#I sure do hope nothing bad happens to them!!

[organic-bloodbath]

Hiiiiiiii. Could you do a Salesman fic?

I would love to see one where his usual calm and powerful energy is lost around the reader, as he's just enamoured with her. Like no shame, he is down bad and the reader is just flustered and lowkey confused cause they haven't known each other for long.

Idk if this makes any sense to you (up to you if you make it smut i don't really mind)

Teach Ddakji to me

The Salesman x American!Reader

Summary: You play Ddakji with a man at a subway station, but the game brings you two much closer than either of you were prepared to.

A/N: I'm not sure how well i was able to follow the request of how he behaves around the reader but this is what i got ;-; hope you still like 🫶🏻 (i'm so deep in love with this psycho i've been giggling during every other paragraph)

♡♡

You rushed down the stairs in the subway station, only one minute until your train was going to leave. You weren't going to make it, but you had to try.

The doors were closing right in front of you and you wanted to scream and let out several different curses, but you didn't want to draw attention on yourself. Your day at the college lectures had just ended and all you wanted to do was to get home, have a dinner and rest.

You heard noise behind a corner, as if someone was slamming something on the floor. You went to see what was going on out of curiosity.

Two men were standing there, the other one tall and dressed in a grey suit, the other one a lot shorter and dressed in a simple hoodie and loose jeans, a worn out cap covering his messy black hair. Suddenly, the man in the suit slapped the other so hard on the face that the man's head turned to the right.

They slammed blue and red squares on top of each other over and over again, and it ended in the man in the suit slapping the other almost every time. Once in a while he handed to the man what looked like a bill of money. You had never seen anything like that happen anywhere and were confused.

You got a notification on your phone, a text message from your classmate.

"Join us for studying and then a dinner? A new restaurant opened nearby, we'll go and try it tonight," she messaged.

"Another day, i don't feel like going out tonight," you replied, getting a thumbs up emoji as a respond.

You put your phone in your pocket and turned around, almost having a heart attack and jumping a step back when you saw the man in the suit standing mere inches away from you, looking down at you with a slight smirk.

"Enjoyed the show, i hope?" he asked and your eyes widened. Fuck, he had noticed you stalking the two of them.

"Yea, um, sure," you said awkwardly. "Though i didn't know what it was, really."

Seeing his face now closer and him staring at you with his dark eyes made your heart beating faster and it wasn't only because of him scaring you for appearing out of nowhere. He was extremely handsome and the way he looked at you made you blush.

"You haven't heard of Ddakji?" he asked, but didn't seem surprised since he figured you weren't local by the looks of you. "It's a Korean game, want me to show you?"

"Sure," you said, nothing else to do than wait anyway. The man took the squares in his hands and offered you to choose one. You took the red one.

He explained the rules to you, it was simple. You only had to hit your square on the blue one and make it turn around, the upper side facing the floor.

It sounded simple but you were hesitant if you were actually able to do it. You threw it on the floor, aiming at the blue square, but it didn't move even an inch in any direction. You let out a frustrated groan.

"It's okay, very few people succeed on their first try," he said in a comforting tone and took a step closer to you, standing right in front of you. "But do you know what losing means to you, hm?"

You had a very good guess after seeing him and the other man play just a while ago.

"You're gonna slap me?" you asked with a grimace.

He smiled. Without a word, you felt a painful sting on your left cheek when he slapped you, not going any easier on you just because you were a woman.

"Jesus Christ!" you gasped and held your hand on your cheek which was definitely going to have a red mark later. You had never been slapped on your face and it hurt more than you thought it would hurt.

"My turn then," he said and grabbed his blue square from the floor. He slammed it on top of your red square and it immediately jumped in the air and landed on its other side on the floor.

He looked at you with the same smirk again.

"So what happens when you win?" you asked, crossing your arms. If you continued this game much longer, your face would be completely covered in bruises and you'd have a lot of explaining to do to your classmates.

"I get to use your body again," he said with a confident tone.

You closed your eyes and prepared for another slap, hoping that it would be the other one this time because your left cheek still hurt. When you felt a touch on your left cheek, you automatically winced a little bit.

But it wasn't a slap, it was a tender kiss. You opened your eyes when he had already leaned away and you saw a glimpse of kindness in his eyes this time. You felt your cheeks warming up and tried to avoid eye contact for a moment.

"Your turn," he said.

Your hand was shaking when you lifted the red square from the floor. You wanted to succeed, you had never been good at losing in anything, it was always about to start to piss you off if you didn't start winning too.

"Do you want me to help you?" he asked. You looked at him and soon he was right behind you, keeping an eye contact with you when he put his left hand on your waist and his right one to hold your hand which was holding the square. "Is this okay?"

He didn't put too much pressure on holding you, making sure that you gave him a permission for that. You suddenly couldn't get words out of your mouth, so you just nodded and swallowed the lump in your throat. He held you tighter now and instructed how it was supposed to be done. You had to have more force when you would slam the square down.

"Spread your legs a little bit," he whispered.

"What?" you gasped in shock.

"To get a better and more firm position when you throw it," he explained, his breath hot in your ear.

"Oh," you said, cheeks burning even more. You hadn't realized you were standing almost like a stick. He guided your hand up in the air in a correct position.

"Remember to let go of it at the correct moment, i'm going to aim it for you, okay?" he said and you nodded, now much more nervous than you would have been if you did this alone.

With this help, the blue square flew into the air and landed on its other side easily. You were excited of the victory, even though it was for his help, and a wide smile spread on your face.

To be honest, for a second you wished you would have failed on purpose, just to get his hands on you again - you didn't even care if it was a slap, kiss or something else.

He let go of you and you turned around to face him, already missing his touch.

"There you go," he said with a proud expression on his face. "Now, you can choose what to do to me."

You didn't hesitate for even a second longer, you immediately slapped him on his left cheek as hard as you could. However, you knew you didn't have as much as strength in your body as he did, so the slap must have stinged a lot less. His head didn't move even an inch and he only smiled.

Right then, the train you had been waiting for arrived and you took your bag from the ground. You weren't going to miss this train just because of wanting to have another round of Ddakji with this stranger.

He offered you money, worth of 100 dollars, and put them in your hand, closing your fist around the bill. You were about to refuse but he wasn't having it.

"Treat yourself a nice dinner tonight," he said. When you didn't answer, he nodded towards the train which was about to leave soon, with or without you.

"Thank you," you said. "Um, bye."

You made it into the train just in time and when you looked back at the spot where that man had just been, he was already gone.

♡♡

The salesman didn't want you to leave. He was absolutely mesmerized by you, you were the most gorgeous woman he had ever laid eyes on. Your perfume and the smell of your shampoo still lingered in his nose, even after you weren't there anymore.

He would have wanted to ask you to stay, but he couldn't find the correct words and you were in a hurry to catch your train.

He hadn't felt like this of a woman in a long time and he wanted to find you again. To hold you again.

He didn't understand how you could have made this big of an impact on him in only under 10 minutes, but all he knew was that he needed to get to know you better.

♡♡

The next day, you arrived to the class and sat next to your friend.

"Oh my god, what happened to your face?" she gasped in shock.

Yes, there was a visible red mark on your cheek and you didn't have anything at home to cover it. You didn't really use any makeup either except mascara.

"Oh um," you started, trying to find some excuse. "It's my allergies and acne." You didn't have any allergies and hadn't had acne since you were 15. But you couldn't tell her the truth, atleast now that you didn't have time to talk much since the class was about to start.

And what were you going to say to her? A stranger in the subway station slapped you and you enjoyed it?

The teacher arrived and the noise of the door slamming closed interrupted your friend who was about to say something to interview you further.

♡♡

You walked down the subway station stairs again on your way home, just like yesterday. You had your headphones on, listening to random metal songs on Spotify and were texting your mum who catched up with you twice a week how you were doing. You were supposed to have a video call later today but she apparently had to work extra tonight, she was a nurse.

When you had reached the bottom of the stairs, you bumped into something and almost tripped back but managed to keep your balance. You looked up and saw the same man in the suit as yesterday, staring down at you with a smile.

"Hello," he greeted, not moving anywhere.

"Hello," you repeated and lifted your eyebrows, taking of your headphones. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you," he said without thinking.

"Me? Why? How did you know i would be here?"

"I didn't. I only figured you might have the same daily routine and took a chance," he explained.

"Why did you want to see me?" you asked, confused but feeling butterflies in your stomach.

"I didn't have a chance to ask for your phone number yesterday," he said. "And i'd like to take you out."

"Take me out you mean murder or dinner?"

"The second option. I already finished the first task earlier," he said with a smile. Handsome and with a sense of humor.

"Fine, where did you plan to take me?"

"Anywhere you want. Are you hungry?"

"You don't even know my name," you pointed out.

"You can tell me your name and all about you on our date," he smiled.

"Aren't you straightforward," you chuckled. "Are you going to teach me Ddakji again?"

"If you wish so," he said.

You bit your lip, not sure if you should go somewhere with this stranger or not. You hadn't been asked for a dinner at a subway station before, though, so you could write it on your bucketlist and cross it out.

"Okay."

♡♡

He had taken you to a lovely dinner to enjoy local foods you had never eaten before. You rarely tried any new foods, always sticking on the ones you already knew you'd like, but now you had tried something different and loved it.

Now, you were in a park, nobody else in sight. It was already dark and you knew you had to go home soon if you wanted to get enough sleep.

You held the red square in your hand once again and aimed for slamming the blue around finally on your own.

Again, you weren't able to hit it. But you hadn't even tried properly and weren't mad about it.

"Damn it," you mumbled.

"You'll get there," he smirked, stepping closer to you.

He lifted your chin with his finger.

"Close your eyes."

You did as told and waited for the worst option, squeezing your eyes shut tightly.

You felt his lips press on yours, taking you into a slow kiss. He broke the kiss but didn't let go of your chin

"Do i have to play another round of Ddakji to do that again?"

You smiled and stepped on your tiptoes to reach him better, cupped his face and pulled him in a proper, deeper kiss. He instantly wrapped his arms around your waist to press your body against him tighter.

"Just so you know, i don't sleep with men on our first date," you said when the kiss was over, his hands wandering around your back they had almost reached your ass.

He moved his left hand to the back of your neck, keeping the right one on your lower back. He pushed his fingers through your hair, softly massaging your scalp.

"What is it about you that makes me so drawn to you?" he whispered, and you didn't know if the question was for you or just for himself. "Only two days and you've managed to make me absolutely addicted to you."

He pushed a strand of your hair behind your ear, and you felt blush creeping on its way to your cheeks.

He eventually walked you back home like a gentleman, not allowing you to walk anywhere at this hour. He had to make sure you got back home safely.

"Will i see you again tomorrow?" he asked before you managed to leave, gently holding your wrist.

"I have to study, i've fallen behind in couple of courses so i need to catch up," you said and his face fell a little bit. Surely he had other things to do in his life besides seeing you. "Are you free this weekend?"

His face lighted up again for your suggestion.

"For you, of course," he said and brought your hand towards his face, planting a kiss on your knuckles. "Goodnight, Y/N."

You went inside your apartment and silently closed the door, trying to do everything as quietly as you could, but then the lights were turned on.

"Okay who the HELL is that man, Y/N?!" your roommate shouted at you, making you jump and almost have a heart attack. It was so late you thought she was already sleeping, she was the type to be in bed by 8pm and asleep by 9pm.

"Um, well I-"

"That is the most gorgeous man i've ever seen," she said, still speaking loudly, and stepped closer to you and pointed you with her finger. "How couldn't you tell me you were dating a new man?"

"Well i only met him a while ago," you admitted.

"Still?!" she shouted. "You know i like boy talk and you never talk about your dating life! Oh my god, have you finally downloaded Tinder or something?"

"Ew, no," you shook your head.

"You're right, there's no way men THAT hot would still be on Tinder and not married," she said and then gasped. "Girl, he's not married, is he?"

"I sure hope he's not," you said and for a moment you were afraid he might be married. I mean, how could he still be single? Your friend always talked so much that you started to doubt everything you previously knew.

"Wait a minute, i'll get us some popcorn and then you're gonna spill everything," she said and without another word, she was already in the kitchen.

And you did tell her everything because my god you needed to talk to someone about him.

♡♡

A few days and several text conversations later, you were in his hotel room, and he pressed you against the wall, his right hand leaning on the wall right by your head.

He lifted your head by his forefinger on your chin to make you look straight into your eyes.

"How long are you going to stay in Korea?" he asked.

"What, are you going to ask me to move in with you or something? Plan a summer wedding?" you joked.

"If you want to," he said with a serious face and you truly wasn't sure if he was serious or joking. You hadn't yet found a difference between the two.

"Wait what?"

You hadn't dated any Korean men before so you weren't sure how fast they progressed in the dating life. Would it be normal to propose on the first week or ask to move in? Surely not.

He smiled. "I only ask because i don't want to have you only for a short while," he said and let his fingers wander around your shoulder, sending goosebumps all over your body.

"Well, i'll be here for atleast another 5 months," you told him and then pouted. "So, no summer wedding?"

"I'd have to buy a ring first," he smirked.

"It better be a real diamond too then," you chuckled, having seen the stacks of money he had carried with him, and pulled him into another kiss.

He was soon kissing your neck, leaving a mark on your skin, until your stomach growled and interrupted him.

"When was the last time you ate?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows. "I thought you had eaten before you came here."

"Well, it's been a while i suppose," you said, not really remembering anymore when the last time was.

He stepped away from you and pulled out his phone.

"What are you doing?"

"We're ordering food," he said. "What would you like to eat?"

He ordered Chinese food for you and ate it on the bed while watching some brainless comedy movie.

When the movie had ended, he went to the bathroom, leaving you to lay on the bed and making you to fall in your thoughts alone.

You had been in a relationship twice in your life, and in neither of them your relationship had moved on this fast. I mean, you weren't in an official relationship, you had been just barely hooking up, but the way he talked about you only knowing you for a few days wasn't something you had been used to at all.

In the U.S., it took guys several weeks to make any progress in relationships, atleast what you had seen and gone through.

Maybe you should slow down a little, take a step back and see what he really wants from you.

By the time he came back from the bathroom, you had fallen asleep. You looked so peaceful in your sleep, so beautiful even with your messy hair all over the pillow.

He came closer to you and pulled a blanket over you, the edge almost reaching your jaw. You stirred in your sleep, turning to lay on your side, but didn't show any signs of waking up.

He laid himself on the bed next to you and just looked at your sleeping figure for several minutes. He was afraid of getting attached to a woman so fast, in so little time, but he couldn't help it.

To him you were perfect, and he wanted to know everything about you that there was to know.

♡♡

A/N: If you want a part 2, please leave any requests you might have, i'm not sure where to go with this 🫶🏻❤️💙

[bittermedicinespitter]

"oh boy! i sure do love this character from the magnus archives/protocol! i sure do hope nothing bad happens to them!" i said with glee

said character was then eaten alive 14 second later.

[jd-loves-fiction]

Requesting a Jade Leech thing where the reader and Jade have been broken up with, but he’s a manipulative bastard and fully intends on charming them back. Get as creative as you want with the prompt, I just wanna see him being all scheming lmao

(I’ve had “bad idea right?” stuck in my head on loop)

🌑I'm gonna make this a bit more comedic, hope you like it :))

𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞

Jade seemed strangely unaffected when you told him you wanted to break up, accepting it easily with an oddly peaceful smile on his face. Just what is he up to?

You tried to steer clear of him for a while, in fear of what he might be scheming as well as for your own emotional stability, but he always just seemed to be there. 

Studying in the library? There he is, just standing around suspiciously, looking as effortlessly beautiful as always.

Enjoying a snack at the lounge? He’s the only one who brings it to you everytime, despite how many other workers there are, flashing a soft, gentlemanly smile and wishing you ‘bon appétit’ in a sugar sweet tone.

Talking to a cute underclassman stuttering through his attempt at asking for your number? Suddenly he seizes up like he’s being shocked and makes up some sorry excuse to run off in the other direction. When you turn around, there he is, smiling innocently and waving at you from where he stands ��� no doubt having a hand in what just happened.

You quickly started to understand why he looked so unbothered when you were breaking up with him – that was his scheming face, already thinking up ways of driving you back to his arms.

Loneliness won't be what does it. You’re stubborn, damn it! And the more he tries the more you want to see how far he’s willing to take this little game. It shows effort, at least, it’s just a shame he seems so hellbent on making you give in instead of having an adult conversation. 

So you play his game. Jade is a jealous man – nothing makes him spring into action like envy, this you know for certain. Next time you pass by the lounge to study, you make sure to sit at the bar and never acknowledge him, instead making loud conversation with Floyd about… whatever it is he’s rambling about, though he seems to be in a happy mood which is good for you.

He talks so much at you that it’s barely a conversation, more like a sermon of some kind – especially so given his passionate tone, Though you know Jade pays little mind to those details while he’s boiling with jealousy behind the bar. And to anyone watching you two it sure looks like you’ve moved on from Jade and onto his brother.

You leave the lounge that day exhausted but pleased, knowing you’ve successfully riled Jade up more than he did you. Maybe this’ll be enough for him to let you move on… but then again… do you want to move on?

Caught up in your conflicting thoughts you fail to hear him approach until he’s breathing down your neck. Startling, your back bumps against a nearby wall as you quickly turn around, seeing Jade right in front of you with a strangely neutral expression on his pretty face.

“...Jade?” You try to sound casual, but you’re sure the fright seeps into your tone regardless of your efforts.

He calls your name softly in turn, a troubled look crossing his face for a moment, “Had a fun time listening to Floyd prattle?”

Lips twisting in indignation, you righten your posture, “Very much so! He's a surprisingly good listener – compared to a certain brother of his.”

“Oh, really?”

“Really.” You assure him disingenuously, arms crossed petulantly. Jade watches you silently for a moment, a familiar look of longing in his eyes – forming a tightness in your chest, before he sighs heavily. For a moment you think he might finally be honest with you, open up about how he truly feels and vow to be better – it’s all it’d take for you to take him back. But of course, it can't be that easy to change such a man.

For now, he settles for leaning in close, one hand against the wall behind you and taking a lock of hair between his fingers before bringing it to his lips. You hold in an undignified squeal.

“Just don't have too much fun with him. We both know he could never compare.”

You scoff, “I think you’ve been watching too many romance movies. You seem to be getting slightly delusional.” Shouldering past him you walk away without looking back to see his thoughtful expression. Not that you’d know what it means or care! Hmph!

If only you could both just talk to each other,  there’d be no need for these silly games. Though they sure are fun…

[dekusdante]

Well it's that time again for another JJK rant.

So by this point I would assume that most of you know my eternal hatred towards the enemies to lovers trope when it comes to Gojo x reader stories right.

Well we are back at it again cause I am hoping people know that this type of relationship isn't one that Gojo would ever go for. Like it's one of those things that the fandom latched on to like My Hero Academia Hawks being a flirty playboy. It's not something that fits the character but it something that so many people latched on to that they now believe that it's a thing.

Like Gojo knows his worth and value. He literally dislikes those that he views as stuck up or just down right unlikeable. Aka every reader in the enemies to lovers trope. Like you are telling me you hate this guy for no reason but it's okay because your only saving grace is that he finds you attractive.

Seriously.

That is the how 95% of them go. Also to even it out they would make Gojo do some out of pocket stuff to justify the reader treating him like dirt while also always making him the bad guy even if he did nothing wrong.

I am so sick of this copy and paste trope. Now I know i don't have to read it which I don't. If I see it I keep scrolling. Although there are gems I sadly just skip past them because I'm used to the bad and boring ones. (Lowkey reminds me of the dumbest Gojo x reader story on wattpad called Debt. Freaking dumbest reader/mc I have ever read couldn't even get past the first few chapters. The first and only time this has happened)

Another thing is bad reverse harem stories. Like I don't care the reader is 18! Why are men close to their 30s trying to have a relationship with them? Why is said 18 year old trying to have a romantic relationship with freshly turned 15 year old? Look 18 maybe considered an adult but it's still gross and it would have been better if the reader was 20 and up. Also if you want your reader to have love interests that are 15 then they should at least be under 18.

I am sick of gross age gaps, don't care if you are 20 years old dating a 30, 40, or whatever just make it legal! 18 isn't a cheat code!

Also harems suck since they either end up with no one, end up with someone not in the harem, or worst not even completed. Yet, the biggest crime is as I said it before the gross 18 year old cheat code.

Finally the last of my random rant which has to deal with genders and sexyal orientation. Stop writing about boy x boy if you are only going to stereotype them. Yes gay mean may like to be more of the feminine side but NOT all of them. Not all males who prefer to be a bottom want to wear feminine clothes and act like a femboy.

Not all trans people want to be just a title! Don't include them if you are not even going to try! Same with the non binary or gender neutrals. Don't include them but give traits that have a gender that goes against their stances. It's wrong.

Also I lied this is my final rant. Stop saying it's a reader story if you are not going to be neutral. For example giving a reader appearances that instantly alienate a reader. Sure I understand fem reader or male reader tags but to then give them hairstyles, skin tones that alienate others, or ect. I'm a POC (Person of color) and it sucks when you are reading something and instantly shown you are not included. Luckily the anime community is slowly but surely getting more inclusive. No I'm talking about those that want to read reader stories from fandoms like The Boys (Scarlett Witch took over i swear) or (Squid Games I know it's in Korea but dang why can't I be american?).

Anyway that's all. I would love to read and possibly reply to comments. Some may agree others not so much which is far I am criticizing something so it's 100 okay to throw it back!

[carlarosenakilah]

I'm taking a break from The Osix Family and Wilted Ivory

Hi, you've read that right. I'll proceed to go into detail undercut

Warning that the following will be containing very sensitive topics such as su***idal thoughts, mental health issues, and whatever the fuck I went through to get me here and I don't know how to describe nor name them but overall its not pretty.

Getting straight to the point- im drained. I'm in a horrible place right now and I need to take a step back before it might escalate into something worse.

The Osix Family is always something that I will forever dedicate to. It has comforted me, carried me, and saved me from killing myself three years ago.

I asked myself, "If I'm not here, who will tell the story of The Osix Family?"

That made me stay alive, and im greatful for that because if not, I wouldn't have been where I am today standing with the coolest people I have ever met and my amazing partner in crime @alexusespido-dod.

I love Wilted Ivory too, and that's where it gets tricky.

My only plan for Wilted Ivory is to simply tell a story about growth expressed as a musical au. Hence why the art is so simple– not just to match the original Casino Cups style, but just to tell a story that I hope would inspire and comfort others. Of course, I'm happy it gained lota of love.

The Osix Family though is a different story.

Like I said, it means a lot to me, so I put so much time and energy into this series. I sacrifice time that could've been used to study for the next exam, but instead im working on the next few panels or planning the music and etc. Blood sweat and tears (literally) into making sure the art looks good, story is properly conveyed, scenes carefully picked. Even if it gained me bad scores in my exams that made me stress over about, in the end it was worth it to me. I didn't care if I'd be sick an unable to move, as long as I could at least think about it, then I would be happy.

Episode 3 was my worst.

I overworked myself for that episode. I was always in front of my tablet, I never moved out of my seat, I was just there, working on it even if it was 1 in the morning and that I should be sleeping. I told myself: "Everything will pay off! Sure you're in so much pain right now, but eventually it will all pay off! Episode 3 is looking good and interesting! This will FINALLY gain the audience and love the story deserves!"

I was proud.

Until I wasn't.

Reality hit me like a saw. The moment the episode was released I was hopeful. But nothing happened. It was all the same.

And it just hurt how something as simple as Wilted Ivory can easily gain attention and love because it was Cuphead related something well known. Meanwhile, The Osix Family–despite everything–is just barely seen.

I started to doubt myself. To question myself. Was I not doing enough. What more can I do. What should I do. Am I not good enough?

Is the story just not good enough?

That broke me. I began to have thoughts I shouldn't have. I wanted to end it all. I wanted to quit and disappear from the world. Because what was the point in pouring so much love into something only for it to dismissed.

Its not like I simply began having these thoughts.

I've had them over and over again.

As much as I hated involving him, my partner, Alex, had to deal with the many times I nearly ended it. To the point where even if he was in school, he'd go out of his way to stop me, I still feel guilty, even if he said it was fine.

I don't understand myself anymore.

Why do I even have such an attachment to this series? Its just a stupid silly series for funsies isn't it? Why does my life to depend on it?

Unfortunately, it just does.

It sucks. Pushing away my needs for the sake of this passion, only for it to just not go as I hoped it would go. Did I mention I'm also losing followers on the osix family blog? Thats so silly and coquette.

I'm so sorry if im coming off as guilt-trippy, please I don't want it to sound that way, I just want to express how deeply troubled I am because to me it actually DOES HURT.

I envy people who couldn't give a flying fuck about whether or not their stuff goes famous or gets love, I don't even understand why I am so dependent or hungry on whatever attention it gets. I hate that im like this. I want to be free from it but I just crave it.

So, for the sake of my mental health and whatever is left of my sanity, im taking a break, for good.

I will not be updating The Osix Family or Wilted Ivory at this very moment. For how long? It depends on how fucked up I have actually turned out to be today.

I might still post, keyword: MIGHT, its not any update but to just simply draw for myself, but the chances of me posting anything is horribly low.

I'm going to focus on myself, my needs, and whatever makes me happy or have fun with.

To those who supported The Osix Family or even bothered to check it out: Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

It means a lot to me, you have NO idea. Every single like, reblog, comment, hype or even the silliest amounts of theories or thoughts, they make me so happy, it actually heals me.

I can't remember names im sorry, but there was a time someone expressed how they were invested in the lore and loved the world building, it really made my day. Or when someone pointed out some small details on my waiting in a miracle animatic, it warmed my heart.

I have troubles expressing it, but im so, SO greatful.

Especially when some of my mutuals started making OCS FOR THE SERIES?? Like– it felt like a HUGE compliment.

I cant believe im tearing up as im typing this haha im so stupid lmao, but

Thank you. A lot.

And to those who weren't really into The Osix Family, its okay, don't feel bad, sometimes things are just not our cup of tea, I just needed to express my grief, cause honestly bottling it up isn't going to end well for me (and it really didn't multiple times).

I apologize for any false hope or let down your hype as Wilted Ivory was just starting and The Osix Family was finally coming back– but this treatment is overwhelming me that I need to take a step back.

That's all for now.

Thank you for... actually reading, you listening means a lot to me too.

Goodbye.

[maximwtf]

“Limits.”

Baizhu x Reader

Words: 1550

Google Docs Pages: 2,5

Warnings: Lantern Rite 2025 spoilers, established relationship, injury recovery, comfort, idk nothing too emotional. 

Opening: Hu Tao drags you back to Bubu in poor shape after saving her, but your partner isn’t quite as happy about this sacrifice. Too bad he’d sacrifice himself for you as well, so you’re in good hands. 

AN// G/N Reader. I have a request to write but because my main finally was let out the basement and got content AND he was voiced…I felt like this came first. But also because I wanted this part to be included in the Lantern Rite cut scene but it wasn’t so…Haha, I didn’t make this too long or detailed, since I have other stuff to work on. Hope it’s still okay :”D

“Limits.”

The amount of fetor your body had been exposed to far exceeded the amount you’d expected to face. But none of the efforts had been in vain. Since whatever had happened after, you’d made sure Hu Tao was alive and well before ultimately collapsing in exhaustion. 

And she was well. Enough so, to having taken the task of getting you back for treatment on herself. You had no memory of this, barely bits and pieces of the journey. Flashes of small bits of road, faint sounds of Hu Tao cheering herself on under her breath and a faint memory of stairs. A feeling you'd had each time, of wanting to ease her burden of dragging you back by getting back on your feet. But the overwhelming exhaustion prevented you from moving, there was no arguing against it. 

It was already dark by the time Hu Tao had made it back to Bubu pharmacy. Allowing herself a moment of rest when Baizhu helped her by taking on some of the weight of your collapsed form, brows furrowed in worry. His hand brushed back some of the lost strands of hair from your face while diligently checking your vitals. Most of the actions done so automatically on the spot he hadn’t even noticed doing them. 

He felt displeased, most of that stemming from worry. A part of him not fully comprehending the fact that you’d willingly gone and done something so dangerous. But then again, you had saved the life of the funeral parlor’s director successfully. That fact confused his thought process, not really knowing who to be displeased with.  Ultimately deciding that maybe it was better if those feelings weren’t directed at anyone. There were more pressing matters at hand. 

That didn’t stop him from mumbling a few rather opinionated comments under his breath while helping Hu Tao escort you to the back room for a more thorough exam. Laying your form neatly on to the bed before going over to the shelves. Mind ticking to find anything to ease the exhaustion that he’d concluded as the cause for the collapse. You needed rest, that much was clear. But he couldn’t have you sleeping without consuming anything for an extended amount of time. That would far increase the risk of more harm than good. 

In his hurry to find the best possible medicine, he’d forgotten to thank Hu Tao. Furthermore, he’d forgotten that the girl needed a check up as well. She’d been in the very same place as you, and therefore having had the fetor run through her as well. 

“Ah, indeed. Thank you, Director Hu. Once their condition is stable, I suggest you come in for a check up as well.” He spoke swiftly, an attempt to hide the worry in his tone from the other and himself. He wouldn’t have been of much help to anyone if any of those selfish feelings were to come through now. 

He couldn’t see the reaction of the Director, merely hearing an agreeing ‘okay’ before she saw it best to leave the doctor to perform his duty in peace. The silence so dreadful when he finally seated himself beside the bed. 

He did what he could. Applying all the medicine he could think of that had a chance of easing your condition, taking note of any changes with your vitals. By now having realised that this case with the fetor could have been of use in further research. Then again, that could have been a desperate attempt to distract himself from the identity of the patient he was caring for. It was an odd feeling, seeing something he held close to his heart be injured and unresponsive. 

But he knew better than to rue over something that couldn’t be changed anymore. He’d done what he could, knowing that since the fetor didn’t exactly cause an illness, it meant there was nothing he could heal. Merely ease the effects of it now and hope that your recovery would perhaps be sped up by the medicine. 

Time passed faster than he expected. The situation had taken such a strain on his condition, he’d barely noticed when he had started nodding off. Changsheng sensed the stress of the situation, not daring to start waking Baizhu up again once he’d fallen asleep by the bed. Thinking it best to allow him rest now, rather than waking him up and having the man fuss over you again for the rest of the night. His body could hardly take the strain, no matter if he always argued otherwise. 

Thankfully his dignity was saved, since you hadn’t shown any signs of waking up the next morning either. Only, he’d received a few displeased looks and comments from Changsheng over him straining himself like he’d done. After another overly thorough examination, he’d been able to only conclude that you appeared fine on the outside. Deciding it best to start off his day to get his mind off of the situation. Knowing all he could do was to wait for your body to naturally wake up again. 

The day kept him busy with all the check ups he had to do with the patients affected with fetor previously, allowing him to take his mind off of your condition. It was only after Zhongli had come in to visit you that he’d received the news of your conscious state. The other man having seen it best to start leaving so Baizhu had space to make sure nothing fatal had happened due to the extreme exposure to fetor. 

He hurried to the back room, relieved to find you sitting on the bed with a hand on your forehead. Seemingly having just woken up. “Well, good morning,” his usual voice greeted you and immediately gained the attention he’d missed. “You know, you’re lucky your constitution is as strong as it is. You dealt a serious blow back there.” He continued, a hint of stress apparent in his voice. But maybe that was only to your more trained ear. You were aware of how skilled he was with holding himself back for the sake of others, and that included you. 

But he was right, of course. But even if you’d survived, the feeling after wasn’t pleasant. Your head still felt heavy with exhaustion, not to mention the overpowering feeling of wanting to lay back down and sleep. It took every ounce of willpower you had left to muster up a few words. “Could I have a drink?” Like an automatic request. You hadn’t even noticed how thirsty you were, so far having no idea how long you’d been out for. 

Baizhu had been already on it, handing you the cool cup right after hearing the request. “You’ve been asleep for quite some time…” He spoke up again, keeping up conversation in order to keep you awake. It wasn’t hard to tell you kept nodding off every once in a while. So he proceeded to raise his voice a little then, give you a gentle push while checking your vitals again.

Gentle with his process, he made one final check up and agreed to let his mind rest after. It truly seemed to only be exhaustion from taking the blow of the ritual. You’d be fine with proper rest, as much as he’d feared otherwise. 

The cooling drink ran out faster than you would have hoped, placing the empty cup beside the bed. “You know, I can tell you’re worrying,” voice a little more clearer this time. “But I feel fine, the drowsiness aside…” You tried to chuckle a little to lighten up the mood. “He stayed up almost all night watching over you.” Changsheng spoke up before the man himself was able to, exposing his little endeavors the previous night. “Baizhu-..” You were able to begin the all too practised lecture, only to be interrupted by him. “I’m keenly aware of my limits, unlike some,” he allowed a sight to escape. Letting out some of the built up stress from the ordeal. “That was a trick I do not wish for you to perform again..” He sat down beside you on the bed, brushing some of your hair back with a gentle motion. In the end, pulling you in for a light embrace which was gladly returned soon after. “I think the Funeral Parlor will be in check for some time after this…No need for another rescue, don’t worry.” You hummed, feeling your eyes start to close once again. 

Baizhu pulled back, feeling your weight start to shift on to him a little more. “They may be fine, but you..” He laid you down gently, standing back up. “Are not. Which is exactly why you’re going to rest so that no lasting damage will raise its head.” Baizhu explained with the usual firm tone behind his words, knowing fully well that he wasn't going to let you walk this off. But wanting to believe that your negotiable nature wasn’t due to exhaustion, but instead out of wanting to ease the mind of the other. “Alright…” 

You could see the warm smile on his face before your eyes forced themselves shut. Only feeling the light peck he pressed against your forehead before outstretching his hand to allow Changsheng to climb back up to his shoulders. “Rest well, dear.” He said silently, before exiting the room. Now with a little more peace of mind.

[writeriguess]

I’m so glad that you wanted to start writing again! I know it must’ve been hard given everything that happened but we all support and appreciate you for everything!

I saw that you were taking asks since could I request shinsou with a reader who’s friends with the Bakusquad and reader laughs at absolutely anything and everything. Because personally I have a problem with laughing at everything and then proceeding to laugh for too long and annoying people. Okay so what I had in mind is like Shinsou is in 1-A now and he’s dating reader and she convinced him to sit at the Bakusquads lunch table when some random sits with them and calls her annoying and makes fun of her for laughing. And while the Bakusquad is about to defend their friend her lovely bf shinsou absolutely wrecks the random for making fun of his beautiful gf. And he later provides her comfort when she’s insecure about laughing. Bc I could really use that comfort rn.

And once again, we all love and appreciate you!!! 👻💜✨

author's note: I hope this will offer the comfort you need <3

The Sound of Your Smile

Convincing Hitoshi Shinsou to sit with the Bakusquad at lunch wasn’t an easy feat. Not because he didn’t like them—he tolerated them more than most, in fact—but because their boisterous energy wasn’t exactly his scene. Still, after some gentle nudging, the promise of sitting next to you, and a few teasing bribes, you managed to coax him into it.

As you walked into the cafeteria, your hand firmly clasped in his, you could feel him sighing beside you. “Are you sure about this?” he muttered, his voice laced with skepticism.

“Hitoshi,” you said with a grin, squeezing his hand, “it’ll be fine. I promise. They’re not that bad.”

“Mm.” He didn’t look convinced, but he let you lead him anyway.

When you reached the table, the squad was already in full swing. Mina was dramatically recounting an event from earlier in the day, Kaminari was trying (and failing) to balance a fry on his nose, and Bakugo was scowling at Kirishima for some crime against his lunch.

“Y/N!” Mina’s face lit up when she saw you, and she waved you over enthusiastically. “Finally, you’re here! And you brought the boyfriend!”

“Wow, the man, the myth, the legend,” Kaminari added with a playful grin. “Shinsou’s actually joining us? Didn’t think we were his vibe.”

Shinsou gave a small smirk as you slid into a seat next to Kaminari, pulling him down beside you. “Don’t get used to it.”

The squad laughed, already jumping into their usual routine of playful banter and inside jokes. The air was loud and lively, but to you, it was just another day at lunch.

As always, you couldn’t help but laugh. Everything about your friends was funny—the way Mina overacted every story, the dumb puns Kaminari threw out, and even Bakugo’s sharp retorts that were more bark than bite. Your laugh rang out loud and clear, uncontainable as you leaned into the warmth of the group.

Hitoshi, for his part, watched quietly, his usual reserved demeanor softening whenever his gaze landed on you. He loved your laugh—how bright it was, how it lit up your face, how it was impossible not to smile when he heard it.

But not everyone shared that sentiment.

It started when a random student approached the table, someone you vaguely recognized from another class. They slid into an empty seat, uninvited, and gave a half-hearted wave to the group.

No one paid them much mind—until they opened their mouth.

“Geez, do you ever stop laughing?” they said, their tone dripping with mockery as they turned to you. “It’s kind of… annoying.”

The laughter at the table came to an abrupt halt.

Your smile froze, the heat rushing to your face as their words hit you like a slap. You opened your mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

Before you could process what was happening, Hitoshi spoke up.

“Excuse me?” His voice was calm—too calm.

The random student blinked, clearly unprepared for confrontation. “What? I’m just saying. It’s loud and distracting.”

Hitoshi leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand as his violet eyes locked onto theirs. His gaze was intense, his tone low and dangerous. “And what exactly gives you the right to comment on her laugh? Or anything about her, for that matter?”

“I—I didn’t mean anything by it,” they stammered, suddenly shrinking under his piercing stare.

“Didn’t mean anything by it?” Hitoshi repeated, his voice sharp. “You insulted her for laughing. For being happy. That says a lot more about you than it does about her.”

The random student shifted uncomfortably, glancing around the table as if looking for backup. But they wouldn’t find any here.

“Seriously, who invited this extra?” Bakugo growled, glaring daggers at the intruder.

“You’re lucky she’s too nice to tell you off herself,” Mina added, crossing her arms.

Kirishima nodded, his tone unusually serious. “Not cool, dude.”

Kaminari, ever the instigator, smirked. “You’re just mad because your own laugh probably sounds like a dying goat.”

The student flushed red, mumbling something incoherent before hastily getting up and leaving.

As soon as they were gone, the table erupted into cheers, Mina and Kaminari high-fiving while Kirishima clapped Shinsou on the back.

“Dude, you destroyed them,” Kaminari said with a grin.

“About time someone put a jerk like that in their place,” Mina added.

Shinsou, however, wasn’t paying attention to them. His focus was entirely on you.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly, his voice low enough that only you could hear.

You nodded quickly, but your forced smile didn’t fool him.

The rest of lunch passed in a blur. The Bakusquad did their best to cheer you up, throwing jokes and reassurances your way, but you couldn’t shake the sting of the random student’s words.

Later that evening, back in the dorms, Hitoshi found you sitting alone in a quiet corner.

“Hey,” he said, sitting beside you. “What’s going on?”

You sighed, fiddling with the hem of your sleeve. “It’s stupid,” you muttered.

“Try me.”

You hesitated, but the look in his eyes—so full of patience and care—made it impossible to hold back. “I know I laugh a lot,” you admitted. “And I know it’s loud, and sometimes it goes on too long, and it annoys people. I try to stop, but I just… can’t help it. And when they said that…” You trailed off, your voice cracking.

Hitoshi’s expression softened, and he reached out to take your hand.

“Y/N,” he said firmly, “don’t ever apologize for laughing. Your laugh is one of my favorite things about you. It’s loud because it’s real, and it’s long because you’re happy. And anyone who has a problem with that can deal with me.”

You blinked back tears, your heart swelling at his words. “You mean that?”

“Of course I mean it.” He cupped your cheek, his thumb brushing away a stray tear. “You bring light into every room you walk into. Your laugh makes everything better—it makes me better. Don’t let anyone take that away from you.”

A small smile tugged at your lips, and you leaned into his touch. “Thank you, Hitoshi.”

He smiled back, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. “Anytime.”

And for the first time all day, you laughed. It wasn’t forced or hesitant—it was pure, unrestrained joy. Hitoshi’s smile widened as he pulled you into his arms, content to listen to the sound he loved more than anything.

Feel free to request <3

[smgsyndicate]

Some Things Lost

Rain Ghoul Centric Amnesia Fic

Featuring Poly Ghouls Omega, Aether, Dewdrop, Mountain, and Rain

Before Phantom era

Small warnings for medical talk + amnesia + GAYYY + mentions an IV like . Once lmao

Idk if I want to finish this but if you wanna see more let me know :)

It's eyes opened in a flash, pupils dilating to accommodate the blinding white of the walls surrounding it. It - .. no, he couldn't stop a hiss of pain from slipping through his teeth, arms weak and shaking as they struggle to support his weight as he sits up. Cerulean eyes squeeze shut, trying to block out the light and the mounting headache seemingly caused by them.

"No- no- hey, slow down there. You're going to hurt yourself more." A soothing voice to his right said. The eyes opened again, body relaxing once they took in the space that's now dimly lit. He looked over to who was speaking, a tall and built quintessence ghoul, worriedly looking at him as if he would fade away in a moments notice. The being tilted his head, not sure what's quite going on. Unintelligently, he mumbles a small pained, "ow.."

The quint tries to fight down a chuckle but ultimately fails, a small but genuine smile gracing his features. It thinks the ghoul's smile is pretty. It suits him. He blinks, focusing back in as the bigger ghoul... Is he a ghoul too? Is he even a he? .. They blink . Again . Eyes focusing once again on the quint. "Rain, come on... That's it, there you go. Stay present. Stay here with me, okay?"

It lets out a small sound of confusion, head tilting. "Rain? It's raining? .. I like the rain I think ... But I'm definitely not moving. My head hurts." They mumble, hand moving to try and touch their head. The ghoul looks more worried than before, gently catching his hand and moving it away from his head. "No- no Rain, you can't touch that. Your bandages need to stay on for at least another day... Do you know who I am?"

'Rain' takes the moment to really study the other's features. A strong and large build, but not particularly muscular. Something tells him the other is very comfortable to lay on and is a great source of warmth, but when he tries to chase the train of thought, he winces in pain as his headache stabs back in defiance. A name draws blank in his mind, nothing familiar.

It slowly shakes it's head no, looking down in shame. It's eyes widen at the sight of plain white sheets and something sticking out of its arm. The smell of chemical is more distinct and it can identify the annoying insistent beeping of some machine. They look at there arm, seeing it connected through an IV to some sort of fluid.

The IV starts to feel itchy, so they try and pull it out only for the quintessence ghoul to stop them with a panicked noise. "Okay ... I think you have some sort of amnesia... But it's hard to tell what kind at this very moment, so I .." He frowns, sighing with an emotional shake in his voice. "We're going to take care of you Rain. We will help you relearn and hopefully get your memories back. You ... You were in a bad accident, but you're going to be okay. It's.. it's going to be okay."

They feel bad, a hesitant and remorseful expression on their face as if they want to ask a question. The other ghoul fights back their own emotions, trying to appear put together. "What do you want to ask?" It feels something on their head lower in embarrassment and they meekly ask, "Am.. I Rain?"

If it thought things couldn't feel worse, it was just proven wrong. The heart shattering expression on the other's face made it backpedal on its words. "Oh- I uhm. I was just joking! I ..." They fumbled over their words, trying to figure out how to make it better. The quint just took their hands in his, shaking his head silently to request them to stop speaking. "No, it's okay. You don't need to lie. If anything, I need you to tell the truth. .. Let's do quick introductions then, how about that?"

It nodded, hoping this ghoul could explain more about what's happening and why they're in the infirmary wing instead of their room. They hiss, trying to grip at their head as a stabbing pain starts up again. How did they know this was an infirmary and not a hospital? They have a room here? The quintessence ghoul quickly moves their hand away from their head, making gentle shushing sounds and soothing coos.

"Shh.. hey... It's okay.. it's okay... Don't try and force yourself to remember... It'll make it worse.." The other says apologetically. It makes their head hurt more. Why is he sorry? "Alright, I'll go first. My name is Aether, and I'm a quintessence ghoul. We are in a band together, which I play rhythm guitar for. I like the colour purple and astronomy. Your turn, if you're comfortable?" The ghoul nods slightly, 'Aether's' encouraging and hopeful tone spurring them on.

"My name is .. Rain ... And I . I'm in a band. I like the colour azure.. and ... My favourite song is Con Clavi?" Rain says with hesitation. Aether's proud and happy smile makes his tail wag, glad to know that he made the other happy. "Yes! Good job, Rain! You're also a water ghoul and you also play bass! Does that sound familiar?" The bigger ghoul's tail wags a bit as well, the basic memory inclining that it's not all memories, just sporadically missing pieces.

Rain shrugs with a small nod. "I guess? I don't know.." He mumbles self consciously, hands finding their way to the thin white sheets and rubbing them between his fingers anxiously. Aether's eyes soften when he catches the movement, tone gentler than before when he speaks. "It's alright. We will help you. It's going to be alright."

The whole situation feels like reliving a memory for Aether, having been the main one to guide Rain through the confusing life on Earth after his initial summoning. He sees himself and his role in the pack as a protector and a caretaker, happy to be that for his fellow ghouls that he loves and cares for so much. Right now, he sees that timid but oh so fierce water ghoul that once stood trembling but claws readied in middle of the summoning circle.

He struggles to see the confident but subdued personality he's come to grow used to as Rain got more comfortable being in this strange moral realm. Still, Aether manages a smile. "I'll leave you to rest then, but I'll be nearby. Call me, or press that button if you need anything, alright?" Rain looks thoughtful before nodding, honestly just thankful to have a moment to himself to try and process everything he's just been told.

As Aether goes to move away he hesitates before pushing a stray hair from Rain's bangs out of his face, kissing him lightly on the temple before stepping away with a longing and sorrowful expression. He exits the room, closing the door and pausing there before his breathing hitches and the first wave of tears roll down his cheeks.

The quintessence ghoul wipes them away with his arm angrily, upset at himself for mourning someone who can still be saved. Rain's not... Gone.. He's just... ... Aether's breathing stutters and he lets his weight rest against the door, slowly sliding to the floor with silent sobs. His water ghoul is still there, he just has to help him remember... But it's so.. painful watching someone revert to a husk of their former self.

Omega, one of the older quintessence ghouls in the ministry, was doing his rounds in the infirmary. He had heard about the situation with Rain and his injuries but hadn't learned the full extent. He went to check up on the newest water ghoul, eyes widening in alarm upon finding the crying quint. He rushes over, dropping to his knees next to Aether, quickly wrapping the smaller ghoul in a hug.

The position was awkward and definitely not super comfortable, but it was comforting and that's enough. Aether's silent cries became ugly sobs, crying into his mentor's chest while Omega tried to calm him down, running his fingers through his hair and lacing his touch with quintessence.

The ex-guitarist's mind raced with probabilities and statistics. The damage couldn't have been so severe as to kill Rain, could it? But the normally put-together quint in his arms suggested otherwise. "What's going on, nova?" He asked softly, knowing he needed the space to vent. Aether finally seemed to catch his breath, sniffling and using the heel of his palm to wipe the tears from his eyes.

New ones grew back in the old one's place, but he didn't seem to care. "Not... Not here." He whispered, voice breaking with the flood of emotions. Omega just nodded gently, helping the other to his feet. The rhythm ghouls make their way to the small office tucked away in the corner of the infirmary wing.

Aether lets himself fall into the chair, fighting back the tears again so he can explain to Omega what's going on. He takes a deep breath and steels himself, preparing to elaborate. "As you may know, better than anyone, some people in the clergy weren't so happy with Copia becoming Papa..." Omega winces, lips twitching into a frown as he remembers the gruesome dethroning of his Papa.

Aether brushes his tail against Omega's leg apologetically, a silent understanding lingering between them for a few moments. "There was a ... A trap. Set up for Copia. But Rain..." Aether closes his eyes and lets his head fall back against the chair, hands gripping the arm rests as he tries to think of his next words. "Rain took the hit instead." He lets out a breath, a small whine slipping out alongside it. "No one knows if it was on purpose or not. He's, thankfully, going to be okay but.. his memory is all messed up and now there's a whole investigation going on, trying to figure out who's trying to hurt Papa and-"

Omega cuts him off with a hug, one that Aether easily leans into. His shoulders shake with the weight of his cries as he lets Omega comfort him again in such a short amount of time. "I'm sorry-" The older quint cuts him off quickly.

"Don't be. You have nothing to apologize for. Grieving for what you've lost does not make you weak, as long as you remember to cherish what you currently have. Dead flowers cause the moon to weep, but it's the new rain mixed with the compost that allows the new flora to flourish, in turn feeding the fauna. Everything will work out just fine, starlight."

Aether can't fight a smile from forming on his face, a wet laugh leaving him. "Where did all that just come from?" Omega stammers for a moment, flustered a bit but laughin along with him. "I thought it was a good metaphor! I thought I did great!" He says defensively, but his tone is so light and the large smile tells Aether he wasn't actually offended.

"It was. You did great, Megs." Aether says genuinely, vulnerability slipping into his tone as the laughter subsides. Aether gently holds Omega's face in his hands, gently pulling him closer for a quick kiss. "Thank you... I needed to hear that I think." Omega flushes, always shy under affection. "Uh.. yeah... No problem..."

The shy behaviour from his mentor is enough to lift the rhythm guitarist's spirits again. "I could use a second opinion, if you have a moment? I'm suspecting some retrograde amnesia, but I haven't tested if he remembers our conversation from earlier. He had difficulties remembering things about himself and me. He even said his favourite song was Con Clavi Con Dio! Can you believe it?" He said with a slight edge of hysteria in his voice.

Omega can't help the small chuckle at Aether's exasperation at the favourite song choice, but is mentally revising all the medical knowledge he has aqquired. While the exasperation is mostly for show, it was worrying to hear since anyone who had been around the bassist long enough knew that his favourite song was by far Prime Mover.

On one of his very few interactions alone with the quiet ghoul, he had been witness to a long winded explanation on why the bass line in particular was one of his favourites to play and how the drum track lined up in such a way that it was fun to perform as well. It's one of his favourite memories he has of the water ghoul, having thoroughly enjoyed that conversation.

"Well, let me see the patient." Omega says in his best professional voice, cracking a smile when Aether laughs at him. The closer they get to Rain's room, the more Aether's tail lowers with anxiety. Omega intertwines his tail with Aether's, pressing a kiss to his cheek in what he hopes is a reassuring gesture. When they're outside the door, they can hear voices from inside. Aether's eyebrows furrow as he opens the door, eyes wide in surprise as he sees Mountain speaking to a clearly confused and distraught Rain.

"And you're so stupid for that. I mean, honestly! Taking a hit like that? You're lucky I wasn't there or that sibling of sin would've been dead five times over, and then some. Papa should have body guards anyways! Why did you take the hit? Or, did they sneak up on you? How! You're a ghoul! A damn smart one too! You're luck you're so pretty or else I'd ... I'm not sure, but stop worrying me so much I-" Aether clears his throat, hand resting on the taller ghoul's shoulder.

Mountain growls at Aether before it dies off in his throat as he sees the serious look on the normally joyful quint. The guitarist moves away from Mountain, heading over to the bed where Rain still sits, looking confused and slightly scared. "Hey, Rain. Remember me?" The bassist nods, a small but nervous smile on his face. "Y. Yeah... Uhm.. Whats going on?" He says sheepishly, eyeing the tall drummer with caution.

The Earth ghoul has the right to look offended, going to retort playfully as he normally would, but Omega shakes his head discouragingly at him, mouthing for him to keep quiet for now. Aether sits on the chair next to the bed, humming as he thinks of where to start. "Well.. this is Mountain, say hello Mountain." The drummer looks on in quiet confusion before saying a quiet greeting.

Aether smiles encouragingly at that, chuckling slightly at Rain's shy wave. "And my name is Omega." The older quint introduces, nodding in a respectful way as a greeting. Rain nods at that. "I know." Aether blinks in surprise. "You remember Omega?" Rain looks at Aether in confusion. "Of course! He taught Dew bass, remember? Then Dew taught me." He said confidently, as if Aether was the one misremembering things.

While it's true that Omega taught Dewdrop and then Dew taught Rain, it didn't make sense why he would remember Dew and Omega but not Mountain and Aether. Mountain's eyes widen as he realizes the situation. "He.. Can't remember everything?" Omega nods solemnly, moving to hold the Earth ghoul's hand comfortingly. "Not quite. But we're trying to fix it... Though that doesn't explain why he knows me but not you two."

Rain looks between the ghouls, staring at their joined hands. He feels a sting of emotion, something akin to anger or... Jealousy? He grips his head, hissing as his headache flares. Aether gently soothes him into laying down again, trying to ease the pain with traces of his element. "It's alright, like I said, don't push yourself too hard. We don't want you to permanently damage your brain."

The water ghoul's eyes widen. "I can do that?" He asks softly, voice laced with real fear. Aether curses under his breath, quickly shaking his head. "No! No, you can't. I just.. I was trying to get you to calm down." He says rushedly. Rain relaxes marginally at that, but still bites at his lip anxiously. "Now to figure out what's going on with your memory patterns.."

"I might have an idea." Mountain suggests. Aether looks at the drummer with a look of confusion. The quint has way more medical knowledge than the other, there's no way he could figure it out but Rather couldn't. "Well... Go on then." Omega encourages, intrigued.

"He doesn't remember me or Aether, but he remembers you and Dew, right?" The other ghouls nod in agreement, not sure where this is leading. "But he can form new memories and is just struggling with the past.." He continues. Aether's gets impatient, anxiety mounting. "Please just get to the point."

Mountain puts his hand up defensively, the other still laced with Omega's. "Okay, okay.." He takes a breath. "I could be wrong, but he might only remember the older era ghouls." Aether looks at him with a deadpan expression. Mountain is quick to elaborate. "He said he remembers Dew, but that doesn't mean he knows him after the element change... Do you see where I'm going with this?"

Omega's eyes widen as he processes the new information, running over the idea in his mind. "He knows Dew but only as a water ghoul, when me and him were in the band together. That's why he mentioned learning bass from him, because the water element is linked to the instrument!" Mountain nods in agreement. "We could call for Dew and test that theory-" "No."

Mountain looks over at Aether in confusion. "Wha-" "I said no." Aether's fist clenches as he takes a breath to calm down. "I love Dew, but we remember how he was to Rain after the change." Omega frowns, speaking up on his own thoughts. "Aren't they close now?" Rain looks on, lost as he tried to follow the conversation about him as if he's not right there. "Yes but.. what if Rain just remembers him when he was an asshole? I can't subject him to that right now! He's much too fragile in this state and-"

Rain clears his throat, the sound quieter than he wished for it to be, but he supposes it's fine since it made the quint pause. "I'm able to think for myself, you know. I don't know how you know me but if Dew is there, I'd like to talk to him. He was the best teacher I could ever ask for- ... No offence, Megalodon." He says sheepishly, using the old nickname for Omega in hopes it wouldn't upset the other rhythm guitarist.

Omega frowns slightly at the meek behaviour, not used to the shy Rain. He tries a placating smile, hoping to ease Rain's anxiety. "None taken." He says truthfully, not minding in the slightest.

The way Rain talks about Omega and Dew makes Aether believe his memories must be somewhere right before the element change, since Dew was still a water ghoul when teaching Rain bass. It was only after the change where Dew felt aggression towards the newer summon, redirecting the pain to anger.

Aether sighs, resting his head in his hands and closing his eyes to steady his thoughts. Would it be better to try and jog his memory or try and avoid it? The rhythm guitarist hasn't dealt with any amnesia or brain trauma patients, the territory unfamiliar and terrifying. Especially since it's someone so close to him.

However, Rain did have a point. Even if Aether wanted to keep Dew away, Rain is still in charge of his own life and his physical health doesn't seem to be at risk by allowing him to see the ex-bassist. With a reluctant frown, he texts Dew that Rain is awake and wants to see him. The quint makes sure to specifically warn Dew that the injured water ghoul may not have any recent memories of him, and may not even be aware of the element transition.

The read receipt pops up, showing that the fire ghoul is either reading the text or has already read it. The typing bubbles pop up for a few moments before disappearing and reappearing again. Aether's grip on the phone is tight and nervous, Omega coming over to gently run his fingers through the smaller quint's hair reassuringly.

Rain looks to Mountain with a pleading expression. "So.. I can see him?" The earth ghoul nods, moving over to the side of the bed and nudging Aether's foot with his to silently make him move so Mountain can have the chair next to the bed. "Yeah. We're just waiting on him to text back and let us know when he'll be here-" The door is slammed open and Dew pants lightly as if he just ran here. "... Well, I guess he's here now." Mountain says with amusement.

Aether looks at his phone, making sure he didn't miss a text. The typing bubbles never turned into words, making the quint look at Dew in confusion. The fire ghoul waves him off, pushing past him and Omega to get to the bed. He hops onto the end of the mattress, looking at the water ghoul with what seems to be a nonchalant expression, but Omega can see that he's heavily scanning the bassist for injuries and signs of distress

"So, you made it out alive, huh?" Dew says teasingly, trying to guage how Rain is doing based on the response. A flicker of recognition sparks in those cerulean eyes, a real and genuine smile on his face for the first time since Mountain has visited. "Of course I did. I can't die that easily. This is the skin of a killer, Bella!" He says with fake seriousness, a laugh bubbling from his throat before he can stop it.

Mountain's tail wags a little at hearing the cute little squeaks in his packmate's laugh, happy to hear he's feeling better. Even if Rain has no memory of Mountain, the Earth ghoul would rather have the bassist happy and content over anything else in the whole world. Nothing is more important to Mountain than his pack's wellbeing.

Omega looks between Dew and Rain with a confused expression, blinking incredulously. "You.. remember watching Twilight, but not Aether." Rain goes to retort but pauses, brows furrowing in confusion and concentration. "I .. I don't know? It just felt natural.." He mumbles, his joyful demeanor diminishing almost instantly.

Mountain frowns, trying to think of a way to cheer him up again. Dew beats him to it. "Maybe your half of a brain will start working once you get some food in you. Have you eaten yet? I mean, I know I call you fish stick for a reason but you seriously need some meat on your bones or something." Rain huffs and clicks at him with indignation. "Coming from you? That's rich! ... But uhm. Yeah, I'm starving." He says shyly at the end.

Omega grabs Aether's hand and guides him to the door. "I'll get some food started for you guys then, okay? Rain, you should be all clear to go. Just make sure you're with someone so if something happens you have help.. Come on, supernova." He says gently, guiding the emotionally drained quint out of the room with him. Rain makes a displeased cringing face at Omega's words, hissing out what seems to be a mocking impression under his breath. He's clearly displeased about how fragile everyone is treating him.

Dew chuckles and stretches dramatically, resting on top of the water ghoul. "Relax. They just care about you, that's all. They're stupid idiots who don't understand your strength, sure, but they're also incredibly worried about you... Or somethin, I dunno." He says genuinely for a moment before throwing back on his causal persona. Mountain rolls his eyes, watching as the fire ghoul slowly applies more pressure by laying on top of the now squirming water ghoul who pushes weakly at him with laughter.

The drummer scruffs the back of Dew's shirt, hauling him off the giggling bassist. "Thanks, M!" He chirps out happily, tail wagging as he taunts the restrained guitarist. "Watch yourself, Rain. I'm planning my revenge." Dewdrop growls out, but his tail wags playfully just as much. He squirms more until Mountain puts him down. "Behave." The taller ghoul says with a teasing tone.

Mountain's eyes dart over to Rain as the bassist tries to move off the bed. He gently moves Dew out of the way, helping the injured ghoul to his feet and carefully removing the IV for him. He double checks that Rain is alright and can stand on his own, before taking a step back. .. he then steps forward again and triple checks, his worry for his packmate overtaking his logic. "Dude, he's fine. See?" The fire ghoul throws a pillow at Rain, watching as the bassist blinks in shock for a moment before trying to lunge at the other.

The Earth ghoul sighs, but it's just for show. He smiles as he quietly asks Rain if he can carry him, the water ghoul looking at him hesitantly before nodding and wrapping his arms around the drummer's neck as he's picked up. Dew takes the time to be a little nuisance, poking at Rain until Mountain glares at him with enough of a threat to make him back off with a self satisfied smirk.

"Don't worry, dragonfly. No one will hurt you when I'm here."

[achaotichuman]

Ok, wolf's here again with another quick ask (sorry I couldn't resist!) but... I actually believe that Rhysand doesn't really love Feyre. He's obsessed with the mating bond (he begged and dreamed of it), and here she is: his mate. He tries so hard to make HER fall for him, to keep her but at the same time she has to PROVE to him she's worth it (I'm sorry, but making her steal the ring from the Weaver? MHM) and to see she's over Tamlin (HMMMMMMM) and her tattoos, their death pact (the stupidest thing EVER it really doesn't even make sense in the narrative, like 0 to 0 sense) then the BABY.

I can't stress it enough about that plot (truly, my hate for it is beyond, that book? It's better if I do not speak on it) and overall he is... unhappy. He looks even more so after everything. In the bonus story of Hofas he literally loses his cool, he's brash - more so than in the past. His powers do explode. (Yes, yes, bc of the risks and all that, but still... even some of his stans saw it as a surprise and not IC for him, so...)

To me, he looks like a caged beast that should be happy. HE IS HAPPY, or so he says. But then, with Tamlin in that novella... he says No. When Tamlin asks him "Isn't that enough," he says No. And - as someone just reminded me - even when he leaves Nesta and Cassian in Spring, he looks toward the mansion. He's always, in a way, thinking about him.

Feyre let go of Tamlin. As she said, she wants him to be better (personal eye roll here) and be happy.

She's over him.

Rhysand isn't. Rhysand can't let go of him.

He needs to taunt him, to see him explode, a reaction. He says he hates him, he is obsessed with him.

He wants him to die.

He cooks him a meal. He asks Summer to make sure someone is patrolling.

He says it's for the good of Prythian. He says it's for a better cause.

But is it really? I know that SJM probably (99.99%) doesn't even see the subtext she almost implies, but I do really wonder if Rhysand is actually in love with Feyre, if it's not their 2 years honeymoon phase (longer maybe because they are Faes) + the mating bond and him trying to reinforce over and over that he is happy.

He loves her. He has everything he wanted, begged, and dreamed for. He has all of it, while Tamlin doesn't.

And he still said no. It's not enough. He needs more.

I fear this man will never be happy until he has Tamlin under him, and loves him.

But we will see, this is how I came to think of it all because I read Crescent City, I did read Throne of Glass at the time and I know that she can... sell me a love story. With Rhysand and Feyre? I see it from her, but sometimes even from her POV it feels forced, but from Rhys? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Like, truly, a Honeymoon phase that is coming to an end, but she is his mate, so he IS happy. He must be.

I won't say he doesn't love her at all, but still. Mhm. Maybe it's my dislike for how SJM pushed the narrative (retcons, errors, etc etc) and the fact that in the book I do dislike the two as characters (how no matter what they do the narrative won't punish them, when IT SHOULD! She even does so in her other series, maybe not in a really deep way, but still. Here in acotar - after the first book - nothing the main characters do is ever seen as bad when it's clear some repercussion must be seen/happen)

Aaaand, I said quick but I lost the plot, sorry!!

TDLR: Rhysand doesn't really love love Feyre, it's more the mating bond and his expectation and I think so for many reasons, but most of all, because he said, with Tamlin, No. It isn't enough when it should be.

(Another thing: Tamlin is truly the one who sees him as he is, and they both know it. I'm sorry, but nothing will change my mind about that dfdfsdfsdfs

And the other "love story" she isn't able to sell me is... Cassian and Nesta. Their bond even sounds fake in the narrative, and what love? My man is in love with Rhysand, Azriel and Mor if anything lol)

Aaaand sorry for this long rant and rambling about this! Hope it didn't bother you too much!

Again, sending you all the love and good vibes I can! ♥

AHHH OKAY I WAS SO SO SO EXCITED TO SEE THIS (I love long asks!!) BUT I BAD AT ANSWERING LONG ASKS, SO I WILL DO THIS PARAGRAPH BY PARAGRAPH

I actually believe that Rhysand doesn't really love Feyre. He's obsessed with the mating bond (he begged and dreamed of it), and here she is: his mate. He tries so hard to make HER fall for him, to keep her but at the same time she has to PROVE to him she's worth it (I'm sorry, but making her steal the ring from the Weaver? MHM) and to see she's over Tamlin (HMMMMMMM) and her tattoos, their death pact (the stupidest thing EVER it really doesn't even make sense in the narrative, like 0 to 0 sense) then the BABY.

YES OMFG YES, THIS RHYSAND DOESNT TRULY LOVE FEYRE THEORY, BUT IS OBSESSED WITH THE MATING BOND (I see a version of this kind of theory in regards to Azriel with Elain, but I really like it in terms of Rhysand) He is absolutely obsessed with the idea of Feyre, but couldn't really handle the wildchild she truly was, so at her absolute lowest he swooped her up and molded her into a version he preferred.

I can't stress it enough about that plot (truly, my hate for it is beyond, that book? It's better if I do not speak on it) and overall he is... unhappy. He looks even more so after everything. In the bonus story of Hofas he literally loses his cool, he's brash - more so than in the past. His powers do explode. (Yes, yes, bc of the risks and all that, but still... even some of his stans saw it as a surprise and not IC for him, so...)

Ooooooh I really like this idea!!! (pls correct me if I am misunderstanding) But Rhysand deep down being unhappy with the bond and his relationship with Feyre because it isn't the dream he imagined it to be, and has its issues and complications which despite being normal for any relationship, is not the perfection he imagined, and at their core, no amount of molding is ever going to make Feyre compatible to Rhysand, unless she has absolutely no drive at all, he has to resort to manipulation tactics to get her to do what he wants, and I dont think anybody could be truly happy like that. Rhysand obviously wants someone who *thinks* like him, and Feyre just plain doesn't. She thinks like TAMLIN

To me, he looks like a caged beast that should be happy. HE IS HAPPY, or so he says. But then, with Tamlin in that novella... he says No. When Tamlin asks him "Isn't that enough," he says No. And - as someone just reminded me - even when he leaves Nesta and Cassian in Spring, he looks toward the mansion. He's always, in a way, thinking about him. Feyre let go of Tamlin. As she said, she wants him to be better (personal eye roll here) and be happy. She's over him. Rhysand isn't. Rhysand can't let go of him. He needs to taunt him, to see him explode, a reaction. He says he hates him, he is obsessed with him. He wants him to die. He cooks him a meal. He asks Summer to make sure someone is patrolling. He says it's for the good of Prythian. He says it's for a better cause.

Oooooooooh yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

Rhysand cannot let go of Tamlin, absolutely, he is in a way always revolving around him. All his decisions, in the end, have Tamlin in mind in some way or another. Or end up with him near Tamlin again. I wonder if this could link back to a time where Rhysand was another, freer, better version of himself, where Tamlin's thinking and personality was not a clash but a compliment. And now that he can no longer have that person, Tamlin's gentler, kinder but strong-willed and stubborn personality now uncomfortably scraps against Rhysand, but still Rhys wants him back. But since Tamlin will never ever go crawling back to him, the closest thing he can get is Feyre. But again, Feyre resembles Tamlin, and Tamlin and Rhysand no longer work. So neither do Feyre and Rhysand (I AM SO SORRY FOR HIJACKING YOUR THEORY MY BRAIN IS GOING 100 MILES PER HOUR)

But is it really? I know that SJM probably (99.99%) doesn't even see the subtext she almost implies, but I do really wonder if Rhysand is actually in love with Feyre, if it's not their 2 years honeymoon phase (longer maybe because they are Faes) + the mating bond and him trying to reinforce over and over that he is happy. He loves her. He has everything he wanted, begged, and dreamed for. He has all of it, while Tamlin doesn't. And he still said no. It's not enough. He needs more. I fear this man will never be happy until he has Tamlin under him, and loves him.

Oh SJM is useless in this scenario, I don't even mention her when I talk about possibilities between Rhysand and Tamlin. I make my own rules. Canon is my playground.

I adore this theory, one of the best I've seen for Feyre and Rhysand, it just works so well. If this were to happen between them, I would love to see how Rhysand handles the fallout. It would be gradual ofc, but seeing everything unravel slowly around him, leaving him in the same lonely place he was before the fifty years. *chefs kiss*

But we will see, this is how I came to think of it all because I read Crescent City, I did read Throne of Glass at the time and I know that she can... sell me a love story. With Rhysand and Feyre? I see it from her, but sometimes even from her POV it feels forced, but from Rhys? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Like, truly, a Honeymoon phase that is coming to an end, but she is his mate, so he IS happy. He must be.

AHH YOU ARE COOKING WITH THISSSSS, SJM does know how to write romance, so I am still left very confused on how she went so horribly wrong with Feysand.

But the angst of the honeymoon phase slowly coming to an end for Rhysand, just sounds delicious, and I would love to see this happen in canon, but alas I will settle for a fic!

I won't say he doesn't love her at all, but still. Mhm. Maybe it's my dislike for how SJM pushed the narrative (retcons, errors, etc etc) and the fact that in the book I do dislike the two as characters (how no matter what they do the narrative won't punish them, when IT SHOULD! She even does so in her other series, maybe not in a really deep way, but still. Here in acotar - after the first book - nothing the main characters do is ever seen as bad when it's clear some repercussion must be seen/happen)

Rhysand definitely has affection for Feyre, but I struggle to see how it runs deeper than the forced affection from the mating bond and general empathy for her. SJM I think probably rushed Feysand because she got obsessed with it (cough, guilty here, cough) but her editors should have caught that, and, tbh I think if she really wanted to sell Feysand, she should have ditched the "Tamlins an abuser! So Rhysand by comparison is the (only) better option!" and stretched ACOMAF over two more books. We should have also had more worldbuilding with the Night Court, and been shown Feyre intergrating with the Night Court in a similar, preferrably deeper way, to the Spring Court. Plus, I would have killed to have some real education classes for Feyre. Tutoring would have been cool, in House of Hunger, Marion has actual lessons on the Houses in the North. The scenes on page didn't go super deep into what she was learning, but we knew she was learning, and we got some cool scenes of it. I think something like that for Feyre, would have been wonderful. Plus, I think having Morrigan as like a history teacher would have been fun and opened a deeper level of friendship between them, further opening Feyre to the Inner Circle, but Ill shut up now, cause Im ranting

Aaaand, I said quick but I lost the plot, sorry!! TDLR: Rhysand doesn't really love love Feyre, it's more the mating bond and his expectation and I think so for many reasons, but most of all, because he said, with Tamlin, No. It isn't enough when it should be. (Another thing: Tamlin is truly the one who sees him as he is, and they both know it. I'm sorry, but nothing will change my mind about that dfdfsdfsdfs And the other "love story" she isn't able to sell me is... Cassian and Nesta. Their bond even sounds fake in the narrative, and what love? My man is in love with Rhysand, Azriel and Mor if anything lol) Aaaand sorry for this long rant and rambling about this! Hope it didn't bother you too much! Again, sending you all the love and good vibes I can! ♥

DONT WORRY ABOUT LOSING THE PLOT IN ASKS, I GET IT, I DO IT TOO!!! DONT BE SORRY!!!

I do like Tamlin being the one to truly see Rhys, he would most certainly know him the most intimately, because he's seen Rhys at his absolute best and his absolute rock bottom worst. Truly the toxic, doomed yaoi we were so horribly denied!

Ugh, I won't even get started on Cassian and Nesta. Nesta deserves so so so much better, end of dicussion!

IT DID NOT BOTHER ME, I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK ME SO LONG TO REPLY TOO, THANK YOU FOR SENDING IT, I AM SENDING YOU ALL OF THE GOOD VIBES AND LOVE AS WELL!!

[nethhiri]

Chapter 65: Damned Punks in Distress

Warnings: Murder, Violence

It was hard to admit, but you were helpless in this situation. Even if you went to fight, Kaido would crush you before you could do anything. No one here would survive that. At the very least, you had to preserve yourself so that you could heal and revive those that were victims. 

"Why did we stop?!" Quincy grabbed your arm. "We have to go help them!"

"I can't do that."

"Why not?!"

"I will not be responsible for sending you all to your graves." You pointed to the shadowy figure on the island. It was hard for them to see since the ship was far out. "That's Emperor Kaido."

"What?" She had panic in her eyes.

"Captain Kid will do his best to protect the crew. There's nothing we can do right now that will help them." You continued. "Our job will be to help the injured once Kaido's left. We'll wait until he's gone. Then we'll return as fast as possible."

You knew that Kid and Killer were no match for Kaido. The crew knew it, too. You just hoped that Killer would use his wit to get them out of a bad situation. You wanted to rush in so badly to save them, yet you knew you had to be smart about it. The captain in you had to restrain your impulse. Your job was to keep the crew safe. Kid wouldn't want you to put his crew in danger and neither would Killer. No matter what happened, you were sure you could use your devil fruit to fix it. 

It was hard to watch. The rest of the crew couldn't see, which was for the best. Kaido swiftly put down anyone who raised a hand to him. There was a lot of dust and debris obscuring the fight. When it settled, there wasn't much movement on the island. Then, you could make out some of the rival crews hauling Kid Pirates to their ships. That made your rage flare. It was all a set up. You didn't see what happened to any of the commanders. They were too far away and there was too much going on. Red crescents marked your palms where your nails had been digging into them. Your hands were shaking with a mixture of anger and anxiety and they didn't stop until Kaido and the traitorous ships had gone. 

In your haste, you ran your ship straight into the ground. There was no time to waste anchoring and rowing to shore. The crew on your ship were right behind you as you and Mini hurried along the beach. Everyone had orders to bring the dead and the injured all to one place. You rode Mini, trying desperately to find any trace of Kid or Killer. The scents Minerva followed all ended in failure. There were no signs of Heat or Wire either. You hid the worry on your face as you came back to the others. If you started to lose your cool, they would all follow suit. 

There were quite a few victims that had perished, many more injured. You focused on the dead of your own crew first, then the injured, then a few of the other crews. It took longer than you would have liked to revive the dead. Kaido had taken the Victoria, which had some replacement organs stockpiled in the infirmary. You had to replace everything that needed to be replaced by hand. It proved too difficult to heal more than one at a time, which slowed you considerably. While you were healing the injured, you ordered the able bodied to collect anything of use from the castle. Unfortunately, everything had already been raided by Kaido's men. That meant you would need to do a supply run before you went after them. Before you had finished healing the Kid Pirates, you were already thinking of a rescue plan, or a revenge plan, depending on what you would find.

Next, you healed several of the rival crew, trying to get information from them. They proved very cooperative once they were introduced to the barrel of your gun. You learned what happened and where the rest of the Kid Pirates had been taken. You also learned that Kaido preferred to break his captives rather than kill them, which was a relative relief. At least they weren't dead, not yet. Kid's behavior may still put them at risk. You knew he wasn't going to play nice with them. Depending on Kaido's patience, he might kill him to simply be rid of the annoyance.

When you were done with the informants, you shot them in the head. None of them knew where Kaido's headquarters was so they were worthless to you. Apparently they were worthless to their own crews if they were left behind. No one said much of anything as the ship was prepared to leave. There was no point staying on the island. Even though it was growing dark, you knew no one wanted to spend the night there. They were all pretty shaken up, still in shock. You used your devil fruit to push the ship from the sand. After consulting your charts, you set a course for the nearest non-government island. There was nothing in your charts about this island called Wano. You weren't sure how you were going to find it. 

You took it upon yourself to be the lookout tonight. There was no way you would be able to sleep. It seemed several others had the same idea. Their faces were pale, their eyes were red-rimmed, and they had blank stares. You took a moment to consider the events of the day through their eyes. Maybe you were desensitized. They were probably traumatized watching their friends bleed out or be maimed in front of their eyes. It didn't bother you very much anymore seeing the dead. You had seen so much already, and now it wasn't as permanent as it should be thanks to your devil fruit.

There wasn't any food on board to prepare for a meal. Even if there was, you didn't think anyone would have an appetite. Minerva sat with you, watching over the black sea. She nudged your hand with something. It was a blue scale. You were puzzled at first. Was it from a sea king? Kaido's scale?  You scratched the boar between her ears. This would be how you found Wano, hopefully. 

Sailing through the night, the ship arrived in port as dawn broke. The crew gathered on deck in anticipation of disembarking. They had the same somber expressions as they wore through the night. You sighed. You were going to have to do something about this.

"Listen up. Wipe those sad looks off your faces. No one is dead and if they were dead, they're back now. Do you honestly think that the crew that was taken would die so easily? Or the captain? Or the other officers? They're all waiting for us. You don't have time to mope. You think Eustass "Captain" Kid would want you to sit back and cry about it? No! He would want you to get off your asses and raise hell! So let's give them hell.''

"Yeah! Come on, guys. Let's get this shit and get moving! We have a captain to rescue!" Dive followed your pep talk with her own addition. 

The crew seemed noticeably more motivated after that and rushed down the gangplank to get their assigned goods. You thanked Dive for her support. You knew it must be hard to push something so traumatic to the back of their minds for now. You tried to remember the first traumatizing event you had witnessed, but there had been so many it was hard to come up with something. Was mental health support part of your contract? You sure hoped not. You would probably fuck them up even worse if you tried to therapize them. Best you could do was teach them how to shove the bad memories deep down somewhere. You had been repressing trauma for years and you turned out.... Yeah maybe we should kidnap a therapist. 

You wanted to get supplies and get out as soon as possible. It was hard to decide how much to stock up since you didn't know how far away Wano was. That was the other reason you wanted to leave as soon as you were able to. You had no idea how long it would take to get there. While you were in town, you would sniff around to see if anyone knew of it, but you wouldn't spend extra time trying to find out. Mini could lead you in the right direction regardless. 

By noon, you still had no information. What you lacked in information, you made up for with supplies. You had about all you needed. The others would be regrouping at your ship soon. As you made your way back, you couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. It wasn't malicious, however. At least, you didn't think it was. The track record you had with observation haki was dismal. With caution, you turned in the direction of the feeling. A familiar face was turned in your direction, a bright smile spreading across their face.

"Y/N! I thought that was you. Fancy seeing you here!"

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the Snake Den?" 

The woman was none other than Jade, or Madam Tempest, as she was known to most, the madam of the brothel you had visited some time ago and one of the women you had rescued in your previous life. 

"There are many Snake Dens." She winked. "Why are you here? And where are those strapping gentlemen you were with?"

You told her of all that happened and of your intentions to get them back. 

"Wano..." Jade thought for several moments. "Yes, I think I may be able to help you." She gestured for you to come along. 

Jade took you to her establishment on this island. It looked very much like the one you had visited previously. You waited in the lounge, watching the people who entered and exited. Jade seemed to have a thriving business. She was currently talking into no less than four transponder snails at once, picking up one or two at a time to shout something. You felt guilty sitting there with a drink in your hand. You needed to be on your way to Wano, not waiting around. 

You threw back the drink, trying not to think about what could be happening the rest of the crew. You were most worried for Kid, not because you cared for him more than anyone else, but because he was the most likely to get himself punished with that loud mouth of his. It wouldn't take much for him to talk himself into an early grave. Killer was smart. He would be able to take care of himself just fine. They had rescued you, now it was your turn to rescue them. 

"Good news," Jade said. "I can help you get to Wano."

"You can?" You were shocked, pleasantly so. 

"One of my girls came from there. She says she can get you there."

"Great. Bring her out. We need to leave."

"Well... she's not here." Jade added, "It will take a few days for her to travel here."

"I can't wait that long. I need to go tonight." You continued, "I appreciate the offer, but my boar can track Kaido to Wano. I'll get there on my own."

"Y/N, Wano is difficult to get into from what I understand. Finding it is one thing, but entering the country is entirely another, not to mention navigating it."

You considered her words. She was right. You knew it would be easier if you waited for this person. If you couldn't find a way in, what would the point be? 

"Fine. I'll wait. But you need to get her as soon as possible." 

"One more thing," Jade rubbed her arm, "I would like to help personally. It's the least I could do to repay you... and... anything I can do to help Heat... I admit your news makes me worry. We exchanged a few letters since we met."

"Of course. Thank you."

You had a suspicion that her and Heat exchanged more than simply bodily fluids. It seems your suspicion was right. 

More than a week passed and you were getting more agitated by the second. There was a delay with the informant's travel. You spent the days pouring over charts and coming up with plans based on the limited information you had. Jade had selected a few of her girls to come along as well, the ones that knew how to fight. The crew and yourself sparred with them to make sure they would be able to fend for themselves. You didn't have energy to spare babysitting them. Jade and yourself had decided that her and her girls would infiltrate the brothels of Wano to gather information. Everyone knew men didn't just spill seed to whores. They spilled secrets, too. 

The evenings were spent at the local bars, drinking to keep your thoughts at bay. Your mood was generally sour while you waited to get the show on the road. After the first few nights, most of the bar patrons knew not to bother you. Time could not move fast enough. If something happened to any of the crew while you were just waiting around, you would have a difficult time forgiving yourself. 

By the clap of a hand on your shoulder, you knew that someone wanted trouble. You turned slowly, laying eyes on two marines. You turned back and took a drink from your glass. 

"Can I help you?" You didn't have time for this shit. 

"Ma'am, you're under arrest."

The marine slapped a wanted poster down on the table. He pointed to your picture. You picked it up. It was a new poster. The picture wasn't new but the bounty was. That must be what gave them the audacity to approach you. You could tell by their uniforms that they were low ranking. 

"Address me with due respect." If they were going to rudely interrupt your brooding, they should do it properly.

"Sea Snake, former Captain Y/N L/N, you are under arrest." 

"I'm fine here. Thank you." You added, "I'm feeling generous so I'll let you leave."

The man addressed his companion, "Can she do that?"

"No, of course not." 

The man pulled your chair out. 

"Let's go. I order you to allow yourself to be cuffed."

You pulled your coat out from under you, spreading it to show the symbols on it. "Do you know what these are?"

"The back of marine officials' jackets."

"That's right. And do you see how many I have? And you know how I got them?"

"Well, yes that's why your bounty is so high." 

"So how do you think you two, petty officers, are any match for me?" 

They looked at each other, then to the poster, then to you. 

"Sorry to bother you."

They started to walk away. 

"Hold it." You barked. "I'm not feeling so generous anymore." 

They froze. You spun your gun into your hand from your holster and shot a hole clean through the head of one of them. The other one stood shaking with fear. 

"Come here." Venom dripped from your voice. "Bend over the table."

The man was shaking when he did as he was told. A sliver of metal split off from your bracer and was shaped into a small blade. You stood over him and sliced through his shirt to reveal his back. With the blade you wrote one word into his back: WANO. 

"You tell Captain Von Kossa I'll be waiting for him," you bent over him and spoke lowly into his ear. 

The man didn't so much as whimper or shed a tear. Maybe he was too terrified. Maybe he was actually brave. If that were the case, you would be impressed. You were growing impatient. It was time to put this saga to an end. If Von Kossa wasn't a coward he would meet you there, but you wouldn't be shocked if he didn't show. The other two had been cowards. He was part of the same crop. 

"I-it's Vice Admiral Von Kossa now, m-ma'am."

A slow grin spread across your features. Victory would be that much sweeter when you turned him into dust. 

The next day, Jade's girl finally arrived. She had lived in Wano and was stolen some time ago. She went by Goldie and she had always wanted to go back but had no means of doing so until now. The moment she arrived, the Fate's Wraith disembarked, heading for Wano at full tilt. The journey there would take several more weeks, to your dismay. So much could happen in that time. 

The only comfort you had was holding onto Mini and burying your face in her fur. So badly you wished Kid and Killer were here to hold. You hoped they were still alive. You hoped everyone was still alive. Kaido may want to break Kid, or the other stronger members to use as his own, but what about the others? Would he care to keep rookies alive? Even if you weren't particularly fond of any of them, Kid was. They were his crew and if any harm came to them, you would feel at fault. You didn't want Kid to be disappointed in you, or angry, that you couldn't come faster. 

Each night on the journey, you had revolving nightmares of being stranded on the island again, being captured by marines again, and being unable to help your crewmates as Kaido cut them down. Most nights you ended up waking up in a cold sweat and heading to the deck to keep watch, relieving whoever was out there. A few times, you had to coach the crew through storms. They were used to the Victoria Punk, but not this ship. Then you still had the duty of keeping everyone healthy. There were minor injuries and sicknesses along the way. 

As you stood at the bow, you thought about how this was not the way you imagined returning to your captain-hood. The wind was cruelly stripping the moisture from your eyes and mouth. The waves thrashed against the hull as if they were trying to push you back. Even the Sun's warm, gentle rays turned harsh, burning your cheeks and nose. It weighed on your heart, the absence of your two loves. The unknown of their well-being. Maybe you should have rushed back to shore to fight. Even if you didn't stand a chance against Kaido, you might share whatever fate Kid and Killer were experiencing. And if it was death, so be it. It would be worth dying if it was with them, or for them. 

Tag list: @bbnbhm @wgwingguns @nocturnalrorobin @lycanthropemaul

[chantiying]

Finding Love

Interactive Spread

Hi, I'm kinda back, little by little. So are you asking yourself about your next (or first) love? I hope I can respond your questions.

Take a deep breath and when you feel ready let your intuition take you to the image that catches your attention the most

Remember all of this is just for fun, tarot is not written in stone and you're the only owner of your fate, if this reading is not resonating to you just let it go.

Without further ado, let's start

PILE 1

You are totally ready to start a new relationship, there are people around you who want to have a chance with you, but you have not given yourself the opportunity because you BELIEVE that it is not the time, because of things that happened to you in a past relationship, but you must open your heart and accept the love that is offered to you. This person can have the air of a dreamer, someone with a deep look and who can envelop you with their words, they are someone affectionate, when you finally accept that you are ready to find love again, they will be there for you, you may meet them at work, doing a project or during a hobby. It will be a meeting where both of you feel comfortable, above all both of you will feel calm, the attraction will apparently occur through the conversations you two have and how you two try to understand the other's point of view. It all feels like a mature relationship, where both of you understand and respect each other, where one will teach the other to dream and express their emotions. It will be a relationship that you will have to build little by little but that will make you feel loved again.

Infp/enfp Pisces, daydream look, dark hair? Puppy eyes, arts, shyness, coincidence, some of you meeting by accident, serendipity film, snow, blue color, the art of getting by, maybe they or you like the perks of being a wall flower too much.

PILE 2

You finally feel sure of yourself, you finally started working on your self-esteem and that's why you are finally ready for a new relationship. You need to continue on the path of self-love, of valuing yourself and having compassion for yourself to make this happen, I know that you are afraid, that sometimes your brain plays a bad game on you and makes you believe that you are not worth it or that you do not deserve anyone's love, that you do not feel beautiful and I know that it was because there were people who made you feel that way, STOP LISTENING TO THEM THEY'RE WRONG AF, forget about opinions that add nothing to your life because even when the universe feels that you are ready to love and be loved, if you don't believe it you will never be able to move forward. I feel that this person comes to turn your world upside down, you are going to find them in a place you rarely frequent, perhaps a party, a bar, an outing with friends, I feel that lately you have spent time alone and not for the better, so this person will come to make you confront things you don't want, I don't think they're someone who will stay with you forever but someone who will help you feel better, to go out, to act, to free you from thoughts or habits that do not help you at all, I think that although at first you may be bothered by their energy or attitude you will soon see them as someone with whom you feel comfortable.

Outgoing, extroverted type, I feel that they have a glow that wherever they goes they make friends, warm smile, clean look, adventurous, golden retriever energy, I feel like some of you are rolling your eyes reading this, neon lights, "let's do it", golden, daylight by taylor swift, showed me by madison beer, flynn ryder, aladdin, laughter.

PILE 3.

If you're having a social gathering GO GIRL GO, if you're friends or family invite you to parties, meetings, go out, meet people and give yourself the opportunity, I think you have been creating very high expectations to the point of believing yourself to be the last coke in the desert and let me tell you that MAYBE IT WILL WORK FOR YOU. I feel that your alpha is about to come to you, someone with a strong character, with maturity and responsibility. You may meet them at work, doing a project or when you plan to undertake something, you may work together or bump into each other often. The way they take the lead and how they solve any problems and how you solve them will be what attracts you to each other. He has energy, he has character, he has magnetism. I feel like you're tired of insecure guys and that's why this man is coming to your life.

Scorpio, Capricorn, Leo, neutral or dark colors, intensity, sexual tension, clean shoes? half-sided smile, boss energy.

•

•

•

And that's it guys, hope this reading find you all well.

Chanty 🪽

[blackcatxmagic]

Corey's smile was so damn cute, and it just made Leo smile in turn. How had he gone into the grocery store so many times before and not noticed Corey? The only explanation that made sense was that he'd somehow missed him every time because Leo knew he'd remember that hair if nothing else. But something drew him in to the other man, the sweetness, that innocence, and Leo was so glad they were doing this. Grinning at Corey, he replied, "Well I'm glad you appreciate my terrible attempts at humor. It's true though - you are sweet, like this Mai Tai." Then a mischievous smile appeared on his face, and Leo added, "I bet you taste just as good." It was a little dirty, sure, but...not all the thoughts Leo had been having about the other man had been pure and wholesome.

In the booth, Leo kept finding ways to touch Corey, his shoulder, his arm, fingers brushing through his hair and grazing his neck, featherlight and just enough pressure to get a reaction out of the other man. His free hand moved to Corey's thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze, before rubbing it a little bit. Leo noticed Corey's bashfulness, and he was watching for signs that it was because he was uncomfortable with Leo's touch, but as he spoke, it seemed pretty clear that there was more to it. "I get that," Leo replied. "Sometimes I feel like I don't think things through enough, so both extremes can be hindering, you know? Still, it blows my mind that you're not beating them off with a stick." And then because apparently he wasn't as mature as he thought, Leo chuckled softly at the "beating them off" comment, though he didn't bring it up. "So many guys would be into your vibe," Leo told Corey. "I know it's something you're purposely doing, that this is just who you are, which honestly makes it better. Not everyone likes a bad boy; some people like the sweet ones." For his part, Leo liked all different kinds of guys, but Corey was definitely one of the types that appealed to him; he wondered what kinds of noises he could draw from that innocent mouth. Leo was tempted to call this a date now, but he didn't go that far because he didn't want to lead Corey on. So far, he really liked the man, but that wasn't what Leo was looking for. Still, he was having a nice time and hoped this would be the beginning of a friendship between the two men. And yes, Leo hoped that friendship included naked time, though that wasn't a requirement.

Laughing at Corey's remark, Leo replied, "I don't know if I'd say loads, but I do alright. I go on a lot of first dates...not so many second ones. Though I guess I define 'date' pretty loosely. Like is it a date if I pick up someone at a bar and take them back to my place?" If so, then that was a very regular occurrence for Leo. This kind of thing though didn't happen very much. "I flirt a lot though, so I guess practice makes perfect." Leo finished off his drink, then gestured to the bartender for another before returning his attention to Corey. "You know, I bet everyone in this bar is jealous of our gorgeous hair," he said, only sort of joking. "It's almost unfair to them to have this much beauty in one place, where they can look but not touch. Only one person gets to touch you tonight." As if to punctuate this statement, Leo slid his hand further up Corey's thigh, giving it another squeeze. "You know, maybe later tonight you could come to my place. I have a hot tub, so..." Leo trailed off, just giving Corey a suggestive look as the bartender brought his next drink. After taking another sip, Leo said more seriously, "Really though, you've got a lot to offer. I hope you can see that, Corey."

Corey felt a little warm under Leo's praise, his heart fluttering with both the compliment and the warmth in Leo's gaze and touch. He found himself smiling, a little shyly, feeling that familiar mix of excitement and slight nervousness. Leo’s words made him feel seen, and it was... well, it was nice. It had admittedly been a while since Corey had let himself be so open to such energy from another person, even despite it being something that he so often craved.

"Thanks, Leo," Corey responded softly, looking up at him with a small but genuine smile. He chuckled lightly at the joke that Leo made to compare him to the drink, shaking his head as he tried to hide just how endearing he thought those words were. "That's actually really funny," he chuckled, almost giggled. "It's not lame at all, I really appreciate it." The Mai Tai was refreshing, and he could already tell Leo had been right – he did like it. Was Corey that easy to read? Or did Leo have some supernatural sense for guessing drink orders?

Corey leaned into the warmth of Leo’s side, his own arm brushing against Leo’s lightly, appreciating the closeness. He looked up at the other man again, his smile growing wider as he spoke - just as his nerves did, but the compliments weren't unwelcome. "Thank you," he thanked him again, feeling himself grow more and more bashful, but trying to overcome it, trying to remain cool, calm, and collected. "I actually don't go on that many dates," he admitted. "I can be a bit of an overthinker," he put it extremely lightly, "and so sometimes that gets in the way. It's not that I don't want to go on dates, and it's not like I'm only kind to people because I'm trying to date them but... I don't know, it hasn't happened for a little while," he shrugged, only catching himself at the end there, realising how open and vulnerable he was being. "Sorry," he apologised, taking another sip of his drink. "I bet you go on loads of dates though, you've got the whole flirting thing down perfectly." Not to mention, Leo was extremely attractive too.

[isaac-regretz]

happy new year!!

hits you with my oc x canon beam

Last art of the year!! (This was posted at 12 but I finished it around 11:30 so it still counts)

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Put that thing back or so help me.

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[echoes-of-the-unknown]

These guys practically drew themselves being too sweet for words

[baejax-the-great]

If I were a writer at a big game company working on a sequel to a beloved series and the higher ups kept telling me to make the game shittier and kept sending my work back to me to be dumbed down even further somehow, and then once most of the writing was done they laid me and my coworkers off illegally without severance, I'd probably gleefully watch as people trashed the shitty game that shipped.