#I basically just found all those little moments I liked yet wasn't sure I could make something big out of

[mitamicah]

Joker Out in Helsinki sketches; SyS tour 03.02-03.03 2024

[kanmom51]

Are you sure?! Episode 6 - Sapporo

Lessons in how to start an episode right here.

Jikook being all sentimental.

This is not the first time they were in Sapporo. JM was talking about six or seven years ago, while this came to mind straight away:

Sapporo snow festival February 2016.

One of those probably memorable moments.

This is such a young Jikook, this being one of the first louder JK moments at the time.

I'm sure they created some beautiful memories there. None as beautiful as the ones they created in Tokyo though.

That was theirs, and that is also why we don't get to share any of their Tokyo time in 2024. That is theirs and theirs alone. And yes, I know that JK was working part of their time in Tokyo, but see, if they weren't intending on spending time together, JM could easily have joined him a few days later. But he didn't.

Them sitting there on that sofa and talking about the show, btw, was filmed most likely at the end of their trip, just before leaving for the airport and home.

This is them leaving Sapporo.

28 November 2023. Basically 2 weeks before they enlisted. Them sitting down, at the very end of their last trip before enlistment. Understandably emotions would be heightened. And that trademarked move of JK's...

Moving on to their arrival in Sapporo.

Ok, so as I mentioned in my Jeju posts, I saw a clear shift in JK in Jeju. Lighter. A weight lifted off his shoulders. He was the same here, even more so. But the one I wanted to talk about was JM. Because I felt like here, in Sapporo, is where we see that same shift in him. In CT he was sick but content to be with JK. In Jeju he was happy but still felt a little distant (not from JK but not allowing himself to fully let go), less touchy feely with JK, like he was holding back (with all of the shifty cheeky behaviour that was going on he still felt like he was holding back). But here, he's just all in. He's handsy and touchy feely, and talkative. So so talkative. I won't lie, I was a little shocked. In the best way possible. This was a side of JM we didn't get to see for such a long time. Free. Open. Some of the conversations they had, and some of the things JM talked about, never in 100 years would I have thought he would bring them up on his own accord and share his thoughts with us about them.

This one for example:

JM talking about this so openly. JK's reaction or lack thereof makes me feel like this wasn't the first time the subject came up with the two of them.

Not to say that I don't think that JK was taken aback by JM bringing it up there and then. His initial reaction was not stressed but maybe a little worried?

But with saying that, imo this is not the first time he's heard this. And the maybe a little worry is not about the subject and more about the timing of the convo.

Happiness.

That is what I see.

Even when having this conversation, which is not an easy one to have for the two of them.

Remember how the subject of being married with children came up during Festa 2020? Remember how the two stayed conspicuously silent on the matter?

And yet, JM brought it up there and then, openly, with a smile on his face, his hand not leaving JK's shoulder for one second during this whole convo.

All and all it was just so heartwarming to see them throughout the whole episode. Like I said, they just looked happy. To be there, together, with each other, making new memories to take with them for the next couple of years.

Back to them arriving in Hokkaido, can someone please explain to me why JK found the need to change that camera angle to show us JM's hand on him?

JM well aware and letting go pretty much immediately.

Next we had them in the car/van/whatever it was. Doing this:

Ok then, what to say here?

What indeed?

Truly, I'm seriously asking here, because I'm kind of at a loss for words, lol.

Just another one of those super sus super "nothing platonic going on here" moments.

Kind of like this one.

But the eye squint, that smile, lip pucker and shoulder lift...

This sequence:

Really JK?

Can you be any more obvious?

🤣🤣

Just two dudes going on a dude vacay, right?

And JK once again when hungry... looking for his food is he?

Oh, and last but not least:

This is how 2 people enter a room when they are well aware of the camera in the room:

And this is how 2 people are caught off guard by a candid camera placed in a room they weren't supposed to be entering together...

Oopsy.

Well my friends, that is how you start off an episode. We have emotional, we have cheeky, we have sus as shit, we have happiness and fun, and we have an audience that is now glued to the screen screaming for more!!!

[pretzel-box]

STREAMER AU MASTERLIST HERE

CHAPTER 6: I AM RIGHT AND I HAVE WON

tags: I don't know how to tag this? Painter exposes Allison?

words: 4k

authors note: I am not happy with how I wrote it, I blame the lack of a laptop.

In the span of three weeks, moved five individual people in five individual places.

Sebastian was the first,

After Allison had exposed his roommate a week ago, he was confused, angry and somewhat surprised. The man found himself glancing at everything that was connected to you, the bedroom door, the empty work desk, the chinese takeout shop and most importantly the second helmet for his bike.

This particular helmet wasn't really yours but you wore it so much in the past that it was basically owned by you.

Those little things conflicted him dearly, since he was sure, even with your weird love-hate friendship, did you both co-existed pretty well.

Yet, even as those small reminders tugged at him, Allison's words kept looping in his mind.

They set you up, you know that, right? she had said, her voice laced with feigned concern. All this time, they’ve been playing you—just so they could stay close to Solace. You're just a pawn.

Sebastian couldn't shake it off. The idea that you, the person who had shared his space and a fragile, weird friendship with him, might have been using him gnawed at him. He hated how much it made sense. Allison had laid it out perfectly—too perfectly, in hindsight—but in the chaos of everything, it sounded believable.

The constant replay of that accusation left him uneasy, and now every memory was tainted with doubt. The late-night laughs, the casual banter, even the tension that always bubbled beneath the surface. Was all of that staged? Was your connection to him just a ploy? He didn’t want to believe it, but Allison’s words had already planted the seed.

And then there was the part that unsettled him the most.

According to Allison, you loved him, in a way that bordered on obsession. She had claimed that every time you looked at him, it was with a deeper attachment than he’d realized—something beyond friendship, beyond even the regular crush. It was an unhealthy fixation. He was the center of your world, and it had all been hidden behind the mask of your chaotic yet comfortable interactions.

Sebastian felt conflicted. He hadn't noticed anything like that before. Sure, you had your quirks, but it never crossed his mind that it went that deep. Maybe he missed it because he'd never seen you in that light.

But that’s where the real problem lay—what he didn’t know was that Allison’s words were a lie, carefully crafted to make him doubt everything. You didn’t love him in that unhealthy way, and you’d never set him up. But the damage was done. The seed of doubt had been planted, and Sebastian was starting to wonder if everything between you had been a game all along.

Sebastian only found comfort in a single person right now, his best friend.

He swung his leg over his bike, secured his helmet, and drove off to visit his friend once more.

The second was Mama Solace.

Sebastian’s mother had finally found the time and money for a much-needed vacation, and it just so happened to be close to her son. A coincidence? Perhaps not. She loved Sebastian fiercely, more than life itself, and it was time once again to remind him of that with one of her unexpected, affectionate visits.

The last time she had dropped by was when you first moved in, becoming Sebastian’s roommate.

Oh, how she adored you from the moment she laid eyes on you. You had all the qualities she dreamed of in a partner for her son—sweet, caring, and just the right amount of fierce. She saw the connection between you two right away, even if Sebastian refused to acknowledge it. In her mind, you were already the perfect match for her precious boy. You had no idea just how often she'd drop hints, trying to nudge Sebastian toward you, much to his exasperation.

But that was Mama Solace—she loved to meddle in the most loving way possible. This visit would be no different.

She sat in the comfort of the plane, ready to depart from her home country to meet you two again.

The third person was Allison.

She darted around a local clothing store, her father’s credit card clutched in her manicured fingers like it was a divine gift. Her gel nails clicked against the plastic as she browsed the racks, the shopping spree a temporary balm for the simmering rage she felt toward you. Her irritation with you had long passed the point of tolerable, and only the thrill of buying something new could calm her nerves.

How dare you disrupt her carefully laid plans? All you had to do was stay in your lane, accept your role, and everything would have gone smoothly. But no—you had to get in the way, threatening the perfect web of control she thought she had spun. The plan had been flawless, but now, with every step you took, you were messing it all up.

Sebastian, thankfully, was still in the dark about everything. He was too distracted, too wrapped up in his own confusion to see the truth right in front of him. But that was fine with her. Allison believed she held all the cards. She had you, Sebastian, and the whole situation under her control—or so she thought.

She smiled to herself, picking up a striking red dress—perfect for her next date with Sebastian. The fabric would hug her in all the right places, showing off her figure. In her mind, it was only a matter of time before he saw her the way she pretended to see him, and this dress would be another step toward that.

As she stepped up to the cash register, her confidence faltered when the cashier swiped her card and it declined. Her father was still furious with her, apparently. She gritted her teeth in frustration, but quickly smoothed over her expression. She wasn't about to let this minor inconvenience ruin her day.

Without missing a beat, Allison pulled out her phone, her fingers dancing across the screen like it was second nature. She knew exactly how to handle this.

"Hey, handsome," she texted, her words dripping with flirtation. "Mind helping your favorite girl out?~"

It was easy—too easy, in fact. She had gotten used to manipulating situations to her advantage, and she was confident Sebastian would give her money. He always did.

Then there was Painter.

While Allison paid with Sebastian’s help and strolled out of the shop, Painter quietly entered his own—at the other end of the city center. Today, the usual sleek black suit made from expensive cotton was left in the closet. Instead, he wore a casual outfit: thrifted brown pants, a simple white shirt, and a green checkered vest that his mother had picked out for him years ago. He never liked it at first, but eventually, he came to admit—green was definitely his color.

Dressed like this, Painter looked like any other trendy, laid-back guy. You'd never guess he was the heir to Urbanshade, one of the most powerful companies around. His father had been grooming him for years to take over, especially after Painter managed to graduate from Yale with top honors. He was the pride of the family—a model Ivy League student, exactly as his parents had always hoped for.

But unlike his friend Sebastian, who lived by his own chaotic set of rules, Painter was always one of those people who excelled in everything, effortlessly. To the outside world, he was the golden child, the genius destined for greatness.

Yet for Painter, it was all a curse. His intelligence, his success—it only weighed him down, shackling him to a future he didn’t want. His heart was never in the world of business, but his family couldn't see that. To them, he was the prodigy who would continue the legacy. To him, it was a prison. The more success he achieved, the more trapped he felt.

It was why he enjoyed days like this—disappearing into the city, blending into the crowd where nobody knew or expected anything from him. Just for a little while, he could pretend to be someone else, a simple tech shop owner that tries to raise his own money to open up a small art studio instead.

While he worked, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the keys of his laptop, his thoughts inevitably drifted to you. He had seen you a few times with Sebastian in the city, always from a distance. Yet, despite never formally meeting you, he knew more about you than you could have imagined. Sebastian had talked about you often, and though Painter stayed in the shadows of your life, observing from afar, something stirred in his chest whenever he thought of you.

It was ironic, really. He was so familiar with the details of your existence, while you didn’t even know he existed. You were unaware of the person quietly watching your story unfold, aching from the sidelines. There was something about you that captivated him—perhaps it was the way you seemed to bring a kind of life to those around you, or maybe it was simply how you existed in Sebastian’s orbit.

But there was one thing that bothered him more than anything: Allison.

It pained him to know how she had manipulated your life, how she had sunk her claws into Sebastian’s world and, by extension, yours. Painter had known for some time what Allison was up to, and unlike Sebastian, he could see right through her facade.

Just like Allison, Painter had developed his own plan.

But his wasn't born out of selfishness or jealousy. It was something else—something more complex. While he hated to admit it, he wanted to find a way to cross paths with you, to help you in a way that would loosen the hold Allison had over you. And maybe, just maybe, he'd get closer to you in the process.

Though Painter’s mind was sharp, his heart was tangled in emotions he didn’t yet fully understand.

The last person who could understand Painter’s feelings was you.

You were navigating the city streets, your hands busily typing on your phone, trying to figure out where exactly you needed to go. With your streaming account temporarily banned, you had decided to get your laptop fixed—the keys were loose, and the screen was slightly cracked. The device had been with you for years, but it was clearly on its last legs. Maybe it was time for a new one, but for now, fixing it seemed like the easier option.

Eventually, you spotted it: a neat little shop with good reviews online. It seemed like the right place, and with a deep breath, you stepped inside.

Immediately, the smell of coffee greeted you. The shop had a warm, comfortable atmosphere, far cozier than you’d expected for a tech repair spot. There were shelves lined with new devices, a small selection of popular games, and a table for waiting customers. Despite the welcoming vibe, the place seemed empty—except for a young man at the counter.

He caught your eye right away, dressed in a casual yet stylish outfit that seemed effortless. His name tag drew your attention next, and you noticed something curious: an elegant name had been crossed out with a dry black marker, replaced with a word scribbled hastily over it—"Painter."

You weren’t sure what to make of him, but something about him seemed different. And without knowing it, the moment you stepped into the shop, you had walked into his world.

"Uhm, hi?" you greeted, your voice breaking the silence.

The young man behind the counter stared at you, caught off guard as if you had walked in at the worst possible moment. His eyes lingered on you for just a second too long, making the situation feel a bit awkward. There was something about the way he looked at you—almost like you had thrown him off balance. The way his gaze fixed on you, wide and a little too intense, made you wonder if you’d interrupted something.

"Oh, h-hello! Welcome, greetings. How can I help you today?" he stammered, clearly flustered. His response was a mix of polite and awkward, as though he hadn’t expected anyone to walk in. Maybe he wasn’t used to customers, or perhaps he was just an intern still getting the hang of things. Either way, he seemed utterly unprepared.

You smiled politely, deciding not to dwell on his awkwardness. "I’m here to get my laptop fixed," you explained, pulling the device from your bag and setting it on the counter. "It's been acting up—some of the keys are loose, and the screen's a bit cracked."

He nodded, though you noticed his hands were a bit shaky as he reached for the laptop. "Right, of course. I’ll take a look."

As he started inspecting the device, you took a moment to glance around the shop again, feeling oddly comfortable despite the rocky start to the conversation. There was something about him, though—his nervous energy, the way he seemed to be trying so hard to maintain a professional front. It was endearing in its own way.

What you didn’t know was that Painter wasn’t usually like this. Normally, he was calm and collected, able to handle even the most difficult situations. But the moment you walked in, something shifted. He had seen you before, from a distance, but never this close, and he wasn’t prepared for the rush of feelings he hadn’t even realized were there.

A small, unspoken crush had quietly crept up on him. He didn’t know why, but there was something about you that drew him in. And now, standing there with your laptop in his hands, he was doing his best to keep it together.

"I can take a look at it later. I’d say you can pick it back up… in like a week?" Painter offered, casting a polite smile your way. His expression was calm and professional, but beneath that exterior, his heart was racing.

You nodded, accepting his answer. After settling some details, you left your beloved laptop in his care, trusting him with the task. It felt strange to part with it, but the shop seemed reliable enough, and Painter—despite his awkwardness—seemed competent.

As you exited the store, you had no idea what you’d just set in motion.

For Painter, this wasn’t just a simple repair job. When you left your laptop with him, you unknowingly handed him exactly what he needed—the tools to execute the plan he’d been carefully crafting. Allison had been manipulating both you and Sebastian for far too long, and now Painter had the opportunity to expose her for what she truly was.

Your laptop would be the key to unraveling her schemes, and he was determined to set everything right, even if it meant crossing a few lines along the way.

Five people had already been moved. Now, it was Painter's turn to move them again, or at least some of them.

He had you exactly where he wanted. You left the shop, your laptop in his possession. That was step one. Now, he had to breach your digital privacy. He’d never done anything like this before, and the thought of doing what Allison had once done left a heavy weight in his gut. Yet, as soon as you left, he got to work. The laptop was old, practically ancient, but logging into your profile was easy—there wasn’t even a password. Your naivety was almost charming.

Everything was there—passwords, emails, data, and every digital memory. It was essentially Jelly’s—no, your—entire identity, captured in one place. He could call Sebastian, expose the laptop, and reveal his nasty girlfriend’s secrets. But no, Painter was above that. He preferred to play god.

His personality was usually against it but he will gladly bend the rules for his best friend…and his own potential crush.

Step two was breaching the streaming website to reclaim your account. A task simple enough for a Yale student with the right tools. Allison thought she'd been 'Jellycatfished,' but now it was Painter in control.

The account was exactly as you and Allison had left it. He couldn’t resist clicking on one of the stream recaps, your voice filling the room through the laptop speakers. There it was—undeniably yours.

He snatched his phone off the counter and dialed a number.

“‘Delia, bring the camera and the good microphone. We’re shooting something at the shop.” Cordelia, another worker in the store and a small-time content streamer, was known for her quirky charm. He knew she was the perfect partner for what he had in mind.

“Painter? For what?” she asked.

“We’re about to make someone a star.”

Cordelia didn’t hesitate. She was on her way, gathering the equipment for a hidden camera setup along with a quality microphone."

Next, it was Painter's turn to text Allison. He still remembered her number from when he’d seen it on Sebastian’s phone. A plan began to form in his mind, one that required precision and just the right touch of manipulation.

'Hey, Allison, right? Sebastian left a gift for you here. Here’s the address.'

He included the shop’s address, carefully typing it out before hitting send. He imagined the moment her phone would buzz, her eyes narrowing at the unexpected message. Would she hesitate, wondering if it was real? Or would her curiosity get the best of her?

Painter smiled to himself. Everything was falling into place. He wasn’t just setting a trap—he was weaving a performance, a story in which Allison would play a crucial role. Now, all he had to do was wait for the show to begin.

It was evening, and the store had long since closed, lights were out, though Painter had left the door unlocked. Everything was meticulously arranged—candles flickered softly, casting a warm glow around the room; a bouquet of red roses sat elegantly on the counter. But the centerpiece was Painter himself, dressed in an expensive, perfectly tailored cotton suit. He had spent hours preparing, adjusting his tie, combing his hair, making sure every detail was flawless. As he caught his reflection in the window, he almost didn’t recognize himself. He had never looked better.

Then, the door creaked open, and Allison stepped in. She wore a tight red dress that clung to her in all the right places, her hair perfectly styled. She carried herself with an air of confidence, as if she expected something grand—but her eyes betrayed her surprise as they scanned the room. The soft candlelight, the roses, and finally, they settled on Painter.

For a moment, there was silence as their gazes met.

"Let me introduce myself," Painter began, his voice calm and formal, though inside, the sweetness of his own tone made him sick. He forced a charming smile, the kind that was too perfect, too practiced. "I’m Painter—it’s a nickname," he added with a soft chuckle, as if trying to break the ice. "And I’m the heir to Urbanshade Corp."

He let the weight of his words linger, watching her reaction. He could see the curiosity in her eyes, the slight confusion.

"You’re probably wondering why you’re here," he continued, his voice smooth and rehearsed, like this was a well-orchestrated play.

This wasn’t just a conversation—it was a performance, and she had walked right into his scene.

"Painter? What’s going on? Where’s Sebastian?" Allison asked, her voice laced with surprise, though Painter could see she was already caught in his web.

"He’s not here. Sorry, I lied," Painter admitted, his tone smooth, but with a playful hint. He took a slow step toward her, his eyes never leaving hers. "Can you really blame me for wanting to be alone with someone so beautiful?"

He took another step, closing the distance between them.

"So... funny."

He was closer now, almost brushing against her.

"And intelligent?" His voice dropped to a whisper as he stood chest to chest with her, his breath warm against her ear.

Allison's eyes flickered with realization. The heir to Urbanshade Corp, standing so close, so eager—was he asking her out? Maybe it wasn’t so crazy to consider. A man of his status, his wealth... she could have a little fun on the side. A side fling wouldn’t hurt, right?

She placed a hand on his chest, feeling the crisp fabric of his suit under her fingers, catching the scent of his expensive aftershave. "You’re quite charming yourself," she said, her voice laced with a fake giggle designed to make men fall at her feet. But Painter played along, his smile widening.

"Oh?" he murmured, his voice dripping with charm. "Maybe you’d like to show me just how much?"

Allison leaned in, rising onto her toes to meet his height, her lips brushing close to his own, not touching yet. The tension between them was thick, charged with unspoken possibilities. For a brief moment, Painter thought he had her, that she was playing into his hands.

But then she stopped.

His lips hovered just shy of her skin as he whispered, "How much... you’re lying."

The playful edge in his tone had vanished, replaced by cold calculation. He would love to slap her, simply for cheating on his best friend. But now was hardly the time, not like this.

“You are not supposed to be his girlfriend. You are not Jelly and you don't deserve him.” His words caught her in surprise before she seemed to laugh.

“What do you know? They stole my identity! Ask Sebastian! I am the victim!” It was a poor try to defend herself.

“A victim? Another brilliant lie, congratulations. You officially make me sick.” The words were enough to set off her rage and she raised a hand to hit him, a hand that he caught in the middle of the action. “Don't you dare.”

“You know what? Fine, to hell with you. I am NOT them but it doesn't matter because everyone believes me anyways. I HAVE PLAYED YOU ALL. I GOT THE ACCOUNT BANNED. FUCK YOU, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU STUPID IDIOTS. SEBASTIAN IS MINE AND I WON. I AM RIGHT AND I HAVE WON. I STOLE THEIR IDENTITY AND BECAME JELLYCATFISHED.”

Suddenly, the ceiling lights blazed to life, flooding the store in harsh white light. Allison blinked, momentarily blinded, as Cordelia stepped out from behind the shadows, a sly grin on her face.

"And that’s a wrap!" Cordelia announced, her voice dripping with amusement. "Great work, everyone. So authentic, Painter." She shot her boss a playful wink.

Allison’s eyes darted from Cordelia to Painter, confusion overtaking her. A second ago, she had been in control—or so she thought. But now, the anger and seduction drained from her face, replaced by a wide-eyed, flabbergasted look. She felt like a deer caught in headlights, utterly lost.

"You see," Painter began, his voice smooth but laced with triumph, "43 thousand people just witnessed your grand confession. Live and in full HD." He let the weight of his words sink in, a twisted smile forming as he saw the realization dawn in her eyes. "You’re a star now, Allison. Just like you always wanted to be."

Cordelia had filmed it all—the near-cheating, the manipulation, the confession—and streamed it live on Jellycatfished, the very platform that had become Allison’s downfall.

Painter took a step back, admiring his work. His plan had come together beautifully, every detail falling into place like a carefully painted masterpiece. He couldn’t help but applaud himself mentally for the sheer brilliance of it all. Soon enough, the lawsuit would hit Allison—public shame was only the beginning.

Outside the store, Sebastian stood frozen, just out of sight but close enough to hear everything. His phone was clenched tightly in his hand, his knuckles white with the pressure. He had seen the signs but ignored them, convinced he knew the truth. But now, as the reality of what had unfolded hit him, it was clear.

He had been wrong. And he had lost.

[kaciidubs]

Curious Cat

❣ Summary: Perhaps being curious wasn't all that bad. ❣  ❣ Word Count: 1.48k ❣ Warnings: Slight Sub! Chris, fluff, smut, comfort, use of safeword, sex toys [vibrators], slight overstimulation, aftercare ❣  ❣ Female! Reader [No use of Y/N] | You/Your pronouns ❣  ❣ Additional Tags: Chan is referred to as Chris, Channie, Baby, and My Love, Reader is referred to as Baby, unedited ❣ Stray Kids Masterlist ❣ General Masterlist

Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back - and boy, was this cat satisfied.

Chris didn't intend on snooping around your room when you left to get snacks for your impending movie date, nor did he intend to find a few hidden objects in your sock drawer.

Who knew him wanting to coo over your cute Sanrio themed socks would've turned into him holding not one, but two of your sex toys?

"Alright, I think I have every- Why are you holding those?"

His head snapped in the direction of your voice, your hands holding two convenience store bags filled with the snacks you'd promised.

"I-I, um, I didn't mean to-"

"Are you trying to skip the movie and get to the good part of the night?"

The suggestiveness in your tone made his heart skip a beat - sure, he was ready for you no matter what, but he genuinely wasn't trying to come off as entirely horny, he was just curious.

"I wanna watch the movie, really, but..."

Looking down at the toys in his hands, he couldn't help the thoughts brewing in his head; how do you use them? Do you use them by themselves or do you watch the private videos you two have made while touching yourself? Do you use one or multiple in one night? Do they make you come just as hard as he does?

"I... I think I wanna know how these work."

"On me?" You mused, a sly smirk growing on your lips, "Or on you?"

Oh.

Was that even possible? Could your toys work the same on him as they do for you? Could they make him come just as hard as you do?

Chris was curious, some may say too curious for his own good, but he wouldn't let that deter him.

Which is how he found himself now; naked and writhing on your bed as you held a small blue vibrating toy to the leaky head of his cock, the two bunny shaped ears vibrating in a pattern that left him breathless.

The rabbit vibrator, you'd told him - it was your go to for nights where you just wanted to get off and go to bed.

It made his head spin just simply knowing that the toy currently on the flared tip of his dick was also used on your clit.

"How's it feel, baby?" You cooed, the only piece of clothing still on your body being a basic pair of cotton panties. "Feels good, right? I didn't even have to use too much lube with the way you're dripping right now."

He whined out a sound of agreement, too focused on the pulsing of the toy to pay you any mind.

"This next one is new, I haven't even used it on myself yet but that's okay - you can be my little test bunny, yeah?"

"Y-Yes, fuck yes, please." If one toy was able to make him feel this good, then whatever you had planned for him next was more than welcome.

The small, targeted vibrations of the rabbit left his cock, prompting him to open his eyes and look down at you in question before his gaze locked onto the next toy in your hand.

It was bigger, sort of shaped like a microphone, and was slightly intimidating based on the simpler, theme-less design.

"It's a Hitachi wand," you explained, turning it to give him a full view, "it's supposed to have more power than the rabbit, but since I haven't used it yet, I don't know how it's supposed to feel on me - so, make sure you tell me everything you feel, okay?"

Chris nodded, his dick throbbing in anticipation, "Okay, yeah, I will."

You took a moment to coat the soft bulbous tip with lube before turning it toward him; rubbing it along his shaft to give him a general idea of what it feels like while it's not running.

"Ready?"

"R-Ready."

The click of a button was all he could register before a strong wave of vibration forced a choked gasp from his plump lips.

He could feel it everywhere; from the tip of his cock to his abdomen - he could even feel the vibrations in the taughtness of his balls, it was insane.

If it weren't for the fact that you were sitting between his legs, he probably would've been folded like a chair from the pleasure.

"Channie? How's it feel, baby? What is it like?"

His hands fisted the sheets, chest heaving in uneven breaths as he tried his best to collect the brain cells to form words.

"I-It- oh fuck, fuck, it's so- it's everywhere, baby- oh my god don't stop, please don't stop!"

His stomach was coated in precum, his cock leaking in ways you haven't seen before - you were almost jealous it was being wasted on him instead of in you, but that would be fixed later on.

Pressing the vibration button, you kicked up the speed and pressed the toy against the underside of his cock, right against a vein you were graciously familiar with.

The sound he let out was crossed between a grunt and a gasp of air, eyes rolling to the back of his head, and before you knew it, thick ropes of white streaked across his chest and stomach.

It was like he was frozen in time, stuck between breaths and stomach contracting with each wave of cum leaving him, numb to everything but the constant vibrations now spreading throughout his body.

At the same time, you weren't fairing any better; watching in shocked amazement as your usually loud finishing boyfriend was resorted to nothing but choked breaths and twitching limbs. It wasn't until a certain gasped word forced it's way past his lips that you were brought back to reality.

"R-Red- Red-"

You turned the toy off immediately, tossing it behind you as your hands moved to hold his shaking ones, knuckles white from his grip on your sheets.

"Okay, Channie, it's okay - we're all done, yeah?" You could see the faint streak of tears shining down the sides of his face, watching as he tried nodding his head. "You're okay, baby, just take a deep breath with me - slowly, just breathe with me."

He took a shivering inhale, broken between soft hiccups, before sighing it out slowly, his body relaxing just a bit.

"Good boy, just a few more times for me, alright?"

With each breath taken, his body finally relaxed and the tension in his hands released enough for you to slip your hands into his palms, thumbs caressing his undoubtedly sore knuckles.

"You did great, Channie, such a great job - will you be okay if I leave to get a washcloth to clean you up? Do you want me to run a bath?"

Chris shook his head softly, squeezing your hands, "Just... Just a washcloth... A-And some water, please."

Nodding, you leaned down to press a kiss to his right hand, "Alright, baby, I'll be right back."

It only took a few minutes for you to return with the warm washcloth and a bottle of water, gently wiping up the mess of cum from his skin and lube from his softening dick, before helping him sit up to drink.

He finished the water bottle in record time, chugging it as if he just finished a set on stage before letting out a deep sigh, leaning his head against your headrest.

"That was..."

"Intense?"

"Amazing." He laughed lightly, "And intense too, yeah, but it was... I never felt anything like that before, but I feel like if I didn't tap out then, I would've passed out."

Small giggles bubbles from your mouth, shaking your head at his honesty, "Well thank you for letting me know - do you need me to do anything for you? More water? Food? Wanna talk it out some more? Where's your head at, my love?"

A small hum left him as he opened his eyes to gaze at you through a soft haze, "Food sounds great, and we can definitely talk about it more but not before you tell me how you're doing. I'm alright, really, just a little overstimulated - but what about you? I didn't mean to scare you with the safeword."

"You didn't scare me at all! I was just worried about you, trust me - I'm just glad you're okay." Scooting closer to him, you pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, smiling as he press himself into you. "I'll order the food, you just focus on cooling down, yeah?"

He nodded before looking at you with puppy eyes, "Can we order a pizza?"

Rolling your eyes, you laughed, "Yes, we can order a pizza - find something to watch then we can talk about the toys some more."

With a hum of agreement, you set off to put your date night back on track.

✧. ┊Tagged lovelies: @goblinracha, @having-an-internal-crisis-rn, @midnightfrog625, @anyhow-everything, @bangchanbabygirlx, @sweetracha, @j-onedrabbles, @happilydeepestwonderland, @nightimescapes, @caitlyn98s, @ch4nn13luv, @ihrtlix, @sometimesleeknows, @jeonjungkookenthusiast1997, @maximumkillshot, @y-ur--i, @acker-night, @dreamescapeswriting, @specialstay, @broken-glowsticks, @s00buwu, @dancerachaslut, @junglyric, @tinyelfperson, @jj-stay, @katsukis1wife, @inlovewithmusician, @keen-li, @armystay89, @main-character0, @vampcharxter

✧. ┊If your username is in bold italics that means tumblr won't let me tag you. If you’d like to be added to the taglist, fill out this form!

[cynarisgayass]

𓍊𓋼~In the heat of the moment~𓋼𓍊

Type: Short oneshots

Description: WOOT! First ZZZ writing! Let's go! So basically this is like, you're on the run from the ethereals and you're hidden, backed up against a wall. The heat of the moment leads to a kiss because you think you may not make it out in time and it's something you have to do before you die type thing. You get out tho dw. Ngl it's kinda cringey, but do I care? Nope.

Rating: Mature

Reader: GN, is a proxy (not either of the MCs though)

Includes: Nicole/ Billy kid

Nicole:

You're eyes darted in the direction you'd just came from, you had beads of sweat forming on your forehead and your heart felt like it was about to pound out of your chest. They were getting closer, ethereals more menacing then you'd ever seen and despite your expert knowledge on the hollow...there didn't seem to be a way for you to ditch them...or even get out for that matter.

"Proxy! What do we do know?! Billy and Anby are already outside and those things are catching up?! Hello!! I'm not paying the deposit if you don't answer me!" Nicole punched your arm gently, you could tell she was starting to get scared and if you were being honest, telling her you didn't know how to get her out was probably the most difficult thing you'd ever done.

"I'm sorry Nicole, I...I should've found another escape route...done more." You looked down at your feet, but her hands grabbed onto your shoulders and she shook you, "Proxy, snap out of it. If we can't get out of here then...then I'm not going down without a fight and I'm not going to have you moping around in our final moments!"

Your eyes met hers and despite everything, she had smile on her face as she spoke to you. Of course, you'd always considered her beautiful, but in that moment you realized what you needed to do, before anything could force the two of you apart for good. You pulled her closer to you and closed the gap, kissing her as the heat of the moment painted feelings in both of your hearts.

You only parted when Billy's voice rang out in your ears and a rope swayed in front of you, guiding you to safety.

Billy kid:

Billy's guns rang out in your ears as you bolted into the nearest building, slamming the door shut behind you when the two of you were safely inside. He hurried to barricade it while you caught your breath, ethereals clobbering around outside and your head spinning with every option of escaping, but there didn't seem to be any. You were out of options..."Billy, i-i don't know what to do. That was our only exit...i can't think of any others and my bangboos malfunctioning....we are gonna die! I'm sorry! This is all my fault!"

You felt tears prick at your eyes and emotions tug at your heartstrings, of all the times you could have failed a mission...why know.

"Woah now Proxy! Don't blame yourself! In my eyes you're my Starlight Knight! You worked so hard to get us out of here and I know you tried your best, that's all I could ask for...and I'm just glad, I'm not alone." He shoved his gun back in his holster and patted the top of your head gently, it was a little random sure...but it felt nice.

The poorly made barricade started to give out and the only thing you could think to do before you were corrupted by ethereals, was seal the deal with the cyborg you'd fallen in love with. You stood up straighter and leaned in, placing a soft kiss on his metal face as he (somehow??) blushed bright pink.

"Proxy, Billy!! This way! We cleared a path!"

The two of you snapped your attention behind you, were Nicole and Andy were standing, with all to knowing smiles on their faces. Apparently Nicole had already made bets on when you'd finally share your feelings...though now wasn't the time to collect...yet.

[ultimateissuessimp]

Hate to be that guy but a male x cat king soulmate au. Where you can’t see colour till u meet your soulmate. Pretty please with a cherry on top. Ty 🥺

"Hate to be that guy" and then proceeds to request one of my favourite tropes. My sweet, darling anon - THANK YOU! Writing this was a joy and a pleasure!

Also, not to say anything, buuuut I would be more than happy to write a part 2 for this 🤭 But I didn't say anything, completely nothing 🤫

Oel ngati kameie, Nga Yawne Lu Oer (I see you, I love you)

The Cat King x Male Reader

Word count: 1,935

Warnings: None I think

One case. One little case can change someone's life like nothing else could. Y/N didn't know if for the better or for worse, because now he was standing in front of the Cat King alongside his friends. Edwin, of course as stubborn as ever, simply had to disregard everything that Y/N had said about staying as low as possible and used a magic on an animal. A cat to be precise if it wasn't obvious already. That's how they found themselves in the situation they were at the moment.

His eyes were nervously going all around seeing all those cats gathered behind them. All of them in scales of gray that he was so used to when he was seeing it for the -nth time throughout his life. So basically all of it. After the little showcase of what they were capable of with their previous victim, he was on edge. Edwin was trying to diplomatically resolve the issue yet the Cat King didn't seem to really be happy with any of his words. When he mentioned a talk in private, Y/N head whipped up and for just a moment looked into the Cat King's eyes who turned his gaze towards the young man, because of his sudden movement before they went back to Edwin.

Then, as if suddenly someone hit the pause button on him, he froze. Colours slowly started filling his vision and at the centre of it was him. Edwin. He was sure he had found his soulmate. So many centuries alone. On his own. Now he finally found him, his other half. Or so he thought at least. While Thomas was marveling at the thought of finding his soulmate though in the wrong person, the right one quietly gasped in shock as his vision slowly filled with colours too.

The Cat King teleported both Edwin and himself to his private room, away from prying eyes and nosy personalities. Somewhere where he could get to know his "soulmate" better. What he was like, what he liked, disliked, what was his favourite colour, why did he use magic on a cat. About the last one... Now that he knew, thought, that Edwin was his "soulmate" he was less angry about the incident the ghost caused. He was more inclined on letting the man go, not really, without a punishment.

-Well, I was supposed to punish you for your... Misdeed, but since you're my soulmate- - the Cat King started speaking, a huge grin on his face as he got slightly closer to Edwin, his hands outstretched a bit to the sides before the man himself interrupted him.

-I'm sorry? Soulmate? Surely not. I can't be your soulmate, I've been looking at you for quite some time now and I still can't see colours. Just boring, but classy, gray - he said, looking incredulously at Thomas, putting some distance between them.

-What do you mean by that? Literally the moment I properly looked into your eyes the colours... They started to just appe- - and before he could end a sentence again, he was stopped. This time by the subject he was talking about suddenly disappearing. His world was bleak and boring again. He didn't understand and so didn't Y/N when he blinked and instead of seeing colours he was so fascinated by, yet quite displeased with the choice of clothing he made the previous morning, since none of the colours matched, at all, he saw the familiar scales of gray.

Feeling defeated, the Cat King sighed. Yet an idea struck him. Since he saw colours, even if for a short period of time, that means that his soulmate has to be either of Edwin's friends that he made eye contact with. He just needed some time and after all find a punishment for Edwin. He wasn't keen anymore on letting him off the hook and, even so, had more motivation to keep him in town. If Edwin can't leave, none of his friends can leave either. Then he could find his soulmate he so longed for. That's why he "caged" the ghost in town with a bracelet that only he could take off after Edwin counts all the cats in Port Townsend. Two birds with one stone. Teaching Edwin a lesson to never again use a magic on a cat and also finally meeting his soulmate. Life couldn't get more perfect. Well, it could, but that will come with time.

When he sent Edwin back to his friends and his soulmate, the Cat King silently observed the group from the shadows, silently telling a few of his cats to follow the detectives so he could monitor what they were doing, were they were and if they were in any trouble. After all, he couldn't let anything happen to his little lover. Who ever it was. Y/N was having an internal fight over what to do with the newfound information about his soulmate. He was so curious, yet had to remain cautious and careful when it came to the person that trapped his friend and in a way threatened him. He felt conflicted.

Then the case of the lighthouse came up. Strange, a bit terrifying, especially after Y/N started hearing the voice of the Cat King, calling to him. It was so irresistible yet thanks to the boys, Crystal and Niko, he came back to his senses and took a few steps away from the ledge. When Edwin silently tried to sneak away into the woods, he followed him, sneaking away just as silently as him.

He saw the cat that they were following an immediately understood, his heart skipping a few beats and making him stomp on a tree branch which in a chain reaction made Edwin snap his head towards him and the cat stop in its track. He smiled awkwardly and waved explaining that he was simply going on a little walk, but obviously Edwin didn't believe him.

-What don't you understand I will come back in a few minutes?? That was NOT an invitation to follow me! - Edwin whisper yelled at Y/N, a mostly annoyed look gracing his face before he turned around to follow the cat once again, making the man behind him stumble slightly when he tried to catch up quickly.

-Oh come on, you're being secretive, you're sneaking away and you're expecting that I WON'T follow you? Really Edwin? You're my friend. I'm worried - Y/N said, slightly out of breath, because of the jog he had to perform after the man in front of him.

-While appreciated, very much not needed. I'm fine - Edwin replied, looking back only for a second with a serious expression. They got to a clearing and saw no one other than the Cat King. Well, the man himself only saw Edwin at first, Y/N staying a bit back in nervousness.

Still no colours while looking at the ghost. Disappointing. Then the cat that dragged Edwin, and accidentally Y/N too, over to its king hissed and pawed at the leg of Y/N's pants, making him slightly flinch and take a step to the side, revealing himself completely to Thomas' eyes.

-Well look at what the cat dragged in! Aren't you a jewel - he said with a cocky grin, going around Edwin to stand before Y/N and taking his chin into his hand to take a better look at him. That's when their eyes met and the magic happened.

Instant reaction, colours bursting all around as they stared, wide eyed, at each other. There they were. "The most gorgeous of eyes" was the first thought that came to both of their minds. They completely forgot Edwin who was now staring in confusion at the scene before him, yet unsure if to interrupt or not.

-I see you - the Cat King said quietly, almost unlike himself at all, mentally adding "and I love you". He thought that if he said that out loud at that moment, he would scare away the poor guy. His hands cupped the sides of Y/N's face, holding it gently like the dearest of treasures he owned and in a way it was true. Although he didn't own Y/N nor his heart, not yet at least, the man himself definitely already owned Thomas'. Maybe without even knowing it.

-And I see you - Y/N replied, his breath caught in his throat as his wide eyes frantically looked around the Cat King's face, noticing every detail, every discolouration and adoring each and every shade that appeared in his eyes.

-Surely not-... Are you seeing colours, Y/N? - Edwin suddenly piped in, completely ruining the moment, but he couldn't blame him or be mad at him. He would be confused as all hell too if he saw his friend have a quite intimate moment with someone who made his life slightly more impossible to get through.

They turned to the ghost detective, a massive grin, like never before, on Thomas' face while a shy smile graced Y/N's. Obviously the Cat King, the man that he was, immediately wrapped his arm around his soulmates' shoulder, keeping him close to himself as if he was afraid the man would suddenly disappear like the colours did before he realised Edwin wasn't his soulmate. He never wants to feel what he felt at that moment again.

-Why, my ghostly friend. This adorable specimen over here is my soulmate - he said proudly, keeping close to Y/N yet not in a possessive way as if he was afraid Edwin would suddenly try to take him away for some reason, but more in a protective way. Physical, psychological, emotional, it didn't matter.

-Soulmate?? Surely you must be having a laugh! Right Y/N? You still can't see colours right? - Edwin asked, hands on his hips as he stood there, expecting only one possible option in his mind: a positive answer to his question. Yet he couldn't help the way his eyes widened and his mouth opened a little when he saw Y/N smile sheepishly at him and quickly look away. - We will talk about this later. There are 142 cats in Port Townsend. Now take this off - Edwin added, this time speaking to the Cat King which only rewarded him with a condescending chuckle.

-There are absolutely not 142 cats. Keep counting the cats, Edwin - Thomas said with a smile before swiftly turning himself and Y/N around so they could walk away and talk about their newfound relationship, completely leaving the ghost behind.

-This is absurd! How can this make you happy?! - Edwin shouted after the pair, but mostly the Cat King, annoyed out of his mind at the behaviour the man was presenting him with.

-Well, it keeps you in town, with you sweet Y/N over here and thanks to that I can get to know my soulmate better! - he answered with a cheeky smirk and a wink sent Edwin's wave, adding a little wave with his fingers while both of the men left, in a way abandoning him behind. You'd think Y/N would notice his friend staying back, huffing and puffing about being left alone, but he was so absorbed in looking around and taking in his surroundings, the colours that he payed half mind to where he was even going. At that moment all that mattered to him was the fact that he could finally notice the beauty of the world around him and it was all thanks to just one person. Destiny works in the most mysterious of ways.

[absolutebl]

BL recs (from any country) that don't have any s*x scenes? I'm too ace to enjoy them at all. Happy ending preferred, angst v welcome:)

BLs Without Sex Scenes

Oof, this is a hard one. Is a dead fish kiss okay? I do have a heat sorting on the spreadsheet of doom, and there are some with no kissing at all, but a dead fish kiss is in most of the HEA ones.

BLs with No Kisses

21 Days Theory (Thailand, YouTube) - the only thing I didn't like about this pulp was the fact that they don't kiss, so... yeah, this is my first pick for you. Very YA first love angsty, fantastic queer rep and side characters. RECOMMENDED

My Esports Genius Brother (China, Gaga?) - it's hella odd censored bromance but enjoyable. No real angst tho.

HIStory My Hero (Taiwan, Viki) - basically a BL with no sex or kissing, but also body-swap so is it BL? I can't remember the end but I think it's happy?

Silhouette of Your Voice AKA Hidamari ga Kikoeru (Japan, ????) - this 2017 yaoi adaptation is a full on BL just no kissing at all. The source manga (I Hear the Sunspot) is a favorite of mine and the casting was decent. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for you (but not in general). Grey only.

Love of Siam (Thailand, ????) ALL THE ANGST, I'm pretty sure the most they do is hug, I could be v wrong though because too sad for me to ever rewatch. Very formative to the Thai BL industry.

The Lover (BL cut) (Korea ????) sometimes you can find the BL cut on YT, it has slapstick comedic sexualized moments that are maybe a little homophobic (or something), no actual sex or kissing, but no angst at all. (Korea's working some shizz out with this early offering.)

Kabe Koji AKA Kabesaa Doujin Sakka no Neko Yashiki-kun wa Shounin Yokkyuu wo Kojirasete iru (Japan, Viki) - I watched this and I was excited about it before it aired, but I seem to have expunged it from my memory and kept no screen caps in annoyance, so that's all I got.

Love in Spring AKA Spring of Crush (Korea, ????) - a crossdressing historical that flew utterly under the radar. I decided it just wasn't really BL, but it has BL aspects and it's kinda a little queer... or something. Grey only.

Evening Cafe (Thai pulp, YouTube) - No heat and no kisses, but a decent lead pair, about a boy who works in a cafe and the new employee who has a crush on him. That’s it, that's the whole story.

A Shoulder to Cry On (Korea, Viki) - Has no kissing and many people found it really good as @isisanna-blog reminded me, thank you). It certainly has ALL THE ANGST. (I did not like it at all, but I'm a terrible judge of this kind of BL.)

What Did You Eat Yesterday? (Japan ???) - this is such a lovely show, very warm and comforting and slice of life. There is very little angst, they too old for that shit, but little to no sexual content either. It's very warm and loving. A safe extremely yet queer show - and oh boy do we not get many of those. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Censored Bromances

So No Kisses (TM) for the gays but the hets might do stuff I didn't pay attention to. All these from China. Some happy, most not.

The Untamed

Word of Honor

Guardian

SCI Mysteries

Stay With Me AKA Addicted 2.0 (I never watched this so there may be rough play)

Mr CEO Falling in Love With Me

The Fairy Fox

Youth in the Breeze

Precise Shot

Advance Bravely

His Cat AKA His Cat Boyfriend

The Male Queen: Han Zi Gao

The "Ghost Boyfriend" series

Past Youth

I Go To School Not By Bus (Hong Kong short)

Recommended Shorts with no kisses, but cute & fun

The 8.2 Second Rule (Japan YouTube)

One Last Order (Korea, Gaga)

Love Advisor (Thailand, YouTube)

BLs with Dead Fish Kisses (maybe? only one, if any)

His the series: I Didn't Think I Would Fall In Love (Japan ????) - (NOT His the movie) this one has all the angst you could want in your whole life. ALL OF IT. Japan wins at emo, it's their THING.

Cherry Magic AKA 30 Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard AKA 30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii AKA Cheri Maho (Japan ????) - there's sort of some bed tussling and implied sex but you could imagine them just being snuggles for the mains, the sides have dead fish kiss. In general there's some angst but not much. It's fluffy and great. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Bonus: overt ace representation for one of the side characters.

Meow Ears Up (Thailand Viki) - sides may kiss? I enjoyed this pulp especially at the start, the premise is fun. I think my biggest complaint was lack of kissing.

My Love Mix Up AKA Kieta Hatsukoi (Japan Viki), a case could be made for a demi seme in this BL. So much frenetic angst around bisexual identity crisis. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

My Ride (Thailand Gaga) - my favorite Thai BL pulp the sides have a good kiss and the mains do kiss but it's v dead fish, not at all sexual, and it comes at the very end. Otherwise extremely chaste, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this BL, queer and complex and engaging.

I Want to See Only You AKA Kimi no Koto Dake Mite Itai (Japan ????) - This is a beautiful piece of cinema well acted, about two boys who are opposite personalities and grew up together. The only kiss is the one pictured above, v dead fish. Full review here.

Nobleman Ryu's Wedding (Korea WeTV) - 12th Night goes BL in this cross dressing historical that ended up feeling like a Cinderfella fairy tale, lightly dramatic and utterly charming. Full review. There is one dead fishy kiss at the end but it's otherwise aggressively pure.

If you like this last style of KBL (with a kiss at the end being okay, I have quite a few more to recommend). Until 2022, most KBLs only had one dead fish kiss in them, so you are pretty safe with pre 2022 KBLs. They tend to be quite chaste and de-sexualized. Other good examples: Wish You, Light on Me.

That's all folx.

Some of the above I may be misremembering (since I don't rewatch this kind of BL and my memory is shit). And I may have forgotten some too, so I hope comments with jump in.

Others to consider:

(source)

[imtrashraccoon]

I'm feeling down and really tired today so I've been reading some monster x human fanfiction. Anyways, I was suddenly inspired to write something for Nightmare and since my friend @superbfirnacho also seemed to be feeling down lately, I may have indulged in something comfy.

Nacho, I hope you like this, I was tempted to ask first but then I didn't, so... I was really tempted to write more but I didn't plan anything out and just wrote until it ended in a good place. Is it weird that I was also tempted to try and write a crossover that included Aylin meeting Ivy? I'm too tired to try and make that work right now, but I'm not opposed to it!

Cuddles By The Fire: Ivymare

The gentle crackling and occasional popping of the coals could've soothed even the most stubborn person to sleep. However, for a god like Nightmare, he was unaffected by the allure of rest. He could if he wanted to, but often didn't since the time doing so could be used for more productive things.

There was one exception though and she was currently laying asleep next to him.

Her name was Ivy and she was easily the best thing to happen to him in centuries. He wouldn't have thought he could feel any affection for anyone or anything again but lately he was realizing how wrong he had been.

Her bubbly personality and seemingly boundless positivity was mildly irritating, almost like sand between his bones. But it was nothing in comparison to the blazing sunlight of his brother's own aura.

He had pushed her away at first. She was basically the complete opposite to him and yet something about her kept him from leaving entirely.

All beings could experience negative emotions just as they could experience positive ones. He could sense that she was no different, despite how much she tried to hide it behind a bright smile. Maybe that was why he'd persuaded her to join his little crew of misfits.

Or maybe it was because she seemed so familiar... Almost like a long lost friend...

Whatever the reason, he wasn't about to let her leave his side anymore. He wasn't going to let anyone hurt her. He wasn't going to allow her happiness to be snuffed out.

She was a talented healer too. Anyone with even an idiom of mana could sense how powerful her soul was. Some may foolishly suggest that she was a Boss Monster but he knew better. Her strength rivaled that of his own and while he'd never actually inquired, he highly suspected that she was somehow related to a deity. Although, he wasn't sure if she was a god like he considered himself to be or if she had been blessed by one.

Healing wasn't all she could do though. She wasn't afraid to defend herself if anyone was foolish enough to challenge her to a fight. He'd witnessed her put Killer in his place a few times already and likely would again since the skeleton never seemed to learn his lesson.

She was also a skilled botanist and had a way with animals that he'd only ever seen from nature deities the few times he'd ventured into Reapertale. These talents weren't as useful for his work but they occasionally proved handy. It was just one other thing he admired about her since his own corruption didn't mesh well with most animals or plants.

He used one of his tendrils to set aside his journal for the time being and shifted her body a bit closer to him. He lightly ran one of his phalanges over her cheekbones, being mindful not to graze her with his claws and mar her perfect skin.

She stirred and mumbled something unintelligible but he was quick to soothe her back to sleep with a gentle kiss on her forehead. He lived for these rare quiet moments when it was just the two of them.

If his brother ever found about her, he knew that those Star Fools would immediately assume he'd kidnapped her. That wasn't entirely incorrect but it wasn't like she had ever tried to leave either. He probably would've let her, but at the same time, a darker side of him wanted to lock her away and never let anyone even look at her again.

His tendrils unconsciously coiled tighter around her body for a moment before he realized and loosened up his hold so as to not wake her.

She was his.

And he wouldn't let anyone take her away from him. Not again...

[starsidesky]

Let's just say that there's a couple of Baldur's Gate 3 characters who are currently living rent-free in my head. A situation that has stirred the writer in me. So here's a little vignette (honestly, I wasn't sure what to title this) about Isobel contemplating the aftermath of Act 2. (Potential spoilers)

Dust

For the first time in a century, the sound of mirth rings through Moonrise, and Isobel stands in near disbelief. Her thoughts are still racing on battlefield adrenaline. A small sleep-deprived fear trembles in her mind: the fear that this moment might be snatched away, that she might wake inside the Last Light Inn. Scorned by the realization that all of this was naught but a cruel dream. But one look at the sky and a solid pinch are enough to put her uneasy thoughts to rest.

The Harpers are enjoying some merry-making in the wake of their victory. Their strange new-found allies have generously offered to share their food and strong drink alongside whatever is deemed safe from the tower cellars. Aylin has eagerly joined in the celebration; her laugh is as magnificent as it is unmistakable. A hearty sound that carries throughout the towers like it had never left. The cleric decides it would be a crime to pull her angel away too soon. A hundred years caged in the Shadowfell had no doubt left her deprived of the most basic humane courtesies. She definitely deserves to celebrate.

Isobel draws a cold, shallow breath and stifles a coughing fit. The ale must be affecting her poorly, as the torchlight suddenly feels harsh to her eyes. She tolerates it for a while, but the celebrations get louder as the night goes on. Despite the lifting of the curse, the air in the hall feels muggy and suffocating, and a slight headache settles upon her brow soon after. All it takes is the drunken singing of a few dozen Harpers to persuade the cleric into the calm night air.

The moon from Moonrise had always been beautiful – a century couldn't hope to change that. But the same could not be said for Reithwin itself. Beneath the moonlight, the village Isobel had known so well seemed little more than a hollow shell.

A ghost, an echo of what once was.

At the center of it all stands the statue of her father, his expression listless and placid. The same way he looked when she first awoke.

A chill snakes down her neck.

She’s running barefoot, clad in cambric burial garbs, dodging creeping vines, and thorny brambles. White dots of lantern light chase after her; her father is amongst them. A mangled root catches her foot, and she tumbles downhill into a heap of thorns. Disoriented, she crawls away, pressing her back to a scraggly tree. Her lungs burn for breath, but no matter how much she gasps, her vision swirls with sparks.

Calling upon her goddess means risking discovery. Instead, she clasps a hand over her mouth.

The rumble of a galloping horse crests the hill, pulling her back to herself. The bony, half-rotted steed brays as it winds through the foul miasma. Her father screams from its back, sobbing, begging. His dark, anguished pleas echo through the marrow of her bones. She winces with every one, hot tears streaming down her cheeks.

The sound remains burned into her memory. Sometimes, late at night, she thinks she hears it still. Isobel thanks Selûne that he did not find her that night.

Once more, she gazes over the ruins of Reithwin and her heart twists. She spent a century dead, while so many good people - people she knew - suffered and perished for want of one man’s grief. Yet here she stands, and they do not.

She recalls the many hideous stories the Harpers told about the source of the Shadow Curse and the monster Ketheric became. At first, she could hardly believe it. The gentle, kind man - the man who'd raised her - chose to forsake their goddess, forcibly convert their people to Shar, and butcher those who would not. That wasn't even accounting for what he'd done to Aylin!

So much death and destruction, and for what?

"While I hold little love for Ketheric," Aylin's armored boots settle upon the stone behind her. “That monster was not your father.”

Isobel turns to face her, desperately trying to hold her emotions back, but to no avail.

In one fluid motion, Aylin pulls her into her embrace as her wings sweep around her. They’re a welcome shield from everything beyond. Isobel leans into her, her head resting against her breastplate. She listens quietly to the slow rhythm of her heart, the rise and fall of her breath, as Aylin rests her jaw upon her head.

“You are not to blame for his mistakes.” Aylin says softly.

Isobel finds her voice soon after, “I know.”

[writtenjewels]

Ameli

I'll Wait

He could find no way to ease his restless nerves. Pacing made his captors nervous; he wasn't allowed to smoke; he did not want to pick up a nail-biting habit. Salim ended up drumming his fingers on his thigh. Whenever someone walked into the room he would perk up, only to be disappointed when it wasn't Jason. The men in hazmat suits finally allowed Salim to speak with his son, and he was eager to talk to Jason about it.

Truth be told, he would have been eager to see Jason regardless. He felt amiable toward the other three Americans, but he and Jason had gone through a lot in a short amount of time. They were far more than just allies of convenience; they were the sword and the shield.

Jason finally appeared and Salim felt his spirits lift. He still couldn't get over how different Jason looked away from the catacombs. Without his hat, he could have been just another American tourist. His dark hair was cut a little longer than a military buzz cut and not being allowed a razor had allowed dark stubble to start growing on his jawline. His faded blue shirt had already made him stand out but now it seemed even more eye-catching, like he had brought a piece of the sky into the quarantine with him.

“Hey,” Jason greeted him. “You look like you got good news.”

“I should not have doubted your 'civilized words,' my friend,” Salim said, beaming. “I called Zain and told him I'm safe. He opened the present I gave him over the phone. He was very pleased.”

“You'll give him a bigger present when you get home,” Jason assured him. He sounded so sure and confident. Salim clung onto it, just as he did when they were down in the catacombs.

“I found a deck of cards,” Salim mentioned. “I can teach you an Arabic card game.” There was a moment of hesitation from Jason and he took in a slow breath. He nodded and followed Salim over to a table.

It wasn't the first time Salim noticed Jason losing his confidence. He watched it happen when Jason told him about the checkpoint. He understood what it meant for this man to be so open and vulnerable around him, and met it with gentle patience. Salim was trying to offer that again. He was scared that if he pushed too hard or confronted Jason before he was ready, he would lose Jason.

It would have been easier if air support was never called. Then he might have had time to get away before help came. If he was the one to walk away, he could bear it. Salim told Jason that Zain was all he had left in this world. That was no longer true, and it was terrifying.

“I hear you thinkin',” Jason prodded him.

“How?” The question was a distraction and Salim felt a little cowardly for using it. “You always seem able to hear my thoughts.”

“I'm tuned into your signal.” Jason tapped his temple.

“Normally I would think you're messing with me again, but we've just encountered alien vampires.” Salim started shuffling the cards. The games he knew required four people, but he could still teach Jason the basics. “Your ears being transmitters for brain radio waves doesn't seem so strange.” Jason's lips moved into a little smile and their eyes met. There was a shift in Jason's eyes as his expression softened more. It was for only a moment before he seemed to catch himself and pull back, but it was enough to make Salim hope.

“You got a way with words, Salim,” Jason remarked.

“So do you.” He caught Jason's gaze again. Looking at Jason away from the shadows made Salim's heart beat a little faster. Those freckles were so charming. The ache in his body was unfamiliar but powerful. Now he was the one taking the slow breath.

What he felt was illegal here. He shouldn't even be considering it. Yet Jason helped him to believe in impossible things down in the catacombs. If he would just give Salim hope now... Be patient. Wait.

“Salim,” Jason spoke up. Salim paused in the middle of shuffling the cards. “Seriously, man, what's up?”

“I was thinking that despite everything, I'm happy to be here.”

“Same,” Jason agreed. He smiled, his face turning a little pink. Salim's heart skipped when he saw it. Maybe... maybe... “I think for the first time--” Jason stopped, dropping his gaze.

“It's okay,” Salim soothed him. He rested his hand on the table within easy reach of Jason. “You're okay.” Jason's expression shifted into that vulnerability he showed Salim before. Salim flipped his hand over. If Jason could hear thoughts, Salim hoped he tuned in now. He needed Jason to do this for him again, as he did over and over in those catacombs.

“Salim...” There was that vulnerable look in Jason's eyes again. Salim leaned closer, thinking Jason wanted to say something. Instead, he felt a tentative peck on his mouth. It sent a spark through his whole body and it took everything in him to hold back the flood of emotion. He was so afraid that he might scare Jason away. So he returned the pressure gently before pulling back.

“For the first time,” Jason resumed, the pink on his cheeks deepening to red, “I'm really happy.”

Once again, he was giving Salim hope.

[littlesparklight]

Hey, sorry if it bother you, but would you be on board to do fanfictions-like posts (like the wonderful ones where Perseus call Polydectes uncle) on Teucer, Ajax (his apparently protective brother who's bond with Teucer was compared to a mother protecting her offspring), Hesione, Ajax's mother and Telamon? I learned Teucer was the son of Hesione and thus part trojan through the wonderful (but basically and most likely definitely dead) comic Age of Bronze, and then I saw some of your stuff regarding him and I know your writing is great, so I would love to see it. I especially am interested about moments in their youth, how Hesione deal with having had Teucer and also her thoughts on her owner's trueborn (husband literally can't be called what Telamon is to her honestly) caring for her son, but also how she deal with her son preparing to bring war on Troy. Honestly, that last point would be horrifying for her I think, especially when Teucer carry the bow, the same weapon used by Herakles to kill her father, and intend to use them to kill her nephews, and also due to how many versions have it that Teucer did not partake in the oath, meaning his presence would be due to lack of care for Troy's fate and, or solely, because of his loyalty to Ajax the Greater.

Hahah well, all the Perseus posts were snippets from an actual WIP that I posted up whenever I've gotten inspired to write (because I got pissed off at a shitty post about Perseus or another).

If I get any inspiration to write for Teucer, you'll know!

All I currently have is a post-war WIP meant to follow Teucer to Cyprus I'm not working on right now due to other ideas, but have a snippet from it:

He and his ships could have continued on after he'd found what ships he had left, since Salamis was hardly much further than Athens, but he'd wanted to be sure the ships were sea-worthy.

Also, he had to admit, because finally going home meant facing his father.

Without Ajax.

Teucer almost choked on the surge of grief, throat closing up and his chest too tight to breathe. Not forgetting what he'd been thinking about, but rather it seemed to matter very little against the loss.

"Teucer? You need to eat," Tecmessa said as she came up beside him, drawing Teucer's attention back to both the here and now and what he'd been worrying about just before the reminder of the loss of his brother had overshadowed everything else.

He took the bowl thoughtlessly, but looked up at his brother's widow, slim and outlined by the ruddy light of the setting sun. That Ajax wasn't here to present her to Telamon would matter, to her too. Whether she realized that just yet or not, he was aware of it. More aware of it than he would've been years ago, certainly. More aware of it than he'd been back when he knew his mother wasn't treated exactly the same as Ajax's mother, but never thought of it much for she was still treated more like a lady than a slave. Partially because Eriboia had grace beyond what her husband possessed.

Tecmessa, however…

"How's Eurysaces?" Teucer asked, not yet reaching for the spoon stuck into the bowl.

His nephew would be well-cared for, no matter what happened to him or what his father would make of Ajax's widow. Eurysaces was the only thing left of Ajax, and so he would be welcomed and treasured by his grandparents. Some part of Teucer wished he didn't care enough about his brother's last wishes to fulfil them, for it'd be a way to get back at his father for what he was very sure was coming. A way to protect Eurysaces too, even if Telamon would raise his grandson well. He would just not raise him as Teucer thought Ajax's son deserved to be raised.

What would all those expectations do for yet another child under his father's care? One carrying not just Telamon's expectations on a son of his, but also the expectations on a son of Ajax's.

"He was more interested in tossing the food around than eating it," Tecmessa said with a little laugh, steadied now from the trembling fear when they'd first landed here after the storm had blown over. "I need to put him to bed."

[rav-rabies-art-blog]

Story Wip

I'm working a little fic and I like how it's coming along and thought I'd share. It's Kale/Zanzo like my last fic. Originally it was going to be smut like that one too but I might just let it be cute this time.

Setting is pregame. Kale in this story gets parts of his body replaced in parts instead of all at once. And yes the Murderdolls reference is purely for myself.

---Zanzo---

"Okay let's get this over with." Zanzo whispered to himself as he walked into the sunlight. He could have just left the paperwork on Kale's desk. He could have a robot bring it up, Well he did that last time and said robot had an 'accident' on the way up.

Zanzo didn't know who knocked that programer off that walkway but it had to be Roquefort. He was always out to get rid of him. No one else wanted him gone.

Well, Rekka does but he isn't sure why. Mimosa loves drama. Korsica… she didn't bother him much but she's basically a cop so bastard by default.

Alright, so Kale and that HR department head (whatever happened to them?) where right. Anyone could have done it.

How'd that Murderdolls song go?

"People hate me because I'm better than you."

Yeah that sounded about right. They all hated him because he was better than them. Zanzo chuckled to himself as he looked around.

Kale's private park wasn't that big so it didn't take him long. Zanzo tilted his head at the sight of his boss.

---Kale---

With enough pressure he would hear it but he wouldn't feel the splinters or wood grain crumble between his fingers.

After his augmentation, Kale found himself lightly squeezing things around him at times. His desk, the arms of his chair, and at this moment, a bench in his private garden. He never really thought about What goes into touch. He could no longer feel texture, temperature nor the release of soft flesh after pressing against something. All he could feel was the resistance being registered through his circuits. It was strange. A two dimensional way of feeling. It was-

"Kind of weird right?"

Kale jumped a little as Zanzo's voice pulled him, scowling, from his meditation. "What are talking about?" He snapped.

"How it feels different after you know." Zanzo said and tapped his left foot on the brick walkway.

Kale hadn't had his legs removed yet. That was next. "What it like?" He asked while looking at Zanzo blue metallic legs.

"Oh, well…" Zanzo said. He turned, his side now facing Kale, and stroked his goatee. "It's uh. Like when your leg is asleep but with out the tingling, needling, feeling." He looked back to Kale as he finished. His face split with his Cheshire grin. "But," he continued, "There's also the signals from my joints. Little electronic blip bloops saying 'I'm here and functioning.' So it like these floating points of sensation."

He rolled on to the balls of his robotic feet bouncing his heels. Their clank clank clank was joined with the occasional tink of his swaying cables tapping. All the while he had same earnest grin that Kale couldn't help but find cu-

Kale whipped his head away from Zanzo. 'Oh look that tree has bark like most trees.' he thought as he squeezes his knees, just hard enough to bring tears to his eyes. The hurt was just enough to cut off those thoughts. 'I mean, really, I'm his boss.'

Kale looked back to Zanzo. He was tilting his head like curious puppy. "Something wrong?"

"No," Kale said bluntly.

"Hmmm," Zanzo hummed and tilted his head a little before shooting up straight. "Okay then," he said.

[taruchinator]

🐸 General Audiences

🐸 2k Words

🐸 For the @bycmykae Stardew Valley Blind Date Zine!

Shane stood from the floor and scooped a bag of seeds from the cart next to him, this time placing those on the shelf above as he kept with the conversation. “You here for that frog sale, too?”

Erika had to physically do a double take at that sentence. “I'm sorry, did you say ‘Frog sale?’”

Or: Abigail asks for Erika to meet her at their favorite frog-catching spot—the bridge next to JojaMart! But when her girlfriend takes a while to show up, the least place the farmer expects to find her is inside the store holding… a frog plush?

Hey everybody, Alice here! ^^

More zine fics are brought your way with this piece I wrote for the Blind Date RNG one, in which I was randomly assigned Abigail, who I had little to no knowledge of prior to writing this (had to do some research and now she's my fav goth queen)

We had to give the Farmer a name, so I went with basic Erika cause I think it's a pretty name~ Hope you like it!

It was a cloudy day in Pelican Town.

Not that Erika minded a bit of gloominess once in a while, being used to rainy days back in her hometown whenever the weather thought things were getting a bit too chummy for the city folk.

As she sat on the wooden bridge with her legs dangling off to the side, the brunette smiled at the tiny fish and tadpoles that would swim beneath her. Abigail asked if they could meet here—a little spot that had become one of their favorite hunting grounds for the slimy creatures known as frogs.

Erika would've never thought that frog hunting would be as fun as it was until she met her.

The thought of her girlfriend only spread the grin on her face even wider, along with dusting her cheeks a slight pink. When she'd first arrived at Pelican Town, Erika was pleasantly surprised to see that most citizens were accepting of an outsider moving in. But there were no doubt people she'd grown particularly close to, and those encompassed the members of Pierre's family.

Being the closest store to the farm, it was no surprise that the brunette found herself getting her supplies and selling any raised goods over by Pierre's General Store. The man was charismatic and had good social skills, which got the girl to open up eventually.

His wife Caroline was a gentle soul who would treat her as if she were her own daughter, even more so ever since she and Abigail started dating.

The purple-haired girl was a mystery to Erika the first few times they crossed paths. She was rather quiet, kept to herself while cleaning the store, and even seemed to relish in solitude if the times she caught her hanging by the graveyard were any indication.

Still, Caroline had asked her to try and befriend her, claiming that “they just aren't that many girls her age around here. I'm sure you two would get along wonderfully!”

It wasn't like she had to tell her twice—the farmer was rather intrugued by Abigail to begin with, finding her tomboyish personality and overall mellow nature quite comforting. And based on the interactions they started having more and more often around town, it was safe to assume Abigail felt the same.

Erika wasn't sure when her feelings started shifting to something beyond friendship, but it definitely caught her off guard the moment the other girl confessed to her while they were in the depths of the caves. The brunette had gone looking for her since she'd gone in hours prior and hadn't returned yet, so the last thing she was expecting was something like that.

Still, it felt right in all ways. Her and Abby felt right.

Speaking of which…

“Where is she?” Erika turned from one side of the bridge to the other, trying to spot the familiar face. Nothing. The brunette hummed, feeling a small rumble begin to build in her stomach as the mist around her started to grow heavy. “Probably should've brought something to snack on…”

JojaMart stared right back at her, making her muse to herself quietly. “I mean, it's her fault for making me wait…”

It was decided. Erika stood from her spot and made her way over to the convenience store, hand rummaging through her pockets for any spare change she could find. Some chips didn't sound too bad—she might even get something for Abigail while she was at it.

The double doors opened as she walked past a few customers with smiling faces as they left with their purchases. Walking down the aisles, she took the time to look for the desired snack, along with a Joja Cola to chug it down. There were other options, but Erika was one to stick to the basics.

Before she could walk over to the checkout line however, she noticed a familiar face organizing a row of canned goods a few feet away. A smile spread across her lips as she waved in greeting. “Hey Shane!”

The man was wearing the signature JojaMart uniform as he turned to her, which consisted of a cap, top and bottoms in bright pastel colors. It was honestly quite a contrast to Shane's more mellow personality. He seemed to be ready to glare the person away until he realized who it was. “Oh. It's you.”

“Yeesh, talk about good customer service.” Erika quipped in light teasing. She was used to Shane by now, and she could only hope he was used to her too. “When do you clock out?”

“Not soon enough…” Shane stood from the floor and scooped a bag of seeds from the cart next to him, this time placing those on the shelf above as he kept with the conversation. “You here for that frog sale, too?”

Erika had to physically do a double take at that sentence. “I'm sorry, did you say ‘Frog sale?’”

Shane finally decided to look at her, confusion clear in his eyes as he scanned the single two items in her basket. “Isn't that why Abigail’s here? She practically ran her way to the back once the doors opened this morning. Figured you'd be looking for her if you're here…”

“Wait, Abby's here?!” Erika hadn't meant to raise her voice, but this just kept getting more puzzling by the minute. Is this why she hadn't shown up at the bridge? Why didn't she tell her anything? A million questions went through her mind as Shane pointed at an area in the back of the store—the one where Abigail had run off to a few hours ago.

Looking around, it was almost as if she was in a completely different place.

Green flyers and streamers decorated the walls, with shelves filled to the brim with what could only be described as a frog army; everything from plushies, to paintings, to clothes—frogs were plastered across everything, and it made Erika question her sanity for a moment. Could she have possibly woken on the wrong side of the bed today?

Luckily, it didn't take long to find the person she was looking for. Not many people were around to begin with, and it wasn't like her girlfriend didn't stand out, looking all excited as she stared between two different plush toys in her cart like a kid in a candy store. She was too cute for her own good. “Abby!”

Purple curls bounced as she turned upwards, scanning the area before her eyes landed on Erika, a huge grin spreading across her face. “Eri!”

Before she knew it, the brunette was engulfed in a hug that gave her the warmest of feelings. It was quite short-lived though, as Abigail pulled away to look at her properly, this time with a look of slight guilt spreading across her features. “I'm assuming I took too long…?”

“You assume correctly.” Erika smiled softly, but then proceeded to playfully shove her shoulder with a giggle. “You had me waiting alone. In the cold. And with no food, might I add!”

Abigail rolled her eyes with a smile of her own, clearly relaxing as she noticed Erika wasn't actually mad. Instead, she pushed one of the frog plushies she'd been inspecting earlier into the brunette's hands. “Well sorry to you and your stomach. When I found out about this sale I wanted to get us something, but I guess I lost track of time, hehe…”

“Yeah, about that…” Erika took the offered item. It was about the size of her palm and had a cute cartoony grin, complete with large eyes and rosy cheeks. Not something she'd immediately associate with Abby, but Erika wasn't one to complain. She then gestured at the rows around them. “What's all this about?”

Abigail's eyes began to sparkle in that way they did whenever she passed a hard level in her favorite video game. Dang it, she really was too cute. “It's Frog Day! I think JojaMart wanted to do something good for the environment or whatever cause you know how it is. I would've never found out if it wasn't for Shane. Coaxed it out of him last night at the bar.”

Leaving aside the fact that Abigail was in the bar for god knows what reason—she'd have to talk to her about that another time—Erika was surprised. A day dedicated to frogs? Now that was something she'd never heard of. Leave it to the countryside to be more aware of anything nature related.

Regardless, if there was anything her girlfriend loved more than games and playing the flute, it was definitely these slimy amphibians. No wonder she asked her to come along today of all days.

With a smile dancing on her lips, Erika wrapped her arms around the purple haired girl in a half hug, firmly planting a kiss on her left cheek while holding the plush between them. “That makes sense. I hope you realize though that since you didn't tell me about this beforehand, you owe me something nice. I think this little guy will do the trick.”

Abigail's face lit aflame at the sudden contact, with her eyes flickering from one side to the other as she tried to regain her composure. One of the things they struggled with when they first started dating was physical contact, not just because Abby wasn't used to it, but she was still coming to terms with her own sexuality and the fact that she also liked girls romantically.

Erika tried to be supportive and never pressured her into anything she didn't feel comfortable doing, but if Abigail was anything, she was stubborn. It wasn't like she hated this feeling—it was all just new to her.

So they came to the agreement that she'd speak up whenever something wasn't okay with her, which gave Erika peace of mind in situations like these, where the other was clearly embarrassed but wasn't bothered by it.

“I mean, I was debating between this one or a keychain anyways…” The other girl played with a stray strand of hair while holding the aforementioned accessory in the other.

“Absolutely not.” Erika gave her a stern look, and then lifted the small frog plush close to her face. “This is now our son.”

“Hahaha! What the heck are you talking about?” Abigail giggled with pink dusting her cheeks again as she tried pulling away from the hug, but the brunette wasn't having it.

“He's got my eyes and your smile! He's perfect!”

“God, why do I love you again?”

“Cause I'm adorable?”

“Could you two stop flirting and just buy something already?”

The monotone voice brought both girls back to reality as they instinctively jumped away from each other. Shane merely stared unimpressed with a broom in one hand.

Abigail's face instantly lit ablaze, though this time she was feeling anything but embarrassment. She turned to the older man and started bickering, with the other only rolling his eyes and giving a quick comeback once in a while, which only riled her up even more.

Erika could only stare with her heart swelling in pride.

Abby was a completely different person when she'd met her, but now, a mere months later, she'd blossomed into the strong, confident and amazing person she knew the other could be. And Erika was so proud of being able to be there to witness that journey.

Blame her for being a sap—she found someone she truly felt connected to.

“Whatever! Don't go asking for any discounts at the store any time soon!” Abby's voice cut once more through the farmer's train of thought as she turned away from Shane and took a hold of her hand, already walking to the closest register. “Let's go Eri, we're adopting this frog no matter what the haters say.”

With a chuckle and final wave of goodbye to the man behind them, Erika nodded and interlocked their fingers, already excited for whatever next adventure this bundle of energy had in store for them. “Your wish is my command, dear…”

✦𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐌𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐝 𝐓𝐨 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐲 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬!✦

[loaflovesdoodling]

In an earlier post you said that Meta Knight was changed by Nightmare, did Meta Knight ever work for or was forced to work for Nightmare? Especially before joining the GSA? If so, when he joined was it super awkward or did no one recognize him?

Sorry for rambling! Answer as many or as few of those as you would like! I hope you’re having a wonderful day! (And if not that it gets better soon!)

Sincerely,

JustAnAmericanArtist

I will answer anything, don't you worry!

Ok, so:

In my hc, every starling (basically Kirby's species) commences its life after the explosion of a supernova, adrift in the sea of stars, sleeping indefinitely in a spaceship until it lands somewhere; and when that moment arrives, its cockpit will open, giving the starling full accessibility to whichever planet it landed on to adapt to it and begin its true life. (basically half canon, since that's how Kirby was found in the first ep.)

Unfortunately, Meta wasn't so lucky, as he landed on Shiver Star, where Nightmare's base was. Immediately, Nightmare sent his minions to retrieve the poor child: they got to him, put him in a basket and brought him to their boss.

With something as powerful as a starling in his hands, Nightmare wanted to experiment and find the source of its power. Of course, he was aware of how dangerous it was to even consider surgery, since baby astrals are internally very delicate (reason why Meta is constantly worried about Kirby getting hurt), so he basically used him as his own lab rat, a mere toy for him to play with, a pawn. He tested magic on him, the strength of demon beasts on him, he used him against other, stronger foes due to his natural skill, forcing him to work tirelessly, and so on, and so on...

Meta knew nothing about a peaceful life, being reduced to a stress toy, abused, thrown around, tested on just for the sake of it. That was until Sir Galacta Knight and Sir Uther had been planning an assault in Nightmare's headquarters: upon defeating numerous demon beasts, they found him, Meta, curled up under rubble, wounded and alone.

"Uther, look!"

"A... starling?"

"Yes! He looks in rough shape, though. Do you think he's going to make it?"

"I think he is. Although, surely, you may not be planning to take him with us, right?"

"..."

"Right?"

"--CAN WE PLEASE KEEP HI-"

"GALACTA, YOU MAY NOT."

"Why?! What's wrong with him?"

"Are you really forgetting we're in Nightmare's base right now? Everything and anything here could be a serious threat to us both!"

"We can't leave him here!.. -- Wait, are those..?"

"Wings."

"But he isn't one of the heroes of Yore, nor does he have any correlation to them whatsoever!"

"Nightmare most likely tampered with him. That's even more dangerous."

"COME ON, UTHER! You're seriously going to leave a child to die here?!"

"..."

"I suppose we can take him..."

"Great, now let's get moving!"

Taking him in, they both tried to stabilize his condition, Galacta more than Uther, though. It was at that moment that he started treating Meta like a true son, without fearing Nightmare's influence on him.

It had been years, and Meta was finally introduced to the G.S.A. (Although Jecra and Garlude weren't in the group yet). Immediately, he saw what it was like to be in a true family: no abuse, no weird looks.

Of course, the others already knew about his whole story with Nightmare, and I must admit they all were a bit more... careful around him. But, eventually, they realized he completely despised his abuser (rightfully so,) and he would've done anything to rid of him.

At the arrival of Jecra and Garlude, Meta immediately felt strong admiration towards them, and that didn't go unnoticed. They weren't even disgusted by the fact that Meta had been Nightmare's doll, they just thought he was really strong in enduring what he had been through. Jecra was the first to suggest they all made a group and the two of them (Meta and Garlude) followed.

So, yeah, that's about it! Sorry if it's a little long, I tend to talk a lot about stuff that I like. Hope your day is awesome too! <3

[egg-emperor]

One thing I found particularly interesting in Final Horizon is that in one conversation with Amy, the doctor seems to express sympathy for the remnants of the Ancient's consciousness that only come out at night due to their fear of The End even many years after their extinction. I dunno, it adds dimension to his character IMO that even though he's an awful person through and through, he's still capable of at least expressing some sympathy towards others.

I don't mind if this was the intention with it or if what I'm personally hearing it as was for reasons I'll explain in a moment buuut- I honestly kinda can't really hear it as being genuine sympathy. His tone and the little "hmph!" before saying it sounds slightly amused almost. I keep trying to unhear it and read it as sympathy but I can't.

Putting with sound here to see if anyone else can see what I mean with that in mind:

That's not just me saying this out of wishful thinking or anything as like I said, I don't mind if that wasn't that the intention. He absolutely has low empathy from all I've observed but that doesn't mean he couldn't ever have any at all in any situation ever hypothetically, so I wouldn't be mad if it was the intention for him to feel slight sympathy.

Though I think it'd be a liiittle ooc in this specific way as he's never given a shit about anything bad happening to anyone before, so why would this be the time and way? It'd be a strange way to suddenly throw in now this way after many opportunities before. Cute little creatures don't make him care and feel bad, otherwise he would've felt that way about those he captures and uses in robots.

But it doesn't sound like he genuinely feels really bad for them exactly to me. His tone and his "hmph!" makes it sound like he's more a little amused and says it with a lilt, that was my first impression and I can't unhear it. With subtitles alone, you can imagine a sadder tone more along the lines of what Sonic and co express when saying such things but that isn't what it sounds like from him in comparison. That's why it didn't raise any brows at all when I first heard it.

Going by tone, I'd say the delivery on the memo where he acknowledged The Ancients dying out sounded more like they could've set it up for him feeling sympathy as his tone would've been more appropriate. But instead three memos after, he's just like "Sure it wiped them out but I could handle The End because I'm just built different I'm a genius!" -

He basically brushes off the severity of the tragedy and insults their skill and intelligence with that, like they just needed to get good like him, so he clearly wasn't actually sympathetic then either.

BUT if he somehow was even just a little bit sympathetic for even a second, it would be an even more of a deliberate fully aware choice of his to still be an asshole about it like that, so that would just make him worse and would mean he has a very low amount if any at all to still be able to do that. And that would potentially make him even more dangerous and threatening if he had the emotional intelligence to feel that sympathy, yet he still chooses to be a jerk about them dying out and still choosing to be horrible person. So that's why it's good and funny either way to me lol

But it's not like he changes in tone when talking to Amy like he's just pretending not to care about them or something, if he was feeling sympathy then I don't think he'd even say that in front of her at all. And especially because in the memos he made it even obvious that he doesn't feel sympathy for The Ancients getting wiped out and still chooses to be a dick about it a few memos later- and that's when he's alone speaking to himself and could've been honest and open.

So I'm currently interpreting it as an example of his low empathy shown through a way where he's saying something that could be sympathetic coming from anyone else with the feeling and tone, but he just doesn't have it to match the words he's saying and it just seems detached. Since usually it's through him blatantly stating he doesn't care about something or brushing something off as insignificant. The latter is there a bit by how it sounds like he's bemused and detached but the words don't match like with the common former with him.

But the way it sounds a little amused and attached just almost loops back around to his cruelty because while he doesn't particularly revel in it, him sounding even slightly amused at the idea of them still being in hiding in fear... and how he talked about how he could've handled it better than the ancients... well. XD That kind of makes it seem almost the opposite of sympathetic to me. Not amusement to the point of it being another case of his sadism, but rather just an example of him being a lot more detached and a little apathetic really.

To put it simply, the vibe I'm personally getting is that it's like he's just going "ha! funny how it's like it's just happened and they still hide in fear of what wiped them out." And that alone is far from "he's actually showing sympathy towards something" to me. But as I said, even if that was the intention, it's not a bother to me and I'm willing to entertain it for how it could make him even more dangerous for that (though he absolutely is enough already if not of course). But I can't say I can hear it as being a moment of genuine heartfelt sympathy from him.

[mudhamster]

CHWHWN: 09. December "something spicy"

Kacchan: found something already *image attached* Deku: o_o Kacchan: wasn't even that good Deku: you've been to my cupboard? Kacchan: the kitchen is a public room Deku: but the cupboards labeled with names are not Kacchan: what you gonna do? Deku: I guess I'll throw this away then. Or give it to someone else *image attached* Kacchan: what's that supposed to be Deku: kimichi Something spicy Kacchan. … your mother's recipe? Deku: sure Kacchan: let's swap your shitty ick soup for the kimichi Deku: So you haven't eaten the noodles at all? Kacchan: of course not Deku: and how do you know they don't taste good? Kacchan: I read through the ingredients Deku: you're being ridiculous Kacchan: and you're eating shit Deku: Oh boy ჴ˘ര‸രჴ

He put down his cell phone and rubbed his eyes, feeling exhausted. Laying his head on his knees, he turned slowly in his desk chair and pondered.

Ever since that night, the day before yesterday, when the other had decided out of the blue to break yet another unwritten rule and enter Izuku's room, it felt like they were getting closer.

Somehow. ... ... ?

But then again, somehow not.

It wasn't as if Izuku could take a piece of paper and write down exactly what had changed little by little over the past week. His heart beat just as fast when Kacchan entered the room and stopped just as often when he did nothing but look at him.

He couldn't understand what was going on, despite his power to analyze things around him. The hug, the note for it, hadn't been drawn yet. And he hadn't even realized how intimate a hand massage could be when he was writing all those notes. Admittedly, he hadn't given much thought to many of the terms because he had basically assumed that he would get the rejection of the century and simply take the jar back with him and they would spend December together like good old friends. The fact that Kacchan had accepted the jar had somehow destabilized his mental foundation. That he had allowed Izuku to kneel in front of him at the beginning of the week, while he had looked past him, leaned back against the bed and watched the news, was still hard for him to accept as reality. Izuku had sweated harder than he had ever experienced before. He hadn't noticed it through the velvety oil between his fingers, but oh boy, this was one of the most intimate evenings he had ever had. And nothing had happened! Nothing at all! They sat facing each other, silent as agreed, and Izuku had massaged the tension out of Kacchan's palms and fingers in slow circles. First the left. Then the right. But he'd been able to listen to his breathing, to count the heartbeats between his fingers, to smell the seeping streams of nitro and detergent. Sometimes it had been harder not to lose himself in the feeling of belonging here than to pretend to be relaxed. Which he absolutely wasn't. Not a muscle. And especially not his mind. When he'd finished the second hand, it had been dark outside and the flickering light of the laptop had reflected in Katsuki's eyes. As Izuku's hands lay there, no longer in use, his fingers had begun to tingle as if they were waiting to ignite. He wanted to hold a fire under them. To see if he would burn. "Deku...?" The moment had burst like a soap bubble and he had leapt to his feet before Kacchan could kick him out of the room. Better to leave on his own than to be thrown out. He wanted to make a good impression: be quiet, smell good, do good. And so far, he had succeeded with flying colors. 10/10 points for Izuku. Yay. "You're welcome!" he had squeaked, already on the other side of the room, although the blond had neither moved nor made a sound. Anyway, no matter. He had reached the door, his fingers trembling enough that he had slipped off the handle twice and almost fallen. He had accidentally turned on the light with his elbow when the lock clicked - had he locked it? - and then he was in the hallway and on the stairs and just gone. He had deliberately not looked back this time.

...

That had been Monday.

And they had both been masters at pretending it was either super normal or had never happened. Yesterday they had been sitting next to each other, doing their homework. On the floor, both with their backs to his bed. Izuku had thought about offering Kacchan his pillow to cushion his back, but the blonde had brushed aside his selfless offer like a fly and asked which pensioners he was used to having over.

Well, and then they sat together again in the evening without it being … strange. Namely at the movie night. Nobody had looked at them, nobody had questioned it or commented on it. That would be normal. That's how it would feel. And Izuku longed for it. Even Kacchan's friends were completely… normal. Denki had made zero effort to change the seating arrangement and Izuku had a slight suspicion that it was because of how comfortable Kyoka had settled in front of the couch between his knees. Momo to his left, Ashido to his right. Kacchan had watched over his nachos like a gremlin in the corner of the couch, watching the movie (horror) as if he saw people running through rice fields with chainsaws every day. He had done nothing more than press his knee against Izuku's at a particularly tense point. But there was no more comfort for the rest of the movie. But that was okay. So okay. ...

A flat hand slammed loudly against his door from outside, then it swung open before he could catch his breath for a response. "Here." The cupnoodle shot across the room and slammed against his cupboard, then landed in the trash can next to his desk. Cackling filled the room. Izuku turned around, desk chair and all, to face Kacchan, who was smirking at him with such childish pride at his misdeed that it just ... filled his heart. "What are you looking at, nerd? Where's my stuff?" Izuku sighed and reached for the kimchi. Once again realising, that he was madly in love.