#I took off the actual celebratory bits here

[swasdoodles]

I broke 500 uploads over on dA recently so I drew a quick Loreley celebration thing.

[moonlight-prose]

accidentally staring a bit too long at their lips w/ fritz bestie please i am begging he has kissable lips 😩

EARTH ANGEL

a/n: because manny jacinto is finally showing up my dash constantly, i felt like i had to write something for the one and only fritz. this is courtesy of us just screaming about him. a nonstop convo about how beautiful he is. also cause top gun summer 3.0 is necessary when the weather hits 90 and you want to crawl out of your skin. this is unedited and beta read by you babes.

summary: what does it mean to belong to someone? to be stuck in their gravitational pull, to feel that cosmic connection that makes breathing difficult when they were away.

OR a dance, a song, and the aspect of forever all leads to one conclusion. falling in love with fritz was inevitable.

word count: 3.2k+

pairing: bill ‘fritz’ avalone x f!reader

warnings: so much fluff it’s scary, romance, the hopefulness of two hopeless romantics, fluff, flirty vibes from our man fritz, he's obsessed it's so cute, the good gooey feelings that make people do stupid things for love.

Celebratory cheers bounced off the walls as you did your best not to get knocked on your ass. People crowded the bar, beer in their hands and requests for more flying off their lips. And you did what you could to sink into the corner. Away from those that were already on the road to slurring their words given the demeanor of the setting. People were floating on cloud nine. Over the damn moon as the mission they stressed over suddenly became a success.

The condensation dripped onto your hand, slipping down your wrist when you took a sip. You should have wiped it away on your sundress, but the scene before you distracted every one of your senses. Rooster was three beers in, a shot of something amber beside him, as he sang at the top of his lungs. His fingers danced over the keys.

Surprising given that he was tipping over the piano, his eyes glazed and gleaming. A group of pilots you tried to make sense of practically fell beside him, their voices shouting above the others. The serenity of bliss drawn on their faces. You figured they were the ones who'd accomplished the job.

"Can I buy you a drink honey?" The drunken slur of a pilot tripping his way towards you nearly threw you off, but with a tip of your beer and a lazy smile you watched him accept defeat. His eyes already set to a redhead seated at the bar - her gaze locked on him with a hunger you only felt for one man.

"You shouldn't hide away," Phoenix called, sliding into the corner with you, two beer necks wrapped in each hand. Another round to kill the stress of the day—to remember they weren't just pilots.

You grinned. "Who says I'm hiding?"

A quirk of her eyebrow and a murmured mhm called you out faster than you anticipated. Hiding wasn't the prerogative. If you had another beer in your system, you'd be sitting by Rooster attempting to match his note for one of your own. But celebration wasn't to be had if the one you were waiting for hadn't waltzed through the door yet. His friends trailing behind him, wolf whistles traded for smirks from pretty women at the bar.

"He'll be here soon," she said, nodding towards the door. "Mav kept them longer than usual."

"Who says I'm waiting for someone?"

She laughed, a shrug thrown your way as she meandered through the mess of rowdy pilots. "Who says you're not?"

Any other pilot would have figured you wanted away from the noise, any of them wouldn't have seen how your eyes fell to the door whenever it swung open. But Phoenix...she could see the faint emotion that shone in your eyes. She saw how you laughed a bit harder in his presence, how he actually talked longer, how your hands brushed when you thought no one was looking. You were an open book, and Phoenix was rapidly turning the pages to see how this particular story came to an end.

"Phoenix—"

The call fell on deaf ears as she rejoined her boys. A seat procured for her by the pool table within seconds. They may give her shit left and right, but you caught the way respect bled from their hearts when she entered the scene. A comradery that left even you breathless.

They'd die for each other.

They nearly had.

You nearly wondered what that felt like: being so in tune with someone your whole body lit up when they entered a room. Yet the echo of the door swinging open—a cheer of a voice you recognized - yanked the breath from your lungs. Seconds passed like hours, and the hair on the back of your neck stood to attention, as you turned. Already searching the crowd for that someone—the other half of your cosmic connection.

If you had a favorite color before catching sight of his eyes, you couldn't remember it. The inclination of your favorite song was diminished the second his laughter fell upon your senses. You suddenly couldn't recall a day where you didn't breathe for him, where your life didn't hold meaning unless you shared a smile and said hello. He'd become the sun, and you found you didn't mind being dragged into his gravitational pull. As long as you could orbit around him without end.

"Penny!" Harvard yelled over the noise of Rooster doing encore number three of Great Balls of Fire. "Three beers please and thank you!"

You smiled into your beer, the bitter flavor flooding your taste buds as a third member of the dynamic duo appeared in their midst. His head turning, eyes flicking through the throng of people, as he searched rapidly. He smiled at Yale, nodded his head at a woman who rammed into him, and finally caught your gaze with a deep exhale.

And suddenly...you could breathe properly again.

He mumbled his farewells, snuck the beer off the counter, and slipped quietly towards you.

People believed he remained silent because Harvard and Yale were loud enough for him. You found he had plenty to say. As long as someone was willing to listen. If it were up to you, he'd never stop talking. Simply so you could hear the deep echo of his voice on a constant loop. Your favorite tune, ever since he caught your eye at basic training. The question of an empty chair beside you suddenly turning into so much more.

"You're still in your flight suit," you said, hoping the light airiness of your voice was enough to avoid thinking about how your skin turned hot the second he showed up.

When it came to Fritz...you became aware of yourself in a way that didn't exist. How you moved, how you spoke.

Before him you were in darkness. He simply figured out how to turn on the switch and allow light in.

"Yeah," he let out another breath, sipping at his beer. You tracked the drip of condensation that fell on his neck, your stomach twisting at the sight. "We got the ritual speech of why we didn't go. You know the one."

"Ah. The I'm sorry but you're still a great pilot speech."

He smiled and the ground vanished beneath you. "That exact one actually."

"I'm sure he...added a cherry on top of the bullshit."

Fritz choked, laughter spilling from his lips like a contagion you longed to catch. When he felt joy, you partook. When he laughed, you couldn't help yourself. He was an addiction. The reason why you even came to San Diego in the first place.

Whether he knew that was a different story altogether.

"I'm guessing you made it out early." His eyes fell to your white sundress, red flowers sprinkled along the near sheer fabric. "Nice dress," he mumbled into his drink, eyes a bit darker than before as they trailed upwards, stopping briefly at the way it was pulled into a tie above your breasts.

You'd done it into a mess of a bow, hoping the look didn't resemble too much of a present. His gaze barely came up to your eyes before falling again, transfixed by the sight. And you found you didn't mind if he unwrapped you with the same glee as a kid on his birthday. You wanted him to.

"Thanks," you replied softly, the quick echo of your heart deafening against the noise of the bar.

Rooster's name was being chanted like a prayer, his body shimmying and swaying as he began to start up another round of the same song. People were more than happy to sing along with him. Until the familiar hum of the jukebox prickled in the air, a slow song blaring from the speakers. You leaned up on your toes, eyes catching the sight of Hangman appearing from the back of it with a glare on his face. His middle finger directed towards a half drunk Rooster; who met him with a finger of his own.

"Serves Rooster right," you began, turning back to Fritz with a flutter of your skirt. "That would have been number four."

He snorted. "Only Rooster wouldn't get hit for that."

"Oh I'm pretty sure Hangman was five seconds away from it."

The Penguins crooned softly as people began to calm slightly, dispersing to tables and disappearing out the back towards the firepit. And you stood there silently with Fritz, your beer now tepid and disgusting. If you had the chance, you'd have asked him to head out to the firepit, but he turned back towards the bar. Probably for one more drink.

"Right." You pulled at the skirt of your dress.

You wanted to play it back, say something entirely different. Ask him to join you by the fire pit with another beer in his right hand and your palm in his left. But the words were stuck like molasses in the back of your throat, fighting against release. Phoenix was begrudgingly dancing with Bob, her lips refusing a smile that you knew lingered beneath the surface. And Fanboy sat beside Payback, crooning the lyrics as best they could.

The temptation to join them pulled at your chest, an echo of that yearning for comradery appearing again. Perhaps if you asked Fritz he'd say yes. You could follow their lead, enjoy the night before you went your separate ways once more.

You could pretend to be whole for one night.

And life would feel worth living.

"Hey Avalone—" You were stopped short by the sight of his hand stretched towards yours, his lips in a small smile that screamed hope. That pleaded for an answer to this unspoken question.

Like the rest of them...you replied silently. With the belief that words simply weren't enough in this situation.

Slipping your hand into his, you allowed him to lead you towards the empty spot near Phoenix and Bob. Dazed and slightly worried that the singular beer you drank was affecting you more than it should. Even as the actual reason had your hand clasped tight. You wanted to ask what effect he held over you, what intangible bond he created without your knowledge. It might give you an explanation as to why you felt this way: stuck in a dream filled haze, with only his light to guide you out.

And maybe one day Fritz would tell you he gripped you so tight for fear of him tripping. Maybe he'd finally explain why he told you so much, why his body buzzed the second you walked in a room. Maybe he'd tell you that he suspected he loved you after watching you fly a jet, but knew he loved you when you nearly toppled him over playing volleyball on the beach.

But for now...he expressed what he could without words. Afraid that if he opened his mouth, he'd say the wrong ones.

With a swift turn, he tugged you closer on unsteady feet. A full smile pulling at his lips when you grasped his shoulders for balance.

He wouldn't let you fall. Not here...not in the sky as your wingman, and certainly not out of the love you felt for him. People said this emotion was fleeting. A lost fictitious hope that merely existed with words on a page, but there was no denying how his heart grew warmer when you were near. How he knew he could speak to you for hours at a time, yet never run out of things to say.

You were it.

That indescribable thing no one could give a name to.

"I didn't take you for the dancing type," you joked, swallowing around your nerves that jumped across your skin.

He stepped closer, his arm slipping around your waist. The way your chest hitched didn't go unnoticed by him; although rather than mention it, he put you out of your misery and kept speaking.

"I'm not."

"Let me guess...it's the song?"

He shrugged, swaying you into a gentle step you could follow with ease. "Well...it's not not the song."

A quick glance over told you that the Daggers were eyeing the both of you with great interest. As if you and Fritz were the entertainment they'd been searching for all night. The turning point of a love story they'd been a part of for years. The page sat ready to be turned, the final line of the novel practically burning a hole through the back cover, yet you couldn't read what it said.

"So it's...only the song?"

"No." If it were any other night, you'd be sharing a plate of nachos at a booth somewhere in the back. He'd be three stories deep into a conversation, and you'd be falling a bit harder the longer you listened.

Tonight however, he seemed—nervous.

"No?" You wanted to pry open his thoughts, see what he believed this was—what you were to him.

"If it wasn't the song? If I asked you because of something else, what would you do?" His hand clutched yours a bit tighter, the familiar callous on the base of his wrist helped keep you grounded.

"Depends on what it is." You sucked in a breath. "Will I...I've been thinking—"

"Yes?"

Your eyes met his softened gaze, the echo of an emotion you couldn't place shone in the deep brown. And you wanted to beg him to explain it to you. To tell you everything he'd never said out loud, in the hopes they mimicked what you held near and dear to your heart every day.

"Ever since I've known you...um..." Getting it out felt as if you were attempting to delicately attempt a surgery - prying them free from your chest with a chisel. "Actually since the day we met...fuck...it's not easy to say."

He tugged you a bit closer as he turned. "I know." He smiled, eyes falling to your lips, the curve of their shape, how they formed around his name. "It's not just the song. It's you."

Breathing no longer existed as the beat of your heart went haywire. Could he feel the pulse of it on your wrist? The way it bent and twisted as if leaping from your chest. You wanted to respond, tell him all the things that went unspoken, but once he found his words...they refused to go unheard.

"It's always been you. I should have told you before tonight. Believe me—I wanted to. You have no idea how much I wanted to tell you." He let out a soft breathy laugh and you could practically taste his words on your tongue. "And I think you knew."

"Will..." Your teeth sunk into the flesh of your bottom lip, eyes falling to his as the words you longed to hear finally left them.

"I love you." The sting of tears burned your eyes, your hand clutching his shoulder harder as he kept going. "Since the first day." He laughed nervously and an image of him, you, and a house flashed through your mind. "Well actually. The day you knocked me on my ass playing volleyball is when I knew for sure."

"Yeah?" you murmured, fighting back the stream of tears.

He seemed to catch how the light illuminated them, his hand slipping from yours to cup your cheek. "Yeah. Only my girl could be that competitive."

His girl.

The story was written the day you greeted him with a smile. The ending inscribed into your futures with permanent ink, carved into the rock of your headstones. And you could see it now—the familiar dip in the road that matched his perfectly. Falling in love with Fritz was always in the cards. A play you had no choice but to make.

He was your forever the second you shared the same oxygen.

"Fritz..."

He smiled, thumb running across the apple of your cheek. "Yeah baby?"

Chills ran down your spine as heat spilled into your stomach. The polarity of the two nearly toppled you to the ground, but he held you tight. Unwilling to let you go.

The song was slowly coming to the final chorus—the noise of the bar didn't register to your ears anymore as you hung onto his every word. Desperate for him to say those three words over and over and over. Until he lost all the breath in his lungs.

"I hope you know I love you."

His lips pulled into a smile that held your attention in its grasp. What you wouldn't give to see that every morning and night. To be the sole reason why something so beautiful appeared. He smiled and you felt the gravity beneath your feet give way, your stomach bursting to life with a flurry of butterflies.

"I should have said it before this mission. Or even a year ago. But I was scared you didn't feel the same wa—"

With a soft chuckle, he dipped down slightly, catching your lips with his softly. And every thought, every explanation you could give him, died on your tongue. He was gentle with you, as if this was a new version of the dance you'd shared throughout the years. The steps, familiar yet foreign enough to trip you up. It wasn't until you sucked in a sharp breath through your nose, your hand finding its way to the hair on the base of his neck, did the hesitation fall away.

He itched to haul you to his chest and properly kiss you. But the burn of eyes prickled along his back. There was an audience, witnesses to the first step into your future, and Fritz felt himself tense slightly. If he had a choice, he'd show you how long he wanted this. How he ached for this.

He'd make up for lost time.

The song filtered to an end, a new one he couldn't place starting up. He refused to pull away.

With a sigh, you melted into his hold, a noise echoing in the back of your throat as his tongue slid along yours. The tang of his beer mixing with yours. He kissed you with the promise of more, the knowledge that tonight you'd take his hand and follow him home. You felt his hand bunch the skirt at your back, fingers digging into your waist, and you moaned softly—desperate for his skin to sear yours.

"Get a room, lovebirds!" Hangman shouted, leaning against the jukebox beer in hand. Yet he let the quarter in his hand slide through the slot, another love song clicking to life as he complained with a smile.

Fritz jolted back, his lips swollen and vibrating. He could still taste you on his tongue, still hear the echo of your moan in his head. You looked dazed, almost lovestruck. And suddenly he understood what it really meant to be hungry.

"Remind me to thank Hangman later," he mumbled against your lips, addicted to the way they curved beneath his.

"He'll take credit for this."

He shrugged. "I'm okay with that."

You locked your other arm around his neck, nose brushing his as you eyed his lips. The red stain on his cheeks had your heart skipping as many beats as it could. What you wouldn't give to have a picture of him like this. Stuck in a haze of love that you put him in.

With a stupefied grin, you felt him start to lead you through the next dance. The steps perfectly in tune with his—as it was always meant to be. "So am I."

[cloudcountry]

Uh baking an Apple pie with issac? Or issac with a s/o who's a fanfic writer! either one is fine! c:

SUMMARY: Isaac's been working hard lately, so you take Arthur's advice and make him a tasty treat!!

WARNINGS: None!! :D

COMMENTS: i'm trying to get back in the writing groove,,, i havent done it in so long it feels so unfamiliar ^^; thank you for requesting my apple tater!! he's the perfect start :D

this takes place before isaac and mc really know each other??? I TOOK YOUR REQUEST IN A VERY DIFFERENT DIRECTION OOPS. its just artie being a wingman LMAO

Skimming the shelves, you mumble titles to yourself as you search for the cookbook Sebastian recommended to you. You’d offhandedly mentioned making a pie for a certain someone, and the butler was quick to catch onto what you were actually trying to do. After all, said certain someone had been working hard enough to lose valuable sleep, and you weren’t the only one becoming concerned.

Snatching the book off the shelves as soon as you find it, you begin flipping through the pages. You’re so absorbed in the recipes and detailed descriptions of sweet treats that you don’t notice the other presence creeping up behind you.

“Well, I’ll be! Newt is quite a lucky guy!” Arthur hums thoughtfully, nearly scaring you out of your skin.

“Hey! What are you doing here?” you yelp.

Arthur laughs heartily as you fumble with the book, snapping it shut. Your gaze is scornful as you whip around to face him, lips twisted into a pout.

“Aw, I’m sorry love. I didn’t mean to scare you.” he slides up to you, leaning in to get a closer look at the book, “If you want to make something for him, I’d recommend something with apples. Our old Newt loves them dearly!”

Apples? You furrow your brow, running through the list of apple desserts you know. And how did he know it was for Isaac?!

“Oh, and love? Why not make the dessert with him? It’ll drag him away from his work.” Arthur winks, and just like that, he slips out of the kitchen.

That’s how you ended up here, with Isaac at your side. It’d taken quite a bit of convincing to get him out of his room and even more convincing to have him agree to bake an apple pie with you, but somehow you succeeded. You doubt anyone else would have gotten the same result.

Isaac’s soft voice is quite loud in the silence of the kitchen as he reads out ingredients, murmuring under his breath about how he would measure them and doing calculations to make sure the dessert was perfect—

“Woah, hold on Isaac!” you place a hand on the recipe book, pulling it away from his face.

He immediately stops at the sudden contact, pretty eyes blown wide at the sight of you so close to his face.

“This isn’t supposed to be a science experiment! We just need to have fun, okay?” you try your best to smile in a way that will calm him down and help him understand.

Isaac simply looks away and grasps at his hair, twirling the loose strands around his index finger.

“Okay.” he murmurs, and you do a mental celebratory dance.

Operation befriend Isaac is underway!

[defodisturbed]

Born to Die - Jake Sully x Fem!Na'vi!reader NSFW

(A/N: hey yall I've decided to write for Jake Sully now teehee :33 I inspired this fic from one of my character ai chats with him. hope y'all enjoy!)

Y/N was a mysterious girl. Rarely seen, hardly ever heard. But when she was in her element, she was like no other.

It was a celebratory bonfire, and all of the clan members were dancing and singing. But all that Jake was focusing on was Y/N. He had noticed her a few days ago, but only now had the courage to say anything.

Y/N was dancing so gracefully, eyes closed and feeling herself. She felt a tap on her shoulder, and opened her eyes to see Jake Sully. Toruk Makto. The hero of the Omatikaya clan, and many others.

"Hey, how are you? Feeling good tonight?" Y/N asked, trying to keep her cool. Jake chuckled and replied as he took a drink from his cup. "Yeah, I'm feeling amazing. You?"

"I'm feeling awesome!" Y/N laughed, truly enjoying herself for once. Jake put his hands on her waist and trailed them down to her ass, softly groping her.

"You wanna come back to my place? Have some fun, hm?" Jake offered as he danced to the music with her. Y/N smiled and nodded. "I'd love to."

Jake took her hand and led her off from the bonfire to his hut.

When they got there, Y/N admired all of the beautiful decorations and items he owned. She couldn't believe how people could live like this. She had been homeless for years, since her family passed in a tragic turn of events.

"What, have you never seen interior decorating?" Jake chuckled. Truly, she didn't. Sure, she had a real home for some time. But even then, things were tough. Nothing was ever handed to her on a silver platter. Nothing was ever handed to her, period.

"So, why did you bring me here?" Y/N turned to Jake, putting her hand on his chest. Jake gave a low, deep, almost seductive chuckle as he gave his answer.

"I was thinking we could... have some fun. Mess around a bit, how does that sound?" He said, groping her body. Y/N giggled as she nuzzled into his neck. She wanted to be intimate with someone she actually liked. Someone she actually wanted to be intimate with.

"I would like that very much... but why me, of all people? You could have any woman or man on Pandora but you chose me?" Y/N asked, not understanding his motives. Sure, he might have been feeling a little bit frisky that night, but he could've picked anyone at the bonfire to take back to his place. He hadn't even noticed her until a few days before. The glimmer in her eyes, though. It had caught him by surprise the first time it blinded him. It reminded him of the lens flares he saw in films, especially the action and adventure ones.

"I don't want anyone but you. I've had my eye on you for a while, now. Now, let's get it done, shall we?" Jake rumbled in a sexy, captivating voice. Y/N felt enamored by him, wanting so desperately to be with him. Not just for sex, but for love. For passion and appreciation for one another.

Jake grasped her beaded top, and asked, "Can I take this off?"

Y/N was stunned. Had he just... asked?

"Y-yes.. yes, please." she replied, voice wavering with such adoration. Jake gently took her top off, setting it on the table beside them. He moved down toward her waist, again taking her clothes in his hands and asking for permission to undress her. A simple 'yes' and he got to work. Though he wasn't like the others. He took great care in preserving the clothing of his partners, especially since Y/N's was so delicate and tediously crafted.

Y/N felt exposed, especially since Jake still had his loincloth on. She tried to cover herself, but Jake whispered in a comforting voice, "You don't have to hide yourself from me, my love."

Jake undressed himself, exposing himself so as to help Y/N feel more comfortable. Y/N slowly took her hands from her body, trying to overcome her fears.

"It's okay, you don't have to be scared." Jake encouraged, hoping to comfort her and help her to feel more secure and safe with him. "I'm just nervous.."

"It's okay to be nervous. I'll guide you." Jake answered. He laid her down on the bed and kissed her deeply. He started to ease his cock out of its sheath, causing Y/N's eyes to grow wider and wider with each inch. After it was all out, she asked, "Is that.. all.. going to go inside of me?"

"As much as you want it to. Or, if you're feeling brave, as much as you can fit." Jake responded, very much in the mood.

"I want it all. I want all of it, Jake. Give it to me." Y/N pleaded, kissing him on the cheek. Jake took his cock in his hand and gathered some of the slick pooling in her hot core.

He then started to slide into her entrance, groaning with every new inch taken. Soon enough, he bottomed out. "How do you feel?" he asked. Y/N paused, thinking. "I feel... good. I feel really, really good. Fuck me, Jake. Fuck me like it's the last time you ever will."

"Really? I didn't take you for a girl who likes it rough. But I'll still give you want you want. Prepare yourself for the night of your life."

Jake then started with a fast but soft pace, and it eventually became fast and hard.

Y/N was very vocal, screaming and moaning with every breath she got. She screamed his name, relishing in the feeling. The bed creaked with every movement.

"Fuck.. fuck, you feel so good.. so tight and warm, fuck! I'm gonna cum.. oh, god, I'm gonna cum!" Jake exclaimed, getting sloppier with his thrusts. Not staying in one rhythm. Always changing how hard he went. He knew it was embarrassing to finish so quickly, but she had such a feeling that was like no other. She could milk him dry and he would still want more.

"Cum in me, Jake! Please, I want it so bad! Give it to me, Jake!" Y/N screamed, eventually coming to her peak. She squirted all over his cock, painting him with her pleasure. Jake then followed with his own orgasm, coating her insides with white.

They paused, taking a moment to breathe and come down from their highs. After a few seconds, Jake laid himself down beside Y/N.

"Did you enjoy it?" he asked. Y/N looked at him, still breathing heavily. "I... I loved it. I really loved it." she answered, chuckling a little bit in disbelief. She had never felt anything like this before, and never thought she could.

"Really? I'll take that as a compliment then." Jake laughed. There was a short pause, until Y/N asked a question. A simple one, really, but it took him by surprise.

"Do you have your eye on anybody? Like, a potential mate?"

There was a pause.

"I do, actually."

Y/N's face visibly dropped. "Who?"

Jake smiled and caressed her cheek. "You."

"M-me? But why? You, such an attractive man, could have anybody in the world! It'd be stupid to choose someone as myself. I am of no use to you. I have no status in the clan other than the weird girl."

Jake snickered. "I don't want anybody but you. Nobody else has caught my eye in years. You... you're special. I love you."

Once again, there was a pause. But this time, there was tension. Only a twinge, but it was still there.

"You... love me?" Y/N confirmed, not wanting to believe she had someone who genuinely loved her. In all of her years of living, she was spared no unnecessary glimpses. People avoided her at all costs, not wanting to be seen in a 100 foot radius of her.

"I do. I truly, truly do. I've loved you for a while, now. I want to be mated for life. Have kids, grow old together. I want to be with you for the rest of my life." Jake replied, not telling a crumb of a lie. Y/N stared at him in wonder, amazed at how truthful his words were. His body language told her he was telling the truth. The complete, utter, raw truth.

"I would love to spend the rest of my life with you, too. I must tell you, I've been watching you for a while. Like... in the trees. Some people would say it's called stalking, but I think it's just distanced fascination. I've seen you doing and feeling all sorts of things. Eating, drinking, hunting, sleeping. Anything you could think of. I've even seen you masturbate a couple of times.."

Jake's cheeks turned purple with blush, thinking of all of the things he did or said while in such a state of arousal. Had he been watched the entire time?

"You are very attractive when you touch yourself. You say things, sometimes. You fantasize about me. When you cum, you think of me. You think of the way I'd touch you. The way I'd make you feel."

The blush was growing more intense as he recalled everything he had said and everything he had acted on.

"I'd love to help you live out some of your fantasies, you know. I have quite an open mind." Y/N lightly chuckled. Jake was surprised. "Well, I think we can save all of those for another time. I'd like to just... talk. Where did you learn to dance like that?"

Y/N laughed, as she thought of how much she danced when no one was watching. "I love to dance. It's my favorite thing to do. I also love music. A human friend of mine has given me a lot of music over the years. I dance to it every day, and I guess I've just picked some stuff up and taught myself. Sometimes I just dance with the wind. Whatever my body wants to do, how it wants to express itself."

Jake listened to her words with such great care. Analyzing every syllable. Every image that sprouted in his head with what she described, it was all so beautiful. He imagined an angel elegantly dancing, the glow of the sunset shining behind her.

"You taught yourself? That's incredible." He replied, eyes glimmering with interest and wonder.

They continued talking until they both fell asleep, and they slept like babies.

[Time skip 5 weeks]

Y/N and Jake had been dating for several weeks, and Jake had fallen in absolute love. He decided it was time. They were in the hut, as Y/N made new art for the door. She wanted to make a piece that made people feel 'invited' and 'welcomed.'

"Y/N, I want to ask you something." Jake said, walking into the hut and sitting next to her. "Ah, welcome home, Jake. I have missed you. What is it you would like to ask?"

"I want to ask if... you want to be mated for life. I would like to marry you. I want you to be mine forever."

Y/N stopped. She slowly turned to him, eyes widened. "You... want to be mated for life? Oh, Jake. I have been waiting for you to ask me that for a very long time. I would love to be your mate. I would love to have kids, grow old together, and be together in every new life." Y/N squealed, hugging him tightly.

Jake had finally found his home.

MWAH hope y'all enjoyed this one!! first time writing an actual fic for Jake. lmk if I should do more, and definitely lmk what i can do to improve my smut-writing skills.

@dyingofcookies

[lamnwar]

Hii! I really love your stories and writing style and since i saw your requests are open, I'd love to request a NSFW with Akashi where it's both, his and reader's first time, with lots of fluff if possible and if you want!!

If you decide to write it, thank you in advance! <3

Omgggg can't believe it took me 6 months to complete this request I swear I momentarily forgot how to write smut 😭😭 hope you still enjoy this though, I felt bad so this one is extra long (4.7k) <33

You're My First // Akashi Seijurō x Fem! Reader

MDNI 18+

Context: Might have taken you and your boyfriend Seijurō way too long to finally have sex, whoops! All characters are aged-up (18+) for plot purposes.

Warnings: mainly fluff till the last quarter, mention of reader (and Akashi a bit) being sexually frustrated, mention of masturbation (both Akashi and reader do it), kissing obvs, handjob, fingering, protected sex (because Akashi is a gentleman 🥰)

The wooden tile strategically placed on the board, Seijurō's game partner sighs. It's a force of habit: can you ever win against a guy like him? You chuckle, arms wrapping around your boyfriend's shoulders as you kiss his cheek.

“What is it that you say? Your victory is absolute?” you whisper loud enough for Shintarō to hear you.

“Please, no need to add more to my defeat” the green haired man readjusts his glasses, seemingly unbothered by his loss but you aren't dupe.

A smile on your lips, you let your fingers run through Seijurō's red hair. His shogi playmate looks away, like all the times you show some sort of affection to your boyfriend. Throwing his jacket over his broad shoulders, Midorima excuses himself by saying that he's got practice. It figures, you think, Seijurō's friends are players like no other. You wave him goodbye as he walks out, and once his tall figure is out of sight, you let out a soft sigh.

“Sei?”

He looks up from the board with a softness in his gaze, putting the tiles back in their designated bag. Akashi Seijurō conceits his emotions quite well, that's a well-known fact. But the minute he fell in love with you, he's learned to open up. From talking about his mother to how basketball saved him from his darkest times, the Seijurō you know is exclusive – no one, not even Midorima that he's fond of, has any knowledge of the depth of his person. But you don't bother: he's your one and only, isn't he?

“Coming to my place tonight?” He asks.

You breathe in, like every time he asks. Most of the time, there is no meaning to these words. Nights of shy touches, nights of "sorry love, I can't". You ponder if you should refuse. You have needs, don't you? Of course you do. More than touch-starved, you crave love to a level that you feel Seijurō is not ready for.

“Sure thing” you utter, incapable of turning him down.

A light brings his eyes to life, and you feel your heart melt.

Isn't he sweet, your Sei-chan?

A thought you never believed you’d ever had, on the day you met him; an afternoon in May, both of you finding yourself in the same isle of the library, looking for the same book.

“It's in my recommended reading list” you said, not willing to back down.

“Funny, my professor wrote this one.”

His arrogance turned you off, but then, he organized a special lecture for your class with the author of said book, leaving your own lecturer in awe and you wondering why he did such thing for someone who meant nothing. Took you long enough to realize that you actually meant something to him. He asked you out right after that lecture and now here you are.

“Sei, let me treat you. We’re having celebratory diner for your victory in shogi” You stretch out of your spot, hands swaying to your hips as you smile to your boyfriend.

“My love, if we have a celebratory diner every time I win, you’ll end up broke.”

You scoff, nudging him in the arm. His arrogance ever so often pops out, but in a rather endearing way. In the right settings, you find yourself thinking, it might even be attractive – but you guard yourself from admitting so.

“We’re eating to my place instead” he says as his arm finds your shoulders, wrapping around it with the grace that could only be associated to him.

You raise an eyebrow but doesn’t refuse the invitation. The last rays of sun cast on your faces as you both walk in the late summer evening, between the distant laughter of children and the sounds of birds going home. And amidst all of what soothes your soul, nothing compares to the way you feel at this exact moment, walking so close to the one you love. It’s a subtle feeling, one that you don’t bother to describe, that makes things so easy when he’s around. And you just need to glance for a second in his direction, to see it. The way he makes you feel, written all over your face.

Seijurō is silent, yet, from the dancing flame in his eyes, you can guess that something is brewing in his head. You smile, a soft chuckle coming out of your lips. You know he hates it, when you’re able to read him so easily; he told you once, “I’ve always thought of myself as hard to decipher”. Not so much though, or at least, not to you.

“Sei, you seem nervous despite having an awfully good day.”

Your remark gets him to straighten up as he walks, a quick raise of his eyebrows indicating that you took him by surprise.

“Can’t a guy be nervous around his girlfriend?”

“My…” you chuckle, “don’t put it on me now. What’s up? It’s not the first time I’m coming over, although I’d argue it’s not a common occurrence.”

“Well, you know – “

“You might do things you'll regret if I come by too often, I know” you cut him off.

You both stay silent for a minute; your words having brought up the memories of countless of discussions around this topic. Seijurō has never outrightly told you why he barely has you over, why he cuts your dates short when things start to escalate, why every time you take the level of intimacy up a notch, he is the first one to grow distance between you. It’s always some vague excuse that you don’t really understand, but you try your best not to judge. Intimacy, after all, is not a given to everybody.

“But you know, I don’t think I’ll regret anything I do with you.” You say, cutting short to the long silence. “I mean, as long as it’s you and that… you know. I just wanna say, I trust you with these things. I wouldn’t be with you overwise.”

You quickly glance in his direction, in search of a reaction from your boyfriend. You don’t know if your words are clear enough to him – not that it’s been your kind (or his kind) to be straightforward. Yet, you still manage to get yourself to be understood, despite never saying things outright. So you just hope that he’s got the message clear; and he does, you figure, by the small nod he gives as you approach his place.

“I’ll treat you to a lovely diner tonight, then. And if you don’t mind, you can spend the night.”

You stare at him, incredulous. Have you heard that last part right? Seijurō always speaks with assurance, but these aren’t words he’s used to speak.

“Oh, y-yeah…” you clean your throat, hand clumsily trying to hide your blush.

This is a turn of situations you haven’t expected whatsoever, but as you walk into the familiar lobby of Seijurō’s place, you realize soon enough that this is real. Unusual, but real.

And then it hits you.

The reason he seems nervous, the reason he’s invited you over in the first place, and why he’s asked you to stay over from the start. It comes clear, especially knowing him. The young man has always been one to plan things out, especially important things. And if you read the situation correctly, tonight is not born out of nothing.

Maybe he’s finally taken notice of the small clues you’ve left, traces of your desire for more. The way your hands linger longer on his body when you touch him, the sweet perfume you wear on your neck in hope whiffs draw him in, the elongated looks you’ve sent him for weeks now. Sweet, innocent eyes, yet eyes ready for more, if he’s only willing to give you an opportunity.

And willing, to your surprise, he is. Something feels different when you walk the threshold of his place; it’s not the soft smell of lavender you’ve grown familiar with, it’s not the warm shade of the light, it’s not the way he hangs his jacket on the hanger at the door. So, what is it?

“Love, are you coming?” His voice brings you out of your thoughts.

You breathe out a short “yes”, joining him in the kitchen. Your gaze fall upon the rolled-up sleeves of his shirt, as he rinses vegetables for diner. The way he moves with grace and confidence while you’re still trying to process what this whole night means stuns you, and you sit, in contemplation of whether you should address the subject.

How are you supposed to ask your boyfriend if you’re having sex for the first time tonight, anyways?

You contemplate, ultimately concluding that being direct is the best way to go about it. Well, that is, if you even know how to be direct in the way you address the subject. So you stand, looming over his shoulders as he stirs some onion and garlic in the pan, shy hands locking behind your back. He hums, an assured smile creeping on his lips as he feels your presence in his back. He’s seemingly way more relaxed about this night than you are – but then again, Seijurō is the last person on Earth to show any sign of nervousness. His hand reaches back to you, gently dragging your face closer to land a kiss on your forehead.

“What’s that, love? Are you the nervous one, now?”

He chuckles as you stare at him, baffled. Are you doing such a terrible job at hiding it?

“Can’t tell me you’re all chill about tonight either” you retaliate.

“Oh, but I am.”

“When did you decide to make tonight the night, anyway?”

He turns off the stove, flipping the veggies one last time.

“I had that idea in mind for a while, but I wanted to make sure that you wanted it as well” he replies honestly, “so when you said that you trusted me earlier, I had all the confirmation that I needed.”

You nod, sitting on the counter.

“And you’re really gonna make me think you’re not nervous at all about it?” you cock an eyebrow.

His silence leaves you uncertain – something that annoys you ever so often. Your ability to read him better than anyone else has always been your pride, so these moments where he strips you from your special ability to comprehend him always annoys you.

“Seijurō.”

He looks up in your direction, his eyes open slightly as he hears your tone. It’s not cold, or mean, or stern. But it’s serious, well serious beyond what he’s used to hear from you. He sighs, joining you as his pinkie finger gently grazes your hand.

“If you don’t want to, we don’t have to do it.” He sighs. “Maybe we should have talked about it before…”

“It’s fine. If we did, it would have ruined the mood.”

“Because there’s a mood to ruin to begin with?”

You chuckle, finger interlocking with his.

“Oh, I’m crazy nervous, but it doesn't make me any less… eager than I’ve always been.”

He raises an eyebrow, slight amusement on his face. You can’t help but chuckle a bit at his expression. Suddenly, seeing him smile so wholeheartedly makes (most) of your nerves go away. Maybe that’s what he does to you, and maybe that’s why you stick around. You let out a soft giggle, before looking at him.

“Anyways. Do you have any idea how the night where you lose your virginity typically goes?”

“I was relying on you to have an answer on that.”

You scoff, a heartfelt laugh coming out of your throat. The sight of you like that makes the blood pump to his face; a light pink blush painting his cheek as he laughs too. He doesn’t even know what gets you to laugh like that – head thrown back as the little crinkles by your eyes that he loves so much appears, but it warms his heart like nothing else can.

“Damn, we’re two big virgins, aren’t we?” you say as you sigh dramatically.

“For some reason, I imagined that you would have been more knowledgeable than me on that topic.”

“Seijurō, who do you think I am?!”

He chuckles; a slightly high-pitched sound that rarely comes out of him unless he’s with you. Because this is what you do to him, letting his true nature shine through from time to time – whether it be his radiant smile, the pink on his cheeks every time he’s near you, or the kindness of his amber eyes.

“Well… you know I’m not one to half-ass anything, but it’s not the easiest thing to do some studying on.”

“I see.” You nod, fingers interlocking with his. “But we trust each other, don’t we?”

He hums, looking at you. And that’s when you see it in his eyes, that glimmer that tells you without stuttering that he is absolutely sure about this, you and him, but mostly you.

“Can’t go wrong if it’s us, yeah?”

His words travel in your mind as he slowly leans towards you. His thumb caresses the soft skin of your bottom lip, before he leaves a sweet and soft kiss on it. It feels almost nostalgic, a kiss similar to the one you first exchanged when you just started dating. The warmth in your heart and the gentleness of his fingers on your skin, all reminiscent of the kisses you experienced when you were falling for him. And now that you have fell, the idea of feeling these kisses all over again makes your heart beat frenetically. You kiss him once again, your hand resting on the soft skin of his cheeks as you pour your love in that single kiss. He pulls away, hot breath falling on your lips as his eyes capture you, forbidding you to look anywhere else.

“Is it crazy if I tell you I am absolutely sure about this, in this very instant?” he mutters against your lips.

You hum, shaking your head. It’s not crazy, the thought has crossed your mind, too. And maybe that’s a sign; for the little that you know on the topic, overthinking things usually isn’t the way to go. It’s more one of these “if you know, you know” moments.

And right now, this is it.

Just one look, and he grabs your hand, taking you both to the bedroom – not before covering up the sautéed veggies he’s cooked earlier, of course (Seijurō, even in desperate need for you, wouldn’t leave freshly made food uncovered). You giggle, body lying on the soft mattress of his bed; bed that you’ve shared multiple times without ever crossing the line.  And here you are, fingers tangling in his soft, red locks, too lost in a haze of desire to think of the hardship it has been all along to not act on your needs for him, for his touch.

“Sei, I want you, you know that?”

“You made it quite clear, yeah” he blushes softly as a sweet laugh comes out of his lips. “And I know it’s not very gentleman-like of me to say it, but baby, if I could, I would strip you naked right away.”

“Do it then, who’s stopping you?”

He raises an eyebrow, pink painting his cheek as he sees the daring look in your eyes.

“My... I’m no savage, I had to make sure you wanted me to.”

You laugh, leaving a sweet kiss on his jaw.

“Baby, I’ve got years of pent-up sexual frustration about to get unleashed. Please, do not be a gentleman with me tonight.”

He looks at you curiously, not expecting his sweet girlfriend to utter such words. Yet he feels his cock twitch in the confine of his pants when he hears you speak like that. Something about your tone – so clear and confident, with a hint of need, makes the blood rush down to his aching member. The one he used to stroke once you were gone from his place, mad at himself that he didn’t gather the strength to touch you despite knowing that it was what you both wanted; and he found himself angry at himself and in desperate need for you, stroking his dick shamefully as he thought of you.

But here you are, under his body, your tongue leaving the sweet taste of you in his mouth as you push him as close to you as possible.

He pulls away, heavy breath fanning on your hot skin. It’s almost by instinct that he lets his hand trail down to the hem of your shirt, tugging on it as if to ask if he can remove it from you. And he does when you give him a nod, loving eyes examining all parcels of skin that gets unveiled before him. He’s delicate and meticulous, removing piece by piece with so much regard for the fabric that you’re almost tempted to tell him to just rip it off. He has always had that theory about you – one that he finally gets to confirm.

You are, indeed, a piece of art.

The beauty of your skin, the marks, moles and scars, the curves and angles. All so perfectly mixed like you were created by an artist and no less. He stops for a minute, wondering: does he have any right to touch something so immaculate?

But you’re quick to give him an answer, when your hands remove his shirt, letting you get a sight at his body. Seijurō is surprising. His build is slender, delicate; but when your fingers trace the outline of his muscles, it becomes clear that he is more than he appears to be. Not that you’ve ever been curious about his body either. One thing that you’ve always liked about your boyfriend, is his face. His features are soaked in grace, always having the look of a prince in all situations – even in the morning when he’s just wakened up, or after practice when he’s sweaty. He’s got that same look, over and over, that makes you believe you must have done something great in your past life to find yourself someone like him in this one.

“Sei, I wanna touch you, can I?”

He smiles softly. Your request is sweet, almost innocent. He can’t say no, he doesn’t want to.

“Be nice, yeah?” He leaves a peck on your cheek.

You giggle – who would have guessed that he’d make you feel like a silly teenage girl in love right now? Your hand trails down his body, meticulously exposing his skin. It’s soft and warm, and now you understand why his hugs always feel so good. Your movements slow down when you reach his belt, eyes widening slightly at the sigh of the bulge in his pants. It’s not the first time that you see it – you’ve noticed it in the previous nights you had a sleepover – but this time, you ought to do something about it.

“Ah – oh my…” his breath hitches in his throat as your fingers reach inside his pants, pulling the fabric down to unleash his cock.

It’s a bold move on your part, one that gets you to blush furiously once you see his erected member before your eyes. It’s pretty, you think, much more than you expected it to be. A delicate curve that leads to a blush pink tip – sensitive, you notice as your finger curiously brushes over it. You explore, hand wrapping around his length as you give him gentle caresses.

“Is that good, Sei?”

“Amazing, love… please don’t stop.”

You hum, letting your fingers translate your curiosity by the way they explore every inch of skin you find, watching him shiver when you touch some places, sigh when you touch others. So… this is it, you think, a man’s pleasure. You continue, watching him twitch in your hold. You look up at him, sparkles in your eyes.

“Sei, do you love my touch?”

His fingers run through your locks, a soft smile on his face.

“I have to, it comes from you.”

Pulling you up to pepper your face in kisses, you can almost cry. It's never hit you before, how much your boyfriend actually loves you. But you can’t deny that look in his eyes – love and lust painting his irises like night lights.

Beautiful, like him.

Enchanting, like him.

Loving, like him.

“Sweetheart” his voice falls in your ear in a soft murmur, “I’ll need you to stop fiddling with my cock with those soft fingers of yours or I won’t be able to contain myself anymore.”

“Oh… Oh!” you blush, pulling your hands away. “Got carried away. A man’s anatomy is a curious thing” you remark.

He raises an eyebrow, laying you down on the mattress.

“I could say the same thing about a woman’s body, particularly yours…” he taunts, thumb tracing down your throat to your perky nipple.

You hiss, surprised look at the way he touches you like a scientist making a new discovery. His touch is exploring. He rolls the sensitive bud between his fingers, observing the way your body folds in response.

“Sei! Ah… sensitive!”

“I know.”

You ogle at him, only getting him to laugh with a bit of mischief in his voice. And you get reminded at this moment that this is who he is. Seijurō is a learner, getting his kick in mastering new skills. And for a man that has never done it before, he is surprisingly skilled in touching your body. As his lips trail down your abdomen to your navel, you hold your breath. On the moment, countless thoughts cross your mind. Did you shave this morning? What if he finds out about this one mole on your pubis and freaks out? Doesn’t it look a bit weird down there?

“Good lord…”

Fuck.

You panic even more upon hearing his exclamation; what does it mean?!

“My love, are all vulvas like yours? Because it looks so pretty…”

“Huh?”

You’re stunned, speechless. It isn’t quite the compliment you could ever wish for. To be honest, you’ve been too scared to take a proper look at your own cunt before, so all the sense you have of it comes from what you’ve gathered from your touch. You’re familiar with the ridges, soft bulging parts and folds, but what has always been mere anatomy to you, seems to be art in Seijurō’s eyes. His curious finger runs through your slit, separating the lips as you blush furiously. His movements are teasing – you wonder if he’s doing it purposely or is it just a mishap of his exploring. Either way, you bite back your whimpers, watching him brush against your clitoris softly, while you squirm.

“Sei that’s uh…”

“Here? You want my touch here, love?”

You nod eagerly, observing the way he looks at you from between your legs, finger gently circling around your clit. Your hips buck forward, setting a rhythm to which he adapts his moves.

“You’re getting wet… do you mind if I put a finger in?”

“Please!”

You quickly cover your mouth, surprised by how needy you sounded just now. Such tone has never gotten out of you; except late at night, in the solitude of your room when you’d think of him, frustrated fingers toying with your clit as you would almost cry thinking about how much you craved Seijurō’s touch. But now that you have it, it’s a different thing. It’s much more intense, like your skin is a fragile flame, and his touch is fuel. He pours, your flame grows, and grows, and grows.

“Fuck… I…” You pant, far from expecting his fingers to know your cunt so well – isn’t that supposed to be his first time, too?!

“Everything’s alright?” he asks between two kisses on your inner thighs.

Your lips tremble, one arm pressed against your forehead while your other hand holds the bed sheets like your life depends on it.

“I think I’m close” you finally manage to say.

“Want me to stop?”

“…” you think for a moment, too overwhelmed to have an idea of what you truly want – but you do give reason to your body, eventually, “Don’t stop.”

He leaves a sweet peck on the skin of your thigh, working his fingers till you squirm, your warm walls pushing him out as you reach your orgasm – first one that he’s brought you to. He props his body up to kiss you with all the love he has for you, and you pull him close, goosebumps covering your skin when you feel his naked body against yours. He’s so soft, so loving, it can almost make you cry.

He’s just… love. That’s what he is, the embodiment of love.

“Baby, should we go all the way?”

You nod, kissing him again, and again, drunk on him.

“Please say it with your sweet voice” he murmurs against your lips.

“Seijurō, please make love to me.”

He nods, the tenderness in his eyes giving you the kind of warmth you’ve always craved. It stays, even when he gets up to get a condom, and even when he stands before you, hard-on in his palm as he rolls the rubber on it. You look with stars in your eyes when he hovers above you, leaving a peck on your forehead.

“I’m going in, alright?”

“Yeah” you breathe out.

Your nervous, trying to distract yourself of the stinging feeling when his head pushes in, so you look at his face. His half-lidded eyes, his parted lips as his hot breath fans on your face, and the contraction of his shoulders as his hold himself above you.

“Are you good, sweetheart?”

You shake your head, feeling tears coming up. You can’t tell if you’re just overwhelmed or if it’s that novel pain you feel in that part of your body. Seijurō’s furrow his eyebrows in concern, stilling as he looks at you.

“Shall I stop?”

“Let’s… don’t move. I wanna get used to it.”

“Sure?”

You nod, take big breaths to calm yourself down. Leaving kisses after kisses on your forehead, you feel yourself relax a bit, eventually giving him the thumbs-up to push deeper. And he does, slowly, carefully, like your pussy is the most precious place in the world and that he, a mere mortal, should only thread carefully around it.

“Here you go” he coos “taking me so well…”

You mewl, hands wrapped around his neck, as he starts his slow thrusts. You wonder for a minute if he’s pacing himself as to be careful, or because he’s afraid of not being able to hold himself back overwise. Either way, you slowly find pleasure in the feeling of his cock roaming inside your walls – in and out, deep and slow. Seijurō’s soft grunts falls in your ear, making you shiver.

“You feel… ah… so good, love” his voice is slightly more high-pitched, hints of desperation tinting his timbre.

“Please, faster…”

“Is that what you want, hm?”

“Yeah” you moan out as your hips buck to meet the movements of his.

He pants, the look in his eyes being something you’ve never seen before. It’s not something you can comprehend, but seeing that light danse in his amber irises, combined with his slender finger toying with your clit, you feel your high build up. And explosion of sensations, taking your entire soul to another dimension as you squeal his name, holding on to him like he’s your saviour.

“Fuck, I…”

You giggle in surprise, not ever recalling hearing him swear before. But can he be blamed, when the tight hold your pussy has on him is just so heavenly?

“I’m… love, I’m cumming!”

Those words alone send you into a frenzy, the song of both your moans filling up the room, the same way his hot seed fills up the condom, seconds before he gives out, head falling on your chest.

“I love you” you whisper, just a bit louder than the erratic beat of your hearts.

He looks up at you, incapable of voicing an answer, but you’ve known Seijurō’s face well enough to read his thoughts.

You’re his biggest victory, he believes, being here in this bed, closer to you than he’s ever been before.

[irradiatedsnakes]

btw in the tmagp launch celebratory stream alice's voice actor said her favorite scene that'd been recorded by that point was "alice and sam go to a place". so i suppose we'll be getting that next week :]

other notes. this statement (hey! actually a statement this time! what the fuck) was SOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD

the cursed dice angle is so good, the way the statement giver took on that role (roll), played the part, UGH it's so fun. the theme of choice that was brought up is also so good- just. ONE more roll for old time's sake :) especially given that this is a TMI statement and how HUGE IMPORTANT of a theme choice and free will were in tma, felt very fitting. fantastic, loved that.

continuing on my stuff about the entities in tmagp- once again some things here feel very on the nose, particularly the statement giver literally calling himself a mysterious stranger. this feels like a fun little red herring to me, for people a bit hung up on the entities stuff. that's how i interpreted it, anyways. i wanna know more about this world so fucking bad, dude.

also, the institute's in manchester in tmagp, not chelsea/london. which means no milbank prison, no panopticon. interesting. (though soemthing that was known from the arg already- i really need to deep dive on that. tomorrow, maybe.) statement taking and artifact storage are still a thing, evidently, but noting that there's no mention of an archivist or anything like that. and the subject/agent/catalyst stuff, that's Very interesting.

once again, chester bringing up a magnus-related statement, here in obvious reply to what sam was talking about- just when he was considering to celia about dropping his investigations- clearly (imo) to goad him into not leaving it behind. excellent. and fun given the first TMI-related incident with redcanary had the obvious conclusion of THE MAGNUS INSTITUTE IS WEIRD AND DANGEROUS while also having enough mystery to draw sam in further. sam's seen the canary die in the coalmine and has made the decision to keep digging and that's fantastic.

now! characters! sam's paperwork :) VERY intriguing that he's getting all this stuff and celia's got none of it- he said it was due to that box about the response department, but i've got my doubts about that being the reason he's being saddled with all this weird stuff. also the questions on the thing made me laugh, very good. sam and celia have such good interactions, i love how they bounce off each other. also, with regards to the paperwork- i think there's a connection to be made about the statement giver's continued rolling of the dice (it always felt like my choice.) and sam filling out all this creepy, utterly pointless paperwork to "refuse to give it the satisfaction of giving up".

GWEN AND LENA. nigel dickerson, you know, from tv? possibly. i don't watch television. i do hope we'll be seeing exactly what gwen is being told to do next episode.. delivering something, keeping calm, recording the detailed reactions to what's being delivered. maybe we'll get a bit more of a clue as to what the oair is actually for. i do like that gwen's not become one bit less indignant, skeptical, and disrespectful towards lena now that she's got this job. i'm very excited to see her on her fist job she's gonna suck at it i think

i'll admit i was a little surprised to see teddy again. i was worried for a sec he might be going in the direction of getting dragged back to the oair, but nah. not yet, at least :) and ALICE. ALIIIIICE auaaaaagh!!! i don't know if i have much to say baout this part that isn't just (shaking a plushie in my mouth like a dog). very neat that she has agreed to help sam investigate this and actually go to the institute when she's been so staunchly don't get caught up in the creepy stuff! leave the magnus institute stuff ALONE you don't want to get into this spooky shit! like.. she does not want to get involved with spooky shit and she doesn't want sam to get involved with spooky shit but she cares about him and their friendship a lot and this is obviously important to him. so. (plus, the thing about alice's brother having been at the institute alongside sam and gerry..) i like them both so much. i am so excited for next weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek

[flamie-42]

Soukoku’s New Year

A little present from me since I havent updated my fics in a little bit, sorry :(

It’s New Year’s Eve, Chuuya gets a mysterious text from his old partner.

Mackerel: come to our place at the port

It’s late and Chuuya is already 2 glasses deep into his celebratory end of year wine he had been saving.

But it’s Dazai and so he begrudgingly puts on his jacket and a scarf. The sound of his motorcycle carries him down the streets until he reaches a warehouse at the end of the docs.

He climbes onto the roof and there he finds his (ex) partner sitting at the peak of the roof. Without saying a word he sits down next to the taller man.

You actually came

He has a tired smile on his face as he looks off into the black abyss of the ocean.

Of course I did

It was the same response he always gave when he got texts like this one.

Why did you text

His tone was standoffish as usual but he proceeded to flop down beside Dazai on the metal roof.

I wanted to see my Chibi! It’s been a while

He was cheerful but Chuuya could see the sadness in his eyes as he spouted his usual nonsense

Yeah I’m sure, what’s the real reason

He had placed his hand on Dazai’s to force the man to look at him instead of avoiding his line of sight. Dazai’s well manicured facade fell as he did so and a more melancholy look appeared on his features

The rest of the agency is throwing a party but….

It seemed as though that thought would go farther but instead he changed his tune and switched topics

Remember our first New Years? I dragged you down here to watch the fireworks and you wouldn’t shut up about how much you hated me?

Chuuya laughed to himself, It had been a long seven years since that date and so much had changed. As he though about all of the previous years a warm body slumped against his shoulder and he could feel Dazai's hair against his neck.

Yeah you made me stay until the fireworks went off and then tried to convince me to kiss you for "good luck in the new year"

He felt a warm laugh from the man lounging on his shoulder at that comment. He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and searched for a lighter he knew was stored in his jacket. Not finding it he huffed and motioned to Dazai. Seconds later a small flame bloomed between their huddled form and Chuuya used it to ignite the stick set between his fingers.

What if that's what I'm trying to do this year?

Dazai's muffled voice filtered up to him as he blew a puff of smoke into the darkness. Chuuya looked down to try and see if the bastard was joking or not only to be met with his unruly mop of hair blocking his face as he leaned on Chuuya's shoulder. Without seeing his old partner's face he was unable to know the real intention so he merely scoffed and took another drag of the cigarette in his hand.

mhm sure Dazai

It was the only practical response to make and it seemed to satiate Dazai as Chuuya's attention was drawn away to the sparks of color that began to paint the night sky. A loud boom echoed through the quiet port and Chuuya remembered why they always used to watch the fireworks from this spot. It almost felt as though you were right in front of the bursts as they erupted over the quiet port. He hardly noticed the absence of the weight that had just previously been attached to his shoulder until he felt a hand turn his face to the side.

Dazai was now staring right into his eyes and if Chuuya didn't know better he would have thought there was a slight blush across his cheeks. He leaned in closer until their lips fell together in a much too short kiss. As Dazai pulled back Chuuya was sure that there was a blush adorning his cheeks. As quickly as it had happened Dazai had turned away to look out at the fireworks again.

Chuuya shook his head and decided to ignore what he was sure was a goofy grin on his face. He flicked the stub of the cigarette away and pulled Dazai's face back towards him.

Come back here, Mackerel. I need some more luck

[worstjourney]

End-of-2023 Update

I forgot to crosspost my November update from Patreon (in my defence, I was in Norway and then ill) so here is a mashup of November and December, wrapping up 2023 in one convenient post.

Book Stuff

I have finished an outline for the three remaining books of the series. This pass is just making very basic decisions about what gets included and what doesn’t, and roughly shaping the narrative so that I have a basic road map in place before getting creative. Cherry’s 600-page brick is actually quite lean when approached with this lens; I’m trying to let him make a lot of these decisions for me, but sometimes our priorities don’t really align and I’ve had to bring in other sources. Once this bullet-point list is done, then I go back over each section with my storytelling brain turned on, and go into greater narrative detail, so that when I write a script I only have to think about making a good script, and not structural matters. It’s a slow process, but it’s rewarding to feel that, after many months of chasing the whirlwind, I’m finally making forward progress on bringing books into the world.

Events

At the end of November, I made my first-ever trip to Oslo to speak at the 11th annual Roald Amundsen Memorial Lectures, a weekend of intense polar nerdery at the Fram Museum. Other speakers included scientists, explorers, filmmakers and musicians, all unified by a love of polar history, as well as a recreation of the celebratory dinner given for Amundsen on his successful return from the South Pole in 1912. It was a spectacularly good time, and highly recommended to anyone who might be inclined to go to that sort of thing in future. I will have to go back sometime to give the Fram Museum more dedicated attention, as the talks took up most of my time there and I hardly got to explore.

In December, I was supposed to have been a historical guest on a Zoom panel discussing Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Sinfonia Antarctica, which started life as the score to the 1948 film Scott of the Antarctic.  However, too many of us were ill on the scheduled date, so it was deferred to January 15th. I will share the link, when it becomes available, over on Patreon; should a publicly-accessible recording be produced, I will share that here. The panel also includes Polar historiographer Anne Strathie, who will be bringing her expertise on Herbert Ponting and his photographs in particular, and two experts from the States, who will be approaching the material from a biographical and musical perspective, respectively.

An online event which did come off was being one half of the second keynote of Terror Camp, an online gathering that mashes up a fan convention and academic conference. The esteemed nonfiction-writer-turned-novelist Francis Spufford and I talked about writing Polar history, from two very different perspectives. It was excellent fun and seemed to have been received well; I don’t know if the recording is available to those who weren’t registered in advance for the event, but if you’re desperate to see it, it may be worth asking.

Media

I came back from Norway with a stack of books and one DVD. Being ill through the greater part of December gave me a chance to start tackling them, and I’ve written a bit about some of them on December’s Patreon Update, because there wasn’t much else to write. Feel free to nip over there if you’re curious; the post is, like all Updates, open to the public.

If you’d like to hear the guys you mostly only see in photos, you may appreciate this fine programme from the vaults of Radio New Zealand: https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/search-use-collection/search/28712/ It’s RNZ’s take on the 50th anniversary of the Expedition, including many clips from the parallel BBC programme for which my beloved tapes of Sir Charles Wright were recorded. This show also contains a good deal from Tom Clissold, who was living in New Zealand by then, and T. Griffith Taylor.  Many thanks to the intrepid Allegra Rosenberg for finding this and bringing it to my attention.

Also hot off Allegra’s desk is the followup to Antarctic Lovebirds, looking at further communications between Atkinson and Pennell, and their lives post-Expedition.  I challenge anyone not to be a little bit in love with these guys.

On Patreon

I’ve started doing themed months on Patreon. November’s theme was Scott’s Ponies, and saw the following posts (currently available to Patrons only):

Equine Studies

The Backstory of Scott’s Ponies

A Guide to Scott’s Ponies

The theme for December’s posts was Writing, which included:

The Art of Adaptation

The Master Timeline, Again

Understanding the Characters

The Shape Of The Rest Of The Series

There was also a secret post for the Paper Money tier, who get bonus behind-the-scenes features. The Writing theme will probably spill over into January a bit, but with one or two more visually-oriented posts if I can manage it.

If you want to see what Patreon is like without committing to anything, you can sign up for a week’s free trial at almost any tier, and read as much as you can cram in your eyeballs in that time. You can also subscribe directly to the Free tier and you will get Updates like this, as well as any posts that get made public. Of course, if you feel moved to toss a little cash into the potato pot to support the creation of these graphic novels, that is greatly appreciated, and you get weekly posts in return.

–––––––––

2023 is a mixed year to look back on.  On one hand, I did a lot of things; on the other, I made vastly less progress than expected.  I think, primarily, I underestimated how much time and energy the publicity rounds would demand; I thought I could juggle that stuff with getting the research in order, and it turns out, I really could not.  I think I know better now what sort of events are worth it and which aren’t, but whether I’ll be allowed to act on that knowledge in future, I don’t know.  Even excluding the bookselling business, it felt like every time I had a span of work time, something would come up that would keep me from working – December’s illnesses being the latest example, but in a long string of unforeseen somethings that had to be accommodated.  I don’t remember this happening when I had a “real” job, and I’m not sure why.  2024 isn’t looking much better in this regard: I already know that January, February, probably May-ish, and possibly September are compromised.  I need to figure out how to use these as bookends to keep me focused between times, rather than letting them be derailing distractions.  (Any advice here is gratefully accepted.) But I have at least got the ball rolling on writing, so as long as I keep chipping away on that, I ought to inch forward … and once the writing is done, the drawing, which is the fun part!

[precious-little-scoundrel]

Hi! I’ve wanted to send this ask for a while but then didn’t because some of the discourse about her on here had some of her fans getting a little upset I think but I’ll send it and maybe u can weigh everything before posting it. Do you have any insight behind why Maureen didn’t go to Brady and Tilly’s wedding? I understand why Gale didn’t and that there’s all that trauma there. But from some of your asks and stuff, I’ve gotten the sense that him and Maureen are sort of friends? And she doesn’t have the same issues as Gale. And they did come the next day so obviously they weren’t busy. I feel like she could’ve went and Gale could’ve just come the next day you know? Because a big issue that I have her with her is that a lot of her kindness is only in regards to Gale and I personally am not a huge fan of girls who can only be nice/ caring to guys they wanna date. And if they are meant to be friends, I would’ve thought it made sense for her to care enough to go to Jack’s wedding. Like to WANT to be there. Because obviously again, it makes sense that Gale didn’t go and as much as Gale and Maureen are a pair, all her other friends were there and I think that you should be able to separate your boyfriend from your other relationships/ not have all your loyalty towards one person alone. But I could be wrong about all of this and I honestly just want your thoughts.

I kinda was torn about whether to have her go or not, tbh, when writing it, so I’m not surprised some folks were surprised or even disapproving of her abscence! I’d love to give a little of my reasoning for why I chose that course of action!

And thank you, first off, for such a sweet toned ask, you’re a peach 💋

Yes, 100% Gale and Jack have the most complicated traumas and relationship at the time of his wedding. To the point where Gale felt it more respectful to not be there for his wedding -not because Brady would have been angry or is not on speaking terms! Oh no, rather, it’s a huge day where he’s trying to shove that trauma behind and become a man and a husband and an all American veteran returned. Gale is unfortunately a loved but very strong reminder of how not ok they are, tbh, and Brady rushing into this wedding so fast practically proves that point.

(Thank Jesus Tilly was a good one and he made the right choice but that was 100% a trauma response and Gale suspected as much.) plus this wedding quickly followed Ida sorta outing their traumas to the Brass, so there’s a bit of a rush for both to separate from each other and also any semblance of being not normal to begin with.

A wife would help with that. The absence of the major you’re tied up with would too.

But for Maureen. Again you’re right that she’s friends with him, and while they weren’t total buddies they were indeed friends and she cares deeply for him, and in that way I would expect her to show. Except, she took care of Gale and Jack THE MOST out of anyone in the direct aftermath of some of these traumatic events. Benny helped too, but I think between Gale and Maureen there’s no one else who knows as much or has seen as much as those two when it comes to Jack. And so her reasonings for not going to the actual sacrament (as it would be considered in a Catholic context) and only to show at a more celebratory occasion was actually her attempt at a rather clumsy form of courtesy.

One that I headcanon Jack understood quite clearly, and so was undivided in being touched that they’d show up at all to congratulate.

No idea if this is just a ramble or at all illuminating of why, even if you might still have a strong case for her going. Thank you again for asking and I can’t wait to get more of this written out so it may make more compelling sense!

[calissarowan]

Dark Past, Bright Future, Insane Present Character Aesthetics!

So, I’ve seen other people make character aesthetics, and they just look so cool, so I tried making some of my own for the characters in my fic! Most of the pictures are off Pinterest, which is where I’ve seen other people get their pictures from, so I hope that’s okay. So, without further ado, here we go!

Naomi Hunter:

I struck really lucky with that picture; it looks just like her. I think this is my favourite I did. My goth girl! For context for anyone who hasn’t read the fic, Naomi is the adoptive daughter of the Wizards of the Black Circle, and the Fairy of Form. She’s snark and sarcasm personified, with a quick wit and a quicker mouth. She’s whip-smart, but doesn’t always think her decisions through, usually based off trust issues or her temper.

Roxy Wilde:

Took ages to find hair that looked like Roxy’s, but I’m really happy. And those boots! They’re so totally her! Roxy’s the only one here that everyone knows from canon (Manuel is from the comics, but I’ll be impressed if anyone knows him, and also knows anything about his personality beyond ‘love interest’.) In this story, Roxy’s still much the same as in canon. She’s finding her feet in magic, and being dragged into chaos by Naomi is not what she was expecting, but hey, the best way to learn to swim is just to jump in, right?

Aidan Ross:

He’s my beloved golden retriever. The loving puppy of the group, who just so happens to come with energy whips and genius-level intellect. Aidan is Naomi’s not-yet-boyfriend (but he’ll do a happy dance when that happens), and honestly, if people defined him as just ‘Naomi’s love interest’ in the fandom, he’d be cool with that. But he’s also the group’s tech expert. He’s from Zenith, but the cool, logical mindset of his planet has always evaded him, and he’s got seriously cute puppy energy. Most good occurrences are met with a celebratory dance, and his smile is seldom dimmed. He’s just…an all-around nice guy.

Manuel Vergara:

That picture looks so much like him. His was way easier than Aidan’s; he just has a more defined style. Manuel is the newest addition to this odd little group, and he’s quickly trying to take charge. Raised on Aria as the son of an elite guard, he lives very firmly in a military mindset that he applies to most situations. This makes him effective, if sometimes a bit oblivious or insensitive. He’s one of the best pilots at Red Fountain, even though he’s only a freshman. Aria is mostly built on clouds, so he’s familiar with flight.

Olivia Silvers:

She’ll rise to main-group status later, so she gets an aesthetic. That, and she was just so fun to do this for. Olivia…is not currently on the best terms with the others. Manuel’s girlfriend until he finally wises up and ends it, she’s trying to be Alfea’s queen mean girl, asserting herself in rude and hurtful ways. She thinks Manuel has feelings for Roxy, so she’s jealous of her, and Naomi she just hates since they had an actual fight on the first day of school. She’s social-media obsessed, and something hasn’t happened to her until it’s got fifty likes. She’s actually pretty smart, she just doesn’t tend to apply herself. Used to be a playful sweetheart until she decided to reinvent herself for Alfea.

[moonpiemoonshine]

Dirt and Grime pt.2

(A Barney Ross fanfic)

The next night the men had found themselves in a busy bar. Barney had noticed how honey had not shown up to the bar just yet. Him and his crew had started their drinking and celebratory partying. After about an hour Honey had arrived at the bar, dressed in short jean shorts and a tight fit tank top. She headed towards the bar and took two quick shots of tequila to get herself loose and more active. After her drinks she grabbed a man’s beer out of his hands and headed towards the crew. The men let out hollers and whistles at the woman, Barney is unimpressed with his crew but was heavily impressed with Honeys look.

“Hey boys” she said sitting alongside them in a sing song tone, “you just sit here or do you actually party?” She asked in anticipation.

“We have about another hour before people leave then we fully party” Lee said and this excited Honey.

“That gives me an hour to do what I do best” she smirked and downed her drink, she saw Gunnar’s full drink besides her and she quickly downed his. She left with a cocky giggle and went to the dance floor.

Barney kept his eyes glued on the girl, grimacing when he sees men get too close. He enjoyed watching her have fun and dancing. Barney did notice the heavy amount of drinking she had been doing but her actions haven’t been distorted in anyway so he didn’t worry. He was tempted to go in and dance with the woman but he knew it wasn’t a good idea, he death glared Caesar and Gunnar for dancing with her making them back off.

After the big crowd of people left it was just the crew, Tool had also shown up once the crowd had disappeared. The men were laughing loud and playing a drunken game of poker. Insults and jokes being thrown around and good alcohol being shared in the crew. Knife throwing competitions happen and drinking contests follow. After a while the boys had finally noticed the mechanical bull in the corner of the building. One by one the men had tired it out but they were so disoriented they only lasted little less than a minute. Barney tried to impress Honey on the bull, trying to last the best out of the group. After he had fallen Honey broke into laugher and knew it was her turn to get on the bull. She sauntered her way up to the bull, taking Tools hat while getting to it. The men whooped while she got on the bull and they all laughed and cheered seeing her last longer than them. But a last she fallen off and Barney was quick to help her up.

“Woah there cowgirl, can’t have you sleeping on the floor” he chuckled while getting her up.

“Yea, there are much better places to be sleeping right now” she replied in a flirty tone.

The party continued but only for a little while. One by one all the men started to go home. Honey leaned on the outside of the bar waiting in the cold. Every once in a while looking down at her phone. Barney grew worried for the girl, wanting so desperately to help her but not wanting to creep her out. After a bit a car had finally pulled up in front of the bar. Honey had took a few steps to the car but looked back at him and quickly jogged over to the man.

“It was great to work and party with you B” she lightly slurred with a wide grin. She planted a quick kiss on his lips before she jogged back to the car and quickly getting in.

Barney was stunned but happy. He hoped his small signals had worked on her, but again he knew she must have been a bit drunk so she most definitely won’t remember. Honey had Barney on her mind, and with thinking about him she was thinking about the hanger. She had given her driver directions to the hanger and she had stumbled into the hanger and walked around the barren building. She had went up to the giant plane and leaned against it. She had climbed up the wing and laid down on the nose of the plane. She looked up at the stars and tipped the cowboy hat down over her eyes. She let her heavy eyelids shut, letting herself fall asleep.

Late the next afternoon Barney headed to the hanger. He was delightfully shocked when he saw Honey, sprawled out on the nose fully asleep. He let out a light chuckle and he knocked on the side of the plane. This action waking up the sleeping girl and she quickly sat up and looked around to assist where she was at.

“Morning cowgirl, this the sleeping place you were talking about” Gunnar joked and Honey laughed to herself.

“Not exactly” she stated and slid down the side of the plane. She landed in Gunnar’s arms and she let out a soft squeal.

“What all do you remember? No way you deliberately wanted to sleep here” Barney asked letting the girl down but still holding her steady.

“I remember the throwing contest, shot contest, the bull, waiting outside, and…” she trailed on faking forgetfulness but held a sly smirk on her face and went in and gave the man a kiss. He was stunned but kissed back and once they pulled away form each other she continued, “that seems to be about it” she finished and Barney smiled.

“Glad you remember the best parts” Barney replied and the two smiled. “You need a ride home?” He asked causally and Honey had not even thought of that.

“If you don’t mind, I have a dog I need to make sure didn’t pee on the carpet” she answered and Barney smiled.

Barney led her to his motorcycle and Honey couldn’t help but snicker at the customization he had done to it. She was quick to hop on and get going. Barney was happy to see how eager she was to get on the bike. She had pointed and showed Barney the way to her house. Barney had not really assumed that she would’ve lived out in the countryside of the city. He found the landscape beautiful and calming.

When he had seen her small little wooden house, in a empty country field he felt soft. This was a serene place he’d love to live. The quietness and beauty matched the woman holding onto him. He pulled up next her small white truck and she was slightly quick to get off the bike.

“Thanks for the ride Barney” she said to the man, he was listening but was busy looking at the scenery.

“It’s no problem” he replied sounding distracted.

“Keep me updated about the next job” she said while walking to her door.

When she opened the door her red heeler had practically jumped out the door. She let out a small squeal in excitement and picked up her dog and walked into her home. Barney longed for the feeling. The feeling of coming home to a beautiful place and someone that loves you.

Barney wanted to see Honey every moment he found himself alone. He hated having to only see her during work. He knew that forming this connection wouldn’t be a good idea in his line of work. He didn’t know if she even wanted it. He was older and she had so much time and so much potential. Barney’s head was full of the young woman, wanting what’s best for her, but also he knows she could bring out the best of him.

After a couple weeks another job had been assigned. Barney had called in a few get together before hand but Honey had never showed up to any of them. He took this as a sign that she wasn’t interested in them or him besides from work. He doesn’t blame her, she lives in a dream and she would wanna stay in it as much as possible. He kept her in the loop through quick calls and the rare text. Once the day of leaving for the job came up he was on edge waiting for Honey. He wanted to see her, and he had to keep a cool and content composure while waiting for her at the hanger. All the men on the team all traveled by motorcycle, but Honey usually went around in a small white truck.

His nerves were put to rest when he saw the white truck in the distance. He had let out a sigh of relief he didn’t know he was holding. Once she was out of the truck she was decked out in all black attire like the rest of the team usually wore. Barney was admiring her from the ground up but when he finally got her face he was confused. A bruise had adorned her left temple and the corner of her mouth. She kept a normal expression on her face when she walked up to Barney.

“Hey,” is all Barney could say. He didn’t wanna pry and he knew she didn’t need to tell him anything.

Honey gave him a small smile in acknowledgment while passing him and went to a work bench. She had taken two small hand guns that were on the bench and grabbed ammunition for them. She packed them into her bag and had quickly loaded into the plane. Barney wanted to think she was on edge but he remembered that when he had saw her last it was just him and Honey alone. He also knew she was usually quiet and wanted things done in her own pace. She was drunk the last time he had seen her in a social setting so he needed to not fret about her. Now all on the plane they were off to some European country to stop a group of terrorist making a human hostage situation. While on the plane Gunnar had finally noticed Honeys face and decided to use it a way to fill the silence in the metal bird.

“Hey nice shiner, you gave it to you” Gunnar asked in a crude tone.

“Bar hoping, I broke out two fights and I couldn’t help but join” she said focusing on sharpening her blades.

“You? Bar hop? On your own time?” Gunnar retorted in a disbelieving manner.

“Well yea, between this and my training I do at home I got all the free time in the world.” She stated unenthused, “unlike you sitting around doing nothing, and failing to touchin’ it aren’t really my ideal past times” she finished causing some men to snicker at Gunnar’s now flustered face.

Once the arrived it was dark so they had to quickly get on the scene and try to shut it down. They all crouched onto a ledge and looked down into a small canyon full of people. Most in uniform but the rest were all in civilian clothes. Barney passed around a pair of binoculars and once they reached Honey she grumbled at the sight.

“Ugh not these guys” she groaned under her breath while giving the binoculars back to Barney.

Barney had heard her comment and decided to ask her about it later. He gave the command for the crew to fall in and start taking them out. Honey was quick to go to a separate cliff edge and clung to the bottom of it and used a free hand to grab a gun strapped to herself and she waited for just the right moment. She allowed the crew to get a little close and she let out three shots down into the camp and the three shots had landed on three of the men in uniform and once they had noticed the men were hit, the rest of the crew had fallen into the camp and started taking down the men. Honey let go of the cliff and started to slide down the edge of it, while sliding she pulled up the back mask cloth she had hanging around her neck and pulled it over her nose.

She got into the camp and using her knife she had taken out the two men guarding the hostages. Using a small clean baby knife she cut a man free and gave him the knife telling him to free the rest. She left quickly to take out nearby uniformed men. Honey had been spotted and a man holding a machete had tackled her to the ground, he had grazed her sides with the sharp machete but Honey maneuvered her gun to his side and shot him. She had left him there on the ground knowing he would die from the gun wound, and was quickly onto another uniformed man to get rid of. During this fight her opponent was much bigger and she had suffered a much bigger wound from him. She had gotten him onto the rocks and he used a rock to make the gash from her previous cut bigger with a rock. During their altercation her mask had fallen down and the man was set into a whole different gear. He had brought out a specialty gun with pellets full a weird substance.

Honey finally used her gun and used the rocks besides her to ricochet the bullet into the man’s head. It was too late for Honey to put her mask back up cause another man had seen her. She had to take precautions to not get hit by their bullets, so she mostly used her two guns strapped to her. Her fast movements and precise marksmanship was knocking lots of men down one by one, but she was caught and held down by another bigger man and he was trying to stab a syringe type thing into her. Her resistance was good, and finally she had gotten her hand into a good position to snap the needle, and when she did she stabbed it into her eyes and she was quick to put a bullet in him when she got up. She took out more men, having to struggle a bit form the pain of her side but once she noticed the fighting was gone when she had taken down the last guy she felt like she could barley walk. She stumbled to the rest of the team and let them know she had let the hostages go and they were safe. The team decided that they’d set up camp next to the plane for the night and leave in the morning. When they reached the base of the cliff and knew they needed to hike up it Honey knew she wasn’t gonna be able to make it up.

“Caesar, my guts might fall out my side right now. I need you to help me up there” she asked and had pressed her palm to the gash showing Caesar the severity of her injury.

Barney heard her statement and looked back and watched Caesar as he held the girl on her back and hiked up with her. Barney knew Caesar could hold Honey with ease, but he constantly looked back making sure she was alright. When they reached the top of the cliff Honey wanted to walk but Caesar wouldn’t allow her and he carried her all the way back to the plane. The men set up a small makeshift fire and set out small tents and started to prep their meals for the night.

Barney sat close to Honey while she rummaged through her bag for her medical supplies. Honey propped up her knife and planned to use it as a makeshift mirror. She took off her black compression shirt and rubbed her numbing paste on the giant wound. Barney could see her slightly struggling to see where she was stitching up her wound since she couldn’t see all that well from her small knife. Barney turned to see Gunnar wiping off his giant machete and a idea hit Barney.

“Gunnar, lemme borrow that for a sec” Barney asked taking the machete not giving Gunnar a choice in the matter.

Barney moved Honey’s knife and replaced it with the machete. Honey thanked the man, now having better confidence in her movements. She finished stitching the wound quickly and put some more ointment in the injury. She slid the machete back to Gunnar and quickly put her shirt back on and re prepped the equipment.

“Anyone need me to overlook anything” she asked and most of the men nodded their heads.

Honey went through putting her ointment on the men and cleaning up the occasional busted face or cut on the arm. She was gentle, her pacing being a swift but calming one. She had finally reached Barney and all he had was a small cut on his brow so she just dampened her fingers with a simple but much stronger disinfectant for him. He kept his gaze on the woman, not caring since the men were laughing and busy eating to care what he was doing.

“You knew those guys” Barney asked once she finished.

“Yea. You know in comics how there’s always some super drug to make the perfect soldier” she said putting her things away, “these men think my mother had made that, and they think that she’s still alive to give it to them” she finished and finally relaxed and looked at the man. “They are the ones who gave me this busted up face. They think they’ll find her through me” she stated blandly and this pricked a sense of worry in Barney.

“Do they bother you a lot?” He asked hoping to ease this worry.

“No, just every once in a while. When they get desperate” she said and laid down.

Barney had no idea how to respond. So he just laid down next to her. He wanted to turn and hold her close but he knew he couldn’t. Honey was at ease and super relaxed. She didn’t know why Barney gave her this effect but she didn’t mind. She would love to be around him more just for this feeling but she knew she couldn’t. Barney was a busy man and she didn’t wanna interfere with his work. The next morning came quick and the group was quick to leave for home. They had all been wanting to go back so they could party and celebrate their quick victory. Unknowing to Honey, Barney was finally vocalizing his feelings but not to her, but to his co pilot Lee Christmas.

“What’s on your mind. It’s not here with me obviously. What’s more important than me?” Lee asked in a joking but also sincere ish tone.

“It’s a woman-“ Barney started with a sigh.

“You’re not lying to me are you? You having woman issues isn’t a real thing” Lee said being quick to cut him off.

“I wish I was lying. It’s..” Barney was conflicted, he really didn’t know if he should tell him but he trusted him. “..Honey, she’s been on my mind since the last job” he sighed.

“Woah, I would’ve never guess that spitfire got your brain into more mush than it already was” Lee commented but let Barney continue.

“We shared two kisses, one where she was drunk but another one the day after and just don’t know what to do” he said feeling a little weird talking about this. He didn’t like being open but he knew he needed to.

“Didn’t know you were a charmer” he joked and Barney looked at him with a unenthused look, “well I know it’ll be weird but you gotta talk to her about it. You don’t know how it’ll go if you two get together but still doing work here” he continued making a genuine effort to help.

“Yea, I just gotta find the right time to” Barney said in a worn out tone.

“Don’t do it too late or nothing will come out good” he started peaking Barney’s interests, “gotta find the sweet spot” he finished in a joke and Barney rolled his eyes.

When they landed they all were quick to leave. Honey was notably the last one to go alongside Barney. She wanted to make sure her side wasn’t gonna bother her while she driving so she stayed in the hanger trying to wrap her body. Barney had noticed her and wanted to help and didn’t need to worry about prying eyes. He came up behind the girl and took the wrap out of her hands and started to take over for her. Once the wrap had ended Honey had made sure to secure it to her body. She looked up at the man holding the eye contact with a loving gaze, not realizing their hands were grazing each other.

“Thank you again, Barney.” She said getting snapped out of their gaze and started to walk off putting her shirt back on. Barney had followed her back out to the woman’s truck and helped her into it. She had rolled down the window and Barney leaned into the truck through the now empty window. “We partying tomorrow?” She asked.

“Yep, we’re gonna be at Tools place around nine or so. Nothing to crazy” he said letting out a small crooked smile.

“Dang it, that plane was a comfy bed” she joked letting a small snicker leave her lips. “I’ll see ya tomorrow Barney” she ended rolling up the windows and leaving the hanger. Barney waved her bye while she drove off, he watched longingly as her truck slowly left his line of sight. Seeming to drive herself into the horizon.

The next night started off surprisingly hard. The men had been heavily drinking doing many drinking competitions. Honey was heavily involved in these competitions. She kept flirting with Barney but he didn’t start doing it back till he got more drinks into his system. Once the night got late the two didn’t really know what they were doing. The rest of the crew had left and it again was just Honey and Barney. Barney had called a ride for Honey to get home but while waiting in the cold, Honey was cold and held herself close to Barney. The hold then turned into the two drunkenly making out. Once the ride had shown up, Barney didn’t wanna leave her so he went into the car with her. They had been driven to her house and the two were quick to go into Honey’s bedroom. Usually Barney would try to look and really take in his surroundings and appreciate what would be in her house.

The next morning Honey was lightly starting to wake up but was violently woken up when Barney’s arm had slung over her side, and unknowingly hurting her injured side. She shot up and groaned from the pain and hit his arm off of her. At first Honey had thought it was some random guy she had in her bed but was shocked to see Barney. She couldn’t remember a thing from the night before, and she didn’t know what to do.

“Barney?”

[sapphire-weapon]

im not sure if somebody’s already asked this but what are ur thoughts on leon being a full out alcoholic like some people claim?

like idk, if he were a proper alcoholic there’s no way he could do his job and be as efficient at it as he is. but with his kind of profession it’s only natural to indulge in a shot or two off the clock

like during the scene in vendetta where we see him drunk and depressed, rebecca and chris reminded him of the bigger picture he was fighting for, and that got him back on track. falling for a bit and drowning in a bottle once or twice doesn't constitute alcoholism though. only when the bottle becomes the drinker's best friend and obsession can they be called an alcoholic.

like it’s perfectly natural and understandable to chill out and get wasted after everything he went through. "I'm gonna buy the first round when we get out of here' (he said something along those lines in OG4) is a common trope. he seems more like a celebratory or weekends drinker than an actual drunk to me. someone that's dependent on alcohol sure as hell wouldn't get driven out to the middle of nowhere without it. i always took it as their way of making him more relatable and down to earth, not being an alcoholic.

but idk what r ur thoughts

So, I will fully admit to finding the "Leon is an alcoholic" meme funny and am guilty of perpetuating it.

When I'm being honest about it, I would say that Leon is more of a... professional drinker, so to speak. He wasn't just doin a few shots in Vendetta. He emptied an entire bottle of Jack Daniels on his own and was ready to order another one. Do you realize how high your alcohol tolerance has to be to do that and not die?

In simpler terms, I would say that Leon has a drinking problem, but it's not quite yet to the point of a full-blown dependency. Because he doesn't just drink off the clock. He has been shown on screen to drink while on the clock, too. Leon carries a damn flask around with him -- not just in Vendetta, but also in Damnation -- so, this has been building for a while.

Can Leon get through his days without a drink? Yes. Obviously. We see him do it in RE6 and in Death Island. If the government sent him out to the middle of nowhere for six months with no access to alcohol, he'd be fine.

But that doesn't mean that he wouldn't prefer to have that drink at the ready, if given the choice.

He doesn't need it. But he certainly seems to prefer to have it.

And if this behavior is left unchecked, he could very well get to a place where he will need it. But we'll have to wait and see which direction that Capcom ultimately wants to pull him in.

[soaringwide]

Hi I hope you’re well! Please could you tell me if I will meet a future romantic partner soon? I’ve been single quite a while now and I’m slowly ready to get back out there. I’m also going on a trip next week and was curious if I would meet someone. Thanks!✨

Hello! Thank you for reaching out! Sorry it took me a while to get to your ask so I won't ask about your trip since you probably already left. However I can totally do a ''Love ahead''.

Note: free readings are currently closed.

So as to where you're currently now, I think you may be feeling a bit over protective or defensive of your heart. You definitely want more from your love life and feel very determined to experience something, but it's like, you don't dare feeling fully optimistic about the future as you worry you're going to end up with nothing. It's kind of a protective mechanism not to get hurt, in the sense that if you don't dare hoping, then it may hurt less.

For what's going for you, with the 4 of wands I definitely feel like you're willing to step out of your house and go out and meet people, kinda like trying to find new circles and places to encounter a potential relationship, which is great. I'm getting these places being joyful and highly social, celebratory and welcoming. Perhaps you could even get help from friends or loved ones to expand your social circle through mutual connections.

As for what's hindering you, I think you've got some work to do in matters of releasing bonds and limitations from either past traumas surrounding intimacy, or from a past relationship. There is something that's still holding you back and that makes you feel like you can't get the new love that you're wishing for. There may have been a past unhealthy relationship that made you feel lessened, and I think that's why even with the desire and drive shown in the cards, you still have your boundaries up. I do think you've done a lot of work already (the devil is reversed so it's in the release position) so it's just a matter of keep pushing through it though.

I think that part of that healing process will happen through a new relationship though. As in, yes you have to work on yourself, but when you'll find that healthy and fulfilling relationship, it will help heal your wounds and release the pain. However, you need to give yourself the time and space to grow that in that new future and potential relationship as it will trigger your fears and defense mechanism, so you need to be gentle with yourself in the process and keep trying to do the work on your end. But I'm definitely getting that what you will receive is an opportunity to release past pains regarding love.

For what you need to release, you need to be mindful of your tendency to want to make things happen at all cost. It stems from a lack of self-confidence that makes you think that you're either not worth something good, or that you will miss an opportunity if you don't act fast, so you react by coming off a bit too strong, if I can put it that way. The danger could be to settle for something that's not actually good for you because you don't believe you deserve something better and you don't give yourself the time to really consider the connection before committing to it. So release that impatience, know your worth and take your time before committing.

As for most probably outcome for your future, I cannot give you a timeframe but you got the Magician, and the Chariot as the bottom of the deck, so I definitely think you're on track towards your wish. The Magician is all about mastering all suits of the tarot, which means being in harmony with your emotions, thoughts, resources and drive/the actions you take. It's also the card of making your desires happen in reality, so I think this is a very positive card for you here. The Chariot as bottom of the deck is all about determination and success in your pursuit, and I think the fact that it shows the overarching energy is a good sign that you're on the right track. But do be clear about what you want and be mindful of the advice you got in this reading. Don't forget that you always have a choice, you're the one driving the chariot and you're in control of your actions.

Hope that was helpful and I wish you good luck in your love life! :)

[k-didathing]

Sparrow's adventure continues: he encounters a Colin and a weird bee lady

Chapter One

Stranded

After crashing, I had realized the carburetor, along with the entire engine, was far beyond saving. Smoke rose from the engine, the wings were utterly mutilated, and besides, even if I could repair it, there wasn’t enough runway on the small peninsula I was stuck on to take off. My only choice was to stay put for the time being.

 I managed to pitch a few tents with the supplies that survived the crash, creating a sort of home base, for now, at least. I stayed in the tents for a few days, and took to exploring what was nearby. I soon found that the surrounding area was practically infested with resources in every cave, tree, and village I came across. The days were always clear and filled me with the urge for adventuring, but the nights were rather monstrous, and I always thought it best to keep near my tents.

 In my exploring, I even found some sort of treasure map in a nearby village, and since I had always excelled at reading maps, I decided to see if I could actually find any treasure. After all I had seen in my adventuring so far, it didn’t sound like the least plausible thing in the world.

I soon found that whoever wrote the map knew nothing about real cartography. (I also never particularly liked sea travel. Boats are hard to manipulate and crammed. I’m a pilot, not a sailor!) 

 After rowing around in what was almost certainly circles, I eventually found the x-marks-the-spot I was looking for. Finally (after I dug more holes than I’d like to admit), I actually found something! Most of it was trinkets I didn’t quite know how to use, but some of it was materials I could put to use, including real diamonds! 

 After returning to my camp with the victory of finding riches in the soil and enjoying a bowl of celebratory carrot soup by the fire, I found myself more energized than before. So I decided to explore the surrounding area a bit more to see what – or who – I could find.

 I had been trudging through the forest for a while now, and it was getting a bit too late for my liking. I had stumbled across a small cave, and had stopped there to rest for a minute on the rough, stony floor. I took out my sketchbook and began to write down some of the things I found that day.

But a strange lowing noise drew me out of my writing trance, and when I went outside to look, I was quite startled by a strange beast who looked like a goat crossed with a dinosaur. It had a furry body, goat-like horns, and a long, long neck. I was very wary of the unusual beast, for it had an uncanny resemblance to another creature who had blown up my base a couple of days ago. The beast studied me warily with its beady eyes, and I studied it in turn, so terrified I could barely move.

 “S-Stay back!” I yelled once I had regained my senses, scrambling to grab a rock from the rubble. The horned creature just sniffed me with its little black nose. It made a soft growling noise, like a bear cub, showing its pointy teeth. It approached, coming dangerously close to me, so I reflexively threw my rock at it.

 The rock knocked the creature back a few steps, and it whimpered in pain. It started growling furiously, and the next thing I knew, It was charging at me ferociously, and it knocked me down, down into a deep, muddy gorge. I soon realized in agony that the gorge was far too slippery for me to climb, and the horned creature above stalked and growled at me; ready to pounce at the slightest excuse.

My hands were dirty and bruised. I now felt that I was on the brink of death. Thus far in my life, I had never been as hungry and scared as I was at that moment. Oh, Why did I come here? I thought to myself in despair. They were right. There’s nothing here but wild, savage creatures. Perhaps hybrids were just a silly fantasy.

 I heard a faint, far-off buzzing sound. At first I thought it was my imagination playing tricks on me, but to my surprise, I saw a large, yellow cloud descending on the creature. A swarm of bees buzzed past and attacked the beast, sending it whimpering toward the mountains. The swarm that  had miraculously saved me went out of my sight, but continued to buzz nearby. 

Meanwhile, my brain was racing 100 miles an hour, trying to process what on earth had just happened. Did the swarm save me by pure chance, or did the swarm actively try to save my life? Where on earth had it come from? And worst of all, if the swarm had finished off the beast, would I become its next victim? 

But then something even crazier occured. Out of the restless buzzing noises, a girl’s voice spoke to me: “Hello down there! Are you alright?” 

Did swarms of bees now talk? I wondered in astonishment. I was too shocked to even reply.

 When the swarm buzzed towards me, it was no longer a cloud of bees, but instead, to my surprise, a humanoid girl. She was sort of fluffy and lumpy looking, but she was clearly in the shape of a girl with a fluffy yellow sweater and red hair spangled with flowers.

“Are you okay?” She buzzed once again.

“Ermm… I-I think so?” I stammered in reply, still dazed by fear. She lent me her hand, and I took it. Despite being a hand made of bees, it was surprisingly firm and warm. 

“T-thank you,” I stuttered. Yep, she was definitely in the shape of a girl, her feet hovering a few inches off the ground. But there was a question in my mind that I couldn’t hold back any longer. “Are you- could you possibly be- a hybrid?”

 “Oh, yeah! I suppose you could call it that,” the bee lady answered. I’m Gem, by the way.”

“S-Sparrow,” I stuttered back in disbelief. She was so friendly to me! Could they have been completely wrong about hybrids? This is incredible, I thought to myself. Just a moment ago, I was doubting the existence of hybrids at all, and now here I am, talking to one!

 But wait. What if she’s actually hostile, like I was warned about? I better make sure.

“Erm, you are a friendly hybrid… right?”

“Don’t worry, I’m friendly,” Gem buzzed. “But I do understand your concern. Hybrids come in all sizes and personalities, but I try to be nice to people unless they give me a reason to do otherwise. And you haven’t done anything to me. Speaking of which, you look starving, and you took quite a tumble. Would you like to come over to my house?”

 “Um, sure?” I said. I now realized that I was quite hungry, and hadn’t had a truly proper meal in days.

 So there I was, Sparrow the human, following Gem the Swarm of bees to her house.

[jbankai89]

Dream Daddy Preview #4

Vance felt almost embarrassingly nervous as the driver took him out to Scarborough to finally pick Finn up. It had taken him much longer than he would have liked to finalize the contract, adding things Finn had thought of in between meetings, such as if he was allowed to keep his old job if he wanted (yes) and if his friend Ryan and his girlfriend Mara were allowed to visit before Finn moved from Vance's guest room and into his condo (yes, provided he asked Vance ahead of time).

Vance thought it all sounded pretty good. Over dinner at Fleuve, a French seafood restaurant, Vance had intended to use the dinner as something celebratory for them finally signing the contract, but it appeared as though Finn had other ideas.

That is, they sat down to dinner after Vance realised that Finn didn't have a single suit for himself, and he promptly ordered the young man a nice black one paired with a steel-blue pocket square that really brought out his eyes.

Finn then sat across from him, looking both pleased about the gift and a little bit uncomfortable, but less like he didn't appreciate it, and more like he was having a hard time believing that this was his new reality.

“So, this is the off-the-record talk, right?” Finn asked, keeping his voice low while they sipped champagne and ate caviar on crackers as appetizers. “The sex stuff, right?”

“I don't see you as my personal sex worker,” Vance replied just as softly as he sipped his drink. “I do intend on holding you to that promise within the contract that I won't make you uncomfortable, and I will not make advances towards you. I wouldn't mind a little affectionate touch here and there if you're comfortable with that, but if you'd rather we not I'm fine with it. I just like being around you, Finn, and I don't want to endanger that.”

Of course, most of that was a bald-faced lie. Vance had been thinking of little else but pinning Finn to his bedsheets and fucking him into next week. However, he wasn't about to make the young man uncomfortable by being some creepy old pervert.

“You actually plan to not come on to me?” Finn asked, his brows furrowing in a distinctly dubious look, “like…at all?”

“I don’t plan on it, if that's what you're asking,” Vance said as appetizers were replaced by a small serving of bouillabaisse, with lobsters, mussels, and crab. “That contract of ours is iron-clad. If I make you uncomfortable, it will nullify immediately. Call me crazy, but I kind of like having you around, and I don't want to endanger that by being…some weird old pervert.”

Sign up on Patreon to find out what happens next! New chapters drop every Sunday!

[areeis]

Finally did the Big D fight, so this is more of a spoiler post than general talk.

I like how when you enter the Mountain Temple your pawns become pushy for the first time. They really want you to finish it and their charge along with it. I like that.

The temple area is so pretty and imposing. I know the statues are close to what the DDOnline sphinx looked like, and it would've been cool to see them in 1, too.

No, Spectre. Just thought you had some input here. After yapping at me for ages I thought it was really polite of my Dragon to patiently wait for my decision, as he has to. There are so many instances of the game making sure you understand that there are several cutoff points. I'm thankful for that, but it's also a bit overkill sometimes, like for the wyrm hunt... That whole sequence with the goblins is also really funny, cos you're never once jumping in as you probably would if given the chance.

Never much liked these Crash Bandicoot levels.. Welp, there goes the temple. He's destroying more of it as the fight goes on and even though it's also funny to see him try to get to me I wish there was a way for me to take it all in before he does.

The fight itself was fun. If I had to just compare fights 1 wins it for sure. 2 is understandably underwhelming while 1 is just pure spectacle. And ballistas make an appearance, too! But are actually 100% needed! What luck! Again I like how 1 is more hands-on with the lore, too, and one by one explains the steps after an Arisen successfully kills their Dragon. I also like how that emphasised even more that in 2 you really exploit a loophole by using the Godsbane and therefore spare the other Arisen, too. Love how you return after the fight and just go straight into celebratory campfire sex scene and then head home in the morning. That was SO CAMP I love it! Just completely ignoring the capital and everything! I like all the shit you get after the fight, too, including the enhancements. I barely enhanced anything, yet, so that's a plus. Pity that pawns get NOTHING, though. It makes me want to redo the fight as Mage, just so Spectre can later get an enhanced staff. It's fine for now anyway, I don't think I'm even close to my best gear yet, not for looks and not for stats.

Yea cool moss-and-mold sky now. (That wyvern engaged us but then just flew off :c)

I went right into the Everfall quest and encountered 2 eyes (fun fight) and a hydra (also fun fight) until I stopped one wakestone short to see more of the world first. I was getting too much into the dungeon crawling!

Some charas I could meet after the Big D fight so far and my thoughts on them: I know Eddy would've never been buds with me, but his downfall could've been more graceful imo suck it loser, you could've met the Big D before I did to renew your pact. Steffen is barely holding on and I thought he'd be more resilient after offering his help against the griffin. :/ Maximilian branded me a traitor even though we took a nice trip together AND he should know I'm not that kind of person after the whole trial period, but I guess acab even in dd. Arsmith is the same old optimist and his notice board survived, which is great, he prolly won't have a negative thought in him until his final moments. Madeleine is back so I could finally give her the idol, I hope she can set up shop again somewhere nice. I got a little reminder for her in case she tries to cutesy herself out of paying me back, but I wouldn't mind if she asked me for more money again right after. Selene must find it weird to also still stay in my house that I now share with Valmiro, but maybe not. Just for her own sake I hope she can find a way to not be attached to an Arisen any more. I like Valmiro's ambition to explore while also attracting misfortune left and right. Honestly being chosen by the Big D has to be the greatest misfortune after he was just able to set out to explore, I'm so sorry XD You're still welcome to stay for as long as you like, though. Pablos still takes my side as he always does, great friend. The Fool still hasn't officially changed his name to Dragonforged on his ID yet. I wonder if he's gonna move house now, since it suddenly got a little more dusty and he's not bound to this place by anything any more.

I'm still searching for the others I want to meet. I'm liking the subtle difficulty spike and new enemies, so I'm sure I'll enjoy wandering the world for a while :>