#All three of us will be streaming the games so come visit!

[cereusblue]

Streaming at 3pm EST today

Hey guys, going to do a stream today with my lovely friend @inkvalentine and my sweet husband (who doesn't have a tumblr lol). But I believe the lineup for games will be Phasmaphobia and then Lethal Company.

All of this will just be part of promoting the GoFundMe to help fix our poor car. I hope to see lots of you there!

[beatrixstonehill2]

"Oh fuck, only three months into Backbreaker Challenge and I cannot believe I'm doing this..... My family knows I'm a streamer and I've been looking to increase my audience. So they convinced me to do this. I'm so screwed, aren't I? It sounded innocent, kind of fun. Plus, definitely like a good way to increase my popularity. I just have to take a two year supply of this ultra potent breast growth drug from South Korea, like the kind they give to idols and girl groups over there..... Grow a big, fat pair of titties for my fans and have my family encourage me along the way? Win-win.

Then I made the mistake of actually looking up the challenge. Soooo apparently all those popstars just take a tiny dose over years to maintain steady growth up to like a MM-Cup at the height of their career. If you take the pills like this, the way they were tested on girls in a bunch of clinical trials.... well, you end up totally immobilized by your boobs. Like, I'm just a streamer who plays games so if I'm stuck in bed with a massive pair of boobs I can't even lift, fine. It's whatever. But part of this challenge is trying to remain active, film yourself trying to exercise, dance, go to the gym, all while growing these massive boobs that weigh over 100lbs and not resign yourself to being bedbound. Look at how huge mine are! I was only a B-Cup three months ago. These things are like udders already, soooo heavy and starting to lactate, even....

How am I going to stay mobile for two years??? Well, apparently that's all part of the challenge. I commented on some vids and they recommended I learn to game and stream using eye-based software in case my poor back gives out, because apparently it's very possible I might wind up doing exactly as the challenge says. I could break my back! Wind up paralyzed.... It's happened to more than a few girls who did this. Then I'd be stuck in bed, my parents taking care of me. I wouldn't be able to feel anything..... I'd be surrounded by these gigantic breasts, but I wouldn't feel a single inch of them, or my own pussy..... I could only watch if somebody had their way with my sexy body. Look them in the eyes as they go to town, like a kid at a playground, fucking my giant boobs, my pussy, using me however they like. They could be as rough as they want, since I couldn't feel any of it anyway...... Actually, is it weird that I think it sounds kinda fun? Maybe I should take a little extra and stress out my poor back faster. Could you imagine watching me stream naked, propped up by my parents, posed like a doll, my mammoth tits bulging out in every direction all around me, weighing 200lbs each..... I chat with you guys and play just using my eyes, totally helpless. Maybe my biggest donors could even come visit me and have their way with my poor, helpless body as I play..... does that sound fun?"

[bangchansbackohmygod]

Hello, how are you doing?💗🌸

So I don't know if your requests are open or if you take any requests at all so feel free to delete this.

I was wondering if you could do a headcanon for yandere stray kids where they aren't just friends with the reader but not dating yet? Not fwb, just really crossing the line of friends and lovers.

Also sorry for any mistakes it's just that English is not my first language. And I hope you have a nice day!!🤗✨️

This lovely request came in a very long time ago, so I don't know if the anon is still following, but I still want to answer it because I just adore a pining yandere!

Just the Hyung Line for now, I'll post the Maknaes if y'all are interested!

Chan: The name of the game is isolation. He won't get rid of all your other friends, oh no, he's far too smart for that. Plus, as twisted as his love is, there's enough pureness in there that at least part of him wants you to live a happy normal life. He just wants you to live that happy normal life with him. So he builds your trust with a thousand little favors. Dropping off a snack for you when you have a long work shift, seconding your choice of film during group movie nights, and even picking up the phone when you need to rant regardless of his schedule. He's your rock, and your other friends trust him too just by seeing how sweet he is to you. So when he puts on a fake sad expression and says "I just don't understand *****, no matter how nice I am to him he's so rude back", you don't hesitate to start leaving that person on read. He's careful with the timing, only one or two per year. Sometimes he even plants the seed of doubt in one of your unknowing friends instead. They tell you about this "bully", and how Chan was "trying to brave through it so you wouldn't be hurt", following his composition like the notes he plucks out on his piano. Without your noticing, you're slowing being locked into a cage of dependency, where the only person in your life who is without question is Chan. He hasn't confessed yet, but he'll take a decade if he needs to so that when he does you'll have no reason to think twice.

Lee Know: Cat-sitting for Minho was something he asked for at least once a month, using his tours and schedules as an excuse. True, they lived with his parents, but he'd put on an effortless show of filial piety, taking his parents with him to foreign countries or paying for weekend getaways "just because he wants to repay them for raising him". The truth is, his parents' house and the three fluffy critters are the perfect recipe to get your guard down. You bring along your softest jammies and your favorite sleepytime tea, building yourself a little nest to snuggle into once you've finished checking the litter and filling the food and water bowls. Minho can't help but light up whenever he sees you giggling at a kdrama in his living room, half asleep and surrounded by his fur babies. How can he see you right now? The cameras. The tiny cameras he's installed all over the house just for your visits. By the tv, in the ceramic figurine in the kitchen, even in some of the kitties' more elaborate scratching posts. Your babysitting adventures are his favorite streaming channel, his ray of light when he has to be away from you. You may just be his friend now, but he likes to think of your little unknowing dates as practice for when you're his pretty little housewife. One day he'll come home to you waiting for him like that, his cold phone screen today replaced with the softness of your lips tomorrow.

Changbin: It's the Pretend Boyfriend trope taken just a step too far. It started with him warding off some creep at a party who kept trying to hand you drinks. A thick bicep around your shoulder and a "yo man, she's taken" got the unwanted attention off your back and earned him a smile and a thank you. Then he offered up a selfie that you could send to an ex that kept asking to get back together, saying that once he knew you'd moved on you'd finally be rid of him. Changbin even told you to give his number to the jerk, that he'd "act" like a protective lover if your ex didn't buy the bluff. The charade worked, and this time he got a thank you, a hug, and a bowl of ramen on you next time he had time to grab lunch. He was hooked. More and more, whenever the two of you were in public, he'd suddenly pull you in by the waist or plant his hand on the wall next to your head. He'd whisper that a guy across from you in the arcade was looking at you funny, and "it's probably better if he doesn't think he has a chance with you". The dim lights hide the blush on his cheeks and the giddiness in his eyes. You avert your own gaze and thank him as always, too flustered by his closeness to bother looking past him at the offender. It's a good thing you don't, actually. He'd rather you didn't know that over half the time there isn't anyone there.

Hyunjin: What else? You're his muse. He loves to paint, and he loves to paint you, and despite your own insecurities you can't deny that the you he translates through his art is nothing short of beautiful. It started as a portrait he requested you sit for, your insistence he find a better model shooed away with promises that he was painting all the members and some of the staff, too, for variety's sake (he's lying). He finishes the piece in record time, but since you can't see the canvas from your stool he fusses about and pretends to add lines when in truth his brush has long gone dry and his long gazes at your form aren't to get the curve of your nose right but simply for his delight. After the first painting he insists on another, and flattery tempts you to accept. You get more comfortable with each painting, and he gets bolder in turn. He begins picking out your clothes, styling your hair, even applying your makeup. The fingertips adjusting your pose before he begins slowly transition from a feather-light touch to something heavy and lingering. But he's in no hurry to break the tension he hopes you feel. As long as he has this time with you, he's content. With a shuddering breath, he dips his brush into the paint and etches his love for you into the canvas once again.

(Part 2 with the Maknae Line?)

[cattimeswithjellie]

Excerpt from Doc's 6/23 Stream Recap

I'm going to bed early tonight because I stayed up recapping til 4am last night, so I'm not going to finish this stream until tomorrow. Enjoy this unhinged little sequence from Doc's Sunday stream this week.

43:30 Doc forgets the inherent peril of every GoodTimesWithScar build and gets severely jumpscared by the creeper that sneaks up behind him. He’s not hurt but the front yard of Poe Poe HQ has lost some landscaping. Doc thinks that vandalizing Poe Poe HQ might not be the best move for a guy in his legal position, and it seems like the “SUE TODAY” banner on the courthouse might just be mocking him. He remembers that Scar’s building supplies chest monster hasn’t been picked up yet and goes to rummage through it for extra booshes. He finds some, but comes very, very, very close to blowing up Scar’s entire chest monster when another creeper pays a visit.

44:40 Doc uses freecam to show the now-underground broken rainbow beacon, buried under the road between the courthouse and the police station. The metaphor would be unbearably heavy-handed if it weren’t also obviously accidental. Doc replaces the destroyed bushes and takes a look at Poe Poe HQ by daylight, declaring it a really cool build. He laughs at the enormous POE sign and is confused by the sand countdown clock. Chat tells him it is counting down to the enforcement of the rule against popup shops in the shopping district. Doc wonders who made this, even as he finds a trapdoor with a sign reading “Ultra Redstoners Only.” Deciding he is definitely in that club, he enters without hesitation to check out the guts of the countdown machinery. He studies it for a moment and asks in complete befuddlement “Who _made_ this?” Hearing from Chat that it was Scar does explain a lot. Doc decides he had better leave before the redstone drives him insane.

46:40 Time to go back and work on interior design again. Doc does not want to do his interior design. He bemoans the fact that he got himself into a quarrel with Cleo, who would’ve been the perfect Hermit to tap for all the armor stand work he needs done but is now mad at him. He decides he should wander around and look for design ideas from other shops, because he is so uninspired. Chat suggests Joel has great interiors, so does Pearl. Doc admires Joel’s octopus but does not want one in his armor trim boutique. Chat thinks the octopus is amazing. Doc tells Chat they are useless. Chat doesn’t care; they want to go look at the Lizzie statue at Joel’s base. A chatter says they heard Doc was going to play Stardew Valley and is excited about it; Doc tells them he has played Stardew Valley through three times already. He’s exploited everything exploitable in that game and even made a tutorial for finding rare fish; Stardew Valley has nothing left for him.

49:00 Doc looks around in the honey shop for decoration ideas, but is disappointed to find no armor stand work to get inspired by. Chat wants to hear the song. Doc is unenthusiastic but plays the song. He goes on an entire facial journey as Chat grooves to the “Honey, Honey, Honey” song. “Jesus Christ,” Doc says. This puts Joel at the top of the suspect list as far as Doc is concerned. Anyone who could come up with that song is clearly capable of anything.

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 11/5/2024

i am going to do my absolute fucking best to stay off the internet today. also the next time i write one of these i will be goddamn thirty. yeesh.

listening

it took three hours to make a normally brisk 50-minute trip back from the airport on sunday bc there were simply so many accidents. my phone wasn't charging, i was kind of locked into the one way i actually knew how to get home, it was pouring, and the only radio station that was reliably coming through was the local dad rock station.

i don't think i've ever actually heard this song all the way through before! i have of course heard the chorus in eight billion advertisements and trailers etc, but i tuned in right at the lyrics

I was a willow last night in my dream I bent down over a clear running stream Sang you the song that I heard up above And you kept me alive with your sweet flowing love

big ren faire lady of shallott vibes.

-

reading

witch hat atelier, the first twelve volumes that are out in english anyway. let's yoink the setup from the fan wiki.

Coco, a girl living in a small village, had been dreaming of becoming a magician since little. But people who don't know how to use magic since birth are unable to become magicians, or witness the moment magic occurs. But one day, Coco accidentally saw Qifrey, a magician that was visiting the village casting a spell. Ecstatic to finally know how magic works, she tries it immediately and transforms her mother into a stone statue. With the help of Qifrey and his disciples, Coco will embark in a magical journey to save her mother.

this gets a lot of ghibli comparisons, and i get it-- there's a lot of concern about healing scars from a near-cataclysmic magical war, lots of contraptions, bucolic countryside, loving shots of food, etc. i think there is a focus on academia and cohort-building, and how networking is a profession all to itself, that we do not generally see in ghibli films. i think the comp pull should go beyond the aesthetics, as well, but ghibli is still a good comp-- the world of witch hat atelier is dangerous and can hurt or kill you, but it treats the reader's heart with the same care a ghibli movie will. things may not be happily ever after or go perfectly at all times, but there are no twists for the sake of twists, and it doesn't sneer or make fun of you for caring about a character. there are no whedonesque "well THAT happened!" moments. these characters are going to learn and grow and you will learn and grow along with them goddamnit. it is queer but incidentally queer. the folx side of the fags-folx spectrum will feel very welcome here but this is not a tenderqueer kind of gay book. characters are incidentally gay because of course they are, that's just how the world works, look at all the fullness of human expression you can encounter in your one short life, why NOT be gay

i did not expect this series to kickstart a fresh wave of grief for my own academic experience. coco leans on her cohort so much and they truly do work together to solve problems and come up with good solutions and i wish i had had that kind of astronomy experience. it's kind of cold comfort that i don't know and have never heard of a woman having a good astronomy experience.

witch hat atelier: very fun to sink into the details on a page (Kamome Shirahama knows how functional but pretty clothes work), endlessly charming veneer on a very taut game of political ethics happening in the grownups' background

-

watching

happy noirvember!!!

Another Man's Poison (1952, dir. Rapper) courtesy of Kanopy's little revolving carousel of new noir films.

An English mystery writer (Bette Davis) kills her husband, then tries to kill a man (Gary Merrill) posing as her husband.

In his review in New Statesman and Nation, Frank Hauser wrote "No one has ever accused Bette Davis of failing to rise to a good script; what this film shows is how far she can go to meet a bad one."

a plot that could only happen in a country where appearances are everything. i must agree with mr hauser and most of the critics of the time who said Huh???? to the script and basic premise. AND the ending is a little too pat. a breakneck ninety minutes filmed in three months where its stage play bones show. however i really like Bette Davis and it's so much fun to watch Bette Davis pace around an English manor house like a caged tiger.

-

playing

fallow week, i am having a consistent problem with the now five year old gaming rig overheating and once i solve that issue i am very excited to play Red Dead Redemption the original (thank you again @pasta-pardner !)

-

making

deep cleaned my entire house. drove three hundred miles this weekend to pick up my sister and her friend from the airport, go to the ren faire, come back from the ren faire, and take them back to the airport. houston delivered to me some of the worst fucking driving experiences i have ever had here. really upsetting torrential downpour for nearly an hour on a road with no shoulder to speak of.

the actual ren faire was fun! i did not realize how vital a chair or bench with a fucking back was to my rest and recovery. it was nice to go with fellow adults and not help wrangle several small children, as fun as a kid-friendly experience can be. got my overpriced gyro for the year. got my bootleg anime merch for the year. wish it hadn't rained but i feel very smug for packing enough umbrellas and ponchos.

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Fluffy Smut (7) Masterlist

part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six

After the birthday stream (ao3) - trashcanfromgallifrey

Summary: The events that may have occured after Dan's birthday charity stream;) Starts of with fluff but ends up in a steamy hot shower

all I want to do is all of it with you (ao3) - jonsaremembers

Summary: Dan and Phil are going to stay late at the rehearsal venue to...film. Yeah.

As He Comes, So I Come (ao3) - cloej88

Summary: Dan and Phil have just returned from Chicago, where they finally sorted themselves out. They’ve slept a full ten hours under their own roof, and now they have an uninterrupted afternoon to rediscover one another’s bodies.

Buffy Movie Nights are Life Changing (ao3) - angelicsam

Summary: Things get steamy between Dan and Phil during their nighttime Buffy streaming session in 2010; featuring a confident yet bashful Phil and a shy Dan who learns how to drive Phil crazy.

Burning Bibles (ao3) - cherryheartz

Summary: phil lester loved curly headed boys with tattoos on their arms and a joint made with torn bible pages between their soft lips.

and dan howell was exactly that.

Dan and Phil Take Each Other's Clothes Off (NOT CLICKBAIT!!!) (ao3) - BREAD2000yeet

Summary: Dan and Phil play dress-up based off Dan's one dailybooth

Dan stops and stares at him, “You did not just tell me a red panda fact while we are having sex.”

“They can also glow in the dark.”

Despite everything it's still you (ao3) - Frog910

Summary: Dan's just got home from tour, they've missed each other

Dick pancakes and other declarations of love (ao3) - Scuddleduck

Summary: a series of vignettes as I imagine them on Valentine's day

disco stick (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: “Let’s have some fun, this beat is sick,” Phil sings into the microphone connected to the Xbox. It’s slightly off-rhythm, and he grins and stares right at Dan as he continues onto the next lyric. “I want to take a ride on your disco stick.”

(A fic based on the moment from “What Dan and Phil Text Each Other 4” where DnP mention they’ve sung LoveGame countless times on an old karaoke video game.)

Don't Blame Me (ao3) - ForeverJustAnEmoKidAtHeart

Summary: When Phil gets a new job at the Tops Only Bar, he's just looking to make ends meet over the holiday period. He doesn't expect how he'll feel about one of the performers or how hard that'll make his job.

eager for you (ao3) - philsbisexuallion (bisexual_lightning)

Summary: Phil's been waiting all night for Dan to push him up against a wall and fuck him senseless. He finally gets what he wants.

(a self-indulgent ftm t4t smut fic; warning for use of the word "slut" in a degrading way)

et in saecula saeculorum (ao3) - ottertrashpalace

Summary: Phil is the Duke of Lancaster, Dan is a knight, they have been performing intricate rituals, Dan said “as you wish,” the rest is history. Enjoy.

fall in love again and again (ao3) - manchesterau

Summary: Two days into their holiday while lounging by the villa pool that they rented out for the week to ensure maximum privacy, Dan has a thought:

I’m going to marry this boy.

here come the dreams of you and (ao3) - manchesterau

Summary: So he and Dan are a thing now. Phil doesn’t really know what thing they are but it’s something he knows he wants to hold onto and never let go.

"I'm a big fan of tops" (ao3) - Scuddleduck

Summary: Set immediately after filming the keep or yeet Phil's closet video.

Dan gets hot and bothered after watching Phil take his clothes off over and over again.

in this smoking chaos (ao3) - writingcollective

Summary: Dan bottoms for the first time, not being able to shut down his inner demons that whisper internalised homophobic thoughts into his ear. But Phil guides him through it, somehow.

james joint (ao3) - phook

Summary: dan and phil are gross and have been in love for 15 yrs and get high while visiting la for tit

Keep My Hand In Yours (ao3) - totalincandescense

Summary: It was kind of just an unspoken rule of their relationship. At least one part of Phil’s body had to be touching Dan at all times or it would throw the balance of the universe.

more than words (ao3) - jestbee

Summary: Dan can't find words and Phil can't shut the fuck up, but there are other ways to communicate

phlondes do it better (ao3) - wearealldoomed

Summary: The day has come around quicker than Phil had anticipated.

The day where Phil dips his toes back into the waters of dyeing his hair after months of letting his natural hair colour grow back through.

The day where Phil goes platinum blonde without confronting Dan about it first.

Please Don't Say You Love Me (Cause I Might Not Say It Back) (ao3) - phantasticworks (steddieworks)

Summary: Dan's not very good at hiding his emotions during hookups.

based on this tweet: "got so used to saying "I love you" when I was having sex with my ex that I'm out here fighting for my life to not say it on accident with a hookup"

Precious (ao3) - Scuddleduck

Summary: dnp have intimate lazy sex or whatever the fuck made people so mad on twitter. ( I didn't write the post, I'm just using it as a prompt)

Their first night on holiday.

Precious baby angel (ao3) - blossomsphan

Summary: Dan and Phil buy matching precious baby angel shirts because they’re gay and in love. Dan shows Phil how much he likes the shirt on his angel 💖

Precious Baby Angel (ao3) - toadsappho

Summary: Phil shows Dan his new t-shirt, but that's not the only surprise he has for him.

Réponds à Ma Tendresse (ao3) - Blorbiron

Summary: Dan is visiting, and that’s Phil’s absolute favorite thing ever- which is kind of sad, maybe, for someone he’s known for like two months, but he can’t be bothered to care. Because Dan’s sitting right on his bed, close enough to touch, and cackling whenever Phil dies in Crash Bandicoot. Which is a lot.

sativa (i said im ready) (ao3) - catbearbunz (bunnieovadamoon)

Summary: it’s 2009, and phil really wishes dan would call. he does, but he comes greener than expected.

aka they get drunk and high and have esex.

Sheets and sharpies (ao3) - wwoodles

Summary: “Are you going to be good for me?”

He hovered above Dan’s face, awaiting his response. Dan was always taken aback that Phil had this power in him. The ability to completely disarm him.

“Yes, Father.”

Or, in the moments after the end of Dan’s birthday stream, Dan is not only incredibly grateful for Phil, but also incredibly horny.

so american (ao3) - ae121

Summary: Phil has been living in London for a year and thinks he's gotten pretty used to the city. He works part-time at a bookstore, using it at first to gain some friends, now it's just fun for him. His friends are constantly trying to find him someone to date, but all of his dates don't go well.

Well, that's until he met Dan.

Something Unholy (ao3) - hygge

Summary: Phil receives some very surprising and seductive texts in the middle of the night.

Stay With Me (ao3) - blehmobile

Summary: Dan and Phil are flatmates, and they occasionally flirt. They agree that it is very normal to bathe with friends. Totally no tension at all.

sunkissed (ao3) - ivylakes

Summary: Maybe Phil was made to pour warmth into this man and leave little marks all over his body the way the sun does when it covers his skin with freckles. Maybe everything they’ve ever done and every little way they’ve loved each other has culminated in this very moment, where they can hardly see each other in the low light but are still brighter than the yellow light that breaks through the sky and glitters on the ocean.

Or, Dan and Phil go on holiday, and every photo they take tells a story.

true rat and relaxation time (ao3) - trashcanfromgallifrey

Summary: Two gays on holiday, inspired by their recent video.

when the train came it was so big and powerful (ao3) - r1caner

Summary: It is 2009, and things are going to change. Dan thinks so, anyway.

a dnp fic for the 15th 19th of october.

You and Me (ao3) - Scuddleduck

Summary: Birthday sex after Dan's birthday livestream

you look so good it hurts (in my favorite t-shirt) (ao3) - phantasticworks (steddieworks)

Summary: Phil is gifted with a "Mega Dilf" shirt. Guess who picked that shirt out?

[maximilliansblog]

Welcome Home Hyacinth Theory 🏠🪻🐛

Hello Tumblr! Most Welcome Home theories are just little bits and pieces or “Wally is evil, guys look!”/”Wally is not evil! He is a goober!” etc.

This theory is fully fledged and provides a plot and evidence. I call it the Welcome Home “Hyacinth” theory, after the myth that it is based on. This will be a very long post so here is a TLDR: Julie kills Eddie while they are playing croquette-bowling out of jealousy because he is getting too close to Frank, who is supposed to be her boyfriend/best friend within the show. Either just Eddie or everyone involved gets replaced, except for Wally, who witnessed everything. This is why we have all of those videos of Wally dissociating.

I have been sitting around in my toom rambling to myself about this theory like a madman for over a week so I decided to share it.

Please reference this post from @/partycoffin (the creator of Welcome Home) when discussing Welcome Home and be respectful in the comments and reblogs.

Extra information from @theneighborhoodwatch:

Welcome Home Observation Document

Welcome Home Livestream Trivia

Welcome Home Archive Links + Backup Screenshots

Fanmade Welcome Home Wiki (I don't recommend the Fandom wiki)

Extra information on exploring the website from @angel-lyah:

Welcome Home Website Secrets

Alright, let’s get into it! I have evidence to back up every single one of those claims, and I will include it in this post.

I want to be very thorough with explaining this. I’ll start by establishing that there are three main plots within Welcome Home (that I have noticed, anyways):

The plot of the late 60’s - early 70’s TV show, Welcome Home - only related to published episodes, books, audios, etc. that would have been shown to the public at the time of airing Welcome Home

“Behind the show” - feelings and actions of the puppets outside of the show (such as Frank and Eddie being a couple, or Frank being nonbinary)

The Welcome Home Restoration Project - people working to restore the TV show, Welcome Home, and find any and all information related to it and who made it

Okay so for the rest of this essay, when I mention BtS, it is related to the “behind the show” plot. I will color these things blue. When I write WtS, it is related to the “within the show” plot. I will color these things green. When I write WHRP, it is related to the Welcome Home Restoration Project. I will color these things pink. I will also mention things that have been said either on Clown’s Tumblr blog, Clown’s Twitter, or old streams. I will say CS, meaning “Clown source” to denote these things and color them orange. Clown source and behind the show areas often overlap, so Clown source information is dominant over behind the show information (if it is both I will just color it orange). Good? Good.

Now let’s establish our characters (only the ones related to this theory) and their relationships to one another. We’ll go alphabetically, starting with Eddie, then moving onto Frank, Julie, and Wally. 

I’m going to assume that if you are reading this, you have already visited the website (clownillustration.com) and have a basic understanding of who Eddie is. So I will only focus on the elements of his character that will be relevant in this theory.

Eddie (WtS) is clumsy and overworks himself. He is often dragged into Julie’s games. His house (post office) looks like this:

Note the hyacinth flowers and the butterfly. Eddie (BtS) loves Frank. (CS) He is married to Frank in one art on Clown’s Tumblr. BY THE WAY IT TOOK FOREVER TO FIND THIS IMAGE!!!! THEY ARE IN THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER!!

Frank (WtS) is Julie’s boyfriend as it is implied that they are a couple within the show (I know a lot of us don’t like hearing this, but remember the three plots) (also for everyone that is going to argue with me on this, go look on their little profiles in the neighborhood section of the website and come back to me) and best friend. His house looks like this:

Note the sunflowers. Frank (BtS) loves Eddie.

(CS) As I said before, in one art on Clown’s Tumblr, Eddie and Frank are married (you can tell by the rings on their fingers in that image) . Frank is nonbinary but uses he/him pronouns (Clown refers to Frank on his blog with only he/him pronouns, so that is what I will use. Nonbinary people do not have to use they/them pronouns! Pronouns are not equal to gender!)

(WtS) Julie is a rainbow monster. Her thing is that she likes to make up and play games. She seems to be very strong (perhaps related to her being a rainbow monster), as she can easily lift Wally and is indirectly referenced to [throw a baseball very well] by Barnaby in the Live Interview audio. She also incorporates bowling into a lot of games where it is unnecessary. She seems to be immature, which is usually used to make her a playful character. Her and Frank are a couple. In several arts, her horns are different shapes or even nonexistent, implying that she has some ability to change her form. Her house looks like this:

Note the heart motif throughout the design. (BtS) Julie is best friends with Frank. (CS) She is genderfluid (she is only referred to using she/her pronouns on Clown’s blog, so that is what I will use). 

(WtS) Wally is the main character in Welcome Home. His house is alive and is named Home. Home is often considered to be a ninth neighbor. Wally often communicates for Home. (WHRP) Wally signs Home’s name in the guestbook (as Home does not have hands) (please stop with the tentacles I have seen the art please stop for the love of god where did that even come from). (WtS) The other neighbors frequently ignore and talk over Wally, but he doesn’t seem to mind, saying that he loves all of his friends in the live interview audio.

Okay so now that that is established, let’s look at some promotional art. Promotional art is not necessarily canon and may contain outdated designs, but may hint at the plot of Welcome Home. 

There is one more artwork that I would like to add, but it is on Clown’s KoFi. Here is a link to it that you can look at if you are subscribed to Clown’s KoFi:

[link to Clown’s KoFi here]

I won’t describe the image because some of you may not be subscribed to Clown’s KoFi. But if you are, you will see that the image supports my theory.

While we are discussing that image, I would also like to say that I believe that the puppets are some kind of biological organisms. I don’t have much evidence for this right now, but I may make a theory in the future. 

We will come back to those promotional arts soon. Right now, let’s look at Frank and Eddie’s houses and discuss some symbolism and mythology.

Frank’s house has sunflowers outside of it. Sunflowers are a symbol of Apollo. Eddie has hyacinths outside of his post office, obviously a symbol of Hyacinthus. Hyacinthus and Apollo were lovers, but Hyacinthus tragically died. Let me tell the story so we have context. (I am really into Greek mythology by the way, it’s always been a special interest since middle school but I am also a Hellenic pagan, you should follow my witchcraft and paganism blog, creatively named @maxiswitchcraftandpaganblog)

So Apollo, god of the sun, art, archery, and LOTS of various other things, loved Hyacinthus, who was a mortal Spartan man. And Hyacinthus loved him too, by the way. The god of the (west? don’t feel like googling it) wind, Zephyrus, was jealous of Hyacinthus, because he also loved Apollo. 

One day, Apollo and Hyacinthus were playing discus (like frisbee but the frisbee is giant and made of metal, kind of like a shield). Apollo threw the discus to Hyacinthus, but Zephyrus blew the discus off course with the wind, causing it to hit Hyacinthus in the head and kill him. Apollo created the hyacinth flower from Hyacinthus’ blood as he died, but in some myths made him a god. (read more on Apollo and Hyacinthus here)

I’m going to draw some parallels here. Frank = Apollo, Eddie = Hyacinthus, Julie = Zephyrus. Now Frank’s and Eddie’s parallels make sense because of the flowers, but where did I get Julie=Zephyrus from? Recall that (WtS) Julie and Frank are supposed to be a couple. Now, (BtS) Julie may or may not like Frank in that way, but she certainly enjoys being close to him as his best friend. Since she is already established as an immature character, it would make sense that she would be jealous seeing Frank get closer to Eddie.

Pause. So WtS, Frank and Julie are together. BtS, Frank and Eddie are together. If these are separate, then what is Julie jealous about? (WtS) Frank has been seen getting closer to Eddie even in the official material of the show. An example of this is him telling Eddie that he works too hard at the end of the “Eddie’s Big Lift” storybook record. So his BtS love for Eddie is leaking into the WtS canon. That is a problem for Julie, who is supposed to be Frank’s girlfriend WtS. So she comes up with an idea to fix this, much like the jealous god, Zephyrus. 

So what does she do? Let’s turn our attention to the “Just So” song demo. This song was never finished with instrumentals, and for a reason. The puppets function as actors in the show, as it is obvious that they have their own free will, and Julie does something that the writers do not expect later in this episode. So the song was never finished because the episode was ruined. 

In the “Just So” song demo, Frank and Julie are about to play croquette bowling. It was supposed to be just croquette, as Frank put on his croquette bow tie, but last minute, Julie added bowling to the mix. 

Wally knocks on the door and interrupts their song, saying that Home wants to play croquette bowling too. This implies that Julie told someone else that they would be playing croquette bowling after she added bowling. I feel like Wally and Home overheard Julie telling Eddie that they would be playing croquette bowling. This would make sense, as Wally often stands by and listens while the other neighbors talk. It is not unusual for Eddie to participate in Julie’s games, either, as we see from Julie playing “business woman in the big city” with him. [add a photo]

The song recording ends before we see them playing croquette bowling together. But I have a piece of evidence to tell us how it ends. Look at this promotional art again.

You probably assumed that the figure in the back was holding a hammer, but that could actually be a croquette mallet!

It’s covered in some gory-looking stuff, probably from Eddie. Now look at the flower. Whose eyes look like that? Almond-shaped, round pupils. Only one character: Wally. Wally was a witness, which would make sense for him, since he often watches on as the other neighbors do things. 

Julie is holding the flower in front of her, looking innocent. This is a stretch, but I think that this might be symbolism for her saying that she didn’t do it on purpose, Wally saw the whole thing, ask him! And Wally doesn’t know what to do. I don’t know what he does from there.

Maybe this image is a clue? I genuinely don’t know. Once again, promotional art is not necessarily canon, but we can use the concepts from it in theories.

This next part is also a bit of a stretch. The neighbors having a memory of something like that happening would ruin their “acting” (I think they are just being recorded as they do what they would naturally do). The show can’t have that. The solution? Replace everyone involved. 

Now go back and look in the promotional art section and look at that art of Frank. It looks like Frank is laying among extra puppet parts. They have extras!

And this is why Wally is dissociating in the videos we see when we click on the bugs. They did not replace him, because like the neighbors, they didn’t even notice he was there.

Okay yeah that’s the theory. It was really hard to get this into a coherent Google Doc and gather all the links. I was just rambling to myself about this in my room over and over pacing around for like a week. But yeah here you go, hope it's a good theory, sorry if it's not lol please be nice to me

[hazelrose3637]

Nikki's Birthday Live Stream!

Well, Shiny Designers, the Glitter of Wishes live stream has come to an end. And, wow, has it been a treat!

In case you missed it, here's the full itinerary:

A sweet Momo montage! Our favorite kitty gets a new song! Of course he mentions food in it lol

And we get a cute animation sequence of Nikki finding Momo practicing a dance in secret. Who knew Momo was so skilled?

Now, we get into the main part of the live stream. After greeting us, Nikki and Momo have a memory notebook that contains well wishes and gifts from across Miraland... and even from real life!

We visit Cloud Empire first, where the game devs filmed a stunning display of molten iron fireworks! They spent a whole day finding the perfect spot, setting up the smithing tools, and then setting off brilliant sparks. They were incredible to watch!

And then, the first round of giveaways: 12 lucky people will get 12 Sea of Fantasy tickets and 1206 pink gems. (Get it? 12/06 is Nikki's birthday.)

Off to Pigeon Kingdom afterward! A short and cute stop-motion sequence made of clay and felt shows Nikki and Momo having fun with arts and crafts. I wonder how long it took the animators to move the figures frame by frame? Nevertheless, it looks amazing!

The next giveaway code is PIGEONKINGDOM, and it will give 2888 to 5 stylists.

Third stop on our journey is Wasteland, and it offers the most gifts! First, we get Letters from Wasteland, where Vivian, Jiang Beixi, Zoey, Tess, Yisu, and even Queen Hester share memories and wishes for Nikki.

And then, we get a second dance, this time of Nikki in her standard SN dress, the Voice of Desire suit, and the Bloom Up suit as three versions of her dance to Bloom Up! It's all so cute! ^_^

Lastly, we get a quick animation sequence of Momo and his hamster friend grilling (and fighting over) steak. Nikki saves the day in a very sweet way.

Before we go to Ninir Kingdom, the third round of giveaways starts, with the code NINIRKINGDOM offering 5888 pink gems for 2 lucky stylists.

Now in Ninir, we get a glimpse of Nikki's birthday outfit! It's a lovely pink fireworks-themed dress, complete with a crown. You can check out OrangeCatty's blog here for a video and full rundown.

And we get to see our next event: the second Sanrio collab, this time with Kuromi and Pompompurin! Who else can't wait for the adorable animal friends?

Not only that, but the entire server gets a redeem code: HBDNIKKI for 520 gems! Make sure to claim it before the 14th of December.

But guess what is a bigger surprise? Real gamers voicing their wishes for Nikki! I recognized only a couple, but it was still so cool to see how many people the devs reached out to make this live stream even sweeter.

To wrap up the live stream, we got a mashup of several different Nikki songs, all leading up to the premier of a new song, Fireworks of Memories. Such a sweet song :)

The last giveaway is BESTWISH for 8888 pink gems, and only one very lucky stylist will get that. Momo comes back for an encore montage, this time with Nikki singing along.

If you'd like to check out the full archived video, check it out here.

See you next time, Shiny Designers!

[tarttheart]

PRECIOUS LOVE CHAPTER 10: JAMIE TARTT x YOU

summary: you finally make some progress.

word count: 960 words

warnings: language

-

chapter 10: to be a better man

It took three days for you to think that maybe you deserved better. It started with Michael pulling you into a big hug when you told him you did not think it was going to work out. He went on to reassure you that there was a long line of fit footballers you could choose from because you were, in his words, “fit as fuck”. Then, the multiple messages from Rebecca and Keeley reminding you that you were brave and amazing. Finally, there were the flowers from the De Bryunes as a little cherry on top with a strongly worded reminder about what a wonderful person you were after you messaged Kevin and Michele a sincere and heartfelt apology for being so unavailable.

So, you decided it was time to properly invest in getting better. You had had enough of a go on your own without professional help and it had gotten you nowhere. Sure, you had travelled heaps around the various regions you had been assigned to while away and done some self-care as you had initially grieved. That had been great but then, hyperfocusing on work thereafter had definitely been counterproductive. While it was great that you finally had some semblance of a social life now, calling it progress was a bit of a stretch given you had been processing for four years albeit somewhat half-heartedly.

Seeing Dr Sharon was hard. There was a lot she had needed to set right in the initial sessions. There were a lot of tears and days spent holed up at home trying to grapple with all that had come to pass. But, as the sessions wore on, you could feel some light coming back into your life and the light at the end of a very long, very dark tunnel.

Slowly, you allowed yourself to be around more things football-related. First, it was Nelson Road for an actual in-person appointment with Dr Sharon. Dr Sharon suggested it and you were not about to shy away from the challenge after making as much progress as you had. Although you had spent the better part of 15 minutes hyperventilating outside before stepping foot into the facility, what mattered was you did. Sessions expanded to having lunch and drinks with Keeley and Rebecca in Rebecca’s office. Sure, part of the reason you had had lunch with Rebecca the first time was because you had heard ruckus in the locker room and seen players streaming out as you had started down the stairs so you had retreated to Rebecca’s office for safety. Yes, it might have been rooted in fear initially but being able to be at Nelson Road was progress in itself.

Then, you started attending games with Rebecca and Keeley. The first time, Richmond were playing Aston Villa away and you happened to be in Birmingham to visit a client. Given the meeting was scheduled for a Friday, you had decided to extend your trip to Sunday to give yourself a little bit of breathing room between train journeys. But, that was where the breathing room ended. The other director had taken to you and decided to make a weekend out of it with you as their unwilling partner (something about a bad breakup and ideal girls’ trip).

You: HELP PLEASE. She was chatting to me from outside the cubicle.

Rebecca: Oh god.

Keeley: don’t hate me babes but

Keeley: what about coming to the game?

You: can I sit in the back and scroll through IG the entire time?

You: you know what, doesn’t matter. She is trying to book us in for costume karaoke. I’m in.

You had originally said you would sit in the back and ignore everything going on but were quickly sucked into the spirit of it all. How could you not? It was an exciting one with Richmond kicking a goal to win it all in the last two minutes of the match. Being in and amongst it all had brought back memories, fond memories of attending Man City matches with the De Bryunes as an extra set of hands for the children. You realised in that moment that football was not as painful a memory as you had thought it would be now. So, when the next opportunity arose to join Rebecca and Keeley in the box, you took it and you remembered that look of pride the two had as they pulled you in for a hug when you had agreed.

Taking the step to actually joining in the team celebrations and being around the team took a little more. You had started making regular appearances around Nelson Road and at matches, enough to spark speculations amongst players about your identity. Did Keeley have a new investor? Maybe Rebecca’s personal lawyer?

Jamie sat in the locker room, overcome by a weird feeling of almost deja vu after catching glimpses of you in the hallways. He always managed to dodge you before you caught sight of him, thanks to the recent agility training he had been keeping up but seeing you stirred something within him nonetheless. He remembered the way you laughed and squealed whenever they won. He remembered the way you always hugged him when he needed it. He remembered how you would give him a thumbs up whenever he looked mad about something and how it made his frustrations disappear if only for a second.

“Oh, that’s who you’re talking about. Guess she must know Keeley and Rebecca too but she’s neither an investor nor a lawyer. She works with Michael,” Colin explained one day.

“Whatever her name is, she seems like a good bottle of Nebbiolo. Elegant, understated, well-liked and very, very good.”

Fuck Richard and his perfect fucking analogy, Jamie thought to himself.

-

< chapter 9 | master list | chapter 11 >

[kiliinstinct]

The Forbidden Woods

A Genshin Impact Au Pairing: Aether/Xiao Urban Fantasy and Supernatural Romance Find on A03: [Here] Special Thanks to @genavere: My beta. Chapter 1: / Chapter 3:

---

Chapter 2: Golden Gaze

Someone was watching him.

The gaze was a subtle one that Aether hadn’t noticed at first. The kind of stare that builds over time until the pressure on the back of your neck became too distracting. 

And this certainly distracted him. 

The first few days in his family home were full of coughing and sneezing as he struggled to clear a space enough to consider his temporary bedroom. The rest of the home looked like an abandoned, haunted house that beckoned him to every shadow with promises of exploration and horrors. Dusty sheets covered old furniture, the remains of mice and other excrement could be found in every corner, and a musky, staleness filled the air.

In any other circumstance, this place could be seen as a bio weapon, unfit for the living, but he made do. Opening every window he could to air out the first floor, he struggled with the upstairs rooms to do the same. (Many locks had rusted over, making his hands itch and sore with the attempt to open them.)  But once the layer of dust was out of the way, sunlight streamed inside, illuminating every room with a calming, natural light. 

Amusingly, it brought to light just how his parents had left all those years ago. Ratty books, moth-eaten and dusty, still sat on the shelves and toys he had thought lost, were left on the floor as a frozen memory to their former games. Plaques and pictures still hung on the walls, reflecting those memories with the forever smiling faces of his family. 

Just what had happened to make them leave in such a rush? Aether couldn’t recall, temple pounding as he struggled to remember anything beyond  the car ride full of excited laughter as they crossed the border.

When he called his sister, Lumine, the first night to tell her of his jitters, she laughed and told him to not watch any horror movies while alone. Considering the lack of wifi, cable, and satellite access, it should have been an easy enough suggestion to follow. 

But no one ever claimed he was wise. Well, he did, often enough, too. Who better to be his hype man than himself?

The data on his phone was more than enough to bring up a couple true crime videos in the dead of night while he lay in bed. (Which was more a glorified pallet of his own sleeping back and linens he’d brought with him.)  Lumine’s early morning text calling him an idiot made him cackle through an exhausted yawn. It had come before he’d decided to admit his poor choice in entertainment, and the call out was enough to make the house feel just a little bit lighter. Unfortunately, the laughter turned to a string of sneezes from the dusty air.

That was then. 

Three days of toil later, Aether questioned his life choices. Was it even worth cleaning the place up—the only interest in the land was a company hoping to use the acres for its warehouse. Gone would be the house, the untilled land waiting to be used again. And gone would be the memories he held dearly in the treasure trove of his mind, examining them with fond nostalgia when he had the time.  The old fence, shed and forest boundary aligning the edges of the land would be replaced with industrial metal and merchandise, shipping in and out of the area. 

He ignored the way this reality clutched at his heart and settled in his gut like a sickness. 

The logical voice in his head claimed ‘no,’ but a louder part of him refused to acknowledge it. 

Even before he’d agreed to pay the house one last visit, making Lumine wait to sign the papers, Aether had felt the urge to return. Whether it be the old, nostalgic dreams and memories that plagued his sleep or just a feeling in his heart he couldn’t explain, he couldn’t ignore it. And so, he put himself to work, cleaning every room with his hair tied back in a messy braid and a mask fitted over his face. (It didn’t work. He still coughed each time he unearthed a new pile of dust bunnies under the old, moth-eaten furniture.)

It was the evening of that third day when he first began to consider the feeling of being watched as something other than his ridiculous love of horror and true crime documentaries. Anytime he passed by a window, the entry doors, or just laid on his makeshift pallet to rest, his skin crawled. Ignoring the way goosebumps settled along his arms, Aether would shut the blinds to every window he crossed in a fit of paranoia and irritation.  

The difference it made was zero. As if the presence could see through the old fabrics with relative ease. He had considered buying new ones before shoving the thought aside. He was just being ridiculous, he knew that.

When Lumine’s daily check in was answered with his worries, she held no sympathy for her twin, texting back her thoughts with humorous teasing. 

‘Is it bigfoot? He saw your pretty hair and is planning to take you away, ooooh~’

‘This isn’t helping, Lumine.’

‘You’ll wake up in the midst of night, being carried off like a princess, curled up in the arms of the hairiest beast alive!’

Aether would not let her know just how easily she pulled a bark of laughter from him, replying petulantly, ‘I’m ignoring you, now.’

It would be minutes later, when he was already busying himself with more cleaning, that his phone dinged with her final remark:

‘Can’t wait to see your new boyfriend. :P Take lots of pictures for me!’

Instead, he took a shot of her stolen bunny slippers currently resting on his feet, and laughed when her ensuing outrage caused a cacophony of notifications to ring from his cell. Lumine: 0. Aether: 1.

Unfortunately, the feeling persisted.

The fourth day came and went. As did the fifth. When a full week had passed, the sensation became a companion to Aether’s every movement; one he was constantly aware of.

Lumine’s sense of humor persisted, ‘It’s the calm before Bigfoot comes for you.’

‘You’re seriously not funny…’

‘Maybe he’ll leave you a gift?’

‘I’m burning your slippers.’

‘NO!’

Aether: 2

Whatever was watching him seemed only interested in doing just that: watching.  And with no visual proof of anyone on the grounds, Aether accepted it might be in his head. 

Another thought came to mind, one whispering of the old tales enshrouding the perimeter of his backyard. 

“These woods are the home of ancient spirits and demons,” he remembered hearing as a child. “They guard the land possessively, scaring away all visitors that mean it and its denizens harm. Those who don’t belong will find themselves lost in the accursed fog they create. Never cross the boundary, child, for those who do will never return.’

A silly tale, all things considered. He recalled the tale, written in a children’s book, but repeated by teachers and his parents alike. It was something aimed to keep children from wandering and getting lost in the woods, but he couldn’t get the story out of his mind.

In Aether and Lumine’s youth, they were fascinated by the stories and tested the limits by making their play location right along the boundary lines. He had the feeling they had even passed the lines once or twice, but the memories were too foggy to confirm. Like a dream that refused to fade away. Either way, there were no actual records of people disappearing, not in his lifetime, and he scoffed every time the thought crossed his mind. Considering his and his sister's penchant for exploration, he doubted the stories worked for any child with a healthy curiosity. 

No, he had to accept the fact that maybe, just maybe, all those late night podcasts, being alone in the middle of nowhere, and an active imagination were helping the tales take form into something darker in the back of his mind. His paranoia grew a life of its own without anyone else around to help keep him grounded. 

Not for the first time, he wished Lumine (or even his little sister, Paimon) had come with him. While the three had lived without their parents for the last two years, he had never, truly been alone. Not like this and it was fraying the edges of his sanity if he stood still long enough.

If Lumine knew he was regretting his want for being ‘independant’ and ‘capable,’ he’d never hear the end of it. So he urged his siblings to trust he was more than okay, and continued to bite down on the rising need to check over his shoulder every moment. He even considered taking Draff up on his offer for a night or two, just to get fresh air, but no…Stubborn pride kept him there. Soon enough, after  the house looked, for the most part, liveable, if a bit dated. 

When he finally took his attention to the exterior, dressed in a pair of overalls he’d pulled from storage (he wanted to look the part!) that were covered in dirt and grass strains coupled with one of his low-cut shirts and handkerchief for his hair, he noticed the state of the yard. Draff had done a good job in the upkeep throughout the years, visiting often enough to keep the weeds and overgrowth at bay. 

From an outside perspective, one would almost think the yard and untilled farmland was still occupied, like a summer or winter home. That didn’t mean the yard didn't need work, however…  Old pathstones were barely visible beneath the overgrown lawn and what was once a blossoming garden held no resemblance of the love their mom had poured into it. Gardening tools that had been forgotten in the moment sat against the wooden gate, rusted over, and  brought a feeling of sorrow to Aether. 

A part of him wanted to grasp the tools in hand and see what could be done with the old garden, to restore it to the vibrancy he remembered. But he wasn’t here for that, and stomped down those feelings. He’d clear away the old and leave it open for the new— whatever form that would be. And if possible, he’d just borrow some of Draff’s tools instead. The current ones looked close to falling apart if disturbed. 

These were issues he could tend to later. With another two months left of his visit, Aether already knew what he wanted to do that day, and spending more time cleaning wasn’t one of them. At least, not when it came to the old house and its fields. He had a more childish aim. The old stone shrine near the edge of the woods: his and Lumine’s childhood haven. 

The yard was large, covering a few acres and needing a riding mower to keep the grass at bay, but Aether enjoyed the walk. He kicked at sticks and pebbles that littered the old, almost non-existent pathways and enjoyed the treeline at the end of the path. It still held an air of mysticism for him; one born from the childhood fantasies he tailored in his youth. The trees had grown enough for their branches to bend over and out, stretching forth over the yard. 

Between them, as the limbs swayed in the wind, a flash of familiar teal caught his attention. He squinted his eyes, breath catching in his throat as he caught sight of a bird, slightly larger than the one he remembered, but matching in colors. It kept watch on the branches, head tilted as it observed from above. 

Recognition brought a burn to his eyes and a lump formed in his throat. “Did my old friend have kids?” he asked out loud, grinning wistfully. The fowl in question, ruffled its feathers and jumped to another branch, ignoring his query. Laughter bubbled up in Aether’s chest. 

“Must have. You have the same temperament!” 

Somehow, that thought brought him more joy than he’d felt in the last week.  Relieved laughter bubbled in his chest as his shoulders shook with a rising happiness. Was this the source of his paranoia all along? Feeling this swell of emotion, he withdrew his phone to take a picture. Lumine would love an update on their old birdwatcher, he was sure of it!

But before his fingers could pull up the app, the bird had warbled an annoyed cry and took off towards the woods, careening Aether’s excitement down to the bits of his stomach, “Aww, you couldn’t stay for just two more seconds?”

 He felt his shoulders drop, maybe he’d have another chance later. Instead of a picture, he sent a quick, ‘I think our bird friend had babies!’ to his sister and pocketed his phone once more. He’d check later for a reply. 

Later would come much later, Aether realized. When he came upon the stone altar, he saw the state it was left in and gawked. Far messier than the rest of the yard. Draff hadn’t been asked to clean so close to the boundary fence due to his aversion to the woods and it showed. 

“The Mistwatcher would prefer his boundaries respected,” Aether recalled over hearing the man say over the phone months after their departure. Despite the inconvenience, his parents didn’t fight over the local superstition and the altar paid for it.

Debris from storms and over growth littered the small clearing and the old stone seats he and Lumine had carefully dragged into the area were covered in moss and fungi poked out from the shadows. Old, dead leaves littered the ground, while dried vines and other plant life had reclaimed the area. 

Aether had come to see it for the sake of nostalgia with no intention of making it what it once was, but the urge to fix what was lost swelled in his chest and he moved to clear off the altar without a second thought. They didn’t need seats, or the old blankets and streamers that had been left behind long ago. Even the old rope, tied to the nearest tree for swinging, could stay broken and festering on the ground, but the table itself…he couldn’t leave it as it was. That wasn’t right. 

He thought, for one insane moment, that his old, childhood friend, unseen by anyone but himself, would be sad at the state of things. This had been his home, after all, made up in the minds of two kids who wanted to believe the world was more magic than not. And while he no longer believed in imaginary friends, he was determined to return things to the state they were before. It was an illogical, desperate pull at his fingers and mind that refused to loosen its hold on him.

He HAD to clean it off.

Pulling thick, leather gloves from his back pocket, he pulled them on and went to work, brushing off every bramble he could. 

It was almost meditative. Each task a pattern. Tear off a vine here, brush dirt away there, move the debris off to the side. He fell into a rhythm, humming as he worked. It would take more time than he had in the day to complete, but he continued with a smile.  

He began to zone out, body moving on autopilot while his mind drifted into the skies and all the thoughts in between. He wondered when Lumine would text him back, when she would have the next meeting with their prospective buyers, and just how much was being offered for the land. As much as he understood that the land was wasting away while they struggled to pay off the debts left to them in their parents' wake, Aether couldn't help but think no amount of money could truly equal the amount his childhood home was worth.

After all, it had been the most constant place in his life until they were spirited away to Sumeru City. 

The thought made him laugh, snorting at himself as he refocused his attention. The top of the altar was clear now, but the decades of grime and moss would need something more. A hose, perhaps? I could bring one out from the shed, he thought. While rusted over, he recalled the tools left behind. All he would need was more time to unearth the old relics.

Perhaps they could be sold, too? He began to consider the logistics of a garage sale or donating to the local flea market. It was as good a train of thought as anything else and he considered the particulars as he worked. As the minutes passed, a pile of debris began to grow by the old oak tree  while his mind continued to wander. The pile pulled a frown at his lips and displeasure began to color his mood. Did he really want to sell these items?

His train of thought was interrupted by a large gust of wind, picking up a torn vine as it blew back into the woods with a flurry of leaves. He watched it cross over the gate, but froze when he returned his attention back to the altar, eyes widening in surprise. 

The bird was back. It bounced on tiny talons across the flat surface, picking bits and pieces of leftover twigs with its beak. Was it the season for building nests, Aether wondered, reaching for his phone for a quick search on bird behavior. But the question was moot as he watched the bird drop the twigs to the side, clearing the space as it went.

Aether blinked. Then blinked again. Its agile movements belied its apparent thick size, feathers ruffling any time it failed to fit something in its mouth. Any failure was quickly dealt with, however, as it renewed its hunt for what Aether left behind with vigor.

“...is,” Aether muttered breathlessly, voice so low he could barely hear himself in fear of chasing the fowl off, “is he helping me?”

The ball of feathers continued its task and Aether marveled at the intelligence behind its tiny eyes. Too afraid to ruin the moment, he stayed in place to watch silently while his fingers itched to record it on his phone. 'Lumine would find this so cute-' 

His hand was already moving before he could reconsider it. With slow, mechanical movements, he readjusted his phone and smoothly swiped his thumb along the screen to his camera, eyes trained on the bird the entire time. He didn't glance at the screen, too afraid to break the magic.

So when he pressed what he hoped was the record button, the sudden flash that occurred not only surprised him but sent a jolt of panic through his veins. “No, no, no-!”

He fumbled the phone, quickly trying to change it, but dropped it to the leaves at his feet instead. Dazed by his own mess up, he noted in confusion a sudden pain on his head as he dove to retrieve it, but the pain persisted. It stabbed him again and again and again until he processed all events and recognized the sound of angry squawking just overhead.

When he stood back up, phone firmly in hand, his now angered bird friend stopped its constant attack to Aether's skull and dive bombed his fingers instead. Talons grasped his thumbs as the point of its sharp beak pecked away rapidly.

Aether couldn't help it when the phone fell again as he jerked his hand up to shake the bird off, shouting, “I'm sorry! Ow!“ He tried to grab the phone again, but the bird persisted, landing on the screen to peck at not just him but the phone itself. ”Hey, stop! I need that!“

A quick tussle followed as Aether cursed to the skies above and finally had to admit defeat. He couldn't count the amount of times he'd dropped his phone as the crazed bird continued its attack, far braver now than it had appeared an hour ago. After the umpteenth time of the device flying to the ground, Aether changed tactics and used the side of his foot to slide it across the yard instead—

Which ended in his shoes being attacked just as viciously. Any onlookers would find it a comical sight. (It relieved Aether to know that wouldn't be possible this far from the nearest town.) By the time he made it to the back door, he was feeling less apologetic, focusing on swiping the bird away in a last ditch effort to protect his phone.

”Shoo! Go Away!“ He said, once more sliding the phone further from the bird's manic grasp. The rush to save the device made him miss the change in terrain as the grass became scarce the closer to the porch they came. Giving the phone less friction to fight again, it grinded across loose dirt as his final push sent it sliding straight under the back porch. 

Mouth agape, Aether wanted to scream in frustration. That was his only connection to the outside world. The thought of not calling Lumine, or hearing Paimon’s voice as they checked in on each other filled him with a boiling, desperate rage, but the Bird's relentless attack had switched targets. Landing on the bannister, it watched him with angry eyes, boxing itself up again with the fluffiest of feathers (a view Aether would have found adorable in any other circumstance). When he stepped forward, the bird trilled an angry warning and bounced on its feet back and forth, preparing another dive bomb.

Nope. He was done with this. “Augh, fine!” If he couldn't brave the dangers under his porch for his phone or enter through the backdoor then he'd simply retreat and come back when the risk was safer. 

“Don't you have a nest to make? Or a female to attract?” He threw his arms up, tangling his fingers in his hair. “I...I can't believe a bird is this evil!”

Grumbling the entire way to his front door, Aether thought he felt the bird following him, or a faint laughter. The sound and sensation disappeared as soon as it had begun, and in retaliation he slammed the door behind him without a second thought. He'd be back for his phone, the world and that demonic bird be damned!

Though, after a quick examination of the shallow bites left by a surprisingly sharp beak that littered his arms and possibly his head, he sighed. He'd run back into the demon’s realm for his phone after he cleaned himself, he amended. 

Thankfully, the adventure to retrieve his phone wasn't nearly so harrowing an experience as it had been to lose it. After disinfecting the tiny marks on his arm and checking his scalp (surprisingly undamaged, he noted.) a hot shower, and lunch to mollify his angry stomach, Aether decided it was time to try again. If anything, he needed to attempt before the sun went down and the need for dinner distracted him.

And he hoped—no, prayed to the very stars that the tiny menace had long lost interest and went off to do whatever birds did. Another thing he considered searching for out of inane curiosity, but how could he with his phone MIA?

As luck would have it, his once tentative friend now turned enemy was nowhere in sight. He almost let out a sigh of relief, but if the bird's nest was nearby, he couldn't sit on his laurels just yet. He'd have to be quick. And that's exactly what he did with arms wrapped in ace bandages and covered in a long sleeved sweater for extra protection. It was hot being bundled up like that in the afternoon heat. Ridiculously so, but he'd rather have some form of armor than nothing. 

Aether was lucky that most things didn’t disturb or creep him out. When he finally crawled under the wooden deck with what little light his small keychain flashlight could manage. Cobwebs left and right and other bugs did not disgust him, and what little spiders that lived there, scurried off as he disturbed them. A second shower would be needed to get rid of the itchy feeling caused by their presence and the cobwebs above. Gritting his teeth, he moved quickly, determined to find his phone.

Surprisingly, it was not too far away, just enough for him to crawl his entire body inside to reach. It glinted in the light from his flashlight, a faint blue hue outlining its surface to notify him of missed messages. He'd check that later in the safety of the house. Swiping from the dirt, he shoved it into his pocket and quickly inched back out. A shiver of disgust ran through him as he stood and tried to dust himself off and rid himself of the crawling sensations. 

A quick glance around for his enemy brought not a single chirp or a flash of teal. Perfect. He dashed through the back door without a second thought and slid to the floor in a heap.

“Hah,” he breathed sharply, “take that you little demon.” Smiling triumphantly, he withdrew his phone to look it over, turning on the screen to check his messages.

His jaw dropped.

The screen was broken in many places, punctured by a tiny beak. The screen still worked, but the lock screen was discolored and he had to squint to read most of the notifications.

He was the kind of person who'd consider himself an animal guy. He loved all kinds and wanted to adopt any critter he came across, but at that moment: Aether wanted to go hunting and have fowl for dinner.

[coldshrugs]

liability

characters: alma greene (not a detective) media: twc word count: 766 rating: G; there's one swear. we're here for the mother-daughter trauma

The last rays of sunlight stream into the warehouse bedroom, lining the furniture in rose gold, not quite reaching the few boxes stacked by the door. Alma leans against the window, unwilling to leave just yet. Unable to reconcile the loss of a home she can barely claim.

It feels strange to leave while the rest of Unit Bravo are on patrol.

Instead, she procrastinates by fidgeting with the lanyard around her neck and the Agency badge that hangs from its end.

The badge is metal. Lightweight but sturdy, and beautifully etched with seven symmetrical moons, three of which have been polished to a reflective shine. She holds the little rectangle up in the dying light and sees her brown eyes staring back.

They’re red-rimmed and puffy, but that’s nothing unusual these days.

This should be a happy time. She should be elated. Unit Bravo have wrapped another successful case, and she’s been invited to step further into this realm of weirdness. For thirty years, Alma has lived in the space between “maybe” and “why not?” Nothing has ever come as easily to her as accepting the odd, the hypothetical, the unknown. She was made for this. 

When the veil between worlds lifted, the ache to belong to it was all-consuming. A longing that pushed past her body and sharpened her focus. Fear of being used as a commodity for these beings (or an “asset” to the Agency, as they so politely phrase it) could be justified or suffocated in the name of finding her place in the world. If she worked harder, if she pushed herself just that much more…

As her dream finally solidified into something tangible, attainable, the unignorable loneliness did not dissipate as she expected.

Alma turns the cold metal between her fingers, inspecting it again, tracing her name printed on the back in English and then again using that mysterious alphabet she has yet to learn. No matter how tightly she holds it, it does not warm in her hands. Her chest throbs at the memory of her mother’s words.

“I’m your handler now.”

There was a time in her life, long ago, when Alma didn’t feel like Rebecca Greene’s project. Somewhere between the deaths of her father and grandmother, when Rebecca stomached her daughter’s face for the weekend before dashing back to her real life. Then it was Alma, alone.

Any pretense of warmth faded with the frequency of Rebecca’s visits.

Sparse instructions were left for her each week, things the housekeeper shouldn’t be bothered doing: clean your room; do your laundry, but separate the clothes into like groups; put the dishes in the dishwasher (this was always underlined); do your homework, email your grades to me on Friday; shower and braid your hair before bed. God forbid she be unpresentable even while out of sight.

She was not parented–she was briefed.

Rebecca has always favored glacial professionalism over motherhood, and Alma has always been a liability.

Why, then, has Rebecca donned the mask of tearful regret and boldly placed the onus of reconciliation on Alma’s shoulders?

Her mother begs for connection, and Alma acquiesces. Some painful secret, or omission, or blatant lie comes to light, and Rebecca cries, insisting it was for the cause or, worse, for Alma. Alma cries, too, sorrow and confusion bleeding into anger the longer this goes on. They play this game, again and again, rebreaking the bone until there is no way for it to heal.

One salient snap is all Alma has left to give.

She doesn’t realize she’s crying again until a heavy tear lands on the badge.

“God, this is so fucking stupid,” she mutters, wiping furiously at her sore eyes.

She wants this.

She wants this.

But… not this way.

Alma backs away from the window, setting her mind to a task before she gets angry with herself. The boxes need to be taken to the car. She’s already kept Tina waiting at her newly-reconstructed apartment longer than she intended. The place is likely to be in shambles again by the time she arrives.

Her phone sits on the top box. With a sigh, she moves it to the pocket of her cardigan, but before her hand is free, a tiny, hateful thought strikes.

She holds the phone up to her face, squinting through bleary eyes. Quickly, she changes her mother’s information from “Mom 🥰” to “Agent Greene.” It is a small, secret act of defiance–one that doesn't matter in the long run. The first cutting of an intricately woven thread, but one that provides a much-needed spark of satisfaction.

One by one, she takes the boxes to her car. Doing the work on her own, how she's always done.

[rosie-b]

find the words game

I've been tagged in a new writers' game!! For this one, we're given specific words to find in our wips/fics, share the section they appear in, and pass it on!

from @mostmagical we have:

brush (from an upcoming section of my BB fic, Centuries Overdue)

Alix wandered over to the kitchen, brushing past Alya and Marinette without a word. Oh, shit, was she mad at them? Was she going to use her magic to go back and record Marinette’s misbegotten mocha order and stream it to all of Paris, solidifying her shame forever??

Marinette wished she’d kept her glance through the deceptive café windows much shorter and left before the scary bunny had had the chance to jumpscare her.

crumble (from the same wip)

I have told myself that I ought to be relieved, as the other Mages are, that at last the Darkness is vanquished. For a time, I fooled myself into thinking that I was!

But as all lies ever must do, this one I told Myself crumbled, leaving more Pain in its wake than it had initially hidden.

light (also from Centuries Overdue! you guys are getting so many sneak peeks lol)

There is something wild growing in the Darkness; when I close my Eyes I can feel it growing. It is a most disturbing Feeling, and one I am not alone in noticing. The Mages of Tikki and Plagg have felt it also, and have noted its Growth. It cares not for the Moon, nor the Stars, nor the Sun, but its Presence continues to spread unchecked at all times. 

I fear if we do not find its cause ere the spring festivals’ start, it will prove too powerful to be Destroyed, and so I have made it my business to uncover its Secrets. This Darkening is surely a sign of a stronger, more sinister Magic, and I fear that there are things darker and still more guileful to come of it. I must make all Haste to prevent its growth, which is why I must journey to the edges of Light, to the place where my parents died…

and from @monpetitchattriste:

love (back to Centuries Overdue for this one)

There is talk of a Darkness in Venice. And again, a Darkness in the Dolomites, and in Scotland at the Loch Ness, and still more Talk about nearly every place I have visited in my years as a Mage and as a boy with my parents. Still no reported Darkness in the Harz, and none in Paris yet, and still it is clear that the Danger is not shrinking but burgeoning.

Time, like a Candle too well loved, is growing shorter, and soon it will run out entirely. I must make my Attack before it is too late.

years (also from Centuries Overdue :D)

There were perhaps twenty to thirty books on the shelf, with two-thirds of them being written by Adrien’s parents and the last third being written by Adrien himself. The time during which the journals were written spanned from the years just before the French Revolution to 1810, just before the end of the Napoleonic Wars. They all seemed to be travelogues detailing the Agrestes’ long journeys to various historical and legendary locations in Europe as they evaded the worst of the fighting, met different groups of people, and moved on to new adventures.

It all seemed normal enough until Marinette noticed a passage describing a magic ritual done under the full moon in striking detail. Even then, she assumed it was just some forgotten tradition, not an example of true belief in magic. But as she skimmed through the rest of Emilie and Gabriel’s journals, she realized that each of them truly believed in magic, and so did the people they met. Even the places the Agrestes journeyed to were all associated with magic through legend or myth.

And last but not least, never (had to use one replacement word, it’s from my ATLA wip)

“It’s Sokka!” His soulmate scowled at him, and Zuko knew that if his hands weren’t currently chained to the wall, he’d be crossing them like a petulant child.

Zuko scowled back. “It doesn’t matter. Once I get back home, I’m handing you over to my father, and he will be in charge of dealing with you. After three years, I will finally be free of your shadow. I’ll never have to know your Southern peasant name, because I’ll never see you again.”

Thanks so much for tagging me, guys!!

I will tag (though I might be retagging idk I hope not) @aidanchaser, @miabrown007, @fragileizywriting, @lady-de-mon-coeur, and anyone who sees this and wants to join in <3

Your words are: dream, fold, heart

Reserve words: sigh, cold, eyes

[peppermintquartz]

The evening light streams in through the curtains, golden and muted, and there's nothing to do. Music drifts throughout the house, a quiet suggestion of melody blending with memory, and Tommy Kinard lets his eyes close.

He's seven years old again, running around the back of the house with his best friend, Jamie Platt. They're kicking an empty can back and forth, Jamie laughing when the can bounces off Tommy's face after a hard kick at the wrong angle. Jamie is brown-haired and brown-eyed and his face is covered with freckles. Tommy thinks Jamie is totally amazing.

He's fourteen years old and he wants to hide. He is fat even though he eats the same tiny portions as his mom, and his skin is oily and marked with pimples no matter how diligently he washes his face every night and every day, and he doesn't like how he smells, and he hates the dark hair under his pits and on his groin, and he hates even more that he can't look Jamie in the eye because Jamie is taller now, and the most handsome and popular kid of their grade. The girls are generally nice to Tommy, other than some of the more bitchy ones who think they have to be mean to be liked. He doesn't ask any of them out, though. He knows better than to invite ridicule, and also, he really doesn't want to go out with them. Some of the others boys talk about kissing girls, and touching them, and Tommy knows they're actually lying about the touching, but he also knows that when he thinks about kissing and touching, it's Jamie's face he sees.

He shoots up many inches when he's fifteen, and the mass he used to carry becomes muscle. The football team snags him as a player when he's sixteen - Jamie already is on the team, and it's clear they're grooming him to be team captain in the future - and Tommy gives his all to the team. It gives him the chance to rebuild his bond with Jamie, even though he has to endure Jamie macking on a new girlfriend every few weeks. Tommy dates Kathleen Greene, blonde cheerleader, and they lose their virginity to each other after a football game, but he feels sick about it afterwards when he's home. He cries under his blankets, confused about why he's crying at all, and wishes he can be more like Jamie, who probably has all the girls fighting to have sex with him, and who won't feel like throwing up thinking about how it felt to have sex with a girl he barely wants to kiss.

At twenty-four, Tommy is sick of the sand. He is sick of the sand, and he is sick of the chatter around him, and he is especially sick with the knowledge that Jamie is getting married to his college girlfriend. He sends a congratulations to Jamie via Facebook and lies that he doesn't have time to request for leave to attend the wedding. Five months later, he sees the wedding photos, the joy in Jamie's face, and that night Tommy gets spectacularly drunk, so drunk that he almost lets another soldier drag him out someplace quiet to fuck him, but Tommy's new best friend in the army D.D. Schwartz watches out for Tommy and warns the other guy to leave Tommy alone. Five days later, D.D. is accidentally killed by their own when a chopper fires on a bunch of teenagers who are just coming by to pick up some chocolate for their younger siblings. Bad intel, the brass says. Tommy doesn't sign on for another tour after that. He also deletes his Facebook account. He goes home one last time, gets screamed at by his parents for different reasons one last time, visits Jamie and his wife for the first and last time, and heads west until he hits the ocean.

Tommy is now forty, and the sun has set, and he feels the tears drying tacky on his cheeks. He exhales and sits up with a grunt. Jamie found his Instagram three months ago and sent him a message. Just a simple "hey buddy how's it been?" They chat, in the way of childhood friends who have grown apart. Today he gets a message but it's not Jamie, it's Nina, Jamie's second wife. And widow, now. Tommy sends her his condolences and apologizes that he can't be there for the funeral, it's wildfire season. He does send flowers and orders freezer meals for her and the kids. But in his mind's eye, he sees Jamie, slightly soft in the middle, big freckled face beaming in the sun, hair still thick and brown, with a baby boy in one arm and a girl standing beside him, and his lovely wife leaning against him. He never did confess his feelings to Jamie.

I loved you before I understood why. Tommy whispers all he has felt about Jamie into the air, then exhales the rest of his breath.

There, that's done.

He hears Evan and wipes away the tear tracks on his face. His Evan is brilliant and warm and open, full of love and kindness. There's no hiding that Tommy loves him as much as he loves Tommy. There's no crying under the sheets, no getting so drunk that he doesn't even care about being hurt or taken advantage of, no desire to blow up his entire life just to escape.

Tommy gets up from his chair and goes to welcome his lover home.

[spacecadet-ticklesinspace]

Im so excited prompts are back open! I've been thinking about this alot lately!

Basically, Peter 1 and 3 are watching a movie and Peter 1 doesn't like the movie! He just keeps sighing and asking to watch something else and Peter 3 just gets fed up and is like "okay, lets do something else"! Then the tickles ensue!

This came to me watching TASM when Peter kept sighing everytime aunt may suggested something and he would always respond "you serious"?😂

Tickle Comfort

Summary: See prompt above ❤️

(I loved this prompt so much Anon ❤️ Thank you for sending it in :))

Peter 3 clutched his pillow tighter as he watched the action unfold on screen. A good old fashioned horror movie always made for a great Friday night in his book. After all of his adventures as Spiderman, the movies were kind of funny based on what they perceived as scary or intense. However, his movie companion didn't share his his sentiment.

A tug on his shirt pulled Three from the movie to his younger brother. "Yes?"

"Three, the movie's so boring."

"No it's not."

You know exactly what's going to happen."

"Yeah, and it's hysterical. As if what they're showing us is actually terrifying."

"Can we switch it?" One fidgeted. "Since you know what's going to happen?"

"No way!"

"But Three---."

"Come on One, it's still such a good movie!"

"It's boring though."

"Look, if you don't like it, you can go. But I want to finish this movie."

One huffed as he flooped against the back of the couch. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, now shush please."

Things became quiet once again and Three returned his attention to the movie.

And felt another tug to his sleeve five minutes later. "Three."

The older brother groaned as he turned back to the youngest. "What?"

"If you don't want to change it, can we do something different?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'll play any game you want. Or we could build with legos or something like that."

"If you want to build with legos, you can build with legos."

"But---."

"I don't mind if you want to bring them in here and build on the floor Bug, but I'm finishing this movie."

The youngest let out another groan as he flopped back into his position on the couch. "Forget it."

Peter 3 gave the youngest a look. "What about your legos?"

"I said just forget it." One looked back at the screen. "It's not important any way."

Three gave One another look before turning back to the screen. He couldn't understand why One was so insistent on turning off a movie he was clearly enjoying just to do something else. It just didn't seem like him.

However, the older brother chose to let it be and actually enjoy the rest of his movie. "It's getting to the good part."

Less than five minutes later, there was another urgent tug on Three's sleeve. "Three."

Peter 3 sighed, he wasn't going to let this go. So Three scooped him into his lap. "What is it One? Do you need attention or something?"

"N-no."

"What do you need then?"

The youngest fiddled with his fingers. This was going to be difficult.

"I'm not mad Uno." Three held him close. "I'm just trying to figure out what's going on."

The youngest cuddled into Three's chest without giving an answer.

"Come on Tickle Bug. I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."

Peter 1 didn't respond.

"Alright fine." Three paused his movie. "You want to do something else, let's do something else."

The youngest Peter peeped out from his hiding spot.

Three smirked. "Oh Peter. A friend of yours wanted to come for a visit."

Peter One's eyes widened.

The older brother lifted his hand up then wiggled his fingers closer to the stubborn teen in his lap. "A special monster who wants all of your attention."

Peter 1 buried his face back in Three's chest, but the older brother could feel his smile starting to form.

"And he's gonna . . ." Three sing-songed as he continued his descent before digging into his brother's tummy, "Get you!"

The youngest jumped and let out a stream of light giggles.

"Not going to show your face hm?"

A head shake was his response.

Three grinned. "Alright little Tickle Bug, you need to show the tickle monster your face before he reaches your armpits, or he's going to tickle them."

"Eep!"

The grin on Peter 3's face grew even more as he slowly spidered across One's side before moving toward his ribs. "I'm a little pitty bug."

One giggled.

Then Three spidered up higher. "Pitty bug! Pitty bug!"

When the older brother's fingers started tickling along his ribs, One squeaked.

Then Peter started spidering even higher until he was just under his armpits. "I'm a little pitty bug and I love . . ."

One stayed firmly in place.

So Peter 3 wiggled his fingers into One's armpit. "Pitties!"

The youngest squealed and finally came out of hiding, curling into a ball of giggles in the process. "IHIM HEHERE!"

"There hehe is." Three spidered around One's armpits. "However, the bet was before I get to your armpits. Now I have to tickle them."

"NAAAAH! MEHERCYHY!"

"Well, the tickle monster might be willing to give you you mercy." Peter 3 paused. "In exchange for your tummy."

Peter 1 wrapped his arms around his middle. "Nohoho!"

"Why?"

"Yohou're goihing to blohow raspberrihies!"

Peter 3 put a hand on his hip. "So you think hiding him is going to stop you from getting them?"

"Yes!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." The older brother readjusted his hold. "You underestimate my range."

A moment later, Three nuzzled his face into the youngest's neck and blew some raspberries there instead.

"EEEEEE! THREHEHEE!"

"Omnomnomnom!"

"NAAAAH! THAT'S WOHORSE!"

The way the youngest had himself curled up made him look even younger. He genuinely looked and sounded like a little kid giggling himself silly in his older brother's lap.

After a moment longer, Three switched to the other side of One's neck. "Can't leave out your good side."

"AH! HEHEY!"

The older Peter nuzzled, nibbled, and berried all over Peter One's neck including the sides, front, and back. He only meant to go from side to side, but the youngest looked so carefree laughing so he prolonged the tickles a little longer to hear those sweet giggles.

By the time he was done, the youngest was a blushy pile of residual giggles who cuddled into his arms.

Three pulled him close. "There we go. Is that what you needed?"

Peter 1 shrugged. "Aha littlehel."

Three raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really?"

The youngest buried his face in Three's chest.

"Hey now." Three nudged One out of hiding. "What's going on with you Bug?"

"N-nothing . . ."

Peter 3 shook his head. "I don't believe that for a second. This isn't like you."

Peter 1 fiddled with his sleeves. "You would---would---."

"I would what little Pete?"

". . . Make fun of me."

Three's eyes widened. "What?"

One didn't respond.

Peter 3 gently lifted his chin up. "Why would I make fun of you?"

The youngest Peter looked away. "Cause you like it."

"Like wha--?" A light clicked on in Three's head. "Is it something to do with the movie?"

The tiniest nod was his response.

"Do you not like it?"

"I--It's just . . ."

"Scary?"

The youngest Peter turtled into his shoulders. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not mad at you Pete." Three rubbed One's back. "You tried to tell me you didn't like it and I didn't listen."

"You gave me the option to leave."

"Why didn't you?"

Peter 1 glanced up the stairs and Three followed his eyes. Three had turned off all of the lights before setting up the movie. It was pitch black up the stairs.

"I'd--I'd go if---Two was there . . ."

"But he won't be back until tomorrow."

The youngest nodded.

"How about this?" Three shut off the movie, sending the living room into pitch blackness for a couple minutes.

Peter 1 took in a sharp breath and his heart beat escalated.

"It's okay." Three switched over to the app he needed. "I just had to switch over to a different app."

Immediately, the room filled back up with light that allowed One to relax.

Once Three had the app he needed, he pulled up a different movie. "Whenever I need to relax after an intense scary movie, I watch one of the movies I loved when I was kid. It helps get your mind off of it."

"Atlantis?"

"Have you ever seen it?"

Peter 1 nodded. "This one and Iron Giant were my Uncle Ben's favorite to watch with me."

"That's another classic!" Three readjusted the youngest in his lap. "I love that one too."

Peter hesitantly looked up at his older brother. "Thank you, but don't you want to finish your movie."

"I can finish it later."

After a moment of stunned silence, One settled back into Three's chest. "Thank you Three."

"Of course." Peter 3 wrapped One in a hug and playfully shook the youngest. "I love you so much Tickle Bug."

The youngest giggled. "Love yohou tohoo Giraffe."

"Come on." The older brother held the youngest close. "Let's watch."

[candybagcj]

Who Is this CandybagCJ Creature?

Tagged by @dairy-boy my old pal

Who were you named after?

My not-legal legal name is as follows; the guy I used to be before trans-ing, a grandparent, a different grandparent, and Jonathan Joestar, respectively. My username is just the name of my business (Candybag, which is after a cute thing my Grandpa would do for me and my brother after every visit) and my name (CJ).

Last time you cried?

My toaster caught fire on Saturday or Friday because of a pop tart that fell apart for no reason and when I realized it wasn't realistic to clean it out and that I had spent like 45 minutes doing that I cried a little at the wasted time and energy.

Do you have kids?

Does my stream community count? Otherwise, no.

What sports do you play/did you play?

Kid: Hockey, Soccer, Basketball. High School: Rugby, Wrestling, Football. Currently: error, too many concussions found

Do you use Sarcasm?

In this economy? Of courseeeeee not. What a wild and strange thing to ask me.

First thing you notice about people?

Uhhhhhhhhhhh, Height? Maybe how tolerant they are of my strangeness? ...humor? Everything all at once? I'm not good at these kinds of questions.

Do you have any talents?

I'm an exceptional improv comedian and entertainer (subscribe at twitch.tv/candybagcj for a good time and possibly a long time depending on the time)

Scary Movies or Happy Endings?

GIF by jazthetrashpanda (Just wholesale stealing this answer from @dairy-boy lmao)

Where were you born?

... somewhere in Niagara Region, Ontario? I'm just now realizing I don't actually know which hospital. St. Catherines maybe?

What are your hobbies?

Video Games, Watching Stuff, TTRPGs, I used to write and do sigilwork but neither of those have come up recently. I do most hobbies at least a little, though.

Do you have any pets?

Not personally, but my mom has three doggos who I hang out with regularly, and I love them all equally (Old Man Ted is my favourite actually, but shhh be cool about it.)

How tall are you?

5'9

What was your favourite subject in school?

Computer Science, love me some code (yes, I'm a trans-femme stereotype)

Dream Job?

Originally I wanted to be a Game Designer or Writer, but honestly my current job of Live Streamer / Online Entertainer is like, kind of the best possible thing for me?

oh god I don't know who to tag. uhhh @risu5waffles @ketallpot i think you're the only folks on here other than @dairy-boy that I personally know so you're my only options but no pressure if you don't want to do this!

[hjh-ceilo-monster]

BTS Song drabble : Closer (KNJ)

Summary : It just two strangers who always crossed path with each others. Yet, they had no courage to get to know one another. Will this keeping distance game go on and on or will one of them break the rule of their game?

Plot inspo. : RM 'Indigo' Album Magazine Film [time stamp 20:04 - 23:49] (BANGTANTV)

Ambience inspo. :  Coffee Shop ASMR Ambience ☕ With Fireplace and a bit of Magic ✨ Soft background chatter (ASMR Weekly)

Author note : This story is for an entertainment purpose. I need to make sure I mentioned this so that no one would ever take this story as a real event since I used the explanation of the song to come up with the story. Anyway, guys, stream Indigo💙

Gender neutral pronoun (Sincerely apologize if using them incorectly)

© Photos belongs to rightful owners

Author POV.

A month.

It has been that long since Y/n started their writing project. In the same corner of a lounge, they would sit there dazed in their world: trying to extract some ideas to put into their work.

However, they have never been alone.

For a month, it seemed like someone also had the same struggle. The opposite table was also a regular guest of this lounge. His visit started around the same time as theirs.

And their sneak peek game began.

Y/n POV.

Crack.

I streched the arms to relieve my muscles. I felt my bones were on the verge to break. My muscles’ pain was at its peak that even a patch did nothing to sooth me.

Huh...

A breathy sigh left my mouth as I stared my screen. Working for five hours straight, I only got on the second page of my writing.

I took my eyes of the tablet. At that moment, I knew I have been staring at the screen too long. Why did I not bring my glasses? Shame on me.

I sweeped my eyes all over the place. Tonight seemed to be special because the lounge looked busier than usual. Then my gaze landed on the table opposite mine.

There he was. 

Every time he came, he would come with a pair of MacBooks and a notebook. He always dressed casually; just a T-shirt or hoody, a pair of denim, headphones secured on his neck, and glasses. His hair looked a bit messy. His face was draining its color a little.

Despite all that, he still looked fine. No, he looked gorgeous.

While their usual drink was sangria, his would-be whiskey. The pace was also different. By the time they were at their half glass, his glass had already been empty.

The feeling of warmthness immediately filled my chest. Seeing him deeply focus with his thing was like a spark to me. It lit my passion toward the writing out of nowhere. 

Three tables away, that was our distance: the closest I could get near him.

My inspiration.

Namjoon POV.

‘They are watching me.’ 

My sense alerted, making me burried my eyes into my laptop. Later on, I glanced at them from time to time, scare to meet their gaze directly. 

How will they react? 

Will they think I am a creep?

Those thoughts ran inside my head. 

Soon they got back onto their tablet. They must be lost in their own mind. My body relaxed automatically. The breath that I have been held on it without knowing finally came out.

I adjusted my posture a little. Taking a final sip of my whisky, I asked for more from a waiter. 

As I waited for the drink, I looked at my partner who sat opposite me. Partner, how I wished I has a courage to strike a conversation with them and called them that in reality.

They would be here around 6 pm and left here before midnight. They were a fiction writer, knowing that because of some staff here were their fans. To be honest, I also became their fan recently too. 

I have never seen their frineds. They were quite introvert, judging by the table they chose every night. From that, I assumed they had no partner. 

Maybe a long distance relationship? It could be the case. 

I should probably think that way to prevent myself getting a flase hope.

Their favourite in this house was a sangria, usually ordered three to four glasses for each night. 

That was all I know about them.

My lounge partner.

Author POV.

We were like a parallel line. A little gap in between shouldn’t be the obstacle for us to interact. Yet, none of us dared to cross path...

Y/n narated the last paragraph. Typing each word into the story, they somehow ended up being a chracter of their novel. Y/n didn’t intend to write something as such. However, as the days passed with the stranger, they ended up spilling their feelings into the work.

Just stay where you are

On the other side, Namjoon finished his lyric. He went through them for the last time to grasp any error. To his surprise, there was none. Not like the other songs, this one has little to no scratch. At first, he wasn’t sure of this draft. Now, it was one of the realest representation of his feelings.

As the final page filled with words and inks, they realized the time was up.

3 months later

“...We would like to end today session with Indigo, the chart killer album since the first day it came out. It shouldn’t be a surprise since the work was from one of the talneted lyricists in the industry, RM. Our fans have been sending requests to us nonestop, wanting us to celebrate his first official album. To celebrate all the success, here is our tribute...”

The radio then started playing the tune. Y/n with her earphone listented attentively to the songs. Sipping a cup of hazzlenut latte, they bobbed their head lightly to match the rhythm.

Despite the winter, everything felt warm for them. Not because of the coffee in their hand, or a thick scarf and coat that hugged their figure. 

It all thanked to the song that was playing right now.

Right at the moment of them recieving the message from the lyrics while the guy at the opposite bench reading their newest novel to understand their feeling.

As the song came to and ended, so did the novel. Two strangers locked their gaze with one another as their face plastered with a smile. 

“Hi.” 

Finally, one of them decided to cross their path.