#I don't care if it looks like a volcano is nearby

[manablood]

RIP to all the people who get migraines easily and now that we're past Halloween are now looking at the winter events in their favorite video games and thinking "Snow blindness sucks. Why'd you put it in a video game?"

[shiny-jr]

outlander

Warning: Yandere. Gender-neutral reader.

Characters: Riddle Rosehearts, Leona Kingscholar, Azul Ashengrotto, Kalim Al-Asim, Vil Schoenheit, Idia Shroud, Malleus Draconia. 

Summary: In every land you travel to, there's a god with elemental powers. But why is it that in every nation you arrive to, the gods attempt to make you stay?

Note: Why has no one done a genshin x twst thing? This is more of a concept idea than anything else. I might do a series with it, or not, or just random posts. Feel free to ask about it or request stuff for it.

This must be a dream, either that or a never-ending nightmare.

Waking up alone on a sandy beach, as if washed ashore, was disorientating. There was nothing else on the shore save for shells and the occasional crab, no debris indicating a wreck and no scattered belongings. All you had on you were the clothes on your back, which were a pair of shorts and an oversized t-shirt, your pajamas.

In the center of your palms, was a marking you had never seen before, like a freshly painted tattoo in the shape of a tiny key. As curious as the strange new markings were and you wondered how they even got there, there was a larger question looming:

How did you get here?

GRIM

There was a cat on the beach. At least, it looked like a cat. A talking feline, with gray fur and the most impossible feature of blue fire lightly simmering in his ears.

It spoke, just like a human, with a grating high-pitched voice. It was a devilish little beast, with little fangs sharper than his comebacks that he supposed were funny.

The feline pridefully announced his name: Grim.

And when you told Grim your story of how you woke up by the water's edge with no recollection of how you got here and little to your name, the creature didn't appear to care. However, when he spoke of elements being used by people and names of nations and cruel living gods you never once heard of, only then was he very vaguely intrigued. Perhaps it was amusement, as he laughed and called you stupid for not even knowing of The Seven.

That's when you heard a growl, not from behind his fangs but from his stomach. If you looked at him from the right angle, he looked quite scrawny. The poor thing was hungry, you realized.

All it took was an offering of cans of tuna found in an empty cabin nearby, and you had him in your grasp. Following you around was only temporary, he insisted, he'd go along so long as there was food. While a talking cat was not the most conventional of guides, it was better than nothing, especially since he knew basic knowledge of each nation and where the nearest sign of civilization was located.

HEARTSLABYUL

Through the winding dark woods where mysterious creatures lurked in hollow trees and dead end paths, were meadows of flowers and peaceful grooves. However, don't let the tranquillity of nature fool you. In the distance were mountains– not actually mountains, but volcanoes and hot sprints along this land's border.

It's been said that the very millions of roses and other greenery in this land, was formed when ash rained down on dry barren earth for nearly a month. Ash from those very dormant volcanoes that were the backdrop to this perfect scenery, which came in huge black clouds thousands of years ago and blanketed the earth.

A god, an archon, the deity of law that rained hell on earth over thousands of years ago.

Long ago this land was a country of criminals ruled by a god of chaos that reveled in havoc and disorder. Among the mayhem, was a small deity of fire with mighty powers and a vision for a future he was determined to see. Riddle, is what the deity was called.

Riddle gained a number of followers to listen to his words, and he created order. A small feat compared to the many wicked still running about in a lawless land ruled by a god that valued anarchy. So, using newfound strength, the deity of fire drew forth molten lava from the mouths of the northern volcanos, burning all those in its path while the deadly plumes of smoke and ash suffocated those that remained. Atop the remains of the destroyed towns and cities, he built a new nation of order for his loyal followers.

Today, it is a thriving nation filled with flowers and greenery. However, there is one issue. The god of pyro, Riddle, is a tyrant. Every law is expected to be followed without question and without fail, beheadings have become nearly a daily occurrence with the criminals often being charged with mistakingly picking flowers on Wednesdays, drinking the wrong sort of tea post-meals, or playing croquet after five pm.

You were fortunate to be spared after your audience with the god of law, for breaking the rule: one must never bring a cat to a formal affair. Before he could burn you were you stood, you interjected, answering that your companion was no cat, so you had broken no rule.

Well, he promptly apologized for the misunderstanding and in turn, offered to make up for it by inviting you to a tea party. It would be best to except his invitation, afterall, he was the same deity that buried nearly an entire country in lava and ash, then built his kingdom atop their remains. He was a tyrant that beheaded and burned people on the daily. It was wise not to get on his bad side. Besides, he appears to have taken a fancy for you. Riddle implores that you tell him more of your world while you ignore the whispers of rebellion.

There is no leaving Heartslabyul, not without the explicit permission from the god of law. The borders with their volcanoes burn any would-be invaders, allowing passage only to merchants and travelers who have received the pyro deity's blessing. Why would Riddle ever give you his blessing to see you go?

SAVANACLAW

Across the volcanoes and hot springs of the borders, the mountains turn green with dense jungles. Across the river lies the savanna where the world's most wondrous creatures run free. Times have been turbulent, the shaking ground was evidence of troubles with this nation's divine beings, or rather, now single divine being.

Earthquakes have always been a sign of something occurring either for a purpose or unintentionally by someone else. The harsher the quake, the greater the importance of the event. And not too long ago, a ginormous tremor shook the entire globe. Something of major importance had happened.

A god, an archon, the deity of intellect was the new sovereign after tragedy befell his elder brother.

In the past the land was under the protection of the god of strength, a mighty god worshipped by his people. This god had a young heir who was also beloved by the people. However, most forgot or completely disliked the younger brother of the god of strength, a deity of ground, Leona, who had a burning hated for his brother.

Leona amassed followers of his own in secret. It came as no surprise that the common and the wealthy adored the exalted god of strength. However, the poor detested him, because he offered no help to them, no matter how much they prayed and offered what little they had to his alter. Instead, their prayers for mercy and for a change in luck, were answered by the deity of ground. The change of luck came from the death of the former god and his son, paving the way for a new sovereign.

Today, there is uncertainty in the street. Many of the former worshippers of the god of strength believe in one thing. The god of geo, Leona, is unfit to rule. The poor and mistreated have emerged from hiding places in the shadows, filled with newfound confidence for their was finally a god that answered their prayers. However, there remains a growing tension between both factions. Followers of the new god sing his praises, while followers who mourn for his brother believe that everything is falling into disarray.

You were promptly introduced to the god of intellect by his followers that wished to spread the good word. There was something wrong, you and your companion both agreed. How could a powerful god of strength and his young heir just perish without warning? Something was amiss.

This was just a new follower, at least in his eyes. So he brushed you off, allowing you to partake in the best food and drink only his followers had the privilege of receiving. Testing your luck, you decided you would ask him if he knew of a way home. For now you filled him in, explaining your origins and recent adventures. For such a conniving and arrogant leader, he was surprisingly lax. It even appeared as if he wasn't even listening to your words, just dozing off on some pillows. Your words were at least more interesting to him than the rumors of possible unrest.

Perhaps he does know a way for you to return home, but he doesn't want to tell you. It's as simple as that. He likes the new follower, you. Besides, you're not going. There is always the option of traveling further, but why do so when the geo deity has what you need? Leona greatly loathes betrayal from his own worshippers, so you wouldn't leave Savanaclaw to see another god, would you?

OCTAVINELLE

In the seas dwell creatures of unimaginable horrors living deep within the watery depths, across the ocean over turbulent waves there are islands of paradise. The chain of islands composed warm southern beaches and cold northern snowlands. This may be paradise, but a toll must be paid to even get near the islands.

A tax is applied to all arriving merchants wishing to trade and tourists wishing to step foot on the island. It doesn't make much sense, until you see their towns and cities bursting with trade. Business was booming, apparently. The water is clear and pristine, you could see the vibrant coral reefs and schools of fish swimming below.

A god, an archon, the deity of contracts once came from these very waters when there was no land.

Thousands of years ago there was nothing but ocean out this far away from the mainland. That is, until a deity of water appeared from the depths. He promised a new nation to traveling merchants, so long as they worshipped him. The deity introduced himself as Azul.

Azul had grown bored of the dull happenings under the sea, for he had achieved most things beneath the waves. The ocean could not satisfy his endless greed. He had his sights set on higher elevation, with the lofty goal of being just as powerful on land as he was in the ocean. He moved waves, creating tsunamis outward but revealing islands once hidden by water. The merchants took to land and fulfilled their end of the deal, worshipping him while creating a prosperous nation of deals.

In present day, hardly anyplace can compare to the thriving hub the nation has become. However, loyal followers have begun to see his greed. The god of hydro, Azul, is a charlatan. The ocean in all its vastness was not enough to satisfy his desires, it was why he took to land. For the promise of fulfilling prayers, something always must be given in turn or the worshippers must risk going on a quest. But, it is not always as it seems. One way or another, a prayer asking for something will end in the worshipper becoming in debt to him.

In exchange for an answer to the continued question of how to return home, you have nothing to offer for payment except for ideas. Home was modern, this world was not yet on par with the technology you knew. So you offer ideas of inventions, a device to capture an image in time, a mechanism like a box with wheels, a tool to contact someone miles away.

He believes you're quite bright, you think it false flattery to deceive you but you would be wrong. Your ideas are truly brilliant, and will no doubt earn him more millions and influence in other nations on the mainland! Best to take the compliment with a smile, or else this swindler may find a way to trap you in debt. Azul insists you tell him more of your home and your lucrative ideas. Here, a contract, where he shall sell your ideas as goods and you shall reap the rewards! Whatever hearsay you've heard painting him in a bad light, is defamation! Don't fall for it so easily.

Sailing away from Octavinelle would just be a fool's quest. Unless you can escape on a boat that can weather the harshest of sea storms, there is no stepping foot off the island without the risk of drowning. Don't you have more profitable ideas to share with the hydro deity? If not, just listening to your voice would make Azul content than all the gold in the world could.

SCARABIA

Rolling sand dunes stretch as far as the eye could see, and rocky canyons border a savanna. Sandstorms fill the skies like a dark cloud, covering the dry hot land in a new layer of sand once again. Struggle through the scorching days and blistering cold nights, and there will be an oasis in the center between large flowing rivers.

Life follows the flowing waters, and an enormous oasis is planted in the center of the desert. For miles and miles along the banks, are blooming cities and towns. A great contrast to the desert outside, these settlements are overflowing with water, with the greenest gardens and greatest crops.

A god, an archon, the deity of commerce that gave life to a once barren land.

Thousands of years ago, a terrible famine struck the land. All remaining oasis had shriveled up, leading to starvation. A kind-hearted deity of earth took pity on the people. So he decided to extend a helping hand. People would call the deity Kalim.

Kalim used his abilities to create a lush environment, a vast and incredibly rich oasis out of sand in the middle of the desert. When he walked, grass and flowers sprouted from the sand. In days, he managed to create a garden of tremendous size and design, where his new followers could live in peace and luxury by the rivers. Towns and cities were developed, giving way to a grand nation where he resided in comfort and extravagance, surrounded by people that adored him.

Now there is a grand metropolis where there is just as much gold in the markets as there are flowers. The god of dendro, Kalim, is naive. For thousands of years he has been sheltered and treasured by his people. He is oblivious and clumsy, but at the same time he is not foolish. He knows of the people that have attempted to use his abilities for sinister purposes. Although, no one could guess a conniving being plotting against him, resides in his very own palace.

Exciting adventures and thrilling tales, the god of commerce loves to hear your stories of the outside world! First time foreigners are welcomed with open arms, but you are treated as a rare guest with your unique origin. This might just be the most peaceful land you had ever traveled to.

Come, partake in the celebrations! It's easy to forget that such a laidback and cheerful personality belongs to that of a deity that gave life to this region of the desert. Dance, chat, he wishes to do it all with you! The brightness of the fireworks and lively atmosphere is nearly enough to drown out the presence in the shadows you see from the corner of your eyes. A figure with a piercing gaze, watching the jolly divine being with envy in their eyes. With a power as tempting as his, there would be those wishing to snatch it. Kalim distracts you, offering more food and drink with a smile sweeter than any flower.

Why would anyone ever wish to leave this garden that was Scarabia? The outside, the desert and canyons, were harsh and unforgiving. The god of commerce did not wish to see you risk traveling and getting hurt. The dendro deity invites you to stay in the city! Surely you could be happy here with Kalim, right?

POMEFIORE

On elevated lands, between mountains and hills, were endless forests in which travelers often vanished in or were discovered frozen. A winter wonderland, although this wasn't so delightful. It was beautiful, but a deadly kind of beautiful, where you risked being chased by mysterious beasts or becoming lost in blizzards.

The snow may be pure, it may look picturesque upon frozen lakes and lines of white trees, but looks are deceiving. This was once a serene land with a temperate climate, but it has only gotten colder and colder in more recent months until there was not a single spot of green to be seen.

A god, an archon, the deity of curses who was so bitter like the cold that he caused snow to fall all year round.

Stories have told that the land was once warm in springs and summers, only growing cold whenever the divine being was cross. They were frighteningly beautiful and terrifyingly powerful, regal as royalty but at times wrathful. Vil, is what the deity was referred to.

Vil became envious of an emerging figure, so he invoked powerful blizzards and storms. In recent generations, there have been a growing number of his people breaking off into a separate faction that worshipped a younger compassionate god of healing. Enraged by the betrayal of some followers and resentful with biting jealously, many knew that it was only a matter of time before he would snap. This frightening divine being would not accept being dethroned, he would not allow himself to be demoted in the people's hearts.

Civilization continued to thrive, even despite the never-ending snow. And yet, people cannot help but worry what may happen if the cold doesn't let up by spring. The god of cryo, Vil, was pretentious. Anyone who openly voices their distaste for him or a preference for the god of healing, can expect to be encased in ice and used as a display. No one dares to even utter the name of his rival, for fear of incurring his wrath.

Misfortune brought you before the god of curses' throne. Mistakingly his followers had believed you to be worshippers of the god of healing, which you insisted not to know of. You had simply been lost. Maybe it was your gawking at his ethereal appearance, or the compliment you murmured under your breath, but you were not frozen a punishment.

He decided to interrogate you himself, and through his stern questioning you found yourself a nervous mess as you answered honestly but blabbered far too much. Maybe this deity was amused, much like a king would find humor in a pathetic little jester. The divinity that froze nonbelievers into statues for his palace, found you quite endearing. Vil even once smiled at you when you spoke of inconsequential things, warming his heart to which the clouds carrying snow broke apart if for a moment, causing his followers to go into a frenzy fueled by hope.

When leaving Pomefiore is so much as even mentioned, all exits will be frozen shut by the god of curses. Why even venture outside the palace, when you have earned the favor of the cryo deity? Perhaps the land is warmer, but the neighboring nation is dangerous and he forbids the journey. Why would anyone leave after finally melting Vil's icy cold heart?

IGNIHYDE

A forest of dead trees serves as an ominous welcome, or perhaps it was an omen warning incoming travelers. Slopes gave way to valleys, and along the coasts was a heavy mist that painted the vision gray. Homes and buildings, magnificent temples and crumbling feats of architecture, appeared to be floating in white clouds, but in reality they were situated on cliffsides thick with fog.

In the center of the dying forest, there are ruins of a grand temple once belonging to a god that met a tragic end. However, its remnants are closely guarded by mysterious creatures of air that cannot be touched. Legends say the temple was once a place of worship for a fledgling god related to the main god the nation worships today.

A god, an archon, the deity of innovation that has never once shown his face to the public.

Thousands of years ago, a pair of divine beings appeared. They went largely unnoticed for many years, until their brilliant inventions brought awe to those around them, attracting worshippers and diminishing the power of other local gods. The one remaining brother from this pair, is a deity known as Idia.

Idia created wondrous inventions, unintentionally forming a nation of inventors in the process. Withdrawn, dark, and silent, he is quite the unconventional god and yet he begrudgingly rules nonetheless. As reserved as he may be, he is feared among divinity. All lesser gods aiming for his spot are quickly wiped out by his inventions, without him so much as lifting a finger and using his own abilities. They're reduced to mere memories, as nothing is left of them. In times of old, it was once believed that he was a harbinger of death.

On decent days, the sun may shine on the coast, but most days there are heavy clouds and fog. The god of anemo, Idia, is an enigma. Most think him a ghost, for never appearing and for his abilities. The highest families, the most brilliant inventors, even other divine beings may request an audience, but he will never show. No one has ever seen him, all that's known is he is a figure shrouded in black robes like a grim reaper. There are others who believe there are double, because two figures have been spotted once.

You become the first to see his face purely by accident. It seemed he was just as startled of you, as you were of him. Thankfully, you were not going to be blown off the face of the planet by hurricane-level winds. No other god would help, in fact, they wished to keep you here. So you had to turn to him for assistance in finding a way home.

It was only by promising that he could pet Grim, a deal to which the feline disagreed to, did the god reluctantly hear you out. After your explanation, he scoffed as if looking at a simple equation like 2 + 2. Of course he knew the answer, but he wouldn't give out the assistance you needed. The deal was to hear you out, not help you out. He'd become quite bold in the private conversation, a sharp contrast to his previous anxious demeanor. There was no arguing against he who could slaughter gods with a snap of his fingers. Although you aren't as intolerable as other mortals, this he admits.

Departing from Ignihyde is highly unlikely, given how dense the fog is. You cannot even see the ground you're walking on. While, yes, the anemo deity hasn't assisted you, he will, eventually, probably, maybe... You're the first mortal Idia has ever asked to stay, so why would you turn your back to him?

DIASOMNIA

A wall of impenetrable thorns stands in the way, magically opening and creating a clear-cut path through dense forbidding forests lively with critters. The thorn walls close, effectively trapping you. There was something different. It was unlike all the previous nations, the very air itself felt off. With every step deeper into these whimsical woods, it felt as if you were not alone.

Once upon a time, there was a dragon. No one knows how long the dragon has been alive, only that even the oldest tales say he was already ancient way back when. Valleys were shaped by his claws, the rivers from his tail, rare ore came from his fallen scales buried in the earth, the tallest mountains were but small hills to him.

A god, an archon, the deity of dreams is by far the most powerful and most ancient of all divinity in the world.

Peace was his personal preference, as he enjoyed new company which he never truly received due to his fearsome reputation. However, when other divinity sought out his destruction and his home, the deity of electricity raged. Destruction was left in his wake across the entire globe, and everyone came to know the name Malleus.

Malleus commanded thorns to be raised like walls protecting his home, and constant violent storms to ward off anyone threatening to cause trouble. For hundreds of years, no foreigner was allowed to step foot within the nation's boundaries. Anyone that tried would quickly be reduced to ash, and just a number added to the untold amount he's slayed in order to protect himself and his territory. Kind he may be to his own, but to foes he is merciless. With his black horns and piercing eyes, some refer to him as a devil incarnate.

A land unseen by outlanders, it's peaceful and magical in it's beauty. However, it seems that while your presence may be surprising, it is not a shock. You're taken by knights in gray and black, escorted away. The god of electro, Malleus, has invited you to his castle. There is astonishment and disbelief in people's eyes, a foreigner alive and well. Most like you would have been reduced to particles before they could even step foot past the thorns.

Much to your horror, or relief, once you're brought to the god of dreams, he seems delighted to have you here. It seems your presence was expected, as all he said was, "So you've finally come to see me, hm? I was beginning to grow concerned that perhaps I would have been left out of your list of destinations."

This was the last option, the only one you could turn to in finding a way home. Surely, the most ancient and powerful deity would hold the answer and assist you, since he had been so kind as to allow you inside his nation. Although as welcoming as he may be, you must remember that despite his fang-toothed smile and the twinkle in his eyes, this man– no, god, was archaic and all-powerful. He must have killed more people than you will ever know, wiped out whole armies and flattened entire nations. Malleus tilts his head at you, requesting that you recount your tale, with every minute detail.

This will be the end, there will be no escaping Diasomnia. Of course, you shall not know until later. For now, the god of dreams delights in your stories. You were the first guest he's had in thousands of years, and one of the few who did not wish to slay the legendary dragon that was the electro deity. Malleus knows what you desire, he has seen it in your dreams. However, he will not be kind and grant you what you sought. If he did, then what he desired would then vanish: you.

[jonathan-samuel-smith]

Reaching The Other Side - a JonDami fanfic

Tags: Jonathan Samuel Kent/Damian Wayne, Jonathan Samuel Kent, Damian Wayne, Childhood Sweethearts, One Shot, established relationship

Word count: 875

Day 1 of @jonkentweek!

I had a thought one night, what if Damian and Jon were dating before Jon got aged up, how would that change his return?

Read On AO3 OR on Tumblr under the cut!

"Hey Dami? How long do you think you'll love me for?" Jon said, asking a rather mature question for an eleven year old boy. They were both very mature children, forced into being that way. Like Damian only let himself be childish around Jon, Jon only let himself act mature in front of Damian.

"I don't think I could stop if I wanted to." Damian said. Other people would be dismissive or worried, but not Damian. Damian took anything Jon wanted to give him.

"Then… forever?" Jon asked, fidgeting with the blanket on his lap.

"If you'll have me." Damian said, his face blank; a tell he had that showed how much he feared rejection.

"I will! I don't think you could do anything that would make me love you any less. Isn't that a scary thought?"

"I feel the same."

Damian and Jon were laying toe to head opposite each other on the twin loft bed, though they had both propped themselves up to look one another in the eye. Jon's eyes were shining with moonlight. Plastic stars glowed overhead. Sometimes in meditation Damian would visit this place, and moments like these. Times he felt safe, for once.

"Does it scare you?"

Damian shook his head. "You're not scary, Jon."

"Well neither are you! I just… I dunno… I don't think I've ever felt that before. I'd follow you anywhere. Places that scare me alone don't seem so bad with you. But I don't know where you'll take me, and I might get lost…"

Damian grabbed Jon's hand. "I'll find you. Always. I promise."

"I believe you."

+-+

Jon used to love how big space was. From before he knew he was an alien, he wanted to visit the stars. When he actually got to… well, it was kind of ironic he'd ever wanted to go in the first place, considering.

He missed Damian. Like, a lot. Jor-el had told him that he was a man by kryptonian standards, had promised him answers to questions there really is no answer to, but that we all look for as self aware beings. And Jon wanted to grow up faster, because he worried that Damian would notice how much more immature he was and leave him behind. He should've listened when they said to be careful what you wished for.

Jor El was crazy, and wouldn't let him go home.

Two years since he'd last seen his boyfriend. What was he doing right now? Was he looking for him? By now missing home, family, Damian, Kathy, was a constant companion. Jon wondered if Damian had moved on. He didn't seem the type, but it had been a long time, and they were young. Damian would be sixteen.

Jon didn't know if it was fair or just but he decided he would be mad at Damian if he wasn't looking, if he found someone else. Getting mad at Damian was something he'd been good at, once upon a time.

-+-

When the wormhole took him, he thought he'd come home. But that hope was dashed on the igneous rocks in the volcanic prison Ultraman kept him in. By now, Jon was sure of it; nobody would come for him. He'd have to find his way home on his own.

He broke out of the volcano, riding an eruption. He hid from Ultraman, doing the right thing when he could. He snuck into the crime syndicate headquarters. And then his grandfather found him. It wasn't a happy reunion.

But he got home. He saw his parents first, because he needed his dad's help. His dad needed his help. He got invited to live in the future. And he still hadn't seen Damian!

On the way to the Manor, he saw a huge blue explosion. He saw Damian nearby with his telescopic vision.

"I thought that explosion might be you."

Damian whipped around when the unfamiliar voice spoke his name. "Who-"

"It's me, Damian. It's real. Take it in."

Damian shook his head and threw a batarang. It bounced off ineffectually. Jon had a deep scar on his cheek. Damian's eyes caught on it. "Wwwwhhhat happened?!"

"It's a long story."

"Gold Kryptonite? Kryptonian puberty?"

"No. Why does everyone ask that? I went to space, it took me years to get back, I'm back, and I'm going to hug you now."

"No! Do not hug me."

"Too late." Jon said as he engulfed Robin in his arms. And well, Jon still hugged like he used to, just bigger.

"You're so tall!" Damian flipped out of his hold. "No. No! You can't be taller and older! This is a trick! You're leviathan!"

"OR, I went to space, it took me years to get back, I'm back!"

Damian's face crumpled. "Did you– miss me?"

"Only all the time."

"You made it back to me, Habibi. You did that. Be proud of yourself."

"Heh, thanks…"

"How old are you now?"

"I lost track of time for a while, but I think I'm about seventeen."

Damian sighed. "Our age gap is reversed, then. It could be worse."

"Ever practical, Damian."

"Speaking of practical, I'm never letting you out of my sight again."

"Not even for the bathroom?"

Damian gave Jon an unimpressed glare.

[kiawren]

Kiawren thing :P you don't have to read it I just wanted to dump it here wahhahaha

Summaryy: Wren watches the sunset with kia/we before he heads down Wela volcano park for his night job at the Thrifty Megamart. They talk while sitting on the rocks, and on the way down before they part when he has to go in for work.

Wren pines the entire way, because of course they do.

————

"Everytime I'm somewhere where I can see wela volcano, I think of you."

His eyes look like they softened then, or grew richer, deep pool of brown, a streak of crimson I saw flash past them, among ochre revealing themselves glittering shyly, boldy.

The sunset seemed to glow aflame. The same volcano, indomitable like the stone on my heart aching like heat, I feel it grow redder, my chest fuller.

"Really?" he said.

"Yeah."

A crinkle of a smile. A blink, lashes curving on skin as right as the way every hue tumbles in softness and light in the sky framing him.

"Whenever I see a pikipek, I think of you too. I feel like you're nearby."

"Really?" Red grows rosey, aflutter like a blooming, a crest of feeling rising in my ribs, dissipating in swirls of ecstasy crinkling like quiet sparks, petals.

"Yes."

So you see me in birds, but I see you in the sky. I wanted to say it then.

Do you even know I see you in all of nature? Every genesis and undoing unto itself, every flank, vastness, steep emotion flowing into crimson, bronze, gold. Every sunset is you. Every sunset is you. I could just say it.

"Hey, don't you have to go to the Megamart now?"

I feign nonchalance, like just because I'm seeing new colours when you're beside me doesn't mean I even like you and want you closer, no. You can't know that for now. I can't spill now, bowl overflowing with rose-tinted romance i don't yet tilt to you, indulgence in anticipation. It'll happen in time, for now what flows is a normalcy soon to fade. A normalcy now to mediate our itch to move, to love, so it unravels slow, to take up and remember with familiar new nature. It's something like an excitement, ironic greed, I'll have you only later. I'll have you.

"Yeah..." He says.

"Are you tired from the day? I don't know how you can do a night job while being captain. I feel like I always say this but like really though, how?"

"I-"

"Never mind", I sigh and start to smile.

"I think I know, I think. You don't want to give up on your ambition and you have the drive to do anything for it. Yaaa I know you. Yah I don't know why I asked..."

"Yes, exactly." He smiles, any lethargy in his face crinkling and smoothing with hope. Naivety, I think. Another romantic, I think. That makes two of us... a carefulness I recognise in the joy of dreaming, finding a colourful self.

"And also cuz you have this determination in you–"

–like a silent flame, humble, luminous red-hot at it's core

"like no wonder you're a fire-type captain, I don't know if the ones before or after would come close"

"You flatter me, Wren." he smiles, eyes softening again.

"Nooo, I'm right."

He exhales. "Well I have to leave now, I'll start heading down, I'll see y–"

"I'll go down with you."

"Okay. Be careful on the narrower paths."

"Kia.we I've hiked this volcano so many times already because of you."

Always because and for you. I could scale this volcano blind to meet you at the top. It sounds silly in my head but I could probably do it? Like if I take slower steps–

"Thanks for accompanying me on evenings...... Talking to you helps me unwind before going to work."

" 'But maybe we should battle more' is what you're gonna say. I'm kidding... I like talking to you too."

"Sure we can battle more if you'd like."

"You're gonna tire yourself out too much."

"I'm okay, Wren."

"Nahh it's fine... I rather watch the sunset with you."

"Me too, actually."

A moment later I tripped on a rock.

"Wren!"

I regain my balance, giggling stupidly.

"I'm fine!"

"I told you to be careful."

"But this is not about the path being narrow, it was uh a rock."

"Same thing, Wren. What if you fell?"

"Then my knight in shining armour would carry me down the rest of the way."

He laughed. A hand moved up as he tilted his head away slightly, he probably also blushed then, though you can't see it. So voyueristic of me, I wanted to stop time and memorise that expression on him, every rise of his cheek, fingers slack as they're near his lips. This unthinking pose he fit, and I was the only witness. It probably made me blush too? I wanted to kiss his blush. I mean what?

"Yeah.....who knows maybe I'll trip again."

"Wren! please don't!"

"Okay but who knows."

"I have a first aid kit in my bag."

"Of course you do."

He's just perfect, isn't he?

"You don't keep a first aid kit, do you Wren? Only medicine for your poke.mon."

"Yeah I don't. But it's okay I cause I got you now."

"What if you get hurt on your own?"

"Uhmmm, invent a Kia.we pager?"

"Pfft–"

Another glorious expression, wow, I'm going to be giddy.

"Okay, we reached the base. So you'll be heading back, Wren?"

"Uh no I'll follow you to the Megamart entrance."

"Okay."

"Or what if I watch you work?"

"I guess you can do that...?"

"No I won't bother you. I also need to go back. Wait, you get free stuff right?"

"Um, a discount, yes."

"Nice."

"Did you want something?"

"No just curious. Oh, where do you even get the quick balls you give to people who complete the trial?"

".... I buy them."

"WHAT"

"I'm kidding. Olivia gives them to me for free."

"Oh you're learning from Lana now. With the joking."

"You know, she gave me ideas for my trial."

"No wonder!"

"Hey... you don't think I'm capable of humour?"

"No I didn't say that. Maybe you're just too good-hearted you know?"

He smiled again. Complementing him is too fun.

We reached the Megamart. Our time spent together is up...

"Okay," I breathe. "Bye Kiawe."

"Bye Wren."

"Have a good night."

"Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Of course. Same place."

He smiles. "I'll be waiting."

I wave to him with both my hands as I step away, still facing him, for as long as we were in view of the other before he entered the Megamart too soon. I turned away last.

Stopping, I looked to the sky. The last hints of orange, purple, every hue of red were blinking like a goodbye, resigning like a victory, 'see you tomorrow.' A breeze curled past, and two pikipek followed, fluttered about one another and flitted among a palm tree.

The world was the colour of love. Turning back to the Megamart, my imagination felt a tug between me and Kiawe.

Every flood and flicker of colour will unfurl in time, won't it?

[self-indulgent-paw-patrol]

Hey, where do you think Ryder's parents are? It's been confirmed (though I can't remember where, it was on some kind of social media) that Ryder's parents are around somewhere, but where??? Do you think they approved of him leading a team of rescue pups? I wonder how they react when they hear news about rescues, especially the really dangerous ones. I mean, he's been inside an active volcano (Ultimate Rescue: Pups Save the Tigers) trapped in the Lookout as it was rocketed towards outer space (Mighty Pups tv movie) inside a poorly built and unstable skyscraper during a crazy storm that ultimately collapsed with him still inside (PAW Patrol: The Movie) nearly crushed by a meteor AND a firetruck in the same week (PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie) dealt with multiple super powered evil doers that threatened the well being of the whole town on SEVERAL occasions (every Mighty Pups episode) and faced off against a fellow kid genius that wanted to and was capable of leveling the whole town and teleporting everyone to the moon in order to turn it into her own city (All Paws On Deck) just to name a few, imagine hearing on the news that your kid went on a life-threatening rescue mission and it's not even the first time and you know it won't be the last, that must be terrifying. You know, Adventure Bay's local news must be crazy. Hold on, in those rescues where all of Adventure Bay was in danger that means Ryder's parents were also at risk, unless they don't live in Adventure Bay which is VERY unlikely, I wonder how Ryder felt about that, must've been scary for him.

Look, ONE THING I CAN SAY FOR SURE. Wherever Ryder's parents are, they SURE AS HELL ARE NOT IN ADVENTURE BAY.

They very probably approved of him becoming a Rescue Team leader, which makes me believe they might be rescuers themselves! This boy couldn't have learned all his rescue knowledge AND everything else he knows on his own without having firsthand experience with at least one thing while studying the others. His parents must be either into vehicle engineering, building engineering or rescues, he's learned one thing by osmosis and the other he had as a hobby until he decided to put the two together and get to work.

But as much as they might have approved of that, I really doubt they live in Adventure Bay or even in Adventure City for that matter.

Guess who wrote a long post again LMAO but you did give me PLENTY fuel for that, SOOOOOO XDDD

First of all, there's exactly this problem of being worried about someone when they put themselves in dangerous situations and it's increased tenfold if it's someone who's closely related to you. For Ryder to be able to work the way he does, he literally can NOT do it anywhere close to his family - he would get worried about them and it would make him possibly lose focus. He already has to worry and care for all his pups, which is a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. If ANYTHING happens to any of the pups, it'll be ON HIS ACCOUNT: He's the one directing them, instructing them on what to do, training them, sending them out in missions and dangerous rescues. He's already responsible for their safety and lives as it is, he can't afford worrying about his family too.

And then there's the other side of it: His family would ALSO worry about him, just like you said! He's literally ten years old in the show. He's not even a teenager yet! If his family would be anywhere nearby, be it his parents or any other relatives, they would be worried ALL THE TIME. Ryder has gone into extremely dangerous situations several times, he has risked his own life for his pups and/or for people he's been rescuing a few times as well, both movies being EXCELLENT examples for this. You cannot look me in the eye and say his parents or relatives wouldn't worry WORSE than Chase did in the first movie when he saw Humdinger's tower collapsing, knowing Ryder was in there. Now imagine watching the news and finding out last night's meteor shower freaking blew up the very headquarters tower your son was using AT THAT EXACT MOMENT to watch said meteor shower.

Now add the fact that, knowing he works with rescues, if something dangerous IS happening, they CANNOT try to contact him just to know if he's okay or not- because if he's okay, he can't afford stopping to answer them as he WILL BE WORKING. They can't reach for him to not make his line busy in case someone needs to call him for help, and to not distract him from his job. Any distractions could cost them Ryder's life, or maybe one of the pup's lives. Ryder has his pups as part of his family, so to lose one of them would be just as devastating for him and for nearly every resident in Adventure Bay.

My best guess, it's just that. Wherever they are, Ryder's parents are NOT in Adventure Bay, NOT in Adventure City and NOT in Foggy Bottom. They're probably States away, or whatever to name a longer distance. Maybe they're somewhere from USA East Coast even, who knows.

Ryder probably chose Adventure Bay to live and start the Paw Patrol exactly for these reasons: Very far away place, small town where he could start easy. Slowly and steadily, he's been expanding the Patrol over to other locations and becoming famous enough to be called for action in other countries/kingdoms too.

Back home he's learned firsthand a lot of several different specialties for rescue jobs so he could teach his future team, or at least give them a start, so they could study further on their own afterwards. And living far, they can keep in touch occasionally whenever they're not at work, and they can't interfere with his job.

If I lived close to my 10 years old son who works rescuing people with the help of a bunch of dogs and I would hear he's going off into extremely dangerous situations, no matter how much I say I'd trust those dogs with my life (because I am nearly 30 and not ashamed to say I really would), my mother instinct would scream louder than reason and I'd physically hold him back and yell at him to think about his own safety for fucking once in his life too.

It's better they're VERY FAR. For their own sake, for Ryder's sake and for the pups' sake too.

Now with that being said, someone please write a fanfic where Ryder and the Paw Patrol get called for a big search & rescue work in the very city where Ryder's parents are living, after some kind of disaster hit it. Yes, I'm throwing gasoline on the wildfire here, go wild. That would be an interesting topic to explore and write about.

[nightttoon]

Daruk x reader fic

Sorry for any mistake you could see. I finished it late at night before sleep and I will look through it again soon. Promise :) P.S. Already did, but still sorry if left anything wrong here.

Warning! Angst, mistakes during text, short

He was your friend. The best friend you could ever dream of. You've always wanted you to be something more. Maybe the couple that younger generations would laugh about and older people would smile sweetly at. Or maybe even a family. A happily married couple, with a couple of kids who look like both you and him. But you never had the courage to admit your feelings for the champion of the gorons. Daruk is blind to these things, he did not notice those little touches, blushes and smiles that you gave him. He didn't understand that you felt something for him, but he didn't want to spoil your friendship either.

Daruk was rarely in such a state when he did not know what he wanted and wasn't sure of the clarity of his mind. But with you. When you were laughing together or sharing stories that happened while he was training in leading Rudania, and you were doing your own business. Every time you awkwardly bent over, inadvertently showing off more than you should, he would blush like crazy man and turn away.

At such moments, he got lost, strayed from the path he wanted to follow with you. Daruk was worried that you were making him feel feelings that he had never thought existed among gorons.

But he didn't want to ask for help. The Great Daruk decided that he would figure it out himself.

Calamity has come. You never told him how you felt, but you swore you'd tell him when he would come back after the fight. So did he.

You and the gorons watched as he entered the divine beast. No one then could have imagined that the indestructible goron warrior would never leave the mechanism again, along with the rest of the champions.

You've been waiting. You was ready to wait as long as it would took to tell him something important.

And Daruk fought. Fought fiercely not only for the sake of duty, but also for your sake. Just to tell you 3 simple words that would make you dance with joy.

But that didn't happen.

None of you had time to say these seemingly simple 3 words to each other. For all the time that you've been around, you haven't been able to. And now. Being on 2 different sides of the same world, you regret that you did not say them. None of you could have guessed that it was mutual. But you don't care. You just want to relieve the weight that hung on your heart.

It is painful for you to see Rudania. It hurts to look at the huge mechanism walking on the volcano. After all, your heart felt that he was still there. Still inside, separated from the others. Alone.

And then finally you decided to confess.

The pain in your chest was unbearable when you made a flying flashlight and lit a candle inside sending it into the sky.

The flashlight flew up to Rudania, which was frozen at that moment, and landed right on her roof.

The spirit of the champion appeared nearby. Daruk bent down to examine the object that was in his beast - the prison of his soul.

On the side of the flashlight is your signature and one simple phrase that made the great warrior burst into tears like a small child.

"I love you"

You can make requests if you have ideas, because I don't have those...

[aladaylessecondblog]

Lil Nerevar 3

Author's Note: I just can't stop y'all

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

The brothers Dagoth had been asked to take it in turns to meet young Haj-deek. Gilvoth was still Grumpy Gilvoth to the little girl; Endus had been silly enough to accidentally teach her a few 'creative' new words (she had gone around attaching the f word to everything as an adjective for a while); and Odros had to Ulen's ire taught her Levitate. The resultant game she had played had had her napping atop Akulakhan's head, nestled in so concealed a way that only a spell of Detect Life had seen her found again.

"How was I to know she would learn it so quickly?" Odros had protested, once Voryn had given him a sound verbal thrashing, "She's four years of age and Nerevar was utterly hopeless with magic! As a matter of fact I was certain it would bore her to sleep!"

"I don't CARE what you were certain about, it's not going to happen again!" Voryn was furious, simply furious, and on hearing a whimper from a downward direction seemed to realize he'd frightened her. "You don't need to cry, I am not mad at you."

"B-but," she stammered, and clung to the patched-up stuffed guar at her side, "Y-you yelled, and...you were scary..."

There was a pause, and a sharp inhale of breath.

"Forgive me. Your absence..." Then another paused as he added, "When your mother was here, I lost her, and never saw her again."

"What your lord father means is he does not want you to--even by accident--put yourself in danger," Ulen came to the rescue, "Nothing happened this time, but it could have. Being hurt and laying in bed after healing doesn't sound like fun, does it?"

She shook her head.

"We aren't doing this to be mean. We are doing this to make sure you are safe while you are here. Do you understand?"

She nodded.

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

Uthol's visit was next, and he found her not in the room that had been set aside for her, but the Heart Chamber itself. In fact in front of the Heart of Lorkhan, doing something with papers set before her. Ulen stood wordlessly nearby.

"So this is the little one that has caused such a stir," he said, "And the reason Voryn has had you reassigned. Child minding suits you, Ulen."

"Thank you, Lord Uthol. It pleases me greatly to be of service to Lord Dagoth, particularly..."

"Oo-len, I'm done!"

"And what are you done with?" Uthol asked, moving closer to look. Below Haj-deek was a dusty drawing done with a stump of charcoal. Figures had been made -- Ulen, at one side, with several face trunks, labeled "Oolen"; then one labeled "me"; then a skinny tall figure he assumed must be Voryn, owing to the three triangles drawn on the rounder head and 'volcano man' written underneath. That was all normal. What was decidely NOT normal was the odd blobbish thing on the other side of Voryn, that had a squiggly line next to it.

"What's that?" he asked her.

"This is Oo-len," she said, pointing to the sleeper on the page, "And me. And..."

"Your father," Ulen prompted.

"Dis is beeko, uhhh, serjo Lorkhan."

Both Ulen and Uthol went quiet for a minute.

"Lorkhan?" Ulen finally asked, "What do you mean?"

"Heart man!" Haj-deek said. "He says his name Shor too. I don't unnerstand that, but then I remember the volcano man call me Sunnar. So the heart man like me wif diff-rent names."

Uthol took Ulen aside.

"Do you think there's anything in that Lorkhan talk?"

"Children have flights of fancy all the time, and create friends from nothing," Ulen replied, "I shall keep watch, and put an end to it only if it becomes dangerous."

"Voryn never took well to being parted from things he liked, even as a child...that is a sensible course of action."

They watched her for a little longer. She was given paints, and immediately took to fingerpainting on the Heart.

"That is the Heart of Lorkhan, Sunnar, you shouldn't just--"

"But he likes it!" she drew a smiling face with blue paint.

"How does he tell you he likes it? Do you hear words? Or is it a feeling, such as when you feel happy or sad?" Uthol went ahead when it seemed Ulen was going to let the matter drop.

Haj-deek paused, small fingers still smeared, and thought. "Feeling. Heart man lonely."

They left her to her drawing.

"We can wash it off later," Uthol said to Ulen.

They both felt something then, a strong denial in their minds.

The Heart of Lorkhan did not want the colored smears on its (or rather, his) surface removed, that much was clear.

[linksthoughtbrambles]

Top 5 planets!!!

😍 Thanks for the fun ask, aquaticpal! I'm going to modify this slightly because I already put Earth as my favorite celestial body of all in my previous post about that. I'll do my top 5 planets excluding Earth so I don't repeat myself.

Counting down!

5. Pluto

If you've been paying attention to some astronomy in the last decade or two, you probably know Pluto isn't being called a "Planet" officially anymore.

...I don't care.

The image above shows Pluto (lower right) and its large moon Charon (upper left) as imaged by the New Horizons probe. The frozen heart-shaped feature on Pluto's icy surface melted my own heart (and I wasn't alone).

The whole hullabaloo about Pluto not being a planet is just semantics. It's a celestial body with enough gravity to be round, and it orbits the Sun. I'll count it.

So, why does it make it to my favorites list?

Pluto is geologically active (like Earth - it has its own geology happening on its surface, like volcanoes, tectonics, and erosion), a reality many did not expect until the New Horizons spacecraft started returning close-up pictures of this distant world. The smoothness of Pluto's signature heart-shaped feature (particularly the left side) is a dead giveaway that geological activity is happening on its surface. Worlds where there's no active geology are covered in craters everywhere, not just in some places, and the more recently it's been active the fewer craters there are per area. So.... Pluto is a 'living world' with enough energy inside it to make its insides move.

Cool.

It might be the close orbit of its moon Charon causing it - the shifting gravity stirring up Pluto's innards (and Charon's!), causing friction, and thus heat.

Either way, there's enough geological activity on Pluto to create these gorgeous mountains:

It has seasons during which the frozen nitrogen at its surface becomes warm enough to create mists - nitrogen fog. Imagine if Earth were cold enough that our very air would turn into blocks of ice that create white vapor - kind of like dry ice does.

Pluto is fascinating: a world that defied our expectations. I love it.

4. Trappist-1f

This artist's rendition shows what exoplanet Trappist-1f might look like if it has liquid surface water. It's too small and too far away to get an actual picture, but the evidence shows this planet exists in the habitable zone of its star.

The Trappist-1 star system lies about 40 light-years from Earth (very nearby in the grand scheme of things). Within it, seven planets orbit a small, cool red dwarf star (that's Trappist-1). The planets don't have 'given' names like Pluto or Earth. They're assigned letters b-h, with b the closest and h the furthest from the star. Planets e, f, and g are all in the star's habitable zone, which means they could have liquid water on their surfaces.

So, why did I specifically pick Trappist-1f? It's the planet most perfectly centered in the habitable zone, and its properties are all quite similar to Earth's: it's radius, mass, density, and surface gravity. In order to be hospitable to life as we know it, it's important for a planet to be able to keep itself warm (not just from the light from its Sun - it needs its own, internal heat source, too, to stay geologically active and produce a protective magnetic field - this keeps the atmosphere stable rather than letting its sun's radiative wind blow lots of it away, and also protects life on its surface from that same radiation that would split our complex organic components apart).

Trappist-1f is extremely close to its star, but the star is very cool, so it's unlikely to be very hot. It only takes the planet 9.2 days to orbit the star once. (Yes, you read that right - Trappist-1f's year is only 9.2 Earth days long! If you lived there, I bet you'd find some other way to celebrate birthdays. You'd be having a party just about every week).

I'm all for finding planets that might have water, and therefore might have life... or might be good for us to live on, some day.

The other cool thing about its place is ALL the planets are quite close to the star, so they'd appear huge in the sky regardless of which of the other planets you were standing on. This is a cool, artistic interpretation of that:

3. Proxima Centauri b

Speaking of places where we might be able to live...

...welcome to Proxima Centauri b - the nearest exoplanet to Earth... and also in its star's habitable zone.

Proxima Centauri b is a small, cool, red dwarf star part of the Alpha Centauri system, a triple-star system consisting of two brighter stars (Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B, both similar to the Sun) which are close to each other, and the cool red dwarf Proxima Centauri b, still orbiting the others but much farther away.

And around that small cool dwarf star is a planet not too different from Earth.

I can't stress enough how incredible that is.

This is the very nearest star system to our own, only four light-years from here.

And in it, there is already a possible stepping stone for us to move outward into the Cosmos. And not just a stepping stone, but possibly somewhere habitable.

Wow.

We need to learn more about this planet. It may or may not be hospitable. It may or may not have an atmosphere. We just don't know yet. But it's hope. It's one of many signs that the galaxy is absolutely littered with planets, and there may be many worlds like ours.

2. Jupiter

This image taken by the Juno Probe shows a lot of what makes Jupiter awe-inspiring: roiling masses of hydrogen and helium gas with traces of methane, ammonia, silica, and sulfur creating myriad colors in its clouds, storms which could swallow several Earths whole, and of course its huge mass which make it a gravitational well, holding on to a minimum of 80 moons. The huge shadow of its moon Ganymede is visible on the left-hand side in the picture.

First of all, Jupiter is, quite simply, beautiful. Just look at it.

All those colors, the swirls, its absurdly fast rotation (a 10-hour period!) pulling its clouds out into these thin bands. It's so striking. Add to that the shadows of its many moons crossing its surface, and you have a recipe for endless visual fascination.

But that alone isn't enough to make it one of my favorites.

I love Jupiter because it protects us.

Jupiter's gravity is so strong it tends to divert and even capture many objects which hurtle inward toward the Earth and the other inner planets, meaning fewer things actually hit the Earth than they otherwise would. Jupiter is the batter at plate, and we're the catcher. We really don't want any of those strikes thrown to cross the plate.

Thank-you, Jupiter.

I also love Jupiter because it provides a home for other worlds - the moons Europa and Ganymede in particular - which might be places to find life. Europa's the far more likely of the two, but I won't belabor that point. Suffice to say, Jupiter's gravity provides the energy that keeps Europa active, with an underground ocean, potentially a safe haven for organic life. I hope to live long enough to find out.

Mars

My pattern by this point is probably clear. I'm rooting for life and for places we could move to one day. The absolute tippy-top of that list is Mars.

This image shows many features of Mars which show past geological activity and the outline of what once was the shore of a truly vast ocean.

The more missions we send to Mars, the more likely we realize it is that Mars could once have had life on its surface, and could even harbor it right now below ground.

You can see the outlines of several ancient volcanoes in the left-hand side of this picture, and a truly massive TEAR in the planet's surface front-and-center. That thing is as long as the entire continent of North America. There are plenty of craters, which means it hasn't been geologically active ( at least not much) in a long time, but the signs of past activity on its surface are clear. It has dry riverbeds. Dry ocean beds. Dry lake beds. Dry glacial footprints. Ancient volcanoes. The robots we've landed to explore the surface have found clear, smoking-gun type evidence of past running water in these places (clay is a big one, and there's hematite, too), and the basic components for life are there. The one thing we haven't found yet is life itself.

We now understand Mars lost its once-watery exterior thanks to it being too small. Its interior cooled off, slowing and nearly stopping geological activity entirely, and stopping Mars' rotation from creating a magnetic dynamo like Earth has - so Mars lost its protective magnetic bubble stopping the Sun's radiation from striking its atmosphere and surface. The Sun basically blew Mars' air away into space, and irradiated its top soil. So.. the top two inches of the soil are entirely barren.

But RIGHT below that.... we have found water ice. And below that... there are underground rivers. Sinkholes and orbital measurements of density have shown that.

We might be able to send people there and have them survive underground. We'd need some way to deal with Mars' lost protective bubble at some point if we wanted to make the surface habitable. Dome cities might be okay, though those always creep me out. I just picture something puncturing it and causing problems. But.... it's so close. And it might have life, or once had it.

I have so much to say about all these places, but if I keep going this will just become interminable. So... I'll stop. Here's my list. I hope you enjoy!

[entertainmentmask]

Thunderstorm Journey pt 1/3

Hello this is actually the first time i'm doing this here, so i hope i'm doing it right ,:]

Also this is my oc backstory hehe.

Anyway sorry if this is short.

-----

A long time ago i was a Rock troll called Throa, The Storm Bringer. I used to do shows for all of rock trolls, going as far as being friends with the King. And in this shows with me was my sister Raiden, we played together since we were kids, there was nothing that could come between us.

One day after a conscert there was a horrible storm, one that shook the volcano we were in, taking everything it could. since the show just ended, we were still getting our things when the storm appeared.

While the other trolls were already safe in the caves below, me and my sister got left behind, it was hard to hear through the strong winds, so we screamed to reach each other.

She was below the stage area, i was just outside it when i saw the storm aproach, i screamed her name and tried to run for her, but the winds pushed me back making me trip and fall to the ground, as i fixed myself up again, the storm only got closer, making the winds even more stong.

As i look to where Raiden was, i screamed as loud as i could for her to stay down, as i tried to walk against the winds so i could get to her. But then i hear a loud metal sound coming from the top of the stage, as i look up i see the stage starting to collapse, i try to rush myself once again, but the storm was too close now, as i take a step back holding myself so i didn't fall i hear another metal sound and before i could look at the stage again i feel something hit my head, as i lose my ballance i fall the wind blowing me far away, as i hit a wall i become unable to keep my eyes open, and so i don't.

When i wake up i'm inside a cave, bandages in my head and torso, i was feeling an awful pain like something was breaking my head in two, but i was awake enought o wonder if Raiden was there, i move my upper body up, pain coming with it, i moan with the feeling of buning that came in my back and my head. But i ignore them and look around, the room was big enough for two trolls to be taken care of, but there was no sign of another one being there.

I may have taken the attention of some trolls that were nearby with my moan became they came worried looking from the cave hall, as i see them coming to check on me i can't help but ask where is Raiden.

Only to see them look as each other with sad and worried eyes.

"She was out there too, she must be out there still!"

There was still hope in my eyes when i said that, there was still hope in me when i thought that.

Now what became of me? A loner in the word, no name, no origin.

Hope is gone and the only thing that i have left is my voice, so take it wind.

Everynight i call for you sister, with a sad lullaby.

Everynight i hope the wind takes me to where you are.

Until then i sing the night away.

Hoping to see you again in the next day...

-----

I hope you guys like this, i'm gonna post part 2 as soon as i can!

[cilil]

TSS2022 advent calendar [nsfw]

✮Treat Gift for Day 6 - Hotsprings✮

It was in moments like these that Mairon felt like the world around him disappeared. No longer did he hear water bubbling or steam hissing around them. The presence of Melkor's mighty spirit and the sensation of his touch upon his fëa and fána alike drowned out everything else and left him feeling heated, electrified, alive.

Pairing: Melkor/Mairon | Angbang Synopsis: Melkor surprises Mairon with a new addition to their volcanic garden. They decide to try it out. Featuring: Soft and fluffy Angbang, dork lords in love PWP/smut {minors DNI}

Also available on AO3

@officialtolkiensecretsanta

"I made something for you." 

There was a wide grin on Melkor's face, clearly proud of himself. 

"I can see that."

Mairon gave him a blank stare in response. 

"But would you, my dear husband, also be so kind to explain why there's water in our new volcano?"

"Of course, my love." 

Melkor tilted his head to the side, amused by the Maia's grumpy demeanor. 

"I found one of Ulmo's underground rivers nearby and... borrowed it for our volcanic garden. You see–" 

He scooped up some water in his hands to show it to his husband. Mairon wrinkled his nose instinctively, then noticed that it appeared to be rather hot, almost boiling, and smelled like minerals. 

Interesting.

"–the magma heats it up. I figured it would be nice to bathe in." 

To emphasize his point, Melkor swiftly took off his clothes and jumped into the water. Clear turquoise droplets splashed everywhere, and he resurfaced with a pleased expression, though his face was half covered by his unruly–and now wet–hair. 

"I call it a hot spring," he proclaimed proudly and looked up at the Maia, waiting for a reaction. 

Mairon sighed, though he couldn't help smiling at the display. No matter how he was feeling at any given moment, Melkor's excitement was simply infectious. 

"I suppose it is better than blowing up the mountaintop and leaving a giant crater," he commented dryly. 

It was how their "volcanic garden", as the Vala now called it, had come to be, and while he couldn't bring himself to be angry at his husband for too long, he also wasn't willing to let him forget about it so easily. 

Melkor seemed just a little sheepish, but he wasn't going to let that stop him. He rose from the water, deliberately showing off his naked fána, and Mairon caught himself staring at the brilliant droplets running down his toned chest and stomach. If he wasn't in love with this infernal creature already, he would certainly be tempted now.  

"Why don't you try it out with me?" Melkor suggested and held out his hand. His voice was quiet, yet it held such power and allure that Mairon found it impossible to resist; low and deep, sultry and passionate. Promising him all the sinful pleasure and indulgence he could ever want. 

"Fine," he said, trying and failing to hide his excitement, and disrobed as quickly as he could. Melkor regarded him with utmost attentiveness, his eyes following every movement as if he was seeing him undress for the first time. 

It felt good to be watched, to be admired, to mean something more to another Ainu than being just another Maia. Mairon was so busy losing himself in his husband's bright eyes that he nearly tripped over a rock and fell into the water, but was caught by a pair of strong arms as the Vala swiftly moved to intercept his fall. 

"Careful, little flame," he chuckled and lifted him to his chest before wading back into the spring. 

Mairon hid his face in his chest with a groan of embarrassment and wrapped his arms and legs around his strong fána. Truth to be told, he was more than happy to be carried; while he could swim in theory, he had never been too fond of water. It felt heavy, suffocating even to a spirit of fire like him. 

Sensing his nervousness, Melkor put an arm around his waist and kissed his parting, stroking his hair with his free hand. 

"Don't worry. I got you and I won't let go unless you want me to."

A smile graced Mairon's lips and he relaxed in his arms. The marriage bond connecting their fëar tingled, the warm reassurance of being close to the Vala causing his own spirit to light up. It felt like the flames of his innermost being were kindled with a strange, yet pure sensation of love and trust, and nothing could ever quench it; he was safe. 

The water was warm and surprisingly pleasant, just as Melkor had promised, and Mairon allowed himself to be carried into the spring until both of their shoulders dipped below the surface. The Vala's fëa brushed against his once again, making sure he was alright before gently tilting his chin up with his free hand to place a kiss on his lips.

It was in moments like these that Mairon felt like the world around him disappeared. No longer did he hear water bubbling or steam hissing around them. The presence of Melkor's mighty spirit and the sensation of his touch upon his fëa and fána alike drowned out everything else and left him feeling heated, electrified, alive. He kissed him back with unrestrained passion, long fingernails digging into his back as he held on to him as tightly as he could. 

Melkor smiled against his lips. 

Do you want me, little flame? he asked through their bond. 

What kind of question is that? Of course I do. Now, will my dearest husband not take what is his?

A quiet hiss at first, then a seductive whisper, like a flickering flame. Mairon felt his husband's hands traveling further down his back to squeeze his ass in response to his demand, and his lips curled into a triumphant smirk. He was going to get exactly what he wanted, and he knew it. 

He closed his eyes and threw his head back with an indulgent moan when he felt a finger entering him. His fána eagerly welcomed the penetration, his muscles relaxing in preparation for what was to come. Melkor's kisses were becoming rougher, more urgent; it wasn't in his nature to be patient or gentle, but he didn't want to hurt his beloved. 

I can take it, Mairon reassured him. In fact, the slight burn of being stretched by a second finger was more than welcome. He loved to feel so deliciously full, to take what his lord and husband gave him, to be pushed to his limits–and he couldn't wait to be penetrated by something bigger than fingers. 

I need you.

His fëa was consumed by this thought, this desire, practically screaming through their bond even though he hadn't intended to voice it. Burying his face in the crook of Melkor's neck, he tried moving his hips to increase friction.  

A low chuckle rumbled in the Vala's chest. 

Will you not ask for it properly?

Take me. Fuck me. Make me yours. 

I said properly, little flame.

Mairon knew exactly what he wanted to hear, but his need was greater than his patience, and he sank his teeth into Melkor's shoulder to express his excitement. A sharp hiss escaped him, followed by clawed hands digging into his flesh. 

Before Mairon could even complain about the fingers in his ass being withdrawn, he found himself impaled by his husband's huge cock and cried out in surprise and delight. Melkor wasted no time fulfilling his wish to be taken, holding him in an iron grip and fucking him fast and hard. The Maia's moans of delight were music to his ears. 

Waves rippled through the water in response to the two Ainur's vigorous coupling and Mairon felt his hair sticking to his back, damp and heavy from sweat and steam alike. Their fánar were heating up in excitement, causing more water to evaporate and shrouding the entire crater in heavy clouds. Soon all they could see was each other, the world around them forgotten. 

Faster than the eye could see, Melkor moved to a nearby rock, flipped the Maia around and pushed him against it so he could take him from behind, though even in his haste he made sure not to hurt him in the process. Long golden fingernails scraped against stone as Mairon attempted to dig his fingers into its porous surface, scrambling for something to hold on to while his fána was shaken by powerful thrusts. An arm wrapped around his waist once more to stabilize him, and he felt Melkor's chest against his back; a gesture of affection and a promise at the same time. 

He would never let him fall. 

It was all Mairon could think about while he enjoyed getting fucked in the middle of a hot spring, a gift to him by his beloved, warm water lapping at his fána with every thrust. Melkor pushed his hair aside for better access to his neck, kissing, licking and nibbling on sensitive skin to his heart's content until he had his husband trembling in his arms and moaning his name. Feeling that he was close, his free hand reached around to stroke him to completion. 

Mairon came with a soft moan, only to cry out in surprise when he felt the Vala biting down and sucking on the soft skin of his neck as he followed suit, spilling his seed inside him. 

Mine, his voice purred inside his mind. He had half a mind to scold his husband for the love bite, but he knew he deserved it after his earlier stunt. And deep down he loved showing it off, making it clear to everyone that he belonged to Melkor in more ways than one–and that Melkor belonged to him. 

"So? Do you think we should keep the hot spring?" the Vala asked after a few seconds of catching his breath, resting his chin on top of his head. 

Mairon didn't need to see his face to know he was smiling. 

"Yes, we should. It seems as though bathing in it can be rather..." 

He turned his head to look up at his beloved through long eyelashes, a suggestive smirk on his lips. 

"... pleasurable."

[sour-ghiden]

Interject (Mar 5 2024)

(np) I was determined, after repeated attempts, and all ended up in me passing out and not doing anything, for two weeks...I finally managed to push through and close the "man-made" unnatural hole purposefully made in this reality/universe/plane/dimension/realm...whatever...that was in or near Yellowstone's largest volcano. Though there are more scattered across the country, I believe imminent danger of a rift is; for the moment, averted...

I then, found myself waking up I'm a disoriented fog. I didn't know what happened, or where exactly I was. I know that either someone; who looked like doctor but didn't actually seem like one, was about to inject my neck with something or already had, I can't remember. I remember struggling for a bit. I think the fake doc was about to, I was told to calm down. I know whomever it was that had me, wanted me kept unconscious. I was injected with something and things got blurry and I started to pass out. I was determined to stay awake, and to get away. It was very difficult, but I...I went and transformed to...I guess you could say "true self", as I could without causing a certain important component to initiate a melt down. It was enough for me to tear myself awake and get out of there. I ended up teleporting to one of my friends' safe houses, not wanting to go home, because I feared for others' safety on these matters, I don't want to bring this mess to my loved ones, so I tried to not go to my usual places. However, this spot was not as safe as I'd thought it seemed, as that fake doctor and someone else showed up, I had begun to relax slightly, when I heard their voices, and then, I saw them. Once again, fighting to remain awake and conscious, I repeated how I got away the first time, and went to somewhere I hadn't gone in (physical) years. I fell over and laid on the cold floor tile for a bit, before slipping into a hard, but semi-uncomfortable sleep. It wasn't until a few hours went by that I realized that this place DID; however, connect to someplace I used to frequent, and rarely visit now. In realizing this, I (with much effort) pulled myself awake, and looked around for someplace I could hide to keep from being found. I saw a closet nearby, it wasn't the best or most comfortable place, but it locked from the outside so it would seem like no one could lock themselves in. I stumbled over to it, and pretty much fell into it. I closed the door and locked the outside using abilities. I'm sitting in here for a while. I passed out, hoping that maybe this spot would be overlooked because it locked from the outside. Once I've rested enough, I'll leave and find somewhere else I can safely stay, where no one can harm me or the people I love or care about.

[the-foolish-scholar]

The Fool

I intend to have ~78 posts on this blog will feature a card from the Rider Waite tarot deck to help me reflect on my research and my life. This time around I'm using The Fool card.

The fool card is the first card of the major arcana, which details the fool's journey. Depicted on the card we can see the fool standing at the edge of a cliff, without a care in the world as they begin their journey. In non-photoshopped versions of the card, we often see the fool gazing upwards at the sky, seemingly unaware that they are about to walk off the edge and into the unknown. The white dog at the fool's feet represents loyalty and protection, encouraging the fool to move forward and learn the lessons that they have come to learn. The mountains in the distance symbolize the challenges yet to come; while they are unmoving and forever present, the fool doesn't care about them now, as they're more focused on embarking on their expedition.

-

What a whirlwind this week has been! I'm a very nervous flyer but both of my flights were super smooth. I spent most of my time in the air reading 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez. The sky was so clear that you could see the ground for the entire time that we were in the air. I was in awe of the beauty of the ocean, especially when we were flying over the coast of Belize. I wish you all could have seen how stunning the cays and the crystal blue waters looked! Evelyn and Rodrigo picked me up from the airport and then grabbed some lunch before they dropped me off at my apartment. It's a nice place but it is up on the volcano and far away from CIS and most importantly my friends. I spent the rest of the day admiring the view and unpacking my things.

The next day I met up with Evelyn and Don Alfredo at Pollo Campero for lunch. We had really great conversation discussing the Hawaiian resistance, Puerto Rico and U.S. relations, and Cuba and U.S. relations. After we wrapped up lunch, Evelyn and I went to go get our nails done together. We discussed my research and everything I needed to get done for the week. After our manicures, we headed to the CIS office and did a little bit of work. I found out that the CIS was short of English teachers so I agreed to begin teaching a basic level English course starting this week. Later that day we went to Leyendas and hung out for a bit. It was so great to be back and enjoy a Pilsner in one of San Salvador's most beautiful bars.

On Tuesday I went to the Ministero de La Hacienda and got my NIT, which is kind of like a TIN. I then headed over to the CIS and translated my questionnaire—I read somewhere that translation errors can greatly impact people's responses so I was really thankful to have the help of a native speaker! I got lunch from the comedor nearby and had a delicious chicken leg, rice, and my favorite drink, fresco de tamarindo! After lunch I stopped by the bank and got to read more of 100 Days of Solitude. After the bank, I went to TIGO and set up my Salvadoran phone number (you need my new number, don't hesitate to reach out on one of my socials). Then I did some grocery shopping at Súper Selectos and headed back home. I made a yummy cilantro lime pasta with ayote and mushrooms in it. I doom scrolled and then passed out.

On Wednesday I got a lot of work done out on my balcony. I read some texts relevant to my research and I laid out my questionnaire so that it was easy to follow on Canva. I wanted to go check out the art museum but it was closed. I wanted to get out of the house so I headed to the mall. I got an iced latte from Coffee Cup which was divine and I decided to see Puss in Boots. I was proud of my Spanish skills because I comprehended the movie pretty well! After the movie got out, I headed home and journaled for a bit. I also watched a few episodes of Veep.

On Thursday I sent out some emails and drafted some stuff for the clergy. I was craving a burger so I took myself out to dinner and I had a really good burger nearby. I talked to the staff and it was nice to practice my Spanish! I also got to catch up with some friends over the phone which was much needed.

On Friday I went to the CIS and got work done. I got a smoothie from the smoothie stand nearby with Evelyn at lunch and we ran into another volunteer at the CIS and we got to know each other. After lunch we headed back to the CIS and got more work done. When we wrapped everything up, we headed to Pizza Nova and split a very tasty Hawaiian pizza and discussed the ethics involved in research. We were supposed to go out dancing that night, but I had a bad headache so I stayed in and ordered Chinese food. I managed to get some journaling done too.

On Saturday Facetimed some friends and I ate the rest of my Chinese food. I added another egg to the fried rice along with some chili oil and the left overs tasted even better than when it was fresh! I read a little more of 100 Days of Solitude, watched the newest episode of RuPaul's Drag Race, and then got ready to meet up with friends. We met up at Leyendas and I found out that "paloma" is slang for something here and does not necessarily mean a tequila based grapefruit beverage. Every day that passes, I learn a little more Spanish, and I learn new ways I've embarrassed myself. I bought a cute pair of earrings from our friend Crusty and then we went to a place with live music. We danced and laughed and had a lot of fun.

Today I lounged around, doom scrolled, and watched a lot of Veep. I ran to Súper Selectos and got some grocery shopping done. I'm excited for the dishes I'll be making next week! I watched the sunset and I admired the view while journaling. I put on a face mask and spent a good chunk of time writing out this blog post. This will be my last lazy Sunday for the foreseeable future, as I'll have to attend two different masses at the Cathedral as a part of my research.

Other than that, I've really enjoyed getting to have conversations with native speakers and work on my Spanish. I've also really enjoyed playing with a dog, Jack, that lives in my colonia. I feel so lucky to be here and to be doing this. I know that there will be ups and downs while I'm here but I cannot wait to live life and complete The Fool's journey over these next ten months!

If you read this whole thing, thanks. - Z

[jeanjauthor]

Writers...when you're creating cultures, don't forget that you don't have to follow "traditional family structure."

Remember that "traditional families" look VERY different from culture to culture and generation to generation. 100 years ago, it was still very common for families to live together in multi-generational households, but just three decades later the "nuclear family" was touted as "the traditional family"...despite literally being invented for marketing purposes in the post WWII economic boom.

This was done to sell more houses, furniture, appliances, etc, by encouraging newly minted adults to get jobs, move out, and occupy more buildings across the land, instead of staying with their families (as had been done for many generations beforehand) until they were both married and financially stable enough to get their own homes. Admittedly, the economic boom (and wages being matched to inflation in a livable manner) did allow more people to move out earlier, but this was a NEW thing, and not the least bit truly traditional.

There are cultures in sub-Saharan Africa where men sleep in one set of homes of a particular shape and women sleep in another set of homes of a different shape. I can't remember which culture it is, but it was said that a nearby volcano erupted, and everything & everyone was covered in ash. In the aftermath, they couldn't tell anyone apart, though they could tell their relative heights, and they could tell the square buildings from the round buildings.

So they pointed and sent the taller people (males) to the square (iirc) buildings to rest and sleep in between the long, hard work of cleaning away the ash from the area, and the shorter people (females & children) to the round houses (could be the other way around, it's been that long since I read the cultural tale).

Things worked out so well this way that even after the disaster ended and they could bathe and see what each other looked like, they just decided to keep living this way, with adult males living in one set of buildings, and females & children living in a different set of buildings. They still work together to take care of the daily life tasks of their culture & village; they just don't have a "traditional nuclear family" structure like Westerners assume everyone "has" to have.

(Whether or not this story was a true event that happened is immaterial. It is culturally cherished lore that explains their preferred living arrangements.)

Just remember that if a place is going to be civilized and not a lawless hot mess, there will still be rules everyone has to obey, even in a seemingly "free love" structure such as the culture in the above video.

(It should also be noted that in the video's culture, girl children are probably much more highly valued than in other locations across China, with its hundreds of local cultures.)

[rocknrolloccultist93]

So I'm writing a Cowboy Bebop fanfic

ik this might not even be relevant to the few followers I have but I'M ACTUALLY DOING IT THIS TIME and I have a prologue that I'm really happy with. Title is a wip, but enjoy this teaser. Lmk if you'd rather see this published in full on AO3, or possibly Deviantart, I really don't like the formatting restrictions on Tumblr when it comes to fic writing so it probably won't be here, if you actually bothered to read this. Constructive criticism is appreciated ofc.

TW/CW: possible major character death? (I won't spoil it for you guys just yet), cigarettes, alcohol, weed (yes that kind of weed), depression, general trauma, spoilers for the end of Cowboy Bebop (PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF WHATEVER HIGHER POWER YOU BELIEVE IN WATCH THE SERIES (the anime, not the live action pile of garbage) IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY IT'S SO GOOD)

Prologue: Bebop Cowboy

“I’m dead, aren’t I?” Spike asked no one as he faintly made out the bleary outline of the familiar ceiling fan.

“If you were, you wouldn’t be here.” An exhale of cigarette smoke followed Jet’s words. A minute or two passed, and the stale air between them became too loud to bear.

“What am I then?”

“You know, you said it yourself,” Jet flicked his cigarette butt into a nearby ashtray, “you’re alive.” He didn’t notice the tears pooling in Spike’s eyes until they stained the bandage on his temple, his expression hardly changed. He’d never seen Spike cry, not even when the girls and the dog left and they thought they were all gone for good. “Listen, Spike.”

Jet’s thumb interrupted the tear track on Spike’s cheek, his warm bourbon breath was tinged with cigarette smoke. He’d been into his whiskey stash. -Hic-sniff- He couldn’t stop crying.

“I’m gonna call the girls tomorrow, so don’t die on me tonight, you hear me?” Jet’s words came out a little gentler than he was used to.

Spike couldn’t speak, as if his lips and his teeth held back all the blues and agony of his tired, ragged soul. He nodded, it was all he could do. Jet covered him with a blanket placed a box of tissues by his side, and left. He couldn’t bear to watch Spike cry himself to sleep.

“Ed, you there? It’s important-”

“Edward is here!”

“Arf!”

“What’s wrong, Jet?” There must have been a look on his face as he tried to find the words to break the news to the ever-cheerful Edward.

“It’s Spike, he’s…”

“Is he in trouble again…?”

“Well- no but… he’s alive, but barely, I don’t know if he’s going to make it.”

“Oh…”

An uncomfortable beat of silence passed before Jet spoke again, “so… if you want to see him, this might be your last chance.”

“Bebop is coming to Earth?”

“Yeah, is Faye still there?”

Ed nodded, and started typing on her computer, “She’s at Circus Circus in Old Vegas, been there for weeks!”

“That bad, huh? How about you?”

“Not far, mapping volcano fields in New Mexico with Dad-person!”

“Alright, I should be at the gate in about 12 hours, can you tell Faye to call? She won’t answer me. Tell her it’s important.”

“Mhm! And Jet… Give Spike a hug for me, pretty please?”

“Of course. Stay safe out there.”

“Bye-bye-!”

Jet sighed, and went to check on Spike. He’d still been asleep by the time he got up, but as he limped back to the main room he found him hacking up the bloody mucus that collected in his throat overnight.

“Careful, you’ll burst your stitches.”

Spike coughed weakly, “got a smoke?”

For some reason, Jet hesitated at offering him a cigarette. It just didn’t feel right, “how about something better?”

“Hm…?”

Spike was a little surprised when Jet placed a joint in his mouth. He’d smoked weed before, though it wasn’t very conducive to a bounty hunting lifestyle. Jet smoked it to sleep, but that was about the only use for it on a normal day.

“Should help with the pain,” Jet explained, and lit it for him. There was tobacco mixed in, Spike discovered when he took his first drag, likely to silence his cravings. He also silently counted it as payback for the whiskey. “Oh, and uh-” Jet carefully eased him into a hug, his tear-stained cheek against Jet’s. To the surprise of the latter, Spike returned the gesture with his good arm. “That’s from Ed, in case you don’t make it until she can see you herself.” Jet helped him into a sitting position.

“Where’s Faye, did she leave?” Spike tried to ignore the mention of his own mortality.

“Off like a bullet, as usual. Drowning her sorrows in Old Vegas, I hear.”

“She could have at least stayed until you healed, what if something happen- wait, how the hell did you even get me back here then?”

“Very carefully.”

Spike wasn’t sure how much time had actually passed, but a few drags of his spliff gave him a rough estimate, “…why?”

Jet bit his tongue. He really didn’t want to yell at Spike, not now, but he could at least pretend to believe anyone cared about him. After a few more drags, he answered, “same reason you asked about Faye, same reason you let a dog, a kid, and a woman with attitude live with us in the first place.”

[marvelmusing]

Making Time

Mobius M Mobius x Reader

Part 3

My Masterlist • Series Masterlist

“Here we go.” You whisper, looking between Mobius and Loki, then up at Mount Vesuvius.

“Shh, any minute now.” Mobius adds.

“Until this entire town is wiped off the face of this planet. Imagine. All that volcanic ash-“ Loki starts.

“I know. We don't want to get too giddy.”

“Oh, come on! It's cool.”

“No, it is cool, but it's just not in good taste because...”

“They're all gonna die anyway.”

“I know. Now listen, I'm gonna watch the TemPad for any variance energy.” He says, pulling the device out from his pocket.

“Okay.”

“Okay, because we gotta be careful.”

“If you're wrong, and there's a good chance you are, anything we do can create a huge branch.”

“Oh, Mobius! You make even the end of the world sound boring.” Loki complains.

“Listen! Okay, we're not meant to be here.”

“And we don’t need Minutemen rushing here to arrest and delete us, okay?” You tell him. He nods,

“Okay.”

“Anything we do can impact the course of history. Do you get that?”

“Yes. Yes.”

“So we're gonna start with very small disturbances. Very small. Can you make bird noises?” You both frown at Mobius.

“Bird noises?”

“Yeah. Bird noises. Like some, like whooshing noises?” He begins to imitate a bird call. You roll your eyes,

“Moby? I was on the side of caution. But we’re going to need more than that.” Mobius continues his bird impressions to the disdain of Loki who groans and runs off.

“Loki!” You hiss. He doesn’t go far, standing on a nearby cart and proclaiming to the people of Pompeii that they are all going to die. On a positive note you’ve come up with a new scale to rate nexus events: starting with bird noises and ending with prophesying the future. Loki then decides to release a hoard of goats. Fantastic. Loki halts his Latin monologue to look over at you and Mobius for a fact check,

“We are from the future, right? What is the TVA? I mean, it's from the future. It sounds from the future. It's pretty futurey.” You’re about to answer him when you realise you don’t actually know. You’d always assumed the TVA just existed outside of time. Though you’re not sure how that would work. You’re about to ask Mobius when the volcano erupts. Loki then proceeds to have what looks like an existential crisis. “Nothing matters! Nothing has any consequence! Dance while you still can!” You lean over Mobius’s shoulder.

“How’s it going?” You ask, nodding towards his TemPad.

“I don't believe it. Zero variance energy. No branching in the timeline.” He tells you. Overhearing what Mobius says, Loki approaches you,

“The TVA would never even know we were here. If it were me, this is where I would hide.” A colossal cloud of ash rolls down the hillside, quickly approaching the three of you.

“Erm, Loki, bud?” You say, concerned that he hasn’t noticed. You point over his shoulder, “You got a little something-“

On your return to the TVA, the three of you head to the archives, searching for all naturally occurring disasters. Turns out there’s a lot of them. Mobius hands you a pile of events from before you existed, which you appreciated. Whilst you were curious about what happened to the world after you left it, you’re not too eager to see the long list of apocalypses. After what feels like hours of searching the three of you decide to take a break.

You and Loki are sat in one of the TVA cafeterias, waiting for Mobius to return with some food. Two hunters pass by your table, and you keep your gaze on the papers in front of you.

“Why do they look at us like that?” Loki asks suddenly. You look up at him.

“Like what?”

“Don’t act like you haven’t noticed. You and Mobius don’t get the looks that you and I get.” He observes. You sigh,

“That’s because when it’s me and you, they see two Variants possibly plotting to overthrow the TVA.” That shocks Loki.

“You’re a Variant.” He states, and you nod,

“I was set to be deleted, until Mobius stepped in and saved me.”

“You must be very grateful to him.”

“I am.”

“So you believe in the all powerful lizards which dictate the existence of trillions of people?” You smirk, looking down at the papers in your hand.

“I didn’t say that.” You glance up at him, recognising the look on his face immediately. He was scheming. “Look Loki, I may not be a hundred percent loyal to the TVA, but I am to Mobius.”

“Mobius, who is a part of the TVA, who you don’t fully trust. How can you know he has your best interests at heart?”

“I don’t. I’m just hoping, that he does.” Mobius soon joins the two of you. After a brief discussion about jet skis the conversation quickly turns far too philosophical for your poor ‘I’ve just read about a million case files’ brain.

“I don't get hung up on believe or not believe. I just accept what is.” Mobius says with a sigh. Loki looks at him incredulously.

“Three magic space lizards?” Mobius nods,

“Time-Keepers.”

“Created the TVA, and everyone in it?” Mobius nods again. “Including you?”

“Including me.”

“But not me.” You add. Loki laughs softly,

“Every time I start to admire your intelligence, you say something like that.”

“Okay, who created you, Loki?” Mobius asks.

“A Frost Giant of Jo

“And who raised you?”

Odin of Asgard.

Odin, God of the Heavens. Asgard, mystical realm, beyond the stars. Frost Giants. Listen to yourself...

It's not the same. It's completely different. No. It's not the same.

It's exactly the same thing. Because if you think too hard about where any of us came from, who we truly are, it sounds kinda ridiculous. Existence is chaos. Nothing makes any sense, so we try to make some sense of it. And I'm just lucky that the chaos I emerged into gave me all this... My own glorious purpose. Cause the TVA is my life. And it's real because I believe it's real. “Fair enough. You believe it's real.”

“Yeah.”

“So everything is written. Past, present, future. There's no such thing as free will.”

“Well, I mean, you know, it's an oversimplification...”

“But practically, yes.” You say, not wanting to hear the in-depth workings of the timeline.

“So, in fact, in a way, us three here at the TVA, we're the only ones who are actually free.”

“Where are you going with this, Loki?”

“How does it all end?”

“That's a work in progress.”

“Those lazy Time-Keepers. What are they waiting for?”

“Au contraire. Because while we protect what came before, they're toiling away in their chamber, untangling the epilogue from its infinite branches.”

“So when they're finished, what happens then?”

“So are we. No more nexus events. Just order. And we meet in peace at the end of time. Nice, right?”

“Do we get to live in peace or do we just disappear because we aren’t needed anymore?” You ask, suddenly concerned that he mentioned the end of time. Loki continues his own questions,

“Only order?” Mobius hums in response. “No chaos? It sounds boring.”

“I'm sure it does to you.” Loki suddenly changes the subject,

“You called me a scared little boy.”

“I called you a lotta things.”

“You did. You're wrong, though. You see, I know something children don't.”

“What's that?”

“That no one bad is ever truly bad. And no one good is ever truly good.” Well that was deep. Mobius looks down at the table in front of him.

“Scared little boy.” He repeats.

“Yes, it was quite patronizing. I thought it was a bit too far, actually.” Loki admits. Mobius looks up, an idea dawning on his face.

“You're very clever.” He tells Loki as he stands up.

“I know.” Loki makes a ‘well obviously’ face as you stand and follow Mobius as he makes his way to the archive.

“The Variant left something behind at an old crime scene. A cathedral. A candy box. An obvious anachronism. I gave it to Analysis, but they couldn't find anything real.”

“Why does that matter?” Loki asks. Mobius unlocks a box on a nearby shelf, before opening it up.

“Cause now we have two variables. Apocalyptic natural disasters and... Kablooie.” He pulls out the candy box.

“What's that?”

“Candy. Do you have candy on Asgard?”

“Yeah. Grapes, nuts.”

“No wonder you're so bitter.”

“There’s a massive vending machine near Renslayer’s office. One time, I’ll buy you one of everything.” You tell Loki as the two of you sit down at your desk. Mobius returns with a huge stack of files.

“Okay. Kablooie was only sold regionally on Earth from 2047 to 2051. All ya gotta do is cross-reference that with every apocalyptic event.” The three of you sit, sorting through the files for sometime. Mobius looks up at you,

“Anything?”

“Well, it's not the climate disaster of 2048.” You tell him, flicking the page over.

“Or the tsunami of 2051.” Loki adds.

“Let's go. Let's go. Come on.”

“2050. The extinction of the swallow. Is that a thing?”

“We killed off the swallows?” You stare at Loki. “How the hell did that happen?” Mobius shrugs,

“Completely screwed up the ecosystem.”

“Krakatoa erupted in 2049 as well. No Kablooie.”

“God, it's just one damn thing after another, isn't it? Cyclone, famine, volcanoes, floods...” Mobius lists, and you can’t help but agree.

“Got him. That's where he is.” Loki pulls open a case file before offering it to you and Mobius. The two of you peer at the papers inside.

“Alabama, 2050.” You read aloud. Loki looks at you both, seeming rather pleased with himself. Mobius grins,

“You're gonna take my job if I'm not careful.”

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[depths-of-your-soul]

Just 'cuz

Pair: Katsuki Bakugou x reader

Genre: Slight angst, fluff

Summary: A group has let themselves into your life and within that group, there lie a guy who seem to treat you better than the rest.

Notes: I'm sorryyyyy!! I'm an angst lover and I like the sudden buildup that lets it seem more heartfelt ksksksk

Your life was worthless. You had nothing exceptional about you. You weren't pretty, smart or fun to be around. You didn't know how to talk to others, always getting scared just to look at others in the eye.

Simply living day by day for no reason, you wanted to completely disappear. You wanted to... But you couldn't. You loved your parents, the only people who you can talk to comfortably without getting judged. They were the only reason you still live on - to repay their sacrifices.

Often though, you would be pulled into a group whose warmth always seemed to radiate to you. There was rarely a time when you felt left out when you are with them, making you look forward to hanging out with them. You felt at home with them for some strange reason.

There was Mina, a very funny and cheerful person, you always looked up to how outstanding she is. He fluffy pink curles bouncing on tune with her glees and movements with her face beaming.

A kind sould called Sero was one who is less hectic than the rest was always there to encourage you to speak up whenever he saw that you have been quiet for a while. He always was there to help you tape anything when needed, a very generous person, so to say.

Next, there was Denki, a slightly perverted guy who still respects women more than a certain someone. He knows when his teasing and perversion was too much and would apologize when you get uncomfortable with his comment.

In addition, Eijirou is always very polite and is quite a gentleman, always talking about how manly he wishes to be. The person who would call out to you whenever he sees you alone with your thoughts, his kindness had always touched you.

Last but not least, the 'leader' of the group, Katsuki. He was often the type to not let anyone come near him very so often. Always complaining and getting angry and annoyed about everything, most people would be frightened by his presence, moving out of his way in fear of being glared at by him. He was like a walking volcano that can erupt at any moment.

One thing to note though, is that he would always tolerate you sitting cloae to him whenever there was little space to sit, especially in the cafeteria. He would often pull you to his side when you did not know where to stand while you can conversations.

Once, you were hanging out with them when you almost got hit by a person who was running only to be pulled close by Katsuki, telling you to be careful or else he kill you. In spite of his harsh words, you knew they were empty promises that was only worried for your safety. His tone towards you were always soft, gentle and filled with empty threats that would never come true.

His vermillion eyes would always lurk towards your direction, often locking into each others orbs before going back to chatting with others, fully knowing that he was still watching you. It might have seemed creepy and uncomfortable if it were other people, however his gaze would somehow give you a tinge of calmness.

This group would always make you feel loved, as though they wanted you to be there with them. Soon, the amount of times you felt un-need vanished. Your days became such adventures, new stories forming each and every single day you lurked around them.

To add to that, you also talked to Katsuki more, feeling blissful whenever he agreed with your opinion. Out of everyone in the group you were closer to Katsuki and Eijirou.

Eiji will always make you hyper through his overwhelming enthusiasm whereas Katsuki ensures your safety and tolerates your stupidity. You wishes for such endearing days to never end.

One day, you were out with Katsuki and Eijirou for a project. The three of you went to a park to conduct your experiment and investigation for your group work.

It was all fun and good, your investigation went smoother than expected, allowing your work to finish soon. Therefore, the three of you decided to go to a nearby mall while Katsuki gets forced to follow.

Going through shops was a lot of fun. The clothes, toys, items and decorations were all beautiful. You have never seen such a sight before you, your vision seemed to see sparkles at every item you see.

For the last stop of the day, you three entered a cafe at the far corner. It was designated at the far corner of the mall, its view was exhilirating. The sun would strike through the window, giving a calming atmosphere to it.

Eijirou went to the counter to order takeaway meals for the three of you, leaving you and Katsuki to sit down near the counter.

You sat down across Katsuki, admiring how his relaxed muscles move as he sat down. The sun hitting his face outlined his defined face, vermillion orbs showing sparkles that seemed like fire within.

Upon meeting his gaze, your face gleamed with approval at his raised eyebrow. The relaxed face and posture of Katsuki was something he only showed you.

His resting face, without and facade, was a sight that you loved witnessing. The already eye candy turns into such a mesmerising statue, beholding you one of the wonders of such a high quality product.

How you wish time would stop. To have a picture of his vulnerable state within your grasp. Was it too much to ask?

Your mere wish of time stopping was a jinx, a hex so to say.

In a blink of an eye, you found yourself being photographed. The flash of the camera and the snicker of the photographer bringing you down to earth.

Turning to see who it was, you were horrified to find your former 'friends' looking at you with disgust, whispering to themselves with coy smiles.

Your memories come gushing out of you. Dark times that you wished to never think of beholding themselves within your very eyes. The monsters that you wished to never come across has caught up, ready to eat you up again. Their snickers and comments bringing tears to your eyes.

"Oh? I didn't know you had guts to even talk"

"I see that you're still as gloomy as before."

"Will you ever change? What a waste of a life."

"Did you find someone who finds you useful again? Good for you~"

No. Stop. Don't say all of those infront of him. Let me off this one time, please. Spare them the troubles, I beg you.

Their words echoed in your mind like a bell constantly ringing. You couldn't move, not even an inch. Every muscle was tense and your heart beated as though you were nearing your last breath.

In spite of your circumstance, Katsuki was only staring at them, like a cheetah about to ambush its prey. Thinking that he would not make any move, you were proven wrong.

"What about you four?" he asked. "Aren't your personalities even worse?"

He was glaring at them with contempt, hatred in his eyes obvious to the naked eye.

"And who is this guy?" One of them ask, not assessing the situation.

He stood up.

They fell.

Silence.

You couldn't even see what happened before realising that they were on the ground, bruises covering them like rashes.

Eijirou who saw the whole thing as he was about to get to you guys quickly pulled the both of you out of the cafe, apologizing for making a comotion.

Processing what had just happened, Eijirou's nagging fell on deaf ears. Your eyes locked at Katsuki's infuriated expression.

As the three of you make your way back home, you wondered what would have happened if not for Katsuki. Would you have been humiliated to no end then and there? Would they have once again attacked you with their chain of words?

Pulling onto the hem of Katsuki's shirt, you asked him the question you've tried to hold back, "Why did you help me?"

His gaze fixed onto yours, pulling you into the depths of his ruby-red eyes.

"Just cuz'"