#a very long rope to the top of the sky

[jimmyandthepulsatingmass]

A Very Long Rope to the Top of the Sky

I've added a Very Long Rope to the Top of the Sky to itch.io!

This is mainly a response to the ask I got the other day to upload God of Crawling Eyes (which I'll get to next, I swear!). Since rpgmaker.net has been down for some time and the only upload for my old games is on archive.org, it felt like probably a good idea to upload everything on itch.io for the sake of preservation. I'm just going to upload them every day or so until they're all there.

From the page:

A Very Long Rope to the Top of the Sky was my first complete game.  It was an overly ambitious, full-length RPG that I had no business making with my rudimentary understanding of game development at the time, but it still has its charm.

The mechanics are pretty by-the-numbers rpg maker, the mapping is generally not detailed enough, and the graphics are RTP with an occasional edit, but the writing mostly holds up and some of the songs are great--even if they're MIDI.  If you're willing to overlook the simplicity of the battle system and the rough-around-the-edges aspects of the game, there's enough here to legitimately enjoy.

The story starts with Mint and Ivy, two sisters who are grappling with the death of their father.  They live on a barren planet, so barren that they've never run into any people outside of their immediate family.  But, there's a rope hanging next to their house.  It's always been there.  It goes up and up and up, so far that it disappears into the clouds.  With their father dead, their attempts at foraging falling short, and the world filled with dangerous monsters, they have no choice but to climb the rope.  What awaits them, above the clouds?

Features: -Original music -Character-centric storyline -40+ hours of gameplay -Different equipment sets that modify the ways characters play -A crafting system featuring over 100 pieces of unique equipment -LOTS of side quests -Recruit an odd assortment of townspeople and pass legislation to develop your own village -Raise a pig to compete in the Pig Arena and win prizes -New game+ feature that includes multiple bonus endings--a mechanic I blatantly stole from Chrono Trigger

[horatiovonbecker]

RPG Maker game about two perfectly human-looking girls raised in secret, in a world where it turns out normal people have nonfunctional angel wings. One of them is terminally ill; both are strong enough to climb the miles-long rope their father climbed to get food for them before he died of illness.

(Well, actually Ivy's strong enough to carry them both. Mint is just strong enough to hold on while she does.)

That's the first-hour-of-fiftysomething pitch. (Semi-precise length uncertain; my hard drive died near the end.) Were you wanting the full rant?

Have you played A Very Long Rope To The Top Of The Sky? Because I feel like you would have both strong and good opinions about it, and also I want to rant about the Actually Good version that lives in my head.

I have not - feel free to give me the pitch. I'm a sucker for the good-but-imperfect.

[chaoticwriting]

New Gotham Rouge

Okay, in Danny's defense, it sounds like a very good idea when he thought about it. Danny is currently laying on top of the clocktower looking at the smog filled sky. A few stars can be seen occasionally while he is staring and thinking about his decision.

When Danny is outed as Phantom. He ran away as his parents tried to capture and cut him open. He hid in a nearby cave for a few days as he thought of what to do when he suddenly had a brilliant idea. Let's fake his own death!

Danny stole a few parts and materials around Amity Park and made a makeshift bomb and rushed towards the GIW base. He freed all the ghosts and made a cinematic scene of exploding himself thus taking the whole building with him.

Danny also sends the ghost to set up a few bombs in his house after making sure Jazz, Sam and Tucker are not there. Just as he 'exploded' himself, the house also exploded destroying the portal and all the remaining research paper about anything ghost related.

Danny dove into the ground as the explosion distracted everyone and chose one direction to fly towards. A few hours later, he found himself in Gotham and surprisingly there is a lot of ambient ectoplasm in Gotham. He flies around invisible while looking for a place to stay and he lands on the clocktower to rest after flying for so long.

Now, Danny doesn't know what he should do because he realizes one key component in staying alive for him. Obsession. Contrary to popular belief (Sam), his obsession is not protection. It is love. Love as in any act of love will fulfill his obsession. Him protecting his town is an act of love towards his town people. Him loving and studying space is an act of love towards himself. Him not taking revenge against his family and people that wrong him is an act of love towards humanity.

So, long story short, he needs to find a way to fulfill his obsession. He is laying on top of the clocktower and suddenly a very good idea comes into his mind.

A few weeks later

-Batcave-

Dick: Are you still searching for the glitter thief?

Tim: Yes. And it's driving me insane how little clue there is of this thief. I even tried asking Selina and even she is impressed by this thief's MO.

Steph: Are you sure you need to be stressing about this thief? It's probably a group of kids stealing glitters just because they can.

Tim: Are you telling me a group of kids can do a heist better than Selina? And this thief or group of thieves for some reason only stole biodegradable paint and glitters from all across the city without us finding where they store them? There must be something I am missing.

Suddenly, an alert appears at the batcomputer and catches everyone's attention. A live broadcast is showing Joker standing in front of a switch as Commissioner Gordon hanging from a rope on top of a pool of acid. Every single batfam suits up and rushes into Gotham to find the Joker before anything can happen.

Joker: Hahahaha. Good evening Gotham and Bats! Today, I have a dear friend of yours playing my game. In front of me is a switch to activate a time bomb that will explode a whole district if not dismantled. You have 20 minutes to dismantle the bomb and with every minute that passes, I will slowly lower the Commissioner into the pool of acid.

Joker then walks slowly towards the switch and flips it.

Joker: Your time starts now! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Batman and the crew rushes towards Gotham as they turn Gotham upside down for the bomb. 5 minutes passed and they become desperate enough that they even roped in some of the rogues like Penguin, Harley, Ivy and Croc. But no matter what they do, they can't find the bomb.

Just as the last minute passes, everyone expects a big explosion engulfing Gotham. Except there is no sound at all. In fact, it is eerily quiet. Everyone turns on Joker live broadcast to see even the man is confused. He turns around and sees Gordon having his feet inside the pool of acid like nothing is happening.

Suddenly a giggle appears. Everyone that hears the giggles starts to get goosebumps as suddenly, a kid with a half clown facemask at the bottom of his face, a green leather jacket, black jeans and white hair appears behind Joker. His hands are holding his stomach as his giggles turn into laughter that is eerily similar to Joker.

???:Hello everyone. I am Trickster. And I am here to crash the party.

Everyone: ????

Trickster: Hehehe, it's so funny to see everyone's confused expression. But no worries I am here to have fun. See, I even have your toys with me.

The Trickster phases his hand into his body and pulls out a very familiar brick. He throws it to Joker and the Joker runs away screaming and trips on his feet falling down the stairs.

The Trickster: Hahahahaha. Do you see his face? Hahaha. Oh boy, I should have recorded this. Hey this is a live stream right? Someone clip that. Anyway, I have defused the bomb. And the acid isn't actually acid. It's just colored water with a light beam at the bottom. I still can't believe he doesn't check the acid pool first.

The Trickster then goes towards Gordon and pulls him down from the rope. After Gordon touches the ground, he unties him and pats Gordon's shoulder.

Trickster: Well I guess this is good enough for the apology.

Gordon: Apology?

Trickster: *Rubbing his neck* Yeah, about that. I was the one that glitter bombed your office last week. I mistook your office for another corrupt policeman and accidentally placed it on your desk. I am also technically the cause of you getting caught today. In my defense, you shouldn't startle me like that.

Gordon: Wait, you're the kid that punched me.

Trickster: I'm not a kid. I'm 16. Plenty old if you ask me. Whatever, here is your phone. Go call Batman to pick you up. I want to go back to sleep after having fun tonight. Adios.

Gordon: Wait-

Trickster then disappears into thin air like he is never there in the first place. If not for his phone in his hand and later confirmation from everyone that watched the live stream, Gordon might have admitted himself into Arkham.

That is merely the start of the many incidents involving Gotham's newest rogue the Trickster.

Part 2

[cruedxm]

𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐄 𝐌𝐄𝐍 𝐍𝐒𝐅𝐖 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒

𝐉𝐀𝐘𝐂𝐄

𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐄: Jayce is wholeheartedly a servicer—if he can sacrifice his life’s work for Piltover and its citizen’s safety, best bet he’ll do anything you ask of him. You want him on his knees? Say the word and he’s instantly on the floor. Want to try something new? He’s all for it, even if it means letting you get on top for once. Anything you ask, he’s open-minded and prepared…mostly. 

𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐅𝐈𝐗𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: While Jayce may enjoy fucking you like there’s no tomorrow, there’s nothing he enjoys more than having the pleasure of going down on you. Whether it’s shoving your cock down his throat until he’s gagging, or eating your cunt getting a lot less oxygen than he should be, he’s having the time of his life. 

𝐃𝐄𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: Jayce has received so much praise from the council and Piltover as a whole, and he’s tired of everyone being nice. He’ll get on his knees and beg you to call him a slut—your slut. Spit in his mouth, call him a whore, and he’s going to come so hard he sees stars. Better yet, treat him like he’s only good for sex at first, act hard to please, and he’ll be the most loyal person on Runeterra to you.

𝐕𝐈𝐊𝐓𝐎𝐑

𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆: Viktor’s a very busy man, but he when he’s finally having  a little free time, he does make up for it in his incredible ability to be able to edge you for hours. He can tease you for as long as he wants, knowing how to pull the right strings to have you so close to coming, yet not reaching your release, teetering on that fine line until he has mercy on you.

𝐓𝐎𝐘𝐒: Viktor does lacks the ability to actively fuck you, though he does have an expansive collection of toys he actively uses on you. A dildo, a fucking machine, you name it, he has it. One of his numerous hobbies is to tie you up and leave you at the mercy of one of his toys while he does paperwork, hearing you squirm and whine in the background works as perfect white noise.

𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐄𝐒: As I said, he’s an extremely busy man. If you visit him during brief breaks he takes for lunch or dinner, he’s sure to allocate 5 minutes to either get on his knees or have you ride him. Jayce and Sky will leave for their respective breaks, and he’ll sneak you in to the lab for a quick session before you’re both getting back to work, though you may or may not have almost been interrupted a few times.

𝐄𝐊𝐊𝐎

𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄: Ekko is one with nature, preserving the tree in which the Firelights hide out in is one of his top priorities. Thus, he often takes you up to the very top of the tree to be surrounded by the greenery, and to have privacy. When you both decide to have some fun, that’s always his go-to spot, hidden amongst the numerous branches and leaves for utmost seclusion.

𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐉𝐎𝐁𝐒: With many of Silco’s plans to thwart, the leader of the Firelights has little during the day to go the full nine yards, but sneaking in a blow job here and there has proved to be simple and effective. Some of the more perceptive firelights have seen you and Ekko go into a room with the man wound up and stressed, coming out like Jesus had baptised him and washed his stress away.

𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃-𝐁𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆: Ekko isnt super into full-on extravagant rope bondage, but he does enjoy using his belt or a piece of silk to keep your hands in place. Alternatively, you use them on him, and while he can most certainly break free, he plays into the whole ‘unable to escape’ part, choosing to let you have your fun.

𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐂𝐎 

𝐊𝐍𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘: Silco’s a big knifeplay enthusiast, liking how you shiver when the cold blade glides across your skin, how you yelp in pain when he breaks skin. Crimson suits you perfectly, and he’s most definitely leaving his initials on your lower back to feed his possessiveness. 

𝐒𝐈𝐑 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐊: He’s been called ‘sir’ by many, but it’s different with you, the way the word rolls off your tongue in an almost reverent way. The first time you called him that with a slightly teasing lilt, he bent you over and fucked you senseless, egging you on to continue calling him by that title in bed.

𝐄𝐗𝐇𝐈𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐌: He really couldn’t care less if anyone walked in on you two fucking in his office, Sevika or Jinx or whoever it is that makes the mistake of stumbling in. In fact, he gets off to seeing their looks of disgust and discomfort, all the while feeling the shame and embarrassment radiate off you as you try to hide your face from the intruders.

𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑

𝐃𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐘 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐊: Vander to some, Father to many, Daddy to you, and only you. Calling him by the nickname of ‘Daddy’ had ignited something deep within him the first time you let it slip past during sex after you’d both come. He stopped in a stunned silence for a little while, and you could feel his dick instantly harden inside you, and oh boy, that was a long night for you.

𝐒𝐈𝐙𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄: Vander’s not a big guy—he’s huge. He easily towers over everyone, and his burly frame adds to his size. He likes to poke fun at you sometimes, calling you a gnome or short-stack , but he’s just joking around. However, the moment you both are behind closed door, and his monstrous cock is buried deep in you, tracing the outline of him inside you, interlocking your hands while he’s cooing into your ear about how small you are compared to him.

𝐂𝐎𝐂𝐊-𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆: One of his favourite pastimes is to have you situated on his lap, warming his cock up for him while he’s doing paperwork. You’ll shift and twitch, shuddering our breaths, and he’s just rub your back, whispering promises of how he’s going to fuck you so good once he’s finished his paperwork.

𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑

𝐏𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐊: Scar’s a little bit like a puppy when it comes to praise from you. Tell him that he’s done a good job with the Firelights, and he’ll be blushing like a schoolgirl. Tell him that he’s got a fantastic dick and that he knows how to please you so well, you’ve got him wrapped around your finger. 

𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆: Being that his wife (that you know nothing of) is gone, no one’s there to help the Chirean out during his ruts but you. Like those typically in ruts, he’ll growl out promises to breed you and knock you up, to give his daughter a sibling, and even if that’s not physically possible, he’s sure as hell going to try anyway. He’ll stuff you full until you’re sure that you might have health complications, and ensure that you’re not wasting a single drop of his precious come.

𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄-𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: Much like Jayce, he has an oral fixation unlike any other, preferring you to sit on his face above all else. If you don’t sit on his face like a chair, he’s going to go mad. He needs you to properly settle your weight down, not caring if he could break his neck. You best do what he asks, or he’ll torture you until you’re sure that you can’t come any more.

𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐁

𝐁𝐑𝐄��𝐓𝐇𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘: If you ghost your breath down his neck, over his gills, Steb will shiver and squirm, eager to get away. It’s absolute torture for him when you tie him down and blindfold him, your soft breathing caressing his skin as he desperately struggles against his bindings, cock twitching furiously in your hand.

𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐊: The nonchalant cutie isn’t so nonchalant anymore once you start dirty talking him. You’ll see his gills shiver and his teal cheeks will turn dark, soft little noises and sounds escaping his lips as he desperately averts his gaze, shifting to hide his growing arousal while ignoring your smug stare.

𝐆𝐀𝐆𝐒: Steb will gladly shove a gag into your mouth, eager to be protecting the quiet silence of your bedroom, occasionally broken by a muffled moan or a soft grunt from him. Besides, sometimes you’re too mouthy for your own good.

[dragonpastels]

I've noticed a certain trend of either giving the boys dragons or turning them into dragons, and since I am legally required to participate I decided to combine the boys with another franchise I love dearly. Do y'all like How to Train Your Dragon? Transcript down below! and click for better quality!

Raph Class: Boulder Description: The beast that spared me the other day seems to be protecting a group of smaller beasts. Which unfortunately includes that troublemaker who has been stealing from me. It watches me carefully as the others go about, but as long as I do not get too close it does not seem to be aggressive. The smaller one likes to approach me which I have tried to gently chase away, but the large beast starts to growl if I do.

Top Left: they ate a rock like it was a snack! Top Middle: the others also like to climb on top while Raphael is sleeping. Middle right: The smaller creature likes to hide in the rocks that cover their back. Bottom Middle: Whoah! It spits lava too! The boulders explode after a time leaving a crater of magma behind. Will observe from a distance.

Mikey Class: Stoker Description: The small one likes to come up to me and if I don't pet them they spit sparks at me and become agitated. it is quite the energetic guy and can tuck itself in its shell and become a spinning tornado of sparks and flames. It seems to do this more frequently when they are excited, or angry, or bored, or any strong emotion it seems.

Top Right: Latest work Middle Right: a recreation of them standing in front of their work. They seemed very proud. Bottom Right: it is kind of cute how they sleep. Their snout does not fully go into their shell. Which is quite adorable. Sweet dreams little guy. Bottom Left: The edge of their wing is rock-like. Leo Class: Strike Description: This one has been keeping a distance for some time, but It finally approached me. This one is adorned with beautiful patterns which they seem to love showing off. They seem to enjoy bothering the others and why they put up with it I will probably never know. their favorite one to bother seems to be the thief. Rightfully deserved. I saw this creature create wells of blue energy in the sky which they will fly into and disappear! I need to get closer to observe. I will name this fancy fellow Leonardo.

Top Right: Filthy thief. Middle Right: This one spits electricity! They will purposely hold a charge near me to ruin my hair... I think they find it funny... Bottom Left: I need to know what this is! Donnie Class: Mystery Description: This filthy thief is the one who has been bothering me since I became stranded here. their favorite thing to do appears to be stealing anything that interests it. List of things that interest it -a shovel -an old latch -rope I was going to trap it with -and mom's music box It appears to have made itself some armor from twisted metal and shields. that it carries on its back. Even though it freely approaches me I can not do the same or else it will flee, and when it does it hides behind Raphael. It knows Raphael will protect them. I can't think of any other name more fitting than Donatello.

Top Left: It has a hard underside but is soft on the rest of its body It didn't realize I was under it it let out a spooked squeak Middle Right: It has these strange spots along its nose. Bottom Right: I had to hide in a tree to get this view Bottom Left: Their eyes go white when they work it must be protecting its eyes. it uses its fire breath to attach the metal together.

Frida's log

|Masterpost|

[the-californicationist]

Riptide

Price/FReader for @glitterypirateduck's Oh, Captain! challenge 🩷

Challenge #2 (First time being intimate) and #91 (Snuggling under the stars)

TW: female reader, come play, a bit of casual exhibitionism

After a long mission, you’re slowly making your way back to England, hitching rides with local extraction teams to avoid Russian detection. Somewhere in the Mediterranean, you and the 141 make camp on an island beach and discover an old bottle of rum. Once the sun sets, the rum goes straight to your head, and you and your captain get tangled up in a hammock. 

The captain was dressed in his boonie hat, a pair of running shorts, and nothing else, swaying back and forth gently in an old rope hammock. The sunset glowed ruby red, just like the tip of his cigar, and the heat of the day slowly surrendered to a cool, island night. 

You’d never seen a pure purple sky before, and you watched it fade until the stars came out, twinkling on the horizon line just above the crashing waves. Your toes were being lapped at by the bright white foam, and every time the tide came toward you, it licked at your skin deeper and deeper, threatening to pull you into its riptide, taking you along with it, claiming you for the sea. 

Gaz, Soap, and Ghost were chatting by the fire, nursing one of the bottles of rum they’d discovered amongst the old shipping crates. You’d been skeptical at first, but when Price took a big long swig right in front of you, proving it wasn’t poison, you followed him into the drink. The two of you had made half a bottle disappear before he grew oddly quiet, giving you a strange look and retreating to his hammock bed. 

You peered over at him again. A steady flow of blue, milky smoke floated up from his full lips, tangling itself in his beard before blowing away with the night wind. You wanted to taste it. You wanted to feel that fire of his on your tongue. You wanted to be burnt by it, to smolder into glowing embers and ash right along with him. 

You looked over your shoulder to make sure the men were distracted before changing out of your wet sports bra. You were wearing a white button down over your black bra and panties, every bit as utilitarian as you had been trained to be, but the damp fabric was making you cold. And perhaps, if he chose to take a look, now that your breasts were unbound, a certain captain might be able to peer into the gaping neckline to see your nipples. You wanted him to see them. 

Trying to be very casual about it, you marched over to the roaring bonfire where the boys were sitting and hung your bra with the other drying clothes. You were all in some state of undress, but as you approached, their boisterous conversation lulled, and they watched you fidget once more with your top, choosing to unbutton it just one button further. 

“Tsk… You got it bad, sergeant,” Gaz whispered, nodding over to Price, judging you shamelessly. 

“Yeah,” you shrugged, “So?”

“Both of you,” Ghost shook his head, taking another swig from the bottle. 

Before you could ask what he meant, Soap slung his arm around your shoulder and whispered in your ear, 

“Just watch.”

Then, he let out a loud wolf-whistle and stood up with you, spinning you around the fire. The other boys laughed, understanding his game. 

“Bonnie lass! You’ve got moves, hen, I’ll give you that.”

“Aye, she does. Been hitting the gym, haven’t you, babes. Quads are lookin’ tight,” Gaz commented loudly. 

You realized they were trying to goad the captain, making him jealous. Sure enough, he was staring right at you, his bright eyes shining in the orange blaze of the fire, even though he was too far to do anything about it. He took another drag from his cigar, but he didn’t take his eyes off of you. 

Ghost shook his head again and muttered under his breath, 

“Gonna wake the dragon if you’re not careful, you muppets.”

You smiled, taking the bottle of rum from his hands and tipping it back, letting the sweet liquor flow down your throat. You wiped your lips with the back of your hand and returned it to Ghost, making your way over to the hammock. 

Price watched your approach the whole time, and maybe you added a little extra sway to your hips as you tread through the sand, and maybe… maybe you let the wind billow under your button down, making the gap wider, showing more and more of your breasts until it was almost indecent. 

“Got room for one more?”

He watched you from his swinging bed, making you wait for his response, puffing his smoke toward your bare belly where your shirt was knotted up. Then, in that deep voice of his, he nodded and said, 

“Aye, if you’re willing to be the little spoon, Sergeant.”

“Sure,” you shrugged, sitting on the edge of the ropes carefully, putting your weight in the middle and lowering yourself until you were laying with your back against his hairy chest, feeling the stickiness of his skin, coated in salt and sand and sweat. Your feet tangled together. He did not move to untangle them, so neither did you. 

He was quiet behind you, but you could feel his breathing. Every now and then, creamy bands of smoke would tumble across your cheek. You followed it with your nose, looking back at him, scooting down a bit so you could see his face.

“Can I try?” You eyed the cigar. 

“You know how?” He asked gently.

You shook your head. It was a lie. You knew how to smoke cigars; who didn’t? But, you wanted him to feel like he was showing you something for the first time. More than that, you wanted to see how he would teach you. The butterflies in your belly railed against your nerves, fluttering like mad to see him make you into his student. 

He handed you the stick, giving you his commands, 

“Pull it into your mouth, but not your throat. Keep it on your tongue. Taste it. When you’ve had enough, let it all out.”

You stared into his bright blue eyes as you followed his instructions. You sucked in the smoke, feeling the heat and tasting the sweetness of the tobacco. You let it linger on your tongue, and then you blew it out, letting it coat his chin and flow around his neck like a smoky collar. 

“Mm,” he murmured, disapproving, “Too fast, love. Like this.”

He took the cigar and put it to his lips, taking in a huge puff. Then, to your surprise, he leaned over you, putting his mouth in front of yours close enough to kiss you, but he didn’t. He let the smoke fall out of his mouth and into yours, watching it pool into your lips and beyond your teeth. It filled your senses, making you reel from its intensity. Price had a gleam in his eye, and you knew he was trying his best to get under your skin. 

You smiled back. Two could play at this game. 

After the smoke cleared, he pulled back, leaning away from you but still looking at your face, waiting for your reaction. 

“It got cold quick, didn’t it?” You let out a little shiver. 

“Sure did,” he nodded, smirking, “Maybe if you had more clothes on, you’d be warm.”

“Do you want me to put more clothes on?” Your voice dripped with lust, your desire for him wholly unmistakable. 

When he looked down at you now, his pupils were blown wide, inky black, taking all of you in, memorizing you like there’d be a test. His gaze fondled you, making you feel like he was peeling you apart even though he hadn’t laid a single finger on you yet. His eyes traced down your neck and into your top, stopping to stare with wonder at your bare tits in the open fold of the shirt.

With the cigar still balanced between his fingers, he used his thumb to delicately lift the fabric away from your neck, peering inside like a newly opened gift, his eyes wide with excitement. You wanted his fingers to touch you, but he played with the buttonline of the shirt instead, making it gap more and more until your breasts were almost fully exposed to the cool night air. 

You made a show of glancing over to the boys by the fire, whispering to him,

“They’re gonna see us.”

“Aye,” he said matter-of-factly, moving to untie the bow of the tail of your shirt, trying to peel it off of you like you were a ripe fruit. 

Suddenly, he took a final drag of the cigar and tossed it forward into the sand. It smoldered there, half-buried. Your body prepared for him to squeeze your tits, to pinch your nipples cruelly, to satisfy his obvious hunger… but, it never happened. Instead, he lay his hand on your belly, using his fingertips to pet you, lazily caressing you in small circles. 

It was making you squirm. You wanted him to go further. He seemed so hungry for your body and yet here he was, holding himself back. You rolled your ass into his crotch, hunting for the hard prod of his cock. You felt it, and he let out a gravelly sigh. Success. 

Yet, it didn’t change his tempo. He kept caressing you, petting your ribs, never quite reaching the swell of your breast, but stopping short over and over. 

You reached back and put your hand on his furry belly, full of rum and relaxed from his odd position in the hammock. Beneath your hand, his skin shuddered, feeling every movement that you made and responding to it eagerly. Inch by inch, you made your way to the elastic band of his trunks, reaching inside, searching for his hard rod. 

“Don’t start something you can’t finish, Sergeant,” he whispered. His voice was soft and deep, almost too low to hear. 

You needed him, and you were about to show him exactly how much. When you found his cock, you pulled it out of his trunks and shoved down your panties with your fingers, fumbling around with the fabric, trying your best to stay quiet. You rocked your hips back, allowing his head to slide between your legs and press up against your wet folds. Without his help, you couldn’t fit him inside of you, but you rocked against him anyway, smearing your stickiness all over his shaft. 

Back and forth you rubbed him, working yourself up into a fever. Still, he did not help you. He didn’t even move to fondle you. His hand never plucked at your nipples, and he did not explore your swollen lips hidden behind your panties, the same lips his drooling dick was rutting through. 

The elastic of your panties trapped him inside with you, keeping him close. Otherwise, he just went on with his sensual touching, brushing your hair from your face, running a finger along the curve of your rib cage. 

“So wet. All for me, soldier?” He hissed into your ear. 

“Yes, sir,” you panted. 

“Shh. Slow down. Breathe with me.”

You were tucked in closer to his chest, and you matched his inhales and exhales, your own body rising and falling with him as the hammock swayed you back and forth. You watched the boys laughing and joking. If they had noticed you, they were giving you your privacy. 

“That’s it. We’ve got all the bloody time in the world. What’s your rush?”

You looked back at him, pushing your nose against his scruffy jaw,

“Want you to touch me, Captain… please.”

“How do you want me to touch you, soldier?” He moved his hand beneath your shirt collar for the first time and you held your breath, “With my hands?” Before you could answer, his mouth closed over your earlobe, suckling at it, lightly kissing your neck, “Or with my mouth?”

“Yes, sir…” You let out a small mewl, trembling under his touch. 

He chuckled darkly, 

“Greedy little girl…”

When he finally ran his palm over your pert nipples, you jerked from the pleasure. It shocked you, and you felt yourself melt between your legs. His calloused hand was all you could think about. When he used his thumb and forefinger to lightly pull at your peaks, you had to stop yourself from moaning aloud. Instinctively, your body bucked into him, painting his cock with layer after layer of your slick joy. 

You watched as he snaked his hand out of your shirt and licked his fingertips. Then, he returned them to your breast, slipping his spit over your sensitive flesh, heightening your sensations. 

He shifted his weight and your shoulder fell back, twisting your torso until your breasts were freed from your shirt. You were fully on display, the light of the fire dancing across your skin. If the boys looked over at you, they’d see everything. They could watch how their sunkissed captain was craning his neck, knocking his hat back to lick and suck gently on your nipple, playfully plucking at the other one absentmindedly. 

You had to bite your cheek so you couldn’t scream, but Price saw the panicked look in your eyes. He paused, reminding you,

“C’mon, love. Breathe for me. Relax. You’re alright.”

The only problem was when you did finally relax, you felt the bright, crackling sense that you were about to come. 

“I can’t,” you hissed through your teeth, “You’re going to make me come. I’m gonna come. I’m… I can’t…”

“You can,” he suckled your breast deeper into his mouth, hollowing his cheeks, “Deep breath in, let it all out. Let it come. That’s it. Good girl.”

You knew he had felt you come. You didn’t even have a chance to hide it. You were bucking against him hard enough to make wet little noises from your grinding. Your panties were wet. You’d come so hard it had felt like you had a bruise deep inside of your belly, and your legs shivered, quaking from his barely-there touch. 

“Beautiful…” He commented, returning to his delicate sucking, “So eager.” 

You were beyond consciousness. Everything was gleaming and glittering in your vision, and you could feel the flush of blood moving up your chest and onto your cheeks, hot and full of sexual energy. 

“You want me to touch you?” He asked quietly, hard as a stone but seemingly unbothered by your ecstasy. 

You nodded, whispering your desperate yeses to him. 

“In front of my men?” There was a darkness in his voice that felt like a hand gripping you around your throat. 

Shame and erotic desire warred in your belly. You nodded anyway, too cock-starved to care. You’d never wanted anyone so badly in your whole life. 

Price’s hand moved lower, flat against your skin, and his pinky finger dipped into the waistband of your underwear. His hand cupped your mons, finding his cockhead nuzzled beneath your clit, nudging the tight bundle. He used his hand not to touch you, but to instead hold his dick and draw little circles in your flesh with it, moving it against you rhythmically. The soft head swiped below your clit over and over, enough to tease and not nearly enough to soothe. 

“Soaked, love. So wet that I can smell you. So sweet.”

You turned your head to look at him. You wanted to see his face, wanted to see desire painted there, and it was. His eyes were watching you like a wolf, witnessing you fall limp like easy, pliant prey. 

“When you come,” he smiled, knowing you were getting close again, “I want you to look at me. Don’t look away. Show it to me.”

“Yes, sir…”

You struggled to hold his gaze. Your body was doing everything it could to fight you, to force you to close your eyes in the face of your pleasure. As you felt yourself approach that glaring point of no return, you locked eyes with him, pleading with him, begging him for help he couldn’t give you. 

“Captain!” You gasped breathlessly. 

“Don’t… don’t look away,” he growled from his throat with a half-moan that revealed his desire. 

You were bursting from the inside out, and it felt like you had caught fire. Your skin was hot, and you broke out in a sweat, the salty sheen making your sunburnt skin glow. 

“Good,” Price purred, “So good, love. So pretty.”

You rested your forehead against his neck. He hadn’t even put his cock in you, and you felt like you’d been through hell — or heaven. One or the other. Maybe both. You were dizzy. 

You felt his heart slamming into his chest, and you could smell the tobacco lingering on his breath. He was still pushing his cock against you, and your body continued to make loud, sticky come for him, enough to drip and smear onto your thighs. 

You looked out at the dying bonfire. The boys were quiet now, laying around, aiming for bed. As the fire lost its height, Price became emboldened. 

He fisted his cock more vigorously, jerking himself against you, his huge hand bulging inside of the fabric of your panties.

“So fuckin’ messy, love. So wet for me. Gorgeous,” Price snarled, talking into your neck in a hoarse whisper. You could tell he was approaching his own charged bliss.

You kissed his neck, sucking on his skin, enjoying each and every sigh. Your body was begging for him, contracting over and over, wishing for something to squeeze. As if he could read your mind, Price sank a thick finger into your pussy as he jerked himself off onto your folds, finding some sort of punishing pattern, ripping another round of joy from you. 

He moved his mouth over yours, letting it hang slack, sharing your breath and resting his forehead against yours. His eyes were watching yours, showing you his orgasm just as you had been made to show him yours. He was right. It was beautiful. You could see the sparking desire in his eyes, built up with a sort of intensity that was almost frightening. Price cried out under his breath, right into your open lips, his face full of serene relief. 

Then, you felt something warm and slick coating his hand and your lips. You realized he was coming on your folds, painting your soft skin with his white, thick cream. It was everywhere; you were so sensitive, you could feel it. It dripped onto your swollen clit, and you could feel it slide down into your stretched hole where his fingers were making you tremble. Your panties were soaked through, and you realized he was using his hand to pull out more and more of your juices, letting them run down your legs and into the cleft of your ass. 

He stilled himself, breathing heavy, still gazing into your face, his eyes full of longing. Then, he pulled his cock away, letting the wet tip loll against your ass cheek. His fingers slid out of you, one by one, ever so gentle, and he used them to rub his orgasm into your flesh like lotion, mixing you together in a lurid ritual. Carefully, he removed his hand from your panties entirely, replaced the elastic where it belonged, and began to massage your pussy through the fabric, making sure his sticky come was there to stay. 

“That was…” Price sighed. 

“So fucking good, Captain,” you smiled, petting his cheek, letting the sway of the hammock rock you as you came down from your high.

You looked down at your legs, gleaming in the low firelight,

“I better go wash off.”

“Don’t you dare,” Price snarled, hugging you closer to him, trapping you with his heavy arms. He grinned slyly down at you, taking an obvious glance down at your panties, teasing you, “You’re gonna keep me right here, love,” he shoved his huge hand between your legs, resting his palm over your clit, “At least until they start their snoring. Then…” You felt him teasing your pulsing hole through the wet fabric, “I’ll give you some more. Let you keep it nice and warm inside this time.”

If you liked this story, please consider reblogging! ✌️🩷

[s1llysmut]

Aaaa i was the ine that requested the charlie x reader comfort:3 it was so good thank uuuu!!! Sozz if im overbearing w requests but!!! Lute x fem reader nfsw alphabet? :3 thankk uuu smm

A/N: Absolutely! I wasn’t sure if you wanted Lute as more dominant or submissive so I just wrote her how I see her. Also sorry for any spelling mistakes, I wrote this pretty late.

NSFW alphabet for Lute

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

I’m gonna be so real with you, she doesn’t mean to but she falls asleep ASAP. Can you really blame her though? She deals with Adam all day.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Her favourite body part on herself is her wings. She sees them as a very important symbol of her status in heaven. Her favourite body part on you is your ass. She hates to see you leave but she loves to see you go if you know what I mean ;)

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

She will ride your face and make you lick her clean. I’m return she’ll do the same for you, however, it might just make a bigger mess.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Her wings are really sensitive. She doesn’t tell anyone since she doesn’t want anyone to use her weaknesses against her. If you touch her wings she will let out the sluttiest moan you have ever and will ever hear.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

She knows a thing or two. Not super experienced but she still knows her way around a pussy.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

If she’s wearing a strap on she wants you to ride her. She wants you to work for your pleasure.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

She’s not goofy at all. Everything she does is done with focus, effort, and precision. There is no way she’d be goofy.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

She doesn’t completely shave it but she does trim it.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

It honestly depends on her mood. She can be romantic but she doesn’t really enjoy it. It makes her feel too vulnerable.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

If you’re not home and she’s feeling extra needy she is not above riding your pillow and pretending it’s your face. Of course she will never tell you and everything will be squeaky clean by the time you’re home.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Bondage. Seeing you tied up at her mercy makes her feel so powerful.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Your bedroom. She’s not freaky like that.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

If she’s stressed out her libido sky rockets. She also loves to see you in just a bra or a crop top.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Despite Adam’s pleas she is NOT inviting him to join.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

She much prefers receiving. She loves using your mouth as her own personal fuck toy.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

She is fast and rough. She loves when you’re at mercy, unfortunately she doesn’t have much of it.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

She’s neutral on them. She honestly just doesn’t care.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Yes but nothing public ever. She has a reputation to keep up.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

She can last about 4 rounds. She sees it as a challenge and she’s not about to back down.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

She owns a classic vibrator and a dildo for herself and you, but she owns rope and cuffs for you only.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

She is really unfair. She wants you begging for her.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Overall she’s not that loud unless she’s cumming or you touch her wings.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

If you own your own house together and she sees you walking around the house in just your underwear she is eating you out then and there.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

C cups. Not huge but not super small either.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Pretty high. We’re talking 3 times a week minimum.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Immediately passes out on your chest. Cleaning up can wait, just play with her hair and let the poor baby rest.

[songsofadelaide]

Hello! Recently read a few of your kn8 Soshiro x Reader fics and fell in love with your writing style. It's so lovely, and I really like your portrayal of him! If you're okay with requests, can you maybe write a Soshiro/female!Reader story where the two have a number of memorable chance meetings from childhood to adulthood, until they "officially" meet in the Defense Force? I'm lowkey obsessed with the idea of two people who meet as kids and are repeatedly separated and reunited during different stages of life, before reuniting for good as adults who can be together. Bonus points if the reader is Kafka's silly little sister!

Sorry if this is a lot, and thanks for reading it all!

I love your big brain, anon. The childhood friends trope is really at the top of everything for some reason! But soulmates, too? (Or something like that lol.) These are just a few of my favourite things to write.

Hope you enjoy this!

cw: (F) Reader/OC has a name in this fic, Hibino Mayari, and is six years younger than Kafka and one year younger than Mina. There may be some inaccuracy with the ages. Written with a generic (f) reader in mind. ✧ Mayari is the deity of the moon, night, war, revolution, equality, and strength in the Philippines. Since Kafka had a unique name, I thought I'd give his little sister one, too. Think of it as their mother being some kind of voracious reader and giving her children names they absolutely cannot find in souvenir shops. wc: 3.8k

✧ Stardust - Sakura Fujiwara

stardust

Lucky stars, a trick of the gods, destiny— you could call your meeting so many different things. Strings so intricately twined that you'd think it to be a single rope, raindrops from the same cloud falling into the same ocean, and shadows coming together as the sun reaches a point in the sky. There wasn't a single part of you that wouldn't recognise the soul that touched yours that fateful day.

What was it like to make a promise to someone? Your older brother promised you many things— sweets after school, a piggyback ride whenever you got tired of running after him, and taking you wherever you wanted. Such were the little sister privileges granted to you by your older brother Kafka.

In the wake of your home's destruction, you remember him making a promise to a girl— your next-door neighbour Mina, and how they both swore to rise above and become the coolest Defense Force Officer the world has ever seen. You wanted in on that promise, too, and Kafka agreed only because you were his younger sister, his only one in this world. And Mina agreed because there was no way she could refuse you and your eagerness.

"I want to be a Defense Force Officer, too!"

"Then let's race! Me, Mina, and Mayari! Let's see who becomes the coolest of them all!" 

Not long after making that promise, you were caught amid a Yoju attack that separated you from Kafka and your mother. You screamed and wailed for your older brother, for anyone at that point, only to be rescued by a lone swordsman who swept through the field with his single blade. Your nameless saviour brought you to the nearest evacuation centre, where you reunited with your family and the rest of your community. 

You only knew swordsmen from legends and anime and not even once in your life did you ever think you'd be rescued by one, but then you were. And you couldn't peel your eyes away from the older man, who was clearly flattered by how you followed him around the evacuation centre with your curious eyes. 

"Is there anything I can do for you, little one?"

"I—! I want to be a swordsman, too!"

He chuckled at your declaration, calling it an admirable intention, but the light in your eyes revealed the depth of your earnestness— a rarity for children like you who have lost nearly everything in your life— mostly due to Kaiju attacks. 

The old man in the familiar Defense Force uniform crouched down and held out his hand for a handshake with you. "Very well. If you wish to devote yourself to the way of the sword, you must be willing to sacrifice your existing way of life."

He scrounged a wrinkled sheet of paper and a pen and wrote down an address that your practised eyes could read. "Ho… shina?"

"That's correct. If you truly wish to learn more about swordsmanship, come to this place, and I will teach you all that our family knows." 

That little scrap of paper became your most treasured possession. After weeks of pestering your older brother to take you to that place, he eventually relented and allowed you a maximum of 30 minutes before he came to pick you up again. 

You were almost turned away from the dojo when the students mistook you for a lost child, but your saviour recognised you— and your eyes filled with hope. When you introduced yourself to him once more and reiterated your intention to learn the way of the sword, he acknowledged you with a deep bow, which you quickly imitated. 

"I have a son your age. He will be the one to teach you the most basic yet valuable lessons when it comes to swordsmanship," he said before gesturing at a boy in the same haori and hakama as him. "Soshiro."

Rumours about the high schooler Hibino Mayari and her incredible sword arm reached even the ears of her older brother in college. While you remained his adorable little sister for the most part, it was clear to Kafka that you had a gift for the sword you had to continue honing. From his estimation, you won't have any difficulty passing the Defense Force Entrance Exams, but that will depend on your overall combat power and affinity for firearms. 

At 23, he had already failed four times, while you had one more year before you could take it yourself. And while you didn't wish for your brother to lose hope, the way things were going for him did not bode well. 

You were both home for the weekend, Kafka with his can of beer in hand while you practised your swings with your bokken in your backyard. 

"Aniki," you started. "Mina nee-san will take the entrance exams later this year, right?" 

"Yeah. Wish her luck when you can," he told you. "Speaking of which, didn't you say your friend will be taking the exam, too?" 

"Shiro-kun has family in the Defense Force. Though I doubt he'd try to get in the force by family connections alone," you said with a smile. "It's been years since I last saw him, so I wonder if he's really going to take the exam this year like he said before."

As a child, you learned everything you could about swordsmanship under the tutelage of the age-old samurai clan, but after being assessed at the age of 13, the Hoshina patriarch declared you a shodan, an estimation which meant you already had a clear grasp of the basics of swordsmanship. 

"It's a pity they had to let you go just when you were getting good, huh?" Kafka remarked as he drank deep from his can of beer. 

"I know, but Shisho said Shiro-kun and I were quickly becoming big fish in a small pond and training with a single person for a long time would narrow our perspective, so we had to start training with others. At least that's what he told me," you replied to him as you rested your bokken on your stiff shoulder. "I'm glad the schools I went to had Kendo clubs with members of varying levels of strengths and skill, so I was able to make use of my knowledge while learning new things at the same time." 

"Oh, come on. You learned swordsmanship from an elite dojo. We both know you just wanted to show off— ow!" He said with a small snort, to which you replied by lightly kicking his shin. "Mayari!"

"Well, maybe I do want to show off a little," you huffed at your older brother. 

"They even gave you some tacky nickname, right? Crescent blade Mayari! Pfft!"  

You kicked his shin a bit harder this time. "Aniki! I didn't ask for that! My kouhais thought it was cool, so…"

"So you ran with it," Kafka nodded at you before gently kicking you back. You could tell from the way he looked at you that he kind of wanted to cry. "I am proud of you, Mayari."

That can't be helped, you told yourself. Aniki is always so honest with himself, after all. 

"Thank you, aniki. Don't go crying on me now. I'll always be your adorable little sister," you replied to him with a laugh and playfully batted your eyelashes at him. "Speaking of which, this adorable little sister of yours just saw this pretty dress in—"

"H-Hey! Don't get too ahead of yourself, Mayari!" 

"Aniki," you said to him with a smile. "I hope you know I'll always be rooting for you, too, so don't give up, okay? I'm sure Mina nee-san will be waiting for you— and me— when she passes the exam this year."

"Shiro-kun!" 

It was an endearing nickname that was even more endearing by the sweet way you said it. If he was being honest, Soshiro did not think much of you back then. For him, you were just a little girl his father invited to learn and train swordsmanship. You were different from him in the way flowers grew from the same bush. While they were equally tended to, some will grow larger than others and bloom more brilliantly, too. 

He likened you to a grafted plant— one attached to him by the roots. And brilliantly did you bloom, indeed. A wildflower that thrived from the same water and sunlight as he did. For him, it was only a matter of time until you bloomed in fullness and outgrew him, but that never happened because his father uprooted you to the quick— for growing at a rate he did not expect from someone like you. 

That, and he did not expect his sons to start fighting over you. And though you were one of his most excellent pupils, he didn't deem you worth the trouble his sons would stir if you did not permit them to tame you. 

You parted your place of learning in good faith and had nothing but gratitude for the Hoshina Family, but there were times you thought it was unfair. He will continue learning under the best of the best while you have to carry on by yourself… But you were more disheartened by the fact that you would not see him again. 

Soshiro was truly the best rival you could ever ask for. As you entered middle school and high school and razed through club after club and joined every tournament you could, you soon realised that no one else could ever come close to him— both in skill and in something else you couldn't quite put a finger on. You searched for him in every opponent you came across, only to be disappointed time and again that they were not even at your level. 

In your final year of high school, during your school's long-anticipated cultural festival, the drama club needed someone with your skill, and they made you the centrepiece of their performance by teaching you a sword dance that drew spectators to your graceful form. 

"She's a marvel."

For once in his life, Soshiro was glad to have let his curiosity win him over. He was glad he sighted you in your high school's silly-looking cultural festival poster— for never did he expect to see the most beautiful wildflower in full bloom, adorned with silk and grace that did little to conceal her thorns as she danced to the strong yet tender rhythm of an equally gorgeous piece of music played on a shamisen. 

That was his wildflower. 

When he came to see you after your performance, all you could say was his name. "Shiro-kun!"

And it sounded just as sweet as when he last heard it. 

"Are ya just dancin' now?"

"Of course not! I was just helping the drama club!" You retorted with a smile. "If you wish to challenge me, all you have to do is ask." 

Your wordless duel of wooden swords was akin to dance as well, both of you equally deft, your movements measured and graceful, almost like spinning before a mirror until your dull blades were pressed against each other's necks. 

"I see time has not dulled your skills. That's good."

"It looks like time has been incredibly good to ya, too," he said, a familiar glint of mischief in his wine-dark eyes. "You've gotten prettier, Mayari-chan."

"Hmm. Not exactly the words I was looking for, but good enough, I suppose," you shook your head at him before breaking out into a smile. "It's good to see you again, Shiro-kun."

Mina's meteoric rise to the rank of Division Captain did not surprise you. Ever since you were children, she had always been more focused on her goals compared to Kafka, who only desired the coolness associated with being a Defense Force officer. She vouched for your potential when you took the entrance exams and passed with the help of her commendation, though she reassured you herself that your own skills brought you there to where she was. 

And though you were subsequently assigned to a different division, she kept in touch with you as you both anticipated your older brother's arrival.

An arrival that never came. 

When you last phoned your home, it was only then you found out that Kafka had moved out and started working as a monster cleaner. It was a noble profession for you, of course, but you couldn't help but think—

—of how lonely your older brother must have been to have received rejection after rejection from something he had wanted to do all his life—

And it pains you to think that behind his smile when he congratulated you for passing the exams and becoming an officer was the sting of dismissal. 

When Kafka stopped calling to check in on you, you figured he might be busy with his job. Behind your stellar performance during missions was a strong sense of duty and a great fear of failure that allowed you to focus on the things you can control. You missed your older brother, but it was his choice to give up. 

However, you sensed a change in the wind after receiving a summon from the Captain of the Third Division out of the blue.

"Captain Ashiro called for you again, Mayari. I know she's always looking forward to seeing you in joint training, but doesn't she realise how stressful it is having to travel to Tokyo so often?" 

The Captain of the Fourth Division, Ogata Jugo, was a relatively relaxed man for the most part, but he was also incredibly insightful. He had no qualms about promoting you to a Platoon Leader despite your inclination to use swords in missions. He believes in allowing officers to use their own weapons of choice and that you would eventually use a gun when the situation calls for it. 

Captain Ogata trusts your skills, but he trusts your critical thinking even more. 

"I don't really mind all the travelling, Captain, sir," you replied to him with your usual cheer. Nagano to Tokyo wasn't a walk in the park but a three-and-a-half-hour car ride.

"Well, I do. You are my Platoon Leader, after all. You must defend this base when the situation arises," your captain said with a sigh. "I'm betting that Ashiro would do just about anything to have you transferred to her division."

"Nonsense, Captain. My place is here," you reassured him. "And while I do enjoy being the apple of her eye, I don't think I'll work well under the Third Division and its Captain."

"Why'd you think that?"

"Because Captain Ashiro would sooner lose herself in the battle than send me out," you said with a small shrug. "Sisterly instincts, I suppose. More importantly, I like working with you and our division, Captain, sir."

"You should tell that to her," your Captain chuckled.

"But for the record, Captain, I enjoy seeing her, too," you replied with an easygoing laugh. "I hope you continue to be lenient with me, sir."

"All right, all right. Go before I change my mind," Ogata stated as he shooed you away with a slow swatting motion. "And don't forget to bring me back some of that stuff you last brought."

You gave him a sharp salute and the same warm smile he enjoyed seeing on your face. "I'll be sure to bring home a bottle or two for you, Captain, sir!"

Tachikawa Base never failed to amaze you. You found it more of a marvel compared to Headquarters, seeing as it was at the centre of the busiest city in Japan, but it was a constant magnet of Kaiju attacks, too. 

The entrance exams concluded Tachikawa Base's busiest time of the year, and with fresh recruits to fill in the ranks, more joint training sessions would soon be set to foster a warm relationship and camaraderie among the different members of the Defense Force's Eastern Divisions. 

Mina received you at her office as per protocol, the one place where you could simply be friends and not Captain and subordinate. 

"Fourth Division Platoon Leader Hibino Mayari at your service," you stated your name with a sharp salute and dignity tied to your esteemed position. "It's good to see you again, Captain Ashiro, ma'am."

"It's good to see you well, Mayari-chan," the older woman saluted right back before offering you a handshake. "I'll have to thank Captain Ogata for permitting your visit this time again."

"I'll buy his clemency before I head back to Nagano, Mina nee-san," you said with a laugh. "How did the entrance exams go this year, by the way? I only heard from Captain Ogata that something… strange happened."

Mina squeezed your hand and motioned for you to sit next to her. "This year's exams were nothing short of strange, I'll tell you that. But there's something I want to show you, too."

Having the Division Captain herself guide you through the many halls and walls of her base meant you had to return many greetings and salutations from younger officers. Mina was evidently well-loved by her division and adored by the masses for her levelheadedness that calmed whatever panic struck them during Kaiju attacks. After what seemed to be fifteen minutes of walking, you finally arrived at the base training ground, where most of the recruits gathered for their routine drills. 

"One of these days, we'd like for you to visit again when we host the annual goodwill Kendo match," she stated, eyeing the state of her division's recruits from above the area's gate. 

"I'd be glad to take part in…" You answered her, only for her to give you a small smile as she pointed down at one of the Third Division's recruits.

Lagging behind their laps was one older man gasping for breath, while a younger man slowed his pace to keep up with him. 

"Aniki…?!" 

Kafka turned to the direction of that endearment like clockwork, only to find you and Mina curiously peering down at him from the gate while the rest of his cohort eventually outran him. 

"Mayari! And Mina, too!" 

"Another 30 laps for calling your superiors by their names, Officer Hibino," Mina shot back at him, to which he replied with a small groan of protest. "You can catch up with Platoon Leader Hibino once you're done with your drills and punishment."

You managed to laugh off your older brother's misfortune over his excitement at seeing you, but your amusement was swiftly replaced by the same kind of shock that came over Kafka when you saw yet another figure in the same sleek black uniform approach you and Mina.

"Captain Ashiro! I didn't expect to see you here today! I was told you have a guest…"

"Ah!"

"Eh?"

"Sh-Shiro-kun?!"

"Huh. So you're that Shiro-kun, Hoshina? Mayari-chan told us much about you when we were young," Mina mused aloud, though you knew from the small smile on her face that she sewed everything seamlessly. "What a small world we live in. To think that one of my oldest friends knows my Vice Captain." 

"I-I apologise for speaking out of turn, V-Vice Captain Hoshina!" You mustered a nervous salute directed at your childhood rival, now one of the Third Division's most prominent superior officers. "I-It's good to see you again, sir!"

"Fancy meeting you here, Mayari-chan. Or should I say Platoon Leader—"

"Fourth Division Platoon Leader Hibino Mayari at your service, Vice Captain, sir! I'm here at Captain Ashiro's invitation." 

Hibino? He thought to himself. Same as the stand-out candidate from this year's exams— "Wait a second, are you actually Kafka's sister?!"

"I hope my older brother hasn't been causing you any trouble, sir," you let out a nervous little chuckle. "Truth be told, I haven't spoken to him in the last few years and I did not expect to see him here at all. Mina nee-san— I mean, Captain Ashiro only informed me about this today."

"I see. Then you two must have a lot of catching up to do," he replied to you with a warm smile, to which Mina responded by patting him on his shoulder. 

"You two have a lot of catching up to do, too, wouldn't you agree, Hoshina?" 

"Well, I— It's just that Mayari-ch— I mean, I simply thought Platoon Leader Hibino would like to hear about her brother's exploits so far…?" 

"Make good use of your time while you're here, Platoon Leader Hibino. Seeing as Hoshina is here, too, you should discuss the goodwill Kendo match between our divisions as well."

"O-Of course, Captain Ashiro, ma'am!" 

She gave your shoulder a quick squeeze as well, before eventually whispering in your ear, "Kafka-kun and I will be waiting for you, so make sure you two catch up well."

As Mina disappeared back to the base's main building, you were left to watch how Soshiro conducted drills and training exercises with his division's recruits. Nearly everyone cheered for Kafka as he finished the last of his additional 30 laps around the training ground before they all shuffled back to the mess hall, you and their Vice Captain trailing them from behind.

"Anything on yer mind, Mayari-chan?"

"How is Shisho? I hope he's been well." 

"The old man's as stubborn as a fox, I'll tell ya that. I suppose I'll have to let him know that one of his most prized students made it here again."

"Does he still remember me?" 

"'Course he does, even though we only knew you as Mayari-chan. You're one of his most dedicated pupils, after all," Soshiro stated with a grin. "One time he said he regretted letting ya go. But I'm sure he'll change his tune when he finds out how much better you've become, both with a sword and with yer guns…"

"You think I've gotten better with just a glance?" You teasingly asked him. "The last we met, you said I only got prettier."

"Well, pardon me for noticing your face before everythin' else," he shrugged at you. "And I wasn't jokin' about that, either. You did get prettier."

"And now? I can show you how well I've grown. If you wish to challenge me, all you have to do is ask." 

Soshiro chuckled at your instigation, only for him to tell you with the most familiar glint of mischief in his eyes, "I think you're mistaken there, Platoon Leader. You're the challenger here."

"Of course, sir. How could I forget that I'm on your turf?" You said with a hearty laugh. "Shall we put on a show for your lucky recruits? It's not every day they see two blade masters battle it out."

Lucky stars, a trick of the gods, destiny— your meeting could be defined by so many different things. But one thing remained constant in your every coming together and parting…

"I'd like that!"

Rivals, friends, colleagues, lovers. The titles didn't matter much to you. This meeting once more proves you were meant to be part of Hoshina Soshiro's life in one way or another, just as he was meant to be in yours.

✦ Thank you for requesting! Nothing makes me happier than writing a request I know I can work with. 🍹 You can read more about requesting here

[summerlovingbaby]

Dr.

It was all over the news, most of the pro’s were dealing with a mass causalty event, and those who weren’t were pursuing a suspect who could stop it. He set up bombs all over the city, and buildings were collapsing around them, but those were just warning shots. Proof that he could do what he promised, because most of the buildings that fell were empty and abandoned, all but one. A public mall that was bustling with people that morning, but by the afternoon it was a pile of concrete and flesh, and most pro hero’s were attempting to save what they could only assume were very few survivors.

Though a few of the top heroes were tracking down the main suspect, and they found him in a matter of hours, hopping from rooftop to rooftop. Deku, Dynamite, Red Riot and Shoto had him surrounded on the rooftop, and it wasn’t until they say him that they knew the exact depth of his plan. His name was Evil Eye, and though his name was rather simple, it was true. Most people said he had the eye of the devil, able to see exactly what would go wrong, and how to manipulate it in his favor.

Evil Eye, otherwise known as Shayfer smiled and licked his teeth, “ well it took you guys long enough,” he breathed putting his hands behind his head and interlacing his fingers, “ finally caught me,” he smiled, “ are you proud?”

Bakugou let his palms catch on fire, not believing that he would allow himself to be so easily captured. 

“ You should know,” he said coyly, “ that  this is only the beginning, you make take me down now, but the carnegie has only begun,” he sucked in a loud breath and let a loud witch like cackle out of his mouth, “ children, such a precious thing, how society protects them, it would be quite the shame if something happened to about 34 of them,”

Deku’s eyes widened, and he lowered his fist, “ The bus!” he exclaimed, “ the bus that went missing this morning.”

A school bus went missing this morning, and while the pro’s spent the better part of the morning looking for them before the mall collapsed and hell broke lose in the city. They assumed the bus went missing in the chaos and when things settled the bus would appear, that was their hope at least. But now knew that this was a delicately crafted plan, to cause just as much chaos as he wanted, just because he could.

“ So what, we let you go, and you tell us where the bus is, or the bus blows up?” Bakugou asked.

“ That is if they don’t drown first,” he said with a bizarre smile, his eyes looked to the sky, searching through the clouds, “ well 32 of them will drown, the twins who can breathe underwater, they will suffocate as the run out of oxygen,” he said.

“ Where is the bus?” Todoroki asked calmly, he let his hand turned to ice, and it soon became clear that he would not be asking the question again.

“ Oh, no no no, that's no fun,” he smiled again, “ in the bus is a map, to where I’ve hid all the bombs in the city, and this morning there may have been limited casualties, but the rest of the week will look like the mall, but feel so much worse, and you will wish that you suffocated to death.”

Bakougo took a step foreward but found his feet stuck to the tar of the roof, his body felt rigid, only able to move his neck, he turned to his team to find them in the same predicament. Deku was gritting his teeth and activating his quirk to its full power, Red Riot turned himself to stone, but remained stuck, and all Shoto could do was build blocks of ice and shoot them in the air without having to move at all, a move he had been working on.

“ Well, I would love to stay and chat, but I’ve got to go,” he said looking up, it became evident what he was searching for because it was obvious that he was looking for a helicopter, he pointed to the sky, “ My ride is here,” he said.

Turning on his heels, he skipped to the edge and took a running jump to dive off the roof and caught the latter in his fingertips, he pulled himself up and hooked his heels on the rope latter, along with his elbow, to turn and smile.

Todoroki allowed one last large ice block to shoot from his hand, it collided with the tale of the copter causing it to spin uncontrollably. Shayfer lost his balance and slipped form the rope, and the pilot fell from the cockpit, and hit the blades of the of the helicopter, slicing up his stomach before the helicopter dropped from the sky along with Shayfer, and went up it flames.

Todoroki dived after them, being able to move and fireproof, using his ice to slide to the ground and sift through the molten plates of metal and bits of broken glass to pull a lifeless Shayfer one. He was barley breathing, and most of his skin was covered in hot blisters and boils that started to pop.

“ He’s still alive,” he said.

“ GET HIM TO MIDNIGHT MEMORIAL!” Bakugou shouted.

It was where the best doctors worked, and he had just the doctor in mind to help with this suspect. Shayfer could not die, not only did the lives of 34 children depend on it, but the fate of the city as well.

Todoroki built a tower of ice to the building roof and handed his body to Bakugou who tossed him over his shoulder and took flight in the direction of the hospital.

-

Y/N was splinting an arm, when the smell of burning human flesh invaded her senses, a smell she would never forget. She turned around to find her husband standing in the middle of the busy ER, with what looked to be a burned corpse over his shoulder.

“ Y/N,” he shouted, “ Y/N HELP HIM,” he shouted. 

“ Someone bring me a gurney,” Y/N spoke, running over to Bakugou, she placed two fingers to the side of his neck, nearly flinching at the feel of his blistered skin on hers. “ BRING ME A GURNEY,” she said louder. 

A nurse rolled one over to him, and Bakugou placed Shayfer on top of it. Y/N began to bark around various orders to nurses, who ran off in opposite directions, returning moments later with dangerous looking medical supplies.

“ Get him hooked up to monitors and prepare a crash cart, his pulse is thready,” she shouted out. She saw a nurse out of the corner of her eye, roll a set of monitors next to him, and place leads on his chest. “What happened to him, was he in the mall?” She said rather calmly despite the situation.

Bakuguo could only stare until a firm grip to the shoulder seemed to spark something in him.

“ I need you to tell me what happened.” she stated again.

“ You have to save him,” he demanded, “ you have to.”

“ I need a size 8 ET tube and a scope,” she turned to the nurse next to her, “ and type and cross his blood, we might need it,” she turned back to Bakugou and Kirishima, “ Glad you two are alive, now tell me what happened?”

“ Helicopter crash,” Kirishima said. “ You have to save him,” he added. She smiled, glad to see both her boys okay, minus a few cuts and bruises they seemed not to be dying, and she couldn’t help but smile. They had known eachother since highschool, and ave been in a relationship for 7 years, and she couldn’t manage to think of a life without them.

She hated their job, but understood. Understood the urge to save people, to help people, and she couldn’t ask them to stop because that’s what she loved about them. They saved people out there, in the harsh reality of the world. And she saved them behind the safety of the four walls of the hospital. Everyone helped best they could..

“ I don’t intend on letting anyone die, not in my ER.” she said with a challenging smile.

She was head of the ER and she took each death personally, whether they were her patient or not. She was a good doctor, and though she had no quirk, she still wanted to help people. Being a hero was out of the question so she went through 8 years of 6, and 6 years of specialized trauma training to become the best trama sergon in the nation, often operating on fallen heroes, and injured civilians. Being the capitol of most villians she saw her fair share of bad trauma, and though she could save most of them, she couldn’t save them all. She was a good doctor, but those deaths haunted her.

“ You really can’t let him die, he has hostages,” Bakugou said. “ 34 kids,” he specified, “ please don’t let him die,” he said again.

A loud beep sounded from the monitors, and a steady green line striking across the screen, let them know that his heart had stopped. Y/N looked at them with her calm eyes, and started to twitch slightly. One life under her knife was one, but 35 was an unatinable number to her, she gave them a spacy nod, and turned back to the burned body, still and lifeless, boiling blisters still popping out of his skin.

“ Start bagging,” she said to a nurse, “ and start comprsssions, light and easy, we don’t want his chest caving in, or those blisters peeling off the skin,” she said to another nurse who immediately began compressions. “ I need an ultrasound for his chest and abdomen, and call up for an OR,” she said.

His heart still didn’t start, so she charged the paddles and placed them on his chest. “ Charge to 200,” she said, “ CLEAR,” she yelled. Everyone withdrew contact with the body, and the paddles sent electricity through his body, giving it one sudden jerk, “ push 2 of epi,” she said, she watched the monitor, held her arms out, and a slow beep resumed on the monitor.

Using his arms she pressed arond his abdomen, it was rock hard, and blood was spilling from every oraphus. “ He’s bleeding out,” she said aloud. She pressed the ultrasound to his stomach and sucked her teeth.

“ Where?” said one of the nurses.

“ Spleen,  liver, pancreas,” she listed, she moved the wand to his chest and shook her head with disappointment, “ his chest is rumbling, it’s probably been aggravated by the smoke, and his lung is filling with blood,” she said, “lift his legs,” she called out to know one, “and ready a chest tube, one airway isn’t enough we need to get rid of the blood in his lungs so he has a chance of getting oxygen to his stomach,” she said. “ We need to let some of the blood from his stomach before he goes into multi-system organ failure and dies of sepsis.” Using a scalpel she sliced a small line in the bottom of his stomach, causing it to bleed profusely.

The boys watched aimlessly and helpless. They were sore and their body ached, and if they could guess by Y/N’s tone things were not looking good.

Y/N cut a hole in his chest and blood spurted out of it with every heart beat, Y/N shook her head. “ Take him to a trauma room, we won’t make it to an OR,” she said loudly. Everyone seemed to understand, and nodded at her with a certain grim determination.

“ YOU CAN’T GIVE UP, THE CITY NEEDS HIM ALIVE,” Bakugou yelled, and Y/N ignored him, her eyes focusing on the tube in his chest, he flatlined again,

“ Gown and glove me,” she said, sparing him a second glance“ Get a portable CT, to scan his head, make sure he doesn’t have any brain  injuries, I’m not gonna save his life for him to get a delayed brain bleed and croak,” she said, hopping onto the gurney and straddling, holding pressure to the wound, because he was bleeding out quicker than she anticipated, “ now move this gurney,” a nurse rolled the gurney to the nearest trauma room.

The boys trailing behind her reminding her of the fact that was pouding away at her skull. The city depended on him making it out of this alive, therefore they depend on her, and she didn’t need a single reminder of that upsetting fact. Shayfer was hanging on by threads, as Y/N ran through every possible situation in her head, and each was more dire than the last, each more bloody and ending in a quiker death.

Even if she could somehow stop the bleeding, she knew that most of his organs were severely damaged, and based on his ribs, which were poking out in every different , and probably poking holes in his lungs and based on the ultrasound, jagged piece was stabbing directly into his heart wall and shredding through the ventricle. Which each beat of his heart, tore it even more. 

She turned to one of the nurses, and motioned to her husbands. Standing there, looking at her with love, care and a  bit of desperation. “Get me 6 nurses and get them out of here,” she said.

She didn’t know if she would be able to stand the way they looked at her if she let this man die, because if he died, 34 children did, and they would no longer look at her the same.

“ You have to-”

“ I know I have to save him because not only is a bus full of children depending on me, but it turns out the greater city is as well, and I cannot focus on saving this mans life if I’m concerned with you, or worry about how you’re gonna look at me after if I can’t save him, because right now you’re not looking at me like I’m saving one man’s life, but 35, so please leave, because as long as you’re looking at me like that, as long as you’re staring at me, I can’t help but think about what happens if this man dies on my table ” she shouted, and before they knew it they were being ushered to a small room where a sweet nurse attended to their injuries.

6 hours later, Y/N staggered into the room, trauma gown covered in blood and skin covered in a thin sheen of sweat, she sniffled as she staggered into the room, and leaned on the wall, panting loudly. She leaned her head back on the wall, and bent at the knee slowly sliding down the wall, ripping off the blood soaked gown, and bursting into tears.

She clawed at her neck trying to breathe.

“ Is he-”

Y/N began to whimper, and Bakugou burst from the room and into the trauma room where Y/N operated to find Shayfar still covered in burns and stitches, upright and glaring at Hitoshi, who was demanding the location of the bus. Hitoshi was speaking over the radio, to a SWAT team, who was finding the exact location of the bus and the children, alive and well, along with maps to the still remaining bombs.

Bakugou stubbled out of the room, and back into the old one, where Y/N crawled into Eijors lap, trying to breathe.

“ You saved him honey, you saved him,” Bakougou said.

“ What if I couldn’t?” she asked, “ What if I couldn’t and all those kids died, he almost bled out on my table 12 different times, he flatlined 4 times, it was a miracle that hes still alive.”

“ No, you’re just good at what you do,” Bakugou corrected, “ you saved him because you are a good doctor.”

“ You would never look at me the same if he died,” she whimpered.

“ Nothing would ever stop us from loving you,” Bakugou said, stroking the top of her and rubbing her back.

“ We all do the best we can, we all save who we can,” Kirishima added, “ and as long as you try you’re best. We all just try our best.”

[jimmyandthepulsatingmass]

The God of Crawling Eyes

Just in time for Halloween, I've added The God of Crawling Eyes to itch.io:

From the itch page:

The God of Crawling Eyes was a game I made in the early 2010s for a game jam on rpgmaker.net.  The game took around 20-25 days to make, mostly because of its short play time and minimalist aesthetic.  

I kind of made it just as a segue into the RPG Maker community, as I was going to upload A Very Long Rope to the Top of the Sky and thought I could get more eyes on the project if I won the game jam.  I don't think I won, but I did get a lot of eyes on this one--I was completely unaware at the time of the huge RPG Maker horror scene and the many people who were ravenous for games that fit that mold.  It ended up being my most-downloaded game on rpgmaker.net by far.

The story's about Max, a high school kid taking some experimental medication for his color blindness.  But, the medication is making him see...OtHeR tHiNgS...

Features:

-Genuine spooks! -Surprisingly good atmosphere for MIDI music tracks! -Adventure gamey, puzzley stuff--some of which isn't even that obtuse! -4 different endings! -Little secrets!

[bradshawssugarbaby]

This Love We’ve Got Is The Best of All - Bob Floyd x Reader

A/N: I couldn’t help but write more Christmas-themed Bob fluff, sorry y’all. Inspired by one of my favourite Christmas songs - Merry Christmas by Ed Sheeran & Sir Elton John 🎄🤍

pairing: Bob Floyd x Reader

warnings: just more adorable holiday themed Bob fluff, this one references a Christmas angel for the tree, if that needs a warning?

word count: 1.2k

“Does your family not use tinsel for their tree?”

Bob crinkled his nose at your question, shaking his head. A soft laugh escaped his lips as he looked to you, then back at your Christmas tree, a full, artificial, yet traditional looking green tree, now covered in sparkling silver tinsel roped around it from top to bottom.

“Can’t say that we do, babe. It’s very…glittery,” Bob frowned as he looked at the loose strands of tinsel that were scattered on the floor. You could tell by the look on his face, he was regretting the decision to let you take the lead on decorating your first Christmas tree together, but, Bob was far too polite and considerate of your feelings to protest it at this point. If you wanted tinsel, you were getting tinsel.

“Glittery is the whole point, Bobby,” you teased as you tossed a rope of excess tinsel at him, the silvery strands covering him, static electricity causing the threads to cling to his sweater, glasses and hair.

“You’re hilarious,” he retorted dryly as he took the tinsel off of him, discarding it in an empty plastic tote designated for Christmas decor that the two of you had begun accumulating together.

Bob began sorting through the ornaments you’d purchased, placing them in groups of the same colour together, all the gold spheres in one pile, silver balls in another, and champagne coloured in another pile again. He was notoriously well-organized when it came to workspaces, and Christmas decorating was no exception for him. Once the set was completely sorted, hooks added to allow you to hang them as you wanted, you heard a satisfied hum from Bob’s lips. He smiled up at you from his position on the floor, cross-legged in his dark-washed denim jeans and his chocolate brown knit sweater, silver wire rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, framing his sapphire coloured eyes perfectly - you couldn’t help but notice the rosiness of his cheeks, flushed warm with excitement about the holiday season.

“Is your tinsel bomb of a tree ready for me?” Bob chuckles, a smirk painted on his perfect pink lips.

“Ha ha. Very funny, Robert.”

“I like to think I’m hilarious, actually.”

Bob stood to his feet, his large hands finding their way to your hips, pulling you into his frame closely, your bodies just barely touching. He pressed his lips to yours in a soft, yet passionate kiss - the kind that sweeps you off your feet and leaves you wanting, craving more. He pulled away with a grin, laughing to himself as he kissed your cheek before picking up a silver ball shaped ornament from the neatly sorted piles he made and heading to the tree. He leaned upwards, hanging the plastic ornament delicately on one of the tree’s limbs, adorned with artificial plastic pine needles.

“Are you gonna help me, or was tinsel your only contribution?” He teased as he raised an eyebrow at you, his cobalt blue eyes twinkling as they caught the warm yellow-white lights of the Christmas tree.

“I mean, I suppose I could help, but just know, if it was up to me, this tree would be covered in tinsel and pink ornaments.”

“Believe me, honey, I know it,” Bob shook his head as he placed another gentle kiss on your cheek.

You selected one of the frosted champagne coloured balls from the sorted piles on the floor, hanging it on a branch as you and Bob got to work decorating the tree. Before long, your tree was covered in hues of gold, silver and champagne, twinkling and sparkling like a star in the night sky. Bob picked up the tree topper from the table and opened the box carefully. He pulled out a beautifully hand-painted Christmas angel, almost identical to the kind your own mother had on her tree back in your idyllic little hometown on the east coast, thousands of miles from San Diego, where you and Bob were residing.

“Whatd’ya think, honey? I tried my best to find one like your mama’s. I know it’s not perfect, but I think it looks pretty close?” He said, a hopeful glint in his eyes.

You felt your lip tremble slightly at your partner’s sweet gesture to make the first holiday in your new home together a special one for you. He knew how much you home, and, while it wasn’t unlike Bob to do thoughtful things for you, like surprise you with your favourite takeout for dinner, bring home a bouquet of flowers on a weekday after work, or turn up at your office with lunch for you, this moment had your eyes welling up with tears of joy, touched by the fact he’d remembered your stories of decorating your tree at home, memories of your family huddling together, bickering over what ornament went where, what Christmas movie to watch while you decorated, the smell of your mom’s freshly baked cookies wafting through the house, and your dad, the tallest in the house, putting the angel atop your tree year after year.

Bob gave you a soft smile, his hand gently resting on your shoulder, giving you a comforting squeeze as he passed the tree topper to you.

“It’s beautiful,” you murmured, nodding in appreciation.

“I figured I couldn’t get you the Christmas back home that you wanted or all the traditions, but, I could start one of our own with this?” He smiled hopefully as he pressed his lips to your forehead in a lingering, gentle kiss.

“Do you want to put it on the tree, Bobby?” You smiled up at him with a tear rolling down your cheek.

“Me?”

“Mhmm. Maybe if we have kids someday, you can do what my dad did for my house, be the designated tree topper-er.”

“Well, how can I say no to our future, maybe, kids?” Bob laughed softly, shaking his head.

He pulled a wooden kitchen chair over to the tree, standing on it to ensure he could reach the top of the 7 foot artificial balsam fir standing before him. He held his hand out for you to pass him the angel. When you placed it in his hands, he held it protectively, almost like cradling a newborn infant, as if he was cautiously avoiding dropping it on the hardwood floor below the chair. He leaned in and placed it in its rightful spot atop your tree, the hand-painted smiling face looking down at you both as Bob stepped off the chair to admire his work. He threw an arm around your shoulder playfully, smiling as you both looked the tree over.

“Well?”

“I think it’s perfect,” You nod your head quickly, a smile on your features as you both admire it, “It’s beautiful.”

“It’s not as beautiful as you are, but it’s a close second for the prettiest thing in the room, I’d say,” Bob chuckles as he pulls you in closer for a cuddle, his arm still draped over you.

[fiddles-ifs]

Merry Shitscram everyone !! have backstory

Kaylen's nose is especially oily today; you can see her pores working overtime to clear the sweat out, hair clinging to her forehead from the new choppy pixie cut. It makes her look like a dance mom at fifteen.

"You're so fucking sad I get a charity tax break just for hanging out with you," she says, smacking your roller blades to get you to break. Doesn't work. Never will. And there's no ref to break it up, so she just stops, fingers tightening on her own stick.

The ands -- Kaylen, Aiden, Dylan, and some other douchebag teen from your grade -- like to fight dirty, but their chirps could use some work.

"Nice Letterkenny reference, dipshit," you say. "Are you going to play or not?"

You're barely out of face-off when Aiden comes from left and shoves his bulk up against your shoulder, trying to wrestle the puck away. He's not very fast, but he's pushy, and big. Sandwiched between him and Kaylen -- who is fast, but an opportunistic vulture -- is a disaster until someone from your team manages to help you out of the hole.

But Dylan has his legs wide open, staring dazedly at the powerlines overhead. You do some mental math, just as Aiden and Kaylen get distracted by shoving matches from your side. You're alone in the vast expanse of concrete and sky. You might have just enough time. You wind up, stick blade parallel to the high wires.

The slapshot you punish him with comes in front of a thunderously loud crack, composite hitting asphalt; the puck looks like a bullet. You worry you might has misjudged the angle -- it'll put a dent right in his shin, and you can't deal with that right now, not with parole chilling the sweat on the nape of your neck. But then it zips right between his knee guards, into the net, ripping a hole through the beat up rope. It's fine -- the goal is battle scarred with pockmarks from years of abuse.

And you win.

And that's all that matters.

Your whole team freaks the fuck out, slapping the top of your head, jostling you for good luck. They almost knock you off your skates.

"Fuck you, Robin!"

"You kiss your mother with that mouth, Dylan?" You have to shout to be heard over the sound of teenagers still raging. "Probably not, because she looks like a dog's shaved asshole. Doesn't stop me, though!"

You stick your tongue out and glide back down the pavement -- you'd snow him if there was snow, but alas. You'll make do with kicking a little grit onto his shoes.

"Dick," you hear him mumble, just as Aiden skates up by him to try and balm the wound.

"Yeah, that's probably why their parents dumped them on the side of the road."

Everyone freezes -- except for the ands, who just laugh, the four of them tittering by the net like fucking hyenas.

"What did you say?" Your voice is cold. Sharp. Violence hiding in it. Someone puts a hand on your shoulder -- you don't give a shit who. It doesn't matter. It never matters.

"Ignore him," they say, trying to sand the edges down so you don't get in trouble. Looking out for you. (In your mind's eye, in the present, you try and imagine what Bautista looked like as a teenager with her hand on your shoulder.) "He's stupid."

And they keep laughing, even when you shake off the hands trying to keep you contained.

Nobody's laughing when you break your hockey stick in half over Aiden's head. There's a lot of screaming, actually.

(You look back on it now with a sort of numb-feeling shame, clinically picking the scene apart. Aiden was lucky you didn't seriously hurt him. You had a lot less control in those days.)

Parents come rushing out of apartments, pulling kids apart. Someone has a t-shirt pressed to Aiden's head. Someone else has their arms around you, pinning your hands to your sides while you kick and scream.

"If your little trailer trash foster mutt ever comes near my kid again, I'll call the fucking cops!"

"I am the fucking cops, lady!"

You're only a little bit calmer when your dad sits you down with a long-suffering sigh, hands on your arms like you might lash out again.

"What the hell was that about?"

You keep your head bowed, heavy with shame — your dad doesn’t ever yell like he did outside. Doesn’t like doing it. Says it makes him feel like an ass; and that’s about the one thing you’re embarrassed over. Cracking your stick over Aiden’s dome was darkly satisfying.

You explain, agonizingly stilted, what Aiden said to you.

Dad lets that settle for a bit. Then, he sighs, hangs his head, and gives your arms a gentle squeeze before he looks up again. His glasses are perched right on the tip of his nose, now.

“I’m sorry, kiddo.”

“He’s a douche.”

“I know — but now he’s going to keep coming back.”

“Why?” You don’t mean to sound so wounded.

“Because he’s a douchey teenager, and as long as he thinks he can win, he’s going to keep coming for you. The best thing you can do is walk away.”

(You loved your dad — but he was wrong. The best thing you can do isn’t walk away.

The best thing is to make sure they know they will never win.)

[fluffyfaza]

Santorini. Part 2

A ride on a jet ski has always been fun and entertaining. But there are many other entertainments. For example, sea fishing. Anderii @anderii, why did you break the rod? Now you will have to fish with bottom gear. Having returned with the catch, you can rest a little and catch crabs. They are cool. The main thing is to know how to catch them - so that they do not bite. And they bite painfully! You can't deny yourself the pleasure of rock climbing. An art I have long forgotten. But the mountain is far away. You will have to go by car there. Moreover, the equipment is very heavy. Of course, we got stuck in the sand and got a flat tire. I always said, "If during the trip there is no chance of a flat tire and the car does not get stuck - do not even think about inviting me!" It's good that there is a spare. We got to the top of the mountain, lowered the safety ropes. I knew about Anderii's passion for "free climbing", or whatever it's called. But life is one. And we decided to use belays. I could barely keep up with Anderii. She was climbing the rock very skillfully. At the top, we just lay and looked at the sky. Time to go down. New adventures await us! The best view of Santorini opens up from a bird's eye view. The choice is obvious - hang gliding! To say that it was unforgettable is to say nothing. But soon the evening will come, we need to go back and get ready for the evening events. Along the way, we picked some olives again. Oh, it seems that these trees have an owner. Let's run quickly!!! A little coffee to restore strength, a few selfies for memory… To be continued…

[alpineshift]

Oooh omg okay, so I’m not super duper into fantasy, like only up until a certain level but I do love me some outdoorsy vibes so: prompt 12 please!

A tiny tent in the middle of the woods, the fading embers of your campfire still glowing just outside the door.

Gimme Nicojack and some of your beautiful writing 🩵

you are my nature bestie!!!! 🩵🌲🌼

[12] a tiny tent in the middle of the woods, the fading embers of your campfire still glowing just outside the door

The tent is particularly tiny for two hockey-playing guys, but for once, Jack doesn't mind the squashed quarters.

Here, changed into soft flannel pants and an old Nike t-shirt, lying on top of an air mattress and tucked underneath a thick blanket, he's the most relaxed he's been in a long time.

Training camp had been good--exhausting in the most satisfying kind of way that makes Jack feel like he's put in good work before the start of the season. There's still so much to do, so much he needs to prepare for.

But Nico had laid down on the couch and put his head in Jack's lap the other day, took Jack's hand in his own, and asked would you like to get away from all this for one weekend before it all starts?

A trip into the "wilderness" is a lot different than a cottage getaway. Putting up the tent itself had been a hilarious struggle. Nico had forgotten to pack extra rope for the tarp, so they'd lashed it down to the pegs hoping the wind stays calm for the night. Jack suggested they tell ghost stories. Nico firmly and politely declined.

The air is fresh and cool this close to autumn. The days end earlier and earlier, painting the sky blues and purples above the tree line. Outside, it smells like earth, greenery, and woodsmoke.

The embers of their campfire are dwindling now, but the glow is still strong and warm. The light catches the domed inside of their tent, reflecting along the tan-coloured sheets, filling their space with warmth and lazy flickers of shadows.

Nico's curled up beside him--the two of them facing each other--just easily basking in each other's presence between soft kisses and cozy cuddles.

"What d'you think we'll be like this year, Neeks?" Jack asks quietly. His face is tucked into the crook of Nico's neck right now, their legs tangled beneath the blanket. Nico's got his head propped up on the crook of his elbow, his other hand drawing curving shapes into the space between Jack's shoulder blades.

"I don't know," he admits. "But I know we'll fight hard. We'll push ourselves, like we always do, but we'll make it count. I don't want to end this season with any regrets. This year, I want us to keep fighting up until the very last second."

"Spoken like a true captain," Jack chuckles, but in his mind's eye, he can see it. Nico's broad back, leading them down the tunnel towards the ice. Nico's strong figure at center ice, eyes on fire as he prepares for a face off. Nico's belief in them all, immovable as a glacier, carving the way to a shining silver dream once more.

He reaches out and takes Nico's face in his hands, thumbs stroking under those pretty eyes, fingers light against the stubble of his cheek. Nico smiles sleepily at him, expression so full of love, and Jack knows he'll follow this man wherever he decides to lead them.

"Let's bring a cup home together," he whispers, and closes the distance between them.

it’s almost hockey season again! send me a jacknico prompt?

[luimagines]

He Tries to Impress you Part 3

Masterlist

Part 1 Part 2

Part three will include Wild, Wind and Four

Content under the cut!

Wild

Wild knew that this stunt could get him in trouble. But if he could just angle himself correct while he was mid-air it was sure to impress you. He just had to set everything up quickly before the “responsible” ones could stop him. At best, it would be Twilight who catches him and he gets let off easy. Worse than that would maybe be the Old Man or the Captain. If Sky catches him and tries to stop him- Wild doesn’t think he’ll live down the shame.

Even if he knows the Chosen Hero is just as bad.

Wild sneaks off to set his plan up, trying to not catch anyone’s attention except yours.

You seem to catch on that he has something planned before Wild can even step away from the group properly. As any person with enough curiosity to travel through a strange purple portal, you follow him.

Wild takes out some rope, not knowing you’re nearby and begins his plans.

First he needs the rope to tie around the tree and hoist the blade into the air as the bomb goes off. Before it goes off Wild need to be on top of the bomb, ready to shield surf through the air and land on the other side of the nearest precipice where he can see the hints of something grand on the other side. 

You see Wild calculate and crunch the numbers in his head, letting inch by inch of the rope fall to the ground as he counts what he needs. You have no idea what he’s doing but you rarely see Wild as concentrated as he is now. It would be a shame if someone interrupted him. You at least want to see what he has planned.

It’s only when Wild pulls out the familiar blue bomb that you think that maybe you should let him knw you’re nearby.

“Looks like you’re planning something buddy.” You say casually.

It startles Wild just as you feared it would and he drops the bomb. You jump back, afraid that it would be set off but it doesn’t happen that way.

Instead, it sets off the rope that Wild was trying meticulously to set up all this time and it ties around his ankle. The price paid for his lapse in judgement. Even if it was only a moment. Wild had intended the rope to pull up a blade, but there’s no blade to pull up.

And given his unfortunate placement, it hauls Wild off of the ground and into the air.

As the figurative dust settles, you lower your arms, not aware that you even raised them and see Wild. Upside down. And pouting.

“Sorry.” You smile sheepishly. “I was afraid something like this would happen.”

Wild sees you and can’t help but feel defeated on the inside. And maybe a bit of bruising to his ego. So much for his surprise. “Hey... Come here often?”

You snort a little bit, waking closer. “I feel like that should be my line.”

“Yeah?”

“Of course.” You smile. “It seems like you hang around here quite a bit.”

“No.”

You laugh louder.

“Never do that again.”

“Ok, ok, how do I get you down?” You start looking around. You notice the sword he took out earlier and b-line for it.

“This is going to hurt, isn’t it?” Wild sighs, moving his arms to cover his head. “I know Twilight says I can be a bit dense but it’s not like I have a helmet at all times, you know?” 

“You can certainly be a bit kinder to yourself.” You mutter and cut the rope.

Wild sticks his hand out and springs into a flip so that he can land on his feet.

Your jaw drops. “...You’re do dramatic. Were you planning to do that the whole time?”

He wasn’t. “Yes.”

You give him a deadpanned look and roll your eyes. “Very impressive.”

Wild side eyes the cut rope. Was it? That wasn’t the plan.

“Thank you. I aim to please.”

Wind

Wind wanted you to think that he was the coolest. And that you would see him for the hero that he was and not listen to the other guys when they treat him like a younger brother. If anything he’s an older brother thank you very much.

He tied up the rope onto the mast and took a deep breath of the salty sea air. He missed this. It felt like he was home again. Only he wasn’t.

You let out a long breath and all but collapsed onto the railing next to him. “And you said you did this for your entire adventure?”

“Hm?” Wind looks over to you and your tired state. The sun had just about set and soon the stars would begin to blink into the black sky above. “Yeah. My home is mostly ocean so I had to sail a lot of place to get to where I needed to go.

You groan loudly. “I have no idea how you did it, Link. My hands hurt and I hardly worked today.”

You slide down and hold your hands out in front of you. Wind moves and slides down next to you taking your hands in his. They’re red and swollen. It looks like they had you on a lot of rope work today. 

That’s not how it should be done. Without the proper protection it can damage the skin of the hands- much like yours are. And wind would hate if your hands their soft feeling.

Wind frowns and begins to massage them a bit. “Sorry. I wish it would be easier on you... guys...on your guys. Not every one is cut out for sea life, I guess.”

You sigh, relaxing a bit. “I suppose. I think it would be very lonely if I didn’t have the group with me.” You bump your shoulder with his and smile a little bit. “Especially you. You make this worth it.”

Wind coughs a bit and turns his head up to the sky, hoping you don’t see him blush and think he’s lame. “Oh look! The north star is out tonight!”

You tilt your head closer to his and look up as well. “Which one?”

“Ok, so those three stars in the straight line are part of the lynel’s constellation, they form the tail. You go up one or two stars depending on the season and it’s the brightest star on top. It’s only seen on clear skies so it’s not necessarily used for navigation but if you follow that star you’ll always head north.”

“Hence the name.” You grin playfully. “But what’s the lynel’s constellation? I’ve never heard of it.”

“Really?” Wind turns to you in shock. How is that possible? Everyone he knows knows about that constellation. “Ok... so we follow those three stars from before and you follow the one that’s down to the right and the one that straight across to the left. That’s the leg and the body.”

“I don’t see it.” You frown. 

Wind bite his lip, trying to think of something else. “How abooutt... Ah! That one’s it called the Hero’s Light! Do you see it? That bright star over there with the four following it at the bottom.”

“...Yeah!” You cry out in glee. “I think I see what you’re talking about. So do you just have all these stars in your head then?”

Wind recoils, thinking that you’re about to think that it’s weird of him to know all of this and then some. “Well, I have to know where I’m going when I sail. the starts are the best way to figure it out. Each constellation tells a story and my grandma used to tell them to be and my sister Aryll as bed time stories.”

You shift and rest your head on his shoulder. “Tell me. I don’t see a lot of stars where I live. I don’t know any of this.”

Wind’s heart beats a little faster... but asked so nicely. “...Sure... Um... I actually didn’t think lynel’s were real until I met the group. The story talks about the fearsome beast that stood tall on a mountain of fire, sending bits of its flame n the towns for miles around. The beast was the only things ferocious enough to live on it.”

You pause. “..Like Death Mountain?”

Wind pauses, unsure about his next answer. In hindsight, you make a brilliant point. That’s probably what it was. “...Yes?”

“That’s really cool.”

“...I think so too.” Wind smiles and relaxes further. He has to continue the story after all.

Four

“So whhyyy did you call me over here?” You ask, joyfully suspicious.

Four coughs and scratches the back of his neck with his free hand. He suddenly doesn’t think that this is going to go as planned. Or at least it’s not going to be as special as he wants.

The package in his hands sits a bit heavy but it’s something he was working on for a really long time. At least a few weeks after he met you.

He wasn’t sure why, but Four really wanted your approval on his work. It hindsight it’s a really dumb thing to hang onto. Because his handy work has been acclaimed multiple times by the knights of his home, by the royal family and by people who come into his little shop from across the border.

But he needs you to like this.

“I just wanted to give you something.” Four admits, not even going to bother to hide his blush.

You beam at him and close your eyes with your hands held out in front of you.

Four had to physically stop himself from cooing. Any more of this and he’s going to realize why he wants your approval so badly despite it all.

Not wanting you to wait more, he pulls out the package and places it gently into your hands. He gulps a bit. What if this was a huge mistake? Why did he think this was a good idea? What if you hated it? What if you saw something wrong with it? What would the guys say if they saw this? If you showed them?

Your eyes open. 

Four’s hand go to cover his mouth as he restrained his need to bite his nails. You turn it over carefully and send him a blinding grin. “What is it?”

Four finds it in himself to smirk. “Open it and find out.”

You grin further and tear the paper at the seams, taking the little package out easily through the brown paper.

The pendent falls out and you gasp. It’s simple in design really. A small tree like pattern twisted from thin metal wires around a stone that Four had thought had looked pretty. At the time he had showed it to you and you mentioned looking nice in a necklace.

Four wasn’t sure why he kept it until he saw something from Wild’s Gerudo’s jewelry.

The chain itself was also easy to make as he’s sure he can do those with his eyes closed but he hopes that nothing catches. He would feel horrible if his necklace pulled on your clothes or your hair in the process. It happens at least once no matter how hard he tries with anything small.

“Oh Four...” You breath. “How much of this did you do?”

“A-all of it.” Four admits quietly. The blush from before comes on full force but he doesn’t care. “From the chain to the holdings. I didn’t make the rock though. I haven’t figured out how to do that just yet. When I do I figure it would still be cheaper to get the real things but as it stands-”

Four is rambling. Why aren’t you saying anything? Is there something wrong with it? Would you have preferred another color? He didn’t even ask! that would have been a better bet! Stupid! Stupid, stupid!

“All of it?” You ask breathlessly. “Is there anything you can’t do?”

You put it on without another thought.

Four stalls and repeats himself lamely. “....I can’t make rocks...”

You laugh and nods along. “How long did it take you do do this?”

Four blushes harder. “I stArted-” He clears his throat. “I started around the first month or so that we met. but I think you should have it.”

“I’m never taking it off.” You say proudly putting the necklace on top of all your layers. “Thank you Smithy!”

Four sighs of relief. Not bad. And the soft look on your face as you stare at his handy work makes it worth it.

[themousefromfantasyland]

Yolktown 

By Alex Mouse

I dedicate this story to my friend @thealmightyemprex . Happy birthday pal 🎆🎇🎈🎉

@ariel-seagull-wings @the-blue-fairie @princesssarisa @tamisdava2 @mask131 @theancientvaleofsoulmaking

Once upon a time in a far off kingdom there was a small town that was completely and absolutely eggscellent. At least that was what its citizens liked to believe. 

It was Yolktown, home of the Eggheads. 

What's an Egghead, you may ask?

Well, they are very square people, which it's funny since they are more in an oval shape. 

They loved everything in an oval shape. If you ask them they would say that it’s the shape of perfection. Everything is an egg, they often said. The moon is egg-shaped, as it’s the sun and even the world itself. Well, at least that’s what they taught their children at public schools, and it would be discriminatory of me to go against their deep philosophical beliefs. 

Their houses were egg-shaped and covered with the whitest coat of paint, even the fancier ones with multiple floors. Some had been painted beige, reserved for the “artsy” types. 

They drove egg-shaped cars, and rode egg-shaped trains to work in egg-shaped skyscrapers in the egg-shaped downtown area. 

The Eggheads themselves were a very funny race. They had giant eggs as bodies, with two scrawny arms and two scrawny legs coming out of it. The men always wore pinstripe suits and top hats. The women always wore polka dot dresses with floral bonnets. They always listened to the same songs and read the same books. The last original thought came when the septuagenarians still haven't come out of the public incubator. There weren't any love songs, hugs, or kisses, which may explain their necessity of an incubator.

The Eggheads were a very boring and dull people and the kingdom ignored Yolktown most of the time. The Eggheads themselves kept most to themselves and didn't cause any troubles. 

Yolktown had a mayor, Mr. Humpty Dumpty, a very solitary individual. He alone chose a child from the newborns of the incubator to be his son and his heir. That child was Humpty Dumpty Jr. 

Poor Humpty Dumpty Jr.

What can I say about him?

Some children are born under the insurmountable pressure to exceed their parents and their peers. Little Humpty had the insurmountable pressure to exceed his father in talking, acting, and thinking like everyone else.

“Our family ruled this town for generations,” his father said, “and you, my son, will continue the ancient legacy of this family and protect our way of life.”

As the son of the mayor, Humpty had big shoes to fill. He had to be the most simple, uncomplicated, unthreatening, unchallenging Egghead possible. He had to keep the traditions and beliefs of his ancestors, to keep the legacy of the Dumpty Family.

But Humpty had a secret.

He wasn’t fully the perfect golden egg everyone expected him to be. He had his brief moments of rebellion. His boyfriend from beyond the town’s walls was one of them. 

Every weekend, right after his father went to bed, Humpty would sneak out through his bedroom window to meet his boyfriend on the outskirts of the town, right outside the big wall. 

Can you guess the shape of the wall? 

The wall had been a leftover from Grandpa Dumpty’s days, inspired by the teachings of Great Grandpa Dumpty, who was taught by Great, Great Grandpa Dumpty, and I think you got the picture. For as long as the Dumpties were in power they tried to protect Yolktown from the “corrupting influence of the outside world”. The wall in particular had been a waste of resources since nobody was that interested in Yolktown to begin with, but it gave a fun physical obstacle that Humpty liked to overcome.

Eggheads because of their thin eggshells were not very athletic and looked down and avoided all forms of athleticism. Eggheads’ high schools lacked physical education as a discipline and I bet, it’s probably the only upside of being a teen in Yolktown . 

With the moon high in the sky Humpty pulled his trusty rope and climbed the wall.

On the outside he found his boyfriend in the usual spot, right by the eggfruit tree, with his red whiskers and tail. His boyfriend was a fox, Reynard Fox, the trickster. 

“Why did you take so long?” Reynard smiled.

Why a fox, you may ask? Humpty had a thing for gingers. 

Humpty met Reynard during one of his nightly escapades and both boys quickly got along. Humpty wanted to escape from his father, Reynard wanted to escape from his mother. Both wanted to escape, and I think this made the unlikely pair a little more likely.

The egg and the fox dashed away from everything egg-shaped in the silent and forgotten land of the Eggheads. The more cars crossed the lonely road the more they knew they were getting deeper into human territory. 

In the middle of nowhere they found an open convenience store near the highway that connected nowhere to any place at all. 

Humpty bought a bag of cheap snacks and Reynard a pack of soda. The clerk didn’t pay any attention at all to the queer clients. She had seen stranger ones and they didn’t pay her enough to care. 

With only the stars to make them company the boys started chatting in the deserted parking lot.

“I finally have my own place.” Reynard said, while slurping from the can. “I bought a nice cave way down from here. It’s simple but at least I won’t have to listen to my mom shouting at me anymore.”

Humpty stayed quiet. He looked at the asphalt, avoiding his boyfriend’s eyes. Reynard noticed it.

“What’s the matter, Hum?” He said.

Humpty turned to him and said:

“My father is making me crazy. He wants me to be exactly like him. He wants me to be a replica of him. I don’t know how much I will be able to handle it.” Humpty said. 

The fox raised his eyebrows.

“If you don’t want to be like him, don’t be like him. You wouldn’t be the first teenager to have a rebellious phase.” The fox said.

Humpty’s eyes widened.

“If I do that, my father will kick me out of the house, and by the way people are around there, I will starve.” Humpty said. “Everyone is perfectly happy with their roles, I’m the only weirdo left out.”

Reynard laughed.

“Believe me, you aren’t alone at all.”

“What do you know about the Eggheads?”

“Believe me, you weren't the first one to feel left out and you won’t be the last. And if Yolktown rejects you, maybe you can try finding a new home somewhere else.”

Humpty grimaced. Humpty thought, and thought a little more, but he couldn’t make an answer that was satisfying to Reynard.

“My father raised me to be like everyone else and to make them proud. I don’t know who I am outside of that.”

Reynard turned to him.

“All I know is that you can’t live your life by others. Don’t put yourself in danger, but don’t be so afraid that you stop living.”

Humpty stayed silent looking upwards, staring at the quiet stars.

Reynard shook his head. He extended his paws around Humpty’s shell and pulled him closer. 

“Maybe you can live with me. My cave is really big.” He smiled.

Humpty laughed.

“You just want to eat me up.”

Reynard laughed and gazed at him.

“Of course I want to eat you. It’s the first thing on my mind since I met you. You know how foxes are with eggs.”

Humpty laughed.

“I’m surprised you never tried to eat me.”

Reynard smiled.

“Consider that my rebellious phase.”

They both laughed together.

“You’re an egg. What would you prefer? To be an omelet or scrambled eggs?” Reynard rested his head above Humpty’s. His whiskers tickled the egg boy.

Humpty shoved Reynard away and gave a sly wink:

“You’re impossible…And the right answer is Eggs Benedict.”

Reynard licked his lips and laughed.

“The closeted kid has a racy imagination.”

They spent the whole night talking with each other, and when the first daylight came from over the hills, Reynard kissed Humpty goodbye and raced for home.

Humpty left the human world behind, with all the small shacks, cabins and stores fading in the horizon, being replaced by plaques of Yolktown. He quickly climbed back to the wall, but this time he stopped and sat quietly over it. Reynard’s words still ringed in his head.

The whole town extended itself before him. A white city where beige was the only color that popped out. A city of expectations and rules. He felt like the only Egghead who didn’t want to play the role given to him. The only one who didn’t want to stay the same. He wished for a change, but he was too afraid to give the first step. What would his father think of him? What would the town think of him?

If Humpty couldn’t give the first step, then fate would do it for him.

I don’t know what caused this. Humpty had climbed up and down that wall so many times. Maybe the wind blew too hard that morning. Maybe the frustration distracted Humpty from where he was stepping. The fact is that on that morning Humpty misstepped while climbing down the wall. 

He only had the time to see the ground coming near and then emptiness. He had lost consciousness. 

When the Eggheads stepped out to go to work by the morning they found Humpty scrambled there near the wall.

“Oh my good fairy! It’s the mayor’s son.” They whispered to each other.

They called an ambulance that came as quickly as possible. The son of the Dumpty Family had special privileges and everyone knew that. 

The hospital staff covered him with layers upon layers of bandages and waited until the Mayor arrived. They didn’t know how to act. His shell had been broken into pieces.

When Mayor Dumpty arrived at the hospital and saw his son he was horrified. He hissed and uttered his fair share of curses. 

With much disgust Mayor Dumpty left his beloved Yolktown and came to seek treatment among humans in the King’s hospital, even though it was futile. 

“Father, it’s dark.” Said Dumpty after recovering consciousness. 

He was still covered with several layers of bandages when he arrived at the King’s hospital. Mayor Dumpty wouldn’t allow the human doctors to see his son without them.

“Sir, how can we operate if we can’t see him?” The chief surgeon said.

“I don’t care. No human can see my son while he’s in this hideous form.” Mayor Dumpty shouted.

Helplessly, Humpty could only mumble these words:

“Father, I can’t see.”

Mayor Dumpty then said this:

“It’s better this way.”

Humpty Dumpty Jr. sat on the wall. Humpty Dumpty Jr. had a big fall. And all the king's doctors and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty Dumpty Jr. together again.

Humpty couldn’t see but he felt when his father and his men moved him again. 

“Why did you have to be on that wall? From now on you will never leave my sight. Do you understand?” Mayor Dumpty said. “These gentlemen will take care of you. You will be well fed and they will help to change your bandages.”

Humpty tried to protest.

“I can’t see a thing.”

Mayor Dumpty simply said.

“It’s best this way, so you can’ see what you have become.”

“I don’t understand.”

Mayor Dumpty said with a teary voice:

“Your shell broke. It’s useless now. But I will take care of you. You will stay here, where you can be safe.”

And that was how things went.

Humpty always lived inside a gilded cage, and now the cage grew even tighter. He couldn’t go outside, he couldn’t shower on his own, he couldn’t eat on his own, or even go to the bathroom on his own. He couldn’t even see anything. Most of his days were into complete darkness, with the only moments of light being when the nurses replaced his bandages. 

“By the Fairy King! He’s hideous.” He heard from one of the old nurses.

“These things make me want to barf.” Another nurse said.

And Humpty stayed in the dark, unaware of how he looked. 

This all changed when one day he heard this being whispered to him.

“I’ll take you from here.”

“Reynard.” Humpty shouted in a state of pure glee. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m just a fox stealing an egg.” 

“Hey, you can’t be here.” Someone on the opposite side of the room shouted.

Humpty only heard the confusion, the sound of stuff being broken, and of Eggheads too afraid of being broken along with them. 

Reynard pulled Humpty and carried him in his furry arms. Humpty heard the sound of the nurses and security shouting to him and Reynard replying with nothing more than a growl. They stepped out through the front door while Mayor Dumpty shouted curse words from upstairs.

“Where are you taking me?” Humpty asked, but Reynard didn’t reply.

After so long in the darkness and mystery, light finally returned to his eyes. The first thing Dumpty saw after having his bandages removed was Reynard. He stared at him with a puzzled, but still relaxed and amused expression. They were in a dark alleyway. Egg-shaped trash-cans and egg-shaped trash were spread everywhere. The street was deserted, and only the sound of the night breeze could be heard. 

“Am I too ugly now?” Humpty said with a teary voice.

Reynard laughed. The laughter started small, but it grew with a crescendo until the fox boy was barely breathing.

“Why are you laughing? This is serious, Rey.” Humpty replied.

Reynard grinned and showed him a mirror.

“I never thought I would see a living Dodo in my lifetime.” Reynard said.

Humpty stared fixedly at the image in the mirror. The image was of a short, pudgy, and almost hunched bird. The wings were short and Humpty knew for sure he would never fly. His beak was long and it curved downwards. His feet were like a pigeon or a chicken, with four toes. 

But wait, my dear reader. This dodo wasn’t like your ordinary dodo. For one their feathers were polished and glittering, as if they were made of shiny metal. It also possessed a strange color, that freely transited in between green, purple, and blue. 

“Is this me?” Humpty said, doubting his eyes. 

“Yes, of course.” Reynard said. “I wanted an omelet, but I think I’ll have to satisfy myself with roasted chicken.” 

Humpty spent what felt like eons looking at his short wings. The sight of his body enticed him. He scavenged every inch of his new body. It was so alien, but it felt so right. For the first he could remember he felt right. 

Humpty turned back to Reynard.

“Finally.” Reynard said. “I was thinking you were cheating on me with yourself.”

“You told me I was a Dodo.” Humpty said. “What’s a Dodo?”

Reynard scratched his head.

“Well, you are one. Long ago there lived the Dodos. They were short, chubby, and funny looking, but they had pretty wings. But then suddenly, they all start disappearing after the big earthquake.” 

Humpty widened his eyes.

“How long was the last time someone saw a Dodo?”

“A couple of centuries.” Reynard answered. 

Humpty looked at himself for a little longer, and he started crying. It was involuntary. The tears simply started flowing. His beak produced a soft and small noise. There was a little laughter, and a little smile.

“I had no idea.” Humpty said, this time erupting into a teary smile. 

“We have to go now.” Reynard said.

“I have to do something first.” 

Even Humpty himself was surprised by his response. He continued:

“They have no idea of what they are missing.” Humpty looked at Reynard. “I can’t allow them to live their whole lives in the dark.”

Reynard laughed.

“What happened to: Everyone is perfectly happy with their roles, I’m the only weirdo left out?”

Humpty walked in circles and then shook his wings. He felt something deep inside that he never felt before. A type of bravery that he had to play out otherwise it would fizzle and die. A feeling that made him happy and joyful for once. 

“I have to tell everybody about this.”

Reynard smiled.

“Your father won’t like it.”

“I don’t care.” Humpty laughed. The sound of those words made him chuckle. “I don’t care anymore. I don’t care.”

“So, will you go out of your comfort zone?” Reynard said.

Humpty chuckled.

“I guess I have no choice now.” Humpty said. “Will you help me?”

Reynard laughed. He pulled Humpty and raised him into the air while shaking his feathers. 

“Let’s go!”

The next day all Eggheads were reunited in the town hall. Mayor Dumpty gathered a crowd of hundreds to start a search for his son. The reporters already started recording the event in their egg-shaped cameras. Mayor Dumpty rose to the podium, with the floor-length flags of Yolktown  in the background. 

Mayor Dumpty gave a long and morose speech about the dangers of outsiders and how a fox of the outside world had stolen his son. The crowd clapped enthusiastically until one voice emerged among them. 

“He's lying.”

“Who said that?” Mayor Dumpty cried on the microphone. 

A Dodo stepped out among the Eggheads.

The many voices of the crowd went mute as soon as they saw Humpty. They stared at him in wonder and horror. 

“He's hideous.” Some whispered. 

Humpty turned his head in their direction and saw that it came from the oldest and the most devout ones. Only them called him hideous. Most of the youngest were completely unaware of what a Dodo even was.  He understood what had happened. He was going back to these thoughts again and again since he first saw his colorful feathers. He now had a good guess of what had happened. But his father insisted on having the first word. 

When Reynard came close to him, Mayor Dumpty started shouting:

“This is the disgusting outsider who perverted my dear son and disfigured him. A fox!”

“I’m still the same old Humpty Dumpty Jr. This is who I am inside. This is who I truly am. And Reynard is my boyfriend.” Humpty said, making all the Eggheads gasp. “He didn't do anything wrong, he just helped me find the truth. I’m a Dodo.”

“You're ugly. You're deformed.” Mayor Dumpty shouted back. 

“You all have feathers. Just like mine. They are just underneath your shells” Humpty said, and then turned to his father. “And you knew it, right?”

Mayor Dumpty closed his eyes and sighed. 

“Everyone knows it. This knowledge is public. It's not our fault that the youth is lazy and ignorant.”

Humpty turned around to see all the younger Eggheads who watched him and his father attently. They didn't know it. The crowd erupted in noise, with whispers and blabbers floating and mixing in a wild cacophony. 

“Silence!” Mayor Dumpty said. 

The voices stopped. 

“Once upon a time…” Mayor Dumpty started. “The good people in this town trusted the Dumpty Family to keep them safe. We all swore away our vices and imperfections and decided to stay like the most perfect of us, like chicks in the egg. The egg is the shape of perfection. We built our incubator to generate more of us, free from any corruption that could break our shells. We swore to keep ourselves simple, innocent, and pure. But you and your outsider partner are about to do what outsiders always do: to destroy our innocence and our way of life.”

Humpty shouted:

“This is stupid. You don't need to stay like this forever if you don’t want to. We don't need to hide ourselves behind these shells. We can be who we were meant to be.”

The Eggheads silently watched them with wide eyes. 

“If any of you follow this Dodo insanity you will all be banished from Yolktown. Yolktown belongs to the Eggheads.”

Humpty closed his eyes and smiled.

“Okay, if that’s the way, then goodbye, father.”

Mayor Dumpty jumped. He couldn’t conceit his anger.

“You are rejecting centuries of Dumpty tradition, just for a fox. 

“I have a name, okay.” Reynard interrupted.

“Your nonsense won’t last a week.” The Mayor continued.

Humpty simply smiled.

“And yours is on its last days.”

Humpty couldn’t understand why he felt so peaceful now. Mayor Dumpty’s words didn't hold any power over him anymore. He once was so scared that this day would come, but now he wanted it more than anything. He was free now. Free and true to himself. He had tried to give the same power to others, but if they flatly rejected or fully hearted accept it would only depend on them. 

Reynard hugged Dumpty as strongly as he could, and they both shared warmth and comprehension. The Eggheads didn't know what to think. 

Hours later they both were on their way to the gates of Yolktown.

“You tried your best.” Reynard said.

“I can’t believe what I did. I can’t believe what I just did.” Humpty smiled and jumped in excitement. 

“I’m really proud of you.”

They kissed and prepared themselves to leave Yolktown, when she appeared. 

An Egghead teenage girl. She had an uneasy expression on her, in between anxiety and joy. 

“I want to be like you.” She started saying, then the words started coming from her mouth with the same speed as waters coming from a hole in a dam. “All my life I knew there was something wrong with me. I thought I was going insane. My classmates mocked me. Not even my mother wanted to talk about it. But then you appeared.”

The Eggheads surrounded them. They had judgmental looks on their faces, but no one tried to stop them. 

“You will be an outcast. Mayor Dumpty will banish you as well.” Humpty said.

“Will it hurt?” She asked. 

Reynard stared at Humpty. 

Humpty closed his eyes and gave a smile.

“It will get better with time. I promise you.” Humpty said. 

Peck. Peck. Peck. Piece by piece. With his beak Dumpty broke her shell and pulled one tiny piece at a time. The Eggheads looked in awe and horror but still didn't dare to interrupt. 

When Humpty finished, a lovely female dodo stared back at him. She cried, and cried, and laughed as loud as she could. She immediately hugged Humpty, while the other Eggheads only could stare. Humpty knew that the judgment had been replaced by a new feeling that was alien to them: Longing. Longing to do the same. 

“You were never alone.” Reynard said to Humpty.

It started slow as all things do. It started with a single dodo, then there were two. By the end of the week, there were five. The Eggheads only talked about that. The press couldn’t focus on anything else. But Mayor Dumpty couldn’t show weakness. He promised banishment to anyone that went against his way and he was an egg of his word. He banished the five immediately.

“They are mad.” Mayor Dumpty told the reporters. “How can someone be proud of being ugly and deformed?”

But this didn’t stop then.

Mr. Dumpty wrote the Dodo Policy Act with his own hand.

The government told the teachers that there would be harsh penalties for anyone spreading Dodo propaganda. The teachers gained a new job function, one that wouldn’t earn any extra money: To protect the young from the Dodos. Any Dodo would be expelled and banished from Yolktown, regardless of age or legal status.

At the parent-teacher meeting, each one of the parents told how the Dodos were a danger to the wellbeing of their children. The teachers told them what the government had mandated: “It’s a phase. It will soon pass”.

Imagine their shock when one of the students became a dodo, young Frankly Frank. 

Mayor Dumpty banished young Frankly Frank from Yolktown, with as much fanfare as possible. Mayor Dumpty made sure the reporters photographed the accused. Yolktown would not tolerate Dodos of any age. What Mayor Dumpty didn’t predict was the show that Frankly Frank’s father was ready to deliver to the cameras.

“I won’t let him go alone.”

Mayor Dumpy watched when the Egghead father broke his shell piece by piece, forcing all the other Eggheads to watch it. Many Eggheads squirmed and turned away, but some couldn’t stop watching. When he was done, the father pulled his son by the wing and both Dodo father and Dodo son stepped out of the gates of Yolktown towards the unknown. 

“It’s spreading like a disease.” Mayor Dumpty said.

In another school district Mayor Dumpty fired a teacher that had become a Dodo. Next week all the teachers and staff of the school became Dodos as well. He banished them all, losing the entire school staff. 

More Dodos kept appearing. In business, in fashion, and in music. They were all promptly fired and segregated from the rest of the Eggheads. Mayor Dumpty banished them all, without mercy or pity, but he couldn’t help but notice a happy expression on their beaks when they left Yolktown. 

It took a few years for Mayor Dumpty to realize a settlement was growing a couple of miles from Yolktown, and it took even a couple more years for Mayor Dumpty to realize he was responsible for filling it with people. It was a Dodo settlement, built by Dodos for Dodos, all the ones he rejected from Yolktown. It was Dodoland, and soon the whole kingdom started paying attention to the Dodos.

People from all over the kingdom started visiting Dodoland. For the first time the tourism industry of that region thrived. It seems that the people enjoyed the company of the Dodos much more than they ever enjoyed the Eggheads. 

They had better music. More wild, more unpredictable, more unstable. People hated it at first, or at least they pretended they did. But the audience grew more and more, until these new songs and bands moved from obscurity into mainstream fame.

They had better fashion. People started dressing differently. Less orderly and more chaotic, with more color and glitter. Those who believed beige was an artsy color were caught with their pants down when more and more colors started appearing in the houses and fashion of the people of Dodoland, with architecture styles and colors until then unknown by the Eggheads.

Free from their delicate and fragile shells, the Dodos finally started being more active. They finally could be violent, playful, and mischievous. They could play sports like football, rugby, or simply beat each other for fun. 

Year by year, the Eggheads realized that no one, no even themselves, liked the rules by which they were living. The whole town was populated by outcasts all this time, outcasts that convinced themselves that if they followed the rules they would be happy. They started leaving Yolktown and their shells behind en masse. The town grew emptier and emptier, as new  Dodos appeared, taking new names, new identities, new colors and new feathers. 

Yolktown was left with no music, fashion, or business, since all their greatest minds had already been banished. Mayor Dumpty was left with only the true devouts and the oldest, the ones that turned away all their family and friends and kept to the old ways. However the problem of having your town being populated only by the oldest, the really oldest, is that they don’t stick for long. Eventually, Mayor Dumpty was the only one left. The last Egghead. Everyone else had become an omelet. 

Meanwhile, Humpty Dumpty Jr. lived his best way. Decades had passed. The Dodos trusted him enough to be the Mayor of Dodoland, and he respected them enough to do a great service. He had Reynard as his husband and trusted advisor and they were now known through the kingdom. They were as happy as they could be. Their town was thriving, but Humpty knew someone had stayed behind.

The Dodos didn’t need artificial incubators anymore. Humpty watched as the first baby Dodos visited the town hall with their parents. 

“Is that what you wanted?” Reynard hugged Humpty from behind.

Humpty, with tears in his eyes said:

“It’s better than that.” He said. “I have to find him.” 

“He disowned you.” Reynard said.

“He only have a ghost town now. I have to help him.” Humpty said. “If we changed the entire way Eggheads live their lives, we need to try changing my dad.”

Reynard didn’t say anything. He simply nodded. 

They travelled to old Yolktown, knowing exactly where Mayor Dumpty had hidden himself. 

Yolktown felt different now. Grayer than usual. Stained and dirty walls everywhere. There was nobody to care to make the town look pristine. 

The imposing Dumpty Manor, symbol of the pride of the Dumpty family and of Yolktown, now laid in complete darkness, with only a still and faint light coming from one of the many oval windows. 

Mayor Dumpty sat on his large wooden chair, with only the lamplight on the table to make him company. When Humpty and Reynard entered the room, he didn’t even turn to look at them.

“What do you want?” Mayor Dumpty said, “You already won.”

Humpty looked at him and said:

“Why did you do all these things? With me and with the whole town.”

Mayor Dumpty closed his eyes:

“It was just what my father taught me, who was taught by his father, who was taught by his father, and so on. The Dumpties build this city. We created and protected this way of life. And now it’s all destroyed.”

Humpty stepped closer.

“We don’t need to stay the same. We can be whatever we want.”

“What if something happens? A calamity or tragedy? What if then?” The mayor asked.

“Then we learn from our mistakes and find a better way. But we can’t live this repressed until the end. We have a life to live, and we need to make it worth it.” Humpty said.

Mayor Dumpty stared at him:

“Without the traditions, I don’t know who I am.”

Humpty smiled:

“Maybe it's time to find out.”

Mayor Dumpty closed his eyes.

“Out!” He shouted.

“Is that what you wish, sir?” Reynard asked.

“I wish you to leave me alone.” Mayor Dumpty said.

Humpty and Reynard looked at each other and then Humpty said:

“If you ever change your mind Dodoland will be happy to accept you. Life it’s too short to stay locked in your shell.”

And they left the old Egghead to stay in the darkness, with his thoughts and his grief.

“Thank you for everything.” Humpty said to Reynard, who promptly hugged him and kissed him. 

They were the only bit of happiness left in Yolktown.

Over the years Dodoland became a fever dream of color and glitter, the most colorful and zainy city in the world, attracting tourists from everywhere. Mayor Humpty stayed happily married with Reynard and they even adopted some baby Dodos of their own. And while the last Egghead remained sad and alone in his personal ghost town, all Dodos lived happily ever after knowing full well how truly liberating it’s to come out of their shells.

What do you guys think?