#abi doesn't know when to quit

[whumpflash]

Don't you dare hurting Jeddy >:(

she'll be fiiiine, what's the worst that could happen?

[scrubbinn]

Mimic Memoirs: Labor logs

HRT Month ???

Stuffed within the void

Some time after Mayday attempted her ritual

cw: depression

“My name is… unimportant. I doubt anyone is going to actually find this, I mean, if you're in the void, you probably have bigger problems. But I wanted to leave evidence of my time here, and in case I need it for later.”

“The bod- Mayday is still trying to gain consciousness in this place. I have a bit of a head start after all this time being a headmate. You can't have a body in this place. People always think of a void as this infinitely big place of nothing. The truth is that nothing is actually quite small. It's a zero dimensional zone that weaves itself in the cracks and spaces between worlds. The only things that can exist here are concepts and ideas. Right now, I'm merely a thought. Reciting information into the concept of a recording device that will float in here until I or universe forbid, someone else, finds it here. I won't remember this once I craft this memory. It's better that way.”

“Mimics. They're everywhere here. Not the kind that exists in fiction and other worlds. They're not chests, slimes, or hermit crabs. They're just concepts. The concept of consumption. The idea that to consume something is to know something. There probably used to be other concepts floating around here. But they've all been removed. Or maybe something else happened? I see them eating each other all the time, but they just reform out of nothing again. Sure, it's creepy. But it isn't what has me worried.”

“Erian, that idiot. Slime hrt combined with a mimic octopus would have made a decent enough Mimic on its own. But he was still in that phase of seeing us as experiments or walking billboards. Of course he decided to add some mysterious substance he had literally no idea what it was. I know what it is now. It's just one of these mimics. I guess it's like a deep sea fish. If you brought one of them into a space with physics, they would expand into a liquid or gas. And he decided to feed it to someone.”

“Would we have just died if Mayday continued her transition? No, I think we'd be fine, maybe just a puddle that can't form shapes, but we'd be alive. Still, it's concerning how close to death we've been. We nearly did until all of us helped Mayday form a cocoon. The first step in her mimic-hood

“Believe it or not, dying would have been the better alternative. Mimics here don't just eat each other. Sometimes, they poke through to another world and eat from it. But not things like stealing candy or eating people. Though sometimes they do that, too. But I've seen them eat the stab wounds off a human, munching 14 hours of time from a universe, even devouring fear itself from one place. Of course, most of them try to mimic what they ate and usually get crushed in zero dimensional space. It's a good thing there isn't one of them that can survive in three dimensions… You get what I'm saying now, right?”

“Do I let Mayday leave here? What happens if she has access to these sorts of abilities back in hyper city. Does she have access to them? Maybe if she doesn't cross that road, but what if they are a part of her. Just dorment. Forget eating a bit of stomach. What if she ended up eating all of Abi's memories. It's not like she has complete control of her mouths… Wait… No. She did it already. Once, at the zoo. Eating Kaylen's nightmares and turning into them. That's not normal. That's not a normal mimic thing.That's what these things do. So… I don't know. I don't know if I should hide away from her. Let her fade into nothing here.”

“That's why I'm leaving this recording here. So I'll forget it. So that she won't know. So that I don't have to make that choice. I'm sorry.”

Mayday stepped out of the portal she made. A recorder in her hands that wasn't there when she stepped in. She had become quite the expert with the book that made the portal after her first trip with it. There was potential within its eldritch grip to help the clinic and its patients. She didn't consider herself a witch, but this was something that had dug its way into her mind. She did always find comfort in that place, this book calling out to her when she first visited that library, she was meant for that place.

Oh, can't go having those sorts of thoughts. There's still plenty to enjoy in this world. There's… well, there's not a whole lot. Just work. Hang out with friends, girlfriend. Well, it's still plenty. Some people have less after all. Anyways, It's not about how much you have, it's about the time you spend with them! Like… No, can't go having those sorts of thoughts. Let's just focus on work. Jasmine scheduled an appointment today. It seemed pretty serious by the tone of garden voice. best to wrap up her personal explorations and get ready for work.

Today, Mayday’s coffee tasted bitter, and her food felt like ash. The winter skies were coated in nothing but dull clouds. A puddle of slush was thrown onto her skirt and boots as a car skidded by, traveling way too fast to be legal. There were probably good things. She didn't hit any red lights, no one around her was rude, Abi seemed happy texting about some new collector’s edition doll she found. lots of little joys. Joys that she was having trouble seeing each day. She tried not to think about what she heard on that recording.

The work day was horrendous. Nothing but Erian shouting at patients, and pharmacies suddenly having problems with handing out the prescriptions they're supposed to hand out. She did her best to put on a grin when anyone approached her. After all, it's easy to fake a smile when you don't have a face.

That thought just made her consider the fact that, as a mimic, she doesn't have a true form. There's the things in the void or the DnD style “purple goop,” but those weren't true forms. Mayday didn't have a true form, or a default form, or anything like that. She just felt comfortable being a slime. Because it was easier to stick with that, then to explain to your family that you're not a burglar, you're just trying on a new you today. Being a slime or a cat, or a dragon, or looking like someone she knew. They were all the same level of comfort. The only euphoria she felt was the act of changing her shape, and she found herself doing it less and less. Explaining it was a hassle.

The clock struck 5pm. Oh, her rambling ideas had passed the time to Jasmine's appointment when she wasn't looking. Oops. She clutched the recorder in her hands tighter. Maybe someone should listen to this. Maybe someone could help. Anything to not be alone with her thoughts. She grew a resolve then and there to ask Erian. Over the weeks, she had gotten to see a side of him that was, decent, at least. His expertise might be what she's looking for. Just have to get through the day.

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[gingergofastboatsmojito]

Apologies

IMO Carmy apologizes just fine and not just to Syd, has always done that actually.

Sometimes he just admits his wrongdoing though, and this tone was set very early in the relationship.

This is almost better than saying "I'm sorry" if you ask me BUT only if followed by an actual change in behavior. THAT'S THE PART HE FALLS SHORT AT, NOT THE APOLOGIES PER SE. (keep reading if you wanna know why because there’s a scientific explanation for that, it’s not his fault yet it is his responsibility to overcome it)

Brigade | 01x03

Braciole | 01x08

Braciole | 01x08

OK, OK! He didn't say "I'm sorry", true. He just admitted his behavior was not OK, which still counts. And then he tried to redeem himself by offering to share his lifelong dream with her. Whether that's even better than an apology or not, I'm not willing to debate, some may think it might be. I'm not one of them, I think a change in behavior is the best apology

BUT to be fair:

Syd didn't apologize either for leaving the take-out option ON, she just offered him a second chance, which means that at that point neither one of them were apologizing with words, they were BOTH using actions instead.

The reason being, the feelings that started brewing beneath the surface, they didn't wanna acknowledge them, they deliberately chose not to and intended to move on. The decision was made. They decided to "keep it profesh", thus they couldn't voice them out because if they did they were gonna upgrade them to "real/official" and they were nowhere ready for that nor were they willing to do it, for that matter. So, in fact, at that point, they probably even decided they were never gonna be and gave up before even giving it a second thought.

In his case the progression of that was quite obvious:

<That's why C showed up shortly after, btw. It just fits the timeline they both tacitly started building since Braciole.>

AND BECAUSE LOVE FOR CARMY MEANS THIS↓

"It always gets fucked."

In her case, I can only guess because the sadist completely deprived us of her juicy background story pretty much, but I could bet an obscene amount of money on Syd having a similar idea of what love might entail, that's why no matter how loving and nurturing she is, she doesn't really let anyone in - refer to her tattoo for symbology pls -

She puts up walls:

More about that here:

Luckily in S3 they are getting flimsier by the minute, but still.

Back to his apologies

Pasta | 02x02

In Pasta he apologized and taught her the "Sorry" sign, even when he wasn't the one who did anything wrong because it was Syd who fucked up the lacto ferment.

Then he did apologize when appropriate a few days later:

Sundae | 02x03

Bolognese | 02x08

Omelette | 02x09

Omelette | 02x09

The Bear | 02x10

Tomorrow | 03x01

Apologies | 03x09

So as you can clearly see, he has no problem apologizing to anyone when he means it, his problem starts after the apology because even when he meant it, even when he's truly repentant, he fucks up, which IMPO is actually a trauma response → linked to his C-PTSD to be more precise. He self-boycotts because his brain is wired that way after years of enduring abuse. Meaning, Carmy has ABI (Abusive Brain Injury), which is a type of non-traumatic brain injury (although it could also be TBI if the abuse was also physical) that leads to damaged brain tissue resulting from years of consistent psychological and sometimes physical abuse, like the one he suffered when around Donna and Eleven Madison Dickhead. His 2 main abusers.

In other words, he's wired for failure till he overcomes his trauma, which as I keep saying, will happen in S4 because he has already started his healing process and had his breakthrought in 03x10.

You can read more about the correlation between ABI and abuse here.

Why he doesn't apologize to the C person?

Glad you asked, I already answered that question a while ago:

But it could also be because Syd didn't greenlight him in 03x01 or because C actually told him: "Never apologize". OR because:

I'm going to stick to the theory of it being a denial by-product, though, as I explained in the 1° meta above about GUILT being his main driver just because it's very IC of him. However, it wouldn't be a stretch if it were a combination of all these factors.

Bonus track: He doesn't have a problem with saying ILY either (if he really means it that is, he won't take it lightly), the problem is being on the receiving end of those words because they usually are the preface of a very painful story for him, a story where he usually ends up getting hurt and disappointed.

Remember to follow my tag #Gingerpovs 💋

[lopposting]

Some more Lies of P translation notes!

Some cool translation details that I thought were fun that didn't fit anywhere else.

[long!]

[Spoilers]

In the Korean version, Geppetto is speaking an "old-fashioned"/archaic form of Korean to reflect the time period that the game is set in

Set around the turn of the century (late 1800s), mimicking the Belle Époque of France's industrial revolution, we can guess that the game's events take place during the late 1800s. Given Geppetto's status as "old geezer", we can guess that he's closer to 100 than not, so he would have been born around the early 1800s. I might not be completely accurate - basically, he's speaking as an elderly person might speak in current time to culturally reflect his age; other times I notice he's using some words that are now out of use.

From the game's initial trailer:

깨어나거라, 아들아. 이제 이 아비를 기쁘게 해다오. Wake up, son. Make this father happy/proud.

The word he uses for "father" is "Abi" (아비), which is an archaic word for "father". In current day, korean speakers would generally use "Abeoji" (아버지).

The -gura(거라)/-DaOh(다오) conjugation is also an additional syllable that has since fallen out of use, or is considered archaic, in current korean:

아들아, 네 심장을 다오. Son, give me your heart.

하지만 알아 다오, 나는 너도 사랑했단다. But know this, I loved you too. English VA version: In my own way, I grew to love you.

This is also apparent in Geppetto's final letter at the end:

우릴 방해할 자는 이제 없을 거란다. 너를 위한 크라트를 다시 만들어주마. (-juma, Supposedly, only a "superior" speaker can use -juma) 그때까지 호텔에 조심해서 머물러 다오. 너를 누구보다도 아끼는 아버지가.

He also uses the -Oh ending again. (although he does call himself "Abeoji" 아버지 here and not "abi" like the trailer. He uses "Abi" again in another instance when responding to a guesture)

It's a very cool detail to me. I think it's a bit missed opportunity that, as far as I know, the english version doesn't seem to reflect this! Although to be fair, I'm struggling to imagine how they would. 19th century english/french maybe isn't as different or isn't different in the same ways from "modern" english that 19th century Korean would be from "modern" Korean. [Well, my only education on this stuff is from watching episodes of Dae Jang Geum]. I haven't checked to see if any other character (like Antonia) speaks this way. [Pls message me if Geppetto also speaks like this in your or any other language version!!]

Lies of P, Blood, puns, and the P-Organ

The P-Organ, in Korean, is referred to as the P기관. 기관 (gi-gwan), however, doesn't necessarily correlate directly to the word "Organ": It's quite an interesting word to choose because it can refer to any system of moving parts, both organic or mechanical; and it can mean an organ, a machine, or even a governmental body or institute.

As you may have heard by now, the game's titular pun revolves around the fact that the english character for P sounds the word for "blood" in korean (피), making the title (P의 거짓 P-ie Geojit?) read like Lies of Blood, in a nutshell. The title Lies of Blood then fits into the becoming-real flesh-and-blood themes of the game, perhaps also suggests that the deception in Krat has cost the lives of many - and, of course, references the lying of the titular character, who is inferred to be none other than (P)inocchio! So, in Korean, the P-Organ (P기관) becomes something like the Blood Engine. Which rather sounds like a euphemism for a heart!

[Perhaps: It's also a bit of narrative that Geppetto refuses to refer to it as our heart, unless he refers to it as belonging to Carlo.]

In English, this wordplay no longer exists, and so it's rather awkwardly literally translated (as the P-Organ).

How do you say, "NEOWIZ"?

I've seen a few people ask about the pronunciation of NEOWIZ (Lies' publishing company). Hangul is phonetic, so you could (technically) say the official pronunciation of NEOWIZ (네오위즈) is Nae-Oh Wiz and not Neo (like the Matrix character) -wiz.

However [in my opinion], I don't think this matters, because when something is translated to another language, it often takes the pronunciation of the language it is read in. Kind of like how in english you would read the capital of France correctly as Paris (with an S sound at the end), and not "Pari" (french pronunciation).

Also, Krat is consistently pronounced by in-game characters as "Krot" (Long O, rhymes with "Cot" or "Not") in the english version. In the game korean releases, "Krat" is written as 크라트, which would be pronounced and read as "Krat" (short A, rhymes with "Rat" or "Cat").

[I think the devs also say "Krat" too. The rounder "O" pronunciation of "A" in words seem like more of a European pronunciation in general]

The "Youngest of the Black Rabbit Brotherhood" and Gender

In Korean culture, Age is particularly significant in both Korean social hierarchy and language, and the role/position of being the youngest in a group is a particular role known as being the "maknae" (I mean, I definitely think this also exists in the western world, people definitely would understand being the "youngest" one in your family, but it's slightly different from that).

Despite being a member of the brotherhood, she refers to her brothers as "Oppa", which is when the word "brother" is used by female speakers to an older male subject (Remember Gangnam style?) [A male speaker would use "Hyung". I debated putting this one in, because to me, it seemed kind of obvious, but I did see others asking about this.]

[Given that the developers are from a korean studio, I am choosing to believe that the subtitles provided by the game's "korean" version are the text/script as originally written intended by the developers!]

[colourful-void]

[truly off the charts levels of aitsf nirvana initiative spoilers]

some thoughts on mizuki date and mizuki kuranushi

the whole timeline switch thing is admittedly: cool as fuck. love it conceptually. its neat as hell. in practice i think it required some of the game to be a bit... strained in logic and perhaps if we were less committed to clone Mizuki and some other aspects it would feel a little less like we had to rob Mizuki (Date) as a character to make it work.

I can explain why i feel this way:

Don't get me wrong, its set up really really well in a lot of places. i see now which is awesome. the set up isn't so much the problem, there definitely could've been a bit more in the set up but overall it's solid.

my problem is that, in order to make this work, Mizuki and Bibi need to be functionally indistinguishable from each other not just in appearance but in personality. NOW there are key differences I noted which was very good!!! I did see this, i just think like, the fundamental concept means they have to be significantly more similar than they are dissimilar and that makes for....

Okay like:

Mizuki and Bibi having the same scooter? Fantastic, it's mentioned early on that's abis provided, of course they're the same. having the same gun, sure even, it might be a 'mizuki custom' but if we assume mizuki date didn't actually care that much about her gun's specifics I totally see boss replicating the first one. I'm sure bibi would've wanted that too. Having the same PIPE is bothering me. Because now we're verging into some nature over nurture territory.

Mizuki Date loved that pipe when she was 12, it's something she picked up afaik after coming to live with date even, bcs she didn't have it when she was getting bullied in school. Her having one makes sense. But bibi has a pipe, seemingly because... Mizuki has one.

So then, was it a unique choice Mizuki made when she was younger, or does 'being mizuki' mean predestined to wield a pipe? (i can also see Bibi like, watching over mizuki and deciding she also wants a pipe but that's only slightly better because it's still externally denying the characters individuality) [A minor way of adjusting this could be having Mizuki Date only ever use the pipe, and Bibi only ever use the Evolver.]

There are some good moments of them being different i can recall off hand, bibi talking about her younger sister (mizuki) for example, to shoma, etc. but like. 90% of the time you're not supposed to be able to tell them apart. So they think the same way, and act the same way, and when you're playing a game literally in the brain of a character its hard to even pass off as just, presentation or a front. and i wanna be clear i know there are minor differences.

Bibi doesn't react to Date's appearance in the warehouse (because she didn't know him like Mizuki Date, but also looking back since that was in the past like, Mizuki Date wouldn't have reacted either.), I think there's a little difference in how bibi and mizuki treat boss, maybe? But since mizuki is still playing around with boss and giving her puppy dog eyes in the first investigation scene when That's Mizuki Date and not Bibi, it doesn't quite land.

Because the small pool of people who actually know, Ryuki and Boss and all have to TREAT Mizuki Date and Bibi basically identical for this to work. And again, you can stretch it. Boss is trying to maintain professionalism, etc. But it's another layer of them being... basically the same.

Mainly, my biggest problem is less everyone else and how Mizuki Date and Bibi think and act.

Mizuki Date and Bibi are allegedly two different characters. They're given two different backstories, and lived two very different lives. Despite that, aside from a few minor hints and character quirks, they behave and interact indistinguishably from each other. And that kind of cheapens both of them as people.

Like, we just had this whole game that had everyone saying "if this hadn't happened, if my father hadn't been killed, if this child hadn't been kidnapped, if So Sejima had just kicked it at 20, maybe none of this would've happened, life could've been so different" and then also showed us 'Even if your life was extremely different you would still think and act exactly the same'.

TC-PERGE and alcoholism was a huge part of it, but the cited reason for a lot of Ryuki's behaviour is the trauma right?? Like it comes up multiple times, but the unique traumas that both Mizuki's faced? I guess impacted them exactly the same. or not at all, in Mizuki date's case because we never get proper resolution on the whole 'you were adopted and then your adopted parents couldn't or wouldn't raise you properly so gave you off to Date, who then disappeared." i'm still entirely unclear on who was the guardian of this 12 year old child after that.

TLDR

i think a lot of this twist is really cool conceptually, i'm on board with a lot of it. But in practice, Bibi and Mizuki are only different characters because of their wildly different backstories. They think and act identically, despite having such different circumstances which should lead to different thoughts and actions. In a game where the final Somnium ends in a long chain of "What ifs" where it's characters ask if they could've lived differently had just a few things been different, the central characters appear to demonstrate that no, they wouldn't.

and that kinda bums me out.

[stardustcatcher]

Fluff Alphabet (Danny Wagner)

Pairing: Danny Wagner x Reader

Word Count: 4.2K

Warnings: y'all already know it's fluffy and sweet so make sure to brush after to prevent cavities, marriage, talk of babies, mentions of drinking and being drunk (just trust me), uhh and danny being the sweetest most bestest partner, let me know if i missed anything :)

AN: look at him up there,, doesn't he just look so boyfriend :,) i'm sorry this took a little bit longer, i was having a little bit of writer's block, but i did it and here she is! i love writing for danny, he's just peak romantic boyfriend material. as always, i hope you all enjoy and remember that all feedback (likes, comments, reblogs) is welcomed, appreciated, and encouraged. hearing back from you guys keeps me going :) i love you all <3

taglist

A ctivities - What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?

Danny’s favorite way to spend his time with you is just by simply being around you. Even just doing separate things while being in each other’s presence, you could be reading while Danny sits on the other side of the couch scribbling words down in his music journal. It’s one of your favorite things to do with each other, just existing together. Though that’s not all you do, Danny also loves to take you out to local shows, whether it’s bands or artists that he knows/is friends with or just some random show downtown, it’s like he’s immersing you in his world a little bit and he loves it. Since music is essentially his whole life, besides you, it's a fun way to include you in a way that wouldn’t be boring like just sitting in the studio while he works.

B aby - Do they want a family? Why/Why not?

Because he’s still young, kids aren’t in the forefront of Danny’s mind, but that doesn’t mean he never thought about it. He loves his parents, he has a very good relationship with them and has been told that having kids is one of life’s greatest joys. He’d love to experience that for himself, especially with you. He’s had dreams about a couple babies of his own, to give them the experiences he had growing up, though it’s safe to say that those dreams are a long ways away. He’s away for long periods of time, and it’s hard enough to be away from just you, he couldn’t imagine being away from his own hypothetical children. So he would ideally like a family, but not for quite some time. 

C uddle - How do they like to cuddle?

  Danny loves being the big spoon when you two cuddle. He’s large but gentle, your own personal teddy bear. His favorite is when you’re both laying in bed after a long day, a movie on the television, and your head is laying on his chest with his arm wrapped around your shoulder, tracing gentle shapes into the skin. Having you in his arms, protected from the outside world, the two of you locked in your own personal bubble is Danny’s personal happy place. 

D reams - How do they picture their future with their s/o?

Even before your relationship was official, Danny often found himself daydreaming about a future with you. Right when you met, you had wormed your way into his heart and mind and he knew that you were the one he wanted to be with for a long long time, preferably forever but that thought kind of scared him. He’ll often imagine traveling the world with you, taking you along with him to all the places his career lets him go. Whatever he does, he wants you right there with him. Danny wants to spend forever with you, and it took a little while for him to come to terms with that desire since you’re both still young, but the more he thought about it the more comfortable he got with the idea. Any future with you is his dream future. 

E qual - Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?

At the beginning of your relationship, Danny was the more dominant one. It was before you two really found your groove with each other and that was just how it worked out, once you both fell into a certain level of comfortability and routine it became a relationship of equals. While around his friends, or social situations pertaining to him, Danny will assume the more dominant role. Though when around your friends or family, or events/situations for you, you’ll take the lead. It really all depends on the circumstance, Danny is very versatile and doesn’t really have a dominant personality in everyday domestic life. But if that’s something you need, if you’re having an off day or just need him to take the lead a little bit more, he has no issue doing that for you and it comes relatively easy. 

F eelings - When did they know they were in love?

Danny knew he was in love with you on your very first date. You’d been friends for a little bit at that point and he had finally mustered up the courage to ask you out, the elation and relief he felt was unlike anything he’s ever felt before. He drove you both out to a clearing near where he lived, it was somewhere he’d gone when he needed time away or he wanted to write, it brought him peace and was absolutely gorgeous. He had packed a picnic basket of all your favorites and guided you out into the clearing, hand in hand. As soon as he saw the smile spread across your face he knew he was completely and utterly in love with you. Hearing you gasp in awe at the beauty of the nature around you, watching you chase after butterflies and watch the sunset, he knew without a doubt that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you next to him. 

G ratitude - How grateful are they in general? Are they aware of what their s/o is doing for them?

Danny is a very grateful person in general. He is grateful for the amount of opportunities he has been given to live out his dream, for all the cool places he’s got to go and things he’s been able to see, he thanks his lucky stars every day for everything he has and that also extends to you. He’s grateful for everything you do for him, whether that’s acts of kindness or things you choose to miss out on because of him. He know’s his life is not the most stable because of his job and you’ve had to miss out on being able to do or go to certain things because of who he is, and he acknowledges it every time, thanking you and also telling you that you don’t have to work around his schedule and life all the time, but you’re always happy to do it because he’s Danny and you love him endlessly. 

H onesty - Do they have secrets they hide from their s/o? Or do they share everything?

Danny has no secrets to keep from you, the only time he’d ever withhold information from you would be if he was planning something for you. He’ll tell you anything you want to know, he firmly believes that there is no point of secrets in your relationship. He’s not afraid to tell you anything and since he tells you everything it’s created a space for you to tell him anything as well. You both know that you can go to each other and say absolutely anything and there will be absolutely no judgement. 

I nspiration - Did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helping them overcome personal problems?

You’ve definitely helped Danny come out of his shell and embrace himself. Prior to your relationship he was rather quiet and shy, happy to fade into the background and play mediator. With you around, he’s become more of himself, both on the outside (like expressing himself with his clothing or trying makeup) and on the inside (just becoming more comfortable with who he is as a person) and it’s something that he will never be able to thank you for enough. 

J ealousy - Do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?

  Danny is not a jealous person whatsoever, he’s only ever really gotten jealous once and it was only because another man was blatantly flirting with you in front of him. He claims to not get jealous because he loves you and knows that you love him. He knows you would never choose another person over him, you chose to be with him and only him, so why should he feel threatened by another when he’s already your first and only choice?

K iss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?

You had been the one to initiate your first kiss with Danny. It was your birthday and instead of going out all you wanted to do was spend the day with him. You made him promise to not get you anything, not wanting him to spend money on you because you said “his presence was a good enough gift” but he didn’t listen. “Everyone should get to open something on their birthday” he had said, pulling out a little gift bag from behind his back. You lightly scolded him, reminding that you had said no gifts but he just told you to open it. Inside the bag was a book you had been wanting forever and a small box. You looked at him skeptically but he just urged you to open it. You carefully unwrapped the box and inside laid a necklace with a pendant that housed a pressed flower from the clearing where you had your first date. Tears welled in your eyes as you looked up at him, he was biting his lip, nervous that you wouldn’t like it or think that it was dumb. But you just threw your arms around him, squeezing him against you so tightly that you couldn’t breath. “You like it?” he asked when you pulled away. “I love it,” you whispered, hand caressing the side of his face before you gently pressed your lips to his. They were soft and warm, and he tasted like spearmint and the soda he’d been drinking. Danny was by far the best person you’d ever kissed, he tenderly laid a large hand on your jaw and smiled into your lips. It was perfect. 

L ove - Who says ‘I love you’ first

You were the one to say I love you first, and it had been kind of an accident. You’d been out on a date to a bar that Danny and the Kiszkas frequented, just a nice night to relax and let loose. Your job was stressing you out lately and Danny thought it’d be nice for the two of you to get out of the house for a little bit. Needless to say, you ended up indulging a little more than intended and passed out on the Uber ride back home. He helped you inside, making you drink some water and take some aspirin for the impending hangover the tomorrow would surely bring. He took such care with helping you change into some of his pajamas, knowing how much you loathed falling asleep in your outside clothes, and he even carefully wiped off your makeup with the wipes he kept in his bathroom just for you. He got himself changed and laid down in bed with you, and just as you were on the verge of sleep you cuddled into him. “You’re too good to me, Daniel,” you mumbled, cheek squished against his chest. “I love you.”

Danny’s heart skipped a beat and his breath got caught in his chest, not because he didn’t feel the same way, but because he’d been waiting for so long to say those same words to you. He didn’t want to scare you off or think it was too soon, but you’d beat him to it in your drunken haze. “I love you too, honey,” he pressed a kiss to the top of your head, but you were already deep in your dreams. He promised himself that “I love you” would be the first thing he’d tell you when you woke up. 

M emory - What’s their favorite memory together?

A memory that really sticks out in Danny’s mind, and one he finds himself coming back to often, is the first time that you saw him performing. It was relatively early in your relationship and his work was a part of his life he hadn’t shared much with you yet, not that he didn’t want to, the occasion had just never come up. So he had asked you to come the first show of their tour which started in Nashville, you’d been ecstatic having seen on social media how all the fans went all out for the concerts and even though you’d seen videos and heard Danny play, you knew it couldn’t compare to seeing it live and in person. 

When it finally came, it felt like you were just as hyped and full of energy as the boys, you watched in awe at all the people bustling around you, the fans in the pit and the seats all preparing for what seemed like the best night of their lives. It was already magical and the show hadn’t even started yet. Time ticked by and before you knew it, there was a crew member knocking on the dressing room door to tell them there was five minutes to stage, you could see the boys get even more excited as they gathered their things and followed security towards the stage. Right before he went on, you pulled Danny to the side and planted a kiss on his lips, whispering “Break a leg, rockstar,” before a security guard led you to the side of the stage where you’d watch the show. 

As soon as the music started it was like Danny was a completely different person, you felt the magic everyone had spoken about, how when they played they were their truest selves. During his drum solo, you screamed along with the crowd, Danny turning his head toward you while still pounding against the drums and sending you a wink and a smile. Danny felt that show was the best he’d ever played, and if you ask the rest of the band, they’d say the same thing. When it was all over, you’d felt like you were floating and as soon as Danny walked off stage, you launched yourself at him, arms circling his neck face buried in his neck no matter how sweaty he was. You grabbed his face and pressed your lips hard against his, ignoring Sam’s wolf whistle as he passed you. 

When you broke apart, Danny’ll never forget the look in your eyes—pure love and adoration. “You’re fucking amazing,” you whispered as his hands ran up and down your waist. His smile sparkled, he’d heard it before and never let other people’s praise get to his head, but it meant so much coming from you. He was over the moon happy to have shared another part of his life with you. 

N ickel - Do they spoil? Do they buy the person they love everything?

Danny doesn’t spoil in the sense of gifts, though he does buy you things when the urge strikes him, but he prefers to spoil you in terms of doing something nice for you. Whether that be a chore that he knows you hate or just doing something nice for you just because he feels like it. It’s how he shows he cares. 

O n Cloud Nine - What are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?

Danny absolutely glows with love while in your relationship, there is a genuine physical change. He’s already a happy guy, but there’s just a certain gleam about him when you’re together. Even his fans can tell that something is different about him, how happy he looks and how he’s always smiling. His bandmates/brothers obviously know, but even before he’d spilled the beans that he was seeing something, they could see a change in Danny. He plays better, his creative juices always flowing now that he has a muse. He tries not to talk about you constantly, knowing that it would surely be annoying to those around him, but sometimes he just couldn’t help it. When you’re around, Danny seems complete. He’s happy and smiley and everything always seems a little bit better. 

P et Name - What pet names do they use? 

Danny is very traditional in terms of pet names. Some of his favorites are honey, darling, and sweetheart. He enjoys the simplicity of them and feels as though they fit you well. You are his honey, his darling, his sweetheart. He uses pet names more than your actual name most of the time. He likes how blushy you get when he uses them in public, and how you’re so used to them that sometimes you don’t respond to your actual name when he calls. 

Q uirk - Some random ability they have that’s beneficial in a relationship.

Since he’s a tall man he uses his height to his advantage. He likes when you ask him to get things for you, so much so that he’ll purposefully place things higher up so you’ll call for him to get them. Getting you a mug from the top shelf and handing it to you with a kiss on the forehead never fails to put a smile on his face. 

R omance - How romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o happy? Cliché or rather creative?

Danny is a hopeless romantic, he personally loves the clichés of romanticism and finds them to be the sweetest thing. Early in your relationship, a weekly date night was implemented and it will never be missed. Even when he’s away on tour you’ll have your date nights via video calls, he wouldn’t miss them for the world. There’s been multiple occasions when there were bouquets of flowers waiting for you at your job, a little note attached that read “just because I love you”. It warms your heart and warms his when he gets a text telling him how much you appreciate his little gestures. You weren’t sure how much you believed all the stereotypes of romance before Danny, but when he came into your life, it turned your whole view of it around. 

S upport - Are they helping their s/o achieve their goals? Do they believe in them?

If you say you have a personal goal that you want to achieve, Danny is automatically up and looking at ways to help that dream come to fruition. Not that he thinks you need his help, Danny finds you incredibly strong and talented, he believes you could do anything you put your mind to, but he wants to be however involved you want him to be. Danny wants nothing more than to be a part of your journey, whatever that may be. If you want him right by your side, holding your hand the whole time, that’s what he’ll be. And if you prefer him on the sidelines, cheering you on, he’s happy to do that too. 

T hrill - Do they need to try out new things to spice up your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?

Danny likes a routine, he finds comfort in the stability of it. He likes the routine of a date night every week, your bi-weekly trips to the bookstore and coffee shop every other Sunday. His work life is often so hectic that it’s nice to come home and know that things will be the same there. Though there is also a level of thrill in your relationship, while he’s not necessarily a “risk taker” he’s up to trying anything if you’re right there with him. Say you see something you want to try, a new place you want to go, Danny is up for the adventure if it’ll bring you happiness and you’re next to him. 

U nderstanding - How good do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?

If empathetic was a person, it would be Danny. He’s very compassionate and sweet and understanding. He wants to be able to know you like the back of his hand, he feels like it would only bring you closer. And he does, Danny knows you better than anyone and he loves every part of you. All your little quirks and imperfections he knows and loves them. To him they’re all a part of what makes you the person you are. He takes pride in knowing you as well as he does, being so in tune with you lends a hand to your relationship. He’ll know when you’re feeling uncomfortable or cranky just by the look on your face. He’ll know when you’re happy and excited just by the way you move. How well he knows you is one of his favorite things and he considers it a privilege to be able to know you that well. 

V alue - How important is the relationship to them? What is it worth in comparison to other things in their life?

Your relationship with Danny is the most important thing in his life. He holds you above all and would never do anything to jepordize it. Your relationship is as important to him as his career and his music, you are his family and his love. You’ve made his life better and he can’t picture himself without you. You’re a team and there is no one without the other. You are the most important thing in his life. 

W edding - Do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?

Danny had dreamt of getting married since he was a little boy, he remembers going to weddings when he was young and he always dreamed of having a love that great that he could share with friends and family. Before he proposed you two had spoken about marriage, just wanting to know if you both were on the same page. You had told him that you couldn’t really see yourself getting married until you met him, that was when he knew that he would marry you. When he proposes to you, it’s in that same clearing that your first date was. He’s very sentimental and knows that spot holds a special place in your heart and his. 

Your wedding is filled with family and friends, it’s everything you pictured and more. You hadn’t believed in marital bliss before getting married to Danny. You didn’t think you could possibly love him more than you did before, but you did. Your relationship is basically the same, just the added perk of being able to call him your husband. You didn’t need a wedding or a piece of paper to show that you loved each other, but being able to share that experience surrounded by friends and family was beautiful. Danny is the perfect husband and you wouldn’t have wanted to be married to anyone else. 

X OXO - Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?

Danny is very subtly affectionate while in public, a hand on the small of your back or in your back pocket, a kiss on the temple or cheek, nothing too crazy but he will always have a hand on you just to reassure himself that you’re there and alright. Though at home or around people he’s comfortable with, he’s on you like a fucking koala. Danny loves to kiss and hug and cuddle, he just loves love and showing how much he loves you. There will be multiple occasions when you two are just hanging out at home, watching TV and just relaxing, and suddenly he’ll hook a finger under your chin and kiss you. You’re always blushing and looking at him with a raised eyebrow when he pulls back, a look on your face that says “what was that for?”. He’ll always shrug and throw an arm around your shoulders, pulling you into his side. “Just wanted a kiss,” he’d respond in the sweetest voice, burying his nose in your hair. 

Y earning - How will they cope when they’re missing their partner?

Because there are times when he’s gone alot there are certain things you two have put in place to make it easier on both of you. When he’s home, you’re almost always together, so when he is away it can be very difficult. Even when he’s thousands of miles away, he’ll never miss your weekly date. He thanks the universe for facetime every day when he’s on tour since it's your main form of communication when he’s gone. There’s a facetime call at least every other day and on off days or days when he can’t find time to call you either because they’re so busy or because of the time differences he will text you all day and everyday. There will always be a goodmorning text and a goodnight text and some inbetween to tell you about his day or ask about yours. Even when you can’t answer immediately because of work or time zones, he’ll talk to you as if you’re right there next to him. It helps the distance not feel so great. 

Z eal - Are they willing to go to great lengths for the relationship? If so, what kind of?

Danny would crawl hands and knees to the ends of the earth for you, he didn’t know a love before you. Though he dreamed of it, all love felt like it just existed in movies. When you came along, he knew immediately that he would do anything to make you as happy as you made him. He would do anything to protect you, cherish you, and love you. Danny considers your relationship to be one of the best things that has ever happened to him, if not the best thing, and he would go to the moon and back to keep it. If you wanted the stars, Danny would go up into space and get them himself.

=

taglist: @mintysammykiszka @peachpitpearls @alexxavicry @spark-my-nature @angelbabyyy99 @writingcold

[noyoucantpinmedown]

Silly headcanon time: how the counselors like their eggs cooked (assuming all of them eat eggs).

Ryan: doesn't like runny yolk, so any hard-cooked egg will do (hard-boiled, over-hard fried, hard scrambled). Scrambled eggs was one of the first things he learned how to cook and he made them for Sarah a lot growing up, so they're a beloved favorite.

Emma: was obsessed with eggs benedict for a while and learned to poach eggs specifically to make that dish. Now enjoys avocado toast with poached eggs on top whenever she can. Her breakfast TikToks put the rest of the fyp to shame.

Nick: knows how to cook eggs all kinds of ways and is usually the one making them for breakfast in group sleepovers; has everyone's preferences down pat. Enjoys egg in all its forms but prefers the classic sunnyside up egg; enjoys dipping bread and any other foods into the yolk. Usually has them when he feels like having a fancy breakfast.

Laura: also grossed out by runny yolk. I see her as likely to be vegan or vegetarian so they're probably not even part of her diet. Before she quit animal products she would have hard boiled eggs as mid-day snacks because they don't need much attention to make.

Jacob: American breakfast enthusiast, enjoys them soft scrambled or fried. Has been known to pour maple syrup over scrambled eggs and dip pancakes into the yolk on fried ones. Kaitlyn shames him for it every single time.

Abi: doesn't have a preference but the really cooked-through, dried yolk grosses her out a little. Usually has hers the same way the person she's eating with has them (feels like a fancy lady when she has brunch with Emma)

Dylan: wants to cook eggs the proper way but 1) he sucks at cooking in general and 2) gets distracted and then realizes his eggs are burning because of the smell. Bought himself the little container things to cook them in the microwave. Nick and Ryan were disgusted and apalled, damn bitch you live like this?

Kaitlyn: soft boil queen. Enjoys adding them into any random meal because it reminds of how her grandma included them in noodles and soup. Has them fried with breakfast and will go to town on them with Jacob.

Max: got used to not eating eggs because of Laura, but absolutely adores devilled eggs. His parents made them all the time growing up for birthdays and gatherings. He has his great aunt's recipe and makes a big batch for dinner parties with friends.

[toodleoorblx]

I Found You, I’m Bound to You

Agatha Harkness x Wanda Maximoff

Word count: 2,562

Summary: Wanda isn’t in her cabin. Where is she?

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 -/?

Warnings: violence, cursing, gore, trauma, mentions of death

A/N: Enjoy!! Toodles!!

Chapter 4 -Days of Future Chaos

Wanda's eyes shoot open, her vision blurred by the moisture clouding them. She gasps as an intense burning sensation sears through her eyes. Her hands instinctively fly to her face, pressing against her eyes as she winces, biting her lip to stifle a cry. There's a wetness on her face and hands, it's warm, thicker than water, she doesn't know what it is. Her mind races in panic. How did she get here? What’s in her eyes? Where is she? Where's Agatha? She stumbles backwards, tripping over her own feet and yelping as she falls onto a bed behind her.

Gradually, the searing pain subsides, leaving behind a phantom ache. She huffs, trying to calm her racing heart. Slowly, she removes her trembling hands from her eyes, blinking away the residual discomfort. She stares at her hands, squinting, her vision isn't quite at its best yet. There's… nothing on them. Odd. She wipes her hands on her jeans and she glances up. As her vision clears, she takes in her surroundings.

What...?

She slowly rises to her feet, her heart pounding in her chest. This can’t be real. Is this a dream? A nightmare? She looks around in shock, feeling a wave of disbelief wash over her. She’s back in Sokovia, in her childhood home, untouched by the destruction that claimed it. It looks exactly the same as when Agatha had shown her those memories all those months ago.

The dark green walls, worn and familiar, feel comforting. The low hum of static from the small TV on the table fills the room, the sound evoking a surge of nostalgia. She moves towards the small kitchen, her mouth slightly ajar, eyebrows furrowed in a mix of disbelief and distrust.

She reaches out to touch the countertops, her fingers tracing the familiar patterns in the worn wood. Everything is as it was, down to the last detail.

An idea strikes Wanda, prompting her to hastily trek to her bed. She kneels down, glancing around under the bed until she spots it: a small, red box. It's battered and worn, but still intact. She sighs in relief, reaching for it with trembling hands. As she pulls it out from under the bed, memories flood back, bringing a bittersweet smile to her face.

This box had always meant a lot to her mother. Every Monday, her mother would draw something and put it in the box, challenging Wanda and Pietro to guess what it was. (They couldn’t afford board games so her mother had to get creative.) The winner would get bragging rights for the week. It was one of Wanda's favorite traditions. She sits down on the neatly made bed, her heart pounding as she lifts the top of the box, her eyes watering.

Inside, she finds the last drawing her mother ever made. It's a simple sketch of Wanda and Pietro, smiling together. They couldn't afford a camera, so Iryna would draw her children from memory. She always said drawing your loved ones means a thousand more words, than a picture did. Wanda smiles sadly, almost hearing her mother's gentle voice repeating those words.

A watery laugh escapes her lips as she runs her hand over the drawing of Pietro. In the sketch, she and Pietro sit side by side, their faces beaming with the carefree joy of youth. Wanda fights back a sob, barely managing to hold it in with a shaky sigh. She flips the drawing over, noticing writing in Sokovian on the back.

‘Drahý Piet a prútiky. Toto je niečo, čo ti neukážem, kým nebudeš trochu starší. Chcem, aby si mal niečo, pre prípad, že by sa v živote dostal veľa, niečo, čo ti pomôže spomenúť si na lepšie časy. Čas, keď sa Piet mohol len pokúsiť pripomenúť nám, aby sme hovorili po anglicky a hovorili o behaní vonku, a Wanda neprestala hovoriť o televíznej šou, ktorú tak miluje. Navždy budeš v našich srdciach, môj dorogoy Piet, a moja detka Prútiky.

Milujeme vás oboch.’

Tears fall onto the small paper, the yellowed parchment becoming slightly translucent. Wanda's body shakes with sobs as she clutches the precious note to her chest. Her mother’s words, filled with love and nostalgia, are almost too much to bear. Each line transports her back to those simpler times, when the biggest worry was guessing the week's drawing and enjoying their mother's stories, or Pietro catching her in tag.

“Wanda.” A voice that sounds hauntingly like hers pierces the silence, the accent thick and unmistakable.

Wanda jumps, the box slipping from her lap and hitting the floor with a thud. Her tear-filled eyes dart upwards, her breath catching in her throat. Her mouth falls open in shock, her face paling. This must be a nightmare...

It's The Scarlet Witch.

The redhead furrows her eyebrows, her head tilting slightly. The Scarlet Witch mimics the movement, standing a few feet away, her hair flowing as if caught in a magical breeze. Her eyes glow a menacing red, her hands clasped neatly in front of her. The effects of the Darkhold are evident, the corruption on her fingers already creeping up to the base of her palms.

It’s a surreal experience, watching herself from outside her body while still being in it. They are identical in appearance yet starkly different in essence. Wanda's blood runs cold as she sees a smirk spread across the Scarlet Witch's face.

Determination hardens within Wanda. She blinks away the shock, her expression setting into one of resolve. She clenches her jaw, recalling Agatha’s teachings. Magic begins to pool in her abdomen, thrashing and swirling like a living entity. She can’t decide if she should unleash it while it’s still fueling up, so she clenches her fists instead. “How am I here?” she asks sharply, trying to keep her voice steady.

The Scarlet Witch tuts, shaking her head slightly. “You really should mind your attitude. It’s unbecoming of you in this state.” Her tone is cool, carrying an undercurrent of danger.

Wanda licks her dry lips. “What state? Dreaming?”

The Scarlet Witch huffs a laugh, a dark sound that echoes in the small room. “...Weak.” She corrects, trailing her hand over the back of the couch as she slowly walks beside it. Chaos magic radiates from her fingertips, leaving a faint, ominous glow in its wake.

Wanda furrows her brows, suspicion flaring in her green eyes. She watches the couch warily, her attention flicking back to her alter ego. Distrust blazes in her gaze, her magic thrumming just beneath her skin, ready to be called upon if needed.

“And who said you were dreaming?” The Scarlet witch continues.

Wanda's throat tightens, the words catching like a lump she can’t swallow. She isn’t dreaming? But if this isn’t a dream, then what is it? Is this the Astral Plane? No… It doesn’t feel like that either. What could be so lifelike, so tangible, yet so surreal? “...W-what?”

The Scarlet Witch halts her measured pacing, fixing Wanda with a glare sharp as a blade, her eyes glinting with dark knowledge. “Consider it… Limbo,” she says, her voice laced with a chilling calm.

“A place between being awake and being asleep?” Wanda asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

“A place between your mind…” The Scarlet Witch trails off, lifting her hand with a slow, deliberate motion. Chaos magic, wild and untamed, spirals out from her fingertips, engulfing their surroundings in a bright, pulsating red. The apartment dissolves into a blur, the familiar warmth replaced by a biting cold. Wanda blinks rapidly, trying to focus, but all she can see is the intense crimson glow enveloping them.

A harsh wind suddenly whips across her back, sending a shiver down her spine. As the red haze clears, Wanda gasps, her eyes widening in disbelief. She stands on a mountain, the ruins of a small, ancient tower surrounding her. The stone is dark, weathered by time and the elements, yet there’s an undeniable sense of power here, a lingering presence that makes the air crackle with energy. It doesn’t look like a mere ruin—it looks like a throne room, a place where someone once ruled with immense power. An immense power that feels chillingly familiar.

“And mine,” the Scarlet Witch finishes, her voice echoing ominously against the stone walls. She steps forward, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction as she surveys Wanda’s shock. “Welcome to Wundagore Mountain,” she says with a smirk, the name rolling off her tongue like a prophecy fulfilled.

“I had to perform an… interesting spell to call you here. Don't mind the blood,” the Scarlet Witch says with a lazy gesture toward Wanda.

Wanda’s brows furrow, her mouth slightly ajar. “What…?” she whispers, glancing down. Her eyes widen in horror. Her hands are stained red, remnants of drying blood covering her fingers, palms, and streaked across her face. She touches her cheeks slowly, fingers trembling as they come away slick and crimson. Her heart starts to race. Whose blood is this? Is this the wetness she felt earlier? “What did you do…?” Wanda asks quietly, though she’s not entirely sure she wants to know the answer.

The Scarlet Witch shrugs nonchalantly. “What I had to do. It’s no easy feat, calling you into a conjunction of our enhanced minds. I had to… get my hands dirty, so to speak.”

Wanda shudders, the chill of realization creeping up her spine. She feels nauseous, bile rising in her throat as she processes the grotesque scene. She wipes the blood off her face with the hem of her white t-shirt, staining it a deep, accusing red.

“I summoned you here because I wanted to speak to you,” the Scarlet Witch continues, her tone laced with authority, as if she’s addressing a subject rather than an equal.

Wanda swallows hard, her mind racing to keep up with the sudden shift in reality. She took a life… because she wanted to speak to her. She's deranged. “Speak to me about… what?” she manages to ask, though her voice wavers, betraying her uncertainty.

The Scarlet Witch takes a seat on her imposing throne, the air seemingly growing colder around her. Wanda shivers, the chill seeping into her bones. She watches her alter ego with a mix of wariness and curiosity. The Scarlet Witch exudes arrogance and self-assuredness, a stark contrast to Wanda's own turbulent emotions. Wanda wonders if this is where the Scarlet Witch resides, these ancient, crumbling ruins. It speaks volumes about what she can endure, both with and without.

A question nags at Wanda's mind: are they truly separate entities, capable of their own thoughts and desires? She can't hear the Scarlet Witch’s thoughts, but she can feel her presence, a deep, invasive sensation that makes her skin crawl. It’s as if the Scarlet Witch is right behind her, a constant, unwelcome shadow. The feeling of not being alone in her own body is suffocating.

Wanda’s thoughts are abruptly interrupted by the Scarlet Witch’s low, commanding voice, making her flinch slightly. She hopes her unease wasn't noticed.

“...I want dominance.”

Wanda tilts her head, narrowing her eyes in confusion. Dominance? Over what? Her magic? “Over my magic?” she asks cautiously.

The Scarlet Witch sighs, as if speaking to her is an arduous task. “No… I want your body.” She gestures dismissively to Wanda's form. “I'm merely a thought process. A change of perspective. I can't have that.” She shakes her head, her blackened fingers trailing along the armrest of her throne. “I need a physical tether. Something only you can provide.” Her voice is cold, her eyes calculating as they bore into Wanda.

Wanda doesn’t respond immediately, the weight of the revelation settling heavily on her shoulders. She… wants her body. She wants to take over her. The very thought makes Wanda bristle with anger. She clenches her jaw, her fists tightening as she meets the Scarlet Witch's gaze with defiance. “This body wasn’t yours to begin with. This was my life before you were tapped into. I had a life before I knew any of this. Like hell I'd let you take my body.” Her voice is bitter, venomous, as she bares her teeth. Her magic flares to life in her palms, crackling with raw energy.

The Scarlet Witch remains silent for a moment, her eyes locked onto the shimmering energy in Wanda's palms with a detached, almost clinical expression. Then, a slow, bitter smirk spreads across her lips. “That’s adorable,” she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Wanda’s magic flickers, her confidence wavering. “But utterly foolish.”

The Scarlet Witch’s face hardens, her expression becoming serious, bordering on dangerous. “I was always there,” she continues, her tone cold and unyielding. “I saw… everything. I know all you know. But I know… more.” She shrugs slightly, then vanishes from her throne only to reappear beside Wanda. She begins to circle her like a predator sizing up its prey, her red cape flowing fluidly around her.

“You have no true reason to continue. You lost your family, you lost your lover, you lost your children. What more do you have to lose before you realize… It's fate. It's part of the package.”

Wanda’s heart clenches at the brutal truth in her words. Each loss is a fresh wound, still raw and aching. “What package…?” she asks quietly, not taking her eyes off the Scarlet Witch.

“You were forged to suffer,” the Scarlet Witch states matter-of-factly. “How do you think you reach your full potential? Your pain is what makes you strong. And the fact that you think your pain makes you weak speaks volumes about how little you know about yourself.”

Wanda’s eyes blaze with anger, chaos magic swirling around her as her irises glow a fierce red. “I've had to live with myself all my life. I think I know me,” she snaps, her voice dripping with defiance. She has borne the weight of her guilt, her memories, her stories, her agony, her grief. All of it, every single day. Just for one lonely person. It’s a burden too heavy for anyone to carry, and this bitch has the audacity to say she doesn't know herself. Wanda scoffs, her voice trembling with emotion. “I don’t want to reach my full potential unless it gets me my sons. I have no other purpose.” She swallows dryly, the words tasting bitter on her tongue. There. She said it.

She has no other purpose.

The Scarlet Witch stares at her, expressionless. Her face is a blank canvas, giving no indication of understanding or empathy. She is a mirror of Wanda, standing there with an eerie calm. Wanda clenches her jaw, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

“I think it’s time you leave,” the Scarlet Witch says, her voice cold and detached as she clasps her hands neatly in front of her. “I can’t even look at you without seeing the most pathetic version of ourself.” Wanda bristles at the word ‘ourself,’ the shared identity making her skin crawl. “Just know… I will fight for control over our body. This won't be the last of me.” The Scarlet Witch's eyes flash red before she raises her hands and places them on Wanda's temples. Wanda feels the surge of magic, her own but twisted, darker, more ancient. It’s an unsettling sensation, feeling your own power used against you.

The world around her blurs, reality slipping away.

****************************************************

‘Drahý Piet a prútiky. Toto je niečo, čo ti neukážem, kým nebudeš trochu starší. Chcem, aby si mal niečo, pre prípad, že by sa v živote dostal veľa, niečo, čo ti pomôže spomenúť si na lepšie časy. Čas, keď sa Piet mohol len pokúsiť pripomenúť nám, aby sme hovorili po anglicky a hovorili o behaní vonku, a Wanda neprestala hovoriť o televíznej šou, ktorú tak miluje. Navždy budeš v našich srdciach, môj dorogoy Piet, a moja detka Prútiky.

Milujeme vás oboch.’

=

'Dear Piet and Wands. This is something I won't be showing you until you're a little older, I want you to have something, in case life gets to much, something to help you remeber better times. A time where all Piet could do was try and remind us to speak english and talk about running outside, and Wanda wouldn't stop talking about that tv show she loves so much. You will always be in our hearts, my dorogoy Piet, and my detka Wands.

We love you both.'

[aurorafables]

From the Grey, Chapter 5.

Hey! I hope you all have an amazing summer so far 😊 Enjoy this new chapter with the boys! ⭐️

Pairing: Noah Sebastian X Nicholas Ruffilo

Warnings: 18+, Explicit, Angst, Past character death, Suicidal thoughts

Tags: M/M, M/F, Slow burn, Childhood friends, Friends to lovers, Family drama, Band fic

Word Count: 3.5k

Cross-posted: AO3

5.

I was the last one to shower after swimming in the lake, and when I got down to the kitchen, the others were already preparing dinner. Aby listed the things to do and Noah followed the instructions, just a little lost. Music was playing from the radio and they were dancing and humming the tune in perfect unison. For us, the whole band crew was like a big family. Steven handled the merch, and his wife helped out many times when we went on tour and had to take inventory. They were both irreplaceable links in a big whole, and they were friends. Steven adored Noah, he was both his father and his friend, and Aby often acted like a mom to us, even though she was only in her late thirties. “Hello, green-eyed prince,” Aby greeted me when she saw me leaning on the kitchen counter and doing nothing. Noah also turned around and gave me a little smile. “Would you like to help me slice the cucumbers?”

“Of course,” I answered and walked over to them. Noah pushed a cutting board in front of me with a knife, and Aby gave me the cucumber she had just washed. "Noah, kitty, would you go find Steve and tell him dinner will be ready in ten minutes? I think he went to the speedboat.” Noah nodded, wiping his hands on the kitchen towel, his arm brushing mine as he walked past me. I looked after him, then I concentrated again on slicing, because my fingers are needed quite a lot on stage.

"By the way, kitten…" Aby began when Noah was out of earshot. “If you're already their expert, Nick, maybe you could chime in on what's going on with Noah and that girl… What's her name?” “Karin,” I helped her out. "Oh, yes, Karin," Aby made a funny face, which made me laugh. “Noah said that Karin and him are no longer together. “I can only confirm this. But he didn't tell me much else either,“ I shrugged. “And isn't it strange that he doesn't even seem to be a little bit sad?” I didn't know how to answer. I guessed why she was curious, but I didn't feel it was fair she was asking me questions about Noah and his affairs. “I asked him several times, but he doesn't want to talk about it.” "Hm," Aby muttered as she put the spicy fish into the heated pan. “I'm just afraid he is drowning in negative emotions. I'm sure that wouldn't end well.”

I thought back to what happened four years ago and had to agree. Noah and Jolly moved to the west coast, I couldn't even be there with him to notice that something was wrong. When I found out that Noah was not well, they already did not dare to leave him alone for a moment, he was so unaccountable due to the constant panic attacks, anxiety and depression. It all came out of nowhere, without any sign. So much crap has happened to him that no one thought that he would end up like that in a period when everything was going well.

The house was eerily quiet when I arrived with a rolling suitcase. It was weird, because in theory all four boys should have been home, but I had a key, so I didn't even have to ring the doorbell. I left the suitcase downstairs, then went upstairs and headed for Noah's room. I didn't really know what to expect, but Jolly seriously scared me with his call the night before. I immediately booked myself a ticket for the morning flight and half a day later I was in California. Jolly had just stepped out the door of Noah's room and almost gasped when he saw me. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his hair was tangled in all directions. He looked like he could use a good night's sleep. He immediately came and hugged me. "I'm glad you're here," he said with relief in his voice. I also squeezed him thoroughly and only then let him go. I noticed that he hadn't closed the door to Noah's room completely, and some purple light was filtering through the gap.

“How is he?” I nodded my head towards the door. Jolly took a deep breath and smoothed his hair back. He began to speak softly. “He's finally sleeping. He got medicine yesterday and I think it's starting to work. But he woke up many times, and there were times when he started shouting. Maybe he had a nightmare or something,” Jolly shook his head, then clenched his fists, glaring at the ground. “Fan också!” “Sorry?” I blinked at him. “Sorry, I'm tired. Just swearing…” I put my hand on his shoulder to make him pay attention to me. When he was angry, he could easily get lost in his own world of his thoughts. “What if you lay down a little too? I'll be there with him, watching him. Okay?” “If he wakes up, he will need to take the medicine again. And it would be good if he had something to eat,” Jolly listed with furrowed brows like a worried mother. “Don't worry about those. And Jolly… we'll figure this out together, okay? Noah is in a dark, depressing place right now, but we're going to get him out of there.” Jolly just looked at me for a few seconds as if trying to figure out if I really thought this was going to work. He finally decided to believe me, nodded gratefully, and then headed for his room.

I opened the door softly and entered. The night light was enough for me to easily walk to the bed, where a huddled figure lay under the covers. “Nick?” a weak voice asked hopefully. Noah wasn't sleeping anymore, but I still paid attention so I wouldn't make a lot of noise and carefully sat down on the edge of his bed. "It's me, doe," I stroked my hand through his long hair. “How do you feel?” "These stupid drugs make me completely numb," he complained sullenly. “You should sleep. Sleep is good.” "I don't want to sleep," he protested immediately, smoothing back his messy, greasy hair. “It's daytime, I should work on the songs…” “They will wait. The creation will go much better if you rest.” Noah thought about my words, but I could tell he wasn't satisfied. “No… I can't wait until then…” “I have an offer.” I took his hands, with which he was about to pull off the blanket and leave. I spoke to him firmly, looking in the eye the whole time. “You take a shower, eat something, take your medicine, and then the two of us go down to the studio, okay?” I hated giving him orders, but I read somewhere that this is the only solution for a mentally unstable person. I had to treat him like a child because he was incapable of making realistic decisions. “I also have to wash my hair…” he muttered to himself. “Can you manage it alone? I know you can do it,” I squeezed his hand. “After that, I'll detangle your hair and dry it if you want. Now go, I'll bring clean clothes after you.” Noah nodded in agreement and then got up and headed for the bathroom while I opened his closet and looked for comfortable clothes. I took out our softest band hoodie, a cozy sweatshirt, a pair of socks, and a pair of underpants, then carried them into the bathroom while he soaked in the shower. After that I left him alone, but I left the bathroom door ajar. Maybe Jolly's paranoia affected me a little.

It took months for Noah to get better, and at some point we had to admit that we weren't enough, he needed a therapist. It was a scary realization because I had never seen it like this before, and it was strange that it didn't get better overnight than it always had before. When the date of the tour was fast approaching, Noah did not object to turning to a specialist, and then we all breathed a sigh of relief. “Maybe Karin didn't mean that much to him after all,” I shrugged again. “Maybe we're overreacting.” Aby's beautiful baby face became gloomy, but she didn't question the matter any further, instead she started asking about my siblings and Maya. While the fish was crisping up in the pan and the kitchen smelled divine, we made the salad, and then Steven and Noah arrived to help set the table. We opened a bottle of white wine, put the fish and salad on plates, and then sat around the table.

Aby used to work as a bartender, and after dinner, drinks that were more than delicious could not be left out. The very dangerous feature of cocktails is that if they are prepared well, the fruits and creams completely suppress the taste of alcohol. I totally loved his Strawberry Daiquiri and was already on my third glass. The taste of strawberries with crushed ice was just what everybody needs on a warm summer evening. Aby didn't mind the rum, and I didn't notice any of it until I suddenly jumped up from my chair to fetch a Coke from the basement for Noah's umpteenth Long Island, and became a little bit dizzy. It really only lasted a moment, so I didn't make a big deal out of it, but from then on I knew I needed to slow down a bit. I carefully climbed the stone steps back and forth, but it was still better that I went because Noah was ahead of me with at least one drink and by the time I got back he was laughing at everything. "There's a web in your hair," he said cheerfully when I sat down next to him, clumsily trying to remove it with his long fingers. “See? What I won't do to get you another cocktail..” I asked dramatically. I leaned closer to him because it was nice to have my hair fiddled by him. On the other side of the living room, I noticed Steven grab his wife's waist on the way to the kitchen and kiss her quickly but passionately. I smiled. Will Maya and I be like this in ten years? “So.. Do you want me to drink another one, green-eyed prince?” Noah asked when he was done, emphasizing my nickname from Aby. I turned around to look at him because I hadn't heard that from him before. He bit his lower lip with his teeth, and his piercing, dark gaze, in which the alcohol shone like a tiny starlight, completely confused me for a moment. Aby walked up to us with a smile, placed the drink in front of Noah, and stood between us, putting her arms around our necks.

“Nick, another Strawberry Daiquiri?” she recommended it. “Thank you, I think that was enough for today,” I answered. "Then if we're not needed anymore… the trip was tiring, so we'll go to rest," Aby said, and Steven nodded in agreement. “You guys stay. Enjoy yourself and relax while you can.” “Thanks Aby, that's how we'll do it” I nodded and before she straightened up, I gave her a kiss on the cheek. Soon we were alone with Noah, who looking at his phone with his chin in his palm, his eyebrows occasionally rising to the center of his forehead. “What is that?” I asked him curiously after he laughed at something. Noah shook his head, then pushed his phone in front of me. They exchanged messages with Matt and discussed what kind of merch we could sell on the European tour early next year. At the sign "Bad Almonds", four moth-eaten almonds surrounded by our photoshopped faces, I laughed out loud. I saw that his phone was showing a message from Karin: "Can I call you?" , but I pretend nothing happened.

“Okay, I like this,” I returned his phone, opening the almond picture, but Noah's thoughts were already elsewhere. He put his phone away, jumped up and held out his hand to me. “Where are we going?” I asked him, but of course I was already on my feet and let him lead me to the door. “Do you need to know where we are going?” he asked, turning to me as we walked out the door. “Or is it only important that we are together?” The answer was clear, I would have blindly followed him anywhere. I looked down at our intertwined fingers as we hung out on the patio, Noah still waiting for my answer. I had to remind myself that this was normal. The physical contact, the desire to be in his company, the fact that I trust him more than myself… he's never been different since I've known him. But why is my heart pounding so furiously under my ribs as if it wants to burst out? “Let's go,”I told him firmly. Noah's lips slowly pulled into a smile and his teeth bit into the soft flesh again. “We just have to get out from under the roof,” he looked up for a moment. ”You can see the stars better from there.” “Oh. I didn't know you liked cliche stuff like that,” I remarked as we left the parked cars and reached a relatively straight area. Noah unfolded his hoodie so we could put our heads on it, then we laid down in the grass. “You start to appreciate these things when you live in a fucked up concrete jungle where there is so much light pollution that you can't see the stars,” he answered.

I took my cigarette out of my pocket and lit it. I took a deep breath and as I stared at the small, bright dots in the dark sky, I let the magic of the place wash over me. I felt the cool, tickling blades of grass under my bare calves and arms, the wind rustling the leaves of the trees. My hand found Noah's and I intertwined our fingers again. My eyes slowly got used to the low light and I could make out more and more things in the dark. For example, Noah's chest as it rose and fell under his t-shirt with each breath, or his profile with his perfect nose and mouth line. He started humming a song, and of course I could easily recognize it even before he started using the words. I could have listened to his voice for hours at any time, maybe he didn't know that I was his biggest fan.

"I can wait for you at the bottom I can stay away if you want me to I could wait for years if I had to Heaven knows I ain't getting over you"

I smiled and followed his index finger as he pointed the tune in the air. I put out the cigarette, and then I joined in too, with my messed-up, sandpapery voice, but so quietly that I wouldn't accidentally drown out his angelic voice.

"Weigh down on me Stay till morning Way down, would you say I'm worthy?”*

Noah finally closed his eyes and sighed. “Hey, you're not even looking at the stars!” I told him in a questioning way. He smiled but didn't open his eyes. I knew what would happen if I didn't intervene. “Noah, you're too heavy for me to carry up to the room.” “How about we sleep here… under the stars?” he asked with a yawn. “We're definitely not sleeping here,” I protested and sat up already. “In the morning, our body would be covered with frogs and dew.” Noah laughed, but he also sat up. “So you're more of a princess than a prince?” he chirped. “Let's just say that I know you, and I know that your back will hurt like hell if I let you sleep here, kitten,” I stuck out my tongue. “So no kisses with the frogs?” he asked with pursed lips. “You have strange fetishes,” I remarked jokingly as we headed inside. Noah giggled all the way upstairs, I was afraid he was going to wake Steve and Aby, until we got to their door. Clearly, they were awake. The unmistakable creaking of their bed also caught Noah's attention, and he stopped in front of me with his hand over his mouth to turn around, causing me to bump into his chest. We looked at each other, while he could hardly hold back his laughter, and I blushed hearing the moans that came out from the room.

"I understand now why they wanted us to stay down," Noah whispered in a muffled voice. ”Do you think they're making a little brother for Adam?” I rolled my eyes and started pushing Noah towards the other room. I wasn't drunk enough for such conversations. "I heard you with a girl once," he said, laughing, a little louder than necessary. Now I had my hand over his mouth and Noah lost his balance and fell back against the wall like a sack of potatoes. He found the situation ridiculous, and I only then understood what he said. We lived together for several years, there would have been little chance of something like this not happening, but I didn't know about it. “And?“ I asked, because this was the only word that suddenly came to my mind. My mind was completely foggy, probably from the alcohol, and heat was slowly creeping up my neck and face. Noah finally stopped giggling and I felt him gently bite my finger. We were close. If there had been more light, I'm sure I could have counted the faint freckles around his eyes and on his nose. He was half a head taller than me, my mouth just in line with his neck… and the tattoos on his neck. Another bite, a little stronger than the first, and I finally realized I should take my hand away. "And… and nothing," he whispered softly into the darkness when I let him go, and his mouth curled into a half smile.

I didn't question him, I stepped away, then we walked into the room in silence. I laid down on the mattress and watched the moonlight streaming through the window as Noah took off his shorts, then pulled the t-shirt over his head and threw it off. He walked over to the bed and sat on it. The tattoos on his skin glistened darkly. I wanted to watch them all one by one, including the ones I made, because it's been so long since I saw them that I started to forget. "You know, you don't have to sleep on the floor," he said unexpectedly. There was no trace of joking in his voice. He seemed more cautious, as if he were afraid that at any moment he might cross a line that he shouldn't. “I know,” I answered him in a raspy voice. “But now it's better this way. We both drank and…” “I can also sleep on the floor with you,” he offered, confusing to list my objections. I smiled. "Believe me, it would be uncomfortable," I told him. Noah finally laid down on the bed and pulled the covers over himself. I was sure it wouldn't last long, it was too hot for that, and I was right. Barely five minutes had passed when he kicked it off. I smiled again in the dark. I know him too well. Another squirm as he turned to me.

“Don't be angry if sometimes I do or say things that… damn… that a friend shouldn't. Please.” His voice sounded completely broken, and he was once again blaming himself for everything. I turned onto my stomach and rested my head on my forearm so that I was facing him. “Who cares what a friend can and can't do? When did we care about it?” I asked him. “As long as we both feel comfortable, I don't think we should worry about such things.” “But if Maya were here…” "Maya isn't here," I told him suddenly, but almost immediately I was overcome with guilt, because I didn't even want her to be there. “Maya understands that you are my best friend,” I refined my previous sentence. Noah didn't speak anymore, he turned onto his stomach and hung one of his long arms off the bed. I held his hand until he fell asleep and mine was completely numb because all the blood had drained out of it. After that, I listened to Noah's soft snoring for quite a while, and when I just focused on that, shutting out all the stupid thoughts in my head, I was finally able to fall asleep.

*Bad Omens - Just Pretend

[jackienautism]

I just saw that post about your thoughts on the counselors and I'm curious, have there been any major changes since then?

i just skimmed the post youre talking abt (i write a lot huh) but honestly? i haven't had TOO many major changes since. JUST REALIZED ITS COMING UP TO AYEAR SINCE I POSTED IT IN MAY? THATS SO CRAZY TO ME WTF but anyway

nvm ill read through exactly what i said. the post is here btw

dylan: still pretty much the same opinion as back then LMAO i did have a more recent convo abt dylan (which def changed some thoughts abt him. esp related to his potential adhd and lack of a filter) but i stilll don't like him, sorry

nick: same thoughts as before honestly. i still think he doesn't deserve abi in the slightest. and his involvement w/ emma's dare still makes me very upset, ESP when the fanbase refuses to acknowledge his involvement in it lol. i dont doubt that racism comes into play w/ nick and his whole lack of a story and such, but i jut. i cant stand him

jacob: i take back the flip flop thing btw. i lowkey cant stand him. but to be honest:? ive gotten WAAAY less tolerant of male characters in general lately. and jacob is not exempt from this lol. i have yet to play TQ again (it's been quite a bit) but! maybe after we play tonight things will change. ill prob rb again if things do

ryan: HOWEVER. DO YOU KNOW /IS/ EXEMPT FROM MY "I HATE ALL MALE CHARACTERS" MINDSET? RYAN ERZAHLER. 100%. i love him lots and ppl r very mean to him fo r no reason. i talked abt this briefly in my angourie!cady post but just. when characters show certain autistic traits that YOU ALL cant deal w/ or understand, suddenly theyre a shitty person? they don't care abt their friends? theyre boring? KILLS YOU

max: he also is a pretty respectable guy to me i love you max. but as i said originally. i dont rly think abt him much

emma: she def had the biggest shift for me while playing the game for the first time!!!!! but in terms of like. if anything changed from when i wrote the original note? i dont rly think so tbh. reread waht i wrot eback then it rly makes it seem like i hate her 😭😭😭😭😭 I PROMISE I DONT..... I ACTUALLY LOVE HER SO MUCH...... SHE MEANS A LOT TO ME....... i just cant stand how she acts towards abi sometimes. def my biggest criticism of her. but at the same time. i understand WHY she acts the way she does. she means sooo muchto me. and esp seeing all your talk abt autistic emma? i just think that makes sooo much sense fo rher.and i LOVE it so much

kaitlyn: i dont even feel lik e going throuhg it all but. i feel like she may have gotten a little lower since i wrote that post? just bc i tjhink toooo many ppl think shes better than she actually is bc of her association w/ dylan? it pisses me off sooooo bad. and ive made posts abt this before but like. her character in general still aggravates me 😭 and i DO still stand by what i said in that og post. theres jsut... shes not that complex sorry guys. esp compared to EMILY? lLIKE. i know its unfair to compare the 2 but its pretty damn obvious that thye were going for another emily in kaitlyn lmao and they FAILED. MISERABLY

abi: oh.. abi oh abi i love you. i still hold her so close to me. she is so me for real (beats anyone up who says tjhat she's Them) i mean who said that

laura: LOVE U LAURA!!!!!!!!! i still dont have like TOO many in depth thouhgts abt her but just. know ever since i began roleplaying as her shes become THAT much more beloved and :] i love you girl

THAJK YOU FOR SENIDNG THIS IN!!!! AND SORRY FOR TAKING A BIT TO ANSWER

[megmischief]

Seb x Reader - Moonlight Kiss pt.2 (AFAB reader)

E rated - NSFW MDNI

___________________________________________

You both pull away from each other, looking into one another's eyes.

"I know I came across as kind of a dick when we first met...I'm sorry." Sebastian moves the hair from out of your face and holds you close.

You enjoy his warmth, snuggling in closer. "Yeah. You were." You giggle. "But it's okay now."

Sebastian chuckles, taking another puff of his cigarette.

"And you should really stop doing that, ya know. You'll get black lungs and die." You death stare him.

Sebastian frowns. "Oh, shut up, you. I know its a bad habit. I'll try and quit. I promise."

You kiss his cheek, sitting up once more, and begin to collect your fishing gear together. "I'm holding you to that."

Sebastian stands up after snuffing out his cigarette and pulls you up with him. "Ya know..." He begins to play with his hoodie strings, sheepishly. "I...I kinda keep having this fantasy...about you."

"Seb. I think we're moving a bit too fast if we're already talking about fatasies!" You laugh and jokingly punch his shoulder.

Seb looks down. "I just wanted to tell you since I can't exactly talk to anyone else about it. Abi would take the piss and Sam is sometimes too naïve to understand." He shrugs.

You walk over to Seb after putting your equipment into a neat pile. "Okay. I'm all ears. And just because you're telling me, doesn't mean I'm going to do anything anytime soon." You gently embrace him, looking into this eyes.

"Okay...so...um. It's..." Sebastian picks you up, throwing you into the fresh water lake, laughing his head off.

Filled with shock, you pop your head up from under the water; a single strand of seaweed on top of your head. "Really, Seb? Really?"

Seb reaches down to grab the seaweed from your head, still laughing. However, you had other plans. You grab his arm and pull him in with you. Sebastian pops his head up; coughing and spluttering.

"You know I hate swimming, you menace." He continues to laugh at you. "And here's the payback for that." Seb splashed the cold water into you, sending a chill down your spine.

You wade over to him and wrap your arms around his neck, holding onto him tightly. "So that's your fantasy, eh?"

Sebastian finds his footing and wraps your legs around his waist. He moves your soaking wet hair from your neck and begins to place a series of gentle kisses. "Almost..." Seb let out low, breathy chuckle which only left you wanting more.

You grab onto his hair, letting out a soft moan. "Seb...what're ya doin...?"

Continuing to kiss your neck, he moves his hands down to your ass. "My fantasy remember..."

"Hey! What are you guys still doing out here?! It's cold and dark! Sebby it's literally 1am!" A familiar female voice called out from around a metre or so away.

Sebastian's eyes widened, clearly being startled from his mum's sudden appearance. "Y-Yeah! Now coming!"

Robin laughed. "Let your new girlfriend sleep in your bed tonight. I'll set you a futon out, Seb. It's too dark to go home now, especially at this time of night. And both of you need to have a shower before heading to bed."

You see Robin's shadow disappear and begin laughing hysterically. "I wonder what she's thinking about us both being in the lake."

"Paha. I doubt she cares. Shes probably just happy about the prospect that I may not be a basement dweller for the rest of my life." Seb replies.

You feel a small blush as butterflies appear in your stomach. He had only just kissed you for the first time, his mum was now calling you his girlfriend, and now he was insinuating that this was going to be a long-term thing. Your head was spinning, trying to take in all this information.

Seb carried you out of the water and popped you back onto your feet on dry ground. "We should probably head inside." He grabs your fishing gear and gives you a warm smile.

"Thank you...and okay." You smile back and take hold of his free hand.

Once you got back into the house, you both dried yourselves off as much as you could with the towels that Robin had left you on her front desk.

"I'll go turn on the shower for you so it's warm. Um...I don't have any girl clothes and my sister is asleep...so I'll lay you some of mine to borrow to sleep in if that's okay." Seb scratches his head.

"Hmm...? Yeah. Thats fine. Thank you."

"Ace. I'll be right back." Seb walks through to go sort out the shower for you.

You grab your phone from your pocket and scroll through social media. Nothing interesting happening as usual. You let out a small sigh.

Sebastian pats you on the head and ruffles your still wet hair. "You okay, little one? The shower's ready for you."

You smile up at him and nod. "Thank you, Sebby." You reply, kissing his cheek. You then walk to the bathroom and get into the hot, steamy shower. Thoughts were running through your head as you washed the algae from your hair. This had all happened so quickly and felt as though it were a fever dream.

After getting clean, you grab the towel Seb had left for you and wrap it around yourself. Only when you were dry did you realise what Seb had left for you to wear. One of his black hoodies and some of his froggy boxers. You sigh and put them on, not being able to complain due to the attempted generosity of your now boyfriend.

As you exit the bathroom, you can hear Sebastian in the kitchen brewing some hot drinks. "Bathroom's free!" You whisper shout to him.

"Okay, thanks, hun. I'll be there in a sec. Head to bed, and I'll meet you down there."

"Alright. Have a nice shower!" You reply as you begin tiptoeing your way down the stairs into Sebastian's bedroom. It was cold in his room, as usual. Even though it was summer, Seb's room still felt drafty. You put this down to being in the basement level of the house. After plugging your phone into one of his spare chargers, you climb under the sheets and get comfy.

You finally felt at peace. You were clean, warm and with the man you loved. You pulled the sheets over your head and nuzzled in. You could smell the musky scent of pine and cigarettes that reminded you of Sebastian so much. Slowly, you began to doze off, cuddling Seb's frog plushie, when all of a sudden you felt someone climb into the tiny single bed with you. You turned around, in your groggy, sleepy state, to see Sebby.

"Heya, hun..." He leans over to kiss your cheek. "Mum left a note saying the futon was in the garage and she didn't wanna wake anyone up, so just to sleep on the sofa...But that's no fun so I'm here if thats okay." He wraps an arm around you and moves one underneath your head.

"Yeah, that's absolutely fine. You can help me keep warm." You tangled your legs with Sebby's to steal more of his warmth. However, as you moved closer to him, you could feel something pressing against your butt. Your eyes widen as you realise exactly what it was.

___________________________________________

Part 3 to be released asap ^-^

[downforthegas]

🍎 and 🐶 WH eprocto headcannons/scenarios (cause I'm gross lol)

-Ba//ar//aby probably does little gags with his farts. Like he does the whole "pull my finger" and "do you hear that" jokes. He thinks its so funny but every time he farts, he just turns whatever space/house he's in toxic. Bc of that, no one really falls for the "pull my finger" gag... except for Wa//lly. He's so gullible, falling for the gag each time -The little fart gags aren't the only thing Ba//rn//aby does. Sometimes when he's holding Wa//lly close, he holds him between his crisscross legs and farts. At first, Wa//lly doesn't know what that low, bassy noise was, but then the smell hits him. He tries to get up and leave, but Ba//rn just holds him tight, letting another fart out in the process as he forces Wa//lly to endure his stink -speaking of holding him tight, imagine Ba//rn picks up his little friend from behind, surprising Wa//lly which causes him to accidently let a small squeak out from his butt (Ba//rn almost mistakes it as a mouse). Ba//rn laughs, even calling his little toot cute. Wa//lly does his little monotone laugh, but blushes from embarrassment. But knowing that Ba//rn found joy in his little toot, he makes an effort to do it again -Sometimes Wa//lly really catches Ba//rn off guard. Sometimes he'll rip a minute long silent fart and makes Ba//rn's eyes water. Or, in very rare cases, he'll rip a loud, long bassy fart that'll get mistaken for Ba//rn's. He'll congratulate his little buddy for ripping something so huge, but also ask if he's ok (it's a big fart, it must've given Wa//lly quite the stomach ache) -They give each other tummy rubs when they get bellyaches. Sometimes when Ba//rn overeats, he'll go to Wa//lly for help (or How//dy cause he has all those arms, imagine getting two belly rubs at once). Wa//lly will crawl on top of Ba//rn's big belly to sooth the huge thing with his little hands, causing long gutteral belches and deep, bassy farts to leave him, farts that shake the ground and cause Wa//lly to say "oh you poor thing. feel better, big guy?" -alternatively, when Wa//lly get's a stomach ache, he can barely walk, especially if he's really bloated. Ba//rn just lies next to his poor friend and rubs gentle circles into his gut with one or two fingers. he'll mention that Wa//lly's flat stomach looks like a big yellow balloon that's about to pop, and Wa//lly will look away and blush, as little toots and light, airy burps puff out of him -Ba//rn has definitely ripped ass into a microphone, there's no doubting it (and probably blew out the speakers in the process)

-Ba//rn and Wa//lly have little fart contests with each other sometimes. Wa//lly always participates even though his farts don't hold a candle to Ba//rn's (bc that would just cause an explosion lol) -but sometimes, just sometimes, Wa//lly's blows Ba//rn out of the water and wins the contest instead... (only to realize there's now a wet spot in his pants) -Really I feel like they're so comfortable around each other, they don't mind farting around each other cause they're such good friends

-one last thing: Ba//rn has definitely dutch-ovened Wa//lly before. He so small and is willing to curl up with Ba//rn in bed so it's just too easy. Poor Wa//lly gets trapped in a thick blanked of stink. But Wa//lly picks up on these things quickly and gives Ba//rn a taste of his own medicine. which tastes like rotten apples lol

[poemsandpromises]

Published: 7 February 2020

Hannah is managing to split herself and compartmentalise her life between her family, her work and her affair quite successfully. In the beginning...

— Nicola Walker

At the end of series one we saw Hannah spend the night with Christie, how has that relationship developed when we re-join Hannah at the start of series two?

Yes, the relationship has developed, and that's the surprise because when we left them at the end of the last series you really weren't sure whether that was going to be a moment of sort of madness on Hannah's part. But when we re-join, they are in the full phase of an affair. No one knows it is a proper affair, it is a secret and it has all the problems that entails, so that's where we pick up.

Hannah was instrumental in the merger of both law firms, how is she settling into the new world order at Noble Hale Defoe?

She's settling in really well. Hannah always felt she had been overlooked by her own mother in their family firm, but now it’s her name over the door. So on the work side of things Hannah is where she always wanted to be. Personally however, there are problems - obviously, as she’s conducting a secret office affair! Initially I think she feels as if she is coping. She's managing to split herself and compartmentalise her life between her family, her work and her affair quite successfully. In the beginning...

How has losing Oscar for the second time affected her and her relationships with Rose, Nina and Ruth?

There's a scene where the family scatters his ashes illegally on Hampstead Heath and the characters don't have permission to do that! And I love the fact that this family of lawyers all convene to commit an illegal act with their father’s ashes. It's perfectly written and bittersweet, because for Hannah, it's the man who broke her heart as a little girl, and he managed to break it again when he came back into her life as an adult. His death is full of regret because there was a moment where she thought, he's back and maybe there is a way to have some sort of relationship with him - and now she's never going to get that chance.

What is it about Abi’s writing that draws you to her material?

Apart from the fact that the writing is brilliant, she's interested in really getting to know this family, these three daughters and this mother, and she doesn't give you easy answers in the way that she deals with their father. Abi deals very honestly with all of these women. She sees great joy in all their lives, but she doesn't shy away from the fact that there is a deep sadness in those daughters. Psychologically in the way she writes, she's really, really clever and that makes great drama.

Abi creates such beautifully authentic characters, what is about Hannah that audiences can relate to?

What Abi has created is this woman who, if you could imagine for example, seeing a profile of Hannah Stern in a legal magazine or something, her life would look brilliant. She would look totally in control, hugely successful, edging on perfection to someone leafing through a magazine. And then Abi just peels that back. She's a great leveller of her characters. We all know the truth is always far more complicated and we never know what goes on behind closed doors in real life, but in Abi's world you do get to find out what's really going on.

Having lived with this character for one series already, what were you excited to explore for a second series? Were you surprised where her story goes?

I was. Abi is the sort of writer that has already imagined these women's lives. From my first meeting, she talked to me about where this family's story goes emotionally. I knew a tiny bit of what she was looking to explore, but I didn't know the details. When I read the first episode and Hannah’s having the affair, I thought, yeah, I can see that. I think they had toyed with the idea for a little bit of Hannah leaving the family home and it not being a secret affair, so I was half expecting that, but it was really interesting when the first script came through, and I thought this sounds more true to what people do, which is she's lied. She's lying.

Not many people are brave enough to blow up their whole life up and of course, she’s trying to do the impossible, which is more interesting. She is just trying to get away with it and justifying it to herself and trying to buy herself time to make a decision. I think that is so real! A really common way that we try to deal with the emotional problems in our lives is just trying to buy a bit of time, hoping somehow the answer to what she should do is going to either be forced, or it's going to come to her.

In series one Hannah was happily married to Nathan with three children, but viewers empathised with Hannah’s pain as she learned of her husband’s affair. That’s now complicated with Hannah embarking on her own affair with Christie - how is Hannah coping with that decision?

It doesn't sit well with her! She's not naturally duplicitous. She's an equal opportunities writer is Abi Morgan! That disappointment you feel for the men and the women it's equally apportioned, that's why she's brilliant. Hannah prides herself on being a good person and I think that's really interesting when life offers you something that means you question your basic concept of yourself. She'd never do anything that might hurt her family, so she's not coping very well at all!

I think she thought she was a better person than that and it's interesting when Nathan talks about his affair very honestly at one point, and he says, he thought if you have an affair, you would feel really guilty. And you would be thinking about the children, but the truth is that he didn't, and that was what terrified him. And that is where Hannah is now and that frightens her - that she's doing these things without thinking about the damage it’s going to cause.

How do you think audiences might react?

I hope they'll find it as interesting to see a woman doing that, as they do when we see a man doing that. We see it far more from the male perspective, so I hope it will be interesting to see it from the female perspective. Abi is always pushing little things that make you see it from another angle, so it is just more complicated than simply coming down on sides.

As Hannah’s personal life goes into meltdown, her professional life ramps up taking charge of the newly merged firm Noble Hale Defoe - what kind of toll does that work responsibility take on her and her family?

To be honest, I think she seems to cope with that very well. She's very, very good at her job so work, she can handle. It becomes interesting with one of the cases, especially as she completely loses patience with a couple about the adoption of a child, and it's the first time you really see a little bit of the personal life coming into that office situation. Her patience runs out because of where she is personally at the moment.

Hannah’s role as a mother and a daughter herself appears to get more stressful this series - how has her relationship changed with her mother Ruth, and also with her teenage daughter?

The relationship with her teenage daughter continues to be some my favourite scenes to act, with lovely Lizzie. It gets complicated because Liv is old enough to see things and is asking direct questions, and her mother is having to tell her some truths that no teenage daughter wants to hear. I think it’s a testament to what good parents Nathan and Hannah are, but their younger children are quite protected and the eldest is given as much information as they think she can handle.

As for Hannah’s mother Ruth, she knows everything about them, and she sees everything. And this time there's this moment where we're all sat at event thinking Ruth is going to leave the company. She’s getting a Lifetime Achievement Award and of course she gives this brilliant speech where she says she’s not going to be put away in a cupboard, or put up on the shelf thanks very much, she’s not going anywhere. She wants to live more, her appetite for life and work is still great. And I think as difficult as their relationship sometimes is, Hannah really respects that.

The big case this series revolves around a popular celebrity couple living a very public divorce - can you tell us a bit about the case?

I've landed a huge case of the company and it's exactly what the company needs: it's high profile, there’s a lot of money involved and it will be very good for the company's reputation. But as the series goes on it becomes apparent that what that case is really about is a very abusive relationship, and the abusive nature of non-disclosure contracts.

What has it been like literally stepping back into Hannah’s shoes? Has her style evolved?

Hannah knows that she's capable of this new role in this company and that is reflected in the way she dresses. The clothes are important in that they are part of the job. It’s important for her to dress in a way that is equivalent to her status, but they have a purpose.

Your characterisations tend to get under the skin of viewers, who can relate to what they are seeing on screen. What have viewers most responded to about Hannah so far?

I've had some really brilliant and sometimes very funny feedback on The Split, which I know that Stephen has as well. I've had people saying when I’m out shopping, I can't believe Stephen Mangan did that to you! I really liked him, I can't believe he did that!. Like, people are really angry with him! And then quite a lot of women saying, oh, that Christie, I can't blame you! People seem very comfortable to be very vocal about the relationships in Hannah's life and I've never had that before, it’s very funny! I’ve had ‘I'm team Christie!’ shouted at me at the checkout.

Abi Morgan chooses words carefully - are there particular scenes that you’ve particularly relished this series?

I mean, that's an almost impossible question. There isn’t a wasted theme in Abi's work, they're all corkers. I did love this scene where Nathan and I have a row, and in the show, in the edit you don’t hear what we’re saying. You see sort of flashbacks and you get the impression it is the monumental row. It's the row of your nightmare, where you and your partner are not only raging, weeping, screaming, you're being really truthful. Me and Mangan know what those things are because we played the scene and I can't say it was fun, but it was such a brilliant scene to shoot because I don't think I've read a scene that's that truthful, where it felt like you were a fly on the wall of your best friends' kitchen when they are fighting.

Has working on The Split changed your view of marriage and divorce?

It's changed my view of Hannah Stern's marriage. I'm trying to keep it separate just for the sake of sanity! It certainly changed the way I thought I understood where Hannah and Nathan's marriage was. Turns out I didn’t understand it at all. It’s like Hannah was an observer in her own life; she was outside of her own life looking in and in the second series, she gets inside. She's actually inside looking out for the first time. Have I done that in my own life? No, not yet!

[cavecrawling]

⠀ | ⠀⠀i've never thought much about abi after the events of re8 because i'd always had the idea that she dies. be it at the hands of ethan who unfortunately finds her mutated and therefore sends her into a blind rage which results in him killing her. or because the village becomes empty after everything that happens and?? she just cant sustain herself anymore so she passed away.

but i also think!! she's so young and she deserves to live her life, even if she doesnt want to, because even though she's technically in her nineties she hasn't mentally aged a day. she's still a teenager and she should get to be normal, even if she'll remain that age forever.

so instead of dying i'm debating maybe ethan finds her struggling between being mutated and not mutated. everything going on is probably fucking with her and the cadou inside her, even though she doesn't know what's happening, which is why her mutations are going haywire.

and he's the first person since her arrival to be soft and kind to her. yes, the duke was 'nice,' but he always made her somewhat uneasy with his crypticness. so when ethan shows her a dreg of kindness, her mutation halts and she remains a girl because for once she feels safe. miranda had disregarded her the second her mutations became out of control with no bother to see of she could control them.

it would be a lot more complicated than i can be bothered to get into right now - but she follows him around until he finds mia. i imagine it's pretty far into the game, so it's not like it will be long. at some point she transforms on instinct to defend him, and surprisingly - for the first time ever - she's able to control it and transform herself back.

blah blah they find mia and abi ends up staying behind with her (and mat but this ain't about him) and, being the wife of the first guy that ever showed her kindness, she's quite defensive over her. mia would be unwilling at first, thinking she's no different than miranda and the lords, but blah blah she helps out w something that proves differently. while it wouldn't technically be 'adopting' seeing as she's an adult and also isnt really a real person in any databases, after being cleared by chris n all that (who initially wanted to kill her - and tbe process would likely take months to be sure she was fit to live a normal life) mia would offer her a place with her.

[goldenpinof]

i just watched philosophy tube's new video promoting nebula and the whole time i thought, damn... dan and phil could get on that shit. especially dan's ambitious ass. i mean, they've got a pretty big audience (sure, it's not quite what it used to be, but definitely nothing to scoff at either) and one that would likely mesh well with the content already on nebula + be willing to pay for it. i see this as an absolute win, don't you think?

i wanna combine all Nebula asks in one because they complement each other.

and omg, i also just watched Abigail's video! and she sold Nebula to me, ngl 😂 if Dan ever makes them produce something, i might be willing to pay $5 for a couple of months (i'm paying for spotify more, that's the measurement). while watching Aby talk about the audience and how The Prince worked out i had a thought that we aren't as strong as an audience unfortunately. we can make Dan's show sell out, but it's care nowadays. it has to be in a big city, in a venue with ~1500 cap., and it has to be one show, so everyone who can travel will try to see it. the moment we get options we scatter and investments aren't coming back. we're not as strong as we used to be, especially when it comes to solo projects.

are we gonna jump on Nebula just for Dan? i, honest to god, don't know. wad is not the best thing to compare a streaming service subscription to. dnp's sponsorships and our engagement with it could be better. sales of wad dvd will show people's interest as well (i wouldn't be surprised if that goes on some service). it's so hard to tell if Nebula could potentially fund another project (aka Dan's project) because we don't know what stage Dan is not okay is right now. maybe it's already pitched and they are negotiating contracts, maybe the contract is already signed, maybe they are still trying to pitch it to companies. godddd, if only Dan talked to us about the process.

about pirating. i get that 99,9% of any content can be pirated. and Dan is not okay will be, regardless of the platform. with netflix it's a bit faster, i guess. anyone who can't/doesn't want to pay for it, don't worry, you will see it anyway :)

[missathlete31]

I feel bad for Glen. TGM was amazing for his career. He still looks so happy with his castmates all this time later (like those Halloween pics).

And then there's ABY, and the effect it's had on him. It isn't going to get any acting accolades. It messed with his head.

I know you previously mentioned insta followers, but that doesn't translate to respect from either the industry or general public. I hope he gets better opportunities to showcase his talents than a movie willing to damage his image for PR.

You’re right. I was hoping it would at least help his name recognition but that doesn’t mean much when everyone only knows you for a cheating scandal you didn’t even do and your mental health is suffering (lowest of lows he said, and he got a dog to find love somewhere- not quite laughing it off as Sydney said)

He missed the Oscar’s, he gets rave reviews for Hitman and Netflix sits on it and most likely will bury it in their library, and now he will forever be known for this movie. And look I know many of celebs have had negative press but Glen isn’t on that elite tier yet to overcome it.

Let’s hope Twisters 2 goes over well and that he is still doing Locked (im a little worried as the film is multiple days into filming and Glen seems to be everywhere BUT Toronto)