young gentlemen…” JJ touched the collar of the boys shirt, his hand being pushed away.

“Don’t touch my shit.”

“They caught us, sir, and they were just about to take us away. Ain’t that right, boys? And that’s what you should do. Escort us out of here. Ya got us.” You and JJ held your wrists out in front of you, you both being dragged away by the guard.

“Oh, fix that tie son.”’ JJ turned over his shoulder. “You’re lookin’ spiffy, too. You powerpuff girls have fun.”

“Yo, y/n, you look pretty hot for a pogue!” You turned around, looking at the boys in disgust, but JJ was quicker to act. JJ threw the guard off him, you watching in shock as Jj attempted to attack him, but got pulled away while you followed behind, eyes wide.

“You think I’m afraid of you? Come on! Say that shit again!” JJ spat, being turned around by the guard, you glancing behind you.

When the guard was busy, you stormed up to them, none of them willing to stop a girl. They underestimated you.

You stood in front of Rafe, all of them waiting for something. You slapped him in the face, he laughed quietly, and then you punched him square in the jaw, all of the boys being in shock, the others pulling you away.

“Don’t even come near the cut, or you’ll be real fucking sorry!” You shouted as you were dragged out, being pulled outside along with Jj.

“I really appreciate what you did out there, let me just walk out by myself-“ JJ spoke, being cut off when you were shoved to the ground next to him. JJ’s eyes widened, attempting to held pull you back up.

“Hey, shove off, man!” JJ shouted at the guard who kept trying to push him away. You looked down at the bruises forming on your arms, getting up to follow JJ.

“You rough him up?” He asked you with raised eyebrows.

“Not really.” You said with a small pout. “I tried. Got to punch him in the jaw.”

“Hey, that’s my girl!” He spoke, holding his hand out for a high five, you shrugging and raising your hand up. He grabbed two drinks from a table, giving you one and downing the other.

“Aah! Whoo!” JJ exclaimed. “I really appreciate the discretion.” JJ told the guard, finally being able to walk freely for moment without being shoved. All eyes were on the both of you now.

“It’s okay, everybody! Don’t panic!” He shouted.

“Hey, leave it to the men and women in uniforms let’s hear it for them.” You clapped your hands, both of you being pushed away by the guards again. “Rose! You look like lady liberty with those spikes.” You put your fingers on top your head, resembling spikes coming out. “Very cool stuff.”

“Oh, give me one of those.” He pointed.

“Let go of them!” Kiara shouted to the guard, everyone turning to her now. “You can’t boot him! I invited them here!”

“Kiara-“ her mom attempted to get her to quiet down.

Jj shoved the guard away when he grabbed you with force. “Oh, sorry about that. Hey, mandatory power hour at Rixon’s, Kie! Pope, you as well, all right?” He told her. “Rixons cove. Let’s roll. All right, Kie, come on!” He clapped his hands.

“Workers of the world unite.” You clapped with him. “You know, throw off your chains!” You shouted, both you and Jj walking away with drunken giggles.

“Whoo-hoo!” JJ exclaimed to John B. “Colonel.”

“Captain.” He saluted.

“Mission accomplished, sir.”

“Come on, Kie!” You shouted. “Whoo, hey pope!” All of you laughing as you ran away from the party.

—

“You know, you trying to fight them for me is very noble of you.” You told him later, both of you sitting next to each other, the fire crackling behind you.

He furrowed his eyebrows, confused until he remembered. “Oh. That…”

“Very sweet.” You shrugged.

He shrugged his shoulders, giving you a small smile. “I ain’t letting no one, especially not Rafe and his fuckin’ gooners talk about you like that.”

[philtstone]

Shawn/Juliet, "holding hands under the table"

i cant actually find which number it is from this list of prompts but that could just be my brain being fried from the week. also, everyone can feel free to send me more prompts lol. strike while the iron is hot, etc. this might be the most sedate tone i've ever hit with a psych fic. set immediately after the s5 finale -- like, hours after -- and hopefully the characters are all at the right place, emotionally. theres definitely a bit of a grey zone there in s5-6 where a lot is left unsaid but kind of known but also kind of not known. oh, jules.

She asks Lassiter to give her a ride because she probably shouldn’t be driving with a recent head injury. EMTs said no concussion, which is a good thing, but Juliet feels shaken enough that she’s going to do the intelligent, grown up woman thing and ask a friend for a favor.

She can’t help but wonder if maybe she does have a concussion after all, because Carlton behaves extremely fucking weirdly for pretty much the entirety of the drive.

Considering it’s Carlton, that’s really saying something.

“Vick gave me Shawn and Gus’s check,” she says as smoothly as she can, as they get in the car. It’s not entirely a lie, but it does feel oddly duplicitous in a way that holding hands with Shawn under the briefing table earlier didn’t. “Can you drop me off at the house?”

“House?” says her usually gruff partner, high-pitched. She’d caught him at the last second and kind of serendipitously, right as he was making his way out of the station, looking spooked, his jacket only half-on. At the time Juliet felt relieved, but now she’s wondering if maybe he’d needed some time to decompress before being made responsible for another person’s safety again. “What house? Spencer’s house? Doesn’t he live in a laundromat?”

“Henry’s house,” Juliet says, giving him a weird look while he turns the car on. His right eye is twitching. It’s possible that the evening’s events shook him more than he’s willing to admit; wouldn’t be the first time. “Gus told me they headed over there for the night. Carlton, are you alright?”

“I’m just spiffy,” he says through oddly gritted teeth, and sounds the opposite of. “One drop off, coming right up.”

Juliet decides she’ll figure it out in the morning. Her head kind of hurts, as does her elbow, and the catharsis she’d hoped to achieve through finally putting her signature down on that paper has left her a little bit shaky.

It feels good, though. She’ll probably have a good cry in the shower later on.

We did it, says Shawn’s voice in her head, so firm and final and confident. Her stomach and chest and general person are suddenly overcome with a slamming wave of affection she definitely was not prepared for. Swallowing, Juliet tucks her phone between her legs and shoots him a quick text. Wrapped up at the station.

Incoming text from SHAWN SPENCER:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BABE WITH THE POWER!!!!!!

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

u gonna go home & rest?

Shawn’s texts were exuberant before they started dating, too, but the million heart emojis are a recent development. Something about their introduction makes Juliet want to clench her hands together, melt into the ground, and laugh hysterically at the same time. Shawn turns being a walking contradiction into an art form sometimes. So terrified of facing all the love he’s got to give head-on, but so reckless and sloppy about leaving a trail of it around.

Maybe that’s why she’s fallen so hard for him, Juliet thinks; it matches her inexplicable combination of extreme trust and extreme caution.

Okay. Woah. Too much. Chill out, Juliet; now’s not really the time.

Not with Carlton showing all the signs of working through a hernia in the driver’s seat beside her, mere hours after Serial Killer Takedown.

Yeah, Juliet replies to her boyfriend, then lays her head against the cool car window, closing her eyes before she can notice Carlton’s alarmed glances at her phone.

When they pull up, half the house lights are on. Clearly no one is sleeping, despite the horribly late hour. Juliet glances down at her phone again and realizes it’s pushing three in the morning. She winces. 

“Are you going to be okay driving home?” she asks, one hand on the door handle. Carlton’s staring directly out of the windshield at the house, looking aggrieved in that way that gives him the general look and demeanor of a wet cat. She really hopes he’s okay.

“Fine,” he says. Juliet holds her phone against her lap and sighs. 

“Alright.”

“O’Hara –” he begins, pained, as she opens the door.

“Yeah?”

“I …” A beat. “Nothing. I’m – you get some rest tonight. And – and stay safe.”

“I will,” Juliet replies, surprised by how sincerely the words come out.

Given everything that’s happened, she didn’t expect her own confidence on the subject to be so strong.

Juliet steps out onto the front lawn and watches her partner drive away. Behind her the house silhouettes itself in its own lit glow and the quiet sounds and salty smell of the ocean close by begin to properly filter into her consciousness. She stands still for a few long moments in the dark, which is less threatening now than it was a few hours ago. The humidity thickens her hair and her breath fogs in front of her. When she got Shawn’s text that he and Gus were crashing at his dad’s house instead of the Psych office, call if u need anything jules, she’d been yearning for a shower a bit too much to really think about it. Once her paperwork was out of the way, though, a shower became less important than – whatever feeling brought her here.

Shawn would say it was the idea of pancakes. She likes to think she’s capable of marginally more emotional vulnerability than he is.

She bites her lip, then presses send on the text.

Home.

The response is an immediate string of emojis, mainly the heart bubbles but with the addition of a few inexplicable inanimate objects too. She’s not sure what the megaphone or candelabra or pineapple are supposed to represent, but she’s smiling when she knocks on the kitchen door, which is meaning enough for her.

Henry opens it. He looks — exhausted, about the same as Juliet feels, despite the lack of head injury or general bodily trauma. The lines in his face immediately soften at the sight of her. Juliet refuses point blank to allow her eyes to well up.

“In you come,” Henry sighs, making way. Dr. Spencer — Maddie, Juliet supposes — is at the kitchen table nursing a cup of tea. Muffled sounds of a television come from the next room. Juliet vaguely recognizes them as Phineas and Ferb.

At her entrance, Madeline raises an interested eyebrow and glances at Henry, but beyond that moment of silent communication says nothing.

“Do you want some tea?” she asks simply.

“Please.”

Henry squeezes her shoulder, gently enough that she realizes he somehow noticed and filed away all her injuries earlier. Henry Spencer the detective still surprises her sometimes. “Boys are in the living room,” he says, and goes back to the table while his ex-wife putters around the kitchen more comfortably than is probably wise.

Juliet chews on her lip again. An amused smile fights its way to the surface, coupled with an odd twang of yearning that doesn’t really make much sense. Poor Shawn, she thinks, and it's almost a laugh in the same way she’s almost about to cry. But that’s been true all evening. Henry pulls out another old photograph from the box they seemed to be sorting through before her arrival and peers over the top of his reading glasses.

“Oh God, can you believe I used to wear this stuff in public? You hated this thing.”

“If by this thing you mean that horrible yellow suit …”

“See, it wasn’t the yellow that was the problem. The cut did nothing to flatter my physique.”

Madeline is laughing when Juliet slips out, chamomile tea in hand, to the living room.

At the entrance she stops and takes her heels off. Phineas and Ferb is playing, and loudly at that. As promised, Shawn and Gus are huddled on the couch nursing their empty pancake containers, smelling like sugar and more or less dressed in PJs; she spots what’s surely one of Henry’s old fishing t-shirts, cartoonish in the logo and slightly too baggy on Shawn. She knows any old clothes he keeps in the closet here probably don’t fit him anymore. Juliet wonders if Gus went home to change or if he, too, borrowed clothes. Shawn’s hair has flattened a bit where he must have yanked his shirt down over his head, floofy the way it can be in the mornings sometimes. He’s holding a pillow against his chest. Gus’s sock has a hole in the big toe. Every so often one or both of them will giggle at the TV. 

Her eyes do well up, then. 

Of course Shawn picks that exact second to notice her.

He notices a lot of things, Juliet has come to observe, few of which fit congruously with the many things he forgets or overlooks or can’t be bothered over. She wonders if that’s just an extension of how the spirits work, and if he’d explain it to her if she asked him. There’s a resigned part of her that doesn’t think he will, and a practical part of her that guesses at an attention deficit diagnosis that probably gave him some grief growing up and doesn’t really pair well with psychic visions or an enduring fear of being too vulnerable.

Three in the morning is too late to be mulling any of this stuff over, Juliet thinks. Besides which, most of it becomes suddenly irrelevant as she’s hit with the expression that takes over his face at the sight of her.  

Three in the morning, she reminds herself. Near death experience. Don’t read into it.

Shawn doesn’t say anything, only looks at her with all that throat-closing tenderness Juliet has ignored so many times before. I think you’re swell, he’d said. In some ways, she’s always been able to see right through him without even trying. 

Gus is wedged right beside him, hogging the blankets. There’s enough room on the couch for Juliet to fit on the other side of them. 

She walks over, hands Shawn her tea, and climbs into his lap. Her knees bend over his right leg, her shoulder sinks into his chest and her head settles against his neck. Shawn still doesn’t say anything. He just sets the mug down carefully on the floor, takes a deep, relieving breath, and wraps his arms around her. She hadn’t really worried that Gus might complain, but when he reaches over unprompted and squeezes Juliet’s unhurt elbow, the last little knot in her chest dissolves fully. She gropes her hand over the upholstery and squeezes his arm back.

“... latest in my brilliant line of ‘Inators, I call it the Unlikely-Inator! She pairs beautifully with the Likeli-Inator 2000. Together, Perry the Platypus, I shall use them to somehow take over the Tri-State area, and then the world!”

“You wanna change?” Shawn murmurs into her hair after a moment. 

“Later,” Juliet says.

“Mmmkay.”

The old t-shirt is soft against the skin of her cheek and smells like laundry detergent. The rest of the house smells like a family lives in it, even though Juliet knows that’s not really true, and it also smells like Shawn, a little bit. Shawn smells like Shawn, too. His chest rumbles beneath her with every soft laugh the cartoon pulls out of him. 

“Oh – oh, remember this, this next bit is really funny,” Gus says. His voice is just as soft as Shawn’s.

“Man, you know I have this whole show memorized.”

“I’ve never really seen it,” Juliet says quietly. They watch as the little platypus karate kicks Dr. Doofenshmirtz in the head.

“I know,” says Shawn. “But that’s being rectified. Ha! Gus, we should turn the Psych office into a funhouse next week. Just to see if we can.”

He pats her thigh and Juliet feels a small smile turn up the corners of her mouth against Shawn’s neck.

“Shawn, I am not stepping foot in another amusement park since that crazy-ass chick and her boyfriend tried murdering everyone last month. We can try turning it into a bunny sanctuary instead.”

“I like the way you think, hermano. Wait wait, here comes the explosion. Classic!”

She falls asleep slowly, lulled by the comfortable heat of Shawn’s body and the muted, silly sounds from the television. 

When Juliet wakes up, her cheek is pressed against an actual pillow, she’s horizontal, and she has no idea what day it is. She blinks against the grit in her eyes and the fact that her whole body is sore before realizing she slept on a couch. Someone put a pillow under her head and a blanket over her body and took the time to change her out of her gross work clothes. She looks down, only mildly discombobulated. She’s wearing the old fishing t-shirt Shawn had on last night and what must be a pair of Madeline’s pajama pants. They’re a pretty purple color and silky against her legs. She definitely still has her underwear on. A soft snore comes from the ground below her and Juliet realizes she’s still in the living room at Shawn’s dad’s house; Shawn himself is burritoed in an ancient sleeping bag on the ground directly beneath her and Gus is sprawled on a camp bed that’s a bit too small for him on the other side of the coffee table. They’re both still fast asleep. The light coming from the window is light enough that it’s properly morning, but the rest of the house is still dead quiet. A soft blue light appears suddenly on the coffee table; her phone is vibrating, which she realizes must have been the thing that woke her up in the first place.

She reaches carefully over Shawn to grab it. The home screen shows a text from Carlton, received minutes ago.

Got home alright?

She could say that Gus gave her a ride; it would be another easy lie, and he’d happily corroborate it. She hates the idea, though. She looks down at Shawn’s sleeping form, the unruly tuft of hair poking out from beneath the blankets and the drool on his pillow. Telling Carlton would be a bad idea, she knows.

Juliet types, for a second time trying not to think too hard about it, Yes, home. Safe and sound.

She sinks back into the surprisingly comfortable couch cushions, instinctively curling into herself, full of feeling she can’t quite articulate. After a moment of staring silently at the wall, Juliet turns onto her back and reaches one quiet arm down. The tips of her fingers meet the soft warm skin of Shawn’s ear, and when he doesn’t wake up, she keeps her knuckles there, barely moving, only rubbing her thumb up and down every so often. 

Everything else can be a problem for tomorrow. Slowly, she falls asleep again. 

[crispy-bonnie]

Headcanons for paygangs s/o’s having selective mutism?? Like every character

okay when i asked if you wanted more than one , i didn't know that you wanted all of them oh my fucking god i'm only doing the ones you simp for because i do not want to write that many . your simp list shall now be leaked on tumblr <3 /p

update // local bozo has provided me with money to prioritize this particular request . ask , hand me your entire wallet and you’ll receive

another update // dallas and chains’s segments are shit . i’m real tired guhh

You're selectively mute - PAYDAY GANG HCs

Dallas

Dallas isn’t too experienced with stuff like this, but he still does his best to help

He immediately assumes you’re non-verbal due to negative stimuli, so he makes sure to offer you anything that might make you feel better

“What do you need? Water? Snacks? A hug?”

If you answer at all in some way he can understand, he’ll fetch it in seconds

If not, he’ll just stay with you and let you do your thing

If you’re crying, he’ll do his best to comfort you. If you’re happy about something, he’ll ask questions about it and let you go on about it as best as you can

He lets you hang out with him in his office while he’s working

Dallas would have a chair pulled up and a cabinet full of fidget toys and gadgets that you can mess around with

He cleaned the toys daily so that when you want to play around with them, they’ll be ready and all spiffied up :D

He also will have you help him with some of his work if you’re up for it

Like the others, he won’t push you to talk if you aren’t ready, and he makes sure you’re feeling safe and comfortable

Chains

Similar to Dallas, he lets you chill out in his workshop, regardless of whether or not you’re happy or not

He’ll keep you preoccupied by letting you tinker his guns a bit if you’re up for it

He’ll let you fidget with some of the parts in case you like one or a few of them

Chains knows a minuscule amount of ASL, but not enough to know how to understand everything

He’ll do his best to decipher it and answer to it though

He also will cuddle with you in case you need it

He’s got a little couch in the corner of his workshop, so it provides a bit privacy for the two of you

Chains will try to get you to be able to talk again, but if his attempts don’t work, he won’t try to push any more

Very similar to Dallas, just a little less experienced with it

Wolf

100% understands your problem, especially since he spends a good chunk of his time around Jacket

Does his best to accommodate to you whenever you go non-verbal

He’ll ask as to why either for future reference or so that he can keep you from the source, but he won’t pry if you choose not to tell

He’s willing to use practically anything to communicate with you

Sign language, non-verbal cards, text-to-speech, you name it

A contrast from his usual heist behavior, he’s very gentle when you go non-verbal. He’ll make extra careful not to cross any boundaries and make sure that you’re comfortable until you’re able to talk again

If you’re non-verbal because of positive stimuli, he’ll try his best to communicate with you about this thing that made you so happy. Of course, he won’t pry you about it.

He’s overall very sweet and makes sure that you’re okay while you’re in this state

Now, if someone were to make fun of you or try to pull anything weird while you’re non-verbal, he’s already got the drill ready

Y — ‘Wolf, why do you have a thermal drill?’

W — “Don’t worry, I’m just going to be shoving this down someone’s throat.”

Y [panicked] — ‘WHY???’

W — “MF SAID IT’S STUPID TO GO NON-VERBAL SO I’M GONNA SHOW THE BITCH WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE NON-VERBAL”

Legit either sends you into a panic attack or has to make sure that you don’t thermal drill someone’s face off

Either way, you manage to stop him from doing it and he simply just leaves it alone, and he bombards you with a fuck ton of care

If he comes across the person in question, especially in your non-verbal state, he’ll fucking destroy them

Yes, this includes Hoxton

Overall very protective and supportive <3

Hoxton

Literally has no fucking clue what’s going on at first

“You gonna answer me or what?”

He’ll get the memo if you use cards or write it down, but will have no clue what’s going on if you use ASL or gestures

Ends up having to ask Wolf since he’s seen him use these signs a couple of times

Finally fuckin learns about ASL and figures out why the hell you’re not talking

With this knowledge, he becomes very fuckin protective

If anyone makes you even a little bit uncomfortable, he will not hesitate to throw hands

“The fuck did you just say you wanker!? YOU WANNA FUCKIN’ GO MATE!?”

Ends up throwing you into more stress unintentionally

He’ll try to figure out ways to get you to talk again, whether it be exposing you to stuff that disgusts you or running you through some calming exercises

“Hey hey, just breathe with me, okay? One….Two….”

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t

He still won’t ever fully understand why you end up non-verbal and still won’t understand even after an explanation is given

That doesn’t mean he’s not there for you, of course. He’ll do everything he can within his lack of understanding to help you out

Houston

Like Hoxton, he has no clue what’s going on

However, when you tell him, he’ll understand and ask if there’s anything he can do to help

Mf will literally spend hours trying to learn how to sign so that he can understand you or so that he can make sure he doesn’t overwhelm you with talking

H - *signing*

Y - ‘honey, that means egg’

H - “Dammit”

Hoxton sometimes acts ‘nice’ and teaching Houston some signs

But he’s teaches him the wrong shit

Like- Houston’ll be trying to learn how to say “What’s the weather?” but Hoxton would teach him how to say “cock and nuts” instead

You end up having to reteach him lol

ASL aside, if you use non-verbal cards or other means of communication, it’ll click easier for you

He makes sure to keep a notepad and pen on him, so when you need to talk to him, he just pulls it out and hands it to you

Can’t tell whether or not you’re non-verbal because of positive or negative stimuli, so if he thinks that the thing you don’t like is bringing you joy or something, forgive and correct him

Hoxton will often make rude remarks regarding it, resulting in a beat-up Hoxton and you now laughing your ass off

Mf’s antics were so funny that you went verbal again

Like the rest, very protective, just less understanding

Sokol

Another fucking Jacket???

You were speaking just fine and suddenly you don’t wanna talk??? Wtf??

He thinks you’re doing this on purpose, so he ends up getting quite frustrated

“Пиздец, just talk to me already! Why are you being so… difficult!?”

Literally will send you further into a non-verbal state and you’ll end up just crying on the spot

It’s not pretty

The second he sees tears glossing over your eyes, he fucking PANICS

He doesn’t know how to apologize though?? Not when he’s this frustrated with it

Eventually the two of you just spend a bit of time trying to process things

When the two of you reconvene, you end up explaining to him what’s going on with the whole situation

“Ah… n-non… verbal…? So- you’re not doing it on purpose?”

Once it finally clicks, he does his best to try and find ways to communicate with you

Notepads, flash cards, even those silly little buttons that people use to train their dogs how to communicate /ref

He made one attempt to learn ASL, but he immediately gave up because of how frustrating it was

Sokol felt the need to learn how to sign when he really just could’ve learned how to understand it 💀

That aside, he does his best to make sure you’re okay while you can’t communicate

Literally will fetch you anything and is willing to take a look at whatever it is that’s bothering you/making you so happy

It’s a struggle, but he’s doing his best <3

Jimmy

Despite spending a good chunk of his time around Jacket, he still struggles a bit to understand the whole non-verbal thing

Then again, he’s constantly shitfaced on coke so-

He’ll often keep pestering you on why you’re not talking or anything, only stopping when someone else intervenes

If you use ASL or gestures to communicate, he’ll start getting frustrated since he doesn’t understand most of it

With non-verbal cards or soundboards, he can understand a bit better

When you get sent into this state because of negative stimuli, he’ll try his best to calm you down

Most likely by offering you coke. And it works…sorta

J - “Shit uh… you want some coke-?”

Y - *wheezes*

J - “Wh-what!? Was it something I said!?”

If you’re non-verbal bc of positive stimuli, he’ll just talk about or show you stuff about the thing making you so happy

Literally making it worse 💀

At some point he’ll just end up getting tired [not of you! just by the fact that he’s been hammering that alcohol n drugs] and invite you to cuddle

Once the two of you pile up on the couch, you both kinda just calm down while cuddling

He falls asleep, you return to a verbal state again

Jimmy wakes up to a nice surprise when he sees that you’re talking again

He kinda just offers to cuddle every time you go non-verbal

It’s not the best strategy, but it sure as hell works

Sydney

Similar to Wolf, she completely understands and does her best to accommodate whenever you’re non-verbal

Can understand a good portion of ASL, but not that much

She doesn’t sign for you, but she’ll get a basic understanding if you sign

Simple gestures might raise some confusion though, but after one or two tries, she usually understands what you’re asking for

Very protective of you, regardless of whether or not you’re mute because of something positive or negative

Will literally kick ass if anyone makes fun of you or nags you to talk sokol cOUGH COUGH

“OI! They’ll talk when they wanna talk so SHUT IT YOU FUCK!”

She’ll let you sit in her silly swivel chair and draw whatever comes to mind. She has a bunch of crayons and paper stashed away specifically for you!

Sydney always hangs up the little drawings you make on her cork board because she thinks it’s cute

She also has noise-canceling headphones in case you’re overwhelmed by something

She’ll give them to you, sit down on the couch or at her desk with you in her lap, and let you chill out there

Always makes sure you’re comfortable and won’t push you to talk until you’re ready

Jacket

You don’t even have to try and explain those non-verbal moments. He kinda just knows

He’ll offer up some methods of communication if you don’t have a specific one, the most prominent ones being a tape recorder or a notepad and pen

Mf will literally buy you your own tape recorder not only for helping with communication, but also because matching tape recorders??? Please?????

The both of you use the exact same tapes, sometimes even trading tapes when you want to express something else

Sometimes the two of you will just annoy Sokol with it

Spamming tape recorder lines before Sokol has to swat the both of you away using his hockey stick

Though, for heists, the two of you make sure to use tapes with different voices to make sure other heisters can differentiate you

Though, sometimes you mix each others’ tapes up lol

Knows ASL very well, and also has some non-verbal cards in case you prefer to use those

He makes sure that you’re okay while you’re in this state, and he’ll murder literally anyone who even makes you uncomfortable in the slightest

If you find the corpse of some guy who told you to ‘speak up’ with his brains bashed in, don’t question it

Very understanding of whatever the situation is, and is very protective while you’re non-verbal

[jmdbjk]

White Day, Pt. 2

For our second date of the evening, JK changed into a spiffy crisp white button down and proceeded to fluff and primp his hair for 3 minutes. He hasn’t forgotten all the hair styling tips. Look at him scrunching up the top for some extra fullness. You don’t spend ten years in the stylist’s chair and not learn a few tips about how to manipulate your hair.

Jimin showed up in the comments and JK went off the rails a little bit, trying to show off his wardrobe change and then tried using his smooth lines to make sure Jimin doesn’t wander off ...

Come on Jimin, isn’t it a little late to be playing hard-to-get? COME BACK! PAY ATTENTION!

A commenter said let’s date for 5 minutes and JK said, sure... then he tried to scroll back and find the name of the person so he’d know what to call them... and their name was John Kanya? Did the translator mean Jeon Kanya? HAHAHAHHAAH! Way to go Kanya! One step ahead!

He shared a song that he said Tae really likes and then he tried to search for a song request in the comments. He called Siri a punk because Siri couldn’t understand JK’s pronunciation of “old love.” Bless him...

Oh but when he found it, GOOD JOB whoever requested that song! So dreamy and romantic for our date night with JK! 

And yes, he had the music turned up loud and was yelling at us over the music JUST LIKE IF WE WERE ACTUALLY IN THE CLUB! I can see why he enjoys the interaction with us on Weverse live. It really is easy for him to connect with us and have real interactions in real time (as long as Army isn’t behaving like he’s 15 years old again.) 

The sweetest thing was he saved these songs to his library AND he practiced speaking English at the same time. Armys did good here. He was having fun.

He reads English very well, and I’m sure he understands 99% of what he hears. Its the pronunciation and conversational vocabulary parts that are tricky. 

And then he opened up to us a little bit...

I can see why he ditched Instagram. It’s too fake and impersonal.

Y’all, I started laughing out loud when the next song request came on and the vibe of it made him proclaim he should be drinking whiskey shots and not highballs HAHAHAHAHA! He is a blast. FYI, there are cocktails made with a mixture of whiskeys and they have names like 3 Wisemen (Jack Daniels, Johnnie Walker and Jim Beam) and Four Horsemen (Jim Beam, Jameson, Johnnie Walker, and Jack Daniels). Ugh. I am a whiskey sipper, not a whiskey shooter. And apparently, JK is also NOT a whiskey shooter either. So playful.

And philosophical JK rolled around and he told us he says again and again, he can’t be our #1 priority, that we should prioritize our own lives and whatever obligations we have going on. He said this while putting more of Bam’s eye drops in his eyes and over-dramatically acting like he was crying. 

For about the next twenty minutes he tried to get in the mood to sing and then he saw Namjoon in the comments and they had an adorable exchange which ended with JK singing a song that Namjoon suggested. 

I wonder if Joon had an ulterior motive behind asking JK to sing a variety of genres...you know our leader is always thinking... regardless, Kookie was having fun.

This goofball... said he was pacing himself as far as drinking because he had to really go to the bathroom. But we would have never known right? His reason: because he is such a pro. LMAO!

Oh! and then Namjoon came back in the comments and told JK to hurry up and release an album! THAT’S RIGHT JOONIE! LIGHT A FIRE UNDER JK’S ASS! And JK said he has a plan...well... from the mouth of the man who said he wasn’t a planner... oh then he elaborates that NOT having a plan is in itself a plan. STOP TRYING TO WORM YOUR WAY OUT OF THIS! 

He rambled on and on how he’s not lived with a plan up until now. Kookie-pookie, that’s because you’ve never had to manage your own time before. I think he was being vague in that he really doesn’t have a plan to release anything. He does not have that fire burning in his belly that Jimin, Hobi, Namjoon and Yoongi have. Each of those members have different fires burning. Jungkookie is living up to his free-spirit ways. He is very confident in himself and he has confidence that Army will always love him and he’ll stay on the path that shows him being himself. I said what I said. Or he may drop an album tomorrow. Who knows? We sure don’t. 

He really is the opposite of a Gen Z-er. Except for his use of social media. Which is null and void mostly. Typical Gen-Z in that aspect.

He closed our second date of White Day by confiding with us that he had to pee really really bad. 

[sssardonian-ssserpent]

I would be very interested in seeing how you would play Sparda from Devil May Cry

I’m not sure who that is but looking through the wiki, he seems to be a big bad demon man dressed in a spiffy suit and that is definitely my strong suit of characters.

[carmasi]

Mercenary for hired :  EP4 - Trip to  the Cave of Frozen Stone

As the morning dawn came, he opened his silvery eyes, he hadn’t sleep this peacefully in a while, not even when he was under the tutelage of his former teacher, he sat straight  with his bare chest and only his bottom, it was first light he always woke this early he wondered if his contractor had woken  by now. He wasn’t sure how to act around the woman, he was not good around women to begin  with , but normally they would keep their distance or leave him alone, this one was different though,  or so she appeared. He had convinced himself not to be swindled by the woman's apparent  good nature,appearances can be deceiving, he had learned this the hard way. He made his way downstairs  where the dining area was,  the hotel in Rachel was a far cry from  the places he’d stayed at “ so spiffy” he mumble between his breath as he looked around,though he never really took any missions that required him to stay at an hotel, they usually camped  out when hunting or he guarded a carriage. He brushes his hair back. The kitchen staff was there and there were maybe  2 other patrons “ Hello Mr. Wright” one of the kitchen  ladies  called out. He was caught by surprise  and stepped back.

“Oh.. right I’m sorry I was told  as much” she apologized before chuckling a little “Our male staff is currently on the back, but your companion Ms Kyrius said you’re free to have anything you’d like.. She usually takes her breakfast in the veranda upstairs, she may be there now” he didn’t  make eye contact with the woman  as she spoke though he made sure to nod at his understanding. He looked around  to  know where the balcony or the veranda as she called, she giggled “if you're looking for Ms Kyrius go upstairs where the rooms are and take the first door to the  right that’s where the veranda is” he blush was he that obvious? and what had come over him?  Maybe the guilt of refusing her invitation multiple times finally was eating him up.  He sighed and made his way upstairs “ shall we bring you something to eat up there as well?” the lady asked  cherry, he jolted, he really wasn’t too good with ladies.  She giggled, he nodded and continued his path.

He really wasn’t expecting her to be up so early in the morning, they didn't agree on a time as to when they’ll leave. She was after all,  a woman, a spell caster, not a hunter or a knight who’d  seek for the thrill of adventures. He took the door as he was told and  the bright light of morning sun blinded his silver eyes, his black hair blowing back with the wind when the scent of morning dew filled the air. Rachel was sure to be a desert but something about this moment in time, this place, made it look beautiful. His silver eyes linger on the railing of a small table and the figure of a blonde sipping on tea. She looked almost lost in thought, he was sure she hadn't noticed anyone that came in or out of the balcony as she stared into the emptiness. He walked closer, though not enough to be at her side, he still kept his distance. While he stared he noticed her guard was down, she was relaxed, she didn’t seem to have a care in the world so blissful. He looked around, and shrugged. Who would care to keep their guard up in a place like this? He frowned, remembering his own past. “L…Lady” he called out, stumbling on his words still, she looked back at him, her honey brown eyes meeting his silvery gaze, she smiled “ Wright! Good morning!” she greeted cheery, he blush “ are you ready for our adventure” she cheered again clasping her hand together, she didn’t stood to greet him, she didn’t tried to get closer, she had reminded herself  about  people’s personal space, and  given  the man disposition to women, or to her,  she would try not to make it more uncomfortable for him.

His brow raised, she wasn’t getting close as she normally would, she stayed put, something that he appreciated, though it seemed so out of character for her. He’s only spent a day and a half.. Well maybe two days if you count their time on the airship, but in that time, he came to know how  familiar she could be with just about anyone really. He thought maybe she was just one of those women who’d be flirty with men and  would attempt to get as close as they could to them, he had had  his handling with some of those. As soon as they entered the city though,  he noticed it was not just him, or men,  children, woman, anyone in sight she’d greeted, anyone she saw she even hugged, and everyone who saw her returned her bright smile “how could anyone be like that?” he though, as he nodded at her  question “great.. Please have something to eat before we depart.. I’ve had packed enough food for the trip and something to camp out if need be” she  giggle “ I’m embarrassed to say I am not the  greatest at directions but I  can get to Ice cave, I’ve been there multiple times already” she cheered positively confident that she’d be able to get to where they needed to. 

It was now the third portal they’ve taken through the desert field of Rachel in order to  get to the caves of ice,  as the mercenary  slashed through the corpse of another cobalt, and looked back at the blond woman beside him,  she too cast spell to remove the monsters that stalked them “ Oh goodness ” she mumble a bit flustered as the mercenary sheath his sword “I…” he  attempted to speak but stopped as her eyes meet his, he looked away almost instantly.  What was this pulling she had on him? “ I’m sorry” she weeped. “I normally use fly wings to get around the desert, And I thought I would be okay without them  given I’ve been there so many times” he looked  at her from the corner of his eyes as she fiddle with her fingers, she looked sad, not as she normally  looked, it didn’t suit her “I knew I was terrible with directions,  but gosh” she chuckle almost as if it was a joke trying to look at the map once more “ Once I got lost in the woods and my familiar had to fetch me out” she  giggled again her voice cracking even as she tried to make it a joke “ I’m sure I can figure this out, just give me a second” she keep looking at the map, and he sighed looking at her, as he swung his sword again at another Kobolt that approached them. 

She kept walking looking at the map,  he followed she hasn’t notice the amount of monsters that had  gone by and that the mercenary had to  take care of,  yes she had said to him he needn’t  to  protect her or care for her until they arrived at the cave, but how could he not  when she was so absent  minded? he groan and brush his hair back wondering to himself what would’ve happened to her if any other other mercenaries would’ve taken  her request. He looked around as they started to lose some daylight, they still haven’t reached their destination and unlike  the day,  these deserted areas could be cruel at night, and  some monsters were more active during these times as well. They entered another field as he looked around to assess their  situation “oh gosh I can’t see the map” she complained as she finally  lifted her head up “ wait… it's getting  dark.. .” she sighed and looked back at him, he looked alert  and more concerned with their surroundings  than anything else, so much so he didn’t notice her until she tug on his  cloak “uhm?” he let out as he looked to his side to find her close by, he  gulped slightly resisting the urge to pull away “It's getting dark… we should find a safe spot” she spoke softly as she let go of his cloak when she got his attention. He frowned when she did.. Why did he frown?  He asked,  why did it bother him that she had let go? ”y..yes” he mumbled softly as he followed behind her.

 As they walked to find a safe spot he had notice the only monsters they had to be weary off were minimal, a couple wind hills, and Roween, and the occasionally annoying and tiny anophele, he looked over at Kyrius who seemed to still be debating  at a place to  camped he smirked, she was terrible with directions indeed, she had said it but she was so confident that she’d be able to get them to where they needed to go without trouble, it was almost amusing how confident she was. To his right he saw a clearing under a tree, ruins surrounded  the  clearing almost like a empty campsite,  she may not have seen it as she continue to walk south, he raised a brow “ isn’t that back where we came from ?”  he asked internally before gathering his own courage he sighed “ c… come on” he spoke as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her along, she yelp as she was pulled he pulled her closed and covered her mouth “shh” he whisper close to her ear, she blinked twice surprise, as she looked up at him, his jet black hair covering most of his face but his silver eyes glimmer with the light of the moon above the sky. She blushed and wiggle away “s..sorry” she whispered, as he watched her for a moment, she was flustered, he was confused for a minute before realizing what he’d just done, he lowered his head “m-monsters ahead”.. He  stammered in an attempt to explain himself and why he had done what he did “ we..” he continued still averting  Kyrius gaze “ we just went by a clearing.. Seemed l-like a good place to c-camp” 

Kyrius nodded and stayed closed “ okay lead the way” she asked he  did as he was told and soon they  arrived  to the clearing and had setup camp she sat by the fire as she looked over the map he sat a foot away from her still she looked back “ do I make you that uncomfortable?” she asked sweetly, he looked up, he almost jolted at the question, he huffed as he blush “d-don’t flatter yourself” he spat , her gaze went back to the fire and sighed softly. He notice, his gaze meet the floor, he had this issue with any woman, all women, he wasn't used to their presence as a child he wasn’t around them neither as a teen he didn’t know how to act or what to say half the time they would just run away from him like he was a wild beast or a sick man “I-Im not good with w-woman.. In general” he explained, continuing almost as if to make her feel better, she looked back “ V..Vera said as much” he continue “Vera?” Kyrius asked confuse as she hasn’t heard the name, he looked up at her “ T-The woman in the guild” he responded “You seem to be  okay around her though” Kyrius  pointed out curiously as she was, she stood without him noticing and walked closed “T-That’s just… because I’m use  to her.. And t-the other in the guild” he finished as he explained, he had said his truth,  though not entirely, he was better, at least he thought, but  there was something about the blonde, there was something about Kyrius, that was different,  something that made him both nervous and excited, something he hasn’t felt before, maybe it was just how straight she was, and he hasn’t without intent,  or how familiar she became with anyone around her.  Kyrius sat back down, a little closer but still leaving a good distance between them. On a leaf she slid a couple pieces  of food, some fowl and a homemade sandwich next to him.

He hadn't noticed her approach because he was too busy avoiding the gaze of those brown eyes, too busy contemplating his own thoughts, too busy trying to figure out what it was that made her different. He  blink and almost jumped a foot  when he notice her next to him, she giggled “ you’re like a cat” she smile letting her face rest on top of her knees as she look at him still smiling “so skittish, but you’re so big, like a beast… a skittish  beast” she teased as she giggle, his cheeks burned red  yet again as he saw her, he blinked as she teased then looked again grabbing the food on the small leaf. As they finished eating  their dinner they stayed alert by the fire. He didn't let it die, the night started to become cold, he blew on his hand as he  took a peek at her.  Her robes looked warm enough, if it wasn’t because her midriff was shown “A-aren’t you cold?” he asked, she looked at him “me?... not really.. I like the cold..” she whispered slightly as she saw him “ are you cold?” she asked , he didn’t say much, she's gotten use to his silence and his stuttering by now, yet again she stood and walk his way “ here” she stood in front of him her hand extended as she kneel down  to his side, she held out a flame heart and hoover slight over her palm “It’ll keep you warm” she  mumble looking straight into his eyes, he hesitated, but his hand reached out as she transfer the item to him, her fingers gently caressing his as she did. 

He held it close, she was right it did keep him warm.. Warmer than the fire  they had goin “ you should sleep” he said straight, she smiled maybe he didn’t notice it, but she did “alright” she replied softly as she drifted to sleep, she didn’t move  she stayed by his side, close by. He looked her over from the corner  of his eyes as her breathing became steady and her eye flicker slightly, she was deep in sleep, he kept watch over night to make sure not a single monster came close. She awake,  before the sun came up, he was still up she tilted her head “ Go to sleep” she asked he looked back and shook his head “ I’ll keep watch… we’re traveling together, if one of us doesn’t get to rest, it will hinder us both ”she chirped, he refused  she chuckle and  sat next to him, he didn’t move, He wasn’t sure why, but he was getting strangely accustomed to her presence, was this how other people felt around Kyrius, and he hasn’t notice it before because of his disposition? or was there something else? he ponder as he peeked at her from the corner of his eyes “sun’s about to come up” she mumble softly not looking his way, she knew to keep her distance, she respected that, but also, she hated feeling alone, and distance, but she did her best.

As the sun finally light their path and they picked up camp they set off on their way. She stared at the map yet again  looking  in the direction as she tried to figure out where to go,  last she wanted was to get them lost again. As she did so though he stood behind her, he glance at the map briefly  and chuckle, she looked back “Wright?” she asked. He cough slightly as he was caught, then he sighed “m-may I?”  he asked fo the map, and so she gave it to him. He looked at it briefly before turning it around “W-why is the map upside-down?” he asked, her face burned in embarrassment how could she  has the map upside down all this time, she sighed “My mistake, give me” she took the map yet again flustered. As they continued their walk but even with the maps right side up it  had proven difficult for the warlock to find her way, before the  man took the map from her hand “C-Can you  point out  the location.. O-of the  c-cave?” he stuttered again. As he asked  she smile, it was  kind of cute how he did that “here” she pointed out as he looked over the map “Alright… come with me” he  lead the way this time as he grabbed her by the hand without warning, and didn’t let go until they  were standing  in front of a cave  from which cool air came and sound of drops of water could be heard “he-here?” he asked still holding on to her. 

Kyrius smiled and lifted up the hand he was holding on  “ yes.. This is the place” she giggled as he looked to her side, his cheek flushed then he  let go flustered he returned the map and covered his face with his bangs. She did nothing but smile and  press on “Y-You still haven’t said, what are w-we hunting” he asked as he followed behind “right.. She turned to him “ from this point. I am in your care… I hope we can work together to complete our mission” she said, her hand thug behind her back, a bright smile on her lips as her hair danced briefly on the cave small wind current of icy breeze. For a moment he was dumbfounded, how could she look even more beautiful than  how she had been? He shook his head,  the thought on his head not making much sense, at least not to him, he had just meet her. A couple siromas came around the corner as he was suddenly  alert,  he unfolded his sword, she lift an arms in from of him “ They’re harmless, they won’t attack unprovoked” she explained as she kneel down and pull out some pet food, the came to her as she petted them “ They’re actually quite cute, if you’re not trying to hunt them” she giggle “thank you~” she cheered as one of the Siroma offered her a glacier heart's been caring. He smiled softly,  gently, she was everything. He frowned at the thought, she was everything, everything he couldn’t reach.

[jq37]

The Report Card – Fantasy High: The Seven Ep 2

The Girls Are Fighting!!!

We return to Aguefort Adventuring Academy where the man himself has just told the Seven Maidens that their party is being split up which they are NOT having even though it doesn’t seem to be a malicious plot so much as the fact that Danielle, Ostentatia, and Zelda are Juniors while the other four are graduating Seniors. Antiope casts Hunter’s Mark on Aguefort, Penny pleads, Katja threatens (well, “threatens”; she walks up menacingly and then says that he can’t do this because it’s the only group of friends she’s ever had and it’s heartbreaking like all of her non-hilarious dialogue is).

Aguefort understands that it sucks and has no respect for rules but says it’s out of his hands. Sam clocks that he’s hiding something (along with the fact that he seems to know about something going on with Antiope and Penny which we know is their respective internship/apprenticeship offers) and calls him out, hitting him with a Lightning Lure to drag his ass back when he tries to turn into a bat and escape out the window. She’s unhinged and I love it. 

So does Aguefort who decides to let them in on some school secrets, leaving a decoy while he leads them all to the super secret part of the forbidden library which is bondage themed because sure. Also, Ostentatia is topless for this also because sure. He does a lot of pomp and circumstance to summon a book which Yelle flatly says better not just be the syllabus and it isn’t but she’s close. It’s the bylaws of the school district which he has summoned for the guidelines on the special, magical thing the girls can get so they can graduate together…

Their GEDS!!!!! Trés mystical. 

Basically what they need to do is complete a level A, B, or C quest together (which Antiope knows are like the top 3 highest difficulty quests--they go from A-F) and get signoff from the superintendent. But the superintendent has been missing for 12 years and there can’t be a new one until she’s dead (which she isn’t or else they’d be able to appoint a new one). Her name is Tectonya Karkovnya (who I will be calling TK) and Aguefort calls her, “chaotic and impossible to predict,” which coming from him is como se dice, troubling. 

Sam pulls out her mirror to do a little snooping on TK’s past and sees that she’s a coppery, earth genasi woman. She also sees her talking to Aguefort and saying that the magic of consciousness is far superior to his beloved chronomancy. Then the scene shifts to show her getting more and more worried as she got deeper into her studies and then going to a dwarven holy site in the Mountains of Chaos with some kind of shadow figure following her. 

Penny gets photos of the super cursed bylaws and Arthur leaves since he very much is the principal of the school and has to do his job (ostensibly). With Aguefort gone, the girls discuss the proposition after conscripting a very reluctant Antiope to be their leader (Aabria hilariously improvises that a shaft of sunlight somehow comes down to illuminate her and she has to step out of the spotlight). 

They discuss whether they want to do this GED quest or not and Zelda says she wants to but she wants to give anyone who has other stuff going on an out so they don’t feel beholden. Ostentatia immediately shoots back that Zelda is just saying that because she has plans with Gorgug. That brings down the mood and Sam, despite being a water genasi, fans the flames by saying that Gorgug has lots going on that doesn’t involve her so she shouldn’t be running back to him all the time. 

Yelle tries to calm things down and says they should sleep on it but Sam and Ostentatia are taking this super personally and are offended that they’re even having this conversation. Penny accidentally lets slip that she has some kind of apprenticeship (she’s trying to keep it on the DL because it’s supposed to be a secret) and oh man it becomes a Whole Thing. They fight in the way that you do when everyone in the fight actually wants the same thing and cares deeply about each other but are in completely different headspaces which are making them lash out.

Penny, not wanting to be around the conflict, goes invisible. Zelda is suppressing going into a rage and says that maybe she should go be with Gorgug. At least he won’t yell at her. Yelle once again tries to cool things down and suggests they have a text thread where they can say if they’re in or out by the end of the night instead of hashing it out in the open. She’s accused of not being in and, in response, texts that she’s in. Ostentatia and Sam also immediately text that they’re in, which basically makes her “solution” entirely moot. 

Zelda is finally fully fed up and leaves (Penny following invisibly). Katja also follows. 

Antiope can tell that Sam is upset about something that’s not this but Sam brushes her off rudely and storms off (quite literally, causing storm clouds outside in her wake). Yelle goes after her. Ostentatia is left with Antiope.

Time for a string of very emotional mini scenes which I highly encourage you to watch because they are peak improv.  

Zelda, Katja, (Invisible) Penny

Katja runs to find Zelda who is under a tree crying and asks if she’s OK. Zelda says that Sam and Ostentatia are so beautiful and confident and eloquent and she gets so tongue tied and useless when they disagree with her because she’s so timid. Zelda wants this so bad but she doesn’t want to feel like she’s forcing her friends to stay with her. 

Katja, as we know, has major abandonment issues because of her constantly away dad (and prob her mom too) and she doesn’t want to be left behind again but she also doesn’t want her friends to factor her in so she tries to be stoic and says that the people you love have to want to stay. But with a 3, Zelda immediately clocks the emotion behind the words. Instead of calling her out, Zelda offers to listen to music with her. 

Penny takes this opportunity to make herself known (which has got to be terrifying--unless you’re used to it and then it’s like same shit as usual from Ms. Luckstone) and Zelda goat jumps to grab her out of the tree she was crying in above them and tells her that she doesn’t have to go invisible every time there’s conflict. They all agree that they hate confrontation and Rehka gets the funniest lowkey line of the episodes: that she wouldn’t know what to do if they didn’t agree on that. We then cut to…

Ostentatia and Antiope

Where Izzy gets the high key funniest moment of the episode by transitioning in with a big, “You know I LOVE confrontation,” which breaks everyone at the table. But she says it as a preface to admitting that she may have been a bit of a bitch to Zelda. She plays coy for like a half second before she breaks down sobbing with Antiope catching her before she sinks fully to the floor. Antiope comforts her and admits that while she wants to stay with the party, she hates having options taken away from her as they have been her whole life effectively. She was honestly kind of relieved when she was trapped in the crystal because it meant all that pressure was gone for a bit. They affirm that they love each other then Ostentatia goes to apologize to Zelda. 

Danielle and Sam

Yelle goes to talk to Sam (who she adorably calls “merbae”) and while Sam doesn’t wanna talk about it, Yelle says they don’t have to. She just wants to be there for her in whatever capacity she needs. She knows Sam loves her friends and would never hurt them on purpose so something must be wrong with her-- “History of abandonment?” Sam finishes, almost glibly. She’s tired of losing people. She doesn’t want to lose more. She doesn’t want things to change. Nature is change, Yelle says. Nature sucks, Sam says. Yelle is gonna pretend like she didn't hear that. 

Sam feels bad that she snapped at Zelda and Yelle says that they’re all a family. Things will be alright. The storm clouds that Sam reflexively summoned peter out into a cool, refreshing mist. 

Ostentatia and Zelda

Ostentatia goes to where Zelda and the girls are and full ass runs at her like they weren’t just fighting. After assuring her that she’s not there to fight she apologizes, saying she was a cow. Zelda says she honestly agrees with Ostentatia that she wants the group to stay together and wishes she could be bolder in non-rage settings. Ostentatia says that maybe if the Seniors leave they can still have a party and Penny vetos that even though, as Ostentatia says, it’s a pretty reasonable compromise. Anyway, they basically all go in a circle saying they love each other and it’s very sweet. 

I’m serious, I can’t do these heart to hearts justice in this format, just go watch them for that emotional girl group goodness.

Anyway, outside of the main group, Antiope goes to talk to her sister Corsica who is currently teaching a class. Antiope does not give AF. She orders the students out and they scatter. Wouldn’t you?

Antiope wants advice. Should she stay with her party after flaming out of her last one? Should she take the internship and stay on the path her parents want her on? Corsica really feels for her. Antiope has had to struggle in a way that she and their brothers never did. She finally answers that she and her brothers are awesome and successful fighters but none of them have been able to do the scariest thing possible: disappoint their parents. They’re soldiers. They like it that way. They fall in line. But maybe Antiope isn’t a soldier. Maybe she’s a leader. She ordered those kids out of the room without thinking after all and they obeyed. It’s an extremely good speech and Antiope basically has chills, as do I.  

I assume while this is happening or perhaps right before everyone goes home, Penny goes to see Jawbone (who has some spiffy new art--as did Gilear who cameoed early in the episode when Aguefort atomic wedgied him invisibly because sure) and talk about this uber difficult decision she had to make. Jawbone gets to the heart of the matter pretty quick. Penny is a high achiever who’s lived a life without choice. But now that she’s about to be off the rails for the time she’s freaking out. Penny sees the truth in the statement (after hilariously trying to solve his metaphor about an amusement park) and thanks him for the perspective. She then, in a very Fig move, tries to kiss him and Jawbone basically stiff arms her and breezes right past like it didn’t happen, showing her out. What a trooper that Jawbone.   

Moving on to Katja. When she gets home she tries to call her dad who is unreachable on his hell mission. She leaves him a message saying that he should call her back when he can and she knows what she wants for her graduation present now. She wants her party to not break up. This breaks Brennan and me. 

She then snoops arounds for info on TK. She sees letters of her dad trying to get her into Hudol. And she sees some stuff from the Ministry of Adventure, asking if he knew where TK was. But she doesn’t get anything else. At least, she doesn’t get anything else that’s helpful. She does however find a picture of her mom which makes her bolt to go talk to Cinnamon who prances for her to make her feel better. She joins in dancing, badly.

EDIT: I initially wrote that Katja’s mom was dead because that’s what I thought she said but @ennn said that in the Adventuring Party, Rekha said that her mom didn’t die, she left. Which is less dramatic in some ways but SO MUCH WORSE for abandonment issues so, yikes girl!

Yelle meanwhile goes home to talk to her unofficial third mom, Holly, who is the awakened tree under which her house is. Picture a Grandmother Willow situation from Pocahantas basically. Yelle talks about the conflict a bit and, as usual, ends up on a tangent about how the world is unfair and she has to speak for the voiceless. Holly is concerned for her (as are her other moms which I may have neglected to mention in the last recap). She asks Yelle if she can tell her something that might be painful. Yelle agrees. Holly says that Yelle is great and wonderful and kind but she spends so much time speaking for other people that she never speaks for herself. Her moms worry that there will come a day when she needs help and will have to ask for it without couching it in terms of the greater good and she won’t be able to. 

Yelle really hopes she’s high when the time comes. 

At her home, Ostentatia casts Commune With The City to see if TK has been around and she’s not there now but she can tell she has been (though there’s no indication on if that’s recently or not). On a 17 religion check she knows that there is a dwarven holy site in the mountains that matches Sam’s description from the mirror. She’s still avoiding her dad but when she prays for her spells, she asks for her dad to feel like himself again too. 

Hey, what time is it? Let me check my watch. 

Ah yes, it’s time for Sam to make some rash decisions. 

She feels like she should text Zelda but doesn’t. Instead, she goes into Penelope’s room. And she takes out her mirror. And even though she’s expended the charge for today, she tries to make it show her Penelope. 

OK, says Brennan. Sure. Hey, can you roll me a quick little Wisdom Save?

5. 

Haha, Sam’s in danger. 

The mirror heats up as it’s pushed beyond its limits and Sam sees an image of a young Penelope with braces grabbing her hands and grinning and saying that they’ll be best friends. Then, the image shifts and she sees the Penelope of the present in her tattered prom queen dress and glass shard crown. Her eyeless, haunting, demon prom queen form, teeth razor sharp as her words. 

“A call without a text,” she says. “Are you out of your mind?”

“You look better than you ever did alive,” Sam spits back. 

It is a battle of the bitches right out of the gate. The girls are fighting part two if you will. They snipe at each other for a bit and Brennan has Sam roll insight into herself. On a 19, Sephie says that’s not enough for Sam to get a read on herself (yikes girl) so she doesn’t understand that this fight can only ruin her because while Penelope enjoys causing people pain, Sam doesn’t. 

They both get in some very choice barbs but when Penelope tries to entice her into making a devilish pact and disparages her new party, Sam does the mic drop of the century by telling her that her parents are divorcing and hanging up. The entire table LOSES THEIR MIND. It is like a real life representation of one of those Draw The Squad memes. Everyone brandishes their fans in a salute to that truly epic conversation ender. 

As the night draws to a close, Brennan asks the girls who haven’t responded to the text chain yet if they respond. Katja texts that she’s in. Zelda texts Antiope and Penny that she’s not going to text whether she’s in or out until they respond because she doesn’t want it to feel like a 5 on 2 dogpile.

Antiope and Penny call then text, then call, then text, then call each other to discuss what they should do and also hype each other up because with all the drama, they didn’t really get to celebrate their opportunities. Penny tries to downplay her thing and insinuates that it wouldn’t be a big loss if she wasn’t in the group anymore and Antiope shuts that down immediately. You’re the last thing so many people see before they die Penny! That’s so cool! 

They both decide to text that they’re abstaining from voting for now and go to bed.

The next day, Antiope gets up and sees that her party’s schedule has been cleared for the next two weeks by the school for quest reasons. She tells her dad she wants to talk to Charity Blythe (the woman at the Ministry of Adventure she needs to talk do) and he sets up a no pressure (but actually tons of pressure) meeting with her before turning her 5 mile run into a 12 mile run because she is a Jones and 5 mile runs are for Amateurs. 

Ant texts the rest of the Maidens that this meeting is happening so they can maybe get some quest info from Charity and Ostentatia has in the meantime texted (after the 2 abstains) that she will be going for the GED regardless and anyone who wants to join can. Of course, there was never any reason to NOT go for it (besides the danger which they obv don’t care about) and getting it doesn’t mean any doors are closed to them. It’s just that emotions are running so high they can’t fully seem to see that (or at least some members can’t). 

Ant doesn’t have the clearance to meet at Charity’s office so they meet at the Museum of Adventuring instead. In it happens to be the skeleton of Kalvaxus who they killed (if you don’t remember, the Bad Kids killed him first and then he was resurrected so the Maidens could also kill him for catharsis reasons). Tensions are still super high as evidenced by Sam’s snide abstention comment to Penny and Ant and then by her TRYING TO LIGHTNING BOLT THE DRAGON SKELETON TO DESTROY IT.

GIRL.

That doesn't happen though because she’s Counterspelled by Charity Blythe who walks in, surprised to see that Antiope brought her whole party. Antiope says they were just leaving but Charity can sense shenanigans when she sees them and says if they’re gonna spy on the conversation they might as well stay for it which they of course do.

She gives Antiope a rundown of the internship: 1 year commitment with a possibility to expand to 2-3 years. Stipend. She’d have to live in Bastion City.

Katja remembers that her dad was talking to the Ministry of Adventure in the letters she found and asks Charity about it. Charity says they were asking him about TK’s whereabouts because he was friends with her. On that, Yelle casts Detect Thoughts with a Stealth roll of 17 (we see on a secret Box of Doom roll that Charity got a 26 to see her cast it). Anyway, she sees that TK took some object with her when she disappeared (which she later sees is a crystal screen with a map seemingly marking quest locations from A-F) and of course the fact that Charity knows this. Yelle shares this info with everyone as Antiope walks off with Charity to talk further. Katja suggests to the group that maybe Ant should take the internship to get more info for their quest. While she’s talking to Charity, Ant feels the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

See looks up and sees a figure with blood red lips look at her and disappear.

Yikes! Combat time baybee!

Superlatives 

Danielle: Most Likely to Talk Her Way Out of a Hostage Situation 

While, like her mothers, I am slightly concerned that Danielle is the type to set fire to herself to make sure others are warm, I also very much love her chill, warm, encouraging vibes. For those of you coming off of MisMag, she is like vibing at the same wavelength as Whitney Jammer but with the intensity turned all the way down. Danielle encouraging Sam honestly gave me like second hand calm. Excellent vibes. 

Random Thoughts

If you’re wondering how long it took for it to come up that Aguefort banged a phoenix, the answer is 12 minutes.

The concept of phoenix chlamydia is the definition of thanks, I hate it. 

Aguefort saying that TK is a crazy person could literally mean anything tbh. It could mean she is the most batshit person on the planet or it could mean she’s totally normal and just kinda bugs him. Literally no way to tell. 

Someone (I think Rekha?) mentioned that the cursed bylaws book is copper and so is TK. Idk if that’s relevant but thought I’d flag it anyway. 

We learn in this episode that the friendship bracelets Penny made them last week let them track each other and see each other even if one of the in knocked out (which is what gives it utility outside of what their crystals can already do).

We learn in this episode that Skullcleaver Elementary School is actually named after Katja’s family. 

Nothing like the fear you feel when a DM gives you what you wanted even on a failure. And on that note...

Sam, I wish you a very happy Please Go To Therapy. Please girl. 

This episode was such an emotional roller coaster. I deeply empathize with the horrible feeling that your friends have stuff going on and you don’t and you’re going to be left behind. It’s so rough to see everyone hurting and lashing out (or in the case of Yelle for instance, trying and failing to diffuse the situation). But it’s so nice to see everyone trying to be there for each other and apologizing and affirming that they love each other (from Antiope saying that she would kill and die for any of them to Danielle defusing the ticking timebomb that is Sam). The players really get the cadence of how teenage girl friendship works and it’s such a treat to watch. 

“Did we ruin your life?”

Do you think ep 7 of The Seven is gonna be when everything pops off? As a DM I wouldn’t be able to resist that.

Penny’s response to being told that she can’t take every path is, “You can with chronomancy” which isn’t a bad point. 

Rekha is the Zac of The Seven which is to say low key the funniest person on the planet. Her saying she was so scared that she wasn’t gonna be told “I love you” during that scene was so funny. Her comic timing is impeccable. 

Katja fainting at the end of the “I love you” session after Penny says she loves her and Cinnamon. 

I love the table ambient whisper of, “LCAB” under Antiope’s scene with Corsica. 

I really felt for Zelda in this episode. Like, I felt for everyone but especially her, being the quiet one with all this yelling happening. When she was talking about how much she hates to have to fight with Sam/O my heart really broke for her. I’m so glad she got all her hugs in after that. 

In this episode Katja, Ostentatia, and Sam roll nat 1s. No nat 20s.

[meso-mijali]

Queer Reading Challenge for Pride

My GF sent me a Queer Book Challenge that was supposed to be updated daily with a list of queer books you’d read, but I’m not about things that require daily maintenance so I’m posting them all at once in a spiffy (and a crime against graphic design) grid with more info about each under the cut.

The first queer book I’d ever read was a book called Ash, by Malinda Lo; it’s a retelling of Cinderella, but, y’know, queer. I don’t remember much about the book, as I’d read it nearly a decade ago now, but I do remember sitting, curled up in the Aisle at the Borders Books my mom worked at, hiding it between the pages of a graphic novel while devouring it between glancing around to check for people noticing what I’m reading and drinking the Chai Latte I’d get from the cafe. It was the first queer novel I’d ever read (though I’d read some manga before that, which I’ll cover later) and I hadn’t realized you could…. Just write stuff that was gay. And have it exist in the world, and have it be available for people to buy. It was revolutionary! It took almost a decade for me to get to reading queer lit with any regularity (thanks eBooks!) but I’ll never forget that moment of panic and exhilaration as I picked up that book and inhaled it. 

A book that feels like home is The Starless Sea, by Erin Morgenstern- This book is so beautifully written, the prose is just absolutely gorgeous and it really captures the feelings of nostalgia and restlessness and yearning (both for love and change) that so many people struggle with. When I opened the book, I was sucked in from the very first page, 

“Once, very long ago…

There is a pirate in the basement.

(The pirate is a metaphor but also still a person.)

(The basement could rightly be considered a dungeon.)

The pirate was placed here for numerous acts of a piratey nature considered criminal enough for punishment by those non-pirates who decide such things.

Someone said to throw away the key, but the key rests on a tarnished ring on a hook that hangs on the wall nearby.

(Close enough to see from behind the bars. Freedom kept in sight but out of reach, left as a reminder to the prisoner. No one remembers that now on the key side of the bars. The careful psychological design forgotten, distilled into habit and convenience.)

(The pirate realizes this but withholds comment.)

The guard sits in a chair by the door and reads crime serials on faded paper, wishing he were an idealized, fictional version of himself. Wondering if the difference between pirates and thieves is a matter of boats and hats.” 

Please read this book, it’s got a Black, queer, male lead and it’s so beautifully written, I was up until nearly 2 in the morning to finish it, because I couldn’t sleep until I Knew What Happened. 

A book on my TBR for too long is The Song Of Achilles by Madeline Miller- I don’t have anything to say about this book, because I haven’t read it, but I’ve heard good things and I KNOW I’ll cry, which isn’t particularly hard to do, but STILL. MAYBE THIS TIME ACHILLES WILL BE OKAY

A book with a name or number in the title is Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell. This book was cute, a well written and illustrated graphic novel about growing up and apart and finding yourself. It handles toxic relationships, both romantically and platonically, and I’d highly recommend giving it a go. 

A book where the protag has a fun job was difficult because I don’t read a lot of books where people have “”jobs”” per se (and the ones I do aren’t usually fun) but Mask Of Shadows by Linsey Miller comes the closest. Sal sure is having a bit too much fun with the whole ‘murder’ thing, and honestly? They’re so valid. NB protag, female love interest, genuinely a good read. 

My favorite queer graphic novel would hands down be Heartstopper by Alice Oseman. It’s extremely cute, about two queer boys in the UK. Handles depression and other mental health topics, and it’s just a really soft, cute story. It’s available online as a webcomic, and the first two volumes are out in print! 

A queer book I’ve often reread is Daughter of the Sun by Effie Calvin- I’ve mentioned this one (and The Starless Sea) before, but I still really enjoyed this and have read it a few times now. This is technically book 2 in a series, but it can be a standalone if you’re interested in jumping right in. The world building in book 1 sets a few things up for you, but not overly needed. 

A queer book with a happy ending is absolutely Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo. This is book two in the Six Of Crows series, and god it was so good. I need to reread these books For Sure. Can’t recommend this series enough! 

A queer book over 100pgs is Perfect Rhythm by Jae. It was alright- not my favorite book, but it’s about an allosexual popstar who falls in love with an asexual nurse, and it was the first time I’d found a mass market quality book with an ace character so I was Thrilled. It was candy to read, and I’m glad I did. If you’re interested in some fluff, go for it :D 

My Favorite Queer Genre Novel is Gideon The Ninth by Tamsyn Muir and Listen. L i s t e n . This book. This fucking book. I’ve read it twice now, and. I’m going insane over this book. I think about this book constantly. I’m basically in the default state of ‘cry to my gf about Gideon’. I’ve coerced her into drawing for it, and she’s never read the book. This book got ‘favorite genre novel’ because it has Literally All The Genres. Is it scifi? Fantasy? Horror? Comedy? Yes. The answer is yes. Book two comes out soon and I’m going to be a wreck. Read this book, I’m Begging. 

Queer book you love in a genre you don’t read is The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake. This book was outstanding- I didn’t have high hopes, because I don’t normally read books that take place in modern day, but this was very well done. Mental health issues between two siblings, and how each crash and burn in their own, unique way, and how they slowly pull themselves, their relationship and their family back together. It also handles how sometimes, people fuck up without meaning to really well, and I loved this book a lot. 

A queer book with a strong sense of place would absolutely be Criers War by Nina Varela. This book knows exactly where it takes place, and it did a LOT of world building and lore to set it up. It was a nice read, and I desperately wanted the second book when I got to the last page. 

A queer book that made me think was Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan, but it was a really close call between that and Marrow Thieves (but Marrow Thieves ended up getting a different slot). This book handles subjugation, prejudice, bigotry and  imperialism. It discusses how people of a lower caste are kept down, and it inspires you to act, to rise up and fight back. It was well written, but violent with a lot of sex (they are forced into prostituion for the Emperor). If you want a piece of dark, well written, inspiring fiction, I’d recommend picking it up. 

A queer book that made me cry was The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline because OH MY GOD. Oh my god. This book should be required reading. This book was so good that everyone in the world should have to read it. This book was fantastic. This book made me cry like an actual child. This book ripped my heart out, then put it back together at the very end. This book. Read this book. Just read it. 

A queer book that made me LOL was My Brother’s Husband by Gengoroh Tagame. This is a queer manga that’s about a Japanese man and his daughter meeting his deceased twin brother’s Canadian husband. It was extremely well written, very heartwarming and had some really funny moments. 

A queer book that’s personal to me would be The Gentleman’s Guide to Getting Lucky, by Mackenzi Lee. This book (novella) handles Monty’s struggles after the first book (The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue). This book hit some things I’ve personally struggled with (Though less so now, thanks to some very patient people) but the lines

I look down at his hand and laugh without quite knowing why. “You deserve some sort of reward for putting up with me.” 

“You’re my reward.” 

“Shit reward I am.” 

“Why do you think everyone needs some sort of recompense for being around you?” he says, his voice so gentle I almost start to cry

Fucking KILLED me. Monty. Monty, please. You can’t read this one without reading the first, but that’s no hardship as it’s Fantastic. 

A Favorite Queer Spin Off or Sequel would be Fire by Kristen Cashore. This is t e c h n i c a l l y a prequel to Graceling, but was written second and if you read this first you ruin a surprise for that so it counts. This is one of my go-to rereads. I’ve read this book probably close to a dozen times. Actually, the whole series is great (but Fire is my favorite of the three). 

Favorite Queer Book by a Queer Author is Ruin of Stars by Linsey Miller. It’s the sequel to Mask of Shadows, which is also on this list, so go read that then go read this! What’re you waiting for??? Chop chop!

A queer book that changed my life would be Maria-sama Ga Miteru, a manga I’d read in high school that was the first time I’d ever read anything queer in my entire life, usually read at school in the computer lab so it wouldn’t go on the history at home. I was unreasonably attached to this series, and I won’t reread or watch it now because I’m sure it hasn’t aged well and I want to remember it how it was. Finding any media about people like me was so startling, it really helped solidify my identity in my head.  

Favorite queer book series oh look it’s book 2 out of 2.5 books in the Gentleman’s Guide series. An excuse for more from this series! This one is The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy, which I consumed in one single four-hour sitting. This book is wonderful, and while you really should read the first book, you could theoretically read this as a stand alone, though you will be missing some critical backstory and character growth. I love Felicity and, really, all the characters in this book(series). Felicity is Aro/Ace, and her QPP is Bi and a WOC. I don’t remember if it’s explicitly stated (I kind of doubt it though, because we are dealing with the 1700’s) but Felicity is also heavily implied to be Autistic. Extremely good characters, with wonderful writing and plot. Please read this. 

Queer book I recommend a lot would hands down be Belle Revolte. Revolution! Fantasy! Magic! Science! Multiple shades of queer! Also by Linsey Miller because everything she writes is fantastic. 

A queer book that made me take action was Define Normal by Julie Ann Peters, though I’m taking liberties with this one. She tends to write a lot of queer stuff, but this book wasn’t explictitly stated to be so (I certainly read it as such, back in like 9th grade). This book is about a model student who lives in an extremely abusive home while taking care of her siblings, and the rich punk girl she befriends. It’s great, and cathartic and I loved it a lot. 

A queer book by a dead author would be Monsterous Regiment by Terry Prachett, though I’ve taken some liberties here as well. Sort of. Lots of genderfluidity going on here. Also just a fantastic read, I’d recommend it to anyone. 

A queer book I wish I’d read when I was younger is The Prince and the Dressmaker- This book absolutely didn’t exist when I was young, but I wish it had. If there had been more books like this when I was a kid, maybe I’d have been less agonized about not feeling properly “female”. It’s very cute, drawn very well and is HIGHLY recommended by basically everyone who reads it (and I heard it may be getting a movie????!) 

A Queer book in a historical setting is Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce- Word of God is that she’s Ace which is [chefs kiss]. Also, rough and tumble tomboy knight who fights with Honor and for those weaker than her??? Yes please???? The whole series is great (this is the fourth book) so have at it! 

Queer Superhero Book/Comic DC Bombshells! Please read this, it’s an alt-history of WWII where all the male heroes went to/died in the war and the female heroes kick nazi ass at home and abroad. It’s Fantastic and SO queer. 

Favorite Queer Children’s Picture Book it’s not a picture book, but Hazel’s Theory of Evolution is a fantastic read- it’s roughly middle school level and follows Hazel and her two moms and older brother as she navigates starting a new school without her friends and how she grows into a new group and routine while her moms attempt to have another baby. Hazel is written very well, and very realistically. She, like Felicity, it also coded as Autistic and possibly aro/ace (it’s touched on, but because she’s young still it was left open to interpretation). 

Queer book that made me feel uncomfortable this was a tough one- the closest I could come was with Once and Future- the book didn’t have any unsettling subject matter, but it wasn’t my personal cup of tea (though YMMV). It read a bit…. Disjointed and chaotic. The plot jumped a bit too much for me- and I went in really wanting to like it! It’s about a genderbend King Arthur and a Reverse Aging Merlin and there’s spaceships and Excalibur and Morgana and…. Look, it’s WILD, if you think you’d like it give it a go! 

Queer book that made you want to fall in love I am (and was already) very much in love with my girlfriend, but this book made me feel very strongly about a lot of things- I’ve already touched on the fact that I feel I share a lot of traits (though certainly not all!) with Monty, and this book gave me a… really good sense of hope, I guess is the best way to describe it. Because despite everything he thinks, Monty is still deserving of love, y’know? He still deserves good, soft, kind things. I sometimes still struggle with that, so it was affirming, is all I’m getting at ^^; it made me Hope. 

Book with your favorite ending this was a TOUGH one- Starless Sea had a FANTASTIC ending, but this book… god. The world building, the characters, the Long Distance Relationship (me? Being Indulgent? In my reading list? More likely than you’d think). I cried, from like. Happiness, which is rare for me (I cry like a baby when I’m sad, sorry everyone I know IRL) It’s a LONG book, and it starts SLOW but I recommend it highly. 

[sunlit-squid]

(simping softness prompts) could i get some “hey, everything's gonna be fine. stay where you are, i'm on my way” or “holy crap, i thought you were dead! never do that to me again!” if you are feeling so inclined? sorry im just in love w ur writing

For those who don't know, my ask box is open. Send me a simping softness prompt, and I'll write a short sbsp ficlet for you. ✰

i'm gonna do "hey, everything's gonna be fine ...", but don't you worry. i will also be doing "holy crap ..." at some point, since someone else requested it.

anyway, thanks for the prompt, and for the kind words! while we're here, i should also say that @wowthwtslame is doing a similar ficlet challenge. their writing is wonderful, so definitely check them out!

also tagging @azumeowth, who requested the same prompt!

ficlet under the cut. thanks again!

The call came in -- loudly -- at around 2 in the morning.

When Squidward rolled over to check his shell phone, the dull blue screen read, simply, “SpongeBrat”, accompanied by a vomit emoji. Sighing, the octopus put his phone on silent and went back to bed. Surely whatever it was the sponge wanted to blabber about could wait until tomorrow. After a decent night’s sleep.

Unfortunately, sleep was hard to come by. Despite having switched his phone to silent, the device’s small blue screen continued to light up repeatedly, like a small, pathetic rave. Every few seconds, the small blue light cast peculiar shadows on the walls of Squidward’s bedroom. Eventually, after thirty minutes of tossing and turning, the cephalopod grabbed his phone to shove it inside the nightstand -- when he caught a glimpse of the screen itself.

43 missed calls. 37 unread text messages. All from “SpongeBrat” Squarepants.

The phone rang again. This time, Squidward picked up.

“Spongebob, do you have any idea what time it is?” snapped Squidward, despite the uncomfortable, worried feeling growing in his stomach. “No? Well, I’ll tell you -- it is two-forty-seven --”

“I-I know, Squidward,” came a small, shaking Spongebob-voice. “I just -- I didn’t know what to do.”

Squidward paused. Well, that was … not the regular Spongebob volume. Or tone. Or pitch.

“Squ -- Squidward?” came the sponge’s soft, sad voice once more. The frycook’s voice was barely audible. There was some sort of loud, constant whooshing happening on the other end, not to mention a weird crackling noise, which made it very difficult to hear. Squidward sighed, wiping a tentacle across his eyes.

“I’m here,” said Squidward. “What’s this about, Spongebob?”

Silence. Then, crying -- and not Spongebob’s usual loud, obnoxious crying. This crying was quiet and gentle, barely decipherable against the loud whooshing on the other end of the line. Squidward sat up then, pressing the phone close to his ear.

“Sponge,” said Squidward, panic rising in his chest. “Sponge, what’s wrong?”

Spongebob sobbed something indiscernible. Then, he stammered, “I’m -- I’m hurt, Squidward. I’m hurt, and … I’m lost.”

Something funny exploded in Squidward’s chest. Before he knew it, the octopus was out of bed, scrambling for his jacket and keys. Gripping his shell phone tight, Squidward asked, “Where are you? What’s going on, Spongebob?”

On the other end of the line, Spongebob snuffled. “I got on the wrong bus,” he explained, in a shaky, uneven voice. “I -- I’m in a place called ‘Deviltown’ now, and the current is so strong, and the signal is pretty bad --” There was that distorted, crackling sound again -- followed by a few more broken whimpers.

Squidward sighed, feeling his hearts crack with every little sob. “Hey, everything’s going to be fine,” he said, stepping out the door and into the cool Bikini Bottom night. “Stay where you are. I’m on my way.”

-0-

Deviltown, it turned out, was several hours away from Bikini Bottom. Squidward’s shell phone indicated the drive not only went straight, but downward -- which was certainly a problem. Oceanic towns grew more and more dangerous the deeper you went, and Deviltown was apparently thousands of nautical leagues under the sea. Wherever Spongebob was, even the sun couldn’t reach him.

Undeterred, Squidward set off on his journey. His boat was constantly maintained, so the cephalopod was certain it could handle the perilous road ahead.

For the first hour or so, the drive was uneventful -- peaceful, even. The streets were smooth and well taken care of, which was good considering the massive tax hike this past year. Squidward even put on some Kelpy G, which certainly helped to soothe his nerves.

Later on, however, the drive got worse. The once well-maintained roads gave way to rickety rocks and slippery sand, with only a few sporadic road signs to get by. Moonlight became sparse, and by the time Squidward reached a vertical road, he had his brights all the way up -- and was still struggling to see.

A nearby rickety sign read “Deviltown, 10 nautical miles downward.” Peering down into the deep abyss, Squidward gulped. Despite his headlights, he still couldn’t see a thing -- just a vast expanse of open blackness.

A tight feeling wound itself around Squidward’s chest. He thought about backing up, turning around, and going straight home. This was ridiculous. Why was he out here, in the wee hours of the morning, chasing after SpongeBrat Squarepants, of all people? The boy had other friends. Certainly one of them would be willing to retrieve him.

Squidward’s tentacle hovered just over the gear stick. That’s when he saw it: in his passenger seat lay Spongebob’s wrinkled little jacket. The sponge must have left it behind the other day, when Squidward (begrudgingly) drove them both home from work.

Squidward’s chest felt hollow, suddenly. He thought of how many times he’d seen Spongebob in that exact jacket over the years.

He thought of never seeing him in that jacket ever again.

Groaning, the octopus switched gears from “Drive” to “Drive, But Downward”, and puttered his way into the deep and black abyss.

-0-

The journey into the inky black was, bar none, one of the creepiest things Squidward had ever experienced. He told himself, repeatedly, that if he just stared straight ahead and focused on the task at hand, then everything would be fine. Still, hearing creepy noises in the darkness (and being unable to see where they came from) was severely unsettling.

After what felt like forever, the vertical road became horizontal once again, and Squidward finally drove into Deviltown. Luckily, the town had the decency to set up some lamp posts, possibly for out-of-towners like Squidward who were unused to the darkness. Still, the lamp posts were few and far between, and there was nobody out and about, giving Deviltown a fittingly creepy vibe nonetheless.

Tense, cold, and worried, Squidward drove further into town, squinting for Spongebob’s bright yellow body. Surely the boy couldn’t be that hard to spot -- he was likely the only vibrant thing down here. Surely --

Oh. Oh, no.

Squidward brought his boat careening to a stop. Clambering out of it, the octopus made his way over to a rickety wooden bus stop, with a flickering lamp post just overhead. On a bench nearby was none other than Spongebob Squarepants: cold, alone, and unconscious. For a moment, a horrible thought passed through Squidward’s head -- is he dead? -- before he saw the sponge’s chest rise and fall, taking slow and steady breaths.

Breathing a huge sigh of relief, Squidward looked up and down the street. No one in sight.

Gently, the octopus leaned down and shook Spongebob lightly. “Hey,” said Squidward, awkwardly. “What are you doing asleep all the way out here? We have work tomorrow, you know.”

Spongebob stirred. In the dim light, Squidward realized the sponge really was hurt -- his usually spiffy shirt and tie were ripped straight down the middle. Beyond the fabric, the sponge’s chest was badly torn up, too, and for some reason, he had not regenerated yet.

Squidward swallowed. “Spongebob?”

The sponge stirred once more. This time, his eyes opened -- and he smiled, weakly. “Squidward,” he slurred, happily. He tried to laugh, then winced, clutching at his stomach and chest. “Squidward, it’s you … you came … ”

“Of course I came,” muttered Squidward, before he could stop himself. “I -- you … ugh, I hate you.”

Scooping up Spongebob, Squidward gently carried him over to the boat, positioning him carefully in the passenger’s seat. The sponge fussed a little about being buckled in, but otherwise, seemed too out of it to complain properly. Taking a deep breath, Squidward got back behind the wheel and started the engine.

“Heheh,” chuckled Spongebob as the boat roared to life. “Vroom-vroom.”

Squidward rolled his eyes and began turning the boat around, back towards Bikini Bottom. “We’re going home now,” he said, with a sigh. “You need to see a doctor for … whatever it was that happened to you.”

Spongebob simply nodded, then fell to his side, leaning all of his body weight on Squidward as he drove. The octopus felt warmth rising to his cheeks, and for once felt grateful for the murky blackness of the ocean void.

Spongebob was mumbling something.

“What is it?” said Squidward. “Are you okay?”

��I …uh … love you, Squidward,” said Spongebob, in a very loopy voice. “I love your big nose, and your paintings, and I wanna … get married, someday. Okay? Can we get married, someday?”

Squidward’s entire face was bright red now. It took everything in him not to just veer in a random direction and crash the entire damn boat. Taking a deep breath, the octopus collected himself. Spongebob was just severely injured, and loopy as a result. He didn’t really mean any of this.

Squidward decided to play along. “Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, we can get married.”

“Mm,” said Spongebob, chuckling softly. “Can I -- can I wear a dress?”

“Sure,” said Squidward. “Whatever you want.”

“And you’ll … and you’ll kiss me?”

“Mhm,” mumbled Squidward.

“And I can … listen to you play the clarinet around the house … and, and paint with you … and watch your soaps with … you … ”

Squidward looked over. The sponge had fallen asleep, and was snoring loudly. Which was … good. Very good. Excellent, even. That way, they couldn’t talk about marriage or love or any of that absolute nonsense. Now they could just drive forward in sweet silence.

Still, Squidward found himself dwelling over Spongebob’s words far more than he would have liked.

About an hour into the drive home, the octopus glanced over at the sponge, still fast asleep beside him. Fixing his gaze forward, Squidward took a deep breath, clutching the steering wheel in a tight death-grip.

“Spongebob, I …,” Squidward began, shakily. “I love you. I love you, I love you.”

Squidward found that once he started saying it, he couldn’t stop. The words felt good in his mouth, like a massive weight had finally been lifted off his chest.

“I love everything about you,” said Squidward, his three hearts exploding inside his chest. “Your annoying laugh, your stupid singing, all of it. I want to read with you, and garden with you.”

Squidward hesitated, his words floating out into the open water.

“I love you,” said Squidward, one last time. “And I … I don’t know what to do about it. Maybe I’m a coward. I’m sorry.”

Squidward looked over. Spongebob was still fast asleep, snoring away against his arm -- but the smallest of smiles had appeared on his face.

-0-

Squidward woke up in the hospital, seated in a chair next to Spongebob’s hospital bed. The poriferan was wide awake, watching an episode of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy on the hospital television. Of course.

The sponge turned. “Squidward!” he exclaimed, his voice loud and back to normal. “You’re awake!”

“Unfortunately,” muttered the octopus. “How are you feeling?”

“Great!” chirped Spongebob. “Better than ever, actually -- but the doc says I should stick around for a little while, just in case.”

Squidward glanced down. Sure enough, Spongebob’s chest had almost fully regenerated. Thank Neptune. When they arrived at the Bikini Bottom General Hospital early that morning, Spongebob was still in rough shape. The doctor said Spongebob most likely had a run-in with a deep-sea predator, and the attack was too quick and too constant for the poriferan to regenerate. Not to mention there were several lacerations to his vital organs.

Still, sponges were pretty sturdy folk -- and all Spongebob really needed was a long rest in a controlled environment.

Squidward breathed a huge sigh of relief. “Great,” he said, awkwardly. “I, uh. Pay attention next time you get on the bus, alright? So I don’t have to come running after you.”

Spongebob laughed. “Okey-doke.”

The two then sat together in silence for an uncomfortable amount of time. All the while, Squidward wondered if perhaps his stupid, impulsive, not-really-a-love-confession-confession had actually gotten through to Spongebob. His hearts twisted up at just the thought.

“Hey, Squidward?”

The octopus looked up, and was very surprised to find splotches of red decorating the sponge’s cheeks.

“What?” said Squidward.

“My, uh, sea flowers have been dying lately,” said the sponge, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. “Maybe you could come by and we could share some gardening tips?”

A brilliant red blush planted itself on Squidward’s face. Then, he cleared his throat, and folded his arms across his chest. “Only if we get to watch a soap afterwards.”

Spongebob grinned. “Deal.”

Squidward found himself grinning, too, despite himself. “Deal.”

References:

“Deviltown” is loosely based off of the Devil Sea, near the Japanese coast.

I will likely be compiling these ficlets into one combined fic on ao3. I originally wasn't going to, but I definitely didn't expect so many requests. So keep an eye out for that, at some point.

[daydream-believin]

styrofoam cup give me strength

summary: you’ve not had a valentine’s date since way back when it was invented in the 14th century. you’re still bitter. and douxie asking you to come over to help him with his date is not making it better

warnings: swearing, alcohol

word count: idk i’m on mobile it’s not too long i don’t think

a/n: i wrote this while groggy. lol i just wanted something out this week. 1/3 valentines fics done. bone apple teeth yall

- it’s feb 14, valentine’s day, and you are once again spending it alone

- you thought for sure moving to a new town would help you better your chances at a successful love life

- but alas you have been in arcadia oaks for two years now and you are still without a valentines date

- you cursed this wretched holiday, always mocking you in your singleness

- it was stupid, and commercial, and made up anyway

- that didn’t stop you from looking spiffy tho

- look, the stupid lovey dovey couples that come in the restaurant tip way better when you’re dressed on theme

- it was just smart okay,,

- ngl you kinda felt like spongebob when pearl took over the krusty krab

- but that’s okay :D

- and all those cheeseball couples you served were just oh so cute, didn’t make you want to cry at all

- or at least go lie in a ditch, contemplating your life choices

- it’s okayyy :D :D

- stars, as soon as your shift is over you’re hitting up the bar across the way from your place

- time to drown out them sorrows am i right??

- actually, now that you think about it, your friend douxie asked you if you could make a quick swing by his place before you began drinking yourself into oblivion

- fuck, how did you forget that

- ah, well, you didn’t know what he wanted, but you were sure it wouldn’t take long

- you never asked, cause the answer might have hurt, but you were sure he had someone to hold tonight, a lucky, lucky valentines date. probably that pink haired chick he hangs with, or maybe that guy in his band? either way, he wouldn’t have much time for you

- he probably just wants you to run an errand for him or help him set something up

- and that was okay too :D

- life was dandy

- your shift ended, and you know that you promised douxie you’d be over asap, but tbh you were way too sober to go help your crush set up his romantic gestures meant for someone else. before leaving work, you poured some wine into a to-go cup with a bendy straw for your trip

- don’t judge

- you knocked on douxie’s door, before just walking right in without waiting for an answer

- look he gave you a key did he expect you not to use it

- anyhoo, you were right

- this place was all ready to go for a romantic evening

- candlelight, fancy tablecloth and place settings, red roses in the vase, soft music playing, rose petals on the ground? leading form the door?

- you furrowed your brows, and then rolled your eyes. yeesh. he was going all out apparently. you wouldn’t put it past him to be wearing a suit or something. wait, does douxie even own a suit? you went to go throw away the empty to-go cup, expecting doux to be in the kitchen, but he wasn’t there

- where was he

- you called out “DOUX! IM HERE!”

- you heard a shuffle from one of the other rooms, and a door swing open

- “wait, where are you, love?”

- “kitchen!”

- douxie appeared behind you. hmm, he wasn’t in a suit, but he was wearing a tie. how strange. a black tie on a slightly different shade of black shirt with some slightly different black slacks and, you guessed it, yet another shade of black shoes

- walk walk fashion baby

- “aww, you didn’t follow the petal path?”

- the confusion spread across your face “...no?”

- “okay,” he pressed his hands together, “could you go back outside and pretend to come in for the first time, and actually follow the petals?”

- “... come again, camelot?”

- “ah, you know what, fine.” he scooped you up, carrying you to the table

- “doux what the fuck,,”

- he put your feet back on the ground in front of the elegantly decorated table and pulled out the chair with a flourish, inviting you to sit

- you blinked. what. wh- why? wasn’t this set up for his date? why was he motioning for you to join hi-? ohhh. ohhh

- OH

- FUCK

- you quickly pulled your escaping soul back into your body and sat down in that chair. mr casperan, eligible bachelor of the evening pushed your chair and and took his own seat across from you, leaning with his head in one of his hands, like a cool cat

- you were.. still in shock to say the least

- you think douxie just didn’t like the quietness cause the next thing that came out of his oh so suave mouth was-

- “so, you come here often?” accompanied by eyebrow waggling

- “... to your house?” you cracked a smile, “yeah, yeah i guess i do.”

- douxie laughed, “sorry, i was just trying to lighten up the mood a little,” he poured you a real glass of wine that was not a bendy straw to-go cup, “you’ve been so down lately, i thought you could use some cheering up.”

- “that’s sweet, douxie. i love you.”

- fuuuuuccccckkkkk

- oh my stars, i mean you two say ‘i love you’ all the time, but, but, this was a date right, it means something else now, you can’t just say that

- wait, or was this a date? what he just said kinda made it sound like this was a one time platonic cheer-up-my-friend date and not a date-date

- okay okay uhhh

- “so like, what’d you want me to help you with?” douxie blinked.

- “y/n?”

- “ i mean this is nice and all but we should probably get a move on before your s/o arrives, don’t want to ruin the surprise.”

- “y/n-“

- you made a motion like you were about to stand. douxie quickly grabbed your hand before that could happen, pulling you back into your seat. “Y/N,” that got your attention, “I- this is for you, you’re my date, i don’t have a s/o... i-“ douxie looked the floor to gather some courage. there was a scratch mark in the cheap wood where archie’s dragon claws had skidded accidentally. he’d have to fix that. after he fixed this. “i, was hoping,,” douxie rubbed the back of his neck nervously, “that after tonight,, you, would be my significant other?”

- he said that last part so nervously, and posed like a question. a question you had to answer. damn

- “i- yeeEs”

- “oh, okay then, y- yes.” douxie took rather long sip from his wineglass. he set it back down with a start “it’s settled then.”

- “settled?”

- “settled”

- “- yeah”

- douxie stood up, his chair making a loud sound scraping against the hardwood. “OKAY,” he clapped his hands together, “let’s start dinner, shall we?”

- “we shall.” you raised your glass to show excitement. mordrax’s bloody miracles this was awkward. and yet somehow the best thing that could have happened. not the worst case scenario but the best case one. you could be crying and lying on the cold dirt outside a bar right now so

- if awkward is coming with not being heartbroken, being on a valentines date for the first time since the stupid fucking holiday was invented seven centuries ago, fuck you st valentine, and your crush actually reciprocating you feelings and-

- wait hold the fuck up

- douxie reciprocated. he actually likes you. he invited you to this date. he asked you to be his s/o. what the fuck

- douxie came back from the kitchen, plates in his hands. as he set yours in front of you, you just couldn’t help but asking a burning question,

- “how, how long,”

- douxie furrowed his brows, “how long what? the dinner didn’t take lo-“

- “how long have you, i dunno, ah, liked me?”

- douxie looked sheepish, pointing his fingers together, “oh, i don’t know, maybe,, since we met?”

- you let out a defeated sigh. “by merlin, me too, we’re so fucking stupid-“ you wheezed. you couldn’t even finish the thought from how hard you were laughing

- and let’s be real, if you weren’t laughing right now you would be crying

- douxie was laughing too, for the same reason

- and now you two were sitting at this table, laughing like madmen

- it was gonna be a long night

- but, you know what? that was okay

- maybe you’d get a little kiss or two at the nights end

- spoiler: you did

[kpop---scenarios]

That's Okay

Pairing: Kyungsoo x Reader / Taehyung x Reader

Genre: Arranged Marriage! AU / Mafia! AU

Warning: Smut, Violence, Language, Angst

Word Count: 7.2k

A smile spread across your lips as your mind wanders to your boyfriend, doing whatever you could to ignore the rambles of your father.

"Who does that fucking Taehyung think he is?" He spits, throwing his fork onto his plate, crossing his arms in anger.

"Sorry, what?" You ask, forcing a smile. God you hated Sunday night dinners with your family.

"Nothing you need to worry about." Your father grunts. "Look, while I have you here, I have some news." He says, clearing his throat before looking at your uninterested mother.

"What?" You ask, your stomach doing flips as the sudden nerves eat you alive.

"In just one month, you will be married off into the Do family. Mr. Do's oldest son, Kyungsoo is taking over for him eventually and as the heir, he is to be married. With the new groups coming in and trying to take our districts we need to combine, and this is how we do it." Your father says, picking his fork back up to finish his food.

Your stare at him for a moment, your mouth hanging open in surprise and confusion. You couldn't get married, you were with someone already, someone you wanted and you knew wanted you, not a stranger.

"But.." you begin before he holds up one finger, almost in your face. That was his thing and his way of telling you he was done talking about it, and you had no say. This was your life though, he couldn't dictate who you were going to spend your life with.

"I don't want to." You say, partially confident but mostly terrified.

Your father turns to look at you, confusion now coated his eyes. You were never one to back talk to your father, or anyone.

"You don't want to?" He repeats.

"Yes. No, I don't want to." You whisper.

"I do a lot of fucking things I don't want to do, but I do them because it helps the fucking family." He snaps. "Are you a part of this family? Because if you are, then you'll get married, goddammit." He yells, standing up and storming away.

"Do as your father says." Your mother whispers. "Please." She finishes before walking away, not even saying a goodbye before she went to the opposite side of the house as your father. He and your mother had an arranged marriage and neither of them were happy. You were sure there was never a moment you saw them actually smile at each other or laugh together. That was the life they wanted you to live?

You wanted to be happy, and in this moment there was only one person you knew that would help you feel even the slightest bit better.

"Baby?" He answers his phone in a whisper as you walk out of your parents house, leaving their staff to clean up the mess of dinner.

"I need to see you." You sniffle, sliding into your drivers seat.

"Bad dinner?" He asks. You didn't answer, he already knew. "I'll be over in half an hour, love." He tells you, hanging up the phone. You could always count on Taehyung to be there for you, like a boyfriend should.

As you pull up to your apartment building, you see a spiffy Taehyung in a suit, leaning against his Mercedes with his muscular arms crossed against his chest. A bright and happy smile spread across your face as you parked in your spot quickly, and ran to him. His arms wrapped around you and you just felt like everything was going to be okay.

"So tell me what he did now." Taehyung says, settling in on your couch.

"Married!" You yell, placing your hand on your forehead. "Can you believe that? He, my father, wants me, myself, to get married to a complete stranger!" You scoff, still having a hard time believing it. "Me! A stranger!"

"Did he say who?" Taehyung asks, suddenly perking up a bit.

"Do Kyungsoo or some shit." You say, not noticing Taehyung's face contort into anger.

"Hah. Does he really think that'll work?" Taehyung laughs, shaking his head.

"Listen to me baby, okay?" Taehyung smiles, standing up. He places his hands on each arm, looking you in the eyes before talking.

"You're going to marry Kyungsoo, okay?" Taehyung says. "Before you freak out, this is a power move on his part, one that I can see possibly benefitting me in the future but I need your help."

"Benefitting you?" You ask, cocking your head to the side.

"Did I say me? I meant us, baby, always." He smiles, leaning in to place a kiss on your lips. Within seconds you already melt into the kiss, wrapping your arms around Taehyung's neck for a second before he pulls away.

"This'll have to be quick, baby." He groans, bending you over the desk in your living room. It usually was a quickie with him, that was one of the problems of dating a mafia boss, he was always busy.

Taehyung groans as he hikes your skirt up, exposing your bare ass. He raises his hand, landing a hard smack right on your cheek before you can hear the dangling of him undoing his belt buckle. He licks his fingers, before slowly pushing them inside you, making sure you were plenty wet for him.

"Always so tight." He breathes, pumping his fingers in and out of you.

He pulls his fingers out of you, pumping his cock a few times before he lines himself up with your entrance. Taehyung pushes his cock into you, stretching your pussy out as he fills you up.

"Fuck." You gasp, clinging to the edge of the desk.

Taehyung reaches up, placing his hand on your head, pushing it into the desk as he rams his clock inside you, making you cry out. You can hear him murmuring things, but not loud enough for you to make out what he said, except for a few things.

"Slut… you bitch...worthless." he mutters and you feel your heart sink. Surely he doesn't truly think of you like that, does he?

You close your eyes, trying to focus on the feeling of Taehyung thrusting his cock into you but your mind keeps wandering to what he said.

"You like that?" He grunts, gripping onto your hips tighter. "Shit." He groans.

You feel the change of pace with his thrusts, knowing he will cum soon. You tighten your pushy around his cock, attempting to keep him inside you for just a little longer.

It doesn't work. He releases himself into you, grunting loudly as he thrusts, enjoying his high.

Taehyung pulls his cock from inside you, allowing his cum to seep from your pussy, dripping down your leg. You lay there for a second while he pulls up his pants, making himself presentable once again.

"I didn't even get off." You huff, standing up.

"Next time." He half smiles, leaving you standing there with his cum falling down your legs, horny and confused.

**

A few days later, you're laying in your bed, staring at a text you had received from your father. You were to get yourself looking good for a dinner at your parents house, with your future husband.

Great. Couldn't wait.

While you did your make up and hair, you had Taehyung on speaker phone, describing what you were doing and what you were going to wear.

"Be sexy and amazing baby, I need this. We need this." He corrects himself quickly. "This is important for our future." You can hear the smile through the phone, whether that smile is genuine or not is what concerns you.

Part of you knew that Taehyung was up to something, no one who truly wants something for 'us' says 'me' all the time. You weren't that stupid, but there were some things you chose to ignore, and these were some of them.

"Alright, I've got to go. I'm running late already. I'll call you after. I love you." You smile.

"You too." He replies, causing your heart to sink. You thought he loved you, but the fact that he never said it, should be cause for concern but you didn't have the time right now. You had a man to woo.

**

Sitting at the dinner table, your plate barley picked at, you stare at the man sitting across from you, the man who is meant to become your husband in three weeks. He was handsome, you could admit that, his heart shaped lips drew you in first, and then his cat-like eyes. His face though was cold, he was intimidating and seemed extremely uninterested.

You didn't have to do much of anything to woo him, he did not object to anything either of your mothers had planned out for the wedding, just went along with it.

"Why don't you two take a walk in the garden and talk?" You father suggested, while everyone else agreed.

You stood up, along with Kyungsoo, leaving the dining to whispers and giggles about how the two of you were a beautiful couple.

**

Walking through the garden, your hands are intertwined in front of you, while he keeps his at his sides, neither of you talking. You wanted to break the silence, or even better have him break the silence, but neither of you were willing.

Until you gave it a shot.

You look over at him, just as he turns to you, and your eyes meet. You give him a small smile while his face remains stone like.

"I'm not going to fuck you." He spits, looking forward again. You stop in your tracks.

"What?" You ask, feeling rather offended.

"You're looking at me like you can't wait until I slide my dick into you, but it won't happen. I'm not into girls who have daddy issues, and let anyone fuck them as long as she can call them daddy while they're inside her." He snaps. "That's you. Reeking of desperation and shit.  Let's get one thing straight, this is for our fathers and the companies, that's it. You mean nothing to me and that won't change." He finishes, looking you up and down before scoffing. "I'll have my doctors check you out, God only knows what the fuck is down there. Permanently stained with random men's cum and diseases." He spits. "You're the best they could do?" He scoffs, walking away, leaving you feeling heartbroken from a man you didn't even know.

**

For the next few weeks leading up to the wedding, you had very minimal say in what happened, or anything in regards to what's usually supposed to be the happiest day in a woman's life. Instead you felt dread and sorrow. You hadn't told Taehyung what Kyungsoo had said to you, you were worried about his reaction. Not that you thought he would be angry with you and confront Kyungsoo, no, more like he would laugh and agree, making you feel worse.

The words your future husband spat at you, like you were nothing were burned in your brain. You thought about it constantly, especially everytime Taehyung was inside you, demanding you call him daddy. All you could see was Kyungsoo's disgusted face.

The day of the wedding, there were no smiles from you as you walked down the aisle. Tears threatened to fall from your eyes instead, the dread of having to live with just a harsh and vicious man for however long, was not at all how you imagined your life would go. At least you knew you had one good thing you could count on, Taehyung.  He had promised you, swore to you up and down that once his plan worked, he would swoop in and take you away, you and him living life together happily ever after.

That's the only thing that got you through whispering 'I do', not to mention kissing the man you were now married too.

**

Over the next few weeks, things were awkward. Immediately after the wedding you were moved into his house, and into his bedroom. You had offered to take a room somewhere else but you were told a man and wife share a bed and that was it. Kyungsoo wasn't one to do anything that would displease his father, so he agreed.

The first two weeks, Kyungsoo didn't come to bed at night but you saw him occasionally during the day. You would catch him staring at you a little more each day, when you came downstairs wearing your booty shorts and tight tank top, the same thing you wore to bed every night.

As time went on, he would sit in the living room when you spoke and joked with his men, never saying anything, just listening. You had caught him a few times slightly smiling at something you had said. His smile was beautiful.

As you walk down the stairs one morning you hear Kyungsoo losing it on one of his men.

"What the fuck do you mean Kai fucked up?" Kyungsoo snaps at Minseok. "What happened?"

"Well you see.. he missed the shipment pick up and they won't reschedule but will come on their assigned day next time." Minseok tells him.

"That's four fucking weeks we have to wait for the drugs." Kyungsoo snaps. "Bring him to me. He better be beaten while I figure this shit out. Dumb fuck. What the fuck was he doing?"

Before Minseok can answer you walk down the stairs, wearing your short shorts and tank top, ceasing all communication from the men. You could feel both sets of eyes burning in the back of you.

"Just bring him to me." Kyungsoo says, walking away once you're out of site. "And stop checking out my wife."

**

By week four, you had finally been able to sneak out to see Taehyung, resulting in you telling him everything that had happened so far, and then Taehyung harshly fucking you in the backseat of his car.

"So he hasn't told you any plans?" Taehyung asks, buttoning up his shirt.

"I told you, we don't talk." You say, rolling your eyes. You didn't tell him that you and Kyungsoo had been getting along better. You knew that Taehyung wasn't to be trusted, but you couldn't walk away, not yet. "We do have that party next week though." You tell him.

"You two are going?" Taehyung asks.

"Yeah. Happy newlyweds." You murmur.

"Well I'll see you there." He smiles, nodding towards the door, motioning for you to get out. A partial laugh and scoff slips from your mouth as you slam the car door, walking back to the house you shared with Kyungsoo.

The night before the party, you saw Taehyung one more time. He buried his cock so far in you that night, you thought he might actually feel some type of way towards you,  instead he told you to be safe. "And Goodluck tomorrow." He nodded towards the door, again.

This was exhausting.

The night of the party, Kyungsoo had sent up a makeup artist and stylist for you. You had chosen a dark blue, deep V neck dress, along with a pair of black pumps. You were given smokey eye makeup, with a red lip. You looked good.  You walked down the stairs where Kyungsoo waited for you in his tux, and he looked darn good.

"You look beautiful." He tells you, holding out his arm for you to link in with yours. You give him a small look, as if you're not sure if he's serious or not. "I'm being serious. You look great." He says, rolling his eyes.

"Thank you." You smile. "You look pretty good yourself." You say, avoiding eye contact anymore.

**

Arriving at the party, you're mesmerized. This is bigger than anything your parents had ever thrown, much more magnificent and way classier in your opinion. Your parents had a tendency to be quite tacky.

You and Kyungsoo walked through the house, your hand tightly placed in his. You tried to ignore the whispers and the stares, but it made you feel important that people were talking about you. You felt powerful. Until you saw Taehyung standing there in his suit, looking mesmerizing and now you felt inferior, like a fraud. He smiled in your direction, and nodded to Kyungsoo, he nodded back.

It was almost as though Kyungsoo could feel the uneasiness coursing through you, and he gave your hand a small squeeze, to let you know you were fine. If only he knew about your history with Taehyung.

As the evening went on, you were introduced to many important people, drank champagne, mingled and now rested your head on Kyungsoo's shoulder as you slowly danced with him. It was strange, you hadn't ever seen this side of him, but then again he was also probably just faking to show off that the two of you were happy.

"I'm sorry." He whispers into your ear.

"For what?" You ask, your eyes closed as your head still lays on his chest.

"For what I said the first night we met. It was uncalled for and rude and I shouldn't have said that. I had just exiled one of my men, and I wasn't in a good place with anything. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you." He tells you.

"What changed your mind?" You ask, unsure if you wanted to know.

"These past couple months, I've been watching you. I know that sounds creepy." He chuckles. "But I've been watching you with my men, when you're alone, and I've gotten to see you in a way I hadn't thought of before, and I think I'm a lucky man." He finishes.

"Wow." You whisper.. "I don't know what to say." You pause. "Actually.. I think I need to tell you something."

"What?" He asks. You look up at him, looking him in the eyes before you start.

"I have been.."

"Excuse me." You're interrupted by Taehyung. "Mr Do, may I borrow your stunning wife for a moment?" He asks.

Kyungsoo looks at you with a raised eyebrow. You shrug your shoulders, following Taehyung as Kyungsoo watches the two of you walk away.

**

Taehyung closes the door behind you, rushing towards you, taking your face in his hands. "I've wanted to bury myself in you since you walked in the door." He groans, placing a kiss on your lips.

You push him off. "I'm with my husband." You hiss, backing away from him.

"So?" He chuckles. "What does it matter?"

"I'm not going to fuck you with him downstairs." You say, walking towards the door.

"Y/N. Stop." He shouts. When you don't he swiftly grabs onto your arm, yanking you into him. "I said stop." He snaps, his grip tightening around your arm.

"That hurts." You cry, trying to get him off of you. "Stop Taehyung." You whine.

"Let her go, Kim." You hear from the doorway. Turning your head you see Kyungsoo standing there, his eyes black and full of anger.

"Mind your business." Taehyung slurs.

"My wife, my business. Let's go Y/N." Kyungsoo growls. Taehyung let's go, letting you walk out of the room, leaving the two men glaring at each other.

"I've been fucking her." Taehyung cackles.

"Yeah? How's your wife feel about that?" Kyungsoo asks. Taehyung's face drops. No one was ever supposed to know about her. "I'll be seeing you." Kyungsoo finishes, closing the door, leaving Taehyung standing there shocked.

Instead of grabbing another drink, Kyungsoo ushered you outside and urged the valet to hurry the fuck up for his car. He was acting as if he knew something was about to happen.

"Whats going on?" You ask, worriedly.

"Look, I don't know what your relationship with that piece of shit is, but you need to end it now, whatever it is." He tells you, his eyes remaining on the road, but constantly also looking in the rear view mirror.

"I've.. just been… sleeping with him." You admit, feeling overly guilty. You had been cheating on your actually nice husband, and felt like a bag of shit for it.

"It's fine baby, shit was fucked up." He tells you, still not looking at you. "But there is something you need to know."

You turn your head and look at him regardless, your eyes wide, mouth hanging open just slightly. Did he just call you baby? Your heart fluttered at the sound of it spilling from his lips. You loved it.  

"Too much?" He asks, a smirk on his face.

"No, I liked it." You admit.

"Fuck." Kyungsoo spits, seeing a car speeding up behind the two of you.

"What do I need to know?" You ask.

"First off, that's him behind us." He says, focusing on driving. "Second, he is married. His wife is Kwon Chaeso." He finishes.

You can't breathe. You literally feel like you are dying at this moment. How could you have not known?

"Fuuuuck." You breathe, barely.

"Relax, we can deal with that after. Right now I need to try to lose him." Kyungsoo says, noticing the car behind you is coming up quickly. "Seatbelt." He growls, noticing you're not wearing it.

Just as you reach for it, the car behind you rams into the back bumper, jolting you forward, causing you to hit your head on the dash.

"Shit." Kyungsoo snaps, pressing down on the gas more.

You feel the blood dripping down your face, as you quickly put your belt on, not worrying about your cut now.

"Hold on." Kyungsoo yells as he abruptly turns the wheel all the way to the right, taking a road you hadn't even seen. The car drifts on the gravel road as he tries to straighten out the car. You both watch the rear view mirror, seeing Taehyung's car drive straight past, a sense of relief washes over you.

You still hold your breath, waiting for him to backup and come after you again, but instead you see another car drive past, Kyungsoo lets out a sigh of relief before calmly driving to his house.

"Those were some of my men. We're okay now." He tells you. "We have a doctor, let's get home and get that cut looked at." He smiles.

**

The next night you laid in your bed staring at the clock. It was 2am, and Kyungsoo still hadn't come to bed. You slipped out of bed, slid on your slippers before you went wandering downstairs to his office to see if he was there.

Opening the door, you're met with a moaning Kyungsoo who had his eyes closed, head thrown back and hand wrapped around his thick cock.

Your gasp startles him. You mutter an apology as he just stares at you, hand still on his cock.

"I was thinking about you." He groans.

"You were?" You ask, walking into the room, closing the door behind you.

"How tight your pussy is, how good it would feel." He groans. You can feel yourself dripping already.

"Why don't you find out?" You whisper, walking over to his desk before bending over. Your large shirt riding up over your ass, showing Kyungsoo you were wearing no panties.

"Naughty fucking slut." He groans, standing up from his chair.

He presses your head harder against the desk with one hand as he lines himself up with your entrance with his other hand.

He slowly pushed himself into you, burying himself into you.

"Shit. I was right." He groans, thrusting in and out. "Rub your clit." He tells you.

You reach between your legs, rubbing your clit as he pulps become faster and harder, needing his release.

"Fuck you feel so good." He grunts, his thrusts becoming sloppy.

"Cum in my pussy." You cry out, your orgasm rushing through your body.

"Fuck." He breathes, his orgasm flowing through his body as he shoots his load into your pussy, filling you up.

The two of you catch your breath, before he pulls himself out of you, wiping you down with a cloth.

"Let's go to bed." He sighs, grabbing your hand and bringing you upstairs.

That night you sleep with your head on his chest, and things are only going up from there.

**

Over the next few weeks, things between you and Kyungsoo kept getting better and better. He took some time out of his day, everyday to see you, regardless of what he needed to do, or who he needed to meet.

Today, you and he were sitting on the couch, your legs sprawled across them as you watched a drama together, keeping a few things just simple and not violent.

"Boss. You got a call." Sehun, one of Kyungsoo's men says, waking up to him with a phone in his hand.

"What?" He snaps, putting the phone to his ear. "Oh, hello. Yes. Sure. Okay. I will have an answer for you in a few days." He finishes, hanging up the phone and handing it back to Sehun.

"Who was that?"

"Later baby, I need to handle some stuff okay? Why don't you go shopping, I'll meet you at the mall in a bit." He smiles.

Things were so good between you two, you didn't want to pry, so you agreed.

"Okay." You smile, getting up to go get ready, leaving Kyungsoo whispering to a few of his men.

**

Walking through the mall, you can hear Yixing behind you, breathing slightly heavily as he lugs your bags around.

"You can put those in the car. I'm just going to check out a few more stores." You tell him. He nods his head, turning around to head back to the car while you continue shopping.

You walk into a lingerie store, checking out something for when you and Kyungsoo finally fuck. You had stopped seeing Taehyung since the night of the party, and found out he was married but that hasn't stopped him from texting and calling you consistently.

As you wander through the store, your stomach drops as it feels like someone is watching you. You look around the store but see no one.

Probably just your imagination.

Pulling out your phone, you call Kyungsoo to ask him a question.

"Baby. Everything okay?" He answers.

"Yes." You giggle. "Just out of curiosity, what's your favorite color?" You ask, looking around again, still feeling the eyes on you.

"Red. Why?" He asks, you can sense the smile through the phone.

"Just wondering. Thank you." You finish, hanging up before he can ask another question.

It doesn't take you long to find a skimpy red piece of lingerie, with stockings and heels, it's perfect. You wander out of the store after you've paid, constantly turning your head. You still feel like you're being watched. Your stomach sinks while a lump in your throat forms. You pick up the pace of your walking, weaving through the crowds.

You try to move around a big group, but unfortunately they stopped in the middle of the walkway to talk, leaving you stuck behind them. You jump as you feel a hand on your shoulder, letting out a yelp. You swiftly turn around, seeing a worried Kyungsoo, standing there.

"Soo?" You say, wrapping your arms around his waist.

"What's going on baby?" He asks, pulling you in close.

"It's nothing. I was being paranoid." You sigh.

"If you're sure?" He asks.

"Definitely." You say, pulling away from him.

You smile at his curious eyes, looking at the store name on the bag you were holding. "For me?" He asks. "You're wearing?"

You nod your head. A smile spreads across his face. Kyungsoo places a hand on the back of your neck, pulling you in close for a kiss. Your first kiss with him, and you melt. It's perfect, you couldn't have asked for better.

That is, unless you had seen a disheveled Taehyung watching the two of you share a kiss. "She's MINE." he yells, stomping away. He would stop at nothing to get her back.

**

That night you stood in front of the mirror, wearing the piece of lingerie you had gotten. You waited for Kyungsoo to be done doing whatever he was doing, but from the sound of it, it seemed as though he was yelling at his men.

You walked to the door, opening it slightly enough to hear Kyungsoo's loud voice booming from downstairs. "Do not, under any circumstances, knock on the door to my bedroom tonight. Unless it's something huge, stay the fuck away. Got it?" He yelled.

"Yes, sir." His men yelled back.

You could hear him walking up the stairs, impatiently waiting to get to you.

You close the door quietly, making your way to the edge of the bed to sit down. You lean back slightly, resting on your elbows as you wait for him.

The door opens, and your breath hitches. Kyungsoo's suit jacket and shirt are already open, revealing a toned stomach you didn't know he had.

"Damn, baby." He groans, licking his lips at the sight of you.

"You like?" You ask, caressing your thigh.

"Nah baby, I love." He growls walking over to you. You scoot back further onto the bed as he climbs on, hovering over you so you have to lay down. Kyungsoo plants a small kiss on your lips, moving down your chin to your neck and to your chest.

"So sexy." He groans, moving his way down to your perky breasts. "Sorry." He whispers, taking the small piece of fabric in his hands and tearing it in half, exposing your tits.

"I liked that." You groaned as he takes a nipple in his mouth, sucking harshly.

"I'll buy you 20 more." He murmurs, moving his mouth over to your next breast. His hand trails down your stomach, moving underneath your little pair of panties. He glides his finger in between your lips, gently rubbing your throbbed clit. You arch your hips as he gently rubs you while peppering small kisses wherever he can.

The two of you are brought out of the moment by hearing shouting downstairs. "Ignore the idiots." He grunts, not wanting anything to ruin this night. Until you hear fun shots, and not just one or two, but multiple.

"Shit." He groans, his phone starting ringing.

"Yeah?" He says, answering the phone. "Shit." He finishes, hanging up the phone.

"Baby. Hide. Somewhere smart. Just hide and do not come out until I find you. Okay?" He says, holding onto your arms tightly. "Okay!?" He yells. "Take your phone. Keep it on you."  

"Yes, okay." You whisper, terrified. "Be safe." You finish as he runs out of the room, leaving you to find somewhere to hide.

And you did, relatively quickly. You chose the armoire so you could hold it shut from the inside. You climb inside, trying to keep as quiet as you can, slowing down your breathing to listen. You hear shots on shots and so much indistinct yelling.

The door opens, you hold your breath, your eyes wide, you didn't think anyone would actually come into this room. "She's gotta be in here." You hear one man say.

"C'mere beautiful." You hear another voice.

You place your hand over your mouth, trying to not make any noise, until your cell phone begins to ring, your loud ringtone playing. You struggle to turn it off in time. The second you stopped it, the door opens, revealing two men wearing masks.

"Gotcha." The one yells. You try to scream but they shove a cloth in your mouth before you can. A needle is stuck in your neck causing you to pass out to the faces of two men you had seen before.

**

"Suho, go around the back! Chanyeol and Baekhyun, take the front!" Kyungsoo yells, trying to make sure all his bases are covered. He didn't recognize most of these men, but knew some that has been previously exiled from other groups.

He has an idea of who could be doing this. There realistically was only one person who hated him enough to pull something like this.

Taehyung.

A part of him had a feeling it was because of you. What if he did this because he wanted an easy way to get to you. "I'm going to check on Y/N." Kyungsoo yells, heading for the stairs, praying you were okay.

Kyungsoo bursts through the door, seeing you nowhere to be found. His heart sinks into his chest as he searches the room for you. He sees the door to the armoire wide open, along with one of the earrings you had been wearing early before everything happened.

Eyes wide, he looks up at the window, seeing it now wide open, with you nowhere to be found.

"He fucking took her!" Kyungsoo yells, storming downstairs, not bothering to assess any of the damage done to the house.

"Is everyone okay?" He asks.

"Cuts and bruises but all good to go sir." Chanyeol says.

"Good. Now find my fucking wife." He spits, storming into his office and slamming the door.

Kyungsoo sits in his chair, placing his head into his hands, he should have known something like this was going to happen.

He takes a deep breath when his phone beeps. Pulling it out, he checks the message, and it's a picture of you, tied up with a gun to your head, with the caption reading "try and find her, and she dies.'

**

As you wake up you feel a cold metal against your head until you begin to move and it disappears. You're tied to a chair inside a nice office, a cloth stuck inside your mouth so you couldn't scream.

"She's up." You hear from behind you, and an answer coming through the radio. "Okay."

Your stomach sinks. You know what two men it is without question. You've met these two men time and time again, being with Taehyung.

"Mghdjsj" you mumble through the cloth. The man you thought it was chuckles, pulling it from you mouth from behind.

"Wonho. Why?" You groan.

"Sorry, Y/N. Bosses orders." He chuckles.

"Lemme guess, B.I is back there with you?" You sigh.

"You got it, Y/N." You hear.

"He's not who you think.. he's married." You say just before the doors behind you open up, revealing who you can only assume is Taehyung.

"My baby is back." Taehyung sighs, crouching down in front of you. He reaches his hand up, caressing your cheek.

"Let me go." You spit, trying to move your face away from his hand.

"I've let you go once baby, I won't do it again." He smiles.

"I'm not yours. I have a husband who I want to be with and you have a wife." You growl, still pissed off he did that.

"I was hoping he wouldn't have told you." Taehyung sighs.

"Well he did, and I want nothing to do with you. I was done with you before I even found out." You say, remaining strong. There was something about him that always drew you in and made you weak in his presence, no matter what he had done. You needed to stay strong.

"Baby don't." Taehyung pleads.

"I'm not your baby! I only want my husband!" You yell, not feeling good. You try to breathe but your stomach feels weird, you feel like you might vomit.  You can see the anger on Taehyung's face pour through. He stands up, turning his back to you. "I don't want you!" You cry, your head feeling slightly dizzy. Taehyung whips himself around, tackling the chair you're in to the ground, making you hit your head on the floor. Taehyung raises his hand, smacking you across the face as his other hand wraps around your neck.

"You are mine! And only mine! You will never leave me again." He spits, climbing off you.

"Get her cleaned up, it's almost time for bed." He says to his men, adjusting his suit before walking away.

Wonho looks at you with an apologetic look as he lifts up your chair, untying you before picking you up and taking you to the bathroom.

"Quickly shower up. He wants you in his room." B.I tells you, closing the bathroom door.

You turn on the shower, but instead of getting in, you lean over the toilet, violently throwing up as tears fall down your face.

When you finished, you hopped in the shower quickly, washing your body while the tears never stopped. You wanted so badly for Kyungsoo to be on the other side of that door and not Taehyung. You didn't even want to look at him.

"I need clothes." You yell through the door, only having a towel wrapped around you.

"Come out baby, I have your clothes." You hear Taehyung sing through the door. Fuck you wanted to puke again just hearing his voice.

"Here my love." He says, handing you a t-shirt for you to change into, his eyes never leaving you. "Get in bed." He says, patting the spot next to him.

Reluctantly you get in, not wanting to anger him anymore.

He pulls you in close, the smell of his cologne making you feel nauseous all over again.

**

Over the next few weeks you endured what you could only describe as your own personal hell. Taehyung moved you probably about twenty times, each time getting more and more angry, talking about how they're too close. He wouldn't tell you who and got increasingly more angry when you asked. Whenever he tried to make a move on you, you denied him sex, telling him you weren't feeling well, which really wasn't a lie but then he would get angry and hit you. He tied you to the bed whenever he left, which was often, making sure you didn't leave him because he knew if he left you lose you'd do whatever it took to get out.

As the third week came to an end and began into the fourth week, you could feel something was different with your body, not to mention you had missed your period. You were terrified. It all made sense. The exhaustion, aversion to food, vomiting, being emotional, missed period. You knew what this was. You were pregnant. And the possibility that it was Kyungsoo's was only 50%.

**

It had been four long weeks without you.  Four weeks of searching for you constantly, alongside Kwon Chaeso who was searching for her husband.

Kyungsoo had called her back the night you went missing, taking her up on her offer of helping her take down Taehyung. He obviously hadn't been the husband he should have been, but had also been stealing from other groups, selling secrets, betraying everyone in order to get to the top and she wasn't here for it.

Every Time they had gotten close to Taehyung, he had somehow been alerted that they were near and took off, taking you to an entirely new location, leaving them to start their search over again. Frankly Kyungsoo was over it and pissed off.

"I've got her!" Chaeso yells from behind Kyungsoo. "A warehouse just south of the old gas station in Busan." She says.

"Let's go." Kyungsoo yells, his men and hers following behind him as he walks out the door.

**

Crouched behind some bushes, they wait for the perfect time to enter the building. "Kangin should be patrolling the door right about…. Now." Jongdae whispers, letting Minseok get his dart gun ready.

"You sure this is okay?" Minseok asks Yixing.

"Yeah.. it should just knock him out. I don't think it'll kill him." Yixing whispers back.

Kyungsoo didn't care. They could kill them all for all he cared. He just wanted you back.

"Now." Jondage says. Minseok aims and quietly fires, hitting Kangin in the neck, immediately dropping him to the ground.

"Move." Kyungsoo says, leading them all towards the door. "You half take the right, we'll take the left." Kyungsoo says, his group separating from Chaeso's, each of them searching for a particular person.

"If you have to kill anyone, do it, find Y/N." Kyungsoo demands. Everyone nods in agreeance. You're the most important thing.

Opening every door, Kyungsoo's heart drops a little each time. He wants to just have you in his arms. Where were you?

The last door he had opened, unfortunately for him had shown a man he used to call a brother. Kris apparently had come to the dark side after being exiled, but he didn't have time to deal with this.

Then he heard it. An ear piercing scream, followed by a loud slap. The men run towards the sound, desperate to get you away from him.

"Why can't you just love me!" Taehyung screams as he straddles your almost naked body.

He raises his hand again, when you finally cave and tell him. You didn't want to, you didn't want him to know but you couldn't risk it any longer.

"Stop! I think I'm pregnant. Please" you cry out, your face bloody.

"Get away from her!" Kyungsoo yells, cooking his gun and pointing it at Taehyung.

"You heard her. She's pregnant. With my baby." Taehyung cries, turning around to face Kyungsoo. "I win! She's mine now!" He laughs, his face red as tears roll down.

"It's not yours." You say.

Taehyung turns around to face you, his eyes wide and confused. "So what? It's his?" He spits, pointing at Kyungsoo. "This piece of shit who doesn't deserve you!? You're having his baby!?" He yells. "Not on my watch." He finishes, charging towards you.

"No!" Kyungsoo yells, running towards you.

Taehyung doesn't make it to you, he falls to the ground after a woman, you can only assume was his wife snuck up behind him, bashing him over the head with her gun, knocking him out cold. Kyungsoo fumbles with the rope, doing his best to quickly but gently untie you.

"I'm so sorry baby." He whispers, pulling you up to his chest. "I love you." He cries.

"I love you too, Soo." You smile through your tears. Finally you were safe.

**

Through the rest of the months of your pregnancy, neither of you had heard a thing from Taehyung or his wife. You honestly had assumed she killed him, you truly would not have been surprised. There was something about him that was off, it was like a switch had flipped and it made him crazy.

You and Kyungsoo had a daughter together, naming her Do Sunhee, and she was the most beautiful thing either of you had seen. You had told Kyungsoo that there was a possibility that it could have been Taehyung's baby, with how close everything was. Kyungsoo told you he knew in his heart that Sunhee was his, and that was that.

"Come on baby. It's been so long and Sunhee is sleeping peacefully in her room." Kyungsoo whines.

"I know babe, but she should be up by now to eat anyway, she's only 3 months. Just let me check on her. I'll be right back." You giggle, wiggling out of his grip.

You walk into your daughter's room, only to let out a blood curdling scream that made Kyungsoo and his men run to Sunhee's room.

"She's gone." You cry, picking up the note that was placed where your daughter should be.

'I won't let another man raise my daughter'

You sink to your knees, hysterically crying. Your daughter was in the hands of a monster, a monster named Kim Taehyung.

[moody-blues-requiem]

Is it okay to request an NSFW au where Bruno is stuck in Diavolo's body instead of dying, and he and his s/o make love afterwards to celebrate him living despite the circumstances?

This has some end of part 5 spoilers but also gets really canon-divergent, and also starts angsty (me, writing angst??? what??????) but gets all soft and sweet. I hope you enjoy!!

n/s/f/w under the cut!

It’s going to take some time to get used to it all. 

Bruno was dying, you knew something was wrong but you didn’t figure out just how serious things were until you reached Rome. Knowing you were going to have to give up your last minutes with Bruno to fight the boss instead was devastating, but you held back your tears. Now wasn’t the time to cry. You blink and there he is, the man behind it all, Diavolo. You blink again, and you’re sleepy, the adrenaline is pumping through your veins like fire but something pulls you under and you black out. You come to, eventually, and Giorno is impaled upon a row of iron spikes, except it’s apparently Narancia? And Narancia who is apparently Giorno isrushing to his side. His quick movements are able to get him down and close the wounds, but he needs a real medic, badly. The boss appears to be working with you now, except that’s not the boss, that’s Bruno in his body. 

Giorno-in-Narancia’s-body figures out that Diavolo is hiding in Bruno’s body. He grabs the stand arrow, tears streaming from his cheeks, and strikes the body of his friend down. 

The next few minutes are an absolute blur. Everything was suddenly very, very bright, blindingly so. Lying on the ground with your eyes squeezed shut, you felt like you were being tossed around on stormy ocean waves. It lasted forever and it lasted only an instant. But eventually, your eyes opened, back in your own body. Your teammates were starting to stir themselves, Mista looking just as sick as you felt. Narancia remained on the ground, but upon carefully reaching out to his wrist, his pulse was still there. 

Giorno was kneeling on the ground in front of where Bruno’s body once was. On his left was a golden figure, a twisted, nightmarish reimagining of his stand, and on his left, was Diavolo. You nearly screamed for him to watch out as you saw Diavolo begin to move, but the man only put his hand on Giorno’s shoulder. It was still Bruno. 

--------

Time passed, as it tends to do. Narancia and Abbacchio got to share a hospital room while they recovered from their wounds. Trish promised to stay in touch, but “would rather die than deal with gang shit ever again”. Giorno ascended to Passione’s metaphorical throne, and got a spiffy new outfit. And Bruno learned to deal with his new body. 

He never let the gang see, but being trapped in Diavolo’s body broke something inside of Bruno, at least for a while. He stopped sleeping, barely ate, and avoided mirrors at all costs. You cut his hair to match his old style, even offered to dye it for him, but he said he didn’t want to mess with the chemicals. Sometimes at night you’d wake up to him crying in the dark bathroom. But one day, the tears stopped. “I’m done mourning this,” Bruno said to you one morning, as you handed him a cup of coffee. The sun had yet to rise as you two sat outside under the purple sky. “This isn’t Diavolo’s body, this isn’t my ‘new’ self. It’s me.”

You held him until the sun rose, carding your fingers through his silky hair. His hand rested on your thigh, brushing little patterns into your skin with the pad of his thumb, the way he always did. 

---------

Even with Bruno accepting his new body, it took a while before he was confident enough for the bedroom again. He got used to his new junk like he got used to the rest of his new body, but he figured at some point he should probably put it to use. Diavolo-- no, *his* length didn’t hide anything, it was nearly as long flaccid as it was when erect, and it was just a little bit longer and thicker than his old dick was. Surrounded by a well-manicured tuft of pink pubes, Bruno had to admit, he looked pretty appealing. And judging by how he caught you staring, he knew you agreed. 

“Does it, like… feel any different?” you asked, gently palming his erection. 

“It’s still a dick,” he replied. “I think it looks more different than it feels.”

You placed your palm under the shaft, letting it rest in your hand. “I think it might be a liiiiittle heavier? But maybe I’m just nitpicking--”

Before you could finish, Bruno had reached down and unzipped his dick (“Gross, Bruno!” you shouted, jokingly making a face at him), holding it in his hand and pretending to think hard. “I think it’s pretty close to the same.”

“Put that back on!” 

He laughed, reattaching his member. “That didn’t kill the mood too much, did it?”

“A little.” You looked down, and back up, putting on your best doe eyes and batting your eyelashes. “But I think you can make it up to me, signore.” 

You two teased one another like you had before, sharp banter laced with witty innuendos and Bruno’s signature brand of weirdness that was also somehow incredibly sexy. But when it came down to it, the moment of him lining up at your entrance, ready to push into your dripping core, he hesitated. It was almost an out-of-body experience, things felt… off. 

“Bruno?” you asked. “Is everything alright?” 

“Yeah,” he said, but his voice sounded distant. 

“We don’t have to keep going if--”

“No! No, I mean,” he stammered over his words, leaning his head down against your chest, pink hair tickling your bare skin. “It sounds silly, we’ve had sex lots before, but. I’m nervous.”

Bringing a hand up to rub gently over his back, you smiled softly. “It’s like first-time jitters all over again, huh?” Bruno nodded against your chest. “Maybe, I dunno, maybe Diavolo was a virgin--”

“Babe,” Bruno said, suddenly serious, green eyes looking up at you. “The man dressed like the head of a whorehouse instead of a mafia. He definitely wasn’t a virgin.” 

The two of you dissolved into giggles, and you pulled Bruno into a tight, loving hug. The sound of slow but passionate kissing filled the air, your lips meeting your lovers’. Bruno broke the semi-silence first. “I want to keep going, if you do.”

“I do,” you replied. “How about we switch, and I top tonight?”

“I think I’d like that,” Bruno nodded, slightly breathless from the kiss. “Very much.”

Rolling around on the bed to switch places, you settled your legs on either side of Bruno’s waist, his tall erection still standing upright and already brushing against your wet folds. You rubbed over him a few times, teasing his shaft and letting him feel just how badly you wanted him, before lining up his tip with your entrance and slowly, slowly sinking your hips down. Bruno bit his lip, watching his cock disappear inside of you, nodding to tell you he was ready for more. When you finally reached the base he threw his head back in a lust-fueled moan; the voice was slightly different from the old one, but the cadence and how he looked back up at you, love and passion burning in his eyes, biting his lip, was all so very, very Bruno. 

You worked up a slow but steady pace, bouncing on his lap, savoring the way he filled you up perfectly. Your hands gripped his hips like handles, nails slightly digging into his pale skin. Bruno always made the most beautiful noises in the bedroom, even with a slightly different voice his moans sounded like heaven. “Oh, oh, yes, amore!” he would cry out between gasps, snapping his hips up into you. “M-more! Please, god, mmmmore…” His hands found your own hips, bouncing you harder. The old Bruno was strong, but this body was stronger. He moved you over his lap with ease, murmuring “I’m close, love, I want to… can I…”

You leaned down, pressing your forehead against his own. “Cum in me, Bruno.”

Bruno slammed you down onto his lap as his hips bucked up and he came, releasing ropes of hot cum inside you. Your own orgasm hit from the overwhelming pleasure of it all, getting to be with your boyfriend once again and listening to every grunt and groan he made as he emptied his balls in you. Your walls contracted around him, making Bruno’s vision momentarily white out as a hard wave of aftershocks hit his whole system, pushing him directly through a second orgasm. 

When he finally pulled out, a line of thick cum followed, slowly running down your thigh, before being pushed back into place by Bruno’s deft fingers. You collapsed, laying down beside your boyfriend and pulling him into your arms. He leaned up for a quick kiss before resting his head on your chest, contentedly listening to your heart thrum as you came down from all the excitement. 

No matter the time, place, circumstances, or even what body his soul rested in, nothing felt more comfortable than being held sweetly and safely by his love. 

[chidoroki]

The Promised Neverland S2EP11

aka: is this happiness?

Oh lord, here we go. The end and I’m still at a lose on how everything will wrap up. There’s just one thing I hope the anime changes.. but we’ll see.

“Identity” is perfection and my heart is already racing. My nerves haven’t been this wired since ep1.

Alright so when Emma says “Both our destinies and the world..” I’m pretty sure there’s an animation error because you can clearly see her left ear.. off to a great start already..

Aww look at James! What a spiffy looking man! I know Shirai already debunked all the theories about Norman being related to the Ratri in any way but come on, just look at the resemblance!

“Our clan executed a promise that betrayed our comrades?” That just reminded me that we missed out on ch141/142 when we saw the trio’s ancestors! That’s upsetting.

AH!! Never the fuck mind! There they are!! Though I’m not entirely pleased since all we saw were real quick glimpses of them, but still!

Ahh! Demon god too! He does exists in this timeline! .... oh no.

And yes I recognize that “Introduction” is playing again.

... They have cars in the demon world?

Didn’t James jump off a bridge as he was getting shot at? What’s this with him being found all bloody in an alleyway?

Hey, we finally saw an owl.

I swear if Peter manages to get away with all these guns pointed at him again I’m gonna flip.. I know he pulled it off somehow in manga but come on, don’t let it happen twice.

See! I knew the bastard still had the knife up his sleeve!

Holy fucking shit dude... right in front of all those young children.

How in the hell is that knife not covered in blood??

Ya good Sonju? You had enough fun for one day?

Bruh they actually show Legravalima and the five regent heads of the royal family.

Yverk.. don’t tell me he’s actually the demon who kills.. oh no no no, please no..

“Get over it already.” AAhh Ray finally confronting Isabella! Yeess!

“I’m not letting you off the hook by dying.” Please, that’s the one thing I don’t want to happen right now.. or ever. I’ve been worrying about this all week.

I’ll never get tired of hearing him say he’s glad to be alive.. ahh my heart.

Oh my god, Emma’s words are from ch177..

“It’s because your kindness and love were all genuine.” BRO!! That frame of her hugging the young trio! It’s so adorable!!!

Awww Isabella! I wish to hug her too please!!

The Day & Night ceiling still makes me nervous.

Ray, why did you look to Emma like that.. what do you know?? Tell me!

Y’all it really is the same goddamn door from ch131.

My anxiety is starting to spike, help me..

Emma.. why ya let go of Phil’s hand like that?

“We can’t go yet.” What! What?? The trio and Lambda crew?

“We’re going to stay here.” Sweetheart, don’t be getting my hopes up like this.. I swear, if you’re planning to go around and rescue the kids from the other farms and we somehow get another season I’m gonna scream.

Oh good, we do get to hear what she told the boys last ep.

“Can’t we make another promise that’s different from the previous one?” Uh huh.. are we actually gonna see it happen though?

“I want to take all the children in the farms here to the human world.” I know honey but I wish to see it please!

“I’ll stay behind with you.” Of course you would Norman, but don’t you need to get healed first?

“And there are kids I left behind at the hideout, too.” So.. the Paradise hideout does exist? Where Jin, Hayato and Ayshe were normally located? I know I’m dooming myself here but lord please..

Ray wanted to stay behind to make sure the others weren’t pursued by the queen and the royals, aww you precious boy.

OH! “TPN Pf Solo Version!” Nice!

“Then we’ll need more firepower on our side.” Yeah the Lambda crew stays behind for that reason but would I be a complete fool to wish for the GP Resistance as well or nah?

Guys.. is Isabella actually gonna live in this timeline? I’m gonna fucking cry dude.

Aw Vincent and Norman’s little fist bump!!

Phil you absolute sweetheart!

Is this the mandolin version of the lullaby? It sounds a bit different but YEESS the young kids actually made it to the human world!

And Isabella lives!! Hell fucking yes!!

WAIT! WITH HER HAIR DOWN! AND SHE CAN PLAY GUITAR?? MA’AM!! I KEEP FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU MORE AND MORE! AAAAHHHH!!

Look at all of the children! Going to school and enjoying life!

Vincent is a doctor already? Aww!

Gilda!! You look so pretty!!

OH the music changed.. what version of the lullaby is this? I must know!

Are those the kids Norman saved?

Fuck! Emma and demon god! Aaahh.. yes the reward would really help in this case since she barely did anything so having her pay the price would be okay here, but still makes me sad.

Ah, it’s that elder demon Sonju and Mujika revive in ch163.

And they.. already made Mujika the new queen? We completely skipped over the capital battle? Of course they did..

Aww but that shot of her and Emma is gorgeous!

HOLD UP! The trio and Lambda crew made it to the human world!

And.. Emma called Phil’s name.. so she has her memories?

Our boy Phil looks so grown up!! AWW!!

We.. end there huh? I, uh.. hmm...

So, what exactly was the price for the new promise? There had to be one, right?

I’m so conflicted y’all..

For a moment I honestly believed they were gonna give us another season filled with Goldy Pond and the Seven Walls and yet we just got a totally rushed slideshow of everything. I’m a total idiot.

Of course I’m happy there’s a timeline where our girl keeps her memories but it just makes the whole season seem way too easy.. there were barely any high stakes and little to nothing happened during this episode too.

And with that we get no Alex either.. bummer.

I don’t know what to think... I have many thoughts and yet all I can think about is Isabella live in the human world and I’m beyond thankful for that at least.

Yeah.. this season was a huge tease and disappointing but there was some good in it, albeit just small moments here and there. I started a list last night in an attempt to help me relax about this darn finale so hopefully I can find time to finish that.. eventually.

I still need to listen to the new soundtrack. I’m sure that new version of the lullaby is from there.

.... Isabella can play guitar. I’m speechless. She’s beautiful. And alive. And I love her. That’s all.

[seaswalllow]

okay so letters from l'manberg did Not get posted, but let's run west did so! i'm giving that to y'all instead. pounded out ~2.5k words and this is the result for a songfic competition :P

inspired by west by radical face

link to the ao3 fic in the notes

i.

“You know,” Tommy grouses, “I can't see a thing with my hair all in my eyes.” Tubbo just laughs at him, while Niki hides a gentle smile behind her hands.

Jack rolls upright, and the crown of foxgloves tilts dangerously. There's a very dangerous way to how he’s puffing out a chest, a suggestion of I’m about to enter this argument and win and you’re not going to like it.

Eret has a sixth sense for when this trouble starts brewing, it seems. They scoot backwards, minding the cape slung haphazardly over their shoulder, and bump Niki to do the same, out of the line of fire.

“See, this is why short hair is superior. Your hair’s a sanitary hazard- actually, just a hazard all around.”

“You’re a hazard all around,” Tommy snaps back. He pushes the hair out of his eyes- and grumbles as it flops back in. This time, the titters around the group echo louder. Eret has the grace, at least, to hide their laugh behind their hand.

Tommy rounds on the nearest offender; Niki, as it happens, and backpedals as quickly as he starts when he sees the set to her hip. That’s a straight ticket to one of Niki’s I’m not mad, I’m disappointed, really, you can do better lectures and Tubbo still hasn’t let him live down nearly crying after that lecture. She's terrifying, okay? She’s terrifying, and he’s not ashamed to say that. (He’s told her that exactly once; she had laughed gently as she’d drawn a warm loaf of bread out of the furnace. She hadn’t contradicted him, though. So: no thank you.)

Jack is next in his line of fire.

“What’re you laughing at? ‘least I’ve got hair to impress the ladies with- oh, have you seen Tommy Innit’s hairs? luscious, luscious locks, look, healthier than me!”

“The ladies like my hair,” Jack protests. “Makes him right spiffy, they do say, right spiffy and proper; that Tommy Innit looks like a hooligan who’s just crawled out of the woods. Jack Manifold- now that’s a man of esteem and grace.

“Esteem, grace, oh what lovely qualities,” Tommy parrots back in a voice pitched four tones too high. “They look at you and say oh my, where has his honour gone? He’s got none, just a patchy head of fuzz and glasses that look like they’ve just been dug out of the bin-”

“You take that back- these glasses are top of the line-” Jack’s hauling himself up, and Tommy’s squaring his shoulders, and Tubbo’s laughing hard enough to be doubled over in the grass, despite the gentle shove from Niki and the cautious look from Eret. He’ll get to Tubbo next- it’s not like his hair is much better, kept out of his eyes only by sheer force of will.

They get to about three steps within each other when Wilbur's voice cuts through the argument.

“What's all this, then?” Tubbo's still choking down his laughter, and Jack's sputtering something about high tech, and they’re all really being incredibly useless, so Tommy asserts himself as the loudest. (And most correct. Obviously.)

“Jack Manifold is insulting the honour of my hair,” he proclaims, drawing himself up. Chest out, shoulders back, head high- just like they were taught.

Wilbur must notice this, because he musses Tommy’s hair gently, not a minute later. Or maybe it’s to prove a point, because it falls back over his eyes, to Wilbur's laugh. Traitor.

“There's enough here to make a shag carpet, Tommy. I don't know if he’s wrong.”

Tommy folds his arms, and- okay, he doesn’t pout. He just… lets his face settle into something more disgruntled.

“I've had bigger things on my mind. things like incredibly important-” incredibly important wars, he realizes he was going to say, moments before the words spill out of his mouth. There’s a line of tension in Eret’s shoulders where there wasn’t before.

He clamps his mouth shut.

“I’ve just been busy, and so have you, and you’re the only one who knows how to get our trim decently,” he finishes.

Around Wilbur's eyes, the exhaustion softens.

“C’mon, Tommy.” Wilbur gestures to a nearby chair, dragged out to the shade. “Sit down, we’ll trim it up to something more respectable.”

Tommy squints at him. He's not sure if the effect comes across the same way, obscured as it is. Which- may be proving Wilbur’s point. Damn it.

Begrudgingly, he slinks over to the chair of shame, letting his steps fall a bit heavier. Niki pats his knee gently, while Eret calls over to Wilbur. “You might need to do Tubbo’s next. goat boy’s going to start bumping into things.”

“I’ll just go around the circle,'' Wilbur laughs. “We all need a little trim and care.”

Reaching up to poke at the curls hanging around Wilbur's face, Tommy arches an eyebrow. “Are you planning to cut your own hair?”

Wilbur waves a hand, before he takes up his position behind Tommy. His fingers are gentle as he sorts through the long mess, a soft snick echoing as he starts cutting away at it.

It's a familiar sound, and Tommy lets himself relax as Wilbur continues combing through the tangles.

“It’s not the first time I would've done that. I can take care of myself too.”

“Doubtful,” Tommy huffs at the same time as Eret murmurs. “That's what they all say, don’t they?”

Wilbur pauses in his actions. Tommy darts a peek at Eret underneath his hair. Niki and Tubbo, engrossed in their debate with Jack, aren’t paying too much attention, but niki sends a fleeting, if concerned look, their way.

They’re technically not wrong. Wilbur can roll his shoulders back and step with military, practiced precision, and it won’t hide the bruises under his eyes that grow by day.

It won’t hide the ever-lengthening shadows on his face, the ink-stains on his fingers that never seem to wash out.

But if Wilbur says not to worry about it- well. There's already a lot on their plate. He knows what he’s doing.

(Right?)

(Right.)

So Tommy squares his shoulders and grins at Eret. “He's a disaster, isn’t he?”

Eret hardly smiles at that. Niki, Jack, Tubbo- they’re all listening now. Tubbo meets his eyes, and sits up fully, rolling his eyes. Silently, Tommy thanks prime.

“There’s a saying about glass houses,” he begins, and Tommy splutters, retracting any and all thanks.

“Oh, don’t you go pulling out the wise shit on me now- I’ll have you know I’m the best around here at-”

“At raising the disaster rates? Yes, yes you are.”

“You’re lucky I'm stuck on this chair,” Tommy points threateningly at Tubbo. “when I’m off of it-”

Tubbo simply pulls out a sword with the same shit-eating grin. “You’ll give me the beating stick?”

“You’ll wish you had the beating stick.” With that lovely parting line, he sticks out his tongue, only to immediately hiss and spit into the grass to the side. Jack cackles.

“Shouldn’t have opened your mouth while your bird’s nest was getting cut!”

“Oh, you-” Wilbur clamps a hand on Tommy's shoulder. He stills immediately.

“Stop wriggling. Your hair doesn’t need to get any worse.”

Tommy narrows his eyes in Wilbur's general direction, but he does settle down. The tension’s dissipated- somewhat, at least. They should be okay.

(Later, he’ll look back. He’ll wonder what Eret saw before them; he’ll wonder if it was the sleepless nights, or the way that Wilbur shies away from a blade outside of dinners and nights reserved for haircuts. He'll wonder if it’s the ashes of letters that pile, and pile.

He’ll wonder if that’s what scared Eret away, and goaded him into lacing the very ground that they had rolled in a play fight on just days earlier.

When he hears it was never meant to be, he’ll wonder if it was a threat. Later, he’ll understand it was the writing littered on crumbling walls. But for now, they sit, and they laugh, on the home that they built.)

ii.

There is, quite simply put, too much happening.

Tubbo sits to his side, kicking his feet over the ledge; Tommy’s insisted they both sit by a railing to hold onto, one of the few that they’ve diverted Wilbur's attention from.

Below them, the ravine buzzes.

Techno is not in the farm- hasn’t been for a bit, in fact. This is the first they’ve seen him around Pogtopia in days.

He's facing Wilbur, in the far corner. Tommy doesn’t take his eyes off of him, while Tubbo nudges him, attention elsewhere.

“Fundy’s arguing with Quackity in the corner,” he mutters. “Think they know something about the Schlatt situation?”

Tommy spares the two a quick look. Fundy's ears are pinned flat against his head; quackity’s eyes are obscured by his sunglasses, but even his printed smile seems strained.

“Could be worth checking out,” Tubbo presses.

“I’m more worried about whatever those two have going on in the corner,” Tommy says tersely. “Wilbur’s not in his right fucking mind as is- and Techno’s not good fucking company.”

“nobody here is,” Tubbo replies, and doesn’t elaborate.

Which is. just fucking great, honestly. Everybody here is either stressed out of their mind, scared out of their mind, or both. This is fine. This is fine.

He forces out a noisy breath that does nothing to calm his racing heart.

“It won’t matter in a few hours,” Tubbo finally adds. “The waiting’s the worst part.”

Tommy forces the image of Tubbo staring down the crossbow, waiting, out of his head, and folds his arms.

“It’s the aftermath that sucks the most, innit?”

“Not really. By then, it’s happened. You can’t change it. There’s no what-ifs. You just move forward. You can’t move while you’re waiting.”

Can they stop with the fucking metaphors?

He works his jaw free from where he’s clenched it tight enough to crack a tooth.

“Think Schlatt’s going to pussy out of it?”

“No.”

Of course it can’t be that easy.

Tubbo leans back, mindful of the bandages winding up his arms. He keeps an ear tilted towards Tommy.

“It depends on how much we corner him,” he amends.

“If he can run to preserve himself? He will. If it’s a last stand? He’ll take us down with him.”

Plant his feet and lower his head for the charge. Great. Just what they fucking need, with Wilbur ready to plant the button, and a trigger-happy anarchist.

Is this how Wilbur felt? ready to scream ‘til his voice cracked, as it kept piling? Tubbo, as schlatt got louder and angrier?

He hates it, honestly.

“Great. So we don’t give him a chance to do either.”

“Easier said than done.” There’s a thoughtfulness to Tubbo’s voice. “Doable, though. The night of- you didn’t see him. If Wilbur’s a mess… Schlatt’s not better.”

Tommy cuts a sideways look. Tubbo's still staring down, not a single emotion escaping the neutrality he’s plastered across his expression.

They’ve all gotten rather good at their masks. Some more than others.

“Hardly coherent. Passed out on the speech he was writing.”

Making a face, Tommy scoots back to fold his legs upon the ledge as well.

“That place sounded like it reeked. It lingered on you for ages.”

“You get used to it,” Tubbo replies. “You get used to a lot of things.”

Down below, someone’s raised their voice. Judging by the stuttering speech- they both swing to look as Wilbur’s voice bounces off of the walls.

A summons, then.

“Time already?”

“Techno said he had something to show us, before… before.”

Tubbo’s expression doesn’t change. Tommy doesn’t need it to, as he watches Tubbo’s ears carefully press against his head before forcibly relaxing again.

He makes sure he steps first into the vault.

Takes the first step towards Schlatt.

(it still doesn’t matter in the end.

it was never meant to be, a sovereign once said.

Tommy’s beginning to think it was an apology.)

iii.

“You know,” Tubbo says. “This would be L'manberg's last life.” He laughs a little as he says this; Tommy can't bring himself to laugh with him, the words sour on his tongue.

They've always held themselves differently.

Tubbo laughs even as he aches, shrugs it off while he bleeds.

Tommy rages, and he rages loudly. He grieves- though he grieves quieter, holds on to his hurt tight enough to bleed.

They have that in common, he guesses.

“You sound like you're already burying it,” he settles on. Tubbo slants a sideways look at him. The fringe of hair curling around his face isn't obscuring his eyes yet; Tommy catches every sharp thought flicking through Tubbo's eyes, and a few that he doesn't know how to read yet.

(This concept of unfamiliarity sits awkwardly in his hands; he's not sure how to hold its weight, so he sets it aside. He can't help but pick at the splinters that it leaves behind.)

“I'm preparing to,” he says simply. He doesn't have to say why. The angel's shadow hangs heavy on their doorstep. So efficient. So practiced. The memory of building their country's coffin lies engraved in their muscles. They sing its funeral hymn in their sleep.

“You're killing it before it's had a chance.”

Tubbo doesn't answer.

A whetstone passes over the sword glittering in his lap once, then twice more. Tommy turns back towards the grid hanging over them.

“Like Schlatt? Or like Wilbur?” Tommy flinches, unexpectedness slamming bodily into shame, a full-body reaction that unbalances him from where he's kicking his feet over the dock's edge; he pulls himself back.

Out of neglect, or out of fear? Do you think it’s because I never understood what L'manberg stood for to us, not like you did? Or because I was too afraid to hope, and look what that did to us, Tubbo doesn't say- or maybe Tommy's just filling in the blanks with fear and a memory of two exiles.

Maybe Tubbo really does just sound tired. Maybe they're all just tired. He swallows hard, and this time reaches out first, to bump Tubbo on the shoulder.

He forces out a breath, and forces them out of his head.

“You were better than either of those two bastards ever were.” Tubbo only raises an eyebrow at him.

He doesn't argue, though, and so they sit. Axe at Tommy's side, sword in Tubbo's hands.

At midnight, the angel's- the blood god's- the smiling god's- hounds bay, a resounding death knell. At midnight, the angel's wings darken their skies.

“It’s not- it’s not dawn,” Tommy shouts to empty air. Around them, the streets murmur, crescendoing to a wail as a wither, then another, then another barrels through their streets. “It’s too early! This isn’t fair!”

It’s too early.

They hadn’t said good-bye.

“This is war, Tommy,” the skies tell him. (At least they graced him with a reply, the tone suggests.) “War isn’t fair.”

None of this is fair. None of it was meant to be, none of it will be.

At dawn, the sun finds them at the bottom of L'manberg's grave.

(What do you do with a country taking its last breath?

You bury it where it can’t hurt.)