#and even when he’s an adult like…..he’s still very much trapped in the system!

[marshmellowtea]

i think one of my favorite dumbass ways people talk about nope is when they treat jupe not being healed from the gordy incident as a plot hole or something like lmao. what kind of support system as a child actor in the notably exploitative hollywood system in the 90’s do you think he had exactly

[sugarlywhispers]

m.izuku + fem reader – Halloween special

Summary: He growled against your lips, “If you want it, bunny, ask for it.”

Genre: Yandere!Midoriya AU; Smut; PWP.

Rating: Explicit; +21 (cuz of yandere-ish, dark themes)

WARNINGS: (it’s pure filth, don’t @ at me, y’all know you want it lol xD) adult sexual content, dub-con (?KINDA?; like, reader hates him but loves him? LOL I SAID DON’T @ AT ME XD), obsessive behaviour (y’all, Izuku is a freaky cocky bastard in this, and y’all gonna like it; like I did; periodT), choking, thigh biting (c’mon, Izuku is hella freaky and we all love it, wachu expect?), description of blood sucking. I SAID IT’S FILTHY, BYE.

a.n; i already said it, don’t @ at me😆; i wrote this for Halloween a couple of years back, so i had to adapt it to MHA. i honestly wasn't expecting to create this kind of Reader, which i liked very much (you'll understand once you read), so i think i will write this type of Reader with other characters of MHA, mostly like what i did with the "making their gf squirt" kind of drabbles. Hope y’all had a nice day and stay safe and healthy. Love y’all~💕

This is for @tragiclotus, even though is not exactly what you asked me for, i hope you still like it~♡

'Run. Don't turn around. Just run!'

How did it come to this? When was it that everything turned like this? You didn't know. You just knew that you hadn't had a choice. He did it for you, he chose for you. A chill ran through your body at the thought of him. Why you?

That had always been the main question, to which you had all the answers.

You were already tired of running. You were tired of hiding. You were sick of pretending to have a normal life, knowing that you did not have it.

No matter how much you ran, he would always catch you. No matter how good you hid, he would always find you. No matter how much you denied what you felt, he would always know your true feelings.

You stopped running and rested your hands on your knees, trying to catch your breath. Your legs felt like heavy stones, the cold wind hitting against your wet face from the tears you allowed to escape from your eyes. You could feel your cheeks flushed, hot, from the effort you were making to keep running.

‘Run. Keep running. Don’t stop…’

You couldn’t. You couldn’t keep running anymore. What difference would it make? In the end, he would always get you. What difference would it make if you were already doomed?

“What's wrong, little bunny? Don't wanna run anymore?” You heard his voice right behind you, followed by his dark and wicked laugh.

A laugh you had nightmares with; a laugh that no sane human being would make.

A chill ran through your body when you heard it, causing the adrenaline to rise again through your system and making you run again.

More laughs. Damn it! When was going to be the damn day he would leave you alone?! A voice within you answered that question: Never.

You finally came across a cabin that seemed abandoned. There was no other option, so you ran to it. When you opened the door, your body went static in its place. The inside of the cabin was all adorned with candles of different colors and smells. A huge bed lay in the middle, filled with different colored rose petals.

Fuck! You had fallen right into his trap.

A couple of strong arms wrapped around your waist. You knew it was him, and there was no escape for you. However, and like it always happened, you never gave anything to him easily; you began to struggle, arms and legs kicking everywhere, even though you knew it would be in vain. In less than a blink, he had you between his body and the bed.

You looked into his emerald eyes, which were filled with desire and amusement. A stroke of lust invaded your body and the entire room. Your core wet as you threw your head back and groaned.

"I love seeing you like this, little bunny," he commented, his nose caressing the lines of your jaw. His lips then caressed the skin of your neck, slowly and gently, his tongue licking from kiss to kiss, tracing a path towards your ear, where he whispered, "All mine..."

He smirked devilishly against your skin before ripping off all your clothes, only your panties hold onto your body. The rest was a little tattered roll of cloth on the floor.

You opened your eyes, a few tears already escaping; and you hated it. You had made a promise to never cry in front of him. Never give him the satisfaction of seeing you break before his eyes, the eyes of a villain pretending to be a hero.

He was a monster.

A monster that you created.

Midoriya Izuku broke away from your skin and looked you straight in the eye. You once thought the green in his eyes was mesmerizing, the freckles on his nose and cheeks gave into his features that make him look cute and gentle, his smiles were friendly and trustworthy. Now, all is different, all is scary. When he smiled, his perfect white teeth, where two sharpened canines poked out on each side of his devil smile, shined in that dim lighted place.

“I hate you,” you spat at him as you tangled your fingers in his curly hair, grabbing and pulling him towards you. He laughed cockyly.

"So you say now,” he bragged with a smirk before his mouth trapped yours in a heated kiss.

His tongue, which you loved and hated from him the most, demanded submission from yours, but you never gave it to him that easily. One of his forearms landed next to your head, handling half his weight on it; his other rough and cold hand caressed your cheek before travelling down until it was right at your neck, slowly making pressure. You knew he would never kill you, but he liked to increase and decrease the strength on his hand there, just to prove to you how easily he could kill you. With that only hand he could crack your neck and you will be done for. But he didn’t want that; he wanted, needed you alive. Who else would give him what he desired the most? Only you could give that to him.

Midoriya Izuku, the creature that became your worst nightmare –yet the best thing that ever happened to you– decided you were his the moment his green, dazzling eyes gazed your way.

You belonged to him; your body –especially your body– and soul recognized it. They reacted to a mere whisper, a mere glance, a touch from him. Now, all he needed was your mind finally accepting it.

His lips and tongue became more demanding, making you unable to follow him, to defy him. You couldn’t even contain the whine that escaped your mouth when he ended the kiss pulling your bottom lip with his teeth, at the same time his hips thrusted into yours. He still had his clothes on, yet that sudden friction over your already needy center had you almost begging for him to do anything, and everything he wanted.

Izuku smirked knowingly at you, “When are you gonna give up, bunny?”

Your eyes opened, dazed with a need that only him could suffice, yet filled with also a deep hatred that he and only him was responsible for.

“Never.”

The frustration and anger in your tone were clearly evident, yet he chuckled it away, putting a bit more of strength over your neck and pelvis, making you release a high pitched moan. You hated him even more for making you like, desire, want, need everything he did to you.

This creature, because he no longer was-felt like a human being to you, was going to be the end of you.

“Let’s see if this pussy thinks the same way,” his deep voice sang mockingly while his body travelled down, until his face was right in between your legs. “But first, I deserve a reward for catching you again, don’t I, little bunny?”

Izuku’s tongue licked the inside of one of your thighs, and he smiled against the skin when you shivered in expectation. You knew what he was going to do, and you couldn’t do anything against it, nor could you contain the loud groan your mouth freed when you felt his bite on your thigh, teeth breaking the skin deeply.

You still felt his cocky smile against your skin when he started licking the blood coming from the bite; it was so freaking painful, that it didn’t matter how many times he had already bitten you, it still hurt as fuck. Not like that the first time he did it, but still hurt. However, Izuku simply knew how to make you come back at him for more of his bites. When his thumb started rubbing against your core as he licked your blood, you moaned, the pain completely transforming into pleasure, the cloth of your panties drenched with your wetness. It was a pleasure no other man could ever provide you. You cursed the day he found out about your Quirk.

Your Quirk was a rare one. One that people could use for their own gain and advantage, if they discovered how it worked. Because of one simple drop of your blood making contact with someone who had a Quirk, it strengthened their abilities, senses, everything. It didn't need to be drunk, just by the touch of it on skin it was enough.

When you met Izuku, you told him you were Quirkless. You had the support of the government to hide this because it was too dangerous. For you and for the whole world.

He thought you were a Quirkless girl that lived a life pretty normal and boring. It was all sunshines and rainbows and pink skies at the beginning. Midoriya Izuku was nothing but the perfect gentleman. Until one night, you were cooking dinner and he was helping you. It was a mistake, a stupid fucking mistake you should have been more careful about. While cutting the vegetables, you cut your finger a bit, and Izuku reacted way faster than you did, grabbing your hand and intending to direct it under water. He meant well. However, there was a particular thing about your Quirk… Whenever it made contact with somebody's skin, they would feel the development inside their bodies and they would feel so good about it would make them go on a frenzy, wanting more and more of your blood. Like a vampire, thirsty for blood.

You never knew it could be this bad. And it got worse when in his frenzy, Izuku licked your finger instead of putting it on the water like you were sure he intended in the first place. A green light that came from him cracked around you both, as the pupil of his eyes grew larger, the clear thirst in them making you gasp.

You were stupid. So fucking stupid. You should have taken more research on how your own Quirk worked and not blindly trust in government people who clearly didn't know a shit more than you did about it. Because if you did know how your Quirk worked, you wouldn't have let Izuku lick your blood, you wouldn't have let him close enough to you at all in the first place. Because if you did know how your Quirk worked, you would have known that the second someone tasted your blood, a sort of bond would be created between you and them. A bond that united your soul with his, your body with his, your needs with his.

And you would have known there was no turning back once it was done.

You could hear Izuku eagerly licking, drinking your blood there in between your legs; you even felt the blood leave your body from where he was sucking as his index finger joined the other in rubbing your clothed and wet pussy. The moans and whimpers you let out only ignited him even more.

With each suck on your skin and rub on your sex, he brought you closer to that wonderful, pleasing and mind-blowing edge only Izuku knew how to take you. But when he realised you were close to cumming, he grabbed with his other hand your thigh in a strong hold and with all his self control –or the few he could provide when it came to you, all of you– he pulled his mouth away, blood sliding down the corners of his mouth and from the bite he created on your thigh. 

His fingers also stopped moving on your core and you groaned frustrated. You had been so close…

Izuku chuckled one more time at you, his tongue relishing on the magnificent taste of your blood on his mouth, before licking the bit that was outside his mouth and going for the bit that slid throughout your wound.

“You’re such an awfully beautiful and delicious little bunny,” he praised hungrily.

“You are the awful creature, not me,” you spat, but you could feel the need already winning over your hatred towards him once more.

He travelled back up your body until his whole big and muscular one was over yours, his lips ghosting over yours in a teasing manner and his forearm next to your head, holding himself over you. The hand of his other arm grabbed your hand and guided it towards the prominent bulge over his pants, making you feel him, how hard he was for you and how much he wanted you the same you wanted him.

“You love this creature, baby,” he insinuated, smirking cockyly and making you move your hand over his clothed, hard cock, stroking him nice and slow. “Don’t even try to deny it.”

You moaned, needy for him, body, soul and mind already surrendering to him, for now. “Please…” you couldn’t even articulate other words as you rubbed him on your own, your hips also buckling up to create any and every kind of friction.

“Mmh, yes, bunny?”

“Please…” you begged again, already feeling like crying. You wanted him, you needed him.

He growled against your lips, “If you want it, bunny, ask for it.”

[chaifootsteps]

that tweet Viv liked about Stolas having a life outside Via and it being fine for him to do so

obviously it's fine and healthy for Stolas to have a life of his own. I'd say that most parents should have lives of their own - it provides a healthy model for their child to emulate and avoids them getting too clingy and dependent on their child for emotional support when the child gets old enough to start trying to assert their independence. and it helps parents feel less alone and gives them a support network, something people of all ages need

the point is that life of Stolas' shouldn't come at Via's expense, which it very much has. if we assume she had an OK home life up to the age of 17 when the fallout happened (which is a stretch given how s2 Stella and Stolas don't at all seem like they'd be able to pretend for Via's sake given how self-centred they both are) that doesn't make it OK for Stolas to upend that life by cheating and neglecting her for his new obsession, Blitzo. then he supports her through all this turmoil that he caused by *checks notes* sexually harassing his affair partner right in front of her at a theme park she had no interest in going to, forgetting a promise he made to her while he was abusing his butler and calling her mother a bitch and not telling her they both might be in danger of assassination

and if fans want to play it like Via is legally an adult at 18 so Stolas' obligations are over, Stolas still had a responsibility to prepare her for adulthood and being his heir. which he obviously didn't since she apparently doesn't know magic and he was lending out the grimoire most of the month anyway. And if we assume he didn't want to have Via in the first place, he still chose to have her instead of abdicating. he could have run away if he didn't want a child of his own to care for.

that he didn't want it doesn't suddenly mean Via isn't a person who needs to be cared for.

more than that, though, Stolas could have been building a support system and life for himself while she was young. he wouldn't have to devote 100% of his time to raising Via, especially not when she was young enough to go to bed early. what was stopping him calling up friends on the phone or inviting people over? what was stopping him going out if Via was out shopping or busy on weekends? he has a phone, can teleport and has butlers like the one who raised him, it's not like he couldn't have been back in a blink for any problems that came up. are we just supposed to assume all of Hell prefers Stella even though she's supposed to be so terrible and bitchy so Stolas couldn't have made friends even if he tried? supposedly Vassago was one of the 'good ones' of the Goetia - he couldn't have been friends with him?

as it is it comes off like Via was following Stolas' example - she stays trapped in the palace most of the time, has no friends and would make a terrible heir because that's how Stolas is. he has no friends of his own and is terrible at both his jobs - magic and parenting. honestly it's super weird Via is a 17yr old and seemingly has no friends of her own before she met Loona. was she just isolated in the palace this whole time? even if she's royal she can still have security, though I guess if Stolas' invisible legions appeared onscreen fans would rightfully be asking why he keeps expecting Blitzo to bail him out all the time

Bingo.

Stolas can and should have a life outside of Via. The problem is that Stolas's life outside of Via is full of choices that actively harm Via, in addition to pretty much everyone else around him, including himself. The problem is that Stolas is a delusional manchild hellbent on getting his idea of a fairy tale romance, and it doesn't matter to him who has to suffer in the name of that.

[nothing-ramblings]

i DO think laios is "autism creature" autistic. I think he's actually a great example of that. Most of the time i see the autism creature associated with special interests and hyperfixations and there's no way you could argue that's not a trait he has, it's a major plotnpoint that drives the story forward along with his other motivation. Something I also see a lot is the austism creature being used as an example of cluelessness, because of its expression. How are you gonna point to his social awkwardness, the fact that he's literally completely clueless about making people uncomfortable unless it's explicitly stated to him, and say he doesn't fit that description. I'n not sure what "tumblr" autism is supposed to mean, the person was probably talking about the more palatable traits people discuss more openly, but do you really think people aren't socially awkward in this webbed site?

i saw a rlly good post reacting to someone else's rotten take, unfortunately at the time i was too tired to read the full post and i ended up losing it, so i don't remember what all it said but basically the rotten take was calling laios creepy (in a "funny haha way" to disguise it) due to his traits, and op of the post i saw was explaining how that's fucked up. I think from what I skimmed it was very personal, comparing their own experiences to laios and honestly that might be my favorite thing about him. He doesn't just have the "palatable" traits that people are comfortable seeing. He is clueless, he had no idea someone disliked him, he even thought they were close friends, because that person never let him know when he was crossing a boundary until it was too much. Soon after this almost the opposite happens, where he doesn't believe someone else wants to be his friend, because now he's aware that he can't pick up on social cues, and he also knows he caused this person discomfort before, so why would they want to be his friend? He's "messy" in that he has a lot of traits people like to avoid when talking about autism, because it's stuff neurotypicals don't like.

He's literally that kid who people would be like "oh well if i knew he was autistic i wouldn't have treated him badly" (which is stupid, you should treat people well in general and not be an asshole then apologize because someone is actually neurodivergent or mentally ill). And guess what? He has friends who love him. They know he's awkward and clueless and has "weird" interests and they still love him. He has people who will stand up for him even after coming to the conclusion that he's "a little creepy" because they know he's a good person, and they like his honesty. Someone explicitly admits they envy his ability to be so openly himself, even after that same person tried to frame that trait as a bad thing, because they realized what they hated wasn't laios honesty but the fact that laios is able to act that way, while most people feel trapped by social rules and don't have that same freedom to be themselves. Laios can be himself not because society accepts him, in fact the first assumption when the elves learn he likes monsters is that he must be prone to evil. Because that's weird and creepy. Society does not accept him. His friends do. His sister does, she loves him and looks up to him as an adult as much as she did as a child. He has a support system. He is loved. Even people who don't necssarily love him know he could never become evil, even if they also think his special interest is a bit creepy. Because they know laios, actually know him, and they know that in his awkwardness he's still a kind person. He misses a lot of social cues, sometimes he says things that are tone deaf without realizing at all, and his friends know he means no harm. He just struggles with these things.

I think laios is a very good example of how nobody is unlovable, regardless of how awkward or clueless you might be, even if your special interest is something perceived as creepy. To me Laios is a reminder for anyone who needs to hear it that you are deserving of love too. Maybe you just beed to find a better support system, and that might take a while, but there's people who will love you the way you are, and accept you the way you are

[dairy-farmer]

Jason and vulnerable Tim scenario 1

While stalking Tim in preparation for the titan's tower debacle. Jason discovers that Tim lives alone. Now there are a lot of options for traumatizing a vulnerable robin and get revenge on Bruce.

Through threats and blackmail directed at tim + some bribes and forgeries, Jason takes on the identity of uncle Ed and gets a restraining order against Bruce. Tim is now basically his property, and he can't be robin if he's spending all his after-school hours getting his holes broken in.

No need to sacrifice his criminal empire. He can just keep his living fleshlight on his lap during meetings, or bent over his desk while Tim has to do homework. Jason of course takes education very seriously, so Tim has to attend class even with an obscenely pregnant belly. Jason has always wanted a large family.

!!!! yessssss yes yes yes!!!!!

jason comes up with the idea of becoming tim's fake uncle in a stroke of genius while devising his other plans. jason can break in and beat tim senseless, can reach him anywhere bruce tries to hide him and maybe will even wait for bruce to send tim away to "protect" him just for jason to reach him anyway and show bruce how powerless he really is against an unrelenting force. but realizing tim lives alone? that there's no legal guardian or adult present after his father has been killed because the gotham social system is so backed up by cases that it slips under the radar especially since tim's case is marked low priority by his case worker when jason breaks into the offices for his file.

bruce has assumed that tim's custody has been taken care of and tim has a guardian that presumably he can still slip to be robin and tim hasn't told him otherwise about his empty apartment and dwindling food in his fridge while tim awaits his father's life insurance policy payout.

the two aren't communicating or talking to each other about shit as important as this, leaving a huge mile-wide gap in their partnership, more than enough room for jason to just...slip it.

tim is easy enough to corner, he lives alone after all. the first time jason breaks in his fake uncle plan hadn't even begun to blosoom. he'd just broken in to get the kid on edge, make him think he was being robbed by a home invader and he was all by himself. robin or not the jolt of fear or dread would hit any kid the moment they realized they were on their own against an intruder in their home. jason doesn't fuck him up too much, not wanting to tip off bruce. but he does fuck him up a little...well more like jason just fucks him. tim is squirmy but his baby cunt is tight and hot as jason fucks him hard and fast where he pinned him down on his bed. a few nights later he returns to do the same and little timmy is so sleep deprived from staying up the previous nights that he can't fight back.

then, when jason is in the shower, letting the water run down his back while jacking off and thinking about the vice of tim's cunt- that's when the idea hits him.

it's genius.

drawing up papers and making up a fake uncle to get custody of tim granted to him. trapping tim close and allowing him to hurt bruce with the whole 'you're an older man who isn't family trying to get close to my nephew???'. jason could make up lies as the concerned uncle and get a restraining order on bruce and how that would infuriate him because as brucie he still forced himself to abide by the law and he would risk to much of the public focusing on him by making a big deal out of it.

jason would admit he was always more of a 'physical' punishment rather than a 'psychological' kind of guy. but torturing bruce from a distance was just something he couldn't pass up. especially if bruce could FEEL something was off about tim's uncle but unable to do anything about it.

so jason is very happy with how his plan pans out. he gets to torment bruce and get pussy on the regular from tim who is so utterly incapable of being robin what with his watchful "uncle" always over his shoulder. and even if he could get away plans to being robin would have to wait for while, maybe oh 9 or so months given how little timmy was beginning to pudge a little in the front whenever jason would fuck him.

tuly this was the best plan jason had ever come up with. bar none.

[chitty-chitty-bang-bang-bang]

“Kissing Vampires 101”

Requested by @rthounasty

Word Count: 881 words

Age restriction: 16+ (based on adult media)

Tags: Fluff, a bit of crack, descriptions of kisses, but nothing too sexual

Synopsis: Well, it’s been a good date and it seems like both of you are ready to make a step forward in your relationship.

Author’s note: I’m so sorry this took ages, but I hope you like it •3•

________________________________

You’re not sure what it was. Was it the hot asphalt under the sole of your shoes? Was it the damp, warm July air enveloping you in a figurative hug? Was it the cheap alcohol, that was still in your system? Or was it your hot European date you met through your friend Stu? No matter the reason, you were blushing and feeling giddier than ever. It was your third date with Vladislav and you couldn’t imagine it going any more perfectly.

You two went to a karaoke bar and delivered the worst performance of some random really old songs, that nobody else but you knew. Still, somehow you managed to receive some applause and Vladislav believed it’s due to both of yours undeniable charm and wild charisma. You argued, that he’s the only one with these qualities here, but he disagreed. After that, both of you were already pretty tipsy (though you’re not sure what Vladislav was drinking), so you decided to take a stroll around the night city to the pier and let the alcohol wear off a bit.

The scenery was mesmerising, water reflected the flashing lights of many buildings behind you and the whole setup seemed serene and romantic. It’s been a while since you were on a proper date, much less with someone you were this interested in. And it was the first time in forever, when neither you, nor your partner were fumbling this. You stood there for almost an hour just talking about all kinds of stuff. Past, present, even future. That’s how you found out you’re not the only one, who’s hoping for something serious with this relationship and you felt like jumping victoriously.

But now, the date was over. It was already way too late for both of you to be out on the streets and Vlad gladly walked you home. Though standing here in front of him and looking in his eyes, the last thing you wanted was for this moment to end. It just started getting interesting and you couldn’t imagine just turning to face the door and leave. That’s when a very bold idea popped into your alcohol poisoned brain.

“Vlad, if I’m being honest, this is the best time I’ve had in years.” You said to prolong his stay.

“This is the best time I had in centuries.” He laughed and you joined.

“Do you watch a lot of romcoms?” You got a bit closer.

“What are romcoms?”

“Romantic Comedies, you know? Like a genre of movies. Really cheesy shit, I won’t lie. But I like ‘em sometimes.”

“Maybe you could show me one day. I’m more used to romantic tragedies.” He shrugged.

“Anyways, the point I’m making is… Our date was like the cheesiest of cheesy romcom tropes and if this evening was like, uh, part of a movie… it would end in a kiss scene. Or a confession. But we already confessed before.”

You saw Vladislav’s eyes widen and for a moment you were sure you crossed some kind of a boundary, that shouldn’t have been be crossed. But then he took a step closer too, almost completely eliminating any free space between you. A dumb smile spread on your face, as you anticipated what he was going to say or do next.

“You want me to kiss you?” You nodded. You already learned, that with this man straightforwardness is key. “Okay.”

He leaned in, a bit hesitantly. You didn’t know that, but he hadn’t kissed a human in longer than he could remember. Nonetheless, the space between you completely disappeared, as your lips intertwined, trapping the hot air between you. Each second stretched out the way an eternity would, as both of you salvaged the sweet moment you were hoping to experience for so long now. Vladislav could keep going for way longer, it seemed, but you had to pull away to get air.

Slightly panting, you unconsciously mumbled a “wow” and smiled like a clueless idiot, collecting your thoughts, which were turning into soft mush of incomprehensible happiness. Vlad smiled at the look on your face and gently put his hands on your shoulders.

“Is this what you wanted?” He asked, not letting the two of you drift apart.

You nodded rapidly. “Yes, honestly…” you whispered the last part. “That was awesome.”

He huffed out a quiet laugh, before finally making a few steps back. He looked at the horizon for a second, as if checking for something, then returned his gaze back to you, with his arms on his hips in a rather disappointed manner.

“I’m sorry, [reader]. I have to go.”

“Oh… okay. Can you, uh, give me a call when you’re home? Maybe we could meet up sometime again. There’s this cool bowling club around…” You said, watching how Vladislav kept frantically looking at the horizon.

“Yes, that sounds great. I will defined call you. Goodbye, [reader].” He lent you one more quick peck on the lips, before hurrying away from your house.

You noticed the sky getting slightly brighter, changing from dark blue to a more pastel colour. It was almost sunrise and you didn’t even realise how long your date took. You turned around and finally entered your apartment with deeply buried excitement for your next date with Vladislav.

[dcawritings]

I’m going to make a masterlist for all the AUs I might write for, but in case anyone wants a taste of the kind of enabling chaos that goes on in the Superstar Daycare discord server, here’s the list of AUs I’m positively feral about:

Freddy Fazvibes (Sex Shop AU)

Digimon AU

Borderlands AU

Livestreamer / Vtuber AU

Stardew Valley AU

Color of Your Eyes AU

(Longer description of each below the readmore!)

Freddy Fazvibes (Sex Shop AU)

William accepts and admits that he has some unresolved issues between himself and Henry, and decides to open a sex shop after learning he's a furry and it makes him quite happy. The shop -- technically still under the Fazbear brand (Henry is happy for his friend but thoroughly confused) -- features character mascots and lines of toys based on the parent company alongside an up-and-coming VR system to allow people to experience the company (sexual or otherwise) of their favorite characters!

The reader is just one of many customers after discovering the niche but passionate community the store and its characters have. It's bad enough that it's a sex shop with sex toys; how are they going to handle having their favorite character offer to demonstrate using one of them?

No deaths occur in this AU, it's just some good wholesome fun (as wholesome as a sex shop can get) where we don't need to worry about why the animatronics have genitals.

Digimon AU

The reader was supposed to be a member of their generation’s digidestined, but the others were killed by a mysterious power in the digital world many years before the present day. The reader discovers this information as an adult after being pulled into the digital world by a mysterious masked puppet creature who seems to know all too much about them. Trapped, they learn that their two digimon partners (Sun and Moon) had been waiting for them all that time; waiting for their human partner that never showed up when the digital world needed them most.

The reader finds themselves battling through not only their own tentative connection with the digital world as an adult, but also with their own partner as Moon has all but rejected them due to trust and corruption issues. Can the reader heal Sun and Moon's pain, regain their trust, and manage to save the corrupted souls of the other digidestined before the digital world falls apart at the seams?

And who could this mysterious evil force even be?

Borderlands AU

Sun is a prototype of a new line of caretaker bots designed by Hyperion to serve multiple domestic roles for people rich enough to afford them. The spaceship housing him during his live beta-testing experiences an unknown error and crashes on Pandora, where the reader (an ex-Hyperion employee) rescues him from the wreckage.

Things grow even more confusing when Sun realizes that he has a second personality onboard his processors, one that the reader had inadvertently helped to create when they worked for Hyperion: Moon, a military security protocol, and the true reason that the ship had gone down over Pandora. How will Sun deal with learning that his abandonment was part of the testing -- and what will he, Moon, and the reader do when they learn about the ECLIPSE protocol?

Livestreamer / Vtuber AU

After saving them from the Pizzaplex ruins, the reader helps Sun, Moon and the newly-formed Eclipse settle into day-to-day domestic life with them. Though the reader assures that they don't need to, the three search for ways to help pay bills -- keeping them charged has tripled the electric bill alone. So, unbeknownst to the reader at first, the trio take up being a vtuber, quickly becoming quite popular for their unique avatars (which is literally just them rendered into a live2d model) and wide variety of streamed content.

They all play all sorts of videogames, but Eclipse has become very popular for drawing furry art while Moon's realized that people really like his voice in ASMR content. Before they know it, they're able to help pay the reader's bills and beyond, leaving their amused and surprised caretaker to support both their newfound hobby and try desperately to ignore how the twitch chat is always asking if they're dating.

Stardew Valley AU

After the reader's grandfather passes away, they learn that he had left them an entire farm to care for as they liked. An entire plot of land beside a whole new town of people to meet, including the enigmatic trio of automatons powered by forest magic, and are apparently as old if not older than the town itself.

Sun is sweet as can be and helps tutor Jaz and Vincent alongside Penny, while Eclipse is a very soft-spoken personality who you're certain has been heavily damaged at some point (but he's often too busy tending to the community gardens to care). There is a third automaton, but he's only active after sunset -- some townfolk call him a demon and a menace, while others seem to find his pranks quite endearing. Moon is... an enigmatic figure, and it will take some time to get to know him properly.

Color of Your Eyes AU

The reader is just another employee of Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex, far from friends and family that they barely remember after moving away several years ago. They work a normal job in the daycare with a normal apartment and go to a normal doctor about normal symptoms of a chronic illness they've been dealing with since they were little -- or so they're told.

Is it all actually normal? Are they human, or are they... something else? Surely not, else it would mean their entire life is nothing more than a lie, a fabrication.

This is an AU about the reader learning they are actually a humanoid animatronic and that everything in their life -- their background, their parents, their memories -- are just that. A lie. They have been the property and research subject of Fazco's R&D division the entire time.

But at least they have Sun and Moon to help them understand not how to be human, but how to be a person again.

[smokescreenimusprime]

Bruh I’ve have this fanfiction idea for awhile in my head and haven’t had the motivation to write it and probably never will, but imagine, sparkling Smokescreen. Like I know Sparklings aren’t canon in Transformers, but it’s used enough that I like them and write about them. But when Smokescreen crash lands on Earth and stuff, the pod around him makes sort of a hologram for him, that builds around his younger body to make it seem as if he’s older than he is for protection. It makes him stronger, faster, smarter, everything. Idk who’d program the pod, maybe another cybertronian who doesn’t want to see the sparkling hurt and turned into a cold hearted killer, so they program the pod and send him off into deep space, and knowing that they’ll be killed at some point, give Smokescreen their memories so it’ll be like Smokescreen was actually a fully grown mech. The Autobots don’t suspect anything, as he has adult memories, he’s in an adult body, and despite acting younger, he acts just like Bumblebee, so why would anyone suspect anything? Maybe in a battle, a vehicon, or maybe when Arcee and Smokescreen were fighting Megatron, that one hit with the dark star saber, caused the program that the pod made to fail and turn back into his younger self. So of course, when he wakes up, he’s really confused and can barely use his limbs as in his older body, he never actually grew, so it’s basically a mech trapped in a Sparklings body, except Smokescreen is actually a sparkling but doesn’t truly know it as he was too young to remember before the bombing of Praxus, and the crash of the status pod probably rattled a few things in his processor.

So idk how this would go, haven’t really thought about it too much but here y’a go :D sparkling Smokescreen, very adorable

ooooooooooo that's a neat idea 👀👀👀

what if the pod sorta worked kinda like how Ultra Magnus did in the IDW comics? Like, "Smokescreen" was originally an armour used by various minicons/smaller bots to fight and this time around was Alpha Trion's guard, but when Iacon fell it wasn't just Trion who was hiding deep in the Archives. There were loads of other bots who seemed shelter within its walls and now were unfortunately trapped

so "Smokescreen," in an attempt to save at least one more life, ends up hiding a sparkling in the frame in their place. Unfortunately in all the chaos they didn't have time to let Trion know about this so the newly made Smokescreen ends up still getting Omega Key-d. When he wakes up he's super confused and is just barely able to shamble his way over to some escape pods and then goes into his multi millennia stasis

and when he wakes up..... well, it's certainly been long enough for his frame to have connected and the processors to have synced together. Smokescreen doesn't even fully realise what's going on because of just how disorienting everything is, and his memories are clashing and trying to fit together. Because of the rush, the Old Smokescreen didn't have time to fully disconnect, so maybe there are still some of their memories lingering in the system which transfer to Current Smokescreen

I'd imagine Smokescreen would be rather clumsy outside of battle. When he fights he can rely on the battle protocols and "muscle memory" of the armour (not that he realises), but outside of that he's a mess. Quite literally tripping over his own feet, misjudging distances and how far his reach is, not knowing his own strength, he's an absolute mess and it frustrates him to no end. He'll also have seemingly random bouts of really bad body dysphoria for no apparent reason

his emotional state is........ very complicated. He gets along GREAT with the kids, but the other Autobots? ehhhhhhhh it's a bit difficult at times, and it really doesn't help that he's consciously aware of how "irrational" his emotions are. He can't help it that he feels so much, but not knowing why he feels the way he does is frustrating at best. Not to mention his social skills are VERY lacking which makes actually communicating what he's feels so much harder, and this definitely creates a bit of a rift with the other Autobots

as for how the Autobots find out........ I had an angsty thought

what if it happens when Smokescreen's on the Nemesis

when Knockout uses the scanner to search for the Omega Key he does find it yes....... but he also sees something very very strange. Another frame inside, a very small one but..... it's different from a minicon......

and the second the Decepticons learn about this they start losing their goddamn minds

because this is a sparkling. A fragging SPARKLING. HERE. MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF YEARS AFTER THE WELL WENT DARK. ON E A R T H

naturally the Decepticons are horrified and do everything they can to safely remove the little thing as quick as possible. Knockout in particular is freaking out because he ripped out the Omega Key rIGHT NEXT TO THE SPARKLING!!!! WHO KNOWS WHAT DAMAGE I'VE CAUSED TO IT-

Smokescreen ofc is also confused and panicking since There's A Sparkling Inside Of Him?!?!?!?!!? but when it gets removed, suddenly things get even more chaotic

I'll admit I'm not super sure how exactly things go from here, but I do have three thoughts

1) Now without the battle protocols and armor stuff constantly yelling at him, Smokescreen's able to act way more like a child, however given how long he was in the armor he still has to deal with the memories from inside it and without the armors added processing power

tldr, the little bean now has Adult Trauma And Memories he's gotta work through while having the brain structure of a child

2) Smokescreen is younger than the kids, but older than a toddler. I was thinking maybe he was the Cybertronian equivilant of 8-9 years old

and 3) what is essentially a custody war starts between the Autobots and Decepticons

[zucchinitart]

May I get general headcanons for Laughing jack? *bats eyes*

i honestly forget all the headcanons i’ve posted 💀 but sure!!!

some more random headcanons!!!! (some go against the canon….sorry 😭)

-he was born in the 1800s, but i like to think it was 1803 specifically….if he was alive today, he’d be 219!!!! (bday on Xmas so not 220 yet 🤧)

-his body stopped aging after Isaac died…he killed Isaac in his 20s (kinda forget if there was a specific age he met up with him again 💀) so he’s physically 20-something!!!

-he can only eat small amounts of food and water before he throws up (no digestive system!!!) he doesn’t feel sad about not being able to eat tho because he doesn’t see what’s so enticing about food. he enjoys licking a lollipop every now and then tho!!!

-he celebrates his bday every year alone…he kinda throws himself a pity party and looks at families celebrating Xmas to make himself feel more sad 😭 (his bday is technically Christmas!!)

-(related to above!!) he once asked Jeff what special day was on the 25th of December…Jeff said Christmas. Jack started sobbing on the spot 😭

-although he’s sad frequently, he has never felt the need to die….his rage and jealousy that built up over the years inside his box makes him want to keep living!!!

-when he felt lonely inside his box, he’d make his arms really long so they’d lose circulation and then wrap them around himself….it would feel like he was getting a hug!!

-(idk if this counts as a hc 💀) personally….i think it’s kinda weird how he was able to see what Isaac was doing even inside the box…i like to imagine that he couldn’t see the outside world and was just rotting in darkness…and then when he finally got out, it was like a surprise when he found out Isaac became a murderer!!! ultimate betrayal!!!!

-jack still loved isaac even while he was trapped inside his box. he tried not to and did everything he could to hate him, but he just couldn’t

-(this basically goes against the canon story 💀 sorry): he hates adults!! LJ started hating them when he saw how Isaac’s parents treated him. His anger against adults grew again when he saw how Isaac turned out.

-his sleeves are magical!?!?! they grow with his arms!! i guess his bandages do too…

-LJ tried to conceal his identity from the world as best as he could, killing people without leaving a trace…for him, that means killing everyone in the vicinity!! he only became popularized when he let a kid go free..unfortunately news spread when the kid started telling ppl what he saw!!!

-his nose annoys him sometimes…he had to invent a new technique to put a shirt on just because of it

these are all very random!! hope you enjoyed!! of course i have plenty more…but that would just be too much 💀 and i honestly can’t take myself seriously when i post headcanons 😭 sorry if this was atrocious to read!!

[jorisjurgen]

My Joris Playlist - explained

Yet another self-indulgent post going into details on why I picked certain songs for my third playlist. Even though the Atcham playlist explanation was a flop and that made me sad.

1. Mother Mother - Mamma Told Me

Self explanatory 💀

2. nekobolo (aka Sasanomaly) - Synthesia Ghost

This one is a bit hard to explain. Because the Joris playlist is not separated into child/adult or any other categories, this song's first purpose in this playlist is to, in a way, signify that while the first song is about his childhood, the rest of the songs are definitely about his character after the movie.

It has a mature but vulnerable sound, and expresses a deep, but vague, sense of dissatisfaction with the entirety of one's life — and an inability to express it less vaguely. He hates Kerubim so much.

3. Inabakumori - Kimi ni Kaikisen

This is my top "Joris in Huppermage Academy" song. But also general teenage Joris song. I don't think the king of being homeschooled is good in traditional learning environments.

4. Inabakumori - Secret Elementary School Student

It's a song about not wanting to grow up, "My dream job is to be an elementary school student."

I think something Joris is mentally ill about is wanting to be a child but wanting to be an adult but wanting to be a child. It's a dichotomy he has been trapped in for six centuries.

There are also some lyrics that make me think of the dichotomy of hating and loving Kerubim, during the chorus. Hehe.

5. R.I.P - I'll Throw My Emotions Away

This song is definitely about Adult Joris in his "everyone around me is dying of old age" era lmaooo.

The "you" and "he" in this song is Kerubim though (and a little bit of Atcham, but he has a normal, healthy, and supportive relationship with Atcham, so 99% of this playlist is not applicable to him). I think Joris will stub his toe and think "FUCKING KERIBIM CREPIN."

6. PowaPowaP - Can't Even Age Normally

Unlike Kerubim and Atcham, he doesn't really "age" so he had to come to terms with immortality bullshit not at 70-90 years of age after dying, but probably at 30-40 years of age AND he has to keep coming to terms with it.

Also he hates growing older, because I think he'd like things to remain simple - the same way that was expressed in the "Secret Elementary School Student"

Basically, I think he really hates himself. Big Joris doomerism song.

7. Sohta - Stardust Girl

Years, decades, centuries keep passing, and Joris is just as passively suicidal and self-hating.

He just tries to make it into a good thing by applying optimistic nihilism.

8. Deco*27 - Coward Mont Blanc

There were some songs that referenced hating being a cruel person and a coward previously, but this one is the top "Joris knowing he's not a good person and feeling horrible about it." song.

One hc I have is that when Joris's friends - including Khan and Lilotte - die, he does Not visit them if they're actively dying even if they ask him to come; and he will NOT come to the funeral and he will not visit the grave for at least 3-5 years. There are exceptions, but mostly it's like this. And he feels SO bad about this. He's insane.

9. Meg Myers - Numb

We're progressing to more-immortal more-adult Joris issues with this one, and still there's a theme of him not wanting to grow up.

He's so desperate for approval of other people that he made himself into a tool for the Bontarian government and gaslighted himself into thinking he's making any difference in the world by participating in the system. Sad oh well.

10. Nekotanaka - Never

Once again, "Very positive sounding song about depression that is very Joris-core with him trying to convince himself he's normal and sane, using his love for Atcham and Kerubim."

11. K.Flay - It's Just a Lot

I'm fucking insane. In a way, yearning to be a child is about not wanting to become the person he is. He wants to care about people — he doesn't want to be cruel or cold. But he is.

Even then, it doesn't mean he will stop wishing he could be more carefree and innocent.

"I've done things against which I believe"

"It all amounts to no-one knows."

"I want to hold onto the innocence I've got."

12. Penelope Scott - Moonsickness

Imagine Joris during the Huppermage genocide. Lmaoooo rip bozo??! Rip bozo. Joris you are so fucking stupid why are you still Bontarian after what happened. I need to choke him to death.

I think the huppermage genocide was his first big political disillusionment induced depression.

13. Inabakumori - Heaven's Tears

More epic Joris self-gaslights. I think his thoughts on Bonta in the world are always "things will end well. No they won't. But I can't just fucking say that. So things will end well."

There's one bit of this song that is very Joris@Kerubim-core, and it makes me think of this song in the framework of "Joris's self-gaslight mental health preservation system is very much inherited from Kerubim."

14. Amanda Palmer - Trout Heart Replica

I'M INSANE. I'M CRAZY. I'M INSANE. This is THE Joris character song. This is his fucking theme song, actually.

There are so many layers of meaning to this song: on a surface layer, it's about the guilt that comes with the nature death: we are created to outlive most animals, seeing them grow up from little babies to adults in such a short time. And we are created to kill to survive and eat. The song's primary theme is the horror of hunt for the hunter.

Joris is someone who has been alive for centuries, and almost all of this time he spent in politics. He's seen and outlived thousands of people like Eva, Amalia, Yugo, and Tristepin. He's been friends with hundreds of adventurers that grow and die faster than he can blink, sometimes in wars, and sometimes because of Bonta.

And that's just normal, to him, for some reason.

The song's secondary theme is being unable to connect to other people emotionally; being a cold, distant friend. It's about killing people's love for you slowly, through ghosting, through silence, and feeling like it's the inevitable consequence of every relationship. Just like the relationship between predator and prey. And being just as condescending towards the people involved.

A very resigned position of doom towards every relationship that is in any way positive.

15. Mitski - Washing Machine Heart

This song was one of the three contributing factors to Fragile, handle with care being written.

Big Kerubim&Joris win.

16. Mitski - Working For The Knife

He used to want to be a photographer, an adventurer, an artist, a good person.

But he's working for the knife. :)

17. Mitski - Crack Baby

Another evil Kerubim&Joris win.

Petition to Kill Kerubim Crepin. Together we can explode the feline child neglector.

18. Ferry - The Mill

This (checks notes) song from a plot driven vocaloid song series really suits Joris. Instead of vulnerable emotions of love, I think this is a good "how Joris feels while travelling with Atcham and Kerubim" song, as well as a good "Joris in his usual mental state (repression)" song.

It also questions a lot of things I already talked about: his arrogance in trying to lead people despite being a mess, his reluctance to let go of his position in Bonta despite knowing that Bonta isn't really perfect; and his feelings on Keke and Atch.

"Oh, it's nothing new, the visionless leading the blind; It's easy to say "why don't you leave it all behind"; And this moral compass is forever misaligned;

All I need is that you'll be here by my side. But you can never know that; "Too strong to die" — or was it me again?"

19. Mother Mother - Body of Years

A very beautiful song about the process of someone rotting and turning to dust. Man I hope Joris doesn't have 47573838 dead friends.

It's also a song about wanting to make a mark on the world - and I really think it applies to Joris. Out beloved idiot idealist.

20. Mitski - Me and My Husband

Kerubim&Joris ass song.

I'm going to walk into the sea.

It's such a depressing song that just resigns to "I have nothing going for me, except for him."

21. weevildoing - Caliber Girl

Joris Quit Politics and be Reborn as a Lotus Flower. It's the right thing to do.

(This is a song about overworking overtime overnight overday overweek on your 10 hour shift IT job because Surely It's The Proper and Adult Thing To Do To Be Respected And Perfect And Responsible, and Make a Difference and Change The World. It is the right way, right? Right..!?)

"No meditation, medication, no doctor, no therapist; could cure me of the condition of the world that I have to live in; Working on my rest days. Never productive enough; Even on my best days. Will it ever be enough?"

22. Inabakumori - Rainy Boots

Another "yearning for the simplicity of being a child" type song. Hehe. It's really about trying to do things that used to make you happy when you were young, and it just not feeling the same...

Also, I think at this point in the playlist, the Ogrest's Chaos has probably happened. I think he got pretty mentally ill during those years and clung to Atcham and Kerubim extra hard.

23. Inabakumori - Float Play

The same exact motifs and themes as the last song - trying to return to a more innocent time by doing something you used to, and it not feeling the same.

But it differs in being more aggressive at reclaiming that feeling - begging the person the song is being sang to, "you" to bring this feeling back. In a way it feels like a Joris&Kerubim song.

"A pacifist until yesterday...!"

"Starting today, I'm a victim."

24. Inabakumori - Sink Tank

[hacks up blood] hes been living with his dad, who neglected him to the point of 20 menta illnesses, for 600 years.

The "you" in this song is absolutely Kerubim.

25. Inabakumori - Hello Marina (Will Stetson cover)

IM CRAZY IM CRAZY IM FUCKING INSANE IM CRAZY. This is THE Joris&Kerubim&Atcham song. It's so loving and bitter.

"That scar that you see? It bound what we'd be — you gouged it in me! So, they remain, every ache binding us will stay."

26. Mafumafu - Hated by Life Itself

Big breakthrough in this playlist: the first Joriscore anti-doomerism song.

It's about Not wanting to kill yourself, and violently so - despite knowing that the world is Shit. It's hard to explain because the lyrics of the song are so fast and so dense with many themes, many of which fit him!

27. Pomme - Nelly

Listening to this song, before I kew that this song is about a writer, I thought "this reminds me of my mom," which turned into "this reminds me of Joris and Kerubim" which turned into mental illness.

When divorced of it's (sad, beautiful, very meaningful) context as a song about a wonderful writer, it can make for a good song about loving your mentally ill single parent who neglected and parentified you into having 20 mental illnesses and is your best friend?

Anyway this song is the Second Contributing Factor in the writing if the fic Fragile, handle with care. (And the third one is on the Kerubim playlist.)

28. Majima Yulo - Is This Kamaboko? Mahoro? Makoto? (Less Than Truth)

IM INSANE. This is the second Joris theme song. Joris self-gaslight stays winning!!! Every Joris fan owes it to themselves to give it a listen.

The happiest sounding song to ever say shit like "I'm talentless and powerless + GOD I LOVE CODEPENDENCY + I have 99999 regrets + I root out the sadness I feel for every tragedy + I really wish I wasn't witnessing history being made and I don't want to be alive during most of the ages! + I want to throw up."

29. Flëur - Be My Raison D'Etre

I really, really wish all english sub videos for Fleur songs weren't Yandere Simulator themed. Genuine anguish. Vile slurs omitted.

The thing about Joris is that all he has is Atcham and Kerubim, and they've been there all his life, and no matter how chill he acts, he IS needy about it, and it IS poisoning his brain.

30. Mitski - Happy

[instead of explaining anything, I pull out an image of Kerubim and Joris cannibalizing one another, from my artblog @atchamcrepin]

does this make sense.

31. Iyowa - Leave you on The Back of the Earth

[points once more to the art of Kerubim and Joris cannibalizing one another]

i actually drew it while listening to this but the lyrics on the last song were more striking:)

Imagine being a child and you were adopted by the guy who killed your mom and he had the audacity to neglect you to the point of developing 20 mental illnesses. AND neither of you can die or escape your relationship.

Also this song has a lot of cat puns and Nyas

32. Ano - Chu, Tayousei

[REDACTED]

Also this is the third song in the "I listened to it wile drawing Joris&Kerubim cannibalism." and —

[REDACTED]

Anyway, what I'm talking about is: Joris feels a mixture of hate and love towards the man, and he both wants to be his own person and just Be Told what to do by His Dad. This song literally going "vomit kiss! Vomit kiss!" Is so "positive feelings mixed with negative" it's crazy.

Also I do think Joris kind of disgusts himself with his own desire to Not be his own person (hes an adult man and it's weird to live with his dad for centuries and—) as well as his mixed emotions towards Kerubim (the man doesn't deserve to have all this baggage pointed towards him) which too, is kinda reflected by the vomit part of the song.

It's very manic.

33. Hanyuu Maigo - onomatopoeia

A less insane "joris hates and loves kerubim" song.

34. Mitski - Love me More

Man i dont evem know how to explain this without reiterating the shit ive already said.

He doesn't have anything going for him save for two catboys, man. It's his main hobby and lifestyle.

35. Wowaka - toosenbo

This one's on the more "hate" side of the codependency ordeal. For all his issues, I think he haaaates it when Kerubim speaks over him and treats him, an adult man, like a child.

36. Red Vox - Better On The Outside

For a turn, a warm song about making each other better, and helping eachother heal. While the maddening and controlling part of the codependency is very compelling to me, it's not all gloom and doom with the jurgencrepins! (Especially when taking Atcham into account XD)

37. Mili - 奶水 (Milk)

RISE UP FOR THE CREPINJURGENITE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

The knowledge of this song is required for all Joris, Kerubim, and Atcham fans because it's our fucking catboyliker national anthem and flag.

We romanticising caramelizing mythologizing idealizing codependency-to-the-point-of-becoming-a-singular-being in this mothafucka!!! Get your sensitive ass back to wakfu series fandom!!

38. itoki hana - as you are

Another song that portrays the good side of the trio's relationship. They're cringe losers, ugly, and morally ambiguous failures... TOGETHER! And they LOVE each other for it!!!! Fuck!!!!!!!!!!

(singable translation by the fansubber known as "toby fox". Idk who he is but the subs are cool!) -

"I'm really not — the savior you wished I'd be; the hero you said you always saw in me"

"I know that I can't, so don't be surprised; Just hope the one I am 's still the one you love."

39. Hanyuu Maigo - Thank You, Emptiness

It's a very optimistic song, and I don't like ending my playlists on a sad note if the character has a good ending or isn't dead yet. I think that by 600 years of age, Joris has found some meaning in death and life.

40. Flëur - Someone

One of the only english subbed Fleur songs that don't have Yandere Simulator art on the sub videos 💀😭

It's about being forced to care for someone — and growing to love caring about them. While it is unfortunate that Joris's childhood was... yknow, who are we to deny him the right to Enjoy parentification and want to call himself Kerubim's dad?

Like

"he needs to move away from his father and live alone and a conventional romantic relationship with some random character he interacted with once in canon even though he would never fucking do it and it makes no sense for his character"

"no! Independent life and being shipped will kill the patient."

"he needs parentification to live."

41. PinocchioP - Nobody Makes Sense

Another one of those "i think by 600 years of age, his immortality angst has calmed down, and he found some meaning and peace (but not Too Much)" songs.

42. 4o (tadanoCo) - SentO

Wait 5-6 more months for my animatic and then all will be explained. Or listen to it and see my vision.

But to be serious, it's once again about finding meaning - and aggressively. It's about knowing everything about your job is bullshit and useless and you're making no difference; it's about knowing you're a bad person, an idiot, and an egoist the same way everyone else is, and not caring; it's about knowing you can't change the ways the world exploits you, and other people, yearning to be able to do more, but mostly wanting to just live well with the people you love.

And it's about growing up.

43. PinocchioP - I'm glad you're evil too

Crepinjurgenite nation rise up for our second anthem.

Ironically, Joris has built himself such a stoic public image that the only people he really can be himself with are Kerubim and Atcham. And I think he likes it that way.

44. Faded Paper Figures - Relatively

This song is shared with the Kerubim and Atcham playlists.

The first verse is Atcham; the second verse is Kerubim; and the third verse is Joris.

[swanqueensalad]

A very long, sad deep dive on the Snow & Regina dynamic, post-everything, for anon

snow and regina are best friends. it's very weird. nobody really wants to use that phrase around regina lest she fireball them... snow really really wants to use that phrase all the time (this is their whole dynamic lol u don’t need to read the rest of the post)

i would say it happened naturally, but it really didn't. it happened with a lot of hard work, honesty, effort, dedication to being better from both of them, and then once all of that was done it was natural, it was sort of impossible to be any other way.

because snow and regina have known each other a long time. longer than most people in their family, in their town. and despite everything that happened after, all the tragedy and pain that the adults around them orchestrated, they were once two little girls that should have been friends. little snow idolised regina and looked up to her in every way, the beautiful kind hearted girl who saved her from a horse, and the instinctive bond between them was always there. there was a sisterly relationship there from the start, and i think for regina as a lonely girl with an awful family life, snow was sweet, and refreshing company to have, even if she got in the way sometimes (just like a little sister would).

and then of course everything comes crashing down, and it is snow's fault but it also isn't, because at the end of the day she was just a little girl mourning her own mother, who cora knew exactly how to manipulate.

but i think the reason regina never saw it this way was because she too was very young and sheltered and her worldview was totally limited by cora's abuse: when regina was snow's age, nothing she did would ever be excused by 'but i was a child'. at snow's age, she had to mind everything very carefully because to put one foot wrong was to be punished severely, held 100 percent accountable. i truly believe the reason regina never excused snow for her age is because she was never excused for hers, ever, even as a tiny child, and as a victim of such abuse in such a controlled environment it never would have occurred to her that that was wrong, or even abnormal.

(i believe a big part of regina and snow's relationship healing was regina's worldview shifting as she grew and changed and worked on healing herself, because as she reevaluted the things cora taught her, she can see the world and the past events in a whole new light. this is of course, a hard and complex process that regina is still working on, but ultimately she does come to realise snow was a child who meant no wrong, who only wanted to help, regardless of the outcome. which doesn't make it not her fault, necessarily, but it adds layers she could not accept before)

regina was married to king leopold for a long time. this is something i've spoken about before, but it's still something i think isn't so well understood, purely because the show didn't go into it that much (and i believe it didn't because it would have simply been too dark and uncomfortable for primetime abc. the writers knew the situation they had put themselves in and kept a distance). if snow was about 10 when regina and leopold married, and 18 when he died, that is 8 years. the better part of a decade. that is a long, long time, especially for a grieving, growing, traumatised girl like regina trapped in the most awful environment in which literally every powerful adult around her was brutally using her in one way or another, manipulating and preying on different parts of her trauma, grief and vulnerability. (while her brain was still developing and processing everything that had already happened and she had zero support system, zero outlet for any emotions. like, some of y'all do not understand how fucked up regina is.,, like, think about that. or don't if you don't wanna be sad forever)  

and all the while, the little girl who caused it all sees nothing wrong! no difference in their relationship, to her! except now she wants to call her mother. (even stepmother is bad enough from a girl no more than 8 years younger than you) and thinking about this stage of their relationship is agonizing to me. regina is at princess snow's beck and call, and this hurts because despite everything, she still feels some affection for her, that sisterly love did not die clean with daniel. the hatred and the blame and the fury just go along with it now, except she cannot express one bit of it. she has to smile and play dolls with her like everything is fine.

snow truly, for a few years at least, saw nothing wrong, or at least convinced herself nothing was wrong because her worldview as a well loved princess meant she could easily excuse any questionable things she picked up on. and this is something i think she definitely struggles with later, and even way into her healed post everything relationship with regina. (we talk a lot about regina's guilt and internally never feeling able to atone for it all, but god, snow feels so much guilt for everything regina went through. and i think at some point, they are able to talk about it. not in depth. not in detail. but with very few words, they both understand the depth of meaning and of immense shared pain. regina is not sure what she feels about forgiveness, but she knows she loves snow, and that snow has always loved her. she knows that now they are family, and their time together is lovely, and so she has acceptance at least, if not forgiveness).

i think the moment leopold is dead and snow is out on her own, she starts reconsidering everything. in the last few years she has questioned things a little more, but never let herself really go there, because she has never had to, and why would she when it is so painful? but alone, with her father dead and regina behaving so out of character (or is she, snow wonders), she can't help but look back without the rose tinted lens of her childhood. she remembers things. regina's silences and trembles at the breakfast table. the way she was ignored, sidelined, stared at. the dark circles under her eyes. all those times they had been playing, or walking, and regina seemed to be a million miles away, jolted back to earth only by snow's insistence.

more reluctantly, she thinks about her father and the way he treated her. the way he looked at her. the way he spoke to her (or didn't). spoke about her. the things he must have done. this is something snow still doesn't really process for a long time, because snow idolised her father, but eventually she cannot deny he must have hurt her.

and then there's that episode of season 1 where we get the dialogue 'she thinks i ruined her life' 'did you?' 'yes'. i think bandit snow, processing these things, dealing with a lot of new feelings of anger and pain, started putting two and two together. (but i don't think she fully confronts the real, most awful truth until years later, because she can't.)

i think ultimately the thing that hurts the most about all they went through when they were basically at war was that deep down, they still cared for each other. 'love never left the room' and all that. hatred and pain and fury existed too, overwhelmingly, overpoweringly so, but ultimately they grew up together. (it's just one of them grew up having to 'raise' the other). they still had  memories tined with warmth of horse riding together, walking together.

and so when they do start to heal, (as i believe snow always fiercely hoped they would, deep down), it's not so much that they have to create a relationship but to rebuild and unearth one that was already there, one that never should have been torn down like it was. of course it's tentative at first, but snow never once stopped having hope that one day regina would change and they would find their way back into each others lives. and once the trust is back, the feeling of family, of working together for the same goal and being willing to risk everything protecting each other because of circumstance...

once that's there, it's the other things that re emerge more softly and slowly.

the coffee at granny's. first, a little awkward, a little quiet without emma and david and henry to fill the gaps in conversation. but gradually, they realise they have a lot to talk about, a lot of shared opinions in ways that matter and vastly differing opinions in ways that don't, but are fun to debate.

the parenting advice. the stories regina has to share about henry as a little boy, the grandson whose first ten years snow only ever saw as a school teacher. the way regina helps her learn to care for neal. the passing on to him of henry's saved onesies and blankets.

the silly jokes that gradually start to form between them, against all odds.

the teaming up against david and emma when they suggest something particularly dumb.

the cooking together! snow is hopeless but enthusiastic, regina is skillful and finds it calming, so it becomes a thing.

the clinking wine glasses at family dinners.

the extreme competition on board game nights.

the hugs at the end of the day, which go from being stiff and quick and awkward with pain and memories caught up in every brush of the fingers, to warm and natural as anything.

the way snow is able to sit down with regina when she is caught up in her own thoughts and issues, and give her rational advice from a far more positive and balanced place than regina's brain allows her. the way she is able to hold regina's hand and support her. (it feels like making up for past tragedies. not nearly enough, but it's something.)

the way regina, equally, is able to keep snow grounded and bring her down to earth when she's panicking, the way she can simply and efficiently allow her to talk through her worries and daily struggles, give her space to ramble and talk and be, but also to give her to the point, no nonsense, blunt advice that snow needs and rarely gets anywhere else.

the way that somehow, strangely, against all odds, snow beings mothering regina a little, in a weird turnaround of events that feels more right and more balancing than anything else. the way she holds her hand, looks out for her, checks in with her, gives that kind of advice and reflection. because now it's regina who needs it, and snow who can provide it. because somehow, seamlessly, regina also became her daughter in law, and her relationship with emma is something that brings snow a deep sense of peace, gratitude, warmth. (now regina is truly family in the beautiful way she always was meant to be. now she knows regina and emma will both be cared for, loved, as they deserve. she knows someone will look after regina, someone will ground emma. they will laugh and cry and build a home and life together, a life not too dissimilar from the one with daniel that snow inadvertently stole from regina a long time ago)

i think they do speak about things that have transpired between them, sometimes, when it comes up and one or both of them feel they have to vocalise something. it's never in front of others, even david and emma. some things are entirely between the two of them, and nobody else will understand, or needs to.

they speak softly, respectfully, giving each other space and quiet validation. sometimes they cry, or get angry, but it's never really at each other and they both understand this now. sometimes they cry for the girls they were and what was taken from them both. sometimes one or both of them feels or thinks something they cannot speak or say to the other, and they both respect that.

i think they have both apologised. sincerely. and i think they don't need to go into any detail, really. they both just know.

but they are equals now, entirely. no more titles, no more real power dynamics, despite any maternal/caretaking instincts that snow might feel. they are the equals they were always supposed to be, and the people with the friendship the girls they once were would have wanted.

and they can laugh together. this is the thing that warms my heart most. just thinking of snow and regina laughing together, simply, over some very silly joke that isn't even that funny.

[sevenrs]

its ocposting time

SLUGCATS

the arsonist (she/her)

a small slugcat, a bit larger than a pup but smaller than usual adult size. through her first encounter with an iterator, she learned how to set the ends of spears on fire. this fire can then be thrown at enemies to deal a lot of damage over time. but she needs to be careful not to hold the spears for too long, lest she burns her paws.

a very energetic and playful slugcat, she likes to rough house and wrestle with others of her kind. sometimes she may go too far and accidentally hurt her playmate, but she is quick to back off and apologize

-

the scholar (they/them)

a slugcat with painted patterns, reminiscent of old ancient graffiti on their cities. they have a sling made of salvaged fabric to collect their favorite thing in the world: colored pearls! they are faster then average, but are weighed down the more pearls they carry around.

they are a very far traveller, searching the land for still remaining superstructures to have interesting bits and bobbles of their information read out. they cannot write, but they have pretty good memory and often store similar pearls with each other to strengthen said memory.

-

the neuron pups (any) designed by @/ambadsador-blip

modified neuron flies to model the nimble slugcat. they are a modified species of individuals. though they vary in size, on average, they are slightly smaller than an actual slugpup. their bodies are multi-colored and can often shift between hues. they are highly adaptable to navigating in zero gravity, and struggle to move when taken outside of an iterator. they do not need to eat, as they are supplied nutrients by their iterator. they quickly starve if removed from the vicinity of an iterator.

they like to swarm together, but have a scatter instinct when attacked. they were synthesized by paradox of creation in order to give their neurons a better chance to flee and survive their rouge inspectors.

-

ITERATORS

brass lining (they/them)

im sorry you have a nearly year old ref

a structure barely standing on three legs, they are placed in a darker corner of the world only illuminated by the occasional flickering spotlight. it is as abandoned as they are with water levels decreasing every few cycles.

they most a vast majority of their memories-- most of their neuron flies flew out of their structure when an old, corroding battery within exploded. in part it was due to their increasing frustration of the great problem. the extra anger heated their systems to unsustainable levels, and being an older model, there weren't many checks to override them and prevent damage. all they have left are the three trapped in their puppet and a distant sense of self.

-

chains by summer (he/him)

lives in a large oasis centered in a desert reigon. it has been surprisingly stable, but in recent years, consistent water is beginning to become questionable. nontheless, summer still stands with few complications compared to other iterators (well, aside from the usual decay of equipment and communication senders and recievers)

for the most part, summer has stopped iterating. it is pointless to him. there are simply too many things that can be iterated-- it will take time much longer than anyone has to find the solution. so he hangs around, bothering his local group and letting the local slugcat, the arsonist, take refuge away from the brutal environment.

-

three star songs (she/they/it)

placed high where mountain break the sky, song's structure looks fine... externally. internally, it is full of the contagion, the rot. a sign that something went wrong, that someone messed up. it is a slow and painful consequence for anyone who wasn't careful

she loved to frequent anonymous group chats back when all iterators were more connected. these chats were about creating new organisms through modifying their genetics. song had an immense passion for coming up with instructions to make anything-- even if it was not a good life for the creature with that adaptation. a small slugcat wandered into her can one cycle, and she had an idea of swapping some of her own microbes with that of the slugcat's. it did not go well-- the foreign cells mutated beyond her control, and now they aim to eat them from the inside out.

-

paradox of creation (any) designed by @/meatcatt

set in an open, grassy field that is relatively flat with a few weaving rivers, this area is surprisingly clean (in comparison to the rest of the world) of ancient influence, save for the massive structure in the middle of the tall grasses. it's a relatively peaceful spot. if only it were the same inside as it was outside

a series of unlucky events leaves paradox in a state of disarray and constant pain. a small white bug, shaped similarly to the neuron flies within them, began to see the flies as a source of easy food. paradox's inspectors rightfully protected the neurons, but due to the bug's similarities, they began to see every neuron fly as an enemy. in order to remedy this, she got advice from an old friend, none of the above, to make neurons that could better avoid the angry inspectors. he takes great interest in the stars, positioning most of their overseers on the highest points of their abandoned cities to observe their movements and patterns. their constant pain leaves them quite tired and drained most cycles, but they still try to find joy in their existence and wish to share it with others.

[vickyshinoa12]

Will you still love me if I’m… this? (Sebastian Solace x Victoria [OC] fanfic)

Warnings: mentions of violence, experiments on a human, brutality. Just adults stuff around but not NSFW like sex :) it’s kinda angst instead

💧💧💧💧💧💧💧💧💧💧💧💧💧

Sebastian has been down in this hellish site for years… to be trapped again when he caused a riot around is just another cut in his mental state. They were hunting him… they were going to search for him for releasing the identities around. He didn’t care. He wanted revenge on everyone who wronged him. The first one with Urbanshade and their sickest excitements they did on him.

They cut him up. They shoved every kind of fish dna into him. Just because he was wrongly accused of killing people? No… they took pleasure of this. Sebastian was sure he wasn’t the only one who had to go through it. That’s why he released the rest, so they can also too get their revenge.

Whenever guards came down to try and get the crystal, Sebastian would always let his ally Painter know. Painter would hack every single camera, security system, door… whatever was hooked on the internet. He sometimes would also too give chase to those poor men and women and slaughter them in the halls. Sometimes even mocking the higher ups by using their walkies to tell them to clean up their mess.

This continued until a little small human, an expendable, came upon the site. She was scared and her teammates were going to get her killed. Pretty much it happened. He knew it after all, he’s seen it many times. When he went to give her the document of what killed her, she didn’t want to go back. Many prisoners especially expendable would keep trying… she wanted to leave. Coward. He thought but couldn’t help but feel bad for some reason, he didn’t know why. She was apart of the very organization that made him like this. What made her so special?

Sebastian met her the next time and this time in his shop. He ran down what he did and explained that he needed documents and will traded them for wares. She understood and did as planned. Heck… the woman shocked him when she afforded his whole stock. He just shook his head and told her good luck… if only he could have that luck sent… when he went to gather the items for other expendables. He saw her corpse… laid upon the floor lifeless. Whoever took her life was quick and didn’t bother cutting her up.

His heart burned. Like he lost something if value to him. Almost like a friend, a family member, maybe even…. A lover? He knew he couldn’t think of that stuff cause again, she was an amazing expendable… but something within him told him that this expendable might be of use. She’s scared, she wants to get out, she was basically forced into the roll of grabbing the crystal… she didn’t even volunteer. He smirked knowing what he can do.

The two had conversations as she came to visit and but his stuff. Countless times he would see her corpses littered amongst the floors of the site. More and more his heart hurt for her. His plan of deceiving her was running out of his head and instead… an idea where he can help he’s get out… along with everyone else.

Sebastian never told her though. He wanted to make sure she didn’t tell another expendable up top about it. When they met again she told him her name, “Victoria! But you can call me Tori for short!”

“Victoria? That’s… a normal name…”

“I know. Mom gave it to me.” She laughed.

Damn, why’d he like her? She’s weird, dumb, naiive, clumsy, and just downright bad at doing her job she was sent to do…

But he continued having those feelings for her and it just got more fierce every time she died. One day a thought ran over him… Will she love me… if I’m like this? He thought and looked upon himself. She wouldn’t love him… she would hate him. He killed many people, caused this whole shit in the first place… If he was still human.. would he have a shot? He growled and threw a hard punch to the metal wall, crushing it without fail. “I cant…” he cried, “I can’t tell her… it’ll hurt if I do…”

[duckwhistle]

Crumb 2

@moss-path's au where Squirrel and Leaf have The Three + Alder and Spark is great, so I made a slightly different version because I love SquirrelCrow too and the potential is just juicy

Squirrel+Crow and Leaf+Hawk.

Squirrel and Crow get close during the journey and especially mourn over Feathertail's death. They were both super close to her, and Brambleclaw and Stormfur are distant, so they have eachother. (I have rewrites where there's different cats on the journey, but Crow and Squirrel are always there so it works everywhere.) Leafpaw has to go to Riverclan with Cinderpelt a lot to cure a bad case of greencough that Mudfur caught as well. Mothwing is learning through them, but she cannot yet go to the Moonstone because of some weird monsters by the caves. Hawkfrost, her brother, starts hanging out with them more and more, seemingly very interested in Leafpaw (who is an adult but cannot get her name because of the Moonstone situation). Mothwing is a bit skeptical but she wants her brother to be happy, and Leafpaw is her friend. Hawk makes her feel special, like she's the Moon herself... Cinderpelt does not like this and when they leave she tries telling Leafpool that he's bad news. Leafpaw does not listen, she misses her support system in Squirrelpaw and Whitepaw, she thought she found friends and now they're gone. She sneaks out without her permission.

Anyway, they reach the Lake, they get their names, he'll yeah. Crowfeather and Squirrelflight miss eachother a lot, but after the Windclan rebellion they have uuh hung out too much and she's pregnant. Squirrelflight is scared, and they plan on having Crowfeather move over to Thunderclan... and that night the Badgers attack, and Cinderpelt is dead. Cinderpelt might have helped, but she could not. Leafpool, after noticing how Hawkfrost is trying to manipulate her and seeing him in the Dark Forest, cuts off with him. Mothwing is the one that warns her of the faked signs, and they work together to kill him in the fox trap, Brambleclaw is unable to move and this leads to bad stuff(tm). She is also pregananant. They sneak out in the night, telling the clan they believe something's calling them, and they give birth in the middle of winter in an old stump. I want to show that they have some spirits helping them, Shrewpaw, Yellowfang (who's not an asshole) and surprisingly, Mapleshade, who leads Mothwing and Crowfeather to them to help them out with food and herbs. Funny thing: no kits die! Not even Juniper and Dandelion!... because Moth and Crow bring them back: they are Breezekit and Willowkit. Willow is given to uuh I dunno? And Breeze to Nightcloud, since she just lost her kits.

I think the clan thinks they're Bramble's but they are not together so Squirrel raises them with her besties Daisy and Ferncloud. Moth and Sorrel help out Leafpool, who's not handling the postpartum depression well, but still dotes on the kittens. Also, Crow + Squirrel have Jay, Juniper/Breeze, and Holly, and Hawk + Leaf have Lion, Alder, Spark and Dandelion/Willow. The prophecy Firestar gets is about five feathers falling in camp with the leafbare wind, they're dark feathers with a shimmering blue eye pattern (like a peacock), while two others blow away. The prophecy might be about "your blood runs along feathered, chilly winds, and in their conjunction, the stars shine brighter than ever."

[luchicm04]

lost in the forest - part 40

Masterlist

Summary: The aftermath has its consequences.

Pairing: Senju Tobirama/Original Female Character

Tag: #lost in the forest fic

posted on ao3

Word Count: 2.8k

Sorry for the long wait... There was something wrong with my laptop and half of this chapter was deleted for some reason, so I had to almost start over again because I didn't remember where I had left if pending.

Overall warnings: canon-typical violence, adult content, time skips, angst

She can’t help but feel a tight knot in her stomach as she leans against the leafy bush where a hurried Tobirama has left her; the stress of the occasion, the smell of blood and the poisonous screams of murderous intentions are not recommended for a simple civilian who is not used to so much uproar typical of a fight to the death.

She resisted out of stubbornness; she didn’t open her eyes despite the emotions flooding her state. Karen feels fucking proud of her calm attitude even though she is screaming internally… She wipes the corner of her lip, wrinkles her nose at the odor that arrives just when she finishes emptying her stomach.

The bile at least won’t be a bother.

She growls… her anxiety is so big that she stands there like a trapped deer, suspiciously watching any movement in nature. She sees how the fire rises in the distance to the point that it can be seen at the center of all this land, now recognizing the area as the lush forest that is located on the edge of the Daimyo’s land.

The war is noticeable… and the girl feels sick just when she looks at her hands and tries to clean the blood of the innocent maid… She can’t avoid to shed some anxious tears due to so many feelings, very different from that attack on the Senju compound before their move.

She remembers it… and bitterly can’t avoid releasing hiccups due to holding back tears.

Karen is scared… she has the terror still in her system that is only surpassed by her helplessness of not being of help. Only a burden for the one who left her there trusting that she would not move with only warnings of not approaching the terrain and having that kunai in her hands that she now remembers annoyingly.

It’s not like she knows how to use it, but she supposes the shinobi hoped it would give her the peace of mind that was now breaking.

She stands still and looks expectantly, not wanting to move away a single muscle. There is no noise only the rising of the fire in the distance, along with typical war noises. Fearful, the girl remains hidden among the bushes.

Karen watches and waits… it’s all she can do.

──

They find her on the verge of collapse from exhaustion… throwing the kunai which pathetically falls a long way from one who gives her an unimpressed look. Tobirama doesn’t laugh; he looks at her and remains like a silent statue waiting for her to react when she stays on a stressful silence.

“Uh…” is the only thing she says just as the ninja gives her a pitiful look.

“You will not kill anyone if you throw it like that.” As always, the apathetic man answers with shinobi logic as he picks up the kunai and puts it away in his things, causing her to come out of her high alert state to make a funny face.

“I wouldn’t like to try...”

Tobirama snorts. He approaches to look at the bush in which she vomited and shakes his head tired. He looks dirty and full of blood, bending down to take her cheek and clean it a little. “It is safe for now.”

“It is?”

“Yes. The enemy has been eliminated.”

“Oh…”

“You are safe.” The shinobi says it almost with a gesture full of confidence, taking her arms to bring her closer lightly, which causes her to almost move away on the initiative but the man lets out a strong breath, causing her to look at those red eyes. “You are out of danger. They will not hurt you,” he promises, as if it were the only thing she expected to receive.

Karen feels bad. She can’t stop her words from getting stuck when everything that happened comes suddenly to her head. Her tears run as if it were the permission she needed to calmly hug him. The man stays still and although uncomfortable, he receives her again.

She should feel ashamed by such an outburst… However, right then, the warm sensation of the shinobi is the only thing that calms her overwhelmed and frightened heart. He huffs to squeeze her in a movement she did not expect from the always cold man.

But she receives it as the balm she expected with so little response.

“I am sorry I left you alone for so long...”

“You had better things to do,” she manages to say, still hidden in the chest of the one who snorts indignantly. He says more things that Karen can’t hear… to let herself fall from exhaustion… It had been a long night.

──

She hears the laughter of whom made fun of her condition. “If I kill you, will he come?” echoes in the darkness to end in a pool of blood and the scream of the maid who dies again in front of her eyes when she suddenly gets up with heavy breathing between the gaze of that wide and bright space.

It’s not her room… it’s not a familiar room. Frightened, she looks around, alarmed and still feeling persecuted and anxious, which does not allow her to recognize the location.

“Karen-san,” someone calls just entering and surprised to see her up. Masarato gives her a careful look guessing her stressed state and smiles softly. “Everything is over. It will be okay,” he assures, sitting next to her and beginning to stare at her expression, which makes her force herself to relax.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“You do not have to apologize. It is normal,” the young Senju man who has grown so much in a few months accepts. He looks at her to give a gesture of comfort. “Tobirama-sama asked me to take care of you, so I came to see how you were.”

“Uh… did he?”

“Yes… He was worried. You slept all day,” the boy states with an amused gesture regarding something he doesn’t want to discuss with her.

She frowns. It’s been a long time since she slept that much… since depression stopped being a thing that plagued her. “Did I sleep that long?”

“Yes. He told me it was normal, considering you were in the middle of the chaos, even though you were a civilian.”

She feels ashamed that they have so much consideration despite being older than all of them. “When did you get here?”

“We arrived during the attack,” Masarato reports after thinking about what things he can tell her. “We served as support.”

Karen lowers her face a little. “The Daimyo?”

“He is still in serious condition. Tobirama-sama is treating him personally.”

“I see…” she sighs relaxed, thinking that she didn’t die and that the coup d’état failed. It would be politically problematic if that wretched Toshiba succeeded in his goal. “What happened?”

“Apart from the coup d’état… nothing that I can mention.”

“Really?”

“You may be someone close to the Daimyo-sama, but the political situation is delicate.”

“I see.”

“However… he wants to talk to you as soon as he feels better.”

“He does?”

“Yes… You were in contact with the leader. A report must be given about it.”

“Oh, well,” the woman accepts, leaning back on the bed. She feels so tired with so little that she simply sighs in relaxation.

“You can sleep a little longer… I shall say you are not ready yet.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, do not worry.” The boy is so considerate that he gives her a careful, attentive and calming smile that makes her laugh, amused by such care.

“Thank you, Masarato-kun.”

He doesn’t say anything but nods in silence, staying by her side until she falls asleep again. She hardly feels safe, but she doesn’t complain... Karen just wants to sleep a little longer, postponing the confrontation or whatever she should say next.

As part of the process of rebuilding the Daimyo’s court.

──

When she wakes up again, it is during the night with another nightmare running through her head. She feels someone’s hand stopping her from getting up in search of an attacker who never arrives. Those red eyes scare her a little when she notices them… Karen swallows hard, relaxing as she sees Tobirama at her side.

It’s comforting… in a way she didn’t expect to get from the bitter man.

Nevertheless, she stays still without moving away from the touch, trying to do breathing exercises so as not to further complicate the existence of the person who takes care of her… Ironic… She still feels it should be the other way around.

The shinobi doesn’t say anything but remains expectant for a while. Karen sighs but sees the glass of water being delivered just before asking for it.

“T-thank you,” she accepts, uncomfortable at seeing him after such embarrassing reactions, but she supposes she shouldn’t be so, remembering how annoying she was at the beginning and how she’s sure he knows her better than anyone in the world, with the exception of Mrs. Kaori and Mikami.

Maybe Hashirama too… which makes her sigh again.

“You should not get up early,” he says when he sees her doing exactly what he’s trying to avoid. The man takes her hand so that she doesn’t make an extra effort.

“I’ve slept a lot.” The woman feels her bones numb, a headache from sleeping more than enough and a hunger that doesn’t stop her stomach from growling annoyingly.

The shinobi doesn’t look impressed by such a reaction, which makes him stand up as well.

“You should rest,” she finds herself saying just as the man steps into the night light. The girl spots the dark circles under his eyes, his tiredness and paleness from hard days. She noticed it before but she knows it wasn’t that important at the moment.

“I will be fine.”

“I know you have training,” the woman agrees. She gets up, leaving the futon forgotten to touch the chest of the one who arched an eyebrow. “Sleep. I will go look for food.”

“You cannot go alone.”

“The danger has passed, right?”

“Perhaps, but it is still dangerous.” Tobirama stands like an intimidating mountain beside her, despite how tired he might seem.

“Seriously, man… I’ll be fine. Plus, the worst part is over, isn’t it?”

“I already told you… I will not leave you alone.”

Karen presses her lips together, rolling her eyes… because at the end of the day, she does feel a bit insecure in that place. She can’t help it as she can still feels blood could be spilled at any moment.

“Do you see?”

“I haven’t say anything.”

“You do not need to say it,” the albino answers casually without losing the rhythm. The girl wants to refute, to comment something in her favor, but she won’t deceive those trained eyes due to the anxiety that begins to grow with the idea of leaving.

Karen almost wants to see any man surround her. She covers her mouth with bile threatening to come out… swords threatening her… she is so weak… Just then, Tobirama adjusts her to his side in a firm grip on her shoulder so as not to fall because of how fragile she feels in fear of being attacked.

“Do not get up... I told you so.”

“I...”

“What happened is not normal in your world. You are a civilian without a chakra network, weaker than a regular one… in the middle of a battle,” he explains as if she were stupid, which makes her snort indignantly at such a statement, not at all bothered by the approach.

“You’re… such an idiot...”

“...”

“You’re not the best at giving support, you know?”

“I am not a civilian,” the man scolds in an irritated huff, but her stomach reminds her again what the point of getting out of her bed was. Karen sighs in embarrassment at the loud reminder which makes her give an ironic laugh.

“I’m hungry,” she complains.

“I shall go fetch something.”

Karen doesn’t say anything against it. She supposes she must work with her own mental state in order to leave, but Tobirama is firm in carrying her to the futon without any extra comment. He is annoyingly kind… strange, coming from the serious shinobi, but she keeps some ironic argument to herself and sits down. “You win.”

The Senju almost laughed as he arranged the blanket on her lap. “I will get something light.”

She sighs in acceptance. “Tobirama,” she says just before the shinobi disappears. “Thank you… and… I’m sorry to be a burden.” She is sincere in her words, with a pile of regrets in her chest that she analyzes now that she is calm.

Tobirama weighs his comment a little more. “It is my burden, is it not?” He states before disappearing, making her doubt the true meaning of his bitter words. She sighs and leans back on the few pillows to look at the ceiling a little longer.

Not understanding what had happened to make Tobirama behave in such an odd way. She assumes the battle touched some hidden nerve. Eventually, he reappears with a bowl of hot soup that she takes with ease, ignoring the careful gaze of who is attentive to her movements.

Like a statue next to her.

──

“I do not look that bad,” Shinji can’t help but say just when she shows up yo give her report of what she faced that morning. It’s not the typical office where they had been meeting these days. It’s different, simple and far from the mayhem she managed to witness while Tobirama led her along with a silent Izuna.

Both of them, as leaders of this mission, present themselves alongside her.

She blinks innocently from paying enough attention to that bandage that crosses the important man’s face; she supposes there is a different story behind it… He didn’t come out unscathed like her. Ironic, since the mental wounds are worse and she knows days of nightmare and insecurity will follow. “I did not say anything.”

“No. Just clarifying.” The man laughs to look at her and then change his expression to a serious one. “I know that man… went looking for you,” he suddenly says, almost making her blink because of how hard he sounded. “I know it is early, but it is important to clarify the points… Why was he looking for you?”

“He mentioned something about attracting,” Karen reminisces harshly, taking part of the hem of her humble yukata at the loss of her elegant clothes in neutral colors. She sighs, looking up and reminding herself that she must be strong under the gaze of her guards.

They both look uneasy… but they don’t say anything else.

“He wanted to know if he would kill me… or…” The woman gulps at the mention of her attacker’s other intentions, which makes her sigh again. Karen sees how difficult it is to say something so simple… “If any of the shinobi would come…”

“I see.” Shinji looks serious, imposing… showing why he is the leader of all this. “Tobirama… Izuna?” Without a suffix with with confidence, he looks at the two shinobi. “Did you discover anything else?”

“No.”

“Help from my women?” he decides to ask directly, not caring if she was listening. She sees that he trusts her so she remains silent.

“Concubine Tamako and Kagome are involved,” Tobirama reports after a while with seriousness and decidation.

“Are they?” the leader questions with a frown, recognizing the names. “Bring them,” he orders one of the samurai fully trusting the shinobi’s word. “Dear Saucedo-san, I am sorry that you had to go through this inconvenience in my lands.” He looks sad and with a soft face despite the bandage covering it. “I will have a lot of cleansing to deal with, so I hope you can lend me more of your shinobi.”

Karen doesn’t avoid blinking. “Not a problem, Shinji-sama. I am glad that at least this worked out in the end.”

“Yes,” the leader agrees with a proud smile. “Now, you can go. I shall talk about some matters with your escorts.”

“Alright.” She watches restless, sighs and turns elegantly to leave the place. Seeing a couple of women being dragged to the room she had just left made her feel a disturbing regret for such mistreatment, but she continues on her way just when a samurai reminds her that she must leave.

Karen doesn’t want to think about what will happen to them… after all, they are traitors with purposes beyond her knowledge. Her anxiety increased due to the solitude of this place. At least, until Masarato found her almost on the verge of hysteria, taking her to her room to rest.

The days that followed were not the best, suffering from sleepless nights because of the horror that haunts her…

The girl was hoping to get over it…

Not so soon though.

A/N: As you can see, the coup d’état ended in favor of the Daimyo, which is good since there will be no complicated political changes to deal with considering the favor they have from him for the shinobi village. One that will increase due to the favor they did for him.

Karen, on the other hand, had a lot of work to do to overcome the issue of trauma… one that will haunt her very differently than depression or the first attack she witnessed.

No one gets over attempted murder so quickly, right? And Tobirama is aware of that.

Thanks for reading.

Author-chan out!

[rollofleaf]

Inspired by a post from @silversiren1101

What would Hilde’s dream in Areelu’s lab be?

The original idea was for her to be at home telling stories to children from her tribe, but a good point about the demonic dream latching on to more surface-level desires made me reconsider. Ultimately, I think it still works well by framing her desire as seeking out fame and power, portraying her as a great, famous chieftain and poet with a woman hanging on her arm. It strikes close to the core of her desire and gets some important details like her retiring from fighting and being a storyteller, but ultimately misses the point. Hilde doesn’t care about fame, what she really wants is to pour her soul into something she created, to learn something from her endless traveling, and to love someone with all her heart. And of course the demonic misinterprets that as wanting power and fame and sex because it can’t fully understand the love for creation and beauty. The more I think about it, the better Hilde would fit as a Shelynite… So I made some tweaks without changing the essence, focusing on it portraying her as vain.

Hilde is sitting in a big comfy chair surrounded by children and a few adults. There’s a shadowy feminine figure at her side that leans over and kisses her shoulder. Her axe hangs over a fireplace as a trophy alongside a few stuffed heads. One of the children pipes up, “Chieftess, Chieftess! Can we hear the one about how you slayed a dragon alone!” Hilde chuckles and stands up to head over to a bookshelf. “Of course. Just let me find that volume…”

Hilde sighs as the illusion fades. “Is that what I want? Seems crowded… I’d rather have seen myself writing that tale.” She doesn’t fully understand how to process it, she clocks that something’s wrong with the scene and doesn’t find it as appealing as she thinks she should but doesn’t realize it’s missing what she really wants.

Arueshalae: She’s initially confused, but she quickly takes it as a beautiful expression of humility and desire for peace because she doesn’t yet know Hilde well enough to realize what’s wrong with it. “Is that your dream? It’s beautiful… I hope someday I’ll be able to wish for things like that.” She also can’t help but murmur, “I wonder who that woman at her side was…”

Camellia: Camellia is nothing but contemptuous. “All this power, and you want to go tell some snot-nosed brats stories?”

Daeran: Daeran understands Hilde’s desire for peace, since he kind of shares in it, so he’s much nicer than usual and focuses on something he feels comfortable making a barb of. “A woman on your arm? Well, I suppose that explains why my charms have failed on you.”

Ember: Ember, being Ember, gets a sense of what’s wrong with the scene. “You’re a big success with power and fame… But you seem even happier when you’re writing than here.”

Greybor: Greybor focuses on the wife and kids and is only able to mumble out “Mora…”

Lann: Lann is thrown for a loop and very conflicted. He’s frequently looking to Hilde for advice on being a leader since she understands his more tribal system. On one hand, it’s a very unconventional method of leadership that he doesn’t get, on the other hand she’s still taking care of her people.

Nenio: Nenio doesn’t really realize what’s going on.

Regill: Regill is a bit conflicted on what to think. He isn’t quite sure whether Hilde’s desire for a peaceful life is an asset keeping her grounded or a distraction from her duties. Ultimately he says nothing.

Seelah: Seelah is reassured by it, seeing it as confirmation that Hilde isn’t the demon she superficially appears and is still a good person under the demonic rage.

Sosiel: Sosiel seems to appreciate the dream, though he also gets the sense that something is off. “You really are an artist at heart… I hope soon you’ll be able to write freely instead of being trapped in war.”

Ulbrig: “Isn’t that what we all want? No more oglins, no more fighting, just family?” Hilde doesn’t have the heart to tell him that’s not what appeals to her.

Wenduag: Contempt similar to Camellia, but more disappointment. “I suppose you’re chief in your own way, but where is the power and bloodlust?”

Woljif: “Hey Chief, who’s the old lady? Looks sorta like you.” Hilde will sullenly respond with, “My mother. I t-think. I don’t remember what she looks like, but I think that’s her.” Woljif gets quiet, unsure how to try and comfort her.