#(gives him a random rush of anxiety due to loud noise)

[yearningfortheend]

it's too loud it's too loud it's too loud it's too loud it's too loud it's too loud it's too loud it's too loud it's too loud it's too loud it's too loud

[smelted-applejuice]

Heck yeah man! Platonic husbands just bring so much serotonin! So here's my first request for that. ( I've been craving angst for them im so sorry! ) ( p.s. i already requested this to one person but I have zero idea if they are gonna do it so here it is yeee boi! ) How about the platonic husbands went out to go get something for foolish for the mansion and they left reader ( maybe they are like a kitsune with five tails and are like thirteen) to stay at home with Michael and they come back to basically a bloody scene as Reader and Michael were attacked so Reader had Michael wrapped around in their tails in a protective manner so that he wouldn't get hurt in which reader took all the wounds and stuff and reader is literally knocked out bleeding while Michael only has a few bruises and small cuts.

So sorry for being descriptive. I just have a lot of ideas in mind. Lol

Pairing(s); Platonic Husbands x Reader (PARENTAL), Micheal x Reader (SIBLINGS)  Pronouns; she/her  Desc; [YourName] protects her brother from a random intruder.  TW: Blood, fighting, entry without consent, memory loss, 

Requests are open!  -

A few weeks ago, Tubbo and Ranboo had taken in a fox hybrid they found in the woods. [YourName] was knocked out and not dressed for the cold weather, but waking up in a warm house around strangers scared [YourName]. Due to how hard she was knocked out, faces became fuzzy in her past life, and names no longer existed. Fear was an understatement, Ranboo and Tubbo were unsure if the hybrid even knew how to speak for the first few weeks. It wasn’t until she croaked out a sob fear and spilled her guts out to Ranboo and Tubbo. Ranboo held the teenager while Tubbo gently rubbed her back, both worried for her. [YourName] explained how faces were fuzzy and she couldn’t remember anything about her family- she was scared and Ranboo understood that feeling. After evaluating [YourName] to make sure she was truly okay, Ranboo talked [YourName] through her anxiety and became a father figure toward her.

Ranboo learned [YourName] was thirteen or fourteen, half fox, and loved a variety of berries. She seemed like the breed Fundy was, so he would have to hunt Fundy down and get information about his habits and how he reacted to certain scenarios- but Tubbo and Ranboo were excited to have another child in their platonic lives. [YourName] and Micheal were already close from the weeks prior when [YourName] silently sat with him while he played or ate. [YourName] was seen as the perfect child to add to their little family dynamic, Micheal would now have a protector and comforted both the platonic husbands when they left. Many trips were taken before this upcoming one, so what would make this trip so much different? Maybe a few more nights would be spent out, but [YourName] seemed okay with staying with her little brother for a while longer.

“[YourName]!” Ranboo called his daughter down, Tubbo sat in the twisty chair spinning as he also waited for the girl. [YourName] came down the ladder and looked at her fathers, “Yes Dadboo?” she with her hands behind her back. Tubbo smiled at her nickname for his husband, “We need to head out for a few nights, you can watch Micheal by yourself, right?” Tubbo asked. [YourName] nodded with a proud smile “Of course, dad! No reason I can't.” she said with confidence. 

Tubbo and Ranboo watched with smiles as [YourName] trotted back upstairs after hearing Micheal’s oinks for attention. “We got lucky, Ranboo.” Tubbo said with joy, Ranboo nodded emitting a happy enderman like grunts “We sure did.” he confirmed. The happy giggles from both their children could be heard from the room above them, and all that was felt was warm and fuzzy. 

“LEAVE HIM ALONE!” [YourName] yelled, ignoring the seething pain.

Tubbo and Ranboo stood in front of the doorway, Micheal stood with his older sister. He let go of her hand to give his fathers hugs with [YourName]. “We’ll be home in a week, behave and be safe.” Ranboo said pressing a hand into [YourName]’s head and ruffling her hair. Micheal squealed with joy when Tubbo did the same for him. 

The two stepped back, letting their fathers finally leave. Their trip could take them longer than planned, so food was stored in a freezer in that case. [YourName] guided her brother back upstairs where she’d tend to his needs for the next few days. Everything went smoothly and how it usually would go, well, until it didn’t. 

[YourName] was in the kitchen prepping beans and rice for her and Micheal when a crash was heard upstairs. She turned the oven off and rushed upstairs to see a hooded figure going right for innocent napping Micheal, “Step away, now.” [YourName] hissed quietly. The figure looked up, its face covered in a black mask. 

The figure looked shocked to see another person in the house, so [YourName] took this chance and acted on her need to protect Michael and attacked first. She cringed at the thumping noise and the hard feeling of this random person’s hands roughly fighting to strangle her. The squeal of fear from Michael didn’t help the situation. Her head would get roughly shoved into the wooden floor.

She heard Micheal’s footsteps race around the room for a hiding spot, thank goodness Ranboo and Tubbo managed to teach him that. [YourName] ended up kicking and chi blocking one of the figure’s legs and arms. She had enough time to find a proper weapon but paused in her tracks when she heard Micheal’s panicked squeals. She spun around and went full-on anger mode, her tail stood up and her ears were pressed against her head “LEAVE HIM ALONE!” she yelled ignoring the seething pain in the back of her head. The figure simply laughed and brought up the dagger toward poor Micheal. [YourName] launched forward and bit the man’s arm causing him to drop Micheal, allowing the child to rush away. Now it was just [YourName] and this mysterious character, “What do you want from us? Why do you want to hurt Micheal?” [YourName] asked angrily. The figure didn’t say a thing, just remained silent as it made its next move. Its move would involve [YourName]’s tail getting slightly bent in a direction it simply shouldn’t and multiple stab wombs. Now, the figure hadn’t done what it wanted to, but watching [YourName] bleed out while protecting Micheal was a sight Ranboo wouldn't like either. So his job was done, and he left with no words, a note, and no other actions. He stared at [YourName] holding Micheal behind her and left. The following morning is when Ranboo and Tubbo came back. [YourName] had passed out by now, but was still protectively holding Micheal close. Micheal had some of his sister’s blood on him, but hearing his parent’s voice, he squealed and oinked for assistance. This whole experience last night was so traumatizing he hadn’t slept a wink, he wanted to make sure his sister was alright first. The loud noises hadn’t woken up [YourName], which worried the little guy even more. All the ruckus had definitely gotten Tubbo and Ranboo’s attention, so they rushed up the ladder and were met with the horrifying sight of blood on the floor and trailing toward [YourName]. Micheal got out of his sister’s grasp and rushed forward toward Tubbo and Ranboo, doing his best to explain what happened last night. It didn’t process either parent, they only knew so much of the language their son spoke and was learning more- but his panicked tone told them everything; [YourName] was risking her life for their son. Ranboo was first to step forward, going to check on [YourName] who was luckily still breathing. “Go… go get Phil. Take Micheal with you,” he said in a deadpan-like voice. He was shaking, anger was oozing out of him, he began to glow. He relaxed when he heard Tubbo’s voice confirm he was leaving with Micheal. [YourName] was in her father’s arms as she slept peacefully after her battle. It didn’t help when Ranboo found a note placed neatly on the nearby table. “I warned you.”

[mrsbrookegillespie]

Line Without A Hook Alive!Luke x Reader (Part Two)

Based Of The Song Line Without A Hook 

Description: Now that everyone knows your's and Luke's feelings towards each other, it's obvious Luke is having some doubts about himself, and his crush, but a friendly push goes a long way. Alive!Luke x Reader.

Warnings: Mild swearings, a smidge of suggestive dialogue, but mostly fluff.

=Line Without a Hook Part Two=

"Soooo...?" Julie sits down next to Y/N on the couch.

"Soooo...?" Y/N mimics her, furrowing her eyebrows. "What's up?" she asks.

Julie whacks Y/N in the arm. "Are you serious?!" Y/N nods slowly. "Luke? You?" She intertwines her fingers. "Together?"

Y/N laughs loudly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"What?!" Julie's voice squeaks. "So, you're telling me you two aren't dating?"

"No! Why would you think Luke and I are together? He doesn't even like me like that. What's with you and Alex and Reggie lately?"

"I'll be right back." Julie walks out of her house, stomping over to the studio. "You didn't tell her?!" She tries slamming the door, but with her strength, and the size of the door it didn't give any extra effect.

Luke looks at her confused. "What?" he laughs.

"You didn't tell Y/N you like her?"

His smile drops. "Oh." He looks down at his guitar, continuing to tune it. "About that... I sorta--chickened out."

Everyone gasps. "But, you never back out of things," Reggie claims.

"Are you saying you don't actually like her? Because if you don't I'm going to be furious." Alex stands up, joining Julie.

"No! No, I like her, but I'm just a little scared."

"Why?" Alex asks.

"Yeah, we all know she likes you too, and you like her, so what's holding you back?" Julie crosses her arms.

"M-Maybe Alex was right the other day about me being whatever he said. Like I-I don't know what I'm doing, I've never been in a real relationship before," Luke murmurs, like it's some big secret.

"She hasn't either, so you guys can learn together."

"But, that's the point, what if we grow tired of each other?" Luke worries.

"You're overthinking it," Julie eases.

"Yeah, and you're just freaking me out!" Alex cries out. "Where's Reggie?" Alex asks, going back to normal.

They all look around before piecing it together. "Y/N!"

They run back into the house to see Reggie and Y/N drawing together. "Look at my cat," Reggie brags, showing Y/N.

"It's so cute!" she compliments. "You're the true artist here."

Reggie blushes, continuing to draw animals on the paper. "What are you guys talking about?" Luke asks. He goes to sit down next to Y/N, who he can't help but stare at the way she focuses on her drawing.

She bites her lip, looking up at him. "Oh, nothing really, just chilling," she answers. "How was band practice? Any new songs?"

He nods. "Yeah, I'm always writing," he says.

"Don't I know it," she jokes. "I swear you always have your cute little nose in your songbook." She feels the heat rush up to her cheeks after she blurts out the sentence.

"Oh, so you think my nose is cute, do you?" Luke teases.

"It's way better than mine." She runs her finger down the dorsum part of her nose before tapping the bone below the bridge. "I've thought about getting a nose job," she admits.

"Don't," Luke asserts.

Y/N turns her head to look at him. "Anything you'd like to share?"

"It's just... I think it's fine," he reveals. "And besides you can't trust plastic surgeons these days." He nudges her.

"Thank you for the concern about my nose, Luke." She boops the tip of his nose, allowing him to now be the tomato.

Julie and Alex quietly groan to each other. "It's like torture," she whispers to him.

"I know! I wasn't, you know, okay with it in the beginning, but now, honestly, watching this play out hurts," Alex agrees

"If only we can get them alone in a room with each other, and just force them to say their feelings," Julie thinks out loud.

"That's--" Alex turns towards her, "--a great idea." He looks up stairs. "Keep Reggie down here, I have an idea." He lets out a mischievous smirk. "Hey, I'm just going to use the bathroom, I'll be right back." He runs up.

"Why didn't he just use the one down here?" Y/N asks, confused.

"He's a weirdo, what'd you expect?" Julie says, her voice getting higher.

"Okay..." Y/N scrunches her face up, a clear sign she's getting suspicious.

"OW!" Alex shouts from the second floor. "Uh, guys can someone help me?!"

Y/N and Luke stand up immediately. "Are you okay?!" Y/N replies.

"Yeah, I just need some help!"

"How about you two go up?" Julie suggests to Y/N and Luke. "You two are way stronger than Reggie and I. Just in case Alex is stuck or something, I don't know!"

"Okay..." Y/N says again, trying to solve this equation. "We'll be back then. C'mon." She grabs Luke's hands, dragging him upstairs. "Alex?" She looks in the bathroom, but nothing. "Alex?" They both jog into Julie's room, but nothing.

"Where is...?" They hear the door slam shut behind them. "Oh no," Y/N mumbles, already feeling her palms get clammy. "Alex! This isn't funny!" She tries to turn the knob but it won't budge.

"I'm sorry, but Julie and I agree that you two need to work it out."

"There's nothing to work out!" Luke shouts. "We...Uh..." He looks at me. "Just let us out." His hand replaces Y/N's, trying to open the door like they will magically obey. "No, you either work your feelings out, or you're not coming out," Alex declares.

"What?!" Julie's voice suddenly comes through. "But, I have school tomorrow, and I am not sleeping on the couch."

"Okay! You either work your feelings out, or you're not coming out until Julie needs to go to bed, and we need to get Y/N home, which I forgot about," Alex corrects, realizing his plan isn't that well-organized.

Y/N, already given up, sits on Julie's bed. "I don't know what they're talking about," Luke lies. He smiles at Y/N, who seems to be in her own thoughts. "I mean we don't have any feelings to work out." His smile fades. "Right?"

"I don't think we do, do we?" she asks back.

They gaze at each other. "Do we?" Confusion, and exhaustion fills their veins. "I," he starts. "I li--"

"I like you," Y/N cuts him off as if it's a competition.

"Dammit! Now I have to tell everyone you confessed first," he complains.

"Not the response I was looking for, but okay," she jokes, standing up.

"No!" Panic rises. "I like you too, I really like you." His chest starts to heave from anxiety. "So, you actually like me?" He takes a step towards her.

"Why wouldn't I?" She nudges him. "You're talented, and adorable," she compliments. "And you're sweet, and kind, sometimes a little egotistical, with a slight case of cockiness but--" He pushes her so that she stumbles onto the bed. "Rude," she mumbles.

She's about to get up, but Luke's weight appears on top of her, pinning her down.

"So, you actually like me?" she mocks his voice.

"Yeah," he whispers. The intense eye contact is enough to make Y/N blush.

"Your pupils are very big," she taunts. "If you didn't know... In psychology it says that when you're attracted to someone your pupils get larger," she explains in a 'matter of fact' tone.

He shakes his head with a low chuckle. "Always with the random facts. I'm surprised you didn't know I liked you right when you shook my hand for the first time," he pauses. "Because I did."

She looks at him, in shock. "You liked me when you first met me?"

He nods. "I did," he admits.

"I guess it would be a lie if I said I felt differently. But, I was definitely careful, due to your reputation." She raises an eyebrow at him before letting out a giggle.

"Can I kiss you?" he asks with such urgency, and desperation.

"What?" Her eyes widen.

Taking that as a yes Luke gently presses his lips on hers. Her eyes remain open for a moment, but after that moment she's gone. She deepens the kiss by placing her hand on his jaw to get a better angle. "Now we're even," he mumbles.

"We wouldn't be if I hadn't told you first." She flashes a proud smile.

"I think our order is messed up, it's supposed to be confess, go on a date, then kiss, then--"

"No need to go further," she ridicules

Silence takes over the room. They lean in at the same time, having their movements match a certain rhythm. I guess both being musicians help them find the right beat. "They're not talking." They both take notice of Julie's voice growing aware of the noise level. "That's it!" She bursts into the room. "Oh my God!"

Alex runs in after her. "Well, at least they're now together."

Luke and Y/N rush up onto their feet. "It's your fault, you guys did choose this room," Luke snickers.

"It's not like we would've gone any further," Y/N adds.

"What?" Luke gives her a pair of puppy dog eyes.

"Luke!" She hits him in the stomach, making him grunt a little.

"Sorry!" He puts his hands up in defense. "That I'm--"

"LALALALALA!" Alex covers his ears, singing loudly.

Luke stops.

"I'm happy for you two, but seriously... I do not need to know the details." Alex leaves the room.

Julie stares at us. "Get out!" she shouts.

Luke and Y/N almost topple over each as they leave Julie's bedroom. "Sorry, sorry," Y/N mumbles when Luke falls onto the wood floors of the hallway.

"A little help please?"

She ignores him, walking downstairs.

"Y/N!" he calls out, but no reply.

"So?" Alex questions. "You really think you and him are a good idea?" He gives Y/N a hopeful smile. "Will there be any problems?"

She looks over her shoulder to see Luke giving her a playful glare. "Definitely." She crosses her arms. "But, what's the fun in a perfect relationship?"

He shrugs in agreement. "Just be careful, please." He opens his arms, which Y/N happily accepts.

"Group hug!" Reggie exclaims.

"Yay!" Luke hugs Y/N from behind, nudging his head into her shoulder.

"Already taking advantage of her, aye?" Alex asks in a half serious half not way.

"What?!" Luke pulls away like fire.

"He's just messing with you," Y/N assures. "I trust you."

"Enough to allow me to take you on a date this Friday?" he asks, with a sly smirk.

Y/N pretends to think about it. "Yes."

Word Count: 1811

[soft--dragon]

Home Again

Five is still figuring out how to adjust to his new body and new life, surrounded by real people who cared

In which the Umbrella fam is worried about Five, and Five gets the damn hug he needs

Cursing (I wish I could say it was minor, but this is Five and his chaotic siblings were talking about here)

Don’t really know where this is set, sometime during season 1, I had an idea so I just wrote it (Vanya isn’t in this though she’s every bit deserving to be in the Umbrella Family as the rest of them)

Enjoy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Five knew it wasn’t going to be a good day.

It was a feeling that settled in his gut the longer the day dragged on. He jumped from his room to the kitchen, startling Klaus, and probably Ben who Five assumed was close by.

Klaus quickly got over his momentary shock, blinking a few times, taking in the bags under Five’s eyes and slump in his posture.

“You look like shit dude.”

It was a blunt statement from Klaus, one that deserved an equally blunt retort from Five. “Fuck off.”

The smallest of the Umbrella Academy dumped the contents of the coffee pot into a mug, taking a large gulp of the dark, rich liquid. He sighed at the familiar taste, swirling the half of the remainder before downing that too. Klaus visibly recoiled, eyebrows shooting to his hairline.

“Five, you might want to take it easy on the coffee, you’re in a body that isn’t built to hold that much caffeine.”

“That’s rich coming from the guy that’s killing himself with drugs and alcohol” Five bit back, eyes narrowing at his brother.

Klaus quickly raised his hands in surrender, hoping it might relax the riled boy in front of him. “Calm down Five, I was just-”

Five jumped before he could finish the sentence, taking what remained in the coffee pot with him.

“....That...could’ve gone better” Ben said from where he was sitting on the dining table, a contemplative look on his face.

“Yeah no shit genius” Klaus grumbled, crossing his arms firmly. “But at least he didn’t stab me.”

“Diego’s more likely to do that than Five, Klaus.”

“Fair point.”

Ben turned to look at where Five had disappeared, anxiety prickled at his skin. Something wasn’t right with his baby brother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Allison wasn’t phased when she heard a loud thump close to her room. In this household, random noises were entirely normal. This was a mansion with six supernatural people, plus a mom robot and a advanced chimpanzee.

But what sounded like glass breaking and a hissed curse made Allison stand and move to the door. What she found, wasn’t what she expected.

Five was kneeling on the floor, rubbing his head and glaring daggers at the shards of glass surrounding him. The carpet was stained with what smelled like coffee.

“Five?”

The boy’s glare snapped up to Allison who had the sense to not react lest she agitate him further. Five was like a feral cat sometimes, had to be slow and unthreatening for him to give you the slightest sign of trust.

She leaned against the doorway, trying to appear casual. “You alright?”

“Fine.” The reply was curt and rough, like Five was trying not to let too much emotion slip out.

“Need a hand cleaning that up?”

“No, I’m more than capable Allison.”

“I know you are, I was just offering to help-”

Five hissed another curse and with a blink of light, he was gone again. Leaving Allison confused and a little hurt in his wake.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It wasn’t a smooth jump.

Five stumbled over his feet, similar to outside Allison’s room where he dropped the coffee pot. He almost face planted, but managed to catch himself on a nearby desk.

“Jesus Christ Five!”

The shout made him start, leaping into a defensive stance, almost snarling like an animal. His gaze fell on Diego lying on his bed. He was clutching his chest and a knife tightly, breathing rapidly. Probably coming down from the momentary adrenaline rush of fright.

“Why the hell are you in my room!?” Diego asked, but there was no real heat behind his words, mostly confusion.

Five didn’t pick up on the lack of venom, instead challenging the question with his own spiteful words.. “I didn’t do it on purpose asshole!” He snapped, gripping the desk tighter when he felt himself tether on his feet.

Diego must’ve seen it cause he sat up, putting the knife down. His usual glare being replaced by raised eyebrows and worried eyes. “Five, you feeling alright?”

“I’m fine! Why does everyone keep asking me that?!”

Diego’s worry disappeared in a split second at the sharp retort. He glared back in response, feeling his anger rise like a wild fire. “Because we care? Don’t know why we bother though, seeing as you piss on every attempt of basic emotion we give you.”

Five flinched back, gritting his teeth to ignore the pain that sentence gave him, but good god did it sting. He blinked away before Diego saw how much that statement hurt. He refused to show weakness.

But Deigo had seen it. Guilt and regret pooled into his stomach, staring at the spot where Five has just been. “Damn it” he hissed to himself, pinching the skin between his eyes.

Five hadn’t had proper company throughout his years in the apocalypse. He was relearning the ropes of socialising with his family. And adjusting to life in general.

Deigo sagged onto his bed, gripping his knife like a life line.

Why did he never think before speaking?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luther was probably the very last person Five wanted to see right now. And to make matters worse, he was accompanied by Pogo and Grace.

The universe seemed to love kicking him when he was down.

The trio looked over when Five blinked into existence, close to falling down again due to his exhaustion of late nights and constant jumping.

“Oh hello sweetie” Grace smiled pleasantly, though concern shone through her robotic features at Five’s state. “Are you al-?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine” Five cut her off, waving a hand in their general direction. He needed to jump again. Away from people for awhile.

“Master Five” Pogo spoke up. “You seem exhausted?”

“Late night Pogo” Five replied shortly, hoping he’d be satisfied with the answer and leave him alone. He went to leave the room when a strong, yet gentle grip caught his upper arm.

It didn’t matter to Five that it was gentle. The fact was, it was still a grip.

He swung round in barely contained panic, throwing a fist. It slammed against Luther’s jaw. Though it barely making the bulkier man shift, the look on his face said everything Five knew Luther was feeling.

Shock, concern, anger, maybe even fear.

He jumped for a fourth time, leaving Luther, Pogo and Grace behind in varying levels of distress.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Five hit the ground again, almost screaming every foul word he knew right then and there in frustration. He wasn’t trying to be a dick. Honest to god he wasn’t. But his siblings were just so- so....caring. He wasn’t used to it, he wasn’t used to having others around, except Dolores.

They all wanted to help him. He suspected it was because of his form, he looked so vulnerable that they felt a need to protect and help him any way they could. It was kinda sweet really, but so incredibly forgein to him. He reacted the only way he knew how. With anger.

It was the only emotion he had been feeling these days. Anger at himself for screwing up the equation that got him stuck like this. Anger that he wasn’t able to save his family from the apocalypse. Anger because he wasn’t damn smart enough to figure out how to save the world.

Horror swirled in Five’s gut when his vision became blurred, the tears slipping from his eyes and onto the carpet. He swiped a furious arm across his eyes but it did nothing to stem the flow. He scrambled to his feet, running down the hall. He had to get to his room. If he got there, he could hide, and the others would never know he was crying.

Why couldn’t he jump? His mind was muddled. He couldn’t see. He could barely breathe.

He slammed into something solid. He would’ve fallen to the ground if a tender hold to his arms didn’t stop him. He could hear someone talking, but he couldn’t place them. It was all too much right now. All he could see was ash, taste it on his tongue, feel it on his skin.

He screamed, not knowing what else to do, tears streaming down his face. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, everyhing was too damn loud.

But then he felt...warm? It was like a heavy blanket had been put around his shoulders. He clung into the source of the warmth, desperately to not let it go. To not back to the freak show he’d been forced to live with for 45 years.

“...ive! Five you’re okay, please just breathe for me, breathe you can do it.”

He knew that voice, he knew it. It wasn’t Dolores, it couldn’t have been Reginald he was dead-

“Five please, please just breathe.”

Five complied, trying to draw in air but coughing when he couldn’t get in a full breath.

“That’s it buddy, you’re doing so good, come on, in and out.”

Five tried again, fingers digging into a soft material.

“You’ve got it, you’re doing great Five.”

Five drew in another breath, feeling his head clear. He pitched forward heavily, being caught by a sturdy figure.

“Good job Five” a soft voice murmured praisingly. “I’m proud of you.”

Five blinked a few times, the tears in his eyes not fully receding. Above him was black hair, kind eyes and a soft smile.

“B-Ben?”

The ghost smiled wider, gently squeezing Five’s arms in confirmation. “Yeah, feel better now bud? Got it out of your system?”

Five’s hesitated then his head fell against his brother’s collarbone, sniffing. “Yeah...”

“You wanna tell me what triggered it?”

Five’s fist clenched Ben’s jacket tighter. “Memories” he mumbled.

Ben nodded his understanding. They stayed like that for awhile, Ben holding his little brother tightly to his chest, rubbing his back comfortingly. It felt nice, but Five’s anxiety wouldn’t stop spiking.

“I’m scared Ben...”

The small, unsure voice that spoke broke Ben’s heart. He squeezed Five tighter to him. Wishing he could take away all the pain and fear Five had to deal with during his time in the apocalypse. Take that away and give him his childhood back. See the boy laugh with a sparkle in his eye like he used to when they were all young. He dropped a kiss into Five’s hair, resting his head atop his smaller brother’s.

“I know” he murmured, “and I’m sorry you had to be alone for so long. I’m so sorry Five.”

The pair stood, arms wrapped around each other for a long time. Ben lost track of the minutes that went by. Though he did notice Five was getting steadily heavier in his arms. When he looked down, the boy was out.

Ben shook his head fondly, lifting Five into his arms. He paused for a moment. Had he always been this light? Ben couldn’t remember Five ever feeling so...small.

He shook off the surprise, carrying his sibling to Five’s room, gently easing him onto the bed. He sat on the edge, watching Five sleep, taking in how young he looked, but aware of how old he was. Having seen death and destruction at every turn. Years spent in solitude, forced to survive in a barren wasteland for years. It was horrid of think about.

Ben’s hand phased out of reality for a moment as he brushed it through his brother’s hair. Five nuzzled into the touch, eyebrows finally relaxing and giving him a look of peace.

“Sleep well Five” Ben murmured. “Your family will be here when you wake up, I promise.”

[gingus-arts]

AH YES ANOTHER ONE OF THESE!!! with my thoughts again ajdjsj- this is one of my favourite ships so i had to

tIME FOR ANOTHER SHIP "ESSAY." this time on keishima >:) again, the heights r just what i found on the wiki (i think it's cool that mishima is taller than keiji, his height fits him) and their sexualities & ages are a mix of what i've seen and what i think fits. which is to say, i saw this neat fanart of mishima being gay sjdhfns. generally i think they go together really well so let's start!

1. big spoon vs. little spoon — i just think keiji would want to be the big spoon asjhfshfn. mishima wouldn't be too set on either but he'd default to being the little spoon most of the time just cos keiji likes to be the opposite

2. lends clothes vs. borrows clothes — i think it'd be harder for mishima to lend keiji clothes with keiji being such a Beefy Boi, but he'd be totally okay lending whatever would fit him, generally stuff like ties and other accessories. i could also see mishima borrowing clothes once in a while, like if he forgot to do laundry and needed a dress shirt for work (it's not ideal because it'd be a bit baggy, but it's better than nothing) or if he wanted something comfortable to wear at home. he'd probably always ask keiji before he borrows things despite keiji saying that he doesn't need to, and he starts asking less as they're together longer (since he doesn't do it often anyway)

3. doesn't use pet names vs. uses pet names — mishima just doesn't seem like one for nicknames or pet names KFJSJDN. keiji absolutely does though— i think keiji would be more likely to flirt overtly in general so it just makes sense that he'd use pet names more. he'd probably stuff like "babe" a lot lol. but also, mishima would use an occasional "my love" whenever he's feeling lovey dovey (also this bouta sound hella cheesy but the way he says keiji's name sometimes is a term of endearment in itself)

4. extroverted vs. introverted — i think keiji would be kind of extroverted in the sense that he likes being around people (even if he's not particularly talkative, he can hold a conversation decently) and would prefer that to being alone, mostly because being around other people makes it easier to distract himself from his thoughts. i don't think he'd be drained by social situations either, but moreso envigorated by them (most of the time, anyway). that last part goes for mishima too! i think mishima would be significantly more extroverted than keiji just cos he seems extremely open to talking with everyone and seems to connect easily with them (and, he also seems more likely to persuade or push people into conversation than keiji is) though mishima is comfortable with having time alone too.

5. affection thru words vs. affection thru actions — i think keiji would generally have a hard time getting out affectionate words, so he just settles for doing small things like getting mishima food when he's @ work and kissing him or putting his arm around him. i think mishima would say really sweet stuff to keiji sometimes (though it's often more subtle & poetic than a straight up "i love you") and also compliment him often, so he'd be pretty comfortable voicing his affections, though he also does stuff with his actions.

6. confesses first vs. waits for confession — mishima just has a lot more confidence and self-esteem than keiji so i think he'd feel more comfortable opening himself up to rejection,,, though he would get the same nervousness about it that everyone gets. keiji distanced himself from even the possibility of being /friends/ with mishima, there's no way he'd think mishima would want to handle the burden of being his s/o, and it's possible he would just flat out deny that mishima likes him even if it's really obvious, if mishima doesn't say it upfront. so, he wouldn't even be waiting for a confession, he'd just try to get rid of his feelings (he'd probably feel somewhat guilty for "spoiling" their friendship with his feelings.) there is a small, small chance he'd tell mishima in a very unceremonious, way too casual sort of way, but this would definitely be an impulsive decision and he'd decide against doing it if he didn't blurt out in the minute he considered it (if that makes sense)

7. screams about bugs vs. squashes bugs with shoe — i just think it'd be funny if mishima was afraid of bugs LOL, tho i think it'd be more accurate to say that he's intrigued by bugs as a knowledgeable person (fr he just seems like he'd know a bunch of random ass information about a shit load of things) but likes to keep his distance from them. even though he's unnerved when they get too close to him, though, he makes an effort to not kill them. keiji does not care lol he'll just squash

8. drives the car vs. can't drive lol — i don't think keiji would necessarily be a bad driver, but i don't think he'd be good at it for one main reason– anxiety, or specifically, ptsd. the loud noises that sometimes come with driving, honking horns, the sharp rush of air and tires on gravel when a car passes you by, i think, could get overwhelming if he was in a relatively busy area. i don't think he'd be too good at concentrating either, he seems like he'd be somewhat prone to zoning out. mishima would Definitely be better at concentrating at keiji, and even if he zones out a bit, he's driven more than keiji (assuming,, he drives 2 work) and isn't bothered by loud noises. i don't think keiji would be too keen on admitting his problems with driving but mishima would probably pick up on it after it then call keiji out on it, /then/ he'd insist on driving most of the time.

9. can't cook for shit vs. makes dinner — i Actually Have a specific cooking hc for keiji which is that he can cook pretty basic things just fine, but he doesn't really feel the need to cook for himself so he barely cooks. like, if he was living alone, he'd probably live off of fast food and microwave meals KDJSJDN. now, if he was living with mishima- i think he'd moreso let mishima take care of the cooking, considering that mishima is Actually Good At It, but would offer help getting ingredients out or anything else mishima might need. if he wants to surprise mishima or give him a break from cooking, he'll order something to eat instead of cooking bc 1) his cooking ranges from mediocre to kinda bad and 2) he knows how to cook like 4 meals tops and 3) he doesn't want to embarrass himself lol (tho he won't admit that he doesn't want to..) mishima may coax him into at some point, though, and in that case, he'd try it out.

10. dislikes pda vs. loves pda — i think mishima would like to stay professional & within social norms in public, but he wouldn't be opposed to holding hands or a kiss on the cheek. keiji, on the other hand, has Less Shame and would nearly make out with mishima if he let him lmao- i think keiji would like teasing mishima with pda to some extent

11. overprotective vs. chill going — overall i think they'd both be pretty protective over each other! mishima seems like a protective person in general, (presumably that kinda comes with how nurturing he is) so i think that'd go doubly for his boyfriend with mental health problems up the wazoo who DOES NOT TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF NEARLY ENOUGH.... i think keiji might get annoyed with mishima's overprotectiveness but mishima stands firm in it and keiji eventually comes to recognize it less as a lack of trust & babying him, and more as a sign that mishima cares about him (and occasionally, is concerned about him.) i also think keiji would be protective over mishima, just as a base level of people he cares about, but less so than mishima is over him because mishima's pretty well adjusted and generally doesn't need protection from anything (except bugs maybe, lol)

12. has more relationship experience vs. has NO relationship experience — ok so,, i'm a little conflicted on my takes here, because if i was going with canon, it wouldn't make sense that mishima is gay because he was skeptical of kugie's same sex relationship, /unless/ he hadn't figured out his sexuality yet, which is not entirely implausible (or, if it's the internalized homophobia hittin-) i still want to headcannon him as gay so imma go with those explanations. however, if that's the case, it doesn't make sense to have him date any younger than he is now– unless, he had a serious case of comp het, which is also plausible. that may have helped him understand how relationships work, but they wouldn't be truly fulfilling if he's gay. if we're taking the relationship experience to be inclusive of platonic relationships, though, mishima would definitely have more experience than keiji. and whether we're talking platonic or romantic with keiji, i don't think he'd have very much AJDHDJ. i think he'd have like 2 or 3 girlfriends when he was younger, but nothing serious, and i don't think he'd have any really strong friendships either, in school i think it'd mostly just be the type of friends that u don't rly hang around with too often after school & then you kinda just don't see them afterwards, and in adult life it'd be coworkers, so like,, even less of a purely friendship thing. i think not having a support system would really jack him up when the trauma hit bUT i'm getting off topic so let's move on!

13. HORNY LEVEL — keiji is a horny fool don't @ me, mishima is a functional level of horniness

14. AWKWARDNESS LEVEL — so, if this was general awkwardness levels, i'd put keiji's a lot lower and mishima's a bit higher-- HOWEVER. i'm taking this 2 mean their awkwardness levels in the context of a relationship and that's why they are what they are. i would think keiji is pretty awkward in romance due to his constant deflection and tendency to distance himself– mishima would be better suited to it but A Bit Unsure either because he hasn't had relationships before or he hasn't had relationships with men before. figuring out gey things. ah but yeah i dunno, i didn't come to a conclusion in my previous rant on this :')

15. JEALOUSY LEVEL — i think keiji would b jealous mostly because he's insecure and feels like he's not enough for mishima. he wouldn't voice it and would just try to get over it, though mishima would probably notice him pouting or being a little distant. mishima, on the other hand, is quite secure in himself, and even when he isn't, i don't think he would feel particularly jealous. i feel like he'd be really happy when keiji gets close 2 other people and makes friends and stuff because that'd be good for him.

[taegdcl1018]

M [M.A.D.E. Series] Part 1 - Big Bang

Summary: Part M; They were losers until you helped them out. Then they become a little more than friends.

Genre: Angst

Warning: Swearing, mentions of suicide

A/N: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 300 FOLLOWERS!!! I’m so thankful for all of you. I’ll explain how this series is going to work out. So this is going to follow the MADE albums that came out in 2015, and i’m gonna post the parts out in order of the songs. So this one is Loser, and the next is Bae Bae. Anyways thank you so much for 300 I’m so thankfull!

~ Admin Brooklyn

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Honestly meeting them wasn’t exactly the most well thought out situation in the world. It was actually the most unexpected. It was either fate or coincidence that made it all happen. The random coincidence that you had to fill in for a coworker, making you late. Or fate that had decided that you should live on the same apartment floor as him. He was the first out of the five that you met. It all kinda happened fast, and honestly a little uneventful compared to the others.

When you first met Kwon Ji Yong you were tired, a little grumpy and honestly you really just wanted to cuddle up in bed with a pillow and rewatch old dramas. Ji Yong seemed agitated and frustrated, but also tired and gloomy. He was annoyed by all the people that followed him to his apartment. He was annoyed with all his unanswered text and calls. Above all else, he was most annoyed at himself. She wasn’t answering him cause he was a jackass. He decided that it was best to ignore her while he had her. He couldn’t focus on her when she needed it. Now that Ji Yong needs attention from her, she’s gone. Her love for him washed away.

You first saw Kwon Ji Yong in the apartment complex’s elevator. He wore a white bomber jacket with dark designs and photos printed on the fabric. He contrasted it with a black graphic T-shirt tucked into jeans patterned by splotches of light and dark blues. To top it all off he wore a single silver chain. You gave it to him. The man knew how to dress well. Out of everything he had going on with his outfit - the “TRUTH+DARE” tattoo he had on his neck and the sunglasses that was still worn inside the building- your attention was drawn to his hair and the little tattoo on the left side of his face.

His hair was handsome. Nobody could deny that black had a handsome and old-fashioned look to it. Although the style of his hair was pretty modern. All the hair on his face was slicked back, the side of his head was buzzed. What drew your attention the most was the little tattoo of a noose hanging from his left sideburn. It was small, but noticeable against his pale skin. Although the little tattoo probably held a darker meaning behind it, you couldn’t help but find some liking towards it.

The small elevator ride was awkward. You were worn out, and although he was very attractive, you couldn’t find the energy to give a single fuck of what you looked like in front of him. You knew your hair was messy and wild, but not the sexy kind of wild or the cute kind of messy. It’s the kind of wild that you stay away from because you know that if you get near the beast, it’ll kill you just to satisfy its bloodlust. It was the kind of messy that shows that your life isn’t exactly together. You knew that your work uniform had food stains on them. Due to customers that were either clumsy or rude or the occasional time when your luck had vanished for a single moment and you slipped. Your makeup felt old and worn, and you were sure that your exhaustion translated on your face.

The ding of the elevator seemed to wake you up from your tired daze. You snapped back to reality, quickly realizing that he left you in the elevator alone. You rushed out of the elevator and down the hall. You smiled in relief as you got to your apartment door. Your bland beige apartment door turned into your own gateway into Narnia. A huge sigh of relief left your lips as you slipped off your shoes, your feet aching from being on your feet all day. You slipped off your coat and hung it up before setting your purse down on a nearby countertop. You dug out your phone, setting it out in the open in case you get any calls, which was unlikely cause all of your friends were going out. Sluggishly you made your way towards your shower. Quickly checking for a towel you slipped out of your clothes and into the hot shower.

After your shower you wrapped yourself in a fluffy towel, drying off than dressing in a loose fitting shirt and shorts. You made your way to your couch, collapsing on it and turning on the TV. You surfed the channels finding something to watch that was on, finally settling on a drama’s recent episode. Everything was calm and relaxing. The bright light of the TV shining on your face as you watched in the dark with a blanket over you. Your quiet peace was agitated as a faint crashing sound radiated into your apartment. You sat up alarmed, looking around your apartment, checking for anything that could’ve made that sound. When the sound happened again, this time with faint yelling.

You left the comfort of your couch and went towards the door. You opened it cautiously, looking down the hall. The plain hall had never seemed to fill you with this much anxiety as it did in this moment. The look of it was normal. Plain golden yellow walls, with light fixtures placed every ten feet, and the dark carpet that seemed to never stain. The sounds that echoed off the golden walls weren’t as normal. The sound of glass shattering, followed by the sound of a frustrated yell, and then lastly following it with a quiet sob that you almost missed.

You walked into the hall, not bothering to put on shoes. Your shirt moved loosely as you crept your way towards the noise. As you passed your neighbor's door, you wondered how they don’t hear the noise. It was loud enough for you to hear. Your question was answered as moaning emitted from the door. You cringed as you moved forward, wanting un-hear it. As you moved towards the next door, the sound of sounds crashing got louder, as well as the yelling. You stopped at the door. The plain brown door had the black numbers C16 on it. Two rooms away from yours. The door was slightly ajar, but you knocked just in case.

“Hello?” You asked it was dead silent. You pushed the door open a little bit, the hinges slightly squeaking. Light from the hallway flooded into the dark room. Your eyes widened at the broken lamp, glass surrounding the torn lamp shade. You looked around, your eyes stopping at the doorway that held a flickering light.

“Hello,” you say one more time. You watch your step as you walk pass the lamp shade. You focus on getting to doorway without stepping on something that could hurt you. You walk more broken lamps, as well as a few holes in the walls. As you step into the room, you see the man from the elevator. He laid on the floor, a baseball bat in his hand and a phone in front of him. All around him were broken pieces of furniture. The only two things that weren’t damaged were a chair and his TV, which was currently playing the drama you were watching.

“Are you ok-”

“Get out.” His words were blunt but quiet. You scoffed and looked down at him. Broken shards of glass and wood were scattered all over the floor. You frowned at him and crossed your arms. “No.”

“Miss, listen. I don’t know if you know who I am but-”

“I’m pretty sure I can assume, but it doesn’t matter.” You said. You’ve heard of him. Seen him once or twice in a magazine, but like you said, it doesn’t matter. He looked away from his phone and up at you.

His expression was just as emotionless as he looked you up and down. You had cleaned yourself up since your first impressions of one another, although you still didn’t love how he was seeing you. The angle he had on you and the clothes you were wearing were less than ideal.

“Now I’m gonna ask again, and this time, please answer. Are you okay?” Ji Yong looked at your expression, concern etched into your eyes. He shrugged and looked back at the phone. You sighed and looked at the chair. You can’t just leave him here like this. You sunk down to the floor, crossing your legs together.

“Okay then. What happened?” You asked. He stared at the phone. His heart tugged a little. He was an idiot. That’s what happened. He sighed once more, before turning his head to you.

“I messed up.” You look at him curiously, confused on what he did was so bad to cause all of this damage. “I’ve been messing up. I broke her heart and now she won’t take me back.”

You stare at him, and he looks back at the phone. The black screen seeming to haunt him with his own reflection. You nod your head slightly, starting to understand the situation. You stare off at the TV, trying to think of a solution. As you stare intently at the drama, you see the two main leads kiss. The guy pulling her in close and kissing her as a confession of his feelings. As this pulls your attention, you come up with a solution.

“I was just watching this drama at my place.” Ji Yong stared at you questioningly. He turned his head towards the TV. A quiet sniffle could be heard, and you look at Ji Yong his attention drawn to the couple. “It’s about time too. I’ve been waiting for a good whole season for this.”

“Yeah, she looked bad with the other guy anyways.” A smile crept it’s way onto your face as you heard his reasoning. You nod your head.

“My friend will be upset. She doesn’t like them together.”

“Why are we talking about this?” He was sitting up. Ji Yong was confused and you could see it on his face. He turned to you, eyebrows furrowed.

“Well, I’m not cupid and I can’t fix your relationship. I can distract you though. You know, help you get back on your feet from your break up.” He looked at you. You couldn’t read his emotions, but you knew that you were making so progress. At least you hoped you were. Ji Yong nodded his head, still staring at you.

“Let’s finish watching at my place. You know a place without broken glass on the floor.” He nodded his head again. He watched as you got up from the floor, brushing off any dirt off your oversized shirt. You looked pretty good, especially compared from your elevator look.

“What’s your name?”

“(Y/N)” you said. You extended your hand down for Ji Yong. He looked at it then back at you. He grabbed it and got up. As he stood you realized how tall he was. Your head ended up at the same height as his shoulder. You looked up at him and he looked down at you.

“You know who I am?”

“G Dragon, right? Although I don’t really get involved with pop culture.”

“That’s okay, honestly, I’m glad you don’t. Call me Ji Yong.”

~~~

   Next was the youngest. This one also had some issues with violence, but he was more direct than Ji Yong was. Once again you had decided to take another shift at your job as a waitress. Your boss didn’t seem to care, although nobody seemed to care about anybody at your job. It had been roughly a week after the incident involving Ji Yong when you met Seungri.

You were cleaning empty tables when you saw him through the window. Many things about him caught your attention. The platinum blonde hair, the all black clothing, the long pants and leather jacket in almost 90 degrees (30 in Celsius) weather. What mostly caught your attention was the death glare that he was giving. It was direct at this couple, who seemed more than happy with each other’s tongues down their throats.

At first, you didn’t want to get involved, having to deal with one emotional mess was enough for you. You continued to clean tables, just waiting for the end of your shift. You heard a frustrated groan on your last table. Alarmed you looked you, and immediately your eyes went to the blonde outside. His phone was in his hands, and he was glaring even harder at the girl with her man. You noticed how her hand lingered at her phone in her back pocket. Your eyes were wide as you watch the man as he got up and went to the girl.

You saw as the girl frowned when she saw him. You looked away before things got even more heated. You were just gonna finish your work, get paid, go home. That is all you were going to do. Until you heard something.

All the other workers heard it too. You could see the way their heads poked up from the things they were doing. Most of them had a confused expression, others had a poker face. You looked back out the window, noticing both the man and the girl missing from the scenery. A shout echoed through the building and you looked around. You moved towards the back entrance, hearing the sound of yelling getting louder. As you got closer the yelling became audible words that you could make out.

“It is not my fault that you can’t get your shit together.”

“I’m trying. I’ve been changing for you.”

“Really? Have you? Lee Seunghyun I doubt that you have been sober at least once this past week.”

“I’m sober right now!”

You felt awkward real fast as you got closer. You weren’t anywhere close to the door yet, but they were so loud.

“Seungri, I’m done with you. Okay? I moved on, accept it.” And with that, the shouting stopped. After a few seconds of silence, a frustrated yell was let out. You opened the door outside to see the man. The sun shined down on you, already making you hot. You watches as the man, the man who you guessed was Seungri, kick the black SUV next to him. Your eyes widened as he kicked again, causing the side mirror to snap off.

“Hey!” You say, catching his attention. He looks to you, anger clear on his face. Your eyebrows furrowed as concern started to fill you up. “Are you okay?”

“Everything is fucking peachy.” He gestured to the car. A frustrated groan left his lips, and he raked a hand through his hair. You watched, thinking through what you should do.

“Why are you even here?”

“Hate to break it to you, but you’re pretty loud when you’re upset.” He looked at you, obviously irritated. You sighed and tried once more. “I’m here because I wanna make sure you're okay.”

“Like I said cupcake, everything is peachy.” His words were harsh, but that didn’t stop you. You went to the BMW, looking at the license plate. You knew who’s car it was. Dave’s car. He’s a grade ass asshole and you couldn’t care less about the car anymore, but you still worried for him.

“Well, I’m just worried because not everybody can kick a car twice and still be ‘peachy’.” He looks at you then back at the ground. He leans against the car, holding his phone tightly in his hand.

“You don’t need to be worried about me. You don’t know me.” He had a point, you gave it to him. Ji Yong wasn’t like this at all; he just pouty and in denial. You stared at him, still wondering how the fuck he's wearing a jacket like that in this weather.

“True,” you said. He looked at you, just watching as you inch closer. “I don’t know you, but I know that it is hot as fuck and you’re wearing a leather jacket. I can’t do anything to help with you lady problems, but I can give you air conditioning and food.”

He looks at you, a little surprised. He looked at the door then at you. You looked at him expectantly. He couldn’t see a problem with getting, possibly free food and a place to cool down. He leaned off of the car and nodded his head.

“Okay I’ll go with you, but what’s your name? Or I could just call you cupcake.”

“My name is (Y/N). And I’m gonna guess that your name is Seungri.”

“Good guess, now take me to the free food.”

~~~

You spent about a good few days with Seungri. He seemed to be the fastest to pick up his problems, something you admired about him. After the youngest came the oldest, Choi Seunghyun. His problem was something you never expected to get in the middle of. Although you didn’t really expect meeting any of the boys.

You were working again, although it wasn’t your second shift. Once again it had been a coincidence that leads to you working the night shift, but it was fate that you had taken out the trash when you did. You had noticed the trash almost overflowing, so being the good person you are you took it out. The bag smelled horrible, and honestly, you just did it cause you didn’t want to get yelled at.

As you opened the door fresh air filled your nose. It was nice to get out of the restaurant. As you opened the trash bin you heard a sob. You looked around, not really noticing anything different of the alleyway. Seungri’s mess of his tantrum was long gone, the broken mirror picked up by Dave. After you threw the trash into the bin though, you heard it again. This time you took your time, looking for the source of it. That’s when you noticed a silhouette in the middle of the alley.

“Hello?” You called out. You crept closer to him, being careful just in case he was a murderer. As you got closer you noticed he was crouching, and wearing pjs. What freaked you out was that he was covered in blood. Your eyes widened. His sobs continued, his back shaking each time he let out a noise. Your heart broke, and you decided to step closer.

“Excuse me, sir.” He looked up at you, tears streaming down his face. His eyes were bloodshot. You noticed the blood covering his hands and parts of his face. Your eyes were full of concern stepping closer.

“Is everything alright? Are you hurt?” You asked cautiously. You looked at him, searching for a wound of some sort. He shook his head, sobs leaving his mouth again. His face contorted.

“No, no, no, no. Everything isn’t okay.” He said. He was broken, you could see it. Hell anyone could see it. You frowned. You didn’t see a cut or anything on him, but you wanted to make sure he was okay. At least physically okay.

“What happened?” He seemed lost at your question. He stared at the restaurant's wall, thinking about what happened.

“I did- I did something horrible. Something I shouldn’t have done. Something nobody should do.” Your eyebrows furrow at his vague description of the event that leads him to this state. As tears continued to stream down his face, you frowned out of concern.

“You did kill someone?” You asked. He shook his head but scoffed. You looked up at the moon. The sun had been long gone, leaving the sky dark with little stars acting as freckles on the dark sky. Honestly, you wished for this to be happening in the morning, a time of day where it wasn’t as scary out. You had to woman up though. If he wasn’t going to pick himself up then you could at least help.

“Are you hurt?” You asked, concern filling your eyes.

“You already asked that.”

“You didn’t answer.” He looked up at you. Your eyes were caring, yet stern. He looked just as broken as he was. He shook his head. Your eyebrows furrowed, putting one and one together. You looked at the blood staining his striped pajamas and bathrobe. “So the blood-”

“No, it’s not my blood.” His words seemed to echo in your head. You wanted to ask more, but you knew that you shouldn’t. It probably wasn’t the best thing to do in this situation. His eyes searched your face, watching the changes in emotion before it settled into a caring soft smile.

“That’s okay. You might wanna come inside though. It’s dark out, and if we stay any longer something bad might happen.” You started to say. He stared up at you, watching you like a little kid. His eyes were soft and innocent, and it hurt knowing he went through some kind of hell. “I think I can find you some spare clothes for you to change into. So we can clean you up. I can get you hot chocolate too.”

“Okay,” he said, nodding his head as well. He got up slowly, becoming his full height. You craned your neck to look up at him, and he craned his neck to look down at you. You grabbed his hand and lead him towards the back door.

“What’s your name?” He asked. His voice was deep, and for some reason, you never noticed just how deep until now.

“(Y/N). What’s yours?”

“Seunghyun. If you don’t mind me asking, but who’s clothes are you giving to me. I highly doubt that your clothes will fit me.”

“A coworker of mine has extra clothes. His name’s Dave. It’s nice to met you Seunghyun.”

~~~

Two weeks later you met Kang Daesung. Honestly, he seemed to make your heart ache the most. He wasn’t the most violent compared to the three other boys, which you liked. That didn’t mean that his heartbreak was easier than the others. Once again, coincidence leads you to this moment, and fate made it happen.

You stepped out of the gas station, a bag of sweets and sodas in your hand. You looked to your parked car at the far end of the parking lot. Your face contorted in confusion as you noticed something blocking your way to your car. Shouting could be heard, as well as a few screams. Your eyes widened as you realized what was going on.

“Hey!” You yelled. Five heads looked in your direction. They were all surrounding someone who was currently on the ground. “What do you think you're doing?”

“Leave lady. This isn’t your fight.”

“Why the hell do you think is a good reason to fight?” You asked, crossing your arms. You bravely walked closer to the boys. The one was still on the ground, shielding himself for protection.

“He kissed my girl.”

“And I’m sure she liked it more. Now leave, before I call the cops.” They boys look at each other, before leaving. As one of them passes the boy on the ground he spits. You glare at him, but don’t start anything. When they’re gone you rush towards the person on the ground. He had light brown hair, and bangs that covered his eyes.

“Are you okay? Where are you hurt?” You ask, bending down to check if there are any fatal injuries.

“They have my scarf.” He said. Your eyebrows furrowed and you looked around. Those boys were long gone now and if they had it there was a very small chance of getting it back. Squinting your eyes you make out something close to one of the cars. A bright white thing laid motionless on the ground.

“Is it white?” You asked. He nodded his head and you got up. You look down at him and extend your hand. “Come on. We’ll get it and then we can head to the car so I can clean you up.”

“Why are you helping me?” He asked, standing up. He winced as you pulled him up and your face contorted in concern. You walk him down to where you saw his scarf and then to your car.

“Well nobody else seemed too.” You said. He watched as you opened up your trunk. Light filled the car as the tiny lights on the ceiling lit up. You pulled out a first aid kit, opened it up and started pulling out rubbing alcohol.

“Do you just have this stuff on daily bases?”

“Do you always ask this many questions?” His cheeks started to get red and you laughed lightly. “Honestly I don’t, but the the number of times I’ve had to clean someone up and help them in the past month is surprising.”

“So you do this often?” He asks. You take out a cotton ball and put rubbing alcohol on it. Lightly you dab the cotton onto a cut on his forehead. He winced and you gave him an apologetic look.

“Often no, but recently people just seem to get hurt.” Once the side cotton started to turn red you took away the cotton and replaced it with a band aid. You brush his bangs back to where they were and you couldn’t even see the band aid. You gave him a satisfied smile and put away the first aid kit.

“Thank you.” He was looking down at the scarf. It was a nice scarf. It was white with red and green embroidery on it. It was pretty, even though it was dirty from hitting the ground one too many times.

“No problem,” you replied. You looked at him for a moment. Thinking through a decision you weren’t exactly sure of. “Do you wanna go for a ride?”

“What?” He asked, a little surprised. Honestly, you were too.

“Well, you seem like you need a distraction. Plus it’s a nice night out.” He stared at you. He looked down at his scarf thinking it through. He nodded his head and you smiled.

“Sure. I’m Daesung.”

“I’m (Y/N). Nice to meet you.”

~~~

The last person you met was Dong Yongbae. Honestly, you are so happy you meet him when you did. Although the situation wasn’t exactly ideal, you were still happy to meet him when you did. Before anything got worse for him at least.

You were walking home, the sun shining down and a light breeze blowing through. It was nice. It was one of the cooler days this month. You enjoyed it, that is until you saw something unusual. There was a shadow of someone on the shadow of the roof of one the buildings. You look up and the shadow was right. Someone stood right on the edge of the building. Your eyes widened as you jumped to conclusions.

“Hi! Umm, what are you doing?” You shout to see if he can hear you. He looks down at you. You put a hand over your eyes to block out the sun, which was horribly blinding you.

“You don’t have to yell. Also, I think it’s pretty obvious on what I’m doing.” His words were blunt. You frowned and tilted your head.

“Why are you gonna jump then?” You ask. He was holding something in his hands, you couldn’t see what it was though. He looked at it, before twirling it in his hands. He looked at you and held it up, before dropping it to the ground. As it hit the ground a piece broke off of it. You went to go get it, retrieving it like a dog playing fetch. As you picked it up from off the ground you noticed that it was a cross with writing on it. You put the arm that broke off back on, reading the writing. ‘SIN WILL FIND YOU’.

“What happened to you to make you think like this?” You asked. When you looked up you saw a pair of legs dangling from the roof. He was sitting on the edge, relaxing up there.

“What makes you think something happened?” You scoffed.

“So you just want to commit suicide just for fun? Funny.” You said, sarcasm dripping from your last word.

“Something happened, okay? But why do you need to know about it?”

“I don’t need to know. I’d feel better if I didn’t have to witness someone dying over something that could be fixed.” You said. Your words were stuck in his head, although they weren’t exactly the most meaningful words you’ve ever said.

“Okay then, give me one good reason not to, and I won’t.” He said. He still sat on the edge. You thought about it, but then you finally said something.

“Well, you’re gonna die at some point and time anyways. Why not live first cause you’ll always have a chance to die anyways. Plus you’ll find a way to get out of whatever you’re in.” It was silent after your little spiel. He was obviously thinking about it. After a little while, you see his legs leave the edge.

“What’s your name?” You smile as you hear his question. Knowing that you’ve gotten your way.

“(Y/N). And you?”

“Youngbae. Hey, you wouldn’t mind if I come down and we go somewhere. Would you?”

“No, I would not.”

~~~

It has been roughly a week since you met Youngbae. It still bothered you a little. You met five guys within one month. all of which seem to have some sort of girl problem that leads them to do harmful things. Honestly, you were so worn out from the past week that you’ve decided not to care anymore.

You were currently working at the restaurant when you saw Ji Yong. The thing was if he wasn’t doing what he was doing you would’ve kept working. Money is something you might not love, but you need it for food, which you love. Ji Yong was currently laying down in the middle of an intersection wearing a fur coat in 90-degree weather. A car was right in front of him honking it’s horn, grabbing people's attention. You ran out of the restaurant and towards Ji Yong, having to push past people who were watching.

“Ji Yong, what are you doing?” You half yelled. He looked up at you. He has broken again, and you could see how bad it was. Your face softened but you were still upset.

“I’ve messed up.”

“Don’t we all.” You muttered. You look at him and extend a hand, waiting for him to take it. You look at him expectantly, the look at your hand. He grabs it and you help him up. You give an apologetic smile to the driver and push Ji Yong towards the restaurant, not letting his hand go.

“What were you doing? You could’ve gotten hurt.” You started to scold as you entered the restaurant. He looked at you, sitting down in one of the seats. “Are you okay Ji? What happened?”

“I’m a loser, a loner, a jackass covered in scars.” His vague answer made you smile. He’s always like this, and it was just as poetic as it was unnecessary. You sighed, a smile on your face.

“Well, Ji Yong, scars fade with time. Also, you’re not a loner if you’re alone, and I’m pretty sure I’m here for you. So there, two out of three problems solved.” You say. He stares at you, his expression was emotionless. He was studying your face, checking to make sure you were serious. After a little while, you see a soft smile forming on his face, causing one to land on yours.

“I guess you’re right. You are there for me.” You smile as the words left his lips.

“See, you’re not that much of a loser.”

[purrcraze]

Do Cats Shed More When Stressed? When To Worry

Have you noticed that your cat sheds too much hair when you visit the vet? How about when you have a guest at home and you find those random clumps of cat hair everywhere? These might be signs that your cat is under a lot of stress.

Cats tend to shed more when they are stressed. You do not have to worry as this is a normal physiological response. The same goes when they are afraid or even surprised. But there are instances where the shedding is excessive, so you also have to be wary about those to ensure the health of your cat.

In this article, we are going to talk about why your cat sheds more when he is stressed. At the same time, we are also going to discuss the common stressors of cats. Further, we will tell you certain instances where you should worry about the shedding.

There is a lot to cover, so keep on reading!

Why Cats Shed When Stressed

The shedding that happens when your cat is stressed is perfectly normal. The hairs that shed are called telogen hairs and these are the hairs that are in the resting phase of the growth cycle.

Therefore, these are hairs that will eventually be shed by your cat once he scratches himself or rub against something.

How does stress shedding happen? It is believed that there are little arrector pili muscles that are connected to the hair follicles. In turn, these muscles contract when your cat is stressed, which makes his hairs stand on end.

In the process, the telogen hairs which are no longer strongly attached, fall off.

So the next time you visit the vet and see that your cat shed a lot of hair on the examination table, you do not need to fret as there is nothing wrong with your cat. Once he calms down, the shedding will eventually stop.

It is only through positive reinforcement training that your cat will learn to not get stressed with the trips to the vet.

Why Is My Cat Stressed?

It is important to know what stresses your cat so that you can train him or her to not be so anxious about certain things or situations. In finding out the source of stress, you can do positive reinforcement training which will lead your cat to associate the stressor to a positive experience.

Take a look at the possible stressors.

1. Vet Visits

For cats and other animals, nothing beats the anxiety that they feel when they visit the vet. There is nothing more stressful than being held and poked by people they do not know.

At the same time, the cold rush that they feel when they are placed on the examination table is uncomfortable.

2. New Family Member

This can either be a human or an animal. Cats, just like dogs are creatures of habits. Therefore, if there is a new person or an animal in the household, they can react in a number of ways.

A lot of times, they just withdraw from attention, but other times they may take on aggressive behaviors such as playful scratching and nipping.

3. New Environment

Cats tend to have a designated safe space in their home, so when you move out to a new home, they will feel stressed and lost. Add to that the shuffling of moving boxes and the rearranging of the furniture. Your cat might feel unsafe for a while, but he will eventually come around.

4. Disruptive Behavior

This one can depend on the type of cat that you have. But if you have a cat that does not appreciate the noise and other loud sounds, then you will notice that he will constantly be stressed.

The same goes when exposing your cat to an environment with a lot of sounds, like a park or busy roads.

When To Worry

There are also those times when the shedding is excessive. This can be brought about by extreme stress and other external factors. These are the things that you should observe if your cat sheds too much.

Excessive Grooming

If you notice that your cat does not only shed but also constantly grooms himself paired with biting its hair and even scratching it, this can be a sign of allergies. This can be due to fleas, food, or the environment.

Wet Hair Clumps

You might find random hair clumps that are soggy and sticky. When this happens, observe if your cat constantly licks himself. There can be gastrointestinal issues. The hair clumps might have come from vomit due to nausea, constipation, and diarrhea.

Overall Hair Loss

This is extremely troubling especially when you see that there are areas where there are no longer hairs on your cat. This can be a sign of scabies as the mite that infects your cat embeds itself in the skin.

Aggressive Behavior

When you notice that your cat is shedding excessively while he displays aggressive behavior, it can mean that he feels threatened by something or someone.

This is no longer just about anxiety and stress, in fact, your cat is shedding too much as it is generally disturbed and he feels unsafe that he needs to exhibit aggressive behavior.

Urinary Accidents

Is your cat’s shedding paired with random urine accidents? This is a sign of a urinary tract infection, kidney disease, diabetes, or bladder stones. You might also notice that hairs around your cat’s genitals will fall off completely as he is always scratching that area to relieve pain.

Safety Measures

A little stress and shedding from time to time is okay, however, as much as possible, you want to have a stress-free cat. This is not only good for the health of your cat but you as well for your peace of mind. Here are some tips and tricks that you can do.

When going to the vet, bring your cat’s favorite blanket so he or she can feel safe. If you do not have a blanket, you can bring his or her favorite toy. Having this familiarity will help calm your cat.

Even when your cat is already stressed, never fail to reassure him that you are there and that he is safe. You can ask the vet if it is okay for you to touch your cat while he is being examined.

Practice positive reinforcement training to lessen the stress of your cat. If you find something that stresses him, slowly incorporate the stressor in your routine, and always give rewards and affection when he does not get stressed.

Give your cat a proper and balanced diet which will help him to not be susceptible to skin allergies.

Give your cat enough space to calm himself down after a stressful situation. This will help in building up trust which can improve his reaction when exposed to the same situation.

Related Questions

Do pregnant cats shed more? Yes, this is due to hormonal changes. You may notice that your cat will shed more on her belly and this is because this is where her kittens will nurse. The shedding will calm down when the lactation period ends. Consult your vet if you think the shedding is excessive.

My cat sheds when left outside, what should I do? First, check if your cat got a skin infection. If that is not the case, he is exposed to too much sunlight which causes shedding. So when your cat goes back to a cool area, old hairs will be shed again, as secondary hairs will grow for insulation.

[totallyweepingtheorist]

The Witness And The Bridge, The Pitfalls Of Puzzle Game Design

Hey all,

So before long the expected happened and we come to a game I did not finish. I was determined to finish, but I shouldn’t force it, some games are bad. However in an attempt to keep these posts positive I want to compare the game I didn’t like to one I did but played last year. So without further a due here is my comparison of puzzle games done right and wrong with The Witness and The Bridge. To start, context is important as always, I love puzzle games but I am by far not the best at them. I struggle and get frustrated a lot and as such tend to only play them casually on my phone and don’t buy into the large scale ones. Additionally I may have some bias though I doubt it will be affecting these opinions, I love braid and the indie scene which Johnathon Blow has done a lot for. Whereas I don’t know who made the bridge and it was random chance I ended up playing it. With that in mind take some of my opinions as you feel are needed with this information. As these are puzzle games and not large scale narratives the first section is a bit more nebulous than usual.

In the bridge you play as a man that did some things, not really sure where to go from there. I got to chapter 5 and played for 4ish hour and through this I know he likes maths and has a friend that something happened to. Other than that I know very little and that’s not always a bad thing, the game is delivering a mystery narrative, however it feels frustrating to not be given much. Compare this to The Witness which has basically no character at all, but instead concentrates on the game as an experience rather than a narrative. Now I know some may find meaning in what you do find in the witness and if you do I think that’s fantastic but in the traditional sense (*which I am talking about) it doesn’t have a narrative. However I want to speak on something else here to do with character that both games actually do in spectacular fashion. Both games have a character associated with the game itself which cannot be denied and this is delivered in its presentation which would come under other factors and as such we will leave this for now and return after discussing the game mechanics. Strap in, this will take some time, it’s a complicated business these puzzle games.

The mechanics of these games could not be further from each other and this is the core of why one works and the other in my opinion doesn’t. To start with, the bridge, the central concept of the game is you are a dude, and you can rotate the world. As such you must rotate the world in a way to get him to the goal without killing him with magic death touch rocks. However as the game progresses more systems are added with no time to become accustomed to them before moving on. I am not talking about a tutorial as such but in the language of puzzle games you must be shown what the powers are, what they do and what they are used for. As a result you build into a complex system with clearly defined edges the player can move within. However the bridge does a terrible job of communicating this to the player, for several of the powers I just couldn’t grasp how best to use it as a tool in puzzle solving. To puzzle game players this might seem strange but honestly it is not easy to follow and leaves you feeling frustrated. I looked up solutions just to get by some levels and that is undermining the point of these games in the first place. The game feels rushed and with double maybe quadruple the number of levels it might have been saved. The proper time needs to be given to build the skills to then allow really difficult puzzles using those skills, and The Bridge does neither well. Overall the game did nothing to endear itself to me and tell me its systems and it left me struggling without all the information I needed.

We now compare this to The Witness and it couldn’t be more different, from the start to the finish the game is simple. Start at the circle, end at the circle, get the line from a to b. Every single puzzle is this simple concept but with modifiers. Get a to b while not crossing some areas, a to b while touching some areas, a to b while making shapes etc. I won’t say anymore as the game is about finding and learning these rules. This is the clincher, you are not told anything about the rules of the game, not a single one but in game design you are taught them. The puzzles are designed to build over time and allow you to piece together your own tutorial. If you find a puzzle you have no idea what to do with you can accidentally learn a new system before you were supposed to. The puzzles never feel too hard because they are only hard due to your lack of experience. If you find other puzzles of the same type eventually you will work out the rules and that feeling is great. It’s a game in the vein of a character action game. Your characters progression is dwarfed by the effect your own skill level has on your success. The same is true here, as you progress you get better and as a result the game gets better and easier. It’s a masterpiece of game design, I adore it and to give just one example so not to ruin too much, I turn to the castle and its mazes.

There are four mazes which have puzzles attached to let you out of them, but there is no obvious way to work out the correct puzzle answer. There are many routes the line could take from a to b and no clues attached or even shapes to tell you which rules are in play. That is until you move through the maze itself, the first is a simple find your way to the end but they expand quickly and one is my favourite example of game design. For a long time I could not work out what the hell I was supposed to do until I heard it. I walked on grass, it crunching as you expect and then nothing. Dead air. I reversed and followed the sounds and sure enough the path leads me to the correct answer. Nothing to do with existing rules, it relied on my attention to the whole experience. A one off puzzle based on sound in a game primary based on zooming into puzzle panels. This design in anyone else’s hands would lead to confusion but in The Witness the design leads you by the hand invisibly so you always feel good for working it out for yourself.

Moving to other factors this is a difficult one and in this section it is going to be praise for both games actually. Starting with The Witness, the game is a living dream. The art is stylised and does it so well, from the expanse of the dessert and forest areas to the oppressive underground sections. I legitimately felt scared in the underground sections in most part due to audio. The world around you is pastel coloured and has the minimum sound design possible. That lack of sound in the underground sections is terrifying akin to anti-chamber for puzzle fans that have played that game, where the game scares you with bird song ambient noise. The character of the game (see told you I wouldn’t forget), is in itself exploration. The game is a testament to the fun of wondering through a beautiful and challenging world, and this is the take away message and character of the game. You are free to do whatever you wish and you pass or fail on the effort you put in, but it never feels like effort because akin to Proteus just wondering in the world is a dream. Side note please go out and find Proteus if you have any issue with anxiety, it is a blocky pixelated land full of small animals and musical notes to interact with. It’s amazing and relaxing, and helped me through some parts of my life.

Moving to the bridge I think this is the aspect the game nails. Unlike the witness which feels expansive and colourful the bridge is constraining and dark. The art style is pencil drawn in style and is all in black and white. The sound design concentrates on huge musical flourishes and really loud sound effects. The game on the whole is puts you on edge and makes you feel out of place and uncomfortable which I believe is there intention. I wish the mechanics lived up to this because I am sure the game is going somewhere with this design. The game is very well styled but is let down by it’s mechanics. Overall the two games here could not be more different. I would give the bridge a 2/5 meaning only bother with it if you are a die-hard puzzle game player, there are redeeming features but the game play isn’t there. While the witness I would give a 5/5 anyone should have a go at this game. In fact I am sure those who have never played a puzzle game before would find it easier than those who have. The game expects no prior experience, is fun and meaningful in the time it makes you spend and overall is a joy for anyone.

Cheers, See you all next time