#I still haven't learned this lesson apparently

[spaceacerat]

Please keep my cringe fail son in your thoughts. Hw keeps getting hit by boulders (not my fault [I mean it is but])

[dejablonde]

After checks notes an 111 day streak on Duolingo, I've started dreaming in swedish

[thewertsearch]

Would it be so difficult to believe a young lady could be unwittingly apprenticed by more powerful entities who meant her potential to be realized later through some arbitrary trigger? What would you say if I said a dutiful girl raised in the daylight was protected by a bulb-headed guardian, and learned to glow in the dark after death?

I originally thought the 'bulb-headed guardian' was Scratch himself, but the Mother Grub's head looks a lot more bulbous to me. Plus, she's basically a giant moth, and moths love lightbulbs.

Is Scratch implying that she turned Kanaya into a vampire? I guess that would be a good way to prepare her for Sgrub's challenges, but why would she have that ability in the first place?

What would you say if I said a vengeful boy on a path of nihilism was taken under the wings of fearsome angels, and learned to destroy hope with their light?

What, so Eridan was corrupted by LOWAA?

I don't know if this one tracks, to be honest. Sburb might be a motherfucker of a game, but I don't think it would sabotage a Player through his own Land's NPCs.

It's worth noting that these anecdotes are presented as hypotheticals by Scratch - which means that, even if they're complete bullshit, he still isn't technically lying.

TT: What would I say to those short fables? TT: Not much, except I gather the third is a story about me, and that there's a lesson you'd like me to take from it. TT: That I should renounce my "allegiance" before my grimdark corruption is absolute. TT: And while I'm at it, I should discard these useless wands, because apparently the power was in my little black heart all along. Is that right? Won't you have to give up your specibus to the one who causes the Scratch regardless? [...] TT: I don't know! If you say so.

I've never seen Rose so visibly confused before.

At this point, she's entirely at a loss, and fully dancing to Scratch's tune. You really hate to see it.

Haven't your friends already shown concern for your recklessness and your increasing sense of detachment from the party, the team objectives, and not to mention those of your personal quest? Does this worry you? Is there a part of you left that's able to worry? TT: Yes. It has been mysteriously localized to my middle finger. Could the dark magics be at work AGAIN?!

But, hey - at least she's not going down without a fight!

[yan-randomfandom]

Hello! We're back! Can you perhaps give us yan! Dev headcanons? Like he sees us as a new, better parent than his dad, and he decides to stop trying with his dad and ends up putting all of his efforts into us instead.

I love our adopted son lol

💘ficto anon

P!Yandere!Dev Dimmadome & GN!Reader

[PLATONIC] oh no... i love this req... dev,,, our poor bb 😔 half bullet & half drabble!!

"We can't just leave him here," a foreign voice murmured, careful to try and not wake the kid. Unbeknownst to them, Dev could vaguely hear two voices under his floaty sleep.

"Eh, he should be fine," another familiar voice shrugged. His son's heart would have shattered hearing that if he were fully awake. "Now, follow me to the office—what are you doing?"

Warmth. Warmth has enveloped Dev's entire body. Your arms gently carried him, a hand cradling his head.

Dev couldn't avoid the sigh of relief leaving his lips. He unconsciously snuggled closer to you.

"...Where's his bedroom? That's where he should be sleeping." You can't believe Dale was about to leave his son on the couch. Not even sparing a blanket or a pillow. It's freezing in their living room.

A scoff left the man before he turned around. "Follow me then."

You pursed your lips as you trailed after him. Are you being too intrusive? Seeing Dev like that just reminded you of your childhood, when you'd wake up in your bedroom after sleeping somewhere random. Your hold on Dev subtly becomes more protective, which is nothing short of a welcome change for him.

When you carefully put him on the bed, his hand quickly shot up and grasped your sleeve. You and Dale exchanged looks before he personally separated Dev's hand from you.

🕶️

The day after that, you visited their house again for important business, but Dev doesn't recognize who you are.

In fact, he despised you. He thought he was about to get bonding time with his dad again, but then you rang the doorbell and took him away.

Though... Dev was surprised to see you smile when you saw him. "Hello, Dev! We haven't officially met, but I'm your dad's business partner!"

You offered your hand. His dad is behind you. He took your hand for a shake, only for his sunglasses to drop halfway when his skin touched yours.

It definitely took you some time to gain his favor. And when you finally do, well... He's the sweetest boy you could have ever met.

That's right. Sweet. He'd offer you food and make sure you're comfortable in your stay at their home.

He just soaks in every second of your company whenever either you or him and his father would visit. Sometimes, he swears that he doesn't even need his father's attention anymore. It felt new... it felt like freedom, strangely.

Dev is a sassy one. Witty banter is something you'll always expect. Calling each other the wrong name is a thing now, apparently.

His father often sees the two of you bonding. He doesn't mind it, he doesn't exactly do anything.

Surprisingly, physical touch is one of his main love languages. He likes holding hands a lot and really likes it when you carry him.

The AU Pairs are barely used whenever you're around. They're mainly there for convenience, which is strange because Dev used to utilize them for everything.

But then, Dev finds you talking to someone else. He's clearly standing right in front of you. Why aren't you greeting him? Haven't you seen him yet?

You eventually turn, smiling when you see him. He wholeheartedly smiles back. "Dev! Hi! Make yourself comfortable, okay? I just gotta take care of things first."

... He isn't a priority?

If Peri's still here (rip), then he's obviously going to use his wishes as an advantage. Although he didn't even need to wish for your affection! No rules are limiting him! How lucky is he?!

Whatever he wishes for will likely backfire on him or you, and whether he chooses to learn a lesson from that or not is up to him. Peri will always try to support his godchild.

But... If there's no Peri... Dev starts to be more and more demanding. He's absolutely needy and won't stand if you reject his request.

At some point, he'd give you the silent treatment, his shades back up and everything, and you'll have to be one begging for forgiveness.

He certainly doesn't like the fights any more than you do, but he just... he needs you.

And he'd do anything for your attention.

"Let's try and make lemonade later, okay? I'll teach you how," you grinned, carefully patting his gel-filled head. "I promise."

"You better not forget," he quipped, excitement brimming through his very core. He has always wanted to do that with his dad, but now you're here! All the lacking years of quality time can be filled by you!

then you guys will pull pranks on his dad

[jyndor]

so apparently israeli workers are going on a general strike today in favor of a ceasefire because of the deaths of the six hostages. this feels like a moment where there may actually be either an end to this nightmare.

remember that the economy of israel has been wrecked - there are many factors but the pressure that bds has exerted on the israeli economy is a significant part of that. their economy has been downgraded like twice iirc, once literally a few days ago. this genocide has finally disrupted the comforts of living as a client state within and for the imperial core, and what I cannot say is if israeli society will learn any anti-racist, anti-apartheid, anti-genocide lessons from this mess (doubtful) but I do believe that it is now possible that israelis themselves will put on enough pressure to either force netanyahu to accept a real ceasefire deal or unfortunately to escalate to a level that we haven't seen before.

because while netanyahu is a symptom, not the disease of fascism in israel, he is also a particularly dangerous man because he knows that once this "war" is over, he's cooked and very likely going to be sent straight to prison for his corruption (doubtful he will see actual justice for the genocide but we will see).

now all of that being said, the biden administration still has immense power to keep this genocide going and keep supporting netanyahu if it chooses to do so. I do not see why it wants to so badly, it isn't like another israeli leader is going to be pro-palestine lmao and anyway netanyahu is imo also trying to fuck up harris's election chances (if you don't believe me... lmao he is literally in the bag for trump).

anyway keep eyes on palestine as always but especially right now because I am very worried that israel might do something even more heinous than its done so far. remember that israelis protesting for a ceasefire deal are mostly doing so because they want their hostages home, not because they've had a change of heart around palestinian liberation. there certainly are israelis who are anti-zionist and pro-palestine, but they are few and far between. and they do definitely need our support in this and every moment.

[phoebepheebsphibs]

Double-Mutated Mikey

Chapter 11: Anthropophobia

Continued from the short story written by @boots-with-the-fur-club

Prev || Next

Splinter is the first to meet April as she walks in. She's carrying several bags that hang from her wrists and arms. Apparently she went grocery shopping before she got here.

Splinter walks over to her and nods his head in greeting.

"Ah, April. Good to see you again..." he sniffs the air, his demeanour immediately changing from composed host to excited foodie. "Ooooh, is that tiramisu I smell?"

April laughs as she reaches into one of the bags.

"All for you, Splints," she says, handing the box of cake over to Splinter, who grabs it with a huge grin.

"Aha! Come to big papa! Thank you, April, this is very kind of you."

"Anything for you and the guys," she says with a smile. "Speaking of which, how's Mikey doing?"

Splinter pauses.

"...How much have they told you?"

"You know Donnie, he likes to be vague and build up suspense for dramatic effect. But he texted me last night to say how the mission went."

"Did he?"

"Sometime at like, midnight or one AM," she grumbles. "Just to say that the mission was a success and they got Mikey back. I asked how he was, and all he said was that he was alive and conscious. But I haven't known Donnie all these years to not know when he's hiding something. So, how is Mikey, really? Is he okay?"

"It's difficult to say," Splinter mumbles, walking back into the lair with April. "He's... he's awake and can communicate, to some extent. He can walk and even run. But... I'll let you decide when you see him."

April is unsure what he means by that, but lets it slide. She's sure she'll find out in a bit.

The three other Hamato sons come into the room to greet them. Leo is first, rushing in with haste. Raph comes in after him, his pace quick but not as swift as Leon's. Donnie meanders in last, his stride slow and somewhat sluggish. He looks exhausted.

"Hey, family!" she says, leaning in for a hug from Leo, who takes half of the bags from her as Raph takes the rest. "How're you holding up?"

"Well enough," Leo mutters. "All things considered. At least, I haven't had a emotional breakdown yet!"

Raph looks embarrassed. Apparently he can't match that boast.

"Where is the man of the hour?" April asks. "I got some new paint pens for him."

Leo looks uncomfortable.

"Uhh... we left him in Donnie's lab. I think he's still asleep... let's get these groceries into the kitchen for now; we'll tell you about everything."

April nods sadly as she follows the guys.

.

.

.

"Hold him still!"

"Stop struggling!"

"Get me 20 Cc's of the mandrill, the boa, and the -- crap, he's gotten loose again!"

Mikey shrieks as he jumps down from the operating chair and dashes to the exit. A guard blocks his path, a cattle prod in his grip. He flicks the switch on it and a loud grinding sound ignites as blue sparks fly from the end. Mikey makes a quick turn and dodges him, running to a corner of the room and cowering. The doctors surround him angrily.

"Where's that frost gun?"

"Over there by the table!"

"Antagonizing little cretin! You'd think he'd have learned his lesson from the last time!!"

One of the men in white comes back, brandishing a long thin airgun with a blue stripe down the middle. A special weapon made specifically for him, for when he acts out. The doctor points it at Mikey and pulls the trigger. A gust of icy air shoots out directly at Mikey. He screeches in pain as the shock of temperature causes his body to go rigid. He falls to the ground convulsing and shivering, painful stabbing sensations prickle across his entire body. He almost feels like he's dying. He can't move.

The guards grab him roughly. He can't move to fight back. Mikey sobs and screams.

He hurts so much, there are so many hurting places on his body.

Needles that have broken the skin to inject what Mikey can only assume is poison because of how much it hurts.

Bruises from where he has been forced into places with other animals to see how they interact. They are never friendly. Mikey is the only one to ever walk out of the room again. Instinct is efficient and ruthless.

There is no love in this room. Only hate. Only pain.

Mikey is taken back to the chair and strapped down. He howls.

"I'd advise you not to do that again," a doctor says with anger burning in his eyes. "Or else there will be consequences."

Consequences worse than what is happening now? He doubts it.

Syringes prick his arms. Oozes and slimes and ghastly liquids are shoved into his veins and bloodstreams. He can feel it doing painful things to him, he feels his bones shift and crack and grow and shrink. His teeth snap into new formations and his fingers start to elongate, the nails splintering and curving into talons.

Mikey sobs. Why is he here? Why do they hate him? Where are the other ones?? Where is Red, and Blue, and Purple? Where did they go, why have they left him behind? Did they escape this place? This place is all he can remember, apart from them. He only recalls needles and linoleums and cages and cold and pain and tears and hatred and fury and longing and loneliness.

Why did they leave him... didn't they love him, once?

Didn't anybody love him once?

No. No one could ever have loved anything from this place.

No one could have loved whatever it is that Mikey is.

.

.

.

Mikey's eyes snap open, tears streaming down his cheeks.

He doesn't recognize this room. It's another cage? It's a small white tunnel, he's stuck inside, he needs to get out!

Mikey clambers around, whining and crying like a puppy stuck in a kennel. He somehow manages to make a backwards shimmy out of the tunnel.

He is in Purple's lab. He wants to leave, now. Right now.

Purple and Blue and Red aren't in here. Where did they go?

The door is open. Mikey rushes out, calling for them.

He howls, long whining hoots that anyone within the lair could hear. Why don't they respond? Where are they?

They left him again...? They left him. They left.

Gone. Gone. Gone.

Mikey starts to whimper.

Should have known they would leave...

No, they wouldn't leave!

Then where are they?

Somewhere... Brothers are somewhere... He'll find them eventually.

No trust. Something bad. Smell something bad.

Mikey smells it, too. Where is the bad smell coming from?

It's not a disgusting scent. In fact, it is, in some ways, very nostalgic. There are traces of coconut oil in it. Sweet scents. But it is a bad smell.

Something dangerous is in the home.

It's coming from the kitchen...

Mikey goes into hunting mode. He digs his talons into the cracks between the bricks in the wall. As he climbs, the pads on his palms shift, tickling sensations that give pins and needles on his hands. Miniscule hairs create Van der Waals forces, causing a suction effect as Mikey starts to scale the wall and crawl to the ceiling.

He sneaks along the top of the hallway, following the bad smell.

Mikey cranes his neck down to peer into the kitchen. Everyone is inside, unloading bags and boxes and containers of food and supplies.

Rat is in the corner of the room, wiping his eyes. He was crying. The human who made breakfast is also in here, quietly rummaging through the pantries and cabinets as he places things away. He looks like he might cry, too. Blue, Red and Purple are holding someone in their arms. She is making a lot of noise, weeping and wailing and sobbing in their embrace. Apparently everyone was crying.

They must love her.

But she smells bad. She has the bad smell. Why trust bad smell?

The bad smell is human.

We don't like humans.

No... we don't... but the male human made the food for us! We trust male human?

NO. No trusting humans! Bad humans! They do terrible things to us. Mikey must not trust humans. Only Instinct. Instinct kept us alive.

Instinct kept Mikey alive...

The male human seems to sense something is watching them, and looks up. He yelps in surprise.

Red, Blue, and Purple turn to look at him, then at what he's pointing at. The girl looks up at Mikey and screams in fright.

He hisses back at her, growling loudly as his tail whips underneath him. The scales and scutes start to lift, the ridges on his shoulders and thighs raising high. His tail becomes a spiky bludgeon.

Let Instinct take over. Instinct will keep us safe.

Mikey can do it. Instinct Might hurt brothers.

Instinct is better. Stronger. Instinct is --

MIKEY CAN DO IT, he snaps back in his mind. His tail cracks like a whip again as he snarls angrily.

The human girl yipes and hides behind Red.

Mikey starts to creep along the ceiling, watching them. Making sure that the evil humans don't do anything to hurt Rat or brothers.

Red follows him around the room, raising his hands and guarding the girl.

"Mikey? Hey Mikey, come on down, bud..."

"How... how is he doing that?" the girl asks.

"Lizards can climb on walls," Blue mutters. "Remember we said he has lizard DNA now?"

"I can't believe... that's really Mikey?" the girl whimpers quietly, grabbing Blue's arm.

"It's him," Blue says. He sounds sad.

"Mikey, come down?" Red begs.

Mikey sneers at the girl.

"What? April? You remember April, right?"

Mikey snaps at her, baring his teeth. The canines are growing longer and longer.

"Mikey, she's your sister," Red enunciates.

Mikey's expression softens. Sister? Like brothers?

"Yeah, mi hermano, she's cool! It's big sis April!" Blue joins in, patting her on the head. "See? She's one of us!"

Mikey croaks at her, cocking his head in confusion.

Don't trust her. Don't trust them. Humans are evil. Humans did this to us. They hurt us, and kept us from brothers, and made us sad and scared. She will hurt you!

Red walks directly underneath Mikey and holds his arms out as far as he can. Mikey lowers himself into his embrace, dangling upside down from the ceiling for a moment before readjusting and wrapping his torso around Red's forearm, his spine twisting with flexibility that surprises his brother.

"Boa constrictor?" he asks, looking at Purple.

"I guess," Purple answers with a tired shrug.

Mikey keeps his eyes on the human girl. She cautiously starts stepping closer, holding a hand out to him.

"Mikey? It's me, April. Please say you remember me...?"

Her voice wavers. She sounds so sad.

Humans can be sad?

Humans only cause sad. How can this human be sad?

Her eyes become glassy and blur over. She sniffles. Her nose is red and her cheeks are rosy. She was crying. She was very sad. Why is she sad now?

Did Mikey make her sad??

Mikey mews at her. He feels bad now. Her fingers touch his beak. He takes in the scent on her hands... lotions, perfume, coco butter from her curls. Mikey doesn't remember her face, or her voice. But he remembers these scents. And they do smell safe. He loves these smells, though he can't remember why. His eyes water, the scents activating some distant and foggy recollection of a warm embrace and a soft hand against his head and the feeling you get when laughing too hard.

She might be human... but he loved her once. He can love her again.

Mikey purrs, closing his eyes and leaning his face into the touch. He hears her stifle a sob, stroking her hand across his forehead and down his cheek. Tears pool in his eyes and seep through. Soon enough, she's wiping the tears away.

The humans were never gentle like this in the other place. They never loved him. But she loves him.

He was loved once. He is loved again.

Prev || Next

[incorrectlumityquotes]

So in case you haven't heard, The Ghost and Molly McGee is over. For good.

And the crew of TGaMM are spilling the tea all over social media. Apparently, there was supposed to be a season 3. They even had scripts for episodes written up. BUT then Disney decided to cancel season 3 because they didn't like the numbers TGaMM was doing on Disney+.

I know The Owl House is dead and buried, so there's no point in beating a dead horse.

But still.

I know nobody listens to me but when I say "get those numbers up" I mean it. Could Disney learn their lesson? Probably not. Executives are stupid. They only know numbers and money. They don't understand art. They can see that something is popular, but they won't understand why it's popular and they'll make the wrong move.

If there's a show you like in the future, try to get their numbers up. Don't just watch it once. Watch it as many times as you can stomach. Don't just stream it. Buy a digital copy. Don't just get a digital copy. Get a physical copy if it's available. Don't just talk about it on social media. Buy their merch.

And if you're reading this and you're throwing your hands in the air going, "I can't do this. I don't have the money. You're asking for too much," just know it's not me asking for this. It's the networks. They want every show to be an overnight success. And not just an overnight success. A ballbusting, money making, cultural phenomenon of a success. And if not, they get canned.

Just compare the way they treat Phineas & Ferb and The Owl House.

And if you're not gonna listen to me then listen to Matt Braley's twitter. You guys like Amphibia, right?

Sorry, gang, but that's the way it is for all cartoons. Live action shows aren't held to that standard because it's cheaper to make. Animation is expensive and takes a lot of time.

but, whatever.

[rileys-battlecats]

👀 Wrentail was thw clan’s best storyteller?? What kind of stories did he tell? Could you mayhaps give us a little example? I mean I don’t expect you to have thought about the specific stories he told much but you got my curiosity so if possible I will take anything you’re willing to tell about this topic

I don't fully remember where the idea came from, but yeah I wanted Wrentail to actually have some kind of hobby outside of child abuse and rabid xenophobia HAHA, so with his special talent of Lying I figured he would've also been a good storyteller. Good at capturing imaginations, setting the mood through turns of phrase and gestures, and with a good sense for pacing in his story-telling. The stories told would vary, but they would probably range from personal anecdotes, to clan history, to folklore.

I imagine Micaclan as having a pretty rich folklore, with stories that impart lessons to their young members; practical lessons, but also moral lessons at the same time.

As for an example of a story Wrentail might tell, I was inspired to write a little snippet as an example!! I'm not a writer so this might be a lil clunky but I hope you enjoy anyway :P I'm putting it under a cut cause it got long haha

After a long day of training and hunting, Micaclan's apprentices and mentors gather close to discuss what they learned. Whitepaw shuffles nervously; he'd been so caught up in chasing a mouse, earlier, that he'd nearly careened off the edge of a cliff in his mad dash. Robinsong shakes her head at her apprentice, quietly disappointed and concerned.

She says, "You should know better than to chase so intently after prey like that—you weren't even looking at where you were going! Too focused on your prize. Haven't you heard the story of Pecanpaw's Tree?"

Hawkpaw snickers at the reminder of Whitepaw's earlier stunt, only to be quickly silenced as Puddlepaw's shoulder jabs into her side.

Whitepaw avoids looking at his mentor, and keeps his gaze fixed on his paws as he shakes his head, "No, I don't think so."

"Well, it's very applicable here. And that goes for all of you," Robinsong turns to look at the other gathered apprentices, "Hawkpaw, Puddlepaw, Mudpaw—This is an important story, an important lesson. Listen closely." Her eyes turn skyward, in apparent thought.

"Let's see... how does it start?"

Wrentail, beside Robinsong, lifts his head and touches the tip of his tail to her flank. She glances at her brother, before smiling and nodding. He straightens his posture, and begins speaking in a storyteller's lilt:

"It happened one day that a young apprentice, Pecanpaw, was readying for their assessment. The newleaf air was crisp and fresh, morning dew still clinging to the tender shoots of grass reaching up through the earth, and the pine needles under their paws were springy and soft, perfectly suited to cover the sound of their pawsteps as they hunted. All was calm, and the cool breeze carried with it the promise of abundant prey.

"Following the scent, they found their way to the base of a towering hemlock tree, so tall that the branches scraped the undersides of the clouds. And at its base, rummaging amongst the roots, was a squirrel. Not just any squirrel, either; from nose to tail tip, it was large enough to reach from the tip of their paw all the way to their shoulder. If they caught a piece of prey of that size, they would surely pass their assessment with no issue.

"Pecanpaw dropped into a hunter's crouch, and locked their eyes onto their quarry. With soundless pawsteps, they drew closer and closer to the squirrel. The air went still. With only the sound of their own heartbeat roaring in their ears, Pecanpaw readied themselves to leap—and then the wind changed. A gust coming from behind them alerted the squirrel to their scent, and it darted up the tree.

"Frustration tore through Pecanpaw, and they leapt up after their prize. Claws digging into the rough bark of the old hemlock, they kept their eyes locked onto the squirrel ahead of them. Up to the first branch, the second, the third—up and up and up. Always remaining just out of reach, the squirrel practically taunted Pecanpaw and their mission.

"With paws aching from exertion, they clawed their way higher. Before they knew it, the branches beneath them were willowy and thin, bending beneath their weight. Yet the squirrel continued to climb, and thus, so did Pecanpaw. They clung to the trunk of the old hemlock, continuing higher, higher, ever higher. Soon, there would be nowhere left for the squirrel to climb, and then Pecanpaw would have their prize.

"Finally, the end was in sight; only the thinnest of branches were left, and there was no further the squirrel could climb to. Pecanpaw, only a tail length away, could see the bristles of the squirrel's fluffy tail, see the twitch of its nose, its wide, glistening dark eyes. They could see it bunch its muscles, see it tuck into a crouch, and leap with reckless abandon to the waiting branches of the surrounding trees, hundreds of tail lengths below."

Wrentail pauses, taking the time to look at each of the apprentices in turn, before continuing.

"And as soon as their prize left their line of sight, Pecanpaw looked around them, and saw nothing but the tops of trees, felt nothing but the howling wind, smelled nothing but the cold moisture of the clouds. Their prey had been the only thing worth focusing on, they'd thought. Their prey had been the only thing they had focused on. But now, with the squirrel long gone, escaped into the branches below, they saw what they should have seen from the beginning. That the old hemlock tree reached into the sky itself, and that its branches were easy to climb up, but nearly impossible to climb down."

The apprentices wait with bated breath, eager to hear the rest. But Wrentail is already unwinding from the more formal storyteller's pose, lifting a paw to wash his face.

The tip of Hawkpaw's tail flicks from side to side, "So? What happened after that? How did Pecanpaw get down?"

Gullytuft, silent up until now, meows, "How do you think?"

A beat of silence.

"...They fell," Puddlepaw concludes, "They couldn't climb down. They were too focused on their prey and didn't pay attention to their surroundings, didn't stop to think. That's why it's a lesson, right? You're supposed to think about Pecanpaw before you start being reckless and chasing after prey without thinking. Or you might get hurt, like Whitepaw almost did."

"Spot on, Puddlepaw," Sandleap meows.

They preen a little at their mentor's praise, but sober quickly. Pecanpaw's Tree isn't a fun story, not when it feels so real. Any of the apprentices could've been Pecanpaw today. They promise their mentors that they will think before acting rashly.

[zepskies]

Hi Zep!! Question time! Apologies in advance for the multiple questions, apparently my sleep deprived brain was on a roll 😂 Are you working on anything fun or have any ideas you’d be okay sharing, kind of like a work in progress? Any more plans to write for Russell again (or maybe once Tracker is back on)? Have you ever thought about doing a crossover type of fic with multiple characters from different shows interacting (ex. Dean and Soldier Boy)? Do you have any Dean headcanons? Or about any or your favorite characters? 👀 Happy answering! 💕

Hey, Michelle! Ooh don't apologize, these are awesome questions! Though I hope you got some rest last night. 😂

Coming Soon: Dream With Me

I actually am working on a 3-part story for the Midnight Espresso-verse (Dean Winchester x Reader) that will start posting next week! It's called Dream With Me, and will be set in 15x20... If you want to learn more about it, here's the announcement with the summary and sneak preview!

More Russell Shaw? (Tracker)

Actually yes, I have considered writing another one-shot for Russell Shaw that would be like an epilogue for Every Second Counts. Or maybe just another one-shot that lives in that world, if you guys still want to read more about those two after I drop Part 5 later today!

Coming Soon? WIP Ideas:

I also have a few ideas that I've been kicking around in my head, or even partially outlined, but haven't fully written yet. Honestly, I'm not sure which one to tackle first. Maybe you can help me with that. 😘

Here they are:

"Don't You Forget About Me" - (Dean x Reader) Basically a retelling of 4x13 "After School Special," but with a Breakfast Club twist. 😜

Beau Arlen one-shot in the Take Me Home-verse. Premise: "Self-defense lesson" lol.

Or a more angsty hurt/comfort shot in the TMH-verse. Premise: "A snapshot of Beau's lingering PTSD from Randy's death."

Yet another Break Me Down (Soldier Boy/Ben x Reader) one-shot, this one set after Calculated Risks. I've gotten several requests to both continue on what happens after that story, but also to tell the story of the reader and Ben's wedding lol. So the premise would be: "At your son's first birthday, with your family and friends present, you and Ben find yourselves reminiscing about the chaotic day of your wedding."

Do you like the sound of any of these?

Crossover Stories:

You know, I've never been a crossover person for some reason. I think my brain likes the compartments of worlds and characters kept within themselves, unless it makes sense to crossover. For example, I couldn't see SPN world crossing over with The Boys world. The "rules" of each are just so different lol. But I have read one or two crossover stories I enjoyed.

Dean Winchester Headcanons:

Do I have Dean headcanons? Oh, yes. Yes I do. 😂

They all live in my Dean Winchester Imagines/Headcanons masterlist, but they're also structured like vignettes that feature Beau Arlen and Soldier Boy as well.

All of these have been requests (**Notes 18+ only):

Headcanon:** How Dean Winchester, Beau Arlen, and Soldier Boy (Ben) would react to seeing your breast reduction scars. ❤️‍🩹

Headcanon: How Dean Winchester, Beau Arlen, and Soldier Boy (Ben) would make up for pissing you off. 😤

Headcanon:** How Dean Winchester, Beau Arlen, and Soldier Boy (Ben) would react to you teasing him under the table. 😉

Headcanon: How Dean Winchester, Beau Arlen, and Soldier Boy (Ben) would react to you getting “morning” sickness during pregnancy. 🤢

Headcanon: Personality types Castiel, Sam, and Dean would be attracted to. ⭐

If you have a headcanon prompt for me, whether in "quasi-narrative" form like these^ or as just my headcanon thoughts, I'd be happy to brainstorm one up for you. 😉 I haven't done one of those in a while.

Thank you so much for these questions, my friend! I hope these ideas and headcanons spark your interest. 💕

[spookymystery67]

I Wish I Could Walk In Heels

AN: Long time no see. This took way longer than I had hoped. I guess life is really kicking my ass right now, so apologies. I really appreciate all the support from everyone who reads/comments/likes my story. It really helps with motivation when I feel like my writing is awful. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! I'm hoping that now that we're moving on to the actual game story line that it will be easier to get chapters out now that I don't have to rely fully on my imagination. It's lacking right now lol. Enjoy!

-2004-

Chapter 19:

“You'd think you and I would have learned our lesson by now.” 

“Just help me get down, you lunatic.” You grumbled once you could look at her properly, as you were finally done spinning in uncontrollable circles.

Ada couldn't keep her composure any longer and let out an amused laugh at your predicament. She tried a few times to stop and regain her breathing, successfully doing so before she looked back up at you, only to begin laughing harder once more when she caught your unamused glare. 

She couldn't take you seriously when you were hanging upside down by your left leg from a beam, struggling to get yourself free from the tangle of wire as you growled at yourself over your failure. Your growling was turned to aim at her when she had made no move to help you down and her laughter showed no sign of slowing down.

“Ada, my love. Please stop laughing and get me down from here.” You said as sweetly as possible through your irritation. You were becoming more and more lightheaded the longer you were stuck up there and your leg was going numb from holding all your weight.

Ada had to brace her hands against her knees to stop herself from falling over due to her laughter throwing her off balance. She stood to full height as her laughter slowed down to a stop, looking at you with fondness and love in her expression.

“Of course, my love.” She moves to help carefully untangle you. “You know, maybe it's time you give up on the grappling hook. It's only ever caused you pain and embarrassment.”

“True, but it also brings you amusement.” You pointed out. Ada nodded in agreement.

“Definitely. But I don't want to see you get hurt, dear. Plus, it's been six years. It's just not meant to be if you haven't got the hang of it by now.” Ada said as she finally untangled you. She quickly caught you as you fell, placing you gently on the ground and holding you steady as you tried to get over the dizziness that nearly made you tumble to the floor of the abandoned warehouse building you both chose to practice in.

You huffed in disappointment. “But I don't want to give it up. It's cool.”

Ada smirked. “Only when you can actually use it correctly.” You playfully shoved her away from you in response to her teasing.

“Well, apparently not everyone can be as cool as you.”

Ada shook her head in amusement as she wrapped her arms around your waist, pulling you in close. “Oh hush. You are cool. Just in your own, unique, way that others may not fully understand.” She cooed.

You raised a brow, unimpressed with her teasing attempt to “comfort” your bruised ego. But, you couldn't resist her soft smile and beautiful brown eyes for long. 

Your face broke into a smile and you gave up on being fake angry with her. “Fine. I give up. Clearly the only people that can use grappling hooks are you and Batman.”

“Does Batman use grappling hooks?” Ada questioned, having no knowledge on comic book superheroes.

You shrugged. “How else does he get on top of those tall ass buildings to stare out into Gotham City and brood?”

“The elevator?” Ada sassed.

The mental image you conjured up of Bruce Wayne dressed up as Batman trying to ride an elevator to the top without being seen by civilians makes you let out a cackle. Ada looked as proud as she always did to get that reaction out of you from her stupid jokes.

“So, I was thinking.” Ada started, still holding you in her embrace. “Maybe we can take a break from work for a while. Have a little vacation for a few weeks and just enjoy each other's company.”

You looked back up at her with surprise. “Ada Wong, the most workaholic person I have ever known, wants to take a break from work?” 

Ada raised a brow and squeezed your waist tighter with a smirk. “Is that not what I just said? Do we need to get your hearing checked?” She said as she lightly flicked your ear.

You swatted her hand away with a fake glare. “Well excuse me for being skeptical. Any breaks that we've had over the last six years were the result of me whining and begging you to submit due to sheer annoyance.”

“I was never annoyed with you. I just like to play hard to get.” 

You looked at her in mock confusion. “Hmm, you weren't that hard for me to get.”

“But if anyone asks, I was. I have a reputation to uphold here.” Ada teased. She playfully booped your nose just to see it scrunch up in reaction. Her smile widened as your brows furrowed in slight irritation from the gesture. “So… is that vacation a no?”

You quickly shake your head. “No! Not a no. I wouldn't mind taking a breather. Any place you have in mind?”

Ada shrugged with a smug smirk. “I have an idea or two. But it's a surprise.” 

You had a love/hate relationship with surprises. Under normal circumstances, you hated not knowing what “surprise” someone thought up involving you. But with Ada, you tend to love whatever surprise she had for you. She never did anything that would make you uncomfortable and always took note of whatever interested you and kept them in mind for said surprises in the future. 

“Hmm, alright. Knowing you, I wouldn't hate it.” You accepted.

Ada goes to respond when a voice from behind you interrupted, making her freeze for a moment as she looked over your shoulder.

“So this is what you have been up to these last six years, Ada. Playing house.”

You quickly turned to face the intruder as Ada moved to subtly stand slightly between you and the unknown man. He looked vaguely familiar. But you couldn't quite put a finger on it.

Though judging by the way Ada was immediately on guard, you could easily assume the stranger was bad news.

“I quite honestly never pegged you as the type to settle down. You always seemed to prefer to be constantly on the move.” The man said.

You observed him as he walked closer to the two of you. His demeanor screamed professional and dangerous. The type of guy with a no nonsense and straight to business attitude. He seemed completely unbothered by your presence, or by the gun in your hand that you took out and had pointed at him as you moved to stand by Ada. So she wouldn't be in the crossfire.

The man had blonde, slicked back hair and pale skin. His age seemed to be around his thirties or forties from what you could tell. He wore dark, professional clothing and donned a pair of sunglasses that covered the color of his eyes. 

The sunglasses kind of reminded you of when Ada had worn hers back in Raccoon City, as they were completely pointless in the dimmed lighting of the warehouse you and Ada had deemed appropriate for training.

“Yeah, well, I'm full of surprises.” Ada purred dryly. Her guard was up. Her mask on. Unbothered. Toeing the line between professional and flirty. She nudged you slightly, her way of telling you to put your gun down. You listened, trusting her to know how best to handle the situation.

“I'm fully aware. Don't think I have forgotten that you had backed out of our deal, Ada. You're lucky I have more important things to concern myself with other than wanting you and your little girlfriend dead.” The man said. 

Oh. 

You should have known.

This was Albert Wesker. That's why he looked familiar. You had seen a picture of him six years ago when you were snooping through files just before Raccoon city fell. You also, very clearly, remembered that this man had wanted you dead and for Ada to do the job. You wondered if that was still the case, but decided to keep your mouth shut for the time being.

“Why are you here?” Ada questioned, wanting nothing more than to get you away from the man. But, she had to engage in conversation with him. She already knew that fighting your way out of this would be pointless and needlessly dangerous for the both of you. 

She could handle this without endangering you.

“Business. I have a job for you. One that requires your particular skill set. Despite your previous failure,” Even with his sunglasses on, you could tell from his tone alone that he was giving you the side eye. “I am willing to give you another chance. And you will be paid, of course.”

Ada raised a brow as she swayed closer to shield you once more. 

“That doesn't sound like you. Giving people second chances.” She skeptically stated. Though, it sounded almost like playful teasing with her mask on. You saw right through it.

“You're not the only one who is full of surprises.” Wesker deadpanned. He seemed bored of the entire conversation.

She smirked. “And if I refuse?” Ada seemed to already know the answer to this question, but asked it anyway.

“Simple. I will kill your little girlfriend here.” He pointed toward you, before turning back to Ada. “And then I will kill you. But you already knew this. Don't waste my time with idiotic questions. Now, what will it be?”

You didn't really like being so casually threatened. But you stayed silent.

Ada glanced back at you, who was quiet throughout the conversation, debating. While you felt you both could take him in a fight, you still had to consider the alternative. 

Umbrella wasn't at all as powerful or influential as it was six years ago. Both you and Ada had a part in that downfall. You had a feeling Wesker knew this. Was he even a part of Umbrella still? Neither of you knew for sure.

But you had to assume that he still has some influence in whatever he was a part of. Meaning he had numbers. Meaning he had back up. Of course he has back up, he's not an idiot. You likely wouldn't make it out alive if Ada refused and tried to fight him off. 

All the more reason to accept his threat/offer.

You gave her a single nod, knowing she had a similar thought process as you. She knew the best way out of this situation. She knew him better. Yet she still paused for your input, making a warm feeling pool in your chest at the fact she cared about how you felt in the situation. You forced yourself to brush it off.

Now is not the time to get distracted by the love of your girlfriend.

Ada turned to face Wesker. “We're a package deal. I won't go anywhere without her.” She said, referring to you.

Wesker looked unimpressed, but accepted nonetheless. “Very well. The payment I have in mind is more than enough for two. But if she interferes with the missions in any way, you both will regret it.”

You didn't appreciate being bad-mouthed like you weren't even there in the room to listen. You spoke up for the first time since Wesker had made his presence known.

“Don't worry, I won't sabotage the mission.” You affirmed. You had a lot more unpleasant words you wanted to say in mind, but chose to not risk the situation turning into more of a problem.

Ada nodded in agreement. “I trust her more than anyone to help me get things done.” Her sincerity shone brightly through the mask she donned for Wesker. You weren't sure he even noticed, or cared to.

“Wonderful.” Wesker deadpanned. “Shall we discuss the details.”

—

You and Ada had to endure hours of debrief from Wesker. To sum it up, the mission was to take place in a village in Spain called Los Iluminados, where you were both to obtain an object called the Amber by someone named Luis. 

You've also both figured out that Wesker is part of the Organization Ada works for. And, by extension, you. The fact that for the last six years, Wesker knowingly and purposely spent the entire time staying out of your radar left you uneasy. If he wanted you dead before, why didn't he just kill you himself? He had the power.

Not knowing exactly what he was planning left you both feeling extremely uneasy. You only had educated guesses based on his past actions to go off of.

“Hey, you know everything is going to be fine, my love.” Ada voiced after you both searched the hotel room for hidden wire taps or anything that Wesker could use to spy on you with. It was clear. You could speak freely.

Her mask was off. The true Ada you know and love returned. Sincere and loving as always, worried about you and how you felt. She could sense your unease from a mile away and wanted nothing more than to comfort you.

You took off your jacket and tossed it on a lounge chair, before facing her fully. “I don't like it, Ada. I really don't.”

She nodded in agreement. “Believe me, I'm not a fan either.” 

“The fact that this entire time we have been together, Wesker knew and did nothing? It worries me.” You said.

“Well, we both suspected he was fully aware of everything. Why is it so surprising?”

“Suspecting and knowing for sure are two, very different, things. I had a small peace of mind when I was oblivious. Now I want to know what the hell he is planning.”

“The only person who knows Wesker is Wesker. Not even his closest 'friends’ know him well.” Ada said. She walked over to the loveseat placed in the very large hotel space. She sat down and encouraged you to sit right next to her.

“Still, six years and not a peep. No threats. Then suddenly he needs you.” You ranted as you sat beside her, on her right side.

“It could be a test. To see if I can be trustworthy.” Ada stated a possibility.

You paused, thinking for a moment. “He sees you as a means to an end. This mission is dangerous. It's very similar to Raccoon City. If you fail, if you die, he'll just send another.” 

Ada smirked, knowing you were right. It does seem like Wesker. “Sounds spot on, my love. He was saving all of his threats until we were needed for a suicide mission. He is sending all of his untrustworthy people first. If we die, which he could think is likely, then his problem will be solved.” She said to you as she placed an arm around your shoulders, pulling you closer to her.

You lay your head upon her shoulder with a sigh. “What if we don't die and we succeed in getting the Amber? Will he actually pay us or will he kill us?”

Ada paused. “I'm not entirely sure. Though, I am willing to bet that he won't just let us go without issue.”

“So, we won't hand it over?”

“We'll decide that when the time is right.” She shrugged.

“I don't know how I feel about going to this village. From what Wesker said, it's a little too similar to Raccoon City for my tastes.”

“I agree. But we won't be there for very long. Plus, we'll be right by each other's side throughout the whole thing. You have my back, I got yours, right?”

You nodded sincerely. “Of course. I've got you.”

Ada smiled, “And I've got you.” She pulled you even closer to her, if that was even possible. While you always felt safe in Ada's arms, she always felt the same way in your own. It was a mutual comfort.

You turned into a more comfortable position to return the hug properly as you both sat there in a comfortable silence.

“Guess that vacation will have to wait, huh?” You muttered quietly into her shoulder. She hummed with laughter as she held you tightly.

“Seems like it. Don't worry, I'll make it to you eventually.”

[gofancyninjaworld]

The OPM Manga in 2023

By the numbers:

23 updates (most 14 days apart, shortest interval: 9 days, longest: 33 days).

662 pages (range 12 - 41 pages, mean page count: 29 pages).

Volumes published: 2 (Volumes 28 and 29). 1 bonus chapter included in Volume 28 -- Olfaction.

By the story:

Psychics and Temper Tantrums (chapters 176 - 184)

Well, the Monster Association is behind us but the fallout from it is slowly beginning to settle. Most of the heroes are now back at work and some of the consequences of a world that's increasingly scared of monster attacks are beginning to show up. The first quarter of the year was taken up with Tatsumaki's temper tantrum -- and Saitama once again daring a strong person to do their worst -- it's like he didn't learn his lesson with Garou, which disappoints me. [I love Saitama, but when brains were being handed out, he was not at the front of the queue.]

That said, even though I did not care one whit for Tatsumaki throwing Saitama around (it wasn't terrible, but really it could have been condensed into 1-2 chapters), the start of the Psychic Sisters arc was fantastic, and its ending was very interesting. I made a nuisance of myself at the start of it, pestering everyone in earshot with my excitement that Tatsumaki was taking Fubuki into her confidence to try getting Psykos out rather than trying to do everything herself.

Her complex feelings of disappointment, betrayal, and the sense that she'd made a mistake were some of the most complex and nuanced we'd seen in the story. She may be paranoid and misanthropic, but she's not crazy: there's a basis for her actions, and being knocked back just when she'd taken the risk of opening up was harsh. Unfortunately, Tatsumaki's default response is rage.. and I'm not going to waste time on recounting what happened then.

I felt pain for her here.

The end as well, expanding as it did on Tatsumaki's thoughts about how she'd accidentally woken Fubuki's psychic powers by scaring her so badly and the guilt she felt at having made her sister a target, was great. Her feelings about Blast are great, as this is the first time we get what she actually thinks of him. I still want her to learn that Blast doesn't work alone -- it'll blow her mind. The session ending with her giving the Fubuki group a chance to grow stronger and prove themselves is a fantastic development.

Even when she's giving someone a chance she still has to be scary.

Schemes (chapters 184, 187 - 191)

I really love how seamlessly the Psychic Sister arc flows into the next big theme: that of schemes and threats to the Hero Association's future. ONE has done a lot of work reworking the webcomic story so that the storyline is a coherent whole rather than two-three apparently unrelated storylines. Fubuki taking advantage of the chaotic aftermath to extract Psykos while securing immunity for her sister, and Tatsumaki brazenly using the HA's need to keep the rich clients sweet to scupper an investigation into Psykos's whereabouts was all clever. However, they're just amateurs and their antics played beautifully into McCoy's hands, who leveraged the crisis to make himself appear indispensible to the HA, thus making it very hard for him to be removed, even as he works to implicate the Hero Association in scandals (many of which he's running).

You can't call McCoy hasty: this guy has played a good long game.

The Hero Association is already having issues recruiting new heroes as they're going to Neo Heroes, which is also pinching existing heroes. However, it's not 100% going McCoy's way. Something I started praising in my review of chapter 173 is the greater self-efficacy of the characters in the manga. Sekingar and Sicchi haven't just been sitting on their hands watching McCoy sell the HA down the river. They've teamed up with Child Emperor to find out what he's really up to.

I think that this is the best cover of 2023: a collection of individuals who embody heroism, whether or not they're recognised as such or work in 'regular' ways. Well, there's one impostor…

Critically, they're not assuming that the Neo Heroes are necessarily evil: they want to understand what this outfit is actually doing. After all, heroism is heroism, no matter what guise it takes. To see that Sekingar has so earned Metal Bat's respect that the latter follows him into the heart of danger did my heart good [1].

Please, my poor heart, it'll burst if things get much more awesome.

Ninjas, Ninnies, Nintendos (193 - 199, ongoing)

That Blast has some connection to the ninjas from Sonic's Ninja Village has been clear for a long time in the webcomic. [2] However, it is only here in the manga that we're getting a full explanation of what that connection is.

Yes, yes, my partner may be a monster but he's a useful monster.

The intertwined story of Blast and his attempts to reach his former partner, Empty Void, who was also running a horrifying 'school' for grooming boys into assassins, and that of Flashy Flash and Speed o' Sound Sonic isn't done yet, but it looks to be reaching at least one turning point. It's a pity that the fan translators stopped translating the cover text because that for chapter 199 was incredibly pertinent: 'Staring at the back of a friend you used to stand shoulder to shoulder with.' Sonic has so much to process.

And like that, Sonic's world has been turned upside down.

Since Blast has an ongoing relationship with Empty Void, we get troubling questions as to how long Blast had known about the Village and whether he disapproved, or had been content to ignore it as long as he had his partner by his side and found his talents indispensible. It's going to be interesting when those two meet! Also, if Blast is hoping to reverse Empty Void's monsterization, he'd better hope that the guy isn't like most people who became monsters. Most ex-human monsters *want* to be that way and there doesn't seem to be a good way to undo it. Well, maybe if you chop them up, have Phoenixman (oops, he seems to have lost his powers) resurrect them, then shock them incredibly hard, that might work. It's unlikely that anyone present can deduce what happened to Gale Wind and Hellfire Flame, much less put all the working parts of that together.

Still, they're going to try. This *is* going to be interesting. Also, potentially heartbreaking.

Reappearances

Genos: the disciple returns to his duty

Unlike the webcomic, Genos has not been completely absent. He's been quite busy: helping Saitama recover their apartment, meeting the Hero Association to discuss important matters, and also, hanging out with Saitama as a friend rather than as a disciple. It's been fun to see that he's finally ditched his flip phone for a smart one, heheh.

Nevertheless, it's not until Dr Kuseno finishes his new upgrade that Genos sets foot in Saitama's house, formally reporting for duty, so to speak. I praise Saitama's self-discipline and good sense in not breaking eye contact and in politely ignoring his disciple's new-found exhibitionism until he had the sense to put a shirt on [3].

Less positive, it's been painful to see that Genos is frustrated at how he doesn't seem to have grasped the kind of growth he's looking for and is unsure whether Saitama truly sees him. It's not been helped by Saitama trying to reassure him, pulling his best 'Reigen' face and instead made everything worse. There are two interesting shames, which will surely be built on at some point. 1: We see Saitama seeing Genos's strength but he doesn't say anything. 2: Genos is right that the strength that comes from within is different from that granted to one by upgrades. We see in another chapter from Nichirin, that having artificial parts is no hindrance to pulling out that great inner strength. The funny thing is that Genos has shown that kind of strength before, when he was fighting Elder Centipede, but he doesn't know it.

Ah, despite everything, those fools are no better at speaking to each other than they were before! It'd be hilarious if it weren't so tragic.

Rarely have the words 'open your mouth and solve your problems' been more apposite. Sadly, that's exactly what they don't do.

Garou: the other disciple tries to learn duty

Now this really threw a lot of fans for a loop -- ONE making clear that he's aware of how young Garou actually is. It was very easy to read Garou as a guy in his early twenties, but strip away the pretensions and he's really young. His over-simple understanding of what was wrong with the world and his over-large sense of responsibility to fix it are thoughts of a teen. It's just a good thing that teenagers don't have world-shattering power, and so can be extreme and wrong without hurting anyone. But it has really jarred with a lot of fans.

I may be giving Bang the side eye as he implements his idea of reformation (apparently, it involves hitting Garou over the head often), but the sense of lightness Garou feels at having a reliable mentor, the relief he undoubtedly feels at having a way to work his crimes off -- being a social outcast may seem cool in a 'reject-the-corrupt-world' way but it gets old fast -- and being able to contribute meaningfully to the dojo's re-establishment is palpable.

His life is sure to start sucking again soon, but for now, it's a joy to see him.

Let him gambol for now. Go Garou!

King: ugh

Sorry, King just irritates me some days and this was one of them. Not because he was running around trying to find someone who could help him: that was fine. But because, unlike the webcomic, once Saitama told him to work out, he's continuing to stick around and play videogames. In a world where everyone is trying their best to make sense of their world and help themselves in some way, however imperfect, the sight of this poster child for mediocre white men overpromoted for looking the part continuing to laze about just pisses me off.

Let him start helping himself and I will praise him.

He's been told what to do but he's not doing it.

GAY!

This year, ONE said: here, my children, I have brought you a pint of homo milk. Drink. What else are we to make of Fubuki triumphantly cradling Psykos as she makes a clean getaway?

This has to be the smuggest 'got the girl' face I've ever seen.

Or Blast continuing to call Empty Void his partner, despite everything that the guy has done, including turning into a monster? He wants him back so badly, and though he says it's strictly professional interest, we think the man doth protest too much.

And then whatever's going on with these two:

Flashy Flash, you ain't got no business calling Blast soft when you're handing Sonic tissues and smiling at him.

Fandom Follies

Do we need to do this? Yup! This year, we discovered that a lot of dudebros who have been against the idea of romance in OPM have just been shippers afraid to come out and own it. The sheer number of Saitama x Tatsumaki fans has been incredible. Nothing wrong with SaiTatsu but the obnoxiousness of fans new to shipping has been hard to tolerate. Learn some manners, folks!

Asides

[1] I think this is great foreshadowing of something Forte says later in the webcomic to paraphrase, risking your life for another hero is something you do as a favour for a friend, not because someone's declared themselves the boss of you and ordered it. It's nice to see Sekingar embodying that ideal.

[2] It's hard to believe it, but to this day (chapter 149), Blast is not yet seen in the webcomic. At this rate, he'll show up at the very end to get jobbed by God (no ID), but not before giving an over-long exposition about what he's been up to. That is, if he's not already dead, only nobody knows yet.

[3] I can see SaiGenos shippers worried that my saying that it's good that Saitama isn't taking Genos up on his obvious attraction means that I might be disapproving of the ship. That is not the case. I'm going to assume that most of us here are old enough to vote, enter into contracts, and pay taxes and so can think of things with nuance and context. A fandom that needs the reassurance of canon to decide what's permissible is a weak, timid, and pallid imitation of one, and one I want no part of. For certain, we're here to discuss the story as it exists, but please, we're also here to consider and explore scenarios and make works that cannot and often should not exist in the canon because they are FUN. Even more pertinent, ONE is on record as LOVING that fans spend their time and creativity doing things with his stories. So please, don't allow any in-universe discussions on what is helpful or unhelpful in the story affect what you draw and write! PLEASE SHIP! Gimme!

[hils79]

Hils Watches Tibetan Sea Flower - Ep 13

How long do we think it'll be before Feng's nameless white dude mooks get eaten by the snake dolls?

He clearly doesn't know about Wu Xie's architecture degree

Pangzi claiming hotpot. Another check on my bingo card

Wu Xie talking at length about murals. Another check on my bingo card

A valuable life lesson, folks

I STILL DON'T LIKE IT WHEN THE DOLLS MOVE

Understatement

The two genders

Ooh hot evil Zhang has shown up to save Feng and his men

Come with me if you want to live :D

Aww angry alcoholic baby Zhang is there too. I really should learn their names

Angry alcoholic Zhang is apparently better than everyone apart from Xiaoge at fighting.

I won't say too much for those who haven't read the novel but I do wonder if the drama is going to change what happens with her, especially given that the novel this is adapted from isn't even finished

Oh my god he's doing more architecture I legit don't know how to cope with this

[youngroyals-hc]

Wille and Simon are at the castle their final night before returning to Hillerska after the Jubilee day speech and Wille takes Simon's hand and starts to direct him to a wing they haven't been to yet. Simon follows along a little bemused because Wille seems so intent, but they reach a door that Wille pushes open to reveal a beautiful Fazioli grand piano in an airy sitting room. Wille tugs Simon over to the piano stool and they sit together. Wille's gaze darts around before settling on Simon's gaze and asking "will you play the song for me?" And Simon says "you mean the one from the ball?" And Wille nods his head and Simon huffs out a little laugh and says "it's not very happy Wille" and he replies "I don't care, you wrote it about me. No one's ever done that before" so Simon sings it for him while Wille closes his eyes and gently sways. When he finishes Wille opens his eyes and grins, clapping for Simon who laughs and hides his head in Wille's shoulder. He sits up and looks at Wille and says "now you play something for me." And Wille groans a little and says "but you're so much better than me, I was just made to learn for ages because apparently that's something a prince has to do." And Simon says "well at least you can read music! Surely you can still remember something" and Wille looks a little nervous but nods and settled his hands over the keys. He plays Simon Poulenc, and his fingers are sure in the movement. Simon almost stops breathing from concentrating on the sound Wille makes. When the piece finishes he just turns to Wille and stares before gently shoving him and saying "what the fuck Wille I thought you said you weren't very good!" And Wille goes pink and says "I'm not, I don't have the music... In me like you do. I mean 11 years of learning and that's all I've got to show for it? You've never had one lesson and you write these incredible songs!" And Simon just has to laugh because he knows Wille won't change his mind. Instead, he turns and says "maybe we could write a song together? With your theory and my so called innate talent, we could be the new Leonard and McCartney!" And Wille just barks out a laugh and says "oh yeah, you really think so? Well guess we better get started!"

As they laugh and make up silly lyrics and melodies together, Kristina walks by and stops when she hears them. She pokes her head around to glance at Wille and Simon at the piano, smiling and teasing each other. Her façade drops slightly, seeing for the first time her son interacting with someone who wasn't Erik so carefree and brightly. Something clicks inside her, and she realises that Simon isn't going anywhere. This isn't some little sexual exploration that Wille would eventually grow out of. Her son was in love, and nothing would change that.

[tremendous-entropy]

Hello all! Ok, so I've never written fics before, let alone smut, but this thought has been driving me crazy for a while and I can't find what I'm looking for so I decided to give it a go myself. Premise being that in the nightbringer time-line all the brothers are 100% virgins. So I'd like to explore that, lol. Taking place after you wake up from your coma and on from there. First being mammon that night (ignoring the bit where they're all asleep outside your door at the end of that lesson) and then next being lucifer after he learns they all want to stay in the devildom with Satan, when the two of you are in his office bc it just sets it up so perfectly. From there idk what order or after what happening I want the rest of them to happen. So I'm looking for suggestions, and also just really want to know if this is something y'all would be interested in reading? Bc it's gonna be super long. And it may take a while, I have Adhd and my shit is all over the place. I'm going to use my MC, Zaeda, she/her, bi, poly. I can already tell you mammon will probably be the most in depth, lol, I just love him so much, I'm sorry 😂 but I do love them all and I will do my best to give each of them the time they deserve 😉So here's a little long af teaser and probably not gonna be super wonderfully edited so ignore any current typos, give me some feedback please!

NSFW but barely

________________________________________

You lie in bed wide awake thinking back on the last few days of your little coma situation. You recall everything you heard the boys say while you were under, every word, every kiss. You're practically brimming with love. Sleep eludes you. It's intensely quiet. Lucifer threatened the brother's lives if they so much as stepped out of their rooms tonight to ensure you got proper rest.(No he's not worried about you.) Apparently they all slept outside your door the entire time you were out. They've all been on your mind more constantly lately. In a different way. In your time you're in a happy poly relationship with all of them and you've slept with all of them more times than you can count. In this time.....well...they're all virgins.

You shuffle through each demon in your mind, recalling so many intimate moments, wondering how different this time will be. Did Barbatos explain things to them while they were confined to the castle? Brand new demons. Have they masturbated? Do they watch porn? Have they discovered any of their kinks yet? Should you show them? Or let them figure it out slowly? So many questions. So many possibilities. Where to start? Which lucky demon will be the first to fall...to you. Who will be the second? The third? Fourth? Mmm. Let's get this party started.

*MAMMON*

You already know the answer to who's first. Who better than your first man? So many firsts with that boy. It's only right that he be the first. The first to love you, the first to know you. The rest can wait, the time has to be right for each of them. The fact that you haven't jumped that greedy boys bones already is a testament to your self control. For now, you crawl out of bed, strip to nothing, walk to your dresser and unfold Mammon's white shirt you keep in your drawer. It smells like him. You should probably return this.... You put it on, it comes down just enough to cover your bare ass. Perfect. You grab your ddd and slowly and carefully make your way out into the hall.

"thank fuck I'm a master at sneaking around these halls", you think to yourself, as you quietly walk on the balls of your feet, slowly stepping over every creaky board in your path. It's seems like an eternity has passed by the time you finally make it to the 2nd borns room. You open the door little by little, unsure as to whether or not the demon is sleeping, it's still early for you and he's usually just as nocturnal as you are, even with the neverending darkness of the devildom. You spot the white haired demon as you walk in, sitting on his couch, some long forgotten movie playing on the TV, scrolling intently on his ddd, completely unaware of you walking up behind him, or what's about to come next...

"Hey, pretty boy." you coo at him walking up behind the couch. "AHHH! FUCK! ZAEDA WHAT THE FUCK?! DON'T SNEAK UP ON ME LIKE THAT YOU ALMOST GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK!" He holds his right hand to his chest dramatically as he catches his breath, "I coulda hurt ya, dummy!" he pouts. "Aw, sweet boy, I'm sorry I scared you." you smile as you bend down crossing your arms and resting them on the back of the couch as you lean in closely. If only he could see the view from the back. "Ya didn't scare me! Nothin scares the Great Mammon! Ya just caught me off guard is all! Shit, what are ya even doin up, aren't ya s'posed to be restin?" You smile sweetly at the frazzled demon and look into those gorgeous blue eyes of his, "should I go back to bed?" "NOOO! No! ... I- I mean.. it's not like I care..." he trails off. You tilt your head to the side and eye him suspiciously, "hmm". His tsundere tendencies don't faze you anymore. You know he's loved you since before he knew what love really was. You know he thinks the sun shines out your perfect ass. You wait patiently as his thoughts catch up to him. He's looking anywhere but you

"I- I mean...sorry I... I don't want you to go...I-" You smile as you reach out and gently lift his chin up to meet your gaze. Uncertainty swirls in those beautiful eyes shinning up at you and such a pretty little blush across his perfect face. You slide your hand to his cheek and slowly pull him in and plant a gentle kiss on his waiting lips. " I'm not going anywhere, puppy." Barely a whisper into his sweet lips. He melts into your touch as you you rub your thumb over his cheekbone. His blush probably reaches his knees by now. You remove your hand from his face after running it once through his soft hair. His ddd still in his left hand, catches your attention. You lean over slightly for a better look. While you're distracted, mammon takes the time to really soak you in. He looks at your beautiful face, your pretty pink hair, falling waves over your shoulders, those lips that haunt him all hours of the night. His eyes rake down your body, what he can see of it right now, he finally notices the shirt. "Zaeda, is tha-", "Watcha lookin at mams?".... He freezes as he remembers what he was doing before you were standing in front of him. He scrambles as you snatch his ddd from his hand and run behind the pool table. On the screen is a photo album. Full of pictures of you. You and him, but mostly you. You quickly scroll through the seemingly endless pictures (how does he even have so many?). "HEY! NO! STOP IT RIGHT NOW! THAT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY!" He jumps off the couch and runs to you and desperately tries to grab the device as you dodge him over and over, laughing. "Puppyyyy! It's cute! Look at all these! I'm flattered." You hold the ddd up over your head. "It's not what you think! I- was doin somethin- I was just-"

He stops dead in his tracks. Jaw agape.

"Y- you...you're...are you...um...you're not w-wearing anything under that shirt..." You notice a little too late that with your arm above your head like that you can juuust see the bare curve of your ass peeking out from the bottom of his shirt that hangs on your body so perfectly goddamn his heart is gonna bust out of his chest fuck he can see your nipple rings through the thin white fabric fuck why is his dick throbbing

"Fuck...." You turn his ddd off and lay it on the pool table and slowly make your way toward him, holding his gaze. "That part was supposed to be a surprise."

That's all so far! Lemme know what y'all think!

[forest-hashira]

Noble Blood - Chapter Two

hello everyone! i really didn't think i'd have chapter two of this finished & posted so quickly, but i was feeling motivated, apparently, so here you go! some dragon rider au to start off your new year. if you haven't read chapter one, you can find it right here.

cw: gender neutral reader, more little kid shenanigans (sneaking out of the house), here there be dragons!!! | wc: 2.4k | read on ao3 here

Things were normal at first after Satoru’s birthday celebration. You still spent your mornings in the one-room schoolhouse with Shoko, Utahime, and Kento, learning reading, writing, math, and history from Utahime’s mother, while Satoru attended his own lessons at home with private tutors. You spent your afternoons running around the settlement with your friends, getting into mischief if Satoru was with you, playing games or running errands if he wasn’t. 

After the night of the fireworks show, you often found yourself sneaking off to the peach orchard to stargaze on the observation deck. Most nights Satoru would be there already, staring up at the stars, acknowledging you only with a smile as you sat with him, pressed up together to share body heat as your breaths puffed out in white clouds before you. 

The two of you spent many nights together like that, at first just silently observing the stars, though eventually he began to point out constellations to you and tell you their names; his favorite was Draco, yours was Hydra. You loved that he decided to share that knowledge with you, but it made you wonder what else his tutors were teaching him that you weren’t learning in your own lessons. 

You quickly grew accustomed to this new routine – even found that you looked forward to the nights where you would be able to slip out of the house unnoticed – but the comfort you’d found in those stolen moments was shattered within a few short weeks. 

Word had begun to spread through the settlement that there was a clutch of dragon eggs on the Gojo estate, and it was expected it was only a matter of days before they hatched. You had heard the rumor from a shopkeeper in town – who no doubt had heard it from someone who worked for the Gojo clan – and decided to ask your friend if it was true. 

“It is,” he told you that night, his eyes sparkling with more than starlight. “It’s only two eggs this time, which is small even for our family’s dragons.” 

“Are your parents going to take you to see them once they hatch?” Children didn’t typically start meeting hatchling dragons until they turned ten, but you thought maybe things were different for prestigious families like Satoru’s. 

“No,” he sighed. “In fact, they’ve told me multiple times that I’m not to go anywhere near the roost.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not old enough.”

That seemed like a perfectly logical reason to you, but it was clear that Satoru wasn’t satisfied with it, and you knew him well enough to know he was most likely going to ignore his parents’ direct instructions.

“I’m going to sneak in to see them after they hatch.”

You let out a heavy sigh. “Of course you are.”

“You should come with me.”

That caught you off guard, and you stared at him dumbly. “...What?”

“You should come with me to see the hatchlings.” He tilted his head slightly as he looked at you, awaiting an actual response. “Don’t you want to see a baby dragon up close?”

“I-I mean, yeah, but wouldn’t we get in trouble?”

He just shrugged. “I’m not worried about it. They’ve never really punished me before.”

“But they might punish me if we get caught.”

His brows furrowed in confusion, and he frowned slightly. “Why would they do that?”

“Because I’d be breaking into their estate uninvited!”

“But I’m inviting you right now.” 

You stared at each other for a few long moments then, his blue eyes searching your face for something, but you weren’t sure what.

“I don’t think your parents would count this as an actual invitation to the estate,” you said eventually, uncertain how else to get the point across to him. “All they would care about is me being there when I’m not supposed to be.”

“...So you’re not going to come with me?” He looked so disappointed you felt like you might cry, but still you shook your head.

“No,” you agreed. “I’m sorry, Satoru.”

He said nothing in response, just looked away, his focus on the stars again, like it was every night before this one. You shuffled closer, resting your head on his shoulder and closing your eyes; for a moment, you could pretend that this was any other night you’d spent stargazing with him, and that you didn’t feel a little sick knowing you’d upset one of your best friends.

You didn’t see Satoru at all the next day, and he wasn’t on the observation deck that night when you arrived; the idea of staying up there alone after how you’d left things with your friend the night before just made you sad, so you’d gone straight home.

The next day, however, the snowy haired boy was waiting outside the schoolhouse. He called your name as you stepped out of the building, reaching out and grabbing your arm, pulling you aside and looking down at you with wide eyes.

“They hatched,” he said, and you knew exactly what he was talking about. “It was early this morning. I’m going to see them tonight.”

His tone was hushed and secretive, the words tripping over each other as they tumbled past his lips. It was then that you noticed how flushed his face was, his cheeks and nose and even the tips of his ears a bright red, despite the coat and scarf he wore. 

After a moment, you realized he was trying one last time to get you to join him in sneaking off to see the hatchlings, without saying the words out loud. Your throat felt tight, suddenly, and you couldn’t bear the thought of letting him down again, so after a moment of hesitation, you nodded.

“I’ll meet you by the sakura tree in your courtyard,” you told him quietly. “If I’m not there by ten, my parents caught me, so just go without me.”

Satoru’s face lit up at your words, and he nodded, giving your arm a light squeeze. The gesture seemed to lift a weight from your heart, and you smiled at him. Even if this “plan” wasn’t well thought out and would likely spell nothing but trouble for the two of you, you couldn’t ignore the excitement already rushing through your veins; you were going to see hatchlings up close for the first time, and you were thrilled.

Unfortunately, that excitement was rather short-lived. Your parents, who usually turned in early at night, decided to stay up much later than you expected, sitting in the main room by the fireplace, sharing a warm drink and talking quietly to each other. You sat at your door the entire time, gaze flitting between your parents and the clock above the fireplace through the gap between the door and the doorframe, your hopes of sneaking out unnoticed dwindling with every passing minute.

Eventually, the clock struck ten, and you climbed into your bed. The deadline you’d set to meet Satoru had come, and you knew even if your parents went to bed now, there was no chance you’d be able to make it to the sakura tree to meet your friend before he left to see the hatchlings on his own.

Finding sleep was difficult after that, an uneasy feeling having settled in your gut, though you didn’t know why.

There was no sign of Satoru for days after the night he’d snuck in to see the hatchlings, and the uneasy feeling you’d developed grew into something sickening, your stomach churning every time you thought about what might’ve happened to him. Had he gotten caught sneaking out and gotten punished for once in his life? Had the mother dragon deemed him a threat and attacked him when he’d gotten too close to her brood? Had some even worse fate than punishment or injury befallen him?

The worry kept you up at night, tossing and turning, hoping you would see your friend again soon, and that he would complain about being grounded and confined to his chambers before telling you about the hatchlings. But none of that ever happened.

Instead, four days after your failed rendezvous, you received a summons to the Gojo estate.

A messenger from the family arrived at your house one morning, knocking on the door and telling your mother your presence was requested.

“They can go after school,” she said, and made to close the door before she was stopped. 

“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid the young master is insisting on seeing them right away.”

Your mother glanced down at you where you’d begun to hover beside her, and after holding your gaze for a moment, she sighed. “We’ll be ready in a moment, just let us get our coats.”

The messenger looked a bit uncomfortable, a grimace on his face as he spoke. “Only your child has been invited. No one else is to accompany them, I’m afraid. Gojo-sama’s orders,” he rushed to add, when your mother seemed to grow indignant.

“I’ll be okay,” you told her, reaching up to take her hand for a moment. “I’ve been to see him before without anyone else.”

Your mother’s gaze was uncertain as she looked down at you once again, her features pinched together with worry, but eventually she nodded, dropping her shoulders and forcing herself to relax. “You’re right,” she sighed, giving a slight shake of her head as she turned away from the door, taking your coat from the hook it hung on and handing it to you. “Come straight home when you’re finished, alright?” 

You nodded, pulling on your coat and promising to return after your visit with Satoru. You stepped outside then, walking with the messenger as he led the way back to the Gojo estate. The whole time, your mind raced with possibilities about why you’d been summoned to the estate, rather than Satoru just coming to see you himself, which he’d always seemed to prefer in the past. You were so lost in your thoughts, in fact, that you failed to notice you had reached the estate until you were being ushered through the front gates.

“Do you know your way through the house?” the messenger asked.

You looked up at him dumbly for a moment, then nodded, once you’d processed his question.

He nodded back slightly. “Then I will let you continue on your own. The young master is refusing to see anyone but you.”

You nodded again, turning away and walking towards the main house, though all you could think was Why won’t he see anyone else? Removing your shoes in the genkan almost as an afterthought, you stepped fully into the house, heading down the hallway you knew led to Satoru’s chambers.

It didn’t take long to reach his door, and you knocked lightly on the wooden frame. “Satoru?” you called. “It’s me.”

“Come in!” he called back, and after a beat of hesitation, you turned the knob and pushed the door open.

“Close it behind you,” Satoru siad, his voice coming from the other side of the room, behind the privacy screen that separated his bed from the rest of the room. You did as you were asked, pushing the door shut until it clicked before crossing the room to reach your friend. 

“Satoru, I’ve been so worried about you! What happened with the hatch—”

The words died in your throat as you stepped around the privacy screen, only to be greeted by the sight of Satoru perched cross-legged in the middle of his bed, the smallest dragon you’d ever seen curled up in his lap, sound asleep.

A pure white dragon.

All you could do was stare for several long moments, trying to process what you were seeing: Satoru, with a dragon – a single color dragon, at that – but it just didn’t make sense. It was still at least two years before you or any of your friends would be old enough to start visiting hatchlings and eventually meet your destined dragons.

“Is it… is that your dragon?” you eventually managed to ask, tearing your eyes away from the creature to meet your friend’s gaze. 

Satoru nodded, unable to suppress his grin. “Yeah, he is. His name is Kenji.”

“How did this even happen?”

“What do you mean?”

“How did you bond with him? I didn’t even think we were old enough for that to happen.”

Your friend shrugged. “Guess I’m just special.” Though his words were smug, you caught the teasing lilt in his voice, and you laughed softly despite yourself.

“You’re certainly something,” you agreed, teasing him right back. “Is this why you haven’t left the estate in days?”

“Yeah. My parents keep telling me the first week is really important for bonding with him. But he just sleeps all the time.” His bottom lip stuck out slightly in a pout, and you shook your head slightly, stepping closer and settled on the edge of his bed.

“But you have your dragon now, and you might be the youngest person ever to bond with their dragon,” you pointed out. “That’s pretty cool.” 

That seemed to cheer him up some, his pout melting back into a smile.

“Does this mean you’ll start your training soon?”

“I think so,” he said. “But I’m pretty sure my parents are sending for a special trainer, so I don’t know when he’ll get here.”

The two of you sat and talked for a bit longer, and you felt as if a weight had been lifted from your shoulders; the sickening, uneasy feeling disappeared, as well, eased by the knowledge that your friend was alright, just dealing with a big change.

After a while there was a lull in the conversation, and you knew it was probably time for you to return home. You weren’t sure how long you’d sat with Satoru, but you had a feeling it had been longer than you thought. 

“I’ll see you later, Satoru. Don’t stay locked up in here too much longer, okay?”

“As soon as my parents let me out I’ll see you every day,” Satoru promised, and you knew he meant it with his whole heart.

You smiled, feeling light with relief. “I can’t wait,” you said, then dropped your gaze back to the dragon in your friend’s lap; he was still sound asleep. “Bye, Kenji,” you added quietly, standing from the bed and waving to the pair before you left the room. 

Satoru had his dragon now. You weren’t entirely sure what that meant for you or the rest of your friends, but you were sure of one thing: your lives were all about to change.

i hope you guys are enjoying reading this as much as i'm enjoying writing it! as always, reblogs & likes are always appreciated!!! they keep my writer heart full and motivated to keep writing things for people to read 💜 ALSO HAPPY YEAR OF THE DRAGON EVERYBODY!!!

tagging: @ghost-1-y @kentohours @whatthefucksatan @why-the-fuck-am-i-so-tired @mitsuristoleme @lu-dao-writes @peachdues @lik0 @deepestartisanhumanoidshark @here-for-the-tea-baby

if your URL is crossed out, it's because tumblr wouldn't let me tag you, i apologize!

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for cooking meth with my former chemistry student, killing two people, and lying to my family about it?

I (50M) was recently diagnosed with inoperable, likely fatal lung cancer. I work at a highschool as a chemistry teacher, but both the pay and the students are terrible. Case in point, my "lab partner" (24M) - who we'll call "Cap'n" because of course he'd insist on a stupid nickname like that - not only completely flunked my class, but then went on to skip college entirely and become a meth-addicted drug dealer instead.

Understandably, I was a little shaken after receiving my diagnosis. It came as a surprise since I've never smoked, I keep myself in relatively fair health, etc. (Recently my wife has taken to vegan bacon- apparently it helps lower cholesterol, but I digress.) I haven't told my family about the situation yet; I'm still trying to figure out how to "let the cat out of the bag", not to mention I doubt my wife will take it very well.

As for deciding to try cooking methamphetamine, well. I'm not really sure how to explain it, exactly, but there's a lot of money in it, money that would benefit my family, and I don't have much to lose anymore. This may sound cliche, but it's as though I'm really awake for the first time in my life.

Cap'n and I formed a partnership by circumstance only; I found out he was in "the business" and offered to either turn him into the DEA or work with me, and he naturally took the second option. He had no idea what he was doing on the chemistry side of things - chili powder in the meth! applying heat to an Erlenmeyer flask! no wonder I flunked him, he clearly learned nothing in my class - but does know the trade.

(Note: Don't buy all of your supplies from the same store.)

Sorry, I'm getting too far into the weeds here, let me skip ahead. We purchased a trailer and drove out to somewhere in the middle of the desert to cook without added attention or need for dramatic cleanup if we had to leave the area in a hurry. Our first batch was, according to Cap'n, "pure glass." After all of that complaining, I had cooked the finest product he'd ever seen on the first try! Goes to show paying attention in school does pay off, ahem. In case any of you were reading this and thinking of skipping off to go and make highly illegal substances and risk years in prison instead of doing your homework. You all still have your entire lives ahead of you. I don't.

After making it, the next logical course of action was to sell. Cap'n said he had some connections - I mean, he is a drug dealer, I saw no reason not to trust him (I now see how little sense that makes.) - and came back with two men with guns pointed at both of us. You must understand, it was a kill or be killed situation. These are the kind of people who don't care about morals, or what's right or ethical or kind. If they'd lived... not just me, but my wife, my son, and my entire family would all be in serious, mortal danger. I had no choice.

Cap'n by this point had been knocked out cold- still alive, but entirely unhelpful with the situation at hand. I was on my own. So I offered to show the goons how I made the "glass", surely they wanted to see how it was done? And they did- I still can't believe that actually worked. But, ah, instead of actually cooking anything, I gave them... let's call it a chemistry lesson. When significant heat is applied to red phosphorus - a key ingredient in Cap'n and I's "extracurricular science project" - it oxidizes. Your result is phosgene gas, highly deadly, hence the "killing two people." One... technically isn't dead yet- somehow he managed to survive, I still don't fully understand how, but I'm... I'm working on it. Cap'n still has yet to get rid of the first body, so... technically I'm not failing to withhold my share of the cleanup, since he hasn't done so with his.

I realize now this is very long, but I wanted to explain the context for my actions. However, a tl;dr for those who might be in a hurry: I was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, so with nothing else to lose decided to try to make some money for my family by cooking and selling methamphetamine. Coincidentally, a former student of mine was also in the business, and I convinced him to work with me. When we tried to put our product on the market, two people tried to kill us, so I acted in self-defense.

But I really, really must know... is what I did wrong? Should I have been content to live the rest of however-long-I-have-left working a miserable job as a public high school chemistry teacher instead? Should I have found a less fatal way of dealing with the two men who tried to kill me and my partner? AITA?

P.S. It's pretty late as I'm typing this so I might've made some errors in coherency or grammar, for which I apologize.