#Jester never stops making me laugh i love her so much

[nooling]

"I can normally handle it but like, I just feel like somebody here is just singing constantly"

Sound on for the song I spent minutes and minutes of my life creating plz

Once again, not caught up on Critical role 3 but once again, heard about Laura's characters interacting and ONCE AGAIN had to do something stupid for it.

[askinkiskarma]

Cruel Summer | Chapter V: Oceans and Engines (end)

Pairings: Neteyam x (f)Human!Reader

Word Count: 8k words

Warnings/notes: angst, allusions to/mentions of smut, some fluff, all the feels, 18+ minors DNI

Synopsis: "The culmination of love is grief, and yet we love despite the inevitable. We open our hearts to it. ... To grieve deeply is to have loved fully. Open your heart to the world as you opened it to me, and you will find every reason to keep living in it."

A/N: Please read this before you read the final chapter x

Also, please listen to the playlist, and Oceans and Engines as you read, as I feel it will really enhance the experience.

I will leave my notes at the end of the chapter. Ily besties, enjoy!

: ̗̀➛ listen to the Cruel Summer playlist here : ̗̀➛ masterlist (x) : ̗̀➛ series masterlist (x)

Saturday sunset

We're lying on my bed with five hours to go

Fingers entwined and so were our minds

Cryin', "I don't want you to go"

Neteyam was disorientated and lost, more so than he's ever been in his life, a life that felt like quicksand, swallowing him whole with every involuntary move, that didn't allow him to escape until it suffocated him, until it snuffed the light completely out of his body, until there was nothing left. Still, in this state, his only thought of you, and of the necessity to find you, to talk to you, of the hope that you'd talk him out of it.

He eventually found you on the beach, staring into the distance, back turned away from him, and his heartbreak hurt, its edges bleeding and broken, reeling at the unfairness of the universe, at the thought of having to tell you, once again, that he’s abandoning you for someone else, for a sense of duty he didn’t seem to be able to overcome.

“Vol…” 

Your soft sniffles took Neteyam by surprise, as did your face, littered in tears, eyes, nose and cheeks red and swollen. Neteyam exhaled, a sharp tug of pain tugging at his insides, and he sat next to you, unable to look at your face without breaking down, so he just looked at the ocean. 

“You heard.” 

He saw you nodding in his periphery. 

“Yeah… your mother, uhm… she was talking about it when I went to check on Kiri.” 

“Vol, I…” 

“Hey… stop.” You turned to face him, your knees pressing hard against his thighs, and you reached out to his face and turned it so he was looking at you. You brushed the tears that were falling over his lips and they trembled slightly as you did. 

“I think it’s my turn to talk.” 

You took a deep breath in. 

“All my life, I felt alone. I watched from the outside looking in at a life I could never have. I watched kids, my age, blue and so much taller than me, laughing and running and playing, not for one second having to doubt their place in the world, the meaning of their lives, because it was clear as day, from the moment they were born. I watched as you guys had a loving family, and two parents who were crazy about you, and so much love filled your tent and your faces, I was always jealous. I know you know this, but my mother never wanted me. She always resented me for not being able to return back home, for being too pregnant to allow for the cryo technology needed to make it back it Earth. Seven years I knew her, and seven years were enough for her to give me enough trauma to never fully recover from it, trauma I’ve yet to outgrow. So I was jealous. I wanted so badly to be part of your family, and of your world. I hated myself, and my body, and my parents, and every little happenstance that it took for me to be here, in this place, as I am, useless and weak.

But then, one day, this boy, he changed everything. He gave me a home, in his eyes, and his arms, in his mind and his laugh. And I’ve never been the same since. We grew up together and learnt to brave life together. I was his confidant, and his court jester. He was my biggest cheerleader, and my bodyguard. We were each other’s brother and sister, and later, we were each other’s comfort and love. I found myself in him, and I learnt my beauty looking at it through his eyes. I discovered my worth in the way he looked at me like stars were born from the freckles of my skin. And I hope I did the same to him. Neteyam, you saved my life. You gave me a sense of belonging, and a home. You gave me love, and friendship, and the chance to be myself and loved unconditionally for it. And I’ll never be able to thank you for it. 

All my life, I have been selfish. I got to watch as you had to struggle with big sacrifices that you were forced to make, and got to be angry at you for making them, without really thinking about it too much. I got to always be the victim, and made you the villain, because it’s easier this way. I got to be mad at you and think of myself so much of my life. And you had to live with the knowledge that you broke my heart, and deal with that guilt on top of everything else you were going through. And… I’m sorry.” 

Your voice cracked as he tightly shut his eyes and put his head in his hands, sobbing silently, finally able to let it all out, after all these years, after so long of keeping it all in. 

You wiped away tears

But not fears under the still and clear indigo

You said, "Baby, don't cry, we'll be fine

You're the one thing I swear I can't outgrow"

“It’s my turn, now.” You tried to crack a smile. “It’s my turn to be the bad guy. It’s my turn to break your heart. It’s my turn to be selfless, for once in my life. So I’m leaving, Neteyam. I think it’s time for me to go.” 

“What?” 

“We tried." the smile faltered as you said those words, as your voice broke, replaced by glistening eyes and a poorly masked grimace.

"We gave it our all, didn’t we? It’s the best that we could do, the best anyone can do, is give it their best. We did that. And I was so afraid yesterday, afraid of the fall, and while the fall is here, I’m not afraid anymore. Because I got to love you. At last once, I got to know that you loved me too, and that all these years, everything we shared, despite what we told each other, it was real, and it was love. I got almost two years with the man of my dreams, the love of my life, and I’m grateful for it. I got to know what it was like to be in love and have it reciprocated, what it was like to belong to someone, fully, wholly, and… what better way is there to live? 

You know, it always felt like we were running on borrowed time, you and me. And it turns out we were. And while our time is up, I still got a lifetime of memories that I’ll always carry with me, that I’ll always cherish.”

He sobbed and you cried silent tears, as he wrapped his arms around you and hugged you, and you felt his whole body shake as he cried, and you let him, and you prayed you could be strong enough to withhold his pain and your own. With your head buried in his chest, you stood there, crying together, slowly coming to terms with the love you lost, and the future you’d never get, and the past that made the pain unbearable, and the body you’d never get to hold again. He was everything you’ve ever wanted, everything you kept in dreams and prayers, everything you hoped for and ached for, and you lost him, and he was no longer yours. Was he ever yours to lose? 

“You know, humans believe in this concept of parallel universes. That in this immense universe we are in, there are actually other ones, parallel to our own, in which reality differs. There are infinite realties out there, they say, each of them slightly different to the other. In a different reality, you and I are together right now. In a different reality, I get to stay, and I get to love you forever. In another one, maybe I’m an Avatar, or a Na’vi, and everything we’ve struggled through is moot to begin with. Or maybe, in another one, we’re both human, here at the same time, or back on Earth, and right now we are at our boring 9 to 5 jobs, just daydreaming about seeing each other after work, and bickering about who’s gonna take out the trash. I think things work out for us in every universe but this one, and maybe that’s ok. Maybe we have to suffer for all the other you and mes to get their happy ending, and… I think I’m ok with that.” 

“I just got you back. I just got you back.” 

“I know.”

My mother said the younger me was a pretending prodigy

Well, nothing then, much has changed

'Cause while you're wolfin' down liquor, my soul, it gets sicker

But I'm stickin' to the screenplay, gotta say I'm okay, but answer this, babe

“Come on. We still have today. You’re still mine today, and I’m still yours today. And I want to remember it, this day, not for the worst goodbye of my life, but because it’s one more day I got to love you, the way I wanted to for so long.”

You got up from your spot on the beach and you pressed your palms on his raised knees so that he’d drop them, and he did. You’ve never seen Neteyam like this, this broken before. He looked a lot like you felt, but you knew he had braved too many storms for the two of you and it was your turn. Your turn to be the strong one, to put on the brave face and allow him to mourn, the way you did when he left. He deserved this, and you were happy to do it until you left on that helicopter, as long as you managed to ease his pain at least a little. You positioned yourself with each leg on one side of his thighs, and like this, for the first time ever, you were taller than him, and you did your best to lift his face up with both your hands on either side of his jaw, smiling as your eyes met, trying to ignore how your heart was breaking in a million pieces, how this was the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do, how little time you actually had to look in his eyes anymore and how lost your life would be without his light to guide you through it. You ignored it all and smiled, caressing his face, softening his frown, trailing your soft fingers over his eyes and nose and lips, tugging at the sides until you forced the corners upwards, willing them into his own little smile. You allowed his tears to stain your fingers and you removed your mask and kissed them off his face, as you did his lips, and the rest of his features until you were forced away from him, like you always were when outside, like you would always be from now on.

“Come on, you can’t let me leave without another swim.” 

How is it now that somehow you're a strangеr?

You were mine just yеsterday

I pray the block in my airway dissipates

And instead deters your airplane's way

Later, you laid on his chest, looking at your hands intertwined, his so much bigger than yours, almost engulfing it altogether, taking each one his knuckles and kissing them while your uncovered airways still allowed you to, and you tried your best to forget, at least for a while, that your reality was the tragic one. He did take you swimming again, riding the ilu that you’ve come to like as almost a friend, and you felt a tinge of sadness at another thing you got in one day that you had to let go of tomorrow. He took you to the Tree of Souls, which was forbidden to outsiders, but he didn’t care, not anymore. He wanted you to see it, because in his dreams, he always showed it to you, and in his dreams, you saw it and your guise and manner of expressing yourself brought him so much happiness it always woke him up, and he was glad to know his mind still knew you better than it knew itself, because you reacted exactly the way he’s always imagined, and it did make him so happy that he could cry, that he did cry, once more, tears barely dry from last time.

How was he supposed to let you go? How was he supposed to go ahead with this, when every fibre of his being, every thought of his mind belonged to you, and always will? When he finally found you, when he finally got you, when he knew what happiness really looked like, and how it had always been buried in the depths of your soul, and he just needed to ask for permission to enter it, and now that he had, he didn’t think he could ever leave, and he knew he didn’t ever want to leave. How could life be so cruel, and this summer, the cruelest of them all? 

But heaven denied

Destiny decried

Something beautiful died

Too soon

You took a detour back to the village and stopped on a different beach, isolated and reclusive, full of greenery and sandy beaches, that you decided was now your beach, your own little portion of heaven in the reef, that Neteyam promised would be for just the two of you, for the rest of time, as long as he could help it. He was happy to know he’s once more learnt your body like he used to know it back home, and devastated at how he would never get to put his lessons to good use after today, and from tomorrow, every new scar, and new curve, every new freckle or mole, it would all be unfamiliar to him, never to be seen or learnt again, never his to know again. 

“I figured out what I want.” Neteyam says all of a sudden, and you raise your eyebrows, confused at his words. 

“Hmm?” 

“Our little bet in the water? I beat you to it, and I was supposed to tell you what I wanted and you were supposed to do it.” 

“Ah, yes.” You say, almost impossible to perceive that that was just yesterday, and how it felt like a world away, like a life away. 

“So what do you want, 'teyam?” 

“I want you to promise me you’ll be happy. And you’ll live your life to the fullest, just like you always have when I was there.” 

Your eyes widened and the tears that followed had no time to gather in them as they came and went in a split second, and you were almost surprised you still had tears left to cry. You tried your best to put on a brave face, that you worried came off more like a wince, and you laughed, a fruitless attempt at making light of a dark, dim situation. 

“How can I be happy without you, 'teyam?” It was meant to be a joke. Just a teasing, light joke, but it came out as more of a wail, because while the words were supposed to be said in jest, they were also a genuine concern, a question that has plagued you for months and will continue to, for a very long time.

It was his turn to put a brave face on and a fake smile as he rolled his eyes and pulled you closer. 

“It shouldn’t be that hard, I’m not that great anyway.” 

You laughed too, wishing there was a way to erase the liquids pooling at the bottom of your damp mask. 

“Eh, you’re right. You’re just ok.”

You tightened your arms around his torso, and pulled him as close to you as you could. You both sighed, and tried to keep more tears from falling through. 

“Just try. Please? I need to know you’re going to try, Vol.” 

You nodded reluctantly, feeling as each crack of your heart deepened and chipped away, broken shards floating through your veins, making the ache travel through every inch of your body. 

“Only if you try.” 

But I'm letting go, I'm givin' up the ghost

But don't get me wrong

I'll always love you, that's why

I wrote you this very last song

You woke up in his arms as eclipse was almost over, and whatever was left of your heart sank as the dreaded new day came, and with it, the end of happiness and of life as you came to know it for almost 20 years. He was awake, you realised, as you raised your head to check, hopeless look about him as he looked up at the sky, at the eclipse melting into breaking dawn. You sighed, realising that there was very little to be said, very few words that could make this better, that could ever amend and mend the hurt in your both hearts, the loss of a relationship, a friendship and a future all in one, so you said nothing. You both watched the time ticking with each inch of the planet moving away from the sun, until eventually, the last remnants of the eclipse were just a memory. Like he now was. 

You rose to your feet, finding it hard to put on your clothes and turn around to face him. He half-rose as well, sitting with his arms propped behind him, leaning on them, as he continued to look up at the sky, not bothering to erase the tears falling down his face and chin until they hit his chest. You sat next to him, looking at the beach and at how the waves crashed onto the shores, and tried to focus on the rhythmic sounds they made to calm your racing, bleeding heart. 

“‘teyam… I think it’s time for you to go.” You ignored the way your voice broke as you spoke and you hoped he would, as well. “I think it’s time. I will stay here, on this beach, and I need you to please get up and go.” 

“Vol… I can’t leave you… please…” 

“Yes, you can. You will get up, and you will go, and you will be the selfish one for once. And you will do your duty, which is what you’ve always wanted to do, and you will meet this girl and fall in love with her in time, and watch as she adores you, because how could she not?, and you will be Olo’eyktan, the way you were always meant to be. You will do all these things, because you have to. Because, deep down, you know it’s the right thing to do.” 

You were both crying, sobbing in each other’s arms, trying to find the courage to leave, to finally say goodbye.

“I’m so sorry, Vol.” 

You shook your head. One last time, you took off your mask and kissed him, and you poured it all into the kiss, the goodbye you could never bring yourself to speak out loud, the love you had and now had to leave behind, the dreams and aspirations that were now just specks of sand blown in the wind, you put it all in that last kiss, and felt him do the same. 

“Don’t be sorry. I love you so much. And I forgive you.”

 

“I realised something these past two days. I held on to so much hate and anger because it helped me deal with your loss. But it was haunting, and piercing, my time away from you. The fire that was fuelled by my rage burned cold, like frostbite. But this… is different. Forgiveness is warm. Like a tear on a cheek. Think of that… and of me, when you stand in the rain. I loved you completely, and you loved me the same. That’s all. The rest is confetti.”

“Now go.” 

And so he did, and so you watched his back as it got further and further away from you until he was completely gone, and alone at last, you finally felt free to fall apart. 

I guess this is where we say goodbye

I know I'll be alright

Someday I'll be fine

But just not tonight 

The ceremony was beautiful. She was beautiful. Tall and turquoise skinned, with luscious, long, curly hair and a supple, jewellery-adorned body, she was everything you would never be. Jake insisted that you stayed. You were family, this was a happy time, and you should be here to celebrate. And so you stayed. And you watched as the Tsa���hik symbolically bound their destinies together with a piece of woven thread. You watched as she brought their heads together and made them recite words of promise and forever, looking into each other’s eyes, praying to Eywa for a fruitful mateship and for healthy offsprings. You said your tears were happy tears, just excited tears, when asked by the scientists and the rest of the Sullys, and you felt suddenly sorry for them, that they would never know. That in their midst, the greatest love story they would have ever seen was born and died, and they were ignorant of it. And you were angry at them, and at the world, for it had missed you, and missed him, for it will never know a love like yours, a love that was beyond this life and the next, but you resigned yourself, in the end, in knowing that it was enough that you knew, and that he knew. It was enough. 

After the ceremony, you had to watch as they left, just the two of them, headed towards the Tree of Souls, where you were just a few hours ago, and knowing what they were going to do made you sick, so you excused yourself and ran, as far as you could in the opposite direction, before lunging forwards and expelling all the pain and hurt that was too overbearing to remain contained in your body. You tried to think of anything else, like Tuk, and Kiri and Lo’ak, like Jake and Neytiri, like the beautiful beach and the sea and the animals inhibiting it, but everything came back to him, and the images flashing of him doing what you did last night to her, of his queues intertwined with hers, of having access to the part of him that only you were ever privy to, of the agonising thought that all your life, you were just a trial run for the real deal… it was hurt unlike anything you thought the human body could withstand, and yet you did. Because you promised him. That you would try to move on, and try to be happy. 

“Don’t be a stranger, ok, kid? I know you were upset, and we’re really sorry, but we want you in our lives. Ok?” 

You nodded and hugged Jake, and the rest of the Sullys, knowing you were lying, that you'll never come back here again, but glad to at least get this moment with them, a moment to catch-up and say a proper goodbye, and despite everything, despite it all, you were happy you came. Norm was right. It was good to have closure, it was good to let the people in your life that you love them, and that you’ll miss them, and that life will never be the same without them. You never know where life will take you next, and everything can change at a drop of a hat. But at least you got this. You got to love Neteyam, and hold him. You got to laugh and chat as you always used to do, you got to tell him how much he’s always meant to you and hear how much he’s loved you in return, and you got to ease his pain, at least a little, and despite it all, you were grateful. 

Plungin' into all kinds of diversions

Like blush wine and sonorous soirées

But even with gin and surgin' adrenaline

I see you're all that can intoxicate

The ride home was quiet, or at least it appeared so to you, as you didn't register anything besides the emptiness of your own soul and the overflowing of your thoughts that were trying to understand it all, trying to piece together what they had just witnessed and what they'd have to do to get you through the upcoming days. It was quiet, as was meeting spider again, although you vaguely remember some echoed cries and screams, some pleas of "please make it stop", someone carrying you to your room, and falling asleep in unfamiliar arms, that weren't blue or dotted with stars, that weren't the ones you ached for, the ones you'd never be in again.

The days were slow, and dragging. It was hard to find your footing in this new life. Before Awa’atlu, despite the anger and the pain, there was some hope in your mind, that you’d one day see him again. It was enough to keep you going, even if it was for you to yell at him, to curse him off, to scream about how angry you were and hope that he would apologise and make it up to you. It kept you going, that unlikely scenario, made you push through the hurt and change. But now, you didn’t have that anymore. There was no unresolved issues, no lingering, hidden feelings that could still be confessed, no way for him to one day return and ever be yours in any form ever again. There was nothing there. And that gaping hole left by his absence, by the love that was nested in your body with nowhere to go, with no one to give it to, the hole left by everything he was to you and the life he’s left behind, it was enough to cower you, to knock you down, day after day, enough so that you couldn’t find it in you to get up in the morning. 

Oceans and engines

You're skilled at infringing on great love affairs

'Cause now my heart's home

All I've known is long gone and ten thousand miles away

And I'm not okay

Norm’s subtle knocks were unmistakable - he was always gentle and kind, and always mindful of your disposition. You didn’t answer, but he came in anyway after a while, his hand over his eyes. 

“Is it ok for me to come in?” You sighed and rose from the bed, feet dangling off the side. 

“Yes, Norm. I’m coming to the lab now, sorry for being late.” 

He came in and the door slid closed behind him with a soft thud. He sat next to you on the bed and looked nervously at his fidgety hands. You rose an eyebrow, intrigued as to what could have made him this way. 

“Kid… are you ok? Like… are you truly ok?” 

Your eyes widened imperceptibly at his loaded question, that you knew you could never answer truthfully, that no white lie could ever cover. So you didn’t. 

“Why wouldn’t I be ok?” 

“Because there’s no light in your eyes anymore, kid. Because I look at you and it’s like I’m looking at a ghost. Because you’re scaring the shit out of me and Max.” He sighed, and reached over to take your hand in his and squeezed. 

“We didn’t know. About you and Neteyam, we didn’t know.”

Your gaze snapped at his face, and he looked sad and… almost embarrassed looking back at you. 

“Norm, wh-…? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“You know you can talk to us, right? I know it’s weird to talk to your surrogate uncles, but we’re here for you, kid. And you shouldn’t have to go through something like this alone. I’m sorry you had to sit through the ceremony, we didn’t realise until it was too late.” 

“How?” Your voice was barely above a whisper as you spoke. 

“During. And after. We had to watch the life getting snuffed out of your eyes slowly on the way back home. I’ve never seen anyone look so sad before… maybe except him. It was supposed to be one of the best days of his life, and yet, he’s never looked worse, the poor kid.”

“I’m sorry, kid. How long…?”

“It’s… complicated. I’m sorry I never told you. We both felt it wasn’t something anyone would be comfortable with, and we both know it could never last. It was supposed to be… fuck. I don’t know what it was supposed to be.” 

Norm sighed and put a hand on your shoulder, giving it a sympathetic tug.

But I'm letting go, I'm giving up the ghost

But don't get me wrong, I'll always love you, that's why

I wrote you this very last song

I guess this is where we say goodbye

I know I'll be alright, but just not tonight

"Did I ever tell you about Trudy?" you shook your head. The name sounded familiar, and you're sure you've heard it from Jake or Max, but other than the fact that she was a human that died in the war, you didn't know much else.

"She was... well, I guess she was my Neteyam." tears immediately gathered in your eyes at his statement and the empathy that engulfed you, because, if it was anything like it, then you pitied Norm and wished you could take away some of his pain, just like you wish someone could take away some of yours.

"I loved her, so much. I loved this planet when I came here, but it was a superficial love. I was young, and wanted nothing else than to prove myself, that I'm a good scientist, that I'm a good researcher. I was jealous and bitter of Jake for getting what I thought was my chance at success, at fame. And then I met her, and she was so full of light, and spark. She was brave, and kind. She just wanted to live and laugh and fly her helicopter, and... and do the right thing. Not because it would have brought her money or prizes or acclaim, but because that's just who she was. I thought I knew what love was, what being a good person was, what being happy was, but I didn't, not until I fell in love with her. When she died, I was so lost. I felt like a part of me died with her. I thought I'd never recover, and to a certain extent, I never did. I wish I can tell you that time heals, but in reality, that's not a guarantee. But you want to know something?"

"All her lessons, both meant and inadvertent, everything she meant to me, all the memories we shared, everything is still here. I still carry it with me, and it will always be a part of me. She will always be a part of me, and while that thought scared me in the beginning, while I hoped that time healing meant I would forget, now I know it means embracing the happiness it gave you, all the ways their presence in your life made you a better person. It means knowing that love is real, and it's everything, because you felt it with them, because they shared it with you. It's what makes this life worth living. And pain is just a reminder of how incredible your time together was. Cause in the end, what is grief, if not love persevering?"

Tonight was the first time I stared into seas

Of beguiling sepia two years ago

And the first time I learned real world superpowers lived in three words

They revitalise my fraying bones

•☽────✧˖°˖☆˖°˖✧────☾•

“Happy birthday, Vol.” 

“So, how would rate your 19th birthday compared to your 18th?” 

You thought about it for a while. 

“Well, I can say it’s had a lot less booze, but a lot better sex.” You both laughed while your head was rested on his shoulder, as you watched your favourite season of your favourite show, sprawled in bedsheets, his naked body glimmering in the dark and reflecting in your eyes as you took his beauty in, that you never got accustomed to, no matter how many times you saw it. When the credits rolled in and the music faded, leaving a dark room behind, silent apart from your breaths, that were getting laboured once more as desire built up in your core yet again, you straddled him and watched his face get closer to yours, until your lips met, until his tongue explored your mouth and neck, leaving traces of him on you, until your hands trailed his chest and abdomen, lingering over his abs, until they reached what they were looking for, until he made you scream, over and over, until you let him. 

“You’re a fiend.” 

“I’m a fiend?! What about you?” Neteyam shook his head, and you scoffed and rolled your eyes at what you thought was a preposterous statement. 

“Let’s think about it. Who seduced who the first time? Who was drunk off their ass and asked to fuck, huh?” 

“Who kept getting boners around their best friend until one day she had the guts to do something about it, huh?”

He rolled you off of him with ease and pinned you to the ground, smirking and pushing his hips into your still dripping core. 

“You know why I kept getting boners, Vol? Because I could smell you. I could smell how wet you were around me. Your scent drove me nuts for so long. It still does. You intoxicate me. You drive me fucking crazy, Vol.” 

You said nothing as you looked in his eyes, as your heart fluttered much like the butterflies that were digging their way through your stomach.

“‘teyam…” He shuts you up with kiss, tender and soft, so unlike his words or actions, and you melt into it, and the fear creeps in your chest as you fall for him deeper, as you half-consider just telling him, just coming out with it, because fuck, you loved him and this wasn’t helping. 

“I have something for you. Birthday present.” Suddenly, he got off you, leaving you a breathless mess, and retrieved something from the pile of clothes on the floor. He plopped himself next to you and pulled you close, until you were resting his head on his torso, and you snuggled into him, glancing at the object in his hand curiously.

His words were soft-spoken and quiet, almost bashful, and you noticed his heart picking up speed, thumping loudly in the ear that was pressed tightly against his chest. “I didn’t know what to do for your birthday, considering you’re already blessed with the best gift in the world… my presence in your life, that is…” you snickered sarcastically, and he continued. “…but, every time I go on a mission, I think of you, and your voice that tells me to be safe, and I see your eyes looking back at me as you stitch my wounds afterwards, and I make it a point to grab a pebble at the end of each mission, to give to you. But, for one reason or another, I never did. So here.” He grabbed your hand in his, turning it upwards so your palm was facing the ceiling, and dropped the item in it. 

A necklace. A gorgeous, stunning, impossibly beautiful choker, with tens, if not hundreds of beads and pebbles of different colours and textures woven into it. It looked majestic, fit for a queen, or a Tsa’hik, and you felt tears pool in your eyes at its meaning, at how long he must have been collecting these for, with you in mind, at how long it must have taken to make, at how much it meant to him, and now to you. He took it from you and you held your hair so he could fasten it around your neck. It fit you perfectly, and you smiled up at him, raising an eyebrow. 

“How did you know it was going to fit?” He smiled and your fingers caressed your cheek, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. 

“Let’s just say I’ve had my hand wrapped around your throat enough times to have a pretty good frame of reference.”

You couldn’t help the blush in your cheeks, or the way your reached back for your new gift so you could trace your fingers over it, imprinting the feel of every bead in your mind, thinking of each one and trying to correlate it to a time, or a place, to a hunt or a battle he was part of that you weren’t, but how you were ever-present in his mind. 

“Do you like it?” 

“I love it, ‘teyam. Thank you.” 

“Making this necklace, it was a good reminder that you have been the only constant in my life since I was born. No matter how much my life has changed, how much I changed, you’ve always been there to brave the storm with me. And I love you, Vol. You’re my best friend. Forever.” 

“Forever.” 

•☽────✧˖°˖☆˖°˖✧────☾•

The hurt of the dream lingered as you woke up, as you had to deal with its remnants that were tattooed in your mind, as you had to once more convince yourself that somehow waking up is better than what you just left behind. It wasn’t, it never was. It was hard to find the will to get out of bed when in bed, this was your reality, filled with beautiful memories and hopeful fantasies, whereas out of bed, your reality was filled with war, and fighting, training til everything bled, and the gaping hole of heartbreak. And to top it all off, it’s your birthday today. A day that stopped belonging to you two years ago, and was instead just another bitter reminder of his absence. 

You got up from the bed and showered, finding comfort in the water hitting your skin and untying the knots in your tense muscles. It's taken awhile, weeks for you to mourn, but you have officially started training with Spider and Tarsem again, and you hated to admit it, but it helped. Being outside, in the forest, from dusk til dawn, thinking of nothing else but the ache in your body and the focus on the target, on the next goal, the next milestone, it kept your mind occupied and it allowed you to cope better than you ever expected. It was nice to be around other people, and you felt grateful for each and every one of them, because in truth, you didn't think you could have made it on your own.

When you made your way through the village to join everyone for breakfast, you were greeted with a myriad of screams of happy birthday, from humans, avatars and Na'vi alike, and for the first time in weeks, you felt a tinge of joy in your heart, and a swell of gratitude for the unforeseeable change in attitude from the people of the clan. For the first time in your life, you felt welcomed here, and you didn't know whether it was Tarsem's influence, or the Na'vi having another reminder, now that the Sky People were back, that not all humans are inherently evil, or your strenuous effort to be one of them and join in the battles and the training, but regardless of what it was, it was a gratifying change.

"Birthday girl, come on. We've been dying to give you your present." Max had the biggest smile on his face and an item you couldn't place in his hand.

"Here. Happy birthday, from all of us."

You raised an eyebrow.

"From all of you? That's a big present."

You took the curious contraption in your hands and twirled it around. It was lanky and weird, and it looked old, before your time, and even their time. You noticed as you inspected it that it had an eyepiece that resembled that of a microscope.

"That, kid, is called a stereoscope. Look into it."

You did, and as you put your eyes in the socket, a big picture of... cells came into view. But they weren't cells you've ever seen before.

"What is this?"

"Those, kid... are your cells. Actually, if we are being specific, they are your future Avatar's cells."

The stereoscope fell from your hands and you were happy Spider had catlike reflexes because it looked precious and unique and you didn't want to break it, but God, in that moment, you really couldn't care less.

"What did you say?"

"You know all the things we got from the humans that we didn't know what to do with or what they were? Well, we figured it out, kid. You, Spider and Max are all getting Avatars. And their technology massively improved, too. They're growing like crazy, it shouldn't take more than a year. By next year, you might be able to take it out for a spin."

A year later, as you celebrated yet another birthday, you had to give it to the scientists for being men of their word, as you stood in your new shiny Avatar body, that you've already become used to in the few weeks you've been inhabiting it. The mountain stronghold was filled with laughter and music as the celebration was underway, as people celebrated you and your 21st birthday, a big event back on Earth, apparently. You laughed with the rest of them, drinking and telling stories of this and that, trying not to dwell on the thoughts that were burrowing through layers of your mind, coming to the forefront, unwanted and unannounced. Thoughts of him, of you, thoughts of how this Avatar could have been the answer to all your problems if news of it came even if a few weeks before, how the universe was cruel and mocking, and how none of it mattered, not anymore. You wanted to focus on the positives, and you would. Just not tonight. Tonight, you had one last thing to do.

Now what do you do when your pillar crumbled down

You've lost all solid ground

Both dreams and demons drowned

And this void's all you've found

And doubts light it aglow?

As the celebration died down, in the early hours of the morning, you made your way to a place you loved so much, that you knew you needed to see once more, today, on your birthday. Because this place was his place, that he shared with you a long time ago, that in time became your place, and there was no more appropriate time to visit it one last time than today, on your birthday, exactly 3 years after everything changed between you. It was a long walk, on treacherous paths that you felt uneasy traversing by yourself, but there was no one else to do this with - not outside of him. Eventually, you pushed past thick foliage and greenery and you saw it, and despite how much time it’s passed, it still felt like the wind was knocked from your lungs with enough force to make you fall to the ground. It’s like no time passed at all. It still felt like he never left. To this day, his ghost haunted you, his memory continuous and unperturbed in your mind. 

Eventually, you pushed back and sat on the edge of the cliff, like you did the first time he brought you here, and looked at the endless beauty of the vast drop and the roar of the waterfall as it fell and hit the river underneath. 

You couldn’t even remember all the times you have been here, both of you looking ahead at the view, laughing and talking with no cares in the world, just happy to be in each other’s presence, happy to feel safe and understood, and have someone to complain to, someone to share your deepest secrets and fears with no judgement. All the times he’s watched you cry, or made you cum, too many to count, too many to forget. 

I have so many questions

But I'm pouring them into the ocean

And I'm starting up my engine

You would have given anything for him to be here as you were now, tall and blue and supple, to be able to share this moment with him, to be able to kiss him in this place you both loved, that carried so much of you, of him, to be able to know one day you’ll bring your children here, that you’ll be able to watch it pass by from the back of an ikran as you went on a family trip. You wondered if he would have found you beautiful like this, if he would even recognise you. You barely recognised yourself these days, both like this and going back to your human body, your real body, that changed as you spent more time in the neurolink, learning to be Na’vi, building up the strength in the only body that now seemed to count. You wondered if he would be excited with you, or if he’d miss your normal body. You wondered if he’d just forget about your body altogether and focus only on the blue one you were currently inhabiting. 

You wondered if he was happy. If he was getting along with his new mate, if she’s nice to him, if she knows how to mend his wounds and that he’s allergic to some of the plants a Tsa’hik uses for healing ointments. You wondered if he’s suffering as much as you are, even after all this time, or if he’s moved on, like he should, like you should. There were so many questions, that will forever remain unanswered, but that’s why you were here. You were here to look at this place one last time, to throw all the unsolved mysteries of life, and love, of the past and future away, away in the river, so they can float away into the ocean and be lost in the abyss, and allow you to finally move on.

You reached your hand in the pouch you had tightened on your chest, and pulled out a necklace, the necklace, that meant too much to you, and you looked at it, tracing your fingers over every one of the many pebbles embellishing it, reminiscing about the stories you made up in your head about each one, remembering each memory Neteyam told you they were about, watching as tears bounced off of them as the world became blurry around you, until eclipse slowly faded away from view and day took its place. You stood there for hours, thinking, crying, trying to build up the courage to do what you knew you had to do… needed to do. 

And I'm letting go, I'm givin' up your ghost

It's come to a close, I marked the end with this last song I wrote

Late in the night, with one last look at the necklace that didn’t fit you anymore, at all it represented, with one last glance at every pebble - each one, in your mind, a memory, or a touch, or a kiss, or a laugh, each one an i love you, an I miss you you said to each other, each one a second, a minute, an hour, a day, a month spent together, each one a memory you’d never get to make, a touch, or a kiss, or a laugh you’d never get to share again, each one an I love you or an I miss you you’d never get to say or hear again, you let go of it all, letting it fall over the edge of the cliff, hoping that he’s happy, like he promised you he’d try to be, and determined to keep your own promise in this new life, a life that started and will end without him.

I'm letting go, this is the last falsetto I'll ever sing to you

My great lost love.

A/N: there it is, besties. the intended end to cruel summer. honestly, i just wanted to say a massive thank you if you managed to reach this far. when i started this blog, a few months ago, and posted the first chapter of illicit affairs, i did it on a whim, i did because i thought why not? Now, 2000 followers later, I get to write so many stories I never thought I'd ever get to, or even think of, and it's all because of you.

Cruel Summer means a lot to me, as i think it signifies my growth as a writer, my growth on this platform, and as a person learning through deal with my own personal issues through my characters. I loved writing it so much, I cried so much, probably more than with any other story I wrote, and I hope I managed to make you feel something, and maybe think, bc that's all I want, that's all anybody that does any sort of art can want i think.

Thank you for coming on this journey with me, and I hope you stay for what's next, bc I'm not done, as long as there's still people that want to be here. I love you and am very grateful to all 2000 of you.

thank you @karma-is-a-cat-purringinmylap bc this ending is the way it is bc of her and her sending me this song back in like chapter II. I love you and you changed my life by introducing me to niki. (initially, the chapter was going to be Happiness after TS's song)

Also see if you can spot all the quotes from different games/tv shows i used ;)

Taglist: @liluvtojineteyam @pinkpantheris @fanboyluvr@bananafruityawne @zaddyneteyamlovergirl @netemoon @www-interludeshadow-com @jackiehollanderr

[flowercrowngods]

(@steddieas-shegoes)

Just a little soft Steddie headcanon for you to help you feel better ❤️

Eddie calls Steve like clockwork, every night at 8:30 on nights he doesn’t work, and 10:00 on nights that he does. He never misses a night, not when he’s sick, not when he’s got work, not when he’s got Hellfire, never.

They aren’t even together yet, Eddie won’t admit his crush, and Steve won’t admit that he’s terrified that Eddie will see his bullshit and stop calling.

But things change when they start falling asleep on the phone.

Wayne pretends to be annoyed about it when he tried calling Eddie on his break but the line was busy. Robin makes fun of Steve because she tried calling him after her first real date with a woman and the line was busy. Dustin yells at them both until they remind him that the walkies are always there for emergencies.

And one night, Steve wakes up to Eddie playing guitar on the line, his voice softly singing something he doesn’t recognize. Then he hears a ��fuck no that’s terrible, he’ll hate that” and he starts to giggle because he knows.

He’s talking about me.

But he doesn’t say anything yet, pretends to still be asleep.

The next day, Eddie was coming over to help him prepare for a pool party with the kids. They worked together seamlessly, orbiting each other in the kitchen and then by the pool and in the living room. They laughed together, talked.

It was easy.

Instead of a phone call that night, at 8:00 sharp Eddie sits down on the couch next to Steve, pulls him into his side, and starts playing with his hair as he starts talking about his day.

“Bet you’re dying to hear about my day.”

“Oh absolutely. I bet it was exciting.”

“It was! I helped the king prepare his castle for all his royal subjects. And you know the king is pretty kind, and funny, and smart, and amazing.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. He’s very loved.”

“By who?”

“Everyone. But especially his court jester.”

“And who is that?”

Eddie couldn’t back out now. He’d planned it out better, but this would have to do. He couldn’t wait anymore.

“It’s me.”

When he was met with silence, he panicked.

“Sorry. If that’s not okay, I’ll just go and we can pretend this didn’t happen.”

Steve was pulling away. Oh no.

But then Steve was in his lap.

“The king loves his court jester quite a bit. Wouldn’t know what to do without him, really.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Many first kisses are awkward, or gross, or with someone you don’t care much about. But for the king and his court jester, it was the first of a lifetime of kisses.

😘😘😘

hdhdhd this is the cutest thing aah 🥺😭😭 ily so much, thank you friend 🥹🤍

[cookeybg]

Gotham Possesses

A cryptid Batfamily AU in which Gotham is the main character and follows its journey to consciousness as it follows its Bat and Birds. Chapters are short and a bit gloomy.

Main Characters: Gotham, Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne

Honorable Mentions: Joker, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, Riddler, Cobblepot (Penguin), Two Face (Harvey Dent), Superman (Clark Kent), Superboy (Jon Kent)

No romantic relationships

Stuff to know: Cryptid Batfamily, grim, Melancholic mood, Angst, this chapter has mentions of drug use, murder and unsolicited touching

Word Count: 933

[Here's my table of contents]

Chapter 10 - Gotham Watches

Death. That’s what happened when their warmth seeped into me, emptying, leaving behind a husk, a body no longer needed. Death. I had been born because of it, awakened. Death. It hung over me, clung to my Bat and our Birds. It tittered in the jester’s presence, in his arrival, in his exit. In the wake of a bullet fired. In the hands of anger and in the perception of love. In the tumbling of a dear butler, a father, when his neck snaps as he lands crooked. A kiss to the lips and he’s back, dazed, in pain, bound to me and the manor he holds so dear. Tethered to my shadows, forever serving in our love for our Bat. He moves on, dusts himself, there is dinner to be served. It is the thing that the living must always meet, the thing I greet and make my own. Their souls and warmth fuel me, a near endless supply. It is a curious thing, to watch them. I float around a young girl, she sits in the dark, I’m her only company. She is not afraid, not happy, used to it. She was told to never turn on the light, never answer the door, the phone. When she was alone she was to stay hidden and wait. A door opens quietly, she stiffens, then relief as her mother calls for her in a tired voice. I move on. I linger in a building where the jester laughs maniacally in his glass cage. He suddenly stops and stares, his gaze following me, his smile widening, unnerving. I stay away. Slither past the female jester, the blue cold man, the green woman who sprouts life on my soil, the man who mumbles riddles, the female cat whose too familiar with my Bat. All uninteresting, captured. Much more fun when they are free. I slip through old brick loosening the mortar. I caress a young woman, passed out on the cold floor. Her skin nearly as cold as the stone. She smiles as her final, shuttering breath escapes, a needle tumbling to the ground. My senses alert me to look up. I see a red cape fly by, avoiding me. As he should. His presence casts a heavy shadow, my Bat does not see me when he’s near. Leaves with him for periods at a time, far from my gaze. More often than not my Bat tells the red cape, whose skin is far too warm and whose smile reflects the sun, to stay away. It’s satisfying. I dance in the clubs, enjoying the manic thrum, the unbridled joy of its patrons. Some if not most, using something to increase their vivacity. Not all will make it through to morning. A hooked nosed man in a black hat smiles from the second floor window. Plotting, monocle gleaming.

A boy steals a half drunk bottle that his father was hugging in his sleep. The boy tosses it out the window, the sound of shattering glass echoes down in the street, not uncommon. He huddles under his blankets a bag of frozen peas pressed to his let eye. His mother won’t be back for another few hours. I hear the mumbling of a man, arguing with himself. A silver coin gleams under the dim light of an abandoned building. He shoots his gun when the coin lands, a body falls to the ground, warmth seeps into my earth, salty. Another body to be sunk into my harbor. Laughter distracts me away. I sweep in on a lovers cuddling, enjoying the images playing on a screen. His arm loosely dangling over her shoulders. Her gaze is reminiscent to how I stare at my Bat. The man will be gone by morning, he was never planning to stay, he will not let her know. Life glows within her belly. New potential. I sink down into my depths. There’s a meeting, men and women in white masks. Myths, creatures that should not exist. Watching, just as I do. Abominations that must be purged, a new mystery for my Bat. I waft upward through the grates. I watch a man, shivering, digging through the trash amongst the rats. Searching for something, maybe food, maybe something to numb. Unsuccessful, he moves to another dumpster. I wrap around the clock tower, a red headed woman sits typing furiously on a computer. She also watches and observes as much as I do. I help her steer the cameras in the right direction. A female bat stands beside her, stitched mouth, silent. My first bird sleeps contorted, on the manor’s couch. Tired from a long grueling night. My second hugs his knees to his chest, woken from his sleep. I encourage him to calm and close his eyes. My third hasn’t gone to bed, wide eyed and wired, placing theories on a board. My fourth has escaped, our bond shows me that he is in another city, asleep next to a body far to warm to be human, far too bright. My Bat, with labored breathing, is forced to dream. Forced in bed by the older man. I shape my shadows into hands, they aren’t perfect, sharp ends. I slide them down his overheated chest. My shadows press into his skin, ecstatic with the proximity. I lick his wounds to try and heal them quicker. He tastes sweet. He is not bound to me, not yet. I wait in anticipation for when we can be one, and settle on his side content. I will continue to watch, I doubt I will ever tire of it.

The end!

I hope you have enjoyed Gotham Possesses. I will be posting it on Ao3, maybe tomorrow. I'm a bit sad about it ending but also proud of myself. This is the second thing I wrote that I posted and was super nervous to do so. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with reading this and endured my lack of editing.

I will be planning a series of POVs from the birds. I hope you look forward to them :)

Please feel free to comment, I get rly happy when I see your reactions.

[thequeenofthedisneyverse]

Deceiver Chapter 1 - Villain Camilo au (rewrite)

TW: Some cussing

As always likes, reblogs. and comments are appreciated. Questions are fine as well.

Special thanks to @miracles-and-butterflies and @evostar for the inspiration.

Chapter 2

These past several months have been the best fun Camilo has ever had. He bonded a little more with his family and that's the best thing he could ever ask for. Pranking people with Isabela, games with Dolores & Antonio, relaxing/talking about whatever with Mirabel/Luisa, and writing stories with his new Tio Bruno. Ok, well he's not new but still.

Not only that, but he's not forced to perform or babysit some random kid anymore. Don't get him wrong, he loved performing and babysitting but...it was getting a bit much for him.

A few years after his ceremony, it became expected for him to perform. To make people laugh. So much so that people would actively seek him out in hopes for him to make them laugh.

After he turned nine, he was given children to babysit. A few cousins on his papa's side of the family. No biggie. But after that, word spread around the Encanto, and he just became the designated babysitter of the place.

2, 3, 4, sometimes six or seven kids at a time that he was forced to look after. And at the time, he couldn't refuse. The family image was on the line and wanted to make abuela the miracle proud.

So, he dealt with it. All the times he wanted to relax he had to perform to make crowds or kids happy. If you need an extra Luisa you can just go to him. He can’t mimic her build and the strength she would have without her gift to help carry or lift whatever you needed…To hell with his own relaxation. 

“Hey, it's Camilo! Tell us a story,  we know you have a good one to share”

“I’ve been down lately, say something to lift my spirits”

“Say something funny, I'm so bored!” 

Any time he tried to refuse he would be peer pressured into it. Or told how he was supposed to help. Sometimes he would get scolded if he said no too many times.

"You are a Madrigal for god's sake, you can't help me for a couple of hours?"

"Just take Elicia now, I'll be back in a couple of hours!"

"What's with the attitude?!"

"You watch that attitude young man, or I'll tell Alma how rude you've been."

And usually, when asked to go to a certain place, he usually has to be someone else.

"Hey, I need you to be me for a couple of hours. I do not want to go to that wedding"

"Can you be me at my sister's birthday party? I really don't want to go"

"I need you to be me and go on a date with my girlfriend. She's really been getting on my nerves lately and I just need to break"

"You're Camilo Madrigal, right? Turn into Isabela and do something funny"

Just constant pressure to be that happy go lucky town jester, doppelganger, and babysitter. Not to mention that his gift was taxing on his body. Every shift took more energy out of his body but how was he supposed to explain that? To children especially?

All the food he ate would barely even give him the energy he needed because he would be out of it two hours after breakfast or lunch.

There were days where just wanted to pass out from exhaustion, but he couldn't, you know why? Because he was Camilo Madrigal, Alma Madrigal's grandson, a bearer of the Miracle his abuelo died to give.

He was never allowed to be sad, angry, or any version of upset. Just a happy sunshine boy who would make you smile if you demanded asked him to. Camilo can’t even remember when he actually let himself feel anything besides joy.

But after the magic left...that all stopped. And even when someone tried to pin a child on him, one of his parents, sister, or primas would shoo the person away in their own way.

Things were getting so much better for him and the family as a whole. Sure...there are some issues that haven't been said on Camilo's part but...he has all the time in the world to say something right?

He has all the time in the world to tell his family that he has trouble understanding who he is. How he has trouble seeing who the person is in the mirror when he looks at it. When he looks in the mirror he’s too scared to see whether it’s himself or someone else hiding underneath. 

How he still has issues letting himself feel negative emotions but…the magic isn't going to come back to distract everyone. So everything is going to go great.

-

Camilo watched as his hermanito gave Mirabel the doorknob. His smile widened and his heart swelled at the wholesome sight. As she walks up to it, they all come close.

"We see how bright you burn"

He sings with his family. He, his Hermana, and parents smiled warmly at her. 

"We see how brave you've been"

"Now see yourself in turn"

Mirabel's sisters and parents do the same. Everyone in the family, including Abuela, looks at her proudly. She finally makes it up to the new family door. Tio bruno now stands beside tia julieta and tio agustin. Man, has he grown since the start of all this. Still a little skittish and scared of people but he’s genuinely trying and making progress. 

All of them stay behind her, silently showing that it's her time to shine. She puts the doorknob in the hole and as soon as she does, magic sparks from it. Camilo's heart raced with fear...this isn't happening. He watched as the magic swirled around the house and all over the Encanto. Feeling the magic pulsate through his veins again.

No.

No. No. No. No. No. No! No! No!

NO!

This can't be happening right now. Not after all this time, it can't be. The magic felt agonizingly warm within his body. He never wanted to feel this warmth ever again in his entire life. 

"Hola Casita!" Mirabel smiled and waved at the home.

The happy house started making music with its tiles, doors, windows, and anything else it could finally control again. With so much excitement, Casita bounced the stone floor under Mirabel and welcomed her in first.

"Come on! Get in here!"

Casita did the same for everybody and slid everyone in using the ground they stood on. The joy was ultimately infectious to everyone but Camilo. He was still trying to process what the hell was going on. 

"Calm down Camilo, our gits aren't back. It's just Casita, that's all" He thought to himself as everyone was piled in. "Surely, they wouldn't come back...right?"

Boy was he wrong, one by one, gift by gift. Isabela got her flower powers, Antonio could speak to his animals, Luisa got her super strength back. Pepa was happily dancing with small bits hail over her head. Felix cheering her on as always.

That must mean...no, no no no, it didn't. It couldn't have. He's happily gift less.

But he knew his gift was back. He could feel it in his very soul. Camilo was scared, frightened even. Does this mean things will go back to how it used to be?

Was he going to be the town jester and doppelganger and babysitter again? Was he now going to constantly be told to be someone other than himself?!

No, no, he won't let that happen.

Camilo looked around at the scene. Everyone seemed so happy and jovial while he was in a state of turmoil. Milo was feeling overwhelmed. He has to make this stop. He has to-

Suddenly, the tiles under his feet moved him to the center of the courtyard. Snapping him out of his thoughts.

Wait, what's happening?! he thought as his eyes looked around confused. The family all posed as the camera was brought out and bounced over to them with a rat on top of it.

"Everyone together!" Alma said cheerfully

Huh?!

"La Familia Madri-" Everyone was cut by Casita making them all huddle in too close together. Resulting in a funny but cute family photo.

After the family broke apart a little bit, Milo was given some space to think. If you could call it that. His mind was practically racing with all those horrible memories of how things used to be. 

Dolores looked at him as she heard his heart racing. To be fair, everybody's hearts were racing but she was the closest to him at the moment.

She looked at his face. He wasn't smiling. He looked perplexed to say the least...and a little scared. Which was odd, this was supposed to be a joyous moment right?

She stepped a little closer to him and put her hand on his shoulder. A small way to get his attention.

"Milo...you okay?" She asked softly and quietly, he was close enough for him to hear but quiet enough for others to barely acknowledge.

There's no candle...nothing to snuff out. Nothing to make the magic go away. It's going to happen all over again. No one is going to want me for me anymore. I have to get rid of it. GET RID OF IT! GET RID OF IT! But how?! Did Mirabel bring it back? no...wait, the doorknob...THE DOORKNOB-

"Camilo?!"

Dolores spoke a little bit louder as she nudged his shoulder. Camilo looked at her in shock and looked around. His heart was still going rapidly.

"Camilo are you alright?!" She asked him while she looked into his eyes. She saw panic in his eyes, and he wasn't saying anything...he must be having a panic attack.

Her concerned voice alerted her parents Pepa looked at her son and stepped a little closer, putting her hand on his cheek.

"Mijo, are you okay?"

Camilo finally snapped out of his thoughts "I- I uh...yeah, I'm just...shocked is all" he chuckled nervously. Which wasn't a lie, he was shocked.

"Your heart was going really fast milo, are you sure-"

"I'm sure Dolores!" Camilo answered with a slightly irritated tone. He didn't mean that. Quick idiota, change your attitude "Heh....I'm okay, I'm happy"

Ok, very odd. He was telling the truth but there was something he wasn't saying. Dolores, Pepa, and Felix could see it.

"Mijo...if there's something wrong you can say it." Felix said sincerely.

"I'm fine papa, really"

The party continued and everything was going well. Camilo joined in on the fun as well. But only to appear just as happy as everyone else was. But on the inside, he was feeling everything but happy.

"The magic is back now" a voice in his head said.

"You know what that means," Another voice said.

"Everything will go back to how it used to" another said. 

"You're going to be the villages Mamita and bufón again"

"It'll all go back to everyone never wanting you, just someone who doesn't even act or look like you"

What is happening?! Where are these voices coming from...why are they saying this to me... Camilo thought to himself.

"We're saying it because it's true milo. Everything is going to go back to normal...unless you take that doorknob out of the front door of course."

This was becoming very concerning to him...but he felt like they were right. He didn't want to go back to that, he can't go back to that! He needs that doorknob gone.

When he noticed the attention wasn't on him, he snuck out to the front of the house and stood in front of the door.

It was a happy little door. It had everyone on it as a family. Cami couldn't deny that it was a sweet sight. But he wasn't really in the mood right now for sentimental value. He looked down at the doorknob, staring into it intently. It glowed so beautifully with that 'M' carved into it. Oh, how he hated it.

"Go on!"

"I can't!"

"Just take it already!"

"What if it doesn't work?"

"You want to go back to how things were? At least try it!"

Camilo internally argued with himself for a few more seconds until he reached out and gripped out. He tugged softly the first time, no budge. He tugged harder, still, it didn't budge.

“Puta madre!! Why Mirabel, WHY?! You just have to fuck everything up don’t you?!” Camilo seethed to himself. There was definitely no way of removing the magic this time. That doorknob more than likely wouldn’t budge unless Mirabel herself wanted to remove it. 

He wanted to cry, he wanted to scream, to punch something ANYTHING! This isn’t fair. He can’t go back to being other people! He can’t go back to babysitting every kid in Encanto without a choice in the matter. 

“I don’t even know who I am at all and it’s all their fault! Those soul sucking ungrateful villagers. I never even got a thank you for watching their kids! Never a “thank you” for pretending to be someone else for them! I'm not going to let anyone force me back into that corner, EVER! I will burn this entire encanto DOWN to the ground before that happens again!”

Camilo’s heart was racing fast as he stared at the glowing door. Those smiles were so adorable…so mocking. He looked at the glowing version of himself “drawn” onto the door. He reached up to it and touched it. 

The door felt sickeningly warm to the touch. He could feel the music from inside vibrating off of it. Milo took his hand away with a scowl etched into his lips. He chuckled but there was no joy in it. Only disdain. 

Before he could think anything else the door swung open and hit him straight in the face, knocking him down. 

“OW!” Camilo groaned as he sat up off the ground clutching his face. 

“Huh? Oh sorry Milo, I didn’t know you were there” A voice said apologetically. Camilo instantly recognized it as Isabela’s. 

He looked up and saw her. She was completely covered in a variety of pollen colors but the most obvious one was dark blue. She held her hand out and Camilo begrudgingly took it. Next to her was a giddy and bouncy Antonio. 

“Did you kick the door open?!” He said as he rubbed his hurt nose. 

Isabela shrugged, “Yeah, lo siento. Now come on, Casita said that some of us have new additions to our gifts. Antonio wants you to try something”

Camilo looked down and was met with Antonio’s beaming face, “Cami! Dolores can turn her gift off when she wants too, that’s so cool right?! Isabela can make all kinds of plants now, even poisonous ones! I’m not sure what I or mama or Luisa can do yet but I want you to try something!”

Camilo took in all of that information and reminded himself that he wasn’t smiling, so he pretended that he was just as happy as Antonio, “Oh really? Well, what do you want me to try?” 

“Try shapeshifting into animals por favor!” 

Milo was taken back by that, animals? He remembered trying that once as a kid and nothing happened. 

“I- I don’t know tonito-”

“Pleeeeeease!” Antonio begged with that adorable smile and big eyes. Who can say no to that

Camilo sighed and kneeled down to be at his hermanito’s level “fine, any specifics?” 

“A jaguar, like Parce!” Antonio bounced with anticipation and joy. 

The teen boy looked up at Isabela, who just shrugged and put a hand on her hip as she waited. He looked back down at Antonio and stood back up. 

“Well…worth a shot” Camilo shrugged and closed his eyes. 

Milo focused on the image of Parce in his head and breathed a deep sigh. His eyes closed and breathing calm. After ten seconds he opened his eyes. He looked at Antonio and up at Isabela, then down at the ground.

Paws…he sees paws! He tried to circle around but he would just trip over himself seeing as it’s the first time he’s walking in cat form. But that didn’t deter him at all. He was ecstatic. 

“I- I did it! I turned into jaguar! I can shift into animals-”

“Pffft-” Isabela snickered and Antonio giggled at the sight. Camilo assumed it was because he was walking funny. Nope.  

“You missed a spot primo!” Isabela pointed at her face

“Que?”

“Your head isn’t a jaguar head. And you have a human backside” Antonio giggled. In a quick pace, tonito asked Casita to open the front door. The house obliged and did what it was asked. Before Camilo could get a word out Antonio shouted that everyone come see Camilo in a jaguar form. 

“No wait! Don’t!” Milo wasn’t a fan of his weird shifting quirks. They always acted up at the worst times and he hated it. Now was one of those times. The more he tried to shift back into any other animal or just himself he would just shift into a different animal with strange human likeness. 

By the time people were outside they saw the amalgamation that was a half donkey, horse, and teenage boy. It caused people, especially his family, to laugh at this shifting quirk. It was causing him to panic and shift more uncontrollably. 

He didn’t want this, he didn’t want to be the town entertainment again. Milo stopped to focus on the ground. In this form his legs looked to be a donkey's legs, horse torso, and a capybara face with his normal hands and hair. 

Alma came up to him with tears in her eyes as she chuckled, “aye milo, still trying to make everyone laugh I see” 

This isn’t happening right now…it couldn’t be. He wanted this to be a horrible dream but all of it felt too real to be. The laughs were so loud and annoying. His heart was beating really fast and all he could do was just look around in embarrassment. 

Pepa saw the panic in his eyes and her smile quickly faded, as well as her rainbow. She quickly walked over to him. Felix noticed her expression and followed suit. 

Pepa stood by him and patted his head in order to calm him down “Cami, you alright?” 

Camilo looked up at her and looked back at everyone else. He was not okay. He needed to not be the center of attention right now. He tried to shift into his human form but that just caused so much more embarrassment for him. 

Not to mention that all of this unorthodox shifting was hurting him. His bones and skin just shifted into so many things so many times. It was painful. 

Please stop! Please stop! Please stop! Please stop! Please stop! PLEASE STOP! He thought to himself. With a final scream of frustration he finally shifted back into himself. He checked himself over. Normal hands, normal face, normal body, normal feet. 

His breathing was quick and uneven. His heart beating a thousand beats per second. And…he was crying. Tears were falling down his cheeks and his body was shaking. 

“Camilo” Felix looked down at his son with concern and bent down to pick him up by the arm. “Hey, hey mijo! Breath, look at me!”

The teen couldn’t hear him. In fact, Camilo could still hear and see the villagers laughing at him. Even if they weren’t anymore. The laughter got louder and louder to him, never stopping. 

This frightened Camilo and he ran past all of them. Pushing and knocking over whoever he can to get inside Casita. The voices calling out to him were unheard as he rushed up Casita’s stairs and into his room. 

It was still the same as it used to be. A large theater with a big stage. The only difference was that the lights were much brighter than they used to be. And they were directly on him and followed his every movement as he ran past the audience seats and on top of the stage. 

He moved the curtain back and his old king sized bed was there with all of its yellow, orange, and red pillows, blankets, and sheets. On the right of his bed was a large rectangular mirror with the classic round light bulbs decorating all sides of it. 

“Casita…please,” Camilo whimpered as tears fell down his cheeks. Laughter was still echoing in his head. “Make it stop!”

He covered his ears like his hermana used to when noise became too much for her. 

Why is this happening to me?! I just want things to be normal! Why can’t I be normal, why can’t this family be normal?! Camilo fell to his knees and tightened his hold on his head. 

Why did Mirabel have to touch that fucking doorknob! This is all her fault, her fault, her fault, HER FAULT! Everything was fine before that. My life was going to be normal and now it’s back to how it was! Those people are going to use me again…no…

Camilo’s eyes widened as he stumbled upon a thought, “Those people…those ungrateful ass people! How dare they laugh at me?! After all the turmoil I went through to make them happy…that’s how they repay me” 

The teen boy chuckled, then giggled, and soon he started to laugh. Loudly and Maniacally. This was it, Camilo finally snapped. 

“I’ll make them pay”

On the outside of his room, Dolores was downstairs at the kitchen table trying her best to listen in on her hermano. But she couldn’t hear anything. She did hear him crying but then it just stopped as quick as it started. The only thing she could hear was his heart beat. There was a thought that he was just doing this to get attention but Camilo would never do that. 

“Do you hear anything?” Pepa asked with concern in her voice. The only reason she didn’t barge into his room is because Felix stopped her. He wanted to see him too but didn’t want to overstep a boundary. 

Dolores shakes her head, “No, mama his room is soundproof” 

Antonio looked up at his hermana and parents, “Is he gonna be ok?” 

Felix looked down at his youngest son sympathetically, “He’ll be ok mijo, he was just uh…a little embarrassed”

“A little my ass” Pepa thought to herself as she was stroking her braid. A small gray cloud over her head. 

“He was crying though” Antonio doubted and sank back into his chair a little bit. 

The table went quiet as everyone went into deep thought. He looked really panicked, hurt (both physically and emotionally), and embarrassed. Most of them thought he may have been having a panic attack but Dolores informed them his heart rate has slowed down. Which was also a calming thing to know for her as well.

“If I was in his situation I would’ve cried and ran off too” Bruno admitted quietly as he fiddled with his fingers. 

Camilo breathed in a deep sigh and stared at himself in the mirror. For once in a long time, Camilo saw his face staring back at him. He was sure of himself now…and knowing that put a sinister smile on his face. 

He tilted his head as he noticed something…man he needed a wardrobe change. 

I need a better style than this. Oh! I know Mami and Dolores would love to help me with that! Tonito and Papi would too. Milo stood up and walked away from the mirror, swiping the curtains out of his way and walked down the stage stairs. 

Once he made it out of his room he closed his door lightly and leaned his back on it.  A big and chipper smile appeared on his lips. A soft and happy voice to go with it. 

“Dolores, can you and Mami come upstairs please? I want a makeover”  

-

@glowing-celesticpetals

@gamerbearmira

[scribble-dribble-writes]

Burning Nights

<<<Prev (The blue flame) (Ambition) Next>>>

Pairing: Buggy x female mermaid reader

Word count: 2000

Warnings: suggestive

Content: an eventful night 🤭

---

The breeze brought the smell of the sea into the room. Your future had finally solidified, your homes, Buggy and Makara, combining together to finally become one. The dissonance in your soul had come to an end and in the way he laughed against your ear it seemed like he was set free too. Buggy’s husky tone making you shiver while his warmth seeped through you, your nails scraping down his lower back as his lips travelled wherever he pleased. You gave up control, you had had enough to of it, to run a kingdom and rule the mercourt. His touch was the only thing that replenished you. His soft hands sliding down the curves of your body as you sunk deeper into the blankets.

But now there was no shift in power dynamics. Neither was higher than the other. Now you were shoulder to shoulder, all the missions you had worked on as Captain and his spy or the days you spent here as a Queen and her jester, were now culminating in this final one, bringing together the moon and the sea together at last.

His blue hair trailing down his neck like he was the sea itself, catching the light perfectly to shimmer like the water's surface while you were a new moon, holding as much sway as you did over him even as you hid in his shadow. You pulled him closer but the edge of his pants, he leaned on his elbows as he pressed his chest into yours. Moving in a sync like the soft waves did, his little silent mumbles of gratitude, his declarations of love and his sultry whisper that you never wanted to stop. He was finally undone and so were you.

The war was over, for your mind and for his heart. You had both seen through the fight, being each other’s guide through the trenches and the dark nights. Now an eternity like this was a reward, a reward you were going to use well. He would sit next to you, a glorious crown on his head, the one he had always deserved. While your days of being a weary traveler was over. The sea was the entity that tied you together, colliding your fates together in an way that now it allowed you to forever be inseparable.

“This is not going to make a lot of people happy.”, he chuckled as his teeth caught your bottom lip.

“What are they not going to be happy about?”, you asked raking your fingers into his hair from the bottom of his neck to let the cold air kiss his sweaty skin.

“Me, being the king to a land of mermaids.”, he mumbled as he sighed, his hot breath running down your sternum.

You let go of his neck to grab his chin, to then tilt it up so his eyes found yours.

“I thought you never let the opinions of other's scar you, Captain.”, you said, giving him that spotlight. Because he needed to remember who he was. That he was worthy. That he was powerful.

“What can I say? I’m all soft mush on the inside.”, he said pouting his lips before his lips spread into a grin, his eyes darkening as he hovered over you, his gold chain dangling from his neck, the very same you had gifted him from one of your missions long ago.

“That’s why I love you.”, you said with wide eyes, dramatically that made him inhale slowly, his half lidded eyes taking you in as though he was drunk.

“All I heard was I’m still Captain in the bedroom.”, he said slyly to which you gasped softly.

“You and your selective hearing.”, you laughed as he smiled, both of you high from the undivided attention of the other.

You reached out to hook your finger on his dangling chain as the mark on his chest caught your eye behind it.

“You said you never liked this present.”, you said as you caught his gaze.

“Clearly it was long before you knew how to spot my lies.”, he said as he edged closer like an unsatisfied sailor who craved the salt air again.

You held your hand up to the light as you pushed him to the side toying with him, he fell into the pillows beside you with a moody groan, his hand catching your wrist as though he was sneaking his way back into holding you again, to inspect your brand that had burned your skin and tied him to you.

You felt the magic rev within you, you closed your fingers around his and as you thought of your desire to keep him safe, to keep him close. The brand began to glow blue.

“Hot.”, he whispered as you felt your skin tingle, a step away from feeling the flame in your hands.

“So. Very. Hot.”, he said but his gaze was on you instead with his lips spread out in a wolf like grin.

You shifted from being next to him to throwing your leg over his torso, that allowed you to pin him down with your legs straddling his waist as you sat on top of him.

You let your warm hands trail up his chest as he parted his lips in awe, his eyes never leaving yours. You laid on top of him slowly, letting your head tuck into the crook of his neck, his arms wrapping across your body like the ropes on his ship, securing your body to his. You sighed with content, because you could be here and let time pass for as long as you wanted. This was all you wanted. Now you had it.

“If I gave you the ring I’ve been carrying for years, would you still take it?”, he asked, his voice rendering itself soft as he rested his chin over your head.

“I know it doesn’t change anything.”, he continued. But you pushed away to catch his gaze again, because it changed everything.

“How long have you been carrying it?”, you asked.

“Bought it the same day as the ship.”, he said softly giving you an embarrassed smile but you sat quietly. He ignored you the entire day when you and the crew boarded the ship. He hid himself from you.

“Made me feel like the biggest fool to want you.”, he said next and diverted his gaze, but it made you inhale your breath and hold it.

“Sometimes, Bug, you’re really stupid.”, you whispered in unbelief.

“That’s what happens when you’ve been in love as long as I have.”, he smiled looking up at you like you were his star act that you sighed feeling the soft ecstasy of his admiration make your heart beat faster.

“Where is it?”, you asked next to which he unwrapped one arm to fish for the box in his pocket. You couldn’t comprehend how all this while he had known you were the one and then proceeded to spend a long while acting like you were just another member of his crew. You sat back to give him room as you wrapped the blanket around yourself to cover yourself from the cold.

He held out the velvet box for you to see. It looked like it was a treasure you had unlocked having read the map of his heart. He gripped the box as though as much as he had convinced himself this wasn't important, it was to him.

He popped it open and you saw the antique ring, a large aquamarine stone set in gold, a perfect combination to the shimmer of your tail and the colour of his hair. A blend of the sea and fate, you placed your hand over your lips as you gasped.

You could never understand how he found the most pretty jewels, knowing what you liked and didn’t. He took it out of the box to hold it up in his fingers, his eyes finding yours as he inhaled and exhaled steadily.

“So what do you say to a life of adventure, circus magic and burning nights?”, he asked as he took your hand, your brand coming alive with color once again.

“Took you long enough.”, you smiled as you extended your hand from within the blanket.

He smiled as he slid the ring onto your finger, holding your hand in his to admire how it looked on you before he brought it closer to kiss your palm to then hold it securely on his chest as he closed his eyes and relaxed into the mattress as though he had secured his lifeline.

It was a delight, watching him smile freely, to not be tied down or hidden away.

You shifted closer to him as you engulfed him within your blanket cocoon so you could lean down to kiss him softly.

“Now about those burning nights.”, you spoke against his lips.

“I order you to never leave the bed.”, you said as you felt his smile.

“Perfect, I never planned on leaving.”, he titled his head but before you could kiss him again, his eyes darted to something behind you.

When in a second you didn’t feel his hand on you anymore, only to see that he had detached it to pin someone down.

Another Barracudon mercenary.

“What is up with these people?”, Buggy exclaimed.

“They never give me a moment of peace.”, he huffed as he stirred beneath you to get out of bed.

The assassin freed himself from Buggy's hold to lunge towards you but his floating hand caught the back of the assassin’s throat to pull him back.

But you pushed Buggy back onto the mattress.

“The rule still holds”, you said strictly.

"You’ve got to be kidding, love.", he said as he laughed.

"You don’t like high stakes anymore, Captain?", you look at him from under your eyelashes and that was it. He could never win against your charm.

He fell back onto pillows again. Detaching his other hand as he grabbed his blades from where he had left in on your table.

“Now about the wedding.”, you began as he laid there without his hands, the sound of slashing metal behind you.

“I love it when you think ahead.”, he grinned at you which worked it's way and made you lose your train of thought.

You began to say something in conjecture to the event but he held up his handless arms.

“Just a second, doll. This guy is relentless.”, he winked at you when you realized he had already sent his lower body away too.

“Cheater.”, you turned to him.

“Technically, I'm still in the bed.”, he laughed as you turned to watch him tactically fight the assassin while he lounged with you.

Even with your guards around you, there were moments of fear where you didn’t feel safe. But now, as you rested your back onto his chest, his arms holding you steady as you both watched the assassin try and fail every time he attempted to get close to you.

The blades combating the assassins daggers, confusing him by keeping him busy while Buggy’s feet tripped him up from under. The man landed on his back with a yelp. He got up again but now he lost his balance and in a few seconds he was down again.

“Well that ended sooner than I expected. A little disappointing.”, He cooed into your ear that it made you chuckle.

“I’m growing tired of this.” you said as you gathered your hair to one side.

“I know, baby.”, he soothed you as he placed a kiss on your bare shoulder, his stubble scratching your skin.

“Let me go inspect our uninvited guest.”, he got out from under you as you held your blanket tight against your body.

You watched him go, his hair trailing down till the mid of his back. His lean muscles shifting as he crouched down, his arm flexing as he rested his elbows on his knees.

“Unfortunate and underwhelming.”, he clicked his tongue.

“He’s brought a lionfish stinger to hurt you, honey. Which has in fact hurt him instead.”, he shook his head as he got up to prod the assassin with the end of his foot.

“You’re trying to kill my wife, show some respect I expect better.”, He said as he put on his gloves while you watched him, shaking your head amused at his arrogance.

He moved away to the balcony to inspect the garden below. He caught your gaze and winked at you as he walked back, a menacing grin on his face letting you know that he was busy plotting his plans. You waited for him even as the curtains fluttered because you felt more safe with him than anyone else.

He dragged the assassin’s body to the balcony and all you heard next was a thud. A few seconds later Buggy reappeared, dusting his hand to then peeling his gloves away.

“One thing mercenary guilds hate is when their capable men are lost due to the useless petty fights of upper society.”, he placed his gloves on your vanity case.

“Now we wait to see who the barracudas go after next to avenge themselves.”, he shrugged his shoulders as he stood by the edge of the bed. His shoulders sculpted by soft moonlight, your eyes turning into whirlpools as you craved him.

“Now where were we?”, he questioned hiding his smile.

“We were discussing important matters and wedding outfits.”, you raised your brow as he crawled to you.

“Oh yes yes.”, his eyes found yours, you could see the gears turning in his mind, he was going to get what he wanted.

"Your muscles must be sore after that fight.", you reached out to massage his wrists. Everytime he split his body, it left him sore and sometimes when his body caught the light, you could see the faint difference in colour and stretch marks on his skin from where he had split often.

“It's alright if you want to rest.”, you tell him feeling concerned as you put aside all the playfulness.

“Oh absolutely.”, he stretched his back as you caught sight of his abdomen elongating highlighting his happy trail.

“You’re going to help me relax, baby.”, he dropped himself on top of you.

“If you could remind me where we left off, that would be great.”, he narrowed his eyes as he grinned dangerously.

You matched his grin, knowing well neither was going to sleep anytime soon.

You leaned forward and kissed him and that was all he needed to reignite the flame to set your heart on fire again, like he had done thousand times before.

---

Tags:

@lotr-got @juhdoche @wooyoungsrightsock @mysingularitybts

[ninjastormhawkkat]

Matthew wasn't sure if he should be so surprised by how resilient his son was. Hugh though wasn't looking very pleased. His expression was one of absolute exhaustion and worry. Gene of course picked up on this, honestly feeling slightly guilty over putting the alien through so much stress in such a short time. Matthew had shared that same worry over the mad scientist, knowing just how little time his son had to recover. Yet he couldn't say no. What would've that done? Make Gene all the more stubborn and make him do something just as rash as he did? No. He knew better than to do so. “As long as you don't overdo it. Of course. I don't think your friend could take much more of our recklessness.” Gene gave him an apologetic expression as he knew what his father said was true. “I know. I'm sorry Hugh. You know I have to do this. I'm not going to just stay in bed while all this goes down. I'll stay in bed rest after this all you want. I promise.” Hugh sighed, crossing his arms. “You wouldn't listen to me anyway. Don't you get yourself hurt during this or I swear I will strap you down and leave you like that while you heal up.” Gene couldn't help but let out a little laugh at that. He knew that the alien would absolutely do that. His eyes went back to the silver falcon in his hand. The mad scientist was still slightly worn out but he's never felt so revitalized like this. Given life anew in a strange way. It didn't take long for the mad scientist to get himself dressed. Alex and Tristan had wanted to intervene and keep him from joining but they knew that would've encouraged him more as well. Though that couldn't stop either of them from helping Gene. He gave them both a look that showed he wasn't going to let them coddle him. He's never let them do so before. Even when he wore himself down to the bone when Becky went missing. That thought had made him stop and looked around for her. Having lost track of the girl during his identity crisis. No one else seemed to have noticed until they heard a whoosh and saw Becky nearly tackled her father over. She hugged onto him, holding something with one hand. “Hey, kiddo. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you again. I'll be fine, I promise. Confused but fine.” Becky looked up at him, still not quite believing him. She quickly then placed another item within his hand. It was the goop ray he had left behind during the chaos. She had gone back to find it to give it back to Gene. He stared down at it. “Aw, thank you for getting this for me.” In another city, they were unaware that there was another gathering. The mayor of Newport had just finished giving the heroes the go ahead to storm the B.E.A.W Labs near their city. They were met with a riled up crowd filled with villains, civilians and other heroes alike. They didn't appreciate that these people were messing with their heroes as well. Ones they've grown to love over the years. They were just as inspired by Maddrixs broadcast. Sure they were a bit more on the bloodthirsty side but they were nowhere near the level of Darius. He had angered them so much they've put aside their differences temporarily. Having a bigger goal to accomplish first before resuming the status quo. It was unsettling just how quiet they went when they had seen the heroes step out. Waiting with bated breath for them to give them instructions on exactly where to go. Hydro had been surprised to see an old friend among the crowd. J.J. the villainous jester. There were a few others they've recognized. The circus themed villains that loved to team up with the jester. A certain doll who was once part of the villain roster of Fair City. They were going to bring every single one of them to the facility. To wait for Maddrix the malicious to take lead and destroy the hellish place. Taking down all those who willingly worked within there. Experimenting on innocent lives. They weren't going to stand for it at all. Even Atomic Steele knew to finally put aside his fury whether he liked it or not. He still despised him but he trusted his friend despite what happened. He still cared.

It still felt weird to Atomic, learning all that he did about his father's biological relationship to Maddrix. From what that woman Margaret told him, it made the hero think back to moments of his childhood before the massacre. How his dad never talked about his grandfather only telling the boy he had one who died. His dad only talking in details about his grandmother. There were times his dad seemed sad and frustrated about something, when a younger version of Max tried asking his dad what was wrong, all his dad would say was that he was just worried about and missing someone. At the time Atomic had no clue his dad was referring to an estranged cousin. The last time Atomic saw his dad alive, before he told the young hero to stay put and safe, was when his dad was watching the television and seeing what was going on. Atomic clearly remembered his dad having a horrified look but also a pained and guilt ridden expression. Although Max still hated Matthew, there was a part of the young hero that took some pity on Matthew and his father's past. A part of him that was strangely glad his grandfather perished by Maddrix's hands. Gene was ready to leave with Matthew and the others to head back to city hall. He had finished assembling his gear and putting on his attire for battle. Hey this was a serious matter but Gene didn't want to look like a bum going into battle. He also was kind of unsure about putting on his old Dr. Two Brains attire, which was just his work clothes. So Gene decided to make a compromise combining his former villain attires with his own spin. With Alex's and Tristan's help, the two aliens gathered a new lab coat for Gene along with a new change of clothes. These clothes were in clean and pristine condition. They also helped him gather a top hat and a silver mask, something similar to his old Professor Terror outfit. He didn't have the original clothing since he burned his outfit after the massacre. There was also no time to add some special sequins or elegant designs to his clothing much to Gene's chagrin. Gene looked into the mirror one last time before he left with Matthew, Alex, and Tristan. Gene's still white hair was pulled back into a ponytail. This earned an odd reaction from Becky as she muttered "no sandwich words" which made Gene recall Becky once telling him about the Chucktopia incident. Becky otherwise reassured her dad that she wasn't bothered by his style. Gene's silver mask was similar to how his old one was. It was an eye mask with embedded designs. The top hat Alex got him was definitely something similar to a Victorian era top hat but with modern designs. Gene had kept his gloves as his hands were still altered. He had gotten rid of his usual goggles as he saw no reason to wear them over his mask. As Gene held his old staff in his hands, the one thing from his Terror days he could never part with, an eerie feeling went down his spine. He recalled memories of his past, when he first joined his dad into the field of villainy, when he lead his own rebellion of villains against his father, and when he took down Atomic Steele. That wasn't Squeaky in action nor was it connected to his old Two Brains gimmick. That was all him. Gene let out a sigh and small smile. He had no idea what he was going to do after everything was over. Gene definitely planned to give Steven back his name and identity since he was going back to his old name that had been established on official, yet forged, documents. Gene wasn't sure if he was going back into the field as a villain or take a break after everything he had been through. One thing that was for sure, Gene was going to determine his own path and no sabotaged experiments or crazy animals and people was going to affect what he wanted to do with his life from now on. Meanwhile back outside the hallways of the medical clinic, Matthew was learning one of the most shocking things in his life. "You were in the mafia!" Matthew exclaimed in a shocked tone. @dualnaturedscientist

[hootbon]

IMPROMPTU BON SUPPORT:

"I was deficient in braincells" and "I was a dumbass kid back then that made cringe content."

ATDSS, Bon. All Teens Do Stupid Stuff. If anyone ever looks back at their life and doesn't admit to some cringe, they're lying.

The simple fact is: kids and teens do cringey stuff. I was a hyper, Invader Zim quoting Gamer-kid who itched for THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE to kick off and my irl bestie? She had an Organization XIII name (Which I still call her sometimes) and hooded trench coat to go with it, and she more than once printed off Naruto yaoi fanfics at school, once accidentally to the main office. That doesn't even scratch the surface lol.

When we look back and laugh and cringe at it all, it's because we've grown to know that a lot of what we did was socially unacceptable. But the most important part is to forgive yourself because, at the time, you were probably doing your best!

And even better: after you forgive your old cringe-ass self, you learn to embrace it. "Fuck yeah I was a dumb kid who sang the doom song at 300 decibels, lil me was having the time of his short life! Fuck yeah I'm a grown-ass adult talking about jester-shaped blorbos, that bitch makes my heart happier than it's been in years!"

So long as you're not hurting yourself or anyone else: do you, my dude, and love doing it. Life's too short to hate on your old self.

WAAAAA

I know I know, everyone tells me that and i know, being stupid is a part of life. As much as I might have hated the content I put out in the past, I still like to keep it with me, like my scratch account, my older tumblrs (you’ll never find them), even my old ass deviant art account I stopped using. Hell I even keep the sketchbooks I had all the way from 3rd grade. I’ll keep telling people I was cringe and idiotic but mostly I never mean it as much as I word it

But.. thank you.. these words made me feel better to hear another person say

[anxious-lee]

|| Lackadaisy (Pilot) Tickle Headcanons ||

A/N: I have ONLY seen the pilot as of now, so if any of these headcanons are ooc or even canon divergent, please be kind and take them with a grain of salt AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD NO SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS 🫣

---

Rocky

-- cheeky ler 😏

-- we all know he lives to cause mischief, and what's more mischievous than this?

-- LOVES TO TICKLE PEOPLE

-- the grin on their face and the boisterous laughter both warm him up inside

-- plus he's just a little jester who likes to play games

-- teases are his greatest weapon

-- uses EVERY tease under the sun, including ones i havent even heard yet lol; baby talk, compliments, teasing about how much you like it, he does it all

-- don't even bother holding your laughter inside, he'll take personal offence and won't rest until you've given in

-- "ohoho come now, sweetheart, be sensible. do you really think you can keep from laughing when we BOTH know how ticklish you are~"

-- "you devilish little rascal! you got the drop on me... for a few seconds, that is. no matter; all is forgiven, right after you've been taught a lesson in tomfoolery from THE tomfool himself!"

-- sporadic scribbling and random pokes are his favorite tickle techniques

-- likes to pin the lee's arms and legs to keep them from squirming away

-- tickles freckle the most; he knows his poor cousin needs it

-- while he may not show it outwardly, it saddens him to hear freckle sad or self-deprecative; in these circumstances, his intent is more to help freckle than it is to entertain himself

-- he has a bad habit of not knowing when to quit and can tickle his lee half to death, but he usually snaps out of it when he hears the lee become breathless

-- tickling ivy is both relatively difficult and easy; on the one hand, she enjoys a good tickle fight, but on the other, she is just as, if not more, competitive than rocky is

Ivy

- she's a crafty little ler

- she'll commit to a full bit just to dupe her lee into making themselves open to tickles

- her favorite lee is freckle obviously

- her sweet beau needs a chance to let loose once in a while, and doing that for him is her favorite job

- she's also incredibly competitive, as mentioned earlier

- good luck trying to take her down in a tickle war, because she will fight to the very last breath; and once she's won? oh hell on earth, it is going to tickle

- her preferred method is, you guessed it! Raspberries!

- rip freckle

- she loves them mostly because it's hard to take anything seriously when you're being tickled by random fart noises lol. it's goofy and silly and helps the lee to relax by bringing down their walls

- she IS ticklish and somewhat enjoys being tickled, but usually only by freckle

- if it's anyone else, you probably won't even get the chance to tickle her

- teases with baby talk, also for the sake of not taking it too seriously

- her primary motivation to tickle is to have fun and bond with her friends

- she and rocky sometimes have tickle wars that go on FOREVER, meanwhile freckle is blushing on the side, very conflicted on whether to help or not

Freckle

- 100% lee

- he's too shy to tickle anyone unless it's Ivy, and even then he's very very gentle

- is indifferent to being tickled; he doesn't actively like it, but he never tells the ler to stop, so he does choose to let it happen, and besides, he can admit it's nice to laugh hard once in a while

- again, doesn't actually dislike the sensation, but his imposter syndrome hates it when someone gives him any kind of affection bc he doesn't feel he's worth it

- which, of course, just makes his friends tickle him more

- rocky is his most common ler; he often tickles poor freckle to get him to admit something nice about himself (or rocky lol)

- "don't be bashful, my careful cousin! give us a smile~"; "it's very simple, freckle, just repeat after me, 'rocky is a dashing, debonair Robin Hood'"

- ivy tickles him because it burns her up to see him put himself down or worry, so she takes it upon herself to lighten his spirits

- while she does start playfully forceful, she never makes it impossible for him to escape. she sits very gently on his hips and scratches lightly enough to give him breath; even with all of those mercies, freckle still doesn't fight her, not really.

- however hard it is for him to accept it, getting tickled by his friends makes his feel supported and loved ❤️

- panics immediately at the first sign of mischief

- will try to talk the ler out of tickling them

- and when that inevitably fails, he will bolt

- "nononononononoNONONO!"

- actually just yelps "no" and "please" constantly, mostly out of reflex

- "please what, freckle?" "I DOHONT KNOW"

- his laugh is so contagious, full of heart belly laughs and bashful giggles

Mordecai

- HOOOOO BOY 😳

- ler

- idk if the comic displays him any differently but LOOK AT HIM

- an evil tickler

- touches you just softly enough to make it absolute torture

- uses maximum two fingers, teany tiny scritches

- the kind of ler to trail a claw from the base of your belly alllll the way up to the top 😖

- teases by reminding you constantly how utterly helpless and immobile you are, and his low, smooth voice makes it all the more unbearable

- watches you with his drilling eyes, making note of what places and what techniques wear you down the most

- most common lee would be his romantic partner (if he has one)

- I can't imagine what reason such a serious and somber man would have to tickle people, but I'll leave that up to you

- he is a little ticklish everywhere

- not ticklish enough to laugh, but enough to smile, which he'll fight as hard as he can

- most ticklish spot is his palms would you believe

- no one dares try to tickle him, they don't have a death wish

- even if they did try, they'd probably think he wasn't ticklish anyway

- serafine once tried to give him a quick tase to the side, but he doesn't laugh and she couldn't see his smile so she just assumed it didn't work. plus she got a death glare in response so that endeavor didn't last long

----

[seeking-elsewhither]

Tell me more about these abandoned OCs 🤔

It's...complicated

Currently in a love-hate relationship with them, especially since I've moved on and grown. Though I have been thinking of them even as I've been creating new OCs.

I'll give you the gist of these siblings under the cut, these are notes I've written down for them in some point in the past.

But their origins and true personhoods are a lot more complex, so that's something I'm willing to delve into but just not here or at present (you're welcome to ask more questions though!)

Also, haha the names, don't mind them much :)

Manveru:

He’s very quiet, very reserved, very fatherly. Patient, kind, gentle. When he gets severely angry, he turns icy, but it’s rare because he’s so longsuffering. Excellent at negotiating, a miracle-worker with children, peacemaker. He can harbor guilt for a long time, though, and be very hard on himself. He will work himself to the death.

Gormaglis:

Fiery, steely, flint-eyed. There’s hardly ever any softness about him. He’s a silent storm, the picture of stoic rage. Justice over peace any day. Fiercely loyal, especially to Manveru. Is only unguarded around Laucalina.

Laucalina:

Kind and gentle, sweet as honey. But she’s a wild character. Her grace and strength come naturally. This doesn’t stop her from climbing everything. She’s fond of climbing and dancing and moving as much as she can. Very motherly, always open-armed. She prefers to bury her darker emotions a lot than tell anyone, though.

Indecastol:

He’s the jester of the family, the one who helps them calm down and come into balance. Always willing to help as he might. He loves making people laugh, loves dancing madly. He’s rather judgmental, though.

Eruvanda (aka the mc):

She’s got more of Gormaglis than Manveru in her. A little on the awkward side, she’s had to practice her grace for queenship. She would rather hunt and watch the sunset and weave and sleep. She’s very guarded and careful, rather serious. But there are times when her smile comes out suddenly; her siblings have seen the most of it. Forlorn, very forlorn most of the time.

Ranyadir:

Practical, level-headed, witty and sarcastic. He’s not easily distracted, and will always prefer his family over anyone else. He is very keen, very aware of what happens around him. It’s difficult to keep information from him. Can be harsh and callous without realizing.

Teraino:

He grins, a lot. Very bubbly fellow, very very happy all the time. Always up to some mischief. Has the best innocent face. He’s very pro-justice, very much willing to fight for a cause. He’s always laughing, always.

Glanweth:

As mischievous as her twin. She’s very clever at getting in and out of situations. Rather more matter-of-fact than sentimental. Queen of rolling eyes.

A few extra notes:

Those last two are the twins of the family.

Yes, they are the children of a king and queen, but their father's wrath is terrible and their mother is...vacant (haven't really gotten the chance to figure out why exactly, but she isn't much in the picture)

Vanda (Eruvanda basically) loses Laucalina first - to marriage. Overseas, to the prince of an allied land. Thankfully, the guy's a real one, so Calin ends up in a very happy marriage.

The twins are born years after Calin is basically sold off, and their birth results in the queen's death, which angers the king, even if there was never any apparent love between them. The king tries killing them, but Indecastol steps in just in time and takes the blade instead, until his elder brothers manage to wrangle the king away. The king declares the children to be taken out of his sight or death will be their lot, you know, the usual royal decree or whatever. Manveru, now *checks google sheet of dates, does a bit of subtracting* 27 years old, has managed to bring the old palace located in the mountains into his jurisdiction, so the children can be raised there. As for who goes: Indecastol is injured and sick because the injury is infected so he's out of the question, Manveru refuses to leave the castle alone to the king's wrath since he has a duty as eldest sibling, and Gormaglis will not leave Manveru's side because the support is in fact needed. That leaves Eruvanda and Ranyadir to raise them, and they don't have much choice, so that's what ends up happening.

The twins are four when the king dies in war and Manveru is crowned King.

And then we have more tragedy in line.

Gormaglis and Indecastol go a-hunting and are never seen again, despite the parties sent after to search them out. Eruvanda rages over this, even goes so far as to say it was Manveru's fault, but she finds peace eventually.

King Manveru's ship is ravaged by a storm and all that makes it is his soaking wet standard. Eruvanda rules as Princess Regent for a year because she cannot accept the crown because to accept the crown is to accept that he is dead and that can't be true, that just can't be true. She sends out search party after search party while she handles the kingdom.

Eruvanda is crowned queen, and she is a shell of her former self. Ranyadir is her second just as Gormaglis was Manveru's

I have written some stuff and put it out on here, but I cringe now as I look back on it. The ideas are pretty interesting, but there's too many plot holes and whatnot. I do think I'll come back to it. Eventually.

But yeah, here they are. Not wholly as they truly are, but I'm showing you the parts that I've chosen to matter.

[la-morte-di-belle]

Wow, how have I not posted this oneshot on here yet?

Title: Kiss Me

Fandom: Jujutsu Kaisen

Main Characters: Reader/YN; Gojo Satoru

Pairing: Gojo x Reader

Warnings: RomCom

Notes: A one-shot about Y/N's feelings for Gojo and her need for clarity. Primarily Y/N focused and features a female Jujutsu reader but doesn't have any specifying characteristics other than "she." Reader's ability is created by me, but feel free to ask me more about it.

Possibly will turn into a story, but for now, it is a stand-alone story.

Summary:  "She hated that her heart was so enraptured at the thought of this man. It disgusted her knowing that one smile would cause her mind to shut down." Gojo was a tease. One minute you could be flirting with him, and the next, he'd have you at arms link. Y/N had been paired with Gojo for months now, and she still hadn't figured him out, yet. There was only thing she knew for sure: She wanted him to kiss her.

"Kiss me."

     "Ooo, I like it when you make commands."

     "That's not what— never mind. Just...just kiss me, okay?"

     "And, if I say no?"

     "What? I thought...are you...wait! Wait! God, this is already embarrassing enough. Just, stop teasing me already, Satoru!"

     "Man, you're no fun tonight."

     "Fun?" Y/N huffed, visibly flushing further in her discomfort, "Fun? Really, that's what you're taking away from all this? I literally just asked you to kiss me and all you can say is I'm not any fun? You know what, forget I asked."

     She had made to turn away and leave Gojo to his own devices— there wasn't any point in continuing to go back and forth with him if all he was going to do was tease her. Besides, why stay when this whole interaction, their relationship, was apparently nothing more than some form of entertainment for him. Gojo made her out to be some sort of toy. Y/N was here to perform for her "master" whenever he wished for her to and she was sick of it.

     "Aw, come on! Don't be like that." Gojo laughed, "I can't help it. I have this love for seeing you all riled up. Once I catch a glimpse of those flushed cheeks, I can't stop myself from chasing that high!"

     Y/N rolled her eyes at that. Gojo was the best Jujutsu Sorcerer and smooth talker in all of Japan. He had a way of making people feel like the most important thing in the world, while somehow still being able to mock them in one way or another. He didn't love seeing her "all riled up," Gojo loved seeing everyone riled up. This wasn't something special they shared. It wasn't even something he exclusively did to her. Y/N had been warned, scolded and harassed for her involvement with him— told numerous times to try and avoid him at every cost. Yet, as much as she tried to apply the advice given, Y/N didn't really get a choice on who she was sent on missions with. That was the fault of all those old, stuffy sorcerers and their compatibility in Jujutsu.

     Yet, Gojo was a god.

     He was the only man in this generation who could control the space between and manipulate cursed energy any way he saw fit. An untouchable being with the knowledge of just how untouchable he was. Gojo could act like a jester all he wanted but in the end, even a god seeking some fun was still a god when everything was said and done.

     Y/N was nothing compared to a god.

     Sure, the Elders here in Japan might have deemed her a Special Grade, but back in the States, she barely passed as a Semi-First Grade. There was nothing special about her. The technique gifted to her hadn't done more than allow others to bring up her shitty family as an afterthought in most conversations. Honestly, what was so great about being able to temporarily "dampen" someone's cursed energy usage or completely exorcise a cursed spirit without the use of other Jujutsu techniques? It wasn't worth the "Special Grade" title, not when she was pretty sure the latter part of her Jutsushiki was a common ability among the Sorcerer world.

     Nevertheless though, Y/N found herself stuck with Gojo as a partner and mentor who was suppose to be helping her nurture her abilities. Everyone could talk all the shit they wanted about Satoru Gojo, but none of them had to deal with him like she did. And none of them would have been able to stop her from falling for him like she had.

     God, she hated it.

     She hated that her heart was so enraptured at the thought of this man. It disgusted her knowing that one smile would cause her mind to shut down. Y/N wanted to rip her eyes out so they'd stop seeking him, and maybe sow her mouth shut in the process because it wasn't like talking was doing much for her anyways. How hard was it to not be affected by every little thing he did? How much more of a fool was Y/N to become before she could finally be herself again?

     "I hate you."

     "Hey, hey! I thought we were having a moment here?"

     "So did I but ya' know, no. The only thing that's happening here, is me leaving your ass to deal with that First Grade by yourself. Not that you needed me anyways. Have fun, asshole!"

     "Now, now, there's no need to be upset. I wasn't trying to embarrass you or anything. However, how does one respond to being told to kiss someone?"

     "Huh? Oh, uh, well...I...that's no—"

     "Not what you meant? But you did tell me to kiss you, right? And here I thought consent was very important!"

     "What? No! Wait! Yes! Hold on! Yeah, I mean yes! Consent is very important but that's...that's not what I was trying to get at and you know it!"

     "Do I?"

     "You know what? No. Just stop. I wasn't trying to force you to kiss me, okay? I just really, really wanted to stop playing these games with you. God! Like one moment you're flirting with me and the next you're treating like I'm the butt of all your jokes. I don't even know what you want from me half the time! Are we flirting? Is this a thing? Is what I think happening actually happening? Like is there really a thing going on between us or am I just trippin' out? Because let me tell you, I rather it be the latter so I can go ahead and bury these feelings I somehow developed for you and call it a day?"

     "Whoa. That's kind of a lot to take in."

     It was. It really was a lot to take in and Y/N desperately needed someone to tell her why she thought unloading all this information while the two of them were supposed to be hunting down a First Grade cursed spirit was the perfect time to do so. This wasn't how she had planned to approach the topic. It definitely wasn't what she had wanted to tell Gojo. Or, well, yes? She did tell him to kiss her but Y/N thought the two of them were having another "moment."

     What, with the moon full and blooming with light. Or with the gentle breeze that seemed to be pushing the two of them closer. It didn't help that Gojo made her feel like she was the center of all his attention, even though she subconsciously knew she couldn't be— would never be. Except, Y/N couldn't stop herself from allowing Gojo to make her feel that way or allowing Gojo to be the center of hers. For god's sake, the man even saved her from falling flat on her face like the cliché romcom she had thought they'd found themselves in.

     But maybe it was all in her head? Maybe she had really imagined things? It wouldn't be the first time, and while she might have been younger when those instances happened, it didn't mean she couldn't make the same mistakes now as an adult. Sure, it would have been a lot nicer and less embarrassing if she could have avoided this mess but, you know, growth. Or some shit like that.

     It was probably best to stray away from all these thoughts now, though. Y/N was starting to look like a lunatic the more she continued to let her mind reflect on the situation she found herself in. As well, being crouched on the sidewalk with her head in her hands might have not helped either. She just needed to muster up the energy to pick her dignity off the floor and maybe that would hopefully give Y/N a chance to pull through this all. As of right now though? Yeah, she was going to lose it. Unless the ground beneath her could swallow her up faster.

     "Hey," Gojo interrupted softly. "I think there might be some miscommunication here."

     "You think?" Y/N retorted quietly.

     "Hey," Gojo said once more. "Don't hide yourself from me. If I'm to be honest, the thing I love to see the most— are your eyes."

     "What?"

     Soft laughter poured out of him then. And when she finally looked up at Gojo, crouched right there before her with his blindfold raised, Y/N couldn't help but believe the sincerity in his words. While there might have been a very high chance this was just another attempt at Gojo trying to be "human", there was that small little tug from her pinky finger urging her to believe.

     "They're always so expressive."

     "Huh?"

     "Your eyes."

     "Oh."

     They crouched there for a moment longer in silence. A part of her could feel the heat warmly sitting on her cheeks and while her heart was beating up a symphony, everything was so quiet around them. For a moment Y/N thought Gojo might have put up a Curtain to hide them away from the rest of the world, but there wasn't really a moment he could have. There was that nagging fear again that she might have been reading too much into this, yet, there wasn't any way she was, right? He had to feel it too. There was no way Gojo could ignore the string pulling at his thumb. This, this had to be real. It just had to be.

     "As much as I love them though," Gojo whispered, "Do me a favor and close them real quick, yeah?"

     Another moment passed in silence before Y/N sighed and complied. She kept them closed even though cold hands sought out her burning cheeks. She kept them closed, even when a cool puff of air tickled her face. And as much as she wanted to ingrain the sight of him with her eyes, Y/N still kept them closed when Gojo finally kissed her.

[shmowder]

How are those so accurate? I love the image of Rubin and Artemy with a kitten, aww 🥹 And your Khan observation and theory, lol. You're so right about Alexander Saburov and Mark, too.

So I don't actually know very much about cats; as a cat person with allergies, I'd be joining Yulia in the pspspspsing at strays. Nevertheless, here are some vibes I'm getting.

Capella would have a Ragdoll cat for sure, with a ribbon for a collar. If Big Vlad were to ever have a cat, just google Cat that Looks like a Coal Baron, that's his. I can see Taya with a Himalayan, but it's also fun to picture her with a huge Maine Coon that's practically bigger than she is. Aglaya - some kind of tabby cat. Grief is also allergic to cats; I have no idea where I'm getting this but I feel it in my bones.

Who is particularly fond of orange cats? Somebody must be! My instinct is to say Yulia, actually. Or Artemy.

"The Kains do already have pets, the human kind. Aka the Stamatins." lmao this startled a laugh out of me.

🐿️ anon

YOU ARE SO RIGHT WITH ALL OF THIS

omfg Capella having an adorable ragdoll cat is so fitting. She dresses it in tidy bows and ruffles, it's the most polite cat ever. Very elegant looking and well behaved, it's one of the few cats Khan actually loves. Her cat and Notkin's jester surpsingly get along and have playdates in Capella's room. Or well the cat's room, let's be real, Capella probably has a whole room dedicated to her spoiled cat with a cat tree, a luxurious bed and everything.

Big Vlad also has a cat, but it follows him around instead and only sleeps on his lap. Literally that meme of the parent who didn't want a pet vs them chilling with the pet afterwards

Is this the cat you mentioned that looked like him?

I see it, I do. He probably does have a long hair cat.

You're so correct about Bad Grief being allergic to cats, I feel it in my bones too. That's probably why his lair is in different warehouse district than the souls and halves, He keept sneezing otherwise and just moved bases.

What's worse, cat's absolutely adore him. They enjoy rubbing their fur against his legs, he's like catnip for them for some reason and they purr and keep trying to climb up his legs.

It's also funny to imagine him having to deal with cat lovers Artemy and Rubin as kids. Especially with Isidor caring for stray cats and how these two took care of the kittens after their mom didn't make it. Lara helping them and all these kids looking after the kittens everyday but Grief is having the worst month of his life, his eyes won't stop watering, nose won't stop running and he's breaking out in hives.

Grief doesn't visit his friends as adults, not because of a grudge or anything but because all three of them won't stop making their home a 5 stars hotel for stray cats and he can't take two steps inside without sneezing his lungs out.

Those are good candidates for orange cat owners, but hear me out. Listen Listen.

Aglaya is the person who owns THAT communical one-braincell orange cat. And the cat never gets its turn with the braincell ever.

The cat has zero survival instincts. It sleeps on the stove frequently, it runs away from bugs, and it lets a mouse steal its food. It gets stuck on furniture and high places all the time and meows loudly until someone helps it down before immediately climbing up and getting stuck again.

Was this whole post just an excuse for me to subject my readers to looking at these adorable cat pictures i found? Probably.

So Maria's cat is one of those majestic short haired sleek black cats. It's also the cat which traumatised/scratched Khan when he was a kid and now he holds a grudge against all cats bc of it.

It's unfriendly to anyone who's not Maria, it's a very well loved cat that demands respect and will bite and scratch if you touch its fur out of the blue. You must present your hand to be sniffed first and then the cat will decide if you're worthy enough

It has a shiny well maintained coat, Maria spares no expenses. The collar is made out of real gold and gems, she even commissioned a couple paintings of her cat to hang around her wing of the crucible.

[romeoandjulietyouwish]

ever and always (beauyasha week day 6)

Prompt: Lionett-Nydoorin @beauyasha-week Read on ao3!

Beau can’t fucking breathe. Her suit is too tight, her shoes pinching her toes, she’s sweating, her hands are shaking. She can hear Fjord and Caleb trying to talk to her, but all she can hear is the pounding of her heart and her utter panic. Her mind rattles with the words of her mother and father, only increasing the panic.

A hand gently clasps the back of her neck and she lifts her eyes up to see Caleb crouching in front of her, his eyes intense with worry. “Beauregard, you need to breathe. In through your nose, out through your mouth.”

“Fuck off,” Beau spits at him. “I’m breathing just fine.”

“Respectfully, you’re freaking out,” Fjord says, sitting down on the bed beside her. The wedding is set to start in half an hour in the backyard. Until then, Beau and her groomsmen have been in the bedroom together while the rest of the Mighty Nein decorates and helps set up, Jester and Veth getting Yasha and the kids ready.

And Beau can’t fucking stop panicking. It seems Fjord can’t understand the reasoning as he says, “You know that Yasha loves you, you have two kids together. So what’s wrong?”

Beau shakes her head, “I don’t know.” She sits up, talking with her hands much more than normal as she tries to explain, “All of a sudden this feels like…so much. What if this changes everything? What if this brings up some shit for her with Zuala? I’m just…I’m losing my shit here.” She laughs tensely.

Caleb sits down on her other side, wrapping an arm around her waist. Beau leans against his shoulder with a sigh, glad to accept the comfort. Fjord’s hand rests warm and heavy on her upper back.

“You know, in the other room, Jester and Yasha are devouring all the pastries. They’re playing with the kids,” Caleb tells her. “Yasha is just fine. If she wasn’t certain about this, she wouldn’t have asked you to marry her.”

“I asked her,” Beau grumbles under her breath, but she can’t help but lean a little heavier into Caleb. There’s a long moment before she admits softly, “My mother used to tell me how romantic my father was before they got married. And they…stopped loving each other afterwards. What if she stops loving me after we’re married?”

“Shut the fuck up,” Fjord cuts her off gruffly. “What you’re saying is absolutely ridiculous.”

Caleb stands up, pushing Beau into Fjord, “I’ll go get Yasha.” 

Beau can’t even say anything to stop him before the door shuts behind him and she looks up at Fjord. He gives her a stern look, “You are not like your father. He was an ass before he married your mother. You and Yasha have been acting like a married couple for years now. You love her, you love your children. She loves you, that much has been clear almost as long as I’ve known her.”

As her eyes grow wet with tears, Fjord sighs and pulls her into a tight hug. Yasha has made her soft, Beau realizes. Never has she needed affection this much. Not since Yasha and Caleb and the kids. So she presses her head against his neck and makes herself smaller in his arms. Her suit is going to be wrinkled, but she doesn’t care in the slightest.

“Mama?” Beau looks up from Fjord’s embrace to see Yasha entering with their two children. Her breath catches in her throat.

Yasha looks utterly divine. She’s wearing a long white dress with flowers embroidered on the hem in yellow and pink and blue. The plunging neck and the lack of sleeves show off her muscles and scars. Cricket is wearing a bright yellow dress and a fresh flower crown on her head, hair braided on her shoulders. Imdrin wears a deep grey skirt and a blouse with flowers embroidered on the collar, Essek did his hair in traditional Xhorhassian braids.

As they enter, Beau quickly smiles and pulls away from Fjord to wipe her eyes, “Hi, guys.”

“What’s wrong?” Imdrin asks immediately as he follows his mom into the room. Yasha sits down on the bed beside Beau, immediately taking her hand, the two kids hopping up beside them. 

Beau sighs. Marion’s first advice to Beau and Yasha when they took in Cricket was to never lie about how you feel, don’t teach them to hide emotions. So Beau drops the smile and tells them, “I’m nervous about the wedding, that it might change things in our family.”

Cricket frowns, “That’s stupid. What’s the difference?”

Yasha chuckles, “It’s complicated, bug.” Yasha looks back at Beau and touches her cheek, “We don’t have to get married, babe. We can just have a big party with everyone we love and it will mean the same thing. This won’t change anything about our relationship, I promise.”

Beau swallows thickly, “You don’t know that.”

“Mom knows everything,” Cricket chimes in, affronted on Yasha’s behalf.

“You’re right,” Yasha smiles. “I do, and that’s why your mom should listen to me.” She kisses Beau softly. “This is your call babe.”

Beau takes a deep breath of Yasha’s perfume and Cricket’s flower crown and the arcane scent that lingers around Imdrin now. She blinks and looks up at Yasha, “I want to marry you. So much you have no idea.”

Yasha grins, her face utterly glowing, “How does twenty minutes sound?”

Beau chuckles, wrapping an arm around Imdrin and hugging him into her side, “Give me thirty? I think Jester is going to want to redo my makeup.” 

“You look like a raccoon, mama,” Cricket says bluntly. Beau and Yasha laugh loudly, all four of them leaning into each other. 

Yasha touches Beau’s chin gently, “I’ve been waiting for you a long time, Beauregard. I can wait thirty more minutes. But no more than that.”

Beau smirks, “I won’t keep you waiting, but Jester will kill me if I get married looking like this.” Beau kisses Yasha again gently and sits up, straightening her coat, “Alright, all of you out, you’re not allowed to see the bride before the wedding.”

“Uncle King says that’s stupid,” Cricket announces. 

Beau just laughs and picks up her daughter, “Did he say that now? Well I think you should go tell him that he’s wrong, and be sure to remember what he looks like when you say that. You’ll have to tell me later.” She tickles Cricket’s side a little as she sets the girl down, watching her scamper off.

As Imdrin takes Yasha’s hand, holds the door for them, only giving Yasha a slight glare when she slaps her ass on the way out. Gods, she can’t wait to marry her.

[deadthingposting]

OFMD rewatch ep 3- the gentleman pirate

Yay my boy finally appears

It's weird how now I just notice how many jokes about Lucius dying there are in the show, in a complete different note Frenchies little doodles are lovely

God stede gives me so much second hand embarrassment, this is the point on the show I stopped hating him and start having a weird pity of him, god bless this pathetic little man he is incapable of reading a room, like in the party ship episode we see how Ed is not great with the upper class but stede is so much worse with the pirates he is a walking kick me sign.

I am so against the propaganda of Jim being one of the "braincells" in the crew like this little shit has nothing inside their head, just maybe vengeance, and they act like a cat it's adorable

Jackie is the only girlboss allowed, no bullshit she is the one she collects a harem, collects human body parts, dresses in red, looks fucking good in red, comes up with a nickname mocking stede stupid pirate name on the spot, I want to sit on her lap, help.

And another point for Izzy digging his own grave I just love that if Izzy wasn't such a arrogant dick half of his problems wouldn't have happened, like he had no reason to lie to stede about who was his captain but he did and just made Ed more interested, congratulations Mr hands it's you Hi! You are the problem.

(by the way there's one moment when he is talking to Ed that makes me so angry, this wannabe edgylord holds his hand over a lit candle, this is so stupid I swear to god he was about to say something you would find over a black and white picture of the joker)

By the way Lucius getting Jim's knife it's such a sweet moment but oluwande getting all jealous it's so cute.

As much as this episode gives me deathly levels of cringe the end just takes my whole heart

I am a sucker for first meetings and I hate how in this fandom we have a thousand AUs but not many fics on what stede was thinking when he saw Ed for the first time and vice versa like this scene I want to inject it on my veins

The world is burning stede knows it's the end he is going to die his last though, the family he left, his wife he never loved but had a sense of responsibility for,how much of a walking failure he was now he was going to die and kill his friends, not really friends more like the people he was paying to laugh at his jester act, and from flames and smoke comes a fucking handsome man and looks at him not with disgust or pity or arrogance but interest and says he knows him he recognizes him not as stede the failure bonnet but as the gentleman pirate. His persona. His pirate name.

And I am screaming

Rating:🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪 five random knifes including Jim knife and all the ones used on Blackbeard's raid

[unknown-writez]

The Traveler and The Jester

Chapter one:strange places and meetings

Part three

I finished dropping my stick and walking over to him, raising my hand out to his. “names Y/N.” I say as he gave it a gentle shake before letting it drop. “ It's a pleasure to meet you.” He said with a sweet tone and eyes that were constantly boring onto my own, making me blush. “Follow me.” he said and we started to walk shoulder to shoulder alongside each other into the dark forest. The thicket of trees growing thicker consuming everything as I ventured in. No turning back. We walked for a couple minutes before I had to admit these oh so dangerous woods were actually quite beautiful. The ground was covered with ferns and different plants that I had never seen before that sent glowing green lights into the air when you touched them. thick tree roots jutted out here and there in twisted clusters of dark wood. attached to the trees and ground were glowing mushrooms all different sizes and colors. littered everywhere while firefly’s and other creatures were dancing around it all fluttering past me. walking even further in I noticed blue iridescent pools of water holding fish that couldn’t possibly exist in my world. It was all almost overwhelming so much so I didn’t realize I hadn’t said a word until the trees started to thin out again and we walked into a new clearing. This one however had a tiny stone cottage with circular windows on each side of its wooden door. The grey rock walls of it covered in lush green vines. “It's not much but it’s a good place to hide between quest and messing with the court.” puck said in an unimpressed way. “I think it’s beautiful.” I said, giving him a smile. stopping at the door, puck turned facing me in front of it before grabbing the door handle and opening it dramatically “welcome to my humble abode!” he joked letting me in. Upon entering I noticed the wooden floors and big cobblestone chimney in what I could only assume was the living room charred used wood still in it. There was a brown leather couch and a wooden table in front of it. On both sides of the room there appeared to be doors leading most likely to a closed off kitchen and or bedroom. The house was unkempt and dusty trinkets, chest and nightstands spread about all over the place holding who knows what. Nothing was too personalized. like he didn’t stay here often. As I took in everything standing inside the entrance of the house the door shut lightly behind me. puck moved pass going straight for the couch flopping on it laying down and putting his hands behind his head in a relaxed manner. “word.” I say lightly to myself walking towards Puck on the couch who was sitting up to make room for me. I sat down finally relaxing a little not knowing how tense I was. “I like your funny way of speaking.” puck said “thanks. I’m from Brooklyn.” I replied, making him smile a little as he said “are you sure you’re not like half fey or something? you look more like us than my friend who actually is.” “I’m not capping.” I replied, laughing a little at the ridiculousness of it all. '`what?” he asked, confused, giving a little head tilt. “lying.” I explained Puck letting out a chuckle after. “so… what’s the plan, birdman?” I asked him “well we could go to the summer court and see if I can dig up anything or we could find my friend Grimm and see what he knows. all else fails, we go to the oracle but she totally gives me the creeps and I’d personally like to stay as far away from her as possible.” he said fake shivering “who’s Grimm?” I asked, confused “he’s like the Cheshire cat from Alice in wonderland only grey and very unenthusiastic. that fur ball hates me but he won’t be able to resist something as mysterious as this. just be careful that cat loves making deals you can’t come back from.” he finished explaining with a warning tone “noted.” I said jokingly “my turn for questions!” puck insisted “tell me has anything like this happened before?” he finished “nothing this mad. once in a blue moon I’ll wake up in another room or something but that’s just usual sleepwalking stuff.” I replied “interesting…you must be doing it in your sleep.”

[corruptedbunny-multimuse]

A for fun try my muses but- my exes edition. +)

Rookie was glaring, floating around Wish as the latter smirked at him. He had no idea what he was planning, but he didn't like the look he was giving him. He had a feeling Blaise was in control, at least for now...

~~~

"HAY!!!" Tricky.FLA looked around in confusion, seeing none of the same EXEs from before. He frowned, looking at a map with 'tumblr blogs' written on the top. WRONG TURN AT MUSES PAGE?? He scratched his head... then froze when he saw Strife.FLA.

"HAAAAAANNNNKS!!!" Aaaand now he's chasing the two-headed Wimbleton.

"...oh dear." The Broken God sighed, startling a few of the others. "Wrong turn, indeed..." He started to head out, making sure nobody was going to get hurt... aside from Strife.FLA.

Then he froze as a crash sounded behind him, and he slowly turned to see Project Destruction roaring and swiping at everyone. "Ah--" He rushed over, a little panicked.

Pieces was sitting nearby the hole Tricky.FLA had made, eating popcorn and laughing. A few times, he scrambled Strife.FLA just to mess with the other EXE, only to stop when a knife flew past his head. And then White Strife jumped out and at her counterpart... then towards Blaze once she had sufficiently mauled Strife without angering Tricky too much.

~~~

Wrong and Allure both nuzzled each other, Wrong's ghostly tail wagging quite a bit. He was still a little worried about if he was in danger...

Though Allure had shown time and time again she only really loved him-- anyone else, she happily ate their souls. But not him.

Truthfully, he didn't quite get it-- why was he so special?

But at the same time... it felt pretty nice.

~~~

The Soul of The Cards stared out of the game screen, confused by what it had just witnessed. It looked like someone had been playing that Ace Attorney game, but...

That strange version of Delicia...

Whatever she was, she knew it was there. She flashed her true form at it, showing its target suffering in her game.

~~~

Colladus was sitting on his throne, a little bored-looking. "Mmmm..." He had been puppeteering a fight between USURPED And DERAILED, but even that was getting boring. He had been planning on escaping this damn game, but... so far he had found nothing.

"Nnngh...!" He kicked DERAILED, USURPED yelping as her eyes changed back to pink. "Oh, oops--" He held his hand out, the princess's eyes turning red again. "Can't have you getting back at me, hmm?"

~~~

"Oh?" A certain jester looked at the screen in surprise. "I'm shocked you didn't forget to add me-- everyone forgets about me in some way. Even you will, eventually." He shrugged with all of his hands. "But I suppose I'll leave you alone for now... I have more people to play tag with!"

~~~

The Greatest Slayer sang a fanfare-- his usual fanfare-- as he chased after a screaming EXE that was crying uncle. Too bad he doesn't play by that rule, huh? He grinned and sped his flight up a bit, ramming into the EXE and causing it to burst into pixels. "Whoa! That, uh... that one's new." He blinked, looking around suspiciously.

~~~

The Goddess of Law had never liked Blaze, nor did she like anyone that was him or took on his form. Why take on such a horrible, evil man's visage?

And yet, no Sebastian could bring themself to hate him.

Fiery Will was clearly no exception. She gently held the ghost, who lamented the loss of his father, wondered why no one remembered him in his home game.

She had no answer to that.

And that almost scared her.