#I know he isn’t technically buff but I just know he’s got a nice set of man tiddies under that shirt

[reesieroo-spark]

Guys

I think my pokemon selfshipping otp is about to become an ot3

[crystalelemental]

Unit Teambuilding - Blue

Blue is getting a grid expansion!  You know, I was actually a bit worried about him.  He took over the free pair position from Whitney a while back, and as a technically F2P unit now, I expected them to really limit his expansion, if not delay him to one of the last to get it.  But he got it fairly early, so now we just have to hope it’s good.

General Overview Blue has always been at least decent.  His main benefit was, post-sync, he gets Hurricane, which is great DPS, and his focus on boosting accuracy means it’s not going to miss either.  His problems were relatively slow setup, and the Karen Dilemma of having an atrocious sync that made getting to his DPS a painful experience.  Both of these issues have been resolved.

Ramp Up 2 on his trainer move means that in three uses, he’s capped crit, special attack, and given himself some accuracy and speed boosts.  All of this is excellent, even if it relies on MPR.  His sync got Brain Power 5 and Sync Power Flux, which is up to 150% bonus sync damage.  This is a much appreciated boost, that makes his first sync a lot more reliable, at the cost of no significant boost to previous DPS, very similar to Ethan’s expansion.

So in total, how good was the expansion?

Not as good as it should be.  I’m going to use Ethan and Karen as comparison points.

Ethan got a comparable expansion structure to Blue, focused on compressing self-setup, sync multipliers that were desperately needed, a bit of utility, and no DPS increase.  But Ethan, unlike Blue, can offload setup entirely for CS purposes.  Blue needs crit, special attack, and accuracy for his DPS.  Only one option in the game buffs all three, and none of it is to cap.  As a result, Blue’s flaw compared to others is that he is hard required to spend three turns buffing.  This cannot be avoided in the current meta.  To compound matters, while Ethan’s damage is shown to be lower, Blue’s damage calcs are done by absolute value.  Meaning they are factoring in 6 gauges for sync (not typical in CS), and factor in Harry 5 for DPS (wildly unrealistic to impossible) as well as max accuracy (he can only reach +5 by himself, and very few options can buff it further).  As such, Blue’s theoretical maximum is very, very unlikely to be achieved.

As for the Karen comparison, both needed sync boosts to validate their mega evolutions.  Karen got a full 200%, from Devastation and Sync Power Flux.  Blue gets Brain Sync 5 and Sync Power Flux, a full 50% less than she received.  His sync is easier to set up, since Devastation isn’t required, but Karen is able to easily pass off buffing to an ally, and spam Snarl for guaranteed results first sync.  Upon mega evolving, Karen now has a much, much more valuable secondary effect on Dark Pulse.  This isn’t to say she doesn’t also have flaws.  Reaching her theoretical maximum for DPS is somehow more ridiculous.  But Karen’s ability to pass off setup lets her accomplish more.

This is why I say Blue is okay, but not great.  His expansion did him well, it gets him what he’s after.  But there are factors that still hold him back.  Loss of Air Slash being a big one; the flinch rate would be more valuable than the spread damage.  More than that, though, it’s not being able to pass off setup.  Maybe the strength of his sync makes this a non-issue.  I don’t have him EX, and don’t intend to give it to him now.  As a free pair, I think he definitely salvages Flying type damage well enough.  It’s nice to have a reasonable EX Striker with DPS, unlike Kahili.

Team 1: Blue, V!Mallow, Lucian There is one option that buffs all his needed stats, but it’s Variety Mallow and she’s not even good at it.  She covers all crit (3/5 only), +4 special attack, but only +1 accuracy, meaning he still needs two trainer moves and then only hits +5 on his multiplier.  Like she’s not actually saving you time!  This isn’t worth it!  Lucian boosts speed and covers special defense, so there’s that.

Team 2: Blue, H!Caitlin, Anni Steven Since Blue needs trainer move to cover crit, but still wants a bit of accuracy, we can discuss dual strike comps, starting with Gaugemaster Anni Steven and his best friend, H!Caitlin.  Caitlin gives Steven all his needed buffs, and is a master of helping Good Form.  Most critically, her trainer move gives accuracy boosts, which gets Blue to full Hurricane support.  While her own mega evolution is enticing, you can forego it for Blue’s sync first, Caitlin won’t really mind.  The downside is this team is split physical/special DPS, which means points need reallocated in CS.

Team 3: Blue, SS Brendan, Lysandre/SS Ethan This team emphasizes something a bit different for Blue: supportive effects.  Head Start 1 combos well with Lysandre’s trainer move for a full turn saved.  SS Brendan is fast-acting buffs for both of them, and can debuff special defense for both to deal better damage through.  SS Ethan is another option, provided his trainer move works.

However!  I want to note something about Blue and Head Start.  On paper, the idea of it is sound.  Consider a flinch set with Aggravation.  Your opening three actions end with Blue, who lands a flinch.  You have two more actions on your allies queued up when the foe re-queues, for -5 cooldown total.  You set allies to act again, then the third move is Blue’s flinch, which denies foe’s action again, at -8 cooldown.  Head Start is -9, so you’re ready to sync.  You did it, right?  Well, no, because the cooldown happens after flinch.  You won’t get to use sync before the foe’s second action is reallocated and activated.  What I’m getting at is, it doesn’t save time on its own.  You’ll want another -1 to make the magic happen.

Final Thoughts Blue’s main function, I think, is dual strike.  Given his speed boosts and relatively gauge-free introduction as he spams trainer move, he leaves a lot for more aggressive DPS allies to take advantage of.  His sync has been improved to a reasonable degree, and post-sync, the dual strike composition aims to make up for lost time buffing by quickly tearing apart foes.  I think it’s just...

This is a personal thing, but there are certain impossibilities that drive me nuts.  Blue’s DPS as listed in damage calculations suggest a man who is dealing really respectable damage, but it’s considered in absolute maximums that aren’t achievable by reasonable means.  You can’t reasonably cap accuracy.  You can’t reasonably get Harry 5 on grid, and certainly can’t keep it active.  And because of this, what Blue is said to do on paper rarely seems to reflect his performance in action.  I feel like this expansion is going to be similar, giving him a lot of tools that were relevant but still leave glaring flaws that make his practical application much less impressive than raw numbers would have you believe.

[casliveblog]

Custom Toonami Block Week 123 Rundown

Inuyasha: So a lot of stuff happens this episode, Naraku collapses Mt. Hakurei and goes out to see Kikyo while Inuyasha takes it upon himself to dive into the depths of the mountain to save Koga as it falls apart beneath him. It’s nice for Inuyasha just to offer to go save Koga without much prodding because just because he hates his guts doesn’t mean he wants him to literally die. They get out okay even though Koga has to make the last save while half dead and then the fight some more, luckily nothing important’s going one while we’re having this discussion. Meanwhile Kikyo’s dead, yeah well not really but sorta, Naraku reveals he orechestrated a whole arc’s worth of zombie hitmen and demon mountain priests just to eject his simp side for Kikyo and murders her, except because Naraku’s a fucking Bond Villain he just decides to stab her and throw her in a poison bath which admittedly SHOULD kill her but we never see her die and spoilers but she survives this somehow for some reason because the plot still had like 10% of her character arc left. Sesshomaru comes down like ‘wow that was a stupid reason to send us all running around’ and slices down Naraku but since the dude legit doesn’t have a heart anymore it’s like cutting a deli platter and he can also do the ‘no u’ attack and fires Tokijin’s blast back at Sesshomaru. Luckily Sesshomaru is OP as fuck and tanks his own blast to slice the 20% of Naraku that was left in half again and Naraku’s all ‘I’m not dead so I win, hahaha’ and runs away. Inuyasha comes up and asks Sesshomaru what happened and he’s all ‘idk Naraku wanted to kill some bitch named koyoyo or something I just got here’ and Inuyasha’s like ‘wait you just let him murder people?’ and Sesshomaru’s all ‘not my problem bitch, if you want her to be alive go save her your own damn self instead of arguing with your wolf boyfriend’ and this would all be a lot more meaningful if Kikyo actually died from this, like I feel like that was originally the plan to make the Mt. Hakurei arc feel climactic but realistically we barely changed the status quo at all like Naraku gets a new form that’s supposedly stronger but we rarely see that and we get The Baby which means this is technically the start of the last big arc of the main series since The Baby and Hakudoshi do survive until The Final Act (though saying that there’s still A LOT left it’s really a needlessly long arc).

Yu Yu Hakusho: So we’re at the end of this part of the Stand Users arc, we’re confronted with four sets of stairs which isn’t technically the same deal as in Hunter x Hunter but still feels kinda similar to the end of one of the exams. There’s some good banter and everybody teasing Hiei for being such a dumb fuck in the last game and they put on these Spirit Stickers that actually don’t end up being plot relevant since the bad guys can get around them. But yeah turns out Yu Yu Hakusho invented Among Us and Yusuke has to tell which of his friends is the most sus or else the real one dies. (Ngl the way the guy in the dub says “Impahsta” is really funny even without the meme) we get a bunch of questions that are basically a bunch of gags about how Kuwabara doesn’t know Yukina’s Hiei’s sister yet and how we almost got Botan’s boob size but most of it goes nowhere and Yusuke just kinda takes a hunch and punches Kuwabara because it’s always Kuwabara falling for dumb shit. Turns out he’s right and oddly enough the Stand User that can copy Kuwabara exactly even down to his spirit signature apparently still needs to borrow his clothes for it to work. Anyway turns out this was all a ploy by Genkai to train the group’s brains because not everyone’s gonna be a ridiculously buff DBZ villain that gives you a five page essay on how their powers work and they’re gonna need training to fight Stand Users since the REAL enemies are coming and they’re trying to make a hole to the demon world because I guess that’s the only villainous motivation anyone has in this world.

Fate/Apocrypha: So we get an episode all about the world’s most adorable mass murderer Jack the Ripper, starts out with a dude begging to die but also begging to not have his heart crushed so idk bro kinda mixed signals. Turns out Sieg is also slowly dying… well I mean he was already slowly dying but now he’s slowly dying slightly faster because Siegfried’s trying to subconsciously take over his body and has basically become his Hollow Ichigo at this point. They go out to find Jack the Ripper but because it’s an essential part of the legend that Jack the Ripper was never identified they’re all like ‘idk some dude I guess, definitely not a loli in panties’ which doesn’t exactly come up because the only time she pops up is when she’s already about to kill someone. Turns out whatshisface can Inception the dead guy and turns out the dead guy’s last memories were of… dying, so that’s not fun for anyone. But they find out Jack has all the security codes for the alarm which idk why they needed that given everyone’s already on high alert when she gets there because of the giant death fog like I’d think that was alarm enough idk what we needed the defense forces for. But yeah Jack wants to kill wheelchair girl cause… I mean I guess Team Yggy is already half dead anyway so might as well? Like by that logic you might as well just let the teams fight more because at that point if you kill of all of Team Yggy you still have to deal with full power Team Shiro by yourself but idk maybe tragic rich girl hearts taste better or something. There’s a fight and we get some horror movie drama out of wheelchair girl losing her wheelchair and scrambling for her Doc Ock legs and only just getting to them before she gets capped anyway and Sieg has to save her and then Chiron has to save Sieg before he goes all Hollow Ichigo and Jack’s just like ‘well damn this was a poorly thought plan, not gonna fight four main characters at once’ and dips out. And so basically nothing of value happened this episode.

Speed Grapher: So this episode’s really kind of interesting like it’s technically a clip show but it’s framed as a Tax Audit and each clip gives a net gain or loss of income so we get numbers for the dues money and the damages caused in Saiga’s fights as well as each individual Euphorics’ outstanding balance honestly that’s kind of a really cool way to do a clip show, it’s no FMA Brotherhood but it does keep things interesting by adding a balance to everything and showing how the income of the Tennouzu Group and the Roppongi Club absolutely dwarf how much they’ve spent chasing Saiga and covering up all this shit. We do get a couple new pieces of information, we get to see a character development moment for Suitengu where he lets a little girl buy off her father’s debt with monopoly money and then demands it be added to the real taxes which is kind of funny and an odd contrast to him murdering a guy in front of his son for not paying up in the first couple episodes. Also we get a little more info on Suitengu’s plan to use pharmaceutical deregulation thanks to government bribery to slip a inhibition-lowering stimulant into the common over the counter medicines and basically make the whole country low-level Euphorics with none of the superpowers but all the deranged animinalistic pleasure-seeking which makes them very willing consumers and addicted to the drug itself which is… sadly only slightly a fantastical stretch. We also learn that the leitmotif song for Saiga’s war days is an actual in-universe song from a point where he was buried alive in a lab and another guy was buried with him and they only communicated by playing the music box with that song in it to stay sane until help arrived. And since Suitengu is seen with the music box it’s heavily implied to be him. Also Saiga’s like ‘wait maybe the time I was buried alive in an explosion in a bioweapon lab was when I contracted the Euphoric carrier strain’ and it’s just like ‘yeah dude of course it was what the fuck’ like you’d think the time he almost died in a bioweapon lab would’ve been the first instance he thought of when asked that question.  

Durararax2: It’s the climax at long last and shit is GOING DOWN, Celty put a stop to the gang wars and zombie wars and Mikado’s attempt to shoot himself in the head by putting her shadows all over the city and tying everyone up. Shizuo and Izaya continue fighting and ngl Izaya kinda gets sucker punched a couple times by being distracted by Simon’s flashbangs and getting stabbed by Varona but really there was no way he was winning this fight like he’s doing like 0.5% damage to Shizuo with each slice and all it takes is one hit to knock him into next week so the only way Izaya was coming out on top is if he got Shizuo to kill him and do the whole Batman-Joker thing but Varona stabs Izaya before he can do that. Celty confronts Mikado and Masaomi who are joined by Seiji and Anri’s group and she’s like ‘yo I’m a dullahan I gotta go do dullahan shit but yeah sorry about inadvertently starting a gang war’ which is kinda funny because Mikado’s sitting there like ‘man I’m the one who caused all the problems’ and Celty’s like ‘no I’M the one that caused all the problems’ and neither of them are completely right sometimes crazy shit just happens. And then Shinra shows up and Celty keeps a poker face but it’s clear she’s being selective about what she’s pretending to remember since she knows Mikado’s whole backstory but claims not to recognize Shinra at all. So yeah it’s pretty clear she has both sets of memories back and is just trying to play a hardass supernatural creature to make it easier for everyone to let her go which is funny because that’s basically what Mikado said he was doing when he tried to become the villain, it’s like someone made a theme or something when writing this wow. Anyway Shinra gets thrown into the air by Shizuo and cuts off Celty’s head again with his own Saika because everyone gets a Saika now I guess which idk why severing it’s necessary except to keep the head in play as a plot device for Namie and Seiji since it’s clear Celty does still have all her memories and chooses to stay in Ikebukuro even if souls don’t get to go to Valhalla or whatever. The Raira trio and Saki are laughing about how they all almost died tonight and are gonna share stories of how they’re all gang leaders and/or supernatural anime swords when Takashi runs up and stabs Mikado like five times. Meanwhile Kadota’s group recognize Takashi as the dude that ran Kadota over so Saburo gets to do his one plot relevant thing and run Takashi’s ass over so Haruna can kidnap him and bring him into her SAW sex dungeon thing, she calls and lets her dad know she’s alright first so it’s okay I guess. Man this series really has a thing for ‘they’re happy in this fucked up relationship so it’s fine’ like idk how long Haruna’s gonna be able to mutilate her teacher before he just fucking dies and is gonna come back to her dad covered in blood or with a severed head on a boat like the end of School Days or some shit. Also Kasane remembers we never finished the plotline of Ruri’s stalker so she knocks him out and pins all of the Hollywood murders Ruri did on him to both save her and remove from play her martyr complex shenanigans. Seiji and Mika are gonna go chase after Celty’s head in the US and Namie’s gonna work with Shinra’s dad doing… idk evil pharmaceutical shit prolly working for Suitengu from back in the Speed Grapher review. Izaya’s half dead and wants nothing to do with Ikebukuro anymore and is taken away by the two people that don’t want to actively kill him in the entire city, Kinda funny his whole motivation was to be carried away by a valkyrie during a war of his own making and now that he finally gets his wish and would potentially be a martyr he just wants to get the fuck out of dodge because he couldn’t drag anyone down with him and didn’t get to have Celty take him to heaven or whatever. Varona says goodbye to Shizuo and goes to clean up her Russian Mob mess though she promises to return to fight him again�� with words, because ain’t nobody beating Shizuo in a fistfight and Varona no longer has a death wish. Aoba’s working on being Izaya 2.0 but Mr. Akabayashi tells him to stay the fuck away from Mikado while he does it or else the real mafia will be on his ass and the Orihara sisters plug the chat room one more time and I realize those two kinda didn’t do anything the whole story like there was absolutely no point to them except to be ridiculously cute which hey they succeeded. Celty goes back to life with Shinra and Mikado wakes up and presumably tells Anri and Masaomi what’s up with him, all the while noting that he’ll take life for what it is because whether it’s crazy or ordinary it’s real and it’s his and there’s value in that. What a nice message to end on, that’s really kinda cool, this series does kinda have a problem with climaxes not actually changing anything like that status quo for the show is basically the same throughout except for adding more character and they kinda do this thing where it seems like shit has happened but nothing’s really changed and they still KINDA do that here but Mikado’s good with his life, gang wars are done for now, Izaya’s gone (possibly dead but definitely left) and everyone gets an ‘the adventure continues’ kinda ending, ngl I woulda liked some more finality for some of these stories but for what it is this kind of story is just kind of a snapshot of various lives that keep going. Also like… is everyone just still possessed by Saika? Like half the fucking city got cut and we never resolve that, Sloane got possessed and he’s just fine in the end like it seems to be something you can turn off and not notice but like thousands of people are just subconsciously part of this hive mind now I guess.

Anyway I’ll probably do something light for the next week or so and figure something out to do a Valentine’s Marathon for that weekend and after that I may look into some new shows after I see what regular Toonami is replacing Yashahime and Made in Abyss with, might look into Jujitsu Kaisen, Spy x Family or Chain Dude Saw Guy depending on what they pick up.

[cheeriecherry]

hi!! how are you? can you write for baku, deku, & todo where they meet their s/o family for the first time & they’re super scary? they’re all super tall, buff, full of tattoos, loud, aggressive, mean & the fam is super overprotective over s/o & the 3 are just freaking out bc s/o is the opposite? s/o is super sweet, calm, bubbly & short so the last thing they were expecting was this & they’re just freaking out & trying to get on their s/o’s family good side? sorry if that sounds complicated 😭

The more specific the ask, the better! I’ll see what my brain can come up with, I’ve just had couch medicine so

Requests are temporarily closed so I can catch up on them!

BAKUGOU KATSUKI

-Loud boi isn’t gonna let anyone know that he’s intimidated.

-He’s already a little nervous to meet your family for the first time, though he’d never admit it. You were so hesitant to ask him to come over, and at first he thought it was because he was the loud and aggressive one.

-But that Saturday afternoon when he walks up to your house and your dad answers the door, he’s like ‘oh’ and it all clicks into place.

-He loves you a lot, so he wants to make a good impression, but he also never backs down from a challenge. So he and your dad have a stare down in the doorway, until you stroll around the corner and see them.

-You scold your dad and tell him to stop being rude to your boyfriend. Your dad doesn’t say anything, but he sighs and lets Bakugou in.

-The fun doesn’t stop there, though. You tug Bakugou around the house from room to room introducing him to your family, and every single one of them gives him the same cold, mildly threatening stare.

-Ngl your uncle who lives in the basement apartment kinda scares him, but he doesn’t say anything and tries to play it cool. The guy is built like a brick house and covered head to toe in intricate tattoos.

-He doesn’t mention it, but you can tell that your boyfriend is wondering about potential ties you have to the mafia, with a guy like that living in your house. But you assure him it’s just your uncle’s quirk that gives him the art on his skin, and that he’s actually pretty shy about it and doesn’t like going out.

-The last person he meets is your mom. With everyone being so much taller and physically stronger than you, he assumes that your mom is gonna be the person you got your tiny genes from.

-Lol no

-She’s at least six feet tall, and without a doubt the most intimidating person in the house. She’s got the face of an angel and the grace of a butterfly, but behind her smile Bakugou can see the willingness to kill anyone who hurts her baby (you).

-Lunch with the fam is a little awkward at first, until your younger cousin goads Bakugou into a spice eating contest. Then the shouting at the table begins, everyone placing their bets on who they think will win. You’re the only one who bets on your boyfriend, and you get like a hundred collective bucks out of your family members when he wins.

-He’s earned the respect of your cousin, who’s like eight maybe and now deems Bakugou a respectable opponent. Bakugou is torn between yelling and patting the kid on the head, so he probably does both and shouts at the kid to keep practicing so they can try and beat him one day.

-At the end of the visit, your boyfriend is surprisingly calm. You’re walking him home, arm in arm, not really saying much. Though you do tell him that he’s taking your living situation pretty well.

-He’s like wdym? And you explain to him that most of your friends and potential partners are scared of your family and refuse to come over because of them.

-Bakugou just scoffs and is like ‘of course they are, because they’re chicken shits. As if I’d be scared of a bunch of-’ and he pauses because you start laughing, not at him, just about the situation.

-Your family actually really likes him and find him a suitable boyfriend for you. They know you’re strong, but they want someone who can protect you and who’s loyal to you, and they see that in Bakugou. They probably invite him to the next family gathering.

MIDORIYA IZUKU

-A nervous boi

-He wants so badly to make a good impression on your family, to get their approval of your relationship. He knows you’re close with them, so he doesn’t want their potential opinions of him to sway your desire to be with him.

-He dresses casually but tidy, and while he waits at the door he fiddles with his shirt a bit.

-Almost has a heart attack when your sister opens the door and glares down at him with the rage of 1000 suns.

-He does his best to introduce himself formally and be polite, but your sister is making it awfully hard for him to stay focused. She doesn’t say anything to him, so he just continues chattering until he’s off on a tangent and saying way too much.

-And you’re like ‘I feel my boyfriend danger senses tingling’ so you go downstairs and lo and behold. 

-Ofc he’s not in any actual danger, just the danger of making a fool of himself. You set a hand on your sister’s arm, and the moment you do it’s like all the anger in her body dissipates and she turns into a sweet, smiling bean. Then she skips away to go do her homework.

-You pull Midoriya inside and give him a once-over anyways, just to make sure your sister didn’t burn holes in him with her glares. But he assures you he’s alright, and he’s a lot more relaxed now that you’re around.

-Probably says something like ‘I can see why you were so nervous about bringing me to your house, your older sister seems really protective of you’

-and you’re like ‘um,,,,actually she’s my younger sister’ and he’s like ‘wot’ and you’re like ‘also she’s the least scary of everyone’ and he’s like ‘wOT’

-You waste no time parading him from room to room to show him off, all while his soul slowly escapes his body.

-Your parents actually scare him the least, like, of course they’re protective of you, but they have the common courtesy not to exaggerate their scary qualities. They still tower over both you and Midoriya, but they’re mostly civil in terms of interactions.

-Your older brothers scare him a little bit more. They share the basement suite, so you drag your boyfriend downstairs to introduce them all to each other...and interrupt their poker game with their friends.

-All of them have some kind of tattoo visible, nothing Midoriya recognizes as any gang symbol, but he’s still wary. However, he manages to say hello and all the pleasantries, and actually gets a smile out of one of your brothers, who tries to rope him into a game of cards.

-Thankfully you save him with the excuse that you still have more family to show him off to, but he’s left with the promise of ‘later, then’.

-Lastly is your sister, who he’s technically already met. She’s arguably the scariest of everyone. She’s easily almost six feet tall and looks like she could bench press the two of you with ease. You promise him that she’s a literal sweet pea, but when the two of you walk up to her room, Midoriya isn’t so sure.

-She glares at him hard, like she’s judging him about everything and if he doesn’t pass she’ll snap him in half. He has to swallow the lump in his throat, and quickly looks around the room for some kind of thing to ask about that might get her to open up.

-And he sees it. One of the rarer All Might figures from an old merch line, one that he also has, so he’s like ‘do you like All Might’ and it’s like a switch is flipped.

-You breathe a sigh of relief as the two of them start nerding out about their favourite hero, sprouting facts and recalling films and old news videos. When he mentions that All Might teaches at his school, your sister honest to god squeals, and starts asking all kinds of questions about what kind of teacher he is, what he’s learned, what it’s like to be a protogee of such a great hero. He answers everything with glee, all his former fears forgotten.

-When it comes time for dinner, your sister insists that your boyfriend sit next to her, which is apparently a very high honor because one of your brothers sulks off to the other end of the table. (You assure your brother later that it’s just temporary and that your sister just really likes your boyfriend).

-But seeing the two of them interact warms your heart, it’s usually hard for your sister to make friends because she’s so intimidating, so you’re glad they’re getting along. And so does the rest of your family! They see Midoriya’s kindness and hardworking attitude, and they warm up to him pretty quickly.

-It ends up being a really enjoyable night, despite the rocky start. Though sadly yes your boyfriend does eventually get roped into a game of poker, and yes your brother’s cheat, but you cheat too, and you’re all betting in chocolate coins. You share your hoard with him.

TODOROKI SHOUTO

-He goes into it being not nervous, and ends up being Quite nervous once he meets your family.

-When he arrives, you’re thankfully the one to answer the door, so he doesn’t get hassled, so everything seems pretty normal right off the bat. Until your cousin walks through the room and is like ‘???? who’s this pipsqueak???’ and Todoroki is torn between being his usual snarky self and being polite.

-He wats to throw shade right back, but for your sake he wants to make a good impression. You’re used to his manners (or lack thereof) but he doesn’t want your family to think he’s not worthy of you. He really loves you a lot and wants to stay with you.

-So he goes for a formal introduction, even going in for a handshake. It’s kind of funny, because your cousin is like ‘lol what are manners’ but your glare forces him to return the gesture. His hand completely dwarfs your boyfriend’s, and you have to hide a snicker.

-And then the guy awkwardly wanders out of the room.

-You and Todoroki kind of just stand there for a second, and then he’s like ‘is this what you meant when you said your family was intimidating’ and you’re like ‘:3′

-You give him a tour of the house, a nice modest place with traditional aspects. It’s nowhere near as big as his, but he like it that way, it makes the place more homey and warm.

-You introduce him to family members as you come across them; your younger twin nuisances cousins, who are more mischievous than dangerous, your aunt and her wife, who look like they could get away with murder, your brother and his friends, who mostly only glare at Todoroki to try and make him uncomfortable.

-Thankfully he’s used to the stoic and slightly scary expressions, thanks to his dad. He wonders momentarily if you’re safe here, but then he realizes that everyone in the house is especially kind to you, and very affectionate when they think he’s not looking. He doesn’t even bother asking the question.

-Lastly are your parents, who are in the kitchen preparing dinner. They’re a little perturbed that you’re both in the kitchen when they’re working, but they seem to be less purposefully intimidating than everyone else. They’re still a little scary though.

-Then he notices that your parents are making soba. From scratch. Which is particularly difficult to master, so he figures they must be pretty well practiced if they’re so good at it.

-Without thinking, he asks if they’ve made soba before, and soon your parents are sprouting off about their culinary careers and the restaurant they run. You were supposed to take over one day, but you ultimately chose a different path in life, even after they taught you so much.

-Todoroki didn’t even realize you could cook, but now he wants more than anything to try your meals someday, or learn a few things from you and make dinners together.

-It startles him a little that he’s thinking so far ahead in your lives, but honestly if you’ve managed to get him as a boyfriend then you’re likely to have him for your whole life, if you want him.

-He talks a little more with your parents about the food, expressing in his way that he’s looking forward to a dinner that’s had so much hard work go into it. And you can see the little light go on in your parents’ heads, the light that signals they approve of your choice in boyfriend and have started making room in their hearts for him.

-Dinner is nice, pretty peaceful aside from your twin cousins causing their usual trouble, but he’s nonplussed by it. he still wonders how you managed to come out so small in comparison to everyone else, but it doesn’t bother him too much. He can see that you’re loved and well cared for, and a little piece of him hopes that one day he’ll be able to get to know your family even better.

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #108: Iskandar

Today on Fate and Phantasms we’re making Alexander unlily, a.k.a. Iskandar! The Macedonian Macerator is beefy as hell, but he’s also a swell guy in general- possibly history’s first himbo. I’m just happy that I now I can finally watch Tulok’s video without having to worry about accidentally plagiarizing his build months later. To summarize: Horse. Army. Lightning weapons. Let’s do this.

You can check out Iskandar’s build breakdown below the cut, or his character sheet over here!

Next up: Could someone with depression do this?! *warps time and space*

Race and Background

Iskandar’s got some of that good old Zeus blood in him, making him yet another Aasimar Noble. Protector Aasimar get Darkvision, Celestial Resistance to necrotic and radiant damage, Healing Hands for hands that do a bit of healing, and the Light cantrip for the sake of anyone not lucky enough to be born part god.

Also as a noble, you’re good at History and Persuasion. You managed to get Waver’s vote, if nothing else. Also, you’re a part of history, so that kind of feels like cheating.

Ability Scores

Your biggest power is quite literally the men you’ve inspired along the way, so make sure your Charisma is as high as possible. After that is Strength. your second biggest power is being ripped as shit. Third is Constitution to keep down your wine, then Dexterity. You’re not super limber any more, but keeping your guns out means you’re wearing medium armor. Your Wisdom isn’t that strong because Alexander the Great is not Alexander the Well-Behaved. Finally, dump Intelligence. You are smart, but more in a wisdomy sort of way, not a Wavery sort of way. 

Class Levels

1. Paladin 1: Much like yourself, you’re good enough at magically slapping people with weapons to earn the vaunted title of paladin at level 1. This gives you Wisdom and Charisma save proficiency, as well as Athletics and Intimidation. You cut a scary figure, what can I say.

You can also use your Divine Sense to hunt down Caster’s abominations more easily, or Lay on Hands for yet another way to slap someone back to life.

2. Paladin 2: Second level paladins get a free fighting style. Grab Dueling for better one-handed stabbing. You also have a pike but that’s for later, because right now you’re also getting Spells. You can prepare and cast them with your Charisma, and right now you only have level one spell slots. Sadly none of the smites you get right now come with lightning damage, but at least it’s something. If you’d rather not worry about magic, you can spend all your spell slots on Divine Smites instead for raw radiant damage.

3. Barbarian 1: You’re charming, but you’re also buff as hell and not completely reasonable, so this isn’t that strange a mix. First level barbarians can Rage as a bonus action for extra damage, advantage on strength checks and saves, and even more damage resistances. You also get a bit of Unarmored Defense that we won’t be using.

As an Aasimar, this is the level your Radiant Soul kicks in, giving you a flying speed and extra radiant damage once per turn for a minute. You can use this once per long rest. I know technically the horse should be flying, but we’ll take it where we can get it.

4. Barbarian 2: Second level barbarians get Reckless Attacks; gaining advantage on your weapon attacks in exchange for giving advantage as well. You can also use your Danger Sense for advantage on dexterity saves.

5. Barbarian 3: As a third level barbarian you can summon the beginnings of your Ionioi Hetairoi thanks to your Ancestral Guardian subclass. When you rage, you can summon Ancestral Protectors that make it harder for creatures to target anything other than you. They target the first creature you hit each turn, and any other creature that takes damage from them has resistance to it. You tend to be the center of attention, after all.

You also get a bit of Primal Knowledge for proficiency in Animal Handling. You’re a rider, you should know how to... y’know, ride.

6. Paladin 3: Third level paladins also get their subclass, and if you remember your childhood the Oath of Glory should be nothing new to you. Your Divine Health makes you immune to disease, and you get to Channel Divinity in two ways, once per short rest. You can either become a Peerless Athlete for advantage on athletics and acrobatics checks, a doubled carrying capacity, and an extra 10 feet of jumping distance; or you can make an Inspiring Smite, spending a bonus action after using your divine smite to hand out some temporary HP to allies (including yourself) nearby, divided however you like.

You also get fancy new oath spells- Guiding Bolt for more things that really should deal lightning damage and Heroism in case you don’t have enough healing yet.

7. Paladin 4: You finally get an Ability Score Improvement at level 7, so use this one to grab the Mounted Combatant feat. This gives you combat advantage against any creature smaller than your mount, the ability to redirect attacks against your mount to you instead, and mount evasion. You’ll notice you don’t have a mount yet- we’re working on it, promise.

8. Paladin 5: Fifth level paladins get an Extra Attack per attack action for more stabbing. More relatedly, you also get second level spells, like Enhance Ability to give an ally advantage on one kind of skill check- strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wisdom, or charisma. It also comes with little bonuses for those first three. You also get Magic Weapon for fancier stabbing.

While Find Steed isn’t an oath spell, it does let you find a steed that’s smarter than most horses, and your spells that should affect only you affect your horse as well. I know Radiant Soul isn’t a spell, but c’mon hypothetical DM. c’monnnn.

9. Barbarian 4: Use this next ASI to bump up your Strength for even better stabbing. It’s pretty straightforward.

10. Barbarian 5: You don’t get an extra attack this time, but you do get Fast Movement for an extra 10′ of movement. You’re usually on a horse, but it’s nice to have a little bit more speed regardless.

11. Fighter 1: You didn’t really think we were done multiclassing yet, did you? Fighters get yet another fighting style, and Great Weapon Fighting will make your pike damage a little more consistent. You can also take a break as a bonus action to use your Second Wind to heal yourself. A good king fights hard and rests harder.

12. Fighter 2: Second level fighters can use an Action Surge to put even more stabbing in their turn once per short rest. Again it’s pretty simple, but effective.

13. Fighter 3: You’re good at riding, and so are Cavaliers. This makes you proficient in Insight so you can read Waver like a book, and you’re also Born to the Saddle. You have advantage against falling off your mount, you land on your feet even if you do, and you can mount/dismount a creature for only 5′ of movement. You can also put an Unwavering Mark on creatures you hit until the end of your next turn. While they’re within 5′ of you they have disadvantage on attacks that aren’t aimed at you, and if they still try anything funny you can make a bonus action attack against them that deals extra damage next turn. You can only use said attack a number of times per long rest equal to your strength modifier, but you have no limit on marking creatures. Most of the benefits of Ancestral Guardian, without the rage.

14. Barbarian 6: Speaking of, we almost missed out on the guardian’s next feature, the Spirit Shield. While raging, you can use your reaction to block a bit of damage heading to nearby creatures using the sheer numbers of your soldiers.

15. Fighter 4: Use this ASI to round up your Constitution and Charisma for more spells, health, and another special bonus next level.

16. Paladin 6: It’s been a while, huh? Your new Aura of Protection adds your charisma modifier to any saves done within 10′ of you. Yours, your horse’s, other people’s, it’s all good. You tend to bring out the best in others.

17. Paladin 7: The auras just don’t stop with you, do they? Your Aura of Alacrity gives you and allies within five feet of you an extra 10 feet of movement speed. I’m not saying your horse is inherently better than other people’s, but yeah, that’s exactly what I’m saying.

18. Paladin 8: Use your last ASI to bring your Strength up even higher. I mean look at you, you’re pretty buff.

19. Paladin 9: Ninth level paladins get third level spells, giving you Haste and Protection from Energy as oath spells. You can now have a horse moving at 420 feet per round if you really wanted to. You also finally get Elemental Weapon, for a spell that actually adds lightning damage to your sword. You could get by with radiant if you really want to, but there’s just something special about shocking people.

20. Paladin 10: Your capstone level gives you one last aura, the Aura of Courage. This prevents friendly creatures within 10′ of you from being frightened. Waver’s a big bundle of nerves, he really needed this.

Pros:

You can make your horse go more than 400′ in a turn, and you’re pretty fast yourself. On top of that, being able to cast haste on you and your horse is pretty cool, if just for the extra actions it affords you.

You also have plenty of options to make yourself the center of attention, protecting your horse and squishier teammates from physical attackers. Mix in your almost 200 HP and rages, and you’re pretty well set as a tank. That’ll be especially useful in case your wizard master needs to retreat from a fight.

You’re good at inspiring people around you without really doing much directly. Your auras power up their saves, speed, and nerves. Beyond that, you also have plenty of ways to buff them magically or with temporary HP.

Cons:

You’re not as married to your horse as other riders, but using it still makes things more complicated than they have to be. Not to mention it feeds right into your next problem.

Despite your speed, the short range of your auras means making use of your speed leaves your team without those buffs you give them. Also, being on a horse shuts everyone but the horse out of your aura of alacrity. 

You have a ton of defenses, but none of them really matter to spellcasters. You should be fine as long as you don’t run into anyone who specializes in ranged magical attacks, though.

[wherearemyglassesbro]

i saw that you play genshin impact, so i’m kind of curious... what’d be the axis and allies’ vision and weapons?

Uh oh...now you got me started. Be warned, it’s a long one cause I have no self control

Some key terms for those who don’t play genshin impact and want to be included!!

Cryo -> ice, Hydro -> water, Dendro -> nature, Geo -> rock, Pyro -> fire, Electro -> lightning

Hilichurls: a common enemy found in the wild. Despite looking like hairy trolls, they have a district language as well as texts, art and song that they share together making them an advanced species!

Ruin guards: another enemy. Giant, scary robot...they scare me...

Knights of Favonious: an organization of knights within Mondstat that keep order and peace :) very nice guys and gals over there!!

Mondstat: modeled after Germany

Liyue: modeled after China

Alfred: pyro, claymore, Springvale Mondstat

Alfred would be a super heavy hitter in battle but his drawbacks are that despite his energetic nature, he’s slower because of the weight of his weapon

He blows stuff up a lot and sets all of the grass around you on fire so if you fight with him...His teammates will take damage from him Jeez Louise!!!

Since we don’t have all of the nations of Teyvay unlocked, I don’t know where he’d be from! I’d have to explore to get a sense for it so for characters that don’t have a place on the map yet, I’ll mark them with an asterisk from now on! :)

Idk where he lives but I do know that he’d be a devoted member of the adventurers guild! He’s always willing to offer a helping hand to anyone in need! Wether it be helping Granny Ann make hash browns or taking comissions to go kill a huge ruin guard who’s terrorizing the town!! He’s always leaping into new jobs! He isn’t even in it for the money or rewards! He just loves helping out!

Arthur: Dendro, archer, Mondstat

Artie is a beast in battle! Shooting vine Aries at enemies to tie them up or temporarily blind them??? Sick as fuck. Keep in mind, Genshin doesn’t have any Dendro characters that are playable yet so idk how they’d fight but I think I can guess :)

Artie is technically part of the knights of favonious because he works in their library. He translates books written in ancient texts into the standard language so historians and others can read what the old civilizations had to say

Instead of having normal eyes, they’re slit like snake eyes. And he has leaves instead of hair :)

He has a little seelie that floats around at his side. He talks to it but it doesn’t really do anything but provide company to a lonely guy :’) he needs more friends

Matthew: Anemo, catalyst, *

It’s always good to have a catalyst on your team! Ningguang is a great example of an underestimated catalyst cause she can do INSANE damage man!! So I think Mattie would be the same way

Matt isn’t violent and doesn’t enjoy fighting so his in-game voice lines would say that lol

Mattie is an alchemist! Well...A student alchemist. He didn’t take up an interest in alchemy until like, 3 years ago so he’s got a lot to catch up on still! He’s doing his best!

He gets very annoyed with Alfred since Mattie is detail oriented and gentle...Alfred is not any of those things. But he still loves his brother and on rare occasions, he’ll assist him with his commissions

Ivan: Cryo, catalyst, Liyue(temporary)

Ivan would be a support character for sure but he’d do a damn good job of doing it

He’s buff but he doesn’t do hand to hand combat, he’s mastered magic for a reason

Ivan spends most of his time studying hilichurls. He writes books about them, translates their texts and acts as a peace keeper when he can. He gets information from them about the Abyss Order in return for free reign of small portions of protected land where they can live without fear of being killed

Because he’s from Schneznya(spelling?) he’s kinda expected to be a bad guy but he left a long time ago. But he still sounds like he’s from there and...He’s super pale too so there really is no mistaking where he’s from

Ivan can’t stand how ignorant humans are towards hilichurls so he does everything he can to advocate for them. He’s covered in scars from when he first started engaging with the beasts. A huge scar runs down his face but he doesn’t mind it

He’s got big, sharp teeth!! So he doesn’t often smile cause he thinks he looks weird

Francis: Hyrdo, long sword, *

Fran is underestimated when it comes to combat (like Kaeya...I see you slandering this man) but he has so much potential!

Since he’s a hydro, he is so useful for elemental reactions! If he’s paired with a cryo or pyro user, he’d totally boost them!!

Fran is a traveling entertainer, he goes between the 7 nations as a singer and actor for small stage plays. He has a crew of friends who travel with him, they’re one jolly bunch!

He always acts all nonchalant and stuff but once he’s in a battle, he’s wild. Especially if the abyss order holds up his crew on their way to their next tour destination “We need to be in Liyue Harbor in four hours you are NOT holding us back!” *tidal wave*

He’s a regular tavern hopper! A very recognizable face since he’s been banned from a handful for getting too rowdy

He can make not one, but 2 special dishes :0

Yao: Dendro, polearm, Liyue

I just imagine him as a shorter, richer and cooler version of Zhongli

He’d do that kick move that Zhongli does with his polearm oh man that looks SICK dude!!!

Yao would shoot vines out and they’d strangle enemies for a few seconds before disintegrating but if he’s leveled up enough, they’ll totally strangle those stupid hillichurls lol

Yao sells rare gems and other miscellaneous items for very high prices in Liyue where he grew up. His shop is upstairs by the Fatui bank. Rich people enjoy looking at what his shop has to fifer and will argue prices with him. They’re getting scammed for sure. He’ll list a set of cor lapis earrings as $50,000 and the rich will be like ‘I’ll pay $25,000, no more than that’ and he’ll take it!!....Cause thise earrings are worth $5000 at most >:)

Hes close with a lot of the higher ups in Liyue and is often invited to fancy lunches or dinners where they discuss policy, contracts and vendor permits. He doesn’t really get a say in any of that but he benefits from listening

Kiku: Electro, claymore, *

Kiku would be SUCH an awesome electo user are you KIDDING me??? I can see it now, him swinging that huge sword around, purple lightning bolts flying all around and he looks like a total badass? Amazing vibes

When paired with cryos???? He’d do an insane amount of damage fr

Kiku runs a small restaurant where he...runs the place...but doesn’t cook. His restaurant is extremely exclusive and people often throw fits when they can’t get in cause the wait list is over 5 years long. He’ll rest his hand on their shoulder and smile ‘is something wrong? I’d love to take a complaint if you have one’...No one has even dared to complain to his face lol

Behind the restaurant front he deals with the Fatui, buying and selling minerals or artifacts. That’s where his knowledge is at, not with food. He pays his staff to ignore what goes on behind the scenes and the locals are too busy enjoying the restaurant to question what goes on after dark

Gilbert: Pyro, long sword, Mondstat

Gil would be one of the free characters given to you at the beginning of the game but hey, I’m not complaining

He’s highly destructive and very chaotic in battle, he can do that spin move even though that’s meant for claymore users

He’s Mondstat’s biggest trouble maker. He runs an underground gambling room that sits underneath a tavern. He isn’t really into gambling but he makes a lot of money by running it

The only knight who knows is Ludwig which is not good cause...Gil pretty much bribes his brother into not telling the knights of favonious (peace keepers of Mondstat)

Gil never got his gliding certificate cause he kept flying into buildings. He broke his nose doing that lol

Lovino: Pyro, catalyst, *

I can’t add anymore images so imagine a floating, red and black orb. Lovi doesn’t get a book catalyst cause he doesn’t read :) That’s the catalyst thing I’m talking about 😅😅

My guy has the angriest in game voice lines, he’s inconvenienced by every battle, every enemy is ugly and a fuckin disaster. He’s just. Angry.

He’d be a super weak character if he needed to rely on hand to hand combat but he learned magic for a reason babey

He owns a flower stand in his country and makes all kinds of beautiful flower arrangements. He even picks his own flowers in the fields when he can (but usually pays the town’s children to do it for him to ‘teach them the value of hard work’).

Everyone knows he’s a total hothead and will piss him off on purpose just cause it’s funny lmao. But then somehow...Their hair or clothes will just...catch on fire. So is it really worth it to tease him? :/

Feliciano: Hydro, archer, Mondstat(temporary)

I feel like Feli would also be a free character, not cause he isn’t good or anything! But you always need an archer on your team!

Feli has healing properties for his team and doesn’t do an insane amount of damage but when given the right resources, he’d be a pretty sick healer

He moved to Mondstat to join the church there. He leads prayers in front of the church and sings in the choir inside.

He is the sweetest and has never committed a crime in his LIFE but he’s afraid of the knights lol he’s terrified that he’ll get in trouble and be kicked out of Mondstat forever! That would never happen but he’s a worry wart cause of his brother

Ludwig: Geo, long sword, Mondstat

Lud is the only one that I could really think of as a Geo but Geos are awesome :)

He’s a hard hitter but has like...No shield so he’ll take damage fast if you don’t give him those artifacts with shield in them or whatever lol uhhhh I wouldn’t know anything about that cause I suck at building my teams ;-;

He’d totally be in with the knights of favonious! (I think that’s spelled right lol) but he’d take his duty as a knight very seriously!! He’s a familiar face around Mondstat, the elderly absolutely adore him and the local teenage girls swoon over him which he finds super embarrassing lol

He has to work hard to keep Gilbert in check cause even though Gil isn’t a knight, his actions reflect negatively back on Lud very often... :(

Please ignore the spelling errors and terrible photo cropping on my part lol this was so fun!!

By the time you’re seeing this, ive already made full outfit red sheets for everyone mentioned above!!!! :D

[chubbyreaderchan]

Technically No | Jacob Black x witch!Reader | Twilight/Buffy the Vampire Slayer Crossover| 1

jacob is over 18+ in this as well as reader! It's also a slight modern au because technology makes life easier man. And no I don't know what timeline this is. It's after Jacob phases and before Buffy dies again. So you might see Glory in this. Also it’s under a cut because this introduction/beginning is super long.

"Did you make it okay?" Buffy asked over the phone.

"Yes, Buff. I'm in my new house. I am going to my new job Monday" (Y/n) said with a soft sigh as she leaned against her new counter, having just moved from one small town to the other.

Sunnydale to Forks.

"Good. I'm glad you are safe." (Y/n) smiled a small yet sort of sad smile at the prospect of leaving the scoobs but there was a job offer in Forks that was just to good for her to not take and she was damn lucky to find a house for rent. She wondered if it was haunted. Not that was a big deal for someone who went to high school on top of a literal hellmouth.

"How's Dawny?" (Y/n) also knew that Dawn's first day back to high school was coming up as well as Buffy's first day of college for the year. "And did you get your course schedule yet?" She stated sitting in the empty living room floor eating her favorite fast food meal. Her moving truck wouldn't be there with her stuff for at least another day or two.

It wasn't exactly a house full of stuff yet, of course. She had just gone from living with her parents to on her own within a flash it seemed. It was as if the universe was pulling and placing her right in the middle of now where Washington.

"Yeah but I didn't get some of the courses I wanted. Have to try next semester." She sighed over the phone. Was it normal to talk to someone you had just left the day before as if you hadn't seen them in months? Maybe not but a lot was happening as the end of summer was coming to fruition. "Dawn is excited to go back to school"

"Interesting... She wasn't yesterday." Buffy sighed over the phone as her friend teased her. "Oh! So I'm going to try to get some essentials tomorrow!" She said suddenly remembering what she called Buffy about in the first place. "What color do you think I should decorate my kitchen in? Green? Red?" Buffy almost laughed again at one of her closest friends.

"You'll know when you actually go to the store. It's not like I can see the house." "Not yet! But you all are going to come visit me some day!" She laughed a bit. Her phone buzzed at her to charge. "Hey... Buffy. I gotta go. Phones is dying. Tell Willow and everyone I miss them."

"Will do." With that, the phone was hung up and placed on its charger.

(Y/n) sighed picking up her trash and began the work to make the floor as comfortable as possible until she could actually buy a decent bed.

--

The next morning, (Y/n) woke up at a fair hour for a Saturday and took a shower. It was nice to wash out some of the travel and sleep stink off before she slipped on her clothes for the day. Then she went to grab her phone as well as keys and her wallet. There was no way she could sleep on the floor for one more day and eating fast food everyday wasn't exactly a healthy option even if she did just arrive in town.

Sure she was still tired from the plane ride but she would stay tired. She need to find at least an air mattress. The car ride was short, it was nice. Familiar. It wasn't a huge change from one small town to another... Minus the demons and vampires. She hoped. It was simple enough to find the small plaza that had a few small shops and even a diner within walking distance of each other.

It was not even remotely difficult to find the things she oh so desperately needed. It was wonderful. (Y/n) was even able to add to her growing collection of magical artifacts when she stumbled into an antique shop. She thanked the gods that her family had loaned her a bit of cash to help her get by until she was fully working again.

Her day was going great... That was until she was hit with pangs of hunger. 'Did I even eat breakfast?' she asked herself before glancing at the time and gasping. She had been out a lot longer than she had realized.

Didn't she see a diner? She walked to her rental car and started a vague drive. Ah-ha! There was a diner.

She pulled in and was seated quite quickly. It wasn't long before her meal was ordered and her attention was drawn to her phone as she waited. There was a text message from Anya complaining about an argument she and Xander were having. (Y/n) laughed softly before responding with her opinion.

While she was distracted she didn't notice the small group enter. Especially a young man who had a slight staring problem. His eyes were locked on (Y/n) as she fiddled around with her phone. The young man was known by most as Jacob Black. A good kid who was madly in love with Bella Swan, his childhood friend.

"Jake... You okay?" Bella another member of the small group asked with concern on her face. An older man in a wheelchair who was previously chatting with the other older man in the group looked at the one named Jacob. A small knowing smile flashed over his features as he looked at his son.

'It's about damn time' Billy the man in the wheelchair thought. "Jake!" Bella's voice called him again, finally snapping the dark haired young man from his thoughts.

(Y/n) who was finally served food sat her phone down finally not even noticing the set of eyes on the back of her head.

"Is she-?" Bella whispered to Jacob just low enough for her father to not hear. "I... Think so... I think..."

"Son..." It was Billy who joined the conversation. "If you don't go talk to her... I will." Jacob's eyes went wide. How embarrassing would that be? His dad talking to his imprint before he could.

Jacob looked at the girl happily eating her dinner and playing around with her technology. Then she giggled. Oh God.

How could it be that just the day before he was trying to convince Bella not to turn into a vampire? That he was so madly and so deeply in love with the vampire girl that he defied Sam his pack leader for turn into dust and be replaced instantly by a young woman he hadn't even spoken to?

Jacob was so distracted by his thoughts he barely caught his father moving to go introduce himself. "No, wait. Dad. I'll go." He quickly stood up and wandered over to the table nervously. What was he going to say? What if she didn't like him? What if he said something dumb?

"Hey I'm Jacob." He said awkwardly, causing her to jump from what she was doing. Her face scrunched up in confusion before she finally looked up. Their eyes locked and it felt like everything stopped. Her heart beat hard against her ribcage at the very tall and dark haired man before her. "You looked lonely. Uhm. I know we just got here. But..." What was he doing? Inviting her to sit with his dad and his dad's best friend for dinner? That's weird isn't it? Especially since he was going to have dinner with a girl he was in love with.

"I'd love to join you." Why did she just agree to crash someone else's dinner? It looked like a family affair of sorts. "I'm (Y/n)!" She suddenly remembered her name. It felt like her face was on fire. He shifted from slightly nervous to having a large smile on his face. How sweet.

He even helped by carrying her stuff to the table. "This is my dad Billy. His friend Charlie and his daughter Bella." Jacob introduced allowing her to sit down. Something in the back of her mind told her that this was weird.

Something was off.

It felt... Magical. She knew magical.

But then Charlie began to talk about how he was a sheriff and the weirdness seemed to disappear. "So...where are you from?" Charlie asked trying to judge if this new girl was going to cause him trouble later. "Oh. Sunnydale," she paused. "California. Also graduated from Sunnydale high." She explained with a small smile.

Maybe it wasn't so bad joining their little dinner. It was nice having people to talk to, especially when one was so new. "What do you like to do Jake?" She said looking over at him before taking a bite of food.

"Oh, uh. I buy and flip cars right now. It's more of a side hustle really." He smiled at her. "Really?" She said with a smile on her lips. "Because the car I'm in is just a rental... If you find anything good will you think of me? I can't pay the rate they are wanting forever." She joked, gently and playfully touching his arm.

It was like fire. Both literally and figuratively. If it weren't for the people she could almost throw herself at him. But then his skin was so hot that it almost burned. "Absolutely." Jacob smiled. "What's your phone number?" He looked almost like a puppy who was just given a treat. She took his phone and put her number in and he sent her a text. A wolf emoji.

Her eyes looked him over again. Then the phone in her hand began ringing. She answered it quickly, it was the moving company.

Jacob watched as she excused herself to talk to whoever. Her once happy self was instantly deflated. Jacob did not like that at all. He felt it. He actually felt the sadness in her. Is this what it was like to have an imprint? Actually feeling their pain? She walked back in and sighed. 

“Are you okay?” Jacob asked with what (Y/n) could only describe as genuine concern. 

“My moving truck is going to be late. On Monday while I’m at work instead of on Sunday.” She shouldn’t be so easy to talk to someone she had only known for 20 minutes. Jacob didn’t like the look on her face one of distress. 

Jacob looked her over again, hardly getting tired of looking at her face. “I have some friends on the Res. Maybe we can meet them. Help you out..” Jacob offered without a second thought. 

“Really?” she looked at him unsure at first. 

Jacob nodded, a bright smile on his face. 

“O-okay” She agreed. 

a/n: Stopping this one here and writing part 2 next. If I didn’t this would be 3000 words. Don’t worry I’m literally going from posting this part to writing the next bit because I already know what I’m going to do. Then I’m going to write a Paul version of this. 

[be-ready-when-i-say-go]

A Little Bit Like Home

You moving to school has been tougher than Calum would like to admit but there are some moments that make it easier to bear, there are small moments where it’s not so bad. 

A continuation of these two blurbs (Blurb 1 and Blurb 2) Again it’s hella self indulgent. Inspired what really happened to me in my DnD campaign, see this post.  

**Contains spoilers for the Waterdeep Heist from Dungeons & Dragons if you are currently playing that module!!!**

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“Can I make a perception check on the walls? See if there’s anything else funky in this room?” you ask, clicking over in your browser tab to the dice roller. The DM allows you to make that call and you click on the d20. 

“Your the only one rolling well on those things tonight,” one member of your party, playing an Orc sent out to learn magic and getting packed in with your ragtag group, notes after their failed attempt to pick the lock. You managed to pick that that too, but you chalk it up to you being a Drow Rogue and lock picking being one of your skills. 

“18,” you call out, looking back at your character sheet to make sure you’ve done the math correctly. 

“18?” The DM asks, just to be sure. You nod. “Okay, so you look around the room and there’s not really anything worth noting besides some dirt and blood. But no traps, no buttons in this room.”

“This room,” the entire party echoes laughing. The six of you have just survived barely a lightning trap. Which you still refuse to admit to setting up, but it was definitely you since as the marching order had you in front. 

“We’re going to have to go back to that mimic room,” the paladin of your group declares. Your party was warned that the room at the start of your adventure in this hell of a magic maze could be a trap and a mimic could be in the depths of it. But there was a chest still yet to be opened. However, you took the advice of your Orc and backed out of that room to avoid a fight just yet. 

Your previous encounters in other rooms leaving some of your party is better shape than others. This early in your adventure together the five of you didn’t really want to risk loosing anyone just yet. Lightening and your pirates love of ale seemed to be your only foe at the moment. 

“We should maybe just see what’s in here first,” Calum, playing as a Druid, counters. “Though it seems like if we find yet another key to a door that’s already been picked, it’s might be useless.” 

You know the tease is directed at you. “Hey, look here buddy, I will not hesitate to shoot a quiver into your ass. I see a lock I’m going to pick it,” you defend. 

“Besides,” your party’s pirate starts, “we’ve ducked a lot of rooms afraid of getting into another fight. If they pick a lock or two and we find the key later, at least we can add to the Bard’s collection.”

“Thank you,” you laugh. 

Soon your party’s able to direct their attention back on the adventure and magic maze you’ve found yourself in. You and Calum end up smashing mirrors in a room to avoid any sort of magic in them that would cause your party to fight your soul doubles. This leads to a five minute debate of how to leave said room that didn’t involve shoving the unicorn that your party was tasked with finding up someone’s ass due to a riddle unveiled, Everything you see is mine.

“Wait,” you say, laughing at the argument about who can fit the unicorn into their mouth. It was deemed to be more dignified. Your pirate waits outside the room, still naked thanks to the magic that rips all the clothes, weapons, and armor off of anyone that attempts to leave the room. “Everything you see is mine. If the mirrors are smashed, then nothing can be seen right?”

“No, shards can be face up, so technically things can be seen,” the party’s Bard counters. 

“No, no, you’re onto to something,” the pirate starts. 

“Oh my god, we’re so fucking dumb,” the orc hollers. “Someone cover their eyes. You means us. Anything we can see can’t leave the room.”

Thankfully, you’re still dressed having only attempted to leave the room and letting others continue with their naked escapades. “Holy shit,” you shriek as you direct to your DM how you cover your face with your hood and hold it tight around your eyes so you can’t see anything and step through the door. You’re able to cross completely clothed, swords, crossbow, and pack still in tact. 

“We’re so fucking STUPID,” you laugh. 

Calum’s giggle cuts through the speakers of your laptop. “How were we so prepared to just be fucking naked through the rest of this maze?” He directs to the DM that he redresses, having also attempted several times to brute force the magic door with no success. 

“We never speak of that,” the orc demands through their own laughter. “Never.”

The party comes to a stopping point about another hour later, saying goodbyes before leaving the Zoom meeting. Not even thirty seconds later after ending that call, an incoming FaceTime call comes from Calum. You answer it, wiping at the corner of your eyes. He’s grinning as the call finally connects. The weekend that Calum came up to visit, a friend in the cohort asked you if you’d be willing to going a beginner’s campaign. You had wanted to give the game a whirl but you knew it would be a time suck and asked if it was okay to bring someone else along too. 

After getting a yes from the DM you know you had to convince Calum to join in. It took less effort than you thought for him to join in and the two of you spent a couple hours the night before picking out your characters before you emailed the information back to the DM. Now every Saturday night you and Calum spend about three hours in a Zoom getting into all sorts of trouble. He settled easily on the Druid but spent forever trying to find an artist rendering of his character, Okolian, that felt right. Long black hair with streaks of white was a must along with a single braid as well, which he stole from your character’s look though your hair is all white. 

Slowly, it was decided that Okolian would have blue skin muscular, but not overly buff and refused to wear sleeves in order to wear leather arm bands around his biceps which could easily be mistaken for tattoos or markings of his people. Okolian prefers his staff but is also armed with a sickle and mace. The Calum touch of course was to add ferns rather than feathers. 

“I can’t believe you were going to let me be the one to have to figure out the unicorn,” Calum teases. 

“Hey, it was only six inches. Not that bad.”

He sputters his laughter. “Is that payback for calling you out for picking all the locks?”

“I would never do such a thing but maybe.” 

“Anything else on the agenda for tonight?”

“No not really. Whatever work there is out in the world, I’ll get to it tomorrow. What about you? The night’s still young.”  

Calum shrugs. “A friend was supposed to get back to me about drinks tonight,  but I haven’t heard anything yet. If he gets back within the hour or so, I’ll probably tag along but if not, it’s not a big deal. But you never did tell me about last night. How’d that go?”

You cover your face for a second, remember how many drinks were consumed the night previously. Calum laughs at the slightly panicked look that crosses your face. “There was two drinks too many past my usual limit and I felt it. Big time,” you answer. 

He’s glad to hear you getting out more. It’s in turned made him feel a bit better about getting back to his normal routine, getting dinner more with the guys or other friends. Missing you doesn’t hurt so bad anymore for Calum. He feels most often right before he’s going to bed, when he’d normally curl up into your side and open his arms wide for you to curl up into him. But it hurts less during the day. 

Getting used to the cohort and getting out a couple Friday’s in the month has helped you as well. You don’t feel so chained to your phone, don’t feel so beholden to being there for every text right away. It’s still hard when you start to cook dinner and almost reach out for a second plate still by habit. And in the morning when you’re fixing your cup of coffee your brain still wants to pull down a second cup. Sometimes you do. Sometimes you just give in because you need it. Need to let yourself sit with those feelings. 

“I’ll be sticking with cider after last night,” you tease. “Wine makes me myself too much. Never doing that again.”

Calum’s been privileged to see you wine drunk a couple of times and he can already imagine the type of trouble you nearly got yourself in. “Is your picture on the wall at the bar?”

“Not that bad, but close,” you giggle. 

“What am I going to do with you?” 

It’s just a joke but for a moment it makes you pause--what’s going to happen when you go back for break? Are things going to be different? Most of your clothes and things are still there though slowly more and more has been shipped to you. Is Duke going to remember you? Miss you too?

“Promise me the house isn’t too different?”

Calum furrows his brows, head titling just a little to the side. “What do you mean, baby?”

“Like without me, is it all going to be different when I come back?”

“It’s all pretty much the same here. Duke’s the king of the castle. Still have plenty of hoodies for you to steal and your side of the bed still misses you. I still miss you.”

“No, I--I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like I don’t want you to find ways to cope but I don’t know. What if it never feels right? Like so much has been missed that I just won’t ever fit in again?”

Calum shakes his head. “Babe, no. You still belong. Your shoes still have space in the closet. Your mugs still sit in the cabinets. There is so much of you still here--it’s how I get through the days.”

Maybe that’s what’s rough for you. There’s not much of Calum at your place. There’s none of his dirty laundry that’s halfway hanging of laundry baskets and there’s no bass rumbling and there’s snoring next to you at night. It’s all you, which is nice. But you wish you had a little bit of Calum too. 

“There’s none of you here,” you say softly. 

“I can fix that.” It’s a steady confidence, a nod of his head at statement. “Don’t you worry.”

You two steer the conversation to something lighter before you call it a night. And it’s harder to get up the next morning, to peel yourself out of the sheets. But you do it, you push up with a grunt and get your day started. Coffee, a quick bowl of cereal and fruit. You call Calum right before lunch to check in and then get back to work. 

As the days pass, the conversation the ache gets buried in some stress. However, you get a text about a package to get from the lockers at the front of your complex so shuffle down the path thinking it’s the new mattress pad you ordered. It shipped late last week but you hadn’t expected it to arrive this soon. 

As the door swings open to the locker you spy Calum’s handwritten on the label of the package. What the hell had be gone and done? You pick up the box and kick the door close with your foot before taking it back up to your apartment. Setting the box down on the kitchen counter, you find the scissors and cut into it. Right on top is a small envelope with your name scribbled across it. 

You said you didn’t have anything of me. So I knew I had to correct that. I hope they help. And a little thing from the old man, well not from him. But you’ll understand when you get to that. 

Love you. 

Digging into the box, you notice a few guitar pics, a couple extra t-shirt and then a long thin box. You pick it up, noticing it looks like a necklace. But with Calum you never can be sure. As you crack it open, you laugh, finding a gold chain staring up at you, attach to it is a tiny locket that as a paw print on it. You crack it open though and find a tiny picture of Calum and you inside of it and your eyes well with tears. It’s from your last vacation before you left for school, just two of you reclined on the beach and Calum kissing your temple. 

You draft a text to Calum. Tell Duke it feels like home now. 

[make-it-mavis]

Homesick (Entry #31)

(cw: drugs, themes of death/overdose) ----------

01/19/88   1:34 PM

Hey.

So. I know it’s been a little while.

Writing the last entry was just… a lot. It gave me more to think about than I anticipated. I’m… still kind of sorting out those thoughts. But ‘writing to you’ has become such an outlet now that I was starting to get antsy by putting it off. 

So the story continues.

Terror came over me when the darkness fell. At least for a little while. You can hardly blame me, though, given what I’d just seen. Your face was broken, and then we blew up, and then you were gone, and I was lost in nothingness. It was just a punch in the face with a fist made of horrible, terrible things.

But luckily enough, awareness soon returned to me, and I remembered that I was high, and none of it was real. And I was just high enough, thankfully, that I could not quite process the gravity of what I'd seen in the memory yet. That would come. But for the time being, I was blissfully unaware. I was almost peaceful, under the impression that all there was left to do was ride out the last of the numbness. I felt myself lie down against some kind of surface in the darkness, and for some time, I seemed to hover just above sleep. 

Then I started to see things.

Against the black, I saw buzzing lines of binary start to glaze the ghostly contours of a group of figures a short distance away. Then, as if the world were loading, the shapes took on vague, pixely color. The darkness cut out as the environment formed, looking like no more than a smeared painting. It was then that I noticed one figure had no binary at all, but just crackled a bright, humming blue that solidified into… Surge.

That flipped a switch in my brain that set the image straight. I was in a game's cord station, presumably lying down on one of the couches. Surge was there, and he was talking to Fix-it, who was very animated and distressed in whatever he was saying. Believe it or not, he had a few Nicelanders with him -- I think Mary was there, but I'm not sure about the others. I was too distracted by Wreck-it standing apprehensively behind the group, anxiously staring at me.

That's when the audio 'loaded', although a bit distorted, and I heard Surge speaking.

"--incredibly lucky no one was in that bathroom. If things went differently, there could've been loss of life, potentially loss of game. I can't risk a repeat incident where we're not so lucky."

"Yes," Fix-it insisted desperately, "yes, I know, but this isn't her, this was never her. Please, try to understand, it's not her, it's the buffs. It's all been the buffs. She didn't mean it. She didn't even know. I've seen it. She's not even aware of what she's doing. She's not malicious. She's scared, and she's in pain."

"Yes, Felix, but even so--"

"Root Beer Tapper means so much to her, you know that. She would never knowingly hurt that game. Never. She's going to be so horrified when she hears what happened."

I had no idea what they were talking about, but the more they went on, the more I got a sinking feeling in my stomach. It sounded like I'd blacked out and done something horrible. I wanted to be mad at Fix-it for making me sound so pathetic, but deep down, part of me knew he was right.

I was sort of scared to know just what I'd done… especially if it had been in Tapper's. But I could not lie there listening anymore. 

"Hey," I called, my voice raspy, "I'm awake. You can quit talkin' about me like I'm not here."

They didn't respond. Not even a little bit. They just kept talking.

"I know," Surge said, tiredly lifting a hand in an attempt to calm Fix-it. "But that just makes it all the worse. If she's out of  control, attacking games that she supposedly loves, then she's totally unpredictable. I can't very well call myself a protector of this place if I let someone like that run around free."

"But you can't lock her up!" Fix-it nearly shouted, his voice breaking. "You don't understand -- she needs freedom! If you cage her up, you'll break her! You’ll kill her!"

"And if she goes free, she could kill someone else!"

My heart nearly stopped. Surge was going to lock me up in my game for good. That would be it for me. Fix-it was right -- it would be a death sentence. Even if I couldn't actually die in my game, I'd die a different way. It would be worse than dying. Worse than corrupting.

"Hey," I called again, "hey, hold up just a minute! Don't I get any say in this?"

No one noticed me.

"But she's not dangerous!" Fix-it insisted. "She's not! She has an addiction! She's sick! She needs help, not punishment!"

“Then what would you suggest we do?” Surge sighed, almost sounding irritated.

“Well--” Fix-it stammered, “I-- I… think…”

“Hey!” I shouted, but no one reacted. I tried to get up, but I felt paralyzed, like a weight was pinning me down against the couch. Just as I started to panic, the scene around me froze, and with a blue flash, it cut into darkness like a screen turning off. I felt static crackling over the surface of my body. All was dark, deathly quiet, and freezing cold, save for my heart burning and pounding. 

But after a few minutes, just like that, the cord station appeared around me again. Only, this time, there was only Fix-it. He had dragged one of the other couches over to sit directly across from me. He looked absolutely exhausted and miserable, hugging himself as he watched me. 

I figured that I must have lost time again. How much time, I had no way of knowing.

“Fix-it,” I said uncertainly. “Fix-it, what’s happening? Am I gonna be locked up?”

He did not respond. He just continued staring, looking too depressed to keep his eyes open. He must have been there a while.

“What did I do?” I asked. “Did I hurt anybody? Is Tapper okay?”

No reaction.

“Can you even hear me?”

No reaction.

My stomach twisted a bit. I may not have been locked up yet, but I was trapped anyway, in my own body. I knew it was the GC screwing with me. But still, I didn’t know what was happening to me. I wasn’t in pain. I wasn’t hallucinating, as far as I could tell. I was just… stuck.

I blacked out a few more times, just short, minute-long windows between reality and darkness. In each moment of consciousness, I saw Fix-it in a different position on the couch across from me. He was usually watching me. Sometimes, he was asleep. A couple times, he was reading. In a longer stretch of consciousness, Mary actually appeared from the cord train with a mug of coffee for the barely-awake Good Guy. He startled, but smiled and took it anyway. It must have been just about time for the arcade to open, and still, he was there, watching me. Even Mary took pause to look, her eyes moving up and down my body. There was even a sort of dreariness in her gaze. 

Reality cut out again. For a little while this time. But when it formed again, I nearly yelled.

It was Tapper. He left his game to come see me -- the man barely leaves his game. Not to mention, I had apparently done something awful in his bar. But he stood there next to the other couch, those huge blue eyes drooping in… what I read as disappointment, for the most part. But there was still a heavy sadness in there, and worry, if the mug in his hands had any indication. He was cleaning a mug that was already clean, which I’m pretty sure is an anxious habit for him. I wished I could have told him I was gonna be fine, but at that point, even I was starting to get nervous.

Even weirder than Tapper’s presence was the guy behind him. Mario. Yeah. Now that I’m fully conscious, it makes more sense that he was there. The guy always wants to know what’s going on, all the time. You’d think he wanted to be a Surge Protector. 

Besides that, I guess we’d played around together enough for him to have an interest in my, uh, ultimate well-being. He's a pretty fun guy, even with his heroic heart. He's surprisingly agile and acrobatic for his stocky frame, I'll give him that. But we’ve never been friends. I hadn’t seen him since he sat for the portrait I drew of him. I guess it was technically nice of him to visit, but if he had really cared all that much, he could have tried to help me at any point through my spiral. But, no, it seemed he only cared just enough to feel an obligation to visit me while I was deathly ill. Bastard.

Anyway, he was watching me with his moustache pulled into a frown, and his eyes seemed to say that it was all an awful shame. 

“Take your pity and get outta here,” I told him, even though I knew he couldn’t hear.

It was then that Tapper took a couple steps towards me, but Mario touched his shoulder and pulled him back a bit. He gestured to the floor, and I noticed that a line had been drawn in a semi-circle a little ways out from me. 

“Code-bleeding hazard,” Mario told him in that distinct accent of his. “Could kill both of you.”

“Ah,” Tapper sighed, frustrated in the saddest way. He paused for a moment, looking at me with contemplative, pained eyes, and then he looked at the mug in his hands. Carefully, he placed it on the floor just outside of the hazard line, and with a gentle nudge of his foot, he sent it sliding over to me.

It was a really nice gesture. But I didn’t want it. It freaked me out. It made me realize he thought he was never gonna see me again, but that couldn’t be true. I couldn’t let it. Nothing can kill me.

Still, Tapper started to turn away, shaking his head sadly and touching his forehead. Mario pat him on the back as he turned to leave as well, but he paused for a moment while Tapper carried on. He gave me one last, long look, before reaching up into his hat and pulling out one golden coin that audibly shimmered, the way they do. He tossed it over, and it landed right in the mug like a carnival game.

I didn’t want that either. But that was just out of spite.

I lost time again.

When I came to, I saw nobody. The arcade must have been open. What I did see on the ground next to me was that others seemed to have had the same idea as Tapper and Mario. Someone had been bringing me gifts (more than likely just Fix-it). My guitar was there. There were knick-knacks, the sort that I’d been notorious for stealing. It all just freaked me out more. But the worst was the flowers, as if they had been laid on my grave. They were already beginning to wilt, making me wonder just how long I had really been lying there.

I lost time.

I would have jumped if I could have moved my body at all. When I regained consciousness, Surge was standing close to me, within the hazard zone. But I guess it would have been perfectly safe for him, since he has no code.

He was gingerly stepping over the gifts, gently pushing them back with his foot as he walked around me. It took me a moment to see what he was doing, and when I did, I still didn’t fully understand it. He had some kind of device in his hand with a few metal prongs, and at first I thought he was gonna mercy kill me with a taser. But all he did was slowly walk back and forth, pointing this thing over the length of my body. It beeped and clicked erratically, which was not a good thing, apparently. When he was done, he stopped and looked closer at the device, and shook his head with a tired sigh.

I know now that it was a code stability reader. I was not lookin’ pretty.

I lost time again.

This time, when I came to, I groaned out loud. Well. ‘Out loud.’

For some Dev-damned reason, Gene was there. And only Gene. He sat on the couch opposite from me, still, somehow, holding a martini and swirling it idly. There was almost a solemnity to his face, but for the most part, he just looked disapproving. As ever. I figured that he just came to frown at me, and I was kind of right. He certainly didn’t bring me a gift, which is kind of a shame, because I would have loved to mash it into his face after I recovered.

“Get outta here, Cashmere,” I said. “Go watch someone you like die.”

It took a few minutes for him to say anything. When he did, he humphed in that snooty way.

“Well, well,” he said, his nasally voice low for once. “Who could have predicted this?”

“Go clip yourself,” I grumbled, wanting nothing more than to go for his throat.

He continued, “You’ve only yourself to blame for this, you know. Fraternizing with that barbaric racer…” he took a sip, and I wished it was poisoned. “Should have known he would break your heart eventually. I don’t believe a creature like that is capable of real love.”

“That’s rich,” I snapped.

Obviously unable to hear me, he carried on, “But, still, it is a shame. You’d have been an asset to the game if you had just kept in line and done your job. Not every game gets such an interesting Easter Egg dynamic. And Felix… Well, Felix will hardly be the same after this, I suspect. He really does love you, despite it all. But now you’ve gone and paid it forward, and broken his heart. If only you’d listened to him. Maybe he could have actually fixed you.”

Being so painfully angry and unable to move was torture. But, still, it was Gene. It’s hard to be sincerely hurt and offended by the words of a sprite you don’t respect in the slightest. He’s never not a slime ball. He’s just so unspeakably annoying, like a mosquito that only drinks martinis.

After another short sip, he said, “If you care to know, I’ll be there for him through his mourning process. But I won’t be getting teary over you. I just had to come see you for myself, to see if this really is the end. And I got my answer.”

He hopped from the couch and straightened his cardigan. “And with that, I bid you goodbye, Make-it Mavis.”

I glared daggers as he turned away. “As if you’d be so lucky.”

I lost time once again.

This time around, the first thing I sensed was the sound of the creaky cord train. I looked, and I could see Wreck-it prying his massive body out of the seat. Slowly, carefully, he walked over to the couch across from me, making sure not to step on any of the gifts with his meaty feet. When he sat, I noticed that he himself was awkwardly holding something to his chest. He looked down at all the gifts uncertainly.

“Uh… geez,” he whispered, before placing his gift outside the circle. It was a little stack of bricks. Maybe that was weird, but what the hell else did he have to give? He must have known that, too, but apparently he just really, really wanted to give me something. As gently as he could, he nudged the bricks into the circle with his toes, but he still managed to knock over a little vase of flowers that spilled a small puddle of dirty water and dead plants. “Gah-- darn it--!”

Unable to do anything for the flowers, he just scooted back properly into the couch and leaned his elbows on his knees, slowly and anxiously twisting his giant hands as he looked at me intently. I was sort of surprised to see him, and wondered what he could possibly have to say. After all, we did not exactly leave off on a good note. He sort of sounded like he hated my guts the last time we spoke. He even tried to hit me. I tried to hit him. It was a hideous scene.

I said wearily, “Hi.”

Wreck-it obviously did not answer. Not for a while. But eventually, he averted his gaze from me awkwardly, and looked everywhere I wasn’t. When he spoke, his voice was very slow, clumsy, and… miserable.

“...H-hey, Ma-- Mavis. Uh… I don’t… really know where to start. I’m no good at this stuff. I mean, I don’t think I am. I’ve never had to-- uh… Nothing like this… has ever happened. Not to anyone I know. But, uh… I need-- need to say some stuff… to you. I was hopin’ to just put it off ‘til you got better, but then everyone started talkin’ like, well--” he paused to look at me with a grave expression, the sort I’d never seen on him before. He looked me over, his face pinched as if it hurt just to look.

“Well… we’re all still rootin’ for ya and everything, but… man… lookin’ at you right now, I… I mean, I can see right through you. I-- I don’t wanna believe it, but… realistically, I think… if I got somethin’ to say to you, I better say it now. Even if you, uh… can’t hear it. Maybe you can. I dunno…”

So, I was translucent. Teetering on the edge of corruption. That was great to hear. 

“Spit it out, man,” I grumbled uselessly.

Wreck-it took another minute to stare at his folded hands and collect his thoughts. His gaze remained on them when he finally spoke up again.

“Mavis… about… the, uh, other day… I’m--... I’m sorry. For a lot of stuff. Uh… first, I guess I’m sorry for dragging you out here before you were ready. I don’t think I, uh… quite got how bad things were. And, I mean, yeah, you could’ve told me more about your situation, but… maybe you shouldn’t have had to. Maybe if I’d let you go out on your own time, what Tapper said wouldn’t have made you so upset, and then you wouldn’t have wanted to--... Maybe. I guess the maybes don’t matter anymore. Point is, I’m sorry I didn’t just mind my business. I was wrong.”

We were both quiet. I never really expected him to blame himself for anything. I didn’t exactly blame him, either. He shouldn’t have done what he did. But I would have spiraled either way, I think. He just sped up the process.

“And…” he continued softly, “listen… you… were right. Kind of. Sometimes, it does help to go to Tapper’s. To drink. ‘Cause, uh… all that stuff you said about… being lonely… feeling trapped… like you want impossible things… I, uh… I do get that way… sometimes. And it is easier to just try to forget about it. But, I mean, like I said… it only bothers me sometimes. But from the way you made it sound… I think… Do you really feel that way all the time?”

I’m not sure if I would have had an answer, even if he could have heard me.

“‘Cause, man… if I really did feel that way all the time,” he muttered, “I think--... I think I’d be even worse off than you. I can’t believe you still smile and laugh and play games through all of that. Well-- I mean… you did. Before all this. But… listen, I don’t blame you for-- for taking buffs anymore. I’m… sorry. I’m sorry for freaking out. You might be a slimy lil’ goblin, but you don’t deserve… this.”

That was nice of him… I think. I don’t know. I wanted to reject the pity, but it was getting harder and harder to deny what a massive downer my whole situation was. And, like, I don’t just mean my spiral. I mean my life. The way things have played out. But, the thing is, I sort of felt less pathetic about it. Especially after what Wreck-it said, honestly. Like anyone else in my situation would have crumbled already. I thought I already believed that. But hearing it from someone else really put it into perspective.

Maybe I wasn’t pathetic for struggling, for crying, for trying to escape it all. Maybe anyone would have done what I did. I just never want to do what anyone would have done. I want to be exceptional. I want to be the strongest sprite in the arcade.

Honestly? When it comes down to it, I’m pretty sure that I am.

After all, despite everything… I wasn’t dead yet.

Wreck-it spoke again after a while, his voice more fragile and quiet than I’d ever heard it.

“Don’t die, Mavis. Hang in there just a little bit longer. I know you can make it.”

I knew it, too. 

I said firmly, “I always make it.”

Wreck-it screamed, and I jumped. I jumped! My body was back online. I was finally coming around! 

And I scared the absolute crit outta Wreck-it! Bonus points!

He leapt to his feet, knocking over more flowers, but he didn’t care. He just stared at me like his eyes were going to pop out of his skull, and his body shook with adrenaline that didn’t know what it wanted. He kept looking like he was gonna run, but he couldn’t take his eyes off me.

“MAVIS!” he shouted, his voice high and broken. “MAVIS! HOLY CRIT, YOU’RE AWAKE!”

“No kidding,” I said, suddenly realizing how rough my voice was, how dry my throat was. How dry my eyes were. I wondered if I had been blinking at all.

“Oh, oh, oh,” Wreck-it shook, fumbling with his own thoughts. “I gotta-- I gotta tell somebody-- I--”

He whirled around and immediately tripped over the couch with a loud oof, knocking it completely over. I snickered dryly as he pushed to his feet again. Before he moved any further, he pointed to me and said, “Don’t move. Don’t-- gahh!” And like that, he made a lumbering run for Game Central, frantically calling for Surge.

Right around then was when I started getting crazy sharp pins and needles… everywhere. My whole body really was waking up, and it did not feel good. My head started throbbing. The sound of my blood whooshing nearly drowned everything else out.

With an electric crackle, Surge appeared in front of me, and this time, I did yelp a bit, mostly for the freedom of it. He looked frazzled, confused, and, frankly, amazed. Even though he practically teleported, he looked winded, as if he ran over. 

Adjusting his glasses, he huffed, “Mavis?!”

“No,” I said flatly, “Pac-man.”

“Good grief, I thought you were a goner,” he said as he started pulling more tools off his belt than I remember ever seeing. Behind him, I saw Wreck-it finally catch up, but he made a dive for the cord train instead, struggling to set himself right-side up as it rolled off into the tunnel.

“Love the vote of confidence,” I told Surge. Suddenly, I felt a bit lighter, like that weight holding me down had lifted. And it had, quite literally. I managed to look back over my shoulder and see that there had been a very heavy blanket over my back. I asked what it was for, and Surge said it was to help keep pressure on my pixels and discourage them from separating. Should’ve figured. Pretty neat.

Once I tried moving, I discovered that even without the blanket, I was extremely weak. To my dismay, Surge had to help me roll onto my back. He told me not to sit up, but I insisted on trying. So I pushed up with his help, and got some intense headrush that made my vision blue and cloudy. I wanted to put my feet on the floor, but Surge was adamant that I make it as easy as possible to lie back down. So I just leaned sideways into the back of the couch, way too winded for having just sat up.

I took a look at my body while Surge took a reading of my code stability again. It was pretty eerie. My pixels still had a ghostly blue twinge to them, and if I squinted, I could see right through them. I might have been awake, but I was still in rough shape. It sure confused the hell out of Surge. He took multiple readings and kept smacking the side of his device.

“What’s the deal?” I asked.

“Mmm,” he grunted incredulously. “By all logic, you should not be moving and talking right now. It’s good that you are, of course, but it doesn’t make a lick of sense. Your code is still too unstable for any of that.”

That sort of made me smile. I could have said a cheesy line about being used to instability, but I saved it. I was a bluish, slightly translucent miracle already.

Surge started doing some more examinations. He took my pulse, which was low. He shined a light in my eyes, and wanted to do the same for my mouth, but I bit his finger. He wasn’t thrilled with that, but said that it was a good sign for my reflexes. Then he started poking and prodding me everywhere, asking if I could feel it or if it hurt at all. I hated it. A lot. But as I told him, I could barely feel it. I was still fizzling with pins and needles.

Around then was when I heard the cord train creaking in the tunnel, and I immediately knew what was coming. Before the train was even visible, Fix-it leapt out onto the platform and saw me.

“MAVY!!”

“‘Eyyy,” I nodded.

“MAVY, OH MAVY!!” he bound over, but Surge warned him to stay out of the hazard zone until he was done with his examination. Fix-it barely seemed to care. He could not contain himself. His eyes were already watering as he kept squealing, “YOU’RE AWAKE!! OH, THANK THE DEVS, YOU’RE ALIVE!!”

I laughed triumphantly. “YEAH,” I declared, “SUCK IT, GENE!”

“YEAH, GENE!” Fix-it yelled, and I’m not sure if he was just too overjoyed to object, or if he, too, enjoyed my triumph over Gene’s belief that I was going to die. Probably a combination.

Once Surge was done poking and prodding, he figured it was safe for me to very carefully start moving, and helped me stretch as gently as possible to give my muscles a fighting chance. I’d been motionless long enough that they’d almost stopped working. I eventually got to my feet, but had to rely heavily on Surge’s support as we went back into my game where I could more comfortably and privately recuperate.

Fix-it asked a whole slew of questions, both to me and to Surge. I hardly had any answers, which seemed fair for someone right out of a coma. Honestly, I had way more questions of my own, but I didn’t want to ask in front of Surge. The dramatic irony here, of course, being that Surge was the one with the answers I needed. 

Certainly not the ones I wanted, though.

[suspiriu-m]

About Me

Hello! My name is Sal and welcome to my blog, Suspirium! Suspirium is a word that originates from one of my favorite movies, Luca Guadagnino’s 2019 remake of Dario Argento’s classic italian horror movie Suspiria. According to World of Dictionary, Suspirium is a Latin word meaning “Deep breath, sigh”. It’s also the title of one of my favorite songs from the soundtrack to the movie produced by Thom Yorke of Radiohead. I’m a huge horror movie buff so expect to see a lot of that sort of content on my blog if I can incorporate it into any of my work. I chose this as the title of my blog because of how well the word fits into the movie, and I just love the way it sounds. Anybody who’s watched the movie will understand, but I won’t go into detail as to not spoil it for anybody who hasn’t yet seen it.

Throughout my highschool years I technically went to two schools. My main and home school was Middletown High School, and my secondary school was Orange Ulster Boces in Florida New York. In high school I was always in media production and art classes. For example, photography, video editing, drawing & painting classes and my favorite was an Elements of Horror class I took my senior year. Horror being my favorite genre, I absolutely had to take a class that’s dove into the origins of classic horror novels, films and short stories. Leading to me finding my favorite classic horror story Dracula by Bram Stoker, and a multitude of stories by H.P. Lovecraft. Continuing on now to college i’m now majoring in Media Production while also still taking some classes in Marketing and Design! I really enjoy both a lot so it’s hard to kind of pick exactly which I want to do, but it’s nice knowing that no matter what path I finally choose I'll still have some experience in the other!

Aside from my education, I love to watch horror movies and read stories in my own free time. Movies in general are a huge hobby of mine and I watch at least 3-4 a week given I have the time. Some of my favaroties of all time concerning classics have got to be the Halloween series, The Evil Dead series and all four of the Scream movies. Other hobbies of mine that take up a huge part of my life and time are video games and music. I have a pretty big record collection that’s continuously growing with at least 80-90 albums and counting. I just recently purchased a few more to add being Sade’s Diamond Life, Whitney Houston’s Whitney and Whitney Houston albums, Lazaretto by Jack White, Texas Sun by Khruangbin & Leon Bridges and Petals for Armor by Hayley Williams. Hopefully my next additions will be What’s Your Pleasure? by Jessie Ware and The Baby by Samia. I’ve been collecting them for years, but especially now since even CD’s are starting to go out of style. I’m the kind of person who still likes to have physical copies of all my music and movies and games so having such big collection is super special to me.

In terms of video games, I try and play as wide of a variety that I can because I believe I can find something I like in any genre. Strategy, shooters, brawlers, online competitive games etc, but I think my favorite style of game is single-player, narrative driven experiences. Most recently I played The Last of Us Part II and was absolutely enthralled with it. I loved the first game so much so getting a sequel was something I was extremely grateful for. I don’t think video games get enough credit for what they do for storytelling. TLOU 1 and 2 are some of my favorite stories that I have experienced in any form of media. The heartbreak, pain, love, fear and excitement those games have succeeded in giving me while just sitting in front of my TV is something no other form of entertainment has brought me. Some of the most touching moments, but also the most excruciating. They also had a queer women front and center throughout the games which is something that isn’t very common in video games so seeing that was really nice to me. Other than The Last of Us, some other solid narrative driven games I’ve played are God of War, Uncharted 1-4, Marvel’s Spider-Man, The Tomb Raider Reboots, Ghost of Tsushima, the Batman Arkham series and Control.

Although story based games are my favorites that doesn’t mean I don’t have a place in my heart for some good old fashioned fun as well! I also really enjoy a lot of the Super Mario and Legend of Zelda games as well. My biggest pet peeve that I have with the gaming industry right now though is Fortnite. I think it’s literally the most annoying game ever created. People spend hundreds and thousands of dollars just to buy skins and weapon packs and I think it’s absolutely ridiculous. The fact that I work at a major video game retailer and constantly have kids running through my store screaming about the damn game at least once a day could also contribute to my hatred. Either way, I want no part and absolutely nothing to do with it.

Going back to queer representation though. I recently watched Pose over the summer. Not only was the show heavily based during the AIDS epidemic in New York City, almost the entirety of the main cast was comprised of Transgender Black women. On prime time television! This is the first show to ever achieve such a feat. Not only was the cast extremely talented, I thought the writing and production of the show as a whole was brilliant. It definitely has its flaws and I could point out a few of them, but I believe all of the good of the show far outweighs the bad. It’s not afraid to tackle extremely real and difficult subjects the Transgender and Black communities have faced in this country and all over the world. It’s so important to see content like this on television as well because EVERYBODY deserves representation. Not only was the cast Trans, but one of the lead writers of the series Janet Mock is also a Black Trans woman! Pose was filled with heartfelt moments that truly had me sobbing in my bed as I watched. I think I actually cried at pretty much every single episode for both seasons. The cast is brilliant, the realism and talent and star power they bring to the show is like nothing that I’ve ever seen before and I’m so glad to be able to see them up on my television. I so badly one day hope that I can be behind the scenes of producing a show of this caliber some day.

While I have yet to help in the production of a show like this, I have had my fair share of of making short films, music videos and even assisting on a friend of mine’s first full length movie that he submitted to festivals. Last year, I had the opportunity to shoot a short horror film with my classmates for our final project. The film was based around a young woman getting trapped at her school in the middle of a blizzard, and slowly beginning to realize that she may not be alone. In a fight for her life, she has to survive till morning while going up against a mysterious killer who lurks the halls of her small town college. Sadly, we didn’t have enough time to produce a full and finalized cut of the film but coming together and working with a few other classmates was still a really fun experience. Not only was I able to play the role of the killer, I aided in audio, music selection, location scouting, props department, shot planning and writing the movie and it was a great time. I also had the pleasure of helping out my friend Matt Vincini in shooting his short film The Cattle Farmer. A horror/thriller film about a boy who is adopted into a family, only to realize that his life might have been planned from the start. It featured a mysterious woodland family who may or may not have had cannibalistic tendencies that included their adopted children. It was a super cool experience to be on a set with a bunch of actors and seeing my friend in action in the role of director. Collaborating on projects like this with friends is always a fun time, even it does get stressful at some points. At one point in the film, one of the characters realizes that the dinner he is currently eating could quite possible be his last meal ever. Which kinda let me to thinking what my last meal would be. After some thinking, I think i’d definitely have to choose my families homemade pasta and meatballs. I know, pretty stereotypical for an Italian family but it’s just so good. We make our own sauce every september and it’s a huge family event. Everybody comes together and one of our houses and it’s literally a whole days worth of work. The best part? At the end of the night, we all have a huge feast and make pasta and meatballs with all of the sauce we just made. It’s one of my favorite things to do with my family and always one of my favorite meals. Not only is it delicious, but also sentimental.

This is all for now! Thanks for stopping by my blog and reading a little bit about me. I could probably keep rambling on for hours but I don’t think that’s the smartest idea. I can’t wait to fill this blog with more content this year and hope to hear from you guys as well! Until then, i’ll be watching more movies and DEFINITELY playing some more games. At this point i’ve been playing the new Marvel’s Avengers video game so, let me get back to kicking some AIM ass!

[salamanderskin]

Comfort

cr//it//ical r/o/l/e (m) sickfic. This is one of my more favourite fever scenarios I’ve written, I’m very happy with it though idk if the rest will make any sense if you don’t know the show. 

After a near drowning in episode 40, Nott has a panic attack, Caduceus has wet fur and the start of a cold. They bond over their shared misgivings about seafaring life and give each other some comfort. 

Or... Caduceus leverages Nott’s caring instincts to calm her down. Platonic intimacy ensues. 

It has been hours since they left the water. 

Whole hours, which means Nott is fine, she is safe, everything is fine and she did not drown and she can breathe just fine. So why then are her lungs still working like she'll never breathe again? 

She knows this feeling, knows it just her body telling her she's dying when she's quite safe here in hammock on the Squall Eater. She's felt it a thousand times, knows it always passes, but it's horrible horrible horrible.

Where's Caleb? Where's Frumpkin?

In their own hammock, with the cat curled tight on the wizard's own chest. He doesn't look exactly peaceful either, but they are asleep. If they were in an inn or camped outside she would take her own place on his chest, or at his feet, and let his steady breathing remind her own lungs how they are supposed to work. Perhaps she could climb up there with him? 

The motion of sitting up sets her hammock rocking in a way that reminds her immediately of the waves below. Nausea rises in her throat. 

She could certainly climb in and sleep with Caleb but that would rock the hammock even more, and between their two bodies the cloth would constrict her limbs and maybe she couldn't climb out of it easily and- no, not that then. That's not the answer.

Nott leaps from her own cocoon of blanket and paces the floor, hand on her chest to remind her to breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

She slips out of the door. Let Caleb rest. He needs it.

In the narrow, dark passages below the deck she takes stock.

Caleb? Asleep.

Jester? Most likely asleep but wouldn't mind being woken.

Beau and Yasha? Most likely asleep and would mind being woken.

Fjord? Would also mind being woken. Not asleep but with Avantika, getting his rocks off most likely. That leaves…

Caduceus? Most likely asleep?

As she paces past the cabin she knows the Firbolg shares with Fjord, Nott listens hard. She expects to hear slow even breaths, but instead she can hear the a tall body moving around and the rustle of fabric. A sniffle, a set of ticklish coughs and a muffled exhalation that might have been a sneeze.

Not asleep then.

She enters without knocking.

There is a hurricane lamp it and in it's flicker she can see the firbolg sitting on the floor on a pile of blankets. Of course he is far too tall to take a hammock. He is shirtless and the glow picks out pools of shadow beneath his collarbones, a smear of deeper grey between every rib in his thin chest.

 “Nott!” he looks up, surprised. “Is everything ok?”

“Yes, no, I'm-” her breathing hiccups and her vision gets spotty from lack of oxygen. Maybe she stumbles, because she is caught by strong hands and settled to sit beside him on the floor.

“Whoah. Hey there.” His deep voice is gentle but clear. “Why don't you take some deep breaths. Like this, with me.”

He takes her hand in his and presses it to the broad plain of his chest, so that she can feel the slow rise and fall in her own body.

“That's it. Nice and steady.”

It's hard. It's really, really hard when her body says can't you see you're dying. Mastering her breath is like reigning in a galloping horse. But it will work. She knows it will work if she can just get control of it. Ignore her heart, ignore the way her the room seems to tilt, ignore the nausea and the terrible skin- tightening panic.

Trouble is, there's a fine line between deepening her breathing and focusing on it too much. She wants to be aware of it, but if she gives all her attention to the sensations they will become too much to bear. In Nott's mind she grasps for ways to make the situation normal, to find something, anything to make small talk about.

Caduceus helpfully provides it by tucking his head away for a sudden sneeze.

“Gesundheit!” she offers. The routine response momentarily overrides her panic. It happens again and he offers a sheepish sniffle as he turns back to her.

“Pardon. Got a lot of water in my nose today.” He sniffles. “You want me to count your breaths for you? Some people find that helps.”

Nott considers and shakes her head. “Can we- talk to me- about something else? Anything?”

“Sure I can.” 

He agrees easily, without questioning her further. At that moment, she could kiss him. It must be working with so many people who are grieving- he is really, really good at this, and launches into easy, light conversation that doesn't require a meaningful response. He just chats away as he picks up the towel he was using to try and buff at his fur.

She can see how that the longer patches of are spiked, like a plush velvet cloak that should definitely not have been washed in salt water. The shortest parts around his face and arms are dry but the rest of his fur still holds the water.

“I know it's tropical out there but I can't get warm till it's dry.” He tells her, sniffling again.

 “You should definitely dry off or you'll get sick.” She comments absently.

“You don't get a cold from being wet and cold,” Caduceus tells Nott.

“Says you.” She fires back, desperately glad to put her attention on any subject other than her recent near drowning and the way still can't seem to get a proper breath. Her heart hammers uncomfortably in her throat but it seems further away when she has something to focus on.

“Yeah. says me. I'm the h- the heal-er-”

Nott hears his usually deep voice go all tickly and shuddery as he winds up for another sneeze. He looks so over it afterwards that it makes her heart flip but it's a soft caring flip not a drowning, panicking flip and it actually makes her chest feel warmer. She grabs the towel from beside him and stands, so that his pink hair is level with her chest.

“Come on, let me dry you off. Don't you know any spells for that?”

“I don't. And I don't fancy asking Caleb to try a fireball, so we'll have to do it the old fashioned way.” He shakes his head under the towel.

Nott can feel the firbolg shivering under her ministrations. In response she begins to buff the towel down his shoulders and upper arms, then follows by rubbing with the palms of her hands to try and get the circulation back. The sensation of silk-velvet fur beneath her palms is so delightful that she is no longer sure whether she is doing it for his comfort or hers.

“That's really nice.” He comments, closing his eyes and tipping his head forward with a huffing sigh.

“You're freezing. You should put a shirt on. And a sweater. And socks. Do you even own socks?” She fusses.

Caduceus laughs. “You'd make a good mom.”

 “I'm-”

He notices how her shoulders rise back up to her ears and diverts, “Okay, okay, clearly that's a conversation for another day!”

“Yeah. Thanks. Sorry.” Nott manages. 

She can deepen her breathing by herself now. After the initial gasp she gets when she thinks about her family, memories of caring for her son do actually make her calmer. There was that same coolness in a crisis that she is feeling now. Not that this is a crisis, but the vulnerability she feels in Caduceus is quieting her own worries to a dull roar and she likes it that way. At least the fur on his torso is mostly dry now. It is standing up fluffier than usual and he seems to be shivering less. She did that. That's something.

Caduceus runs his own hands over his arms, assessing, and clearly her efforts will suffice because he puts a dry shirt on leans back against the side of the ship. He isn't entirely relaxed however, Nott can see his nostrils twitching while a little furrow deepens between his brows.

“Caduceus?” She asks.

His answer is to double forwards with a wrenching sneeze and then another, barely smothered against the crook of his arm. Nott winces. That sounded... wet. She casts around the little room to find a handkerchief. It might technically be Fjord's but she doesn't suppose he'll mind, especially when the alternative is a very sniffly room-mate.

“Here.” She presses it into his hand. He casts her grateful look, sidelong over the press of his wrist to his nose.

Standing up and searching the room felt good. Doing things for someone else feels good. As Caduceus blows sheepishly, inspiration strikes.

“I'm going to make you some tea!” She declares.

Her companion frowns slightly. “I can make it-” he begins. Stops. Sees the slightly frantic good will in her eyes and just nods slowly. “Sure. That'd be nice. Thanks Nott.”

He still uses his magic to heat the kettle but he lets Nott set out his beloved cups, marvelling that they had not broken on the voyage. He shows her to some pre-made blends in pouches and lets her do the rest, leaning back against the wall and letting his heavy head droop.

  Nott is fastidiously careful as she handles Caduceus' most precious possessions. She can't quite believe he is actually letting her manage the process herself. It is kind of a gift, she realises.

She watches him critically as he takes the cup from here. Did his hands shake just a little? Her keen eyes spot a tiny wince with each swallow.

“Does your throat hurt?”

“Yeah, a little. The tea will help, I think.”

“Let me just-” Before he can protest, she reaches to feel his forehead for a fever.

Even with him sitting she has to stretch to reach. His brow is broader than the length of her hand. She thinks his dove-grey makes her green skin look more emerald than muddy, for once.

There's no heat there, that she can tell. She switches her palm for the back of her hand and then as an extra measure applies it to the side of his neck. Nothing to feel but soft, slightly damp firbolg. He looks at her curiously.

“No fever.” She tells him. “Yet. So I don't think you have what Beau had. But I'm keeping an eye on you.”

“I’ll bear that it mind.” He agrees mildly, and sips his tea. He knows full well he hasn't got whatever magical malaria had briefly sunk it's teeth into their human companion- he had a word with the biting insects and politely asked them to back off. 

Nott is satisfied with her work and comes to sit beside him with her own cup of tea, and she seems to finally have settled.

“Nott?” He asks. “Feeling calmer now?”

She draws a breath and makes a mental check of her heart, her lungs. “Yes. Yes, thank you. I’m fine now. I was just having… having a time.”

There is a long silence as they both sip. She nestles in closer beside him, filling the crook beneath his shoulder so that his arm is almost around her. He is so tall and soft that she feels particularly small and gnarly by comparison but it’s nice, too, being under the protection of someone so big. She wonders how it feels for him, being mothered by someone so small. Speaking of… 

“Caduceus?” She asks at last. “Were you maybe faking a little bit to get me to fuss over you? To calm me down, I mean?”

He laughs, then turns to look down at her with his lovely almond-shaped eyes and his brows in a solemn arch. 

“Well. Lots of people find helping someone else calms them down a lot, so there's that.” He pauses, scrubs at his face with the little sniff-swallow that is becoming more frequent. “I wish I was faking it for you. My nose feels really stuffed now.”

She makes a sympathetic face and is about to move beside him when there is a knock at the door.

It isn't loud, but the suddenness makes her jump as though she was slapped.

Nott feels ice cubes drop down into her gut, a sharp ache at the top of her chest and it's hard to get a good breath and it's starting again oh shit

She looks down, finds her claws pressing too hard into Caduceus' arms, sees his strong hands gently peeling them off. 

“It's okay. It's just Caleb, see? I think the noise made you jump.” He doesn't seem mad.

He's right, it is Caleb coming into the room with his cat in his arms, his ginger hair mussed and lank from the near-drowning, and a worried look that eases somewhat when he sees Nott.

“Ah, there you are.” He says. “Nott, are you okay?”

“She’ll be okay.” Caduceus tells him evenly. “That's good.” This last is directed to her with a warm hand rubbing her back.

Nott comes to herself enough to watch a couple of different expressions drift over her wizard's face. She wonders whether he might even be jealous that it is Caduceus easing her through this, the way she might be jealous if Caleb were to confide in someone else before herself. Talking her down from the panic is usually Caleb's job.

But Caleb doesn't seen to mind exactly.

“It seems I startled you.” Caleb says. “I am very sorry my friend.” 

“It's fine,” She reassures him. “I- it's nothing.”

What she loves about Caleb is that he doesn't force an explanation. He knows that sometimes people's minds don't work quite right and then their bodies follow. He just sinks down to sit beside them on Caduceus' makeshift bed and wraps his arms around Frumpkin, who is purring aggressively. Caleb doesn't look to be in good condition either. He moves as though his joints ache and his expression is deeply unsettled.

The firbolg between them is shivering again. Nott can feel his teeth chattering and apparently Caleb can too because he raises an eyebrow. Caduceus shrugs, pulls one of the blankets from the pile and adds his over his knees. He also sniffles audibly.

“He's getting sick.” Nott tells on him.

“There's no need to be concerned.” Caduceus begins.

“With respect,” Caleb tells him. “I agree with Nott. You don't look so good.”

“With respect,” Caduceus echoes, “neither do you.”

The wizard laughs. “Can we just agree that we all nearly drowned and we all look like shit and today was a really shitty day?”

“It was an incredibly shitty day.” Nott agrees.

She feels calmer now. It's nice, sandwiched into this tiny space with Caleb and Caduceus both together.

“It was a, uh, really quite a day.” Caduceus agrees. “But we all made it our alive and unharmed.”

It's a pity the firbolg has to sneeze immediately after that statement. Caleb doesn't seem to mind.

Nott winces at the sound. So does Caleb, and she notices him squeeze Caduceus' hand.

“Definitely coming down with something.” Caleb remarks. 

Nott tries to give him a told-you-so look but Caduceus looks so worn down that she can’t muster much fire in it. They sit together for a long time, just the three of them, collectively wincing when the ship crests a particularly huge wave. Eventually Caduceus sighs heavily and looks at them both. 

“If you don’t mind, I should probably try and get some sleep.” 

Caleb nods agreement and rises, reaching for Nott’s hand. “Do you think you could try to sleep, Nott? You can come in with me if you want?”

“Sure, I suppose so.” She agrees. She does feel better now but more importantly if she stays up, Caleb will stay up with her, and he needs his sleep or he’ll end up as sick as Caduceus. 

Before leaving she turns back to the firbolg and gives him a firm hug, trying to show her gratitude through the cling of her limbs. Caleb is less demonstrative but his voice is warm as he says, “Rest well.” 

So Caleb leads Nott back up to her cabin, her bony fingers nesting securely in his broader, bandaged-hands. She lets herself be taken. Let Caduceus sleep. 

………

Morning comes, bright and hot and wave-tossed. Nott wakes in Caleb’s hammock, curled over her boy’s legs like a stringy green cat. She takes a moment to assess the situation; they are out on the open sea in a ship filled with untrustworthy pirates, the opportunity to drown is still very present, but she feels a little better today. Her fear is back at it’s usual level;  lurking around the pit of her stomach rather than gripping her throat. Thank whatever gods are out here. 

Then she remembers. How is Caduceus?

He is usually an early riser. She’d expect to find him in the galley knocking up a meal or perhaps standing on the deck and looking out for land with a longing nearly as strong as her own. He must still be in bed. Nott seeks him out. 

Below decks the movement of the ship seems worse somehow. She stumbles whenever the floor pitches under her and makes a conscious effort not to think of fathoms of saltwater underneath her feet. 

Fjord has already vacated their shared quarters, if he even came back at all, and left a pile of blankets on the floor, rucked into a mountain range by the bony angles of a still sleeping Caduceus. Laying down, he is all limbs and knees and shoulder blades. For once she feels grateful for her goblin body, in that it curls in on itself easily. There is just too much firbolg and he is too skinny to make a ball for warmth. He looks like he would if he could. 

She shakes him gently, then harder. “‘Duceus? You in there?”

No answer, though his eyes open. Nott can see a bleary slither of pink which blinks out for an unsteady breath and a sneeze that just wrenches through him. Poor guy.

“I was going to ask how you’re feeling-?”

His answer is another sneeze, well-smothered into a handful of blankets, and a thick sniffle showing he can barely breathe through his nose. “I…” He tilts his head bashfully. “Yeah… that’s about the shape of it.” 

He raises up on one elbow and shakes his head as though testing his focus and finding it wanting. “Wow. Yeah. Not too good.”

“Oh no.” Nott comes to sit beside him and notes the flood of warmth released from under the bedclothes. She agrees. Not good at all. 

“Bit of a fever there, ‘Ducey,” she sighs.

He blinks at her muzzily. “Yeah. I guess so.”

“C’mere.” She crawls over and leans to lay her cheek against his forehead. There is a noticeable warmth, nothing alarming, just enough to make the big guy miserable for a day or two. 

“Mm, that’s nice.”

“Huh? Oh-” She adds her cold little hands to the sides of his face, first the backs and then the palms. “I can do that.”

When he leans in to the touch, she scoots close enough to give him a hug. She wishes her arms were a little longer but he seems to welcome it all the same. 

At that moment, the ship gives an especially noticeable roll. They shudder in unison and look queasily at each other. “I hate this. I can’t wait to be back on dry land.” Nott voices their shared thoughts.

“You and me both.” Caduceus nods. His eyes are weighing closed and he looks weak and shivery. He sniffles and it turns into a persistent, painful cough. 

“You should lie down. See if you can go back to sleep”

He lies down but keeps his eyes open, looking up at her. To Nott he suddenly looks really, tired and really, really sad. 

“Are you feeling worse? Should I get Jester?” 

He shakes his head, swallows hard. She can feel him shiver convulsively despite the warmth of the day. 

“No, no, it’s not that. Don’t tell Jester, she’ll worry and she’ll tell Fjord and he’ll worry. He needs to focus on the ship, he doesn’t have time for this-” a gesture to himself.

Caduceus continues in a husky whisper, “I don’t even mind getting sick, not really. Every creature has periods of weakness and then the Wildmother lifts them through it. But in the Grove, surrounded by my family, with evidence of her power everywhere, it wasn’t so bad. Out here it just…”

“Really sucks.” Nott finishes his thought.

“Yeah. Yeah. It really sucks.” He agrees 

His big eyes gleam with wetness at the corners and it hurts her heart. 

“Can I do anything for you?” Nott frets. “I could make some more tea?”

“Thanks.” He says through chattering teeth. “But I think I’ll just try and sleep it off.” 

 “Okay.” She twists her hands in the hem of her dress for want of something to help him. Maybe she should leave him to his misery. 

The ship is heaves from side to side again. They watch a loose copper coin slide across the floor when the angle changes. Nott grimaces. Her heart kicks in her chest as a unspoken voice says drowning, you’re drowning and you can’t breathe-

“Nott?” Caduceus’ deep voice cuts through the panic. “Would you… stay for a bit?” 

She must have given him some goblin-faced look because he retracts it immediately; “You don’t have to.”

“No, no. I’ll stay. I’d love to stay with you. I don’t want to go up there.” Her own voice is high and scratchy and fast and relieved. She returns to his bedside as though drawn by a magnet to his feverish form. 

Where he lies on his side there is a perfect, Nott-sized hollow made by his bent legs where she can lean her back against him and have a hand free to smooth along his flank. He reaches an arm over her lap to give her a squeeze  then tucks it back under his head, trying to find a way to rest his neck. The simmering, febrile heat of him is not unpleasant for her, though it makes him kick off his blankets. She can hear his breath getting shallower as his fever crests. 

She rises from the embrace only once, to dampen a rag with water from the canteen and lay it carefully on his brow. His eyes crack open and he manages a quiet, “thanks…” without truly surfacing from sleep. The soft, grateful tone nearly breaks her heart. 

Nott settles back at the head of his blanket nest, where she can reach to lift his sweaty hair from his neck. She sifts through it, allowing the breeze to reach his skin. His silken, goat-like ears are pressed back against his head and the effect is rather pitiful, even without the frown pulling down his mouth as he sleeps. 

“I hate seeing you like this.” She says to his drowsing form. “We need you better,’Duceus. Who's going to make us  tea and remind us to eat and be the butt of jokes they don’t really understand?”

Caduceus must be more awake than she realised, because he turns his head to her. His eyes have a glassy sheen that make them look more like costume jewellery than rare sapphires. It’s not right at all. But he does manage a smile. 

“S’alright.” He slurs sleepily. “We can’t stay on the sea forever. And I’ll be okay. I’ve got all of you. And you’ve got me…” 

He rolls over. Nott feels some tension she wasn’t aware of leaving her body. Maybe she could sleep too, just for a little.

At different times during the morning, both Caleb and Fjord crack open the door to the cabin. Greeted by the sight of two unlikely bedfellows, they carefully push it closed again and turn away. Lots of things are going wrong for the Mighty Nein, but they are doing right by each other. That’s a comfort. 

t has been hours since they left the water. 

Whole hours, which means Nott is fine, she is safe, everything is fine and she did not drown and she can breathe just fine. So why then are her lungs still working like she'll never breathe again? 

She knows this feeling, knows it just her body telling her she's dying when she's quite safe here in hammock on the Squall Eater. She's felt it a thousand times, knows it always passes, but it's horrible horrible horrible.

Where's Caleb? Where's Frumpkin?

In their own hammock, with the cat curled tight on the wizard's own chest. He doesn't look exactly peaceful either, but they are asleep. If they were in an inn or camped outside she would take her own place on his chest, or at his feet, and let his steady breathing remind her own lungs how they are supposed to work. Perhaps she could climb up there with him? 

The motion of sitting up sets her hammock rocking in a way that reminds her immediately of the waves below. Nausea rises in her throat. 

She could certainly climb in and sleep with Caleb but that would rock the hammock even more, and between their two bodies the cloth would constrict her limbs and maybe she couldn't climb out of it easily and- no, not that then. That's not the answer.

Nott leaps from her own cocoon of blanket and paces the floor, hand on her chest to remind her to breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

She slips out of the door. Let Caleb rest. He needs it.

In the narrow, dark passages below the deck she takes stock.

Caleb? Asleep.

Jester? Most likely asleep but wouldn't mind being woken.

Beau and Yasha? Most likely asleep and would mind being woken.

Fjord? Would also mind being woken. Not asleep but with Avantika, getting his rocks off most likely. That leaves…

Caduceus? Most likely asleep?

As she paces past the cabin she knows the Firbolg shares with Fjord, Nott listens hard. She expects to hear slow even breaths, but instead she can hear the a tall body moving around and the rustle of fabric. A sniffle, a set of ticklish coughs and a muffled exhalation that might have been a sneeze.

Not asleep then.

She enters without knocking.

There is a hurricane lamp it and in it's flicker she can see the firbolg sitting on the floor on a pile of blankets. Of course he is far too tall to take a hammock. He is shirtless and the glow picks out pools of shadow beneath his collarbones, a smear of deeper grey between every rib in his thin chest.

 “Nott!” he looks up, surprised. “Is everything ok?”

“Yes, no, I'm-” her breathing hiccups and her vision gets spotty from lack of oxygen. Maybe she stumbles, because she is caught by strong hands and settled to sit beside him on the floor.

“Whoah. Hey there.” His deep voice is gentle but clear. “Why don't you take some deep breaths. Like this, with me.”

He takes her hand in his and presses it to the broad plain of his chest, so that she can feel the slow rise and fall in her own body.

“That's it. Nice and steady.”

It's hard. It's really, really hard when her body says can't you see you're dying. Mastering her breath is like reigning in a galloping horse. But it will work. She knows it will work if she can just get control of it. Ignore her heart, ignore the way her the room seems to tilt, ignore the nausea and the terrible skin- tightening panic.

Trouble is, there's a fine line between deepening her breathing and focusing on it too much. She wants to be aware of it, but if she gives all her attention to the sensations they will become too much to bear. In Nott's mind she grasps for ways to make the situation normal, to find something, anything to make small talk about.

Caduceus helpfully provides it by tucking his head away for a sudden sneeze.

“Gesundheit!” she offers. The routine response momentarily overrides her panic. It happens again and he offers a sheepish sniffle as he turns back to her.

“Pardon. Got a lot of water in my nose today.” He sniffles. “You want me to count your breaths for you? Some people find that helps.”

Nott considers and shakes her head. “Can we- talk to me- about something else? Anything?”

“Sure I can.” 

He agrees easily, without questioning her further. At that moment, she could kiss him. It must be working with so many people who are grieving- he is really, really good at this, and launches into easy, light conversation that doesn't require a meaningful response. He just chats away as he picks up the towel he was using to try and buff at his fur.

She can see how that the longer patches of are spiked, like a plush velvet cloak that should definitely not have been washed in salt water. The shortest parts around his face and arms are dry but the rest of his fur still holds the water.

“I know it's tropical out there but I can't get warm till it's dry.” He tells her, sniffling again.

 “You should definitely dry off or you'll get sick.” She comments absently.

“You don't get a cold from being wet and cold,” Caduceus tells Nott.

“Says you.” She fires back, desperately glad to put her attention on any subject other than her recent near drowning and the way still can't seem to get a proper breath. Her heart hammers uncomfortably in her throat but it seems further away when she has something to focus on.

“Yeah. says me. I'm the h- the heal-er-”

Nott hears his usually deep voice go all tickly and shuddery as he winds up for another sneeze. He looks so over it afterwards that it makes her heart flip but it's a soft caring flip not a drowning, panicking flip and it actually makes her chest feel warmer. She grabs the towel from beside him and stands, so that his pink hair is level with her chest.

“Come on, let me dry you off. Don't you know any spells for that?”

“I don't. And I don't fancy asking Caleb to try a fireball, so we'll have to do it the old fashioned way.” He shakes his head under the towel.

Nott can feel the firbolg shivering under her ministrations. In response she begins to buff the towel down his shoulders and upper arms, then follows by rubbing with the palms of her hands to try and get the circulation back. The sensation of silk-velvet fur beneath her palms is so delightful that she is no longer sure whether she is doing it for his comfort or hers.

“That's really nice.” He comments, closing his eyes and tipping his head forward with a huffing sigh.

“You're freezing. You should put a shirt on. And a sweater. And socks. Do you even own socks?” She fusses.

Caduceus laughs. “You'd make a good mom.”

 “I'm-”

He notices how her shoulders rise back up to her ears and diverts, “Okay, okay, clearly that's a conversation for another day!”

“Yeah. Thanks. Sorry.” Nott manages. 

She can deepen her breathing by herself now. After the initial gasp she gets when she thinks about her family, memories of caring for her son do actually make her calmer. There was that same coolness in a crisis that she is feeling now. Not that this is a crisis, but the vulnerability she feels in Caduceus is quieting her own worries to a dull roar and she likes it that way. At least the fur on his torso is mostly dry now. It is standing up fluffier than usual and he seems to be shivering less. She did that. That's something.

Caduceus runs his own hands over his arms, assessing, and clearly her efforts will suffice because he puts a dry shirt on leans back against the side of the ship. He isn't entirely relaxed however, Nott can see his nostrils twitching while a little furrow deepens between his brows.

“Caduceus?” She asks.

His answer is to double forwards with a wrenching sneeze and then another, barely smothered against the crook of his arm. Nott winces. That sounded... wet. She casts around the little room to find a handkerchief. It might technically be Fjord's but she doesn't suppose he'll mind, especially when the alternative is a very sniffly room-mate.

“Here.” She presses it into his hand. He casts her grateful look, sidelong over the press of his wrist to his nose.

Standing up and searching the room felt good. Doing things for someone else feels good. As Caduceus blows sheepishly, inspiration strikes.

“I'm going to make you some tea!” She declares.

Her companion frowns slightly. “I can make it-” he begins. Stops. Sees the slightly frantic good will in her eyes and just nods slowly. “Sure. That'd be nice. Thanks Nott.”

He still uses his magic to heat the kettle but he lets Nott set out his beloved cups, marvelling that they had not broken on the voyage. He shows her to some pre-made blends in pouches and lets her do the rest, leaning back against the wall and letting his heavy head droop.

  Nott is fastidiously careful as she handles Caduceus' most precious possessions. She can't quite believe he is actually letting her manage the process herself. It is kind of a gift, she realises.

She watches him critically as he takes the cup from here. Did his hands shake just a little? Her keen eyes spot a tiny wince with each swallow.

“Does your throat hurt?”

“Yeah, a little. The tea will help, I think.”

“Let me just-” Before he can protest, she reaches to feel his forehead for a fever.

Even with him sitting she has to stretch to reach. His brow is broader than the length of her hand. She thinks his dove-grey makes her green skin look more emerald than muddy, for once.

There's no heat there, that she can tell. She switches her palm for the back of her hand and then as an extra measure applies it to the side of his neck. Nothing to feel but soft, slightly damp firbolg. He looks at her curiously.

“No fever.” She tells him. “Yet. So I don't think you have what Beau had. But I'm keeping an eye on you.”

“I’ll bear that it mind.” He agrees mildly, and sips his tea. He knows full well he hasn't got whatever magical malaria had briefly sunk it's teeth into their human companion- he had a word with the biting insects and politely asked them to back off. 

Nott is satisfied with her work and comes to sit beside him with her own cup of tea, and she seems to finally have settled.

“Nott?” He asks. “Feeling calmer now?”

She draws a breath and makes a mental check of her heart, her lungs. “Yes. Yes, thank you. I’m fine now. I was just having… having a time.”

There is a long silence as they both sip. She nestles in closer beside him, filling the crook beneath his shoulder so that his arm is almost around her. He is so tall and soft that she feels particularly small and gnarly by comparison but it’s nice, too, being under the protection of someone so big. She wonders how it feels for him, being mothered by someone so small. Speaking of… 

“Caduceus?” She asks at last. “Were you maybe faking a little bit to get me to fuss over you? To calm me down, I mean?”

He laughs, then turns to look down at her with his lovely almond-shaped eyes and his brows in a solemn arch. 

“Well. Lots of people find helping someone else calms them down a lot, so there's that.” He pauses, scrubs at his face with the little sniff-swallow that is becoming more frequent. “I wish I was faking it for you. My nose feels really stuffed now.”

She makes a sympathetic face and is about to move beside him when there is a knock at the door.

It isn't loud, but the suddenness makes her jump as though she was slapped.

Nott feels ice cubes drop down into her gut, a sharp ache at the top of her chest and it's hard to get a good breath and it's starting again oh shit

She looks down, finds her claws pressing too hard into Caduceus' arms, sees his strong hands gently peeling them off. 

“It's okay. It's just Caleb, see? I think the noise made you jump.” He doesn't seem mad.

He's right, it is Caleb coming into the room with his cat in his arms, his ginger hair mussed and lank from the near-drowning, and a worried look that eases somewhat when he sees Nott.

“Ah, there you are.” He says. “Nott, are you okay?”

“She’ll be okay.” Caduceus tells him evenly. “That's good.” This last is directed to her with a warm hand rubbing her back.

Nott comes to herself enough to watch a couple of different expressions drift over her wizard's face. She wonders whether he might even be jealous that it is Caduceus easing her through this, the way she might be jealous if Caleb were to confide in someone else before herself. Talking her down from the panic is usually Caleb's job.

But Caleb doesn't seen to mind exactly.

“It seems I startled you.” Caleb says. “I am very sorry my friend.” 

“It's fine,” She reassures him. “I- it's nothing.”

What she loves about Caleb is that he doesn't force an explanation. He knows that sometimes people's minds don't work quite right and then their bodies follow. He just sinks down to sit beside them on Caduceus' makeshift bed and wraps his arms around Frumpkin, who is purring aggressively. Caleb doesn't look to be in good condition either. He moves as though his joints ache and his expression is deeply unsettled.

The firbolg between them is shivering again. Nott can feel his teeth chattering and apparently Caleb can too because he raises an eyebrow. Caduceus shrugs, pulls one of the blankets from the pile and adds his over his knees. He also sniffles audibly.

“He's getting sick.” Nott tells on him.

“There's no need to be concerned.” Caduceus begins.

“With respect,” Caleb tells him. “I agree with Nott. You don't look so good.”

“With respect,” Caduceus echoes, “neither do you.”

The wizard laughs. “Can we just agree that we all nearly drowned and we all look like shit and today was a really shitty day?”

“It was an incredibly shitty day.” Nott agrees.

She feels calmer now. It's nice, sandwiched into this tiny space with Caleb and Caduceus both together.

“It was a, uh, really quite a day.” Caduceus agrees. “But we all made it our alive and unharmed.”

It's a pity the firbolg has to sneeze immediately after that statement. Caleb doesn't seem to mind.

Nott winces at the sound. So does Caleb, and she notices him squeeze Caduceus' hand.

“Definitely coming down with something.” Caleb remarks. 

Nott tries to give him a told-you-so look but Caduceus looks so worn down that she can’t muster much fire in it. They sit together for a long time, just the three of them, collectively wincing when the ship crests a particularly huge wave. Eventually Caduceus sighs heavily and looks at them both. 

“If you don’t mind, I should probably try and get some sleep.” 

Caleb nods agreement and rises, reaching for Nott’s hand. “Do you think you could try to sleep, Nott? You can come in with me if you want?”

“Sure, I suppose so.” She agrees. She does feel better now but more importantly if she stays up, Caleb will stay up with her, and he needs his sleep or he’ll end up as sick as Caduceus. 

Before leaving she turns back to the firbolg and gives him a firm hug, trying to show her gratitude through the cling of her limbs. Caleb is less demonstrative but his voice is warm as he says, “Rest well.” 

So Caleb leads Nott back up to her cabin, her bony fingers nesting securely in his broader, bandaged-hands. She lets herself be taken. Let Caduceus sleep. 

………

Morning comes, bright and hot and wave-tossed. Nott wakes in Caleb’s hammock, curled over her boy’s legs like a stringy green cat. She takes a moment to assess the situation; they are out on the open sea in a ship filled with untrustworthy pirates, the opportunity to drown is still very present, but she feels a little better today. Her fear is back at it’s usual level;  lurking around the pit of her stomach rather than gripping her throat. Thank whatever gods are out here. 

Then she remembers. How is Caduceus?

He is usually an early riser. She’d expect to find him in the galley knocking up a meal or perhaps standing on the deck and looking out for land with a longing nearly as strong as her own. He must still be in bed. Nott seeks him out. 

Below decks the movement of the ship seems worse somehow. She stumbles whenever the floor pitches under her and makes a conscious effort not to think of fathoms of saltwater underneath her feet. 

Fjord has already vacated their shared quarters, if he even came back at all, and left a pile of blankets on the floor, rucked into a mountain range by the bony angles of a still sleeping Caduceus. Laying down, he is all limbs and knees and shoulder blades. For once she feels grateful for her goblin body, in that it curls in on itself easily. There is just too much firbolg and he is too skinny to make a ball for warmth. He looks like he would if he could. 

She shakes him gently, then harder. “‘Duceus? You in there?”

No answer, though his eyes open. Nott can see a bleary slither of pink which blinks out for an unsteady breath and a sneeze that just wrenches through him. Poor guy.

“I was going to ask how you’re feeling-?”

His answer is another sneeze, well-smothered into a handful of blankets, and a thick sniffle showing he can barely breathe through his nose. “I…” He tilts his head bashfully. “Yeah… that’s about the shape of it.” 

He raises up on one elbow and shakes his head as though testing his focus and finding it wanting. “Wow. Yeah. Not too good.”

“Oh no.” Nott comes to sit beside him and notes the flood of warmth released from under the bedclothes. She agrees. Not good at all. 

“Bit of a fever there, ‘Ducey,” she sighs.

He blinks at her muzzily. “Yeah. I guess so.”

“C’mere.” She crawls over and leans to lay her cheek against his forehead. There is a noticeable warmth, nothing alarming, just enough to make the big guy miserable for a day or two. 

“Mm, that’s nice.”

“Huh? Oh-” She adds her cold little hands to the sides of his face, first the backs and then the palms. “I can do that.”

When he leans in to the touch, she scoots close enough to give him a hug. She wishes her arms were a little longer but he seems to welcome it all the same. 

At that moment, the ship gives an especially noticeable roll. They shudder in unison and look queasily at each other. “I hate this. I can’t wait to be back on dry land.” Nott voices their shared thoughts.

“You and me both.” Caduceus nods. His eyes are weighing closed and he looks weak and shivery. He sniffles and it turns into a persistent, painful cough. 

“You should lie down. See if you can go back to sleep”

He lies down but keeps his eyes open, looking up at her. To Nott he suddenly looks really, tired and really, really sad. 

“Are you feeling worse? Should I get Jester?” 

He shakes his head, swallows hard. She can feel him shiver convulsively despite the warmth of the day. 

“No, no, it’s not that. Don’t tell Jester, she’ll worry and she’ll tell Fjord and he’ll worry. He needs to focus on the ship, he doesn’t have time for this-” a gesture to himself.

Caduceus continues in a husky whisper, “I don’t even mind getting sick, not really. Every creature has periods of weakness and then the Wildmother lifts them through it. But in the Grove, surrounded by my family, with evidence of her power everywhere, it wasn’t so bad. Out here it just…”

“Really sucks.” Nott finishes his thought.

“Yeah. Yeah. It really sucks.” He agrees 

His big eyes gleam with wetness at the corners and it hurts her heart. 

“Can I do anything for you?” Nott frets. “I could make some more tea?”

“Thanks.” He says through chattering teeth. “But I think I’ll just try and sleep it off.” 

 “Okay.” She twists her hands in the hem of her dress for want of something to help him. Maybe she should leave him to his misery. 

The ship is heaves from side to side again. They watch a loose copper coin slide across the floor when the angle changes. Nott grimaces. Her heart kicks in her chest as a unspoken voice says drowning, you’re drowning and you can’t breathe-

“Nott?” Caduceus’ deep voice cuts through the panic. “Would you… stay for a bit?” 

She must have given him some goblin-faced look because he retracts it immediately; “You don’t have to.”

“No, no. I’ll stay. I’d love to stay with you. I don’t want to go up there.” Her own voice is high and scratchy and fast and relieved. She returns to his bedside as though drawn by a magnet to his feverish form. 

Where he lies on his side there is a perfect, Nott-sized hollow made by his bent legs where she can lean her back against him and have a hand free to smooth along his flank. He reaches an arm over her lap to give her a squeeze  then tucks it back under his head, trying to find a way to rest his neck. The simmering, febrile heat of him is not unpleasant for her, though it makes him kick off his blankets. She can hear his breath getting shallower as his fever crests. 

She rises from the embrace only once, to dampen a rag with water from the canteen and lay it carefully on his brow. His eyes crack open and he manages a quiet, “thanks…” without truly surfacing from sleep. The soft, grateful tone nearly breaks her heart. 

Nott settles back at the head of his blanket nest, where she can reach to lift his sweaty hair from his neck. She sifts through it, allowing the breeze to reach his skin. His silken, goat-like ears are pressed back against his head and the effect is rather pitiful, even without the frown pulling down his mouth as he sleeps. 

“I hate seeing you like this.” She says to his drowsing form. “We need you better, ’Duceus. Who's going to make us  tea and remind us to eat and be the butt of jokes they don’t really understand?”

Caduceus must be more awake than she realised, because he turns his head to her. His eyes have a glassy sheen that make them look more like costume jewellery than rare sapphires. It’s not right at all. But he does manage a smile. 

“S’alright.” He slurs sleepily. “We can’t stay on the sea forever. And I’ll be okay. I’ve got all of you. And you’ve got me…” 

He rolls over. Nott feels some tension she wasn’t aware of leaving her body. Maybe she could sleep too, just for a little.

At different times during the morning, both Caleb and Fjord crack open the door to the cabin. Greeted by the sight of two unlikely bedfellows, they carefully push it closed again and turn away. Lots of things are going wrong for the Mighty Nein, but they are doing right by each other. That’s a comfort. 

END.

Thanks for coming with me on this wild ride. I’m not spelling out sneezes these days, idk why.

[coneygoil]

The Home We Built Together, part 21

Two young Vikings. An arranged marriage. Hiccup always wanted to win the girl of his dreams, but not like this. Now he and Astrid must learn to live together and maybe one day, learn to love…

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9| Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 

Astrid almost didn’t recognize herself these days. She had the same warrior spirit and desired to fight with all her strength for what was right. But what used to be considered right in her eyes wasn’t right anymore. She’d grown soft toward what she used to be hardened by.

A dragon was her friend. The enemy would lick her cheek instead of scorch her face off. A boy who’d she’d been indifferent toward before was now the most important person to her.

How did her life get flipped upside down this quickly?

She’d remarked once in her short life that she would never let anyone kiss her on the lips, but here she was lip-locked and panting with a boy she’d never given one single thought of being with before a contract was signed binding them.

Astrid’s cheeks stained pink as she recalled the night before.

Hiccup admitted his enjoyment for kissing her, and she made her own confession of pleasure as well. There was something unearthly when it came to intimacy, as if you were transported to the highest, most stunning mountain where the altitude made you feel as light as air and your head floated in the clouds. You could lose yourself in it and it felt so good.

“Earth to Astrid!” Ruffnut’s calling broke her free from her memory. “Are we gonna spar or what?”

Astrid shook herself from the feel of Hiccup’s soft hair carding through her fingers and the lovely pressure of his lips against hers. “Yeah,” was all she could mustering in her flustered state.

Ruff shifted back on her right leg, planting a fist on her popped hip. “Did you and Hiccup go further last night?”

“What?” Her jaw fell open and the axe in her hold drooped.

Ruff nodded in approval. “Yep, that face basically tells me you did.” She sidled over to Astrid, throwing an arm around her shoulder. “How far did you guys go?”

“Ruff,” Astrid whined, “do I really have to share my personal details with you?” If she was honest with herself, a tiny part of her wanted to blurt out everything. How nothing had caused her heart to race like the feel of Hiccup’s lips pressed to hers. How a simple touch on her thigh sparked a wildfire in places that had never burned with want before. It was exhilarating and confusing and she longed for more.

Ruff gave her a little shake. “Yes, and don’t leave anything out.”

Astrid sighed and dislodged herself from Ruff’s hold. “Okay.” She swept the fringe of bangs behind her ear, gathering exactly which details she’d disclose. She wasn’t sure how to even describe such matters. “There isn’t much to say. We kissed – A LOT – last night.”

Ruff’s lips puckered in delight. “Ooooo! Was it your first make out session?”

“If kissing for like an hour is? Then I guess so.”

“Like an hour? Whoa, you two must have been hot and heavy.” Ruff eyes glittered. “Did you slip him any tongue? Or did he slip you some?”

Astrid looked horrified. “No!”

“Anh…” Ruff waved it off, “you’ll get there. Did hands roam to certain places?”

Astrid thought back to the delectable memories of where appendages and digits had traversed. “We didn’t really touch any places that were very private.”

“What? No cupping a boob? No copping a feel of the buttocks?”

“No.” Just the idea of those places being explored caused an electrical strike all through her. “It was mostly face caressing and neck holding. Hiccup did slide his hands up and down my arms and shoulders, and at one point his hand made it to my thigh.”

“Okay, that’s a good start. I mean, hand on thigh is the gateway to other places.”

“How do you know so much about this subject?”

“I listen and observe, my dear.” Ruff waggled a finger at her. “Work harder at going farther, got it?”

Astrid rolled her eyes, but inwardly, she was reeling at the idea of crossing more boundaries with Hiccup. She turned her head so Ruff wouldn’t catch the flare up in her cheeks at the musings of what it’d feel like if Hiccup kissed her neck.

“How about taking Hiccup to the hot spring?” Ruff suggested, nodding encouragingly. “Give you an excuse to strip off the fabric barriers and get busy.”

As disturbing as Ruff’s way of suggesting was, Astrid had to admit, it was a promising idea. Villagers would visit the hot spring to bathe or relax in the steamy waters. Chatter floated around the Great Hall of couples using it to set the mood for a romantic rendezvous.

Besides the one late night she’d sneaked a peek at Hiccup’s bare back, she had yet to see Hiccup unclothed. The hot spring would be the perfect excuse for her to finally get a peek at what was underneath that green tunic.

“Astrid, I don’t know about this,” Hiccup voiced his uncertainty as she hauled him out to the hot spring that evening.

“C’mon, Hiccup. It’s not like you’ve never seen me undressed.”

“Technically, I’ve only seen you from the front with bindings on once. All the other times have been your bare back.” He sounded as if he’d just choked on the last two words. “And you have yet to see me.”

She glanced back at him then ducked a grin. “I actually have seen you shirtless.”

“Uh…when?”

“The night you came home late, and I wanted you to hold me. I watched you change into your nightshirt.”

“You blatantly watched without me knowing?” Hiccup gasped dramatically, a hand leaping to his heart. “Scandalous, Astrid!”

Astrid gave his arm a tug. “You’re such a dork.”

They arrived at the hot spring a few minutes later. Astrid hung the lantern on the closest tree branch sticking out over the water. The flickering candlelight washed the bubbling water in a soft glow.

She stepped up to Hiccup, who looked incredibly nervous. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of.” She gathered the hem of his tunic and slowly lifted it off his frame. The cold night air caused goosebumps along his bare skin. Hiccup averted his eyes off to the side.

Astrid’s gaze veered down at his exposed torso and raked upwards, thoughtfully. He was scrawny, no denying that, but who’s to say he wasn’t finished growing yet? He had time, and that’s exactly what she hoped to convince him of. It was her mission to protect him, even from his own deprecating opinions of himself.

“Not much to look at, huh?” Hiccup’s voice cut through her study. “I assume you’d prefer something more buff. Y’know, of the Snotlout variety.”

Astrid shrugged. “Sure, buff is nice to look at sometimes,��� her hand rested over his heart, the beat increasing against her palm, “but I like this better.”

“Why?” he asked in disbelief.

She met his gaze. “Because it’s you.”

“I didn’t take you for being attracted to the talking fishbone type.”

“You may be a talking fishbone now, but don’t sell yourself short. I’m sure you’ll end up taller than the rest of us.”

“I have my doubts, but I won’t shatter your dreams just yet.”

Astrid chose that moment in his linger doubt to shed the top half of her wardrobe. She’d never stood this close to Hiccup when undressing and he stared wide-eyed and mouth gaping as she casually disrobed. The awkwardness had subsided for her a short while back. She didn’t wish for it to linger, especially now that her and Hiccup were finally breaking physical ground in their relationship. She audibly heard him swallow as she kicked off her skirt.

“Hiccup,” she coaxed him out of his trance, “you may want to remove your boots.”

“Right,” he croaked out before clearing his throat and getting to work on shedding his boots and socks as Astrid did the same.

“Now bottoms?” Astrid said, hesitation beginning to creep up on her.

Hiccup blew out a breath from his mouth, his nerves obviously showing. “Not yet.”

Astrid paused her thumbs clipped in her waist band. “Okay. Not yet.”

“Are you keeping your uh…” Hiccup twirled his finger, “bindings on?”

As much as she wanted to push through this ground, Astrid’s nerves were getting the best of her too. “I guess, for now.”

“No rush.” Hiccup’s sentiment made her smile.

They reached out for each other as they waded into the steamy water. They found themselves seeking out one another more and more to touch, hold, or just be close to. The warmth of the water engulfed them, and Astrid sighed at how wonderful the heat was on her bare skin.

“So,” Hiccup bobbed beside her, “why do you like this talking fishbone? Is it the sharp wit? Or all the raw Vikingness bundled up inside this—” He stuck a strong pose.

Astrid scoffed, sending a splash his way. “Not even close.” Hiccup skittered away, looking rather offended. “It’s mainly because it makes you travel-size.”

“What does that even mean?” Hiccup laughed.

“It means I can do this!”

Astrid lunged for him, tossing Hiccup over her shoulder in a blink. She waded toward the edge of the hot spring, effortlessly carrying Hiccup on her.

“Astrid! It’s not fair to manhandle your husband like this. There will be consequences!” He tugged on her braid in a vain attempt to show he was serious. “Now put me down!”

“Put you down?” she questioned, exaggeratedly. “If you say so.” She spun around and tossed Hiccup into the hot spring.

Hiccup sputtered and spit as he resurfaced, hissing about how hot the water was. He pushed his wet hair out of his eyes to glare daggers at her. Astrid’s amused laughter rang out into the night. She felt free, as if all their worries and cares had faded into the high heavens. Hiccup drew out a side of her she didn’t think existed and she never wanted it to go dormant again.

“Time to face the consequences!” Hiccup exclaimed. He swam to her, and before Astrid could regain her composure, he’d latched onto her ankle. With surprising strength, he yanked her back into the hot spring.

It was Astrid’s turn to surface, sputtering and wiping the stinging water from her face. Hitting the steamy water sent a shock through the body after standing in the chilly air.

They launched into a splashing war until they were worn out and sweat glistened on their foreheads, and they dissolved into panting laughter. Astrid watched her husband suspiciously as he swam behind her. He snaked arms around her bare waist, pulling her back against his front. He gave her a little squeeze, resting his chin on her shoulder.

Astrid relaxed in his embrace, allowing him to hold her from sinking in the water. It was nice not having to be the first to initiate their physical affection. Ever since she’d discovered his friendship with Toothless, Hiccup had become more at ease with reaching out for her without needing to seek permission. Maybe it was just her imagination, but Astrid felt as if Toothless had brought them closer together.

Astrid’s breath caught at the sensation of Hiccup’s lips on her throat. Every giddy little spark inside her jumped alive. She raised her arm back to curl fingers in his damp hair. This was what her body had begged for, the curious longing being satisfied. Another kiss then another then—

Astrid’s eyes popped open at the sound of footsteps heading their way. Whistling floated through the quiet night air. Someone was coming!

She tore out of Hiccup’s embrace, grabbing his wrist to haul him out of the pool. Hiccup tried protesting, but his ear caught the approaching visitor as well and he rushed to gather up his articles of clothing along with her.

The hot spring was a community pool and most of the time sharing it was a regular thing. But being a young couple and flirting with intimacy in the waters was something they’d wanted to keep to themselves. Besides, Astrid had no desire for another person besides her husband to see her in a state of undress.

Her and Hiccup dashed into the dark cover of the trees. Astrid suddenly stopped. “The lantern!” she hissed, but it was too late. The whistling drew closer, and Gobber emerged from the other side of the pool, lumbering up to the water. They both breathed a sigh of relief. Gobber was the last person they’d want to walk up on their private moment.  

“I’ll come back for it tomorrow,” Hiccup said as they tugged on their clothes.

Astrid lamented their time being cut short in the pool. She smirked to herself, planning to continue what Hiccup had started when they got home. The door had been opened and she would stroll through.

 ***

Writer’s note: Even though Toothless has been introduced and big things will happen resulting from that, the main idea of the story is Hiccup and Astrid’s relationship. I wanted to show our two little budding lovebirds just being carefree and having fun in this chapter XD

Tags: @martabm90 @chiefhiccstrid  @lauracalabresi 

[aweebwrites]

Kill Cryptor With Fluff

(Finally done! Here you are @sayijo! Your dosage of pure Cryptor fluff UwU)

__________________________________________

Cryptor was suspicious the moment he walked in to sit with the others as they ate.

“Hey Cry! Morning!” Cole greeted cheerfully and Cryptor narrowed his eyes at him.

Why the hell was he so cheery?

“Yo Crypt. Sup?” Nya says as she walked in then sat down in her seat, shooting a grin in his direction.

Double jeopardy. What the hell? Cole certainly wasn’t a morning person and Nya doesn’t just go grinning for no reason.

“You just gonna stand there?” Jay asked with a full mouth and Cryptor looked around, finding the cheery mood lingering in the air… Odd.

After another moment of suspicion, he took his seat. While he couldn’t eat, he liked to stick around and join the conversation from time to time, much like Zane. Everything was relatively the same- except everyone kept smiling at him. He… Was uncomfortable to say the least.

“Hey Cryptic, do you mind taking the dishes to the kitchen for me? I gotta run to New Ninjago City for a while.” Cole says after everyone was done eating.

“Sure.” Cryptor says as he stood.

He blinked once felt strong arms wrap around him- picking him up off the goddamn ground- and squeezing him tightly.

“Thanks!” Cole set him back down while Cryptor tried to comprehend that he was just hugged.

“Ok…?” Cryptor says, watching him go.

That was odd… Not unwanted but… Sudden. With a shrug, he began to clear the table.

“Lemme give you a hand.” Kai says as he came around and began collecting cups.

“Alright.” Cryptor agrees though it was completely unnecessary.

It was only cups and plates after all.

“Did something happen while I was asleep?” He asked Kai as they carried the dishes into the kitchen where Zane already was, getting a headstart.

“No. Why do you ask?” Kai asked, shooting him a confused expression.

“... Nothing.” Cryptor says, handing the cutlery over to Zane who accepts them.

He turned to head out for a smoke when he turned right into Kai’s arms instead.

“If anything’s bothering you, you know I’m here.” Kai says, squeezing him into a tighter hug.

Yet another surprise hug. Cryptor let a smile pull his lips as he hugged back.

“Yeah, I know hothead.” He says quietly.

He blinked once he felt Zane join in on the hug, both of them effectively trapping him in between them.

“The same applies for me.” Zane says and Kai grinned back at his friend.

“It’s Cryptor appreciation day! Get used to it!” Kai grinned cheekily at the awkward looking Cryptor.

“You’re kidding.” Cryptor says, looking at Kai.

“Nope!” Kai grinned cheekily then they both proceed to hug him until he could hear something began to creak.

Once he finally got himself free from their suffocating- but appreciated- hug, he took a drag off his cigarette outside. What the hell is a ‘Cryptor Appreciation Day’ even supposed to mean. He glanced away. He doesn’t mind the sudden bouts of affection… He wouldn’t readily say it out loud but… He fiddled with his cigarette. It was… Nice. He blew the smoke up into the air, watching it disappear into the air. He didn’t usually consider himself as the touchy-feely type but… He could get used to this.

“Hey Cryptor! Wanna race?” Jay asked, poking his head outside.

“Dude, you have a jet.” Cryptor says flatly.

“Nya and I messed around with your bike last night. Should be able to go a lot faster now.” Jay says peaking Cryptor interest. “But nothing is faster than my jet. I just wanted to prove it.” He says as he stepped out, placing a hand on his hips.

Cryptor smirked as he dropped his cigarette, stepping on it to out it.

“Let’s find out.” He smirked.

*******************************

“WHOOO HOOO!” Cryptor hollered as Ninjago passed him by in a flash, leaving nothing but dust in his wake.

He looked up at Jay’s jet just over him, both of them going at maximum speed. The speed he was going at was insane! He grinned under his helmet and swerved around a large sandstone jutting up from the Badlands they were racing through.

“First one to Crashcourse Canyon wins!” Jay says from over the comms and Cryptor spotted the tops of the canyon coming up quickly.

“See you there.” Cryptor smirked then flipped the cap on his bike handle.

“Oh yeah? We’ll see about that.” Jay smirked from inside his jet, hand hovering over an acceleration button.

Both pressed their buttons at the same time, speeding towards the canyon, determined to win. It was only a feet or two from the canyon did they realize they were coming in too hot.

“Shit-” Cryptor swerved quickly, his bike skidding towards a narrow opening in the canyon still.

He pulled his sword out then stabbed it deep into the sand to help slow him down. He came to a stop just a hair’s inch away from a canyon wall before taking a deep breath of relief. Shit that was close. He slid off his bike and slipped off his helmet as Jay landed before him.

“So. Who won?” He asked as Jay hopped out of his jet.

“Forget about who won!” Jay yelled as he rushed over then pulled Cryptor into a hug. “Are you alright? You’re not hurt, are you? I should’ve never pushed you to race!” He says with worry and Cryptor chuckled, patting his back.

“I’m fine kid, don’t worry about it.” He says as Jay released him.

The brunette twisted his lips.

“You know, I’m technically older than you are.” Jay pointed out then gasped. “How old are you even?!?!? Like- 8? Oh you poor baby!” He says, pulling Cryptor into another hug.

“Fuck off Jay.”

______________________________

“I know that look. What happened.” Nya says as Jay and Cryptor walked in, Jay holding a sheepish-guilty look on his face.

“We may have- un.  Almost crashed.” Jay says, rubbing his arm with a nervous grin.

“Again? Jay-”

“But we didn’t! Cryptor’s traumatized though! He needs hugs!” Jay says, reaching out to hug him but Cryptor stopped him with a hand to his face.

“Jay. I will break your face.” Cryptor threatened.

“No breaking any faces. Here.”Nya says then hugged him tight, giving Jay a chance to escape. “Are you really ok?” She asked, looking up at him as he glanced away.

“I’m fine. Nothing to worry about.” He murmured but hugged her back.

She was already hugging him so might as well. It’s not as if he liked hugs anyway. They’re just convenient affection.

“Alright.” Nya says, letting him go. “Any damage to the bike?” She asked him.

“Not a scratch.” Cryptor reported.

“What about you Jay?” She asked him and he huffed.

“I can come back without a scratch too.” He says crossing his arms and Nya rose a brow at him. “... Just a small one.” He says and she huffed.

“Let’s go patch her up.” Nya says, pulling Jay away.

Cryptor pulled out his sword then looked at it. It looked a little scratched up. He could buff it down to pass time… With that, he headed to the forge, not surprised to see Kai and Lloyd there.

“Oh hey Cry, back already?” Kai asked, guiding Lloyd to dip the scorching hot sword into the water.

“Yeah. Just need to give my sword a buff.” He says, waving said sword.

“Oh I can do that for you.” Lloyd says, looking over the sword when Kai pulled it out.

“It’s fine.” Cryptor says, going over to the buffer, blinking as his sword was snatched away.

“Then I insist.” Lloyd says then got started.

Well then.

“Isn’t she a beauty?” Kai says, holding the newly crafted sword up.

“A crooked beauty.” Cryptor says drily.

Kai blinked then inspected the sword. Lo and behold, the tip of the sword was slouched towards the ground instead of being straight.

“Well. That’s an easy fix.” Kai says then slipped the tip of the sword into the fire. “Jay was pretty excited about that race. Did you kick his ass?” He questions with a grin.

“No-one won. We almost crashed. But the bike held up. I’m surprised that the fuel held too.” Cryptor says impressed.

Surly using that high speed would mean that the fuel would burn out just a quickly as the bike would go. He’d have to talk with Nya and see what’s the power source.

“Nice.” Kai says then pulled the sword out of the fire, looking over the red hot tip.

He then placed it on the anvil and began hammering it flat.

“Here you go. Good as new.” Lloyd says, handing Cryptor his sword.

“Thanks.” Cryptor says as he held it up in the light to look it over.

Not a scratch. The kid did a good job.

“Nice work.” He praised and Lloyd grinned.

Cryptor wasn’t surprised any more to find himself spontaneously hugged. He hugged the kid back, patting his back gently.

“You did good kid.” He says as he pulled away then left before he had to get even more touchy-feely.

Not that he minded but he’d rather not let the whole of Ninjago know he had feelings. His intimidation factor would go down. He slipped the sword into his sheath then headed inside to set both down on their racks.

“Ah Cryptor.” He glanced over his shoulder to look at Sensei Wu. “Do you have a moment to spare?” He queries.

“Yeah, sure.” Cryptor says, facing him as he walked in. “What can I do for yah?” He asked the Sensei, feeling a little off put by talking with him.

He had nothing bad against him but talking alone with him always made him feel like a troublesome student about to talk with the principal.

“Nothing at all.” That threw Cryptor into a bigger loop. “I only want to let it be known that you are a valuable member of the team.” He says and he relaxed a little.

“You are just as important as the ninja are we are lucky to have you on our side.” He continued and Cryptor glanced away, bashful.

“Well, I’m lucky you guys decided to take me in.” He shrugged.

“We are all lucky to be where we are now.” Wu says and Cryptor knew the hug was coming this time, hugging the old man back carefully.

He knew the older man was made of tougher stuff than even he but it was reflex to be careful around him.

“Thank you.” Cryptor says and Wu smiles.

“It is we who should be thanking you.”

__________________________________________

Cryptor looked at his left wrist as he moved it around, noticing it felt… Off. Did he damage it while trying to stop himself from crashing? Zane walked in then.

“Is something wrong with your wrist?” Zane queries as he walked over to him.

“Not sure. It feels off.” Cryptor admits and he flexes it again, noticing that it kept sticking.

“Here. Let me.” Zane says, sitting next to him then taking his hand, a screwdriver popping out of his own wrist.”Considering that you and Jay went through the sea of sand, it’s most likely sand may be the problem.” He says as he opened up Cryptor’s wrist.

“Probably.” Cryptor shrugged then watched as he partially removed his hand then dust out tiny grains of sand.

“You could have Nya line the vulnerable points in your arm to prevent water and sand from getting in.” Zane suggested, reattaching his arm.

“Probably.” He shrugs again and Zane huffed.

“Is probably all you can say?” He queried.

“Probably.” Cryptor says with a smirk and Zane huffed.

“I suppose I walked into that one.” Zane says drily, pulling back so he could test his much freer wrist. “Better?” He asked and Cryptor contemplated it.

“Probably.” He says and Zane looked at him flatly.

He then looked at Cryptor confused as he opened his arms.

“I know you were gonna hug me anyway so I might as well start it.” Cryptor huffed, looking away.

Zane smiled then hugged him.

“You’re quite the soft-”

“Finish that sentence and I’ll kill you.”

_____________________________________________________

“Oh fuck.” Kai swore later in the day as they all gathered to play video games, having just lost to Nya.

“Ah ah ah! No swearing around the child!” Jay says, reaching up to cover Cryptor’s ears, confusing Lloyd.

Usually he was the child they weren’t supposed to swear around.

“Jay I swear to god-”

“Cheer up Cry!” Kai grinned, throwing an arm around his shoulder then giving him a squeeze. “Jay can’t help but being annoying.” He says with a grin, ignoring Jay’s ‘hey!’.

“You’re right.” Cryptor says with a smirk and Jay huffed, looking away.

“You know, I really like this whole Cryptor Appreciation Day” Nya spoke up and the others shared her sentiments.

“Hey. That new Starfarer episode should be going on any second now.” Lloyd says, changing the video game to tv and flipping to the right channel.

“The Lloydster as spoke.” Cole says, leaning against Cryptor.

By the time the episode started, Cryptor was in the middle of a cuddle pile; Kai leaned against his shoulder with Lloyd laying across both of their laps. Zane was laying in Cole’s lap as Nya and jay leaned back against his legs. He was kinda hot and they were heavy but…. This was… Nice. He relaxed, keeping his eyes trained on the tv. Today wasn’t bad at all...

_____________________________________

(I hope the spelling isn’t too bad! I’m using my sister’s laptop and had to rush it before she snatched it.I hope you liked it!)

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #85: Karna

Today on Fate and Phantasms, we’re making the Hero of Charity and Arjuna’s eternal rival, Karna! While Arjuna’s build focuses on excellence in everything he does and very few combat tricks, Karna’s is the opposite: he specializes in variety in combat, and doesn’t have particularly interesting social encounters.

Check out his build breakdown below the cut, or his character sheet over here!

Next up: Gee, that heroine sure is mysterious...

Race and Background

Karna is the son of the sun, making him a Fire Genasi. This gives him +1 Intelligence and +2 Constitution, Darkvision, Fire Resistance, and the feature Reach to the Blaze. At first level, this allows him to Produce Flame using his constitution as the casting modifier.

Arjuna started at the top, but Karna had to work his way up, starting as a Folk Hero. This gives him Animal Handling and Survival proficiencies.

Ability Scores

Your highest score should be Strength- you need that for stabbing. After that is Charisma; I’d like this one to be lower honestly, but we need it for multiclassing. You’re smart, even in the middle of combat, so next is Intelligence. Everything past this point is frustratingly low, but we needed to make cuts somewhere. Your Dexterity isn’t great, but that’s what you have built-in armor for. Your Constitution is also a lot lower than I’d like, but it’ll get a boost from your racial bonuses. Dumping your Wisdom is the least in-character option, but wisdom’s also the only ability we don’t need for this build and we’re strapped for options. 

Class Levels

1. Fighter 1: You may have noticed Karna’s build is pretty similar to Arjuna’s, and just like his half-brother he starts as a Fighter. Your spear may be massive, but you wield it one-handed and we can’t afford to spend the ASI on war caster, so the Dueling Fighting Style you get at this level will increase all its damage by 2. You also get a Second Wind, letting you spend a bonus action once per short rest to heal a bit. You’re fighting against the Hero of Benefaction, so you’ve got to be in it for the long haul.

As a fighter, you also get proficiency in Strength and Constitution saving throws, as well as two fighter skills. Athletics because you’re clearly in good physical shape, and Insight to help make up for the low wisdom.

2. Fighter 2: Second level fighters get an Action Surge, letting them tack an extra action to their turn once per short rest.

3. Fighter 3: You’re not going to be a bard, so if we want more spells we’ve got to go with Eldritch Knight. They can cast Spells using their Intelligence, and they gain a Weapon Bond. Over the course of an hour, you can bond with a weapon, preventing you from being disarmed and letting you summon said weapon from anywhere in the plane as a bonus action. I’m pretty sure that spear is a part of you; it would really hurt to get it ripped out.

For spells, Blade Ward toughens your skin as an action, giving you resistance to physical damage types. Green Flame Blade adds green flame to your blade, extending the damage of your attack to another target. Shield gives you a higher AC as a reaction, but Mage Armor does that for several hours. Also grab Jump. You may not be able to levitate like Arjuna, but you can still reach him by tripling your jump distance. 

Finally, your Reach to the Blaze evolves, and you can cast Burning Hands once per long rest, also using your Constitution.

4. Fighter 4: Use your first Ability Score Improvement to become a Piercer, adding 1 to your Strength, the ability to re-roll one piercing damage die, and deal additional piercing damage on critical hits.

Also, pick up Burning Hands for stronger and more usable fire fighting.

5. Fighter 5: Fifth level fighters get an Extra Attack each attack action for two to four attacks per turn depending on if you use your Action Surge.

6. Warlock 1: You got your fancy spear from Arjuna’s dad Indra, and if Arjuna’s an Air Genasi Indra’s a Djinni. At first level, he gives you a Genie’s Vessel, a tiny object we went into more detail this time last build, but while touching it you can use a Bottled Respite and Genie’s Wrath. The former lets you enter the vessel once per long rest. You can store items in the vessel until it’s destroyed or you take it back out, and can stay inside for a number of hours equal to twice your proficiency. The latter lets you add your proficiency bonus in thunder damage to anything that’s caused by an attack roll once per turn.

You also get Pact Magic, which has its own unique set of spell slots that don’t mix with your fighter slots, you use Charisma to cast them, and you regain them on short rests. For spells, grab Create Bonfire and Hellish Rebuke for more fire power, Eldritch Blast because it’s cliche, and Detect Evil and Good so you’ll know if those Pandavas are up to anything.

7. Warlock 2: Second level warlocks get Eldritch Invocations. Beast Speech will let you talk to animals at will, because a frighteningly high amount of the animals in the Mahabharata could talk, so you should be able to hear them. Use the other one however you want, we’ll be switching things up next level anyway.

You also get a new spell, the Armor of Agathys, which automatically deals cold damage to anything that hits you in melee range. It doesn’t make you tougher, but you will get hit less.

8. Warlock 3: At third level you get your pact boon, and the Pact of the Blade nets you a cool magical weapon you can summon as an action. It can be whatever you want, but the in-character option is a spear. Or something bigger, if you don’t mind the complications. Either way, you also get the Improved Pact Weapon invocation, adding 1 to attacks and damage rolls made with your weapon and letting you use it as a spellcasting focus. You can also have ranged weapons as your pact weapon, but that’s more your brother’s forte.

You also pick up Mirror Image, making yourself harder to hit thanks to illusory duplicates. We can’t really dedicate too much in the way of Ability Scores to making your armor good, but we can improve it in other ways.

9. Warlock 4: Use your second ASI to become an Elemental Adept. Now when you deal Fire Damage each die is guaranteed to come up at least a 2, and you can ignore fire resistance with your spells. Since Reach to the Blaze lets you cast spells, it’s one of the few features that actually works with this feat. Wild.

Also, pick up Prestidigitation for minor magical effects, and Suggestion. Like I said in the last build, truly powerful warriors can speak events into being, and you’re very powerful.

10. Barbarian 1: You’re not perfect like your brother, but you have natural armor and sometimes you explode. That’s a barbarian, baby! At first level, you get Rages, which you can enter as a bonus action for physical damage resistance, extra damage on weapon attacks, and advantage on strength based checks and saves. You have a limited number per long rest, and they last for a minute or until the fighting stops. Also, you can’t cast or concentrate on spells while raging. You also get Unarmored Defense, giving you an AC based on your Dexterity and Constitution. It’s not good natural armor, but it is natural armor.

11. Barbarian 2: Second level barbarians get a Reckless Attack, gaining advantage on all attacks they make in a turn in exchange for taking advantage on all incoming attacks until the next. You may be hard to hit, but this is pushing your luck. You also get a Danger Sense, helping you avoid dexterity based effects you can see by getting advantage on those dexterity saves. Mirror images won’t protect against fireballs, but this will.

12. Barbarian 3: Our last level of Barbarian sets us down the path of the Storm Herald, giving you a Storm Aura when you rage. Technically you can switch these out on rests, but we’re only interested in the Desert aura, which deals 2 fire damage to all other creatures within 10′ of you when you rage and as a bonus action each turn. You’re the sun, standing next to you should be unpleasant. If your DM’s cool, you can also use the new Tasha’s feature Primal Knowledge to gain a barbarian skill, Nature is pretty nice. It’ll help you know more about the animal friends you get from your Beast Speech conversations.

13. Fighter 6: Sixth level fighters get another ASI, use it for more Constitution for more health, a higher AC, and stronger innate spells.

14. Warlock 5: Fifth level warlocks get third level spells, like Spirit Shroud, a buff that lasts up to a minute with concentration, and makes any attack you make extra shiny, dealing extra radiant, necrotic, or cold damage with each hit if it’s within 10′ of you. Creatures that take this damage also can’t regain HP until the start of your next turn. Finally, you also slow down creatures of your choice within the shroud by 10′. Arjuna speeds up, and you pull him right back.

For your invocation, you also get Eldritch Smite, burning a warlock slot for an extra 4d8 force damage on an attack.

15. Fighter 7: Seventh level eldritch knights know War Magic, letting them attack as a bonus action after casting a cantrip with their main action. Now you can keep up your defense with Blade Ward without being a sitting duck.

You also get second level spells now! Aganazzar’s Scorcher lets you shoot a line of fire out 30′ in front of you.

16. Fighter 8: Use this ASI to bump up your Intelligence for stronger spells, and also pick up Fire Sphere to create a fire sphere that you can move around and shove into people. There might be better uses of your bonus action, but it’s a great visual.

17. Fighter 9: At ninth level of fighter you become Indomitable, letting you reroll a failed save once per short rest. Arjuna has a lot of charms, but falling for them at this point would just be embarrassing. 

18. Fighter 10: Eldritch Knights get Eldritch Strikes. When you hit a creature with your weapons, you impose disadvantage on them for one spell save you make within the next turn. You don’t have a lot of save spells, but now you can really make them count.

Speaking of spells, grab Fire Bolt and Scorching Ray for even more fire. You’re the son of the sun, it’s kind of your thing.

19. Fighter 11: Eleventh level fighters get another Extra Attack for three per action. You also get your final spell, Continual Flame. This one doesn’t actually hurt, but not everyone can have Darkvision cough Arjuna cough.

20. Fighter 12: For your capstone level, use this last ASI for more Constitution, netting you better concentration, stronger innate spells, more HP, and a better AC. Now you can save slots by never using mage armor again!

Pros:

You’re a versatile fighter, with spells to make your fighting better and fighting to make your spells better.

Your critical hits hurt a lot, and you have plenty of opportunities to show that off thanks to your reckless attacks and extra attacks. Tack on a Green-Flame Blade, Spirit Shroud, and Eldritch Smite, and you’re looking at 3d6+16d8+6 damage in one go.

You’re pretty hard to hit, in the sense that people won’t want to. With spells like Hellish Rebuke and Armor of Agathys making it a bad idea and Mirror Image making hitting you at all a bit trickier.

Cons:

You’re definitely not hard to hit in terms of AC. 14 isn’t bad, but it’s not good for a frontline fighter, especially when you’re dealing with a prick who’s only too happy to shove an arrow in your spine from 100 yards away. You can use Shield to match up with Arjuna’s AC, but that will eat your spell slots very fast.

Your build is also all over the place, and incredibly Multi Ability Dependent. You need strength for stabbing, dexterity and constitution for not dying, and Intelligence and Charisma for your spells. Add on having high wisdom is in-character, and you have no scores you can comfortably dump. As such, you’re okay at everything in a fight, great at nothing.

Also thanks to your mixing of classes, you have to deal with the classic Rage/Spell choice. Most of your best armor spells don’t need concentration though, so it isn’t quite as much of an issue as it could be.

All that’s fine though, just get in close and make sure your brother can’t make a run for it and you’ll easily be able to outlast him in a straight fight. Just don’t be surprised if he fights dirty.

[writersrealmbts]

Sleigh Ride

Description: Christmas story raffle submission, Safe with Me Universe, Sanctuary Series. Hybrid Kook brings a friend over for Christmas holidays, and doesn't like it when Taehyung catches her under the mistletoe and leaves his scent on her. He needs to fix it, right now.

Warnings: Read Description

Posted: 12/25/2018

Tags:  Hybrid Jungkook, Bunny Hybrid Jungkook

Fluffy/angsty: 3,414 words

A/N: I used placeholder names for the other readers. Ava is another of the most common names, Ren because of the meaning, and Ariel because it means lion. Because I wasn’t going to go through the insanity of trying to leave everyone nameless.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Happy Holidays!

You and Jungkook met by chance when you started tutoring alongside your best friend’s brother for some extra cash. You were meeting up with Josh to get his advice on how to help a student you were tutoring when you ran into the bunny-hybrid and you just sort of blinked in surprise as he caught the book you dropped. He was a little shy, but so were you. You both stood there, trying to think of something to say until you both started talking at once. Josh intervened right about then, asking you to take over tutoring Jungkook because the help he needed was more in your wheelhouse. Thus, you two started getting coffee together and he told you about his family and you told him about your lack-thereof. Just you and your former owner, who would be on his honeymoon for Christmas. That’s when he got the idea to invite you to his family’s Christmas, insisting that they wouldn’t mind and that there would totally be enough food for you and that they wouldn’t buy presents for you so you didn’t have to buy presents for them. “What if I already got you a Christmas present?” You teased, thinking of how it was waiting in your room to be wrapped and how you had planned to give it to him at your next tutoring session. You were always well prepared for things, storing them away due to your squirrel genes. You finished Christmas shopping before December even hit. He had gotten flustered. “Well…we could exchange gifts. No sense in returning them.” You grinned at him. “You got me a gift already?” He looked away, sort of sheepish. “Jungkook, you are a complete sweetheart. But…won’t it be a little…awkward?” He shook his head. “Dinner is technically completely separate occasion for us. We’ve already done presents in the morning and lunch is the big thing. Dinner is mostly whatever was left of lunch and we’re all just…chilling. Goofing off. The kids are with Eomma and Appa. We’re playing games and barely hitting the eggnog and mulled cider. Jimin, Yoongi, and Jimin’s wife enjoy some catnip. You’ll like them. Well, Namjoon and his mate can be a little standoffish, but they’ll warm up. They’re wolf hybrids.” “Really? That’s so cool. You know they’re going extinct,” You said. “Actually, that’s going to be on the next test. Write that down.” His eyes widened, muttering a curse under his breath and jotting it into his study notes. “This final is going to suck.” “You’ll be fine. As long as you remember that the breeding of wolf hybrids stopped being practiced the year before I was born.” You jotted down the year in his notes. “You’re positive that your family won’t mind?” “Eomma and Appa are always saying my friends are more than welcome. They sort of adopt people anyway. Christmas dinner isn’t a big deal. Now, are you going to accept and move on to helping me pass this final, or are we going to schedule tutoring sessions for next semester when I have to retake this course?” You rolled your eyes and hit his head with your fluffy tail. “You’ve passed so far. You’d get a good enough grade to pass. Wouldn’t look great for your GPA, but you’d still pass.” You stirred your hot chocolate and turned your attention to your own textbook. “You’re coming, right?” He asked softly, his bunny ears back against his head. You smiled and nodded. “Yeah, Kook. I’d love to.” “Good.” ———— You rang the doorbell, though you doubted you really needed to when Jungkook opened the door the moment you pressed it. He grinned. “You came!” “I told you I would,” You replied, smiling and following him inside. You let him take your coat and scarf. Three curious little heads were peeking around the doorway, whispering and giggling. Jungkook gestured toward them. “The triplets, Nari, Kaemon, and Minsu. You guys can meet her, she doesn’t bite. Right y/n?” You nodded. “Right. Jungkook has told me lots about you.” Nari and one of the boys hurried forward, sniffing and smiling at you. “Are you Jungkook’s girlfriend?” The boy asked. “Yah, Minsu, what have we told you about sticking your nose where it isn’t wanted?” Jungkook asked, tossing the boy over his shoulder. Minsu just laughed. “Hyung!” Nari hopped closer. “Hi, you smell good.” “That’s not how we start polite conversation,” A woman, Emma—you assumed, said softly. Nari gave her a sheepish smile. “Hello, I’m Nari, Jungkook-oppa’s little sister. That’s Minsu, and this is Kaemon,” She said, pulling the last little boy from where he was hiding shyly beside his mother’s legs. “Nice to meet you, Nari.” You shook her little hand, then stood back up at smiled at the woman. “You must be Emma?” She nodded. “And you’re y/n. Jungkook has told us a lot about you.” “All good?” She laughed when Kook gave both of you a scared look. “Of course.” You smiled. “Thank you for letting me come here—” “Oh, don’t even mention it. We’re happy to have you. Alright, my little munchkins, time for quiet time with your appa and me.” She herded the two on the floor toward the stairs. “Have fun. Don’t burn the house down. Same rules as always,” She told Jungkook, kissing his cheek after he put Minsu down. “Yes, eomma,” He replied softly, looking at her with more love than you had ever seen on his face before. It was strange seeing him at home. He was nice, really and truly, but he always seemed a little nervous even around his friends. Here he was completely relaxed, ears in a neutral position and expression completely open. You loved it. She disappeared upstairs, calling over her shoulder, “Tell Jin to bring the can of whipped cream.” “Yes, eomma,” Jungkook waved for you to follow him into the next room. “Bathroom is over there. This is the kitchen and living room.” You nodded, scurrying a little closer because now you were feeling a little shy as you saw his family all gathered in the area, most of the attention was on a toddler that was playing with a stuffed animal the same size as her, her stump of a tail lashing playfully. “Appa, eomma said to bring the can of whipped cream,” Jungkook told a dog-hybrid that was putting mugs on a tray. “This is y/n. Y/n, this is Jin. He’s the one who adopted me.” You smiled. “Jungkook’s told me all about you. And Emma. Actually, all of you. I’m sort of a history buff, I like hearing people’s stories.” Jin smiled at you. “Welcome to our house. Glad to meet you. We understand that you’re the reason Jungkook’s passed most of his classes this semester.” You giggled as Jungkook groaned and rolled his eyes. “He just needed someone to make him sit down and study, right, Kook?” He grumbled something about regrets. You turned as someone tapped your shoulder. The monkey-hybrid grinned at you. “I’m Taehyung. And you’re standing under mistletoe.” You looked up, eyes widening. He dropped a kiss on your lips quickly, then darted away with a mischievous laugh. You stared after him, then quickly sidestepped away from the mistletoe before anyone else got any bright ideas. Your pressed the back of your cold fingers to your burning cheeks. Jin was barely suppressing his laughter. Jungkook was rigid, eyes huge, brow furrowed, and lips parted in surprise. You cleared your throat. “Um, introduce me to the others before they decide to introduce themselves to me under mistletoe.” Jungkook scowled momentarily, then nodded and led the way over to the others. “That’s Yoongi and his daughter Eunyeong, that’s Taehyung, who you met. Namjoon and his mate, Ava. Jimin and his wife, Ariel. Hoseok and Ren. This is y/n. My friend.” “Good kisser,” Taehyung chuckled. You closed your eyes, listening as Taehyung was scolded and teased and told to behave. Jungkook put an arm around you. “Don’t worry. I’ll take him if he tries anything again.” You glanced up at him and then let him lead you to a seat on the couch Yoongi was sitting on. Eunyeong came over, curious. “Hi.” “Hello,” You replied, waving a little. She grinned. “Hi.” You giggled. “Hello, what’s your name?” “Euny,” She replied, hugging your legs as she sniffed you. “W’as you name?” “Y/n,” You told her gently. She parroted you, then giggled and let go, going over to Yoongi. “Appa, that’s y/n,” She said, crawling up into his lap and then reaching precariously to pull the stuffed animal up as well. He stopped her, picking it up himself and setting it on Jungkook’s lap. “Careful, Euny.” He spoke in a tired voice, unemotional, but she just purred and snuggled into him, earning a small smile. Ava, Namjoon’s mate, smiled at you. “Jungkook talks a lot about you. What about him? What’s he like when he’s not around us?” “Jumpy,” You replied, hearing a small grunt of protest from Jungkook. You nudged him. “Don’t deny it. Took me two months, that’s fourteen study sessions where we spent three hours together to get him to even look my in the eyes and speak a sentence without then blushing and running out on some fruitless errand like getting more coffee or a snack before inevitably having to return and continue studying. When he finally did start talking to me, it was because he saw my boyfriend cheating on me.” “That was a mess,” Jungkook muttered, arm going around your shoulders again and his nose twitching like he smelled something bad. Ren gave a sympathetic smile. “Jerk?” “Major jerk. Made it so I was afraid to even talk to him. Jungkook and my friends had to back me up. Even then, my former owner had to threaten him to never come around me again. My roommate was extremely concerned. But that was forever ago. Jungkook’s talked to me ever since.” You gently elbowed him, smiling at him. Ava flashed you a big grin. “How long have you two been—” “Isn’t it time for Eunyeong’s nap?” Jungkook asked a little too loudly. Yoongi gave Jungkook a glare you would never want to receive. Euny went still, eyes getting huge, tail fluffing out. “Nooooo!” She mewled out, sounding absolutely heartbroken. Tears immediately fell down her face. The entire room was tense. Ava and Namjoon looked like they were looking for something to attack. Jimin’s ears were back, looking almost as heartbroken as Eunyeong sounded and Ariel was holding onto him and biting her lip. Hoseok had his face behind his hand and Ren was giving Yoongi a sympathetic look. Jungkook looked like he had serious regrets. “Hyung, I’m sorry.” Yoongi snatched up Eunyeong and her stuffed animal. “Shh, baby, it’s not time for a nap.” He went into a different room that Jungkook hadn’t labeled. Taehyung reached out, looking upset, but he then gave Jungkook a hard look. “Yah! Jungkook! We just told you not to mention naps around Euny!” Jungkook’s ears were flat and the scent he gave off spoke of how ashamed he felt. “Sorry, hyung.” You reached out and touched Taehyung’s shoulder as he got ready to speak again. “I’m sure it wasn’t intentional, oppa.” Taehyung looked at you, expression softening into something a little more like an upset pout. He took your hand. Then Jungkook had him pinned to the floor and Taehyung was yelping in surprise. You flinched. Jimin quickly pulled Jungkook off of Taehyung after some harshly whispered words and a stern look. Jungkook tore away from Jimin, grabbed your arm and pulled you out of the room, he tossed your coat, purse, and scarf at you before dragging you outside. “Jungkook?!” You finally tore away from him once you were both outside. He whipped around and glared at you. “Why did you do that?” “Do what?” You asked, folding your arms, and glaring right back. “Let him kiss you! Touch him! Calling him oppa! What are you doing treating him like that? Now his smell is all over you!” He grabbed you and pulled you to his chest, holding you there as he growled a very un-bunny-like growl. You were sort of stunned into complacency as he started rubbing all over you, covering you with his scent. “Stupid mistletoe, stupid Taehyung,” He muttered, suddenly nipping at your scent gland. You jumped. “Jungkook?” He pulled away when he heard your tone, wincing. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.” You just looked at him, bewildered. “What is going on, Jungkook?” He looked down. “I don’t want his scent on you.” “So you tackled him and then dragged me out into the cold?” You slipped your coat on. “And basically kicked me out of your house after inviting me. I haven’t even been here half an hour. If you didn’t want me to come, then you shouldn’t have invited me!” He looked up at you with alarm. “What? No! I want you here! I’m not kicking you out, I just had to get you away from him! From them! It’s not fair for their scent to be on you when none of mine is!” You frowned at him. “Jungkook, your scent is all over me. Taehyung barely touched me. You’ve been hanging all over me for weeks. It’d take four showers and a completely new wardrobe to get your scent out.” He blinked at you. “Could you just say it? Could you just tell me that you want to date me. To be my mate already. Do you even realize that you’ve basically been going through all the regular mating rituals without ever saying anything?” You folded your arms, frowning at him. “Or kissing me. I think I’ve been pretty patient through all of this, don’t you?” His eyes were huge, staring at you, but also distant as his mind went over everything. “Oh man, holy—” “Jungkook?” Emma asked, opening the front door. “What is going on?” He looked over at her, then back at you as you pulled your scarf tightly around you to ward off the cold. You wore your dress jacket because you were just going from the car to the house and it provided very little warmth. “Y/n, are you leaving already?” Emma asked, still giving Jungkook that mom look. “I honestly don’t know,” You replied, folding your arms and hunching your shoulders to try and contain the warmth. Jungkook closed his eyes. “Eomma, could you go back inside. We’ll be back in soon.” She looked at you, silently asking if you were okay. You hesitated, then nodded. She nodded and went back inside. Jungkook put both hands on your shoulders. “I didn’t realize I was doing it.” “I’m seeing that.” “I’m sorry. I…should have been more careful and I shouldn’t have reacted like that. I just…after seeing you with your ex…I never wanted to see you hurt again and when Taehyung kissed you…” He scowled at the ground, then looked into your eyes with determination. “Will you still have me?” You blinked at the intensity in his gaze. “I don’t know.” He looked down, then stepped closer and kissed you. It was soft, sweet, everything you knew he was. Perfect. You looked up at him. “You can’t just freak out like that. Not around your family. It’s embarrassing for me, you know.” He nodded. “I’m sorry. I just…I didn’t want to lose you so I never said anything.” “Jungkook,” You said softly. “Just kiss me.” He relaxed, smiling and leaning down to kiss you again. Then again. His arms wrapped around you, and you curled into the warmth that emanated from him. He pulled away, running his fingers through your hair with a small smile. “I’ve always wanted to play with your hair. And feel your ears. Can I feel your ears?” You nodded, leaning into his chest. His hand slid through your hair, then pet it down before he tentatively slid his hand over your ears. “They’re so small and cute,” He murmured. You giggled softly. “I’m a squirrel-hybrid. What did you expect?” He leaned down and kissed you. “Is it weird that we’re different hybrid species?” “Do you really care? Because if you do, then we can’t go forward.” “I don’t. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t think so. You met Ariel. She’s a mix of two hybrid species. She’s fox and cat. We’re at least in the same family of species.” Jungkook looked thoughtful. “Um,” You started, wondering if you should burst his bubble. “Actually, squirrels are in the order Rodentia while rabbits are in the order Lagomorpha, which puts me in the family Sciuridae and you in the family Leporidae.” He blinked at you blankly. “But…” “It changed a few years ago. Like twelve.” He looked at the ground. “Well, that’s going to affect my grade in Biology…” You winced. “That was actually on your test?” He nodded. “Well, you should still be able to pass. Come on. I’m freezing. And I was promised food.” He blinked a few more times, then nodded. “Right. You look cute when you eat. Your cheeks get all puffy.” You groaned. “Do not let me store food in my cheeks in front of your family. I am not going to behave like a squirrel in front of them.” “It’s cute. If we’re dating, can I play with your tail? It’s so fluffy.” “Not in front of other people. I have pride, you know.” You hit him in the face with your tail. He smiled at you. “Can we cuddle?” “Sure, but don’t trap me. I’ll freak out.” He caught you, ears perked with excitement. “Can we hang out without studying?” “We better,” You replied, smiling up at him. He bit his lip. “I freaked out earlier and mentioned Eunyeong’s naptime because Ava was about to ask how long we’ve been dating. She’s trouble. I could see the question in her eyes and I didn’t want her to ask that and make things awkward and everything just spiraled out of control from there. I am so sorry, I promise I won’t do anything like that ever again.” You just smiled at him. “It’s okay, Kook. It’s nice seeing you here. Where you’re most comfortable. I just want you to be relaxed and happy. Nothing’s going to happen with me and any other guy.” He nodded, eyes closed as you kissed him. His arm slid gently around your waist, guiding you back inside. He helped you take your coat off, hanging it up with your scarf and purse. He then guided you back into the room where the rest of his family was, including Yoongi and Eunyeong but excluding Emma, Jin, and the triplets. Jimin came over, looking worried. “Everything okay?” Jungkook nodded. “Yeah, hyung. I was just being stupid.” You nudged him gently. “We’re good now. Go apologize to Taehyung.” He nodded again. “Can you wait here? I want to sit by you.” You nodded, nudging him again gently. Jimin stood with you, watching him go. “He never clarified this was a date, did he?” You laughed softly. “I don’t think he even thought of it as a date until Taehyung kissed me and he didn’t like it.” He grinned. “You’re all he talks about.” “I’ve been accused of doing the same by my friends and family,” You replied, biting your lip. “How awkward was it when we left?” “We’ve had weirder. We just gave Taehyung some sweet potato chips and showed him the pictures of the kids Ariel is working with at the clinic. They’ll talk it out. Ren, Hoseok, and Ava are getting dinner together.” He gestured toward the kitchen where they were working. Jungkook came back over. “We’re good. Time to eat, Noona?” “Almost,” Ren replied, setting more dishes on the table. Jungkook wrapped his arms around you cautiously, sneakily kissing your cheek. “Your tail, that’s going to be enemy number 1, isn’t it?” “Always,” You replied cheerfully, resting your cheek against his. “But it’s nice and warm like a blanket in winter.” He smiled. “That does sound nice,” He whispered in your ear. Taehyung’s laugh filled the room. “Hey! They’re matching shades of red!” He grinned at the two of you and then started dodging around the table as Jungkook playfully chased him. Your eyes followed your bunny, grateful for this wonderful, magical day.

Masterlist. ~~  Series Masterpost.  ~~  Next Part

[mezzopurrloin]

Mezzo Plays Final Fantasy X: Part 7

The Crusaders have set up a blockade at the end of Mi'ihen Highroad, and they aren't letting anyone pass through.

Dona is pretty irritated at this.

They're preparing for their operation to defeat Sin. The plan: use captured Sinspawn to lure it into a trap, then assault it with everything they have.

Naturally, they need to prevent anyone else from crossing the path, for their own safety.

Yuna's party wonders what to do if they can't go forward.

Help arrives from an unexpected place.

Maester Seymour seems to have taken an interest in Yuna, and he wants her to accompany him to the site of Operation Mi'ihen.

The operation takes place on Mushroom Rock Road, a rocky area just past Mi'ihen. It's actually a joint effort between the Crusaders and the Al Bhed, and the Al Bhed are using machina weapons to assist.

Wakka doesn't like this. Seymour explains that though this is technically against the teachings, their intentions are pure, and they are willing to risk it for the greater good.

There's a bit of walking to do before reaching the command center. This valley is full of random encounters too.

The fungus-like fiends will occasionally counter attacks by spreading pollen.

This is no time to be falling asleep on the job, guys. A good smack will wake them up, but it has to be physical damage, not magic. Lulu and Yuna are good for this, since their physical attacks are pretty weak.

Lulu's attack animation has her doll walk over to the target, then leap up and give it a strike. It's pretty adorable.

Cannons are set all along the cliffs, manned by the Al Bhed. Wakka tries to kick one but just ends up hurting his foot.

The Crusaders stand on the coast, readying themselves for battle.

We meet the organizer of this operation: Maester Kinoc, another of the four maesters of Yevon. He and Auron know each other, but Auron doesn't take very kindly to him.

It turns out he's expecting this mission to fail. Why? Probably so that he can show the people that the teachings of Yevon are the only true path.

There's no time to worry about that, though. One of the Sinspawn has escaped.

This thing has multiple targetable body parts. It shields its midsection with its two arms, and its head can spit dangerous venom if not attacked.

I charged up both aeons' Overdrives beforehand in anticipation of this fight. Amon's Hellfire roasted the arms, but they eventually regenerate.

Then I had Yuna perform a Grand Summon on Yvonne, letting me use two Energy Blasts in a row. This ended up disabling the head too. Even with all that, this is still a long fight. Having to continually defeat the arms gets tiresome. Thankfully, they can't block magic.

Auron got to use his Overdrive too. The gimmick for his Bushido Overdrive is you have to press the buttons in a certain order, and if you mess up you repeat the entire thing again.

Eventually, the fiend was felled.

Sin rises from the ocean.

The cannons fire, and the Crusaders charge forward.

All seems to be going well, but then Sin launches its counterattack.

The warriors on the coast are disintegrated in an instant.

Back up on the cliff, it turns out the Sinspawn isn't quite dead yet. Yuna and Auron fight against it, and they're joined by Seymour. He's a spellcaster with both black and white magic, and can use the second tier of black magic spells: Fira, Thundara, Blizzara, and Watera.

Unfortunately, you don't get to summon his aeon.

With Seymour's assistance, the fiend is defeated in a snap.

Everyone got a lot of S.Lvls from the fight, including Seymour. Sadly, it's a fake out. He's only playable for that one battle.

The fight against Sin continues, and the Al Bhed decide to activate their secret weapon.

They put the machina on full blast, but its power still isn't enough to penetrate the barrier.

And then Sin makes its move.

Operation Mi'ihen has failed.

The beach is strewn with the bodies of the fallen.

Luzzu is dead, and Gatta is in shock.

Sin returns to the ocean, and Tidus follows after.

"I have no idea what I was thinking when I ran after Sin that day. But before I knew what I was doing, there I was chasing him down like a thief at market. Maybe I was angry. Maybe I wanted to go home. I kept thinking of Zanarkand, and my old man."

Where could this be? It seems to be a place the fallen souls of the Crusaders are at. And the mysterious child is here as well...

Tidus has another flashback, and recalls himself talking to Jecht about his drinking problem. Jecht claims he can stop any time he wants, and he's still the best anyway.

"I thought I sensed my old man there. Somewhere... Or maybe it was just Sin's toxin playing tricks on my mind."

"How many died today? People die, and Yuna dances. When will she stop dancing? When will it stop? Yuna won't stop dancing -- not until Sin is gone. Those were my thoughts then...I think."

Tidus finds himself on the beach again. All the party members are gathered here now, and thankfully none were lost in the devastation.

Kinoc and Seymour are alive and well. Auron notes that those who turned from Yevon died, while the faithful lived on. This probably isn't a coincidence.

Seymour reminds Yuna that she is the people's hope, and if she needs someone to lean on, he is there for her.

Auron claims that Jecht came to see Tidus, so that Tidus would kill him. It's the only way to end the carnage. Tidus still isn't sure if he believes it.

He speaks! Kimahri knows that Yuna must stay strong and put on a cheerful face despite the adversity. The only thing they can do now is continue the pilgrimage.

They walk down the Djose Highroad, meeting survivors from the mission. They say that this is the result of their failure to follow the teachings.

We meet some more fiends too. These basilisks are quite dangerous, and have the ability to turn foes to stone. Petrification is one of the worst statuses to be hit by, as it doesn't wear off over time and is effectively counted as death. It can be cured using Yuna's Esuna spell, or the Soft item.

Kimahri can learn the Stone Breath Overdrive from them, allowing him to do this too. Well, actually it doesn't work on these, but this is a nice ability to have regardless.

We also picked up a few more abilities. Tidus got Provoke, which draws an enemy's attention. Wakka learned Sleep Attack, Lulu got to the second tier of black magic, and Auron learned Guard, allowing him to take damage for an ally. Yuna learned the Pray ability, which restores a little HP to everyone. It doesn't cost any MP, so it's good to use on turns where she has nothing else to do.

As they reach the end of the road, Yuna explains the purpose of the pilgrimage. All of the other temples, the aeons she acquires, they're all just practice for the Final Summoning.

Lucil, Elma, and Clasko all survived, but only one chocobo did. They're unsure what to do now, since they can't really be Chocobo Knights without chocobos.

The group has reached Djose Temple. It doesn't look too impressive.

At least not until a flash of lightning blows the rock off, showing the temple's true form.

We meet another summoner inside the temple. His name is Isaaru, and his younger brothers Pacce and Maroda serve as his guardians.

Just before entering the Cloister of Trials, Maroda warns Tidus about summoners mysteriously disappearing.

This temple's all about lightning. Djose Spheres are used to provide power and control electric currents. Here we need to use the spheres to light up the sigil of Yevon on the floor.

There's a Glyph Sphere in a slot too high to reach, so instead we need to channel its power into a Djose Sphere.

Once the sigil is lit up, it opens an elevator to the second floor.

Up there, we connect a few more power lines and the puzzle is complete. We can use a Destruction Sphere to get a treasure too.

This is for the Sphere Grid. It can be used to fill in an empty slot, turning it into a node that increases Magic. I plan to use it somewhere on Lulu's path, where both Lulu and Kimahri can take advantage of the boost.

We meet Dona again outside the chamber of the fayth. She's rather annoyed that Yuna has so many guardians, and that Maester Seymour has taken such an interest in her. Barthello, on the other hand, takes the time to fanboy over Auron, saying that he's the reason he became a guardian.

Yuna emerges from the chamber with her new aeon.

His canon name is Ixion. Kaminari is Japanese for 'thunder', perfect for a thunder-based aeon. Credit to Sky for giving me this name.

Yuna oversleeps the next morning. She had been up all night, healing the wounded and sending the fallen. The group gives her some soft teasing about her hair, and they all laugh a bit.

"I hadn't really laughed like that in a long time. It was only later that I realized... The only one really laughing then...was me. Laughing must have been the only thing keeping them going."

The next destination is the temple at Macalania. To reach it, they need to cross the Moonflow, but I'll get into that in the next post.

However, I can't just leave without trying the new aeon out.

Much like the temple he's from, Kaminari is all about lightning and electricity. His special is Aerospark, which deals damage and dispels enemy buffs, and he starts with the Thunder and Thundara spells.

Like Amon, he can heal by casting them on himself.

And now it's time to call down the thunder with his Overdrive.

He starts by charging up power in his horn...

Then fires a bolt that expands into a ball of lightning.

He follows up by sending a spark across the lightning bolt...

Which makes everything explode in a bright flash.

The hammer falls, and Yuna's journey continues onward.