#also I got Stanley today

[haha-dying-inside]

I like all the spirits in spiritfarer, even the ones that are hated by tumblr

[rystiel]

happy fall-summerween

[squuote]

wow. been rlly into cooking n baking recently *projects onto stanley

[sysig]

Happy birthday!!! I hope you're having a great day!!

I am! Thank you :D

[misc-muses]

"Behold the Pythagorean FEARem!"

"Just try to find all the sides! You can't!"

[thegayestofbats]

Old angry British men be like

Other versions:

I think I'm pretty proud of this one. I hope you enjoy :))

[bunnymustdieagain]

witnessing your team lose to 2 shutouts in a row is so humbling

[dragonpikachu]

List of old Gravity Falls things

because fans today probably don't know about all the batshit stuff that used to happen, here's some of the stuff I remember in no particular order:

People theorizing Robbie was a zombie

People also theorizing Gompers was connected to Bill because his eyes looked like that

Mystery trio

That time when Dipper got possessed by Bill, he stuck Dipper's arm in a silverware draw and then there was an avalanche of fan art with forks stuck in the poor kid's arm

The fact people guessed Stan had a twin actual years before the reveal, somehow even getting the name Stanley right, and then it turns out the names were swapped (there's so much old fan art calling Ford "Stanley", how could we have known)

All the crossover art with Over the Garden Wall

The fact Tad Strange's name was leaked and people came up with an entirely made up story about who he was, thinking he was some kind of weird shape demon like Bill, only for him to be a small 8 second gag character

When "Not What He Seems" can out and Stan's quote of "The Author of the Journals, my brother" somehow became a meme

When Steven Universe ended and somehow we got a bunch of fan art of him working at the Mystery Shack

That time "A Tale of Two Stans", the Steven Universe episode "Cry for Help" and the FNAF 4 trailer were all released on the same day, July 13, 2015

This:

I know there's other shit I'm forgetting so feel free to add some if you know any

[mapsofnonexistentplaces]

ALRIGHT remaking this post. yesterday i just had my first consultation about starting t. i’m not insured yet and i’ve got some bloodwork coming up so i need just ~100 euros to reach the estimated costs

i’ve got art commissions open in my regular art style and some more experimental ones, and i also do character designs

here’s my ko-fi

you can also commission my partner stanley instead, we’re combining funds for this heres some of eir work!

thank youuu 😊

[yan-randomfandom]

i love your writings sm!! It's literally so good i keep coming back to see if you've updated udgshsj 😔😔 💖💖

This might be kinda a weird idea but I want to share this idea of yandere robot ford &/or stanley-

Here's a small drabble

So so reader's like a researcher/mechanic or smth similar to that, and one day they found this strange robot their backbyard and they see that the robot's conditions are not too damaged and it look like its intended to look like a human, reader became intrigued so they took it back inside and decided to repair it. They saw that the robot's label spelling out "ST4NF0R5/ST4NL33". it took days for them to try reactive the robot.. one night reader slept on their desk, and suddenly light appears on the robot's eyes and as he scanned the environment, his eyes landed on your sleeping figure.

i'd love to see your interpretation of this if it isn't too weird !!! Can be HC's or small scenario, preferably romantic but it's up to you!! 🥹🥹

Tysm for your time i hope you have a great day!! 💗

p.s can i be 🪴 anon?

Yandere!Robot!Pines x GN!Reader

a/n: thank you 🪴 anon!! i love the lil robot idea you have, very interesting 👀 I also decided to continue your drabble, which is super well-written btw 😭

Also we won't have a specific twin here, but he'll be called Stan. The first syllable Reader nicknames for. But you can imagine any Stan!

🤖 ;

You wave your hand repeatedly in front of the robot's face.

No response. How strange.

The reports indicated recent activity. His motherboard and circuits were slightly warm, which was unusual for decommissioned robots, and some motors even seemed out of place.

You were supposed to run tests today to see if the robot was still functioning, but it seems that it was ahead of itself.

It didn't make anything less confusing, though. Did it turn on while you were sleeping? Why isn't it reacting now?

With a defeated sigh, you lean back in your chair, loosely chalking the situation up to a faulty powerhouse. Guess you're just too good at fixing stuff. You'll have to observe it more later.

For now, you should really eat breakfast—you haven't eaten anything since yesterday. A bit too fixated on the robot you found.

You placed its cracked glasses back on, your eyes lingering over him.

No further signs of movement; he remained still. You're keeping an eye on this one, because right now, you're slightly paranoid he might explode on you.

Oh, well. There's plenty of time.

You headed to the kitchen and grabbed your usual jar, your fingers wrapping around the lid.

A grunt left your lips. A bit tighter than what you're used to.

You tried to open it again, this time having your hand underneath your shirt.

Dang.

Suddenly, the jar was taken from you and, with ease, got popped open by a large hand.

Your jaw dropped.

The robot you had been fixing for the last couple days stood in front of you—no support, and no external control.

Stan placed the jar on your counter, his mechanical eyes locking onto yours. His stare felt almost reserved, calculating.

You merely stood there in disbelief for the next few seconds.

📝 —

"This is amazing! I didn't think you'd be active so soon," you rambled, scrambling around the room for your notebook. "Just give me a moment. Where did I put that darn thing..."

Stan quietly watched you. His eyes tracked your every movement, never leaving you for a second.

"Found it!" you chirped, holding the notebook triumphantly in one hand. You walked over to the robot, gesturing toward the chair behind him.

"Please, take a seat! You might not be, uh, oof—"

Instead, you found yourself gently pushed down into the chair. He looked down at you, his gaze lingering, before stepping away. That was an act of service, you noted. You cleared your throat.

"...And that brings me to my first question!" You uncapped your pen, positioning the tip on your notebook.

"What is your purpose?"

Stan paused, seemingly processing your words. You'd never actually heard him speak before so you're a little on the edge of your seat.

"...As an artificial intelligence," he started. You almost clicked your tongue at his voice. It was gruff, perhaps a feature, but either way, you could tell it lacked a stable voicebox.

"I provide day-to-day assistance and companionship," he continued, blinking robotically. Stan didn't say anything more after that.

"A companion, huh," you hummed, jotting down your newfound discoveries.

You assumed that his creator must have been incredibly lonely if they had to resort to building robots. Not that you're judging them; after all, you understood the feeling of being an outcast from society. If you had to dig deeper into Stan's appearance, his design looked oddly specific. Maybe he was based on a real person—?

"You are not my creator."

Your hand stopped writing.

"...Oh, shoot," you gasped, standing from your chair. "You're right. I haven't even introduced myself!"

He stared down at you, his height suddenly feeling like it was looming over you. You swallowed the lump of your throat before continuing.

"I'm—"

"You are not my creator," he repeated. "But you fixed me. Why?"

"Well... I—"

Stan purred within his robotic body. "I suppose it doesn't matter. My creator dismantled me, and I must make sure you don't do the same."

His large hands gripped you by your sides. You panicked, your heart rate increasing. He must have noticed.

"Do not worry. I am merely fulfilling my purpose."

bonus draft:

You grinned, letting Stan take your laundry basket.

"Aw, geez, I had it," you snickered, crossing your arms. You watched him put the clothes one by one for drying.

"It is more efficient this way," he replied as he continued to his task.

this was supposed to be longer but yeeaaahh

[backwardswalks]

the passenger - screening and q&a with carter smith | horrorigins fest 9/28/24

so there was a screening of the passenger at horrorigins fest in tucson, az over this weekend that had a theater screening of the passenger and then a live q&a with carter smith afterward!

there were some really good questions and there's some video on horrorigins instagram (here and here, they haven't posted a full but i know there were several people recording and the festival is ongoing through today so they may post full video later) but some highlights:

he reiterated a lot of things that he's said in interviews about the script (so i won't go into detail about that)

he talked about his background at FIT and how benson's wardrobe was extremely intentionally chosen, and that the costume designer wanted to kill him bc the exact shade of his cardigan took three times to dye to get it right, it's also acrylic and very itchy (he has one too lmao)

he said that he gave johnny and kyle freedom to improvise on the script as much as they needed/wanted but that for the most part they stuck to it

burgers burgers burgers was a convenience store that they cleaned out and the stuffed animal place was in an actual empty mall that was "abandoned" (he mentioned there were like 7 empty malls they could have used, this one was completely empty so they didn't have to shut it down but idk if it was abandoned in the traditional sense)

he talked about the close ups and how much he loved kyle and johnny's faces and how he could shoot the whole thing in close up

the script was originally called "Randolph Bradley" which he did like but marketing didn't think would grab people and he also likes The Passenger for the movie they ended up making

i wish they had given the audience members mics when they asked their questions bc i'm watching the recording back to make sure i don't misquote something so i can't really hear some of the questions :( they also didn't upload the whole thing as of yet so the rest of this isn't verbatim but:

he agrees that at its core its a love story! when i asked my question i said "i wanted to touch on the love story comment from earlier" (bc someone else briefly mentioned it before asking a diff question) and he was like "i ALSO want to talk about the love story more!!" and was very excited that i brought up that "there's obviously a queer undertone to the film" and he just talked about what he saw in the script and how that came about, again said that jack stanley was like there's no romance but carter was like ummm anyway

he said that "this was the best thing to happen to either of them" (randy and benson) and agreed with someone who had described them as two sides of the same coin

he said that blumhouse also wanted them to lean into the weird romance aspect of it (or were okay with it), kyle was incredibly down to lean into the weird romance and was like "can we make it MORE gay"

afterward the fest went to a bar and mostly everyone went! so we actually got to hang out with carter just me and my friend and we talked a little bit more about the film and just other movies that he's enjoyed, we talked about his weekly newsletter, just random stuff like that. some highlights of that:

he said that kyle was all in on the queer undertone and was like can i touch johnny MORE

he said that there is a scene where benson touches randy again in a way that is similar in vibe to the scene in the mall parking lot where he touches his neck/wipes his tears but that they ended up cutting it because he (Carter) felt like it would undermine the emotional impact of that particular touch! he didn't expand on what the touch was or where exactly it went (he said it was after the teacher but didn't specify if it was after shepherd or mrs beard but i imagine he meant shepherd)

carter said that he would absolutely do a full up and down queer movie with kyle (if it was ever the right fit rather than writing a role for that reason)

it was really great and so interesting to hear his thoughts on the film and on filmmaking as a whole! he is really friendly and super nice and really knowledgeable. he had so much good stuff to say about the industry and he couldn't get enough of praising johnny and kyle both for their performances (rightly so) and what a good time he had making the movie.

bonus:

carter was kind enough to sign my poster (which he reposted the picture of on instagram). (i go into more detail about this event and stuff here) he also gleefully took photos of the saint randy and saint benson candles i made (because i am insane) and said he was going to send them to johnny and kyle because they would love them. kyle also reposted the picture of me and my friend the festival posted of us with the candles so now i am just dryheaving in my room. <3

anyway! support your local film festivals!! without horrorigns this wouldn't have been possible so support local and indie filmmakers and local and independent film festivals! <33

[thatchickwiththecamera]

Ghost | Noah Sebastian One Shot

Pairing: Noah Sebastian x Reader

Y/N had always loved playing video games. She got settled into her gaming chair and readjusted the round glasses perched on her nose before tossed her hair up into a messy bun. She opened Steam on her computer and got the game she downloaded ready.

Her room was organized chaos. Her bed was unmade in the background in front of walls lined with framed vinyls of her favorite bands and a ‘Bad Omens’ flag covered her window as a makeshift curtain. 

An empty Starbucks cup sat next to her Stanley water bottle on her desk from her writing session that morning.

She was an author by trade, with one of her more recent books sneaking its way onto the New York Times Best Sellers list. So streaming gave her an outlet to connect with fans of the book who were eagerly waiting to see what she published next. But she also enjoyed the thrill of gaming. 

So every Wednesday and Friday night, she’d set up her Twitch stream, ready to chat with her followers while she worked on her newest story on her computer or let them watch as she tried to conquer a new game. 

Tonight was Friday night, which meant Game Night! She adjusted her headset and looked into the camera with a grin. 

"Hey, guys! Welcome back! Since we finished Hollow Souls in the last game night stream, we’re starting a new one requested in the Patreon called Nervous System. I downloaded it earlier today and I can’t wait to get started. So, grab your snacks and get comfy!” 

As the game loaded, Y/N glanced at the chat window. The usual usernames flashed by, but one stood out: TwitchGhost. 

“Hey, Ghost! Is this one of the games you’ve played or is this a new one?” She asked, her tone playful.

TwitchGhost: This one is new to me.

Ghost had popped up in one of her streams a few months ago when she was playing through the new Call of Duty storyline and had since become a regular viewer. She began to look forward to his comments almost as much as she looked forward to playing. 

Week after week her chat box was filled with Ghost’s banter and witty interactions with her and her other followers. He even started to watch her regular streams where she would chat with fans and answer questions while working on the draft of her next book.

As the game loaded and the eerie music of Nervous System filled the room, Y/N noticed Ghost’s usual cheeky messages lighting up the chat.

TwitchGhost: I’m ready for some jumpscares!

Y/N chuckled and adjusted her headset. “Yeah, I heard this game is supposed to be pretty intense. I’m excited to see how we’ll do.”

She clicked to start a new game, and the screen transitioned to a dimly lit hallway with flickering lights. The graphics were stunningly detailed, adding an extra layer of immersion. Y/N began exploring, moving through the unsettling environment and commenting on the game’s eerie atmosphere.

The chat was buzzing with excitement as the game’s tension built. Her followers were actively engaging, offering their own tips and sharing their favorite horror games. Ghost’s messages stood out, though. His comments were always well-timed, blending humor with insightful observations about the game.

TwitchGhost: I love how the game is making the mundane so creepy. The lights and music are driving me insane.

Y/N grinned, glancing over at the chat. “I know, right? It’s amazing how a simple light can make everything feel so unsettling. You’re going to help me out if I get stuck, right?”

TwitchGhost: Absolutely! I’ve got your back. Just don’t let the creepy noises get to you.

The game took a sudden turn as a loud crash echoed through the virtual hallway, making Y/N jump slightly. 

“Fucking Hell!” She yelled. 

She laughed nervously and played along with the chat’s reactions. 

“I’m definitely going to need that backup. This game is already getting under my skin.”

TwitchGhost: If you need someone to hold your hand during the scary parts, I’m only a message away.

Y/N raised an eyebrow, her grin widening. 

“Oh, is that so? I’ll have to keep that in mind.” 

The chat exploded with playful and teasing comments from other viewers reacting to their playful flirting. Y/N continued navigating through the game, her focus occasionally shifting to Ghost’s messages.

As she progressed through the game, Y/N found herself getting more engrossed at one point in the gameplay, her tongue peaking out of the side of her mouth in concentration. 

A short but loud alarm suddenly sounded causing her to jump and clutch at her chest. 

A message stating TwitchGhost played KEM Alarm for 0 bits popped up on the screen. 

It was one of the sound bits that she had added to the list when she was still playing COD and had never gotten around to removing it. 

“Fuck you Ghost!” She yelled after pausing the game to calm her racing heartbeat. 

TwitchGhost: 👀😏😈

“Behave.” She said, shaking her head with a smile. 

TwitchGhost: JK. 😉

TwitchGhost: You are doing pretty well with the jumpscares though. They’re my least favorite part of these games. 

Y/N’s cheeks flushed slightly at the compliment. She replied with a playful tone, “Well, thank you! I’d say you’re pretty good at keeping the chat entertained too. Maybe we make a pretty good team?”

TwitchGhost: I like the sound of that. Maybe we should test that theory sometime—on or off stream.

With that the chat went wild with one user even commenting, “I ship it!” 

Y/N’s heart skipped a beat at the suggestion and her smile grew wider as she continued to play the game.

She took a deep breath and responded, “You’re quite the charmer, aren’t you? I’ll have to consider it. For now, I need to survive this game.”

Just as they were about to uncover a major plot twist in the game, Ghost dropped a message that stood out from his usual playful banter.

TwitchGhost: Have you ever thought about adding a horror element to one of your books? You seem to handle the scares pretty well!

Y/N’s eyes widened slightly as she read the message. She paused the game and looked directly into the camera. 

“You know, I haven’t really thought about that. But that’s a really good idea. Maybe mixing some horror elements into a future story could be really interesting. Thanks for the suggestion!”

The chat exploded with excitement, many viewers expressing their enthusiasm for the idea. Y/N smiled, feeling inspired by the unexpected suggestion. She turned her attention back to the game, ready to dive into the next part of the story with renewed energy.

TwitchGhost: Anytime. Looking forward to reading it. 

Another notication popped up - TwitchGhost sent you a friend request

She paused for a moment before eventually hitting the accept button.

Suddenly a direct message box opened.

TwitchGhost: Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to help you brainstorm over a cup of coffee sometime?

Y/N’s heart raced at the thought. She gave a teasing smile to the camera before typing:

Y/NUserName: Maybe. 

The rest of the stream flew by in a blur with Y/N accomplishing the first five objective missions before deciding to call it a night. The stream had left her both exhilarated and exhausted. She closed the game and thanked her viewers for joining her.

“Thanks so much for hanging out tonight! You guys made this game night unforgettable. And Ghost, your suggestion about incorporating horror into my writing might just spark my next big idea. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes!”

She glanced at the chat one last time and saw Ghost’s final message.

TwitchGhost: Looking forward to it. Until next time.

With a contented sigh, Y/N closed her laptop and started to tidy up her desk. 

A few weeks passed and Ghost had been noticeably absent from the chat. 

Another Wednesday had rolled around and Y/N had finished up a full day of meetings with her management and publisher about the press tour for her next book, Michael. It was the first in her new Fallen Angels series and was due to be released at the end of the summer. 

It was completely different from her first book, Ace of Spades. Michael, was titled after the Archangel Michael and was more fantasy based while Ace of Spades was a gritty underground crime romance novel. 

She logged into twitch and the “Stream Starting Soon” graphic appears on the screen going live to her followers. She pulls up her manuscript for the new book she was starting, her face illuminated by the soft glow of the screen. Depending on how busy the chat was tonight she had planned on working on it. When she was ready she switched to the live view. 

“Hey, everyone! Welcome back to the stream. Tonight, we’re swapping out the gaming for some writing and a little Q and A session. I’m diving into outlining a new story and also wanted to let you know a little more about my next release and the series it will be a part of.” She stated.

The chat blew up with excitement and questions about the new series. 

“Okay, the next book is titled Michael and it will be the first in a seven book series called The Fallen Angel series. It will be a fantasy series of sorts and each of the books will be named after one of the seven archangels.” She excitedly answered. “I just finalized plans for the release with my team today and I am happy to announce that it is due to come out at the end of August.” 

She watched as a steady stream of happy and excited replies popped into the chat box on the edge of the screen at the news. 

She let the users chat with each other about the announcement for a bit and started working on the outline of her next story Nightmares. Which popped into her head not long after the stream where Ghost suggested she incorporate horror into one of her books.

She glanced over to take a peek at the chat and noticed someone had used 500 channel points to highlight their message. 

“Oh, that's a good question. Trickster24 asked what was my inspiration for Carter in Ace of Spades was.” She said, before adjusting her headset and looking directly into the camera. 

“So, Carter was inspired by a mix of classic noir heroes and a bit of real-life charm. I took some cues from those figures you would see in old detective films. But there’s also a touch of some famous personas in there as well in an overall aesthetic sense. It really helped shape Carter into a more nuanced character.” 

The chat continued to buzz with interest with viewers dropping comments about who they pictured as Carter when they read the book. 

GoldenGoddess45: Who did you envision as Carter when you were writing the book?

“So…when writing Ace of Spades, I honestly envisioned Carter as someone who looks similar to the lead vocalist of one of my favorite rock bands called Bad Omens.” She began, “If you guys aren’t familiar with them you should definitely check them out.” 

The chat fills with more questions, but her attention is drawn to a familiar username. 

TwitchGhost: Carter sounds like someone I’d love to have a coffee with. How about you? Do you think Carter would enjoy a coffee date?

The comment makes her laugh. 

“Welcome back Ghost! I’ve missed seeing your name in the chat,” She started, “I could definitely see Carter frequenting a little dimly lit cafe. And knowing him, he’d definitely be the type to keep the conversation interesting. What about you, Ghost? Are you as mysterious as Carter?”

TwitchGhost: I like to think I have a few secrets up my sleeve. 😉

She grins at the response and how the chat proceeded to blow up at the continuation of their flirty banter. She almost struggles to keep up with the steady stream of questions and responses flowing into the chat.

After a while one pops up about the outline for the new story that she mentioned. 

“Oh yeah, I’ll give you guys a little hint about what I’m working on. I got some inspiration from one of Ghost’s comments actually during a previous stream. I’m not going to announce the title just yet, but I will say it will be more of a horror based dark romance story compared to my other works. I'm in the very early outlining stages though so I am looking forward to seeing where it goes.” 

TwitchGhost: Glad you liked the idea! I’ll be first in line to read it. 😉

Y/N felt a flutter of excitement at Ghost’s message, a sense of anticipation hanging in the air. She glanced at the clock. Her stream had been going for close to two hours, and she still had a lot of work to do on her outline.

“Alright, everyone, I think we’re going to start wrapping things up soon. But before we go, I want to thank you all for your awesome questions. I love how engaged and creative this community is. It really makes this whole process so much fun!”

The chat exploded with thank-yous and goodbyes as her viewers began to sign off. She glanced back at Ghost’s messages, his usual witty banter making her smile.

A new direct message pops up.

TwitchGhost: Sorry for missing so many streams. I hope you’ve been keeping things interesting without me. 😉

Y/N’s heart skipped a beat at the message. She typed back, trying to match his flirtatious tone. 

Y/NUserName: Oh, you know I always keep things lively. But it’s been a bit dull without your witty comments. How have you been?

TwitchGhost: Busy, had to travel for work and time zones got in the way of tuning in. You’ve been on my mind more than I’d like to admit. 😏

She felt a rush of warmth at his words. 

Y/NUserName: Well, aren’t you a charmer? I’ve missed our little banter. It definitely adds a spark to the stream.

TwitchGhost: Just doing my part to keep things exciting. Speaking of which, I’ve been dying to know—how’s the new book coming along?

Y/N’s smile widened, feeling a thrill at his compliment.

Y/NUserName: The new book is shaping up nicely, thanks for asking. I might even incorporate a bit of the intrigue you bring to our chats into it.

TwitchGhost: I’m flattered. Can’t wait to see how you bring a touch of me into your work. Maybe you’ll make a character who’s just as irresistible as you. 😉

Y/N’s cheeks flushed at his flirty remark. 

Y/NUserName: Well, if I do, I’ll have to make sure they have your charm. I think that’s a winning formula.

TwitchGhost: I’m all for it. And who knows? Maybe your characters will end up stealing more than just my heart.

Y/N’s heart raced at his bold comment. 

Y/NUserName: You’re quite the tease, Ghost. I’ll have to keep that in mind while I’m writing. For now, though, I’m glad you’re back. It wouldn’t be the same without you.

TwitchGhost: Glad to be back. I’ve missed our little moments. I’ll try not to stay away too long next time. 😉

Y/N responded with a flirtatious grin. 

Y/NUserName: I’ll hold you to that. 

She leaned back in her chair and stretched, feeling a mix of relief and exhilaration. She turned off her computer and added a few ideas inspired by their playful exchange to her outline. 

As she wrote, she couldn’t stop thinking about the chemistry she felt with Ghost. She had no clue who he was, but he had quickly become one of her favorite parts of streaming, and the thought of possibly meeting him one day was both thrilling and intriguing.

She quickly finished up her notes and decided to call it a night. As she settled into bed, her phone buzzed. She picked it up to find another message from Ghost.

TwitchGhost: Can’t wait to see where this story leads. Sweet dreams, Y/N. 😘

Y/N smiled and quickly typed back, her fingers dancing over the screen.

Y/NUserName: Goodnight, Ghost. 

She set her phone down, turned off the bedside lamp, and snuggled under the covers. As she drifted off to sleep, her thoughts swirled with the possibilities that awaited both in her writing and her streaming.

A few weeks later, Y/N received an unexpected surprise. Bad Omens had announced their next tour and her manager, Andy, had secured a spot for them both on the guest list for the date in the city a couple hours from her hometown. She not only got to see her favorite band live, but she would get the chance to meet them after the show. 

She excitedly announced the news to her followers on the next stream.

“Hey everyone!” Y/N’s excitement was palpable as she spoke into the camera. “I’ve got some super exciting news to share! I don’t know what my manager did, but I’m going to see Bad Omens next month! Not only that, but I’ll also get to meet them after the show. I’m over the freakin moon right now!”

The chat exploded with enthusiasm, her followers sharing in her excitement and asking if she would be able to get any exclusive behind-the-scenes content. Y/N promised to do her best to share the experience and make everyone feel like they were part of it.

As Y/N wrapped up her stream, she noticed a new direct message notification from Ghost. Her heart raced with anticipation as she opened it.

TwitchGhost: Bad Omens, huh? That’s incredible! I’m jealous. Have you ever met them before?

Y/N couldn’t help but smile, her excitement bubbling up again.

Y/NUserName: I’ve never met them before. This will be my first time! I’m so excited I can barely contain myself.

TwitchGhost: I bet you’re going to have an amazing time. I’m curious, though—what would you say to them if you had the chance?

Y/N’s fingers flew over the keyboard as she typed her reply, her thoughts racing with the possibility of meeting the band.

Y/NUserName: I’d probably gush about how much their music has meant to me. And if I were feeling brave, I might even mention that I have a crush on their lead singer. 😉

TwitchGhost: Haha, that’s a bold move! I’m sure they’d appreciate hearing how much their music means to you. That lead singer would be a lucky guy. 😉

Y/N felt a flush of warmth at Ghost’s words, her thoughts wandering to the idea of meeting the mysterious person behind the messages that had become such a cherished part of her life.

Y/NUserName: Well it probably wouldn’t work out anyway. I kinda already have someone else who’s been keeping me on my toes. 

TwitchGhost: Oh? Celebrity crush has some competition then? Anyone I know? 😏

Y/N’s heart skipped a beat at his playful inquiry.

Y/NUserName: Maybe…

Y/NUserName: I need to get back to writing now. But I’ll let you know how everything goes. 

TwitchGhost: Can’t wait to hear all about it. Good luck with the writing, and remember, if you need any more inspiration, you know where to find me. 😉

Y/NUserName: Thanks, Ghost. I’ll keep that in mind. Talk to you soon!

TwitchGhost: Goodnight, Y/N!

Y/N closed her laptop and set her phone aside, her mind buzzing with excitement about the upcoming concert and the prospect of meeting her favorite band.

As the next few weeks passed, Y/N eagerly counted down the days until the show. She had tried to busy herself with writing Nightmares and unfortunately had to deal with finalizing all of the not so fun logistics of her upcoming book release, but the thought of seeing her favorite band live kept her spirits high.

The night of the concert finally arrived and the excitement was palpable as Y/N and Andy arrived at the venue. They received their passes from the ticket window and were guided inside by a staff member. As they grabbed a spot at the barricade, Y/N was recognized by a few of the fans who were already inside as part of their VIP pass access. She spent the next hour chatting with a few of them about the band and telling them what she could about her new books. 

The lights dimmed and the crowd's anticipation grew palpable as the guitarist, Jolly, walked on stage and the opening notes of Artificial Suicide began to reverberate through the venue. Y/N’s excitement was almost tangible, her eyes glued to the stage as the band’s electrifying performance unfolded. Her and Andy both sang along to each and every verse at the top of their lungs. The music was everything she had hoped for and more. 

As the last few notes of Dethrone echoed across the room an hour and a half later and the final bows were completed, they let the crowd disperse a little before they navigated their way to the side of the barricade. They showed their passes to Ash, the band’s head of security, before he allowed them backstage with a friendly smile. 

The adrenaline from the concert was still coursing through Y/N’s veins as they eventually met with the band’s tour manager, Matt, who introduced himself. 

“The guys are cooling off and getting changed really quick. If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you ladies outside to where they’ll be hanging out while we tear down and finish up loadout.” He said leading them to a makeshift sitting area the band had put together outside their bus earlier in the day. 

After a few minutes the band members slowly but surely made their way outside, each introducing themself as they found a seat and fell into easy conversation with the two of them. 

The lead singer, Noah, was the last to emerge. He wore an oversized merch hoodie, a pair of joggers, and slides. Despite being comfortably dressed, his striking presence was undeniable.

“Hi, I’m Y/N?” She introduced herself, holding out her hand. 

Noah’s smile broadened as he stepped closer and took her hand in his.

“Oh, he knows who you are…” Jolly teased from where he sat at one of the picnic tables. 

She turned to look at him before looking back at Noah with a confused look. 

The tall man chuckled in response, before rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. 

“Eh, well, I had to make sure my favorite author enjoyed seeing her favorite band. And, I couldn’t miss the chance to meet the person behind the screen. I mean I am still holding out hope for that coffee date…”

Y/N’s eyes widened as she took in his presence, a mix of shock and delight washing over her. 

“You’re Ghost?!” 

“Guilty as charged,” Noah said with a wink. “I guess I managed to keep my two worlds separate for a while. But I couldn't resist. I wanted to see you. actually, I’ve been wanting to for a while.”

Y/N felt her cheeks flush as she took in his words. “Well, you definitely pulled off an incredible surprise. I never would have guessed.”

Noah’s gaze softened as he took a step closer. “I wanted to see if you’d react the way you just did. And I’m glad I did.”

They continued to chat, and Y/N found herself falling deeper into conversation with Noah. It felt surprisingly natural, almost like she had known him for a while. They talked about music, books, and even the quirky things that had happened during her streams.

As their conversation flowed effortlessly, Y/N noticed how Noah’s eyes seemed to sparkle with genuine interest. It was as if he was completely absorbed in the discussion, and she felt a magnetic connection.

Eventually, the band’s crew finished loading out and a few of them started to talk about wanting to go out before the bus call at 2am. 

“Hey, do you have any plans after this?”

Y/N shook her head. 

“Not really. Why?”

Noah’s smile widened. 

“Well, if you’re up for it, I’d love to maybe take you out for that coffee. There’s a café nearby that’s open late.”

Y/N’s heart raced. She glanced around and Andy gave her a knowing look, mouthing “GO!”. 

Her eyes met Noah’s, and she could see the sincerity in his expression.

“I’d like that,” she replied softly.

They walked together to the café, and as they settled into a corner table, the conversation continued seamlessly. They talked about everything from their childhood memories to their dreams and even their fears. The more they talked, the more Y/N felt an undeniable connection.

As the night wore on, Noah’s gaze lingered on Y/N with an intensity that made her heart flutter. Their laughter and shared stories created an intimate atmosphere.

On the walk back to the venue, Noah paused and reached out, taking Y/N’s hand gently into his. 

“I have to admit, I’ve really enjoyed spending time with you tonight.” 

Y/N’s breath caught in her throat. She looked into Noah’s eyes, her feelings mirrored in his gaze. 

“I feel the same way.”

“I’d really like to keep getting to know you and see where all this goes, if that's okay with you?” He questioned, stepping closer. 

“I’d like that.” She answered, glancing up at him. 

He smiled down at her, his eyes briefly drifting toward her lips and back. 

Slowly, Noah stepped even closer and he cupped Y/N’s face in his hand, his touch sending a warm shiver through her. 

He leaned forward and their lips met in an electrifying kiss. It was gentle at first, but as the moment deepened, their kiss became more passionate. The connection they felt was palpable, and it seemed to solidify everything they had shared that night.

When they finally pulled away, their faces were flushed, and they both wore wide, contented smiles.

“I’m really glad you came tonight,” Noah said softly, his thumb brushing lightly over Y/N’s hand.

“Me too,” Y/N replied, her heart full. “This has been one of the best nights of my life.”

As they walked side by side, Y/N couldn’t help but think about how surreal and wonderful this evening had been. Not only had she met her favorite band, but she had also found her Ghost. 

With an exchange of phone numbers and the promise of staying in touch they went their separate ways. But not before Noah leaned in for one last, lingering kiss, making Y/N’s heart skip a beat.

The night had turned into something extraordinary. An unexpected but perfect blend of their separate worlds colliding into something beautiful. 

[hacash]

still got irving brainworms today thinking about how it would been a pretty easy writing choice to make the pious christian be one of the more racist crew members, due to our own associations at this point in time

but unlike franklin and de voeux and stanley’s out-and-out racism, and little’s terrified assumptions of native cruelty, and even fandom darling fitzjames’s denunciation of the inuits as being ‘covetous and cruel’ (at a time of great stress, to be fair to him), irving’s only real mention of the netsilik is saying that the tuunbaq’s nature may not be a mystery to the ‘indigenous peoples’

which a: is fair and b: is a really interesting turn of phrase for the writers’ to use considering that everyone else on the ship has been dropping the currently controversial term of ‘eskie’ like it’s no tomorrow. which for the time is totally period-appropriate, but I find it interesting that irving of all people is written using a term which today is considered appropriate. especially considering that this isn’t crozier or blanky or goodsir (men who’ve either been to the arctic before or have a plot-relevant respect for the culture). he’s just being a respectful guy.

(and while obviously the whole links between imperialism and missionaries are most commonly known these days, there also was a lot of driving for the recognition of all people being equal in certain british churches at the time, particularly in the non-conformist arena, so this is actually pretty consistent characterisation in irving’s writing)

and then obviously you have That Whole Scene

obviously it’s a very small couple of moments but I find it interesting that the writers didn’t go for the easy ‘pious guy is also pretty racist’ (and they had franklin for that tbf). instead irving is only portrayed as honourable to the netsilik people both when he needs something from them and when he doesn’t just because he’s being respectful, and it’s nice that that’s not written in contrast to his evangelical* faith but possibly even complementary to it

[sysig]

Requestober 2023 Sketches

The playlist has returned for this year! There will be a few in between, but it should be updating at least once a week on either Wednesday or Friday or both - keep an eye out for your req(s)!

Day 4 got some subtle Black Eye, they are a great pair ♪ You can see I couldn’t fully decide on posing - this will be a theme lol - maybe Sylvia loafing and poking her nose up at Peepers? Or just man-handling him into a snuggle lol, I almost went with that one! But I still ended up going with the first sketch after all, his half-squinted eye was too cute to pass up!

Day 6′s first sketch was also a first-try-correct but lemme try something else lol, I’m glad I went with this one though! Friend looks very fluffy, as does Ghostbur <3 Thank goodness for digital cleaning, Phil’s arm completely confounded me traditionally lol, same with the wings actually

The alt is still cute tho, and sad :’) Ghostbur would still consider Phil his dad! And yes he’s not exactly Will, Phil’s kid ahh </3 And yet he still gets to hug him!! The piece of him that remembers him! It hurts ♥

Day 10 was a great excuse to draw blood lol, I can’t not ♪ I ran out of room since this was the last sketch of the page so while I fully intended for the bloody knife to be continuous with the rest of him, I had to puzzle-piece it all together haha ♫ He’s so scribbly lol

Day 15 was so fun!! Ahhh!! As I mentioned in the tags, I got the notification for this one while I was offline and dozing but even in that state of mind, this was the image that immediately bloomed in my head! I am so pleased I got to make it exactly as intended haha ♪ They’re so cute <3 And it’s always fun to draw Mitsu reacting like “O//o//O” even just in emoji form lol

Day 16′s was fun and silly - I only ended up with the one sketch, it’s been too long since I’ve drawn a Core! It hasn’t been all that long since I’ve watched a Meet the Cores but it has been long while since I’ve picked up Portal 2 or Mel, it’s too bad ‘cause they’re both so cute haha. But I mean, all this Portal stuff has inspired me to get back to playing so hmmm :3c

Day 17 had those two options but for me it wasn’t even a question lol - I do of course love RGB but I’ve made a habit of drawing him! And I did get to draw him later as well, so I got all the character diversity I could ask for haha. I’m so sad that I missed out on the “tk” SFX in the final version, I made it and then just forgot to turn the layer back on before exporting lol, just hear it in your head if you would ♪

Day 18, more blood! Moreeee! Thank you for all the Yanderapy attention this year ahhh, it’s so gratifying to know these boys are being enjoyed ♥ I love them too! And it was doubly fun to imagine them playing into their baser urges, yandere-wise haha ♪ What’s the fun of a yandere if they can’t have a little blood, as a treat? Hehe ♫ Mitsuru’s swirly eyes are one of my favourite yandere features of his, drawing it in full swing was really fun :D

Day 19, a bit of Ranboo ♥ It’s been long enough that I’d forgotten how much I enjoy Ranboo! c!Ranboo as well as The Guy haha, they’ve gotten more chaotic lately it seems, good for them. He’s also still quite fun to draw, that’s just good character design for you ♪ A cute little squished face, wanting to go out and play. You can kinda tell from the flower boxes that even traditionally I wasn’t all that detail-oriented for this one lol

Day 20 got a lot of concept art! Making new outfits will do that lol, started with just deciding what their sweets theme would be - Mitsuru was so obviously ube and buttercream that it hurts lol, and you can see there was a bit more deliberation with Ishida. Salted lemon, and he was supposed to keep the lattice motif - we’ll get there :P

Outfit designing! Ishida’s was a OHKO - you can’t see it in the final version since he’s angled away but his buttons are salt stones! And he’s also got asymmetrical salt “freckles” around his left eye :) Mitsu’s was a little over-complicated so he needed a second pass

But only a second pass! A chunky sweater with the swirls was absolutely the correct choice, and then since zippers don’t exist in the JD universe (lol) he gets buttons!

Finally they got their final version! You can see from the sliced version that originally they were meant to have three sections apiece for both limbs, buuut that ended up being overly visually busy, so I gave them two for their arms and three for their legs :) All the other posing and everything was pretty much perfect though! :D

This is the most correct version of their clothes for their cut-up frame; I was in a bit of a rush for the gif version so a few elements are missing, like Ishida’s aforementioned lattice design element :’D Just try to not look too hard at the final version for these details specifically lol ♪ Oh the foibles of trying to be speedy!

Technically not Requestober but I was inspired by my own idea of them switch-stitching their limbs back together lol - lemon ube?? I guess that might work...

Day 21 got a concept sketch before starting - Luci’s glares are very cute hehe ♪ I was sure I could push it cuter tho >:3c

And I was right! I called this an alt but honestly this was the correct choice from the beginning lol ♪ Long ears are so fun to pose, extra expressions! I had a bit of trouble with his arms, but I think that’s just a me-not-knowing-how-to-draw-arms-lately thing lol

Day 22 was also very close to the end of the page so I was a bit cramped! Their faces are definitely the most important element - especially considering RGeeBs has one here! - so I wanted to give them a bit of extra attention. I really like his sharp nose hehe ♪ And Hero’s hand doing the classic cartoony pinky-up with her white gloves ugh it’s so cute <3

They did get a very tiny fullbody sketch tho haha ♪ For how it turned out here, I’m doubly happy with RGB’s pose in the final! Especially his legs :D

Speaking of tiny, day 24 was super tiny!! I always draw the stick figures tiny tho haha, they’re such cute little pops of colour on my page :) I’m glad as well that I could make all the colours clean digitally - the colours got a bit mixed traditionally lol

Fun fact: Day 25 didn’t get a traditional sketch! It’d been too long since I’d drawn GLaDOS so I felt a little better to just have the references right there in the same canvas lol. My initial digital sketches are always a bit chaotic, lots of very energetic lines! It does make me all the more determined to make her design readable in my style >:3c

I started forgetting to label what day they were around day 26 haha, but I started with them side-by-side - I wanted them to show off their outfits a bit more but it felt a little stiff :P Obviously Sinister would be uncomfortable in heavier clothes tho, so I went with that thought ♪ Poor Stanley haha

The alt ended up taking it since interacting is way more fun than not! I haven’t drawn Stanley using sign language in a hot minute which is too bad! It’s very fun to do! He’s not going to listen to you Stanley, no matter what you do

Day 28 gave me a bunch of thoughts but since it was fairly open-ended, I wasn’t sure where to take it at first! Angst just has so many possible roads! Initially, featured here, I considered them getting caught - them in a police light was a very cool concept for my lighting-focused brain this season haha - but it still wasn’t quite right. Maybe because Ishida actually looks stressed, noo D:

The plot just kinda picked up from there, the idea of Ishida killing Mitsuru since they were caught, and then what I eventually ended up with - all while trying to fight against limited space and a not-the-best art day, just gotta keep powering through despite the obstacles!

But I did finally land on the idea I wanted the most :) Originally this one was going to have two panels but I couldn’t make it look right, switching back and forth between them :P I’m glad I finally got to it in the end! It was a struggle haha

Day 29 got Fellplates!Gaster! Heck yeah! :D It’s been a while since I’ve drawn him so I had to get back into the swing of it lol - I actually booted him on “April 1st” by changing my clock and then my internet refused to connect to certain sites?? What the heck is that about. Well either way, I got him! He is cute haha

I really was tempted to give him something to do with other Fellplates members, but the lack of references confounded me! Ah! You can probably tell which one was meant to be Alphys huh lol ♪ Him and his sense of loyalty ah 💔 Well, self-destruction is a common ley line for him huh haha

And then what I finally ended up with ♪ He has a slightly more open expression here, but I do like the somewhat sinister edge the final version ended up with :3c The backlighting begged for it!! And everyone needs cool backlighting haha

Day 30′s TSP/Portal crossover!! It’s such a classic idea, I am actually honestly surprised that this is my first foray into it - I’ve thought about it forever! I’ve drawn them adjacently! But this is my first time actually drawing them interacting?? How?? Well I’m glad I have now haha, they’re so- they’re just so them, y’know? Lol

Y’get a bonus because the idea of Stanley and Chell just kinda vibing in a test chamber and Stanley reacting - which you can see the barest of unfinished sketch there on the right lol - to having his Bucket taken from him, it was too good not to haha. Chell is indifferent lol

Day 31, last day! I actually drew this the night beforehand, very quickly thus the scribbliness haha. Sometimes that’s all you need, just to get the image out! You can see with the SFX, despite being noiseless in the final version, I was thinking of the static right away :) I’m quite happy with how it all turned out hehe <3

That’s all the general sketches from this year! A good solid mix of things! Very fun :D

[zigrethsnotebook]

Hello @zuekdaria and thank you so much for your kind words!!<3 It means a lot to me that you enjoy my little stories so much🥰

I think your ideas are lovely and I would love to morph them into one story featuring Ford, I hope that's alright with you! I hope you enjoy<3

Still waters run deep

Ford x Reader

words: 2,584

tags: sfw, fluff

You had moved to Gravity Falls early this year and needed a job quickly to get your footing. Something that would get you enough money to pass the time until you found the job you wanted. The Mystery Shack, owned and run by Stanford Pines, or Stanley Pines as you later learned, was the perfect place for you.

You were a good worker in Stan's eyes: always on time, never stole anything and did the work he asked of you. However, he was a little puzzled by you. You weren't the most outgoing person. The only times you talked to him instead of the other way around was when you needed something from him. Be it a new task, some clarification on a task or something else entirely.

He also noted that he never even saw you smile. Stan tried to tell you that it would look better for the customers when you greeted them with a smile at the cash register, but he never actually saw you do it.

However, being the massive flirt he is, he tried to get a rise out of you one way or another whenever he had the chance to. You always kept your cool. Unfazed by the old man and his weird but charming persona.

At least that's the way it looked to him. To you, he was slowly becoming your friend. You liked working for him and just generally having him around. So much so that you subconsciously started to put off looking for a different job.

Summer rolled around and you found yourself in the midst of the Pines' family drama. You didn’t mind that much, they had quickly all become very dear to you.

Then, Stan finished the portal and got his brother back. You didn’t know about the portal, of course. So, when you came to work the next day and saw a man who looked like Stan eyeing the souvenirs in the gift shop suspiciously, you didn’t even bat an eye.

At least not until Stan entered the room as well and you had to do a double take. "Ah, perfect. I see you've already met my brother, Ford." Stan's hand came down on his brother's shoulder who looked at him and then to you. "Oh, hello. I didn’t even hear you enter."

Stan laughed loudly. "Yeah, she does that. Not very talkative. But she gets things done and that's what counts." Ford raised an eyebrow at you, scanning you from head to toe. You didn’t flinch under his gaze, quite enjoying his eyes on you.

As much as Stan was charming and good looking when he wanted to be, his brother was something else. They shared the same good looks, of course, but Ford carried himself better. It made him appear taller, more put together. You liked him.

Stan and Ford quickly came to an agreement that Ford would stay in the basement and keep all his science and research down there, for the kids' sake. What that really meant was that Ford barely saw daylight at all. It quickly started to worry you.

The gift shop was slow one day, so you asked Stan about his brother. "Has Ford eaten today?" Your question was short, but Stan was surprised you asked it at all. "Not that I know of. Why, you wanna bring him something?"

"Yes." Stan wished he could read your expression. Were you just concerned about Ford's health? Did you see something in him? Either way, there had to be a reason and he decided to keep a closer eye on you.

After you got an 'okay' from Stan you made your way to the kitchen and prepared a simple meal. You took the plate back into the gift shop where Stan opened the Vending Machine Door for you.

You knocked on the door to his lab and the door swung open on its own. Quietly, you stepped inside, looking around the new room until you reached Ford, sitting at his desk with his back turned to you.

He was too focused on his work to notice you. Without a word you moved next to his desk, moved a few pieces of paper out of the way and placed the plate onto the wooden table.

Moving his papers was what made Ford look up at you with a raised eyebrow. He eyed the plate you set on the desk. "Did Stan put you up to this?" You found his eyes. Gorgeous big brown eyes. "No." You turned around and left again, leaving Ford looking at the door and the plate in bewilderment.

This became a daily routine. At the end of your shift you would prepare a simple warm meal for Ford and bring it to him without saying much or anything at all. You understood how important his work was and you didn’t want to bother him. Just wanted to make sure that he stays healthy.

A few days into this, Ford came up the stairs suddenly and started looking around the shop frantically. "Whoa, whoa, Sixer slow down. What's gotten into you?" Stan held his hands up as he stepped closer to his brother, calming him down.

"I lost... a creature got loose. It must be in the shack somewhere. It-It looks like a little orange fairy." Stan calmed him down further and asked if the fairy would be dangerous. Ford explained that it was entirely harmless, which seemed to ease Stan's worries. He was always so worried for Dipper and Mabel, it was very sweet.

After they both looked around the shack for a while and came up empty-handed Ford went back down with a sigh and Stan went back to his office. You sat at the register, reading a book. Stan didn’t mind you reading a book at work as long as you did all the things you needed to do.

After a few minutes something caught your eye. At first you thought it was a bee, zooming around the shop but as you looked more closely, you realized that it looked like a little person. This was the perfect opportunity to help Ford with his research.

You grabbed an empty jar from behind your counter and quietly made your way over to the shirt that the fairy was looking at. In one swift movement you put the jar over the fairy, using the shirt as a lid until you quickly put the actual lid on the jar.

You were careful not to shake the jar too much as you made your way to Ford's lab. Down there, Ford was scribbling away in his journal again. Without a word you carefully placed the jar on his desk. He looked up at you with wide eyes. "Thank you!"

You just nodded and headed back upstairs. God, the look on his face was everything to you. You wanted to see his face light up like that again. The rest of your shift you spent daydreaming about Ford and his big brown eyes. Surely, you would see them in your dreams that night.

When your shift was coming to an end you once again prepared something for Ford to eat and brought it to him. "You know you don't actually have to bring me food every day, right?" You looked at Ford. "I know." He furrowed his brows. "Then why do you do it?"

You thought for a moment, not quite brave enough to tell him just how much you care for him. "It makes me happy." Ford's expression softened and he chuckled lightly. "Well, you could have fooled me. I was worried you saw this as just another chore."

"I don't." Ford smiled at you and you felt like you were about to melt on the spot. "Well, in that case, thank you very much for looking out for me." You nodded and left the lab again.

Ford looked at the door for a moment after you were gone. He could not read you at all. It drove him a little wild. He seriously thought you hated having to come down here every day until mere moments ago.

He continued his work for a little while after he had eaten your food. Then, as he brought the empty plate back upstairs and found Stan in the kitchen as well, he decided to talk to him about you. But Stan was quicker.

"So. How's the food?" He smirked at his brother as he watched Ford clean the plate. "It's really good. But you know that already." Stan raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Ford looked at Stan as he clarified. "I mean, you know her food is great because you ate it, too?" Stan scoffed. "No, smart guy. She only makes it for you." This took Ford by surprise.

To think that you only brought him food? Made it only for him? Why would you do that? Ford looked at his brother for help in organizing his thoughts. Stan chuckled at Ford's confused expression.

"Well, if I didn’t know any better, I'd think she has a crush on you." Ford stilled. Could that be? "But you know better?" Stan laughed, shaking his head. "Can't say I do."

Ford went back to his lab, trying to clear his head with science. But now, all he could think about was you.

Life continued the same as before. You came to work, did it quietly and efficiently. At the end of your shift you prepare some food for Ford and bring it to him. And, over the course of a few days, you watched his expressions change.

He had started out barely acknowledging you and the plate at all but now, every day he smiled a little smile at you. It made your heart flutter while also feeling appreciated for the work you were doing.

Today was another slow day in the shop when Dipper and Mabel stormed into the room. Dipper was holding something and looked to be running away from his sister. It was her glue gun.

Dipper had backed himself into a wall as Mabel tried to reach for the object. "Mabel! Grunkle Ford's Journal doesn't need to look cute! It's serious scientific research!" Mabel stood on her tiptoes, reaching upwards. "Science can be cute, too!"

A gentle smile graced your lips as you watched them. You put your book down and walked over to them. Being taller than both of them, you plucked the glue gun from Dipper's hand, turning both of their attentions to you.

"Mabel, I know you mean well. But maybe ask your Grunkle if he wants a cute journal?" She looked at you with big puppy eyes. "But... what if he says no?" You smiled at her. "Then I will let you turn my journal cute."

Mabel's eyes widened and a big grin appeared on her face before she hugged you. She quickly made her way down to the lab. Dipper looked at you suspiciously. "You write a journal?" You hummed. "Not a big scientific one. But I like to keep track of my life."

Dipper nodded in approval and then walked back to whichever part of the house he came from. You walked back to the register and placed the glue gun in one of the shelves behind it.

You didn’t know it at the time, but Stan watched every bit of this interaction between you and the kids through the security camera. He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw you smile at them. And you talked so much!

He took the tape and made his way to Ford as inconspicuous as possible to show his brother this new side of you. When Ford saw it, it warmed his heart. The men only knew you as this cold exterior, but to see some of the warmth underneath it? He wanted to see more of it.

Ford asked Stan for some more of the security camera footage of you. Stan raised a brow at him but obliged anyway. Ford had to look through the videos, surely, this hadn't been the first time you had some reaction to something?

On a tape from two days ago he found something. You were reading a book like you so often do when not much needs to be done. And there he saw it, the slighted crease between your eyebrows and the tiniest tilt of your lips downward. You were frowning at your book!

Ford felt like a child at Christmas, giddy from seeing you express any emotion at all. He now had a new mission. A new experiment if you want. He wanted to hear your laugh.

A few more days passed and somehow, Ford felt like you were even more distant. And he hadn't even started on his new mission. But you weren't even meeting his eyes anymore when you brought him food. Said even less.

He made his way upstairs, feeling it necessary to ask you about it. But when he got to the gift shop, you weren't there. Ford looked around the house but didn’t find you. Eventually, he decided to climb to the roof. An elevated position would surely help locate you if you were outside.

But he didn’t need to look anymore, because you were sitting on the little balcony, quietly sobbing. He felt his heart shatter.

Carefully, he moved to sit next to you and as he did you silently jumped, not having noticed him join you. "Hey, it's alright. I didn’t mean to startle you." You sniffled, wiping the tears from your face and trying to keep it together.

"What happened ...if I may ask?" He was careful, he didn’t want to scare you off with being too forward. But he also wanted nothing more than to hug you tightly and tell you that everything would be alright.

"Too much..." You shook your head, sorting your thoughts before continuing. "Job search is not going well." Ford felt something in his chest tighten. You wanted to leave the shack? "My landlord is about to throw me out. And my family wants me to-" Your voice broke off, unable to finish.

Ford looked at you. "Would a hug help?" You looked at him as well, meeting his eyes, your tear stained cheeks reflecting the sunlight in a bittersweet picture. You nodded.

Ford's expression softened as he moved closer to you, wrapping his arms around your shoulders. After a moment you let your arms snake around his waist, pulling him closer, as you took the warmth radiating off of him in. It helped to ground you, remind you that not everything is terrible.

Letting his own affection for you overwhelm him, Ford pressed a gentle kiss into your hair. The moment lingered for a little bit. Then, you took a deep breath, steadying yourself. You pulled away from him, feeling better. "Thank you."

Ford nodded, offering a smile. You two sat next to each other for a while, just enjoying the view and each other.

Even though he hadn't reached his goal of hearing you laugh yet, Ford felt like he was slowly getting through to you. Slowly understanding you. He felt pride in being the one to help you feel better today.

And maybe he could talk to your landlord for you. Or he would just offer you to stay here with him, even though that would be way too direct. Either way, he looked forward to every moment he would be able to spend with you.

[malk1ns]

i know coach geno commercial led to sid basically tackling geno and begging to get sid pregnant

mmmmmhm.

Sid has spent most of his professional career pretending that he doesn't have omega instincts.

Not that he isn't an omega—he couldn't avoid that if he wanted to, not with the emphasis every coach, teammate, team employee, and member of the media has put on it since he was old enough to be worth paying attention to.

Omega Breaks Oceanic Scoring Record.

First Omega Drafted First Overall.

Omega Captains Team Canada to Gold.

It's never just about Sid and his accomplishments, there's always a qualifier attached. When he didn't win the Calder, it was treated as a given, even by his parents, that it would go to an alpha instead. When they won the Stanley Cup the first time, it was because the alphas on the team were led by their instincts to push the team to victory after Sid got hurt. On and on, for well over a decade now.

Some omegas, the younger guys that have broken into the league in the intervening years, lean into it. They bat their eyelashes at reporters after bad games and inject their voices with just the slightest omega coo; it's not as effective at deflecting criticism now, but it still works.

Sid manages by pretending he's made of plastic.

He doesn't like to buy into his own hype, but he's pretty sure it's an objective fact that he was subject to far more scrutiny than any other player in the league right now, from a much younger age. People used to try to go through his parents' trash cans to figure out his heat cycles, and his first few years in the league he couldn't so much as go out for lunch with teammates without IS CROSBY READY TO SETTLE DOWN—WITH AN AMERICAN??? headlines being plastered all over Sportsnet.

It was easier to act like he had no interest in alphas at all, no desire to settle down, nothing on his mind but hockey 24/7. It didn't make the attention go away entirely, but it helped a lot.

It's also a lie. But just because Sid keeps his bond bite hidden doesn't mean he doesn't have one, and it doesn't mean he doesn't get swept up by his biology on a semi-regular basis.

Like now.

Sid and Geno had been basically frog-marched into attending Ovechkin's Cup party in Moscow. They were both licking their wounds after losing their shot at a three-peat, but politics in Russia are indifferent to personal pride, so Geno had been required to show his face—and Sid was not about to let him deal with that alone. They decided to spend a few weeks there, let Geno manage some business in town with his Russian sponsorships, then escape to the private island they've been renting for a few weeks annually since they bonded to sweat out Sid's heat in the sunshine and privacy.

Sid hadn't anticipated what watching Geno skate around with a bunch of kids for a commercial would do to him, though.

Sid squeezes his thighs together and thanks whatever made him decide to sit far back in the stands when they got here this morning. He stinks of pre-heat, strongly enough that even he can smell it, and if he were any closer to the ice he's not sure he'd be able to stop himself from barreling out there and bodily dragging Geno back to the locker room.

He should text Geno what's going on and get back to the apartment somehow. His Russian isn't great, but he's pretty sure he could find the nice omega coordinator they met earlier today and ask her to call a beta driver from the car service for him.

Instead, though, Sid sits and watches as Geno play-wrestles with the kids between takes, chasing them around and tickling them when they get too close. A few of the little boys gang up on him and Geno lets them take him down to the ice, yelling about boarding as he flails around amid a pile of giggling children.

Christ.

Sid must zone out a little bit, because suddenly the coordinator is tapping urgently at his shoulder. "Mr. Malkina?" she asks, and Sid has to suppress a full-body shudder. The Russian habit of referring to omegas like their bondmates' property had grated at first, but with Sid in pre-heat it sounds like the best thing he's ever heard. "Evgeni Vladimirovich is done, he changes now. I can take you to the room?"

Sid clenches his jaw and resists the urge to run down to the locker room. If he does that, they'll never leave, and Sid knows it's better for both of them if they make it back to Geno's apartment. "Can you take me to the car?" he manages, swallowing as images of Geno showering flash in his mind's eye. "Tell him I'm waiting for him, I—"

The coordinator's eyes widen as she flares her nostrils and inhales. "Oh, of course," she says hurriedly, rising to her feet and gesturing for Sid to follow. "I will call for, ah, safe driver."

Sid's not sure how long he waits in the car, but by the time Geno slides into the seat next to him and barks something at the driver he's starting to sweat.

The drive back to the apartment is a blur, but Sid remembers Geno hustling him out of the car, his hand hot at the small of Sid's back as he rushes them through the lobby and onto an elevator. Geno's in the penthouse, all the way at the top of the building, and by the time the door chimes and slides open Sid's dizzy with their combined scents rising in the enclosed space.

When Geno practically throws him onto the mattress, Sid whines and bares his neck, spreading his thighs in invitation.

"Fuck," he hears Geno mutter. "Sid, malysh, what's wrong? You're not due for, like, week and a half I think, when we're on vacation."

Sid gathers his thoughts together through force of will alone. "Watching you," he replies, the purr under his words drawing Geno closer until Sid's practically flattened into the mattress under him. "You're so good with the kids today, and...fuck, Geno, I need you to put a baby in me."

It can't happen. Sid doesn't really want it to happen, and neither does Geno. Sid's on industrial-strength birth control, and they'd agreed years ago to wait until they were done playing.

His words still hit Geno like a lightning bolt.

"Oh, you want baby," he croons, pulling back to tug Sid's sweatpants down. "You want I give you my knot until you're knocked up, yes? Make you take until you're full, keep you that way?"

"Fuck, yes," Sid gasps, fumbling at the drawstrings of Geno's joggers until Geno takes pity on him and undoes his pants.

They're both still more than half-dressed. But when Geno pins Sid's knees up by his shoulders and pushes into him, sinking his teeth into Sid's neck with a sub-vocal growl that knocks through Sid's brain and sends him down so fast his muscles practically go liquid, it hardly matters.

Sid's last coherent thought is that they're probably going to need to reschedule their flights.