#This was a delight to write I am so happy how it came out!!! :D

[kanene-yaaay]

Headshaker (Tickletober Day 3)

Kanene's Notes: OK, I am like, fighting for my life with this one because I want to post it like immediately like right freaking now but I want to at least read it one more time to correct any absurd mistakes and. I don't know which part will win so rip me I guess. jhgfghjikolkijuhyg Writing this fic was so fun I am in looove <3 <3 Mingjue and Huaisang's interacting was a challenge since I only saw them on the donghua and Mingjue kind of uh dies v quickly so. ther's that. oijhgfuytrfghjuik

Day 3 - "Prank" (Tickletober) and "Starligh" (mxtxtober)

Warnings: Lots of tickling! Also some light angst sprinkled here and there, but nothing too complex. Ticklish!Huaisang and Ler!Mingjue. Around 2.500 words.

[~*~]

“HUAISANG!” The roar shook through the entire Unclean Realms and Nie Huisang yelped, hastily putting his paints on their place (he would never let those hanging around after all the trouble he had gone through to get them) and jumped through the window, running hastily away from the loud footsteps that sounded already so close to his room, under the amused gaze of the few guards that were on watching duty tonight. 

The stars looked so beautiful today, a sea of darkness and light dancing together in a lovely contrast that itched his soul to find a poem that talked about it, awaiting for a sharp mind to properly appreciate them. It was a pity it was the last time he would be able to see it before he died.

The footsteps turned the corner and suddenly got much closer. Huaisang let out a high pitched scream, no needing to look behind to see who was his pursuer.

“Brother! It wasn’t my fault, it wasn’t my fault!” He jumped to the side and scrambled when a large hand swiped to his right, his voice getting quicker and hysterical the more he got tired from the exercise. “Please, brother! Have pity, have mercy! It wasn’t my fault, I didn’t do anything!”

“Then who did?!” Came the roar.

Huaisang squeaked loudly, screaming more as another hand almost gripped his shoulder. 

“I don’t know! I really don’t, brother!” Where was Meng Yao with his always trustful back where he could hide behind? But no one but Mingjue and the stars heard his cries. “Maybe it was someone good! Someone who was worried about how much later you go to bed! Maybe they’re annoyed from dealing with your cranky mood from lack of sleep. Maybe they just want to help, brother!”

“HELP?! You locked me in my personal chambers after dinner where I had to spend an entire SICHEN to get free and had to call my guards to help me!!” Oh no, he was embarrassed. It took everything from the younger one to not snicker as he remembered the talisman he commissioned from his good friend Wei Wuxian for this sole purpose. “Do you think I have nothing to do, not a sect to run? Or do you think I also have all the time in the world to lay lazily around the house and ignore my chores?”

Ouch. Huaisang didn’t even have time to pretend offense as he was bodily crashed on the ground, screaming cutting off into grunts as he tried to squirm and free himself enough to scutter around and win a few more minutes of life. Being unsuccessful, he did what he does best.

He looked at his brother straight in his eyes and made his shine with glistering tears, hands holding Mingjue’s sleeves and hands before they could cuff him on the head. 

“Brother…” he whimpered.

Mingjue, knowing him since he was a kid and therefore plenty aware of his every tactic to escape trouble, looked entirely unimpressed and unwavered by one his best acts, face contorted in an angry sneer. “Where are those ridiculous books and fans of yours? I am going to lock them on my chambers and see how you like it when I throw them all into the fire.”

“No, brother, please!” As the older made a move as if to get up, Huaisang threw his arms around him in a hug, body completely slack like a dead weight to at least discourage him. Mingjue complained, but didn’t let him fall.

“Maybe they really did want the best for you. Maybe they just worried.” There was enough truth on it to make Mingjue deflate and huff, still annoyed, but less so.

“Then you should’ve come to me and said it, not run around with your schemes and expect me to suddenly understand it. Use your words, Huaisang. I know you have them.”

Huaisang didn’t hum in acknowledgement, simply continued with attentive eyes. “You’re going to sleep now?”

He saw the deny before it even existed, in the furrow of his brother’s eyebrows and the way his body twitched an inch away, mouth twisting downwards. When he opened his mouth, though, there was hesitation. 

“I still have paperwork to finish today. But tomorrow I will.” Huaisang still pouted, but his efforts weren’t really in it and the older one could see the smugness clear as water in his eyes. In a blink he sent his knuckles to rub on the top of his head. “And when I go to my quarters, tomorrow, I better not find any other talismans, am I clear?”

Huaisang quickly nodded, shouting and whining in despair. For the tune of his voice, one could think that Mingjue was full on throttling him. “You are, da-ge, you are! Stop, stop, you’re hurting me!”

He kept trying to squirm away from his hold, being as unsuccessful as the first time. It was Mingjue’s turn to feel smug. If his little brother ever bothered training or even showing up with his saber to his classes he would have enough strength to put up a fight. 

Wait.

Nie Mingjue stopped and Huaisang quickly pushed his hand away, protecting his head with his palms as he turned to the other, about to complain. 

When he saw the other’s calculating eyes, he froze, mind running. 

He noticed it, he noticed it. Shit, shit, shit-

“What are you doing awake, Huaisang?! You have saber practice right earlier in the morning!” At the younger’s wide stare, Mingjue only scolded further, irritation flaring hot in his veins. His words grew louder, quicker. “Or are you planning on running away from it again? Should I go to your room to drag you by your robes in the morning to it and watch the class myself to make sure you won’t run? That you even will be there for once?”

“I am going to the practice, brother, I really will! I just need to find my saber first…”

“You lost it again? We are warriors, your saber is a part of you. It should be by your side all the time-”

“But it’s so heavy! I just need to find where I put it before class, nothing more.”

It was their same fight. Like every day.

Mingjue took a breath and prepared to shout his thoughts and…

And he deflated, tired. Suddenly very, very tired. 

Maybe those days without sleep really were getting to him. He pictured Xichen’s calming songs and Meng Yao’s kind smile and thought twice, shallowed the words, gritted his teeth and tried.

(You have your words, A-Jue, use and mean them.)

“I won’t always be here for you, Huaisang. We were in a war. If that didn’t convince you how much you need to make your core stronger I don’t know how I can-”

Huaisang squeaked, then gasped, then pressed his hands firmly on his mouth. Mingjue looked down, to his finger that was poking the other’s stomach, right above where his golden core should be.

Then he remembered.

“Brother…”

That is right. His didi was horribly ticklish. Memories of their childhood began running across his mind and he could help but smirk. It’s been so long. He really had forgotten.

Their eyes found each other and Huaisang felt a bolt of electricity run across his spine, hands automatically coming in a poor attempt of covering his torso, his traitor mouth already trying to curl up in a wobbly smile. It was too late for him.

“Da-ge! Please, da-ge!” Mingjue simply smirked bigger, a clawing hand slowly descending towards his belly. “You can’t, please da-ge! I will train! I will strengthen my core! It’s true, da-ge, I really will!” His words were coming out faster, stumbling on each other as his brain spit every card in his hand, anything that could lead to him getting out of this tickle attack. The giddy sensation inside was too strong for him to even think before more and more words just kept falling. “It will be the strongest golden core you’ve ever seen! Our tutors will be out of things to teach me. I will cultivate straight to immortality if only you don’t kill me right now, it’s true! Please, please, da-GEEE!”

“I am not even touching you yet!” 

“You’re going to!” Nie Huaisang felt his face prickle with heat, but his hands were the only thing between Mingjue’s offending wiggling fingers and his poor unprotected tummy. And he was plenty aware that his “protection” was simply an illusion, one that at any time that his brother decided that he wanted to go straight to the point he would, no matter the obstacle. Besides, Mingjue wasn’t known for his infinite patience, or procrastinating. So, yes, he was already giggling. “And you know I can’t stand it, I really can’t. Please, brother, I won't survive this attack! I am dying, I am dying!”

Mingjue snorted, then scoffed to hide it. “You love being tickled, stop being so dramatic! Don’t you remember running after me everywhere, pulling on my hands when I was heading training or laying on my lap when I had to take care of the sect correspondence and asking to play tickle fight every single time?”

Why must Mingjue torture him like this with all the memories of his childhood? His brother was really merciless, just as ruthless as everyone painted him to be. To remind him of when he would throw himself in his arms and get tickled only to shriek “again! again!” as the older complained about needing to work! Nie Huaisang couldn’t even hide his face from this embarrassment.

Thankfully (or not), before he could turn himself into a bird and fly directly into the sun by the sheer will of his mind, his wrists were snatched away and the hand collided on his belly. Everything else exploded in a white light, unimportant and infinitesimal in the face of the feeling of those clawing fingers, scribbling and skittering anywhere they could reach, sneaking to his sides and drumming on them, spidering to his hips and squeezing until there was not even a hint of hope of Huaisang holding back any of his reactions, much less his laughter.

“NAHAHAHAHA B-BROHOHTHER! LEHEHET GO!”

“Not until your golden core gets stronger. Since you’re not going to practice, let’s see if this training interests you better.”

Nie Huaisang shook his head, trashing and curling to his side only for those offending hands to keep spidering and finding his back, running tickles across his spine and drilling on his back ribs until he was arching and crackling, unable to turn back and protect the new attacked ticklish spots. Laughter rang loud and strident across the yard, childish screeches and squeaks escaping from his mouth every time a wave of pokes hit his skin or wiggling fingers found a good spot to focus on. 

It was interesting, really, how much he looked like Mingjue when he was being tickled. His voice was loud and unashamed, clear in his words, thoughts getting out from their usual place behind his fans and spilling from him in an honest message, arms, legs and entire body gesturing, flailing around, not caring about how much attention or space it would claim. It was endearing to see. Maybe Mingjue really had spent too much time without properly tormenting his little brother, to feel so fond of seeing it again. He should catch up.

“IHIHIHIHI CAN’T BRHEHEATHE!” A hand scrambled to take over the opportunity and pinch and scratch at the skin behind his knee, pulling a loud snort that would’ve mortified the smaller if he had a clearer mind. HIs laughter slowed from a loud shrieking to a hysterical snickering, legs kicking in protest, as if demanding attention. At this, Mingjue chuckled. Well, no one could really blame him as he stopped scribbling his fingers over his shoulderblades (his didi was truly ticklish everywhere) and held one of them so he could focus on squeezing and clawing all the way from his calves to his kneecaps over and over again. 

“I ahahahaham DYIHIHIHIHING, brohohohother! You’rehehehehe kiliHIHIHIHIING MEHEHEHEHE, you reheheheahahahaha arehEHEHEHEHE! STOHOHOHOHOP going theHEHERE!”

Ah, there was the squeals, he was starting to wonder when they would come. 

“Tickling Here? Right here?” He kneaded the thigh with energy at the last word, huffing in amusement when Huaisang threw his head back, laughter rising once again uncontrollably only to dim into never-ending, high pitched giggles when he went back to spidering his hands under his knee. “No moving. If you can still be dramatic, then I can still tickle you even more.”

Huaisang seemed to have registered only half of his words, shaking his head, squeaks and snorts mingling with his words. “Gehehehet out of theheheREHEHEHE, GEHEHHEHET ohohut!” A hand came and began swatting down on his. Mingjue grabbed it and pulled until it was above the other’s head. Wide, teary eyes and a giant, wobbling smile found his face. He drummed on his unprotected armpit before Huaisang could protest.

“There! Should I stay here, then?”

Huaisang felt like his every nerve was under attack, shaking and sending tiny ticklish shocks all across his skin, following each touch, tingling in ghost sensations where he already had been tickled, where he was currently being tickled and even where he thought his brother would attack next, his mind running on top speed, squirming with all his might to escape the wiggling fingers and the silly sensation only to be completely overtaken by it, freeing all his most childish reactions and sounds straight to the wild. There was laughter, there were yelps, shrieks, snorts, squeals and giggles running and escaping everywhere.

Tears fell from his eyes and hiccups began taking over his cracking when Mingjue finally decided to stop. 

Huaisang continued laying there, hugging himself and almost becoming a ball with this, the rest of his giggling coming muffled as his big, way too telling smile was hidden in a pretense of hidding. Mingjue laid a firm hand on his head, fondly, and looked up at the sky, watching the stars twinkling as if they were sharing the same amusement, the same joy between them, and the high point the moon was currently at.

“Perhaps I will actually head over to my bed, when we get inside. It’s already way too late to work.”

And the betrayed, absolutely in disbelief expression that Huaisang sent in his direction made him snort, then fall in loud, booming laughter.

What a beautiful night.

[strifetxt]

divergent evolution, a solving counting sheep fic

a.k.a. as a Christmas gift for the inimitable @theminecraftbee, I wrote an ordinary, more canon compliant Watcher Grian meeting Three! This was an idea I've wanted to write for over a year, and I'm delighted that it finally came to fruition :D

———

This is the last season he’s going to spend messing with extradimensional portals, Grian thinks. Grumbot was one thing, and the people from Empires were friends, but a complete stranger turning up out of the blue is something else entirely.

The interloper’s face is entirely obscured by a gaudy harlequin mask, decorated with bright patterns of red and gold. Strangely, the eyes of the mask are filled in with dark fabric, but Grian still gets the sense that he is being intently stared at as he nervously inputs the request for Grumbot to reverse the Rift and send the unwanted guest home.

Grumbot’s digital mustache wiggles, and a note is dispensed.

RIFT INSTABILITY DETECTED. TIME NEEDED TO REPAIR MALFUNCTION: UNKNOWN.

Great. Just what he needs.

“So, er.” Grian does his best to look apologetic. “It seems as though you may be stuck here for a little while until Grumbot gets the Rift sorted. In the meantime—” He gestures idly around the basement lab. “Hello, my name is Grian, and welcome to Hermitcraft?”

It is deeply uncomfortable, not being able to gauge any expression from his guest with the mask in the way. All he gets is a stiff nod and a simple statement of, “Yes. I am familiar.”

Grian raises his eyebrows. “You are? With me or with Hermitcraft?”

The guest takes a long pause, clearly considering the question, before landing on, “Both, though in different ways. I am also from Hermitcraft.”

“Oh, good, more alternate timelines.” Grian sighs and rubs his temples. The existential weirdness of Grumbot Prime’s universe was already bad enough. “Well, do me a favor and don’t tell me about alternate me’s inevitably ominous circumstances; I think I’d rather not know at this point.”

Three stares at him another long moment, then slowly nods. “Yes. Complying.”

———

“Well, this is the base,” Grian says. “Feel free to make yourself at home.”

Three stares down into the gaping hole beyond the birch floor of the entryway, then up into the cavernous space above, where the inner faces of the hollow rocks are dotted messily with torches to prevent mob spawns. “I see your habits regarding interiors appear to have remained consistent,” it notes.

Grian squawks, indignant. “I— okay, nice to know that I’m apparently the same everywhere, but also, hey!”

“It was not intended as judgment,” Three says judgmentally.

“Okay, listen,” Grian explains, doing his best to sound rational and not defensive, “the point of this build isn’t to be livable, it’s just to make a cool set piece! I don’t need a fancy interior when I’m happy keeping my storage and spawn outside.”

This logic does not seem to appease Three. “I do not see why you bother to build a base, if not to live in it.”

“Well, you know.” Grian waves a hand vaguely. “It’s just nice to have a big project going on in the background. Something to flex the building skills! Like I said, it’s mostly about making something that looks cool.”

“And if a day should come that you are no longer here?” Three asks. “If you were to somehow vanish from this world, and the only things left behind in your wake were empty set pieces, containing no traces of who you were, or how you lived. What then?”

And, well. Grian has no idea what to say to that.

He settles for changing the subject. “How about we find you somewhere else to stay?” he says weakly.

“That is probably for the best,” Three says.

Strange that even without visible eyes, the weight of its gaze still feels so heavy.

———

“Here we are,” Grian says as they touch down at their destination. “This is the Empires Christmas Village.”

Grian catches an odd motion ripple over Three’s skin, but it passes too quickly for him to make out any detail. “Are the players of Empires also on this server?” it asks.

“Well, not anymore. We had a crossover event where they came over to visit.” Grian gestures at the houses that ring the snowy basin. “They built this village while they were here, and I figured, hey, since it worked for the last otherworldly visitors...”

He leads them along the path around the Christmas tree, only for Three to come to a sudden stop. Grian follows its gaze to the scene on the hillside above, where various Hermits and Emperors mingle and play in the snow.

“It’s all posable armor stands,” he explains. “Do you have ZombieCleo on your Hermitcraft?”

“I know Cleo, yes,” Three says, “and I recognize their work.” It climbs up the hill towards the statues in the back corner of the scene, where it then crouches down to be level with their miniaturized faces.

Grian follows, bemused. He squints at the statues, trying to look at them with fresh eyes. Joe and Jimmy’s tiny heads are tilted towards each other in a facsimile of conversation, and they share cocoa and cookies with bright, relaxed smiles. It’s cute, Grian thinks, but he can’t see why anyone who already knows Cleo would be so fascinated. Maybe Three is just an armor stand fan?

“She’s very good at what she does,” Grian says, mostly to fill the silence. “It is a bit uncanny though, the way the heads still look exactly like the Players she got them from.”

Three does not look away from Jimmy’s face.

“Uncanny,” it murmurs. “Agreed.”

———

After the initial hiccup of getting it settled, Three proves to be a shockingly elusive guest. Grian does not encounter it again until several days later, when he happens upon it in his basement lab, writing a message for Grumbot Prime.

“Checking on the Rift?” he asks.

Three shakes its head, but otherwise continues to write. “Only initially,” it says. “Now Grumbot is telling me about himself.”

Grian blinks. “Have you not seen Grumbot before? I thought you said you knew me?” His eyes widen as a horrifying scenario dawns on him. “Wait. Do you not have a Mumbo?”

This makes Three fix him with a sharp look. “Of course I have a Mumbo,” it says.

“Oh, thank goodness,” Grian sighs. “But then, if Mumbo and I are both there, how is there not a Grumbot?”

Three���s head tilts curiously. “Is it a given that if you and Mumbo exist together, the two of you will create a child?”

“Well, obviously.”

“I see,” Three says. “Perhaps for the best, then, that you never met. You are a terribly neglectful parent.”

Grian sputters. “I— Look, Grumbot can take care of himself just fine! It’s just, when you make a lovable robot son with your best friend, and then later you get stuck with an alternate version of your robot son who doesn’t like you very much, it doesn’t make for the best conversation!”

Grian catches that strange ripple along Three’s skin again, only now he realizes it’s not skin at all; it’s feathers, bristling and flaring with some unknown agitation.

“I’m sure I wouldn’t know,” it says flatly, and before Grian can respond, it equips its borrowed elytra and rockets off, leaving Grian to blankly stare after it.

“Hang on!” he shouts. “What do you mean, Mumbo and I never met?”

———

“Can I ask you a weird question?” Grian asks.

“Sure,” Mumbo sighs, resigned. “Not like this build was getting done anyway.”

“What would you be doing if we never met?”

Mumbo frowns, considering. “Huh. I guess I’d still be on Hermitcraft, but— gosh. I can’t imagine what it’d be like, not ever knowing you.”

“See, that’s what I thought!” Grian says.

“A lot more productive, I bet.”

Grian laughs. “You know you need me distracting you from time to time.”

“Unfortunately,” Mumbo sighs. “Go on then. Any other existential questions while you’re here?”

Grian fidgets, thinking back on Three’s ominous hints. “If I were to disappear one day,” he asks, awkward and tentative, “what would you remember me by?”

Mumbo raises his eyebrows. “Wow, really pulling out the big guns.” He taps his chin thoughtfully. “Probably all the trouble you’ve caused, if I’m honest.”

“Hey!” Grian elbows him in the ribs. “I’m being heartfelt and vulnerable here!”

“Ow— No, I’m serious!” Mumbo says. “I mean, when I think ‘Grian’, I remember things like— like chickens in my message system, or breaking Sahara with a potato. All the different tag shenanigans. Your ridiculous death games. The way you’ll have an idea, and then suddenly half the server is having a grand time covering Doc’s perimeter in dirt.” He nods. “Yeah, that’s what I’d remember. You, pulling people together.”

Grian’s chest blooms with warmth. It’s really miraculous, he thinks, the way Mumbo so often melts his doubts away. “Aww!” he croons, dramatically throwing his arms around Mumbo’s waist. “You do like me!”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t let it get to your head.”

(As the conversation shifts to playful banter, Grian feels a prickle on the back of his neck fade, as if a pair of watching eyes chose that moment to look away.)

———

“Alright,” Grian says the next time he encounters Three, “I’ve decided I want to know. What happened to me in your universe?”

He knows enough now to spot the way Three’s feathers shift in response. “Are you certain?” it asks. “It is, as you’ve surmised, not pleasant.”

Grian shrugs. “Better to know than not? Especially if it’s something I can avoid.”

Three shakes its head. “I doubt it will be a concern for you,” it says. “Grumbot tells me you survived your time with the Watchers, and that they are no longer an active threat.”

This draws Grian up short. “How does Grumbot even know about— Right.” He sighs in annoyance. “Omniscient interdimensional hivemind. Just giving out my backstory to total strangers. Great.” He rubs his temples. Even now that he’s reached a sort of tentative peace with them, the Watchers still aren’t his favorite subject in the world. He much prefers to ignore them whenever possible.

“So,” he says, “I suppose that means in your universe they killed me instead of just, er.” He fidgets awkwardly with the hem of his sweater. “Taking me in and changing me, I guess? Is that it?”

Three visibly hesitates. “Yes,” it says slowly, “and no.” It squares its shoulders. “Perhaps it will be simpler to show you.”

And then it removes its mask.

Grian’s jaw slackens in shock. The hair is longer, the feathers that mimic skin are paler, and the eyes are squeezed firmly shut, but—

“You’re...me?” he stammers out. “I— How are you me?”

He sees Three’s mouth twist in a grimace before the mask is quickly replaced. “If I have learned anything from my time in this universe,” it says, “it is that I most definitively am not.”

Grian’s stomach feels cold. He swallows. “Explain.”

And Three does.

———

Grian feels himself trembling.

“After I left the Watchers,” he says, “I had to try very hard to remember that just because they changed me, it didn’t make me a different person. Even now, some days I forget.” He clenches his shaking hands into fists. “And you’re telling me there’s a world out there where I’m perfectly happy not being me at all?”

Three’s feathers flare. “I am not you,” it insists. “I had to try very hard to learn to become a person who was myself, and then had to try very hard again to remain that person, even when others wanted me to be you. Even now, when I sometimes suspect they would still prefer I was you.”

“Are you sure you’re not?” Grian asks, desperate. “I’m not in there at all?”

“I have been told we share similarities,” Three says, “but, meeting you, I have observed far more differences. You lack the commitment to complete projects—”

Grian sputters. “Hey!”

“—you avoid responsibility whenever possible—”

“Okay, that’s just—”

“—and, you have the ability to move people, in a way that I cannot fathom,” Three says. “I am glad that a world exists in which you are alive, and where your friends do not have to miss you. I understand more, now, why they would. But I am more certain than ever that I am not you, and that I do not want to be.”

Grian can almost envision his own face behind Three’s mask, and the resolute expression he would be wearing in its place.

He takes a shaky breath.

“It’s a bit unfair,” he says. “You spent this whole time learning things about me, while I know almost nothing about you.” He smiles tentatively. “Tell me about yourself?”

Three’s shoulders relax. “What would you like to know?”

———

The next day, the Rift reopens.

“Sure you don’t want to stay longer?” Grian jokes weakly. “You could build the interior to my base.”

Even with the mask, the look Three gives him feels scathing. “Far be it for me to diminish your lack of hard work,” it says.

“Ouch!” Grian laughs. “Probably for the best anyway. I, ah, imagine it’s probably been weird for you, being here, and you’ll want to be getting home.”

Three takes a moment to dutifully deposit all of its borrowed and scavenged items into an empty shulker box. Only when it’s done does it look up at Grian to respond.

“It was good,” it says, “to meet you. I had thought before, based on the way others remembered you, that I might have liked to be your friend. You are not quite what I expected, but I am glad, I think, to have had the chance to learn that.”

Grian’s smile wavers.

He considers being honest, considers saying, I can’t begrudge you who you’ve chosen to be, but all I can think about when I see you is the idea of being hollowed out so thoroughly that irrevocably that the only thing that’s left is a stranger walking around in my skin. You’re my worst case scenario, you’re everything I was scared I might become, and now I have to live with the knowledge that somewhere out there, in some other world, you’re real, and I don’t know what to do about that except add it to the list of things that keep me up at night.

Instead, he nods and says, “It was good to meet you too.”

If Three picks up on the lie, it says nothing; it merely inclines its head in a nod, steps through the Rift, and is gone.

[frollosversion]

Part 3/Last Part before it slips out of my head.

"How much of a Father am I?"

Again to new readers, this is the little backstory of Claude raising Quasi.

Part 1

Part 2

+-+-+

"M-master—!!" Quasimodo immediately greeted as soon as he saw the silhouette of his master's hat by the entrance of the bell tower.

Quasimodo grew up to be a happy boy albeit Frollo's opposite nature, very much like the archdeacon's personality; he respects claude so much, as much as possible he doesn't want to anger him— also because he receives punishments at times. a nice boy in general.

Quasimodo learned to read by the age of 3 and was already writing legibly at age 4. Claude was so surprised that the child had steady fingers despite his hands being a bit bigger than most kids. Of course he doesn't want to say he's proud but he does reward him with fresh bread and a small bunch of grapes which is different from his usual meal (stale bread and water).

Quasi was already 5 when he started to take interest in drawing. His subjects are mostly the people that he sees from below. Sometimes he asks his guardian to go down the bell tower just to draw them better so Frollo had to explain to him that he can't.

"M-master, why can't i go down the bell tower?" The little boy asked.

He expects him to answer 'because you're ugly' or whatever but at that time, he heard something else.

"People are cruel down there, my dear boy. They take advantage of you especially if you look nothing like them— which applies to you. A lot of them are evil and are just as corrupt as any other beings."

"Can't I just...maybe.. go out there one day, master?" The boy insisted.

"Do you want people to use you and take advantage of you? They are wicked and rotten, Quasimodo."

"But—"

"Think of your mother, boy! If your mother took her advantage on you and abandoned you, what makes you think you can't last a day with this disgusting, horrifying, vulgar crowd?! Remember that I am the only one who took you in with kindness." Claude raised his voice as his patience goes thin"

"S-sorry, master." Quasimodo apologized.

"If wanted to draw them, deal with it by drawing them from here. Do what you want but you are not to leave this bell tower. Do you understand??"

"Y-yes, master frollo."

"Remember what I taught you?"

"This... This is my sanctuary." Quasimodo sighed softly.

"That's right, my dear boy. This is your sanctuary. You're a smart kid." Frollo says sitting down, taking huge book from the shelf. "Shall we review your alphabet today?"

The 5-year old boy's sorry eyes are then replaced with delight.

"Yes master, I would love that very much!"

"Very well... A?"

"A-abomination."

"B?"

"Blasphemy..?"

"C?"

"C-c-contrition!"

"Good." Claude praises. "D?"

"Damnation."

"E?"

"Eternal Damnation..?"

"F?"

Quasimodo paused for a bit as he forgot what it was. He knows his master's gonna scold him if he forgets but he couldn't really remember so he tries to answer something else. Something closer...

"F-frollo—"

"Excuse me??" Claude tilts his head and furrowed his brows, making sure he heard it right. Quasimodo could only stutter in response.

Claude internally finds it so hilarious but he's never laughed in front of his child so he tries to keep a straight face, but his face certainly red for holding it.

"Hhh—kkk.." Claude snickered, looking away at the child.

"Sorry master... sorryyy." The child approached him, trying to look at his guardian's face.

"Th-that's your homework, okay? Know what the rest of your alphabet is." His voice came out stern despite him crumbling to his own thoughts.

"Yes, master." Quasimodo responded.

"I still have my duties. I'll see you at dinner." He placed the book down and stood up, leaving the bell tower.

Claude let out a good laugh after leaving him at the belltower. He still finds it hilarious and cute at the same time.

"Hahahha, he said 'Frollo'. That's amusing."

Frollo's mind was occupied by that small moment as he works in the palace of justice.

That night, he was eager to see his child more than usual.

—end—

[tonberry-yoda]

Hi hi! Would you mind writing something where the Reader is trying to take care of Kurapika? Like having him take a break or making him something to eat because he's so focused on his damn eyes and not on himself. I don't mind headcanons or a fic, whichever is easiest for you!! And if it's okay, can I be 🪜(ladder) anon?

Break - Kurapika

notes - LADDER ANON HI! I am so glad to have you in the Tonberry family!! Also, I love this request sm might I add. This boy needs a break more than anyone and I was so happy to write it for you! I hope you have an amazing day dear! Please stay hydrated and well!!! <3333

word count - 743

"Kurapika, please, can you just come home and get some goddamn rest?" you asked over the phone, rubbing your temples.

"I've been busy. You know this, y/n."

"Yes, but I can tell even just by hearing your voice that you have eyebags. You're tired as shit, so please just come home."

"I'm staying at a hotel tonight," his voice was raspy. "I'll be fine."

"I'm picking you up then. I don't care how far I have to drive, you're coming home tonight."

You hung up before he could respond and got in your car. For safety reasons, he had been telling you what cities he has been staying in, and the one he had been staying at that night wasn't too far away from where you lived. So you got your ass up and drove.

Finding the hotel that he was staying in was going to be the real issue, so you decided to text him.

Which hotel are you staying in? And don't think about leaving me on read because I'm already here.

You could practically hear him sigh. But he texted you the address anyway and before you knew it, you were knocking on his room door.

He opened the door and actually managed to crack a small smile at you when he saw you standing in front of him with bags of what looked like groceries in your hands.

He stepped aside to let you in and you walked into a gorgeous hotel room that smelled like lavender and a soap you couldn't quite put your finger on.

"How have you been, Kura?" you asked, slipping off your shoes.

"Tired," he admitted, which surprised you.

"Do you mind if I stay the night?"

"I don't mind at all."

If you were being honest though, you didn't really care what his answer was, you were already pulling out your pajamas and nightly gear as you asked the question.

After you got everything ready and in a nice and accessible place, you walked around the hotel room, shocked at what you found. It had a giant bed and an extremely fancy bathroom. It even came with a kitchen, which delighted you as you were hoping to cook something nice for your boyfriend.

When you walked back to the bedroom, you found Kurapika laying on the bed, resting his eyes a bit, though, when you walked in, he peeked at you with one eye and smiled.

You sauntered over to him and sat on the bed, laying his head in your lap and running your fingers through his long hair. It seemed that he had calmed down a lot with you just being there, which made you smile.

"You should come home after tonight." you whispered, placing a kiss onto his head.

"But-"

"No objections," you told him, sternly. "You need to take a break and stop focusing on those eyes for at least a week. You look less like Kurapika and are looking more like a member of the Phantom Troupe."

"D-Don't say that!" Kurapika shot up, looking at you, shocked.

"I didn't mean it like that," you said softly. "I just don't want you looking like that. I want you to take a break."

He sighed and leaned back in your lap. "Maybe going home will be good for me. Just for a couple days though."

"That's good enough for me." You moved Kurapika's head out of your lap and walked to the kitchen preparing something for the two of you. It was nice to do this for Kurapika, especially since you hadn't seen him in far too long.

When you brought the food back to his room, you found him sitting and staring at a pair of eyes he had found during his journey.

"Dinner." you spoke quietly, not wanting to scare him.

He turned to you and slightly smiled, putting the eyes away. "Thank you, y/n." He gladly took the food and ate every last bite, humming at how delicious it was.

"I miss you," you said after finishing your dinner, holding Kurapika in a small hug.

"But I'm right here."

"I just want to take care of you." There was the waver of tears in your voice.

"I'll let you." he whispered.

Him saying that and allowing you to do what you needed to do for him was enough. You were going to let him take a break and he was more than thankful to you.

~~~~~

hxh masterlist | pinned post

2023 @tonberry-yoda – do not repost or claim ANY of my work as your own! likes, reblogs, and comments are not only welcome, but appreciated

~~~~~

[theonetruegnome]

Happy Critterween!

I KNOW I'M LATE, AND I'M SO SORRYYYYYYYYY! D: The ADHDemon just got into my head, and what with college and being sick I just lost all motivation. I'm really sorry guys, I'll try and do the Christmas one in time, but no promises, what with motivation and my attention span TmT Also, Really quick, big thanks to @funny-critter-blog @daydreamer36 @smilingcrittersthingig @putterpen @that1garrulousfan @ali-the-weirdo @thefoolishone666 @eggonicayto and @t-x-sc, just for being amazing moots, people in general and supporting to me/listening to my ideas/helping me to write this. I love all of you so much it hurts, and I wouldn't trade my friendship with any of you for all the rice in china or the pearls in the sea.

Edit: I AM SO SORRY, I FORGOT A MOOT-

ANYWAY-

______________________________________________________________ 'No Mom, I won't take anything homemade from strangers! I love you too.'

Eli stepped out of his house, his mother stepping outside to kiss him goodbye one more time.

'*MWAH!* Be safe Eli! And stick with the others, I don't want you to go wandering off.' 'I will mom! Jeez, it's like you've never sent me outside before!' 'Well, what kind of mother would I be if I didn't worry obsessively about you? Oh, and remember-' 'Yes, I'll go straight to Dad's house, and make sure he calls you so you know I'm safe. I knowww!' The grins and hugs him to her side quickly. '-Remember to have fun. Go on then, I won't hold you up any more...'

Beaming, she gave Eli a gentle push, which Eli responded to my running off like there were wolves at his heels.

Eli ran along the street and quickly came to the play park, where he said he'd meet the others. Almost immediately, he started to tap his foot impatiently. His hand soon followed, drumming against the park railing without any sort of rhythm. He glanced up and down the street, even though he'd only been there for about twenty seconds. His ADHD was making it incredibly hard to wait, especially since he ought to have been out harassing homeowners out of free candy. He smiled at the thought of his mum trying to get him to bed later that night...

He soon spotted a pair of smaller critters coming towards him, literally skipping hand-in-hand. It was difficult to tell who was who due to their costumes, but he had a good idea...

'Hey Eli!' 'Callum! Leah!'

He pulled them into a very very weak Eli squeeze™, though he still heard Leah whimper and squirm.

'Eli, please! I'm carrying Precious cargo here!' He released his grip on them both. 'Sorry Leah! I'm just so excited for-! Wait, what cargo?'

Leah was wearing a fuzzy bee costume, complete with a little black and yellow hat and a stinger on her butt. It was only slightly unconvincing, and that was only because she was still wearing her cardigan over the striped fabric. She held up a small belt sewn into her costume, which was holstering several jars of honey.

'OOOOHHH, right, bee... Also, may I just say, you are ADORABLE!' Leah giggled and looked away, blushing. 'No, I'm really not... I bet I look silly really...' 'No, don't say that Leah! Eli's right, you are the cutest little BeeBear I've ever seen!' 'You must not have seen many BeeBears then!' 'Leah, listen to me-' Callum grabbed Leah by the shoulders; 'We all love you dearly, you are a key member of our group, and you are an adorable little bumblebee. I don't care what you say, my opinion and everyone else's is that you are cute. Understand?' '...I Understand, Callum.' 'Ok, come here...' He pulled Leah into a cuddle, and Eli started squealing with delight. Once Callum released Leah, Eli turned to him:

'So, do you know where-' 'ELIIIIIII!'

Sunny came suddenly running up to him, and Eli was almost actually knocked over by the force of her tackle-hug.

'JESUS-'

Sunny chuckled, and quickly released him, beaming wildly.

'How the heck are you Eli?' 'I'm- I'm good... Jesus christ you scared me!' 'hehehehehe! Sorry! I just couldn't help it, it's just so exciting, don't you think?' '...Don't we trick or treat every year?' 'Well, yeah. But that doesn't mean I can't still be excited!' 'Touché, sunny. Touché... what are you supposed to be, anyways?' 'isn't it obvious?' She was wearing an ornate falcon headdress, a cardboard double crown, a short robe and carrying an ankh. '...Hawkman?' 'Wha- no, Eli, I'm Horus!' '...' 'The Egyptian sun god?' 'Yeah, I still don't know who that is.' Sunny sighed and looked over to Eli and Dandy, visibly 'Awwww!'-ing at the sight of the two of them.

After quickly complimenting Callum's Rum Tum Tugger costume and Leah's fuzzy bee threads, Sunny spoke up.

'So, anybody know where the other four of our entourage are?' 'Umm... n-no idea, sorry Sunny.' 'I was just asking the same thing.' 'Me neither.'

Everybody jumped at the sudden gruff voice. Dandy began laughing loudly and mirthfully at their surprise. She was wearing a batman costume, and blended seamlessly into the shadows.

'Oh my god, that was priceless!' Eli immediately started laughing as well, beaming 'DANDY!' 'H- Ha- how long w-were you w-w-waiting to do th-that?' She shrugged, 'I'unno. What time is it, six PM? So that's fifteen... then forty five.... about four hours-ish?' 'You were waiting to scare us for Four HOURS?!' 'Oh, no, I only concocted my master plan about three hours in when I realised how dark my costume is. On account of... I'm Batman. I already climbed the tree to wait because my feet got tired.' 'Well, may I just say, it was GENIUS! I wish I'd thought of it!' 'Thanks! But you probably don't Eli. The branches are too thin and spindly. Like Leah's arms.' 'HEY! They're not-! Wait, actually, no, you're right, they are, sorry...' 'Ok, I think that's enough discussing Dandy's genius-' 'NEVARRR!' '-Anyone seen the others?' 'Oh, yeah, Mana's just down there in the park on the swingset.' 'Oh, okay then, I'll just go get her-' 'No need Sunny, already here!' 'Right, so now we need to find Conk and Munchy. Anyone have any ideas where they could be?' 'Conk messaged me half an hour ago, if that helps?' 'Well, what'd he say?' ''Leaving the house soon, just helping Cham but on her costume.'' 'Did he-' ''Meet you guys outside the park?' I told him yes, we'd wait.' 'Ok, great! Now all that's left is to find Munchy. Any ideas anyone?' Nobody spoke up. In the meantime, Callum was suspiciously edging his way away from the group, and faced away from them, his body oddly stiff. 'Cal'?' '....Oh, I promised I wouldn't tell, but I can't do it! ' '...Munch isn't coming...' '......WHAT?!'

______________________________________________________________

[shinybearnerd]

"Celestial Ties" - pt. 2 of 2

Part 1.

Bonus Part

----------------------

Hello! Here's the second part of the fanfiction. Hope you like it! Soon I'll put other stuff about Good Omens. I have a request too! (Ahhh! Can't wait to write it). Anyway, bye. >:D

Pair: Aziraphale x Gn!reader Words: 2,9k Genre: Angst, some fluff? Story: The reader and Aziraphale see each other after eight years. That's it. (I don't know how to put it, otherwise lmao)

-Engish is not my first language. So I'm sorry if there are any mistakes-

When Y/n first laid eyes on Aziraphale after so many years, a whirlwind of emotions engulfed them. Their heart skipped a beat, and a mix of shock, joy, and pain washed over them like crashing waves. Their souls seemed to reach out, yearning to bridge the gap of lost years and unresolved emotions. They exchanged silent glances, communicating a lifetime's worth of feelings without uttering a single word.

All these memories, all those emotions that they so hard tried to bury deep within their soul, all of a sudden started to flood back out again, and they couldn't do anything to stop it.

Aziraphale's sudden appearance shattered the carefully constructed walls they had built around their heart, leaving them vulnerable and raw. A part of them had hoped to see him again, to reconcile the love they once shared, while another part knew that the pain of the past might resurface, tearing them apart all over again.

As for Aziraphale, seeing Y/n was both a blessing and a curse.

He couldn't deny the profound love he still felt for them, a love that had never really faded with time. But with that love came the weight of his own choices, the sacrifices he had made for the greater good, and the knowledge that he was the one who had driven them away.

When their eyes met, he felt an overwhelming sense of hope, the deep-rooted desire to embrace them and make everything right again. His angelic heart yearned for forgiveness, for a chance to make amends for the pain he had caused. Yet, he knew that he didn't deserve such a reunion. Not with the way he treated Y/n.

For the first time in his existing felt jealous seeing them with their son, living a life he couldn't be a part of. He envied the time they spent together, the happiness that seemed elusive to him.

The moment was charged with unspoken words, a delicate dance of emotions hidden beneath strained smiles and hesitant glances. It was as if time had ceased to exist, leaving them suspended in shared memory.

As Y/n and Aziraphale stood face to face, a torrent of emotions swirled between them, too overwhelming for words. Their eyes locked, and their hearts ached with the weight of unspoken truths. The love that had endured and the pain of parting ways.

Crowley stood by Aziraphale's side, causing his presence to make the angel feel protected.

Y/n's son, unaware to all, beamed up at Aziraphale, a smile of innocence lighting up his face.

     <<Are you a friend of my Nomy, too? >>

Aziraphale's gaze shifted from the boy to Y/n, both unsure of what to say. The question hung in the air, loaded with unspoken truths and the complexities of their past. The angel's gaze then softened as he looked down at the boy.

     << Yes, my dear. I am a... friend of your parent. Yes.>> he replied, his voice gentle and tinged with nostalgia as he looked at Y/n.      <<He's Aziraphale, my love. >> Y/n put his hands on his son's shoulders. << He and I go back a long time...>>      <<Do you run that bookshop? >> Aziraphale exchanged a surprised glance with Crowley, momentarily caught off guard by the child's request.       << Yes.>> said with his usual warm smile. <<Would you like to visit? Obviously, if your... okay with it. >> he added soon after looking at Y/n again. Upon hearing the confirmation, his face lit up with delight, eager to visit the bookstore he had admired from afar. He instantly looked at his parent, begging them to go.

Crowley seized the opportunity and suggested going inside. If a stare could have killed, or in this case, discorporated, Y/n could've done so. But the demon continued. << It would be a shame to miss such an opportunity...>>

Aziraphale's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope. His hesitance melted as the prospect of them in the bookshop again filled him with anticipation.

Y/n attempted to brush off the suggestion, claiming they had other plans. But their son was determined. The boy's enthusiasm was infectious, and Y/n couldn't resist the pleading look in their child's eyes, so they accepted with a sigh and a gentle smile. 

     <<Alright, we'll go inside... for a while. >> consented, looking at Aziraphale, who what almost squirming from anticipation

As they entered the bookshop, memories of the past flooded back, and nostalgia washed over Y/n. The old wooden shelves, the scent of leather-bound books, and the soft glow of lamplight all felt like echoes of a time long gone. Nothing has changed. Even tho Y/n knew the shop's probably been like this since the angel opened the shop.

Aziraphale guided the boy through the store, showing him his favourite books and sharing stories from past centuries. The child was enthralled by the angel's stories, his eyes full of wonder. Saying that that warmed the angel's heart was a euphemism. 

Crowley and Y/n remained near the entrance, on one of the armchairs next to Aziraphale's desk.      << He's a clever kid... He has your eye.>> The demon started. Y/n immediately knew what he was going for.      <<Please don't say another word. It's already difficult as it is. >> whispered, looking at Aziraphale and his son smiling at each other. A cocktail of emotion mixed in them.      << He should know that he's his son too. And you know it, too.>>      Y/n snapped. <<Why would he? He didn't seem to have so much caring for me before! >>      << What on heaven are you talking about? He adored you! He worshipped you as if you were God herself!>>      <<Then we remember two different Aziraphales. >> they said as they stood up, calling for their son. << Aiden, come on. It's time to go, baby.>>      <<But mom, Mr Fell was- >>      << I'm sorry, but we have to go.>>

Y/n's words were suspended in the air, laden with bitterness and unresolved pain. Their gaze was firmly fixed on their son, a mix of protectiveness and hurt etched on their face. Crowley watched with a heavy heart.

Aziraphale, caught off guard by the sudden tension, furrowed his brow in confusion. His eyes darted between Y/n and Crowley.

Aiden walked towards his parent, a little annoyed by the rash stop of the visit. Aziraphale's gaze shifted between Y/n and their son, his heart heavy with confusion and regret. He wanted to reach out, to bridge the distance that had grown between them, but he respected Y/n's wishes, understanding that the wounds were still too fresh, too deep.

     The little boy took his parent's hand and turned to address the angel. <<Thank you so much, Mr Fell. Your bookshop is awesome! >>      The angel smiled heartily. << Well, thank you, Aiden.>>      <<I'm sorry that we can't stay a little longer... >>      << Do not worry about that. You have to listen to your parents. They know what's best for you... Besides, you'll always be welcome in my shop.>> As he ended the phrase, he made a blue lollypop appear with a miracle. The boy's smile widened. The magic and the sugar treat both.

He only took the sweet when Y/n gave them a smiling nod. They hated to think about it, but Aziraphale sweetness towards kids always made their heart melt. They always knew that he would make an incredible father. And that moment was another piece of evidence.

     << Wow! How did you do it?>>      <<Well, a magician never reveals. >>      << You're so cool, Mr Fell!>> Aziraphale violently blushed. No one ever said something like that to him.

     <<Come, my love. Let's go. >> As the angel heard the pet name, he felt his heart being shattered even more. They used to call him that way. Well, he thought. It was the right thing to say. But why he still felt horrible?

As Y/n and their son turned to leave, Aziraphale felt a sense of longing and regret tugging at his heart. He watched them walk away, his soul yearning for a chance to make amends. But for now, he could only stand in silence.

Once Y/n and their son disappeared from view, Aziraphale talked to Crowley. << What was that about? What have you told them?>> The demon opened his mouth different times. Nothing came out of it. Aziraphale's eyes looked into Crowley's, searching for answers he couldn't seem to find.

Finally, after a moment of tense silence, Crowley sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. <<I… I only tried to nudge things in the right direction. >> He admitted, his voice tinged with regret. Aziraphale furrowed his brow. <<What is it you're not telling me, Crowley? >> his voice was gentle yet insistent. << There's more to this, isn't there?>> The demon hesitated, the weight of his own secrets burdening his soul. <<I… I may have suggested that their son is… >> His words were hesitant and laced with guilt. << You need to talk to them. That's all I can say to you.>>

Crowley's evasive response only deepened Aziraphale's concern. The angel knew that there was something the demon wasn't telling him, and it left an unsettling feeling in his heart.

<<Need to talk to them? >> Aziraphale repeated a mix of curiosity and trepidation in his voice. << About what, exactly? What have you done, Crowley?>>

The demon's gaze faltered, his internal struggle evident on his face. He knew he couldn't keep the truth hidden forever. But he also didn't want to cause further turmoil between Y/n and Aziraphale. Finally, after a long moment of contemplation, Crowley sighed and decided to be honest. <<I might have hinted that their son… He might… No. He IS… >> he took a deep breath and admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. << …Aiden is your son.>>

Aziraphale's eyes widened in shock as the truth finally came to light. His heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of emotions swirling within him. It was as if the world had shifted on its axis, and everything he thought he knew had been upended. <<My… son? >> Aziraphale whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief. << How is that even possible?>> <<Well, you know… When two people love each other very- >> << I know how this thing works. I'm not an idiot! It's just…>> he sighed. <<We're celestial beings. We're not meant to have offspring, Crowley! >>

The angel's voice wavered with confusion, frustration, and a touch of sadness. Aziraphale's brow furrowed as he tried to process the magnitude of what had been revealed. His thoughts swirled, grappling with the reality of having a son, something he had never imagined for himself as an angel. It challenged everything he thought he knew about his existence and purpose.

<< But what does this mean for us?>> Aziraphale asked, his voice filled with uncertainty. <<What does it mean for our relationship, for Y/n, and most importantly, for our son? I have to talk to her... >>

-.-.-.-.-.-

Days passed, and while Aziraphale was searching Y/n's apartment, Y/n ware thinking about Aziraphale nonstop. It felt like the first time they saw him, in the bookshop. Charming, clever, sweet… His eyes were always full of life and wonder. Full of that sparkles of wisdom and innocence.

He found himself consumed by thoughts of them, unable to shake the overwhelming emotions that had been stirred by the revelation of their son. He hoped to find the right moment to talk, to confront the truth and understand why they kept all away from him.

Each day without Y/n felt like an eternity, and Aziraphale's heart longed to see them again, to gaze into their eyes and find that sparkle that made them look like little stars.

He wandered into the shop, Crowley as always next to him. The demon was trying to say that maybe he found their apartment, but the angel was lost in thought, replaying memories of their time together. The laughter. The shared moments of happiness. The love that bound them together. The way their eyes met with a shared understanding…

He knew he had to find Y/n and have that long conversation to seek forgiveness and understanding. Time had passed, and wounds had decayed, but he couldn't let fear hold him back any longer.

Amid his thoughts, the bell above the door chimed, signalling the arrival of a visitor. Aziraphale and Crowley turned, his heart leaping in his chest as he saw Y/n standing before them. The angel's heart skipped a beat.

<< Y/n...>> Aziraphale breathed. His voice was barely a whisper. <<Someone wanted to visit your shop a little bit better… >> Aiden's little figure popped out, a wide winning smile on his lips. << Do you mind Mr Fell?>> As he listened to his son calling him "Mister", his heart sank a little. But smiled anyway and accepted.

<<Here, kid. I'll show you around. >> said Crowley, putting a hand on the kid's shoulders while walking him through the aisle.

As the two were left alone to talk, their past feelings started to resurface. He couldn't help but smile as he watched Crowley guiding their son through the bookshop, the demon's fondness for the child evident in every gesture.

Y/n glanced at Aziraphale, their eyes lingering on him before the angel broke the silence. << I didn't expect to see you here…>> << Well… I'm here now.>> <<I've been looking for you. I… I needed to talk to you. >> Y/n looked at him, a feeling of deja-vù in her stomach. << About what?>> <<About our son… >> Y/n became white as a ghost. << Who told you? It was Crowley?>>

Aziraphale hesitated, grappling with the truth and the situation at hand.

<< Yes, it was Crowley.>> he admitted, in a whisper. <<Of course he did... >> << He thought it was best to be honest with me. And I'm grateful that he did!>> Y/n looked conflicted, their emotions swirling beneath the surface. <<I didn't know how to tell you. I didn't even fully understand it myself. >> << I understand…>> Aziraphale said, reaching out to gently touch Y/n's hand. <<It was a lot to take in. Especially for you! Raising a child all of your own! But… now that we know the truth, I think it's important that we talk about it openly and honestly. >> Y/n looked down at their intertwined hands. A mix of emotions playing across their face. << I never thought I'd be in this situation… I mean, having a son with an angel! It's not something you read about in fairy tales.>> Aziraphale smiled softly, dropping it off quickly later. <<Why didn't you tell me that you were pregnant? Why did you run away? >> Y/n laughed darkly. << I was the one to run away? You're not really saying and asking me those things. Do you remember what you told me 8 years ago?>>

The atmosphere grew heavy with unspoken regrets and painful memories.

<<I remember.>> Aziraphale whispered, his voice laden with sorrow. <<I said things I didn't mean. Things I regret every day since. I know that I hurt you deeply... It was my biggest mistake, and I can never forgive myself for driving you away. But I was trying to protect you!- >>

     Y/n's eyes glistened with unshed tears, anger simmering beneath the surface. << You didn't just drive me away, Aziraphale!. You denied our love, our connection. You made me believe that everything we had shared was meaningless to you!>>      <<I know... >> The weight of his past actions crushing him. << I was afraid, Y/n. Afraid of the consequences. Of going against the expectations placed upon me as an angel. But mostly, I was terrified they would hurt you if they knew about us! If I could not stop...>>      <<But it wasn't right for me. >> Y/n replied, their voice raw with emotion. << You made that decision for both of us without even giving me a chance to understand what was going on.>>      <<I was a fool. >> Aziraphale admitted, his voice breaking. << I didn't realize how much I loved you until it was too late. Until you were gone. And I've regretted it every day since! Please, Y/n. You have to believe me.>>

Silence fell between them, the weight of their shared pain and missed opportunities hanging in the air. Y/n's gaze met Aziraphale's, and he saw the hurt and vulnerability they had carried with them all these years.

<<I've been living with this ache for so long... And seeing with Aiden. Knowing the truth too! ...only deepened my longing to see you again, to try to make things right. >> Laughed angrily. << Do you really think that everything could be right again?>> <<I don't know. >> Aziraphale replied honestly. << But I want to try. I want to be there for you, for Aiden. I want to rebuild what we once had. ...But only if you'll allow me.>>

Y/n looked torn, the conflicting emotions evident on their face. <<I can't just forget the pain, Aziraphale. >> they said, their voice trembling. << But… I can't deny that I-I still love you.>>

Aziraphale's heart skyrocketed at their words, hope flickering in the darkness of their conversation. He lined closer and took their hands. <<I love you too. >> he said, his voice filled with sincerity. << And I promise you, I'll spend the rest of eternity making it up to you if you'll give me the chance.>>

Tears finally spilt from Y/n's eyes as they looked at Aziraphale, vulnerability and love intertwining in their gaze. <<I don't know if I can trust you again… But I want to try too. >>

Aziraphale reached out and gently wiped away their tears. << Then let's try together. One step at a time, rebuilding what we lost, and creating something new. Just me, you and Aiden.>>

As their hands remained intertwined, Y/n nodded, a glimmer of hope shining through the pain. They didn't dare to talk about their partner at home. They just smiled and nodded.

[tartrazeen]

REDDIT CAME THROOOOUUUGH!!

That old fan website that I've mentioned a bunch of times? The one that had those relationship ratings between Deirdre and the guys? The one I could never find since I stumbled onto it as a tween or a teenager or something? Some HERO on Reddit actually found the archived version on the Wayback Machive! I don't know how u/IamScaryKitty did it, because I've been looking for years, but they did! They did they did they did they did YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!

So here it is: the time capsule, all the way from June 13, 1999!

And the page with those rankings is here:

I'm genuinely so happy. I can't believe how delighted I am to see this again. It's everything I remembered, and while it's sad that a lot of the photos are broken (not all of them everywhere, but a lot them), this is such a gorgeous relic.

I miss this stuff - there's so much more effort put into describing who the characters are better than any other modern site today, which would only give a lazy half of a paragraph. This has dedication. Passion too, sure, but it's the dedication and commitment that's so stunning. The effort to make the character bios sound like true descriptions is so mind-blowingly charming. They aren't character analyses or takes on what the characters are like, just showcases of who they were in the show. <3

It's the sort of vibe I was trying to go for with my site, but the real deal. I'm out here being loud and overcompensating for the cringe of making a site for this show in 2024, and here's the site someone made in 1999, cringe-free. I love it. I adore it. It's amazing, and I saved the pages so I have my own copy of it too.

^ Not true

LMAOOO sorry, I'm remembering that episode where Ivar teaches him and Deirdre to walk quietly, and the first chance Angus gets to do it for real, his ass immediately kicks a helmet or something and gets them all caught :3

his ass is not adept

The takeaway from all of this is that even if you made something ages ago, and even if you only thought it was something small, it could've absolutely left an impression in someone's mind for like... over fifteen years. And become that person's white whale to find again, and been the shining example of fandom for that person :D I know I'm never gonna get to chat with the site author, but who knows? Maybe my cringe site will inspire somebody else later

I am 100% going to write my own take on the ratings, because I have always had feelings about them, and I am so giddy to give my two cents to this ghost ^_^

[hauntinq-6]

So... last night my very first run of BG3 finally came to an end, and... I gotta say I am pretty emotional.

Summer (my Tav) has been with me for six years. I first created her for my first ever D&D campaign back when I was still in high school and I still had the possibility to play. Hers was the only campaign I got to see from start to finish, so she is very dear to my heart.

Many things happened in these six years. I graduated from high school, I played other campaigns that never got to have an ending (don't date your DMs, kids-), I got broken up with my boyfriend, I got into uni, I lost family members, I've had some of my highest highs and lowest lows, I got my first degree in Psychology... And all throughout these years I kept creating characters, I kept addind and removing and modifying and writing and drawing and it was all so much fun!

But I kept missing Summer. I can't quite explain what attracts me so much to her character. If it's the fact I was in a happy place when I first created her and so my emotions and feelings from that time still connect me to her, or if it's specifically because I got to play a whole campaign with her or even because not only I could play with her but my best friend was also along with me for the ride and we had a blast together. Whatever it is, I could never quite be done with her, you know?

One thing was for certain though. After the first two or three years her ending didn't satisfy me anymore. She was still so young, she still had so many questions left unanswered and so much potential. We were thinking of a possible sequel campaign for her and Arwen (my best friend's character and now Tav) but that's when our DM dropped us both. We were left wondering what we could do for them, what we could write and how. We weren't entirely sure which direction to take our characters in.

Then BG3 came out. I remember my timeline being flooded with Astarion edits (that damn song lives rent free in my head at this point), being so utterly confused at what the hell was going on and then slowly becoming intrigued. I remember sitting down with my best friend to watch a mega compilation of all the characters' romance scenes, finding the visuals so damn beautiful, being convinced I would be my usual freak self and go for The Emperor but falling hard for Gale instead. We so desperately wanted to play but neither of us had a PC that was compatible with the game.

Then my long distance friend reached out and told me he wanted to play long distance with me on Discord. It was all incredibly clunky and finicky but Gods I was so happy. He'd be playing from the other side of the country and streaming it for me, and I would pick all the dialogue choices in character. That's when my bestie and I had a eureka moment and thought "what if... what if Summer and Arwen's story wasn't over yet? What if they left Aegis to find new adventures and ended up in Faerun??". I was so fucking excited it is almost unbelievable.

We spent six whole months on this one game file and I enjoyed every. single. second of it. Six whole months of pure excitement and delight. The more I played, the more I tweaked Summer's character and backstory to fit the narration, the more I got inspired to write up the new chapters of her adventure with my best friend and the more I fell in love with her. I laughed, I cried, I launched myself into deep discussions over her character and why she would do or say certain things in each situation. I saw her easily slip back into her avdenturing habits, adoring each moment she got to spend under the stars. I saw her face her demons once again and with even more purpose this time. I saw her make new friends that she would want to spend the rest of her life with, I saw her fall in love with a man that truly deserved to be by her side... My little tiefling sorceress that plays like a barbarian, my pride and joy.

And it all came to and end last night. Her and her allies won the last battle, they saved Baldur's Gate, Gale proposed to her and she moved with him to Waterdeep to spend the rest of their life together. She got her happy ending.

Six whole years with Summer and I can finally consider her story complete. Perhaps she is so important to me because out of all the characters I created, she is the only one that finally got her whole character arc. A beginning and an end. And after all the harsh challenges she faced, after all the dangers and the pain and suffering... she finally got her happy ending. She got what she deserved.

Now, does that mean I am done with Summer? Absolutely not. There is still much to do, much to write and much to draw. I'm gonna have tons of fun thinking up extra little scenarios for her and her friends and what her life in Waterdeep is gonna look like as she finally gets to build a family of her own. But as far as I am concerned... her main story's complete.

And as I listen to Endless Spring and get emotional all over again, I want to thank @wolfhunter89 and @sheeplyquillwrites for coming along with me on this wonderful journey. Summer's story just wouldn't have been the same without you. I love you guys so damn much, even if I never say it. I can't wait to see what's in store for Arwen next. To many more stories and games shared together!

[nikoisme]

Okay, okay, okay, this is just for the silly but it made me giggle so I hope it makes you giggle too. :D

With your River Wives and with them cleaning trash, I had the idea of Fisherwoman trying to be cute and place a present amongst the trash to be sorted or whatever, and if Naiad has a collection of stuff she's found, maybe putting a little present in there.

Naiad: Oh! What's this? How'd this get here? Thought we cleaned this out. Fisherwoman: I don't know~ Maybe we missed something. What do you think of it? Naiad: It's pretty! ...Feel bad for whoever tossed it out. *yeets it to the trash pile* Fisherwoman: No! It's a gift! Naiad: Then why didn't you just give it to me??? You know how many of these get tossed into the river?? Fisherwoman: ...Well, do you like it? Naiad: Yeah :D *smooch*

Sometimes Riverwives have some miscommunication like everyone else :D

It's very silly but made me giggle so I hope it makes you giggle too.

YESSS YES THIS IS SO IN CHARACTER FOR THEM!!! THIS IS CANON. Fisherwoman would definitely place little gifts and trinkets among the trash to cheer her up, since she knows naiad gets really upset and is in a bad mood when she sees all that trash. But she just loves seeing her wife's smile - both of them do. They are stupidly in love with each other 🥹 However naiad just doesn't pick up on things sometimes - since she's a naiad and just doesn't understand human things at first. So fisherwoman also teaches her stuff like that! (I have a whole bit where fisherwoman teaches her how to swear which results in naiad swearing in almost EVERY sentence. She almost regrets it). There are so many silly drawings i want to make that PERFECTLY describe their dynamic.

Seeing you talk about the river wives made me stupidly happy thank you mads 🥺 i barely post anything about them but they are IN MY MIND and i love them so much. Past me, who came up with the story, would be so delighted to know that they finally get to kiss. Istg there was so much yearning and obvious "i am in love with you"s, i was like "now KISS. pLEASE KISS" the entire time i was writing. Now they can finally kiss <33

[dreamerinsilico]

Fic writing questions

tagged by @yuniemaki - thank you for thinking of me!

how many works do you have on ao3?

67

2. what's your total ao3 word count?

344,183

Kind of wild to me, but the VAST majority of those words happened more than five years ago.

3. what fandoms do you write for?

Mostly The Sandman right now, although I'm still a Hannibal person and I think I feel some BG3 coming on eventually. I've meandered my way through various video game fandoms over the years and am likely to return to Pillars of Eternity. Rather less likely for the Bioware stuff, but maybe the upcoming DA game will, in a stunning subversion of my expectations, make me care about Dragon Age again.

I really enjoy the Yuletide fic exchange, so I write for whatever small fandom I get assigned that year (so far I've done Wayward Children, Left Hand of Darkness, and Goncharov), and I'm hoping to get more into exchanges.

4. what are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Constellations of the Things We Left Unsaid - multichapter Reaper76 thing I actually finished and was writing when Overwatch was popular

His Pale Steed - early Hannibal fic, I think it was my second

Best of Cruel Intentions - also earlyish Hannibal fic, and the start of my very excellent mutual betaing relationshihp with @tiggymalvern

Let's Try Another Kind of Peace - T_T WIP crawling out of the well to shame authorkind (also Hannibal. Yes, I still do have intent to get back to it.)

Solstice - Actually tickled and delighted this made the list; it's the second fic I ever posted to AO3, and it is Aela/F!Dovahkiin smut from the Skyrim kinkmeme back in the day

5. do you respond to comments?

A majority of the time, yes. Especially if I get a meaty one to actually talk about!

6. what is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

....yeah, not really any competition there, it's I Recall, which I wrote for a Pillars of Eternity minibang about my Watcher, Acantha's past-life doomed romance with Iovara.

7. what's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I'm not sure how to answer this one! I'm kinda all over the map in terms of the tone of the fics I write, and I don't know how to really differentiate between different happy endings.

But let's shout out You Sang Me of Some Distant Past (Dragon Age, F!Hawke/Morrigan, which canoe I will paddle until the end times) - this was my first ever big bang entry, and I'm still happy with it a decade later.

8. do you get hate on fics?

I think the closest thing to hate I've ever gotten was someone saying my Labyrinth fic had Sarah using too many big words in her head.

9. do you write smut? if so, what kind?

My AO3's linked all over this post, you can just go look.

But uh, lot of D/s, lot of knifeplay, I think are the two big themes.

10. do you write crossovers? what's the craziest one you've written?

I have written one (1) crossover! There's Someone Scratching Softly is a Hannibal/Wayward Children crossover where Jack Wolcott is in therapy with Hannibal. It's the leviathan shadow of a much larger AU Hannibal fic I've done a lot of brainstorming on, and I posted it on a whim one day (I hadn't originally intended to, when I wrote it) and was very pleased with that decision, because a few fans who know both canons came out of the woodwork to gush at me about it.

11. have you ever had a fic stolen?

No idea, but probably not; I don't write enough plotty epics to make it likely.

12. have you ever had a fic translated?

Not that I'm aware of. (A couple of delightful people have podficced some of my short Hannibal fics, though! I was very excited.)

13. have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nope. Wouldn't completely rule it out as a possibility, but not something I've done date.

14. what's your all time favourite ship?

I don't really do all-time favorites? I do whatever I've got the most brainrot about currently. I don't have a good way of ranking favorite ships relative to one another!

15. what's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Relentless Splinters I Recall is the parent fic, sort of, to I Recall, which I mentioned above. It was a very ambitious idea and I love what's there, but I will be very surprised and impressed with myself if I manage to pick that thread back up at some point. I don't think I'm really cut out to do game novelization fic.

16. what are your writing strengths?

Economy's probably the biggest one; I know very well that I can get a lot done in a relatively small number of words. I also really enjoy writing dialogue and like to think I'm good at it.

17. what are your writing weaknesses?

I'm not the kind of person who can spawn wild AUs or plotlines easily, and I often wish that I was. (I don't think I'm bad at plot, but if I'm writing something plotty there is a lot of very deliberate brainstorming and probably workshopping with a friend or two, and it takes a ton of effort.)

Also just, you know, getting words on the page. (It's hard! It's hard! It's really really haaaaard! ~*)

18. thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I think anything from a curse word to a short phrase can have a place, but usually find it obnoxious when writers put in whole exchanges in (usually google translated) Other Language.

There was a post going around at some point discussing how bi/multilingual people do and don't mix languages that was very good and valid.

19. first fandom you wrote for?

Labyrinth (1986)

20. favorite fic you've written?

Oof, that's hard. Something, something, can't pick a favorite child.

However, with the caveat that I have a lot of favorites for a lot of reasons, the Goncharov fic I wrote for Yuletide 2023 still pleases me to an outsize degree. Sometimes I think I'm funny.

Tagging @tiggymalvern @stylishanachronism @firebatvillain @xenosimp @pragnificent @softdedue @the-bees-patella @dsudis and anyone else so inclined <3

[eyeofhurakana]

Holy crap... Nearly all the fluff fics hit 100 notes. Wow…

Thanks so much, everyone! Honestly, I’m pretty stunned. I just got back from vacation and this was a very pleasant thing to come back home to. Plus all the comments and reblogs were fantastic to read. XD Ya’ll are a great bunch and I’m happy to be here. 

Soooo it’s that time again~! Response time!  

From Last Week's Responses

@avast-me-alien XD You are so funny. Oh my gosh. And thank you for your words! I’m super happy to hear that my writing helps sate that Sampo Koski Itch. I am delighted to make even more as this game carries on. 

About Tag Lists

@avast-me-alien Absolutely! I will ensure that you are well-fed, fellow Sampo admirer.

@https-jjessica Ahhhhhh... I want to tag you but Tumblr won't let me. What in the world...? And thank you so much for the compliment! *swells with happiness* Now if I can just figure out how to tag you... Do you have another tag that I can use to notify you? (I get the feeling that Tumblr will magically work after this posts, but just in case... if it doesn't tag you, then let me know. I'll do my best to fix it on my end.)

From Chapter 2 of “Bouncing Brings Us All Together”

@mleegi Thank you!! Plus, bless your kind soul for your patience. I am still rehashing the final chapter. I’m so darn picky. I’m sure it’ll come to me soon enough. It’s gotta have the Koski flare before I give it the green light to post. =D

@rebeccawinters I’m so happy to hear that! Ahhhh! I hope the final chapter meets expectations. Thanks so much! 

From Chapter 1 of “Unlike Fiction”

@baby-lisuga I will! I'll make a post for everyone being tagged when I get the chance!

@rebeccawinters Daaaang. The keyboard spazz response is always a great compliment. XD I’m glad you are enjoying him. 

@haliyamori YEAH. I KNOW. I’m the one writing this and even I’M MAD. Tsk tsk, Gepard. TSK TSK.  

From Chapter 2 of “Unlike Fiction”

@lunasun Oh my god. I know, right? I gotta make a mini blurb where the reader just squeezes his exposed hip, catching him by surprise. Oh, and about getting kidnapped… Honestly, any time spent with Sampo is time well spent. Worth it.

As for why the reader isn’t with him anymore… Well, that’ll get explained soon enough. But I’ll be nice and drop a hint. “What does Gepard have that Sampo does not?” If you can answer that, that’s pretty much the reason. 

@hansel-the-pierrot Yessss. I always love hearing these comments. He’s so perfect. This is why I can’t stop writing him. XD UGH. He’s just so much fun. The fact that he’s so easygoing is great.  

@eugeeneshwed No problem! I gladly contribute to the Koski cause and feed my fellow Sampo admirers. Heavens know that ya’ll need it. 

@https-jjessica For real. I was just doing single pulls on the regular warp and was stunned when he came home again. Now he’s eternally in my party. That DoT is no joke. 

@rebeccawinters *spazzes* Ahhhhh! Three comments!!! This is like getting a 5 star in one pull with no pity! Oh my gosh! Thank you!! I’m so glad you like him as well as the fic! It’s such an honor to make people obsessed. XD It truly is. As for having a tag list, I'm working on it and I'll definitely have you added on. I'll make a separate post for it too so everyone can see where they stand on the list. And oh my god, you are such an amazing fan. Being blog-stalked for updates is like... the ultimate compliment. <3 I can't stop feeling so giddy now. Thank you very much for this.

@helloyuki Awww. Of course. I’m glad you liked it. =D

@worriedvision Awwwwww!! Thank you for the endorsement! Whoo! Definitely got a smile out of me.

XD AHHH! I thought the same thing! But that’s what makes him wonderful, eh? Always keepin’ us on our toes. 

Me too. Ugh. This man won’t leave my head. Though I bemoan this with an endearing tone, of course.

Anywho, thanks so much to everyone that commented, reblogged, or even just remembered to poke that little heart button. Seriously, you're all wonderful and I hope that we can all run around HSR's universe with E6 Sampo Koskis.

[blink-blank-bliss]

Hey Blissy your turn. I hear you are: "Neural Nets and Pretty Patterns owned voice actress and pleasure puppet"

Some odd questions for you:

Would you desrcibe yourself as being in a bdsm relationship that uses hypnosis as a tool like a Dom-sub relationship + hypno, Or a Hypno-Domination H-D/s relationship? Just curious how you'd define it - because you seem happy and you guys are still going strong, or is it a Hypno relationship +D/s?

Could you say please what the most important part of the hypnotic relationship is - like the thing that makes the hypnosis most effective for you?

Could you also please say what submission means to you, what are the core components for submission to be happening?

Thank you in advance x x x

Hi Doll! It's always a pleasure to hear from you and I'd be happy to answer your questions, I apologize to any reader who actually plows through this whole thing for what may be a little too much of a glimpse behind the curtain at Actual Me and not the public face of Bliss, but oh well, I don't really get a lot of serious questions and I am delighted that you've asked me, so buckle up here we go.

I don't think I would use any of those terms to describe my relationship with Neural. We are primarily romantic partners and best friends, and we work together to create weird kinky artsy audio porn stuff. He's the creator, but I do a lot behind the scenes to help keep the content coming and I take my job as Cunt Muse seriously. Yes, we have kinky sex and it's fucking great, but it's just a small part of a relationship between equals. He has, however, spent a lot of time inside my mind, as I have in his. It's given our relationship something that I guess I would call ...mental intimacy? haha that sounds gross idfk. But I've never really had this before and can't imagine having it with someone else. The content is a part of it, I love acting and he just writes me the most fun roles to play. haha in the one we are working on now I play the most sadistic nun ever, it's so cathartic, I swear I'm healing generational trauma doing it haha. Getting to explore all of that together is really sexual and really hot but it's not like ... hypnosis. I love having wild kinky trancey scenes with him and he is a wonderful dom, knows how to push my buttons just the right way to take me apart and always makes sure to put me back together after, but it's not as important to me as it is that he has made me laugh every day for over 5 years without fail or that he can write me a part to play in a script that will both highlight my talent and turn me on.

I think the most important part of the hypnotic relationship is trust. I trust him and he trusts me. I know he is committed to being good to me and good for me, as I am for him. He's proven it to me through haha some honestly insane shit storms of life and I know I have proven it to him. And we've been at it long enough that we've seen the proof, both of us are better stronger people than we were before we met. This is what makes us equals, but it's also what makes it possible for him to slide inside my mind like he's coming home and make me into nothing but his. For a time at least.

ok so this is a two-parter. Part 1. What does submission mean to me? So ok I am old. I came out as queer and kinky in a world where to be kinky you had to put on a latex dress and go in person to what they called an "S & M Club". It was terrifying but thrilling. But as far as kink goes, I'm a little jaded at this point. I feel like I've literally seen it all. I've been to at least 50 kink conventions of all varieties. I've taught classes, hosted infamous dungeon parties, demo dollied, bootblacked, partied with all manner of kinky people. but like.... I'm fucking old and I did it already. Now yes, I am still submissive, I am still a masochist, but I just don't have anything left to prove to myself or anyone else about it. Submission has been a part of who I am for more than half my life now, but at this point, it's pretty much just a sex thing for me. I mean yeah I call Neural Owner or Daddy when we play, and yeah it was hot as hell when I asked him to choose my new hair color, but it's for fun and a sex thing. Part 2 is pretty cut and dried. I'm jumping over the safety speech part here and just say that I'm only talking about power exchange that I would consider RACK. But for submission to occur there has to be some kind of agreement that you are going to give up your power to another for a period of time in some agreed upon way. That's what we mean when we talk about consent really. it's what makes healthy power exchange possible, without that it's all various degrees of abuse and codependency and people making each other into less than they are. Gross. I'm also going to answer a question that you didn't ask, but my advice to any submissive but especially those getting into it: -sit down with yourself and really decide what your values are, what your limits are, what your needs are, physically emotionally mentally before you go giving your precious self away to a dom. - Sub frenzy is a thing, it's crazy, I've been there, but it is Not Real and it will fade, take your time in establishing relationships and making commitments no matter how hot the scenes are. -No matter how much you worship them, your doms will remain human. Humans have limits on their time and their energy. Humans are not all-knowing. Humans get sick. Humans make mistakes. Don't put divinity level expectations on your human partner. It's a set up, no one can live up to it.

[eureka-its-zico]

Hi, I'm back with another essay 😂

I've had a busy week at work and I thank the heavens it is Friday because I need to just sit and stare at a wall for a while and decompress 😂 Also, my week's been fully thrown off since Monday as I did not sleep at all that night so I've been all over the place. HOWEVER, it's been a fairly alright week!

I thought I'd send in an ask to mainly talk video games because Dragon Age, ME AND Baldur's Gate? Especially ME?! I don't get to talk about ME enough!

Okay, so I have to admit that for most of the game, my party was Shadowheart, Karlach and the gith chick, Lae'zel, that you don't like 😂 And I have to admit that at first I was on the fence about her, but she quickly grew on me and even more so as the story progressed. Larian Studios gave each of their characters a great background and amazing personalities. And majority of them have great character progression as the game progresses, imo! (there's some things that happen in that game that I cannot comment about yet, but honestly, Larian Studios are creative geniuses lol)

In regards to Lae'zel, I will definitely want to hear more of your thoughts as you progress through the game!

Also, I cackled at the fact you restarted the game because you found out you missed Gale! 😂 I have to admit though - I would absolutely do the same! Let me know what you decide on him, because I went through the whole game and my opinion about him didn't change 😂

How are you finding the game so far? What do you think of the story and the characters you encountered? Both, the characters you can have in your party and NPC's? Have you tried to speak with any animals yet? 😂

Coming up to Dragon Age and Mass Effect… It's been years since I touched a Dragon Age game, but I remember the first and second games fondly. But Mass Effect… Oh boy, haha. I played the games… I don't even know how many times. ME2 still to this day holds a special part in my heart so when they announced an ME Legendary Edition with all three games reworked, all shiny and pretty?? You bet I got them and played through all three games :D And it felt like playing them for the first time again. Also, Garrus? Yes, please!

Have to admit, I was disappointed at the ending on ME3, both because of the ending they gave Commander Shepard and also because the ending that they originally came out with was… a flop and unsatisfying, though they gave longer endings after a patch because of fan disappointment. And I will forever think that the "secret ending" of Commander Shepard's N7 logo in those ruins actually means they aren't dead (there should also be a new ME game???! And they showed Liara in the trailer??!).

The universe that ME has, with the story and characters is just absolutely mind blowing and those games are beautiful ❤ And personally, I look for games that have a rich and deep story so the fact that we are talking about DA, ME and Baldur's Gate right now? My heart is singing and I am just all warm and happy haha

Another one of my favourites is Witcher 3. AND it was a fave before Henry Cavill became a live action Geralt 😂 I spent a lot of hours on that game... One could even say too many, but if anyone does - they're wrong 😂

But of course, I have to take a moment and scream about "Violent Delights", because excuse me? Where has Enishi Yukishiro been and why have I not seen him?? 👀 I know what I'm watching over the weekend lol I need to find time to go through your whole master list because your writing is like nourishment and it does unexplainable things to me!

And that sneak peek for chapter 7..? Oh fuck. These two petty fools will be the end of me 😂

On a personal note, thank you for your kind words in your reply. I appreciate you for taking the time to reply and share your lovely words with me because they mean a lot ❤

I hope your week has been great, Jenn! And I hope you will have a lovely, restful weekend! Sending you lots of virtual hugs! ❤

Okay so I KNOW you just sent me a brand new ask but I need to answer this one first! I am so sorry it took me so long to reply 😩

How have your weeks been going? It’s been a while since we’ve checked in with one another! I sincerely hope that no technology has been acting up and that your days have been peaceful and content 🖤

DID YOU BY CHANCE WATCH RUROUNI KENSHIN: THE FINAL WITH ENISHI YUKISHIRO?!!??? I legit wrote that thinking it would get him out of my system but it actually did not lol and I’m already just planning on continuing it but it’s just going to be filth. Pure smutty filth and I refuse to apologize 🤣🤣

Right now Karlach is still currently my fav! Her character is just so FUN. She has such a good attitude, and she is definitely the type of person I would want in a real-life crew. I’m torn on the love interest part of it because like…so far I like none of them lol. Astarion is in the lead, but barely, just because he’s a vampire and I’m a whore for love bites 😈 lol but I have noticed that he does have these soft moments through the indifference he conveys. He’s just different from who I usually pick in games. Although, in Cyberpunk I picked Judy but if I could’ve picked Johnny (absolutely LOVE Keanu) I would’ve lol. I love broody men.

I agree with you on ME3!! I’m so glad they went back and added more to it. I think it allowed a lot of us to get the closer we needed when it came to our Commander Shepherds. And yeah, if you chose the destroy option, they hinted that he/she was still alive, but I could never choose that one. I’m such a paragon lol I wanted everyone to get along and if my character had to sacrifice herself to do it, I did it every time (I can’t do that to Eve) 😩😩 except the one time to see if the destroy ending was worth it. I won’t hold my breath about the new DA and ME trailers they showcased a couple years ago, because Andromeda was not a fav lol. I think trying to bring in a new character to take over for shepherd is going to be incredibly hard, but I am interested to see if the continue with the storyline of inquisition for DA!

Baldur’s Gate 3 is just such a breathe of fresh air because I’m such a whore for a good storyline. I LOVE them. It makes it so much more immersive and makes you care about the outcomes of those in your party and your character. Witcher 3 was sooooo good at that too!

I’m still waiting to replay Cyberpunk 2077 from the beginning because of the Sons of Liberty DLC. I’ve heard amazing things about it, and I’m hyped but I got 2 weeks left of Uni work and then I graduate and I’m DONE! I’m so ready lol 🤣🤣

Thank you for always being such an absolute joy to talk to and for the essays lol. For being one of the sweetest humans alive. I hope your weekend is treating you well 🖤🖤 much love

[hlmowrer]

Weeks 94 & 95: Well this is what you came to do, isn't it?

UPDATE /// APPARENTLY I FORGOT TO SEND THIS ON MONDAY SO HERE IT IS SORRYYYYY

I find myself once again regretting my decision to squish two weeks into the same letter...especially now with retrospect informing me that they could not BE more different.  So now I basically have to write two letters.  #NaturalConsequences

-Week 94-

This week was an immensely busy week.  We kicked it off with a zone conference, and it's one of the strangest conferences I've ever been to.  We were invited to the mission president's home for it, which was a fun twist but a VERY tight fit.  The Spirit helped me understand the application of most of what was shared (an answer to a fervent prayer of mine beforehand) and it was a delight to see the zone.  Afterwards we were shuttled to another building for a "surprise"...and discovered that there was a dodgeball court waiting for us.  President Peckham wanted to give us a rare opportunity to unwind a little bit (and, after some prodding, admitted that he finds watching his missionaries play sports very funny).  It was actually pretty fun, but I really would not recommend doing it wearing suits and dresses...

The remainder of the week was a mudrun of trying to get Dustin ready for his baptism...it was a lot of stressful work but a happy work nonetheless!  While we were at it another dear friend accepted our invitation to be baptized as well!  Missionary work gets a lot more fun when you have some momentum and you get to spend more time rejoicing with those you've worked so hard to help, and I thank the Lord for the opportunity to know some of these amazing people.

I also got to go out on an exchange with Elder Thornton, which was a fun blast from the past!  He was my companion about a year ago in Fremont, and it was nice to revisit old memories and counsel together about how we can move forward in our respective areas.

And last but far from least, on Sunday Dustin was finally baptized!  After more than a year of considering it he was finally ready, and it was well worth the wait!  He's such a great guy, and it was so cool to see him take such a powerful step for him and his family!  There's a lot left to do but he's one of the ones where I am so excited to see where he and his family are at in a few years.  I know he feels good about it.  To quote his words: "I feel GREAT.  I'm past Cloud 9, this is Cloud 10!"

The joy of others really is the gem of life sometimes :)

-Week 95-

*sigh*

Okay, time moves kinda fast in the mission and mentally transitioning from writing about last week to writing about this week just gave me emotional whiplash.

This week had some setbacks for sure.  Right at the beginning of the week, the friend that had decided to be baptized had an experience that severely rattled him and he completely 180'd.  It was a lot of stress trying to repair the relationship and make sure he wasn't going to cause any damage to anyone else, and thanks to divine help that effort was successful but he is now not someone we can teach and connect with.  

The rest of the week followed this pattern...very suddenly it felt like all the progress we had made was gone.  Throw in my foolish decision to get multiple vaccinations done at the same time, and neither my body nor my soul was very happy with me.  I held on for what felt like dear life most of the week, once again praying to Heavenly Father for a path back to stability.

And then, like they always do, the tender mercies came.  I got to have dinner with a friend in my branch who just so happened to share a personal experience that helped me gain a much better perspective (I KNOW God did that for me intentionally) and as Elder Junsay and I went over our upcoming plans, we discovered that the very difficult labor of the week had resulted in many interesting opportunities being set up over the course of the NEXT week.  So now I have some things to look forward to.  Dustin is still happy, and at the end of the day all seems to be more or less alright.

God is so good.  And SO much more patient than I am. He's gotta teach me how He does that one of these days.

All my love forever <3

-Elder Beren Mowrer

[lost-act]

I don’t really know what to blog about because nothing eventful is happening other than a headache

Curiously speaking, I still don’t understand how tumblr works or how to get activity on here. Though I could as much say that I’ve ran my luck when it comes to ventures I really want to go through. I don’t really bother much with it because my writing is mere madness. Yet I hope someone out there can understand at my madness and laugh at it.

It’s pretty hard to comprehend things when your mind is stuck focusing on surviving rather than living. I really find that living part difficult because you’re so used to trying so hard to survive that living is like relearning everything all over again. It’s relatively hard as well if you’re so used to expecting the worst out of everything that looking at yourself you realize you’re a hot mess. Like— hot in a bad way not hot as in “damn bish you look slay today” (or something along those lines) and more of “damn bish you live like this?”

Look, when you have a mental breakdown after mass while still in church (btw that breakdown is NOT related to anything church related. I just ended up breaking down all of a sudden mostly because I do not have a stable and/or healthy support system) shit really gets to you. I don’t know how but at one moment you’re happy and next thing you know your entire week is a living nightmare. Yet again I don’t know how to explain it but best I could say is that my fingers are peeling and I am suffering intense hair loss despite not being in my 80s. Next thing you know your entire body hormones start being lil shits and then you realize how you hate being unwillingly subscribed to a natural biological occurrence that literally is another equivalence to flawed biological engineering made by G O D. None of this is delightful and I’d rather not be waking up to another fucking headache.

Huh…my fingers peeling has gotten worse. Lol I just looked at the situation of one of my thumbs and it looks like it’s screaming in horror. Me too, buddy, me too. I won’t lie, my fingers have never peeled this bad until the final semester of year 1. I mean— this…oddity has happened before but then it stopped for a couple of years and then came back to torment the hell out of me now. Maybe it’s dehydration but gods only know because those past few years I was not a hydrated plant at all.

I’ve also managed to finish my first zine so that’s that. I’ll probably make more zines in the future because they’re p fun to make. Though there’s one zine I’m making that I’m putting a lot of effort into because it involves birds and I can’t afford to fuck that one up. I’m not entirely sure if I can sell the photos I took of em considering I’m an amateur bird photographer, but maybe drawing them instead would be better because I really find the lil guys interesting.

Huh…would you look at that? Another idea for me to write. Is it definitely heavily referencing Honkai: Star Rail’s Sunday? Very much so because the lil shit grew on to me as a call out. Except I’m spiraling down into my own insanity and struggling to fly after being caged for so long.

Back to studying I guess…

[lyratums]

emukasa detective au rambles part 2?

(self indulgent word vomit, not recommended to read)

it's one of those nights where i need somewhere to dump my au. what's a linear, consistent plot? (sorry i like writing in scrambled fragments and somehow piecing the timeline together). this is just the introduction. nothing interesting happens. dont bother.

i wrote about emukasa basic profiles in another post i hope. for job context, emu is a lady from a rich, noble family (unemployed). tsukasa is a detective currently working independently under a small firm (shiraishi's). his only other co-workers are an and akito. rui is an inspector that works at a professional agency "arc" (haha get it "arcland".. no? okay.), which functions as the "scotland yard" of this universe. tsukasa used to work with rui at "arc", but that's not too relevant right now.. just needed to add why rui and tsukasa know each other (i dont think anyone is even mentioned in the beginning aside from emukasa). they all have backstories and such but idk im not dumping that here rn. the entire prsk cast is also in this story with roles, but maybe profile dump another time. i still have to write proper detailed profiles for emukasa too.

as for setting: no strong historical accuracy, but its like 1920s to 1930s era in a fictional world that is supposed to be earth but not 100% true so that i dont have to care about world history and realism. yay. aesthetic wise, very sherlock holmes esque if ykyk.

their initial encounter began after emu's precious jewel was stolen by a mysterious phantom thief, right from her estate. this rose quartz was a special gem to her, as it was the last thing her grandpa gifted her before he passed away. she was determined to get it back no matter what. she couldn't do it alone though, so she sought out a detective. she recalled an amazing detective she heard about from her brothers, someone from "arc" that helped solved an "impossible" case for them: tsukasa tenma. when she arrived at arc, she discovered that he was unfortunately no longer working there... but there was a gut feeling that she had to consult HIM specifically for this case... so she asked around and fortunately discovered that he's still an active detective, just under a different agency.

insert the shoujo love bubbles when their eyes met for the first time. anyways, tsukasa was initially surprised at how a high standing noble like emu decided to approach him, a small, "humble" (/s) detective. he was hesitant to take this case despite piquing his interest (his love for the strange and "impossible" cases) since he hasnt taken a large case of this size in a long time. however, with some sweet talk from emu ("but youre the AMAZING star detective right?" *sparkly eyes*), he agreed to take the case. before they start, he needed to finish the other case he took today: a missing dog. to his shock, emu decides to help him solve it ("no, you really don't have to-" "I'D LOVE TO HELP!! :D"). emu's now dragged into the case, much to tsukasa's initial annoyance ("i don't need help. i am a star detective!")

the case was relatively simple: ms. hanasato needed to find her beloved samoyed dog "samo-chan". this dog ran off from her yesterday and she has been distraught since. there were very few clues to work with: a broken leash, the general area where minori lived, and the last location he was seen (her house, with an opened front door). with some brainstorming and deduction together (which went well.. tsukasa and emu built off of each other's ideas fluidly), emu came to a seemingly wild conclusion ("what if he's over here?" *points to a completely different section of the map*). tsukasa had his doubts ("wait, wouldnt it make more sense to search the general area of her residence first?!"), but decided to go along with her (he had no choice). to his surprise and emu's delight, samo-chan was found in an entirely different part of town at the deli.

with a happy owner and a lost dog returned, they can now start the case. they mutually agreed to work together to solve emu's case, after their surprisingly successful teamwork today (*insert tackle hug here*). a new partnership formed today!! a formidable bond! the start of their mutual pining!!

sorry beginning of the story is slow/generic, but i needed a logical way for them to meet and for exposition purposes (this is where you're supposed to learn about the characters and setting and such if this were formatted into a proper storyline). of course their first interactions included, but not limited to, silly banter, witty lines, straight man and wise guy dynamic, and their fun personalities displayed. it's like emukasa's first encounter in main story (sort of) combined with how holmes/watson's first encounter went. its just emukasa's dynamic but in a detective partnership!!! if i had the energy to write the dialogue it would be more obvious.

detective skill stuff:

tsukasa has a more conventional (but somewhat unconventional in the eyes of a normal person) way of solving things than emu. he has great deduction, strong analysis, and deep/vast knowledge. he's very observant of the world around him and notices the small things (about people, settings, etc) that are often not considered. his connections with the community from his many cases and networking are really helpful when he needs resources, information, etc. there are perks to being an outgoing, friendly talkative, bold, [whatever extrovert words i can insert] person. when needed, he's amazing at acting and disguises (in another universe, he would be a star...). despite being a talented detective with a strong skillset, tsukasa isnt perfect and has his weaknesses (sometimes rash, letting his emotions take over logic, etc).

emu's detective style is highly inspired by this sherlock holmes quote: "when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth". its based on her great imagination, and how creative she is. emu basically fills in the gaps that tsukasa tends to overlook and notices what tsukasa is unable to see. this also leads to some wild/crazy ideas and guesses... her special skill is her emotional intelligence, such as being able to see through people's lies when it comes to questioning. great eyesight and hearing too. she has strong physical skills, which is useful in most cases!... she is also the one who wields the gun in most situations.

their first impressions of each other after this dog case:

tsukasa (about emu): thought she's crazy, but not to be underestimated and has great potential (impressed). found some annoyance with her "emu language" and her strong personality. currently wondering if he made a mistake taking this case, fearful for what his future with her holds (LOL). he's excited to finally take an interesting case again though, with an interesting partner.

(spoiler: he takes longer to fall for emu, but he certainly fell harder).

emu (about tsukasa): absolutely smitten... he was amazing as a detective and it was obvious that he had lots of experience to get to his skill level. somewhat strange and eccentric but he was entertaining for sure. she hasnt had this much fun in a long time, which was a nice change to her comfortable, predictable life. she was grateful that he was the reason why she was able to smile today after being upset over her missing jewel. she couldnt wait to see him again!!

(love at first sight. it was over as soon as she walked in that door).

THE FUN PART IS THE REAL CASE!!! they also get dragged into side cases along the way (unintentionally. what amazing luck /s). theres the romance sideplot: slowburn as the case progresses. ALL OF THIS IS... in my head. when will i get the chance to write it out? in the future, but im known to lack motivation unless its a random burst of energy at 3 AM like right now.

sorry i hope no one read all of this because its pure, unformatted word garbage.