#12/17/2024

[alligator-dreaming]

12/17/2024 - This One Should Have a Name I Suppose

I had a strange interconnected series of dreams last night.

It began with a dream about sharing a hotel room with two girls, and I was dating one of them, so I was really spending a lot of time making out with her. Things were getting hot and heavy, but at a certain point I sensed that things weren't going that far, and I pulled back, and we stopped.

I think part of the problem was that I had been training a praying mantis while we were making out. Kissing and rolling around and stuff was helping me gain experience points, and periodically I would put those experience points into upgrading my mantis. My mantis didn't realize that I was trying to improve it and so it kept biting me while me and my date made out.

Anyway, after things slowed down I excused myself to go find something to eat. I wandered out of the hotel room and found a huge bookshelf. However, the shelf was nearly entirely covered in Final Fantasy licensed mangas, which I was not interested in. After looking through the selection, I found one that broke from the mold, and took it to a table at a cafe in the hotel to read.

The book was the strange story of a girl in an alternate timeline where many of our reality's conflicts and violence never happened. Though she came from this other world, she had the power to see into ours in her dreams. She could then psychically manifest the violence that happened in our world into hers as bright bursts of energy in hers. She was very unhappy with her powers because they upset the balance of her world, and she grew fearful that her Earth might start to have the violent conflicts of ours because of her. She looked just like the girl I had been dating.

Then right when the story was getting good, a man walked over to the table, sat down next to me, and turned the book away from the page I was on so he could read the description on the book jacket. At first I let him read it, but then he took so long that I realized that he was being unspeakably rude. I called his attention to the fact that he lost the page I was on, and he apologized. Then I found the page I was on, and instead of picking up where I left off, I walked away to find something else to do.

In another part of the hotel, there was a big theater and event space with an aquarium exhibit located off to the side that had seals in it. I saw a bunch of my friends in the room and went to join them, and managed to get a seat just before the event started.

An internet funnyman I like walked on stage and announced himself, preparing to introduce the night's show. He had plenty of beloved special guests and exciting acts planned for tonight, but first, the seals! He entered the seal exhibit and the seals did a musical performance of "VS Star Dream" from Kirby Planet Robobot. I was jumping up and down and running between tables in excitement. The performance was beautiful and my friend Wally agreed.

The show went on. The host brought on a multitude of special guests for a panel/game show. One of them was Wally. Most of them were also Internet personalities, and in some cases they preserved their anonymity by joining the panel as two-dimensional PNGtubers in real life. One of them was a voice actor in a series I like wearing a Doctor Robotnik costume. Towards the end of the panel, he went offstage as his 2D self and came back onstage in person, still wearing an Eggman costume. The audience went nuts for it. It was, all in all, a great show.

Things took a strange turn toward the end, though. Before the show could properly wrap up, people on stage began acting very unlike themselves. Audience members began to disappear, and by the end, I was alone in the theater. It all snuck up on me so quickly that I had never noticed anyone leaving - one moment the panel was doing silly bits to entertain the huge crowd, and the next the stage was empty and the theater was dark.

I had to figure out what happened. I began snooping around the space, looking for any indication of what may have happened to everyone. While searching the backstage area, I caught a glimpse of Wally. He pointed me toward a door hidden in a stairwell, but warned me not to draw attention to myself.

The passage was crowded with phantoms in the guise of early presidents of the United States. They floated and rushed around the narrow winding passage that led down into the earth and I had to take great care not to bump into them or trip on them. They were greatly agitated but seemed oblivious to my presence as long as I did not touch anything. Wally rushed ahead of me, and by the time I reached the bottom of the passage, he was gone.

The passage emerged into a small, barely furnished living room. The ghosts were still thickly crowded and agitated here, so I hid under a staircase and waited for them to disperse. While I hid in wait, I realized that this room was a copy of the living room of the home I lived my first two years of my life in. It was nostalgic despite its bareness and hostility. Eventually I peeked out and saw that the ghosts had disappeared. With the coast clear, I snuck out and pressed into the next room.

The room next to the living room was a home office, just as barely furnished as the living room with the exception of a desk cluttered with paper files. This was the office of whoever was behind everyone's disappearances, and in command of the ghost president legion. I heard ghosts re-emerging outside, so I returned the way I came before the way back became too thick with ghosts to navigate safely.

I carefully snuck back up toward the theater, encountering many fewer ghosts this time. When I got back up, the audience was back, watching the action onstage with the same enthusiasm they had earlier. But the host and the special guests were gone from the stage. When I took a closer look, I realized that the special guests were now in the audience, also becoming victims of the scheme's mastermind. Taking their place onstage was a mysterious figure who had charmed the audience into thinking the show was still on so they could work their evil undisturbed. I took them to be the person whose office I had just seen and the person behind all this.

Seatbelts appeared across the audience to lock everyone in place as the final preparations took place. However, one row of seats was partially empty, so the seatbelts missed the people in that row. Quickly trying to recover this, the seatbelts lunged at the people in that row, but were too aggressive about it. One of the people in that row, the Eggman costume guest, was snapped out of the villain's glamour by the seatbelts' sudden attack, and managed to worm his way out. Now there were two of us free.

There was a scuffle in the theater and things became hazy. The mastermind sent dark forces to attack us and we tried to fight back. When the dust settled, the audience was gone again. All that was left were their clothes, hanging in midair. Then, through a window at the back of the stage, I saw the mastermind as a cloaked figure, levitating and bursting with energy. They were drawing the audience's outfits into themself one at a time, absorbing the life force left behind to upgrade themself to their ultimate form.

Thinking quickly, I ran backstage toward the window and burst out toward them. They were floating far above ground, so I leapt up from outfit to outfit until I reached the mastermind. I slammed into them and knocked them back toward the theater, into the ground. The audience reappeared, and the mastermind's power drained. Now it was just me and them. I grabbed their hood and ripped it off. Underneath was Wally.

I was in shock that my friend was behind all of this chaos. We grappled, and he freely gloated about his plans to ensnare everyone in the theater to drain their life force as we fought in front of everyone, and revealed that his true name was John

Freaky

Adams. Despite being significantly depowered, he was still stronger than I was, and we were deadlocked at a disadvantage for me. Thinking quickly, I lunged forward and used a special technique I had spent the whole day practicing beforehand. I planted a big wet kiss on his lips.

Wally was stunned by the turn of events, but I just kept chewing on his lips and making out with him sloppy style. Eventually he pulled back and a devious grin came over him. He shapeshifted into a beautiful actress and kept at it, actively competing with me to be the better kisser. Then his mouth hinged open like a snake to reveal a toothy claw inside. He gloated that I was fully in his clutches and that nothing would stop him from killing me now. But he was wrong. I shoved him away and revealed that I had been synthesizing a poison in my mouth the whole time we had been kissing. The poison began to take effect and Wally grew weak. The audience cheered as Wally's evil life-sucking scheme was thwarted once and for all.

Afterwards, the theater was a mess. People began trickling out, but I stayed behind to help clean up and to chat with the voice actor. The floors were wet and slick, so we slid from wall to wall like roller skaters while cleaning and talking about how we figured out it was Wally (apparently the voice actor had figured it out before I had.) We laughed a lot and it was great fun.

At the end, before leaving the theater, I saw a flash of light and knew it was the girl from the book bringing violence from our world to this other dimension.

[ogaturnblr]

[mcr5-thoughts-every-other-day]

MCR5 thought for 12/17/2024!

Everytime I see Mcr is trending, I think it’s MCR5 and everytime I have a mini heart attack until I actually scroll though the tag and get disappointed.

[earlycuntsets]

new (old) flyers from mikeys story! 09/17/2024

05/12/2003 the shelter detroit michigan

01/14/2003 the globe east milwaukee wi

[saoirseyun]

NOW PLAYING — luther, kendrick lamar.

in which, chuuya has gone a little too overboard with early christmas gifts.

—Alright so you haven't have this in mind during the week before Christmas and thus that's on you to blame. Just thinking how it'd be no problem to stay up longer to watch one of those cheesy romcoms overnight pass 12:00 after a hassle in unwrapping the presents your boyfriend Chuuya bought you. (And all you did in return was gift him his favorite brand of wine imported all the way from its native country. How embarrassing, one would think, but Chuuya pretty much disagrees with your self-doubt and shame.) Only to end up being not far from drifting into a sudden sleep once the one hour mark hits. Chuuya was used to staying awake late at night, and now unexpectedly watching you struggle to keep your eyes open for long; irises dubiously focusing on the ceiling above as you remain lied down on his lap. "Y'know ya look like you're 'bout to faint..." Sounded closely to slurs as your ears couldn't pick up most of what Chuuya pointed out. Your head was practically intertwined with spinning itself! With deft fingers snake to the curls and loose strands of your hair—him stroking you—your body stirs lazily in its wake... An awkward yawn.

"...So?"

"So what? Y'er gonna pass out, angel." Which is the unfortunate truth, to put it bluntly. Just how stubborn could you be?

"...'s it my fault that your thighs 'so comfy?"

You cheeky thing, "C'mon! Seriously going to blame me?!"

Well, not having Chuuya right now means you'd probably end up staying awake until he has returned back.

"Uuh, yeah, you bought too- yawn- many gifts to count... It took an hour."

"Hah, 'don't act like ya don't appreciate it."

But of course you do. You'd be absolutely ashamed if you didn't, no? Spent so much only to keep you happy, it's the least that you could do in return other than gifting back—and Chuuya states that it's not necessary to spend on him in return and just let the mafioso spoil you rotten. He frowns, a knowing look as he studies your conflicted state.

"...Doll, look. 'f anything, 'm still grateful that I have ya. Swear, if it were up to me... 'f the world was mine, gonna take those dreams of yours and make 'em multiply. Got that?"

a/n; happy birthday... to me! I wanted to portray more of chuu's dedication this time of round for my birthday bc my s/o hates me rn and I hope I die (not proofread)

[vhscorp]

Dans le monde d’aujourd’hui, j’ai le triste sentiment que dorénavant, le succès est de moins en moins synonyme de talent…

V. H. SCORP

[myloveonherknees]

palestinian fundraisers

i occasionally receive asks from people fundraising to flee or support their survival in palestine. this side blog of mine has a lot more followers than my main blog, so i wanted to share some of these fundraisers here. i'll update this list as i receive more, and i'll link it from my pinned post & blog navigation.

messages i've received:

@mehmetabdullah is fundraising to support their family of five's evacuation from gaza. gofundme link.

@ghada-knan20 is a young mother who gave birth during the war. she is fundraising to purchase survival supplies (shelter, food and water, medicine) to support herself, her sick son, and her injured husband. gofundme link.

@apedhilles is the husband of a martyred palestinian journalist. he is fundraising for him and his son to flee gaza, and cover the costs of medical care for their missile strike injuries. gofundme link.

@majedgerbawi: a family that fled to egypt after their home in gaza was destroyed needs support to get stable housing in egypt, and to re-enroll the children in university studies. gofundme link.

vetting lists:

vetted gaza fundraiser list (google sheet): created by @el-shab-hussein and @nabulsi

gaza vetters (google sheet): created and maintained by @gazavetters

butterflyeffect project (google sheet)

other ways to donate:

gazafunds: website that features palestinian fundraisers on a rotating basis.

list of gazan mutual aid projects and non-profits (tumblr post): non-comprehensive list compiled by @riding-with-the-wild-hunt.

crips for esims gaza (chuffed campaign / paypal): mentioned in the post above, but reiterating because i love them so goddamn much. this is a group of disabled organizers & allies that purchase and maintain e-sims for people in palestine, and have spent nearly $2M CAD doing so.

[princesscatherinemiddleton]

The Princess of Wales Winter 2024 Photo Challenge!

Day Two: Favourite photo(s) of Catherine on St Patrick’s Day/St David’s Day/St Andrew’s Day

The last St Andrew's day activity that was St Andrew's day related being in 2012 while she has 47 thousand photos available to show her celebrating St Patrick's day... something something

[shes-some-other-where]

June of Doom Day 10, Day 12, Day 17

“Can you hear me?” | Fear | “You don’t want to do that.” | Struggle | Grief

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Contains: royalty whump, restraints, death mention, murder mention, fantasy drug/potion, threats

WC: 620

Mark my words

A door creaked open. Light flashed, illuminating his prison: a dark dungeon cell with a single door, thick wood with only a tiny, barred opening through which a guard might peer to inspect his prisoner and ensure he still drew breath. It swung wide, swaying on its rusted hinges. The seer flinched at the door’s ominous croak.

In stepped a man he’d never seen before.

“Seer-prince,” said the stranger. “Or, rather, former prince.”

The seer thrashed in his chains, choking on words he didn’t have the time or wherewithal to plan. Stifled words of rage and confusion—and fear.

“Your family’s line is ended, and you are a prisoner,” said the stranger. He folded his arms, watching the seer’s struggles coolly. “The former king and queen are dead. You serve a new queen, and a new crown prince.” He smiled. “Me.”

Dead. “No,” he tried to say. “No!”

“Yes. Killed, too, is your brother. And your court. Nothing remains.”

“My . . . brother . . . ?” Only seventeen. Brave and brash. Dead.

“Slain with my own blade. I slit his throat.”

The grey eyes glinted, as if he knew was the seer would ask next. As if he anticipated it.

“My . . . sister . . .” He coughed, forcing out the garbled syllables, as shock and panic burrowed into him even more.

Dead?

The usurper grinned. “Alive.” He chuckled. “And she will remain so, if you do as I say. So, listen well.”

Too much, too fast. His parents and brother, slaughtered. His sister, living—but where? Hurt? What had happened to her? Had she witnessed the murders? Had this killer really kept her alive? To what purpose? Was it too much to hope for? What if this so-called prince was lying?

And how was he to know, locked in a dungeon, with no memories to fall back on because he’d been too much of a coward to face his visions every night?

“I said, listen, seer.”

The voice was cold and cruel, sneering and harsh, but it was not wrathful. It did not shout. Its patience was wearing thin, but that patience endured. For now.

With no other option, the seer looked up. The usurper’s image swam and wobbled.

“I own you now,” said the usurper, “and your fascinating little magic trick.” He smiled. “Ah—yes—I know about your visions, and how you chose the path of weakness to avoid them. There will be no more of that. All you see? Mine to know.” He stepped forward and crouched, and though he lowered his voice, the words only seemed to grow louder. “You will spill every secret, and your precious sister lives another day.”

The revulsion, the thought of coping with the visions every night for the rest of his life until they finally destroyed him, had him shaking his head in horror.

“Oh,” said the usurper softly. “Mark my words. You don’t want to refuse me. I will not make this kind, merciful offer again. So. In case your soft, drug-addled brain didn’t comprehend the first time, I will repeat myself once. Do you hear me? Only once.”

The seer stilled, bile burning hot and rancid in his throat.

“You are mine to wield and to control. There will be no more suppressing of your visions. If you don’t learn to control this gift of yours, and if you refuse to share what you learn with me and the queen you now serve, I will kill your sister in front of you, and then it will be your turn, and your family’s bloodline will be ended once and for all.”

The tears in the seer’s eyes spilled over, soaking into the heavy muzzle that rendered him unable to acquiesce. The chains fell still and silent.

The usurper prince smiled again.

June of Doom Masterlist

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@juneofdoom

All my writing is original. Feel welcome to interact/comment/reblog. Pls don’t steal or repost.

[spookyxsprinkles]

🎨 Colour Theory, part 1: Horizon Line [oneshot]

(formerly known as "Perspective")

shimura tenko × poc friendly f!reader ft. todoroki touya.

-> safe for work // 4.8k words // AO3 // part 2. -> warnings: jealousy + some actions may be considered creepy. low self-esteem, shyness, a couple of very brief musical references, family member death mention.

summary: tenko goes to art school and gets a little crush on a musical theater major.

×X×

Horizon Line -- an actual or imaginary line in a work of art representing the point at which water or land seems to end and the sky begins.

×X×

Tenko had fallen asleep before the performance had even started.

He had long lost track of how long he'd been awake for. It was the end of his second semester in university and the prestigious art program he was in made sure to keep him busy with project after project. He was running out of steam. Honestly, he had been running on fumes for weeks now.

He'd rather be in his dorm finishing his assignments instead of sitting in one of the theaters in the performing arts building. If it wasn't a requirement for Fine Arts majors to attend other Fine Arts events, he would have never set foot in this place. The noise of the attendees filling the room and the orchestra tuning their instruments in the pit was grating his sleep deprived nerves.

He grumbled and crossed his arms as someone took the seat beside him, his leg bouncing as he grabbed the program the usher had handed to him when he first entered. Tenko's bloodshot eyes were barely able to process anything more than The Phantom of the Opera on the front of the flimsy pamphlet, before shutting it and glaring at the scarlet curtains on the stage.

A few minutes later, the lights began to dim and he sighed in relief as the room quieted. He could finally catch some much needed sleep.

He tried stretching his stiff legs in an attempt to loosen himself up and closed his eyes.

Only to open them at the sound of your voice singing to him on the stage.

"Think of me, think of me fondly when we've said goodbye. Remember me, once in a while, please, promise me you'll try."

Tenko was mesmerized. Watching you on stage woke him up more than the energy drinks he'd been living off of all semester. He was absolutely immersed with your performance. He soaked in your every word and movement and before he knew it, two hours had gone by and the cast was being applauded as they bowed.

He sat in awe for a moment as the auditorium lights flicked on and he stood, shuffling through the crowd. He found a nice corner of the lobby behind a pillar as he and some other audience members waited. He skimmed through the program and found you. He whispered your name like a secret only he could ever know.

The cast slowly came out one by one and thanked the guests for coming. Tenko's eyes darted around impatiently. Finally, out came you in the white gown you wore in your final scene, looking like an angel that had come down to offer his sin-filled existence some respite.

You greeted and thanked the attendees as they praised you and handed you flowers. It was the final night of your musical and you were beaming. Tenko's fingers fidgeted at his sides as he yearned to get closer to you and experience your radiance himself.

A guest bowed and left, leaving an opening for him to approach. He took a step out from behind the pillar, but you turned at the sound of your voice coming from behind you. Tenko recognized the person as the man who played the Phantom and sighed when he saw you turn and leave the room.

When Tenko returned to his dorm, he searched your name online and found your social media. His night was spent watching your videos. He didn't realize how much time had passed until his alarm went off and he saw the sunlight peaking out from behind onyx curtains. It was time for him to get ready for class.

The semester had finished with him acing art and barely passing his core courses. It was winter break and with most students away, the campus was deserted. The thought of having no one to go home to didn't even cross his mind as he spent the break filling his sketchbooks with your image.

His second semester started off much better than the first one. His art had rapidly improved from how much he'd been practicing recently.

He found a spot he liked. It was a small outdoor table nestled between some trees on the southern campus dormitory area. The weather on this side of the country wasn't as cold as other prefectures would be in January, but there was still the occasional breeze that made his dry skin prickle up with goosebumps. It was the rain that was more likely to get him sick, although, since he was under the wide umbrella of the table, he found that unlikely and continued his sketch of you.

A week and a half later, he gulped down the last of his cold medication and slammed the container down in frustration. He leered at the harrowed reflection staring back at him on the dirty bathroom mirror. His eyes were heavy with deep bags, his skin a sickly colour, and his black hair hadn't been brushed in 2 or 3 days. He let out a sigh.

×X×

He found another spot he liked, safe from the chilling late January rain. It was in the performing arts building, in a seating area by the entrance. The art program may have been the school's top program, but the grand architecture and romantic interior design of the performing arts building clearly showed it also wasn't anything to scoff at, despite being was a few stories shorter than the building across the quad that Tenko was more familiar with. It was much noisier here, too.

Tenko had his earbuds in as he slouched on the upholstered chair, sketching, when he noticed a familiar form in the corner of his eye.

It was someone he recognized as your frequent scene partner that you seemed to be joined at the hip with, if your social media was anything to go by. Tenko felt a spark of excitement bubbling inside of him and he looked around hoping to see you, but your face was not among the crowd of students. His hope deflated to disappointment and he scratched the side of his neck. You were likely already in class.

It was ten minutes into the hour when Tenko decided to leave. He gathered his things and carried his sketchbook in his arms as he stood and walked away from the seating area.

He tripped over his feet and bumped into someone, his sketchbook flying out of his grasp.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry!!"

It was you.

Your sweet voice was full of apology as you bent down to grab his sketchbook for him. He watched in awe at how swiftly you moved. He was at a loss for words. Your fingers froze over the edge and Tenko realized what page it had landed open on.

"Is that... me?"

Your voice sounded so pretty, even when you were confused. He felt his face burning as you grabbed the sketchbook and stood. Your eyes stared down at the sketch of you he had just done while in the seating area, when he was itching to catch a glimpse of the top of your head through the crowd.

You were so close now and it was going to kill him.

"This is from my Jekyll and Hyde audition in Spring 2220, right? Back when I was trying to get the role of Lisa. I can't believe it's already been three years since then..."

You were so close now and he knew you'd think he was a creep for watching your old videos and bumping into you. You probably thought he had it all planned out, like some sort of stalker.

"Is it okay if I flip through..?"

His brain was screaming at him to say 'no, give it back' but his head nodded, unable to deny you of anything you wanted from him. Yes, there were sketches of you without any clothes on and he was well aware of how that would look, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He would rip out his heart for you to use as a hand warmer, if you asked.

He watched with a gut wrenching mix of horror and delight as you flipped through and took your time to study every page. Drawing had always come easily for him, with hands being his favourite body part to draw. Expressions were a bit more difficult for him to feel satisfied by so he preferred to leave faces blank or smudged out. With you, he actually put in the effort to capture your expressions.

He could see your eyes carefully observe every stroke he had made and take in the details. The furrow in your brow as you focused had him contemplating whether or not he wanted to reach his hand over to your face and smooth it out or leave it perfect the way it was.

You hand him the sketchbook and he snaps out of his thoughts.

"Huh?" He had been too in his head to hear what you had said.

"Thank you, I've never had someone draw me before. It feels really nice." You say with a soft laugh.

The sound made his skin itch and the tips of his fingers tingle with electricity. He clutched his sketchbook tight enough to pale his knuckles. His nails dug into the material as he barely remembers to stop staring and nod as you offer him praise and he feels dizzy. You were so nice. Why were you so nice? To him? He wanted to speak but he couldn't decide on what to say.

"I gotta go. I'm super late to practice and my partner's going to be on my ass about it." You sighed. You wave goodbye and disappear down the hallway.

He was also a bit late to class. His figure drawing professor shot him a judgmental look as he entered the room. Tenko couldn't bring himself to care.

You knew he existed.

×X×

The weather was nice and Tenko was sketching at the outdoor table, when someone sat across from him. He looked up and saw you with an ice cream cone.

"I knew you looked familiar! You're the person that's always out here working on something."

He felt his face heating up as you took a lick of your ice cream. You were so forward. He didn't expect you to approach him again. He had chalked the positive end of your last conversation up to politeness.

"I guess you've been drawing this whole time, huh? Mystery solved. Also explains why you're so good at drawing."

"Thanks to your performances," Tenko says without thinking. He immediately panics at how creepy he sounded.

"Oh, is that why you draw me? I thought it was the outfits since the costume department goes all out. Huh, interesting."

You continue licking your ice cream while watching him and he has to look away. He felt so shy in your presence. He didn't feel worthy of your attention. You were so soft, so pretty, so talented and he was just a creep with a crush that couldn't stop himself from sketching you constantly.

He looks down at his hands as he stumbles through his nerves when he explains how watching you had helped him with movement, making his art more fluid and dynamic. When he finishes, he looks up and sees you smiling at him. The sight made his breathing hitch and he rasped out a small, "What..?"

Were you making fun of him? Is that what this was? Were you actually just here to--

"I could do some reference work for you, if you'd like?"

His eyes widened and he could feel his face heating, the corners of his lips tugging. He didn't know how to speak without making a fool of himself and he was thankful you kept talking. He was happy to sit quietly and watch you.

"We could schedule private sessions, that way it can be just the two of us without anyone interrupting."

"What?" Questioned a third, deeper voice.

The two of you look up and see your partner staring down at you while holding an ice cream cone of his own. "What kinda weird shit you getting into now?"

Your brows furrowed. "Hm? What do you mean?"

"Your wording sucks."

You took a moment to think about it and became flustered. "I didn't mean anything strange," you assured Tenko.

"Sure, pervert."

"Anyways, this is my new friend, uh..." you look over at him sheepishly, "Sorry, what's your name?"

"Shimura Tenko..." His fingers fiddle with the corner of his paper.

"Can I call you Tenko? Or is that too familiar?"

Tenko's face heated up, "Th-That's fine..."

You nod enthusiastically before looking back up at your partner. "This is my new friend Tenko. They're the artist I was telling you about!"

"Oh, so you're the creep who draws her naked."

"I-It's art..!" You defended.

"S'weird, but whatever." The man seemed bored as he licked his ice cream and took a seat in the chair beside her. "Todoroki Touya. She's like a leech so you're stuck with her now. My condolences."

You nod as you take a lick of your ice cream, "We are now bonded for life."

Tenko awkwardly looks between the two of them, unsure of what to say. The two performers end up in a conversation and he can tell you were trying to include him so that he didn't feel left out. After some bickering, Touya takes a bite out of your ice cream.

"How can you just bite it like that!? Doesn't it hurt your teeth!?"

He shrugs, "The cold never bothered me."

You hum a song from a children's movie as you pull out your phone and hand it to Tenko, asking him to insert his Line I.D. because you want to friend him. He looks between you and Touya, crimson eyes glancing at the arm the other man was lazily resting on the back of your chair.

"Is that okay..?"

You tilt your head in confusion, reminding him of a puppy. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Tenko looks from your kind eyes over to the man beside you whose turquoise pair that seemed to be blazing with fire. Tenko blinks and Touya's now impassive expression. Perhaps the dark look directed towards him was simply his mind playing tricks on him.

He typed in his username and you send him a friend request as soon as the phone is returned to you. You angle the phone above your head to take a selfie. Touya shoves his head into the frame, lazily sticking his pierced tongue out as he photobombed.

You notice the time and stand up in a hurry. "I still have that history paper due tonight and I haven't even started it yet! Bye guys!" You run off towards the student housing that happened to be across from the outdoor table, swiping your student I.D.

Tenko watched as you disappeared into the building before looking over at Touya who still sat at the table, only to find that the man was already staring at him. Tension thickened the air like smoke from a fire that made him feel almost suffocated. He opened his mouth to speak, but Touya merely scoffed at him. He finished his ice cream in a single bite and left. He watched as Touya swiped his student I.D., shooting the timid Tenko a cocky grin as he entered the same building as you.

Before he could think much of it, Tenko felt his phone vibrate and unlocked it to see you had sent him your class schedule so that you two could plan a time to meet up. He eagerly studied the photo and you sent him another photo. It was the selfie you took before you left.

"It was nice seeing you again, Tenko! Let's set up a day to hang out!! Here's a photo in case you forget who I am."

He could feel the heat rising from his neck to his ears.

You were too cute.

He could never forget you.

×X×

Over the next 3 weeks, Tenko lost track of the amount of times the two of you had hung out. Sometimes for drawing references, sometimes to eat at the dining hall, sometimes just for the hell of it. Your schedule was busier than his, so he was appreciative of the fact that you went out of your way to be with him. Especially on today, of all days.

You and Tenko sat on the floor, your backs against the mirror of the small practice room as he clutched the bag of chocolate cookies you had given him.

They were homemade, you said. You had baked them on your dorm floor's shared kitchen. They were in the shape of hearts, flowers, and there was even a bunny shaped. He didn't think he would ever forget the ache in his chest when you told him he reminded you of a bunny. The cookies had pink and red icing made with natural ingredients, which was why the palms of your hands were stained red from the beet juice. He licked his dry lips at the thought of you working hard. Just for him, too, because apparently Touya was a picky eater so you simply bought blue food colouring to use on his cookies. He swallowed anxiously as you continued speaking.

"I was hoping that maybe I'd get chocolates today."

"Isn't Valentine's Day when the girl gives the guy the chocolate..?"

You nod, "The norm is that girls give chocolates to guys on Valentine's Day then on White Day the guy can give the girl chocolates in response, but you never know! Girls can give girls chocolates, too. It happened to a friend of mine in high school, though it was the guy version of that. Anyways, why do Valentine's Day and White Day have to be gender specific? Just show the person you care about that you were thinking of them."

You sighed before continuing, "I've never gotten chocolates before. I know, it's kind of silly to whine about this, but I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic so can you blame me?" You laugh softly to yourself. "If Touya was here, he'd say yes and that it's my fault. He's always teasing me about these kinds of things." Tenko watches as you purse your lips deep in thought.

Tenko chewed his lip before quietly asking, "And Touya..? Won't he give you any on White Day?"

"Maybe, but it'll be different." You pull up your knees and hug them.

Your thighs were distracting and he struggled to keep his eyes off of them.

"The cookies I gave to Touya were obligatory chocolates, not the 'real feeling' kind you would give to someone you like. Last year, I gave Touya obligatory chocolates and he started complaining because he had already received too many sweets. I was so jealous. At least I managed to convince him to give me his chocolate."

Though he enjoyed snacks, Tenko didn't really care for the holiday. He never really had a reason to... until now.

"Tenko, have you ever gotten chocolates? I mean, other than the ones I just gave you?"

"No."

"So, I'm your first?"

He nodded, moving his head to stare down at the sketch in his lap. His fingers fiddled with the corner of the page, crumpling it more and more until it became limp from wrinkling. He had always found destroying things to be quite soothing for him.

"I..." Tenko was hesitant but decided if you were going to reject him, it was better if you did it sooner rather than later. "I used to live in an orphanage..."

In the corner of his eye, he can see you moving your head quickly to look at him. He tried to swallow his nerves as he continued speaking.

"My family died in an accident when I was five. I was sent to live with a distant relative since there was no one else and the situation was not... ideal. The kids at my new school picked up on my gloominess and shunned me. Even when my great uncle died, my presence would be deemed too unsettling to anyone that tried getting to know me."

He was too afraid to turn his head to look at you so he continued fiddling with the page, ruining more and more of it. You place your hand over his, calming the destruction.

"I used to live in an orphanage, too."

Tenko's eyes widened and he looked at you. "Are you... lying?" He whispered.

"My parents died in an accident when I was little. Wrong place, wrong time. I had no other family in Japan, so I got placed in a children's home."

His eyes scanned your face, looking for any sign of this being a trick but he could tell from the warm sincerity in your eyes that you were telling him the truth. "I don't know what to say."

You smile softly at him, "You don't have to say anything."

The feeling of your thumb rubbing circles against his thumb made Tenko's heart tremble. He wanted to swim in this feeling, to drown in your touch.

He watched your eyes glance down from his dark eyes to his lips, his breathing hitching in anticipation as you leaned in slowly to--

The practice room door opened, making the two of you flinch. Tenko missed the feeling of your hand as you leaned back and glared at the intruder.

"I thought I told you to knock before opening doors. You scared me." You folded your arms against your chest.

"I guess I won't give you my chocolates," Touya taunted as he walked over to you. He dropped his bag at the side of you Tenko wasn't on, making a loud 'thump' as it hit the wood floor.

"Chocolate!!"

Touya smirked as you opened it and pulled out a heart shaped cookie with the kanji for love written in icing.

"Whatever, eat later. We've got rehearsal."

You look up at Touya while stuffing your face before looking over at Tenko, then back at your partner. "Already? It's not for another twenty minutes."

Touya rolled his eyes and grabbed the bag before you could reach in for more sweets. "Early is on time, on time is late."

"Hey, that's what I tell you! Don't use those words against me, they sound weird coming from your mouth." You wipe your hands against a handkerchief before moving to stand up. "By that logic, you're always late."

Touya moved towards the door, beckoning you closer with the bag, "Here, doggy."

"Doggy..!?"

"If you spin around and bark I'll give you a treat."

The two of you could hear him laughing as he walked out of the room with the bag.

You pout, "That Touya... doesn't he know dogs can't eat chocolates?" You shake your head and Tenko stands, pulling his backpack on. "I guess I'll... see you later then?"

It felt kind of awkward now, but Tenko didn't mind that much. He only wished that your time together wasn't cut so short.

"Yeah..."

"Can't wait." You grin and walk out of the dance practice room together. You wave as you go down the opposite side of the hall to catch up with Touya. In the distance Tenko can hear you woof.

As Tenko exited the performing arts building, he felt his phone vibrate. He opened it and saw a selfie of you with chocolate smeared on the side of your face, while trying to shove Touya's face out of the frame and seemingly getting the chocolate on his face in the process.

He grinned. He also couldn't wait to see you again.

×X×

"Chocolate? For me?" You gaped at the small bag of chocolates.

Tenko nodded, his eyes shyly peering up at you as you grabbed the bag and opened it. "There's only four. I made more but they… got ruined…"

"They're handmade?" Your face softened at him, making his heart flutter and his fingers flex at his sides in excitement. You took a bite of one and grinned wide, covering your mouth with your hand as you spoke. "This is really good, Tenko. I didn't know you could cook."

Tenko couldn't but he wasn't going to ruin the moment by speaking. He watched as you ate. The two of you were sitting side by side at his favourite outdoor table near your dorm.

Last month, on Valentine's Day, the end of your conversation was a little awkward but thankfully it was gone the next time you guys saw each other. Once again, the two of you had hung out together a bunch of times. The biggest difference though was proximity. Tenko had noticed you getting closer and closer to him at every encounter.

"I finally received chocolates from someone. I'm really happy that it was you, Tenko."

He felt like he died and went to heaven. It would explain your presence. You just needed a halo.

"They're…"

Your eyes looking up from the bag made him nervous and he shook his head, deciding it was better if he didn't finish the sentence.

"They're what?" You ask, sensing his hesitation. "It's just me," you reassure.

"Just you..?" Just you? Just you?

You smile at him before looking down at the bag of chocolates with a pensive expression for a few moments. You look back up at him.

 "Tenko."

"…Yes?" His voice nearly broke. Did he go to far? Did he?

"Even if your hair is always in your face, you're pretty cute." You reach out and brush his hair to the side, tucking it behind his ear. The warmth of your finger tips were no match for the heat flaring across his entire body at your sweet gesture.

You giggle and slowly lean in to his face. He doesn't move. He is frozen. You place a kiss on his cheek and he panics, moving further away in his chair with his hand coming up to hover over the site of your affection.

"Y-You kissed me…"

"I-- I'm-- I'm sorry! I didn’t think you would be offended by it. Are you okay?"

"What about Touya!?"

You look at him with a puzzled expression. "What about Touya?"

"He's your boyfriend, isn't he!?"

"Huh!?" You sat up straight in your seat, eyes wide with shock. "I don't have a boyfriend??"

"What.!?"

"You mean --this whole time-- you thought Touya was my--" A laugh escaped your lips for a brief second until you collected yourself, looking at him seriously. "Touya's my best friend. I mean… I did like him at one point but it wasn't reciprocated. Not that it matters, that's old news. I like you, Tenko."

The air left his lungs and he was pretty sure it wasn't going to come back anytime soon.

You liked him?

You?

Liked him?

Shimura Tenko?

Was he dreaming? Hallucinating this entire conversation? It was the only way any of this made sense.

"Here, eat some of these chocolates with me. They're really yummy. The perfect mix of sweet and salty." You pluck one from the baggy and lift it towards his lips. He stares into your eyes then down at the chocolate.

"I'd rather you eat them…"

You pout, "Okay, I won't force you."

You nibble on the chocolate and Tenko licks his lips at the sight.

"What?" You half-laugh. His eyes snap back up to yours.

"I like you, too."

"You do?" You look at him shyly. "I guess now would be a good time to tell you those chocolate cookies I gave you last month were the 'real feeling' kind?"

You've liked him for that long?

Tenko couldn't control himself anymore and, without warning, he leans in and takes your lips into a kiss. It's clumsy and awkward just like him, but you don't shove him away.

He can taste the salty sweet on your tongue as you kiss him back and though he wants to keep going, his lungs protested. He pulls back and the two of you stare at each other as he gathers his bearings.

"Was that your first kiss?" You ask.

He offers a small nod, "It was that bad..?"

"It's okay, we'll have plenty of time to practice."

Surprise filled him. "You want to d-do it again?"

You giggle, "Of course I do. As long as you're alright with it…"

"Right now? We can do it again right now?" He knew he sounded eager but he couldn't bring himself to care. He needed to feel the softness of your lips against his own.

"I like your enthusiasm." You laugh. "Let's do it when it's just us, okay? We're in public. I'm sure we can schedule in some more uninterrupted private sessions, right, Tenko?" You teased lightly.

Tenko gulped, nodding since he didn't trust his voice at the moment.

You weren't disgusted by him, you wanted to kiss him. You wanted to be alone with him. You accepted him and all his faults.

You liked him.

Tenko, impatient as he was, could wait as long as you needed him to.

He loved you.

[mikeywayarchive]

Instagram story by mikeyway (reposted from awstenknight)

[Dec 17, 2024]

[phoenixcoreaw]

Rant under the cut!

Cringetober Day 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18

I'm moving so it was hard to draw/post, I only have time to do stuff late at night, and I'm still getting used to the new home. Things in my life also aren't that good, but I'm pushing through

Day 11 - Still writing it!

12 - Gakupo is my favorite vocaloid ever, I love his design and the way the fandom portrays him, but funnily enough I don't like his voice that much

13 - Wish I had more time to work on this one :( cuz I love Merlin genderbend

14 - Here's the og quote:

15 - Jack!! I wanted to make a paper animation but I had no time, maybe soon, so Birdie instead

16 - As a kid I was bullied for very nitpicky reasons, being annoying but nobody explained how, having an annoying laugh, having blue eyes, and lying a lot (I didn't, it was rumours). I felt ignored, isolated, but at the same time all eyes were on me, waiting for the next chance they'd get to super analyse me and laugh at me, it was an awful time to exist

17 - Here's the base:

It's kinda silly to do this on paper lol

18 - Woah!!! It's my Fairy Tail au again! The one with Mard Gear!! In this one, I'm showing Lucy as a priestess. After a year of training and building bonds with her spirits, Lucy has a big connection to the stars, more than her ancestors ever had.

Having the power to summon the Zodiac King two times, it is no joke that Lucy is loved by the skies and accepted by them. When Mard Gear finishes healing, and goes to hunt Lucy down for ruining his plans, instead of breaking a key to summon the king, she uses all her power to open all the keys and connect her body to the universe, similarly to Lokes judgement day and Urano Metria. This form of Lucy is a kind of star dress, instead of mixing two keys, it mixes all of them. Lucy does not own Yukinos keys, but they do trust her, and decided to lend their powers to help her.

After Mard is defeated, the Zodiac King begins his judgment, since because of him a key was broken. As a form of punishment, Mard becomes a key, forever bound to his master (in this case, Lucy), and forever bound by the stars. He won't be able to live freely, or to sin like he used to, his powers will be used only for his master's will

[vaultdamned]

#𝚅𝙰𝚄𝙻𝚃𝙳𝙰𝙼𝙽𝙴𝙳 independent, selective, & private fallout oc. literate & plot based. please read rules before interacting!

*CARRD. *RULES.

𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕: blood, gore, nsfw, sexual content, suicide, just to name a few.

when interacting: his condition & prewar status are not known.

𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐: 𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐓-𝐀𝐏𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐂 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐓, 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐂𝐘𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐒𝐌, 𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐈𝐄 𝐂𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐘𝐋𝐄𝐒, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐀 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐍, 𝟐𝟎𝟎 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐋-𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃, 𝐂𝐎𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐒, 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐍 𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘, 𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐘 𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐄𝐒, & 𝐂𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘. ©

d𝗋𝖺𝖿𝗍𝗌: 14 a𝗌𝗄𝗌: 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝖾𝗉𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 p𝗅𝗈𝗍𝗌: 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝖾𝗉𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 projects: new vegas verse/new muse idea meme

the wasteland gives: @mayormentats / john hancock | @wandercr / eliana

[emptybattlefield]

"seeing double"

twinstuck orphanstuck. A PLEA TO THE MOD FAIRIES: i beg of thee please reblog me!! It is my deepest desire! I appreciate you guys!! <3

“There. That boxcar.”

Tavros led his sister down a hill to where they would settle to sleep for the night. Soft Christmas snow was underfoot. 

“I can smell it from here. Are you sure?” Vriska asked. 

“Positive,” Tavros tells her, out of breath. “This is definitely the A95 train. Which means it won’t leave again till Thursday—Friday, if it’s delayed.” He gingerly held the train schedule pamphlet that he nicked from the station. “We can camp out for at least the next few days.”

The two climbed inside the traincar. Tavros started kicking a pile of hay together for them to sleep on. 

“I was right about being able to smell it,” Vriska said with revulsion. 

“I can’t smell anything. But, I read that hay is a natural insulator. So, should keep us warm in here, too,” Tavros said wearily. 

“I don’t feel feel like it’s working yet,” said Vriska, helping to shape the horse’s hay into a bed.

After just a little bit of exertion, Tavros was thrown into a coughing fit. It echoed badly throughout the traincar. 

“Are you sure you’re better than yesterday?” she asked him as they chose the least dirty corner to settle into. 

“Much,” her brother said, “and definitely over the worst of it.”

They knew nothing else but sleeping shoulder-to-shoulder. And so that was how Mr. Vantas encountered them. 

“Dave…”

Vriska swam into awareness. Somehow, the boxcar was colder than they’d found it. The street lamps were off—it was the dead of night. There was a face looming in the mouth of the boxcar. 

“Dave—it looks like you’ve got some friends in here.”

Tavros was awake, but bleary eyed—Vriska was still shaking him when a second face loomed before them. This time, a human one. 

“Urchins! Scram, you!” yelled the human, named Dave. 

“The boy looks like he’s poorly,” said the troll uneasily. 

Vriska’s heart pounded. How was her oaf brother still asleep?

It’s because he’s a furnace, she thinks dreadfully. He’s sweating and feverish, and there’s little straws of hay stuck to his face and neck.

“I know a doctor. Let me take him to him,” the adult troll said to Vriska, now climbing into to boxcar. 

“He’s sick! Leave us alone, you creeps,” she shouted at them. 

“Uh, in case you haven’t noticed, wench, these are my train cars,” said Dave lackadaisically. 

“Come now, girl. Is this your brother?” asked the troll. 

“I won’t let you take him. He just needs time. We know your train doesn’t go out till Thursday evening. We’ll be out of your hair long before then,” she said to the both of them. 

“Your brother needs a doctor—or I’ll be surprised if he survives tonight. Don’t be stupid, girl,” the troll said. 

Tavros still wouldn’t rouse. His breathing sounded heavy and ragged. Vriska’s armpits were suddenly growing intensely itchy.

The troll man swiftly bent down, and cradled Tavros in his burly arms. He hopped down from the train car.

Then they came into the light, and Vriska’s breath began to come short. Her eyes grew wide. Not only was the troll a mutant, but a mutant wearing an apron, covered and dripping with bronze, cerulean…rainbow blood!

“Oh, quit looking at me like I kill children. I’m a butcher. The name’s Karkat. What about yours?

Dave climbed into the coachman’s seat of a carriage parked up the hill. 

“You’re…you’re a mutant,” said Vriska. 

Karkat blinked, still holding out his hand for her to step up into the back of the carriage. “Uh. Indeed I am. And what did you say your name was?”

“Vriska,” she answered as she climbed into the back.

Dave fed the horses a quick snack. Next to her, Karkat looked sorely down at the limp Tavros. “And who’s this young bloke?”

“His name is Tavros.”

“And he’s your brother?”

“We’re twins,” she said. 

While they careened away from the trainyard, Karkat tried one-handedly to bundle the shivering Tavros into an empty burlap sack from the floor of the carriage.

“Are you and the human…flushed?” Vriska asked with surprise and disgust. 

“Yes.”

“That’s…forbidden.”

Karkat turned to her bitterly. “You and your brother are of completely different blood colors. You do know what kind of love twins like that are made from, don’t you? That’s forbidden as well, isn’t it?”

Vriska said nothing more, and resorted to staring out the carriage window.

***

“Found him inside one of Dave’s boxcars. He’s wrought with fever…”

Perhaps Vriska shouldn’t have been so surprised—Karkat’s brother was also a mutant. 

Vriska was now fully observant, and on her guard. She didn’t believe yet that the societal untouchables could be fully harmless. She noted that the one mutant called the other, “Kankri.” 

Kankri had answered the door in his pajamas and nightcap. He looked kind of pathetic, really—not like a doctor at all. He swung his head both ways down the street, and then ushered them all inside. 

In Kankri’s house, there was a small room with a cot that seemed to be fit for the very purpose of housing a single sick person. From a tiny dresser drawer, Kankri withdrew a trumpet stethoscope and a thermometer. Tavros looked paler in the candlelight.

When Vriska tried to enter the room, Karkat put his hand in front of the door to prevent her from entering. “You are not to bother him while he’s doing your brother a favor,” he said. 

“Feed the girl, if you must keep her occupied,” said Dr. Vantas lazily. “She’s no doubt starving.”

Karkat led Vriska into the most lavish and beautiful kitchen she’d ever seen in her life. Karkat slapped a loaf of bread and a block of cheese onto the counter. 

He threw his whole weight into them while he was cutting, as you would for meat. He served it to her on a blue and gold decorated plate that for a moment, overwhelmed even her sense of hunger. She simply stared at the carefully gilded animals—ram, bull, cat, horse, goat, fish… rather than eating her first meal in almost a day. 

“Do not try to clean up after you’re done,” he warned. “The Mrs. is very attached to her bone china.”

Vriska inhaled the bread and cheese, and Karkat gave her another one, and she wolfed that down, too. 

Karkat shook his head, smiling. “Come with me, I’ll have you try some of my stuff from the shop.” 

He fetched some sausage from the icebox for her to try. He laughed when her eyes grew wide with delight—it was clear to her that it was delicious. 

“Tav needs to try some of this,” she said.

“I’m glad you like it so much. It’s nothing special.” And it wasn’t—just his cheapest meat that he was never able to completely sell. 

“Kan—what are you doing out of…”

A pair of slippers padded softly down the stairs. Kankri’s wife was a small, cerulean lady with a ink-black bob, wearing a shimmering, sapphire evening robe. Vriska couldn’t help but stare at her night slippers, which were made of red satin, with small, delicate rubies sewn in. 

Kankri’s wife raised her thin eyebrows, yet smiled when she saw Vriska. “—Oh, my. It’s like a proper soirée in here, isn’t it? Duty calls, I take it, dear?” she called genially to the doctor. 

“Yes, honey,” Kankri answered from the other room.

This wild place held two mutants—one of them flushed with a human, the other with a highblood… What kind of mad house was this? Vriska thought to herself. 

Despite this—the more Vriska stared at her, the more she thought that Aranea was the most beautiful woman that she had ever seen. 

Aranea immediately got to work on the hearth, and then fixed tea for the entire group. She brought one in for her husband, which went cold on the counter in the tiny workroom. She conversed with the two men Dave and Karkat at the kitchen table. Eventually her attention turned to Vriska. 

“Heterosanguineous twins,” Aranea marveled. “Remarkable. How rare…”

“Did you two run off from an orphanage?” Dave asked in a harsh voice. 

“No. We’re truly urchins,” Vriska replied timidly. 

“True urchins,” repeated Dave. “You know, if you aren’t telling the truth, we’ll be able to phone every orphan home in this side of England—it won’t be hard to ask if a pair of heterosanguineous twins went missing.”

“I am being honest,” said Vriska. “Our mother fell ill with fever, and died six months ago.”

“David, you may question her in the morning. I’ll set her up in the downstairs room,” Aranea said gently. 

Wordlessly, Vriska followed her. She was bathed, her hair brushed and woven into braids, and clothed in a pale blue girls’ nightgown with lace trim that was slightly too large for her. 

“Who’s clothes are these?” Vriska asked tentatively. “Are they—do you have children?”

“Kankri and I wanted our own; but alas, it was not in the cards,” Aranea replied with a sad smile. “These are the hospital’s. They aren’t new—but at the very least, they are clean. Come here, so I can get you some socks.”

Vriska’s brain ran wild—she imagined how many kids had died in what she was now wearing. 

Aranea led her to the second guest bedroom, and left the candle on the nightstand. “You may snuff it now, or when you’re ready. Good night, Vriska.”

Vriska could not sleep. She couldn’t remember the last time she slept by herself…it was not long before she got up from bed and tried to sneak into the tiny side room. But, she couldn’t do so without crossing the foyer, where the adults were still sitting and talking. Vriska hid behind the wall out of sight. 

She allowed herself only one peek. Kankri looked worn down—Aranea sat with her legs crossed, with Karkat and Dave also on the sofa. 

“You two really have your work cut out for you, this time,” said Karkat uneasily. “Do you have any interspecies couples on your wait list that will take two children?”

Aranea’s lips shifted into a disconcerted look. “Perhaps there are some out there who believe in our same principles—that siblings like them should not be separated…”

“Would you consider splitting them? If the alternative is to return them to an orphanage, perhaps that would be preferable, for both their sakes…” said Karkat.

“We still have to see how the boy fares,” answered Kankri. His head was in his hands. “If he succumbs to his fever, then we may not have a choice in the matter, at all.”

“Don’t say that,” said Dave sharply.

“He’s right, dear. You two should go to bed,” said Aranea, “and we’ll all reconvene in the morning, as to what we should do with the children.”

She and her husband ascended the stairs—as it turned out, Karkat and Dave did not live far. Once the foyer was clear, Vriska snuck into the tiny room. 

When she shook his shoulder, he coughed—and turned to her, bleary-eyed. “Vriska?”

“They’re like those people on the news. We’re in a madhouse, full of Sufferer-gettes,” Vriska blurted out in a whisper. “They’re planning to send us to a troll and human flushcouple. That’s because the law bans them from adopting.”

“I don’t care if we go to troll-human parents. Those two men didn’t seem mad.” Tavros mused, “And the mutant doctor is kind. Anyways--beats you and me getting split up. Do you care?”

“I guess not,” said Vriska. “That’s why you can’t die on me. No matter what happens. Okay?”

“Stop talking hysterical…”

<to be continued! Probably!! thanks for reading!!!>

[eepymeepy]

i have a job interview coming up and i am struggling to make myself prepare

[innocent-diamond-2090110]

NCIS 22x09 & NCIS Origins 01x10

DISCLAIMER: Both episodes will make you CRY. Happy holidays!

Highlight of 22x09 ("Humbug") — There was no Christmas episode last year due to the strike, but this week's episode was simple enough & didn't require vigorous investigation (aside from NCIS trying to stop a fight at the main perpetrator's apartment). It was a straightforward case of finding the truth beneath the slander, but the ending left some open mysteries. 1) Were there more faulty radios deployed to other units in the past? 2) Does McGee really have a new book coming out? 3) WHO WAS TORRES TEXTING?! DID HE REKINDLE WITH ELLIE?!

Highlight of NCIS Origins 01x10 ("Blue Bayou") — This is flashback episode that unraveled how young Gibbs joined NIS (ghost of Christmas past?). Why he applied to NIS (FLETC training), why he failed the psych eval, why he got into the bar fight that Lala witnessed, & so on... Ruth the landlady was the closest friend young Gibbs had made since returning to civilian life. Speaking of Lala, she ended up not reporting Gibbs or Franks to Wheeler about Pedro Hernandez being dead (for six months). The episode ended with a cliffhanger featuring some shredded paper that said Bugs (perpetrator from episodes 1-2) wasn't working alone. O_O