#I managed to stay up like most of the day which is wild considering I got uhhhhhhhhh. 3?? hours of sleep 🤠 how do I keep doing this

[red-moon-at-night]

sleepy........I go curl up into a ball now okay bye 👋👋👋

[goliath-de-senfina-sango]

Danny Phantom and the Riordanverse

I have some thoughts about a Shared World kind of crossover between Danny Phantom and Percy Jackson & the Olympians. I haven’t done a full rewatch of DP in ages, nor have a read outside the core 5 PJO books, the HOO books, the Kane Chronicles, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, and about 2 and a half of the Trials of Apollo books, also been a while. Apologies for any inaccuracies but hey, fanon.

A Glitch In Time canonizes that the Infinite Realms and Material World were once one and the same, but a global war - waged by people who were naturally half ghost the way Danny and Vlad are - split the world in 2. All things regarding Pariah Dark, I’d say he was one of the major powers in this war.

Realms can range from a 10x10x10 room to entire islands with their own celestial bodies like Dora’s kingdom and its sun. Technically we don’t know if the Far Frozen even has an End Point. Doors can lead to alternate timelines; Desiree, Ghost Writer and Clockwork are all able to warp reality, time included, and the Observant Council perceive time in at least 2 dimensions.

In the Riordanverse it is revealed in the few books of the Trials of Apollo that I read and remember that mortal belief from even a relatively small cult can elevate a mortal man to immortal status a la monsters and Gods. Apollo even muses about the way the Gods don’t want to acknowledge how dependent on mortals remembering them they are.

All of this considered, if you want DP to exist in the Riodanverse and even keep the lore of both, then the Realms/Planes/Worlds of the Gods - of Hellas, Kemet, the Æsir and Vanir, the Heavenly Beauracracy, etcetera - are Realms connected to the Spirit World but managed to remain intersected with the Material World through the efforts of the Gods and the memories of Mortals.

The Duat could even be a layer of the Infinite Realms, frankly.

Danny states that his accident was a month ago as of Episode 1, Mystery Meat, which is set April 3rd, 2004. Based on the few concrete date indicators we get in Danny Phantom, the series takes place over 3 years. 4 if you count Claw of the Wild, but that means the trio stays Tiny all the way into Senior Year lol.

Prisoners of Love begins on May 18th, Fright Knight is a Halloween episode, and in Lucky in Love, they’re at a waterpark, which only open in May at the earliest. The Fright Before Christmas is obviously set before and during Christmas and then Reality Trip is set at the beginning of Summer 2006.

In Urban Jungle, Tucker remarks that it’s 90 degrees outside, which means it’s either late May or early June since I do believe they Are in school at that point and iirc global warming hadn’t made it 90 in the midwest early in 2006. Claw of the Wild is an odd camping episode featuring Danny’s class, and I forget in episode details so if this was during school time it had to be during the spring since, again, they live relatively close to the Great Lakes, so it’s gotta be during a naturally warm time. A Glitch In Time, therefore, is set in late spring or early summer of 2008.

Percy Jackson is 12 at the beginning of The Lightning Thief & 13 at the end Iirc since his birthday is August 12th. Either way, this is in 2005. Sea of Monsters and Titan’s Curse are both set during 2006; Battle of the Labyrinth is in 2007, and iirc The Last Olympian is set next year during 2008 and Percy is 16.

Thereby when the Heroes of Olympus books begin in 2008-2009, Danny is 18 and either a senior or highschool graduate. This is a hilarious point in time for Percy to meet Danny, actually, or any of our protagonist crew, if you want to maintain canon for both.

I know most people don’t, in fact, care to keep up DP canon nearly this rigidly, so some other fun thoughts.

In Reality Trip, Freakshow acquires the Reality Gauntlet, and begins the summer (as this begins on a last day of school event I’d say probably even on the Solstice) of 2006 with a reality warping bang. Once he gets the gems, Freakshow transforms the whole world into his circus, until Danny tricks him and gets the glove back, fixing reality to exactly how it was before the change, wiping his identity from the memories of everyone save Tuck, Sam, & Jazz, and then destroyed the Reality Gauntlet in a single shot.

This, I imagine, would grab the attention of The Gods. That’s if the Pariah Dark situation didn’t register to them, even. Considering Percy is 13 at the time and due to deal with the Sea of Monsters situation, the Kane siblings haven’t been recruited yet (I think) and Magnus is still just a homeless kid in Boston, I dunno if anyone from New Rome would be sent but the Gods of various pantheons may investigate directly or through minor gods/spirits.

The House of Life certainly wouldn’t approve of the Ghost Portals, Vlad, or possibly even Danny. Hell, Luke might actually be sent to recruit Danny or Vlad to the Titan’s cause now that I think about it.

With the fact that Danny, Vlad, and Dan were destroying other timelines while smashing into them from sheer speed through the Spirit World during A Glitch In Time, I’d say Danny is at least a 6D being (existing in at least 4 dimensions of space and 2 of time.) If that doesn’t count him as a God, idk what would. Also during Infinite Realms, Vlad and Danny time travel to both ancient Rome during an event in the colosseum and ancient China at a monetary. If these are the same universe as Danny’s, then he and Vlad should have a myth or two regarding one another, which would also put them on the watch list for Olympus and the Bureaucracy of Heaven.

But hey, what do you think? I’m open to talk about this and wanna hear other people’s thoughts and opinions.

[kkaewrites]

real or not real — nagi seishiro x reader !

warnings. indecent language, ooc nagi.

tropes. meet-ugly, enemies to lovers.

you hate nagi seishiro.

he was stone cold, often referred to as socially awkward— but you feel like those were just excuses to make up for his rude and nasty behavior. personally, you think he’s overrated just because he’s considered a soccer genius. of course, no one ever believes you. they think your hatred clouds your judgement (it obviously does not).

you first met him when you were in grade school, deskmates for the first day of class. he was shorter than you at that time, but aside from his height, everything about him stayed the same. he still has the same gunmetal gray eyes that’s either reflected with boredom or reflected by the screen of his gray nintendo gameboy. he still has the same white hair, as clean as the first drop of snow, but as wild as a lion’s mane.

to you, there was absolutely nothing about him that’s fascinating— he was the same as any average boy. playing mobile games was his favorite past time, so much so that you believed that it was his lifeline at one point. or so you’d assume. he always kept to himself and was left to his own devices (quite literally), most things that kids enjoy don’t seem to pique his interest. you guess those were the reasons why he didn’t have many friends.

no, scratch that— he didn’t have any friends.

at first you wondered why. if there’s one thing you noticed about him even at a very young age, it’s that he’s handsome. he doesn’t have to be the “rich kid” with amazing gadgets and fancy toys, or the “cool kid” who knows what right words to say and way to say it, but he’s nagi. he was conventionally attractive without even trying. however, that fact doesn’t seem to make up for the fact that he looks lonely.

so, you’ve devised a plan to talk to him.

“hey. sei-chan, wanna be my friend?” you’re everyone’s friend. the sunshine child, the one who always lends her classmate crayons or pencils, the kid with pigtails who smile at strangers for no reason. you’re the kid that everyone loves, and if by some miracle, someone hates you (which has never happened and will never happen)— everyone would simply take your side. you’re loved by all.

if nagi was shocked by your sudden proposal, his features didn’t show any signs of it. what he does is pause his current game and faces you. it’s the first time you’ve ever stared at him eye-to-eye. your heart jumps.

uh oh. is this what they call a crush?

eyes filled with hope, you patiently waited for nagi’s response. you expected him to utter “sure” wearing his usual monotone voice, but it doesn’t come. and what he says instead ruins you. your heart does a somersault and tumbles, crashing onto the pavement and breaking into tiny, gliterring pieces. it did not feel good.

“no thanks. i despise people like you.”

you’re not sure what you’ve done wrong at that very moment. maybe you were too blunt, too cheery, too whatever — just something too much to be able to upset someone like nagi seishiro, who doesn’t feel strongly about anything or anyone. you didn’t have the courage to ask him what you’ve done wrong because your vision blurs. you always reckoned that it was due to anger, but your mother who saw you run home with tear-streaked cheeks says otherwise.

you still don’t know how you managed to piss off nagi, even until your very first year of college. after grade school, you never saw him again. you heard he studied at some prestigious high school but that was the end of it, you never really asked because you had no interest whatsoever. you somehow managed to assure yourself that there was no way you’d ever cross paths with him once again— so why is he here?

why, of all places, would he be your deskmate for your politics class?

at this point, you thought maybe the gods above despised you, too. did they hate you enough to not only be schoolmates, not only be classmates with this man, but to be deskmates? hate is the only logical explanation for this fucked-up coincidence. you’re not keen on fates or invisible strings so you’re sure this was just a punishment for you.

oh god. you hate it so much. you hate him so much.

without a word, you took the seat right next to him, taking the opportunity while he’s sound asleep. you’re not sure why he would take politics as his subject, because as far as you know about him, all he ever cares about is his mobile games. maybe soccer as well, but that’s not exactly related to politics, either.

when the professor enters the class, you found no reason to wake him up. he could get screamed at for all you care, but there was no way you’d ever converse with him at your own accord. because the only way you’d ever survive sitting next to him for the whole semester is by not acknowledging him at all. you can do that. you can avoid talking or looking at him. he’s not that talkative (and he’s not even awake) to begin with.

until your plan crashes and burns.

he turns out to be your partner for a school project— a big one, at that. you considered going solo, but the whole point of the project is to make sure two people are working together. it was a community development kind of plan, so unless he works with you and you work with him, you’d be getting an F for your politics class. that, you can’t have. even if it meant talking to him and enduring his presence.

he wakes up right after the class ended and you could barely contain your scoff. he sat through the whole 2 hour lecture just like that, does he have no care for his grades? doesn’t matter. it’s none of your business if he fails, that simply means that you won’t see him much anymore (which is a win for you).

you sighed. he should’ve been paired with someone else. why did it have to be you? why did it have to be your deskmate? and why did he have to be your deskmate? it was too much. how could you ever work with someone you hate? with someone who hates you?

you’re going to fail politics. you’re 100% sure of that. there was just no way that you’d ever accomplish this task— or you could beg your professor to let you switch partners. or you could ask your classmates to let you switch... but who would ever want someone as lazy as nagi to be their partner? fuck.

from the corner of your eye, you saw nagi yawn. it took all of you to swallow your pride whole and gulp it down to ever approach him, but it’s better than not trying. if you fail, at least you tried. even if it meant battling your inner demons.

so, clutching your bag straps tightly as if it would ever help, you turned to your sleepy deskmate. “nagi. it seems like we’re partners for the politics subject. i’m expecting you’d cooperate willingly so that—”

“sorry,” he interrupts with half lidded eyes. “do i know you?”

“you’re going to rip your paper to shreds.” nagi commented from behind you, peering over your shoulder as you aggressively wrote on your notebook. you imagined the page to be nagi’s face as you cruelly stabbed it, not caring about your pen or your paper’s state. you cannot believe that for some reason, you’re still stuck with the snow white haired guy. you’ve tried everything there is to get rid of him but nothing seemed to work.

“right,” your teeth could break with how hard you clenched your jaw. “will you be free later?”

“oh. i have soccer training.”

of course he fucking has soccer training.

you gave him the strongest deadpan you could muster before exhaling a deep breath. once to calm yourself down, twice to clear your head and thrice in hopes of losing all of your lungs’ air so you could shrivel and die on the spot. nagi seems to be unaware of your thoughts— and even if he had understood your facial expression and body language, he simply did not care.

“i’ll be free after, though.” he adds, as if you’d ever know that information if he hasn’t uttered it. this at least gives you the sense that he might care about the group project, and that he won’t be a complete inconvenience.

“okay. let’s meet up at the coffee shop near school. will you be done at 8?”

“yeah. but,” he pauses. “i thought we’d just do the project at my place.”

“who died and made you king?” you blurt out before you could think of a proper response. you wondered if you’d ever feel so strongly about a person the same way you did for nagi. he was driving you mad.

“what?” his clueless face almost made you feel guilt— almost. but you ignored the sensation and frowned instead. the least you could do was give him a clearer sentence:

“there’s no way i’d ever step a foot at your house.”

“it’s fine. no one’s home anyway.”

“that’s even worse.”

“huh? oh. don’t worry. you’re not my type.”

the conversations you somehow hold with nagi infuriates you. he has this way of making you feel like shit for some reason, and he does it with so much nonchalance you’d wonder if he insults everyone. but you know better and you know he definitely doesn’t, because you’re the only one he treats like this. it’s the absolute worst.

what does he mean you’re not his type? were you not pretty enough? not tall enough? not skinny enough? not fair enough? not what? ever since grade school, you’ve always thought that he sees you as someone “too much” and yet as he stands here with you, in an empty classroom— you wondered how you could be “too much” and yet be “not enough” at the same time.

and since when did you care about how he views you? since you were kids, apparently. because the words he would utter up until this day shatters you all the same. and you hate him— so goddamn much. but beyond all that anger, there’s grief. it doesn’t subside even as you grabbed all your things and shoved 6”3 foot tall nagi aside.

for some reason, he shows up at the café you mentioned at exactly 8 o’clock in the evening. you were typing away on your laptop, while a cup of caramel macchiato and a bunch of scattered papers littered your desk. you didn’t expect him to come, and it would’ve been better if he didn’t. but somehow, he’s here and he looks a little apologetic.

“are you upset?” he asks. his sports bag slumped over his shoulder as he stands right next to you. there’s an unoccupied seat in front but he doesn’t take it— at least, not yet. his whole, undivided attention was poured onto you and you alone. it makes you squirm in your seat, so you decided not to look up from your screen to greet him.

“no. take a seat.”

“you look upset.”

“do you want me to be upset?”

“no.”

“then shut up.”

wordlessly, he takes the seat right in front of you and slouches. he looks battered and fatigued from practice, but he doesn’t say a word to complain (to your absolute shock). you guessed that he walked straight from the field to the café without even changing or taking a shower, because his clothes clung to him like a shirt a few sizes smaller.

“shouldn’t you go change?”

“yeah. but i left my clean clothes at my apartment.”

fifteen minutes pass and you suddenly closed your laptop shut, eyes fixated on nagi’s gunmetal gray ones. he looks surprised from your sudden move, a look that you didn’t expect to recognize due to how miniscule it was. you felt bad for him. the café was getting too cold for comfort and all he wore was his jersey (one that’s drenched with his sweat). if you stayed any longer, he’d probably catch a cold.

why you care, however, that was not a question you could currently answer.

“let’s just go to your place.”

despite his constant need to laze around, his place wasn’t a complete mess— well, yes, there are (presumably dirty) clothes on the floor and used dishes on the sink, but you’ve seen worse. you expected his apartment to be so much worse. it seems like he’s not a complete monkey to not understand basic hygiene and cleanliness.

your only problem is that nagi seems to be bored. you caught him dozing off the coffee table as you ramble about your politics project, and you don’t even have to ask if he cares at all— because he’s trying to hide his obvious distate and boredom. so, even though you’d rather proceed to do your work rather than humoring this 6 foot tall giant, you pipe up:

“wanna play a game?”

“what game? i don’t like games that require effort.”

“it’s called real or not real. we take turns in guessing if the other person’s sentence is real or not real.”

“sounds like a pain.” he groans.

“you know what truly is a pain?” you turned to look at him. “this politics project. so take it or leave it. i’m kind enough to give you a break.”

“shouldn’t we play a different game? a mobile game, maybe.”

“what about a wager, then? the winner’s the boss.”

the game was a piece of cake— to you, at least. nagi’s an open book and it’s easy to read him. you explained that the mechanics goes like this: you take turns in giving very specific sentences about yourself, and the other party has to guess whether it’s real or not real. five wrong guesses means that the other person wins. so the only thing you have to do is to make sure that nagi loses first.

unfortunately, you were down to four mistakes while nagi only had one. the game wasn’t going like how you imagined it would be. how were you supposed to know that nagi keeps a cactus as a pet? how were you supposed to know that he only figured out how to play soccer when he was in high school? how were you supposed to know that he’s got a picture of his crush under his study table? (you still had no idea who that crush is, and it quite literally shocked you). how were you supposed to know that someone like nagi seishiro, was capable of liking someone romantically?

on the other hand, out of the six sentences you threw at him— he had only guessed wrong once. you don’t know how he’s so good at this game, too. it was either he knew awfully a lot about you, or was really good at second guessing things. you’re pretty sure it was the former. how could he know a lot about you, when he doesn’t even know your name?

“real or not real: i hate you.” you stated. his nonchalance was putting you off, but you’re not sure if you were uneasy because of it or if you felt guilty for saying that sentence out loud. you told yourself you could just take it back and act as if it’s not real but nagi himself looked so convinced when he said:

“real.”

he was right once again. but you didn’t have enough time to dwell on the whole thing when his sentence comes.

“real or not real: i want to kiss you right now.”

the silence was so loud it pierces your ears— or maybe you have gone deaf with that sentence. you’re not sure of anything at the moment because it feels like your senses were slowly slipping from your own fingers. if nagi was joking, his face didn’t show any signs of him laughing soon. but maybe you should know better, maybe he could joke like that with a straight face.

so you waited for a few minutes, for him to tell you that it was a joke— that it’s not part of the goddamn game because how could it be part of it? but nothing comes. his eyes were simply on you as he patiently awaits your answer. your make it or break it answer, at that. and it only dawns on you that this is real, this is his sentence and he’s expecting you to play. he’s expecting you to answer real or not real. because you were the one who proposed the game in the first place.

you wanted to scream and to run away, but you were rooted on the spot. time stood still and it froze you under nagi’s unblinking gunmetal gray eyes, as if the situation’s not bad at all. but this is a trick question, your rational mind says. he told you when you were younger that he despises people like you, asked you if he knows you upon meeting at your politics class, and told you that you’re not exactly his type— so there’s no way he’d want to kiss you. right?

you meet his gaze. right, nagi?

against your better judgement to think it through, you suddenly blurted: “real.”

his face doesn’t shift and nor did the mood of the room. your heart was beating erratically as if you’re not facing the guy you clearly hated with a passion, but the silence ensues. you were screaming at yourself, why the fuck did you say real? were you out of your goddamned mind? were you crazy? the answer’s clearly not real!

nagi, however, only looks away. “huh.”

“what?”

“i almost won. what a pity.”

“the answer’s real?”

“yeah.” he tilts his head and answers as if you were stupid. as if you were the one who’s weird and doesn’t get what’s happening— but maybe that really is the case. because you’re mind hasn’t caught up yet. what does he mean the answer’s real? does that mean he wants to kiss you, right now? how is that possible after all the things he had said to you?

you laugh. not the quiet giggle or the chuckle you were accustomed to doing, but a belly laugh— one that could rival a hyena’s. because this was funny. too funny. he’s definitely joking and you’ve only figured out that now.

“okay, fine. you got me.”

“what do you mean?”

“the joke. you’re so serious that i almost missed it.”

confusion marrs his face. “what joke?”

“about the kiss.”

“i wasn’t joking.”

“well, i’d rather have you joking than for that sentence to be real.”

“you hate me that much?”

he almost sounds hurt, but you knew better. how could he be hurt, out of all people? if there’s anyone who’s hurt, it would be you. how can he say all those hurtful things with so much nonchalance and tell you things like he wants to kiss you? how cruel must he be to toy with you like this? it was not funny. none of this was funny.

and it reminds you of your childhood— of your little crush on nagi that never seemed to go away. somehow, the little you screams that you should not fall for something like this. that it is easier to hate nagi than to love him. that it is easier to stand up from your seat, smile, and tell him: “yeah. i do.”

it has been a week. maybe two. or three? you’ve lost count. you’ve never visisted nagi again after the whole real or not real game, and you never saw him often because he’s been excused. something about soccer championship that you didn’t bother listening to. besides, you liked the comfortable silence now that he’s not around.

your phone dings. and it’s from an unknown number. but somehow, you guessed it has something to do with nagi.

unknown

real or not real: i’m sorry

oh. that’s right. the game technically hasn’t finished yet because no one has won. you told yourself numerous time that you won’t reply to his message, but against your better judgement, you somehow still did.

you

real

when your class ended, nagi seishiro was right outside. he was panting and sweaty— as if he ran just to get where you were. but this is nagi we’re talking about. there’s no way he’d actually do something like that, despite his lingering look on you. what’s that supposed to mean, anyway?

breathless, he speaks up to catch your attention. you were busy stuffing your books inside your locker, back against him as you completely ignored his presence. you did not say hi. you did not meet his gaze. but even without direct contact, your heart was drumming against your rib just by knowing that he’s near. what the heck.

“we won the game.”

there’s a lot of responses that entered your mind at that very moment. entry #1, who asked? entry #2, who cares? entry #3, why are you telling me this? and the list goes on. you’re pretty sure none of them were positive— but this was all so confusing. why was nagi chasing after you like a lost puppy who lost its mom? what’s he going for here?

“that’s good for you.” you slammed your locker shut and walked away. nagi eventually follows after you, as if there’s something in his throat that he wants to let out, but you didn’t give him the chance to. you’re sure nothing that would come out of his mouth is good. you’re sure he’s running after you because of the politics project, or because he wants to annoy you.

and you hate it. you hate him. your gut twists at the thought of him running after you like this is some shoujo manga and that’s the annoying part. how is your heart flipping with your every waking step if you hate him so much? you’re supposed to hate nagi, god fucking damn it.

you finally stop in your tracks, whipping around to face the 6 foot tall soccer player. to get it all over with.

“is there something you need to tell me?”

“we haven’t finished the game.”

“i don’t care about the game. leave me alone.”

“it’s your turn. your real or not real.”

this was stupid no matter what angle you look at it. it was just some game you made up and decided to try with nagi. it didn’t mean anything to you because all you wanted by then was to get his attention, so why did it matter so much to him? you don’t get it. you’re not sure how nagi circuits because everything he does confuses you. and before you know it, your irrational side takes over. reason left your body when you blurted the words:

“stop it. fucking stop this.”

why are you so persistent?

“was it fun to toy with me? was it fun when you told me you despised me when we were kids? was it fun when you told me i was not your type? i don’t fucking get it.”

you were angry. mad. seething. your blood boiled underneath your skin and you feared that it would leave your whole being in nothing but dust. through it all, you’re also confused. perplexed. lost. your mind can’t understand the fine line between hate and love anymore. your feelings overlap with each other and merges— you’re not sure what you’re feeling now. you’ve wondered how long you’ve buried this string of emotions you’ve had for nagi. that would explain why you’re nothing but a ticking time bomb now.

“if my playing with my feelings give you so much fun— then do it elsewhere. i have no time for things like this, nagi.”

“but i’m not playing, though. i’ve liked you for quite awhile now.”

excuse me?

“oops. i accidentally gave the answer to my next sentence. what a pain,” he scratches the nape of his nexk and looks away.

how the fuck am i supposed to respond to that?

“do you expect me to believe you?”

“i’ve got no reason to lie,” he shrugs. “plus, lying’s a pain. i don’t like it.”

“but— what you said back then...”

“i, well. i go blank when i talk to you. i guess. my stomach flips when you’re around and my throat goes dry.” nagi doesn’t look at you once while he utters this. tinge of red coats the tip of his ears and this is where you think ‘this is it’. he’s not lying. this is real, and you know that much— nagi never looked nervous until now. you think maybe that explains why he would avoid your gaze and why he would say the most confusing things. you think maybe this is nagi. the socially awkward nagi. the one who can’t talk to people properly nagi.

“i’ve always thought you were pretty. i despise pretty things because it makes me feel things. it’s a pain.” he mumbles. “of course i know you. of course i know your name. but it’s the first thing i thought to say because your face was too close. you’re prettier up close.”

he should stop talking. he should drop it all together and just kiss you, but you could never say these words because you haven’t wrapped your head around the whole thing yet. nagi likes you. nagi thinks you’re pretty. nagi short circuits when you’re around. nagi thinks you’re pretty. nagi’s actually confessing. nagi likes you. he thinks you’re pretty. he likes you.

“i don’t like pretty things. that’s not my type at all. but reo said i might be in love with you.” he finally turns to look at you and tilts his head. your face burns— and you swore it was because of the remnants of your anger, but everyone else could tell that it was not. your heart does a somersault, but this time it does not drop. it stays in the air, lingering like nagi’s perfume scent, until he carefully waits for it to land on his palms when he said: “i think he’s right. i’m in love with you.”

for the duration of your game with nagi and with all the truths shared between the both of you— this is probably the most real out of them. this is the only time he doesn’t ask the question ‘real or not real’ because his face says it all. his face says that it’s the real and raw truth. his face says that you must believe this because he’s not making it up. it was the first time you could read his expression. it was the first time that you’re not confused by nagi.

“fucking dumbass,” you comment. “that’s not how it works.”

you reach over to grab his collar, on your highest tip-toes because of his height. you’re pretty sure you’re the only ones present in the secluded corridor but the clamors of your heart makes an illusion of people cheering for you. somewhere in the parallel worlds of your universe, you think maybe those cheers exist. it only silences when you pulled nagi down with you, whispering:

“i hope you still want to kiss me, then.”

when he closes in the gap between the both of you, his answer was loud and clear.

i do. always.

notes. YES YES YES i finally finished this long ass fic! i’ve been writing it since forever & im just SO glad i finally get to finish it 🥹 as u can see, there is nothing on my mind rn but nagi seishiro. he’s literally living in my head rent-free and i’m not complaining. i love him too much. i hope u enjoyed this ‼️ as always, likes & reblogs are appreciated <3 thank you so so much for ur patience & love for this blog ❤️

ִ ࣪𖤐 masterlist !

[obitos-whore]

First date headcanons/imagine for Obito

Tw: None. Just fluff and chaos/crack, cuz I feel like bullying good ol' Bito today and needed something to cheer myself up

Plans everything down to the tiniest detail. From the time and location to the stuff you will be doing. Obito is a perfectionist and aims to impress his darling.

He gets incredibly irritated when someone points out that he's going overboard and "doing too much" for his first date

When it finally comes to taking his darling out, the first thing he'll do is give them a large bouquet of their favourite flowers. He may or may not have bought up the entire stock of them too

He'll take you to the Hokage monument, where he has planned a nice picnic, followed by watching the sunset and some romantic stargazing afterwards for the two of you

What makes it extra special is the fact that he had prepared the food all by himself. Which is a huge deal, considering Obito is not the greatest when it comes to cooking. He does manage to heat up water in a kettle for his instant ramen without burning it, but the rest of his kitchen is basically just decoration

That's why he took cooking lessons from the grannies and gentlemanly advices from the grandpas of Konoha, to sharpen up his cooking skills and perfect his mannerism

When you two arrive at the top of the Hokage mountain, the first disaster occurs right away; a wild animal has ravaged the site and eaten all the foods he had prepared, including your favourite dessert

This leaves Obito in shambles and looking like a soaked puppy that has been kicked multiple times. He just wanted to impress you and now he stands there with absolutely nothing but the remains of what was supposed to be the perfect day

He tries to do some damage control and quickly comes up with a back-up plan to save not only whatever dignity he got left, but also to make the day still somehow enjoyable despite this bitter setback

That's when the second disaster comes buzzing right towards you. Literally

At first, it's only a few bees showing interest in your flowers. No worries, right? But it gradually gets more until Obito swats one particularly pesky bee away from your face

Aggravated by that action, the bees suddenly got a new target: You

Realising his mistake, Obito grabs you by the wrist and drags you with him all the way down the flight of stairs and back into the village

During your escape, you try to keep the pursuing bees at bay, using your bouquet as a makeshift swatter, which doesn't prove to be effective and only angers the little insects more. Resulting in the both of you getting stung

Not wanting you to get hurt further, Obito scooped you up and acted as a shield to protect you from those nasty stingers and therefore took the most of it

In a last, desperate attempt to distract and hopefully get rid of your pursuers, you drop the bouquet, which once again proves ineffective

It wasn't until Obito had reached the entrance to the Uchiha District that the aggressive pursuit suddenly came to a stop, thanks to the Aburame clan, who had been informed about a rampaging bee swarm

Hungry, sweaty, exhausted and with a shit ton of burning bee stings everywhere, Obito sets you back down

You can tell that he's completely devastated and humiliated by today's events

"I am so sorry, Y/n... I swear! I had everything planned out. The picnic, the sunset, the stargazing... And for what?"

Unable to bear the sight of Obito being so disheartened over what happened, you suggest to take care of his stings for him and get takeout and just have a stay at home date

Obito, genuinely surprised that you didn't ditch him after that fiasco, happily agrees to your suggestion

While taking care of the poor guy, he does his best not to complain about the pain caused by the stings, even though sitting down not only hurts like ass, but, in fact, also hurts his ass

Once you're done tending to the pincushion Uchiha, he sets up a nice little candlelight dinner, with some old candles he had found in one of the kitchen drawers

It's certainly not the most romantic first date, but it's not a complete flop either

[dragonnarrative-writes]

WIP Wednesday!

From Really Good Neighbors Part 2!

CW: Alcohol consumption, cannon-adjacent Gaz/Helicopter interactions

You haven’t had nearly enough wine to blame leaning into Simon’s space just on being tipsy. Once you’ve all finished eating, though, they herd you to the couch and Kyle takes up most of the couch to lay his head on your lap. Simon easily leans you back against his chest, holding up your hand so your wine doesn’t spill. He’s laughing as he tells you about the team’s various mishaps with helicopters.

“Now I weren’t there, mind,” Simon says. “But Gaz, he’s too close to the door, which I know, because he falls out.”

“I didn’t fall out,” Gaz protests. “The helo was hit.”

“Nik didn’t fall out,” Simon points out. “If you wasn’t hanging out the fuckin’ door, you’d have been fine.”

“Wait,” you laugh, smoothing a hand over the top of Kyle’s head to encourage eye contact. “Did you stay on the helicopter or not?”

“Fell out and got tangled in a rope,” Kyle confesses. “Ended up hanging upside-down by my ankle.”

That shocks a laugh out of you. “Bullshit!”

“Captain near shat himself,” Simon confirms. “Still won’t let Gaz anywhere near a helo by himself.”

“It’s my fault Nik doesn’t know how to dodge?”

“I’m tellin’ him you said that,” Simon snickers, taking a swig of his beer.

“Fuck off,” Kyle laughs, turning over so he’s propped himself up on one arm. “What about you? What’s the wild world of corporate office work like?”

You snort and take a sip of your wine. “It’s awful. This week has been one nightmare after another. On Monday, they fired a guy from IT and he added a password to a drive before he left. A whole day of us all twiddling our thumbs, but they wouldn’t let us leave. I think the company lost… I don’t remember the conversion. A quarter billion dollars, something like that.”

Simon makes a low whistle. “One password did all that?”

You give him a dry look over your shoulder, “Don’t try to play coy. You’re some kind of what? Green beret? You know fucking with the right computer can turn the whole world upside down.”

Both of them laugh at that. Simon props his chin on one fist. “How’d they get into the drive?”

“Oh, that was the best part,” you chuckle at the memory and lean back as Simon shifts his weight. “The password was the standard one the department set everything to. His last name, one, two, three, zero. But upper management never reset their own passwords, so they didn’t know. Spent the whole day blowing up his phone, but if they’d asked, I would have told them.”

Kyle perks up. “You would have?”

“After they fired him, I was a third of the IT department,” you confirm. “So my week has been a nightmare of bullshit.”

“Oof,” Kyle winces. “How come I never knew that you work in IT?”

“I try very, very hard not to mention my job to men.”

“We’re men.”

“You ate me out,” the wine makes you point out. “That’s different. … and Simon brought me a burger.”

“Got the short end o’ that one,” Simon says as he finishes his beer. His empty hand finds yours, caresses your fingers.

You consider that for a moment and decide to take the leap. Interlocking your fingers, you say, “Night’s still young.”

He brings your knuckles up to brush his lips over them.

You blush as Kyle hums and nuzzles into your belly with an indulgent hum. “You gonna let us help you forget your awful week?”

[slowd1ving]

[✦IV. WEEP FOR HIM, I BID OF THEE] SNIPPET • . DR RATIO

argh

LAMENT OF OUROBOROS MASTERLIST

HONKAI STAR RAIL MASTERLIST

MASTERLIST ・゜・NAVIGATION

“Are you a spellsword?” 

The question was both unprompted and unprecedented. Aventurine peered his gem-like eyes up at you, while you paused in your deft chopping of fragrant onions. You could only stare back. Really, you hadn’t expected him to stay longer than three days at most, but apparently your interpretation of him being a flighty individual was ill-conceived. 

This was his second week staying with you, and between his slowly accumulating jabber was the transfer of drachma and minae on a startling level. If you thought Dan Heng had been rich, this guy was on a completely different level—gifting you so much gold that you avoided any semblance of the shade in your clothes for the past few days. 

Wearily, you thumbed the jade bead that felt slightly heavier despite the enchantment on it that prevented it from ever growing so. Or maybe it was your body, bone-tired from your self-dubbed ‘apprentice’; you still didn’t know why you dumbly accepted, though the wild look in his sclera that gave him the appearance of chased prey might’ve contributed partly. Although, you didn’t particularly understand what knowledge you were meant to pass on. 

“They’re mages who are proficient in physical weaponry,” he clarified when you kept mum—a habit of yours that hadn’t changed even after your death. A prickle of hot oil stung your hands as you swept the root vegetable into a gleaming copper pot. “I thought you might be one. If you could take out a beast that had killed over a dozen of the knight company I’d been travelling with, then you must be a spellsword of the highest calibre.”

A beat passed, in which you considered the weight of a false identity to further mask your own as an alchemist. 

“Foremost, I am a sculptor,” you murmured, feeling the drag of the kitchen chair as he padded over to you—an act graceful despite his slouching, which further reinforced your theory of him being an important figure in a far off land. It only puzzled you, to be frank. 

Why?

The answer eluded you as you supped with him, as you swilled the wine you’d managed to ferment, as you sunk below the fragrant bubbles in the large porcelain tub upstairs. You didn’t probe into his origins, thus the question of your class was the limit he could ask you, too. In fact, he didn’t even mention learning the ability you’d showcased at the river—rather, he was content in merely basking in the warmth with you and working over the clay you’d salvaged. In fact, sculpting was the only profession he seemingly wanted to learn from you as your apprentice: not the strange magic you possessed, nor the knowledge of chemistry packed tightly into your brain. 

“What are you thinking about?”

It became a routine, of sorts. Like some… colourful… lucky… bird, he brought back shiny things he’d ‘chanced’ upon in the forest. A pail of the smoothest clay you’d ever seen. A slab of the most luminescent rock you’d ever had the pleasure of carving. An opalescent bauble, delicately strung upon a thin chain—something you severely doubted that he simply stumbled upon. 

You eyed the man who stood by your stool while you worked the clay absentmindedly with your hands. The breeze today was especially pleasant, enough that your mood was light enough to actually reply with far less hesitation than normal. 

“Your abnormal luck,” you answered bluntly, gesturing to the large barrel of the soft medium that stood proud in the corner. 

“Really?” His voice was low as he leaned down, melodious even as he enunciated the harsher cadence of the common tongue. He was close, too close, enough that you could smell the faint aroma of floral tea on his breath and the expensive scent that lingered at the base of his throat, bound by the transient form of perfumed oil. Your oud, in particular—the one he was adamant on using despite the wide collection you’d purchased with a mere fraction of the drachmae that you now possessed. 

You couldn’t move back. If you did, it would be losing a gambit that you didn’t know existed in the first place. Some form of psychological attack, in such an amorphous shape that you could neither identify nor classify it. 

“Yes,” you murmured, eyes searching his. Your lump of clay congealed on your hands, misshapen and somewhat forgotten as you mindlessly worked into its soft material. 

“Was blessed by the almighty Gai’Athra Triclops at birth with it,” he offered, though that was no more answer to your question than a goose was a swan. You nodded like you knew what that meant, like the very words weren’t slipping away even as he spoke them. “My turn. Where did you learn the tongue of Avdĭn?” Honey-tongue. 

[The tongue of honey: a last relic to a land forgotten and swept away by time and sand. Barely any survivors made it out of the extinction of the Sigonian wastelands, and the language remains as mere fragmented shards amongst those who crawled to safety. Though nearing total deterioration, the tongue still serves as a bastion that those of the Avgin will one day regain what they lost.]

A question for a question, though you could feel the pressing weight behind his in a way that was never present in yours. Mechanically, your fingers pressed indentations in the cylinder to make room for eyes—feeling the cheekbones slowly melt into shape, and the strong nose taper beneath your hands. 

“I’m sorry,” you murmured. “I woke up two months ago with no memories of this world, and nothing but my name, occupation and New Metis remained in my head.”

“I see.”

The two syllables were embittered. He pulled away, focusing on his task once more with none of the cheer he possessed mere moments ago.

In hindsight, this brief moment could’ve been considered a turning point in your short new life. However, you didn’t and couldn’t know that; rather, your attention was honed on the face taking shape in your palms. 

How strange. Furrowing your brow, you cast your gaze to your other attempts you made while growing distracted; all shared a startling similarity that could no longer be ascribed to mere coincidence. A high, arrogant brow cast a thoughtful shadow over erudite eyes, while the rough mouth shaped by the flat end of your wooden carving tool held a displeased sort of heaviness that reminded you of your peers that went into teaching. Even the wavy hair you thought you only briefly shaped held the same uniform sort of curl in the front and back, framing the sides of his face until he bore an uncanny resemblance to his predecessors. Nonetheless, they possessed a nostalgic, dreamlike quality you couldn’t bring to destroy. 

Frowning, you set the new face to slumber alongside the rest.

. 　⁺ ✦

The frequency of Aventurine’s forays had begun to augment themselves. He was no less cordial and cheerful than—and no matter how hard you tried, there wasn’t any anger nor coldness that you could detect. Neither did he cease bringing you back something each time, though this time you could feel the desperation to cling to normalcy with him. 

His departures felt like thought itself, wrapped neatly in a contemplative air that prompted you to press your lips together and look away. 

In the end, you’d gotten used to his presence despite your reticent nature. That was your fault in the first place. 

[Princo Kakavasha, of the Avgin bloodline. The only prince that survived the Katica-Avgin Extinction, the one who desperately searches for  ◼◼◼◼◼.]

A prince. Charcoal stained your fingers as you absentmindedly sketched designs for new sculptures. It made sense why a prince on the run needed a place to stay, especially with someone strong enough to save his life. It made sense, but it embittered you to the same depth as he. 

Staring down at the large sketchpad, you frowned once more as that familiar face took root. Though this time, the soft waves of hair were shaded a sooty black, while a finger-smudged crown of laurels sat neatly in his hair. A dull ache resonated through your mind as you tried to remember where exactly you’d seen those accusatory eyes. 

Who is that?

Who are you?

[whowhatifs]

⋆｡°✩ Infamous MC ask game ✩°｡⋆

Infamous by @infamous-if has got my mind buzzing and me humming, so I put together this little ask meme to develop and get to know our MCs, if anyone would like to play!

These are mostly focused on things that would have been established by the start of the story, but there may still be a spoiler or two.

★ MUSIC  ★

Band name: How did they and the others come up with the band name? Has the name changed since it was founded?

Albums: What are some of the albums the band has released? Are they a consistent style? What themes did they explore?

Favourites: Which song of the band’s is your MC’s favourite? Which is the fan-favourite?

Training: How did they learn to sing? Have they had any formal training? How do they continue to maintain and develop their singing voice?

Retro: What was the first CD they ever bought with their own money? Do they still have it? Do they still like it?

Full circle: What is the first song they ever wrote? Played? What’s the most recent?

Songwriting: What’s their process? Is it different than it was when they used to write songs with Seven?

★ PERSONALITY ★ 

Beginnings: When and how did they know they wanted to be a professional musician? Was there a deciding factor?

Performance: What are they thinking and feeling while they’re performing? How do they act on stage?

Persona: How does their day-to-day personality compare to their on-stage persona?

Stage name: Do they or have they ever had one? How did they choose it? 

Professional: How seriously do they take their singing career? Do they consider themself a professional?

Quitting: Have they ever come close to quitting their professional music career? When? What brings them back?

Change: How has their personality changed since Seven left the band? Are those changes related to Seven leaving?

★ RELATIONSHIPS ★ 

Bandmates: How do they feel about the members of the band? Would they still be interested in stardom if they weren’t with that group?

Hero: What is their favourite thing about G? Why is your MC such a big fan?

Fans: How is their relationship with their fans? Do they go out of their way to interact? 

Manager: Do they get along with Orion? What do they think of him as their band manager?

Besties: What’s their friendship with Rowan like? What are some things only he knows about them?

Baby: How do they feel about Jazzy leaving? How are they coping? What are their plans to stay in touch?

Tattoo: Did they keep the tattoo with Seven’s initials? Why/why not? What was that decision/execution process like? (Bonus: What do they think of Seven keeping their tattoo?)

★ CREATION ★ 

Development: How did you come up with your character? Is their design still evolving? How do you think they might develop through the story?

Voice: What does their singing voice sound like? Do you have voiceclaims(s) for them?

Lyrics: What are some songs you associate with your character? Any specific lyrics that really scream your character?

Fame: Do you think your character will enjoy fame? Do they think they will? What elements do you think they might struggle with? Do you think they’ll be happy at the end of this road?

Storybeats: If you could design one scene to happen in the story, what would it be? How would it change your character? What would make it so satisfying for the character arc?

Wild card: Tell us something about your MC! Feel free to really just roll us over with an emotional steamroller and crush the souls out of our bodies, if you’d like. (You’re also welcome to choose one of the other questions to answer!)

Seven: Do you have headcanons about their friendship and/or romantic relationship (past or future)? What do you imagine some of their best memories are? What do you think some of Seven’s favourite things about your MC were/are?

To keep the game going, please send an ask to whoever you reblog this from (if they’re playing)! And feel free to tag me in your answers, time permitting I’d love to check them out. Have fun! ♡

[crystallizsch]

Hi!!! Feel free to tell me if this is asking too much on the twst ask game but…

2, 8, and 10 for both? Or maybe just Yuusha?

Sorry, I couldn’t narrow down! 😩 I love learning about interpersonal relationships, but I also really wanted to know about which dorm your Yuus would go to if they weren’t in Rmashackle! I’m pretty sure I know where Yuusha would go though lmao 👀

AAH HI HI! this took a while i had a lot of fun writing about it haha thank you so much!! qwq

also this isn't too much at all, there's no limit! (it'll only take me a while longer to answer depending on how many >.< but i wouldn't be against it)

and i answered for both of them because they're all really fun questions! i'm a sucker for interpersonal relationships too, character dynamics are really fun to explore and play around with!

(for #2: technically for both of them, their closest platonic friends would be grim, ace, and deuce because they've been there with them since the beginning. malleus would also be a runner up canonically but that's somewhat boring so the they are immediately disqualified.) (for #8: both of them dislike crowley the most so also automatic disqualification. (i’m not a crowley hater, it’s just funny in-universe 😭) i’m going to stick with the main boys and ignore the staff and other characters.)

━━━━✦ Yuusha

2) Who is your OC’s closest platonic friend?

(they haven't seen each other in less than a day)

Yuusha's closest platonic friend would be Kalim.

They had an IMMEDIATE bond because of Kalim's friendliness and openness which is something Yuu had barely seen in the time she had been in NRC. It was a breath of fresh air. Of course, at first, she was skeptical (especially following that whole Scarabia fiasco), but they naturally gravitated toward one another and just heavily clicked in a purely platonic sense.

Food and gifts definitely seem to be their love language towards one another. And on top of that, they just love to hang out to have fun. Yuusha never gets tired of Kalim. And they seem to be very close with one another to the point you'd think they were dating.

(i need to draw their dynamic more oml)

It helped that Yuusha tends to be very affectionate towards her close friends. She can be very touchy and overall not afraid to show how she feels about people. However, she only sees all of her relationships as platonic (that is until the one(tm) cough Jamil cough can manage to click her heart a certain way) (if Yuusha and Jamil just decided to stay friends instead, Jamil would be her closest but I digress).

8) Is there a character your OC doesn’t like, if so why?

The twins. Yuusha doesn't necessarily consider it as a hate/dislike of them because she still manages to tolerate them; it's more that she doesn't trust them fully.

She finds it hard to read them and predict their next move. And that sometimes scares her. If there's anything that she fears the most is the idea of being used and taken advantage of. It is humiliating and downright degrading. It tells her that she was wrong about people and that she was too trusting. And that's something she hates having to accept.

And Yuu knows the twins are fully capable of that without remorse, so she believes that she always has to watch herself around them, making sure she always stays on whatever their "good side" may be. At least Azul seems to be straightforward with what he wants from other people, but with the twins, it'll always feel like a wild guess.

10) What dorm would your OC be sorted into besides their current one?

hndsjfdlk you're right, Yuusha would be in Scarabia

If Yuusha were asked this question, she would think that she would be sorted into Pomefiore because of its spirit of tenacity. She's always determined to work on bettering herself and doesn't like to settle with the bare minimum. It wouldn't be her first choice but that's what she would think.

But really Yuusha embodies more of Scarabia's spirit of mindfulness. Yuusha is mindful in an empathetic sense, and that trait of hers is more outwardly apparent.

She's pretty in tune with everyone's feelings which helps her to understand people better. And that also helps her to navigate her way around dealing with everyone.

If it benefits her, she would take advantage of people's feelings and emotions. It is usually not out of malice or selfishness, however. Yuusha will only do it if she thinks it will lead to the best outcome. Not that she would always be right.

━━━━✦ Yuuna

2) Who is your OC’s closest platonic friend?

Yuuna’s closest platonic friend would be Riddle.

In general, Yuuna had grown a particular fondness for the Heartslabyul gang, and this was also especially apparent to Riddle. Despite being the first overblot Yuuna had witnessed, Riddle had grown on Yuuna and vice versa.

The two looked to be an unlikely pair—the hot-headed, abides-by-the-rules, powerful housewarden and the soft-spoken yet chaotic, magicless prefect.

It started with Riddle helping Yuuna study as a favor (and a thanks) for being the ones who were there during his overblot. But the study sessions turned into "hangouts" in the library, and it eventually transitioned outside—invitations to unbirthday parties, croquet, showing them the hedgehogs, etc. They also found things in common with one another, one of them being liking sweets.

Yuuna seems to have become Riddle's first real friend outside of Trey and Che'nya, helping him out of his comfort zone and let his inner child out once in a while. (also a bit of one-sided, unrequited crush from Riddle???)

8) Is there a character your OC doesn’t like, if so why?

There isn’t necessarily a character that Yuuna dislikes because they have grown somewhat attached to everyone.

However, if they were to consider someone who they liked the LEAST, it would be Sebek.

Sebek took the longest for Yuuna to get used to because, at first, they thought he was loud and condescending.

If there was anything Yuuna really hated, it would be being underestimated and treated as someone who is less than. And Sebek was the someone who would actually verbalize that, aggressively even.

But outside of Sebek's fanboyish tendencies, Yuu found his more genuine side once they managed to get to know him a bit better.

10) What dorm would your OC be sorted into besides their current one?

Yuuna would be sorted into Savanaclaw because of the dorm's spirit of persistence.

At first when I looked at Yuuna I was like, "oh they'd definitely be in Heartslabyul because I'd love that for them" considering their main squad is the Heartslabyul boys. Yuuna would think the same for themself.

But when I thought about it more, they would not be sorted into Heartslabyul at all because having some sort of strict code of conduct is not a defining thing about them.

Yuuna's physique and disposition is against Savanaclaw's stereotype of having the jock-types. They're not even very athletic, but they make up for it somewhat by being a competitive sort.

It's clear though that the dorm's spirit of persistence shows in Yuuna being the type to be adamant to achieve whatever they have to and not letting obstacles hinder them. They also have that loyal spirit that is akin to being part of a pack.

Also a little bonus, if Yuuna was a beastman, they'd be a rabbit :3

asks open!! (twst oc questionnaire)

[mothfables]

Modern Day Chain Work at a Christmas Market

so i work at a seasonal christmas market and had this idea today while we were doing set-up. time to induce my misery (lighthearted) on my favourite characters lmao

under the cut so it doesn’t take up your dash haha

Time is the closest thing they have to a manager. he does not like this. Warriors is a close second

Twilight + Four are in charge of physically setting up the tent/stall

Legend, Wild, and Four are in charge of displays (well, when Four isn’t fed up from setting up the tent)

Wild works in the back/warehouse, Time the register with regular breaks on the floor, Legend on the floor (he refuses to even touch the register), Hyrule the floor, Twilight on the floor and occasionally register, Sky’s the greeter and occasionally works the floor or other things, Warriors is mostly on the register, and Four does a bit of everything. Wind is technically, on paper, on greeter duty (cause, yknow, child labour) but he sticks his nose into everything, much to literally everyone else’s chagrin

Time tends to put Sky on greeter duty because he knows the other man tends to tire easily, but he does surprisingly well at whatever he’s assigned. that being said, whatever he does, he passes out immediately upon getting home

they tried the ‘My Name is Link’ nametag thing exactly once. they lasted two days before everyone was sick of it

Hyrule is still shy + uncomfortable around crowds, despite working there for four years. Time has tried putting him on the floor to try to boost his confidence, but he still escapes to the back at every opportunity

Legend flat-out refuses to work their busiest weekends. he told Time they’d have to drag him kicking and screaming into the store if they absolutely want him there. Time has yet to test this

Time + Twilight are physically intimidating, which tends to be a deterrent for most shoplifters + Karens. when that doesn’t work, though, they have a secret weapon: Hyrule

shy he may be, put him in front of a Karen and you’re in for a show. more than one of them have stopped what they’re doing to watch things go down. Time has berated them for it but they don’t pay him any mind considering he’s guilty of the exact same thing

also, Hyrule has a sixth sense for potential shoplifters, no matter where in the store he is. Four + Legend have been trying to figure it out but after four years they still don’t have an explanation

Time asked Mallon once if she wanted to work at the market with them. she laughed and told him she’d rather stay on the ranch. there are many days where Time regrets not doing the same thing

Wild does not work the floor. he has stated in no uncertain terms that if he’s put out there he will bite someone. to this day Time doesn’t know if he means a customer or one of them

everyone has their own organizational system that directly contradicts everyone else’s. they all hate it

Wind works the least hours out of all of them (considering he’s fourteen). he’s pouted about this many times, but the rest of them agree he should save his back + knees while he still can

Ravio is perfectly happy with his own shop. he does pop in sometimes to say hello, though, and on occasion brings treats for everyone

[carissimipaixao]

— FROM THE START

publishing date: july 13th, 2023 pairing: arsène lupin iii & reader word count: 2.6k+ note: part of the highly emotional people! second note: back in june, i did a poll asking which series or fanfic should be expended upon, and the first entry of this series was the winner! as such, here we go! also, no beta, we die like men.

From the start, the stories of police officers bringing criminals to justice, ruthless in their pursuit and passionate for change, have always been fascinating to you. As a kid, it brought you so much joy listening to your parents discuss the local cases together, turning on the television or the radio to follow up on the wild chases across the country — and the world — and dressing up as a cop for Halloween. Then, as you grew up, you started to participate in these conversations, trying to understand the criminal world, everything and anything.

Now, you get to carry your own badge — having worked day and night for the path you carved with your own blood, sweat and tears. You get to work with some of the world’s best professionals (or witness them in action), even if by occasion, and you have earned your name and title in the local law enforcement. You would like to think, of course, that your father’s reputation has done nothing to influence your own ascend within the law.

Months after becoming a detective, a letter arrives. Upon hearing the loud crash from the Chief’s office, you turn in shock — even though you have known about Chief Daiam’s tantrums and sour moods for years. When he leaves the office in rage, face completely flustered, the Chief storms towards your unit’s lieutenant. Immediately, you feel excitement rushing through your veins.

For him to reach out for Lieutenant Oscar, it can only mean one thing.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

‘You stay here,’ those words freeze you to your spot in an instance.

And, you are unable to hide your confusion. ‘Sir?’ Surely, you are either about to be given the most incredible orders in your whole career — something that would push you down a path of adventure and greatness — or about to be utterly disappointed. Your eyes fly to the building on your left.

In this very gallery, something will be stolen. There’s no may be stolen, nor futile attempt, because the thief involved is no average criminal. You had heard about him as you climbed in ranks, you had heard about his father and grandfather from your father. The Underground may be full of secrets and criminals, all buried under shadows, but you know that he is the closest to a celebrity in his own world.

You have the chance to arrest Lupin III right in front of you.

Lieutenant Oscar spares a look to the unit entering the building, like the crazed lovers they are for chasing down international and dangerous criminals, and turns back with his hand raised. ‘You are staying here with the others.’

‘Wait,’ you shake your head, ‘what about the thief? I thought I was with the unit.’

‘Change of plans,’ he shrugs. ‘Besides, you are still a rookie, aren’t you?’ Your eyebrow twitches at the poor attempt of a friendly smile on his face, ‘Why don’t you leave this one for those who are more capable?’

You have got to be kidding me, you think to yourself. If Chief Daiam is known for his humor, then Lieutenant Oscar is known for being a bully to those who have just joined law enforcement (and to those he considers a threat, your father told you one day). He is slightly older than you, but you know he has been unable to climb up in ranks — not almost as effortlessly as you have done thus far.

You wonder if he, indeed, thinks of you as a possible obstacle in his path, if he thinks of you as competition.

‘Someone should remain outside,’ he continues, ‘to keep an eye out for that thief if he manages to escape our trap.’ You glance over your shoulder, looking at the police officers that are surrounding the building, the road that has been blocked for almost one hour now and the waiting crowd of journalists. Security is tight — that’s what you think — and you hardly think one more policewoman is going to make much of a difference.

Yep, you turn back with a frown, he definitely has something against me.

You risk the urge to cross your arms over your chest, instead raising your chin in the air. ‘Lieutenant, with all due respect, I think I have earned my place within this unit. I deserve to enter the building and help arrest this criminal.’

Lieutenant Oscar snickers. Then, his expression falls. ‘You stay here,’ he repeats. ‘Got it, Detective?’ The patronizing tone unleashes feral rage within your heart, and you grind your teeth together before you comply. No matter what, he is your superior; orders are orders.

‘...Understood,’ you murmur before you turn your back to him.

You take a position near the alleyway, shoving your hands inside your pockets. Perhaps, you are being rather childish about this whole ordeal, but, still, an opportunity — a great one at that — has been taken from you. You don’t think you’ll ever let Oscar hear the end of it, now. He might have just jeopardized the biggest achievement of your whole career.

Time passes slowly, painfully so, and you can see your coworkers begin to lean against the police cars, fetching cigarettes and talking to one another. Nothing’s happening, you think. Yet, you feel like something is coming.

What is the heist, again? What is he aiming for?

Something wet falls on top of your skin, and you flinch. When it repeats, you extend your hand out — almost robotically — and sigh when you realize it has just begun to rain.

Great.

You walk deeper into the alleyway seeking shelter. What is one more cop? The thought crosses your mind as you think of your coworkers — those in front of the gallery, and those who have been so happily followed by Lieutenant Oscar. Perhaps, your presence wouldn't have made a difference inside the gallery. What would you have done? It's your first time being anywhere near this thief, and you know very well that the stories about how he easily slips through the hands of the law aren't fake.

Not like Lieutenant Oscar.

Either way, if you don't need to be inside to apprehend the criminal, then nobody needs you outside. They could try to get the thief on their own, for all you cared at this point.

‘I can't believe this,' you murmur, leaning your head against the wall. The sigh that escapes through your lips is heavy, burdened with shame and unhappiness. Maybe, I'm just not enough. Your father would have been so disappointed to see you now, you know it. ‘I'm not cut out for this.'

Wind ruffles your hair, and you close your eyes.

Yet, they snap open immediately after, as the sirens go off. You push yourself off the wall, glancing left and right as you try to catch a glimpse of action. You hear your coworkers stumble to get back in position, and you hear a distant yell — perhaps a megaphone. You can swear you hear the thief’s name, and you tremble in excitement.

But, once again, you remind yourself that you are not in the middle of the action.

You return to your shelter from the rain, instead looking at the raindrops that fall on the pounds around you. Everything is so temporal, and chances can drip through your fingers like sands — if not now, then when? The stars aren’t aligned for your success, are they?

The confusion continues within the gallery. Undoubtedly, the thief has arrived at the designated hour, as he said in the card, and he is now making his escape. You can only wonder how. He has always been quite a devious individual, full of tricks and gadgets. A mastermind, you think to yourself. I wonder if such talent and knowledge will ever be found in law enforcement?

It would definitely turn the game upside down.

A door cracks open, and you turn to your left. It is too dark to see, but you just barely notice this person is wearing the gallery’s uniform. Why are they leaving through a backdoor, while there is literally a theft happening in their shift? That question rings in your head like the obnoxious siren — which is yet to be shut down.

The person turns, immediately noticing you. ‘Good evening!’

You blink. That’s certainly very playful for someone who might just lose his job. ‘Good… evening,’ you reply, as you watch the man. Something doesn’t feel right.

The man looks up to the skies, a hand holding his hat. ‘It just had to rain, didn’t it?’ He looks back at you, ‘What is a pretty lady like you doing in the middle of the rain?’

‘Listening,’ you reply. That’s not a lie, is it? You aren’t exactly working; just observing and listening to what happens around you. Indeed, you are far too busy thinking about what could have been and your shattered dreams, as you take in the sounds and the sights around you. The siren, the rain and the blinding lights of the police cars. And, yourself — an outsider.

‘Listening,’ he repeats. The rain is slowly getting heavier, you can see it by the way his clothes get soaked, clinging to his body. The man’s smirk, however, is yet to disappear from his face.

You decide to spin the spotlight around. ‘What about you, sir?’ The almost accusatory tone slips into your voice so easily. ‘Aren’t you being robbed?’ You cross your arms over your cheeks, tilting your head to the side as you watch the employee. ‘You do know you could be suspected of collaborating with thieves, right?’

‘Oh!’ The man raises his eyebrows, feigning surprise. ‘I suppose you are right, huh?’ He chuckles. ‘You’d be the only witness, though, and perhaps it could be a secret between us. Two… simple citizens like us, after all, ought to have each other’s back. Plus, you know how the law enforcement in this country is.’

The corner of your mouth twitches, as you nod along to his conversation.  ‘I am aware.’

‘Then,’ he continues, ‘let’s make a deal. You don’t say you saw me and I…?’ He pauses, looking at you up and down. You are back in the spotlight. You hate that. ‘Maybe I’ll buy you a drink next time I see you, huh? How about that? You are looking like you need one, after all.’

‘What do you mean by that?’

‘Well, I highly doubt you decided to come here just to listen to the rain, because these sirens are so loud!’ He complains, rubbing the side of his head with a fake grimace. ‘Unless you are a journalist? Hoping to catch the thief unexpectedly for a special interview?’ His smile widens.

You snort. ‘I’m not a journalist. I’m not good enough for that.’

The employee puts his hands on his hips. Why is he still standing there? ‘I won’t believe that. Not for one bit.’ He raises his hand in the air, closing his eyes in a way that reminds you of the old Greek philosophers, ‘Never doubt your qualities.’

‘I don’t doubt my qualities.’ Your tone comes out defensive, which you immediately feel conscious about. You bite your lower lip. ‘I have just not been presented with the right opportunity. That’s all.’ That is certainly a way to explain your current situation, isn’t it?

Why are you seemingly pouring your heart out to a stranger in the middle of an alleyway, right next to a crime scene? Because you two are simple citizens, as he put it?

‘Sometimes,’ he says, ‘you have to present yourself to the right opportunities.’

‘Indeed,’ you reply slowly as you begin to look at him more closely.

He lowers his arms, looking back at the gallery behind him. Then, he turns back at you with a grin. ‘You can succeed so quickly, so easily, if you just take what you want. Imagine that.’ He takes his hat off, throwing it over his head. ‘If you want a piece of advice, put yourself out there. Do what you want. Achieve what you want to achieve, without thinking of whoever is in your way.’

You push yourself off the wall. ‘Is that your life philosophy, sir?’

‘Carpe diem, yes!’ He extends his arms out. ‘So, I ask you, what is your dream, sweetheart?’ 

You slowly reach behind you, towards the weapon that is concealed under your coat. For as long as you can remember, your dream has always been the same. You have always wanted to earn your badge, build your reputation as an officer and catch some of the most infamous criminals out there. Lupin III is one of them, and, much like your father, who long ago chased after Lupin II, you would die for the opportunity to put his descendant behind bars.

Perhaps, this stranger is right. If the right opportunity won’t present itself to you…

‘I came to this city with one thing in mind,’ you begin, and the man hums, tilting his head as he watches you. ‘To follow my father’s footsteps, and to put criminals behind bars.’

The man’s eyebrow twitches and raises ever so slightly. ‘Is that so, sweetheart?’

‘Don’t call me that,’ you frown. Surely, the universe has something for having men patronizing you all the time. First, my superiors. Then, this guy. ‘If you’d like, you may address me by Detective.’ You pull out your weapon, aiming at the man’s chest. ‘Lupin III.’

‘Oh, so you knew it was me?’ He says, putting a hand on top of his head and, just as before, he fakes his shock. Everything is a game for a thief like himself. ‘Whatever gave that away?’

‘Spare me the—you are coming with me,’ you try to keep your blood cold. Yet, adrenaline is rushing through your veins. You have looked forward to this moment for days, weeks, months, years. You have yearned for the opportunity to catch this thief and put him behind bars, once and for all.

Lupin’s face morphs into a mischievous smirk. ‘And, what if I refuse, Detective?’

‘You can’t refuse. There is nowhere to go.’

‘It’s the two of us here,’ he comments. ‘Plus, I’d be really offended if you didn’t do your homework on me. All these years in the field, and yet there is not a single soul that is able to arrest me. Well, at least permanently.’

‘That’s fine. The opportunity just hadn’t been presented to you until now. I’m putting you in a cell, whether you like it or not.’

The thief bats his eyelashes in your direction, ‘Oh, so bossy. I love when women tell me what to do.’ Your eye twitches. This guy…! What a pain in the ass. ‘Unfortunately,’ he sighs, ‘I have to go. But, I’ll be sure to remember this little rendezvous of ours!’

He turns on his heel and begins running.

‘Wait!’ You extend your arms firmly, pointing the end of your barrel towards his ankle or even his hough. Anything to make him fall or lose his balance, while you go after him and call for backup.

Bang!

A bullet hits your gun, although it almost hits your hand instead — too close for comfort. You flinch, dropping your weapon instinctively. You lower yourself to the floor, looking around bewildered. Where did that bullet come from?

‘Thank you, Jiji!’ The thief calls out, and you become stiff. Of course you wouldn’t be working alone.

You hear a faint scoff, followed by a mumble, and you turn to look at the rooftops. Indeed, there is a silhouette, a weapon pointed at the skies as a sign of mercy. ‘I wouldn’t move an inch, if I were you,’ the gunman speaks loud enough for you to hear over the noise. You reply by giving him the nastiest glare you can manage. Something always has to be in your way.

‘Remember today’s lesson till next time, Detective!’ Lupin stops in his tracks, looking at you as he stands by a trash can. He begins to take off the jumpsuit, revealing his trademark suit underneath.

‘Oh, I will,’ you correct him firmly. ‘I’ll get you.’

In fact, that lesson would continue to haunt you for days and days to come.

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Long-Tailed Manakins: The Ultimate Wingmen

Long-tailed manakins (Chiroxiphia linearis) are members of the manakin family Pipridae, a group of 54 passerine species. The manakins are often assocaited with other birds of paradise, due to their bright coloration and unique mating rituals. They are found only along the western coast of Central America, from  Oaxaca, Mexico to northwestern Costa Rica, typically in tropical montane, moist, and dry forests.

C. linearis is larger than other manakins, about 10 cm (3.9 in) long and weighs 18 g (0.63 oz). Males have a black body with a bright blue back and a red cap, long pointed tail feathers, and orange feet. Females and immature birds are olive green, to better blend in with the canopy and avoid potential predators. The long-tailed manakin shares a close resemblance with four other manakin species, though their ranges don’t overlap.

Long-tailed manakins begin life in clutches of one or two eggs, which is carefully tended by their mother. Incubation lasts about three weeks, and hatchlings take another two weeks to leave the nest. Individuals take between three to five years to reach sexual maturity. Males spend most of this time, and the following adult years, practicing their courtship routine. Eventually they form a duet or trio with other, usually older, male long-tailed manakins, and perform from March through September. If they manage to inherit a position leading one of these groups and a female chooses them, the lucky guy mates with her once before going right back to his routine. These birds can live up to twelve years in the wild.

The mating ritual of C. linearis is noted for both its complexity and its unusual social foundation. Males in groups of two or three find a relatively horizontal branch in an open clearing and begin calling to attract a female. Once a female is in the vicinity-- or even if there’s not-- the group begins to perform. One by one they jump into the air, hover, then touch back down. In one variation of this dance, individuals land in the same spot and bounce quickly off again, while in the second variation they quickly rotate along the branch; all this is done while chirping in a loud, almost mechanical fashion. Once this sequence is concluded, the two ‘wingmen�� leave and the leader of the group performs a solo version of the same routine. If successful, only he is allowed to mate. Long-tailed manakin males can take up to eight years to perfect this routine, and most stay in the same groups throughout. One only inherits the alpha role when the current alpha dies or is no longer fit to mate.

Because they spend so much time practicing, performing, or chosing a mate, long-tailed manakins only forage for about an hour a day. During this time they eat lots of fruit, along with the occasional insect. Adults are typically left alone by predators, but eggs and young are often preyed upon by snakes, oppossums, monkeys, and lizards.

Conservation status: Long-tailed manakins have a relatively large range and stable population, so the IUCN has rated them Least Concern. Their primary threat is habitat loss; though they are pretty birds, they are difficult to rear in captivity and are not popular pets.

If you like what I do, consider leaving a tip or buying me a ko-fi!

Photos

Alejandra Echeverri

Emily Duval

Kenneth Reyes via eBird

[gaoau]

Bristle – Suicidal Photoshoot

A Mother's Instinct warnings — none. word count —1.4k

prev. — next.

[Name] wasn't dumb by any means; Yaku knew that much. She could handle herself correctly, she worked hard as much as she procrastinated, she somehow managed to keep a wild snake alive for longer than he had originally anticipated—and Gilbert loved her dearly, which greatly impressed him. She was an organized mess that carried herself with an air of responsibility and disaster at the same time.

If Yaku had to choose one word to describe her, his first option would be chaotic. With a little more thought—that thought that was very clearly biased—he could choose the word spontaneous. Of course, considering he looked at [Name] through a lens that had turned a rose color without him noticing, his judgement was clouded with pure adoration. But he was simply in love, not stupid.

Whenever [Name] joined forces with people as spontaneous as her—although Yaku did refer to those as stupid idiots—whatever rationality she had left in her leaped out the window and her chaos reached its peak. Those idiots were none other than her favorite set of captains and dear friends Kuroo and Bokuto. More often than not, thankfully, Akaashi stuck close to them to keep them in check and make sure they didn't get too out of line.

Which they did, anyway.

It was their last Summer training camp, considering they were third-years. [Name] was making the most out of it, putting her everything into the meals she cooked with her friends and staying until late to watch over her favorite pair of captains while they practiced. She had mentioned wanting to make as many memories as possible, so she kept a toothy grin on her face the entire time and cackled loudly with everyone around her.

She would never forget giving Konoha a nosebleed when trying to receive a ball she knew she couldn't receive; or having Lev give her a ride on his shoulders every time the team had to run up the hill as a penalty; or messing with Karasuno's first-years because Hinata was too much of a precious bundle of energy to not baby him, and Kageyama was more than willing to teach her how to serve—which she didn't learn at all—or the all-nighters she pulled along her beloved managers while showing them countless pictures of Gilbert, and Yaku, and Gilbert with Yaku.

Oh, and the incredible amount of times she battled Bokuto to an eating contest, only to end up hurling it back out. Or maybe how the Golden Trio of Chaos cracked a couple desks while arm-wrestling—the back of her hand boasted many bruises after being slammed without mercy so frequently. Not to mention the fiasco with those volleyballs, because Kuroo wondered how much air they could handle and [Name] offered to find out for an extra slice of watermelon. Akaashi had been kind enough to give up his own slice if only she left the volleyballs in peace, but [Name] asked, "Do I look like a coward to you?" and Akaashi was rendered speechless.

The unforgettable memories she so desperately desired were being made slowly but surely. After all, who could ever forget that one time Nekoma's manager almost killed their libero?

Yukie had come up with the fantastic idea of a photoshoot between captains and managers for the sake of looking back fondly over their high-school days. [Name] was absolutely ecstatic and instantly agreed to play along, rushing to grab Kuroo and wait patiently for their turn. Yaku hadn't been informed about the impromptu photo session, as he had his hands full with trying to whip Lev into shape once and for all.

The pictures taken were extremely adorable, and [Name] immediately asked for copies of all of them. She had fallen in love at first sight with Karasuno's managers, doting on a very intimidated Yachi every chance she got, and joining Yamamoto and his newest friends in their Kiyoko cult; of course she wanted a picture of their ethereal faces smiling for the camera. Everyone enjoyed the picture-taking, showing off a bit of their personalities through a still image—and by this, she meant Bokuto having his fists pumping in the air, which she also wanted to keep.

At last came Nekoma's turn after hearing [Name] holler compliments at every girl, mostly consisting of Queen! and Yes, you go, baby! It was right when Yukie called for her and Kuroo to step forward that her brain came up with, arguably, her best worst idea. "Hey, Tetsurou, hear me out." Yaku, all the way in a completely different gym, stopped mid-receive at the feeling of his hairs bristling on his nape like those of a furious cat.

Ignoring Lev's calls of confusion, Yaku snatched a cotton towel to dab off the sweat from his forehead while breaking into a sprint to find his best friend. He left her alone for a few minutes and she was already putting herself, and possibly others, in danger. "[Name], whatever you're thinking, don't…" He mumbled prayers under his breath, hoping that when he reached his destination, she would still have all her bones in their right place.

Yaku stepped through the third gym's doors to find [Name] whispering in Kuroo's ears. He watched from the sidelines as Kuroo's lips curled into a mischievous smirk that spelled trouble. Kuroo nodded enthusiastically, to which [Name] replied with an elated grin, and they bumped their fists with a bit too much force.

"Alright, Yukippe, you ready with the camera?" [Name] whipped around on her heels, parallel to Yukie acting as a photographer, and walked away from Kuroo. Yaku frowned.

"Yeah, come on—Wait, where're you going?"

Once she had decided the distance between her and her captain was ideal, she took in a deep breath. "Okay, here I go. Catch me, asshole." Her eyes stabbed daggers into Kuroo. Kuroo knew she trusted him either way.

"Yes, ma'am."

[Name] didn't run like Yaku had originally assumed, but she didn't quite walk either. Her strides were long and bouncy as she approached Kuroo, whose knees were slightly bent and palms were prepared to grab [Name]. The bristling on the back of his head attacking him once again went ignored when the realization slapped him across the face like he had slammed the life out of Lukas.

"[Name], what the fuck?! No!"

It wasn't too late, it was simply that [Name] rarely listened to Yaku's warnings. [Name]'s hands grasped Kuroo's shoulders tightly while Kuroo held onto her hips. She thrust herself into the air, and Kuroo raised his arms to the ceiling. Something that not many are good at is balancing on their hands on somebody else's shoulders; [Name] fell into this category as she flipped over Kuroo's head, screeching her soul out of her lungs. "Holy shit, Tetsurou, abort!"

Yaku still wondered years later how in the ever-loving fuck he had made it in time. His legs moved on their own before he could process the ridiculous scene transpiring right in front of him; he didn't realize when he was right below his best friend as she came crashing down. The weight of her body plus the force of gravity knocked the air out of his system and they toppled to the floor. Kuroo craned his neck backwards to appreciate the dog-pile writhing in pain next to his feet.

"I'm aware I've had better ideas…" [Name] rubbed the back of her head, which had unfortunately bumped against the tiles.

"[Name], I will fucking obliterate you."

"Do you also want ice?"

Yaku groaned in pain when [Name] shifted to get back on her feet, her elbow digging into his chest. "…Fuck. Yes, please." He remained flat on the floor, trying to ignore the laughter of everyone that didn't bother to help. He would have laughed as well, had it not been for the bruises blooming on every inch of his body.

But it didn't matter anyway, for the memory had been made, and he could laugh all he wanted when he reminisced with [Name] in the future.

[kaciidubs]

Get to Know Me - K-Pop Stan Edition

Tagged by; @bethanysnow

Who is your favorite K-pop group?

Stray Kids! Currently these babies are my faves! They've completely swept me off my feet, which I didn't think was possible from how fucking fast it happened, but I've got no complaints~

Which member sparked your interest first?

Believe it or not, but Seungmin was actually the first member who sparked my interest! Specifically Maxident era Seungmin [as I was a Maxident era Stay], he was the one I would look out for the most when I started getting into them as a group. It was the dandy boy effect, what can I say?

Who was your first bias?

Truthfully it was a tie between Seungmin and Chan in the beginning, I loved these two so much I considered myself just double biased with them, but magically one day Chan turned out to be my main bias, and Seungmin lived up to the bias wrecker name [until a wild HyuniBini came along].

Now - Who was your first ever bias?

Mr. President Kim Namjoon, Rap Monster, RM, Joonie of BTS - my first ever bias and husband, I love him more than words can ever describe, him and the rest of the tannies have gotten me through so much back in early 2020 and I'll forever be thankful for them - I honestly can't wait till they come home!

Who is your current bias?

If it wasn't obvious already, Chan - aka Christopher, Chris, Chanstopher, Channie, etc etc - is my current bias! Though, I'd say my full lineup is Chan, Changbin, and Hyunjin - he's my ult out of the tier.

What makes them your bias?

I could list a lot of things, really - talk about how I see some of myself in the parts that he's shown to us - but I don't think I could ever come up with just one singular reason as to why he's my bias. I feel like I can relate to him the most, he's got attributes that I wish I had and because of that it just draws me in more because seeing him excel makes me believe that I could do the same one day. Something just clicks with him and I can't place my finger on it, he's just... there, and my heart's all "Yeah, he's the one."

Who is your bias wrecker?

HyuniBini!! These two are wreckers like no other and I don't know how I manage to survive them but I do! Of course, I love all the members, but these two can snatch me away at any given moment and I'm not mad at it at all.

Which member(s) are you currently obsessing over that aren't your bias/bias wrecker?

Yang Jeongin. Yang fucking Jeongin. Ever since he got that split dye with the curls for Rockstar era, I've never been the same - ALSO, him and his honey brown hair now?? The length? The FLUFF? He's a baby bread after my heart and soul.

When did you first discover this group?

Technically I first discovered them on September 24, 2020 [according to my spotify liked playlist] with B Me, but I didn't truly start stanning them until October 11, 2022. To be fair, 2020 was really the year I actually started getting into K-Pop as a whole; I became an Army March 13th, 2020 - without BTS I doubt I would've been a Stay for as long as I have.

Have you ever been to one of their concerts?

Sadly, I haven't, and I had plans to see them this coming Lollapalooza, but things happened and I'm crossing my fingers to be able to see them when they go on tour again.

What are some of your favorite songs by the group?

Mixtape: OH, Neverending Story, Sorry I love you, Any, The Tortoise and the Hare, The Sound, Voices, Novel, Hello Stranger, Behind the Light, Cover me - their whole discography, honestly, but these are the main songs that make me feel like I'm going to a different universe.

Tagging; whoever made it this far and would like to do it! This was really fun~

[glittertomb]

Very personal but important question(s?) regarding chronic health issues and disability

So I’ve had fibromyalgia and Gastroparesis for about a decade now, and I try my best to self-manage these issues (in addition to the expensive meds they give me that don’t really provide relief), but it becomes severely difficult for me to work a full schedule, particularly when my job drains me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I spend my days off in complete recovery mode, absolutely bed-ridden, afraid to do anything social or physical, because I risk going into a total Fibro meltdown. Which is a nightmare, but I’ll spare you the details.

I’ve been considering applying for partial disability because I think working 3 or 4 days instead of 5 or 6 would be much better for most humans, honestly, but particular for someone like me who deals with chronic nausea, discomfort, and pain on the daily. I’ve been putting it off for ages though because I know that disability can be very difficult to get and a horrible process and I can’t work myself up to it or afford a disability lawyer to help me. I tried being a little more aggressive this past summer and collected “documentation” on my fibromyalgia in the hope of preparing to submit it, and literally all of my documentation says “fibromyalgia?” because apparently none of my doctors believe me after years of testing and thousands of dollars of office visits trying to get this diagnosis. To be honest, using fibromyalgia as my reasoning for disability needs was a dead end anyway because lots of doctors still don’t believe it exists, so I doubt the government would find that a good reason either. And I really doubt they would take the Gastroparesis seriously either, even though both of these conditions are dehabilitating at times.

So one of my friends recommended I go through the avenue of my mental health issues. At different points of my life I’ve been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, bipolar, ocd, adhd, etc, and who knows what the real answer is, but she’s a mess. I’ve been realizing over the past couple years that I’m very likely autistic, and that would actually explain a lot of these things, but the past 6 months have been crazy, and even though I’ve been working a bunch, I’m poorer than ever because of the rising cost of everything, so I cannot afford to get a formal diagnosis yet. But I know that I told my most recent psychiatrist all these horror stories about my anxiety, so I decided to get done documentation for her too, and guess what? Generalized depression and mild anxiety. Girl, huh? (Tw: blood and dermatillomania coming up) I showed her evidence of scars on my hands from picking my hands every night til I bleed everywhere, I described how I get overwhelmed and cry at work several times a week and often fight back panic attacks at work and in my private life, I told her than I struggled to fall asleep and stay asleep and only got collectively about a few hours every night, I told her that I literally could not socialize without using alcohol as a crutch but I can no longer do that because of my digestive issues so I self-isolate, I told her that I struggle to maintain eye contact and panic when people give me eye contact… so many stories like these. Mild anxiety smdh

So that comes to my first question cause I guess I decided while writing this that I have a couple:

1) How do you, as a female-presenting person, get a diagnosis for severe anxiety? How wild do my stories have to be without accidentally committing myself?! I have an ex, amab, who basically pulled a john Mulaney and was like, “I get nervous on planes sometimes” and he legit got a prescription for Xanax or one of those other big ones, and another who is on a dose of gabapentin 5x the strength of mine because he gets social anxiety sometimes, so this is especially frustrating that I can’t even get a dang proper diagnosis on anything after ten+ years of therapy, doctors, tests, everything.

2) What is the process like for getting an autism diagnosis and are there cheaper routes you can go that would still be credible? I’ve exhausted my expenses from years of jobs not paying my worth combined with money poured down the drain trying to get any sort of help with my kaleidoscope of issues, and at this point I’m too broke and demotivated and burnt out to figure out a way forward.

3. Has anyone been able to get partial or full disability who would be willing to hold my hand through the steps and keep me motivated? I know it’s a huge ask but I honestly get so anxious even thinking about the process that I completely shut down. At the very least, maybe you could explain what worked for you or how you would approach it better next time? I just moved far away from my support group so I’m feeling alone and even a word of caution or encouragement would help.

I know I’m not really as connected to this community as I used to be, but I’m hoping someone will get to the end of this and even a kind word or a smidge of sympathy/empathy would be nice. And please do reach out if you have fibro because I don’t meet many and it would be nice to have friends who can relate. Thank you for listening! 💜💜💜

[objecthusbandry]

After a couple days i think clove is finally used to me!! Taking her outside regularly definitely helped A LOTT, even though ive interacted with her in the past which probably also helped her adjust quickly, i think soon i might start slowly introducing her to my batteries! Although, i am a bit concerned on how i'll take her out to graze during the winter-- the colder season is gonna creep in soon and i expect that we'll have our first snow by october (last year it was on halloween, so im bracing for an early start to the winter). Most sources on google said that once the average temperature drops to a certain point she'll grow a winter coat, so im not too worried about the cold, but the lack of fresh grass + the frequent snowstorms are concerning.

Is it possible for me to simulate grazing in the backyard by taking a chunk of turf from the yard that's around the size of her enclosure and letting her eat that? My idea would be to place her cage near a window ( not on the actual window ofc! im not gonna put her on my windowsill, even if i tried her cage is WAYY too big for that lol ) so she can get some fresh air, while also taking care of and managing a sort of "mini backyard" inside her enclosure. Hurricane season is also approaching, so whatever winterproofing i do is also important for being able to let her get proper stimuli while keeping her safe from our crappy weather.

(Ofc, i'll still take her outside even when i do find an alternative, this is mainly just so i know shes still having her needs fulfilled even if i am literally unable to safely take her outside)

-🔋🌼⚡️

this is a fantastic question! you bring up a great concern here - i live in a pretty warm area so i didn't consider this. in the wild, cotton balls are native to warmer areas in the south where snow is light and have evolved their very downy coats to help stay warm during winter. in their native range they tend to be able to find fresh grass fine, but it's true they would struggle in deep snow further north.

you should ABSOLUTELY make an area for her to graze indoors! make sure it's near a window like you said; as long as you're taking her outside even if not to graze she should be okay with the window closed, but if you aren't able to for some reason you should keep the window open. windows block out uvb rays which is necessary for vitamin d (this applies to humans as well). due to their very light bodies heavy wind can quite literally blow them away and rain will completely soak through their coat, so keep her indoors during storms, even light ones. just remember that the size of the turf will need to be pretty large because cotton balls eat almost their body weight every day in grass!

also, try investing in a heat lamp during the coldest parts of winter if your house isn't able to heat well. cotton balls do best at around 80° fahrenheit!

[bonnielass23]

Writer WIP Poll Game

Rules: make a 24-hour poll with the names of your wip's, let it run, then write one sentence for every vote the winner got.

I was tagged by the lovely @astarkey and @alwaysupatnight. Thank you for allowing to open the floodgates of just how many WIPS I have.

Since I was tagged by a fellow Dusk fan I'm gonna list my fdtd wips all of which are sethkate. Some serious. Some complete crack. Most of these do not have titles yet

Outside of my fdtd friends who have already posted, I'm gonna tag everyone else across multiple fandoms : @lilmissuncreative @saltyunderscored @kelkat9 @fortysevenswrites @psilocybinlemon @elialys @milkshakemicrowave @kelkat9 and anyone else I missed or wants to do it!

Some of these have an official summary, some is just me throwing out the info. It should be obvious which is which lol

If anyone has any questions about these feel free to hit me up!

Raccoon Amaru - Canon divergent post season 2. With Kate surviving the blood well and Seth bringing her back to Jeds from the hospital to recover, Amaru finds herself in a different vessel.

La Jefe - Canon divergent post season 2 episode 9. At the blood well Kate stays up on the hill with Richie. It’s only after he’s gone down to try to take the blood for himself, in a move that is peak dumbass, that Kate has to intervene. With Richie wounded by a Xiblaban weapon and lying useless in the backseat of the car it’s up to Kate to deliver the blood and unwittingly become the new La Jefe, the head of Malvado’s empire. Seth lives his best life as a sugar baby and Richie is crying in a corner because he's supposed to be the boss.

Wild West AU - Wild West likely with supernatural elements. Kate frees Seth from the jail in Bethel the night before he's set to hang in exchange for him helping her track down her brother who disappeared with Carlos six months earlier. (Also the memorial piece for my mare, Bandit, who passed away almost a year ago and will be written in as Seth's horse.)

SethKate Wedding Date AU - Modern Day. No culebras. Kate is invited to her cousin's wedding and decides to ask Seth to be her date

“He’s not just my date, Scott.” A maniacal grin spreads over Kate’s face. “He’s my weapon. You really think I’m gonna walk in there with all their passive aggressive, pretending to be concerned comments? No, Scott. I’m going to fight fire with fire.” “That’s not fighting fire with fire Kate. That’s fighting fire with a nuclear warhead!”

Shangri-La - Canon divergent post season 2. With Eddie in critical condition and his chances of survival slim, the Geckos chose to go through with the plan to rob Malvado, even managing to save Kate’s life in the process. After coming back from their meeting with the lords, their relief at the news of Eddie’s survival is soon eclipsed by the sheer panic of realizing they now have to explain to him that not only did they pull his Shangri-La, swan song job without him, but they also lost the money.

Hero Twins AU - Canon divergent post season 2 episode 2. Kate reveals to Seth that she's pregnant during their fight in the car. After Sonja gets Seth clean, and with Eddie's help they hide away from the culebra world. 7 years later Richie and Kisa come crashing in with the news that their daughters are the next set of Hero Twins, destined to shake up the culebra and Xibalban hierarchy.

This leans very heavily into Mayan mythology, including a bibliography of academic sources, that will be included. It could be considered an exploration of the hero twin archetype told through Seth and Kate's fictional twins.

Witch AU - Modern day with supernatural elements. No culebras. Kate comes from a line of witches cursed to die when they begin to manifest their magical abilities. When she starts to have visions of her own death she goes to a professor of the occult Richard Gecko to try to figure out why her family keeps dying young. A witch himself, he tries to help her figure out the curse along with Seth who has turned his back on his supernatural abilities. It's a race against the clock to see if they can save Kate before her visions of her death come true.

Selkie AU - Coming home from college to attend her mother's funeral, Kate finds a package Jenny had left her. Kate's seal skin and an explanation of what she is. After going out to learn more about who she is her skin is stolen and she has to rely on the owner of a nearby bar, Seth Gecko, and his friends to steal back her skin.