#and asking “can i break this cd?” lol

[allmoshnobrain]

can't forget the video where they introduce Dave Mustaine to Brazilian comedic metal band Massacration whose whole premise is that their vocalist is Metal Jesus (son of the Metal God) and also happens to be an eunuch (he was castrated so he could achieve the perfect metal voice - of course it's all fake for comedic purposes). But no one tells him it's a parody band so he starts listening and at first he's kinda impressed with the instrumental but as soon as the singing starts he realizes it's a prank and he just gets more pissed by the second

[hereforuconnwbb]

Unexpected Halt - CHAPTER TEN

paige x azzi (pazzi)

au fic!

~paige plays for uconn and azzi plays for stanford~

word count: 10k

warning: language

sooo this is the 2nd last chapter for this series (99.9% sure) kinda crazy how it’s almost over 😭 hopefully u guys enjoy this chapter and that it makes sense 😓 i tried my best to make everything come together, and fingers crossed there aren’t any mistakes lol but thank you for sticking with this story it means a lot to me 🫶🏽

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The morning light filtered through the blinds, casting a soft glow over the room. Paige stirred first, blinking against the brightness as she felt the familiar warmth of Azzi curled against her. Their legs were tangled beneath the blankets, Azzi’s head tucked against Paige’s shoulder, her slow, steady breathing the only sound filling the quiet space.

For a moment, Paige didn’t move. She just let herself be—savoring the peacefulness, the way Azzi fit so perfectly against her. It was one of those rare mornings where everything felt right, like the past few weeks hadn’t been filled with so much uncertainty.

Azzi shifted slightly, a quiet hum escaping her lips as she blinked up at Paige sleepily. “Morning,” she mumbled, voice laced with sleep.

Paige smiled, brushing a few strands of hair away from Azzi’s face. “Morning.”

Azzi let out a small yawn, her hand absentmindedly resting against Paige’s stomach as she got comfortable again. Then, as if remembering something, she lifted her head slightly. “What time’s your flight tomorrow?”

Paige exhaled, her fingers trailing lightly over Azzi’s back. “Uh… I think around noon. Gotta be at the airport a little before that.”

Azzi frowned slightly, her brows drawing together. “That’s so soon.”

Paige sighed, knowing Azzi wasn’t happy about it. “I know. I wish I could stay longer, but Geno wanted me back in time for practice.” She gave Azzi a small squeeze. “I’m just glad he and CD even let me come here instead of flying back with the team.”

Azzi huffed, burying her face into Paige’s neck for a moment before mumbling, “Still too short.”

Paige chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of Azzi’s head. “I’ll take what I can get.”

Azzi pulled back just enough to look at Paige. “Me too,” she admitted, her fingers tracing absent patterns on Paige’s arm. “Guess we better make the most of today, huh?”

Paige smiled. “Yeah. Let’s make it count.”

—--------------

They decided to take a walk to the nearby café for breakfast, the cool morning air a welcome contrast to the warmth of the room they had just left. The streets were still quiet, the soft hum of early risers beginning to fill the air as they strolled side by side, their fingers naturally intertwining. The simple act of holding hands felt like a quiet promise—a comfort they both needed after the whirlwind of emotions they’d been through.

Paige glanced over at Azzi, a soft smile tugging at her lips. Azzi caught her gaze, offering a grin of her own as they continued walking down the path, their steps in sync.

“Think they have good coffee here?” Azzi asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

Paige laughed softly. “I’m betting they have great coffee.”

Azzi rolled her eyes playfully, squeezing Paige’s hand. “That’s a lot of pressure, P.”

Paige winked at her. “I’m sure you’ll survive.”

The café came into view ahead, a cozy little place with plants hanging from the windows and the faint scent of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air. They reached the door, and as they stepped inside, the warmth of the café wrapped around them like a hug.

The host led them to a booth by the window, sunlight filtering in and casting a golden hue over everything. They slid into the booth, still holding hands as they sat down. Paige was the first to let go, reaching for the menu as Azzi leaned back against the booth, glancing around casually.

“What’re you thinking?” Paige asked as she skimmed through the menu.

Azzi looked at her for a moment before answering, her voice light. “Maybe some avocado toast? Just something simple.”

Paige raised an eyebrow. “Avocado toast? You’ve changed.”

Azzi grinned, nudging Paige playfully. “Hey, it’s good. Plus, they probably have the best toast in the area, so I’m taking advantage.”

Paige laughed softly and nodded. “Alright, alright. I’ll get the same. Can’t go wrong with toast.”

Their waitress came over a few moments later, taking their orders with a bright smile before disappearing into the back. Azzi looked at Paige again, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Without saying anything, she leaned over the table, brushing her lips against Paige’s in a quick, gentle peck. Paige smiled against her lips, her thumb tracing lightly over Azzi’s hand.

Azzi pulled back just enough to meet Paige’s gaze, her eyes sparkling. “What?” she asked, a teasing lilt in her voice.

Paige chuckled, leaning in to kiss her again. This time, it was a little longer, their lips moving together, slow and easy. They didn’t pull away completely, lingering there for a few moments, pressing little pecks against each other’s lips, smiling between them. The simplicity of it all was grounding—the softness, the connection, the way everything just felt right in that moment.

When they finally pulled away, their foreheads rested gently against each other, and Azzi grinned. “You’re never getting rid of me, you know that?”

Paige laughed, her hand sliding back to rest on Azzi’s. “Good. I don’t plan on it.”

The waitress returned with their orders, placing the avocado toast in front of them, but neither of them was in a rush to eat just yet. Instead, they lingered in the space between, taking in the quiet, the smiles, and the soft rhythm of their breaths, enjoying the feeling of just being together, in the moment, with no rush to move forward.

—--------------

The conversation flowed easily, but underneath the surface, there was an unspoken weight Azzi couldn’t quite shake. As much as she appreciated Paige’s efforts to come here, to make things right, a nagging feeling lingered in her chest. She wasn’t blind to the fact that it had been Paige who took all the steps to fix what had been broken between them. Paige had messaged first after everything happened, flown out to be with her, and even asked if they were still together.

Azzi couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. She had waited—waited for Paige to make all the moves, even though Azzi knew, deep down, that she should have been the one to step up sooner. That responsibility was on her too, but she’d let it slip by. She hadn’t been the one to check in emotionally on Paige, especially after everything that had happened with Lexi, and it bothered her.

She wanted to be the one who took the initiative next time, to show Paige that she wasn’t just waiting for things to fall into place, but actively working to make sure Paige was okay. Because Paige deserved that—she deserved someone who would care for her the same way she had for Azzi, someone who would prioritize her emotional well-being, not just let her do all the heavy lifting.

As they continued to eat, Azzi’s thoughts drifted back to the night Paige had arrived. She remembered how the sight of Paige walking through the airport had sent a strange relief flooding over her, but it was also when Azzi had realized just how much she had been holding back.

She caught herself staring at Paige for a moment, the quiet hum of the café providing a background to the way Paige looked at her—relaxed, calm, content, but there was still something in her eyes, something guarded that Azzi hadn’t been able to reach yet.

Taking a deep breath, Azzi set her toast down and looked at Paige seriously, her heart beating a little faster. “I need to say something.”

Paige looked up at her, a small crease appearing on her forehead. “What’s up?”

Azzi swallowed, feeling the weight of what she was about to say. “I’ve been thinking… I’m really thankful that you came here, that you did all of this. It wasn’t easy, and I’m just… I don’t want you to feel like you’re the only one trying, you know?”

Paige furrowed her brow. “Azzi, what are you talking about? You’ve been trying, too.”

Azzi shook her head, her voice quiet but firm. “No. I haven’t. Not in the way you have. You messaged me first, you flew out here, and you asked if we were still together. You’ve been the one making sure everything was okay. I should have been the one checking in on you, especially after… everything with Lexi.”

Paige’s expression softened, but she didn’t interrupt. Azzi took a deep breath, continuing, “I’ve been kind of a passive participant in all of this, and I don’t want to keep doing that. I want to make sure you’re okay, too, and I want to be there for you in the same way you’ve been there for me.”

Paige reached across the table, taking Azzi’s hand in hers. “You’re here, Azzi. And that’s all I need. I’m okay, I promise. I’m just… still getting over everything.”

Azzi squeezed her hand, her thumb brushing lightly over Paige’s knuckles. “I know, but I need to do better for you. I need to make sure you feel heard, and I need to take the lead in some things too. You’re not the only one who has to fix everything.”

Paige smiled softly, her eyes warm. “I’m not worried about it. We’re doing this together, right?”

Azzi nodded, her chest feeling lighter. “Yeah. Together.”

There was a long pause, and Paige squeezed her hand again. “And I’m glad you’re doing this, Azzi. I want us to be stronger because of it. I’m here for you, always.”

Azzi smiled, the uncertainty still there but fading little by little. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to Paige’s cheek, her lips lingering for a second longer than usual. “I’m here for you, too.”

The quiet moment settled between them, but this time, it was different. There was no tension, no confusion. Just understanding. And that was enough for now.

—--------------

After they finished their breakfast, Azzi couldn’t help but feel a little more at ease. The conversation had cleared the air in a way, and though there was still work to be done, she knew they were heading in the right direction.

“Want to take a walk?” Azzi asked as they stood up, pushing her chair in and grabbing her jacket. “The weather’s nice, and it’s just a short walk to a park nearby.”

Paige smiled at her, a look of warmth and appreciation in her eyes. “Sounds perfect,” she replied, letting Azzi take the lead.

They left the café together, stepping out into the crisp morning air. Azzi linked her fingers with Paige’s, not shy about initiating the closeness this time. The soft touch of their hands intertwined was comforting, a small, intimate gesture that grounded them both.

As they walked side by side, Azzi looked over at Paige, feeling a strange mixture of emotions. There was gratitude, yes, but also a need to prove that she could be the one to take charge when it counted.

She squeezed Paige’s hand gently. “So, I’ve been thinking,” Azzi started, her voice steady but with a touch of uncertainty, “you know, we talked a lot about everything that happened with Lexi, but I don’t think I really asked you how you’re feeling, like emotionally. After everything you went through, I want to make sure you’re okay. I mean, I can’t imagine what that must have been like.”

Paige looked at her in surprise, her brows knitting slightly. “I mean, I’m alright. I’ve had some time to process it. You know I’ve got my own way of handling things.”

Azzi nodded thoughtfully, stepping off the curb as they neared the entrance to the park. “I know you do, but I want to make sure you’re not just brushing it off, you know? It’s important. I’ve seen how tough you are, but you don’t have to do everything alone. I want to be there for you, too. It’s not just about me anymore.”

Paige’s heart skipped a beat, the sincerity in Azzi’s words hitting her in a way she wasn’t expecting. “You’re right,” she said quietly, squeezing Azzi’s hand. “I’ve been trying to handle it on my own, but… I guess I could use someone to talk to about it.”

Azzi’s eyes softened, and she stopped walking, turning to face Paige fully. “I’m here, Paige. You’re not alone in this. Ever. I know I should have been the one to ask you how you’re feeling sooner, but I’m asking now. Really, how are you feeling? About everything.”

Paige hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to open up fully. She had never been good at expressing vulnerability, especially not about something so raw. But something in Azzi’s gaze—the way she was looking at her, not with pity but with genuine care—made her feel safe.

“I’m still working through it,” Paige finally admitted, her voice quiet. “I mean, I’ve never been in a situation like that. It fucked me up, and it’s still hard to process, especially with the way everything happened. But… I’m getting there. And I’m glad I have you here to help me through it.”

Azzi reached up and gently cupped Paige’s cheek, her touch tender but firm, grounding Paige in the moment. “You don’t have to carry all of that weight by yourself anymore. I’m not going anywhere. I’m not just here to fix things; I’m here to be with you through everything. I want to make sure you’re okay, truly okay.”

Paige leaned into her touch, her eyes fluttering closed for a brief second. When she opened them again, her gaze met Azzi’s, and her lips curved into a small smile. “Thank you. I really mean that.”

Azzi grinned back, feeling a warmth spread in her chest. “You’ve been there for me, now I get to be there for you.”

They resumed walking, the park now spread out before them, the paths winding through rows of trees and manicured grass. The sun had fully risen, casting a gentle glow over the world around them. They took their time strolling along, the conversation ebbing and flowing naturally.

Azzi took a deep breath, letting the air fill her lungs. “I’m glad you came here, Paige. I know it wasn’t easy for you, but… I’m so glad we’re doing this. I mean, I don’t want to jinx anything, but I think we’re finally on the right track.”

Paige looked over at Azzi, a look of fondness crossing her face. “Me too. I’m really happy we’re doing this too.”

Azzi’s smile widened, and she squeezed Paige’s hand again, feeling more certain in that moment than she had in a long time. They didn’t have everything figured out, but they were in it together, and that was enough.

As they continued to walk, Azzi found herself leading the way a bit more, guiding them down the winding paths of the park, her confidence growing with every step. She was taking the lead now—not just physically, but emotionally as well. Paige deserved that. She deserved someone who would actively show up for her.

And as they walked hand in hand, the world seemed a little bit lighter, a little bit more hopeful. Together, they were going to figure this out, one step at a time.

As they walked through the park, Paige’s mind began to wander, and a new idea crept in. The thought had been lingering in the back of her mind for a while now, but she hadn’t brought it up to Azzi yet. Now, with the peaceful walk and the conversation flowing so easily, it felt like the right time.

“So,” Paige started casually, glancing over at Azzi, her tone light but with an underlying eagerness. “I’ve been thinking… you and Caroline, you both in the transfer portal. I know things with your team aren’t exactly… great. And I get that it’s a tough decision, but I just wanted to say—have you considered coming to UConn?”

Azzi slowed her pace, her brows furrowing slightly as she turned to look at Paige, trying to gauge the sincerity in her words. She didn’t want to show too much of her hand just yet, but Paige was looking at her with such hope that it made her chest tighten a little.

Paige continued, almost as if she couldn’t stop herself now that the words were out. “I mean, Geno’s been telling me to try and convince you. He really wants you there, Azzi, you and Caroline. And, you know, if you came—well, we’d be together. Like, on the same team. We’ve never played together before, but imagine that. We’d be unstoppable, right?”

Azzi stayed quiet for a moment, letting the idea sit in her mind. Paige was right; they had never been on the same team before, but the thought of playing with her—of being on the same court, really sharing the experience—sounded like something they could both excel in. And UConn’s program? One of the best in the country. It wasn’t just about playing with Paige, though that was certainly an exciting prospect—it was also about the opportunity to play for such a legendary team.

“I’ve been thinking about it,” Azzi said slowly, her voice giving nothing away. “Caroline and I have talked about it a lot, actually.”

Paige’s eyes lit up, but she tried not to push, not wanting to make Azzi feel pressured. “I get it. It’s a huge decision, and you’ve got to do what’s best for you. But I just think about how good the program is, the competition, everything we could accomplish together. Plus, I’ll be there. We’ll be together.”

Azzi glanced down at their intertwined hands as they walked, her thoughts swirling. She could feel the pull to UConn—it was a chance to grow as a player, and even more importantly, it was a chance to be closer to Paige. But there was still a part of her that hesitated. She wasn’t ready to fully lay all her cards on the table, especially not when it came to something so personal.

“Yeah,” Azzi said, a soft smile tugging at her lips. “I mean, I’ve been leaning that way for a while now. But it’s not just about that, you know? It’s about finding the right place for me. For both of us, really.”

Paige’s heart skipped a beat at Azzi’s words. She was leaning towards it. That was more than she had expected, and it gave her hope. She squeezed Azzi’s hand tighter, wanting to convey her support.

“Whatever you decide, Azzi, I’ll support you. No matter what. I just want you to be happy. But yeah, I really hope you’ll come to UConn. We’d make such a good team.” Paige smiled, a little nervous but mostly excited. “And hey, we’ll finally get to play together. I’ve always wanted that.”

Azzi smiled back, the warmth in her chest growing as she looked at Paige, knowing how much this meant to her. “I’ll keep thinking about it,” Azzi said quietly, her voice soft but carrying an undeniable sincerity. “And I appreciate you, you know? For giving me the space to figure it out.”

They continued walking, the sounds of the park around them calming the air. Paige felt content, knowing she had put her feelings out there and had shown Azzi how much she cared—not just about their relationship, but about her future, too.

“I know this is a big decision,” Paige added after a beat, her eyes scanning the trees as they strolled. “But whatever happens, I’ll always be here for you. You’re not in this alone.”

Azzi’s heart swelled at Paige’s words, and she leaned into her slightly, her shoulder brushing against Paige’s. “I know. And that’s more than I could ever ask for.”

As they continued to walk through the park, their pace slowing as the conversation turned to other things, the uncertainty about the future lingered, but there was a new sense of confidence in Azzi’s heart. No matter what happened with UConn, she knew one thing for sure: she wanted to figure it out with Paige. And whether they played together or not, they’d be a team. That much was already certain.

—--------------

When they got back to Azzi’s dorm, the atmosphere had shifted into a comfortable, familiar rhythm. Paige had made up her mind to pack her things in advance, knowing she had to leave the next day to head back to UConn. She headed to Azzi’s room, gathering her bags and making sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. Meanwhile, Azzi and Caroline stayed in the common area, lounging on the couch, talking quietly.

As Azzi sat down next to Caroline, a small sigh escaped her lips. She leaned back into the couch, feeling the weight of their conversation earlier still hanging in her mind. “So,” Azzi began, glancing over at Caroline, “Paige had a talk with me today about the transfer portal. She’s been trying to convince me to come to UConn. And… I think she really wants us both there.” Her voice had a mix of thoughtfulness and uncertainty as she spoke, but the more she said it, the more it made sense.

Caroline raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “Really? She said that?”

Azzi nodded, rubbing her hands together absentmindedly. “Yeah, and Geno and CD have been telling her to try and get us both to come. She said that she wants us to be on the same team, you know, with her.” There was a softness in Azzi’s voice as she continued. “She said she wanted to play together, and so did Geno and CD. She really believes we’d be a great fit there.”

Caroline was quiet for a moment, her thoughts clearly racing. “I’ve been thinking about it, Azzi,” Caroline finally said, her eyes meeting Azzi’s. “I mean, UConn would be amazing for both of us. It’s such a great program, and we’d have a real shot to show what we can do. Plus… we’d be together. It would be nice to not be apart, you know?”

Azzi’s heart skipped a beat at Caroline’s words. There was something comforting in hearing that—something that made the decision feel less like a leap and more like a natural step. “I was thinking the same thing,” Azzi admitted, the realization settling in. “And… I think we’re both leaning in the same direction, right?”

Caroline smiled a little, her expression softening. “Yeah. I think we are.” She leaned back into the couch, her arms stretched out behind her. “I think we should go to UConn, Azzi. It feels like the right choice.”

Azzi met Caroline’s gaze, her lips curling into a small, thoughtful smile. “I think so too.”

For a few seconds, there was silence between them, both of them processing the weight of the decision. Azzi then looked down, her hands resting on her knees. “But…” Her voice faltered slightly. “I don’t want to tell Paige just yet. I don’t know… It feels like we should figure it out for ourselves first. Not just because she’s been pushing for it, you know?”

Caroline nodded in understanding, a knowing look crossing her face. “Yeah, I get it. You don’t want it to feel like it’s because of her. We’ll make sure it’s the right decision for us.”

Azzi smiled gratefully at Caroline, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. “Thanks. I just want to be sure, you know? I don’t want to rush into it.”

Caroline gave her a playful nudge. “It’s not like we’re in a rush. Let’s figure it out and then tell Paige when we’re ready. She’ll be happy either way, I’m sure.”

Azzi nodded, still processing everything. It felt good, talking this out with Caroline—knowing they were on the same page. But a part of Azzi still wanted to take her time before sharing the decision with Paige. She didn’t want it to feel like it was just following along with Paige’s desires. It was about what was right for both of them, not just for one person.

Meanwhile, Paige was back in Azzi’s room, busily packing her bags. As she zipped up her suitcase, her mind wandered back to everything she had shared with Azzi earlier. She couldn’t help but feel hopeful, imagining the future they could have, together at UConn. But even though she was excited, she also didn’t want to put any pressure on Azzi to make a decision before she was ready.

Paige shook her head, finishing up the last of her packing. She stepped out into the common area, where Caroline and Azzi were sitting, both looking up as she entered.

Azzi smiled softly at her. “All packed?”

Paige nodded, giving her a small grin. “Yeah. It’s always a bit of a pain, but I’ll survive.”

Caroline gave Azzi a knowing look before standing up. “Well, I think I’m gonna head out for a bit. You two probably need some time to talk about the next steps, right?”

Paige chuckled, but before she could respond, Azzi quickly added, “Yeah, we’re just going to chat for a little bit. We’ll catch up later.”

Caroline grinned. “Sure thing.” And with that, she slipped out, leaving Azzi and Paige alone in the quiet dorm room.

Azzi turned to Paige, her expression thoughtful. “You know… I’ve been thinking about everything you said today. About UConn and the transfer portal. I think it could be a really good opportunity for both me and Caroline.”

Paige’s eyes brightened at Azzi’s words, though she kept her tone casual. “I’m glad to hear that. I just want you to be happy with whatever decision you make, Azzi.”

Azzi met her gaze, her smile soft. “I know. And I appreciate that. I think I’m ready to make the decision soon.”

Paige smiled back, her heart racing a little, not knowing just how close they were to both making that leap—together.

—--------------

Azzi had been planning the arcade date for the entire morning ever since breakfast, wanting to surprise Paige with something fun and lighthearted before the end of her visit. As they walked hand-in-hand to the arcade in the early afternoon, the sun was high and warm, and a gentle breeze followed them. Paige was practically bouncing with excitement when Azzi told her the plan.

“An arcade date?” Paige grinned, her eyes sparkling. “This is gonna be so much fun.”

Azzi chuckled at Paige’s infectious energy. “I thought you’d like it. We can get competitive, you know, and I’ll beat your ass at everything.”

Paige raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk forming. “In your dreams, Fudd. I’m definitely winning this one.”

The two of them strolled inside, the arcade filled with the sound of flashing lights, clinking coins, and the familiar electronic music of machines. Azzi immediately led Paige to a row of games, and soon enough, they were caught in a whirlwind of competition, teasing each other between rounds.

They started off with air hockey, their faces intense with focus as they smacked the puck back and forth. Paige managed to win the first round, but Azzi was quick to challenge her again, and this time, she came out on top.

“Ha!” Azzi laughed, sticking out her tongue. “I told you I’d win!”

Paige groaned in mock defeat, but she was grinning. “That was such a fluke. But I’ll get you next time.”

They moved to the next game, skee-ball, and Paige was already sizing up the machines with a determined look. The two went back and forth, trying to see who could get the highest score. Azzi tried to focus, but Paige kept giving her teasing side glances, distracting her.

“Wow, I didn’t know we were playing for real,” Azzi said, acting surprised.

Paige raised her hands in mock surrender. “I’m just too good. You know that.”

Then they headed over to the racing games. Paige was particularly competitive with this one, and she immediately hopped into the seat. Azzi grinned and slid into the seat next to her, revving the virtual engines as they both raced on the screen, each one determined to beat the other.

“Ready to lose?” Paige asked, hands firmly gripping the steering wheel.

Azzi leaned over and whispered with a sly grin, “You wish.”

As the game began, the race was neck and neck, but Paige somehow managed to edge ahead in the final lap, her fingers flexing over the buttons in excitement as the virtual car zoomed past the finish line.

“I win!” Paige exclaimed, raising both hands in the air as the screen flashed.

Azzi laughed and shook her head. “Fine, you won that one. But I’m getting you next time.”

They both took a few steps away from the racing game, their competitive energy still buzzing in the air. But then something caught Azzi’s eye in the corner of the arcade—a vintage photo booth. The faded pink and blue lights surrounding it made it look nostalgic and inviting. Azzi’s face lit up as she tugged Paige toward it.

“Let’s take some pictures!” Azzi suggested, her voice playful.

Paige raised an eyebrow and smirked. “You mean… you want me to get into that tiny booth with you?”

Azzi laughed and gave Paige a wink. “Come on, it’ll be fun! We can make silly faces.”

Paige hesitated for a second but then grinned. “Fine. But I’m not making any stupid faces.”

They squeezed inside the photo booth together, and Azzi quickly slid the curtain shut, leaving just enough room for both of them to fit. Paige was already trying to adjust her hair, making sure she looked good for the photos. Azzi leaned back against the corner, her eyes twinkling. “Okay, first one—smile!” she said, leaning into Paige with a playful glint in her eyes.

The camera clicked, and they both smiled wide, their eyes meeting as they giggled. The first photo came out, and both of them took a moment to adjust their hair and faces.

“Alright, let’s try something silly for the next one,” Azzi suggested, her hand resting lightly on Paige’s arm.

Paige nodded with a grin. “Ok ok, I can do that. Watch this.”

They pulled exaggerated faces for the second photo—Azzi sticking her tongue out and Paige crossing her eyes and sticking her tongue out as well—just before the camera flashed again, capturing their silliness. The second picture came out, and both of them burst into laughter, the silliness only making them feel closer.

The third shot was more relaxed. Azzi turned slightly toward Paige, her smile softening as their shoulders brushed. Paige rested her hand on Azzi’s thigh as they posed for the photo, the warmth between them growing with each passing second. Their laughter died down into a contented silence as the camera flashed once more, capturing the ease between them.

When the fourth picture began to print, the playful atmosphere shifted slightly. Azzi leaned in close to Paige, her lips parting as if she were thinking about something, but before she could speak, she met Paige’s gaze. There was an unspoken connection in that moment, a quiet tension that felt electric.

“Okay,” Azzi said softly, “let’s make this last one a bit different.”

Paige raised an eyebrow, sensing the change in the air. “Different how?”

Azzi didn’t answer with words—she simply leaned in closer, her lips brushing Paige’s ear. “Let’s kiss for this one,” Azzi whispered, her voice low, teasing yet full of affection.

Paige’s heart raced in her chest, and without thinking, she closed the distance between them. She leaned in to kiss Azzi softly, their lips meeting gently at first, then deepening as their chemistry sparked. In that moment, it felt like time slowed down, their connection more palpable than ever. Paige’s hand, still resting on Azzi’s thigh, gave a subtle squeeze, and she felt Azzi respond, shifting ever so slightly to press herself closer. The last click of the camera echoed in the small booth, capturing that intimate moment between them.

They didn’t pull away immediately. Instead, they stayed there, lips still pressed together in a slow, tender kiss that said more than words ever could. The photo booth printed out the final picture, and when they finally broke apart, they both took a deep breath, their faces flushed with the warmth of the kiss.

Azzi smiled at Paige, her hand reaching for the prints. “I think this one’s going on my wall.”

Paige laughed softly, a light, affectionate tone in her voice. “I think you might be right. I’m keeping mine, though. It’s too cute.”

They each took a copy for themselves of the strip of pictures, sliding it into their pockets for safekeeping. 

After they left the photo booth, the playful mood between Azzi and Paige hadn’t worn off in the slightest. They wandered through the arcade for a bit longer, trying out a few more games and chatting between rounds. But eventually, Azzi’s eyes brightened when she spotted the sign for Laser Tag.

“Laser tag?” Azzi asked with a grin, raising an eyebrow. “What do you think, should we do it?”

Paige’s eyes lit up. “I’m so in for that! Are we going to be on the same team, or are you going to try to beat me at that too?”

Azzi smirked. “Oh, we’re definitely not going to be on the same team. I want to see how good you are under pressure.”

Paige scoffed, looking playfully offended. “Oh, it’s on now. Prepare to lose, princess.”

Azzi chuckled, nudging Paige in the ribs. “We’ll see about that.”

They made their way over to the laser tag area, where a group of other players was already waiting for their turn. Azzi and Paige signed up, each selecting their color-coded teams. Paige was assigned to the red team, and Azzi to the blue.

Azzi glanced over at Paige with a smirk as they suited up in the vests and strapped on their laser guns. The arena was dimly lit, with neon lights and fog machines creating an atmosphere that felt like they were about to step into another world. The air was electric with excitement, and the other players buzzed with anticipation, too.

“Don’t get too cocky, Bueckers,” Azzi teased, her voice playful yet serious. “I’m going to outmaneuver you.”

Paige raised her eyebrows as she adjusted the vest. “Bring it on. Just remember, you started this.”

The game started, and they both split into their respective teams. The arena’s lights flickered, and the countdown echoed through the room as the buzzer rang.

“Go!” someone yelled, and in an instant, the two teams scattered.

Paige didn’t waste any time. She dashed into the maze of ramps and pillars, scanning the area for opponents. The beams of light from the laser guns shot across the dimly lit arena, creating a chaotic but exciting battlefield. Her heart pounded, adrenaline rushing through her veins. She moved with purpose, keeping her eyes open for the first person to get in her sights.

Meanwhile, Azzi was just as focused. She ducked behind a structure and carefully checked her surroundings before making her move. Azzi’s competitive streak had come alive, and she wasn’t about to let Paige have the upper hand. She spotted someone from the other team and quickly aimed, her laser gun firing with precision. The target lit up, and she grinned in satisfaction.

Paige was on the move again, keeping her eyes on her own team’s progress as she searched for Azzi. She knew she couldn’t underestimate her—Azzi was good. Very good. She quickly darted into a new hiding spot, pressing her back to one of the pillars.

Then, from across the arena, Paige saw her. Azzi, seemingly out of nowhere, had appeared near the top of one of the ramps, aiming at a member of Paige’s team. Paige’s eyes narrowed, and she adjusted her grip on her laser gun. She had to be fast.

Without thinking, Paige sprinted toward Azzi’s position, ducking behind obstacles and leaping over ramps as she closed the gap. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. The moment she peeked her head out to line up the shot, Azzi saw her.

“Not fast enough!” Azzi yelled, smirking as she fired her gun, hitting one of Paige’s teammates.

But Paige was quick to retaliate. In a blink, she aimed and fired directly at Azzi, and she saw the confirmation light blink on Azzi’s vest.

“Yes!” Paige grinned, sticking her tongue out. “Gotcha.”

Azzi playfully pouted, then flashed Paige a teasing smile. “Okay, okay. You’re good.”

The game continued, both teams getting a few more shots in, each side trading victories and near-misses. Paige and Azzi were clearly having a blast, but there was still an unspoken tension between them, the desire to outdo each other making the experience all the more thrilling.

When the game finally ended, the announcer’s voice boomed through the speakers, letting everyone know the results. Paige’s team had won by a narrow margin, but only because Azzi had spent a little too much time enjoying the competition with Paige.

Azzi shot Paige a look of mock annoyance as they met up at the exit. “Okay, fine. You won. But only because I was distracted by you.”

Paige smirked and shrugged, a playful gleam in her eye. “Distracted by me, huh? I guess I’m just that distracting.”

Azzi crossed her arms and pretended to glare, though her eyes softened with affection. “Whatever. Just wait ‘til next time.”

Paige laughed and nudged her. “Next time, you’re going down, Fudd.”

The two of them laughed as they walked back toward the exit, their hands finding each other naturally. Even with the teasing, the competition, and the game, it was clear that they were enjoying each other’s company—more than ever.

“We need to do this again,” Paige said, still grinning.

Azzi nodded enthusiastically. “Absolutely. But next time, we’ll be on the same team. No more winning at my expense.”

Paige raised an eyebrow playfully. “We’ll see about that.”

As they made their way out of the arena, the air still electric from the game, Paige couldn’t help but feel a warmth spread through her chest. It was moments like this—simple, fun, yet undeniably special—that made her grateful for the time they had together.

—--------------

The air outside had started to cool as the sun dipped below the horizon, leaving a gentle twilight settling over the city. Paige and Azzi, still feeling the lingering energy from their afternoon together, stood on the sidewalk, looking at each other with that familiar spark in their eyes. The tension between them hadn’t completely faded—it was still there, hanging in the air, but it was different now. It was playful, teasing, and a little flirtatious.

“So, what do you think? Should we keep this night going?” Azzi asked, her voice light but laced with a hint of mischief.

Paige raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at her lips. “What did you have in mind?”

Azzi grinned. “Karaoke.”

Paige chuckled, her eyes lighting up with excitement. “Oh, you want to embarrass me in front of a crowd, huh?”

Azzi shrugged, feigning innocence. “Nah. I just want you to have fun, babe. It’s all about enjoying the moment.”

Paige couldn’t help but laugh. “I should’ve known you’d be the one to suggest karaoke.”

“Come on,” Azzi said, pulling her by the hand toward the bar just a block away. “It’ll be fun. And I’m way better at singing than you.”

Paige rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “I’ll believe that when I hear it.”

They entered the bar, which had a cozy, yet buzzing vibe. The lighting was low, and the sound of laughter and chatter filled the air. A hostess greeted them at the door and led them to a private karaoke room at the back. The room was plush, with soft leather seating along the walls and a screen in the center where the lyrics would appear. A microphone sat on a stand in the middle of the room, and a small table in the corner was already stocked with drinks and snacks.

Azzi flopped down onto one of the seats, kicking off her shoes. “I’m telling you now, Paige, I’m going to crush you in this. Prepare to be impressed.”

Paige rolled her eyes but plopped down next to her. “We’ll see about that. I bet you can’t even hit the high notes.”

Azzi grinned, teasing her with a playful look. “I’m just setting the stage, Bueckers. Let’s start with something easy. You do like SZA, right?”

“Of course,” Paige replied, grabbing a drink and taking a sip. “But you do realize, I’ve got a mean voice, right?”

Azzi raised an eyebrow and picked up the karaoke remote. “You’re about to find out.”

She quickly selected a song—“Good Days” by SZA—and the intro began to play. Both of them exchanged looks before bursting into laughter.

“Oh god,” Paige said between giggles, “this is going to be hilarious.”

They began singing, but for the most part, neither of them took it too seriously. They belted out the lyrics, off-key more than once, while cracking up every time they hit a wrong note. Azzi’s voice was smooth and confident, but Paige’s enthusiasm more than made up for it. They harmonized when they could, but mostly they were just laughing, goofing off, and having fun.

At one point, Azzi was in the middle of a line, and Paige couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Wait, hold on! I wasn’t even ready for that note!” Paige’s laugh was infectious, and soon, they were both holding their stomachs as they tried to get through the chorus.

“You’re terrible!” Azzi said, wiping tears from her eyes. “I thought you said you could sing!”

“I never said I could sing well!” Paige retorted, still chuckling.

Halfway through the song, they’d both abandoned trying to sing properly, instead focusing on cracking each other up. The karaoke machine flashed “Singing with Heart!” as a message to remind them of their lack of effort, but neither of them cared.

When the song finally ended, they collapsed into their seats, catching their breath from all the laughing. “Okay,” Paige gasped, “that was actually fun. And maybe you’re a little better than I thought.”

Azzi grinned, pleased with herself. “I told you.”

Right as the laughter started to subside, a server brought in their order—pizza, chips, and a few more drinks. “We’re going to need some fuel for the next round,” the waiter said with a smile before leaving the room.

Paige immediately reached for a slice of pizza and handed one to Azzi. “You know what this night needs? A banger.”

Azzi raised an eyebrow, taking a bite of her pizza. “What’s your idea of a banger?”

Paige smirked. “How about some I Don’t Fuck With You by Big Sean?”

Azzi nearly choked on her pizza. “No way! You want us to sing that?”

Paige shrugged, a mischievous gleam in her eye. “It’s perfect. You’re already getting the hang of this, and besides, we’re having fun.”

Azzi thought for a second, then grinned. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

Paige selected the song, and the beat kicked in with the iconic intro. Azzi’s eyes lit up. “This is going to be great.”

They both got into it, rapping the verses and shouting the chorus with all the energy they could muster. Neither of them could keep a straight face, especially as they got louder and more dramatic with every line. They didn’t take themselves seriously at all, but the playful energy between them made it even more fun.

When they hit the part  “I don’t fuck with you,” they both leaned toward each other, laughing so hard they couldn’t catch their breath. It was obvious neither of them knew every word perfectly, but they made it work with their laughter and exaggerated moves, practically throwing themselves into the performance.

Every now and then, Azzi would bump her shoulder into Paige’s, and Paige would wink at her. Every time they shared a look or a laugh, the chemistry between them was undeniable. They didn’t even realize how close they were, how their bodies naturally gravitated toward each other, the touch of their hands becoming more frequent. By the time the song was almost done, Paige was leaning into Azzi, her arm wrapped loosely around Azzi’s waist as they rapped the last few lines together.

Paige’s thumb brushed across Azzi’s side, making her shiver slightly, and for a second, the fun vibe shifted. They shared a look, the air between them suddenly heavy with something more than just laughter. It was that undeniable, quiet tension—something they’d been dancing around for a while during the day today. Paige’s hand settled more firmly on Azzi’s side, squeezing gently, and Azzi’s breath hitched.

Without a word, Paige leaned in slowly, and before either of them knew it, their lips met again, this time with more intention. It was soft at first, but then Azzi pressed in closer, one hand resting on Paige’s shoulder while the other found its way to Paige’s neck, pulling her in deeper. Paige’s hand slid down Azzi’s side, fingers grazing her hip, their kiss growing more heated and intimate by the second.

They broke away for a moment, both of them slightly breathless, but neither of them moved far apart. Their foreheads rested against each other, both of them smiling, yet something unspoken lingered between them.

“Looks like we might’ve just started a new tradition,” Azzi whispered, her lips barely brushing Paige’s.

Paige smirked, teasing. “Only if you promise to let me win next time.”

Azzi chuckled, shaking her head. “I’ll think about it. But for now…” She kissed Paige’s forehead. “I think we’ve earned another round.”

And with that, they dove back into their playful, intimate moment, lost in the music, the laughter, and each other’s company.

—--------------

As the night continued, the atmosphere between Paige and Azzi grew even more intimate. The playful teasing from the karaoke room began to shift into something deeper. Their laughter died down, and in its place, an undeniable connection between them was more palpable than ever.

Azzi’s hand found Paige’s again as they sat side by side, the energy between them quiet but intense. Every touch, every glance, seemed to carry more weight now, both of them aware of the sparks they were playing with. Paige, still feeling the warmth of Azzi’s touch, leaned closer to her, her voice softening.

“Thank you for today,” Paige said, her words sincere as she gently squeezed Azzi’s hand. “This has been so much fun, seriously. I needed this. I needed you.”

Azzi smiled, her eyes softening as she gazed back at Paige. “I’m happy to see you happy, Bueckers,” she replied, her voice low but filled with affection. “You deserve it, after everything. I’m glad you came here.”

Paige couldn’t help but smile back, her heart swelling at the sound of Azzi’s words. She tilted her head slightly, letting her gaze linger on Azzi for a moment before she leaned in, brushing her lips against Azzi’s in a quick but sweet kiss.

The moment was perfect—filled with warmth, tenderness, and the undeniable connection they shared. But as time wore on, reality slowly began to sink in. They checked the time and saw that it was getting late. Paige had to leave soon, her flight back to Storrs looming in the morning. The thought of leaving was bittersweet.

Azzi gently pulled away from Paige, her hand still resting on Paige’s, and stood up. “We should probably head back to my dorm,” Azzi said with a soft sigh, her voice tinged with a bit of reluctance. “I don’t want this night to end, but I know it’s getting late.”

Paige nodded, her smile soft. “Yeah, I know. But it’s been a perfect day.” She rose to her feet, following Azzi as they left the karaoke room, the energy still lingering between them like a comfortable warmth.

They walked back to Azzi’s dorm, hand in hand, the night air cool against their skin as they moved through the streets, neither of them wanting to let go of the closeness they’d found. It felt like time had slowed down, giving them just a little more time to savor the moments they had left before Paige would have to leave.

Once they arrived at Azzi’s dorm, they slipped into the common area, where Caroline was lounging on the couch. She looked up at the sound of their footsteps, her face lighting up with a smile when she saw them together.

“How was your guy's day today?” Caroline asked, her tone warm and teasing, clearly knowing something had shifted between them.

Azzi and Paige shared a knowing look, both of them grinning. Azzi pulled the photo strip out of her pocket, her fingers brushing over the small pictures they had taken together earlier. “It was amazing,” Azzi said softly, handing the photo strip to Caroline. “We took these. Look.”

Caroline took the strip, her eyes flickering over the pictures as she smiled. “Aww, you two are so cute,” she said, her voice light with joy. She looked up at them, her expression genuinely happy. “I’m really glad you both figured things out. You two deserve to be happy.”

Azzi and Paige exchanged a quiet, contented smile, both feeling the weight of Caroline’s words. They hadn’t fully realized how much they’d needed to hear that until now. Azzi squeezed Paige’s hand gently, her eyes flickering with affection.

“Thanks, Caroline,” Paige said, her voice soft but sincere. “I’m glad I came here… for her.”

Caroline beamed, clearly happy for them. “Well, I’m glad you did, too.”

With a soft chuckle, Azzi led Paige down the hallway to her room. “Come on,” she said, her voice playful but full of warmth. “Let’s get some rest. I’m pretty sure we’ll need it.”

Once they reached Azzi’s room, the door shut behind them softly, the sound of the lock clicking into place. Paige turned to Azzi, her smile soft, her heart full. She glanced at the photo strip again, tracing the edges of the pictures with her fingers.

“It feels real now,” Paige whispered, her voice barely audible. “Like, really real.”

Azzi nodded, her gaze steady on Paige. “It does,” she replied quietly. “And I’m happy it is.”

The two of them stood there for a moment, the weight of their connection settling between them. It had been a long journey to get here, full of ups and downs, but now—here, in this moment—it felt like everything had fallen into place.

“I’m gonna miss you tomorrow,” Paige said after a beat, her voice soft but laced with sincerity.

Azzi smiled, her eyes softening with affection. “I’m gonna miss you too.”

They lingered there for a few more moments, the tension in the air now replaced with something much more tender. Paige reached out, gently cupping Azzi’s cheek before pulling her in for a soft kiss, feeling the warmth of Azzi’s lips against hers. The kiss was slow and sweet, a gentle affirmation of everything they had between them.

—--------------

As the night stretched on, Azzi, exhausted from the day’s adventures, slowly settled into the bed, her head resting on the pillow. Paige, watching her, smiled softly, her heart swelling with affection as she saw Azzi’s peaceful expression. Azzi’s breathing began to slow, and within moments, she was fast asleep, the gentle rise and fall of her chest signaling her deep slumber.

Paige took a deep breath, glancing over at Azzi one last time before pulling her phone out of her pocket. She unlocked it and opened the group chat with Geno and CD, her fingers hovering over the screen for a moment before she started typing.

Paige: Hey, so I’ve been convincing Azzi and Caroline about UConn. I think it’s working. They seem to be leaning toward it.

She sent the message, her eyes briefly scanning over the words, her thoughts briefly drifting to the possibility of everything working out the way she hoped. Her thumb hovered over the screen again, typing out another message.

Paige: They’re still undecided, but I can tell Azzi’s starting to warm up to the idea. We might just be able to pull this off.

A few seconds later, Geno’s reply pinged back, followed quickly by CD��s.

Geno: Good. We’ve got a good program, and I think they’d be a great fit. Just keep doing what you’re doing.

CD: Yeah, keep at it. Glad to hear it’s working. See you soon at practice.

Paige smiled at their responses. She’d been nervous, unsure if her efforts would be enough, but now that she had some reassurance, she felt more confident. She put her phone down on the nightstand, her heart at ease.

Turning back to Azzi, Paige pulled the blanket up just a little higher, ensuring she was comfortable before lying down beside her. The soft sound of Azzi’s steady breathing was soothing, and Paige couldn’t help but smile as she closed her eyes. It had been a long journey, but it felt like things were finally falling into place.

She whispered softly to herself, “This is just the beginning.” And with that, she let sleep take over, her hand finding Azzi’s beneath the covers as they drifted into a peaceful slumber together.

—--------------

The next morning, the sunlight filtered through the blinds of Azzi’s room, gently waking the trio. Paige stretched as she yawned, glancing at the clock. Her flight wasn’t until later in the afternoon, but it felt like time was slipping away too quickly. She didn’t want to leave just yet, but at the same time, she knew she’d be back soon. The thought of going back to Storrs felt distant, almost surreal, after the whirlwind days spent with Azzi.

Azzi and Caroline were already up, chatting quietly as Paige stood in front of the mirror, brushing her hair. The sound of laughter from the living room filtered in, and Paige smiled, knowing that no matter what happened next, this trip had been worth it.

“Hey, breakfast?” Azzi called from the kitchen, a mischievous grin on her face. “You can’t leave without one last good meal.”

Caroline nodded, walking past Paige to grab her jacket. “Yeah, let’s go. We’ll make it count.”

The three of them headed to a nearby café that Paige and Azzi had gone to yesterday, a cozy spot with warm sunlight pouring in through the windows. They settled into a booth near the front, the smell of freshly baked bread and sizzling food making Paige’s stomach rumble. They ordered savory items—toast with avocado, scrambled eggs, and a side of fruit.

As they ate, Caroline, ever the photographer, pulled out her phone. She leaned back slightly in her seat, waiting for the perfect moment.

“Alright, you two, smile!” Caroline said, her camera poised. “You both look adorable together. Just one for the memories.”

Azzi and Paige shared a glance, their smiles easy and natural, just like the connection between them. Paige leaned in slightly, their shoulders brushing, and Azzi tilting her heads towards Paige as they both grinned at the camera. Caroline snapped the shot quickly, satisfied with the candid moment.

She looked down at her phone, scrolling through the picture. “This looks perfect. Mind if I post it?” she asked, showing them the image.

Paige and Azzi shared another glance before nodding in agreement.

“Go for it,” Paige said with a shrug, though her eyes softened as she smiled at Azzi.

Caroline quickly typed a simple caption: “Breakfast with my faves🥰.” She posted it, keeping things lowkey—nothing too obvious, just a casual shot between friends.

“Alright, let’s go,” Caroline said, tucking her phone away after the post was live. “We’ve got a flight to catch… eventually.”

The three of them drove to the airport, the air crisp and cool as they drove through the parking lot. The drive had been lighthearted, filled with music and jokes, but now that they were here, Paige couldn’t help but feel the weight of leaving. She wasn’t leaving because she wanted to—it was just a part of the plan. She had her responsibilities back at UConn, but a piece of her wanted to stay longer, savor the quiet moments with Azzi.

When they reached the airport, they said their goodbyes at the entrance, but Azzi and Caroline insisted on staying with Paige until her flight was ready to board.

“We’re not saying goodbye yet,” Azzi said with a soft smile, her fingers grazing Paige’s.

Caroline nodded in agreement. “We’ve still got time. No rush.”

They lingered in the airport, walking through the terminals, talking, and enjoying the last little moments they had together before Paige’s departure. It felt like they had all the time in the world, but Paige knew it was slipping away. The departure was inevitable, but so was the promise that this wasn’t the end.

—--------------

As the time ticked by, they finally reached the gate, and Paige checked in for her flight. There was still a little time before boarding, and she knew Azzi and Caroline would be with her until the very last moment.

The hum of the airport was steady, but the quiet between the three of them was filled with unspoken words. It was one of those moments where they all knew what was coming but didn’t want to acknowledge it just yet. The announcement for Paige’s flight echoed through the speakers, snapping the silence into focus.

“Attention, passengers on Flight 1264 to Hartford, we are now boarding. Please make your way to the gate.”

Paige took a deep breath and glanced down at Azzi, who was standing beside her, her eyes filled with something softer than sadness. There was a quiet strength in the way Azzi looked at her, the kind of look that made Paige feel like everything had fallen into place, despite the uncertainty of their situation.

“Guess this is it,” Paige said, her voice light but carrying a weight. She turned to Caroline, giving her a quick but sincere hug. “Take care of her, alright?”

Caroline smirked as she hugged Paige back tightly. “You know I will, but you better not forget about me when you’re back at UConn. I’ll be watching.”

Paige chuckled, ruffling Caroline’s hair. “Don’t worry, you’re impossible to forget.”

As Caroline stepped back, she pulled out her phone, her eyes twinkling with something mischievous. “You two,” she said, her voice quieter now, “are perfect.”

Paige turned toward Azzi, who was standing close by, her gaze full of quiet affection. There was a pause, a heartbeat where neither of them wanted to let go of the moment they were in. Then, without a word, they embraced, and Paige pressed a soft kiss to Azzi’s lips.

“Bye Baby,” Paige whispered against Azzi’s lips, her voice laced with affection and a little sadness. “I love you.”

Azzi smiled softly, her fingers brushing the side of Paige’s face. “I love you, too.”

The words felt like a promise, like a bond that had only grown stronger in the time they had spent together. Paige pulled back just enough to look at Azzi’s face, memorizing the look in her eyes, as if trying to hold onto that very moment.

Caroline, ever the observer, was quick to snap a picture of the two of them, capturing the warmth in the hug, the quiet kiss, and the gentle affection that surrounded them. She knew this moment was for them, something for just the two of them to keep.

As Paige pulled back from Azzi and turned toward the gate, she shot one last smile at both of them. “Remember what I said about you two at UConn. No funny business, alright?” she teased with a wink.

Azzi’s laugh rang out, full of fondness. “We’ll see,” she said playfully, but there was no doubt in her voice—only the quiet understanding that they had something real.

With one final wave, Paige turned toward the boarding tunnel, her heart heavy but light all at once. As she walked away, the image of Azzi and Caroline remained in her mind—two people who had become so much more than just friends. The connection between Paige and Azzi had only grown stronger, even with the distance between them.

In that moment, Paige knew that no matter what the future held, what they shared would always remain. It was a bond forged in something deeper than time or distance. As the plane’s engines roared to life, taking her further away, she carried that strength with her, knowing Azzi was just a heartbeat away, no matter where they were.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[luv-again]

We know what happened to Shadows parents but what are your headcanons for Amy’s parents? Would Shadow and Amy share their stories?

ahhh hi !! i was just wondering when you were going to drop by next and a minute later, there you were. the intuition has been wildly on point these past couple of days, haha. but yippee !! you're just in time for my weekend so i can crack this out, no holding off this time ! <33

shadamy's parents

can i just start this off by telling you that both ironically and unironically i love gerald and black doom. it's so funny to me ?? playing shadow 05 for the first time and discovering that cutscene prior to cosmic fall where shadow finds out '[gerald] created [him] with black doom' is so ??? and while i was paraphrasing that line, the little flashbacks paired with it- idk about you guys but my old man yaoi goggles were on that day. shadow's two deranged divorced dads :) the concept is both downright hilarious but something i accepted a little too readily LMAO

ANYWAY

i have a couple of headcanons about amy's parents, and it kind of depends on what i'm writing for and how that background would impact her psyche and judgement. i can never give you one answer, can i lol

TAHI (1) : amy's parents abandoned her as a child (whether that be by accident or intentionally)

idk a lot about the classic games as i haven't had the opportunity to play them yet, but sometime prior to cd with never lake and little planet and all, amy's parents abandon her and is left to fend for herself. this, of course, causes her to have abandonment issues further down the line. arguably, this could be backed up by scenes in sa2 where she gets left behind by the boys so often — at one point she doesn't even realise she's part of the team when she finally gets acknowledged. that breaks my heart. however, it would all add up

i touch on a little bit of these issues in one of my fics, where amy has a hard time believing shadow will stick by her in the events of cryptic castle because nobody really has stuck by her with total consistency. but without a word, he convinces her that she's worthy of stable support and in turn she puts her full trust in him. actions speak louder than words and all <3

RUA (2) : amy actually has loving parents who support and respect her independence

kids are pretty impressionable, so it would make sense that amy's boundless love had to come from somewhere ! amy's parents would be the type to love each other very much, resolve their spats diplomatically (despite one of her parents' hot temper - i always hc this to be the mother for some reason) and that's likely where amy developed a lot of her ideas about love from. amy's an adventurous spirit, always has been and her parents know this. they trust her to be able to handle herself, hence why she lives alone. amy keeps her parents updated on her life when she can and rarely ever keeps secrets from them

i've done an angle of this in another of my projects, but it developed into something far more complicated that i won't get into here, for brevity's sake

absolutely shadow and amy would exchange stories about their parents ! if amy experienced the first point i made, perhaps she'd have trouble navigating and discussing that topic due to trauma, but so would shadow, so i feel like they'd ease themselves into having that conversation or it occurs naturally sometime into their relationship when deep discussions don't feel like a scary boundary to cross. if it was the latter point, amy would be thrilled to share with shadow about her childhood, so long as it doesn't gut him to be reminded of what happened to him on the ark. she'd eventually take him to meet her parents, no doubt and if they're anything like her, they'd embrace him with open arms :)

thank you for these asks as always, i always have so much fun writing them out for you !!!! love <3

[rems-writing]

Fuckboy Hongjoong headcanon

-> Pairing: fuckboy!Hongjoong x amab!reader

-> Trope: strangers to lovers

-> Wordcount: 2,200 words

-> Rating: nc-17

Nets: @mirohs-aurora-society @othersideoutlawsnetwork @illusionnet

I'm also tagging @acupoftaewithsomesuga because why tf not lol

-> Kim Hongjoong was not your average fuckboy. Due to the punk aesthetic he always has with his fits (i.e. plaid skirts attached to black ripped jeans, combat boots, band tees, black leather jacket, and eyeliner that makes his eyes more alluring than ever), most students assumed otherwise. His antics and high body count (do not ask 💀) molded his personality into that of the type of rockstar that does drugs and sleeps with lot of women and the occasional man. Yeah, this boy was bi. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who is always seen getting turnt at either a frat party or a spring break rager, chugging beer and slipping his tongue down any woman’s throat before taking them to bed for the night and forcing them to leave the next morning. It’s either that or he leaves. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who even has professors fall at his feet due to his charm and that infamous smirk that everyone loves

-> Well… everyone except you

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who felt like his word had stopped when he laid his eyes on you walking through the entrance of the college campus,

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who felt a strange feeling in his chest when you brushed past him with your earbuds in and a CD player tucked in your hands alongside many notebooks and a couple of textbooks.

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who felt strangely elated when he found out that he shared the same literature class as you despite always showing up late to that class, as well as other classes. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who fought to stay awake just to listen to your voice as you introduced yourself to the class and explained why you loved literature so much. He usually falls asleep in the times that he actually shows up to class. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who waltzed his way towards you when the professor decided to have everyone stand up and walk around so every student can get to know each other. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who was surprised when you held your hand up and bluntly told him that you knew what he was and that unless they were paired up for a project together, you want nothing to do with him due to his reputation around the college. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who usually brushes off that statement with ease if someone else said it. However, since it was you, he felt his chest tighten with pain. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who kept up his nonchalant act and shrugged with indifference as he walked away from you. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who sat back down in his seat when the icebreaker was over and the professor started lecturing. Although, he just stared at you from afar rather than paid attention to the actual lecture. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who watched you leave after you had packed everything and left the lecture hall. He was enamoured with the way you moved. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who saw you walking down the hall and called out to you to join him at his table in the campus cafe. His smirk was painted on his face as usual. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who was surprised when he saw you gape at him like he was stupid before walking away briskly. 

-> “God he’s a tough one to crack.” He muttered to himself. “Oh well!”

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who found himself at yet another party with a girl straddling him, kissing his neck and moaning at the occasional squeeze of her hips. It was his way of encouraging her to keep going. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who looked up but instead of the random girl’s face, he was looking at yours. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, whose eyes widened before shutting them tightly and opening them again so he could see the girl’s face again. 

-> “Sorry. Maybe I smoked too much.” He reassured her. Or was he trying to reassure himself? Sure, he did smoke before this, but he didn’t hit the blunt that hard to visualize someone else on top of him. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who fell back into his usual antics when he took the girl to an empty room and fucked the daylights out of her in order to distract himself. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who immediately clothed himself after he was done with her and made sure she was fast asleep before leaving the room, cursing to himself when his clunky boots hit the hardwood floor. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who exited the party that was still going on and found himself wandering outside, thinking about what exactly was happening to him. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who accidentally bumped into you, causing you to almost drop the CD player in your hands. For some reason, he’d blame himself if it ever broke. Luckily, it didn’t since your earbuds were plugged in so it just hung there instead.

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who saw you widen your eyes and clutch your CD player to your chest before turning away from him. He felt his own chest tighten again. Surely, he didn’t think he was that bad to even break things on purpose. Right?

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who helplessly watched you walk away after muttering a half-assed “Thanks” to him. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who shook his head and scolded himself for caring about your opinion on him when he really shouldn’t before walking home. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who actually found himself walking to literature class not only on time, but early at that. Professor Park was pleasantly surprised with this. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who felt excited when he found out that he was partnered with you for a project. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, whose excitement died down when he saw you wearily approach him and cautiously sit next to him. Your hood was over your head and you kept looking down. Why did that hurt his heart?

-> “Oh, come on. I’m not that evil! Right?” Hongjoong joked with you, only to receive a silent yet serious answer when you didn’t respond to his attempt at making the atmosphere a little lighter. 

-> “Hey. Say something.” Hongjoong urged gently but to no avail. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who decided to focus on the project by opening his textbook. 

-> “It’s fine. I’ll take care of everything. Just… do whatever you want.”

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, whose eyes widened when he heard you speak for the first time. He was happy momentarily before he realized the weight of your words. You’d basically do all the work and he’ll just present the project before getting the grade. He’d hated how you assumed that he doesn’t care about schoolwork. He also hated how you were right. Most of the time, he could give two fucks about assignments. However, since your arrival, he found himself wanting to be in your good graces. For the first time, he actually cared about someone’s opinion on him. 

-> “No. You listen to me. And you listen to me well, Y/N.” Hongjoong said sternly. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who regretted speaking like that when you flinched and looked up at him before nodding once, indicating that you were listening to him. 

-> “You’re right. I don’t normally care about assignments. However, since you have this vendetta against me, how about I prove to you that I actually care about this class?” Hongjoong explained softly yet firmly. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who stuck out his overly ringed hand to you so you could shake it and be a part of this truce that he was putting out. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who felt flustered for the first time in a long while when you took your hand in his and shook it. Your skin was soft. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who found himself longing for your touch after you let go. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who found himself in the library with you after class to get a head start on the project. You would do the writing while he would do the research. The both of you would occasionally switch roles so you wouldn’t tire yourselves out doing the same thing. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who would notice that you’re getting tired and told you that they can continue either later on tonight or maybe even tomorrow. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who bid you goodbye before going back to his dorm room to study some more rather than go to the next party available. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who found you at the campus cafe the next morning and gingerly approached you. 

-> “Hey. I know we have all of the next class to do more of the project, but I wanted to ask your opinion on something.” He asked shyly. Hongjoong was never shy. Ever! Yet around you, he couldn’t help but feel this way. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who hung onto every word as you explained the part that he was stuck on for the project, nodding along and jotting down side notes in the margins of his notebook. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who walked alongside you to literature class before sitting next to you. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who felt proud of himself for contributing to the project and was extremely happy that you were warming up to him.

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who was about to bid you goodbye when you offered to hang out with him outside of class. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who couldn’t help but tease you when you explained that you felt bad for being indifferent with him when they first met before sighing lightly and reassuring you that it’s fine. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who found himself falling deeper and deeper in love with you as you two continue to hang out with each other every day. Yeah, that was it. Hongjoong felt love. That would explain why he felt his heart blossom at the sight of you every time he’s near you. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who, all of a sudden, hates his reputation and is racking his brain on how to change himself for the better. He even asked Professor Park for some insight!

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who was walking down the hall one day to his next class when he saw a group of girls (aka his past flings) surround you. He knew right then and there that the karma that attached itself to his reputation would bite him in the ass. And it did. Hard. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who took it upon himself to march over towards them and shove them away from you. 

-> “You’re seriously protecting him? I mean we get that you’re bi, but what’s so special about him? You do realize that he’s nothing more than a phase, right?”

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who felt his blood boil dangerously upon hearing their words and clenched his fist before speaking through gritted teeth. 

-> “He sees me beyond my reputation. He knows me. Inside and out. He is someone whom I would give everything up for. Because guess what? I fell in love with him. And I will not stand by and let bitches like you fill his head with lies and tell him otherwise. The moment you approached him and started harassing is the same moment where I realized that this isn’t the life for me. I don’t want my reputation. I don’t want a different person on my arm every day. I don’t want him to be scared of me. I don’t want him to push himself away from me. I want his trust. His love. So I suggest you scram before I make things worse for you.” 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who felt satisfied when seeing the girls run away. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who looked down at your hunched form and bent down to your height to get a better look at you. 

-> “Was that too much? I’m sorry. I know we’re just friends, but what I said is true. I’m willing to change for you.”

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who grabbed your hand and placed it against his chest, his heart beating steadily underneath your palm. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who blushed upon feeling your lips on his cheek. You had kissed him! If he was in his room, he’d probably kick his feet and giggle loudly like a schoolgirl. 

-> “Thank you… for standing up for me. And for returning my feelings.”

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who held your hand, savoring the feeling of your fingers intertwined with his.

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who gradually felt himself change overtime as his first romantic relationship was slowly progressing. Gone was the punk aesthetic (minus the many piercings on his ear and the half skirt attached to the pants. You expressed that it was a cool fashion statement and that you wanted to try it out one day). Hoodies replaced leather jackets, regular sneakers replaced combat boots (he would only wear the boots if the mood called for it), and his eyeliner was gone. In addition, anytime someone would flirt with him, he’d deadpan at them before bluntly stating that he’s taken.

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who’d roll his eyes playfully as you tease him for the harsh rejection. Deep down, you loved the loyalty he was displaying. 

-> “Oh, come on, Joongie! She was actually pretty.”

-> “Yeah, but not as pretty as you, baby boy.”

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who smirked in satisfaction as you blushed shyly and hit his shoulder playfully before laughing and holding you close to him. 

-> fuckboy!Hongjoong, who watched you fix his hair underneath the beanie he was wearing with adoration. 

-> Kim Hongjoong, who no longer identifies himself as a fuckboy ever since he has met you and would do anything to keep you by his side. Always and forever. 

[yeahtimesten]

How Your Relationship Started With Patrick, Art, or Tashi

As much as it pains me to say it because I’m such a slow burn girly, I think Patrick moves quick in relationships. I know he gives the impression that he’s a player and doesn’t like to get tied down. And maybe that’s what he thinks he’s doing. But really, I think he develops crushes quickly and dates around because he appreciates the art of connecting with people. And I think when he finds a person worth the trouble, he fixates on them with total earnest. He wants to take you on like three dates a week as soon he realizes he likes you. He’s not only quick to get you in bed, but also to ask you to be official with him. He wants to make it clear asap that you are just for him, and he’s just for you. If you insist on taking it slow, he’ll oblige. If you tell him you only want to be fwb or a casual relationship, fine then. But really, if you give him the opening, he’ll be on the topic of marriage and babies in no time. At first, he’s raising red flags with your friends who think he’s love bombing you. But like, he actually loves you, and he eventually proves it to your friends just how down bad he is for you. He’s the total definition of “talking stage? just move in babe we can talk at home.”

Art on the other hand? He takes his sweet ass time. For one, he loves the dance of courtship. Bringing you flowers, opening doors for you. He was raised to be respectful, to be a gentleman. But, I also think he’s scared of rejection and he’s not quick to pick up on reciprocated feelings. He’ll be so respectful, so patient, that maybe you’ll figure he’s not interested and he’s just a nice guy that wants to be your friend. But my god, he’s pining, he’s yearning. His skin burns *so good* if you brush past him or set your hand on his knee. He’s scared to make a real move. Maybe, he even watches you go through a painful break up with another man and is ready to pick up the pieces when you give him the chance. He wants to scream ‘I’m right here! In front of you. Look at me. Don’t make me say it, I’m so in love with you.’ I picture that it takes him a good year to finally confess his feelings. You’ll laugh, and he’ll get totally taken aback, sad, ashamed. But then you’ll say something like ‘what took you so long?’ A wave of relief will wash over him and only then will he be ready to ACTUALLY start the courting process. And the rest of your relationship will be him treating you like he’s still trying to win your heart.

Tashi? Ha. Yearning is too delicate. Whatever she goes through is much more disgusting. The scene in the movie where Art tells her Patrick doesn’t love her and she gets mad and asks if she ever said she needed him to love her (not verbatim lol), my heart breaks for her. I interpret that as her defense mechanism 100%. I wish I knew why, but I see that as she doesn’t think she deserves love. And that’s how she navigates her love life. “Love is 28 different things……. There’s fear and jealousy and revenge, control…” I think being in love is sort of a foreign feeling for her. And, especially if you’re a girl, it’s confusing for her to navigate. When you meet, you probably think she hates you, she acts totally cold to you. You wonder why she hangs around you so often. But you catch her reading a non-academic book that you finished reading about a week ago. And she asks to study with you after class. And she wants to borrow a couple of CDs she sees in your dorm room. And otherwise she’s extremely nosey about all your possessions. One night, she texts to you come to her dorm as soon as possible, and bring ice cream. And because you love her, despite being so confused on where you stand with her, you stop at the closest convenience store to grab her favorite ben and jerry’s (you did your own research, unbeknownst to her) and rush to her side. She’s distraught and she’s not opening up about it at all. You both eat your ice cream with a side of small talk. Eventually, after you poke and prod and offer her some stories about your life, she opens up, not about her feelings, but about her life as well. Growing up, her love for tennis, her other interests. She tells you she really enjoyed that book you were reading, but doesn’t admit she read it because of you. It gets late and you aren’t ready to go home but she looks sleepy and you offer to let her sleep and quietly she says ‘you can stay’ when you’re already halfway out the door. She doesn’t even think she wanted you to hear. But you did, and you join her on her twin sized bed. And for a beat, your laying squished awkwardly like sardines side by side until you adjust your arm above her head, and that’s all the invite she needs to readjust and rest her head on your chest. And without thinking you run your fingers through her hair. And she’s practically purring, until she’s snoring in your arms. That’s when you realize this was never about her hating you.

[otomehonyaku]

Diabolik Lovers More,More Blood Vol. 12 Ruki ☽ 7Net/Stellaworth Tokuten CD ☽ Monopolising Her

Original title: 彼が貴女を独り占めするCD Voiced by Sakurai Takahiro English translation by @otomehonyaku Click here for the audio (kindly provided by @karleksmumskladdkaka!)

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Please do not reuse or post my translations elsewhere or translate my work into other languages without my permission.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

I took a little break from translating this past week but I'm back at it again ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡ Thank you to @otomeheroines for suggesting this tokuten to me! It was pretty cute and now I know the Japanese words for stuff like 'chlorine' and 'limescale' lol

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

00:00 Hey. I’m coming in. You still aren’t ready? If we don’t start soon, we won't be done in time. Hurry up.

[You’re surprised.]

I’m shocked. Don’t you know what day it is today? I told you well in advance. It’s our once-in-a-month big cleaning day. Though I assume you could tell by the mop and dust cloth I’m holding. You sure are thickheaded. Anyway, I bought a new mop. Our previous one was getting pretty old, and I got this one on sale for quite the bargain.

[Ruki shows you the mop.]

It’s pretty suitable, don’t you think?

[You mope a little.]

What’s that? I can’t hear you. Alright, well, you know the plan now. Hurry up with your preparations and follow me. I left Yuma and the others in charge of the groceries. The two of us will do the cleaning.

[You feel that it’s a daunting task.]

It’s not that big of a deal, is it? It’ll be alright if we do it together. Well then, let’s start with the kitchen.

01:22 [Ruki is scrubbing something.]

Great, the grease is coming off quite nicely.  I’ll take care of the ventilation fan, you do the sink.

[The two of you clean side by side.]

You’re a dimwit most of the time, but you do come in handy with simple tasks like this. I don’t even have to order you around. I see no harm in you lending me a hand, I’ll give you that.

[You ask him whether you still have enough cleaning supplies.]

Yeah, I restocked the citric acid and baking soda.  They’re on the bottom shelf, so use whatever you need. Just make sure to ventilate the room when you use chlorine detergent. And don’t forget to use latex gloves, too.

[You make a face.]

What’s that face for? You look like you have something to say.

[You tell him he’s a professional.]

That’s all?  Those are the absolute basics when it comes to cleaning. I’m not asking for your praise. But… you could say I’ve got the fundamentals down. Citric acid works well against limescale. Baking soda is good against grease stains. And neutral detergent is good for a lot of things, too. Chlorine, however, could react with other products and release toxic gases.  So you should avoid it coming in contact with acidic liquids at all costs. You would think this is just common sense.

[You’re getting frustrated.]

02:50 Stop complaining so much. I don’t remember the first time I heard these things, but I learned a lot about cleaning from a women’s magazine.  It had an article on year-end cleaning.

[You ask him why he would read a women’s magazine.]

Don’t misunderstand. I ran out of books to read, so I ended up getting it for the sake of it. I was desperate for just about any printed text. But come to think of now, it was pretty informative. It’s not so bad to learn things you can apply directly in your daily life. Besides, the magazine was a worthwhile read.  The articles it had on making dishes out of leftover vegetables were interesting as well.

[You tell him he reminds you of a housewife.]

03:30 Watch your mouth when you speak to your master. What about me makes you think of a housewife?

[You tell him you meant it as a compliment.]

Heh. And that would be a compliment how, exactly? Explain it in a way that satisfies me.

[You tell him his future wife must be happy that Ruki is so good at housework.]

Oh… you are so naive. Where did you get that idea from? That if I got married, my wife would be the happiest on the planet? You’re thinking in extremes. Let’s say that I would become someone’s husband.  If I did all the housework, that would certainly make my wife’s life much easier. But then again, that’s not all there is to happiness, is there? If my wife simply left all of the housework to me, she would spiral into depravity herself. She wouldn’t be able to live without me. Then again, there’s a certain charm in keeping a pet beyond its useful life (1), but unfortunately, I refuse to take someone like that as my wife.

[You wonder whether that statement includes you.]

Well, no, that’s out of the question. I don’t think you’re that dependent on me. We divide the housework equally and we both benefit from it. That’s not bad, is it?

04:55 Why are we even talking about this? Leave the talk about our futures for now. Come on, let’s put those hands to work again.

[You continue cleaning.]

[To himself] Good grief, that was uncalled for. But a future with her… If I’d be permitted to share my life with her, and the two of us could support one another, that would not be so bad either.

[You ask him what he was saying.]

No, it’s nothing–don’t mention it (2). After I finish the ventilation fan, I’ll get to work cleaning the bathroom. You do the living room. Let’s get this done before the others come home.

05:42 The bathroom is all done. How’s it going here?

[You tell him it’s going well, but…]

Hey, what are you doing on that ladder?

[You tell him you’re cleaning the shelves.]

Right, I can see that you’re wiping off the shelves, but that’s not what I mean.  I’m asking you what on Earth you think you’re doing. Knowing you, it’s no question that you’ll slip and fall from such a height. I’ve told you before to refrain from these kinds of things. Hurry up and get down from there.

[You quickly climb down.]

Wait, slowly! Haste will only–

[Lo and behold, you fall off the ladder. Ruki swoops in and catches you.]

Gosh, I didn’t think you would be that predictable. You actually fell. Or was this just a ploy for me to come save you?

[You apologise.]

Don’t just apologise. Learn from your mistakes, at least. Leave it. I’ll do it.

[Your face falls.]

If you’re going to pout, you should have just behaved in the first place. It would be a terrible misunderstanding if you thought I was angry. I know full well what a dimwit you are. You can’t anger me so easily. If you got hurt and I would have to take care of you, though, I would have even more on my plate. For example, if you broke a bone, that would make it difficult to move when I feed on you. Just keep that in mind. Next time, I’ll let you know if I need your help.

07:20 Why are you smiling like that? It’s creeping me out.

[You tell Ruki that he’s kind.]

Huh. You must be completely infatuated if you take those words for kindness. Though I was aware of that already, of course. If you can still move, go and sweep the hallway.  I’ll make tea when we’re done. I made an apple pie this morning, so we can have some of that, too.

[You’re excited.]

You shameful creature. To let yourself be lured in by food like that... You have to put in the work first, got it?

08:07 Looks like we finished right on time. Azusa contacted me and said they've just finished grocery shopping, too. The three of them must be pretty exhausted right about now. There were quite a lot of items on the shopping list I gave them. It had a month’s worth of daily necessities on it. Body soap, kitchen paper, laundry detergent, things like that. You can save quite a lot of money if you shop during the sales at the end of the month. Did you think I’d miss out on that? Well, it seems we’ve taken care of most of our chores now. We’ve restocked our daily necessities and the mansion is squeaky-clean. Feels good when everything goes according to plan.

[Ruki takes a sip of his tea.]

09:04 Besides, it’s nice to see the living room spotless. It’s as if the tea even tastes better because of it.

[Ruki puts down his cup, motioning towards the apple pie.]

Hurry up and take a bite.  Ah, but if you don’t want any, I won’t force you to eat it.   I’m sure Kou would appreciate the extra serving.

[You quickly start eating.]

Heh. Don’t choke on it. You know what’ll happen if you ruin my good mood. Or do you? You look like a hamster in a pet shop window with your mouth stuffed like that. (3)

[Ruki stands up and comes closer to you.]

Maybe I should start calling you that from now on instead of Livestock. Your mouth is covered in crumbs. No manners, huh?

[Ruki runs his fingers over your mouth. You’re surprised and drop your fork.]

10:02 Why are you so surprised? I only brushed away the crumbs. It makes me want to discipline you, really, but I’ll let you off easy this time. You worked hard today. I appreciate it. However, it would be a shame if the floor got dirty when we’ve only just cleaned it. I’ll feed you.

[Ruki breaks off a piece with the fork and holds it out to you. You try to refuse.]

You have no right to refuse. As your master, I want to reward you for your efforts. Be thankful and accept it.

[You take the bite.]

[To himself] If I could marry her (4) in the future, I wonder if our days together will be just as peaceful as this one. Livestock is quite the handful, but if we could live together quietly, just the two of us… that does not seem so bad.

飼（か）い殺（ごろ）し : Lit. ‘to keep and kill (a pet),’ meaning to keep a domestic animal beyond its useful life or keeping a person on the payroll without utilising their skills

Not a translation note but the way he talks in this drama CD fucking kills me, this man is secretly such a tsundere (and a clean freak. I love)

In Japanese these past few lines sounded really suggestive so I hope that vibe carried across…

 契（ちぎ）りを交（か）わす: Lit. ‘to exchange (wedding) vows.’ I just briefly want to mention that 契り is also a euphemism for having sexual relations even though he… obviously doesn’t mean it that way in this context but do with that knowledge as you will hehe

[cherrywperson]

OKAY SO UHH UR HCS(and opinions) ON ROB, IDAHO AND WILLIAM!!! HAND THEM OVER!!!

OKKAY 🫡🫡 im mostly gonna copypaste from my hc list in my notes

rob:

nonbinary but also hes kinda apathetic abt allat cuz no one would gaf to ask his prns and theyd probably forget + the void made him kinda more dysphoric mannnn

autistic + 8928 mental illnesses

knows how to cook and is pretty good at it ^__^ (he just doesnt rlly get the chance to cook anymore cuz yk....)

would bite ppl prevoid and still bites ppl postvoid (even more!!!)

likes plushies bcuz yk he had daisy in his bed in the nobody

gets nightmares about the void damn.. and he has this frequent dream of gumball actually saving him when he was in the void AGHH !!!!

was friends with molly (THEY WERE BFFS!!) and tobias too lol (i like to think they were eachothers dates in the party) . couldve also been friends with anais and tried to be friends with william at some point

perhaps... maybe.... theres someone out there who never forgot him .. (who is that person? i leave that up to you)

sometimes wears shitty shirts he finds at the dumpster

speaking of the dumpster he goes scavanging on it and finds silly shit like cds and other shit he keeps and takes "home"

all his money comes from wallets he found on the ground/stole

was def a theater kid . dramatic ass!!!! ACTUALLY hes an edgy emo fuck bro thinks hes a lone alpha wolf 💀💀

never takes a shower bro HE STINKS!!!!!!!!

has back problems cuz he sleeps on the cold concrete floor with no mattress 😭

hes mexican 🔥🔥 intolerant to spicy stuff though STUPID

his body hurts the whole time cuz of the constant static and glitching . and also he hears static the whole time he can NEVER catch a break

fucking loves loud music YAAHAHAHAHGD

due to him being a background character he doesnt have any family/relatives !!!! 😁

opinion on this stupid guy: when i got back into tawog this guy gave me rabies all the time, rn not so much unfortunely 💔 i still rlly like him though hes a fave of mine !! i like bullying him a lot ❤️

idaho:

when he saw bobert for the first time he thought he was going crazy bro was tweaking 💀💀

ppl throw him all the godamnn time like hes a rock

opinion: I NEVER THINK OF HIM SORRY 😭😭 i think hes funny idk man . i didnt know his name was idaho for years cuz they call him "papita" in the latam dub . the potato episode confused me SO BAD

william:

neutrois demiromantic aceflux (he/it)

connected to thr boid in a way? hes related to it?? either that or hes one of the first ppl to get sucked into the void 💀

he keeps trying to figure out a way to communicate with people without hurting them. like damn give him a notepad and a pen im sure he can hold a pen with his telekinesis . or have him carry around a tiny speaker

bobert could understand what hes saying and translate ^__^ juke could also try to be friends with william and bond over not being understood !!

hes good friends with teri too !! she takes the time to understand it and and theyre buddies and and yeah

he probably listens to weird obscure creepy music and plays it out loud to scare people sometimes lmao

opinion: someone SAVE BRO 😭😭 help him poor thang

[lonestatus]

@noellevanious asked what i've been listening to lately and the ask is broken or something o_O so hi

been on repeat all day i love the guitar duo a lot. drums are alright i feel la dispute doesn't do anything too special with drums but they're usually solid. i've also been listening to king park and such small hands/nobody, not even the rain but i'm sticking to one song per band lol

CAN WE CREATE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL AND DESTROY IT NOBODY KNOWS I DREAM ABOUT IT i'm on the tail end of my ptv kick but you still gotta love them. the balance between the quieter and louder sections of the song make each section a little more special

santeria break

love mcr love bullets/love. the way the intro drops is so cooooool and always gets me jamming. and the lyricssss idk if it's them or gerard but i always wanna sing along. great drums too they get to go all over the place

evanescence has such a sway over me like so many of their songs are exemplary of the tone and genre of my favorite 2000's music and i'd grind it up and snort it if CD glass could get you high. the guitar is really sludgey and there's spectral synth what's not to love. it's like those songs that play at the end credits of a movie from 2005 but i can actually find it. <3

[horsedylan]

I got tagged in this quite a long time ago but was too lazy to do.

Full name: Alicia

Nicknames: Lisha, Alishima,

Birthplace: Canada

Birthday: April 12th.

Where Do You Live Now?: Canada.

Parent(s): as if.

Sibling(s): I don't have any siblings.

Looks: Roughly 5'3, long light brown hair, glasses

Favorite Animal(s): Jeez i wonder. I also like cats and polar bears. birds

Favorite TV Show(s): Not big on shows tbh, but To Your Eternity, Breaking Bad, and Tuca and Bertie are what come to mind first.

Favorite Kind(s) Of Music: everything except country. if country has no haters i am dead.

Favorite Movie(s): why is this so difficult to answer when asked lol

School: graduated and out for the time being.

Future School: not sure

Future Job: Nursing maybe if i can get my anxiety under control.

Boyfriend/Girlfriend: dont have one.

Best Buds: dont really have friends right now (im okay with it)

Favorite Candy: not big on candy, more of a savoury type of gal.

Hobbies: video games and whatever the hell this blog is.

Things You Collect: video games.

Do You Have A Personal Phone Line: 2025 lol

Favorite Body Part Of The Opposite Sex?: Nose, hair, hands.

Any Tattoos And Where Of What?: No but maybe some edgy barbed wire on my wrist

Piercing(s) And Where?: used to have a nose piercing and earrings but they're gone.

What Do You Sleep in?: depends on how hot it is.

Do you like Chain Letters: meh

Best Advice: be silly and embrace your interests whilst ignoring people who would make fun of you for them. it CAN get better.

Favorite Quotes: "Love is the most important thing i know, to love is to enter a completion of oneself"

Non-sport Activity You Enjoy: music and daydreaming.

Dream Car: something reliable with lane assist.

Favorite Thing To Do In Spring: stand in the sun for a few minutes

What’s Your Bedtime: i try to maintain a sleep schedule but it just never works out. too much coffee.

Where Do You Shop?: thrift store but i dont shop much.

Coke or Pepsi: neither, dr pepper.

Favorite Thing(s) To Wear?: black hoodie.

Favorite Subject(s) In School?: i liked computer science when i was in school.

favorite Color(s): black, dark bloody red.

Favorite People To Talk To Online: all my moots are delightful to talk too.

Root-Beer or Dr. Pepper? dr pepper

Do You Shave? yee

favorite Vacation Spot(s): somewhere quiet

Favorite Family Member(s): not close with my family

Did You Eat Paint Chips When You Were a Kid? No i did stick my fingers in mouse traps tho

Favorite CD you own: i dont own any

The ONE Person Who You Hate The Most: dont really have anyone i hate

Favorite Food(s): this changes but burger and pizza n sushiii n chow mein girlll

Who Is The Hottest Guy or Girl In The World?: dylan right now til this hyper fixation inevitably goes away.

What Is Your Favorite Salad Dressing?: blue cheese

When You Die, Do You Wanna Be Buried or Burned Into Ashes? buried but not embalmed.

Do You Believe In Aliens?: in the sense that there are species beyond earth yes, not like Alien Aliens

If You Had The Chance To Professionally Do Something, What would You Do?: not sure

Things You Obsess Over: dylan and love

Favorite Day of the Week: Friday

A Teacher You Hate: dont have a teacher but my elementary school teacher was pretty mean.

Favorite Disney Movie: is the fox and the hound disney

What Is Your Favorite Season? summer

What Toppings Do You Like On Your Pizza? black olives

Do You Like Your School Food Itself (As In The District Food): my school didn't have this sort of thing, it was too small.

If You Could Live Anywhere, Where Would You Live? a ranch with good scenery.

Favorite Thing(s) To Do On Weekends: video games.

Favorite Thing(s) To Get Clean up: not sure what to make of this

Favorite Magazine(s): in 2025? no

Favorite Flower(s): sunflower

Favorite Number(s): 5

Favorite Ice Cream flavor(s): mint chip

What Kind of Guys/Girls Are You Attracted to?: its been random.

What’s Your Most Embarrassing Moment? i dont want to think about my embarrassing moments thank you.

If You Could Change One Thing About Yourself What Would It be? my fucked eyes.

Do You Eat Breakfast First Then Brush Your Teeth or Brush first ten eat breakfast: eat breakfast first.

Favorite Time of Day: morning despite not being a natural early riser.

Can A Guy and Girl Be Just “Best Friends?”: imma natural born manhater baby

Do You Ask The Girl / Guy Out Or Do You Wait For Them To Come To You?: avoid like the plague

Do You Mind Paying For Sex? what?

What’s The Most Important thing In Someone’s Personality: empathetic, loyal, silly

Do you have a pager or cell phone? cell phone

Favorite Sport: hockey

What Was the Best Gift You Ever Received? my ps4?

How Long Did This Letter Take You To Finish?: idk

What Did You Listen To While Completing It?: jerma wrestling stream

Are you or would you like to be married in the near future (next 5 years)? not particularly.

[porcupine-girl]

Our Song S3: Commercial Break

While I work on editing episode 5, I've posted a special chapter on AO3, with all the Our Song-related stuff I saw (and bought) in China!

You can read it here on AO3 or below the cut:

First off, a literal word from our sponsor: I found a UBEST ad. For a country where a lot of the population is lactose intolerant, there are a lot of milk ads. I guess when a lot of your potential market is lactose intolerant you have to advertise your milk more heavily than here.

I very much wish I'd been able to see someone in concert while I was there, but nobody I could find happened to be playing either of the cities on the few days I'd be there (Joker played Beijing DAYS after I left! 😫). But I did see ads for Jam Hsiao coming to Shanghai in August:

Wait... Who tf is Jam Hsiao, you may ask? You'll find out in episode 5!

Thanks to a tip from marlo-noni on tumblr, I found two "idol stores" in the Shanghai Jing'an Joy City mall, which were ground zero for merch. These stores were about 75% K-pop, but there was a decent amount of merch for Chinese singers and actors, along with a few current cdramas.

Photo cards are very popular, little playing-card-sized random photos of celebrities, some of which look official and some of which look like selfies from their social media. You can buy these singly, or in packs of like ten, or in actual decks. I didn't buy any, but I saw some for both Wang Sulong and Joker Xue:

I also saw some for Zhou Shen, who was in Season 1 of Our Song, but I forgot to take a photo of those. The first store especially also had a ton of these 6"x18" double-sided banners. This was the only Liu Yuning merch I saw on my trip! There were a ton of these but I bought these two, LYN and Joker (photos show first one side and then the other):

In the second photo, the text on Joker's banner reads 你是我今生未完成的歌 (You are the unfinished song of my life), lyrics from his song 未完成的歌 (Unfinished Song) from his 2009 album of the same name. The text on LYN's banner reads 一束光 / 黑夜的2 (A beam of light in the dark of night 2). 黑夜一束光 is the name of one of the songs on his 2019 album 十.

I also bought this Joker Xue bookmark (front and back):

The first idol store was also where I got an ACTUAL PIECE OF OUR SONG MERCH! It's got Xiao Zhan, who was on season 1, not 3, which you can watch here (it says 2 but it's 1)—the store had a whole section for Xiao Zhan merch.

Honestly, I almost didn't notice it in with all the other Xiao Zhan stuff—I don't even remember him wearing this outfit, though apparently he wore it for some of the promotional photos like this one. I eventually noticed the Our Song logo, though. I have to wonder if I would have seen other Our Song merch around if I'd actually been in China while it was airing, or if this was only made because of XZ's popularity (as a singer, overall he's not nearly as big a star as some people they've had on the show, but among people who shop at idol stores he may be the biggest lol).

My white whale of this trip was to buy at least one actual physical CD from an artist I like, or at least someone I know of. I asked on multiple subreddits where I might be able to buy CDs in China, only to be told over and over again that Chinese artists don't release physical media anymore and nobody cells Chinese CDs. The closest thing I got to a real answer was someone who suggested a bookstore chain they thought might maybe stock CDs at some locations, but with the warning that they probably mostly or only sold western artists. This turned out to be the biggest bookstore chain in China (and run by the government, unsurprisingly); I went to at least a couple different locations as well as many other bookstores and not a single one had CDs.

Finally, a couple days from the end of my trip, I was looking for more idol stores in Beijing and had the idea to Google where to get K-pop stuff, since the idol stores were mostly K-pop (the idol stores actually did sell K-pop CDs, as did a couple other places I saw, but not a single Chinese CD). This is what finally led me to a blog post about places to get K-pop stuff in Beijing, including CDs, which mentioned the store Disc in the Chaoyang Joy City mall! (Joy City seems to be a big mall chain in China, I went to two different ones in Beijing on top of the one in Shanghai.)

Unfortunately, once I got inside there were signs saying no photos - I'm not really sure why, but I really didn't want to get kicked out so I didn't take any! Which is a shame, because talk about hitting the jackpot! The very first thing I saw when I walked in was a bunch of George Lam CDs, along with Hacken Lee (who was a senior in S1).

I have no idea how the discs were organized, honestly. I think maybe the first section was Cantopop, since George and Hacken both recorded mostly in Cantonese and there was also a lot of Wang Fei (who has never been on Our Song afaik but I have some of her songs, she's recorded in both languages). Then was clearly Mandarin stuff, and maybe vaguely sort of in alphabetical order but not very strictly? And maybe also by genre? There were no signs on the shelves that I could find explaining the organization, listing genres or anything.

I opened my notes app and made a note with "Where can I find these?" in Chinese along with a list of the artists all in hanzi, but thankfully the guy I found to help me actually spoke pretty good English. I still showed him the list because it just seemed easiest. He knew exactly which ones they had in stock and where to find them.

They had two of Penny Tai's albums, a couple from Wang Sulong, a bunch of albums from Da Zhangwei's band The Flowers, one Da Zhangwei CD/DVD, and a bunch of Joker Xue albums. (As an example of the weird organization, the Da Zhangwei album was shelved with the Flowers albums, which suggest genre but not alphabetical, and Joker's stuff was on an endcap in a totally different part of the store that I never would have found.) I wound up buying a Flowers double album and Joker Xue's latest, Countless (I already knew I loved the title track from this album):

I will not say how much I paid for these; let's just say that the Joker CD was somewhat reasonably priced while the Flowers CD, which was released in 1999 and this is probably a copy from then, cost way more than I was hoping to spend. 😬 But I have yet to find a single Flowers album on eBay or yesasia.com or even iTunes—the few Flowers songs I have in my playlist I've ripped from YouTube—so I bought it. The guy helping me actually handed it to me telling me it was their best album; I'd assumed he was trying to sell me the most expensive one but believe it or not this double album was actually the cheapest one they had! I forget which album it was but one of the Flowers CDs was going for 1000RMB ($137)!

Joker's album, Countless, cost a little more than I'd normally pay for a CD in the US, but when I got it home and finally opened it, it very much earned that price! I was not expecting it to be full of more merch. It's in a very nice grey box to start with, then on top there was a black envelope that, when I opened it, contained several index-card-sized black and white photos of Joker. Plus instead of just simple liner notes with lyrics, there was a full little photo book, with the lyrics on the smaller black half-pages in between:

Also! I could not get a photo of this, but I heard Hu Xia's song 那些年 (which you'll see him perform soon) in the wild! We were eating breakfast at a pastry shop in Beijing and they were playing it! What's really funny is that my son realized it at the exact same time I did—"Mom, this is a song from your playlist!"

Of course, Our Song merch wasn't all I was looking for in China—to see some of the other merch and ads I saw, keep an eye on my PG Goes to China tag on Tumblr; I made some posts while I was there but I'll also be posting several themed roundups over the next couple of weeks! I might even post a few photos of boring things like the Great Wall and Forbidden City.

I promise next time I will be back with more actual Our Song. Until then, here is 无数, the title track I love so much from Countless:

[cryptomiracle]

𝐃𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞

content: creepypastas with a "crazy" s/o

Genre: one shot, x reader, obsessive reader

--------------

••••••••••••••

WARNINGS!!

Blood

Obsession

Kidnapping

Toxic "relationships"

Swearing

Starvation

Mentions of murder

Mentions of dismemberment

A gun

This will be kinda like a mini series, feel free to request any characters! (I will only be doing one creepypasta at a time, so I don't overdo myself lol)

••••••••••••••

ngl, I wanted this to kinda give off 2014 creepypasta fanfic vibes, hence the name 😭

Ticci toby:

Name: tobias erin rogers

Age: 20

Height: 5'11-6'0

Known information: toby is a sadistic serial killer, he often toys with his victims before killing them, he especially likes to hold his victims captive to torture them, or play mind games with them. He'll keep them for months at a time, only killing them once he gets bored, or tired of taking care of them.

The more he enjoys them, or the more entertaining he finds them, the longer he keeps them alive.

Unless of course he's ordered to kill them.

He often holds more than one person, sometimes kidnapping up to 3 people at a time.

He greatly enjoys, giving his victims "Stockholm syndrome" (Stockholm syndrome is a condition in which hostages develop a psychological bond with their captors) and in this case, that just so happens to be you.

about 8-9 months ago you were hiking in the woods, you went a little too deep in the woods, and saw something you weren't supposed to.. (toby burying a dismembered corpse)

you tried to run, and call for help, you really did.

But he was faster, his strength was almost inhuman, and he knew the woods better than you could ever hope to know.

Unfortunately, he eventually caught you. He knocked you out, and brought you back to his house in the woods, that was basically falling in on itself. hes always liked to take things slow, so he took you to his basement, and chained you to the wall by your ankle, the basement is dimly lit, it has nothing in it but a few shelves, a leaky pipe, and a dirty, blood stained, mattress on the floor.

after a month of only going down there to feed you (he only fed you enough to keep you alive) he eventually started to strike up conversations with you.

He'd start little by little, asking you if you needed anything (other than freedom), to bringing you things like a blanket, or different clothes. Maybe even giving you a little more food than usual..

By the 3rd month he'd start going down there more often, what he does down there depends on how you act.

Let's say to try to escape one too many times, or get too personal when you curse at him (like mentioning his mother)

he'll go down there just to break your spirit.

He'd do it over the course of a few months, just to make sure it really sticks with you.

When he first took you, he put you in that basement with practically nothing, right?

Well, if you act in a way that's not to his liking (rude, crying 24/7, yelling at him etc) he'll take the few things that you do have.

He'll take the bed, he'll cut off any light source down there, he'll take your clothes, he may even shave your head.

He'll stop feeding you as much, or even only feed you once you're at the brink of starvation.

Sometimes he'll go down there with a sandwich, or apple, and just eat it in front of you.

"how bad do you want it?"

He'll say while lightly shaking the food in front of you, like you would do to a dog.

"If you really want it.. beg for it."

Sometimes he'll just come down there to show you pictures and videos of his previous victims.

But, if you act in a way that he deems "good" he'll mainly just go down there to "hang out" with you

he'll bring you things like a note book and crayons, so you can draw together.

He'll talk to you about his day, (you're not allowed to talk back unless it's to compliment him, or criticize someone who pisses him off) or he'll bring a cd player down there so you can listen to his favorite song

After a while of doing that, he'll take the chance to manipulate you.

He'll start going on rants about his horrible childhood, (an attempt to make you sympathize with him) and make you comfort him as he sobs.

Other times he'll brush your hair for you, if you're "good enough" he may even let you take a bath.

with him in the room of course.

If you ever ask to be free, he'll start spewing all these different excuses

"I need you too much to let you go"

"d-do you not want to l-live with me anymore?"

"do I-I not treat you well enough?"

"what, am I not enough for you no-w??"

If you don't answer him, or you don't start apologizing, he'll stop talking to you all together for weeks on end, and only go down there to feed you.

He'll stop letting you bathe, you'll be right back at square one.

He may whisper little things like "you really hurt me, you know that y/n.." to you, just to make you feel bad.

Even though none of it is real, he genuinely feels nothing for you, his only purpose for you is pure entertainment until he can find another source.

toby is a very twisted individual, he fuels off of peoples pain.

He uses people to feed into his ego, and makes them think they need him.

The best case scenario would be for him to just forget about you, and let you starve to death down there.

By the 7-8th month, he'd already broken you.

The heinous amounts of violence, and manipulation he's applied to you, finally "worked".

He has you just how he wants you.

when you wake up it's toby.

When you go to sleep, it's toby.

He's everything you think about, how he feels, what he thinks, how deep your love for him is, how much he loves you, how you would do anything for him.

You would die for toby.

Your love for toby quickly became obsessive, once he made you aware of the lengths he went too just to keep you to himself

he's put so much time and effort into you, after all you've put him through, all the fights, all the escape attempts, he still stayed with you.

He still loved you.

He's so generous and kind to you, sometimes he even unchains you and lets you come upstairs with him

You're not allowed outside though, he tells you there are dangerous things out there, and people who will want to take you away from him.

And you believe him, why would toby ever lie to you?

He has no reason to, he could tell you how much he despised you, and you'd still love him, you're devoted to him, fully.

One day, he told you that he thought you might be lonely while he was gone "hunting", and that he was gonna get you a new friend

You were thinking that he meant a dog, or cat.. you couldn't be more wrong.

It was a rainy afternoon, you knew that because you could see through a tiny window leading out of the basement, you didn't know what time, or day it is because he didn't let you

All you know is that you've been here a while.

You hear the door open up stairs, and you recognize Toby's footsteps, they sound a bit heavier.. like he's carrying something.

You feel a twinge of excitement

you hear that same old creaky door open, and in comes toby.

Carrying an unconscious girl..

You can barely see, but it appears that she has mid length hair, she looks about 5'8, and she's very pretty.

He takes her to the other side of the room, and chains her hands to the wall.

The dim light shines through the window, casting a glow onto her.

She has brown hair, freckles, and tanned skin.

As you analyze her, that's when you notice a bobby pin in her hair.

You brush it off, and quickly forget about it.

At first you were jealous, but your worries were quickly dissipated when he did this, he clearly loved you the most, if she's the one thats almost fully immobilized.

he walked over to you, and kneeled in front of you.

He raised his gloved hand, and placed it on your cheek.

He removed his mouth guard, and lowered his lips down to your other cheek, he gently, and lovingly pressed a kiss into your cheek.

He lips felt cold pressed against your skin, almost as if he were a ghost.

His eyes are so dreamy, almost sirenic.

He let his hand linger on your cheek before he stood up, and walked back upstairs.

You turned your head to the girl, her body lay limp, almost as if she were dead.

you crawled over to her to get a better look, as you got closer you could tell she was covered in sweat, she must have been like you, running away from toby.

You've come to regret that, running away from him.

If only you knew how much he adored you.

Suddenly, her eyes shot open, and her breathing became labored.

She was frantically looking around the room

"it's okay.." you speak

she quickly looks at you

"where am I??" She says, her voice is hoarse, she tries to wiggle her hands out of the cuffs, but to no avail.

"a basement." You aren't rude when you say it, but there is a little sarcasm laced in your tone.

"oh.."

She sighs

After a few minutes of silence, she finally speaks again

"I'm jasmine... You?"

You stare at her for a few seconds before speaking

"y/n.."

She lightly smiles, you did as well.

After a few hours of small talk, you finally go to sleep.

3:58/15:58 am

"wake up"

You were roughly woken up by someone shaking you.

Its dark, so you couldn't tell who it is, but their voice is familiar.

you soon realize that it's jasmine, some how she'd freed herself from her chains.

"we're going to escape" she whispered

although she couldn't see it, confusion was plastered across your face.

You noticed that your ankle feels lighter, like how it feels when toby lets you roam around the cabin.

Before you could fully process what was happening, she had grabbed your arm and started to lead you upstairs.

you nearly trip as she pulls you up the stairs, and slowly opens the door.

the lights weren't on, and by this point your eyes are adjusted to the darkness.

the house looked as beat up as it usually did, the wallpaper was peeling, the floor was creaky, and the ceiling was still moldy.

She suddenly stops, and turns to you.

"We're gonna sneak to the kitchen, you keep watch while I look for a knife."

her tone of voice sounds strained, and desperate.

She starts dragging you again, when you stop dead in your tracks.

"what are you going to do with a knife?"

She turns, and looks at you, almost dumbfounded.

"we're gonna stab that sorry son of a b*tch that kidnapped us!"

Her voice slightly raised, anger was evident in her tone.

"oh.." you muttered, as you two crept through the hall.

You felt fury burn in your throat.

she doesn't know, she doesn't know how loving and kind toby is, how caring and considerate he is.

he's just misunderstood, and you're the only one who really understands him.

You two finally make it to the beat up kitchen, she lets you go, and leaves you at the entrance and starts going through the drawers.

as you lean against the wall, you start to look around the room.

that's when you notice something shiny sticking out from under the couch.

You turn your head to see her turned away from you, quietly rummaging through the shelves, and drawers.

You approach the couch, and kneel down to get a closer look.

It's a gun, a silver gun.

You remembered toby talking about stealing one of his "buddies" favorite guns, as a prank.

This must be where he hid it

You pulled it out, it was quite heavy.

You checked to see if it was loaded, it was..

you flinch as you hear Jasmine speak from behind you

"what'd you find?"

you quickly stand up, gun in hand.

Before she can say anything else, you point the gun right at her temple.

Confusion, and betrayal written on her face.

"I'm sorry, I really am.."

Right as she's about to respond, you pull the trigger.

The sound of the gunshot rings in your ears.

before you know it, her body falls to the ground, blood and brain matter spewing from the gunshot wound.

Silence surrounds you, you can feel your legs go limp as you flop into the couch.

You start to zone out, eyes focused on her dead body.

You drop the gun on the ground

You dont even notice the sound of toby storming through the halls

You lightly flinch when you feel hands roughly grab your shoulders

"WHAT DID YOU DO?"

He yells, his voice quickly draws your attention from jasmine, to him.

You try to speak, but you can't get the words out

"y/n.. what the F*CK did you do."

his voice is stern, he wasn't asking you, at this point he's commanding you to tell him.

"I-.." you hesitate

"she was going to kill you-u and.."

that's when it fully hit you, you had just killed someone.

Someone who thought they were helping you.

You immediately start sobbing, your tears sting as they roll down your cheek.

Toby embraces you, and pats your back as he does.

"I'm so sorry, I'm sorry toby, I'm sorry" you sob into his shoulder, your words are almost intelligible.

"it's okay.. you did it for me didn't you?"

you slightly pull away from the hug, and nod.

"Don't worry, I forgive you."

He whispers, his voice is now comforting, completely different than it was a minute ago, his expression has also changed.

His expression went from a confused, yet rage filled look, to a cheerful smile.

A smile that was a bit off putting, considering the situation.

He pulls you back into the hug, and you two stay like that all night long, until you fall asleep.

The next morning, toby tells you that you two have to bury the body "before it starts stinking up the place" and so you do.

You have her feet, and toby has her hands.

You two lay her body on the ground, you stare at her lifeless eyes, not even realizing that toby was talking to you.

"y/n!" He snaps his fingers in your face.

You quickly look at him

"I'm gonna go get some stuff, I'll be right back okay?"

You simply nod

As he walks off, you walk over to her, and close her eyes.

You can't handle her staring at you anymore.

Soon enough, toby comes back witt two shovels one for you, and one for him.

He hands you one, and you both start digging.

a few hours later

You were finally done, you went over to the body to help toby pick it up, but before you could toby kicked the body into the hole.

you stand beside him, as he shovels the dirt back into the hole.

You feel a cloud of guilt loom over you as you watch the dirt cover up more, and more of her corpse.

Tears start to fall from your eyes once more

As soon as he's done, you feel him wrap an arm around your torso.

You lean your head against his shoulder, and sigh as you wipe the tears from your eyes.

"I love you toby.." you whisper

"I know." he says before pressing a kiss onto your forehead.

I'm so sorry if this seemed rushed at the end, I wanted to get it out asap 🫶🏽

[otakween]

Digimon Adventure 02 Best Partner Series - Part 2

Lol why are the girls' butts so emphasized in this artwork. Seems sketchy, but okay (Tailmon's even pointing to Hikari's butt, as a YouTube commenter pointed out).

Questionable art aside, I definitely thought these 6 CDs were a little weaker than the ones in my first post, but I'm biased. I don't have a very strong connection with a lot of the 02 characters, so it makes sense that their songs wouldn't hit as hard for me. On the other hand, I really like Ken and Wormmon so their album slapped. Anyways, full thoughts below.

Daisuke & Veemon

Google Boy - Daisuke (Listen here - subbed)

Daisuke singing about being a hot blooded shounen boy and how his goggles are a mark of his coolness and Taichi's legacy. A very Daisuke song lol.

Pretty funny how goggles just became a signature fashion statement for Digimon MCs. At least they kinda had a purpose in Tamers (although it wasn't explained very well).

Go Ahead! - Veemon (Listen here & Translation here)

Veemon's song is very in-sync with Daisuke. Just talking about having courage and rushing into battle without thought (because your squad will back you up and everything will work out! LEEEEROYYYY JENKINSSSSS)

2-Top - Daisuke & Veemon duet (Listen here & Translation here)

Okay, this was definitely the strongest song on this CD. It's catchy, the boys sound great together and the whole thing's a soccer metaphor which is very on brand. (I tried to google and see if "2-Top" is soccer terminology and came up with nothing tho -shrug-)

I like the little banter breaks in this and then in the song they talk about how their bickering just shows how energetic they are haha.

They mention being a digimon tamer in this song but did they even use that terminology in 02? I don't remember...

Miyako & Hawkmon

Crash with Bingo - Miyako (Listen here - subbed)

The lyrics of this song are pretty nonsensical, but I get what vibe they were going for. She's basically singing about being a hot mess but being proud to be herself. Also mentions that she's not just here to look cute.

I feel pretty neutral about Miyako, but I did appreciate that she could be kinda tactless and brash at times. Traditional Japanese femininity usually means being quiet, submissive and agreeable, which she definitely is not.

Although I've never liked the "bingo" catchphrase, it's fun in a song lol

Knight of Love - Hawkmon (Listen here - subbed)

Man, out of all the digimon partners, Hawkmon's gotta be the biggest nothing burger of them all. I couldn't tell you a single thing about the dude. I feel like the bird digimon are the most sidelined for some reason? (Maybe they're like "little boys don't care about birds, they like dinosaurs and bugs!")

Hawkmon sings about being a "knight of love," but I never got "knight" vibes from him really. I guess he kinda talks like a knight, but nothing in his design says knight...he's supposed to look like an Indigenous person, no? Maybe I'm being to literal hahaha

Fly High - Miyako & Hawkmon duet (Listen here - subbed)

Yeah, I don't really buy Miyako and Hawkmon's partner chemistry. They sounds more like coworkers lol. I did like the part where Miyako was asking to talk to all of Hawkmon's digivolutions in quick succession, that was fun.

Miyako's just spiraling the whole song and Hawkmon's trying to comfort her but she seems to be kinda brushing him off for most of it haha

Iori & Armadimon

My Conclusion - Iori (Listen here - subbed)

This song was...not good. Not the worst of the bunch, but it kinda just felt like it had no melody and Iori was talk-singing the whole time. His voice is cute and the lyrics fit his character nicely, but I was thrown off by how janky the song itself sounds.

The song is about Iori's convictions and what evil vs. justice means to him. You can sense that his philosophy is coming from his kendo practice.

I enjoyed the gratuitous English in the final line lol

Omyaa to Let's Go! - Armadimon (Listen here - subbed)

This one had a good energy and I liked the "Let's go!" chorus, but there was still a lot of talk-singing going on

I hate that the song starts by mentioning that damn Chuu x2 Jelly...it's like the show forgot to give Armadimon any memorable qualities so when they wrote this song they were like "he liked jelly...I guess?"

Armadimon losing steam and kinda flubbing the lyrics was the best part of the song lol

A Message to the Future - Iori & Armadimon duet (Listen here - subbed)

Phew, finally a good one. I was a bit worried I'd dislike this whole album. I really liked the melancholy yet optimistic vibe this one had. It kinda feels like any two characters could have sung this, but oh well. It was a nice duet regardless.

Armadimon telling Iori that "no matter what kind of adult you become, you'll always be Iori" was sweet :)

Takeru & Patamon

Focus - Takeru (Listen here - subbed)

Okay this one made me MAD because it was so ship-baity!! What the heckk??? This song is clearly implying that Takeru has romantic feelings for Hikari ("Am I the focus of your heart?"), but the show led me to believe that his feelings were platonic and almost brotherly. Did I watch the same show as the song writer? I don't mind them as a pairing, but I feel like this is contradicting my interpretation of the anime so I'm just confused.

Aside from my grumblings, I think this song was great for the drama of it all lol. I also liked the callbacks to Hikari and Takeru growing up together and Hikari blossoming into a powerful young hero.

The comment section of the YouTube video I've linked have people arguing whether the song is about Hikari or Patamon lol. Ain't no way this song is about Patamon. There's even a hikari pun in there.

Don't Stop Patapata - Patamon (Listen here - subbed)

Not sure if this is cute...or just annoying. Sounds like a song written and performed by a toddler, which is fitting cuz it's Patamon.

This song captures Patamon's one braincell energy (which was on display in the new 02 movie). He doesn't really sing about Takeru much which feels a bit like a wasted opportunity.

Steppin' Out - Takeru & Patamon duet (Listen here - subbed)

I liked the theme and lyrics of this one but the vocals were pretty rough...It sounded like Patamon's VA didn't match Takeru's VA's energy very well and together they sound kind of off key.

Takeru singing about taking off his ripped shirt kinda made me laugh because I pictured like a sexy romance novel cover dude. So not Takeru's image.

Seriously Patamon just kinda sounds disinterested in this song

Hikari & Tailmon

Gentle Rain - Hikari (Listen here - subbed)

Kind of a boring, slow song, but I liked the overall theme. Hikari's showing her vulnerable side and talking about how she can't be strong/brave at all times.

I'm not sure I really understand the rain metaphor here...I think maybe when she's saying it's not an "intense rain" she's saying it will take a long time for her weakness to wash away, but that's okay? IDK, kinda clunky.

Getting up - Tailmon (Listen here & Translation here)

Pretty similar to Hikari's song, but more melancholy. I found this one kind of relatable because I can get existential pretty often. The lines "What can I do? I still don't know. Because I was born my journey continues" hit me.

Tailmon sings about, basically, how life as a digimon is tough and confusing, with all of the nonstop battling. Still, she wants to stay strong for those she needs to protect. (Tailmon kinda has similar vibes to Renamon...or maybe it's just that they both have deep voices.)

Shining Star - Hikari and Tailmon (Listen here - subbed)

This one felt kinda half-assed lol. I think I might just be getting burnt out with all these songs that effectively have the same message.

So yeah, just like a lot of other songs in previous albums, this was a generic song about Hikari and Tailmon being different but loving each other anyway and striving to be their best for each other. I guess it's nice to hear a more optimistic song at the end of the album since the first two were pretty downbeat.

Ken & Wormmon

ONLY ONE - Ken (Listen here - subbed)

Aw man, I'm disappointed that Ken's solo song is from the POV of his Kaiser days :/ oh well. It's still a fun song. I like his evil laugh at the end.

I think this song does a good job of illustrating Ken's internal struggle between good and evil, but always turning to the darkness in the end. I also enjoyed the rock n' roll vocals.

The Future You Dreamed of, The Future I Dreamed of - Wormmon (Listen here - subbed)

Lol Wormmon's such a simp for Ken, but I love him so much 😭❤️ This song was great!! The jazzy instrumentals, the back up vocals and the passion/love in Wormmon's voice were all on point.

This song is all about Wormmon not giving up on Ken and understanding he has good in him that he wants to protect. So pure and sweet <3

True Strength - Ken & Wormmon (Listen here - subtitled)

Omg I loved this one 😭😭😭 so precious! Sure, it may have the exact same theme as a bunch of other songs ("we're so different, but we love each other!") but it definitely has a greater impact considering Ken and Wormmon's baggage.

I loved the light and jazz vibe of this song, I was picturing Ken and Wormmon in tuxedos with tails doing a lil tap dance routine together.

"Your form reflected my heart" omg 😭😭😭

Ken had a whole mini arc in just this album lol

[flowerwiththemachinegun]

I'm baaaaack!

Request for Zack Hojo and any other firsts you desire to include.

I feel like I know this answer..Hojo...does he get anxiety or overthink anything?

I'm seeking a soul comforting HC for zack for s/o with anxiety/overthinking.

Any lovley techniques to ease the soul?

What would Hojo injection?

Also hungry for a romantic rain day spent with Zack...

Does hojo like rain? What does it remind him of?

Alright, I've gotten myself in a soft enough mood to finally address this properly lol. Though I'll hit these separately as I wanna hc a bunch for rainy days.

Hojo and anxiety? No. Maybe? In a "I'm worried my experiment isn't going according to plan," kind of way. I'm sure can be an overthinker but it's, once again, only in regard to his work. He'll show he's overthinking by increasing the amount of experiments he performs, constantly checking for results more than he'd typically do. Things like that. He's so very prideful, I have trouble seeing him overthink too much.

But here are our Zack/Hojo Hc's for anxiety

Zack

I feel as though when he's first presented with your anxiety he wasn't sure what the right approach would be, but immediately takes you into his arms. Gives you the puppy dog eyes as he looks at you, begging for you to confide in him. Takes on a very very soothing tone of voice.

Doesn't let you go until he's sure you've calmed down. Holds you close to him even after you swear up and down you'll be okay. Baby boy just gives you extra hugs and kisses, swears it's a technique to keep your anxiety away for a bit longer.

Doesn't intentionally try to bring up trauma but will try to figure out the root of your anxiety. Some of the only times you'll catch him being serious as well. Wants to know anything that triggers you so Zack can do his best at avoiding them as well as making attempts to keep outside sources from triggering anxiety.

Goes out of his way to try different breathing techniques to see if that'll help you at all. If there's music or sounds that help ease your mind he's got them all on deck. Will also burn things onto a cd for you or create voice memos for you to listen to while he's away. He knows he can't be there every breathing moment so he tries to make up for it.

Asks Angeal a thousand questions about anxiety. It may or may not help because everyone's different but he'll try anything that was recommended. Even forms a whole meditation routine, which was a little cringe at first but you couldn't say no to him and it kind of helps.

Any of your favorite activities he'll participate in or even be the one to initiate said activity. Like, "Maybe we could paint together?" With that super adorable hopeful look in his eyes. It doesn't matter to him if he's bad at any of the things your skilled in. As long as he's helping you take your mind off of things, Zack's a happy man.

CUDDLES, you already know. Zack will be your bed/couch. Just go dump yourself on top of this man or he'll swoop you into his arms and take you to cuddle central. Plays with your hair and will run his hands soothingly along your body.

All in all he's super sweet and will do anything in his power to make you happy.

Hojo (my love)

This fuckin dickhead. I'd like to write him all cutesy but...I just-that man is putting you in an observation room to see how much he can stress you out further. Is solely intent on breaking your mind whether it's for his entertainment or in the name of science.

Purposefully triggers you, he doesn't want to ease your mind. He'd rather see what happens when he keeps pushing you further and further.

Hojo knows everything that eats you up, it's all very well documented and he'll abuse it as a way to get you to cooperate. Also a form of punishment, he's going to make sure you have visuals.

Now if you're one of his more favored experiments he might be more inclined to put your mind at ease after his hellish sessions. He won't spend too much time with you though and will offer the bare minimum as far as physical comfort goes.

As for an injection for anxiety? Naw, he'll give you something to go to sleep though. Watching over you as you have some of the worst nightmares of your life.

[sushigal007]

1, 8, 22, and 28 for the tøp asks!

Thank you for the asks!

What’s your favorite song currently? Damn, straight out of the gate with the hard des- it's Trees. There's a lot of other songs battling it out in my top ten, but the top (lol) spot belongs to Trees always.

What’s your favorite song lyric? I'll be right there But you'll have to grab my throat and lift me in the air If you need anyone I'll stop my plans But you'll have to tie me down and then break both my hands If you need anyone (It amuses me to think of them when my boss asks me to do anything extra lol.)

Do you own any of the CDs or vinyls? Technically, I suppose I only own one CD. I've brought everything from Vessel to Clancy for my kid, and made them bootleg versions of NPI, Self-titled and RAB, and they live in the car where I can listen to them whenever I'm driving, but those aren't mine. The only one that's mine is a copy of Scaled and Icy, because one of their merch bundles came with two, so I got the second one.

What song is your favorite just based off the instrumentals? I love the instrumental version of The Hype (Location Sessions). Don't tell anyone, but I honestly like it better without the singing. (And an honourable mention to everything from Ned's Cozy Fireplace, which is my sleepytime playlist.)

[dia-souls]

Yall are so talented and good at writting reaction. I know you all are going through bunch of controversy and all that stuff but I gotta admit one thing that you all got talent and honestly as a dl-fan that's what matter to me the most who cares if you did wrong or were misunderstood as dl-fans we all gotta chill and enjoy instead of taking things to hearts and getting angry at each other afterall we all create contents for each other and than fight amongst ourselves lol its so idiotic thing in my opinion but I don't create content so I might not understand I guess. Anyway back to the topic what other project are you working on cuz I just got free from exams and touched tumblr and there are no updates on any novel or cd drama (I repeat I am not complaining don't block me) I am just asking.

🦋 Admins talk:

Thank you very much, dear Anon, for your kind words, we appreciate you very much. To be honest we all were surprised by your words. You're so kind, thanks for your word of encouragement we all really appreciate the way you comforted us. We are happy to know you like our contents.

We didn't try to steal any content. Our main motive wasn't to steal any content. It's a misunderstanding we just didn't want to bother the admin with unnecessary notification because she left fandom and that's why we added slash but anyway things did get out of hand and we were misunderstood unfortunately in future we will avoid doing it because let's be honest if we knew this would happen we wouldn't have done it in the first place. But it's very good to speak with people before judging them. Because sometimes you don't know anything about them and your wrong judgment will break their hearts. We don't want to discuss this issue more we have already explained the reasons, apologized and all stuff......

Anyway we think you are concerned for us, as admin Afra recently had small issues regarding her health but she is back in town and is better now she will start posting soon once she is better. Admin Irsa is going through exam phase. Admin Ava is also busy too. All three admins have already plans to release some of their fics and Drama CDs as soon as they get free from their busy schedule. The thing is that we all are young and students so give us some time we all will update soon. Your asks will also be answered soon.

We must say that all the admins love this fandom and like to continue producing contents as long as they feel safe and happy. It was a new novel that will start on December 1st. But this will happen if the admins have good mental conditions. Admin Afra has bigger plans for new novels and games you can see here and a vey big project that called diabolik lovers series. She is not in a very good condition now. We will have to wait and see what happens in the future. If everything goes well, the new novel will be published soon.

Again thanks for your lovely message! People like you is what that keep us going in this fandom! One more thing none of the admins plan to leave the fandom and in near future too so don't worry we aren't that weak it's just admin Afra issue did surprise us. She is young so do go easy on her as she receives a lot of hate for stupid reasons and just for a misunderstanding. Please give her some time to regain her mental health back. So remember don't judge people when you are not aware of their situations. Before sending any hate message try to speak with them first and remember mabye you are judging them in a wrong way. We all are here to enjoy and all three admins love publishing contents so let us enjoy doing it and be nice that's it.

[rinofwater]

Yo, I legit want to hear your data disk theory bc I was kinda thinking the same thing? Except I figured that if they really are magnetic hard disks then they'd be even more fragile than DVDs/CDs since even a stray magnet could screw up all the data? I am but a lowly software person so I don't exactly how storage mediums work all too much lol. Also, if the old world was really DA FUTURE(tm), wouldn't their computer storage be more in SSDs than HDDs? There might be an economic reason to stick with HDDs but if their computing tech was at the level of sentient AIs and stuff they hypothetically would have the faster, more compact storage in those...

Reminds me of the deep dive I did to figure why the hell telegraphs in the My Time world are called telegraphs if they're supposedly wireless (short answer: it's probably primitive radio? i have no idea how the hell transmissions can work at distances up to cross-country tho)

Oh boy, I'm so glad you asked! I've done IT infrastructure repair work for a couple years now, and my last job actually had me working with a lot of storage servers in particular for the latter half of my job, so I have Opinions(tm) on this small detail lol. And those are all really good questions too. And hopefully I don't get too technical trying to answer it, but I make no promises (and it's DEFINITELY going to be long and rambly so bear with me)

So starting with it being The Future(tm), there are pros and cons to going HDD versus SSD versus NVMe today, but did you know that not only is tape storage still in use, but it's actually still considered a modern, practical solution to archival storage with the technology still being upgraded and developed, even right now in 2023? Archival in this case being the sort of data you need to hold onto for 20, 30, 40 years or more without a constant need to have read/write access to that data. The tape servers have a cool robot arm in them and everything to move the tape cassettes around. A lot of this technology isn't actually aging out because it has its niche, it's just being modernized to settle it more in that niche

So with HDDs versus SSDs, they are becoming fairly comparable to each other today, HDD was winning out for a long time because SSD was a lot more expensive to get ahold of at the same storage capacity as HDD. That's great from a regular end-user perspective because you can get that upgrade more practically and reap the benefits of not having to rely on physical moving parts to access your data. Swapping it out on a server level is going to be a much larger and more expensive project, though, without seeing a lot of additional benefit for going that direction. A lot of the benefits that you would see for swapping to SSD on a regular computer have already been accounted for in existing server designs for a while now, in the form of RAID technology (Redundant Array of Independent/Inexpensive Disks; fancy way of saying "get a bunch of drives to take on the work of one drive and then replace any drives that break along the way"; being able to share the data load across multiple drives improves efficiency and then you can also replace broken disks on the fly without having to worry about the integrity of the overall storage system as long as you don't sit on too many dead disks for too long)

Not to say that SSDs won't still overtake HDD eventually, as new servers are installed in datacenters and closets, they're increasingly having SSD as the supported format, but there's not a good enough benefit to rush through fading out HDD at the moment when they're still about comparable to each other and the weaknesses have largely been accounted for. And even then, there are always going to be legacy servers that get passed up for upgrades either because nobody sees a need or it's too important to the overall infrastructure or any number of reasons, at which point they're still almost definitely going to be sticking with HDDs even in The Future

So that's the long-winded justification for why I think it's plausible that there would still be large enough quantities of HDDs kicking around even in the future for them to end up in ruins of that future

As for the justification of how you'd be able to get enough usable data off of them given the notorious fragility of those disks, I chalk it up to a matter of quantity. When I was installing brand-new storage servers for a customer, one drawer could hold up to around a hundred hard drives, and there were often four or five drawers slated for install with one server. If you figure that your average HDD has about three to six platters, multiply that by 100, and then multiply that by the drawers, and then the number of identical hardware setups that are also set up around it, and that number just keeps going up by orders of magnitude. Most of those platters are absolutely going to be shattered or wiped or otherwise damaged in a way that renders them useless, and the percentage that make it out in-tact enough is going to be very small. But if you take a very small percentage of the ridiculously large number of platters you can expect to find in a datacenter (even the smaller ones) is still going to give you the chance of finding enough usable platters that you can pull something off of them. Like, we're talking millions or billions of platters just in one place, if you take .01% or .001% or even .0001% of that kind of number as your chances of finding something in tact you're still looking at a fairly decent pool of workable salvage to sort through*

(*In theory, anyway; in practice, you usually need all the platters that are associated with an HDD to be able to put the data together into something usable given the way data's distributed across them...not that it's impossible to grab information off of a single platter but it would take A LOT of extra work to figure out how to reverse engineer it into working versus having the full set. It could still be possible but that factor drags the already small percentage down even further. But then, I would be surprised if Pathea has given it NEARLY as much thought as this, so after a certain point, there's kinda just the shrugging to say "video game logic" lol...but before reaching that point I'm going to have my fun spending way too much time trying to figure out how it *could* work)

With the quantity argument, as well, you're also way more likely to see that kind of overabundance of HDD than you would DVDs or CDs; DVDs just aren't scalable in the same way, both in terms of the amount of data they can store and the amount of read/write flexibility they have. You're also a lot less likely to find the sort of information on a DVD that you would find in a storage server; DVDs are more useful for executable programs than they are for data storage, and even that purpose is superceded by a usb thumb drive a lot of the time. There wouldn't be nearly as many to account for in an apocalypse situation and that means the statistics are going to hit them much harder

Anyway, yeah, that's my nerdy ass supposition for this headcanon, thanks again for giving me an excuse to ramble on about it and I hope it makes sense lol