#('You know What I'm Adding At Least A Bit More To This')

[themultifanshipper]

nobody gets me when i say daniel x oscar x reader but i need it desperately

“What's an Aussie kiss?” 

Or, the story of how Mark Webber’s existence led to a series of very fortunate events. 

Warnings: smut, threesome, mention of alcohol, oral, brief anal play, the sloppiest two person blowjobs, just pure filth, anti FIA propaganda lmao, also bad dirty talk? 

Being Daniel's ex-teammate, and current best friend, you knew a lot of Aussie slang. 

And you'd learned even more upon becoming Oscar's teammate. 

You were in a club, and for some godforsaken reason, you were squashed in between Mark and Oscar, with Daniel on the other side of the table in the small booth. 

And then you'd met Oscar's manager Mark, and, well… whenever the three of them found themselves together, your head would start pounding within minutes of them starting a conversation. 

“F1 has gone soft!” Mark slurred, already halfway into a coma. “And it wasn't even that long ago that we could swear freely and make dirty jokes without FIA cunts breathing down our necks!” 

His drink sloshed around his glass as he spoke, and you managed to dodge the spills despite being in the splash zone. 

Daniel laughed and added “Yeah, you couldn't talk about Aussie kisses nowadays without being fined!” 

The three of them laughed freely, taking sips of their drinks. 

Everyone had seen the famous clip of Mark. 

Unfortunately, you had not. And that delightful little nugget had never come up in conversation before. 

So you turned to Mark, and drunkenly asked “What's an Aussie kiss?”, much to the delight of your two fellow drivers. 

“You'll find out when you're older, kid” he smirked and you scoffed. 

When he tried to get up to order more drinks, he swayed so badly that Daniel had to catch him to avoid him falling onto the table. 

“Okay old man” he chuckled “let's get you an uber while you're still conscious” 

He led Mark through the crowd towards the exit, leaving you and Oscar to laugh at their retreating figures. 

“He's such a lightweight” Oscar giggled. 

"You're one to talk!” you slapped him on the shoulder “Your cheeks are redder than a fucking Ferrari” 

“Oh yeah?” he smiled at you, “At least I know what an Aussie kiss is” he bit his lip teasingly. 

The way he said it made a shiver run down your spine. Despite not knowing what it meant, you felt the urge to ask him to show you. 

You were suddenly very aware of how close you were, and the heat of his thigh against yours made your stomach clench. 

You cleared your throat, breaking the awkward tension and took a shy sip of your drink. 

“Don't suppose you’re going to tell me, are you?” 

He chuckled and bumped his knee against yours under the table. 

“Like the old man said, you'll find out when you're older” he teased. 

Even though there was only a year between you two, you always felt like he was the mature one of the team. The older and wiser teammate. 

You found that quite attractive, if you were fully honest. And with the amount of alcohol in you system, you definitely wouldn't hesitate to say so if asked the question. 

“Fine, I'll just ask Daniel, I'm sure he would be happy to show me” 

Oscar rolled his eyes dismissively, absolutely hating the idea of you going to someone else, just as Daniel stepped back into the booth and sat down where Mark had been a few minutes before. 

His thigh was now firmly pressed against you, and you suddenly felt very overwhelmed by their presence. 

“Dannyyy” you whined “Oscar won't tell me what an Aussie kiss is!” 

Daniel just laughed. 

“That's because he probably doesn't have much experience in that domain. I on the other hand-“ 

“Uh, actually I have more than you think!” Oscar interrupted and Daniel grinned at him. 

“Sure you do Piastri, but I’ve had at least a decade of practice more than you so-“ 

Oscar scoffed and gave him the finger. 

“Guys!” You slapped the table to grab their attention. “Just tell me and I’ll be the judge!” 

Oscar hesitated. He was slipping into dangerous territory right now. 

He was very attracted to you, and would love nothing better than to spend the night showing you his uhh… kissing abilities. 

But you were all far too drunk to make any rational decision making, and Daniel's presence was making him uneasy. 

Not to mention you were his teammate and friend. 

Daniel was thinking along the same lines. You were his drunk best friend, and the last thing he wanted to do was take advantage of you. 

“I'll tell you what” he piped up. “If you ask again when you're sober, we'll show you” 

They nodded at each other. They both wanted you, but they needed you to be clear headed. 

There was absolutely no chance you would remember this tomorrow, so this was their safest bet. 

You warily agreed, and the subject was quickly changed. 

What they didn't know, is that that night, before you went to bed completely hammered, you set a reminder on your phone. 

“lok up Ausie Kiiis on gogle” 

Well, at least it was readable to you the next day. 

And you did look it up. And found the video of Mark, which made you laugh. 

But as the night before came flooding back in your mind, you remembered Daniel's offer. 

They wanted you. They wanted to do that to you.  

Butterflies erupted in your stomach as the thought of the two of them between your legs made you gasp. Yep, it had to happen. 

Daniel and Oscar really thought they were out of the woods when they didn't hear from you all day. But then, in the evening came a text from a group chat you'd created with the two of them. 

There was a screenshot of the urban dictionary result, and few simple words that made both men twitch in their pants. 

“Instructions unclear, demonstration necessary. Room 312” 

Oscar being only a few rooms away in the same hotel meant that he got there within two minutes of his phone buzzing. 

As soon as you opened the door your were lifted by your thighs and carried over to your bed. 

He crawled over you, not giving you so much as a hello before he captured your lips in a bruising kiss. 

He was going to make the most of Daniel’s delay. 

You couldn’t help but gasp into it when you felt his hands wandering over your body teasingly, making quick work of your outer layers. 

“Jesus Osc” you panted as his lips travelled downwards, sucking and nipping at the skin of your neck. “If you were this desperate to touch me you could have just asked” 

He grunted into your skin, continuing his descent and leaving soft kisses over your barely covered breasts. 

“Didn't know you'd be into it too.” He mumbled “I didn't want to make anything awkward” 

Any response you had quickly died on your tongue when you felt a fingers brush against your clothed cunt. 

“Soaked through your panties already?” he chuckled darkly, rubbing against you with more pressure.  

You blushed, hips bucking against his hand. 

“Please, Oscar” you whimpered into your hands that were covering your face. 

“Please what?” he teased, sliding a finger under the fabric and ghosting it over your sensitive skin. 

“Fuck me, please” you whined. 

He laughed softly. “But darling, that's not why you invited me here, is it? And in any case I think we should wait for Daniel, don't you?” 

You huffed impatiently. 

“If you're that wound up, why don't you come here and let me use that pretty mouth of yours, hmm? It'll give you something to do while we wait…” 

Daniel almost broke his neck by tripping in the stairs while running as fast as he could to get to you. 

When he wrenched the door to your room open he scoffed at the sight of you on your knees at the foot of the bed. 

“Couldn't even wait for me, could you. Bastards…” 

He ripped his shirt off and made his way over to the bed. 

“I had to shut her up somehow, she's so fucking needy” Oscar pulled you off his cock and helped you to your feet. 

Daniel cooed and leaned down to kiss you, and expertly unclasped your bra while Oscar dragged your underwear down your legs. 

The kiss with Daniel quickly turned filthy, and he walked you slowly towards the bed and pushed you down on it. 

“So who gets first dibs?” Oscar asked, eyeing your body and smirking at the goosebumps appearing on your flesh as you gazed up at the two men. 

“How about Oscar first, since he was gentlemanly enough to wait till you got here?” you offered and they shrugged in agreement. 

“Works for me, that way I'll get to prove I'm better afterwards” 

You and Oscar both rolled your eyes at Daniel's statement, and the younger man quickly spread your legs and kneeled in between them. 

You were dripping already, and at the first swipe of his tongue through your folds, Oscar thought he'd died and gone to heaven.  

He groaned, lapping up your juices, and then alternated between fucking you with his tongue and circling it around your sensitive clit. 

You were moaning freely, gasping at every change of pace and pressure.  

There was definitely no denying it, he knew what he was doing. 

When he sucked on your clit your back arched, letting out whiny little moans as he made your legs tremble in no time, your thighs trying to close around his head. 

Daniel, despite not touching you, was having the time of his life. 

He was sitting next to you on the bed, and from this angle he could see every tremor, every micro-expression as you writhed under Oscar's undeniably skilled mouth. 

You were exquisite in his opinion, and he hungrily watched your breasts heaving as you tried to catch your breath after Oscar made you come all over his face. 

The younger man licked his lips hungrily as he stared up at Daniel, eyes challenging him to do better. 

You barely got any reprieve before Daniel was pushing Oscar out of the way and bending your legs at the knees. 

“Hold yourself open for me, darling” 

You did as you were told, and looked down at him while he nosed along the crease of your inner thigh. 

He pushed his tongue inside you, and you let out a gasp when his nose brushed against your clit as he moved. 

The tip of his nose was quite cold, and the difference in temperature was surprisingly pleasurable. 

But Daniel didn't plan on staying there for long, he'd come to win, even if that meant playing dirty. 

He gave your clit a teasing suck before releasing it with a pop, and slowly, his tongue made its way lower, exploring your taint, and eventually making contact with your tight rim. 

The new feeling made you shudder, and he brought a hand up to thumb at your clit in a steady rhythm while he worked his tongue against your ass. 

Your nails were digging into your own thighs where you were holding them open, and a quick glance at Oscar's expression told you he was not happy, despite being obviously turned on. 

Once Daniel could feel you loosening, he prodded his tongue inside you a little, and the sensation was so foreign to you it forced a shaky moan from your throat. 

You felt Daniels smirk against your skin and he quickly retracted his tongue, and slowly made his way back up. 

You were rapidly approaching the edge now. And the renewed attack of his mouth on your cunt was promising a spectacular finish. 

Then you felt a slight pressure lower down. 

He was rubbing his thumb against your asshole, aided by your dripping juices. 

He applied some pressure, and his thumb easily slipped inside, carefully massaging your walls while his tongue lapped at your clit hungrily. 

It took you seconds. 

You came with a loud cry as you arched your back, riding out the waves of your intense orgasm, through which Daniel helped you gently by slowing down his movements until you were shaking under him. 

He sat up and grinned at you from above. 

“So? Who was better?” 

“That's not fair, you cheated!” Oscar huffed indignantly. 

“I did not! It isn't specified how low we're allowed to go”  

“But you used your fingers! I didn't”  

“Well yeah, you gotta make use of all your assets” he wiggled his brows. 

They looked at you expectantly. 

“If one of you isn't inside me in the next 30 seconds I am kicking you both out” you muttered at the ceiling. 

They chuckled and shuffled around the bed. 

You ended up on top of Oscar, sinking down on his surprisingly thick cock while Daniel sat next to Oscar's head. 

You leaned down to take him into your mouth and he grabbed your hair in his fist in a makeshift ponytail. 

“So eager to please, isn't she Oscar? I think we’ve struck gold with this one” 

Oscar started thrusting into you slowly, and your deep groan around the cock in your mouth made Daniel mad with need as he watched you take him down eagerly. 

He then noticed Oscar was eyeing his cock with something akin to hunger in his eyes. 

“You look jealous, Oscar” he teased. “Fancy a taste?” 

He pulled you off him, and Oscar licked at his tip teasingly. 

You didn't feel like stopping though, so soon Daniel had two mouths on his cock, licking and sucking at his shaft. 

“Jesus Christ, you two are so fucking hot, what the fuck” 

You and Oscar worked in tandem, lips making brief contact as you made out with the cock between you. 

It was truly a porn worthy performance and Daniel could feel his composure slipping. 

“Fuck- stop, I'm gonna come too soon” 

He pulled you off and shuffled backwards, taking a quick breather, and Oscar laughed meanly. 

“The old man's gonna come first, that's funny” 

He was obviously just goading Daniel, but the evil glint that suddenly appeared in the older man's eyes as he got an idea made his stomach churn. 

“Wanna swap then?” he grinned, and Oscar nodded eagerly. 

Daniel lay down so you could climb on top of him, rolling your hips slowly to get used to the slightly lengthier cock, and Oscar kneeled next to him, mirroring the position from before. 

You took him down to the base first, the taste of your own slick making your eyes roll back in your head, and Oscar couldn't resist thrusting into your mouth a few times. 

“Fuckin’ hell, why were we arguing over who's better when her mouth is clearly superior”  

He gasped when you swallowed around him and used your tongue to trace the underside of his cock. 

Then you let him go with a pop, and looked at Daniel with a smirk. 

The two of you got to work, worshipping Oscar's cock with your mouths and he marveled at the sight. 

But then Daniel decided he needed to prove his superiority. 

He licked down the vein on the underside, slowly inching towards Oscar's balls. 

He licked over them, and took one into his mouth, gently sucking on it just to make Oscar lose his mind. 

“Jesus, Daniel… fuck-“ 

With Daniel working wonders down there, and you making your way up his body, currently scraping your teeth over one of his nipples, he was scared of coming before he'd even had a chance to savour the experience. 

Daniel huffed under him, drawing his attention.  

Apparently his tongue could just about reach behind Oscar's balls, but the position didn't allow him to go any further. 

“Sit on my face”  Daniel panted. 

“What?” Oscar squeaked, sure he'd misheard. 

“You heard me, come here”  he slapped Oscar's thigh to get him to move. 

Oscar didn't hesitate for long, he swung a leg over Daniel's head and hovered, facing you as he bit his lip to hide just how aroused he was at the idea. 

Daniel wrapped his arms around Oscar's thighs and slammed him down onto his eagerly waiting mouth. 

Oscar let out a high pitched moan and had to stabilise himself with a hand on Daniel's chest. 

You grabbed his hair and pulled him in for a rough kiss. 

Daniel somehow had the dexterity to pound into you from below while eating Oscar out like his life depended on it, and all the two of you could do was pant into each other's mouths as Oscar came untouched all over Daniel's chest and his own hand. 

He crawled away, and Daniel grabbed your waist to pull you down onto his cock while he rolled his hips up into you. 

“You close, beautiful? You gonna come all over my cock?” 

You nodded desperately, the new angle and speed was making you cry out in pleasure as it built up rapidly inside you. 

“Do it then, show Oscar what a good girl you are and come right now, baby” 

How you managed to stay upright will always be a mystery. The force with which your orgasm washed over you was enough to make your voice crack and your vision go momentarily dark while you rode out the most intense pleasure you'd ever felt before. 

While you waited for the feeling in your legs to come back, Oscar went to grab a washcloth to clean you all up. 

You were lying on the bed, limbs akimbo while Daniel’s cum dribbled out of you. 

“Remind me to thank Mark Webber” you said and the other two guffawed in disbelief. 

“You want to thank him? What about us, we actually fucked you!” 

You laughed. “You're right! Maybe I should ask Mark to fuck me!” 

The other two groaned. 

“Never say that again” 

You all got into bed, you in the middle, facing Oscar while Daniel spooned you from behind. 

“Well at least now I know” Daniel muttered. 

“Know what?” you asked. 

“That Piastri likes getting his ass ate” he chuckled and you burst out in a fit of giggles. 

“Fuck you” Oscar groaned. 

“In your dreams Piastri” Daniel chuckled. 

“Next time, I'm fucking you” 

“Ha!” Daniel laughed “As if !” 

But you saw the defiant look in Oscar’s eyes. 

You knew him in and out, he was not going to back down from a challenge. 

[cosmerelists]

Cosmere Characters at a Greasy Spoon Diner

As requested by @jabber-wock :)

If Cosmere characters wandered into a greasy spoon diner from our world, what would that be like for them?

1. Szeth & Nightblood

They just want the restaurant to live up to its promises.

Szeth: [staring intently at his spoon] Szeth: Hmmm...they say that this is a "greasy spoon" restaurant, and yet, this spoon seems remarkably clean. Nightblood: Gasp! That sounds evil! Szeth: We must not jump to conclusions, Sword-Nimi. Nightblood: You're right! Maybe it's a mistake! Nightblood: Waiter! More grease!

2. Siri & Susebron

They decide to order a little bit of everything. This is a mistake.

Siri: T-This "appetizer plate" is the size of my head! Siri: What could the regular portions possibly be like?? Susebron [gripping her hand tightly]: Siri...I'm scared... Siri: I'm scared too...

3. Sazed & Vin

Let's just say that Sazed picked the wrong restaurant for etiquette lessons.

Sazed: And remember, Vin, when you are eating in public or at an event, you must assume that someone could be looking at you at any time. Sazed: At every moment, you must be the picture of poise and grace. Vin: [Looking up from her giant hamburger, face covered in ketchup] Sazed: ... Sazed: Never mind.

4. Elend & his friends

Let's just say that Elend picked the wrong restaurant to discuss philosophy at.

Elend: ...Anyway, that's what I've been thinking about the treatise. What about you all? Jastes: Well, personally, I think the "greatest good" is this mac 'n' cheese! Telden: Ha ha, yeah!! Elend: ... Elend: Never mind.

5. Lift & Wyndle

Orders a stack of pancakes that is taller than she is.

Lift: [eyes glistening with tears] Wyndle: A-Are you all right, mistress? Lift (in a whisper): It's the stormin' promised land.

6. Kaladin, Shallan, & Adolin

You know how greasy spoon waitresses notoriously call everyone "hon"?

Waitress: Careful--plate's hot, hon. Kaladin: [small smile] Shallan: Oh? What's with that look, Kal? Kaladin: I-It's just kinda sweet. Kaladin: "Hon." Adolin (too intensely): You like pet names??

7. Ham & Dockson

You know, Ham. He can find philosophy in anything.

Ham: "All-day breakfast." Ham: But if it's served all day, can it really be called "breakfast"? Dockson: ...Just eat your scrambled eggs.

8. Dalinar & Sadeas

I cannot improve on what @isdalinarhot already wrote for a similar scenario here.

9. Wayne

Immediately settles in.

Wayne: [wearing a trucker hat, eating a huge slice of apple pie and sipping his coffee] Wax: It's been three hours, Wayne. You've eaten enough food for an army! Wayne: Listen, place like this is an island of light in the endless darkness... Wayne: Gotta fuel up my truck, and gotta fuel up myself. Wayne: This endless coffee's the only thing separatin' man from the possums, ya know. Wax: ... Wax: What

10. Bridge Four

I just really think they'd like it there.

Rock: Ha! This plate is bigger than even MY head! Sigzil: Kinda bland, for an omelet, but at least there's a bottle of hot sauce. Huio: [covertly adding his own spices to the chili] Moash [eye twitching]: I know I need to stop saying yes to the coffee refills, but they keep offering them! Lopen: ...And then I said, "chili? It's actually quite hot!" Lyn: Was the waitress amused? Lopen: ...No. Skar (whispering): I can't believe a chicken fried this steak...

[cozmowrites]

Wonderwall: One

one

11:38 AM

you: hi ☺️

bkg: Who the fuck are you?

you: oh im (y/n)! mei is a bit busy with other students so ill help her and fix up what you need on your costume

bkg: I don't need your help.

you: oh okay

2:20 PM

you: you're looking directly at me but you're not talking

you: what is it you need? use your words

bkg: I'm looking for the crazy one.

you: mei is busy with the green haired kid and the robot looking guy. it's me or whoever else with their hands free so pick

bkg: I need my gauntlets fixed.

you: what about them needs fixed?

bkg: Can't you just figure it out? I don't have all evening.

you: feisty

you: im trying to help but i can't because you're not helping

bkg: The crazy one knows.

you: news flash, i am not mei

you: so are you going to tell me or not?

you: i can just hand over the project to someone else that mei trusts less or i can do it and you can tell me.

You looked away from your phone briefly as you watched his eyes avert from your form, annoyed at him for acting so childish. Especially for a third year. You looked back down to your phone to send him a quick text.

you: oh, so you're just not gonna look at me now, ok. have fun with someone else

bkg: Something inside keeps malfunctioning.

like what? mei told me you use that to store your quirk's sweat.

bkg: I don't know. Something isn't pushing the sweat out like it used to.

you: ill look at the problem overnight, but you won't see them until at least tomorrow after school

you: just set them on my desk and ill text you updates if i got them

You looked away from your phone briefly as he set his gauntlets down on your desk with a grumble. You rolled you eyes and added to your text.

you: don't grumble at me

(bakugou disliked your text)

Later that night, you worked in the workshop on his gauntlets, finding the problem after several hours. Before you could dive into it, you heard a text come from your phone. The bright light blinding you momentarily.

7:53 PM

bkg: Update?

you: some of your things in there are rusting, did you know that?

you: i can't fix it from the inside, i have to take it all apart and fix it like that

bkg: No way in hell.

you: bakugou, right?

you: the rust is all inside. you have to replace that every few months because of the moisture from your sweat.

bkg: The crazy one would be able to fix it.

you: im. not. mei.

you: get that through your thick skull.

you: mei gave me your information so that i could help you, and i could help her take off some of the slack.

you: she trusts me the most. do you fucking understand that?

you: i would be GLAD to hand you off to another student in the class.

you: mei didn't tell me you'd be a complete asshole but i should've known when i had seen you in the sports festival win for both first year's and second year's.

you: you're still so full of yourself, even after that big war

you: call me insensitive, but you can let someone else work on your gear and your costume just fine.

you: it's NOT that big of a deal.

bkg: Fine.

bkg: Do whatever you can to fix them.

bkg: Don't fucking break them.

you: why would i do that?

You took a moment to breath from the frustrated typing you just spent. Your breathing raged.

you: put more trust in me third year

(bakugou disliked your message)

You worked tirelessly all night. That's what you did, on all your projects, even student ones. You got no sleep what-so-ever and eventually, you watched the sun rise. It made your eyes and head hurt, but you were quite used to it.

6:04 AM

you: good morning 🌅

you: i completely tore everything apart last night and found more issues so it'll be longer until you get your gauntlets back.

you: on the bright side, i fixed a bunch of stuff mei did in a rush and made it more stable.

7:11 AM

you: your gauntlets are really heavy, do you really carry them around?

you: i thought you had bad wrists or something

you: there's a way to double the sweat storage without making it any heavier for your wrist you know

you: they just won't look so classic to your grenades or whatever

You decided to step away from your desk and head to the student's dorms to change and freshen up. Just since it'll be another day of school and you spent all night in at your desk in the classroom.

A little over an hour passed, and you were back at the classroom, the rest of the students working hard on their projects and gear for other students. You, however, stopped when you saw breakfast on your desk. You furrowed your brows, it was not from the cafeteria, rather bought from some fast food place. There wasn't a note or anything, but Mei saw you quickly and peered around the corner.

"Bakugou dropped that off for you by the way." She smiled and returned to her work area, busying herself once again. You couldn't ask her further what was up. Or if he had said anything when he dropped it off. You didn't want to bother her further.

8:26 AM

you: yo mei said you stopped by and left this shit on my desk

you: [image of food attached]

you: is this your way of paying for tearing apart your gauntlets?

you: either way, ill eat it ig

You didn't give him the satisfaction of a 'thank you'. He didn't deserve it, he treated you like shit.

12:03 PM

you: i got it mostly done. you can pick them up tomorrow morning.

(bakugou liked your message)

By the time evening rolled around, you fixed the gauntlets earlier than intended. It's evening and you haven't eaten since lunch (which was 6 hours ago). You can't decide whether to eat and just return the gauntlets after eating or to pay Bakugou back for the breakfast and return his gauntlets to him.

You ultimately decided.

5:07 PM

you: by the way, your gauntlets are heavy as fuck.

You switched to your dashdoor app and looked at options for food. No need to try and order food for anyone else, no one else was in here with you except for Yuka. Mei was out doing who knows what.

"Hey Yuka, Do you want anything? I'm ordering takeout." You decided to ultimately speak up. Yuka was a good classmate to you, and often covered for you, so you could pay her back with some food or something. 

"If you're offering, sure." She smiled at you, her voice soft and gentle, compared to Mei's or Power Loader's.

"What would you like?" You asked, genuinely curious in her taste in foods. You'd assume soft and sweet, but when she opened to answer, you were a bit surprised.

"Spicy. The spiciest they have." She smiled and turned back to her workspace. You ordered food for the both of you and when it arrived, you ate quietly. She would occasionally ask a question about what you were working on currently, only for her to nod or hum in response.

When you finished eating, you bid goodbye to Yuka and she did the same. You headed down the hall and past the hero course hall, kind of curious as to if Bakugou was still hanging around. You could give him his gauntlets, but that would result on taking a detour and all you wanted to do was get home. You ultimately decided to just go home, shaking off every curiosity you had about Bakugou. He was not worth a thought. You headed home instead.

The next morning was pretty uneventful. You settled in to your workspace and started messing with a project of yours's that you started, some old junk that maybe could be some laser detection or something. You weren't sure. You tore apart other old projects of Mei's because she gave you permission to do so, and want to try your hand at something different. It was just regular free time morning stuff. The door opened and the ash blond walked in, in his school uniform. Hands in pockets and all. You rolled your eyes and pointed to the gauntlets on the other half of your workspace.

"My costume tore." He gruffly spoke up, pulling his bag around from his back and pulling out a folded hero costume.

"Okay?" You replied, not interested in fixing it, or at least fixing it right away. "Not my problem."You don't take bullshit from anyone, especially not Bakugou. He was notorious for that, or so you've heard.

He shook his head and replied with a 'tsk', inviting himself into a chair. "I don't care. Fix it."

"Is saying 'please' so difficult? Maybe saying it will have me care a little more." You replied, going back to messing with this item if yours's. He tapped his foot impatiently.

"I need it by this afternoon."

"Great." You snapped back quickly.

He let out an aggravated sigh. A moment later, a message notification.

8:20 AM

bkg: Why can't you just fucking do it? It'll only take a few minutes.

you: where's the "please"? hm?

you: i only do nice things for people if they're nice back

bkg: You piss me off.

bkg: Fix it.

you: you piss me off too!

you: im glad the feeling is mutual

you: and i won't do shit

you: you said you need it by the afternoon?

you: you'll come get it at lunch

you: you are not my priority today

you: i gave you priority yesterday

"You texted me just to get the same answer." You spoke up making him snap his head up from his phone. You were right, all he did was get the same answer, but in text form. You shook your head and set down the laser sensor. "I'll give it to you at lunch."

He stood from his chair and moved out of the room without another word. You'll work on this other student's thing and then his in time for lunch.

+++

By the time lunch rolled around, you finished the fix. It was a bit more difficult than you had hoped. You're not one to see costumes, that's usually Yuka's thing, but she was not in the classroom usually until afternoon so you had to take what she taught you and remember it the best you could. You were better with hardware over anything else. You got your lunch tray through the line and walked over to where you saw the ash blond poking out from the crowd. He was sitting with 4 others that looked like they invited themselves there.

"Here." You set down the bag in front of him and he looked up at you briefly before a loud voice gasped.

"Oh my gosh, you're so pretty! You know Bakugou? You should totally sit down and eat with us!!" You looked over and it was the pink alien one.

====

read it all here:

wattpad

ao3

wonderwall masterlist ツ

[miwiheroes]

Hii <3

Respectfully, can you show me your pov? In my mileven pov, Finn did confirm that Mike "lied" during the confession, which is weird to me, I never percieved it as lying (he said he knew he loved her, he didn't say he loved her since moment 1)

It just puts down a lot of byler theories, they say Mike genuinely has feelings for El, at least, in seasons 1-3, the supermarket is like a checkpoint, since he says to her that it's the first time he likes someone like that, so I don't think he liked Will at that point. I thought he did like Will until the love confession. He is a teenager who is scared of people leaving him, so it makes sense that he didn't say it because he feared losing El.

Idk, I don't see why would they break up hehe

Hi, I'm just a bit confused by ur wording in the first paragraph because you say that "he said he knew he loved her" which is true, but then you say that "he didn't say he loved her since moment 1".

Here's what happens in the monologue. Mike describes "the day we found you in the woods" and then goes on to say "i knew in that moment that i loved you". So yes, he did say he loved her since the very first moment he met her 😭

I would understand your reasoning if Mike made it way clearer and said "I know in that moment that I loved you", rather than making it past tense. Making it past tense and saying "in that moment" makes it seem like him in the past knew that he loved her already, when the evidence clearly shows that he did not know that, nor did he feel it. Even if Mike didn't know it at that point, I still don't think he had those romantic feelings, because, as Finn and the Duffers have said multiple times, Mike felt the way about El as Elliott did about ET (which is not romantic love?? its just a fascination, curiosity and deep care for someone in trouble).

I would believe the monologue perfectly well if the writers didn't write insta-love. If Mike had just said something else about loving her, then I would have maybe believed it. But the writers chose to write a provable lie, which is not the easy way out if they wanted to make mileven endgame.

I understand why you don't want to believe byler theories, no matter how provable they are, because they go against something you really like. But believing that Mike's love monologue is something to be taken at face value is not going to work out in the long run. It would have made more sense to have mileven's story end with the love monologue, rather than have S4 end with it. There are still so many questions like:

Why did Mike call her a superhero and say that she can fly and move mountains when she specifically hated being called that and threw those words in his face previously? (yes i know finn added that part but they kept it in)

Why did Mike say he knew he loved her when he met her when he only ends up keeping her when she points to Will in the photo in S1?

Why did Mike say he knew he loved her when he met her when the writers could have just made him say he loved her without making a provable lie?

Why did Will have to be the one to persuade Mike to say I love you?

Why did Will's queer feelings that cause so much pain for the viewer become a tool for mileven's love without pay off?

What will happen when Mike finds out that Will lied about El saying all that stuff? The stuff that made Mike want to say I love you to her? And that Will actually meant all that stuff instead?

Why did El look so angry when Mike said I love you?

Why didn't the love monologue work to save Hawkins?

Why didn't Mike and El talk after the love monologue? Why didn't they simply write a scene where El talks to Mike and is happy about him expressing his feelings?

Your point about the grocery store scene I have explained in this post.

And yes, Mike is a teenager who is scared of people leaving him??? Exactly?? That's why he felt the need to say I love you to her. Some of u ppl have no concept of care and love outside romantic love and it shows-- Mike was scared of El not needing him anymore, he was scared of losing her. Which is why he was so scared of telling her the truth and explaining himself. He felt that the only way that she could be saved from harm was to say I love you.

But he needs to be wrong. He should be wrong about needing to say I love you to not lose her. She needs to express, or Mike needs to find out, that he does not need to force himself to love El to not lose her. If that makes sense?

If Mike ends up being right -- that means that he was forced to say I love you to save her, sacrificing his true self to not lose her. But he doesn't understand yet that he did not need to do that. Mike still has the view that he had at the beginning of the show: El needs me to say I love you in order for me not to lose her as a person. But in S4, El finds out that she does not need him to say I love you to know that she is not a monster. Her opinion on that front changes without Mike's knowledge.

Mike does not yet know this. So she should tell her that she did not need him to say I love you, in order to relieve him from being scared of losing her by her finding out the truth.

okay oof thanks so much for ur ask, hopefully that all makes sense.

TLDR: Basically, Mike can't lose El, yes, but he only says I love you because he's scared to lose her, not because he actually loved her in that moment he met her.

If you want more on Mike's heroic obligations to say I love you to El, read this post please <3

[delight-angelsbliss]

Don't you notice how I get quiet when there's no one else around?

Heh I wanted to post this sooner but here we are

welcome to my February valentines special that will go on for the full duration of February!!

You may choose a prompt and Character from my list and request<3 this is actually my first ever special/event I'm doing lol S1 prompts from 1 - 11 are by @/novelbear they're really cool and have amazing prompts (^-^) there also inconsistent small and large texts so it's actually readable cuz it gets cut off sometimes lol!! I'd also recommend that when requesting u say which Season ur prompt is from for example "S1 nr 4 with ___" u can also request up to 3 prompts in one! I'll try my best to use it all<3 everything can be requested as platonic!! Edit: can you guys please specify gender and if it should be hcs or not? As much information as possible would be nice and helps alot

S1 Cute scenarios<3

Spending all day watching cute crafts and baking to do

Rom com marathon!!

Trying (and maybe) failing to make food heart shaped

Realizing you both have contrasting views on valentines

"Baby, I love you, really, but if I eat one more piece of chocolate I'll throw up"

Making the same reservations at the same time but different restaurants and/or the same one

"I thought you'd at least ask me to be my valentines" "we've been together for years, I thought that was a given"

Both not caring much abt valentines but get dragged to a double date by friends

"How much did this cost?" "Does that really matter?"

Spending the night walking through the city silently

Begging your partner to get matching sweaters until they say yes

Buying couple shirts and deciding the whole day which one to wear that u completely forgot ur date

Not leaving bed at all

Going to the carnival

Double dates

Confessing with a love letter

first kiss together on your first valentines

getting proposed on valentines

Picking grapes together

Making heart cake pops and eating them but they fall down

"I think I deserve a kiss"

"You didn't have to do all of this!" "Yeah, which is why I did it for you"

"I wish everyday could be like this"

"Is it just me or do your lips look softer than usual?"

"We don't have to go out"

"I can never get enough of of how pretty you look"

Ordering in and watching crime action series

"You remembered?" "Of course I did, I love you"

Trying to do pilates together only to fail miserably

Writing a love letter only to throw it away but they find it

S2 Yandere scenarios!:

"I just got some very wise advice from a wise woman..." U can ask more abt this btw and I'll explain a bit more what I mean with this

"Gosh, you smell so good when we cuddle like this"

"Do you think I enjoy punishing you?! I don't!"

"Tell me how much you love me"

"I'm jealous of the way you are happy with them but not me"

"This world is a ugly place, you're too beautiful for it"

"I know I'm sick in the head, but you'll be my cure"

"I love it when we're so close together like this"

"Of course I'm jealous! You're mine, not theirs!"

"Dont you get it? I would die for you if you asked me to"

"Your skin is so soft"

"I just love the last souvenir of your eye so much that I'd like the other one please"

"I could kill you if I wanted to"

"I live for you, you're like my oxygen"

"If you run, I'll break your legs"

જ⁀➴ ♡ Matchups

I actually do match ups which isn't really known cuz it's in my rules and dni lol but I do make matchups in case anyone wants one<3 this was added on 20:37 on 4th of February which is a bit later than this was posted

For a match up I need as much information as possible it's also allowed in a platonic form

If there's a preferred age range and gender

Hobbies

Likes

Dislikes

Special interests

And more would be needed (^-^)

[zepskies]

@lamentationsofalonelypotato

LOL I loveeee it. Join me!!! 😘

Girl, you're killing it with the LOTR fanfiction. It's so good and this one for Eomer is no exception. First of all I really like the premise of this fic, an arranged marriage that grows into love 💕 And I love that you said it started out as an OFC and you turned it into a reader insert- I know we've both talked about that before and you know how I've done the same thing for some of my fics 🥰

omg you're the best, thank you!! 😭😭 I'm so glad you liked the premise! Yeah I want to adapt more of the OFC outline into different one-shots in this same "arranged marriage"-verse lol. At least some parts of that story will get realized. 💓💓

Oh my word, he drew her a bath- what a MAN. Also I love the added detail that she still wrapped herself in the blanket when she walked even though it's after the two of them have slept together. I think it is perfect for the arranged marriage side of the story, that she's still not quite comfortable showing all of herself yet and it was a great little detail you added.

Everyone talks about Aragorn, but Eomer is a Good Man too! 🥹 I just feel like we didn't get to see enough of how he would be courteous with a woman/his spouse. Maybe not as "gentle" as how we think of Aragorn, but I feel like as a hardened warrior, he'd take pains to be gentle with his (new) wife. 💕

And I'm glad you liked that detail of her not being totally comfortable being that exposed with him yet, despite the fact that he's already "seen it all" lol. I feel like the morning after has a bit more vulnerability to it.

Oh my sweet goodness, the little look into his head of him thinking about his wife. For me it's giving a little bit of "he falls first" and I'm melting!

😏😏 Eomer def has her on the brain, whether he realizes it or not.

Honey I'm going to stop you right there... YES, yes it is a duty he relishes in!

Oh, it absolutely is. 😏💗

For the love of sweet baby corn, she's making the dangerous horse-riding sexy man who could and snap me in half (and I'd say thank you) blush! 😂

She's making an impossible feat, amirite? 🤣 (I'd ALSO say thank you for the "snapping" lmao.)

And she made him smile 😭 Oh my word this is so good! I need 50 million more! I would love to read more of this reader and Eomer falling in love, but if not that’s also okay- because this was incredible just the way it was my wonderful friend 💚💚💚!

Another nearly impossible feat!! loll Girl don't tempt me!! I'll churn out more parts of that outline like you wouldn't believe because I had so much fun with this one. 🥰🥰 Thank you SO very much for reading this first installment of their story.

AS TRADITION DICTATES

Pairing: Éomer x Reader 

Summary: Your marriage to the Third Marshal of the Mark has been arranged in the hopes of renewing political ties between Rohan and Gondor. The morning after the ceremony, your new husband continues to defy your expectations.

AN: I’ve been wanting to write something for Éomer for a while now, so here we go! Confession: this one-shot actually comes from an Éomer x OFC story I have fully outlined, called The Appeasement Bride. I adapted this snippet into a reader insert story.

Word Count: 1.7K

Originally posted on Patreon: 1/21/2025

Tags/Warnings: 18+ only. Spiciness, fluff, newlyweds trying to suss each other out lol.

You woke just after the dawn, the sun peeking over the horizon and filtering through the open window. Its light began to wash over your face and stir you from a deep, well-earned sleep.

Your hand slipped out from under your head and drifted over…and you frowned. Opening your eyes, you realized that your husband’s side of the bed was empty and cold. Already, it seemed, he didn’t care to be with you when you woke. Had you done something wrong?

Flashes of memory from the night before conjured in your mind; of the surprising carefulness in his calloused hands, of hot, sweat-slick skin against yours, and the rasp of his beard as his lips and deft fingers taught you more of pleasure.

A shiver ran down your spine, blooming some warmth between your legs. Surely, if you had displeased him, he would’ve told you so. Or maybe he was polite enough to withhold that from you, along with most of his other thoughts. Éomer was often so stoic, it was difficult for you to learn your husband, even before the wedding ceremony yesterday.

You had come to Rohan over a month ago, and in that time, you had been able to glean precious little about him other than the ones he seemed to value most: his sister, his cousin, his uncle, Théoden King, his country, and his horse.

Not that he told you any of these things in words. You saw it in his actions—by the way he carried himself, and the way he spoke to you and others with fairness and courtesy, not arrogance. You’d heard gossip of his infamous temper, but so far, you had not seen it.

Nor did you see him now.

Perhaps he had more pressing work to do. In these past few weeks, you saw a bit of how demanding his station could be, and you understood his duty to patrol the Riddermark as Third Marshal of these lands. However, if he could’ve just been courteous enough to wake you before he left—

The heavy door of the bed chamber opened to Éomer himself. He wore only breeches and boots, his wheat-blonde hair loose and unadorned down his back. You swallowed a surprised gasp and watched him from the bed, unconsciously bringing the fur blanket up to your shoulders.

He met you with a polite, “Good morning,” before he continued inside to stoke the fire. He held more kindling wood in his arms, and he laid it on the platform before the fireplace.

“Good morning,” you nodded, though your cheeks warmed in a blush at the sight of his bare chest (you remembered that slightly wooly patch well). The defined muscles of his shoulders and arms shifted with his movements.

You were also a little embarrassed for overthinking.

“You rose early,” you added belatedly, for lack of something better to say.

“I am accustomed to it,” he said.

He finished with the fire and stood. You couldn’t help the way he captured your gaze, his measured steps bringing him closer to the bed. You sat up to meet him, the furs draping from your body, covering only where you held the soft fabric over your breasts. His eyes were an interesting shade of green as they roamed over you.

“How did you sleep?” he asked.

Somehow it was not what you were expecting, though it was perfectly agreeable. Your blush deepened.

“Very well, thank you.”

He nodded. Then, something almost hesitant passed through his gaze.

“I’ve drawn a bath for you, unless you prefer to rest longer,” he said.

You blinked. “Really?” That was a kindness you did not expect.

Éomer’s lips tugged upwards. He offered you his hand. Though you hesitated, you slipped your free hand into his. Instinctively you took the furs with you to cover yourself, your face warming down to your neck under the weight of his amused stare.

Your hair was a tangled mess along with the sheets remaining tousled on the bed, and you realized that your body was sore in places you had never felt so. He led you around a simple wooden partition to a wide bath that was built into the ground. Your eyes widened at the luxury of it.

You had noticed that Rohan largely valued comfort and efficiency over ornateness in their architecture, but it seemed they lavished some things with greater detail.

Éomer helped you step into the bath. He took the furs from you, still with that amused glint, but he couldn’t stop himself from taking note of your bare, supple form, what glimpse he was able to get before you lowered yourself into the steaming water. He had explored each and every lovely curve the night before, but you were lovelier to behold in the morning, he thought.

You looked up at him with some hesitance, but there was a question there that he thought he would like to answer.

“Have you already bathed?” you asked.

“Yes,” he nodded, “I will leave you to your leisure. Breakfast will be brought up in a little while.”

“Oh. Yes, thank you,” you said.

Was that a note of disappointment in your tone, in the downturn of your face?

Éomer paused, but he did as he set out to do, leaving you to your bath in peace. He went over to his side of the bed to continue dressing himself, slipping a long shirt over his head that he tucked into his breeches. Though he tried not to let them, his thoughts of you remained.

Meanwhile, you relished in the hot water relieving your sore muscles (and other places). You washed and hummed a little tune to yourself, forgetting that you weren’t entirely alone, despite the partition.

By the time you left the bath, dried off and dressed in a heavy robe over a thin dressing gown, your new husband was already munching on bread and fruit and other good things that were brought up from the kitchens. He welcomed you to sit with him by the fire, where two wide chairs were draped with furs to make them comfortable. You joined him, and the tray of goods rested in between your seats.

“Do you have much to do?” you asked, while buttering a slice of bread. The crust was hard and somewhat sour, but the inside was soft and delicious.

“The only business I must attend to today is to remain kept with my wife,” Éomer said. He glanced up at you, once again capturing your gaze. “As tradition dictates.”

By the Valar, was there no end to how you blushed around this man? You only couldn’t tell if being kept by you was a duty he relished in.

You almost didn’t hear him when he added, “Tomorrow we will see your family off. They ride back to Gondor.”

Belatedly, you nodded. Éomer saw the note of melancholy cross your face.

“I am sure it is…a sooner parting than you would like,” he said.

You offered him a rueful smile. “Yes, but…not as difficult a goodbye as I thought it would be.”

One of his brows rose. “Why is that?”

Drawing in a deep breath, you mustered a little courage to answer him honestly.

“I did not know what to expect when I arrived in Rohan, but its lands have beauty of its own. Its people have integrity and courage, and its noble house is noble indeed,” you said. A small, true smile brightened you when you looked at him. “It is honorable, and kind.”

Éomer blinked in surprise. On his face it was still muted, but it was there. Your words touched him. He cleared his throat, for some reason finding his face a bit warm. In his eyes, you continued to be a wonder. He too hadn’t known what to expect from a woman of Gondor. He knew what many in your country thought of the people of Rohan—simple folk at best, and horse-wild barbarians at worst. With you, he’d mostly expected a haughty, spoiled brat.

He’d never been more willing to be proven wrong. In fact, the more he learned about you, the more beautiful you became.

He reached over, almost hesitant to cover your hand with his larger one. He was suddenly very conscious of his rougher palm in contrast with your soft skin.

“Regardless of how we were entered into this arrangement, I stand by my vows,” he said. “I will honor and protect you, and do my utmost to make you comfortable here in my home.” 

You smiled. Your hand turned under his to curl your fingers around his palm.

“I will also honor and protect you in whatever way I am able. And I will do my utmost for your house, for it is now mine as well,” you replied.

Éomer brushed his thumb over the back of your hand. He rose out of his seat enough to lean over, and he kissed you. It was sincere, but all too brief. You leaned towards him after he broke away, left wanting more as your eyes slid open.

Recognizing that look of desire stirred his own, deep in the pit of his stomach. He tugged on your hand meaningfully and guided you out of your chair, over to him. You tentatively sat across his lap, uttering a laugh when you slid backwards and landed against his chest. Your hand flew there to steady yourself. Éomer clasped it against his heart and claimed you in a deeper, rougher kiss, one fueled by a craving he couldn’t name.

You held his bearded face and hummed sweetly into his mouth. You matched his fervor, your fingers slipping into his hair and instinctively tightening a stronghold. He groaned in response. His hands, large and strong, moved over your side and down your back, while the other squeezed the supple flesh of your hip through your thin gown.

Soon, it wasn’t enough. He slid his arms around your waist and under your knees before he stood with you in his arms. He smiled at your squeal of surprise. It was the first real smile you’d ever seen upon his face. It delighted you to be the one who put it there.

He carried you to back his bed. Our bed.

But still, it was only a matter of lust, if twined with mutual respect and…curiosity.

You did not love him. (Yet.)

AN: Love me some blonde, medieval cowboy Karl Urban. 😘💜

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[canadaxed]

Lucy is an Ancient!.... theory.

you might like this if you: really like the idea of eldritch beings falling in love with some normal ass dude who is totally unaware.

I also posted this all on the Klei forums, which might be easier to read for some people. Click here for that version.

A while ago I posted: "someone remind me to make a post on my theory about Lucy being an Ancient" and I finally got around to it! Feel free to read. It's a long one, but the main timeline for the idea is in the last paragraphs if you want to skip ahead.

Here's the theory now:

Hey gang, I figured I'd post this theory I have. I dunno if anyone else has picked up on it, I didn't find anything myself. I'm gonna try my best to explain why I believe Lucy the Axe could be..... an Ancient!! Like the spirit of the Shadow Maul or Reaper. 

First things first, lets start with Woodie, the scraps of lore we have for him, and what Lucy means to him.

We know that the survivors entering the Constant (at least in the DS era) have a pattern of wanting something, or being emotionally vulnerable- and this is typically what Maxwell preyed on to get them into the Constant. 

In Walter's short, we get a glimpse of Woodie's cabin. He has references to his family being from Scotland in it, various stereotypical Canadian British Columbian Guy decor, two very conspicuous chairs in the main room.... and "Lucy's" outside.

That's right... Woodie never took the physical "Lucy" with him. I put Lucy in quotation marks because we don't know if Lucy was always his axe... or if she was the person that second chair in his home belonged to.

The guy went deep into an uninhabited forest to get away from people, why would he have two chairs in his home right next to each other? Pair this with with how he leaves his red "Lucy" axe outside, rather than having left her on the chair or something like one might if they were romantically invested in something.

Keep this in mind too when considering whether Lucy could’ve been a real person or was always an axe.

Now, putting the pieces we have so far together, one could follow this story pretty easily:  Woodie lost his wife and was reminiscing on memories of her while listening to the radio, which was the prime moment for Maxwell to swoop in with the promise of reuniting them.

Don't Starve fans might be skeptical for a few reasons: DS fans are split pretty evenly between wanting Woodie to be "just some funny guy" and also desperately wanting more information on this mysterious Lumberjack. When you put this theory into perspective, it all feels too easy; or it just feels wrong to completely blow open a huge point in Woodie's lore that is otherwise kept close to Klei's chest. 

Secondly, somewhat related to the first point: Klei's got plans in motion for their lore. The idea of even the gameplay of the world is that you start out knowing nothing, and slowly, SLOWLY, you gain more information. Even then, though, the game becomes more complex and deep. Essentially the team's been doing the same thing with their lore. Whether they only had a loose idea at the beginning and are now really hitting the road running with the direction they want to go in terms of lore, or if they always had an idea for it: they've been giving us glimpses of it over the past... 12 years? We've never gotten the full picture even after all this time, all these shorts and expansions. And each new bit of lore that gets revealed, there's another complexity added to it. Again, people might be thinking "this is just too easy a conclusion to come to, I could've thought of that." 

They might just really be banking on Woodie's general obscurity in relation to the main story as a way to give him a lot of interesting tidbits that people won't immediately dissect.

Thirdly: I'm just one person posting something on the internet. I could just be way too much of a fan of Woodie and reading too much into all this. And I could totally be wrong or be wrong about some things and right about others. Either way, I don't anticipate getting any answers from Klei for a long time if at all, which only adds to skepticism. 

(If you ask me, Don't Starve and its short animations/puzzles/lore drops are begging to be nitpicked.)

So lets back-track a little and talk about why Klei might've decided to drop so much potential, very vital Woodie lore in this one short. (AKA: the Woodie Tangent part of this theory thread, cus I love him)

If you've seen the short animations on Youtube, you might go to the comment sections here and there to get a general community consensus on them or the character. The comments are overwhelmingly positive and a lot praise how the lore is being handled. 

Then you get to Woodie's very own animated short.... 

If you've seen it, you know it's a silly animation where Woodie , in the Constant (unlike other shorts til then), is chopping trees and gets attacked by a tree guard. He uses his three wereforms to fight it, and overall its a pretty fun time. The comments are mostly positive, but a lot expressed disappointment in not getting any more lore about Woodie. He's a very mysterious character, even despite having one of the longer character bios in the game. 

So, eventually Walter comes along. A young boy from Canada, part of a boy scouts troop, really into monsters. If the developers didn't have Woodie in mind when making Walter, they ended up becoming very intertwined character and story-wise anyway. Klei being the cheeky devils they are, decided that if people wanted Woodie lore so bad, they'd get it.... via Walter's short. We only get a few glimpses at background things (we might've even got a hint that Woodie lives on vancouver island) but to Klei, that's enough. Clearly we've gotta do something with what we got. 

But even Walter's short didn't give us enough for full answers to anything.

Let's move on and get to the real stuff: Lucy, Maxwell, and the Ancients.

The Ancients in Don't Starve lore refers to a powerful society of bug people that existed in the Constant long, long ago. They went extinct because of their over-reliance on nightmare fuel, which brought them from famine and gave them great magic and technology that allowed them to live in a bustling utopia, for a while.

We see an ancient in the metaphysical "flesh" in Hamlet as the Ancient Herald. We also know that the spirits that embody such weapons as the Shadow Maul or Shadow Reaper were once ancients, and their souls were probably in the pure horror/dark tatters used to create those items. 

Anyway, the reason why they matter in this instance is because the only other living, talking tools we know about in the game are the Shadow Maul and Shadow Reaper, who both happen to have special dialogue for Woodie. They’re possessive over him, and jealous of and particularly spiteful towards Lucy. They’re also made with dark magic, unsurprisingly, and that’ll come into play later in terms of my theory for Lucy’s existence. I’m noting now that the Shadow Reaper/Maul and Lucy all have a nonchalance about them and are eager to be used. Also, that they all feature red prominently in their designs.

As fun as I find all these personality similarities though, we won’t talk about them much. Here are these comparisons for the hell of it:

Shadow Reaper quote:   "We make a good team, no matter how you ssssslice it." Lucy quote:   “We make a good team!"

Shadow Maul quote:   "Ch- cho- chop. CHOP!"   "Ch- chop tree... CHOP TREE!"   "CHOP! CHOP! CHOP!" Lucy quote:   "Chop chop chop. Heh."   "Chop, c-c-chop!"

Also on this point of Lucy being a magical item, remember how she will always disappear in the world if Woodie’s gone too long and be replaced by a normal axe. If Woodie tries to use any normal axe that isn’t her, she immediately disappears from where she was last dropped and poofs right into Woodie’s hands in place of that axe.

Alongside this, typically you can only carry/have one Lucy at a time, and she does have special dialogue if you can somehow hold another one.

So, we’ve established the similarity between the talking items. Keep in mind that its established now that inhabitants of the Constant can summon the souls of the Ancients to be used as objects with dark magic.

Moving on…

Its safe to say Maxwell couldn’t manipulate too much beyond the confines of the Constant and his portals and the radios, like we see with him needing Willow and Wilson’s help.

He also can’t seem to drag anyone into the Constant whose name doesnt start with W. Also, whenever Maxwell “fulfills a wish” in order to get a survivor into the Constant, it always comes with a twist. (If Woodie didnt want anything new or different from his current life, he wouldn’t have been lured in. If Woodie just wanted his axe to actually talk to him, he wouldn’t just be given that no strings attached. If Woodie wanted someone back and was promised they’d be in the Constant, why not turn them into his axe, which as a lumberjack he’s metaphorically married to?)

The possibility of Maxwell dragging Lucy’s spirit into the world alongside Woodie is feasible, considering Wendy and Abigail’s situation. But if that were the case, then why not let her stay as a spirit attached to Woodie, rather than having to construct an entirely new form of axe? Because remember, Woodie didn’t bring his real axe into the Constant with him.

You could argue: “because he’s bored. Lol.” and to that i say….. Yeah true lol. Work with me here! 

Here’s another potential point towards Lucy’s spirit being brought in with Woodie: Wendy’s quotes for Woodie often refer to Lucy, and how Abigail favours her. 

But keep in mind that this (Wendy/Abigail recognising a spirit in Lucy) only tells us that there IS a presence in Lucy. Also, considering Winona’s short, I think it’s safe to assume that Abigail might only be able to exist in the Constant because of her flower somehow being tethered to its magic. Lucy wouldn’t have had that.

Alongside that, Maxwell’s quote for examining Lucy:   "Ah. How have you been, Lucy?"

He knows there IS something in the axe and appears familiar with her

So…

Let’s rule out a few other ideas for Lucy’s existence real quick (just in terms of this theory… because i still love these interpretations): 

Lucy being purely in woodie’s mind: then other characters wouldn’t think much about her, Maxwell wouldn’t speak to her so familiarly or as a real person. Even if the magic going into the DST world made her able to speak, Maxwell would be more likely to show surprise at her sentience (its something new that happened after his reign) 

Lucy only existing because Woodie willed her into existence on arrival into the Constant: See above, Maxwell wouldn’t be so familiar with her. Plus, putting together the pieces of woodie having left his real-world fire axe outside his house while he was spending his down time inside, we can assume that woodie in the real world didnt have the same deep connection to his axe. If he could will something into existence, why not have it be the real person he was missing that he wouldve shared that chair with?

Lets start wrapping this up.. Cus I’m no good at writing coherently in long-form.

Here’s what I think could be the potential timeline of events for this theory, putting all the pieces together: 

Maxwell needs to lure a depressed, possibly mourning Woodie into the Constant and promises him he’ll reunite him with his partner, Lucy. Her spirit’s not tethered to the real world anymore (because unlike Abigail, she didn’t have that odd flower) and Maxwell can’t manipulate the world outside of the Constant to that degree- but he has a lot of power inside of the Constant. He calls upon the spirit of an Ancient, seemingly the only spirits that can be returned to a level of sapience, with dark magic of which he’s especially adept, and forges its spirit into that of a special axe.

Then, either he imbues the axe with Woodie’s memories or the axe/eldritch powers-that-be gain them in their own way (think Maria from Silent Hill,) and upon Woodie’s passage to The Constant, he receives her. 

As far as Woodie’s concerned, he’s gotten everything he needs, and takes his existence in The Constant without much disdain. As for Lucy, her old Ancient spirit is happy to be alive again and feeding off living beings (trees). It takes getting used-to to be an entirely new “person”, but she gets the hang of it. She’s clingy and codependent because he’s her source of fuel, but quickly forms a bond with him and ends up caring about his wellbeing, to the point of helping his survival in the DST era. Woodie is blissfully unaware and thriving.

....

Alright, thanks for reading! I know it was a lot. Feel free to discuss. I love Woodie and Lucy. I'm sure I missed a few things, like maybe how Lucy knows about Woodie's wereform cycle with the moons and when his beaverness gets low (the moon thing could be a reference to how the Ancients worshipped "Alter"/Them, and the beaverness thing could just be her dark magic picking up on his curse) ... or how Lucy is very picky with other survivors and very sure of herself/forward/brash like the other sentient items, but those are more of a stretch.

[notiddygothgf]

20. Leaving

★ pairings: aki hayakawa x fem reader

★ ❝ I'll fucking kill you. ❞

★ c.w.: violence, drinking, aki being his canonical kick-ass self, the most satisfying ending ever.

★ a/n: HELLO HELLO MY BABIESSSS!!!!! its here omfg. the chapter i have been itching to release since this past summer! I don't wanna say too much so I'll keep it short -- strap in! It's a ride. Y'all have been waiting for this one. (COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT AWAY PLS i crave ur validation)

★ w.c: .7.2k

shameless ; chapter index

THE FIRST PERSON you saw when you arrived, again, was Himeno. She was wearing a black dress tonight – not entirely unlike your own, but certainly a hell of a lot more conservative. When she saw your head peeking out through the crowd, she grinned, waving her arms around in recognition.

Quickly, you and Aki made your way over to her. She reeled you in with a gloved hand, pressing a kiss to your cheek.

"Thank God, you're here. I was beginning to die of boredom," She chuckled. Giving Aki a pat on the back, she added, "You two look dashing tonight."

Somewhere behind you, Denji straightened up, asking, "What about me? Am I dashing?"

Himeno regarded him with a familiar laugh – truly, the only appropriate response to anything Denji said, "Yeah, little dude. You look like a mini version of Captain Hardass over here."

Denji grinned, clearly taking the comparison as a compliment. Aki shot Himeno an unimpressed look, though it quickly softened as his gaze landed on you.

"I just spotted someone I know," Aki explained, adjusting his tie. "One of my old coworkers is here, and I should go say hello."

"Go on, then," Himeno teased, waving a hand dismissively. "Don't let us hold you up. I'll keep her safe."

Aki ignored her entirely, stepping closer to you instead. His hand brushed against your arm as he leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to your lips. It wasn't long, but it carried the quiet affection he always managed to express, even in public.

"Ooooh," Himeno cooed, her grin spreading wide as she placed a hand dramatically over her chest. "Someone get the two lovebirds a room."

Aki sighed, pulling back with a hint of exasperation. "You're insufferable." He cast you a final glance, his voice softening. "Might be a while before I'm back. He can chat quite a bit."

With that, he turned and strode off into the crowd, his sharp silhouette disappearing among the throng of guests.

Himeno turned to you, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "You're good for him, you know. He's so... uptight. It's hilarious to watch him let his guard down around you."

You chuckled, shaking your head. "Maybe. Or maybe he's just tired of you calling him Captain Hardass."

"Never," Himeno replied with mock solemnity, before her grin returned. "Anyway, speaking of missing men, you'll be glad to know that your husband will not be in attendance."

You laughed. "That's a relief. I was dreading running into him."

"Understandably," Himeno said with a smirk. Then, she sighed. "These things are boring as hell without a little something to spice them up. Speaking of..." She looped her arm through yours, steering you toward the bar. "Let's liven this up."

The bar was crowded, but Himeno had no trouble making her presence known. "A round of shots!" she declared, rapping her knuckles on the bar. "Something that burns on the way down. Vodka."

"You're going to regret this tomorrow," you teased, shaking your head.

"Maybe," Himeno replied, shrugging as the bartender lined up the glasses. "But at least I'll have fun tonight. Cheers to that, huh?"

She handed you a shot, raising hers high. "To alcoholism."

You grinned. "To surviving this party."

The glasses clinked, and you both downed the shots. The fiery warmth spread through you immediately, and you couldn't help but laugh as Himeno slammed her glass on the bar with a triumphant grin.

"That's the stuff," she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Now let's see what kind of trouble we can get into before Aki comes back to ruin the fun."

Her wicked grin was contagious, and you smiled back, already knowing the night was about to get a lot more interesting.

Somewhere between 20 and 30 minutes later, you and Himeno were slumped over the bar, indulging in a hushed conversation about your personal lives.

"I've been crashing with Aki for a while now," You drunkenly rambled, waving your hand in the air while the other one cradled a vodka cranberry. "Mostly just to avoid the situation. But– hic– I know... I know I have to go back for my shit eventually, you know?"

You recognized this bar – this venue. In this very same spot, what seemed like eons ago, this was where you had spoken to Aki alone for the first time.

"Is he here with you tonight?" He asked.

You felt your eyes widen. "No, he's in Kyoto..." you muttered, taking a few more much-needed chugs of the wine.

He hummed. If he thought something about that, he didn't say anything. "The wine matches your lipstick."

He hesitated for a moment before leaning in, his tongue flicking out to taste the salt on your skin. The muscle was hot and wet, drawing a line from your knuckles to your wrist. Perhaps it was the warmth of his mouth on your hand, or the way he peered up at you through his half-lidded eyes and lowered lashes so shamelessly. Perhaps it was the wine in your system doing its work already. Either way, you couldn't help the heat that spread over your neck and your face – the stir in your chest that you tried to ignore.

"Because," He said, "You were dancing with someone else."

Your face was alight, on fire – you blamed it on the booze. 

"Jealous?" You asked, only partially joking.

You should have known better. You should have stopped drinking about thirty minutes ago. No, better yet; you should have walked away the moment he offered to buy you a drink. You should have done the right thing from the start – turn away from the captivating Devil Hunter and his soft lips against your hand, the desire in his eyes – but you didn't.

"Maybe I am," He replied, voice deep and velvety and – fuck .

"Stop, just–" You interrupted him. You sounded a little breathless when you said it. "Stop it. Go back inside. Go–" You swallowed, voice trembling only slightly as you finished, "Go back to Himeno."

His eyes were unwavering pools of passion – ocean waves crashing against the sandy color of his skin, luring you deeper into the abyss. He lifted a perfectly arched brow, uttering innocently, "Why? I want to be where you are."

"Wow... So... It's really over between you and Tanimoto, huh?" Himeno inquired, finger tracing the rim of her fourth beer (the one that followed 3 shots).

You sighed, laying your head down on the cold, comforting surface of the bartop. "I'm looking into divorce attorneys."

"Now you sound your age," She smiled at you, drumming her fingers on the glass. 

Playfully, you shoved Himeno, though it took a great deal of effort – and laughter – for her to stay upright on her stool.

"Your husband would flip if he saw you in that dress," She continued.

"Good," You chuckled back.

The two of you sat there for what may, perhaps, have been a moment too long, melting into puddles of giggles. It was undeniably childish, sure, but you couldn't help but feel, for a moment, as if you were transported to the past once more – like the two of you were 20 instead of 25, eyes still bright, dreams still intact. Still just girls, instead of grown women with a missing eye and a missing marriage.

Furthermore, you were undeniably tipsy.

And, of course, that was the moment Aki decided to come back. You caught a whiff of his signature aroma first, that deep, masculine cologne of his, the scent of nicotine lingering faintly in the air, as if he had just stepped out for a smoke. Then, he took a seat behind you, placing a kiss on your shoulder. 

"Sorry I took so long," Aki sighed, smoothing his hands over the top of his ponytail. "Are you two... drunk?"

You and Himeno looked at him, then back at each other, then broke out into another fit of laughter. 

"I was gone 30 minutes," He quirked a brow. His tone was so deep, so commanding that you couldn't help the shiver that went down your spine. When the bartender came by, he added, "House beer, please."

"Finish my vodka cranberry?" You grinned, sliding the red-filled glass over to Aki.

Aki took a taste test from it. When he decided he didn't hate it, he downed the rest of it in one go.

"I missed you," You sighed, laying your head on Aki's shoulder, suddenly caring a whole lot less about who could have been watching now that you knew your husband wouldn't be showing up.

And, even though he knew you were only drunk, Aki smiled at you and replied, "Missed you too, troublemaker."

The bartender slid Aki's beer across the counter, and he caught it with practiced ease. He didn't hesitate, lifting it to his lips and chugging nearly half of it before setting the glass back down.

"You wouldn't believe the stuff she used to pull," Himeno began, pointing at you with a lazy, lopsided grin. "Like this one time—this absolute genius—decides she's gonna face a Devil solo because, and I quote, 'I'm too cool to wait for backup.'"

"Himeno," you groaned, burying your face in your hands. "I'm trying to leave that in the past."

Aki raised an eyebrow, already intrigued. "What happened?"

"What happened?" Himeno snorted. "She got yeeted into a tree like a rag doll. Spent a week limping around HQ and blaming it on bad shoes."

"It was the shoes!" you protested, though your laughter was already betraying you.

"Oh, sure, blame the footwear," Himeno teased, giving you a playful shove. "Meanwhile, I had to haul your sorry ass out of there before the Devil could finish the job."

"You could've let that out," you muttered, shooting a half-hearted glare at her.

Aki smirked over the rim of his glass. "You've always had a talent for biting off more than you can chew."

"Oh, like you've never done something reckless?" you shot back, narrowing your eyes at him.

"I think you're the most reckless thing I've ever done," Aki admitted, leaning back slightly, his tone as smooth as his cologne. 

That earned a loud laugh from Himeno, who slapped the bartop in delight. "Damn straight!"

You rolled your eyes, but a smile tugged at your lips despite yourself. The three of you fell into easy conversation, the kind that came naturally when years of friendship had already worn down the edges of formality. Himeno was in her element, weaving stories that had you cringing and laughing in equal measure.

As Aki drained the last of his beer, you glanced around the bar, and a quiet realization washed over you. It was the same place where you'd first met him, back when everything felt more uncertain and yet somehow lighter. You didn't mention it, though. It wasn't the kind of thing that needed to be said.

A new song blared through the speakers, upbeat and infectious, and Himeno perked up immediately. "Alright, no more sitting around," she announced, hopping off her stool with surprising grace. "You two are dancing with me."

"What?" you blurted, but Himeno was already grabbing your hand and Aki's, tugging you both toward the tiny dance floor in the center of the room.

"Himeno, come on," Aki groaned, though he made no real effort to stop her.

"No excuses!" she declared, her voice cutting through the music. "You're both dancing, and that's final."

The three of you stumbled onto the dance floor, surrounded by a scattering of other bar-goers who were equally uncoordinated but didn't seem to care. At first, you felt ridiculous, but Himeno's infectious energy was impossible to resist. She twirled you around dramatically, nearly sending you both into a fit of giggles, while Aki stood stiffly to the side, his awkward attempts at movement making you laugh even harder.

"Come on, Aki!" Himeno called, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the fray.

He sighed but finally gave in, his usual stoicism cracking as he attempted a halfhearted spin. It was terrible, and you couldn't stop laughing.

"You're the worst dancer I've ever seen," you teased, clutching your stomach.

"Yeah, well, at least I'm trying," he shot back, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

The three of you danced like fools, uncoordinated and carefree, the kind of reckless abandon you hadn't felt in years. You tilted your head back at one point, looking up at the ceiling with a wide, flushed smile as the lights blurred above you.

This is bliss.

"I'll be right back!" Himeno offered over the music, excusing herself with a curt little nod. Then she was off, and it was just you and Aki alone with a dizzying amount – or lack – of space between the two of you.

You turned your gaze back to him, only to find his eyes already on you. He hesitated for a moment, as if weighing something, before extending a hand. "Dance with me?" 

You blinked, startled. Aki's tone was soft, quieter than usual, but there was something steady about the way he held your gaze. Your chest tightened, your pulse quickening, and before you could second-guess yourself, you slid your hand into his. 

He tugged you gently closer, his other hand finding its place at the small of your back. The warmth of his touch seeped through the fabric of your dress as the two of you began to sway, the soft, lilting melody guiding your movements. 

For a few precious moments, it was just you and Aki, the world outside fading into an inconsequential blur. You leaned into him, your head resting lightly against his shoulder. His cologne lingered faintly in the air between you, mixing with the subtle scent of smoke that always seemed to cling to him. 

"Do you remember the night we met? We were dancing, just like this," he murmured, his lips curving into a slight smile. His voice was low, intimate, as if the words were meant only for you. 

You snorted softly, your cheeks warming. "Of course I do. You complimented my lipstick like you didn't give a damn about me being married" 

"I didn't" he said, his tone teasing but sincere. He glanced down at you, his dark eyes catching the dim light in a way that made your stomach flip. "As far as I'm concerned, you were mine from the moment I first saw you." 

Your breath hitched, the warmth in your cheeks spreading through your chest. You tilted your head up slightly, meeting his gaze. "You're a devil." 

The moment hovered on the edge of something unspoken, something neither of you seemed ready to give words to. But just as you opened your mouth, something caught your eye across the room, and the fragile stillness shattered. 

Your gaze snagged on a figure near the entrance. Familiar. Too familiar. 

Your stomach lurched. The room seemed to tilt, the lights and music warping into an overwhelming rush. It was him. Your husband. Tanimoto. His sharp, cutting eyes were scanning the room, and you could feel your pulse roaring in your ears. 

You gasped audibly, your body going rigid in Aki's arms. 

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice immediately dropping into something low and protective. His hand instinctively tightened on your waist, as if to anchor you. 

"It's him," you managed, the words tumbling out in a shaky whisper. "Tanimoto. He's here." 

Aki followed your gaze, his brows knitting together as he caught sight of the man in question. His expression darkened, the calm detachment he usually wore giving way to something sharper, more dangerous. 

"It's okay," he said firmly, his voice like a steady current pulling you back from the brink of panic. "Just stay with me. He can't do anything." 

"No." The word came out too fast, too forceful. You pulled away from Aki, your movements jerky and uncoordinated. "I... I can't. I need to go. I need—" 

Before he could stop you, you reached into his jacket pocket and yanked out the carton of cigarettes and lighter you knew he always carried. Your hands were trembling, but your grip on them was firm. 

"Hey," he said, his tone sharpening with concern. "What are you doing?" 

"I need a smoke," you muttered, already turning toward the door. Your heart was racing, your chest tight as the need to escape consumed you. "Just... leave me alone, Aki." 

"Wait—" he started, but you were already moving, weaving through the crowd with single-minded determination. 

The cool night air hit you like a slap as you pushed through the heavy door. You stumbled a few steps forward, your breath hitching as you fumbled with the carton in your hands. It took a few tries to get the lighter to work, the trembling in your fingers making it harder than it should've been. 

Finally, the cigarette caught, and you took a shaky drag, the acrid taste burning your throat. You exhaled slowly, the smoke curling upward and disappearing into the dark sky. 

The world outside was quieter, the distant hum of the city a stark contrast to the pounding chaos inside the bar—and inside you. You leaned back against the cold brick wall, the rough surface biting into your bare shoulders as you stared at the cigarette between your fingers. 

Your chest still felt tight, your thoughts spiraling as you tried to push away the image of Tanimoto's face, of the way his eyes had cut through the crowd. You closed your eyes, pressing a hand to your temple. 

He's not supposed to be here.

He wasn't supposed to come.

What the fuck.

The cold air brushed against your skin as you leaned against the brick wall, the faint hum of the city around you. Your hands trembled slightly as you took another drag from the cigarette, the acrid taste burning your throat. You exhaled slowly, watching the smoke curl up into the dark sky, disappearing into the night. It was oddly calming, the rhythmic motion of pulling in and releasing air grounding you, even if it did little to quiet the chaotic storm swirling in your mind. 

He's not supposed to be here. 

The thought repeated itself in your head, a mantra that was both defiant and helpless. He wasn't supposed to show up. You were supposed to be free of him—of that life. Tonight wasn't about him. 

You'd come here with Himeno, to have a little fun, to laugh, to forget. You weren't supposed to be thinking about him. You weren't supposed to be thinking about the years of your marriage—the hollow, suffocating years that had stretched on long after the love had faded. 

You felt the weight of that thought settle in your chest. What had you been thinking, all this time? That he would just let go? That the pieces of your life could be so easily swept away like dust? 

The cigarette burned your fingers as you took another drag, the heat in your hand reminding you of something else—the way your skin had burned under his touch, how easy it had been to fall for the lies, the promises. 

Had he ever really seen you? Or were you just another thing to control? 

You shuddered slightly, the cold air biting at the back of your neck. You couldn't bring yourself to think about it too long. What had been done was done. And yet, it felt like there was still so much left unsaid, so much unfinished. 

You tried to push the thoughts away, to focus on the now, on the present. On Aki. 

Your eyes closed for a moment, and you could almost feel the warmth of him beside you, the way he made everything else fade into the background. He makes me feel alive, you thought, the words coming almost involuntarily. Aki had always been the one who could make you forget about everything else—the past, the pain, the weight of your choices. 

But then, that voice. 

The familiar sound of his voice was a sharp intrusion on your thoughts, cutting through the fog of alcohol and the haze of cigarettes. 

"I thought you quit?" 

Your heart dropped into your stomach like a stone. The sudden jolt of recognition was enough to make you stiffen, the cigarette almost falling from your fingers. The sound of his voice—so steady, so familiar—was the last thing you'd expected to hear at that moment. 

You didn't even need to look. You could already feel his presence, heavy and oppressive, before you even turned your head. And when you did, there he was. 

Tanimoto. 

The man who had once been your whole world. The man you had promised forever to. The man who, somehow, had never stopped haunting you. 

His eyes were sharp, scanning you with a cold intensity that made your stomach twist. His gaze dropped to the cigarette between your fingers, the slight furrow of his brow telling you everything you needed to know. 

You had to fight to keep your voice steady. "I thought you weren't coming tonight?" You asked the question before you even realized it. The anger came faster than the fear, but it wasn't real anger—not yet. Just the rush of adrenaline from being caught, from seeing him when you hadn't expected to. 

Tanimoto didn't answer right away, but you could feel the weight of his gaze on you, as if he was trying to figure you out, like you were still the same person he'd left behind. But you weren't. 

Not anymore. 

"I wasn't supposed to, but, I..." He paused, swallowing, and the tension between the two of you was so thick that you could have cut it with a knife. "Honestly, I just wanted to see you. You haven't been answering any of my calls, and I– I don't know..."

"It's for a good reason," You retorted, still not quite meeting his gaze even though you could feel him staring at you. Slowly, you pulled a long, deep drag from the burning stick between your fingertips.

He sighed. Then, stepping closer to you, on the same sidewalk where you had told Aki to go back to Himeno, that you were married so many nights ago, he added, "I think we should talk about this."

You visibly bristled at the words, his effect on you undeniable, but chose not to show your fear. "What's there to talk about?"

"The divorce?" He answered, like it should have been obvious (It was).

Your heart dropped. Clearing your throat, you ducked away from his request. "Again... what more is there to say?"

He was closer, now. Close enough that you could hear the calculated breath he took, smell the beer on his breath. Though you hadn't seen him at the bar, you couldn't help but wonder if he had gotten drunk before coming tonight. Hell, knowing him, it was probably his drunkenness that led him to show up in the first place.

"I think you should reconsider. We had a great life together. I mean, we fought, but..." He trailed off, "Everyone fights. That's not... you can't just... leave because of that."

He was drunk. Still, you winced at the words. He really doesn't know why I'm leaving him.

Instead of honoring him with a reply, you continued to smoke in silence, taking another hit of your cigarette and then holding it this time – really feeling the ache of it, the burn of its tendrils wrapping around your windpipe. Then, like nothing had happened, you breathed out.

"I love you, you know," He slurred on, "More than anything."

Apparently feeling a burst of bravery, he reached for your spare hand. "Come home."

Come home.

Come home?

You withdrew your hand from his reach just as quickly. "I'm not– I'm not coming home, Tanimoto."

Hold your ground.

He can't control you.

Not anymore.

He stumbled backward, grumbling, "It's because of that fff-fuckin' captain, isn't it? What's his name again? Haya... zawa?"

"It's Hayakawa," You replied easily – and it was funny, really, how quickly the mere mention of his name breathed life back into your lungs, made you feel just a little bit stronger.

My love.

"Look," Tanimoto sighed. It was cold outside again, cold enough that his breath materialized in front of him. It was just the two of you outside – no one else. "I don't... I don't even care if you have an affair, just–" He hiccuped, "Come home. I'll take care of you. Promise."

He had never taken care of you before. It took you cheating on him for him to figure out how to do it? Or was it all a lie?

Just like everything else...?

"No, you won't," You replied, a half-smile crawling its way onto your face at the mere thought of Aki. "Not like he has."

He rolled his eyes. Leaning forward, then back – swaying a little in the wind – he groaned, "You don't know what you're talkin' about. That's not love, it's an... an infatuation."

That's not love.

What the hell would he know? You thought. For years, you had begged him for the bare minimum, begged him to take care of you, begged him to see you as a person, and he wanted to lecture you about what love was? You could have laughed right in his face.

Instead, you snapped, "Don't tell me what love is. You had years to figure that shit out, and all you ever managed to do was hurt me. That's not love."

Tanimoto froze, his eyes wide, as if he hadn't expected the venom in your words. For a moment, he was silent, blinking as if processing what you'd said. But the moment passed quickly, and he leaned in again, a flash of frustration crossing his face.

You didn't back down. Instead, you went on, the alcohol giving you a strange kind of courage, making your words tumble out before you could stop them. "He's tender with me. He listens, he cares, he sees me. He picked up the pieces you left behind. I have nothing more to say... We're in love."

Tanimoto's expression darkened, a flash of something between anger and disbelief crossing his features. He shook his head, disbelief etched across his face. "He can't give you what I can."

You scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping your lips. You shook your head, your smile more mocking than anything else. "Please," you chuckled, the alcohol making everything feel like a game. "You're about an eighth of the man he is. He's patient and loving, and– and he never makes me feel like shit, and the sex is fantastic. You could never please me the way he could."

The words were out before you could stop them, and you didn't even feel guilty. You just wanted him to know.

The silence that followed was thick, suffocating. For a split second, you thought you might've won this round. But Tanimoto's face twisted into a mask of rage, his hand snapping out to grab your wrist, his fingers digging into your skin with a force that made you wince.

"Say that shit again," he growled through gritted teeth.

A surge of adrenaline shot through your veins as you struggled to pull away from his grip. "I said–" you hissed, the words barely audible over the pounding in your ears. "I said you could never... please me the way he could."

And just as you thought you couldn't take any more of his hold, a voice rang out behind you, calm but commanding – a call of your name.

The moment you heard it, your pulse skipped a beat. You didn't have to look. You knew exactly who it was.

Aki stepped forward, his presence immediately shifting the air around you, the tension palpable as he squared off with Tanimoto. His eyes locked on the other man with a coldness that made everything else fall away.

"Let her go," Aki's voice was low but unmistakably firm, every word carrying weight.

Tanimoto didn't immediately release his grip, his eyes flicking to Aki, sizing him up. The tension between the two men crackled in the air, an unspoken understanding that neither of them were backing down. But the thing was, Aki wasn't giving in either. He stood his ground, the power in his stillness enough to make Tanimoto pause.

It was like a silent challenge between them.

"You're done here," Aki continued, his voice steady. "Let her go."

"So this is the dick you've been suckin' off while I've been gone," Tanimoto slurred, jabbing an accusatory finger in Aki's direction. "You happy knowin' you– hic– you broke up a home?"

Aki didn't flinch, didn't even blink. His stare was cold, like a stone, his gaze never leaving Tanimoto. He was so still it was as if time had slowed, and the world around him disappeared. The only thing that mattered now was you and the man who dared to lay his hands on you.

"I won't ask you again," Aki's voice was low, like a growl, but it was clear he wasn't backing down. "Let her go."

Tanimoto, with all the confidence of a man who had long forgotten how to lose, slapped you. The sting was immediate, hot, and sharp, burning against your skin. You barely had time to process it before his face was inches from yours, his breath foul and laced with whiskey. "You're mine, bitch," he hissed, his words thick with spite. "You always will be."

You recoiled, your skin crawling with the venom in his voice. But Aki's reaction was instantaneous.

In one smooth motion, Aki stepped forward, his hands gripping Tanimoto with the precision of a man who had already calculated his every move. He wrenched Tanimoto away from you, pulling him back like a ragdoll. The scream you let out was involuntary as you watched Tanimoto's body snap against the force of Aki's grip.

Everything seemed to freeze for a moment, and then Aki's fist connected with Tanimoto's face in a brutal, merciless punch. The sound of bone meeting bone was sickening, a sharp crack that reverberated through the night air. Tanimoto staggered back, his eyes wide with shock, blood already trickling from the corner of his mouth. He collapsed, unable to regain his balance, and hit the ground with a heavy thud.

Aki wasn't done.

Without even pausing to let Tanimoto recover, Aki grabbed him by the collar, lifting him effortlessly from the ground. The sheer strength in Aki's arms was enough to make Tanimoto's body hang limp in his grasp. Aki didn't hesitate—he drove his knee into Tanimoto's stomach with force, the sickening sound of impact echoing around the empty street. Tanimoto gasped for air, clutching at his midsection as he crumpled again, unable to stand.

"You're a pathetic excuse for a man," Aki's voice was ice-cold, dripping with disgust. His eyes burned with an anger that was unfamiliar to you—this wasn't the man you had come to know, calm and composed in all situations. This was someone else, someone who was willing to tear Tanimoto apart to protect you. Aki's foot came down with brutal precision, landing a punishing kick to Tanimoto's groin. "This is the least you deserve," he spat.

Tanimoto let out a choked gasp, crumpling further to the ground. His body was twitching in pain, but there was nothing he could do. He was too weak to retaliate, too humiliated to stand.

Aki took a step back, his chest heaving with heavy breaths, his fists still clenched in anger. He looked down at Tanimoto like a predator about to finish the job, his eyes filled with contempt. "Putting your hands on a woman," Aki said, his voice low but intense, his words cutting through the air. "I should kill you right here."

Tanimoto tried to rise again, his hands shaking as he pushed himself to his knees. His face was a wreck—bruised, bloodied, and his pride shattered. But even as he struggled, there was still rage in his eyes. With one final, defiant growl, he lunged at Aki, desperate to get one last punch in.

But Aki was faster.

Without hesitation, he stepped to the side, grabbing Tanimoto by the arm and twisting it behind his back with ease. Tanimoto let out a strangled yell, his face contorting in pain as he fell to the ground again, this time unable to rise.

Aki stood over him, his breathing still heavy but under control now. He was still seething, but he wasn't finished yet.

At this point, the rest of the crowd from inside the bar began to filter outside, drawn by the noise. Some looked on in surprise, others in confusion, but none of them dared to intervene. A few people approached you, checking on you, but your focus was on Aki—the man who had just shattered the last remnants of your past.

Tanimoto groaned, struggling to sit up, but his pride wasn't enough to hold him together anymore. He wiped blood from his mouth and staggered backward, his body shaking from both pain and the humiliation of being brought so low.

Aki's body was a wall between you and him, like a shield that wouldn't let Tanimoto come any closer. As Tanimoto finally stumbled to his feet, his eyes locked on you with pure malice. "Get away from my bitch," he hissed, the words thick with contempt.

Your heart slammed in your chest, a fire igniting inside of you as the word hit you like a slap. But before you could respond, Aki's voice cut through the night. "I'll break your fucking nose if you call her that again," he growled, stepping forward, his body a perfect wall of muscle and fury.

But this time, you weren't going to let him have the last word. The anger that had been simmering in your chest finally broke free, your voice loud and clear as you snapped, "Don't call me that. I'm not your bitch."

Tanimoto sneered, his lips curling into a venomous grin. "Like hell you aren't," he spat, his voice filled with a twisted sense of ownership.

Aki's presence next to you was solid, unshakable, but for the first time, you felt the power in your own words too. Tanimoto, though broken and beaten, didn't want to let go of the last bit of control he thought he had. But you were done with him—done with the lies, done with the manipulation, done with the abuse.

"Are you drunk?" Aki's voice was low, a quiet growl that barely masked the anger bubbling underneath. His words were clipped, measured, as though he were trying to keep himself from exploding. "Go home. You're embarrassing yourself."

Tanimoto's laugh was harsh and jagged, a hollow sound that made your skin crawl. "It's not fucking over until I say it is," he spat, swaying on his feet, his face flushed with the effort of staying upright. "Baby, come home. Please. This isn't over. You remember what we had, right? I love you. We built a life together."

You could feel the bile rising in your throat, his words a twisted version of everything you had once believed. "What life?" The words escaped before you could stop them, thick with bitterness. "What fucking life?" Your voice shook, but the defiance in it was sharp. "There's nothing left here, Tanimoto. Nothing."

For a moment, he just stared at you, disbelief spreading across his face like oil on water. The anger that had flared in his eyes faltered, replaced by something more dangerous—something darker. It was like he couldn't comprehend what you were saying, like he hadn't even realized how far gone things had truly been.

But then his expression twisted into something cruel, his grip on your arm tightening until you thought your skin might tear. "You don't mean that. We had something real, Baby."

The words burned your insides, but you stood tall, shaking your head. "Bullshit! That's not love, Tanimoto. Not even close."

A voice cut through the rising tension, startling you. "You lost, man. Get a grip." Denji's voice was casual, but there was a new edge to it, a calm confidence that sent a ripple through the crowd. 

You hadn't noticed him until now, his presence suddenly as solid as Aki's, his eyes hard and unblinking as he faced down Tanimoto. You had no idea how long he'd been there, but now, as he stood beside you, it felt like you weren't so alone.

Tanimoto swayed in Denji's direction, his lips curling into a sneer. "Stay out of this, kid," he slurred, his voice thick with contempt. But Denji didn't flinch. Didn't even blink. He just stood there, unmoving, like a wall Tanimoto couldn't break down.

You turned your head slowly, your eyes scanning the crowd that had gathered—Himeno, Makima, so many familiar faces, all of them watching. You felt like you were in a fishbowl, the eyes of the world suddenly too close, too suffocating. Aki wasn't paying attention to any of them. His eyes were locked on Tanimoto, burning with an intensity that made your heart skip a beat.

"Is she okay?" Aki's voice dropped, barely audible, but you could hear the undercurrent of rage there. "Did he hurt her?" The question was simple, but the way he said it—the way his jaw tightened as he took a step toward you—made you feel like the ground under your feet was shaking. Like everything that had been calm about Aki was unraveling before your eyes.

Denji spoke before you could answer. "She has a cut on her cheek. Looks like it's from his ring," he muttered, disgust clear in his tone as his gaze flicked to Tanimoto. "What a fucking joke."

The shift in Aki was so sudden, so terrifying, that for a moment, you couldn't breathe. His body tensed, every muscle pulling tight like a coiled spring. His face—his eyes—were nothing like the Aki you knew. This wasn't the quiet man you'd always relied on. 

This was someone else entirely.

He stepped forward, his voice low, rough with barely contained anger. "I'll fucking kill you." 

Tanimoto's face went pale, the bravado slipping from his eyes as his drunken haze flickered in and out. He opened his mouth to respond, but Aki didn't give him the chance. Before anyone could move, Aki's fist was flying through the air, landing with a sickening crack against Tanimoto's face. The sound of the punch echoed through the night, a brutal, unmistakable noise that left Tanimoto gasping for air, stumbling back.

"I'll put you down like the mutt you are–" Aki's words hit the air with a finality that sent a tremor through the crowd, his anger so palpable it was almost a living thing. Without hesitation, he was on Tanimoto, a force of nature in human form. His hand gripped Tanimoto's collar with the kind of cold precision that made the other man flinch before he was slammed hard against the brick wall. The sound was deafening—a crack that seemed to echo across the empty street.

Tanimoto's breath was knocked out of him, his wide eyes darting from Aki's face to the unforgiving wall behind him. Shock twisted his expression, his drunken stupor no match for the raw fury that burned in Aki's gaze. But Aki wasn't done. No, this wasn't some fleeting burst of anger; this was controlled, purposeful rage.

With a brutal shove, Aki sent Tanimoto stumbling forward, and in the same fluid motion, his knee drove into Tanimoto's stomach, the sickening sound of bone against bone making you flinch. Tanimoto let out a ragged gasp, the air torn from his lungs as he doubled over, crumpling like a ragdoll. But Aki wasn't done yet. No mercy. He wasn't going to stop until the man learned the gravity of his actions.

Tanimoto tried to push himself up, the effort weak and desperate, but Aki's boot came down on his ribs with the force of a freight train. The crack of bone was loud, sickening, and Tanimoto crashed to the ground with a pathetic groan, the fight drained out of him.

The crowd had gone silent. No one moved, no one breathed. The only sound was Tanimoto's labored breathing, his body a crumpled heap on the concrete. You stood frozen, your heart pounding in your chest, every beat a reminder of how quickly everything had spiraled out of control.

Tanimoto groaned again, weakly trying to crawl away, but Aki's glare pinned him in place. His face was a mess, bruised and swollen, his lip split and blood trickling down his chin. He gasped for breath, struggling to stay conscious, the remnants of his bravado crumbling beneath Aki's wrath.

Just as Aki stepped forward again, his eyes burning with more violence, a voice cut through the tension. 

"Aki," Himeno's voice was firm but not without concern. "Enough. You're making a scene." She stepped in between them, hands outstretched, but her words barely seemed to register in Aki's furious mind.

He wrenched his arm from her grasp, chest heaving as he caught his breath. In the heat of his fury, he didn't care about the eyes of the crowd, the murmurs, the stares. He only cared about one thing: making sure Tanimoto understood just how badly he had fucked up. His fist clenched, and with a final, disgusted snarl, he leaned forward, spitting on Tanimoto's prone form. The insult landed with as much weight as his earlier blows, his contempt for the man evident in the cruel gesture.

And then, finally, Aki turned to you. His hand reached out, steady and gentle, and though his body was still tight with anger, his touch was a grounding force. He didn't say anything at first—he didn't need to. His gaze was enough, a silent promise – Stay by my side. I'll protect you.

"Let's go," Aki's voice was lower now, still heavy with the remnants of his fury, but softer. "I'm taking you home."

You looked up at him, your heart still racing, the ache of the last few hours threatening to break through the dam you had built around it. You shook your head, the words spilling out before you could stop them. You whispered, a soft whimper in your voice, "No, don't... don't take me back there, he's—"

"My home," Aki interrupted, his voice firm, unyielding, a wall of strength you could feel in your bones. "If I stay here another minute, I'm going to jail."

His words settled over you like a shield. They weren't an offer. They weren't a plea. They were a statement. And there was no room for argument, not now. His grip on your arm tightened, not painful, but firm—reminding you, making sure you knew, that he wasn't letting go. Not of you. Not of this.

"Come on," Aki said, his voice taking on that quiet authority that always seemed to make the world around you fade just a little. "We're leaving."

You nodded, your breath catching in your throat. You couldn't even look back at the wreckage of your past, the life you had left behind. The crowd of familiar faces, the horror in their eyes, all of it seemed miles away now. All that mattered was Aki and the safe, unwavering calm he provided amidst the chaos.

With one last glance at the man who had once been your husband—crumpled on the pavement, humiliated and broken—you walked away. Away from everything you had tried to escape. Away from the life that had suffocated you for too long.

And for the first time in ages, you allowed yourself to revel in the feeling.

a/n: IT HAPPENEDDDDDD!!! FINALLYYYYYY!!!! OH MY GOD I was so fucking happy, i had to get that out. the moment we have all been waiting for. talk to me yall... what did we think. did i please u my bbs.... lmk..... ANYWAY!!!! this semester im bringing a new me, im so excited, and im also SO SAD BECAUSE shameless will be coming to an end in a few chapters!!! OMG!!! im so devastated.... but dw im sure i'll have another fanfic up to take its place (You know i love me some aki). Stay tuned! Comment! I love u all bunches x

credits: UNKOWN ATM. I found the cover pic on pinterest unfortch. If you know the artist, please let me know, so I can credit them properly for their work!!! This is NOT MY BEAUTIFUL DRAWINGGG. I obviously do not own csm or anything related to it. please do not reproduce, copy, or translate my works anywhere. dont fk w me im a bruja.

also: come find me on my wattpad if u wanna interact more!

taglist: @mitsuyeahhh , @sleepysnk , @enneadec , @noaabean , @em1e , @drakensdarling , @bertholdts--butt , @satanlovesusall666 , @mitsuwuyaa , @noctifule , @scaraphobia , @ask-the-insect-hashira , @lovingranchturkeyweasel , @bontensbabygirl , @slvdsjjk , @novacrystalli , @hanmastattoos , @kodzuksn , @hqtiny , @ohmaiscool15 , @redlittlequeen , @leivane , @goldeneagles-posts , @yeahblahlame , @no-oneelsebutnsu , @cookiesandcreammy , @cawwn , @the-haitani-baton , @littlelovebug98 , @armani78 , @mindurownbussines , @kokos-property , @violetmatcha , @hp-simp505 , @acethebrave , @mitsuyeahhh , @sleepysnk , @enneadec , @noaabean , @em1e , @drakensdarling , @bertholdts--butt , @satanlovesusall666 , @mitsuwuyaa , @noctifule , @scaraphobia , @ask-the-insect-hashira , @lovingranchturkeyweasel , @bontensbabygirl , @slvdsjjk , @novacrystalli , @hanmastattoos , @kodzuksn , @hqtiny , @ohmaiscool15 , @redlittlequeen , @leivane , @goldeneagles-posts , @yeahblahlame , @no-oneelsebutnsu , @cookiesandcreammy , @cawwn , @the-haitani-baton , @littlelovebug98 , @armani78 , @mindurownbussines , @kokos-property , @violetmatcha , @hp-simp505

wanna join the taglist? | shameless ; chapter index

[spread-the-influence]

I'm so disappointed that I not notice the speech thing before... I, the biggest lover of giving characteristic bubbles to your characters, was too distracted by the nuclear yuri to notice true beauty.

SO OBVIOUSLY I RE-READ THE WHOLE COMIC WITH ADDED CONTEXT!!!

By what I gathered: TI's wobbly, circus cast is round, AI is square in all-caps and office lore is square with normal typing, is this right?

it's okay , i'm still happy that there's at least someone picking up on hidden details or taking note of little things ! ... cause many of them has gone unnoticed i'm gonna be honest . i guess the nuclear yuri was that powerful

but yes , that's the format ! this stuff are more behind-the-scenes details than lore details so i'll let myself ramble a little :

the square boxes feel a lot more formal and rigid ! just like ai and the professionalism of the office . i gave the ais ALL CAPS TYPING mainly because ... i just think it fits considering how caine and bubble speak in the show , but also it really shows that they're robots !

t.i's wobbliness is mainly to make her stand out and give that bit of unease even when she's being calm . it also makes for a good clue on her state of mind when it changes winky face (; ( this is also my own interpretation but her tone's a little different from when she's uninfected . not enough for it to be apparent but enough to give that wrongness . i like to think she mutters a lot more )

fun fact ! i was originally going to give everybody personal dialogue tails ( you could see remnants of that in the first page (: ) but i felt a simple , uniform circular bubble would really drive home how pomni's the only one who ' survives ' . you know . like how your crewmates are being taken down one by one by an impostorIt all comes back to among us

[monstrousproductions]

I haven't posted anything for a while and don't have much podcast related news to share so I guess it's time forrrrrr....

✨Impromptu Book Club!✨

What's been on your bedside table lately? Anything good? Anything deliciously dreadful? I've been very firm in sticking to my new year's resolution not to buy any new books, which has had the delightful side effect of really increasing the amount I've been using my local library. Having fun isn't hard when you have your library card! Now, onto the books 😍

Currently Reading:

Rules for Perfect Murders (I think the American ed is Eight Perfect Murders? Much better title tbh) by Peter Swanson (audiobook performed by Graham Halstead). A bookseller at a shop specialising in crime fiction learns that someone is killing people according to a list he made of perfect murders in fiction, posted on the shop's blog some years ago. I started this like "oh I know what's happening here" and then Peter Swanson reached out of my phone and held my face in his hands and grinned and said "oh you do, do you?" Having an absolute hoot, do recommend.

I'm also reading The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty, as a direct result of my new year's resolution. I bought the first in the series, City of Brass, years ago and never read it. Picked it up last month and spent almost all of it thinking, "Wow, I wish this was better. I'm definitely not going to read the rest, but I do want to see how it ends." And then EVERYTHING kicked off in the last few chapters, and I immediately put a hold on for Kingdom of Copper at the library.

Recently Finished:

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (audiobook performed by Hugh Fraser) - The one where everyone gets invited to an island and popped off one by one. Got genuinely spooked listening to this at night, and had to turn it off 😅 As always with Christie, I had good fun being told how it all happened but didn't care in the least about anyone involved.

Emma by Jane Austen (audiobook by Juliet Stevenson) - I've listened to this over and over, and it's perfect every single time. By far my favourite Austen, and especially my favourite Austen heroine, not in a "she did nothing wrong" way but rather a "she absolutely did lots wrong and isn't that delicious" way.

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher - A fantastic wee novella that wastes no time getting stuck into the story and the world around it. A retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher, now with added mushrooms. Having read Mexican Gothic recently, it'd be impossible not to draw comparisons. While both were fun, I think there was quite a bit more skill on show here.

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton (audiobook performed by Adjoa Andoh) - I love Adjoa Andoh with the power of a thousand suns, even when she is reading me a relatively boring story. A post-apocalyptic murder mystery, this should have been right up my street. But it lacked oomph, and I never had this on without having something more interesting to do while I listened.

Binned Off:

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (audiobook performed by Ramón de Ocampo) - Started strong, and I was having a good time, but for a relationship with such huge stakes on paper, I never felt them while I was listening. It felt like every obstacle was very quickly overcome, and I found I didn't really care one way or the other. Eventually I turned it off and just... never went back.

That's it for me - how about yous lot? Let me know what you've been reading the last wee while! 📚✨

[troublesomecousin]

"Dads really do corner the market on shittiness..." He tried not too think too much about the man that waited back home. As far as he knew his step-dad had never cheated, but he almost wished he would sometimes. It would have given him an excuse to convince his mom to leave that miserable man. Kevin couldn't say for sure what his actual father had been like, but he trusted his brother's stories...made him wonder if his so called "issues" could have been genetic.

The tale Violet was weaving left a bad taste in his mouth. He knew that it was more than a little bit possible that she was lying, but he decided to give her the grace of taking her words at face value. Besides, nothing about that seemed implausible. Sad girls often came from sad homes. Or at least, that's what Kevin believed.

"Yours definitely seems like a special case though. S'pose mine wasn't much better, but my mother had enough sense to leave him. I still question her taste in men since the man she married is..." Kevin paused, trying articulate all the small ways the man found ways to be cruel. The ways he made sure Kevin knew he didn't think of him as a real son. The ways he could see Kevin for what he was and made it clear he didn't approve. "Well, he's not a fan of me. That's putting it mildly. I'm here and not at home, and that's due in no small part to his efforts."

Kevin sighed, breathing out some of the unpleasantness and irritation he could feel beginning to weigh him down. Not just for himself but for Violet...this empathy thing he'd been developing over the past couple months was an exhausting practice. Her anger made him angry, and he could feel color rising in his cheeks as he spoke. "Parents are just like that. They always think they have some fix, think they know better than you about what goes on at home as if you don't live there too. Fuck 'em."

He flexed his fingers, the agitation making him antsy as he shifted in his seat. Shoving his hands underneath him, he looked back at Violet. "That kid's gonna need you. The best thing for having crazy parents is to have someone else who gets it. Keeps you from feeling like you're losing your mind...you know, relatively." He nodded toward the other people in the common room as he added the last bit. "I've got someone I should be taking care of like that, but I fucked it up. I'm a shit example."

❝ I don't know, the baby would be born into a shitty family. What's a little nicotine poisoning to a fetus to add to the problem? ❞ Violet took the last drag of her cigarette, making sure to enjoy the flavor while it lasted. She couldn't bum cigarettes off of Kevin forever. She'd have to manage to get her own sooner or later. That or she'd have to go cold turkey and learn to quit smoking altogether. Yeah, she wasn't ready for that just yet, not when that was her only coping mechanism in this place and outside of it? She used the ashtray sitting on the table in front of them to snub the remains of the cigarette out.

She did manage to smile at the idea that she could be her sibling-to-be's favorite person in the world. The younger brother or sister was going to need it when their family inevitably went to shit. Eventually, her parents had to realize that having another kid wasn't going to keep them glued together forever. They were going to have to realize they were being apart than together, and as much as Violet would love to have that picket fence family that stayed together through thick and thin, she wasn't going to delude herself into believing it would happen that way.

The Harmon family was being pulled apart by the seams and they couldn't get a grasp of their threads. Her mom had already threatened divorce multiple times. Violet just wished she'd get it over with and stick to it. Then maybe she could take her new sibling under her wing and teach them that all families were shitty sometimes but at least theirs was trying to make things better, even if it was by doing things apart from each other.

❝ It's not that I really mind having a younger sibling. I just wish my parents weren't using it as a way of trying to figure things out. I love my dad but he's been a piece of shit. ❞ She swallowed hard, wanting to out her dad for the cheating garbage that he had been. Shit, then she'd seen the maid coming onto him, too. She'd kept it from her mom, not wanting to stress her out anymore than she was. Maybe she should have used it as the catalyst to throw divorce papers at him. ❝ The things he's put my mom through. ❞ She was quiet again as she debated letting Kevin in on it. Why not? It was easier to admit that her dad was a cheater than it was that her boyfriend was a mass murderer and a ghost on top of it.

❝ He cheated on my mom when we were still living in Boston. Literally, with one of his students barely older than me. ❞ Her stomach churned just thinking about it. ❝ I wasn't supposed to find out but thin walls and loud arguing, you know? I wonder if he knows that I know at all. I've never told him to his face. My mom should have left him then but they went to therapy and my dad talked his way into trying to make our family better by staying together. Now what? They think a baby is going to make it better? ❞ She scoffed, angry lines harsh on her face as she sunk back into the chair, wishing she could disappear - away from her parents' bullshit, away from Tate, away from Briarcliff, away from life itself.

[sysig]

Utterly Defeated (Patreon)

[fatelcved]

thinking about how i need to bolster the roster of deities for dorverold -- i got a lot of major deities but not a lot of minor deities -- and the urge to use g.ojo as the fc for one of them bc i just love the way he's drawn tbh

[medicinemane]

As always, if you wonder why I don't talk about certain current events but do others, a lot of it comes down to whether I think it's something that other people are talking about a lot

If it's something where I figure you're going to be well informed and need a break, I tend to keep it to a minimum on here cause you already know

If it's something I rarely see talked about, then I'm more likely to mention it

World's bad, we're all doing what we can, I know people have said to me before they appreciate me more keeping to cats and frogs and random stuff, so I mostly try to do that, but... in the end I just kinda share whatever my brain decides to share

Want to give my thought process though

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

That Yukari video...... It’s either P5X related or maybe we’re getting a P3 remake (or some other high end spinoff)... or god hates me and it’s a fake. I really hope it’s real to some capacity esp a remake (but I’m lowering my expectations right now TT0TT I don’t want to get hurt), they could add so much stuff to P3 (it has a lot of blank space if you play it a certain way, and esp on NG+). 

Maybe make Climax Theater a staple in all the games? TT0TT

I hope they remake all the games and add cool new things in each game. (Phone material games in P1/2/3, more climax theater in P2 at least, more Vision quest in P3, an Izanami SL/Ending and challenge mode stuff in P4, and so on). Best thing is if they could make certain stuff optional, so if people want to just experience P1/2/3/4 with upgraded graphics and new combat they can. 

[buttercupshands]

Thinking about what happened in the summer

Kids are... Really different when it comes to spending three weeks without their parents

Some start crying near the end of first day

Some start crying after couple of days

And some don't show anything while feeling the same

And being... I think English has a good word for that, let's go with a teacher but mix it with caretaker a little bit

I think seeing a kid cry at the end of that first day finally short circuited my brain, teens are way harder to understand that pre-teens who are literally still kids

They come around after a week, settle down and find new friends and your job stays the same mostly to be the one controlling their behavior

And then you'd have a kid crying again, because they miss home and the only thing you can really do is comfort them that they're not stuck here forever and that time flows so fast they won't notice it

And maybe they didn't. Time really did flew and they were leaving

Parents visited kids sometimes, of course, and it was so scary at first but they were mostly friendly and nice

Maybe because of that group chat that let them see that their kids are fine and are having fun

In the end for kids it was painful at first, but fun in the end. I got hugged more times than I could count when they were all leaving

And then poof

Back to your own life you go, like nothing happened