#all excuses and explainations aside for his behavior

[imagionationstation]

This Scene Won’t Leave My Brain

Everyone has been adrenaline fueled, but their postures drops as he scolds them. Raph is still tense, used to bringing problems and complaints as dad’s second-in-command. Mikey and Leo seem to be processing Splinter’s intervention (Something that probably doesn’t happen often considering how blank and startled they seem at this turn of events), simply watching to see what comes of it.

And what does leaves them with a bitter taste in their mouths.

Raph seems disappointed and slightly confused.

Donnie looks like he’s taking his dad’s frustration to heart.

Leo doesn’t know what to make of this entire conversation.

And then Mikey. Me gosh, Mikey.

The dejection on his face, it’s just- I just- he’s just-

I mean, wow.

This is the kid the fandom deems to be the family therapist. I want to say that this child has never been more disappointed in his father in his life- but that’s the silent, shoulder-slumping defeat of someone who recognizes this- this blatant ignorance when faced with the problem at hand. The outright neglect of his fatherly duties when he should be stepping in, helping them to talk this out instead of simply telling them too. A child who understands that this isn’t abnormal, but somewhere deep down hoped that something might be different.

But, once again, Splinter’s not there to help solve the problem. He just wants to rant about their volume, not truly addressing anything, not sitting them down and talking them through it. He’s merely whining about a show when he should be helping solve the chaos in his household- solving the power dynamic crisis that he instigated.

This- This is the look of a son who expected more from his papi, but is forced to face a familiar reality where that won’t happen.

[nenemura]

WALLFLOWER — (nrk x reader)

summary : in which you seem to be invisible to everyone, but not to him.

featuring : jungwon and sunoo from enhypen

cw : popular!riki x outcast!fem reader, angst, fluff, kissing

wc : 3.5k

nene’s note : this fic is inspired by twice’s wallflower !! pls reblog and tell me what you think of it !

“y/n? oh, you mean mina’s friend!”

“who’s y/n? the one who hangs out with nayoung and her friends?”

“i’m gonna ask the girl from jules’ class for help”

that’s all you ever were to people. someone’s friend, the one you can ask for help when you can’t figure your homework out. you lived in your friends’ shadows all the time, getting outshined every single day of your life. it was like you were invisible to everyone, as if you were a ghost desperately looking for someone who could see you. but that was never the case.

it’s not like your ‘friends’ paid that much attention to you either, they kept you around because you were kind enough to help them study whenever a big exam was coming. you weren’t oblivious to this treatment, in fact, you knew you didn’t deserve it. but the fear of being completely alone couldn’t let you walk away from them. but that loneliness, that emptiness within you never faded away, not even when you were surrounded by people. you spent most of your time with your nose stuck in a book, studying and studying for hours just to get distracted from those feelings inside you.

you wished someone could see you, get to know you, care about you. but you were sure that if you ever disappeared, no one would notice.

someone would notice, though.

that someone was nishimura riki. golden boy of the school, he was so skilled in every sport that multiple teams fought to have him in their group. he was friendly with everyone, boxy smile always showing whenever he met someone he talked with, even just one time, in the hallways. people absolutely adored him, always seeking his attention. he was everything you dreamed to be.

you didn’t know why, but he always greeted you with a smile whenever you crossed paths with him. you two didn’t even talk once, but he never lost the opportunity to flash you a grin whenever his eyes met yours. he was like that with everyone, you thought, probably because he pitied you. you thought it was a facade, he was popular, after all. he had a reputation to maintain. you disliked him for that reason, maybe it was just envy, but you just couldn’t stand seeing him surrounded by people all the time, while you lived in everyone’s shadow.

the bell rang, indicating the end of biology class. you were following mina and jules out of the classroom, when the teacher called out your name, gesturing you to stay. you turned to tell your two friends that you would stay behind and that you would see them later, but they were laughing between them, not even noticing you weren’t behind them anymore. you pressed your lips in a thin line, unfazed by the behavior since it happened so many times before. yet, it hurt every. single. time.

you pushed those thoughts aside, walking to the teacher who was waiting for you with a big smile. you liked her, she was always kind, always making time for her students whenever they were struggling. and that was exactly the reason why she called you.

“hi, y/n. sorry for keeping you behind, but i’d like to ask you a favor. there’s this student who’s failing biology and i was wondering if you could, perhaps, help them? if they fail it, they won’t be able to participate in next month’s tournament. do you think you could do it?” she explained, her voice soft and sweet as always.

you listen to her words carefully, smiling at her while you accepted her request. you weren’t so thrilled about it, since you knew it wasn’t going to be different from all the times you had ‘helped’ other students. they showed up, pretended to be interested just to make up an excuse and make you do all of their homework for them. but the teacher also promised you an extra credit, so you decided to comply anyway.

she told you to be at the school’s library on tuesdays and thursdays, from 4 to 6, and that she would notify the student for you.

so there you were, sitting at a library table, waiting for this mystery student to show up. it was already half past four, so you assumed that they wouldn’t even show up. you started gathering your things to leave, when you heard someone run behind you. you turned around to see who it was, just to find yourself face to face with nishimura riki. people glared at him while telling him to be silent, causing him to smile apologetically and bowing to them.

“i’m so sorry! practice ran late so i rushed here as fast i could, i’m glad you’re still here! you’re y/n, right? you should be the one helping me with biology” he explained, keeping his voice low to avoid getting scolded again by the students nearby.

on the other hand, you couldn’t believe your eyes. the boy you despised the most was in front of you, big smile as he looked down at you. the fact that he looked so pretty pissed you off even more.

“uh, don’t worry about it.” you simply said, uncomfortably shifting on your seat while he took the one right next to you. you took the book from your backpack and carefully placed it on the table, opening it on the page of the first chapter. you looked over at him for an instant, finding him with his own book open at the same page, waiting for you to say something.

“listen, i know you probably wanna be somewhere else, so i’ll spare you the trouble and bring you the homework done by tomor—” you were cut off by him, a confused expression displayed on his face. “what do you mean? i’m not gonna make you do my homework.” his eyebrows were furrowed, as if you were speaking nonsense. “i’d like some help to understand some of the topics, actually.” he said, his tone was soft, yet it seemed like he was bothered by what you said. did someone treat you like that before?

“oh.” that’s all you could say. you were feeling guilty for assuming his intentions, you were just so used to it.

there was an awkward silence for a brief moment, before riki took the matter into his own hands and started asking you questions about some concepts he hadn’t grasped before. you replied to them calmly, taking your time to repeat yourself or reformulate your sentences if he couldn’t understand them. during the whole time, he never once lost his focus, always looking at you attentively and, from time to time, praising your explanation skills, blabbering about how the book made everything look harder than it actually was.

having his eyes constantly on you made you feel a little overwhelmed, not being used to having so much attention on you. you felt��� seen. it was awkward at first, but you couldn’t help but like it.

you reminded yourself that he was just being nice because you were helping him, not because he was actually interested in you.

the little tutoring session came to an end, faster than you thought, so you found yourself gathering your belongings to leave. riki did the same thing, casually greeting some of his friends while he walked with you towards the exit.

it was already dark outside, the days becoming shorter and shorter as the colder seasons approached. before you could excuse yourself to catch the bus, riki spoke. “um, you usually take the 6:30pm bus, right?” he asked, scratching his nape while he looked for your eyes, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips. you wondered how he knew which bus you took, but decided to not mull over it too much. you nodded, tilting your head to the side as if you were asking where he was trying to get at with his question. “it’s still early, i can’t leave you here, alone in the dark. do you mind if i wait with you?” saying that you were surprised by those words was an understatement. you could feel warmth creeping up your neck, you never really spent time with boys outside of tutoring, let alone spoke to them for this long. “uh.. sure” you replied, your voice low and timid. you think you will never forget the smile riki gave you that night.

you walked around with him, listening to him complain about how his coach threatened him to not let him play at the tournament if he didn’t pass biology, and how glad he was you were there to help him. he also asked you lots of question, such as your favorite subjects, what you did in your free time, whether you put cereals first and then milk or vice versa. and it wasn’t just to avoid awkward silence, he truly cared about your answers, even going on a long rant about how putting cereals after milk was nonsense and how inconvenient it was.

before you could realize, it was already time for you to catch the bus. he walked you to the stop and waited for you to get safely on the bus, waving his hand while grinning widely at you. he didn’t leave until he saw the bus driving away, which made you feel like he cared about your safety, but you convinced yourself you were overthinking it.

once in your bed, you stared at the ceiling, replaying the afternoon you spent with the boy you disliked so much — in vain, you thought — and how your heart started beating slightly faster when you got a message from him asking if you got home safely. you mentally slapped yourself, you couldn’t start to have feelings for a boy who was pitying you. still, you couldn’t help but smile at the thought of his stupid jokes and silly behavior, the memory of his laugh lulling you to sleep.

the next day, you were sitting alone at the cafeteria since your friends collectively decided to skip school without letting you know. you were used to it anyway, it’s not like you talked to them when you were in their company, you just limited yourself to listening to them brag about whoever they were dating at that moment or about some new gossip that was circulating around, while keeping to yourself.

that’s why you were startled when riki showed up with two of his friends, who you recognised to be sunoo and jungwon. they were also pretty popular, sunoo being a social butterfly and jungwon being part of the student council.

“mind if we sit here?” riki asked with his usual smile, waiting for you to agree before eventually sitting next to you, while the other two guys sat in front of you. you were still kind of taken aback from this situation, but you were snapped out of your thoughts by riki resting his hand on your shoulder.

“this is y/n! y/n, they’re sunoo and jungwon. they’re good guys, so feel free to be yourself around them” he explained, introducing you to his friends. you wanted to focus on the two boys sitting in front of you and politely greet them, but you could only feel riki’s hand on you, making your heart pound against your ribs.

“nice to meet you! — sunoo spoke, his voice lively and sweet — so you’re the famous y/n, huh? riki talks about you a lo—” he suddenly stopped, an ‘ouch’ escaping his lips as he massaged his leg. riki immediately grabbed your attention: “what he was saying is that i told them you were tutoring me and how well you explain things!” you missed the way he shot sunoo a glare before grinning at you.

jungwon, in the meantime, was snickering while eating his lunch, throwing a playful glance at riki with a smirk on his lips.

you weren’t exactly understanding what was happening, given that you were still confused by the sudden company and the fact that riki talked about you to his friends. it was probably because you could help them in the future, wasn’t it?

you had a great time during lunch, sunoo excitedly telling you about the new drama play he would star in next month and jungwon occasionally asking you questions about you. the awkwardness in you faded the more you spent time with the boys, breaking out of your shell and telling them stories of your childhood. riki was looking at you with a fond smile the entire time, head resting on his fist, thinking how nice was watching you finally open up and get along with his friends.

time flew once again, the bell that signaled the end of lunch break ringing in the cafeteria. you had learned to have a lesson in the classroom right next to sunoo’s, so you waved bye to riki and jungwon and made your way to class with the bubbly boy.

you had never felt this good before, it felt like a weight was lifted off your chest, loneliness being replaced by a nice feeling. this is what having someone caring about you meant? you wondered how you endured being alone until then, finally knowing what it felt to be seen.

you spent the whole time, thinking about the boy you were tutoring, catching yourself dumbly smiling at the thought of him. you needed a reality check, because in no way he was going to feel the same about you. so, with a sigh, you drifted your thoughts from riki to the teacher and his lesson.

weeks passed, your study dates with riki allowed you to become closer and closer to the boy. you started opening up more, laughing and making jokes with him, telling him about embarrassing moments from middle school and so on. you started seeing him outside of tutoring sessions as well, inviting you to have lunch with him, sunoo and jungwon more often, asking you to try a new cafe that opened in town with them.

you eventually fell for him, feeling nervous every time he stood too close to you or blushing when you caught him staring at you. you knew it was one sided, trying your hardest to not delude yourself and end up with a broken heart and alone all over again. you cherished his company more than anything in the world, so you couldn’t bear the thought of losing him.

you were walking to your locker when you heard your name being shouted by a voice you recognized in no time. you turned around, finding riki standing in front of you with a paper in his hand, encouraging you to take it. you looked at it and saw a 75/100 on his biology test. your eyes widened as much as your smile, looking up at him. “oh my god, riki! you passed!” you said, genuinely happy for the boy in front of you. he worked hard and definitely deserved the grade, you also felt a little proud of yourself at the same time. “yes! it’s all thanks to you!” he engulfed you in his arms, holding you close to his body for a second longer than he should. your face was completely red once he let go of you, you prayed for him to be too excited to notice how that brief — even though for you seemed like it lasted for hours — contact affected you.

“so..” you started speaking, to recompose yourself. “no more tutoring sessions, huh?” you asked, disappointment could be easily found in your tone.

“hm.. about that.” riki said, looking a little nervous for some reasons you couldn’t quite tell. “are you going to prom, this weekend?” he asked, a hopeful glint in his eyes while he looked down at you.

“no, i don’t think so.” you replied almost instantly. was he going to ask you out for prom? no, impossible.

“would you like t—” he couldn’t finish his sentence, that a girl tapped him on his shoulder, completely ignoring your presence or the fact that he was talking to you.

“hi riki.. i was wondering if you.. if you wanted to go to prom with me.” she asked, her pretty, long lashes batting quickly as she smiled at him, waiting for his answer.

“oh, thank you but i was going to ask someone else to go with me,” riki politely declined, obtaining a scoff in response. he shrugged his shoulders and turned back to where you were standing, only to see that you had disappeared.

you left the moment you heard the girl’s question, tears brimming in your eyes as you felt like a fool, thinking that he could ever have feelings for you. that day, you left school early, running to your house and shutting yourself in your room. you cried every tear you had within yourself.

riki had tried to reach out to you countless times, sending you lots of texts, even calling you endless times. but you ignored every one of them. you shouldn’t have gotten closer to the boy, you shouldn’t have fallen for him and you shouldn’t have hoped that he could, somehow, feel the same towards you.

it was prom night, you were on your couch, watching some old romcom filled with cliches and cringy lines, but that made you tear up everytime nonetheless.

suddenly, you heard a knock on your door. you wondered who could possibly be at that hour of a saturday night.

you opened the door, finding riki in formal attire, hair slicked back and a huge bouquet of purple flowers — which you remembered telling him was your favorite color.

“riki?” you called softly, closing the door behind you and looking at him with a confused expression. your heart skipped a beat when you saw him — he looked absolutely gorgeous, he looked like he’d stepped out a fairy tail.

“y/n..” he spoke, his voice carrying a mix of nerves and determination. “i tried contacting you, but you weren’t replying. i wanted to ask you to prom, but since it’s too late, i thought about bringing prom to you.” a shy smile tugged at his full lips as he pronounced those words.

you stared at him, speechless. he wanted to go to prom with you? and when he couldn’t reach you, he came all the way to your house, just to make it happen? it felt like a dream, too good and too sweet to be true.

noticing your surprise, riki carefully set the bouquet on the ground. then, he took your hand in his, warmth spreading all over your face.

“dance with me,” he whispered, his voice soft and filled with hope.

without waiting for your reply, he led you closer to him, his free hand settling on your waist, while with his other hand, he fumbled awkwardly with his phone, tongue poking out as he tried to play a slow song for you two to dance to.

the sight made you giggle, finding endearing how clumsy he was.

you looped your arms around his neck, gazing up at him as you swayed together. the world seemed to fall away — there was only the two of you, the soft music, and the steady rhythm of your movements.

he held your gaze the entire time, his lovesick smile resting on his pretty lips — the ones you couldn’t help but glance at more times than you cared to admit.

as the song came to an end, the world seemed to slow down around the two of you. he rested his forehead gently against yours, his warm breath fanning across your face as he took both of your hands in his, holding them like they were going to break if he applied to much force.

“y/n..” he began, his voice soft and steady, though you could sense the nervousness beneath it. “i like you. i’ve liked you for so long, i couldn’t resist keeping it to myself anymore.” he whispered, waiting for any reaction on your part.

tears welled up in your eyes and before you could stop yourself, you threw your arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. riki stiffened for a moment, his hand lingering on your back before holding you closer.

“i like you too, riki. so much, i can’t believe you actually feel the same” a soft laugh escaped his lips, filled with relief and happiness. he brought one of his hands to your cheek, delicately caressing your skin. “can i be your boyfriend, then?” he asked, his lips curling up into a shy smile as he bit down his lower lip to keep it from spreading too much.

you didn’t answer his question with words. instead, you leaned in, catching his lips in a passionate yet slow kiss. his hand on your cheek moved down to your neck, while his other hand rested on your waist.

at that moment, it felt as if you were touching the sky with a finger. you felt loved in a way that warmed every layer of your heart, cared for in a way that melted every lingering doubt. but, most importantly, you felt seen — truly seen — for the first time.

[rivereverie]

Astarion and Learned Cruelty

Spoilers for all of Astarion’s story through all acts of BG3. As always, this is all just my interpretation of the character. Feel free to disagree. 

I love the writing choice to make Astarion genuinely immoral at first. They could have easily pulled the overdone trope of "I only pretend to be evil because I'm traumatized. I'm really just a sad little guy who wouldn’t hurt anyone". Now I do believe his behavior is a direct result of his trauma, but I'll get to that in a minute. The point is that he does genuinely relish in violence, although his actions will be swayed by whichever moral direction the player decides to go. But he does enjoy combat, spilling blood, and even some more cruel and unusual things. However, what makes this so compelling and narratively rich is that this is a learned mindset.

I think that a lot of people don't acknowledge that going into act 1, Astarion has just come out of a situation where he was quite literally forced to participate in horrific crimes, with severe consequences if he refused. That absolutely does not excuse the fact that he's okay with if not outright enthusiastic about murder, but we do see that he was not always this way (e.g., he tried at least once to let a target go because he couldn't bring himself to take them to Cazador). I just think it's worth acknowledging that that mindset was the product of centuries of torment and active overt and covert conditioning. He became who Cazador wanted him to be; who he had to be in order to survive. Astarion and Karlach are two sides of a coin in this regard, in that they represent opposite responses to trauma and loss of autonomy. Karlach was forced into martial servitude, which in my opinion explains why she's still kind of bloodthirsty even though she's such a good and kind person bent on protecting others. She's shaped by the role she was forced into, and it's the same with Astarion. Again, not to say he isn't morally dubious, but there's a big difference between someone evil and someone who was never allowed to be "good" suddenly being thrust back into freedom and forced to figure things out.

To a degree, I do also think that his over-the-top declarations of his love for violence are another piece of his mask. Just like with his feigned hedonism and sexual forwardness, he's trying to hold power over people by controlling their perception of him (as well as his own self-perception). He's holding a big sign that says "I'm selfish and evil, and you shouldn't like me unless you are too", when really he's not anywhere near as selfish and evil as he pretends to be. He does this in part to keep people at arm's length, but also to convince himself; to craft his own reality wherein he is the person he needs to be to get through this situation. His worldview has been warped to see domination and control as synonymous with strength, and so he's being strong in the way he knows how. As the story progresses with a good player on his side, he's beginning to learn how to be something better. And that's why it takes time: because he's unlearning 200 years of conditioning and survival instincts.

It's worth talking about that it's not unheard of for abusers to force victims to participate in the abuse of others. I think that representing that experience in this game is important and valuable. We should all walk the line between holding these kinds of survivors accountable for what is appropriate, and to offer them oceans of understanding and empathy for them over what they were forced into. Even if Astarion weren't magically forced to do Cazador's bidding, I hope that we all could still understand the power that abusers hold over their victims, empathize with him, and see that those actions were an extension of Cazador, not himself.

Official D&D definitions of "evil" aside, I don't think he's ever truly evil unless he goes down the evil route with the player and/or ascends (Ascended Astarion is a whole other can of worms I’m not going to get into in this post). By the end of the spawn storyline, Astarion does have a lot more concern and care for others, and most importantly, he takes responsibility. To me, that shows profound strength and goodness. He's never a saint, but in my opinion he's never really evil, either. He's still learning how to live in a world where he doesn't need to be cruel in order to survive. 

Concerning the early access backstory about him being a "corrupt magistrate", it's up to the individual how to headcanon that information. Personally, I think he was probably a little self-interested, but not evil by any means. I think he was probably just a pretty normal person before Cazador, not predisposed to cruelty.

In summary, I think it’s important to talk about what makes people “bad”, especially in the context of the cycle of abuse and victimization. In Astarion’s case, much of his taste for cruelty came from implicit conditioning over his years of being forced to hurt others. There are a number of lines from him during the dungeon/crypt sequence where he keeps insisting, defensively and desperately, that he didn’t have a choice in bringing victims back to Cazador. That it was all on his orders and he couldn’t say no. This might come across to some as him trying to shirk blame, but the thing is… he’s right. He didn't have a choice, other than death, but I think Cazador would deny him even that. He wanted to make his spawn into obedient tools, but also to break them. To make them an extension of his own monstrous cruelty. But in the end, Astarion takes responsibility as best he can, and begins to forgive himself for being a part of Cazador’s evil. This is part of what makes the line “I am so much more than what you made me” so powerful.

[dark-konohagakure2]

Can you please make one where Momoshiki kindaps Sasukes daughter and uses her as his personal human toy? Also while degrading her and considering her inferior to him? Thank you soon much!!

tw: noncon, kidnapping, enslavement, collars, nipple clamps, humiliation, age difference, dehumanization, degradation

All characters depicted are 18+

Momoshiki has quite a grudge against both Naruto and especially Sasuke, feeling disgusted that a lowly human such as him would dare to posses both the Sharingan and the Rinnegan, both doujutsus that originated from the Otsutsuki clan, in fact the entirge Uchiha clan Itself came from the Otsutsuki, so Sasuke as no right to stand against him, but since he insists on doing so, Momoshiki will have to hit him where it hurts.

Momoshiki is a powerful otherworldly being with centuries of experience and knowledge, so snatching up one girl, even if she is the daughter of one of the strongest shinobi and strongest bloodlines, is child's play for the Otsutsuki, and he's able to grab her and force her back to his dimension with him as easily as he breathes.

Once he has her in his clutches, he's going to strip her of everything, both her clothing and dignity. Momoshiki will keep her completely naked at all times aside from a heavy metal collar on her neck and tight nipple clamps attached to a chain for him to tug her whenever he wants her to come over to him, or whenever he just feels like it.

He won't tolerate her activating her Sharingan while in his presence, the mere thought of a lowly worm of a human possessing and flaunting an ocular power that originates from his vastly superior clan greatly angers Momoshiki, and he'll be sure to reprimand her very harshly for such insubordination.

"Worm! Don't you dare flaunt powers that don't belong to lowly humans like you! Unless you want me to take your pathetic little self over my knee again..."

Momoshiki never asks her name nor does he bother to learn it, what he chooses to refer to her as will vary depending on his current mood. If he's feeling benevolent he'll call her 'pet' or even 'dear', but if he's in a nasty mood or just feels like being cruel to her (which is more often than not) he'll simply refer to her as 'worm' or 'vermin'.

Despite claiming and showing to detest her and her entire species, Momoshiki isn't planning on letting her go anytime soon, that is to say he's keeping her forever. It's either because he wants to torment her for eternity, or because he's developed some sort of sick attachment to her, but both possibilities are equally terrifying.

Part of him wonders if he has some sort of fetish for dominating human beings such as her whenever he finds himself using her pussy as his personal seed receptacle, Momoshiki is almost addicted to fucking her, wanting to do it nearly everyday and everywhere he can, although he'd never admit these desires aloud.

He'll even start making excuses for why he's keeping her around, although none of them will be selfless or wholesome. Momoshiki just wants more reasons to prolong her suffering and enslavement to him, not that such a powerful and untouchable being such as himself needs to explain his reasonings to a pathetic ant like her.

"Hmm~ You feel especially tight around me right now, my little kitten. Maybe I'll decide to keep you alive for a few more centuries if you keep up this good behavior..."

Momoshiki never thought he'd ever form any sort of 'relationship' with a human like her, let alone such an unconventional one, but now that he's discovered the pleasures of the flesh, he has no intention of ever letting her escape his clutches.

[fbfh]

curiosity is a wonderful thing - ch. 9

wc: 3.2k

genre: slow burn, little angst, childhood best friends to lovers

pairing: slow burn bff!ben x fem daughter of alice!reader, previously audrey x ben, mal x ben???? apparently????

warnings: emotional damage!!! unusual behavior from ben, reader has a lil mini breakdown, reader is a just a tad autistic coded and has kind of a meltdown??? could also be read as emotional distress so interpret how you will

summary: ben gets weird during a tourney game and your gut is telling you something you probably shouldn't ignore.

song recs: twisted - aviva, cradles - sub urban, rabbit heart - florance and the machine, heads will roll - yeah yeah yeahs

a/n: YOOOOOOOOO IT'S GETTIN JUICYYYYYY. also our cat I mentioned in the an of chapter 8 has settled in well. he's so talkitive lol. I LOVE YOU GUYS I HOPE YOU'RE ENJOYING HAPPY PRIIIIIDEEEEEEE~~~~~ BEEEEE WHO YOU AARRRREEEE FOR YOUR PRIIIIIIIIIIIDDDDDDEEEEEEEE

tags @yesv01@magcon7280 @hopefullhearts @thatawkwardlittlefangirl @sunshineangel-reads @dustyinkpages @inejsknifes @tulipmagnoliaisme @ev3ningrain SORRY IF I MISSED ANYONE YELL AT ME IN THE NOTES AND ILL ADD YOU LOL

You take in a big lungful of the crisp, springtime fresh Auradon air as you crawl out of your rabbit hole and back into Overland. Roots and twigs and grass stick to your skirts, but you don’t mind much. You check your pocket watch in a panic, and scurry to the tourney match. You’re merely a pebble’s throw away, so you reach the bleachers quite quickly. Late, granted, but not too late. Not horribly, irreversibly, all-endingly late. You climb up to your usual spot in the bleachers, only a few seats away from the isle kids. Well, Mal and Evie, really, since Jay and Carlos are out on the field. You try to wave at the girls, but they seem much too preoccupied with the game to notice. You understand their fascination, tourney matches are simply addictive. 

You yourself hadn’t been one for sports - aside from the occasional caucus race - that is, until Ben joined the tourney team last year. He must have spent every spare moment leading up to his first match trying to explain the rules to you with no luck, but the moment the referee blew her whistle, you were enamored watching him play. And it’s simply been that way ever since. No matter what it is, you know it will be a fantastical time if Ben’s the one playing. This seems especially true today. 

Ben tears up the field like an absolute animal - no pun intended - and within minutes has scored yet another goal for Auradon. The Fighting Knights are pulling out all the stops, and through even your unwavering faith in Ben’s athleticism, it’s starting to look like a close call. You pull out a teacup from your bag, the china cool under your fingertips. It’s adorned with a white catchfly and chestnut print, but you don’t pay much attention to it. 

Your eyes are locked on Ben as he races down the field, and you pour the spout of your tea pot shaped bag into the cup. Warm, perfectly brewed rooibos and nettle tea trickles from its spout. You shake it absentmindedly a few times, and some lemon slices and lavender sprigs fall in, floating atop the beverage. You take a sip of the warm, perfectly seasoned herbal tea, nearly choking on it as Jay drags Carlos across the field. You watch with bated breath as they move strategically, setting up Ben to score the perfect winning goal. The ball flies straight into the net, and you jump up, cheering and applauding, not even noticing the rooibos and nettle tea stain on your skirt. The crowd roars right along with you, applauding and cheering deafeningly while the announcer congratulates Auradon Prep on their win. Before he can even finish speaking, Ben grabs the mic from him.

You stop dead in your tracks, brow furrowed.

That’s not like him. 

Not at all. 

“Excuse me, excuse me!” Ben pants, still out of breath as he tries to get the crowd’s focus. “Can I have your attention please?”

The stands quiet as he speaks. 

“There’s- uh, there’s something I’d like to say!”

What in the Knave’s good name is he doing? Your mind races, trying to remember if he’d said anything about something like this. Were there any speeches, any announcements, anything like that he was going to make after the game? You can’t remember him mentioning anything like that. Besides, he always runs his speeches by you first to make sure it comes across the way he intends it too. Even something as small as an opening statement or homework presentation, he always gets your feedback first. You watch the way his eyes dart around, the way he hesitates as he tries to figure out what he’s saying. Your stomach drops. He’s improvising this. This whole situation feels surreal. Most peculiar, and most definitely unlike him. 

After another moment of floundering, he finally addresses the crowd. 

“Give me an M!” 

The crowd complies, shouting out the letter and mirroring the shape he’s making with his arms. 

“Give me an A!” 

“A!” 

While the crowd complies yet again, throwing their arms over their heads in an A shape, your eyes fly over to Audrey. You’re afraid you know where this is going, even though it makes positively less sense than the most twisting turning riddles you’ve ever encountered in Wonderland. Your horrified, bewildered expression is the opposite of her hopeful one, and you realize you’re thinking the same thing. Your stomach sinks in a sick, twisting feeling. Your mind races in a dreamlike panic. 

He can’t seriously be asking Audrey to marry him, could he? 

There’s no way. There’s simply no chance that the Ben you’ve known for longer than you’ve been brewing tea would do something so… impulsive. Everything about Ben is calculated. Well thought through. Ben agonizes over each and every decision, he lies awake at night paralyzed by the potential consequences of each action, each choice not being thought all the way through and analyzed from every possible angle. If proposing to Audrey was even a thought in his mind, he would have told you about it. 

There’s simply no other way. There’s no possibility this was even an option in his mind. Just last week when you had quietly implied that maybe he should consider ending their relationship, his silence spoke louder than any words could have. You had seen that. You saw it in his eyes. There’s no way he could be changing his mind that quickly, and not consulting you - or someone about it? You know you would have gotten wind if he even implied he was toying with the notion. Ben does not flip-flop. So what is… this?

“Give me an L!”

Audrey’s face drops. Yours floods with relief. 

He’s not proposing. 

“C’mon, I can’t hear you!” Ben calls out into the mic, hyping up the crowd. They yell Mal’s name again at Ben’s encouragement. You think you see where he’s going with this. It makes sense - Jay and Carlos each got a big starring moment during the tourney game. Now, Ben is giving a shout out to Mal and Evie so they can share in the glory, and won’t feel left out. It’s a brilliant idea, you realize, but you still can’t figure out why he didn’t plan something like this ahead. Did he realize last minute that Mal and Evie might feel excluded? It’s possible. And right now, it’s the most rational explanation you have for this unusual behavior. Before you can feel too relieved, he leans into the mic. You wait for him to instruct the crowd to give him an E, beginning to spell Evie’s name, and-

“I love you, Mal!”

Your stomach drops. You freeze again, brow furrowed more than before. The world around you spins as you stand in the crowd, disoriented. He says it like a deathbed confession, the words tearing from his throat. Through your confused stupor, you can hear the sincerity, the yearning in his voice. 

What?

You don’t even think to look over at Audrey, but you’re sure as anything her expression is exactly the same as yours - completely and totally shell shocked. Probably moreso, you think, she is his girlfriend after all. But is she? Anymore, that is. You can’t imagine she would want to be after a display like that, after Ben publicly- 

Ben…

Ben. 

His gaze flicks over to you for a split second, not even long enough for you to silently ask him what the hell is going on. But it’s just long enough for you to see a flash of something. A look in his eye. Fear. Confusion. Everything you’re feeling for him right now. His attention is ripped forcefully back to Mal. Whatever was there, you can’t see it now. 

“Give me a beat!” Ben demands overzealously to the band. They start playing something for him, something loud and fast. Ben begins singing Mal’s praises. Literally. You’re still frozen, sick with a cold, confused feeling that makes the world around you feel like a strange dream. Unreal. You begin to question if you are dreaming. Through your dazed state - which you only later realize has begun to be accompanied by hot tears blurring your vision - you could swear you saw Mal and Evie share some sort of look, whisper knowingly. They giggle. Mal pulls a zip top bag of cookies out of her jacket pocket and they both start giggling. Laughing. 

A noise catches your scattered attention and you notice Ben has launched himself into the stands, crowd surfing to get all the way over to Mal. He climbs down, grabbing her waist and pulling her close. It’s so intense, so passionate, so unlike him to do something like that in public. You start to gasp, but you can’t. The stands are so loud, each noise feels like a gunshot deafening you. Your lungs feel like they’re being squeezed from the bottom up like paint tubes, gripped by an artist desperate for the last drops of cadmium yellow deep. 

His hand rests firmly on the small of her back.

Just like it does on yours.

Something sickening twists through you, contaminating your heart and sapping away at your strength. Audrey’s voice cuts through, piercing and shrill as she announces to Ben that Chad is her boyfriend now. You see them kiss in your peripheral vision, eyes still locked on the way Ben’s hand sits on Mal’s back. He doesn’t seem to notice Audrey either, or at the very least, he doesn’t acknowledge her. Normally you’d giggle privately at how much that would irritate her, but nothing so frivolous crosses your mind just then.

“I love you, Mal!” Ben exclaims into the microphone. “Did I mention that?”

He leans closer, aching for her, needing her. But she puts her hands on his chest, trying to keep more distance between them. 

“Mal,” he begs, panting as his breath fans across her face, his cheeks flushed. He grips her tighter, leaning closer until he’s practically dipping her. The crowd watches, shocked at the sight of Prince Ben - who is known for his diplomatic reserve and continuous composure - acting so bold in public. “Will you go to coronation with me?”

“Yes!” Mal’s response comes a little too easily. 

You stare off into space in his general direction, choked with disbelief. You feel so frightened and confused and unwelcome. It’s a cold, isolated feeling of strangeness you’ve been running from since you could walk. You knew what people said about Wonderlandians, what they whispered behind your back when they thought you couldn’t hear. It was always Ben who made that feeling go away. He had seen the change in you, too. The more time you spent together since you were littles, the more he included you and sent disapproving princely looks to anyone who dared to tease you or make you feel like you’re not a part of Auradon, the more it started to work. He saw you relax, saw you believe him when he said he was happy to see you. He saw the shame and paranoia from accepting the fact that everyone around you was teasing you behind your back, spreading lies and rumors fade away. 

Ben watched you grow into yourself the moment he showed you that you were safe to do so. Now, after ten years, that horrible feeling is back and Ben is gone. You turn, rushing out of the bleachers, hopping down to solid ground and turning underneath the stands. You’ve barely stopped before the world caves in around you, and the familiar scent of earth and night and the good kind of confusion envelop your senses, like a hug from your mother. 

You fall down the rabbit hole, and you weep. Shamelessly, loudly, uncontrolled. Your tears fly off into the air above you as you fall, no longer afraid of prying eyes. You cry and cry, losing your sense of time and space as you fall deeper and deeper away from the world that never seems to lose amusement in stinging you when you least expect it. You take in a breath, but before you can let it out as another aching sob, you’re plunged underwater. 

Your eyes flare open in the deep waves around you, the black void of a sky above. You kick yourself up to the surface, gasping as you tread the current carrying you downstream. The water splashes around you, getting into your mouth, and it’s salty. A stork sails by on a little wooden raft, adjusting her captain’s hat. “Well, that would do it!” She exclaims in a thick, Wonderlandian accent. “I was wondering what caused these high tides.” 

She maneuvers her raft towards you and hauls you onto it, her gangly legs wobbling awkwardly as she keeps her balance. She pulls a handkerchief out of her pocket and hands it to you, her long feathers tickling your fingertips. 

“Dry your eyes there, dearie, or else we’ll be having to build a new dam!” 

You sputter an apology, which she dismisses goodnaturedly, and begins singing a confusing sea shanty as she navigates the waves, coming and going as you try to calm yourself. After a few minutes, a particularly large wave pushes you two over the river’s edge and sends you spinning into the forest. 

“Well, there you have it.” She says, taking off her cap and dumping out water, sand, a few shells, and a very irritable codfish. She unties the strings of her raft, gathering up the large sticks used to make it into a bundle, and tucking them under her arm.

“Quite useful, you know,” She says softly, before handing you a piece of nicely shaped paper. It reads The Two Blwo’s Shipping Survise. “And if you ever need something lickety split, I do hope you’ll give me a call.”

She tilts her hat and lopes off through the woods into darkness. 

You plop yourself down on the nearest thing - a large, bioluminescent blue mushroom with little purple spots that makes a sound like a big deep drum when you sit down on it. Several smaller mushrooms varying in size scatter near the base of the one you’re seated on. As you pull your foot up to get comfortable, you graze a few of the litter ones, and let out different tones and types of drums too. Normally this would fascinate you. Normally you would be taking pictures, writing about them in your journal, and trying to learn how to play a song on them - if they’re in the right sort of temperament, of course. But today you don’t even notice.

Your mind is still spiraling, sucked down into a whirlpool of the day’s events. You go over and over what happened, hoping to make sense of it, but unable to really process anything. That was so strange, Ben is acting so strange. Why is he acting like that, you wonder. Did he hit his head? Has he somehow been possessed by a very extroverted poltergeist? Why would he do that? It doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t even make nonsense. Even in Wonderland, there are still patterns, there are still rules and motivations for doing things. Even if those rules and patterns don’t make sense to anyone else, they’re still real. Wonderland is illogical and absurd, but it’s not purely random. 

You rock yourself comfortingly on the bouncy mushroom, the soft noise providing an ambiance that helps you start to think again. There’s no feasible pattern or non-pattern or non-pattern pattern to Ben’s behavior. If there were one, you would be able to find it, especially if you know him as well as you do. And you do. You glance down and see some beetles marching in a line, carrying leaf umbrellas to avoid any more falling tears. You wipe them from your cheeks quickly. 

“My apologies.” You say, your voice polite and fragile. The head beetle chirps, clicking his wings and tipping his hat. He ushers the others past your mushroom quickly, putting their leaf umbrellas onto an umbrella leaf bush nearby. 

A few bread-and-butterflies flitter over, carrying a tray of tea and cakes. They place it before you gently, brewing you a cup of blackberry earl grey with extra honey. You thank them, and they nod, flittering off and leaving a trail of buttery breadcrumbs as their wings flap. They land nearby, listening to you mutter to yourself as the line up to form a loaf. The tea and cakes are delicious, full of jam and honey, and they steady your nerves. You take in another breath, less shaky this time, and begin to think. Not panic, really think. 

“There has to be a reason,” you mumble out loud, “There simply has to be. Ben doesn’t just lose his composure like this. He’s not devoid of sensibilities and decision making. He’s worked so hard to hone his reputation as someone trustworthy, someone full of common sense and compassion, and that… being that person for Auradon is everything to him.”

You place down your tea cup firmly, brow furrowing as your confusion melts away to determination. 

“Everything! He would never do something so… impulsive, and foolhardy, and- and… not like him!” 

You stand up quickly, landing on your feet. 

“I must get to the bottom of this.” You pause. “Or top. Either way.”

You gather your things, fix your hair, and wring out the water from your dress. Even if Ben doesn’t care about his reputation anymore, about his future, the very future of Auradon and all who reside within it, you do. Your loyalty to Ben simply cannot be broken by a day like today.  You won’t let him throw away everything he’s worked towards for no reason. For any reason! If he’s just gone mad, that’s one thing to be dealt with. But there’s a good chance he’ll come back to his senses sooner or later, and you refuse to let everything to hell in a handbasket until he does. 

You are going to figure this out. You’re going to do as much damage control as needed until Ben is back to you and Back to himself. And he is going to come back to himself. You’re sure of it.

Filled with tea cakes and determination, you summon a rabbit hole back to Auradon, and jump through. You flip and twist through the darkness, falling past a bookshelf that floats along with you for a moment, offering a few titles that might prove useful. 

When light breaks the surface and you hear the cracking of polished stone floors, you climb through and emerge into the library. You dust the dirt off yourself and off your hands, setting down your books on a table. You begin to look around, rushing through the library and moving with purpose. You pull book after book off the shelves until you can hardly carry them to the checkout desk. Many of them will be fruitless, you’re sure, but anything is better than nothing in times like these.

“Doing some light reading, Ms. Liddell?” The librarian asks, chuckling at the imposing stack of books you’ve placed before her as she scans through them. 

“There’s nothing light about it, I’m afraid.”She looks up, surprised by the unusual heaviness to your voice, the sharp, focused determination. “Thank you, madam.” You say, grabbing all your books and marching off to your dorm. You have a lot of reading to get through.

[d-dixonimagines]

PROMPT: "Thought you'd be taller.."

I feel like I want to do this one again with a different approach, but I don't know. I envisioned it being something light-hearted and fun, so please excuse my attempt at being funny...! @darylsdelts A/N: It's not edited so there's probably typos

There was a weird buzz of energy going around the camp that you couldn't quite place. The way people whispered to one another excitedly like gossiping teenagers. Eventually you got wind that Daryl Dixon was supposed to be arriving. It was overheard on the radio when your group leader was communicating with Aaron, arranging some kind of supply drop. They had been talking for months and were finally closing on a deal to join forces and create connections.

Sure, you had heard Daryl's name before, but it was strange to see people act like it was some celebrity coming through their town, a behavior you thought was long dead when everything fell. He had been the talk for days, apparently. People telling stories about all the things they've heard he's done, even some you were sure couldn't possibly be true, like blowing up a group with a bazooka? It sounded ridiculous.

He had managed to gain a sort of reputation. He was the lone wolf you didn't mess with. People have said that he mostly kept to himself, some describing him as a grumpy old bear, and good luck if you ever got on his bad side.

You've heard he was mean and intimidating and had a permanent glare, but others say he is kind and had a softness to him. That he had a type of charm that was hard to explain. But it was all the same as rumors go; you didn't know what you were supposed to believe.

He had come to the camp a few times, but somehow you've never seen or met him yourself. It was like he was a myth. A story someone made up, and depending on which version you heard, he was either a scary boogeyman or some kind of hero.

None of that mattered, though. You were determined to find out for yourself who this Daryl guy really was, and if he was worth all of the commotion he seemed to cause.

The sun was just about to set when he and Aaron finally arrived. They were greeted with welcoming smiles and were invited to join you all for dinner. You were appreciative of the large cart of food and supplies they brought, but so far you weren't seeing anything too spectacular. He was quiet, mostly. Handing over crates and stuff, no particular look about him. He didn't look scary, there was no scowl-y expression. So many not a grumpy bear?

As the evening went on and everyone was settled, scattered about around the fire, you sat silently - continuing to watch him. When it was mostly just the two of you remaining, you decided that the silent stalking was getting you nowhere, so you took things to the next level; you approached him..

"Would you like some more?" You offered, extending the kettle of food you had in your hand. He looked up at you for a second before shaking his head, "Nah, I'm good.. Thanks." His voice was gruff, but there was a softness to it, it didn't make sense!

"I'll have some more." Your attention was brought to Larson, a guy from your group, who was sitting close by with his plate stretched out, a friendly smile on his face. Without saying a word, you took a step towards him and practically tossed the kettle in his lap, taking a seat next to Daryl, your back towards Larson.

There was a silence again, aside from the confused mumblings from Larson as he dished himself more food. You tried not to make it so obvious that you were eyeing Daryl, trying to glance at the fire every now and then, but you were failing quite miserably.

"Can I help ya with somethin'?" Daryl finally confronted you. When you didn't respond he continued. "You've been starin' me down since I got here and it's startin' to weird me out..."

You straightened up a bit and put your hands up briefly, an attempt to express you didn't mean anything by it. "I'm sorry. I'm just... trying to figure you out." "Whats'ta figure out, exactly?" he remained calm, but you could tell he had a guard up. Which was understandable.

You have a quick shrug as you tried to gather your thoughts. "The way people talk about you, you're at all what I expected." He gave a sight grunt, like where this was going all clicked. "Should I even ask what you were expectin'?" "Thought you'd be taller.." Your response surprised him a bit, causing him to let out a chuckle. Your shoulders relaxed at his reaction. He definitely wasn't a boogeyman type.

"There were a lotta things you could'a said, but I wasn't expectin' that one," he shook his head a bit and set his dish down by his feet. You could understand where he thought you were going, so many mixed reactions to him, but you were feeling more inclined to believe the positive ones, based on your current encounter with him.

"There was a lot of buzz around here when people learned you were visiting. They talk about you like you're some kind of celebrity. Which, I guess in some sense, you kind of are. With all the stuff you've done, you've made quite a name for yourself."

"Pshh.." he scoffed, "I don't buy into all that. People's opinions don't mean shit." "Even if it's good? People look up to you, from what I gather." He shook his head again. "It's all bullshit. They don't know me or the shit I've done." "We've all done things. Larson here?" you pointed your finger over your shoulder, Daryl's eyes following the direction, "the worst thing he's probably done is kill a rabbit, and that's saying something when it comes to him, and while he's probably not the best example, we all still know he's a good person."

Larson looked up from his plate, his gaze going back and forth between you and Daryl. "It was an accident..." Larson defended himself, a silent look of panic etched on his face. "The rabbit, I didn't see it, it was in the -" "You don't have to explain, Larson, it's OK. No one blames you." You cut him off before looking back at Daryl. "...Why would they blame me..?" "It was a whole thing.. but that's not the point. I'm just saying, the stuff you do makes a difference to people. The good stuff, I mean."

Daryl looked confused for a second, trying to figure out Larson's deal, but brought his attention back to you. "I dunno about any of that. I ain't tryin' to be anythin', I'm just doin' what anybody else would." You nodded, planning on keeping things at that, but there was one thing you couldn't get out of your head and needed answers on.

"I just have one question," you opened. He seemed almost reluctant to agree, but he did with a nod. "Is it true you shot a bazooka at some group? Some people say there was a group of like fifty highwaymen and you just blew them all up." He looked at you for a second like you were insane and let out a sigh. "There weren't fifty of 'em, there was only about eight.." "But you blasted them with a bazooka?" "Yeah?" he responded like he didn't understand what the big deal was. "They were a bunch'a assholes, they had it comin'."

"No, I completely get it," you let out a small laugh. "It's just a crazy thing to think about, you know? A bazooka! Where the hell would you even get one of those?" "Military truck," both Daryl and Larson answered at the same time, causing you both to look at him. "Sorry, I keep forgetting you're there." You almost felt bad. "Anyway, I should get going. It was cool to meet you," you turned back to Daryl and stood up, talking some of the empty dishes. Daryl gave a nod as you walked off.

"... The rabbit incident really was an accident," Larson chimed in after a moment of silence; he was leaning towards Daryl like he was trying to keep it between the two of them. "It was in the -" "Let it go, Larson!" Two other people in the group shouted at the same time. Larson slammed his plate on his lap in frustration as he was interrupted once more and he straightened up. Daryl sat there awkwardly in silence for a moment before getting up himself. He walked passed Larson and gave a quick sympathetic pat on his shoulder. "It's alright, buddy. I believe ya.." Daryl let out an amused scoff as he walked away to find Aaron.

[marinettesaltprompts]

Marinette Salt Prompts : Discordant Music and Unsettling Melodies

Prompt by @bloop24

The show portrays Luka as some kind of empath but with music. He says that Marinette is the clearest melody he’s ever heard or whatever, but if you really stuck with him being an empath he would have immediately felt something off with Marinette.

Instead of having a cute moment during their first meeting, Luka is friendly but distant. When he heard the song of her heart, he was left disturbed. At first there was nothing wrong with it, but the longer he listened the darker and more twisted it became. It was like it was trying to play a completely different melody, one he couldn’t make out. He was aware that Marinette was one of Juleka’s friends, so for now he kept quiet about her heart song but kept an eye on her. After everything settled down with his mom being akumatized another one of Juleka’s friends joined them. Adrien was nice and listening to his heart song he had a hidden wild side. When he turned to look at Marinette he noticed that her gaze intensely focused on not only Adrien but him as well, It was then he recognized the song that Marinette’s heart was trying to play. It was Adrien’s but a more warped version, it was like her heart song was desperately trying to match his. It didn’t take long to figure out that Marinette was infatuated with him.

Eventually Juleka noticed Luka’s wariness whenever Marinette came over. Luka was honest with his sister, and said that Marinette’s heart song was dark and twisted and how it tried to match Adrien’s. When he was done explaining his reasonings he noticed Juleka avoided looking at him and looked almost ashamed. She then explained that Marinette had more than a crush on Adrien with her having his schedule and even some of the plans she and the girls helped with. 

Luka was left disturbed by this revelation, but also disappointed in his sibling, he knew Juleka had a hard time being confrontational often avoiding it, but to help essentially trick Adrien into going on a date without his consent with someone he might not even like was too far. He expressed his disappointment, but understood that she had hard time making sure she was heard. He made it clear that Marinette would only continue to drag her into things that were definitely not legal and that it would be best if she separated herself from her. Juleka agreed since she wasn’t comfortable with it from the beginning.

Juleka had pulled the girls aside to talk about Marinette and how she didn’t want to be apart of it anymore. Rose and Mylene hesitated while Alix readily agreed with how she was never for it to begin with, not caring much about the romance aspect. Alya tried to convince the girls that Marinette was just like that and did over the top things but none of the girls were having it. With Juleka vocalising her opinions, they no longer felt comfortable helping Marinette with any of her plans, and having reflecting on what they were doing it, they all agreed that they wouldn’t want someone doing what they were doing to them. In the end the all agreed to distance themselves from Marinette and not encourage her. Rose, Juleka, and Mylene weren’t very confrontational people so they made up excuses why they couldn’t hand out with her. Alix had no problem telling her that she didn’t feel like hanging out with her that day and Alya hung out with her but quickly made excuses to leave whenever she wanted to talk about making another plan to go on a date with Adrien.

With the girls change in behavior, the guys of the class quickly took notice of the distance and awkwardness between them, or more specifically between them and Marinette. Ivan had asked Mylene and Mylene not wanting to hide anything from him told him the truth of what was going on. Nathaniel asked Alix and she had no problem telling him everything that went down and Marinette’s behavior.

 It wasn’t long before everyone knew about Marinette, everyone except Adrien, Chloe, and Sabrina. No one knew how to tell Adrien and no one wanted to really tell Chloe or Sabrina knowing they would make a big spectacle of it. Nino, not wanting his best friend to be in the dark any longer decided he wanted to be the one to tell him. They felt bad but they knew they had to get the adults involved. While they talked with Mrs. Bustier, Alya went to talk to Marinette’s parents. She was prepared for them not to believe her, After all, no parent wants to believe the worst of their child. She told them everything while also encouraging them to go up to her room and look around. She had told them about the pull out schedule and the chest of presents she had.

As the days passed, Marinette was left confused. Her girlfriend’s always seemed to be busy nowadays, not handing out as much as they used to, and even the guys seemed to be at a distance whenever she tried to talk with them for schoolwork and such.

When she got home she was greeted with an unpleasant surprise. Her parents had gone through her things in her room and found her schedule for Adrien along with the chest of presents and photos under her bed. They scolded her and told her that she could get into serious legal trouble. They then grounded her, taking away her phone and computer. She wasn’t allowed to go anywhere and after school she was to come straight home.

To make matters worse, when she went to school the next week, she learned she was moved to another class and would be monitored in case she tried to go near Adrien. Her friends wouldn’t even talk to her and the few that would would give an excuse to leave. She didn’t even see Adrien even anymore and when she did he would quickly run away. Marinette didn’t understand, what went wrong?

Too distraught with emotion, Marinette did not see the akuma apporaching her, getting closer and closer...

[rtv-puzzlevision-studios]

☆ THE RTV!PUZZLEVISION TOUR [Part 2]

Participants actions:

Becky

Marie

Loyboo

Astro

Nia

Nicknack

Harley

Grinnames

Asper

Vex

Lucas

Lari

Rayas

Lily

Creature

Sci

The Director

Bunnybot

The Scammer

KuromiPuzzles

Messy

Orion

Nira

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

While the voting continued, RTV was kind of just pacing around near Colores giving a smile here and there, asking how it’s going.

Typical host behavior.

Okay, maybe he was also shooting a few glares, especially in the direction of a certain head of the Delivery Department.

He was really considering not paying her that overtime because her grumpiness was starting to piss him off.

Something she managed quite often.

Tearing his eyes away from Nicknack, he now turned his attention towards that same brown-haired rough looking girl he talked with before.

Now she looked even worse, oh boy.

“Okay! I’m not sick, just sleep deprived!! The nightmare realm takes out on me a lot.”, she defended herself, even though RTV never even voiced his suspicion that she was sick. Apparently he had been a bit too obvious, whoops.

“I never MEANT to imply-”, he tried to say, but was immediately cut off again as the girl ranted on.

“All because my “friends” abused me and left me to die in a crumbling castle, which was my home. But the King - of the Nightmare Realm - is my friend and took me in. But… he doesn’t understand that keeping me up and having a panic attack every 5 minutes-”

“Miss.”, he interrupted her now, really trying to keep the exasperated tone out of his voice, as he folded his hands behind his back. “With respect but that sounds like something you should discuss with a professional.”

The TV head gave her a faked look of pity, before patting her shoulder once and moving past her.

“Preferably someone in the PSYCHOLOGY department…”, he muttered to himself, before quickly distancing himself from this particular participant before he was there to witness a live breakdown.

Perhaps incidents like this were why he should get some sort of therapist or psychologist on the team, but he really didn’t need people to think that his studio was a bad work environment. It was fine! Aside from a few hiccups here and there everyone was satisfied with the pay, the work-

Okay who was he kidding, alone the Film Department was a mess. Internally sighing, he put it on his very long to-do list. 

Note to self: Hire mental health support.

His attention was briefly diverted to another person he had talked to before. The brown haired guy with the missing arm. 

They were currently happily yapping about all the props and Puzzlevision elements before noticing RTV’s glance and slightly shrinking.

“Ahem…apologies, Mr.Puzzles.”

Was he that intimidating?

Flashing the participant a smile, he waved the apology aside.

“Why apologize? You came here to ADMIRE after all!”

He extended his arms.

“Please, feel free to look AROUND the studio while we are still here!”

In the next second, RTV’s smile slightly froze as he got a notification from Wr3n.

Taking his phone out of his coat, he spared it a quick glance.

Got one sneaking away.

Attached was a screenshot of a blonde figure sneaking towards a certain office door. Ah, that explained why Wr3n was notifying him and not security.

He raised his eyes, muttering an “Excuse me”, before moving towards the crowd straight towards the target which was just about to open the office door.

Mask’s office door.

“Now now, GOING somewhere?", he now spoke, placing a hand on the person’s shoulder watching with satisfaction how the deviant froze and then looked up to him.

“Sorry, thought I heard something, thought someone maybe wandered off and uh, well you know, figured I get them." they said, giving a shrug with a chuckle, before they looked off to the side, and avoided eye contact.

RTV was not buying it for a second, but right now he was way more interested in the person’s resemblance to Mask.

Another doppelganger no doubt, either from another universe or an insert without  background. He was betting on the first.

Either way, they had no business being here.

His eyes narrowed a tad at the familiar feeling that cursed through his cold hand as he touched the participant’s shoulder.

Could it be…?

“Oh but of COURSE, can't have that, can we? However I assure you everyone is accounted for, perhaps NEXT time, let security do their job, no need to wander off, hmmm?" RTV now snapped out of his observations, before his hands clasped together.

For now he needed that one away from this office.

Luckily, they seemed to play along, giving the TV head a nod.

"Very good! Now, why don't you join the OTHERS and cast your vote, we'll be leaving for the next department shortly!”, he announced before placing his hand on their back instead now and pushing them along, back to the crowd.

As soon as he had led them back there, his smile dropped and he gestured for Chris to keep an eye on that one.

What was their name even again…? He typed the question to Wr3n.

Astro.

Astrovision AU.

Ah, that explained a lot.

“Ah, Sorry-”

Stuffing his phone back into his coat, he turned to look down at the horned girl who had bumped into him a second ago.

His dry stare slightly softened as he saw the Puzzles Plushie in her hands.

A fan apparently.

If a clumsy one.

“No worries, go along, but do take CARE of your surroundings, yes?”, he spoke in a forgiving voice, gesturing for her to go along, before shaking his head and moving back to his previous position.

One that was approached by an individual with swirly eyes, black and red horns and weirdly floating ribbons around her waist a few seconds later.

He recognized this one as “Grinnames”, as she was one of the people whose submissions he had read through and saw sometimes when on the site for business with his ask box.

Well, at least the visitors seemed to warm up to them enough to ask questions now.

And he didn’t have to wait long for Grinname’s.

Raising her arm, she voiced her question in the next question.

“Colores! Mr. Puzzles! I have a question! Two questions actually. First, why aren’t Bob and Saiko on the crew anymore?”

Ah.

Well, he should have seen that one coming.

“Also…”, Grinnames now continued more sheepishly, tapping her fingers together. “Could I… possibly… if it’s no trouble… have the box of fan mail from Valentine’s day?”

RTV’s eyebrows rose in the air.

Luckily, Colores managed to ask the question that was running through his own head, but nicer.

“And… why would you want the fan mail? They’re not… addressed to you, you know.”, she asked Grinnames, confusion clear in her voice.

“Well, to be completely honest with you, I was planning to read all of them. And then eat them.”

“…”

The silence was deafening as even more questions filled RTV’s head.

“So can I have them?”, Grinnames repeated.

Feeling Colores’ helpless stare on him, he now sighed, crossing his arms as he looked down at the menace.

“I highly advise you against eating these letters, as they probably taste like tears, CHEESY romance and PARASOCIAL relationships.”, he spoke dryly, before smirking. “So that’s a no, I’m afraid.”

Next to him he heard Colores hide her chuckle behind a cough.

“As for your first question, well, Saiko and Bob have been…let go a while ago due to some HEAVY tension in the crew.”, RTV explained with a saddened tone, one hand absentmindedly tapping on the long scar that was hidden behind his sleeve.

Why did that guy even have blades for hands?

“So, I fear they won’t be appearing on the shows anytime soon.”, he continued, shrugging with a shake of his head. “Rest assured though they are just FINE.”

Physically.

“Oh yeah, I also heard someone ask about Luigi.”, Colores now added, folding her hands. “He’s fine as well, but he resigned from the crew even before I was hired because of what happened to his brother.”

“And there you have it. Now, if you would excuse me…”, RTV spoke, his solemn expression immediately turning back to a bright smile as he now turned to the next asker.

This was going to take a while.

☆

“ALRIGHT, THE VOTES ARE IN! WE ARE GOING TO THE FILM DEPARTMENT!”

Lucian who had been leaning against a wall next to the door after his talk with Sci, now watched how the people slowly started to leave the studio and started gathering in the hallway.

Chris and Swag already followed the crowd which meant that he was staying in the studio until the last people had left.

He briefly looked up, watching as his sister talked to that one anxious participant with the fox ears, visibly assuring them.

“Lucian.”

The object head tensed as RTV suddenly stood next to him.

For someone this tall, the TV head had the uncanny skill to sneak up on people.

“What’s up…boss?”, he forced himself to a casual attitude even though he felt like throwing his fist right into that man’s screen.

RTV gave him a narrowed glance for a second, the condescension visible in his eyes for a few seconds, before he lowered his voice.

“What’s the status on Animsay?”

Ah, so this what it was about.

“Worried she has more things planned that you didn’t know about?”,Lucian couldn’t help but mock, clearly referring back to the fanmail talk.

A scowl slowly faded into RTV’s expression.

“You already managed to ruin your relationship with your sister all on your own.”, he slowly drawled, slightly leaning down to Lucian. “Do you think I can make it worse?”

Everytime he brought Colores into this Lucian felt like taking his gun and ending this story once and for all, but he lost once before.

He was surrounded by people who obeyed RTV, followed him.

His sister included.

If she killed him, she would be one of the first to call security on him, probably hate him forever too because you didn’t just break out of brainwash like that.

RTV had a solid grip on his sister’s mentality and he wasn’t afraid to remind Lucian of it.

“Wr3n set her loose shortly before the tour began.”, Lucian now answered, forcing the hostility out of his voice. “If she’s not here, she’s probably roaming around. You know she’s not exactly caring about set timelines.”

“She better be about THIS one.”, RTV muttered, now walking past Lucian towards the crowd, screen displaying a happy face again though his muttered sentence did not match. “Or her vacation is going to be permanent.”

Lucian lowly snorted at that.

As if.

Without Animsay this whole tour would not even have been set up.

RTV needed her if he wanted to manage that whole 4th wall business even if he was too proud to admit it.

The sound of rustling paper made him glance up the ceiling where he saw Colores now picking something up from some of the cubicles.

Some kind of paper.

He quickly looked away when she looked over to him, not wanting to spark another argument because of his “overprotective brother behavior”.

Tsk, if she knew.

“Do me a favor?”

“Huh?”

Lucian looked up as his sister floated over to him, handing him the paper.

“So now we are talking again?”, he asked, but took it, giving the paper which turned out to be a drawing a puzzled look.

It included several versions of Puzzles with RTV in the middle.

Absolutely something that belonged to the tour participants.

“If you could stop for once to stop behaving like I can’t do my job-”, Colores started.

“It’s not about your job, it’s about the boss-”

“-that gave YOU a job after you wrecked your whole life and that of a bunch of others.”, Colores hissed, before shaking her head. “No, I’m not going into this again with you today. Take the drawing, give it to the one with the striped uniform. See you later.”

With that she turned around, giving a desk with what appeared to be a star on it a side glance before shrugging and disappearing into the depths of the studio.

Lucian stood there for a second, hesitating before cursing and turning around to catch up to the group which RTV had meanwhile began leading to the next destination.

Finding the owner of the drawing wasn’t too difficult as her uniform stood out quite easily and she was at the back of the group.

Putting a hand on the robotic fox-like girl’s shoulder, Lucian turned her attention towards him.

“Keep going.”, he told her reassuringly, noticing her startled expression before handing her the drawing. “Don’t lose it, alright?”

Taking it, she muttered what appeared to be a thanks before turning around and moving on.

Lucian did notice how the tension he had previously noticed on her seemed to slightly leave.

Well, his sister always had been better at making people happy.

Sighing, he crossed his arms, as he proceeded to walk at the end of the group, blending out RTV’s speech.

☆

“The Film Department makes the CORE of the Headquarters, after all Puzzlevison’s main thing is to create MOVIES and SHOWS for everyone!”, RTV meanwhile explained while leading the group back the way they came. Luckily for them, there was a second less cursed staircase in the hallway to the left that led back to the ground floor. “I could of course show you all the different studios we have, but I think you may be interested in a PARTICULAR part of said department.”

RTV now stepped to the side, gesturing for Swag to take the lead for a second.

He had to check up on something.

While Swag began leading the group onto the ground level over the staircase, RTV moved past it and a few meters back to the elevator they passed beforehand.

Pressing the button he called for the elevator, before slipping inside as soon as the doors opened.

If anyone were to step in as well, they would have seen RTV slightly sizing down to fit better into the lift.

It had been a premonition pretty much, a little hunch if you will and lo and behold, he was right to have taken this way.

A scowl placed itself on his screen as he glance at the floor buttons.

Below the two buttons that were accessible to everyone, were three other buttons that led to the basement levels.

Floors which were usually hidden behind a secret panel, one that a certain other TV head had carelessly left open.

He was seriously regretting his decision now.

It's always something like this.

Small things that could cause disaster, intentionally left around for her amusement.

To bring in some action as she would say.

RTV didn't want action in this tour, he just wanted a civilized little event, gather some data about these people and that was it.

With a loud sigh, he now put the panel back in place with a practiced motion, before pressing the button to the ground floor.

Really, one of these days he was going to-

Ping!

The doors of the elevator opened, revealing a much smaller TV head with a turquoise scarf and black and green clothing.

The black screen, which only displayed a few blue lines, temporarily showed a digital sweatdrop running down the face, before it revealed a curled smile.

“Oh, hey RTV-”

“YOU.”

In the next second, Animsay was lifted off the floor by the collar of her jacket and came face to face with a very angry RTV.

“I decided to let you back for the first time in MONTHS and this is how you repay me?”, he snarled at her.

“Weeeeeeelll”, Animsay drawled slowly. “If you look at it, I’m simply trying to fulfill our promise to the other audience by leaving narrative devices that could be used later to-”

“-to RUIN me?”, RTV ended the sentence for her, glowering.

“...well, it’s all a matter of chance…?”

“One. Just ONE more of these shenanigans and I swear I will-”

“Ahem.”

The fake cough made RTV halt in his threats as he turned his head to look at the rest of the tour group which had now arrived around the corner.

….great.

“- haaave a TALK with you.”, RTV now finished his sentence, before placing Animsay back on the floor.

Said TV head gave a thumbs up, before turning to walk away.

“Great! I will keep that in mind, See y-”

“Don’t even try.”

“On the other hand, staying with you sounds like a very good idea!”, Animsay announced, making a U-turn to join the group to which Swag let out a groan.

She wasn’t exactly beloved among employees.

“Hello, bonjour, assalamu alaikum, hallo!”, she now began shaking several random people’s hands, among them those of Asper’s, Nia’s and Vex who seemed to be zoned out by all the talking, before pointing at herself. “The name’s Animsay, some of you may know me from a certain site, wink wink, others maybe not. I’m the head of the Social Media Department but we will probably get to that later! Probably.”

She turned her head away from RTV, whispering behind her hand.

“Depending on your choices, yada yada. You read the rules.”

Running a glove down his face, RTV’s eyes closed for a second as he mumbled something under his breath before he turned back to the group.

“MOVING ON- if you would start following me again.”, he now raised his voice again, this time a clear strain to his cheery tone. 

He began leading them down the hallway with several doors with name tags on the one side and windows that showed an open area outside on the other side. In the near distance one could spot a familiar purple themed castle.

Animsay had efficiently placed herself in the middle of the crowd just far enough away from any security guard who would rather have her standing not to them. 

Whistling, she now slowly moved next to a certain trio consisting out of a Siren, a robot and an undercover TV head.

“Glad to finally meet you face to face! Hope you’re enjoying the tour so far.”, she innocently began small talk, before nodding to the side.

“Oh, by the way, the many doors we are passing? All offices, mainly of the Administration Department. Pretty neat, right? The offices of the heads, such as myself, each have their own office in the building block their department belongs to. Well, with exception for 3 he prefers to keep in the castle. Mine and Colores are in B!”, she happily began rambling.

The Director just quirked an eyebrow, confusion and scepticism in his gaze, while ​​the Siren blinked in surprise but seemed intrigued.

Bunnybot on the other hand grinned, greeting the fellow, what he assumed was a robot, with a bright smile and a wave.

 "I can't speak for everyone here," he shrugs, "but I'm having a great time!~"  

He listens quietly as the newcomer begins to ramble about this and that, leaning in with interest whilst stealing a glance at "Micheal" out of the corner of his eye.

“Well, anyway I probably shouldn’t hang around too much or the boss gets weird, bye bye!”

With that she moved on to search for the next victim to yap to, in this case a former employee and friend.

“Hey Mi, wait for me!!”

“Ani??”, the black haired girl gave the TV head a hug, before lowering her voice. “Are you okay?”

“Yep! No need to worry!!”

“I’m sure you’ve GUESSED by now where we are heading.”, RTV now spoke again, now opening a set of doors that led to the inner courtyard. “The SMG4, now SMG3 castle has gotten a bit of a rework to fit more to it’s NEW crew.”

Setting the doors so they wouldn’t move he now took the lead again, walking past the grassy fields and a few planted trees and benches.

“This area is often used by employees during BREAKS by the way. It can be accessed from ALL building blocks. Building Block C contains the studios of the Film Department. If you WISH we could take a look at them later, but I think you may be much more interested in the crew’s residence.”

A few moments later, they arrived in front of the SMG3 castle’s gates which Chris and Swag opened for them.

Stepping inside, they were welcomed by the familiar yet recolored interior. 

Checkered floor, two staircases leading up to a room above and several doors with pillars next to them leading to more side rooms.

However, instead of being blue shaded and decorated with SMG4 banners, the interior now was colored in several purple shades and Puzzlevision as well as SMG3 logos.

If one looked above they could also see that the ceiling had been turned into looking like a star filled sky.

“WELCOME TO THE SMG3 CASTLE!”, RTV announced, now moving in the middle of the room, next to the crew who had meanwhile been gathering while the group fully walked in.

Behind them, Lucian closed the doors in front of Animsay who had tried to slip back outside.

The “SMG3 gang” looked pretty similar to its original self if with less members and slight signs of overwork and aside from Tari missing Clench.

All were in uniform, now greeting the group with Meggy and Boopkins giving a bright smile and a wave, while Tari settled on a more sheepish and hesitant one, avoiding eye contact.

The head of the group, SMG3 meanwhile stepped next to RTV, looking awfully tiny next to the 12ft TV head.

Barely hidden dark shadows could be seen below his eyes and although it was clear that he had tried to look his best for today, there was still an aura of exhaustion surrounding him.

Clearing his throat, he now gave the group a two-fingered salute.

“Hey! I’m SMG3, but I’m pretty sure ya know that already.”

He now waved over to the rest of the crew.

“I’m the head of the Film Department and also the leader of the SMG3 gang.”

He then nodded to the other three.

“Me, Tari, Meggy and Boopkins welcome you to our crib- I mean base of operations!”

The meme guardian let out a small sigh of relief as Meggy now took over.

God, he was so tired.

“The film department is responsible for creating all the shows and movies that you know from Puzzlevision.”, Meggy now continued. “Of course, we don’t make alone at headquarters, some of our other locations also have their own studios, but all the movies and shows containing our cre- gang, specifically, are made here in the headquarters.”

SMG3 couldn’t help but rub over his eyes as he remembered the bunch of work he had to go through the next few days.

Maybe he should start asking for a vacation, but what would people think?

The Film Department was already known as the most dysfunctional part of the headquarters ever since he took over.

Constant bickering, overtime, deadline stress and then Saiko and Bob got fired.

Even now he hated himself for doing that, but he just couldn’t do it anymore.

Had he overreacted?

Sure, maybe, but he didn’t think it would end with them cutting contact with everyone.

He really thought they would come around eventually, understand why he pulled Puzzles into this and maybe they could have talked it out.

No such thing possible apparently and now-

…and now he was zoning out.

Blinking a few times, SMG3 forced himself back to the present, clearly feeling Tari’s concerned look on him.

“The Film Department consists of the whole castle and a few studios and offices over in Block C.”, he now heard Meggy move on. “Aside from acting, we are of course also responsible for editing, the whole technical aspects like cameras and sound and script writing though the latter is often taken over or proofread by Mr. Puzzles.”

RTV nodded at that.

“So yeah, if you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask them! Other than that feel free to explore the castle! I know a lot of fans always want to see it, so go ahead.”

“You can go anywhere except for the room upstairs.”, SMG3 now butted in, stuffing hands into the pockets of his overalls. “It's, uh, not cleaned up.”

In reality he simply didn’t want people putting their nose into his and SMG4’s setup that he still didn’t put away.

It just felt…wrong.

“Yeah, aside from that you can access the kitchen where we have a few snacks and drinks standing, the storage where honestly ain't much except a bunch of equipment and whatever we stuffed in there, the gaming room if you want to play a few games with Tari, the guest room if you just want to relax for a second I guess and lastly the bathroom if, ya know.”, Meggy added on, before crossing her arms and giving a nod. “Thaaat’s pretty much it! Have fun exploring!”

“Oh-oh! Can I play some animes on the TV in the guest room, pleeeease?”, Boopkins now perked up, prompting the gang to all look over to RTV to make the decision.

Said TV head looked like he would rather not have that happening, but sighed.

“...sure. Whoever wants to watch an ANIME, though I doubt we even have the time-”

“-I will put on the mini-episodes-!”

“-they can follow Boopkins into the GUEST room.”

“Yippeee!”

SMG3 watched the small green fish waddle off in the direction of the Guest Room.

Despite all the exhaustion of the last days, he was still somehow the most enthusiastic of them all.

The meme guardian used to find that trait of his annoying, now he really wanted to desperately know his secret.

Unfortunately the price for it was a sleepover and an anime marathon.

Well, until he got over to doing that he would just have to stay through this.

Answer questions.

Play nice.

☆

After a while, RTV figured that it was time for another vote.

In the meantime he had pulled SMG3 away from the interacting crowd and next to himself for better observation.

The man was done, he could tell as much and it may have been the fault of the last movie deadlines that got way too close to each other.

Well, it stressed RTV too so he wasn’t the only one suffering.

What he was more worried about was the fact that SMG3 tended to overthink when in this state and when he overthought stuff it often came to him questioning everything about the event that started his whole career.

The Puzzlevision movie.

And that was something RTV would rather not deal with today.

“ALRIGHT, NEXT VOTE STARTS NOW!”, he announced, his loud voice making SMG3 flinch for a second, before he quickly tried to hide his reaction by rubbing over his neck.

The rough feeling of missing texture quickly made him lower his hand.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────── ⋆��☆⋅⋆ ────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

Tag list

@niranutcake @fenicearts420 @leirom71000 @entityarts @alelathedragon @mylifeisfakeenjoy @lari-the-dragon @lislelycan-i-am-dumb-lol @rat-n-atty @nia1sworld @untitled14360 @Irayasostripes @theclosetcreature @jovialoddity @purpdrawsthings @varian-the-alchemy-boi

All characters of mine are able to be interacted with as usual! If you questions about how they would react, never be afraid to shoot me a message!

[artimaz1]

NICK FURCILLO ANALYSIS BECAUSE HES SO COOL AND MISCHARACTERIZED AND I LOVE HIM!!!!

Nick is not a “brooding secret bad boy who HATES women and is a PERVERT”. He is a nice boy from Australia that wants to make everyone happy. Yes, he is a plot device, but there’s still character there, and a lot of people overlook it because of his short screen time and the more interesting characters around him.

Nick is the perfect example of a people pleaser. He wants to make people laugh and be funny because he wants them to like him. He doesn’t open the door when Dylan closes it but apologizes to Jacob, he throws the phone because he thinks it’d be fun, he makes offhand comments during playful arguments but doesn’t join in, he can help Abigail with her bags, he goes along with the party because Jacob says he is- and that’s all in Chapter 1. He obviously doesn’t mean any actual harm- as shown when he profusely apologizes and swears he’ll pay for Jacob’s phone if he fails the QTE to catch it. The biggest example of this behavior is the campfire kiss. Nick has a crush on Abigail, but he wants to make everyone happy, so he goes along with the kiss. He doesn’t want to deal with conflict, but that’s what causes it. Also, Nick was drinking (which isn’t an excuse) so he probably wasn’t thinking straight when he did it.

It’s set up that Nick has a crush on Abigail but doesn’t really know how to approach her about it. He consistently needs nudges (literally) to act on it, but he obviously does care about her. He’s awkward and doesn’t know how to flirt- so he tries to imitate Jacob (or has the option to). He can jokingly ask her to draw him or he can compliment her, either way he obviously thinks highly of both her and her artwork and hobbies. Even while infected, his care for her shows through. The poolhouse scenes aside, Nick’s care for Abigail is shown constantly. He body slams a guy twice his weight for her, his objectives are constantly “protect Abigail”, even after he was attacked by a werewolf- the first thing he asked was if she was okay. (I am NOT condoning how he acted in the poolhouse btw, it was creepy and it was meant to be so. Im also not saying that Nick’s feelings toward Abigail while infected were always positive.)

From a character standpoint, Nick acting meaner while infected is probably caused by confusion, fear, and just not understanding the situation. He was attacked, probably in shock, and suddenly he feels things he doesn’t know how to handle. Unlike everyone else (besides Max when he first turned), Nick had no clue what was going on- didn’t know what werewolves were, didn’t know how the infection worked, and so he had much less time to mentally prepare for it. It isn’t “revealing his true nature”. He revealed his “true nature” when he was talking with Abigail in the woods, explaining that he acted like Jacob because he wanted people to like him and find him attractive because he didn’t feel like being himself was good enough. That is the true Nick, not infected Nick. Sadly, that moment usually gets overshadowed by the kiss and immediate werewolf attack, which is when he gets infected.

And from a gameplay perspective, Nick acted much meaner than the others because he’s the first person we see infected. We don’t know what’s going on, we don’t know anything about how they should act while infected. It’s setting that up. They chose the gentle guy who isn’t particularly outspoken and has a puppy crush because it was the best candidate to show the changes the infection caused. It’s meant to convey “nice character turns mean when bitten by this creature, that means that if you’re bitten your behavior is going to change.” This is shown in Max, Laura, and Emma as well. The only reason Nick acted out the most was to make sure the player understood that.

Using Dylan as a way to say that Nick is actually a super mean womanizer pervert is a flawed way of looking at the infection and Nick. Gameplay wise, Dylan has the option to not be infected. He has cutscenes that are the same even if he’s infected, he’ll act the same and say the same things. Nick does not have that option- he is always infected, always says the same things, always does the same things in the poolhouse. Screen time is a massive factor in this- Nick (not transformed) appears in 6 chapters, and only 2 of them are when he isn’t infected. In the other 4 chapters, Nick is shown to get more and more infected and acts accordingly. Dylan is in every single chapter (unless he transforms in chapter 9) and can be infected for 5 chapters at the most. He acts infected for 1 of them, which is the chapter he transforms. Again, this is because Dylan has cutscenes where he needs to act a specific way, infected or not. There is an obvious difference in screen time, which means there’s more time to get attached to and understand Dylan.

Also if I was infected with a virus that makes you literally explode, I wouldn’t act myself either. And hate who you want to hate, I just wanted to talk about Nick, this wasn’t trying to “convince you” or anything.

TLDR: Nick isn’t boring, people just don’t focus on him until the game forces you to- which is when he is infected with the werewolf explosion virus.

[dragqueenstarscream]

going to be honest if soundwave IS 'the eyes and ears of the decepticons' hes either going blind or he needs to be fired. mutiny talk w knockout and starscream aside, there's like 4-5 different instances of autobots AND rouge decepticons just waltzing onto the nemesis and it seemingly not triggering any security measure. hell, in the armada episode bulkhead doesnt even end up on the nemesis on PURPOSE, its bc of a massive oversight with an automated energon gathering system (also the only time we see energon gathered via automation and with no vehicons in tfp, but i digress...) and hes then able to take advantage of the situation to blow up the main power chamber! to say nothing of the 5 starscreams also getting on the ship the exact same episode. honestly the nemesis is just a security nightmare in general, both arcee and ratchet (and i think the humans?) are able to get in and log onto their computers with no issue like theres 0 passwords and they can just get right into their computer network so if soundwave is in charge like people say he is hes not doing much to actually lock that down

and tbh, i feel like soundwave's loyalty is massively overblown by the fandom. when knockout and starscream petition him to take megatron off lifesupport his reaction definitely doesnt read like he particularly cares either way bc he doesnt move to stop them at all, and in fact the only thing he DOES react over is the cortical patch that got plugged into megatron-but even then, he doesnt move to protect megatron from the autobots who infiltrated the nemesis and hijacked their leader's mind, he leaves that entirely up to starscream! the guy who 5 minutes ago was arguing the case to have megatron put down! i genuinely feel like based off his behavior that if the autobots hadnt been there that day he probably WOULD have let them pull the plug

its not like i think hes particularly loyal to someone else like starscream either, but he only really snitches to megatron about him once or twice and most of megatron's grievances against things starscream does are what he himself remembers bc the dark energon gives him plot recall powers, not things soundwave brought to his attention. he honestly seemed to dislike airachnid more if only bc he actually reacts to her attempts at usurpation (and even is in part responsible for megatron deciding to try to off her)

my pet theory (other than that the writers didnt know how to handle him) is that hes super over the war in general bc how else do you explain him making a beeline for the electrified consoles in the episode where trypticon woke up 2 minutes after the decepticon high command watched a vehcion get knocked out doing that exact same thing?

so i know that all of the security breaches and soundwave's general nonchalance about them could be excused by shit writing, but that's boring and lame, so i'm gonna throw in my own two theories.

1.) soundwave actually still is that loyal to megatron, and he lets this shit slide on purpose because he loves watching megatron beat the hell out of intruders. it's entertaining for him.

2.) he stopped caring about the intruders a while ago, either because he knows that he still has the upper hand and doesn't feel the need to attack or because he's so done with the war that he just wants to keep to himself.

either of these would be more interesting than chalking it up to bad writing, even though tfp does have its flaws.

[dysfunctionalupsidedown]

Mike Wheeler: Trauma, Insecurity, and "STurn" (Analysis)

In "From the Hair Chair: Finn Wolfhard | Stranger Things", which is available on the official Stranger Things YouTube channel, Finn Wolfhard addresses the question, "What's going on with Mike Wheeler in Season 4?"

Mike Wheeler’s behavior in S4 has confused many, especially general audiences. However, if you look at the bigger picture, his progression (or regression) into the Mike Wheeler we know from S4 does make sense. To get a clear idea of what’s going on with him, we must look at the four seasons sequentially and with a more subtextual eye. We have a few physical puzzle pieces, and for now, we need to fill in the rest with our imagination based on evidence. A Mike point of view isn’t particularly needed to fully understand this, although it would be helpful for the GA and is something I want from S5.

In relation to this particular interview, I’ll examine Stranger Things (2016) for the past and present and “STurn” for the possible future. “STurn” actually does tell us a bit about how Mike’s self-identity arc will potentially continue in S5 and wrap up.

Also, I understand that “STurn” isn’t factual and is not even confirmed to be related to ST5. Though I don’t believe this entire analysis is instantly negated by my use of the playlist, as its only purpose here is to assume a hypothetical future. Aside from the Finn interview, everything else comes straight from the show and holds a reasonable explanation for Mike’s behavior up until the end of S4.

Remember, this post is for fun and speculation, and "STurn" is the best we have right now. Just keep in mind that I’m going into this analysis assuming it’s related to Mike Wheeler in S5. I could be entirely incorrect. Similarly, this interview isn’t wholly factual either, as it’s not what’s in the show, but it relates enough to what we’ve been shown of Mike for me to comment on.

This might be a lengthier post. Be warned.

If you’re still here and interested, I’ll get right into it.

Trauma

Finn first addresses how each of the characters are dealing with their past trauma, and that is a perfect way to describe Mike’s behavior in S4. I think a lot of people, especially the general audience, forget that, yes, while these are all characters, trauma does have the ability to affect them and change their behavior. There was an entire “Your original character before trauma vs. after trauma” trend on TikTok a minute back, and that wasn’t for nothing. 

Mike, just in S1, witnessed one of his best friends go missing, watched this best friend turn up apparently dead (as well as see his “body”), went to his funeral, jumped off of a ledge, saw his other newfound friend disappear, and so much more. Don't even get me started on the following seasons.

Mike is afraid of losing. That’s what happened to him in S1. He lost. First Will, then El. 

His fear of loss and determination to keep things in his life are significant parts of his character and have been since S1. That’s why he was so intent on finding Will. That's why he checked his walkie for El every night. That’s why he acts out in S3-S4. This isn’t an excuse for his behavior, but an explanation. It’s part of his trauma, and we see this in S4 with his fear of losing Will and El again: “Maybe I feel like I lost you or something,” and “I can't lose you,” respectively. I theorize that he fears being out of control regarding these things.

A lack of control also explains why he was so volatile to Will and El during and after Rink-O-Mania. For Will, Mike addresses this directly to him when he apologizes. It’s made evident to the audience that he acted cold in part because he thought Will was slipping away, but truthfully, he wasn’t aloof. He noticed everything about Will’s behavior and even managed to make the tragedy of that day about their friendship. Now, back to the apology, “About the last few days… You didn’t deserve anything… The truth is, the last year has been weird… Maybe I was worrying too much about El… And, I don’t know, maybe I feel like I lost you or something.” His defensiveness during the argument at the rink seems more like a trauma response than straight-up disinterest, which some people apparently think.

For El, I think this translates into him wanting her to need him. If El needs him, then there’s no way he can lose her, right? We know from the show that she doesn’t need him anymore. Mike also acknowledges this multiple times, and that thought terrifies him. In the last episode, he explains this to her, “... The truth is, El, I don’t know how to live without you… I can’t lose you, okay?”

Before Will shows Mike the painting in the van, Mike explains his dilemma. Will tries reassuring Mike, telling him that El will be fine, and Mike says he understands that. Mike then explains his true concern, “But what if after all this is over, she doesn’t need me anymore?... The truth is, when I stumbled on her in the woods, she just needed someone. It’s not fate, it’s not destiny, it’s just simple dumb luck. And one day, she's gonna realize that I’m just some random nerd that got lucky that Superman landed on his doorstep. I mean, at least Lois Lane is an ace reporter for The Daily Planet.” 

Will continues to comfort him, focusing more on the loss aspect of Mike’s trauma, which is made evident here. But those lines also make it clear that Mike is afraid El will realize his inferiority to her and abandon him. This is a good transition into Mike’s insecurity.

Insecurity

I’ve seen people argue against what Finn says here because Mike is part of the somewhat “outcast” group at school. I don’t think trying to argue that takes away from the fact that Mike did, does, and will continue to try and lead a “normal” lifestyle. He’s a teenage boy with a girlfriend and a friend group he fits into. That’s normal. He’s trying to get by. 

It was the same in S3. Mike was a kid with friends, a girlfriend, and a new want for maturity. It’s not unrealistic that the character is aging out of or into specific behaviors, especially ones that he’s previously exhibited. That leads us to his insecurity. 

We’ve had hints of it starting as far back as S1E3, when Troy injures Mike, and he initially lies about it to El so that he doesn’t seem like a loser. Similarly, these themes pick up with Will in S3E3 during their fight in the rain, “...We’re not kids anymore. I mean, what did you think, really? That we were never gonna get girlfriends? That we were just gonna sit in my basement all day and play games for the rest of our lives?”

Curiously, Mike is shown to be especially “normal” in California. He dresses differently than he does in Hawkins and acts more aloof. As Argyle says, “It’s a shitty knock-off.” Skipping forward to the “... She's gonna realize that I’m just some random nerd that got lucky that Superman landed on his doorstep… at least Lois Lane is an ace reporter for The Daily Planet” line, and we have a good enough view of Mike’s internal conflict.

He is deeply insecure, and it seems particularly so around El. I don’t know if this was addressed in the show, and I wish we had seen some of Mike’s letters, but does El even know about the Hellfire Club? I don’t believe we’re given any indication that she does, which could imply that Mike kept it hidden from her. It wouldn’t be surprising, considering his complete attitude change in California. Also keeping in mind that Mike stopped playing D&D when he was with her in S3 and only continued to play in S4 while El was away.

Mike also displays this insecurity by choosing to distance Will. For what reason, I can’t say for sure, but it’s probably something “abnormal.” 

Regardless, his insecurity ties into his fear of loss. The more normal he is, the more things he can maintain in life and the less he has to lose. Especially when it comes to El. It all stems back to his fear, not genuine malintent, and I see too many viewers misunderstand this. 

It also works the opposite way, to a different and lesser extent. If he’s out of Hellfire Club, he loses his “normal teenage clique.” Aside from losing El completely as someone he profoundly cares about, if he loses El as a partner, he loses his girlfriend. That’s a blow to his normality. 

Will is confusing to me. If he “loses” Will, just like he felt he did at the beginning of S4, he falls more into the pattern of trying to be normal. There’s no impact on his normality. By keeping Will at arms-length, Mike gravitated more towards his “shitty knock-off” version of himself. Something about Will brings out what Mike feels is abnormal in him, so by distancing himself, he could avoid it altogether. That’s likely in part what caused such a conflict at the beginning of S4: Mike’s inability to be “normal” while fully keeping Will in his life and vice versa, his inability to lose Will just to maintain normalcy.

"STurn"

We’ve focused on trauma and insecurity. Now, it’s time for self-identity. I think that's a theme in store for the future. I'll refer back to the “STurn” analysis I previously did.

Many of the songs on this playlist contain themes of a false identity. I’ll start with “Angst In My Pants” first. To quote my "STurn" analysis:

This song is about a person attempting to be someone they're not, suppressing who they really are, and it ultimately leading to dissatisfaction. The lyrics, "You can dress nautical / Learn to tie knots / Take lots of Dramamine / Out on your yacht" describe a faux lifestyle one lives that only serves to hurt them in the end: The idea of putting on a self-harming persona. This could be what Mike is going through in S5.

Next, we have "Substitute":

This track is about an idealized version of someone being put in place of their true self. The narrator describes a scenario in which their partner sees a version of them, "I'm a substitute for another guy / I look pretty tall but my heels are high / The simple things you see are all complicated / I look bloody young, but I'm just back-dated, yeah", that is unrealistic and put on, as seen in the lyrics "Substitute your lies for fact / I see right through your plastic mac / I look all white, but my dad was black / My fine-looking suit is really made out of sack"... The concept of a guise applies well to Mike, as referenced in Angst In My Pants. A recurring theme of hiding oneself really makes me think Mike is going to completely abandon his interests for a different lifestyle. I believe Finn has also mentioned that Mike wants to be as "normal" as possible, so I can't wait to see [how far] they take that idea. It could also be him realizing how he's been acting, and admitting that this "romanticized" version isn't true to him.

Finally, "The Rebel Kind":

Like The Better Side, I couldn't find any lyrics, so I'm doing it by ear. Though, I'm happy to say that this song is about a desire to embrace differences and rebellion. "We'll be free to run with the rebel kind" and "It's not easy, but I don't mind / I just want to run with the rebel kind" establish that. The track appears to tie into Mike's insecurity struggles throughout the playlist. It could be the narrator's struggle to keep up with societal norms before finally giving in to their truth instead of trying to conform, read as "they call us rebels but don't get how hard it is to for us to keep up." On the other hand, it could be the narrator commenting on how society doesn't understand people like them, and, by embracing their true selves, it proves more about who they are than conforming ever would; read as, "you think we're the rebellious ones, but you don't understand that we're more self-secure and strong than you'll ever be." I can see both of these interpretations working for Mike and his connection to the Party. The progression of insecurity in Angst In My Pants and potential realization of this guise in Substitute is wrapped up by Mike's self-acceptance here. I really hope this is how it plays out in S5.

Conclusion

Mike's brewing insecurity, paired with his trauma of loss, seems like it may boil over in S5. I theorize that he’ll drift even more into his “shitty knock-off” self, even if just on the surface, and do whatever he can to maintain normalcy in his life. Whether this leads to more conflict with Will, we’ll have to wait and see.

Besides that, Mike might eventually accept his "differences." He also may be willing to cope with loss for what it is, even if it’s the loss of the normalcy he tries so hard to maintain in certain situations. I can see Mike having a heavy emphasis on self-identity in S5, and as I said earlier, I can’t wait to see where they take that.

Thank you for reading; I hope you enjoyed!

As is customary with all my posts, if anything here is incorrect or you believe there’s something I should add, feel free to let me know. I’d love to have more conversations about Mike and read all the predictions for S5 I can.

[tinyundercover]

pepper & felix

part four

Felix has a lot on his mind.

MASTERPOST word count: 3.2k

“Hey, Felix, are you even listening?”

A hand waved in front of Felix’s face, jerking him back to reality. 

His three friends stared at him, the four of them seated in a booth of a local restaurant. Felix blinked several times, momentarily shoving away the uncomfortable memory of a tiny heartbeat thudding against his finger.

“Yeah, yeah, sorry. I just zoned out for a sec.” He forced himself to laugh, beginning to pick absentmindedly at his food. The cozy setting of the restaurant helped to ease his stress somewhat, but his stomach still continued to squirm.

His friend that had addressed him— Alice— just snickered and said, “Honestly, Felix, you’ve been acting so weird lately.” Her dark eyelashes fluttered in amusement, peering at him from across the booth.

To Felix’s left, Breanna nodded, a finger twirling one of her long dark braids. “Yeah. What’s going on with you?”

As three pairs of eyes stared at him, Felix chewed his lip. “Um…”

He hadn’t told anyone about Pepper, aside from his soulmate, who had seemed to be just as shocked as he was to learn about the existence of tiny men living in the walls. His soulmate was actually the one to suggest that Felix keep his discovery a secret. 

As much as he longed to tell his friends about that crazy incident three days ago, he didn’t want to sound completely insane. Honestly, he was wondering if he had imagined the whole thing.

“He’s probably just worried about The Little Mermaid auditions,” Owen suggested, giving Felix a toothy smile from across the table. “He really wants to be Prince Eric.” He raised his voice in a mocking royal tone, lifting a finger.

(Owen didn’t do theater, unlike Felix, Alice, and Breanna. He just liked hanging out with them.) 

Felix exhaled. “Yeah, that’s exactly it,” he lied, grateful to have an excuse for his distant behavior. “I’m super nervous. I’d really like to get a lead.”

“Same,” Breanna and Alice said in unison. 

“I’ve been practicing, like, every day,” Breanna admitted, resting her chin in her palm. “I think I’m gonna go for Ursula.”

The three others voiced their approval. Alice then began to rant about “that bitch in Music II that just wants to be Ariel so bad” and Felix took the opportunity to zone out again, thinking about a tiny man sprinting across his counter, holding a piece of spinach. 

He frowned suddenly. Had Pepper been stealing the spinach for food? Had Felix interrupted him and forced him to go hungry? Was he okay?

“Felix,” Alice said, turning towards him so quickly that her silky black hair audibly whipped. “You are literally staring at the wall.”

“Oh, uh—“ Felix blinked several times, face going pink. “Sorry. Ugh. Just thinking.”

His friends laughed, and Felix ran his hands anxiously through his blonde hair, trying to ground himself in reality. 

“Hey— what audition song are you using?” Breanna asked, her brown eyes dark and kind as they searched Felix’s face. Felix appreciated her immensely; she never made fun of him and always seemed to notice when he was uneasy.

“I haven’t decided yet,” Felix murmured, glancing at her. “Something from Beauty and the Beast, maybe. I dunno.”

“I’m using Beauty and the Beast, too,” Alice chirped. “My soulmate actually suggested it.”

That caught Felix’s attention. “Wait— you’re talking to your soulmate, now, too?”

Alice’s eyebrows raised, and she sighed dramatically. “Dude, I just said that, like, ten minutes ago. Have you really not been listening this whole time?” Breanna and Owen nodded.

He flushed. “Oh, shit, I’m sorry. Um— when did you start talking? Tell me again.”

Alice, of course, was thrilled to tell the same story twice. She immediately leaned closer, as if she was telling the three of them a secret. “He turned twenty-one yesterday,” she explained, lips twitching into a smile, “and we literally talked all night. He’s so sweet, and smart, and funny. Like, it was love at first sight.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s just how soulmates work,” Owen teased. Alice gently punched him.

“Shut up. Anyways, I just knew he was the one for me the second I heard his voice.”

Felix offered a smile, but her words sent an uncomfortable feeling into his stomach.

“You’ve been talking to your soulmate too— right, Felix?” Alice continued, tilting her head. “How’s that going?”

Ugh. Felix stalled by taking a sip of his water, then cleared his throat. “He seems a little shy,” he admitted. “I… I don’t really understand him yet, I guess.”

“What do you mean?” Breanna asked curiously.

Felix chewed his lip, thinking. “Um… I mean, I like him. He seems nice. But sometimes he’ll just cut our conversations off without any warning. And he never really talks about himself? He just asks me questions, mainly.”

He rested his chin on his hands, dropping his gaze. “We also haven’t really talked in a few days,” he mumbled. “We just… had a weird conversation, and he stopped reaching out.”

“I’ve heard of this happening,” Owen said thoughtfully, running his fingers through his red hair. “It’s actually pretty common to not get along with your soulmate right away. My older brother hated his soulmate for a few months before they actually got to know each other.”

“That’s comforting,” Felix said darkly.

“I’m sure you’ll work things out,” Breanna offered, and Alice nodded supportingly. “It just takes time.”

“Yeah,” Felix agreed, although his mind was starting to drift again. “I’m sure.”

—

Felix felt self-conscious.

His gaze wandered around the walls of his apartment. He was currently sitting on the floor, legs crossed underneath him, and quietly singing along to a song playing from his laptop. This was normal for him, typically. When an audition or a performance was coming around, he spent a lot of his time sitting in his apartment, practicing. 

However— the knowledge that someone could be sitting in the walls, watching him right now, made him incredibly uneasy.

He hadn’t seen any sign of Pepper in the last three days, and he hoped that he hadn’t scared the little guy off permanently. Pepper had seemed absolutely terrified after their encounter.

His stomach twisted in regret, and his voice wobbled. If he could go back in time, he would change how he had treated Pepper in a heartbeat. Thinking of that tear-filled gray gaze staring up at him from beneath a cup just made him want to throw up.

God, I was such an asshole. He closed his eyes, steadying his breathing for a moment. When he held Pepper, he could feel his kicks and punches and struggles, but he had barely even acknowledged it. He had an entire person in his hand and he had completely ignored their fear.

Felix felt sick.

The song ended, but he had stopped singing along a few minutes ago. He leaned back dejectedly against the seat of the couch.

“You sound pretty.”

Felix nearly jumped out of his skin. He sat up straight, immediately freezing.

There, at the base of a bookshelf, was Pepper. Down on the floor, only a few feet away from Felix, Pepper seemed smaller than ever. He wore a tiny blue jacket that somehow seemed baggy on him, his sleeved arms folded in front of his small chest. A pair of tiny gray eyes were locked on Felix.

Felix was immediately hit with an onslaught of emotions; he was relieved to see Pepper again, but his heart was already thudding with guilt, remembering how easily he had trapped such a tiny being against his will. He felt incredibly uncomfortable to see Pepper standing on the floor, his neck craning to look up at Felix, who was also sitting on the floor. 

“I said you sound pretty,” Pepper repeated. Despite his casual demeanor, there was a significant caution in the way he lingered by the wall, as if he was ready to bolt at any moment.

Felix blinked, muscles tense. “Oh– thank you. I, um… I didn’t know you were listening.” He held his breath, as if Pepper might bolt at the drop of a pin. 

Those tiny shoulders shrugged. “I just overheard you, and I figured I’d stop by.” After a moment, he added, “Besides, I wanted to come and thank you.”

Felix did a double take. “Wait, what?”

“For letting me go,” Pepper explained, as if this was a normal Tuesday for him. “And you didn’t kill me or keep me, which is pretty typical for humans. And you didn’t go searching for me afterwards, even though it’s been three days. So… thanks for all that.”

Felix’s heart sank, while an uneasy feeling itched at his skin. Is that really what Pepper had expected from him? Being killed, or tormented? The thought of hurting Pepper any more than he already did made him feel sick to his stomach. He couldn’t explain why, but he needed Pepper to understand that he wasn’t any of those things he had described. 

“Pepper…” His voice was hollow. He leaned forward, heart twisting at the sight of Pepper taking a small step back. “Pepper, you don’t need to thank me. I should be apologizing. You didn’t deserve to be grabbed, or– or trapped like that. I’m sorry. I really, really am.”

The borrower frowned for a moment, inquisitive. Then, quietly, “You just did what any human would do.”

Felix’s stomach turned. “That doesn’t make it okay. I still could have hurt you.”

Pepper remained suspiciously quiet, and Felix’s heart pounded. “Did… Did I hurt you?”

“Just a couple bruises,” Pepper said with a shrug, picking at the hem of his blue jacket. “It wasn’t that bad though. Nothing broken, or anything.”

Fuck.

Felix’s stomach was suddenly filled with ice. “Shit… I’m so fucking sorry, I wasn’t trying to hurt you, I swear.” His blue gaze worriedly scanned Pepper’s small form, as if he could magically see the finger-shaped bruises underneath his clothes. “Can— can I make it up to you, somehow? Please?”

Standing on the floor, Pepper seemed even smaller. He was barely over three inches tall, and Felix had acted so carelessly that he had bruised him. What had he been thinking?

“It’s okay, really,” Pepper said, seeming a little wary. “I get bruised all the time. It’s not new to me.”

“No, no. Can I make you something to eat, maybe? As an apology?”

The small man hesitated, wide gray eyes darting around the room. “You don’t have to do that.” As if on cue, the rumbling of his tiny stomach filled the air. Pepper’s tan face immediately flushed, and Felix tilted his head sympathetically.

“Here… let me go make a quick salad. It’ll take five minutes. Wait here.” Pepper had tried to take a piece of spinach a few days ago, so Felix figured a salad would be a good peace offering for all the trouble he had caused. 

Before Pepper could refuse, Felix swiftly pulled himself to his feet. He immediately felt uneasy, looking down at the three-inch-tall boy from his height of nearly six feet, and took a calculated step back.

Pepper hadn’t moved, but his posture was significantly more rigid than it was before, staring up at the human. Considering the circumstances, Felix was grateful that he hadn’t instantly scurried off into the walls, and he murmured, “I’ll be right back.”

As he crossed the room into the kitchen, he tried to imagine that he was three inches tall, looking up at a man the size of a skyscraper. He shuddered, uneasy at the thought, and decided that Pepper must be a lot braver than he gave him credit for. The small man had actually approached Felix willingly, after all.

He stood aimlessly in the kitchen for a few seconds before rummaging through his fridge. He hadn’t gone grocery shopping in a week, and a lot of his produce was getting old. He’ll have to make do with what he had.

After a minute or two of dicing a cucumber into microscopic pieces, Felix spared a glance to his right, and stiffened.

It took him a moment to register what he was seeing. A small silver hook was latched onto the edge of the counter, and climbing up the thread it was attached to was Pepper. 

The small man was about three quarters of the way up, not even looking in Felix’s direction. The human blinked several times, entranced by Pepper’s quick movements. Pepper had pulled his sleeves up to cover his hands as he climbed, a clever way to avoid ropeburn. 

Deciding not to say anything, Felix turned back to the cutting board in front of him, carefully sectioning off an ounce of diced cucumber. He was halfway through chopping up some spinach when he glanced over again, only to see Pepper seated patiently on the countertop, raveling up his thread into small circles.

Felix gently cleared his throat. “That was impressive.”

Pepper tilted his head in Felix’s direction. It wasn’t any easier to read his expressions, even now that he was higher up. “Thanks.”

“Where’d you get that hook from?” Felix asked politely, absentmindedly searching for some sort of small plate or bowl he could give to a person the size of his finger.

“My sister,” Pepper explained hesitantly. “It’s an old fishing hook, I think. She got it for me when we were kids.”

Felix’s eyebrow raised, and he immediately had a thousand more questions. Pepper had a family, then? What was his childhood like? Did Pepper’s sister live here, too? 

“What’s her name?” Felix finally asked, figuring that was a safe enough question to not frighten him off.

To his surprise, Pepper actually frowned, tightening his tiny grip on his hook. “It’s not really my place to say,” he said finally, voice cautious but firm. “Humans aren’t supposed to know anything about us, even our names.”

You told me your name, Felix wanted to say, but he decided against it. He glanced over as Pepper spoke up again.

“Have you… told anyone about me?” Pepper spoke as if he was trying to be casual, but Felix could sense a tenseness in the small man’s shoulders. The human blinked.

“No… not really,” Felix said softly. “I only told my soulmate. I’m sorry. But to be fair, I don’t think he believed me.”

Pepper’s face was unreadable, so Felix added, “Um, do you know what soulmates are?”

After a long moment, the borrower finally said, “I’ve… heard of them.”

Felix nodded, scraping a blend of diced veggies onto the corner of a napkin. “Humans have a telepathic connection with their soulmate,” he explained. “So I was able to tell my soulmate that I met you. But he acted kind of weird about it, and we haven’t really talked since, so… he probably just thinks I’m crazy now, I guess. You’re in the clear.”

“Huh,” Pepper said. “That’s interesting.”

Felix turned towards Pepper, the napkin laying flat in his hand. As he approached, it was hard not to stare at Pepper, in awe of just how small he was. The counter looked gigantic compared to him. 

He set the napkin down a few inches away, hyper aware that this is the closest he’s been to Pepper since their last encounter. The small man visibly flinched as his hand approached, and Felix desperately wanted him to understand that he would never grab him like that again.

“Here,” Felix offered. “It’s spinach, cucumber, lettuce and some carrots. I didn’t add any dressing, cause I wasn’t sure what you like. And— I’m sorry— I don’t have any silverware that you could use. Um, but I hope you like it.”

Pepper, for the first time, actually sent him a small smile. “Thank you.” He swiftly approached the napkin, peering down at it momentarily with his small hands planted on his hips. After a moment of examination, Pepper picked up a piece of cucumber and tentatively nibbled at it. 

Felix hovered nearby, his mind racing with a thousand questions. He still had no idea what Pepper even was, or why he had been lingering around his apartment. Did he live nearby?

“So…” Felix avoided looking at Pepper, busying himself by scraping the rest of his salad mix into a tupperware container. “I know you said humans aren’t supposed to know about you, but… I can’t lie, I’m really curious about you.”

Gray eyes peered up at him, hesitant. 

Felix met his gaze briefly. “You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to,” he assured. “But… but what exactly are you? Why can’t humans know about you?”

He tried to keep his voice light, respectful. In the corner of his eye, Pepper sat down, crossing his legs underneath him. Felix hoped that meant he was comfortable.

“Uh…” Pepper placed the cucumber piece back down on the napkin. “Well, we try to stay out of sight, for our safety. The world just… isn’t built for us.” He gestured vaguely to the kitchen, and Felix agreed that he looked very out of place on the massive counter. “If humans knew about us, we would probably be seen as— as pests, or something, so that’s why we try not to bother anyone.”

Felix’s eyebrows raised. “That’s messed up,” he said worriedly. “You all live in hiding because of humans? That’s… awful.”

He hated the idea that Pepper had at one point believed that Felix would hurt him, just because he was smaller. Did he still believe that? 

“It’s not so bad,” Pepper reasoned, shrugging. “I mean, I’ve lived like this my whole life. And it’s not like we want to be interacting with humans, anyways. Humans are dangerous, whether they try to be or not.”

Felix stayed quiet, uneasy. Pepper continued hesitantly. “So… thank you, for keeping our secret. It means a lot more than you’d think.”

The human blinked, glancing over at the small man. Earnestly shone behind Pepper’s gray eyes.

“Of course,” Felix assured. “I’ll never tell anyone about you, I promise.”

Pepper opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but decided against it. Felix glanced over, watching as the small man leaned over the remains of his little salad and began to rip the napkin into a smaller piece.

After a minute, Pepper straightened up, and Felix realized what he had done. The napkin had been tied up into a little bundle, the salad nestled securely inside. “I’ll take this home with me,” Pepper said, genuinely grateful. “Thank you so much.”

He really did seem to have a lot of experience with this kind of life. Crafty, clever, and resourceful. Felix nodded, heart lifting at the positive response from the small man. “Of course. It’s the least I could do.”

Pepper nodded respectfully, beginning to walk towards the toaster, where Felix recalled there was a hidden exit. Then, the small man paused, peering up at Felix again.

“Also— I’m sure your soulmate doesn’t think you’re crazy,” Pepper said. “I think he’d be glad to hear from you again.”

Felix’s eyebrows raised in surprise. He had forgotten he had even mentioned his soulmate to Pepper. “Oh! Well, I’ll… I’ll reach out to him soon.”

“Good. And thanks again, for the salad. Maybe I’ll see you around, Felix.”

Hearing his name on Pepper’s tongue made Felix’s heart jump, not unpleasantly. “Right. No problem. See you around.”

—

Hours later, Pepper sat in his hammock, nibbling on a piece of carrot, thinking of massive hands and blonde hair. He sat up straighter as a voice entered his mind.

“Hey, soulmate, how have you been?”

“Hey, Felix,” Pepper murmured, setting his carrot down. Heart skipping a beat, he pressed his hands to his chest.

“Hey. It’s good to hear from you,” he responded, the corners of his lips twitching into a smile.

____

that awkward moment when ur soulmate turns out to be a literal giant that shouldn't even know u exist ... poor pepper

thanks smmm for reading! :]

[thatbxolivia]

you’d been acting like a brat all day.

anakin hated using that word, really, he did. you were a kind and good hearted soul, but today you were acting like a brat.

you fought him getting up, you refused breakfast, whined all day, kept talking back, and to top it all off, you were rude to obiwan when he tried to give you a hug!

anakin had enough.

“get in the house.” he said sternly, closing the door behind you. you muttered under your breath about how stupid this all was and how you were a big girl and he couldn’t tell you what to do. “say it again, y/n.” he said, not using a nickname. you hung your head low and shuffled inside, going into your room and locking the door behind you. you threw your bag across the room and screamed. you didn’t know why you were being this way today either, but now daddy hated you. you heard quick footsteps coming to you and daddy tried to open the door, sighing when it was locked. “absolutely not, open the door. you know better!” he said, raising his voice slightly, knocking. “y/n, you know the rules, this door stays unlocked, always!” he banged on the door again. you unlocked it and tried to shove him out. “absolutely not.” he muttered, man handling you to turn around and bend over the bed. “keep going.” he taunted, holding you over the bed with your hands behind your back. “what’s gotten into you?” he questioned, genuinely concerned. you were getting a punishment, that wasn’t up for debate, but he still wanted to know so he could maybe make you feel better.

“i don’t know!” you sobbed. “let me go!” you cried, kicking. daddy used his knee to hold your legs down, forcing you to be still.

“you need to breathe.” was all he said, sighing. he loved you so much and he would never leave you but this was becoming an issue. he had a feeling you’d gone off your meds again, and he was seeing now that this was something you needed him to manage for you. this was an issue, like he said, and he needed to correct it. he would do so by handing out medication for you and dispensing it when needed. but before that, he had to correct your attitude. your medicine, or lack thereof, explained your behavior but it did not excuse it. “what’d you do today?”

“i was mean.” you whined. daddy nodded.

“what else? you’re not getting off that easy.” he said.

“i was mean to obi wan, i was mean to you, and i fought you on everything.” you cried. you hated punishments because you were always convinced daddy hated you afterwards.

“wasn’t very nice, was it?” he asked you rubbing the side of your hip soothingly.

“no, daddy.” you sniffled. he sighed, not really wanting to punish you but it would teach you that you could get away with these things if he didn’t. he began pulling your skirt up and gave you fifteen hard slaps on your backside, causing you to cry out. by the last one, he himself felt like an ass for making you cry. he let your skirt fall back down.

“hey, come here.” he said, pulling you back up. you had tears in your eyes and reached out for your daddy. he pulled you in for a hug, rubbing your back. “i love you.” he told you, your head in the corner of his neck.

“you hate me!” you wailed.

“i could never.” he said, rubbing your back some more. he cupped the back of your head and made you look at him. you were hiccuping and crying and your daddy’s heart broke looking at you. “i could never hate you.” he said again. “i love you so much, i do this because i know you’re a good girl and punishments will correct your behavior. you’re still a good girl even if you make mistakes. if you weren’t good, you wouldn’t learn, so i wouldn’t bother. yeah?” he said, and he made sense. you were just still upset and embarrassed. your daddy knew this and brushed hair out of your face. “please don’t hide from me, i love you so much.” he told you. you sniffled and nodded.

“i get scared you hate me.” you choked out.

“i could never hate you.” he repeated. “never. you are the love of my life, i could never feel anything for you aside from complete and utter love.” he said.

“it’s so hard to remember.” you said. “i’m so sure.” you said, feeling kind of crazy for having all these emotions.

“have you been taking your meds?” daddy asked calmly. you sobbed and shook your head. “it’s okay, there’s no need to cry, baby.” he told you. “daddy’s gonna manage those from now on and hopefully that’ll make you feel better. and daddy isn’t upset at all. nor do i blame you, so please don’t think that. i love you so much.” he pleaded with you. you shook from crying, unable to look up. you were still embarrassed. “you’re still my perfect girl.” he said, giving you a hug.

“daddy, i love you. i’m sorry about today.”

“it’s okay, baby. daddy knows and he understands why. everything is okay.” he promised you, giving you one more hug. “let’s get you into a bath, will that help you calm down?” he suggested and you nodded. he quickly got you undressed and into the bathroom as he ran the water. he hugged you, keeping you warm.

“daddy, will you get in with me?” you asked, shy.

“of course i will, you sure?” he asked and you nodded. “okay, baby, you got it.” he said, undressing himself. as the water got close enough, he helped you in then got in behind you, the two of you sitting in the tub. “i know we cleaned you this morning but i figured the hot water would still help you.” he said, kissing your shoulder blade. you sat in the large tub between his legs and nodded. “what else are you thinking about?” he asked.

“i just don’t want obiwan to hate me either.” you said and daddy shook his head.

“obi wan understands you were grumpy today and he knows not to take it personal. i will explain to him what happened with the medication and that’ll make him understand everything. really, it’ll be okay.” daddy reassured you.

“okay, i believe you.”

“good girl.” he said, rubbing your back. you laid back and listened to his heartbeat for a few moments. he held you just above the water, making you feel secure. a few moments passed and he began lathering up a sponge. he gently put your hair up then washed your back, arms, and legs. he rinsed you off quick and the two of you sat there a brief moment before getting out. “i do want to say something.” daddy stopped you. you got quiet and looked. “you know i love you. and i’m never leaving. but don’t hit me, baby.” he told you, looking at you. “don’t hit me when i’m just trying to help.” you were about to ask what he was talking about but you remembered shoving him and kicking him and began crying.

“I’m sorry.”

“hey, i know you are. and i’ve already forgiven you. i’m not judging you, i just want you to know it can’t happen again. this is a safe space for both of us, that means me, too.”

“i know, daddy, i’m sorry.” you sniffled.

“it’s okay, baby. daddy understands why it happened and you know i forgive you.” he promised, pulling you in for a small hug. “i have never loved someone so much. please don’t think i’m mad, i’m not, it just can’t happen again.” he told you, setting his boundary. you nodded, trying not to take it personal. you knew he had every reason to ask you to not hit him, so why were you so upset?

“okay…” you trailed off as he helped you out of the water and wrapped you up.

“no, none of that, tell me what’s on your mind.” he said, wrapping a towel around his waist. and you did, you told him exactly what you were thinking.

“i’m trying not to take criticism so personally… and it’s not even criticism… i know you have the right to ask me not to hit you but i’m upset still and i don’t know why, daddy.” you cried, upset at being upset. his expression softened and he pulled you in for another hug.

“you’re embarrassed.” was all he said. “you’re embarrassed about earlier today and just now and it’s making you feel shameful. you don’t need to feel that way, though. i love you, obi wan loves you, everything is going to be okay.” he said, wiping your tears. you nodded, shaking from the crying. “come on, sweet girl.” he maneuvered you out to the bedroom and got you dressed after applying lotion, then dressed himself. he left momentarily and came back on the phone, talking to obiwan.

“yeah, we’ve had a hard day today.” your daddy said, referring to the two of you. “do you have a moment?”

“of course i have a moment for her, put her on.” you heard obiwan say. he didn’t sound mad at all.

“hi.” you said softly, picking at your thumb with your free hand before daddy stopped you. you sighed.

“hi, little one. your daddy told me about the meds, how do you feel?”

“sad.”

“well, that won’t do. that’s no good.”

“feel stupid, obi wan.” you said, sniffling.

“don’t feel stupid. people forget medicine all the time. you have a lot on your plate and you’re just a little one, it’s good anakin will watch over for you.” obiwan said. you nodded, knowing he was right.

“i’m sorry for being mean, obiwan.” you sniffled, beginning to cry again. daddy started to rub your back again.

“hey, hush now. everything is okay, i forgive you.” obiwan said. you breathed a sigh of relief, happy you didn’t lose your friend. “i think it’s time for you to take your nap, how about we all go for dinner when you’re up? will that make you feel better?”

“can i have a hug when i see you?” you asked.

“you can have two.” he told you, chuckling. you laughed a little, too.

“thank you. i love you.”

“i love you too, kiddo. both of you, we’ll talk later.” he promised and hung up. you handed the phone back to daddy.

“we see obiwan tonights?” you asked. your daddy laughed and nodded. “after i nap?”

“yes, baby. after you nap.” he said, tucking you in and handing you your stuffed bear. it was actually an old toy of anakin’s and he had repurposed it for you. you loved it.

“i love you, daddy.” you said, smiling.

“i love you, baby. so much.” he said, kissing your forehead and turning off the lights. “want daddy to nap with you?”

“yes please.” you said. he got in next to you and you snuggled up, on his chest, legs tangled together. your favorite sleeping position.

“you know i’m gonna be around forever, right? i’m not going anywhere.” he told you, kissing you on the lips. you smiled and nodded.

“i won’t go anywhere either.” you promised.

“good.” he whispered, kissing your forehead this time. “go to bed. i promise i’ll be here when you wake up.” he told you.

and you fell asleep, safe and feeling secure.

[muontron]

Alright, Rise April and Donnie mean SO much to me and it’s not even FUNNY. They’ve always been my top two favorites since watching, and my resolve on liking them really only got stronger after watching Donnie v. Witch town. (Objectively the best episode, by the way, but I digress—) this is the perfect segue to discuss how Donnie v. Witch Town was probably the BEST April/donnie centric episode in all of rise.

And although this is incredibly opinionated and biased, as this specific episode just so happens to be my FAVORITE episode, I still will put my cognitive bias aside and give you, the audience, solid evidence as to why this episode: Donnie V. Witch Town—is objectively the best episode in 1) explaining how and why Donnie acts the way he does, 2) demonstrating the strength of Donnie and Aprils friendship and Sibling-hood.

1) EXPLAINING WHY DONNIE IS THE WAY HE IS:

Okokok. So. Without a doubt, this is tumblr, and therefore, technically, I DONT need to explain Donnie’s autistic coding. But I still will because I for one am autistic and seeing such good rep makes me so happy that I just NEED to talk about it 24/7. If this is getting repetitive you can skip ahead. But if you don’t, this is some important foresight that changes the theme of Donnie V. Witch Town substantially, even though it may not seem like it. But I will make it quick so I can get to my main point: Donnie is Autistic. His coding is very prevalent and obvious, and saying he ISNT is autistic erasure. Donnie infodumps when he gets the chance to about his inventions, interests, or otherwise, and often gets hyperfixations very easily. (FAB spray, his dubbed “speech mode” from Leo, basically the entirety of Donnie’s gifts episode (which plays a lot heavily into Donnie v witch town just you wait), atomic lass, purple game). Donnie also has a so-called “monotonous” voice and has a limited tonal range. He isn’t very good with displaying or understanding emotions, especially when it comes to other peoples emotions, (like when Mikey was crying over Mike Tony’s pizzeria closing down, and Donnie saying “now that we’ve all moved on-“ mere seconds after explaining why he never liked Mike Tony’s. And then later saying “I WAS ONLY PRETENDING TO BE SAD WHEN IT HAPPENED TO MIKEY BUT NOW THAT IT HAPPENED TO ME, I HURT” when his favorite closes down too) despite this despite this (one off gag) however, Donnie isn't an emotional brick wall and understands negative emotions and feelings. But because of his low empathy coding Donnie simply just can’t FEEL that. Donnie also has a multitude of sensory issues that are sprinkled in across the whole series (such as, flavorless juice, prioritizing comfort, the battle shell and the whole deal with his soft shell, AND THE RISE MOVIE. Iykyk.)

Now that all of us have either had a good refresher of what happened OR, contrarily, educated on the matter, let’s all go back to the episode of Donnie’s gifts. This episode is an extremely important one in context with Donnie V. Witch town, and totally changes the perspective of that episode (in my not so humble opinion) when watching it from that lens. If you recall properly, Donnie’s gifts was basically about Donnie, well, making his brother, gifts. That end up being more harmful than good.

However, A lot of people miss the intention of that episode. Donnie wasn’t being a pretentious a-hole just because he could be a pretentious a-hole. He didn’t make these devices that basically hamper his brothers more and call out their every mistake JUST to pick on them and make them feel bad. Absolutely NOT. His INTENTION with MAKING those devices—(albeit concerning)—was in good faith. He made those devices because he GENUINELY thought, wholeheartedly, that they would help. And of course this isn’t really an EXCUSE for making your brother a shock collar that sends a 4000 watt jolt through his body every time he says a one off pun, but rather an explanation for Donnie’s behavior. Donnie made those devices, because he loves his brothers, and he wants to help them. And yeaaah it didn’t really, BUT HE GENUINELY THOUGHT IT WOULD. He says, before presenting the gifts: “(these gifts) are a whole lot more personal and if you don’t like them I will just be crushed!”

But why, you ask, why on earth would Donnie think that making THOSE THINGS even help his brothers, and why on earth would they like them? (Or maybe you’re not even asking that. Hell if I know, I’m just a ND teen ranting on the internet. Let me obsess over mutant turtles in peace!) I’m glad you asked. This is because I FIRMLY believe that Donnie uses his tech in the sense that he created that tech for his brothers, which is, helping or aiding him and his weaknesses when it comes to situations. We know that out of the bunch, Donnie is objectively the weakest (not very sports oriented, has a traditionally defensive weapon than offensive, ((but do not misconstrue my words this does not mean he is WEAK just in comparison to his brothers he’s on the lower end of the strength spectrum.))) and his tech highly heightens his skills. It helps him be more agile, attack with more vantage points—hell, his (soft)shell alone is a negative variable, and you know what fixed that!? HIS TECH THATS WHAT! Because of this reliance on his tech he assumed that his brothers would need or want that same reliance or help, even though they cope with their own issues in very different ways. And of course Donnie’s tech to help his own issues isn’t literally physically harmful, but I genuinely just think that Donnie’s Gifts was just made this way for the slapstick humor. (Sometimes there isn’t a deeper meaning to things and it’s just what it is. Guys I know we’re all big over-analyzers but this is still a Nickelodeon cartoon sometimes it’s just goofy for the goofs. :P) however Donnie’s gifts was such an important episode to me because it showed me the biggest way Donnie shows his love: Acts of service and Gift Giving.

Donnie LOVES doing stuff for people. He goes the goddamn EXTRA MILE to show off what he did for others, what he made for them; what he’ll DO for them, he’s not good with words or physical touch but my boy will LITERALLY fly you to the moon and back while reciting what happened on the Apollo missions and the space race with 100% accuracy. And there is so much proof of this SO MUCH. (When he made the hazmat suits, when he tried to fix albearto by making him “dazzle”, donniepods, etc…) his love for others and how he shows it is totally entirely transactional. This is how HE does it. And better yet,(?) he likes this. He LIKES being the tech guy, the fixer upper, he likes being called on for help and his prodigious skill because it makes him seem useful and more than that LOVED, and this is what he wants and desires sooo badly. To be USEFUL.

See where this is going? :)

Segue to Donnie V. Witch town. April, his best friend, is not seeking out HIS HELP for a school project, despite the fact that she almost always does. Instead, April is seeking out the HELP OF WITCHES, and Donnie simply has to tag along and help her get help. Donnie literally questions this and April states that it’s because when he helps school projects can uh, go a bit overboard.

See the parallels between Donnie’s gifts and Donnie v. Witch town?

Donnie tries to help, ends up not going so well, and he ends up not even helping at all in the first place. Double whammy.

And assuming we’ve all WATCHED Donnie V. Witch town, this same cycle repeats again. ESPECIALLY with the worms, and just when his pretentiousness and need to be right and PROVEN better gets in the way. His self righteousness is also his biggest fault. And everything goes wrong and he just wanted to help. And yeah, Donnie V. Which town is different because his broken ego is at play but WHY is he taking this so personally? BECAUSE APRIL DIDNT ASK HIM FOR HELP. It further strengthens his negative self talk of being useful and usefulness. Since, objectively speaking, he shows his love quantitively, when April has no desire for him to help her; what good is he even for anymore?! HOW WILL APRIL EVER LIKE HIM AGAIN IF HE ISNT HELPFUL!!!! HOW!?? He set this standards and he can’t even hit them? What is he if not useful? And with the context of Donnie’s gifts and how he really, truly, just wishes to help others, Donnie v. Which town is honestly saddening. I was honestly on Donnie’s side the whole time. Fuck those witches dude. And yes, what he did was bad. He should have been more open minded, and he shouldn’t have kinda messed up the entire witch tradition, and NO I am not making excuses here. But you must also remember that this is a teenager. He’s literally just a kid, and nevertheless from his perspective it’s honestly a betrayal. Again not an excuse but rather an explanation. Yes he fucked up but WHY? And the whole conversation with April really pushes it. “Because I’m the science guy—If mystic powers can do everything I can but better, then why would you guys even need me?”

Why would they *NEED* him.

Why, if mystic powers, can do it better—why would they NEED him.

It’s always a NEED for Donnie. He doesn’t quite seem to understand that mystic powers are a tool. And he is HE. He isn’t replaceable, but he thinks he is because there’s something more efficient than he is. He, essentially, sees himself like a tool, which is a mantra many autistic people have, including me. And although I joke about that line a lot it’s actually a really heartbreaking line. And if you guys see the scrapped storyboard..well.. why don’t I just show you…

“Solving problems with my tech is ALL IM GOOD FOR.”

“When you chose magic instead of me, I got scared, …”

Ouch.

This storyboard is infinitely more raw and personal and honestly I’m upset they didn’t go with it. If this doesn’t show you how deeply this matters to Donnie—how personal it is to him that people ask him to help them I DONT KNOW WHAT WILL.

Donnie is the way he is because it all builds up to his deepest insecurities, that people love him because he’s useful to them, and he goes and searches for validation and appreciation like a vulture looking for a carcass. He is so fucking desperate for a hint of being useful that he will throw everything he has to prove it. ((I’ll also do an analysis of relating this to the purple dragons episode because, albeit less angsty or obvious, these themes are very prevalent there too.))

Thus, this concludes my first point on how Donnie Vs. Witch town is the BEST episode to point out how Donnie’s insecurities truly affect him in every way shape and form, and how it really makes him who he is and why he acts the way he acts. It’s all out of the desire, the need to be needed. Next up: April’s response and how it shows their deep connection and how it’s just. So amazing. This half is more opinionated but I digress .

2) demonstrating the strength of Donnie and Aprils friendship and Sibling-hood!!!

Aprils response to this is equally as important. Aprils response is actually BEAUTIFUL.

“Donnie, how could you say that!? You’re not important to me because of your tech or science, you’re important to me because of YOU.”

That. Is by far. The best response you could POSSIBLY EVER GIVE. And her sentence is really self explanatory. Donnie doesn’t see her as a tool, or measures the extent of their friendship by what she brings to the table so why should she? Or, rather, why should Donnie measure that for himself?

She loves him because he’s HIM. Because he’s a nerdy loveable dork that’s passionate about what he loves. Because he loves HER. This is also the most vulnerable Donnie has ever been with somebody, and it’s with April.

“We do things better as a team,” AND APRILS RIGHT!!!! She’s his older sister. She’s his pal, Buddy, ride or die, and it’s—just—this whole Situation, their whole friendship, and this whole arc in Donnie v witch town means SO much to me. I really just realized how opinionated this second part is but let me be. And unfortunately I’ve reached the god forsaken image limit but Aprils further discussion in the storyboard of Donnie v. witch town also just further pushes how close and comfortable they are with each other. Basically, April says:

“Magic and science are just tools, it’s how you choose to use them that matters. And you choose to help people.”

MY FUCKING HEART DUDE. Agh. Shattered. “You chose to help people.”

I feel like it’s that line that really just pushes it for me. YOU CHOOSE TO HELP PEOPLE DONNIE DONT YOU SEE? ITS YOUR INTENT THAT MATTERS. And I’ll say this over and over and over again but intent means so much when it comes to things. April, using this line, doesn’t entirely dismiss what Donnie feels and says and does. But rather, puts a healthier perspective on his behaviors and needs to be “useful.” Shes basically saying: “you try to do what’s right, and that’s what matters.”

I love April. SO MUCH. She is such a good friend and sister and supporter, and honestly I wish I had someone like her growing up. Again I really wish they went with the storyboards because it’s so much more personal and touching than what happened. #aprilsweep.

Aprils support for Donnie (as well as his brothers) is unconditional. This is also observed in other Donnie and April centric episodes, especially the purple satin jackets episode, where April does call Donnie to check on her code which he does so with much valiance, before he gets roped into the purple dragons and stuff—and then at the end, when Donnie defeatedly talks about how he just couldn’t be a part of them , April replies with: “it’s okay, you’ll always be part of the April O’Neil dorky pals for life club.” I wish we got more of rise because I would KILL for more Donnie n April centric episodes.

Anywho, have a happy thanksgiving guys. Make sure to tell your autistic friend that it doesn’t matter if mystic powers are better than them or not. Watch tmnt and listen to stomu yamashta. Thank you and goodnight.

[gingerteafairy]

𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞

jimmy darling x brazilian!reader

Where Jimmy Darling ran away to Brazil hoping to forget everything about the freak show, discovering that it was a whole new world that welcomed him just the way he is.

tags n warnings: fluff, brazilian sentences are translated here, little self insert. word count: 2.6k

A/N: It's carnival here in Brazil and I had to write something about it. The only character that came to my mind was Jimmy, my poor baby needs a holiday from that life.

Jimmy was in awe, his ankles moving awkwardly as his head followed his eyes, trying to absorb every detail of the place. He had never imagined that traveling to Brazil for such a grand party could be so fascinating. The streets were filled with people dancing with energy; the beat of the drums seemed to pulse in the heart of every reveler, while confetti and glitter danced in the wind, falling over their clothes.

But the biggest surprise of all was that no one seemed to care about his hands. Not in an indifferent way, but as if it were a normal characteristic, as if he were not a stranger. Despite the colorful costumes and unusual outfits, he didn’t feel like he was at a Halloween event. He felt, in a way he couldn’t quite explain, as if he were home.

"Oi, bonitão Dá licença aí, por favor. [Hey, handsome. Excuse me]," a woman, dressed in the feathers of an exotic bird, gently touched Jimmy's shoulder, causing him to turn quickly. The lights from the costumes reflected off the streets so intensely that it felt like they were transforming the night into day.

"What?" He stepped a bit closer, trying to understand, but the pounding music and the harsh Portuguese made communication difficult.

"Eu pedi licença, tá bloqueando o caminho. [I said excuse me, you’re blocking the way]," she spoke louder between a laughter, pointing ahead of Jimmy. It was then he realized he was standing in the middle of the path. Without hesitation, he stepped aside, watching her dance with a lightness almost ethereal, as if she were floating.

"É lindo, não é? [It’s beautiful, isn’t it?]" You interrupted Jimmy's admiration, his gaze still lost in the colors and sounds around him. He turned his face, confused, trying to grasp the message being conveyed.

You noticed the strangeness in Jimmy’s eyes, his attention clearly focused on your lips, as if he were trying to decode the words coming from them. The silence that followed made the atmosphere feel even more awkward for him, until he realized his own behavior and adjusted his beret on his head, trying to return to normal.

“I’m sorry, I don’t speak Portuguese,” he smiled shyly, trying to rise above the deafening music while stepping back, more aware of his personal space.

"Oh..." You exclaimed, a sudden idea popping into your head. Maybe it was the perfect moment to practice your English. "I should’ve guessed. There’s a lot of gringos this season."

Jimmy's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward, his expression brightening with recognition. “Yeah. It’s a famous party. Are you Brazilian? You speak english way better than me.”

"You’re joking, right?" You laughed, enjoying Jimmy’s ease. He seemed so at home in this place, even though he didn’t fully understand the language. "Where are you from?"

“Florida, USA. Do you know it?”

“Yeah, I’ve heard a lot about that place.” Your curiosity grew, and your eyes sparkled as you looked at him. But as you fixed your gaze on Jimmy’s hands, you noticed the hesitation in him, a small, almost imperceptible movement that betrayed discomfort he was trying to hide. Realizing this, you decided to shift the conversation to something lighter. “Do you see things like this in Florida?”

"No, nothin like that." He laughed with a mix of surprise and delight, looking up at the sky where giant dolls, tethered by ropes, floated above the crowd, and parade floats with bands of different styles passed by cheerfully.

“Me neither. I usually stay at home, but my friends convinced me to come because one band I like is here, and they were amazing.” You commented, as if the idea of going to parties and chaos was a rare thing for you.

“Wait, you live here… in Brazil, and you’re telling me you don’t enjoy all of this? That's insane.” He exclaimed, surprised, pointing at the colorful chaos around him, the party overtaking the streets with revelers flashing exuberant smiles.

"Yeah, some of us prefer to stay at home," you responded with a light, playful tone, which made Jimmy laugh, clearly more impressed by your attitude. He never imagined someone could be so relaxed in the middle of that madness.

"Hey, can I ask you something? If it's okay, of course."

"Sure." You leaned in slightly, allowing him to speak closer. Your arm brushed against his, and for a moment, Jimmy felt flustered by the closeness, as if it was something unusual for him. But when he remembered that this kind of behavior was natural in Brazil, he allowed himself to enter the conversation, leaning closer to your ear.

“Can I buy you a drink?” He asked, a little hesitant, afraid of being rejected because of his hands, but you smiled warmly and without hesitation.

"Sure, but the bars are closed at this hour. Only a few markets are still open." You explained, and he nodded thoughtfully, trying to find a solution. "I know a place we can hang out. Come with me." You suggested, your smile widening as you pointed in the direction for him to follow.

You held Jimmy's hand firmly, guiding him through the winding streets toward a market you remembered being open at this hour. Halfway there, your eyes widened when you saw the man with glasses closing one of the iron doors, and without a second thought, you let go of Jimmy’s hand and ran toward him.

“Ei, seu Neto. Não fecha ainda. meu amigo e eu queríamos uma cervejinha. [Hey, Mr. Neto, don’t close up yet. My friend and I are looking for a cold beer],” you called out, stepping closer to the man, who stretched his back and looked at you in surprise.

“Oh, minha linda. Tá aqui uma hora dessa? Pensei que tu era mais caseirinha. [Oh, gorgeous. You're still out at this hour? I thought you were the type to stay home],” he joked, grinning as he took a few steps toward you. In one smooth motion, he pulled you into a quick, warm hug before turning his attention to Jimmy. “E quem é esse aí contigo? É teu namorado? [And who’s this guy? Your boyfriend?]”

“He’s asking for your name,” you pointed to Jimmy, who was standing off to the side, hands shoved in his pockets, silently observing the scene around him. You noticed the slight tension in his posture—his body language subtly showing he wasn’t quite at ease with the interaction.

“Jimmy. I'm Jimmy Darling, sir. I'm from the USA... a… gringo, like you say here.” He took a step forward, offering a firm handshake, but Neto, with a mischievous grin, pulled him into a side hug instead, clapping him on the back before stepping back. “Sorry for taking your daughter,” Jimmy mumbled, his face turning a bit red as he realized his mistake. Neto let out a hearty laugh, slapping him on the back.

“O que ele falou, minha fia? [What’s he saying, darling?]” Neto raised an eyebrow, still holding Jimmy’s hand with a playful glint in his eye.

“Ele acha que sou sua filha [He thinks I’m your daughter],” you replied, laughing at the confusion on Jimmy’s face. “No, Jimmy. He’s just a guy who works here at the market. He’s not my dad.”

“Shit, I’m so sorry! I thought... You guys are so close. Sorry.” Jimmy stammered, his face flushing deeper as he realized the misunderstanding, while Neto continued to laugh, giving him another slap on the back.

“Não precisa desculpa não, amigão. Entra aí, vamo tomar uma cervejinha que é bom demais nesse calor. [No need to apologize, buddy. Come on in. Let’s have a little beer, it’s so good in this hot weather],” Neto said with a grin, making a sweeping motion toward the market. He stood between you two, guiding you both inside. “Pega aí o que cês quiserem que é por conta da casa. Ratinha nunca sai da toca, isso é motivo pra comemorar [Choose whatever you want, it's on the house. Little mouse never leaves home, this deserves a celebration.]”

“What is he saying?” Jimmy asked, leaning in closer to you, his curiosity piqued, his smile still a bit shy.

“He said it’s on the house because I stay home too much, and he’s happy that the little mouse is out partying tonight,” you explained, your eyes catching his for a brief moment as you pulled open the fridge. You felt a soft chill as your fingers brushed against the cold cans, feeling the slight hum of the night around you.

“So ‘little mouse’ is your nickname because you’re quiet?” Jimmy asked, a playful glint in his eye as he took a beer from the fridge, following you toward the door.

“Yeah. Tchau, seu Neto. Obrigada aí e bom carnaval [Bye, Mr. Neto. Thanks, and have a great carnival!]” You waved, putting a plastic bag over your shoulder, slipping the beers into it. The market was quiet, the only sounds the faint chatter and the occasional hiss of cans opening, as the three of you stood there.

“Tchau, querida. Se cuida aí fora [Bye, sweetie. Stay safe out there],” Neto called after you, adjusting his glasses and waving with both hands in a comical gesture. “Bye, my friend Jimmy. The book’s on the table.”

Jimmy tilted his head, confused, then couldn’t hold back a laugh. “What? Why did he say the book’s on the table?”

“It’s a joke when Americans come here. It’s like the first sentence we learn because of an ad. I’ll show you later,” you explained, cracking open your own beer and taking a long sip, letting the cool liquid slide down your throat. Jimmy, still trying to make sense of it all, did the same, opening his can with a smile.

“Woah, this one is good,” he exclaimed, tipping his head back and finishing his first gulp quickly, as though he was used to drinking like that.

“Hey, take it easy, big guy. The beers here are tricky. They’re sweet and taste weak, but before you know it, you’ll be passed out,” you teased, watching him closely as he gave the can a curious look.

You both walked down the street until you reached a quiet square. The music still reverberated in the air, a distant echo of the party you’d just left, but the energy here was completely different. The yellow streetlights created soft shadows, giving the place a warm, cozy atmosphere.

You sat down on a bench, and Jimmy followed suit, sitting beside you. His eyes darted around the park, marveling at the children running after a ball, others playing an impromptu game of volleyball, and some simply laughing and playing games he'd never seen before. Elderly people played chess under a tree, while women strolled by with dogs of every shape and size. The scene was so vibrant yet so ordinary—completely new to him.

It was late, but the street was still full of life. Everything felt so far removed from what he knew. He still looked around with wide-eyed wonder, a silent observer in the midst of a culture he didn’t fully understand yet somehow already felt a part of.

“Everyone is so happy here,” Jimmy said, his eyes moving over the scene, as if the energy of the people around him was seeping into him.

“Not exactly,” you sighed, taking another sip of your beer while glancing at him. “I mean, it’s a great country. It’s beautiful, full of happy people, great food—but there’s a lot of problems here. We just know how to have fun.”

“I just said that because I got here, and no one asked me what the hell is wrong with me,” he murmured, pulling off his glove and revealing his hands. You felt a wave of empathy for him and leaned in to listen better. “I ran away hoping to be anonymous, but everyone here is so nice. Like you. You didn’t say anything when you saw my hands.”

“I think you’re much more than your hands, Jimmy,” you said softly, your gaze sincere, and a small, shy smile tugged at his lips. “Besides, why the hell would anyone be mean to you because of your condition?”

“I don’t know, they just do... I’m a freak there.” He shrugged, his eyes focused on the beer can in his hand before he took another quick sip, as if trying to drown his discomfort. “Are you a freak too?”

“Aren’t we all freaks?” you smiled, gently nudging his shoulder in a playful way. “I’m usually misunderstood here because I’m really shy and quiet and don’t like to party. I’ve been called a freak several times, but I’ve noticed that everyone’s a freak in their own way. You know?”

“You don’t seem shy. Actually, you seem like a total extrovert, nailing this conversation,” he teased, a playful smile tugging at his lips.

“Yeah, tell me about it. I’m shy by the standards here.” You smiled back, now looking at Jimmy with more focus, your eyes tracing the soft contours of his face. How could anyone be so cruel to someone so kind and beautiful? “Hey, where are you staying?”

“Oh, at a hotel nearby,” he pointed toward a tall building in the distance. You nodded, recognizing the place.

“I know that hotel. It’s pretty good.” You smiled, meeting his gaze once more. There was something in his eyes that made you want to know more, a kindness hidden behind the layers of uncertainty. “Hey, if you don’t have anything to do tomorrow, you could come over to my house. My family would love to meet you.”

“Wait, seriously?” He seemed surprised, his face lighting up with a wide grin. He looked at you as if still unsure whether you were being serious. “Won’t they find it weird, a gringo with strange hands coming over?”

“Relax, it’s fine. They’ll love you. You’re way kinder than most boys in my neighborhood,” you joked, making a sweeping gesture around you as if comparing him to every guy in your neighborhood. “So, we’ll meet here at ten, and we can have lunch at my house. My family is making a big barbecue to celebrate the holiday.”

“Lunch? Oh, God. I’m in,” he laughed, raising his hand for a high five. The connection between you both was palpable when your hands met, a brief but meaningful touch that made Jimmy’s heart skip a beat. “Hey, can you at least tell me your name so I don’t keep calling you ‘little pretty mouse’?”

You felt a little flattered by the nickname. “Pretty, huh? You’re starting to sound like a local, Jimmy.”

“C’mon, you know you’re pretty. You’ve got this insufferable charm in your eyes; it’s gorgeous.” He complimented you, giving a playful wink that made you laugh, his charm hard to resist.

“I like you, Jimmy. I hope you can really make it here with us,” you said softly, and your words seemed to touch him deeply. He felt a warmth in his chest, like a soft light was igniting inside him. His hand went to his cap, lifting it off his head, his fingers running through his hair with a shy smile.

“Just don’t get too pissed if I show up at your house unannounced, okay? I’m kinda clingy,” he teased, shrugging casually, his eyes full of that easygoing warmth.

“I’m used to it.” You shot back with a smile, leaning in for an awkward hug over the bench. Jimmy hesitated for a split second, but then placed his hand gently on your back, ruffling your hair in a tender gesture. It was like, in that moment, he had finally found his place—where he belonged. This was the place he had been searching for all along.

A quiet silence settled between you two, but it wasn’t uncomfortable; it was a moment of mutual understanding, a silent exchange of acceptance and the promise of new possibilities. Under the soft streetlights, with the distant echo of the party, Jimmy felt a stirring in his chest, like maybe life could be different here. Maybe, for the first time, he could find the peace and belonging he had been chasing all his life.

[redcamellia13]

Mitsukou Analysis: Omen Arc

Okay! My last bit of sunshine before plunging into the depths of misery. *annoyingly cracks knuckles* Let’s get to it <3

Why does Mitsuba bully Kou? Like many things in life, the answer is never simple. Which also means it isn’t gonna be simple to explain. (Haaahhhh, my fingers are gonna hurt so. Bad. After. This.)

I believe it’s a combination between two factors: a want to be close to Kou, which is a task he accomplished through pranking him, making it necessary for Kou to track him down, and it simply being a part of his personality.

Kou brings out a teasing, cutely annoying facet of Mitsuba, so Mitsuba stealing the sign letter might just be his playfulness manifesting itself.

This reminds me a bit of when Kou commented during the PP arc about how supernaturals were “weirdly practical about this sort of thing.” Kind of like they don’t want to get their hopes up.

However! Mitsuba… kinda has a point. I’m not quite sure whether Kou understands this, that he can’t stay with Mitsuba for as long as he would like.

Kou has, not exactly a child like innocence, but a sincere belief that anything can be achievable if you just work hard enough.

This analysis of Kou’s behavior has little basis in reality, but if you add it into the larger context of the series, it’ll make small inconsistencies in his personality make sense, and for whatever reason, it just… feels right within his character.

For example, in the Sacrifice of the Grim Reaper Arc, either Yokoo or Satou (sorry, I can’t remember which) noted that Kou never complained, which wasn’t due to bottling his feelings up, but not understanding the concept of whining.

At first glance, this has nothing to do with my point, but hear me out here.

Perhaps Kou believes, on a subconscious level, that because no matter how hard he works nothing gets better, something is wrong with him and he doesn’t have the right to complain.

I’m 99% sure I’m self-projecting, but if I find any more evidence supporting this, it’ll become quite interesting to think about.

Ughhhhhhh. You’re telling me the answer to why Mitsuba pranks Kou was here the whole time? I reallllllyyyy should’ve reread all these panels before typing that whole lame-ass essay.

Pushing that aside.. “No matter what I do… I just can’t bring myself to dislike him.”

Okay, I’m kind of stupid, and still don’t completely understand why Nene wondered if that was why he spent time pulling pranks on Kou. Is it because he’s trying to combat his enjoyment of Kou’s personality?

Maybe my original thoughts were correct, and Mitsuba pranks Kou as an excuse to interact with him?

And- let’s just pause for a moment. Is it just me, or is that quote a tad bit romantic? If you cannot dislike a person, that implies you like them unconditionally, which sounds a whole lot like you have a crush on them.

I don’t have much to say here, except for the fact that immediately after mentioning how it is impossible for Mitsuba to not enjoy being around Kou, we transition to Mitsuba asking Nene if she’s scared of falling too deeply in love with Hanako.

Almost like when you bring up Kou, Mitsuba’s mind automatically thinks of falling in love…

Well, how nice. He went from a perverted stalker enchanted by Mitsuba’s good looks to a “closet psychopath”. What an improvement.

And yeah, Kou’s actions during the Nightlife arc really weren’t logical, or something a sane person would do.

I believe I touched on this during my Nightlife analysis, but in summary, Kou’s decision to have a competition to see if he would basically assist Mitsuba in suicide based around a skill that not even Kou himself thinks he’s good at.

Actually, I might make a longer analysis on this, so let me know if you would like to read it :)

Right in the panel below, Mitsuba does get the answer to Kou’s question.

He’s mad because he ran off to eat ice cream after he caused a huge inconvenience to Kou…

And this does logically make sense.

But the way Aidairo chose to present Kou’s reaction to Mitsuba telling him this has a sense of intent to it, as Kou and Hanako’s faces parallel each other.

Why is this important? Since Hanako has a reaction that implies jealousy, something the reader can clearly infer, Aidairo paralleling his reaction is very telling.

If we are supposed to draw the conclusion Hanako is jealous, what conclusion are we supposed to draw about Kou?

And then, on Mitsuba’s side of the interaction, he’s either trying to make Kou jealous or Hanako jealous by framing he and Nene’s shopping trip together as a date.

Because he was talking to Hanako when he said this, the intent of this sentence was most likely the latter.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. Kou, isn’t it a bit hypocritical to get angry at Mitsuba for trying to get you alone with Nene when you just tried to go out on a date with Hanako? (Rejoice, Hanakou shippers).

Although we don’t actually know when he wanted to do this, so I guess it can be forgiven.

Okay, what have we got he-

………..

I’ve got my work cut out for me, don’t I?

Starting off with Kou’s expression in the 6th panel: it’s a mix between shocked, perhaps fear, but certainly not happy.

Which is odd, no? We have been lead to believe Kou has something of a small, innocent crush on Nene, so a negative reaction to his friend wanting to set him up with her is anomalous.

In the very next panel, which I didn’t include for some reason, he tells Mitsuba, “Didn’t you get the memo? All four of us are going,” with what I can only describe as a salty expression.

Now, for Mitsuba. I gotta break the news Mitsukou shippers, it is not looking good for his side of the relationship (in a does he like him sense).

If he was some form of displeased of how Kou’s friends were shipping him with Nene, he certainly isn’t showing it, even asking if he would like to go on a date with her.

And this, toxic people on the internet who believe Mitsukou’s unhealthy because they “don’t care about each other’s wellbeing”, is why you are flat. Out. Wrong.

Mitsuba is actively attempting to make Kou happy by giving him an opportunity to date a girl he thinks Kou has a crush on. (Of course, Kou rejects the proposition two seconds later, but I already talked about that).

Not much to talk about here, besides the way Mitsuba and Kou are looking at Sousuke’s mother.

What is with that? Kou doesn’t dislike her, so why would he have an expression that’s honestly closer to disgust than anything else.

And then for Mitsuba, who has never shown any sort of discomfort or dislike for things related to Sousuke, it doesn’t make sense for him to have the same disgusted/nervous/uncomfortable look that Kou has, so what the hell is going on?

Why not? Why aren’t you sure about this? Is he worried being with Sousuke’s mom is going to bring up painful memories, or is he more concerned about Mitsuba pulling a prank on her?

So many questions, and yet so little answers…! (Although I’m sure if I just properly thought about it for 0.048 seconds the answer would be ridiculously simple, but my body is functioning on solely highly caffeinated tea and copious amounts of sugar.)