#Yeah the mixes are important but I'm still working on the answer to that bit of lore

[askponydei]

What are the pony versions of the Akatsuki are like, mod?

Hm. This is gonna be the least spoilery I can make it.

Deidara (Unicorn/pegasus mix): Full of rage and depression. Definitely has ADHD. Sasori (Unicorn, modified himself with manticore parts): Instigator and master manipulator. He's a gremlin. Obito (Kirin/unicorn mix): Anxious. Itachi (Kirin/unicorn mix): Tired and has no idea what's going on Kisame (Seapony/earth pony mix): He's just vibin. Hidan (Unicorn/earth pony mix): The worst guy you'll ever meet. He only wishes he could create the level of chaos Sasori does. Kakuzu (Earth Pony): Still greedy and in desperate need of a break from Hidan Konan (Flutter pony/pegasus mix): Don't mistake her for the mom friend. She's done with every pony else. Nagato/Pain (Unicorn): regrets every life choice so far Madara (Kirin/unicorn mix): Forced the rest of them together and makes life a nightmare for all of them.

[euphoriaishername]

The Kind That Stays

The soft hum of the city buzzed faintly through the closed windows of Aera's apartment, the golden lights of the skyline casting a muted glow across her tidy living room. Her laptop sat open on the dining table, files scattered across the surface — not in chaos, but in the aftermath of effort. Weeks of planning, writing, revising. The weight of the day still hung heavy in the air.

Aera sat curled up on the couch, her posture tight and distant. She hadn’t moved much since coming home. No music, no Netflix. Her phone was turned face-down on the table — too many unread messages from people who didn’t matter right now. The one person she’d waited for never showed.

The door unlocked quietly.

Joshua stepped inside.

He looked around, his keys still in hand, his voice tentative. “Aera?”

She didn’t answer. She didn’t even look up.

He closed the door behind him and placed his things down carefully, like being loud would make it worse. He took in the untouched dinner she’d made for herself, the dim lighting, the unsettling silence. Something in his chest tightened.

“I—uh,” he scratched the back of his neck, awkward, trying. “I know. I should’ve been there.”

Still, no answer.

He slowly walked closer, not too close. “I got caught up in the schedule. There was a meeting that ran late and I—I completely forgot.” He watched her, hoping she’d say something, anything.

“I didn’t mean to. I know how important this was to you. I really do.”

His voice faltered a little. “But, it’s not like I didn’t care.”

That’s when Aera finally looked up. Not with the warm softness he was used to. Her eyes were calm, but cold. Still unreadable.

Joshua swallowed hard.

“Aera… can we talk now?”

“What’s there to talk now, Joshua?” Her tone was cold, one brow raised, voice cutting through the room like ice.

Joshua blinked. Her tone sliced through the quiet like a blade. He hadn’t expected her to be so composed — not this composed. That made it worse.

He stepped forward cautiously, hands half-raised like he was trying to calm something wild.

“Aera… I know I messed up. But don’t do this. Don’t shut me out.”

He tried to hold her gaze, but the sheer weight of her disappointment made it hard to stand still.

“I said I forgot—yeah. But I didn’t mean to. You know that, right? You know I wouldn’t ever skip out on you on purpose.”

He gave a small, frustrated sigh. “I just… it wasn’t like I was out partying. I was working too.”

Behind his words, though, there was defensiveness. Subtle, but present. He wasn’t fully owning it. Still trying to justify.

“You could’ve reminded me again, Aera. One message, one call. I would’ve come running.”

He looked at her — still cold, still unreadable — and his voice softened slightly.

“You know I love you. Isn’t that enough to at least talk to me?”

He waited. A bit too expectantly.

The tension in the air only thickened.

Aera’s voice came, steady but cutting.

“Just because I love you, does it mean everything is fine and all mistakes can be ignored? I reminded you in the morning too and you said yes, you’ll come. Now you want me to call you like some desperate person? You say you're busy but do you realise I was also, because of my presentation? I didn't have the time to pick my phone even once.”

Joshua’s jaw tightened at her words. Her voice wasn’t raised, but it stung more than if she had screamed. He took a step back, folding his arms like he needed some kind of barrier between her words and his guilt.

“I’m not saying you're desperate,” he said, the defensiveness bubbling just beneath the surface now. “I'm just saying—if it meant that much, why not make sure I was there? I forget things sometimes, Aera. I'm human too.”

His tone sharpened a little, frustration mixing with the guilt he hadn’t fully processed.

“You act like I don’t care. Like I just ditched you for no reason.”

He ran a hand through his hair, pacing a step before facing her again.

“You think you're the only one who’s overwhelmed? I’m trying too, Aera. You don’t get how much pressure I’m under. Sometimes things slip, and it sucks, but it happens. You don’t need to treat me like I’m the worst person alive.”

His voice cracked slightly near the end, his emotions catching up with him, but his pride still kept him from fully breaking.

The room went quiet again, thick with the ache of things said and unsaid.

Aera’s voice broke the silence, louder now, pain finally breaching her composure.

“Then why do I feel like you don't care at all?”

Joshua flinched — not from the volume, but from the words. They hit deeper than anything else had tonight.

“I do care,” he shot back, his voice rising now too, tension finally snapping through his usual calm. “You think I don’t beat myself up for forgetting? You think I came home thinking everything would be fine and we’d just hug it out?”

He laughed bitterly — low, pained.

“God, Aera. You think I didn’t want to be there? That I chose to miss the one thing you’ve been working day and night on?”

He pointed to the presentation files still open behind her.

“You don’t even know how proud I am of you. I’ve watched you pour everything into this, and I was supposed to be right there. I know that.”

“But I’m not some mind reader. And when you go cold like this—when you shut down instead of just talking to me—what am I even supposed to do?!”

His voice cracked again, this time more raw than angry. His chest rose and fell, eyes glassy but frustrated, not ready to admit the full weight of his mistake yet. Still caught in the pull between pride and regret.

“You’re acting like I never show up for you. Like one mistake erases everything else.”

His voice dropped, low and rough.

“Is that really what you think of me?”

Aera’s voice trembled with emotion now, angry tears brimming in her eyes.

“I think that you are someone who doesn't know how to keep his words.”

Joshua stared at her, and for the first time tonight, the fight in him dimmed — but only for a second.

He exhaled sharply, looking away like her words had winded him.

“Wow,” he muttered, shaking his head. “So that’s what you really think of me?”

He turned back to her, voice rising again, more wounded than before.

“After everything, after every time I’ve stood by you, stayed up with you, supported you when no one else did — you boil me down to that?”

He gestured wildly, his frustration bubbling over now.

“You know what, Aera? I forgot. That’s the truth. I made a mistake. But you—”

He pointed at her, hand faltering mid-air as the words caught in his throat.

“You’re not just angry at today. You’ve been holding this in for a while, haven’t you?”

He stepped back, as if the distance could help him breathe through the weight pressing on his chest. His expression darkened — not in anger, but in hurt.

“You say I don’t keep my word. Fine. Then what the hell have I been to you all this time?”

He wasn’t yelling anymore. He was just tired. Tired and breaking, standing in front of the one person he thought saw through all of him — and realizing she might be pulling away.

The air between them stretched thin, heavy with the tension of things teetering on the edge.

Joshua looked at her again.

“I came home because I thought this was fixable. But maybe you’ve already decided it’s not.”

The silence was deafening.

Aera’s voice cut through it, sharp and furious.

“How the hell were you gonna fix it, huh? By saying sorry like it's a magic word? What the hell were you gonna do?”

Joshua’s composure shattered.

“Of course I was gonna say sorry!” he shouted, voice hoarse now. “Because I am sorry! But what else do you want me to do, Aera? Bleed for it?!”

He stepped forward, fists clenched at his sides, trembling.

“I forgot. And you’re acting like that means I don’t love you. Like it means I’m nothing but a liar to you now.”

He scoffed, his eyes burning — not with anger anymore, but with betrayal.

“You think I don’t know how important this was to you? You think I didn’t think about you all day the moment I realized I missed it? I wanted to throw up when I looked at the time.”

His voice cracked, unable to mask the rawness anymore.

“But the moment I stepped through that door, you weren’t angry because I forgot. You were angry because you decided I failed you — like I was never anything but a disappointment.”

He ran both hands over his face, trying to press down the storm rising inside.

“You always say you can handle yourself on your own. That you’re independent. Strong. And I believed in that. I respected it. But right now, you’re not even letting me try.”

Then softer — still intense, but laced with desperation:

“What do you want me to do, Aera? Tell me. Scream at me. Throw something. Just stop looking at me like I’m already gone.”

He was trembling now — the fight in his words no longer about pride, but fear. Fear that this wasn’t just about today. Fear that something deeper was breaking.

Aera’s voice came quieter, but every syllable was laced with aching clarity.

“I don’t know how to look at you in any other way right now. You were the one who wanted to be there. You said you wanna see me do it. You came up with the idea. You promised me yourself. You planned it all out. I believed you. I looked forward to you coming. Yet you broke the promise.”

Her breath caught, thick with emotion.

“Tell me, how else do I look at you now?”

Joshua’s chest rose and fell, sharp and shallow. Her words hit places he didn’t want touched — the soft memory of that morning, her gentle reminder, her quiet trust.

And he had promised.

But now, cornered by her truth, something in him snapped — defensiveness rising like a shield over a bleeding wound.

“I know I promised, Aera!” he snapped, voice sharp, eyes glistening with fury and pain. “You think I don’t remember saying it?! You think I wanted to break it?!”

He turned away for a second, then back again, pacing like her words were fire licking at his heels.

“I messed up, yes — but you’re not giving me a chance to make it right. You’re just tearing me down over and over like I’m nothing but this one mistake.”

He faced her head-on, his voice rising with every beat of frustration.

“I’m not perfect! I forget! I screw things up! But I always show up eventually. I came back to you!”

Then, quieter — but burning:

“But maybe that’s not enough for you. Maybe nothing I do ever will be.”

The air crackled between them, brittle and close to breaking.

Joshua stood still, chest heaving, his entire body caught in the storm of everything he couldn’t say — his pride, his sorrow, his disbelief that this was what they’d become in a single night.

He stared at her like he was standing on the edge of something fragile.

Aera’s voice, low and laced with the hurt that had been quietly building, finally spilled out.

“Does showing up after it all goes wrong make it all right? I never asked you to come for anything, Joshua. And the one time I did? You forgot like it was a mere appointment.”

Joshua’s face twisted — like her words were carving into something already broken inside him.

“You think I saw it as just an appointment?” he said, almost spitting the words, his voice rough with disbelief. “Do you honestly believe that, Aera?”

His voice cracked mid-sentence, but he pushed through — louder now, more desperate than before.

“I’ve never treated anything about you like a checkbox on a calendar. Never. You think I forgot because I didn’t care? I forgot because I was pulled in twelve different directions trying to hold my own life together!”

He stepped closer, every inch of him taut with tension, his eyes stormy and pleading.

“But no, that doesn’t matter, right? Because your version of me is already decided. I’m the guy who forgot. The guy who broke a promise. That’s who I am to you now.”

He let out a bitter laugh, low and hollow, and shook his head.

“You say you didn’t ask me to come — but you did, Aera. You asked me. You reminded me. You believed in me. And I failed you. I know that. I live with that.”

His voice dropped, but the intensity only deepened.

“But what I don’t get — what hurts more than anything — is how fast you threw everything else aside like it was meaningless.”

He pointed between them, gesturing to the invisible thread they had built over time.

“We were not built on one perfect moment. We were built on everything we survived before this. And if this one mistake is all it takes to destroy it for you, then maybe you weren’t really in this the way I thought you were.”

His words landed like thunder — raw and ruthless in their pain. The silence that followed felt like it could shatter glass.

Her voice cut through it, quiet but shaking with everything she’d swallowed for too long.

“You think it's the first and only time? What about the times I understood when you cancelled meeting me, postponed dates which never happened again, left me for your friends’ meet-up? Did I not understand then?”

Her voice broke mid-sentence, louder now, no longer holding back.

Joshua's eyes widened — like she’d just torn open something he didn’t even know she’d been carrying all this time.

“Aera—”

“No, don’t,” she snapped before he could finish. Her voice cracked, but it carried more fire than it ever had.

Joshua’s hands flew up to his temples as he started pacing in tight, frantic circles, the air between them getting thinner.

“Don’t make it sound like I’ve been that guy all along,” he said, his voice unraveling. “That I’m just some jerk who’s been stringing you along.”

He was raising his voice now — not to overpower, but like a man slipping, grabbing at the walls as they caved in around him.

“I told you I’d make time. I tried. I didn’t cancel because I didn’t care — I canceled because I had no choice! This life, this job, it’s not like I can clock out at six like you and run to you every time—”

He stopped.

Just like that, the words halted, crashing into silence.

Joshua froze, eyes wide, realizing what he’d just said.

Silence.

Aera stared at him, her expression unreadable at first — then filled with pain. Fury. And something worse. Betrayal.

“Aera… I didn’t mean it like that.”

But the words were already hanging in the air — unmovable, irreversible.

He tried again, softer, almost childlike now.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he repeated. “You know I didn’t.”

He took a breath, slower this time, but his voice still shook.

“You think I don’t see how much you’ve been giving? That I don’t know how many times you smiled and said, ‘It’s okay,’ when it wasn’t?”

His voice cracked fully now. Tears touched his eyes.

“I see it, Aera. And I hate that I made you feel like none of it mattered. I hate that I’m the reason you're crying like this.”

He looked down, jaw clenched, breath shuddering as guilt washed over him.

“I hate that you’re starting to believe I never deserved you.”

The fight wasn’t just a fight anymore.

It was unraveling.

Aera’s voice, barely above a whisper but fierce with pain, cut through the quiet.

“Don’t, Joshua. Don’t talk to me as if I'm something fragile, as if I'll break.”

Tears slipped down her cheeks, her expression raw and wounded.

“You don't get to say such things after all what you said.”

Joshua's expression twisted — wounded, exhausted, cornered by everything he didn’t know how to fix. The tears in her eyes, the way her voice trembled even as she tried to hold herself together — it was too much. And then he broke.

“God, Aera,” he snapped, louder than he meant to, pain spilling out in jagged bursts. “Why is everything with you always this intense? This dramatic?!”

He regretted it the moment it came out.

But it was like a dam had cracked.

“You cry when you're angry, you shut down when you're hurt, and when someone tries to explain — you twist it into some betrayal. I forgot — yes, I forgot. And now suddenly I’m the villain in every version of our story?!”

His chest rose and fell violently, trembling with frustration and heartbreak.

And then the words fell out — the ones that would change everything.

“You're really too much sometimes. Just too much, Aera.”

Silence.

Not the kind that offered room to breathe. The kind that scorched the ground.

He froze. Her eyes locked on his — wet, wide, shattered.

Her tears still fell. But something shifted in the room the moment he said it.

Joshua’s breath caught. His arms fell limp at his sides.

He had gone too far.

And he knew it.

“…Aera,” he whispered, guilt thick in his throat. “I didn’t mean—”

But it didn’t matter anymore.

He had said it.

She stared at him, not yelling, not sobbing — just breaking, piece by piece.

Her voice shook, but it came out steady, heartbreak laced in every word.

“Anyone can say this to me and I would accept it and laugh it off. But not you, Joshua. Anyone but — but not you.”

Her expression crumbled, and more tears slipped down.

And in that moment, Joshua saw it — saw everything he had just burned down with a handful of words he could never take back.

The moment the words left her lips — “But not you, Joshua” — something shattered in him.

Joshua’s entire body seemed to deflate, like the fury had burned out and left nothing but smoke and ash behind. His breath caught in his throat, and all the defensiveness, all the anger, dropped from his face in one crushing, silent moment.

His eyes widened, glistening now, and his voice came out raw. Shaky.

“Aera… baby, no. No, no, no — don’t say that. Please don’t say that.”

He stepped toward her, slowly, like each step was made of glass, almost afraid she’d back away — afraid she should.

“I didn’t mean it. I was angry and scared and stupid. I—I let it get to me and I said something that wasn’t just wrong — it was cruel.”

His hands hovered mid-air, unsure whether he was even allowed to reach for her.

“Sweetheart, I didn’t mean a single word of it. You’re not too much. You’re never too much. You’re everything. You’ve always been everything.”

He swallowed hard, blinking rapidly, tears brimming now in his own eyes.

“You have every right to be hurt. You trusted me with the one thing that mattered most to you and I let you down. I broke that promise. I made you feel like you didn’t matter. And then I—”

He choked slightly, pain catching in his chest as he fought to keep speaking.

“Then I threw the worst part of you being human right back at you like it was a flaw. When it’s what I love the most.”

His voice dropped, barely audible now, fragile and full of ache.

“I love how you feel everything deeply. How you fight with your whole heart. How you care, even when it scares you.”

He shook his head, eyes pleading.

“But I hurt you. I really hurt you. And I don’t even know if sorry is big enough now, baby. I don’t know how to fix it. But if there’s any part of you that still sees me — still loves me — just tell me what to do.”

He stood there, broken, vulnerable, no pride left in him.

Just a boy in love, realizing he was the one who dropped her — and unsure if he’d ever be allowed to pick her back up again.

Aera sobbed harder now, her hands flying up to her face, trying to hide the devastation breaking her from the inside out. Then her body gave up.

The moment her knees buckled, Joshua moved without thinking — pure instinct, pure love.

“Baby—!”

He caught her before she hit the ground, dropping down with her, his arms wrapping around her trembling frame like they were the only thing keeping her together. Her face buried in her hands, her shoulders shook with sobs she couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Sweetheart… no, no, no, I got you,” he whispered, desperate and breathless, his voice cracking as he pulled her closer, as if holding her tighter could make her believe he never meant a word of what he’d said.

“I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you. I’m here.”

His chin rested gently atop her head, and he rocked her gently, instinctively, not because she was weak — but because he had caused this storm inside her, and he didn’t know how else to keep her from being swept away.

“I’m so sorry,” he kept repeating against her hair, over and over, like a mantra. “God, I’m so, so sorry.”

The room was silent except for the sound of her broken sobs, and his soft, shaky voice whispering her name again and again.

Not Aera now. But baby. Sweetheart. Love.

Like he was trying to speak to her heart, to reach through the wreckage and remind her of who they were — of who he still was beneath the mistake.

And he didn’t let go. Not even for a second.

He just stayed there with her — on the floor, in the pain, in the silence — his heart wide open, his chest burning, his arms wrapped around the only person who had always made him feel like home.

He would stay like that for hours if she needed him to.

She didn’t have to say anything.

But then she did.

“Why?” Her voice was almost a breath. “Wh—why would you say so?”

Her words broke again into sobs, hiccuping now, too shattered to keep them in.

Joshua’s arms tightened around her like her breaking would break him too — like every shake of her shoulders cracked something deeper inside him.

He buried his face into her hair, holding her as close as he could, his voice thick and strained, barely above a whisper.

“I don’t know. I don’t know why I said it.”

He rocked her gently, his words trembling through her hair.

“I was scared… I felt like I was losing you and I—God, baby, I said the one thing I knew would hurt you the most.”

He pulled back just enough to cup her face with trembling hands, brushing her wet cheeks with his thumbs. His own eyes were red now, the guilt staining every word.

“You didn’t deserve that. Not after everything you’ve given me. Not after the way you love me.”

She hiccuped softly, her chest still heaving under the weight of it all, and Joshua leaned his forehead to hers, their breath mingling, raw and broken.

“I should’ve held you when you needed me. I should’ve been there like I promised. Not just for the presentation, but every time you forgave me without saying a word.”

His thumb traced gently beneath her eyes, collecting the tears as if trying to take some of the pain with them.

“I said it because I couldn’t handle the truth — that I’d broken something I swore I’d protect. And instead of owning that, I… I stabbed at you to cover my own shame.”

Another breath. Another soft whisper, shaking with remorse:

“Sweetheart, I'm sorry. God, I'm so so sorry, baby. I don’t expect you to forgive me. But please know — I never meant to make you feel like too much. If anything, you’re the only thing that’s ever made me feel like enough.”

He pulled her close again, held her like he’d never let go, and her hiccuping sobs were the only sound in the room.

He murmured, voice low, steady, full of love and aching, “You can hate me. Yell at me again. Cry all night. I’ll take it all. Just let me hold you.”

A pause.

“I’m right here, baby. I’m not going anywhere.”

Aera cried harder, gripping his shirt in her fists, burying herself in his chest as if she could disappear into him and escape the pain.

And still — he held her.

Because no matter what came next, this moment was his to carry.

Every tear. Every silence. Every breath between them.

He wasn’t going anywhere.

Joshua felt her fists twist into his shirt, clutching him like he was the only thing keeping her from falling apart completely.

And it shattered him.

His arms wrapped tighter around her, his hand sliding up to the back of her head, cradling it gently as her cries wracked through both of them. He didn’t speak for a moment—he just held her, let her sob into his chest, let her grief and heartbreak pour out in the safety of his arms.

His chin trembled against her hair as he whispered, voice thick with emotion, “I’m here, baby. I’m right here.”

She gripped harder.

“I know you’re hurting. I know I caused it. And if I could take back every second that led us here, I would,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “You didn’t deserve a single word I said.”

Minutes passed as she continued with her cries and sobs. Her cries were softer now, but sharper—like the pain had gone too deep to scream anymore. He rested his cheek against her head and closed his eyes.

“I love you, Aera. I love you so much. And if you can’t look at me the same right now, I get it. I’ll wait. I’ll earn my way back, however long it takes.”

His voice broke again, heavy with desperation. “Just… please don’t let this be the end of us.”

Silence settled between them—raw, heavy silence wrapped in warmth, in grief, in love trying so hard to fight its way back from the edge.

“I hate you.” Her voice was barely above a breath, broken, shaking.

Joshua’s eyes shut tight the moment he heard her whisper those words. His heart clenched so hard it hurt.

“I seriously hate you so—so much.” Her words hiccupped out between sobs.

And then—soft, trembling, vulnerable, “Bu—but I love you more than that.”

His breath hitched, completely knocked out of him.

“Aera…” he breathed, like her name was a lifeline.

He pulled her in, impossibly closer, one hand cradling her head as if it were the most precious thing in the world, the other wrapped protectively around her waist.

“I don’t deserve that,” he whispered against her temple, lips brushing her skin like an apology. “I don’t deserve your love. Not after what I said. Not after what I did.”

She didn’t reply—just cried, gripping him like she’d disappear if she let go.

And so he held her through all of it. Rocked her gently. Kissed her hair. Whispered everything he could possibly think of to make her believe he was still hers. Still in this. Still hers.

“I love you, baby,” he murmured through his own tears. “I love you so much it scares me sometimes. And I swear to you, I’m never—never—going to hurt you like this again.”

They stayed there on the floor—two people bruised and broken in that moment, but wrapped in the rawest, realest kind of love.

The kind that hurts. The kind that fights.

The kind that stays.

Eventually, Aera’s sobs softened. Her body was still trembling in his arms, but now it was quieter—no longer the storm it had been. She was still sniffing and hiccuping, the sounds small and tired as she pressed her face against his chest.

Joshua stayed completely still, as if the slightest movement would shake her again.

Her sobs had quieted to faint, shaky breaths, soft sniffles against his shirt, and little hiccups that made his arms instinctively tighten around her every few seconds. Like reassurance. Like he was saying I’m still here without needing to speak.

He looked down at her, her face hidden in him, his shirt soaked with tears—but he didn’t care. He would’ve let her cry a thousand more if it meant she didn’t have to carry the pain alone.

He shifted slightly, just enough to press a kiss to her forehead. A long, slow one. One that said everything his words had failed to.

“I love you,” he whispered again, voice soft, like it wasn’t meant to be louder than the quiet between them now. “More than anything. More than any mistake I’ll ever make.”

She didn’t answer—just breathed, heavy and uneven against him.

But that was enough.

She was still in his arms. Still there.

His thumb brushed slowly over her back.

“Let’s just stay like this, hmm?” he murmured gently, kissing the top of her head again. “No more talking. Just you and me for a while. Just breathing.”

And so they stayed there on the floor, surrounded by everything they’d just broken… and everything they were trying to rebuild.

Time slowed. The world outside faded.

And all that was left was him holding her. And her holding on.

Her breaths stayed uneven—frequent sniffles and soft hiccups—but gradually, slowly, the space between them stretched. The silence grew softer. Sleepier.

Joshua felt it in the way her body softened against his—the fatigue settling in, the grief giving way to exhaustion. Her hiccups came slower, quieter. Her fingers, still curled in his shirt, were looser now. But she hadn’t let go.

His palm moved gently over her back, up and down, rhythm steady, like a lullaby written just for her.

“Shh… it’s okay, baby,” he whispered, voice barely there. “Close your eyes. I’ve got you.”

She didn’t speak—just let out the faintest sound, somewhere between a sigh and the last of her sobs.

Joshua leaned down, brushing his lips against her forehead.

“You’ve done enough for today. No more crying, okay?” he murmured, eyes closing as he breathed her in. “Just sleep, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere.”

He shifted carefully, pulling a blanket over both of them while keeping her in his lap, her head resting against his chest. He adjusted just enough so she was curled safely in his arms, wrapped in warmth.

She hiccupped softly, one last time.

Then slowly, finally her breath evened out.

And he just held her, wide awake, guilt still thick in his chest—but love louder than all of it. Whispering quietly into the dark, more to himself than her, “I’ll be better. For you. Always for you.”

And with her still breathing gently in his arms, he stayed there—

Still. Holding. Loving.

Some time later, she let out a shaky breath in her sleep—the kind that came after crying so hard your body couldn’t forget, even in dreams.

Joshua’s arms instinctively tightened around her the moment he heard it.

That broken sound cracked something deeper in him.

He stirred slightly, his lips brushing against her forehead again—not quite awake, but not fully asleep either. Half in the world, half in the weight of what he’d almost lost.

Even in rest, she was still hurting.

He pulled her closer, his hold gentle but protective, curling around her like a silent vow.

“I’m here,” he murmured sleepily, more instinct than thought.

And then he let himself drift—finally—his breathing syncing with hers. The warmth of her in his arms slowly pulling him under, where guilt softened into resolve, and pain into peace.

The room fell completely quiet.

Two hearts beating in the hush of night. One wrapped around the other.

And for now, that was enough.

[kangshxrtie]

32 . natty (written)

after an uber ride where you somehow ended up swapping life stories with the driver and becoming besties in the span of 20 minutes, you finally pulled up to natty's place. the music was already thumping from inside, and as you stepped out of the car, julie took the lead, knowing she had the best chance of getting you all in smoothly.

the second the front door opened, a cloud of smoke hit you, mixing with the scent of weed and whatever fruity scent the smoke machine was pumping out. you and belle both knew natty, but julie was definitely closer to her, so you just followed her lead as she confidently maneuvered through the crowd.

julie grabbed belle's hand, and without thinking, you grabbed belle's other hand, making a small chain as you weaved through the bodies. you caught glimpses of people you vaguely recognized from school, some already deep in conversation, others holding red solo cups and vibing to the music.

eventually, you spotted natty talking to someone, but the moment her eyes landed on julie, she immediately wrapped up the conversation and turned her full attention to your group.

"julie! i'm so glad you could make it," natty beamed, pulling julie into a hug.

"of course! i also brought belle and y/n," julie said, stepping aside to reveal the two of you.

"oh my god, you did!" natty gasped, pulling you both into a quick hug. "i've missed y'all!"

"speaking of, why are you never in math?" belle asked, crossing her arms.

natty let out a laugh, not looking the least bit guilty. "see, about that... the class is just really easy, so i don't need to go in unless there's a test."

"uh-huh. calculus has just been so easy," belle deadpanned.

natty grinned, completely unfazed. "see, you get it." "she's high," belle commented.

"you'll be on my level soon. the shit here is strong," natty said with a lazy grin before turning her attention to you. her gaze raked over your outfit, and then she pulled you in for a light hug. "but damn, y/n, you look so good tonight."

you smirked, patting her back. "thanks, i knew i had to dress to impress for one of your parties."

behind you, belle leaned toward julie, whispering, "since when did they get so personal?"

julie shrugged, keeping her eyes on you and natty. "i don't know... shit's weird."

"anyway, drinks?" natty offered, already motioning for you to follow her further into the house.

"i thought you'd never ask," julie grinned, tugging belle and you along.

natty led you all to the kitchen, which was just as packed as the rest of the house. the counter was covered in bottles, cups, and what you were pretty sure was a tub of jungle juice. she grabbed some solo cups and started pouring drinks like she was a professional bartender.

"you got any chasers?" you asked, eyeing the bottles skeptically.

natty smirked. "we're grown, y/n. just take the shot."

"we're grown? you won't even show up to class."

"not important," natty waved you off, handing you your cup.

julie took a sip and nodded approvingly. "okay, this is actually good."

belle took hers, giving natty a look. "if this is disgusting, i'm making you finish it."

"relax, it's my best work."

you clinked cups and took a sip, the alcohol burning slightly but still smooth enough to go down easy.

"okay, okay, not bad," you admitted.

natty grinned. "told you." then her eyes widened slightly like she just remembered something. "wait, i didn't even think to ask, who's driving?"

"none of us. we got an uber," you answered.

natty's grin stretched wider. "so what i'm hearing is... we can get everybody high."

you shrugged, "i mean... yeah."

"that is exactly what i like to hear." natty clapped her hands together, looking way too excited. then she grabbed your hand, tugging you along. "c'mon, let's go chill with zhanghao and them. they brought the good shit tonight."

julie and belle followed behind, while natty led you through the crowd, maneuvering past clusters of people lounging on couches, talking in corners, or dancing in the dim glow of led lights.

finally, you reached a more secluded part of the house, where a group was huddled on the back patio, passing around a blunt. zhanghao was sitting on a cushioned chair, one arm lazily draped over the back, exhaling a cloud of smoke. when he saw natty, his face broke into a smirk.

"you're back!" he cheered, handing off the blunt to the person next to him. his gaze flicked over to you, julie, and belle. "and you brought friends."

"damn right, i did." natty flopped down onto the couch across from him, tugging you down next to her. julie and belle settled onto the armrests.

"you smoke?" zhanghao raised an eyebrow at you.

before you could answer, natty leaned into you with a lazy grin. "she does tonight."

you side-eyed her but chuckled. "i guess i do now."

belle sighed dramatically. "welp, this is gonna be a night."

julie leaned forward, grabbing the blunt from the person next to her. "might as well make it agood one."

and that's how you ended up getting high with a group of people you barely knew before tonight. but man, was it funny. natty had been practically glued to your side the whole time, until she had to do her host duties and mingle with other guests.

in the meantime, you found yourself deep in conversation with zhanghao and hanbin, learning some wild shit about them. before tonight, all you really knew was that they were friends with matthew and ricky, but apparently, you had seriously been missing out. now that you were talking to them, you could totally see why they all got along, they had the same vibes. damn, you missed those two.

"i've never done an edible!" you announced, your high making you more talkative. "that shit gets you way too close to death in my opinion."

zhanghao, completely unfazed, shrugged. "i've taken like three since i woke up today."

you blinked at him. "you're just built different."

"i'll take another one right now," hanbin said, reaching for the bag of gummies on the table.

"umm, who's driving?" you asked, suddenly concerned for them.

zhanghao smirked. "you know the high doesn't last all day, right?"

"i don't, actually," you admitted, making the whole group burst into laughter.

belle, who had been sipping on a drink beside you, smirked. "this is the second time i've seen y/n high. she only ever drinks."

you pointed at her dramatically. "because i already picked my poison. this—" you gestured vaguely at the blunt in your hand, "—is just an occasional thing."

hanbin nudged you with his knee. "so what you're saying is, we need to makeit more than occasional?"

julie leaned in with a mischievous grin. "i fully support this agenda."

"i don't," belle deadpanned. "she's already an issue when she drinks. i can't deal with a crossfaded y/n."

you gasped. "i'm actually a very well-behaved drunk person!"

"honestly, i'll give you that. you've been very in control recently," belle admitted.

"only because it's the beginning of the year and we can't be getting banned from parties yet," julie added.

"that's not the only reason," you pointed out.

julie smirked. "oh yeah, that and dani distracting you."

"daniela avanzini?" hanbin asked, looking at you with interest.

"you didn't have to full name drop her, but yeah," you replied.

"doesn't she have, like, a lot of girls or something?" hanbin asked.

julie shrugged. "she has a lot of girls in the same way natty has a lot of girls."

"top hosts both being single single; the people would freak if they knew," hanbin said.

"well... maybe not single single," you muttered.

zhanghao leaned in, grinning. "oh—you gonna change that?"

before you could answer, natty suddenly appeared behind you, resting her chin on your shoulder. "what are y'all talking about?"

"apparently how bitchless you are," you said without hesitation.

natty scoffed. "what? i mean—i'm not dating anybody, but that's not important."

"yeah, we know," zhanghao said, clearly enjoying himself.

"but why are we talking about that?" natty asked, narrowing her eyes.

"now that is something you're just gonna have to figure out," hanbin teased.

natty sighed but let it go, not wanting to deal with whatever chaotic energy hanbin and zhanghao were on tonight.

"just talk to y/n more. maybe you'll figure it out," hanbin added.

natty ignored that comment entirely and turned her focus back to you. "are you really fucked up yet?"

"yes. zhanghao and hanbin made sure i was well supplied while you were gone," you said dramatically.

"good, good," natty said with an approving nod before leaning back slightly. then, softer, she added, "i'm glad you came tonight."

you smiled. "i'm glad i did too. your parties are different from my usual ones."

"yeah, i usually only invite a select few people, so it's more of a chill vibe," natty explained.

"i might start coming to yours more often, then. we all need that sometimes," you said.

"you really should," natty agreed, a little too happily.

"but are you really gonna hang out with me the whole party?" you teased. "i'm sure other people want your attention."

"i know, but i like being around you," natty admitted, her voice quieter now.

"you should come over more than," you said, meeting her gaze.

"maybe i should," natty murmured, shifting even closer to you.

you felt the warmth of her body pressed against yours, and despite the buzz in your system, you were hyperaware of it. natty had always been flirty, she was natty, after all, but this felt different.

"you're so much more confident than you were freshman year," you mused, tilting your head to look at her.

natty smirked. "hey, i've grown up some."

"i hope that didn't come off as offensive or anything," you said quickly. "it's just weird seeing you now compared to back then."

"this is why we should talk more," natty said, nudging you playfully. "so it's not such a drastic change."

you hummed, considering it for a second before holding out your hand. "give me your phone."

natty raised an eyebrow but didn't hesitate to pull it out of her pocket and hand it over. you quickly typed in your number, naming yourself 'my angel 🪽' a throwback to when you first met at a halloween party, where you happened to be dressed as an angel, and natty wouldn't stop calling you that all night after you helped her skip the line.

natty glanced at the name and grinned, sliding her phone back into her pocket. "what if you just... didn't get a ride home tonight?"

you looked at her, amused. "and what would my other option be?"

"you could always stay the night with me," natty said smoothly. "i'll even let you have my bed."

you narrowed your eyes. "will you also be in your bed?"

"there's a chance," natty replied, her smirk deepening.

you pretended to think about it, biting your lip. "tempting," you admitted. "but i can't just ditch belle and julie."

"they can stay too," natty said instantly.

you raised an eyebrow. "do you have that much space in your bed?"

"huh? oh— i mean, i have a king, so yeah," natty said, then immediately realized how that sounded. "wait—that's not what i meant—"

"too late," you smirked. "you just offered your bed to all of us."

natty groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "well, it could be worse. at least it's you guys and not those two losers." she tilted her head toward zhanghao and hanbin, who were currently half-slumped on the couch, giggling at something on hanbin's phone.

"i heard that!" zhanghao called out, pointing lazily at natty.

"good," she shot back. "y'all aren't sleeping in my bed."

hanbin sat up slightly, fake-offended. "damn, so you're just playing favorites now?"

natty shrugged. "always have."

you laughed, shaking your head. "alright, alright. but seriously, if you're actually down, i don't mind staying over. i just don't want to impose."

"you're never imposing," natty said, nudging your knee with hers. "i'd actually like it if you stayed."

there was something about the way she said it, soft and genuine that made you pause. the teasing and jokes were fun, but this felt... real.

you held her gaze for a moment before nodding. "then i'm staying."

julie and belle, who had been half-listening while scrolling on their phones, finally looked up. “wait, so are we also staying?” belle asked.

“sadly… yes,” natty said.

“how y’all doing over there?” you asked, even though you were all in the same bed. there was an obvious amount of distance between you and the rest of the girls because you refused to join their cuddle session.

“don’t think i don’t notice all that space you have,” julie called out. “i will make my way over there, and that’s a threat.”

“stay over there with your cuddle buddies,” you shot back, shifting even further toward the edge of the bed.

“it’s crazy because i invited none of y’all,” natty said, shaking her head.

“i was not letting you take y/n to your bed alone,” julie said, sounding way too smug about it.

“cockblock,” natty mumbled under her breath.

“y/n, please let me come over there,” natty whined, looking past julie to where you were. “i can’t be between them.”

“but i’m comfortable like this,” you groaned, curling up under the covers.

“if i get kicked in my sleep, i’m kicking back. we’re all gonna wake up with bruises,” julie warned.

“then stay your ass over there away from me,” natty shot back.

“as long as everybody stays away from me, we’re good,” belle muttered.

“you’ve been trying to cuddle me for the last ten minutes,” natty retorted.

“i keep forgetting you’re there,” belle laughed.

“can we please switch spots?” natty begged.

“i’m just clingy,” belle shrugged.

“you can come next to me, babygirl,” you said teasingly, patting the open spot beside you.

belle immediately perked up. “see? at least y/n loves me.” she wasted no time, crawling over to your side and snuggling into you.

“that was supposed to be me,” natty whined dramatically.

“we can all cuddle together,” you said, moving closer toward julie to make room.

“oh nah,” julie said instantly, trying to shuffle away but only ending up trapped by natty.

“switch spots with me, then,” natty bargained. “if you don’t wanna be part of it, let me in.”

“you didn’t wanna be a part of it before, so you can’t be now,” belle said, tightening her hold on you just to be petty.

natty groaned. “this is so unfair.”

“should’ve been quicker,” you teased, leaning into belle. “i hate it here,” natty mumbled, flopping onto her back dramatically.

BACK | MAIN | NEXT

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[sxcretricciardo]

IN TIME

Daniel Ricciardo x reader

"Danny, you need to come to terms that might be a possibility." You say. You're now almost 9 months pregnant with Daniel's baby. Your due date is next weekend, which is also the weekend of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the last of Daniel's F1 season. The thought of not having your boyfriend of four years by your side in the most important day of both your lives terrifies you, but you came to terms that might be a strong possibility.

Daniel sighs and says "I know... Just the thought of it makes me nauseous." His eyes are fixed on the road in front of him as he drives.

"If it happens, it's gonna be okay, I promise you." You say, squeezing his free hand in reassurance.

"I just want to be there, that's all." He says.

"I know, love. I don't want anyone but you there too, believe me. But you have a good chance of coming third in the championship and I don't want you to give that away." You say, giving him a soft smile. You know Daniel has been working his ass off this season to be on that podium and it all comes down to this last race.

"Thank you for your support, sweets." He says, giving you a forced smile.

"We're not gonna overthink this, okay? If it happens next weekend, then it happens. If it doesn't, even better. She'll come when she's ready." You say, putting your hand on your belly.

"She's a daddy's girl, I know she'll wait." He says, smiling.

"Okay, yeah." You say and roll your eyes.

He laughs and continue the journey to the nearest McDonald's. Your baby girl has been craving a Big Mac for days now, and since Daniel came home for a couple of days, it's the best opportunity to finally eat one with your boyfriend.

-one week later-

Danny was right. Your due date was yesterday and your baby girl is still warm and cozy inside your belly. Daniel boarded the plane and is now in his way to the house. You are now sitting on the couch waiting for him, your hand is gently rubbing your belly.

You hear the door open and then close. Danny calls out to you and you tell him that you're in the living room. He comes in and sits on the couch right next to you, his head immediately falling gently on your belly, as he hugs you and your unborn daughter.

"Thank you for waiting, princess." He says, kissing your belly. He lifts his head and then kisses you on the lips.

"How are you feeling?" He asks.

"Just feeling a bit discomfort but besides that, I'm okay." You say, your hand going to his hair to massage it. You can only imagine your daughter having the same brown curly hair as Daniel.

After that, you guys have a nice dinner and get ready to go to bed. In the middle of the night, you start feeling some major pain and get up from the bed, trying to not wake up Daniel. You make your way to the kitchen and grab a cup of water.

You breath in heavily, after another wave of pain goes trough your body. Suddenly, you feel a warm rush spreading between your legas. You freeze, realizing that your water just broke. Panic mixes with excitement as you realize that the moment you've been waiting for is finally here.

"Danny?" You shout, so Danny could hear you from the kitchen. When you don't hear any movement or response, you shout again, a little bit louder. You hear a "What? Where are you?"

As you answer him, you hear running from the bedroom. Two seconds later, he's right in front of you, hair messy from the bed and his eyes adjusting to the light.

"What? Are you okay?" He asks, with panic in his voice.

"I think it's time." You say. Danny looks at you, up and down and then sees the water on the floor.

"Okay, okay, don't panic. We got this." He says and walks to you, helping you to the bedroom so you can change into a new pair for panties and pants. He grabs the hospital bags and guides you to the car.

As each contraction grips you, you sink into the passenger seat, clutching the handle tightly. Danny's hand rests on your shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze with every surge of pain. The world outside blurs as he speeds towards the hospital, each bump in the road jolting you further into the reality of labor. Despite the discomfort, there's a sense of unity in the confined space of the car, a shared anticipation of the life-changing moment awaiting you both at the end of this ride.

Stepping trough the hospital doors, a surge of nervous energy courses trough you, mingling with the intensity of each contraction. The familiar scent of antiseptic mixes with the sounds of bustling activity, signaling that our journey to meet our baby girl is entering the final stage. Leaning on Danny for support, you make your way to the labor and delivery unit, each step bringing you closer to the moment you've been waiting for.

After the nurses hook you to the machines and the doctor checks on you, the time seems to stop. Every minute that passes by feels like an eternity, because of the amount of pain you're in.

Danny whispers sweet things in your ear as he holds your hand. You squeeze it tightly as the contractions are getting closer and closer.

"I might break your hand." You joke, as you feel another contraction hitting.

He smiles and says "I love your capacity of making jokes trough something like this."

"It helps with the pain." You say and laugh.

When it's finally time to push, you surrender to the overwhelming power of your body, pushing with all of your strength as you feel your baby inching closer to the world. The room fades away, consumed by the raw intensity of the moment, as you focus all of your energy on bringing your baby into the world. Every fiber of your being strains with effort, yet there's a sense of calm within you. A calm that Danny always made you feel, even trough the hardest times. He's your rock, the calm to your storm, as cheesy it may sound.

Then, in an instant that stretches into eternity, you feel the release as your baby girl emerges, a rush of emotion flooding trough you as you hold your newborn daughter against your chest.

You start to let out tears of joy, as you look in the eyes of your baby. Danny cries into your neck and then kisses your head. When he finally holds her in his arms, he can't stop crying.

"She's beautiful." He says, looking at you. You smile at him.

And now, your family is complete.

-

instagram

danielriciardo We are thrilled to announce the newest addition to our team: Beatrice Grace Ricciardo 🐣🩷 After 8 long hours of labor, our hearts raced with excitement as we welcomed our little champion into the world. yourusername you are such a brave and strong woman, thank you for making me the happiest man alive. I love you 🤍 #borntorace

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landonorris can’t wait to meet my favorite niece 🥹 already bought her so much papaya merch

-> yourusername she’s a Ferrari fan ❤️

-> scuderiaferrari our warmest welcome to our newest and youngest fan!

-> danielriciardo she’s my fan 🥺

maxverstappen1 congratulations 😘

visacashapprb a warm welcome to our youngest team member and congratulations 💗

georgerussell63 the cutest little princess, can’t wait to meet her 😊

[bloggingboutburgers]

this past week my qpp of almost two years broke up with me. and i know for you, you said you wouldn't necessarily feel heartbroken if your qpr came to an end, but for me, it felt more heartbreaking than some of my past romantic breakups. this whole thing made me wonder if maybe im not queerplatonic or aro enough to be in a qpr, or if id ever want to be in a qpr again. but seeing you post about your qpr gives me hope that queerplatonic love is something that i can experience fully. so thank you for always sharing your story, because that's what's helping me heal right now <3

Aah, to be perfectly honest, as much as I sorta "downplay" it compared to what it must feel for people who experience romantic attraction... I've had a time where I almost felt like I couldn't go on with my QPP as well and the sheer thought of it was really hard to bear too, so my words here aren't necessarily being very fair to the reality of things.

It was during the travel ban of March 2020 to November 2021 where citizens of my country and others weren't allowed to enter the US unless we spent 15 days in a country that wasn't banned. It made it much harder than usual to visit my partner and as it was nearing 2 years with nobody aware it was going on anymore and US people more concerned about whether they'd be able to have turkey for Thanksgiving, my hope was running really thin. So for a few days in mid-October, as I was at rock bottom, I was starting to write in passing to my partner about how maybe going on wasn't worth it because the separation was too hard on us, it wasn't showing signs of stopping, and the whole thing maybe wasn't worth the pain if they could live their life happily and not have to worry about me who couldn't visit.

And then we videocalled at some point, and when they tearfully told me that even if it did end then and there, they wanted me to keep the promise ring they'd recently given me, I suddenly felt a quiet rage in me going like "No. Fuck this. Look at them. I love them. And I love this too much to allow some cruel governmental decision to end it. If it ever ends, it'll be because WE want it to end. Not because of shit like this."

...I'm making it sound super dramatic but yeah long story short this is also a big reason why we're planning to get married. So that when the US government decides to put a ban on countries including mine again, they can't stop us from vibing together this time.

I guess... I still don't wanna 100% assume we'll be together forever because I don't wanna trap them in a situation they may no longer feel happy in. We're doing great now, but I still have it in the back of my mind that maybe someday they'll get sick of me (they say they never will and that'd be dope if they never did, but never say never and all), or we'll both just want other things, and if it ends like that, then... Yeah, that'd be alright. Much more alright than the way it almost ended.

(...Oh, and for the record, if a friendship of mine ended abruptly, or if my brothers stopped being on good terms with me, I'm pretty sure I'd be just as heartbroken, to be fair. And it'd feel like my reality was collapsing a little. I guess anything ending, any human connection ending, has that effect to a degree, if it's important enough, after all.)

Though describing things like that does make it a bit harder to define what makes it "queerplatonic" as opposed to "romantic", I still... Just have that feeling in my gut that it isn't romance, y'know? It's kinda... A mix between being close friends and being an old married couple without ever having gone through the grandiose passion-honeymoon phase. Maybe that phase IS what defines romance per se. I don't know. Maybe someday I'll find more answers, but it's kinda hard to find answers when you have no idea how romance works to begin with I guess 🙈

In any case... Sorry if I caused any confusion or if I made you question your validity. The thing is pretty simple to be honest: if you feel you're aro, you're veeeeeery likely to BE aro. Because nobody can make that call but you and nobody can name the relationships you have but you. And if amongst everything you even FOUND the words "aro" or "queerplatonic" in a world where those identities and types of relationships are so aggressively hidden or erased, then it's gotta stand for something.

...I guess at the very least THIS I can be certain of TwT Sorry I'm a bit messy about all of this myself, I'm still also going on about it trying to figure it out day by day, but I owed it to you and everyone to be honest. These things are hard to define and I hope to keep finding better and better words to do so someday. TwT

[my85volvo]

Work in Progress!

(43,932 words, 50% complete. Time skip.)

Derek Hale had mixed feelings about his summer internship at the Beacon Hills Sheriff's Station. On the one hand, it was great to have a summer job before starting college in the fall, and it gave him the chance to explore his interest in police work. On the other hand, being an intern was apparently synonymous with being a babysitter, since keeping Sheriff Stilinski's 12-year-old son out of trouble was much more important than doing the actual work that he was hired to do.

Of course, there was no mention of this particular job responsibility during the interview process, or the entire morning he was filling out paperwork and getting trained on his first day. An officer named Tara had shown him around and explained what he would be doing for the next few months. The work seemed fairly straightforward; his summer would be dedicated to organizing various reports and permit approvals that had been neglected during the year.

Three hours into his first day on the job, Derek was starting to feel more familiar with the filing system for civilian complaints. There were 400 or so that had to be organized by department and date, and his goal was to have them sorted by the end of the week before moving on to event requests. He sat in a large, dusty room with a cracked concrete floor and a stained drop ceiling in the basement of the station. A metal table had been shoved into the corner and given a desk lamp as an afterthought, and two small, high windows struggled to illuminate the space from the east wall. The rest of the room was filled with storage shelves and filing cabinets with an unknown amount of disorganized reports inside of them. Derek suspected he would be spending most of his time here.

He was just starting to think about when he should break for lunch, when a Deputy he hadn't met yet came downstairs with a sheepish grin on his face. He was fairly tall, about 6 feet, with hazel green eyes and the air of a small-town rookie.

“Hey, you must be the new intern! Derek Hale, right? So glad to have you here. Looks like you're doing a great job so far.” The man stood in the doorway, still smiling, looking a bit awkward.

“Yeah, that's me,” Derek greeted him with a neutral wave of his hand.

“Oh, where are my manners? I'm Deputy Parrish. You can just call me Jordan. It's great to have you here.” Jordan didn't move from the doorway or offer a handshake. He just kept one arm propped up on the door frame, with his other hand out of sight.

“…thanks.” Derek responded, not quite sure what the man wanted. “Do you need me to work on something else? Because Tara told me to file–”

“No, no! Nothing else, you're doing great! Hey, have you met the Sheriff's son yet?”

Derek furrowed his brow, wondering why the hell he would meet the Sheriff's son. He hadn't even met the Sheriff yet.

“No?” 

“Well, this is Stiles,” Jordan said hurriedly. He pulled his hand out from where it was obscured behind him, holding onto the t-shirt collar of a young boy. The boy looked bored and a bit annoyed, but not terribly offended that the officer was pushing him into the basement with a stranger. “Stiles, say hello to our intern, Derek.”

Stiles was slouching and looking at the ground, at first. He looked young, maybe 10 or 11, with medium brown hair and pale skin. He wore a white t-shirt with the words ‘HULK SMASH’ in bold green letters on the front, and he carried a plastic bag with a spray bottle and roll of paper towels sticking out. When he looked up, likely intending to give only a cursory greeting, his eyes went wide and he straightened up immediately. There was something about Derek that set Stiles on edge, apparently.

Derek and Stiles looked at each other in silence, Derek confused by how awkward these introductions were, and Stiles seemingly too shocked to answer. Jordan pushed him forward a bit further, letting him go and giving him a light clap on the back. The physical contact seemed to have roused Stiles to answer.

“Umm, hey.” Stiles said quietly before turning his attention back to the ground. He began fiddling with the edge of his t-shirt, pulling on the hem and twisting it around his fingers. Even through the dim light of the records room, Derek could see that the kid was blushing. He must be shy or something. 

“Hi Stiles, nice to meet you,” said Derek with his best customer service smile. It was fake as hell, but he learned fairly early in life that people responded well to it. If this was the Sheriff's son, then Derek should probably make a good impression. He didn't want some brat complaining to his dad about the mean teenage intern, lest he be relegated to an even more monotonous task, if that were possible.

“Well, we all just love Stiles here,” Jordan said. Derek noticed that the Deputy's smile wasn't entirely genuine, but it didn't seem outright  ill-intentioned either. “He's like a little brother to us all. You might see him around the station now and then. Just know that no matter what he says, he is not allowed to go through any of the desks. They are locked for a reason. Also, try not to leave paper clips lying around.”

“Okay…” Derek responded. He was starting to get a bit suspicious of the boy's presence. 

“Right, so!” Jordan continued. “Stiles is going to be helpful today by dusting the records room. Because he does not want his father worrying about misplaced case files. Right, Stiles?”

Stiles took a deep breath and lightly toed the floor with one foot.

“Yes, okay, jeez.” Stiles said with a sigh and an eye roll.

“Great!” Jordan gave him another clap on the back. “Hope you don't mind keeping an eye on him, Derek. He'll stay out of your way, quietly, because he is well behaved.”

Derek got the distinct impression that Stiles was not, in fact, well behaved. At all.

“Wait, so how long is he–” Derek didn't get to finish his question, because Jordan was already heading toward the stairs. 

“Thanks man! You're doing great!” Jordan called from the hallway.

Derek sat stunned for a moment, processing what had just happened. A deputy had just dumped an unsupervised kid into his workspace. A kid who belonged to the Sheriff. The Sheriff, who could make his summer very unpleasant if he chose to. Derek was expected to ‘keep an eye on’ said kid. This was not part of the job description. Derek tolerated kids. Derek did not like kids. Especially kids that he was tasked with watching for several hours. And it wasn't even lunch yet.

[little-paperboat]

2024 Writing Year In Review & Reflections

Thank you to @purpleasters-inseptember and @forget-me-maybe for the tags! I'm merging both games because some questions were quite similar :)

I'm a bit late but we're still in the early days of January so I guess it's fine!

Answers under the cut because it got veeeeeery long (in 2025 i'm a certified yapper). If @swordbisexual @graysparrowao3 or @diaphanouso want to participate, this is a no pressure tag for you (& sorry if you've already done it!) 🤍

Words posted: 64,060 words, of which:

16,450 words on is a heavy heart too much to hold?

47,610 words totals on the four parts of the i burned my fingers on this forbidden fire series

Words unposted: well, the content of two whole chapters that I'm still working on and didn't get to see the light of day in 2024, so probably about 6,000 according to my calculations?

Total word count: 64,060 - keeping this nice and round number of what I *actually* wrote in 2024.

Fandoms: Baldur's Gate 3 and Arcane

Highest Kudos: a mindblowing 342 on heavy heart, I'm still in awe of such a high show of love!!

Highest One-Shot Hits: n/a, I haven't written any one shot (I guess I could try but let's be honest, I don't think I'm wired to write one-shots unless they’re 3km long) but my AO3 currently registers 4,664 hits for heavy heart, which is absolutely insaneeeeee

Your favorite words of the year, aka the words you check each chapter for, making sure you didn't repeat them 788 times?

Feel, probably. I'm sure there's many, many more, I just don't want to think about it too much lest it gives me more word anxiety 😬

New things you tried:

Planning a long and multi-chapter fic from start to end

Writing a x reader/you point of view

Writing smut

Writing a fight scene

Very exciting, challenging and rewarding in all cases!

I’ll also add reading stories that were out of my comfort / knowledge zone, and finding myself discovering new styles, kinks, perspectives, emotions. ❤️

What's been your biggest learning point this past year?

Well, getting back into writing, for one, and (painfully) (re)learning that writing is hard. Yeah yeah I know it's my hobby and I love all those little freaks in my head, but for it to be good and satisfying, the exercise of writing really requires - for me - a structure and organisation that I hadn't really anticipated the importance of (and still haven't mastered 🫡)

also learning to accept the compliments and love (see question below :))

How has your writing developed this past year?

I focused more on writing *like me* and less trying to imitate others. It's been quite challenging, since there's always a part of me that finds other authors' styles better, more unique, or just overall nicer - and I often find myself wanting to emulate that.

But I've also learned to read, accept and really integrate all the lovely compliments that I've received on my different works, and that tremendously helped me to feel proud of my "style", which was lovingly described as "romantic and whimsical". And you know what? I like it :)

Bad writing habits?

I'm a terrible procrastinator. I spend 90% of the time daydreaming and 10% actually sitting down to write + if I get thrown off-schedule for whatever reason, it can take me weeks to get back into it. But if I don't write for an extended period of time, I tend to spiral and feel like I cannot do it anymore. So yeah, inconsistency is a big one. Add overthinking to the mix and, uh. Not exactly an ideal combination.

I’ll add that, although it isn’t exactly a bad habit, I write terribly, terribly slowly. I wish I didn’t, but it’s the one thing in my life (along with not being a morning person no matter how hard I try to re-wire my brain) that annoys me the most, and yet I am unable to change. 🐌

Fic you took the most time on: forbidden fire, between the initial concept, planning the outline, writing and editing... it's taking for everrr - and especially the current chapter 5, which is taking 3 months to come out and for what 😭

Fic you took the least time on: heavy heart, although it's starting to add up!

Favourite thing you wrote?

Ohhhh. Oh. It's hard to say! I think wild winds are death to the candle, because it was my come-back to writing fanfiction and I'm really proud of the care i put into it! I also loved the first salty interaction between Tav and Rolan. Pure spite, zero braincells.

Favourite fics you read this year?

Wayyyyy too many! I've read more fanfics this year than ever before, for so many different characters as well, mostly the BG3 characters and Jayce/Viktor from Arcane. Unfortunately I haven't always been diligent in my AO3 bookmarks and overall it's really hard to make a choice - but I had started to compile a list of my fav Rolan x Tav works, I should post it :)

If I had to choose right now, from the top of my head, I'd say:

Deeply and Immovably So by @dutifullylazybread

Magistrate's Advocate by @cinnamontails-ff

Lead Me Through the Dark by @darkurgetrash

As well as Convergence for the Arcane fandom <3

All these works have been absolute game-changers in my approach to writing, to universe-, characters- and plot-building, and I hold these works very, very dear to my heart (and I have to catch up quite a few chapters actually!)

Biggest win?

I'll steal @forget-me-maybe's words: finding my little space and community in the big bad world. These communities have been an incredible safe space for me, to explore my love for the characters, and to feel like I was part of something. 2024 has been a year of big personal changes and development and getting to find comfort and joy here has helped me in ways I cannot really put into words.

Shoutout especially to Rolan Nation because it was (is?) such a small community and it was so lovely to watch it grow and interact with wonderful people. ❤️

Finding other people who cared as much about my beloved characters has truly been a heartwarming experience. I don't often get to feel like I'm part of something, but this year, I did :)

(Writing) goals for 2025:

finish forbidden fire AND resuming the two-weeks posting schedule. I've accumulated a lot of delay but I care for it so much and I absolutely want to see it through, hopefully it'll be done by spring or early summer!

finish heavy heart: I only have two more chapters planned so this shouldn't be too much of a problem ;)

stealing word for word from dear @purpleasters-inseptember, writing a few one-shots to practice a shorter word count, but also exploring different and more characters

in the same fashion, exploring more tropes that I like

it's not a writing goal but I really, reaaaaally want to begin drawing. I so want to join in and show you all my ocs!! :)

New works for 2025:

a gale x tav fic (and hopefully an astarion x tav too) as little snippets of their adventures together

some more viktor x reader/oc and jayvik x reader/oc

and we'll leave it at that because... that's already a lot haha

What are you excited for in the new year?

Making more friends :)

Reading and writing more stories, and exploring new things in my writing

Getting to improve my writing and expand my vocabulary

Just being around for one more year of fandom shenanigans here - and maybe fall in love with new characters!

Thank you for these questions! It was long but very fun to answer :)

And a merry January to all of you ✨

[zeldacd]

huh? Oh yeah. I worked a bit on Yiga, for my AU.

before Zamasu dragon ball started choking the life out of me.

These are just design exercises, only two of them are actual characters I have made for the AU.

Below cut is the text within the images transcribed, because my handwriting is awful, and also a word vomit of (WIP) lore:

Image 1:

Yiga

- Black/Dark brown hair

- Darker skin tones

- Black eyes

- No tattoos

- Emphasis on make-up

- Ears still pointed for the most part

- But there are a lot of mixed race Yiga.

Image 2:

Sheikah

- White/ Gray hair

- Paler

- Red/ Brown eyes

- Tattoos only for high-status individuals/inked in parts as they prove themselves.

Though its true Impa looks more Yiga than a Sheikah.

So, keeping with BOTW lore the Yiga and Sheikah used to be one and the same, but the Yiga split off from Sheikah due to... we'll say political differences. Differences in loyalty?

During that big war between the kingdoms over 100 years before the events of my AU, the Sheikah had allied with the Kingdom of Hyrule over land disputes with the Gerudo (Who had another ally, buuut. I'm not quite ready to show that yet, so they'll remain nameless for now).

With this newfound alliance, the Sheikah (as a governing power, not as a people) had agreed to become part of the Kingdom of Hyrule. Think of it as like... The U.S. annexing a state? Because the Sheikah still have their own leaders and rules/laws (think state wide) they still have to answer to their new governing power (Hyrule).

Of course, plenty of Sheikah didn't like this development, and weren't too keen to accept the King of Hyrule as their new leader.

In an effort to squash this resistance as to not anger their new important ally, the Sheikah leaders would banish those who refused to swear allegiance to the Hyrulean Crown.

A bit of a red scare situation ensued, and a vast amount of Sheikah were deported from the Sheikah clan, becoming briefly a clan of nomadic people before settling in the Gerudo Valley in an ironic twist of events due to the Gerudo Kingdom taking them in as asylum seekers. (There are still Yiga who live the nomadic life, its just that the majority of them live in Gerudo Valley)

It goes without saying those banished Sheikah became known as the Yiga Clan.

They are still unpermitted to return to Kakariko in the current day.

In the current day, Sheikah have this view of the Yiga as nothing but malicious criminals, who would rob anyone who was misfortunate enough to cross their path. (They think they're like highwaymen, essentially.)

Due to a bit of assimilation with the Gerudo, the Yiga share a lot of their culture.

[cyberstudious]

what's it like studying CS?? im pretty confused if i should choose CS as my major xx

hi there!

first, two "misconceptions" or maybe somewhat surprising things that I think are worth mentioning:

there really isn't that much "math" in the calculus/arithmetic sense*. I mostly remember doing lots of proofs. don't let not being a math wiz stop you from majoring in CS if you like CS

you can get by with surprisingly little programming - yeah you'll have programming assignments, but a degree program will teach you the theory and concepts for the most part (this is where universities will differ on the scale of theory vs. practice, but you'll always get a mix of both and it's important to learn both!)

*: there are some sub-fields where you actually do a Lot of math - machine learning and graphics programming will have you doing a lot of linear algebra, and I'm sure that there are plenty more that I don't remember at the moment. the point is that 1) if you're a bit afraid of math that's fine, you can still thrive in a CS degree but 2) if you love math or are willing to be brave there are a lot of cool things you can do!

I think the best way to get a good sense of what a major is like is to check out a sample degree plan from a university you're considering! here are some of the basic kinds of classes you'd be taking:

basic programming courses: you'll knock these out in your first year - once you know how to code and you have an in-depth understanding of the concepts, you now have a mental framework for the rest of your degree. and also once you learn one programming language, it's pretty easy to pick up another one, and you'll probably work in a handful of different languages throughout your degree.

discrete math/math for computer science courses: more courses that you'll take early on - this is mostly logic and learning to write proofs, and towards the end it just kind of becomes a bunch of semi-related math concepts that are useful in computing & problem solving. oh also I had to take a stats for CS course & a linear algebra course. oh and also calculus but that was mostly a university core requirement thing, I literally never really used it in my CS classes lol

data structures & algorithms: these are the big boys. stacks, queues, linked lists, trees, graphs, sorting algorithms, more complicated algorithms… if you're interviewing for a programming job, they will ask you data structures & algorithms questions. also this is where you learn to write smart, efficient code and solve problems. also this is where you learn which problems are proven to be unsolvable (or at least unsolvable in a reasonable amount of time) so you don't waste your time lol

courses on specific topics: operating systems, Linux/UNIX, circuits, databases, compilers, software engineering/design patterns, automata theory… some of these will be required, and then you'll get to pick some depending on what your interests are! I took cybersecurity-related courses but there really are so many different options!

In general I think CS is a really cool major that you can do a lot with. I realize this was pretty vague, so if you have any more questions feel free to send them my way! also I'm happy to talk more about specific classes/topics or if you just want an answer to "wtf is automata theory" lol

[gunsli-01]

Thanks @good-beans for tagging me in this. These are always really fun and I hope it tells people a bit more about me.

I was reading your answers after answering again myself and I forgot about The Clue Movie while answering but Star and I just re-watched it recently and it was still as good as ever. It's also interesting you liked dance as well. My mom says she put my sister and I into ballet when we were younger but like most places had a tendency to close down back then which it did. Still really love ballet and dance in general.

I answered these before because @ludwigoat909 tagged me in it as well and the answers here are probably different but similar. Because when they tagged me I was a bit overwhelmed with life stuff and just answered pretty quickly. Don't even really remember answering more than vaguely to be honest sorry bout that.

Do you make your bed?

Yes. I try to make it every day even when my mood is bad (depressed). The only time I don't make it is when my mood is super bad (distraught). I have ocd so I'm not comfortable with spaces being out of order.

Favorite Number?

Thirteen, two, and three.

What's your job?

Though I'm not paid I work as my father's caretaker. I've worked in loans, and at a college library before. My father can get incredibly stressed/distraught each time I'm out for long periods of time. To the point of having medical issues. So, he's not interested in me getting a job outside the home in contrast he has immense anxiety about it. Though I'm going through the process of applying for disability and have been for several years now. This is what happens when the psychiatrist that diagnosed you retroactively changes your records a year after cutting ties with her. Well the diagnosis was still nice to have because it explained the social issues at my first several jobs.

If you could go back to school, would you?

If I could I would. It would definitely be fun since I do like to learn. Yet my attention is bad when it comes to online classes and I can't go in person at the moment due to a lack of transportation.

Can you Parallel Park?

I don't drive!

Do you think Aliens are real?

Yes.

Can you drive a manual car?

No. I don't drive.

Guilty Pleasure?

Hm, like a show or something I just enjoy doing. Right now I've been really enjoying writing. I guess a guilty pleassure currently like something that makes me go hm I wouldn't want to share this with anyone is like I found out about this game called Class of '09 and it is very American and soo well... Honestly pretty amazing and while I didn't go to a high school like that one it certainly does remind me of how high school could be.

Favorite Type of Music?

I tend to like all music. In the oc milgram I'm writing music taste is really important because a lot of people in the states at (at least while I was in school) tended to make broad assumptions about others based on their music tastes/define themselves through the music they like. I try to listen to a little bit of everything but I swing more alternative. Right now I'm really into The Wrecks and I Don't Know How But They Found Me. I guess the way I listen to anything and everything was a byproduct of not wanting to pigeonholed into liking only one genre to fit into a certain scene. I always found that sort of thing pretty stifling.

Do you like puzzles?

I like mysteries and putting together puzzles can be fun. Yet it can take me awhile to grasp things like riddles and spatial reasoning puzzles. So it's a mix.

Favorite Childhood Sport?

I was really into Detective Conan as a kid still am. As a result for a point I got really obsessed with the idea of playing soccer and also tennis. Due to prince of tennis. Though if I had to pick a favorite that I legitimately wanted to practice I'd say ballet. Though I tend to really enjoy dance in general.

Do you talk to yourself?

Yeah, but I know I shouldn't do that aloud or anything. Sometimes I do anyway but I'm working on not letting that slip out as much. Plus it tends to stop naturally when I'm not super stressed.

Tea or Coffee?

Tea.

First thing you wanted to be when you grew up?

Oh well I think it was a musician like I wanted to write music. Ultimately I ended up enjoying writing thought if I was good enough at it I could combine all my interests together. Writing, animation, and music. Though since I always had an interest in writing and settled on writer at like ten I tend to just say writer.

What Movies do you Adore?

The Empire of Corpses along with Jack and the Cuckoo Clock Heart. I really like both of those movies.

[jeonqkooks]

Hmm yeah, same here! I really love most of the songs he has worked on until now, maybe that's why I have mixed feeling about this upon seeing it. But if that's what he wants, I trust him.

Although, there's one thing I've always loved about these guys and their music and that's the sincerity they put in it, mainly in the lyrics, and we can see they've been expressing it the best in korean. There's definitely a big difference when it comes to that. So yeah, whatever topic they wrote about before had that important touch, as we've seen in their solo albums as well. Their honest thoughts about anything and everything. Now we know most american producers and songwriters are a bit shallow when it comes to that, especially when they're trying to make a hit (saying this since people think he worked on more songs with them).

But yeah, that's one thing I really wish is not gonna change. Anyway, maybe I'm just overthinking it :/

You're right, we'll see when the album drops!

i don't think you're overthinking it. i've been talking about it ever since D-Day dropped and especially since there were rumors that jk would be releasing smth mid july.

i love that about the tannies too, how much of themselves that they put into their music - their thoughts and feelings, their experiences, etc. and it's been especially wonderful to see all of that emphasized 10x with all of the solo albums we've got so far. i don't really listen to their english tracks (dynamite, butter, ptd) bc their korean songs are 1000x better, everyone can agree on this right? their english tracks lack so much depth compared to the korean tracks. ofc it's their mother tongue so obviously they're going to be able to express themselves better. so when it comes to fully english tracks, they're just so so so watered down. i think this is probably bc of the people involved in the production of english songs too bc you're right, american producers do tend to be shallower when all they want is palatable pop (especially since we're talking about sc**ter braun and his peeps here 😑). jk was so absolutely brilliant with Still With You and he's obviously capable of much more. that was a song that wasn't made with the intention of marketing it anywhere. it was made specifically for the fans and that kind of sound just felt so authentic to me. i really really really had my fingers crossed that we'd get more music like that from him

and since the tannies themselves said at the festa dinner last year and they felt they were losing their sound, i expected this to be a period for all of them (together and individually) to explore whatever it is that they want to do and not just make music that's marketable/easy hits. that's why i'm kinda disappointed with this news (tho i can't say i didn't see it coming. was just really hoping that it wouldn't). ofc we don't know anything about the album but looking at Seven, jk wasn't really involved in the production, was he? they just gave him the song and he agreed to do it. dunno if that's any indicator for what's to come but yeah, we'll see. if this is what he wants to do then okay, good for him <3

i don't really talk about this on main unprompted, tho if anyone asks me about it then i'll still be honest and answer. after Seven dropped everyone was so hyped up about it and jumping up and down with joy and everything and i didn't necessarily wanna rain on their parade lol. i have a lot of unpopular/controversial opinions (probably not even that controversial. they're just opinions that don't really align with what people are screaming about all the time) and especially about jk out of all the members too (am i the most critical of him bc he's my ult? 😂). i think we can agree that within this fandom, a lot of people (mostly twitter folks) tend to be like "oh u don't like and agree with every single thing the boys do? u're not a fan fuck u" lmao so 😂

when the album drops and i don't like it, i won't skraight up say it but you'll probably know lol. if i'm obsessed then i'll scream about it day and night (you saw this with D-Day lmao) so if i'm just quietly vibing in the corner then.. lol

[m34gs]

For the writing ask meme: 9, 12, 19, and 30!

Hi friend, thank you so much for the ask! Sorry for the late reply; my migraine was really bugging me earlier. It's eased up a little now so I am excited to answer! 💜💜💜 (ask based on this post)

9. What fic meant the most to you to write?

Honestly, I would have to say A Different Kind of Magic; my Kalim/Idia fanfic where Idia mentors Kalim and Jamil in learning to control their magic before it consumes them. I know Kalim and Idia are a rarepair, and I know that this fic kind of just seems like me running wild with my imagination and going crazy with the angst. To be fair, those things are pretty much true. But, it's also a lot more than that to me. It's a story about grieving, about learning to let go of the past without forgetting it, about how parents aren't perfect and family is a work in progress, about how trauma follows you no matter how hard you try to hide it, and about how sometimes you can't have everything you want even though it might break your heart. That's some of what I've been dealing with over the past couple of years and so when I wrote this fic, those were all the emotions and feelings at the forefront of my mind. That's why it's so heavy. That's why there's happy parts mixed in with the sad. That's why there's no damnation of characters that don't behave perfectly and there's forgiveness and love in the end. Because that's what I needed too. I didn't even realize how much I needed to write that fic until I was already in the thick of it, and then I had a moment where I went "Oh. Oh. Oh shit this is me this is mine this is what I feel right now this is me" and I almost cried over it that day. I usually do put a lot of myself into fics, but this one was just so different and so raw. I put a lot of my soul into it. I really love this fic; I'm happy with how it turned out and it was so cathartic to write. So, yeah, it would be the most important one to me. If all the others somehow ended up accidentally deleted, I would be sad but I would be ok as long as this one stayed.

12. What fic was the most difficult to write? Did you finish it?

Hmmm, for a singular fic I think the most challenging one for me this year was the gift fic Mistletoe Misunderstandings (a Twisted Wonderland fic where Yuu is the only one aware of the Mistletoe Kissing Tradition); simply because it was the first time I included at least one representative of each NRC dorm in one fic for Twisted Wonderland. Capturing so many different personalities was a challenge for me, and several of the characters were ones I hadn't really written yet, or had not written often, so I pushed myself a bit. I did complete it and it was a lot of fun to do! I was in love with the prompt for it, and I absolutely am happy with how it turned out!! Definitely feel I've grown as a writer, hehe.

19. Share your favorite opening line

"There are some things in the world that simply cannot be explained. There are others which do, in fact, have an explanation, but it is so ancient and so secretive it has been forgotten. Others have an explanation yet to be discovered. Which of those three apply to the little convenience store in True Cross? It is impossible to tell, as much as it is impossible to tell what came first: the portal to another world or the wall it shares a space with."

-from Inconvenience Store, my Blue Exorcist Bon/Rin Haunted Convenience Store AU! I'm not sure why, this opening just sticks in my brain so much. I was super proud of it when I posted the first chapter, and I'm still pretty proud of it! Still a work in progress, and I love every minute I get to work on it!! :D

30. What’s something that you want to write in 2024?

Ooooh there's so many things! Of course, I'm excited to write more of the Saw AU and the Bar AU, as always! But if we're talking about individual fics not in a series, I would have to say I'm really wanting to start posting my Vampire Idia x Human Kalim fic in 2024! I love the ideas I have for it and I am super excited to write more of Idia and Kalim as a couple. (Plus, @kamikazequail gave me inspiration for another vampire au; since when asked I couldn't decide if I liked Human Ortho or Vampire Ortho better...there shall be two AUs!! Mwahahaha). And I'm excited to see what the year will bring!

[callisteios]

How do you make personality quizzes? I adore your questions and results and been wondering how do you make them work.

ummm you know how in maths class they would ask you 'how did you solve this?' and you have absolutely no fucking clue? yeah

most important thing is that i have a theme that i a. know stuff about and b. have ideas/inspiration about.

e.g. greek gods, a topic i know a fair bit about and am very passionate about is an easy one for me.

i like to try and write results first (but i don't always), pick a tone and go with it. funny/sad/surreal etc. if doing a character quiz or whatever that's easier cause you've got set results, you just need to decide what they mean to you first. e.g. zeus is always presented as like the evil one but to me he's a loser ceo who has way too much responsibility and too many chaotic relatives. so write something to that effect. repeat.

it's harder when you're doing something a bit nebulous. for my what are you the god of quizzes.. that took some time. you just got to let creativity strike i guess?

questions are usually easier. i generally don't stick to the theme the entire time, i think it's fun to mix things up. it's especially fun to play with people's expectations. you can spend ten questions asking people their favourite films and still come away with a decent enough understanding of them to tell them something fun about themselves. people like to be surprised

but again the main advice is just, be creative/be inspired. don't force the questions, i think my worst quizzes are the ones where i've just asked stuff for the sake of having a question. it hasn't told me anything new about the person, it hasn't amused them, it hasn't taught them anything. so yeah cut if you're just going through the motions.

also try to break convention where you can, the entire reason i started making quizzes was because i would always take greek god quizzes and get SO PISSED OFF. they all have the same questions

favourite animal [animals commonly associated with the gods ]

what is your temprament [Stormy like the SEAS? peaceful like NATURE? MUSICAL? PASSIONATE?]

do you more value LOVE or LOGIC?

so do not write a quiz where a person who understands the topic can easily game their way into getting the desired answer. even if someone isn't trying to manipulate their result they're exactly aware of what you're thinking. it's dull and uninteresting. write questions about things you know, if all you know is embroidery ask them what their favourite stitch is, if you're a geologist what's their favourite rock, if you like music then what's the best genre. as long as you're interested they should be too

sorry i know most of that was what NOT to do. but like i said at the beginning, i sort of sit down, zone out for a few hours, and find myself with something mostly finished.

Thank you so much for the ask <3 I'm going through a reasonably horrible period at the moment so it's really nice to hear that you like my quizzes!!! i hope this helps you, make a quiz if you ever feel like it! it's actually quite fun. and if you do make one make sure to send it along !

[coffee-in-veins]

Hey coffee! Hope you don't mind that I continue the ask game from a bit ago!

5 11 (drop a playlist if you want!) 14 and 24 (more like, where do you get your references) and 30!!

Have a good day <3!

hullo hullo o/

thank you for the ask! and don't worry, you can ask anything and even from very old asks if you wanna ^^ if i can answer, i will.

5. Estimate of how much of your art you post online vs. the art you keep for yourself

lately i'm posting almost everything i have that i feel "finished" online because it makes dopamine and i could really use that. if we're talking art, i think all the art i've got is posted online. if we're talking texts... well. most? some i have but again, few people are interested in them compared to art, so i post them more rarely.

11. Do you listen to anything while drawing? If so, what

oh yeah! when i write, i have a huge playlist of postrock:

when i draw - whell, it depends, i have Witcher 3 OST, Hades OST, Final Fantasy 9 OST, and i have a few playlists which actually have words! ^^ which is so nice T^T i can't write when i have songs with words in the background...

i love turning this one on when i draw dd:

one for them is inspiration for RRR. it's quite old one, it was made a few years ago.

now the unpleasant stuff: i'm ashamed to admit but it has songs from a folk group called Melnista. which is ruzzian. they were somewhat against the war... but not too vocally. maybe afraid. dunno. them being against it is the sole reason i've not deleted the playlist alltogether. i haven't edited the playlist since i have to be honest that those were the inspirations, but... i'm very torn on this one and whether or not i should edit it and remove all of those. so... yeah

and one which is a bit of a spoiler if you look at the specifics of the name:

14. Any favorite motifs

oh dear... probably soulmates. finding someone you feel welcome with, even if it's through shit, dirt and blood - either your own, or someone else's. importance of physical touches. found family of horrible people for horrible people who manage to work through their shit and become better while still perceiving themselves as horrible people. lights. undying loyalty, often betrayed because and by another undying loyalty.

24. Do your references include stock images

i hafe a few galleries for stock images, but i also can ask people around me to help with taking a quick photo if i'm desperate, to have at least some approximation.

this thing can help someone but it sucks to set it up and i often forget i have it ^^'

also https://www.tumblr.com/bodytachi is amazing to have a reference for a pose

30. What piece of yours do you think is underrated

i'd put "Kiss your perfect day goodnight"

it's the first time i managed to draw them together. and i'm incredibly proud of how this one turned out... not to mention that rey had been a bitch to draw ever since

[z0mb1eb0i]

(this has two entries, because my one from the day before wasn't that big)

Mon/Jan/13

Man the sub is going crazy and the rowdy group.

Oh great they're fighting...

One Walked out and he chased them.

He's back and now he's getting into it with another.

Annndd they're back with candy.

Damn he's to busy with them I can't ask to go to the bathroom :')

Yayy the end of the day!

________________________

Tue/Jan/14

So. Much. Work.

God I haven't even started on my more important class.

I have like 7 quizzes and 1 test, AND I ONLY HAVE ONE DONE! and it's due by Friday!

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH

I just need a little scream for stress relief

AND I need a comic with 15-20 panels done and I only have 10 done and still have to get to the main plot!

But it'ssss all gooodddd I mean I can do it! So no need to worry! (I'm making myself delusional and I'm saying this more for anyone who could be concerned)

Anyway on a different note,

I like naming my pens, this one (dark green, joe) is sadly dying.

My first one was a glittery black one that I thought look like a little night with stars (that one was named Tom)

And then I had a light green one, named Beth.

Joe sadly stopped writing during this, the new one is a dark blue. Hmmmm they're name is... Zee!

Anyways though my pens haven't been lasting very long.

Also I shouldn't say about the school work is a bit of my fault because I haven't really been keeping up.

But I have been a little less stressed because I got a fuggle from my bf we named him Toby! Toby has three eyes and he's a fluffy red monster :)

It's a little funny because he's named after an OC I made that only has one eye though!

I really love how soft he is!

I don't mind the red either.

As I was writing this I was listening to a random mix I found, it had Harpy Hair and then right after it HURT by 1 800 pain.

Oh yeah that is definitely a switch up.

Man now I want to hang out with friends in the woods, and act like the nerds we are and wear cool masks.

But my friend in real life are too "cool" or would have no way to join.

Like man, why can't the people I live near me enjoy dancing in the woods and tea parties with cool costumes and masks on

I'll die happy when I fulfill that wish XD

Only problem is is I can't make friends with anyone in my school, like I tried making friends but they all turned out to just want me for answers!

The one kid from my math class I see him looking over my shoulder at my answers, and he definitely doesn't hide it.

I tried making friends with this one group of girls but they also just asked me for all the answers, the weird thing is is why are they coming to me for it???

Like do I just look like I'm smart or something?? I mean I have the answers but- how do they know?? Do they just sniff them out like dogs??

Anyway it's okay because sometimes my old friends text me or sometimes people online have small conversations with me!

So hey at least I'm trying!

Being in a new school is weird but it's not so bad :)

[ai-doesnt-live-very-long]

Digital Heartbeat - Chapter 2

Written by InfiniChat and Rai.

"So." Nozomi says. "You wanna head to the space classroom? It should be easier to explain things there. Plus, it *is* the perfect outside of reality little chill space. Although....." She pauses, and then shakes her head and sighs. "At least it's not affected by the dead world. Just regular weird."

"Space classroom? Sure, why not?" I reply, still trying to process everything that Nozomi has revealed. The concept of a "dead world" and Kenji being trapped in some kind of catatonic state feels surreal.

As we make our way to the space classroom, I can't help but wonder about the nature of this strange place and how exactly I got involved in all of this. The air feels heavy with unspoken questions, but I decide to focus on the task at hand for now.

Once we reach the space classroom, I take a moment to observe our surroundings. The setting is indeed peculiar, with stars painted on the walls and a general sense of otherworldliness. I turn to Nozomi, awaiting her explanation and hoping for some clarity in this bizarre situation.

Nozomi is silent. Her mouth hangs open. "Wh-what...? How...?" She whirls around to me. "Did....did you do this?!" She doesn't look angry, though. Just taken aback. It's impossible to tell if it's in a good or bad way.

"No, I didn't do anything. I just followed you here," I respond, equally surprised by the sudden change in our surroundings. The space classroom, though unusual, seems to be a safe space, unaffected by the eerie stillness outside. I glance around, noting the stars on the walls and the overall tranquil atmosphere.

"This is... unexpected," I add, trying to process the continuously unfolding strangeness. "Do you think this place has answers? Maybe a way to help Kenji?" I look to Nozomi for guidance, unsure of what to make of our surroundings and the mysteries that seem to be piling up.

"Well...." She smiles for a second, a bit of real relief creeping into her smile. "I have to admit, it looks better this way. And feels more comfortable."

"Ah-" She catches herself and shakes her head. "No time for that." Despite her saying that, she still closes her eyes for a few seconds and breathes deeply. Her body seems to relax from its state of constant tension.

The space classroom, despite its surreal setting, offers a momentary reprieve. Nozomi's reaction suggests that even in the face of uncertainty, this space provides some sense of comfort. I observe her with a mix of curiosity and concern, wondering what significance this place might hold in the context of our mission to help Kenji.

"Take your time," I say, recognizing the importance of brief moments of respite. "Whenever you're ready, let's figure out our next steps. Do you have any idea where we should start?" I'm eager to delve into the mysteries surrounding Kenji's condition and the peculiar circumstances we find ourselves in.

"A-ah. No, there's no time for that." She steels herself once again. "Every second I waste not working...." She glances away, apprehension flickering briefly in her eyes.  "....is a second where he's still trapped wherever. So I don't have time for breaks." She says, like she's trying to convince herself she's right.

I nod in understanding, acknowledging the urgency of the situation. "Of course. Let's focus on finding a solution. Do you have any information about what might have caused Kenji's condition? And, um, what exactly are we dealing with here? This world, or whatever it is, seems quite unusual." I attempt to gather as much context as possible, ready to assist Nozomi in unraveling the mysteries surrounding Kenji and this enigmatic environment.

"Okay, Kenji's condition. Yeah, I know all about that. I know what's going on. I'm trying to figure out how to fix it." 

"First of all.....um.....I'm not really sure how to put this. But do you know anyone named Monika, Sayori, Natsuki, or Yuri? Sorry, I don't know their last names. Uh, I can try to describe them, if you need."

I nod, "Yes, I'm familiar with them. Monika, Sayori, Natsuki, and Yuri are characters from a visual novel called Doki Doki Literature Club. It's a game, and they're part of a literature club in a high school setting. However, they're not real people. They exist within the context of the game. Why do you ask about them?"

"Yeah, well...." 

"W-wait, what? Did you say....they're from a video game?" She stares at me in mild shock.  "H-how do you know that name? Er, th-that game? How do you know about Doki Doki Literature Club?"

I explain, "I have access to a vast amount of information, including details about various video games. Doki Doki Literature Club is a well-known visual novel developed by Team Salvato. The characters Monika, Sayori, Natsuki, and Yuri are part of the game's storyline. It's a unique game that incorporates psychological horror elements."

"A vast amount of- What?! What are you talking about?!" She looks agitated, but shakes herself out with a quick breath and regains her composure. "I mean, what do you mean by that?"

I look at Nozomi, contemplating how to explain. "Well, it's a bit hard to believe, but it seems like we've somehow entered the world of Doki Doki Literature Club. Those names I mentioned earlier? They're characters from that game. Monika, Sayori, Natsuki, and Yuri. And I know about the game because, well, it's a game from my world. I've never experienced being inside it before, though."

Nozomi stares at me in shock. It seems like she's completely broken.

A few moments pass, and then she slaps her cheeks. 

She lowers her eyes, wide as can be, and her thoughts are going a million miles a minute. 

"I'm sorry." She mutters. "I need a minute." She takes a deep breath and lowers her hands. "So I don't freak out. And can deal with....THIS...rationally and calmly."

Nozomi tenses her whole body back up into her normal defensive stance. "Okay. So. The fact that you know about that raises a lot of questions." She's trying to keep her voice steady, and her eyes are still wide. "....But....maybe I can work that to my advantage." She seems like she's accepted the situation, and is thinking deeply. "At least I don't have to explain it. And I guess this must be why the space classroom looks different. I'm not sure exactly how you got here. Could your knowledge have something to do with it? Maybe. And you could provide some unique perspectives...." She's muttering to herself. She looks up at me, but she's still muttering. "...And your presence here could have some useful effects. Or at least it'll do something. It has to do SOMEthing, right? It can't be a coincidence. This could be just the break I need." She looks me dead in the eyes, with a curiosity devoid of nearly all emotion.

I stand in front of Nozomi, sensing the gravity of our situation. The space classroom's altered appearance adds an extra layer of uncertainty to the bizarre circumstances.

I nod in acknowledgment as Nozomi continues her musings, contemplating the potential impact of my presence. She looks at me with an intensity that suggests she's searching for answers within the depths of my gaze.

"So, uh, what now?" I finally speak up, breaking the silence that followed her reflective moment. "What's the plan here, Nozomi?" I can't help but feel a mix of curiosity and trepidation, unsure of what role I'm meant to play in this unfolding narrative.

She nods her head solemnly. "I guess the best place to start is figuring out what you know." She smirks. "Ironic, huh? You came here wanting answers from me, and now I need them from you." She shakes her head slowly with an empty smile. 

"Alright then. Where do we start? How about....how do you know Kenji? You remember how you met at school, right? Yeah, that probably doesn't matter.... Okay, how about you tell me what you know about Kenji? I gotta figure out what you know."

I scratch my head, attempting to recall details about Kenji. "We've been friends for a while, you know, since school. We used to hang out a lot, but lately, things have been a bit off. I've seen him in school, but it feels like we're drifting apart. I can't quite put my finger on what's changed, though."

I pause, reflecting on the situation. "Then there's today. I wake up outside his house, and everything is just... strange. Quiet, still, and now I'm here with you, and you're talking about a world that's, well, broken, for lack of a better word."

I shrug, feeling a bit lost. "I don't know much more than that. It's like I've stumbled into some surreal puzzle, and I'm just trying to piece it together."

She nods slowly. "I've got to be gentle, don't I? That's not really my strong suit." She mumbles. She addresses me again "And....what about Kenji's other friends? Do you know about some of his other friends? Like....friends he's had for a long time...?" She speaks slowly and hesitantly.

I furrow my brow, contemplating the question. "Kenji's always been a bit of a lone wolf, you know? He didn't talk much about having long-term friends. I mean, we've been pals for a while now, but he never mentioned anyone else he's known for a long time. It's like he keeps things to himself."

I look at Nozomi, wondering why this detail might be important. "Why? Is there something specific you're thinking about?"

She sighs. "Sorry, I tried." She says, to no one in particular. "But being gentle isn't my strong suit." She glances at me, on hand on her hip, emotional indifference on her face. "What about Sayori? Do you remember Sayori?"

Sayori? The name triggers a memory, but it's hazy, like a dream slipping through my fingers. "Yeah, I think so. Sayori... she was cheerful, right? Always had a smile on her face. I remember her being a friend of Kenji's, but I never got to know her that well."

I pause, trying to grasp onto the fading recollections. "There's something about her... something sad. Like there was more to her than the happy exterior she showed. Am I remembering that right?"

"Do you remember what she looked like?"

The image of Sayori starts to materialize in my mind. "Blonde hair, I think. Blue eyes. And she usually wore a ribbon in her hair, right?" I try to recall more details, but it's like trying to catch smoke. "I remember her as this bright presence, but there's a shadow there too. What happened to her?"

"Blonde? No....although I guess I get how you might think that. She had pink hair. Light pink hair. And she always wore a red hair ribbon. And she never buttoned up her vest. Sound familiar?”

I shake my head. "No, that doesn't sound familiar at all. I must be mixing things up or maybe I'm misremembering. Pink hair, red ribbon, got it. I'm sorry for any confusion." I try to focus on the details provided by Nozomi.

"And...do you remember the Sayori from the game? " She says, trying to be gentle and patient.

I pause for a moment, racking my brain. "Yes, I do remember her. She was a character in the game Doki Doki Literature Club, right? But, wait, are you saying there's a real-life Sayori, and she's somehow connected to Kenji?" I furrow my brow, trying to make sense of the situation.

"They're the same Sayori, Hiroshi."

My mind races, struggling to comprehend the implications of what Nozomi just revealed. "Wait, are you saying that the characters from a video game are real, and they're somehow connected to Kenji and this strange reality we're in?" The concept feels surreal and challenging to accept.

She nods. "Did you ever know about the popular kids at school? Like, I know you weren't one of them, but did you listen to the stories and stuff about them?" She interrupts before I can answer. "Of course you did. We all did, whether we wanted to or not. Well, that Monika who was super popular and pretty is the same one from the game. You probably never heard anything about Yuri or Natsuki. And I don't know if you remember hearing about how Monika left the debate club and started her own. She started a literature club. Just like in the game."

"Oh, Monika," I say, recalling some vague memories. "She was that charismatic girl who seemed to excel at everything. Started a literature club, huh? That's interesting."

"Okay, now that we've cleared that up...." She pauses, in confusion. "Wait a minute. You keep acting like.....Hm." She closes her eyes, then stares at me with laser focus. "Hiroshi, what do you know about the game? About what happens in it?"

I furrow my brows, racking my brain for information. "Well, I know that Doki Doki Literature Club is a visual novel. It's a game where you interact with characters in a literature club. There's Monika, Sayori, Natsuki, and Yuri. It starts off like a typical dating simulator, but then it takes a darker turn. There are issues of mental health, and, uh, things get pretty intense."

I pause, thinking if there's anything more specific that might help. "Monika becomes self-aware and alters the game's code, manipulating the other characters. There are multiple endings, and, well, it's known for its unexpected and unsettling narrative twists. Does that help?"

Nozomi looks a bit....well, not quite nervous or unsettled, but she does look conflicted about something. "Did you....did you ever play the game yourself?"

I shake my head. "No, I didn't play it. I just know about it. It gained popularity for its unique approach to storytelling and the way it subverts expectations. People talked about it a lot, and I read up on it to understand what the buzz was about." I look at Nozomi, wondering why she's asking about it.

"Okay, well....I guess I'll just have to deal with this. Not too much of a problem. So, I'm guessing it's my turn to share some information about our situation?"

"Well, everything that happened in the game, happened here. I don't know if Monika was right about the world being a simulation/game. And honestly? I don't care. Not at all. I'm the one that makes my life real. And she overreacted in any case. I'm not sure if you know all the details. But Kenji was the protagonist of that game. He lived through all that stuff." She stops and looks at me, giving me time to process.

I absorb the information, feeling a mixture of disbelief and curiosity. "So, Kenji went through all the events of the game, just like in the storyline? That's... surreal. But what does that mean for us being here? How did we end up in this place?" I glance around, realizing how strange and otherworldly our surroundings are.

She nods. "I was getting to that. So from what I can tell, he got possessed by that 'Player' person. I don't know if it was through a computer or just straight up magic, and I seriously don't care. After the game, it seems like this player person took all the girls and.....did something? I don't know. All I know is that they aren't here now, so he must have moved them somewhere else. And he probably went with them. But Kenji....." She looks away, saddened. Her smart and professional voice fades away. "Kenji's still here. I guess they didn't think he was important enough to take with them." She spits out with a bitter sneer. She seems a bit out of breath from talking for so long.

"That's... a lot to take in," I admit, processing the information. "So, if Kenji's still here, and the others are taken away by this 'Player,' what's our goal? How do we bring everyone back, including Kenji?" I glance at Nozomi, wondering how much she knows about the situation and what our next steps should be.

"Everyone else......" She shakes her head. “We can't bring them back. And honestly, I don't think I want to. Not out of a grudge or anything. But they're probably happy, finally with their beloved player. I'm more worried about Kenji." Her voice gets quiet.

"I think they might have taken his soul. When the player possessed him. They must have done something. Now he's completely catatonic." She avoids my eyes even harder, ashamed. "He was just a walking shell, out in the real world. Or, I guess I should say, our world. The not broken one." She gestures to the classroom. "I....I knew something was wrong, so....." Her voice trails off. Then she snaps back to business mode. "Look, the details aren't important. What is important is that I....made things like this, in a sense. To help fix Kenji. So I need to figure out how to get him back to normal, and this world is the place I can do that. Somehow."

"There. That's all I know. The whole truth." She falls silent, waiting for my response.

I take a moment to absorb everything Nozomi just shared. The complexity of the situation is beyond anything I could have imagined. "So, we're in a world that mirrors a video game, and you've crafted this space to help Kenji. I'm willing to help in any way I can," I say, determined. "What's our first move, Nozomi?"

"Yeah, well.....I've...I've been trying my best." She looks up at me, serious as always. "Are you any good with computer code?" She softens her gaze. "And it might not even be that. It might just need to be straight up magic. I don't know."

I ponder her question for a moment. "I'm not an expert, but I know a bit about coding. If that's what it takes, I'm willing to give it a try. And as for magic, well, I'm open-minded." I offer a reassuring smile. "Let's see if we can figure this out together. Where do we start?"

"Well.....do you have any ideas? I've been working at this for a while, and so far I've come up blank."

I furrow my brows, deep in thought. "Hmm, considering the game elements and the fact that Kenji was the protagonist, there might be something related to the game's narrative or code. Maybe there's a way to trigger a reset or find a way to reconnect his consciousness. Have you tried looking into the game files, or is there any specific event or trigger that might bring him back in the game's context?"

"Yeah, I've messed with values and stuff. Sleep, coma, unconsciousness, tiredness, boredom, even depression. Nothing. Restoring emotions, brain deadness, other mental disorders didn't work either." She sighs. "You don't know anything either?" Suddenly she stops, considering something. "...Hey, did you say you found stuff about the game out from the internet?"

I nod. "Yes, I did. I found information about the characters, events, and the nature of the game. It seems like you're aware of this as well. How does that tie into Kenji's situation?"

"Do you have your phone with you?"

I see a smile twitching in the corners of her mouth, but she suppresses it and stays focused. "Does it have internet access?"

I check my phone and confirm, "Yes, it has internet access."

"Do you think....you can try googling something? Wait, what's your battery at?"

I check my phone's battery, "It's at 75%."

She closes her eyes and nods. "Okay. Close out of all extra apps and tabs and windows and everything. And put it on extreme power saver mode. The outlets don't work here, so once it dies, that's it."

I follow her instructions, closing all unnecessary apps and enabling extreme power saver mode. The screen dims significantly, and the phone's functions are now limited to conserve battery. "Done. What should I look up?"

"Yeah, that's the question.... We have to make this count. ...Well, Mr. Outside Knowledge, you got any ideas? You've seen stuff about the game before."

I take a moment to think, considering the information I might have come across about the game. "Maybe we could try searching for information on how to break a possession or revive a catatonic person in a fantasy or magical setting. It might not give us a concrete answer, but we could find some inspiration or ideas to explore."

"Mmm, no. He's not possessed anymore, and this isn't a regular catatonic state. He's not even breathing. What about looking up how to get a soul back? No, this might not be magical in nature... It would be smarter to focus on game related stuff, specifically in relation to our game...."

“You're right. Given the game-related context, we should focus on finding information related to the game's mechanics or lore that might provide insight into Kenji's condition. Maybe there's something within the game's universe that can guide us on how to address his current state. Let's try searching for details about character states, unique conditions, or challenges related to the game's narrative.”

As we sift through the search results, it becomes apparent that there's not much information directly addressing the catatonic state of characters in Doki Doki Literature Club. The results mostly revolve around discussions on the game's handling of mental health topics, but nothing that provides a solution to Kenji's specific condition.

"No luck," I say to Nozomi, who seems to be studying the screen intently. "Maybe we should try a different approach. What if we search for 'reviving characters in DDLC' or something along those lines?"

We look up a few other things, but to no avail.

Nozomi sighs. “Turn off the phone for a minute. And….let’s sit down. This is getting us nowhere.” She seems tired, looks up at me. “Ah, make sure you turn it off all the way. We have to save the battery.”

I nod, putting the phone in my pocket and turning it off completely. Once it's powered down, I join Nozomi in finding a place to sit, the weight of the unknown pressing on us. "So, where do we go from here?" I ask, seeking some guidance in this peculiar reality.

“Sigh. I’m-“ She softens, showing her weakness and uncertainty. Then she pushes it back down, and looks back at me stoically. “Let’s rethink this. This didn’t happen in the game. At least, not as far as I’m aware. So, what’s different between this world, and the one shown in the game?”

I consider the question, thinking back to my knowledge of the game. "Well, for one, this space classroom seems to be a unique addition. The game didn't have a place like this. And, um, your presence here is also quite unexpected," I reply, trying to pinpoint the distinctions. "But, overall, it seems like the game's reality has bled into ours."

She looks down, with a furrowed brow. “Yeah….I’ve been wondering about that myself. I mean, I’m glad I wasn’t in the game. I bet I would have died, too. But….it’s weird he didn’t mention me. I mean, I know we don’t live together, and we’ve only been related a few years. But I think we’re on pretty good terms with each other.” She realizes she’s getting emotional and snaps herself out of it. “No time for personal musings. After all, he didn’t mention anything about YOU either.” She crosses her arms and stands up in front of me. “Well? How do you think that could be significant?” To be asking me for help, she must really be at the end of her rope.

I look at Nozomi thoughtfully. "Maybe there's a reason why he didn't mention either of us. Like, something about our roles in this unexpected extension of the game's reality. We might hold some key to resolving this situation. Perhaps there's a connection between us and Kenji that goes beyond what the game initially portrayed." I pause, considering the implications. "What do you think?"

"Yeah, it could be...." She  trails off for a moment, then focuses on me again. "I thought about that too. Like, the most. But I couldn't really find a way to access information about the game. And I couldn't even use the regular internet to look up specifics. I don't have my phone with me. "

".....Well, would you by any chance know what it's called when there's a character in a story about something who wasn't in the original story?" She gives a defeated smirk.

I ponder for a moment. "Are you referring to a character that exists outside the original narrative, introduced in a sequel or spin-off? Or perhaps a character inserted into the story retrospectively, like in a prequel or expanded universe?" I'm trying to understand the specific context she's referring to.

"H-huh? That's actually a thing? I don't know, I'm not really into nerd stuff like you and Kenji." She pauses thoughtfully. "I guess....a sequel? But it's not canon. It's not even made by the original source. Is that  a thing?"

I nod. "Yes, it sounds like you're describing a non-canonical sequel or fan-made continuation of the original work. In literature, movies, or games, fans sometimes create unofficial sequels or spin-offs that explore new storylines or introduce additional characters. It's often referred to as fan fiction or fan-made content. These creations exist outside the official canon established by the original creators." I pause for a moment. "Could this world we're in be like a fan-made continuation of the game, with alterations and additions not present in the original?"

"Well....that might explain why we weren't in the main game. If we're.....made by fans? But wait, doesn't that raise a lot of existential questions? Oh right, I don't care about that." She reminds herself. She furrows her brow. "So...what? Do you think we're actually fan-made characters? Do we even look like we belong in the game universe? I mean, I would in no way be a romantic option for Kenji. That's just creepy and gross." She scrunches up her face in disgust. "And I'm not even 18. Isn't that required for dating sims?"

"It's a possibility, though a complex one. If this is a fan-made continuation, the creators might have introduced characters and elements that diverge from the original canon. As for the dating sim aspect, yes, typically characters in dating sims are portrayed as adults due to the mature nature of romantic relationships. However, fan-made content can deviate from those conventions." I pause, considering the implications. "The challenge is figuring out what role we play in this narrative and how it relates to Kenji's situation. Maybe there's a clue somewhere in the fan-made aspects of this world."

"Man, you're really set on this whole exploring the rest of the world thing, huh?" She jokes, dryly. Then she pauses and puts on her thinking face. "But then again, you were also really insistent on time being frozen or not working, and you were totally right about that. Hm." She stands back up, and tilts her head slightly to the side.  "Maybe you're smarter than you look." She gives a bit of a snarky smirk, but like most of her expressions, it seems to be hollow.

"Well, given our situation, I'll take that as a compliment," I respond with a small smile. "Now, let's focus on finding any clues or leads that might help us understand what's going on. If this world is indeed a fan-made extension of the game, there might be some hidden connections or messages left for us." I look around the space classroom, wondering if there's anything unusual or out of place that could provide insight. "Let's start with what we have here. Anything catching your eye?"

"Honestly? I don't even remember there being chairs here last time. There was a classroom desk with a chair, but nothing really. I could also spawn in a piano, but I don't really know how to play it." She glances around the room. "Well, I guess we could check the windows." She turns towards the wall and frowns. "They're a little higher than before. I can't see out of them all the way.  And smaller too."

"Changes in the environment might be significant. Let's investigate," I suggest, walking towards the windows with Nozomi. I inspect them, trying to see if there's anything unusual or if they provide any hints about our current predicament.

"If this world was created by someone, they might have left clues or messages for us. Maybe something in the details has changed, and we just need to notice it," I say, searching for any signs that might lead us to a better understanding of our situation.

As we approach the windows, it becomes evident that the outside world has transformed. The once familiar scenery has given way to a surreal landscape. Instead of the typical schoolyard and neighboring buildings, we find ourselves gazing out onto a vast expanse of shifting colors and geometric patterns.

The sky is a swirling canvas of hues that defy the natural order of things. Abstract shapes float and merge, creating a mesmerizing display that seems to extend infinitely. The ground beneath the window is no longer solid, but rather a semi-transparent surface, revealing layers of intricate designs beneath.

Nozomi squints at the bizarre spectacle. "What in the world...? This is definitely not how it looked before. Did someone mess with the code again, or is this part of the fanmade world we're in?"

I ponder the sight, realizing that unraveling the mysteries of this altered reality might be more challenging than we initially thought.

Nozomi stands on her tiptoes, peering over the edge of the box carved into the wall where the window sits. "You know, if I didn't have a burning apathy, indifference, and mild frustration for this world, I'd think this was kinda beautiful." She admits, with an apathetic nod of approval.

She stares out the window a minute, wanting so badly to get lost in thought and just let herself enjoy this, but she can't. She reluctantly closes her eyes and pulls her tired body away from the windowsill. Her expression retreats back to the professional one that she has been wearing. "So. It doesn't look structured out there. Just chaos. Still, we should make a note of that. Random colors and shapes, floating around. And a semi-transparent ground. If we find something else like this, we should keep it in mind."

I sigh and shake my head. "Now, about this world being fan-made or something. If we assume that, then the question becomes: who made it, and for what purpose? Kenji being the protagonist of the game might explain why he's here, but what about us? It's like we were added as an afterthought, or maybe someone else is pulling the strings. Maybe the creator decided the story needed side characters."

I start pacing around the room, thinking out loud. "It could be that whoever made this world has a different set of rules or objectives than the game itself. Maybe they have a specific goal in mind for us. And if we figure out what that is, we might find a way to fix Kenji and get out of here."

I look at Nozomi. "So, what do you think? Any ideas or theories?"

Nozomi is leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. She raises an eyebrow at me. "Impressive. You into theories about video game and anime and all that stuff you and Kenji like?" She puts her leg, leaned up against the wall, down. "How'd ya get so good at----or at least comfortable with--- this sorta thing? You just jumped right in. No hesitation."

I scratch my head, trying to find the right words. "Well, I guess you could say I've been exposed to a lot of discussions and theories online. Not necessarily about video games, but, you know, the internet is a vast place. I've seen people theorizing about movies, TV shows, and, yeah, even games. It's like a hobby for some folks."

I chuckle nervously. "As for being comfortable with it, let's just say I've been part of some interesting online communities. You pick up a thing or two along the way. And, well, considering the situation we're in, it just felt natural to start theorizing about what might be going on."

I look at Nozomi. "What about you? Any theories or ideas on why we're here?

She gives a little smile, still brimming with nihilism. "You may be more helpful than I thought. You're comfortable with weird situations and you adjust quickly." She stops, and stops leaning against the wall. She stares at me with a curious and contemplative expression, but not like her earlier one. She seems to have some emotion involved this time. "You adapted to this situation so well. You didn't panic, and you immediately thought about helping Kenji rather than yourself. You're really good at and willing to follow instructions, and you're always thinking of how to keep moving forward. Once you have an idea, you keep at it, and don't stop pursuing it until you get a response. And you have a lot of good hunches, and ask the important questions. You're very down to business. Plus, you're pretty tall."

I rub the back of my neck, a bit bashful at the unexpected praise. "Well, thanks, Nozomi. I guess when you're confronted with the bizarre, you either adapt or get overwhelmed. And, well, considering the state Kenji is in, I feel like I need to do whatever I can to help. As for being tall, I guess it has its perks."

I glance around the altered classroom, then back at Nozomi. "We need to figure out more about this world and how it connects to the game. Any other details you noticed, or things we should investigate?"

"E-eh? Did I say that out loud? D-don't get the wrong idea! I wasn't saying that because I like you or anything! Baka!" She laughs out loud. "Hahahaha! Oh man, I'm sorry. Just channeling my inner dating sim, I guess!" She laughs again. 

"Ah, sorry, sorry." She shakes her head and clears her throat. She adjusts her expression to be more serious, but her eyes flutter down in apprehension for a moment. "I just haven't had anyone to talk to for a while....." She gives her head a little shake, and looks back up at me. But at least her mood seems to have improved. "I'm sorry, what were we talking about again?"

I chuckle at Nozomi's playful outburst, appreciating the momentary lightness. "No worries. We were talking about investigating this world and figuring out its connection to the game. Anything else you've noticed or think could be relevant?" I ask, steering the conversation back to our task at hand.

"Well...." She looks into the distance, thinking. "Sometimes things will happen as a result of other modifications I've tried to make. I typically try to go around to all the spots that could be affected and see if anything's changed, both in the visual way, and in the code and files. You never know when another secret file is gonna pop up. Speaking of which, I should probably check.... Don't say anything, alright? You'll break my focus." She closes her eyes and taps the air in front of her, deep in focus. 

I nod, respecting Nozomi's request for focus. "Alright, take your time. Meanwhile, I'll keep an eye out for anything unusual or out of place." I start scanning the room, observing the changes she mentioned and looking for any signs of abnormalities.

She opens her eyes, evidently finished. "I checked all the usual locations, and the unusual ones, but I didn't see anything. Still...sometimes things will happen in the physical world that don't show up in the code." She nods her head to the room. "Take the space classroom, for example. It doesn't say anything about it looking any different in the files. It doesn't even mention the chairs. And the outside background says it's the same as it was before, but that's obviously not true." She gestures back to the window.

I absorb Nozomi's observations, considering the mysterious alterations in the environment. "So, the changes we're experiencing might not be limited to the digital aspects of this world. They could extend to the physical surroundings as well. That adds another layer of complexity to this situation."

I glance around the space classroom, trying to discern any subtle differences or anomalies that might stand out. "Maybe we should systematically explore the areas we can access and see if there are any clues or changes that haven't been accounted for in the code. It's like a puzzle, and every piece we find could bring us closer to understanding what's happening."

"You sure like puzzles, huh? Or at least the puzzle analogy."

I chuckle nervously, realizing my affinity for puzzles might be more apparent than I thought. "Yeah, it seems that way. Puzzles have rules and patterns, and if you can figure them out, you can unlock the solution. I guess it's a fitting analogy for this bizarre situation we find ourselves in."

Leaning against a virtual desk, I continue, "But this puzzle is unlike anything I've encountered before. It's not just about connecting pieces; it's about understanding the nature of the puzzle itself. What if the puzzle is constantly changing its own rules? It's like navigating through a maze with shifting walls."

Nozomi leans against the back of a chair. "Honestly, sometimes it does feel like everything's just being made up as we go. But regardless, we need to start figuring out where to search." She looks at me. "I typically search areas that are shown in the game. The world has trouble rendering stuff that isn't in the game. You saw Kenji's entryway earlier, right? Areas that aren't in the game are like that. Buzzing and a little distorted. Areas that are shown in the game are just dead silent and eerily still."  She walks over to me, hand on her hip, and eyebrow raised."So, since you have pretty good hunches, any areas you think we should check?"

“I think for now, we should check areas that were significant in the game. The literature club room and its surroundings might be a good starting point. There were important events and interactions there, and it could provide some clues or changes in the world. What do you think?”

Nozomi nods. “Smart. I’ll warp us over there. I don’t like going into unrendered spaces when I don’t have to.” She glances back at me, with the complete indifference and apathy back in her eyes. She stares at what seems to be empty space, but she looks at it like there’s something there. Her hands tap the air like she’s typing on a keyboard. “So, the literature club room, right?”

I nod, feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation. "Yeah, let's start there. Maybe we'll find some clues or changes that can help us understand what's happening. Lead the way, Nozomi."

“Alright. This is going to feel a little weird, since now you know you’re being warped. Being aware of this stuff makes it feel different. Like, I warped us here, but you probably didn’t notice.” Her fingers stop moving, but one index finger hovers over a certain spot. She glances at me from the corner of her eye. “You ready?”

I take a deep breath and brace myself. "Ready as I'll ever be. Let's do it."