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#Man is gonna go through a bit of a faith crisis
lady0ctavia · 9 days
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Guys, you have no idea how much my brain has been swimming and bursting with ideas for the 2p!Prussia x Reader fanfic I wanna write.
Prepare for angst and, because of the nature of the Teutonic Knights, a LOT of religious talk and criticism (all of this coming from a Christian who was raised to look at the Bible critically).
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qdbs-writes · 2 years
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RE bois with Zombie!Reader that just wants to live in their tiny house in peace? Please?
RE Lads Reacting to Chill-Zombie!Reader
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Leon Kennedy
You could have all the warning signs and barbed wire in the world around your little zombie house and Leon would still manage to bumble his way through your front door, yelling at you like you're the reason he's there.
He'll see that you're a zombie and instinctively round-house kick you into your tiny makeshift kitchen. He's about to rip the basil you were growing out of its pot when he notices how nice your little zombie house is. It was definitely better than his ratty apartment. Leon will have a small crisis of faith as he finally considers getting a bed frame.
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Chris Redfield
Sees the words 'DON'T OPEN, DEAD INSIDE' on your little house and takes that as some kind of challenge. Surely whoever wrote that warning didn't mean him, what's the worse that could happen if he kicked in the door?
Off the door comes from its hinges, while Chris sweeps your one-room home with the barrel of his gun. He can't help but think to himself that this is a suspiciously nice zombie house. As his gaze reaches the last corner of your house, he spots you perched on your neatly made zombie bed, crocheting a little zombie blanket (even dead people need hobbies). When you continue to crochet awkwardly, albeit a bit slower than before, Chris decides he's made a terrible mistake, and backs out nervously, attempting to put the broken door back in its place as he leaves.
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Carlos Olivera
He'd read the warning on your house as 'DON'T DEAD, OPEN INSIDE' and would still be like "This sign can't stop me; because I can't read!".
Deciding that the door would be too obvious of an entryway, Carlos instead sails through your window, knocking something over in the process. When he gets up, he sees you, a little zombie, sitting at a small breakfast table, watching the news on a grainy, antique TV. Carlos follows your gaze to his feet, where he sees the now-destroyed pie you had left to cool on the windowsill. Carlos is heartbroken as he remembers the pies his Abuela used to bake. Saddened at seeing your hard work go to waste, Carlos jumps into action. "Don't worry," he says "I can fix this!". He gets to work in your little kitchen and in no time at all, a new pie is in the oven. Afraid of breaking anything else, Carlos apologises one last time before he leaves, and you smile delightedly back at him.
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Albert Wesker
For whatever bullshit reason he has to hide somewhere and decides the little, highly-defended cottage you live in would be perfect.
He slams your front door shut behind him, huffy and sweaty before he notices a surprisingly well-kept zombie nestled in an armchair, reading a book. Enjoy a healthy dose of silent, prolonged eye contact, until Wesker takes a look around the quaint, bombed-out hovel that you've made for yourself. Assuming you can speak, he's gonna have a lot of questions. They mostly center around if you would like to kindly enter this luxurious iron-barred box he keeps at all times... No, it's not a cage, it just looks like a cage! And no, the armed men with tranquilizer darts aren't here to hurt you, he promises!
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Ethan Winters
Considering this man's luck, he'd probably come crashing in through your ceiling, groaning and cussing as he lands in a heap on your threadbare carpet.
Ethan sees that he's just fallen into your zombie house and wonders for a moment why bad things only seem to happen to him. But he struggles to get up after landing on his ankle. Steadily, you pull up a chair for him and make him a coffee, which was probably the most appetizing thing Ethan has had shoved in his face lately, so he drinks it. And it's not bad coffee either, maybe you used to work in a Starbucks. You and Ethan sit in amicable silence while he finishes his drink, thanking you quietly before hobbling out the door. He turns back as he leaves your garden and you send him off with a little wave. You were definitely a nice zombie.
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odinsblog · 3 months
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David Remnick: I think it's possible to imagine that if a presidential candidate 15 years ago had gotten these felony convictions, that person would be out. How do you, as a Democrat, respond to that?
Raphael Warnock: Well, I think that the country has long been in a kind of a spiritual crisis, certainly exacerbated by the reality of Trumpism in the world, and it's something I think about, first of all, just as a pastor and as a citizen. But I still have a great deal of confidence in the American people, because the reality is he only wins by subtraction. That is his only shot, which is why I'm focused on making sure that every eligible American has a chance to exercise their franchise and to know that their vote will count.
This election is not about who he is, it's about who we are as an American people.
Senator, one of the factors that figures into what may or may not happen in November is for Black voters under 50, and this is according to research by Pew, 29%, 29% is leaning to Trump. That's a heck of a lot. It's a huge jump from voters 50 and over. Why do you think this is happening?
Warnock: I pay attention to polls. I'm not obsessed by them. I think there's a long time between now and November. I will hazard this hunch: 29% of voters, Black voters, are not gonna vote for Donald Trump.
So you're just saying the polls are the polls. You're just saying the polls are out of their collective minds.
Warnock: It's not gonna happen. […] And I stand by my assertion, and not as a pundit, but as somebody who knows a little bit about the Black community. 29% of Black folk are not going to vote for Donald Trump.
29% under 50. Okay, yeah.
Warnock: Under 50, or under any age.
Right now, there's a big movement of people in this country who say they want to live in a Christian nation with laws instituting Christian principles. By the way, the vast majority of especially people who describe themselves as evangelicals are pro-Trump. What do you make of that?
The enormous number of people of earnest faith who look at someone who lies the way he does, who's now been convicted of multiple felonies, how do you analyze that?
Warnock: Well, there were a number of Christians, a whole lot of Christians, who were pro-slavery. And there were a whole lot of Christians who were pro-segregation. There's a recurring line by Martin Luther King, Jr. in his letter from the Birmingham jail. He says it a few times in his speeches. He says, “I am so disappointed in the American church.” I'm paraphrasing here.
I can't channel the eloquence of Dr. King. But he said, “As I travel through the south and I see its massive churches with its massive religious education buildings and its spires pointing heavenward, I ask myself, what kind of people worship there? Who really is their God?”
That's the question for this moment. Who really is their God? Particularly when we've been told by a lot of folks on the far right for years that their focus is family values.
When we’ve raised issues that people like me think are also central to the gospel, like how you treat the poor, they have narrowed the religious discussion to matters of ‘private morality,’ one's conduct around issues of human sexuality, marriage and the like. And those same people now are lined up behind Donald Trump, a man who has had several marriages, who found himself caught up in the crosshairs of his decision to have an affair with a porn star. And these same folks who have raised these issues around family values and private morality are the ones who are speaking as if he is the Messiah of God.
I think the question that Dr. King asked all those years ago is especially relevant in this moment. Who really is their God?
—Senator Raphael Warnock
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sylvies-chen · 5 months
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ok ok ok ok ok deep breaths ok I have thoughts let me share them quickly!!
to a lesser extent, I don’t blame tim for this one bit. which is actually the crazy part! the worst moment of his entire life/career just came back to haunt him in the worst way, he nearly got his own girlfriend and her roommate killed, as well as a political activist, because of his inaction. he had to go against everything he held important and every quality he thought made him who he is in order to fix things and even then there is a distinct reminder that this isn’t over. it’s a crisis of all of his values which, for a faithless man like tim, is like a crisis of faith. he’s in a really dark place right now, and even if it was wrong or irrational, it was a reasonable guttural reaction to the emotional panic he’s going through.
but to a greater extent— and I cannot stress this enough— THIS WAS A SHITTY WRITING DECISION AND FUCK THIS FUCKING SHOW 😍
this was an interesting storyline. it really was. but then the pace just picked up WAY TOO FAST. obviously as we were told, this whole thing isn’t over, but this has been going on for a mere two episodes and already we have: a) the guy in custody, b) tim facing disciplinary action, c) lucy being told the truth of what happened, and now d) tim breaking up with her??!
I swear it’s like this writers don’t know how to balance the artful skill of withholding and releasing information in a storyline. timed releases build tension while creating payoff, steady pacing keeps the viewer invested, intentional storytelling sets things up logically for the viewer but in a creative way. and NONE of these things were present in the writing and production decisions being made in tonight’s episode. this breakup trope could have been believable if it was for her safety or if the storyline hadn’t slowed down drastically just as it was beginning, but instead it comes off as senseless drama for drama’s sake. I’m so pissed off because it’s so utterly transparent that I can’t even be invested in this plot or storyline anymore, I just have to witness my favs going through more pain and heartbreak but without the enjoyment of understanding its purpose. it’s simultaneously too predictable and a ridiculously disappointing surprise.
anyways, fuck this lol call me when they’re back together because you know it’s gonna happen so idek what the point of this random turn in the plot is, alexi just hit a self-destruct button tonight or something fr
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codexjinora · 4 months
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I know I don't usually post and this isn't gonna do numbers with my follower count. But I have faith it'll find its people!
Today, June 3rd 2024, the TF2 community is once again rallying for an end to the cheater/bot crisis using #FixTF2!
As someone who got into playing videogames (and even learned English) through Team Fortress 2, this game has always been near and dear to my heart. Not just to me, but to so many. And yet Valve just... Dropped it around Overwatch's release. Allowed bots to take over the entire casual playing scene, to the point where you have to go through ~5 casual matches to get one that's actually playable.
We all expected TF2 to die because of this. But it didn't. It still has an active player base and community all these years later. In the words of a very inactive purple bearded man, TF2 is a timeless masterpiece.
If you know and enjoy the memes, play the game or used to play the game. I beg you. There's a petition at Save.tf that you can sign. All we want is a functional anticheat so we can continue to play the game we've known and loved for over a decade now. This petition advocates for that.
Today, WE advocate for that on social media. Please join in with the hashtag #FixTF2 to show your support for the game, community, and demand Valve finally do SOMETHING. it failed once, but just because plan A failed... There's still 25 more letters in the alphabet. And we are too stubborn to let this game die.
Thank you for reading. I know the tumblr community usually tackles way larger, socially important issues far beyond a stupid videogame. I understand if you don't care about this because there's more pressing matters. But it'd be kind if this message was shared either way. If only because it's a small bit of happiness for me.
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haloburns · 1 year
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a collection of tag games
hi hello i have returned from the dead (danny phantom puns abound, i know) i've felt like SHITE for months now, so i'm going to mass answer some tag games i've been tagged in by @jadenoryuu and @deathcomes4u (i know penner has tagged me in some but theyre not showing up in my notes??? i'll find them in my emails later and reblog)
these will all be under the readmore with the original post linked!!
Wip themes tag!
Core themes are in blue, minor themes are in orange (mostly because yellow hurts my eyes).
i uhhhhhhhhhh have so many wips, i'm not sure which one jade was talking about, but i'll use my invisobang!
addiction | beauty | betrayal | change vs. tradition | chaos vs. order | circle of life | coming of age | communication | convention vs. rebellion | corruption (the crime) | courage | crime and law | dangers of ignorance | darkness and light | death | desire to escape | dreams | displacement | empowerment | facing darkness | facing reality | faith vs. doubt | fall from grace | fame and fortune | family | fate | fear | fear of failure | free will | friendship | fulfillment | good vs. bad | government | greed | guilt and forgiveness | hard work | heroism | hierarchy | honesty | hope | identity crisis | immortality | independence | individual vs. society | inner vs. outer strength | innocence (and the loss of) | injustice | isolation | knowledge vs. ignorance | life | loneliness | lost love | love | man vs. nature | manipulation | materialism | motherhood | nature | nature vs. nurture | oppression | optimism | peer pressure | poverty | power | power of words | prejudice | pride | progress | quest | racism | rebirth | relationships | religion | responsibility | revenge | sacrifice | secrets | self-awareness | self-preservation | self-reliance | sexuality | social class structure | survival | technology | temptation and destruction | time | totalitarianism | weakness | vanity | war | wealth (and the lack thereof) | wisdom of experience | youth
enjoy the teaser! i'll be posting my invisobang next week!
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Author self-rec!!
This one is from death! i have 88 DP fics in two years, so uhhhhhhhh this one is a hard one. All titles are links directly to my ao3! (there's gonna be more than five, i'm sorry alkjsflksjdf)
First off:
Any thing from Phic Phight
2022 or 2023! Literally all of those are my favorites, I can't pick and I'm not adding them to my 5 because that feels unfair (to me).
of course i love you (it is my fault that you have not known it all the while)
this one was a dream-related idea i had, and it turned into danny and maddie working through the early stages of post-phantom-reveal relationship. it's one of my absolute favorites, and the title is from le petit prince, which is one of my all time favorite stories.
Summary:
Danny is still adjusting to his parents knowing his identity after the Disasteroid. It's...going. It's only been a few days, after all. But when Sam and Tucker go away on an academic convention trip, Danny's left completely alone for the first time since the accident and things do not go well. Danny does not cope well, and like usual, doesn't ask for help. Maddie finds him losing a fight he shouldn't be, but when she tries to help, she accidentally makes things worse and finds out just how bad things are for her son. She doesn't know a lot about all of this halfa business, but she does know that she loves her son. That has to count for something.
this is the moment (damn all the odds)
ohhhhhh i love this one. it's probably one of my first mateo-centric fics, and i wrote it while i had covid (lying on the floor, trying not to die, i wrote 4k and it was actually comprehensible) because i needed ghost light softness in my life. it's some early stuff as i wanted to flesh out their relationship a bit more. title is kudos to death, ironically lmao
Summary:
Mateo is hurt and a little stranded, and there's only one person he can call. Danny drops everything to help him, and that... that does something.
This is The Moment that he starts to view Danny in a different, more interested light.
there's no way out (i gotta hold you somehow)
this is a companion to "it's just another day without you (and i can't sleep)" but more zoomed in. another mateo centric fic that gives us a look into his pov during their week apart, and also gives us a peek at his family dynamic pre-this is the road to ruin. it wasn't SUPPOSED to be 5k, but i was having too much fun to stop. i love mateo with all my heart and i will continue to subject everyone to him until the itch has ceased
Summary:
Mateo is hurt and a little stranded, and there's only one person he can call. Danny drops everything to help him, and that... that does something. This is The Moment that he starts to view Danny in a different, more interested light.
when the nightmare fades
this is one of the earliest fics i came up with for this series. it changed A LOT. this is where danny and mateo's first kiss was supposed to happen, but the boys got out of control and that happened a fic or two ahead of time, so that changed the tone a bit. instead of it being so charged, it just became SOFT. it will forever hold a special place in my heart
Summary:
The terrible hunted feeling hasn't left Danny in weeks. Midterms are approaching, and the stress has finally caught up to him. A terrifying nightmare wakes him from his unrestful sleep, startling Mateo awake too. When Mateo asks if he's alright, Danny actually opens up instead of hiding away like normal.
quit telling everyone i'm (permanently) dead!
started as an ectober prompt that grew......wildly out of control. danny and teo go home to amity park for thanksgiving and shenangians ensue. it has lots of soft and cute relationship stuff that actually set me up for ANOTHER favorite of mine that ALSO grew wildly out of control
Summary:
Thanksgiving break is quickly approaching, and Danny really wants to make good on his promise to Mateo. So he invites him home for the holiday. It'll be the perfect opportunity to make up for the weekend he spent stuck in the Fenton house while Danny kinda-sorta almost died again. But, like everything else in his life, Amity Parkers don't plan on making that attainable for him, his friends and family included.
this is the road to ruin (and we started at the end)
honorable mention HAS to go to last year's invisobang. this is the end of the original pieces i had planned for the series, and it wasn't necessarily supposed to be the end, but up until posting it, that was all that i had originally plotted. a year's worth of work led me to that, and i could NOT be prouder of it. i've reread it quite a bit because i'm just. in love. maybe that's a little conceited, but i put SO MUCH effort into it, so i like to enjoy it from time to time.
Summary:
What goes up, must come down. Danny is forced to come down hard when Clockwork arrives with news he never wanted to hear. Now Mateo and their friends are in danger, and Danny has to be the one to figure out how to protect them all on his own. Mateo wants to help, but Danny's being too stubborn and ghostly to even think about accepting it. Tension between them grows as the new threat stalks closer, and Danny is forced to make a decision he's never wanted to make: kill or be killed.
my resistance was once much stronger (i can't go on like this much longer)
the follow up to "this is the road to ruin" in what was only supposed to be 10k max and ended up being just over 50k instead. it changed A LOT over the course of writing it, because i did a lot of character study in it. i will always love danny and mateo growing closer, even when they fight and don't communicate clearly
actually, the entire "road to ruin" arc up until "heaven's grief brings hell's reign" is my favorite. all of it. i'm just SO fucking proud of it.
Summary:
Danny's home for winter break, and that's all he wants: a break. But after a breakdown in front of his mom, and with the help of a certain meddling older sister, Danny reveals to his family what exactly has been happening while he was away at Berkeley. He hopes for some space from Mateo, because it'll make leaving easier in the long run, but one poorly timed phone call snowballs into Maddie inviting Mateo to stay with them for Christmas and Truce. Danny can't say no without revealing exactly why he doesn't want his boyfriend coming to spend the holidays with him, so he accepts. Now he has to balance his complicated jumble of feelings with Mateo being so close and so hard to ignore. So much for a break.
come back and let me hold you (darlin' i just got started lovin' you)
OKAY HEAR ME OUT i KNOW this is a country song title but a) i'm southern as FUCK and two) this song is SO FUCKING SWEET
i wanted to write something for ghost light recently but i needed it to be short, so i told myself i had to write less than 1k AND LO AND BEHOLD I DID. this is literally just post-heaven's grief sweetness. technically a song fic because i used the lyrics to craft the fic and maybe thats cringe, but i'm freeeeee so its whatever
Summary:
Danny and Mateo are settling into their new normal in their second semester after Christmas Break, and Mateo is reluctant to leave their little pocket of bliss just to attend classes. Danny convinces him to stay for just a little while longer.
this life is overwhelming (and i'm ready for the next one) & underneath your skin (the ghost within)
these go together, and they're just so different from what i normally write, but they're REALLY fucking good in my humble opinion. pitch pearl has a grip on me, too, and i've been writing some absolute BANGERS with them
Summaries:
Danny just wants everything to stop hurting. His parents are too obsessed with getting their ghost portal up and running to notice that he's struggling to adjust to high school. They definitely don't notice when things take a dark turn and a few new scars crop up. When they fail to get the portal up and running, it's like their children don't exist at all. Everything that had been building in Danny over the last two years finally snaps. Stepping into the portal with blood dripping down his hand had been an accident. The cutting part had been easy, but as the faint whine of a machine powering up reached his ears, he realized regretting all of it was so fucked.
AND
Danny's still alive, and he's not happy about it. After his halfway successful suicide attempt, Danny is living with the consequences of an activated Portal: ghosts targeting him, a new secret identity, and juggling high school. Things are not going well, until he discovers a new aspect of his ghostly self: his ghostly self.
Anything from Perky Beans Cafe
Emeralds and I are co-writing a coffee shop enemies to lovers au, and it's INCREDIBLE
Summary:
Phantom just wanted a hot chocolate... But Danny Fenton (aka Amity Park's very own Blue Hunter) has other ideas. Things do NOT go to plan, but neither party can say they're…unhappy…about the results.
the haunted museum job
a crossover fic that i'm STUPID proud of. i wrote it in like two hours and it's got some of the best character-voice writing i've EVER done. i would love to write mroe for it but alas the muse is in hiding
Summary:
The Leverage team has been tasked with retrieving an ancient Egyptian artefact from a small, Midwest museum. Easy job, won't take more than a Sunday afternoon to complete, and then they'll have more than enough cash and the favor of the Egyptian government on their side. But Amity Park is not your average Midwestern town, and they accidentally crash another team's heist and find themselves out of their depth very quickly.
HONORABLE MENTION
the magic that binds us series
DEATH STARTED THIS SHIT, AND IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO WRITE holy SHIT i cannot wait to get back to working on it!! magic goth danny is BABEY
Summary:
Danny got into sleight of hand and showman's magic to spite his parents -- he never expected it to be real. It had started as a joke. His parents kept insisting ghosts were real and were convinced they were building a Portal to the other side just to prove it. Danny, being a little shit, had made a comment about the magic they must be working against to create said Portal. Then his mom had reprimanded him for believing in something as childish as magic. Danny was nothing if not a petty little bitch, so he decided that if his parents wanted to play that game, then they would play that game. He had no idea just what kind of game he was getting himself into.
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Little guy maker!!
enjoy this little mateo i made. he is ready for fall.
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Fic Stats Game!
Rules: Give us the links to your fic with the most hits, second most kudos, third most comments, fourth most bookmarks, fifth most words, and fic with the least words.
I'm just doing my DP fics because I am NOT dragging myself like that alskjfdlksjdflksdjf
Most Hits
going...! to be in so much trouble... this is my first ever DP fic and the fic that launched me into my au......... surprised my dpxdc fic hasn't overwhelmed it, actually, but it's close!
Second Most Kudos
okay, well, it's the same fic as above, apparently, so i'm just gonna link the top kudos because it's the one that has the SECOND most hits, so like... it evens out, right??
stealing cars is a love language, too
Third Most Comments
oh wow, that's wild. i would NOT have thought it was this one!!
and they were history project partners
actually, yknow what. i'm not surprised alkdjlksdjf it's UFS adjacent, so that actually makes sense. plus it's a phic phight fic so like... yeah, that tracks lmao
Fourth Most Bookmarks
this life is overwhelming (and i'm ready for the next one)
also not a huge surprise there. it's an angsty gen dp fic, what did i expect?? lmao
Fifth Most Words
it's just another day without you (and i can't sleep)
i think this was my first BIG dp fic and it was just. pure. angst. also mateo au, so like.... that tracks
Fic with the Least Words
when you sneeze so hard you accidentally half-die in front of your boyfriend for the first time
this was crack that i wrote on my ten minute break during a particularly nasty allergy season bc i was GRUMPY. it's actually surprisingly popular, considering it's technically danny/oc fic.
OKAY THAT'S IT IM DONE SORRY FOR THE LONG POST AND LOTS AND LOTS OF LINKS LOVE YOU BYE
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proffbon · 1 year
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I got seduced by the idea of Companion Tav and I've been bouncing around some ideas for Saphrin (of course), mainly just themes, conflict, romance progression and personal quest, but I'm kinda stuck on the latter because I either can't think up any way to progress it to Act 3 or I write myself into a final choice which leads to Saphrin's perma death. 
And considering the endings for Karlach and Gale, the perma death option wouldn't be something out of the realm of possibilities (although Gale's death ending also ends your fucking game lol), but with Saphrin specifically, there would be no incentive to actually pursue the death route unless you have very specific views on accountability for your actions, redemption and forgiveness (or if you just hate Saphrin and want his ass gone). Basically, his situation is not exactly a lose-lose choice like Karlach's. 
It would work as a third option, like a 'bonus' to the two main ones (kinda like Karlach's mindflayer ending or the aforementioned Gale's explody one), but I just can't come up with this potential second desirable but ultimately 'bad' option.
I'm gonna go into more detail. Read if you're interested for some reason.
Saphrin's main conflict in his personal quest is basically a crisis of faith, although not as heavily accentuated as Shadowheart's one. It's more of a crisis of morality fueled by faith. In short, any kind of divine belief that Saphrin adopted throughout his life he didn't exactly 'choose' himself. It was all more or less compulsory or habitual. Being raised as a Lolthite noble, he worshipped Lolth. Because if he didn't, he would die (in the best case scenario). Once he escaped and was rescued by the Eilistraeean clergy, he started ardently worshipping Eilistraee. Even though his worship of Eilistraee is a more willing one, it's still largely influenced by 1) indebtitude to his rescuers, 2) the feeling of intense guilt he has for torturing and killing Tanrien, a surface elf cleric who, in a way, opened Saphrin's eyes to the unfortunate situation he was living in, gave him enough courage (or rather desperation) to escape and effectively 'saved' him from a society that would most likely destroy him, body and mind.
Sure, Saphrin believes in Eilistraee's doctrines, he especially wants to breach the schism between the surface elves and drow (in large part due to immense respect for Tanrien's fighting spirit and his willingness to reach out to Saphrin, even though he was one of Tanrien's tormentors, in fact this man is one of the main reasons Saphrin decided to be a cleric specifically). Saphrin was, after all, quite soft-hearted for a Lolthite, although he didn't really mind certain parts of drow society or at least didn't question them at the time. Some aspects he even enjoyed, seeing how Saphrin's military service is still a fond memory for him. During the main adventure, he has yet to get rid of all his old habits. Sometimes he resorts to violence a bit too quickly, he also often worries that he might say something most people would consider cruel and not realise it. But I digress. 
The so-called 'crisis of faith' comes in the form of a question: why are you doing all this? Why help the weak and unfortunate? Why get so invested in your companions' personal troubles? In my base bg3 playthrough, it's more or less resolved through internal musings and reflection on his relationship with others (and with his romantic partner in particular).
But in a companion scenario, it's something that, I think, has to be triggered. The best trigger I could come up with is Saphrin meeting someone who used to be close with Tanrien (a friend or a family member), which forces Saphrin to reflect on this event that he was trying to move on from for 11 years since his escape. It would also allow him to gain some new perspectives and insight into the situation from other companions, NPCs and the 'player'. Most likely it would have to ultimately come down to Tanrien, as he is the catalyst of this entire thing. I think quite a big part of it all would be Saphrin thinking which course of action would be right to both honor his faith and Tanrien's memory. 
In theory, it would result in two conclusions:
1) Saphrin decides that the main reason for his faith is penance for what he did to Tanrien and that the ultimate fulfillment of his beliefs would be giving himself up to be killed (and potentially tortured) by the person who lost someone dear to them due to Saphrin's actions. Eilistraee, after all, teaches to strike down evil without hesitation. He should be a villain from Tanrien's perspective, and he certainly is one from Tanrien's confidant's. And he is evil, is he not? Why else would he be so violent, why else would he still say cruel things without thinking, why else would he recall his soldier days with such warmth? Perhaps the reason his goddess reached out to him in the first place would be for Saphrin to reach this exact conclusion - he himself is the evil that needs to be struck down, to make this world better for everyone. It would end with Saphrin vowing that once they deal with the Absolute, he would be at the mercy of Tanrien's friend/family member. This obviously being the aforementioned bad option, because you keep reinforcing Saphrin's guilt and saying that even though Saphrin basically had no real choice but to commit horrible actions in the name of Lolth, even though right now he is acting as a force of good and helping everyone he meets, ultimately his penance is more important and he should be punished for what he did.
2) Saphrin decides that the main reason for his faith is the happiness of the ones he loves and cares about. It may not be about some abstract greater good or divine balance of good and evil, but it's something he wasn't able to repay Tanrien with, because it was too late for him. Saphrin's spiritual fulfillment would be seeing his friends and lover happy, unburdened, loved, as he himself was once deprived of all this prior to meeting his 'savior'. So, in this scenario, Saphrin would come to Tanrien's friend/family member and ask for their forgiveness. He would say that they are not obligated to forgive him or even believe that his guilt is genuine, but the only thing he can't afford right now is give up and die. He wants to show other people in the world that there's someone who cares about them, even if it's only one person. Even if it's just an adventurer passing by on his quest. The greatest feat he can perform in service to Lady Silverhair is showing the same kindness he once received himself. Even if it's something little, because sometimes that little something is enough to save someone's life. And, as it seems, the best way to bring happiness to the lives of his friends and lover, would be to stay with them, love them, be loved by them and, most importantly, allow himself to be happy too.
So, as you can see, there's not a lot of incentive to go the first route unless you actually believe that Saphrin should be punished no matter what, or if you become susceptible to his latent suicidal tendencies and start believing it's something he genuinely wants and needs.
Although, I don't know, maybe I'm a bit blindsided by my obvious love for my own child and there actually would be some demand for the first route, if only for the sake of tragedy or evil roleplay. Maybe it can be made to look like a desirable option through Saphrin continually insisting that it's something he should do. Idk.
The other angle could be Saphrin implying that your incessant attempts to change his mind are in some way an attempt to control him and his decisions. This could even work well for a romance-based conflict, because Saphrin has experience of being with a lover he did not love or want in any way, but who he was too afraid to cross, thus securing the time they were together as one of the most miserable parts of his life.
He probably would also need to distance himself from Eilistraee a bit (I'm thinking of him neglecting to perform his Evensong now and then because he's too ashamed of 'telling' her what's going on with him), because I can't imagine Eilistraee being entirely on board with Saphrin's wack logic. And yeah, it's kinda implied Saphrin is following Eilistraee's dogmas without fully understanding them (as I said before, compulsory faith), mostly because he's so deep in self-flagellation that he doesn't even notice the contradictions. Perhaps because of being raised as a Lolthite, he even subconsciously focuses more on the destructive/restrictive parts of the code and the perceived punishment rather than the overall hopeful messaging.
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dawnssummers · 2 years
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🔥 + s4
omg buffy or angel... well i consumed at least half of angel s4 on wikia so
anyway buffy season 4! not my favourite of all the seasons but i like her... she's fun! buffy is in college! my friend goes to ucla so when watching the first few eps i would send screenshots to see if they could identify locations that was fun for me (severely annoying on twt to an audience of zero people while first watching buffy). she gave us relatable post-high school transition where you start to drift from your friends and feel confused but are really truly just vibing... all my closest friends are people i knew in high school so i liked that aspect. that one scooby hug. i feel that using giles's apartment as the scooby base rly encapsulates this bc as a place it is like the perfect transition btwn school library and magic box where they are in s5/6... she gave us tara and lesbian willow. she gave us recurring character anya. she gave us spike at his most pathetic <3 spike and giles as roommates and spike and xander as roommates... moments in history.
i do wish that they had kept maggie walsh for longer and committed more heavily to like condemning the military rather than having maggie killed off and just like giving riley a minor crisis about it in goodbye iowa? idk like the initiative is bad but i think they should have gone harder on the questionable ethics, beyond oz getting taken + maggie going off and creating adam. like i think that adam should have turned on maggie later on, this might also help to better explore the riley / buffy / adam as soldiers idea which of course buffy does subvert at the end by being a slayer with friends. and riley kinda sorta breaks free. but yes adam could still try to instigate the demons vs humans thing because maggie wants to create more of him from the destruction, then have him turn on maggie later down the line and idk still have to be defeated for xyz reasons, maybe he kills maggie because he is sick of being a War Machine but still wants to go ahead with the plan/doesn't know anything different. or something. i haven't thought this through i was just a bit annoyed at the time. also i mostly do not think about riley ever tbh but he is kinda cute for me to look at like as a lesbian. it's funny whenever riley and buffy give strong comphet vibes.
anyway again i like that nothing awful happens to buffy and there are a lot of solid episodes and nice moments... fear itself, freshman, harsh light of day, hush, something blue, a new man all come to mind immediately as fun times. "i'm nice to meet" "capricorn on the cusp of aquarius" "well, you were myth-taken" "you're gonna get heartburn" SO true. "or someone formerly dangerous and currently annoying <3" this year's girl/who are you get its own mention for epic faith moments... but yeah i appreciate the more slice-of-life vibe as the gang start to find themselves outside the confines of high school and i'm actually kinda sad that they dropped the college setting as much as i love s5. mostly sad that buffy had to drop out :( to conclude s4 is my good friend 🤝
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deluweil · 2 years
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Hi!! First of all, I have to say that I loved the episode because Buck is an amazing character and Oliver was incredible as an actor.
But not gonna lie, I’m a little bit disappointed (probably my own fault, too much fics consumed…haha!) about how they handled the Eddie content… I know he was affected for the chance of losing Buck, but at the same time, it felt like something was missing (don’t know if I’m explaining myself correctly)
What I’m trying to say is that at this point, I cannot really see buddie being canon, not because another love interest is going to appear or something like that, just because I think the show runners are not brave enough to do it.
Sorry for bothering you with the message, not my intention to annoy anyone with my pessimism. Maybe I’m just tired after a 24h shift and tomorrow I will see things differently ;)
Thanks so much,
B
Oliver was phenomenal!
I loved this episode for him! He was so good!!
I think, even if we didn't read and write fics, we would have still been disappointed.
Because in other shows, the focus is on the reaction of the people most close to you on a daily basis, (for those who watch Chicago Fire, and Station 19 and similar shows, all those characters have families, some closer than others, but the focus is often on the reaction of the people inside the firehouse, of those closest to them.) They don't outsource the drama to random characters unless there is a fundamental reason for it.
Like Vic's parents restaurant set on fire, or Travis' father being closeted gay who cheats on Montgomery's mom.
Or Casey's mother sprung out of jail in Chicago Fire, or Severide's dad showing up to stir the pot and Severide trying his damnedest to not be his old man.
There is a reason, but the injuries, the worry, the angst, the aftermath is always told from how it affects the firehouse and its people, the chosen family.
Vic recuperate with her boyfriend and her best friend, Andy helped Gibson through his hard time.
In Chicago Fire, Casey and Severide roomed together on two different occasions, helping each other through hard times.
So, really, it's not just the buddie thing. It's the firehouse and chosen family thing.
The showrunners, they lack conviction, they're waffling, and I think that's what gets us.
Because if it were two women, no one would have thought twice about getting them together.
Here, there is some psychological barrier that prevents the showrunners from following through on what they got rolling.
And I get the frustration and the crisis of faith, because it's all fucking there, but no one has the pair to make a definitive decision.
I'm waiting to see what comes next, I haven't lost hope in buddie yet, but something better give soon because it is kinda getting ridiculous.
I hope your shift went well. 🙏🤗
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anonymous-dentist · 2 years
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do u have any fic recs? im so starving
Yep! Fair warning, though, most of (if not all of) these are gonna be karlnapity because I'm one of the few that goes through the tag on a regular basis.
Under the read more for length's sake.
¿tu idioma o el mío? (your language or mine?) Basically, Quackity realizes that neither Karl nor Sapnap speak Spanish and realizes, wow, he can tease them all he wants and they won't know a thing. But, whoops, maybe his joke proposals aren't jokes after all. I really like this one! Idk why. I have a soft spot for fluff for fluff's sake. Let's Just Call It Commonlaw Karl, Sapnap, and Quackity are three very drunk roommates who accidentally get married through a commonlaw marriage and forget about it entirely. Only problem when they find out it's legit is that Karl is in love with his roommates, and that Sapnap and Quackity aren't in love with him. Right? Anyway, this one's written by my number one fan and I'm this fic's number one fan. The legal aspects might not be all there, but I'm a historian, not a lawyer. It's sweet and cute. Enough said. Oh, Sinners Come Down Wilbur-centric. After the Antarctic Empire conquered the existing empire, the homeless population is in shambles, including one Wilbur Soot and his house full of tiny nuisances. And then some asshole named Technoblade shows up and says that the Empire is going to build a homeless shelter. Again, idk why I like this one so much, especially considering my distaste for c!sbi, but it honestly comes off as more of a semi-dsmp semi-smp earth type of deal. When The Sunlight Dies Runaway Prince George and his emotionally-devastated knight, Sapnap, are on their way out of the kingdom when they run into local shmucks, Karl and Quackity. Add in the weird god dude doing the worst job at trying to 'force' George through a corruption arc, and it's a legit good time. Look, I may dislike this fic personally, but this is an objective list. There's a reason everyone and their mother recommends this one. It's just good. Just ignore the random bits of infodumping, but that's all in the second half of the fic. (Note: I do not recommend the very unneeded and overly-long final chapter or the sequel fic. At all. Save yourself the trouble and go outside instead.) tuck me in your covers, bring the colour back into my face Quackity definitely is absolutely alright. Don't even worry about him. Except he is kinda super traumatized and really doesn't wanna think about that. This is another one that's usually recommended, and I think it's pretty unique in that, unlike a lot of other fics in the 'genre', this fic doesn't present Quackity's PTSD as a weakness. I Out of the Woods Three idiots on one couch what problems can happen??? Gasp, a romcom!? Anyway, Karlnap are an established couple, and Quackity shows up and confuses both of them by being the most attractive man in the universe. Idk, I don't normally like college fics, but this one was nice. It's simple. Chill as hell. We Must Have Good Pitch, ‘Cause Baby, You and Me are So In Tune! Band au with bonus dnf. Look, everything Quid touches is just. It's good! I don't even like band aus! Geodes in the Gravel Immortal biographer and immortal shapeshifter menace decide to try and court freshly-immortal former vampire hunter-turned-vampire. Awkwardness and sweetness ensues. Technically this is part of a series by an author I don't really like, but it's perfectly readable on its own. Bad Blood Bad invites Karl and Quackity over to talk about their relationship with Sapnap. It's cute, and it's mostly just our two idiots having crisis after crisis during this conversation as Bad sits there pleasantly having a very good time. It's Not Like You Ever Tried To Stay Sapnap went to the Red Banquet. I think they should hug :( A Leap of Faith Tommy goes to Quackity to learn how to fly, and Quackity is the best big brother material anyone could ask for. Look, Q is better big brother than Wil could ever be. Enough said.
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stevetonyweekly · 3 years
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SteveTony Weekly - October 24
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Happy Sunday!! Here’s what I’ve been reading this week. As always, leave your fic authors some love if you read and enjoy their stories! 
And for my friends on Twitter--STW is there now, with the weekly list and daily spotlights! 
**Indicates my recent favs 
~*~ 
Rushing Headlong in the Wrong (Right) Direction by nostalgicatsea  (Getting Together/ 2.7k)
“Steve,” Jan said slowly, “what did you think you were bidding on?”
He could feel the heat of his blush creeping down his face and neck, and considering its intensity, he knew he was as red as a fire hydrant.
“Uh,” he said for the second time in minutes.
Or: Steve bids on Tony thinking Tony's auctioning off a date and gets something very different instead.
Spellbound by missbecky (Whump/31k)
After their alien hosts witness yet another heated argument between Steve and Tony, they are hit with a powerful magic spell in order to teach them a lesson. Now they are stranded and alone on a hostile planet. One of them can't see and the other can't hear, and the only way back to safety is on foot. And the Forest is full of dangers…
Project Flag Bearer by ann2who (Getting Together/27k)
{FLAG-BEAR•ER /flæg-bɛrər/ noun | a person who carries the flag of a unit, regiment, or army. It is viewed as a great honor, signaling courage, persistence and unity.}
Tony’s decision to never step up as Iron Man again had been final. He’d destroyed his suits in a spectacular firework display, moved to New York and once more took up his role as a consultant. However, from the moment Steve and Natasha had decided to rearrange the odds and convince everybody to move into Stark Tower, a sense of inevitability seemed to follow him wherever he went.
When signs of an uprising robot-army appear, Tony finds himself in a crisis of faith; the better angels of his conscience battling with his decision to resign from the superhero business once and for all. And the fact that Steve was taking the whole ‘Living American Flag’ metaphor a bit too serious, letting the Avengers carry him around battlefield like some goddamn battle standard, wasn’t exactly helping Tony’s dilemma, either. He hated seeing Steve in danger—hated that it wasn’t him holding the super soldier in his arms. The initiation of ‘Project Flag-Bearer’ had been a safety measure, but in hindsight, Tony might as well have called it a declaration of love.
Comedy of Illusions by ladyshadowdrake (Identity Porn/21k)
Thinking that he's been caught out, Tony confesses that he's Iron Man - at least that's what he thinks he's doing. Steve hears something very different. Date night, sexy-fun times, and a jumble of errors as Tony tries to fix his mistake results, all compounded by a mysterious enemy who's been hacking into SI servers.
Tra Voi, Tra Voi (The Getting Together Remix) by haemodye (Western AU/8K)
Tony's gonna kill Rogers for making him go out in this blizzard.
That is, if he can find the damn man.
Look-Alike by KandiSheek (PWP/6K)
Steve is on a really long dry spell, so his friends take it upon themselves to buy him a sex doll for his birthday. He's mortified, but what can you do? He really is lonely. And the doll is very handsome, almost a little too lifelike.
He doesn't know that it's fashioned after the head of the company that made it, Tony Stark himself. Or that he's ever going to meet him face to face.
If he makes it through this without dying of embarrassment, he's going to lynch Bucky.
Fifty Shades of Fakery by emeraldine087 (Fake Dating/5k)
Steve Rogers is a new hire in a mammoth tech company and the focus of a top executive's unwelcome sexual advances. He's just about at the end of his rope in pushing the sleazebag away, when he gets an unlikely and unexpected rescue from the reclusive--and sexy--Chief Technical Officer of the company, and finds himself with an insta-boyfriend before the day is out.
Posing as Tony Stark's fake boyfriend is not going to be a hardship. At all.
(No) Do-overs by Kru (Endgame Fixit/40k)
“Pepper, focus,” the man on the other end cuts, snapping his finger in front of the camera. He sounds unquestionably like the original Tony when he’s being an irritating dick. “Finish your tete-a-tete with your life-size version of Captain America’s action figure and tell Happy to pick me up and take me back to Malibu. Last time I remember I should be on a flight to Afghanistan, and see, I am able to remember that even if it’s my assistant, that’s you by the way, who should be keeping up with my schedule.”
Steve finally manages to make a sound, but for some strange reason he can only get out, “Tony, it’s 2023.” And from that point everything goes to hell.
Or the one where Tony Stark pulls one more miracle and Steve needs to learn how to live a normal life
A Window in the Sky by manic_intent (Marvel Noir/10k)
Steve hits on a total stranger in Port-Lyautey, much to Bucky's astonishment.
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mymelodyheart · 3 years
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Miles Between Us Chapter 14 ~The Element of Surprise ~
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WARNING: VERY EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT
Previously in The Reunion
They fitted perfectly, her softness cradling his boneless heap, making him hard as steel again. Some part of his brain must have still been functioning because he jerked and reached out for her bra to cover her when his doorbell rang. Christ!  Forcing his body to move with marginal success, he yanked her up and pulled up his jeans.
Claire slid off the table and grabbed her clothes. "Who could that be?"
"That better not be yer uncle or ..." Jamie trailed off, muttering curses under his breath, annoyed at the disturbance as he was just revving up for part two of their lovemaking. When he opened the door, a sense of deja vu hit him when he saw Mrs Fitz standing there with what seemed like a plate of a lemon meringue pie. What the fuck?
"Mrs Fitz!"
The older woman didn't bother to hide her curiosity this time as her eyes tried to peer past his shoulders. "Heard ye have company, lad, and I havenae seen Miss Claire the last couple of days."
  If you wish to read this on AO3, here is the link.
If you wish to read this from the beginning:
AO3 link
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  Six Days Later
Claire's heavy eyelids fluttered open, her brain still addled by sleep. It took her a while to gather her thoughts and remember how she'd made it to bed last night. She shifted slightly in bed, but there's a two-hundred-fifty pound of hard-muscled, naked male restricting her movement. Jamie's arm was draped across her waist, securing her against his chest, her legs confined under his heavier ones. She could feel his soft, steady breathing blowing warm air on top of her head, reminding her how well he'd been sleeping the last few nights. There had been no night terrors or unpleasant dreams interrupting his sleep, and she put it down to his workload during the day and their physical activities between the sheets at night.
Today was Friday, and the realisation caused a huge smile to spread across her face. Last night she'd worked late until past ten, and Jamie had found her fallen asleep in front of her laptop in her studio shed. He'd scooped her up in his arms and helped her get ready for bed, and just before sleep claimed her, he'd whispered he had a surprise for her today. 
She wondered what the surprise was and guess it would probably be a long lie-in for them and breakfast in bed. Looking back, the past few days had flown by in a blur, packed with work and catching up with her uncle Lamb during nights. Ever since her emotional reunion with Jamie, her work-related things had gone from a shamble of mess to running smoothly. It's as if the universe had decided to grant her reprieve as everyone went out their way to appease her. Even her boss John seemed to have given her space and was allowing her to work in peace. Somehow, deep down, she had a sneaking suspicion Jamie had something to do with it. 
It had all began at the start of the week when Jamie had been at work. Tom had stopped by the cottage to hand her a signed contract agreeing to his book's publication. By the time she'd told John the good news, he'd been in his element detailing his main point plan for getting the word out and announcing the book deal to Tom's adoring followers. She'd thought her boss would demand to get her and Tom on the next plane to London, but instead, John had told her he'd arranged a team to fly to Inverness for a formal meeting with their new author. As if that wasn't enough, two days later, Mary had produced enough drafts for Claire to work on and promised there would be more on the way. Her uncle, sensing work was piling, would occasionally stop by either to whip up something to eat or bring food while she'd been ensconced in her studio shed. Not that it was unusual for her uncle to perform domesticated pursuits; however, it's still surprising that he was going the extra mile to help around the house when he had the Highlands at disposal for his adventures being an outdoor person that he was.
It's becoming clear this week was proving to be a period of many turning points. She had no idea what the future had in store for her and Jamie, but she knew something had shifted in their relationship, and it was definitely for the better. Though she's still the same girl who's still trying to find her place in the world and fit in, she knew she'd changed, too. A few months ago, she would have probably backed down from any forms of conflicts, citing life as complicated enough without adding more complications. But she'd learned how to respond, choose fights that are worth fighting for and cast aside that wasn't deserving of her peace of mind. She'd also learned that once in a while, it's good for her sanity to give propriety and rules the middle finger when a situation called for it. 
It's hard to believe she's planning her life in the Highlands, the place where her parents had met and found love in each other. In her quest to get to know them more, she'd spent her holidays here to be closer to their memories and live that adventure they'd so craved. Now, she was involved with a man tormented with demons. If her parents were still alive today, she wondered how they would receive Jamie. Would they have been like Jenny or her uncle, suspicious and sceptical of their relationship? Or would they have been happy with her choice just like Willie, Brian, and Ellen have been with Jamie's?
Deep in her heart, she knew that her parents would have taken one look at them and understood that Jamie was special and meant to be her life adventure. From what Claire had surmised from uncle Lamb's stories, her parents have been that kind of people, magnanimous of spirit and always saw the best in others. Jamie was like that too. He'd taken a gamble with her despite their differences and the geographical challenges ahead. Though it seemed she was helping him with his condition, unbeknownst to Jamie, he too was helping her heal the part of her that became an orphan. In some invisible way, he was repairing something in the fabric of her world that had been torn down the middle when her parents passed away. She absorbed that thought and was reminded of what Uncle Lamb once told her, that her father always had a peculiar sense of humour. With that in mind, she'd like to think that just maybe her father had sent Jamie her way on purpose. His way of telling her to let go of the past, not over-think, embrace the Highlands as much as he had and just love.
Lying next to Jamie in bed, she felt totally at peace. They might have had a crisis of faith, but she was confident they'll find their way through whatever path was laid before them. Their love wasn't and probably never going to be easy, given their journey had been emotional, tangled with roadblocks, denials and self-preservation. Still, she wanted to find her way with him. She'd just discovered this strength she didn't realise she had, and Jamie continued to surprise her with his single-mindedness purpose to be cured. Someone once said there's no fulfilment without a bit of struggle. Just like in the stories she hoped to publish one day, the heroes had to break down first and bleed before earning their happy ending. Well, if that's the rule, she couldn't envision facing life's trials and tests with any other person to stand beside her other than Jamie.
Her smile was still in place when her thoughts were suspended by a rush of heat as Jamie's hand coasted over her hip to disappear between her thighs. A sudden thrill shot through her, making her breath catch in her lungs. He shifted the leg holding her thighs down and deftly opened her to his touch, stroking the sensitive flesh in between. She felt his shaft stir against her bottom as she scooted closer to him, eliciting a guttural sound to escape his lips.
"I can practically hear the cogs turning in yer head, Sassenach," he muttered thickly, his breathing turning shallow at the back of her neck. He nipped her earlobe between his teeth and tugged. "What's going on in that mind of yers?"
"Oh, this and that and how you've been sleeping soundly ...these last few nights." She gasped out loud when he rubbed her nub with a calloused thumb. She tilted her head back to look at his face, and her lips were met by a long-drawn, possessive kiss. By the time their mouths parted, she was panting for air and squirming against him mindlessly. 
"Christ, ye're ready for me. Why did ye no' wake me up?" He thrust his finger deep inside her, fondling the spot he knew drove her wild and frantic. "Next time ye want me, wake me up."
"I-I couldn't. You were sleeping so peacefully." 
He paused his ministrations. "That's no' the answer I was hoping to hear."
Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ! "Y-yes, next time, I'll wake you up!"
"That's my lass." He sank another finger into her entrance. But as she tried to clench around him, his fingers slid out, using her wetness to coat her nub and gently rub her aching flesh. She wanted to scream at him for teasing her, but he only softly chuckled against her neck. At that moment, she needed to come more than she needed air. She hoarsely whispered his name in a plea for release. "Ach, no' yet, Sassenach ... ye listen better when I'm touching ye." She yelped when he suddenly yanked the covers away and flipped her on her stomach, the crisp morning air caressing her heated skin. "Let me see first that beautiful arse of yers." He shoved a pillow beneath her hips, putting her in a highly arousing position, her face mushed against the mattress and her bottom in the air. "Such a beautiful bum."
"Jamie ..." 
He kneaded the curves of her buttocks as he let out a frustrated male groan. "Let us talk first. This is the only time I'm pretty sure ye're no' gonnae argue with me with what I'm about to say. Ye listening?"
"Yes, yes ...get on with it, damn it!"
He laughed out loud just before his lips travelled along the path of her spine, kissing and nibbling her flesh. One hand slid around her belly and down the apex of her thighs, slipping blunt fingers into her folds as his mouth moved to her neck. He lingered there, biting hard and then soothing the sting with a lick of his tongue. Anticipation pulsated within her body, and goosebumps erupted on her skin as the weight of his erection slid against her upturned bottom, and Jamie positioned himself behind her. When he hefted her higher with his forearm, she let out a squeak. "Ye'll no' be working this weekend."
"Jamie," she whimpered. "B-but I can't."
"Oh yes, ye can." Skilled fingers stroke her sensitive nub, and with one thrust of his hips, he completely filled her, taking her by surprise. She nearly screamed, pressing her mouth against the mattress, suddenly mindful of nosey neighbours. She remembered what Jamie had told her about Mrs Fitz and muffled her moans on the covers of the bed.
"Oh, God, this is not fair," she breathed on an uneven exhale.
"I told ye last night, I have a wee surprise for ye. Ye've worked long enough this week. Ye're taking a wee break this weekend." When she didn't respond, he stilled his hips and took out his fingers from inside her. "You need a break, Sassenach. Now, for the love of God, just say yes, Jamie."
When Jamie drew out his hardness and plunged deeply back into her, heart-stopping sensations coursed through her whole body. Something about how he positioned her, the fluid, smooth drives of his movement made her mad with need. She wanted to urge him to go faster, but she clamped her mouth shut. He was deliberately torturing her and forcing her to agree with him. So she decided she was going to get her own back. Contracting her inner walls, she clenched around him. From experience, she knew the more he had to work to push into her, the wilder he would become. Just when she thought she finally got the upper hand, he paused and dropped his weight, stopping just short of squashing her. "No, no, no! Please don't stop!" she wailed.
"Oh, aye." He pushed his lower body tight to her bottom, his erection throbbing inside her. When she tried to wriggle her bum to urge him to start moving again, he firmly gripped her hips in place. "Ah, I ken what ye're up to," he whispered hotly in her ears. "I'm no' taking no for an answer. Ye owe this break to yourself."
"You don't play fair."
"Neither do ye."
Thinking she could compromise later after spending the whole morning with him, she finally conceded. "Fine. Just keep moving, for God's sake!" she hissed.
He let out a pained laugh and pressed his lips on the crook of her neck. "Good lass, ye ken it makes sense." Then cursing under his breath, he moved all the way out in one smooth slide before deliciously gliding deep back. "Christ, I can feel ye want to come, but ye're going to stay with me a little longer. Ye fell asleep on me last night, leaving me with a painful cockstand." 
"Jesus, Jamie."
"Aye," he rasped hoarsely into her hair. "I said the same thing when ye wriggled that pert arse against me and fell asleep immediately."
The way his thickness was invading her from an angle almost sent her hurtling over the edge. And it gave her a new appreciation for math. The thought almost made her laughed out loud if it wasn't for the pulsing pleasure between her legs.
"Christ ...look at ye," Jamie gritted, his voice sounding raw and almost severe. "So bloody perfect." 
He nudged her legs wider and changed his movements to short, strong strokes, increasing his pace with primitive energy that left her gasping for breath. With the sound of their slapping bodies, the earthy scent of arousal, the sweaty slide of skin, her belly began to tighten and coil.
"I just want to make ye happy, Sassenach," he groaned, bearing down his upper body more, his hips relentlessly pounding into hers. "So just say yes to my wee surprise, aye?" 
"Yes, yes, yes." Their voices sounded so far away, and her initial hesitation about taking a break from work almost forgotten. Not entirely, though. She tried to grasp that mental note about emails to be sent, but the hand gripping her hips moved, and fingers slid to rub her nub, stroking and pushing her further towards her peak. She gave in and widened her thighs to let him fill her more. But it left her no time to prepare for the release that shattered her apart, her love for him and the physical pleasure fusing to intensify the sensations blasting through her. It threatened to overwhelm her, but Jamie's presence anchored her as he followed her over, groaning her name, gripping her hips with a fierceness as he claimed her for his. 
Moments later, he pulled her boneless body in his arms and tucked her into his chest, tugging the covers over them and curving his front to her back. He held her tightly as the morning light streamed through the windows. 
Battling to keep her eyes open, thoughts of work slithered in, but it kept flittering away with her consciousness before she could dwell on it. Maybe just for a minute, she thought. But Jamie smelled so good, and his tender strokes enticed a hazy sleep to claim her muscles, dragging her down into the dark. Just one minute. 
As she eased into sleep, his whisper drifted toward her unconscious. "It's still early, Sassenach. Sleep a wee bit more. Your wee surprise will come soon enough."
..........
Claire woke for the second time that morning with an unladylike shriek when the mattress dipped and moved. Muddled, she jackknifed into a sitting position, eyes scanning wildly around the curtain-dimmed room for a trespasser. Claire knew someone was there, her gut instinct telling her it wasn't Jamie. Summoning her eyes to refocus, she collapsed with relief when she realised who it was sat at the foot of the bed.
"Surprise!" Annalise squealed, clapping her hands.
"Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ!" She swiped her bedraggled hair out of her face. "You scared me bloody witless."
"Bloody hell, you're jumpy." Annalise shifted a hip on the bed. "Jamie's bad dreams rubbing off on you now, are they?"
"That's not something to joke about," she glowered at her friend, pulling the covers up to her chin.
Annalise' smile waned a bit. "Hey, what's up? I'm not making fun of Jamie's nightmares, and you know that." Her shoulders slumped. "In case you don't know, bad dreams can happen to anyone. In fact, I had a bad dream a few days ago. I was being chased by a pirate."
Suddenly feeling bad for snapping at her friend, she mentally dispersed the sleep fog in her brain and gave Annalise an apologetic smile. So this was her surprise, she thought. Not that Claire wasn't happy to see her friend, but she'd expected Jamie's surprise to be a romantic weekend with him. She let out a sigh. "Chased by a pirate, huh? Let me guess ...sunken chest and no booty?"
Annalise perked up at Claire's feeble attempt to sound less grumpy. "Har de har har! I didn't realise you could be funny before coffee. A total package for a marauding pirate if I may say so."
"Tell that to Captain Beard," she mumbled, getting out of bed. 
"Aye, matey!" Annalise mischievously winked. "That's if he happens to be in Isle of Harris this weekend. Which is where, by the way, we're going, as in, now! So get packing!"
Claire stilled and shook her head. "Wot?" She began to shake her head, tugging the covers around her as she made her way to the dresser. "Oh no, no, no! I'm not leaving this place for any man or woman, including you, blondie! I've got a pile of work to do. You know I have deadlines."
"Oh no, you don't. You stop right there, missy! Have you forgotten you agreed with Jamie to take a weekend break?" 
Claire's eyes widened. "Oh, did he also tell you how he got me to agree?"
"No. But you can tell me later on the plane."
"Plane?" Claire dropped her face in her hands. "Oh, God, I can't believe I agreed to this. Jamie never told me anything."
Annalise stood up from where she was sitting and crossed her arms across her chest. "Hmmm, you don't look too happy to be spending time with me."
She puffed out a breath. "It's not that ..."
"We haven't had girly time in ages, Claire. Jamie thought it would do you a world of good to have a bit of fun."
"So now what? You and Jamie plotting and ganging up on me behind my back, is that it?" Claire accused. "What about Willie? Surely, you miss him more than me. When was the last time you saw him?"
Annalise grinned. "Don't worry about Willie. We have been doing a lot of catching up all night last night, and you want to know what he did?"
Claire's face crumpled in disgust as she held up a hand. "Oh, gross! Too much information. I don't want to hear about your sex life."
Annalise laughed out loud. "Fine, I won't discuss our sex life if you start packing now. Besides, you wouldn't want to waste the tickets Jamie worked so hard for, now, do you?"
Oh dear Lord, save me from well-meaning friends! She didn't really want to leave, but if Jamie had spent money organising this trip, she wasn't about to let it go to waste. But ... "How about uncle Lamb? He came to see me, and I can't just leave him."
"He knows all about the trip, and I've been told he's got a few excursions planned around the Highlands." 
"Oh, well ...if that's the case, I need to call Mary and John and let them know what I'm up to this weekend."
Annalise grinned. "Jamie's sorted it already."
"Wot?" she exclaimed with disbelief, her hands landing onto her hips. "Jamie's been planning this with you all along, hasn't he?" She shook her head. "I-I can't believe it!"
"You better believe it."
Claire blew out a breath of exasperation. "Fine! Grab my suitcase. It's in the airing cupboard."
"Yay!" Annalise whirled on her feet and pumped her fist in the air. Claire couldn't help but smile as enthusiasm began to wiggle its way through her system. Maybe Jamie was right. She owed it to herself to have a break, and probably a change of scenery was what she needed. After Mary had delivered the goods, Claire had worked herself to the bone all week and sometimes into the wee hours of the morning. She was already in her second round of edits on the extensive manuscripts Mary had submitted and must admit they were indeed making progress. As for Tom, her job with him was done, and the team organised by John should be arriving next week. It was definitely time for a bit of fun. 
On second thoughts, though it was generous of Jamie to arrange the trip, it would have been nice if he could come along too. But the idea of Jamie's condition worsening with something as simple as weekend trips away brought a feeling of melancholy to descend upon her. She had no doubt Jamie would be cured, and they'd be able to travel together one day, so she forced herself to shake off the momentary bout of wistfulness when Annalise came bounding back with her small suitcase.
"So ...you talked to Jamie. Where is he, by the way?" she asked, grabbing clothes from the dresser and throwing them in the bed. "He left early this morning."
"Oh! Jamie said he needed to be somewhere important, and he'll see you when we return. Willie will be driving us to the airport." When Claire frowned, Annalise came up behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, we'll only be away for two days, and you'll see him again Sunday night."
It was apparent to Claire she'd been at a disadvantage waking up to the news of the weekend trip because if Jamie had suggested it a few days ago, she would have definitely put her foot down and refused. Unfortunately, Annalise and Jamie knew her too well; hence they'd planned this trip in secrecy.
Claire absorbed that for a few heartbeats and felt a tad of guilt. It had been a while she'd spent time with Annalise, and once her job was done in London, she'd be living with Jamie. Plus, who knew when she'd have another chance to hang out with her best friend ...just the two of them and in the Isle of Harris at that. Besides, they always had a great time together. There was no sense in spoiling their spontaneous weekend with her stubbornness. She might as well make the most of it.
Claire turned to face her friend and smiled. "Do I have time to shower?"
"Plenty of time," Annalise beamed. "While you get ready, I'll make some coffee. I know what you're like without your cuppa first thing." And with that, she danced out of the room, whistling, leaving Claire to shake her head in amusement.
Later that morning, as they drove past the motorway exit for the airport, Claire shifted restlessly in the backseat of Willie's car, watching the familiar structure pass by in a blur outside her window. She frowned. Willie must have forgotten to take the turn. Uh oh! But before she could say anything, Willie veered to a different dual-carriageway. She tried to relax back into her seat, thinking there was probably a different route to the airport she didn't know of.
Eventually, they pulled to a stop in front of a building that didn't resemble a terminal, but there was an airfield and a charter plane coming out of the hangar. When Willie stepped out of the car, a man with worn jeans, a black leather jacket and a pair of aviators waved. He looked kind of familiar, but Claire was unsure.
"Who is that?" Claire asked quietly.
Annalise followed her line of vision. "Oh, I thought you knew that guy." She frowned when Claire shook her head and squinted to get a better look. "I was told the guy flying our plane was the soon to be famous Highlands' ultimate guide to Scotland." As if on cue, the man removed his aviators and started walking towards their car, a smile plastered to his unshaven face. When he waved at them, Annalise giggled, and Claire's eyes widened in confusion. "You probably can't recognise him from afar ...it's your author, Tom Christie," Annalise announced with a satisfied smile and to her utmost shock. "He's flying us to Stornoway."
What the bloody hell? Jamie arranged this?
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 Dear Readers,
Thank you all for your readership and the feedback from the previous chapter. I'm super thrilled a lot of you enjoyed it after what I put you all through with Jamie and Claire's roller-coaster journey. I hope it was worth it all in the end.
Speaking of the end, the next chapter will be the last for this arc, and after taking a break, I will start arc three of the WONDERWALL series. I'll keep you updated here. Meanwhile, feel free to speculate what the next chapter will be. Until my next update, wishing you all good health and vibes. X
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cyberrat · 3 years
Text
47th Batch of Fics: 9th Fill
Reaper/Soldier76 – intercrural – Jack is a workaholic and Gabriel is horny. So he finds a way to fuck while Jack can keep doing his stupid papers.
---
“Jackie. You know we’ve had a date tonight, don’t you?” Gabriel asks from his reclined position on Jack’s pretty uncomfortable office couch. He had been waiting for a good hour now, dozing on-and-off as he waited with little faith for Jack to be done with work.
Jack never is done with work, though.
The stack of papers seems just as high as it had been when Gabriel had marched his way inside, hoodie pulled up and hands stuffed in its pockets.
Jack glances up to him at least, looking tired as all hell and apologetic.
“I didn’t forget. Not… completely,” he admits when Gabriel stares at him with a flat expression. “I just have to do these papers tonight. It’s important.”
“My blue fucking balls are also important,” Gabriel purrs. He stretches and then finally swings himself into an upright position. “You don’t want them to fall off just because you weren’t paying attention to them, do you?”
Jack snorts and shakes his head, murmuring something about science and possibilities – or the lack thereof.
“Come on. I got an idea.” Gabriel grabs him by the belt, pulling him up from the chair. Jack grunts in surprise, shaking his head, but before he can say anything, Gabriel continues: “You can do your cute little papers, Jackie. I don’t mind. I just need your meager little ass.”
“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea…”
“Either you let me do this or we’re gonna have a problem. And then you definitely won’t be continuing your stupid reports that you should’ve done ages ago instead of-”
“Alright, alright! Jeez… okay… just don’t jostle me.”
“No promises.”
.o.
Jack is a trooper. He tries so hard to keep being professional despite Gabriel’s cock between his thighs and his warm breath puffing hot against the back of one of his brick red ears.
Gabriel had never really tried thigh fucking before… he’s quite frankly amazed at how it feels. Every inward push has his glans snuggling against the back of Jack’s sack and dragging along his taint. It feels soft and silky against his cock; a secret little place that he usually only pays attention to when he has Jack’s legs wrapped around his head and is trying to get him to shoot off so hard he blacks out.
“G-Gabe… I can’t… I can’t move. You can’t grab me like this-”
Jack is protesting, but it doesn’t really sound like he’s minding Gabriel’s bear hug or the heavy weight against his back. He’s at least not struggling enough to inspire Gabriel to stop.
There’s not much Jack can do anyway. He is hobbled by his own pants; doomed to let Gabriel fuck his thighs just as slow and intense as he likes. The way Jack never lets him fuck his ass on the few occasions that he is actually up to bottoming for him.
The little princess is too sensitive for it… but here, Gabriel can do whatever he likes. He can slow down to a crawling pace that makes his own knees go jittery and week as he pushes back into the tight, warm space between Jack’s thighs, feeling in an almost excruciating detail how his foreskin rolls back over his glans and how the stiff little hairs of Jackie’s thighs are dragging against his most sensitive places.
He presses his forehead against Jack’s shoulder, panting through the burn creeping down his legs and up into his belly. He used just enough slick to not make fucking Jack’s thighs agonizing, but the knife’s edge he is walking still has tears springing to his eyes.
And all the while, Jack is writing away with a trembling hand, trying his best to ignore this burly man fucking his thighs and having an existential crisis because of it.
Gabriel should maybe feel a bit inadequate, given that Jack seems to manage focusing on his work just fine… but he has peered over his shoulder and seen just how unreadable his handwriting has become, so it’s all good.
He’d definitely bitch at him for it later, but by then Gabriel can just pull his beanie into his face and hum along as he drifted off to sleep, warm and satisfied.
“Fuck… c-can you clench your thighs a little- ah fuck!”
He hadn’t thought that Jack would just do it like that; without protest or any other argument. The sudden tighter clench around his cock has him feel like his eyes are going to pop out of his goddamn skull. Jack is trying to strangle his dick with his thighs or something; it’s the only way his overheated brain can explain why he is so good at this. He has his ass curved outward, subtly offering up his thighs so Gabriel has easier access while Jack does his work… or pretends to do so.
The sensation is crazy. His cock keeps pushing against Jack’s balls, the skin silky and warm against his slick glans. Gabriel’s blood is boiling. His own sac is smacking against the backs of Jack’s thighs. The sound is almost louder than his labored breathing.
When Jack smacks his pen down, though, it startles even Gabriel through the fog that has descended over his mind.
“Shit… G-Gabe-” Jack’s choked off groan has him relax again. He hooks his chin over Jack’s shoulder, his hips keeping up an easy but fast rhythm; rubbing himself in the slick, warm tunnel Jack’s thighs are offering him.
Jack’s flush has by now crept up spectacularly out of his collar and moved into his cheeks. He somehow manages to look dishevelled despite Gabriel never having touched his hair tonight. He puts his head back, their cheeks pressed against each other, and awkwardly moves his hips to fuck the air- no… to fuck his hand.
His eyes are clenched shut, brows furrowed like he’s angry about it. He probably is; he hates being kept from doing his work; but Gabriel can only take so long of jerking off without Jack nearby. He needs his fill every once in a while.
Even if that fill consists out of frantically fucking Jack’s thighs and into the backs of his low hanging testicles just so he can get his rocks off. He hadn’t even noticed that Jack had gotten hard; his cock curved and flushed just as dark as his cheeks are now.
When Gabriel peers down, he can just about see his own cock peeking out from between Jack’s trembling thighs, but the position for that isn’t too comfortable, so he stops looking after a moment and just presses his forehead back against Jack’s shoulder, his balls churning hot with cum; so full they are aching.
“Fuck… fuck, Jackie… gonna cum- come with me, yeah?”
“Yeah,” comes the breathless reply. “Yeah, yeah, ok-”
Gabriel doesn’t wait for more. He’s sure he’s started coming even before Jack had started his low, punched out chant.
His eyes are clenched shut but he’s sure they’re still rolling up into his head. It feels like his brain is shooting out through his cock, the whole mess thankfully caught by Jack’s junk before he could damage his precious files… but that also means that there’s a lot of cum smeared and dripping all between Jack’s thighs when he slowly pulls back and stumbles a step, eyes fixed on the sight of that tight, warm space he had been jerking off with just now.
He can’t believe he never tried intercrural before.
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quicksandblock · 4 years
Note
"unless you want to call in that favor" I'm holding out hope that he said that to try and gauge Dream's reaction and not because he's that willing to betray Tommy. If Techno does betray him, I hope it's reluctant. I hope it's only because he has to. People say that Techno is manipulating Tommy's perception of Tubbo but I'd rather believe he truly wants to keep Tommy from getting hurt again and doesn't trust that Tubbo really cares. I want the found family so bad man. -Gold
Yeah I think the Tubbo stuff in genuine. I’ve posted about it before but Techno has no reason to trust Tubbo or think well of him based on his own experiences. He knew Tubbo first as a double agent (who acted really sus all the time) back in the Pogtopia days, then as a government leader who exiled the guy he claimed was his best friend, and then as the government leader who attempted to execute him without a trial. The only person he’s had vouch for Tubbo is Tommy who has had... not the best track record when it comes to judging the character of his “friends.” I think warning Tommy away from Tubbo is an honest attempt to look out for him.
SO with that all said: I really, really hope he doesn’t betray Tommy. I hope that if he does he at least has a plan to get him out of it - because Techno always keeps an ace in his back pocket. However, just looking at the way he acted that scene... I’m pretty sure he would have actually done it, man. If I didn’t know the context and just had to analyze that moment by itself, I would say that that was Techno trying to bait Dream into blowing his favor on something Techno doesn’t place as much value on so he could get out from under that debt. I really hate to say it but I think Techno would have gone through with the trade there.
I also want the found family and I BELIEVE, I WANT TO BELIEVE IT CAN HAPPEN GDI. It would be so good. So satisfying. An affirmation that good things can actually happen to people on this server. It would break the cycle that Tommy specifically is stuck in of being betrayed by authority figures who are also trusted friends.
People are talking about Techno’s choice, but I think there’s gonna be a moment where Tommy has to choose. And it won’t be a fair choice. But he’ll have to choose between Tubbo and Technoblade, between his own history and longing for his friends and the one person who’s proven through his actions to actually be faithful to him (Techno), between his attachment to L’Manburg and his attachment to his discs...
I couldn’t begin to guess at the details of the choice. But Tommy’s the one undergoing character development here. Techno is clear in what he wants - things about him are changing, for sure, but in the end his goals are the same as they’ve ever been. He really, truly likes Tommy, so he doesn’t want to hurt him. He hopes Tommy will come around and join him in those goals. But if he doesn’t, Techno will continue on the same as he always has.
Tommy, on the other hand, is having a bit of a crisis of faith. All of his old values and loyalties have let him down, one after the other. He’s been abandoned, betrayed, and manipulated. He’s given and given and gotten nothing back. He’s becoming increasingly convinced by Techno’s way of thinking - partly because Techno is the only one on his side, but also because for someone in his situation Techno’s way of thinking actually makes a lot of sense.
Tommy has been removed from everything that he once held dear, and he’s changing. He’s growing up. Eventually he’s going to have to decide to either accept the change, or reject it and try to repair the person he used to be. Or, because he’s Tommy, he’ll find a third option somehow.
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hajimewhore · 4 years
Text
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Body Swap 👫 (Iwaizumi Hajime/Reader) ➸Rated T, fem!Reader, 1.9k words   ➷✈Part 1, Part 2   ➷Humor, awkwardness involved, if you’re me and I’m you who’s flying the plane?!   ➷Summary: When you woke up at fuck o’clock on a Sunday morning, you cursed yourself for setting an alarm so early on the weekend. Afterwards, you came to realize a few important things: 1. You didn’t set the alarm. 2. Hajime set the alarm. 3. You were in Hajime’s room. 4. Why? 5. Because you ARE Hajime.
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A/N: I’m taking forever on this Akaashi fic so I decided to throw this series out here, I hope you enjoy!🥺 Body swap is a trope I find absolutely chaotic and hilarious, so let’s get it! 
♡ ♡ ♡
Releasing a deep sigh, you pull your warm comforter over your face to hide the light peaking in from your blinds.
You're almost positive you closed the blinds and pulled the curtain over the prior night, but the thought doesn't sit much longer as you're lulled back into your slumber.
Hearing your alarm blare, a groan scratches at your throat as you smack your bedside desk, missing your phone entirely. Was your voice always this deep when you first wake up? You chalk it up to morning grogginess, deciding not to dwell on it any longer due to the obnoxious ringtone.
Also, did you even set an alarm? The thought sits at the back of your mind as you fiddle blindly for the sleep button.
It's Sunday, why would you even set one so early? How did you fuck that up?
Sitting upright, you blink blearily. Something feels off.
This isn't even your phone. These aren't your covers either...
The Godzilla posters decorating the walls definitely aren't yours, and this most certainly is not your room.
‘Hajime?’
You think looking around. This is definitely Hajime’s room. You hadn’t been in it in awhile, but it’s unmistakable.
You wrack your brain for the missing details, unfortunately coming to no result or explanation.
Why are you in Hajime’s room?! You didn’t drink last night, so there's no explanation for the missing details in your memory for how you wound up in his sheets. Also, he isn’t here currently.
What the hell?
Shoving the covers aside, you immediately notice your... significantly more masculine figure.
“What the fu—AH!”
Your surprisingly gruff voice startles you. Though, it’s not so much your voice, but Hajime’s.
Stumbling out of bed, nearly tripping over your tired legs, you barrel into Hajime's bathroom to check the mirror.
And despite all the clues handed to you, you're still completely stunned to see who's staring back at you in the mirror.
Your childhood best friend, Iwaizumi Hajime.
Cupping your hand over your mouth to stifle a scream, you pace back to the bedroom.
'It's a dream haha. A hyper realistic, very detailed, dream.'
You attempt to convince yourself as you slip back into the sheets, still warm, cursing your subconscious for forcing this abnormal dream onto your unwitting self.
Squeezing your eyes shut, twisting and turning, willing away your current situation, you realize... nothing is happening.
‘God damnit.’
You don't know who's fault this is, but it's probably Tooru's.
If you're Hajime then, yes you're starting to accept this fucked up situation, that that must mean Hajime is...
Shooting back up to a sitting position, you curse at the ache in your abdominal region. Jesus, how hard did Hajime go at practice?
Also, you can't believe you have Hajime’s abs right now.
Throwing on a random t-shirt and pair of sweats, decidedly not thinking about his abs, and how he was sleeping in briefs only, you jogs downstairs like a mad man.
Completely forgoing shoes, you cross the street and use the hidden key stuck in a potted plant to open the front door.
You're positive by now your parents have left for work, and Tooru is more than likely sleeping in after staying up late last night (no doubt pouring over tournament videos), so there's no chance for interruption from either party.
Not that your parents would question Hajime's presence, but you really aren't in the mood for doing small talk with your own parents while pretending to be Hajime.
You head straight up the stairs for your room, swinging the door wide open.
“That’s... me.... augh, this is so weird!”
You run a hand through your hair, almost startled by the different texture. This will definitely take some getting used to. 
...Also, was Hajime’s hair always this soft?
You physically dash that train of thought from your mind, shaking your head. You remind yourself of the task at hand and your current dilemma, crossing the threshold of your room.
You shuffle over to the bed, climbing on top of the covers.
If that’s Hajime, he’s no doubt gonna freak out over seeing himself wake himself up.
Well, you might as well have fun with it.
“Hajime!”
You shake... yourself, watching your eyes blink open.
“Wha—?”
The physical-You blinks awake, catching eyes with physical-Hajime.
“What the f—”
You cover presumably Hajime's mouth (you're mildly hoping there hasn't been an awful three-way swap between you two and Tooru),
"Hajime! Confess to your sins!"
"I— What the fuck?! I haven't done anything! You're— How are you me! I'm me! Why is my voice—"
Hajime is quite clearly panicking and word vomiting his stress. And while it was a little funny at first, you're starting to feel a bit bad.
"Alright alright, before you go full panic, look in the mirror. I know this seems like bullshit, but it’s me!”
You lean back, gesturing to the mirror above the dresser.
Hajime’s eyes furrow, following your gesture before locking eyes with... Your eyes in the mirror.
But that’s definitely him moving like that, lifting his arms, tilting his head. Or rather, your arms, your head, fuck, this is confusing.
“Why the fuck am I you?” after a momentary pause, “What did Oikawa do?” 
Hajime snarls, and it sounds odd coming from your tone.
“I was hoping you’d know the answer to that. I came here as soon as I woke up.”
“Well, this all better be a really fucked up, disgustingly realistic dream I’m having.”
Hajime sighs, rubbing his eyes.
“I really don’t think it is. I already went through that crisis.”
You pout, and Hajime raps you on the forehead.
“Don’t make faces like that with my face, you’re freaking me out!”
“Me? You have the biggest resting bitch face ever! It’s scary on me!”
His expression softens marginally, after a deep frown.
“Well... I guess we should figure out a way to fix this.”
“How’re we gonna do that!?”
You whine, and Hajime cringes at the way it sounded coming out of his mouth.
“No clue. In the mean time, we should try and keep this a secret and attend classes like normal. Also—”
He cuts himself, frowning deeply.
“What?”
“Shittykawa. Volleyball.”
“Aw fuck!”
You groan, falling back into your sheets at the foot of the bed.
“How are we gonna pull that off?!”
“Just talk to Oikawa like I would, and I’m sure I could... do the same.”
You somehow doubt that will work, and you can plainly see Hajime is going to have an issue conversing with Tooru in your mannerisms. Tooru has known the both of you longer than anyone else, and tends to be perceptive in and out of volleyball. Regardless, you have no choice but to have faith in Hajime's plan, even if it is lacking the finer details.
“As far as volleyball...?”
You tilt your head, chewing at your cheek at the thought of club activities in an entirely different body. Hajime rubs his hair, briefly startled by it being... not his hair.
You bring up very valid concerns. He's the ace of his team, you're a middle blocker for the women's team. Neither of you are especially privy to your respective team's plays or teammates.
“I’m sure we’ll catch on fast. We’ll just have to spend today teaching each other everything we need to know. At least we both know how to play, even if it’s different positions.”
He locks eyes with you slumped in the sheets, trying not to picture it as himself laying back in your bed. Realistically, it is him, but it isn't his mind. But now is not the situation whatsoever to be thinking about the suggestiveness of that image, so he shakes the thoughts from his head.
“Mm, guess you’re right. As far as school goes, our class schedule is pretty similar, so we can just study together. How bout we get ready and practice volleyball at the park?”
The unspoken ‘before Tooru wakes up’ hangs off your lips.
“Alright, I’ll get ready.”
He stands from the bed, before freezing and blushing heavily.
“Absolutely not!”
You match his blush, sitting upright in a flash.
“I-I’ll help you get ready! Just keep your eyes closed!”
You cry out, and Hajime turns his nose with a heavy blush.
“Like I’d open them!”
“Better yet—“
You snatch your uniform tie from your bedside table, wrapping it around Hajime’s eyes.
After tying off the makeshift blindfold, you ponder what transgressions you must have committed in your past life to be here undressing yourself as Hajime.
“God, this is so weird.”
You whine, awkwardly tugging your, Hajime’s, clothes off.
“How do you think I feel?!”
He snaps, but there’s less venom in the tone due to the pitch of your voice. There is a classic Hajime ring to it though, and your mildly impressed he pulled that off with your natural voice.
You make quick work of dressing him in athletic wear, not wanting to suffer in the stifling awkwardness any longer than necessary.
He removes the tie from his eyes, averting his gaze with pink still dusting his features.
“...”
“What now?”
You're worried to hear what he’s contemplating, and you certainly don’t like the sheepish, awkward expression stretching across his features.
“I really have to pee.”
“Haaaajiiimeee! Just hold it!”
You turn scarlet, and he glares.
“I can’t hold it forever! And who knows when we’ll be able to turn back. We might as well break the seal now.”
Ordinarily that kind of wording would be humorous, but you can’t find anything funny about the situation you’re currently in. Hajime stomps towards the bathroom, looking not unlike a toddler throwing a tantrum. 
‘Damn, I really look like that?’
♡ ♡ ♡
“I can’t go with you staring at me!”
Hajime growls out, makeshift blindfold back in place. He has an inkling that he’ll be wearing this a lot now, but he can say for certain he never thought he’d be using a blindfold in this manner.
“You can’t even see me!”
“That’s not the point, I know you’re standing there!”
“Ugh, this is so humiliating! Just get it over with!”
You huff, slamming the door shut and flopping unceremoniously onto your bed, shoving your face into the pillows.
You hear the rush of water, good to know he washes his hands, and Hajime steps out of the bathroom feeling.... new, for lack of a better word.
“You’ll have to deal with it too, you know.”
He turns his nose, drying his hands on his pants, cheeks still hot.
“...I already did.”
You huff, and Hajime cries out with indignation at the revelation.
“What the fuck? And you made such a big deal out of—”
“You’re really packing!”
You stick your tongue out, and Hajime moves to legitimately strangle you and make an attempt at your life, not caring if it’s his own body.
“H-Hajime please, I was kidding, I haven’t gone yet, I swear!”
“Whatever!”
Upon closer inspection, you look way less threatening than Hajime ever did, but you hold back the snicker before Hajime can get too pressed about it.
“Let’s just go back to my place and get ready for practice.”
He huffs, trailing out of your room as you follow, relieved he’s calmed a bit.
Your relief is short lived however, and a panic washes over you when you think about how you'll have to go through Hajime forcing his clothes onto you.  
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[Masterlist] [✈Part 1, Part 2]
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Sammy and Jack. “Can we stay like this forever?”
Crisis of Faith, chapter 2
Sammy didn’t dream of Jack again until his next crisis of faith, and Sammy’s faith was very difficult to break. It had begun while Sammy, now a lost one made of fluid ink, was hiding in a wall, watching as a severely ink-infected woman raved.
“Mother, why do you punish me!?” she shouted as, with all the power left in her body, she tried to force open the padlocked doors of the women’s washroom. Her veins, prominent due to age and leanness, were a pitch-black web on her skin, and her wiry muscles had wasted away to bone.
Sammy had, on Joey’s command, overseen dozens of ink infections by now, and knew that there was nothing unusual about Emma Lamont’s case of it. Every single victim he had overseen had held some kind of delusion. Some believed that they were being poisoned by the government or their enemies, or that they were developing a mental illness. A very common one, however, was that they were receiving some sort of punishment, test, or reward from an all-powerful being- either God, or from a seemingly random entity that they’d decided to treat as one.
What if... Sammy’s beliefs were no different from this madwoman, screaming at the ghost of her mother?
Sammy moved on to check on the other infection victims. Even if Bendy wasn’t to be worshipped, the thought of ascension was all that kept him going. He sacrificed people on Joey’s command because the ink had told him to. He wrote his scriptures because he believed they were meaningful. He led the lost ones to Bendy and away from the lies their voices had told them because he truly believed that his voice had been the truth, and it seemed to give them hope, too.
Sammy passed  through the prison of ink creatures as he made his way to Joey’s sanctuary, where he now slept. A Charley was repeatedly banging its head against the bars of its cage. Lost ones wept. Ink stained every surface, making the brightly-lit room feel suffocatingly dark. Sammy was glad to phase through the wall into Joey’s sanctuary, where he could lie down on the couch and rest.
All this had to be leading to something. He couldn’t take it otherwise.
---
Sammy woke to the feeling of someone softly shaking him awake. He opened his eyes to see Jack, tears in his eyes and that disarming smile on his face.
“Hey. How are you feeling?” Jack asked gently.
Sammy, with a bit of difficulty, sat up and realized that he was in a hospital room, complete with an IV in his arm. He felt very weak, but also lighter- like a burden had been taken off of him. “Awful,” he admitted.
“Well, you want some good news? The ink is gone. All of it. You still have a lot of organ damage, but it’s nothing they can’t fix in a couple weeks. In other words, it’s over, Sammy. You’re gonna be okay.”
It took Sammy a half a minute to even process that. Once he did, though, he broke into tears of relief and hugged Jack as tightly as he could.
“Thank you. God, thank you for making me come here. You saved my life.”
Jack hugged him back. “Hey, I didn’t make you do anything. I know this took a lot of courage for you. And... I’m really glad you did it. I was so scared when I found you in your sanctuary. You were so sick... I thought I’d lose you. Sammy, I think I love you. But... we can talk about that later. Right now, you need to rest.”
“I love you, too.” Easiest words Sammy had ever said.
After a little more chatting, Jack left. Sammy wandered over to the bathroom to get a look at himself in the mirror. Admittedly, he didn’t look great. He looked like a person who’d narrowly survived a life-threatening illness, because that’s what he was. His skin was still pale and sunken, and he was still pretty gaunt, but the black veins, the bruise-like purple splotches on his skin, and even the staining in his mouth and his long, blond hair- it was gone. When Sammy woke, he would have given anything to see his human face again.
---Two years later---
As often happened whenever Sammy decided to play his banjo, a small crowd had gathered around him. Today, the crowd consisted of three lost ones, Jack (of course), a moderately ink-infected woman, and one of their last healthy men. The song Sammy was playing was "I’ll fly away.” He wasn’t singing it today, but he had sang it for his followers in the past, simply replacing the word, “God’s” with “his,” since “Bendy’s,” unfortunately, was two syllables.
“You know, it’s amazing how you can remember music like that,” said David, the only non-infected person in attendance. “I'm already forgetting the words to my favourite songs since it’s been so long since we’ve been able to just turn on a radio. How do you do it?”
Sammy would have smiled if he still had a mouth. “Well, a part of it is just natural ability,” Sammy admitted. “But. I have a secret to tell you. A part of it is faith. Faith can do great things. Collective faith in Bendy is the reason that we are the largest organization in this dimension. This village was built on faith. Faith keeps us united! Faith keeps us safe! And... faith allows me to to see into the old world every night when I close my eyes. I hope that all of you one day achieve that absolute belief that something in this world is good.”
“Heh. I’m trying. But all I have are nightmares of Bendy,” a lost one complained.
“Well, keep trying. Believe in his benevolence.” With that, Sammy got up and left for bed, patting Jack on the head on the way out. If only they knew that he used to be plagued by those same nightmares.
---
Sammy’s dream came in to form. He was on a bus, sitting next to Jack. Outside their window, snow was falling gently over a pretty,  snow-covered forest. For a while Sammy just sat in peace, holding Jack’s hand and enjoying the scenery.
“Excited to see your parents again? I know I can’t wait to meet them.”
Sammy nodded. “I can’t wait.” Sammy had always wanted to introduce Jack to his parents. He remembered that there was a strong reason why he hadn’t done it while he was alive, but he couldn’t remember what it was. “My Dad is going to love you. You’re a lot like him, you know. Do you remember why we didn’t do this sooner?”
“Because I’m a man,” Jack answered, totally calm.
“Oh!” Sammy had forgotten a lot about the outside world since his transformation, but nothing so big as the existence of homophobia. It was kind of alarming that the ink was affecting his brain that much. “God. I’m so... forgetful. I’ll just have to introduce you as my musical partner or something. It’s unconventional, but they've seen me do weirder.”
“You  know, Sammy, it’s like you got new lease on life after the ink incident. I love that. But yeah, you’re forgetting things left and right!” Jack teasingly jabbed him with his elbow.
“Yeah... Hey, can I tell you something?”
“Of course,” Jack said. Sammy worried what Jack would think, but looking into those calm brown eyes, he trusted him to not to react badly. And it would be nice to have one person he didn’t have to lie to.
“This is a dream. In the real world, I never got help for my ink infection, and now me and dozens of other people are trapped a dimension full of monsters. I’m holding a large band of people together by convincing them to collectively worship one of them. And you,” Sammy took a deep breath, “you’re there, too. But you haven’t had a coherent thought in years. I keep hoping that one day, we’ll make it out, and I’ll be able to confess to you and we’ll actually build a life like this. So... I’m forgetful because that ink is affecting my mind, and I’m happy because this world is my escape. And because you’re here, of course.” Sammy couldn’t meet Jack’s eyes. He’d probably just made himself sound like a lunatic.
Jack turned Sammy’s head to look at him. “Hey. I believe you. And... that sounds really rough. I wish I could help you.”
Sammy smiled. “Thanks. But you've been helping me all along.” Sammy laid his head on Jack’s shoulder. Maybe once the bus stopped, they’d get some hot chocolate and look at some shops before seeing his parents. It would be nice.
---
Sammy was violently shaken awake by a trio of searchers. More were behind them- as though half the village had crammed itself into his bedroom.
“Bendy is here!” one of them yelled. “What do we do?”
That was a good question. Sammy reached for his axe, but then he stopped. This was, according to the gospel he’d been feeding them, their saviour. “Go out to greet him,” Sammy instructed, trying not to sound as hesitant as he felt. “Bring him offerings of bacon soup. Bring everyone, even the Boris clones- they used to be human, too.”
The crowd of lost ones dispersed. Sammy watched with bated breath from the balcony of his lost-one village home as a massive crowd- lost ones, searchers, people both infected and healthy, and their three Boris clones- gathered along the ink river. Dozens of cans of bacon soup were placed along the river bank as an offering. Bendy stood on the other side of the river. Their drawbridge lowered, but Bendy decided instead to walk on the ink’s surface like the God they treated him as. The crowd gasped and made way. Bendy took an ink-infected man in one arm, stroked his cheek, and bit his face off.
Screams filled the air. People ran in all directions. Sammy was frozen for several seconds before he took action.
“Everyone! Run for cover! We have displeased him! I repeat, run for cover!” Sammy's booming, demonic voice covered the great distance it needed to. Upon seeing the people run and Bendy chase after them, Sammy himself slammed shut his doors and windows and listened in horror to the screams.
When it was over, all he could think to tell his people was that they needed to reconsider how they were paying tribute to the ink demon. If they changed their methods just a little, then the demon would be helpful instead of violent, and they would be freed.
To Sammy’s mixed relief, they actually believed it.
---
eleven years went by. Within the first three, every single flesh-and-blood person in the sketch dimension was infected, killed, or both, and became a lost one.
Their minds were rotting. Increasing numbers of lost ones struggled to remember anything about themselves or the outside world. Wandering aimlessly or resting in ink puddles, they were helpless as zombies.
But not Sammy. Sammy remained- comparatively, at least- as sharp as a whip, and told the lost ones tales so vivid about the outside world that they could almost taste its brilliance and freedom. Sammy only wished that Jack- the real Jack- could understand any of it.
There was nothing to do about that but what Sammy had been doing all along: keep the community together. Keep the lost ones moralized and sane. Figuratively and literally dream of a  better world. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Sammy didn’t want to forget a thing about the real world, but little pieces had fallen away, bit by bit. In his dreams, there were now places he couldn’t visit because he didn’t remember what they were like. His reflection in the mirror had become a human-shaped blur as he forgot his appearance. The same thing had happened to the faces of people he used to remember clear as day. One day, he would forget it all, too- just as everyone else had.
It was hard to keep hope.
One of Sammy’s dreams found him walking down a beach with Jack at his side. Sammy knew that the two of them had relocated at some point, but he didn’t know to where. His American geography was rather fuzzy at this point.
“Can I vent to you about the other world?” Sammy asked.
“Sure,” Jack said. Jack was one thing that Sammy’s memory hadn’t gone fuzzy on. Sammy still remembered every soft curve of his face, every freckle, every detail. His dark brown hair was starting to grey, but not because Sammy remembered him that way- it had been many years, and growing old together was part of the fantasy.
“Bendy came to the village again today. He killed a few lost ones and then left. People are losing faith in me and I don’t know how to get it back. And to make matters worse, a false prophet is going around saying we should worship the angel instead! She’d enslave us if we did that!" Sammy chucked a baseball-sized rock into the water, then composed himself a bit. “And you know, we’re all going to be mindless drones eventually. I’m thinking... maybe I won’t fight the false prophet. I could leave the village, hide in a vent, and spend as little time awake as possible. Ink creatures can sleep for days, you know. What do say? Can we stay like this forever? Enjoy this world until I lose my mind like all the rest?” Sammy took Jack’s hands and looked desperately into his eyes.
Jack hesitated, but by the look on his face, Sammy already knew what his answer would be. “I’m sorry. You know I have to say no. The lost ones need you.”
“But why am I the one who has to stay strong for them? I’m sick of it.”
“Because you’re the one who can. I know it isn’t fair, but you’re the reason they’ve been protecting each other. And it sounds like if you leave them now, they’ll throw themselves at Alice. Do it for them. And if you can’t bring yourself to care about them... do it for me. The real me. You still love him, right?”
“Of course...” Sammy probably would have done this sooner if he didn’t care about the well-being of his searcher friend.
Jack put a hand on Sammy’s shoulder. “I don’t know how, but you’ll get out some day. And in the meantime, I’m here.”
Sammy tried to think of some objection, but he couldn’t. He muttered a “thanks” and kept walking along the beach. Jack followed. It was, if nothing else, a beautiful night, and he might as well enjoy it.
“Jack... tell me what I look like. I don’t care that it’ll just be something you made up. Tell me anyhow.”
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