#GUESS WHO CATERS MY TASTE THE BEST IT'S ME

[smallblueandloud]

i have enough fics posted now that i find myself going through my ao3 and rereading my things for fun!! :D forget my actual numbers goal, this feels like the win condition, honestly

[baejax-the-great]

My brother died very suddenly yesterday.

He was the kind of person who always had dozens and dozens of friends everywhere he went because he was easy to talk to and funny and treated people with respect, and his friends ranged in class, race, age, social ability, introversion and extroversion--no matter who you were, he could and would befriend you.

He would scold me for not asking him for help when I needed it, and he would mean it. He taught me to tip well. He loved helping people. He played practical jokes on the new kids at work, including getting one guy to "chop flour" because the flour they had in the kitchen was "too coarse."

He introduced me to some of the best food I've ever eaten in my life. He would always help with a recipe that wasn't working. He would tell me what to buy my foodie friends for their birthdays, and he never got it wrong. He loved meat and whiskey but also wine and fruit and he got me to eat beets even because he knew how to make anything good.

Mostly, he thought that people were all deserving of respect and decency. He was outspoken on this. For all that his friends ranged across demographics, he didn't tolerate anyone being hateful around him. But even then, he was nice about it. He would try to get people to come around to his side. He saw the good in people.

And he was happy. He had finally quit chewing tobacco and managed to stay off it for three years. He had a girlfriend he really liked. The pandemic had put him out of work for over a year, but he was back at his job and doing well and he liked it. He was good at it. And it's complete bullshit that he's gone.

[explosionkatsu]

Unadorned Love

Human!Alastor x Waitress!F!Reader

Warning: Gore

Alastor finds you to be quite similar to his deceased mother which made him enticed to you. He couldn't help but visualize you attending to him with a cup of hot coffee instead of the random stranger who ordered it. He couldn't also help his smile widen, yet at the same moment, his heart ached when he saw you smile at the man who appeared to be flattering you.

He didn't appreciate the thought of you, going home to a male who wasn't him.

Alastor has been visiting the same cafe for almost years now. At first, he would just simply walk in, have his breakfast then depart after dining. But once you began laboring at the said cafe, he couldn't help but catch a glimpse of you. He couldn't keep his eyes on how elegant you looked just as you gracefully cater to every consumer with a smile. That softly angelic smile seemed to capture his being.

This is why Alastor now spends most of his time dining in the cafe to catch sight of you.

Finally getting out of his daze, he looked at the same menu, scrutinizing every dish he knew he tasted these past few years. Nothing changed, only a few new meals were summed up but he couldn't bring himself to order them. After finalizing what to feast for this morning, Alastor raised a hand as he tried and catch the attention of the waitress who happened to be you.

“Ah. A lovely morning, Mister Alastor.” You bowed your head while clutching the clipboard to your chest. “What have you chosen to devour this morning?” You raise a question and pull the pen out to write his order, your glossy natural pink lips forming into a gentle smile.

Alastor glanced down at your lips which you caught on before he darted at you with his eyes half-lidded. “Good morning as well, Y/n.” He spoke. “My, how numerous times do I have to inform you to call me by my name only.” He chuckled telling this.

You laughed lightly after hearing this. “Mister Alastor, you are a paying customer. Every customer must be treated with respect.” You explained smiling at him.

Hearing your laugh was the best melody he listened to. He cannot help himself but gaze at you fondly whilst his pride swells up for his ability to make you laugh. “But not every customer respects you, don't they?” He expressed. “Do you still consider they merit the respect they can't provide in return?”

“Well, I presume there is no harm in disregarding that, as long as they won't provoke any physical harm..” You drifted off as you guessed about it.

“Hm.” Alastor hummed. Oh how easy it is to control you. You were indeed destined to be his wife. “Think about it, my dear.” He continued. “If things like this ever occur, do not hesitate to reach out to me.” He spoke before fishing out his calling card to his chest pocket and handing it to you. “Now! Please add these waffles along with the eggs! And don't forget the maple syrup!”

You took his card since you guessed you were never gonna use it in any way, but an incident earned you to consider otherwise.

No. It was not concerning her job. It was something else.

You didn't quite expect the cafe to finish off this late due to a colleague who wasn't able to arrive for work due to a crisis and the number of consumers suddenly increased. You, being an understanding person as you are, stood for their shift. The 16 hours of labor was finally taking a toll on you and you didn't appreciate it. Your back was aching and your heels were weakening. This is the first time you've had a tough time stepping on 2 inches heels on your way home.

11 pm is what it says on your watch once you inspect it. You were grateful though that your boss let you take an off tomorrow since the usefulness you provided today wasn't a joke. You were already planning your day when a sudden chilling feeling ran down your spine. You sense somebody is watching you, observing you. Just pondering about this made you clutch your purse to your chest as you fearfully proceeded with strolling on your way home. It’s still a 15-minute walk which caused you to swear under your breath.

Looking behind you will do no good so you pressed on, concentrating on going home safely. But the noise behind you urged you to run, but you didn’t. Instead, with your trembling hands, you took your phone out and attempted to recollect any number you could to dial down but nothing came up. It would be a hassle for you to take your contact book out of your purse and flip through it in a situation like this.

All of a sudden, you remember the calling card you hid in your bosom. With minimal movement, you seized it out and had to squint to read in the darkness of the pavement. After successfully dialing it down, you placed your phone to your ear as you hear it ring.

Your pace is now rapid as you hear the steps behind you grow closer. You were chanting in your mind for him to please answer.

“Hello-”

‘Finally!’ You thought. “M-mister Alastor.” You whispered getting slightly breathless.

Alastor was just finishing up after his broadcast. He thought he could use a liquor after his shift since his shadow is quenched for now which means he doesn't need to slaughter for now. Once he stood up, he took notice of his telephone ringing. ‘This late?’ He thought raising an eyebrow before proceeding to respond to it. “Hello-”

His eyes slightly widen when he hears your voice. It's you. You called him.

“M-mister Alastor.”

He immediately senses that something seems off. You were stuttering, whispering, breathless, and appeared to be terrified.

“I-i know I-it’s a bit late. But c-could you please escort m-me on my way home..”

“My darling, where are you?” Alastor muttered as calmly as he could as he gripped his telephone tightly causing his knuckles to turn white.

“I-I’m here walking alone near the- AAHH!!”

“Y/n!?” Now he was panicking. He instantly put on his ebony trench coat and fedora, fleeing his home in the middle of the woods. “Find her.” He spoke, his voice low and dark. “Keep the insolent fool alive until I arrive.”

His shadow nodded in response before finally fleeing.

When he finally arrived at the scene, his blood was raging as he gazed at the scenario in front of him.

You were half-naked, cowering to the corner of the alleyway. Your beautiful dress was ripped and torn, your hair was everywhere, and your smile wasn’t visible. He could see tears streaming down your cheeks whilst you made an effort and cover up under your thin arms.

Something snapped inside Alastor. His smile was crooked when he laid his eyes upon the drunk bastard who tried claiming you forcefully.

Before he could initiate his vengeful plan, he took off his coat and draped it on you. “My darling. Shh. You are safe now.” He whispered wrapping his arms around you and leaving a kiss on your temple. “My love, will you close your eyes and cover your ears for me? Do not open them until I said so, is that clear?”

You, looking at him with your terrified expression, nodded and did as he said.

“Such a good girl for me. You shall have a reward after this.” Alastor spoke before finally turning his eyes onto the guy who was being beaten down by his shadow.

“As for you..” Alastor smiled, his steps were gradual as he walked nearer to him. “You’ve made a great mistake of touching what’s mine.”

A cry of agony was the only noise through the night but no one appeared to hear this.

Alastor and his shadow feast on the organs of the now-dead man. The splatter of blood was everywhere when he tortured him for what he did. His intestines were shoved down his throat, his eyes were out of their sockets, and his heart was now missing, as well as his other organs. “Take care of the rest. Make sure there's no trace left behind.” He spoke before finally standing up and walking toward you whose eyes were still shut and ears covered.

Alastor carefully lifted you in his arms as he fled the scene and returned to his sanctuary where he planned on taking care of you. He was now replacing the nasty lewd kiss spread on your delicate skin and the marks that he was trying to cover with his own.

“Ma belle cheri... I shall take care of you.”

[mysteryshoptls]

SR Lilia Vanrouge - Ceremonial Robes Vignette

"It's a showdown!"

[Classroom]

Lilia: Ooh, I see you've brought donuts from the Scalding Sands today, Kalim.

Kalim: You know your stuff, Lilia! It's a syrup-covered donut called awamat.

Cater: Looks tasty, but feels like it's a snack that's way sweeter than sweet.

Cater: I think I'll start off with the candy that Lilia-chan brought. Down the hatch…Mm?

Cater: [cough, gasp, sputter]! Ack, this flavor's crazy!

Lilia: Kufufu, it's licorice. One bite and you're already hooked, huh?

Cater: No, I'm saying it's bad crazy! It's salty, and tastes like rubber…

Lilia: Does it? I actually quite like it. …Nom. …Hmhm, yep, it's definitely tasty.

Kalim: How can you eat it all happy like that～? I can't with this, either. It doesn't even smell like it's edible.

Lilia: That's a shame, all I wanted was to share my favorite snacks with my clubmates.

Cater: Oh, right. Speaking of club stuff, what're we gonna do to try to pull in new members this year at the club showcase?

Kalim/Lilia: …?

Cater: Hey, come on! We met up today specifically to talk about what we were gonna do for that!

Lilia: And uh, what club were we again?

Cater: You don't even remember that!? We're the Pop Music Club!

Lilia: Oh right, I remember now. I can't help forgetting 'cause even when we meet up for our club like this, we're usually just lazing about anyway.

Kalim: Yeah, I feel like we haven't really played much music since I joined the club, either.

Cater: Seee, that's why the Headmage was on our case～

Cater: He said that since there's only three of us and we don't really do dedicated club activities, if we don't get more members this year, our club'll be disbanded!

Cater: That's why we absolutely need to get more folks to join us at the club showcase! Especially since it's basically impossible to get any of the older students to drop their clubs and join us, anyway.

Lilia: Plus, it feels like the students here aren't really geared towards joining a band, either.

Cater: Yeaaaaah～ Fights would break out even before we can even set up a live performance.

Lilia: Every time someone opens their mouth, it's just "our musical tastes are just different" and they leave. None of them are team players.

Kalim: And then in the end, it's just us left over.

Cater: Just us three easy-breezy boys～

Cater: 'Sides, it was Lilia-chan's performance from last year's club showcase that was the problem.

Cater: It totally threw everyone off when you just went all screamo and smashed your guitar! We only got Kalim-kun out of all the possible newbies 'cause of that.

Lilia: Nonsense. That scream is my specialty.

Lilia: Thrash metal isn't thrash metal without all my guitar strings snapping.

Cater: There's no way I can keep up with something as hardcore and heavy as that. Doesn't really feel like many people'd like it, either.

Kalim: I totally thought your performance was pretty cool, Lilia! I'd never seen anything like that.

Kalim: It really surprised me when you just leaped off the stage into the audience, too! Ahaha!

Lilia: Oh yes, the best part of a live performance is the stage dive.

Lilia: I was just as surprised that I fell straight to the floor because no one tried to catch me. Kheehee

Cater: 'K, we really gotta stop with goin' down memory lane now. Keep this up and we're really gonna lose our club, y'know?

Cater: I don't wanna lose our precious space to hang after classes. There's no way I'd even consider joining an athletic club～

Lilia: I hear you, I hear you. Then, I guess we should hunker down and prepare a band performance for the club orientation showcase.

Lilia: So, if we're putting together a three-piece band, who should be in what position?

Kalim: Well, obviously…

Kalim/Cater/Lilia: I'D BE ON MAIN VOCALS!

Cater: No way, c'mon, we can't all be vying for the vocalist spot!

Lilia: Well, we may be "easy-breezy boys" as you say, but in the end, we're still Night Raven College boys.

Lilia: Well, if we're picking a vocalist, it only makes sense that whoever can sing best takes the spot.

Kalim: Well, then that's gotta be me! Whenever I sing, I got Jamil, my parents and my siblings all sayin' I'm amazing!

Cater: Ehhh～ Don't think we can really go off of what your family and close friends say, can we?

Cater: But then there's me. Whenever I go sing karaoke with someone, it's a mad party!

Lilia: Wait a moment, you two. I've already proven that I can sing at last year's club orientation showcase.

Cater: No way, I already told you that your zombie-like shouting's only gonna scare away any potential newbies!

Lilia: Looks like we're at a stalemate…

Lilia: Well, guess there's no other choice… It's a showdown for that prized vocalist spot!

Kalim/Cater: Eh!?

[Classroom]

Kalim: So, what're we doin' to win the vocalist spot?

Cater: I'm gonna pass if it's a physical fight!

Lilia: Well, since we're looking for the best voice, it should be sufficient enough to do a singing competition using a karaoke app to score us.

Lilia: We each sing once. And we should each pick out a song we're good at singing.

Cater: Ok, we just gotta pick a song we know front to back, huh! Cool, so let's get this shindig started～♪

Kalim: You already decide what you're singing, Cater?

Cater: Yup, I'm thinking of doing the new song my favorite band just released this week. It's perfectly in my range 'n all.

Cater: …Oh, wait. It looks like it's not in the karaoke app yet, though.

Lilia: Guess you need to look for another song. What about you, Kalim?

Kalim: Mmm～ I thought about it, and…

Kalim: I'm way better at dancing than singing, y'know. Can I do that instead?

Cater: No, absolutely not! That's not what we're looking for at all!

Lilia: Kheeheehee, you're a silly lad, as always. Well, you still have time to pick out a song after I've finished singing.

Lilia: I'll start up the karaoke app, and… Hm. Would a lullaby from Briar Valley be considered a folk song?

Cater: A lullaby!? That's totally on the other side of the music spectrum from your usual metal music!!

Lilia: Lullabies are my specialty! I can instantly send a crying babe back into dreamland.

Cater: Wow. I wasn't expecting that.

Lilia: Ehehe. The secret is that I ad-lib some screaming shouts as I sing it.

Cater: But it's a lullaby!?

Cater: You're saying there's a baby out there who can listen to your screamo and actually sleep!? You sure they didn't just pass out!?

Lilia: Rude. He was sleeping away so peacefully. Ahh, how nostalgic.

Kalim: Oh, do you have much younger siblings too, Lilia?

Lilia: Well, no, he wasn't a sibling… But I did live with a babe for a while.

Kalim: I'm always trying to sing them lullabies to get them to sleep, but they never do. You'll have to show me your tricks later!

Lilia: Sure thing. How about I show you now… Hm? Looks like Briar Valley lullabies aren't in this app either.

Cater: Aw, man～ Guess it's just a little too specific, huh?

Lilia: So, neither me nor Cater can sing what we want. Kalim would rather dance…

Lilia: Well, some competition this turned out to be. Why don't we just do rock-paper-scissors to decide, then?

Lilia: It only makes sense that he who is the luckiest should shoulder the fate of our band's future.

Cater: That was out of left field...

Kalim: Well, why not? It's easy and we'll be done in a flash.

Cater: Fine… I guess leaving it up to something random like this is more our style anyway.

Lilia: Okay, here we go. Rock, paper, scissors…

Kalim/Cater/Lilia: Go!

Lilia: Yaay～ I win! I get to do the vocals!

Kalim: Maaan～ You're so lucky, Lilia.

Cater: Don't smash up the guitar this year, mmkay～?

Lilia: Yeh! …But after all that, I think the bass or drums would suit me better after all.

Cater: Then what was with that celebrating just now!?

Lilia: I just like snatch the win from those who wanted it, I guess.

Cater: If you need to be the center of attention like that, then maybe the singing guitarist position really does suit you after all?

Lilia: You don't get it, huh. Based on my research, the leader of the band is most often the bassist or the drummer.

Lilia: Also, they got this quiet and mature vibe, which also seems cool to me.

Lilia: You can be the main vocals, Cater, since you'd probably know all the popular songs right now.

Cater: Yaay～ Thanks, Lilia-chan! Then I'll be singing and on guitar! Kalim, what about you?

Kalim: If I'm not the lead vocalist? I only really know the instruments we got back home in the Scalding sands. I'm pretty good at the darbuka.

Cater: What's a darbuka? That's the first time I've ever heard that name.

Lilia: It's a type of drum that makes an exotic sound. I saw it once a long time ago when I visited the Scalding Sands.

Cater: I hate to be that guy, but aren't we gonna stray from the standard three-piece band if we use more specialized instruments…?

Lilia: Well, if you're good at percussion, then you should be on drums! I'll teach you how to play it.

Kalim: Thanks, Lilia! I can't wait to play a new instrument!

Lilia: So that means I'm the bassist and the leader of the band!

Cater: You're really hung up on being the leader, huh～ Okay then, Leader. What should we wear, then?

Lilia: Hm… Good question. Whatever it is, it should be flashy and cool.

Kalim: We can just special order some super fancy costumes! What if we sew on some gems to give them some serious sparkle?

Cater: Nice idea～♪ But there's no way that's in our budget…

Lilia: Yes, unfortunately, we're a small club that's in danger of being disbanded. Probably the only thing we can afford with what little we have is instrument upkeep.

Kalim: So, what, we have to do it with whatever we already own…?

Cater: Our dorm uniforms look cool… But they all clash～

Lilia: What outfit do all of us own that match despite being from different dorms… That's also cool… Hmmm…

Lilia: Oh yeah! What about our ceremonial robes!?

Cater: Lilia-chan, great idea!

Kalim: If you guys are good with it, so am I!

Lilia: Alright, now that we've figured out our costume, we just gotta practice every day until the club orientation!

Kalim/Cater: Yeah!!

[Diasomnia Dorm – Lounge]

Lilia: …Is something that happened once.

Silver: I see, so that's why you weren't on guitar and vocals this year…

Sebek: I found your professional level bass playing to be an unforgettable sight to witness, Lilia-sama!!!!!

Lilia: And rightly so, of course. Kheeheehee.

Requested by @olivebranch311.

[ryuichirou]

I saw your recent Riddle x Floyd pic on kofi and I was wondering, what kind of drunks do you think the twst boys are? Like flirty drunk, sleepy drunk, crazy drunk, etc. Also, what do you think their alcohol tolerance is? Like, who’s a lightweight and who can down shots like there’s no tomorrow?

Anon! I’m finally replying to your very fun ask. But actually, even though that comic was posted on kofi ages ago now, it actually makes sense for me to post it today of all days… 👀

Still, sorry for the wait! This is honestly a very good question, and a very interesting one to think about.

Also also, I keep thinking about a series of drawings+hcs that this jp artist drew, and I loved their hcs a lot! But I haven’t looked at it ever since they were posted, so I hope they didn’t influence my own hcs too much lol I don’t think they did, but…

Riddle – surprising no one, he gets drunk instantly even if you just put a drop of whiskey in his tea. He is the lightweight with zero experience with alcohol, and he swore to his mother that he would never drink it, even after he turns 18. But life had other plans for him… I feel like drunk Riddle gets giggly and unexpectedly playful, even slutty, he really is the ultimate “homeschooled virgin goes ham at his first college party and sucks someone’s dick”. He can’t stay awake for a long time though, so he’ll fall asleep somewhere in the corner after half an hour or so. He also won’t remember anything about the next day.

Ace – he gets drunk too easily for his own liking, he really wants to get better at it. He tried drinking a couple of times even before enrolling to NRC: one time he stole his mom’s vanilla liqueur and threw up, the other time he sipped on his brother’s beer while he was in the bathroom, and then got smacked for that. Out of the first years, he is the one that gets the most excited about stealing booze, and whenever he is drunk, he is obnoxious. He yells, fights, pranks, does stupid shit and lives his best life…

Deuce – he also gets drunk easily, but not as easily as Ace. But this is because he already had his “gets drunk and acts obnoxiously” phase: he and his delinquent guys used to drink a lot. Deuce liked drinking more than he liked smoking… He doesn’t want to drink now because he is afraid that his “bad self” will come out, but unless Ace is around to keep him heated, Deuce is likely to just get sleepy and mumble nonsense quietly to himself.

Trey – he is good with alcohol. Well, he feels super drunk whenever he drinks, but you would never guess it: he doesn’t look and act drunk at all. Well… He starts looking scary and intimidating after a certain point. Regardless, he prefers to pull a “well, one of us has to stay sober and make sure everyone is okay, right?” and just sit there watching everyone get drunk.

Cater – a big enjoyer of cocktails (as long as they aren’t extremely sweet). He also likes straight-up whiskey, but never drinks it in front of others. He doesn’t drink often, but he started drinking when he was pretty young. He is very good with alcohol, but sometimes he really wants to get tipsy, relax and have fun, so he is probably the one to drink more than some of the other boys.

Leona – loves alcohol but very capricious about it: it has to be expensive and rich in taste. He doesn’t like mixing stuff, but when it’s mixed with milk he actually doesn’t mind it. He prefers to drink alone, or in a company of one other person. And he would get a bit flirty and provocative, but actually, for the majority of times he’d just suddenly start snoring and purring at the same time.

Ruggie – he doesn’t like drinking, but he loves when others drink because this is an opportunity for him to showcase his cocktail-making skills. He knows a lot of cool cocktails and is very good at identifying expensive booth… not based on taste though, it all tastes the same to him. When it comes to drinking, he would just drink homemade beer that his grandma makes. He doesn’t get too drunk, but he laughs at everything whenever he does. And also starts stealing shit just for the sake of it.

Jack – oh pupper. He doesn’t like drinking at all: he gets hot, sweaty and confused immediately. He starts panting, sometimes even with his tongue out. Then he gets restless and starts pacing around the room, either whining or growling quietly to himself, looking as if he would pounce if someone was to poke him even a little bit at this state. But if he pounces, he’ll just lick that person’s face and neck all over… and maybe get inappropriate?? But he bounces back pretty quickly, after like 2 hours he’ll be completely sober. Keep making him drink!

Azul – he used to dislike the taste of alcohol (and was very self-conscious about it), but now he loves it. As long as it’s good, of course. Unlike Ruggie, Azul can take one sip and tell you everything there is to know about this specific vintage. He is an elitist and hates on a lot of alcohol brands though, even some high-end ones if he doesn’t like the taste. He is absolutely going to have a proper bar once he graduates. If he good with alcohol though? Not really… Azul has stages when he drinks: at first he just gets more talkative, then he gets giggly, then he gets openly aggressive, then he gets very sad. He tries not to drink up to that point…

Jade – another one who prefers to watch people drink rather than to drink himself. He doesn’t get too easily drunk himself, but he gets hiccups sometimes, and it’s embarrassing. He is also extremely good at making cocktails and experiments a lot, making both Azul and Floyd drink his concoctions, and it’s always a gamble whether he’ll make something extraordinary or will make you throw up.

Floyd – he flip-flops. Sometimes he could be that one sour sober face that doesn’t want to drink with everybody, sometimes he randomly drinks a couple of bottles because he wanted to see if it would make him pee harder. He hates the taste of alcohol (any alcohol!), he hates getting headaches and throwing up and feeling like shit in general, he hates not remembering stuff, but he loooves spinning when he is drunk. And causing destruction. He is all over the place when he’s drunk, even more-so than he usually is.

Kalim – he has some experience with alcohol! It’s not like he used to drink all the time when he was a kid, but whenever they had any kind of celebration, his dad would give him one sip of the wine (or any other thing rich friends brought to them that day). So Kalim actually likes wine quite a lot, and was genuinely surprised when he realised that he can’t bring bottles of good wine to NRC to celebrate with Jamil and the other students. All of that doesn’t mean he’s good with alcohol, mind you, because he gets drunk very easily. But it’s like his “kalimness” just enhances, and he gets even more clingy and wants to dance a lot. And also touch and kiss a lot… He is also super lucky and never gets hangovers.

Jamil – now this is someone who always gets hangovers and it always hits him like a truck. In Jamil’s perfect world, if he would have nothing to worry about, if he could just relax for one evening without worrying about doing 1000 things the next day, and if he was in good company (preferably on his own), he would love to have a good drink. But the majority of times he gets drunk it’s because Kalim makes him drink. Or Kalim drinks 5 different kinds of wine, and Jamil has to taste every single one before giving it to him (and also try it from Kalim’s glass every single time because you never know when someone might put something in the bottle). So he just gets gradually more and more drunk… Jamil is surprisingly well-composed even when he is drunk, but he gets hot. Literally and figuratively, he is suddenly more seductive and even horny… but it never ends with anything good.

Vil – he enjoys the taste of good alcohol, sometimes would even have wine mom moments and just pour a glass for himself for no reason, just to unwind. But this is a very rare treat: he is aware that alcohol is bad for your body, so he prefers to drink a smoothie instead. He is a social drinker though, so he would drink sparkling wine on parties. I feel like Vil doesn’t drink too much and is good with alcohol in general, but he does get flirty… and more reckless as well. Wink.

Rook – doesn’t get drunk at all, no matter how much he drinks. It is almost unfair because he doesn’t have to avoid drinking like Trey and Jade do to watch the others get drunk: oh he drinks with them alright, he thinks it’s polite to drink just as much as the other person does. But he doesn’t get drunk miraculously… but if someone would to ask him, he would say that he is very drunk!

Epel – loves alcohol. He is right there with Ace when it comes to the first years that are always excited to drink. He loves to brag about drinking with the men of his village all the time… which is kind of true, but also kind of false: it’s not like he chugs moonshine with them. He is allowed to have apple cider though, so he is actually probably better with alcohol than both Ace and Deuce… he is still bad at it though lol, he gets either clingy or aggressive or aggressively clingy, depending on how much he drinks. His little body punishes him with the biggest hangovers.

Idia – hates it, bad with it, feels like it’s torture. He is one of the most capricious ones because he hates the taste, the smell, the burning feeling, everything, but then again, it’s not like he tried all the options available: he might have actually enjoyed something sweeter or even just whiskey+coke combo (if there isn’t too much whiskey there). His first stage would be to become very talkative and start complaining about everything, having even less filter than usual, but then he would start getting red, breathing heavily, moan quietly and hug his own knees, as if he is in the biggest agony in the world. His hands and legs also start shaking crazily when he is drunk.

Ortho – human!Ortho of course: he is better with alcohol than Idia; in fact, he would be the one to insist that Idia should try different kinds of alcohol just to see if he likes the other ones better. Ortho used to hate booze as well, but as he got a bit older, he got more interested in it, so these days he doesn’t mind a bottle of beer. But he is a social drinker, he never drinks alone. it’s more about hanging out with friends for him. He also doesn’t get super drunk, he is like the opposite of Idia. Maybe he just never drinks too much…

Lilia – this man used to chug gasoline from the car pipe. This man used to shotgun vodka from a glass bottle. This man is a legend and he can outdrink almost everyone in this school. But that doesn’t mean he won’t get drunk because hoo boy will he get drunk. Sometimes he gets as obnoxious as Ace, sometimes he just wants to have fun like Kalim, sometimes he gets aggressive like Floyd… but there is also this secret 4th type of Lilia drunk that is too creepy, hungry and sexual to describe. Also! He used to never get hangovers, but he does now. Getting old sucks.

Silver – it would be funny if Silver was the type of drunk to get energized and more awake, but I feel like he just gets even more sleepy, but also clingy. In terms of stamina, I’d say he’s a 3 out of 5… He doesn’t get drunk immediately, but can’t drink more than two glasses. Also, he was 3 years old when he drank alcohol for the first time, thanks Lilia. Well, it was just a little sip..!

Sebek – he has a big future ahead of him and good potential, but for now he is pretty bad at drinking. He doesn’t like it because the taste is usually too bitter (he’s a baby…), plus, he feels dizzy afterwards. He doesn’t like not being in control of himself, so sometimes he freaks out when he is drunk, but sometimes he just sits there with his head in his hands and tries to concentrate and undrunk himself. When he is drunk he is either aggressive or aggressively horny…

Malleus – it feels like it’s impossible to get him drunk, but in actuality it is possible, it’s just that he has to drink a lot for that. Even if he is very drunk, it’s difficult to tell that he is for anyone other than people who are the closest to him (or someone very perceptive like Rook), but he gets extra playful, pouty and really wants to dance and show off. He is very dangerous when drunk because he can burn down the entire house just for shits and giggles… and if he gets angry while drunk, it’s extra dangerous.

[leikeliscomet]

Flop and Bubble - I’m Not Stanning RTD2’s Racial Commentary

On Dot and Bubble, experiencing fandom backlash and what this means for the Black Brit (or lack thereof) in the writer’s room.

Part 1 - The Episode

If you’ve already seen my posts, I don’t like this episode. At all. I watched it on Friday night with everyone else not knowing what to expect and live-tweeted away. It wasn’t worth the late night stream. I rewatched it on Saturday and still felt disappointed. Apart from 50 minutes of cringe millennial/Gen Z parody, mid social media commentary, boring aliens and a whole intense, action-filled scene dedicated to Lindy trying to walk in a straight line, Dot and Bubble tried to give us a racism commentary too, which in all honestly felt like someone was taking the piss. Opening up Twitter and Tumblr to see this episode being called the best of the season and ‘the greatest’ episode of nuwho felt like a 73 Yards of my own. Most posts about how ‘groundbreaking’ and ‘important’ this story is make my eyes roll into the back of my head I’ll be honest with you. I don’t wanna copy and paste everything I’ve already said in my original thread (here’s the Tumblr version), but I’ll recap my main issues with it.

The predominantly white casting fails as a racism commentary in a show that’s already predominantly white. White fans who’ve grown up in white areas watching a predominantly white show have no reason to question why that show would be white too. It’s their default. Including that of the writer's room, as there were no Black writers for series 14. White fans who didn’t notice the white casting have no reason to. Why would they when the show has catered to them for most of its run? There is no fundamental difference between Dot and Bubble’s predominantly white cast and the all-white main cast of Series 6 or the episodes of RTD1 where Martha or Mickey were the only Black characters of the episode. But only one of these results in pearl-clutching. The self-flagellation from white fans late to notice felt very strange. Apart from the guilt of not noticing something they had no incentive to notice, nothing productive comes from this guilt. Being upset about having white privilege is an acknowledgement I guess, but what material actions are coming from this? RTD and co. wanted a message about predominantly white representation then didn’t have any Black writers in the room to create that message. There’s no point in gasping at how white the table is and then not offering Black people a place to sit. Dot and Bubble wasn’t a new story either, as it was originally planned for the Moffat era instead. What would the ending look like for the 11th Doctor? No bowties allowed? To say this episode sprinkled in racism last minute doesn’t seem that far-fetched considering it wasn’t originally a part of the script in the first place. How can I credit an ‘intentional’ build-up of microaggressions to the big racism reveal in the last 10 minutes when they were never originally there to begin with? How can this be a good commentary on the Black experience when Black writers were not only missing but the Black main character himself?

RTD Who’s campness is already something I disliked from RTD1, but for the big white supremacy episode out of all to choose from was just in poor taste to me. I already hated the Love and Monsters style episodes of the OG RTD run, but for an episode that represents systemic racism of all things felt like a slap in the face. Not to say racism can’t exist in comedy because it can. Many Black writers including in the shows I recommend later in the thread do this, but they use humour as the Black characters’ coping mechanism for racism. The actions of the racist characters aren’t minimised because of this. Dot and Bubble doesn’t have the range for this that Doctor Who fans think it does. Lindy’s incompetence is a way for Fifteen, Ruby and the audience to look down on her in the sense she’s clapped basically and her racism comes from the fact she’s unintelligent. But in the real world, white supremacy is a lot smarter. White supremacist rhetoric is hidden and cloaked intentionally so it can’t be noticed and this is used as a way of recruiting white people to join in and maintain it. White supremacy is a system constructed for the purpose of oppressing Black people and other people of colour. It’s a bit more than a few silly billies trust me. Even if we do entertain the idea of ‘accidental racism’ the only reason it happens is because of this white supremacist conditioning which tells white people it’s okay. It’s not your fault for being born in this system but it’s absolutely your fault for continuing to maintain it when you have the choice not to. The only sign of intellect Lindy has comes from when she betrays Ricky and gets him killed. This was what Lindy could’ve been. A white woman who weaponises her incompetence and innocence to her own advantage because she knows how it will benefit her in a white supremacist state. An episode with a darker tone exploring racism in a technological dystopia. This is what fans think the episode did but frankly, it didn’t, but they wanted it to because they idolise RTD to the point of creating his writing intentions for him. Lindy didn’t weaponise being incompetent she is incompetent. Her incompetence is attached to her social media obsession and youth and without these things she lacks even more intelligence than she already does. The episode promotes the idea that racism is the product of low intelligence and overreliance on technology. She is a walking talking caricature for the fans to project onto than a real person capable of actual harm. Apart from the ableist connotations that the lower the intelligence the lesser the person morally, it’s an overly basic and mediocre representation of racism. I won’t speak for the Black people who do relate to the representation of Lindy as a racist, but for me personally, the Lindys of my life were never silly in their racism. They knew what they were doing. They knew no matter how harmless their actions were (to them not me that is), they would get away with it. And they did. I didn’t have time to laugh about how silly the racists I’d met were. I was too busy trying to survive. It’s hard to giggle about being smarter than a racist when they hold the power to dehumanise you completely. What use is an intellectual high horse then?

Speaking of projecting onto characters, I don’t care about Ricky September. His main role was to get Lindy to walk in a straight line and find the escape. He provided as much interest to the episode as water adds flavour to white bread. Ricky is raised in the exact same Finetime conditioning as Lindy but he’s an antiracist icon because he likes walking and books I guess. White fans will be disappointed to know that racists can read and exist outside too. He becomes the ideal white man, a white saviour we’re supposed to distance from the rest of Finetime. The episode again reaffirms that racism is about moral character and not a system. The Ricky Midtembers of my life still benefit from racism even if they are just are just ‘nice’ white guys. Ironically, Ncuti Gatwa’s interview about white mediocrity becomes relevant again. Ricky is put on a pedestal for just existing, expecting applause from the audience. My hands are staying still.

What makes the episode’s politic even more flimsy is how it’s missing from the rest of the season. In The Devil’s Chord, Fifteen opened the TARDIS doors in 1963 with an afro and big smile on his face and I was confused. The arrival of the Windrush generation, the Bristol Bus Boycott and the Notting Hill race riots had all taken place by the time Fifteen and Ruby landed. Would this play any key role in this historical British episode featuring a Black man as the Doctor for the first time? Nah! Only a week after D&B he and Ruby were kicking it with British aristocrats in Rogue, a group of people well-known for respecting Black people for sure! The show’s avoidance of addressing Black British experiences almost feels intentional at this point. Black British history is rarely if not never taught in the British education system, let alone the rest of the world. From previous discourses on Rosa, Thin Ice and Human Nature, ignorance about our history is so prominent in the Doctor Who fandom. White British fans can’t accept the idea of racism being British, not exclusively American, on the same level as the US or even worse. And the show passes up the opportunity yet again to debunk this. So far the show’s closest attempts were Human Nature/Family of Blood and Thin Ice, but even then these episodes had limits. We had Mary Seacole in War in the Sontarans but as the title suggests, the Sontarans were the focus of the episode, not her. Whilst some white fans think the futuristic focus is a smart move, it just highlights the lack of depth a Black perspective can provide. When was the racism of Britain’s past actually addressed? How on earth can you claim learning about Britain’s racist past is limited when you don’t even know about it? How can you address race in the future when you can’t even address it today? Racism can only exist in a futuristic world, far away from Earth in a fictional blue-blooded race of the white bourgeoisie because we can’t have this sci-fi-attempting-fantasy show getting too real. Dot and Bubble’s racism needs to exist in its own isolated white echo chamber so that the racism of the Doctor Who fandom’s one can stay intact.

Dot and Bubble is a failure because it reinforces the bias white fans already have. That as long as they aren’t a specific flavour of white person (rich, Christian, cisgender, heterosexual, allosexual, able-bodied, neurotypical and perisex) they can’t be capable of anti Black racism. The episode comforts them in knowing what they already want to be true and need to be true. They don’t have to question or self-reflect their own antiblackness because the episode doesn’t give them any reason to. Why should they? They’re a Ricky not a Lindy, right? The white fans ‘saddened’ by Lindy’s low assumptions about Black men will continue in their hatred of Ryan Sinclair, Danny Pink and Mickey Smith. The white fans disgusted by Lindy’s disgust will keep going on about how ‘off’ they feel about Martha Jones but ‘don’t know why’. The white fans that ‘hate’ Lindy’s hatred of Ruby and Fifteen’s close proximity will keep gagging at the thought of the Doctor having any romantic connection to Martha Jones because she ‘deserved better than that’. The white fans ‘heartbroken’ for the ‘first’ Black doctor will keep erasing the Fugitive Doctor. The white fans that stan the ‘anti-racist’ slugs today will hate the Black people that fight against racism tomorrow. The white fans praising this episode for being ‘groundbreaking’ and ‘inspirational’ and ‘important’ will be racist to Black fans that dare to say that maybe it was a bit shit. And that is exactly what happened.

The fandom’s praise of Fifteen’s compassion, kindness and humanity (of a Time Lord that is)  hinges on him being a ‘good’ Black man for the racists that hate him to the core. If he hadn’t begged and screamed to save Lindy, that praise would’ve been revoked instantly. Fans uncomfortable at his anger towards the Chuldur and the killing of the Goblin King confirm this. Despite the long morally grey history of the Doctor, Fifteen’s darkness is uniquely ‘out of character’ because thanks to bigeneration this isn’t supposed to happen anymore (allegedly). Deep down, this is what the white audience wants. There can never be an alternative to Dot and Bubble’s ending. It’s easier to imagine racism as an inevitable part of the natural order we must experience for the sake of storytelling, the only form of conflict that Black characters and people can ever have than that we could ever, just maybe, say ‘no’ to the white standards put before us. We must beg. We must be nice. We must be compassionate. Even when history and current events have shown us time and time again white supremacy can’t be killed with kindness. Why take the boot off your neck when you can find out how strong and brave you are for handling it instead? Either that or just pretend it doesn’t exist. White incarnations of the Doctor on the other hand have and will continue to be the radical icons of the show because unlike Fifteen, white characters will always be given more agency to explore their actions and behaviours. Punch racists! Free the Ood! Stan the anti-racist slugs and eat the rich! Slay!

When Black people stop chasing after the boat, we don’t get this same radical praise. We pay a price. And the response to Dot and Bubble’s criticism would ironically prove this.

Part 2 ->

[rubylovessharks]

what would coffee do to them?

this is not a X reader but i have headcannons about this sooo~ here's what i think coffee would do to each twst character :) also i have no idea why but coffee makes me sleepy, so im not going to pull stuff like this outta nowhere-

Heartslabyul

Riddle- i think he's used to it cuz he studies a lot, so he probably needs to get more energy. So it would make sense that Riddle would drink coffee and gain more energy, nothing weird.

Trey- I don't think he's really into bitter tastes, but he doesn't mind them. So I don't think he'll drink coffee that much, it also probably doesn't do too much though. But what if when Trey drinks too much coffee he'd want to bake more?

Cater- Cater probably drinks coffee in the morning. Cater is a character I don't know too much about but with the small information I have on him doesn't really make me think of what coffee would do to him.. So my guess is that he gets more energy and like any normal person and after a while the energy leaves and he gets tired. Nothing special.

Ace- Ace doesn't seem like someone who would drink coffee often. Maaaybe to study? But not that often. At some point if he drank too much he would just pass out, and when I say too much it'll probably be 5 or 6 cups of coffee. One time Duece found him like that and freaked out so hard, he called Riddle and told him this and Riddle also kind of freaks out but seems calm and takes Ace to the nursery. Deuce makes sure Ace never gets to drink that much coffee ever again.

Deuce- We all know that Deuce studies a lot so he probably drinks a lot of coffee, and also I think he doesn't notice when it's the time Riddle set for everyone to sleep, so until Riddle notices that he isn't asleep he scolds him and then immediately feels concerned about the amount of coffee he's been drinking. The same thing will happen with Ace. Ace swears he's stopping Deuce from drinking that much coffee cuz "he's too loud when he studies!" but we all know that's not true..

Savanaclaw

Leona- This guy almost never drinks coffee only because he naps a lot. But I think he would drink coffee when he NEEDS to do something, so that's he's way of getting energy. But here's the thing, when he does drink coffee even though the caffeine works on him he still looks like he's half-asleep.

Ruggie- This guy knows how to do the best coffee you'll ever drink! But it'll cost you a lot.. He probably does drink coffee in the morning so he can get going throughout the day, this guy has many things to do. I also think that every few hours he would drink another coffee to keep going.

Jack- I don't think Jack drinks coffee, at least not often. Nothing special after drinking coffee as well. He's pretty normal about it.

Octavinelle

Azul- He likes he's coffee with milk, I like to think that the first time he heard of coffee on land (they probably have something like coffee under the sea) he wanted to try all types of coffee, just to fully understand what he likes, and what can sell better. He did not like black coffee.. Other than that he's nothing special as well.

Jade- He's the total opposite of Floyd. He becomes really really energetic. He tries to play it cool, like nothing has changed- but you can see that he has more energy. He's movements are way faster than what they are normally, you can see that he's eyes are looking around more often, and things like that.

Floyd- I think that because Floyd has a lot of energy depending on his mood the way to calm him down would be with drinking coffee. I know that caffeine should make a person more energetic, but with personal experience I feel like falling asleep. I think he would be like that too. The only effect other than sleepiness would be the energy in his veins, he's still sleepy though.

Scarabia

Kalim- Don't give this guy coffee- he'd get seriously energetic. If he already has energy on a normal day coffee makes him even more energetic.

Jamil- He's probably not someone who drinks coffee often. I just don't see him as a guy that drinks it regularly, but he definitely drinks it from time to time, just not super often. I think he has normal reactions to it, not too hyper but not like Floyd who'd fall asleep.

Pomefiore

Vil- He's more of a tea guy. He doesn't drink coffee often, but when he does it would probably be closer to things he needs to do during the late evening. Also a guy that doesn't have a weird reaction like some of these guys would.

Rook- Thinks all coffee is good. He enjoys the beauty of everything, coffee is no different. Doesn't have a preference, will drink any and every coffee. It does not work on him, I repeat. Coffee does not work on Rook. Not getting more energy and not getting sleepy. You'll see this guy downing a cup of coffee and see that nothing happens to him. He'll drink coffee just for the taste.

Epel- First thing in the morning he's doing is make a cup of coffee. Black too, he thinks it's manly. He probably doesn't need it though so after some time you can see that in class he looks more sleepy than a regular student should. Vil probably scolds him about it.

Ignihyde

Idia- He doesn't always drink it cuz he has his energy drinks but if he had to he would make a black coffee to get through the night, I think that at some point energy drinks aren't going to work properly on him so coffee is something he'll start getting used to.

Ortho- He's a robot, he doesn't need coffee. And when he was a child and alive I don't think he would've tried it or something- that's it really.

Diasomnia

Malleus- I don't know if he would be into coffee or not, but I think that the first time he did try it his pupils would get bigger? I know our pupils get bigger because of light and stuff- but Malleus isn't human, so maybe some of the energy he got from the caffeine would make his eyes try to focus more on his surroundings??? Even if he's pupils didn't get bigger, he's eyes would still try to focus around.

Lilia- I'm not sure if in cannon it is said that he drinks anything to keep him awake when gaming with Idia or not but I think that he doesn't need coffee during the night, I think it even takes him a while to fall asleep just cuz bats are night animals so it kinda makes sense that he's fully awake at night. I might be breaking canon or something since I don't know too much about him, so sorry if I did- I like to think that in the morning though he has to drink coffee or else he's not able to function throughout the day. (ik he's not a bat but he has similarities so it makes sense)

Silver- It doesn't work on him, He probably tried drinking coffee at some point in his life to get through the day without falling asleep, but it didn't work very well...20 minutes after drinking it he fell asleep. After that he made another coffee and it would repeat like that all day.

Sebek- He would drink coffee on days he feels like he needs to. I don't know much about this guy so I'm not sure of what else to say.. But he probably would drink coffee with milk, not too much milk though, and he probably brags on drinking it black and not actually his taste, but if he tried black coffee again you'll see him throwing it up cuz he probably doesn't like the taste. He's probably more loud and aggressive after drinking coffee though.

[arclic-stuff]

Symbiotic Relationship - Chapter 1

PAIRING: Grayson x fem OC

SUMMARY: Besides her agreement with Zander, Grayson communicates with a reliable informant—her ex-wife, Tatianna. Tatianna is a Zaunite Merchant—a caterer by day and a smuggler by night. Together, they try to maintain peace between their cities, benefiting each other greatly and creating a symbiotic relationship they both have been craving. 

Word Count: 1.3k

A/N: Hehe guess who's finally posting! It's been hard finding the time to write and figure out the structure for this story but at least it's starting haha. Very excited to share it and write more of the chapters. I hope y'all enjoy it. Have no idea how quick I'll do the next chapters but I'm sure it'll be soon:)))

______________________________________________________________

Festivities were in full swing within the Piltover Country Club as the Kirammans prepared for an afternoon of celebrations. Outwith its walls in the calm countryside, two competitors engaged in friendly conversation. 

"I'm an enforcer. For me, knowing how to handle this weapon means being able to protect people. To be of service to the city. And that's trophy enough. Begs the question, young Kiramman. What are you shooting for?"

Before the girl can respond, her mother, Cassandra, beckons her inside. She dashes up the steps, stopping to look back at Grayson. "This isn't over, Sheriff," she narrows her eyes, pouting as she ascends the steps into the building.

Grayson continues to embrace the calm silence, the smell of the forest, and the taste of her wine. She takes one final inhale before acknowledging the familiar figure hiding in the background since she came outside.

"Are you going to lurk in the shadows all night, Ms Brauer?"

With that, Anna Brauer strides into view, her heels hitting the stone pavement and her jacket drifting in the breeze. Dawning an olive green jacket, she was also clad in an all-black suit, her white skirt's top buttons undone, showing her jewellery cluster around her neck. Her long black hair was pulled into a bun, elevating her appearance and almost making her look taller. Grayson made note of Tatianna's grey strands twisting around her head; she had finally stopped dying over them, which Grayson found admirable.

"Just making sure I didn't interrupt the fan club," Anna says, standing parallel to Grayson and leaning on the balcony.

Grayson chuckles. "She's a good kid. She means well."

"She insinuated that you took a bribe and threw the competition." Anna raises an eyebrow and looks at Grayson.

"Aw, protecting my honour? You'll make me blush," Grayson jests, poking Anna with her elbow, making the smaller woman roll her eyes in response.

"Just think the little gremlin should watch her tongue", Anna uttered at a lowered volume, tilting her head towards the party where the girl was now socialising.

Grayson moves closer to whisper, "You should lower your voice, dear. That 'gremlin' is the daughter of a councillor." She chuckles. "And besides, you know I'd never take a bribe". 

Anna put her hands up in surrender. "Or throw the competition? Right?"

Grayson doesn't respond; she simply rubs the back of her neck, looking anywhere but Anna's suspecting eyes.

"Oh, for fucksake, Grayson!" Anna groans, slapping Grayson on the forearm.

Grayson blocks the last few playful hits, laughing in the process. "What! She deserved the win! She's had a hard time with exams, and Cassandra put a lot of pressure on her to do well today. And anyway, I'm not beating my goddaughter."

Grayson had been a close friend of the Kiramans for a few years before Caitlyn was born, but it was still a surprise when Cassandra asked her to be her Godmother. As strange as it felt, it was one of the best things in her life—watching her grow up, teaching her to shoot, be headstrong, and do all the other things she had hoped to do one day with her own family.

Anna sighs, shaking her head. "You've gone, soft, Gray," she says before reaching into her jacket for a beige folder — the main reason for their meetup.

This month's conclusive report focused on the City of Zaun and all notable events or changes within its walls. Anna reluctantly slid the folder to the Sheriff. Even though she knew logically it was for the best, she still couldn't help but feel like a traitor to her people and to her home. The report showcased lists of new businesses, crime states, and this month's headliner: the death of a Chem-Baron.  

Although Chem-Baron Arlo passed peacefully in his sleep, he left behind chaos as his sons fought for the family business.

"All I can say is that I hope the youngest son doesn't take over; Finn is ambitious but reckless; Zaun doesn't need that" Anna waits for a response, then glances over to Grayson, reading, entirely focused on the pages in front of her. Anna takes the opportunity to watch her for a moment. She watches as her eyes dart across the pages, breathing steadily through her nose, the breeze shifting her hair into her eyes. As she flicks to the last page, her expression shifts from concentration to mild irritation, furrowing her brows before speaking.

Anna knows exactly what she's reacting to. Twice a year, Anne has a large shipment of stock transported into Zaun via Piltover's trade routes. Anne gets two shipments that aren't inspected yearly in exchange for being an informant. She uses this for her more valuable goods like medicine for the Zaun shelters - in the past, the shipments have been 'lost' or 'confiscated' by the enforcers with legal loopholes purely because of the shipment's destination. Grayson's leniency allows essential medicine to reach Zaun's unfortunate, something she holds onto to try to forget the dubious contents hidden within.

"This shipment is way bigger than last time." Grayson looks up accusingly, her mouth pressed into a thin line.

"The demand increased; it's for the—" Anna tried to explain the changes but was cut off by a raised hand.

"I don't want to know Tatianna" Grayson sighed, shutting the folder in her left hand and downing her drink with the other. She regrets using that tone with Anne but doesn't want to know. She knows Anne has to smuggle for unsavoury clients to pay the bills and that the jobs allow her to give back to the poorer Zaunites, but it still makes Grayson feel dirty like she's no different from the corrupt enforcers she swore to root out.

It's for the greater good; it helps Zaun and Anna.

Anna felt the atmosphere shift and was reminded of the distance between them. It didn't happen often, but sometimes, when interacting with Grayson, Anna would be transported back to when they first met, when things were simpler. When she broke from this trance, she would feel the emptiness in her chest that always lingered in Sheiff's presence. As soon as she felt it creeping back in, she ran.

"As always, Sheriff, it's been a pleasure. See you next month," Anna said with a comedic curtsey before turning on her heels to walk past Grayson. However, before she could take her first step to freedom, Grayson stepped in front, slighting her, stopping her in her tracks.  

"Are you not staying?" Grayson sheepishly asked, avoiding eye contact. She knew the answer, but every time Anna tried to make a speedy exit, Grayson would try to make her stay in a last-ditch attempt to reminisce for a little longer in the fantasy.

"I can't. I have a meeting with a new client in the morning, some industrialist is looking for a new trade route. I'll see you around Gray." As she walks around Grayson to leave, she gives Grayson's shoulder a light squeeze. To onlookers, it was a subtle goodbye gesture, but they both felt Anna's hand linger a second longer than it should.  

Grayson is left outside alone, her own hand replacing Anna's, where she touched her shoulder moments ago. She looked out at the grounds, which were now shrouded in sunset lighting. The same surroundings Grayson had found peace in now felt cold and empty. Cold and empty like the house the first day she came home without Anna there to greet her. Even after all these years, Grayson always felt this way after their meetings. She wondered if Anna ever felt the same; maybe she had moved on or was just as miserable as Grayson felt now - Grayson didn't like either option for her ex.

Feeling her thoughts spiral, she shook her head and took a deep breath.

What good will those thoughts do? It's all in the past now, and that's where it should stay.

[fisheito]

if someone's having a bad day what's the comfort food Yakumo would make for them? and if Yakumo's having a bad day who's the one making comfort food for him and what food is it?

ooohhhhhhhhh you would do this to me. you would walk into my room! bring up food AND that accursed snake. in front of my tiny nightlamp!!! !!

*stares at the pit laid out for me*

*leisurely walks toward it*

i think i once read in fic that yakumo cooked congee for sick food and i couldn't get it out of my mind this was before i thought about the possible ethnic influences of each character ... but once someone (was it someone HERE?) slapped "yakumo" and "han chinese" together i went "WEL>LP! *slaps my thighs* *abruptly stands* *walks out the door with my hands in the air* GUESS WE'RE DOIN THIS FOREVER, THANKS"

so. now yaku will default to making the absolute lightest congee as a "SOMEONE IS SICK AND NEEDS TO EAT" first defense unless:

-the Someone normally likes congee a certain way, and asks him to make it THAT way ((i would do this. just because i'm sick doesn't mean i'm allergic to salt. please give me my seafood congee i'll cry if it's just rice)) -the Someone has a known, OTHER preferred sick food, which yakumo will cater to the best he can. i KNOW he has a section in his brain dedicated to everyone's food preferences.

if someone doesn't like congee, he has an entire repertoire of soups to call upon. they can act as temporary sickfood til the *perfect most desirable* dish can be made what? sickie doesn't like congee? no problem. we got chikken noodle. we got cream stew. aster can procure an entire beast for bone broth in no time at all. u want blended veggebable mush? no peas, right?

example! if for some ridiculous reason dante gets sick at the mansion and he complains about the lack of solarian food while bundled under 300 blankets

yakumo is IN the library. he is OUT IN THE STREETS. researching. gathering ingredients. finding substitutes for that one solarian spice whose flavour profile is unlike anything in the light territory but HEY if you blend these 4 things we DO have together ,,it's similar enough...?

but BEFORE all that, dante is still hungy. so if picky king dante refuses to eat unless it's the Comfort Food of all time (i doubt he would refuse food all brattily in this scenario, but i'm gonna pretend he's a picky baby for fun)

then yakumo needs to prepare a pre-meal quickly! before venturing out for the grand solarian sickfood quest

in that case, i imagine he'd prepare a l'il something... where the texture and tastes are familiar to most people... like a bowl of cut up mixed fruit? or a bit of soft bread? porridge? a simple veggie broth? to fill the belly with something warm

Oh wait I REMEMBER SOMETHING FROM THE ARTBOOK. SOMETHING Like THIS!!!!!:

NNOW FOR THE OTHER SIDE OF TEHQ EUSTION *SLAPS THE WALL WITH RENEWED VIGOUR*

WHAT HAPPENS IF YAKUMO GETS SICK?! he exhibits wounded animal behaviour and drags himself into a dark corner to suffer where nobody can see him hahaha

wait. we have plenty of chefs in the mansion. that's easy enough. if any of the clan members have witnessed the secret knowledge [childhood gossip from his grandparents], then all they have to do is relay the info to the chefs.

"yakumo's grandparents always made him _____ when he was feeling bad" and BAM! professional dish ready in minutes

(i am once again assuming it'll be congee bc cooking habits are passed down LOL but if it's not that i could imagine it being a simple steamed dish like root veggies/cabbage)

that's the practical answer at least. because who wants to serve a subpar dish to chef yakumo?? in his time of weakness?!?!?

BUUUt because it's yakumo, Sappiness will help him heal faster. in which case, you could argue that a dish cooked by a mediocre-skill clan member will be as powerfully healing as a comfort dish cooked by a professional stranger.

aster would obvs make the chefs do it, and morv is not to be trusted with sustenance that is not cum. so...

safer choices: eiden, if he's better at cooking in this world now than in yaku SR intimacy rooms LOL..... but because it's eiden, even if the food is bad, yakumo's taste buds will be overshadowed by his grotesquely overwhelming love oli, who can likely cook up meals of (at least) average difficulty with consistent tastiness garu, making simple familiar meals like he did with gramps quincy, if available and willing

potential recruits: edmond under supervision, blade with a clear recipe+instructions laid out (also under supervision)

do not think about it: kuya (i bet he knows how to cook, but in ?WHAT?? universe????? would he give up his time to prepare a homecooked meal and NOT infuse it with weird stuff),

dante (i assume his cooking skills have suffered due to, you know, having to take on several other more pressing responsibilities),

rei (he will eat a poisonous shrivelled mushroom off the floor of his cabin. one that he accidentally tracked in via his boot a few weeks ago. he will consume it just to stop Father from pestering him about eating. he has no time for culinary duty)

[hellfirehottie]

California Dreamin' - Eddie Munson

Chapter One - Black Magic Woman

‘Yes, you’ve got your spell on me, baby, 

You’ve turned my heart into stone, 

I need you so bad, magic woman, I can’t leave you alone’ 

Black Magic Woman - Fleetwood Mac 

Friday / 10:55pm: closing time / Hawkins Record Store

In Hawkins, Indiana, the nighttime sky is raining heavily. Nina’s car enters and parks in the dimly lit parking lot. The only light provided in the dark night is by the worn out street lamps and the neon sign of the record store. Nina leaves her car, leather jacket over her head to shield from the downpour, and runs to the record store.

Eddie: “Damn it, Dustin!” [muttering to himself, dunking the mop into the bucket] “Those damn kids,” [mopping the red slushie stain on the ceiling] “How did the damn slushie get on the ceiling?” [sighing, defeated, turning up the volume on his tape player, Black Sabbath playing loudly in his ears] “That’s gonna come out of my paycheck.” 

The door opens.

Nina: “Hello? Are you still open?” [Nina walks into the building, cautiously looking around. She walks behind Eddie,  who is singing softly to himself, and taps him on the shoulder.] “Hello?” Eddie: [loudly, shocked] “Gah!” [Eddie turns around in fright, mop leaving his hand and hitting Nina in the face] “What the fu-”  Nina: [clutching her face] “Oof!” [clutching her nose, eyes watering] “What the hell, man?!” [blinking away her tears] “I think you broke my nose!”  Eddie: [earnestly, heart racing in shock, disorientated] “Oh fuck, oh shit, I’m so sorry! Are you okay? You scared the shit out of me!”  Nina: [sarcastically] “Oh yes, I’m never better, you just broke my nose!”  Eddie: “You scared me! I wasn’t expecting anyone in, we’re closed!”  Nina: [looking at the closed sign on the door, sheepish] “Oh, my bad.” [apologetic, sniffling, bumbling] “I’m sorry, I should have read the sign, I’ll go, this is totally my fault, I-”  Eddie: [awkward] “Hey, don’t apologise, I’m sorry I threw a mop at you…”[scratching his neck awkwardly] “Is your nose okay? Can I get you anything?”  Nina: [still sniffling, smiling to ease the tension] “A new nose, maybe?”  Eddie: [joking] “Sold the last one this morning.” [Nina gives him a deadpan stare. Eddie blushes and chews his thumb nervously] “I don’t know why I said that.” Stupid, stupid, stupid, he thought. “A tissue, maybe?”  Nina: “Please.” [she takes the tissues off Eddie and wipes her nose and eyes] “I should have checked the sign. Guess we’re both at fault, huh?”  Eddie: (bewildered) “Sure…” I’ve never seen you before, he thought. [Eddie smiles shyly at Nina] “So, er, can I help you with something?”  Nina: [tugging at her cardigan sleeves, awkward under Eddie’s gaze] “I know it’s late but I’m looking for an album, I was wondering if you have it in stock? I know it’s past closing time but I’m desperate, and then we can call it even. Cool?”  Eddie: [feeling nervous, small smile on his face, palms sweaty] “Sure, what are you looking for?”  Nina: “I’m looking for Rumours by Fleetwood Mac on vinyl, any luck? Mine’s broken.”  Eddie: [springing into life, false enthusiasm] “Why of course! Here at Hawkins Record Store we’re here to cater to all musical tastes!” 

Eddie skips over to the back corner of the store, doing dramatic jazz hands in front of the rock section. Nina watches, amused. The corner is decorated with twinkly fairy lights and bohemian wall hangings, and smelled like opium incense.

A pang of homesickness fills Nina’s gut. 

Nina: (quietly) “Thanks.” 

Eddie stands behind Nina, watching her every move, as she flicks through the vinyls. Nina finds  herself smiling at how adorably awkward the cute shop clerk is. Eddie chews his thumb again, thinking of ways to carry on the conversation.

Eddie: (awkwardly) “So, er,  your last vinyl broke huh? That good, is it?”  Nina: (shyly) “Oh it broke in some boxes, I’ve just moved here.” [Eyes flicking between Eddie and the vinyls.] “But yeah, Fleetwood Mac are the best. You like them?”  Eddie: “Thought I hadn’t seen you around. I would definitely remember seeing you.” [Eddie blushes at the realisation of what he said, eyes widening, Nina smiles and flushes at his comment. Eddie feels giddy that he made her smile. Eddie sways, faking nonchalance] “Can’t say I’ve listened to them.” 

Nina: “You should, you’re missing out.” 

A peaceful quietness settled in the store. Eddie shamelessly checks out the new customer. He shakes himself back to reality.

Eddie: (voice squeaky, loud in the quiet room) “Two for one on selected albums!”  Nina: [turning around, puzzled] “…Sorry?”  Eddie: (awkwardly) “We, erm, have two for the price of one on certain items. Spring sale, y’know, all that jazz.”

You’re making an idiot of yourself, Eddie thinks. 

Nina: (smiling, eager to engage in conversation) “Oh cool, anything you’d recommend?” 

Excitement bubbles in Eddie’s stomach. 

The cute girl is talking to me. Be cool. 

Eddie: (enthusiastically) “A personal favourite of mine is Ride the Lightning, ten out of ten would recommend.” [He pulls the album off the rack, presenting it to her.] Nina: “Wow, ten out of ten, I’ll have to give it a go. But if it sucks, I’m blaming you.” [Nina’s smile widens, fidgeting in her spot under his stare.]

Is she flirting with me? Eddie thought. No, she can’t be. 

Eddie: (attempting to flirt, smiling at her.) “I will happily take the blame, though I doubt you’ll be disappointed.” 

Eddie rings up her bill, his mind desperately trying to think of ways to continue the conversation. Eddie cautiously takes sneaky glances at Nina as her eyes wander around the store. 

Nina: [eyeing up Eddie’s name tag on his black shirt] “See you around, Eddie.” [She smiles, picks up her bag and leaves.]

I didn’t even ask her name. 

Eddie finishes up mopping the floor, smiling to himself as his heart flutters.

Monday / 8:50AM / Hawkins High School. 

Eddie’s combat boot clad feet land hard on the gravel as he hops out his van. He slams the door behind him tiredly, swinging his bag over his shoulder. 

He rubs his eyes tiredly as he looks over the school car park. He scans the crowd in front of him, looking for anyone he knows. A flash of red hair catches his eye, but vanishes again. 

Christ, I’m imagining things. 

Eddie shakes his head and walks grumpily to the school cafeteria. 

Eddie is face down on the lunch table, half asleep, waiting for the 9AM bell to ring. Dustin, Will and Mike exchanging D & D theories. El and Max talking about the Beach Boys, Lucas groaning and rolling his eyes. 

At the next table, Steve is ranting about another failed date, while Nancy and Jonathan joke at his expense. 

The 9AM bell rings, and everyone pours into the hallways to go to the first lesson of the day.

Eddie sees a flash of red hair again walk past the doorway and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 

Eddie: [muttering to himself] “Damn, she’s haunting me.” [yawning] “I’m going crazy.” [pulling his books out of his locker, grumpy in the morning.] “Fucking English” [tired] “Who gives a shit what Hemingway says anyway.” 

Robin and Nina make their way down the corridor, on their way to first period. 

Eddie chokes on his own spit and attempts to hide himself behind the door of his locker.

Eddie: [to himself, wide eyed, palms sweaty] “Shit, shit, shit!” [Eddie looks around frantically for an escape route, runs towards a door which closes before he can reach it. He attempts to hide behind a bin, the bin starts to tip over] “Oh, fuck!” [Eddie steadies the bin, other students look at him weirdly, Eddie’s eyes flick to Nina and Robin who are only 15 feet away, he panics more.] “Oh god, Oh god!” [Eddie hides once again behind his locker door, head deep inside the locker.] “I can’t believe this is happening!”  Robin: [smiling, too happy for so early in the morning] “Hey Eddie! Meet my cousin Nina! She’s just transferred here!” Eddie: [peeping his head around the locker door, a nervous smile on his face, raking his hands through his hair, shy] “Hi.” 

Nina: [bewildered, then pleasantly surprised] “Hi.” (amused, smiling) “We’ve met before actually, Eddie here nearly broke my nose.” 

She has blue- no, grey eyes, Eddie thought. 

Eddie: [smiling too, but dying of embarrassment] “I threw a mop at her face.” 

Damn, I forgot how cute she was. 

Robin: (looking confused, then laughing) “I’m not going to ask! Come on, I’ll walk you to Maths.” 

Robin drags Nina away down the corridor, Nina turns around and gives a small wave to Eddie, which Eddie reciprocates.  Eddie takes a moment to compose himself before slamming his locker door, walking to English.

12:40pm, lunchtime / Hawkins High School cafeteria. 

Eddie’s eyes flick around the room, mind alert, waiting for Nina to enter the cafeteria; eyes glueing to the table below him when she enters. He can’t help himself from sneakily watching her every move, not being subtle. 

[Nina sits down beside Robin two tables away from Eddie and the Hellfire Club, with Steve, Nancy and Johnathan. They all laugh hard at a joke Steve makes. Eddie watches with jealousy as Nina giggles cutely at his joke. He finds himself staring as he watches Nina steal some of Steve’s fries.]

Eddie felt stupid over how jealous he was over a girl he didn't know but he wanted to be the one she leaned on when he made her laugh so much, whose food she steals.

[He looks at Nina and then down at the table bitterly.]

Dustin: [waving his hand in Eddie’s face] “Hello, earth to Eddie?”  Mike: [shaking his head at Eddie] “You’re wasting your time dude, he’s long gone.”  Gareth: [intrigued] “He’s been like this all morning.” Max: (muttering) “Maybe Vecna has possessed him.” Lucas: [shaking his head, swatting Max] “Too soon.” [Max grins at him.]  Eddie: [blinking, returning to earth from his jealous thoughts] “Huh, what?” Gareth: (laughing) “You were totally staring at the new girl.” Eddie: (embarrassed, trying to play it off coolly) “Was not.” Jeff: “I don’t blame him, she’s hot.” [Not so subtly glancing at Nina.]  Argyle: (to Jeff, sassy) “She’d never go for a freak like you in a million years.” 

[The table erupts in a chorus of “Damn”’s “Oh Shit”’s. ]

She’d never go for a freak like me either Jeff, Eddie thought. 

Dustin: (quietly, pulling Eddie to the side) “You okay, man?”

Eddie: (hushed) “The new girl is Fleetwood Mac Gi- Nina. She’s called Nina.” [Dustin looks at him confused] “The girl from the record store I was telling you about.”  Dustin: (erupting, standing up from his seat) “No way! That’s awesome! Eddie and Nina sitting in a tree!” 

[Eddie drags Dustin back down to his seat as people stare. Eddie goes red with embarrassment.]

Eddie: [hissing] “Dustin! Keep your voice down!”  Will: “Why are we shushing?” Mike: “When has Eddie ever shushed, or been shushed?”  El: “What’s going on?”  Lucas: “Eddie has a girlfriend, what?” Dustin: (laughing) “Eddie’s in looooove!” [doing his signature purr that he does for the ladies]

[Questions fly around the table.]

Eddie: (grumpy) “Not cool man.” [shoving Dustin] “Can we please get back to the campaign?” (Back to his usual charismatic self) “A loud rumbling is emerging from the enchanted forest that you little shits aren’t ready for.”  

2:40pm / Science class 

Eddie huffs as he goes to his seat at the back of class, ready for the day to end. His eyes perk up when Nina enters the classroom. 

Mr Clarke: “You’re late.”  Nina: (sheepish) “Sorry, I got lost. Won’t happen again.” [she works her way to the free seat in the row in front of Eddie.]  Mr Clarke: “Wait, not so fast!” [Nina freezes in her spot, eyes closed with dread] “You’re the new girl, right? Why don’t you come up to the front and introduce yourself?” [A few people in the class laugh and whisper at each other, Nina turns on her heels and stands awkwardly at the front of the class]  Nina: “Hi, I’m Nina. I’ve just transferred here from California.” [The whispers increase and Nina fiddles with her rings nervously.] “That’s about it, really.” [She shuffles awkwardly back to her seat.]  Mr Clarke: “Why don’t we give Nina a warm Hawkins welcome?” [the room is scattered with applause, Eddie claps quietly, watching her every move.] “So! Physics…” [Mr Clarke begins the lesson.] 

Nina rummages through her bag for her notebook, leaning on the desk in front of her, the hem of her jeans dipping to show the lace of her underwear. 

Jeff notices and elbows Eddie to get his attention, nodding over at Nina’s direction. Eddie shoves him, muttering a quiet ‘Perv’, trying his hardest not to stare. His neck and cheeks go red with heat, and he shuffles uncomfortably in his seat.

Nina: [turning around to face Eddie, Eddie’s eyes raise to meet hers, blushing from nearly being caught staring at her ass] “Do you guys happen to have a pen I can borrow?” 

Eddie: [stuttering] “Su-sure.” [He goes into his bag and hands her a pen] “Hope it works.”  Nina: [smiling, eyebrow raised] “Thanks.” 

‘Hope it works’? She must think you’re so lame. 

Eddie spends the rest of the lesson daydreaming and doodling in his book. He occasionally looks up at the board, and looks at Nina, hoping to catch her eye. At the end of the lesson, Nina picks up her bag and walks out the classroom. Eddie follows behind along with the rest of the class. He watches from a distance as she meets up with Robin, Steve, Jonathan and Nancy in the car park, laughing with the group before they get into their cars; and Eddie is left saddened he didn’t speak to her more. 

Next Chapter: Chapter Two - Cherry Bomb

[shadowweaver06]

If you observe, I hope that you all had a lovely Rosh Hashanah. Mine was busy, to say the least. And the entirety of the chag was overshadowed by Oct 7th, which, while expected, did add a tint of melancholy to the holiday. I will admit, the level of the holiday being overshadowed by Oct 7th happenings by my shul was a bit offputting, to say the least, and I found myself feeling wrong-footed. Our rabbi talked about it both on Erev RH and during morning services on Thursday - and if I had been smart, I'd have heeded his disclaimer about the topical discussion of his sermon on Thursday morning before opting to sit through it. Instead, I did sit through his entire speech, and it left me feeling uncomfortable. Now - I've gotten pretty used to the array of feelings around what is happening with Israel and Gaza and whatnot. As much of a peacenik as I am, I still find myself vacillating between anger, grief, frustration, and rage, both about what happened on Oct 7th and what is still happening both to Israeli citizens and to other non-combatants unlucky enough to get caught in the way, and even more so now with Lebanon and Iran getting themselves involved in the fray.

Our Rabbi's discussion rehashed all the atrocities of last year (which I could have done without the reminder of... like we've all borne witness to it, repeatedly), and then veered off into congratulating the congregation for their increased Zionism. Which I found... weird. Like, sure, congratulate us for being more observantly Jewish and involved in our community, and engaged in doing mitzvot, but congratulating us for an ideology just seems... I don't know, odd? I just found it troubling, and it was not the type of message I expect to hear during a holiday sermon I guess - I expected more of a hopeful, 'dawn of a new year' message. (I will admit, this is my first time spending HHD at a Conservative shul, so maybe this is the norm and I'm just not used to it, I don't know). It was also heavily flavored with some us-vs-them rhetoric, which I also did not care for. (Ultimately, though, I very much lack the generational trauma of my co-religionists (I was not raised as a Jew), so I expect that lack of trauma is strongly flavoring my view on things). I don't begrudge people for feeling the way they feel - it's certainly valid. I suppose this is a lot of what the congregation here wants to hear, which is why he wrote it, but... I don't know if it was what I needed to hear in that moment. Like I'd already been reflecting on the last year and what we've lost as a community as I was praying - and having that note layered on top of it made it feel even more bitter. 2nd day was better - but we joined our friends with their kids for the family service, which was shorter and more interactive (since we're the only other folks they know at this shul, they asked us to be with them so they didn't feel so abnormal, since they are new to this shul as well). We went to a RH party thrown by a friend on 2nd night - we catered the majority of the food (we smoked an enormous brisket, I made gluten free challah and regular challah with rasins, and apple honey cake, vegetarian matzah ball soup, and diri djon djon (it's our little taste of Haiti - and a staple of our shabbat table, which is usually a mix of Kosher-fied Haitian or lebanese/middle eastern dishes). On Friday evening I had company over for Shabbat - my friends (who aren't Jewish) came with their daughter and one of our other Jewish friends who needed a break from her kids came by, and I made an absolutely amazing pomegranate molasses roasted chicken recipe, ktiztzot with leeks and swiss chard, roasted squash and root vegetables, glazed carrots, a tossed salad, and a really tasty herb salad with apples and pomegranate seeds (which I am absolutely making again for Sukkot because it was amazing). Saturday night after Havdalah, we walked down the street and made an appearance at my best friend's birthday party, and I am 98% certain that I ate my body weight in tacos. Yesterday I woke up with a terrible cold. And now I'm sitting in bed typing this after waking up for the second time today after sleeping for 99% of yesterday, and a good chunk of the day today. So yeah. That's been the last week or so in a nutshell. Still feeling rather off-kilter given that it's the Oct 7th anniversary, and I sometimes feel like as a convert, my opinion doesn't really matter on these things - I don't have family ties to Israel, just religious/emotional/theoretical ties, so it's something I don't really feel like I sometimes have a right to have an opinion on, because so many other people do, and have lost someone either to the violence on the 7th, or to subsequent skirmishes. It's just a weird, somber, and reflective time, and I'm spending my day praying for an end to the cycle of violence, and for something approaching lasting peace for folks who live there. If nothing else, that is something I can do, and don't need to voice a personal opinion on.

(Forgive me my rambling - I'm all manner of doped up on cold medicine).

[blackstarchanx3new]

Creations AU, But I obnoxiously over explain it PT 3

Pages 61-90

Back at it again with Mike and his silly little adventures in Freddy's.

Huh.

What'd you see.

Stop being vague.

Who are these creepy masked people???

The bullies from FNAF four

Damn if only there was an entire side comic FNAF 4 cough cough I made about them that will explain that lol. We'll get to the side comics I promise. ;)

Whatever he saw, he's terrified to re-live.

Ouch.

Someone got hurt-

What the hell are you apologizing for exactly?

What'd you do?

None of those people in the masks were you...

We can tell cause they actually had a skin tone lmfao.

Oh that could use some cream.

So that's why "the bite" kept making Mike uncomfortable...

This kid got his head munched on.

And it wasn't ACTION but LACK of action he's cowering in fear from a child over.

Side note this panel out of context is hilarious and I won't pretend it's not.

Hi Bonnie! :D

He is the best.

Damn okay.

What's reality?

Ominous poster of the yellow Freddy for sure isn't important.

Haha Mike ya have episodes like this often? Often enough he composes himself afterwards.

He's utterly bamboozled Bonnie apparently SAW the kid he was chasing so...maybe.

That smirk is unsettling.

So this part of the building used to be "Fredbear's" the place Michael's favorite animatronic "Spring Bonnie" is from and mentioned earlier. Fredbear is clearly the one who bit the child.

I'd be scared too Bonnie thousand yard stares are concerning.

That's hysterical coming from the clearly possessed giant rabbit but go off I guess-

He's obviously trying to make Mike feel better which is nice of him. UwU

Aww. Hug how sweet.

So now we know a bit more about Mike. Let's review:

This nameless kid Mike saw die was obviously Michael's brother Cody Afton from all the context clues we've been given:

Mike's reaction to Micheal bringing up Fredbears, due to it being a traumatic event.

Cody being "Bit"

Mike doesn't seem TOO sure they're the same person but we know it is.

Mike blames himself for not doing anything at the time to stop Cody's head from getting crunched.

Mike's grasp on reality is...Flimsy. Self admittedly he thinks it's flimsy and he knows when he needs to go home when it's too much.

Mike is desperate for comfort over his trauma with Freddy's and Bonnie's a cool dude who'll give it.

You'd think Bonnie would be a bully from his intro but he's actually a super caring guy, he just can't stand people who purposely cause problems.

Bro comes in clutch with the hugs.

You can see why Freddy would run to this guy to solve issues haha.

So from those first panels we know 1 thing:

He had no clue Ennard was in the room with them. So add stalking to the list of creepy things that clown robot has done so far.

My god it's an old man-

He's Micheal's dad! :D William Afton!

Alright I'm gonna stop being goofy and vague for a moment:

It's obvious he's evil as fuck and for the people who like to bitch he has a personality in this comic or ANY media where people give William a personality: Stop making excuses as to why you write him one note you cowards, you can give him a personality without condoning what he does lmfao. Only a bad writer would say you HAVE to make him one note for him to work. Fucking morons actually you are stupid if you believe that.

If you wanna make him cartoonishly evil with NO redeeming qualities: Cool. Whatever. Just shut the fuck up don't act like yours is "Better" because you can't think of ways to make him anymore interesting.

Everyone's William caters to their tastes. Nobody's is PERFECT. I only judge stupid vapid bitches who complain about other interpretations while blowing smoke up their own asses. Because an ego isn't pretty on anyone lmfao.

The idea giving William a personality makes you a terrible writer/person needs to die I'm sorry that's such a stupid as fuck idea idk who came up with it but kindly stop writing and stop giving writing advice. UwU With love~ From me!~

Anyways I've spoiled William is a bad person who does a bad thing, Won't say what yet but all the death in the building can give ya some ideas. And apparently because William is bad guy there's "Rules" on how to write him. From a bunch of 12 year olds who dunno how to write but I digress.

I detest the idea of that. Because let's be real all FNAF characters are blank slates and the idea of squashing creativity is dumb. Literally go wild with your FNAF AUs.

Rant aside: William seems to be a bit of...An ass.

Just slightly manipulative and rude language towards his only living child it's fine-

Ah yes. He also demands physical affection.

We get Michael's age, he's 23 aka still a damn baby.

Also, William and Michael are British.

Since we're on voices:

Mike Schmidt would sound like Legoshi from Beastars lmfao. I imagine Bonnie with a new York accent. Freddy sounds like a lady.

We finally get to see what Ennard and Michael interact like together...

Michael doesn't seem to put up with him.

Ennard's kind of a prick.

Also apparently they have a HISTORY.

One that involves Michael talking shit about his father...

For people who know shit about the games: Yes Ennard is possessed by the same person from the games.

Hah Michael tricked him.

Okay so everyone in Michael's life is manipulative towards him.

Neat.

Also Ennard is a raging hypocrite.

Also conformation William is an owner not just a robot maker. (Can't remember if this was brought up earlier again some of these pages are 2 years old lmfao)

Also this comic assumes you got SOME Fnaf knowledge. I'd hope it's still interesting for those of you who are here for my other stuff! XD

Like ouch Ennard ya don't gotta be such a jerk.

Also Mike is cute.

This panel unironically is one of my favorites because this man doesn't scream in terror at any of the terrifying robots:

It's the gay guy he's trying to befriend he screams like a little girl at.

Another help wanted joke about the Faz token under the cupcake in the office.

Michael just wants to hang out with Mike obviously.

Despite all the shit he's clearly going through dude puts on a very pointy smile.

This man is built like a cat.

Lol they made pizza together. How cute.

Hah bro is apologizing for something he didn't even do nor has control over-

Is it obvious Michael is abused yet?

Going real unsubtle here: Everything about Michael shows off he has been abused in some way shape or form.

Michael wants to think he's being friendly for reals despite clearly having second thoughts due to Ennard.

Bro is desperate for a connection with someone.

Also

Pff.

Mike c'mon Bonnie's so sweet how could you- X'D

Few things: William doesn't "Let" Michael do things.

If it wasn't apparent he was controlling as hell before it sure is now.

Also Michael is embarrassed of his interests.

Also the locker:

Again we see an instance of Michael going by "Mike" as his locker literally just has a piece of paper tapped over it adding the rest of his name lmao.

Michael is used to being toyed around with that is sad.

Bonnie continues to be a sweetheart even when he's off screen. X'D

Mike attempts to relate to Michael's interests once again.

Also another instance of Bonnie lying his ass off about how close Michael and him are:

He knows Michael's locker combination and puts gifts in there lmao.

Mike clearly likes that plush a lot. Maybe he likes Chica a lot lmao. Who knows.

One thing to note:

If Michael's working day shifts and night shifts...when does he sleep?

Grant it, it isn't ALL THE TIME but still bro's sleep schedule must be OBLITERATED.

Oh hi giant floating head in the hallway you're stalking Michael too huh?

This is just two sides of someone's brain arguing with itself that the entire positive interaction they just had was terrible AND the other party hates them.

And that comparison only makes more sense down the road.

Yeah Michael you tell him. You don't need to take that from him.

Jeremy's a cool dude.

Also the fact the kids pay no mind to this argument is funny.

Also Ennard taking genuine offense to Jeremy being a better friend lmao. Anyone can be a better friend than Ennard. X'D

We hit the image limit but oh boy. So much joy in this update.

[sanyu-thewitch05]

A Twst Tale: Completely Under Your Love

Wonderland

The Savannah

Tw: kidnapping, forced feeding, forced weight gain

I feel a space in my bed. Leona must’ve left at some point. Thankfully, today is a new day, and the past is in the past.

“Nyah! I wonder what the next story will be!” Grim meows, jumping into my arms.

“At this point, I don’t want to know,” I answer, walking into the campus building for breakfast.

“I have another task for you!” Crowley announces, grabbing my hand and snapping us into the Mirror Chamber.

“I haven’t even had breakfast yet,” I groan, rubbing my eyes.

“Beggars can’t be choosers, Yuu,” Crowley says as I do the same routine and open the coffin.

Surprisingly, the coffin didn’t send Grim and me screaming. Instead, it sent water swirling around our bodies. The water disappears, and I’m a mermaid while Grim is a tiger shark.

“Cool!” We exclaim, bumping our bodies.

We swim to Ursula’s cave and find Jade, Floyd, and Azul.

I guess it would make sense for them not to change in this story. Though, Azul is as chubby as he was back in the old-school photo.

“Which woe do you want to get rid of?” Azul asks as Jade and Floyd circle around me.

“He can do anything,” Jade whispers.

“Though it will cost you,” Floyd whispers so close to my ear I can feel his teeth.

“I’m here to help you. A little birdie told me you were having self-image issues,” I say, getting straight to the point.

The cave’s entrance slams shut behind me, and the atmosphere is now dark.

“You can’t-you won’t tell anyone about what is said in this cave! If you do, I’ll feed you to Jetsam and Flam!” Azul(Ursula) screams, his tentacles wrapping around every part of me.

“Ok, I’ll stay silent,” I whimper.

“You could say it’s true I have a couple of insecurities. Everyone made fun of me for being chubby and slow. I couldn’t swim as fast as that red-headed mermaid Ariel! She was supposed to come for me to make a deal, but here you are,” Azul rants.

“You look fine. Besides, big boys are the best for the winter. They keep you warm. Plus, when you swim slower, you enjoy the moments of life others may miss because they’re swimming in the fast lane,” I advise, trying to mas Azul feel better.

“I suppose you’re right, but what does it matter? My voice is shit. I can’t even sing a single note,” Azul moans, tears starting to form in his eyes. “If only I had Ariel’s voice.”

“Don’t you have any other talents?” I ask, trying to calm him down.

“He’s an excellent cook. Ursula makes the best meals for us after work,” Jade says, taking out a tray of seaweed wraps. “Try one. They’re delicious.”

I take a seaweed wrap and look at Azul.

“Azul, these are delicious!” I yell, my eyes growing wide.

“Thank you, my parents taught me how to cook. Not everything has to be raw and bland in the sea,” Azul brags, pulling me closer to him with his tentacles. “Also, my name is Ursula, not Azul.”

“Who gives a damn if you can’t sing?! You could become the sea’s best chef with your skills!” I exclaim, swimming forward.

“I suppose I could. Besides, it would take a lot less effort than making deals with other mermaids in exchange for their talents,” Azul notes, looking at the weird wormy things on the floor. “I suppose I’ll have to release you all.”

The worms seem happy and wave from side to side quickly.

“Can you help me taste test my meals?” Azul asks, taking me to a bedroom of sorts.

“Sure!” I say, happy that this isn’t going like the other stories.

“Great! Just stay in this bedroom! You won’t even have to get up for anything!” Azul squeals, taking me to a purple bedroom with many seaweed pillows. “From now on, think of me as your personal caterer!”

Grim swims around while blankly staring. Though, Grim’s most likely asleep right now.

“I’ve come with our dinner! I call it Into the abyss of dreams! One bite, and you’ll be in dreamland!” Azul explains, opening up a tray and revealing a blue fish with a shine to its scales. “I cooked a dream fish. Hopefully, it’s to your tastes. I made it, especially for you, you know.”

I take a bite, and suddenly I start to feel sleepy.

“Azul…I think that name fits me.”

I wake up with my tail attached to a chain. Tentacles are holding every inch of my body.

“Morning, my pearl. I made breakfast for you a bit early. Hopefully, it’s not too cold,” Azul or Ursula says, putting a plate of shrimp in front of me.

"Ursula, what are you doing?!" I yell, trying to get out of his hold.

"No! Call me Azul like from before! I like that name!" Azul pleads, putting a shrimp in my mouth. "Azul feels more right."

I nearly gag from the spoon being pushed so far into my mouth, but I swallow the food. Grim is eating the tail of some large fish while Azul prepares another spoonful for me. I turn my head away.

"You don't like it?" Azul says sadly.

"Let me go!" I yell, tears starting to well in my eyes.

"You can't go, remember? You promised to be my taste tester for every meal. Your only job is to stay in this room, eat my lovely cooking, and give feedback."

"I never promised to stay in this room!"

"You're staying here! You get to be like a princess for the rest of your life! You can eat meals with me forever! What is so bad about me that you can't want to stay!"

"How about you kidnapping me?!"

"JUST EAT!"

Azul shoves a spoonful of shrimp in my mouth, and I nearly choke on it as they go down my throat unchewed. He opens another tray and forcefully feeds me a different meal. I barely have to breathe before he shoves another spoonful of food in my mouth.

~~~~~~~~

How many days has it been? A month? Forty-three days? Who knows? One thing I know is Azul has no intentions of letting me go. He only feeds me, showers me, and takes care of my basic needs. Of course, his favorite activity is doing my sometimes three times a day shower. He likes to see the food stains on my cheeks. But he really likes looking at my stomach as it grows from me not moving around and only eating. He says it's the sea's way of showing appreciation to him.

"Look at how big your stomach is from eating all my delicious food. I wish I could cram more down there," Azul says, rubbing a tentacle around my stomach.

I've tried everything. I vomited in the toilet after every meal. I haven't eaten for weeks. Somehow he still finds a way to make eating more and painfully make my stomach become bigger from eating all of his food. I hate him.

I hate when he keeps feeding me even when he says I'm full. I hate when my stomach feels like it's about to pop from eating too much.

"How about dessert after this? I found some coco beans in a ship nearby," Azul says, kissing my cheek.

He looks down at my chest, seeing the poorly fit bra shell.

"I'll get you a new one with the money I've earned. Everyone loves my cooking, just like you said," Azul coos, climbing into the tub with me. "I'll be back. I'm getting you a slice of cake to eat."

I silently stare at him like I always do, and Grim swims into the bathroom. He drops a key with an octopus design as its top into my hand, and I catch it, causing a rack to fall over.

"My darling pearl, what are you doing with that key?" Azul asks, walking back into the room.

"Going home," I hoarsely say, making a twisting motion with my wrist.

The world turns black, and I hear the water moving around me. I'm back to how I was before I met Azul, and Grim is back to his cat form. A figure appears, and I walk toward it, hoping it can help.

"Hey, help! I need help!" I yell, feeling the effects of not having my legs for a long time.

"My beautiful pearl, you haven't left me yet," Azul says, turning around to let me see his deformed body.

"Oh my God, Azul!" I yell, about to throw up.

Half of Azul is chubby the other half is skinny like he is in reality. He struggles to walk toward me as his body weight is uneven. A tentacle wraps around my ankle and tries to pull me into the blackness.

"Let go!" I scream, trying to pull my foot up.

Grim bites the tentacle, and it releases me. I take the chance to run away from Azul and head toward a purple light. I hear something on Azul shift into something slimy, and he chases after me.

"My pearl, wait! Don't leave me!" Azul pleads, chasing after me with his tentacles.

I halfway reach the light, but Azul's tentacles stop me. I've had enough of him.

"Leave me alone!" I scream, slapping Azul hard across the face.

All is silent, and then Azul bursts into tears that transform into pearls.

"Please don't go! I promise I'll feed you when you want it! I'll take off the chain more often! I'll invite you to my restaurant! I'll do anything for you! Please don't leave me alone as everyone else did!" Azul wails, getting on his knees and wrapping his arms and tentacles around my waist and legs. "Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please don't leave me my pearl! I can't live without you!"

"Azul, let go!" I yell, trying to peel him off of me.

The purple light moves closer, and I put the octopus key in, letting me return to NRC.

"You aren't real. You don't get to terrorize me," I say before the light takes Grim and me back to the Mirror Chamber.

The coffin slams shut, but something tries to open it from the inside.

"Yuu, there you are. You've been gone for like 43 hours. Everyone was worried," Ace says, walking into the Mirror Chamber. "Are you ok? You look malnourished."

The coffin is forced open with tentacles peeking out.

"My pearl, I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you, I promise! Please d-don't don't don't d-d-d-on't leave mmm-mme mmm-mem-me!" Azul pleads, glitching as the coffin slams shut again, cutting off part of his tentacles.

The coffin disappears into dust, and I look at the mirror.

...What the fuck was that?!

[luckyedie]

Soooooo I answered some Hancock prompts and did a doodle for @gloomytk.

LOVED writing these. Thanks gloomy! 🫶

How do you feel about glitter?

Why? Wh-….you ‘ain’t got any on ya, right? Tell me you don’t have glitter. Sister, you gotta burn that stuff when you see it, you gotta burn it! It-it-it gets in the skin, listen I’m a ghoul, it’ll stay there forever! I-I’m just gonna stand over here until I know you’re clean. Nuh-nononono! You stay over there, yeah. Just gonna, climb this…in case it gets on the floor.

What do you think of as you fall asleep?

I’m usually worryin’ Shaun is gonna sneak in and put a pillow over my face.

Hah, don't look at me like that! I'm just messin'.

That’s a tough question though…uh. The booze used to help out with that, but since I cut back I just try to think of blue skies, lighthouses. Y’know, peaceful shit.

Do you know the Brotherhood has a giant robot?

Christ, they have a giant robot?! Man I really needed to keep a better eye on those guys. Well that just spoiled my whole day.

What are your thoughts on Deacons pathological lying?

I 'aint tryin' to be rude, but if I was that guy I would wanna pretend to be anyone else.

Hm…I guess I was tryin' to be rude.

Do you believe in ghosts?

Sister, when you've hallucinated as much as I have, you become a really bad case study for paranormal activity.

If you could get a tattoo, what would it be?

I used to have a bunch but they all kinda fell off. If they can get the tattoo to stick I'd get somethin' original this time, like one of the kids' names, or a heart with barbed-wire around it or somethin’.

Why are you laughin’? You like the funny ghoul?

Would you ever quit smoking cigarettes?

I’d only quit if you wanted to kick the habit. Cancer is the least of my worries, but you gotta keep an eye on those free radicals sunshine, and I 'aint referring to me.

Have you ever thought about owning a Time-Share?

What? I don't got a watch.

Do you think Deathclaws are capable of being tamed?

I dunno, ask Baby, she's likes talkin’ to the wildlife. I think she’s gonna grow up vegantarian.

What's the best high you've ever experienced?

Uhhhhhhhh…..

He proceeds to disappear into his own mind for five solid minutes.

What's some of your pet peeves?

Bad catering at an orgy. Next question.

Do you have games on your phone?

Huh? What, like phone sex? Sugar, the phones don’t work anymore, but we can talk dirty over the radio if you wanna.

Star Wars or Star Trek?

Is that a book or somethin'? You been to the library? Hey, next time you go can you find out what a time share is?

What would you say to someone going through extreme trauma?

Uh, I'm pretty slow on the uptake with the emotional side of things. I'd usually offer chems I guess, but with a gal though, I'd just hold ‘em and be there, and try not to flap my mouth too much.

How do you feel about the totality of human existence?

People are funny. I like ‘em. There’s a few bad apples, but they stop being a problem after they stop being alive.

Do you consider yourself a monster (as in monstrous personality, not appearance)

Sometimes. Yeah... Sometimes I think I'm a hot commodity. Never got the balance right.

What’s with all the questions? Are we doing the pillow-talk first today?

How do you want people to remember you?

A decent guy who left the world a better place than how he found it.

Chocolate or Peanut Butter?

Chocolate survived the bombs better. Peanut butter went wrong. Dunno what it used to be like but now it’s…eugh… I know you told me it used to taste good but - Let's change the subject, I went out last night and I'm feelin' kinda nauseous as it is.

What makes you feel alive?

Nearly dying is a rush. Dying not so much, I wouldn’t recommend it. Yeah I know I didn’t, technically.

I am tryin’ not to get shot quite so much these days.

No, no no. See, that guy came outta nowhere. That doesn’t count!

What's your favorite smell?

Hm…you smell good in the morning. Maybe not the breath quite so much.

Ow, careful with the bullet wound.

How do I look?

Delightful, as usual. Oh, you want me to elaborate? I like watchin’ ya walk away in that vault getup sunshine, I could eat ya right up.

Will you please drink all of this purified water bottle?

Only if you order me around.

Forest or Beach?

Beach. The forests kinda give me the creeps. I get jumpy.

Will you drive me to the store so I can get some gluten-free ice cream?

Yeah. What flavor? Hey we can eat them on the docks and watch the dead dolphins float. It’ll be romantic.

Does the hat stay on during sex?

Hah! Until it falls off. We could give it a test drive later if you want, see how long I can keep it on my head.

Can I wear it?

Sure.

Well look atcha, cute as a button. You look about ready to instate a political system of some kind. Politicians are supposed to be cute, right? That’s the angle I was going for anyway.

What is your honest opinion of Kent Conolly?

Considerin’ you were one of the few things that got him outta the lounger, I’d say he's got a little crush on you. Don’t blame the guy either

Why have you never started a community garden in Goodneighbor?

Because Codsworth would come and micromanage the hell out of it. I heard about the fiasco in Sanctuary, with the gnomes.

What's your favorite swear?

Ah man I like ‘em all. Hm, blasphemy too….That shit’s got tenure. Goddamn rolls off the tongue quite nice, don't ya think?

I know, I'm so classy.

Can I hold your hand?

Sure, don't pull too hard though, it might fall off.

…Hey, wanna go make out behind that dumpster before the raiders get here?

What does your skin feel like?

Uh… dunno. Just feels lumpy to me, my fingers are all messed up. You tell me, hold up, I'll unbutton my shirt.

Lumpy. See? That’s what I said! Okay and warm. Mm. This is nice.

What's your opinion on Fisto?

Hah! What? Fisto? Is that like a punchin' bot?

Can I leave him here? Thanks.

Ohhh! Frank mentioned this guy! Haha! Put him right next to the drinkin' buddy and we got a party right there.

During really scary and stressful moments in life, what do you remind yourself of to stay strong and keep cool?

Usually when shit goes down, it’s instinctual. I’m in the moment and not really thinkin’ of much at all. After, I’d just walk it off with a cigarette or lock myself in a room with some Jet or something to get the heart-rate down. I guess If I died… it was my time, and that was it.

Since we’re doing the family thing though it’s fuckin’ different. I’ll tell ya that much. Soon as I get home, I go to pieces if I think I put you or the kids in danger. Yeah I do. You think I’d let you see that? See, now I said it, you’re gonna worry about me too, and now it’s a whole thing.

Socks on or off?

Off. Socks on if I wanna make ya laugh, but it’s kinda a mood killer.

Do you pay Ham, or is he just part of The Third Rail?

Haha he just came with the place. Nah, really, I paid him good money. He got extra if there was a lotta blood or some broken glass to deal with, to be honest he probably took home as much as Mags did.

You shoulda seen his apartment in Goodneighbor, he kept it all real neat and tidy, liked to keep stuff perpendicular.

Can you give Edward Deegan my number? I need someone to come fix my plumbing. Thanks, man.

Hah! He has been looking for work lately… what? You don’t trust in my DIY abilities? I can be a porn extra. That guy looks the part but he’s always so serious, he might even fix the pipes and not try to sleep with ya.

Why's the sky blue?

Because…is it sky uh, bacteria? Cloud…particles. Listen sugar, I can think of better and more naked ways to pass the time than tryin' to figure than out right now.

Will you hold me while I cry?

Hey, hey. Was I bein’ a jerk just now? What’s got you upset? No, you don’t gotta say a thing. C’mon let’s go sit down for a sec, over here. I gotcha. Yeah you get nice and comfortable on me. Just like that.

S’all gonna be okay, sunshine. I’ll always be here.

I'm sorry if I pass out on your shoulder; I'm just mentally wrecked…

Stay as long as you need. I live a long time, I mean I might need to go to the bathroom at some point…but - see? That’s the smile I fell in love with.

You go ahead and zone out.

What's your favorite kind of fight?

Gahh this is a tough question.

As a spectator I like the clumsy brawls with guys that don't usually throw hands, y’know? That just tickles me. As a participant though? Who doesn’t love a knife fight?

Let's blow up the Brotherhood balloon together.

Hell yeah! Let's go right now! Shaun has blueprints of the whole place, I got a bag packed and everything.

Fuck…I’m gettin’ all misty. Oh shit, don’t look at me right now, I didn’t expect to get emotional. Been wantin’ to do this for a long time…

Sunrise, or sunset?

Both. They're both romantic as hell, don’t ya think? Hey, wanna hang out on the beach this afternoon? I’ve been starin’ at that view for a while and I could use the company now I got it.

How do you get over your fear of the unknown?

Eh. It’s kinda like people. The unknown is only scary until you get to know it. You didn’t know me once and I ‘ain’t that scary now, am I?

But, other people still think so, right?

Good.

[villainessprefect]

Idia w/ a fem or gn s/o who’s cater’s introverted best friend (and they both share a love for spicy ramen lol) pls?

sorry for the late fic!! this came out shorter than the rest rip but I hope you still enjoy! I am unfortunately not a fan of anything spicy so I struggle here 😔 shout out to those who can handle the burning fires of hell in their mouth cuz I can't-

~

title: #a quick pic

summary: You and Idia enjoy ramen together, but first you have to send a pic to Cater.

ship: Idia x gn!reader

word count: 725

Read on AO3

Carefully, you hold your phone at just the right angle. Capturing the freshness of this steaming bowl of ramen without fogging your phone's camera proves to be more difficult than you imagined. You don't know how Cater does this without any effort. With a quick snap, he's done! Meanwhile, it feels like it takes you a whole minute to get a decent picture.

But you do. Or at least you think you do. You're still learning about the whole aesthetic about taking pictures from your best friend. Content with your pic, you set your phone down. A sigh from across the table captures your attention.

"I still don't get the point of taking pictures of food," Idia comments. Chopsticks are digging into his own bowl, mixing the broth to ensure the flavor will be in every bite. "It's not like it's any different from the last one we had. The bowls aren't even from a limited time event. It's such a normie thing to do."

"It's for Cater," you answer. Part of you agrees with him, you still didn't quite understand this whole trend. But another part of you is. Having something to look back to, something you can remember even if its just a picture is nice. "This is his favorite food, you know." And coincidentally, yours too.

You take this moment to post the image of your meal on your Magicam account. It's a barren post that lacks any description or hashtags, just a simple image so you wouldn't pop up in the search results. Regardless of your anonymity, a like instantly finds its way to your post within seconds.

"It's just food," Idia huffs. "Though, I guess it is pretty cool since you did make it..."

And he can't complain how they taste ten times better than a regular cup of noodles. This was the ultra rare edition! Not only made with fresh ingredients, but with gentle love and care. Anime always claimed food made by loved ones taste better and he understands why now. He doesn't linger on the thought for too long, but his hair gives him away.

"He's rubbing off on you."

"He is my bestie," you answer with a chuckle. "Don't worry, you're not in the picture if that's what you're worried about."

"I-I'm not!" He pouts before stabbing at his noodles, hitting nothing and resulting in broth jumping up. He decides to shut up and eat his food before anything else can escape him.

You flash him a small smile, watching as he dines on your meal. Unlike you, he opted for a more basic flavor. It lacked the spicy kick you loved, but you understood not everyone could handle the intense flavor. It was almost funny to consider that your boyfriend's hair was literally fire yet couldn't handle the same level of flames for food.

At least he's enjoying your ramen. That's all that matters to you.

Before eating, you decide to make a quick jump into your DMs with Cater. You send him a different picture, a recent one. It still contains the ramen you made, but that's not the focus. Rather, the one this picture captures is Idia. Noodles in perfect unison hang from his lips, captured as he slurps them up. It's cute in your eyes. Getting pictures of him with permission is always a struggle, whether it be you trying to bring it up or getting one where neither of you are flustered.

'Is this a good pic?'

'100%! so authentic u should post that one and tag him

#datenight #bestnoodlesinthehouse'

'you know I cant do that'

'wah!

date pics get you sooo many likes but i totes get it

keep sending me ur cute pics later

enjoy ur datesies bestie!'

"Your food is going to get cold."

"Ah!" The comment drags you out of the conversation with Cater and back to reality. You hadn't forgotten about it, just caught up in the conversation. With that out of the way, you dig into your meal.

It's hot. Both in freshness and flavor. The heat from the bowl fills your senses as you hover over it and the fiery burn from the sauces cover your tongue. The burning sensation leaves you hungry for more. It's a shame you can't share a spicy love with Idia, but at least your bestie could understand it.

[mcu-binge]

Love in Brooklyn pt 7

It was barely six in the morning when I opened the bakery doors, the smell of fresh dough and cinnamon filling the air. The usual early risers trickled in for their morning coffee and pastries. It was peaceful, just like every other morning.

"Hey Dani, someone's asking for you," Julio my cashier said.

"Ugh, Julio I'm busy, who is it?" I asked a little agitated.

"Ven a ver." He said telling me to go look. I reluctantly stopped and walked out to the front while I wiped my hands on my apron "Hey, is this where I can find the best pastries in Brooklyn, or am I in the wrong place?"

The voice was smooth, casual—too smooth for one of my regulars.  Standing right in front of the counter, wearing sunglasses indoors and looking every bit as nonchalant as you'd expect, was Tony Stark.

Tony Stark.

For a second, I just stared at him, waiting for my brain to catch up with reality.

"I'm guessing from that look on your face that I found the right place," he said, lowering his sunglasses with a smirk.

I finally snapped out of it. "Uh—hi. Can I help you?"

Tony's grin widened. "I hope so. I've heard some good things about you, Dani."

The way he said my name made me wonder how exactly he knew it. I glanced around at the few customers in the bakery, who were starting to notice the sudden celebrity in their midst. They were whispering, pulling out their phones, sneaking glances over their coffee cups.

"I've been tasked with finding the perfect pastries for a little charity event I'm throwing next weekend. Pepper doesn't let me help with the big things anymore," Tony explained, leaning casually against the counter. "And word on the street is, you're the best baker in town."

"Uh, I don't know about 'best,'" I said, trying to gather myself. "But I do have some good pastries. What kind of event is it?"

He waved a hand dismissively. "It's a small thing. Just some of the city's bigwigs and a couple of hundred guests. Nothing crazy."

I raised an eyebrow. "Sounds... small."

Tony chuckled. "Trust me, it'll be worth your time. We'll make sure everyone knows *exactly* where the desserts came from."

I hesitated for a moment, not sure what to say. Tony Stark, of all people, was asking me to cater his event. Sure, I'd gotten used to Steve being around, but Tony was on a whole different level. This wasn't just an Avengers thing—this was THE Avenger.

"Are you sure you want me to do it?" I asked, still a little stunned. "Manhattan must have—"

Tony leaned forward, resting his arms on the counter cutting me off. "Dani, if I wasn't sure, I wouldn't be here. Plus, Steve speaks highly of you, and I trust his taste in more ways than one."

My heart swooned at the mention of Steve, but I tried to focus. "Okay," I said, finally regaining some composure. "I'd be happy to help. Just give me the details, and I'll make sure everything's ready for the event." I said handing him my business card.

"Perfect," Tony said, clapping his hands together. "We'll have my people send over the details. You'll be a hit. I can feel it."

Before I could respond, a crowd started to form at the door—more people noticing Tony's presence. One customer boldly stepped forward, asking Tony for a picture, which he graciously agreed to. And then, just like that, the bakery exploded into a frenzy.

"Guess I'm bringing you some business today," Tony said with a wink "I've got to head out. But Dani, seriously, thank you for agreeing to cater the event. It'll be worth your while."

I smiled. "Thanks for thinking of me. I'll make sure to knock it out of the park."

As Tony headed for the door, I couldn't help but shake my head. Of all the things I'd expected when I opened the bakery this morning, Tony Stark showing up wasn't one of them.

Just as he reached the door, he turned back and pointed at me. "And make sure you save some cinnamon rolls for me next time. I' heard they're worth the calories."

With that, he was gone, leaving the bakery buzzing with energy.

---

The rest of the day passed in a blur. After the morning rush sparked by Tony's visit, I barely had time to think. Customers kept coming in, asking if *that* was the bakery Tony Stark had visited, and I couldn't help but laugh at the excitement.

By the time I finally closed up shop that afternoon, I was exhausted but exhilarated. Tony's visit had brought in more business than I could have ever imagined, and I couldn't wait to start working on the catering for his event.

As I locked the bakery doors, I thought back to what Tony had said about Steve. *Steve speaks highly of you.* That stuck with me. It made me wonder just how much Steve had told Tony—or anyone—about me. But before I could dwell on it for too long, my phone buzzed.

**Steve: Heard you had a busy day. Need a hand with the catering prep?

I couldn't help but smile at his timing. I quickly typed back a response.

**Me:How'd you know about that? **Steve:I have my ways....

I laughed, shaking my head as I replied.

**Me:I think I've got it covered, but thanks. I'll let you know if I need a taste-tester. **Steve: Anytime.

As I made my way home, I couldn't help but feel like things were falling into place. Between the bakery, my growing connection with Steve, and now catering for one of Tony Stark's events, life was taking some exciting turns.

And, as overwhelming as it all was, I couldn't wait to see what happened next.

—— I stared at the email from Pepper for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. *Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan options?* I thought catering for Tony's charity event would be a breeze. But this...this was something else.

I loved my traditional recipes—rich, buttery pastries with real ingredients. I wasn't used to all these dietary restrictions, and frankly, it was overwhelming. Still, I wanted to get it right. I pulled my hair into a messy bun, slipped on my apron, and dove into the kitchen. Time to experiment.

The first few batches were...disappointing. My almond flour cookies turned out grainy, and the vegan muffins tasted like cardboard. I sighed, tossing another failed attempt into the trash.

A knock at my door startled me.

"Just a second!" I called, wiping my hands on my apron. I wasn't expecting anyone, but when I swung the door open, there stood Steve, leaning casually against the doorframe with a warm smile.

"Thought you might need some help," he said, holding up a bag with a few groceries.

I blinked. "How did you know?"

He grinned. "Let's just say Tony and Pepper have a way of making sure I know when my friends might need backup."

"Backup? I'm drowning in almond flour over here."

He chuckled, stepping inside as I closed the door behind him. "I figured you could use a taste-tester. And maybe a little advice?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You have experience with gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan baking?"

Steve smirked. "Not exactly. But I'm good at following instructions. And I know a thing or two about perseverance."

"Well, in that case, welcome to my disaster of a kitchen."

"How did you get in?" I ask remembering I didn't buzz him in.

"I snuck in behind a pizza guy," he casually said with a mischievous smile.

I led him to the kitchen, which was covered in flour, baking sheets, and various bowls of half-finished mixtures. Steve looked around and gave a low whistle.

"You've been busy."

"Busy making terrible food," I muttered. "I'm not used to all these restrictions. I mean, gluten-free and dairy-free? What's left?"

Steve laughed, picking up one of the less burnt muffins and examining it. "I'm sure it's not that bad."

"Don't," I warned as he brought it to his mouth. "That one's disgusting."

He bit into it anyway. His face immediately crumpled, and I burst out laughing.

"Okay, you weren't kidding," he said, trying to swallow it without grimacing.

"Told you!" I leaned against the counter, watching him recover. "You sure you want to stick around for this?"

"Hey, I've faced worse things than a bad muffin," he teased, his eyes twinkling.

We got to work after that. Steve helped me measure out ingredients, taste-testing each new batch and giving surprisingly helpful feedback.

"These cookies could use a little more moisture," he said, handing me one of the almond flour versions. "Maybe some applesauce?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Since when are you an expert in substitutions?"

He shrugged. "I've had a lot of weird food over the years. You learn things."

I smiled, feeling more relaxed with him around. We bounced ideas back and forth, tweaking recipes here and there. It was fun—more fun than I'd expected. Every time Steve leaned over my shoulder to check on a batch in the oven or brushed past me to grab something off the counter, I felt my pulse quicken. He was getting closer, and I couldn't ignore the way my skin tingled every time he did.

At one point, I was mixing a new batch of vegan cookies when Steve came up behind me, close enough that I could feel the warmth of his body. He reached around to help me stir the bowl, his hands brushing against mine. My breath hitched, and for a second, I froze.

"Careful," he murmured, his voice low. "You don't want to overmix it."

I swallowed, my heart pounding. "Right. Overmixing. Bad. Got it."

We stood like that for a moment, his hands lingering near mine before he stepped back, giving me space. The tension between us was electric, and I knew he felt it too.

"So," he said after a beat, leaning casually against the counter. "What's next?"

"Next, we...uh...try the dairy-free frosting," I stammered, trying to focus on the task at hand.

We worked side by side for the rest of the afternoon, testing and retesting the recipes. Steve was a natural at making the whole thing feel lighthearted, cracking jokes and teasing me every time I got frustrated.

"You know," he said at one point, wiping some flour off his shirt, "you're kind of cute when you're flustered."

I shot him a look. "Oh, don't start."

He grinned. "Just calling it like I see it."

It was impossible not to laugh around him. His sense of humor, his easygoing nature—it made everything feel less stressful, more fun. By the time we'd finished, I had a handful of solid recipes, and my kitchen was a complete mess.

"You know, I don't think I've ever seen you work this hard," I teased, leaning against the counter as we surveyed the wreckage.

Steve shot me a mock glare. "Hey, I've been putting in serious effort. I'm practically a pastry chef now."

"Oh yeah? Should I expect to see 'Captain America's Bakery' opening soon?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I think I'll leave the baking to you."

"Thank you," I said putting a hand over my heart for added drama earning a laugh from him.

As we cleaned up, Steve moved closer again, this time standing beside me as we washed the dishes. His arm brushed mine, and I felt that familiar spark again. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, noticing the way his gaze lingered on me, softer now, more intense.

"Dani," he said quietly, turning to face me. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I've been trying to spend more time with you."

My cheeks turned red at the way he said my name, so warm and familiar. "I've noticed," I said, meeting his gaze. "I've enjoyed every second."

"And I want to keep spending time with you. If that's something you'd be interested in."

His words hung in the air between us, the weight of them making my chest feel tight. For a moment, I wasn't sure what to say. I liked Steve—a lot maybe I was just afraid of how much I already felt for him.

"I..." I started, but the words got caught in my throat.

Steve didn't push, didn't pressure. He just smiled, that same gentle smile I'd come to love. "No rush. Just... think about it."

I nodded, my mind spinning. "I would love that Steve." I finally say. He looked relieved as the words left my mouth. There was no denying how I felt about him, how easy it was to be around him. And in that moment, standing there in my flour-covered kitchen, I knew I was already in too deep.