#I apologize that it’s not 100% accurate but I tried

[kittiekiske]

Valentine inspired by the Xrd chibi art style

[guppyfish77]

So about the Battle Subway Trains

Hi, I love trains! And the Trains in Unova have a surprising amount of detail? And nobody talks about it? And if I don't talk about it I will explode!?!!!

So despite Unova being inspired by New York you'd think the Battle Subway Trains would be based on The New York Subway Trains? However they look like they are more based on Japanese Railway Trains!

I'd like to preface before going into this that despite talking a lot about the Japanese Railway, I am not Japanese, while I did my best to research as best I can, some stuff may fly over my head, I also used an online translator for some information so it might not be 100% accurate.

Alrighty lets get into this! This is mainly for fun and its going to be under the Read More because it is verrrrrrrrry long, I hope that you enjoy!

If you aren't aware, each train in the Battle Subway has lore! All the lore comes from this Worker NPC on the bridge in Anville Town. Depending on the day, a different train will show up on the turntable, and he'll give you a little dialogue for that train! This dialogue is what I'll be mainly analyzing :]

Single and Anville Town Trains:

"This is a Single Train! It's the oldest train in the Battle Subway. It's for a loop line to go around the Unova region! Do you know Tubeline Bridge? The train that runs on it is this Single Train."

"As you know, this is a local train to Anville Town! Isn't it just so cute? This one is a little slow and heavy. When it runs, the whole train sways. The train car is the same model as a Single Train. Because it is an old train car, I hear the maintenance is hard, but it's the one I always ride, because I loved it as a kid!"

So! The Single and Anville Town Trains are the same model of train, you can actually see this in their designs where they both share the same face but they differ in the livery. (Livery is a term referring to the train's decor/color, the color is often associated with a particular company or in this case a particular train line.) I'm going to use this fact to assume that if one train has one feature, then it's likely that the other train also has that same feature. Such as how the description of the Anville Town Train says it sways as it runs, if that is the case then the Single Train also probably sways. (which sounds kind of awful to battle on, unless you have good train legs I suppose X_X)

It is stated that the Single Train is the oldest in the Battle Subway. I believe though, that it means the oldest train that is currently running in the Battle Subway. As there is another train that seems much older and no longer running, but I'll get to that train much much later.

Older trains are indeed harder to maintain, and expensive too. This is because the older the equipment, the harder it is to get its parts as they become more obsolete. Though I will say this, trains can last a long time! The average service life of a train is about 30-50 years, it really varies from train to train. These trains would most likely be on the older side.

There is a slight possibility that it has been continued to be maintained past it service life. Given how fond the Worker NPC talks about the train, it might have high sentimental value. Therefore if it is past its service life, it has not been scrapped or recycled yet because of it. I doubt this is the case though, usually it is never worth the maintenance cost (especially for regular operation.)

Like the description says, you can see the Single Train running on the Tubeline Bridge, here's a video of it! Apologies for the way I am recording this, I don't exactly have a capture card, but I wanted to show you guys regardless

You can see how fast the train is going as it passes below you! At least the just Singles Train anyways, seems to me like it's going about 20-30mph? I tried doing math to find the exact speed but that's difficult for several reasons (no idea how large a "tile" in Pokemon really is and objects in the overworld are not very accurate in size so I can't exactly do any comparisons. The perspective of the camera also makes it tricky.) Given how the Anville Train is described as "slow and heavy", I would hazard a guess to say that the other trains of the Battle Subway may run faster than this.

You can also see that each train is made up of 7 cars as it passes below you if you slow down the footage. Which is not surprising, you have to win 7 battles in a row to complete a "set" where you are then dropped off at a rest stop. I believe the Battle Subway trains to be electrical multiple units (EMUs) so it would probably make them 7-car sets.

It also looks like the Singles Line is very busy with the trains only being seconds apart! Now I know this is more a visual thing so the environment would be interesting to look at, but I'd like to think it indicates that the Battle Subway/Singles Line is very popular! (and very well organized!)

As for Real life train inspirations I think perhaps the Tobu 10030 series?

The Tobu 10030 is a version of the Tobu 10000 series with some minor changes, such as the design of the face and using a bolsterless bogie. (Bogie is a part of the train that refers to a frame that holds sets of wheels as well as the suspension, breaks, etc. in which the body of the train car rests upon.)(A bolster is a part that connects the side frames of the bogie and the underside of the car's central pivot point.)(A bolsterless bogie is a bogie type that doesn't have a bolster). The front of the train is covered in fiber reinforced plastic and the outer panels are "bead molded" (which... I have no clue what that means...) This series has been going under renovations since 2010.

Double Train:

"This car is a Double Train! This is a mass-produced car from a decade ago! Compared to a Single Train, the number of parts was reduced so it could be built for a lower cost. The number of parts influences the budget and construction time. The streamlined and beautiful design of the Double Train is still valued today."

So the Double Train is at least 10 years old! (That's what decade means!) Honestly though, I think the Double Train might be older than 10, in Japanese the description just says that it is a "mass-produced train from a long time ago" and doesn't mention a number... Another reason is that in the Multi Train description, it mentions that it is a test model for future trains that will replace the Double Trains. Which means perhaps that the Double Trains may be reaching near the end of its service life, which again average 30-50 years. It could be a possibility that this train may have a shorter service life than usual, who knows. This all speculation really.

As for lowering the amount of parts, from what I found it makes the train lighter. It would also probably lower the cost as well like the description says (trains are really really expensive to build! EMUs can cost $2mil-$10mil per car!)

It also mentions that it is a mass-produced car! It's a train made with mass production for commercial purposes! I believe it's usually for train lines that are really busy, where they would need a lot of trains? It typically means that there are a lot of them. (All this makes me wonder about train production in the Pokemon World...)

As for Real life inspirations, I think that the Double Train is inspired by the Tokyu 1000 series train.

The Tokyu 1000's design and equipment is similar to another train, the Tokyu 9000 series, with improvements such as improved handling and making it easier to do inspection and repair work. As well as reducing the amount of spare parts from the Tokyu 9000.

Multi Train:

"This car is a Multi Train! Few cars of this model were produced. This is a test car to develop future mass-produced cars that will replace the old Double Trains. The technology born during the creation of this train car made the Super Single Train and Super Double Train possible!"

The multi train is a test/prototype train! A little surprised that an entire line is running off a few prototypes. Like the description says, not many are produced as the purpose of a prototype is to test features and improve upon them if needed before they are put into mass production. Given that it says the technology from this train was the reason the Super Single and Super Double Train was made possible. I'm thinking it was most likely testing some eco friendly features? As it is the Super Single and Super Double Train's main feature.

Perhaps them using a model with so few trains means that the Multi line isn't that busy/popular? (Surprising then the train platform is not swarming with more train photographers haha!)

As for real life inspirations, while the livery may not be the same I think it could be the Keisei 3000 (2nd Generation.)

The Keisei 3000's body is made of lightweight stainless steel and the passenger doors have a paper honeycomb structure. When they were designing this train, they wanted it to be both environmentally (energy saving) and customer friendly (being accessible to elderly and those with disabilities.)

Super Single and Super Double Trains:

"This Super Single Train is a new mass-produced car! It's an environmentally friendly train, because they revised all the parts to drastically reduce power consumption! Newer trains have to be built in a way that's both functional and environmentally friendly. Compared to the past, they've improved significantly."

"This Super Double Train is a new mass-produced car! Such a streamlined and refined design! Beauty and utility working together! That kind of beautility is unique to mass-produced train cars! It uses the same train car as a Super Single Train. The only difference is the appearance. It is a superb train car that will go down in the history of the Battle Subway!"

The Super Single and Super Double Trains are the same model. Honestly the description of these trains doesn't give me a lot of information besides the fact that these trains are eco friendly. So I'll talk about what trains do to make themselves (even more) eco friendly!

They are stated to be eco friendly by reducing power consumption. I think it could be referring to a "VVVF inverter control" (it stands for variable voltage variable frequency. In English its mainly called the VFD or variable frequency drive.) A VVVF is a type of system for an AC motor that can reduce energy consumption! (There are two types of electrical current, DC or Direct Current and AC or Alternate Current. An AC motor is a motor that is driven by AC electricity.) It is important on energy saving trains! I won't get too much into how it works, but essentially it controls the AC motor's rotational speed by controlling the frequency. By controlling these, it can control the speed and acceleration of a train. You'll find that a VVVF is often paired with a three phase motor (I will not go into that...) Let's just say that these systems are very efficient at using power and help save energy.

Really, reducing power consumption usually means being more efficient at using power. Like using LEDs, using better insulation to retain cooling or heating, and generally using parts that use less electricity. It could be that the train is lighter in weight too (lighter vehicles use less power.)

Both of these Super Trains are mass produced! Which tells me that there are a lot of Super Single and Super Double trains! Its lines are probably busy.

As for real life inspirations, it is very much inspired by the E233-2000 series train

The E233-2000 is a little bit of an oddball in the E233 family exterior design wise. Its design was inspired by the Tokyu 5000 series. Its basic running equipment is the same as the E233 trains before it though.

I think it is a bit of a stretch, but I'll mention it anyways. The E233 (which the E233-2000 is a subsection of) is a train that has won the Laurel Award in 2007. The Laurel Award is an award given to trains by the Japan Railway Friends Association for trains with an excellence in technology and design (specifically geared towards commuter trains.) It could be what all the "beautility" comments could be referencing to? They do look verrry different though, and the E233-2000 came after the award was given...

Super Multi Train:

"This train car is a Super Multi Train! This is the latest train car! Improved acceleration and deceleration! Automated train-car controls! It's full of cutting-edge technologies. Also, a regeneration brake system, a car-body tilting system, a whatchamacallit system, a thingamabob system... I don't remember all the details, but it's just a big festival of all the latest technology!"

Ohhoho! The Super Multi Train description is a goldmine of details! This train is the whole reason I wanted to make this post! Let's run through its features!

Improved acceleration and deceleration means that it can run between stops faster, allowing for quicker operation time.

Automated train-car controls or ATC is a safety system on trains that prevents trains from going over a certain speed! If the train goes over the maximum speed permitted then the ATC will pull the brakes automatically to reduce the speed and release the brakes when it is below maximum speed. It also displays the maximum speed to the driver. It is an incredibly important safety system!! From what I understand, the term ATC is very common in Japan, in other countries the ATC would simply be a part of cab signaling (it is a safety system mainly for the driver and train crew, it tells them track status and condition information) and train protection technologies. ATC is installed on all Shinkansen trains, it is also installed in some subways and heavily used railways.

Here's an example of what it looks like! The green triangle there is the (current) maximum speed. There are a lot of different types of ATC systems and this ones a D-ATC (stands for Digital Automatic Train Control) from within an E233! There are a whole lot of different types of ATC, and they can come in many looks! I would show more examples, however, I have hit the image limit on this post... :[

A regenerative brake system is a special type of breaking that allows a train to generate electricity via breaking! The electricity can either be used immediately, stored, or returned back into the line. You might've heard this feature on electric or hybrid cars. It is a common eco friendly feature!

A car-body tilting system is a feature in trains that allows the body of the train car to tilt into a curve! It allows the train to go faster on a track (not needing to slow down on a curve) but the feature is mainly for passenger comfort! When you ride, you don't feel the centrifugal force at all when going around a curve! And it makes the ride so smooth! Here's a short video demonstrating what it looks like:

There are essentially two major ways to do a car body tilting system. There is active tilting (forced body tilting) or passive tilting (pendulum system). A forced body tilting system uses computers to tilt the train using track data or sensors, telling the train when and how much to tilt. If the calculation is not done correctly, it can leave passengers with motion sickness (An infamous example is the Advanced Passenger Train in the UK). The tilting itself I believe is done via hydraulics. Forced Body Tilting is more popular in European and American trains.

As for passive tilting, the train in the video uses it! (A controlled pendulum train!) It means it uses natural forces to tilt the train car. I'll dive deeper into this type of tilting in the Wi-Fi train section because it actually mentions it's a pendulum train! As to which tilting type the Super Multi train has... it could honestly be either.

(Ah! I forgot to mention this, but tilting trains are especially useful in mountainous regions, where there are a lot of curves.)

In the Japanese version of the Super Multi description, it also mentions that it has a "earthquake warning system" and a "tornado monitoring system".

An earthquake warning system is not something fully installed into the train, rather it's mainly a set of sensors installed along the track, coast, and major inland areas. For passenger rail, if any signs of an earthquake are detected, it will alert any trains in the affected area and drivers are required to apply their emergency brakes. For shinkansen trains it will cut off power to the affected area which will automatically activate the emergency brakes.

Well, I found something close to a tornado warning system. There is a "gust warning system" where sensors measure wind speed and to predict where strong gusts of wind would go. Again, it's not a system that is installed within the train. From what I could tell, they would restrict travel speed during strong winds. If wind speeds are too high, then they would shut down the lines. (I suppose would be very useful, especially when there's some legendaries that cause powerful storms roaming around.)

In the Japanese version of the text, it also states that the Super Multi Train is also a test train. Which again means there's also not a lot of this train. It also states that some of it's features are unnecessary due to it being a test train lol

In the description all these features are stated as "cutting edge" and "a festival of all the latest technology" when these features are not all that new? And Regenerative breaking seems to be pretty common? (Every irl train I have shown thus far all have it.) Eh, I don't think it's that big of a deal. They are just fictional trains after all.

I originally thought the train looked like an Eizan Railway Deo 800 series, but thanks to the leaks, it looks like that the JR East 205-500 was used as a base to design the Super Multi Train? With probably heavy modification to the final design. (While I don't condone the method that these leaks were obtained, curiosity did get the better of me. This is the only train that I ID-ed this way.)

This Train was exclusive to the Sagami Line, though it ended operation in 2022 and every one of these trains have been scrapped. The blue color I believe is an homage to the Sagami River that runs along the line. The Train used a semi automatic door system for its passenger doors. Which means that rather than the conductor opening and closing the doors, the passengers would press a button to open the door when the train has stopped.

Wi-Fi Train:

"This train car is a Wi-Fi Train! It is the fastest long-distance high-speed train in the Battle Subway! This is called a pendulum car. Its body tilts while going around curves, so it can run without slowing down! Faster! Farther! Our engineers' spirits are infused in it!"

A pendulum car is a very specific term!!! Like I mentioned in the Super Mutli Train section it is a type of car body tilting. There are multiple types of Pendulum systems, There is Natural Pendulum, Controlled Pendulum, Air Spring (also called Simple Pendulum), and Hybrid.

Natural Pendulum is just using the centrifugal force of when it goes around a curve to tilt the train. This type was known to cause motion sickness in riders because when it straightened out, the car would "lag" or wobble. Sometimes the force was not enough to tilt the train and this would also cause passenger discomfort. These issues were fixed later with a controlled pendulum, where there would be a degree of control to the tilting. Using mechanisms similar to forced body tilting, it would prevent wobble and ease the tilt. The air spring method, as suggests in the name, uses air springs to help with tilting. It is similar to the controlled pendulum, though it tilts less than it (controlled pendulum can tilt 6 degrees and air springs can only tilt 2 degrees). Air springs are cheaper to build though and still are able to make the train go faster. Hybrid is the combination of controlled pendulum and air springs, allowing for an 8 degree tilt.

I hope the Wi-Fi train is not a natural pendulum? You're telling me you have to battle on that and you might get motion sickness?? Though it sounds like it might be more high tech so it is most likely the other types... Hopefully...

It also states that this train is the "fastest long-distance high-speed train in the Battle Subway!" Looking at Japan's tilting trains (that are not shinkansen), they go about 120kmh-130kmh (about 75 mph-81 mph.) So it could be a possibility that the Wi-Fi goes something along those speeds.

I've looked through Japan's tilting trains, and the closest one might be the JR Hokkaido Kiha 201 series? It's not at all close though... I can't really find a good match tbh. I think the 113 series seems to be a bit more closer visually.

The one on the left is a Kansai livery and the right is a JR Shikoku livery. They are both the same train, JR Shikoku bought the 113 series from JR East to replace some aging trains and then modified it. Which is why they look a bit different. The modifications include strengthening the front of the train and adding shock absorbing material inside.

So Those are all the trains that run in the Battle Subway! However there are 2 trains that don't, instead they only show up in Anville Town on certain days. I'll be calling them "Old Train Car" and "Futuristic Train Car"

"Old Train Car"

"This train car is the kind that ran a long time ago. Compared to contemporary train cars, it has more parts, so I heard it was difficult to build. The old train cars built with lots of small parts have their own unique beauty and attract a lot of fans. Those cars no longer run in the Battle Subway, but I hear they're still used in a faraway region. Ah... I'd love to be on that train!"

So this sort of car used to run on the Battle Subway. It's said to be still running in another region, though with how old the train looks I can only think that maybe it would be running by railway preservationists.

The design of this train reminds me a lot of old Japanese electric trains and trams. Especially trams with that double roof. I don't think it's really based on any particular vehicle? Here's a couple that I found;

The only one I feel like is worth mentioning is the Jomo Electric Railway Deha 101 (this specific car is the Deha 101, others of its kind are called Deha 100 type) and the Nagasaki Electric Railway 160 type. Both of these vehicles I believe are still running to some capacity.

The Jomo Deha 101 has been running for over 90 years. While car 101 still resides at Jomo Railway, other Deha 100s have been transferred to other private companies where they have been scrapped. I believe the only existing Deha 100s today are Car 101 and Car 104 (which has been painted bright yellow.)

The Nagasaki Electric Railway 160 type used to belong to the Kyushu Electric Tramway where it was called the Type 1 Electric Tram. When it was transferred to the Nagasaki Electric Railway it was renamed into the 160 type. Today, there is a single car in operation. I believe it is the oldest wooden car in Japan that is still in service.

I suppose I will also mention the Keifuku Electric Railway Mobo 21 Type Train, it does look the most similar. Though, it's purposefully designed to look like an old style tram.

"Futuristic Train Car"

"This train car is a new train to run in the future! Wooo! Cool! Super cool! The latest motor breathes fire! Uh-oh, if it really breathed fire, that would be bad! But it is full of the latest technologies! It's undergoing a lot of testing. It's called a gauge-convertible train. It's a sweet car that can adjust its wheels to run on any rail!"

So first off, I'd like to say that this train visually kind of looks like a "Sonic" 883 series (nothing to do with the blue hedgehog, it was just a coincidence lol)

However the description!!!! A "gauge convertible train" that is undergoing a lot of testing... That description matches exactly with the GCT! (literally standing for Gauge Change/Convertible Train, though in Japanese it's called FGT or Free Gauge Train!)

The GTC is the project name for this experimental shinkansen. The one in the picture is the GTC-01, the second generation of its kind (as this is the version they would be testing before and during the development of the game, there is now a 3rd generation.) So, the term gauge refers to the distance between the two rails. Different trains run on different gauges, they can come in either narrow gauge, standard gauge, or wide gauge. Japan's rail network is mostly narrow gauge (specifically Cape Gauge.) The main exception are the shinkansen trains, which run on standard gauge. This shinkansen like the description says would be able to run on any gauge. It used to be under a lot of testing by the Free Gauge Train Technology Research Association. Today though, the GTC-01 second generation sits on display in the Shikoku Railway Heritage Museum.

There are a lot of challenges that the GTC faces. It takes a bit of time for the wheels to adjust to the gauge and you need to go slower when it's doing so. It has increased maintenance costs. The heavier specialized bogie creates more wear on the rails as well as making the train harder to detect. (Ok! Basic explanation for Railway Signaling! Tracks are split up into sections called "blocks", and a small electrical current is run between the two tracks that makes up the block. When a train runs through, the wheel and axle of the train disrupts the current, which then the system detects that block as being occupied by a train. If it is occupied, the signal lights at the end of the block will be turned red, preventing other trains from entering the same block, thus preventing collisions. The problem arises in the GTC in that the wheel and the axle are separate, thus something about this is making it hard to detect on the rail.)

With this train being a "gauge change train" it really made me wonder what gauge the Battle Subway trains runs at? I thought maybe standard gauge or maybe even wide gauge because you can only make the train so wide depending on the gauge. And you'd probably want it wider so that there is more room, especially if you are fitting a battle arena in it! However in Japanese the description mentions that "The rails are a little wider on the tracks that run at higher speeds." Which is... exactly how Japanese rail works? So the Battle Subway lines are probably narrow gauge?

Another thing that's interesting about the "Futuristic Train" is the date that it actually shows up. In Anville Town the way that each train shows up is dependent on the last digit of the day of the month, like so:

0- (10th, 20th, and 30th) "Old Train Car"

1- (1st, 11th, 21st, and 31st) Single Train Car

2- (2nd, 12th, and 22nd) Double Train Car

3- (3rd, 13th, and 23rd) Multi Train Car

yada yada you get the point (4- Super Double Train, 5- Super Single Train, 6- Super Multi Train, 7- Anville Town Train, 8- Nothing, 9- Wi-Fi Train)

The only exception is the "Futuristic Train" who will show up ONLY on February 1st, June 12th, October 1st, October 14th, and December 30th, pretty random huh? haha of course not! These dates are dates significant to the History of Japanese Railway/Transportation!

February 1st: The opening of Japan's first electric street car in 1895!

June 12th: The temporary operation of Japan's first passenger railway in 1872!

October 1st: The release of Japan's first Shinkansen, the series 0 in 1964!

October 14th: The official opening of Japan's first passenger railway in 1872, with the first two stations between Shimbashi and Yokohama! This day is also Railway Day in Japan, celebrating this event, Tokyo holds a Railway Festival and train companies like to do events on this day as well! 

December 30th: The opening of Japan's first subway line in 1927, The Ginza Line!

Rails, Station Platform, and More Train:

So the Station, there are a few details I can pick up on here!

The type of track that the trains run on (at least in the station) are ballastless tracks! It means the rail is tied directly onto a slab of concrete rather than having ballast hold it up (ballast is that rocky gravel that you often see beneath the tracks.) This type of track is quite expensive to build and makes the place a lot nosier, but it has a lot of advantages! For one, because there is no ballast to maintain, it has lower maintenance cost (ballast must be packed every now and again using a ballast tamping machine. Which lifts the track and jostles the ballast beneath it. Ballast also needs to be replaced after a while because the rocks have to be irregularly shaped for it to work, and natural weathering can make them smooth out.) It is also easier to clean and has a longer lifespan. Because the rail is tied to slabs of concrete the rails are less prone to deformation, which is good! Though it is also that same inflexibility means that it is difficult to change anything about it and takes longer to repair.

Their buffer! (that little black thing at the end of the line, I think it is a buffer?) It doesn't look like that effective of a buffer... The purpose of a buffer is to stop a train if brakes fail. Though this thing seems to be more for the driver telling them where the end is, hence all the, what I presume are, lights. Let's hope they have some sort of other safety system in place.

There doesn't seem to be a third rail. I have a feeling that might be because most Japanese railway trains are powered via overhead wire (literally every irl train I have shown is powered this way.) Maybe the Battle Subway trains might be powered via overhead wire? I might be over analyzing here, they might not have thought of modeling such a small detail haha

The train itself has some sort of device on top (that box thing.) I believe it to be some sort of air conditioning unit. Given how each train car has one large unit on top of it, I believe that it uses a centralized cooling system, which means there is one large air conditioning unit. (There are 2 other types, they are distributed cooling which consists of 6-8 small units and centralized distributed which consists of a couple of medium sized units.) Central cooling systems are easier to install and maintain because there is only one unit to worry about.

Signboards:

The Buildings in between routes have a electronic news bulletin board, and depending on which city is connected to it, the news bulletin will give a little flavor text about the city. There's some flavor text about the Battle Subway when it's about Nimbasa City, and it different depending on whether you are playing the first one or the second one, here they are:

BW

"Run and battle! Trains never stop!” Battle Subway in Nimbasa City"

"They say someone who loved battles also happened to be a railway maniac, and thats why we now have the battle subway"

So, this might be a coincidence, but there is an old name that Japanese Train Fans used to call themselves. The name was "Railway Mania" (鉄道マニア direct translation). It was used up until the 1950s. Today it's seen as a derogatory term but it was used very commonly back in its heyday (even more popular than "railfan" apparently.) I think it is kind of interesting that the term "Railway Maniac" was chosen for this flavor text and I wonder if it has anything to do with this old name. However, I say it might just be a coincidence because the term "Maniac" is not unheard of word in Pokemon (Item Maniac, Poke Maniac, Hex Maniac, etc.) But regardless, there's that little fun fact for you!

B2W2

“Get on a train and fight!” Battle Subway in Nimbasa City"

"The energy generated by heated Pokémon battles is the fuel that keeps the Battle Subway running"

I'm going to get a little headcanon-y here. We can interpret this figuratively, as in if there are no battles then its not really a Battle Subway is it? But I think it would be fun to interpret it literally! What if Pokemon Moves could get absorbed somehow to power the Train? And if the Train doesn't need it it could go into the line to power something else in the Subway! I think that would be cool :]

Extra Stuff:

●I think the Battle Subway Map could also be inspired by JR East's rail map, the main reason is the single lines (dark green) which goes in a loop around the Unova Region...

Reminds me of the Yamanote Line (light green) which also goes in a loop connecting a variety of major stations together in Tokyo and is a very very important line!

●While I do believe Gear Station is inspired by New York's Grand Central Station, I do think there's a lot of design elements taken from Tokyo Station as well

●The gray bodies of the Anville, Single, Doubles, and Multi cars are probably meant to represent an exposed steel/aluminum body rather than the ones painted white like the Super Trains.

●In the Anime, the trains are said to have an ATO system, this is also a real system, it stands for Automatic Train Operation. It's a system that allows a computer to control when the train stops and goes with no driver involved! I don't think that the trains in the games run on an ATO system though, as there are Depot Agents who talk about train driving (Depot Agent Cameron who says "I’m good at driving, but I’m not good at dealing with Pokemon." at the start of battle, and a way more obscure Depot Agent whom you can talk to on the platform after 14 wins on a Super Train who says "I’d rather have an exciting battle than slowly drive the train.")

●In the Anime, there's a stamp rally, which is a real thing! There are station stamps in Japan which tourists can collect. Though, occasionally Pokemon will collaborate with JR East to create a Pokemon Stamp Rally! The most recent is this Pokemon Horizons Stamp Rally promoting the show! Here's a map of what stamps you can collect at each station and the prizes you can get!

●In the Nacrane city library there is a book that mentions that Nacrane used to have steam locomotives running through it!

"This book is about the things you can ride in the Unova region, such as Castelia City’s cruise ship and Mistralton City’s planes. Before there were planes, locomotives carried people all over Unova. The railway in Nacrene City is a legacy of those lines." (B2W2)

What kinds of Steam Locomotives? I suppose we will never know, as we never see one in game.

●There's an Roughneck NPC you can talk to at Tubeline Bridge in B2W2 where he says

"Watch it! People use “railway fan” as a catchall term, but there are many types of railway fans! There are riding fans, detraining fans, station fans, train-car fans, schedule-table fans, picture-taking fans, recording fans, and more! Don’t go thinking they’re all the same!" (B2W2)

So in Japanese, Railway is Tesudo (鉄道, testu 鉄- Iron and do 道-Road) and a Railway Fan is Tesudofan, however fans will abbreviate to just Testu and stick what aspect of trains they enjoy with it, so like 乗り鉄 (Nori 乗り-Ride, 鉄-tetsu) as a Train Riding Fan, or 撮り鉄 (Tori 撮り-Taking a Picture, 鉄-tetsu) as a Railway Photography fan. There are a lot of these and the NPC does go over some! There's also Railway Modeling Fans (Fans who collect model trains and/or construct model railways), Collecting Fans (Fans who collect railway related items such as tickets or stamps), Operation Fans (Fans who like researching railway operation and equipment), Regulation Fans (Fans who like researching railway handbooks and laws and regulations that go into a railway), Simulation Fans (Fans who like playing train driving/railway management games), Artists/Writers, Urban Explorers, and Railway Preservationist (I gave up on the last ones lol). There are lots of ways to enjoy trains!

There's also the super specific terms of "Mama Tetsu" where a mother becomes a railway fan because of their children's interest or "Oyako Tetsu" where a child becomes interested in trains because of their parents.

●The badge on Ingo and Emmet's hats probably represents the logo for the railway company that they work for, while researching about Japanese Railway Companies, I noticed that they have a lot of circular logos, here's a handful:

From what I could gather, these types of black and white circular logos are called a mon, kind of like a crest? If you wish to scroll about the logos, here is the link for the Wikimedia commons list.

The company's logo is also what's usually depicted on irl conductor's hats anyways, in the exact same place too.

(I was looking for a screenshot to showcase the hat to put here, but instead I found this promotional video! It's actually pretty good at going over the basics of what a driver and conductor actually do! Please feel free to check it out)

●The name "Depot Agent" is a little bit of a strange name, in Japanese the name is simply "Railway Worker", a depot is often referred to a train yard, however depot can also refer to a station, given where we see this trainer class working (at Gear Station), it is most likely that the depot in this case is referring to station, so they are station workers!

Final:

After all this I have come to the conclusion that somebody at Gamefreak really liked trains! And I really think all the little details are so awesome! and it really cements the Battle Subway as my favorite battle facility!

Anyways I hope you learned a thing or two and I hope you gained a new appreciation for trains and the Battle Subway! Thanks for Reading! ✌

(If I got anything wrong, please feel free to correct me, there was a lot of information I had to sift through and I am NOT an engineer * _ * and if you have something to add please do! I would love to learn more! ^ ^

[gunnerfc]

Whatever it Takes | Alexia Putellas x Barça!Reader

Summary: Alexia is head-over-heals for you but won’t confess those feelings to you. Knowing about her crush on you, you take matters into your own hands.

Warnings: none that I know of!

WC: 1.6K

AN 1: I didn’t specify what national team R plays for, but it's not Spain since I mentioned playing against Alexia!

AN 2: all translations are from google, Apologies if they are not 100% accurate!

AN 3: to the anon that requested this, I hope you enjoy despite it taking a while!

Alexia has always been in awe of you, who wouldn’t be? You were one of the best in the world and Alexia was no different from all the fans who loved to watch you play. Every time your national teams met, Alexia was always focused on you. Even though you were competing against each other, Alexia couldn’t help but be fascinated by you.

The other Spanish players always gave their captain a hard time whenever you were set to play against each other. Most of the jokes came from Mapi, Patri, and Pina but Alexia always tried to ignore their jokes. She tried her hardest to convince them and herself that she was simply impressed by your skills as a footballer. None of her teammates believed her when she said that and she didn’t believe herself either.

But for the most part, Alexia could put those thoughts of you out of her mind since you didn’t play in the same league and international breaks weren’t always happening. She didn’t have a reason to have her thoughts solely on you.

Until you signed for Barcelona right before the World Cup.

Signing for Barça was one of the best things you could have done for your career. It opened the door to play for one of the best teams in the world and consistently get minutes that helped at the national level. However, signing with Barcelona meant Alexia got to see you way more often than she could handle.

Being this close to you, seeing you every day at training or on off days when you both hung out with some of the other girls meant the admiration the midfielder had for you grew into something more. Alexia tried her hardest to keep those growing feelings to herself to avoid more teasing, but she failed miserably.

The teasing she would receive during international breaks seemed to increase drastically when Patri and Pina discovered the captain’s crush on one of their new signings. The captain could deal with the teasing, as long as you didn’t find out about her crush. However, Alexia was unaware you were one of the first on the team to realize her feelings.

You felt drawn to Alexia the moment you joined the team for your first training session. You obviously knew who she was, everyone knew who Alexia Putellas was. But you didn’t know her as a person but the moment you locked eyes with her, you wanted to get to know her. You made an effort to introduce yourself to your teammates, wanting to make the best first impression you could but speaking to Alexia made you nervous. Unbeknown to you, Alexia felt just as nervous.

While Alexia was trying to keep her feelings at bay, you let yours blossom into a full blown crush. This obviously meant you also got teased by some of the new friends you had made, but you didn’t particularly care. 

You could feel Alexia’s nervousness and how tense she was whenever she was around you. You knew that if anything was going to happen between the two of you, you were going to have to make the first move.

You started doing little things to show Alexia you felt the same but Alexia didn’t want to get her hopes up and chalked everything up to you being friendly. After openly flirting with the midfielder didn’t work, you decided to take things up a notch. 

So here you were, mid-practice trying to get Alexia to realize you felt the same. Jona had called for a break so everyone could get some water and as you made your way toward the staff, Alexia held a water bottle for you to take once you got close enough. 

“gracias, bebita,” you cooed as you passed her, giving her a quick kiss on her cheek. With your back to her, you missed the bright blush that coated her face.

You could hear Mapi and Pina snickering behind you but you chose to ignore them. Giving Alexia a small kiss in front of everyone was a bold step but since it seemed like the blonde was not going to do anything about her feelings, bold steps needed to be taken.

Practice on the training grounds continued a bit longer before Jona decided to end training in favor of going over the next opponent Barça would be facing. You and your teammates made your way toward the film room, taking your time to cool off from the intense training you just finished. 

You made sure to enter the room right behind Alexia so you could the seat next to her before anyone else could. You were still mid conversation with Aitana when you sat down, completely missing Alexia’s eyes widening at how close you were. Aitana ended the conversation as she found her seat next to Keira. 

When you turned to face Alexia, she had her focus locked on the blank screen at the front of the room, trying her hardest to not make eye contact with you.

“¿Estás bien, Ale? (you okay, Ale)” you whispered so only the blonde would hear you, placing your hand on her thigh as you spoke. 

Alexia’s gaze landed on your hand faster than you thought possible, her eyes burning into the back of your hand. The midfielder swallowed before giving you a hurried nod, not trusting her voice to answer you verbally.

You tried to hide your smirk from her, enjoying how affected she was by you yet not doing a thing about it. “Solo quería estar segura, (just wanted to be sure)” you mumbled, giving her thigh a quick pat before pulling your hand away. Your hand left a burning sensation on Alexia's skin that drove her crazy the entire meeting.

During the meeting, you could feel the blonde’s eyes on you every so often, but every time you turned your head to meet her stare, she jerked her head forward. Each time you held back a small laugh at her actions, though you were starting to wonder if she would ever tell you how she felt about you. 

Jona finished the meeting and dismissed everyone to go home for the day and your teammates started filtering out of the room. As you stood, you stretched your limbs trying to stall to give Alexia the chance to talk to you. 

“Y/n, espera un minuto, por favor (y/n, wait a minute, please),” you heard the blonde mutter from behind you. You quickly waved goodbye to Aitana and Keira before giving your full attention to Alexia. As the remaining players left the room, Patri and Pina made fake kissing noises but were stopped with one look from Irene.

“¿Qué pasa, bebita (what’s up, baby)?” You teased, sending the blonde a bright smile.

This time, you saw the red tint grace Alexia’s features. She avoided your eyes as the silence grew around you. As the seconds ticked by, your hope that she was going to confess started slipping away. 

“Me gustas mucho, (I like you a lot)” the blonde mumbled, her eyes focused on her hands that were fidgeting in her lap.

You bit back a big girn, opting to tease her to get more out of her. “Eso espero, somos compañeros de equipo. (I hope so, we are teammates)” you joked, earning an eye roll from your captain.

“No quiero decir.. Me gustas más que amigas, (No, I mean.. I like you more than friends)” Alexia said as she finally looked at you. You could see the nervousness in her eyes. Alexia is someone who tends to keep to herself so this was a big step for her.

You sat back in the seat you were in during the meeting, grabbing Alexia’s hands from her lap to hold on to them tightly. 

“Lo sé Ale. Estaba esperando que me lo dijeras tú mismo, (I know, Ale. I was waiting for you to tell me yourself)” You smiled, Alexia’s eyes growing large as you spoke.

“¿Supieras? (you knew?)” the blonde asked, the surprise lacing her voice. 

You laughed lightly at her response before nodding. “No eras la mejor en ocultarlo, bebita, (you weren’t the best at hiding it, bebita.)” you cooed, a loving look on your face.

Alexia’s face turned red once again, she was sure she had everything under control. Before she could respond, you beat her to it.

“A mí también me gustas, por cierto, (I like you too, by the way.)” you professed as a deep blush gracing your features as well. 

Alexia’s eyes locked with yours before dropping slightly to look at your lips. She didn’t have time to debate with herself over whether or not she should kiss you before you made the decision for her. Your lips met her in a soft kiss, letting her dictate how it went. One of Alexia’s came to rest on the side of your neck, holding you still as the kiss got a little bit more heated. 

You pulled away before it could get further, needing a breather more than anything. You wanted to take Alexia out on a date before things went any further. 

“¿te gustaría tener una cita conmigo? (would you like to go on a date with me?)” as you spoke your eyes dropped to your interlocked hands, despite both of you just confessing you were still nervous she might say no. 

Alexia’s hand that was resting on your neck moved to your jaw, tilting your head up to meet her gaze. The blonde leaned in for a quick kiss, whispering “sí” as she pulled away. 

Both of you sat in the film room with bright cheeks as you planned your future date. You were glad your teasing ended the way you wanted it to. All you could hope for now was that the date with Alexia went well and that maybe it progressed into something more.

[lovableapocalypse]

feels like

bradley "rooster" bradshaw x fem!reader

wc- 2k

warnings- mentions of pregnancy/being pregnant, vomit/throwing up, like one f bomb, established relationship, i dont think anything else

a/n- reader is a pilot lol. hope you all like it and send me any requests you wanna see!!!!

You were tired of vomit. Tired of the smell, tired of the nausea, and tired of the harsh sting it was leaving in the back of your throat. The past three days you had been pulled to consciousness by your uneasy stomach and ended up over the toilet as your alarm blared from the bedroom. 

Bradley has had to leave for training extremely early this week and luckily has missed your ugly morning wake-up call. You’d been subtly avoiding his concerns at work; when you looked queasy after conditioning, when Jake’s body wash scent made you gag, and when you barely touched the coffee he brought you one morning. You played it off as a stomach bug, but your intuition was telling you something completely different.

Thankfully this week had been a zero flight week. You were terrified of flying if your suspicions were accurate, but you were also too scared to take the damn pregnancy test. 

As you walked down the hall Friday afternoon, doing your best to avoid everyone, you made a pact with yourself that you would stop by the convenience store tonight. Bradley was staying late to help with new flight curriculum so you’d have the opportunity to do it alone. 

Part of you wanted to share this moment with him, but your fear quickly overrode that. You and Bradley had been together for years at this point, ever since your first run at Top Gun. He’s mentioned kids a couple times, but never seriously. Deep down you knew he would accept this and be 100% in it, but your anxiety was on blast and your logical thoughts were nowhere to be found. 

You were supposed to be heading to a group meeting, all Dagger Squad members present. Your nausea has been steady all day, and hasn't eased up since you puked your guts up first thing. It’s been miserable and your sweaty, pale complexion are a testament to that. You’re trying your best to take deep breaths as you walk through the humid hallway, but your stomach lurches anyway. You grip the wall nearest to you and clench your eyes shut. 

Deep breaths. In and out. You wait for the pain to subside before you start walking again. You slowly enter the conference room, looking around. Last one here, great. You shoot a small smile in apology and head to the empty seat next to Bradley. 

He gives you a quizzical look as Maverick begins a spiel about next week's itinerary. 

“You okay?” He whispers, brown eyebrows pinched. 

You inhale sharply and nod, reaching for his hand to squeeze in reassurance. He squeezes in return and tries his best to keep his attention on Mav, but your squirming is distracting. It’s too hot in this cramped office space. You swear you can feel each person’s body heat radiate off them, making your head spin. 

Breaths. Deep freaking breaths. You’re trying to concentrate once again on your breathing as Phoenix asks a question, but everything is muffled and distant. You feel Bradley’s eyes seer into you and your jaw clenches unbearably tight. 

This is not happening. You refuse. You’ve made it the whole week without getting sick at work, and you really don’t want your closest colleagues and friends to see you hurl in a tiny trash can. Bradley squeezes your hand tighter trying to grasp your attention, but you just stare ahead and will your body to stop. 

Fuck. There’s definitely no stopping it. You shoot to your feet, pulling your hand from Bradley’s, drawing everyone’s attention. You briefly hear Mav ask if you’re alright and your hand quickly shoots to cover your mouth as you stumble to the trash can. Your stomach empties and you cough harshly, bent over the small container. You hear chairs screech and boots on the ground and soon feel a familiar hand slide up your back. 

Bradley pulls your hair away from your face with his other hand and continues to rub your back, glancing around the room in concern. Phoenix and Bob shoot him sympathetic looks and Jake’s grimace is clear as day. 

Mav makes his way over to you, cautiously, and shouts at Javy to get a medic. You raise your hand and wave at him, trying to refuse. You cough again, “I’m fine. I’m okay.”

“You just puked y/n.” Bradley states. 

“I know, I know. I’m sorry- just I’m okay now.”

You slowly stand up and Bradley keeps his grip on you, moving you towards a seat. You glance up, cheeks flushing in embarrassment, and see the sympathetic looks sent your way. “Sorry,” You sigh.

Javy returns out of breath with the medic and you can’t help but roll your eyes. “Really, I’m fine.”

“Y/n I think you should go get checked out,” Maverick says, “Rooster, why don’t you go with her.” He nods his head towards the door and motions for you, Bradley, and the medic to leave the conference room. 

Bradley keeps his grip on your elbow as you walk slowly toward the med bay. The medic is asking you basic questions that you are trying your best to answer as vaguely as possible. When you enter the med area you begrudgingly let the medic take your temperature and check your vitals. 

“Everything looks okay. I’d just get some rest and head to urgent care if your symptoms get any worse.” 

You’re grateful the medic didn’t mention pregnancy and you nod in appreciation as they exit the small exam area. 

Bradley sighs and places his hands on his hips. “Let me take you home, honey. Get some sleep.”

You shake your head, “No Roo it’s okay, I promise. You have to stay late anyway.”

You’re avoiding his gaze as a lump forms in your throat. You’re not sure why you feel so emotional all of a sudden, but with barely any sleep and vomiting up everything you eat, you’re exhausted. You feel tears prick your waterline as Bradley steps closer to you. 

He reaches up and cups your face. It wasn’t always like this. You and Rooster are both stubborn to an unhealthy degree, and when you two got off on the wrong foot all those years ago you never imagined this. He rubs his thumbs over your cheeks, examining you with his eyes. 

“What’s going on? You’ve been off all week.” His voice is soft and it only makes you more emotional. 

You close your eyes and feel the first tears escape down your face. “I think I’m pregnant.” You whisper.

You keep your eyes shut as you hear him inhale. He grips your face tighter, willing you to open your eyes. When you finally open them, he’s smiling. 

“You’re pregnant?”

You shake your head, “I’m not sure yet. I haven’t taken a test yet, but I’ve been sick all week and I can’t remember when my last period was.” You sigh. 

His smile only grows. Of course he would be excited. You’re not sure why you were convinced he would be pissed or upset. His reaction only makes you cry more and he tugs you closer into the warmth of his chest. 

He presses a kiss to the top of your head and steps back, helping you off the exam bench. “Let's go home, yeah?” He asks. 

You nod solemnly and thread your fingers through his, heading to the exit. Bradley lets Mav know you’re sick and he’s taking you home, planning to finish the flight course next week. He helps you into his Bronco and secures your seatbelt for you. He kisses you lightly before closing the door and heading around the car.

On the way back to your shared place he detours to the nearest convenience store and parks out front. Turning to you he says, “I’m gonna run in and grab a few tests. Do you want to come in?”

You shake your head and lean back against the seat letting it absorb your exhaustion. He’s quick inside and jogs back out to the car with a full bag.

“I didn’t know which one to get so I just grabbed a bunch.” He pulls a few out to show you and you laugh at his eagerness.

He smiles at you and places the bag in the back seat, squeezing your knee as he starts the car again. 

He turns the radio on low as you watch your surroundings pass by. You don’t know how to feel about all this. Are you even ready to be a mom? You glance at Bradley and take in his tanned skin and light blush covering his nose and ears. He’d be a great dad, you already know it. 

You try to shake off some of your anxiety as you head inside. Bradley pulls you close and squeezes your arm, sending you a reassuring smile. You exhale and turn to him, “Will you take it with me?”

“Of course.” He nods and rubs your arm gently. 

You head towards the bathroom with the bag full of tests and Bradley fills a cup of water for you. You’re examining all the different tests when he enters and comes up behind you. He rests his head on your shoulder and reads the boxes with you. 

You grab the test with the electronic Pregnant or Not Pregnant answer and a generic 2 line test as well. Bradley sits with you the whole time anxiously squeezing any part of you he can touch. You place the tests near the sink and set a timer on your phone. 

You both sit in a comfortable yet tense silence. You can tell Bradley is more excited than you are but he’s doing his best to keep himself calm. The phone rings cutting off your anxious thoughts and you both stand together to look at the results. 

You grab the line test first seeing two very visible solid lines. You quickly grab the other which coincides with a bold Pregnant flashing at you. You close your eyes and pass the test to Bradley, feeling the waterworks begin. 

He gasps slightly and puts the test back on the counter. He laughs as he turns you to face him, “Hey, hey it’s okay. Everythings gonna be fine,” You can hear the smile in his voice as your tears fall faster. 

“We’ll figure it out, okay? Hey, look at me.” He cups your face again, your eyes opening to meet his. 

“We’re gonna figure it out.” His smile spreads, “We’re gonna be parents holy shit.” You laugh at his excitement and pull him into an embrace. 

“We’re gonna be parents.” You mumble into his shirt. 

The next morning you head to a local clinic just to get a medical test and see if everythings okay with the baby. You’re given the all clear and relative timeline of birth and growth and everything seems so surreal. Bradley is beyond excited and it’s starting to rub off on you. He spent the whole night reassuring you and brainstorming possible names. 

The doctor did let you know that flying is off limits. You feel a bit sad at the loss of flying, but know Mav will keep you busy in other ways. You keep reminding yourself this as you head to his office Monday morning. Bradley and you are hand in hand, him excited to break the news. You knock and hear a muffled “Come in” on the other side. You exhale and squeeze Bradley’s hand as you push the door open. 

“Hey y/n, Bradley.” He nods. “Feeling better?” He places the paperwork he was looking at down and looks between you both. 

You glance to Bradley who quickly nods his head, urging you on. “About that.” You turn back to Mav’s confused expression continuing, “Um, Bradley and I actually have something to tell you.”

Pete remains silent, questioning you both. 

“I’m, uh, not gonna be able to fly for a while.”

His brows furrow, mouth opening to object, but you beat him to it. 

“I’m pregnant.”

His mouth drops in shock and Bradley laughs at his expression. 

“I- I mean wow. Holy shit!” He laughs. He stands and rounds the desk pulling you into a tight hug and then Bradley. He shakes Rooster’s shoulders as he pulls away and his face is ecstatic. 

“I’ll be damned,” He looks between you both again and shakes his head. You glance at Bradley and smile.

Bradley’s grin is contagious and he shouts, “We’re gonna be parents!”

[kurishiri]

both ends clear . . . “ a convenient, happy ‘reality’ ”

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ @ notice ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱ this translation may not be 100% accurate or contain creative liberties due to characterization or narrative flow purposes. if you enjoy, please consider reblogging, but don’t repost these or claim these as your own!

— 🤍 both ends cleared story for alfons. this is all told in his point of view.

— cw: alcohol consumption, invasion of personal space, awkwardly translated smut; you know the drill!

—— Alfons’ POV ——

—— Flashback ——

Having thought it would be infinitely better to die on the roadside, I had left the orphanage. And on that day,

a cat was crying in an alley.

That day, my lips got cut after a beating, so I still had dried bread that was handed to me in my pocket...

Alfons: ...Want some?

When I offered the bread, the cat slowly crept toward me, and then nibbled on the bread.

Alfons: ...You want to live that much?

A: Even though this reality isn’t even kind to you...

The kitten didn’t utter a sound, only continuing to eat.

Albeit foolishly and miserably so, it tried its very hardest to live.

Alfons: And if you want to live that badly... I guess I better help you then.

—— End flashback ——

Kate: I-I overslept again——!

Alfons: Ahha! First thing in the morning and you’re in ever high spirits, I see.

Still nude, Kate’s complexion paled as soon as she woke up. At this point, I’ve seen this so often one hand was hardly enough to count.

Alfons: Now now, why so bent on this? It’s not as though you are going to die.

A: I’m more than positive that if you apologize with all your heart, you’ll be let off the hook.

Kate: Wh—you do know this is your fault, don’t you!?

K: I even told you yesterday that I had a promise to keep so I needed to get up early today, and yet...

Alfons: And yet we did such naughty things, and it escalated to the point you ended up crying out, no?

Kate: ...!

Rendered speechless, she turned away and got off the bed,

and she pulled her clothes, standing ready in this room’s closet, and began to change.

Alfons: Goodness, what a cruel one you are, Kate, leaving your lover behind on the bed for a promise you made with another man.

A: Since when have you become so wicked, I wonder?

While sprawled on the bed, I placed my elbow on the pillow and looked on at Kate, whose lips were in a pout.

Kate: Well, I promised I was going to go and get the photo I took of you before,

K: so there’s really nothing going on I would feel guilty about.

Alfons: Hehe... there’s no need to deny it so vehemently; I assure you I know. After all, you——

Kate: ...I what?

Alfons: ——Well, your body just can’t bear it unless it’s with me, you see.

Kate: ...I was a fool to even ask in earnest. I’ll be going now.

Alfons: Yes, yes, have a good time. Ahh, and I think I will be coming back late.

Kate: Ah——that’s right, today... you have a mission, don’t you? Be careful and come back safely, alright?

Alfons: Worry not, for unlike a certain someone I am quite faithful.

Kate: That’s not what I meant...

K: If you go out of your way to get hurt and whatnot, I’ll... I’ll punish you...!

Kate’s face reddened as she declared this before turning and leaving the room.

(...‘Punish,’ she says...) (O_O)

Alfons: Pfft, ahahaha!

A: Ahh... dear me, what darling words.

A: Indeed, why are Kate’s parting threats always so cute like this, I wonder.

(Like how alcohol and staying up late was bad for the body, or how if I got hurt she would punish me...)

For threats those words were much too kind, and it was quite amusing to say the least.

The reason she was going out, and her worry, I knew they were all for my sake.

And yet, that heroic side of her, as astounding as it was, was so cute, I couldn’t help but be a little mean and tease her a bit: call it a bad habit of mine.

(Such a troublesome way of caring, and yet it’s the only way I know how. And perhaps, I may someday run out of love.)

My heart, long used to throwing away any notion of hope, still whispered to ‘let it become that way.’

But every time that happened, I would hear Kate’s voice in my mind.

——It won’t turn out that way!

(The Kate in my mind would never leave me behind.)

That was my convenient delusion.

And, to me, my happy illusion.

—— Time skip ——

(Now then... what sort of interesting things is the little robin up to now?)

When I had returned to the castle after the mission, I was told by Elbie that Kate had gone to the pub.

—— Flashback ——

Alfons: Why again, so late at night?

Elbert: Because when your missions end late, you often go to the pub.

E: So, Kate said that she would wait there...

—— End flashback ——

(There is no such person in that pub who would leave a woman there so late at night alone.)

I went down the familiar staircase and slipped into the lively pub——and as expected, Kate was being pressed by a ‘friend.’

Black-haired young man: Don’t be so stuck up now. How about we two lonely people get along and have a drink?

Kate: I’ll pass. Besides, I’m not really lonely.

Like a prideful cat, she had her face turned,

but perhaps in an effort to swallow her displeasure and fear, Kate’s hold on her glass tightened.

Black-haired young man: You waitin’ for Al? Not like you made any promise with him, right?

Black-haired young man: Leave him be. He’s a good-for-nothing who doesn’t have an ounce of love in him, you know?

(A good-for-nothing without an ounce of love... indeed, if one were to ask about me at this pub,)

(not a single person would answer with something other than that, I reckon.)

While I counted the words in the repertoire of words that were used as insults against me in my mind——

Kate, for the first time, turned toward the ‘friend’ at last.

Kate: I won’t deny that Alfons is the lowest of the low, with no morals or ethics to speak of, and a good-for-nothing,

K: but he does have much more than an ounce of love.

(...) (O_O)

Black-haired young man: Pfft, hahaha! A woman who’s so easily fooled like you doesn’t come around every day either. ...But in all seriousness, you really should let him go.

Black-haired young man: He’ll make a mess of your life, and it’ll be too late to regret anything after you’ve been through it.

My ‘friend’——Craig looked at Kate with narrowed eyes, slightly saddened, as though he was seeing someone else in her,

and he quietly reached out for those shoulders.

Alfons: You sure like getting hands on with others, don’t you.

Craig: Whoa—!?

Just before his hands touched her shoulder, I stopped him with my palm,

and Craig practically flew out of his counter chair.

Kate: Alfons!?

Craig: W-what the... what’s the big deal? Not like you ever had a special someone before.

C: So this time wouldn’t be any different from a whim of a relationship before fading right out, right?

Kate: ...

For a moment, Kate’s expression wavered with a bit of sadness.

Seeing that left a bad taste in me, and before I could think, my mouth moved first.

Alfons: ——Why, I beg to differ?

A: She’s such a darling toy, one I could hardly leave behind. After all, I very much am one with much more than an ounce of love.

Kate: ...!

Alfons: But putting that aside, Craig,

Craig: ...What is it?

Alfons: At least on the anniversary of your wife’s passing, I hope you may spend the rest of this night in a good mood.

I removed his gloves, and then gently touched the back of his neck.

Alfons: ——Tonight, shut yourself out those self-condemning notions, and go to sleep back home after another drink.

A: “And perhaps, you may see a nostalgic dream, rivaled by none other.”

—— Time skip: night city ——

Alfons: Goodness, to think you would go out to play at night and seduce another man... you naughty one, you.

Kate: No, it’s not that! I was thinking you might come by here, so I was waiting for you.

K: Like, maybe you would come for a drink after a mission so you wouldn’t feel as weary and whatnot.

K: And I wanted to be there too, if possible...

Alfons: None the more noble, I see,

A: as your partner is a man who gets told things like how ‘this is on a whim before fading right out.’

Kate: But I don’t think that.

Alfons: Even though you seemed rather saddened for a moment back there?

Kate: That... is because, I thought how even among your friend circle, there are those that misunderstand you.

Alfons: Aha, but it’s not a misunderstanding? I really am someone who will turn down nobody who comes to me, nor will I chase after anyone who leaves.

A: For you see, I’m but a piece of trash who would fade right out if things become troublesome.

Kate: But the people you spend time with are always those that are suffering, right?

K: So, even when you ‘fade right out,’ that is also for other people’s sake, isn’t it?

K: I can’t think of that as loveless. After all...

K: What else could the feeling of wanting to help others be called, if not love?

Alfons: ......... (O_O)

—— Flashback ——

Alfons: And if you want to live that badly... I guess I better help you then.

—— End flashback ——

If her words really were true...

Then what I had felt at that time was ‘love’——at least, that may be the case.

A single word from her was enough to make such a convenient interpretation feel like reality.

Kate: Before, I was really happy. When you said straight up how you wouldn’t leave me.

K: And the fact how, after that, you showed Craig an illusion...

K: In the end, I really do love you, Alfons.

Instead of falling out of love, she said such a thing with a casual smile.

(...To think that, more than this happy illusion in my mind and whatnot,)

(the Kate in reality is so much more convenient to me...)

Alfons: ...You are just full of surprises, aren’t you.

Kate: Huh? What was that?

Alfons: Goodness, you weren’t listening?

A: I said that tonight we’re going to do so many naughty things you won’t know what’s what anymore.

—— Time skip: Alfons’ room ——

Kate: Ahh...

Like a cat, Kate’s waist was lifted as she lied face down on the bed,

and when I pulled away from her, she jumped a little.

After climaxing again, she shivered at the lingering sound of her wet entrance.

When I inserted a finger in that stirred up area, she lowered her hips as though becoming frightened.

Kate: N-no more...

Alfons: Really? Because the inside of you seems to think otherwise around my fingers. ...See.

Kate: no, I��ah, ahh——

While kneading the swollen bud with my thumb, I moved my two fingers inside.

I went for the place she loved the most, where she squeezed my fingers, and together with a lewd sound, she squirted.

Alfons: Hehe... to think teasing you just a little was enough to make you come, your body has become quite the naughty thing, hasn’t it.

Kate: I... I wanted to look at the photo... together with you though...

The envelope she received, which contained the photo that had just been processed,

was left unopened on the side table.

Alfons: You can look at photos at any time... so how about looking at the real me here?

Kate: ...ngh... uh...?

I took her limp wrists and pulled her up,

And Kate, her eyes seeming to melt with intoxication, went along with being pulled.

(As usual, she’s quite defenseless, isn’t she...)

When would she realize that shaking her head the moment she finally realized that the place she was taken to was in front of the mirror

would have the opposite effect, I wonder?

My hand made its way behind her knee before lifting her leg up.

Kate: no... ah...

Alfons: See now, look here, won’t you. ...So that you won’t ever forget.

Kate: ...!

When I murmured those words, Kate tried to bear any sense of shame she had.

Alfons: How lewd it feels with my cock in your mouth.

Kate: hah... haa... ah, ahh——

Alfons: ...And also,

A: in what ways I love you.

Not wanting to forget me even after I died, she would record me,

and look straight forward while pushing down her embarrassment, engraving them into her memory.

(Kate, truly, what a pitiable, darling soul you are.)

(All that effort, even when I have no intention of dying before you.)

But, I had no intention of saying that to her either. In all likeliness, it would remain my secret for the rest of this lifetime.

(After all, seeing how your mind is filled to the brim with me, and how hard-working you are, brings me no end of amusement.)

(And, even if you were to find out this secret of mine——)

(I’m sure you would be exasperated and angry, but still you would love me after that.)

This may not necessarily amount to a convenient delusion,

but those teary eyes that looked at me through the mirror let me think that.

After we indeed felt so good we didn’t know what was what anymore,

Kate fell asleep, with me holding her. And suddenly, I felt a nostalgic rush from the silence of the night.

I remembered that very night, when I had fallen asleep while holding a small warmth I had found in an alley.

That was the first night I had ever felt such serenity in the silence.

masterlist🪞 ╱ ko-fi ☕️

NOTE: thank you to everyone who has kept up with this translation and supported me (especially those who have commented or reblogged)! it means the world to me and makes these more-than-two-months worth it if you enjoyed it 🥹🫶 i plan to translate his side stories as well if i can, though they may be out of order.

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ @ tags🏷️ ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱ @drachonia @.comment, send an ask off anon, or dm to be added or removed!

[thesuperiorrobin]

𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞~

Pairing: HockeyPlayer!Damian Wayne x Reader

Word count: 1.9k

Warning: mentions of blood, slight cursing, might not be accurate to real ice hockey so I apologize in advance.Damian being a demon on the ice, I wrote Damian OOC, mostly likely, he’s just in love

Damian looks flawless in ice, I’m just going to put that out there. I know he would.

He gets a bit carried away, ramming people up against the walls. That’s what he’s known for when he’s on the ice so the other team tries to stay far away from him, but also try to take the puck from him. Never really works out.

Always get penalized for it too and put in penalty for 2-5 minutes. Is pissed off at that for no reason.

The MAIN reason why his team wins. (Most of the time)

Really loyal to his team. If the opposite side ‘accidentally’ hurts his teammates he’s the first one to skate over to them. Might throw the first punch but it depends 🤷‍♀️ (100% will throw the punch no matter what :))

He gets hurt a lot. Whether it’s him digging with other or simply ramming into thing to hard , theres bound to be blood, a lots of it sometimes. But he always comes back with bandages around the wounds or maybe stitches.

If he does get hurt he puts out a little signal that only you know telling you he’s okay.

His signal in telling you that he’s going to make a goalie and dedicate it to you is literally stopping right in front of you and placing his gloved fist on the clear barricade, giving you a grin.

Buys you the tickets to go to his game. You never miss one. That’s because he says your his lucky charm during the games. That’s why his team wins all the time.

First row right next to his team where he can keep an eye one you and hold small conversations before it’s his time to go back on the ice

Likes to show off.

A lot. Only does it to impress you 

Gives you the puck he made a goalie and won with (is that allowed?)

The crowds get louder and louder as the seconds count down. You're anxious and you don't know why. Damian’s team and the opposing team are tied with points. You’ve noticed Damian’s actions get more violent as time goes on. The more violent he got the more penalties he got which is a time out on the benches. Which means the other team gets a chance at scoring a point without Damian roughly ramming them against the wall. You’re cheering him on as he glides against the ice, but soon find yourself taking a break from the yelling.

Your eyes follow his figure as he glides against the ice, hockey stick in hand as he moves the puck back and forth against the base of the stick. There’s another figure coming for him, one from the opposing team. You cringe, knowing what’s about to happen to the poor person.

Lucky it wasn’t another penalty, but you would hear the crowd gasp witnessing the sight for what seemed like the nth time in less than twenty minutes. But, every time he did get a penalty and put in the penalty box, or as you call it the time out box, you can’t help but laugh. Knowing that Damian was put out for being rough much like how a small toddler would be put in the corner for not listening at all. It was always such a funny sight. Damian rams into the person hard, knocking him down.

“OH!” Dick says from behind you “that’s gotta hurt!” You know he wasn’t talking to you but you hum and nod. Dick and the others know first hand how rough he can be, having been practicing with him last time it didn’t end will with. “I think he gave him a concussion” Tim was also behind you sitting next to Dick, while Jason was no where to be seen.

‘Probably went to go shove his face with food’

Despite being on the other team you feel bad for them and the bruises they’ll be getting the following day. Not to mention the sore body’s they’ll have to work through. You’ve been sitting in the same spot for more than an hour with each game period being at least twenty minutes long, with fifteen minute breaks. Maybe they were shorter but you really couldn’t tell.

Damian misses his shot by a few inches away from the goalie, not being able to stop in time he slams himself up against the wall, the people behind it cover their mouths out of shock and you slap your forehead, shaking your head as you watch him brush it off and continue to play. However, his coach calls him out to replace him with another teammate. He compiles but has a sour look on his face, once he reaches the dry ground he throws his stick. Clearly angry and frustrated all you could do is watch for a while as he takes off his helmet, hair slightly damp from the sweat—giving him helmet hair, all messy and pointing in different directions. It makes you laugh a little. But your sudden mood changes quickly as he sits down head in his hands—running over his sweaty black locks. You don’t think twice as you tap on the screen that keeps his and your row apart.

Damian has good hearing with a small sound so it wasn’t hard to hear you tapping away. He turns to your directions, giving you a small nod. You frown and tilt your head down a little and he rolls his eyes knowing what you're implying and gives you a forced smile. You give him a thumbs up as he scoffs, he watches carefully as you pull out your phone and type away. His eyes never leave you until you place your phone, screen side up against the clear glass divider. Green eyes squinting as he reads away:

‘don’t worry. You got the next goal. I know it!’

That sentence alone makes his heart swell. Damian takes off his right gloves and pats his chest—right where his heart would be two times. A way of saying he appreciate the small gesture.

You take your phone off the glass and erase the previous sentence replacing it with a new one—placing it back on the glass: ‘Have a plan for when you get back on the ice? He quickly reads and nods his head. At least he has a plan, you thought and place your phone back in your pocket. Hands shaking for the cold and lack of warmth you had for them considering the fact that you had forgotten your mittens at home. You focus your attention back on the game. The opposite team ahead by one point— but Damian’s team can do good without him for a while.

He’s out for about half of the game until his coach decides to replace him with another one of his teammates. He taps on the glass to get your attention and once he has it, he Winks at you before making his way back on the ice.

“So are they losing or what?” A familiar voice says beside you and you turn your head, Jason takes his seat next to you with two cups in his hand. “Where the hell have you been?”

“The line for hot chocolate got long” he hands you one “I got you one too, know you stressing over the Demon playing Disney on ice right now” the warm drink warms up your hands a little.

“Thanks. That’s nice of you Jason” You ignore the comment and he hums before he takes a sip of his one drink, eyes scanning the ice before he yells out with the audience. Someone from the Damian team made a shot and they’re tied with the other team.

You go back to cheering him on, the warm drink soothing your throat from all the yelling earlier. It’s later forgotten as you place the half empty cup on the ground right beside your foot— watching the minutes pass by quickly like seconds.

Your heart skips a beat, and not in a good way when the other team shoots their shot but thankfully they fail. With time becoming shorter and shorter it was only a matter of time before Damian took matters into his own hands and his teammates are quick to learn to stay out of it when the time was cutting short and they were off by a point or two, or in this case tied, They had faith in him and so did you.

The seat is now cold from your absence, you’re up on your feet cheering and screaming right along with his brothers who seem to be cheering louder than you. Your eyes glued to Damian as you try to keep up with his figure. He has the puck, sliding it back and forth against the curve of his stick once more.

You don’t have time to think—especially when his helmet makes a horrible sound right up against the clear barrier as one of the players from the opposite team slams into him harshly. Right in front of you as you flinch back. Cheering can be heard from the opposite side of the ice rink which is where the other team supporters were.

Your side falls silent, few gasps and murmurs could be heard. Damian’s back up on his feet, his gloved fist pressed up against the clear barrier. His eyes locked on yours with a glint of mischief and something else. One of those grins grace his lips, one that makes you smile as he waved at you before he leaves.

He’s much faster this time and it makes you think if he was slacking off all this time—or maybe it was the adrenaline that runs high in his veins with these last few minutes. He was going to make a goal, dedicating it to you. Your body feels warm and your heart skips.

“ Ohh~ I know that look” Jason teases from beside you, Dick and Tim are leaning down giving you cheeky grins.

You roll your eyes trying to hide the smile that tries to form itself on your lips “I don’t know what you mean.” You play stupid as you glance back at the game.

fifty seconds left of the last game, everyone seemed to be cheering and calling out those who were on the ice. Damian pays no mind to his teammates as they let him do what he needs to do. You cheer for him, calling out his name. Despite there being hundreds of others yelling out at the same time his mind blocks them out, every single one of them but you. they get louder the minute he gets ahold of the puck swiftly, quickly making his way to the goalie.

His main priority was to get the puck around the goaltender and into the net. He was doing this all for you and you knew that. Those fifty seconds go by quickly, as if you’ve blinked and when you open your eyes ten seconds we’re now left. Everyone counted down, even you. It felt like time went slower once it hit that five second mark, you’ve quiet yourself down and the only thing you can hear is the sound of your heartbeat in your ears. You watch Damian has he left up his stick and takes a hit.

Pointing and loud gasp could be seen and heard, half of the ice rink goes quiet—as if the loudness would mess up his plan. Right as the Puck glides under the goaltender and into the net the timer makes a sound—indicating that the game is now over and Damian scores a point, officially breaking the tie. Relief washes over you, hands thrown in the air as a yell of excitement leaves you as Damian’s brothers cheer alongside you. The other side slouches, defeated as your side basically rubs it in their fasts by how loud they were being, but you didn’t care.

A win is a win.

You can see Damian, as he is pulled into a group hug by the rest of his team, some patting his pack and some patting his helmet and shoving it gently as a gesture. The part you don’t notice is him escaping from the group and skating to the Net where he had thrown the puck before he picked it up, waving it in the air like some sort of trophy—however, in this context, it was. He shows it off with pride, making his way towards you.

With a loud yelp you’re picked up by the others, Jason, Dick, and Tim, as they lift you up until you're basically above the spectating glass. Your lover stands below on the other side with his arm stretched out high, he waits. With the help of the others, they hold on to you as you lean done and over the glass.

Your own arm stretches down as you grasp the puck in your hand. His gloves are now off and so is his helmet, his hair pointing in all directions much like earlier when he was away on a penalty, his warm hand grasping yours with the puck still in your hand

“I did that just for you, habibti!” Eyes glistening, you Can’t really tell if it’s from his sweat or his love for you.

“I know!” You laugh “I love you!”

“And I too, love you!” The crowd fills itself with loud cheers and small ‘awes’, watching the sight of the son that belonged to billionaire Bruce Wayne was a rare sight to see, considering how he would rather keep private about his relationship with you.

His warm lips connected to the coldness of your knuckles , making a mental note to bring an extra pair of gloves just for you in the future.

“If you lean down further you’re going to eat shit”

“shush I’m having a moment here”

“just saying”

Tried to make it as accurate as possible bc, again I know nothing about ice hockey. I had googled the rules and watched videos

And god knows how many references pictures I tried to find about hockey. Probably spend like an hour trying to find them just to draw Damian :|

I will be taking a short break from writing requests just bc school is starting in like a few days or so. So I can get my life together and actually have time to mentally prepare myself and fix my schedule seeing as I’ve been up most night until 6 am and waking up at 2pm.

[eggluverz]

halloween with the hsr boys

pairing: dan heng; jing yuan; blade x reader

sof's note: guess who is in a halloweeny mood :> meee! and i'm sure a lot of y'all are as well so let's bask in these autumn vibes together LOL special shoutout to the anon who suggested dan heng would watch like 15 vids before he carves a pumpkin fhsjkghdf that is so accurate <3 pls enjoy and happy fall!!

dan heng

not big on the spooky parts of halloween, but he loves getting in the halloween/autumn spirit by watching twitches and halloween town with you

you host a pumpkin carving contest on halloween eve between the two of you and dan heng 100% takes it seriously

days of prep before the big night, hours of youtube videos in his history… he even reads up on the origins of pumpkin carving—just to be fully immersed and prepared

when the time comes, dan heng has his tools lined up in the most efficient order as he readies himself to make his design

he, of course, wanted to carve a tree with maple leaves falling in the night sky

you stare at his template with wide eyes, quickly scrapping your happy face idea to think of something more creative…

noticing this, dan heng chuckles in amusement. “you don’t have to change your design to match mine”

you shake your head. “and risk losing the competition? no way”

“then may the best carver win”

when the two of you are done, you take a photo and send to your friends to vote

it was a close call, but dan heng ends up winning by two votes

“maybe i should’ve joined your pumpkin carving research…” you pout, staring between your finished product and his

“there’s always next year,” dan heng soothes, giving you a hug. “besides, you’re always the winner in my eyes.”

jing yuan

he would make all the pies for you

pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple pie, sweet potato pie, apple crumble pie…you name it 

he doesn’t even know how to make pie he just googled a bunch of recipes and winged it

you think something tastes off but you try to encourage him anyway 

of course, jing yuan sees right through it

“it‘s not that i don’t like your baking, i really do, but i may have some suggestions for the future…”

“there is no need to sugarcoat your distaste, y/n,” he says with a laugh. “we can redo them together.”

the pies turn out even better the next time

the two of you end up picking up pie making as your fall-time hobby this year and bake pie for all your friends

he tries to make a mimi-safe pie as well

mimi hates it (pumpkin spice is not good on the lion’s tongue) 

but you think the effort is cute :> 

he ends halloween night off by sharing a yummy slice of apple crumble pie with whipped cream on top with you

“so sweet!” you state happily as he feeds you the first bite. 

jing yuan leans forward and smiles. “not as sweet as you” 

blade

goes all in for halloween

is dead instead most of the year, comes to life for the halloween spirit

he likes to decorate the house with you, even making a mini “haunted maze” in the driveway for the trick-or-treaters

accidentally makes a kid cry in it…

really, he just went in the maze to do a quick maintenance check, but he looked so menacing in his costume that a kid saw him and started crying 

blade is too confused about what happened to feel bad 

you give the kid extra candy and apologize to their parents while stifling a laugh at blade’s blank expression

“i didn’t even say ‘boo’,” he murmurs curiously.

you just pat him on the head and give him a kiss on the cheek

after the trick-or-treat shenanigans, you and blade relax and unwind on the comfort of your couch

his definition of unwinding on halloween is watching old horror movies

[or, if you cannot handle horror like me: he watches the barbie movies with you to help you take your mind off the halloween scares and go to sleep :3]

you cuddle him as you doze off while eating leftover halloween candy 

blade carries you to bed and tucks you in for the night bc you deserve a good night’s rest <3

[pankekesito]

Rust Cohle's tattoos - A mini-essay on their possible meaning

Hi, this is probably my longest post, I may have to split it into two parts due to the length but I will try to see that everything can be compacted into one post.

DISCLAIMER!

This mini essay is done purely as a hobby by a die-hard True Detective fan, none of this is actually 100% confirmed (other than the interview part of ‘The Last Magazine’). While this is as logical and accurate a research as possible, it's just a hypothesis of what Rust Cohle's tattoos seen in the series could mean; if you don't think it's reasonable, that's fine. All opinions are valid as long as they are made on the basis of respect!

Without more to say, I hope you find this Mini Essay interesting and fun, I made it with all my love for you (and obviously because of my love for Rust); I would like to know your opinions about it, even if they are not the same as me! (I will leave a section in my profile to give you the sources used in the research in case you want to know more about the arguments to support my opinion).

An apology if something is not fully understood, English is not my first language ⸜❤︎⸝

And remember, ⥁‘Time is a flat circle’⥀

Rust Cohle has two tattoos which are a bird of unknown species on his right forearm and an unidentified symbol on his chest; right where the heart is located.

Focusing on the forearm tattoo, thanks to a short interview in “The Last Magazine” published on May 10, 2016; Josh Lord who is a renowned tattoo artist who has worked to perform various tattoos in the entertainment world along with Joji Fukunaga who directed the first season of the series mentioned that they wanted the tattoos presented in this one to have the same detailed realism that is reflected in the audiovisual product. For the case of Rust Cohle initially in Pizzolatto's original script his tattoo would consist of a pair of flaming dice. Personally I'm glad to know that this didn't happen because while they tried to give him that wild and dangerous meaning, Rust doesn't believe in the randomness of fate and every action he takes he does it consciously, carrying in him the responsibility for his actions and not granting it to fate. Josh and Fukunaga had something clear and that is that the tattoos would go from being a decorative element to a characterization, a symbolic element of the souls and the truth of the guts of the characters.

For this very reason they chose to draw on Cohle's undercover past as a member of a criminal motorcycle gang, whose emblem was originally intended to be a raven. Subsequent revisions turned the gang into the “Iron Crusaders” where very aptly the tattoos of its members refer to anvils, bones, engine parts, demons, weapons, etc. Something important to note is that the vision of the Iron Crusaders is dark, mysterious, funereal and gloomy (as all its operation within the series), the initial idea where the raven would be its emblem makes sense because in general the raven is associated with death because they are scavengers, predators and for some civilizations they embody death and the underworld.

But while the terrain where the Iron Crusaders unfold has a close relationship with the first and best known negative view (symbolically speaking) of ravens, its positive meaning has more to do with Rust Cohle's behavior and reason. The raven can also be a powerful animal totem, a protector and spiritual guide, a shape-shifter, a messenger and the symbol of transformation. In its benevolent symbolism, it represents giving up on the human world in search of wisdom, as well as being a cunning and intelligent animal capable of adapting and embracing change. In the Scandinavian tradition, the raven is a sacred and wise figure that brings virtues of “reflection” and “memory” while in Native American tribes, ravens are revered for their intelligence and spiritual importance. They are considered messengers of the spiritual world, possessors of universal wisdom and protectors against evil forces. It is also said that in Norse mythology there were two ravens that always accompanied the god Odin, whose names were Hugin and Munin. Hugin represented the power of thought and Munin represented memory and intuition; every time the sun rose both were sent to earth in search of information and every night at sunset they returned to Odin's palace and whispered all the news and events of which they had learned on their visit to planet earth.

A fact that may not be so relevant (and most probably I am just adding it to be interesting) is that there is a constellation called Corvus having four points in its constellation that make it to be, which is related to the raven (it is all due to a Greek myth). I like to think that this has a lot to do with Rust's tattoo because of the position of his tattoo (more properly speaking the wings) with the resemblance to the graphic references usually used for the raven of the constellation Corvus and the close relationship it has with the universe and the cosmic. Also the four points of the constellation remind me of the four stages of Rust Cohle seen during the series (1995, Crash Comeback, 2002, 2012).

Now we can't overlook the fact that the Celts held ravens in high esteem, associating them with battles and the Celtic Goddess of war and destruction (Morrigan). Ravens were seen as protectors and warriors, embodying the qualities of intelligence and strategic thinking. The raven's ability to shape-shift, attributed to Morrigan, further emphasizes its transformative nature. All of the above meanings attributed to ravens provided by various cultures, whether with a positive or negative focus curiously fit perfectly well with the ideology of our armored detective Rust Cohle. Rust is surrounded by silent anxiety, tragedy, death, chaos and pain. He himself struggles even with internal battles, his demons from the past. Yet he has a strong mentality, he uses his reason to adapt to even the most unsafe territories even if it means changing shape (like Crash). The fact that he more than likely made the decision to get the tattoo during his infiltration as Crash when he was in the narcotics department is reasonable as he was like a predator within the gang, a shape-shifting scavenger trying to get answers as he shrewdly roamed the rubble of human evil. The raven was his way of remembering his purpose and no wonder, Rust is very skilled with manual tasks. His hands allow him to do his work properly; watching them constantly do the dirty work and hide or reveal the ashes when necessary makes him evoke his intention in this world and how ephemeral it is on the earthly plane. It is not for nothing that the raven is on his forearm, showing his bones as a sign that death will always be with him until his last breath.

To focus on his last tattoo (and the most intriguing in my opinion) we must go back to Celtic culture. As we have seen throughout the series, symbols and religions (beliefs of something beyond comprehension) are always present because they touch the most sensitive parts of human beings. Their constant search for belonging and the meaning of life. In Celtic culture runes are used as signs, talismans, symbols and runic alphabets. Basically runes are a writing system that was used in Scandinavia and parts of Northern Europe from the Iron Age to the Middle Ages. Although it is not known exactly who invented runes, it is believed that they emerged sometime around the 1st century AD. Specifically “Rune” means secret. Runes are magical instruments of power, carriers of secrets and wisdom. There are several types of runes with vast meanings however in my research I found four runes which I will use to support my hypothesis about the possible meaning of Cohle's chest tattoo. First we must be certain that the tattoo on the chest of Rust does NOT exist as such in the Futhark Runes, or in any other compilation of symbolism so we can say that this symbol is a composite symbol; referring to the fact that although it is based on the Celtic runes, it has NO direct relationship, nor systematically objective. We can notice it even more thanks to the inverted cross of the tattoo (soon we will return to this point).

Talking about the possible runes used for the composition of the tattoo we have:

•Rune Thurisaz ᚦ

Meaning: Door. Reflection. New options. Magical use: Regeneration. Concentration. Override negativity. Meditation. New beginnings. When you need luck and control of any circumstance. Protection and defense. Neutralize enemies or opposition.

•Rune Raidho ᚱ

Meaning: Wheel. Travel. Communication. Help in taking risks. Self-healing. Magical use: Changes. Protection. Transformation. Justice according to good. Safe and comfortable travel.

•Rune Wunjo ᚹ

Meaning: Joy. Comfort. Harmony. Security. Tranquility. Magical use: Triumph. Motivation. Recognition. Achievement of goal. Success in travel. Luck in love or work.

•Rune Berkana ᛒ

Meaning: Growth. Awakening. Rebirth. Development of creativity. Magical use: Healing. Wholeness. Clarity. Motherhood. Self-realization. Fertility. When seeing the runes presented we can relate them with Rust Cohle because they present several descriptive concepts that define him; but to my point of view, of those presented the rune more linked (and similar to his tattoo) is the rune Raidho.

Throughout the series we can see the entire journey Cohle goes through both through the Lange case that is presented to him, as well as his growth individually. His journey in general has been dangerous, putting him in a vulnerable state but never fully achieving it, having Rust in a cathartic state of progression where although the road was arduous, it always ends with him having a safe process of introspection. This path was just like a wheel where he repeated over and over again aspects of his life that he had already lived (Time is a flat circle) but thanks to communication these repetitive aspects had a significant change. The clearest example of this is his relationship with Marty Hart; in the series they had a partnership that while solid was undeniably chaotic. Marty did not want to listen to Rust and Cohle could not stop spouting his pessimistic ideology until the issue related to Maggie happened which made them separate. It wasn't until 2012 that Rust swallowed his depressing verbiage in order to talk to Marty and he, took his time to listen to Cohle and support him in his plan. Changing their relationship and the situation through communication. Precisely to this, both were able to give the due justice that the case deserved and finally Rust was able to be a little warmer with himself, finally accepting the past that haunted him and taking the first step to self-healing.

Of course, the Raidho rune and the symbol on Rust's chest are not the same because as I mentioned earlier, Cohle's tattoo is (probably) a composite symbol but the resemblance both physically of the rune and allegorically to the detective's ideology is something worth mentioning. Rustin Cohle's first step in understanding his pain and being able to allow himself to open up honestly and vulnerably with someone as he did with Marty was to be humble about his feelings. Humility was an important factor in this, as well as dealing humanely with his penance given by the past. These two issues are ideological characteristics given in the Christian symbol of the inverted cross of St. Peter. According to tradition, Peter asked to be crucified upside down because he did not consider himself worthy of dying in the same way as his master, Jesus of Nazareth. However, in other contexts the inverted cross is often used as a symbol of atheism, humanism and occultism. This is also notoriously seen in Rust's philosophy as we know that the belief in something greater than the human being which governs the commandments of humanity seems ridiculous to him. A simple stoic belief to alleviate the rottenness of reality. That is why perhaps that rune was transformed according to Rust's philosophy (which makes sense, Josh Lord does not do work without tying up loose ends; much less from the hand of Joji Fukunaga).

While we don't have an exact answer about the meaning of the tattoos of our endearing and cold-hearted detective, I like the idea of trying to unravel the hidden meanings among the symbols that physically characterize his personality, trying to investigate as logically and clearly as possible the probable exact representations of Rust's philosophy embodied in his skin. I believe that the series is so well designed that even the smallest details count and that's why I took the time to try to dig into the secrets of what Rust's tattoos want to tell us.

If you made it this far, thank you so much for taking the time to read this mini-essay! It was really fun to do, I think that while I'm not sure what his tattoos really mean; I was able to better understand Rust in different and meaningful ways. I hope someday we can know for sure what they mean (although part of me doesn't want to, because that would take the fun out of it). I'd really appreciate it if you could leave a like if you found it informative or entertaining, comment on what you thought, if you have any other theories of its possible meaning or reblog this mini-essay so more people interested in True Detective could see it! A kiss to whoever reads this and I hope the Yellow King never finds you! 💛

[flowxrtimmy]

After Show Punishment

When Niall performs your favorite song while you’re away from tour for a few days, you decide to take matters into your own hands when you return.

**this is my first time ever writing niall smut i realize it may not be 100% accurate please bear with me**

You were sitting in Niall’s tour bus, waiting for him to come back after his show. While you were on tour with him, you had to take a quick flight back home to take care of some things at the house. While you were home, though, you learned through TikTok that while you were gone, Niall performed “Put A Little Love On Me” for the first time on the American leg of the tour. To say you were shocked to hear this was an understatement. Niall knew that was your favorite song to hear live, and while touring abroad, he always made sure you were in view of the stage before performing it. You were so annoyed with him, you didn’t even tell him what show you were coming back for. Once everything was taken care of, you just got on a plane to the next city, and waited until you knew he was on stage to take an Uber to the venue. Getting backstage wasn’t an issue at all, but you had to be sneaky so Niall wouldn’t see you. This led to right now, waiting in the tour bus for him to come back. Usually you two spend time alone in the bus right after the show, since his band members have a different bus and his crew is breaking down.

You glanced at the clock, 10:15pm. Niall would be back soon. He was probably performing Slow Hands right now, so you stood up, and removed your silky red robe, wearing just a green lace teddy that he had gotten you for Christmas. It was his favorite one, but that might not be true after tonight. Tossing the robe on one of the booth seats, you sat back on the couch, leaning back and crossing your legs as you eagerly awaited Niall’s return.

Ten minutes had passed when you heard the door to the bus open. Immediately you sat up straight, setting your hands on your top knee as you turned your attention to the door. Niall stepped onto the bus, still obviously sweaty from performing. Setting down his water bottle, you could tell he didn’t see you yet. It wasn’t until after he slipped off his shoes and socks that he looked up, and locked eyes with you. “Babe? I didn’t know you were coming back tonight!” He walked towards you with a smile, but stopped dead in his tracks once he realized what you were wearing. “Woah, is that for me?” He walks towards you, a smirk growing on his face.

You manage to stand before it gets too close, taking a few steps back from him. “Oh no, not so fast Niall.” You folded your arms in front of you, trying to look tough and not cave at the cute look of confusion on his face. “This isn’t one of those nights.”

He looked so confused, but thought for a moment as to why you could be upset with him, and then it hit him. His eyes widened with realization, and he quickly grabbed your hands. “Oh baby, I’m so sorry! We started playing it at soundcheck, and just decided to play it for the concert. I tried to steer the band towards Paper Houses, but they insisted, I am so, so sorry!”

As you listened to his apology, you almost caved, but stood your ground, pulling your hands away from his. “I don’t think sorry is going to cut it, Niall. I was really hurt.” Seeing his sad, remorseful eyes killed you. “I think you should strip down.”

He raised a brow, but obeyed, pulling his tank top over his head. “Babe, I really am sorry, I just want you to know that.” He told you as he tossed his shirt aside before undoing his pants and pulling them off his legs, leaving him in just his red boxer briefs.

“I know you are, Niall, but I want you to show me how sorry you are.” Once he was stripped, you grabbed his hand, pulling him back to the room at the end of the bus. You weren’t sure of your exact plan, but that didn’t matter now. You were in control tonight, not Niall. Once you reached the bedroom, you released his hand. “Get on the bed.” You told him, stepping off to the side, smiling as he obeyed and took a seat. “Now, lay back, you can call me whatever you see fit."

He was nervous, but laid back on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. He tried not to look over as he heard you rummaging through a drawer, wanting to let you have your moment. He knew he messed up, and if doing this meant making it up to you, then he’ll go along with it. “I’ll do whatever it takes, babe.”

You smirked as you heard that. He was putty in your hands, and now the fun can begin. You turned to him, a cock ring in one hand, and a pair of handcuffs in the other. As his eyes widened when he saw what you were holding, your smirk just grew. “What’ll it be, baby?” Now that you were standing here, you wished you hadn’t grabbed the ring, since you weren’t even sure how it worked, and it would ruin the whole mistress concept if Niall had to explain it to you.

Niall pondered for a moment, and nodded towards the cuffs. “The handcuffs, please, Miss.” He could tell you weren’t confident with the ring, he could just tell by your eyes. He had to admit, it was interesting to see how you took charge, and was secretly looking forward to how this turned out.

Your stomach flipped when he called you “miss”, but you nodded, setting the ring down before walking to him. You took his hands, moving them above his head. “Good boy, now let’s get started.” Taking the cuffs, you looped one around each wrist, securing them above Niall’s head. “There, perfect!” You took a step back to admire your boyfriend restrained on the bed, and smiled wide. Climbing on top of the bed, you straddled Niall’s waist, resting against his clothed member. His eyes widened as you began to gently grind down against him, but he kept his mouth shut. You liked that he stayed silent, maybe it was shock, maybe it was pure curiosity, but you wanted it to stay that way. “We have to make sure you don’t do what you did again, don’t we Niall?” You picked up the pace, not breaking eye contact. “You have to learn a lesson, right?” You asked, giving him permission to speak.

“Yes, ma’am, you’re right. What I did was bad, I hurt you and didn’t fully think of how my actions would make you feel.” He had a look of shame on his face, he genuinely felt bad for what had happened and that right there almost caused you to snap and just let him free so he could take over, but you had to be strong. You got off of him, then pulled the boxer briefs down his legs, smirking at his already hard dick.

“Aw, that’s cute, babe.” You spoke, wrapping a hand around it, getting on your knees on the bed next to him. “Now, I’m going to allow you to audibly react, okay?” Once you got a nod of understanding from him, you leaned over and brought his dick into your mouth, almost taking all of it at once due to muscle memory, but stopping yourself about halfway down. This was just as much of an adjustment for you as it was for him. While you heard him let out a loud moan, all you could think about was the hurt you felt. Was this a silly thing to be hurt over? Actually, not really, you had every right to be upset with him, and now it was being dealt with.

He leaned his head back, shutting his eyes. “Oh fuck, feels so good baby.” He knew he was in trouble, but this was a nice surprise after a long day of soundchecks and performing. However, he certainly noticed when you only went down halfway, and that was killing him. Sure, this was part of his punishment, but he definitely wasn’t used to you holding back, and he wanted you to speed up a bit, but he wouldn’t dare ask in fear of prolonging being able to finish. He honestly felt kind of stupid for letting this happen, he should’ve tried harder to convince the band to do a different song, but he didn’t want to upset them. However, he knew he didn’t make the right choice solely because he ended up upsetting you instead.

You felt powerful, having him in such a submissive position, knowing you had full control over when or even if he came. You slowly moved your head back and forth, making sure to keep a snail’s pace just to tease him even more. Hearing his small yet frustrated moans only fueled your desire for his punishment, and you were going to make him beg. To give him a false sense of hope, you sped up a bit, moving your head in a more fluid motion, before halting and slowing back down again. You heard him mutter out a “fer fucks sake” and mentally gave yourself a pat on the back before pulling off completely and looking up at him. “Huh, I’m feeling kind of bored, maybe I should take a break.”

He quickly shook his head when you said that, a puppy dog look in his eyes. “Oh baby, please don’t, I promise I’ll be a good boy from now on! I’ll even let you dictate the setlist!”

You frowned, shaking your head. “No, it’s your tour babe, I’m just not happy about the choice you made.” You didn’t give him a chance to respond, just brought his dick right back into your mouth, swirling the tongue around the tip. You knew that drove him crazy, and had been waiting for the right time to pull it out.

“Oh baby, you’re so good to me, I’m sorry I hurt you, I promise I won’t do it again.” He considered not telling you he was close, but knew that would only get him into more trouble. “I’m close baby, so close.” He moaned out, leaning his head back against the pillow, and letting out a frustrated whine when he felt you pull off once more. “Please, baby! Please let me finish, I’ll be such a good boy!”

You had to admit, you weren’t THAT strong, and hearing him beg was killing you. As fun as this was, you wanted him just as bad now, so without another word, you brought his full length in, and you could hear the relief in his moan. You moved your head back and forth in a fluid motion, all while reaching up and gently playing with his balls.

“Oh fuck, taking daddy’s dick so well, aren’t ya lass?” When Niall pulled out the Irish slang, that’s how you knew he was close. However, you weren’t having the “daddy” part, you were still in charge and he needed to learn that the hard way. You pulled off his dick, looking him dead in the eyes.

“You are not in charge here. I am, and you will talk to me as such.” His eyes filled with confusion and surprise, but you held your ground, and stood up. “I think I’m going to let you think about what you’ve done.”

His eyes went wide, and he quickly shook his head. “Oh baby, please don’t leave me like this, I’m sorry for what I said!” Niall was not used to any of this, being edged, or punished, or left alone unable to take care of his sexual needs, and most of all he hated you being mad at him. “Please, please, don’t leave me like this.”

You stood at the edge of the bed, looking at him and listening to him beg, and sighed.You really need to work on being stronger. “You better not do this again, Horan.” With that, you got back on the bed, bringing his dick into his mouth one last time, full length and all. When you and Niall started dating a couple years ago, you couldn’t take more than half of him in without gagging, and you were proud of how much you’ve improved. You kept at a good speed, and you felt happy when he started using the slang again.

“Oh fuck lass, I’m so close, you’re so good.” He threw his head back on the pillows, shutting his eyes as he felt you picking up the pace, your tongue swirling around his dick. If there’s one thing he loved, it was getting sucked off by you, and although this experience nearly had him in tears, he’d do it again if it meant keeping you happy.

Enjoying his praise, you upped the speed a bit, your hand having found its way to his balls again. The only sound that filled the room was Niall’s moans and him begging for more, and with you gradually speeding up, it wasn’t long until he finally shot his load down your throat, a breathy “fuck!” escaping his mouth. You pulled off, swallowing the rest of it before looking at him with a smirk. “How was that, baby?” You asked as you grabbed the key to the cuffs, going up and freeing his hands from them and tossing them aside. “Your arms must be tired.”

Once he was free, he grabbed you and pulled you into his arms, kissing the top of your head. “It’s okay, I know I had to learn a lesson, I really am sorry, baby. I didn’t take the time to think about how it would affect you.” He rubbed your back, looking at you with sad eyes.

You looked back at him with a small smile. “I forgive you baby. You were such a good boy, taking your punishment so well.” You pulled the covers over your bodies, and snuggled up to him while he gently hummed Put A Little Love On Me while his hand traveled down your side.

[queen-dahlia]

𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐎𝐤𝐚𝐲?

Note: Translation is not 100% accurate. Expect grammatical errors.

// : alternate translation | ⫘⫘ : flashback

I want to apologize for one thing to the rabbit who became a child.   //   There is one thing I would like to apologize to the little rabbit who has become a child.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Gilbert: "What are you doing here?"

Tough Guy: "Ah, I’m sure this has nothing to do with you, but stay back, you idiot!"

Gilbert: "What? It's creepy to stare at me."

Gilbert: "Can I crush your eyes?"

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

I thought I was being careful at the time, but I let out murderous intent.

The feeling of the baby rabbit trembling in my arms is still fresh in my mind.

Gilbert: "Emma, please."

Emma: "Wow, sparkles!"

Emma's little hands hold the suncatcher she just bought.

It was made from a collection of colorful gemstones, which scattered light around it through the sunlight.

Emma: "Are you sure?"

Gilbert: "Of course. I'm happy if the little rabbit is happy too.''

Emma: "Thank you. I will make it my treasure!"

Emma was so pleased with the "sparkles" that she wouldn't take her eyes off them.

It's not an uncommon commodity at ore festivals, but for Emma, it doesn't seem to matter.   //   It's not an uncommon item at an ore festival, but that doesn't seem to matter to Emma.

(You don't seem to be forcing yourself to be happy.)

(I hope that the scary memory from earlier will fade away soon...)

Gilbert: "Emma, there's a delicious sweet shop over there."

Emma: "Sweets!"

Gilbert: "Do you want some?"

Emma: "I want to eat!"

Gilbert: "Let's go, then."

I hold Emma's hand, still distracted by the suncatcher, and start walking away.

As I was about to head to the candy shop I wanted to visit, I felt a small resistance.

I stopped my steps and followed the gaze of those round eyes.

Before I knew it, she was staring at a small park in a corner of the city.

In a park that has only recently been developed using national funds,

Children about the same age as Emma are now playing happily.

(Is she… tempted to get in there?)

If it is an adult Emma, I would not let her get involved with people as much as possible because of jealousy, but I have no intention of tying her up as a child.

Perhaps it was because I had very different feelings about (little) Emma than I did about the adult Emma, but I was willing to be forgiving now.

Gilbert: "Go ahead."

Emma huffs as I let go of her hand.   //   When I let go of her hand, Emma gasped.

Emma: "What about Gil?"

Gilbert: "I'll wait here for you."

Emma: "Are you just waiting?"

Gilbert: "Then I'll watch the little rabbit play all day long."

Gilbert: "If you look like you’re having fun, I’m having fun too."

Emma: "…"

Emma's gaze keeps going back and forth between me and the park.

After making a pretense of hesitation, a small hand grasped my cold fingers.

Emma: "I knew it."   //   "As I thought."

Gilbert: "Why?"

Emma: "Because I wanted to be with Gil."

Gilbert: "It's written all over your face that you want to play with those kids."

Emma: "That's not true!"

Gilbert: "I know a liar when I see one."

Emma: "Then I'll play with Gil!"

Emma puffs out her cheeks and starts walking, pulling me by the hand.

The destination seemed to be in the park, and when I stopped in front of a swing, she asked me to sit down with her gaze.

Gilbert: "Maybe you'd have more fun playing with the other kids than me?"

Emma: "It's much more fun with Gil!"

(Did you care about me?)

(No, no matter how Emma is, she's still a child, so I can't believe that.)

When I give up and sit on the swing, Emma jumps onto my lap.

(... I can't help it.)

When I swung Emma slowly so she wouldn't fall, her innocent face blossomed. **

Emma: "Gil, more, more!"

Gilbert: "Emma has courage, doesn’t she?"

I kick the ground, thinking about my physical strength and trying to live up to expectations because I have been hoped for.   //   Since I was expected to, I tried to live up to her expectations and kicked the ground while thinking about my physical strength.

Although Emma was innocently enjoying herself, there was something smoldering in her chest.

══════════════════

Emma: "Sparkle... sparkle..."

Back at the Imperial Castle, Emma never gets tired of looking at the suncatchers.

I could even hear what sounded like singing and could tell what kind of mood she was in.

Gilbert: "Do you like it that much?"

When I sat down a little further away and asked, Emma turned around quickly.

Emma: "Yeah! It's so beautiful."

Emma: "And you know what, those sparkles... they're just like Gil's eyes!"

A small finger indicated a red gemstone that stood out among the suncatchers made of multiple gems.

(Speaking of...)

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Emma: "But you know what sparkles the most?"

Gilbert: "Oh, isn't that a gem?"

Emma: "Nope!"

Emma: "Gil's red eye is the most sparkling and beautiful."

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

I chuckle at the memory.

Gilbert: "I wonder if my eye sparkles that much."

Emma: "Yeah, it sparkles. But you know..."

Emma: "Sometimes the sparkle just disappears."

Gilbert: "Disappear?"

Emma nods, releases her hand from the suncatcher, and runs over on her little feet.

And then she tugged at my clothes and tilted my face as if listening to a secret conversation.

Emma: "You know, you know."

Emma: "When Gil isn't sparkling, he looks lonely."

little Emma is talking about Gil's eye here.

Gilbert: "…"

(... It's my first time hearing that.)

(Yeah, but... maybe it's the difference between keeping your eyes down or not.)

Adults and children alike always look up when Emma is around.

I can't take my eyes off Emma, and when the sunlight hits her, her eyes may seem to sparkle.

(But I don't really pay much attention to the others.)

Of course, it's not like I haven't seen it at all, but I'm not interested.

I've never been conscious of it, but I seem to spend more time with my eyes downcast.

(Emma, as a child, is really watching closely.)

As I admire her, Emma raises her hands up.

When I picked her up, she looked like she was in a "hold me" pose, but when I picked her up, her little hands grabbed the fluff (of the cape) firmly—

Emma: "See, it's still sparkling."

Emma: "Sparkling like jewels!"

Her innocent eyes peered into my face, and my cheeks unconsciously relaxed.

Gilbert: "... I see."

Gilbert: "Maybe the reason you didn't go to the other kids at the park is because I'm not sparkling anymore?"

Emma: "Yes. When Gil isn't sparkling, things get a little tight here.''

Emma indicated the chest by saying, 'here.'

(I didn't mean to restrict you, though.)

It is no different for child Emma and adult Emma to react to loneliness that has come out unconsciously.

Gilbert: "I'm sorry."

Emma: "…?"

Gilbert: "Hehe, it’s okay if you don’t understand."

Gilbert: "In return, gentle one, I'll tell you big brother's secret."   //   "In exchange, I will tell you big brother's secret, who is kind to you."

Emma's eyes light up in response to the word "secret."

(I think you're more sparkly than I am.)

Gilbert: "When big brother is sparkling, that's when he thinks, "I love you, little rabbit.""

Emma: "!"

Gilbert: "But don't tell anyone, because it's embarrassing."

Emma: "All right!"

Emma clings happily with a big smile on her face.

(You probably knew intuitively that I was a scary person in the back alley...)

(You still feel attached to me.)

Gilbert: "You're so cute… Please love me forever."   //   "You're so cute… You'll always love me."

Emma: "Yes! Gil, you'll always, always love me, too."

Gilbert: "Hmm, of course."

(I know my "likes" are not always good for you, but...)

That is not something I should say to the little baby rabbit.

Gilbert: "Don't forget your promise to big brother, okay?"

[cr33pyp4sta]

How would the Creepypasta’s react to an autistic reader

This is based on my own experiences and I’d not a general thing that we all experience as all autistic experiences aren’t the same. This may not be accurate with their personalities.

Slender man

He knew about your autism when he took you let you into the mansion

Has a lot of internalised ableism

Tried to keep it slightly quieter

Doesn’t talk a lot so noise is not a problem with him

Jeff

He is an absolute pain

He always will touch you randomly

He will always yell in your ear

He has 100% broke your ear defenders

Will always make sure you get thrown out of your schedule

Toby

He understands how it feels to be treated differently because of a disability

Will protect you from jeff

Will try his best to respect your boundaries

Apologies a lot when his tics are EXTREMELY loud

Is very impressed with how quick you can solve math problems

Ben

If you have a video game related special interest will always be there to talk to you about it

Will accidentally be really loud

Is great to info dump to

Is quite understanding

Doesn’t understand how you stick to such a strict routine

E.J

Is quite understanding

Will let you listen to you info dump

Will tell you some cool biology facts

Is never loud

Doesn’t like physical touch either

Sorry it’s short I have been up for almost a whole day

[gunnerfc]

By Your Side | Cloé Lacasse x CAN!Reader

summary: tearing your ACL is never fun, but having your girlfriend by your side makes it feel less scary

warnings: none other than this being a little angsty?

WC: 1.2K

AN: I know nothing about ACL tears so apologies in advance if it's not 100% accurate! 

to the anon that requested this, im sorry this took forever but I hope you enjoy nonetheless :)

may make a part 2 where R comes back after recoverying!

You normally enjoyed attending camps with the national team since it meant being able to see your girlfriend. While Cloé played in England with Arsenal, you were playing in Los Angeles with Angel City. However, waking up this morning before the game against The United States, you felt a nervous feeling taking over your body. You thought it was simply because of the rivalry between the two teams but as it got closer to kick off, the nervousness continued to consume you. 

Sitting in the locker room next to Jessie, you tried to tune out the loudness of some of your teammates and instead focus on prepping for the game. You had made the starting eleven because of all the hard work you had put in during practice but that did nothing to lessen your uneasy feeling. 

You were too deep in your thoughts to notice that Jessie had gotten up and her seat now being occupied by Cloé. The blonde could see the worry written across your face and like you, assumed it was because of the rivalry. 

“You’re gonna do great, y/n/n,” the blonde spoke just loud enough for you to hear her over your teammates’ music. 

You were brought out of your thoughts at the sound of her voice, turning to give her a small smile in appreciation for her words but you didn’t respond. You reached out a hand to hold onto hers and gave it a quick squeeze just as Bev alerted the subs they needed to head to the bench and for the starters to make their way to the tunnel. A quick speech was given but you were more focused on Cloé’s hand in yours. 

Cloé held on to your hand the entire walk to the tunnel, only letting go so you could find your spots in the line. As she let go, she gave you one last reassuring squeeze hoping to help your nerves. You were grateful for her trying to help, but it unfortunately didn’t. 

You did your best to focus on the walkout and anthems, hoping that once the ref blew the whistle, you would be ready to go. For the most part, that’s what happened. Once the game had started, you diverted your focus to the game rather than your nervous thoughts. 

The first half ended with both sides still at zero but that doesn’t mean it was uneventful. The rivalry was in full swing as both teams played a bit more aggressively than they would against a different opponent. A total of five yellow cards was handed out in the first forty-five, meaning a lot of players would have to be extra careful in the second half. 

The short break in between halves went by quicker than you would have liked but it meant less time to dwell on your feelings. As you walked out to the field, Cloé jogged past you, giving you a small shoulder bump and a smile as she passed. You sent her a quick smile before she turned away, heading to her position on the wing. 

The second half started just like the first ended, both teams playing a bit messy, fouling each other left and right. The scoreline remained at zero-zero with neither team getting a good opportunity to score, until the 75th minute. The US had gotten a shot on goal that Kailen blocked, sending it out for a corner kick for the States. 

You stood at the edge of the box, ready to get any ball that was cleared your way. You could feel the presence of one of the US players near you but you focused your attention on the ball. As the ball was kicked into the box, one of your teammates got a head to it first, sending it your way. The ball connected with your feet and as you turned to start your run down the field, you felt a harsh tackle that sent you to the ground. 

You felt a sharp pain in your knee, unable to move to get up. Tears instantly welled up in your eyes as you turned your head trying to hide your face from the large crowd that was now silent. All you could hear was the ref blowing her whistle, most likely to alert the medical staff that they were needed. You heard some shouts from your teammates but you couldn't make out what they were saying, too in pain to concentrate.

You felt two hands on your ribs and shoulder, knowing it was Cloé right away. You knew her touch so well that even in an insane amount of pain, you knew it was her. 

You weren’t paying attention to what she was saying, only making out “is it your leg” before the medical staff were by your side, asking the same questions.

All you could do was nod as they quickly started assessing your knee. Cloé hated seeing you in any kind of pain, but knowing that it could be the dreaded three-letter injury, she felt heartbroken for you. The blonde moved to wipe the tears off your face and some of the pieces of grass that had stuck to your forehead as the staff called for a stretcher. 

Your teammates who were now huddled around you gave the medical staff space as they lifted you onto the stretcher, some of them giving you a quick pat on your stomach as you were lifted up. Cloé gave you a quick kiss on your forehead before you got too far from her, watching as you gave a small thumbs-up to the Canadian supporters who traveled for the game. 

You spent the rest of the game in the locker room getting looked at by all the team doctors, They all came to the same conclusion, you had torn your ACL, but you should still go to the local hospital for it to be confirmed. You asked for them to let you be to process the diagnosis and they left you in the small medical room. You didn’t have much time to process anything before your girlfriend joined you.

“Did they say what it was,” the blonde asked as she entered the room. She knew it was your ACL but there was still a small part of her that hoped that maybe it wasn’t. 

“ACL tear,” was all you could get out without crying again. You knew how long and painful this injury could be and it was daunting. 

Cloé was quick to your side, holding your hands tightly in hers as she held back her own tears. 

“I’ll be by your side the whole time, y/n/n. You won’t have to do this alone,” the blonde spoke, her voice cracking more with each word. Hearing your girlfriend's words brought a small, sad smile to your face. 

“I know, I don't think I could do this without you,” you whispered as you gave her hands a tight squeeze.

Cloé leaned down to give you a quick kiss on your lips before giving you another forehead kiss. You knew this injury was going to be an uphill battle but with your girlfriend and teammates by your side, it would be a whole lot easier than doing it alone.

[judesmoonbeauty]

Ellis Twilight Both Ends Bonus Story 🗡

Fan translation only. Not 100% accurate. Please expect grammatical errors. This is a SUMMARY/Semi-Translation of the bonus story. I am roughly translating this with out much research other than specific lines from certain scenes. Why? Because it's a huge task to translate a main route chapter line by line. So, this is what we're working with, and I appreciate your understanding ♥︎ Cybird owns everything. Re-blogs are appreciated, but please do not post my translations elsewhere. The summaries will be uploaded in groups.

I thought my love would make my loved ones unhappy. So I tried to only think about the other person.…..I think about my brother smiling happily that day. But I also suspect that I may have twisted my own memory. - I think he was actually very frightened. Like the lives I took for Crown. Such thoughts blur my brother’s smile that day. The truth is, I can’t even remember the look on my brother’s face at that moment anymore.

Ellis is waiting for Kate outside of a store. It’s been about 10 minutes since she’s entered and he’s getting antsy with worry about being approached by strange people. As he debates if he should go look for her or not he sees her through the shop window and is put at ease, but she was chatting with a man amicably inside which Ellis notes that she’s smiling at the man as he opens the door for her. He wonders about who the guy is and then Kate runs up to him apologizing about keeping him waiting. They talk about the man she was speaking with and he apparently helped in the past as a postal worker by drawing a map for her. Ellis called the guy a “nice person”, but was analyzing the guy in his head; he didn’t seem to have any ulterior motives, and his smile seemed genuine, plus he held the door for her. At this point, Ellis seems to compare himself to that man with himself because that guy can offer to help someone in a very natural versus Ellis who can not do that since he wants to kill someone even more if he likes them more.

He recalls his Dad telling him the day his brother died that, “Killing people and laughing about it is something demons do….Repent and atone and you may still be forgive.”

(Forgive me? Who?)

(I just wanted him to stay happy.)

(Is the way I show my love unforgivable?)

Kate is the only one he’s really confided to about his past and more and more he’s getting selfish with wanting her to love him. Because only she has forgiven him. He offers to carry the bags for him, but she refuses and it shocks him, so he let’s her carry them. He’s sad that he can’t hold hands with her, so he wraps his arms around her shoulders instead and they head back to the castle.

(I wonder if you’d be offended if I told you that I was a little anxious?)

There is a flashback to when he rescued her and she confesses that she accepts Ellis for wanting to keep the happiness of his loved ones within his grasp.

Flashing forward to the present. Jude & Ellis who’ve just finished a mission, he tells Jude that he’s sure it’s normal to feel pain when you kill someone, and Jude is like: Oh?? He wipes off the blood-soaked knife before he sheaths it; staring at the puddle of blood that spreads like splattered jam, Ellis says: “But, I’m not bothered to do this kind of work.”

(Kate is kind enough to grieve.)

The guy at the grocery store, I wonder if she’d be happier if he were her lover instead.

(But I could never let that guy take Kate away from me.)

(I don’t think I could tolerate it.)

Jude: Huh, what? Ya wanna be “normal”?

Ellis: ….no.

I don’t want to be someone else. Kate said she liked me because I’m me. It’s just -

(What can I do to make Kate smile?)

(I keep thinking about it.)

That night at the castle Kate greets Ellis when he gets back home, who was reading in his room. Kate had recently been taking an interest in Ellis’ and Jude’s work and so she decided to study up on business material. It was a serious task, but Ellis thinks it’s wonderful. Ellis didn’t let her go on the mission tonight because of the level of difficulty and because it was going to be so bloody that he wanted to protect her from it. So, she waited up for him so they could have a drink together.

She said that she’ll get the drinks ready in a set of new mugs that have matching designs on them. Ellis asked if the mugs were from her secret shopping trip before lunch earlier that day, and she confesses it was. As she offers herbal teak, hot milk or alcohol to him, he approaches her from behind and hugs her from behind and says that he prefers Kate over those options. Rubbing her cheek against his arm she says okay, feeling his hands slowly crawl up body.

(Kate’s so soft.)

It’s so different from his own, so when he touches it he gets worried.

(It’s too easy to break.)

Ellis pulls down the top of her negligee and slowly squeezes her breasts which makes her moan, and he asks if she likes it when he does this standing behind her. She says that she does because it feels like she is being completely surrounded by him and it makes her happy.

(It’s no good….Kate.)

(You’re too cute.) Ellis kisses and touches her in many of her favorite places, and even though he wants to make Kate feel good, he is painfully aroused….

Ellis: Then, I’ll do you from behind today.

Kate: Ah……

Kate squeezes his fingers inside her and Ellis pushes Kate onto the bed.

(Oh…..)

(My head is a mess.) ……Which one love???

I want to feel good. I want to feel good with Kate. He looks at her tear-stained eyes.

(It looks like Kate wants to feel good with me too….)

(Is it my imagination or….I don’t know.)

For you, for me, it’s all a jumbled mess..

Kate: Ahhhh!

Ellis: ……Ah…..Ah…..

Ellis hugs Kate’s sleeping body in the middle of the night and thinks she sounds cute. Sometimes, he thinks that they’ve reached their happiest moment as he loves her with his bloodstained hands, for another day. He dreams of the day when his dirtied with her blood.

(…..I want to stay like this forever.)

(With you in my arms.)

(I want to stare at your happy sleeping face.)

The end of this happiness, I don’t want it to come either. The moment you’re killed by me Kate is also the moment -

(Oh.)

Kate slowly lifts her eyelids and look at him drowsily and she laughs at Ellis. He asks why she’s laughing at him and she says it’s because she woke up, and Ellis was right next to her and she thought she was happy.

-No matter how much I dread tomorrow. Even though I’m not sure if you’ll really be smiling on that day that will come someday.

(I can’t help but love this person.)

Ellis: Kate….

Kate: What….?

Ellis: I love you.

Kate: ….Hm.

Ellis: I love you, I love you…..I love you.

Kate: Hmm….hehe….what’s up…?

I bury my face into Kate and she holds me to her chest. It smelled like sweetly simmered jam and it made my heart ache.

Kate: ……Ellis, are you crying?

“No,” I almost reflexively said that, but now I don’t have to hide these feelings anymore.

Ellis: …..Yea, because I’m happy.

Ellis: I’m glad because you’re smiling.

Kate: I see…

Kate reached out and patted Ellis’ head.

Kate: I love you too, Ellis.

(I’m willing to be killed right now.) I bet that if I told you that tomorrow morning that I really thought that, you’d laugh again.

I’m sure there will be more of these supremely happy moments waiting for me.

Fin.

[Master List]

[kurishiri]

01┊Dark If —Alfons Sylvatica—

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ @ notice ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱ this translation may not be 100% accurate or contain creative liberties due to characterization or narrative flow purposes. if you enjoy, please consider reblogging, but don’t repost these or claim these as your own!

— cw: implied alcohol consumption, implied dub-con ("consented" while intoxicated; fade to black)

Victor: Miss Kate, may you reach the happiest end with your hands.

V: ——Now, off you go to the twisted fairytale world.

When I awoke, I was on top of the bed within a beautiful castle.

(...This place...)

When I looked around, I realized it was all around silent, as if my surroundings were being blanketed by a curtain of night.

Blond-haired, blue-eyed man: ...Are you awake?

(...Such a pretty person. In fact, I’ve never seen anyone more so than him.)

Blond-haired, blue-eyed man: Good morning, Snow White.

(Wait, I’m Snow White!? So that must mean I was sent to the world of Snow White.)

Kate: ...Um, I apologize for my rudeness seeing as we’ve only just met, but may I ask who you are?

Queen Elbert: ...Elbert. Or as I’m called, ‘the Greedy Queen.’

(This person is the queen?)

In the fairy tale Snow White, the queen was a character who envied the beauty of Snow White, and so she tried to use a poisoned apple to kill her.

(So this person might be the perpetrator of this world’s flaws?)

Kate: ...And why am I in this castle?

Queen Elbert: That’s because the hunter, Roger...

—— Flashback ——

Roger the Hunter: Hey, you there? This lil lady here fainted in the forest.

Queen Elbert: ...I am here.

—— End flashback ——

Kate: The nerve he has to treat people like objects! ...But, thank you for saving me.

This world was slightly different from the events of its fairy tale.

(...It must be because of that ‘missing thing.’)

Queen Elbert: ...Snow White.

Kate: Y-yes...

His [1] rather intense staring rendered me stiff as the beautiful queen tilted his head.

Queen Elbert: Are you hungry?

He took me to the dining room table, where a plethora of dishes were lined up.

(Whoa...there’s fluffy bread, corn potage, and even dessert!)

(Wait, wait, but what if there’s poison in them...)

Queen Elbert: ...Is there something you are unable to eat?

Kate: Ah, um... no.

He pulled back the seat, urging me to sit, before he sat one chair’s length away.

It was as though he was being considerate of how cautious I was.

Kate: Why go this far for me? This is the first time we’ve met, after all.

Queen Elbert: ...Why, you ask... I am looking for the most beautiful thing in the world.

Queen Elbert: And perhaps you may be that very thing.

The smile in his blue eyes was laced with madness and beautifully frightening,

but that faded the next moment like a summer mirage.

Queen Elbert: ...That, and I did not want you to be alone.

Kate: Alone?

Queen Elbert: ...I was thinking being alone the first thing you wake up would be quite lonely.

Madness and kindness... I felt both were a part of his true feelings, and I felt the caution slowly melt away.

Kate: I, too, am looking for a ‘missing thing.’

Queen Elbert: Oh, then... maybe asking Al would do you good.

Kate: Al?

Queen Elbert pointed to a single portrait,

where he and the profile of another person was painted.

Queen Elbert: He is my attendant, Alfons Sylvatica. And he is my mirror.

Kate: A mirror...

Queen Elbert: He will tell me whether something is beautiful... along with many other things.

(Um, so basically I should go and see this Alfons the Mirror person?)

Kate: And where might he be?

Queen Elbert: ??...? (O_O)

Queen Elbert: ...I wonder.

(What.)

After getting permission from Queen Elbert, I searched within the castle, but...

(He’s not here.)

(Or here.)

(He’s nowhere to be found! Which means he’s not in the castle then?)

???: You seem to be in quite a pinch, Snow White. If you’re looking for Alfons the Mirror, he’s at the pub.

(Wh—just now, someone’s voice...)

There on the windowsill was a small bird, the color of night.

Kate: A talking bird...?

Little bird: Talking I do. Here is the twisted fairytale world. So things here might go beyond what you know as common sense.

(I guess that’s true...)

Kate: So he’s at the pub? Thank you for telling me.

Little bird: Oh, and be careful so the back of your neck doesn’t get touched. For he possesses the ability to temporarily overwrite your perceptions.

Little bird: Well then, I’ll be going now!

And so, I left the castle and stepped into the pub, where a salacious fragrance wafted.

(That jet-black haired man from that portrait...)

Alfons the Mirror: For the Snow White who has awakened from her slumber. Would you care for an apple, by any chance?

Alfons the Mirror: ...Ahh, such lines do seem to reflect Elbie well, I’d say.

There he was, the person from the portrait.

Kate: Are you Alfons?

Alfons the Mirror: Indeed, I am that ‘Alfons’ in the flesh. And what brings you waltzing into a place like this so nonchalantly?

Alfons the Mirror: And here I was thinking you would rather be spoiled rotten by that collecting-crazed queen.

(If I’m to get any information, I need to speak openly about the situation I’ve been put into.)

Kate: Actually...

—— Time skip ——

Alfons the Mirror: So you wish to find this ‘missing thing’ to return to reality, I see. And why is it so important that you find it?

Kate: Huh?

Alfons the Mirror: I would imagine there is a mountain of ways you can return back? What need is there to get so bent on finding this missing thing?

Kate: And what other methods are you talking about?

Alfons the Mirror: Oh, you know, hitting your head somewhere, drowning in some river, or dropping dead then and there, all that jazz.

(...Some ‘methods’ those are...)

From the few minutes we’ve been talking, it was more or less pretty clear to me that this person was quite villainous.

Kate: It may be as you say. But... I can’t think that I’m the only one that needs saving.

K: If I find the root of this missing thing, this world won’t be twisted any longer. That is my happy end.

Alfons: Ahha! You foolishly earnest soul, you.

A: Compared to protecting yourself, the fact that this world is twisted and the matters of others is such trivial matters, you know.

Kate: You didn’t need to call me foolish... but anyway, is there a missing thing in this world then?

Alfons the Mirror: Maybe? Or maybe not.

Kate: Then do your best to remember.

Alfons the Mirror: Hmm... it does seem to be on the tip of my tongue...

With an ostentatious air about him, Alfons handed me a cocktail, yellow in color.

Alfons the Mirror: Then, until I remember, may I ask you to join me for a cup?

Kate: ...But, I’m in the middle of searching...

Alfons the Mirror: But that thing won’t be found in a day or two, no? If you don’t take a breather once in a while, it’s going to bite you back, you know.

The voice in my ear and the cocktail he swirled before me caused my rationale to waver a bit.

(...He may have a point. It is true I’ve always been feeling a bit tense.)

Kate: Then... I’ll have a little.

Alfons the Mirror: By all means, go on and down it all. Master, one for me as well.

—— Time skip ——

In a small room at the back of the pub, two shadows swayed.

Alfons the Mirror: Hehe, come now... walk a bit more steady, why don’t you.

Kate: mmm...hic, I gan’t dring...any more...

Alfons the Mirror: Aha, you’re drunk through and through, I see.

When Alfons tried to lay Kate down on the bed, she grabbed tightly around his neck.

Alfons the Mirror: Oh dear...

Such a gesture stemmed from innocence, as if she was a child who lost her way back.

Alfons the Mirror: You shouldn’t embrace men with such a lonely look.

Alfons’ fingers slipped to the back of Kate’s neck as he murmured in her ear.

Alfons the Mirror: I am your very precious lover. Now then, surrender your body and heart to me...

Kate: ...Al...fons?

Alfons the Mirror: How about we forget about aaall the troublesome stuff...

to be continued…

← prologue [@.nightghoul381] next →

NOTES:

[1] I'm unsure about exactly what pronouns to use here; it was unclear (due to the way pronouns and subjects can be dropped or implied in Japanese). In Elbert's dark if story, for the majority he is referred to with feminine pronouns, and he's referred to as a queen here. I just decided to use masculine pronouns here, but just note it could very much be feminine too.

masterlist 🗝️ ┋ ko-fi ☕️ ┋ comms🤍

[nightghoul381]

Dark If ~ Ellis Twilight

This a fan translation so it is definitely not 100% accurate. I do not own anything related to Ikemen Villains. Support Cybird by buying their amazing stories!

Prologue | Part 1 | Part 2 | Bitter End | Premium End | Epilogue

It’d been several days since I came to the castle… but the situation remained at a stalemate.

No matter how much I begged, the wizard said he wouldn’t lift my curse, or extend the deadline.

(I’m forbidden to even leave the castle, so I’m at a loss…)

What made it even more difficult for me, was Ellis.

Ever since I found out about Ellis and Jude’s relationship, I’ve been avoiding him.

(Even this morning…)

--Flashback—

Ellis of Thorns: “Good morning, Kate. I’ve brought your breakfast.”

Ellis of Thorns: “Today we have your favorite, freshly baked bread and raspberry jam.”

Kate: “…”

Ellis of Thorns: “… I don’t mind if you don’t talk to me, but please eat your meal or I’ll be worried.”

Ellis of Thorns: “Without water, nutrients, and sunlight, you won’t thrive…”

--End Flashback—

Remembering the sad look on Ellis’ face as he left, my sense of guilt grew again.

(I really want to be friends with him like before, but I can’t seem to find a way to do it…)

To refresh myself, I visited the garden on the castle grounds, where beautiful flowers, medicinal herbs, and thorns grew.

When I see thorns, I think of him—

Kate: “…Ellis.”

Half-consciously, I was rolling his name around in my mouth.

At that moment, the thorns in the garden began to wriggle toward me-- and a white flower suddenly bloomed.

(…It’s like he’s trying to cheer me up because I’m feeling down.)

(Now that I think about it, I used to see thorns as a friend long ago.)

When I was little, I was a princess, so I didn’t’ have anyone to talk to casually and I felt lonely…

So, I would always talk to the thorns growing in the backyard of the castle.

(Like, how I like raspberry jam, and the smell of the day after it rains… just trivial things like that.)

(…Come to think of it, I gave the thorns a name.)

When the gardener tried to cut down the thorns because they were in the way, I gave them a name.

“The thorns are my friend, so please to cut them! He even has a name—”

(But…, what did I name the thorns?)

I tried to remember… but in the end, I couldn’t recall it.

However, after seeing the beautiful thorn flowers, I found the courage to apologize to Ellis for my past behavior.

Kate: “Where is Ellis…?”

As I muttered this, the thorns in the garden began to grow in one direction.

Kate: “Could it be… Are you leading me to Ellis?”

When I asked with some skepticism, white flowers bloomed one after the other as if to say “You’re right.”

Kate: “Thank you, I’ll follow you.”

Having grown accustomed to the strangeness of the fairy tale world, I followed after the thorns.

(Oh, there’s Ellis… Is that Jude with him?)

Ellis of Thorns: “—Jude, why won’t you lift Kate’s curse?”

Ellis of Thorns: “Kate, she really wants this.”

Jude the Wizard: “Huh? Don’t ask such an obvious question. It has to do with her illness.”

(To do with my “illness”…?)

(I thought I had a “curse” on me… What does he mean, a disease?)

Kate: “Jude, what does that mean?”

Jude the Wizard: “Since when… Did you hear what I just said?”

Ellis of Thorns: “Jude, it seems like Kate wants to know, so tell her.”

Kate: “Please…!”

Jude the Wizard: “…”

Jude let out a long sigh… and then began to tell me a fact that I didn’t know.

Apparently, I had an illness for which there was no cure and I didn’t have much time left.

Jude, who found out about this by chance, put a curse on me so that I would fall into a 100-year sleep just before I died.

Jude the Wizard: “After you fall asleep, I’ll have 100 years to find a cure and repay your kindness.”

Kate: “Thank you… for trying to help me.”

Kate: “But, why didn’t you clear up the misunderstanding earlier?”

Jude the Wizard: “…The daughter of a foolish king who couldn’t even listen has no room to talk.”

Kate: “I-I’m sorry. That was so rude of my father…”

Kate: “…But, I’m glad I know now.”

Kate: “I’m glad I don’t have to continue my misunderstanding of you, Jude…”

Kate: “And I don’t feel like I’ve been ‘betrayed’ by you any more, Ellis.”

Ellis of Thorns: “…So, can we be friends like before?”

Kate: “As long as it’s okay with you, Ellis… I’m sorry for being so cold towards you up until now.”

Ellis of Thorns: “I don’t mind, so you shouldn’t worry about it either.”

Seeing Ellis smile softly, like a flower blooming, my heart began to race again.

--As if urging me to become aware of some emotion.

--

That night the misunderstanding was cleared up and I made up with Ellis.

After dinner, Ellis suddenly asked me a question.

Ellis of Thorns: “Should I stop asking Jude to lift the curse?”

Kate: “Of course! Jude’s curse was meant to keep me alive.”

Ellis of Thorns: “…”

Kate: “…Ellis?”

It was an obvious answer to me, but Ellis looked surprised.

I worried that I might have said something strange.

Ellis of Thorns: “That means we don’t have to break the curse…”

Ellis of Thorns: “…Kate, do you want to continue living?”

Kate: “…? Yeah. I have things to do…”

It’d been put off for a while, but I needed to find what was missing from this story and correct the distortion.

(Oh… But once I correct the distortion and return to my original world…)

(I won’t be able to be with Ellis anymore.)

When I first came to the fairy tale world, I thought I had to go back to the real world…

Before I knew it, I had begun to feel like it would be difficult for me to leave this world, and the main reason for that is Ellis.

(I want to spend more time with Ellis.)

(I want to eat delicious food together, see beautiful scenery… and go on a trip, just the two of us.)

(I want to know more about Ellis. I want to see him laugh up close…)

The endless overflowing desires burn painfully in my heart.

(Could this feeling be… love?)

However, now that I’m in a life-or-death situation, I can’t afford to confess.

(I’ve decided… After my illness is cured, I’ll tell Ellis how I feel.)

At that time, I didn’t notice that while I was making this decision, Ellis’ twilight-colored eyes were dark and clouded.

And so began the search for a cure for my illness.

While Jude was the one actually searching for treatments and compounding medicines…

Ellis defeated my pursuers from the royal castle and the assassins targeting Jude.

I provided food, clothing, and shelter for Ellis and Jude, and support them in their daily lives.

--But time passed without any progress.

Jude the Wizard: “…I’m low on medicine ingredients, so I’m heading out. I’ll be back in half a day.”

Although he doesn’t reveal anything about his hardships, Jude looked very exhausted as he left the castle.

(Is it okay to leave it all to Jude? Is there something else I can help with…?)

Ellis of Thorns: “…Kate, that expression, are you thinking about something troubling?”

Kate: “Yeah. It’s frustrating to be able to do nothing but watch…”

Ellis of Thorns: “Is that so… Is there anything I can do?”

Ellis of Thorns: “I like you, so I want to help you.”

Kate: “Huh?”

(I… what does he mean by “I like you”…?)

My face was red and I was in a panic as I studied Ellis’ expression.

But his expression was the same as usual… and it didn’t look like he was confessing anything at all.

Kate: “Just out of curiosity… Ellis, do you like Jude?”

Ellis of Thorns: “Jude? Yeah, I like him. I owe him a favor.”

Kate: “Th-that’s right…”

(…I’m glad I didn’t jump to conclusions. Ellis’ love is the love of friendship!)

Feeling a little disappointed, I pulled myself together and decided to get back to the original problem.

Kate: “Well, for now… I’m going to look into my illness too.”

Kate: “Ellis, can you help me?”

Thus, we visited the study, which we were told was off-limits.

Kate: “There it is!”

Jude’s methodical nature paid off, and I quickly found what I was looking for.

The research reports on my illness were stored in a desk drawer.

Kate: “Um, what is…’The Blight of Thorns’?”

According to the reports, my illness was caused by being pricked by a special thorn that possessed magical powers.

(Thorns? Could that be…)

I remembered the thorns I had been talking to as a child.

(Once upon a time, I was pricked by a thorn from that bush, and I developed a high fever.)

(…I wonder if that’s when I got sick.)

“When the time comes, the thorn that entered the body will grow rapidly inside the patient, destroying the body and causing death.”

“The only solution is to get rid of the thorns by burning them.”

As I continued reading the documents, I found out that Jude had tracked down the thorns growing in the backyard of the castle.

But—

“It’s stubborn and tenacious, and I can’t weed out all the thorns.”

“No matter how much you burn or cut it, it just keeps growing back. I’ve tried everything, but nothing works.”

Kate: “Jude has decided that there’s no way to do anything about the thorns, so he’s looking into other options.”

Ellis of Thorns: “Yeah, he used all sorts of methods. Drowning, freezing, burning…”

Ellis of Thorns: “The most painful one was when he chopped me up.”

(Ellis was also involved with getting rid of the thorns…)

(The thorns are sharp, so if you grab then while chopping them, you could get hurt.)

Ellis of Thorns: “…Hey, Kate.”

Ellis of Thorns: “Kate, do you really want to cure your illness and continue living?”

I want to live, and… I want to talk more and more with Ellis.)

Kate: “Yeah… of course.”

Ellis of Thorns: “I see… that’s what you want right now.”

Ellis of Thorns: “It’s different now… from back then.”

For some reason, Ellis laughed a little sadly.

Kate: “Ellis…?”

Ellis of Thorns: “…I understand your feelings. Let’s go then.”

Ellis of Thorns: “Now, we should be able to kill the thorns.”

Prologue | Part 1 | Part 2 | Bitter End | Premium End | Epilogue

[madlittlecriminal]

Hello! I hope you’re having a great week! I saw your requests were open and it’s the perfect time cause my best friend has just started pointing fingers at me and telling me that I’ve been only talking about myself.

I’ve tried to explain to her that I have a habit of gushing about things I like - as I have ADHD and I am an extrovert - I tend to over share sometimes and she isn’t listening to me. I’ve listened to her before and I’ve tried to listen to her more but she hasn’t reached out to me as much and now it’s making me worry if I did something wrong :( So I may be losing my best friend, I don’t know yet.

Sorry that I put that all on you but I promise it ties with my request.

I was thinking of the reader dating Jaime Reyes and he knows how insecure she is of herself being an extrovert and wanting to share her feelings and excitement with others. And her best friend has started blaming her for not looking out for her best friend and it’s taking a toll on the reader - making her feel like she’s a horrible person.

Khaji Da senses that the reader is feeling down and Jaime confronts her. The reader starts asking Jaime if she’s too much for him to handle and if she’s annoying him. Jaime reminds her everything he loves about her and maybe even shows her through some love making? 😳😳 (only if you’re okay with that).

Also I am 20 by the way in case you want to write smut! Also the emoji I was gonna put down for this request is this little ducky 🦆

Thank you for taking the time to read this, I’m sorry that this is so long, I didn’t know how to shorten it at all without it now making sense. 💜😊

The Listener ➜ Jaime Reyes × Extroverted!Female!Reader

READER HAS ADHD!

im sorry for taking so long to release this! this is obviously through Jaime's eyes (mostly), but as someone who is in Jaime's shoes for this fic (my bf has ADHD), Jaime is kind of self inserted & i apologize. i promise, he still very much Jaime

Warnings: might not be 100% accurate, insecurities, like one joke about him being blue beetle, love bombing because i said so, light smut, praise (?), short

He loved hearing you talk. Not only because he loved the sound of your voice, but because of the light in your eyes when you spoke.

The happiness in your voice was enough to make him feel all warm in fuzzy inside because he he loved seeing you happy. He thought he would catch on when something was wrong, but God, did he feel like crap when he didn't notice it.

You came to see him and your silence was loud...at least to Khaji Da as they were the one who noticed it.

"Jaime, something's wrong with her."

Jaime stopped mid-sentence when he heard the AI's words. He looked over at you and tilted his head to the side. "What's wrong?" He asked as he walked towards you before sitting on the couch next to you.

"Nothing." You gave him a soft smile when your eyes met his, but you can tell he wasn't buying it.

"Tell me, love. What's wrong?"

You exhaled sharply and tugged on the bracelet he gifted you. "Am I annoying?"

He furrowed his brows. "What? Why would you think that?"

"My best friend kind of said I was..."

He clenched his fist on his lap. "Kind of or did she?"

"She did. She said I talk too much and that I was too much for you to handle because I'm extroverted and move around too much."

Jaime snorted and took your hand into his. "Do you have any idea how special you are to me? Listening to you speak is the highlight of my day. Trust me, I look forward to it if it's in person or if it's through the phone. Switch from topics all you want, be as introverted as you please, move around as often as you need. I don't care. It's what makes you you and I love you for it."

You squeezed his hand. "Do you really mean that?"

"Eres mi tesoro. Don't ever forget that, you hear me?" (You're my treasure.)

You gave him a small smile. "She's just been saying it for a while, so I felt bad, y'know?"

"Don't feel bad. I love listening to you. I'm your listener, okay?" He poked your nose, causing you to let out a soft laugh. "There it is. That smile that I love so much."

You felt your cheeks warm up before looking away.

He grabbed your chin softly and shook his head. "No. Don't look away." He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss on your lips.

You kissed him back, your arms snaking around his neck as you leaned in closer before sitting on his lap.

His hands rested on your hips before pulling apart from the kiss, peppering small kisses along your jawline, and trailing to your neck.

You tilt your head back to give him more access as your fingers tangle into his hair.

"You're perfect. You'll never be annoying to me. I love every part of you," he whispers against your neck, his hands trailing from your hips to your thighs, and squeezing them gently.

"I love you too, pretty boy."

His eyes met yours, desire written on his face as he gave you a nod. "Your pretty boy."