#I promised you a punchline didn't I

[mwolf0epsilon]

Flat Frogma Friday - 86

Frogma found playing the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV with an expanded free trial which you can play through the entirety of A Realm Reborn and the award winning Heavens Ward Expansion and also award winning Storm Blood Expansion up to Level 70 for free with no restrictions on playtime.

— ☕️ Ko-fi | 🧡Commissions

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Fishing Interlude

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[miralands-resident-conspiracist]

Hey, what the fuck??

[vermillioncrown]

pretty sure your snare trap has math for cheese

you'd think so. i thought so, too--but no one talks to me about the actual math from my fanfic (me getting hurt feelings from everyone fixating on 'bruce wayne batman dating' rather than chasing the 'data regression' -> 'fast fourier transform' -> 'dick grayson is a former mathlete about to read korvin to filth', but i fucking did it to myself and know it)

actual math/stem people more knowledgeable than me take one look and go "lmao poser" and ignore it

laymen read my fic and don't care beyond the spectacle

i think the math acts like a filter. you either vibe w my processes (which cannot be separated from how i write) or you [x] immediately

[vimbry]

the sentiment of "junk food rep," where a character or general story is for whatever reason a largely negative portrayal of something (baiting, derogatory stereotype, etc.) but you like it anyway, also applies to celebrity friends of the same gender who, up until around the 2010s when this began to sound a tasteless punchline, make at least one joke in their career about appearing gay. not at all similar in it being representation just to be Clear, but in that I know I should disapprove but it's also really funny, in parent-laughing-while-scolding-their-kid sort of way.

[dbphantom]

Checked out YouTube shorts today bc I actually saw something that interested me (skyrim video) and the next video I scrolled down to was acephobic shit. Made by another queer person. What the fuck

Hurt almost as bad as seeing the queer mon/ster hun/ter discord server being advertised on here and then checking the tags and seeing: "we are aro + ace exclusive btw :)" at the very end.

[inkskinned]

you said you were stuck in a time loop, which was fine. i feel like late-stage capitalism has us all in a time loop, ammiright? you came barging in at 5:33. in the morning. i hadn't even processed the idea of coffee.

but you had this look of utter panic in your eyes. terror like the ocean. you grabbed my cheeks. im in a time loop.

i don't know why in movies the first reaction is to deny it. when someone is panicking like that, it's not appropriate to ask them to calm down. it didn't matter if i believed it, what mattered was that you believed it so much that it was consuming you.

so here we are. i pour you some of the dark roast. "you look like utter and entire hell," i say.

you push your fingers into your eyes. "you always say that."

i try to think of something funny to say that i wouldn't have said on previous time loops, but jokes don't land without the proper timing (lol). "remind me to think -"

"-yeah, of a joke that only works in the future. and before you say anything, i know you're pissed i just stole your punchline." you bolt the coffee, which is wild. it's very hot. you don't seem to notice.

i blow on mine to cool it down. i both am very pissed at you and also i can't see you in this amount of panic without wanting to help. but i'm also not really sure what we are, not since i saw you kiss her like that, no offense. it just was like, kind of rude when you knew i liked you.

and besides. i'm just like, barely a person. i write omegaverse fanfiction. i love the concept of a time loop, but what the fuck am i gonna do? send an alpha in there? i open my mouth.

you point at me. "you're about to ask why me. and then say some disparaging shit about yourself. i'm just a nerd who plays dnd or something. that self-own is slightly different each time." you sigh. "i know you think you can't really help me. i don't know who can help me. i only came to you because you fucking believe me." you check your watch, sigh, and throw your head back. you cover your eyes with one hand. "i've come here on 26 separate revolutions," you say. "you have believed me every time. and yeah, i have no idea how you fit into this but i just -" you sigh again. "i just like fucking talking to someone about it."

"do you need more cof-" i start, but you're already holding the empty cup out. i frown at it. "you're not getting any more until you promise not to bolt this one like an animal."

you laugh a little and sit up, pushing your hair out of your face. "okay, that's new dialogue. but to be fair to you, i'm not usually this rude. i'm still pretty new at all of this." you check your watch again. another sigh. i guess you're cruising for a personal best in the Sigh Olympics.

i almost tell you im not an NPC but i've played enough video games to know i'm very much an NPC. i pour you another cup. "so what happens in the loop?"

"really bad explosion." you mutter into the mug. you put your elbows on the table (rude) and bury your face in your arms like an angsty teenager. one hand floats up while you talk, because evidently you literally can't talk without your hands. "i have to save the day and there's this bomb and i have no bomb training and it keeps moving, you know."

"do i die?"

you peek up from your arms. "yeah. bigtime. you keep trying to run or stay or do anything and you always super die."

"oh."

"to be fair, like, everyone dies in it though.... so you're in good company."

i hate that you make me laugh. i hate that being around you always feels tingly and strange, this electric tension between us. something that is evidently (given how you stuck your tongue down a stranger's throat literally 3 days ago) (well. 3 for me) super one-sided. i take a sip of my coffee and close my eyes.

i die today, i guess. a little spark of panic starts at the top of my hands and starts whipping up my wrists.

"shit," you say. you look at your watch and jump to your feet. "i have to go. if i can come back, i will. i am still trying to figure out when is best to do everything, you know? the order of stuff. maybe morning isn't good for us."

i look up at you and think about how you keep kissing me in the back of my car and in alleyways and in the dark. and i can never fucking get a read on you. and i also think about how incredibly panicked you look. how broken. how long have you been doing this? "i don't want to die," i say.

you glance downwards. "well, you're not really dead, you'll come back in the loop."

"but i will have died." my hands are shaking. i am trying really hard to stay calm.

you push your hands through your hair again. "i really have to go. i will have this discussion with the next version of you, though. it is like, something i am thinking about."

"but i don't get a next version," i say. i don't really have the language for this, because i haven't had 26 tries with you. i only have my memories: you, a week ago. drunk and telling me you loved me in my ear. you, kissing her anyway. you, months ago, throwing up on my birthday, whispering to me i ruin everything i touch, always, over and over. please don't ask. i can't ever fucking have that be you.

i run my finger along the rim of the mug. "i don't want to die in this one."

you seem baffled by this. "i get that but - time will reset, you'll be fine, you won't even remember we talked about this."

"but i know now." i stand up too. "i have to live the rest of this day knowing i could die. knowing i probably am going to."

"you could always die, to be fair."

i feel my hands get out of control. "earlier, you said i always say a different insult about myself. what if you're just going through different parallel universes and those are all just different - but real - versions of myself? what if you're not in a time loop, you're in a fucking universe loop?"

"if it helps, i've wondered this too. also, you're hot in all of them. if that helps."

i point at you. "no flirting. i'm trying to figure out if i die today."

"who's flirting?" you catch my wild hands and give me that long, perfect smile. like we're in this together. "i won't let ya die." you check your watch and sigh again. "well. maybe not this time."

i grit my teeth. you are so not making quips at me while i try to explain the existential dread i'm having. "does the time loop reset if i fucking kill you?"

"honestly i don't know how long it continues after i die, because i just wake up. it could be that the loop goes until the explosion for everyone, and we're all in the loop, or it could be that when i die, the loop restarts. when i die i wake up, is all."

i pull away from you and stalk into the kitchen and start doing all 3 of my dishes. "okay, first, you know i was joking. and secondly, this is exactly my point. you don't know if this is just a parallel universe. maybe in the ones where you died, the explosion happened and nobody reset and it's just you travelling." i have to stop and push my heel into my eyeball. "... how often have you died?"

i look at you. you look at me. you give me this very sad, halfway smile and a little what can ya do shrug. something in that action seems so old and weary that i want to burst into tears.

"i have to go," you say. "really. for real. there's this family of five i save from getting into a car crash. and i know it's like oh but we're all gonna die in the explosion anyway, what's the point. and..." you shrug again. "it matters to me, is all. at least i saved them for now. at least i saved anything."

you pad over to me and wrap me in a tight hug. you always seem so tall against me. i feel your cheek rest against the top of my head for a moment. for a second, it's just us, and the space is warm, and my heart is a little broken hare.

you leave me there, and i stand in my stupid badly lit kitchen with my stupid mugs. i think about you. i start texting my mom that she needs to get out of the city, but it feels pointless.

i don't know what to do. tomorrow is the same day for you. but i have to prepare to die in my today.

[endless-ineffabilities]

eclipsed (Aemond Targaryen x f!reader)

You loved him. He didn't feel the same. Until everything changed – but is it too late?

main masterlist ▪︎ word count: 1.7k

a/n: I envisioned modern Aemond as I was writing this. Also, the usual taglist is sadly not included for this spontaneous oneshot. I trust that the angst will find you if it's meant to be!

Aemond Targaryen was once everything to you. 

Your guiding light. Your sun and your stars. You knew you had a heart, you knew it was beating true, because it worshipped him with such a ferocity that would put a devotee to shame. Nothing and no else compared. You would have been content to simply exist in his orbit, to watch as he lived and loved.

He loved you too. You knew that. But as a brother loved a sister, as a friend loved a friend. 

And all kinds of love were meant to appear dim and pale in comparison to what he felt for Alys.

He doted on her. She was everything to him. She was his guiding light, his sun and stars. You could never compare. 

It was an unbearable truth, one you had tried for too long to ignore, but there came a time when you reached your breaking point. One evening, you asked to meet him. You knew you were about to ask for so much more – you were asking for something he could never offer.

You were asking to be seen. 

You could no longer sit idly by, watching the sun shine on the world while the moon was left in the shadows.

When you confessed, his reaction was as callous as it was predictable. Aemond laughed in disbelief, as though your words were at the end of some punchline. “Okay,” he said dismissively, “I love you too.”

“No.” You shook your head, looking away. You had to bite your lip to keep the tears from falling. “I love you, Aemond.”

“Yes, I know,” he smiled, taking a step closer, grimacing when you put your hands up to stop him from reaching out for you.

“I’m in love with you.” You had to take a deep breath before you continued. “I love you. Maybe you knew all along. Maybe you didn’t. But you have to know that.”

There it was, suspended in the atmosphere between the two of you, before the inevitable crash and crumble. 

“I don’t get it, darling.” He exhaled roughly, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You love me?”

“What don’t you get?” Your voice came out sharper than intended, but you couldn’t be anything but honest. 

“I… this is… but you’re like a sister to me!” 

“Oh, fuck off, Aemond.” You waved his words away, trying to dampen just how brutal they stung. Just how much they cut deep. 

“Well, then,” he sneered, his eyes darkening with a defensive anger. “Thanks for that.”

“Is that…” You met his eyes once more, that heart-wrenching shade of blue. “Do you have anything else to say?”

His gaze hardened. “I’m with Alys.”

“I know that.”

“I love Alys.” He spat the words out like they were meant to be a scolding. Didn’t you know this? What exactly were you expecting from him? That he would cry and take you in his arms? I love you too… I love you too… I always have…

“I know that too.” The first bitter tear fell down your cheek. You inhaled sharply, wiping at your face with the back of your sleeve. You began pacing in an attempt to get a hold of your nerves. You did not want to have a complete breakdown in front of him. But then again, the worst has already happened. How much more humiliation could there possibly be?

“I��m sorry, darling.” His voice softened as he reached for you again, and this time, when you resisted, he simply caught your arms gently and pulled you against him. “Truly, I am. You have no idea.”

He held you, however long you needed to be held. He was good like that, he always has been. But it felt like a cruel comfort – mere scraps of affection when you wanted the entire feast. 

“I do love you, you know,” he murmured into your hair, his voice soothing as it broke your heart anew. “Always, I promise.”

And he did. 

But it was never going to be enough.

You were the moon to his sun, forever watching from a distance, knowing you would never truly share the same sky.

Aemond rarely saw you after that night. A week passed, then two, then a month. The silence between you stretched longer than he had expected, but still he thought nothing of it. Perhaps you were simply giving each other space, allowing the awkwardness to settle.

But then, when he tried seeking you out, there were no responses. He found out from a mutual friend that you had moved to another region. There was a promising work opportunity, apparently, one that had been too good to pass up.

You just conveniently failed to mention this to him. 

You drifted from his life without warning, and Aemond was not prepared for how deeply it would hurt. How lost he would feel. He was out of orbit, reeling, mourning the ghost of someone who still lived, but seemingly no longer wanted anything to do with him.

Alys was not blind to it. But there was nothing she could do. She could only watch as Aemond’s light began to dim, gradually fading until it barely reached her. She had no choice but to stand by as he became a hollow version of the man whom she thought loved her so fiercely.

An entire year passed before Aemond saw you again. 

It happened by chance, or perhaps some cruel twist of fate. You were there, with your adorable flushed cheeks and smile as bright as the sun. He did not know what to expect, but there you were, hugging him like the long lost friend he had become.

You looked better than ever, while he was barely getting by. 

“You look like you could use some sun, Aem,” you remarked lightheartedly, noticing how pale he got. “I can’t believe it’s been so long.”

You appeared carefree, but all Aemond could feel was the weight of the past year pressing down on him. 

“You left me,” he spat out before he could help himself. It sounded like an accusation, like a wound that never healed. How could you?

“I did leave, yes,” you say tentatively, confused by the venom in his tone. “But I don’t think I left you.”

“What would you call it then?” His tone was bitter, bordering on desperate. 

“I moved away,” you shrugged. “It happens. Friends move away, they move on.”

“You weren’t supposed to,” he muttered. His hands clenched at his sides when what he truly wanted was to reach for you.  

“I had to,” you replied, your voice quieter. “It was the only way.” 

Aemond frowned, his gaze fixed on your face, searching for something he couldn’t quite name. "The only way for what?"

You spoke again, slower, “It was the only way to get over you.”

He was hanging by a thread, and right then, he became untethered.

“I loved you, Aemond,” you continued. “And I couldn’t just stay there and watch you be in love with someone else. I’m sorry, but I had to leave. It was the only thing I could do to save myself.”

Your words hit him like a blow. He stared at you, the one who had been everything to him once – his anchor, his confidante, the one constant in his life. If only he hadn’t been too goddamn stupid to realise it then.

You reached over and squeezed his hand. He looked down and without thinking, he interlaced his fingers with yours. He felt you hesitate for a moment – a brief second where you considered pulling away – before you gave in.

The old you wouldn’t have given it a second thought. The old you would have held onto Aemond with everything you had, believing that if you just stayed close enough, he’d realise what was right in front of him.

But you were different now. Everything was different – no sunshine, just grey – because you said that you loved him.

Loved. Not anymore.

The roles were reversed, and maybe he deserved it. The bitter irony wasn’t lost on him as you pulled your hand away, offering him a soft, understanding smile. 

“And Alys?” you asked suddenly, your voice gentle but curious. "How is she?”

He stiffened. A part of him thought that staying with Alys was his path forward, the thing that would make sense of the chaos in his life. But it hadn’t. Not really. 

“We’re not together anymore,” Aemond finally admitted.

You blinked, visibly surprised. “Oh. I’m… I’m so sorry, Aemond. I didn’t know.”

He let out a bitter chuckle, shaking his head. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. It wasn’t… meant to be.”

You studied him, your brows furrowing in concern. “Even so, I know it’s hard,” you said softly, your voice full of empathy. “Breakups are… They’re never easy. But there’s someone out there for everyone. I truly believe that. I mean… I found someone, didn’t I?”

His entire body tensed, his breath hitching as his mind tried to process the full weight of your statement. You had found someone. You had moved on. There was the proof, hitting him right in the face. 

He had lost you. For good.

“You… found someone,” he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper, as if saying it out loud would somehow make it more real.

“Yes. I did.” There was a tenderness in your voice, but it only twisted the knife deeper. “He’s wonderful, Aemond. He’s kind, supportive. I didn’t think I’d find something like this after – ” you paused, glancing away for a moment before meeting his gaze again, “after everything.”

“Are you in love?” The words came out before he could stop them, his voice tight with something like despair. He hated himself for asking, for needing to know, but the question was out there now, and he couldn’t take it back.

“Aemond.”

“Can you tell me this, at least? Do you… love him?”

There was a long pause, as if you were choosing your words carefully, and when you finally spoke, the answer was clear. “More than anything.”

You had become someone else’s sun. Someone else’s guiding light.

And he was the moon, forced to watch and drift in shadow. 

For the first time in his life, Aemond Targaryen understood what it meant to lose everything.

[cosmicanakin]

hi kari baby. i’m feeling sad bc of a boy (i need to stop dating them and remember i’m bisexual) but i was wondering if i could request an anakin fic where reader is like “i feel like love is an inside joke that everyone else is in on” and anakin is like i love you and i don’t just need you i want you and love can be our joke and we’re laughing together. i just really need hurt/comfort right now.

ִ𓂃 ⋆ LOVE'S COSMIC JEST

੭୧ . . . anakin skywalker x female!reader.

ᯓ the love you and anakin have for each other becomes your new favorite punchline.

warning(s) emotional vulnerability┆self doubt┆mild angst┆ fluff. 𓇼 dedicated to my ALLY @spcncershasting. sorry if i took AGES to write this request for you, baby! but it's finally here. love u smmm — mi preciosa amor.

　✧⠀ ⠀⠀　𓈒　⠀⠀ ⠀૮₍ ´ ꒳ `₎ა⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ꪆৎ masterlist.

you find yourself staring out into the vastness of space, the swirling stars and distant galaxies a reflection of the confusion within you. LOVE, you've always thought, is a joke that everyone else was in on. it's as if the universe itself is laughing, and you're the only one not hearing the punchline.

you're on a ship, the hum of the engines a steady background to your thoughts. anakin is beside you, his presence both comforting and unsettling. he's an enigma, a whirlwind of contradictions that somehow makes perfect sense.

"what's on your mind?" he asks, his voice soft, yet it cuts through your reverie like a lightsaber through the dark.

"love," you admit, almost whispering. "i feel like it's a joke everyone else understands, but not me."

there's a pause, and you can feel his gaze on you, intense and searching. "you think it's a joke?"

"an inside joke—" you clarify. "—one that i'm having a hard time grasping."

he leans closer, his eyes full of a warmth that makes your heart skip a beat. "i love you," he says simply. "and i don't just need you, i want you."

the sincerity in his voice is undeniable. it's like a light piercing through the fog of your doubts, illuminating the path you didn't know you were searching for.

"love can be our joke," he continues, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "something only we understand. and this way, we're laughing together."

his words wrap around you, a comforting embrace in the coldness of space. it's as if he's offering you a lifeline, a way to be part of something bigger than yourself.

"anakin," you murmur, your voice barely a breath. "how do you make it sound so easy?"

he chuckles, a sound that resonates with warmth. "because with you, it is easy. everything else fades away, and it's jus' us, sweetheart."

you pull away to face him, seeing the truth in his eyes. there's no deception, no hidden agenda. just the honest, raw emotion that you've been yearning to find.

"i want that," you admit, the words tumbling out like a confession. "i want love to be our joke."

he reaches for your hand, his touch grounding you, anchoring you to the moment. "then let's make it ours," he says, his voice a promise.

you nod, feeling a sense of peace wash over you. feeling as if the universe has shifted, finally aligning in your favor, allowing you to finally hear the laughter you thought was beyond your grasp.

together, you and anakin sit in silence, the stars your only witness. it's a quiet moment, yet filled with a profound understanding that transcends words.

"you know," he says after a while, a teasing lilt in his voice, "i never knew love could be this... fun."

you laugh, the sound surprising you. it's genuine, a real laugh that bubbles up from within, a reflection of the joy you feel.

"who knew?" you reply, grinning. "love, an inside joke that makes sense."

anakin squeezes your hand, his smile mirroring your own. "and it's our secret," he says. "one we'll keep laughing about."

as you watch the stars drift by, you realize that maybe, just maybe, love isn't about understanding everything. maybe it's about finding someone who makes the confusion worthwhile, someone who turns the chaos into something beautiful.

with anakin by your side, you feel like you've finally found your place, your understanding of the joke that is LOVE.

and it's a punchline worth waiting for.

[morcez]

Tutoring Satoru Gojo

Synopsis: You agree to tutor the guy that you hate the most.

Cont.:fluff. Enemies to lovers?? Normal school AU.

Pairings: Satoru Gojo x Loser!reader

Wc:532 (vv short)

Gojo was very popular in school, his charisma made him a favorite among his classmates. You on the other hand, are not too well known. You kept to yourself and focused on your studies, making you an easy target for Satoru to poke fun at. He’s most definitely a class clown, constantly disrupting class, and using you as a punchline for his jokes. 

You hated him. You hated the way he would jokingly flirt with you to invoke a reaction out of you. You hated the way the whole class would look and laugh at you whenever he would make a joke at your expense. You hated how damn handsome he was.

His class clown agenda didn't leave much room for him to pay attention during class, so you weren't completely shocked when he was begging you to tutor him.

At first, you refused, why would you help the man you hate the most?

“Please I won’t be able to pass the class if you don’t help me,” he begs

“Not my problem.” you state

“C'mon, 20 dollars an hour- no, 20 dollars every half an hour I swear” He bargains.

You reluctantly agree. Even if you only spend an hour with him that's forty dollars coming out of his wallet and into yours.

That's how you ended up at a desk in a small corner of the library with the Satoru Gojo. You’d be lying if you said you didn't enjoy the power you had over him. Seeing the way he struggled on easy questions, but your face would still get hot whenever he looked at you with his piercing blue eyes peaking out his sunglasses. You didn’t know if it was the dim warm lighting of the library or that this was the closest you'd ever been to the man, but he looked finer than usual. 

He’s so handsome it was becoming harder to hate him by the second. Goddamnit. Were you falling for him? You couldn't have, you hated him. The guy practically bullied you, and yet here you are swooning at the man sitting beside you. 

Satoru snaps you out of your internal war. 

“It’s been a while, I should get going.” He stands up out of his chair.

He slides the money he promised you on the table. You open your mouth to say something snarky about him needing your help, but instead of words coming out, you feel soft lips crash onto yours. 

“We should do this again, princess.” In the blink of an eye, he’s leaving.

Everything happened so fast you couldn't even respond. That asshole just kissed you and dipped.

Gojo never actually needed a tutor, in fact, he wasnt anywhere close to failing the class. He just wanted to spend time with the pretty loser he had a crush on.

You look down at the money that Satarou has left you. On top of the stack of cash, there's a note that has his number written on it and reads,

‘Call me ;)’

You know that you should burn the note and never think of it again, but instead, you stuff it into your pocket.

He’s so damn annoying. You hate to love him.

[marnikula]

i loved the reader who cant say no trope :') i used to be that way

CAN WE GET READER WHO IS SUPER ASSERTIVE AND HAS A THING FOR SPENCER WHO IS JUST LIKE IN BAMBOOZLES OF READER BEING SO COMFORTABLE SAYING NO AND BEING STRAIGHTFORWARD 🙏🙏

SIMP

I could not think of any way to write this well for a few days, so sorry for the late reply. Also, if you are reading this and you made a request, I promise I am getting to it, I've just been a bit swamped with work and writing this post.

Now then, no real warnings except some cringe in the way that reader relentlessly simps after Reid.

✨Enjoy!✨

Your first meeting with Spencer Reid was something he would never be able to forget, even with his eidetic memory. You waltzed up to him after one of his guest lectures with such confidence that he stood to the side, thinking that you would pass by him. But you didn't. You stopped in front of him, speaking words that he would have never had the courage to utter to someone: "Do you have a name, or can I call you mine?"

He remembers seeing the way your friends cringed behind you, the pick up line that left your lips clearly having made them uncomfortable. When he thought that you would move on after seeing the blush spreading all the way from his toes to his ears, thinking that maybe you coming to flirt with him was a dare, but you didn't. Instead, you uttered another sentence that he could feel himself cringe to as well, but you didn't seem to mind, your eyes too filled with determination to be put off by his facial expression at your request. "I lost my phone number, can I have yours?" He genuinely thought you were joking, but then you held out your phone to him.

In a stupor of confusion, Spencer entered his contact details, waiting for the punchline to come, proving that this truly was some sort of joke. Throughout the whole interaction he was wondering how someone as attractive as you would decide to come up to him of all people and used lines that not even Morgan had the guts to use to try and flirt with him.

It took a few weeks of you consistently sending him pick up lines along with good morning messages and invites to a date before he decided to ask Morgan for advice. It wasn't helpful. His friend had simply laughed in disbelief when told the story and was rendered speechless when he read the messages exchanged between you, most of them from your side. Spencer decided to go for it, after all, what was the worst that could happen, you hit him with another pick up line?

_____________________________________________________________

It was worse, so much worse. When he arrived at the designated spot to find you before going to the movies he was met with a bouquet of red roses with branches of baby's breath spread in between. It was a beautiful arrangement he greatly appreciated, but the fact that you gave it to him the moment he stepped out of his car and into your view, as well as the fact that it was a very public display of affection sent Spencer reeling into a stuttering and blushing mess.

The movie you picked out was a romantic comedy, and although Spencer laughed quite a lot, he could not really enjoy the movie itself, too focused on the fact that you held his hand the moment the two of you sat down. It truly baffled Spencer how you could be so nonchalant about how you approached him, you did things he would not have even imagined in his wildest dreams to have the confidence to do.

At dinner, you decided to take him to your favorite restaurant. It was a quaint Italian place a few blocks down from the movie theater. The whole walk there you were full of energy, talking to him and listening to him spew random facts about things that happened in the movie. Your eyes held such pure adoration he wondered if he might have hung the stars in the sky without even realizing it.

______________________________________________________________

Spencer enjoyed his evening with you more than he ever had with anyone else he had gone out with before. As he lay in bed, thinking about the kiss you planted solidly on his cheek after he dropped you off at your apartment he wondered again how it was possible for someone so bright and confident to be as interested in him as you were.

As he drifted off to sleep, Reid wondered where this unfolding relationship with you would take him, and he could truly say that he was excited to see what would happen.

[vulpixisananimal]

(. . .)

(What. WHAT. What do you have to say! I KNOW you have something!)

(. . .)

(We're back here again. AGAIN. After ALL THAT WORK. Do you have NOTHING to add to that?)

(Using the blinding dagger to get us back here. STARS. You want to protect Siffrin and you do things like THAT. Disgusting. You're Terrible, TERRIBLE! TERRIBLE!!!)

(And now we're stuck here! Again! Stardust can't come out because of that BLINDING MIND CRAFT. YOU I can't even trust to be sensible, and we blinding KILLED SOMEONE LAST LOOP!!)

(And you have NOTHING to say?!?)

(. . . It left, didn't it. Stars. . .)

(Even if it was annoying, a danger, stupid, whatever. It, it was someone to talk to. Stars.)

(You breathe in, and out. Let's just get this over with.)

(You open the bathroom door just as Isabeau knocks on it.)

"O-oh! Morning Sif!" (He doesn't remember.)

(You look up at him. What was your next line again? He was going to ask if you were ok and- You know what, no. You need this.)

(You hug Isabeau.)

"O-oh!!!" (After a second, he hugs you back.) "Is, is everything alright?"

(No. Nothing was alright. How do you explain this to him? How do you tell him you killed his friend. How do you tell him you're not who he thinks you are. You can't!! That's the punchline!! You couldn't get accross what you were feeling in a thousand Loops!! But what does that matter, you needed this.)

(. . . Was it selfish? Maybe. Maybe. . .)

(You made Stardust promise not to screw up with their family again. If you couldn't get that happy ending, they could at least. You still remember that fight, you still remember loosing. You still remember wanting to tear out Siffrins throat and stab him through the heart.)

(And now you were here, forced to see that happy ending play out while you, once again, are relegated to stagehand!!!)

(You're starting to cry.)

"No." (You finally say. Hugging a bit tighter.)

"Aw Sif, could I-"

"S-shut up." (You're crying more.) "Just, just shut up!"

". . . Sif. ."

"Don't call me that!" (You can't stop yourself.) "Every blinding time, every time you come check on us, to talk to him! And I have to sit back and pretend!! Pretend to be that happy Siffrin you all like!! Just so we can maybe get out of this BLINDING day!!!"

(Isa doesn't respond.)

"And now you probably think I'm crazy! Oh look! Siffrins gone all loopy~ TEE HEE! LOOPY~ Maybe they finally cracked!"

"S-. ." (He stops himself.) "I, I don't think that."

"Of course you do! Tee hee~ After all what else could, you. . ." (You look up at him finally, and stop.)

(He's. . . He's crying too.)

(There's a silence before he speaks up.) ". . . I. . . I don't, I don't know what you're going through right now but. . ." (He's looking for the right words.)

". . . . I'm sorry." (You finally say.)

"It's alright." (He respons, putting a hand on your head.) ". . . Do you want to talk about it?"

(You burry your face in his shirt and mumble.) "Maybe. . ."

"Did. . . Have you been looping again?"

". . . Yes."

"How long? And, and why?"

"Today, this is 8 or 9, I think. Looping because a defender, friend of yours, using mind craft on us. Keep trying to stop it."

"Oh. . ." (Isabeau gently scritches your head. It's nice.) "And, I'm guessing there's a lot more details to that?"

(You nod. Your breathing is steadying, finally.)

"Alright." (There's a pause.) "And uh, something, bad happened last loop I'm guessing?"

(Your breath catches, and you take a second to reply.) ". . . Yes."

"What was it?"

". . ."

". . ."

". . . We, we confronted your friend, they're going by Ramos now, and, and they turned into a sadness."

"And we died?" (He tried finishing.)

"No, we won. But Ramos, they. . . they. . ."

(There's a pause, then Isabeau hugs you tighter.) ". . . That, that sounds aweful!"

"You're not angry? Or, or scared?"

(Isa shook his head.) "I'm, well, I'm greatful and proud, proud that you came back to today even if you won to try again, but. . ." (Another pause.) ". . . I'm, a little scared, scared if Ramos is ok, and even more scared about if you're ok."

"Hehe. . ." (That's. . . Reasuring at least. You finally pull back a bit from the hug.) "I have had to deal with your memory getting changed, Mira getting accused of kidnapping Bonnie, Nille getting K.Oed by Ramos in one hit, oh stars I haven't even mentioned that looping is giving us craft exhaustion~"

"That's. . ." (Isabeau looks. . . Surprisingly okay? What a strange man. . .) "That does sound like a lot, but, I bet we can deal with it! Right? How many loops did you say it took in Dormont?"

"176~" (You say, now smiling slightly. You really WERE loopy.) "Give or take a few dozen."

"Then lets beat that record then!!" (Isa struck a heroic pose, it made you giggle.)

"Well it'll take a while to get to 177, but-"

"NO!!! NOT WHAT I MEANT!!!"

(You both laugh, oh, stars. You stumble Forward, light headed. Isabeau catches you.)

"Aw no, you sure you'll be alright?"

"Maybe..." (You take a breath. You DO feel exhausted. Last loop was the first time you properly fought something, and Mal Du Pays decided to go all out. You probably where slowly getting yourself killed with all this craft.) "Just, tired, and hungry."

"Do you want to go lie down? I could carry you back to your room if you want." (He was looking at you so sincerely.)

"I. . ." (That, sounded really nice, but.) "I need to explain this to everyone, and make sure they're ready, and think of a plan and-"

"Later, we have time! And you look beyond exhausted."

"But I need to-"

"If you try and push yourself I will pick you up and carry you to your bed."

(You look away. Ok. That DOES sound nice, you can't deny it. Stars. Why was he being so nice to YOU?)

". . . You, I'm, you do understand I'm not-"

"Oh! I guessed as much don't worry."

(WHAT?!?)

(You snap your head back. He could tell?!?! Oh stars you were REALLY rusty. Then again, you did just have a huge breakdown.)

(Isabeau saw your look and continued.) "W-well, Siffrin talked about all this yesterday, so I was thinking about it all night. And so when you ran to the bathroom this morning I wanted to make sure you were ok because, well, I was worried. . ."

"Tee hee. . ." (Defeated, you lean on Isa and start walking back to your room.) "It's, it's Loop. By the way."

"Glad to see you again, Loop." (There was a pause.) "a-and, uhm, sorry."

"Sorry?" (You asked.)

"I-if, if me and Sif ever, made you, y'know, uncomfortable..."

"Oh!" (Ah right. The PDA. Those two idiots had yet to kiss, but they got close. You were around sometimes for that. Well, sometimes it was JUST you around.) "O-oh! Nope! Nooooo issue all!"

"OhthankChangeok" (He sighed in relief.)

(He helped you back to your room, you didn't realize just how exhausted you were. When you got there you practically collapsed onto the bed.)

"I can get you breakfast!"

"Please, I think a quesadilla would fix me."

"Oh! Is that what Bonnie made today?"

"Every time, tee hee~"

(You both laugh, Isa goes to the door, but pauses a moment.) ". . . If. . If you ever do want to talk about, well, anything. . ."

". . . I'll, I'll think about it."

"Thanks, be right back, Loop."

(. . . Why is it that a bed only makes your body hurt more.)

(You close your eyes, you're so tired, Stars, you're so, so tired. You just need, need a rest. . .)

[degreedummy]

Leo/Cancer 12H + 12H Sun/Moon

Getting too comfortable in your current conditions or refusing to acknowledge how your needs have developed out of fear of looking selfish will make following your desires almost completely impossible.

For Leo 12H/12H Sun, I think you have a habit of only allowing your confidence to extend as far as people validate it, refusing to set yourself up to be the punchline of a joke you have a habit of seeing yourself as. With your ego being cast into the shadows, the only time you allow your confidence to breathe is when someone passes by with a torch. You've become accustomed to cherishing your talents in the dark so much so that you've never taken the time to explore practicing them freely.

For Cancer 12H/12H Moon, you have a habit of saying yes to every demand in a panicked attempt to avoid any conflict. Putting your needs on the back burner, you tend to only focus on making sure everyone around you succeeds no matter what, even if that means moving past you. You have a habit of being prepared for abandonment, finding your role in society to be one of an unpaid psychologist, traveling the world trying to survive off of the wished-for reciprocation that you never actually ask for.

You find no shame in second place because you know how to turn it into a platform to embolden the winner, setting your pride aside to allow them to have their day, but I think the comfort of never having the light shone on you has become detrimental to your cause. I think you find pride in being able to let pain go easily, but there tends to be a twisted past behind this habit, most usually a refusal for your original comforts to be met by people who promised you more than they were ever actually willing to give you.

You call victim to false promises, to a point that it almost feels like you intentionally fulfill your half to hear whatever pretty words they have prepared for you, completely submitting to the comfort while ignoring the backhanded disloyalty being slid in under it. There isn't anything you won't do for somebody you love, except for letting them go and allowing them to face the consequences of their own actions. You have a habit of stepping in between your friends and their fate.

You put no second thought into sacrificing whatever you have left to make sure the rest of the village eats for the night, even if that means going on hunger strike for the fifth night this week, and you need to learn when to stop. You're naturally altruistic, wanting nothing more than to see the people you love succeed, but you need to become more comfortable in questioning what that love is built on before trying to polish a rock like it's a statue. You don't need people as much as they convince you, they only recognize what they're losing without you, and you can't take it away if you're not aware of it. You're not aware of your power because you use it to apologize for not being even better.

I think part of you knows that you can let go at any time, refusing to answer the phone and accepting whatever reputation comes with it, but that's exactly why it bothers you. You never want to be known as the person who didn't help.

You never want to be known as the person who became everything they hated in the people they promised to be better than. You never want that one wrong interaction to be the career-defining moment that means nothing else you do will be taken seriously. At some point, you need to recognize your reputation isn't as fragile as the relationships people love to entrap you in. You are not either good or bad, you do not have irredeemable qualities, your willingness to try harder is all you need.

No matter how slanderous someone can be, the collective will be able to see the quality of your character through the veil of lies your own friends warn you against to keep you around. You are not helpless, people who benefit from your intentionally limited potential find comfort in enforcing your helplessness, and you need to be able to recognize the cause of the cycle if you truly want to break it.

You can't find comfort in consolation prizes and participation trophies, especially when you know the votes were intentionally mishandled to steal the win for someone else. You are not selfish for expecting, and enforcing, payment for your services. Stop working for free to make up for not working in advance, because none of the work being done is advancing you in life. Break away from people who see no value in you past what you can do for them.

[decemebercircus]

Ping list : @jellypouches , Also tagging @shironakuronatasa, @m1dnight-artisan, and @happydeertraveler because they requested it. You will be tagged for all the parts. (There are two left)

If anyone else wishes to be pinged I will reblog this in the near future. Let me know in the comments section so you can be tagged on the reblog on Tumblr.,

This is only part 1 so be warned there will be future pings.

❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃⍟❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃

Don't Blame Me, Love made me Crazy (if it Doesn't You ain't Doing it Right)

Based on Tumblr posts by Ventique18 concerning Malleus and a father's day joke.

I am a bit late but here is the promised fanfiction of Malleus's response.

First of as much as I like Malleus's character I'm not ( in my personal opinion) very good at writing him. However I decided to wing it since I said I was gonna do this story anyway.

Credit to @ventique18 on Tumblr ( I forgot your AO3 name I apologize).

Malleus x Yuusona even though I'm no good at those type stories.

Likewise chapter 1 of this fic is short and has no NSFW content. But chapter 2 will have sexual content so be warned.

Inspired by: Father's Day tease by Ventique18

Alternative Response here

STORY:

"Good morning Tsunotaro... Happy Father's Day!" Andromeda smiled at him. Her cinnamon brown skin, especially her hands, looked like it had golden glitter on it. Today she was wearing her birthday gift from last year: a dark indigo dress with bishop sleeves and a asymmetrical mermaid style skirt that trailed on the floor. The rounded, puffy cowl layer at the waist also had the pale green vine detail. She sat on a chair and made herself comfortable.

He paused as if mentally saying "MalleusDraconia.exe has stopped working due to an error. Would you like to restart?"

It was a meaningless joke, even given they were in an intimate relationship. But they loved each other enough to appreciate each other's efforts to be ~~shameless~~ a playful tease. She was about to drop her punchline, when she was stopped by his astonished face.

Correction: astonished face decorated with a single tear down his cheek.

"oh-- No, I-- I didn't intend for you to tear up-- It's--only" she started.

Malleus knelt in front of her clasping her hands: "Are you pregnant?"

'Ah fuck…'

She began chuckling awkwardly: "Haha, Now listen, I--"

"That's good! I'm not alone in the world anymore. Though I have my grandmother, there has always been a nagging emptiness inside me that I could not fill."

Well, that was heavy. Panic welled in her chest. She felt completely torn, so much, she was sure she had a headache. Because she was, in fact, not pregnant.

"Perhaps it's simply overcompensating for being orphaned, but I've always wished for a family of my own. Wished, and despaired. Despaired that no one in this world would actually want to be with me." He continued.

"Umm. Tsu- Tsunotaro," she blushed. Now that he poured out his feelings she felt the joke was cruel.

"But now, you're here with me. I would have been content with just you and me."

"Oh But you..! Today You're telling me... A product of our love..." He carried on over her comment.

"Funny story about that, Malleus…." She tried again.

'Finally... Another blessing in my wretched life…' he nestled against her breast quite comfortably and she sweatdropped.

"-alleus!"

"Malleus!"

Alarmed at the concern in her tone he snapped out of his reverie.

"Ah!? Yes, what is it?" He startled, then collected himself.

" I've been trying to get your attention for ten minutes, I'm surprised you zoned out so quickly," she said, pushing a a lock of her curly black mane of hair off her shoulder.

"Tsunotaro... Darling... Love of my life..." She started nervously.

"Yes? Is there something you want? You may have it of course, anything for you and the child's happiness," he responded without batting an eyelash.

She startled. "I'm. Not. actually w-with child," she breathed and he hugged her tighter before letting her go. She blinked tearfully at his disappointed expression.

He dried her eyes. Not many tears had fallen but she had gotten worked up wondering how he'd react.

Gulping silently she tried to put the conversation on a lighter note.

"But! but–! You know my Roar Roar Drago? The one we bought and paired as your Tamagotchi's wife?" She grabbed her tamagotchi off her desk.

He inclined his head to show he still heard her. "Um, it just so happens that she's pregnant, even though I am not."

His expression was oddly neutral as if trying to settle an emotion to be for the rest of the day and coming up empty. She laughed nervously. "Sorry for getting your hopes up, I'm really bad at jokes you know…."

The heavy silence was only broken by the beeping of their duo Roar Roar Dragos asking to be fed.

Finally Malleus had a response.

"Ah I see it was one of your jokes." He commented and she went rigid.

"Y-yup one of my poor jokes that aren't actually funny, you're welcome to get even as you see fit," she rambled as she fidgeted with her engagement ring.

Malleus had an unnatural momentary glint in his eyes. "Indeed. I shall think about my response," he said smoothly.

"Well…There aren't any clouds in the sky…" she noted looking out the window. "I'd say that went over pretty well,"

Endnotes:

Andromeda [formerly known as Redacted]

She shares her height with Azul and Cater (176 cm)

Her concept is a conglomeration of Vanessa (both 1959 Little Mermaid and 2023 Live-Action adaptation), Belle (Beauty and the Beast), Tiana (Princess and the Frog)

I was gonna put Andromeda in a recolor version of Maleanor Draconia's dress.

(I hate that I fucking struggled to spell that. And TwstEN added more letters….) But I looked again at ALL the details of the silver parts and quit.

I still did the dress, just… budget version.

Before you go!

The fic is also available on Ao3 under my pseudo name YourGildedCage, similar to one of my Tumblr alternate accounts. That way the fic can be downloaded if desired (when it's complete of course).

The link is here:

Chapter 2 will be up soon!

[drawingducktalesducks]

Beakley: I suppose you are wondering why I called you here tonight.

Lena: If it was to poison me then you should've picked something other than sad English tea to put it in

Beakley: ... I wish to understand your intentions towards my granddaughter.

Lena: Well I can 100% promise never to serve her THIS stuff

Beakley: Webby enjoys my tea. It is a family favorite.

Lena: Figures

Beakley: Why are you inviting her out after dark?

Lena: See, I was gonna ask her to the movies, buy popcorn, catch the newest horror flick- but now I'm thinking, maaaybe she's got enough of that in her home life. You guys live with a trillionaire. How many times have you used this tea bag?

Beakley: You are failing to impress me.

Lena: Nice. Didn't even know I was trying

Beakley: Drink your tea and have a biscuit. I will allow movie night IF it is an educational film AND both I and the boys are present.

Lena: Ever thought about using honey? Mint?? Sugar of any kind????

Beakley: No.

Lena: Guess all the sweetness in this house just comes from Webby, huh.

Beakley: She could crush you like a teacup.

Lena: I know. Blegh. Wish she'd go ahead and crush my teacup...

Webby: HIIIIIIII-YAAH!!!!

Lena: .... wow. Now I wish I had a million dollars.

Beakley: Webby.

Webby: Oh Granny hi! I wasn't spying from the vents! I just fell completely normally from the ceiling and accidently landed on Lena's cup!!

Beakley: You accidentally landed on it... with your... fist.

Lena: Got that punchline all teed up, huh Pink.

Webby: HA HA HA, WHAT FUNNY WORD PLAY, I'M INVOKING MY RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT!

Lena: My hero.

Beakley: I would be foreseeing disaster in the tea leaves of this friendship, if I could be bothered to read them. And if they were not. Well. Everywhere.

[tokoyamisstuff]

Punchline pt. 1/3 - Buggy / Reader

Ch. 1 : Setup

Synopsis: Buggy is devastated that his s/o can't remember him.

Warnings: Slight Angst, Mentions of Blood and Injury, Some Cussing, Reader is so oblivious it physically hurts to watch

Tags: F!Reader, Hurt/Comfort, Miscommunication, Canon Divergence, Happy Ending, Not Proofread

Disclaimer: Guys I'm not rly into the lore of OP but I got a bad case of brainrot for the LA characters.

Sincerely sorry in case anything seems a lil' OOC or AU!

"Get. Out."

Buggy's voice may appear calm on the outside, yet it was low and laced with an unspoken threat. His words directed to the crew medic that was currently standing in the doorframe of the captains lair, not daring to move an inch.

And yet he wouldn't leave, instead gulping nervously as Buggy's icy glare kept him rooted on spot. To get a glimpse of the unconscious body in the back of the cabin, he dared breaking eye contact and peeking over his captain's shoulder - much to the displeasure of the latter.

"B-But boss" the man managed to wring out, stuttering in negative anticipation of the consequences. "You haven't let anyone close to her since the...incident. I-I really need to re-examine her wounds-"

"Do not make me repeat myself!" the clown sharpy cut off his subordinate, absentmindedly moving the daggers in his hands to soothe his nerves. "You better be grateful that you're of use to me." No, her, he corrected himself mentally, "Otherwise you'd be dead meat already. Now get lost."

As soon as the heavy wooden door shut, Buggy sent one of his daggers to pierce the place his crewmate had just occupated. How ironic he thought - a few years prior someone daring to talk back to him would've gotten pierced with no hesitation.

It was no news that Buggy had gotten softer ever since you stumbled into his life, and he still didn't know if it was for better or worse.

Anyways, his crewmates started to notice the subtle changes in their once feared - and loathed - captain.

Not that it mattered right now. As long as your life was still on the line, he couldn't care less about his reputation.

The man let out a deep, aggravated sigh before turning on that damn uncomfortable stool to face you again. Godfuckingdamnit, he never realized what a drunk he had become until he actually had to stay sober for your sake.

It had been three weeks already, and still no sign of recovery. You were still unconscious - no wonder, with injuries that heavy it was a miracle that you were even alive. And all this time Buggy refused to leave your side even for one second, watching you like a feral guard dog.

Not even his most loyal men had seen him this devastated before.

Right now you were staining the sheets of Buggy's bed with your own blood, having soaked through the bandages again. Nothing your lover couldn't fix though - he'd be damned if he weren't able to take proper care of you himself!

After all, he had once promised to give you the world.

And even when you humbly declined this great announcement of his back then, Buggy had already long since decided that you deserved nothing less.

In fact - though he would never openly say it aloud - you might be the only thing he held higher than himself.

Those kinds of sentiments were new to him and certainly didn't come easy either, but underneath it all he cared so deeply for you that it frightened him sometimes...

...exactly because of moments like those that leave him all helpless.

The very same man that sacrificed even his own men if it meant he could get away unharmed now wished to take this pain on your stead. Hell, even all of his riches he would gladly cast away if it meant seeing you smile again.

Instead he was left only being able to watch you suffer, maybe crack a joke or two in hope you might in fact hear him somehow.

"Now wake up, would you...this ain't funny" he muttered under a shaky breath, his hand lingering on your cheek for a bit longer after having placed a wet cloth on your forehead.

Maybe the sobriety made him clear-headed for a change, or it was the simple fact that you were alone, and therefore he could drop his usual facade.

Whatever it was, it urged him to speak from the heart.

"Shit, Y/N, I almost lost you there..." The man buried his face in his hands, voice cracking as he remembered how bravely you shielded him with your own body, saving him from a possibly lethal attack. "That shit could've cost you your life! And for what? Saving someone like me?! Quit joking!"

Well, truth be spoken, from his point of view this whole relationship was ridiculous from the very start - a joke without punchline, some might say.

Nonetheless, even though he had yet to understand how he of all people ended up so lucky, he wouldn't change it for the world.

For a moment he was contemplating whether to lie down next to you - and honestly, the temptation to cradle you in his arms was far too great to put into words - yet he refrained from doing so. You needed space either way, and he felt somewhat undeserving of your closeness after he had failed to protect you, after all.

"Of course he could lie down next to you - and in all honesty the temptation to cradle you in his arms was more like a need to him - but he refrained from doing so. You needed space either way, and he felt undeserving of your closeness after he had failed to protect you.

"You just wait, I'll become even flashier for your sake!" he promised with a determination, almost like newfound purpose. "Something like this won't happen again, promise!"

Squeezing your hands ever so slightly, he placed a kiss on your knuckles before wrapping the blanket to cover you completely. "I may be an egoistical, worthless scumbag but I'd do anything for you! Just get well, that's all I ask."

It was already way past midnight, and Buggy was still sitting on the chair next to your bedside, his face buried in the mattress as he collapsed due to exhaustion...

...yet he jolted up as soon as he felt you move.

Your face was contorting in pain as you stirred on the bed, basically your whole body aching - and the hammering sensation in your forehead was the worst of it all.

"Heya, Honey!" A way too enthusiastic voice exclaimed, "Was about time you woke up."

Due to your ears still ringing you could barely understand, all you gathered from the sound was that you were not alone in this almost completely dark room.

Panic began to rise in your chest because when the pain finally ebbed away, it made room for you to realize the complete void in your mind.

Where- no, who are you?!

Almost violently casting away the sheet you were tangled in, you frantically scanned your brain for some kind of hint, any memory at all, no matter how trivial...

...yet were left with noting but a vast emptiness.

"Hey! Heyheyheyheyhey!" That apparently male voice again, cutting your pondering out just before you hyperventillated yourself into collapsing. "You're having a panic attack or something?"

"Shh" the unfamiliar voice started to hush you - his tone mixed with an emotion you couldn't quite decipher - yet very obviously overchallenged with soothing someone. "It's alright, don't overdo it. You just woke up."

That person gently grabbed the sides of your shoulders, guiding you back to lie down again. You were too weak to struggle against that foreign touch either way...

...but there was also such a great and genuine concern present in his tone, that this stranger did seem to miraculously calm you down to some extent.

No matter who this man was, it seemed that he was really worried for your wellbeing.

From what you could assess already, at least it seemed like you were in a safe place, and with someone who nurses your injured self back to health at that...

...however, ultimatively that false impression of safety would quickly disappear as soon as you opened your eyes.

Blinking heavily so your sight would adapt to the almost nonexistent light source of the room, the blurred outline of a person would finally become more detailed - and what you then saw made your blood run cold.

His usual trademark grin appeared as a menacing gnarl to you, unknowingly making your fear even worse as he suddenly watched your face becoming drained of any colour.

"What the fuck-!" you screeched at this sight of a literal horror clown, reaching out to get you like straight out of a nightmare. Immediately shuffling away from him, you fell over the edge of the bed just to be caught into his very arms again.

"Dear, are you alri-"

"Leave me alone!" you then screamed, lashing out at the man while starting to sob uncontrollably.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Buggy would now snap back at you - admittedly not the best way to deal with the situation.

You yelled and cursed and cried as the man struggled to keep you trapped in his embrace, in a naive hope that you'd calm down and then maybe talk about whatever in the world had gotten into you - but to no avail as it seemed, since with every second passing you only got more hysterical.

"I'm starting to get angry, dollface" the killer clown chuckled darkly, a little out of breath at least, since you could still put up quite a fight. "Don't make me use my powers on you!"

Damn, sometimes he forgot that even while appearing all frail and innocent, you could pack a proper punch- and he got a harsh reminder of it as soon as your fist hit the bottom of his chin.

"Heh, feisty little thing. Now that's my girl!" He laughed, relieved to see you being so lively again - yet his insane, dark chuckle had the exact opposite effect he was hoping for. He wiped the blood from his bottom lip, the red liquid mixing with the make-up around his mouth. "Well, I warned ya."

If you thought to be at your lowest before, you surely didn't anticipate the man in front of you to just casually detach both his hands as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"M-Monster!" you shrieked as the gloved hands started flying to your direction, pausing for a sheer second as the word that fell from your lip made his chest narrow.

"Don't to-ouch me, you freak!" Ouch. That one hurt more than he cared to admit, so he covered it up by acting all confident and amused. "Takes one to know one, love."

Still, Buggy refused to believe that he or his presence might be responsible for this mess. He might've done a ton of mistakes in his life, but he was proud to call you one of the - if not the best - things he ever did right!

You must've hit your head really badly to act like this.

"It's only for your own good, sweetheart." Why the hell was that asshole calling you those names? To degrade you? To show you he doesn't take you serious?

No use in brooding about something so trivial as the most apparent threat were his hands. They were way too fast anyways, so you unsucessfully warded them off. Your wrists got pinned behind your back, tugging on you to lie on the bare floor, incapable to move.

"If you keep moving so recklessly your wounds will reopen, dear." You furrowed your brows together in confusion, eyeing the figure approaching you varily. "Look, I'll explain everything okay? Just calm down and let me help you. Stop making it harder than it has to be."

Never.

Trying to make any sense out of this situation left you with the only logical explanation: This...person right there was a pirate who - for whatever reason - had kidnapped and abused you to this point.

No matter how you ended up here, you needed to flee and get help, the sooner the better!

With every firm step of his towards you your alarm bells rang louder and louder, but your body was still weak and you had a disadvantage in both power and knowledge of your surroundings.

So you saved up your last ounce of strenght for one last, desperate attack.

"C'mon" he now said with a way more tender voice, and admittedly it was almost alluring in it's sound, weirdly enough pulling on your heartstrings. "Let's get you back to bed, should we? I swear upon the little honor I have, I'd never hurt you."

Liar.

"Fuck you!" you then roared just when he had crouched down in front of you, the force of your kick having sent him a good distance away and into the next best wall.

It took everything to not faint right then and there, but no matter who you were before all this, it seemed like you were no ordinary human either. So you went even beyond those limits and forced your legs to keep going...

...but not without shooting one last, derogatory and disgusted look towards your tormentor.

Buggy reached out of the collapsed wall with a shaky hand, your attack having kicked all air out of his lungs. He mutely called your name in between coughs and almost-sobs, still worried and wanting to plead for you to stay...

...but then you silenced him with a sentence that will be carved into his heart forever:

"Better not chase me, you ugly freak."

Maybe this was the punchline to the cruel joke that was your relationship after all.

[Next Chapter]