#Start Again Start Again Start Again: a prologue

[eldragon-x]

My part of the art trade with @beneathsilverstars ^_^ She sent me a few prompts and I decided to go with SAAP Odile comforting Loop during a particularly bad loop.

I imagine the setup to this would be that Loop spent too long in the House's restroom and Odile went looking for them, only to find them forehead pressed against the mirror and out of it.

I also wanted to lean a little on the fact that both Siffrin and Loop burst out laughing when they're hiding something and that you can get some dialogue during sus quest where Siffrin provokes Odile, despite being simultaneously afraid of her figuring things out.

[deadstoat-arts]

Y'ALL MUST WATCH THIS AGAIN BECAUSE IT'S SO GOOD OK

why hello there i made an animatic (o゜▽゜)o☆ my first and only, but i'm still so so so so proud of myself! so no more wips, THIS IS a thing! i was working on!!!

i know for someone it's not a big deal, but i've never made animatics before, it was hard, but i still enjoyed it a lot (╯▽╰ )

oh and be careful! there's spoilers for a WHOLE GAME and for prologue!

[siilent-wanderer]

What's the Matter, Baby?

Summary: A playful night on stage leaves Y/N flustered by Jimin’s bold teasing and lingering touches, but the tables turn when a late-night live gives Y/N the perfect chance for a little payback.

Genre: Fluff

Words: 2.2k words

Yu Jimin (Karina) x aespa 5th member! reader

A/N: this prompt has been in my notes for too long. first part was inspired by kariselle :>

The arena was alive with energy, fans waving lightsticks in synchronized colors as aespa performed one hit after another. The group was in their element, owning the stage with every note and step. As the intro to Prologue began, the lights dimmed slightly, creating an intimate atmosphere that left the crowd buzzing with anticipation.

Y/N adjusted her in-ears, stealing a glance at Jimin, who was a few feet away. Her girlfriend looked radiant under the soft spotlight, her wolf cut perfectly framing her sharp features.

As Jimin began singing her solo, her eyes flickered to Y/N. Without missing a beat, she moved closer, her steps deliberate and confident. Y/N barely had time to process what was happening before Jimin reached out, her hand gently finding Y/N’s waist and pulling her closer.

The crowd erupted, their cheers growing louder as the moment played out on the massive screen behind them.

Y/N’s eyes widened, her cheeks heating up as Jimin continued singing, her voice steady and smooth. Jimin’s smirk was subtle but unmistakable, and she didn’t let go immediately, her hand lingering on Y/N’s waist as if she belonged there.

Caught between flustered and amused, Y/N smiled softly, tilting her head slightly toward Jimin as the song continued. She wasn’t sure if the warmth in her chest was from the lights or the way Jimin’s fingers lightly pressed into her side.

Jimin finally released her grip as the chorus ended, but before stepping back, she leaned in just enough for only Y/N to hear. “You’re blushing again,” she teased, her voice dripping with playful confidence.

Of course, Y/N wasn't going to let Jimin win the entire night. During one of their high-energy tracks, “Thirsty,” the choreography placed Y/N beside Jimin for a few key moments. As the second verse approached, Y/N’s part came up, her voice effortlessly smooth as she sang the line:

“Don’t you, baby”

This time, however, the younger girl turned her head toward Jimin, locking eyes with her and adding a sly wink.

The crowd lost it. Screams echoed through the venue, and the camera caught Jimin’s reaction — a fleeting moment of wide-eyed surprise before she quickly composed herself, her lips curving into an amused smile.

Y/N grinned as she moved back into her position, feeling triumphant. Jimin, however, wasn’t about to let her have the last word.

“You’re playing dangerous games, baby,” She murmured when the two passed each other during the choreography, her voice barely audible over the music.

Y/N glanced over her shoulder, a playful glint in her eyes. “Only because you started it.”

The teasing even extended to fan interactions during the encore. Y/N moved toward the edge of the stage to interact with fans. She waved and smiled at the crowd, catching glimpses of their posters and lightsticks.

The leader, always observant, caught sight of a fan holding up a colorful sign that read: “Y/Nrina, please make a heart together!”

A mischievous glint flashed in Jimin’s eyes as she quickly strode over to Y/N, grabbing her hand. “C’mere,” Jimin said, pulling her in front of the fan.

Y/N blinked in confusion but didn’t resist. “What are you doing?”

Jimin pointed at the fan’s sign. “They want us to make a heart.”

Before Y/N could respond, her girlfriend raised their hands to form the perfect heart shape. The crowd erupted into cheers, and Y/N, flustered but smiling, glanced at Jimin, who was grinning like she’d won the lottery.

“You’re shameless,” The younger girl muttered under her breath, though the fondness in her tone was unmistakable.

“Maybe,” Jimin replied, her smirk widening as she leaned closer. “But you love it.”

But still, the cheeky moments didn't end; Jimin was having too much fun. During one of the talk segments, the girls took turns speaking to the fans. Y/N was in the middle of answering a question when Jimin leaned into her space, tilting her head dramatically.

“What are you doing?” Y/N asked, her voice full of suspicion.

“Offering my cheek,” Jimin replied innocently. “You can pinch it if it helps you focus.”

The fans screamed as Y/N rolled her eyes but gave in, lightly squishing Jimin’s cheek with her fingers. Jimin grinned at the camera, clearly enjoying the interaction.

Later in the set, during a brief break between songs, Jimin was adjusting her in-ear monitors when Y/N, emboldened by the previous moments, walked up and gave her cheek a quick, playful squeeze. The leader pretended to pout, but her laughter betrayed her.

“You’re getting bold,” Jimin teased as her girlfriend walked away, her shoulders shaking in silent laughter.

By the final song, Jimin turned the tables again, leaning in close to Y/N and whispering, “Your turn,” before pinching Y/N’s cheek lightly. The playful exchange didn’t go unnoticed, and the fans cheered even louder.

Backstage, the atmosphere was electric as the members celebrated another successful concert. Y/N sat on the couch, still trying to process the whirlwind of moments that had just unfolded on stage.

“You were great out there,” Jimin said as she plopped down beside her, her smirk already firmly in place.

Y/N turned to her, narrowing her eyes. “You mean I was great at being your target?”

The older girl feigned innocence, tilting her head. “What? I was just in the moment.”

“You pulled me in, unnie. In front of everyone,” Y/N pointed out, her voice laced with mock exasperation.

“And they loved it,” Jimin replied smoothly, leaning back against the couch. “You didn’t seem to mind, either.”

Y/N groaned, covering her face with her hands. “You’re insufferable.”

Jimin laughed softly, nudging Y/N’s shoulder. “Admit it — you had fun.”

Y/N peeked through her fingers, her expression half-annoyed and half-amused. “I’ll admit one thing,” she muttered under her breath, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Jimin raised an eyebrow, leaning closer. “What’s that?”

Y/N smirked, standing up abruptly. “You’ll find out soon enough, unnie.”

Jimin leaned back against the couch, her fingers idly brushing through the ends of her hair as a smirk tugged at her lips. Y/N’s parting words replayed in her head, and she couldn’t help but feel a spark of curiosity mixed with amusement. What exactly did her girlfriend mean by "soon enough"? Jimin wasn’t one to get caught off guard easily, but Y/N’s mischievous glint made her wonder if she was in for a little payback. Not that Jimin minded — after all, the playful give-and-take between them was part of what made their relationship so exhilarating. With a chuckle, she stood up to join the others, already bracing herself for whatever Y/N had up her sleeve.

After winding down from the concert, the members dispersed to their respective hotel rooms, their energy still buzzing despite the late hour. Y/N trailed behind Jimin as they made their way down the hallway, sharing quiet laughs about the night’s events. Once inside their shared room, Jimin dropped onto the bed with a satisfied sigh, while Y/N grabbed her phone from the nightstand. “We should go live,” Y/N suggested, glancing at Jimin with a playful glint in her eye.

Jimin raised an eyebrow, already sensing the mischievous undertone in her girlfriend’s voice. “You’re not planning anything, are you?” she asked, her lips curving into a knowing smile.

“Of course not, unnie,” Y/N replied innocently, though the way she busied herself setting up the phone made Jimin suspect otherwise. Moments later, they were propped on the couch, the live counter ticking up as MYs flooded in, completely unaware of the playful chaos about to unfold.

“Hi, MYs! Did you enjoy the show?” Jimin asked, her sweet smile lighting up the screen.

Y/N leaned closer to the camera, tilting her head playfully. “You guys were so loud tonight, like seriously. My ears are still ringing!”

The chat immediately flooded with responses:

“IT WAS AMAZING 🥹🥹” "YOU GUYS WERE SO CUTE EARLIER" "they were def flirting at the concert" “WE LOVE YOU, Y/N!!” “Karina unnie, your voice was so perfect in ‘Illusion’ 🥰”

Y/N nudged Jimin. “They’re saying you killed it tonight. Again.”

Jimin’s cheeks turned pink as she laughed shyly. “Thank you, everyone. I hope I did well.”

“I mean, you always do,” Y/N said with a soft grin, her voice so casual yet genuine it made Jimin glance at her for a second longer than necessary.

Reading through the comments, Y/N’s eyes lit up when she spotted one in English. “Oh, this one’s for you, unnie,” she said, turning to her girlfriend. “Rina, can you say, ‘I love MYs’ in English?”

Jimin nodded, winking as she repeated, “I love MYs.”

The chat immediately exploded with love for her pronunciation:

“OMG SHE’S SO CUTE 😭😭😭” “karina’s accent is EVERYTHING 💕” “Protect her at all costs!”

Y/N giggled, leaning toward her and giving Jimin a thumbs up. “Perfect, unnie. 10 out of 10.”

Jimin glanced at the phone. “Y/N, what are they saying now? I can’t read this fast.”

“Oh, they’re saying…” The younger pretended to squint at the screen dramatically. “‘Y/N and Karina should date.’”

Jimin’s eyes widened as she lightly pushed Y/N’s shoulder. “Yah! Don’t make things up!”

“I’m not!” Y/N laughed, pointing at the screen. “Look, someone literally just wrote ‘Y/Nrina is real.’”

“THEY SEE US OMG 🚢💖” “Y/NRINA ENDGAME???” “her reaction is so suspicious LOL”

Still grinning, Y/N decided to mess with her again. “Ah unnie, I have a question for you.”

Jimin, unsuspecting, tilted her head. “Hmm?”

“Would you rather eat a baby goat or a matter baby?” Y/N asked, her tone as innocent as she could muster.

Jimin blinked, her confusion immediate. “What?”

“Would you rather eat a baby goat or a matter baby?” Y/N repeated, biting her lip, trying not to laugh.

Jimin’s brows furrowed as she tried to make sense of it. “What’s a matter baby?”

Y/N’s shoulders began to shake with giggles.

Jimin repeated louder, “What’s a matter baby??”

And that was it — Y/N broke into full laughter, clutching her stomach as she tried to speak. “I don’t know! What’s the matter with you, baby?”

Jimin’s eyes widened as realization hit her. “Yah!” she exclaimed, smacking the younger girl’s arm lightly. “Why are you teasing me like this in front of MYs?”

Still laughing, Y/N leaned into the camera. “Ah, mwoya, she doesn’t understand!”

The comments went wild:

“I CAN’T STOP LAUGHING HELP 💀💀” “did she just call Karina ‘baby’???” “Jimin looks so done LMAOOO” “OMG THEY’RE SO CUTE 😭😭” “jiminjeong and y/nselle found dead in the ditch 😭🤣”

Jimin pouted at the screen, still flustered. “You’re embarrassing me!”

Y/N, grinning ear to ear, leaned closer to her girlfriend. “You’re cute when you’re confused, though.”

Fans, of course, noticed everything:

“THE WAY Y/N LOOKS AT HER 😭” “Y/N just called her cute, I’m not okay.” “karina’s flustered reaction… she’s so sus omg”

As the live continued, the two shifted back into lighter conversation, with Y/N reading English comments and making Jimin try random phrases, from “I’m a baddie” to “slay queen.” Each time, Jimin’s slightly hesitant but earnest delivery had the younger girl laughing until tears streamed down her face.

Toward the end of the live, Jimin finally mustered her courage. “Y/Nnie, read this one,” she said, pointing at a comment.

Y/N squinted dramatically at the screen. “What does it say?”

Jimin smirked. “It says, ‘Y/N, stop flirting with Karina.’”

Caught off guard, Y/N blinked before bursting into laughter again. “They’re not wrong!” she teased, nudging Jimin.

The fans were left in a frenzy:

“EXCUSE ME, WHAT???” “they’re basically confirming it at this point bruhhh” “Y/Nrina is canon now”

Jimin’s cheeks flushed, and she quickly turned her attention back to the chat. “Anyway, MYs, what’s your favorite song from the concert tonight?” she asked, trying to change the subject.

But Y/N, still grinning, leaned against her shoulder, clearly not letting the moment go. The fans noticed every little glance and interaction, and the comments continued to flood with hearts and ship names.

As the live wrapped up, Jimin sighed, half in exasperation and half in affection, as Y/N whispered teasingly, “You’re lucky you’re so cute, baby.”

Jimin gave her a warning look, but her shy smile betrayed her. After the live ended, Twitter and Instagram lit up with posts dissecting every glance, laugh, and moment of interaction:

“the way Y/N looked at karina during the live… HELLO? 🚨”

“Jimin is so soft around Y/N, it’s adorable”

“Someone make a compilation of Karina’s reactions to Y/N teasing her, PLEASE I’M BEGGING”

“if Y/Nrina isn’t real, then explain this: 👇” [Karina’s shy smile after Y/N’s compliment]

And for days afterward, fans couldn’t stop talking about the undeniable chemistry between them, shipping hashtags and edits popping up everywhere, as if the truth was hidden in plain sight.

[aealzx]

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Update Post

Prologue | AO3

Previous

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With all the excitement from the Watchtower, Danny had ended up crashing as soon as they got back to the manor. The others had let him sleep, and Bruce had been there to help him get the dinner Alfred had left for him when he woke up in the middle of the night. Yet after eating he was quick to fall asleep again. It was a similar pattern of sleeping, eating, and sleeping more that filled up the entire next day for him. Though he did manage to squeeze in another bath during the most recent stretch of time he’d been awake. That was before he unintentionally knocked out on his stomach while lounging on the couch in the study. It really was a nice room. With the fireplace, and soft cushions. Sam had ended up telling everyone to just let him sleep since he was usually sleep deprived anyway. The rest could only do him some good on catching up on the two years of accumulated sleep debt.

It was only in the afternoon of the second day after meeting with Barry that Danny was staying awake for more than two hours. A checkup from Leslie kept him occupied for an hour, even though it was still odd to him to be getting his health monitored by an actual doctor instead of his family members and a lot of guessing. He currently only had burns in an area slightly bigger than his hand on his ribs, and they arguably weren’t even second degree anymore. Something that made Leslie marvel considering he hadn’t had any kind of skin transplant or the like, but something that was still annoyingly painful if he moved too suddenly or too far.

It was during the check up that Bruce let him know that Barry and Wally had made progress with isolating which realm was theirs, and would probably be over that evening. Part of their validation was for one of them to actually visit the realm, and potentially bring something back that the others would recognize. Danny felt it was a little unfair that one of the Flashes would be able to see his realm before any of them, but it was something he was willing to give up if it meant they could confirm everyone was alright. Barry had already called to check in with Jazz on an item she thought they should try to grab, and because of the conversation with Conner and Bart at the Watchtower she had suggested one of their cellphones or laptops.

It was strange when they were gathered down in the Batcave and Barry didn’t have either of those in his hands. Danny figured maybe he was going to try and surprise them with it since they didn’t know exactly who’s phone he had grabbed, but he also couldn’t help feeling uneasy with Barry’s mannerisms. Something seemed off about him. That smile wasn’t quite right. Even though Barry tried to be as energetic as them while they all clambered into seats, Danny couldn’t help staring at him with increasing unease. Why was he insisting that they were all seated?

Had…. Had the G.I.W. done something worse than they could think of?

Danny felt Jazz start to share his unease when Barry took a seat to face them at eye level, and drew a breath to speak.

“As you know we were able to lock on to your realm’s original location. And as part of the process Wally and I both took a trip there to make sure we could create a connection,” Barry started, giving a summary that was way too quick and caused Danny’s smile of anticipation for the good news to slowly drop. Barry didn’t seem to want to drag this out any longer than necessary though, for after a tense breath and exchanged look with Bruce he finally let his own, forced smile fade. “I’m sorry… This is never easy to say, but… there’s nothing left.”

Danny didn’t fully register standing up. A subconscious need to put himself between the others and what he considered, however momentarily, a threat forcing him to his feet and moving him to stand slightly between Barry and his friends and sisters.

“W’what?”

That was Jazz, of course. Always giving the other side a chance to clarify. To explain more. To maybe correct their statement with the other side’s feelings in consideration the next time.

“I’m sorry,” Barry breathed again, wishing he didn’t have to tell these children their home and everything in it was no longer in existence. “The space where your realm occupied is empty. We’ve seen it a few times before, after something causes the reality of the realm to be broken…. There’s nothing we can do, but we’ll make sure you’re taken care of here.”

Their world had died. While they were gone, something had happened to erase what they had left behind before they could get back to it to protect it. Millions of people were gone, but all Danny could register was a single fact, echoing repeatedly in his mind.

His parents were dead.

His parents were dead, and he hadn’t been there. His own words from before echoed in his brain in a static of spikes as his breathing became semi erratic. None of this mattered if the people he cared about weren’t safe. What did it matter that he was still there- what did it matter that he was almost healed? What did any of it matter if Maddie and Jack weren’t there with him?

His friends and sisters were in an uproar, but it felt so distant from him. He only caught pieces of their outrage.

“What are we supposed to do?”

Sam.

“Says the one whose parents probably left her an entire fortune! I have nothing now!”

Tucker.

“I have nothing either, you ass! Or did you forget none of us exist in this realm! None of us have anything!”

Sam again.

“You will be taken care of. I promise-”

Bruce, interrupted by Danielle before he could finish.

“None of that matters you idiots! Who did it? Who’s the dumbass that killed my mom and dad?! ‘Cause I’m gonna rip them to shreds-”

“Danny?”

The voice from Jazz was strangely soft compared to the others, but shaking so much. He hadn't noticed her stepping in front of him, his brain a static of fuzz and muffled noise. Her poor frame trembled as she gently took Danny’s hands, causing him to flinch and blink for the first time in the past minute. He felt hollow. Like someone had ripped open his chest and scraped it clean, spraying it with disinfectant to the point he was numb from the burn. His throat didn’t want to work, memories of the explosion destroying the Nasty Burger breaking into his memory. Only to be pushed fractionally at bay by Jazz’s warm hands and concerned expression filling his vision. If he could just focus on her, maybe he could get his body moving again. Maybe he could do something. He still had his sisters. Maybe they could keep him going until he could figure out a way to fix this. He did last time. He had to figure something out. He always did.

“Was it because of Danny-?”

The breath to Danny’s lungs cut off harshly as he heard Sam’s words sounding too loud in his ears. He couldn’t breathe, his gaze dragging through eternity to meet her’s as she tried to recover what she’d implied.

“I’I- No- Danny, that’s not what I meant-” Sam stammered around the hand that had flown to her mouth after she realized too late what he question had implied. She had just been listing potential events to consider for the cause of the destruction. The fight against the GIW ending in realm rending explosions that had transported them there in the first place. Explosions that were essentially caused by Danny’s wail.

All Danny could think as his wide eyes stung, blurred, and spilled hot tears down his cheeks, was blame.

It’s my fault.

His thoughts were a whisper in his mind as his hands pulled from Jazz’s grip.

I killed them.

The start of a scream too weak to fully manifest escaping his throat before he smothered his mouth with his hands. He couldn’t be there. He couldn’t deal with all of this on top of them. He couldn’t handle being there when he didn’t know if they wanted to hate him or beg for him to save them.

So he left.

Body becoming intangible and invisible Danny leapt into the air, fleeing the source of the hurt and the confines of the foreign building so he could maybe just get some damn air and quiet. To stop being stared at with pity, and grief, and guilt, and concern, and something his sister gave so freely but he didn’t deserve. How could she still love and care about him after what he’d done? He had to leave so he could figure his own brain out before coming to terms with them, leaving behind even more voices from before yelling in an uproar.

“DANNY!”

How many people had yelled that? The more colorful cussing was easier to pick out individual voices to, but Tim gave his own explicative to the pool.

“Shit! Where’s he going-?” he cursed, eyes locking on Danielle since she was the only one he thought would even have a chance to follow the kid with abilities none of them knew how to deal with yet. They had only caught Danielle before because she had chosen to fight back. When she hadn’t wanted to be found in the past, they couldn’t find her. And Danny was more advanced in his skills than her.

“Don’t look at me! I can’t track him!” Danielle spat, her emotions getting slammed sideways with additional stress over her brother.

“Did you seriously just BLAME DANNY!?” Tucker burst, rounding on Sam.

“I WASN’T BLAMING ANYONE!” Sam roared back, coming back at Tucker with a fist raised only to have Barry snatch her hand.

“I have to go look for him!” Jazz broke, turning to leave, to do something other than stand there unable to get her brother’s soul crushed expression out of her mind.

“ENOUGH!”

Bruce hadn’t raised his voice once since they had been staying with him, and hearing him scold them now caused everyone in the room to freeze and snap their full attention to him. Even Jazz stumbled where she was and stopped.

“No one is going anywhere-” Bruce started, his tone more even, and surprisingly calm once again.

“Do not tell us to let him go, Bruce!” Tim snapped, breaking away from his almost frantic brainstorming with Barbara over the phone. “Being alone is not a good idea right now. He’s an isolated kid that got forced into being the only hero and having everyone rely on him, and just lost two people he loves. You and I both know people can’t deal with that on their own. Not even you,” he spat, rounding on Bruce defiantly.

The outburst caught Bruce only slightly off guard because of the content. But to Tim’s surprise, after flinching back fractionally, Bruce just gave a slightly pained grimace before resting his hand on Tim’s shoulder. “I know, Tim,” Bruce assured. “And likewise, this isn't just on you to take care of.” That caused Tim to flinch this time, having not realized he was falling into that headspace. “No one is going anywhere until we get a plan together to make sure we have the city covered. It’s a big area after all, and Danny can fly. Which means we’ll have to work with everyone. So how about we all get suited up?”

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=7=;a I had this chapter 90% written like two months ago, and because of that I've reached the point where I've worked with it so long I think it's terrible. Also I had such a long break from the holidays I feel like I forgot how to draw X'DDD euuhhhhh I hope Sam looks okay, I'm not all that familiar with that culture so just googled and picked things that I thought suited her

Anyways, enjoy the return of suffering =u=b

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Tag list: @galaxy-sharks-and-bottled-ships, @starscreamlover, @nerdynonnativenarnian, @dragongoblet, @megacharizardx99

@bellathecatastrophe, @cj-ghostemoji-destielpie, @asexual-insomniac, @wolfeyedwitch, @tkiesai, 

@fanaroff, @raven1508, @nebulainajar, @serasvictoria02, @oliocelottafanfics,

@honeysuckletook, @omniithe-deer, @wolf-under-the-stars, @gingernutcalo, @that-random-fangirl,

@op-sys-chaos, @kirasigncomics, @ehobep, @paranoid-ira, @nomaru666

[harzilla]

There's one thing I've noticed with Twst is that everybody in the cast is more then they seem at face value. Basically a "don't judge a book by it's cover" Most people go in thinking "this character is just a pretty boy version of whatever character they're based off of". So if you didn't know anything about him when you started, you'd think he'd just be a male version of the Disney version of Maleficent.

Malleus in story, everybody that doesn't know him on a true personal level just sees him as his title. They just see "scary powerful mage" they only see the intimidating aura. Like even in the prologue we see how the other housewardens treat him. Like literally forgot to make sure he was invited to the ceremony.

Yes, Malleus is powerful, and can be scary at times(he does slip up)

But when you actually get to know him you realize deep down, he's still technically a teenage boy(in fae years he's around the same mental level as the other third years) he can be a little goofy, he hyper fixates on things(gargoyles and let's not forget his two hour long lecture on the difference between dragons and longs)

The ones who actually get to know him personally get to see the side of Malleus that the other's are to afraid to try.

The more you get to know and learn about him. You realize how terribly lonely he actually is. He's been put on a pedestal his whole life. Even the ones he's closest to like Lilia still keep a certain level of separation. Lilia is the closest thing Malleus has to a father, but the difference in status hurts their relationship.

A big part of him going to NRC in the first place was so he could actually socialize with people outside of his immediate circle. So imagine poor Malleus not being able to create friendships with people because of his status as the big scary powerful prince or the ones who do approach him have their own motived. Outside of Sebek, Silver, and Lilia, he never calls anybody else by their first name. Yuu/MC is the first time we see him call somebody else by their name.

Malleus really does try. But there's basically a wall between him and the others.

Which is why his relationship with Yuu/MC is so important to him. He basically lied by omission for a long time because he was terrified the first genuine friend he ever made would fear him and stop being friends if they knew the truth. Like, all that power and he's afraid. People don't expect him to be afraid of anything with his sheer raw power but he is!

I feel like a lot of people don't realize that deep down, that scary dragon prince? There's a lonely boy who is trying his hardest to protect what little happiness he has. No wonder he finally snapped and overblotted when he thought he was being abandoned by the two people who treat him the most kindly(Lilia and Yuu) and he'd be left alone again. Basically losing both his dad and his best friend.

Malleus has spent his life basically isolated, forgotten, or treated poorly by a lot of people. But you realize he's actually a very sweet person who's hurting very badly.

Bruh I'm laughing crying in a painful way. This is lowkey not funny anymore. It's just pitiful omg. Malleus going around outside to try and get customers to come back but they just throw out all sorts of accusations at him like he's trying to eat them to extend his life or something. Like... It's so painful.

I feel so sad when I see vendors getting ignored outside so imagine how pitiful it feels to see him get lambasted like that omg.

[vmlnrzmp4]

michael kaiser x reader (series)

canonverse, angst(happy ending), eventual smut, i'll be giving cw on every chapter.

proof-read by: @anuverse

chapter: prologue.

he never thought he'd see you again. not here. not like this. but here you stood, giving a brief introduction about yourself to the team, telling that you'll do your best—as a junior manager.

kaiser knew you had seen him. but you were ignoring (atleast that's what he thought.)

but it wasn't that. your face—no matter how much it showed nonchalance, it hinted sadness whenever you met eyes with him. the tension only grew.

the senior manager chimes in, telling you to lighten up, putting an arm around your shoulders. ultimately, you'd have to live with these rowdy boys. you'll get used to it, she says. you looked at her with a smile—you'd always smile—then back at the team. at him.

kaiser thought he could start a new life at BM. and he did so. however seeing you like that, he felt the need to go back to times which hurt him—where there was always you who'd light where the darkness enveloped.

alright. practice over for today. the senior manager announces. and later that night, kaiser feels a weird lump in his throat he couldn't seem to vomit out. he distracts himself. distracts himself from the lie he told you. the lie he was forced to tell.

there wasn't really a period where you and him came across, save for the stolen glances that did mean something.

you'd be beside the senior manager, crystal, observing her as she notes down all the skills and flaws the coach dictates. after all, she's retiring next year, meaning you'll be the only manager left.

and kaiser doesn't understand this. why of all places, you were here.

the time didn't seem to be on your side. or his side as the two of you found yourselves alone in the locker room. he sat there, while you were running errands like every manager did.

when it happened once. it was a coincidence. twice? still a coincidence. the universe was playing a cruel joke on him when it happened the third time: where the both of you found yourselves locked in the room.

he hated how the silence wasn't comfortable anymore, "why are you here?" the room that was quiet suddenly filled with tension at his question. he wonders. like really. why were you here considering your background.

"extra curriculum activities," you simply answered, trying to twist the doorknob open. he stood beside you, reaching for the nob over your hand which you immediately discard. he tries twisting but there was no luck and the silence stretched.

that was till he turned you to face him by your shoulders.

do you hate me?

he wished to ask.

hit me. curse at me. hate me all you want. but don't even think i'm worth all of it. i dont think i'm worth any kind of attention from you—

before he could run his thoughts more, your palm reached to cradle his cheek.

"i lied," he admits, his voice barely above a whisper.

"i know." you let out a chuckle that seemed sincere, "but i was 14, michael. how would i know?"

he reaches to mimic your actions, feeling the soft of your cheek, his thumb brushing the skin.

"what did you even write in that letter?"

he scoffs at your question, "no fucking clue."

the two of you share a laugh as you speak up, "look at you," your eyes fall on his features, "you've dyed your hair, you've got tattoos, your eyeliner..."

"it's not an eyeliner," he holds out your hand, urging your fingers to brush under his eyes, showing that the red liner was also infact a tattoo.

just then, the door swung open. crystal. she stood there, a confused yet teasy look on her face as she asked what's happening. you don't answer, simply pushing past crystal to head out. she turns to kaiser.

"got locked in," kaiser answers honestly.

the lump he felt in his throat seemed to disappear. and he felt like he could finally find calmness in the silence again.

[ladysomething]

🌀

🌀Post the fic summary for a fic you haven't written/published yet. It can be hypothetical or something you really plan on releasing...

oh god. ok .... maybe body swap fic, because it's a snappy summary that immediately is like "well. I know exactly what this is going to be about then."

Charles goes to a witch and asks to become World Champion.

She grants his wish, just . . . not in the way he'd imagined.

And, because I doubt I'll ever write this one either (it would be lonnnggg), here is the prologue and the part of the first chapter that I wrote. I've posted a tiny bit on here before, so it may be familiar to those who've been here for a while.

Prologue

“I want you to make me a World Champion.” 

Althea leans back in her chair, fingernails scraping against the wooden tabletop. It’s cluttered with books and parchment and colourful bottles filled with unknown liquids. 

The rest of the small room is just as cluttered, which is pretty much exactly what Charles expected from a witch. It’s making him feel uncomfortable and slightly claustrophobic, but it’s all going to be worth it if she can do what he wants. 

“World Champion,” she repeats softly, a smile curling up one side of her mouth. “This I can do for you, Mister Leclerc.” 

Charles sits up slightly straighter, fingers shaking with anticipation. 

“You can?” He asks hopefully. 

“It’s a big wish,” she concedes, but she’s already leaning forward to sort through some of the vials on the table. “A big wish means a big price. I think you are familiar with this already, yes?” 

Charles’ stomach twists uncomfortably, sorrow echoing in his chest. “I have already paid a big price,” he murmurs. “And yet I still do not have my wish. This is why I’m here.” 

“I know,” she says softly. “My price is small, in comparison.” 

“Give me a number,” Charles says desperately. “I have more money than I need, and I want a Championship more.” 

Althea purses her lips and stands, white dress swirling around her feet as she sweeps to the other side of the room. 

“It’s not money that I want, Charles,” Althea says, bracing one hand against a crowded shelf and rising on her tip toes. She pushes aside a stack of books then reaches to the back of the shelf, closing her hand around a tiny vial. “If money is of no value to you, then it is of value to me.” 

For the first time since he started his hunt for somebody to help him, he feels a shiver of fear slide down his back. 

This isn’t his first time coming to a witch. 

He’d done it once before, when he was younger and thought witches were nothing but stories in Harry Potter, but he’d been made a believer then. 

This is the fifth witch he’s come to with this specific problem. The other four had all been fake, obvious to varying degrees, and with only one had he gotten to the point of discussing payment. 

He’d already had a bad feeling about her abilities, but when she’d demanded an obscenely huge amount of money, he’d clearly been able to see the writing on the wall. He’d left before either of them wasted any more of their time. 

But Althea . . . As soon as he’d walked in here, he’d known that she was real. It had been the feeling that had washed over him, when he’d stepped across the threshold. 

All he’d felt since then was anticipation. 

Now, he wonders what the fuck he’s thinking. He knows better than to mess with powers like these. Lorenzo and Maman always said that when you ask for something you want desperately, the price is always bigger than you are willing to pay. 

He’d thought, while looking for somebody to help him, that there was no cost he would not willingly hand over. 

But a secret . . . He has a few that he would rather not share. 

Althea takes her seat again, spreading ingredients out in front of her. 

“Make your decision, Mister Leclerc,” Althea says, not even looking up at him as she continues to sort her things. “Do you want to be Champion?” 

Charles’ breath hitches in his chest. 

“Yes,” he says decisively. He knows he can pick a secret that will satisfy Althea without it being life-destroyed. “Do I tell you the secret now?” 

She shakes her head, smiling slightly, then pulls a mortar and pestle towards her. It’s made of marble, and catches on the wood of the table as she drags it across. 

Charles goes to help her, reaching his hands out, but she slaps them away. He retracts them dutifully, resting them in his lap and watching silently as she starts to carefully measure out her various ingredients and put them into the mortar one by one. 

“What are you doing?” Charles ask nervously, when he can no longer stand the silence. 

“Shh.” 

Charles goes silent again, twisting his rings around his fingers in a useless attempt to work out his anxiety. 

What seems like forever later, Althea pushes the mortar over to him, then places a spoon in his hand. 

“Eat.” 

Charles stares down at the mortar, which has a disgusting green and gooey concoction inside. 

“Uh . . .” 

“Just one spoonful.” 

Face twisted with disgust, Charles carefully dips the spoon into the thick soup. He’s likely had worse, when Andrea put him on a liquid-only diet for a week a few years ago—but, then again, at least he actually knew what was in those and that they wouldn’t kill him. 

“What is your secret?” Althea asks softly, brown eyes staring at him with an intensity that makes Charles feel a little sick. 

He has a few, he thinks, that are worthy of payment to a witch. He knows it has to be something heavy enough that he doesn’t want people knowing; he just can’t make it so bad that if people did know, it would ruin his life and career. 

There are, admittedly, not many that fit into the slim margin. 

“I don’t think I can win the Championship on my own.” 

Althea smiles gently. “Charles, this is why you are here. That is not a secret.” 

Charles swallows heavily. That might be true for her, but he’s never said it out loud before. He considers it a secret, and a well-kept one at that. 

But, if it’s not good enough . . . 

“After my father died . . .” Charles has to stop to clear the lump that’s suddenly appeared in his throat. “I didn’t—I couldn’t go to the funeral. Not after . . . So I missed it. I skipped my father’s funeral.” 

Althea softens. 

“I’m sorry this happened to you,” she says. “But this is not enough either, Mister Leclerc. I need something bigger.” 

Charles scoffs, rolling his eyes skyward. 

He’s never told anybody that, either, because it’s the most ashamed he’s ever been of himself. Grief had taken hold of him and had him thinking it would be better to not be surrounded by people who didn’t love his dad as much as he did—and then he’d skipped one the most important things he’d ever experience in his life. 

“There is nothing bigger.” 

Nothing bigger that wouldn’t kill him in the process, anyway. 

Althea reaches across the table and places her hand over his wrist. Her hand is cold and clammy, and it sends a shiver up his arm and down his spine. 

“You must think of something.” 

He sifts through his memories, trying to come up with something that could be worse than what he’s already said. Something he might be comfortable sharing. 

But all that comes up are things he would never say; how he’d once told Arthur that their parents didn’t love him and then felt terrible when his little brother had burst into tears; that he’d cried after having sex with a girl for the first and only time because he’d so desperately wished he could just like it and be normal; that he’d told Jules that he was in love with him and Jules had awkwardly patted his head and said it was probably just a crush and that he’d get over it, and, worse, that Jules had been right and he’d moved his attentions to a boy his own age by the end of the week; the terrible, awful, things he feels for—

Althea inhales sharply, eyes sliding closes. 

“Yes,” she breathes. “That.” 

Charles rips his hand away from hers, breathing deeply. “You—can you—” 

She raises a brow at him, pressing her red-painted lips together. 

“Get out of my head,” he commands hotly, standing up so fast his chair falls back, slamming against the ground. 

“Sit back down,” she says sternly, the harshest he’s seen her yet. He can feel her anger ripple around the room, and it sets him even further on edge. 

He’s not sure he should be here. 

“You have already paid,” Althea says. “The process has started. Sit. Back. Down.” 

God. He definitely shouldn’t be here. 

“I think I’m going to go,” Charles says anxiously, stepping towards the door. “Keep the secrets, I’ll just—” 

The door slams shut on a gust of wind, the chair flipping through the air to right itself. Its legs scrape loudly against the stone floor as it slides to the side, easily accessible for Charles to sit back into. 

Heart in his throat, Charles gingerly sits back down. The chair slides back under the table without him moving it; he has to grip the sides of it to stop himself from being throw off it with how fast it moves. 

The spoon he’d dropped hovers in the air in front of his face, the curve of it full of the green potion. 

Christ. Charles has never seen anything like this in his life. 

“Eat,” Althea commands softly. “And you will be the World Champion.” 

I’m going to die, Charles thinks as opens his mouth and leans forward. 

He’ll have nobody to blame but himself. 

Chapter 1

Max

Max feels weird when he wakes up. 

There’s something not quite right about the way his sheets feel against his body; they’re too soft, too light and airy. The bed, too, is rather soft—nothing at all like he prefers. 

Whatever. He must have hooked up with some guy last night and he feel asleep at his house. 

It’s a little strange that he doesn’t remember it—particularly because he doesn’t feel like he has a hangover—but once he wakes up a bit more he’s sure it’ll come back to him. God, he can’t believe whoever he fucked last night wasn’t even memorable enough for him to remember it the literal next morning, which is particularly annoying because he has a big meeting with Christian this morning—

Oh, fuck. 

He scrambles out of bed, but misses his step. He slips awkwardly, barely managing to catch himself on the mattress. Fucking rich cunts with their stupidly high beds—Christ, who the fuck did he pick up last night? He usually steers clear of this type. 

The only saving grace is that this guy doesn’t seem to be around right now. Must have dipped out when he realised Max had stayed over. It’s good in some ways, because one of the worst mornings of his life was after he hooked up with a guy who had only in the morning realised who he was. 

Max had woken up to the bloke sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at him with wide eyes and clutching an F1 shirt. Not even a Red Bull one—a fucking Ferrari one, Charles Leclerc’s stupid number 16 staring up at him as he’d numbly signed item after item. 

So—any situation that’s not a repeat of that is pretty decent, in Max’s opinion. 

But, on the other hand, there’s nothing he always wants more than to leave after casual sex, and when they leave first, Max is forced to linger in order to get them to sign the dreaded NDA. 

At this point, he knows he should get the anonymous man of the night to sign the NDA before they hook up. In fact, his PR team have paid off enough people that they would also prefer he do that. But it always ruins the mood, so generally Max does it after. 

Which leaves him here—in some strange man’s apartment, now waiting for him to return so that he can shove the page in the guy’s face and then hopefully get the fuck out of here before his meeting starts. 

Actually, what is the time? 

The nightstand is empty of both a clock and a phone, which is really fucking helpful. Max has no idea where his phone is, but its absence will be why he didn’t wake up to the alarm he set. God, he hopes he hasn’t missed the meeting already. 

Rather unusually, he feels ridiculously hungry. He rubs absentmindedly at his stomach as he wanders out of the bedroom. It’s actually a nice place, contrary to what his first thought was. Well designed, but also homely. Certainly not just populated by an interior designer, like Max’s home.

Max ignores all the family photos hanging along the wall of the corridor—he doesn’t need to see that shit.  

The corridor deposits him into a wide, open-plan living area, the kitchen tucked away in one corner. One whole wall is a big glass, concertina door, opening onto a balcony and overlooking the Mediterranean. Despite its clear opulence, it’s still cozy and warm, obviously loved. 

None of that is what catches Max’s attention though. What really makes him freeze, eyes widening in panic, is the fucking—shrine to Charles motherfucking Leclerc on one wall. 

Max goes over to it, slowly and in a bit of a daze. 

Jesus Christ. 

He’s hooked up with some deranged Charles Leclerc fan! 

Fuck his life. Why does this shit always happen to him? 

It’s quite the shrine, too, replica helmets and trophies and everything. There are some framed photos that Max sweeps past, barely letting his eyes linger on any of the items on the shelves. 

Fuck, where’s his phone? He needs to get the fuck out of this crazy person’s place. Gemma can just send this bloke the NDA directly to his address, Max absolutely does not need to be caught by this guy when he returns—

Wait.  

Slowly, Max reaches out, poking the mouth of the helmet to make it spin around. 

No. No fucking way. 

Sebastian Vettel’s handwriting stares back at him, words made familiar because of social media. 

You are the most talented driver I came across in 15 years of F1 . . . 

Panicked, Max backtracks desperately searching across the trophies and helmets for a sign that what he’s terrified is true is not actually true. He stops dead at one on the bottom shelf, Charles’ name inscribed on the bottom. 

He remembers this fucking trophy. He’d fumed for weeks about that fact that Charles got it instead of him. They’d only been, what, eight years old? Karting in Belgium somewhere, and Max had laid awake at night for three days after, thinking of the things he’d done wrong, all the ways he could have been better, the amount of times he’d practically given that win to Charles. 

Max had vowed it would be the last time that Leclerc beat him, and even though he hasn’t kept to that as much as he wishes he could have, generally their ratio of wins is enough to keep Max satisfied. 

Still. This trophy, the first one he’d ever lost to another Karter, is etched in his memory. 

With shaking fingers, Max reaches out to touch it, Leclerc’s named engraved in the silver. It’s real. It has to be real. There’s no way even the craziest of fans have such an exact replica of this obscure trophy. 

Jesus Christ. 

He’s hooked up with Charles Leclerc! 

What the fuck did he drink last night? How shit-faced was he? He must have been off his face to look at fucking Charles, the shitty little asshole he’s hated since the moment he met him, and thought, Huh. Yeah, this is a great idea. 

Or—maybe Charles came onto him. 

Weird, but Max can definitely see himself agreeing just to sate the curiosity. Just to find out what he’s like, whether there’s something that the man isn’t good at. And he’s too pretty to be any good at sex, right? So Max might be amenable, if Charles caught him at the right time, just to find out. 

Okay. Okay, well, whatever the case was, Max doesn’t need to hang around. There’s probably no need for an NDA at all, because Charles can’t say anything without risking outing himself in the process. 

So Max can get the fuck out of here before he comes back. 

He just needs to find his fucking phone. 

[dasketcherz]

the tomb raider post kinda got me thinking!! what if, as a sort of prologue to vat7k, varian and raps went on an exploration of corona's depths together, yknow just for old times sake!! ��� (i kinda imagine this to be a multi-episode ordeal mhm yep 🙂‍↕️)

and thats where they would end up discovering the light trial and/or the deactivated portal to the enternal library?? :0 (if it is the light trial, i like the idea of varian and raps potentially competing it together) they would likely ask xavier if he has any knowledge of this (spolier alert: he does lol)

its this lil adventure with raps that would kickstart varian's journey across the seven kingdoms :)

ohhh!! this is actually a really cool idea!! :0 like how the curiosity started from corona and ends in corona, i fw that a lot!! gotta love a full-circle moment in storytelling <3 like OKAY OKAY YOU GOT MY GEARS TURNING SO!!! HERE WE GO, HERES MY THOUGHTS!

altho, as much as i love the notion of freckled siblings figurine out the light trial together (it's a cute thought for sure), i think varian already solving one of the trials at the very beginning before his journey even starts (or even finding out that his mom was a scientist) kinda kills the momentum of building and hyping up the mystery surrounding what they just found in the depths of corona was (the portal) imo?

(Like I imagine Demanitus must have designed some of the trials in a way that you cant proceed to the next one without the previous totem(s) in hand, like the totems itself becomes an inclusive puzzle piece to solve the other trials and that according to ulla's research the first trial is the fire trial, not the light trial—i think this would elevate how crucial it is to follow the trials step by step to even get to the library)

So instead, I'd personally go for a scene akin to Raps and Varian perhaps needing to clear the underground tunnels of corona for business related reason. Like they initially went down there to re-purpose the tunnels for smth useful again (like this could be the perfect fill-in-the-gaps on how they extended the hot running water system that was located under old corona all the way to the capital to put more context to new dream's voice over in the finale of the show mentioning how corona altogether became the first to have hot running water in the 7 kingdoms) and they just decided to have fun and treat it like an adventure while on the job as queen and royal engineer cuz they are sillies like that.

And amidst of just having fun, thats how they accidentally stumble across an area that, to their surprise, was not familiar to both of them. And Varian can say "Huh...I've retraced our steps around this tunnels before (when he came back down there to fetch the automaton and replicate it during his villain arc behind the scenes, cuz I love subtle callbacks thats naturally brought up in a scene) but I've never come across this area. I didn't even know there was another passage down here."

And it could have totally shared heavy similarities to the structure of the passage beneath the vault from s1

Except it looked far more aged with time than the one from the show and thats how the two figured this is different from the one below the vault.

And has a similar center piece that resembles the one from the show

except it's much wider and bigger with an unassuming decrepit arch (that looked withered out or unfinished/destroyed to freckled sibling's opinion) at the middle surrounded by pillars (thats meant for the gang to place the totems that will power the portal back on after they retrieve all seven of it) Something like this:

And there are letters (similar alphabet from the demanitus scroll) carved in the arch. Knowing this dead ancient language by memory, Varian tries to read what it says and its a cryptic passage that def reads like smth you'd find in a mythology to freckled siblings. Hence them going to Xavier askin about it later on if it rings any bells to him, to which indeed he recognize the passage and tells them it's talking about the legend of the eternal library—but Xavier claims that the legend itself is very vague about how to even get there, the only clear instruction was retrieving the totems.

Plus I like to think Varian needs the blueprint for this portal just like he did in s3 to figure what specific parts he needs to assemble it back into functioning condition because this is Demanitus we're talking about, that man is paranoid af (pretty valid considering the kind of shit he's tampered with during his lifetime) and leave everything he knows in form of riddles and cryptic messages.

And the only other copy in existence of said blueprint—is in Ulla's journal and she had it laid out in the very last spread pages of her book. And that's the moment it finally clicks to Varian what the answer to "where's the entrance and how to find it" question is, "Hold on... I've seen this arch. Wait...oh, OH—OF COURSE! OH IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW—guys guys!! I know where the portal to the library is!!"

and boom, thats how it comes full circle in my head. thank you for coming to my ted talk (bows)

[r3negade-x]

For me, the creepiest part will always be the prologue to kingdom hearts 2. The atmosphere of the mundane slowly giving way to the paranormal as reality starts breaking down is a vibe that manages to stay even after you play the game again and know what's going on.

What are the creepiest/most messed up parts of the Kingdom Hearts series? Whether it's a specific moment or scene or just like a concept. I'm just curious

[yonch]

EVERYONE'S FAVORITE COSMIC JOKE

[moodlemcdoodle]

In Stars And Time in a nutshell

I know have like half a year of art backlog that I need to dump into a queue at some point so i didn’t wanna post anything new but. But. I needed to share this. Okay goodbye (runs away, back into the darkness)

[the-bitter-ocean]

ISAT/ SASASAP MEME DUMP YIPEEEEE:

[deadstoat-arts]

damn can you imagine these things at oficial isatcord now LOL

a bunch of poorly drawn isat doodles

that i made for isat discord server

[naswoop]

After about a million drafts and over two years, this is finally done!

A couple things-- this animatic is very specific to the prologue, and I first started drafting it before In Stars and Time (the sequel/full game) was even announced, so there are some things that are noticeably different if you're coming from ISaT (the party's marching order, I didn't know what Sif's first death was at the time, Sif not knowing everyone's names...). This animatic is also suuuuuper Siffrin-centric. I love everyone else so much but this one's about the good ol' ~Time Loop Edginess~.

Maybe one day I'll actually make this into a proper video, but that day is not today. I just wanted to get this done before ISaT came out (and I've managed to do that! Yay me!!).

This was honestly such a delight to work on and I learned so much about digital art in the process (I finally found the "turn off anti-aliasing" button! Yay!). Please please please go check out @insertdisc5's games, they're so good!! I'm really looking forward to when In Stars and Time comes out!!

Here's a link to Sundial on YouTube.

[hazelnootnut]

Oops, all Loops and Siffrin!Loops! Great for a balanced diet!

(these are all transparent, so feel free to use them for whatever. i'm letting them run out into the wild)

[insertdisc5]

my two timeloop RPGs, START AGAIN: a prologue and In Stars and Time, are on sale during Steam's Summer Sale!

if you like stories about being stuck in a timeloop and being Totally Fine About It, those babies are for you ✨✨✨