#I might be missing something from his timeline but like... long hair/short hair/no hair at all/classic superhero outfit/edgy satanic punk

[judgement-nishiki]

Me, completely inspired: after 10 years, I'm finally gonna draw Daimon Hellstrom >:3

Me, searching for reference pictures: I'm sorry, Daimon. I'm so sorry none of the Marvel comic artists know what you look like

[jackiehicks]

‘Best Kept Secret’

Wyatt Lykensen x Reader

request: wyatt x wells!reader with a secret relationship? they're just always sneaking away from friends during school to meet up.

A/N: my first request and it’s a wyatt x reader?? the stars literally aligned for me on this. i hope you guys like it!! this is set after the events of zombies 2 for timeline reasons. don’t get sick of wyatt just yet though, there might be some more content coming your way…

words: 1.6k

content warning: light swearing

y/n smiled at her phone and sighed. she had been dating wyatt for a few months now, but they had decided to keep it secret due to the fact that she was human and he was a werewolf. she knew seabrook was integrated now and the human/zombie/werewolf student body was becoming more familiar by the day, but it was just easier to keep her relationship with wyatt a secret.

she didn’t really know why they kept hush about it. perhaps it was so the two of them would be somewhat left alone by bucky and his aceys who found every opportunity to say something snide and cruel about y/n and her friends. maybe it was the fear of wyatt being shunned by his wolf pack - this was the first time a wolf and a human had started a relationship in well over a century. maybe it was the judgement she would get from her family.

to cut a long story short, y/n was burdened with the surname ‘wells’. not only was her mother the mayor and her father a well-respected zombie patrolman, but she was the twin sister of star cheerleader and monster-activism trailblazer addison wells.

it’s not that addison and y/n didn’t get along, they had been best friends since the day they were born - they practically came out of the womb holding hands - it’s just that y/n had seen everything that addison had gone through last year with her zombie boyfriend zed, and she did not want that for herself and wyatt. zombies were one thing, but werewolves were still a whole other story in seabrook.

on top of all that, y/n was simply never as popular as addison. she always felt like an outsider. where addison hid her natural hair with a blonde wig, y/n always wore her white locks proudly and defiantly. this got her in a lot of trouble with her parents and the school (seriously, being dress-coded for having naturally white hair was a joke) but she didn’t care. she wasn’t like all the other kids at seabrook, why try to fit in?

that’s how y/n and wyatt met, actually. y/n noticed how all of the wolves had streaks of white in their hair, and she was curious. maybe this was why she felt as though she was different from the others? she talked to wyatt about it, learned some interesting things about wolves, learned some interesting things about wyatt, and shared some interesting things about herself. the rest, as they say, is history.

so, y/n and wyatt were seabrook’s best kept secret. when they weren’t miserably hiding their relationship, it was sort of fun. y/n liked the danger of sneaking around with her “scary” boyfriend, and the thought of doing so was more than appealing as she stared down at her chemistry textbook on the table.

she closed the book and picked it up, making her way out of the library, when all of a sudden she felt a hand on her arm and was being pulled round the corner. she yelped just as she came face to face with her boyfriend.

“miss me?”

“wyatt, you frightened me!” she smacked him playfully on the arm.

“come on, i’ll walk you to your locker. you’re not gonna need any books next period.” he grinned as the two of them walked down the hall.

y/n placed the chemistry textbook in her locker as wyatt leaned nonchalant on the lockers next to her.

“where are we even going for our… free period?” he asked in a hushed voice. she smirked at him and shook her head. the halls were completely empty, everyone was already in their next classes.

“this was your idea, honey. i figured you would have a plan.”

“when do i ever have a plan for anything? you’ve been at this school far longer than i have, surely you know some good hiding spots.”

“i don’t know if you remember this, but i’m a wells. i have to be on my best behaviour at all times.”

“god, that’s pitiful. thank god you have me, you’d be so bored otherwise.”

y/n closed her locker and kissed wyatt on the cheek.

“thank god indeed. come on, i think the football field is unoccupied this period.” she grabbed wyatt’s hand as she started to run towards the school’s exit. he laughed loudly as he ran with her, and she shushed him.

y/n and wyatt sat on the bleachers, looking out over the seabrook football field. it was a warm day, as it usually was in their perfect town. wyatt and y/n enjoyed deep conversations in moments like this, no one around them to interrupt them, simply sitting and chatting. wyatt had his fingers interlocked with y/n’s as they spoke.

“you’d think the school would be more monster-friendly” wyatt sighed.

“yeah, i mean eliza was campaigning for zombie language classes which would have been dope, but there’s not much accommodation for zombies outside of what zed’s presidential campaign was going for.”

“and for werewolves… shit, people still won’t look us in the eye half the time.”

y/n smiled softly and squeezed wyatt’s hand. he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

“sometimes i think you’re the only one outside of the pack who understands me, sweetheart.” he said. he was only inches away from y/n’s face, it would be so easy to just grab his cheeks and kiss him. so that’s exactly what she did.

y/n’s hands gripped wyatt’s face firmly and she kissed him square on the mouth - only briefly, but it left them both grinning. wyatt returned the favour, kissing her with such force that almost knocked y/n backwards. they laughed against each other’s lips until wyatt pulled away. he had a concerned look on his face, and y/n immediately worried.

“wy, what’s up?”

“not to panic you or anything, but i got a scent.”

“oh god, what is it?”

“smells like jock.”

“oh shit” y/n exclaimed, looking at her phone. there was 5 minutes left of their ‘free period’ and she had totally forgot that the football players and cheerleading squad start their practises early. this wouldn’t be much of an emergency, except for the fact that y/n’s sister was on the cheer team.

“we need to hide, right? if addison or zed sees us-“

wyatt finished her sentence for her. “we won’t be much of a secret anymore, i know. come on, let’s go.”

they made their way down the steps of the bleachers as fast as they could - why the hell did they sit all the way at the top?! - and began to make their way around the corner of the field when they saw the football team and cheer squad about to turn the same corner, with addison and zed leading the crowd.

“under the bleachers!” y/n whisper-shouted and grabbed wyatt’s hand, running to hide under the metal bleachers from her sister’s line of sight. the two were out of breath, quietly laughing with relief.

“you’re almost too good at this ‘keeping secrets’ thing, you know that?” wyatt asked, wrapping his arms around y/n’s waist. she put her arms on his shoulders and began fussing with the soft hair on the nape of his neck.

“oh please, this is a team effort.”

wyatt hummed in agreement as he leaned in for another kiss, but the two were interrupted by the sound of a throat clearing.

“you guys good under there?” zed grinned. addison was standing next to him, trying to hide her smile.

“i don’t know what shocks me more: the fact that you hid your boyfriend from us, or the fact that you skipped class, y/n.” she laughed.

“please don’t tell mom and dad.”

“about your truancy or your secret werewolf boyfriend?” zed interjected. y/n scowled at him.

“if you don’t want me to, i won’t.” addison reassured her. y/n breathed a sigh of relief.

“thank you.”

zed sauntered over to wyatt, putting him in a headlock.

“skipping class, huh? remember what i said about doing it like the zombies do?”

wyatt smacked his arm playfully. “yeah, right. like no zombie has ever cut class before.”

“we follow rules here at seabrook. come on, furball, can’t be missing two classes in a row.”

wyatt sighed as zed let him out of the headlock. he was still getting used to being so buddy-buddy with people outside of the pack, and zed really could be extra sometimes.

“he’s right, actually,” wyatt said to y/n, “we probably should get to our next classes. don’t wanna get caught by anyone else.”

“yeah, you’re right. you go ahead, i’ll catch up.”

wyatt winked at his girlfriend before he began to walk away. y/n turned to her sister, engulfing her in a hug.

“i’m so sorry i didn’t tell you, addy. you have no idea how badly i wanted to. we were just worried what everyone would think. wyatt hasn’t even told his sister either and she’s the alpha werewolf and she’s, like, actually scary.” y/n blabbered, squeezing addison tight. addison laughed.

“sis, it’s okay. i was nervous to tell you about zed and i when we first started dating. don’t stress.”

“ugh, i love you. i really should go though, i don’t wanna be late and i know for a fact wyatt is waiting for me a few feet away.”

addison untangled herself from her sister’s tight squeeze of a hug.

“i love you too, now go!” she spun y/n around by her shoulders and gave her a shove. y/n waved goodbye before she jogged to catch up with wyatt.

zed wiped a fake tear from his eye, “ah, young love.”

“come on, casanova, you’ve got football practise.”

[x-press-it]

Devilish Desires - 1/8

Dangerous Temptations, Irresistible Touch 🎞️❤️‍🔥🌹⚔️🖤💻🖱️

Sub!Logan Howlett x Dom!OC (They/Them)

Summary: Logan, typically guarded and dominant, finds himself captivated by E, a mysterious being with a devilish allure and ancient presence that challenges his control.

Context: This story unfolds 'within' the "Days of Future Past" new timeline, during Logan's early years as a history teacher at Xavier’s School. It’s set well before his consciousness from the original timeline reconnects with him in 2023, as seen at the film’s end.

Content Warnings (for the whole story): Smut 18+ (Dry humping, Edging, Unprotected p in v.) - Dom!Logan into Sub!Logan - Pet Names (Good boy, pretty boy, pet, pup, amongst others…) reversed age gap (Logan is younger) - OC Notes: Established name, backstory, powers, fighting style, female body but gender fluid character (Logan misgender them at first because he doesn’t know, even in the descriptions) - Mention of other character from the MCU and subtle references to the comics for flavor (not mandatory to understand what is happening) - Flash back and mention of past trauma - Very quick mentions of drugs - Fluff with Dark Undertones: Emotional tension and possessive affection - Worship Themes: Religious imagery, reverent language and awe - Ancient Mysticism: References to otherworldly or demonic presence - Mental Health: Power dynamics, personal vulnerabilities - Trope: Rivals to lovers.

I'm back after 10 years of iatus and fairly new to how things are done on tumblr now, so sorry if I missed any warnings. Also english isn't my first language so there might be typos/weird sentences...

Notes: Got very inspired by @gothgoblinbabe writing of sub!Logan and repeated listening of "Between wind and water" by Hael. Cover made with canva from an idea I got from this post. If you know who made the picture, tell me so I can credit them - Click on the divider to find the creator.

Also this was meant to be an imagine turned into a full story. Just so you know, some chapters are very short, other are long. I'm in the process of editing/writing/rewriting parts so I'll post a chapter everytime I have one fully edited.

Need some music? I've got you

Chapters: 1/8

Word Count: 1.8K / 60K+ for now

The soft click of the office door broke the silence in the hallway. They stepped out, adjusting their suit jacket, their posture elegant and composed, though a subtle tension lingered behind their calm exterior. Their long black wavy hair cascaded down their back, brushing against the fabric as they moved with an effortless grace. Those days, they felt more woman than anything else—their skin a rich, dark brown that gleamed under the soft lights—but it wasn’t always the case.

It had been a few weeks since they’d started working at the mansion, handling the Institute’s legal affairs. Most of the students gave them a wide berth, and the staff kept their distance—there was something about them that made people uneasy, even if they didn’t understand why.

Them on the other hand, they liked it that way.

As they stepped into the hall, their senses picked up something different. A low hum of energy—wild and untamed, charging the space around them. It tugged at their instincts, drawing their attention before they saw him. He turned the corner, boots heavy on the carpeted hardwood, an unshaven jaw covered in scruff, and a bag slung over his shoulder like he’d just walked out of a warzone. Broad shoulders, rough hands, and that look of a man who didn’t take orders from anyone. Not even Charles, from the way he stormed down the hall, barely noticing anything else in his path. His clothes were dusted with travel and grit, and that sharp, brooding look in his eyes didn’t soften even when they landed on them. He was raw power wrapped in flesh, every muscle taut, every movement deliberate.

Logan Howlett.

They’d heard the name whispered by the students, seen it on paperwork, but this was the first time they’d laid eyes on him. And the sight of him made their mouth water.

Logan had been gone for weeks—tracking down some personal leads, putting down problems before they grew too big. He had just parked his bike in the garage when he caught a scent that wasn’t part of the usual mix around the mansion. New. Feminine, with a dangerous edge to it—like spice wrapped in smoke, rich and heady, making his senses bristle. Whoever this was, she wasn’t some harmless new schoolteacher.

He rolled his shoulders, tightening the strap of his bag as he headed down the familiar hallways. The kids were nowhere to be seen, probably off in some class, and that suited him just fine. His boots made a steady, heavy sound on the floor, his mind set on dropping off his report with Chuck and catching a few hours of shut-eye.

He rounded the corner and froze, catching sight of her.

She was walking out of Charles' office, high heels clicking in rhythm with each step, her silhouette sharp and commanding. But there was something else—a flicker of something above her hairline, two subtle obsidian bumps that disappeared under her carefully styled wavy hair.

Horns?

His eyes trailed lower without permission. The plum of her lips, the curves of her breasts and the sway of her hips pulled at something primal in him, something he thought he had under control. There was power in her stride, something that made his instincts fire up in ways he hadn’t expected. Damn. He’d seen plenty of women in his time, but none with this kind of presence. The way her clothes hugged her body, her confidence… it wasn’t just a walk—it was a challenge. Logan’s gaze lingered a little too long, his nostrils flaring slightly at that scent again, his eyes trailed down once more, uncontrollably drawn to the curve of her hips.

Hell, he’d been gone for a few weeks, and he came back to this?

For a moment, neither of them moved. The air between them felt charged, a crackling tension that made their skin prickle. His eyes swept over them—sharp, assessing, like he was reading them just as much as they were reading him. The way he looked at them was different from what they were used to. Not with the hesitant caution most men wore in their presence, but something else—something hungrier, more primal. Something that resonated with the darker parts of themselves they tried to keep buried.

They shifted, folding their arms across their chest as his gaze lingered a little too long.

The way his nostrils flared slightly, his eyes flicking from their face to the faintest hint of their horns beneath their hair. Not that it mattered. He was focused on something else, too—the curve of their hips, the allure of their heels against the polished floor. They didn’t need to look to know he was watching.

They almost smiled. Almost.

Her scent got stronger as she started walking again, coming closer, sending a ripple through him that he quickly shook off. Whatever game she was playing, he wasn’t about to fall for it. He’d dealt with enough trouble in his lifetime to recognize it when it crossed his path.

But damn, those hips.

He grunted, pushing it all down as she passed by, brushing close enough that the faintest touch of a thin tail coming from under her pencil skirt grazed his leg so lightly he almost didn’t feel it. Almost. The scent grew stronger, messing with his focus, making him forget for a second that he had a report to deliver. He forced his eyes forward, giving his mind something else to chew on, his eyes on the door to Charles’ office, but he couldn’t shake the feel of her.

"Mr. Howlett," her voice was silk, controlled, the hint of a smile lingering at the edges of her lips, like she already knew everything about him. “Welcome back.”

He gave her a quick glance, a low grumble leaving his throat. “Who the hell are you?”

They saw the tension ripple through him as they passed. For all his tough exterior, Logan wasn’t immune to theirs. He wouldn’t admit it, of course, but it was there in the way he set his jaw, the brief flicker in his eyes as they greeted him. He’d noticed more than just their horns. The tail that skimmed his leg had been subtle, but they caught the way he stiffened.

A small victory.

His eyes were a storm—full of warning and curiosity, a predator assessing the situation. They liked that. Liked that he wasn’t some fool who would melt at their feet like so many others. Logan was… different. Stubborn. Dangerous.

But if he thought that would stop them from having their fun, he had no idea who he was dealing with.

When he spoke, asking who they were, his voice was gravelly—rough, like the scrape of metal on stone—and it made her horns itch with anticipation.

They turned fully, eyes locking with his, letting the question hang in the air for a heartbeat longer than necessary. A sly smile curled at the edge of their lips as they put their hand on their hip, her gaze not shying away from him in the slightest, piercing blue eyes steady.

“I’m E,” they finally said as if it was the most normal name in the world, feeling the weight of his stare. The air between them thickened and then their voice came again, smooth, steady. “The new lawyer.”

Logan’s eyes narrowed, suspicion darkening his features. He stepped closer, just enough that E could smell a faint metallic scent and the earthiness clinging to him. A wild animal, barely restrained.

“Lawyer, huh?” He grunted, but his gaze didn’t waver from theirs, as if he were trying to dig deeper, to get past the surface. “Ain’t seen a lawyer look like you before.”

E’s smile widened, something dangerous glittering behind their cool expression. “And I haven’t met a man quite like you, either, Mr Howlett,” they shot back, their voice smooth, teasing at the edges of something darker, something far older than this hallway or the mansion, or even him.

Logan’s lips twitched, a flicker of amusement passing over his face, though his eyes stayed sharp. “Don’t trust lawyers.”

A smug smile tugged at their lips.

“I’d be disappointed if you did.”

He let out a low, rough chuckle, shaking his head as if dismissing them. But they could feel the tension coiling in him, that primal urge battling with the cool control he tried to maintain. He brushed past them, closer than necessary, the tips of his fingers ghosting near their side. E’s skin tingled at the proximity, their body reacting even though their face remained neutral.

He paused, turning just enough to glance over his shoulder, eyes catching theirs again.

“Don’t care who you are,” he growled softly, a challenge hidden beneath his words. “Long as you stay outta my way.”

Even as he was walking away, they could feel the way his presence lingered in the air, heavy, magnetic. For all the danger that clung to him like a second skin, Logan was… intriguing. His scent still hung around them, earth and steel. But it wasn’t just his physicality that had their pulse racing—no, it was something deeper. Older.

Something that felt almost familiar.

Trouble.

He was going to be trouble, and they knew it.

But then again, trouble had always been their specialty.

Their fingers tapped against their hip as they considered his retreating figure, their thoughts swirling like dark, smoky tendrils. Logan probably thought he was unreadable, a closed book no one could crack. But they’d read men like him before—hungry, guarded, full of secrets they refused to admit, even to themselves.

Still, there was something different there. He wasn’t just another man to be toyed with. No, this one… this one might bite back.

They straightened their jacket again, eyes narrowing ever so slightly as they watched him stop in front of Charles’ office. The muscles in his back flexed under his worn leather jacket as he pushed the door open, and E couldn’t help but smirk.

Yes, Logan was going to be fun.

The door clicked shut behind him, but the scent of her still clung to his senses. He let out a low growl, shaking his head as if trying to clear his mind. What the hell was it about her? That scent, those eyes, those hips… she stirred something in him he didn’t like.

The primal part of him was curious—drawn in by the challenge, by the aura she carried. E. Didn’t matter what the hell she called herself. Something ancient lurked beneath that smooth exterior, something that made his instincts roar to life, like he was staring down a predator disguised as prey.

His claws itched beneath his skin, and not in the usual way.

He grunted, shifting his bag on his shoulder, trying to focus on the task at hand. But hell if his mind wasn’t already circling back to the sway of her hips, the way her voice slithered into his ears like smoke. He wasn’t some lovesick idiot, and yet…

He shook it off.

Trouble. That’s what she was. And he’d be damned if he let himself get dragged into whatever game she was playing.

To be continued...

Notes: If you enjoyed it, don’t forget to comment and spread the love 😊

More on the way!

✨ Masterlist ✨

Don't forget to follow the tags "Devilish Desires" and "xpressit writings" to stay tuned for the next chapters 😁

[the-fictive-haven]

So here we are with yet another all-call for fictives, introjects, kins and the like from the Sonic the Hedgehog universe! Because guess what? I've been gaining my canon memories back!! Mainly searching for my canonmates but any sourcemates are so welcome to interact :)

I'll leave a description of myself/my memories and my story below the break! If you happen to remember me or anything sounds familiar, please please please shoot us a message! Especially Sage or Ivo please I miss you guys ;-;

Hi! In this life I go by Yami. I don't remember my original name, sadly. I am the twin or younger sister of the late Maria Robotnik. I share many of her physical features - blue eyes, blonde hair, fair skin, and so on, - and was blessed enough to be born perfectly healthy and never contract the same illness as my sister. I stayed on the ARK voluntarily to be by her side and wanted to help our grandpa (Dr. Gerald) search for a cure for her.

He experimented on me. I don't recall many details of this, but it undeniably happened. As a naive kid I had no idea what was truly going on, I trusted him blindly. I would turn out to be the precursor - and catalyst - of Project Shadow, after breakthroughs in working with alien DNA brought about new opportunities for research. I was given a prototype of what would become known as inhibitor rings and told never to take them off or the consequences would be dire.

I would aid Dr. Gerald in his work on Project Shadow, quickly becoming attached to the new lifeform and beginning to doubt the morality of what we were doing. But I was a kid. I couldn't do anything about it. All I could do was reach out to Shadow once he finally gained consciousness and offer support, which I did. All of my time was spent with him or looking after Maria.

Of course all good things must come to an end. Long story short, ARK raid, G.U.N. bad, lost my sister and Shadow and I were separated. Gerald had a plan to preserve the three of us but the execution was very botched, and I was the only one successfully secured and placed in stasis while my best friend was carted off to prison island. Fast forward somewhere between 45 and 50 years, a certain blue hedgehog stumbles across me and wakes me up. He was cool and all, but the moment I met Ivo I knew who I'd end up siding with. Don't get me wrong, I'm not "evil", but hey.. another Robotnik, another curious and ambitious scientist who might be just a little crazy. We clicked, what can I say?

From then on I'd live with Ivo in his lair, helping out like I did for gramps. I was sort of a neutral force here. I didn't hurt anyone or let anyone be hurt. I sided with Ivo but ultimately became friends with Team Sonic as well. And then, we discovered Shadow was in fact alive, and busted in in what was essentially a giant middle finger to the people who'd taken so much from us, taking my best friend back.

(something something Sonic Forces, don't remember that part of the timeline and I'm not sure it actually happened)

Then the time comes for Ivo and I to make a trip to the Starfall Islands to do some investigating around the ancient ruins there, and some cyberspace shenanigans ensue. I may or may not have gotten a little distracted by the Koco (they're adorable, okay?) before running into Sage, who'd already encountered Sonic doing Sonic things and activated the Titan Giganto.

God I miss Sage. Naturally we were on the same team, trying to save Ivo from cyberspace (and prevent the world ending big bad from doing world ending big bad things). She was the smartest, sweetest, most curious AI, and while she followed her directive strictly we got along fine.

Then we get to Sonic trying to take down the Titan. Spoiler alert, it's stronger than it was in the game. He almost fucking dies. But seeing him get hurt flipped some kind of switch in me. Remember the inhibitors I mentioned earlier? For the first time in years, I cast them aside, recklessly following the voice of instinct inside that told me I needed to do something. And holy hell, I'm powerful. It was really exhausting though, I could only really maintain control long enough to stop Sonic from becoming a hedgehog pancake on the ground and retreat before passing out. Sage found my rings and I had them back on as soon as possible. See, they work differently than Shadow's; they suppress whatever abilities I have completely rather than regulating it. And yes that was an intentional move by the doctor. He didn't want anyone finding out he'd shoved black arms DNA into his human grandkid for obvious reasons. But I digress.

The last thing I remember chronologically there is gradually exploring my powers there on Kronos Island. I was terrified, not gonna lie. But Sonic has a way of putting people at ease. god I miss him too. In what felt like no time I was learning to control and use my new abilities. I could move pretty damn fast! Not as fast as him of course, but it was fun to try. That's such a beautifully fond memory of mine, it makes me so happy to think about.

And there you have it, basically everything I remember about my past life. Sourcemates, canonmates, please I am begging you our messages are open and we will give you our discord! Just ask! Thank you <3

[elliemarchetti]

Gwynriel Weeks Day 3

I really wanted to participate in this year’s @gwynrielweeksofficial, but since at the moment my free time is decidedly limited I opted for writing a collection of drabbles, a story that can be read all together or as standalones. I don’t know how many chapters I will actually be able to publish, but I present you the first, set after ACOSF and whatever happened in the last CC book (I haven’t read that saga and I don’t intend to, so I don’t know if the timeline is right)

Prompt: Confessions

Warnings: Angst

Words: 625

"I thought about you while you were gone."

Gwyn’s soft voice broke the comfortable silence, making him wince. Her words hit harder than any blow he ever received in his long life as a warrior, striking straight to the heart. He had found her on the stands of the training arena, her hair down, her feet bare and only a light nightgown to cover her slender body. The full moon made her look like a forgotten goddess he wanted to worship, a physical reaction that reminded him why he had to stay away.

“I feared you wouldn’t come back,” she went on, her usual sweet smell mixing with that of the alcohol she previously drank. Her teal eyes were wide, but uncharacteristically veiled with sadness, as if she still didn’t believe he was real and alive, next to her in the dark. Ever since Azriel had returned to the Night Court, they had never been alone. He had made up all sorts of excuses to postpone their private training sessions, and when she was with the Valkyries, he had let Cassian lead her training, for every moment he spent too close was a suffering, a test of his honour and morals.

“Do you want me to escort you inside?” he asked, when the absence of her words became too much to bear, ready to offer his jacket to cover her figure on the short journey. While he was on his mission, he had a lot of time to ponder. He usually liked the solitude, to be away from useless chatter and invasive questions, but the sound of Gwyn’s voice was music, the only thing capable of silencing the constant buzz of his thoughts and the fussing of his shadows. He had missed her incredibly, and when he saw her again with the other priestesses, the breath had left his lungs, making him gasp and eager to hold her in his arms, something he never did before and certainly couldn’t do at the moment, out of the blue.

In response to his question, Gwyn simply shook her head, the long hair escaping from behind her left ear, framing her face like a burnished cascade. For an instant, Azriel deluded himself that they were the only beings still existing in the world, light and shadow colliding with the stars as their only witnesses. He had to resist the impulse to retreat when she touched the tips of his flame-torn fingers with her own, smooth and tapered, and he had to will his instinct to not drag her on top of him and fuck her senseless. He wasn’t like those beasts who had violated her, but he was rough, and flawed and…

She’s about to kiss you, purred one of his shadows, the sound audible to him only. It was true, and as much as he had to, Azriel didn't stop it from happening. He responded to the delicate peck on his full lips as if he were afraid he might break her just by moving too fast, and he followed her lead with the fluidity of a centuries old spy.

“I’m sure Lady Elain is more capable than me, but after all the apprehension of the past few weeks, I had to do it,” she murmured when they finally parted, and something in Azriel broke. His detachment capitulated like the walls of a conquered city, and decades of repression resurfaced, freezing him in place. He watched her walk away, her back straighter than he would’ve expected, her pride intact. She was a force of the nature, incapable of regret, unaware that she had just left ruins and destruction in her wake.

“I thought of you too,” he whispered to no one, the words lost in the wind.

[blainesebastian]

oscar luncheon (ccg universe)

words: 3,392 ship: austin butler x reader summary: (request from @stylespresleyhearted ): “Luci attending the Oscar luncheon with her daddy and being an absolute princess” notes: timeline is just a bit wonky to make luci around 2 for this. suspend your beliefs about time here for the ccg universe lmao  warnings: none  tag list: @killerqueenfan, @karamelcoveredolicity, @elizabethrosecresswell, @gigisworldsstuff, @rairaielv

You’re not one hundred percent sure this is the best idea.

It’s not that Luci doesn’t do well at events, she does, she’s had two whole years of doing things with her parents. Award shows, dinners, red carpets, doesn’t matter. She’s well-behaved, soaks up every experience almost like a tiny movie star. You and Austin are lucky, you know that. You haven’t had to put either of your passions on the back burner to raise a child—not to say you wouldn’t have if you had to, in a heartbeat. Your lives have shifted, of course, but everything feels as if it’s been a lateral move.

At least for right now.

Regardless, Luci has always been an angel in taking her to events. You and Austin are still learning, sussing out how she does, when you need to cut things short or push the envelope. And it’s worked out in your favor so far but…

“I’m just not sure an all-day event is a good idea.” It’s the Oscar Luncheon, something that Austin obviously shouldn’t miss, but you’re debating what attendance should look like.

You’re on the couch with your husband, picking apart the week’s schedule. One of the things you love most about him is his ability to always have a conversation with you—doesn’t matter what it’s about. He’s willing, you both decide on things together, you hash out feelings or disagreements. It might seem like something small? But it makes the biggest difference.

Austin shifts a little against the cushions, his long body sprawled out, his back resting on the arm of the couch. Your body is angled towards his, along his legs. His one hand holds onto yours, rubbing his thumb over the knuckles while the other keeps Luci against his chest. She’s found a place to sleep, again, but this is a typical spot for her. She’s been known to just…find Austin when she wants to nap. She so reminds you of some sort of cat that kneads blankets or pillows before curling up to sleep.

Honestly it’s one of the biggest moods you could ever identify with—before your daughter took up that residence, it was one of your favorite sleeping spots too. Sometimes you’re lucky enough to steal it back.

“Oh you mean cause of this?” Austin asks, his voice an octave lower as he speaks to you, not wanting to wake Luci. He runs his fingers through his hair, amusement dancing in his eyes.

You roll yours, a soft laugh sounding, “I mean yeah, to start.” You chew on your lower lip, shrugging your one shoulder, “She’s been cranky lately.”

“So unsure where she’d get that from.”

You playfully smack his shoulder and he smirks. “She’s been favoring you,” And sure, that makes sense—Luci is learning the world around her, she’s also figuring out boundaries. She flip flops between both of them, suddenly becoming the favorite parent that she can’t get enough of, and currently (repeatedly) it’s Austin. Which means, “She started crying when you decided to carry that sack of potatoes at the grocery store to the check-out instead of her.”

“I think you were a little jealous too,” He teases but he doesn’t completely disregard what you’re saying, “I think goin’ to this event and figuring it out, there’s no shame in that. We’re still learnin’ as parents how this is all going to fit together.” He smiles over at you, lifting your hand to press a kiss to your knuckles.

He’s right, there’s no shame in figuring it out. You can bring Luci and see what works and what doesn’t. You just…there’s a bit of stress that comes automatically. But you guess if Luci can’t handle it or she starts that swell of temper tantrums that sometimes happen over the smallest things, you’ll just take her out, keep her occupied, begin all over again. You’re not gonna have Austin miss out on this opportunity, not when it’s so well-deserved.

“If I got to give a few interviews with her on my lap, don’t think anyone is gonna give me a hard time about it.”

A small smile tugs the corners of your mouth because no, you’d agree with that. Who wouldn’t want to see a beautiful, well-dressed man holding his daughter in his arms to give an interview? Besides, you and Austin are versed in reading one another’s needs, almost seamless at this point between cues and body language. If you need to take her for a few things, you can do that. Who knows—maybe being in Luci’s favor will swing back around.

“Just gotta remember snacks this time for your suit pockets.”

Austin laughs, mostly air leaving his nose, “Don’t worry—won’t make that mistake twice. Forgot a snack once and it was like World War III.”

“Goldfish-Gate.” You snicker and Austin rolls his eyes even though he’s smiling.

You let the room settle a little before drawing in a deep sigh, glancing over at your daughter asleep on your husband’s chest. It’s one of your most favorite sights in the world, her curled up against him, her body gently rising and falling as Austin breathes. You smile, leaning over to press a kiss to the back of her head before kissing him, quick but intimate. It’s says everything without uttering a word.

Austin licks his lips, his eyes following you for a moment as you lean back against the couch. There’s something in the blue of his eyes, like he wants to say something or comment on something you’re unsure about. It could be about the Oscar luncheon but you have a feeling he wants to assure you that even though Luci’s fondness has fallen to him lately, that she still looks to you sometimes as if you’ve hung the moon. You’ve learned to not let it bother you, both you and Austin bring so much to the table as parents, it makes sense that Luci is learning what each of those things are. She can love you both for different intentions—that’s okay.

And you’re constantly reminded through her, every day, that there are plenty of reasons to love Austin. So there’s no blaming Luci.

“You know, speakin’ of all this favoring,” Austin begins, leaning up just a little to wrap an arm around your shoulders, “You know I favor you.”

You snort out a laugh, shaking your head because he’s…so fucking corny sometimes (even though you absolutely love it). He’s encouraging you to lean against him and the couch cushion, so both you and Luci will have space along his chest.

“God, stop.”

“I do,” Austin smiles, kissing you slowly. When you try to pull away, he speaks against your lips, “I favor you.”

Your cheeks thrum pink and this familiar yet somehow age-old butterflying happens in your stomach. You get more comfortable against him, tugging down a blanket to throw over both your legs and along Luci’s back and continue to kiss him. Slow, no urgency, committing sensations to memory.

You definitely favor him too.

--

There are moments in which you catch yourself doing an inventory of your life and this is one of those times. You’re standing off to the side of all the cameras flashing, a soft smile on your face as you watch Austin photographed against the navy blue Annual Oscars Nominees backdrop. He’s wearing this tight-patterned slate suit and he just—he does this part so well, he looks good, absolutely ready to mingle and have this chapter be a well-earned part of his life. You couldn’t be happier for him. Austin does his series of poses, glancing over every so often to check on you. That’s one of the things you think you love about him the most—there are so many sides to Austin but they’re all genuinely him. He’s the same hard-working passionate actor at home and the same silly, loving, protective husband and father here at this event.

He makes a gentle motion with his hand, offering for you to come and stand with him to get pictures but you shake your head. Not that you haven’t done this plenty of times before, but this is his moment, you can stand to the side and let him bask in it. There are so many other times to get their shared picture today—you know that candids will be captured automatically.

You’re wearing a sleek black dress with puffy mesh sleeves and Luci has on a matching version, just a bit shorter so she doesn’t trip on it. You hold her in your arms and smile as she can’t take her eyes off Austin, pressing a kiss to her cheek. That seems to get her attention and she giggles, wrapping her arms around your neck.

“Is that daddy?” You ask her when Austin finishes up and makes his way over to you. He reaches for your both, pressing a kiss to Luci’s forehead before kissing you briefly. There’s camera flashes, capturing moments you’ll no doubt see on Instagram later.

“Here.” Austin offers and you pass Luci over because you’ve got a nice dress on and she’s getting heavier by the day. He takes her seamlessly, wrapping one arm around her body and keeping her secure on his hip while his other arm slips around you to begin walking forward into the luncheon.

Luci is a chatterbox the moment you enter the event and honestly, it’s a beautiful space—these are the exact same moments you referred to before, almost like you can’t really believe you’re here. Some sort of dreamscape, pinching yourself to wake up. Half the time you come to these things and you don’t…feel like you quite belong, straddling the line of normalcy from which you’ve come from and diving in head-first into Austin’s world. It just doesn’t feel like something you can call your own yet—maybe one day. Austin doesn’t entertain that in the slightest.

Any time you mention giving him his own space to enjoy things he’s worked for or say things like this has nothing to do with me, Austin replies, it has everythin’ to do with you. And you know he means that—he ties any of his successes and his passions right to you. It’s something you’re still getting used to, that’s for sure, half the time you’re trying to just keep yourself out of the way at events like this, but Austin reminds you that you are worthy of being right in the mix of it.

You remember the schedule that Austin has other than to brush shoulders with people, he has a few interviews to sit in on, photographs that need taken. You smile as you head outside to the pool area with him, Luci brightening at the sight.

“Swim!” She exclaims, pointing at the water, her other hand playing with one of the brown buttons of Austin’s suit jacket.

“Can’t right now baby,” Austin tells her, squeezing her gently.

He reaches for your hand and keeps a hold of it, lingering near the pool for a few moments. You take a look around the edges—tall tables set up with hors d'oeuvres and glasses of champagne, interview spots with backdrops and cameras. Smoothing out your dress, people come and go to say hello and congratulate Austin, always pausing to say hello to you and something to Luci. A small smile tugs at the corners of your mouth because your daughter is enamored by this pool being here and you kinda wish it was the type of event where you could have brought suits and waded in.

Taking in a small breath, you turn and motion with your chin towards one of the interview backdrops, “SiriusXM?”

Austin hums in confirmation, fixing Luci’s dress a bit before he places her on the ground. She grabs onto his hand instantly and it’s always been amusing to you because Austin has to lean down, just a little, because of his height.

“Shouldn’t take too long.”

You laugh gently, “Don’t worry about us Austin, you don’t have to rush through anything.”

He smiles down at you and you press yourself up on your toes to plant a kiss to his cheek. Because you know that Luci’s going to be slightly difficult when Austin leaves, you open up your purse to hand her one of her favorite dino figurines for her to hold onto. She wraps her arms around your leg and you thread your fingers through her hair as Austin moves towards Jess Cagle to greet him and sit down in the director-like chair.

You overhear him comment, “I see you brought your beautiful family today,” To which Austin’s reply is, “Thank you—yeah, they’re never too far behind.”

He situates himself in the director-chair, adjusting his suit jacket and taking a bottle of water to have a few sips. Luci is watching with attentive eyes, tearing her attention between the dino in her hand, the pool, and her father. You smile, wishing you were in the type of outfit and at the kind of event where you could just sit down on the ground with her.

She entertains herself for the most part, telling you about how this particular dino loves the water and even dips it into the pool a few times. You ask her questions and smile about the responses, Luci every so often looking up and around at all the sights and sounds with much commentary. Eventually though, she realizes that Austin isn’t coming back as quickly as she’d like. You take her hand as she stands from the concrete, holding onto her dino and tilting her head to look in the direction that her dad has gone.

You follow her gaze, a small smile on your lips as you watch Austin talk with his hands.

“You see him working?”

“Yeah,” Luci confirms though her voice kinda sounds far away, definitely in thought. Then—what you knew was coming, “I want daddy.”

You hum, crouching down a little to playfully tug on the bottom of her dress, which makes her smile. “Daddy’s busy right now, okay? He’s almost done.”

She does not like that answer and gives a soft whine in protest. She takes a few steps forward and you scoop her up because she’s fast and slippery when she wants to be, knowing she’ll take off in a sprint towards Austin if she gives herself enough time to. She whimpers and squirms, attempting to tug your hands away. You can’t help but feel a bit amused, fondly thinking of the word brat, because her mannerisms are the exact same depending on who she’s favoring for the day. You remember her having the same wriggle fest last week when Austin was holding her at a food truck and you went to go grab napkins. Luci didn’t quite get to crying there but you can tell she’s close here, big fat tears filling her pretty eyes. You swear she somehow does this on purpose when it comes to Austin because it’s definitely kryptonite for him.

Luci hiccups something dramatic and Austin turns just a bit in his chair to glance at you both. You mouth the word sorry, attempting to shush her but he shakes his head, “S’alright, bring her here.” He clears his throat, “Sorry, Jess—” He says a bit offhandedly and opens his arms for you to bring Luci closer. You smile at the host, putting her onto his lap.

He squeezes your wrist in empathy before you back up out of the interview, Luci wiping both of her cheeks with her hands, her dino now resting on her lap.

“She knows exactly what she’s doing, doesn’t she?” Cagle comments with a soft laugh and you can’t help but roll your eyes in amusement. Austin hums but doesn’t comment, a soft smile tugging the corners of his mouth as he smooths Luci’s hair back from her face.

He tugs the goldfish out of his jacket pocket, handing it to her—and just like that, she’s pulls a one-eighty, content on her dad’s lap and quietly eating her snack. You shake your head, running a hand through your hair as you watch Austin complete his interview, balancing himself perfectly between responding to questions and tending to his daughter.

Once the interview is over, you move to pick Luci up so that Austin can stand and shake hands with Cagle to thank him before moving out and around and back towards the pool with you. Austin joggles between putting the goldfish back into his suit pocket, handing you the dino figurine to put in your purse and shifting Luci back into his arms as she turns her face into his neck and shoulder.

“Right on schedule,” You tease, knowing she’s going to try and sleep—and what better place than Austin’s chest? You can’t quite disagree there.

“She comes by it honestly,” Austin replies, running a hand up and down her back, “So do you.”

You smirk, giving him a winning smile with a small shrug, “Don’t think you should be blaming me for the fact that you’re incredibly comfortable.”

Austin laughs a little, shaking his head in soft amusement because right.

The rest of the luncheon goes by smoothly, lots of mingling and decent food, great moments for Austin to shine. Even after all this time, you’re not sure how to put into words that feeling of being so utterly proud of him, of conveying how much you love him.

Once it’s over, you feel beat, definitely an emotionally exhausting day in the very best of ways. Luci’s perked up since eating and she’s giving you an earful about different types of birds she’s seen within today alone. You hold her against your chest, giving her as much attention as you can manage, asking questions about colors and numbers and things she should be practicing as she talks about the birds she’s seen. She’s so incredibly observant, a brightness to her aura that always reminds you of Austin.

“Want me to take her?” He asks, turning to brush some hair out of Luci’s face, “Before she talks your ear off about birds?”

You laugh lightly and shake your head, “Nah, she’s fine.” You appreciate the offer though, not exactly the easiest when you feel dead on your feet in heels. She’s definitely growing too, every day, and the thought makes you squeeze her a bit tighter because…there will come a time when you won’t be holding her in your arms like this, when she’ll be too big to be picked up.

The SUV pulls up to the curb that you arrived in and both you and Austin exit the hotel to walk straight there. There aren’t as many moments anymore for Austin to stop and talk to fans when you’ve got Luci and you feel bad about that? But you’re grateful that he’s attentive where he needs to be. He keeps a firm hand on your lower back, guiding you towards the car, a small smile on his lips as he waves to fans, photographers and interviews alike. You get Luci situated in her car seat, closing the door once that’s done and sliding into the back with Austin.

You feel like you’re finally able to let out a sigh of relief once the SUV begins moving, Luci having a very one-sided conversation with her dinosaur as the driver takes you home. Austin inches a bit closer to you, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. It takes little to nothing for you to lean into his embrace, your eyes fluttering closed for a moment as you breathe in the scent of his skin and cologne, tucking your face into the crook of his neck. You can feel his breathing, the strong pulse against the tip of your nose.

“Think the event went really well.” He says, a few fingers running through your hair before he lazily massages your shoulder.

You hum, a small yawn slipping out before nodding, “Totally knew it would.”

Austin chuckles, shaking his head. He doesn’t say anything for a few moments, leaning down to press a kiss to your cheek, “You gonna fall asleep on me?” He whispers in your ear. You barely nod, inching a bit closer—as if it’s even possible. He squeezes you close, “Like mother, like daughter.”

[nem-is-a-nerd]

Multi Canon Call

Thought I may as well make a combined post for all the canon calls I want to put out instead of repetitively bombarding all the call blogs.

18+ and spiritual fictionfolk only please, and no proship!

Any sourcemates are welcome, but the ones I specifically mention are highly encouraged the most. If you'd like to reach out my DMs are open, otherwise you can interact with the post and I can message first!

For One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, Adventure Time, and Trigun Stampede!

Canon calls below the cut!

One Piece

Yamei

Who I am looking for: Anyone who might remember this timeline, but especially my crew members!

(I already know my Sabo.)

What I remember: My appearance was that of a 5'4-5'5 muscular woman, with long brown hair in a braid. I had gold eyes with slit pupils and lots of freckles on my cheeks and shoulders, as well as fangs. I had brown feathers on the tips of my ears, brown feathered wings, and a skinny brown feathered tail shaped kind of like a cat's. I also had claws on my hands and feet.

I was a noncanon member of the Strawhat crew. My full name was Yamuarmei, but everyone just called me Yamei. I was a dragon-person, known as a Light Dragon. I came in immediately following Arabasta. My dream was to find justice for the attempted genocide of my people, committed on us by our brother species, the Dark Dragons. In my timeline, Blackbeard never got the Dark-Dark fruit, and by the domino affect, the Paramount War never happened and Ace didn't die. However, Luffy still fought the admirals, but he didn't receive his stomach scar. The timeskip still happened, but it was our own choosing to do so. Zoro and I had fallen in love during our voyage and we got married right before we split for the timeskip. Since Ace didn't die, Sabo didn't receive the Mera-Mera no mi, but instead got a glass related fruit from the Colosseum. The rest of the canon timeline and most things not mentioned were pretty much the same. Eventually, Zoro and I had a daughter as well, named Emei, who joined the revolutionary army. She had short blonde hair with light brown wings, sharp teeth, and blue eyes.

Jujutsu Kaisen

Satoru Gojo

Who I am looking for: Suguru, Shoko, Megumi, or anyone else!

What I remember: I didn't mercy-kill Suguru and instead just held him until he died peacefully. We spent the last few minutes of his life just sitting and reminiscing on our younger years, before kissing one last time. My Suguru's eyes were brown, not purple. I also think he might not have been entirely cis- maybe bigender or genderfluid? Shoko and I were briefly sleeping together after Suguru passed, I think we just needed the shared intimacy from someone else who understood what we were going through. I think I might have had legal custody of Megumi and Tsumiki but I'm still not entirely sure on that. I also remember my Utahime was a trans woman. I myself was cis and bi.

Uraume

Who I am looking for: Sukuna <333

What I remember: Sukuna-sama and I were very physically affectionate. What we had can't be called "romantic" in the traditional sense- however, he very much appreciated my devotion for him and he adored me in his own way. I sat in his lap a lot, especially since my CT made me feel cold sometimes. I really loved to pepper his cheeks and face in little kisses. He and I had something very unique and special and I miss him dearly. I myself was about 5'3, afab in both eras, and a bit skinnier than average.

Junpei Yoshino

Who I am looking for: Anyone who might remember me, but especially Inumaki or Yuuji!

What I remember: I have two timelines, being nonbinary and intersex in both. My first TL follows canon as far as I remember. My second TL is divergent- I survived the encounter with Mahito and joined Jujutsu High. I also dated Inumaki in my second TL. I believe I may have had a stutter but I'm not sure.

Adventure Time

Prince Gumball

Who I am looking for: Anyone!!!

What I remember: Our magic world was permanent and nothing was ever lost. This was because we were in a separate verse entirely, so we didn't exist in Simon's mind. Essentially, it was like the main AT series but with the swapped characters instead. I had the original voice from the first 2 Fionna and Cake episodes in Adventure Time. My name was Benny, short for Bennett. Marshall and I were together, obviously (after a long period of bitterness post-initial breakup, like in the standard TL). Lord Monochromicorn also spoke Japanese alongside his Morse communication- he was semi-verbal and used Morse when he couldn't/didn't want to speak.

Trigun Stampede

Vash

Who I am looking for: Anyone!

What I remember: All of my current memories are canon compliant. I know that I was definitely not cis in some way or another- whether I was afab or something outside of male/female I'm not sure, but I know I used he/him. Kni was non-binary but still used he/him as well, simply because I did and he wanted to be the same.

[absolutebl]

Hii

Thank you for so much info and effort in your posts ✨

I have a question: which couples (main or not) feature men with facial hair?

Facial Hair in BL

OMG that is a so rare and I have never gotten this ask before.

I'm posting an answer but this is something I do not track, so I will need help. Keep an eye on the comments for the ones I missed.

BL's with facial hair

HIStory 2: Right or Wrong - this is an age gap romance and I suspect it was done, in part, to age up the protag, this is usually contrary to BL casting needs.

The Immeasurable (Taiwan), but that's a short.

I Feel You Linger in the Air, briefly and badly. Keep Thailand away from fake hair in general (their wig game is atrocious).

Present Perfect, but it's kinda for travel reasons.

Tonhon Chonlatee the sides. Man has it been a long time since I thought about that BL. (Did GMMTV let Mike have facial hair in 2gether too? I can't remember.)

Given's sides. Although nothing much happened with them.

Ossan's Love (SIGH) the love triangle

I feel like I have a memory of Earth, of EarthMix having fuzz on his face at some point. Seems like a sin since his angles are so good.

Our Days maybe?

The coach in the original Waterboyy? But do we want to remember (or even think about) that?

More?

Korea is mildly obsessed with jaw lines so I highly doubt we will ever get it from them, unless they go for a true BL historical. Even then it will be a side and they rarely do sides... so unlikely.

So far as I know, nothing from Vietnam. But one of the first Tein installments might have had something in an alt timeline.

Philippines is not unlikely. In fact, if I missed any major ones it's probably from there.

BL facial hair right now?

The sides in My Dear Gangster Oppa.

Upcoming Taiwanese BL VIP Only looks like is has a main with facial hair.

I mean there are some wisps on Jimmy in Last Twilight but do we call that facial hair or laziness?

Which should tell you this post is dated late 2023 and may not be updated after that date.

(source)

[soleminisanction]

📔

So one of my go-to favorite games whenever DC creates a new adaptation of their stuff is to imagine how I'd work my favorite characters into that new world. Or, on the off chance my favs are actually introduced into that world, how I'd adapt or work in some of their best stories. So while I may have mostly lost interest in the Young Justice cartoon, I still sometimes kick around my idea for a potential origin story for its version of Tim Drake.

It would be set around the era of the first season, when the series was at its best, maybe a few months after the whole thing with the Light went down. It'd start with Dick getting picked up from Gotham Academy early for some training thing, so he's alone outside the school waiting for Alfred to pick him up when, all of a sudden, a certain black-haired, blue-eyed child from the elementary school rushes up and grabs onto him, begging for help.

He's being pursued by two men in suits who are very deliberately *not* running as they demand Dick hand the kid over, insisting that they're here to pick him up for his parents. Kid says they're lying -- "My parents aren't even in the country and they're not my nannny." -- and Dick of course believes him. He pulls a fast one as Alfred pulls up, grabbing the kid and leaping with him into the back of the limo, shouting at Alfred to floor it; he does, and they leave the shouting goons in the dust.

In the aftermath, the naturally freaked-out kid starts crying, and when Dick tries to soothe him by telling him he's safe he says he knows -- he knew Dick would help him "'cause you're Robin."

From there it comes out that the kid is of course Tim and what he knows about Dick and how, which all pretty much lines up with canon. From there the story turns into a mystery about the disappearance of Jack and Janet Drake on their latest dig -- they were supposed to call Tim two days ago and they might travel all the time but they never miss their call-ins -- and then these strangers showed up trying to take Tim out of school with forged permission slips from his parents so something's definitely up.

Dick initially calls in just Wally for support (Tim of course pegs him as KF immediately), though the rest of the team gets called in once they put together what's actually going on: Jack and Janet have been kidnapped by some international organized crime group who are holding them for ransom. The D.I. board intends to simply not pay the ransom, let said criminals murder the Drakes, and disappear Tim so the company will be split between the board members instead. So the Team heads out on a rescue mission, with Dick leaving a distraught Tim with Alfred and promising him they're going to bring his parents home -- though unfortunately it goes bad and Dick falls just short of rescuing the pair from whatever poisoning/electric/super-science death-trap they've been placed in.

In a twist on canon, Jack is the one who dies in this timeline and Janet survives. The question of how Tim became Robin is answered by a flash-forward -- years later, when Dick is Nightwing and it's implied to be just after Jason dies in the line of duty, a now-teenage Tim meets up with Dick in a dinner, having stayed a close friend for all these years, and tells him he wants to volunteer -- he's been training all this time, and he truly believes that there needs to be a Robin both to help Batman and to save "people like me." He wins Dick over and the rest is history.

So, yeah. Bit of a rambling summary but I've got a few really strong detailed scenes in mind and then long stretches of pfffffffft.

[angelsandemons]

LTOLOXA AU

Sixty degrees that come in threes. Watches from within birch trees. Saw his own dimension burn. Misses home and can’t return. Says he’s happy. He’s a liar. Blame the arson for the fire. If he want’s to shirk the blame. He’ll have to invoke my name. One way to absolve his crime. A different form, a different time.

This is an AU that takes place after the conclusion of Gravity Falls, and by extension, after Bill Cipher’s death.  Given the above (very much canon) poem from the Axolotl himself, and the fact that Bill’s very much did invoke his name, I’m taking a few liberties and saying that after some time, he is essentially reincarnated in a human form. That time can be one year or 20 years, it can vary from person to person, I’m not terribly picky. Though I would like to keep it within that range, probably. 

That said, his powers are all but non-existent, and he’s very much stuck in this “meat sack” of his own. And he has all the limitations that come with being a mortal as well, from not being able to float around, to simply needing to eat and sleep. I still hold this fic as basically canon to my blog, so it’s not like Bill hasn’t done this stuff before, but it’s sure been a while. Also, his memories will of certain events depicted in said timeline will likely come back during the course of this. 

Where I go with this AU can vary widely too. This can lead to an actual redemption arch of sorts (long term, don’t expect miracles) or it might just be another way for me to fuck around with Bill. It depends a lot on the things he experiences, the people he meets, and whether he lives long enough to make any real change.

INFO ON HUMAN BILL

Hair: Long, messy blonde hair, usually falls in front of one of his eyes. 

Skin: a dark tan, largely as pictured

Eyes: Pretty much just as pictured – visibly yellow with elliptical pupils, like that of a cat. It’s possible that certain lighting conditions might mask the yellow color though, that’s context-dependent. On rarer occasions, his eyes will turn red when very angry, just as they did in his triangle form, but when that happens it will be indicated by icons, in text, or both. 

Teeth: pointed, sharp, shark-like teeth

Height: 4'11’’

Weight: 100lbs with some minor variation

Age: His true age is still over a trillion years old, that hasn’t changed. This is the same world from before, he’s just reborn. In terms of appearance though, he’s physically somewhat ambiguous. I’d say proportion wise, he just looks like a very short teenager/adult-ish person.  His build is probably more on the scrawny side. 

Faceclaim(s): The icons I make mostly use  edited versions of Viral from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Lapis Lazuli (pretending to be Amethyst) from Steven Universe, Sucy Manbavaran from Little Witch Academia, and Yuri Katsuki from Yuri on Ice. There are also a few icons I might have that are drawn specifically for Bill by a variety of generous other users, and if I use those, you can be sure you will find the credits here. If for some reason you DON’T see an icon I use there, assume it was made from the previous mentioned sources, with some considerable recoloring/minor editing on my part. Becasue of these variations (as well as some occasional laziness of my part), some icons might have small inconsistencies. When in doubt, refer to the traits described above. That trumps all else. 

Voiceclaim: Human Bill’s voice is very, VERY similar to his canon triangle voice, but without the voice distortion elements. Basically the closest you can possible get to Bill Cipher’s voice without editing software, so something like this. The only exception is any dialouge written in bold – the rule for that still applies as normal. If you see something written like this, read it in his deep, eldritch horror voice he uses when angry. It will happen a lot more seldom in his human form, but it still might happen. 

Additional Notes/Warnings:

Bill is very much mortal in this AU, can be hurt, and CAN die. I do ask that you talk to me before killing him, but I’m not inherently against it. I figure he’s bound to die in at least one of these threads. 

Just as in canon, Bill is prone to sadomasochistic tendencies. In his human form, he most likely WILL attempt to hurt himself for his own amusement, via cutting, burning, etc. Depending on how the AU progresses, he might also get genuinely suicidal, possibly to the point of attempting it. I will, of course, tag all of these things accordingly as they come up, but if you are RPing with me in this AU and are uncomfortable with themes of self-harm or suicide, YOU NEED TO TELL ME.

[organchordsandlightning]

wip snippet game

I was tagged by @magnetarmadda aaaaages ago with the words Gentle, Small, Strange, Answers, and Soil and my god do I have so many WIPs to choose from

GENTLE - from my ongoing Malevolent longfic about Arthur and Parker's first case!

Gentle, Parker told himself. Gentle, okay? Gentle. Think of forests, think of rivers.  Except Parker was a city boy. Always had been. The great outdoors always made him itchy, because there were too many bugs out there. In the city, bugs had the decency to grow to the size of mice. Hard to miss. He shut his eyes, tried to think of Arkham at rush hour, where every single citizen of the town seemed to be out on the streets. Some fantastically angry at each other, but mostly just trying to get to where they were going. You’re just trying to get to where you’re going, Parker told himself, and stretched hard. He ignored the way his ribs seemed to shift inside of him, tried not to think about the soft organs that lay beneath, tried not to think about the former stabbing the latter like a claw game at the boardwalk.

SMALL - from a very slow WIP Disco Elysium AU where the man that Kim first meets is not Harry Du Bois, and has much worse intentions. (it is very slow because oh god I've forgotten so much lore)

YOU: All of this is stored away in your notebook. You do not look up when you hear the small orange ne’er-do-well throw another rock at the deceased. He ruptures the skin. A high whine escapes from the cadaver. Hissing steam… or a whistling kettle. ORANGE-HAIRED NE’ER DO WELL: Both hands thrust into the air, jacket arms flopping to his elbows. “The Cuno fuckin’ popped him!” RED-HAIRED NE’ER DO WELL-ETTE: Nothing short of genuine joy washes over her greasy, scarred face. “Like a zit! You popped him like a zit, Cuno!”

STRANGE - from a slow-going Malevolent AU where, in a different timeline, Faroe becomes a killer-for-hire and is tasked to kill one Arthur Lester.

“But, he might be going by William Henley. Last I heard of him, he got off a train in Grand Central two days ago. An associate of mine managed to get this photo of him in Albany.” The brain really was a strange thing. Even if Faroe logically told herself that Arthur Lester could not be the Arthur Lester, even if being the Arthur Lester was impossible, she nevertheless let out a held breath when the photo slid over to her. No, this was not the Arthur Lester. He… looked like a well-groomed street dog, actually.

ANSWERS - Funny enough, I looked through five or six WIPs and it doesn't come up even once! No answers given in my stories

SOIL - from my ongoing MASH AU where, post-war, Francis and Hawkeye reunite in the same psychiatric facility.

Fresh fruit had been such a treat in Korea – even his and Radar’s ministrations to the soil hadn’t done much than yield some vegetables (and, if he thought about it too long, he was still a little sore about his corn). More than the tantalizing promise of blueberries, however, was the sort of camaraderie he saw in every stroke and fastening of the town’s decorations. Perhaps he would not have been as entranced about it, before. He wasn’t particularly looking for community events  when he returned. But…  But perhaps it had been the clinic, or Winchester’s opulent-but-remote estate, or his own current need to find something to do, now. Either way, he found himself pleasantly excited by the possibility, and even managed an amiable chat with the local general store clerk as he purchased a Coca-Cola.

thx for the tag, mad!

[blazenka]

Mirroring Identities

Connor Temple believed he was close to returning to his own timeline and home. Instead he finds himself in a world that should not exist while he struggles with non-existent memories. Can he ever remember his identity? Pre/post Alice. Post Primeval S3.

Original source: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6106179/1/Mirroring-Identities

Chapters: 13

Published: 2010-07-03 - 2010-09-06  

Words: 19945

Rated: Fiction T - Language: English - Genre: Romance/Drama - Characters: Abby M., Hatter - Reviews: 86 - Favs: 13 - Follows: 15

Exported with the assistance of FicHub.net

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

a

b

Chapter 9:

David wandered through the park aimlessly as he tried to clear his head. Out of all the possible outcomes of today's meeting, he disliked his current predicament the most.

However, David had found out he had a life here and he still wanted to run away. He desperately wanted to forget the whole ordeal and go home with Alice. Until he met Alice he always had the instinct to run away from things. 'God, did she change that,' he thought with light amusement as he sat on one of the benches. Now he ran right into danger for her, for anyone that needed it now. Though, he felt like he could use some help right about now.

A rustle of leaves drew David's attentions to behind him. The first thing he saw was a short hair blonde walking cautiously in his direction. As continued to stare at her, she looked up and David recognized her immediately.

"Abby," he gasped in disbelief, "What are you…?" his question faded as he did not know what exactly to ask. Abby coughed and stated warily, "Since the evidence seems to point to you once being Connor I thought I'd tried to talk to you."

"I said clearly I needed to think alone," he stated as he turned away from her. David tried to pull the lapels of his coat closer to himself as the atmosphere reflected his mood again. Abby sat next to him on the bench while she tried to come up with something to say.

"I know but I thought that if you wanted to learn more about Connor, about your past… er, former life. Since it's probably going to rain any moment, would you like to come to me and Connor's flat?" Abby offered.

Yet, when David kept silent she continued, "Its closer from here than the hotel would be. Maybe you might remember something." David's interests peaked at the mention of his memories and he agreed to go with her as he stood.

Abby unlocked the door to the flat and ushered David in and out of the rain. Immediately as David stepped over the door frame three animals, more like creatures attacked him. David was knocked onto his back as two quadrupeds kept nudging him as a winged reptile climbed on his chest. "Bugger! Quit it you… beaver things. Oi! You quit eating me tie!" David exclaimed as he squirmed on the floor while Abby laughed with pure delight.

This type of joy and laughter had been foreign to Abby for a long time. She knew Rex, Sid and Nancy might recognize David as Connor when they entered the flat but she did not expect them to welcome him quite like that. It made her smile and the ache in her chest seemed to wane as she saw them.

When the pets were satisfied with their greeting, they returned to a respectful distance as David plopped onto the couch. David glances at Abby as if to ask what the creatures were doing and Abby quickly explained, "Connor and I lived in this flat for over three years before he went missing. Over that time we've collected pets from other evolutionary timelines. Rex, the winged one, Sid and Nancy, the other two probably remember you as Connor."

David understood as he wiggled his fingers at the strange creatures in fellow greeting. Sid and Nancy barked cheerfully as they rushed to him while sliding on the hard wood floor. "Not the most graceful creatures on earth are they?" he asked as he petted the two. "No, they never were," Abby commented as she sat with him on the couch.

"Does any of this look familiar?" she asked cautiously and David took a good look around. It did look recognizable to him and that troubled him farther as he silently glanced around. The kitchen from what he could see, the living room and even the tanks for various reptiles all looked hauntingly familiar.

He stood from the couch as headed for closed door that looked like it would lead to a bedroom but stopped as recollection set it. He turned to head to a set of stairs and noticed that Abby was following but he ignored that as he continued to climb the stairs.

David reached the top of the stairs to find a bedroom and he was hit with the strange sense of being home. The room looked almost exactly like he had his apartment in New York, especial with the mess. David glanced back to Abby with confusion and she just smiled. "I kept everything the same. I couldn't move anything, even the clothes you left on the floor," she admitted.

All David could do was nod as he went over the objects that covered shelves and dresser. His attention was then drawn to a closet with various hats, vests and scarves. "Connor had a weird sense of fashion, it seems you do too," Abby commented as she noticed the way he admire the clothing.

David reached out to touch the clothing and as his finger hit the fabrics he was hit with a force of nausea. For some reason his head began to ache as if someone had began to knock him about with a bat. Closing his eyes in frustration, David tried to block the overwhelming sense of pain with no success. Abby moved towards him in concern as he hunched over and all David knew at that moment was he needed to get out of that room.

David moved around her and managed down the stairs as his head began to spin. He reached the bottom and stumbled as images began appearing in his mind - images of him, Abby and the whole ARC team. He gasped in pain as he held his head in his hands.

Abby was right behind him calling his name in concern. She reached him to find him on his knees in pain. "David," she whispered as she kneeled beside him and rubbed his temple soothingly. "Its al'ite, David. Just sit down on the couch and I'll…" she stopped as he looked up at her and she recognized a look on his face.

"Abbs," he gasped at realization as he stood up, never letting his eyes leave hers. "Connor?" Abby sounded shaky as she followed him up. She continued to just stare at him wondering if he would respond to his old name. She decided it was best to respond first. Cautiously, she moved her hand to cup his cheek and smiled, "Conn, if you remember anything I…"

Her words died in her mouth as his lips were suddenly over hers. Abby was startled for a moment as she tried to reason with herself what exactly was going on. Then she could have screamed with happiness and joy as she wrapped her hands around his neck while he wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her closer. 'How many times,' she recalled as he titled her head to obtain better access to her mouth, ' have I regretted not being able to do this? Kiss and admit my feelings to Connor?'

David's head… brain… conscious or whatever was so confused at that moment he was running on nothing but pure instinct. He could remember kissing Abby once but it was nothing like this. She seemed to be clinging to him as if afraid to ever let go and he was as desperately holding on to her as he continued to kiss her.

However, David felt most certainly conflicted as he could remember something in the back of his mind yelling at him to stop. Yet, there was a dominant part at the time that did not want him to stop either. As if a part of him had waited a long time for this and it almost felt - it felt as if he had come home.

Abby stared up at him lazily with her beautiful blue eyes… blue eyes similar to a certain brunette girl from New York. David stopped the action with his lips and eased back from her yet when he opened his eyes his heart nearly broke. "Alice," he mumbled with over whelming guilt as he pulled away from her, "How could I ever for a moment forget Alice?" David mumbled conflicted as different feelings overwhelmed him again.

previous chapter

next chapter

[rocksanddeadflowers]

First off, I can totally share! I might actually listen to more of this guy's audiobooks cause I actually liked his! (I'm very picky about audio but I also don't like paying for subscriptions to stuff just to have nice ones.) It's very short (like half an hour, so it's like grabbing a TMA episode) so clearly missing many details form the original print, but still good! I still wanna find a nice audiobook or PDF for the long one eventually... (He does have the Beast from the live action Disney movie in the thumbnail and god I forgot how weird that one looked... what did you do to my boy? He doesn't even have his cool tusks............. just tiny fangs......)

Also, if you're interested in the history, there's other cool things to dig into! I've seen before that Beauty and The Beast had much older inspirations like mythology/folktales, specifically have seen people refer to the myth of Eros and Psyche. Actually being familiar with a Greek myth for once, I can see the overlap! Of course one of my favorite old Nordic fairytales - East of The Sun, and West of The Moon - actually has a very similar premise. Comparing what I know of both stories to this old book version of Beauty and The Beast, I actually see more resemblance to the Nordic fairytale than the Greek myth! Of course, both the myth and Beauty and The Beast are likely older, I still really like that fairytale. (East of The Sun, and West of The Moon was translated in the 1910's, but the story itself could be much older? Scandinavian/Nordic history timelines are messy and not my strong suit despite my love for it.)

Also I believe there's a real life historical couple that inspired the story! Not very familiar with it aside from hearing about it before, though. A believe there was a man born with a disease(? honesty seems like anything different or bad was always a disease or curse) or birth defect of some kind that caused hair to grow everywhere, namely across his whole face. He was "only given a wife to see if their children would end up the same". They did. I'll probably dig into that to fact check myself though and probably finish the musical throughout today.

One more bonus fun fact: The 1992 film Bram's Stoker's Dracula has a very misleading title, as though it's inspired by Bram Stoker's Dracula, there's one major difference: the intense and tragic romance between Mina and Dracula! There was no romance in the book between them (there was a little weird thing between them? Not gothic romance though, more just making her a vampire against her will or something. Idk it's been a while). The romance is very iconic despite that (at least, iconic if your goth lol?). The creators admitted that it was meant to be a mashup of Dracula and Beauty and The Beast! And honestly, despite my insistence for book accuracy in film adaptations (and a major distaste for the um... questionable scenes. I'm too ace for that and you're a minor so just no. Moving on!) I think it was well done! I think I just love tragic romance stories though... why else am I in this fandom lmao?

Anyway sorry for being so insanely rambly but I don't always have an opening to rant about history and mythology facts so I end up autisticlly infodumping at any given opportunity on accident.

oh OH OH!!!! Everything about Brian being convicted of witchcraft!!! Oh my god!!! Okay consider: Convicted of witchcraft (<- was literally trying to be helpful bc he knew what local herbs and weeds were medicinal but okay be dumb little bloodthirsty villagers I see you) and not just run off into/abandoned in the woods, but tied to a tree Hanged Man style! (The way The Hanged Man was tied was actually an old tortuous form of execution! Instead of "hung by the neck until dead" - in that case broken neck if your lucky, strangulation if not - as is commonly known, the style show in the tarot card was essentially leaving someone tied upside down until they died. I believe the idea was being left that way for so long - many times days and days - your organs would kind crumple and crush under their own weight? Of course, Brian being made of metal and immortal in HNOC, it doesn't exactly work that way for him. But pre-bot flesh Brian on the other hand...)

In that case, I can see see him escaping somehow, only too be so deep in the woods, and left so weak and frail, that wolves jump on the easy catch. Just throwing this out there for another PTSD scene when they tied him to a tree in a simpler manner, but it brings those flashes nonetheless. We should probably have a couple memory triggers of nicer things for this poor guy... also do we think Carmilla was open about how Brian came to be but she doesn't know much of his history? Or that she's hiding it from him until way later? The second open would sting .... but I feel like Carmilla might have had an idea of the witchcraft conviction and kind of felt for the guy, you know? Considering her witchy/enchantress self she has to keep closeted. (The whole Enchantress thing being related to witchcraft in the actual Beauty and The Beast is unclear to me. Of course witchcraft or anything seen as witchcraft was Devil's work and goes against the Church but the Enchantress was seemingly portrayed as a good person? Or at least a necessary being to teach a valuable lesson? Maybe they didn't view the Enchantress as a human at all. The addition of the Enchantress actually just being Carmilla being a silly witch lady could work for this AU though, especially since it compliments Brian's canonical backstory!)

Also I get what you mean by the trust thing and I'm losing it!!! She knows him so and completely trust him, and also hopes that his genuity and virtue saves Jonny in the end. Major "go to him" vibes. (Also I specifically see her coming in cloak over her head, and putting Brian's face in her hands before cutting him free..................!!!!!!)

Nastya going Out because she can't recognize her baby brother anymore and praying he learns to change before he's gone.... feeling that she can't be there to guide him as it may only make him worse and she needs the space from him to save herself ("-and I wish that I could take his hand but where I'm going is for me and me alone...")....... gently asking Aurora to look out for him while she's gone.......... sobs...............

Bright colors and stuff hurting Jonny's eye!! Low light, dark colors, and brightest light being sunshine for the win!!!! (<- am an autistic gothic person)

The "boys will be boys" type of faux theatre kid romance between them is immaculate. (The dramatic little fall as Tim talks about doomed romance is totally him swooning into Bertie's arms(? He's completely a feather duster so idk) in my mind.) Also gonna throw in another backstory idea that all the servants dealt with some wild stuff, and Tim and Bertie specifically might've been last minute soldiers fighting in defense of Jonny's royal family. Of course that means thinking up recent war history for them... yeugh....... (it could also involve Nastya's whole backstory since she'd based the Romanov family but I don't actually know her lore very well.)

Brian holding Jonny's furry face!!! Yes yes absolutely yes!!! That's like the best part ...... Brian loving on him and everything and he's so worn out that he's mentally like "fuck it I'm stupidly touch starved may as well enjoy this while it lasts" and leans in like.......

Also this went on long enough for me lmao that I need to wrap this up BUT!!! On last note is that I think Toy delivering a fatal blow to Jonny during the climax, it aimed for his heart cause that's tons of poetic irony. I think I had some other notes but I forgor so that's all okay bye!!!!

Beauty and the Beast, but it's the Mechanisms.

Jonny must be the beast because feral Jonny and the whole heart thing... prove me wrong.

Tim or Brian is Belle.

Rest of the Mechs are the servants in the Beast's house. With an exception for Marius as Gaston cause I can totally fucking see it. He would suck at it though because it's Marius. And also, short Marius HC.

This is probably not new. But it's been brewing in my head for a good few months, ever since I put my Mechs OC in the iconic Belle dress.

[whatsthisascianbullshit]

16. "The monsters can't get you when I'm here." Dealer's choice :3

Thank you @lilbittymonster ^^ I borrowed Haname and Raer from @azure-dragonsinger for this because I have 0 chill for Muireann's scariest parental figure ^^; This also got...long úps.

Some post-Stormblood spoilers & timelines might be screwy - I flew through the patches and did the restoration while going through Shadowbringers MSQ as a break from the shrimp emotions.

(And just because names change around with PoV shifts: Miss Hanna = Haname, Ryoma = Raer's Doman name, Ralenne = Muireann's birth name)

-------

Muireann winced as she pulled on her coat - one day she would make it through a sparring match without having to call it short due to injuries. There was an ominous stillness about the Enclave despite the hubbub from the recently finished foodstalls and the constant bickering between the different craftsmen. Even the return of the refugees from Mor Dhona had done little to ease the uncomfortable presence of the Garlean ship that hung in the sky. The alleged friendly gesture sitting more like a threat.

If she had more time she would have donned something a bit more imposing for this meeting but revealing her aetherburn scars and Allagan aether channelling tattoos would have to be intimidating enough. There was a yell down the hall - not too unusual - followed by several pairs of small feet running towards her room. It seemed the advisor to the junior adventurer’s guild needed to advise.

“Miss Muireann!” The sliding door slammed open and the four, usually bright and beaming, faces of the Doman Junior Adventurers’ Guild were looking intently at her as Hakuro glowered after them. “W-we’re here to help!”

“Yes! The airship means…trouble right?”

“Because that’s what adventurers deal with - trouble and monsters.”

Muireann had to hold back a laugh at their earnest yet fearful declarations - an affectionate laugh, but she knew how even those could sting when one was not being taken seriously. Rokka, as ever, was a bit more cautious.

“They are like monsters…are they really not here to fight?”

Muireann knelt down to be on their level and they immediately huddled closer, their faces an almost comical imitation of the pre-battle focus she had often seen on Match and Raer. Though she knew it most intimately from her own childhood.

***

“Miss Hanna! Miss Hanna! Something sounds bad.” Ralenne scurried out from her hiding nook in a fallen tree.

“What do you mean by bad?” Haname lowered her axe, gazing intently at the young girl that had inserted herself into their lives. Raer, on the other side of the clearing started to usher the chocobo back towards the cart.

“It sounds hard. Like hitting metal together but there’s no smithy or crafters or anything out this way - only honey and Sylphs and moogles.”

“What direction?”

Ralenne pointed off in the distance, scrunching up her face as the unfamiliar noise clanged just outside of what they could hear. Haname nodded, quickly loading up the cart with the lumber while Raer hitched the chocobo to it.

“Here,” he gently pulled a hat over Ralenne’s head, ruffling her hair as he did, “and there are ear muffs if the sound is too bad.”

“How come you’ve ear muffs if you have horn ears? Are they like socks? Papa has to wear ear socks when he takes ill or he says they will fall off but Mama -” she chattered away as she climbed up and wedged herself between Haname and Raer, the latter chiming in with an answer here and there, making adjustments to the route based on the directions of the sound and whether Ralenne declared that the chocobo ‘felt bad’ about veering off the path at any point.

Haname watched the two, rambling on as easy as two that had known each other all their lives. The light had been slow to return to Ryoma’s eyes after Silvertear. It was good that it was back. Hunting, much as she disliked the dangers of it, had done much for his confidence. And Ralenne had been a welcome breath of fresh air from the begrudging tolerance they had received from most Gridanians at best.

They continued further beyond the Hawthorne Hut, beyond the entry to the Sylphlands and as the path began to open up past a foundation for a new watchtower, Haname could hear the bad sound Ralenne had described. Magitech.

As the canopy receded behind them they were greeted by a crystal blue sky, the fluttering greens of the Shroud’s grasses before them and its canopy framing the thick blunt black wall that cut across the landscape between the Twelveswood and Gyr Abania. It was discomforting that they were so close. That there was little defence other than space. And that behind that wall they were building something.

“Miss Hanna what is that?” Ralenne was nervous, the chatter was gone and Haname was suddenly struck by just how small she was.

“Garleans.” Ryoma’s voice was quiet and Ralenne quickly picked up on his fear.

“The bad people?! Why do they have such horrible booming noises?” Both of them seemed to shrink before her, what booming Ralenne could hear was thankfully beyond what she or Ryoma could hear, but Haname knew the fear it instilled. 

“They’re monsters.” Ralenne’s eyes grew wide as Haname spoke with such an authority to her voice it almost drowned out the din coming from beyond the wall. “But they are beyond that wall. They do not dare push forward into Eorzea again. And if they ever did, they won’t get to you. Not while I’m around.”

Ralenne gazed up at Haname, who seemed to have to have grown to be taller than Raer even. She was bigger than the wall and its noises. Bigger than any monster or gribbly that she had ever heard stories about. A real and proper adventurer. Ralenne nodded solemnly, relaxing back into her seat with a confidence in her safety she would not feel again for a long time.

***

It had been many years since she had a more experienced adventurer to look to for guidance - reassurance that she was on the right path or that someone else would bear some burden too great for her shoulders and those of her friends. But it was the faces of these four kids - who, like her, craved adventure but were keenly aware of the fact that at the end of the day they were still too young to face down every danger that came knocking - that made her realise that she was the one who was now looked to for reassurance.

She pulled out a ribbon - green to match their guild berets - and held back her winces of pain as she tied back her hair. Adventurers were brave and strong after all.

Muireann fixed each of them with her best impression of Haname’s steely almost-glare, the comfort of the memory warming and easing her aching muscles, “The monsters can't get you when I'm here.”

[cuuno-moved]

FROM THE DIARY OF KARL JACOBS:

Your name is Karl Jacobs.

That is very important. You cannot forget that.

You have two husbands, named Alex and Sapnap Jacobs.

Alex goes by Quackity, or Q, sometimes. He calls you mi amor (my love) and mi vida (my life). You call him darling and sunshine. He’s the smaller one, with the messy dark hair and brown skin. He wears a hat all the time, and has an eyepatch.

Sapnap calls you froggy, and sugar. You call him panda and cupcake. He’s the big one, with the shoulder length hair (usually in a man-bun), earrings and eyebrow slit. He looks a little bit mean, but he’s the sweetest guy on earth.

You live in a big house, with a red door.

If Sapnap brings home a cat, let him keep it.

If either finds a spider, you’ll have to kill it.

DO NOT TOUCH QUACKITY WITHOUT WARNING ESPECIALLY ON THE HIPS OR SHOULDERS.

Remember to water the plants.

You wash the dishes on Fridays.

If Quackity has a panic attack, sit beside him, hug him, and rub his back.

If Sapnap has a panic attack, move away, sit with your back to the opposite wall and talk to him.

If you have a panic attack, don’t let them know, press your hands to your chest and count the breaths. Sometimes it helps to list things you can see in your head.

The code to the security system is 1144.

You sleep in the middle, with Alex on the left and Sapnap on the right. If Sapnap snores, try to roll him on his back. If Quackity starts sleep talking, record it to laugh about later.

You always wear bright colors. Do not try to wear black or grey, they will get worried. Do not wear white, they will be confused.

If you have a headache, you’re probably having caffeine withdrawal, get a Monster energy from the fridge. You like the white ones most.

Take your meds. You have two, one for adhd and one for anxiety. Take one of each in the morning. Sapnap has meds too, remind him to take them.

Quackity puts cheese in his hot chocolate. Feel free to call it gross, because it is.

If he calls you ‘honey buns’, respond with ‘baby birdie’.

If Sapnap makes jokes about being stupid, tell him to stop. He’s really really smart.

The popcorn is in the cabinet with the seasonings.

Sapnap smokes. Don’t let him know that you know.

Ranboo comes over sometimes, let him have your usual chair. He likes to listen, do not try to pull him into the conversation.

Sapnap’s kale salad is really bad, don’t eat it.

THINGS NOT TO MENTION OR SAY:

Do not call Quackity sweetcheeks. Do not comment on his appearance, especially his ass. Do not yell. Do not drink, or talk about drinking. Do not bring up Schlatt. Do not try to quiet him when he’s excited about something. Do not talk about hearts, or cannibalism, or raw meat.

Don’t say “Come here” to Sapnap. Do not talk about Dream. Do not try to corner him. Do not go near ravines. Do not sing that stupid doo doo doo song that Dream listens to. Do not say “Oh come on” or try and get him to do things he doesn’t want to.

DO NOT LET THEM FIND OUT ABOUT YOUR MEMORY.

DO NOT LET THEM FIND THIS JOURNAL.

Other people: Callahan is the man with antlers. Alyssa is the girl with brown hair. Punz is the one with long white hair and white sweatshirt, their little brother Purpled wears a purple hoodie. Eret is the tall man in the crown with the blank eyes. Ponk is the short South African man with the black sweatshirt. Bad is the demon with the vines growing out of his skin. Ant is the cat. Sam is the green one, with the deep voice and solid black eyes. Vikk and Lazar don’t show up much, but Vikk is the British one, Lazar is the Australian. Connor is the one in the blue hoodie. Techno is the pig (DO NOT TALK TO HIM HE DOESN’T LIKE YOU). Phil is his coworker, the one with the green robes. Tubbo is the thin boy with all the scars. Jack is the one with the missing arm and broken glasses. Foolish is the Totem, he likes you. Charlie is the one with glasses and bad puns. George is the one with white rimmed sunglasses who hangs out with Sapnap a lot. Puffy is the short man with curly hair. Hannah is the one with flowers that grow out of her skin. Ranboo is the half enderman in the suit. Skeppy is the ruby. Niki is the girl with pink hair. Fundy is the fox. HBomb is the one in the flannel, he’s nice. Ghostbur is the ghost. Tommy is dead, do not talk about him.

If Callahan is staring at you, wave and smile. I don’t think he knows. Does he?

For the love of god, do not talk to Corpse. He is really observant, he will notice if you fuck up. IF he corners you, keep a straight face, excuse yourself. DON’T CALL HIM CATBOY. Calling him Crops is okay, he’ll think it’s a dumb nickname.

Fundy doesn’t like it when you bring up the grey in his hair. He’s 18, I don’t know where it came from, but it’s there.

Punz uses they/them, Eret uses all, Ranboo uses he/they/it, Puffy uses she/her

Ranboo is not Charles, or John, or the Butler. Do not make that mistake again. He has paranoia, it will send him into a spiral.

Foolish gets really excited about building. Let him talk. He doesn’t get the chance otherwise.

George is narcoleptic, Quackity makes jokes about it.

Ghostbur and Ranboo also have memory issues, do not bring that up, they will be suspicious. No, Ranboo will be suspicious, I don’t think Ghostbur will remember.

If Punz flirts with you, they’re probably trying to get under Sapnap’s skin. Flirt back if you want, but not too much. Sapnap gets jealous easily, do not be an asshole. Punz doesn’t actually like you romantically, and you obviously don’t actually like them.

If Purpled asks to borrow your stuff, say no, he’s not going to give it back.

Ponk sings sometimes, out of nowhere. Let him. Sing along, maybe, if you can.

Quackity flirts with Bad a lot.

Sapnap flirts with George a lot.

Quackity has wings, he might need help with preening. Just gently run your fingers through the feathers, try to get out any sort of debri or anything.

If your chest starts hurting, stretch your arms up, and out. You are either having a panic attack or you’ve been hunched over for too long.

If you see Puffy rubbing her chest, she needs to take off her binder. Remind her to do that, she will not remember otherwise.

If Tubbo makes you another bracelet, put it on the right, the left arm is for Foolish’ bracelets.

Keep your mind clear, and calm. Smile often, and laugh at Q’s jokes, even if they’re not funny. Try to act normal.

The timeline depends on it.

-KJ

[diamaker-moon]

Moving Forward - Chapter 4

Chapter Four

First day and investigations

—————

"Haven't you heard?" She asked back in a cold tone.

"Heard what?"

"You're class... drove Marinette to transfer schools. All because of you guys." She said in an icy tone before passing by him then rest left him in the locker room— gaping.

— previous chapter... —

Adrien was stunned.

'Marinette transferred schools?! When did that happen?!'

He stood there for a few minutes before fishing up his phone and texted Marinette, he waited for a reply, but nothing came. He came back to his classroom in a daze.

He didn't bother sharing the information with anyone, thinking that Lila might steal the spotlight again. And besides, he was too busy thinking why Marinette needed to transfer, and why she didn't inform him— her friend.

Nino was worried for his best bro. Adrien barely spoke throughout the day.

Meanwhile, Marinette was given a few hours in the morning to roam and get acquainted inside campus grounds. She was joined by Allegra, who happily toured her and introduce her as well to every student they pass by.

She was enjoying her time in Jeanne.

But behind all the happiness she was feeling at the moment, there's a huge responsibility whispering in her ear. The Cat Miraculous is currently in camouflage mode in her right ring finger as a rose gold ring. She needed to find either a new permanent cat holder or a temporary one. Part of her wants to trust her dormmates. She couldn't trust her temporary heroes anymore, aside from Viperion and Ryuko. 

She could imagine Allan using the Turtle miraculous since he is already protective of his friends. She was stuck between Claude and Allegra for the Fox miraculous.

Claude is a theatre kid, he can imagine a lot of things and that can help during battles but he's more of a fighter than hiding in the shadows. Allegra, however, can do the opposite.

But for now, her main priority is to find a cat holder, even if it has to be temporary. It was a good thing that she had bought a mini fridge for Plagg's camembert stash and stored it in her room or else her dormmates might think she's a cheese hoarder!

All the teachers and students in Jeanne were very welcoming. Her classmates were friendly to her, and her teachers are fair educators. When there is a disturbance in the class, they reprimand both students not only one, and Marinette noticed that there's no 'model student' treatment like the one she had in Dupont.

It was lunchtime, she and her dormmates decided to eat in a nearby restaurant. She missed how she just goes home and eats lunch in her home then sometimes returns with a bag of pastries as snacks. She missed her home and her parents' bakery.

Marinette and Allegra were busy chatting about Marinette's current state in Jeanne, while Claude and Allan are busy bickerings on who will win if Batman and Iron Man fought.

F��lix just observed them, and from time to time read on his book.

None of them saw a blonde looking at them with a melancholic look. The blonde smiled bitterly before they left the restaurant.

"Are you all done? Lunchtime is almost up." Félix announced.

The other four nodded and paid for their meal, then walked back to school.

Marinette wants to thank her luck and Tikki, for not having any Akuma throughout the rest of the afternoon.

Upon returning to the dorm, she went inside her bathroom and stared at the mirror. She was looking at her reflection, but somehow it felt unfamiliar to her.

The girl in the mirror, has her hair down, wearing a white button-up shirt underneath a black blazer that had red accents and trimming, the school crest sewed on top of the front pocket and a red tie. Paired with it is a plaid red, white and black skirt that reaches up to her mid-thighs, she also wore black knee-high socks and strapped two-inched heels.

She moved her hair on the right side a bit and saw her signature black stud earrings which are actually the camouflaged ladybug's miraculous earrings, then the rose gold cat miraculous on her right hand that moved her hair.

It was a huge change.

She was used to seeing her previous look since Dupont doesn't require school uniforms but Jeanne does.

Marinette sighed then stripped out of her uniform to take a short shower.

Once she came out of the bathroom, she was wearing light pink high-waisted shorts, a white halter-top with her signature flower design, then a sheer black cardigan.

She turned the soundproofing on then locked her bedroom door before she let the kwamis out of the miracle box.

"Did you have fun on your first day, Marinette?" Tikki asked.

Marinette hummed before answering. "Yeah. It was quite strange to see all the students wear the same outfit, but everyone was very welcoming. Quite different in Dupont. And there were no Akuma attacks today!"

Tikki smiled at her holder. The kwami thought that the girl deserves it. She needed a new environment away from the previous one since it was toxic.

Marinette was skimming through the Grimoire, and the kwamis knew not to be close enough since it is prohibited to know about the knowledge inside the book.

Shadowmoth. A unified Butterfly and Peacock miraculous holder.

Hawkmoth was becoming stronger, and Marinette needed to be ten steps ahead of him. She cannot use her previous temporary heroes.

Rena Rouge, Carapace, Pegasus and Roi Singe betrayed her in their civilian lives, unknowingly. She cannot trust them in battle, even if they were efficient heroes.

She was alone at the moment. No temporary allies, and no partner.

But she might have a lead on who Hawk—Shadowmoth is.

She looked at her bulletin board that is hanged on the wall.

If anyone ever saw the board, they might think she is a detective, due to having a map of Paris wide opened, with marks, sticky notes, red strings, etc.

She closed the book before putting on a sleeve cover for the book then plainly placed it on her desk together with a stack of books.

"Marinette?"

She hummed before looking at her left seeing the kwamis stare at her.

"We finally might have a lead on who Hawk—Shadowmoth is. Why does he need to change his name? The hawkmoth is already a stupid name, but he had to change it to Shadowmoth! Ugh!"

The kwamis laughed at their guardian's frustrations.

"Who do you suspect, Master?" Wayzz asked.

"Plagg, do you know where your previous holder got the book and tablet?" She asked the cat kwami who's busy eating a wheel of Camembert on top of her chaise.

Plagg looked to her before swallowing the rest of the whole wheel then answered.

"In his deadbeat of a father's office. That's where we found the book first, inside a safe behind her mother's painting."

Marinette hummed.

She had valid points at the moment to suspect him. And no one can prevent her from suspecting the fashion guru like before when she had Chat Noir as her partner. He was adamant that the guru isn't Hawkmoth, but now she understood. The man was his father. If the fashion guru is Hawkmoth, he'll be losing both his Mother and Father.

Something clicked in her mind. The alternate reality that she prevented: Chat Blanc.

She gasped. Then hurriedly grabbed her notebook that has all her points and suspect list with a list of reasons. She flipped the pages towards Gabriel Agreste's page.

Possible Suspect: Gabriel Agreste

Affliation: Fashion Designer

Relationships: 

◈ Emilie Agreste (Wife)

◈ Adrien Agreste (Son)

◈ Nathalie Sancoeur (Assistant)

  Reasons why suspected?

- Mme Agreste has been gone for three years, can use the ultimate power to wish her back.

- Secluded from the outside world.

- Assitant is very devoted, can possibly be the ally— Mayura.

- Another possible ally— Lila Rossi. Got akumatized after leaving from the first bathroom confrontation looking all smug, and has been akumatized repeatedly. Also might be involved with the Heroe's day illusion of Dark 'Ladybug'.

- Akumatized when suspected before. Hypothesis: possibly to divert attention?

- Very attentive and tried to reach for earrings and ring before during 'The Collector' after getting de-akumatized...

- Briefly saw an intrigue look on his face when he saw Chloé open a miraculous box in public.

- Has the Grimoire. Now, he also had Master Fu's tablet (stolen possibly during Miracle Queen battle)

-Theory: Chat Blanc said that Hawkmoth was a reason why the alternate timeline was destroyed by Blanc, Marinette is almost akumatized before (in original timeline), is it possible that in that timeline, Hawkmoth tried to akumatize Marinette then accidentally finds out Chat Noir's identity, leading up to a possible confrontation? It is quite hard to choose between a family relative and a relationship...

Marinette observed the page. If she was impulsive, she'd probably march up to the Agreste Mansion, but if her possible suspect is truly a villain, she cannot impulsively attack since he had two miraculouses that can create an Akuma and a Sentimonster.

She was a tactician. She always thinks about how she can use her lucky charm, and mostly in the most complex ways on how to use it.

The only thing she can do for a while is observing the Older Agreste.

"It's decided then," She looked at the kwamis then continued her sentence.

"We're going on a stake-out outside the Agreste Mansion, and possibly the inside as well. But that mansion is heavily guarded with cameras! How am I going to enter it?!"

She annoyingly said the huffed.

"Kwamis can help with the cameras and if there are alarms!" Trixx reasoned.

"Hmm... That can be useful... But how am I going to get an inside look? If there's a hidden safe behind Mme Agreste's painting in M. Agreste's atelier, I need an entrance."

Plagg thought about it before gasping.

"I can look around! I've been in the mansion for a long time, I can search around that room to see any open windows or entrance!"

Marinette actually smiled at that statement, she scratches Plagg behind one of his ears which made the cat kwami purr in happiness.

"Looks like someone earned a prize!"

The kwamis laughed in seeing the stubborn cat kwami happily purring due to the young guardian scratching him. Marinette needed a thorough plan. A plan to look around M. Agreste's atelier without being detected. And if she is lucky maybe retrieve one of the missing miraculous.

—————

"Nathalie!"

The woman flinched before she composed herself and made her way towards her boss's atelier with a tablet in one hand.

"Yes, M. Agreste?"

The man was seething, and she didn't know why. The last time she saw him like this was when they caught Adrien taking the miraculous book to school.

"Where's the Grimoire and the tablet?"

Nathalie blinked. "It's in your hands Monsier. Or maybe safely hidden in the safe."

Gabriel sighed deeply. "The book and the tablet is missing. I check the cameras, Adrien got it again, but when I asked for it back, he said you had it."

"I'm sorry, M. Agreste, but I didn't even know that it was in Adrien's possessions. I'll look around the mansion, maybe Adrien misplaced it, I'll also ask him to remember where he left it."

Gabriel nodded and dismissed her.

Inside Nathalie's head, it was trouble. They were fortunate to steal the previous Guardian's tablet that has a translated version of the book, to fix the Peacock miraculous. They had also found a translated pages about the power-ups but we haven't figure out what it actually means. They also don't have a backup copy of the translated pages!

"Adrien? Adrien."

Nathalie knocked on the younger Agreste's door. She heard a faint 'wait, Nathalie!'. Soon the door opened and revealed a dishevelled Adrien who was currently drying his hair with a towel.

"Yes, Nathalie?"

"I heard from your Father that you had the book and tablet he's looking for. Do you remember where you left it?" She said and noticed how Adrien paled.

"I was only looking at it, I left it on my desk but the next morning it was gone. I figured that you might've found it on the desk and took it back to Father... That's the only place I left it before going to bed."

She observes the young boy and hummed. She instructed Adrien to try and look around thinking that it might've been misplaced.

'I have a bad feeling about this. It's already bad that it's missing, but if my theory is right that it is in Ladybug's possession, we might be at a disadvantage.'

Chapter 3 — Moving Forward: Masterlist — Chapter 5