#IT IS JUST WEIRD TO LOOK THIS WAY YET ALSO REFRESHING TO FEEL WHAT ITS LIKE HOW I USED TO BE AGAIN

[mimebones]

@coralcalypso

HELLO

YES I LOOK DIFFERENT, AS IF EVERYTHING HAS GONE BACKWARDS. THE MOTHER FUCKIN BUBBLE IS VERY UNSTABLE, SO IS MINE GHOST FORM NOW THAT I'VE BEEN KILLED. I HAVE ALL MEMORY HOWEVER. I AM HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

[saerins]

°୨୧ INEVICABLY, UNDENIABLY

+ gojo satoru x f!reader | wc 3.3k | content: fluff, modern au, friends to roommates to lovers, timeskip thing; from high school -> adulthood, alcohol, implied sex, children, marriage, gojo is mostly clingy and annoying and we love him for it, the years and age correspond to his actual birthdate, take this as my birthday fic for him <3

summary: despite seemingly having it all, gojo satoru’s goal has always been the same all these years you’ve known him—all he wants in life is you, and only you. during his birthday this year, gojo counts his blessings.

2006; seventeen.

the day you agreed to be satoru’s partner in homeroom class is the day you signed away your sanity. not because satoru’s hard to get along with or that he’s rude or slacks off, but because it’s hard not to fall for a boy with such pretty eyes and even prettier lips who likes to say the most beautiful things.

getting to know satoru is like taking a deep in the clearest, coldest ocean after an entire lifetime of being dipped in molten lava. he’s annoying, refreshing and eye-opening all in one.

satoru shows promise in the first lesson, doing fairly well at cooking and sowing, although afterwards he just falls off because you end up having to teach him how to properly use alcohol in his cooking so he doesn’t burn himself or that you’d end up patching his fingers up since he accidentally pokes himself a lot more than the average human would.

still, it’s not his fault he isn’t naturally talented in the home economics department. he is in sports, you find out, after a few months of being in the same class as him.

“hey, y/n.” he’s leaning back on his chair, depending on its hind two legs for support. it’s become his habit during class to bother you whenever the teachers aren’t in.

you were assigned the seat diagonally behind him, and it’s become a habit for you to ignore him—mostly because most of the time, it’s nonsense that falls out of those lips, especially after you’d gotten close. it’s his sign of affection, you realise.

“hey y/n, i’m being serious this time, i need to talk to you,” satoru whines, pouting and sighing in that over dramatic way that only he can.

that’s also not the first time he’s tricked you into acknowledging him so all you do is look at him, a smile appearing that you failed to suppress, and bring a finger to your lips, signalling for him to hush.

unperturbed, satoru smirks and gets to scribbling on a piece of paper, folding it (annoyingly and quickly) into a swan before handing it to you. he winks at you, and you’re immediately driven not to give him satisfaction by reading it. instead, you bow slightly and stuff it in your pencil case, making satoru pout again and giving yourself the sweet taste of victory.

the rest of your sophomore year in high school, you find yourself growing closer to satoru, an unfamiliar feeling growing inside of you. you find that you like knowing what makes him tick, and even the way he says your name, or even watching him ace every kind of sport and then having him blow a teasing kiss to you after each win.

“y/n, i’m so jealous of you, how’d you manage to get gojo satoru of all people?” one of your classmates whine, swooning endlessly over him.

you only laugh it off, deigning to think too much of it.

it’s weird; he’s most of the schoolgirls’ crushes, but you’ve never considered him to be yours. maybe it’s just a fleeting feeling that will go away with the test of time.

yeah, that should be all that is.

2007; eighteen.

“why not? we’re practically going to the same college.”

with time, you thought that maybe satoru would become a little more sane. like how growing into adults, you slowly shed the ridiculous dreams you had as a child. but he’s not, if not—he’s even more insane.

“we haven’t got the results yet, satoru.”

“i’m pretty sure we’ll get in though.”

“and what’s your basis for that?”

“i’m never wrong about these.”

as always, satoru lives in his own little bubble and you can’t help but to sigh. in his head, both of you will get into that same college you applied for and he has it all planned out: “we get into college, sign up for whatever classes, and then rent an apartment together—genius right?”

that was satoru just moments ago, elbows leaned over the grocery cart as he grins at you, beaming like a dog waiting for their owner’s approval. now he’s still doing the same, except you’ve flicked him on the forehead before turning your attention to the aisles because apparently, he says he hates the food at home and would rather have what you’re cooking.

he’s made it his life mission to invade your meals over the weekend, squeezing himself into your family, bonding with your sibling and your parents and only then did you realise what you forgot in the first place: satoru is one of the most charming people to ever walk the earth. your siblings constantly ask about the next time he’s coming over, and your parents are just waiting for you to announce that he’s your boyfriend—which he’s not, but he sure likes to make it seem that way.

another thing you notice about satoru thanks to your now-weekly grocery runs: he likes to wander around way too much, and complains afterwards when he finds you after losing you.

“y/n!”

it’s like routine by now; the way satoru rushes over to you, putting his arm around your shoulder and sticking his cheek against yours, telling you how he almost died because he thought he lost you—like the drama queen he is. by now, all you can offer him is a ruffle of his hair before you carry on like normal, as though your heart isn’t beating right out of your chest from that simple proximity.

because satoru, despite his generally icy look, is always warm; his body heat, his cheeks, the way he looks into your eyes all the time, even his fingertips when they brush against you.

you think he’s especially warm when he falls asleep beside you after watching a late night movie, his head nuzzled in your neck, hands somehow rested over your own. your favourite thing about the friendship, though, try as you might to deny it, is how satoru’s hands always find yours when he walks you home, fingers lacing around your own as if it’s second nature.

ever since then, these routines have become a staple, and perhaps even does your growing feelings. the inexplicable one.

2008; nineteen.

satoru was right.

both of you did get into the same university, and the same course, with different minors so at least there’s some differences. so of course, satoru did not let the shared apartment idea go. though, of course, thanks to your initial hesitance on the matter, the only available apartment is a 4-bedroom, entirely too big and hence you’d convinced satoru to just rent the other bedrooms out for extra change.

and no, satoru does not need extra change because his family’s loaded (which you realised you didn’t even know before this) but at least this would allow you to not dwell on whatever you’re feeling too much. university is going to be stressful enough without the added consideration of your possible feelings towards satoru.

then enters geto suguru—your new roommate who, thankfully, steals enough of satoru’s attention so you have some breathing room. turns out, they’re like two peas in a pod. but while you and satoru major in business, suguru majors in psych. so that still means satoru’s around just you most of the time.

some routines change; like how movie nights are shared amongst the three of you in the living room instead of just you and satoru in your room. or how during grocery runs satoru still runs up to you when he finds you again except this time, an exasperated suguru is beside you sighing at him, always a “how do you stand this guy?” rolling off his tongue. the most surprising one for you might be how meals include suguru now and satoru’s the one who does the cooking now, and funnily enough, he’s absolutely great at it. no ounce of hesitation as he flips the pancakes, or stirs the fried rice—no whining about how it’s too hard because he’ll get burns on his fingertips and has to ask you to tend to his wounds.

but some change in a different way. they leave no room for someone else, like how satoru always finds your hands to hold on to, keeping you within a reach too close to pass as just friends but both of you refusing to label it anything else anyways. it leaves no room for other people to butt in and whisk either of you away.

and for now, at least, both of you are okay with just that.

2009; twenty.

participating in different activities and clubs inevitably mean that you and satoru wouldn’t be attached at the hip most of the time. and of course, while that leads to satoru becoming even clingier when you’re both home (not that you’re complaining when it’s nice to feel wanted from the very guy you’re completely not having a crush on), both of you are in separate social circles.

satoru occasionally has his friends over, the ones you don’t really know that well. the one where you can only remember names like haibara because he’s extra friendly and yuki because she’s one of the prettiest people you’d ever seen and nori because she’s a mix of the two. you’re nice, and cordial to all of them, although you can’t really say the same for satoru.

occasionally you and suguru invite your friends over, because nicely enough, you both have the same interests. it’s mostly shoko and nanami, a med student and law student respectively, but both of which satoru loves to annoy to no end. lucky for you, shoko is strangely naturally tolerant of his antics and nanami shrugs it off as white noise.

“y/n, surely you’d rather spend time with me rather than that blondie?” satoru always asks, pouting as he looks at you over his shoulder during breakfast—a constant whenever you have plans that involve nanami.

it’s kind of cute.

“mmm, that’s a secret,” you’d always tell him, knowing that satoru’s pouts won’t last all day anyway. it’ll relegate to an excited grin whenever you’re back after that.

you’d never really had to face your feelings, then, until all of you gather one night, before the holidays officially start. you should’ve known that something would be different this time, especially when there’s alcohol involved. naturally, in the circle you sit in, satoru asks people to scoot over, purposely sitting beside you, as close as he can, close enough that your arms and knees practically brush.

it’s just for a simple game of truth or dare, and it’s innocent enough until someone asks nanami and he says truth, and his truth is that out of everyone he knows, he’d most likely date you. beside you, while everyone else is whooping at the declaration, satoru clicks his tongue in annoyance, though he says nothing about it. and you’re not really emphatic about it until someone dares nori to kiss the guy she wants to date the most and she kisses satoru, deep and slow, in front of you, haibara letting slip that she’s had a crush on satoru for a while now.

satoru’s five shots in and tipsy and he was imagining that was you and maybe that’s why it lasted for five seconds before he pulls away.

and when it comes to satoru?

as though noticing his dilemma, suguru gives an amused smile as he states his dare, “kiss the girl you most wanna marry.”

he doesn’t waste a single second in pulling you close and kissing you, his alcohol-tainted lips pressing against yours, daring tongue teasingly prying open your lips, chuckling as he feels you kiss him back.

“not most,” satoru corrects right as the both of you pull away, his forehead still pressed against yours and both of your half-lidded pair of eyes still staring at each other.

“what?” you’re almost breathless, forgetting that everyone else is watching.

“the only girl i wanna marry.” and you think he’s never looked more handsome, genuine smile plastered on his face and pretty blue eyes threatening to pull you in.

while everyone moves on, satoru doesn’t—he keeps you there with him, telling you for the first time in four years since he’s known you, “i love you.”

the next week, after you get home for the holidays, the first time being away from satoru in a while, you manage to find your old pencil case, the folded paper swan satoru folded for you all those years ago still inside, somehow forgotten.

curious, you finally open it, finding his message enclosed inside, bringing a smile to your face.

i’m gonna marry you one day.

2010; twenty-one.

dating satoru is like finding a new hobby that you’re effortlessly good at.

despite living under the same roof, instead of finding out the ugly, you find the good in each other. even with suguru in the mix, you all live harmoniously like you have been since the start. except now, satoru likes to sleep in your room, both of you fooling around and occasionally forcing suguru to tell you to pipe down.

satoru is still full of surprises, sometimes pulling up with his car as though both of you don’t sleep under the same roof, telling you that he planned a date and to dress nice. he buys you flowers even if you’re not particularly fancy of them and surprises you by buying things that simply reminded him of you.

dating satoru is like finding out that the right person for you will always think of you and your feelings, no matter the circumstance. the way he makes sure to tell you if he has to hang around nori, or the way he asks if you need anything when he passes by the grocery store alone, or going so far as to memorise your cycle so he knows exactly what to show up back home with.

by the time it’s your one-year anniversary and his birthday comes and you ask him what he wants, all he can answer is “you” and for the first time, you can tell he isn’t trying to be annoying or cheeky or flirty—satoru is surprisingly simple and his answer always has been and somehow always will be just you.

2013; twenty-four.

you still remember the day satoru got down on one knee, his handsome smile even more radiant under the golden hour glow, those still-beautiful blue eyes gleaming even from beneath his bangs.

just an intimate proposal with your closest friends, both shoko and suguru helping to distract you in order to create a successful surprise, while nanami and haibara helped with the decorations and photography.

thanks to them, you’re laughing now, at your wedding reception, looking at all the ways you nearly found them out that day, exactly one year ago, in the form of pictures. and thanks to the best man’s toast, you find out that suguru’s always known about satoru’s feelings, and just how deep his emotions for you ran.

“i won’t forget how much he whined about y/n getting close to nanami. that was probably the one time his whining got so out of control that i wanted to stuff a pillow over his face,” suguru divulges, garnering laughs around the hall, including from you, as your new husband pouts and squeezes your hand.

thanks to that, nanami finds the need to disclose during his speech, “i have never intended to date nor had such thoughts about y/n. my truth during that game of truth or dare was simply the result of a process of elimination—” and haibara cuts him off to give a more fitting speech, fits of laughter all across the room.

that day, you steal glances at satoru, wondering how you got so lucky to be with someone who loves you so much and continuously proves so with every passing day.

“satoru?” you call to him softly that night, as you both find yourselves completely bare in the bedroom of your new apartment, one to yourselves.

his piercing blue eyes flick up to meet yours, relishing how it feels like inside of you, every time as though it’s the first. “yeah?” it’s breathy, because he’s about to lose himself.

“i love you, satoru, and only you, forever and ever,” you tell him, finally knowing that in this life, it will always be gojo satoru for you, and that it’s the same for him too.

he only chuckles, pulling you close, “forever me and you, baby, only us.”

2023; present day.

“wow, more than ten years, i think i need to give you a trophy for that, y/n.”

satoru groans, rolling his eyes. “what’s that supposed to mean?”

beside him, suguru laughs at shoko’s comment. this time, the six of you find yourselves at a round table in a seafood restaurant during satoru’s birthday, talking about how it’s you and satoru’s tenth year together too.

“i’m not too much, am i?” satoru teasingly asks you, although you only shrug in amusement before drinking your glass of water as an excuse not to answer.

you’ve always been like that, but it’s part of what satoru likes about you. scratch that, he’s loved every part of you since he met you. it’s like it was meant to be; or so he likes to think. there’s an undeniable pull that always lulls him back to you. to satoru, there’s never been question that you’re the only one for him, maybe that’s why it’s so clear-cut.

“you’re just so head over heels for me, huh?” you ask him, a smug grin on your face, the conversational context something he’s missing since he’s been zoning out in his thoughts.

since the first time he saw you, he’s been drawn to you every second of every day. maybe that’s why he did all those stupid stuff like pretending not to be able to cook and ‘accidentally’ burning himself to get you to tend to him, or purposely pricking himself with the needle and asking you to put a plaster over it just to feel you close. even those times at the supermarket when he purposely loses you so he can find you again and see your helpless smile and feel the way you rub his head affectionately afterwards.

maybe it’s stupid too, how he had to silently admit he knows how to cook all too well because he didn’t want suguru to taste your cooking when he first moved in. it was something satoru felt he wanted to himself, something he wanted to keep between him and his future wife. or how a wordless stare between him and suguru during that game of truth or dare was all suguru needed to know that satoru wanted to make you his at that very second, afraid that kiss between him and nori would make you hesitant.

he shouldn’t have underestimated you though, because you know him better than most people do. there were never any pointless arguments or unrecoverable friction.

as they sing happy birthday annoyingly loud like best friends do, chanting for him to make a wish—his hands find yours again as they always did, he can honestly say that there’s no other way he’d rather live his life. you’re made for him and he has you and the little mini yous at home so really, there’s nothing that he has to wish for.

except, maybe, one thing, if he could be selfish.

in this life, and every other life, he’ll want to be with you and only you, forever.

[tirfpikachu]

replied to a fellow gyn's post about this already but... i actually really love seeing gnc women embrace typically female names. it's so easy to assume we must use typically male names the second we start being seen as not "womanly" enough in how we dress/act, especially if we're sapphic too. we need to fully take on the Male Role and anything female-coded doesn't suit us anymore. but honestly, i love seeing gnc women have traditionally female names & gnc men with traditionally male names, and have them just be like "so what?" because it shows that people with those names CAN be gnc. people with those clothes/behaviors/etc really CAN be normies.

they don't need to conform to whatever bullshit gender roles their sex is associated with. of course ppl can change names if it makes them happiest, i myself did for a while, but i feel like it's not talked about often enough how badass it is to see a she/her gnc woman who still shrugs off being female, or a confident feminine guy who is still a dude. seeing ppl's eyes widen when they realize that female ppl who aren't trans really CAN look and act like that, and male ppl who aren't trans CAN be feminine and still be cool with their sex at birth, and not even have it be a gay thing either. it's a uniquely radical way to be gnc too. those folks still experience gncphobia, a unique kind of sexism and people can't be like "oh yeah they're trans/gay... THAT'S why they're so unwomanly/unmanly! otherwise it'd just be weird haha!" which makes more sense in their tiny sexist brains.

it's 100% cool to tie your sexuality to your gender nonconformity in some ways, but imo it's also really fucking cool to see a gnc woman who isn't gnc bc she's gay or trans or whatever. same with a gnc dude. you ofc can be gnc and distance yourself from male/female-typical things if it makes you happier, that's cool too. but people who don't are also amazing in a unique kinda way. because current society thinks breaking outside your box means there's something different about you. they see masculinity or the lack of femininity and think female things/terms "just don't suit you." they see femininity on a male body and assume it must say you're different. that it must mean you want to be seen as a woman, it must mean you want the world to see you as unmanly. but when you tell them that no, being a man and wearing sparkly shit and skirts doesn't make you less likely to identify as not a man, or more likely to be gay bc it's a "womanly" thing to be feminine... when you say no, it just means you like sparkles and skirts just so happen to be comfy for you... it breaks their little brain. when you're female and aren't dysphoric about it, aren't trying to distance yourself from femaleness at all, yet you STILL allow your body to be naturally hairy and you wear things that aren't skin-tight or wear unfeminine pants and boxers bc you don't have to worry about showing your ass while doing normal human shit, or that you'd rather spend your time cuddling your pet bunny and watching dumb reality tv in the morning instead of spending half an hour before work doing makeup and wearing hyperfem bullshit and microanalyzing your appearance, now THAT threatens the patriarchy in its own way too.

if being gnc isn't just a trans thing anymore, isn't just a gay/bi thing anymore, that means the foundations of the heteropatriarchy aren't as solid as bio men and brainwashed female folks would like to believe they are and even their OWN camp are fighting against it. when we make being gnc accessible to all and have it say fuckall about someone other than what clothes they like to wear or behaviors they like to do... that makes the patriarchy sweat in ways it's not used to. there's lots of ways to go against it, but it's always super refreshing for me as a gnc dyke to see some gnc folks not distance themselves from being male/female. and as a lesbian, i actually fucking love seeing gnc cis/bio hetero men & women too. feminine men and unfeminine women, metrosexuals/femboys and tomboys or whatever society wants to call y'all. i want being gnc to be an anti-sexist movement that overlaps with lgbt rights but also has its own spaces. i want being gnc to be shrugged off as being totally big deal, and have it say nothing about somebody, have it not be weaponized against gnc women and teach gnc boys they don't need to "man up" or whatever the fuck. i want people to be gnc in whatever way they want. this ain't the only way to rage against the machine, but it's a form of expression i feel like isn't celebrated enough. anyone facing gncphobia in their day-to-day lives is badass as hell <3

[nostalgicnarrator]

Over Hill and Under Mountain

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Word Count: 6,003

Parings: Thorn X Bilbo

Description:

Bilbo wakes up…

Chapters: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Warning:

No one’s getting horribly mangled, murdered or deep-fried just warning.

Note:

Guys I’ve edited this and edited this and fixed it a million times and I am convinced I’ve lost all meaning to words, if there’s anything wrong or anything that doesn’t make any sense at all let me know.

─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───

Bilbo found himself waking up to the soft sounds of a distant waterfall and the chirping of birds. His body felt heavy with exhaustion, but the sheets beneath him were light and soft, the air was filled with a familiar faint floral scent mingled with the sharper smell of herbs. 

He blinked slowly, the room around him coming into focus, a gentle light filtering through the sheer curtains, there was a gentle breeze brushing through the room.

Bilbo turned his head away from the light, feeling a dull throb coming from his head and a tender pain in his side. He squeezed his eyes shut with a groan as he tried to sit up. Suddenly, a wave of nauseating dizziness washed over him.

Bilbo let out a whine of pain. A rough hand found its way to his chest and back, steadying him. Bilbo opened his eyes quickly and followed the arm until Óin appeared at his side.

The healer offered him a kind look, his rough hands surprisingly gentle as he helped Bilbo into a more comfortable position. “Easy there, lad,” Óin murmured. “You’ve been through quite a bit. No need to rush things.”

Bilbo nodded, his gaze drifting to the window. Outside, the world seemed so serene, the river glistening in the sunshine, its surface like glass. 

He suddenly felt worlds away when he remembered his tumble down that slope. The thought of it sent a shiver down his spine. He shook his head and decided to look around.

“How long have I been here?” Bilbo asked, his throat felt dry and scratchy from disuse, he tried to clear it but found it no use.

Óin disappeared from his side for a moment before returning with some water. “Three days,” Óin replied. “I’ve done what I can with a little elven healing on the side.” He said as he helped Bilbo drink. 

The water was cool and refreshing as it eased the dryness in Bilbo’s throat. He let out a small sigh of relief. “Thank you, Óin.” Suddenly a memory hit him and his brows furrowed. “Gandalf, I-I was traveling with him…Óin, Is he-?”

“He’s fine lad! Knew you were a little out of it from the fall didn’t think it was that bad-” Óin chuckled. “He’s outside, keeping an eye on things. You gave everyone a scare.”

Bilbo managed a weak smile. “I’m sorry to be such a bother.” 

“Nonsense,” Óin said gruffly. A kind look found the old healer's face as he spoke.“Just focus on getting better, alright?” And Bilbo couldn’t help but nod.

But as the days passed and his strength slowly returned, he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that settled in his chest, that something was wrong or misplaced.

And being confined to bed was driving him mad. He began wanting for a distraction, for something to take his mind off his new weird feelings.

One morning, after a lot of “please, Óin!” and “I promise, Óin,” and “just for a bit at least! You won’t be far away, I’ll call for you if I feel sick suddenly,” Bilbo finally managed to convince Óin to let him have visitors.

Bilbo felt his face light up when Gandalf entered the room, carrying a stack of books from Elrond’s library, a familiar glint nestled kindly in Gandalf’s eye.

“I thought you might enjoy some light reading,” Gandalf said, setting the books down on the bedside table. “I’ve also brought a friend.”

“A friend?” Bilbo echoed excitedly, was it Thorin, was Thorin here and the Dwarf was simply not allowed to see Bilbo yet?

But a bit of that hope flattened when a small black shape fluttered through the doorway, it was Hugin. Bilbo smiled kindly all the same though as Hugin perched on the bedpost. The bird ruffled his feathers and tilted his head at Bilbo.

“Hugin!” Bilbo said as excitedly as he could. “It’s good to see you.”

Hugin flapped his wings once, hopping in place a bit. “Good to see you too, Master Baggins! I had delivered your letter and then all of a sudden I was sent here!”

Gandalf smiled at the two and excused himself to speak with an elf who called for him at the door, leaving Bilbo and Hugin alone. 

Bilbo leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Hugin, do you know if Thorin is coming? Did you hear anything when you delivered my letter?”

The raven blinked thoughtfully. “Well, I delivered your letter, I had a nice time there, Thorin keeps all kinds of tasty treats but nothing like you Master Baggins”

“Hugin, call me Bilbo, I’m not anything’s master” Bilbo said, rattling it off like he had said it a dozen times before.

“Right, yes, of course Master Baggins.” And Bilbo sighed loudly as the raven continued. “I was then sent away here with a letter from King Thorin. He looked really upset…” 

“What did it say?” Bilbo whispered to the raven, he felt his stomach begin to tie knots.

“I didn’t know, but I do remember that King Thorin said it was about you.” Hugin did his best attempt at a shrug. “I flew here as fast as I could and handed it over to the wizard when I saw him. After that Óin showed up!”

“Just Óin…he showed up alone? Do…do you think Thorin is mad at me? I am sure I am very late by now.”

“Master Baggins! How dare you suggest that! King Thorin cares for you very much! Thorin didn’t seem mad so maybe he’s already on his way to visit! And maybe Thorin is running late- oh! Or got lost! You know how he gets”

Bilbo chuckled and nodded, “yes I do, thank you Hugin…is there anything else…?”

“Yes! There was much whispering and fussing between the wizard, the healer, and the Lord of Rivendell; it started a few days after Óin showed up.”

Bilbo’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean, whispering?”

Hugin nodded vigorously. “Aye, secretive talk. They all acted a bit strange, As if they were waiting for something… maybe something bad…?”

Before Bilbo could press further, Gandalf returned with a gentle smile. “I see you two are catching up,” he said lightly, though his eyes seemed to be studying Bilbo carefully.

Bilbo nodded, dropping the line of questioning for the moment. “Yes, it’s been quite nice. Thank you Gandalf.”

Gandalf simply nodded, settling back into the chair by the bed. “Now, tell me, Bilbo, have you read up on Rivendell’s history? I thought you might find it fascinating.”

Bilbo smiled, letting the conversation shift, but a seed of unease had been planted, it made Bilbo feel something, something weird. Bilbo felt something, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. His unease was growing, and he knew that something was about to happen. He was sure of it.

A few days passed, and Bilbo was feeling well enough to sit up for longer periods.  Lord Elrond came to visit him in his room, Elrond smiled as he greeted Bilbo “How are you feeling, Master Baggins?” Elrond's voice was gentle as he took a seat by the bedside.

“Lord Elrond! It’s good to see you again! And I’m the master of nothing, call me Bilbo, as I had asked several times before.” 

Elrond chuckled and smiled, "Forgive me, Bilbo. It has been a long time since I have seen you, and old habits die hard." Bilbo grinned back, “Now tell me, how are you feeling?”

“Oh! Well, Óin says I'm getting better,” Bilbo replied. “Though, I do wish I could get out of bed. I feel horribly useless just lying here.”

Elrond chuckled softly. “Rest is a form of healing too, my friend. Your body needs time to recover.”

Bilbo gave Elrond a playful glare “I know that rest is a type of healing, but, I’m a restless hobbit!”

“Didn’t Mithrandir- Gandalf steal away some books for you?” and Bilbo could not stop himself from sighing at the elf’s words.

“A few, yes, but there is only so much reading can do for you! I’ve already read them twice over-“ Bilbo glared at the books that were now on a table across the room, he had read them not too long after Gandalf left. 

“Twice! You just got them only a few days ago, how in the name of Ennor did you manage that?” the elven lord raised a brow as he asked. Bilbo thought it looked a little out of place on the elf's face.

Bilbo huffed and snuggled back into his bedding, “I like reading…” he looked up when the Elven lord laughed. “Don’t laugh at me!”

“No- no! you misunderstand, you are such a curious hobbit, I’ll see about getting you something more to read soon” Elrond said after he calmed down.

Bilbo huffed and crossed his arms with a grumpy pout “I like histories and botany books”

“Of course” Elrond offered him a kind smile and Bilbo found himself smiling back. They settled into more boring topics as they spoke for a while longer. 

Sometimes turning the conversation to discuss Rivendell and the beauty of the valley. It felt all perfectly regular and Bilbo could feel some of that unease wash away from him.

Not long after Elrond left, Hugin came fluttering through his room window. The raven circled around for a bit before settling down on Bilbo’s bed.

The raven greeted Bilbo with a cheerful caw hopping over excitedly before dropping a small blue flower onto his lap. “I thought you might like this, Master Baggins,” Hugin chirped.

Bilbo smiled, picking up the flower. The color reminded him of Thorin, he brushed one of its petals with a soft smile. “Thank you, Hugin. It’s lovely.” He paused, ‘…Thorin.’ He heard his mind echo to him.

He sat up a little straighter, as far as he could stand without help, “Hugin” Bilbo started trying to keep his voice even and quiet, “can you tell me more about this letter you delivered from Erebor? Did you talk to Thorin?”

Hugin tilted his head. “Of course! I stayed in his chambers for a while, it was too cold on Raven hill.”

“You did? Can you tell me about him? How is he?” Blibo asked, it wasn’t the line of questioning he had meant to ask, but it was to late.

Hugin hopped into Bilbo’s lap and settled down comfortably, “Thorin looked fine, he looked like he always does-well, his Beard is getting long! He had a bead in it-“

“It’s already that long? Last time I saw him it was still short. Do you think he looks handsome like that?” Bilbo tisked and rolled his eyes, he reached to scratch Hugin’s head. “I told him if he grew his beard out he’d look handsome- always complaining about how ugly he is, can you believe that?”

The bird cooed at the scratches, Hugin huffed when Bilbo stopped, but decided to answer one of Bilbo’s questions “Thorin did kinda seem upset about something, but not mad. More worried, he was always pacing. I think he misses you, Master Baggins.”

Bilbo’s heart ached at the thought. “I miss him too,” he whispered. “I hope I see him soon…”

“Master Baggins, I told you, he’s gonna visit you, just give him time. Be patient!” Hugin cawed at him.

“Say you, you nearly had a fit when I told you dinner would be in a few minutes” Bilbo teased the bird.

“I had already waited hours!!” Hugin whined as he fluffed up

Bilbo gave a look he was sure his mother used to give him when he was acting out. “You had just finished eating less than an hour before!”

“But I was so hungry!” Hugin whined, the bird flopped over onto his back and looked at Bilbo “you were trying to starve me!”

“Hugin!” Bilbo laughed as the Raven kept whining. He couldn’t help but find it funny. And he gladly welcomed the change of topics. At least for now.

One afternoon, Bilbo had to convince Óin again, swearing he’d be fine. And after some more promising Bilbo found himself in a chair on a balcony.

It was a very nice day, strangely warm and the way the sun hit made Bilbo stretch out as much as he could comfortably in the chair he was in.

Bilbo smoked on his pipe peacefully. He blew a smoke ring and watched as it peacefully drifted away in a soft breeze. “I remember when we first came here, I spent most of my time exploring.” 

Bilbo looked over to the wizard next to him, Gandalf was giving him a soft smile, “I believe you did if I remember correctly. I believe I also remember you and Thorin disappearing for a time; I wonder what for.” The wizard hummed.

Bilbo’s heart skipped a beat, he ignored the last part of Gandalf’s sentence, he spouted whatever came to mind first. “Do you think he’ll come?” 

Gandalf raised a bushy brow at Bilbo as he smoked his own pipe, Gandalf blew rings that floated around him. Each ring a different color, they curled and weaved into one another.

“Who my dear boy?” Gandalf asked after blowing another ring.

“Thorin, do you think he’ll come…?” Bilbo rolled his pipe in his hands nervously.

“Ah….” Gandalf hummed for a moment, seemingly hesitating before smiling widely at him. “Perhaps? Though this seems more a question for Óin.”

“Óin…?” Bilbo echoed back, he looked over at Gandalf again.

Gandalf simply hummed and nodded his head before going back to smoking his pipe, Bilbo nodded to himself and decided he’d ask the Dwarf later.

When Óin agreed Bilbo’s health had improved enough to be allowed to explore the Last Homely House east of the sea. Though he had been there before, had already explored, He couldn’t help but find himself wandering the halls and gardens.

He remembered his first time there all over again. How the places felt like a haven to him. Other feelings he felt then came back to him, though not all were good feelings the sense of wonder was felt the most. 

With each step though the Elven halls, it brought relief to his crowded mind. He had begun to worry more over Thorin, his feelings for the dwarf and if everyone else was right.

He wanted to see Thorin badly, he had to see him. And as much as he wanted to ask Óin he couldn’t. He was scared of what the healer would tell him.

What if all his worries were true, what if Thorin really didn’t want to see him, ‘what if he hates me?’ Bilbo stilled at the thought.

‘What if he hates me…?’ Bilbo ran a hand through his hair. ‘What if he send another letter and he tells me he never wants to talk to me again? Tells me I should had stayed in the shire?’

Bilbo shook his head trying to chase the thoughts away again, he tried to focus on the feeling of the magic that was wrapping around him like a warm hug.

It brought with it memories that began to replace the foul thoughts in his head. Thoughts of home, of distant moments when he would come home with sticks and leaves in his hair, trailing in mud and fireflies.

His mother would march him off for a bath with the promise of stories of elves and all her adventures if he were to listen to her. Memories of how she would wrap him nicely in a warm towel.

Memories of his father and watching him sit at his desk, writing for long hours, Bilbo remembered how he would walk over and try and watch them his father would pull him to his lap and let Bilbo read as he wrote.

Memories began to mix, and change into different memories, ones that were not as distant of memories. Most were of a raven haired king, of how he was wrapped in a warm embrace.

He looked out over the garden, his mind wondered back to when he had last seen Thorin. The days they spent together when he visited, were lovely.

They had spent long hours walking the winding roads of the shire, telling stories and having a wonderful time.

He smiled widely as he stepped foot onto one of the garden’s paths. He began to trail slowly through the garden, the flowers still bloomed despite the cooler weather. Bilbo wondered if it was strange magic there that allowed them to.

Bilbo sighed and brushed his fingers along some vines that bloomed beautifully with flowers. He stopped at some soft blue flowers. He felt like they were glaring at him.

And then Bilbo was reminded, reminded of everything he was worried about and the growing unease that had begun to take root within him. And from there it only got worse.

It started with the small things, as all problems seem to do. He began to notice how Óin had begun to sneak away to speak in hushed tones with Gandalf or the Elves. 

And had even frequently caught the dwarven healer staring at him, his brow furrowed in thought, or pacing the halls while muttering to himself. 

The more Bilbo began to notice, the more he watched, the stranger things seemed, and he felt that something incredibly important was being kept from him.

One afternoon, Bilbo took a chance to explore more of Rivendell on his own. He wasn’t meant to be up that day, but Óin was preoccupied, so Bilbo took the moment to escape. 

That’s how he found himself in a dining hall, where an open letter lay on the table. Clearly forgotten by the elf lord or otherwise. Unfortunately, curiosity got the better of him, he leaned over and read a few lines.

Bilbo’s heart sinking as he read and learned, the letter spoke of dark forces gathering in the Gap of Rohan and spreading towards Mirkwood. 

Bilbo felt the uneasy feeling climb higher, something sick scratched and clawed inside him. Bilbo couldn’t understand it, didn’t want to, he was afraid but why? The issue was so far away and he was among eleven magics.

But before he could pull himself into a true panic, Óin spoke from behind him. “What do you think you’re doing, Bilbo?” Bilbo could hear the concern in the healers voice even when he tried to mask it with gruffness. “Didn’t I tell you to rest, Lad?”

Bilbo felt a wave of guilt wash over him. “I’m sorry, Óin. I just...”

Óin sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. “Aye, lad. But some things are best left alone until the time is right. Come, let’s get you back to bed.”

As Óin guided him back, Bilbo’s mind raced. ‘What else were they not telling me?’ He thought desperately, ‘Was this something that had to do with Thorin?’ ‘Was he okay?’ ‘Where was he?’ ‘Will he be here?’ ‘Was he even coming?’ His thoughts swirled around his mind.

Bilbo had to shake his dizzying thoughts away, he wondered vaguely if he should have asked Óin more, if he should do as Gandalf suggested.

Then the opportunity presented itself a few days later, as Bilbo sat by a small fountain with his eyes closed, listening to the soothing sound of the water, he heard the familiar sound of heavy footsteps approaching. 

He opened his eyes and smiled up at Óin as the older dwarf joined him, wiping his hands on a cloth. “Good morning, lad,” Óin greeted him, “You’re looking better today.”

“Thank you,” Bilbo replied with a nod. He let a comfortable silence fall between them, feeling the cool mist from the fountain on his face. 

After a moment, he decided that the time to question the dwarf had come. Trying to keep his tone light, he said, “I can’t help but notice you seem very busy lately. Is something the matter?”

Óin paused, his hand hovering over the pipe he was pulling from his pocket. He looked at Bilbo as if searching for something.

Then Óin sighed heavily before sitting down beside Bilbo. “I suppose it was only a matter of time before you asked,” he said, beginning to pack his pipe with tobacco.

Bilbo’s heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?”

“Thorin was supposed to come with me lad,” Óin spoke loudly, though he often did. “We were to travel together, but he took too long…I feared I was out of time, so I left ahead. When I last saw him, he was waiting on Kíli and Fíli. We were supposed to meet in Mirkwood.”

“Then what happened…?” Bilbo asked, his anxiety creeping into his voice.

Óin shrugged. “Things didn’t go as planned, I assume. I came ahead.” He took a drag on his pipe, the smoke curling around his face. “After I arrived, we started getting a few letters from Erebor.”

“Letters?” Bilbo pressed, hoping for more information.

“Aye,” Óin nodded. “Letters, mostly from Balin. They’re meant for Thorin when he gets here.”

“So… so he is coming…?” Bilbo muttered, Óin gave him a confused look and Bilbo suddenly remembered that Óin was hard of hearing and he wasn’t facing the hobbit to be able to read his lips.

“Thorin is coming?” He asked, trying to be a bit louder.

Óin gave a small nod. “I believe so. He and others will be here soon enough.”

“Others?” Bilbo asked, trying to keep his hope in check.

Óin hummed and nodded in agreement as he took another puff from his pipe. “Most likely Fíli and Kíli, Nori and probably Dwalin- maybe Bombur but I doubt it, he’s waiting on his Brother and cousin  to come back. That group is bound to be slower than I was, especially with the princes.”

“How-how long ago was that…?” Bilbo’s voice cracked as he asked, he would tell you it was because he had to be louder than he liked.

Óin looked down at Bilbo and sighed, placing a comforting hand on the hobbit’s shoulder. “Traveling on any road isn’t without danger. But I’m sure they’ll be fine, lad.”

Despite the reassurance, a flowering anxiety bloomed in Bilbo’s chest. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong.

The next day Bilbo skipped First breakfast, he couldn’t eat anything and if he did he began to feel sick. He decided since he was unable to do anything he’d go find someone to bother.

He very quickly found Gandalf strolling through the gardens. The leaves rustled softly in the breeze, and birds sang in the trees. It would have been very pleasant if Bilbo didn’t feel like throwing up.

He fell into step beside Gandalf, who greeted him with a warm smile. “Good morning, Bilbo. Feeling restless today, I see.”

Bilbo nodded, his hands fidgeting with the buttons on his shirt. “Gandalf,” he began hesitantly, “do you think they’re alright? Thorin and the others, I mean.”

Gandalf’s expression softened, and he paused in his walk, placing a gentle hand on Bilbo’s shoulder. “I do,” he replied calmly. “This is Thorin we are talking about. You should know better than anyone, that they have faced far worse than an unwilling path.”

Bilbo nodded again, but he still felt the sickening anxiety twisting within him. “I just… I can’t help but worry. I suppose I am truly turning into an old fool…”

Gandalf sighed.  “ you have always been a foolish Hobbit Bilbo, have no doubt on that”

“Thank you Gandalf, you know you must work on your reassurances”

Gandalf chuckled and nodded “ I suppose so, have patience, my dear boy. They will come. I’m certain of it.” He patted Bilbo on the back before walking again. 

Bilbo quickly followed beside the gray wizard. Gandalf spoke again “In the meantime, take solace in the peace of this place. Rivendell has a way of healing more than just the body.”

Bilbo managed a small smile at the attempt of comforting words. As they continued their walk, he tried to focus on the beauty around him, but his thoughts still remained with his Dwarfs

Bilbo had been doing his best to occupy his mind, focusing on light walks through Rivendell or engaging in pleasant conversations with whomever he could catch.

Unsurprisingly it was often Gandalf or Lord Elrond who kept him company, though sometimes Hugin would follow him around. They felt almost like a temporary balm to the unease that had been growing slowly within him.

But then, without warning, it happened. It was a perfect afternoon, well a nearly perfect one, at least. The sun had bathed the garden in a kind golden light.

Bilbo found himself alone among the flowers, their bright colors almost too bright in the light of the day. He couldn’t help but marvel at the delicate petals. He inhaled deeply, trying to savor the sweet, earthy scent of each flower.

Suddenly, Bilbo’s world tilted. The sturdy earth beneath his feet shifted. A sharp pain stabbed through his chest, stealing his breath away.

He tried to breathe in air, but his lungs refused to cooperate, leaving him gasping, each breath undoubtedly ragged, in a desperate struggle. The once calming warmth of the sun turned sharp and burning.

His hands instinctively grabbed at the ground, as he fell to his knees. Bilbo’s fingers dug into the soft soil wanting for an anchor to keep him in reality. 

Panic surged through him, cold and swift. He shook his head, trying to clear the dizziness that clouded his mind, but it only made things worse. The vibrant colors of the garden; the reds, yellows, and blues of the flowers he’d been admiring, began to blur together, their edges softening and darkening.

Darkness slowly dug its claws into him and the edges of his vision. Bilbo felt his arms tremble, his strength had left him almost completely. Bilbo glanced around, his eyes still wild-eyed, searching for someone, anyone, who could help him.

But the garden was deserted, and the realization struck him, and struck him hard. He wined and Bilbo could feel tears blurring the rest of his vision, he was alone.

A strangled sound escaped his throat as his arms finally gave out. He buckled, and crumpled to the ground, the impact sending a jolt of pain through him. 

Panic swelled within his chest, mingling with the suffocating sensation that gripped his lungs. ‘I’m gonna die here’ his mind all but screamed. 

He tried to get up, but his body stubbornly refused, limbs failing to obey any of his frantic commands. His thoughts were a jumbled mess of terror and confusion, ‘I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die’ ‘help, please no’ ‘wheres Thorin?’, they all swirled together making it impossible to think clearly.

He tried to scream, to call out for help, but the sound that came out was pitifully weak, barely more than a desperate whisper. He blinked away his tears as his vision began to narrow. 

He had no sense of time, no way of knowing how long he lay there, struggling to breathe, to move. It could have been seconds or hours; it all blurred together in a haze.

Then, through the fog, he heard it, the familiar sound of boots thumping they’re way up the path. Bilbo’s heart leaped with a flicker of hope, and with a desperate strength, he forced his body to move. 

He rolled over onto his side, dragging himself forward with trembling arms. The effort was agonizing, and a scream tore from his throat, louder this time, ripping his throat raw.

Before he knew anything else Óin was there. The healer knelt beside him, his hands moving swiftly. “Stay awake for me, lad,” Óin muttered, his voice gruff but concerned.

Bilbo whimpered in response, the pressure in his chest easing away slightly as Óin worked. Bilbo gasped, drawing in a deeper breath than before, but it wasn’t enough. 

The darkness was still there, hovering on the edge of his vision, wanting, clawing for him. He felt Óin’s arms scoop him up.

“Keep your eyes open, now.” Óin’s panic was clear, “you’ll be alright lad, come on.” Óins panic pierced through the haze that was clouding Bilbo’s mind.

Bilbo tried to hold on, really he tried, but it was no use. The darkness was too strong, its grip tightening around him. Óin’s voice became a distant echo, fading further and further away until there was nothing but silence. 

After that Óin refused to leave his side, and if he did it wasn't for long, more then once Bilbo would devolve into random fits and when he’d come to and Óin would be holding him tightly.

Bilbo’s fever had returned, worse than before, and the wound on his head began to fester strangely. Dark thoughts crept into every corner of Bilbo’s mind as the sickness took its hold.

Bilbo struggled to remember what happened, or how to keep his memories straight but he remembered when he began to hear the whispers.

they would come and go from him, often more at night. They seemed to come from the walls or the deep inky shadows that crept and shifted in the darkness. 

The few things he could remember was how the whispers were soft, lullingly quiet and almost relaxing. But then they grew louder, the whispers began to change and warp, to something he had never heard before. 

He could hear snatches of an otherworldly melody, haunting and distant, followed by a deep, resonant humming that sent shivers down his spine.

“Do you hear that?” he asked Óin one night.

Óin frowned. “Hear what, lad?” Óin asked as he slowly stopped what he was doing and made his way to Bilbo’s side

“The voices… the music,” Bilbo whispered.

Óin exchanged a worried glance with Gandalf, who too began staying at Bilbo’s side. “There’s no music, Bilbo,” Gandalf said gently. “It’s just your mind playing tricks, you’re alright.”

But Bilbo was not convinced. The whispers, the singing grew louder, sometimes forming words he could almost understand, other times dissolving into soft laughter or high-pitched, eerie tones that seemed to bounce off the walls. 

“Am I…am I going mad,” he whined as he looked at Óin, clutching the sheets tightly. “I don’t want to go mad Óin make the music stop, make it stop, stop, stop!.”

Bilbo had gripped at his hair desperately, he felt rough hands take his and untangle them from his hair “don’t do that lad. yer not going mad, I promise I’m not going to let ya go mad, okay?”

Bilbo didn’t remember what he said after that, the next thing he did remember was how he felt as if he were being watched, at all times, but whenever he turned to look, there was nothing there. He felt unseen eyes burning into him, watching his every move.

He remembered how his sleep became restless, filled with nightmares of dark corridors and shadowy figures. He would wake up drenched in sweat, gasping for air, his heart racing.

One  he could remember vividly, he didn't think he could ever forget. He dreamt of Thorin, standing tall as he always did, his blue eyes piercing and determined. 

But then, the dream shifted. Thorin was surrounded by orcs, their dark forms swirling like a storm around them. Blood, thick and dark, oozed down Bilbo's arms. 

Bilbo tried to run, to get to Thorin but his feet wouldn’t move. Suddenly, a sharp blade sliced through the air, embedding itself into Thorin’s side.

Thorin reached out to Bilbo, his eyes wide with pain and fear. “Bilbo…” he whispered before collapsing to the ground. Bilbo screamed.

He woke up with a start, screaming still. “No! No! Thorin, no- wait, please, no! You can’t!” He thrashed against the sheets, tears streaming down his face. 

Someone grabbed his arm, the voice spoke softly, rumbling in tone. but their voice was lost in the roaring thunder in his ears.

Suddenly, Gandalf was there, his arms wrapping around Bilbo, pulling him close. “It’s alright, Bilbo,” Gandalf whispered, his voice steady but filled with concern. “You’re alright. Hush now. What you saw isn’t real; it didn’t happen.”

But Bilbo shook his head frantically, the tears coming faster. “No! It happened, Gandalf! I saw it -I saw it happen! I saw it!”

From that night on, Bilbo’s fever worsened. It became even harder for him to distinguish between his dreams and reality, Bilbo's mind was beginning to blur memories and images, facts and fictions.

He had lost all meaning to any sound other than the whispers. The walls seemed to close in on him, and the shadows danced just out of reach, taunting him.

He felt as though he were sinking, the weight of his own body pressing him down. He tried to move, to speak, but his limbs felt heavy, like lead.

Bilbo’s mouth refused to form the words. He felt trapped in his own mind, a prisoner to the fever that burned through him.

In his fevered state, he often found himself standing in an endless void, a blackness so deep it seemed to swallow all light. He would whip his head around desperately for anything familiar, but there was nothing, just the dark, endless void. 

Then the ground beneath him would shift, and he would feel himself falling, spiraling down into an abyss with no end.

He heard chanting, deep voices singing in a language he didn’t understand. The sound was everywhere and nowhere, vibrating through him, filling him with a strange mix of dread and awe. 

He tried to cover his ears, but the sound was inside his head, reverberating through his very bones. “Gandalf,” he whimpered, “make it stop. Please, make it stop.”

Gandalf was always there, by his side, whispering soothing words, but Bilbo could hardly understand them. The words began to sound like rolling thunder, and soon even Gandalf’s voice was lost in the noise.

Bilbo felt himself slipping further away, the world around him growing darker, colder. The room spun, and Bilbo felt panic grip it's cold claws into him again. He didn’t want to lose his grip on reality. He didn’t want to fall into the darkness that waited at the edge of his mind. But he couldn’t stop it. He couldn’t fight it. The darkness was pulling him down, down into its cold embrace.

He could hear his own heartbeat slowing, the music growing louder, consuming him. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, there was only the music, the haunting, terrifying music.

Just when he thought he couldn’t bear it any longer, he heard a new sound,a clear, strong voice cutting through the chaos. It called his name. “Bilbo!” the voice rumbled, filled with fear and urgency. “Don’t ya dare, lad! Come on! Damn it, breathe!”

Bilbo’s eyes snapped open, he took a deep breath as his surroundings began to come back to him, he couldn’t help the cry that escaped him as his chest throbbed in pain, someone took his face in their larger hands.

“That’s it, breathe, deep breaths. Come on, stay awake lad” Óin’s voice rumbled close to his ear. The dwarf let go of his face and turned to Gandalf. “Keep him with us, Gandalf.”

Gandalf’s face appeared in Bilbo’s blurred vision as the wizard held his arms tightly. “Fight for us, Bilbo. Come on. You must fight it. Think of Thorin! The blasted dwarf is always late, isn’t he?”

But Bilbo was so tired, so very tired. His body ached, his head throbbed, and he felt as if he were being pulled in a thousand different directions. 

The world around him blurred again, and he felt himself beginning to drift. “I’m tired… Gandalf,” he whispered softly, his eyes fluttered as he tried to keep awake.

Gandalf held him tighter. “No! No, no, no, hold on, Bilbo. Hold on!” He glanced over his shoulder, panic flickering in his eyes. “Óin!”

But it was too late. The darkness came again, enveloping Bilbo in its cold, endless embrace. And it was horrible.

─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───

Note:

I’ll be editing chapter 5 if you need me. Have a good day/night.

@m4yh4ps @bllbabaggins

[ficticiousdelicious]

What does Fic think of Eustass Kidd and Trafalgar Law?

In relation to: Fic's Favorite Characters (2024)

This is relatively spoiler free but there might be some hints.

.

Eustass Kidd:

In general I really enjoy Eustass Kidd's grumpy, rough attitude and intensity but also how he creates his own brand of chaos instead of just going with whatever other people are doing. RIP anyone in his way...they're all equally obstacles in his eyes. He's often an instigator and very push and shove. It's interesting how much deep trouble Eustass gets himself into for his behavior and then has to slog back out of it. He seems very proud and I like how in-tact his intensity still feels. I really hope they give us his full backstory in the manga and/or anime (there's a few SBS things about it already) and I'd love to see more from his awakened fruit because that version of it is so damn useful! 'Useful Eustass'...hmmm... Aesthetically Eustass is so eccentric and sometimes he looks goofy but other times he's just rugged and I dig it - from the hawkish eyes to the punk attire to the lipstick and nailpolish. My one and only real criticism is that his new arm often seems a little too clunky? Meh. Smol criticism. I like the state of that arm and the lore for it and especially how ripped they make Eustass for wielding the stuff he does. THE MAN IS LIKE...6'9"?! I think?! A f-cking unit of a guy and he brings the spice. I was more fond of Eustass's very first outfit but once they depicted him more in the newer black shirt with its deep v-neck and his pecs and shoulders showing (sans cape thingy) I was bowled over. And of course I'm glad they kept his goggles! T3T

Trafalgar Law:

In terms of Trafalgar Law his broody, cynical moods can be so icy and in that way weirdly refreshing I think (because One Piece is an otherwise rather bright and vibrant world, we need some shade to balance). How Law acts so high and mighty partly because he's older than many of the other pirates he meets...ppppffttt. So funny man. Yet when other characters poke at him and get him going Law can get just as goofy. It's nice to have some humor from him. ...and he seems to have a certain guilty pleasure that it seems like his serious nature demands he keep rejecting every time it's brought up. HEH. Law's twisted/dry sense of humor that comes out of nowhere is hilarious too. One of my criticisms for him right away though is that sometimes it feels like he's made into too much of a joke. I felt it mostly irons itself out without an issue as the series carries on though. Departing from funny, Law comes from a dark place that has clearly warped his way of thinking and life. His backstory is exquisite; it gave an excellent sense of how he got to be who he is in the series present day. I adore how he's strong of mind thanks to how some of that hardened him. I would enjoy seeing more of his fruit power - in any capacity, it's fascinating. Aesthetically...god, Law is such damn pretty boy. It's the whole look and how he behaves. He is full of sass to marry to his looks. Hell. Everything he wears (except maybe the white sleeveless shirt...) is so put together though. I'm sure his shoes destroy his feet but god, from the jeans to the jackets and button-ups the man. has. class! A CLASSY QUEEN. Finally, his tattoo design is, in my opinion, one of the best and most fitting designs of that I've ever seen on a character.

Similarities I Like [about Law and Kidd]:

Their names are really cool! Fun to say, fun to read, fun to poke fun at. I always end up spelling Eustass Kidd with two 'd's' because I feel weird about just one. I also, obviously, like saying 'Eustass' instead of 'Kidd' the majority of the time. It just rings better to me. Aside from that they really seem to care deeply about their crews and that warms my heart. For Law every time he lets Bepo get away with shit I'm there for that. BEPO IS SPOILED. For Eustass it's fun to see how much his rowdy crew admire him (and god does he seem to love it) but oh man...some of the stuff we get for Killer and how Eustass handles things just hits hard! Just for Eustass there was a small, quiet and unique scene at the very beginning of the anime episode 1112 that blew me away because it was such a rare side of him. It spoke volumes. I still can't get over how lovely that was (I wish there was a bit in the manga for it). We get a lot more scenes for Law so it's harder to think of one that is really rare, but perhaps the one in his childhood where he's happy because of a dork, YOU KNOW THE ONE. In terms of Eustass and Law in the same space well...it's amazing how many of each other's buttons they can push down with all ten of their fingers and toes. They just resonate chaos but cooperation is possible and both are interesting. They're also from such opposite climates man (I guess I like the juxtaposition of that).

.

Shippin' the Dudes (LawKidd/KiddLaw):

I figure shipping them isn't for everyone but I personally love the idea of it because I feel like they have chemistry in their volatile way. A goth and a punk - even if it's less literal in canon settings. NEED I SAY MORE? I just love the subculture vibes and the potential for playful fighting and getting into trouble to go on adventures. Their potential is outstanding and their attitudes are fun to write (I actually wish I had more finished fanworks for them but that's a work in progress and I just need five more minds and a few more limbs to keep up with that). Eustass and Law can also have very believable serious tones for sincere storytelling - for when you want to yank on people's feels. :3

.

All anime images here © One Piece - Eiichiro Oda

.

@chromatic-lamina SO MANY THOUGHTS. HHNNNGH. If there's a specific curiosity I missed with this let me know! I was afraid it would be hell to read this in notes so I just moved it into a post and well...then it got even longer! haha

[iguessitsjustme]

I Saw You In My Dream Ep 5&6 Thoughts

Ya know. Some days you find yourself caught in a thunderstorm with sopping wet shoes, a full bladder, wasted CTA fare, and nothing but sheer willpower to get yourself home. Did that happen to me today? Don’t worry about it. I had the world’s teeniest umbrella. Pray for my shoes. Anyhway, I got home earlier than I expected so I can watch at least one episode tonight! Yay! I might even be able to catch up entirely. At which point I start my NEXT liveblog because I’m having fun with this. As always, under the cut:

I am very curious about why Ai is scared of the dark. I cannot wait to learn more. Mmmm delicious delicious backstory trauma is waiting for me.

Also that dream seemed terrifying. Well…nightmare. I too would have woken up screaming. 

His trauma…is getting stuck…in the bathroom…in the dark? I must say. I could not have predicted that but it makes a lot of sense. Yu also being the cause makes sense. Yu was a bit of a shithead at first. But that would definitely be traumatizing.

Yu with the good advice. It’s okay not to have a dream.

Obsessed with this lighting. Just look at it.

Ooooo a different trauma was the cause of the fear of the dark. I love this show.

Well how am I NOT going to mention the fact that the reason that Ai is scared of the dark is because he trapped himself in a literal closet and now he’s afraid of the future and scared of what awaits him and burying his feelings for Yu so deep that they’re manifesting themselves in prophetic dreams. I mean I have to mention being trapped in the closet.

Sksjhgkjdg Ai sent Yu food. Those gay thoughts have permeated. It’s too late to go back now. Ai is in love with Yu and just hasn’t figured it out yet.

Badminton man’s name is Wann. Are we about to get a love triangle? What’s going on?

Yesssss Yu watching Ai give out his contact information is good. Yes. Very good. Also I noticed that Ai reached very far across to give it to him. Didn’t move any closer. Stayed as far away as he could. Poor badminton man.

What I like about this show is at its surface it seems like Yu is a lot more mature and confident than Ai but then the show gives you flashes of Yu being immature or  insecure and you’re reminded that he’s not that much different than Ai. Those two balance each other very well. Ai is mature in ways that Yu is not and confident in ways that Yu is not. And vice versa. It’s very refreshing to see. They complement each other perfectly.

Also this was short so I’m gonna throw episode 6 in here too. Staying up late isn’t a great idea but it’s the choice I’ve made.

Yu is ready to murder Yo. He just wanted to go on a little vacation with Ai but alas. He could not admit that so now his brother is tagging along and also planning it. But I have little doubt that some sort of romantic tension and hijinks will ensue.

Why am I getting the weird arrangement of that lullaby again? There’s no sleeping currently happening.

OH. Ai was dreaming. About Yu tripping and bonking his head real bad. I get it Yu. Me too.

BADMINTON MAN. Oh poor poor Yu. It was supposed to be a trip for just him and Ai and now here comes this other man that’s got a crush on Ai. Get it together Yu. Ya gotta get it together. Ai already loves you. I mean he doesn’t know it yet, but he might if you say something about your feelings that I KNOW you have. I know it. With my soul. My entire being.

A man in love.

Also I have mixed feelings on the “I’ll drink it for them” trope but I like it here.

Drunken confession my beloved. Ing, I’m so proud of you baby. I don’t know what the outcome of this confession will be, but whatever it is, it will be better.

You dumbass

Waan I swear to god. Put that guitar away. I swear on GOD I will lose my mind. Put that thing back where it came from.

Waan I used to like you.

Stop this.

I suffer.

If you’re gonna do this. At least. Hit. The notes.

Man I wish I wasn’t caught up cause I want to keep going but alas. I am now caught up. But new episode tomorrow! I think. Yay!

[theresattrpgforthat]

Hi Mint! I want to run a game about a group of people on a road trip getting lost in the desert at night. Technically horror, but like ... mostly existential horror. (Mostly ... there's also some weird hillbillies and Something Terrible™️.) Do you have any suggestions for a system that models isolation and mounting desperation well?

THEME: Isolation and Desperation.

Hello friend! First things first, I should probably direct you towards the Kentucky Route Zero recommendation post that I released a little while back, as a number of those games might have something that fits your fancy. Specifically, I’d recommend Midnight Roads and Apocalypse Roadtrip for the feeling of isolation out on the open road.

Now, on to some more games! As always, followers are welcome to include their own additions in the reblogs!

RoadSpire, by Glempy.

RoadSpire is an RPG about strange and bewildering liminal spaces, of being lost, and finding something anyway, about being adrift in a sea of possibilities, and the connections and relationships you make along the way; a journey is always better with friends.

The Road is a vast, fluid, and shifting world between realities; anything is possible here. The Road is the ever present NOW. Spires enforce order and rules around their immediate areas. They pin down the Road. All Spires are a puzzle, once completed they are destroyed and open a gateway to a single, specific world or dimension. The Spires are the past, and the future. And at the centre of it all stands the great wheel city of MUS-DE-TUM: gateway to worlds beyond counting, an edifice that has stood at the centre of creation since the dawn of time.

If you want a longer game about road trips that keep you ever on the move, RoadSpire might be for you. It uses a PbtA system and the biggest aim of the designer is to create the feeling of roaming liminal spaces. This game isn’t necessarily meant to invoke horror per se: it’s more of an unnerving mish-mash of a world-between-worlds, a place where anything can happen. This means that your players are probably going to be a bit more powerful, a bit more equipped to overcome what you throw at them.

Pish Tush Jumped, by atelier pilcrow.

You didn't want to go to Florida.  You didn't want to drive at 55 mph out of the rolling hills of Georiga. You'd been to Florida before, not to mention the escaped convicts who were last sighted along I-75. If it can't be helped, might as well bring along my cat, Pish Tush.

This is a game inspired by the story A Good Man is Hard to Find, by Flannery O’Connor. The game has the car break down in Georgia, but you can probably alter the location to have it happen in a place like Arizona, and replace the Boys with a number of Hillbillies. The game system, Breathless, gives you resources in the form of different-sized dice. These dice diminish in size every time you use them, up until you refresh with a Prayer. However, each time you Pray, the GM gets to introduce a problem or advance a threat, which is a great way of increasing the sense of desperation or panic. Because you are in a broken-down car in the middle of a long drive, I think it would also do a good job of evoking the feeling of isolation.

Road to Nowhere, by Capacity for Wonder. (Supplement for Liminal Horror)

Road To Nowhere re-imagines a roadtrip across the paranormal United States of America as a sprawling, horrifying and surreal megadungeon. Grab your snacks, fuel up , and plunge into the darkness that lurks just around the next turn.

This game isn’t available yet, but I’d definitely recommend keeping an eye on it for future reference. Liminal Horror is out and available, and is very much suited for the kind of game you’re looking for - exploring liminal spaces, and slowly unravelling weird and unsettling mysteries is its bread and butter. There’s even a Vehicle Appendix supplement that you can download for rules about using something like a van in your setting!

While you’re waiting for this one to come out, you can also take a look at Residents of Nowhere, which contains a number of factions for use in this road-trip-to-be.

Travel Not Advised, by 200-Proof Games.

TRAVEL NOT ADVISED is a tabletop roleplaying game that allows you and your friends to create your own stories within and interpretations of the excellent isolation-horror genre. With 2-6 players and one Documentarian or DM, together you will trespass into unknown and mysterious places and draw the ire of the supernatural MONSTER that dwells there. The game is setting-agnostic, meaning that any setting you can dream of will work thrillingly well with the rules and guidelines I’ve set out here.

Since this game is primarily a series of mechanics for telling a certain kind of story, placing your characters in a desert is absolutely possible. It appears that the dice mechanic depends on a pool of d4s and a d6 for your action dice. Using the two series of die allows for a complex story, in which your character can succeed and still have something bad happen to them. It looks like the game expects a monster, but I wonder if perhaps your suspicious hillbillies and whatever is lurking in the background would be adequate monsters in this scenario.

[minijenn]

Jen Tortures Herself With Every Dreamworks Animated Movie Ever: The Croods

So I have to admit, I really wasn't looking forward to watching The Croods. I've never seen it before, never really heard anything that positive about it before, and all I did remember of it was its actually pretty bad marketing back in the day when it first came out that made it look low brow and kiddish. So how is the movie, actually? Well... it... surprised me. Let's get into it.

The Croods are a family of cave people, led by the stubbornly cautious father Grug. His teenage daughter, Eep, is a stark contrast, as she wants to see the world beyond the cave, despite how dangerous it might be. She gets her chance when she runs into Guy, who introduces the family to new concepts and ideas like fire and shoes and so on. Together, they're racing against the clock to search for a new place to call home.

It's a very simple plot, one that wears its themes of tradition vs. new ideas on its sleeves to an almost annoying extent. It's very... on the nose in a lot of ways, definately skewing toward a younger demographic in just about every way, with that message, with how it delivers that message, and with its humor, which yes, can be pretty low-brow and childish, just as I anticipated it would be.

And yet... there are things about this movie I actually really liked! I started the movie off thinking Grug was just your run of the mill overprotective dad type, but during the third act, I really came to care about him and found him to be such a refreshing take on that trope. Eep is a also a really fun main character, really funny and rebellious, but not in the typical teenage daughter way. Guy is also really fun, smart and clever and his romantic relationship with Eep develops in a really sweet and natural way. As for the rest of the family... they're just ok. They're all kind of just one-note and none of them get nearly as much development as Grug, Eep, and Guy do.

While the humor didn't strike much of a cord with me here, the emotions actually did! Like yes, it is very on the nose with its themes, but dammit if I didn't feel the love this crazy ass family had for each other shining through, especially toward the end. The third act completely captivated me; there's a stark tone shift but by god if it doesn't work so well in this film's favor to turn what was otherwise a largely forgettable story into something actually worth watching. I'd almost say getting to the climax is worth the price of admission here alone.

The animation here is actually pretty impressive! The level of detail they put into the character models, with the dirt caked onto their skin and clothes, really impressed me. Also, the setpieces were also very beautiful, vast and vivid and befitting a prehistoric setting. What kind of took me out of that setting a little was some of the animal designs. They can get... kinda weird, and a little too cartoony for my liking. I get what they were going for, but... I don't think it really works.

So yeah, The Croods was an unexpected, yet mostly pleasant surprise. I mean I can't say I loved it or anything or that I'll go back and watch it over and over again, but at the very least I didn't want to actually die while watching it, which is probably more than I can say for our next entry in this watchthrough. Get your salt ready, folks; the snails are coming....

Overall Rating: 6/10

Verdict: Unexpected MILF Jumpscare

Previous Review (Rise of the Guardians)

Next Review (Turbo)

[pothosrays]

Normalize wearing chainmail vests day to day. Opinion? Choose wisely

I wasn't gonna make this long but I am VERY passionate about clothing in general because it is literally such a powerful thing so starts sobbing. anyways

People should be able to wear medieval armor and clothing and chainmail jewelry if they feel like it. People should be able to look like warrior knights and wizards and dryads if they want to. Robots and creatures even. And if you just want to wear chainmail over a plain t-shirt and sweatpants go do that too I love it.

Shit idk go look like an average dude or girl at the grocery store too if you really want to it doesn't matter. You can look like you just crawled out of a cave full of lions too if that suits you. Your expression is your expression, and it isn't like you need to be extravagant or whatever. Be comfortable and be happy with yourself.

Do whatever you want to forever if you feel like it. this is your sign if you need one lol. Look swag as fuck who gives a shit. If I saw someone out in public wearing chainmail I would never stop thinking about them honestly.

Go be fucked up and wear whatever tha fuck you want? Life is too short tbh. You like something? Put it on. Find a cool thing? Incorporate it into your outfit. Also, you might make a little kid's day and they might think you're the coolest person ever. Don't you wanna make a little kids day??? Go make a little kids day. Inspire that little lad.

Huuuge advocate of Wear Whatever The Fuck You Want Forever because it's your life and your body and you deserve to wear what makes you feel good and happy and comfortable. Even if you can't do it outside in public just yet (for whatever reason you may have), or its harder because of specific kind of people out there nothing is stopping you from experimenting at home in your room, locked in your bathroom, or with people you feel safe near.

Start super small, who cares. Maybe you have a weird hairpin or ring you want to wear, maybe it's like a specific shirt or pair of pants you really want to try. do it try it. Nothing is stopping you from making things yourself too, by the way. You can always mess around with things.

Nobody needs to give a shit in reality. Even if they do, why should that stop you? You're doing this because you enjoy it, not because some disapproving loser wants you to tone it down and be boring.

Besides, even if like 20 people hate it or you get disapproving confused glares then there's still at least a couple people who will be inspired by it what you're doing. Maybe there are some that are too shy to say anything perhaps. Maybe they want to be like you but are too scared. Lift them up for it okay I love the creativity people have with funky fucked up outfits its so refreshing and nice to see. It is always wonderful to see what people enjoy be reflected in their clothing.

And to answer the original point of the ask: YEAHHHHHHHHHHHH FUCK YEAH WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HUGE AGREE

[ga-yuu]

[Tail On Instinct - What If I Were A Cat?] - Ibuki Story

On my way home from a house call, I treated an injured cat demon---

My kindness backfired, and I was transformed into a cat,

He thought turning me into a cat would be a great act of gratitude because 'Cats are cute.'

(I don't think I want to be a cat. I never thought once in my life I'd actually turn into a cat...)

At first, I tried to return to Yasuchika-san's mansion, but...

Little kid 1: "Awww..so cutee~~"

Little kid 2: "And so fluffy~"

(Woah woah...)

A few kids found me along the way and started patting and stroking me as they pleased.

Surrounded by a circle of children it was impossible to escape.

(They're not holding back with the stroking at all!)

(Someone please...!)

My cry for help only came out as 'Meowww'.

Just then a shadow falls over the group of children and me.

Ibuki: "Seriously these kids. You guys really don't know how to treat cats, huh?"

(Ibuki!)

Ibuki: "Cats are fragile."

Ibuki: "When you stroke cats, you must stroke them like this...carefully and gently."

(Woah...)

Ibuki takes me in his arms and gently strokes my back brushing my fur.

Ibuki: "Just like how you hold a woman in your arms...but you guys are not ready for that."

Little kids: "...??"

(WHAT ARE YOU SAYING IN FRONT OF KIDS, YOU---!)

(Even so...)

Ibuki's hands were unexpectedly gentle as he caresses me, a cat.

Ibuki: "Stroking along the fur improves its luster and texture and the cat also enjoys it. See, it's like killing two birds with one stone."

Ibuki: "It's not an exaggeration to say that burying your face in a warm cat's fur under the sun is the best thing in the world."

Little kid 1: "Big brother, you're...you're so weird."

Little kid 2: "Haa whatever, I'm bored. I'm going back home."

(T-Thank god..)

Surprisingly, the children lost interest in me, who is a cat and left.

Apparently, Ibuki's obsession with cats saved the day...

Ibuki: "Hmph. They're ten years too early to understand the sublimity of cats anyway."

Ibuki: "There there. You're such a good girl. You must have been scared to be surrounded by those humans even if they are kids, right?"

(Ibuki, it's me! Yoshino!)

I tried to say it in words, but it only came out as 'meow meow meoww'.

Ibuki: "I know I know. It must have been scary to be touched by so many people with your permission, right?"

Ibuki pressed his cheek against my small head.

(Of course, you love cats...)

Its refreshing to see how much love he gives to cats from a cat's point of view.

(Ibuki makes such a gentle face when holding cats)

(I wish you'd show a little bit of this gentleness towards me as well)

It brings back memories of being teased and bullied on a regular basis.

Just a little bit, I'm starting to feel jealous of cats.

Ibuki: "Why are you so quiet?"

Ibuki: "Didn't you want me to show this kind of gentleness to you too..huh? Yoshino?"

(!)

At that time, my body started heating up and----

Somehow, I managed to return to my human form.

Yoshino: "I'm back...! Ibuki, what did you do?"

Ibuki: "Nothing?"

Ibuki: "If it's a trick used by a weak demon, the effect won't be that strong."

Ibuki: "But, you're not fully back yet."

Yoshino: "Hm?"

Ibuki walks up to me with an amused expression.

I reach out for my head in a hurry and felt something soft and fluffy.

Yoshino: "Why do I still have ears? And tail too..!"

Yoshino: "Hey, Ibuki, can you do something about it?"

Ibuki: "Just leave it alone. You'll return back to normal soon."

Ibuki: "Besides, you're a hundred times cuter now."

Yoshino: "...I'm not cute."

When I looked away, Ibuki laughed out loud.

Ibuki: "That sultry face isn't bad either. It makes me want to distort you even more."

Yoshino: "Come on now...!"

I lightly fisted his strong chest in protest.

(Come to think of it...)

Yoshino: "How did you find out that the white cat was me from the beginning?"

(I didn't say anything, but he saw through that demon's trickery)

Ibuki: "Simple."

Ibuki: "No matter what disguise you put on, even if it's a cat, I'll know it's you."

Yoshino: "Mm..."

A triumphant face came towards me and gently kissed my lips.

(..I'm so happy)

Yoshino: "Also...thank you for helping me earlier."

Ibuki: "Don't mind that. I'll make you repay me anyway."

Yoshino: "How are you go---wait wait!!"

Ibuki leaned in close and my back hit the wall when I involuntarily backed away.

Both arms blocked my escape and I stand between the wall and Ibuki.

Ibuki: "I've never held a cat before. So let's enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity before you go back to normal."

Yoshino: "You mean right here!?"

Ibuki: "Don't worry. I'll think of you as a real cat and will be gentle."

Yoshino: "No no no, not here..Mmm.."

At the same time as my lips are sealed deeply, a hand is slipped around my waist.

Yoshino: "Nn....?"

As he tapped my waist, I felt an itch in my stomach area.

(W-What is this feeling...)

Yoshino: "Mm...Ahh..."

Combined with the feeling of his tongue inside my mouth, I let out a feverish sigh.

Ibuki: "Cats loved to be slapped here...and so do you."

Ibuki: "Are you secretly a pervert to enjoy being slapped around?"

Yoshino: "N-No...I..."

Ibuki: "Okay, next."

Ibuki: "Many cats don't like when their bellies are stroked..but shall we give it a try."

My obi sash was undone and heard my clothes being removed.

(In such a place, where you don't know who's going to pass by....)

My throat rumbled as I was enjoying the kisses that explored only my weak points....

The unusual sensation and shame were combined and I was completely heightened.

[ladala99]

I'm also probably going to be babbling about Detective Pikachu (3DS) again. I've decided to pause my current other playthroughs to do a quick run of the original game again, given the sequel coming out this fall and honestly I remember the movie more than the original game so I want to refresh myself before getting the sequel.

I remembered the world feeling more lively back when I first played it, but I assumed that was because of Pokemon appearing on the overworld, which when Alola was the most recent region, didn't happen in the main series.

But no, that wasn't all. The way they move and animate and express themselves is also far better than the main series, even now, portrays. The only more recent game on its caliber is New Snap, and even that feels more artificial since the gameplay involves going through the same levels over and over again, seeing the same animations as you seek out new Pokemon and ways to improve your photos. While Detective Pikachu it's almost all one-time cutscenes.

I also remembered describing it as "a lightly-interactive 20-hour movie" which, yeah. It is. Gameplay is mostly poking around and talking to people with the occasional quick-time event in cutscenes (which you are absolutely allowed to fail. I recall even purposefully going back and failing the climactic one in the final scene only for nothing serious to happen). You are expected to actually think, though. And actually gather enough evidence since sometimes I get just enough to remember what the solution was, but Pikachu's not accepting answers yet.

Now that the Scarlet/Violet default protagonists have round eyes, the art style for the humans of this game also seems less weird.

Rewatching the trailer for the sequel after playing the original game I can safely say the new one has better graphics and looks a lot more interactive. I'm still expecting it to be short and also have low hopes for the question to be answered (it's probably the same as in the movie), but I'm definitely looking forward to it!

[grumpyascianteddybear]

What If Part 2

So, this is a thing. A thing I enjoyed writing. Gonna tag some bitches. There might be oinons and it is certainly rude. Time to tag.

@seatedsacrifice

@atdutiesend

Walking out into the night air was refreshing after being down below. The cold gave him a rush that almost always cleared his head, yet tonight, it did not. Cyr was angry. Angry that he had to shoulder the burden of saving the world at the expense of friends, family, and a whole host of innocent people. Thousands died just so he would have a chance at victory. Who would fate take from him next? The only one keeping him together was his wife at this point.

There was a rage, one that he tried very hard to keep in check. It wasn't so bad before going to the past. There was also looking into that man's eyes. They were eyes that mirrored his one, the same two colors. Cyr didn't know who the man was, but it had caused something to start cracking in him. As if something unspeakable old was waking up, and it was even angrier than he was. It was an old anger that had simmered for a long time.

He shook his head to clear the fog the rage brought. Cyr knew the ancient thing would come out if he let the fog take over. That should be avoided at all costs, yet the anger refused to leave. It coiled in the pit of his stomach as they headed for the residential district. The fog closed in as he tried to keep things together. " If I seem weird in a bit, I am sorry."

There was a pause as his shoulders and neck rolled as if he was trying to get the joints to pop. It wasn't odd on its own, but how he walked also seemed to change. The way Cyr carried himself had completely changed, but it wasn't Cyr in the driver's seat anymore. That was even more apparent as he spoke, his voice taking on an almost entirely different timber. " Did you even think about what it would do to her?"

" What?" A smirk appeared at the confused sound in the voice of the other. Yes, Ophiuchus should need clarification. This was a man he had not seen in over 12000 years. Dionysus was very different now.

" Did you think about what your death would mean for your wife?" Dionysus asked again and, this time, turned back to look at Ophiuchus. There was a wide grin, though his eyes were not pleasant. The burning rage in them made the smile rather creepy to behold. " Did you even stop to think about what it would do to your daughter?"

The smile widened as the other seemed to spook. Yes, good, he should be scared. Dionysus was angry, and he was angry at a lot of things. He also had every right to be angry about these things. He had been hurt, he had been forced to butcher friends through his reincarnated self. A reincarnation that was now coming apart at the seams. To be expected, all things considered. CYr had been through more than any man should have to go through, and the only person they had not collectively lost was their wife.

" I tried to bring him back for Aurora; there was too much damage." Ophiuchus stated, voice small as Dion took a step forward toward him. Azem hummed at Elidibus and took a step back. The smile was still present, as was the anger. Though, there was perhaps a glimmer of something else.

" Well, I suppose it is good to know that you at least care about someone." Dion stated though it was rather condescending. Cared for his daughter more than his wife. What a shame, poor Hadianna. " You certainly don't care for your oldest friends. Hades didn't either, so I suppose that isn't surprising."

Turning, he headed off toward the residential district again. He glanced back one to assure the Ophiucus had started to follow. Dion knew that the man would be feeling very guilty once he saw the state of Hadianna. As they neared the house, a redhead emerged to greet them. Azems steps seem to grow light and a bit Hurried. Aidya was the only person that had not been stolen from them, at least the only one of importance to Dionysus.d

" Hello, Love." He stated as he came up, and a hand went to her cheek. His voice was like honey now, the earlier anger and malic gone. Dionysus had no anger where Aidya was concerned. Only adoration for his beloved wife, glad to still have. That his reincarnated self still had this one good thing was a comfort. It was a night and day difference, and the only look Ophiuchus would get at the Dionysus of the past. " I have brought her husband back. Anything short of that would only end in failure."

" I know I told you to do something quickly if you were going to do anything, but this was not what I expected. This is dramatic even for you." The woman stated as she leaned into his touch. There was a wary of the ascian that now stood before her in bunny form.

" Drastic times call for dramatic measure." Dion mused as he looked over at Ophiuchus. There was a dark smirk on his lips, and his bi-colored eyes almost seemed to glow. " Go on, you know where your dear wife is."

A hum left Azem as they watched the other male enter the house. Perhaps the guilt would destroy him. That would be a good show to watch. It was certainly destroying Cyr slowly. So many people, many old friends, lay dead at his reincarnated self's feet. The constant death and loss were slowly eating him, alive. Aidya was the only thing holding the poor Elezen together. Perhaps this twisted, rage-filled alter would be the only thing left when it was all said and done. It was hard to say.

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Finally! After a seemingly diminish of quality that was Phase 4 of the MCU, we finally get back to something serious and a feeling of something at stake. I'm not saying Phase 4 didn't have its moments of greatness. Spider-Man: No Way Home, Ms. Marvel, WandaVision, Loki, Shang-Chi and Eternals represent the best that Phase 4 had to offer. It felt as if it wasn't going anywhere or building to something that would payoff down the line. Well this film starts us off in an insanely creative and more direct path that I'm excited to see. What the MCU has done successfully all this time is have all of their films delve into all the different film genres. This entry in the Ant-Man franchise moves away from the comedic heist film genre and dives head first into the science fiction genre and doesn't let up. As a sci-fi fan, I was in heaven with all the different designs of creatures, environments and technology. It may not be for everyone as it does get trippy along the way and a little chaotic. There were moments of well placed bits of comedy, but this film had a mission and it delivered.

Paul Rudd returns as Scott Lang / Ant-Man and he is as loveable and charming as always. He does start out with the same charm you expect, but there is a tonal shift with the character and I loved that we got more indepth with him. Paul brings out the more the self serving flaw of the character and quickly turns him around as he learns what being an Avenger really means. Evangeline Lilly returns as his love interest Hope van Dyne / Wasp and she is as awesome and powerful as expected. Her chemistry with Scott continues to be a bright spot in the franchise and I enjoyed their moments of bliss. Kathryn Newton was great as Scott's daughter Cassie as she begins to join the seemingly superhero family business. Once she was introduced, I was hoping that they weren't gonna take her through the same trope of rebellious teen. They did, but it was reactive to the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame and I thought that was brilliant. The father and daughter story between Scott and Cassie was a highlight and brings out the heart of the film. Michael Douglas returns as Hank Pym and he was clearly just having a good time on this weird adventure. His chemistry with everyone was fun to watch and especially with Cassie. Michelle Pfeiffer returns as well and was outstanding as Janet Pym. She takes the lead in the story and it was fun to see the many layers of secrets about her time in the quantum realm get slowly peeled away. She carries such a weight on her shoulders and I loved seeing that playout amongst her family. Bill Murray was good and interesting as Lord Krylar. He didn't take the comedic route as most would assume and it was actually refreshing. His connection to Janet was also fascinating added a great amount of tension. Katy O'Brian was cool as the freedom fighter Jentorra. She handled her own in all of her action scenes, but at times she came off 1 note and there really wasn't much there to explore. I did love that every character had a part to play in the grand scale of the story, but the real definition of grand came from the film's antagonist. Johnathan Majors truly delivers a regal and yet threatening presence as Kang the Conquerer. There are no quips, no punchy one liners and no gimmicks. He is very cold, ferocious and his dedication to freedom is demonstrated constantly. Majors shows so much conviction to the character's belief system and he carries such a gravitas to his amazing performance. This variant of the character was 100% the Julius Caesar of the MCU and I can't wait to see more of him as Phase 5 continues.

The score by Christophe Beck was fun and on brand with the Marvel sound. I did love the influences of the 1950's sci fi style orchestration and sound. It reminded me of the original Lost in Space series that I watched as a kid on VHS. Visually the film was gorgeous and everywhere you looked there was something to revel in. The creativity of the VFX teams and creature design teams was on the screen and they did an amazing job. I loved that this film got weird in many aspects whether it be the creatures or the story itself. This was a good start to Phase 5 in my opinion, even though I sense that this film will be more hit or miss for folks. There are 2 end credit scenes that lay out a strong piece of thread that'll weave its way through the MCU in many ways. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

[izzycore]

ok im realizing im where im meant 2 be because if my life had panned where it was going to i wouldve Been A Teacher Right Now and if u take one good look at me im literally 22 years old + i literally struggle so bad to do anything + i hate working in places for long periods of time because people form opinions and i get weird about it because i need to know /all/ of them + i smoke so much fucking weed dude jesus christ and all of this means i would probably have a panic attack in my classroom if too many kids were mean to me.

also i remember every single teacher ive had to some degree and the thought of being mr.lastname the weird art teacher forever in someones mjnd is too much. but also i do really love teaching.........im just still growing up rn im not done yet (not infantilizing just in a i still feel 12 and clueless way?) and also i think the education system is shit and the kids are mean and the parents are mean and its failing all of us at the same time and u dont wven get PAID during the summer break. which sounds lovely for me actually like a little refresher job. BUT WHAT IF A STUDENT COMES INTO THE STORE I WORK AT PART TIME. WHAT IF MY SUMMER JOB AND MY STUDENTS SUMMER JOB WERE THE SAME THAT SUCKS SO BAD ACTUALLY UGH id roll over And Die.

maybe thinking about your goals is liek this and not the lovely pinterest boards 2015 youtube sold me and its actually just "i want to teach i love teaching but im still not really good at being a human yet so its probably for the best im not trying to teach children how to be functional humans"

also i found my teachers tumblr and by god it reccomended her nsfw blog and there was porn of pennywise because this was 2017ish before thw ban :) shes still chill tho she let us play smash on the smartboard cuz we didnt do shit cuz she was injured so she couldnt talk so as long as we drew + brought a controller/were fine sharing = smashtime :)

[allthemusic]

Week ending: 19th July

And we're off the dodgy comedy train - phew! Words cannot express how refreshing the first song here felt after last week's irritatingly not-funny comedy tunes. Some straightforward, youthful music - we love it!

Why Do Fools Fall in Love - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers (peaked at Number 1)

Oh, man. This is maybe our most teenage song yet? Beyond the fact that the band are literally called the Teenagers, you've also just got the frivolity of it all, the endearingly earnest lyrics about being foolish and in love for the first time, and Frankie Lymon's voice as he sings his 14-year-old heart out. There's something amazingly energetic and innocent about it all, a real breezy breath of fresh air.

It's rock and roll, but a upbeat, chirpy doo-wop version of rock and roll, livened up immediately by the backing singers, with a deep ah dum wah, du-dum wah, dum wah, du-dum wah and a ooh-wah, ooh-wah response. Which looks silly, written out like that, but the effect is immediately iconic, making you want to sing along. It's great!

And then Frankie comes in, asking first Why do fools fall in love? then answering his own question with a series of other questions, asking among other things, Why do birds sing so gay? and Why does the rain fall from up above? Answer: it's nature. Fools fall in love, it's just what they do. There's an unpretentious poetry to this all, especially in the way that the answer isn't really ever explained. You have to kind of think about it to work out what Frankie means here.

There would be a sort of meanness to it, if Frankie didn't so clearly include himself in the fool category, singing about how Love is a losing game / And love can be a shame / I know of a fool you see, for that fool is me. In many ways this is the key joke of the song - Frankie, at only 14 years old, is already jaded and cynical about love, even as he can't escape it.

And to add another layer to it, the sound of the song and the energy that Frankie throws at it kind of undercuts this message, simply through its verve and joie de vivre - it's not the sound of heartbreak, even if the lyrics would suggest it. It's an undeniably fun song, and the overall effect is a sort of performative cynicism, Frankie shrugging and having a laugh at himself, recognising his own foolishness, but not letting it get him down.

And fresh off this bit, we're launched into a very fun bass, guitar and sax break, at which I genuinly found myself doing a little shoulder dance. It's just got a good energy, a kind of infectious enthusiasm, and it lasts just long enough that you feel like you've had a break once Frankie comes back in, which he does with aplomb for one final verse and then some ethereally high tell me why lines, in a well-earned ending.

Yeah, this is a classic for a reason. Simple but enjoyable lyrics, astellar performance, a catchy hook, some fun rock and roll backing and a slightly silly but immediately recognisable opening - it's got everything you need for a hit. Masterful song-craft right there.

Gogi Grant - The Wayward Wind (9)

I've not heard anything by Gogi Grant before, I don't think, so no idea what to expect here. I like the sound of the title, though - it's got a sort of mystique to it, somehow. So, let's give it a listen.

Okay, so this started with some upbeat strings and strummy guitar, it was all quite perky-sounding, very light. Except when Gogi's voice came in, it was much deeper than this would suggest, a sort of smoky, rich country-pop voice. I liked it, but it felt odd and far too modern a mix - and lo and behold, when I tried again, I realised that I had a weird version that had put Gogi's original vocals (I think?) against a completely different backing track. Oops.

Once I got the actual song up, it was much more what I expected, a very string-heavy country track. In it, Gogi first explains that the titular wayward wind is A restless wind that years to wander. And unfortunately, she's in love with a man who was born next of kin / The next of kind to the wayward wind. So he's prone to wandering, travelling about instead of staying with Gogi.

We get a bit of backstory about how this happened, learning, for example, about how In a lonely shack by a railroad track / He spent his younger days, where the sound of trains setting out for foreign parts Made him a slave to his wanderin' ways. We then get a sketch of how, in his wandering, he met Gogi in a border town, and how Though he tried his best to settle down / I'm now alone with a broken heart.

In all of this, the focus remains clearly on Gogi's man, and not on her heartbreak. She doesn't leave it out, she's clearly broken up about her man leaving, and performs the song as such, with all the emotion you'd expect. But there's a lot of sympathy towards her man, too, and a sense that he doesn't really have any control over if, either. He's simply at the whim of his wanderlust, however much he might want to settle down.

There's a sort of Wild West romanticism to all this. You could definitely see this being used in a Western, which often have that sort of wandering protagonist, ruggedly handsome, but unable to settle down or form permanent connections, compelled onwards for some reason or another. It's a powerful image, and honestly, I like it a lot. Good job, Gogi!

Also, her voice is still excellent in this version, I really ought to note that. It's smoky but not rough, and she soars up to the higher notes in the song almost effortlessly, adding in a sort of intensity that doesn't ever feel overdone. So yeah, doubly well done. I happen to know that we will see this song again, and honestly, I'm quite looking forward to it.

Hmmm, those were both kind of poetic, weren't they? Not in an overwritten way, but they've both got a certain nuance to them, and both are well worth checking out. The Wayward Wind, in particular, was an unknown to me, and I think it should get more airplay, it's great! And then Frankie and the Teenagers - talk about iconic! It's got a freshness and a catchiness that really feels like a template for pop to come, and I love it.

Favourite song of the bunch: Why Do Fools Falls in Love

[bisluthq]

Can I just say that it's refreshing to come here and see takes of ppl who actually live in reality cos I've been feeling like I'm going insane these days reading Swiftie's responses to that Joe article. Genuinely what the actual fuck is wrong with these psychos😭 how have they made it canon that Joe is a liar, a manipulative narcissist, and a cheater when there's literally zero evidence for any of that? How are they saying that he never talked about her in interviews when he did and there's concrete evidence, granted most of the questions were always super awkward and cringe but like he did?

A bunch of them say they watch Miss Americana weekly (weird behaviour on its own imho) yet they claim that Joe locked her up and forced her into privacy when she literally says in that documentary multiple times that SHE needed to step back from the spotlight? SHE needed the ultra privacy to heal and he met her there. And look it would make sense to me if it was just chronically online teenagers acting this way (who obvs haven't lived much yet and don't know how real relationships irl work) but you see fully grown ass thirty-somethings who are even married and have kids and lives irl claiming the most evil things about this man with absolutely no evidence and it makes me so uncomfortable, like it hurts me how fucking stupid they all are I'm sorry 😭 it's not even about Joe as a person, it's about them being either evil or highkey stupid idk they're obsessed with making him be a horrible villain and Taylor herself DOES NOT CARE like at ALL. If anything, both of them have made it profoundly clear that independently of how things ended, they both walked away of that relationship with lots of respect for each other, for their families, and for what they shared for 6+ years. The least fans could do is respect that stance too but they seem to hate Taylor idk

The craziest part to me is (idk if you guys have seen this, my for you pages are fucked lol) that a bunch of these stans who straight up believe the Daily Mail articles are coming from Joe's team are the ones who also have very good media literacy when it comes to clocking when an article or puff piece is coming directly from MILF Tree Paine, and when it's straight up bullshit. Yet they believe all the straight up bullshit coming out about Joe on the Daily Mail is his team?? So they're using what those tabloids are saying as "evidence" to claim that he's a manipulative narcissist. And they speak of him being a cheater as if there was evidence for that and speak of it as if it were proven fact so when a casual fan is all like "aw it's nice that her and Joe hold no hatred for each other" they flood the comments with "HE FORCED HER INTO HIDING FOR YEARS AND CHEATED ON HER MULTIPLE TIMES" and the casual fan is like "oh shit I didn't know" and like💀💀💀 that just spreads this whole false narrative and what stans don't realize is that it's embarrassing not only them but most of all TAYLOR, who some casual peeps think is legit the one spreading these lies about Joe when it's actually her own fucking fans🤦

Genuinely the only things Taylor has outright said (in her music or elsewhere) is that he was stressy-depressy, that she felt towards the end that he didn't understand her and she had to make herself smaller, and that she cheated on him. Everything else is stans making shit up and like don't these ppl have something better to do than create a fake fanfic character out of this guy who just exists and makes his little movies and does his charities? They don't even have to make this character up bc Matty Healy is right there and Taylor's rage is directed towards HIM not Joe😭💀 they either hate that Joe is actually a decent human being (and genuinely why do they care that much) or they're all just profoundly stupid and if that's the case I'm genuinely worried about that many ppl being so hopelessly stupid bc there's legit THOUSANDS of them wtf

this

☝🏼👌🏼