#and generally just heard it a lot from those around me who kept telling me how much i���d changed

[slfcare]

the most difficult thing about growing as a person socially, as in getting out of your shell and noticing that you are, is that there will still be times when it doesn’t feel like you’ve grown at all! times when you can’t really connect with anyone around you, times when you fail to enter into an existing conversation, times when you say the wrong thing (or nothing at all when in hindsight you probably should’ve). but that’s also kind of the best thing, because that’s the thing that helps you realize that sometimes, it’s not you or your lack of skills or any shortcoming. sometimes certain environments just aren’t for you and certain people aren’t your people, and that’s okay. that’s human. it’s okay to not feel the progress you have made all the time.

[deadsetobsessions]

Alley Drunk!Danny AU- Part 3

[Pt.1] [Pt.2] [Pt.4]

“Have you considered anger management classes?”

The Batman turned sharply, cape flaring out as he raised his weary fists in preparation for another fight. Only to pause, as he caught sight of a bedraggled man leaning against the pockmarked, water worn, Gotham variety stone of the abandoned post office. Non-hostile. Scent of booze, not strong enough to be fresh, but prominent enough for him to clock the stranger as a habitual drinker. Young. Sympathy softened Batman’s stance. Still, Batman kept his guard up. Good thing Robin was benched, he was off his game today if he hadn’t noticed the young man.

“Nevermind. You run around as a bat. Clearly anger management classes aren’t on your to do list.”

“What do you want.”

He’s young. Not as young as Robin, but… enough that it made Batman gentle his approach. The young man pushed away from his spot, fearlessly slouching towards him. Casual. Unafraid. How curious. Even Gothamites were wary around him, correctly assuming and witnessing his takedowns of Gotham’s Underbelly.

“You do this a lot, don’t you?” The bedraggled young man asked, head tilted neutrally at the bodies strewn around the Batman.

“Hm.”

“Why do you never swing by Crime Alley?”

Batman’s guard faltered at the blunt question, but he regained it quickly.

“I do.”

“You don’t.” The man disagreed amiably. He reached down towards the victims but Batman grabbed his arm in an iron hold before he could rifle through their belongings. The young man laughed and pulled back agreeably. “Is it classism, why you avoid us? The poor isn’t good enough to deserve protection from Gotham’s knight?”

“No. I do this for Gotham. All of Gotham.”

“…Well, there’s always room for improvement, I guess?”

The stranger pulled back and broke Batman’s hold, which had the vigilante sharply focusing onto the man. The stranger was strong, despite how skinny and starved he looked. Few people could casually break his hold and tonight, he added one more to the tally.

“You should tell your sponsor to look into creating job opportunities in Crime Alley. The problem isn’t actually the crooks,” the man told the vigilante, gesturing around them. “That’s just the symptoms. The actual problem is the poverty.”

“I know.”

“And yet, you still avoid Crime Alley.”

“Who are you.”

The man began walking away, throwing a dry “The Crime Alley Drunk, apparently,” behind his shoulder. When Batman took to the roofs to track him, the man had thoroughly slipped away.

“Agent A, did you catch that?”

“Yes, Batman. It appears you’ve gotten the wool pulled over your cowl by a rather mysterious youngster.”

Batman heard a younger snort of laughter. Robin. Who was supposed to be doing homework.

“Please stop making fun of me.” Batman sighed half heartedly.

“Not on your life, B.” Robin chirped.

——

“Ya talked ta Batman?!” Jason crowed at him, excited. Danny had done as promised and met him at the chili dog stand at the correct time, which increased his credibility in Jason’s eyes.

“Sure did. He knocked out like, five guys by himself. It was pretty cool.”

“Fuckin’ woah.”

“Right?” Danny smiled tiredly at the kid. He stayed up all night to pull his shit together, and outright bought an apartment for them to stay in. That safe had a lot of cash, after all. “Come on, kid. We’re heading back to base but before that, we gotta pick up a few things.”

“Like what?” Jason asked suspiciously.

“Like curtains in the color you like, groceries, and blankets and bedding, and general cleaning stuff.” Danny ticked off a finger per item.

“We killin’ someone?”

“What? No!”

“Ya said general cleaning stuff!” Jason defended himself. The raggedy kid peered at Danny cautiously, and brightened when Danny only snorted in amusement.

“Oh my ancients, you Gothamites. No, those are for like, actual cleaning. You know, for the apartment I just got you.”

Danny missed the burn of booze, but when Jason looked at him like the child he’s supposed to be had Gotham’s streets never laid its claim on him, Danny didn’t want to fail the kid.

Even if the kid thought he was buying chemicals to clean up a body. He’s the son of two mad scientists, he knows how to get rid of a body, obviously. As if he’d need chemicals to begin with, honestly. His ghost powers are quite versatile.

“An apartment?”

“Yep. It’s shitty, but it’s got all the utilities and I kind of miss having warm water to shower with.”

Jason straightened and trotted alongside the Alley Drunk with a little more purpose. People avoided them. Danny lead the kid to the apartment, handing him a key and letting him explore the sparsely decorated place.

“So, first thing’s first. You go shower. Then, we’ll go shopping for clothes, register you for school, get your school supplies, and grab some lunch. Not necessarily in that order, but ya know. And cleaning supplies.” Danny grinned.

Jason whipped his head around from where he was closely inspecting the windows for insulation- like Danny would let the actual kid live somewhere with drafty windows- and spluttered. Hope, fear, uncertainty battled across Jason’s face as he tried to say something. Danny watched Jason open and close his mouth several times before he finally managed to whisper something.

“I- I c’n go to school?”

“Yes. You are, in fact, legally required to do so, Jason.”

A pause as the kid grapples with the idea, of something he didn’t think he’d ever get to do. A grin bloomed over his face as he realized Danny’s sincerity.

“Then what are we waitin’ for?!”

“For you to shower. C’mon grubby, the shower’s that way. Towels are in the cabinet, and there’s some extra clothes in here,” Danny tossed Jason the plastic bag of clean kid’s clothes he bought from Gotham’s version of Walmart, a store that somehow had the energy of a Tesco and a Denny’s parking lot.

“Fuc- I mean- yeah! On it!”

——

Clearing out the drafts- feel free to continue ^^

[lovely-parasite-04]

Iced Coffee, Detective?

Agnes!Agatha Harkness x Fem!Reader

Prologue of ?

Part 1

SUMMARY: One of the victims of Westview goes a little further than everyone else to be nice to the town hero, Agatha Harkness, or Detective Agnes O'Connor. She doesn't know what she's getting into when the Detective asks her to come in for "further questioning."

WARNINGS: Mention of murder (its only like a sentence), Agatha being Agatha

NOTE: This is mostly experimental because I hardly ever write and when I do, it never sees the light of day. However, I am In Love with Agatha, and I never see anyone write much about when she was under Wanda's spell. The experimental part is that this is meant to be comical and reader doesn't immediately start out with a big fat crush on Madame Harkness. It's also more on the simple side in terms of plot. I'm posting this first little bit to see how people enjoy it, and if it gets a lot of attention, I'll try to write more.

"Large Americano for Agnes?" I shout from my corner behind the counter, swiftly setting the paper cup down as I see the familiar brunette make her way towards me. I turn to begin making another order, but stay put to ask the older woman, "Any new cases, detective? I heard you on the phone over there talking about a lot of work to get back to. "

Agnes (Agatha) takes a large sip of her iced coffee, testing the flavor and swallowing, before responding with, "I'm not supposed to talk about the investigation and I don't entertain rumors about how the victim passed." She barely made eye contact with me, but I'm shocked she didn't immediately leave after receiving her order. She is usually in a hurry to get her coffee and go.

"Oh... of course. Sorry." I have no idea what she heard me say, because I didn't mention anything about a victim. I know I don't necessarily have to play along with her delusions like I do; most people simply tell her to have a nice day and direct her towards the door, but I can't help but be fascinated by what she is going through.

Seeing it from the outside, anyway.

I was among the rest of Westview during the Scarlet Witch's spell. Just the thought of it sends a shiver down my spine. Losing control of everything but your mind can be terrifying, wanting to say something but saying something else. Being frozen in time until you were needed for a plot point for a completely deranged woman. Losing track of time and wondering if it will ever end.

Agatha Harkness had been a town hero, stopping Wanda Maxifmoff and freeing everyone in Westview. But now she was stuck in the same spell with no end in sight.

Her Nosy Neighbor character lasted for about 2 years and everything seemed to be normal. She would gossip with her closest neighbors and those who volunteered to check in on her and bring her groceries, and she pretty much kept to herself. However, her characters have started to derail into different "genres". The first shift the town noticed was around Christmas last year. She seemed to be acting out a Hallmark movie, following around this one guy while pretending she was just bumping into him and trying to show him the "true meaning of Christmas."

It was funnier to watch than any actual Hallmark movie I had ever seen. The guy was married with a family, and continued to tell Agatha as such until she shifted again. That was when I made the observation that in Agatha's delusions, she doesn't always hear exactly what we say. It's like her brain can't comprehend anything that doesn't fit the little world she's made, so it makes something else up entirely for her to play off of.

I'm also convinced that she is controlling her delusions now. Maybe not intentionally, but I no longer see the hold Wanda had over her. Maybe this spell that Agatha is under is different from ours. She has no control of her mind. We only had control of our minds.

I feel bad for her, and I'm really intrigued by her as a person in general - I mean she's a fucking witch from 1690's Salem - so I steal any chance I get to talk to her. It helps that she is a regular at the coffee shop I work at.

Back in the moment, I need to move to the other end of the counter to finish this new order, and I'm positive she'll walk away once I do. I simply say, "Have a nice day!" And start to step away when she surprises me again.

"You knew her, huh?" Holding the coffee close to her chest and mouthing at a straw she slipped in while I was lost in thought. She follows me around the counter, not bothering to mutter anything to the other customers she runs into along the way. Her whole focus is on me.

"I...knew who?"

She heard me that time, giving me the full name of someone I'd never heard of before.

"Oh, her? Yea. Yea, me and her go way back."

  I'm a sucker for improv, okay? What's the harm? Even if she found out I was lying, she can't hurt me. She lost all her magic. Right?

"If you don't mind, I'd like you to come with me back to the prescient, so I can ask you a few questions about the girl and the nights leading up to her death."

Well, fuck. My boss would never let me leave for this. A real cop, sure. The town cook? Absolutely not. "I'm sorry, detective O'Connor, I'd have to wait until I get off work."

"Relax, hon." She said condescendingly "Let's just wait until you get off work -" What a great and completely original idea, Agatha. "I'll give you my card and you give me a call later today, okay?"

She proceeds to hand me an index card with the name Wanda gave her, Detective Agnes O'Connor, above a phone number. On the back is her house address. All handwritten.

  Bless her heart.

  "Okay- I hope you don't hand these out to everyone..." The last part was more of an outside thought, and thankfully Agatha didn't seem to hear it anyway, waving over her shoulder and exiting.

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

[mxtxfanatic]

Lan Sizhui and His Wei-qianbei

Of all the juniors, Lan Sizhui has the closest connection to Wei Wuxian that is actually kept secret until almost the end of the novel. But even when both characters are unaware of their shared history, Lan Sizhui still unconsciously gravitates towards his former A-Die/Xian-gege as a source of comfort and safety:

“Don’t be afraid,” Wei Wuxian said again. “I’m not afraid,” [Lan Sizhui] replied. “Truly?” “Truly.” Lan Sizhui even smiled. “Mo-qianbei, you and Hanguang Jun are really similar.” “Similar?” Wei Wuxian said with surprise. “How are we similar?” He and Lan Wangji were clearly as different as the heavens and the Earth. But Lan Sizhui just smiled, said nothing, and led the remaining people outside. I don’t know either, he thought silently. But you two just feel similar. It feels as though as long as one of you is present, I don’t need to be scared of anything.

—Chapt. 37: Flora V, fanyiyi

The disciples that he had let free could neither run nor stay. On the inside there were the YiLing Patriarch, the Ghost General, and the traitor of the righteous side HanGuang-Jun, while on the outside there were countless walking corpses waiting to be fed. Yet, everything was bright on Lan SiZhui’s side, “Senior Mo... Senior Wei. Are you here to save us? You were not the one who got people to take us here, were you?” Although it was a question, his face was full of complete trust and delight. Wei WuXian felt his heart warm up.

—Chapt. 68: Tenderness, exr

The sight of the two men made Lan SiZhui feel as if he could face anything, no matter how dire or impossible. He gladly responded, “HanGuang-Jun! Senior-Wei! Please hurry over!”

—Chapt. 83: Core Part 5, boat-full-of-lotus-pods

He even goes so far as to question what the juniors have been taught about Wei Wuxian even before he knows that their "Mo-qianbei" is actually the loathsome Yiling Patriarch or that he was once raised by him:

They heard Lan Jingyi interject. “Why are you so angry?” the boy blurted out. “It’s not like Sizhui said Wei Wuxian shouldn’t have been killed. He only said that it’s possible not everyone who practices demonic cultivation is like Xue Yang. Is it necessary to fling things everywhere? I haven’t had a chance to taste that yet...” Jin Ling sneered. “Didn’t he also say ‘the inventor of those methods didn’t necessarily want to use them for evil?’ Who was ‘the inventor of those methods?’ Tell me, who else could it be but Wei Ying! I don’t understand. Isn’t your Gusu Lan Clan also a prominent cultivation clan? Didn’t a lot of your people die at Wei Ying’s hand too? Wasn’t it a headache killing all the walking corpses and all his other scummy followers? Why are you taking such a strange position, Lan Yuan? Based on what you said just then, aren’t you trying to let Wei Ying off the hook?!” Lan Yuan was Lan Sizhui’s birth name. “I’m not trying to let him off the hook at all,” he explained. “I only wanted to propose that, since we don’t know exactly what the circumstances were, we shouldn’t draw any definite conclusions. Before we went to Yi City, didn’t a lot of people claim that Xiao Xingchen Daozhang killed the Yueyang Chang Clan’s Chang Ping in angry vengeance? And how did it turn out in reality?”

—Chapt. 43: Beauty I, fanyiyi

No matter what separated them—be it death, amnesia, or clan disapproval—Lan Sizhui has never truly forgotten the love he feels for the A-Die/Xian-gege of his childhood.

At least, Lan SiZhui couldn’t hold it any longer. With a loud cry, he leaped up. One hand around Wei WuXian and the other around Lan WangJi, he pulled the two into a tight embrace. Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi bumped into each other from the hug. Both of them were surprised. Lan SiZhui buried his head between their shoulders, “HanGuang-Jun, Senior Wei, I... I...” Hearing his muffled voice, Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi exchanged a look, only inches apart. They both saw something soft within each other’s eyes. Wei WuXian fixed his mood and put his hand on Lan SiZhui’s back, patting, “Enough, what are you crying for?” Lan SiZhui, “Not crying... Just... I suddenly feel so frustrated, but so happy as well... I do not know how to describe it...” After some silence, Lan WangJi laid his hand onto his back as well and patted. Lan WangJi, “There is no need to describe it then.” Wei WuXian, “That’s right.” Lan SiZhui didn’t say anything. He hugged them even tighter.

—Chapt. 111: Wangxian, exr

[accio-sriracha]

Shouting From the Rooftops.

A Jegulus Oneshot

(Prompt: Try. From a random word generator.)

~~~ ~~~

"We can't go through this again, James. I gave you my final answer." Regulus hissed as they walked through the corridors to the Slytherin dungeons.

James persisted anyways, nearly having to jog to keep up with Regulus' brisk pace, "I don’t understand why you hate the idea so much. I thought you liked being with me?"

Regulus groaned, "I do, you know I do, but what you're asking is impossible."

"What's so impossible about this? We're already seeing each other in secret, Reggie. I don't want to hide my feelings for you anymore!"

James knew he was being too loud, he didn't care. So what if people over heard him? So what if people stared?

James was in love with Regulus.

And he wasn't ashamed of that.

"Keep your voice down." Regulus muttered, "You shouldn't let people hear you. You know what they would think-"

"I don't care what they think."

"I care. Did you ever think about that?" He snapped. James scoffed,

"Why the hell do you think I've kept my mouth shut for the last three months?" He stopped walking, needing to catch his breath.

Regulus came to a stop just in front of him, staring at him with the hardened expression James had grown used to whenever they talked in public.

James sighed, "I want to see your smile, and not just in your bedroom. I want to sit with you in the sun and laugh and be who we are without all of these fucking secrets."

"These secrets are what's keeping you from being harassed by the entire school." Regulus rose an eyebrow, "I won't put my infatuations above your safety. No matter how much you beg."

"And what if I don't get harassed? What if nobody cares? Your brother is gay. He's been openly dating Remus for three years and nobody gives a shit about them."

"They're different-" Regulus started.

"How? Because you're a Slytherin? Because I'm a Gryffindor? Merlin, if people really cared that much about inter-house relationships you'd think there'd be a lot less of them, wouldn't you?"

"James-"

"No. I'm not finished." He huffed, "I don't want to hide you anymore. I want to take you to hogsmeade with me and my friends. I want to buy you butterbeer and be ridiculously fucking corny and hold doors open for you and give you my jumpers when you're cold. I want those things with you, Reggie."

"I want them too. It's not that I don’t..."

"Then why won't you just try?"

Regulus exploded then, "Because I can't! You know I can't! This is wrong, I-"

"Why?" James asked, cutting him off, "Who says this has to be wrong? Who says I can't love you exactly how you're supposed to be loved? Who says you're not allowed to love me back?"

"What about my brother?" He whispered, "What about Sirius? You're just going to waltz up and tell him you've been seeing me in secret?"

"Why not?"

"I'm not going to be the one to tell him i've been sneaking around with his best friend behind his back!"

"Then I'll tell him! I will gladly be the one to tell him the good news, because that's what this is. This is the best thing that's ever happened to me, Reg. Sirius is my best friend and I hate keeping things from him. You know how badly I've wanted to tell him about you."

"He'll never forgive us." Regulus looked away, "He won't understand. I'm his brother, your his best friend."

"He'll understand. I know he will. Just give me a day. Please. Just one day. If you don't like it we can pretend to break up, I swear."

"James-"

James kept going, not wanting to hear whatever excuse he came up with this time,

"I want to love you, Regulus. I want to walk down the halls holding your hand. I want to scream at the top of my lungs from the towers that you're mine. I want to give you the entire fucking world. Please just let me try."

There was a long silence. James tilted Regulus' chin so they met eyes. Regulus' were brimming with tears,

"Fine." He whispered, his voice breaking, "We can try."

And that was all the confirmation James needed.

He kissed him. It was deep and agonozingly beautiful. He kissed him until neither of them could remember how to breathe.

"I love you." He whispered against Regulus' lips, "And I don't care who knows it."

Regulus knew he should hesitate, he should look around to make sure nobody was watching, but something about the way James was smiling at him, something in the earnestness in his voice made him soften,

"I love you too, Jamie." He murmured.

And they kissed again. Right there in the middle of the hall.

They went straight to the Gryffindor common room, Regulus' restless hand tucked neatly in James' sure one.

When they told the others, Sirius was the first to hug them, congratulating them on coming out.

"We've known for a while, mate." Sirius smiled, ruffling James' hair, "It's good you finally felt ready to tell us."

The rest of their friends followed suit in congratulating them, the room was filled with smiles and laughter. James had never felt so happy.

And that was it.

From that point on the pair of them went everywhere together, they ate their meals side by side, they took strolls by the lake with their fingers intertwined. They went to The Three Broomsticks and everyone could see James holding open the door for him, putting down the money for both of their drinks as Regulus fidgeted with the tag on his jumper, the tag that read J.F.P.

And if you happened to hear shouting that sounded an awful lot like James Potter's voice coming from the astronomy tower, it's best to keep walking, he'll be there for a while.

[rottenpumpkin13]

Hope no one minds if I drop an angst prompt here?

So I was rereading the three pieces where Genesis realizes Angeal & Sephiroth think his voice is annoying and shuts down emotionally and tries to change his entire self bc the realization hurts him so bad, and Zack becomes basically the only person he feels safe around, right

And I got to thinking.

Idk where I first read it, but a lot of stories seem to paint Genesis as being generally quite liked by SOLDIER. So in this whole situation, where somehow only Zack picks up on Genesis’ pain, I think at least a few other 2nd/3rd classes also seem to notice, and Kunsel makes the connection between Genesis’ shutdown and his extremely changed behaviour around Angeal and Sephiroth, and consults with Zack for answers… and then discreetly lets the rest of SOLDIER know and they all close ranks around Genesis and like. Shield him from Sephiroth & Angeal a little

Like… I’m not that much a sucker for angst on most days but this image wouldn’t leave me… where instead of telling his superiors off in that discussion Zack bites his tongue and closes off from them too, and Angeal and Sephiroth have to figure out from themselves just why their whole department seems to have gotten so much colder with them recently, and why Genesis seems quieter and less around, and why Zack isn’t so bouncy anymore… more clipped and unhappy… and seems to get angrier with them everytime Angeal tries to help.

(Because damn, apparently Zack’s mood is his top concern, a kid he’s known for maybe a couple of years at most now, meanwhile his childhood friend that he grew up with doesn’t seem to rate with the same priority despite the frankly obvious pain.)

Meanwhile Genesis finds himself with a lot more company from the seconds and thirds than he’s had before, and discovers that more than a few of them like mystery novels just like he does, and a couple even know LOVELESS with the same love as him, and hey! This young man has read the same novel Genesis just finished, wasn’t that twist at the end a surprise? And slowly mealtimes kinda evolve into a SOLDIER book club (slash Secret Genesis Support Group) as Genesis slowly mellows out and finds his spark again, surrounded by like-minded individuals who not only respect him but seem to actually like him.

It’s nice. Genesis… is less lonely these days.

Are there three parts to it? I can only find Part 1 and Part 2. I swear I need to re-write it chronologically and post it as a proper fic someday. I'm surprised people bring it up from time to time ^^

-

Angeal sensed that something was off first, not because of the sharp glances that sliced past him like knives as he walked through the base. He wasn't oblivious to the silent hostility that clung to the atmosphere at SOLDIER—operatives who once greeted him with cheery waves, who he made it a point to befriend, were now avoiding eye contact, offering cold shoulders.

It was subtle at first, a missed "good morning" here, averted gazes there, but Angeal had prided himself on his keen awareness of the people around him. He valued camaraderie, not just with his fellow SOLDIERs but with anyone who kept the place running. He'd spent years building alliances, and now those connections seemed to be fraying, and he couldn't put his finger on why.

It wasn't even Genesis' absence that made him question things, although Gaia knew his best friend was tempestuous. Genesis had a way of shutting people out when the mood struck him, sometimes for hours at a time, but never like this. One day, they'd be sparring partners, the next, Genesis would disappear into his head.

But that wasn't the case this time.

No, what truly made Angeal's blood run cold was seeing Zack and Genesis together in the lounge. Shoulder to shoulder, laughing. Talking. Giggling, even. As though they were old friends. Which they weren't.

The sight was jarring, uncanny in a way Angeal couldn't immediately put into words. He knew Genesis' thoughts on Zack, had heard them whispered in passing, dripping with disdain. To Genesis, Zack was no more than a puppy—an overeager, naive child, a burden Angeal had taken under his wing. Genesis had always mocked the younger SOLDIER, never failing to throw a cutting remark his way whenever the boy's chipper greetings came his way. Yet here they were, sharing a closeness that felt….natural, which made it unnatural in its own sense.

And then there was Sephiroth, whose realization came like a slap to the face—almost literally. He passed Zack in the hallway.

Sephiroth had never been one for small talk, but always recognized Angeal's student with a curt nod, even mustering a slight smile. He expected, at the very least, a polite return gesture. But Zack rolled his eyes and turned away, as though Sephiroth wasn't even worth acknowledging.

Sephiroth had actually stopped mid-stride, confused. Had he done something to offend Zack? Was there something he had missed? For a moment he just stood there, watching Zack's back as he walked away, the sting of rejection unfamiliar and unwelcome.

It was more than just a bad mood. It was more than just Genesis going through one of his bouts of creative isolation. Sephiroth and Angeal shared that same coiling dread in their stomachs, that sense of something being broken and irreparable. They'd tried reaching out—both of them. They had knocked on Genesis' door, called his phone, but every time they got close, something, someone intervened. A Second, or even a Third Class SOLDIER, would always swoop in, whisking Genesis away before they could speak.

And the numbers… Gaia, the numbers. The Seconds and Thirds came in packs now, always flanking Genesis wherever he went. Always three or five of them, hanging on his every word, giving him attention, wanting his attention.

The popularity which had already been impressive seemed to have ballooned overnight. He was adored. While Angeal and Sephiroth were left untouched and unwelcome.

They'd never cared much for being liked, and neither of them needed the validation of the ranks. But it wasn't about that. It was about the absence, the hollow space Genesis had once filled between them. His voice was now missing from their lives—his laughter, the dramatic readings of Loveless, the playful teasing about Angeal's choice of shirts or Sephiroth's ridiculous wet hair after the showers. He was their friend, their third piece, and now he was gone.

And then came the breaking point. Zack refused to train with Angeal, refused to even follow orders from Sephiroth. That was when they cornered Kunsel, one of the few who never failed to have an ear to the ground, always knew what was going on and would never refuse intel.

But the answer they received wasn't what they were expecting.

"Why do you care?" Kunsel had asked, voice casual, like it was the most ridiculous question in the world. "Don't you find him annoying?"

It hit Angeal and Sephiroth like a slap to the face they needed.

[incorrect-fnaf-quotes]

Rabbit Restoration Project: |22|

Springtrap stared at you, eyes slowly opening and closing, and for a moment, you thought that, maybe, he might have been trying to potentially process the question.

Truthfully, however? The rabbit... it felt hard to guess what was going on with him. That probably won't ever change, I bet. You shrugged to yourself.

He just kept blinking at you--the action causing a little click, and a whirr--and it was starting to feel much more awkward compared to when Springtrap wouldn't do anything at all.

Okay, okay... why did I go through with that? A handful of things I've thrown at him... he just hasn't said anything. You tried to keep your eyes on the road--but his blinking gaze couldn't help but make you wonder about the possibilities.

He still hasn't actually done anything to me, he still hasn't... but if he went and got angry... You frowned. Well, I know what Springtrap is capable of.

Springtrap's head was thrown back, and the rabbit erupted into laughter. It had been so sudden in the moment, that you felt yourself flinch a little.

What... What's that about? Frown remaining, you turned to focus on him now that the gaze wasn't so focused--and thanks to the car arriving at a red light. "Um..."

You shifted around slightly in the seat. He hasn't... did I do something really funny? Was my guess about him completely wrong? What else would he find so funny?

His laughter was beginning to die down, but that didn't mean that it hadn't stopped yet. Frankly, this was the longest that you had ever heard someone else. Or maybe he just... remembered a funny joke?

Your eyes flickered back towards the light, but it was still glowing red.

"It... took you quite a while to notice the mess underneath," Springtrap coughed, the laughing finally fully stopping, "But the identity, you..."

Briefly, the rabbit trailed off, before clearing his throat. You would have assumed that, if it were one of the things still possible, then he would have been crying from how much laughing he had been doing.

"Well, tell me: What made you ask that all of a sudden?" He tilted his head, humming.

"Um. I guess..." You glanced back at the light--it still hadn't changed. Is it broken, or just taking forever? "Earlier, when you had been telling me about some of the incidents at the other locations..."

"Yes?" The rabbit rasped.

"When you brought up what happened back at the diner, about the bite, you'd gotten so... upset." Informing the rabbit, one of your fingers tapped lightly against the wheel. "Maybe you could have generally been upset about something unfortunate..."

Your head shook. "But I was starting to think that that wasn't it. I figured that it could have been something else. Like, that you were the father of that boy, you know?"

The light finally flickered to green, and you began the rest of the drive. Shouldn't be too much longer now... then I can rest. That would be nice after today.

"I suppose, years ago, William was who I once was. But not any longer." The rabbit's ears twitched. "William was lost when the springlocks activated. But, as for Springtrap..."

"You were... created when they went and activated?" You guessed.

Springtrap hummed. I didn't think that he would actually confirm my question... I figured he would have ignored it. Or, maybe try to deny it, potentially.

"In a way of that, yes." Apparently deciding that that had been long enough, the rabbit's gaze was pulled away from you, and he was back to staring out of the window.

"Wait." You blinked. "Springlocks... what exactly are those?"

"I'm uncertain of how much you looked at," Springtrap grumbled, "But you had to have noticed something... intriguing, didn't you?"

"Um..." You took in a breath, frowning as you remembered the sight. "There was a lot of metal jammed in, I think..."

Springtrap nodded. "And those would have been the springlocks, set off permanently such a long time ago. Just think, the tiniest amount of water, and..." He made a snapping sound.

"They weren't waterproof?" Was that... why he reacted like that in the rain?

"Not in the slightest." Springtrap chuckled. "They had never gotten around to being fixed. So, just a little bit of water, or even the tiniest wrong movement... well, it wouldn't be fun."

"Well, that's stupid." You commented. Why even add springlocks in the first place? Did anyone ever plan on fixing any of that, but just never managed to succeed for some reason?

"I hope all of what's happened won't affect my little stay here." At his words--taking on a bit of a softer tone--your head spun back around to look at the rabbit. He's talking like that now... why?

"You've been getting frightened quite often since you brought me home." Earlier, he'd been laughing when he saw how I felt... but now, he's doing this? He thanked me when I helped him. He held my hand.

I mean... I went and held it, but Springtrap didn't let go. He didn't... I don't even think he wanted me to let go, either. You fidgeted. Why? Is he just... liking it here more, at least?

"Um..." You cleared your throat. "No, um... it's fine, Springtrap. It's... fine, I guess."

If he's just... getting more comfortable, and relaxed, then I guess that's nice. I don't think that he would have let me work on his arm before if he wasn't. You shrugged again.

His arm still seems to be doing pretty well, come to think of it. You hummed. I didn't think he'd be able to move it so much immediately. But, let's just hope its condition stays like that.

With two unsuccessful tries that had taken a while, and the third one that ended in success also taking some time... you weren't looking forward to the time that would be lost if it did fall.

"Do you... still intend to complete what you were wishing to do?" Springtrap questioned. "You seemed quite ready to start when you had brought me inside."

"Well, I still went and bought everything that I figured would be needed..." You noted slowly, "And I don't really want any of that to quickly go to waste, honestly." Well... maybe it wouldn't? I could find something else?

But he's still the first one that I've needed some of this stuff for. When would the next time even roll around for it to be used? Not everything's fuzzy. The car took one of the last turns.

"So, as long as you're fine with me continuing, and you don't plan on leaving yet..."

Springtrap hummed softly. "I won't be making my leave for a little while. You can continue your work whenever you'd like."

Good to know. "By the way, I'll... most likely need to clean you later. Maybe I'll just go and use a hose, that might be quick." You shrugged. "Inside might be a little messy, and you're still pretty smelly."

When you took a quick glance at Springtrap again, for the last time, his gaze had been forced away from the window, and he was staring at you--his eyes rather wide.

"What...?" You questioned. "What's the matter?"

He was silent.

"Are you... worried about the springlocks?" You took a guess. "Do you think they could go off again?"

The rabbit seemed to fidget. "Perhaps they could... and perhaps it would be felt all over again."

Reaching the driveway, you parked the car, and unbuckled the seatbelt, turning fully to stare at him. "Well, it's been a long time, hasn't it? Maybe after all that time, they won't go off again."

When he seemed to fidget again, you debated on it for a second, before placing a hand on his shoulder. "But if you don't want to do it, just tell me. I could think of something else."

Springtrap hummed.

"Let's... just get back inside, okay?" Dropping your hand, and hopping out of the door once it was pushed open, you went to retrieve the items that hadn't been moved yet.

By the time the bags were snatched up, and you managed to shut both of the doors--simply deciding to use a hip in the moment--Springtrap had gotten out, too.

Saying nothing, the two of you approached the door--Springtrap reaching it first, and opening the door for you. You nodded at him, and walked through it.

He followed and shut the door. You assumed that he would have locked it, but unfortunately for the rabbit, he wasn't the one who happened to have the key.

Quickly enough, you threw the bags at the closest surface, and then began to make your way towards the bedroom. "Okay, just... do what you want, Springtrap. Watch a movie. As long as you don't mess with anything."

"I'm just going to collapse on my bed for a bit. So, see you later." Will things please take a calmer turn soon?

@mcfries123 @ravenmccookies @spaciebabie

[shorthaltsjester]

oh temult family i will never not be insane about you. thank you laura bailey for my rights and the good fucking food this ep with imogen messaging both liliana and relvin. i will have more elaborate rot undoubtedly soon but , the love in those messages! the love!!!! the love and the fact that it isn't enough in either of her relationships to her parents (or their relationships to one another).

like. imogen has just come out of the realm of one of the gods that her mother at best really does not like and at worst is happy to slaughter where she chose to trust the image of her mother and got power word stunned and then watched one of her friends kill that same image. and then she sends a message saying "I don’t know where you are or how it’s going, but I love you and I trust you." and the ache of that message being kind, a reminder to her mother that even when she stands at the side of someone imogen has committed to fighting, imogen is also choosing to love and trust her. but the point that imogen not knowing where her mother is or how its going speaks to how little she actually knows of her mother due to liliana's choices -- ones made out of love perhaps, but ones that aren't rectified by the presence of that love. and liliana returns "Imogen, I’m glad you’re okay. I love you, too. I’ve kept him at bay so far and I think he believes me. I think." and between sending's limitations and the improv setting of cr, i'm not resting any arguments or ideas on this occurance, but I Do think it is interesting that liliana spends words saying she's glad imogen is alright but does not return that statement of trust the way she returns the i love you.

and then. much more life ruining to me because of just. less relvin appearances and general . laura bailey sure knows how to make a character that is a daughter to a father reasons. imogen messaging relvin is my superbowl actually. thinking about like 2 episodes ago imogen saying "he's her father, but he's not her daddy" about zathuda, and today, despite all the distance literal and emotional and temporal, imogen starts her message calling relvin daddy.

like i don't know if i can really encapsulate the way that exchance made me feel, just imagine me pointing at the words and gesticulating emphatically but Good God

IMOGEN: Daddy, things are crazy. I love you, no matter what. Thank you for doing your best. RELVIN: Imogen, I think about you a lot. I hope wherever you are, you’re happy. You always were a wanderin’ spirit. Horses miss you as much as I do.

"thank you for doing your best" in a message sent to her father hours after sending a message to her cult-indoctrinated mother who she is choosing to trust is working on her side. who she can't be sure is actually doing her best. do you get it. do you see what i see.

and the fact that one of the first things in the campaign we heard from imogen about her father was that he was probably better off now that she wasn't there, that she figured based on the distance that grew between them, he was probably relieved without her around. and relvin's message tonight rebuting that idea. because he's a reticent man who has probably uttered the words 'i love you' a maximum of 10 times in his life, but he tells her he misses her as much as the horses do, that he hopes she's happy (implies he imagines she is because she was always a wandering spirit -- me choosing not to think about relvin saying he always assumed liliana would leave gelvaan, he just thought he'd go with her) and that he thinks of her often. i can't take it. i can't.

[astral-cowboy]

Silly little lando norris smau (part 4)

Series Masterlist

Masterlist

In which streamer!reader does an interview and exposes some important news.

Is this an excuse to write a chuckle sandwich interview? Yes. Am i including Slimecicle in this despite his unfortunate departure? Yes. Is this the silliest thing I've ever written? Yes. Is it in script format because i can't be bothered to write an actual fanfic at the moment? Absolutely.

[transcript of the "Chuckle Sandwich" podcast]

JSchlatt: you know, I heard that you managed to turn Charlie into a cat? How…

Charlie: (laughing) how did you… do that?

Y/N: it wasn’t me; it was my boyfriend.

Ted: your boyfriend, hit formula one driver, Lando Norris?

Y/N: mhm.

JSchlatt: wow…

Charlie: you think you know a guy…

Ted: and you just kept Charlie in your house?

Y/N: mhm, fed him three times a day. I mean, surely you remember this, Charlie?

Charlie: (laughing) yeah, multiple toys, got to drive my own race car, truly living the life.

Ted: in Monaco?

Charlie: in Monaco.

JSchlatt: welcome to chuckle sandwich, we have (your user).

[intro]

Ted: we have this segment we do with all our guests. The premise is, we all make up a piece of the sandwich, Charlie is the meat, ted is the bread, and Schlatt is the mayo. The question is, Y/N, is what are you?

Y/N: what am I?

Ted: what are you?

Y/N: hm… id say… maybe the crisps on the side.

JSchlatt: the crisps?

Y/N: chips

JSchlatt: ah.

Charlie: so, Y/N…

Y/N: Charlie…

Charlie: It’s been a very interesting time for you.

Y/N: like, in general or, like, specifically now?

Ted: I’m assuming he means recently

JSchlatt: don’t assume what he means.

Ted: I’m just saying!

Y/N: (laughing) it has been interesting recently, to answer your question.

Ted: moved to Monaco.

Y/N: I did.

Charlie: turned me into a cat.

Y/N: (laughing) that was Lando.

JSchlatt: had a child?

Y/N: oh shit! I forgot about that!

Ted: how… how did that rumour start?

Y/N: I have no idea; I just woke up to that post on twitter and a message from a very urgent Charlie asking what kind of toys the baby likes.

JSchlatt: any other reactions?

Y/N: Lando got a message from his teammate, Oscar Piastri, who was very… angry that he didn’t tell him… oh yeah, there were also a lot of congrats messages from the others on the grid as well. Neither of us knew what was going on.

Ted: I bet, it’s a very..

Charlie: very personal situation

Y/N: definitely. I… I knew what I was getting into, not even when dating Lando but with choosing this career.

JSchlatt: hmm, oh yeah.

Ted: so when people came up with this rumour?

Y/N: it was odd. I wasn’t as pissed as people would think, but I wasn’t exactly happy.

Charlie: and, just to give those who don’t know about your life, can you tell us who your boyfriend is, what he does, how you met-

JSchlatt: what he’s like in bed, everything.

Y/N: (laughing) my boyfriend is Lando Norris, he’s one of two drivers on the McLaren team in Formula One, we met via a mutual friend, Max, who invited me to be in a Quadrant video.

Ted: I’m assuming a different Max to the red bull guy

Y/N: different max, yeah. We hung out more because my friend Will, WillNE, umm, is now a co-owner of Quadrant, so when that stuff was being sorted which took… a while, umm, me and Lando talked for a bit about random stuff.

Charlie: and you then fell in love, or?”

Y/N: we flirted but neither of us really… were serious. We had kind of a friends with benefits thing for a while, but it ended when I got serious with my ex, so our relationship was very… rocky.

JSchlatt: did you know that he was a Formula One driver?

Y/N: Will had to be the one to tell me, I honestly just thought he was a streamer.

Ted: really?

Y/N: I hadn’t watched F1 since I was about ten and even then, I only really paid attention to the drivers when they appeared on Top Gear.

Charlie: Top Gear?

Y/N: British car show,, they had this segment called ‘the star in a reasonably priced car’ where they’d interview a celebrity and then have them drive around a track in something that would be considered a common car like a kia or something. I remember seeing Hamilton get the top score for ages but I’m pretty sure Daniel had it when the show ended.

Ted: are you close with the other drivers?

Y/N: I mean, I’ve talked to Oscar and Carlos a bit because… you know, but I wouldn’t say I’m very… close to them. Lando has his friends, I have my friends, it just so happens that some of those overlap. Would I like to be closer to the other drivers? If I’m being entirely honest, I’m happy where I am now.

Ted: now, you moved to Monaco earlier this year, what was that like?

Y/N: stressful, I couldn’t say ‘I’m moving in with my boyfriend�� but I also couldn’t keep the entire move a secret because then people would be like ‘why aren’t you streaming with James anymore?’ and start stupid rumours like they always do.

JSchlatt: what you did there was make people think you moved to evade taxes.

Y/N: that… (laughing) that is exactly what happened.

JSchlatt: but you weren’t.

Y/N: but I wasn’t.

Ted: you’ve been in the… public eye since you were a child

Y/N: I mean, I’ve been making content since I was… eight? Nine? Around that age

Ted: what would you say is the most stressful part of content creation?

Y/N: (laughing) how many people have you asked that question?

Charlie: too many

JSchlatt: far too many

Y/N: well, umm… I think the most stressful thing, for me at least, is the work life balance. Like many youtubers, I primarily filmed in my bedroom, its where my pc was set up and everything. I used to stream every day; I was… I burnt myself out. I was doing all of that as a full-time student with a part time job. I have since graduated and I’m not exactly employed anymore so I have a lot of time now but even then, I try not to stream every day.

Ted: and I don’t know how much I’m allowed to talk about this, please let me know if this is a breach of any plans or anything, but your newest projects…

Y/N: oh! Um… yes? Yeah. I can talk about it.

Charlie: to what…

JSchlatt: to what extent?

Y/N: I mean, if you upload this on the same day, I can talk about all of it.

Ted: … we can do that

Y/N: great!

Charlie: so, for the people at home, what is the oh so secret project?

Y/N: songs. I’ve been getting into music I suppose.

JSchlatt: good songs?

Y/N: id like to think so. I’ve been working with James Marriott, he helped me with the producing and everything. This, umm, three song EP, I suppose, is a collaborative work. I came up with the basic meanings of all three songs and then we worked on the lyrics and the track together.

Ted: and the music video?

Y/N: (laughing) the music video was done by some guy I know, does silly videos on the barbie cinematic universe, and ate an entire edible nerd’s rope by himself.

Ted: sounds like a handsome man.

JSchlatt: Final question!

Charlie: (laughing) oh god!

JSchlatt: would you rather have unlimited bacon, but no more games, Or, games, unlimited games, and no games?

Y/N: oh.. um… can I phone a friend?

JSchlatt: Lando has already answered this question.

Y/N: ok… bacon makes me feel kind of ill… and if I didn’t have games I wouldn’t have a career.

JSchlatt: great!

[Transcript End]

[starlostastronaut]

DAY 13 | NOVEMBER RAIN

PAIRING: seo changbin x reader

GENRE: hurt/comfort

WC: 0.98k

CW: reader goes through a break up and takes it hard, insecurities over being a "good partner", theres crying

PROMPT: "you came?" "you called?"

i feel bad giving binnie only the shorter oneshots. i thought this might be longer but it got more personal than i intended, so thats why it might seem rushed a bit bc i didnt want to go that into detail. btw november rain is song rec of the day, bc its an amazing song! i hope you enjoy <3

title from november rain - guns 'n roses

general masterlist here

<< previous | mctc masterlist | next >>

You stared at your phone in shock, unable to form any coherent thoughts at the moment. The delivered message was glowing on the screen, and every time you looked at it, it felt like knives twisting in your gut. You couldn’t believe it. This… This had to be a nightmare. It had to be. But no matter how many times you pinched and slapped yourself, you didn't wake up. It was very real, and it was happening to you. 

Your boyfriend had just broken up with you. And over a text like a coward. He didn’t provide any explanation; he just said it wasn't working anymore. You didn’t understand it. Sure, there had been some tough moments in your relationship, but you resolved those ages ago. The past few months had been nothing but happy. He had never given you any hints, any signs, or anything to indicate he was feeling that way. Hell, it wasn't even that long ago when he was telling you how much he loved you and how much you meant to him. 

You sank to your knees, feeling the tears forming at the corners of your eyes. With shaking fingers and hazy vision, you closed the conversation with your now-ex and opened a different chat. Barely registering any of your actions, you typed out a simple message. Then the phone slipped out of your fingers, and you curled into a pathetic little ball, lying on the floor of your bedroom and wetting it with your tears, wondering what led him to that decision.

Was it something you did? Were you not good enough as a partner? You weren’t the most affectionate person out there; physical contact or expressing your feelings was something you struggled with a lot. But you always did your best to make sure your ex-boyfriend - you corrected yourself - knew you loved him. Small gestures, compliments, spending time together, being his support system when he didn't believe in himself... You always thought that was an important part of a relationship, so you tried to fulfill the duty as best as you could. But it wasn't enough. You failed as a partner. You failed, you failed, you failed. Your brain kept chanting that over and over again. All of your insecurities came flooding into your brain at once. You covered your ears in a useless attempt to silence the voices in your head.

You didn't know how long you were there, curled into yourself. You just knew it was long enough for the tears to stop falling. Faintly, you heard someone in the other room, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care who it was. You were too far gone in your own head. Someone pounded on your door, but you didn't answer. In the next second, the door was getting kicked down as a distressed Changbin ran through.

Seeing you on the floor in that state made him stop. He slowly kneeled down to you, bringing one hand to your hair and stroking it gently. “Are you with me? Y/N?” When he didn't get a response from you, he sat down, leaning on your bed for leverage, as his arms gently lifted you and helped you into his lap. Then his hand returned to your hair, carding his fingers through it while he whispered sweet nothings to you. “It's okay, baby. I'm here now,” he murmured, his other hand moving to stroke your back. His soothing touch slowly brought you out of your dazed state.

“Binnie,” you choked on a sob, wrapping your arms around his waist and pressing yourself closer. Right now, he was a grounding weight around you. As long as he was there, you were going to be okay. 

“It's okay,” he said softly, not halting his ministrations even as you moved. “It's okay.” He let you lay there as long as you needed, providing you with the silent comfort you needed right now. He knew you would tell him eventually, but he also knew you needed to do that at your own pace. Pressuring you into talking would only lead to you closing off completely.

After a while, you pulled away. You had calmed down enough to talk. You looked at Changbin, who flashed you a relieved smile. Noticing the strange material that was crumpled under your fingers. You looked up at him, your lips parted in slight shock. “You're still in your stage outfit,” you whispered, looking at him in disbelief.

“We just finished the shoot when I saw your message,” he shrugged. “It said he broke up with you and to help, so I ran here. The stylists weren’t too happy, but Channie-hyung will handle it.” Changbin smiled at you. The realization dawned on you. When you texted Changbin, it was in the middle of a music show. 

“Binnie, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have disrupted your schedule; I was just  panicking and-"You began frantically apologizing, because this wasn't that big of a problem. You just overreacted. You didn’t need to drag Changbin into your mess. The voices got loud again.

“Hey, hey, hey. Stop,” Changbin said gently but firmly, grabbing your hands so you would stop fidgeting. He intertwined your fingers with his and squeezed to let you know he's with you. “You needed me, so I came here. I didn't have to do it, but I did. Because I care about you more than about doing a music show.” You looked up at him, your lips stretching to a smile, in spite of the mess happening in your brain. You didn’t deserve this man. Changbin was too good for you. But you were happy you had him.

You launched yourself onto him, wrapping your arms securely around his neck. “Thank you, Binnie. For being here and... and for everything,” you murmured into his shoulder. 

“Of course,” he responded, hugging you tighter.

taglist: @stayconnecteed @saintriots @vivioluh @ivaneedssleep @jazziwritesthings @darkypooo

©starlostastronaut 2023 | do not repost/translate my work without permission

[no-ones-sunshine]

(Ooc)

It was kind of like going to a new place during my 11-14 year old era, playing that game where people ONLY focused on me, and had you guys but a lot more were actually evil, and the roleplay happened in real life- so not rp.

It started in a new house where I'm sure I stole it from someone else because it was beautiful and full of items, but I don't remember moving stuff in so. After babysitting 3 cats(Cookie and Greg's 2 cats), I started to work on a cat room they can all play in while texting you guys like friends in a group chat. I have no memory of what was being said, but I remember being happy to talk to you all and it was a little chaotic cus there was so many people online at once. A couple started asking why I was so quiet, so I texted what was going on, but I think my text actually sent something that felt concerning. I know it was yet don't remember.

Then my grandma came around and started shopping with me as the house morphed into a store. That's when I felt a bit of fear because of my dad possibly showing up again after years from that attempted kidnapping and grooming me. Then I phased through a wall only to check behind me and find the store gone, and I was in my hometown. I had a feeling that someone I knew was there from the groupchats so I started searching with people not being realistic (i.e. swallowing air until they puff up like a frog and squish on the ground, wearing knives through their flesh like extendo-weapons, or having very very long legs).

I kept running around until meeting maybe one of your vampire characters and he said he was waiting for me(I believe at this point I was a fusion of Miki and Night, my first character that is just me). He took me off to a school but it did not have that function at all and there was possibly a pizza party which I could hardly tell because I also saw a forest created with visuals of gore and static. I saw more of characters like yours with Kris, Fukuzawa (different design), and maybe Fyodor? While you guys had a party, I had a Miki moment where I couldn't see what was happening but I saw so many demons made out of those trees I saw, like a Van Gogh painting of malformed pain.

Then it somehow rained and washed all of you away where I felt myself standing in the house I started with. My step-nephew was there and he was still 9 so I had to babysit him along with everything else which wasn't so bad especially now that I was even bigger still to overpower him if he still acted like a witch over nothing. Then I got a call from a character who I can only describe as Taneda to find them, and another voice saying "Good job good job good job". Nonstop.

And so I ran off, I saw past locations my dreams had like a giant field you'd see in a 70s movie about the army. Empty too, where I once drove off the side and fucked up a semi-truck chasing me to the school. Then there were these roads from a field trip nightmare that I had to escape a murderer that was on the bus with me, on a farm. Finally the last place I clearly remember was this trailer park that I dreamt burnt down after a flood where the grown up versions of these kids that assaulted me irl died. The place I stopped at was in the town again and I stopped not cus I arrived to the needed location, but I heard a voice. I don't remember much audio in my dreams, I actually see a lot of speech in text, when it's kind enough to show me that.

The voice called me over to get me to be distracted, which I already was because for some reason I was thinking of these aesthetic pictures of abandoned playgrounds and fields with fairgrounds rusted and grainy. I still came over to what looked like a vampire/evil scientist/lonely poet/evil demon king's house. The second I entered this walkway with dog statues on either side, I felt I couldn't stand, walk, nor make a noise. My head stayed low while laying on my side and I heard the voice or my brain said I did again. He said something like how naive I was or some generic thing I was blamed and coddled for when I was younger on the roleplaying game.

I tried to give snarky remarks like always but I was given a heavy dose of shocks, and I could feel it. I felt it like that axe in my arm, or being assaulted by an ex. He came over Teen Titans Slade style but I can't remember his design so my brain just pictures Fyodor in his Halloween outfit. Then next thing I know it's the next day and I'm outside.

I tried to ignore the fact I got kidnapped and, whatever happened to me so I could text you guys. You guys thought I died too, which sorta makes sense. But I was very close with @tilskkarishma online. We talked about what happened and whenever I chatted to them, I saw the dark house. They come back soon.

Then my sister was with me at a row of computers while I got up to leave. Then her friends were yanking me back to play a game with them even though I had to meet with I think Fukuzawa and "Taneda". Then my sister questioned who the online friend was(Mori's mod) and I began to ask them about doing the kidnapping now. They didn't exactly agree.... but it's kidnapping so...

I had a vision that behind me they were making a very messy cow balloon full of organs and such, using the utters to twist into a shape. So I headed off but I guess my dream got sick of me postponing this meeting so I fell onto a wet sidewalk in the rainy night. Then I was guided by Taneda out of there to the location where I had a very heavy worry I would be assaulted cus of my age again but I woke up.

The End.

@paintedgrilledcheese here ya go!!

[tgmsunmontue]

More than movie magic... 18/24

Hangster AU. Explicit (eventually). Jake is a Hollywood actor and Bradley is a stunt coordinator. Jake's about to make a few self-discoveries. So is Bradley.

ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE THIRTEEN FOURTEEN FIFTEEN SIXTEEN SEVENTEEN

Chapter 16 is pretty much the only explicit chapter (so far), so you can skip it if you like, but it's not explicit by my standards, and it's very soft/tender.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

                “Well hey there…” Jake says, and now that he knows Bradley likes his Texan accent he makes no effort to temper it, but Bradley looks annoyed instead of amused or aroused and Jake hopes the annoyance isn’t directed at him. Not already.

                “Hi. Can I talk to you real quick?”

                “Uh, yeah, of course…”

                Of course there are catcalls and Jake rolls his eyes, but his heart is beating fast, thundering in his ears, terrified that this is somehow going to be his shortest lived relationship ever. He doesn’t know what he’s projecting exactly, but Bradley’s reaching for him, lacing their fingers together and pulling him to the side, just out of the way and out of earshot from most people although he notes pretty much every eye in the room is turned their way.

                “Hey. Hey calm down. We’re fine. You’re fine…”

                Bradley has shifted, putting his back to the room, as if he’s protecting Jake from everyone, eyes flicking over his face and his expression is concerned. Fuck.

                “Jake… you with me?”

                “Yeah, sorry. Just… heard those words before and it’s generally not the start of a good conversation.”

                “Sorry. Shit. I’m so sorry. I just need to tell you something, and I feel like I’m going to be apologizing a lot today. Nothing either of us did though, okay?”

                “The photos?”

                “Yeah. Mav’s seen them.”

                “Mav?”

                “Sorry. Pete. He’s on his way here because he called me from the air and he’s incapable of believing I can make my own life decisions.”

                “Okay. That’s okay. I’ve met Pete before.”

                “Yeah. You met professional-Pete, not parent-Pete. Different beast unfortunately. Just… if I could have kept him from meeting your mom until after we were married or something that’s how I would have played it, but, uh…”

                “You’ve thought about us getting married?” Jake blurts out, surprised.

                “Uh. No? Well. Not in detail exactly.”

                All his feelings around Bradley second guessing his decision to be with him have just dissolved, and he knows he had no reason to doubt it, but also knows his brain isn’t a rational place sometimes. Instead he’s watching Bradley blush and look awkward and he’s definitely falling in love with him.

                “I generally don’t start relationships with people I can’t imagine myself spending the rest of my life with? I’m thirty-five, I have a better idea of what I’m looking for. And I can imagine a future with you, so… here we are.”

                “Oh. So why would Pete be worried about that?”

                “God. This is not the place for that conversation. Just. I’ll tell you, but we have fifteen minutes before we’re meant to be on set and I need to tell you something else… He’s bringing Tom. His partner. Um.”

                Jake has to admit he’s confused. Pete having a male partner doesn’t really explain why Bradley seems as worked up as he is.

                “Okay. So it’s a man. You seriously don’t think I’d have a problem with that do you?” Jake asks, staring at him and gesturing between the two of them. Bradley is shaking his head though, like there’s more and Jake waits.

                “Tom as in Tom Kazansky.”

                “What?”

                Okay then. That’s a name and a half. Jake knows who that is of course, but he never met the man, Kazansky being pretty much a recluse since his health scare a decade previous when Jake had only just started making a name for himself. Jake isn’t even sure he’d recognize the man, the photo used in any media one from over twenty years ago.

                “Yeah. They’re… shit.  Thought I’d have time to tell you and prepare you for how weird they are. They have… a complicated relationship. They’re both incredibly stubborn and agree that they love each other, but they also… well. Tom got cancer, so he called it all off, said Pete could find someone better, and that started a whole other fight, but it was the most ridiculous thing, arguing over who loved each other more. They’re both hopeless, but neither of them can see it.”

                “Oookay…” Jake says slowly, his mind racing, because quite frankly he doesn’t care about Pete or Tom, he just wants Bradley to stop freaking out. “Bradley. They aren’t going to scare me off anymore than my family has scared you off.”

                As he’d hoped that makes Bradley laugh and he can’t help his answering grin.

                “I like your family.”

                “Well, that’s good. God. We’ve got to get to set. Marcia is going to have my head.”

                “I need to talk to her too, give her a heads up about Pete,” Bradley says, and he’s glancing over his shoulder then, eyes scanning the room and Jake reaches for his face and gets his attention before kissing him.

                “Go. I’ll see you in the arena shortly. Hope you appreciate that I don’t have to do makeup today!”      

…            …            …

                He’s distracted as he watches Jake walk away, but only a little, because he needs to find Marcia and Arnold, let them know that Pete is coming, but only to visit him and not to be an ass and tread on another turf, despite that totally being Mav’s MO. He knows Mav is getting on and mutters about retiring, but whenever he’s not working Bradley has to deal with more of his bullshit than usual.

                “Bradley, you haven’t eaten anything!” Aunty Kaye calls out, and he startles a little, turning toward her, because she’s not wrong, but he is going to be late to set.

                “Uh, no, haven’t really had time yet. I did grab a protein bar. Thank you for that by the way,” Bradley says, and he hopes he isn’t blushing too badly.

                “Hmm. That’s not proper food.”

                “No, I know. I just had a phone call. My dad is coming to visit. Both of them I guess. They’ll probably be here for lunch actually. Assuming they don’t get lost…”

                “Well I look forward to meeting them. Hmm. Do you know why I like you Bradley?”

                “Um. I thought maybe you liked most people?” Bradley asks, suddenly feeling like he’s smack bang in the center of a minefield with no idea how he got there. And of course he can’t be rude and just run away, he’d much rather incur Marcia’s wrath than Aunty Kaye’s at the end of the day.

                “Oh, I do dear. But I liked you before I’d even met you.”

                “Oh.”

                Now he’s confused.

                “You stand up to him, you wouldn’t let him try anything risky or dangerous and he complained about it bitterly,” she says, laughing. “But you know what I thought?”

                “What?”

                “That that sounded like someone who would keep Jake safe and unharmed. I’m his mom, of course I want him safe. He gets into enough trouble without thinking he can do risky stunts.”

                “Yeah. Of course.”

                “You don’t let him railroad you into things, I admire that too.”

                “Thanks?”

                “Here, on his own turf, watching him do something he was born with in his blood? You trust him to know his limits. He needs that too.”

                Bradley just nods, not sure if he’s even allowed to speak.

                “So. I like you. However if I ever find out you’ve deliberately hurt him, either emotionally,  physically or mentally I want you to know that you won’t see me coming. I will find you. Now, I can’t really threaten you with bodily harm, however I can threaten you with my disappointing looks, which my children assure me are the worst thing they’ve ever experienced. Of course, if Jake screws this up he’ll also be on the receiving end of one of such looks. However, I feel like you’re a man who doesn’t give up easily. Some days you’re going to have to dig-deep, because my baby can get in his own head and think the worst of everything and everyone, but I think if he were easy you wouldn’t be as interested as you seem to be.”

                Bradley gapes like a fish, mouth opening and closing and he has no idea what to even say, where to start with everything she’s just said. All it’s highlighting is that he and Jake really need to have a proper talk. Not just about their relationship, but maybe about potential baggage that they have, because he thought maybe he was the only one. He should have known that wasn’t going to be the case.

                “I’ve already told Jake that I think he’s worth it.”

                “Good. Maybe he’ll believe you.”

NINETEEN

[omg-snakes]

Thoughts on Crab Day

I support this idea and I'll be participating on July 29th.

I see a lot of folks saying things to the effect of, "don't reward Tumblr for making things worse/not listening to their userbase/not adding features I need-want-like." I also see a lot of posts saying that the organizers of Crab Day are TERFs, neo-Nazis, and/or ultraconservatives.

While I agree that TERFs and Nazis (neo and paleo) need to be yote into the sun, whoever started this idea was not wrong about the site needing money to continue operating. Tumblr is a business. That's how businesses work.

Now, they can get money from advertisers and monetization partners, or they can get it from users. If they get it from advertisers/investors, those parties have the opportunity to weigh in on features they think will generate more revenue... like Tumblr Live... which is objectively trash. Tumblr Live is powered by LiveBox, an add-on service provider that enables sites to host live streaming content to generate revenue. Tumblr is also trying to attract users from the X-Twitter exodus by making the interface more familiar to these users. Was this a bad idea? Yes. It's a desperate attempt to attract more users so as to increase ad views and generate more revenue. But, remember, Tumblr is a business. That's how businesses work.

For YOU (and me!), Tumblr is a community. It's a platform for our art. It's a meeting place for friends and like-minded individuals. It's a safe space for self-expression. It's the last mostly-unmonetized bastion of social media in a landscape dominated by influencers, hustlers, and data-miners. For TUMBLR STAFF, Tumblr is a service that they are trying to sell so that they can obtain money that they can then exchange for food, housing, repayment of student loans, etc. If they can't afford those things by selling you their services, then they will literally go do something else. Yes, Tumblr is indeed a business and not just a passion project. That's how businesses work.

So by buying things directly from Tumblr, like a $3 crab-summoning gift, and especially as part of a coordinated effort like Crab Day and/or Crab Week, you are telling Tumblr Staff that YOU are a CUSTOMER, not just a monetizable data point. We are, in a very distant sense, establishing ourselves as a body of influence. If Tumblr sees that we can and will do this en masse, they are more likely to treat us as contributors and potentially shareholders who need to be kept happy. We each have a vested interest in the continuation of this site, and we have a rare opportunity to show the specific value of that interest.

Also, for those who want more accessibility tools, this is a great way to get those implemented. Accessibility for web applications is a big, big business and toolkits and training for accessibility standards tend to cost quite a lot. Training for a single accessibility plug-in toolkit can cost around $2000 per user*. That's about 667 crabs. By participating in Crab Day, even just a little bit or even just spreading the word about it or even just allowing others to participate as they please without pitching a ragequit tanty about it, you can tell Tumblr staff that you're here as a customer, your voice needs to be heard, and your needs are important.

If this doesn't work, and Tumblr doesn't take their userbase seriously after we make a concerted effort to support them, then please by all means go back to whatever version of complaining makes you feel most satisfied. But just for now, let's try something new!

*based on actual costs of a web accessibility training program offered by the agency for which I work

[tokyo-daaaamn-ji-gang]

Do have like… headcanons for Peh and Pah chin’s wives: Yasuda and Mori Yumi? I love those underrated girls sm you don’t understand 😭

Yeah they are super underrated, I do have a thoughts on them too!

Yasuda 

She's very good at baking, while in school she would make Mitsuya treats often (Pah and Peh usually tried to steal some from her).

She still calls Mitsuya "prez" even into adulthood, she just can't help it.

Yasuda was also close to Mana and Luna, she was often the one babysitting them when their mother was working and Mitsuya was attending toman meetings and fights.

Her and Peh confessed to each other mid bickering 

She actually doesn't remember when she fell in love with Peh, it happened slowly, over time.

When she first met Hakkai it was the awkwardest meeting ever. Yasuda was intimidated by how big and scary he looked and Hakkai was intimidated because she's a girl. They both remained silent, refusing to look at each other until Mitsuya intervened. 

The reason Yasuda was so passionate about her club and craft is because her grandmother taught her to sew and she wants to share how fun and useful her craft is with others.

The first time she sees Ran she thinks his hairstyle is ridiculous for a delinquent.

Yasuda is actually a very fast runner 

She hand sews all of Peh and her friend's birthday presents.

At least once she heard there was a delinquent in the school who wanted to see Mitsuya and went to go yell at them (assuming it was Peh or one of his friends again). Instead she started yelling at some random guy who was actually there to beat Mitsuya up and he was so baffled he just left.  

She has a history with delinquent's and used to get bullied by a group of them when she was younger.

Actually gets along with Draken though, despite his appearance she found him to be a generally nice guy. (She teams up with him and Hakkai to throw Mitsuya's birthday parties). 

Yumi

Yumi's also a very touch heavy person when speaking to people, she'll touch people's arms and hands a lot while talking (this nearly made Hakkai faint when they first met).

When she met a lot of the others she ended up telling them the story of how her and Pah met. This ended in most of the guys having competitions where the loser had to put their pants on their head.

Ok idk why but she gives me kinda counsellor vibes, maybe for kids too so i think she'd work either as a kids counsellor or some kind of position in a school or maybe even social services.

She just seems like a very kind and chill person who wants to help kids who find things difficult (like how she, Pah and Peh did).

However under all that kindness she also has an incredibly chaotic side. Like that's the reason she wasn't phased by anything at her wedding because she's more chaotic then anything the others could've done.

She couldn't attend Hina's and Takemichi's wedding because she was sick at the time. Like Emma she was also pregnant but was further along/ having a more difficult pregnancy and had to stay home. She felt bad but Hina and Takemichi understood and she made Pah promise to get her plenty of photos.

She loves sweets, has a total sweet tooth!

She slowly started to change from bully to friend because of influence from Pah and Peh.

Pah felt so guilty after stabbing Osanai that he wrote Yumi a letter telling her to never talk to him again and to just forget about him. Yumi of course refused to stick to that and said she still wanted to be with him (after telling him off for saying such a thing to her and assuming it's best for her just to forget about him).

Actually while Pah was locked up Yumi spent a lot more time with Peh. They kept each other company while Pah was gone.

Yumi also gets along really well with Pochi

Her parent's weren't around a lot, they were very busy with work. Which is why her earlier behavior went unchecked and why she suddenly had to move (her parent's got a promotion).

And finally Yumi and Yasuda were kind of forced into becoming best friends because of how often their husband's would take them to double dates and spend time with each other. It's ok though because they generally do enjoy each other's company and care a lot about each other. 

[theadventurerslog]

Quest For Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness | Part 3

The Adventurer' Log

A new day in Mordavia.

I ate some breakfast--laced with garlic--and headed out to the Burgomeister being surprised I was still alive and here. How comforting. I chatted with him again. Nikolai won't accept Anna is gone, but he did say missing, so maaaybe she's not actually dead? He noted there used to only be wyverns around but now there's lots of monsters. He thinks Dr. Cranium is a madman.

I went to the general store and had more questions to ask Olga. Dr. Cranium is a very strange man with strange experiments in his back room that no ones knows about except perhaps for Igor who won't talk. Igor helps Dr. Cranium at night and she thinks he's up to no good. There was some kind of scandal with the burgomeister's grandmother long ago... Otherwise nothing new. So, I did some shopping.

I bought five rations -- avocado and garlic sandwiches... I also got a shopping bag, another clove of garlic, a couple candies, oil, the broom and pie pan. Basically something of everything she had on offer. Better to have now than need and not have later!

I was a bit of a loss for what exactly to do next. So, I decided to go try talking to Igor again. Maybe I could get the key or clue about a key for Dr. Cranium's door off him? I couldn't even ask him about anything to do with Dr. Cranium, but when I asked about rumours he said he not know anything, he not know Olga's husband ran off years back. Oops.

I've heard about the cemetery a few times now, so I decided to go see if I could find that.

On my way I got startled by a hawk. Then I arrived at the cemetery and a gravestone got hit by lightning?? Which startled me again. I couldn't see anything significant about the grave though.

A climbable tree.

In other words: Not Me.

No. This was said so gravely too.

Aside from that, there was also the Borgov Crypt of which the door could be interacted with. Surprisingly my Open spell worked and caused more lightning strikes but those could just be a special effect (narrator's words, not mine!) and I entered...

I looked at the Borgov crest, but I assumed I'd need more information first...

I found a keyhole in one of the knight sculptures so I was thinking solving the crest may reveal a key for it? I still tried an Open spell but it was locked by stronger magic than mine.

I checked the crest again and while poking around it I guess accidentally got a hint to check the way the family name was given outside the crypt. When I kept fiddling it warned me not to do that unless I needed another hint. Whoops. That said as soon he said it I realized, Borgov as in: Blue, orange, red, green, orange, violet. I still went outside to double check I hadn't missed anything else, and Igor was here. Not much to tell me though except he has the key to the crypt, but don't disturb it. Well, too late for that and I don't need they key which he wasn't about to give me anyway.

Borgov in colours was indeed the answer and it did reveal a key which I used on the statue which revealed a path deeper into the mountains that led to a castle chamber.

Um, I don't know if I should be doing this, but I guess I'm here now!

I found a bent candle on the chandelier that opens the passageway back up, so I was relieved to not be stuck at least.

I tried one of the doors and it creaked loudly. So... oil may be in order here. Nothing happened this time, but... But everything was loud and scary. I could also look through all the doors' keyholes or listen at them.

I went through a couple rooms and found a tower and got attacked by bats. And I got poisoned. And I have no form of healing... nothing to do but press on! Even though I don't know why I'm here!

At the top was a room with a bookshelf on top of which was a crooked crest I could turn for another secret passage.

This place felt huge. I felt lost quite quickly. The poison wore off though.

A stained glass wheel pattern. That may be important... I didn't figure out how at this time.

The other door led to more tower stairs down, and goons at the bottom. As I turned right back around to get out of there, I got to hear a conversation and it's probably a damn good thing I oiled the hinges. Though I may have missed a death. I didn't think to reload to try. I was basically a walking ball of tension in there the whole time.

The Master is a She. There's a kid they like but she's being kept all the way on the other side of the castle. And...

Ad Avis... they don't like him. Good to confirm he is here.

They're guarding a dungeon even though it's empty (good to know), because that's their job and what else would they do?

I guess I needed to find my way to the other side of the castle.

I found another interesting room. There was even some money in the cabinet. They'd all been empty so far. More importantly:

A giant safe. I used my Open spell, which set off a small explosion... I took some damage but survived. That said, let's try that at a distance this time. Yeah, that was better.

15 crowns! That's a whole lotta money. A pity about the papers being deteriorated.

Moving on, I had a ghost pass through me, eek.

(once again, questioning if I should even be here...)

I found the main hall. From there a bedroom that appeared not to have been used a in a long time for the dust on everything and the mortared up window. There was a chest. I went for it. A ghost appeared.

It turned into a fight.

I got my ass handed to me.

I tried again with a Calm spell (you never know) and an Open spell which set off another trap, but the ghost attacked again. Leaving that place alone for now.

From the main hall it was a quick way back to where I started. On one hand, good. On the other, uhhh what now? I got a little information, but I didn't exactly find anything though I may have missed some rooms.

Still, the sun was starting to get low and I didn't want to get caught out at night, so I went back to town. Maybe I'd be able to get new info.

I was able to tell Olga about the Gatekeeper--turns out he's Boris Stovich, so her husband wasn't just dead or gone like I thought. He's a good for nothing according to her and if I see him again to tell him "he's a lazy louse and swamp scum besides." I suppose I should go talk to him again too. The next day... when night isn't coming.

She wants me to to keep telling her about my adventures. Someone has to stay informed. Or be ready to gossip. She's definitely been my rumour mill here.

Which, speaking of, I asked her about rumours. The innkeeper's daughter was stolen by the gypsies, she thinks.

The last Borgov disappeared under suspicious circumstances.

About vampires: it's said the strangers at the castle are never seen by day and can't stand the smell of garlic.

About Nikolai: his wife went missing before even Olga was married. Probably eaten by something. He's been crazy since.

I went to see the burgomeister. He still seems exasperated and mistrustful with me but getting more willing to talk! I asked about Mordavia and got some more information. There's a lovely lake southwest of town that used to be popular but he doesn't know what it's like now. Southeast is Erana's Garden.

If I get caught at night too far from town I should get there for safety. He doesn't really want something to happen to me; he is warming up! I assume this is like Erana's Peace. He didn't want to talk about Erana's death though. He even said to be careful in the forest when I left!

Back to the inn with me for more garlic and veggie stew. And another talk with the three farmers. They waxed poetical about elephants when I asked.

They used to herd them. Wonderful times. Good times. Lovely creatures, except when kicking down houses in over-excitement. Sad times stop talking about it.

They remind me just a little bit of the men of low moral fiber in Secret of Monkey Island...

I decided to go to bed but it wasn't late enough to actually sleep the night away so I did some experimenting with magic in my room where I am allowed to cast. And I tried to levitate.

Potential to levitate in and out of my window at night? I waited around until night and tried. It did work!

There didn't seem to be much around at night right now, but at the monastery I got:

There wasn't anything different inside.

Still, knowing I can levitate in and out of my window to get in and out at night when everything's locked up is very good to know. The ledge below the window I was paranoid is maybe for thieves and fighters?

After that little nightly stroll, it was bedtime.

Day 3. I figured since I didn't know what else to do, I'd go check out some of these points of interest. I'd like to know about that lake and I definitely wanted to find Erana's Garden asap. There was also the gypsy camp... And I wanted to go to talk to Boris the Gatekeeper.

Before I left town I did a quick round of NPCs and got a little more about the monastery from Igor.

Then it was time to go.

Boris first.

I told him about Olga. He blushed, but then added that she was always opinionated and he got tired of her complaints.

So you just vanished on her??

Nothing more came of that. At least not yet. Maybe I'll be able to talk more about him with Olga when I'm next back there.

I really wanted to find Erana's Garden next. Besides curiosity, given how often I went to Erana's Peace in the first game, I can only assume knowing where the garden is here will be nothing but a good thing. Plus there could be something useful there.

So, next time it's really time to start exploring this place. Garden, lake and possibly camp. Or whatever else I stumble over anyway.

[beyondtheseaofstars]

give me ALL of your atom headcannons.

yeah, you heard me right. ALL OF THEM

Haha...pulls out an entire google docs

Now, these are the only ones I'll be sharing because yk so enjoy:

Brystal Evergreen

– She's bisexual :))

– Her wand reminds her a lot of Madame Weatherberry. (Don't tell me Brystal didn't see her as a mother figure.)

– Bubbles are very connected to her childhood, it's like an important symbol to her.

– She’s a sentimental person. The small little gifts her friends make for her are kept in a special area and she makes sure they're kept safe.

(A couple of these headcannons are from other folks but yk.)

Lucy Goose

– She definitely likes theatre and musicals. She's memorized the entire lyrics to all of her favorite musicals.

– She just yells extremely random words (or just screams) whenever she feels like it (which is a lot) because it's funny to her.

– She’s a heavy sleeper. If by any chance her friends were unfortunate enough to sleep next to her, they’d either fall off the bed or get their blanket yanked away from them.

– She’s also the type of person to fall off her bed (or hammock) and still be asleep, maybe even the person who sleeps through earthquakes and stuff.

–Occasionally, she bonks people in the head with a tuba to "knock some sense into them". Her friends may be against it, but according to her, it works.

Emerelda Stone

– She’s nearsighted and actually has a pair of emerald framed glasses with her, though most of the time she wears contacts instead.

(just one for Emerelda? yep, sorry-)

Xanthous Hayfield (can't find yellow 😭)

– Whenever he's lost in thought, he'll pace around.

– He has a pet cat! Lucy is the one who gave it to him.

– He likes flowers too! He often gives little flower crowns and metal dolls as gifts to his friends because he’s wholesome, except they aren’t that well-made at all. They’d have to put an enchantment on it to keep it from breaking. (They still appreciate the gesture though.)

– He really likes small critters like squirrels, frogs, lizards, bunnies, and mice.

Tangerina Turkin

– If angered (and she can get angered very easily), she will do absolutely anything to show her anger to them. She’s a very petty person.

– She's that person who's like "oh, you made that? 😒" then proceed to treasure it forever.

Skylene Lavenders

– Her favorite animal is a duck. I’m not going to explain. It’s just duck.

– The floor/pool in her room is decorated to look like a really nice aquarium. She has plenty of small fishes who live there that she keeps as pets. They all have names and stories too.

– She has a “little” pet shark that also lives in her room and it’s surprisingly very friendly. She just hangs out with him whenever she’s bored.

– She’s a crafty person, not the most skilled, but it’s something. She likes messing around with glue, colors, sticks, strings, and glitter, making a DIY craft for each of her friends and fishes.

– She has a large stuffed animal collection that she and Xanthous are building together.

– She usually goes and excitedly talks or rants about something to (mainly) Tangerina even though she knows or has heard about it already.

Elrik Elderwood

– He likes to carry Xanthous for fun sometimes, akin to how he did when they first met. He goes into the room and just picks him up because he can.

– He does some trolling with Lucy from time to time, mainly to the demons and the Fairy Council.

General

– They made little rainbow friendship bracelets for all of them to wear. Even during and after the events of The Land of Stories series, they still have those bracelets and wear them all the time.

– They all have a book-reading sleepover in Brystal’s room every weekend.

– The Fairy Council have a special little place in the woods somewhere near the academy where they unwind and de-stress whenever they're overwhelmed. (They still do this in TLOS.)