#Timber Maniacs

[angelosearch]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Final Fantasy VIII Characters: Laguna Loire, Kiros Seagill, Ward Zabac Summary:

Laguna’s drafts for Timber Maniacs are interesting, to say the least. And this time, he, Kiros, and Ward are in Dollet.

For Laguna’s birthday and @ffviiicharacterweek! I used the bonus prompt: Timber Maniacs. 

[tastytofusoup]

Final Fantasy VIII (1999) ↠ Timber Maniacs

[fryingpan1234567]

listen I knowwww Roach should be British. he was on a British task force. he’s got the flag on his uniforms. but when @fixfoxnox said southerner Roach I just couldn’t not love him okay leave me alone

anyways. southerner Roach shenanigans

(I guess you could call this a Something in the Orange fanfic since he’s besties with Jackson in this scenario as well as dating Ghost and Soap……… but it’s general enough it’s probably fine ANYWAYS)

Roach’s accent, while it normally only lightly flavors a few of his words, gets considerably thicker when he’s visiting home

I mean like he does the thing southerners do where they somehow mash entire sentences into one word and the others are just like “……….what” but Jackson is nodding like he understood

Like. They’re all at dinner together somewhere. Somebody brings up the rodeo at the state fair. The Europeans have no idea what they’re talking about. Roach just goes “y’ain’tneverheardadat??” and Soap nearly has a stroke trying to figure out what he meant but Jackson continues to eat soundly like he didn’t hear anything wrong

COWBOY👏 HAT👏 RULE👏

HELP

No no no they go to some random dive bar for one of their birthdays. It doesn’t matter whose. Jackson and Roach both have cowboy hats because OBVIOUSLY and like. They exchange this look that the others can’t figure out whenever one of their boyfriends steals their hat via flirting

(They tell them later and then can’t stop laughing while Soap and Ghost and Gaz are just sitting there like uh oh)

After that the hat stealing is very much purposeful

Square dancing to fucking Timber by Kesha and Pitbull in said dive bar because that’s just required idk what to tell you

Soap and Ghost seeing Roach ride a horse for the first time and visibly bluescreen

Roach recognizing people from high school in his hometown even tho he hasn’t seen them in like 20 years

He likes Taylor Swift but only her old country-adjacent stuff

Ghost and Soap couldn’t figure out his aversion to any kind of substitute milk until he took them home and they found out it’s because he grew up drinking milk that literally came from the cows he has in his backyard. They own two cows. And a few chickens. Very resourceful

Jackson and Roach dragging the 141 to Roach’s family’s Super Bowl party one year because in the southern states it’s a huge fucking deal

The Europeans being like “………this is quite possibly one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen in my life” but their boys are having fun so it’s okay

God help the rest of them. Jackson and Roach are rooting for opposite teams.

There’s screaming, there’s wrestling on the living room floor, there’s spilling food and beer everywhere. The amount of rubbing it in after a touchdown lands is fucking crazy, and they’ve shouted about stabbing each other every single time

Eventually, maybe with a bit of googling, the others get into it. Soap hasn’t stopped shoving Mrs. Roach’s buffalo chicken dip in his face since he’d discovered it when they’d arrived, and Ghost was letting the kids use his tattoo like a coloring page while he chatted with Roach’s dad and brothers. Gaz kept getting elbowed in the ribs whenever Roach and Jackson tousled on the couch, and a couple times he was asked to hold Jackson’s beer so “I can kick some sense into this dipshit,” usually followed by Roach’s maniacal cackling. Price was banging around in the kitchen with Mrs. Roach. Nobody knew how he’d gotten dragged into that, but he seemed to be enjoying himself

On the topic of bringing the boys home to the fam oh my GODS thanksgiving

Ghost is not a dessert person. He’s never been a dessert person. But he had four slices of Mr. Roach’s apple pie, so,,,,,,,,, apparently he is actually a dessert person

Obvi Roach is good with all guns, but he was hunting with his dad and brothers by the time he was like six. He knows how to work a shotgun like he breathes

(Ahem being southern is why he’s so fucking stubborn btw if anyone was wondering)

Roach and Jackson both are religious Dolly Parton listeners

“DID U GUYS KNOW SHE WROTE JOLENE AND I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU ON THE SAME DAY—“

Ghost and Soap wake up one night because there’s a weird noise outside. They poke Roach awake like “???? what was that??” and he was just like “oh yeah the woods make noises sometimes. don’t worry about it. if something actually wanted to kill you, you wouldn’t hear it coming” and promptly passed back out

“Yea I’ve seen a skinwalker before” “FYM YOU’VE S E E N O N E ? “ “It was in my backyard?? Relax it just wanted the coyote that always tries to kill our chickens. I didn’t really mind”

Gaz suggests investigating a weird figure he saw in the woods. Roach laughs out loud and Jackson smacks him in the back of the head like “that’s how you fucking die you idiot”

“Y’all’re lucky we’re here to stop you from doing somethin’ stupid. Fuckin’ city slickers” “What did you just call me”

The deafening sounds of crickets and locusts puts Roach to sleep almost instantly every night. Ghost barely sleeps every time they visit.

”IT IS SO FUCKING LOUD IF ONE MORE BLOODY CRICKET—“ “Simon not everyone needs literal dead silence to sleep—“

No matter how many pillows he stacks on top of his head he can’t escape it

Oh. Oh. The Europeans CANNOT do southern heat. They’re passed out on the porch while Jackson and Roach and Roach’s brothers play football in the front yard

Roach makes killer lemonade and iced tea nobody talk to me

He has a rusty blue ancient pickup that he says is his baby. One of the wheels is misshapen and the bed squeaks dangerously every time they hit a pothole, but he won’t get rid of it EVER

Roach introduces Soap and Ghost to catching fireflies in jars with his nieces and nephews. They are. So in love with the concept.

It gets turned into a competition, because of course it does, and it looked like Ghost was going to win— but then the youngest of the participating children silently held up a jar that was too bright to look at and audibly buzzing from the amount of bugs inside of it. They cut their losses and embrace the fact that they’ll never be That Good

Southern👏 sunsets👏 there ain’t nothing like it

Soap has a sketchbook dedicated entirely to doodling Roach doing farm things

Roach had a horse he took care of in high school. Her name was Peaches and he literally cried when he found pictures of her in his room

Ghost LOVES the sweet old border collie Roach’s parents have. That dog has seen many a stampede, and he’s herded just as many. What a man. Ghost does not leave him alone Ever

gods fuck me bro I could literally talk about southern Roach F O R E V E R (idk if you can tell from the long ass post Jesus Christ)

good morning/ night/ 4am lmk if you want more of this

[give-bucky-his-boyfriend-back]

JJK playing just dance

Yuuji: Having the time of his life. Really fucking good at this but can be a little overenthusiastic. Once the remote flew from his hands and crashed into the tv. Megumi just shrugged and bought a new tv with Gojo's credit card. Favorite song: Rasputin (Boney M.)

Megumi: Definitely got forced to play. Low effort. Just moves the remote in time but when he realizes he's losing from Yuuji, Nobara and Gojo like this,his competitive streak is activated and he goes all out. Favorite song: Umbrella

Nobara: JUST DANCE QUEEN. Has all the high scores on every dance. No one knows when she did it. No one knows how she managed to score perfectly on most of the dances. Is probably the one who suggested they play just dance. Favorite song: Just Dance (Lady Gaga)

Inumaki: The fastest reaction time so he's really good. Enters a zone when he's playing where no one can reach him. Everyone just watches in awe as he manages to hit every move with perfect timing. Favorite song: Dont stop me now (Queen)

Yuta: Absolutely sucks at just dance. Too socially anxious about dancing in front of everyone so he low key fucks up. It doesn't matter though. Afterwards he gets to watch his friends play and that is what matters to him. Favorite song: Gentleman (PSY)

Maki: Might take the game a little too seriously. Shouting at the others like a coach from the sidelines. When playing she is focussed and treats it like training. Favorite song: Maniac (Michael Sembello)

Panda: Everyone loves to do dances with him. Especially in songs with the Panda avatar. He doesn't really care about the game, but he loves the appreciation. Favorite song (obviously): Timber (Pitbull)

Gojo: Loves playing. Sadly he isn't always invited, because Megumi 'forgets' to invite him. When he gets invited he secretly records his students having fun. He definitely rewatches the videos when he's out on long missions and misses them. Favorite song: Careless Whisper (loves to act all dramatic and to embarass whoever he's dancing with)

[ffviiicharacterweek]

January Event: Laguna Loire's Week - January 25th - January 31st

Welcome to the first event of the year: Laguna Loire's Week!

Let's celebrate our beloved Galbadian soldier - Talented Actor - Genius President of Esthar this month!

The Prompt List

All prompts from last year can be used, and there's also a new prompt for 2025: Raine!

ORIGINAL PROMPT LIST

Wrong map, again

Manliness scale

The pianist

La Résistance

Ops moment

The Big Jam Incident

Hello fairies, my old friend

The (dork) Sorceress Knight

Timber Maniacs

Tall, Dark and Frickin’ Unlucky

NEW PROMPT LIST

2025: Raine

The creative marathon

To boost your Laguna-related production, we’ll have a creative marathon running on January 25th on our discord server!

In the special channel #creative-marathon we will cheer on each other with writing and drawing sprints to celebrate the character and give the final push for all your creative efforts! Join the server and grab your marathon role!

Submissions

Submissions can be posted in the AO3 collection (you can find it here) and on Tumblr starting on January 25th; please fill in this form, because from now on only the fanworks submitted through the form will be reblogged. You can also tag @ffviiicharacterweek and/or use the hashtag #ffviiicharacterweek. After that, if you like a prompt and want to use it later in the year, don't worry: you can! Just publish your creation, submit your form and you'll be reblogged.

And remember: HAVE FUN, AND SHARE THE LOVE!

[utsxlevshiy]

@asgardianhammer asked “when was the last time we had a real conversation.”

dust.a sense of drifting between seconds to years without any recollection of how, or why . only to brought five years into the future with no choice but to survive. plagued by phantom noises, haunting all her steps . the memories of moonlit campfires and soft words, golden halls glittering in endless sunlight seem present. front and center but so far away in her mind.

a real conversation?

she can not recall what her last words to him even were. almost comedic how she forgot for a moment the timber of his voice, how the air seemed charged despite not a cloud in sight. five years is a long time to to be in a void of nothingness, no sight, no sound but till now her tongue still tastes dust. her mind thought of him plenty of times, something akin to worry kept her company in the void. to see him in the flesh was something else.

grey hues sweep across the landscape before falling to broad shoulders, brushing away the feeling of being lost, her lips curl into a smirk watching the god before .

" probably before you and your buddies decided to fight a purple maniac with a bedazzled glove. "

[the-kr8tor]

Hehehehehehe..... Daily Hobie HC! Sometimes kesha songs just hit the spot Both Hobie and you have decided to crash one of his universe's government meetings. Unfortunately, you two are way too giggly with each other to do anything successfully. Of course, you both can be serious (when sober), but why? Why be serious when the entire time he's trying to spy on the window from the other side it just looks like a cat. Once you manage to sneak in, he quickly follows behind, not trying to stay quiet. Despite this, somehow you both still aren't caught. The mission isn't entirely to kill, but just to give a shock. As he grabs a spare rag as a wick, shoving it inside an alcohol bottle as a makeshift molotov, Hobie fumbles for his lighter, which ends up dropping with you making a snort of laughter. This alerts the government officials, to which they immediately engage into combat, holding guns right up at the two of you. While you kept them occupied with leaping around and laughter that could come across as maniacal, Hobie manages to light up the molotov and dive out the window, signaling for you to follow quickly. Crashing out of the window ungracefully, you stumble into the ground at his feet, with Hobie laughing and pulling you along, the both of you sprinting as far as possible, still hearing the sound of the explosion from the molotov. Quickly seeking refuge in a lone alleyway, Hobie still holding you against him for support as the two of you catch your breaths. After settling down, Hobie unfurls the map he had stuffed into his back pocket of all the government meetings he planned to sabotage. Puncturing a hole in the map marking place that you both just exploded, there were at least 3 other meetings needing to be sabotaged. Hobie turned to you, a smirk evident underneath his mask. The moment he asks if you're ready for another adventure, your own wide grin graces your lips underneath your mask, the two of you rushing off. Hobie lead the way, swinging towards another meeting. This one, was underground, so the two of you would have to be extra sneaky to try and weave into it. After quite literally glaring at each other the entire time as a reminder to shut up, both you and Hobie managed to slink to the board meeting room. The main weapon for these shocks were half drank alcohol bottles, spare rags and Hobie's lighter. Throwing another molotov out, the two of you immediately burst through the doors, not caring to make his or your presence known. After all, it was more fun to see what the news will say. This time, you grabbed onto Hobie's hand, swinging off with him as he flipped the people watching off, the sound of the explosion cornily reminding you of the ignition of love between the two of you. Hobie dropped the two of you on top of a building, crossing off another location with a puncture. The night continued on like this, with it having been 2am when you both returned to the boathouse, bordering 3am. Lazily, you both pulled out of your spidersuits and crashed into bed, Hobie pulling you closer and tiredly humming in satisfaction. You cling closer to him, passing out immediately as his warmth crashed over you like a wave, paired up with his scent as you nuzzled your face into the crook of his neck. The next day, you woke up to an empty bed, and sounds coming from the lounge room. Groggily, you step out, dragging your feet out into the main area and crashing onto the couch next to Hobie, not yet seeing why he seemed so happy. He rubbed a hand affectionately over your back, coaxing you to sit up and lean into him as he pointed out the news going into panic about the attacks. Hobie mercilessly smothered you in kisses that morning as a thank you gift for joining him in being a menace, but you'd do it all over again for him. -🐦‍⬛

Wdym hehehe 🤨

Daily Hobie HC ‼️‼️‼️

Timber was my jam

OWNSJAJSNWS THIS WAS GIVING BLACK CAT R X SPIDERMAN VIBES!!!!

I love that they're so giddy and mischievous like they're just pranking their friends and not committing arson 😂

I imagined this in my head like a marvel short where the art style is in arcane style and there's no dialogue I love my brain sometimes

Also I imagined r poking the map with their claw!! So hot of them tbh

Awww they have a bit of a cuddle after committing crimes!!! Literally the couple of the decade (soulmates meant to be together in every life)

Their love language is anarchy your honour

[soapy-soartp]

Day 12 of @whumperless-whump-event (late entry)

Day: 12 - IT'S GOING DOWN I'M YELLING TIMBER)

Prompt: Building collapse / Trapped under rubble / "I can't move my legs."

Fandom: Bungo Stray Dogs

Characters: Chuuya Nakahara x Dazai Osamu

His heart beat just focus on his heart beat, yeah, don't think about- don't think about /his/ death- the blood- the- the- stop. It’s only been a few minutes- he can survive a little longer!… Can he though?

Fuck stop. Just focus.

Focus on what the markarelel is trying to say through his stupidly ingenious heartbeat trick. He’s trying to direct him. They can’t speak, Dazai can’t yell out to him and annoy him because then that’d risk the rest of the buildings collapsing and burying the suicidal maniac even more.

He can’t risk panicking because he can’t show that he cares (that'll only lead to hurt), and he can't afford to lose the precise control he has on his powers because he doesn't know where Dazai is exactly and he again risks crushing the idiot.

So just focus on his heart beat, it’ll lead him to that dumbass mummy whose as dumb as he is smart. As long as his heart is beating he's alive, as long as his heart beats he’d never truly leave chuuya.

But then suddenly the steady heartbeat he was listening to begins to grow erratic. His powers grow erratic too, giant chunks of the collapsed buildings glowing red and hovering- he starts being more reckless, more desperate in his search. 

That dumb ex-partner of his cannot die here. 

Not on some mission that they’d thought would be easy. Not due to some dumb ability that made it so Chuuya couldn’t find him. Not due to some wannabe crime organization wanting to act threatening toward the Port Mafia.

Then- an actual message comes through,

Shrimp. -Taking so long?

“Shut up, I’m fuckin trying.”

can’t get tiny brain to work? Told you, hat was eating away at it!

“I swear when I find you, Osamu- your-“

alright though! Can wait!

“Yes please wait, I’m almost there, I can find you.”

Then a lapse of silence, it goes on a kind of cycle, Dazai’s usual annoying remarks then silence. Well not exactly silence, the heart beat still pumps through it just no real message was actually put there. But then, the silence lapses for longer.

Chuuya…

It was shaky, Dazai doesn’t do shaky, not like that!

I- Can't move legs…

Chuuya sucks in a breathe and doubles his efforts.

Hurts. Chuu… 

“I FUCKIN bet and whose fault is that?!”

Didn’t. -beat-  Want -beat- Go. -beat- Like. -beat- This. -beat-

Each word was punctuated with a trembling beat, then the messages stop again but this time that usually strong stead heart falters.

Then finally after what seems like forever Chuuya finally find his stupid ex partner. When the ruble lifted to reveal him, he was in horrible shape. Bloodied everywhere, his legs mangled, yet he still looks up and teasingly smiles at Chuuya before his head lolls and… 

Chuuya can’t hear the heartbeat anymore.

That's when it all exploded, suddenly everything is surrounded by for a tainted’s red aura and Chuuya is lifting Dazai’s too limp and bloodied form with him as he breaks through the rest of the ruined building.

He lands suddenly in front of the detective agency’s doctor and trusts out Dazai’s form.

“FIX HIM!”

The doctor, Yasono or something, gasps and so do the other agency members around them. Then he's told to lay Dazai down on a spare mat so she can hopefully use her ability to revive him. He doesn't want to let his partner go but he needs to. 

So he does as told yet allows a piece of hair from Dazai’s head to be affected by for the tainted sorrows while the doctor uses her ability to attempt a damn miracle.

After a few agonizing moments he waits and stares at Osamu’s unmoving chest and still blood covered form. Then for the tainted’s effect wears off and Osamu’s chest begins to rise and fall, shallowly yes, but rise and fall nonetheless. Then finally the frustration and worry boils over and tears slip out of his eyes.

“You- you fucking asshole, Osamu,” he says shakily. “You better recover REALLY damn fast, you owe me big time.”

[starbornsoulrider]

how the ending to that quest went in my head-

spoilers for new story quest

It all happens in a blink. One minute, Halo was staring at the face of the man who took their beloved mentor from them. The face they'd hoped to never see again. They weren't even able to do anything- the shock had overcome their body long before they were able to shout, scream, attack, do anything. That can't be him. This has to be a dream. A nightmare. Please let it be a nightmare.

The next, there's a flash, and the ground beneath Buddy disappears. The Dark Riders, Mr. Sands, Darko, Devil's Gap, are all swallowed by white. Halo can't even realize where they've been transported to before the visions start. They don't feel themself fall sideways off Buddy's back and hit the rocky ground with a thump as shadows begin to consume their vision in place of the blinding light from before.

Everything plays out again, like a movie running in their mind. Their friends, the Dark Riders, Mr. Sands- Elissa wreaking complete havoc as Garnok's thousands of arms burst forth from the earth, shredding Jorvik apart like paper. Maniacal laughing ringing in their ear as everything they'd fought tooth and nail to protect crumbles like dust.

Darko has a hand around their throat, dangling them over the edge of a cliff, over the roaring ocean below. There's crystal shards scattered at his feet, and among them, Halo can make out the petrified faces of their friends and soul horse. Their horror-struck faces, captured in pink stone.

He lets go, and Halo plummets through the screeching air and plunges into the unforgiving cold. A tentacle wraps around their torso, dragging them back into the forsaken, empty darkness and trapping them for eternity.

"Halo! HALO!"

The sound of their horse's voice crying out to them slowly draws them out of the terror flashing before their eyes, and back to reality.

"Halo! Halo, you need to breathe!"

They can make out their horse's blue eyes through the haze. Following his instructions, they squeeze their eyes shut, and slowly but surely the horrific visions begin to dwindle. Buddy's voice talking them through it acts as a lifeline, keeping them from being dragged back down.

After what feels like hours, everything finally clears, and falls quiet. Their bleary eyes blink back open, greeted by the sight of the clouded night sky and the red particles left as residue from that teleportation spell. They suddenly register the weight on their chest, where Timber lay to try and calm them down. As they come back to their senses, their hand reaches up to rest on the Mistfox's soft fur.

A few more breaths later, and they make an attempt to sit up. Timber shifts into their lap, inky eyes never leaving his owner as he lets out a worried whimper.

Buddy's ears droop back in concern, but he gives his rider space, head hovering a safe distance away. Thick silence holds in the air as Halo gazes out blankly to the lapping shores of Cape Sorrow.

"...Halo?" he speaks up cautiously.

The young Soul Rider's mouth hangs open for a moment more. Halo's stare never leaves the towering cliffs of South Hoof in the distance as faint, raspy words finally part from their lips.

"My visions of Garnok..." they breathe out shakily, trembling hands squeezing Timber closer. "...they're coming true."

[fates-theysband]

the day you came, the sun ran out of light

idk what it is about this game that's making me pound out writing in a fevered haze but. another outer wilds self ship fic. here there be emotional conversations. maybe also some smooching. who's to say. also i think this is the first time i've had multiple of my s/is in one fic.

words: 2.2k

--

It was inaccurate to say Dark Bramble was ever quiet. It had…significantly less sound than somewhere like, say Giant’s Deep, that was for certain, but it was never quiet. Feldspar was part of the reason, of course, since their harmonica was usually the loudest thing in earshot. But even when they weren’t playing, they could hear other things. The distant screeches of anglerfish fighting for territory, the crackling of the fire, and, sometimes, if they listened just closely enough, the distant sparking of their ship’s remains. 

One thing they never expected to hear in their corner of Dark Bramble, though, was thrusters. Especially thrusters without the follow-up of an anglerfish immediately giving chase. It’d certainly happened to them enough times during the trip that stranded them here. They set their harmonica aside and squinted at the fog, searching for any sign that the ship was close to their camp…only for a BANG to resound from the back of the skeleton, followed by…voices?

“Stars above, are you trying to get us both killed!?”

“It was just the landing gear, I can bend it back into shape in three seconds!”

“We won’t have three seconds if every anglerfish in this…abomination against nature is after us!”

“The frequency–”

“Shut up about the frequency! You don’t think that landing was louder?” 

“It’s not about how loud it is, it’s about how unpleasant it is, first of all. Second–”

Feldspar was loath to move out of range of the gravity crystal, but they couldn’t lie that they were intrigued. The arguing voices were unmistakably familiar, and as they crept to the very edge of their camp, they could see two figures in spacesuits, floating toward the camp from a ship wedged between the skeleton’s tailbones. They were about the same height and build as each other, although one of them wore a noticeably shabbier spacesuit–Feldspar recognized it as the training spacesuit from the zero-g cave. That thing was barely spaceworthy, it didn’t even have proper boosters on the jetpack, and they already admired anyone who’d be willing to fly all the way out to Dark Bramble wearing it.

The figure in the training suit was reading their companion the riot act as the two of them floated closer. “–and you just start banging on my door, rambling about how ‘there’s no time to explain, just put this on’ and drag me out in that deathtrap Slate calls a ship–and you know how much I hate that you even climbed into that hunk of junk–but you beg me to trust you, and I do because you’re my sibling and at least if I’m with you I know what you’re getting up to, and to reward my trust you bring me to Dark Bramble of all places, the entire time flying like an absolute maniac and only by some sort of completely insane luck not ending up down some anglerfish’s gullet!”

Oh, now that voice was a sound for sore ears. Feldspar could scarcely believe it–they almost didn’t until the other figure cut in with, “Zirc, you’re blowing it out of proportion.” Stars above, Tourmaline had gotten big. They’d barely been old enough to operate a signalscope last time Feldspar had seen them, and now they were blasting off all by themself. Well, almost by themself. Seems they’d brought Zircon along for the ride. Good. There was a lot of lost time to make up with everyone on Timber Hearth, of course, but Zircon…

The pair came within range of the gravity crystal, and Feldspar stepped back a bit so it wasn’t too obvious they’d been eavesdropping. Zircon seemed to be wrapping up their rant. “I just wish you’d be a little more careful; if not for your sake, then for mine. I know you’re not deliberately reckless, but when you get like this you’re worse than–” They stopped in their tracks, seeming to notice just who they and their younger sibling were standing in front of. “Feldspar?” They froze in their tracks, their tone shifting from frustration to a combination of relief and disbelief in just that one word, before turning back toward Tourmaline. “Why didn’t you..?”

Tourmaline shrugged. “Didn’t think you’d believe me. Thought maybe you’d accuse me of playing with your feelings or something. Also, I kinda wanted it to be a surprise. But yeah. Feldspar’s still kickin’ around.”

“Kickin’ more than that,” Feldspar interjected, walking backward toward the campfire and motioning for Zircon and Tourmaline to follow. “Pull up a marshmallow stick, you two, I’ll tell you the whole story.”

“Sorry, I can’t stick around that long,” Tourmaline quickly replied, turning to leave. “I, uh, heard something really weird on my ship’s signalscope while I was navigating here and I wanna go check it out. Zirc, you wanna hang out here while I investigate? I won’t be long.”

“Tourmaline, what are you–” Zircon turned to grab their sibling’s shoulder, but Tourmaline put up a hand to stop them.

“Trust me, you’re a lot safer in this guy’s jaws,” they motioned to the roof of the anglerfish skeleton’s mouth, “than anywhere else in Dark Bramble.”

“The hatchling’s right,” Feldspar added. “No beasties will bother us here…and I’d love to catch up with you.” They winked. It wasn’t visible through the helmet, of course, but judging from the way Zircon tensed up at that last part, the message came through loud and clear.

“Fine,” Zircon relented, arms dropping to their sides. “Just…don’t do anything that’ll get you killed, please? For me?”

“If getting here didn’t kill me, nothing else will,” Tourmaline reassured, before gently motioning their head toward the campfire. “Go take a load off. I’ll be back.” They dashed off before Zircon could respond, and Feldspar heard the sound of thrusters again, fading away this time.

“Still just as subtle as they were back then, huh?” Feldspar said, settling back down to where they’d been sitting before the ship arrived, patting the ground next to them and looking at Zircon expectantly. “Crazy that they’re all grown up now.”

Zircon didn’t move. They stood where Tourmaline left them, staring at Feldspar, as if frozen in place. It put Feldspar in mind of someone watching the Quantum Moon–as if Zircon thought that, if they moved or blinked or did anything to break their focus, they’d be left standing alone in an abandoned campsite. Finally, after what felt like forever, they spoke, their voice wavering. “Everyone thought you were dead.”

“What, me? Not a chance.”

“Nobody else in the village would ever admit that, of course. Hearthian optimism at its finest. They’d say you were missing, or that you never came back, or that you’d disappeared, or they’d just awkwardly trail off after they said your name. But I thought–I knew–that you were dead.”

Feldspar stood up, approaching their old friend. “Zircon…” they murmured, unsure how to react.

“I cried, you know? When Hornfels told me they’d lost your signal? And for so long after that. It was so long before I could be alone for even an hour without thinking about you and breaking down. And having everyone else pretend that there was a chance you’d come back, that someone would find you, that one day someone would turn on their signalscope and hear you again–it just felt like they were dragging it out longer. Like instead of just letting me pull off the bandage in one go, they were making me gradually peel it away, so I felt every single cell of my skin individually separating from the adhesive, and it was agonizing.” Their voice trembled even more. “There’s so much I want to say to you that I thought I’d never get to say, and now…” they trailed off.

“Guess that makes two of us,” Feldspar responded with an awkward chuckle, attempting to lighten the mood. “Come on,” they extended a hand, “come sit by the fire and you can–”

Zircon cut them off, gripping their shoulders, and Feldspar could feel their glare through the helmet. “Some part of me wants to throttle you for being so reckless again, just like you always are, you always worried me so sick doing all those stupid dangerous stunts…the few times I thought about you and didn’t cry I was fuming, I was so angry that you’d done the one thing I always hoped you wouldn’t do and gotten yourself killed on one of your daring adventures…ugh.” They softened their grip. “I’m sorry. I really didn’t want the first thing I did when I saw you again to be berating you. I know that whatever you did to end up here wasn’t something you did on purpose. You’re too reckless for your own good, but you aren’t foolish.”

Feldspar pulled them into a hug, unable to stop themself from smiling. “All these years and you’re still such a worrywart,” they said fondly. “Can’t imagine how you’d have reacted if I’d made it back home. You’d try to have me grounded, wouldn’t you? ‘Feldspar’s not fit to fly, they went to Dark Bramble willingly! Nobody in their right mind would do that!’”

“Nobody in their right mind would come here,” Zircon replied, returning the hug and squeezing even tighter. “But I’m glad I had that particular lapse in judgment. Sorry for dumping on you like that. I’m really happy you’re okay.”

“Stars above, I missed you,” Feldspar responded. “Glad you didn’t worry yourself to death over me before I could see you again.”

“I don’t like seeing you in danger,” Zircon protested. “I know it bothers you because you have this reputation as a thrill-seeking daredevil whose last words are going to be ‘watch this’, but I only get that way because I…”

“Because you what?” Feldspar teased, pulling away from the hug but holding onto Zircon’s arms, cocking their head to the side. “Because you love me?” There was a bit of hope behind the joke. Not much hope; their half-joking flirtations had never landed back then, at least not as anything more than jokes. Still, they hoped this one would make Zircon smile, if nothing else.

It didn’t work. Zircon clenched their fists so hard their hands shook, and if they hadn’t been crying before the sound of their voice told Feldspar they definitely were now. “Because I don’t want to lose you that way. Because I don’t want you to die pointlessly just for a stupid adrenaline rush. And you know what? Yeah. Because I love you. I’ve learned that it definitely hurt so much more to know you were dead and I could never tell you how I felt, so I’m going to tell you while I still have the chance. I love you. I’m in love with you. You don’t have to love me back, but now you know. Are you happy now?”

Oh. That…was not the response Feldspar had been expecting, and they didn’t know how to react. They let go of Zircon’s arms and stepped back. “…wow. I feel like a real jerk now. You never seemed like you were actually into me back home, I…thought that would make you laugh like all my other lines did. I’m real sorry. Let’s…let’s get closer to the fire, there’s more air over there. Don’t wanna get tears all over your visor.” They reached out their hand again, and this time Zircon took it.

Neither of them spoke until they were both settled next to each other by the fire, helmets off and resting on the log behind them. Despite the tension in the air mingling with the campfire smoke, Feldspar couldn’t deny that Zircon still looked just as good as they had years ago. They’d have commented on it, but…that probably wouldn’t go well right now. Zircon finally broke the silence, calmer this time. “That was another thing I was meaning to ask you. Your ‘lines’...did you really mean those?”

It would have been easy to just say “yes” or “of course I did” or “you’re the only one I ever joked with that way, so I guess either way I was trying to tell you I liked you” or anything along those lines. That was the safe option. But…well, Feldspar was an incorrigible risk-taker with a habit of acting first and then thinking about it later. So instead, they leaned over and kissed Zircon square on the lips. When they pulled away, they did so with a cockeyed grin and a “That answer your question?”

Zircon froze again, blinking as though they were registering what had just happened. Then, once they’d processed everything, they were gripping Feldspar’s scarf like a lifeline, kissing them back so hard the two of them almost fell completely over from how far they were leaning. It was long and intense, so consuming that it was hard to hear anything else–not the fire, not the anglerfish, not anything.

Especially not jetpack thrusters or footsteps. When Zircon finally released Feldspar (who would swear they hadn’t been that dizzy since their first zero-g training), the two of them were finally able to notice the flickering shadow cast over them both. Tourmaline was back, and seemed amused by what they’d just seen. “You owe me an apology for lying to me when I was little, Zirc. You are too sweet on Feldspar.”

Feldspar couldn’t help but laugh at that. “They’ve got you there,” they told Zircon, gazing at them with a woozy smile.

For the first time since they’d shown up, Zircon finally smiled, a huffed laugh escaping their lips. “Don’t push your luck.”

[angelosearch]

Tomorrow is both Laguna's birthday and the one year anniversary of my return to fanfiction! These events are related! My first fic back last year was When in Dollet, which is [mostly] one of Laguna's Timber Maniac drafts.

I really hope I can upload a bit of my new Laguna fic tomorrow or this week but my laptop is being fixed and my old one is not fairing well.

[tothepointofinsanity]

Personal Log VI

Being raised under the wings of conservative religious parents and in two households of traditional Chinese relatives has taught me nothing but how to be a sponge for guilt. Everyone within my childhood has always made an effort to correct my "oddness" and open sensitivity. My sister pointed out to me only recently that she always thought I was a bit "off" when she was younger; an innate oddity I possessed on my persons attributed not only to the custom of dressing, but a highly reclusive nature that was perceived rebellious.

I don't think anyone in my family truly understands me. I say this not out of ill faith, but in the belief that no one has attempted to be sympathetic to my cause. They're not obligated to, certainly, and I have stopped trying altogether because I hate my father. My sister and I became close only a few years ago. On the phone, a distinct conversation I remember was when she told me the school counselor used play and art therapy in the room with her. And of these collection of toys, a striking posse of goldfish plush. She said that looking at these toys reminded her of myself. That seems to be all the hots of impressions about me these days by peers as well.

Rest in peace to everyone else in my psychology course for having me as their local madman. I'll never apologize for terrorising the class with my absurd fashion sense and blatant advocacy for homosexuality rights. (← Actually, I should do that more discreetly in the club instead because I might get arrested by the government!) I'm not over the fact that the schedule fucked me over and separated me from my two (2) friends in the entire course so I have to make new friends for the next semester. Thinking about socialising makes me sweat buckets, and I'm talking Johnny the Homicidal Maniac levels of neurosis here. Makes my teeth chatter a bit. Shiver me timbers. What's a man supposed to do if he hates how suffocating people can be? Something something Edgar Allan Poe was right. Sorry if it sounds like I'm "bouncing" here and there in my writing. I can never think straight and there's a lot of conversation generated in my brain right now. This sudden spike of jubilation (hypomania moment) was certainly unexpected, so I'll take advantage of it as much as I can to speak nonsense and garbage until I eventually sober up later.

[descendantsverse-official]

Descendantsverse Guide

Ships

Heroes (Equestria)

*"+" indicates that a couple is no longer together

Queen Celestia x King Sombra

- Soleil Rouge

Princess Luna x Consort Fluttershy

- River Styx

- Elara Nightsong

Princess Luna + The Storm King (One night stand)

- Whispering Brambles

Empress Cadence (Deceased) x Emperor Shining Armour (Deceased)

- Flurry Heart (Deceased)

- Apollo's Gift

Princess Twilight Sparkle x Consort Tempest Shadow x Consort Rainbow Dash

- Astral Twister

- Aquila Nocte

- Thundering Abyss

Pinkie Pie

- Boston Creme Pie (Adopted)

- Osiris Torte (Adopted)

- Rocky Road (Adopted)

Rarity Belle x Thunderlane

- Kyanite Cumulus

Applejack x Coloratura

- Honeybee Rome

Starlight Glimmer x Sunset Shimmer

- Eventide Reverie

- Orion Rise

Sweetie Belle x Star Tracker x Tender Taps

- Violet Serenade

Moondancer x Flash Sentry x Sunburst

- Nessarose Eridanus (Adopted)

Capper Dapperpaws + Cosmos (One night stand)

- Zenith Zeal

Discord + Cheese Sandwich (Fling)

- Dionysus Rumcake

Zecora + Tirek (...It’s complicated)

- Maangamizi Malaika

Soarin x Gloriosa Daisy

- Baby's Breath

Villains (Isle of the Lost)

*"+" indicates that a couple is no longer together

Chrysalis + Storm King

- Malignant Meimuna

Abacus Cinch + Neighsay

- Elegant Virtue

Tirek + Discord

- Tyrannical Vesper

Maniac + Lightning Dust

- Sonic Spark

Adagio Dazzle + Flim/Flam

- Andante Ripple

Captain Celaeno x Dr Cabellaron

- Percy Perch

Sonata Dusk x Wallflower Blush

- Rainflower Muse

- Cordelia Forte

- Hazelblossom Crescendo

Svengallop x Gladmane

- Jar of Hearts

- Casino Night

Silver Spoon x Cozy Glow

- Lucy Bee

Silver Spoon x Diamond Tiara (affair)

- Green Tea

Ahuizotl +(?) Timber Spruce

- Tlaloc

Ahuizotl + The Storm King (Fling)

- Derecho Storm

Grogar + REDACTED

- Andromeda Visage

[justasimpleton-26]

Hmmm, I'd like to try my hand at this!

Idiot, Idiot, Idiot. Jason thinks to himself. At least he thinks he does, because Dick pinches his arm and shakes his head.

Jason makes sure not to stare too long at Dick because then the toxin he accidentally inhaled will make Dick look like a melted-face puddle and Jason is pretty sure it's bad enough he has to deal with the giggling maniacs of the Joker.

The Joker, who stands in that corner, and watches Jason like a hawk.

Jason wants to leave. Twice or three times he's tried to escape the Batcave, but either Damian finds him (the scared 14 year old who tries to play it off), Tim does (the 19 year old who's jittery from nerves or coffee), or Dick does, the ever patient 25 year old who seems to be the only one that can touch Jason, without Jason screaming in hysterics.

"How much longer?" Damian asks. Or maybe it's Bruce.

Jason can't focus on one of them too long without their faces turning into twisted, Joker versions of themselves.

"Wow, little bird. They seem to really care for you...now." Joker says, as he taps the back of Jason’s head with...not a crowbar, it's too soft. Maybe his cane. "But I didn't see them when I invited you over to play."

"Stop...just...stop." Jason says, his voice hoarse. Was he screaming? When was he screaming?

Jason sits on the couch, curled up into himself. He doesn't care if he looks ridiculous, whatever it takes to not have the Joker focused on him, Jason will do it.

"Now, boy wonder...wanna hear a joke?" Joker asks, his voice right next to Jason’s ear.

"Lay it on me." Jason replies, weary. He doesn't understand how though the Lazarus pit healed him...he can still feel the pain on his body.

"Lay what on you?" Bruce asks, his voice even.

"That was rude, Bats. Birdie, tell the Bat to be nice or you'll be the one filled with strife." Joker said, tapping Jason’s shoulder. This time, it was the crowbar.

Jason, with tired reluctance, relays the demand.

Jason doesn't bother to look up if Bruce listened or not. His gaze sticks to the floor, that was supposed to be cement but for some reason is nothing but wriggling maggots.

"Like a coffin." Jason whispered to himself, and that makes Joker laugh.

"Hey birdie, you ever seen the living Deadman? No? You should, you own a mirror!" Joker laughed maniacally, Jason letting out a weak chuckle.

Okay, that one was pretty funny.

"What was the joke?" Dick asked, and Jason spares a glance at his older brother. Dick's face remains the same for a bit and Jason takes in a shaky breath.

"Tell them the joke, Jason. I'm sure they're DYING for a laugh as well." Joker orders, and Jason forces his gaze up, looking over at all of them with a forced calm.

"Joker asked me if I've seen the living Deadman. When I said no, he replied with I should have, I own a mirror." And Jason laughs, laughs so hard, it hurts his stomach and he's near tears.

"That's dark, Jay." Tim says, and Jason wipes his eyes.

"Oh, Timbers. I gotta laugh at his jokes. Or else he'll throw a tantrum and that crowbar will be wedged between my skull." Jason explains, Joker slapping Jay on the back.

"Just trying to turn you into the headless horseman." And again Joker laughs, and again Jason laughs, holding on to his stomach as a pain makes him gasp for air.

Someone steadies him, Jason trying to pull free. But goddamn, if his stomach doesn't hurt like a bitch.

"Get the bucket! Get it now!" Someone shouts, shoving a metal gray bucket under Jason’s face.

Jason vomits his lungs out, the acrid taste in the back of his throat forcing him to spew out even more. He's broken out in a sweat, staring at the Joker who's laughing at Jason’s pain, all the time, EVERY TIME.

When he's done, he feels lightheaded and so tired, leaning back on the couch. A cold rag covered his forehead and eyes, his breathing shallow and fast.

There's a prick on his arm and he passes out.

There's a pounding in the back of his eyes when he wakes up. Jason is back in his room and his body feels so heavy.

"Holy...crap." Jason says, trying to sit up.

"Take it easy, son." Bruce says, Jason moving his head to stare at him.

Bruce looks tired...haggard. And it looks like he's been sitting on that chair all night.

"Dad?" Jason croaks out, his mouth dry and his tongue heavy.

"I'm here Jason. I'm here." Bruce replied, patting Jason on the knee.

As Bruce comes into focus, others move. Dick stands next to Bruce, followed by Tim then Damian.

Damian actually looks like he's been crying. This alarms Jason. Very rare has he seen the teen cry.

"Who died?" Jason asks, and Damian shakes his head, Dick putting a hand on Jason’s shoulder.

"No one. No one at all." Dick assures.

Jason’s not sure why they're being affectionate or what happened yesterday.

But he decides to accept it.

Nothing wrong with a bit of affection from them.

I awfully need a fic, where Jason gets drugged by a big dose of fear toxin and starts seeing Joker's hallucination around — kind of like Bruce in Arkham Knight game, you know — and everyone is just... confused what to do with all of it?

They can't really produce antidote because it would fuck up his mind more, so he is stuck in the cave for the next 24 hours, and no one is leaving, because they can't allow Jason to go through this alone. Again.

Jason tries to put a brave face of course (god, he is THE Red Hood, one of the most influential people in the Gotham, he can't be afraid of a stupid clown–) but the more hours pass, the less he can control his fear or anxiety. Instead of pacing around like a ghost — he did that in the first four hours — he sits down on the couch, hugs himself, and starts answering to Joker?

Yeah, he knows he is not real. He understands that feeding hallucination with conversations will not help — and Dick, the ultimate expert in handling hallucinations, really, gave him some tips on what to do — but he can't just ignore it now.

He is too scared.

He remembers what comes if he flips off Joker or stops playing by his rules, alright?

"Knock, knock!"

Joker's face is as pale and terrifying as Jason remembers it to be. And maybe it is hallucination, but he still can feel his panted, hot breath on his ear.

He is alone, of course. Or not entirely alone, but others would notice if Joker was really here, right?

"Who is this?" He whispers, sensing his family tensing a little, not being sure what to expect.

Jason either argues with his hallucination or asks to stop. Or maybe just wordlessly scraps on his temples or cheek, in the place the J scar used to be, before the Lazarus Pit erased it from his body completely, leaving no traces.

"The stray dog that can't bark! Do you know why it can not bark, Jayjay?"

"I don't fucking know," he murmurs, but the fiericness with which he screamed at this man for hours now is gone; he sounds tired even to his own ears, and it is embarrassing. "Tell me."

"Because I broke its bones with a crowbar, silly!~" Joker shakes his shoulders, and Jason can practically feel the familiar ache of shattered bones. "It– Ahahah, it is too hurt to bark! It can only whine!"

Jason laughs.

His facial expression doesn't really change — he is still frowning a little — but he laughs with a painful wheeze. Joker is pleased enough to sigh dreamily in his ear.

Good job, Jason.

"What so funny?" Dick asks carefully, a patient smile on his face — he has been trying to distract him with conversations the most; Bruce prefers to keep his silence, and Tim thinks accidental physical touches help more than talking.

"He just said a joke," Jason shrugs weakily.

"Tell it to them," Joker orders. "Let us all laugh."

He doesn't really want to. But he can't disobey. He can't allow himself to die again, and–

"Knock, knock," he clears up his throat.

"Who is this?" Tim echoes, turning his chair to him, smart eyes scanning him up and down.

"The stray dog that can't bark," Jason tugs the tips of his own hair. "Do you know why it can not bark?"

Bruce tenses in his chair. He tenses in a way, Jason thinks, he already knows this joke; he has already heard it before. He almost looks as if he wants to stop him, cut mid-sentence.

But for some reason, he doesn't.

"Uh, why?" Dick tilts his head.

"Because my– its bones are broken," Jason stutters. "You know, dogs can't really bark when they are hurt? Just whine."

He can't bring himself to laugh again, even though Joker keeps giggling over and over.

"That's not funny, Jay," Tim murmurs.

"Yeah. I guess it isn't. But if I don't laugh, he'll get the crowbar again, and I really, really want to keep barking," Jason smiles.

He tries to ignore pitful glances of his family members, and the torture continues. No one breaks his bones this time, but Jason still whines when Bruce hugs him by the end of the night, pressing to his chest.

Joker is not here anymore, but Jason still can hear his taunting whisper, somewhere in the back of his head.

You will die his son.

[ffviiicharacterweek]

Selphie Tilmitt: July 16th - July 23rd

It's time for our bubbly Messenger Girl/Pilot/Explosive Expert: Selphie Tilmitt!

The prompt list

Transfer Student

Dream Band

Garden festival

First Guardian Force

Trabia

Sir Laguna

Bonus

Special Magic

Garden Website

Timber Maniacs Collector

Free Choice!

Submissions

Submissions can be posted in the AO3 collection (you can find it here) and on Tumblr starting July 16th; please fill in this form, because from now on only the fanworks submitted through the form will be reblogged. You can also tag @ffviiicharacterweek and/or use the hashtag #ffviiicharacterweek.

And remember: HAVE FUN, AND SHARE THE LOVE!

[jprandamonium]

Magic the Gathering Deck

What can you make out of these cards?

Murder Shamble Back Boggart Brute [Mark] Sigiled Starfish (x4) Murder Investigation Mindmelter Tears of Valakut Rolling Waters Boulder Salvo Isolation Zone Scion Summoner Spectral Shepherd Campaign of Vengeance Rancid Rats Fiery Temper Thornhide Wolves Vessel of Volatility Ghoulcaller's Accomplice Ghostly Wings Stitched Mangler Militant Inquisitor Evolving Winds (x2) Negate (x3) Tower Geist (x5) Island (x28) Plains (x22) Ooze [x2] Yoked Ox Celestial Flare (x2) Uncaged Fury Ravaging Blaze Altered Ego Veteran's Sidearm Rabid Bloodsucker Goblin Auramancer Subterranean Scout Dauntless Cathar Sword of the Animist Suppression Bonds Enshrouding Mist Might of the Masses Angel's Tomb Hitchclaw Recluse Screeching Skaab Healing Hands (x3) Aven Battle Priest (x2) Bounding Krasis Ringwarden Owl Charging Griffin (x4) Reave Soul Prickleboar Totem-Guide Hartebeest (x4) Thunderclap Wyvern (x4) Nearheath Chaplain Netcaster Spider Elemental Swamp Mina and Denn, Wildborn Ancient Crab (x2) Expedite Searing Light Nivix Barrier (x5) Ethereal Guidance Hydrolash (x5) Kozilek's Pathfinder Kozilek's Shrieker Alms of the Vein Saddleback Lagac [Mark] Heavy Infantry Turn to Frog (x3) Nagging Thoughts Rabid Bite Spiteful Motives Farbog Revenant Reduce to Ashes Mountain Cobblebrute [Mark] Weirded Vampire Faithbearer Paladin Bone Saw Forest Possessed Skaab Acolyte of the Inferno Swift Reckoning Might Beyond Reason Tormenting Voice [Mark] Pale Rider of Trostad Act of Treason Guardian of Meletis Wicker Witch Dragon Fodder Enthralling Victor Despoiler of Souls Macabre Waltz Claustrophobia (x4) Stratus Walk (x2) Nahiri's Machinations Drownyard Explorer Devil's Playground Thraben Gargoyle / Stonewing Antagonizer Stitchwing Skaab Sleep Paralysis (x3) Thornbow Archer Vastwood Gorger Puncturing Light Faerie Miscreant (x6) Strange Augmentation Emissary of the Sleepless Olivia's Bloodsworn (x2) Wild-Field Scarecrow Might Beyond Reason Pulse of Murasa Wastes Scion Summoner Suppression Bonds Reclaim Watercourser (x4) Separatist Voidmage Alhammarret, High Arbiter (x2) Bedlam Reveler Vexing Scuttler Lone Rider / It That Rides As One Woodland Patrol Rush of Adrenaline Intrepid Provisioner Invasive Surgery Stensia Banquet Enlightened Maniac Press for Answers Rottenheart Ghoul Clip Wings (x2) Crop Sigil Forest Cyclone Sire Hound of the Farbogs (x2) Reflector Mage Deepfathom Skulker Stromkirk mentor Foreboding Ruins Timber Shredder / Hinterland Logger Spirit (x2) Brute Strength Alfa Protector Unnatural Endurance Send to Sleep Yoked Ox (x4) Lamplighter of Selhoff Gravity Negator Eldrazi Scion Kazuul's Toll Collector Insect Relic Seeker Spawnbinder Mage Nantuko Husk Deep-Sea Terror Zombie Loam Dryad Broken Concentration Suppression Bonds (x3) Gatstaf Arsonists Leaf Glider (x2) Reaper of Flight Moonsilver Silverstrike Soulblade Djinn (x2) Sigil of Valor Deadbridge Shaman Stoic Builder Sylvan Messenger Weight of the Underworld Infectious Bloodlust Managorger Hydra Dreadwaters Galvanic Bombardment Wretched Gryff Rattlechains Silent Observer Inquisitor's Ox Citadel Castellan Unimpeded Trespasser / Uninvited Geist Rhox Maulers Tropan Freeblade Accursed Witch [Clue] Runaway Carriage Vessel of Nascency Dissension in the Ranks Vessel of Malignity Obsessed Skinner Touch of Moonglove