#I forgot how much I love posing ocs together

[ahollowgrave]

-- room for two, pt ii.

[featuring @hazelkjt's lovely Hazel and Floof!]

[taegularities]

i am guilty of not remembering muchhh bc of my short term memory 🤓🤠 so i skimmed the previous chapter and was refreshed hehe ANYWAYS wow it really has been a while since the last chapter but while reading blooming and starting palette,,, i felt this sense of familiarity with them and it's hard to describe but it's so good!!! It's like fav dramas/series/books that even when you forgot some details or a lot 😅 u have this instant bond/happiness and u still have these amazing feelings for the characters and the story!!! I'm not sure if ur getting me Rid aha it's the yapper in me but i guess the tldr is that i felt that "WE ARE SOOOO BACK MY BESTIES" like i REALLY felt it lol. And i was really happy to read cmi again ❤️‍🩹

While I do agree with others that this is also my new favorite chapter,,,,, I think that's also not true for me??? bc every chapter is my fav!!! It's really really really literally the whole story since then and everything u write is a favorite 💜

Aside from all the fluff that i loveeee, so much love for this chapter which included their friends and in a trip setting bc it's so wholesome and in relationships esp if ur the type to always go out with friends, it's fun to see everyone getting together 🫶🏼

Nowww some of my fave lines:

His attention is directed towards Jimin, the main organiser of your trip; everybody’s been posing questions today as if he’s studied the town and journey to the tiniest detail. Jimin rubs a palm over his tired eyes, sighing before he speaks. this is so funny bc MOOD

HEAVY AFFECTION!!!!

“People climb mountains, watch the world from above, need to see forests to figure out how good life can be. And that it can be worth living,” he says, his voice velvety soft. “But I feel that way with you every day, you know? I do… I do love you so much.” 🥲🥲🥲

“Huh?” he breathes out, moving to look up at you. His eyebrows still suggest slight pain, but there’s something so loving in his worn voice when he says, “You want kids with m—” I LOVE HIM PLSSSSS

And a lot more but those are what I instantly copy pasted lol. Also the "fight" at the end starting with jimin was so chaotic and funny to me lmao. It was all just so real + with oc and jk sorting it out in the middle of the road lol.

Anywaysss wow i think it took me 2 hours + to read and im not complaining bc i had fun savoring every word. I think i always say this but i (and i know the others too) am really thankful that you're here and continuing to share your ideas and writing with us 🫶🏼 the writing is always topnotch, its crazyyyy, good crazy 😇 and ig in behalf of us who aren't always here and even from the silent readers, thank you!! You'll always have our heart and support. I hope that during times that it gets quiet here (and i hope it wont) you remember that there's a lot of us who adore you 🫂

kAT 🫂 it's okay lmao even i forgot a lot and had to reread 😭 there's just a lot of info in those 370k words. and yeah, i totally get that… time may pass, but once we return to the fictional world we love, it feels like coming home. i was so relieved, too, once i dove into cmi again 🥺 and pls yap away, i vibe so much with yappers 😂

yes, ikr!!! i was so damn excited to write this chapter bc of the new dynamics and deeper friendships. this trip really brought them a lot closer. and babe, your favourite lines plsss 🥹 the mountain one has my heart… i think i wrote it literally months and months and MONTHS ago :') and i see, the kids one is really affecting people 😂 the fight was skfajksdf she was just so tired and it affected her mood and then jimin's just an idiot, too lmao 😂 ty for literally copy pasting lines??? this is always so flattering to a writer 😭

2 hours is still pretty fast, tbh!! it took me days to edit the chapter, so hahaha :') thank you so so much for providing me with this much love and warmth, kat. i appreciate your words to bits, like :( the last paragraph, i'm gonna sob 🥹 i adore you sm, too, ty for always being here, love 🤍

[sweetmage]

OC Name Meaning

Rules: google and post the meaning of your OC'S name (if you made their name up or they go by a nickname, post an explanation of how it came to you)! bonus if you can find something for their last name too.

Thank you to @sillyliterature and @nowandthane for tagging me 💖

I'm too shy to tag, but I'm urging everyone who sees this and has OCs to do so (and tag me so I can read it!💖)

Gonna put them under the cut because I have a lot! 😅

Rhidyl:

Searching his name brings up the rhodiola rosea plant because it thinks I'm misspelling it. Forcing the correct spelling just brings up my fanworks 😆

Riddle was his stage name and he he fucked up the spelling when he took it on as a full time alias. His real name is Meldri'lind which, in a drow conlang, is Adored (Meldrinus) Snake (Cahlind).

Edan:

One source says it means "paradise/place of pleasure" while another says it means "fire". I had the first meaning in mind when I chose it, though I find the second one fitting for his story.

I didn't realize at the time that this was one letter off from the default Cousland name (Aedan) 🤦🏾‍♂️

Taeyah:

If I misspell it like "Taiya" it seems to mean a "gift from the river". I didn't name Taeyah with a meaning in mind, I just threw it together 😅

Alois:

"Famous Warrior". I originally had it up for consideration because, despite being a masculine name, it has a soft and elegant sound to it. That combined with the meaning (as Alois is the sword and shield of their temple leader and goddess) made it quite fitting!

Alois's surname is Amata which means "beloved one".

Choice:

I think we all know what the word choice means 😆 He chose this virtue name as a reminder of his free will. His Pathfinder (the WotR game, what he was originally from) lineage gives him an almost insatiable pull towards violence towards himself and others, but he is choosing to deny these impulses.

Celestine:

"Heavenly, of the sky" I didn't have this in mind for her when I chose it, but I think it's quite pretty! Her name has no relation to the Lake Celestine location, I just forgot that was a place in Thedas when I named her lol

En'an'sulahn (Ahn):

Google says "Ahn" means "Grandfather" lol. My friend actually helped me name him using some Dalish conlang. His name means "Blessed Music". He almost did not survive after birth, so the sound of his cries were like music to the clans ears. Much in line with that, he also loves to sing shanties (he's a pirate).

El'la'shivasa (El'la):

Google thinks I mean "shavasana", the corpse pose in yoga. I guess that's fitting for my little necromancer that loves to relax lol.

El'la'shivasa is another conlang name meaning Great Secret Oath. That was originally meant to allude to something in its story but I dropped that plot point and don't remember what that meant. It just goes by "El'la" now and Ella means "fairy maiden" which is lovely :)

Athimien:

Means nothing according to Google. Yet another conlang name meaning "meek violence" (he was raised in a manner meant to oppose the shifting culture and leadership of his clan with the hopes he'd become keeper).

[torithehoshi]

Decided to put these pieces of art together because I forgot I intended on posting my lofi girl Ribombee fully-colored art on its own but it slipped my mind and I didn't. I also finished another doodle sheet so I decided "Yeah they're all thematically similar"

Look - I'm just having so much fun drawing the MWM contestants a Pokemon. It's great - I love drawing Pokemon actually. I oughta do more trainer interacting with Pokemon stuff again or even my OCs as Pokemon 'cause I forgot how much I like drawing Pokemon.

Btw - if you're curious, lofi girl Ribombee's pose is just lofi girl's pose in her Mashup Week Megamix render

To keep this post from being too long, here's more ramblings

I wanted lofi girl Ribombee to be shiny because pink is a color that's heavily associated with Shizuku in MWM despite her not having pink in her design. Though I'd chalk that up to the fact she's also a fusion of the character from Whisper of the Heart where she gets some of her inspiration from.

[mylittlesyn]

LongFics:

These are solely posted on AO3 but I do occasionally post previews here. They are always Character x OC

To: My Loving Star Series

Kaiyo and Kakashi: 2.8K

This is a companion piece to chapter 13 of Cherry Blossoms in the To: My Loving Star series. Kakashi and Kessho (Here her alias is Yoshida Kaiyo) have dinner with Minato and Kushina, but it ends up with the two of them sparring. After the sparring match, they each have their first...?

Pancakes: 159K

A long whirlwind of deep passionate love between to emotionally stunted and broken shinobi (Kessho and Kakashi) who grow together while they fall in love. This story follows canon and this part covers everything during Naruto.

Extra Syrup: 16K

A series of one shots that are mostly all going to be fluff between Kakashi and Kessho (OC from the series) in the form of slice of life. I might also add in some Kessho and Asuma moments, or bar nights. But so far almost all the ideas have been Kakashi fluff. Very sweet, domestic, tooth-rotting fluff with the usual playful teasing and banter that is the Kessho and Kakashi dynamic. It takes place during the 2.5 year span between Pancakes and Cherry Blossom.

Cherry Blossom: 193K

A long whirlwind of deep passionate love between to emotionally stunted and broken shinobi (Kessho and Kakashi) who grow together while they fall in love. This part takes place during Naruto's return until after the war is over.

Kessho and Danzo’s Dark, Dangerous, and Dreary Adventures: 4K

This series is a companion piece to Cherry Blossom. They depict the much more dangerous and graphic content of her time in the root.

The first chapter of KDDDDA is the companion piece to chapter 16 of Cherry Blossoms.

Sunrise: 220K

Kessho (Female OC) and Kakashi are now living married life, with Kakashi now as Hokage and twins along the way. The war is now over and the ninja that does not exist is starting to grow... A little restless with the lack of chaos. Plus, how are two emotionally stunted ninja supposed to parent?

So far the way I've written it, it's pretty ok to read on its own without having read parts 1 or 2. (Pancakes is their safeword, forgot that part)

Nights in Cartagena: 78K

Imagine an AU where Kakashi (and maybe eventually others) were originally in the army in a modern day setting where COVID does not exist. Only now Kakashi was medically discharged because of his eye injury. Instead, he now works for the CIA gathering intelligence and is set to go on a mission with the female OC. The female OC is ex-army herself, though they had never met before seeing each other at the airport for the first time. What's the first mission? The first mission is to pose as a couple on their honeymoon traveling to Colombia. There they will infiltrate and convince someone high up in the rankings of a drug cartel to spy for them. They spend their nights taking in the wild latin nightlife, dancing away and enjoying themselves and each other in more ways than one. She knows it's part of the mission, but she swears there's something there... Is there?

Also features Colombian American Tobirama and Hashirama. Tobirama Is CEO and CSO of a biotech company, while Hashirama is mayor of San Diego.

Darte Un Beso: 31K

AU to my nights in cartagena AU.

Basically Modern day AU (without the COVID) where Dr. Tobirama Senju is the CEO/CSO of a biotech company. OFC is a Post Doc in his company. She's very casual, laid back, tomboyish, has ADHD and is kind of an airhead except when it comes to actual hard science stuff. She's charasmatic, much like Hashirama who is the mayor of San Diego. Certain subtleties will still be included and laced in throughout the story.

It will be written in the form of keeping a diary while having 'memories' laced throughout. At least that's how it's being written out now. Also might contain some spanish, at which I will include translations at the end of each chapter in the author's notes, such as I did for Nights in Cartagena.

Miniseries:

These works are posted on tumblr and AO3. They’re around or less than 10 chapters.

Oneshots:

Mean Kakashi:

Your husband, Rokudaime Hatake Kakashi is bored as hell at this land of fire meeting. You're also bored, and by his side as the Anbu commander. Kakashi, being the sly (and occasionally very mean) dog he is, decides to find some entertainment for the rest of the meeting between your legs.

Chakra Exhaustion: Kakashi Week 2021

Companion piece in Extra Syrup for Kakashi Week. Kakashi comes back injured from a mission, and can't seem to rest the way he needs.

Nights in Cartagena Rewrite: Kakashi Week 2021

Rewritten in a you/reader format. CIA AU, where both of you are sent as tourists on their honeymoon to Colombia to infiltrate into a cartel to find and establish a mole who will feed you info long term. You also get to dance with Kakashi.

Bleeding Out/Monster Inside: Kakashi Week 2021

Wrote an absolutely horribly depressing piece for Kakashi week. I’m sorry. Feel free to ignore it.

Happy Birthday Kakashi!: Kakashi Week 2021

Just some fluff to celebrate Kakashi's birthday.

Nidaime's Wife:

I was speaking with @gmoonlight01 and I couldn’t help but feel utterly feral for Tobirama.

Headcanons, Imagines, and Drabbles

Requests:

Down for Days:

I wish you would write a fic where Kakashi dicks me down so thoroughly I can't walk for four days.

Does that count? sksksskskskkssks

[lonely-shine]

Nyalu Introduction

We're back with the Reborn OCs!! I told you we would xD And this time we have lovely Nyalu with us! Xe is our (my sis and I) crazy overpowered OC and we love xem for that ❤ Oh, and thanks to @adorkastock the pose ref for this!! It was so perfect for Nyalu ^^

As some side notes! Nyalu flirts with pretty much every adult on Reborn and is never sure if someone is flirting with xem or not (which leads to some funny scenarios with Fern, if you know you know, if you don't just wait for when I get to draw it xD). Xe is besties with Demi, with whom xe has an almost sibling-like relationship, and Inas (who I haven't yet introduced but just you wait).

(btw I'm just realizing I forgot to draw xyr fingernails, lol, please forgive that)

Unlike Demi, I don't think we really have an arc for Nyalu. Xe starts oblivious, enthusiastic, and overpowered, and xe ends oblivious, enthusiastic, and overpowered xD Oh! Yeah, Nyalu does Zekrom route, unlike Demi, who does Reshiram. And I hear you say "if they do different routes how do they know each other? Scratch that, if all of your OCs take the role of the MC how does it even work that they meet?" THE TIMELINES MERGE TOGETHER AT THE END or something, we haven't really figured out the how, the important thing is that it happens xD

And that's it, two Reborn OCs done, four more to go! Stay tuned for the rest ^^

[jeonsblackgf-writes]

ONE PLUS ONE || 1 ||

✨Summary: Trials and Tribulations of vinnie and his gf.

✨pairing: Vinnie Hacker x black!OC

✨genre: fluff ig

✨word count: 1.7k

Both characters are like 22 in this btw.

______________________________________🖊

"Come on Rhey, it's not funny." Vin groaned, already embarrassed at the outcome of his recent tiktok. He had posted a thirst trap on tiktok with boxers on. He thought the video looked okay, until he read the comments where people were talking about his dick size.

Ignoring him, Rhey continued to laugh, her box braid up-do coming down in the process. She scrolled through the comments to read more as her boyfriend glared at her, "Look at this one someone said Your dick looks so small I bet your girlfriend uses it as a toothpick.' I AM SCREAMING"

"Ha ha ha." He grumbled, crossing his arms as he kept his eyes on her. The comments weren't even all that funny, she just wanted something to laugh at.

"Awwww is the wittle baby upset his weewee is small." Rhey playfully cooed at him, grabbing his face in her hands. His cheeks went red as he felt her warm hands move his face fro side to side in a cooing manner, as if she were his grandmother.

"Baby stop it's not funny. Someone said my dick looks like a pebble. My dick is literally 11 inches. What fucking pebble are they talking about." He complained as he stood up from the couch and went into their room. The second he closed the door, the rest of their friends came inside of her LA villa with confused faces. She completely forgot she gave them keys.

"He's mad his fans are calling his dick small." She responded before walking into their room to see him lying down, stomach on the bed with his phone in his hand scrolling through social media. She walked over to him and laid on top of him, putting her head on his shoulder so that she could whisper in his ear.

"You know I was only joking right. You have a whole girlfriend, your thirst trapping days are over." She stated her breathe fanning his ear, causing chills to run down his arms. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. He only posted it because half his tiktok was now filled with his girlfriend. People were tired of him expressing how long they were together. It's been 8 years, them getting together at 14.

"Everyone knows you radiate big dick energy." She exclaimed, trying to cheer him up but it didn't work. He was still upset about a bunch of 12 year old calling his dick small.

Not knowing what to do, Rhey started to get up to see the rest of their friends but Vinnie quickly grabbed her and turned her around to where she was on the bed and he was on top of her.

"I was fine a long time ago. I just wanted your attention." He admitted, laying his head on her chest, their typical position. She snorted and smacked the back of his head. He laughed and kissed her cheek

"What time do you have to head back to the studio?" Vinnie asked, momentarily breaking the silence. Rhey checked her phone.

"In about an hour. I have one more song that needs to be done. I just have I finish the last verse and record it." She replied.

Of course she wasn't going to tell him that the entire song was about him...and that she named it after him. What he won't know won't hurt him. She never told him about the other songs or the album cover either, hence why she made him do a photo shoot with her a few months ago.

"Great so that gives me enough time to cuddle you and post you again." He replied, as he went onto his phone and pulled up instagram. Rhey sighed. Every time he posted her his fans went crazy for no reason. They hated the fact that he was with someone who had a much larger platform than him.

He stuck his tongue out while she puckered her lips while grabbing his face.

"Well my phone is gonna blow up. Thanks for that Vincent." Rhey sighed as she awaited the thousands of notifications from IG.

"No problem princess." He replied cheekily, giving his girlfriend a huge smile. She playfully rolled her eyes at him.

The two sat in a comfortable silence for the next 20 to 30 minutes. No we're we're spoken, just the soft sounds of breathing could be heard from both partners. They were well aware that their friends were still in their house but they didn't care.

"Wanna know what I always found funny?" Rhey asked, playing with her boyfriends fingers. Vinnie perked his head up lightly, waiting for an answer.

"When we were 18, and I was just getting started with my career and you were getting hella famous on tiktok like you are now. I was always told that you and I would never work because of our race and two completely different personalities despite them not knowing we've been together since 2012. I don't know why I think it's funny but it just is." She explained, not looking at Vinnie. She knew he had always felt some type of way when people mentioned our relationship in a negative way. He was still getting over his anger issues at the time so of course when your at the peak of your influencer career, you're gonna make some rash decisions.

"I mean i've made some bad decisions I admit, but I knew the second I met you all of that had to change. I don't know why, but there was always something about you that I had to get to know on a more personal level when we were 14. You really are a light in my life, and I wouldn't change it for anything. Even with me being 18 at that time and so blind to new found fame, I knew what I wanted and it was you." Vinnie explained himself.

There was a period of time where he knew his feelings for Rhey were real but he knew that if he wanted to be the guy she wanted him to be he had to change, so they remained friends until he got his shit together and then he finally did he built up enough courage to ask her out, and it they're still together years later.

"Oh shit! I have to go!" Rhey shrieked after checking the time on her phone, jumping up from the bed. She hurriedly grabbed her nike slides and wallet, before rushing over to Vinnie to give him a kiss, which he happily returned, but before she turned around to leave he grabbed her hand causing her to look back at him.

"Am I gonna get a little snippet of the album?" He asked sneakily, making his girlfriend laugh.

"Theres 22 songs on the album. That's the only hint you're getting." She laughed before running out of the room to head to the studio.

Fortunately she made it in time, seeing her manager standing in front of the main studio door, waiting for her. She walked up to her and smiled wearily, not wanting to be scolded for being the second one to arrive.

"It's about time!" She exaggerated, grabbing the key and opening the door. Rhey hurriedly facetimed Vinnie who answered on the second ring. His face was deadly nonchalant as he looked at her. That's when she knew he was upset that she had left him so she tried to cheer him up by posing but it didn't work.

"I'm getting a studio built in the house. I hate leaving," She sighed, making a smile to quickly etch on his face. She rolled her eyes at his childish antics.

"I'm going to a meeting. Apparently some modelling company wants to meet up with me but my agent won't tell me who so we'll see how it goes." Vinnie explained through the phone. His nerves were shot with anxiousness.

"Well let me know how it goes."

"I will, I love you."

"I love you more,"

She hung up the phone and walked into the studio to begin her session, her producer, Pierce already working on some new beats for her last verse in her last song. After that gets perfected, the album is complete.

"You ready to get this masterpiece completed?"

Rhey smiled nervously. "Let's do it!"

"I know you said your boyfriend was your main focus behind the album. Is all the songs about him?" Pierce asked as he messed with a few buttons while Rhey got her lyric book out.

"Yes each and every song is about either him or our relationship." She replied mindlessly, flipping through pages, after finding the page with her recent song on it. She started to write words down that had came to her in the morning when she woke up. She smiled once she realized she had just finished her last verse for her last song on the album.

"Listen to this and tell me what you think about it. I added some small guitar riffs on the beginning to give it more of a natural groove." Pierce stated, turning the volume up. All of her songs were a little upbeat and happy and the last song was slow and smooth. A great way to end an album.

"It's amazing Pierce." She whispered, trying to get herself not to cry. She had been trying to find a way to express her love for Vinnie for MONTHS, and this album just might've done it.

Pierce smiled, "Then get yo ass in the booth and let's record it." He pushed her into the booth and got the music ready as she started to  get herself together to sing.

A few minutes later she stopped singing and sighed in happiness. Her album was finally finished.

>1 hour later<

"BABY! VINNIE WHERE ARE YOU?" Rhey yelled as she walks through the house, rapidly throwing her things all over the place, excited to tell her boyfriend about the news.

"Bedroom." He replied.

Rhey ran inside with a smile on her face, only for it drop once she saw the long look on her boyfriends face. He sighed and grabbed her hand, making her sit beside him. His face showed distress so she news couldn't have been good.

"The surprise meeting that I was had with vogue...they wanna sign me." He sighed, clearly not happy about the offer.

"Are you kidding me? This is huge! It means we'll be under the same company! How are you not happy about this?" She exclaimed with a large smile on her face.

"It's for Vogue Paris...not L.A."

Her smile dropped...

[stardust-walker]

Undying Fidelity

(Loki X Sigyn!OC)

Summary: Sigyn is feeling v stressy and depressy after Loki dies. She volunteers to return to 2012 New York with Tony, Steve, Scott, and Bruce. Her reasons weren’t selfish, she promises. Chaos ensues. Big dorks. 

My first time writing for any fandom besides TWD but this idea has been in my head since the Loki trailer came out and I couldn’t shake it so here it is lmao.

Sigyn had felt like the world moved in slow motion from the moment the life had left Loki’s body. The snap had only made things worse. It had been 5 years since she had seen pretty much anyone other than Thor and sometimes the residents of New Asgard. She kept to herself more often than not. 

It was almost ironic how Loki had spoken of undying fidelity shortly before his life had been snuffed out. Meanwhile her own undying fidelity had seemed to leave her cursed with never-ending grief.

The talk of time travel had gained her interest almost as soon as the idea was pitched to the team. Asgard was an option but she knew that wouldn’t be the best option for her. Odds were that in the time they would send them back to, the residents would still think that she was dead.

Her heart had done a funny sort of flip-flop as they talked about heading back to New York. Her stomach sank even lower as an image of Loki was pulled up on the screen.

“So Sigyn will come to Asgard with myself and the rabbit,” Thor began to announce.

Her brown eyes drifted over to where Rocket had, once again, slapped himself on the forehead in frustration. “As much as I would love to go back to Asgard, I believe my skills are needed in New York.”

“You sure that’s such a good idea there, Frosty?” Tony quirked an eyebrow. 

“Are you sure it’s such a good idea to have two Hulks in one place? No offense, Bruce.”

“She’s right.” Steve spoke up, “I know what you’re thinking, Tony, and it won’t happen.”

Sigyn locked eyes with Tony for a moment before the older man relented. “Fine. But any funny business and I’m leaving your ass back in 2012.”

~

She hated travel. Whether it was through space or time, it all sucked to her. All the hair on her arms seemed to stand up inside of the suit as she shared one last worried look with Thor before they were off. Something was different about hurtling through space when you were a lot smaller.

“We all have our assignments,” Steve began as Sigyn stood up straighter and began to glance around. She knew he was around but more importantly she could feel him again.

A loud roar jolted her from her thoughts as she took a step closer to the men she had traveled with. There was the Hulk. Or the old Hulk. However time travel worked, there was the previous Hulk from that time smashing up a car like his life depended on it. 

A small smirk crept onto her face as she caught the embarrassed look that Banner had on his face. That was the champion she had seen back on Sakaar. A total wild animal. 

This Bruce, however, didn’t seem to have any of that in him anymore. Sigyn’s head tilted slightly as the rest of them watched the green man try to get back into how he was before. “Well, he’s a little confused..” She muttered.

“But he’s sure got the spirit.” Tony joked. “Let’s roll.”

Sigyn didn’t even have to ask where they were going. Sure, they had talked about it in the plans but she felt like she was almost in a trance as she scurried after Tony and Scott as Steve split off from them with a flash of a reassuring smile.

~

After not using her magic for what was probably years, she was surprised that she didn’t stumble as she landed inside the Stark tower right after Tony. As she slipped behind the stone wall to hide from their old selves, she couldn’t help but sneak a peek. Did her hair really look like that from behind? Ew.

“If it’s all the same to you,” her heart leapt into her throat, “I’ll have that drink now.” Tony gripped her arm a little too hard. Her eyes narrowed as she shot him a look.

The 2012 version of her let out a quiet snort of laughter. She remembered the look that Natasha had shot her. “What?” She heard herself say. 

“All right, get him on his feet.” The younger Tony Stark ordered. “Uh-uh. Not you, princess. Come on, Point Break. Get him up. We can all stand around posing up a storm later. By the way, feel free to clean up.”

“Wow I almost forgot how much of an ass you were, Stark,” Sigyn hissed through gritted teeth.

“At least I had style. Speaking of! Mr. Rogers, I almost forgot. That suit did nothing for your ass.” Tony shook his head in mock sympathy. 

Steve practically sounded like he was rolling his eyes. “No one asked you to look, Tony.”

Sigyn raised an eyebrow and shrugged in agreement as she caught sight of Captain America. That suit really was terrible. 

“I think you look great, Cap. As far as I’m concerned, that’s America’s ass,” Scott called out over the line.

“C’mon.” Sigyn whispered, “No one likes a...kiss ass.” She smirked as Tony shot her an appreciative look.

“Who gets the magic wand?” Nat asked.

Thank god that Tony knew his way around Stark tower more than anyone even after years of not living there. Sigyn’s eyes narrowed as she watched the Hydra agents in disguise begin to file into the apartment from their new hiding place.

A laugh nearly slipped out as she watched Loki transform into Steve from across the room. “I mean honestly,” he joked as he turned back into himself, “how do you keep your food down?” 

“Shut up,” Thor snapped as he placed a lock over Loki’s mouth. 

“I wish I could tell you dearest,” she heard herself say as she watched the scene unfolding in front of her. In spite of Loki being in chains. A prisoner. She watched herself grab him gently by the arm to lead him into the elevator with Thor almost like when they used to walk through the gardens together. “But then I would have to kill you.”

Tony’s grasp on her shoulder pulled her out of the moment as he pulled her back towards the window. The plan flooded back into her mind as she began to plummet backwards towards the ground. She let out a grunt as she was finally able to regain her own balance to drift back towards the ground without Stark’s help.

“What’s-a matter, Frosty? No knight in shining metal armor today,” Stark joked. 

“You burn my hair with those flaming feet of yours and you won’t make it back to the future,” she hissed through gritted teeth as the small green embers flickered from her own fingers as she continued on a quick course back to the ground. 

~

“Looking fresh, Stark,” Sigyn mumbled as she walked up beside Tony in her own security outfit. The only difference was her long blonde hair hung out from under the helmet. “Almost didn’t recognize you without the extra few inches of metal.”

“That really hurts me, you know. I would think for someone so old you would want to be a little nicer to the younger gen-ow!” Tony rubbed his arm as he received a hard pinch. 

“Shut up. Here we come,” she swallowed hard as she spotted herself again out of the corner of her eye. She walked side by side with Loki with her head held high. It was amazing how she could walk like that when she remembered how she’d felt. She had known that Loki had pretty much signed his own death sentence and yet still she walked beside him with pride. He was her husband and she was loyal to him. It was her gift and her biggest curse. 

“Thumbelina, do you copy? I’ve got eyes on the prize,” Tony chirped into the ear piece. 

“I’m going inside you,” Scott whispered back after a moment. Sigyn’s eyebrows shot up as she shot an amused glance at Tony. 

Sigyn flashed him a delicate smile. “I didn’t realize I would learn so much about your personal life today, Mr. Stark.”

“Quiet down, Glinda. We don’t want Elphaba to hear you.”

“May I ask you where you’re going?” Pierce’s voice made her skin crawl as she watched him approach the group. 

“A bit of lunch and then Asgard,” Thor answered cheerfully.

“Perhaps a stop for gas. I hear mileage on the Bifrost is killer these days,” past Sigyn cooed as she shot a look back at Loki over her shoulder. 

Pierce stood up a little straighter. “I’m going to have to ask you to turn the prisoner over to me.”

Sigyn could almost feel her throat close up all over again as she watched herself take a defensive step back towards Loki. Her hand came to rest a mere inch away from the handle of her knife.

Tony whispered beside her, “Easy, Sig. We know how this goes, right?” He paused. “I see what you mean by the whole fidelity thing though but the victory thing?”

“Hush!” She hissed back as she watched Loki turn slightly with an annoyed look in his eye. The woman turned to face the other way quickly as chaos seemed to be breaking out behind them again. Pierce had always been an asshole that much was sure. She wished she could’ve said she were surprised when she found out he was Hydra all along. Her stomach churned as more thoughts raced through her head of what they would have done to her husband if they’d gotten a hold of him in the first place.

Sigyn squeezed her eyes shut tight as she heard the crackle through the ear piece and a different sort of chaos broke out. “Oh my gods! Stark,” she heard her own panicked voice and the two of them turned to see herself abandon Loki and reach a hand out to steady Tony.

“Aw, you do care.” 

Sigyn resisted the urge to punch Tony in the chest for good measure. Her heart leapt as the suitcase with the tesseract spun towards them. Her pulse quickened as Tony leaned down to pick up the case and her gaze wandered for just a moment. Loki had noticed. 

“Good job, meet me in the alley,” Tony mumbled as he began to quickly exit the building. She was just about to take a few steps to follow when another explosion happened. Except it wasn’t so much of an explosion as it was a rampaging green monster busting down a door.

“Oh shit,” she hissed through her teeth as she skittered back. Stark landed at her feet with a groan but a softer noise drew her attention. A soft tinkling noise and her gaze flickered to the case. The tesseract. 

Time seemed to stand still again as Loki glanced over his shoulder and locked eyes with her. A confused look crossed the upper portion of his face for a moment before he glanced back towards the chaos ensuing over past Tony. He had noticed.

With one last look back at her, he knelt down to pick up the tesseract. She thought she heard Tony grunt something but her feet carried her quicker than she could ever remember running before. 

Just as Loki stood again, Sigyn came within one step of him. The sudden noise behind him made him turn once more. She gritted her teeth into a grimace as she placed both her hands on the tesseract. Sigyn fully intended to yank the damned thing right out of his fingers but before she could, she felt a strange sensation. A wall of blue and black smoke engulfed the pair of them.

She hated space travel.

~

Loki landed in the sand with a loud grunt despite the muzzle still over his mouth. The tesseract was still in his grasp. Had he even really seen what he thought he had?

A loud scream echoed through the air around him. His eyebrows raised as another portal seemed to open in the sky right above him. A figure all in black fell through it; arms flailed and legs kicked as the ground seemed to raise to meet them.

Another loud grunt left Loki, this time a more pained one as the smaller figure landed right on top of him. 

Quickly, the woman rolled to the other side and let out a quiet groan as she pulled the helmet from her head. With a fluid movement, the black object was tossed aside into the sand before she flopped back onto the sand. A grunt beside her alerted her to the presence of the man. Without even a glance to the side, she reached over and pressed a hand to his mouth to deactivate the muzzle. 

“Lovely of you to drop in, Sigyn,” Loki coughed as he took a deep breath.

Sigyn let out an annoyed grunt. “A pleasure, as always.”

Loki caught her gaze out of the corner of his eye as he rose to a sitting position. “You should have just let me take it,” he hissed through his teeth.

Sigyn let out a heavy sigh as she sat up and shrugged off the heavy black bulletproof vest and jacket she wore. “And let you cause more chaos and destroy more cities?”

Loki glanced over at her. A nearly imperceptible look of nervousness crossed his face before he smirked at her. “Who says that’s what I was going to do with it.”

Sigyn rolled her eyes as her gaze flickered forward to a small group of people that were moving slowly towards them. “I would like to think I know you better than you know yourself. Whatever you do, we’re in this together now.” She wasn’t about to lose him again. Not so soon.

“I’m positively touched,” he cooed.

“Til death do us part, darling.” And even after.

[incorrect-hs-quotes]

what are some of mod dave's aus

uhh ok this is a fucking plethora

SO I HAVE!!

HUMANSTUCK - i just imagine this one by default,,, uhh john was definitely born in athens greece. terezis been chinese / korean this whole time idk what youre talking abou-,t-

DEMIGODSTUCK - i Know i have gone into detail about on this blog before. my favorite concepts from this one are greyro ace vitiligo aphrodite son karkat who doesnt feel like he fits in with his cabin cause they make fun of him for being “ugly” and “loveless” and then he comes around and completes a quest and becomes head counselor, and uhhh hephaestus dirk who has pyrokinesis and also loses an arm so now hes got a metal one he built himself

DONT LOOK DOWN - my greyromantic human-collegestuck 18kword banekat fic im writing which ive Also mentioned on this blog before

DEAD KIDS - this is based off a katie alender book called “the dead girls of hysteria hall” please read that book its fucking phenomenal dave is the one who inherited the asylum and all the homestuck girls are the ghosts trapped inside its made my friends cry before when i made them read it hal almost busted out his witch charm and warded me away cause of dead kids

DONT STARVE - where everyone lives in the 1920s and they get sucked into tim burton minecraft island hell and they all gotta survive there (handmaid is definitely charlie. it fucks aradia up cause she Knows. think like winona. she gets one free night without being consumed by the darkness itself cause Family Reasons)

MINECRAFT - this one is where a lot of people are like sentient humanoid half-creatures like sollux is half creeper half human and dont. uh. dont get him mad. also drowned eridan and feferi but theyre not dead or brainless they just be lookin like that. its cool !! you know !!!

MEDIEVALSTUCK - terezi is an oracle of the church except not anymore shes blasphemous and gets exiled and its her and a bunch of friends who are all like “wow the kingdom thought i was weird too lets all have an adventure together”!! examples: dave cant be a knight cause his eyes are red and that means hes the devil. sollux is a mage who specializes in death-related magic so obviously he brought upon this plague. rose is a lesbian thats not allowed also shes a WITCH. kanayas a vampire. shes just a vampire. she proposes to rose with a sword

EARTH INVASION - this is a no-sburb au where the alternian empire came and took over earth as a colony, also all the trolls exist at the same time as the revolution so like the whole vantas family gets to help out, and the humans are taken as like property cause theyre Technically Lowbloods but theyre Not having it so they all escape and join the rebellion and take down the GOVERNMENT

TROLLSTUCK - daves a mutantblood (same idea where all troll generations exist at the same time) and he finds the vantas rebellion and JADE is a LIMEBLOOD and she is NOT having a good time but shshhs shh its ok shes an olive its FINE

BLOOD / KIDSWAP - kanaya is the vantas and she thinks shes so clever cause shes posing as a bronzeblood. there IS sburb in this one. also dave egbert and john harley. love those boys. jade lalonde is a terrifying concept if she ever goes grimdark run away immediately

OPPOSITESTUCK - jade is the main character and she just wants everyone to shut the fuck up. this is also a sburb au and she hates her land its Too Loud. uhh rose is a being of chaos and exists in the void outside of spacetime itself. and john is a little bastard. tavros is now The Antichad. which is a valid ancestor name actually-

CYBERSTUCK - this one is really really specific, uhh its a post-apocalyptic dystopian cyberpunk futuristic humanstuck where the city everyone lives in once flourished with the help of several versions of androids, but as they advanced they needed more and more power which became fucking nuclear and there was a fallout. so now everythings radioactive, everyones scrounging to survive, androids from “the underground” (the main core of where most of specifically the power droids were kept) are SUPER fucking valuable cause theyre able to give you power, and the radioactivity mutated a lot of people so instead of zombies there are just mutants. and roxy is one of them but theyre still sentient so they look like fucking HEINOUSTUCK roxy but theyre still like. vibing

MAFIASTUCK - where everyone does Illegal Things but mostly not like morally illegal things. just like. yknow daves a thief and. sollux is the most wanted anonymous hacker in texas,, uh. dirk commits arson sometimes,. vriska is vriska,.. jane is in on some high key white collar crimes in the crockercorp company,, and poor john is just this normal idiot surrounded by all of this at college and hes like “god. i hate you all. please be normal”

MIRACULOUS LADYBUG - uhh john has a miraculous and its firefly themed and thats his name !! “firefly”!!! his Big Power is like “typhoon” or some shit he can make a big storm Go and serenity the firefly is his little fuckin uhhh Friend. the Miraculous Animal i forgot what it was called

YOUTUBERSTUCK - this ones based off unus annus p much where like theyre all youtubers and thats how they all met like john and dahnte (banes oc, ive also talked about dahnte) are unus annus and dave and sollux are like. good mythical morning and roxy is an asmr channel and kanaya is a makeup tutorial channel and jade has a vlog with her dog and its called doggy vloggies and eridan does all these science experiments and jane has a baking channel and nepeta ,, she just like. does, what she does and people like her. she doesnt have a genre. shes just nepeta on youtube. and shes a fucking hit. also dirk and jake make music

then like i obviously have concept aus that are pretty much just designs, like gemstuck where theyre all . ,, steven universe gems, and then rwbystuck where theyre all at beacon academy and have their own semblances, and a one piece au where theyre all pirates and some of them ate the Big Shit Fruits, and my own flavor of demonstuck cause who doesnt have a demonstuck, and stardew valley stuck (which i call starstuck valley) where a couple of them are farmers on their own respective farms and they all come together amidst the idiot villagers and go “hey did that wizard make you drink that leaf juice soup too or like is that just me”, and a survivalstuck where the whole premise is like. “the forest” kinda game. oh shit your plane went down and youre stranded in the woods. find your friends and survive. maybe dont get near those eight-armed women with no heads. thats a good idea

long story short i have. uh. a plethora

[kirby-the-gorb]

reply roundup!

highlights from the past couple weeks:

a commission for a friend of their oc gorbified [here]

the valentine’s stickers separated out into individual valentines [here]

another patreon drawing for this month of lukeperiodsun and their partner gorbified [here]

new throw pillow design posted on [society6] (as well as relisting the blanket design from november)

finally added a tag for kirby’s bear [kirbear], and a general tag for [plushies]

more [lolita kirb] because it’s my blog and I choose the aesthetic :v

there is also a new image description [here] by @crowsami​ on the kirby running through a field. thank you very much! (and I hope your assignment went okay :> )

and sticker club design and signups should be posted on monday march 1st :> $5 patreon tier for a 4-sticker sheet, charged on april 1st and shipped hopefully promptly after. (I have a theme picked out already :3 and yes, if you want to combine two tiers we can make that happen.)

I guess it’s been a busy couple weeks, huh!

on [pillow]:

@redphienix said: A Perfect Spherical Friend

extremely round! extremely good!

@mysterygreentea said: he is friend shaped and full of love

dang it that’s what I forgot in the anatomy gif! he is full of love. -u-

on [ocean]:

@the-halo-of-my-memory said: look how happy he is, this is so cute, precious baby. your art always brings a smile to my face

he’s just having a good time! and I’m glad it makes you smile :>

@mangomybeloved said: A BABY!!!!!!!! SWIMMING!!!!!!!!! ty ray for sending me this!! ilysm!

this is so cute, someone sending my art to someone else out of affection :’> (I’m sure it happens more often than I get to see! but it makes me happy to get to see it!)

on [sewing]:

@gigilefache said: he stitch, adorable

he is being careful with his nubbins.

@bubblesthesanddragon said: mood :)

sometimes you just gotta “:)”

on [garden]:

@angst-and-fajitas said: Kirby loves tomatoes, right? Maybe he's got some of those!

ooh, I bet you’re right!

(this reminds me that in high school I dated someone who would just eat tomatoes like apples, and they went to a different school. so sometimes their school ended before mine, and they’d just. come stand in my classroom and eat a tomato in the corner. they were very odd, but it’s hard to be normal and date me XD )

on [bear]:

@creative-impacts said: Kirby looks so proud of their toy and honestly- same :) ADORABLE WORK ON THIS! YOU GAVE KIRBY SO MUCH EXPRESSION IN A SMALL PRIDEFUL SMILE!

aww, thank you! there’s only so many poses a kirby can make so small changes in expression make a big difference :> (also your blog seems wonderfully positive, I hope you’re enjoying running it!)

on [smash]:

@edgybocfan said: Wait why did I come in this room... musta been important I smashed a hole in the wall. Huh, oh well *leaves through the hole in the wall*

this made me laugh, thank you! we’ve all been there before lol

@shin-holly said: COLOURS WEAVE INTO A SPIRE OF FLAME—

(I had to look up the reference, it’s the lyrics from the World of Light song from smash bros -u- ) oh no! not here! lol

on [kirblita]:

@the-halo-of-my-memory said: so cute. i should buy a dress i dont have any. i should look into that, either something super cute or witchy

I did not like dresses At All when I was spending a lot of time walking, but now that I use my wheelchair suddenly they’re much more practical lol. and I bet you can find something that is both cute *and* witchy if that’s what you really want :>

on [run]:

@aggron-rocks said: there he go!!

@fiendir said: Look at him go!!

@dragonofcupcake said: wooo run little man

I like the way all three of these comments look grouped together -u- like kirby is running a race and everyone is cheering!

@askluckyandfriends said: Cool! I always like to look at your art :D

thank you! (I like looking at my art too, so it’s nice I’m not the only one XD )

on [anatomy]:

@hypertomboi said: ty for the anatomy lesson op

vital knowledge for raising a happy healthy kirb.

@grand-star said: Oh boy it's true

only true facts here!

@epsilonnot said: v v good. i was picturing like an xray with just a single cartoon bone in the stomach but this is much more delightful

you know what, that would be at least equally hilarious tbh.

@askluckyandfriends said: Best thing ever

the scientists tried to warn us but he was just too cute! (thank you!)

from the ask box:

@askluckyandfriends said: Hi! ...Oh come on I don't remember what I wanted to say anymore agh. Anyways, have a wonderful day! Your drawings are all super good!

oh no lol that happens to me too. I hope you have a wonderful day too, and thank you!

anonymous said: Your kirbies make my day

aww, thank you! it makes me happy to know a silly little project I started for myself makes others happy too.

[thereluctantinquisitor]

OC Kiss Week 21

I arrive with a humble entry, dedicated to my lovely @frenchy-and-the-sea. Thank you for letting me borrow one of your Seven Cities characters!

This turned out a lot longer than expected because of who I am as a person. Anyway I hope you like it, and I apologise in advance for any wild inconsistencies with the Captain of my Heart and Soul.

~2000 words, original fiction (a hearty blend of Stonebreaker and Seven Cities)

                _______________________________

There weren’t a lot of things to be said about sailors. Well, other than the conclusive fact that they were all utterly insane. But there was something about that cocksure Captain Alex, with her big hat and big ego to fill it, that had been keeping Sylda up later and later into the night. Before, she would just lie in her makeshift pallet, entertaining increasingly ridiculous ideas; the kind that scythed their way through her skull to the rhythm of the rocking ship. This time, partly out of desperation, she had opted for the aid of fresh air to clear her mind.

Perched on the wooden taffrail, her gaze - and left leg - swung out over the ocean’s dark oblivion. For the first time in over a week, she was finally alone. Thinking.

Just... thinking.

How Delver had managed to find them passage on a remotely seaworthy vessel was nothing short of a miracle. Sylda hadn’t asked any questions - she certainly knew better than to look the proverbial horse in the mouth. But the fact that they hadn’t been gutted and keelhauled the second they lost sight of land still hadn’t quite sunk in. She’d heard stories about the mad seafarers of the east. About their obsession with dark water. About their greed and cold steel. About the way they used people as bait to lure creatures from the deep... 

Well, she supposed she should be grateful they hadn’t ended up on one of those vessels. Delver was a lot of irritating things, but at least a decent judge of character appeared to be one of them.

The sound of a door suddenly creaking open earned a carefully languid glance, the motion at utter odds with the lurch of surprise in Sylda’s stomach. Relax, she chided herself. This wasn’t some ale-soaked back alley. It was probably one of those twins - Fin or Din or something - wandering out to take a piss.

Her rational side’s attempt to assert dominance crumbled the second she realised who had actually stepped out onto the afterdeck.

“Captain Sheffield.” Sylda wasn’t about to snap to attention, but she gave Alex what she felt was a suitably deferential nod. “It’s a nice night. Out for a stroll?”

Alex’s nose wrinkled slightly. “Some fresh air, more like. Not much strolling to be had back here.”

That was true enough. There were far better options for an evening walk than the stern, after all. Letting the door swing shut behind her, Alex groaned softly and moved forward, hands on her lower back, stretching as she went. From her vantage, Sylda swore the line of Alex’s spine had fixed itself into a slight bow, ready at any moment to diligently curve itself over a desk. Whatever she and Delver had been up to, it seemed to have gone far longer and far later than expected. He probably drove her half-way mad, rambling on the way he does, she thought, smiling slightly to herself. At least someone else got to experience the uniquely infuriating pleasure of his company.

As quickly as the smile arrived, she shooed it away with a start. No - she would rather die than admit to even an ounce of fondness for the insufferable man. He was a means to an end, and she was exactly the same thing for him. That knowledge - that truth - had served them well over the seasons.

A sharp clearing of the throat pulled Sylda from her thoughts. Alex had stopped a few steps from the door, and something about the hawk-like intensity of her gaze made Sylda feel very much like a mouse on a platter. “Do me a favour,” Alex began slowly, as though each of her words required careful and deliberate measuring. “If you’re plannin’ on tipping yourself into the sea, kindly do so when I’m not close enough to feel obliged to go in after you.”

That startled a laugh out of Sylda. “Oh? Is that something captains do?” When Alex’s stern expression didn’t waver, she cocked her head and smiled. “C’mon - don’t give me that look. Are you trying to tell me that daring rescues aren’t actually part of the job description?”

It took a moment before Alex responded, and when she did, it was strangely like a confession. “It’s... more a personal habit than a demand of the position.” She snorted softly. “An unfortunate one at times, if you ask Tahir. Reckon that particular impulse has had a fair hand in turning him grey over the years.” The brief moment of levity, however, vanished as quickly as it arrived. “But let me be clear; I've no intention of feeling guilty tonight.”

There was no mistaking the unspoken command. And frankly, with those piercing eyes leveled at her, Sylda didn’t feel particularly keen to risk disobedience. That was a strange thing all by itself. Divider, she’d cussed out bandits with a knife to her neck - spat in the face of guards hauling her off for a week in the pit. But now, she found herself sighing and swinging both her legs ship-side. Without even a trace of her usual malicious compliance, she slid smoothly until her feet were pressed safely to the wooden deck. “Well, I wouldn’t want to cause you any grief, Captain.” Her eyes flicked up and she flashed a half-smile. “You know, I’ve actually got a pretty steady set of legs under me. Been running rooftops since I was tall as your waist.”

“That so?” Alex folded her arms, but something about her posture had shifted. Loosened. “Well, when rooftops start pitching in a swell, make sure you pass on word. I’m sure plenty of folk will be keen to know another viable application for their sea legs.”

“Alright, alright. Point taken. I’ll keep my arse off the rails.” Still chuckling, Sylda turned, leaning her forearms on the lacquered wood instead. “Can’t imagine a stiller night than this one, though. Can a ship even move in this?”

The sound of boots against the deck heralded Alex’s approach. Arriving beside her, the Captain mirrored her pose, allowing her weary back to settle into a more familiar position. “Aye, it can, but not at any particular speed.” She motioned at something in the dark, her finger tracing a line over the water. “The current here runs south-east. We’ll just let her drift in that direction until the wind picks up.”

“That won’t take us off-course?”

Alex shrugged. “Not far enough to be worried, unless we’re becalmed for days on end. But I can’t say I’ve had that happen out here. The Pale’s not a quiet sea. This is...”

Alex trailed off, closing her eyes, as though to better feel the strange stillness. There was no real need for her to finish her sentence; Sylda simply allowed herself to lapse into the same peaceful silence. The sound of the water lapping against the hull was a soothing rhythm for tired souls. It had been a long few weeks. Seasons, even, if she were being truly honest.

“Hey... can I admit something?” Sylda eventually asked. That, it seemed, piqued Alex’s curiosity. The Captain turned away from the water, arching a brow to indicate her approval. Maybe even her curiosity, if Sylda felt like flattering herself. “Coming out here,” she continued, “out on the open water... it kinda scared the shit out of me.”

To her surprise, Alex snorted. “And here I thought you’d be telling me something I didn’t guess the first hour out of port.”

Sylda cringed. “Was it that obvious?”

“Finn reckoned you were wound tighter than a tenday clock.”

Groaning theatrically, Sylda made a show of hanging her head. “Alright, alright, laugh it up. At least I kept all my meals down.” They shared a glance at that, and twin smiles slowly spread across their faces. Who would have thought that the image of Delver, green-faced and dramatically clinging to the rail, could actually bring people together? For a moment, Sylda almost forgot where she was. Who she was with. It was like being back in Yelen. Back in the Nest, sitting across from someone she knew. Someone she trusted. Respected, even. Someone with eyes of steel and a liberal dusting of freckles.

Someone she might just want to lean towards and...

As quickly as the feeling had taken her, Sylda remembered that everything she knew about Alex Sheffield could comfortably fit into a thimble - with her thumb already in it - and the smile drifted away. Clearing her throat, she did her best to hide her burning cheeks, turning back towards the quiet, dark ocean. The Pale. An ironic name if ever there was one. “Anyway... I heard a lot of stories. About the deep water. I’m not sure if any of them are true, but they were enough to convince me I wouldn’t let myself anywhere near it. Just in case.”

Alex turned as well, the folds of her shirt shifting softly as she leaned backwards against the rail, her weight resting on her elbows. With the stillness of the night and her head tipped slightly skyward, Sylda couldn’t help but picture Alex as a kind of statue, her sight forever set on the stars. She supposed anyone willing to sail the open water had to be a bit like that. A bit in love with things distant and unknown.

“But, despite it all, here you are,” Alex said after a moment. Her voice was suddenly soft. Thoughtful. Somehow, Sylda got the distinct feeling that she wasn’t just talking about her anymore. That was alright. It was a night for quiet contemplation, apparently. That could be nice, sometimes. Calming.

Leaning into the moment, Sylda exhaled slowly, feeling her shoulders dip. Feeling the weight of her feet pressing against the deck, of her arms on the rail. “But here I am,” she replied, then playful smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “Fuck me, right?”

Alex snorted. Confused, Sylda turned to discern the source of her amusement, and when it hit her a half-second later, she let out suffering groan. “Oh come on. You’re better than that.”

“Am I? You’ve seen the kind of company I keep.”

It was Sylda’s turn to laugh. “Okay then, maybe not. But if we could side-step the gutter for a moment, I’d like it known to you and anyone eavesdropping nearby that I expect at least a kiss first.”

“That so?” A gentle breeze stirred - just enough to tease the curling locks framing Alex’s face - before quickly falling away again. For a second, Sylda’s words stuck in her throat, and she realised just how close they were. Just how alone they were.

Then the playful gleam in Alex’s eyes - as though she somehow knew exactly what she was doing her - tugged Sylda back to the present.

“What can I say? I’m an old fashioned kinda gal.” Sighing in mimicry of the high class ladies whose purses she liked to pluck, Sylda arched her back and mimed demurely fanning her bosom. “I require courting.”

“Really?” Alex raised a brow, her lips twisting in what Sylda quietly hoped was amusement. “With just a kiss?”

Sylda grinned and mimed tossing the fan into the sea.

“Well, I never said a lot of courting.”

Laughter seemed to carry further on still nights. It was as though, in the absence of wind, it sought to fill the sails all by itself. For the first time since leaving port, Sylda felt lighter. Not without burdens - never that light. But at least, for a few moments, she could flit and flirt and pretend it was something a person like her just got to do. Without guilt. Without worrying about all the things standing in her way. About all the ways she would inevitably fall short.

And for her part, Alex proved surprisingly open to the game. Maybe it was just because she was tired, and her walls were lower than usual. Despite her curiosity, Sylda hadn’t expected to even catch the Captain alone, yet alone rope her into a starlit conversation. After all, she knew - acutely well - how much of a time-siphon Delver could be. Particularly when his passions were piqued. It was a miracle he hadn’t shackled himself to Alex’s ankle like the ball and chain he was.

No. That's not fair. Closing her eyes, Sylda pulled in a long, slow breath. When she opened them again, Alex was regarding her quietly, her arms folded once more, her head cocked ever so slightly. Sylda knew when someone was sizing her up, but this... well, it wasn’t quite the same. A step to the left of it, perhaps, where she knew something was being measured, but she just wasn’t sure what.

“Copper for your thoughts?” Sylda asked eventually. Alex blinked, then reasserted herself, her arms unfolding as she hummed and levered herself from the rail.

“Just committing some things to memory. Don’t worry yourself over it.”

At that, it was Sylda’s turn to arch a brow. “Oh?” She reached up absently, her fingers twisting the ends of her hair as Alex smirked and headed back towards the door. Then, finally, she decided to be brave. “Well, before you head off, here’s another thing for your memory. I wouldn’t mind, ah... worrying myself.” She paused, then hastily added, “Over it. That.”

She swore she heard someone snort from somewhere in the rigging, but she was already too mortified to pay it any real heed. Well, that was smooth as fucking gravel, Sylda thought, cringing inwardly. It took everything in her power not to flip herself over the rail and into the sea. Idiot. This is why you don’t do this. This is why...

Again, maybe it was the product of weariness, or perhaps the strange stillness of the night, but Alex Sheffield, Captain of the Ranger, actually turned back. Her hand rested on the carefully carved doorknob. Her hair, untouched by wind, curled loosely at its ends.

“Well,” she said, then graced her with a quick, sly smile. One that went straight to Sylda’s knees. “Suppose I’ll go ahead and add that, too.”

[seas1mping]

OC Headcanon brainrot

Tag: @dabisfireflower @half-bitch-half-ass

Aight we starting stromg

Rin // Endeavor

Would crush you beneath her heel while filing her nails tbh.

"You alright down there?.........Okay."

For my followers who are gonna see this and be like "YoU hAvE aN EnDeAvOr OC???!!??!!11!"

Shes his sugar baby.

He pays her bills and buys her clothes, she takes care of his kids and gets to know his desk.

"It's very simple"

Attends hero meetings and gossips with Hawks.

Is best friends with Miruko

Bisexual

Very cocky personality, doesnt know when to shut the fuck up.

This one's for Kaz: Has accidentally taught Sumire something she shouldn't have. Up to you what it was.

Glitchcore / Goblincore

"I shoot both ways if you catch my drift, baby."

"Aww don't be like that, it was just some mild fun."

"Can you fill up my gas tank? I'll send tit pics."

"Thank you daddy, it's wonderful."

Annabelle // Hawks

✌😐

Awkward bisexual posing

Is the reason Ahmya and Kugo are together.

Had a crush on Kugo, but I Eliza and Angellica'd them and she was Angellica.

Has Hawks wrapped around her finger.

Also has his agency wrapped around her finger.

OVERTHINKS EVERYTHING OH MY GOD LIKE IF YOU SIGH IN HER DIRECTION SHE'S APOLOGIZING AND ON THE FUCKING GROUND CRYING ISTFG

Not me basing another character around me

Probably got her license suspended last week tbh

It's okay, Keigo can just fly her around.

Is definitely friends with Fatgum and Midnight.

Clubbing

One Night Stand (TM)

Grunge / Punk

"Hey Keigo I'm gonna go key my ex's car I'll be back in an hour."

"....You're not gonna stop me.....okay love youuu"

"Okay mr. Rut Man move the nest out of the kitchen I have to make food."

".....I hate you so much" "You love me" "Keigo I can't fucking move."

Ahmya // Gang Orca || Twice

Now you may ask,

"Max, why does Ahmya have two?"

Well Kaz and I both simp for Kugo, so if Maeko exists, then Ahmya is with Twice. If Maeko doesn't exist or has a backup plan, then Ahmya is with Kugo. It's very simple.

SHE IS SO FUCKING SOFT LIKE I SWEAR TO GOD

Penguin quirk so she proposes with pebbles

Very selective about the rocks and pebbles she gives to her man.

Kugo/Jin has a box of rocks on his nightstand because sometimes she gives him pebbles despite them being married already.

Stimming

Overstimulation or negative emotions cause her to fidget and make noises such as clicking, 'brrr', and flapping her arms like shes flying.

Talks in her sleep a lot, likes to whisper about how much she loves Kugo/Jin.....and food.

Foodie.

Shes my chubby baby I love her so much.

Cottagecore cottagecore cottagecore cottagecore

Forgot rut headcanons shit uhm

Very soft, just sits there very nicely while bae does his thing.

"Pebble time"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

"Thank you. I love you. Don't deny my affection, Jin I said I LOVE YOUUUUUU"

"Don't ever talk to me or my rock collection again,, >:(" "....Ahm, we are married."

"I be okay, can you please move the blankets because I need to get through here to the oven and you're in the way please and thank you baby I love you"

[lust-bts]

the idea of after hours couple making a tik tok or on live doing more stuff with social media seems super adorable to me cause oc’s kinda camera shy

she is a camera shy bub, isn’t she? ☺️ thank you for this adorable idea! enjoy! 🖤

have a scenario for your favourite couples?

✁———————————————————

"I can't do it, I actually think it's worse with you watching me," you whined, dragging your feet as you stopped recording for the nth time, deleting the clip without even watching it.

"Come on, you're a dancer. This is a breeze for you, you just need to relax," Jungkook attempted to encourage you from his spot by the tripod on the floor.

You were alone on the top floor of an above ground parking lot, with no buildings towering over you. It was the perfect place, Jungkook had brought you to film and you couldn't make use of it. It was embarrassing. The doors to his week old Tesla were open wide with your song playing through the speakers but he paused it for you with his high-tech car key.

"Between you and the cameras I don't think I can."

It was truly nerve wracking for you to be in front of a camera, it just didn't feel natural but you'd observed Jungkook in front of one many times.

You, yourself, had only been in front of one twice; the stream with your, now, boyfriend two months ago and once last week when you'd come in to ask what he'd like for dinner and he'd invited you to say hello since his audience, supposedly, always asked about you.

"Look, teach it to me," he got up, leaving Minnie with her bone so he could join you.

"You want to learn the dance?" You quirked a brow.

"Sure, it looks fun, show me the steps," he told you, adjusting his beanie and pulling his mask to his chin. On his way, he pressed record on his camera which he insisted you used until you could save up for a decent one.

"Okay," you gave in, stepping to the side a little so there'd be room for Jungkook behind you.

You slowly tried talking him through the steps but Jungkook soon caught on to one of your bad habits: nervously glancing at the screen every minute.

"Come here," he pulled you closer mid-dance step, a pleasant chuckle leaving his lips. "I think you need some lovin' to help you relax," he smirked, nudging his nose against yours playfully.

"I do," you pouted, eyes puppy-like. You were chest to chest now and he brushed back the hair that fell into your face before stroking your cheek.

The kisses he gave you were sweet, filled with adoration, and they made your tummy tie in knots while you hugged and enjoyed each other’s close proximity.

You didn’t think of the camera watching you once while Jungkook was holding you, you typically forgot about most things happening around you when he was so close.

“Show me the steps,” he told you again, in a soft tone, before moving you away to about an arms length but you took a mother step back so there’d be room. “We start like this, right?”

“Yeah, just do whatever you like but you need to pose with your hands for each of the three beats., then clap low,” you instructed. “Then it’s three steps forward, hands around your head, two circles and do the same with each leg, then follow your right arm around doing waves until it’s right across then you go over your arm and touch your right shoulder with your fingers.”

It was a few steps, a decent portion of the dance you’d found to Bexey’s Eternal Flow but Jungkook had watched you practice a few times now and he probably had more of it down than he let on.

“Like this?” He asked, copying everything you’d told him to a tee with the aid of an imaginary beat. The song practically played on loop in your mind now, you loved it, but in the last week you’d heard it over a hundred times; you were sure of it.

Jungkook did indeed know more than he let on. He’d perfected the first few moves like he was a dancer himself and you were a little shocked, you’d never seen him dance before.

“Where’d you learn to move like that?” You asked in surprise and he cracked a smile.

“You know I got moves, baby,” he winked and your face bloomed red.

“Kook!” You warned, now feeling a little nervous that the camera had caught what he’d said before you lightly kicked his butt.

“We can cut it don’t worry,” he laughed, “come on. What’s next?”

You continued like that for a few more minutes, showing him enough steps to complete the chorus at the start of the song.

You were only doing that much, you were just trying out all kinds of content for now to find what you liked to do best; this week, your first for posting, was dance. Your audiences had been very eager to see your moves since you’d let them know it related to your previous line of work while doing a q&a on your Instagram almost a month ago.

“I think I got it, you ready to give it a try?” Jungkook asked, excitedly bouncing on the backs of his feet to keep his energy up.

“Yeah, we can go through it all together now,” you nodded, getting into place before you flipped your cap backwards to see better while Jungkook pressed play.

You began the dance with Jungkook but it was obvious to you immediately that now you were facing the camera again it was all you could look at, desperately trying to make out if you looked alright.

Jungkook chuckled again, pausing the song and making you stop abruptly.

“I just can’t stop looking at the screen, I look like an idiot,” you gave in, shoulders slumping while you stood in place.

“I think we need to get rid of this,” he concluded lightly, walking over to the camera so he could flip the little screen back round and out of view.

Now you had no idea what you looked like and it made your heart race. You weren’t sure why it meant so much to you, you’d never not been confident in your looks but with a camera lens pointed your way all of that confidence disappeared.

Jungkook returned to you after he was done and he caught you in a bear hug, chin on your shoulder while he lifted your face to look at the sloping hills of the city below. The sun was setting off in the distance over the ocean and it blasted you in a warm golden glow that was turning more and more red the lower it descended.

“Will you try something for me?” He asked and you nodded, ready to give any of his advice a go. “Look at the city while you dance, that’s all,” he instructed, softly kissing your neck before nuzzling into it.

“Okay,” you sighed. This was your last shot, the sun was almost gone and so would your lighting be so you needed to hurry.

“That’s my girl,” he praised you, kissing your cheek hard before stepping into his spot and pressing play again.

You did as he said this time, one part of your brain listened to the music and danced along while another kept you focused on the city you loved so much.

Sunset was always your favourite time of day, it just made the world so mesmerizing.

Before you knew it you were done and Jungkook ran at you at full speed, lifting you up and spinning you around in celebration.

“Told you, you could do it,” he beamed, kissing your lips lovingly before you hid in his neck.

“I did it?” You squeaked, you hadn’t looked at the camera once so you had no idea how you looked.

“You looked great, baby, that’s the one,” he insisted, pulling you over to the camera with a wide grin while you covered your eyes with your free hand.

When he reached the camera, he stopped the recording and detached it from the tripod so you could review the footage.

The clip started about an hour ago when you fumbled the first try together and he had pulled you close, he skipped passed the practice footage until he reached the point where he bear hugged you no more than five minutes ago.

Next was the actual dance. You still, somewhat, expected to hate how you looked but when he showed you the screen you were surprised by what you saw. "I can't do it, I actually think it's worse with you watching me," you whined, dragging your feet as you stopped recording for the nth time, deleting the clip without even watching it.

"Come on, you're a dancer. This is a breeze for you, you just need to relax," Jungkook attempted to encourage you from his spot by the tripod on the floor.

You were alone on the top floor of an above ground parking lot, with no buildings towering over you. It was the perfect place, Jungkook had brought you to film and you couldn't make use of it. It was embarrassing. The doors to his week old Tesla were open wide with your song playing through the speakers but he paused it for you with his high-tech car key.

"Between you and the cameras I don't think I can."

It was truly nerve wracking for you to be in front of a camera, it just didn't feel natural but you'd observed Jungkook in front of one many times.

You, yourself, had only been in front of one twice; the stream with your, now, boyfriend two months ago and once last week when you'd come in to ask what he'd like for dinner and he'd invited you to say hello since his audience, supposedly, always asked about you.

"Look, teach it to me," he got up, leaving Minnie with her bone so he could join you.

"You want to learn the dance?" You quirked a brow.

"Sure, it looks fun, show me the steps," he told you, adjusting his beanie and pulling his mask to his chin. On his way, he pressed record on his camera which he insisted you used until you could save up for a decent one.

"Okay," you gave in, stepping to the side a little so there'd be room for Jungkook behind you.

You slowly tried talking him through the steps but Jungkook soon caught on to one of your bad habits: nervously glancing at the screen every minute.

"Come here," he pulled you closer mid-dance step, a pleasant chuckle leaving his lips. "I think you need some lovin' to help you relax," he smirked, nudging his nose against yours playfully.

"I do," you pouted, eyes puppy-like. You were chest to chest now and he brushed back the hair that fell into your face before stroking your cheek.

The kisses he gave you were sweet, filled with adoration, and they made your tummy tie in knots while you hugged and enjoyed each other’s close proximity.

You didn’t think of the camera watching you once while Jungkook was holding you, you typically forgot about most things happening around you when he was so close.

“Show me the steps,” he told you again, in a soft tone, before moving you away to about an arms length but you took a mother step back so there’d be room. “We start like this, right?”

“Yeah, just do whatever you like but you need to pose with your hands for each of the three beats., then clap low,” you instructed. “Then it’s three steps forward, hands around your head, two circles and do the same with each leg, then follow your right arm around doing waves until it’s right across then you go over your arm and touch your right shoulder with your fingers.”

It was a few steps, a decent portion of the dance you’d found to Bexey’s Eternal Flow but Jungkook had watched you practice a few times now and he probably had more of it down than he let on.

“Like this?” He asked, copying everything you’d told him to a tee with the aid of an imaginary beat. The song practically played on loop in your mind now, you loved it, but in the last week you’d heard it over a hundred times; you were sure of it.

Jungkook did indeed know more than he let on. He’d perfected the first few moves like he was a dancer himself and you were a little shocked, you’d never seen him dance before.

“Where’d you learn to move like that?” You asked in surprise and he cracked a smile.

“You know I got moves, baby,” he winked and your face bloomed red.

“Kook!” You warned, now feeling a little nervous that the camera had caught what he’d said before you lightly kicked his butt.

“We can cut it don’t worry,” he laughed, “come on. What’s next?”

You continued like that for a few more minutes, showing him enough steps to complete the chorus at the start of the song.

You were only doing that much, you were just trying out all kinds of content for now to find what you liked to do best; this week, your first for posting, was dance. Your audiences had been very eager to see your moves since you’d let them know it related to your previous line of work while doing a q&a on your Instagram almost a month ago.

“I think I got it, you ready to give it a try?” Jungkook asked, excitedly bouncing on the backs of his feet to keep his energy up.

“Yeah, we can go through it all together now,” you nodded, getting into place before you flipped your cap backwards to see better while Jungkook pressed play.

You began the dance with Jungkook but it was obvious to you immediately that now you were facing the camera again it was all you could look at, desperately trying to make out if you looked alright.

Jungkook chuckled again, pausing the song and making you stop abruptly.

“I just can’t stop looking at the screen, I look like an idiot,” you gave in, shoulders slumping while you stood in place.

“I think we need to get rid of this,” he concluded lightly, walking over to the camera so he could flip the little screen back round and out of view.

Now you had no idea what you looked like and it made your heart race. You weren’t sure why it meant so much to you, you’d never not been confident in your looks but with a camera lens pointed your way all of that confidence disappeared.

Jungkook returned to you after he was done and he caught you in a bear hug, chin on your shoulder while he lifted your face to look at the sloping hills of the city below. The sun was setting off in the distance over the ocean and it blasted you in a warm golden glow that was turning more and more red the lower it descended.

“Will you try something for me?” He asked and you nodded, ready to give any of his advice a go. “Look at the city while you dance, that’s all,” he instructed, softly kissing your neck before nuzzling into it.

“Okay,” you sighed. This was your last shot, the sun was almost gone and so would your lighting be so you needed to hurry.

“That’s my girl,” he praised you, kissing your cheek hard before stepping into his spot and pressing play again.

You did as he said this time, one part of your brain listened to the music and danced along while another kept you focused on the city you loved so much.

Sunset was always your favourite time of day, it just made the world so mesmerizing.

Before you knew it you were done and Jungkook ran at you at full speed, lifting you up and spinning you around in celebration.

“Told you, you could do it,” he beamed, kissing your lips lovingly before you hid in his neck.

“I did it?” You squeaked, you hadn’t looked at the camera once so you had no idea how you looked.

“You looked great, baby, that’s the one,” he insisted, pulling you over to the camera with a wide grin while you covered your eyes with your free hand.

When he reached the camera, he stopped the recording and detached it from the tripod so you could review the footage.

The clip started about an hour ago when you fumbled the first try together and he had pulled you close, he skipped passed the practice footage until he reached the point where he bear hugged you no more than five minutes ago.

Next was the actual dance. You still, somewhat, expected to hate how you looked but when he showed you the screen you were surprised by what you saw.

No tense shoulders, stiff movements or self-conscious look in your eyes. You moved fluidly to the beat that you could just barely hear through the built-in speakers.

Your head was held high and looked confident where Jungkook had told you to focus on the view, and with the thoughts going through your head about it at the time, your lips had broken out into a natural smile.

“Holy shit, I did it, go back!” You shook his arm before he snaked it around you, moving you in front of his so you could both rewatch it.

“I knew you could do it baby, look how good you look,” he squeezed you tight, your stomach was all fluttery and you felt giddy all of a sudden.

Was this how it felt for everyone else who recorded themselves? A rush of adrenaline when you knew you got the perfect take. If so, you could get used to it since you were a bit of an adrenaline junkie.

“Thank you for helping me, I couldn’t have done it without you,” you mumbled bashfully, your head falling back into his chest to cuddle up to him a little closer.

“Anytime, it was fun,” he kissed your temple before turning off the camera and tapping your butt. “Let’s get moving though, I’m starved.”

“Me too. Pizza?” You asked with fluttering lashes while you packed up the tripod and collected Minnie.

“Sounds perfect,” he nodded, starting up the car before watching the built in screen to help him reverse out of the open space. He didn’t need to, but he was so excited about his new spaceship, which is what he affectionately called it. “We can get your video edited tonight and post it tomorrow, everyone’s going to be so excited,” he rambled.

It was sweet the way Jungkook wanted you to succeed so badly, he knew you had it in you and he was willing to be the person to help coax that confidence out of you.

“I’ll post those photos you took tonight then, right? Promote the video?”

It made sense, you had to sell yourself, basically, which was why Jungkook had insisted on spending some time before filming taking photos of you, both in his new car and out of it, so you could announce your first official video to your fans.

“Mmhm, I can’t wait to see what everyone says. They’ve been dying to see more of you and I’m so proud that you’re pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, I know you’ll kill it online,” he praised you, his hand on your thigh giving you an encouraging squeeze.

No tense shoulders, stiff movements or self-conscious look in your eyes. You moved fluidly to the beat that you could just barely hear through the built-in speakers.

Your head was held high and looked confident where Jungkook had told you to focus on the view, and with the thoughts going through your head about it at the time, your lips had broken out into a natural smile.

“Holy shit, I did it, go back!” You shook his arm before he snaked it around you, moving you in front of his so you could both rewatch it.

“I knew you could do it baby, look how good you look,” he squeezed you tight, your stomach was all fluttery and you felt giddy all of a sudden.

Was this how it felt for everyone else who recorded themselves? A rush of adrenaline when you knew you got the perfect take. If so, you could get used to it since you were a bit of an adrenaline junkie.

“Thank you for helping me, I couldn’t have done it without you,” you mumbled bashfully, your head falling back into his chest to cuddle up to him a little closer.

“Anytime, it was fun,” he kissed your temple before turning off the camera and tapping your butt. “Let’s get moving though, I’m starved.”

“Me too. Pizza?” You asked with fluttering lashes while you packed up the tripod and collected Minnie.

“Sounds perfect,” he nodded, starting up the car before watching the built in screen to help him reverse out of the open space. He didn’t need to, but he was so excited about his new spaceship, which is what he affectionately called it. “We can get your video edited tonight and post it tomorrow, everyone’s going to be so excited,” he rambled.

It was sweet the way Jungkook wanted you to succeed so badly, he knew you had it in you and he was willing to be the person to help coax that confidence out of you.

“I’ll post those photos you took tonight then, right? Promote the video?”

It made sense, you had to sell yourself, basically, which was why Jungkook had insisted on spending some time before filming taking photos of you, both in his new car and out of it, so you could announce your first official video to your fans.

“Mmhm, I can’t wait to see what everyone says. They’ve been dying to see more of you and I’m so proud that you’re pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, I know you’ll kill it online,” he praised you, his hand on your thigh giving you an encouraging squeeze.

[snarkwrites]

02| trouble |greg sanders

Notes:

So apparently, I wasn’t done with these two? Yeah.. I thought I’d post another part to their whole /story./ as it were. So, here we are.. I am... honestly lowkey tempted to do this with my Tim Speedle x OC one shots too, because I had this whole ass backstory that I broke down and condensed greatly there that I could rewind and do, too...

So if anybody wants to see it (either of them, Tim or continuing this with Greg), lemme know I guess?

Either way.. Here we are. Part II. Yay! For those who missed part I it is ( here ) I’m off to go brainstorm more on this and create a soundtrack, hehe.

Pairing:

Greg Sanders x Sidle!OFC.

Warnings:

Uhhh... heavy lingering sexual tension. Mutual pining. A whole lotta cute awkward fluffy times.. Eventually, filth. This is non timeline compliant, btw... so if you’re strictly by the timeline posed in the series, I’m sorry? Kinda?

Tagging:

@chasingeverybreakingwave​ 

@twistnet​ 

[ faq | tag list doc | soundtrack ] 

                                                TWO. “What the hell are you watching?”

At the sound of Nick’s voice, Greg tried to avert his gaze. Tried to look anywhere but out the window and down into the pool area which happened to be right below the balcony of his apartment. He’d been completely distracted. Forgotten all about Nick still being at his place..

He stepped away from the window, turning his entire body away from it so that his back was facing it.

Nick chuckled and stepped over to the window, peering down.

“Well, I know it’s not the blonde.” Nick mused aloud, fixing a teasing gaze on his friend as he did so. 

“What the hell do you mean you know it’s not the blonde?” Greg’s brow raised at Nick’s assumption. Even though it hadn’t been the blonde, he hadn’t even realized there was even a blonde down at the pool until Nick mentioned her just then, he wondered what automatically made Nick rule out the blonde.

Nick chuckled. “You have a type, Greggo.”

“I do not have a type.” Greg argued.

Nick eyed him and after a second or two, he shrugged. Then with a smirk, he went on. “I can tell you exactly which girl you were starin at so hard your eyes were about to pop right outta your skull though.”

Greg rolled his eyes in annoyance, folding his arms over his chest.

“Fine. Go for it.”

“The leggy brunette in the black Ouija board bikini with the top untied and the lime green earbuds in. She was on the red beach towel, layin on her stomach... I think she was reading a horror novel and eating a green apple. Had herself a little garter tattoo… Am I right?”

Greg’s mouth opened and closed quickly because Nick had him dead to rights and he didn’t feel like arguing. “How the hell did you know? And why the hell were you staring so hard anyway, man?”

“She’s cute. Not my type at all, but cute.” Nick was peering out the window of Greg’s apartment now, probably watching the blonde. When Greg asked him the question, he chuckled and spun around, holding his co-worker’s gaze.

“ Because I know you. I know you well enough to know that you’re gonna go for the dark haired girl, every single time.” Nick shrugged. Greg eyed him, waiting on further elaboration. Which Nick gave, a second later.

“You were checkin her out Monday morning too when I dropped you off after work. When she was jogging?”

“I was not.” Greg said it quickly. Defensively. Entirely too quickly and defensively and he knew almost immediately that Nick didn’t buy that for a single second.

“You were, Greggo. Don’t even bother denyin’ it, I pretty much caught you. Both times, buddy.”

The sound of Greg’s apartment door being knocked on had both men sharing a look. “Were you expecting somebody, Greggo?”

“No..” Greg eyed the door, walking over to it and unlatching the locks, peering out the crack in the door when he opened it.

Belle leaned in the doorway lazily, a sheepish look on her face. Cheeks tinted pale pink and hints of a little bit of a sunburn starting to show. “I,uh… Well shit, this is lovely.” she stammered after a few seconds of the two staring at one another again, her hands dragging through her hair.

“What’s up?” Greg opened the door, letting Belle into his apartment and Nick eyed the two, chuckling to himself as he walked to the door and cleared his throat. “I’m goin back to my place, man. Same time tomorrow?”

“Yeah. My car will be out of the shop Friday, I think.” Greg waved him off and the door closed, leaving him alone in his living room with Belle.

His eyes wanted to roam but he didn’t dare. He cleared his throat and tried to swallow down the lump that had formed in it over the space of the minute or two since he’d opened the door to find her standing outside.

“What’s up?” he eyed her in concern.

“I went down to the pool to swim a few laps and tan… And I may or may not have forgotten the key to my sister’s place… She told me if I managed to lose my key somehow or get locked out, you had their other spare?” Belle gazed up at him hopefully, shuffling bare feet against the living room floor.

“Oh shit.” Greg chuckled. “Yeah, they gave me a spare when they got the place and realized I lived across from them. Let me go try to find it.”

He wandered down the hall and into his bedroom, locating where he’d sat the key on top of his dresser. Pocketing that, he called out to her, “How is it so far?”

She wandered down the hall, leaning in the doorway of his room. Biting her lip as she realized that he was taking off his button up shirt. She only barely managed to tear her eyes off of broad shoulders before he turned around to face her.

“It’s peaceful? It’s a lot more peaceful than New Orleans was.” Belle answered, their eyes locking on each other all over again. Greg went to step out of his bedroom and this put the two of them body to body for a second or two and he barely managed to bite back the groan that wanted to come at the way she felt somewhat pressed against him like she was right now.

He found his eyes drifting down and settling on her lips. 

She dragged her hand through her hair and his eyes drifted upward, watching the movement. Biting his lip as he did so before remembering the key she’d come to get. He put it into her hand, curling her hand closed around it and maybe he didn’t want to let go. Maybe he held on just a second or two longer. She gave a soft laugh and stepped away, following him back up the hall as he started back towards his living room, falling down onto the couch.

“Hey, if you’re not doing anything.. Nevermind. You’re a graveyard shifter like Sara and Gil.. I need to get goin’ and let you get your sleep…” Belle started, stepping towards his front door. Greg called out, “No, what were you going to ask?”

“Well, I’m not the greatest cook or anything.. But I was going to ask if you wanted to come over? Maybe grab some food with me?”

She shuffled her feet, leaning her back against his door as she gazed at him. Greg got caught up in staring at her and almost forgot that she’d asked a question, finally managing to answer a few seconds later, “Actually, I’d like that…”

“Sweet.. I was gonna throw something together and supposedly, it’ll be ready in an hour?”

“Supposedly?” Greg questioned, smiling at her as their eyes met again at last. “Yeah.. I’m covering my own ass because it’s like I said. I’m not the best cook.. And it may well end in the fire department having to come by.” Belle gave him that little troublemaker smirk as she shrugged and he chuckled, nodding.

“I’ll be over in a few minutes. I’m gonna go grab a shower.” 

She smiled at him and nodded, giving him the thumbs up as she closed the door to his apartment behind her.

Greg let out several long and shaky breaths and rose from the couch, heading to take his shower.

XXX

I’m surprised I heard the door being knocked on over the sound of The Artic Monkeys blasting through my sister and Gil’s apartment, just to drive out the heavy and almost oppressive silence.

But as soon as I did, I bit my lip, staring at the door. It probably wasn’t a good idea to do this as I was attempting to cut up vegetables for the stir fry I was going to try to make for Greg and I to eat. I managed to nick my finger and, swearing under my breath, I grabbed one of the paper towels next to the stove, holding it against my finger as I called out to Greg, “Just a second.”

I managed to get the finger situation under control and I slunk over, opening the door and stepping out of the way so Greg could step in.

He eyed my paper towel wrapped finger and I bit my lip, giving a soft laugh and shrugging. “It’s like I said. I can’t actually cook that well. And apparently, kitchen knives hate me.”

“Let me see it.” he was reaching for my hand and to my surprise, before I could stop myself, I was letting him take my hand in his. He unwrapped the paper towel and eyed the very small wound carefully. I spoke up. “It’ll be fine. It doesn’t even hurt anymore.”

“Yeah, but it’s still bleeding a little. Did you at least clean it out?”

I shook my head. Apparently, the running theme here is that every single time I’m around Greg Sanders, my mouth and brain are going to cease all function. I wanted to smack myself in the back of the head for it because it wasn’t me at all.

“Yeah, you need to clean that out.” Greg spoke up again, catching my attention. I nodded. Found myself distracted by his eyes and then his mouth… The strong jawline.

,, Christ, you are ridiculous. Get it together, Belle.” I admonished myself, ,, First you’re cooking and you know not the first fucking thing about cooking beyond ramen and barbecue on a grill.. Or frozen meals. What next, huh?” 

I stepped away and slunk towards the bathroom down the hall, finding the bandaids and an alcohol pad.

“Fuck.” I hissed as soon as I’d gotten the alcohol pad out of it’s wrapper and pressed it against the pad of my finger. Greg leaned in the doorway, dragging his hand over his hair. “It smells good. The food, I meant..”

“Thank you.” I glanced up at him, struggling with getting the band-aid around the end of my finger without getting it too tight or having it stick to itself. He stepped into my sister’s bathroom and took my hand in his, biting his lip as he fixed his gaze on the finger and the band-aid, wrapping it around securely before glancing back up at me.

“That should be good.”

The fact that he had to let go of my hand had me pouting a little, then fuming at myself about that internally. I finally managed to bring myself to pull my hand away and slunk up the hallway, into the kitchen. Stopping by my docked phone to change the song from Girls Just Wanna Have Fun to Need You Tonight, dancing over to the stove. Making Greg laugh at me from the doorway.

I stopped mid wiggle and stuck my tongue at him. “What’s so funny, huh? I happen to think INXS fucks.”

Greg shrugged as he stepped into the kitchen. Closer to me. I gulped, staring up at him. Not entirely sure what to say all of a sudden and definitely not sure what to do with my hands. “I mean, you’re not wrong.” he was staring right back down at me. One of us stepped closer and behind me, the shrill cry of the smoke alarm and the smell of my food burning just a little had me biting the inside of my cheek and swearing, pouting as I stepped away abruptly and made my way over to the stove to turn it off and see just how bad the damage to our food was.

“Well fuck.” I whined, turning back. Finding myself close to him all over again. Dangerously close.

Brown eyes seemed to stare straight into my soul before finally breaking away, nodding towards the wok filled with the burnt remains of what I’d been trying to cook.

,, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach my mom said… explain this fiasco, mom…” I gave a soft laugh and shook my head at the thought as it came and I sighed. I didn’t want him to leave.

Him leaving meant that I’d be in this apartment alone again, for one thing. For another, maybe there was just… something about him. A magnetic pull.

The harder I tried to fight it, which I had at first, the harder it was to fight.

“So, uh… do you know anywhere that’s open? I’ll pay.” I offered quickly. Mentally kicking myself because it almost felt clingy.. I hated that I couldn’t control myself more than anything right now. Especially after all that I’d gone through before my arrival in Las Vegas. That alone should have taught me a huge lesson.

But here I went again.

Greg chuckled, rubbing his chin in thought.

“I do have food at my place. And I can throw something together.” he said it and immediately did the same as I had when I’d asked if there were anywhere to go. Tensing slightly, almost as if he expected me to say no. “Forget it, it’s late.. That was probably dumb to ask..” he trailed off after a second or two, but I shook my head no, giving a smile.

“Actually, I’d like that. I love my sister and Gil but this place is a little… creepy… at night. Maybe it’s because it’s so quiet and I’m not used to that yet.”

“It’s not so bad once you get used to it.” he gave me that lazy grin and raked his hand over his hair. “If you want to come over, Belle… I wouldn’t mind at all. I never actually go to sleep when I get in for an hour or two anyway.”

“Oh, I want to.” I replied, slipping on my favorite boots, grabbing the key to my sister’s place and following him out into the hallway, pausing to lock the door. I turned around and found myself kind of pressed against him in the doorway. “Ready when you are.” I smiled, my eyes getting lost in his all over again…

[homestuckexamination]

funnily enough, i’m interested in your land stuff in the same way i’m into ocs/the homestuck kids—you’re an interesting and knowledgeable figure in my understanding of homestuck and meta and stuff, so i’m like. who is this person. what’s the important info lol.

... :o

You know what, why not?

I am a Seer of Doom. Originally, this title came to me in a Dream, but I’ve learned just how much it fit me over the years. I am a Seer through and through- Passive to a fault, group-oriented, putting others, my friends, ahead of me. I am quite focused on understanding and knowing new things, and helping guide others and helping others understand. I am also definitely a Doombound, I have an understanding of Suffering and all the bad shit people around me are going through, and I may not be able to help, but I’ve found solace and comfort in being there and trying to give pep talks to friends that need them. I am also very anxious and paranoid, to the point of literally having constant visions of worst-case scenarios which I tune out almost instinctively at this point.

I am a completionist, and I am very, very stubborn. When playing games, when doing things, I will actively map out and think things out to optimize whatever I need to do in order to get everything effectively, but at the same time, I have methods and ways of doing things that aren’t always necessarily the most correct or efficient, but god dammit they’re mine and I will not change my ways even if presented with a better option (See, it taking an Update that rendered Tumblr literally unusable before I even considered getting XKit).

I have a very deep fear of isolation. Namely, the fear of incommunication. Something happening that cuts me off from the people I love and care about, them not knowing what’s going on with me, me losing contact with them. This manifested in a bit of an unhealthy manner when I was younger by being extremely clingy and getting very anxious when someone I know online hasn’t been on and said anything in a few days- Only exacerbated by the loss of contact with a partner back in the day.

I got fucked up, academically speaking, because I was always the ‘gifted, smart kid’ in school, and when that didn’t happen to be the case as I grew up, I had no precedent or idea of what to do when my grades started dropping. Pair it with a particularly nasty teacher, and I ended up with a deep dread and anxiety regarding standarized tests and a disdain for classes in general from which I haven’t really recovered. I respond to conflict and change in my life by shutting off and ignoring the problem, which leads to procrastination and some executive dysfunction.

So with all of that put together, my Land would most likely have something to do with my fears and anxieties, and probably try to push me to improve in some way. With my fear of incommunication as mentioned earlier, something blocking the signal from my devices and making it difficult to keep in touch, particularly in a situation as stressful as SBURB, would force me to focus on what’s going on and try to find ways to deal with the situation before I can actually get in touch and help those I love. Add to that anxiety about getting lost, extreme phobia of insects, a fear of losing who I am as a person, and sprinkle it with a few miscellaneous common tropes, and I think I can start seeing my Land  coming into shape.

The Land of Thorns and Static. Or LOTAS for short. I considered several names for it but the aesthetic was quite solid in my mind. Thorns refers to thorny bushes, to sharp vines, to gnarled trees. An expanse of forest as far as the eye can see, dark, hazy, and difficult to navigate. Playing into my fear of bugs and my inexperience when it comes to being outside, my affinity for myths and tales of fae and woods, and my love of fantasy in general, a big spooky forest seemed like an adequate setting. Static, on the other hand, plays into the challenge and Quest my land poses.

Through the Land there would be blotches and patches of corruption. Areas, buzzing with static, visual glitching. This ties into Doom as Technology and also aesthetic I vibe with, while giving a perfect hindrance to contact with others in my Session. The static, the dense woods, it all makes communication difficult and sparse, needing to either keep me on the move, or having to learn to trust that my partners will be okay while I push through stuff myself. Of course I also thought about the idea of this Static also ‘corrupting’ one exposed to it. A dream-like haze, forgetting what you’re doing or where you’re going. Making the woods so easy to get lost into, so easy to get wounded in, incommunicated, afraid...

A majority of the Consorts- Which I am going to say are Green Salamanders because I love those glubbing fellas and Green is my favorite color- Would be under this hazy spell permanently. Some lucky Consorts are still free, but they’re terrified, to see their friends and family acting like everything is good and fine while they repeat tasks over and over, while crops die as they lack care from the local farmers. Some fun lore to spice things up, I could see something generic like... A looooong time ago, the people of the Land lived carefree lives. Too carefree. They were so carefree that tales of old began to fade from their collective knowledge. They forgot to heed clear signs and warnings of danger. They forgot to identify clearly bad ideas. And, of course, they forgot to respect the fae and their rules. Angered by their lifestyle, the Denizen of the Land, which is probably Dullahan just because I think it’s cool, fits the woods aesthetic, and is also a fae, made sure that if they wanted to live such carefree and forgetful lives, they would. The spell befell the Land, the corruption started, making Consorts complacent, forgetful, making the woods unforgiving and darkened...

And so it is said that the Seer of Doom would be able to snap the Consorts out of this haze, and find a way to navigate the woods, find Dullahan’s Minions that are keeping the spell active, and confront Dullahan himself.

Playing into my fear of not having enough time, me liking helping others, and such, I could also see some of the main parts of my Quest having Time Limits. NPCs that need rescuing, dungeons that are only accessible for a short span of time, making it so that, even when I can contact people outside my Land, or I am away and helping them, I know there’s tasks that need to be done and I have to both have patience, but also, not put things aside for later in case I need to rush elsewhere for whatever reason.

In definitive, my Land would be an absolutely awful test of stress for me, but it would try and push me to be more ‘independent’ in a way.

That’s what comes to mind, mostly, when I think about it!

Oh also, have a Browser Icon for Dullahan since you got to the end of this post!

[prolestariwrites]

The Wish [2]

Fandom: Devil May Cry Characters: Dante, Vergil, Nero, V, Lady, Eva, Sparda, OC Rating: General Tags: Family, Humor, Fluff, Angst, Typical demon hunting violence

Summary: A demon gives Dante the chance to have his greatest desires made real. When he finds himself in a seemingly idyllic life, all seems well until it starts to unravel. Will he sacrifice himself to save the family he lost, or will he choose to give them up for the truth?

Now Posted: Chapter 2, in which Dante hunts for clues and to who he is, and where he is, when he reconnects with a long-lost relative.

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Chapter 2: Pictures and Clues

Dante spends a full ten minutes just sitting on the bed in his underwear. He reviews every step of the night before: Nero texting him about this job, catching the train to Fortuna, the two of them driving out to the warehouse with the radio blaring and picking up burgers on the way. Then the demons, dozens upon dozens, that weren't difficult but packed to the brim so that when they pried open the front door of the building they swarmed like roaches.

He had found the queen at the top, but there it gets fuzzy. It talked to him, but about what? Something about his family? Every time he gets to that part, his headache turns a little sharper, so Dante decides to give thinking a rest so he can figure out where the hell he actually is.

His jeans are slung over a chair so he grabs them and fishes inside for his cell phone. It's different from the one he normally has, and he frowns as he turns it on and finds a passcode. He tries the first thing he can think of—1, 2, 3, 4, easy enough—and luckily it works. Quickly he dials Nero's number, but isn't really surprised when the automated voice comes on the line to tell him that number is not in service.

Dante scratches the back of his head. He's here, in a strange house with a woman who knows his parents, and Nero is… somewhere. Got it.

But then he wonders if something might have happened to Nero. What if he needs his help? Then this has got to be a dream, right? So how does he wake up?

Once he pulls his jeans on and finds a t-shirt in the other set of drawers, he tries the door. Cautiously he opens it, but the house is quiet, so Dante slips into the hallway. There are two other bedrooms and a bathroom which look suspiciously normal. Even the closets are tidy, and Dante snorts when he gets to the linen closet. This must be a dream. Who owns so many towels?

Next, he heads downstairs to the main floor. At the bottom is a living room, complete with a comfortable-looking sofa and a big-screen television. Dante stands in front of it and admires it for a minute before grabbing the remote control. He lets out a low whistle when he sees the picture quality, thinking if this is a dream, he's got good taste.

That demon's got good taste.

Dante shakes his head and continues his search. A small dining room is to the left, and to the right is a hallway leading to another half bath. The kitchen is nice too, the dishwasher humming and a pot of coffee warm on the counter. Even the refrigerator is stocked, and Dante helps himself to a piece of chicken he finds in a plastic container, figuring he can eat whatever he wants in a dream.

Out the kitchen window he can see a little backyard, and Dante sighs as he leans against the counter and chews thoughtfully. It's a nice enough house, something any ordinary couple might buy for a starter home. He glances down at the gold band on his finger, holding it up so he can examine it closely. Setting the chicken down, he wipes his hand on his jeans and slips it off, turning it over until he notices an inscription on the inside: Dante and Lir Forever.

He pictures the cute blonde who was half his size but acted more than familiar. "Lir," he murmurs out loud, slipping the ring back on as he looks around.

Wandering back through the house, Dante notices some pictures sitting on the windowsill in the living room. He walks over and picks up the first one, his face going a bit pale. He is in a suit, and that woman‚ Lir, is in a wedding dress. They are posed and smiling in front of a cake, holding a knife together as if to cut it. He turns it over but there's nothing out of the ordinary about it, and Dante snorts as he sets it back down again.

The next few are of them as well: a selfie in winter gear, posing in what Patty would call "Sunday attire", in bathing suits at a beach, arms around each other and grinning at the camera. He's gotta admit, they look pretty good together. His brain did a good job dreaming this girl up.

The next photo, however, feels like a punch to the gut. It's a double-sided frame on a hinge, and on one side it's him and a man who looks exactly like him, only his hair is slicked back instead of hanging in fringes around his face. In fact, he looks exactly like what Vergil would look like. If he was still alive.

Dante's hand shakes as he examines the picture. It is Vergil, it's got to be, the same slightly slimmer build and the half-inch in height that made it possible to tell them apart. The only thing that shocks him more than seeing this picture is the one opposite. Across from Dante and Vergil posed with small smiles is Vergil and Lady, her hand in his arm as they smile into the camera.

Gripping the picture frame, he grabs the next one and braces himself. Staring up at him are two people he somewhat recognizes, as if he had seen them in a dream. They are older, in their 60s maybe, the man grinning with his arm around his wife, sitting together on a couch. He has longish silver hair, not unlike Dante's, a pair of glasses hanging around his neck. Her blonde hair is swept up into a bun, streaks of white only making her more dignified, her hand on the man's knee. Dante brings the picture up so close his nose nearly touches it, and that's when he realizes that the woman is a dead ringer for Trish, if Trish was about 40 years older.

His cell phone rings in his pocket, startling him out of his examination. Dante fumbles for the phone but freezes when he sees the name Vergil appear on the screen. It takes another three rings before he gets the courage to answer. "Yeah?"

"Did I wake you or something?"

Dante staggers to the couch and sits heavily, still clutching the two pictures in his hands. He knew what to expect, but nothing could have prepared him for hearing that voice on the other end. "Dante," it says again. "You there?"

"Y-yeah," he stammers, his voice cracking around a dry throat. "Verge, is that you?"

"Of course it's me. I want to talk about tonight." Dante's eyes close as he listens, trying not to freak out. Even Vergil's exasperation for him is the same. "I'm paying for dinner, and I don't want to hear anything about it. We need to settle this now so we don't argue at the restaurant."

"What uh…" Dante's mind is spinning and he shakes his head to clear it. "Yeah uh, Lir mentioned something about a dinner. Do you know Lir?"

"I'm surprised you forgot, Dante. Usually you remember these sorts of things." Dante leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he tries to breathe. "This dinner tonight is important and I don't want a scene. Just let me pay for it, and afterward we can agree on how you'll pay me back your half. Agreed?"

Dante swallows thickly. "Yeah, yeah that's fine. Vergil. Vergil."

Even saying his name gives Dante the shivers. "Well I expected more of an argument. Glad you're going to listen to reason. Don't be late."

"Wait, Verge?" Dante looks down at the picture in his hand, something hot and tight tickling his throat. "Can I see you? Can you come over?"

"What for? I'll be seeing you tonight, and I have the kids. Are you sick? Where's Lir?"

"She covered a shift," Dante replies. "Please, Verge, I got… I need to say some things."

"Well say it tonight. I'm not driving all the way over there when I'll see you in a few hours."

Dante chuckles, swallowing tears as his breath escapes in a laugh. "Okay. Yeah. Hey uh, is mom and dad… they really gonna be there? At this dinner thing?"

There is a long pause, and then Vergil huffs, "Don't be stupid," before hanging up on him.

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The rest of the afternoon Dante spends figuring out his life. He finds photo albums in the closet, handmade scrapbooks that Lir definitely made. They chronicle some of their vacations, and he smiles as he turns the pages to see them camping, at the beach, at Disneyworld. The wedding one makes him wince a bit, the smiling faces of his brother and his parents making something in his chest tight. The date on the preserved invitation tells him they've been married about ten years, which is pretty funny since the longest relationship he's ever had was about ten minutes after getting dressed.

He looks weird in a suit, and Dante snorts to think what Lady or Trish would say if they saw him. But Lady is there, on Vergil's arm, and that is a mystery he can't wait to solve. And Trish kind of is there, in the form of his mother, looking slightly older but just as lovely.

There is a drawer in the desk in the office that has some bills, and he boots up the computer to take a look through. The email is pretty normal, receipts from online orders and utility companies, messages from the family and people he doesn't know. There is a link to a bank account and Dante's brows lift to see the balance. Compared to his normal finances, the amount seems like a small fortune.

There must be something a god of fortune can give you.

A cat appears suddenly, jumping onto the desk and stalking across the keyboard to plop across his arms. Dante pulls back in reaction, which earns him a very annoyed look from the cat. "Hey uh, there," he says, tentatively reaching out to pat its head.

The cat snaps at him, and Dante rolls his eyes. He never got along with animals as a rule. "So you want to sit on my computer as I'm using it but I can't pet you, hm?" he grumbles. The cat yawns in response, so he decides to go find lunch instead.

There's not much more to discover after having a sandwich. His life seems completely ordinary, although he doesn't know exactly what he does or even if he's still in Red Grave City. The other question still to solve is Nero. If Vergil is alive and married to Lady, then does Nero even exist? His face goes a bit hot to think of the kid not being around. But Vergil had mentioned kids on the phone… is it possible?

He is dozing on the couch and watching television when the door bursts open. Dante is on his feet and reaching for his guns that aren't there when Lir hurries in, her arms filled with dry cleaning as she comes like a whirlwind into the living room. "I'm so sorry I'm late! I can't believe I got stuck there! I told them I couldn't stay, and now look at the time!"

She pushes the clothes and plastic into his arms and pulls her cell phone from her purse. "Did you take a shower yet? You still need to shave. You are going to shave, right? You can't look like a sasquatch at the party."

Lir looks up at him expectantly, and Dante shrugs. "Yeah, I guess?"

"Good. Wait. Are you okay?" She steps up and presses a hand to his forehead. "You were sick this morning. How do you feel?"

"I'm okay," he assures her. "I had a weird dream."

She smiles, and his heart actually skips a beat. His brain is good. "Good. Did you feed Claudius?"

"Claudius?"

"Yes. The cat." Lir laughs and pats his chest. "Was he a problem today?"

Dante thinks about the cat that interrupted his computer search. "No. And no, I didn't feed him."

"Okay. I'll take care of it. You go shower and get dressed. And don't take too much off, you know I prefer a bit of facial hair." She takes the dry cleaning from his arms and pulls one of the hangers to hand back to him. "Here's your shirt and pants. I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Yeah." He watches her step around him, draping the rest of the clothes over the back of a chair before disappearing into the kitchen. If this is a dream, it's more vivid than any he can remember.

The shower feels good, even if Dante is amazed by how many things are on the shelves. He's never lived with a girl but is there anything needed really other than a bar of soap? In one of the drawers under the sink he finds a shaving kit and goes to work before the shower fixing up his face just like she asked. It occurs to Dante that this is his dream and he can do whatever he wants, but something makes him not want to disappoint her, so he makes sure to leave a nicely trimmed beard while removing the rest from his cheeks and neck. Once the shower is hot, he goes for the least-strange sounding soaps before finishing up and drying off with a nice fluffy towel.

He peeks into the bedroom and finds it empty. Quickly he hurries over to the bureau and opens the top drawer, rummaging around for some underwear. Dante just has his first foot in when Lir enters, and he yelps when he sees her. "Hey! I'm getting dressed!" he protests.

She freezes and looks at him in surprise as he pulls his boxer briefs up. "Yeah. I see that." With a laugh she moves to the closet and hangs the rest of the dry cleaning up before disappearing into the bathroom.

Dante frowns before he remembers, they are married. He rubs his hand on his face with an internal groan. He is going to have to get used to this as long as this dream or whatever lasted, including being half-dressed in front of her. While she's gone he quickly pulls on the dark slacks and gray dress shirt before heading to the closet. He finds some black dress shoes he figures Lir will like, and once he's all ready he stands and looks at himself in the full-length mirror that is propped against the wall.

Dante barely recognizes himself without the low-slung denim and some red leather, but he figures he still looks pretty good. As long as he looks better than Vergil, he'll be satisfied, chuckling to himself at the thought. But then he sobers a bit as his stomach turns, wondering what it will be like to see Vergil again. The last time was on Mallet Island, and before that, watching him fall off the Temen-ni-gru. Did that even happen in this place? There had to be a Temen-ni-gru if Lady was here, right? He shakes his head, confused as ever. He needs to figure this out, and fast.

Lir steps past him, again dressed in only a bra and panties, and Dante quickly looks the other way as she pulls her dress over her head. "Will you get this zipper?" she asks as she steps into a pair of heels.

Clearing his throat, he steps up behind her and carefully pulls the zipper up as she smooths her hands down the front. It's a sleeveless blue little number that fits her just right, and when she turns around to fix his collar he admires how nice she looks. "Okay," Lir smiles. "You ready to go? Dinner with the family is always interesting."

Dinner with the family. "Yeah, I'm ready," he grins. Maybe the mystery-solving can wait until after seeing them again at least. Couldn't hurt, right?