#TYSM for the ask!!!

[broareweabouttoviberightnow]

i yearn for ponyboy angst after johnny and dally die and for once he needs darry and not soda...or more of the curtis bros grieving their parents/their friends/their childhoods together. just curtis bro angst all day every day. love ur stuff!

AGH!! TY LOVE!! this ask has been truly rottin' in my brain I thought about it durin' my ENTIRE shift today!! I hope you like it!! fic under the cut!!

also song >:D

"Pony?" Darry's sayin' my name in a way that implies he's been sayin' it a while. I blink at him 'n I don't know where I've been. My fingers are all wrapped up in my jeans, white-knuckled. I try to relax but my body doesn't listen to me one bit, so I forget it.

"I've been callin' you, where were you at?" He crosses the room 'n taps a finger gently to my temple, brushin' my bangs off my forehead.

I shrug 'n he worries at his lip. "Somewhere else, I guess." Darry looks stricken but that's how he always looks nowadays: worried.

"I gotta talk to you about your hair, Pony baby." I inhale sharply 'n Darry's face twists up a little more. He moves all slow, eases down onto the couch beside me 'n wraps an arm around my shoulders like I might fall to pieces.

"I'm not colorin' it I swear to God I'm not-" Steve had made a joke, some comment, maybe even just a suggestion, that I dye my hair back to its normal color. I don't think he meant anythin' bad by it. I dunno. I can see it more now. Darry's rough 'cause he's scared. Steve was mean when he meant to be kind. I think Dallas was like that. Rough 'cause he didn't know how to be soft.

I think I said somethin' awful to him. I was always doin' that. Bein' cruel 'cause it all hurt so bad. Last week Darry 'n I had fought 'cause it's all we knew how to do 'n I'd told him I bet he wished I had died that night. Just like-

I didn't mean it. I never meant it. I didn't know how to not mean it.

"Honey?" I shake my head. Darry's lookin' at me again with big scared eyes 'n I know I've done it again. Gone somewhere.

"Sorry." Darry cups the side of my face, there are new wrinkles alongside his eyes. He always looks like he's just waitin' for somethin' bad to happen.

"S'ok, baby. I ain't gonna make you do nothin' to your hair." Soda's beside me now, too. I don't remember when he got there. "We've been talkin' 'n baby... we need you to let us help you wash it."

I flinch. Hard. Straight back into Soda's arm 'n know he had it there, ready to brace me. "No." Darry sighs, glances over my head, 'n Soda gathers me up into his arms.

"Look, honey. I'm not gonna make you. But I think... you'll feel a bit better. You don't gotta take a shower or nothin'. Maybe a bath?" Darry tries, reachin' out 'n coverin' my hand in his.

"No." I don't know what it was. I'd gone through the damn fire 'n come out scared of the fuckin' water. That night in the fountain was a million years ago. Glory, I don't know how I had space in my head to even remember it.

But I did. Fuck. I did.

"Hey Pony? Can we try somethin' else then? If you humor me?" Soda's tone is pliant 'n a little too bouncy. It gets like that sometimes. But someone has to be alright. So we don't mention it.

He climbs off the couch, pulls me gently up 'n I don't fight it. Darry's got a hand on my shoulder 'n Soda's got his arms around me still 'n they were like this more. Since. Like if they weren't always touchin' me I'd fade right away into nothin'. Sometimes it was nice. Sometimes it made me want to bite 'n tear 'n fuckin' scream.

The kitchen counter is clear, a couple towels folded onto the table, a chair tipped back against the sink. Soda guides me over to the chair, asks me a million questions in those big brown eyes he has that I don't know how to go about answerin'.

Are you fine? Is this fine? Does this remind you of- Does this remind you- Does this-

"Look, if you sit here you can rest your head back 'n I can wash your hair out without havin' to get you any closer to the water. D'ya think... that's somethin' you can stomach?" Soda's off to my side doin' all the talkin' but I'm lookin' straight out at Darry. He's still got a hand on my shoulder 'n Jesus. Has he always looked at me like that?

He shifts his weight 'n furrows his brow. His hand comes up slowly like I'm a spooked animal that might bolt. Some kicked dog. Some scared foal. He cups the side of my face 'n it occurs to me. It's the same place he'd once struck.

Odd. Both times touched in fear. A million years apart. I'm not even sure he notices.

"Pony?" I finally tear my eyes off Darry 'n when I twist my head, he lets his hand fall back to my shoulder.

"Ok." My voice aches. It always does. Maybe from the smoke. Maybe from the cold burn of that still water rottin' in my lungs even now. "Ok, I'll try." The look that Soda 'n Darry shoots over my head is filled with such a palpable relief I nearly cry.

"Ok, baby. I know this isn't easy. D'you think you can... take his jacket off?" Soda already has both hands around my biceps, just gently restin' there like he knows I'm gonna flinch again. "I ain't gonna take it-" My eyes flicker to Darry 'n hurt flashes across his face (not meanin' it, not knowin' how not to)- "'n neither is Dar. I just don't wanna get it wet 'n mess it up, ok hon? But if it's too much I can just try my best to avoid it?"

I clutch at the collar. 'N I can hear his voice clear as day. You better not fuck that leather up. You have no idea how much trouble it was to steal.

'N I almost laugh. Almost.

"He'd kill me if I let you give it the kitchen sink treatment." 'N my voice sounds all thick in my ears. I want to laugh. I want Dallas to knock me up the back of my head for even thinkin' of it. I want-

"Oh, Ponybaby." Soda's arms are around me again. I'm cryin'. When did I start cryin'? Why? 'N it's one of those times I don't want them to hold me. Jesus. It makes me want to run. To let the ache in my throat dissolve into the burn in my lungs. I want to bite 'n tear 'n scream.

But all I can do is sit there. Stiff in the arms I wish I could melt into.

"Soda." Darry drops a hand onto his shoulder 'n gently pries him off of me. When he takes his face out of my neck his cheeks are wet 'n I don't know whether it's my tears or his. "He's not-"

Here.

For a long moment, none of us move. Like a gunfight. Or a caged animal. 'N then I drag blunt nails under my eyes 'n scrub my face 'n Darry blows out a long breath like he'd been holdin' it. He lets go of Soda 'n we all go back to pretendin' nothin' happened. Or at least I do.

"Do you... want help?" When I look down my knuckles are white against the collar. I flex my fingers 'n they burn like that time I'd split them against some socs' jaw. Or that night Johnny 'n I had slept in the backyard out under the stars 'n the cold scalded along my hands 'n cracked my skin 'n I'd bled 'n bled 'n bled-

"Don't make me do it." 'N when I'd looked up at Darry I knew he understood what I meant. I squeezed my eyes shut 'n felt hands roughened by labors of love that had done nothin' but leave him with callouses 'n scars rest at my neck. He pulls the jacket off quickly 'n the rush of winter air slinkin' through the cracks we'd never be able to seal up scorches against my bare arms. I don't open my eyes until Darry presses the bundle to my chest.

When I look to Soda again, his face is dry 'n he's wearin' this encouragin' little smile that tugs too tight on the edges of his mouth. "You ready, Pony?"

I nod. Just a bob of my chin that takes every last ounce of strength in me. Darry turns, yanks another chair close to my side 'n Soda guides my head down to the sink.

The tap flips on. A lonely titterin' against the empty bowl. I don't control anythin' that happens after. Not the low, whimperin' sob that snakes out of my mouth. Not the way my shoulders jar up 'n away. Not my nails bitin' into Darry's arm so hard they leave bloody, half moons in their wake.

"No. Soda, no. Soda. I can't." Darry smooths one hand over my forehead 'n I reach for his wrist, catch it tight 'n hold on like if I don't let go he can keep me out of that night. If I can keep him here I can't go back.

"Pony?" Soda drops down so he can see my face. Reaches out to wrap me in his arms 'n I flinch. Fuckin' flinch. Right back 'n up into Darry's lap.

'N none of us are movin' again. Soda's falterin' in place, arms half reached out 'n face a mask of hurt 'n Jesus why do I always hurt the people I love? Why can't I stop bitin' the hand that wants to hold me?

"What is it, Pony? Are you here?" 'N I can't make my voice or body or anythin' work the way it should. But before I can stop it I choke out-

"Darry." 'N Darry lets out a little noise from somewhere so far in the back of his throat it comes out like a whimper.

"Oh, little colt." 'N suddenly his arms are around me again. My face is pressed into his chest 'n I'm heavin' deep sobs that have been rottin' in my chest for too long. Since before Dallas or Johnny. Before the week in the church or that night in the park. Maybe since Mama. Since Daddy. Since the last person to call me that was put in the freezin' Tusla earth.

"I love you." 'N it's whispery 'n waverin' 'n also the surest thing I've ever heard. 'N this time when I feel Soda return to my side, feel Darry open his arms 'n hold us both like were disappearin' before his eyes I just let myself be held. "You're here."

I am.

'N then he's shiftin' 'n I'm clutchin' his shirt tighter 'n he's pettin' my hair 'n tippin' my head back 'n not makin' me let him go though I'm too goddamn old 'n too big to be beggin' for my older brother.

"Keep your eyes closed, colt." 'N Soda's whisperin' somethin' low 'n soft 'n just louder than the sound the tap makes as it drip drip drips against the sink. 'N when the water runs along my temples 'n along the line of the scar that I'll carry until I die from the night I lost two brothers I don't think of the fountain.

No.

I think about the hot afternoon I won my first track race, felt sweat slide along my brow 'n saw the sun glint off Dallas' silver tooth even from way up in the stands. Hear the whoop of his voice still marred thick 'n heavy with his New York drawl. I think of runnin' home through the lot dodgin' the fat rain drops 'n stoppin' only to let Johnny catch up. Throwin' my head back 'n laughin'. Of the spray of a passin' car. I think of Soda laughin' as he flicks the spatterin' of water left on his hands at my face when we finish the dishes 'n mama not even scoldin' us.

I think of Darry's hands wet from the laundry as he runs a thumb absently over my face. Memorizin' it with calloused fingers when he thinks I've dropped off to sleep. The gentleness of his achin' love for us. Low 'n constant 'n how had I ever missed it?

"We're done, honey." 'N then I'm buried in his chest again, Dallas' jacket pressed against my stomach 'n Johnny's letter tucked into the inside pocket closest to my heart. Bangs drippin' cold between my brow, along my nose, 'n minglin' with tears never gone long enough to dry. 'N for the first time since it all, I'm right here. 'N it doesn't even hurt. It just aches.

[vrsmnya]

hiccup and snotlout brothers energy

i went a bit all out for this one but i love the prompt sm THEY ARE SO SIBLING CODED

shout out to @jacks-ace for the inspiration for this

(sorry y’all im super tired today ill be continuing the asks tomorrow 😭❤️)

[gece-misin-nesin]

I hope it’s ok if I rant a little about MHA because your post about Endeavor walking free reminded me of how detrimental some of the messages MHA can be. (I’ll try not to write much, feel free to delete this tho!)

It is so frustrating how the story doesn’t linger enough on the weight killing people that have yet to commit a crime, people that are a threat to the status quo, holds.

Sometimes I legit feel insane because people will be saying things like, “He could be a threat, so of course they should kill him.” And then talk about Deku and class 1A “changing the world for the better,” when the series doesn’t care to unpack its systematic issues past individual issues + the series essentially maintained the system that failed so many—resorting to reforms and expanding programs doesn’t actually solve the problem imo.

And it’s so hard nowadays to even try to have a conversation that entails criticism of the story, when so many fans fall for the condescending righteousness the story feeds as a response just because it came from heroes. Even though the story itself presents reasons why we shouldn’t blindly trust heroes (Endeavor literally right there) 🤦

Like, the story presents characters being oppressed and the ultimate response to their plight is constantly, “Just be a better victim.” The whole situation with Touya and Endeavor + what Deku says to Touya, is absolutely insane to me.

It made me sick to see people saying, “This is what Touya always wanted.” This is what people are taking away from the story, when many people who grew up being abused and didn’t fit the “perfect victim” criteria will tell you how fucked up that ending was.

Anyway, sorry for ranting. It’s so hard to find people who understands criticism in the MHA fandom 😭 The story has a lot of good points and potential, Hori just couldn’t handle it properly.

I am ALWAYS happy to listen to bnha rants!! I devour the bnha critical tag like a wild beast lmaoo

As for your thoughts, 100% agree. I feel like a big part of the problem is that the story spends so much time setting up systematic issues and then just..drops them? Acts like they don't exist? And instead it redirects all blame and reason to indovidual problems, like Endeavor for example. Touya became a villain because of Endeavor..but the conditions under which he became a villain could have been massively prevented if the ranking system didn't exist and if so much value hadn't been placed on it. Or if the wealth and privilege that being a hero had brought to Endeavor hadn't let people turn a blind eye to his bullshit. Because are you really telling NO ONE had even an inclination that something was wrong in that household? Really?

This also applies to Tomura. In the beginning The Walk where he spent some amount of time on the streets without anyone helping him seemed very important to his backstory. He didn't become a villain just because his father was a pos, he becane a villain because the state of heroism led to a society that glorified heroes to such an extent that people didn't help a bloody kid on the street because a 'hero would'. But instead most of his memories Deku interferes w are about the Shimura household instead of the very important bystander syndrome. And THEN to top it all off, we learn the stupid 'AFO orchestrated Tomura's whole life' thing. I cannot find the right words to express just how much I loathe that.

Anyway, Touya and Tenko are just two examples. Overall, the story chooses to resolve individual problems (and how well even those are resolved is certainly debatable) and frame them as the leading causes of villainy when its mostly systemic issues that cause it and then act like there were no systemic issues in the first place. I mean, literally no one has a problem with the HPSC casually having private assassins to commit extrajudicial murder, so. Guess Nagant should have just been "optimistic" and waited for someone to, idk, topple the literal government.

[thelonelyshore-if]

Just wanted you to know, I was thinking of how my mc would react to upon seeing willow again (they are besties your honor) and all I can think is that they’d be torn between tackling and choking willow (you know, good ole sibling wrestling, not to death or anything) or hugging them to death (bear hug from hell, Willow would feel like Batman after the Bane incident). I think they’d glitch out and just kind of grab willow’s tiny ass up and shake them because of the conflicting demands 😭😂

It’d be with love though! Frustrated love! Lmao! Hope Willow will remember that when faced with these options?

Genuinely all incredible options. I love the idea of MC just sweeping Willow up and shaking them since they don't know what to prioritize in the moment.

Don't worry haha, Willow will remember. They're going to be just as overwhelmed with excitement as MC (in theory).

The reunion is going to be sooooo good. It's one of the scenes I'm most excited to write, if not maybe #1? It's going to have lots of different flavors. Are MC and Willow friendly/neutral/enemies on the front end? And how does MC feel when they see them again?

Not all reunions will be happy, but I'm certain they'll all be fun as hell to write 😭

[lynzishell]

It's 10+ years in your sims future. Where are they at that time compared to where they are right now in your story?

Ok... so, I may have had a little too much fun with this one, and now I can't wait for li'l Aspen to be a child!!! 🥹🧡

Hi! My name is Aspen, but most people call me Annie, and I’m ten-and-a-half years old.

My mom is a Director at the Dreamer Foundation (whatever that means). And my dad is the Mayor of San Myshuno. They both work a lot. A LOT. I spend most days after school at home alone. Well, not alone alone. My dog, Pepper, is here with me. We play and go for walks. She’s really smart too. My uncle Asher is teaching me how to train her. She already knows how to sit and lay down. Next, I’m going to teach her how to roll over. Asher has a dog too. Her name is Pixel and she’s so cute! Pixel and Pepper are best friends! My best friend is Mei. She’s been my best friend since before I knew the word “best friend”. At least, that’s what my mom says.

Sometimes on the weekends Atlas, Asher, Pixel, Pepper, and me will all go to the Bay to visit Grandma Megan and Grandpa Alex. I love their house! It’s right by the ocean and has the biggest backyard I’ve ever seen! My cousin Spencer lives there too with her mom and stepdad. She’s a teenager, and she’s really cool. She has lots of friends and a boyfriend (but that’s a secret, so don’t tell anyone I told you), and she’s a songwriter. Her and Grandpa Alex are trying to teach me how to play the guitar, but it’s really hard and I’m not very good at it. Sometimes I need a break, so I’ll help Grandma Megan with her plants. She’s teaching me all about plants and flowers and herbs. One day I’m going to have a great big garden!

We always make it back home on Sunday because that’s when me and dad make dinner for everyone. It’s my favorite time of every week! My favorite thing to make is stuffed peppers. We buy them in every color. My favorite is the orange ones. Uncle Atlas likes the green ones. Ew!

Tonight, we were supposed to make risotto, but dad hasn’t come home yet. Mom says he’s stuck at work, but he never works late on Sundays. It’s our night. Atlas said he’d help me make the risotto, but I didn’t want to cook with him. I wanted to cook with my dad. I got really mad and ran to my room and locked the door. I’m not letting anyone in until he gets home. But it’s almost ten o’clock. I'm supposed to be asleep and my tummy is grumbling.

I hope he gets home soon…

[julietasgf]

that last ask made me curious- how long do you think coriolanus was on good terms with the plinth's after sejanus's death? do you think he killed them eventually?

wish we could have seen ma put him in his place

I think that at best these good terms lasted 2 years :/ the more he talks and interacts with them on a daily basis, the easier it is for the plinths to catch the signs (specially vesta, imo; the good terms lasted longer with strabo, but with vesta I don't think it would last more than a year). I def think coriolanus killed strabo when he was older, but I don't think he killed vesta mostly because even if he comes to be bitter about her, I don't think he would see her as a threat

(and absolutely, that's what he deserved, idc <3 in my head it for sure happened the moment she clocks he's lying all the time)

[royboyfanpage]

Character Ask:

Lian Harper

Please and Thank You 😃

Thank you for the ask!!

First impression: aww, Roy has a daughter! That's sweet.

Impression now: DCs most significant character, that "DADDEEEEE" holds more power than Jimmy Olsen's watch. Also DC needs to stop aging up child characters BRING BACK THE BABY

Favourite moment: Breaking Vandal Savage's thumb, literally the most badass moment in all comic history.

Idea for a story: Currently writing one of her, Roy, and Grant on Halloween (will be published: ???)

Unpopular opinion: Everyone needs to stop talking about UtRH because Roy and Lian's reunion in Green Arrow (2023) #1 is the only father and formerly dead child reunion that matters now.

Favourite relationship: I mean, I can't not say Roy, can I. Literally the father/daughter dynamic of all time. Aside from that it's Uncle Nightwing <3

Favourite headcanon: I hc that sometimes when Lian doesn't wanna do something she "plays worm". She will lie on the floor and refuse to get up and if anyone asks her why she'll say "I'm a worm". Roy has gotten many calls from babysitters about this.

[fresnelprism]

parker macmillan or declan suzanne in strawberry lemonade!

worlds most allergic girlthing

[fooligandan]

very sorry if youve answered any of these already, feel free to disregard ones youve already done/give different answers LOL—but for the KH ask game—

1. How did you get into the series?

5. Favorite world?

6. Favorite song?

10. Would you change canon (past or future) if you could?

(meme)

TBH don't worry about repeat questions, if I really can't come up with any new answers to a question (I contain multitudes) I can link back to one that does answer it. And I like getting to share and talk anyway!

How did you get into the series?

I played the first game as a 6-ish year old, basically, and the rest is history LOL. I'm not sure who bought/asked for it (if anyone did?) or generally just how it got in the family PS2 library, but in any case it fell into my hands, I played it, and well.......both it and I never really left!

Also had the bradygames strategy guide for it at some point which IDK if it's, like, around but shredded with age or if it got lost at some point, I'd have to look for it. But I remember reading it a lot and it's probably the biggest reason I got as far as I did. Still don't remember beating it as a kid tho - I got to the final door but couldn't get through all of Ansem's phases. KH1 quite possibly could be the first game I looked up the ending for on youtube once it was a thing that I had awareness of. And found out about the (at the time japan exclusive) secret ending also which was crazy. Who else here remembers the age of "Who is BHK?" even a little bit?

Anyway rambling off topic now, point is I've been entrenched here for a while LOL

Favorite world?

I like a lot of the worlds for different reasons so my "favorite worlds" list is in perpetual flux and has no ranking system, but I'm going to choose Wonderland (at least this time), because I'm delighted any time it shows up and just generally enjoy it's world design. Also DR throwing in the 'Walrus and the Carpenter' bit was really good, both thematically and I like imagining it as a diegetic song and dance number happening in front of YoungNort and friends.

Also because it was a fave movie as a young kid to the point of my family members having to lie that the tape was broken to get me to stop asking to watch it all the time, so probably also just have a soft spot for it.

Favorite song?

LOTS to choose from here thanks to #thepowerofmusic being very strong in this series. However IDK if I can pick One Definitive Favorite because of that. Too many to choose from for me!

I keep listening to L'Impeto Oscuro (KH3Re:Mind mix; the link includes the 'time stop' phase's mix also) right now tho when I get back to specifically KH Tracks in my current song loop, so right now it's that by default/technicality.

I've posted independently about this before but I also mentally put it next to VS. Tatiana (both plain and EDM mix), a song from a completely unrelated game with little/no correlation between them aside from mental corkboard red strings stretching between "time stop/reversal", "electronic-classical" and "final boss music", IDK if I have a point here but keeping it in my answer as like a general song recommendation even tho it's off topic (be careful of spoilers in the comments though if you're interested in the rest of the game)

Would you change canon (past or future) if you could?

Aside from anything like "improved women" and "more skin tone diversity that isn't concentrated on bad guy(s) pleaaaase......", which I think people have rightly pointed out as being issues before and probably isn't the spirit of this question anyway... uhhhh.... Aside from little things here and there that I think In My (Unprofessional, Subjective) Opinion could be improved in regards to like information conveyance or just being fun things that I know for sure I'd enjoy seeing, overall not awfully dissatisfied with canon enough to want to make hyper radical changes? I'd have to think on this way more, and also remember more stuff to really be like "oh yeah huh yeah this could be better, here's how i'd change it!" for specific developments.

THAT SAID my first pick is probably something to do with un-pandemic scrunching and expanding Dark Road a bit more, like on giving the upperclassmen some more general development and let the mystery/thriller aspects go on for a little longer, and I thought the whole mystery reveal was a little too fast but, again, it was forced to end early (in addition to some delays) so it's mostly just unfortunate because what IS there is pretty damn good IMHO. Hopefully ML gets more of a chance to tell us all of what the writers want us to see? Fingers crossed...

[itz-pandora]

A bit random, but what's your favorite Sonic game?

Mine's Unleashed (mostly bc of the story)

(also I love your art, never stop growing and creating! <3)

I think it's Sonic Adventure 2! Good level design and a lot of replayability. I also love seeing videos on YouTube about people playing it or talking about it

Sonic Unleashed was my first one, and I played Frontiers a ton, so I like those ones a lot too! I really need to beat unleashed but I suck at games SOOOOO badly, but also... Fun... Same with frontiers

Also TYSM!!!! Makes me very happy to hear this <3

[broareweabouttoviberightnow]

Do you think that you could do a minific about Darry's birthday and the gang accidently forgetting?

OOH!!! I love this!! I will do my best!! TY FOR THE ASK!!! fic under the cut!!!

Darry spent most of his life largely indifferent about his birthday. He celebrated it, sure, but that was mostly because Soda loved an excuse to have a party and the rest of the gang loved an excuse for Mrs. C to make her famed chocolate cake. It was never a real extravagant affair or nothin', just reason to get everyone in one place.

Until Darry's 20th birthday. But they don't really talk about that.

It's been a year now. Exactly. And Darry's been celebratin' by bribin', cajolin', 'n everythin' just short of pleadin' to work on January 5th, 1968. He finally gets the only thing he'd wanted on the 4th when his boss concedes. He had always been a real good guy, had been real good to his father. He'd put up the cursory argument that he should be home with family. Darry had countered he'd be better off away.

He's not sure what he's meant to be feelin' when he wakes up on the 5th. Different. Maybe. He rubs his eyes blearily and glances around at the still-dark room. When they had been kids, the only time Soda ever got up early was Pony 'n Darry's birthdays. He'd always wake them up with that big shinin' grin.

Darry hasn't seen that smile in a year. And the room is empty.

He dresses in the dark, throwin' on the first clean pair of Levi's he puts his hands on. His fingers are on the knob of the closet before he thinks better of it. He knows the hollow ghost of the dark suit he's only worn to funerals will be waitin' for him in the shadowy corners. It's been worn three times. Three times too many.

The house is quiet once he pads out into the hall and down to the kitchen. Steve's soft snores and Pony's raspy wheezes float down from beneath the closed door of the boy's room. Soda is the only silent sleeper. The only time he's ever quiet.

Darry's gotten used to the lonely mornin's. Before- well, before everythin'- Dallas would always get up real early 'n crawl up on the counter by the window. When Johnny would stay the night he'd always wake up when Darry turned on the stove. It wasn't unusual to find all three of them crowded in the kitchen 'n not sayin' one word.

There's a sharp ache in Darry's chest he can't fully ignore. Before he realizes what he's doin' there's already two plates of eggs out. He blinks hard, presses his fingers into his eyes.

"G'mornin' Darry." Pony still doesn't look fully awake, eyes mostly lidded, sleep cloudin' his voice.

"Mornin', kiddo." Darry slides the plate across the table to Pony, who plops down hard and instantly tucks in. He doesn't say anythin' else. Darry turns back around, squeezin' his eyes shut. Glory, he was a mess. So what the kid didn't remember. Darry wasn't gonna remind him. If it didn't hurt don't prod at it.

He flips another egg. Each of the boys ate like horses. It wasn't until Darry started cookin' all the time he would think of the way his dad would grin 'n joke they were gonna eat him outta house 'n home. Darry bites his lip on the choked little whine he can feel climbin' up his throat.

"Soda wake up." Steve still sounds sleepy and Darry can imagine him kickin' at Soda to get him off. Soda slept like a choker vine. If he managed to trick you into sharin' a bed he'd be out like a light in thirty seconds and you wouldn't be able to wake him up with an air horn to shake him off in the mornin'. "Sodaaaa."

Pony scowls and Darry uses the blessed distraction to swipe at the stray tear fallin' down his face. "I'm up, I'm up." Soda mumbles in a way that tells Darry that he'll be asleep again in fifteen seconds. The next sound is so familiar Darry would recognize it in his sleep. The distinctive noise of one of their poor battered pillows slammin' into Soda's head and Soda's resultin' indigent cries.

Darry chuckles and Pony glares solely because he's not involved. Darry plates the last egg and realizes they're out only when he puts his hand blindly back into the carton. He lets out a sigh and massages his temple with the heel of his hand. Well, there goes his breakfast.

Steve and Soda appear in the doorway, twin grins and pillow-touseled hair. Soda ruffles Pony's so now they're all matchin' 'n drops down into the chair beside him.

"Mornin' Darry! Shit Pony save me some fuckin' eggs before you eat them all!" He snatches his plate that Pony started in on since he 'n Steve were clearly too busy.

Darry white knuckles the sink. Ok. So they both aren't mentionin' it. That's fine. That's ok. And he stomps down hard on the resentment he feels shoot through his chest. Part of him wants so badly for them to turn 'n shake their heads in shock. How they could have forgotten! How could they have done that! He wants to turn around 'n ask shit haven't you missed somethin'?

He wants his dad to pat him on the shoulder. He wants his mom to let him have cake for breakfast. He wants Dallas to joke that Darry's an old man now. He wants Johnny's hand-drawn cards he always made on everyone's birthdays since he couldn't afford nothin' else. He was always so embarrassed about that, but they were the best present Darry ever got.

"Darry, you ok?" And Darry realizes his mistake too late. Soda's brows are all knit together and Pony looks lost and Steve's rubbin' the back of his neck in a way Darry knows he got from him but Darry got from their dad and suddenly it's all just too much.

"Yeah! I'm fine!" But he feels vomit come up the back of his throat and the words come out more forced than an armed robbery. The screen door bangs open and it's all a blur now so he doesn't even pause for a second before he thinks oh good, ma's home. Or maybe it's Dallas. God knows that kid's always at every meal. Shit, hopefully, Johnny didn't sleep in the lot last night, he'll never warm up.

But then Two ducks into the kitchen with a smile that slips right off his face the second he takes in Darry's face. "Dar-?"

"I gotta get to work." He doesn't hesitate another second because then he really will vomit or sob and he can't do either. Not in front of his brothers.

"Darry- wait!" But the truck's already started and he's already backin' out of the drive about fifteen miles too fast and he doesn't look at the house at all as he guns it down the street.

It's fine. He's fine.

...

It's after midnight when he finally crawls home feelin' like perhaps the worst brother in the entire world. There's still a light on in the kitchen and he grips the steerin' wheel tight.

Shit. He should have stayed with them. He shouldn't have left. It didn't matter they didn't remember. Shit, he's glad they don't. Because it's not just his birthday anymore. It's another excuse for them to remember the people they're missin'. It's the anniversary of the day their lives changed. And Darry would rather have them forget about him forever than have to feel that pain.

He eases the front door open as softly as he can, steppin' through and easin' off his tool belt and boots at the door. He can see the shadows of at least one boy at the table and he sighs softly and slips into the kitchen.

The whimper he makes is entirely uncontrolled. Soda 'n Pony slump against each other at the table, frostin' on Soda's cheek 'n Pony's nose. Two-Bit managed to fall asleep propped against the counter, Steve leanin' dangerously far back in his chair.

On the table is a chocolate cake Darry already knows will taste just like their ma's because Soda spent hours at her side while she lovin'ly stroked his hair 'n showed him how to crack an egg just right. Two candles have burned entirely out and Darry maybe should be cross about them fallin' asleep with an open flame but he can't feel anythin' right now but love.

Pony blinks blearily at takes a couple seconds to register Darry standin' there. A complicated swirl of emotions flit across his face and Darry realizes he's just standin' there cryin'. He reaches up to swipe them off his face but he's too slow and Pony has jarred Soda awake and now Steve 'n Two are both up and lookin' at him guiltily.

"Y'all didn't have to do all this." And his voice sounds all wobbly and weak and he thinks get it together because he's supposed to be strong for them. He's not supposed to let this get to him.

Soda doesn't say anythin'. Just flies around the table 'n wraps him in a hug and Darry's cryin' all over again. Darry just envelopes him and lets himself sob. He feels Pony shove his head into his side and makes room for him in his arms.

"I'm sorry." He says after a long moment, voice thick with tears.

"No! We're sorry. I can't believe we..." Soda trails off and Pony shakes his head and Darry had wanted this so bad only this mornin' but now it just makes him want to bawl again.

"I didn't want to say anythin' 'n upset y'all." Soda buries his head in Darry's neck and Darry can feel Pony nestle into his chest. Two's hand comes down on his shoulder and when Darry looks up Steve is hoverin' by, uncertainly. Darry grabs the kid and pulls him in and knows they're all thinkin' about the same people.

When Soda looks up his eyes are bright in the dull kitchen lamp. "It's not all bad." Darry cocks his head, lets his kid brothers go, gently.

"Your birthday's still worth celebratin' to us. Hell, the day I got the best brother in the world is still worth rememberin' to me."

Darry lets out a soft sob and presses a kiss to Soda and Pony's foreheads. He ruffles Steve's hair and squeezes Two's shoulder and takes a steadin' breath. Maybe it hurts. Maybe it always would. But there was a relief in the ache. The ache made him remember. And if it was painful, maybe there was a chance he could heal. Maybe.

"Well, if it's still my birthday one of y'all better get a knife. I want a piece of my brother's famous cake."

Darry had spent most of his life largely indifferent about his birthday. He wasn't sure what he felt now. But he'd gotten exactly what he'd wanted. His brothers all gathered together. Safe for tonight. And that made tomorrow that much more bearable.

[vrsmnya]

Hshadjdk hiiii if you’re still taking requests maybe Astrid and stormfly being cool? If not then no worries and HI HOW ARE YOU?!! 🫶🫶

HI LIIL DRAGON ! tysm for the ask u are so cool <3333

sorry for being so late on this i got real busy for the past few months but im BACK

here's stormfly n astrid getting their epic dragon racing paint ready :DDD hope u are doing well :)))

[oddogoblino]

I love your labhog au. It's really interesting and unique! There's one thing I would like to know more, tho

How does the company profit with Sonic? And it is ilegal, right?

Maybe the government (does Mobius even have proper government? lol) will end those operations? Or maybe Amy will confess the truth to Tails and Knuckles, and they take down the company, but idk

Sorry for speculating sm, but this AU is really neat ;3

And it's so tragic what Sonic had to go through (and is going through) 😭😭 especially considering that Sonic would've saved the world anyways. I really hope it will have a happy ending :)

Oh my goodness thank you so much!! I've been meaning to try and draw a new ref thing for him recently, funnily enough! I never thought anyone would just find and like my au :0!!

Okay okay, for the questions

The company profits from Sonic via making merchandise and entertainment products about his adventures. (Aka games...yes I may be hinting that the lab/company is SEGA)

Yes it is illegal. But would the government even question, let alone acknowledge it when it's protecting everyone from a world-wide threat? Not as likely. For all anyone thinks, Sonic is doing this for himself and the people. The mobius "government" is mostly unaware, though there are some who secretly have been providing information and aid.

Amy wants to tell, she really does, but she doesn't know how deep things go. She doesn't want to risk herself or Sonic until she knows exactly how much power the company has. She needs a plan to escape, a place for them to escape to, and the knowledge on how to make sure everyone involved is safe. All she knows is she was taken suddenly to be a "love interest" and fellow hero, she thinks the same happened to Sonic but can't understand why he won't just run away with her and the others.

No no its okay!! I love it really! I love that you liked my au this much to think abt and ask things like this!! It helps me know that people enjoy it & that there's things people want to know ^^☆ and that's very motivating! You don't understand how happy this ask made me

Yehhh quq poor boy is really going through it. Not sure if to spoil how things end or not bc ik ppl enjoy the journey just as much as the ending

[sonjuponju]

now YOU tell me about YOUR ocs...!!! (if you want) is your pfp enix...🧡

IT IS IT IS!!! that drawing turned out so good i just stick it everywhere now 😭

the thing about my ocs is that i hardly get anything done with them if i don't have someone to constantly validate my choices and help me build ideas and stuff so most of my stories are pretty incomplete and all over the place 🥲 but i do have some bits and pieces that i can share!!

ima put everything under a read more cus there's gonna be a LOT of stuff. you really don't have to read all of it if you find it longwinded, i just really love rambling about my dudes (but only if someone asks 😭)

ENIX, he/him - he's actually one of my older ocs, i created him way back in 2017 when i was like 11 😭 fun fact! his original name was vixen but due to the definition of the word bugging me i recently changed his name to enix :3 another fact but kind of an embarrassing one - he used to have DID, and my 11 year old ass played RIGHT into the "evil alter" trope, so yeahhhh... the only good thing to come out of that was that the "evil alter" eventually became a wholly separate blorbo, named feliks! who we will get into now B)

FELIKS, he/him - my fucking sweet baby. my angel. he has gone through so many transformations it's hilarious

here he is in his "evil alter" days. already got the black eye to signify his "evilness". though i don't think it took very long for me to decide that he was actually the host of the body, not enix. in any case his usual day-to-day activities included pissing everyone around him off and trying some evil schemes every now and then

in like 2018 i got REALLY into this visual novel called "the arcana" and feliks was the ex best friend of the MC my friend cooked up for our version of the story. i didn't want him to be a cyclops for this iteration because i thought it didn't fit the theme, so he had to get a human design. he didn't have DID in this version, but he did have an identical twin brother, named vance. in this story feliks killed vance and became the boyfriend of the villain of the story, also becoming one of the villains in the process. his ex best friend ellis ended up defeating him and he got hanged with his boyfriend for their crimes

now here's where the story gets really juicy. feliks reincarnated in the modern world, and i think i ditched him having DID and instead the "alters" turned out to be the fragmented parts of feliks' dead brother's personality. vance had basically come back to haunt him in a form that was kind of comparable to alters, but also not really

the main arcana characters alongside ellis also reincarnated and ended up finding feliks (who was still evil btw). they were kind of like a friend group for a while until shit hit the fan when everyone found out that feliks killed his brother way back in their past life (they had no idea up until now). ellis became incredibly angry with him and him being a magician turned feliks into water and put him in a vase so he wouldn't be able to hurt anyone ever again

before this happened though i think ellis and his also magician boyfriend were able to piece vance back together and give him a body, so he was reincarnated too. after receiving a second chance at life, vance got himself a boyfriend, and even got married with him. the happiness didn't last for long though when feliks was able to sneak himself in his water form into vance's husband's water bottle. the husband drunk the water and ended up possessed by feliks 🙃 feliks killed vance AGAIN, was able to return to his own body by also killing vance's husband, annnnddd... then ellis caught up to him and beheaded him with his scythe. (god i still love this story)

after death feliks became a demon in hell, and that's basically where his story ends. idk i must've gotten another interest at this point because i didn't get any further with the story

in 2020 i decided to revamp him AGAIN, this time making my own fantasy universe for him. i got a couple of my friends involved with it too (this was basically a species i made specifically for that thing and my friends made ocs of that species). the story for it was really juicy too but im not gonna be telling about it cus it's almost identical to my current project with him and i might wanna make it into a real thing one day so.. SPEAKING OF WHICH

HIS CURRENT DESIGN. MORE PHOTOS.

I AM SO NORMAL ABOUT HIM!!!!!!! GAAGAHAJJSDJDKSK

anyway. yeah, there isn't much i can tell about the story, but i can tell you about how SHIT it is trying to come up with fantasy clothing. i am no fashion designer, not by a longshot, so my boy has his tits out 24/7 because i can't think of anything he could wear (and also i just love seeing him bare chested ❤️). i kinda don't even know where to start with the clothes cus i don't want them to be the generic european medieval stuff you see in fantasy CONSTANTLY and i am awfully lazy at researching anything that isn't my number 1 interest so. yah. to combat not being able to draw him with a canon design, i made a domestic modern au 🫶

here's feliks and his roomie clancy :3 they are my biggest blorbos rn and i would REALLY love to talk more about them but um. yeah this post is long enough especially considering there is still one oc i wanna mention

here's valo!! she is feliks' sister. you might think wait you didn't mention feliks having a sister? no i didn't because she is his BROTHER. I GENDERBENDED VANCE. BECAUSE IT WOULD FUCK. and yeah she is absolutely incredible i love her from the bottom of my heart. valo and feliks still have kind of a complicated relationship but at least in the au feliks doesn't kill her :D she's just kinda chilling with her gf until i come up with a story for her too

so ya that's all i wanted to talk about for now!! if you read this far then thank you 😭🫶 i had so much fun writing this. i was busy the whole day today but i just kept thinking about how much i wanted to answer your ask haha. i didn't plan for it to get so long though but im super grateful if you read this far 🥹

[thelonelyshore-if]

Okay, im not usually attracted to women… but whatever Yasmin was created with- it defies all realms of my brain. She’s one of the top 3 of my romance list 🤭🤭

On a side note; would the RO’s let us braid their hair (or them braid our hair if they have shorter hair)??? I love braiding peoples hair (and letting people braid my hair) as a love language bc there’s just something peaceful about trusting someone to sit behind you and touch your hair— 🫨😋

Ahhh I'm thrilled that Yasmin can charm you so much, Nonnie!! I adore her tbh so I understand you on a deep level. The fact that I have to wait to finish the rest of the chapter to share her big scene with y'all is a tragedy 😔

And I've answered a similar question before!! You can find my answer here. I love this prompt so much because yeah it's soooo intimate and trusting and cozy.

[rencatuive]

What's your favourite drdt theory? :0

Doesn't have to one you consider to be canon, just one you out like :)

(sorry if this doesn't make sense)

The time travel stuff is what intrigues me the most. It's so disconnected to what we know of the DRDTverse, which right now is maybe the canon danganronpaverse, which apart from the luck stuff is pretty grounded in terms of magic. But then again, luck stuff *is* real so maybe timelooping isn't far fetched.

If it weren't for the 'Teacher' mention, with altdrdt literally being about a man who was trying to become the "perfect teacher", I'd speculate that maybe the text could be an in-universe fictional text, an excerpt of "Forever Dead", since that is, at least, meant to be connected with how they line up storywise. Maybe that text is meant to parallel the real events in the killing game, with it's themes of repetition and televisation, somehow. I don't really believe it, just throwing ideas out there. We've got years to go, after all

As of right now, I suppose it could be an altdrdt related thing, which means maybe altdrdt will be at least a mentioned plot point in the future? Maybe that's the time looping one and drdt is somehow meant to be a recreation of it??

It's all very fun to think about but in the end yeah no i have no concrete ideas. Would love to hear other peoples though!!