#Chapter 20: Best Explanations | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

valkyrieromanoff · 5 days ago

Text

God bless your dad's genetics… Dilf! Anakin x son’s girlfriend!reader

CHAPTER ONE: CRUISE

synopsis: when your best friend Luke asks you to pose as his girlfriend during his parents' 25th wedding anniversary cruise, you reluctantly agree. After all, you're single, he's desperate, and who can say no to an all-expenses-paid getaway? But what starts as a simple favor spirals into a tangled web of awkward introductions, suspicious relatives, and one undeniable complication: your growing, utterly inappropriate crush on Luke’s father, Anakin. Surrounded by the charming and chaotic Skywalker family, you’re forced to navigate the tricky waters of pretense, loyalty, and a passion you never saw coming.

warning: age gap (Anakin is 44 years old and the reader is in her early 20s), cheating, alternate universe, that's it for now, I'll add more warnings when the next chapters come out.

words: 1.1k

a/n: I confess that I've had this idea marinating for a while, and now seeing the latest photos of Hayden at comic-con, he's so dad coded. So, I decided to take a chance and start a story, I don't know how many chapters there will be yet, but I'm excited to see where it will take us... Slightly inspired by Fuck your boyfriend('s dad) by forcemeanakin, I'm obsessed with her writing… Anyway, that's it, I hope you like it ;)

CHAPTER ONE: CRUISE

you were meant for me to find

it's out of my hands

there's nothing left to do but

cruise and just enjoy the ride

“Wait a second, let me get this straight…” you interrupted Luke, raising your hands to halt his rapid-fire explanation. He’d been talking non-stop for nearly five minutes, and you were still struggling to piece it all together. “You want me to pretend to be your girlfriend at your parents’ 25th wedding anniversary? Why on earth do you even need a fake girlfriend?” You adjusted yourself on the bed, pulling a pillow against your chest for comfort, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Luke let out a long, dramatic sigh, raking a hand through his messy blond hair. “You know how my parents are… always in my business. And now with Leia bringing her boyfriend, I just don’t want to be the only one showing up alone.” He looked at you with those pleading puppy-dog eyes, his voice softening. “Come on, just this once. Please? Didn’t you say you wanted to go on a cruise someday? Here’s your chance.”

You arched an amused eyebrow. “So, what—you’re trying to bribe me now?”

Luke shifted uncomfortably, fiddling with a loose thread on his jacket. “Well, when you put it like that…” he muttered sheepishly. “Look, I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important. I—I trust you, okay? You’re the only person I can count on for this.”

His desperation was hard to ignore. You exhaled slowly, shaking your head. “Fine, I’ll do it,” you said, a reluctant smile tugging at your lips. “But only because of the all-inclusive package. Don’t think this means I approve of your ridiculous plan.”

A grin split across Luke’s face as he lunged forward to hug you. “Thank you! Seriously, you’re saving my life here.”

“Yeah, yeah,” you muttered, pushing him back playfully. “But if this backfires, you owe me big time.”

Luke hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. “Right, um… about that. I might have already put your name on the guest list.”

Your eyes narrowed as you shoved his shoulder. “You what? Idiot.”

---

Now, a few days later, you found yourself standing on the pier, the midday sun beating down mercilessly. You checked your phone for the third time, scrolling through messages with a faint scowl. Still no word from Luke. If he left you waiting much longer, you were seriously going to kill him.

“Hey!” His voice cut through the buzz of the crowded dock. You turned to see him jogging toward you, a backpack slung casually over one shoulder. He looked a little too cheerful for someone who had left you baking in the sun.

“You’re late,” you called, crossing your arms as he approached.

“Fashionably,” he quipped with a smirk, completely unbothered by your glare.

“thought you’d forgotten about me,” you teased, elbowing Luke lightly in the chest as he finally reached you.

Luke shrugged, offering a sheepish grin. “Blame my parents. They were running late because my dad accidentally packed the wrong suitcase for my mom. Total chaos—everyone was scrambling to fix it.”

You chuckled, imagining the scene. Though you hadn’t met Luke’s family yet, you’d heard plenty about them over the years. His parents were something of a legend in his stories: the perfect, if sometimes chaotic, couple who’d married young and raised twins.

Padmé Amidala, Luke’s mother, was a force of nature. A federal deputy and professor of International Relations, she somehow juggled her demanding career with being a devoted wife and mother. Strong, brilliant, and endlessly busy, yet always managing to prioritize her family.

Anakin Skywalker, Luke’s father, was no less impressive. A retired army general, he’d left his military career after the twins were born to focus on raising them. Luke often spoke of how his dad spent hours tinkering in their garage, restoring vintage cars and building gadgets—a far cry from his days in uniform.

“Come on, let’s get moving,” Luke said, snapping you out of your thoughts. He grabbed the handle of his own suitcase and motioned toward the massive cruise ship docked ahead.

You followed, letting him lead the way. The pier was packed with elegantly dressed guests, most of whom were likely Padmé’s colleagues—senators, representatives, and a mix of politicians from all corners. The line to board snaked back farther than you could see.

“Do we really have to wait through all this?” you asked, eyeing the crowd and clutching the handle of your wheeled suitcase.

Luke shot you a sly grin. “We don’t wait in lines.”

Before you could ask what he meant, he veered off toward the front of the queue, guiding you toward a set of stairs reserved for VIPs. You followed, struggling a little as your suitcase bumped against the steps.

"Luke, get your girlfriend's suitcase," a strong, masculine voice called out from behind you, deep and commanding yet tinged with warmth. "Otherwise, she'll think I didn’t teach you how to be a gentleman."

Startled, you turned toward the source of the voice just as Luke, already at the top of the stairs, groaned in exasperation. He glanced back with a tired expression but made no move to help.

“It’s okay, really, it’s not heavy,” you mumbled shyly, gripping the handle of your suitcase a little tighter. But as your eyes met the man addressing Luke, the words caught in your throat.

Your lips parted slightly in disbelief. Gods… what a man.

Standing before you was, without a doubt, the most stunning man you’d ever seen. Anakin Skywalker. His angular face was framed by sandy blond hair, slightly tousled with subtle waves that gave him a rugged charm. His piercing blue eyes—so vivid and expressive they seemed to pull you into a storm—were framed by faint lines that hinted at years of experience and a life well-lived. His presence was magnetic, his confident stance and the faint smirk on his lips radiating an almost effortless allure.

“Come on, I insist,” Anakin said, his voice softening as he stepped closer. He reached out and gently took the suitcase from your hand before you could protest. His touch lingered just briefly, and the warmth of his hand sent a flicker of heat up your arm. “Not heavy, huh?” he teased with a wink, his tone laced with amusement.

You managed a weak nod, your heart racing as you watched him carry your suitcase up the stairs with ease. Every movement was graceful, effortless, as though he hadn’t spent years off the battlefield but still carried himself like he could command a room—or a galaxy.

Luke rolled his eyes at his father’s display, muttering under his breath. “Show off.”

Ignoring him, Anakin reached the top of the stairs and set your suitcase down carefully before glancing back at you with an easy smile. “Welcome aboard,” he said, his voice warm and inviting.

You swallowed hard, forcing yourself to keep your expression neutral, but your mind was racing. What the hell have you just gotten yourself into?

#anakin skywalker x you #anakin skywalker x reader #anakin x reader #dilf anakin x reader #dilf anakin #alternative wolrd #star wars #hayden christensen

262 notes · View notes

penkura · 6 months ago

Text

last forever [9/13]

Summary: Zoro only offered to marry you to keep you out of an arranged marriage with a man much older than you. You agreed with the caveat of ending it via annulment once you received word from your parents regarding the original engagement, despite your growing feelings for your close friend.

Pairing: Zoro x Fem!reader, mentioned Sanami later (like epilogue later so chill)

Warnings: Marriage of Convenience, Fake Marriage, referenced sex (waaaaaay later on), mutual pining, Zoro is bad at feelings but what's new there, eventual romance I promise, mention of past attempted assault (I'll warn in that chapter), creepy older dude later on

Note: Post-timeskip, go let's go. Of course, they're a little older now, we know Zoro is 21, so Reader is now 20. :) This chapter IS shorter than the others that are left, but that just means we're getting into the better parts of the story. I really can't wait for you all to see what's next. :)

Taglist:

@misfits1a

[Ch. 1] ● [Ch. 2] ● [Ch. 3] ● [Ch. 4] ● [Ch. 5] ● [Ch. 6] ● [Ch. 7] ● [Ch. 8]

It’s been a long time since you’ve felt such strong anxiety about seeing people, not since the last time you’d met with your parents’ chosen fiancé for you, but it’s come back in spades at the thought of seeing your crew again after two years.

At the thought of seeing Zoro again, more than anything.

The thought of him deciding to dissolve your marriage when he sees you again is the main source of your anxiety, what you try to push away as you leave the lovely group of swordswomen who took care of you for the last two years, those who you’d told about your situationship with Zoro wishing you the best as they dropped you off. You hope no one is jinxing anything, but still feel nervous every time you see someone or something that could be Zoro as you go about, looking for things to purchase and for your friends.

When Nami and Usopp find you, the happiness between the three of you makes all your worries and anxieties dissipate for the time being. Both hug you so tightly, a three-person group hug, you almost cry out of happiness at seeing them again, before Nami starts fawning over how you look so much stronger yourself. She can’t believe how different you seem! She adores your outfit of course, a fitted tank top with knee-length shorts to match and ankle boots, your beloved sword from Elias still attached to your hip. You tell her how wonderful she looks, giving Usopp the same compliment as the three of you start making your way towards Sunny, running into a distraught Chopper who you’re able to calm down after an explanation of the fake Starw Hats on Sabaody.

Chopper gives you a big hug and lets you carry him the rest of the way, its like you have a child but you don’t mind it. You’ll baby Chopper all he wants, it’s the least you can do after he’d taken such great care of you all as your crew’s doctor before you were separated.

Once you make it to Sunny, you’re glad to see your ship and home is safe, and receive compliments from Franky and Robin regarding how more grown up you look. You are twenty now, after all, but it makes you smile shyly and your face feel warm as you thank them both.

After Chopper leaves to retrieve the missing members of your crew once Brook arrives, you start to feel your anxiety creep in again, Robin noticing right away and giving you a soft smile.

“Zoro will be glad to see you again.”

“You,” you gulp a bit, smiling nervously now, “you think so?”

“I do. You two have been close since I’ve been with everyone, I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you’re well.”

You really do hope Robin is right, especially when you hear Chopper calling for you all, the large bird he’d left on returning now with Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro aboard as well. You surprise yourself by not crying when you see Zoro, instead grinning brightly and joining Usopp at waving widely to the three of them, shouting their names.

It slightly catches Zoro off guard to see you so happy, but still makes him keep his own smile on his face when he sees you. Robin is correct, though Zoro doesn’t know that, but he is truly glad to see you’re fine, you look so much stronger than two years ago, and seeing how you keep yourself up on your feet when Luffy flings himself down to give you a hug, he’s even more impressed. He wants, needs, to talk to you alone, but after making it on deck, Luffy still hasn’t let you go, Zoro realizes its going to be a bit before he can take you elsewhere to talk, especially so once Sanji recovers from his nosebleed and also gives you a hug. He turns to fawning over you like Nami did, telling you how lovely you look.

Zoro can’t disagree with that statement.

He gives you time with Sanji, who continues to talk to you and tries to tell you about his own two years, until he notices you’re constantly glancing past him, and he knows exactly why.

Sanji smiles at you, before taking you by the shoulder and pushing you towards Zoro, essentially telling you to go see your husband already, he’s been waiting for you to be free so you could talk maybe. It makes you smile at him before you finally walk over to Zoro, who had turned to leaning against the rail with his arms crossed and eyes closed, until you tap his shoulder and he opens his one good eye to see you.

“Hey there.”

“Hey.”

You feel nervous, for some reason, before you notice the scar over his left eye finally and tilt your head.

“What happened with your eye?”

“Training accident,” Shrugging, Zoro stands up straight and you realize he’s gotten slightly taller in the last two years, he notices the same for you but you’re still shorter than him, “Come with me for a bit, yeah?”

Nodding, you follow Zoro up to the crow’s nest, the two of you briefly talking about your two years. You’re amazed to hear he trained under Mihawk, while Zoro is beyond impressed you ended up in a village for swordswoman. He knew you looked stronger, he can’t wait to see how much better you’ve become with your sword.

Once you’re both in the crow’s nest, before you can say anything else, Zoro surprises you this time but hugging you as tightly as he can, which you return once you’ve shaken off the shock that he’s initiated this. You thought the two years would make the two of you drift apart, not being around each other or anything, but perhaps you’d just been paranoid the whole time.

Don’t cry, I don’t want to cry right now…

“I missed you.”

He’s making it difficult for you not to cry, so you just nod a bit, biting your tongue to keep from crying.

“I missed you too, Zoro…”

Neither of you say anything for a while, you’re impressed the rest of your crew hasn’t tried to bother and bring you both back down with everyone, but you’re also grateful for it. You both need this, just some time together, time alone, it’s probably not enough time to discuss your marriage and what’s next, but you don’t really care that much.

“I…I love you…”

Zoro nods, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead briefly.

“I know.”

That’s enough for you right now, it still makes you smile up at him, before you frown a bit, causing Zoro to raise an eyebrow at you.

“My parents…they still want me to go back and marry him…”

“Oh yeah?”

You nod, staying quiet for a moment before you sigh and lay your head back against his chest and gripping his top while he strokes your hair a bit. He may not agree with what you’re about to say, but after two and a half years, your marriage could only be ended by divorce, a thought you’ve hated since this came into being. You even hated the thought of the annulment plans, and now, you two only had the choices of divorcing or staying married.

“I don’t want a divorce…”

“We’re not gonna. Not now,” Zoro hugs you a little tighter, one arm around your shoulders and the other around your waist as he gives you a kiss on the top of your head, “I won’t let anyone take you away from the crew, even if we stay married forever.”

“Thank you…thank you so, so much, Zoro…”

“Of course. I’d never let anyone force you into anything, wife.”

+!+

You think Fishman Island was one of the fastest “get to city enter battle” events you’ve experienced do far, maybe second only to Sabaody. Your crew was separated almost immediately, you ended up with Nami and she took you to the shops right away, demanding discounts and trying to put cute clothes on you, things she swears Zoro would probably like to see you in with a grin while you shy away and push her off a bit. Admitting to her and Robin that you’re in love with Zoro might have been a mistake, but at least you have people to talk to about the situation.

Of course, though, nothing is easy as a member of the Straw Hats and you all quickly are defending the Ryugyu Kingdom from Hordy Jones, fighting off masses of Fishmen to protect yourselves and the innocent citizens of the kingdom.

While you don’t take out anywhere near as many enemies as Zoro or Sanji, you still fight enough to help keep them at bay, getting some compliments post-battle from your crewmates and some of the citizens. It makes you feel both shy and proud at the same time, your two years of training weren’t a waste after all, even Zoro can see the changes in your fighting style and how well your attacks land now. You don’t look as nervous as you used to either, despite the confidant air you’d put on back then. The little bout you two had when you asked to stay with him, he saw you shaking so badly because you were scared but also still recovering from being sick, you tried your best and Zoro could see that, it’s part of why he had no problem with you following him, especially once you let him start teaching you more about swordsmanship.

You’ve definitely improved from the shaky, scared girl he met four years ago.

You feel like Zoro hasn’t changed at all, despite the scar over his left eye and definitely becoming bulkier, he was still the same to you. Still makes your heart flutter when you watch him fight, he still checks on you after fights, it makes you happy to see he’s still the same. He’s still Zoro, of course he wouldn’t change.

“Hey, come with me for a minute.”

During the celebration that’s being thrown for you all as thanks for saving Fishman Island, Zoro takes your hand leads you off again, just the two of you. It makes you comment that if he keeps taking you away from everyone, someone is going to get the wrong idea, but Zoro just shrugs it off. He doesn’t really care what others think still, you’ve always known that.

Once you’re far enough away from everyone, he guides you to sit beside him before surprising you with what he says next.

“We should talk about our situation.”

The fact Zoro actually wants to discuss what’s going to happen next is the surprise, but you still nod, agreeing with him.

“Change your mind on us divorcing?”

“No, I haven’t,” Zoro brushes a bit of hair behind your ear, placing his hand on your cheek which makes you smile at him, “We’re not divorcing unless you want to, but…I think we should try, you know, dating, or whatever you want to call it…”

You blink a few times, completely confused and shocked before tilting your head.

“…huh? You…what?”

“What, you suddenly going deaf or something?” Zoro pinches your cheek a little which makes you wince and pout, before giving him a glare that makes him smirk at you, “We should try a relationship, forget your parents and our original deal. I…I want to try being your boyfriend.”

You really didn’t expect this, you first thought, like you asked, that Zoro had changed his mind and decided he was done with your fake marriage, but instead, he actually wants to give the two of you a try. Wants to see if this might be something that really could last, not a temporary solution to your personal problems.

While you think it through for a moment, you barely register that Zoro is starting to look nervous, something you’ve never really seen before. Once you make up your mind, before he can say anything more, you lean up and kiss him, pulling away with a smile that Zoro returns.

“I’d love to give us a real try, Zoro.”

Everything is going to be okay, you’re sure of it.

+!+

Sanji and Nami can see a difference in your and Zoro’s relationship quickly after you leave Fishman Island. As you approach Punk Hazard, Zoro doesn’t really let you go, keeping you near to him even as you all draw straws and you end up being one of the group to stay on Sunny and keep watch. Neither of them say anything when he pulls you aside once again, but the smile you have while you talk to Zoro tells them both everything is fine, especially when you nod once more and hug him, which he returns to their surprise.

The two look at each with questioning glances, trying to see if you’ve said anything to the other, but both shrug. Truthfully there’s not been time to talk to either of them, and when the group Zoro’s a part of leaves, the two drag you to the kitchen and start asking questions, which causes you to laugh, but Nami doesn’t really think it’s funny.

“Come oooonnnn,” Nami leans against your arm, giving you a pout, “You guys are acting weird, you can’t tell us something isn’t going on.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Nami.”

The blush on your face starts to give you away, and Sanji figures it out, giving you a slight grin.

“Did he finally tell you he likes you back?”

“Mm…something like that.”

“Are you guys dating then?”

“Maybe~” You’re not very good at being coy, to the point Nami gasps and shouts that she knew it before hugging you tightly while you laugh and Sanji sighs, still smiling.

“About damn time. That stupid mosshead, taming two years to tell you anything.”

“Well, all he said was that he wants to try a relationship, so that’s what we’re doing.”

“So he’s your boyfriend!” The little squeal and giggle from Nami makes you join in. “Finally, I told you he liked you back!!”

“Yeah, yeah, you were right!”

Sanji is quiet while he watches the two of you for a few moments. He really does hope that you and Zoro are going to be okay one day, that he’ll stay your husband and neither of you has to deal with the divorce papers or anything like that. He doesn’t want to watch another couple in his life break down, even as you two are just starting out.

Well, minus your two and a half years of actually being married, even though it hasn’t been a real marriage yet. It still isn’t, as you explain after a bit, but your friends seem to get it. You still want things kept under wraps, until Nami brings something up.

“Yeah…umm…about that…”

You give her a confused look as Sanji sighs again.

“Luffy kind of told everyone that didn’t know. It was the day Franky was making comments about you and mosshead being in his bed.”

Groaning, you lean back in your seat before nodding.

“All right then…let’s keep me and Zoro dating between the four of us then?”

“A good idea.”

“At least we can keep a secret.”

#zoro x reader #one piece x reader #reader insert #last forever #fem!reader #roronoa zoro x reader

226 notes · View notes

livesworthlivingau · 5 months ago

Text

Lives Worth Living Chapter 20

ISAT Spoilers! CW: Vague Act 3 ending mention (Child death implication), slight mental spiraling.

(You sit in bed, plagued with boredom. Your body still hurts but you've gotten used to the sore, throbbing pain by now. It still hurts to talk but you can manage short bursts well enough. You were left mostly alone today, with just Odile staying behind to 'babysit' while the others went to restock on supplies and the like. They could all use a break from you anyways, you were tired of being such a burden on the-)

"Siffrin, there will be none of that." (You perk up as Odile remarks from behind her book, was she even looking at you? By the time you glanced back she was nose deep in her book again.)

"Wh-What?"

"You were stewing in your own head again, I could tell by the expression on your face." (She explained, looking up from her book again and giving a light smile to you.)

"... Thanks."

"Of course." (You sigh some again, shifting about and trying to get comfortable. You change positions several times before giving a defeated grumble, holding a pillow over your head and sighing a muffled groan into it.)

"Bored?" (You groan out again in confirmation. You hear Odile get up from her chair, lifting the pillow a bit to peek over at her. She grabs an empty journal from her bag, as well as a pen, approaching and holding them out for you to take.)

"Here, if you're so bored, perhaps you'll humor me with a little QnA session?" (You give a slight tilt of your head, but take them none the less, nodding. Anything was better than the depression and boredom fueled mental spiral you were bound to get otherwise. You open up to the first page, getting the pen ready to write.)

"Let us begin somewhere simple. Did anything like this happen in your previous life?" (She asks plainly, gesturing to the viscerally stained sheets that sat bunched up on the floor. You shudder some, hearing it referred to so casually as 'your previous life' gave you a light pause, but you shake your head, beginning to scribble down a slight explanation.)

Not exactly, but that "color" had shown up again sometimes.

"Interesting... Do you know what caused it?" (You nod.)

I said "it". The Island's name.

"The island?... So you can remember it's name? You're from there, aren't you?" (Right... You never went over all that this time around. You nod again, hastily going back to scribbling.)

Sorry. We didn't go over all the original stuff this time around.

"Ah ah! No, there will be no apologizing. This is purely academic, you're not allowed to blame yourself for anything during this, understand?" (She asks in her usually half joking half threatening manner, you can't help but smile and give a weak chuckle, coughing just a bit afterwards.)

"Y-Yes m'dame!"

"Splendid. Now, since it's already come up, would you like to regale me with the original loops? (You nod. It would take a little while, but you begin to furiously scribble away, trying to sum up the loops as best you could. You include most of the important moments, but you can't bring yourself to include all of them still... The kings grip around bonnie still flashing in your mind, haunting you to this day.)

(Once you're finished writing your several page summary, you hand the book over to her. She quickly glances across the page, reading over it all intently. Her expression slowly turns to shock, and then that of sadness. She covers her mouth at one point.)

"Oh Siffrin... I am so sorry you-"

"Ah ah! Purely academic m'dame!" (You interrupt, giving a light smile. She is a bit surprised by your reaction, but manages to smile back, nodding.)

"My apologies, you're right, purely academic..." (You give a 'wink' at that, causing her to roll her eyes with a light chuckle. She goes back to reading, trying keep her expression more stoic.)

(She finally finishes reading, pulling off her glasses for a moment to wipe her slightly watery eyes. She then hands the book back to you.)

"Thank you for telling me all of that Siffrin... How many loops was it?" (You pause for a moment. You want to pretend you were trying to remember, but you'll never forget exactly how many it was. Remembering how long you were in there always stings a bit, but you write it down in big numbers regardless.)

176

(She freezes at the sight of that, glancing away and starting to do some calculations in her head. You wave a hand to stop her before she gets too far. scribbling down some more.)

They weren't all 2 days. a lot were shorter.

(She nods, taking a deep breath to keep her emotions in check for all of this. It was a weird feeling, not being the one on the verge of tears, needing comfort, trying to hide your expression... You hold out a hand to her. She perks up a bit again, slowly placing her hand in yours. You just give it a comforting squeeze, giving the brightest smile you could muster at the moment.)

"Thanks, Odile."

"Of course Siffrin, Any time. Now you should get back to resting, this is all exhausting me as well." (You nod some, trying to settle in for a bit more sleep. Getting a lot of that off your chest seemed to help, slowly drifting off to a gentle slumber.)

#lives worth living au #isat au #lwlau #isat spoilers #isat fanfic #isat #in stars and time fanfic #in stars and time spoilers #two hat spoilers #isat two hats

98 notes · View notes

whatdoeseverybodywant · 7 months ago

Text

You're the Only Girl for Me- Chapter 20

I do NOT give permission for my work to be translated or reposted on here or any other site, even if you give me credit. DO NOT REPOST MY FICS

Reblogs, comments, likes, and feedback ALWAYS appreciated ❤

All OC Characters belong to me

August 1st 2021

Airielle jumped and let out a gasp as someone knocked on her driver's side window.

“Girl, are you okay?” Trinity asked her. “How long have you been down here? Yas is still upstairs waiting for you.”

Airielle just shrugged, she didn’t know how long she actually sat in the garage. Her mind was all over the place, because she had to be imagining Christopher… right? There was no way in hell he was in Pensacola. What were the actual chances?

“Airi?” Trinity called out again, unlocking her phone and sending a quick text to Yas who was down in the garage at record breaking speed.

“Airielle?” Yas called out her name as she got closer to her car. She looked over at Trinity who shrugged.

“I was going to my car and found her out here.” Trinity sent a quick text message to her husband telling him that she was staying with Airielle, there was no way she was leaving her best friend after seeing her in this state.

“Sweetie.. Come-on” Yas said softly as she unbuckled Airielle’s seatbelt and gently pulled her out of the car. “What happened?”

“He-He” Was all Airielle could get out, as Trin and Yas led her back up the elevator to her apartment. Yas sighed, suddenly feeling guilty that she told Airielle to go talk to Josh. Yas and Trin helped Airielle into her apartment and sat her down on the couch. Trinity went into the kitchen to call Josh and give him a piece of her mind while Yasmine sat on the chair and watched her cousin.

Yasmine had only seen Airielle like this one other time and that was on their vacation to California last summer where they almost ran into Christopher. He didn’t see them but Airielle damn sure saw him and shut down for the rest of the vacation, refusing to leave their hotel room. But there was no way… right?

Airielle didn’t know how long she had been sitting on the couch, all she knew was that her body no longer felt numb. “He’s in Pensacola, Yas.” Airielle whispered and Yasmine felt her heart drop into her stomach. “I went to the pier to clear my mind after going to Josh’s and when I opened my eyes, he was there. Just staring at me.” Airielle whispered and all Yasmine could do was blink at her, she was trying to form words but her brain had stopped working. “He wasn’t real though, right?” Airielle asked, her eyes pleading with Yasmine to agree. Yasmine nodded instantly

“He wasn’t real Airi, I promise.” Airielle let out a shaky breath and let herself sink into the couch.

“He wasn’t real.” Airielle repeated. But no matter how many times she said it, she knew it wasn’t true, and him being in Pensacola was only the beginning.

August 20th 2021

AIRIELLEJONES

liked by yasmine_jones, trinity_fatu and 190,000 others

AirielleJones: 🥂🖤

view all comments

user: okay but the bob eats!

user: the bob!!

trinity_fatu: oooh girl. that bob is everything ! (❤️ by author)

850-876-5643: Airielle talk 2 me 850-876-5643: Please 850-876-5643: just answer the phone so i can explain. 850-876-5643: stop ignoring me.

Airielle threw her phone in her bag as she entered The Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Josh had texted her every damn day trying to explain himself and he honestly didn’t need to. He was single and could do whoever he wanted to. He didn’t owe her an explanation but he was hell bent on giving her one.

Airielle definitely needed those two weeks off, Paul had even granted her an extra week after Airielle lied and said she had a death in the family.. It was wrong but shit, the mere thought of going back outside and probably running into Christopher scared her shitless. She had somehow managed to survive off of whatever she had in her cabinets and pantry which mainly consisted of canned goods and chex mix.

“Hey.” Airielle jumped - she’s been doing a lot of that lately- “Woah.” Josh said, holding his hands up as he walked closer to her. “ I didn't mean to scare you Rih, You good?”

“You look nice.” He said and she rolled her eyes.

“Josh, wassup?”

Josh was taken aback by her standoffish attitude, she had never been like this with him. “You been ignoring me. I wanted to talk about what happened.” Airielle let out a soft grunt and looked around,checking her surroundings, she had been doing a lot of that lately, too. She let out a quiet hum as she noticed Yara and Zelina standing by the other end of the hallway, looking in her direction.

“Rih.” Josh called out, cupping her jaw and bringing her attention back to him. “I ain’t mean for that to happen. I was hurt and upset and-”

“Josh , stop” She cut him off, removing his hand from her face. “You don’t have to explain anything to me. You’re single, you can do whatever you want.” She tried to walk around him but he stepped in her way.

“Bullshit, you’re upset.” Airielle sighed and closed her eyes. She was on the verge of a breakdown and she needed to get away from Josh ASAP.

“I’m not upset.” She lied and Josh knew she was lying. But there was nothing he could do about it and it pissed him off. He wanted her to talk to him and to stop keeping shit bottled up inside. “Can I go now?”

Josh sucked his teeth and moved out of the way, letting her pass. For some reason he felt as if he had cheated on her and he wanted to fix things, but shit.. She kissed Raymond first. He sucked his teeth again and walked in the opposite direction to start getting ready for his match against Rey Mysterio.

Airielle held her head up high as she strutted past Yara and Zelina, she had almost walked past them when Yara reached out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

“Hey, um- i’m gonna need you to stay away from my man.” Yara stated, flipping her cheap ass wig over her shoulder. Airielle scoffed and looked around to see who she was talking to.

“Excuse me.”

“Don’t play dumb. You know that’s my nigga now. You’re old news, you have no need to be talking to him anymore.”

“Girl, get the fuck off of me.” Airielle laughed, snatching her arm out of Yara’s grasp.

“I'm being so forreal right now. I might be new, but he’s my man and you're getting too comfortable.” Airielle had to giggle at the look of anger on Yara’s face.

“Maybe you should be having this conversation with ya’ man. He been blowing my phone up for days.”

“All I'm saying is stay away from my man.” Airielle sighed and rolled her eyes. oh boy.

“Tell your man to stay away from me.” Airielle winked and shouldered her way past an angry Yara and amused Zelina.

Airielle : 1

Yara : 0

Sooo... hope i didn't disappoint w/ this chapter 😭

Yara is a grade A BITCH but Airielle can handle that ass.

I like how Josh's number is no longer saved in her phone neither lol

it went from being Josh to Josh ❤️ to J.Uso and now just a number lmao.

Reblogs, comments, likes, and feedback ALWAYS appreciated ❤

🏷️: @christinabae @southerngirl41 @reci1996 @jeyusos-girll @empressdede

@harmshake @paigereeder @li-da-savage @nbanenefrmdao @alyyaanna

@jeysbae @theninthwonder @badbitchcentralinc @leaderofthebadbitchbrigade @bonni-98

@raya-hunter01 @abadbitchblogs @qveenmikaelson @black-yn @mzv11

@shantinextdoor @sheyaish @zillasvilla @thatone-girly @xmonetsworld

@bebesobrielo @kill-the-artiste @wrestlingprincess80 @yana3sworld @scmillerofficial

@that-one-anxious-mango @mersers-moonypadfoot-prongs @sageispunk

IF YOU WANT TO BE ADDED LET ME KNOW ❤️

#wwe #jey uso #jey uso x black reader #main event jey uso #jey uso x reader #wwe x black reader #jey uso imagine #jey uso fanfic #jey uso fanfiction #jey uso imagines #jey uso x black oc #jey uso x y/n #jey uso x oc #wwe x fem reader #wwe x oc #wwe x reader

121 notes · View notes

dollfaceksj · 1 year ago

Note

BDSMSBSKFNSKSNKSD A DOSE OF WHATENDKSBSKSND DND FKDNDKDNSKSMS. CLOVER IM DKS SLSNSLSNS SKS. OC IS PISSING ME OFF. WTF IS WRONG WITH U IS A PERF TITLE BC WTF IS WRONG W HER !!! WHERE TF THEM PILLS COME FROM !!!!

this was written in a hurry. didnt feel like bullet point format would fit w this chapter. its not my best work but i hope yall get the feel i was trying to convey <3 (i won’t answer asks that spoil the story! gonna wait a few days so i don’t spoil the other readers who arent active currently!)

tw: body image issues(!!!) very deeply rooted issues that majority of women n ppl go thru. u have been warned. <3

wc: 2k ish

can’t afford love | myg (m) #20

⋆ TAGLIST ⋆

⇠ PREV. ⋆ MASTERLIST ⋆ NEXT ⇢

“Why the fuck do you have a dose of birth control pills?”

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

The instance the words leave his lips, your heart free falls—no, plummets—to the pit of the Earth. This isn’t how it was supposed to go. He shouldn’t have found out this way.

You can’t bring the anxious quiver in your lips to stop when your mind travels at lightning speed trying to come up with a response. An explanation. An excuse. A lie.

But nothing comes out.

There’s nothing that you can bring yourself to say.

You messed up.

Are you even sorry? Or are you Just sorry you got caught?

Your eyes mindlessly stare at the box of pills like it’s going to vanish into thin air and you desperately want to witness it.

Doesn’t happen, though. The box stares back at you like it’s mocking you. Laughing in your face whilst being in his grasp.

He says your name. Quietly. Angrily. Repeats it when you don’t respond. Sounds like his voice is inside your head yet it also sounds like it’s coming from a galaxy that is seven million light years away.

After what seems like ages—which in reality was just a few seconds—you finally find the voice in the back of your throat that seemingly abandoned you in your time of need. “It’s an old box of pills and besides, why are you snoopi–”

“The label says you bought these two days ago. I’m not fucking stupid.” The words don’t just roll off his tongue, they launch out of his mouth like a spear. Penetrates your chest. The tip of said deadly spear nudges at your heart. Pokes it a little. Maybe makes it bleed a little, you’re not too sure.

Your panicked gaze slowly shifts to meet his angry eyes after he aggressively throws the box back onto your dresser.

“And if you’re going to berate me for snooping, someone has been trying to reach you. Called you 3 times. Just went to check to make sure it wasn’t an emergency.” He steps aside and nods towards your purse, which is now lying on its side, wide open with the contents spilled out. Your phone. Lip gloss. Wallet. Tube of Vaseline. 3 q-tips. Pack of gum. Few loose pain killer capsules.

You slowly start shaking your head and take a small step back, hoping to enlarge the distance between the two of you that you had tried to close just a few moments ago. “You won’t get it, so just–”

“No,” he says as he stomps to you, wrapping his hand around your bicep to stop you in your tracks. “You’re going to stop fucking lying to me. What the hell has been going on with you? Why are you acting like this?”

You try to wiggle your arm out of his grasp but he doesn’t let you go that easily. Tightens his grip. Enough to keep you still. Doesn’t hurt, though.

“Let me go.”

“No.”

“Let me g–”

He pulls you a little closer. Not in a romantic way. In a don’t-you-move-an-inch way. “Why won’t you just talk to me? I don’t understand why you keep pushing me away.”

Swallowing is starting to feel like sandpaper scratching its way down your esophagus. “Please, just– stop.”

He shakes his head, damp black hair swinging back and forth. Water dripping off his ends onto his shoulders like shiny pearls. They drop onto the fabric of his shirt, creating tiny little polka dots that are darker than the color of his shirt. “No, I won’t stop. You’re crossing the fucking line and you know it.”

He’s got you. That much is clear.

The silence that envelops around you is so prominent. Heavy. Wraps around you. Kind of like you’re a fetus in a pregnant belly.

Heat starts rising to your nose and cheeks, enough for you to realize that you’re starting to get emotional. Doesn’t take much longer for tears to start rolling down your cheeks.

Is there any point in hiding it now?

“You’ll never understand, Yoongi.” You shake your head as you bring your hand up. Wipe your nose with the back of your hand. Sniff softly.

His chest deflates as he heavily exhales. Feline eyes soften for a moment before his brows pinch together again. “Then make me understand.” His voice is still angry. Furious. Fuming.

“Nothing’s been the same for me, don’t you get it?” you shakily murmur, finally wiggling out of Yoongi’s grasp but not bothering yourself to get rid of the proximity between you two. Somewhere there’s comfort in it. “I know I shouldn’t have got those, I fucking know. But what you don’t know is what it feels like, okay?”

“Like what fee– What the hell are you even talking about?”

You cut him off. Burst out. “I feel disgusting, okay?”

His frown deepens. Eyes never leave you. The intensity on his features keeps you glued to the floor beneath your bare feet.

Before he can even respond, you continue with your outburst. “You don’t know what it’s like to have been the it-girl, to have been looked at and craved by any- and everyone and to now look and feel like this.”

It’s the truth. Yoongi was the king of your college because he had you. You made heads turn. You made guys fight their best friends. You made girls copy your clothes and makeup.

And now, here you are. Gotten rid of a full-length mirror in your bathroom because you hated seeing yourself naked.

Silence prevails once again. Just for a few moments that feel like centuries.

His expression doesn’t change. “Like what?”

“Ugly! Fat! Disgusting! Don’t you get it? My hair fell out, I have stretchmarks and scars all over my body, my tooth fell out at one point, my boobs are saggy, I don’t feel like taking care of myself. I burst into tears whenever I even remotely look at myself.”

You continue, pointing an accusatory finger at Yoongi and press it into his chest until he winces. “And don’t you fucking get it wrong. I fucking love Jun. I would do it all over again. I love being his mother and there’s nothing, absolutely nothing, that I’d change it for. But nothing prepared me for this. I haven’t gone out, I haven’t done anything. I bring Jun to daycare and pick him up and that’s it.”

You start backing away from him. Lips still quivering and brows furrowed in hurt.

As you approach your bed, you sink down. Bury your face in your palms. Sob a little. “But then we started being intimate again and you made me feel so beautiful. So wanted. I didn’t see it coming at all. Like everything I was seeing was a lie and everything you saw was the undeniable truth.”

You take a shaky breath to continue, “I meant it when I said I wanted the baby, that was never a lie. I wouldn’t lie about that. But as we kept having sex, you just…” you sniff, “made me so addicted to the way you made me feel. Made me feel so good physically but also like I was the most beautiful woman on the planet.”

Your eyes involuntarily shift up to meet his but in the instance you do, you regret it.

He’s frowning. Black eyes staring you down. Arms crossed over his chest. Looks like his mind is racing at a million miles a minute.

You drop your head again, hurt coating your voice. “I got scared. Scared that I’d get pregnant when I was finally starting to gain some of my self esteem back. Scared that I’d have to end our arrangement and we wouldn’t have that anymore. That I wouldn’t see you anymore.” You steal another glance at him before shifting your eyes back to the floor. His face is still the same. “I decided to get birth control the day before the award ceremony. I swear, I just wanted to delay the pregnancy only by a month or two. I just wanted to feel okay for a little while longer.”

It’s quiet. Really quiet. Your vision is blurry. Makes the floor look like a pool of blood thanks to the bordeaux rug. Makes his feet look like two hazy clouds.

You hold your heart when he finally speaks up. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

Ugh.

He doesn’t get it. He will never understand. Never.

“Because it’s humiliating! It’s embarrassing. I…” You exhale deeply in an attempt to compose yourself. “I’m ashamed, okay? The man that once saw me as the queen of the world has to see me come down to this? I didn’t want you to think of me as this… this pathetic, insecure woman. I didn’t want you to think ‘is this really what I once loved?’.”

The frown on his brows deepens. He kind of looks genuinely offended but still tries to keep the rest of his expression as neutral as possible. He’s failing, though.

Not possible when the line between his brows looks deeper than the Pacific Ocean. When his lips twitch like he wants to yell. When the veins in his neck look like they want to pop out of his skin.

You take a deep breath after the explanation. Hang your head down. Wipe your tears with your palms. Sniff quietly. Allow a soft sob to escape your system—which makes your frame tremble slightly.

All those days, weeks, months that you spent hating yourself. Mourning the you that once was. Mourning the Yoongi that loved you.

It all comes back to you in the form of tears. Sobs. Pain.

It’s so quiet that you hear him preparing to speak. The way his lips kiss his teeth. Clears his throat. He says your name. Once. Twice. Sighs when you don’t react.

Then he gently places your phone in your lap.

Mom

Missed call (5)

You sniff and wipe your nose clean. You clear your throat and dial her number. Hold your phone to your ear. Sigh softly before you let out a croaky, “hello?”

Yoongi turns his back to you. Sighs loudly as he runs his hands through his hair and tries to process all the information you just dumped on him.

Your mother sounds distressed on the other side of the line. “What the hell took you so long?”

“Sorry, I was in the showe–”

“Stop, stop,” your mom pauses. “You need to get to the hospital right now.”

Your heartbeat stutters in its rhythm. You shoot up from your seat right away. The back of your phone becomes slimy from the amount of sweat your palm has produced.

Goosebumps pop out of the upper layer of your skin. “What? The hospital? What happened?” The turmoil in your soul makes all of your limbs shiver.

Yoongi’s head snaps towards you. Horror is written all over his face. Lips parted in shock and body frozen in a state of panic.

“Just get here. I don’t want you to drive recklessly.”

You reach for your clothes as you tilt your head to your shoulder to keep the phone trapped as you slide your pants onto your legs. “Mom! I’m gonna drive recklessly now anyway! Tell me what happ– Oh, God. Is it Jun? Did something happen? What happ–”

Your mother cuts you off. “Stop it! Just get here.”

“Mom, I swear, you’re gonna tell me what the hell happened to Jun right no–”

A big pair of hands grab you by the shoulders and shake you out of your state of panic. At least they try to. Your eyes shift up, meeting black concerned eyes that are begging you to just listen to your mother for a moment.

The other line goes silent. Just for a few seconds.

“Jun had a seizure.”

To be continued.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

⇠ PREV. ⋆ MASTERLIST ⋆ NEXT ⇢

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

a/n: and i hope everyone that hated on yn feels like a piece of shit😋🩷

— enjoyed it? you can always show your appreciation by buying me some coffee if you want ☕︎♡

@pamzn @jknoah @ahgasegotarmy116 @jaiuneamesolitaiire @Teddytaee @pnkmyg @yoongallery @agustdswifey @purp13st4r @busanstarkoo @busanboykoo @kookssecret @p34rluv @xumyboo @jojowantstocry @minjenna @codeinebelle @Futuristiclovedreamland @rirushu @taegicity @namgihours @ultminyoongi @swinterr @butterymin @partyparty-yah @bettybloop @secfir @coffeedepressionsoup @keroppitae @manuosorioh @whoa-jo @etaerealboyv @kaiparkerwifes @luvjiminandyoongi @luvbeomkai @petalsofink @paradiseyoongies @gaby-93 @MMFranklin @llallaaa @vickyyy97 @osakis-gf @luna-astro-star @shabbamadapot @rrrapmonste-rr @jjeonjennie @yoongisducky @s3l3n0phil3 @itsmina29 @namjoonsbuspass @hoseokshobagi @laurenrodr @keshiadeija @acquiescence804 @swga-ficrecs @sato-hana02 @honsoolhour @kimseokgen @Imene1609 @joonsmagicshop @yunki-yunki-yunki

349 notes · View notes

cruyuu · 3 months ago

Note

265 is an insane chapter. i can't move on from it. yuji and sukuna being twins, fishing, shooting arrows... yuji's sad eyes after sukuna's "i feel nothing"... like am i insane for thinking that yuji really wanted to get sukuna to open up there??? there's no other explanation for that chapter otherwise. god these two 😭😭

Sorry for a late answer anon!

I already ranted a bit about that chapter and tried to make sense of it. You are right, anon. There is absolutely no need for Yuuji to go that far for someone like Sukuna and then say... "I loathe you." as an explanation because it makes zero sense. He could've ripped him away from Megumi like 20 times already, and he claims he can kill him, but (just like Sukuna), I guess he has to hate on him (in a very fond way) first at least because priorities lol.

Because spending time together and trying to change that person's mind, talking with him constantly as if just wishing he would join in and say something about himself is the definition of loathing an individual, right? Silly me for thinking that was interest. For thinking that was care. For thinking that Yuuji wants to hear his thoughts and see how he thinks. Wants to try and understand him. Learn more about him. Otherwise, exactly like you asked, why? What's the point? There's no purpose to 265 and it could've easily been replaced by 266 wholly. He could've said all of that to a particular individual who needs it (and who Yuuji misses), and funnily enough, it would fit the shoe more so than it would with Sukuna. Why does Yuuji still care about the person who ruined his life enough to perform his very first Domain Expansion and spend nearly an entire day with him, hanging out? Really weird.

Like 266 just confirmed that. The sheer contrast between the chapters is just insane. I have a post about that which is half-written because I can't even put everything into words properly but I'll try my best to finish it when I'm not that busy to show you exactly what I mean.

Also the fact that Sukuna looks exactly like Yuuji, not in his true form but dressed like him, totally like his twin. That Yuuji is taking him everywhere, commenting on everything, from food, down to animals, seemingly as if to try and find a way to engage him in conversation yet Sukuna keeps his mouth shut. He even chooses to shoot arrows with him, something which is more Sukuna's thing than Yuuji's, just to get him to show anything at all. Yuuji's an open book here, and he tells him even that he considers these little things important (his speech about roles and life), but Sukuna brushes him off.

And Yuuji looks sad? Disappointed? because Sukuna remains closed off. His behavior towards Yuuji is unexplainable, and even his hatred is... just that. Nothing. Even if Sukuna keeps contradicting himself at every turn when it comes to Yuuji, treating everyone the same but not him, there's still no explanation about why he does that.

And this is why Yuuji talked about meaning in life. He was practically explaining his newfound viewpoint to Sukuna, because he was expecting an answer regarding his hate. Something like "Okay but there must be a reason for your uncontrollable hatred when it comes to me. Can you tell me what it is?" because to Yuuji, everything means something. It's not just that– some pointless, meaningless thing.

Sukuna's response is "I understand, but I do not care." yet he got pissed off when he recognized Yuuji's crestfallen expression as pity. Like why is he even mad about that? I thought he only lived for himself and didn't care about anything. I thought he felt nothing. I thought he didn't live to understand others, yet he cannot understand Yuuji and his expression makes him mad.

265 seems to expose Sukuna as a feeler in denial, who clearly has a problem with Yuuji's way of looking at him, but also generally has a problem with understanding Yuuji (still). Even though these two understand other people, with similar viewpoints, they're stuck when it comes to each other. Sukuna loathes weak people and yet he compliments everyone who is weaker than him. He calls them strong. Everyone except Yuuji.

One of my friends thinks Sukuna's anger towards Yuuji is because Yuuji cannot seem to hate Sukuna like he hated Mahito, which is a very interesting observation, ngl. It feels like no matter what Sukuna does, Yuuji will still find a way of pardoning it, while with Mahito he never did such a thing. He showed pure coldness. The scene of Mahito losing showcases Yuuji appearing cold-blooded, further exemplified by the prey/predator imagery and winter. Truly no notion of kindness. With Sukuna, that doesn't seem to be the case considering... well.. the entirety of 265. Sukuna had even done worse than Mahito and continually promises to Yuuji to do worse, only to ignite hate, but is spared of real, genuine, absolute hatred. He still gets a chance. He still gets, "Come back to me." He gets "pitied".

And that's the very thing I tried hard to figure out– the whole "pity" thing– because Yuuji doesn't appear to be pitying Sukuna. It's something else. It's something way more closer and kinder than that. It may appear cold and like "pity" to Sukuna, while to us, it is presented differently. This is because paneling is extremely important!

When Yuuji states "if this is what all that anger had amounted to" we, the readers, see him be sad, but Sukuna doesn't see that expression. He's looking ahead and is just listening to him. By his voice alone, he comes to a conclusion and asks if Yuuji is pitying him and when he turns to look at him, Yuuji's face is shrouded in darkness until the panel where we are met with the coldest way of pitying someone known to mankind, where Yuuji confirms his thoughts, yet still offers him a chance to still be spared.

That is Sukuna's explanation regarding what Yuuji feels, not what Yuuji truly feels and it doesn't entirely make sense because to pity someone is to feel sadness or sympathy for someone's unhappiness or bad situation. How can it be pity when Yuuji doesn't even know his situation? When Sukuna isn't unhappy nor in a bad situation? Plus he doesn't even know anything about him? If anything it feels like Yuuji is mourning the fact he has to kill him (that that is his "bad situation" in this case) and cannot reach him, that they cannot co-exist and that yes, this is what he's feeling sad about.

You could, also, argue differently. That it is precisely that– because he has no explanation for anything and keeps him in the dark about himself, and continually just keeps pushing him away. That he cannot care for him. Hell, even Yuuji's mindset which clashes heavily with Sukuna's is enough of a reason why.

We (the readers) see Yuuji be sad while Sukuna doesn't and Yuuji confirms his thoughts instead of offering a more fitting explanation because what is the point? Sukuna had already stated "He doesn't feel anything" so he won't get nor understand what Yuuji feels.

The pure misunderstanding is in focus between these two in that chapter. The whole "pity" which is, in fact, not that, because otherwise Yuuji wouldn't be offering Sukuna to come back to him, but would instead just try to kill him, not just keep giving him chances and allowing him to live and cause more mayhem than he already did.

But still, the whole insanity of this chapter comes from Yuuji's behavior towards Sukuna. Like why think of changing perspectives, of spending time trying to understand and offering that very same person (who had taken the very person you claim to care about) life and yet, when it comes to that other person, you're saying "it's okay if you choose to die even though I would be lonely without you"? It's so fucking absurd. You want someone you hate to live more so than you want someone you care about to? You're telling your entire life story to a person who never gave a shit about you to... change his perspective on life? Yet you're doing nothing to change the mind of someone who you'll be lonely without? Insanity.

So yeah, anon. You can see how crazy it all is when you really think about it. I would really love it if we can finally see these two being honest with each other because that seems to be this big, big issue here, where everyone is talking for them (even the story), instead of you know, them.

#melanswers #sukuita #yuuji #sukuna

39 notes · View notes

hastings727 · 1 year ago

Text

Dandadan and its Ability to go Outside the Standard Shonen Battle Manga Tropes:

I love Dandadan for many reasons: insanely good artwork, wild situations, beautifully choreographed fight scenes, its ability to drop my jaw in some way every chapter.

But something that set it apart from most shonen battle manga is how it adds characters to its roster, and how it develops relationships between its characters through the use of Harem tropes.

After Aira's initial introduction into the manga, we see the first use of "comical misunderstanding" or "unlucky timing", where Momo sees Okarun on top of Aira outside the school. In most harem settings, this would be used to set up a love triangle, and keep the main pairing away from actually developing romance. But Dandadan instead uses it as a springboard into another action filled arc: the Serpo Arc that happens in their school. More supernatural hijinks ensue, and so many wild and crazy "even in context this is insane" situations occur that wouldn't be outside of a wild Harem manga situation. But what makes Dandadans use of these tropes different is how it subverts them: By the conclusion of the arc, Momo asks for an explanation of the initial situation that kicked off the arc, and Okarun speaks honestly: He was trying to train to become stronger for her. And Aira herself, instead of sticking to her popular girl schtick of talking smack about Momo, admits to an entire group of classmates that *she* was the one who made up the lies about Momo. Dandadan subverts the harem tropes and uses it to develop their characters relationships.

At the end of the Serpo arc we meet Jiji, Momos childhood friend and "first love". The tone of everything in Jijis debut makes the audience assume that this will AGAIN be the introduction of a love triangle that stunts the growth of the main pairing. Except this time it will be Okarun and Jiji fighting over Momo. But the well already begins to be poisoned in the next chapter: Jiji is a huge goofball. Its not out of the well of possibility that a love triangle might happen, but it subverts tone and establishes Jijis personality. The next few chapters continually set up the potential triangle, and starts up the events of the Cursed House arc. We see Okarun clearly uncomfortable with Jiji and Momos relationship, and is rapidly falling for Momo. But during the bus ride to the Cursed house, we see Okarun and Jiji begin to become friends. And their interactions together when Momo leaves to relax at a hot spring deepen their friendship, and everything culminates upon the fight between Okarun and Jijis transformation: the Evil Eye. Okarun is not only enraged that Evil Eye for hurting Momo, but for taking Jiji away from them.

"give him back! Give me back my dear friend!"

And then Okarun proceeds to double-fisted uppercut the Evil Eye 20 times into submission, capping off one of the best fight scenes in manga. But all of that was just to subvert the love triangle, at least initially. After the arc, Jiji is a part of the group, and Aira comes back to help with dealing with ANOTHER harem trope: multiple personalities that trigger from hot/cold water, a classic trope started by Ranma 1/2. Specifically, the Evil Eye that is inside Jiji. This entire arc serves to deepen character relationships, and drive character development. But while it simmers the love triangle, its never diminished: Okarun still feels nervous that his friend will overtake him as Momos male love interest. But as always, it serves to deepen the relationship between Momo and Okarun instead of stunting it. It always struck me how relatable all of this was. Throughout all of these wild and crazy "it could only happen in a manga" situations, the solid foundation of character relationships always shines through as a driving factor to the manga. These teenagers actually act like teenagers, they interact as teenagers. And its the main reason I'm still so attached to these characters.

#dandadan #shonen jump #shonen battle manga #Harem tropes

176 notes · View notes

juyomiao · 1 year ago

Text

Only ONE - sung hanbin x gn!reader

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

17 ☆ love bomb

< prev | masterlist

chapter warnings : boring , chae threatens hanbin's life at some point , ynbin being so sweet n healthy its sickening

☆ note: aaand with this very boring n underwhelming chapter , only one finally comes to an end (not all hope is lost , tho , as much as i hated writing it at times im so emotionally attached to this series i might consider a little epilogue/spin-off chapter) . AND i managed to squeeze in the haoyn beef explanation ?? tbh when i first posted it i kind of expected it to do fairly well (the boys planet smau writers demographic was like 10 ppl at best back then) but i did not expect it to do this well n singlehandedly gain me almost 500 followers . thats crazy insane bonkers . why am i getting kind of emotional writing this i dont think listening to light the way by cravity was a good idea . anyways , im sorry by the end of it i kind of lost the 'spark' that made this fic good - i couldn't even get to 20 chapters ffs - writing it was more of a chore than a fun little hobby for me n at times it made me genuinely anxious to the point of crying/getting nauseous . yes user li juyomiao is fucking insane but hey ! im alright now i promise ! jumping right into another series is probably not the smartest thing to do but im so excited abt it n i really really want to branch out into writing for other groups n the idea i had was so so good ,, i'll learn from my mistakes n write a few chapters in advance so i can take it easy n not pressure myself , tho :] thank u to everyone who supported only one until its very last chapter !! this authors note is long asf so if u read it all heres a dumpling for u my lovelies 🥟 thats it , li out‼️‼️ (im fr getting emotional good lord help me)

☆ SYNOPSIS: sung hanbin is everyone's dream guy: perfect grades, perfect looks, perfect personality, he has it all. he's even class AND student council president! everyone loves him, and you, as his vice-president, are no exception to that. having been in love with him since you were 12, you try to tone down your feelings "for the sake of professionalism" and claim it's simple admiration for someone who objectively has no flaws. but there is one small detail you missed, in all these years admiring him: he has an even bigger crush on you.

☆ TAGLIST: (italics = couldn't tag) @hananovi @soobeaniee @idkwatodoanymore @huipinkhair @homohoons @rikitachquita @lethalvenus @sunoksunny @tocupid @deafeningtyrantmilkshake @winteringdream @ikeryn @ilovechanhee @thesiriusmap @heelanat @baekstans @blaycke @vernonfernandez @8turning @yeolsbestie @asteroidchenle @hvnyujiq @hikyeom @r4innoms @enhypen-scholarship @sulkygyu @meowrinz @rikimylove @ridinhyuck @lumixen @neohyxn @ceanairy @beomibeom @cherriegyu @sunwcloud @k4hzuhas @annoyingbitch83 @stickersim @dreamyyn @anawesomeaquatic @softforjungwoo @utopiakys @247hrs @sunswoonie @minhui896 @chanhee-hee @nxurxn @peachysohn @kpoprhia @haesunflower

#☆ li writes #☆only one☆#boys planet x reader #boys planet scenarios #boys planet smau #boys planet fic #boys planet social media au #boys planet fluff #zb1 smau #zb1 fluff #zb1 scenarios #zb1 x reader #zb1 #zerobaseone #boys planet #sung hanbin

162 notes · View notes

olderthannetfic · 6 months ago

Note

Those asks about the Whoopsie~ I wrote a long fic by accident!! Are hitting square in the chest lol. I honestly went through a phase that was like that though. It was almost a manic writing high where everything I wrote turned into a monster work for a year straight. I'd have a 10k one shot or maybe a 3 chapter 20k fic in mind and those would easily wind up double or even triple what I intended.

Most of which I completed. (Not all. I left the fandom late last year and wound up leaving a couple behemoths unfinished.) How I managed to complete so many of them (somewhere in the low 20s) I still don't really know but I wound up publishing around 1 Million words of fic in a year's time and became increasingly frustrated with myself because it was like a switch got flipped in my brain and I couldn't flip it back.

I had a beta reader quit on me out of "concern for my mental health" and that might've been somewhat warranted but mostly it felt like concern trolling. I was really happy most of the time to be able to write so consistently for the first time since I was a teenager and didn't have the overly critical hesitation that came with the development of an Adult Sense of Shame & Integrity. But it was a double edged sword. I didn't know the world of hurt that was coming for me.

It wasn't just my fics getting too long but my chapter lengths were frequently sitting around the 9k mark, and one of my fics had multiple 13k to 17k chapters and I gained a reputation for it. (Which became it's own problem.) Along with really fast turnaround times. I could write a lot and write quickly for the first time ever in my 20 years of writing. And it was good. Some of the best work I've ever done. That high was insane.

And then I hit the worst kind of burnout I have ever experienced after that period, around August of last year. I'm still not fully recovered. And I'm not really sure where that momentum came from or how I maintained it. I want a middle ground and have yet to acquire the skill for moderate momentum. I tend to not take fanfic too seriously because it's always been an outlet for me. Meant to be fun.

I would love to be able to figure out the happy medium but in that time period I did not. And I still haven't. My brain apparently had two modes: WRITE ALL THE WORDS. Or YES. GIVE US NOTHING, KING.

I would also really like to recover from this burnout. Woof. It's been almost a year since I hit that wall. In the time since I have written barely anything. Just a little 8k one shot that I am not that pleased with and the start of a long fic that it takes me months to get a single 4k chapter done for.

In the end, I suspect it was just a perfect storm of inspiration, free time, and a healthy Fandom that was supportive (at the time). I learned a lot in that period, too. It was one of those "Hey I'm improving!" upswings but on steroids. Not sure it was worth the cost in the end. I can barely write now.

Brains are weird. That's my explanation for a lot of writing-related things.

41 notes · View notes

abouttomakeanameformyself · 2 months ago

Text

Chapter Two: What's misery without company

1/5 🌶️ with reference to Remy being hot but like, we already knew that.

This was only supposed to be half a chapter but we were past 2k, so I decided to trim down the chapter. The update should come out sooner, because I have half of it written already!

Enjoy a Kate cameo (my beloved) and more (limited) Nets shirt slander.

The headache was the first indicator that you were hungover. It hit you like a ton of bricks before your eyes were even open. It was a particular type of vile that increased tenfold when your eyelids fluttered to let some light in. Oh no. No no no no. This wasn't survivable. Time to get old yellered in the back- Wait where the fuck am I?

You sat up with a start, and the first thing you noticed was your attire. Men's boxers fit comfortably over your bottom half, they were a bit big on you but they did the trick. There was a cropped muscle tee over your top half. Okay, so you had a wardrobe change sometime in the night. That's… concerning. It was hard to connect the details of what exactly happened when you still had drool on your face. There was thankfully only about a 5% chance you did something salacious the night before. With how you feel right now, the only thing that was probably getting head was the toilet.

You were in someone else's bed, blankets pooled around your waist and clean sheets beneath you. Your clothing from the previous day was on the bedside table, folded neatly. It looked like it was washed at some point in the night, which brought you a sense of calm. James' familiar Nets shirt brought you a sense of recollection. The breakup. The bar. The drunken trip home with-

A banging from the kitchen brought your new roommates' presence to your attention. Oh. Yes. Remy. This was Remy's room. You took the space in carefully, focusing on the architectural details. Exposed brick. Lots of light. Clean, except for some clutter on a desk and a pile of laundry in the corner that needed to be folded or washed. Okay, so the possibility of him being a serial killer was slimming down. That was comforting.

The urge to snoop was gnawing at the back of your brain, but you knew better. Don't bite the hand that landlords you or don't bite landlords or however the saying goes. Though, in today's economy maybe landlords deserve to get bit. Was Remy technically a landlord? No, but the idea stayed the same. Don't snoop, it's in poor taste when he's helping you out.

Pulling yourself to a standing position felt like your own personal hell. Oh, what the fuck. Alcohol was the devil. Never drinking again. Unless it was Mardi Gras. It seemed like a bitch slap to the culture of New Orleans to skip the festivities of debauchery. Tulane gave you a week off school for the purpose of turning up. You have never once skipped out and no hungover was gonna ruin it for you. Other than that, sobriety only.

An angry buzz came from the bedside table, and you could only brace yourself as you unlocked your home screen. You knew that when you checked your phone, things wouldn't be great. You dropped off the face of the earth for 20 hours with no explanation. People were going to be worried if they didn't know that you were alive and not chopped up into a thousand little pieces.

Most of the calls and texts were from Yelena and James. They didn't deserve an explanation, and you knew that if you responded to one of their messages it would open up a can of worms. So, you forced yourself to swipe their messages away, doing your best not to read a damn word. A sigh of relief passed through you as Kate’s darling face popped up on your screen. She wasn’t here physically, but the smile in her icon made you feel like you had a friend in the room anyway.

Hey! I heard you didn't come home. Are you safe?

Kate was the best thing that's ever happened to Yelena. Or you for that matter. For being the youngest out of the trio of you, she had the vibes of a mom while also acting like a kid sister. She was sweet and wholesome. It made the whole situation of her girlfriend sleeping with your boyfriend just so much worse. Eventually, you’ll tell her. You couldn’t just not. After a few days of processing your ex’s adulterous shenanigans , you can worry about Kate’s relationship.

‘Yea. Me and James are done. It was a long time coming. I stayed at a friend's place DW!’

The dots on your screen to signal her typing were immediate. The impending doom was building as you waited for the interrogation of where when why and how you split up with the Roomie-Pounder 3000. You got some mercy though because Kate didn’t acknowledge the multiple-year relationship ending at all. Instead she hyperfocused on the smallest detail.

‘Wait who? Who do you know that well? You hate social interaction.’

‘Do not. You don't know him. Don't worry. I'll drop you a pin if you promise not to stalk me.’

‘It's so not you that I'm gonna be stalking. Him? Who do you know that would let you crash? That's such an important detail. I know it's not Steve. Tony? Bruce? Girl, I'm running out of options here.’

You grimaced softly because you knew she was just trying to make sure you were safe, On top of that you were sure Yelena and James were probably going to press her for details the better,

Ignoring the ‘bitch answer me’ text from Kate, you found a charger and plugged your phone in, because it was truly on the brink of death at 3%. Plus, you needed water. Water was a necessity, unfortunately.

Remy's apartment was a pretty cool setup. It was an older building, on the edge of the Vieux Carre. It was probably an old townhouse renovated into an apartment. There were a lot of those around this neighborhood. It seemed well maintained, with some open-concept renovations. You walked down the hall, taking in the glossy cherry wood and the creme walls. It had so much character. For being a residence that just fell into your lap, it could be way worse.

You planned to get a good look at the space so you could analyze the basics you needed to purchase. Obviously, you needed a new bed because you weren't going to take the one covered in sex germs that was back in your old apartment. Just the basics like clothing, your laptop, and hygiene essentials.

There was a possibility that you could get more than just the bare minimum supplies, but you needed to be prepared to give some things up. New sheets were a must. When your phone is charged, you can order your new bed because most mattress stores deliver the same day. You could be in your own room by tonight and you wouldn’t be kicking a grown ass man out of his bed.

It was a promising sized space, with the same glossy hardwood floors and exposed brick. There was so much light, which was all thanks to a single floor to ceiling window. The morning sun warmed your skin, yet wasn't intense enough to prod at your aching brain. The closet was big enough to fit all your clothing and then some. It was perfect. Too perfect really.

A clunking sound from the kitchen was offensive enough to your hungover state that it broke you out of your concentration. You'd been so preoccupied with your headache, texting Kate, and a new living situation that you completely forgot about your new roommate. You needed to talk to him honestly anyways. The sooner you both got up and going the sooner you can come back and hide under the covers and wallow in your breakup. Now was as good of a time as any.

Living with a grown man was different than living with a 23 year old woman. Your old roommate was whisper quiet most of the time. You almost didn't notice she was there until she gave you a reason to notice her. It was nice because you never needed to worry about opposite schedules or late night sleepovers with Kate. Remy Lebeau was less than graceful with his clanging and frankly a little loud. Also, Yelena didn't look like that.

As you stepped into the open concept living room and kitchen space, your eyes fell on a half dressed Remy. The bare skin of his broad shoulders was practically glowing in the warm, midmorning light. His back was turned to your general direction, which thank god because you needed a moment to collect yourself. Gray sweatpants handing down low on his hips. Everything important was covered obviously, but Remy was still objectively attractive. Dimples on his lower back and an… impressive physique weren’t as obviously the night before. He went from being kinda attractive to concerningly hot.

You knew damn well the stereotypes about men in gray sweatpants. Everyone did. It was an ongoing joke for a reason. It was a good thing his backside was the angle facing you because you knew damn well you could be a little curious.

The pang of guilt low in your gut reminded you that you met this man about 12 hours ago. Not only that, you've been single for less than a whole day. He was making breakfast like a normal person and you were actively being a problem. Uh, what is wrong with me? My relationship isn't even cold.

You needed some water to reactivate your kidneys and a ride to go collect your things. What you didn't need was to objectify your roommate as he existed half naked in his own fucking apartment.

He was not this hot last night. He was still reasonably attractive with his marblesque bone structure, dark eyes and tousled hair. Reasonably attractive but not your type per day. Right now, he was looking more and more like your type. If you were already over James a day later and finding someone else attractive, it seems like you were just as bad with the wandering eye that he was.

“Good morning. Can I help you, Chérie?” That smokey sweet Cajun drawl sent a shiver down your spine, while sitamuously snapping you out of your mental war about finding him appealing. His voice was still raspy with sleep like he hasn't spoken at all. You don't know how long you've been staring or how long he's been aware of it, but getting caught was deeply humbling.

Your eyes wandered to the living room soace, finding just about anything else to stare at that wasn't Remy's bare skin. The couch where he rested his head when you were hunkering down on his pillow top king mattress. “Hey, so my roommate should be at work and my ex should be in class. So it would be cool if we can get stuff sooner rather than later. I'll be fine if they're there, but I would rather not see them, does that make sense?”

“Oh. No. I just didn't want to startle you. That's all.” You spoke calmly, after taking a moment to collect yourself. It seemed like a good excuse, but the deep chuckle from your new housemate told you he wasn't quite convinced. Well shit.

“That it does. I assume you want to shower first, because it's been hours and you still smell like Jaggermsister.” Remy said, before turning to face you. He looked amused, which seemed like his normal state. That ever present smirk was clear on his face. “How'd you sleep? Good? Want some aspirin, bébé? Coffee? I have omelets on the stove that should be done soon.”

“Jaggerm- how much did you let me drink?” You were already embarrassed because it was pretty obvious you got caught checking him out, now you know you probably smell like death all the while. Wonderful. Your chest and face flushed pink with humiliation. God this man was letting you move in with him and now you're the smelly bed stealer with the creepy stare. Perfect. “Actually some Aspirin sounds fantastic.”

“Oh no no no, Chérie. I did not let you do anything. I at one point tried to cut you off and you told me and I quote ‘my bar wouldn't be so slow if I wasn't a coward ass pourer.’ You're kinda mean, Belle. Fiery. I like it. Keeps Remy on his toes.” He grinned at you, those dark eyes warm with something you couldn't quite place.

“...Oh my fuc- I'm so sorry Remy. Please don't kick me out.” You grimaced at him, running a hand through your hair. Now that he mentioned it, a shower sounded fantastic. You felt grimey from walking around the French Quarter the night before.

“Don't worry, Beau. Remy likes his women with a bit of bite.” He responded instantly, shrugging your worries off, tone filled with humor. Something about the way he brushed everything off so light-heartedly was so reassuring.

Remy passed you some aspirin and a glass of water, that same easy smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth. “Go shower. I have clean towels. We unfortunately will be sharing a bathroom but I gave you a shelf in the cabinet and a drawer. I'll finish up breakfast while ya' clean up. You'll feel a lot better after you eat.”

You nodded your head, a relieved smile passing over your face. Clean clothes. Clean hair. Smelling halfway decent. Perfect. “Okay, I shouldn't be long. Maybe 15-20 minutes. I'm fast.”

“Take your time, belle. I showered this morning. We'll get your stuff on time, don't worry ‘bout it.” Remy reassured you, which although you hate to admit it, you needed from him. The concept of seeing James or Yelena was enough to churn your already irritable stomach. “Thank you Remy…”

His comment lingered in your head as you stepped under the rainfall of the shower. It lingered as you combed out your wet hair with your fingers. It lingered up until you slipped into Remy's passenger seat. Up until your key turned the lock of your apartment in the Garden District, all you could seem to think about was the fact Remy Lebeau liked you in his shirt.

“Oh an’ petite? You look a hell of a lot better in my shirt than you do his.” He mumbled lowly, almost as if the comment wasn't quite for your ears. It didn't keep you from hearing it. You just gaped at him, before turning on your heel and finding your way to the shared bathroom.

#remy lebeau x reader #x men the animated series #gambit #mcu #x men #deadpool and wolverine #gambit x reader #kate bishop my beloved #once again i iterate that the reader is just a girl. just like me frfr

45 notes · View notes

agirlandherquill · 6 months ago

Text

writeblr intro!

this has been a long time coming and i've finally gotten around to it after, what? 4 months of being a part of this delightfully and beautifully chaotic community known as writeblr,

so, about me - well, let's see, i'm A Girl and Her Quill - a moniker i'm adopting because who doesn't enjoy a little sense of mystery? now, what else is there to say about me? i love words, i adore stories, and i love books - my favourites are impossible to narrow down to a simple list so i'll just name a few off the top of my head: great expectations - shockingly fell in love and decided to study it for literature coursework (it paid off, 24/25 marks, best damn essay i have ever written), ready player one - this needs no explanation, the brilliance is clear in the title and i also love its sequel, and for the last of the few books i can think of i'm going to say outlander - i'm reading it at the minute and its beautiful (i've seen up to s2 of the show, so i will be rewatching once I finish the book, and start the second book probably, i just can't resist)

why am i here? - as aforementioned i love stories and i've been writing my whole life, (insert a respectful nod to the graveyard of childhood manuscripts long since abandoned) and i've been working on writing a novel for, well, about four years now? that novel being `Ruin's Reprisal, which has undergone one draft, a total rewrite, and now i'm on to edits - and that story has been with me through some of the most crucial years of my life and thankfully, it's almost done (small white lie, i'm editing chapter 20/roughly 40 at the moment, but i'm getting there); and as for why i'm on writeblr well, as the description of my blog states, it really was a dark night with rain battering the windows, and the mood of it so to speak gave me the courage to sign up to the wonderful world of chaos that is tumblr and to start sharing my writing with the world!

and speaking of sharing my writing, i signed up to ao3 as of this morning and i've been collecting all of the posts relating to my novel from tumblr on there, so if reading on ao3 is more your thing than Tumblr, you can find me as: agirlandherquill

so that's about it from me for now, if i think of anything else to add i'll update this post, and i just want to say a truly heartfelt thank you to everyone who has made me feel so welcome and enjoyed the little snippets i bestow from time to time (i do my best to post daily, reckon i've only slipped about 3 days in total so i'm rather impressed with myself)

signing off on the long overdue intro,

~ A Girl and Her Quill

#writeblr

51 notes · View notes

loonybun · 4 months ago

Text

Meeting Aisling (CYOA) 1

hi i’ve been meaning to write this for a WHILE but yeah yay it’s here now 💖💖 get ready to meet aisling my silly faerie guy he’s so normal :3 sorry it’s a teensy bit short, i didn’t wanna make a long first chapter for a cyoa because. big decisions…

contains: faerie shenanigans, slight environmental whump, desperation, amnesia, lightly implied abduction, mentions of drugging, and a guy who definitely has the best of intentions. you can trust him!!!!

—————————————————

Your head is spinning when you open your eyes, orange light streaming through the gaps in the trees above. The grass patch you’d apparently been sleeping on had provided some padding, but your back still aches when you stand up.

The forest greets you with nothing more than the distant rustling of twigs and the chirping of a mockingbird from somewhere above.

How did you fall asleep here in the first place? Your body still protests against leaving the ground, yearning for more rest. You knew better than to fall asleep here at night. Then again, you also thought you knew better than to wander away from the trails to begin with. Look at where that got you.

Still, you push the confusion to the back of your mind and push forward. There’s no obvious path, and the trees around you don’t hold any hints. Usually there’s at least a bit of chalk or a slash from a previous hiker, but here there are no marks at all. The fog over your mind has began to lift, but you still can’t recall how you managed to get here in the first place.

One detail sticks out in your still hazy memories: a sweet smell. For a brief moment, the possibility of being drugged crosses your mind. But you hadn’t been robbed, and you definitely hadn’t been kidnapped. It’s a morbid idea that your brain quickly lets go of. The scent was something more earthy, nothing like any chemicals you knew of. Then again, you didn’t know many chemicals to begin with. It kind of smelled more like…

…Poppies. The thought hits you as soon as the aroma does, though it’s less potent than before. The source of it is nowhere in sight, so you assume it came from a nearby meadow that you probably stumbled into. You wouldn’t be making that mistake again. Poppies putting people to sleep didn’t seem as feasible as you wanted it to be. It seemed more like an old superstition than an actual fact. Still, it’s the only explanation that will give you peace of mind.

You trek deeper into the now dark forest. The last rays of the sun cast a blue shadow over the trees. God, it’s cold. You need to get out of here soon. Thankfully, you still have your bag, so you have a flashlight if it comes to needing it. You have… No idea where you’re going. The current running theory is that if you go in the same direction for long enough, you’ll find some sort of exit. Maybe it’s stupid, but you don’t have any better ideas. Though, after 20 minutes of going straight, you can’t help but feel even more lost than you did before.

Just as you fear you’ll never see another soul again, a voice calls out to your left.

“…Hello? Is someone there?” The sound provides immediate relief. Finally, you’re safe. Maybe, just maybe, this stranger can help you get home so you can put this surreal experience behind you. You call out to them, and a moment later, they appear by your side.

The stranger, who’s wearing a cozy looking sweater with an embroidered moth on it, gives you a friendly closed-mouth smile. He looks you up and down with vibrant green eyes which trail over your sorry state, making a short “tsk” noise with his mouth. “Oh my! You’re in rough, rough shape. Not hurt though, or dead. That’s always good.” The man gives you a pitiful look and pats your shoulder. “You must be so lost. People don’t usually travel this far out on purpose… The camp sites are very, very far from here. What brings you to the forest?”

That’s a good question. One that would have drawn a blank only a few minutes ago.

taglist: @whumpy-wyrms @inkwell-and-dagger

32 notes · View notes

castawaycat · 1 year ago

Text

The Tales of a Little Tiger: Chapter 20- A Growing Family

Summary: America opens up to a caregiver when she discovers that she is a little in the dimension that she is in.

Yelena was the first to notice America sitting against the wall with her legs pulled to her chest. The young girl looked lost and overwhelmed. She walked up to her gently and got down to the girl’s level. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you. My name is Yelena and I am y/n’s aunt.”

America clutched her legs closer to her body. Since coming into this dimension she felt younger and she didn’t understand why. Usually she was able to stay in check with her emotions; but right now all she wanted was to cry.

Yelena could feel her pheromones activating as she soon realized that the girl in front of her was a little. The girl physically looked to be around fourteen years old, but her little headspace looked to be anywhere between four to six years old. “I know you must be feeling overwhelmed right now. Do you want to go somewhere quieter?”

America nodded her head and took hold of the blonde woman’s hand. Something inside of her told her that Yelena could be trusted. A strong urge to suck her thumb came over her, she hadn’t sucked her thumb since she was four years old. “What is wrong with me?” She thought to herself.

Once they walked outside Yelena noticed the girl relax a little. She noticed that the girl was sucking her thumb, but decided not to bring it up. “Do you feel better? Our whole family is pretty loud and it can be a lot to take in. Were you the one to bring Y/n back?”

The girl nodded her head and took a minute to decide if she wanted to open up. Taking her thumb out of her mouth she nervously looked up at the blonde, “No, y/n was the one who opened the portal. But somehow we found each other and I did my best to take care of her… we found this place where there was a different Wanda and she took care of us.”

“A different Wanda? What was she like?” Yelena asked curiously.

“She was very nice and warm. She had a husband named Vision and two sons named Tommy and Billy. They even had a dog named Sparky!” America said excitedly. “The Wanda there offered me to stay with their family… but I wanted to make sure y/n made it back home to her moms.”

“That Wanda sounds like she has a wonderful life. I think you are very brave to bring y/n back home. Where is your home?” Yelena asked gently as she could see sadness spread on the girl’s face.

America looked down at the ground as she could feel tears fall down her cheeks. “It’s gone. I have no home.” For the first time since everything happened sobs erupted from her small body. “My moms are gone and I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I feel so small and alone.”

Yelena spoke softly in a comforting voice as she gently pulled the girl into her arms. “I’m so sorry about your moms and your home. I know everything is new and scary, but you’re safe here. There’s nothing wrong with you, here in this dimension I believe you are what’s called a, “little.” It basically means that your headspace drops to a young child or infant even if your body is older.” Yelena explained calmly as she could feel the girl cling to her shirt.

America took in the blonde’s words and explanation. It would take some getting used to for sure; but now being in Yelena’s arms she didn’t feel so lost and hopeless. Her sobs died down as she rested her head on Yelena’s shoulder and sucked on her thumb. Her voice dropped into a small quiet one, “wanna stay with you.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The blonde’s heart melted when she felt the girl fully drop into a little headspace. “Don’t worry little one, I'm not going anywhere.” She said as she held the small girl in her arms. After a while Yelena noticed that the girl had fallen asleep in her arms, she gently picked her up and carried her back inside.

You had also fallen asleep in your mama Natasha’s arms after she had breastfed you. You felt so much better to finally be back home.

Tony walks up to Natasha and Wanda, “Bruce and I created this bracelet for y/n. It will help keep her powers controlled, the bracelet will grow as she grows. We suspect that y/n’s powers were manifesting and that was why she became sick, and why she was able to open up a portal.” He says as he carefully placed the bracelet on your little arm. The bracelet glows a light blue as it syncs with your powers.

“Thanks Tony, you have no idea how thankful we are.” Wanda says as she gets up to hug him tightly.

Natasha looks around for the girl who carried you through the portal. She smiles when she sees her sister holding the girl in her arms. “You might need to create a bracelet for the young girl as well.” Natasha says as she points over to where Yelena is sitting.

Tony nods his head in agreement. “Any idea of what her powers are? From the looks of it, she may also be a little.” He says as he observes the girl sitting in Yelena’s lap.

Yelena feels like she's being watched, “take a picture it will last longer.” She says as she notices her sister and Tony are watching her.

Natasha transfers you into Wanda’s arms so that she can go talk with her sister. She can feel Yelena’s caregiver pheromones and takes note that her sister is already forming a bond with the girl in her lap. “I’m sorry sestra. Tony and I were just discussing if he needs to create a bracelet to help control her powers like y/n. Do you know her name and what powers she has?”

The blonde relaxes a little as she shakes her head, “She hasn’t told me her name yet. All I know is that her home is gone and so are her mothers. As for her powers I have no idea.” Yelena took a minute to think before continuing, “I want to keep her in my care. She seems to trust me and I can get answers to a lot of our questions.” She suggests as she rubs soothing circles on the girls back.

Tony nods his head in approval, “I think that’s the best call. The calmer the girl is, the calmer her powers will be. Fury wants us to do tests on her to determine if her powers are a threat. It’s standard protocol.”

Yelena nods her head in understanding. “I will be with her through all of the testing procedures. I’ve made a promise to her that she is safe. I won’t let anything happen to her.”

Natasha smiles warmly at her sister, “looks like you’ve found yourself your own little. Have you told Kate?”

“No, all this just happened. It’s happening so quickly, but I already feel so attached and protective over her.” Yelena spoke honestly about her own emotions. Was this what being a caregiver felt like? Was she already bonding to the girl?

Just as Natasha was about to respond she notices Kate and Lucky walk into the room.

“Hey, there you are. I couldn’t find you earlier. Oh, who is this little one?” Kate asks as she notices the little girl in her girlfriend’s arms. Lucky walks over and sniffs the girl.

“I’m not sure what her name is but she’s the one that helped bring y/n back home. She will be staying with us while we figure everything out. I know I should’ve talked to you first, but everything happened so fast and she dropped into a little headspace with me… She’s all alone and she’s scared.” Yelena says to Kate as she searches the brunette’s face.

Kate smiles warmly at Yelena, “are you telling me that we have our very own little?!” Kate asks excitedly as she feels her chest fill with joy.

Yelena nods her head, “for now yes. It will be the girls decision if she wants to stay with us permanently. I don’t want her to feel like she doesn’t have a choice.”

The bubbly brunette leans down and kisses Yelena on the lips, “I’m so excited! I’m going to get a room ready for her.” Love and hope fills her heart as she wonders what life will look like for them now that they may have found their very own little to care for.

America wakes up and looks up curiously at Kate, she clings to Yelena.

“It’s alright little one. This is my girlfriend Kate and our dog Lucky.” Yelena says as she introduces the girl to Kate.

“Hello, I’m Kate. What’s your name, little one?”

The girl gives a shy wave and answers in a quiet voice, “my name is America. Can I pet your dog?”

“Hi America, it’s nice to meet you. You can absolutely pet Lucky.” Kate says as she calls over Lucky and shows America how to pet him.

The cutest giggles come from America as Lucky licks her face when she pets him. She starts to relax with Kate and Yelena as they tell her that she will be staying with them.

Kate is surprised when she sees America walk over and sit in her lap. Her caregiver pheromones activate as she feels love and protective of the little girl she has just met.

#wandanat x little reader #little reader #america chavez #yelena x kate #yelena belova #kate bishop

76 notes · View notes

joelmillersdumbslut · 1 year ago

Text

I took your matches before fire could catch me (part four)

(joel miller x f!reader) 18+

masterlist

summary: After Joel Miller ghosts you for three weeks, you drive to his house to find answers. (no outbreak. no use of y/n)

rating: 18+ explicit (minors do NOT interact)

warnings (for this chapter): age gap (reader is in late 20's, joel is mid 50's), dirty talk, pet names, fingering, unprotected p in v sex, daddy kink, alcohol consumption, so much angst

word count: 3k

a/n: thank you again for all the love on my first series. i'm really nervous with how this chapter turned out, but i hope you still enjoy it ♡

ao3 link

Joel hasn’t answered any of your texts for three weeks.

You sit on the couch in your living room, wearing the last shirt he had given you. Inhaling the faint smell as best as you can. Anything to remember him. You’ve been spending your nights and days staring off into space. Wondering if maybe you were wrong. But, how can your emotions be wrong? How can your feelings be wrong?

Tonight, your eyes wander, finally settling on the bottle of wine he had gifted you. It’s unopened. Gradually collecting dust on the counter. You remember the way he smiled when you removed it from the crumpled paper bag.

Your chest feels heavy.

You grab your keys and head out the door.

—

You park across the street like you always do. You march up the porch steps with purpose, but pause once you raise your hand to knock on the door. You hear voices inside. Your heart sinks immediately. What if he’s moved on without you?

Fuck Joel.

You need answers.

Your fist bangs on the door. You keep whacking the surface with all your might, wondering if your knuckles will soon be pierced with splinters when suddenly the door is whipped open.

He’s standing there with a beer in hand. He seems annoyed at first, but his negative emotions are alleviated once he realizes it’s you.

“Babygirl,” Joel breathes softly, “What are you doin’ here?”

“What do you think I’m doing here?” you hiss. Crossing your arms and staring him down.

“Look, I can’t talk right now—“

“Joel, I need to talk to you. I have to talk to you. You just can’t leave me like that with no explanation,” your voice becomes shrill with emotion.

He looks exasperated, defeated. A voice emerges from behind him, “Joel, what’s goin’ on?”

A hand clapping on Joel’s back. For the first time since you’ve known him, you see fear in his eyes. Something you didn’t think was possible for Joel to experience. The figure pushes past Joel to acknowledge you.

“Hey the…. What the fuck are you doin’ here?”

Tommy’s lip curls into a snarl. His nostrils flare and you swear to God this man is seeing red. You want to rub your eyes, pinch your skin. You need to wake up from this fucking nightmare.

“Joel, is this some kinda sick joke? What’s she doin’ here?”

“What are you doing here?” you counter, your hands ball into fists and begin to shake at your sides.

“This is my fuckin’ brother’s house, I can be here as often as I’d like,” Tommy seethes, “Did you come back to ruin my life again?”

He pauses, turning to look at Joel, finally connecting the puzzle pieces together, “Or did you come here to ruin his?”

Tears are rolling down your cheeks as you glance over at Joel. He’s staring into his beer bottle. You want to shake him, scream in his face. But, you can’t. You’re frozen in place.

“Joel, you gonna take care of this trash or should I?” Tommy growls, his eyes fixated on you.

“If you touch her, I will rip you apart,” Joel doesn’t even look up from his beer bottle, “What y’all did happened long ago. You gotta get over it, Tommy.”

Tommy’s eyes are bulging out of his head, “You're jokin’, right, Joel? You’re not seriously bangin’ this—”

Joel is now standing in front of you, “You call her any names, I will end you. I mean it, Tommy.”

Joel’s younger brother pushes past you, nearly knocking you off your feet, but Joel is quick to steady you. Tommy silently fumes as he walks off the porch, heading to his vehicle parked in the driveway.

“Fuck you,” Tommy hollers as he opens the truck door, “Fuck both of you.”

Then, he peels out of Joel’s house, speeding down the street.

Joel takes a long sip of his beer. Your feet are glued to the porch. Not sure whether you should go inside or if you should leave. You look at Joel, hoping he can give you an answer.

“You happy now?” Joel huffs.

That certainly wasn’t the answer you were expecting.

You stare at him in disbelief, wiping the tears from your cheeks. “Why the fuck would I be happy about this?”

“You seem to like fuckin’ everything up,” he retorts, tossing the bottle onto the porch. It rolls away from his feet. Hitting the steps and cracking into pieces.

“What did I fuck up exactly? Please. Enlighten me,” you can feel rage burning in your chest. Your throat is tight and it’s getting harder to breathe.

“What we had goin’. It was a good deal. Then you went and said what you said,” he waves his hand in the air. Like your confession, your feelings, your vulnerability mean nothing to him. “Then you come over here and piss off my brother. Probably never gonna talk to me again.”

“Then you should’ve never fucked around with me in the first place!” your voice is sharp and resentful. “You knew what you were getting into, Joel, don’t blame this on me. Don’t you dare. These are the consequences of your actions.”

“How is it the consequences of my actions?” he snaps.

“You were the one who was nice to me! You were the one who came running when I needed you, you were my shoulder to cry on. We even shared our lives with each other. You shouldn’t have done any of those things if you didn’t want me to love you,” you choke out the last words, your vision blurry from the tears welling up inside the corners of your eyes.

The two of you glare at each other. You step closer to Joel, feeling the heat radiating off his body. Even though you're so angry at him, you can’t help but stare at his muscles protruding through the fabric of his shirt. You think about the way you want those arms around you, holding you, protecting you. You think about how you want things to go back to the way they were just a few short weeks ago.

But, Joel’s right.

You went and fucked it all up.

Joel leans down and kisses you. Hard. You’re taken aback, but you kiss him back just as hard, your tongue entering his mouth and crashing into his. Joel’s hands are moving up and down your body, his touch is rough and careless. He pulls away from your embrace, taking you by the hand and leading you into the house.

—

“Is Sarah home?” you whisper as Joel’s hand clutches your wrist, guiding you through the dimly lit house.

“Do you ever shut up?” he quips.

Even though you stumble around in the darkness, you still remember how to get to his room. You practically know the layout of the house by heart now with how often you come over. After you stagger into the bedroom, Joel locks the door behind him. He’s gazing at you like a beast freed from its cage.

“Tell me what you want,” his voice is quiet, he closes the distance between the two of you.

“I want you to touch me,” you whisper. “I want you so much.”

He says nothing at first as he reaches out and cups one of your breasts, your hardening nipple rolling between his thumb and index finger. You stifle a moan, unbuttoning your jeans and kicking them off. Joel pushes you onto the bed, towering over you.

“You don’t love me,” he murmurs, nipping at your neck and collarbones. Purple splotches already forming underneath the surface of your skin.

“I do love you,” you whimper beneath him, “I don’t know why you’re too stubborn to see it.”

Joel yanks your underwear to the side, his thumb rubbing your clit in fast circles. But, then he pauses once he notices how wet you are already. His index finger slides up and down your slit, collecting slick on his fingertip before he dives into your entrance.

“What are you interested in an old man for anyway? Should be with a guy your age,” he gruffs, his finger thrusting in and out of you. Your body tenses up at the bliss emanating from your core.

“I don’t wanna be with a guy my age. I told you that on our first date,” your breath hitches, “I’ve always liked older men.”

“Lucky me.”

Joel adds another finger, his digits sinking into you, massaging that sweet spot deep inside your body. His rhythm is unstable and messy, but you can still feel your orgasm bubbling up to the surface. You missed this so much.

“Fuck, I’m—” you gasp, arching your back as the tension expands even faster throughout your body. You’re so close, your legs begin to shake, your head is dizzy.

“Call me by my name,” Joel growls.

“Fuck you,” you pant, “I’m not calling you that anymore. Not if you don’t even like me.”

His fingers pull out of your pussy, leaving a sticky residue all over his hand. You throb and pulse, aching for more.

“Never said I didn’t like you,” Joel sits up. His expression is indignant as he stares at you.

You feel lightheaded, so many things running through your mind. So many things you want to say.

If you like me, why don’t you say it then?

Why do you act like you care about me one minute, then you act like you couldn’t give a fuck about me the next?

Why do you insist on punishing me?

Instead, the two of you remain silent for a long time. Until he speaks.

“Tell me one thing,” he mutters, “What did you think you were gonna get out of this?”

You sit with your knees pulled up to your chest. Even though it’s been a couple months since you met Joel, you never really put much thought into this. Your original intention of joining Lily was to find someone to start a relationship with. Instead, you have… this. A situationship where you’re all in, but he’s constantly hot and cold, non-committal, and giving off mixed signals.

What did you think you were gonna get out of this?

“I don’t know,” you whisper, “I didn’t mean to fall in love with you. I thought we would just keep fucking, doing our thing. But, then you were being nice to me. Like you cared about me. And I thought…”

“You thought what?” he seems… a little calmer now. Like he’s actually considering what you have to say this time.

“I thought I actually had a chance with you,” your bottom lip quivers. You’re on the verge of crying again. You turn away from him, the back of your hand rubbing the corner of your eye.

Joel sighs deeply. “Come here, babygirl,” he holds his arms out for you, “Hate seein’ you like this.”

“You sure didn’t give a fuck about me earlier,” you seethe. You’re not gonna fall for his fake niceties. Not again.

“How do you know?” Joel raises his voice, “Do you know how bad I wanted to punch Tommy for what he said ‘bout you? Because you don’t deserve that. And you sure as hell don’t deserve someone like me.”

You blink.

What does he mean by that?

“I want you, Joel. You’re all I want,” you hiccup, trying to hold in the tears. “I don’t care about what anyone has to say, especially your brother.”

He reaches out, taking your hand. “It’s gettin’ late. Why don’t you stay here?”

You say nothing. You get out of bed, picking up your shirt from the floor and pulling it on over your head. Your eyes are red and puffy. You cross your arms and sniffle, staring down at the floor.

“What are you so afraid of, Joel?”

“We ain’t talkin’ ‘bout this,” he growls.

“Why not?” you exclaim.

“I’m afraid it’ll end up like the last time. That you’ll leave me and I’ll be alone. I’m afraid this’ll all be for nothin’. There, you happy?” Joel’s nostrils flare.

You shake your head in confusion, sitting down on the bed next to him. Your hand caresses his cheek, your thumb slowly brushing through his scruff.

“Are you talking about Sarah’s mom?” you whisper.

“You need to go to bed,” Joel huffs, standing up from the bed and gesturing to your side. The side you always sleep on when you stay over. The side with extra pillows because Joel knows you can’t fall asleep unless you have a mountain of them.

He knows so much about you. Sometimes, he even seems to genuinely care about you. But, he’ll never admit it. Especially not to your face. And you’re beginning to realize that.

“I’ll go to bed,” you nod in defeat. You clamber to your spot on the mattress, pulling the covers up over your body.

Joel stands at the foot of the bed, readying to leave you. “Gonna go have another beer,” he murmurs.

But, you have to say something first.

“Wait,” you whimper.

He turns around, those brown eyes piercing your soul. The very same ones you fell in love with through his pictures on the dating app.

“I don’t know what happened. But, I’m not like her. That’s all I wanna say.”

He’s quiet for a moment, looking down at the floor. Then he walks to the bed and sits down next to you.

“I know, babygirl,” he brushes a strand of your hair behind your ear. “That’s why I’m afraid.”

He kisses your forehead, shuts off the light, and heads downstairs.

—

You see yourself standing inside what appears to be a castle. You lift your hand, grazing your fingertips against the jagged limestone wall in front of you. You hear a voice calling your name. You turn to see Joel on the opposite end of the hallway. He’s beckoning you, gesturing for you to follow him. You begin to run, but the floor crumbles underneath you. You fall and fall and fall forever. The last thing you see before you disappear into the darkness is Joel smiling wickedly.

—

You wake up in a cold sweat. The clock on Joel’s bedside table reads 3:47 a.m. He’s sleeping rather soundly next to you, his arm covering your torso.

Your heart is still beating out of your chest, it feels like you’re still falling from the dream world. You stare up at the ceiling. Waiting to fall back asleep. But, you can’t.

The clock now reads 5:05 a.m.

You know one thing that will help you sleep.

You just don’t know if Joel will give it to you.

“Joel,” you whisper, moving so your forehead is touching his. “Joel, are you awake?”

He groans, his eyes not quite open yet, “What’s goin’ on?”

“I had a bad dream. I can’t sleep,” you whine.

“You need daddy’s help, don’t you?” Even with the streetlight shining faintly through the window of the dark bedroom, you swear you can see him grinning.

It’s been three weeks. You’re so hungry for him and he knows it. You decide to shove your dignity aside and give in.

“Yes, daddy,” you whimper, already squirming.

So much for trying to prove a point.

“Come here,” he holds out his arms and you inch even closer, accepting his embrace. The two of you lay there for several moments, just holding each other, breathing in sync.

Then Joel kisses your lips, his hand trailing down your body to your underwear. His fingers slip into the fabric, he sleepily fumbles for a moment before finding your clit. You let out a deep breath as he begins to rub your bundle of nerves, already sensitive, already begging for more. His movement is slow and meticulous. Then his hand moves lower, accumulating the arousal gathering between your thighs. Those long, thick fingers enter you, curling up inside you just right. You moan Joel’s name into his neck, holding him close to you.

“Gonna wake up the whole neighborhood,” he teases you in a low voice, bringing you closer and closer to the edge.

“Just like that,” you hum, your hips grinding down harder on his fingers.

“Never seen you this horny,” he muses, pumping in and out of you faster, “Maybe we should have fights more often.”

You’re about to glare at him when your orgasm is suddenly front and center, pleasure spreading from your belly to your limbs, from your toes to your teeth.

“Joel, I’m gonna–”

“Cum for me, babygirl.”

You pant wildly and Joel continues to fuck you as you cum all over his fingers. You can feel the wetness flowing from your pussy, dripping into his palm. He slows down, planting kisses on your cheek.

“Such a good girl for me. Think you need another one,” Joel chuckles, throwing the blankets to the side of the bed. “Come here.”

He rips off his boxers and pulls you on top of him. The head of his cock is already shining, precum leaking out. All because of you.

Joel helps you get situated, his hands on your waist as you slide down his length. You let out a moan once he’s fully seated inside you.

“You missed daddy’s cock, didn’t you?” he groans, his hands drift down to your hips and he begins to rock you gently.

“Three weeks without you is too long,” you agree, obscene noises escaping your lips.

Joel groans, his fingertips digging further into your skin. You begin to tremble once you feel another orgasm building inside you, climbing up from the depths of your core. You close your eyes and Joel rubs your clit with his thumb, riding the high with you before it comes crashing down. Joel pulls out of you, stroking himself quickly as hot, sticky ropes of liquid hit your stomach. Both of you are breathing strenuously, you lean forward to lay on Joel’s chest.

“I do care ‘bout you,” he whispers as you drift off to sleep.

Everything feels right with Joel again.

You never want it to end.

But, it does.

—

#joel miller #joel miller fanfic #joel miller fic #joel miller smut #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel tlou #joel x reader #joel x you #the last of us #pedro pascal characters

98 notes · View notes

exoticalmonde · 1 month ago

Text

The Evealia Guide Through Babel (event) - Part I

Wow, who would've ever thought that I have more enthusiasm to talk about the Babel event and that, which has to do with the Sarkaz race, than I do with literally anything else.

I have 0 excuses. So I shall provide none.

This is the personalized (read: for me) guide through the Babel event in Arknights, with a provided story explanation/synopsis and a run-down on the event characters/media.

Gorgeous medals by the way, there's something within me that screams and years for them. Maybe it's because I've been playing this game for two, running towards three years and I'm attached to the Sarkaz. I'm attached to Theresa and Babel and can't wait to see how this event could possibly change my opinion of Theresis and Manfred.

(Warning: The following post will contain spoilers for the event, as well as commentary on my experience. Thank you for reading.)

With all that said, I think I'm going to go through the characters first. We're happy to welcome four new Operators who would happily join Rhodes Island: Lutonada, Odda, Aroma and Ascalon.

Only one of them we already know about from the Main Theme Chapter 13; Only two of them will be relevant to the story.

So let's start with the one we won't be mentioning ever again - Lutonada.

A new 4-star juggernaut defender from Bolivar. You can see her unique in that she is the first 4-star character of this class. Alongside her are Mudrock, Penance and Vulcan. To be fair, it's a spicy- I meant, it's a pricy class, with most of the characters costing over 30DP to deploy; making it tricky to use early if you don't have at least two flag Vanguards and difficult to leave alone if they're not Mudrock.

Juggernauts are special also with their inability to be healed, making it detrimental for them to have their own type of healing in their kit. Lutonada heals when an enemy she is blocking dies. That makes her S2 the most important skill, because according to the numbers - it charges pretty fast and its mechanic is basically: >Pull enemy towards self via magnets >Block >???? >Heal Pretty easy to use and I, as a fan of Empowered Attacks, love her S1 because those sweet, sweet 230% damage on an attack for every 3 seconds on her M3 sound very nice.

Should you build her? Personally, the downside to her is that as a 4-star she has significantly less HP than Penance and Mudrock, but you can practically ignore the 200HP difference between her and Vulcan. The same can be said about their attack and defence (ALL of this at E2).

Dr. Eve will always support your simple, carnal desires above all else. You want her? Did you pull her? Then build her. To bypass the Juggernaut's inability to be healed, you can always snatch either a Perfumer, Angelina (E2 perk), Suzuran (S3), or Blemishine (S2) who all have passive healing on all allies under some conditions, or you can use a Bard supporter like Heidi, Skalter and Sora.

Her Module is kind of... Eh? For all the cost you throw, she recovers 20% HP when an enemy blocked by her dies. It does sound like a lot, but I'm not sure if it means exactly what I think it does. I wanted her but didn't get her. Hope the little ratscal joins my ship eventually.

NB: Forgot to mention - her push force is 0 for her S2 and so far it doesn't seem to change with Masteries. Keep that in mind.

---

Next up we have Aroma, this is our new 5-star Blast Caster - on the same road as Corroserum and Ifrit.

The difference between her utility and Corroserum's (I won't talk about Ifrit, because she is practically the best, most aggressive Blast Caster you can find) is within the effects of their abilities. Numbers aren't really that important here, because they're both 5-stars.

What is important to note is that while Corroserum's S1 is practically unwanted because of his 10s stun duration, his S2 is helpful because it silences the enemies for 5 seconds max at M3.

Meanwhile, Aroma deals extra ARTS damage on her S1 + she deals additional damage to AERIAL targets. It's pretty helpful but practically feels useless, because rare are the times we have aerial targets line up perfectly and for long enough to fit inside her range. Unless she is used to taking down aerial targets when they float.

Her S2 just does additional damage to enemies who have been Levitated - props to her talent. The other people who levitate so far are Chongyue, Irene, Ho'olheyak, Quanipalaat and Odda.

I... am... Not sure if her Module expands her range like the other Blast Casters'? But it sounds like it should, it would be unfair otherwise. I'm leaving it for you to decide if you want this, but it's surprisingly easy to build material-wise.

---

Which brings us to our second before last Operator, the free character in the Event whom you can get with just 40% of all the currency you'll be getting. It's a long story.

First in many things, Odda is an unseen before Earthshaker Guard. That role is kind of like Dreadnought guards, but they can block two enemies from the get-go and they do an AOE attack each basic attack.

Him, I actually got all the tickets to and dropped Ash to build. He has an empowered attack for his S1 which ends up at a chargetime of whooping 2 seconds!!! It extends the splash area as well with .5 tiles, so... He does damage of 1.5 tiles additionally.

Unlike Lutonada, Odda's S2 has Levitate with a weight of 3 or less for 0.5 seconds on each splash attack.

He doesn't have any Modules so far, but I personally have gotten attached to him through the story. I want to mention that unlike what I've noticed, his story says he is a Messenger from Kazdel. I thought it was interesting this bean with a gargantuan hammer is intended to... run around as fast as he can.

---

And finally, I almost forgot, we have Ascalon - our very dedicated Ambusher Specialist. At least that's what is said about her, but I heard that practically even Ethan is better in certain aspects.

I didn't like Ascalon when we first met her, even though her design was amazing.

Passively, her talent slows the Movement Speed of enemies and they take Ascalon's ATK as ARTS damage per second for 18/25 seconds (E1/E2). In her E2 she gets more ASPD and gains even more (wow, 8+6) if there is high ground in the 4 adjacent tiles.

Looks like this is the patch for enhanced attacks because Ascalon does 210% additional damage to an enemy, attacking twice and stores up to 3 charges in her M3 for S1.

Her S2 gives her +130% ATK, slows enemies by 60% if they are on the ground and in attack range and inflicts her T1 (the poison-esque damage) on nearby enemies when defeated. The radius of this 'nearby' means 1.3 tiles away. And it's specified that the MS reduction works on Aerial targets too, but the Talent effect is applied only to ground units.

Finally, to top it off, her range expands and she attacks faster and reduces the Physical and Arts hit rate of ground enemy units by 50%. She's more likely to be targeted by enemies, but recovers 8% MAX HP when she manages to dodge.

Her S1 gets increased, that's all.

---

Right. Everybody should be on the list. Now, to my favourite part of events - watching the YT videos that are meant to introduce the event for us.

youtube

First came the Official Babel Trailer.

Here is a script I very painstakingly made of everything written on the screen, because I'm unfortunately not that fast of a reader. During my scripting, I also noticed that the last line... is almost impossible to notice because the screen cracks and glitches when it shows up. I didn't notice it the first two times I watched it for my own pleasure.

[Theresa, you've forged an irreversible "fate".] [Swords and spears sharpen in fear of your bloodkin.] [You believe our differences will eventually be put aside,] [That the tribes will ultimately unite.] [Theresa, I've seen it... your wish.] [A sea of stars shining at the end of savagery,] [A new path emerging from the storm.] [But every path has an end, Theresa.] [When you surpass the limits of civilization,] [No one will be able to comprehend your love...] [They will loathe you...] [They will fear you...] [Until hate transforms the land into ruin.] [Until blood washes the memories away.] [But we do not struggle on our own, do we?] [Words of hope are engraved on wreckage.] [...You have brought us ample delights.] [So, don't let go of my hands.] [Let's see for ourselves, together.] [Watch life awaken from despair...] [I want you to believe,] [We can still stand together,] [in the sea of flowers, listening...] [To the voices of the universe...]

---

As a side note, Twitter provides another just slightly edited video of the new characters which I like to include for the fullness of the list. You can watch it Here, since I can't find it on YT.

---

youtube

Finally, here is the Arknights Animation PV for Babel.

Dying. And crying. Screaming. You can see baby Amiya. You see baby Ascalon, Manfred, Theresa... Little Logos, ilovehim. His terrible haircut, his pointy ears, the cutiest that has ever patootied, I was screeching worse than any Banshee you could ever hear when I saw him.

The speaker I'm pretty sure is Kal'tsit and the important information is provided in the video description itself:

[To advance from present to future, You first settle the past.] [Arknights: Babel] [Your Highness... I swear to you]

I remember when I saw it my first thought was: Oh my god are we seeing somebody having a father??? But then I think I got swept away seeing Manfred being tied to a pole with Theresis and Theresa being the best adoptive parents that could exist.

Also, Savage jumpscare.

Also also,

Genuinely me.

---

Last on the list for today is the furniture set: 'Scar Market Memories' A room modeled after the Scar Market based on the Sarkaz mercenaries' descriptions. The market was known for its disorder and disarray. Its visual appearance was established by a Cyclops who had been in charge for several decades.

I really like this one, it fits so well with Hoederer's furniture pack because they're both very... Sarkaz. By Sarkaz, I mean that they look like a hole you could've dug up to live in. Kind of cosy, kind of sad. Like anything Sarkaz we're about to learn.

---

This is what it looks like on the ship without the Minecraft shaders. Now let's just go through some of them and see the more interesting tidbits of information we have about the Sarkaz lifestyle.

Surely, a piece of furniture can't have any sort of angst about it. I mean, come on, it's just a room.

Downward Facing Branches

A withered thick tree branch, severed to a third of its original length. "We hang a dead tree branch above our heads to remind every Sarkaz: Death is gazing upon you."

...

What the absolute hell.

---

Long Twig

It's.... It's just a long twig.

Please.

A withered, thick tree branch, severed to a third of its original length. It is a symbol that stands in for the dead. The corpse of the tree is twisted and haggard, just like our fallen comrades in their final moments.

---

Witchcraft Workbench

A metal table full of scratches and marks, with a basket holding strange tools hanging underneath. All astute mercenaries know that they should never ask about the tools' real purpose.

God damn it.

---

Oddities Showcase

Oh, yeah, I love oddities showcases, I've seen people make miniature showcases of like... things they... like...

A collection of cheap objects brought back from all across Terra is put on display here. The "oddities" in the name refers not to the trinkets, but to the mercenaries who managed to bring them here without dying.

---

"Work and Life"

A storage rack with some daily necessities, a few wanted posters, and quite a few ID tags. Note: The ID tags are just decorations. No Sarkaz mercenaries were harmed in the making of this collection.

You're funny, you're so very funny I am clapping my thighs with amusement you freak--- *Gets dragged away by Hoederer for a 10-minute break*

---

Hoederer: "Doctor..." Me: "I don't want to read anymore..." Hoederer: "Doctor, please, you've been stalling for so long. You have to at least finish this part." Me: "Can we just please do anything else, I am going to die if I have to read another furniture set that talks about how each and every Sarkaz dies like a mayfly unnoticed and illiterate until somebody who probably minutely knew about them notices they've been gone four months past when they were meant to return-" Hoederer: "They do." Me: "... I'm sorry. I'm going back to work."

---

Steel Rail Lights

Hanging from the dark ceiling light are a cloth, a teapot, and some wine glasses; also some books. "I just put whatever on top since it's convenient. Just like how I put my life on the line for coin. Because money is convenient."

---

Messy Wine Cabinet

A messy storage shelf with wineglasses and a bottle of wine of unknown origin. Strong liquor distilled from grains is the mercs' favorite. It's cheap, strong, and "kills instantly."

---

Charcoal Oven

The charcoal fire burns slowly and projects a dark red color on the oven. To prevent indoor carbon monoxide poisoning, the "fire" here is actually a number of lights with different colors.

Are you saying.... Are you saying that they...

Okay, I think we're done here, nothing more interesting to see from the furniture set. Everything is terrible and all died, some mercenaries have artistic vision while others sleep on metal mats and other trash they put together.

I can't believe I called any of this cosy before reading their descriptions.

---

I also want to give props to all of you, each comment is such a banger I've been laughing at them separately and together for ten minutes now.

14 notes · View notes