#I say this but they figured out the basic snap trap so I had to buy the plastic kind with the easier to trip trigger

[doberbutts]

I would feel bad for the mice that get caught in my traps if it were not for the fact that I have now killed 3 in the span of 2 hours to the same trap. I feel like if you keep sending members of your family out to forage for food and they keep going "ooo! Yummy peanut butter :)" to the same very obvious trap in the same location, at some point that's kind of on you.

So now my reaction to walking into the room and seeing the exact same trap with yet another mouse inside is "...idiot" instead of "poor thing".

[roachspeaks]

YOUR WRITING IS AMAZING 💞 i beg you to write some headcannons about the sawyers family with their s/o, in tcsm. with the new characters from the game if you can (sissy and johnny)?? thanks🫂

Sawyer Family x gn!reader basic hc’s

Omg this took way to long, writers block is a killer. I’m gonna admit I had to do some research and read some fics to get to know some of the characters I don’t usually write, but here we go<3

Disclaimer: the Sawyer family tree is so very very confusing, so the characters I went with: Bubba, Johnny, Sissy, Drayton(who is gonna be the older brother but more father figure bc his role is confusing), and Nubbins,

If I missed anyone, let me know and I wasn’t completely sure if you wanted this fluffy or smutty, so I went safe. If you did want smut, ask me please. And it shall be done:)

Bubba

•The sweetest boy, always reaching out to you for affection.

•He’s a big hugger, and a bear hugger too. Sometimes forgets how much bigger he is than most other people, but how can you say no? Even when he’s knocked the wind out of you with those big arms of his.

•He’s a simple man, he could die peacefully and fulfilled in your embrace.

•PRAISE HIM!

•He corrects himself on accidental roughness, tell him he’s doing such a good job and he’ll melt.

•Sometimes he gets easily frustrated because of people not understanding his intentions, so be patient with him. Reward him with hugs and cuddles and he’ll be satisfied.

•Late night talks! Even if it’s more enthusiastic grunts and whines. You’ll both be lying in bed and he’ll just be babbling happily about his day, or about how much he loves you with the widest grin on his face.

•He’s never really had a ‘relationship’ before, so there are times when you have to remind him what’s appropriate in front of the family and what’s not.

•Like sometimes he’ll get really excited, and start kissing you all over.

•But it’s at the dinner table, and some people in this Texan conservative household don’t want to see that PDA.

•His brothers and sister just love teasing him left and right about you, and he couldn’t care less. He loves you, and he’d tell the whole world if he could.

•The warm humidity of Texas is all he’s ever known, so one night there’s a weird and sudden cold snap, and he is absolutely freezing. You aren’t allowed to move from being his personal heating pad.

•But you aren’t complaining, trapped in a pile of blankets with the man you love isn’t the worst way to go.

•Sometimes he’ll go hunting in the forest and bring you back wild fowl, or something other than what the Sawyers all usually eat.

•Sure he wants you to be part of the family, but he notices the way your face scrunches up at the prospect of eating other people.

•It confused him at first, then it clicked that you didn’t like eating people. Like how he didn’t like his vegetables(or that’s how he thought about it).

•So he brings you other more humane alternatives.

•He hates rain and storms, they confuse him. As nobody took the time to explain to him what was happening, why everything was so loud and dark.

•It takes a lot of convincing and encouragement until he’s not cowering in fear at the thunder and lightning(thinking of making a one shot about this tbh).

•To sum it all up, he’s hopelessly in love, and he’d do anything and everything to protect you, and make you happy. He loves the feeling of your soft skin on his. Even if you have rougher hands, it’s nothing compared to his, and he loves it.

•Be gentle with this man, love him to death I beg<3

Johnny

•He’s a cocky bastard, even before you were officially together he was treating you like you were married to him under the state.

•Has absolutely no shame, and he will make out with you in front of Sissy to make her annoyed.

•He’s hyper fixated and persistent, meaning he will get what he wants eventually. So it’s better not to fight him on it(whatever it may be).

•Just like with Bubba, he is teased RELENTLESSLY. More so about how soft you make him. Or how whipped he is for you.

•Whenever he does something remotely sweet or nice to you in front of his siblings(and sometimes even his father and mother) he’ll get a sharp whistle and a chorus of teasing and laughter.

• “Wow Johnny, you really are just a softie huh?”

• “Shut it..”

•He’d never admit it to his family, but he would do anything for you.

•Any guy(or girl frankly) makes the mistake of catcalling or harassing you? They’re dead on the news the next morning.

•As I said even BEFORE you guys were officially dating.

•And he’s a jealous jealous man, so even if it was a misperceived or imaginary threat, it’s enough for him to kill them.

•He tries to be normal for you at first, tries to ignore the taunting from his family that he’ll slip up and scare you away.

•Then he quickly discovers your a freaky little thing by nature, even if your a little freaked out at first.

•Because who wouldn’t want a boyfriend so obsessed with you that he’ll murder for you?

•He likes it when you touch his hair, especially when he’s all sweaty from one thing or another.

•He won’t make you eat people, sometimes he doesn’t either. Not because he’s disgusted by it, more so because he gets bored of just one thing.

•The type to decide when you wake up, whether he’s up before you or not. Sometimes he’s clinging onto your midsection telling you ‘just five more minutes’ for the next hour and a half,

• Other times it’s a note left on your nightstand after he’s left to do farm chores, saying ‘If I see you up before 11 so help me god’

Sissy

•She personally lives for the thrill of bringing you(male, female or other) back home to her family. Specially her daddy.

•She doesn’t hide anything about her life from you even from the beginning. Meaning she expects the same blatant transparency.

•Loves annoying her brothers, mostly Johnny.

•She refuses softness in front of her family because as stated prior, she knows she’ll be made fun of excessively for it.

•That’s not to say she isn’t clingy and all over you.

•She is, it’s just much less ‘lovey dovey’ more ‘this person is mine, touch them and I’ll kill you’.

•She loves when you treat her, growing up she was often overlooked by her family, or even underestimated.

•Buy her something pretty, or something like a plant and she’ll be even more in love.

•She’s never liked loud animals, but she likes cats. Despite her family’s protests, onetime when she was a kid Nubs tried to kill a cat for lunch, she beat him silly. Saved the poor orange kitty and fed it for years.

•Her favourite colour is orange because of that.

•She sleeps like she’s constantly taking up to much space, she curls into one side of the bed and tries to keep there.

•It would be greatly appreciated if you pulled her close, let her uncurl from her little self created ball.

Drayton

•This man has his moments, and I’m not completely sure how I feel about him.

•The Sawyer family often picks on each other and teases each other but Drayton and Nubbs often take it just a little too far.

•His younger siblings are constantly poking fun at his attempts at leadership, and I feel like that makes him a deeper character then I’ve really thought about before.

•He’s a classic older cowboy type, a gentleman with a very stereotypical older brother vibe.

•He tries to keep his family safe, and that includes you when you find your way into his heart.

•He isn’t exactly ‘sweet’ but he can commit to sentimental gestures if that’s something you like.

•The occasional bouquet of wild flowers on your nightstand, or a kiss on the cheek before he goes out for work in the morning.

•He often judges himself too harshly, his decisions and his ability to lead his family, just tell him he’s doing good. He’ll melt in your hands like putty.

•His siblings often make risky choices just to show they can, and it stresses him out(more than he’ll show or admit).

•He can be bad at minding his manners, especially when people are riling him up.

•All he needs is someone to come home too, someone who can appreciate him for all he does and all he tries to do.

(His is really short but I’m unfamiliar with his character😂)

Nubbins

•He’s definitely the most openly clingy if the bunch, he’ll stick to your side like he’s glued there.

•Whether you’re going for a drive into town, or just getting up to go make something for yourself, he’s on your tail.

•He loves being pressed up against you, barely(if any) space between your bodies.

•It makes him feel safe.

•Drayton, Johnny and Sissy often tease him for being dumb, but he’s not dumb! You don’t think so..right?

•Unlike many of the others, if he needs your reassurance, he’ll ask you for it.

•He loves it when you run your fingers through his hair, or down his back.

•He tries to be polite, at least after you teach him what exactly that means.

•He’s very possessive, some days when there isn’t any work that needs done, he’ll just hold you hostage in your bed.

•He loves sunrises, sometimes he wakes up at a specific time just to watch them(his internal clock).

Some of these are shorter than others, if you want anymore specific head cannons let me know, or any other characters<3 have a lovely day.

[joshfutturman]

'hunted'

oneshot - derek has a vivid dream in which he's being hunted. (for a writing group im a part of, basically he has a memory in the form of a dream from the timeline of the movie!) (1k words) character - derek danforth (the beekeeper) tags: angst, nightmares, cussing, brief drug mention

.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・.

derek wasn’t normally the type to get too many nightmares. he would never really remember his dreams at all. when he went to bed at night in whichever bedroom in his house he desired, beside whomever he desired, he was knocked out like a light. that’s just what happens when you have all the money you could ever dream of and stink of privilege, that was derek danforths life. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・.

it wasn’t like he never experienced stress. in reality derek was more stressed than he would ever let on. running his business wasn’t easy despite what people would say. a nepo baby who never had to want for anything. legitimacy and morals aside, derek worked his ass off. danforth enterprises was what it was today because of him. not anyone else. not his mother. and certainly not his father.

so it was no surprise that his nightmare that night rattled him.

from the get go, he felt a swirling sense of paranoia invade its way around his skull like a ghost as he slips into the nightmare. it seeps through every crack, every crevice it can worm its way into. that same fear spread down his limbs and across his back, making his shoulders grow tense.

this didn’t feel like work stress, it felt worse. it felt more intense. it felt more threatening. more than just mindless work shit was on his mind. why couldn’t he place it?

derek felt cornered, sitting in his mothers office. his eyes dart between the windows and the doors. it felt as though the walls were closing in, threatening to crush him. he shrinks back into the chair, his hand coming up to pick at the side of his face - a habit his mother loathed and never kept quiet about.

but mom wasn’t here. no one was. it was just derek, alone.

his phone buzzes and he jumps in his seat, frightening him more than it should. shakily, his hand reaches out to pick it up, holding it so tightly that he might snap it in half if he’s not careful.

there’s breathing on the other end, and that causes his back to straighten. “who the fuck is that?” he spits out, feeling his breathing pick up pace.

the other line stays eerily quiet and this freaks him out more. fuck. were they already nearby? his eyes dart towards the windows again, expecting to see a figure only to be greeted with. . . absolutely nothing. an impending sense of doom spurs in his mind, unsure of where to go to alleviate it. he felt trapped, cornered. and derek didn’t like that. he didn’t enjoy feeling like a prey animal, when all his life he always presented as predator.

“i said who the fuck is that?!” he calls out again, gripping the arm of the chair.

still nothing on the other end. until.

“i’m coming.” is all the voice says.

derek holds back a gasp, the voice confirming his fears.

he swallows hard and prays his voice not to shake, “fuck off. you can fucking try, bitch.” derek growls, but it’s clear to anyone who knows him just how much he’s rattled. before the other person can reply, he presses the disconnect button and throws his phone across the room.

breath escaping him, he pants, raking his fingers through his hair.

no one would let anything happen to him, right? there was no way. he was too important. there were so many people he could pay to protect his life. he could hear his fathers words ringing in his ears, ‘i told you so.’. derek lets out a whine and covers his ears.

no, no, no. this wasn’t happening. this absolutely fucking wasn’t happening right now.

every creek within the old walls had him jumping, completely on edge. his heart races away from him. he’s seconds away from calling for his mom, hands aching to grip onto something real, something that could ground him. he feels pathetic for wanting his mother, but something deep inside him tells him that not even she could make him feel better.

and he’s glad no one else can see him like this. he’d never act this way in front of anyone. derek wasn’t known for his calm and collected manner, but he tried to never show weakness in the form of fear. he kept it bottled up, hidden away until he could get his hands on something that made him feel at ease, usually in the form of that sweet white powder he loved so much.

so now, completely alone, he comes undone. he can feel tears form in his eyes as he grits his teeth. derek wasn’t ready to die. he had his whole life to live. who’d provide for his mom when he was gone? no one else could do the job like him. they’d just fuck it up. she’d lose her position and it’d be all their fault.

derek didn’t want to die. he couldn’t. silently he begs for more time.

until he’s ripped from his sleep with a gasp. derek grips the sheets as he sits up, gasping for breath over and over. for a few seconds, it feels like he’s still in that office. but after a few blinks, his surroundings come back to him. he’s home.

but it doesn’t feel the same. it doesn’t feel safe. he doesn’t feel so untouchable now. he almost feels. . . vulnerable.

he grabs at the bedsheets beside him and realises that no ones there. he suddenly regrets sleeping alone. he releases shaky breaths from his nose and reluctantly lays back down. gathering the duvet against him, he wraps himself tightly within it and lays with his back against the headboard, eyes scanning the room.

his bedroom suddenly felt too big. his eyes move between each object as if looking for any form of a threat. did the curtain just move? fuck. he was losing it.

the digital clock on his nightstand blinks: 3:21am. it was a long way to go till morning. and derek couldn’t bring himself to move.

instead, he sat like this until the sun crept into his bedroom, bringing a small sense of safety. but that feeling of unease stayed in his mind, pricking him whenever he got too comfortable. no time to relax, always on high alert.

he realises he isn't as untouchable as he once thought. and that thought. . . fucking terrifies him.

derek wasn’t ready to die.

.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・.

‧₊˚ dedicated tags: @helen-on-earth @fatinhadesiners06 @boonam @sun-spider13 @laurrrelise @sammygirlism @sleepyhutcherson‧₊˚ ily all sm!! thank you!

.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・.

[sawturn77]

𝑶𝑪𝑬𝑨𝑵 𝑬𝒀𝑬𝑺 (𝒇𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒓𝒐 𝒎𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒎𝒊 𝒙 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓)

05:

MASTERLIST.

05: what am i to you?

warning: y/n and megumi are awkward asf, nobara is a huge tease and the #1 wingwoman, y/n’s deeply in love and refuses to acknowledge it, kinda ooc megumi?

trap #1

the two of us stood behind nobara and yuji, watching as they competed for everything. who could get the most points, win the most prizes, and get an item from the claw machine before the other. part of me wishes that me and megumi could be that close, but the other part of me wishes me and him weren’t practically 4th wheeling. “ha! you’re such a loser, yuji!” “no way! you cheated! y/n, megumi, beat nobara at the zombie game, please!” the pink haired guy begged. i gave him a helpless look, while megumi just shrugged. before i knew it, a hand came to my back and pushed me towards the claw machines. it didn’t take me long to realize that nobara had pushed both me and megumi. “y/n’s much more interested in the claw machines, idiot! her and megumi should busy themselves with that!” she smirked triumphantly, sending me a wink and a thumbs up. i had no choice but to nod. i began to browse the claw machines as megumi followed suit. none of them really piqued my interest. well, in truth, all of them did, but i didn’t have enough tokens to even attempt at one. i was never very good at claw machines, but the excitement and anticipation that filled my sense as i hoped to get what i wanted was nice. i peer over my shoulder, noticing that megumi was staring at one machine in particular. a…hello kitty claw machine? “you like hello kitty, megumi?” he turns to me, looking a bit embarrassed.

“not really…but you do, right?” my face heats up. of all things, i didn’t think he’d remember something as embarrassing as that. i can just imagine him remembering the posters, figures, and plushes that were in my room when i was just barely a teenager. i mean, i still have the merch. how could i get rid of something so cute. my eyes leave the ground, landing back on his figure. he glances at me, inserting a coin. gosh, i’d never hear the end of it if nobara and yuji found out. im sure my face was beet red the entire time. his slender fingers wrap around the stick. he looks focused, his stormy eyes fixed on a specific plush, and his lips pursed into a frown-wait, why am i thinking of him like that. it’s not like his lips look so soft…i think he might taste like blue raspberry lollipop he had earlier. snapping out of my thoughts, soft material was slowly pushed into my hands, careful not to startle me. they were cute, too cute. the mymelody and kuromi plushes were small, but bigger than my hand. my lips parted, but i couldn’t find it in me to say anything. i looked up at megumi, who was walking away. really?!

————

trap #2

after about thirty minutes, i had softened around megumi, and im sure he had loosened up too. we had played nearly every game, from racing to basketball to shooting games. we did it all. and to think i was overthinking for nothing! all i had to do was say, “maybe we should find something to do until yuji and nobara are ready to go” and it was basically a walk in the park from there! my eyes landed on the one game we hadn’t played yet. another racing game. two motorcycles were stationed in front of the screens, one pink and the other one red. i didn’t know if i should suggest playing that one, since the both of us were already pretty tired. i didn’t get the chance to ask megumi about it before yuji and nobara popped out from somewhere, jumping on the motorcycles and spitting cocky presumptions at each other. “you dare to still challenge me, you fiend!?” “i’ll win this time! prepare to lose, nobara!” the brunette turned towards me and megumi, who were standing behind the pair in embarrassment. “oh, y/n, megumi! i haven’t seen you guys at all! wanna play with us?” “there’s only two motorcycles..” megumi reminded. “well, yeah, but two of us can ride the same one while you two ride another one!” my cheeks came rosy. “the second person doesn’t have a purpose..” “who cares! it’s about teams!” nobara gets behind yuji on the motorcycle with a mischievous grin. why’s she so happy about this?! clutching the plushies that had been in my arms the entire time, i turn to megumi, who was standing behind me. with a sigh, megumi gets on the motorcycle and i follow suit. just when things weren’t as awkward anymore..

“y/n!” nobara whispers my name, wrapping her arms around yuji’s waist and resting her head on his back. she winked at me. i quickly made a ‘x’ with my fingers in response, only for her to hold her fist up to me.

awkwardly, my arms inch around megumi’s waist. he stiffens, but soon relaxes. i rest my head against his back, burying my face in his light cologne. i didn’t want to watch nobara and yuji giggle in my face. i’ll be sure to hit them.

————

and trap #3.

“oh, would you look at that! it’s so dark outside. a lovely lady like y/n should NEVER go home by herself at night.” my eyebrow twitches at her. she’s actually unbelievable.

“i was already planning on taking her home.”

i want to pass out. did i just hear him correctly?! THE megumi fushiguro said he was going to take me home. nobara gives him a quick nod and thumbs up, pushing yuji in the direction of their houses. yuji waves, but then it’s just the two of us again.

TAGLIST: @kasumitenbaz @morgyyyyyyy @fillmeup6969 @maya-maya-56 @sad-darksoul @jinxed-jk @liiwrites @we-loveebony (OPEN)

[ashintheairlikesnow]

*soft chanting in the distance:* consider a beach day with the safehouse crew, consider a beach day with the safehouse crew, consider a

CW: Extensive scarring, some discussion of surviving noncon and the aftermath, weight gain as part of recovery, references to Vince's alcoholism, some references to consensual spice

-

"You're fidgeting," Vincent Shield says, eyes closed behind heavy sunglasses, lying with his fingers interlocking behind his head, the sun beating down on his body. He can feel the blanket of warmth from forehead through neck and chest, stomach, and finally his legs. His heels are just off the edge of the towel, dug into soft sand that heats his skin to something that isn't quite uncomfortable, isn't yet painful.

"Right, because this is shit," Jameson snaps back at him, sitting up with his arms around his knees, looking like an animal caught in a trap, ready to chew his own leg off and throw it at someone to escape. "It's hot. There's sun. Why the fuck am I here with you?"

"Because I invited you to the beach, you said no, then Nat said she thought it might be a good idea for you to get out and enjoy the outdoors and you basically threw yourself into the car," Vince replies, voice even, absolutely not amused. Beside him, a huge reusable water bottle sweats condensation as the ice inside it slowly melts. He used to bring vodka in bottles like this to the beach, clear as still waters, burning down his throat. His mouth feels dry just at the thought.

"Yeah. Well. Usually she's right about this shit, but everybody's wrong eventually."

Vince turns his head to watch as Jameson picks, uncomfortably, at the corner of his own beach towel, a riotous swirl of oranges and pinks that Nat has had for long enough that the ends are starting to unravel, with little thread like fringe. Other than his perpetual scowl, he wears swim trunks that go down to his knees and a long-sleeved rashguard shirt made of the same material, both in a deep blue. It's a color that suits him. Vince is afraid if he points it out Jameson will strip naked right here simply from spite.

"You're doing fine," He says, a little softly. "Nobody's looking at you."

"If they do, I'll fucking punch them."

"Jameson-"

"Fuck off, I will."

"Nobody doubts that. But maybe don't just assume you're the center of attention. I'm a goddamn movie star, you don't see anyone staring at me."

"I've seen at least three people stare at you."

"Yeah, because they think I look familiar, but they can't figure out why. With my hair grown out like this and the thirty pounds I've put on since I stopped trying to replace all forms of nutrition with booze, I don't look like me anymore. Besides, I've seen absolutely no one stare at you, so there you go."

"Fuck you." Jameson pauses. "And fuck them. You look better now than you did before."

Vince laughs. "Thank you. That's a rare compliment from the king of insults."

"Yeah, well. Don't get used to it." Some of the anger lifts in his voice, though, and Vince smiles behind his sunglasses as he sees the other man relax - maybe, just a little - and start trying to get his legs to cooperate and unbend.

Jameson had made his way to their little spot using his crutches for balance, but had nearly fallen twice. He isn't used to the softness of sand, the way he has to adjust himself to handle it. Vince caught him the second time or he'd have gone down right there in front of a group of people, not a single one of whom noticed him at all. But Jameson is convinced they did.

The crutches have their own towel, lying carefully side by side so sand won't get on them unless it has to or the wind blows it around.

"How can you stand it?" Jameson asks, after some time passes. The breeze is gentle, just a hint of cooler air coming off the water, offsetting the heat of the sun. Vince stretches his arms above his head, then pushes himself to seated and takes a drink of his water.

"Stand what?"

"Hardly wearing anything." Jameson gestures, and Vince looks down at his tasteful(ly small) green swim trunks. He's... never thought about that before. "Like. People can see your fucking... scars."

Right.

Vince swallows, hard.

He has new ones, from Owen, more on the back than the front. But there's a scar twisted down one side that wasn't there before. His neck has a couple, there's a nick in his jaw now.

Vince hesitates, then takes another drink. "Can I tell you something? Just between us?"

Jameson looks away, hunching over again. His own worst scars are on his face, a twisted that cuts into the corner of his mouth and curves it slightly upward, like he's always smirking. Another that breaks his eyebrow in two pieces. There's even some on the back of his neck that Vince hasn't really noticed before. "Yeah, sure. I make no fucking promises, though."

"Fair enough. The truth is... I don't really care."

Jameson picks at a thread on his towel again. "You don't?"

"Nah. I've been who I am for a long time, and... you know. This sounds really stupid, but-" Vince shrugs. He catches the flash of light off a phone screen as someone checks theirs a half-dozen feet away. He wonders if they're taking a photo of him. Doesn't this guy look like Vincent Shield? Remember, from The Weight of This Crown?

That had been a favorite. He'd played an adult version of one of the Princes of the Tower from the 1480s, a version where they hadn't been murdered but had simply been... kept. His character had gone insane in the tower and taken his brother into madness with him. Whole movie revolved around a murder mystery where there might never have been a body at all. Been some Oscar buzz around that one, though he hadn't won anything for it.

He missed acting. He'd been so damn good at it, he never stopped. But now...

"What?" Jameson frowns, looking more closely at him. "You stopped talking."

"Oh. Sorry. Distracted. Just... you know. I've had all my scars inside my head for so long, it's kind of nice to have some on the outside, ones I can't really hide anymore. I can't lie about them."

"Yeah, you can. 'Oh, I fell down'. There you go."

"No, I mean." Vince groans. "You're an asshole. I mean, I can't pretend I don't have scars at all."

He pauses.

"But... I killed him," He whispers. "I should... I should be marked, by that. Shouldn't I?"

"Don't look at me." Jameson tries to lie down on his back, but his legs won't unbend at the knee, so he just keeps them that way, feet flat on the towel.

"Right, but... you killed people."

"Had to." Jameson goes clipped, tense and snapping each word like a rubber band. "No choice."

"No, I know. I just mean... doesn't it feel like you should look like you've killed someone, once you have?"

Jameson turns his head to look at him, shading his eyes with one hand. "I do look like I killed someone. Actually I sort of look like I died and was brought back to life by a really lazy magician."

"... Never mind. Anyway, what I meant to say is just that I don't mind the scars."

Silence stretches out between them, then. The ocean is a constant rush of in and out, the gentle white noise lulling them both into a sort of doze. The sun beats down, and Vince feels like a cat in a windowsill.

"Do I really look better now?" He asks, breaking the quiet with his own insecurities. "I haven't had a regular stomach without a fucking... near-six-pack since I was... since I... since I was still acting with Owen, when we were kids. Now, I have..." He frowns down at himself, poking his stomach with one hand. "Whatever this is."

"Yeah, you do. Lot better, actually." Jameson snorts. "That is a normal human stomach, Shield. Also, you don't look like you're thinking about jumping off a cliff every fucking second of every fucking day anymore. It's an improvement."

"No, I just-... I mean-"

"Yes, for fuck's sake. You're still hot. I would still happily let you stick your dick in me and brag about bagging someone hot enough to look like a movie star." Jameson rolls his eyes. "Now stop fucking talking."

Vince swallows. "Jameson, are you..."

"Praying to the heavens that you'll shut the fuck up? Yeah, definitely. Actually going to fuck you? Absolutely the fuck not. I've got Allyn. I'm a one-Allyn man. Besides, you could never smack my ass and call me a good boy the way they do."

"... Jesus Christ." Vince feels his face burn, and not from sunlight.

"Exploring consent in sexuality is a normal part of recovery," Jameson says, like someone reciting a script. "Try asking about it in therapy sometime, Shield."

"... oh god no."

"Then shut the fuck up and let me enjoy my fucking beach day, asshole, or I'll tell you about which one of your shirts we used to tie my hands behind my back one time."

Vince takes another drink of water, and tries to pretend the last ten minutes never happened.

[chocottang]

every ship needs a mermaid au

basically uhhh golden is a sailor with the animatronics and cami is a mermaid who lured golden and almost killed him if it werent bc his team were there to snap him out of it. then they meet each other again bc owynn (who is out to get them) kidnapped cami and tried to use her luring-song-power-thingy against his enemies. so when owynn catches up to them, golden notices that cami is trapped in the ship and frees her in the middle of the chaotic fight. bc hey she may be evil but thats kinda just her nature, its not rlly cool to kidnap ppl.

the animatroincs go in their merry way after defeating owynn but one night golden realizes cami is in their ship now!?? she explains that mermaids are only in coastal waters and not the fucking open ocean where owynn brought her. she has no idea where she is or how to get home. so she grabbed onto the animatronics' ship bc she figured that they would eventually go back the same way they came from, and thus would pass through the mermaid waters where she had tried to kill golden, aka her home. golden takes pity on her and decides to let her stay without telling the rest of the team bc..well she did try to kill him lol, theyll probably think she has lured him again and is going to attack them. so now they get to spend time together and fall in love yippieeeee (she apologizes for the attempted murder and thanks him for saving her dont worry)

uhh design notes!! i based cami's design on a dugong, an aquatic mammal that is believed to be the animal sailors confused for mermaids, intead of a fish bc im annoying. dugongs dont have dorsal fins, but i decided to add some representing their forelimbs bc i thought it looked cool lol. the green is algae growing on her skin! to add some color. the little green thing in her hair is supposed to be a seashell thats holding up her hair, and its the color of her og hair. made her little ponytail look like a fin bc i thought it looked cool. her nose is based on the general shape of a dugong's face, and with their big ol circular nostrils which i find adorable. dugongs have limited vision so it doesnt bother cami to cover her eyes. and yea, no eyebrows, kinda makes her look stupid djskdj

i dont have a lot to say abt goldens design, i loosley based it off of a pirate, even though he isnt one. he loves music so he always carries a guitar with him. the green matches with cami and the yellow is based off his og sweater vest. and uhh i think thats it lol thats all the rambles i have for today

[tanadrin]

"fairly suicidal" anon again. This kind of got away from me and ended up significantly longer than intended. Apologies for that, and if it's too long/involved/whatever to read that's genuinely totally fine. (Which is to say: please do not think you have some kind of obligation or I will be Extra Suicidal if you don't respond or whatever. I've got at least a couple more years or one more massive life-wrecking trauma left in me.)

I think your response is pretty typical of people who are, at baseline, pretty happy and optimistic, and I'm sure there are people who haven't heard its like before and would benefit from it, but.... let's be honest that's kind of a generic autocomplete response, and in my experience it tends to come from people who can't or don't really model serious depression well. My model of the perspective you are coming from is something like: It would be terrible for the things I'm saying to be true, and they don't feel true to you, so surely they must not be true for anyone-- you don't want the world to be one where those things are true, and sometimes they are untrue, so, therefore, they're probably untrue basically all the time forever. Unfortunately. I'm aware that 40 years is a decent length of time. I'm aware that my perspective is fallible and limited-- this is the primary reason why I haven't seriously tried to kill myself!. However, looking at how the past 30+ years have gone does not fill me with optimism. In particular the past 15 or so years, where I've technically had the most autonomy, I just kind of... barely existed. I am still trying things to get out of the hole but this really could easily just continue until I die. It is an extremely possible outcome that I spend my entire life wishing it was either worth living or over already, and eventually it reaches "over already." I kept expecting that I'd surely snap out of it eventually, year after year, no one can spend that long in this kind of state, right? And then 15 years passed and I simply did not. It is not unrealistic to believe that that could happen 3 more times.

"Every day you are alive in the world, you have the opportunity to find pleasure" rings really hollow when my physiological capacity to experience pleasure and happiness is extremely minimal and has been tangibly shrinking for as long as I've been a conscious human being. It feels tone-deaf. I know what my baseline looks like. It is not good. If I was guaranteed to die tomorrow, then having lived my life will have unequivocally been worse for me than not having lived it at all, and it will have been objectively a mistake that I didn't pull the plug when I was 12 and first having suicidal thoughts.

If, upon turning 80, I figured out how to have a life that was just barely worth living, and then died a year later, that does not actually undo the years of unhappiness before that, and that is still a life that was, on net, not worth living.

My impression is that people coming from your perspective have brains that just fully shut down when considering this prospect-- that you fall into the trap where you believe that even one second of a-life-worth-living is worth any amount of suffering endured to get to that point. It might help to imagine a person who experiences one single year of a life worth living, followed by 80 years of a life full of incredible misery, and then dies.

The me who exists now matters; the hypothetical-unlikely-certainly-not-guaranteed future version of myself who is marginally glad they exist doesn't just automatically get to trump all of that just because that's sad to think about.

Yes, there is no one life "track" but there certainly are circumstances more or less prone to granting happiness-predicting things like enough money to live on, autonomy, fulfillment, etc. Again, there is no rule saying this current status of being perpetually unable to get my feet under me has to end. I have spent the actual majority of my life like this.

Being unable to get a job that pays enough to live on without also making me want to die (more) does in fact hinge pretty strongly on being able to get that special insanely expensive little piece of paper. It is the cost of entry for the vast majority of non-horrible jobs, that is just what the system looks like in the US. (please do not tell me "oh just learn to code!" If I was capable of doing that I would have done it). The material conditions of my life obviously aren't that bad in objective terms given that I'm capable of using my time to send messages on the internet (if they were much worse I would have pulled the plug years ago) so it feels meaningful that I still manage to be so miserable despite that, and plausible that improving them would not help even if it were possible.

There just... there is actually such a thing as a downward spiral where the baseline becomes worse and incremental improvements become progressively harder and more fleeting, as much as it is sad to think about. Sometimes you accumulate damage and get both farther from your goal and worse at making progress towards it, and it just keeps happening. The brain is a physical object that can, sometimes, Just Get Worse. One instance of trauma can make it harder to recover from the next instance of trauma that comes along, and so on. I am still trying, clearly, and I'm clinging to the idea that lots of weird unexpected stuff can happen, but "just hope for a miracle to happen such that these patterns completely reverse against all odds" is... at minimum that's a huge ask. Please recognize it for what it is.

I'm not really looking for answers or anything here (I wasn't before either tbc, I just thought it was interesting how different my opinion apparently was compared with other extremely depressed people), but I tend to really chafe at what feels like clueless forced positivity from people who Really Don't Seem To Get It, and I hope this information will, idk, provide a potentially novel perspective. Or maybe it won't! Sorry again that it was so long.

i've spent a big chunk of my life dealing with depression. i know it pretty well actually. and if i've won any insight from that, it's that in depression we very often exactly misconstrue the causal axis of our thoughts. we think things like, "i am worthless -> therefore i am depressed." but our feelings shape how we think about ourselves and the world; even things which seem like incontrovertible and inarguably facts turn out to be a product of our rumination: "i was depressed -> therefore i felt worthless."

i know this feels like a platitude. i know when you are depressed saying something like "nobody is worthless" or "it's never too late" feels like somebody blowing rainbows up your ass, some hippy dippy shit that doesn't mean anything. but as someone who has frequently felt worthless, and has frequently felt that they have fucked up their life beyond repair, who has seen other people going through it and come out the other side, i'm telling you: as a matter of both personal experience and accumulated knowledge about the world, "nobody is worthless" and "it is never too late" is not a platitude. it is a rational, reasoned judgement i have been won over to, and which i am totally convinced of. i offer it, not as a panacaea (we cannot reason ourselves or be cajoled out of depression; the thoughts are subsequent to the feelings!), but as (hopefully) the very mildest of analgesics.

i'm not a negative utilitarian. i don't think you can take all the bad and good things that happen to a person, assign them a numerical score, and subtract one from the other to determine whether their life was worth it after all. reading about rare medical abnormalities on wikipedia is itself sufficient to convince one there are certainly short lives full of nothing but pain. and observing people dying of degenerative diseases is enough to why there are points at which people make the rational decision not to continue living. but i also know that there are people who have convinced themselves their life is not worth living, because the pain of allowing themselves to be hopeful again, only to have to deal with crushing disappointment, makes it more reassuring to abandon hope altogether. and i have known people so trapped in the teeth of their suffering, they are unable even to do the one thing that may bring them some relief, until they make the conscious choice to believe that that feeling of despair is not in fact a reliable guide to truth.

we prefer certainty to hope; the sure knowledge we are doomed is often cognitively a lighter load than the uncertain possibility of future happiness. but i think it's worth it to keep hope alive. not because i am a sunny optimist who has never felt miserable, but because i have lost days, weeks, months, years to the blackest despair. i have spent many an hour carefully ruminating on the very clear and inarguably true things that made me feel that way, carefully laying out why life was not worth living and maybe never would be, specifically debunking all the bullshit people told me to try to counsel me out of my depression. and that feeling that was ironclad certainty in my mind at the time is, looking back, like a fading mirage. one should always at least consider the possibility that what feels to us like an immutable truth of our life is less substantial than it seems.

[nomoreusername]

Who To Trust (Part 2)

Pairing:Minho x female reader

Summary:After Aris's betrayal the main person you expect not to understand shares some great advice and something more.

"I can't believe it. He was my friend,"I mumbled to myself.

I had figured out that Aris had run off with Teresa during the middle of the night. All because the traitor left a note saying he had to help out an "old friend" and to just keep going forward without him. Honestly, I would prefer if he just lied. Because while I usually hate those, he was supposed to be my friend. Not someone who revealed he was disloyal when it was too late to do something about it.

"And after I stuck up for him. He made me look like such an idiot,"I continued, pacing back and forth. Everyone else was a good few minutes away. Obviously, nobody stopped me from leaving. I have Aris to thank for that. He basically spat in my face. After I had looked after and cared for him in my own, weird way, got stabbed making sure he didn't get attacked, and swore up and down that he was a good person, this is what he did.

"They were just starting to like me. We were all becoming friends,"I scowled, referring to the Gladers.

"How could Aris do this?"I asked the air, feeling a single tear run down my face. After all we had gone through he had still deceived me. We had almost died several times. Our friends had lost their lives. Despite the horror show it was, we went through it together. The Scorch was something we did without the other girls. We had actually really bonded, and I started to like him and think he was one of my closest friends.

Now he might kill Thomas.

And the entire time I swore he didn't have any ulterior motives. Why? Because I was a gullible moron who just wanted a friend out here.

"That stupid, dumb, idiotic, jerk,"I listed, pulling at my hair.

"That's a good way to hurt yourself,"a voice pointed out. I looked up to see Minho, making my stomach twist in knots. I just knew he was coming to taunt me and rub the fact that he was right and I was wrong in my face. Him opening up with something that sounds like he cared about me was extra and unnecessarily cruel though.

"If you've come to point the finger at me for knowing about all of this you can save it. I don't need your accusations,"I snapped.

"But-"

"Shut your trap. Don't you think I feel bad enough? I was stupid enough to think I could trust someone who had been lying. Aris might be ready to murder Thomas, and I defended his sorry self. Have you ever felt that? Have you ever felt the pain of losing someone who's alive? Because I-"

"Y/N, stop talking for five seconds,"He interrupted, now extremely close to me. So close I could make out every detail on his face, every perfect imperfection, and it made me nervous in a different way. My stomach was still in knots, but the reasons for it had definitely changed.

"I'm sorry I thought you were one of them, okay? But taking what I said to heart won't do you any good. It's not fair to blame yourself. You don't deserve that,"He whispered. "And you don't deserve to pull your hair out either,"He added, taking my hands away from my head and putting them in his.

Despite the fact that I was literally fighting to survive I couldn't help but say one thing.

"I think I love you."

"You think?"

"Just shut up, and tell me if you love me back."

He looked at me without saying a word. Then, he crashed his lips against mine. I froze for a millisecond before kissing back with everything I had. He snaked his arm around my waist as we fit together perfectly. While I hadn't imagined my first kiss being with someone that I swore I hated, this was better than any fantasy my mind could come up with. He was better than whatever I could imagine. Despite everything that was happening nothing had ever felt so right before

Still, we needed to breathe so only when we were on the brink of running out of air did we pull apart.

"Does that answer your question?"

[biggerbetterbat]

WITH YOU [34] OLD AQUAINTANCE

Daryl Dixon x OC!Charlie Reed

Summary: The prison is under attack. There’s also an unexpected comeback of people that were considered dead.

Warnings: language maybe? death?

Song: MARINA Lies

Words: 2,731

A/N: I just want to end this season…

"Beth!" Maggie called as they ran out of the building with guns. They saw Carol on the ground covered with the body of Axel that was now basically a bloody sack of bullets. "Carol, go!"

Suddenly everything became quiet, no more bullets flying through the air, however, something else brought their attention. Roaring of an engine. Charlie furrowed her brows, worried that maybe it was Glenn coming back. But the car wasn't similar to the one he took. A mini van stormed through the gates and stopped on the field. It didn't belong to them, so there was only one option - more people of the Governor.

But the reality was much worse.

Around twenty Walkers marched from the inside and basically trapped Hershel on the field. The whole shooting brought Walkers from the closest area and trapped Rick outside of the gates. And there was still an asshole on their watch tower who trapped them from helping the other two.

In span of the moment, Charlie aimed at the sniper and pulled the trigger. Everything happened so fast that she couldn't even point a moment when the idea was even born in her head - she did that on impulse.

When the Governor was gone all five of them - Charlie, Carl, Maggie, Carol, and Beth, ran to help Hershel. Reed dropped her gun aside and took out an axe, deciding it would be much more convenient. She heard a scream and stopped in her tracks, looking in the direction of where Rick was.

While she thought Grimes would die just there an arrow cut through the air.

Charlie stood frozen. Her heart both hammered in chest and stopped the beating. She blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. The figure of Daryl didn't disappear or transformed into a Walker - like it used to in her nightmares. It was him. She would recognize him everywhere, even from the distance. The way he moved and how precisely he used a bow, so the arrow didn't go through the head of Rick, but just the Walker. Charlie felt all the muscles relax as soon as her brain understood that Daryl was back.

But there was no time to think about it as she saw Glenn driving back with Hershel and Michonne. And once they passed the gate, Charlie and Carl closed it behind them. At that moment, she could see what the Governor did to their home. Walkers, once again, overran the fields, so there was just one layer of separation from them. Axel was dead on the ground, and whole peace they had was gone.

"We're not leaving," said Rick.

"We can't stay here," Hershel shook his head, still on shock after what had happened.

"What if there's another sniper?" Carol asked. "A wood pallet won't stop one of those rounds."

"We can't even go outside," Beth cried.

"Not in the daylight."

"Rick says we're not running, we're not running," Glenn argued.

"No, better to live like rats," said Merle from behind the cell's doors.

Charlie sent him stare full of hate.

"You got a better idea?"

"Yeah, we should have slid out of here last night and lived to fight another day," he said, leaning on the doors. "But we lost that window, didn't we?"

"We?" Charlie asked. "Last time I've checked there was no we."

"Better check again, baby," Merle smiled. "I'm sure he's got scouts on every road out of this place by now."

"We ain't scared of that prick."

"Y'all should be," Merle's smile dropped. "That truck through the fence thing? That's just him ringing the doorbell," he said. "We might have some thick walls to hide behind, but he's got the guns and the numbers. And if he takes the high ground around this place, shoot, he could just starve us out if he wanted to."

"Let's put him in the other cell block," Maggie said to Rick.

"No," Daryl argued and her head snapped to him. Charlie felt relaxed that he was back, but still mad that he even left on the first place. So him just casually speaking on an important issue - no matter if he was right or wrong, made her annoyed. "He's got a point."

"This is all you!" Maggie yelled. "You started this."

"What's the difference whose fault it is? What do we do?" Beth silenced her sister in a desperate voice.

"I said we should leave," Hershel shook his head. "Now Axel's dead. We can't just sit here."

Rick turned and started walking away.

"Get back here!" Charlie yelled after him not realizing that she did until the moment all eyes were on her. "You're slipping, Rick. We've all seen it. We understand why. But it's not the time," she said. "This isn't a democracy, remember? So get back here and do...something! We've all placed our lives in your hands, so do something."

After a short while, Rick came back inside with Carl by his side. They were watching the area, trying to judge the danger. "Eyes open, head down. Field's filled with walkers," he commanded."We will keep Maggie on watch."

"I'll get up in the watch tower, give you a chance to fix the fence," Charlie proposed, already looking for her gun.

"We can't access the field without burning through our bullets," Hershel said.

"So we're trapped here. There's barely any food or ammo," Glenn said.

"Been here before," Daryl answered. "We'll be all right."

"That's when it was just us," Charlie mumbled under her nose, but Glenn heard.

"Before there was a snake in the nest," he nodded.

"Man, we gonna go through this again?" Daryl asked angrily, apparently hearing what they were saying. "Look, Merle's staying here. He's with us now. Get used to it," he leaned slightly to Glenn and then looked at Charlie. "All y'all."

He was the hurt one? He was throwing a tantrum? He wanted her to accept the presence of the man who was making her uncomfortable from the very beginning, kidnapped their friends, gave Glenn a black eye, and could be the one shooting bullets at them?

And why he was mad at her? Daryl decided to leave without even saying a word. One day he was a part of their group, and the second he was gone. Charlie couldn't even trust Daryl now, and he wanted her to trust Merle.

There was something different about Daryl. Something that Charlie couldn't quite place. Whatever it was, it made hers heart clench.

"I can't kick him out," Rick shook his head.

"I wouldn't ask you to live with Shane after he tried to kill you," Glenn said and pulled some nerve in Rick's body.

"Merle has military experience," Hershel said. "He maybe erratic, but don't underestimate his loyalty to his brother."

"Well, you don't know him then," Charlie said angrily to Hershel. She remembered how he was humiliating Daryl, making him do the dirty work. There was no such a word in Merle's dictionary as loyalty.

"But you do," the man nodded his head.

At the same time, a woman was wandering through corridors carefully approaching the cell she knew her best friend would be. He was sitting on the bunk bed, inspecting his arrows, and trying not to think about the presence. "Haven't had a chance to say I'm glad you came back," Carol said.

"At least one person," he mumbled still not looking at her.

"Everyone is relieved," she argued.

"Not everyone..."

"He's your brother but he's not good for you," Carol said. "Don't let him bring you down. Look how far you've come."

"Will she ever forgive me?"

"Of course she will," Carol smiled. "She's just young and stubborn."

Charlie was sitting with her arms crossed and brows furrowed, kicking her feet. He raised his eyes and smiled as wide as he could, which only made her annoyed even more.

"Why so angry, baby?"

"I'm just wondering..." she opened her mouth. "Why is it that good people dies all the time, while people like you...don't."

He snorted. "Ya' made ma little brother weak. He came back to ya like a puppy." he teased.

"Have you made him a man yet?"

She looked at him, still not understanding what he was talking about - or not wanting to understand.

"You are the most disgusting piece of shit, Merle."

He chuckled.

"If ya dun want ma brother, I can gladly have ya," he licked his lips. "Show ya what real man feels like."

"Listen to me." she clenched her teeth."Your brother is a good man, and just because of him you're here. Alive."

Merle snorted.

"And to your information, the night with Daryl was the best of my life." she lied.

Merle opened his mouth, clearly shocked and he didn't expect this answer. He would say something if not the sudden move outside.

"Are you alone?"

"Open the gate!" the woman begged.

"Are you alone?!"

"Rick!"

Oh here we go again...- thought Charlie once she saw the woman with blond curls. Rick pushed her around as if she was a doll, but he wanted to make sure she's not dangerous. "Hands up! Turn around! Get down on the floor. I asked if you were alone," he leaned in. "Welcome back."

As soon as she entered the prison, Andrea hugged Carol tightly and gasped as she saw Hershel's leg - or its lack. She looked at Charlie and Charlie looked at her, no one moved. They parted their ways in a...tense atmosphere and never actually were friends.

"Where's Shane?" Andrea asked and the silence was also an answer. She looked down. "And Lori?"

"She had a girl," Hershel answered. "Lori didn't survive."

"Neither did T-Dog."

"I'm so sorry," she said looking around.

"Are you, though?" Charlie asked.

"Charlie," Glenn whispered and touched her wrist.

Andrea looked around and then her eyes fell on Carl, but as she took a step in his direction he took a step towards Charlie. His face wasn't exactly welcoming as if he was judging if he could trust her again.

"Rick, I...You all live here?"

"Here and the cell block," Glenn said.

"Can I go in?" Andrea asked, pointed at the doors.

But Rick stepped on her way. "I won't allow that."

"I'm not an enemy, Rick."

We had that field and courtyard until your boyfriend tore down the fence with a truck and shot us up," Grimes answered with a firm voice.

Charlie furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Glenn who just slightly nodded. "He said you fired first," Andrea said.

"Well, he's lying," Reed answered. "He killed an inmate who survived here. He was one of us."

"I didn't know anything about that," she furrowed her eyebrows. "As soon as I found out, I came. I didn't even know you were in Woodbury until after the shoot-out."

"That was days ago," Glenn said.

"I told you, I came as soon as I could," Andrea explained. "What have you told them?" she turned around to face Michonne.

"Nothing," she shrugged.

Something must have happened in the Woodbury, or maybe even before that. Two women knew each other good, at least that's how it seemed. Michonne was clearly hurt by Andrea and even though she was relieved to see her, there was something in her eyes.

"I don't get it," Andrea said. "I left Atlanta with you people and now I'm the odd man out?"

"He almost killed Michonne and he would have killed us."

"With his finger on the trigger! Isn't he the one who kidnapped you?! Who beat you?!" Andrea gasped, pointing her finger in Merle's direction who was out of his cell. "Look, I cannot excuse or explain what Philip has done..."

"Philip?" Charlie raised her eyebrows.

"But I'm here trying to bring us together," she ignored Charlie. "We have to work this out."

"There's nothing to work out," Rick shook his head. "We're gonna kill him. I don't know how or when, but we will."

"We can settle this."

"We do," Charlie said, pointing between herself and Andrea. "But we don't," she said pointing somewhere what could be the direction of the Woodbury.

"There is room at Woodbury for all of you," Andrea said to her.

"You know better than that," Merle scoffed.

Andrea seemed confused after words of the older Dixon, but at the same time she knew what he meant. Her sudden tension, made Charlie think about the situation a bit deeper. Andrea said that she came as fast as she could. But what was stopping her? Rick's group could leave the prison whenever they wanted, wherever they wanted. But Andrea was stopped by something; besides, she came here on foot. Her people had cars - they showed them. She came to them all alone, without supplies, a car, or at least weapon. It looked as if she sneaked out in secret.

"What makes you think this man wants to negotiate?" Rick asked. "Did he say that?"

"No."

Grimes spread his arms in powerless move and Charlie snorted. "Then what are you doing here?"

"Because he's gearing up for war," Andrea answered. "The people are terrified. They see you as killers. They're training to attack."

"Next time you see Philip..." Daryl opened his mouth for the first time. "You tell him I'm gonna take his other eye."

"We're taken too much shit for too long," Rick nodded. "He wants a war? He's got one."

"If you don't sit down and try to work this out, I don't know what's gonna happen," she tried to persuade Rick. But the thing she missed was the end of democracy. She knew nice Officer Rick, she didn't know the leader Rick. "He has a whole town. Look at you. You've lost so much already. You can't stand alone anymore."

"You want to make this right, get us inside," he answered.

"No," Andrea shook her head. "There are innocent people."

And with that Rick turned around and just walked away, ending the conversation.

Charlie tried to keep her distance from Andrea to prevent from unnecessary fight as it was the least needed thing. But apparently someone higher decided that this day would be peaceful for her. She understood that once she saw angry Daryl Dixon approaching her in fast steps.

At first he was just looking at her, fighting some internal battle inside. His eyes were observing her face carefully as if he could read the answer to his question without even asking it. "You told Merle that we had sex?"

He knew that she was angry at him, but he had to know why she lied. Once his brother patted his back with approval, and started talking of how proud he was of his little brother, Daryl knew something was not right. She wasn't talking to him, but he hoped that he would get this one answer.

"I told him that we slept together and we did," she shrugged with emotionless voice. "Not once, before we found this place. You laid next to me and I laid next to you. That's sleeping together."

He was looking at her, as she was looking away. Daryl was trying to process what she was saying and partially he was happy to hear her voice again.

"What?" she looked at him for the first time. "I did this so your lovely brother would just shut up."

"He will never shut up," said Daryl, shaking his head. "Now, he wants to know all the details."

"I don't care," she rolled her eyes. "Tell him whatever it's needed. If me sleeping with you will make him respect you, then do it."

Daryl looked her in the eyes and his heart ached. She was doing this for him, she even lied for him, just so he could live a peaceful life. Maybe that would be the end of their misery and she would finally forgive him.

"Lie if you must," she said and looked at him. "You're pretty good at it, right? You made me believe that you care for the group, so lying about that should be easy."

She didn't mean that, Daryl was probably the most honest person she had ever met. However, she wanted to hurt him to the bone. Charlie wanted to make him suffer, and she did because his heart broke a little after hearing those words. It broke even more when he was watching her leave.

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[a-chaotically-small-lunta]

Had another wild dream

There was a festival, the biggest one of the year. Where everyone comes together to celebrate. Everyone in this world has a hidden ability, like a talent but a bit more magical. This celebration shows off the most magical of them all, like the one who can take reindeer by just touching them, or the dude who can play any instrument without ever seeing said instrument before, etc etc. some are simple powers like reading fast, or able to draw anything, or even just a very good worker, but apparently I don’t have an ability and am seen as worthless. Anyway, There are many people who are invited to this festival, but in this world there are monsters, who trap and kill people in many different ways. This is important for later. Each person invited to the festival, if they are related to one of the performers, must help out in some way shape or form. Last year I tried and failed to help, by being the end flag for the army race, where the soldiers who are invited, race to see who is the fastest. I was told to hold the flag and change it when 10, 20, 30, minutes have passed, while also stopping the clock when the winner passes me. However they never told me that last part and I got in trouble. So this year they want me to just hold a plate of mashed potatoes and hand it out.

So while we are waiting for things to start we need to find our seats. Me and my siblings are sat somewhere up higher, however there are only three seats. So I’m told to just “sit near them” on the ground, but don’t literally sit on the ground cause it’ll make the place look bad. After I join the walk with my mashed potatoes, about half way through I’m out and tell the Sargent and he says “we’ll go get more from up front” which btw this walk is like walking around a mega church building. So yeah, I get pissed and walk back with everyone looking at me. I get back and decide fuck it I’m going to just sit and not do anything. So I climb in the seats where my siblings are, get yelled at by a dude who I have to pass by when getting to these seats cause “you should know better than to walk on my seat” bro it’s literally the only way to the other seats, if you know another path please show me. He just grumbles and says that I should know of another path. I ignore him and get to the seats and stand nearby cause my sibs are sitting there. The show starts then and that’s my siblings cue to leave their seats so they can be carried away to perform. So I’m left in the middle of the path that also acts as the stage and I just quickly get over to the side cause wtf else do I do. Only to get reprimanded by my aunt and mother that “I should be in my seat and not basically on the stage” I just glare at them and say “well maybe somebody should make sure there are ENOUGH seats for us then” only for them to say that there were and that I’m being unhelpful and just want to complain. I finally snap and just walk along the path/stage, backwards. I’m heading to my car and just running away cause I can’t deal with these shits.

Anyway, Remember the monsters? Once outside I see a few roaming around, they are different sizes and different creatures. I don’t care and just keep walking. Apparently last year I ran into one, it grabbed me and I thought that was it, but it just rubbed my head and cooed before putting me down, chasing another person, and then eating them. So I didn’t care cause I felt pretty safe around them, which is saying something when the step on a car and it explodes.

I’m making my way to my car when I hear that apparently my family is looking for me already. I’m like “shit” so start running across the town/city to get to my car. But once again the town is being swarmed by monsters. I get to an area where this grass tentacle monster thing is sitting, and there’s a group of others trying to figure out how to pass it with getting caught. I tell them just don’t get hit by the end of the grass thorn tentacle thing, cause that’s what’ll grab you, as I start causally climbing over the already grown tentacles. A few tentacles have fallen apart and I grab a few and say “check this out” before chucking them into a body of water. The tentacle then grow and form another monster, the exact same kind of monster that we just passed. I rub it’s little head and say it’s a good boy and needs to stay there until it’s big enough to leave the pond. The group is horrified that I just made more monsters and most run away from me in fear.

The more brave parts of the group quickly joins me and hopes I can get them to safety and I mention that the house next to the library has a spell on it that repels all monsters, and that I’ll be walking in that direction anyway so they can join me. Anyway we continue walking through the snow and crowds of people who are scurrying off to do whatever when another monster appears. This one is a classic giant who is seen chasing someone, he sees me and for a brief second considers going for me before returning to his original target. I don’t get to see if he successfully catches them or not.

Eventually we get to the house and I drop them off before going to the library cause it’s a bit closer to my destination. I get yoinked in by someone who is panicking cause there’s a monster running the library. I look over and it’s this little sand vampire lady monster. I recognize her cause a few years back she successfully trapped me in her sandpit. She started sucking out my youth before stopping and realizing that I wasn’t getting older, but she was still getting younger. She is confused and asks what’s going on and I just shrug and say that I have no idea but if she want she can keep trying until she feels she is at the youthful age she wants. She does and I still don’t age, I then tell her if she acts human and doesn’t attack anyone else, that I’ll help her maintain her youth…at least until I die. She agrees and starts to work in the library. She looks human but if you look closely you see her skin is actually sand. Anyway the person is freaking out and I just say hi to the librarian and ask how it’s going. She said fine and that she needs a little pick me up, so I allow her. Much to the horror of the other person.

We chat for a bit before another smaller monster runs in and grabs me and the shocked person shouting that another giant monster needs a sacrifice. He is this fur covered monster with horns and he rushes out, despite the librarian’s shouts. Then we see the a new monster, this giant tall skinny monster, their skin swirling with different darker colors (like dark blue, deep violet, black, and a hint of dark green too)

That’s when the monster carrying us puts us down and is about to shout at this bigger monster that he brought a sacrifice but freezes for two reasons, 1: monsters are not against attacking smaller monsters and mr fluff here was hoping to get on this big dudes good side but just witnessed the big guy rip another monster apart, and 2: he looks at me and says that I shouldn’t be there and that he messed up by bringing me. I’m still confused before it clicks in my brain. I’m not useless, I do have an ability and a very rare one at that. I have a monster ability, it’s why I don’t get attacked, it’s why I can walk by them, it’s why they hesitate and change their mind, it’s why their attacks don’t affect me and why I know so much about them despite not seeing some of these monsters. I stare at the monster who was holding me cause we both realized what I am, just then the giant dark creature is looking at us with bright violet eyes. I’m not scared and walk forward placing my hand in the middle of his face… I then wake up.

[not-so-mundane-after-all]

Dick & Rachel and the Invisible String theory (part 2)

Welcome to part 2! In part 1 we've covered season 1, now it's time for the second season!

And we're starting right from episode 2x01 "Trigon".

Here we have another instance of the pattern I've previously mentioned — Rachel breaks Trigon's control over Dick by entering his subconscious and reminding him of who he is and their promise.

This is the first time Rachel is doing it consciously — she's basically pulling at the String by herself. She takes full control of the situation, figures out that if the dream she had about Dick before led her to him, then she can now use that dream to save him. "It's all in the dreams," as she says. When she enters the vision Dick is trapped in and sees him, standing over Bruce's body and overcome by darkness, she reminds him that this isn't who he is, that he would never do something like this, that this is just Trigon playing on his fears. She also tells Dick about her dream — which I find really interesting that this is the first time he hears about it; clearly he's been so preoccupied with keeping her safe that it slipped his mind to ask how exactly did she know the stuff she knew in the pilot. At the question of what she is doing here, she replies that she's here to save him because "We're supposed to save each other". Supposed to, like it's a given. Like it's written in the stars or something and she knows. Even when he attacks her, she's not afraid, but grabs at his hand wrapped around her neck and then transports them both right into the heart of the dream that started it all.

And she takes a scary but brilliant risk — knowing that one of Dick's worst fears is having to watch someone he loves fall and lose them just like he had lost his parents, she puts herself in this exact situation to cause an instinctual reaction. This is all happening in his head but the risk isn't any smaller: if she dies here, she dies for real. She pulls the String tight, almost to the point of snapping, knowing that if Dick is still in there, he's not going to let it happen.

She almost hits the ground. We're led to believe her plan is about to fail. But then Dick grabs the String's other end, wakes up and catches her.

This is monumental for so many reasons. Dick had always believed he failed his parents because he failed to catch them. The show puts great emphasis on the shot of his hand missing his mother's hand by an inch. The burning need to not let this happen again, to not lose another person this way, is what allows him to snap out of Trigon's control and save Rachel. What he had failed to do before, he succeeds in now — and Rachel never doubted for a second that he would. From her side, she displays a truly bottomless amount of trust, she's not afraid to fall because in her head, an option where Dick's doesn't catch her simply doesn't exist. Her faith in him is really never-ending.

Now what I want to talk about is a little theory within a theory, because I've noticed another... well, maybe not a pattern, but an occurrence that feels like an action-reaction type of thing. The String grows stronger not only as the time goes by and they become closer but also every time it's close to being broken (by one of them dying for example), and it seems to come back stronger than before. Which in this episode really happens twice.

Inside Dick's mind, when Rachel jumps off the platform and lets go of the swing to fall. But also earlier, here:

Trigon rips out Rachel's heart to create the gemstone, which is an action that should technically kill her. It kind of does for a moment before the gem is placed in her forehead and revives her. It unlocks a new level of her powers and gives her access to abilities she never had before. But it also gives the String a new layer, making it stronger. All of this combined allows her to take control of the situation once inside Dick's mind and use their connection to bring him back.

There's also another reason I'm mentioning this moment, but I'll come back to it in season 3 😉

These next two moments are most definitely a stretch, they can 100% pass off as coincidences — but it's more fun to think of them as clues. The first one had been on my radar for a long time, I've been obsessing over it ever since I noticed it. And the second one was recently brought to my attention by @undertheknightwing and it made me connect some more dots.

Isn't it interesting how Dick sort of appears out of nowhere when Rachel is distressed/scared/in danger? How he seems to be gravitating towards her when it happens, as if he was able to sense it? Take episode 2x03 "Ghosts" for example.

Gar, Rachel and Jason are training. Rachel loses control over her powers (a common occurrence in season 2) and attacks Jason. Driven by his fear, Jason reacts and goes off on her, insulting her. We hear him say "Stay away from me, you fucking freak!" right as Dick walks into the room.

Now, he wasn't eavesdropping. He obviously didn't see what happened, otherwise he would have intervened. But he's close enough to hear the worst of it, just behind the wall.

I love how he plays it btw, like he doesn't know anything. All smiles, all casual, "ah just came here to get Gar, please go on". He asks if everything's okay but everyone keeps their mouths shut. Meanwhile Rachel and Jason are eyeing one another, trying to see if the other is gonna talk. Rachel keeps quiet because she doesn't want to bother Dick with her problems (which she confesses to Gar in 2x02). Jason doesn't bother to talk either, probably thinking Dick is going to take Rachel's side anyway, and instead, redirects Dick's attention to something different. And Dick lets them do this. Without the full context he doesn't want to jump to conclusions but later tries to get it out of Gar when they're alone. Gar, being the loyal best friend, lies through his teeth and obviously Dick doesn't buy a word, but he doesn't press either. And oh how I wish the rest of the episode was focused on Dick doing a little investigation and trying to crack this, having conversations with both Rachel and Jason but season 2 is a mess on wobbly wheels so let's leave this for a fic.

Then episode 2x05 "Deathstroke", similar thing. Jason's gone, he went after Doctor Light and was taken by Deathstroke. Gar comes to Rachel to tell her about it, but she's in the middle of another episode with her powers spinning out of control while in her sleep, and Gar gets accidentally hurt by them. Mere seconds before Dick randomly shows up in the doorframe and asks about Jason, apparently having overheard them talking about him from the hallway.

Again. Rachel's in distress, her powers out of control, someone gets hurt, Dick appears.

You see a coincidence. I see a pattern.

ANYWAY—

And now, in an unexpected turn of events, we move the rest of season 2 into a separate part because one post is not enough space to cover it all 🤣 click here to read the rest!

[cinebration]

A Good Team (Poe Dameron x Reader) [Request]

Hi! I am wondering if you could write a Poe Dameron x poc!reader, where the reader is an infiltrator of sorts who happens to get paired up with him for a mission? Shenanigans occur, and they have to fight their way out, because the mission went south quick. Sorry, if this isn't enough details, I just don't want to put too much. Thank you!—Requested by anon

Warnings: blaster deaths

Gif Source: oscarverse

Poe Dameron was known throughout the Rebel Alliance as a hotshot, hotheaded pilot with a murky background. That described quite a few rebel members, you had to admit—the murky background, certainly, along with hotheaded—but the fiasco with Vice Admiral Holdo had left everyone shaken and Dameron in the dung heap.

The last thing you wanted was to be stuck with him on an infiltration mission.

“He’s a damn pilot,” you hissed, slapping your hand on the table with enough force to feel your elbow protest. “He’s loud and prefers to shoot first and asks questions later. I need a spy or I go alone, no and’s, if’s, or but’s.”

General Organa arched one eyebrow at you, her lips twisting into the faint smirk of a contrarian. “He’s going with you.”

Frustration bubbled deep within you, threatening to spill over. Swallowing it back, you growled, “General, he—”

“Needs to get off this base and keep busy with something while we reestablish morale,” the woman supplied. “I know you’re more than capable of getting him and yourself through this assignment.”

You recognized a dismissal when you heard one. Biting off a sigh, you nodded curtly and stormed away from the control center, hands clenching and unclenching as you struggled to rein in your anger.

Veering away from your original course, you crossed the makeshift airfield and scanned the ragtag assemble of worn, dilapidated X-wings, shuttles, and skimmers. Dameron’s black X-wing had been grounded at the far end, but a figure moved around it.

You strode the long expanse of airstrip to the X-wing, didn’t bother waiting for the pilot to look up at you. “Pack up your shit. We’ve got a job to do.”

He straightened, frowning. “Who’re you?”

“Your boss according to General Organa. You can play with your plane later.”

Wiping his hands on an oil-stained rag, he quipped, “Who shit in your rations this morning?”

“You did,” you snapped, “and you can bet your ass I’m gonna make you eat every last bit of it.”

~~

“These aren’t your traditional Coruscanti big wigs—”

“Look, lady, this isn’t my first time running an infil,” Dameron interrupted, shaking his head. “You don’t have to drill me on the basics.”

Stepping up to him, you tugged sharply on his tunic, cinching the collar tight around his throat. Eyes widening in surprise, he shot you a glare as you pulled on the belt, practically manhandling him as you repositioned it perfectly center.

“When people mess up, it’s because their basics aren’t solid. As I was saying, these aren’t your traditional Coruscanti big wigs. These people are sharks who get physically excited when they smell blood. So keep your trap shut and let me do the talking.”

Dameron scoffed, stoking your irritation. You tightened the belt a fraction too far, pinching his waist. He glared at you again, the amusement in his eyes dying.

“I know you have a tendency to run your mouth,” you added, “but try to keep it under control tonight. You’ll get us both killed otherwise.”

Dameron pulled a face as you stepped away. Shaking your head at his childishness, you smoothed the front of your dress and adjusted its high arching collar. It brushed the bottom of your earlobes, forcing you to forego earrings and opt for a glittering necklace instead. The ensemble was pricey enough for the party but not so extravagant that everyone would pay attention. The key was to be average, unremarkable and indistinguishable from the common denominator of the room.

The elevator doors slid open, the silence of the car filling with the sounds of the gala. Laughter brayed and tinkled underneath the exclamations of surprise and defeat at the gaming tables placed around the expansive room.

“If they’re sharks, what are we?” Dameron whispered into your ear.

Ignoring the shock of his lips brushing against the soft skin, you hissed through a fake smile, “You’re dead meat if you screw this up.”

“If I screw this up, we’re both dead meat.”

You snorted. “Not likely.”

Without waiting for another retort, you weaved through the crowd, lingering at tables here and there to survey the games. Irritation resurged as you moved around the room, searching for the target while trying to keep track of Dameron’s location. You didn’t like your attention split. It facilitated unnecessary mistakes.

Like almost missing the target entirely.

Glimpsing him in the corner of your eye, you wandered over to the bar he leaned against and flagged the bartender’s attention. “A glass of Ardees,” you instructed him.

“Mmm, I haven’t heard someone ask for Ardees in ages,” the target said, amusement dancing on his tongue. “Quite the taste you have, Miss…”

“Briche,” you lied, offering a hand for him to ghost a kiss over. “But you may call me Abriash.”

“Abriash Briche,” he repeated, the name rolling off his tongue. “Darvek Cade.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Mister Cade.”

The bartender placed the sandy-colored drink in front of you. Tipping your head toward him, you sipped delicately, making eye contact with Cade over the rim of your glass. Dark eyes glittering like points of flint, he watched you rather lazily.

“Are you enjoying the affair?” he asked as you set the glass down, gesturing vaguely toward the rest of the room.

“Perhaps at the start, but the noise and bad luck is giving me a headache.”

Chuckling, he swept his gaze over you, lingering for a moment at the contours of your waist. “Yes, I have to agree. Gambling here is in poor taste.”

“You are against gambling?”

“Not at all. But there are better places suited to it than Coruscant. The gambles here are in politics, not with our money but the money of constituents.”

“Are you a senator?”

He chuckled again. “Never have I been so offended in my life.”

Heat rushing up the back of your neck, you laughed awkwardly. “I didn’t mean to—”

“No, it’s quite alright. I suppose I should ask if you are a senator, no?”

You snorted out of reflex, schooled yourself to keep the feeling of horror from showing on your face.

“Exactly,” he countered, smirking. “You can understand my disgust.”

“Certainly.”

Applause thundered from the other side of the room, carried by shouts of triumph.

“Big winner,” you muttered, eyes narrowing a fraction as you searched for Dameron, a sneaking suspicion growing in the pit of your stomach that he had joined one of the tables.

“Tell me, then, what you do,” Cade said.

Sipping from your drink again, you smiled brilliantly at him and parried, “I could ask you the same.”

“Ladies first.”

Suppressing a snort, you answered, “I represent shipping interests.”

“A shipping magnate? Which one are you?”

“No, you misunderstand. I represent them.”

“A lawyer? Almost as bad as politicians.”

“And you? What lofty career do you have that sets you so above the rest of us?”

A rakish grin slashed his mouth. “I offer protection for certain interests of high-ranking politicians in the room.”

“A thug, then?”

An eyebrow twitched. “Does that offend you?”

“Not at all. I’m a lawyer, remember? Everyone I represent is a thug,” you quipped.

Lips pulling back into a wide smile, Cade cast a glance around the room, then turned back to you, inching a fraction closer. “The noise is wearing me down. Would you like to join me someplace quieter?”

“I’d love to.”

As you folded your arm through his, you scanned the tables again, searching desperately for Dameron.

His voice purred in your ear, nearly sending you out of your skin. The comm, buried deep in your ear, rendered his voice immediately present.

“Where’s he taking you?”

One shoulder twitched upward, a shrug only for Dameron to see as Cade led you out of the ballroom. You still couldn’t see Dameron, forcing you to give him a modicum of begrudging respect. He was stealthier than you gave him credit for.

“What kind of quiet place?” you asked, gently squeezing Cade’s bicep.

“Believe it or not, I have a temporary office in the building.”

“You do not!”

“I assure you, ma’am, I do. I set up temporary offices wherever I go. It saves the hassle of having to commute extensively.”

“Indeed, but I can’t imagine that the moving expense counteracts that.”

“I only need one or two essential things to establish my office.”

Entering an elevator, Cade proceeded down several floors—though still well above the lower levels. The thrum of anticipation buzzed through you as the car eased to a stop and the doors slid open onto a long hallway with beautiful wooden doors lining each side.

“I didn’t expect to see wood here,” you breathed, only partly faking your surprise. Placing a hand against the cool surface of the nearest door, you gently smoothed your hand over the grain, trying to feel the imperceptible lines.

“I indulge in luxury now and again,” Cade answered, waiting for you before easing you down the hall toward a door on the far end.

A shiver running down your spine, you stepped warily into the dark room, Cade following you inside.

The lights clicked on overhead, revealing an innocuous office. Despite the wooden door, the desk and chairs were standard—albeit more expensive—for a corpo, the metal bookcase beside it filled not with books but the various items people liked to display. The window behind the desk gave an oval view of the brightly illuminated city in the night.

“You have quite the view,” you said, drawing slowly toward it as you scanned the room. Your attention drew to the items on the bookcase. Framed photographs of a blonde woman with a red-haired man dominated the space, along with an award with a woman’s name engraved on it.

Frowning, the hair on the back of your neck tingling in warning, you turned toward Cade, noting, “You took someone else’s office?”

“Not at all,” he said, lifting up a hand and brandishing a blaster in it. “This just seemed a convenient place for our business.”

“Ex–excuse me?”

“Coruscant may be a den of cutthroats smiling behind wealth, but only poor cutthroats carry a weapon on their person.” He gestured with his eyes to the almost unnoticeable bulge on your hip. “If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say you were some Rebel scum.”

Your mind raced, seeking solutions. The desk and Cade blocked you from the door, and the window behind you wasn’t an option. Even if you could break the glass before getting shot, you had only a fall to look forward to if you tumbled out.

“I think there’s been a mistake,” you said. “For one, the Rebels existed thirty years ago.”

“Please don’t play coy with me. While I’ve enjoyed our little game, I’m growing impatient. To make this easier on everybody, tell me why you are here.”

“As I said before, I represent shipping interests—”

Dameron sprinted through the open doorway and smashed his fist into the back of Cade’s head, driving him to the floor. The blaster was in his hands before Cade fully hit the ground—unconscious.

“—and my oaf of a partner just screwed everything up,” you finished, your voice eking out a growl.

“That’s a funny way of saying thank you,” Dameron quipped.

“It’s the perfect way of saying, ‘We can’t get the information because you knocked out the target.’”

“What?” He glanced sharply around the room. “It isn’t in here?”

“This isn’t his office. He was onto me at the bar.”

“Well…that just sounds like it’s your fault. If you had let me do the talking—”

“Unbelievable.” Stepping over Cade’s prone body, you swept your hands over his frame and inventoried his pockets. Not even a keycard. Swearing, you kicked the man in the hip and shook your head. “This op is a bust.”

“No, all we have to do is find his office, right?” Dameron shrugged and headed for the door. “It’s not like there’s anyone down here.”

A blaster shot screamed past his head down the hallway. Yanking him back inside, you slammed the door shut as he raked his hands over his scalp, checking for damage.

“You were saying?”

“Okay, so maybe he called reinforcements,” Dameron admitted, “but if anything, that’s your fault.”

“For all we know, you led them here!”

“We can chicken-and-egg this later. Right now, we have to get out of here.”

“Thank you for stating the obvious.”

Dameron scrambled to the window as voices approached from down the hall.

“Only way out is through the front door,” you muttered, yanking on the bookcase.

It was welded to the wall.

Another curse slipping past your lips, you grabbed one of the chairs and jammed it up against the door, the back wedged under the door handle.

“What you get for wooden doors,” you muttered.

“Fried, is what,” Dameron countered. “They can’t withstand blaster fire.”

“They don’t have to. What’s the likelihood they’ll shoot the door handle versus the hinges?”

“What?”

“Don’t make me repeat myself, flyboy.”

“I don’t know! Hinges, that way they’re standing away from the door in case we try to shoot at them.”

Snatching the blaster out of Dameron’s hands, you crouched on one knee directly across from the hinges and slightly to the right.

“Away from the door, right?” you confirmed.

“Yeah, probably as far as they can be.”

The voices stopped, footsteps quiet on the floor.

“Surrender and you won’t die,” a low voice said on the other side of the door.

“Pretty sure you’re lying,” Dameron quipped back.

The first blaster bolt tore through the top hinge at a forty-five degree angle.

You fired the blaster at the same angle. The bolt tore through the wood halfway down the door and scoured through the man standing on the other side. You fired twice more, once to the left and once to the right, before the bolt had reached the wall opposite.

A strangled cry sounded through the buzzing in your ears.

“Go low,” you whispered, yanking the chair away from the door.

You fired another shot just before Dameron pulled the door free and rolled through the opening, kicking the door open enough for you to see the other man trying to lever himself upright. You shot him through the chest.

He thudded to the floor.

“Not bad,” Dameron noted, rising from his crouch. “We make a good team.”

“Hardly,” you muttered. “A good team would have recovered the intel without letting anyone know. Now help me drag these bodies inside.”

For once, Dameron kept his mouth shut and assisted you. His words echoed in your ears as you surveyed the three bodies stacked inside. Yes, perhaps there was the making of a good team in your partnership, you thought as you put a blaster bolt in Cade. The question was, did you want to make that team?

You weren’t quite so sure anymore.

“Let’s get out of here,” you grumbled.

[kurisus]

Chapter 103-2 thoughts

I'm here, I'm a little tipsy, and I'm ready to dump my feelings. Spoilers under the cut.

"So aren't you going to cut off my head or something?" love that foreshadowing. Father got killed by decapitation (presumably), which explains why last time we had him holding his head in his arms.

I'm really interested in the page where the villagers seem ready to hate Father for potentially not sharing food with the rest of them. He talks about how trusting they are, then they eye him suspiciously for mentioning he "made tea" at night. Everything's fine when Kaya brings her mochi, but did she make it just to cover for him? Then the villager apologizes to him, and it fades into him talking to Kaya with an extremely angry expression. I have no idea what to make of this, aside from what was presented--the villagers being agitated because of their lack of food.

Also worth noting Father sits away from the rest of the villagers. Despite saying they welcomed him, he doesn't seem to feel so welcomed, even after they apologized.

How Father died is really unclear but I found it funny. I think the horse kicked him hard in the head, snapping his neck in the process, since the bandits weren't shown to have weapons. Man did not think out his plan of attack, he just saw a jerk stealing rice and went murder mode.

I wonder why his head is fuzzy in Yomi. If it's just that he's been dead for a while and is losing his sense of self, or something else?

On that note, let's talk about Izanami. We were told her goal is to get people to stay with her forever, but in this flashback she seemed pretty willing to get friendly with Father, confess she's always hated being trapped down here (valid of her; ever read the myth of Yomi? She really got the short end of the stick), and she even gives him the idea of resurrecting and taking up arms against heaven. Although I'm not sure how serious she was, since she wasn't happy about him taking her koto no ha. Anyway, perhaps Izanami got more reluctant to let her visitors leave once this guy did?

Also, Father took up Izanami's mission because she was wearing Kaya's face. He fell right for her trick of adopting the guise of people you're close to, because he figured anyone with Kaya's face would certainly be trustworthy.

Considering how sudden Father's death was, it seems safe to say he didn't have an advance plan with Kaya to break him out of Yomi. She just happened to call his true name and summon him. So his status as an unknown being is coincidence?

We still don't know how Kaya dies. I assume Father returns from Yomi, where he's feared as a walking blasphemy, but she's as kind to him as ever. They grow closer, then she dies due to some ambiguous natural disaster, he decides to go after heaven. Basically, there's still a lot left to his backstory we haven't yet seen.

Interlude: Kazubisha mental breakdown. Bro I realized recently they haven't seen each other (with both being fully conscious) in uhhhhh six years? Before the hiatus. At that point I took pity on them and was like "forget Yatori, we really just need the Kazubisha reunion."

And honestly, I didn't want to get my hopes up last month. I was afraid Kazuma would return to her, then die in her arms. But this reunion is exactly what I'd hoped for and more.

Kazuma's pajamas. Kazuma tripping over Kuraha's tail. Kazuma lint-rolling the sofa. CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS?!?!

Bishamon holding him. Him asking if he's in heaven, staring at her face with her boobs right in his face. It's heaven to me!!!!!! I'm going through a lot rn.

Kazuma has remembered his name from when he was alive, but he didn't break. This is fantastic news, meaning he's survived GGS and is truly the shinki Yato needed to counter Chiki's power. But. But. Kazuma left Yato with the knowledge that Father was defeated, and now we can see he's not done yet. So what will Yato do now?

Yato will either need to get Kazuma back somehow (Bishamon still doesn't know about his second name) or persuade Yukine to rejoin the fight. Maybe we can hope Amaterasu comes back and handles the job instead?

The biggest development dropped on us this chapter was that Father has a second lifeline--Fujisaki himself. I think it's pretty astounding we as a fandom were dancing around this concept for years, wondering how much Fujisaki knows, if he's dead or alive, if Father is using him or colluding with him, but I don't think I ever saw someone predicting the lifeline thing. It seems we'll soon get an answer to how much he knows. My main prediction for next chapter is we'll get a flashback of the two of them meeting and see how that all went down.

Kind of what I'm thinking, with that point and the previous, is Yato will need to coordinate an attack on Father's spirit form and Fujisaki's physical form, using Yukine for one and Kazuma for the other. Either way, having to remove Fujisaki as an obstacle raises the moral question of if it's right to kill this human teenager. Even if he doesn't have free will over his thoughts and is essentially comatose while Father uses him, would it be right to execute an innocent soul? Have they been conspiring together this whole time? Again, how much does he know? It'll be a pretty interesting ethical question depending on how Fujisaki's relationship to trash dad shakes out.

On that note, what was he doing at the end there with drawing an eye on his face? Does that regenerate him or something? Our main knowledge of how masks operate is that you draw an eye on them with the koto no ha, and assign a name. The ayakashi named with the koto no ha are able to obey orders and even feel and think a little more beyond "smells nice" and "kill." So, is he turning himself into a being to be controlled by Fujisaki? Is that action saving his life? Or was that just a cool visual to end the chapter? So much we don't know. If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them because I'm a bit stumped!

[electronicnutcycle]

“I think there is wrong with Summerville”|| Phoebe Spengler x FEM!reader

Descriptions: You meet a girl (aka phoebe) and hit it off about the machine she found but can’t figure out what it is during the last class of the day , and being a paranormal and horror fan you eventually figure it out , but will you ever get to tell her?....

pairings: Phoebe x reader (platonic for now)

warnings: Nothing but a story , which isn’t real and doesn’t follow the main movie storyline (kinda).

.You had met Phoebe when she first moved here , you were late for class

.But that didn't matter as much too you , neither did school or good grade as you were more interested in the paranormal and horror anything , and it wasn't like you weren't smart you just didn't care about to getting to class on time or getting straight A's

.And as you sneak past the distracted teacher and slump down on a chair at the back at the class

.As you put you're backpack on the table , you look at the girl next to you , She had short , curly hair and had circular glasses that she back up her nose bridge every so often

.While you stared at her for a second too long , she didn't seem to notice as she was tinkering with some type of machine that you stumped you , even though it looked like you'd seen it before

."what is that" you asked trying to not seem like a creep "pardon?" the girl answered genially , like she had just snapped out of her own world

."I asked you about that machine , what is it?" "well , um i don't really know what it is yet , but I'll eventually figure it out" the girl replied back with a little more confidence "can i have a look?" you asked "yeah , sure" the girl said while sliding the machine across too you

.As you inspected the machine , you had this feeling that you had seen it before and that it looked eerily familiar , "i don't know why , but it looks really familiar , like I've seen it before but i don't know where" you had mumbled while racking you're brain "well , i gue-"

.The girl was about to say something before she was interrupted by the loud ring of the bell , when i registered the bell had rung and as i got off the chair and i spun around "what were you going to say by the way?" i asked "it doesn't really matter” the girl mumbled “ well , can I at least know your name” I asked with my hand raise to insinuate a handshake “the names phoebe” phoebe chirps while multitasking shaking and putting the machine in her bag

.”well , my names y/n and it’s a pleasure to meet you , hopefully I see you again but I best be going” you replied back with a wave as you begin to walk out the now empty classroom

.It was the last class of the day and as you walked home , you’re house is a few miles away but your mum was working and you’d had missed the bus , but too distract you from that you had begun to scroll through paranormal forms and wiki’s to maybe further the investigation of finding out what that machine was or just straight up find out what it was

.And find out you did , because you had just gotten home it was already dark and as you basically flew up the stairs to avoid your parent(s) and to get to your crappy family computer, and a few hours went by you had fortunately figured it out what it was

.It was a original ghostbusters trap and let’s just say you were a little giddy , especially too tell phoebe tomorrow and as as you ate dinner , did your night routine and got into bed you did some more info about the original trap and apparently it went missing a few months after one of the original Ghostbusters, Egon Spengler unfortunately passed away , which phoebe is maybe related too and maybe found it in the dirt farmers house somewhere

.And as you finally drifted off to sleep , you had this weird feeling , like you had chills even though it was July

.But you just brushed it off , everyone gets chills every once in a while it’s normal , right?...

part 2?

[darkestgrays]

for the wip game:

you play stupid games (you win stupid prizes), call it what you want and rip hayley !!

omg okay so

1. you play stupid games (you win stupid prizes) is from october 2021 and it's basically like instead of just klaus taking an interest in caroline it's klaus and rebekah !!! idk if i'll ever finish this but i love this idea still. i'll give snippet because why not (this scene takes place in 3x14):

It was a good proposition, it really was, it even had her smiling for a bit, but, she was so confused and so tired of Klaus and Rebekah weaving a web of silky pretty words to trap her into.  So she snapped. She said things she probably shouldn’t have to someone who could kill her in a literal flash about things she had no business talking about, and she threw the beautiful diamond bracelet to the floor as she turned around to leave. Her heart was in her throat and he could probably hear it about to leap out of her chest but she wasn’t done, despite her fear she still turned back around. “And whatever game you and Rebekah are playing needs to stop, I don’t want any part in it.”

2. that one was based of this thing i made, and it's basically kc as exes having to co-star as love interests in a show and also dating for pr LOL.

3. omg this fic... okay so right before i wrote spit the blood back, baby, i was writing this one and it's basically what if klaus had killed hayley instead of carol in 4x09 (?) but i didn't have much of a plot beside him killing her plus i didn't know how to move it forward so instead i wrote spit the blood back, baby, lol. i honestly wish i figure this one out eventually because i love the idea but here's a snippet:

She knew that if it had been her who had told Klaus, even if she’d managed to save the hybrids’ lives, Tyler would not have been as forgiving. If she had done a fraction of what Hayley had done, she would’ve already been burnt at the stake (once, he’d watched as she’d been tortured by his little werewolf friends and didn’t do a thing, a part of her always knew that he would never fight for her). So yeah, it was safe to say that the bitchy, spiteful, violent side of her wanted to tear that werewolf bitch into pieces. She wanted to see her be nothing more than a mess of blood-red pieces, but she wouldn’t do a thing because it was not right— There was a box addressed to Tyler on his porch.  It reeked of blood and decay.

[dnangelic]

IM DONE WITH THE FIRST LN..... it was rlly cute and idk how much i trust my summarizing skills (or google translate wheelchairing me thru everything) but ill try, disclaimer that not all of this will necessarily be in perfect detail or order bc i'm horrible at that but it's a gist(tm). LNs take place really early on in the series so daisuke still likes risa and hasn't properly figured out he likes riku yet, dark is WAAAAY more of a creep, etc. also putting it under a read more because it's enormous. open at your own discretion, this is ~200 pages condensed into one post

first few chapters is mostly shenanigans/general chara introductions and setting up the fact daisuke's class is doing a sleeping beauty school play. risa's the princess, hiwatari's the prince, daisuke and riku are basically fairy extras, but daisuke is also the last fairy with important lines that basically help to wake up the princess in the end. in the midst of all this daisuke transforms a couple of times but mostly keeps control of his body, clumsy gap moe darksuke stuff ensues, dark in his head even tells dai to go have some fun and daisuke snaps back that fun for dark is either stealing or flirting with girls and he's NOT doing any of that. 😂

daisuke kind of huffs and mopes about what's going on between him and dark a bunch, with dark 'stealing' risa away from him and simultaneously taking over his entire life, to which emiko offers to listen but daiki tells her that 'a confrontation with dark is a confrontation with oneself' and 'there's nothing you can do.' there's also this very nice passage about dark and his relationship with the artworks that happens:

daisuke was looking at the weathervane spinning on the roof of a certain western-style building. there are many buildings like this, which have both a profound sense of history and delicate beauty in the area where daisuke lives. as his mother once said, the townscape was perfect for a gorgeous phantom thief. these are precious objects that survived an era when art in general was treated badly by the rapid development of science and technology, and the people who used it. as works of art and the techniques used to create them were lost, their rarity value and prices soared, and now they were treated with more respect than before. daisuke had heard stories like this from his grandfather and mother. most of what dark aims for is something imbued with that lost technique. however, these items are not sold and are still sleeping in the basement of the niwa family's house. high tech is progressing in areas that can't be seen, and efforts are being made to prevent intrusions by unscrupulous people. ironically, the same science and technology that eliminated traditional crafts and their techniques are now being used to protect what little beauty and skill that remains. for daisuke, who transformed into dark, breaking through multiple security devices and traps to steal wasn't difficult to do. but how to earn the heart of the one he loved?

daisuke also misses kosuke (his dad) a whole bunch cause he isn't home yet and is still on a trip (he doesn't even know what his dad is really doing,) cue this portion too about his personal anxieties. interesting bits about how daisuke's family doesn't mind how daisuke does at school/goes as long as he prioritizes his skills as a phantom thief because a certain level of educational mastery is needed. daisuke wonders to himself whether or not his mom and grandpa would 'cry again if he asked them to be sensible' lmao.

anyways, emiko pulls out a couple of date tickets to a newly built aquarium/museum called the aqua dome/deep blue, says she'll pick out a cute and cool outfit for daisuke, dark offers to go in daisuke's stead, daisuke tells both of them to shut up and says that he can do it all himself. 'i'll never let you go!' he tells dark. at the aquarium itself it turns out the two tickets that emiko gave him provides admittance for two people per single ticket, so even though he expected a solo date with risa, riku and saehara show up too.

riku actually gets a lot of character focus for being 'strong' and not 'cute' like risa. she's simultaneously insecure/jealous but considerate of risa while risa likewise complains that no matter what she does, she'll still be the younger one with an older sister, and that can't change. riku's sense of conflict over liking daisuke while daisuke (at this point) still likes risa is described as her feeling both a 'burning feeling' and also being 'cold and dark as ice,' which i liked, given the way dnangel usually handles that thematic.

everybody (riku, risa, daisuke, and saehara) goes to a haunted house attraction. daisuke is willing to go because he thinks it's a good chance to show off his cool side since he's a pro at walking in the dark. there's a mechanical 'killer' that chases anybody in the haunted house, which daisuke immediately figures out in regards to how it functions. riku and daisuke also have a sweet moment where in the pitch dark daisuke starts shaking because he's terrified he's suddenly transformed, (he didn't) and gets misunderstood for constantly looking at the emergency exit, but riku grabs his hand and tells him everything's okay in a big sister-ly way, even though she's actually really afraid of blood and is trying to act tough to comfort/encourage him. she tells him not to be afraid because she's with him, daisuke says thanks then grabs her hand back. 'her hands, still a little smaller than the small daisuke's, stopped shaking a little.' 😭😭😭

they leave the haunted house attraction and figure out that saehara has pretty much gone off on his own. saehara comes across satoshi in a fancy suit inside an area 'modeled after some traditional opera house' (POTO REF POG) and satoshi gets described as 'some rich guy's bonbon' LMAO. wiz is also there and starts 'playing tag' with a guard. around the actual aquarium daisuke's having a great time, risa calls a sea otter cute and daisuke can't bring himself to say 'you're cuter,' which he's sure that someone like dark could have said without any embarrassment. (MY SON'S HIDDEN RIZZ!!)

daisuke finally gets to see the mermaid's tears (an artwork/red gemstones) being showcased at the bottom of the attraction, has this crazy moment:

'the reason for the "please do not lean over" warning on this fence is because the 3d light that is projected from the floor covering the mermaid's tears doubles as a sensor to detect intruders. the security device activates when the light is blocked. daisuke carefully listened as a security guard gave an explanation to two young women who were trying to touch the 3d mermaid.

that means we have to do something about security first.

reflexively thinking that, daisuke scratched his head and said 'no way, are even my thoughts turning into dark's?! i'm not going to turn into dark anymore!'

he screams internally while risa gets lost in the daydream sauce, they go to the gift shop, the great phantom dark is a broke ass middleschooler moment. all of the sudden, riku starts shouting at someone to give back risa's wallet- it's a pickpocket. daisuke's legs start moving as soon as he sees riku get pushed away and the pickpocket starts running. daisuke reminds himself he can't cause a commotion only as he's already tackling the guy, who he had absolutely no trouble catching up to/keeping up with. only, he's too small and there's no way he can compete with a grown man in strength, so he gets flung away. he stays where he is 'suppressing the urge' to throw a punch, hiwatari shows up above him sending security to catch the pickpocket, but also softly compliments daisuke for a 'great performance' while lending him a hand to stand up. turns out daisuke had stolen risa's wallet right back and still had it in his hand.

'what? ah ... ah .... '

it's obvious, after all. daisuke, holding risa's wallet in hand, could only laugh.

in fact, the split second daisuke was clinging to [the pickpocket,] he slipped the wallet out of the [pickpocket's] pocket, and just before he was hit by an elbow, he let go and fell. what he miscalculated was that he couldn't slow down enough and fell on his face. and then there was hiwatari. without him, this "perfect crime" would have been completed.

daisuke immediately starts considering satoshi and his own's circumstances.

'i once heard that people with cold hands have warm hearts. hiwatari is always alone. but is that what he wants? just like saehara, who is always chasing scoops, and like his classmates who attend cram school with their future in mind, i wonder if hiwatari is also trying to do something, at the expense of a normal, enjoyable school life. i wonder why he's going to such lengths to pursue dark.

even though i'm being chased, i have no goals. even though i'm just desperately struggling to escape from dark.

turns out deep blue if not the entire aqua dome was built Specifically with dark in mind, and that's why the area where the mermaid's tears' are is called the special exhibition room. daisuke bursts out laughing at the fact and hiwatari briefly touches him to ask if he's okay. daisuke blurts out asking if he wants to have fun too and hiwatari basically declines with nothing more than a 'faint, gentle smile' and a thank you. risa and riku rush over and start to fret over daisuke because his face has gotten all messed up; he tries to laugh it off and say 'it's no big deal' until riku's expression darkens and she asks him 'why are you being so reckless?'

even if someone asked me why, i couldn't answer because my body moved without any time to think.

(MY SON'S HIDDEN PROTAG SYNDROME!!) risa gets her wallet back and calls dai manly, dai gets rocketed into heaven just from that sole compliment. they go to the artificial beach that's part of the area, daisuke has a moment over risa and starts to transform.

daisuke ran as fast as he could, interrupting the love stories of the couples scattered on the beach. no matter how far you run, no matter how hard you run, your shadow will follow you. the strong midsummer sun gives the shadows a sense of presence. there is a clear boundary between light and shadow, but this is the opposite. what is shining is not the owner of this body, but dark, who's supposed to be a shadow...

... i'm embarrassed, pathetic, and angry because i was so excited. daisuke is always there. it's my other self who effortlessly accomplishes the things i want to do but can't.

dark walks out of the banyan forest daisuke had dived into and onto the beach like he's hot shit. unfortunately for everybody involved he is because the very first thing he does is start flirting with an icecream lady, who gives him an icecream cone 'about three times the height' of a normal ice cream cone, calling it a service. dark offers to give a picture or something in return to her btw, but she declines and only asks him to come again. dark says 'of course, i'll come to see you,' and winks swaggering off. he immediately hands off the icecream to some other girls who cling to his arms and bring up that he looks like dark, to which he has a total tony hawk moment.

'i thought i've seen you somewhere before, but don't you look like dark?' 'they look alike, it's so cool!' 'oh, did you find out? actually, i came to steal the mermaid's tears.' dark grinned, and the girls gaped for a moment, then burst out laughing. 'i almost believed it!' 'it's the truth.'

dark and risa have a moment, daisuke starts to fall into total despair. riku appears and dark hauls ass to transform back. everyone starts to leave the aqua dome because it's getting late, and it's riku and not risa who notices that daisuke is suddenly intensely depressed. he says he's fine and gives a half-hearted smile that looks like it's about to burst into tears, they fall into silence. cue a lovely image of daisuke staring blankly at the nighttime scenery. 'the image reflected in the window glass overlaps with the pitch-black town. without realizing it, he was gradually becoming darker.... daisuke couldn't escape.'

later in bed daisuke wakes up in a lot of pain to turn on the lights. he's relieved because 'instead of the beautiful phantom thief who is said to be more popular than idol celebrities, he saw a very ordinary face that is sometimes said to be cute.' turns out his back's hurting for the past few days harshly enough that he's getting sleep deprived. after transforming back from dark he fell about two meters (6~7 feet) and insists that he could have broken one or two bones if he weren't trained. emiko had laughed saying it was a product of his training, but for daisuke it wasn't any sort of laughing matter.

the pain is similar to the pain that occurs when transforming into dark. it slowly melts out from the core of the body. ugh, it hurts. it was a pain that felt like something was trying to forcibly reshape daisuke's body.

the next day at school saehara and daisuke start doing a manzai routine over wiz being caught transforming on camera. there's an ominous note in the midst of it regarding change: 'even if it transforms, then like a chrysalis, it won't go back to normal.' daisukes goes into the art room to finish on the last piece for the school play.

a forest of thorns covers sleeping beauty's castle. countless fingers that obstruct those who try to break the curse. i layered many kinds of dark colors on that forest. on her 15th birthday, sleeping beauty's future is suddenly closed to her, and her sadness is midnight blue. the thorns that cause anxiety are spruce green. the feeling of trapping despair is the same as dark's wings.

the glue made a clear shadow of daisuke on the test paper. the shadow of the brush that was creating the deep forest suddenly stopped moving.

it won't go back to normal. the curse can't be erased. i can't get those words out of my head. the only girl who can erase the curse is, of course, the only one who can see the curse itself. will i continue to be myself and no longer myself without anyone knowing?

hiwatari puts a hand on daisuke's shoulder as he's going unsteady and daisuke immediately says that he's fine, just not getting enough sleep- but also he hasn't made any progress on his homework, he has to memorize his lines, and he's being swayed by saehara. dai finally brings up that he's never really thought abut the future, and he immediately berates himself for talking about something like it in front of satoshi, who had excellent grades and was already part of the police force. hiwatari surprises him by saying 'me too, i've never though about the future. i've lived my life thinking only about one thing.' no further elaboration is given as hiwatari offers to help out and immediately picks out daisuke's coloring as 'the color of despair.'

daisuke laughed. i tried my best, but i ended up slipping up quite a bit. it's like i painted myself. like sleeping beauty, everything is taken away from her. her love, her body, even her future... she becomes dark and may never be able to return to her former self.

this might be a serious passage but daisuke comparing himself to a fairy tale princess is so funny and on point for me. YOU CAN DO THIS CHRISTINE!!! later after school emiko shows up with the entire aqua dome's cutaway floor plan, and daisuke has NO idea how she managed to get it but starts planning the heist out. everything is practically set against him; darkness is prevented, there's only one vent that's' too small to get through, and there are hidden passages not shown in the drawings. daisuke reaaally wants to stop being dark, dark himself yells NO!!! and emiko and daiki also barge out from the hallway to immediately berate him. 'don't be selfish! if you don't do it, who will? even though mother wanted to be dark, dai-chan just throws away his chance! that's terrible!'

daisuke shuts them out until they finally relent and his mother leaves him with a few last words of apology and this.

daisuke, don't blame dark for things you can't control yourself. i don't want to hear anymore about dark. daisuke covered his ears. what you're worried about now is nothing special. although it's a little different from what everyone else is having. don't be afraid. everyone notices their own carvings that they didn't know before. i'm going to go... his mother's voice did not reach daisuke.

emiko reminisces about her own mother telling her that while dark was never caught by the police and was sure that he had stolen a beautiful jewel, it was actually dark himself who had always been caught but never realized it.

several years have passed since then, and the time has come for the girl who wnated to be dark to be glad to be a girl. she meets the young man who will become daisuke's father and falls in love... the jewel in her heart shines like it's on firer. just for one person. you've already found your true treasure, right? aim for it. she imagined her son alone, waiting for the moment to take off into the great sky.

daisuke himself in the meanwhile is going thru it. he considers how his father can't be dark and wouldn't know dark, and likewise would be able to listen to daisuke's woes.

but where are you? when i woke up, my father wasn't home. that doesn't mean there were any problems, and judging from my mother's reactions, it seems like they were still passionately in love with each other. i've heard that he moves around the world for work, but i don't really know what kind of work he does. i can't believe that my father was also a thief...

...this may be the first time i've felt my father's absence so much. my mother and grandfather were enough to care for me, and even more, they always played with me when i got home. hide and seek, tag, and dogeball. survival versions with traps. ah, now that i think about it, i can only think that it was meant to help me escape when i became dark. once, when he was caught in a trap and injured, daisuke asked his grandfather, 'why do i have to do this?' now is not the time. when the young boy complained in tears, his grandfather flatly told him, ' the time will come when you understand.'

baby daisuke calls his grandpa a shitty old man (kuso jiji/くそじじ) which he apparently picked up through imitation from saehara without knowing what it meant, absolutely flooring poor daiki for a second before he decides to give daisuke a hint: 'all of this is to steal the maiden's heart.' dark pops up and he and daisuke bicker a little, which is really more like dark keeps his casual, annoyingly playful attitude while daisuke gives him a cold shoulder.

'i don't know dark. i don't even know what's going to happen to me...' ---isn't it interesting? i'm excited to see what happens. daisuke didn't have anything better to say to dark, who kept his playful tone. 'anyway, dark is special. he can do anything and knows everything.' --- ah, i've been perfect since the moment i existed in this world. but that's also boring... i need to refresh myself by playing with a pretty lady.' 'that's just a hobby, isn't it?' ---'i wouldn't say so. an unapologetic, bright voice. daisuke felt silly worrying about something like this. why did i talk to someone like dark... well, it would have been understood even if we didn't talk. dark, who seems to have fun doing everything and never takes anything seriously. while concentrating on the conversation in his mind, daisuke forgot about the pain in his body and fell asleep. ---do you know what it means to never change? daisuke couldn't hear it. dark's voice was a little serious. big deal... if you really want to win against me, you should change it. our destiny.

emiko and daiki warmly send daisuke off to school with a sports bag containing dark's clothes and some other supplies, daisuke apologizes to them in his mind and swears to himself again that he wouldn't turn into dark, which is a goal he terrifically fails as soon as the day is up thanks to riku. dark heads off to the aqua dome to finally get the heist started. cue the cool heist stuff, which i'm too lazy to transcribe the majority of rn, but trust me it's pretty cool and wiz is once again not getting paid enough for all the shit dark and dai make him do. daisuke refuses to speak throughout about half of the heist until dark cracks a joke about how 'loved' he is, and daisuke finally snaps that it's not the time to be joking and he's worried about getting caught and how he has to go to school tomorrow. (daisuke...) dark grins and brings up that daisuke finally spoke, then he immediately gets waterboarded and sent off to a different area by a flash flood. they're now stuck outside the area of their plans, daisuke starts having another moment of doomspiralling before dark tells him to quit it -

'don't think so darkly. i won't get caught.' ---where does that confidence from from...? 'where is this?' with the thumb of his tight black glove, dark pointed to his chest. 'are you that worried that you're being hijacked?' dark laughed arrogantly. 'there's no way anyone would like something like that.' daisuke felt as if his chest had been sliced open. he should have been able to feel the pain in his body right now. even though it's not there, there's still an unbearable pain. if you like and love something so much that you can't accept the growing feelings, it might be easier if they just disappeared. after all, it was my fate to be swallowed up by dark...

some more running around, risa clings to wiz-dark, saehara's somewhere in here too, you kids are crazy. at some point dark and dai start having this conversation:

inside dark, daisuke was devastated and drenched with worries. i don't want to think about anything anymore. then i'll happily take over your body and your future, just as you wish,' happily spoke a deep voice. 'and the one you like.'

daisuke remembers riku and unconsciously calls out to dark, who tells him 'don't yell. it's too late now. if it's fate, you'll just follow it while crying the whole time.' daisuke hits back with 'you don't know that yet! i'll change it!' to which dark grins and eggs him on a little more with a 'you tell me.'

'keep going like that and get out of here. please, brother. (kyodai/兄弟) ---we're not brothers. however, it wasn't a complete denial. in truth, somewhere deep down he was enjoying stealing beautiful works of art and playing chase with the police. maybe it was just as my grandfather had said, or maybe i was just being dragged along by dark's heart. what daisuke hated was himself. i found myself being dragged along by a situation that was unexpectedly changing at a dizzying pace. daisuke laughed. perhaps only dark can see that expression. because right now, in reality, this body is not my own. this heart is the only thing that keeps it alive. that's why you can't use it unless you feel strong. even if no one can see you, even if no one can hear you, this is proof that you are definitely here. daisuke can't help but recognize dark's true strength. and for the first time, i called out to my other self from the bottom of my heart. ---we're accomplices, right? we're the only companions who share everything, including our bodies and memories. a phantom thief who violates a maiden's heart. however, i don't like how he's always one step ahead of me.

this cuts into daisuke looking through dark's eyes trying to figure out a way to escape from the area they're trapped in, and the hilarious description of 'the artificial beach where dark was picking up girls' being the location right above them. hiwatari shows up and pulls out the cuffs, daisuke can't do anything but watch as he and dark dodge and squabble. hiwtari pulls out the heartwrenching line 'how many sacrifices have been made for your existence!' at dark, and hiwatari's suffering and pain is described as 'something that daisuke also knew well.' even though daisuke in truth had been enjoying himself, he couldn't anymore with hiwatari like this.

but... now, while he's cornering dark, there's hiwatari who feels like he's been cornered himself. i don't want him to look at me like that anymore.

hiwatari slips after cuffing dark and daisuke freaks out for him, 'reaching out for him' despite not being the one in control of the body. satoshi's glasses break but dark catches their owner, while hiwatari himself looks up at dark 'as if he to ask why he helped him.'

'there's someone who wants to help you.'

dark pulls out a flare/lighter of sorts and sets off a fire alarm and lets him escape, he turns back into daisuke who ends up meeting up with riku and risa. daisuke thanks wiz for helping him and being willing to jump into water even though wiz hates water, daisuke goes home clutching the mermaid's tears, a red gem that 'shines like a flame.' hiwatari muses that dark is an opponent you have to be careful with and that if you let your guard down or get impatient even a little bit, he can easily escape. later daisuke heads off to school again and 'mobilizes all the gods and buddhas to pray at the last minute that he would not transform into dark' during the school performance. riku's trembling from stagefright and when the trade glances she says 'it doesn't matter, i don't have many lines,' to which daisuke says 'don't say things like that. everyone has a role to play. besides...' the stage is set, the lights go out, and in the darkness, daisuke holds hands with riku. 'i'm with you.'

sleeping beauty turns out to be a huge success, the kids pour soda water all over each other instead of champagne, and the daisuke from a while ago probably wouldn't have been able to enjoy that sort of nonsense.

'i'm soaking wet, i'm covered in bruises, all sorts of things happened... i don't know what's going to happen to me, but something is starting to move. daisuke thought it might be a good idea to let the wind blow around him, because the future can be repainted freely.'

the LN closes with emiko finding a picture of riku that daisuke can drawn into his sketchbook, the mermaid's tears beside it.

the light reflected by the jewel, which contains intense feelings that cannot be expressed in words, appears to be lighting a red flame on the chest of the girl in the painting. the flame of my heart burns brightly.