#IT'S JUST A RULE THAT EVERYONE BREAKS!!!!!!

[geschiedenisish]

I mean. I agree.

But fare evaders are literally making things more expensive for the rest of us public transport users.

That's literally like not paying your insurance because "healthcare should be free". Yeah, that's the whole reason we pay insurance, to keep the price low. If you opt out and the rest of us don't, you're an asshole. Yes the rich should pay more, but still everyone should still be part of health insurance! You're an asshole if you opted out and still expect the same prices.

Or when you don't join a union because "workers should have good labour conditions". Yeah, that's what the union is for! If you want good labour conditions, JOIN A UNION. Don't expect to get good labour conditions when you don't even have the decency to join a union!

And don't feel good for evading public transport fares. You're literally making the rest of us pay more. Yes, it would be better if we did it through taxes. But as long as that isn't happening, y'all are being huge assholes by making the rest of US pay for services YOU use.

As long as we don't actually reform the system, you don't get a pass for breaking the rules. "Oh wow, we pay so you can use this service but don't have to pay for it." THE GOLDEN RULE IS STILL IN PLACE!!!!!!!!!! If no one payed, the service would be GONE. I guess that's what you want, supposing you follow the golden rule like the rest of us...... Or maybe you only think about yourself and don't realize what your behavior would mean if everyone did it......

(I understand some people can't pay. But that's absolutely no reason to excuse fare evaders. That's a reason to make it cheaper and/or free. Furthermore, how many people actually avoid fares because they can't pay versus the amount of people who do it because they get away with it!? I know the answer for the city I live in.... (Source; literally everyone around me. I'm the only one who pays because they never check it so no one does it. But I do it out of principle.))

But I guess you're not like the other girls. "You want the pleasure without the burdens" my father used to call this kind of behavior. Well be proud of your hypocrisy and unwillingness to follow the golden rule. We'll continue paying for the services you enjoy. Whether that's through taxes or through fares. WE'LL PAY. It's just the question whether you will or not. And how you'll feel about it towards your fellow users of public transport.....

[source]

[boopshoops]

Ah, how odd. It appears one of the puppets in Playful Land aren't quite like the rest. Almost like it has one of those consciences everyones been talking about, huh?

oc template by ai-kan1!! dividers by dollywons! Sound on!

Name: Isola Pinacirco-Cira

Nicknames: Pin, Pinpin, Goby

Gender: Demiwoman (Though she has not fully realized it yet!)

Pronouns: She/they

Sexuality: Unlabeled

Birthday: May 5 (Taurus)

Age: ??? (She has been asleep for a very long time, but she has been awake for 19 years)

Height: 5'0" or 152cm, though the height of the doll is adjustable.

Voice Claim(s): Lisa Hannigan, Miyuki Sawashiro

Twisted from: Pinocchio, Wendy's Music Box (From Tinkerbell/Peter Pan)

Unique Magic: "I've got no Strings" - The bearer can control and grant practically any unliving, immobile object the ability to move under their command. The more objects are being controlled, the more magic is consumed. However, the generation of blot is shockingly slow, allowing the bearer to use the magic for hours or even days at a time. Depending on the object, it may appear as though it is being haunted by a poltergeist. The magic, however, has a very short range. The object must be within five feet of the bearer, or it is no longer effective. Isola uses this magic to move her body on a day-to-day basis.

Grade: Freshman, though only after the Playful Land Event

Class: 1-D

Job: Playful Land Performer

Hobbies: Dancing ballet, face paint, makeup, putting outfits together, singing, sewing, wood carving, ceramic/pottery/resin repair.

Likes: Feather accessories, being alone, birds, rodents, bugs, performance, applause, classical, soul, and lofi music, animal figurines.

Dislikes: Rain, being alone, excessive heat, winter, bass boosted, fast, or hyper music, too frequent of doll repair jobs, cramped spaces, being unable to eat.

Fears: Being unlovable, never loving someone else, living a life alone, never living in a body they feel comfortable in.

Summary: A quaint performer at the renowned Playful Land, constantly known for putting on a show of elegance and grace. With her unusual cadence, she often struggles to maintain an audience despite her immense talent. Isola frequently scares off certain guests on accident. They have a very hard time handling their emotions, causing them to either come off highly unnatural or lacking facial expressions to a degree that could disturb others.

That's just the cons of being one of the many puppets on the premises, though. She is often mistaken as being one of the other, more robotic workers. Isola's body is detailed and articulated enough to stand out among them, but off-putting enough to be immediately recognized as inhuman. Nonetheless, she remains on the traveling amusement park as what is considered a "highly prized item" by the owner. Of course, you don't come across puppets like her everyday, do you? Might as well put her on display.

When night hits and protocol begins, when the consequences of breaking the many rules of the park take their toll, they can do nothing but watch over it all. It makes her feel sick, quite honestly. Disgusted. Yet, she isn't allowed to help anyone. Her attempts to help usually cause the visitors to flee from her anyway, followed by her own set of serious consequences imposed by the owner. The most she can truly do is make it harder on the other workers: including those she has no choice but to be closest to on the ship: Fellow and Gid- Ah. Wrong Identity. Ernesto and Gino.

CHARACTER PLAYLIST - INSPIRATION - CREATION STORY

Author's Note: holy fuck they have a chokehold on me. hOOOO they have a chokehold on me. she came to me in a vision and did nOT let me go until she was created, holy fuck. UGSDBGSDIUAAAAA anyway, i love her and she is my baby. my slightly fucked up baby.

Note that relationships are up for possible changes in the future- I have thought about possibly involving them with someone romantically, but i feel like I want her to put HERSELF first before that. Her story is one about self love, self discovery, and self care, and I feel like throwing her into oc x canon romance too soon would negate that. ALSO she is NOT a part of my TCOAV au!!! i mean. im probably gonna still do fun stuff where she could interact with my ocs from there since im an au fanatic, but- yeah. tcoav is a story more focused on Yuu Shi, and I feel that would also take away from important parts of Isola's character and growth. tis an excuse to try a new oc profile format too <333

that all being said and on a somewhat less related note. i wanna make a comic of her so badly. fuCK. evaporates into thin air. thank u for coming to my ted talk.

Tag list :D

@lowcallyfruity @skriblee-ksk @cecilebutcher @kitwasnothere @justm3di0cr3

@thehollowwriter @distant-velleity @techno-danger @scint1llat3 @the-trinket-witch

@beneathsakurashade @kathxrat-01 @twsted-canvas @prince-kallisto @qsoap

@sillyslipperybananapeel @tixdixl @twstinginthewind @gimmeurmoneyagh

[vanivanvanilla]

the day the lifesteal fandom (especially twitter) acknowledges and tries putting a stop to the creepiness + absurdity of their mob mentality and how the way they try so hard to enforce content creators’ boundaries for them is the day i might know peace. it is so unnecessary

first, if you’re in a fandom, you are in no way responsible for policing what others can or cannot do.

sure, maybe some people will listen, but that creates a hostile environment where everyone is walking on eggshells, afraid of being “cancelled” (i’ve especially seen this again and again on twitter).

and for the people who dont listen to others trying to police them, they immediately become the villain. why dont you follow these set rules? aren’t you a moral person?

i understand there are a lot of younger people in this fandom especially younger people who have never been in a fandom before, but constant hostility like this towards others is not okay.

if someone is making content that goes against a content creator’s boundaries, block them and move on.

i dont care what it is, you just need to block it and move on. that way, the content is contained and you dont need to think about it again

what’s NOT okay is bringing attention to it by making stuff like call out posts or, god forbid, bringing it to content creators attention. DON’T DO THIS.

what both of these do is bring more attention to the content you dont like. of course, this was your goal; you want to spread awareness of this content so people will hopefully not create any more of it. right?

that isn’t how these situations tend to go. instead, others will reply to the callout, condemning the person’s content. then, harassment starts. there’s been numerous times in this fandom when someone received cruel comments and death threats because they broke cc boundaries

this is fostering a hostile environment. this is showing others in the fandom that this will happen to them when they dont act with the majority.

i’m not saying you have to like this content or that you can’t tell your friends “hey i think this person’s weird”, but these things do not need to be public.

just block and move on.

also, showing or telling a cc about content that breaks their boundaries is in itself breaking their boundaries.

they did not ask to see it. there is no reason to show them.

remember, fandom is a place for fans. ccs are welcome to interact, but they also need to understand that they cannot control everyone in the fandom. you, as a fan, need to understand this too

[bots-and-cons]

Do you mind writing about Knockout, Ratchet, and or Breakdown with a human reader on their period. They fee nauseous and don’t have an appetite for the first few days, really bad cramps, chest pain, and migraines too. Idk if this breaks any rules or the character limit if choosing one character is better for you there will be no complaints from me thank you for taking request 😄.

A/N: I’ve got a couple of other posts with period stuff too, you can find those, here, here, here, and here. You get four extra posts for one request lol. I decided to do just Knockout and Ratchet, seems I’m in the mood for those two lately

~Ratchet~

•For like the first two months since he first met you he noticed that for about 6 days a month, you were pretty freaking miserable

•You barely ate anything and you seemed to be in pain and all around uncomfortable

•The first time Ratchet thought that maybe you were just sick, and he didn’t really know you that well yet, so he didn’t really express that much concern

•He did ask if you were okay a couple of times, but you assured him it was nothing to worry about

•But when the whole thing repeated a month later, he thought it was weird

•When he asked again if you were okay, and told you about his observations, you realized he probably doesn’t know about periods

•You had to explain the whole thing to him, because he obviously had no idea this is a normal human bodily function

•Ratchet is of course a bit weirded out by the whole thing, but he’s not grossed out

•He just finds it wild that some humans have to deal with something like that

•And all the cramps, migraines and stuff on top of that? How do you survive this every month?

•Ratchet doesn’t consider it his problem, but he will make sure everyone else is as quiet as possible when you have a migraine and are resting in a dark room somewhere in the base

•He wants to make sure he or anyone else doesn’t make it worse

•If you show symptoms he hasn’t seen before, he will ask about it, and he makes sure you’re doing fine

•While he insists it’s not his problem and that he doesn’t have time to take care of you, he still checks on you periodically

~Knockout~

•Knockout notices you’re uncomfortable and he immediately asks you about it

•You’re leaning on a wall because you’re having a really bad cramp, and you’re just not feeling well in general

•You have to explain to Knockout that you’re not sick, you’re just having your period

•He’s like, “And what exactly is that?”

•You explain to him, it’s your uterine lining shedding and bleeding out of you

•He makes a very grossed out face for a second, before being like “Are you okay? That doesn’t sound healthy”

•You sort of chuckle, but you assure him that it’s natural, even if it totally sucks

•He asks how you cope with it, because that sounds like a mess and painful and all around not a good time

•He’s honestly kind of curious about the whole thing, even if he does find it pretty freaking weird

•How is it even possible for you to bleed for multiple days in a row? That doesn’t sound like it’s good for you

•Knockout constantly reminds you about drinking water, and he somehow got his hands on some dark chocolate for you too, because he read it might help with the cramps

•He’s worried about the migraines especially, because it seems you’re having a very, very bad time

•Knockout is worried about everything that’s making you uncomfortable, and it annoys him that he can’t really do anything about your pains or aches

[magical-awesome-kid]

The Rogues know not to actually harm anyone while Danny is there. Danny has a long history of hitting, biting, and scratching, and, somehow, he has the strangest weapons that he somehow always hides on his person.

That being said, he ABSOLUTELY will tirade about Bruce Wayne. He snarks, he throws shade, and he will absolutely walk up to a rogue and BEG them to kidnap him because holy shit he can NOT take another moment with Brucie.

Hell, he’ll even mess with their gear or give them some good tips for the future if they don’t cause too much harm (rules: no touching Manson or anyone in their party, roughing up everyone else is kept to minimum, and stealing from Bruce is a bonus point; no major injuries or Danny goes feral on the goons who did so).

The one time Phantom appeared, it was because the Joker planned to drop in on the event. Take hostages, drop some Laughing Gas, kill some ransoms, the works.

Unfortunately, the Spirits of Gotham who had fallen by his hands were Not Happy, and, in fact, rushed Danny the moment Joker was about to cross his path.

Phantom appeared for but a moment, splitting into duplicates and disappearing with all the bombs, weapons, and Joker. The gas and weapons were all found in solid ice at GCPD with a note to dispose of properly. The henchmen were found tied up in holding cells, having somehow appeared there between one blink and the next.

The Joker was found three days later, his eyes empty like voids and barely responsive to stimuli. Alive, but like his soul had been carved out, thrown into the end of the universe, shredded again, and then placed back in with as much grace as an angry bull in a china shop. He was only alive in the sense that he would eat, breathe, and exist until he finally died, and, much to some parties’ horrors as they would find out later, not even Lazarus Waters would restore the man.

Bruce learns a LOT about Phantom after that, but Jason absolutely beats everyone to Amity just so that he can meet Phantom and ask the ghost to join the Outlaws.

(Arguments break out about who gets Phantom on their team, and Danny, amused by the Bats’ antics, gracefully bows out. He claims that he only intervened because the Ghosts of Gotham warned him that the Joker would harm one of his haunt - Amity - and that he would help in a world-ending scenario, but he had his hands otherwise full with his personal life and the ghosts in Amity)

Danny keeps on meeting Brucie Wayne at Galas when he goes to keep Sam company. He hates the man. There is no adoption, no adoption jokes, he never meets Batman. Give me Danny Fenton and his unending beef with Brucie Wayne. Bruce finds this absolutely hilarious. This feisty 14 year old is incredibly fun to antagonize.

[nhlclover]

STAY AWAY FROM JULIET! JACK DRURY

pairing: brind'amour!daughter!reader x jack drury

summary: caught between your love for jack and your father's strict rules about dating players, you find yourself navigating the thrill and weight of a secret romance.

warnings: secret relationship, forbidden relationship, reader is coaches daughter + teammates sister, pretending that skylar isn't with the ahl team in chicago and is on the roster.

wc: 3.80k

notes: jack drury fic! i don't know a ton about him off the ice so i hope this is good. thank u to the anon who requested!

As everyone knows, the last thing you ever want to do is cross Rod Brind’Amour—a fact you understand all too well as his daughter. That’s why it’s a surprise, even to you, that you ended up in a relationship with Jack Drury, one of his players, breaking the strict ‘no fraternizing with the team’ rule he’d always imposed on you. You would feel bad for disobeying your father if it weren’t for the fact that you were head over heels for Jack.

Keeping the relationship under wraps wasn’t easy, but you both agreed it was for the best. The risk of your dad finding out — and the reaction that you knew would result from that — was enough to keep you both cautious. Growing up, you'd heard countless stories from your dad’s former teammates and players about his fierce dedication and unwavering standards. Those standards extended beyond the ice, especially when it came to you and Skylar.

It wasn’t that Jack wasn’t good enough. Far from it. He was everything your dad would probably want for you—loyal, kind, respectful, with a work ethic that rivaled your father’s own. But the idea of dating someone on the team went against every guideline Rod had set, a boundary he made clear for you and Skylar growing up.

Despite the careful hiding, sneaking around brought a thrill you hadn’t expected. Late-night meet-ups after practice, stolen kisses in hidden corridors, and text messages that had to be deleted as soon as you read them were all part of the secret that bound you and Jack even closer. And, to your surprise, you found that these stolen moments made you fall for him even more.

At first, sneaking around with Jack felt almost like a game. You both laughed about the lengths you’d go to keep everything hidden—timing phone calls to avoid your dad, coordinating schedules so you could “bump into each other” outside the rink without raising suspicion, and finding creative ways to communicate without leaving a digital trail. Every stolen glance or quick touch that no one else noticed made your heart race. The secrecy added an exhilarating spark, something just for the two of you that no one else could touch.

You joked with Jack about the lengths you went to: how you’d pretend not to notice each other at team events, how he’d throw you a subtle wink from across a room when no one else was looking, and how you’d meet up in empty stairwells of the Lenovo Centre. Jack always kept things light-hearted, his playful grin reassuring you that as long as you were together, it would be worth the risk.

But as the months passed, the thrill started to wear thin, replaced by a longing for something simpler. The constant need to look over your shoulder or keep your voice low when you talked about him to your friends began to feel more like a weight. You’d catch yourself daydreaming about what it would be like to hold his hand in public or just have him over for dinner without the worry of your dad or brother finding out.

And it wasn’t just the sneaking around that was exhausting; it was how much you missed out on. When the team had get-togethers, you couldn’t be by his side, even though you wanted to support him. Sometimes, he’d mention a charity event or team dinner, and you’d have to laugh it off, pretending it didn’t sting that you couldn’t be there openly. As his career milestones came and went, you wanted to celebrate with him, to be the one cheering the loudest. Instead, you found yourself watching from afar, silently, wishing things could be different.

And now not only was the hiding becoming a weight between you and Jack, it was getting harder and harder to manage, and the cracks began to show. You could feel the pressure building, the constant vigilance required to keep everything under wraps growing harder to manage.

There were moments when the secrecy felt like it was taking more than it was giving. Every time you saw Jack after practice, there was a part of you that wanted to shout your feelings from the rooftops. But, instead, you shared a fleeting smile or a brief touch, both of you hyper-aware of every passing moment. Whenever you were at the rink and you’d run into your dad, your stomach would twist in knots, and you’d pray that he wouldn’t catch sight of Jack or—worse—make the connection. The thought of your father, who had built his career on discipline and loyalty, discovering that you were breaking one of his cardinal rules, made your heart race with a mixture of dread and guilt.

But it wasn’t just your dad that made the situation complicated. It was Skylar. Your brother, who had always been protective of you, was starting to catch on to your avoidance. The way you always seemed to have an excuse to leave early when he invited you to hang out, the way you deflected questions about who you were spending time with outside of work — Skylar had always been perceptive, and he was no fool. You could see it in his eyes. He’d give you those knowing glances whenever you seemed a little too distracted, or when your phone would buzz with a text message from Jack and you’d panic, quickly pocketing it before he saw.

The strain was becoming too much, and you were growing worried that it wouldn’t be long before one of them, probably Skylar, would piece it together. Every time you met Jack in a secluded corner of the rink or snuck away for a quick coffee, there was a part of you that dreaded being caught. If your dad or brother saw you and Jack together, even for a moment, all your carefully constructed walls would come crashing down.

One night, with your dad out for a dinner meeting with Eric Tulsky and a few of the Hurricanes’ execs, you’d invited Jack over, excited to finally let him into your world a little deeper. You’d barely gotten him through the door before you were wrapped around each other, muffling laughter and eager whispers as you stumbled up the stairs to your bedroom. For once, he was in your space—somewhere that felt like an extension of yourself, familiar and intimate. Jack looked around, taking in the room he’d only heard about: the bulletin board crowded with photos, ticket stubs, and other keepsakes; shelves overflowing with books and childhood mementos; the whole room exuding a soft, cozy warmth.

As he wandered, his fingers traced along your cluttered desk, a slight smile on his lips as he absorbed the details. Then, his gaze landed on a photo pinned to the board, and he plucked it down before you could stop him. “Oh my gosh,” he teased, grinning as he held it up to inspect. “You with glasses, pigtails, and… are those sequins on your jeans?”

You rolled your eyes, laughing as you tried to grab the picture back. “It was a phase. And, anyway, I don’t think Mr. ‘neon-green frosted tips for the playoffs’ has any room to talk about style choices.”

He gasped, mock-offended, holding the photo just out of reach. “Hey, that was iconic. This, on the other hand…” He squinted at it, chuckling. “I need to know how many days you rocked the bedazzled denim look.”

With a smirk, you stepped closer, sliding your hands up his chest, pinning him with a look that was half-daring, half-teasing. “Do you really want to spend tonight making fun of my middle school fashion choices? Or… maybe we could get back to what we’re really here for?”

Jack’s laughter faded, replaced by that familiar, mischievous glint. He leaned down, voice softer, warmer. “Alright, you win,” he murmured, his hands settling around your waist. “You’re way more distracting than a photo ever could be.” With a gentle smile, he placed the photo back on the board and turned fully to you, and as he drew you in.

Your hands drifted to his shoulders, his fingers trailing up your sides, leaving little goosebumps in their wake. You pulled Jack to your bed, easing him back onto the plush comforter, propping one leg on either side of his hips. Jack’s lips brushed softly along your neck, and you tangled your fingers in his hair, feeling the closeness of him, the quiet thrill of sneaking him into your space. His hands traced under the hem of your top, tugging it up, and you broke apart just long enough to pull off your shirts, casting them aside as you reconnected in a kiss that deepened, stealing your breath.

You were so wrapped up in him, so blissfully unaware, that the sudden slam of a car door outside might as well have been thunder. You jolted, pulling away, and Jack’s lips left a small, bewildered whimper at the abrupt loss of contact. “Did you hear that?” you whispered, heart racing.

“Hear what?” he asked, clearly not wanting to hear anything but the steady hum of the moment between you.

You slipped off his lap, crept to the window, and pulled the curtain back just enough to peek through. There it was — your dad’s SUV parked once again in the driveway. Panic clawed at your stomach as you hissed, “Shit!”

Jack’s face went pale as the sound of keys jingling met your ears from downstairs. His expression mirrored yours — frozen panic — as he took in the narrow confines of your room, seeming to realize in real time that hiding nearly six feet of hockey player was no small feat.

“Closet,” you whispered sharply, tugging him in that direction. He stifled a laugh, squeezing himself into the cramped space, giving you a look that was somewhere between grateful and bewildered as you shut the doors.

You dashed back to the bed, frantically tugging your shirt back on and running a hand through your hair, grabbing your phone and slipping on your headphones. You quickly ran back to the closet, cracking open the doors. “Stay quiet,” you said. “Don’t come out until I come and get you and the coast is all clear.”

Just as you returned to the bed and threw the blanket over your legs, the door creaked open, and there was your dad, standing in the doorway, one eyebrow raised, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Hey,” he said, pausing, taking in the sight of you with the unmistakable air of someone who knew more than he was letting on. “Who were you talking to?”

You gave him what you hoped was an effortlessly casual smile, lifting your phone to show you were on a call. “Oh, just a friend from school. She’s, uh, going through some stuff, so I’m keeping her company on the phone,” you replied, praying he couldn’t hear your pulse thundering in your chest.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it entirely but also not wanting to pry too deeply. “Right, okay,” he said slowly. “Well, I’ll let you get back to it. But maybe keep it down, alright?”

You nodded, trying to look as unaffected as possible. “Will do,” you said with a small, too-casual smile, watching as he lingered for one last beat before closing the door.

As soon as you heard his footsteps fade down the hallway, you practically collapsed back onto the bed in relief. After a beat, the closet door creaked open, and Jack stepped out, eyes wide and lips pressed tightly together as he tried not to laugh.

“Oh my god,” he whispered, still grinning, “I thought I was going to get caught.”

You clapped a hand over your mouth, half-relieved, half-ready to burst into laughter at the situation. "I thought we were both done for," you muttered, letting out a soft, breathy laugh as Jack joined you on the bed. He flopped onto his back, staring at the ceiling, eyes still gleaming with barely restrained laughter.

Jack propped himself up on one elbow, glancing over at you. "You know, one day, we’re going to have to tell people. I mean, if I got caught hiding in your closet tonight, I don’t think I could ever live it down." He chuckled, but his words held a trace of seriousness, hinting at the future you both knew was looming.

You sighed, the humor fading a bit as reality set back in. "I know," you admitted quietly. "I just… I worry about how my dad and Skylar will react. I mean, they know you as a player, as a teammate. But as… as the guy I’m with?" You trailed off, unsure of how to put your feelings into words.

Jack reached over, tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear, his expression softening. “They know me as the guy who’s dedicated to the team, who works hard. And I’d be dedicated to you, too. That’s all they need to know. Besides…” He smirked a little, trying to lighten the moment. “Skylar and I have been in a locker room together more than enough. He probably knows more about me than he ever wanted to.”

You laughed, shaking your head. "You don’t know my dad like I do. He’s seen me as his little girl for so long. And Skylar, well… he’s overprotective." You glanced down, picking at the blanket as the weight of their potential reactions settled on you. "I just don’t want them to think… I don’t know, that we’re crossing some sort of line."

“What? Rod would never overreact to anything!” Jack said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. You give him a shove but recognize that Jack would likely know exactly how your dad would react to finding out about the two of you.

Jack let out a small, sympathetic smile, and his fingers found yours, intertwining gently as he looked into your eyes. "Hey," he said softly, "no matter how it goes, I’m here. Even if Rod loses his mind or Skylar thinks he needs to 'protect' you from me — I'm not going anywhere." His voice was steady, his eyes holding a quiet confidence that made you feel both reassured and grounded.

You squeezed his hand, feeling your heart swell at his words. “You really mean that?”

“Absolutely,” he replied, his eyes steady and sincere. “I want them to know that you’re safe with me, that I’d do anything to make you happy. They deserve that reassurance, and I want to give it to them.” He paused, a playful glint returning to his gaze. “But maybe not when I’m sneaking out of your closet at two in the morning.”

You both burst out laughing again, the tension breaking as the comfort of the moment settled around you. Pulling Jack close, you rested your head on his shoulder, a sense of peace washing over you.

“One day” you murmured, almost to yourself. “But not tonight.”

Jack nodded, wrapping his arms around you in a gentle squeeze. “Whenever you’re ready. I’ll be here.”

As the days went on, though, the secrecy only grew harder. You’d thought you could keep your relationship under wraps with a bit of careful planning and a few white lies, but you hadn’t anticipated how deeply you’d crave being able to share your life with Jack openly. Every time you’d pass him in the halls of the Lenovo Centre having to pass by him like you didn’t know him as anyone more than one of your dad's players. Or every quick squeeze of his hand when no one was looking. It was beginning to feel like a delicate balancing act — one slip, and it would all come tumbling down.

Your dad had started to notice your little “disappearances,” the times you’d claim to be studying with friends or heading out to run an errand but were actually meeting Jack. And Skylar, perceptive as ever, kept teasing you, asking if your newfound happiness was because the Canes were doing so well or if someone was responsible for it. You’d brush it off with a laugh, but deep down, you knew it couldn’t go on like this.

So when Jack suggested a simple date — just the two of you at a small, out-of-the-way restaurant for dinner — you felt a rush of relief. No sneaking, no hiding in closets, just a normal evening where you could enjoy each other’s company without the pressure of prying eyes. The restaurant was quiet, candlelit, and tucked away, and for once, you almost allowed yourself to believe you were truly alone.

The two of you slipped into comfortable conversation, laughing over the menu as Jack exaggerated his disgust at any mention of seafood, and you felt that familiar warmth, that thrilling ease that made you wish every night could be like this. But as you raised your glass for another sip, you noticed Jack’s gaze shift from your face, over your shoulder, to somewhere behind you, his smile suddenly faltering.

Before you could turn around, Jack’s hand took yours that was resting on the table, giving a gentle squeeze, trying to soothe you as he leaned in and whispered, “Don’t freak out, okay? But I think… your dad and Skylar just walked in.”

Your heart plummeted, eyes wide as your head whipped around to confirm Jack’s words. Sure enough, there they were, standing with some friends of your family. They scanned the room, not seeming to have noticed you yet, but your carefully secret relationship was now hanging in the balance.

You quickly turned back to Jack, lifting your menu as if it could shield you from view, heart hammering in your chest. “Of all the restaurants…” you muttered under your breath, feeling the moment's weight settle heavily.

Jack looked at you with steady, gentle eyes. “Hey, it’s okay. If they see us, we’ll handle it,” he said softly, his thumb brushing soothing circles over the back of your hand. “No more hiding, right?”

You nodded, dropping the menu back to the table, feeling the words sink in and taking comfort in Jack’s reassuring touch. You both kept your heads down, focusing on each other and praying the waiter would come quickly to take your orders. But a few moments later, footsteps approached, and you knew it was too late to keep pretending.

“Hey, you two,” came a familiar voice. You looked up to see your dad and Skylar standing by your table. Your dad’s expression was stoic, with no reaction to the sight of you two showing. Skylar, however, had a shit-eating grin on his face. There was no escaping it now.

With a deep breath, you tightened your hold on Jack’s hand and mustered a smile. “Hi, Dad. Hi, Sky,” you greeted, hoping your voice didn’t sound as nervous as you felt.

Skylar folded his arms, raising an eyebrow as he glanced between you and Jack. “Care to explain?” he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. You glared at your older brother who was clearly finding enjoyment in this.

Jack cleared his throat, sitting up a little straighter. “Sir, I’d… We’ve been seeing each other for a while now, and we didn’t want you to hear about it from someone else. We just… wanted to be careful with how it might look, with the team and all.”

Your dad’s face remained unreadable for a moment, eyes flickering from you to Jack as he processed. You could see the wheels turning in his head, and you held your breath, waiting for some sign of his reaction. Finally, he sighed, his expression softening slightly as he looked back at you.

“As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters,” he said, his tone calm but sincere. “It’s important that you’re with someone who respects you — someone who’s going to be good to you.”

A wave of relief washed over you, and you felt your shoulders relax as you smiled. “Thank you, Dad.”

You turned to look at Skylar who was now eyeing Jack, suddenly serious. Finally, he huffed, breaking the silence. “Alright, alright… I know Jack’s a good guy. But you know I’ll kick his ass if he ever does anything to hurt you, right?” He shot Jack a warning look, though there was a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Jack laughed softly, nodding. “Understood. I’ll make sure you don’t have to.”

A smile broke across your face, and you felt the last of your fears dissolve. “Thank you, both of you,” you said, your voice soft with gratitude. “I just… I don’t want this to affect anything between you guys as teammates or between you guys as coach and player.”

Your dad nodded thoughtfully, glancing at Jack. “We’ll figure it out. Just promise me you’ll be open with us going forward, okay? No more hiding in closets or pretending to study at friends’ houses.”

Your smile dropped, a bright red hue flashing across your cheeks as you remembered shoving Jack into your cramped closet a month ago when your dad suddenly came home. “You knew?”

Your dad raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement breaking through his usually serious demeanor. “I’m your father. Of course, I knew,” he said, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Also, he left his team jacket on your desk chair. It says Drury on the shoulder.”

Skylar snorted, unable to contain his laughter. “The closet? Really?” he teased, shaking his head.

“What did you want me to do? Tell him to jump out the window?” you argued.

Your dad rolled his eyes but softened, his gaze landing on you both with a newfound acceptance. “Just… next time, try a little honesty instead of extreme hiding tactics. I’d rather know than worry about you sneaking around.” His voice was gentle, a tone he rarely used outside of family moments, and it only reassured you that he was really okay with this.

You nodded, feeling more at ease than you had in months. “I promise. No more hiding, Dad.”

Your dad and Skylar exchanged a look, something unspoken but approving passing between them before they glanced back at you. “Alright, we’ll leave you two to your dinner,” your dad said, giving you a warm nod. “But I expect to see him at dinner on Sunday night and be properly introduced to your boyfriend.”

As they walked away, you and Jack exchanged a relieved laugh, your hands still intertwined. Jack lifted your hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss on your knuckles. “Well, that went better than expected,” he murmured, his eyes twinkling with both relief and affection.

You smiled, feeling lighter than ever. “Yeah, I think we’re officially in the clear.”

Jack leaned in, his voice low and teasing. “So, does that mean no more closets?”

You laughed, squeezing his hand. “No more closets,” you agreed.

[coffeegnomee]

For those of those looking for the Minute comment about being inspired by Zam season 3. It's in the "Murder Chicken Machine" vod convo starts 35:00

And it's just shocking how much Minute s5 just exactly Zam s6. Complete with a morality of doing good for the server, not banning his enemies, and making up for his past as an assassin.

And he's so solid in it, so unaffected by JokerZam's berating and trying to prove to him that he is evil deep down.

And that's exactly how Zam is this season, unmoved by comments about him breaking and just kind of sad that everyone is trying to get him to break.

But he also was the Joker who embodies the chaos of the server, the endless violence. Who insisted Minute would break, who insisted that Minute would have to ban him to stop him. Is that not exactly what Zam is facing this season?

MINUTE: "do you want to know why [I never farmed you off the server before this] cause I know, if I do that. If I let myself go there, if I cross that line, if I give into.. whatever you call your anarchy. If I do that, I know I'll never come back" ZAM: "but I want to see what happens when you break that rule, when you go [laughing] I want to see what that does to the sever! That's exactly what I want"

It's just so interesting how much s6 Zam has put himself in the exact same position Minute was in. How much it makes sense for Zam to do that. And yet the role reversal is so perfect it's crazy it hasn't been talked about more. Zam almost distances himself from it because he's not trying to cause peace on all of lifesteal, just trying to control his own bloodlust. But that was also Minute's goal.

And it's so delightful how much of mcrp is just placing yourself in odd situations and seeing how you might react. Zam throwing himself into the Joker, then throwing himself into pacifism. Betraying team awesome, betraying eclipse, joining the wormhole, making an empire, championing unbanning players. Whatever arc Zam goes on he just commits so fully and embraces all consequences of it.

I can't wait for Minute and Zam to yap this season. Please do it at some point. Pleeeasse.

----

also I did NOT give Minute enough credit with rp in the moment but looking back through the vods and watching it back to back and not having to wait days in between 5 voice lines... this man cooks.

[siryouarebeingmocked]

You are absolutely brainrotted on this topic. Please reflect on what you are saying right now. The Democrat voters were so anti-male and racist? VS the party who wants to take away the rights of multiple groups and was screaming about Haitians eating dogs? What about Puerto Rico being a floating garbage island? What about the fact that half the Trump platform is about keeping Mexicans out? And the fact that asylum seekers are synonymous with "illegals" to them? Give your head a shake. If you are even 0.1% outraged at Democrats, I wanna see that smoke for Republicans IOOfold.

Okay, but if Haitians actually were eating dogs, they should absolutely be stopped. Nobody has that right, I'm pretty sure.

Trump has issues with illegal Mexican immigration. And I stress the "illegal" part, because his detractors have spent 9 years and change pretending it doesn't exist, starting from the speech he announced he was running.

If anyone is falsely equating illegal immigrants with asylum seekers, it's the anti-Trump folks, not Trump. Being an illegal immigrant is still a crime, even if you are later granted asylum.

Which is a privilege, not a right.

Also, NO U is not an actual counterargument, and the left and press have lost a lot of their credibility with the public since 2020, and it was pretty low then.

Both parties are not equally bad. It's not obsession with tribalistic bullshit. Both Biden and Kamala were quality candidates. Biden's presidency is going to be looked back on as incredibly underrated.

If he's such a good president, why did he drop out?

Oh, right, he exposed his mental issues in public and embarrassing fashion, after years of the left and Dems denying right-wing criticisms of precisely that.

Most people have no idea about anything he did, because ethe economy was bad" even though it was fucking incredible in context of the world events it took place in.

You mean the lockdowns and other restrictions which were, um, widely supported by the American left and Democrats?

Also, it's funny you bring that up, because the left was initially against Trump closing the borders, then complained he wasn't doing enough to stop COVID, often while they turned a blind eye to BLM breaking those exact same Rules.

Also also, the biggest Trump controversy of his Presidency - sorry, his first Presidency - was the "kids in cages", which started under Obama and continued under Big Joey.

But you wouldn't know it from the media, because the press only really cared under Trump.

Curious!

Anti-male people are usually leftists.

No, they're usually progressive-to-leftist.

Leftism has little to do with being a Democrat. Democrats are center left and probably align with you on 75-90% of issues.

I'm pretty sure I saw a lot of "leftists" who kept insisting everyone should vote -Biden- Harris, because Trump was a racist sexist fascist etc.

Many of them with flags in their pfps.

I'm just asking not to contribute to the radicalization. That's really all. Sanewashing Republicans with "both sides bad" rhetoric, as if both sides are anywhere near equal, only makes everyone dumber. You need to have priorities when you speak.

"I don't like radicalization. Also, all Republicans are insane, and saying you hate both mainstream parties instead of supporting for the Dems is radical."

I'm noticing a lot of pretentious, passive-aggressive sputtering and personal attacks in this paragraph, Mitch.

But not much of an actual argument.

I'm ignoring the others posts, because I shouldn't be typing anyway.

I take it back, make fun of this man, I can't, he chose to block me again, Mitch really needs mental help.

[faraway-sunshine]

We Interrupt This Blog To Show You Something Awesome

Omori has a Lego Ideas set! This awesomeness is brought to you by designer FoodIsScarce.

Under the cut, I'll be showing more images, explaining my thoughts, and give clarifications on how Lego Ideas works for this set. But if you want to skip that, link is here.

Lego Ideas Neighbor's Room and White Space Set Breakdown

To start off, this set has a whopping three components, all of which stand alone.

First, we have Neighbor's room!

The colors are honestly so nice in this mock-up. Lego has a fairly limited palette, but being bright and poppy works really well here.

Compared to the in-game room, it's pretty compact, but that makes sense so it doesn't dominate your shelves. Everything important is there, to outstanding detail. The leaves may ride up higher above the doorframe, but it doesn't break the immersion for me. It all feels like a piece of really nice fanart or even concept art.

The yellow cat is the centerpiece and I am very impressed with it. It isn't as stretched out as the original, though that's affected by the build size, but the shape of the paws, ears and head are spot-on and the face sticker really sells it.

Also, building the set sideways so it's smooth? Genius in my books. Sure, the minifigs won't stick, but all the smooth edges in this make the set stand out from Lego's lineup without seeming like a jarring oddity. Kind of like Omori's world compared to a bunch of other RPGs, really, so it's fitting.

I guess if I have a nitpick it'd be that the leaves are entirely different in vibe due to being all fluffy and rounded instead of the big sharp shapes in the original, but I don't think that's even really a bad thing. Just part of the Lego-ifying process. Also I groan at how I know I will place the cat's eyes wrong. Stickers are the bane of my existence. For Yellow Cat though, I would in theory persist.

Next, we have Mari's picnic blanket!

Gotta be honest, this caught me off guard, even as someone who was keeping track of this project for a while, but this is AWESOME. Colors are nailed, the existing basket and fruit pieces translate so well, and I just want to place all my fave figs on it immediately. I do hope that Mari's square could be subbed out with something with studs to keep her in place, as nothing else seems to be (maybe the basket has a 1 by 2 piece keeping it locked?).

I think it's an excellent choice even if it doesn't appear in either main room because you can plonk it by any other set or the huge pile of loose bricks you haven't gotten around to sorting yet and boom. You've just made a new corner of Headspace!

Last but certainly not least, White Space!

The computer and tissue box I think were really well done. Smooth place also tickles my fancy. I'm not as sold by the suspended light bulb; some white walls that maybe has a claw on the side would have helped sell the room more to me, I think. But it's solid.

And then you get to my favorite part in the room:

Original creator, you have my vote.

What about the minifigs?

This set still has you covered!

In this current iteration it includes six minifigs for your main characters as well as the cat and snake seen in earlier pictures. Everyone except Hero and Mari seem to be those shorter models, which always used to annoy me as a kid cause I couldn't bend the legs, but gets a pass here because remembering that height difference is nice.

The hair is a hot point of contest with the comments and Reddit posts. I'll explain more below, but Lego Ideas has rules about custom molds for new figures, so these were the closest the creator could get. And hey, I think Hero is spot on!

All the outfits and faces are custom prints, which are far easier than custom molds, and I think were done really well! Basil's top might be a bit bright, but otherwise the colors are perfect, and so is all the printing.

I also saw that Mari, Basil and Aubrey all had one extra face, which is rad. Not sure yet if Hero and Kel do too or if it's just the girls (I should assume Omori is just slate-faced as ever).

Just one more note: I love how spoiler-free this set is. You know everything in the first few moments of play. Our community is really bad with spoilers, I admit, so this is perfect for a shelf.

Here's some pics of them in action:

How does Lego Ideas even work? Is my vote worth it?

Short answer: Heck yeah!

Long answer:

Lego Ideas is a really popular program with a lot of new builds all the time, and people put a lot of work into both the models and promoting them just for the off-chance of it becoming a product.

I compiled some questions you might have based on this set specifically, but there's plenty of info yourself if you want to learn more.

How does a set get selected?

Lego Ideas has three intake periods a year for products that get over 10k signatures between the last period and that date. Each intake only has a select few that actually get to that mark; the record number in 2021 according to Wikipedia is 57 in one 2021 intake. It sounds like a lot, but in the site's 10-year run it's had over 135,000 ideas shared, not including a bunch that would have been struck down prior to going live due to breaking rules.

Each set gets 60 days to meet that goal on first launch, then an additional 365 once 100 people have signed on. Getting 1,000 supporters gives you an extra 6 months on top of that, and 5,000 (the halfway mark) another 6 months.

Meeting that 10k mark is non-negotiable for that specific set to receive the expert review through Ideas, though successful ideas that are lower may spark inspiration from their own teams.

Do I need to pledge money?

No! Lego Ideas is not a Kickstarter or crowdfund campaign. Those ask for money as they need a way to produce and distribute the product. Lego handles this on the creator's behalf.

All you need is to make a free Lego account and click the support button. You don't even have to enable email notifications on signup.

Where will I find the set then if it's made?

Anywhere else you find Lego! Even toyshops I go to have a small shelf for Ideas sets. If none of your local retailers have it, it'd be on online storefronts worldwide.

But Omori is a licensed product!

So are most of Lego Ideas' concepts that make it to becoming a set! Out of the 65 sets announced and confirmed for production (or who have already had their run!) just 29 are not tied to an IP.

So Omocat will be involved?

Yes. If the idea gets far enough, Lego would reach out to Omocat and any other copyright holders of Omori to discuss how to proceed. They will also get a say in any tweaks, and likely make a licensing fee off of Lego.

However, due to the Ideas streamline, the set likely won't be sold on Omocat's storefront (and if they are, it'd be because Omocat got a few sets to sell from them; they'll never be exclusive to Omocat's store).

Will the creator get paid?

If it makes it, yes! Lego Ideas people get a 1% cut. It's not much, but for all the work it gets to 10k I think it's earned.

But Omori isn't for kids!

Guess what: Neither are most Ideas! They're packed in black boxes and kept near the architecture and more advanced Technic sets targeted towards adults. Each set also has an age recommendation based both on set difficulty and the IP.

Is Omori even appropriate for Lego as a brand?

Omori is on the list of approved IP for Lego Ideas. This may be reviewed, but I think it will remain appropriate both because the set does not portray any of the concerning content in the game and because of the nature.

Lego says they won't make sets for franchises built around graphic violence, alcohol, or sex. Omori lacks all that. I doubt it would be yanked down based on that.

I don't care about Omori. Why should I support this?

First, why did you make it down here?

And second, look. I get it even as a fan. But if we can get an Omori set even to the review stage, that opens up the door for people to try with all other kinds of indie franchises. Undertale, Oneshot, Stardew Valley, Hollow Knight, whatever you think of!

Lego Ideas is a portal to Lego working with IP that isn't just owned by a mega corporation, and I think that is awesome.

I signed! What else can I do?

Spread the word! Reblog this post, tell your friends about it, repost (with links and credit) to other social media. Every little bit helps on the road to 10k, to catch Lego's attention, or even just to inspire someone else with a set idea they worry is too niche to share.

Cause this isn't just about Omori. It's about supporting the creativity of a dedicated fan who spent a long time working on something clearly inspired by a game held closely. And I am always going to support that.

Thank you for reading this far! If you're a regular, sorry for the break, lol. I will get back to regular posts soon. I just had an exam so am still a bit drained.

LINK IS HERE FOR A SECOND TIME: https://ideas.lego.com/projects/a73aaefc-9bc2-44f8-b106-63d66817fd1a/official_comments#content_nav_tabs

[siriusremusblack]

GUYS- ok I honestly don’t even know lol

I feel like. If people hadn’t stolen Snape’s characteristics and given them to other characters like Sirius, Barty, Regulus, and even James- practically worshipping them for those stolen traits- but then completely dehumanizing and Villainizing Snape, removing those traits or making them seem like they’re just so undeniably wrong. That the marauders fandom could’ve been something so much better.

Snape does not deserve all the hate he gets within that fandom. However, I feel like. If you take away the characterization that belongs to Snape that was given to the others and come up with new characterizations for the Marauders- something original, not based off Snape. We could have a cool adventure story they seem to be wanting??

And I mean. If it’s an adventure story anyways. Why make them good people? That’s lame, overused, boring (at least to me). Keep the marauders as the bad guys. Keep their horrible canon personalities. Explore their bad traits! Don’t make them heroes, don’t make them good people. They’re not.

Maybe they get character development and improve during your story through shared experiences. That’s great! That would be amazing! But don’t right off the bat completely change them- making them basically into ocs.

What I think a lot of people may enjoy is some bad dudes hanging out. Going on adventures, breaking rules, stabbing people in the back, just being total jerks.

They sound horrible when I put it like that? GOOD. How fun would it be too see that? I mean. If adventurers are following the rules, the laws- are they really adventurers? They’re staying within reason. They’re not pushing the limits. They’re just. Normal, boring people that like to travel.

A lot of people like pirates. Pirates break the laws, they go on adventures, they can be real jerks, they can be horrible people- but they’re still well liked.

So, I feel like. If people had stuck to the original characterizations of the characters- explored it a little, made them worse by a lot or a little- focused on them breaking the rules and going on adventures similarly to how pirates do- (very important part here: WITHOUT VILLAINIZING SNAPE) we could’ve gotten a lot better fandom there. Now, I’m not saying everyone apart of that fandom is bad, I’ve met a couple people that were chill that were in that fandom. But, think of how much more interesting the stories could be if we focus on the bad traits of the Marauders.

You can still put random characters with them like Barry and Regulus- but tell us why and how through the stories, because realistically speaking, James would absolutely despise people like Regulus and Barty. Not because of their ideals- but because they’re slytherin.

Bad guys can be extremely interesting too! You don’t need to change the Marauders to make interesting enjoyable stories- it’s ok to like characters with horrible or questionable morals (as long as you don’t agree with them, if you agree with them… ehh.. maybe seek help-? I don’t know-!!)

BUT COME ON. Marauders being total jerks, bad people- but going on adventures. That’s interesting- and Snape? He can be his curious self. Suspicious of their actions. Maybe as he gets older he’d be apart of the law enforcement- who’s looking for the Marauders for their crimes, to make sure justice is served.

Y’all I don’t know- but I find this more interesting than whatever the current marauders stories are.

[illogicalghost]

maybe its the tism but ive always had a hard time grasping the idea of speed limits. like, the culture around driving is that you're expected to drive over the speed limit, but not TOO much, because then you'll get pulled over, but you see people going way too fast all the time and THEY don't get pulled over, and also how are you supposed to figure out HOW much faster you're allowed to go? in some areas you get in trouble for going 1 over, and others you can go 20 over and its fine. and if you drive EXACTLY the speed limit, then YOU'RE being an asshole somehow because you're driving "too slow" even though that's literally the speed that's posted?

idk. i had a real hard time with this when i was first learning to drive, i was really anxious when i first learning too. now ive kinda adopted the "5 over everywhere" rule unless i feel unsafe driving that fast, like if its dark or slippery or something. and still i see people out here driving 70 in 55 zones or like. 90 on a 70 interstate and im like whyyyyy. why do you need to go that fast?? you are going to get yourself and/or others killed like sloooooow dowwwwn

[lucifermorningstxr]

Very little on this Earthly plane made Lucifer truly nervous, but Chloe being alone in the same room as Kinley was certainly one of them. He'd left her with a brush of his hand, but he wished he'd done so much more as he sat with Eve in the observation room as instructed. He had to be consistent in his temperance of his girlfriend to keep her at bay as he focused entirely on the Detective's interaction with that monster. It was ironic how Lucifer saw himself as evil incarnate, yet what Kinley had done was far worse than anything the modern-day Devil would ever even dream of doing, and that scared him even more. Nonetheless, he had promised to sit and stay like a good Devil as the professional handled business. That didn't mean his mind wasn't wildly wondering though, but it meant all he could do was watch.

At first, things seemed to be par for the course, as far as interrogating imprisoned psychopathic priests was concerned. The way Chloe stuck up for Lucifer, in spite of anything in their past, and did so with her whole chest, made him smile from ear to ear. It was almost like something of a visualisation of the conversation they had just had. She was the first human in so long to really acknowledge his divinity in a positive way, and in that moment, he felt less evil that he had in millennia. But the moment Kinley mentioned the prophecy, an already tuned-in Lucifer turned the world around him off completely. He felt straight back into a Devilish mindset, his head tilted slightly to truly take everything in.

Of course, the wackjob Priest knew the Bible front and back. He knew about Adam and Eve well enough to put two and two together, but was he really going to use all of that ancient information to spin some manipulative tale for the Detective? Lucifer felt his heart sink as the realisation that everything they'd just worked on could just as easily go out the window, all because of a vindictive priest. And even though his first instinct was to storm in there and put a stop to it by any means necessary, that wasn't what the Detective had asked for, nor would it redeem him in the eyes of anyone involved. So, despite a giddy Eve stoking his flames beside him, he simply stayed put and clenched his jaw.

'When the devil walks the Earth and finds his first love, evil shall be released.' What bullshit. At least, that's what Lucifer thought to himself. He wanted to believe so badly that he wasn't the monster everyone had painted him out to be, and prophecy or not, he'd be damned as the souls he once ruled if he'd sit idly by and let some bullshit prophecy come to fruition. It didn't matter how ancient, how divine, if his Dad had written the thing himself; Lucifer had free will, and he would contain the evils of the world if it was the last thing he'd ever do.

As the Detective emerged into the hallway, he nearly sprung up from his chair to go greet her. Luckily though, he remembered to lead Eve along, his hand in hers as he did feel a bit of a protective urge over her in the moment too. If Kinley was to be believed whatsoever, he not only had his sights on the two partners, but on Eve as well. Sure he wasn't in love with her anymore, but that didn't mean he didn't care about her at all. Regardless, he'd lead her out into the hallway where the Detective was waiting. Mustering his best attempt at a smile displayed on shaky lips, he resisted every urge to grab her up the second he saw her there.

Instead, he simply asked. "You didn't think we'd be able to behave, did you, Detective?" Always the one to mask trauma with humour, deep down, Lucifer just wanted to break down.

Lucifer was doing everything in his power to demonstrate what he'd said in the garage to Chloe. While he never lied, he also knew the value of his actions, especially to the Detective. He could say things with the fullest honest intent of following through, but he was a man of swift action. He wanted to make it visibly clear to Chloe where he stood while not freezing Eve out completely, either. Again, he didn't hate Eve by any means, but they'd outgrown one another, and he wanted to really make sure things stayed on the up with the Detective. Even the car ride over to the jail was less awkward than it could've been, with the time being filled with the regalia of the partnership's past with Kinley. Leaving out the bit about the poisoning was the silently-agreed-upon best option too, as the pair had already put it past them and were trying to continue to do so with these jailbird meetings, but the detail was trivial vanity when the actual crimes at hand were accounted for. Lucifer even backed the Detective's comment about jail being his punishment, something that even yesterday he'd have let Eve convince him wasn't enough. This was how Earth's rules were. Who says old Devils can't learn new tricks after all?

As Chloe pulled him aside at the prison, he nodded in agreement to her instructions. "You're the boss, Detective!" He'd quip with a mischievous smirk before giving her his most sincere eyes. "I'm here to protect you. Forger the Devil on your shoulder, today I'm just backup. But I will come in if things go haywire. I know you well enough by now to pick up on your cues. Go on, Detective. I'll keep Eve behaved, go do your thing like only you can." He again brushed her hand, smiling with encouragement before stepping back to lead Eve into the observation room. He knew the stakes were high, but he also feared for the Detective being anywhere near that vile excuse for a man, even if this was a legitimate jail. So he'd do as she asked, but the second she needed him, he was ready to act.

[sorryiliketoscreenshot]

[currentlyonstandbi]

[dykedvonte]

I think it’s so ironic that the Pony Express escapes a lot if not all blame in discussion. I can’t even say I am excused from it but it’s just how hard people circle back to the characters alone without considering the environment they were made to be in.

Why would they design a ship where only two of the rooms lock? Not the bathroom? Not the sleeping quarters? We assume that all the companies in the universe are this shallow and careless to their workers but we explicitly know the Pony Express in extra vile. They are fed processed slop pack they can’t even really cook and the ration of those pack is meager at best. They hired and made people with a plethora of conflicting demeanors and beliefs work together on a mission where cohesion is important if not an outright necessity and punish them for not being happy about it. There’s no social protocols, not chain of command other than Captain’s word/choice and the only way to enforce that is with a literal firearm. They don’t allow them to celebrate freely and even took away leisure activities that would make them less stir crazy. They are only allowed a few hours of sleep despite their being no other real responsibilities or work on the ship, no matter the position or its importance. With any crew, with any level of synergy, this was a powder keg waiting for a spark.

I’m not saying characters that made mistakes didn’t make huge ones, but I think part of the horror is that at least for some (this is targeting Jimathan) those mistakes are partly made by a force of the hand. There’s a running theme of lack of choice and being forced into something and the very nature of how The Pony Express expected them to function plays a big part.

[riacte]

how many seconds in eternity?

“Ren,” False says, “how long did you spend in that confession dial?”

Ren waves a dismissive hand. He’s facing away from her and focusing on calibrating the TARDIS. “It’s fine,” he mumbles.

False pauses, her stare growing sharp. “That wasn’t my question. How many years, Ren?” When Ren doesn’t reply, the ugly realisation dawns on her. She grips her multipass until it hurts, fingers slick with sweat. “How many centuries, Ren? How many thousands of years?”

“I’m a Time Lord, m’dude. I’ve lived a thousand years,” is Ren’s bland and unhelpful reply. False scowls and walks up to him. But upon seeing his hunched back and his frazzled hair, greyer than ever, her heart softens. (As it always does.)

“Look at me, Ren.” Her voice is quiet, trembling, but gentle.

Ren stills. After a second of eternity, he turns around. False’s heart lurches. She’s seen the deadness in his eyes before— he looks like that when he thinks about his past companions— but there’s unsettling, untamed madness swirling in the abyss. Because despite his gentlemanly behaviour and niceties and attempts at pacifism, he’s not human. Never is. He’s a Renegade, a Time Lord gone loose. And False instinctively knows: something inside him snapped.

Her hand shakes as she reaches for his cheek. “Your hand’s cold,” he remarks wryly, the dullness in his eyes terrible and unflinching. “You don’t have a pulse.”

False swallows. “Well, yeah. I’m dead.”

“No, you’re not. You’re not dead. You’re right in front of me, and we’re in the TARDIS, speeding off to the end of the universe.” Ren quickens his tone like he’s trying to return to his usual technobabble. “And everything will return to normal, trust me.”

Ren is avoiding the topic. “They made you suffer,” False continues. “They tortured you— a-and I—“

She doesn’t even know where to begin. She’s not good with words like he is. Emotion swells and overwhelms her. She feels sick. She feels motionless. She’s stuck between one heartbeat and another, stuck between this sentence and the next one, stuck between what little Ren tells her now and what he’ll tell her later.

Ren’s eyes never leave her face. His lips part. The words drop calmly. “4.5 billion years.”

And False is perfectly still, the wind knocked out of her. She stares— no, glares at him with disbelief. Disgust, even. She can’t even begin to comprehend the enormity of what he just said. A thousand years, a million years, a billion years, four and a half billion years… these are timescales that a human like her can never understand.

“Why would you do that to yourself?!” False hisses, instantly furious. “I was already dead! You could get out any time you wanted!”

“I needed a bargaining chip!” Ren bursts out. “I couldn’t tell them what they wanted!”

False feels sick. Genuinely sick. “A bargaining chip for my life? Why would you do that?”

When Ren stares at her, she doesn’t just see the current incarnation of him. She sees the past him, the Octagon version of him, grey and shattered and guarded. And oh, he’s gone mad. The Renegade’s actually gone mad. Now he’s not a saviour, or a defender of the Earth, or an upholder of justice. No, this is the Time Lord with all his rules stripped away, raw and untethered— the Time Lord that his victims fear, the Time Lord who burns up suns and stars. All of this for her, a human companion?

In the harsh lines of his face, she simultaneously sees otherworldly cruelty and unbearable softness. Human and inhuman. In front of her is a Time Lord— but still her Time Lord. His Adam’s apple bobs.

“I have a duty of care.”

She wants to hug him, but at the same time she can’t bear to touch him. He must’ve seen the look on her face because he continues with, “I don’t want to lose you, Falsie.” His voice breaks at the affectionate nickname. “I’ve lost everyone else. They’re dead or gone or lost in time or have forgotten me. But I remember everything. I have to remember everything. You’ve known me all my lives. You’ve been there to help me, whether you remember it or not. The missing pieces. My Impossible Girl.”

False gazes at the anguished figure of her best friend. “But I don’t want to lose you, too.” It’s a weak retort, but she can’t really form words right now.

“We’re not going to lose each other,” Ren promises. He straightens his back, and False is suddenly struck by how old he is. Even more so after the lifetime he spent in the dial.

“You better not do anything stupid again,” she says curtly, knowing full well he always will.

Ren fixes her with a stare, but doesn’t say a word. He picks up his screwdriver and moves to another control panel. False is left standing there, her hands nervously fidgeting with her multipass, the one with her name lovingly printed on it.

Oh, God. He’s not even bothering to lie to her.

Doctor Who AU (Rendog centric)

(Vaguely based on Ren’s characters although they do get shuffled around, major character deaths)

The story begins with Time Lord Ren (short for Renegade) and Time Lord Iskall growing up in Kingdomcraftia. They used to be best friends but then something happened and now they’re each other’s arch nemesis but in a homoerotic way. Ren travels in his TARDIS which is usually a vehicle of sorts, for example a camper van or a spaceship.

Fast forward to the incarnation Renbob, who lives a happy hippie life with companions Grian and Impulse. Their goal is to take down Area 77 headed by a mysterious figure named Doc. This takes place next to a town called Falsewell. Renbob feels there’s something about this Doc that is familiar and he theorises Doc knows about him in the future / he’s forgotten about Doc, but Doc never confirms anything. Insert weird and inexplicable Rendoc tension. Grian accidentally takes control of the TARDIS and transports the hippies into an “alpha” version of the world. In the end Ren decides he wants a truce with Doc but Doc is like “nah, can’t do, sorry”. Something blows up, Doc erupts in flames, Ren regenerates and is forcibly transported into the past.

Grimdog is the War Doctor in which he “kills all the Time Lords” and gets really sad about it. He quickly regenerates into Stargazer Ren and finds his way back to Earth, however when he lands, he finds out his companions Grian and Impulse have peacefully passed away of old age and it’s “confirmed in time” that they didn’t do more adventures together. Ren is devastated but is comforted that his hippies lived out full and happy lives.

Stargazer is a cautious incarnation unlike the previous carefree and merry Renbob. Stargazer doesn’t know what he wants but he feels compelled to follow his fate, whatever that means. At first, he considers himself a “loser” and ambivalently travels through time and space, then he stumbles into Martyn, a knight from the medieval times who turns his life upside down. Stargazer is charmed by Martyn’s wit and takes him to places, and Martyn dramatically declares he will follow Ren because “he showed him life”. Slowly, they change each other for the better.

Doc (or a younger version of him) makes a reappearance. Ren is surprised but Doc acts like he's known him for a long time. Doc doesn’t seem to know what happened at Area 77 so Ren assumes it’s some time travelling shenanigans. Ren has always wanted to befriend Doc and feels a strange kind of fondness for him, so while he’s confused about this Doc, he doesn’t question it or tell Doc about his future. Ren and Doc start to meet out of sync.

Stargazer receives a mysterious message that "you are never alone". This turns out to be a reference to Iskall, who survived Grimdog "destroying" Kingdomcraftia. Iskall can also regenerate and is currently in his "Pacific" incarnation. Ren and Martyn complain "Pacific" is not an adjective. Martyn is jealous of Iskall and his strange codependent bond with Ren. Iskall tries to destroy the world or something but is stopped, and then escapes. Iskall and his future incarnations continue to meet Ren and his future incarnations.

Their happy time is cut short at the Red Winter incident in which Martyn stares into a Time Vortex and becomes the Red Winter entity to save Ren. Martyn influences the universe by repeatedly posting the words “Red Winter is Coming” to make sure him and Ren end up at the right place for their timeline to work. Stargazer kisses Martyn to extract the Time Vortex energy and save him. Ren begs Martyn to behead him with an axe, and a pained Martyn agrees. Ren becomes the other half of the Red Winter entity and regenerates into the Red King. Ren subconsciously chose the form of RK because he thought Martyn might like a king better.

RK and Martyn have a jolly time travelling the universe until the Battle of Dogwarts in which Martyn is transported into a parallel universe and can’t come back. This shatters RK and has a major impact on him. A grieving RK eventually picks up Bdubs as a companion and it sort of feels like a rebound at first but they form their own dynamic. RK also finds a companion in Cleo (“I just want a mate.” “You want TO MATE?” “Oi, watch it zombie girl!” “Oi, watch it space dog!”). Eventually bad things happen, Martyn comes back through a rip in the universe, the gang is about to die, the world is going to end, etc. Cleo touches RK’s fallen crown and triggers a meta-crisis, becoming part Time Lord and creating the Meta-crisis RK who is a human clone of RK. They save the world but RK erases Cleo’s memory to save her. RK gifts the clone RK to Martyn before they are separated forever (again). Funnily enough, Martyn’s RK has traits absorbed from Cleo. Bdubs decides to stop travelling with Ren but remains in touch with him.

(Human RK and Martyn eventually become pirates together and live out a life as captain and lieutenant.)

RK fucks around for a bit and ponders on his mortality. In the end, before he regenerates, he visits past Martyn one last time and promises his loyal Hand that he will have a fantastic year. RK is unwilling to let go of his crown and tearfully declares “I don’t want to go!”.

RK regenerates into Knight Ren, who is the Last Life/ Double Life version of Ren. In some ways this is a response to King Ren and his failure to protect his friends. If he can’t be a leader, maybe he can serve a leader. He picks up companions Lizzie and BigB. Lizzie also has a partner (Joel). When Ren initially meets BigB, he is confused by the soulbound connection they share (in which they feel the same things), so they decide to find out what happened. They have fun adventures together, Doc and Iskall swing by sometimes, then tragedy strikes.

Joel gets touched by a Weeping Angel and is sent back in time and dies. Lizzie decides to follow him back, so Ren loses both of them at the same time. Ren and BigB cling onto one another. Ren gets paranoid that his enemies want BigB due to their miraculous connection and his TARDIS transforms into a protective fortress called "The Box". Unfortunately, Ren and BigB still face a crisis. Ren is unwilling to lose BigB and realises BigB is his soulbound because he made it that way to save him. They are stuck in a paradox. With no other choice, Ren links BigB to him, erases BigB's memory, and sends him back in time so the past Ren will meet the soulbound version of BigB. Ren understands the only life he can live with BigB is the time the paradox allows and he can never change it.

A freak accident causes Knight Ren to regenerate into Octagon Ren, who is constantly on high alert and suspects the world is not what it seems like. Octagon Ren was "supposed" to follow Stargazer Ren, but Stargazer did a detour and regenerated into RK for Martyn's sake and subsequently Knight Ren. Octagon Ren has a prosthetic arm and leg. This is where the arc with Doc unfolds. It turns out they're married and both time travellers meeting out of sync. Octagon Ren finally meets Doc for the first time on Doc's side. Ren remembers he first met Doc on his side back at A77, and understands Doc tried to keep it from him because A77 is a fixed point in time. A77 is necessary for Ren to be sent back into the past and set his life into motion. Doc doesn't know he'll die at A77 but Ren does. Angst ensures. Insert Hermatrix technobabble. Octagon Ren and Doc spend one last night together before Doc does his duty of returning to A77 to act as the "villain". He thinks he'll be back, but Ren knows this is the last time he'll ever see him.

Octagon Ren, exhausted and burdened by his various losses, stumbles into False. Slowly, he remembers False (or versions of her) always seem to be around. Falsewell had a mayor, the tourney in which RK won his crown also had a False. In fact, every incarnation of his has met False in some way. Ren recalls feeling "a missing piece" when he hasn't met False yet, and it's not the same when the character she plays isn't close by. False is The Impossible Girl and this drives Ren mad.

Octagon Ren regenerates into Gigacorp Ren with False as his witness. Gigacorp Ren is the oldest of all incarnations, both physically and emotionally. He has greying hair and is more mellow than Octagon Ren. Gigacorp Ren greatly trusts False and gives her a multipass (key) to his TARDIS, so everything he owns is also hers. Ren eventually begs False to escape in his TARDIS with the multipass to save her at the cost of his life, which she refuses to do so but he forces her anyway. False travels to the end of Ren's timeline to interfere with it and hence save him, but gets shattered into many versions of herself across Ren's timeline to make up for her damage. This is why Ren feels a strong sense of familiarity — the various Falses he encounters are part of his timeline and hence his fate.

At the cost of fixing Ren's timeline, False's death becomes a fixed point in time. Ren promises he'll do anything to save her, even spending years locked in his personal hell with an immortal killing snail for her. Ren vows to fight off the "Reapers" sent to kill False as much as he can. He brings her to the end of the universe to save her, but that doesn't work. He decides to erase False's memory, but she erases his memory of her instead to spare him the anguish.

Ren, alone in his TARDIS, wakes up. The only thing in his hand is a multipass, which is weird because Ren's own TARDIS key doesn't look like this. He thinks there should be a name written on it, but for the life of him he can't remember who it is. Who did he travel with, and who returned this to him?