#and how he's able to lose himself in a role to the point where all you can see is the character

[strohller27]

And now, Mesdames et Monsieurs, if you will allow me to present my most favouritest screencap I've taken so far of Monsieur Hercule Poirot:

That is the Poirot face of all time I love him so much

[whatifitis]

♡ come home with me - LN 4 ♡

Summary: what will happen when lando is finally in the same room as his crush? Will he play his cards right as a mastermind or will he fumble the deck?

Authors Note: this is my first fic in a month so bear with the shit as I try to relearn lol

WC: 1840

CW: Lando being tipsy, lando slightly panicking, fluff, I think that’s it

Everyone knew who Lando's crush was. The boy couldn’t make it any more obvious. Anywhere he went, all he could do was talk about you. He was always praising you for the work you did and how down to earth you were. Lando would also be caught practically drooling over any picture of you whether it was you on a billboard in the middle of the city or a photo on his feed.

Oscar is pretty sure there’s footage from a Mclaren video shoot where Lando spotted a poster of you on a wall and asked Oscar to take a photo of him next to it. The boy had the cheesiest smile on his face as crinkles appeared near his eyes.

Lando was often teased for being so down bad for you. A lot of the guys in the garage would joke about how he would probably faint if he ever got to meet you, or even be in the same room as you. However, the boy always insisted that he would remain calm and collected if that day ever came, claiming that he would pretend to not know you and play the role of the dark and mysterious guy that would intrigue you to the point where he would be all you thought about.

One day, Zak Brown got the idea to make a bet with Lando. There was an event coming up soon where all the F1 drivers and their teams would be in attendance to raise money for a few charities. Many celebrities were invited to bolster the event, you being one of them.

Zak had bet Lando that if you ended up making an appearance, that Lando would be a fumbling mess and would not be able to get your number. Lando being Lando took on the bet. With a firm handshake and $1,000 on the line, the deal was set.

The day of the event comes up and Lando is absolutely shitting bricks. He’s getting ready in the hotel room and losing his mind about the rumors that you’ll actually be at the event.

“Mate, they’re saying she’s actually coming. Even this fan account said it and whenever they post something, it’s true! Oh my god, Max. I might meet her today!” Lando all but yells as he drops his phone in disbelief.

“Listen, mate. Breathe. You assigned me the role of wingman for tonight so it’ll be okay. Right?” Max states calmly, trying to get his best friend to tone it down for a second.

“Right. How does my hair look? Is it okay? Does it look shit? Fuck, I knew I should’ve had it cut ages ago. What if she thinks I don’t clean up?! What if she thinks I’m a mess?! Fuuuuuck! It’s over. I’ve already fucked it.”

“You haven’t fucked it…yet.”

Lando scoffs and pulls a face at Max’s words.

“I’m kidding you muppet. Your hair is fine-”

“Fine?! Just fine?! This is Y/n we’re talking about. Not just some random person. Y/n deserves the best. I have to be the best.”

“Okay… Your hair is amazing. Literally the best it’s ever looked. She is goin-”

“I don't appreciate your sarcasm…”

“I’m no-” Max tries to argue but quickly gives up. Instead opting to pinch the bridge of his nose and take some breaths himself, “Just put your shoes on. We’re leaving in 5 minutes.” he says as he turns his back to Lando and walks towards the bathroom.

“Wait but-”

“5 minutes!” Max says with his back still towards Lando, raising 5 fingers above his head just to give Lando a visual representation of how long he has.

-=+=-

The boys hadn’t even been at the event for an hour and Lando was already quite tipsy. To calm his nerves, Lando decided to have a drink… or 4… This whole time, Lando stood in a corner with a drink in one hand and his phone in the other, constantly checking his feed to see if you’d arrived yet. As time passed, he began to wonder if you were really gonna show.

Lando was about to give up and leave the event when an echo of screams could be heard from a distance. The boy immediately pulled out his phone and checked social media, refreshing the page over and over again until he saw it. At the top of his feed was a blurry video of you walking through the doors of the building he was currently standing in.

“Max! Max! MAX!” Lando yelled, trying to get his friends' attention.

“What? What? WHAT?!” Max yelled back.

“Y/n just walked into the building!”

“Oh yeah. I know.”

“... You know?”

“Yeah. I was talking to Zak earlier and he said that she was on her way.”

“You knew and you didn’t tell me?!”

Max giggled “Yeah. Wanted to see your reaction when she walked through the doors after you moped around for an hour.”

“I was not moping.” Lando frowned.

“You were and you-” Max’s voice drifted into silence as Lando’s gaze shifted to the main entrance. He watched as you walked through the doors and it was like time stopped. You were enchanting. Lando watched your beauty in real time, breath slowing as he tried to process.

You were wearing a blush pink dress that hugged your figure perfectly, flowing down to your feet with a slit on the side. Your skin glowed in the dim light, sparkles appearing in your eyes as you smiled at everyone around you. It was like you were the only girl in the world, at least that’s how it seemed to Lando. It was like you took all the air in the room and replaced it with a feeling that was so overwhelming yet so gratifying.

Lando was stuck in place as you elegantly wandered through the room, sharing smiles with strangers as Lando wished he was one of them. Just for a moment. He wished that he could be one of those strangers, even if it meant he only got a small moment with you, knowing it may never lead to anything more.

He was only able to escape your enchantment when he watched your silhouette make its way towards him. Lando shook his head and panicked, quickly chugging the rest of his drink and turning to place it on the table behind him.

“Don’t come on too strong.” Max had leaned over and whispered into Lando’s ear as you approached.

In the blink of an eye, you were standing in front of Lando and it was as if he had the air knocked out of him. He couldn’t believe that you were in front of him. That you had walked over to him… on purpose.

You smiled with rosy cheeks as you opened your mouth to speak “Hi, I’m-”

“Come home with me.” Lando had blurted out.

“Sorry?” you asked, confusion spread across your face.

“I’m the man who’s gonna marry you.” Lando gulped, “I’m Lando.”

Your eyes moved to look at Max as you asked “Is he always like this?”

With a tight smile, Max replied “Yes”

“I’m Y/n.”

Lando smiled “Your name is like a melody.”

“Are you a musician or?” you asked. You had known of Lando. People often tagged you in videos or photos of him and your friends loved to send you any video of him where he fawned over you. You weren’t gonna lie, you did think he was cute. To be completely honest, he was the main reason you even came to this event. You always tried to avoid attending events like this to avoid unnecessary headlines of “who was y/n with at this party?!”. But, you made an exception tonight.

“I drive cars… and I like to play video games.”

“Oh a driver and a player. I’ve met a lot of guys like you.” you tease.

“No, wait. I’m not like that.” Lando says, panic lacing his face as he fears he’s already messed up his chance.

Max watches as Lando begins to throw himself in the deep end and decides to butt in for a moment, “He’s not like any man you’ve met.”

“How so?” you question, raising an eyebrow at Lando.

“I’m not perfect by any means. And I can’t promise that, if given the chance, being with me will be easy and happy all the time. I mess up a lot. But I can promise to do everything in my power to make all the time with me worth it. I’ll take any broken pieces and make them whole, well, as whole as they can be. We could be something and make something so beautiful that the world seems in tune.” he smiles before it drops and he panics again, “I’M NOT SAYING ANYTHING LIKE BABIES. I MEAN I WANT THEM ONE DAY BUT NOT SOON. I DON’T WANNA PRESSURE YOU. FUCK! Okay, just- All I’ll say is all the flowers will bloom when you become my wife.”

“Oh! He’s crazy.” you joke and spare a look at Max, “Why would I become his wife?”

“Maybe because he’ll make you feel alive.” Max states matter of factly.

“Alive? That’s worth a lot, ya know. What else ya got?” you excitingly ask Lando.

“Uhm, I won’t make you relate to ‘All Too Well’ by Taylor Swift?”

“That sounds good, Mr. Norris. I’ll be in touch.” you say whilst trying to stifle a laugh, turning your back to the two boys and making your way to mingle with some of your colleagues and friends.

Watching you walk away, Lando lets out a breath that he didn’t know he was holding and basks in the fact that he shot his shot and now he’s one step closer to achieving his dream. Also not to mention that Zak now owes him $1,000. Maybe Zak will tattoo today’s date as well.

After a moment, Lando felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He goes to grab it and stills when he sees the most recent notification.

“HOLY FUCK!!” you heard from a distance, “SHE JUST FOLLOWED ME BACK! HOLY FUCK! OH MY GOD! THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!.... FUCK WINNING MIAMI! THIS IS MY GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT!... wait… how did she-”

“She probably gave the go ahead to her social media manager.” Max mentions.

All of a sudden, Lando felt a hard smack land on the back of his head, turning to look at Max.

“What the hell?!”

“You’re lucky you’re rich and handsome. Who the fuck says “come home with me” to someone they’ve never spoken to?! If you were just a random man, you would’ve ended up with a restraining order and not an instagram follow.”

“Well, I never said I was smart.”

“Yeah. We know.” Max says as he pats Lando on the back and drapes his arm over the boys shoulders, “Let’s get you back to the hotel, mate. Before you’re too drunk to walk and I have to carry you.”

“Drunk off joy.” Lando smiles.

[tealvenetianmask]

I want to talk about a kind of troubling reaction I've been seeing to both Apology Tour and Ghostfuckers among parts of the fandom. The person is usually a reaction youtuber but sometimes someone writing on tumblr or twitter. They say something along the lines of "oh, I'm glad Blitz is being forced to confront his crimes/traumas/pain. This is the only way he will finally heal."

That's not how healing works.

I know that reaction youtubers don't always have the most developed takes because they're . . . you know . . . reacting in the moment. But I think it's still worth talking about.

I'm going set aside the people who seem to believe that Blitz needs to be punished for his crimes, and address those who genuinely think that getting a tidal wave of his own trauma in his face is what he needs to heal.

There's an attitude in contemporary culture that traumas are something people need to confront. As in, put on a brave face and dive in like a big boy. I blame capitalism, rugged individualism, and all the pieces of media that tie up a character's arc neatly by having them confront their darkest fears and insecurities. It can put a nice bow on things, but it isn't really how healing from trauma works.

Apology Tour:

Blitz gets confronted by a shit ton of people who hate him, at least some of whom are his exes, who he feels he's personally damaged. The decor and party games are all about killing and torturing him. Verosika confronts him about how much he hurt her. Oh, and then he sees the love of his life, who he's just recently pushed away, making out with another guy- proof, in his eyes, that Stolas is happier without him. And this all reflects the underlying fears he already has about who he is as a person (shown to us by Truth Seekers).

So what was the takeaway? Blitz came to the conclusion that he doesn't always want to be like this (good, but like . . . worth this much pain?). He flops on his steering wheel (relatable). He stops trying to reach out to Stolas (uh oh . . . ). He spends A MONTH spiraling in his own misery and making a mess of all aspects of his life until he's dragged out of it by a caring friend.

The party doesn't empower Blitz to change. It knocks him down and fucking traumatizes him (seriously, images of Stolas from the party show up later in his trauma reel) too much for him to be able to do actually work toward said change. I suspect that if left to his own devices, he would have kept spiraling for quite a while longer. It's one thing to want to change, and another to try to do so alone in the aftermath of a pile-on.

Ghostfuckers

After Blitz drags himself out of his hole of cheesy ice cream and despair to "play sex ghosts" (escapism, again, still knocked down by Apology Tour), infester demon Rolando picks him out as an easy target and assaults him, yes, assaults, with horrific images of his worst traumas and fears.

Not to state the obvious, but Rolando isn't interested in helping Blitz heal. He's trying to kill the guy. He wants to engulf Blitz in his trauma to the extent where he's consumed by it and loses the will to fight back. And as some excellent posts by others have pointed out already, he very likely would have succumbed if not for Millie's support.

Millie helps Blitz get through the onslaught by telling him about what makes him great and how he's improved her life and showing him love and care. And by literally beating the fucking infester out of him. Because there's someone in him who's hurting him, who's re-traumatizing him against his will. She takes him away from the reel of horrible memories.

So . . . do I think that confronting traumas can play a role in healing? Sure. But only if it's consensually (which neither of these situations are) and when the person trying to heal is ready. And most likely in small doses. No one's going and successfully confronting every horrible thing that's ever happened to them in one go.

And in my humble opinion, it's not going to work (for anyone, but especially not for Blitz) alone and without a healthy dose of kindness and compassion (both external and internal).

Blitz has a long road ahead of him toward healing, and it's going to be hard work on his part but also require love and support from the people in his life.

In a wonderful moment near the end of Ghosfuckers, Blitz and Millie work together to get Blitz's wrecked van unstuck and push it back through the portal into Hell. I love it because it's so simple and it kind of tells us everything we need to know. This sweet and salty gremlin has a lot of work ahead of him, but he doesn't have to do it alone.

[fuckedupfate]

⭑𓂅 . ☘︎ ܁˖ ﹕ SAFETY NET.  

leading roles ﹕ dean winchester , f!reader

notices ﹕ swearing dean trying to ignore the fact he's in love fluff author's entry ﹕ this has been in my wip folder for WAY too long, but it's now here! made this while listening to safety net by ariana grande over and over again (i think i listened to it at least forty [maybe fifty] times) so i could get the vibe correct. so let's pray it helped and worked.

it isn't a secret that dean has trouble opening up, letting someone in. especially when that someone is of romantic interest. someone who he looks at and he feels his heart skip a beat, shoulders relax, expression soften. something he hasn’t felt for so long. and he wasn't even aware of it until he caught himself looking at you for longer than a second. or two. he looked at you for ten seconds. admiring you, head tilted to the right, eyes full of admiration, affection, and.. love? love? dean winchester looked at someone with love in his eyes? he was shocked himself, going into a deep rabbit hole of confusion and fear that he, for once in years, was falling in love. 

but he was. as much as he wanted to fight it, wanted to deny it and push it away, it was there. even if he hated it to be true. love. it was there. every time he looked at you. of course, he cared for you. of course he cared, and got worried, when you were hurt. or upset. or something happened. it didn't mean anything that he always felt inclined to help you. to grab anything that was out of your reach, to make sure you came out of fights unscathed, or without any major injuries. he’d hate himself if he let you get hurt. 

he saw the way sam looked at him after he, too, saw dean zone out while watching you. he saw it. the way sam raised a brow, gave him the ‘what was that about?’ look after dean—may have—gone a little overboard about you not getting hurt or putting yourself into a dangerous situation. he knew sam knew. he knew that sam saw the way he looked at you with complete and utter affection. softness. care. love. that fucking word again. love. he hated that he felt this way. he couldn’t get attached to you—no, he couldn't. because he knows how it’ll end. like it always does—you’ll be targeted. you’ll be hurt. killed. taken away from him. like everyone else he's ever loved, or decided to get close to. so he always chooses to never get close—even if he wants to. especially with you. 

but you’ve got him hooked, lined, and sinkered. despite all of his worries, fears, and paralysation, he was falling further and further. falling into a love with someone where there wasn’t a safety net for him to land into. there was no surface. no landing point. no stop. not even a pit stop. each and every day—without his permission—he finds himself slipping. falling at a speed faster than light and sound itself. getting sucked in by every single thing about you. your smile. your eyes. your hair. how you hold yourself. your confidence. every.single.thing. he tries, so desperately, to push you away, to keep you at arms length. not wanting you to get close to him. because he’ll be responsible if something happens to you. for if you get hurt. physically, emotionally, and mentally. every single way. he could scar you. lash out and hurt you. make you never want to get close to him ever again. he could lose you. you. and he won’t be able to save you, won’t be able to keep you safe, won’t be able to make sure nothing ever hurts you. and he hates it. it’s so unfair—and he’s the first man to ever know about unfairness. it’s his life. every thing in it. 

he’s unfair. cursed. 

he sits at the the table inside the bunker’s library, scrolling aimlessly on his laptop, searching for some sort of crisis which has happened so he and sam could potentially have a case on their hands. it’s been quite quiet lately within the supernatural world, so he doubts there’ll be anything. just as he’s roaming through the different websites and news outlets for anything, he hears footsteps. not heavy ones like sam’s, or ones that sound like cass’, no. they’re softer, more quiet, calculated. they’re your footsteps. he can tell. and as soon as he knows that you’re walking towards the library, his heart quickens without his permission, breath hitching slightly, and his mind races with what to say if you talk to him. 

a small smile graces your lips as you catch sight of dean. “whatcha doing?” you ask, head tilting to the right ever so slightly as you continue to walk, walking closer to him before you’re sitting down across from him at the table. shit. you’re sitting down too? his mind races, clearing his throat slightly to make sure his voice sounds as normal as he can make it. “just.. looking for a sign of any cases.” dean responds, voice even and sounding as it always does, but perhaps it’s a little softer? hopefully you don’t catch onto it. but what is he thinking? of course you’ll be able to hear it. damnit. 

“find anything?” you ask simply. and god it’s such a simple question, but for him? everything you say is more than simple. everything to him is a gateway for his brain to ramble with thoughts, for his body to fill with different feelings and emotions, for his heart to quicken, and for his eyes to glisten with admiration whenever he looks at you. fuck. fuckfuckfuckfuck. he gulps slightly, managing a small, rugged nod. “yeah—yeah.” it’s a complete lie, and when he catches that, he’s quick to backtrack. “no. no. actually. no. i didn’t. nothing out there, apparently.” he so badly wants to look at you, so badly wants to admire you, see the way your eyes are on him, see the way you’re looking at him. not sam. not some random person. him. but he doesn’t. he can’t. not with how he’s acting. not with how his heart is pounding and rushing blood quickly throughout his veins. 

he doesn’t see it, but he swears he feels the way your eyebrow raises at his response, at how quick he had spoken. he swears he can feel the way you’re letting your gaze flick over him, skeptical on what is going on with him, because he knows he is acting odd. acting differently to his usual self. get it together, dean. “..right.” you finally say, voice laced with skepticism and confusion, maybe even a hint of amusement. “and.. everything’s alright?” you ask, head tilting to the right slightly as your gaze remains on him. 

his heart skips another beat—which is like the fourth time in the few minutes you’ve been sitting there with him. he takes a beat of a moment before nodding slightly, clearing his throat once again and offering you his, watered down version of, signature smirk once he’s—finally—glanced up from the laptop screen and met your eyes. “perfectly fine, sweetheart.” he manages, ignoring the way his heart drops to his stomach when his eyes meet yours. 

you let out a quiet huff of amusement, nodding slightly as the corners of your lips twitch up into a small smile. you don’t push it, even if you can feel that there’s something off with him. “alright.” you hum and slowly get up from the wooden seat you have been sitting at, tapping the table with your fingertips before walking away and out of the library. 

and once you’re gone, it feels as though a weight has been lifted off of his chest, finally allowing for a normal amount of air to enter his lungs. finally allowing for his heart to slow down and go back to normal. finally allowing him to breathe. finally allowing for his brain to quiet, but not as much, because he can still smell the lingering scent of your perfume. the lingering presence. your voice echoing inside his mind. fucking hell. 

as you’re sat in the backseat of baby, talking with sam, dean is sat in the driver’s seat—driving, of course—but his mind is elsewhere. focusing on how your voice sounds. how he can smell your perfume. how he can hear the soft riffling of book pages from the book sat on your lap, which he found that you fiddle with mindlessly whenever you’re not reading it. in all honesty, the sound of sam’s voice is just a background sound in his mind, muffled and deafened by the workings of his mind, so he can completely focus on yours and yours alone. even if he doesn’t mean to. even if he doesn’t want to. 

he can feel you lean forwards, leaning into the front of the car’s space, arm reaching over in sam’s direction, trying to grab ahold of the bag which sits in his lap. keep it together. together, dean. keep.it.together. he forces his eyes to not stray from in front of him, from off the road before them. he hears the rustling of the paper takeout bag, hears you protest against sam’s disapproval of trying to grab the bag, hearing the quiet laughs which come from you. he then hears the sound of victory you make when you’re successful in grabbing the bag, laughing at sam and beginning to eat the fries which are inside. much to sam’s (faux) annoyance. on the road. keep your eyes on the road. 

eventually, the impala comes to a stop outside of the outer entrance of the bunker. sam moves, opening his door and getting out, the door shutting shortly after. along with your own door. dean is quick to get out, watching sam walk down the steps and to the door, and he stops you before you can. “wait—” he manages to get out, gently grabbing your wrist, causing you to turn and look at him. calm and collected, dean. ease it out. 

you quickly glance down to his hand wrapped around your wrist, but you quickly avert your gaze back up to his eyes. you tilt your head, raising a singular brow at him. “mm?” you hum out, looking at him confused and expectantly. 

he takes a shaky inhale, glancing away for a moment. don’t be an idiot. god, don’t do this. just.. “i—fuck.” he mumbles, running a hand through his hair before letting it fall back down to his side. this is such a bad idea. push her away, go inside. don’t do this. he can’t bring himself to meet your eyes, afraid of what your expression will be like, even if it’ll be the softest expression ever. he can’t bring himself to do it. he can’t look at you. it’ll just make everything harder. make speaking harder. make his heart beat quicker. make his mind ramble on quicker. “i just—i—” he’s never felt like this. well, sure, he’s felt his heart be like this before, and his head, and the blood rushing through his veins, and the hardness of breathing. yes, of course he’s felt like this. but this is more than he’s felt. more than he’s ever felt with his not so little crush on you. he doesn’t even think he can call it a crush. it’s like an obsession. a need. a longing. he yearns for you. 

what makes it worse is that you don’t speak. you haven’t said anything. it’s as if you’re trying to let him take his time, let him do all the speaking. he doesn’t know if he hates that or if he’s grateful for it. he’s on a line of confusion. at a stop in the road, and he can only go one of two ways. tell you how he feels, tell you the truth. risk getting closer to you. risk being with you. or he can lie, say something about something random. ignore his feelings. risk not being with you. risk never being able to touch you. risk never being able to feel your love, feel your softness. feel your lips against his. 

“i need you with me.” he manages to blurt out, words quick but sincere. and it’s easy for you to see that he is being sincere, you can see it in his averted gaze, on his face, in his tone of voice. your expression softens, though your confusion doesn’t disappear exactly. “i’ve—i’ve been—” he stumbles over his words, unable to figure out how he’s supposed to tell you how exactly he feels. he’s never been a sharer, never been one to be vulnerable, never been one to tell a woman that he wants to be with her. that he needs her to be with him. “i can’t let you go. i—i can’t—you feel good with me. i feel good around you. i’ve tried to ignore it. tried to ignore how i felt. but fuck. you’ve got me feeling things i have never felt. you’ve got me thinking things i’ve never thought about. and i’m terrified. i’m scared of what i feel. of what i want to do. of what i want between us.” 

he knows he’s oversharing, but he’s started and now he can’t stop. everything he has been keeping inside, locked and shoved away, never allowing to escape the depths of his mind. it’s all coming out, all at once. and he can’t stop. 

“i’ve tried to avoid it. tried to convince myself that it’s all in my head, and i feel as though it is. i—” he cuts himself off, exhaling quietly. “i don’t know how to do this. all i know is that i want to do this. i want to be with you.” 

after a few moments of silence between you and him, after you’ve stayed silent for some time, he finally dares to let his eyes drift over to you. finally allowing for his eyes to meet yours. to see the expression on your face. to see the way you’re looking at him. 

he sees your lips part, and both relief and dread wash over him. he’s scared. what if you don’t feel the same way? what if he has just blurted out all of his feelings, all for you to say you don’t think that about him? what if you don’t want him back? his fear, heavy and poisonous, fills his veins. freezing his blood, making his heart stop. 

“it’s not in your head.” you say. words and voice soft. truthful. sincere. not at all a lie, nor a cruel joke you’re wanting to play on him. but he has second guesses. concerns. doubts. and you see that, feel it rolling off of him in large waves. “it’s real, dean.” you add on, in hopes to reassure him. in hopes that he relaxes and trusts you. “i feel the same way. i’ve felt scared too. worried that this won’t go well if i let it happen. worried that i’ll tell you too late and you’ll have moved on from me.” your words are so impactful. to him, they’re more than a simple confession. it’s an arrow into his heart, allowing for the fear which froze over him to break and thaw. letting his heart beat, blood rush through his veins. 

he finds himself stepping closer to you, his hand which he forced to stay by his side finally moving. finally drifting up and pressing against the soft, warm skin of your cheek. he lets himself feel. for the first time for years. he just takes you in. takes in the feeling of your skin beneath his. takes in the warmth and comfort which washes over him. takes in how much he truly feels for you. 

“never let me run away.” he all but whispers. voice soft within the silence of the night, mixing in with the soft breeze which is felt against skin, brushing through hair. “i won’t.” you whisper back, giving him a wave of hope to wash over. a small smile now tugging at his lips. 

his lips then meet yours. soft, warm, safe. beginning to feel the same thing he’s been dreaming of ever since he started falling down the abyss of love. he doesn’t ever want that safety net to come. he wants to let himself fall so far down the way that he can’t get back out. that he can’t let himself push you away and run. 

tag, you're it ﹕ @littlesoulshine @h8aaz @multiversefanfics @blossomingorchids ⟆ transportation ! ∿ quickie back to the hub ∿ be in charge of a fic! ∿ join the game of tag!

[spr1ngbunnypvrin]

Hay hay haayyy

May I ask if we can get a follow up to the Harley Sawyer+obsessed reader but the reader follows through the bigger body initiative?(Mainly a large tarantula toy that’s durable definitely not based off of my oc,,,)

Where the reader became part of the bigger body Pre-the Doctor VHS and was normally stable and still performed tasks well like being able to perform as a psychologist for the staff and even the toys themselves but still retains a level of obsession with Harley that the only reason they’re this stable and not haywire is bc of that man

Meanwhile Post-the Doctor VHS they slowly go insane finding out what the staff, Leith especially, did to Harley and losing all sense of sanity that when the Hour of Joy came, they slaughter anyone who was involved with Harley. Just losing sense of who they once were in favor of protecting him

Pre-The Doctor VHS (Before Everything Went to Hell)

You, a Product of the Bigger Bodies Initiative

You were part of the Bigger Bodies Initiative, but unlike most, you turned out stable—a rare success.

Despite your transformation, you retained enough humanity to continue your role as a psychologist for both the staff and the toys.

However, your obsession with Harley Sawyer became your anchor—the only reason you remained stable was because of him.

💉 Why?

Maybe the procedure left you physically enhanced but mentally vulnerable, needing a fixation to keep you sane.

Maybe Harley was involved in your transformation, and your mind twisted that into loyalty.

Or maybe you were already obsessed, and the procedure only cemented that devotion on a deeper, almost primal level.

How Harley Sees You at This Stage

He’s intrigued. You’re functional, unlike most of Playtime Co.’s experiments, and you don’t turn on him.

He recognizes that your mental stability is directly tied to him, which gives him a sense of control over you.

But deep down? He doesn’t trust anything Playtime Co. has tampered with—including you. He keeps you close, but there’s always an analytical distance.

Post-The Doctor VHS (After Harley’s Transformation)

The Breaking Point: Learning What Happened to Him

When you find out what Leith Pierre and the staff did to Harley, something snaps inside you.

The only thing keeping you stable is gone, and your descent into madness begins.

No longer bound by corporate rules, no longer concerned with psychology or rationality—you become something else entirely.

The Hour of Joy: Your Vengeance Begins

During the Hour of Joy, when everything in the facility collapses, you turn on anyone who had a hand in Harley’s fate.

You slaughter Playtime Co. staff, one by one, making sure every single person involved in his transformation suffers.

You’re no longer acting as a psychologist. You’re not even a rational being anymore. You are a monster fueled by devotion and revenge.

What Harley Thinks of You Now

He recognizes that your breakdown is because of him—and for the first time, he isn’t the one pulling the strings.

He sees you as something beyond human now, just like himself.

The difference? He lost everything against his will—but you willingly gave yourself up for him.

Maybe that unnerves him. Maybe, in a twisted way, he accepts you as the only thing in this facility that is truly "his."

Your journey is one of devotion turned into destruction—starting as a stable but modified human, staying functional only because of Harley, and then completely unraveling once he’s taken from you.

By the end, you’re not his lover or his partner—you’re his guardian, his monster, his shadow. And anyone who tries to take him from you? Dies.

[thewertsearch]

@krixwell asked: I think it's general theory summary o'clock. Broadly, what are your expectations for the rest of Act 5 and its ending?

I'm a little late answering this one - but hey, better late than never!

I can't predict the rest of the Act anymore, but I can try and predict the ending. Here are my predictions for what'll happen in Cascade, organized by character.

Rose & Dave

The Derse twins, who have dispatched DD together, meet Aradia at the Green Sun. The Tumor detonates as planned, but Aradia is able to save them somehow, possibly by spiriting them away with time travel...

...or, by telling them how she cheated death.

Aradia was able to resurrect herself without a backup body, from a pedestal hidden within the moon of Derse; the very moon the kids are currently piloting. Doc Scratch has already hinted that Rose might ascend on 'another quest bed somewhere', and I think this is how she - and Dave - could do it.

If Rose and Dave died destroying the Sun, it would almost certainly count as Heroic – but that doesn't actually matter. If the twins die on Quest Slabs, they won't die as God Tiers - they'll die as mortals, and resurrect as God Tiers. They should reincarnate safely, as the Sun collapses for good.

The Meteor Crew

To be honest, I don't think the trolls will have much of a role to play in the endgame. All the action is happening in the kids' session, and now that the Scratch has started, they can't even contact that session.

In any case, these kids are planning to follow the Green Sun's explosion to a predetermined rendezvous point. I'm not sure how they're going to get there - but Kanaya is a wielder of the Space Aspect, so maybe it's her time to shine.

...I mean, shine even more brightly than she already does.

Jack

After he absolutely kills CD, Jack is destined to travel to the troll session, but I still have no idea how. Perhaps the dimensional instability created by the Scratch will start to rip holes into other sessions, and he’ll be lured into one? Who knows.

I'm as stumped as I ever was. Only one way to find out, I guess!

John

Once he's triggered the Scratch, this kid's going to need an out. He'll need to make himself scarce in order to avoid being erased...

...or, perhaps he won’t. Perhaps, as the Heir of Breath, he’ll be able to use the Breeze to conceal himself from whatever force is destroying the session, the same way he hid his scent from Jack.

Either way, he'll probably be fine, while the same cannot be said for...

Jade

The greatest of Fs for our girl. Jade's been killed in an extremely tense situation, without leaving much hope for her resurrection before the Scratch.

The Sprites are still around, but I don’t know how they’d revive her- like, sure, Nanna has a healing beam, but I don’t think she can heal death. Plus, Jade made a Choice with Echidna to locate her Final Frog - and it seems that accepting a Choice will inevitably lead you to sacrifice your life. If Jade's death was immediately undone, would it really count as a sacrifice?

I don't want to call it too early, but... it isn't out of the question that Jade is gone for good. Especially when she's already got a replacement, waiting in the wings.

Jadesprite

I think it's genuinely possible that Jadesprite could take over Jade's role as one of the 'main' four kids.

She's about to lose her First Guardian powers, but she should still have time to fulfil Echidna's request in her realself's stead, simply by shrinking the entire session, and teleporting it to the Furthest Ring, where her allies can captchalogue it. Hell, this would be easy for her.

I really, really don't want Jade to be dead. But, well... she made a Choice.

The Endgame

Finally, we see the consequences of the Green Sun’s destruction, which I’m sure are as cataclysmic as they are unexpected. Rose realizes how badly she was played, as Scratch's full hand is finally revealed. All of Paradox Space shakes from the impact. Scratch and Snowman die, and English consumes the troll universe.

Everyone meets up on the exiled Lands, and they resolve to travel to the reset session, once it’s spawned.

Act 6?

After we're done, I’m hoping for the Guardians-as-Players to get the Hivebent treatment – by which I mean, I’m hoping Act 6 gives us the full story of the Scratched session, right from kid Nanna standing in her bedroom. It’s also possible, though, that we’ll join their session in medias res, as our protagonists' teenage parents face hitherto unknown challenges in a new Medium. I'll talk more about my specific predictions for the Guardian session in their own post, once Act 5 has fully concluded.

The adventure continues, as the kids slowly realize that English, and the Paradox Space twisted to suit his ends, is the true enemy, and they begin to make plans to confront him directly.

[toastytrusty]

i think it finally clicked what about cassian and luthen's relationship i find so compelling. when cassian officially joined the rebellion at the end of season one, he effectively surrendered all of his autonomy to luthen. "kill me or take me in." he literally put his life in luthen's hands. he clearly had very little will to live, and beyond giving luthen the choice to kill him, he gave luthen the choice to give him purpose again. and not Just purpose, either, but full control over the rest of his life, as well. he became part of the cause because he felt he had nothing else left, and was either going to effectively kill himself, or let someone else dictate every single thing he does until he dies anyway, now with a reason behind it, now able to plausibly deny it being wanted. it's simultaneously an admittance of defeat, where he is telling luthen that he won, and an act of defiance, where he is challenging luthen to discard him rather than use him. and obviously luthen would rather use him.

but then there is the bix aspect. cassian's hopelessness at the end of s1 implies that he did not, at that point, see bix as an adequate reason to keep going. not as a reason to stay alive, not as a reason to stay present in anyone else's life. it was not worth remaining an individual, for her sake or his own. and obviously a lot of that is from the insane depressive grief that the whole Ordeal of s1 + losing maarva was. but still. he was very closed off, and singlemindedly thinking about his own ability to give himself to the rebellion. which makes his protectiveness over her in s2 all the more compelling. he is repeatedly getting worked up over her well-being, and acting out in ways that are possibly jeopardizing to the rebellion. it's such a fascinating transition, and regardless of how they got there again, i think in season 2, cassian sees bix as his last place to be human. the one person in the galaxy he can be an individual with, rather than a tool. which is why, in my current, ever-evolving understanding of these characters, i think he gets so contradictory and confused about what he wants from her. he wants her to be strong and a soldier so they can go to war together, because the war is so terribly important to him, but he also wants her to prioritize her own safety over anything else and never put herself at risk, because if he loses her he loses himself. this is necessarily the conflict between them.

which comes to the incredible exchange between cassian and luthen about bix in episode 6 of s2, where we can see how much this conflcit is affecting cassian. he can't stand that luthen is potentially putting bix in danger, and can't stand that luthen is treating them like droids, rather than people. but then. then luthen Reminds cassian. he reminds cassian that he already surrendered his autonomy. he already surrendered his individuality. "we're not who we were when we started." cassian chose this; chose to change for this, chose to give up being a person for this. he doesn't get to now choose to put bix, his one haven, over it. she needs to be able to handle herself, because cassian asserting himself by worrying about her compromises their entire system. "you will have to decide when it becomes too large a problem." but cassian's response is the most important part: "no. that's gonna be up to you." he's essentially turning it back on luthen. if luthen expects him to remain compliant in the way his role calls for, then luthen needs to be fullfilling his side of it, and making sure cassian has an environment that he Can remain compliant in, without compromising anything. "you want my blood? you help me solve this." he is finally standing his ground on something to luthen, asserting himself in a way that is basically begging luthen to let him submit again. he wants to be part of the cause; he still wants to be able to lose himself in it, but he also needs bix, and will not give up the life he knows is possible to share with her.

[mirai-e-jump]

Animage March 2025 Issue ft. Chinen Hidekazu x Hino Yusuke Interview (translation below)

Publication: February 10, 2025

A Sweet & Bitter Collision

In the midst of the battle against the Stomach Family, who manufacture dark sweets and employ part time Granutes to kidnap humans, Shouma meets Karakida Hanto. They fight together, but Shouma's unable to tell Hanto, who despises Granutes, that he's the youngest brother of the Stomach Family.

A major topic in the story was when Hanto found out Shouma's secret, but that moment came in an unexpected way. A casual remark by Glotta, the eldest daughter of the Stomach Family, was what revealed Shouma's true identity.

Their relationship of trust began to crack. It was Shouma's own actions that paved the way to repairing it. He risks his life fighting in order to protect the humans who live in this precious world……Hanto realizes that he wants to trust Shouma, and their nearly shattered bond was revived as something stronger.

During the battle with Kamen Rider Bitter Gavv, Shouma remembers meeting Hanto's mother when he was a child, and tells Hanto about it. What exactly happened to Shouma and Hanto's mother? A further unsweetened fate will bear its fangs at both of them!!

-Bitter Gavv is a hollow Shouma-

"Both Shouma and Hanto have grown and changed significantly compared to the very beginning of the show."

Chinen: In the beginning, Shouma would say whatever he thought out loud like a child, but now that he has people that he cares about, the fear of losing them has also developed. Because of that, he began to look at his surroundings and think before saying anything, which I think was the biggest change.

Hino: Hanto had always held a grudge against the Granute who took his mother, and had a bad impression of the entire species, but he had developed enough trust and a tight friendship with Shouma to the extent that he was able to shake it off. He was able to come to terms with the thought that all Granutes are enemies, while accepting Shouma for who he is. I wanted to effectively express the moment when Hanto grew as a person.

"Starting from episode 21, Dark Shouma, who transforms into Bitter Gavv, appeared. Including how you'd differentiate your role as Shouma, what were you conscious of in your performance?"

Chinen: Dark Shouma's a hollow vessel, as he's lacking the almost 20 years of life that Shouma's lived. I was conscious of trying to differentiate him from Shouma in that Dark Shouma is unable to distinguish between right and wrong and is lacking social skills. Also, Dark Shouma himself doesn't fear death, as he has nothing to lose, which is different from Shouma, who's found things that are important to him. It's really fun doing such drastic things when performing as Dark Shouma, as all his actions are for the sake of becoming stronger.

Hino: He seems to be having fun as Dark Shouma. On the flip side, as soon as he "returned" to being Shouma, he was all like, "Ah, what am I going to do?"

Chinen: At a time when Shouma had alot of things to deal with, I took on the role of the completely broke Dark Shouma……

Hino: Just the way you said, "completely broke" (laughs).

Chinen: (laughs). I've been thinking very hard about how to make the switch in attitude. I tried to study Satoh Takeru-san's performance by watching the "Kamen Rider Den-O" making of video, but he would switch so quickly, that it makes me think that he has a natural talent that I can never imitate.

-Various thoughts are conveyed through my facial expressions and fist-

"We think that the scene at the end of episode 20, where Hanto punches Shouma, was the one that made Hanto's anger most apparent out of all the episodes up to this point."

Hino: This was a scene where his suspicion and sense of mistrust that had been building up towards Shouma finally burst, so instead of simply venting his feelings, I thought I'd express his mixed emotions of anger, confusion and shock. My synchronization with Hanto has improved, so I've been practicing in advance less often, but I did record that scene myself countless times in order to check what kind of expressions I had on my face, and to see how the image would turn out before entering the set. Director Sugihara said I "looked like a boyfriend who just witnessed his partner cheating" (laughs).

Chinen: You did. That's not at all what the scene is about though (laughs).

Hino: I think Shouma was the only person that Hanto had allowed himself to trust after losing his mentor. The anger at being betrayed must've also struck a very special nerve within Hanto, but ultimately, I think the way things turned out was good.

"How was it for Chinen-san to act as the person on the receiving end of his anger?"

Chinen: His true identity was unexpectedly revealed, so all he felt in that moment was regret, that he was in the wrong, and the feeling of guilt towards Hanto. That said, instead of asking for forgiveness or making excuses, he just had to accept Hanto's anger, and took the punch with Hanto's feelings loaded in it as it came.

Hino: It was challenging because we had to do multiple shots at various angles and speeds.

Chinen: We must've done atleast four shots. They were also checking for the point where Yusuke-kun made contact.

Hino: Because of the angle of the camera, there were takes where I didn't have to make a direct hit, while other takes I had to hit him properly, but I really hated it. The sensation of hitting another person just felt wrong…….

Chinen: As the one doing the punch, you probably also felt a sense of responsibility to not injure your co star.

Hino: Right. I've done some action before, but that scene may be the only one I've ever had to perform a hit so precisely.

Chinen: Yusuke-kun naturally went easy on me, but I was determined to give it my all, so we shot that scene while consulting with each other on set. Director Sugihara told me that I "looked like I was used to being hit," so it was also difficult to act out when I took his punch.

"The scene in episode 22 where Shouma confides in Hanto about his past was the climax for Shouma and Hanto's misunderstanding drama."

Hino: That part was difficult……

Chinen: We had something of a meeting before shooting that scene.

Hino: Now that you mention it, we did!

Chinen: We discussed what we were thinking with Director Tasaki and came up with our own ideas, which we then brought to the set on the day of the scene. With their hearts bare, and without hiding anything, it's a scene where the two of them spoke their true feelings to each other, so I was conscious of how honestly I could speak each line, and wanted to bring out everything I had felt as Shouma up to that point. Director Tasaki also explained the meaning behind the situation, saying that because it would be emotionally difficult for them to talk face to face, he created an environment where they could both look out at the city and open up about their true feelings. As I performed, I thought that the sight and feelings Shouma experienced when he first entered his mother's world after falling from the plane were also overlapping with this scene.

Hino: Director Tasaki told me to "be considerate of Shouma's feelings, but not to be influenced by them," and it was very difficult to focus on that. Hanto's the type to express anger when he's mad and cries when he's sad, but Shouma's the type of kid who smiles in front of everyone, even if he's crying on the inside. If he was going to try to be considerate of his true feelings, he won't be able to grasp them unless he listens carefully to what he's saying. Still, as Hanto, I had to listen to what Shouma had to say while trying to believe him, but if I were to suddenly think, "That's true, it is painful, isn't it?," what was bothering and angering him just before then would become blurry. It was a very sensitive scene, so it was important for me to maintain a good balance between not getting caught up in Shouma's mood and accepting him as Hanto.

"We felt that it was very "Gavv like" how the two of them carefully chose their words as they discussed the matter."

Hino: For my part, I was preparing for the possibility of having to fight Shouma. However, I felt that Komura-san was trying to depict a human drama rather than a Kamen Rider one, and that she was committed to the idea that instead of fighting, the two would accept each other by facing one another as people. Director Tasaki told me, "The real challenge is to make sure children don't take their eyes off it." Children like scenes where we transform into Kamen Riders and fight, but they can also get something earnest out of the drama, so we discussed having faith in the viewers and how we'd do that scene in order to draw them in.

-Sachika's presence is important to both of them-

"Episodes 21 and 22 were also memorable because of Sachika's active role."

Hino: This may have been the first time I worked so intensely together with Miyabecchi on a performance. Being kicked, locked out of a room, and given a stern talking to by someone who's super cheerful and cares about everyone, well, it really sucks, doesn't it? (laughs). He really wanted to believe Shouma, but he couldn't keep his cool due to his inability to forgive Granutes and his anger at him for hiding it, and I acted with the feelings that the president (Sachika) had helped him come to his senses. Our conversation through the door was a fresh experience for me, and in the scene where we're fighting over the door, Miyabecchi used too much strength and ripped the handle off, to which Director Tasaki told her, "It's okay if you take that home with you" (laughs).

"That's just how much Miyabe-san got into it (laughs)."

Hino: In the kicking scene, the Director told her, "You can kick as hard as you'd like," but Miyabecchi is kind, so she looked me in the face. I told her, "It's totally fine, just kick," but Sachika's shoes were so hard, that it was extremely painful (laughs).

Chinen: Even though you said it was fine to kick (laughs). Sachika-san was the first person who created a place for Shouma to stay, and he looks up to her with the thought of, "I want to be like this person". Because of that, he was afraid that everything he had built up until that point might collapse, and he couldn't confide in her that he was a Granute. For the phone scene in episode 22, Sachika-san's voice was recorded in advance and played on the set to make it easier for me to act out the scene. When I heard Sachika-san's voice, I naturally felt a rush of emotions, and I was able to perform in a state in which my feelings and Shouma's feelings were closely linked.

Hino: If they had used the voice of a staff member, you wouldn't have been able to do such a good performance (laughs).

Chinen: No, no, that's not true! Still, I felt more at ease since her voice is one I'm used to hearing.

Hino: Right.

Chinen: Thanks to that, I was able to do that scene in one take. In episode 23, Shouma and Sachika-san meet for the first time since she found out that he's a Granute, where I was also deeply moved by it. I think that scene is the one where I was reminded again how glad I am that Sachika-san is Sachika-san.

"In episode 23, Hanto will learn what really happened to his mother."

Hino: Honestly, the situation is so cruel, that if I myself were Hanto, I wouldn't be able to go on living, but Hanto has to overcome it. I hope you'll look forward to the important story that awaits Hanto, and I'd also like to firmly establish various things intended for the future.

"Bitter Gavv is likely to have a presence in future episodes."

Chinen: So far, all he's done is run wild, cause damage, and then disappear, almost like a typhoon (laughs).

Hino: He really is a menace, isn't he? (laughs).

Chinen: There are many mysteries surrounding this character, such as how he was born, so I hope that you'll pay attention to Bitter Gavv going forward. _

Q: What's your favorite chocolate treat?

Chinen: When it comes to chocolate, I like "gateau au chocolat" the best. I've even made my own by using a rice cooker!

Hino: I'd have to say frappes, as they're easy to drink even if you don't like sweet things. As Valen, the man most suitable for Valentine's Day, I love everyone's handmade chocolates the most ❤️ (everyone laughs).

The tertiary Rider is a reliable senior hero.

Chinen: I feel that Shouma relies on Lakia since he's also a Granute, and that there's something about him that makes Shouma feel safe.

Hino: Lakia beat the shit out of Hanto though. Gavv's always one step too slow when it comes to saving him (laughs).

Chinen: It can't be helped (laughs). Lakia's Shoji-kun appeared in "Kiramager," making him my tokusatsu senior, and he teaches me technical things and gives me advice when I'm having trouble with my performance. He's very considerate of those around him, will try to communicate with us as actors, and is the connection between everyone, so I'm very grateful to him for that.

Hino: I've been in the industry longer than he has, but we have a rather unusual relationship in that I'm older than him but he's my tokusatsu senior. I have a high level of respect for him, but now that we've gotten to know each other, I treat him like a friend.

[chelnciel]

Some reflections and more about chapter 28

Well, due to unavoidable real life situations (being an adult sucks), I've had to be almost totally offline for a while... I'm just now logging in and I see that so much has happened! So first I want to thank the team that translated Hirano to Kagiura. I saw that they will be retiring (from what I read, it would be for good news, so I'm very happy for them) and I only have words of thanks for the team. They brought sensei's works to us with wonderful translations, and I'm really grateful to have been able to enjoy these manga (ssmy and HRKG) through their work. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING! And I hope you will do great in what's to come. Also, I saw that there is already another team that will take over, so I also want to thank you from now on, since I know that the translation is a lot of work.

Also, I want to write down my thoughts on chapter 28 since I saw the spoilers and raws for chapter 29 came out, and I like to get my thoughts out before reading the next chapter (so I can laugh at myself about my theories later). I know it's not translated yet, so I'll leave my thoughts under the cut.

What's up with that cover! Sensei explained it in a tweet, but I got such a laugh out of that image, to think that they are posing for the bedroom brochure so happily... Kagi definitely takes her puppy role seriously.

How could they come up with that!!! How is it possible that if Kagi had thought that he shouldn’t do things outside his room.

And he goes and hugs Hirano in the laundry room! And Hirano too, who is so careless knowing that Hanzawa is nearby… I was nervous the whole chapter thinking that someone would catch them (and of course they were going to). Hirano knows that he is weak with Kagiura, he doesn’t even try to refuse 

Because deep down he feels that he wants to spoil him, he knows that he wants to spoil him and reciprocate his feelings, so he hardly puts up barriers to Kagi’s requests and under the excuse that he can’t refuse, he accepts and lets himself be loved (please let yourself be loved 🙏).

I've said it before, but I'll say it as many times as it takes. I love how sensei emphasizes the size difference between the two boys. In this scene Hirano looks so small in Kagi's arms, and how Kagi, even on his knees, looks so much bigger... That he can wrap his arm around and squeeze Hirano completely if he wants… I love it.

The whole scene was beautiful. I LOVE how sensei manages to keep the tension between them without much dialogue. Kagi's longing to be close to him. How Hirano sits to be hugged, startled when it becomes a more intimate hug and then, when he relaxes his head on Kagi's shoulder, accepting that tight hug! This is cinema, folks!

And damn! Where does that hand go, Kagi! Boy was he serious about hugging like lovers

I mean I get it, half the fandom (and sensei) dream of Hirano's slender waist so taking that opportunity was something he clearly needs to do (for him and for us, the avid readers of their romance). But I like that he's always concerned about Hirano's comfort, and at the slightest hint of discomfort, he backs off.

And Hirano immediately felt uncomfortable but not only because of the touch (I guess in this case he could notice Kagi's intention), but also because he is careful not to hurt his feelings. I mean, he worries that he doesn't like him... 

He has put so much effort into being able to respond to his feelings because he wants to reciprocate (despite all the confusion reigning in his head) that ultimately part of that discomfort is losing that comfort and calmness he feels around Kagi. 

But despite that, he finally took the time to think!

In all these months, since Kagi confessed in January until this point (April?), he's learned to take time to think and not rush into a visceral response. And he finally came to understand something about himself: he doesn't mind hugs if he's the one who initiates them; he definitely feels good reciprocating Kagi's feelings (even if it's in his own way).

This reinforces my theory that Hirano will be the one to kiss Kagi first because he is going to need to be the one to do the experiments and take the first steps (probably the idea comes from Kagi, but it is Hirano who throws himself on the basketball player's lips). Because if he is in control of the situation he feels more at ease.

And truth be told, I think Kagi is going to be fine with that, as long as he can be with Hirano. He's probably going to accept his limits because he already accepts them, although he probably has to wait a little longer for Hirano to want to take things a step further to the intimacy of a couple relationship.

He's so rough, though!! Was that boy raised by wolves?! What's that about pushing his head into his lap (again). Kagi has to be the mentally strongest boy to be able to handle his sweetheart showing him affection like that.

And again Hirano feels comfortable enough with the embrace to even close his eyes, relieved that he can be so close to Kagi without feeling even a hint of discomfort, relaxing in his hug.

And the happiness he feels to see that he can finally communicate to Kagi that he has been trying to take care of him and appreciate him, in his clumsy and rough way, but with the intention to do it.... 

he can finally feel that they are communicating and that he is making Kagi happy because, at the end of the day, this whole experiment is to see if he can love him, if he can make Kagi happy (and himself, of course).

I feel like we've been through so much to get to this. And that's just that they can finally understand each other and be more at peace with each other (without ending up in those lover's quarrels). Imagine when they get to start dating!!!! I'm dying and I'm longing for that day

And again, Kagi is jealous of the dogs!

He really wants to be the only thing Hirano focuses on. Surely when they live together, hopefully, they'll be able to have plants. I don't think he'll allow another living being to rival him and have to divide Hirano's time (considering they won't have much time due to their jobs).

And back to the first thoughts of the chapter...

Of course they were going to see them! But luckily for our boys, it was someone who does support them and not Hanzawa who surely would have screamed his head off and separated them.

Come to think of it, what will his reaction be like when he finds out they are dating? My impression is that it will be after ssmy gets together since at that time he still has quite a few qualms about homosexual relationships, so he must still sense that something is going on between his dorm neighbors, but he must not have anything confirmed.

An extra thought: I don't remember seeing that face on Hirano any other time. I feel like at that second he really was concerned with getting caught, though he quickly changed his expression to one of annoyance.

Ichinose… the hero of the day!

Saving the boys from Hanzawa’s watchful eye because he knows it will be problematic if he sees them at the laundry… I mentioned before that while I thought Sasaki would be the one who could shed more light on Hirano’s situation, now I trust that Ichinose is the one who will finally give him the keys to understanding what he’s feeling. Clearly he knows that boys are attracted to each other and that they’re in this constant flirting (he doesn’t know about the experiment of course, but he has a pretty clear notion of what’s going on), so I think he could be the one who helps Hirano put together the puzzle of his feelings. While I don’t see him being close enough to Hirano for him to ask anything, he might do so since even if he doesn’t consider Sasaki his friend, he’s already asked him some weird questions before And if he knows he’s being considerate towards Kagi (both of them actually), 

he might see the opportunity to ask some questions considering they’ve already been caught in an atypical roommate situation.

Come on Ichinose! I have faith that you’ll be able to help our blond in need!

Well, Hirano is super embarrassed and Kagi is very happy talking to his classmates… I can't wait to read ch 29! I feel like we're getting closer to Hirano realizing it! While I don't want anything rushed, sensei's post on bluesky has me very hopeful, especially for ch 31, so I'm crossing my fingers for it to arrive soon!

On another topic. I loved this year's birthday theme! I'm already thinking about what to put for Hirano and Kagiura! And I'm out of ideas for Niibashi!!!!

Will we have Ichinose's birthday this year? I think he deserves to have his birthday celebrated, he's definitely become an important character in the story.

And we will have vol 6 in the summer (my winter)!!!! I can't hold my happiness for this! I'm looking forward to the acrylics and associated merch, as the ones in vol 5 were so beautiful 💖 I'm dying for the 2023 birthday designs to come out, they look gorgeous both!!!

[brucewaynehater101]

please i am frothing at the mouth I NEED to hear your take on how the bats find out about JJ and Tim losing his wing in the Wingless Wing AU and how they react.

please brucewaynehater101 my lord and savior give me the angst i so desperately crave

Of course! With praise like that, how could I refuse.

I hope you enjoy the angst :D

Here's the post in reference for anyone unfamiliar.

Alright. In that post, I mentioned they find out at the same time they find out about Tim's missing spleen. We'll call that the funny path.

Ye asked for angst, though. Here's some delicious angst:

TW: JJ, wing removal, brief mentions of anti-hybrid sentiments, mentions of trafficking/selling body parts

Tim's back constantly aches. It's been years, but he can still feel the harsh hacking into his shoulder blades as his wings were removed. He can't bring himself to look at the jagged lines in his back.

When Bart saw the then raised pink scars, his face morphed into grim understanding. With careful movements, he slowly got Robin used to pressure and hands on his back. It took months for every small step forward, but the speedster was patient. He was casual and never drew attention to the small gestures. He analyzed the subtle shifts in Tim's body and backed off without being asked.

The rest of YJ eventually caught on as well. When Tim was finally able to have people's palms upon his back, Kon, Cassie, and Cissie would bicker about scar tissue massages. Eventually, it became a team bonding activity to help others with their pain (whether through massages, offering heat/ice, or moral support).

When Tim gained a gnarly gash upon his throat, the same careful process occurred again.

YJ was broken up after Tim returned with a scar upon his abdomen, but Bart, Kon, and Cassie still helped with his healing process as he did for them. They supported each other through every scar, visible or not.

When Tim first got the scars, he spent a year teaching the muscles on his back how to work properly. He added exercises, stretches, compression, and heat packs to his daily routine. It was insanely difficult to research and experiment by himself, but he managed. By the time he offered himself up as Robin, he already had strong arm and back muscles. They weren't enough for Robin, but they worked.

While Tim was Robin, he took extra care not to get damaged on his back. He lied and hid any injuries he did obtain, often seeking out YJ for help instead (after they reach that point of trust). This process worked for years. There were a few close calls, but Tim has called Kon in extreme cases.

At first, Tim didn't want anyone near his back. He hid his scars from the batfam because of his trauma and his internalized anti-hybrid sentiments (he knew most of the Waynes were hybrids, but he also thought they would kick him out if they knew he was too. Just the horrid stuff his parents spouted and conditioned learning). Eventually, as he grew closer to YJ and more comfortable in his skin, he still hid from the Waynes.

He considered telling Dick a bunch of times, but everyone else didn't foster a relationship with him where he felt comfortable. Cass knew, but she also isn't a hybrid.

There's a ton of factors in play for why Tim never told them.

When Tim gets fired from Robin, it's agonizing. He created fake wings just to maintain that role.

In his desolation, he comes to the realization that he can change his wings. Instead of the bird ones Robin has always had (at least until Damian [which is another point of contention]), Tim can have back his dragon ones. They'll be fake, but some part of him aches to have wings resembling his old ones.

Dragon wings are rare, and this causes some tension between Tim and his family when he returns. Out of all the wings he chose to fashion, why did he choose the rare, highly sought-after ones? To their knowledge, he isn't even a hybrid. They trust Tim, obviously, but him choosing dragon wings doesn't help their already strained relationships with him.

Jason especially, as someone whose had to take down a fuck ton of hybrid trafficking rings or underground selling of hybrid parts, has issues with Tim choosing dragon wings.

To prove a point, Jason chats about a pair of dragon wings that keeps getting sold around the black market. It's been years of Red Hood chasing these wings down to try to stop them from being passed around. He wants to honor them by giving them a proper burial.

One of the reasons Jason is so hung up about them is that they are so so small. They obviously came from a child.

Tim turns pale. Jason thinks that Tim finally realizes the error in his ways until the teen asks Jason to describe them.

Hood is pissed as fuck that Tim wants descriptions of the wings and initially misunderstands.

Then he notes the way Tim's arms stop in an aborted movement to wrap around himself. He catches the paleness to his face, the trembling of lips, and the hunted look in his eyes.

Jason hesitantly answers.

Tim collapses to his knees and throws up.

No one else in the family was there for this interaction. However, they see the effects.

Jason no longer berates Tim (particularly about the dragon wings).

Joker, the next time he escapes, loses a leg.

Jason and Tim hang out more with the older being more affectionate and mother henning.

[weepingtalecowboy]

Considering what Batman did in Gotham war with Jason

A fanfic exploring how everyone (especially Jason) of his children starts genuinely fearing him

Because it is canon that there are more situations where he hit and beat Richard then there are off him hugging him in the comics

He did his hardest to push Tim away he literally tried to kill Jason and then he just mentally broke him because he thought that it was the only way to make him stop being a criminal

He was straight up unsupportive towards Damian and even though he knows that Damian has no idea what a normal life is and how he isn’t allowed to kill anybody because he genuinely has no idea how to navigate society but instead of therapy he just gets berated for something he doesn’t fully understand (and while I don’t excuse his behavior or actions if he was given help like even Richard himself was enough to somewhat help him out at how to actually do things without violence a therapist could probably do much more for him but Richard already shows that just basic support was good enough for a start)

Like considering how he maybe loves them but his own mental health is so bad that the constantly hurts everyone around him

He should not even be near them if he truly loves anyone of them (except if he got psychological treatment and even then he should for the love and happiness of his kids just stay as far away as physically possible)

Batman is a mess and not equipped to raise children let alone vigilantes

he himself isn’t copping well enough to help anyone he is emotionally unstable and has lots of issues but he at least has a nanny who will take care of him when he is neglecting himself but Alfred can’t do everything for everyone and Bruce himself can’t help his family and later Alfred dies anyway making Bruce's kids dependent on him

But Bruce has no idea how to do anything for them (it is not in his range of abilities to play an actual parental role that doesn’t just mean give the kid a home over their head and food)

And while I love his character a lot over the years he is losing his path of justice more and more there are more situations of genuine concern then ever before

It just makes him seem so much more human than ever before

Because no human can live a live of vigilantism without getting more mentally ill over their whole career

After all the military discharges soldiers who are unfit for duty because of mental or physical limitations and problems

It is for their own sake but Bruce wants to fight that fight for as long as he lives

And he is dragging in more and more innocent children into his war against crime

At some point it will be to much like how Jason was killed then brought back wrong

Or Richard snapping and beating him for what he did to his brother who will never be able to fully recover from something that traumatic

Tim already knows that without robin Batman will become a monster even without crossing the line of killing

And then did everything physically possible to stop him from his self destruction

But Batman is made to self destruct there is no way he won’t break at some point (seeing as he already is breaking apart and in Batman beyond he is totally and utterly alone till Terry joins in

A fanfic exploring what would have happened if he was hurt by Nightwing after what he did to Jason is an interesting opportunity to explore

But because at the end of the day everyone knows that Batman is needed they are forced to let him live but they also know that he will actually truly snap if they are not there for him

So everyone starts living at the mansion and in fear of angering him (because there is no Alfred anymore to stop him)

They do everything to keep Jason away from him but they can’t move away anymore because Bruce disapproves at it

And Richard forces himself to interact as much as possible with him so that he focuses on him instead of his younger siblings

But the most important thing is to make sure that he doesn’t find out about their fear of him because they all know that this will make him truly upset (and by now they will never try to even play with fire anymore)

But also he is forced to raise everyone by himself

Has to make sure that Jason feels comfortable enough not to feel adrenaline because that is another problem altogether (which is hard when he immediately starts crying when being in the same room as Bruce)

Has to shield everyone from Bruce because nobody feels safe anymore

And on top of that make food and do chores (as the only good enough cook in the family and Jason no longer being able to do so) and teach the others how to do their chores despite them all being disasters at it (because no Alfred anymore)

And to somehow make it even worse he has to somehow convince Bruce to take care of himself while also trying to not make him any more upset

Then after a few years into that dynamic Bruce and past Bruce swap bodies

And while the whole league of the past and the past Batman immediately think future Bruce is an imposter because he behaves differently from how Batman would they simply tie him up beat him up

Past Bruce is surprised that everyone is at home and speaking to him and just assumes that it’s a good week but quickly realizes that something is wrong like how his entire family is going out of his way except for Dick how he seems extremely nervous about everything he says

How everyone is doing their best to keep Jason away from him

Main While the whole family assume he is having a good week and under no circumstances should they ever try to upset him in any way which is hard when he is constantly seeking them out and asking about Jason

By the point he realized what happens

He proceeds to go and beat up his future self and get therapy because he absolutely hates how everyone is afraid of him

That is not how Batman should ever be seen Batman is a sign of hope for the city not a monster hell bend on hurting criminals

[miss0atae]

Random Thoughts about The Next Prince (EP 1)_PART 1: What makes a family and is lying always wrong?

I was really struck by the sentence Khanin said to Charan. When the latter told him he was here to protect him, Khanin retorted that he was actually destroying his life. It made such an impact on me because it made me think about the “double effect”. Sometimes you can cause a harm as an unintended side effect of doing a good action. In this case, Charan merely came to protect Khanin and to be able to do this, he became the catalyst to reveal the truth of Khanin's real identity. He also unveiled that the foundation of what Khanin knew to be true were in fact not real.

We learn from Thatdanai that Khanin's grandfather asked him to raise him to protect him. When Khanin was only one year old, his mother was ambushed and died. Fortunately, Khanin was saved by Thatdanai and they went abroad to avoid any other attempted murder. Only a few people know about the truth, the others think Khanin died along his mother. However, in London, Thatdanai raised Khanin like his own son. I have to admit, I had so many questions after learning this:

Why Khanin’s grandfather could ask Thatdanai to rescue Khanin, but didn't ask him to save his mother?

Is Prince Tharin aware that his son his alive and if it’s true how does he cope with this?

Who decided it was a good idea to pretend Thatdanai was Khanin’s father? Was it a decision from his grandfather or Thatdanai decided to take this role by himself?

Would it have made a great difference in their relationship if Thatdanai always told Khanin he was adopted?

What lies did he tell Khanin when the child asked him about a potential absent other parents’ figure (like a mother)? I bet he had questions at one point.

How did they plan to tell the truth to Khanin before and how much the way Charan dealt with Khanin’s protection changed this plan?

What is sure is that Thatdanin has been a great father to Khanin because upon learning the truth, Khanin can’t stop mourning the loss of Thatdanin as his father. He doesn’t care about his true identity as the sole heir of a noble/royal family. It doesn’t matter to him too that his biological father is still alive and that he also has a grandfather. What matters is that he is losing Thatdanin, the only father he has known and the one who was here in every moments of his life until now. The loss is so hard and it takes such a toll on him because he is literally begging Thatdanin to remain his father. Khanin doesn’t want to go to Emmaly to fight to be the next king. Even if he has been raised in the Emmalian’s culture, he isn’t really looking for going back to this place. He is actually quite happy about his life in London: he has a good life, a loving father, great friends and he is doing both good in his studies and in his chosen sport. Why would he go to a country where he has none of this to fight for something he never asked for? It’s true that Charan’s arrival “destroy” the life he has always known. After all, what makes a good father and is blood thicker than water? Khanin would say the answer is no.

His biological grandfather decided with Thatdanin that it was better to lie to Khanin until now and they shouldn't be surprised that Khanin doesn't take it well. Both never took actions to make that big reveal easy to cope with. I think the rightness or wrongness of lying works hand in hand with ethics and morality. So what is commonly admitted as morally wrong? I think we could say that if you are doing something harmful and causing harm to someone, it's morally wrong. So when you're lying and you're causing harm to the person you are lying to, then it's morally wrong. However, there is an ambiguity when it comes to tell what is harmful. Khanin's grand-father and step-father decided to lie to him in order to protect him and thus they probably believe that theirs lies were not harmful because they have a selflessly intent at core. In fact, the rightness or wrongness of a lie depends on the consequences of the lie. However, by lying to Khanin both his grandfather and his step-father robbed him of the opportunity to decide for himself. It also had an impact on the trust Khanin have for Thatdanin and will probably also have an impact on the trust he can give to his biological relatives. There is one thing that is sure, no matter what intent you had when you make a lie, it will always harm someone in one way or another. Khanin's harm isn't only on the trust he will have for his family, but also on other parts.

Indeed, he will certainly experience being lost because he can't trust what he has lived until now and probably will question himself, his choices, his hobbies or passions. Are the truly him or something his family and protector wanted him to be? (could be both to be honest) I wouldn't like to be Khanin right now because it is not easy to reassess your entire life. There is no doubt he will need to be helped. Charan, despite being the catalyst of everything that changed for him, may become the support he needs, after he forgives him of course. However, Charan will probably be the only person he can trust after this, especially in Emmaly where he knows no one.

On a side note, I wonder if Khanin will find it easy to adapt to Emmaly. Despite the fact his step-father taught him the culture of Emmaly, it seems like he still can't fully grasp it (he still ignores parts of it as it was shown with the tale of Emmalian kiss). Will he feel the cultural dissonance when living in Emmaly and how will he be able to overcome this? I wonder if the story will show us this.

[hypertechnica]

i’m not saying that what Odo did in s6 while the dominion occupied the station WASNT fucked up beyond imagination, but am i the only one who thinks it completely makes sense why it happened (and why Kira forgave him?)

to be clear, i absolutely think the show forgave him too fast - it should have been a full arc on screen, not in a single off screen discussion in a closet. that was a massive writing failure. but! i don’t think that the arc is usalvageable at all.

(CW for discussions of grooming)

from what i knew of the dominion collaborator arc before i watched it, i assumed Odo had taken an active role in betraying the federation basically because he was lonely and horny and prioritized his own feelings over his values. i didn’t see that at all.

Odo’s betrayal lied within his inaction - his refusal to help kira and the resistance when she needed him most, ruining their plans and in the end costing thousands of lives. Kira (and everyone else) had every right to never speak to him again - so why did she?

Odo, to me, seemed completely dissociated the entire time his betrayal took place. where just before he had been talking of wanting to rip out his strong feelings for Kira, he then takes on an eerie apathy towards everything, stating things “used to” matter and that he felt nothing. he doesn’t even know how much time is passing. the crux of this, of course, is the link - Odo stresses that it’s an experience that can’t be compared to anything solids can do. Kira just “doesn’t understand.” that she can’t understand. what is so life changing about linking that makes him do a full 180 on everything he’s ever stood for? it’s basically just goo sex, right? right?

the Voice of the Link (the female changeling but i refuse to call her that because it’s a stupid fucking name) is manipulating him with his desire to link and to experience his culture. but linking is more than a metaphor for sex, it’s quite literally the emotional fusion between beings. the show compares it to sex, yes, but the emotional intimacy of the act transcends humanoid notions of sexuality in a way Odo had never experienced at this level before. the Voice already had power over him. she’d been building his trust and teasing him with hints at their culture for seasons at this point, it wasn’t a huge step to fully let her enter his mind. the Voice wanted Odo to join the Great Link - but she also wanted that minefield to be destroyed. Odo says she didn’t find out about their plans, but was he correct? what are the Voice’s true motives? she says she doesn’t care about the details of the war, that she just wants to be with Odo for companionship - i don’t buy it. she has to know about the resistance. she’s too smart to not have figured it out. it’s two birds with one stone - fully sway Odo to the side of the dominion, and ensure that the minefield is destroyed.

they’d linked before, but never in totality or for that length. she knew he’d be vulnerable to it. that he would lose himself to the overwhelming emotional intensity and melding of their minds. Odo was an extremely young changeling with little to no experience linking, and was thrust into an out of body extremely emotional and sexual experience literally transcending the boundaries of self with a thousand+ year old founder who knows exactly what buttons to press. of course he would lose his sense of self and detach from reality! she’s literally both attacking and assuaging every vulnerability Odo has in an extremely precise manner!

Odo wanted nothing more than to be able to link with another changeling but the power imbalance was too great. he was putty in her hands. it was really uncomfortable to watch and i dare say it was an act of predation rather than “Odo was horny and folded immediately” or “Odo was lonely and prioritized that over his friends.” yes, he was both of those things, but in the context of his relationship with the Voice… good lord. i wouldn’t even be surprised if Odo genuinely didn’t know the extent of the damage he caused until after things were over - he was completely and utterly gone.

it makes no sense for Odo to suddenly abandon his entire moral and value system just because The Link Is Cool and Awesome and i’m Learning About my Culture and then change his mind once more once shit starts hitting the fan. he’s not that gullible. he can’t rip out his feelings! but he can be coaxed into a state of derealized semi consciousness by continuous linking and isolation from others.

by linking with the Voice he lost track of where he ended and she began. his ego had been destroyed. he was nothing, and nothing mattered but the link. the totality of it. his loneliness was amplified by a thousand degrees every time they separated, she knew how to make him feel just right, she knew how to make him lose his independence completely.

but the spark within him, his love that he’d tried to get rid of, the kind that didn’t require becoming nothing but a drop in an ocean, saved him from her. Kira helped him remember himself and what he believed in right before it was too late.

Odo is far from a defendable character in many cases. he’s a very very flawed person. but i would argue this isn’t his worst moment. his extremely authoritarian tendencies and the amoral decisions he’s made while in complete sound mind are honestly more culpable to me than what happened to him in s6. the scale of the disastrous consequences resulting from his betrayal make it way worse obviously, but he was literally getting groomed and NOT in his right mind. he seemed almost drugged to me at points.

so he SHOULD have gotten another arc afterwards explaining all of that in detail instead of “well, he talked it out offscreen with Kira. he’s forgiven now!” BRO HE INDIRECTLY KILLED SO MANY PEOPLE dissociated or not he SHOULD face consequences for that!! make him grapple with it!! make him realize the extent of what happened not only the consequences but the the way he was taken advantage of! its literally existentially terrifying in every way! and of COURSE in that context Kira would forgive him. trust would have to be rebuilt, of course, but it’s one thing to actively put the entire alpha quadrant at risk for some strange, it’s another thing to have your vulnerability taken advantage of and be put into a dissociative state.

tldr: the Voice is a great villain and Odo has never done anything wrong ever in his life

[motheroffeline]

Can you do a aaron/yn smut where yn is starting to get jealous of aaron and teyana taylors lil "relationship"🤭

Akira (reader) x Aaron Pierre, oral (f receiving) Disclaimer: I haven't written in a while so it might be a rough read butttt give it a chance anyways.

18+ Minors DNI

It was another day of rehearsal and Akira was dressed down to the nines. A medium length dress from Louis Vuitton from the spring/summer collection hugged her voluptuous frame in all of its glory as she stepped out of her car paired with black Louis Vuitton patent leather pumps. But, even with this confidence, Akira felt that Teyanna would one up her again when it came to fashion and also the fact that her sex appeal was through the roof alluring not just men, but women as well and also happened to catch the idea of a man Akira was hoping it would not: Aaron Pierre.

At first, it seemed like a publicity stunt but as time went on Aaron started to call Teyanna over when it was only supposed to be Akira and himself present. She had been his best friend for over 5 years knowing exactly what type of women he liked and what type he did not and yet Akira did not expect Teyanna to pop up and ruin everything. To be completely truthful, Akira hoped that as time went on Aaron would confess his feelings but no... it could not happen, not yet at least because he had a woman in his life now.

As Akira walked into the Saenger theater, her breathing slowed as she noticed Teyanna's rather expensive car parked so neatly next to Aaron's. It was like she was being taunted into pointing out the obvious with Aaron but the fact that he was her friend stopped her because it meant that she would have to confess how she felt and that Akira was not ready for but only time could tell.

The heavy doors creaked open to reveal only Aaron and Teyanna present which was quite strange to say the least. But Akira walked into the acoustic building, heels clacking against the marble floor resembling the sound of cracking glass.

"Ayee good to see you Akira!" Teyanna yelled from the stage waving at Akira and she hesitantly waved at her. Akira had no personal beef with Teyanna but the fact that she even entertained a relationship with Aaron was enough for Akira to want to not talk to her at all.

"I have no idea where everyone else is. Nathan said he was coming about an hour ago and didn't send anything back so..." Aaron spoke voice bouncing off of the walls.

Akira walked up on the stage admiring the red seats of the expansive building which could hold thousands of people. Another reason why Akira despised Teyana was because they were both considered for "Vixen" but it was obviously Teyana who matched the look of the character the best and it made Akira jealous. Not only would she lose a movie role but also the chance of being with Aaron herself. Yes, she had to admit that it was selfish but who wouldn't be when it came to him?

"So, um, who thought it'd be a good idea to practice here?" Said Akira with an unsteady voice trying not to be a third wheel.

"Nathan had the script printed out on his computer from the script writer but he isn't even here. Guess we chilling until his late ass shows up." Teyana giggles to herself and for some reason it agitated Akira because of how melodic her laugh sounded. She always could sing but Akira could not; she had abs without trying while Akira had to stay damn near 4 hours in the gym daily; Teyana could command a room while Akira had to instruct it, and Teyana got closer to Aaron than Akira had in 5 years.

It was pathetic but Akira had to come up with a lie to get Aaron alone with her it was the only way she would be able to tell him what was on her mind. And for him to not be distracted by Teyanna who was in a Tsnbre two piece knit set showcasing her hard abs. His multicolored eyes lingered on Teyana's body a moment too long and Akira cleared her throat.

"I'm so crazy y'all! Nathan sent me a copy of it last night but I forgot to bring it with me. He sent it on a word doc, and I went to slip before I had a chance to print it. Aaron, can you go with me?" Akira said with hope in her voice while Teyana stared at her with pointed eyes that relaxed as Aaron spoke up.

"Teyana you can go with us if you w-"

"That's fine I was just leaving anyways. I don't think anyone else is showing up since there's supposed to be a bad storm coming in to night." With that, Teyana walked out of the heavy doors not taking a second glance at Aaron or Akira.

Aaron sighed as he frustratingly rubbed both his large hands up and down the expanse of his face. "I know what this is and I'm sorry if you think you know what's going on between me and Teyana. Akira I can tell when you're envious and right now it's written all over you."

Akira gulped not wanting to look up at Aaron. She had no idea that her want had been so nauseously obvious.

"Like I told you before it's all for the movie we're building chemistry so we don't look like two left shoes when the movie comes out. And you know this Akira! You've done about two movies yourself where you had to get into a role but you're coming after me. I need you to tell me what's going on in there, in that mind of yours." Aaron's voice wavered as each word came out.

"Okay, I get it I'm a jealous bitch and I love you so much that I can't bear you with another woman. I think it was that three-year mark. I fell so hard I couldn't even pick myself up after realizing how amazingly we synced on an emotional level and I wanted to take it to the next step. But I don't act as quick as I think and everything good to me passes me by. I fucking love you is what I'm saying, Aaron, okay?"

Aaron walked up to Akira with a lopsided smile on his face and kneeled down to face her 5'4" self eye to eye. And the sweetest, most unexpected thing happened: he kissed her like he was making love to her mouth. His tongue darted in savoring her as the plushness of his lips pressed against hers causing Akira's arms wrap around his broad shoulders to steady herself. He smelt like Forever by Azzaro with notes of cedar, oud, and palo santos.

When his lips finally popped off of hers, they just stared at each other with rapidly beating hearts waiting for the other to make the next move.

"Jealous? Yeah. Bitch? Nah, never been that in all of the years I've ever known you, you've always been so elegant and mature that it seemed like you were leagues above me. I used to be pretty frugal until I started being with you more and you gave me that boost to me the man I currently am, and I just haven't given you the props you need. I want to make up with you on the floor, on the stage, in all of these thousands of chairs: everywhere."

Akira initiated the kiss this time pulling him into her body that was shivering with need. Lips smacking against each other as she led him over to the stage hoping that he would live up to his promise.

"You think I didn't see you when you walked in here? That dress is fitting that ass just right it took everything in me not to rip everything you had off, so I just played it cool. Whole time you knew what you was doing. Say something to me beautiful." Aaron whispered in a gravelly voice as he kneaded Akira's D cup breasts through her dress as she whimpered grinding her ass against his hardened dick.

"I really can't even find the words to say something to you Aaron." Akira gasped as Aaron carefully pulled her dress above her head causing her nipples to turn into stiff peaks.

"Mmmm you don't have to say nothing right now not while we doing this. After I get done with you let me know what's been going on but right now, I just want to hear your body talking to me telling me what she need." Aaron unlatched Akira's bra and took her dark ebony nipple into his mouth twirling his thick tongue around it so roughly that Akira shouted wanted to push back his head from the intense feeling.

"Go sit down in one of those chairs over there so I can kiss it properly baby."

Akira's breath hitched in her throat as she sat down on the red chair, her underwear showing a visible wet spot as she spread her legs wide. Aaron crawled over on all fours looking at Akira with sinful glinting eyes.

"You're so ready for me it's unbelievable. Never thought this would be happening today, did you? Your pussy smells so good I'm going to lap it up. That okay? When I start tasting this pussy you better not push my head away."

Akira could only nod as her arousal caused her brain to fog from how intense it was. His tongue darted out to lick her wet clit through the silk fabric of her underwear causing her to rise up out of the seat halfway before dropping back down. He chuckled before sliding her underwear off down her leg before depositing them into his pocket.

He gently kissed her naked clit and Akira whimpered at the feeling which only added fuel to the fire for Aaron. His tongue licked a flat stripe from hole to clit causing Akira to cry out as he started sucking on her clit, his stubble brushing against the underside of it. Eyes rolling to the back of her skull, Akira moaned as she humped his face.

"Ohhh shittttt right thereee. I'm cum all over your face! This what you want? Ima give it you oh mmmmmm unh unhhhhhh." Tears run down Akira's face as Aaron's throat gulped up all of her squirting release.

Mascara running down her face, Akira's legs shook feeling like jelly as Aaron licked the remainder off her wetness off of his lips.

"I love you too, Akira and don't ever think for a second I'll forget about you. Teyana is for the movie, but I've known you so long I know what you makes you tick and now I know how to make you fall apart. I really would love to keep going but in the comfort of a bed perhaps?" Aaron smirked as he took in Akira's exhausted face.

"How am I gonna please you?" Akira said sleepily as Aaron looked at her.

"You can learn about my body some other time baby. Today was all about you and making you feel validated in your love for me. Seeing you cum was so gorgeous I'll replay it in my head for the rest of my life."

He leaned down to pick up Akira's body bridal style preparing to carry her out to her car when he saw Nathan standing in the middle of the floor with papers scattered everywhere with a beyond shocked look on his face.

"Um how long were you standing there?"

"Ummmmmmmm..." Nathan said with a red face looking away from Akira's naked body.

[liyaauhr]

I think one of the beautiful aspects of the SBG friendship is the fact that it was formed (as far as we know) purely by chance. If it weren’t for Aiden forcing his way into Ashlyn’s house and practically weaselling her way into his life, convincing her to go on the Savannah trip with the rest of the group resulting in them getting sucked into the phantom world and spending days together, then all of their lives would have been unchanged. And tbh, when you observe at all their home lives and attitudes before Savannah, I don’t think that would have necessarily been a good thing for all of them.

And it’s funny to think about how they would’ve continued their lives just walking past each other in the hallways on the way to class.

Red actually confirmed this herself:

Ashlyn would have assumably continued her life without friends, which in a lot of cases can be extremely isolating and don’t work out in the long term. It’s a hard mindset to break out of and would have made it harder for her to understand others.

The term ‘loners’ applies to all of them because no matter the social status, they were all alone.

Logan was a victim of bullying, cornered by people and having his kindness taken advantage of to the point where he felt worthless with insignificant contributions. If it weren’t for his friends, he would’ve never stood up for both himself and his bullies’ next victim and just look at how much of a badass he’s grown to be! They gave him confidence and a purpose, he knows his role in the group and helps Ashlyn with strategising, he’s got friends now and he’s not so lonely anymore.

Taylor and Tyler Hernandez are pretty implicitly stated as popular, you can see it in panels where they’re constantly surrounded by a large group of people, not to mention Tyler being a jock. But being surrounded by people doesn’t necessarily make you less lonely, the two have only ever had each other in their lives. Tyler was never able to have fun because he was too busy caring for his mother and sister while still trying to get a sports scholarship for university and Taylor watched as her twin began to load too many weights onto himself. After the Sorrel Weed house, Tyler and Taylor began to open up and have fun, for once they were both finally able to have people to rely on since the death of their parents.

Aiden had been travelling around and meeting people who he knew wouldn’t stay in the end, how could they when not even his own parents could? I think it’s pretty implied that Aiden’s parents were pretty neglectful and emotionally unavailable, being described as away on business trips and unaware of his low point in life. He also couldn’t make friends that would last because they moved so often (which I can only imagine how lonely that could be). It’s also pretty implied that Aiden’s untethered a major adrenaline seeker, reckless and uncaring of the danger he puts himself in.

Yet once he saw Ashlyn upset over his death, he had finally found a motivation to live again and with his friends, days aren’t suddenly spent alone anymore.

It was also by chance that Ben Clark ended up moving in with Aiden’s family and due to messed up reasons at that. His dreams of singing were forcibly taken from him leaving him with unmanaged anger and building resentment, his situation was so traumatising to the where he went mute. Losing the one thing you love and are good at is a visceral pain, something he’s been holding in for years.

Then he meets Aiden, he trusts him and follows him around and sort of became comfort blankets for eachother.

So funnily enough, I think you can credit Aiden for being the reason they’ve all met now.

By pure coincidence, Ashlyn got placed next to Aiden. By pure coincidence, they ended up on the same bus. Now, they’re all roped into a phantom realm together but at least they have each other and I think there’s something really beautiful about that because without even meaning to, they’ve made such a huge impact on eachother’s lives.

Without the phantom realm, they would have had normal lives unharmed but would they have been fulfilled?

(Can you tell I’m a sucker for the found family trope?)

[darkfluffydragon]

Cookie Run AU Ideas #8: Timeless Kingdom

what if Pure Vanilla Cookie, instead of being amnesiac outside with Black Raisin, was instead trapped in the Vanilla Castle time loop? But because of the Light of Truth, he's aware of it? he's been stuck there for...hundreds of years, watching his people die over and over again nothing ever changes no matter what he does and then finally, Gingerbrave shows up. I mean, PV may be nice but there are only so many times he can hear the same monologue before he gets reaaaally sick of it gonna join GC on the hate train and he physically isn't able to do anything "out of script". Every time he tries, he sort of 'loses control of his body', since it's a memory time loop you can't just change a memory and since he's a part of it, it'll force him to go along with it. To play his role. Gingerbrave and his friends probably wouldn't even realise he's not a memory at first, that the Pure Vanilla is the real one.

And an extra I wrote for the AU >:3

Pure Vanilla Cookie awoke with a start, his eyes snapping open to the familiar sight of his bed’s golden canopy. His head throbbed, and his mind felt muddled, a fog of pain and confusion clouding his thoughts. He struggled to sit up, the effort sending sharp jolts of agony through his body. As he gathered his bearings, fragments of memories began to resurface—the battle against Dark Enchantress Cookie, the ruins of his castle, and the faces of his friends, Golden Cheese Cookie, Dark Cacao Cookie, Hollyberry Cookie, and White Lily Cookie.

They had arrived to aid him, late, their expressions grim and determined. By then, he had already spent hours running through the chaos, trying desperately to heal his people. But no matter how hard he tried, the cake monsters kept coming, relentless and unyielding. He remembered the wounds they all bore. The exhaustion that clung to their bones as they fought to protect their home, their kingdom. With his magic reserves depleted, there had been a point where he had started reaching into the depths of his being, drawing upon his very essence—his life powder and soul to fuel his spells.

He remembered the final confrontation against her, he had used Dark Moon Magic, a power he had sworn never to touch. ~~The magic most natural to him.~~ The last time he had seen it wielded, it had led to the academy's destruction. But there had been no other choice. He had cast the banishment spell, lifting himself into the air as Dark Enchantress Cookie tore their Souljams, their very souls, from them. The explosion had ripped through the kingdom, the pain blinding and all-consuming. And then, nothing.

Now, here he was, awake once more. Why? How? As these questions swirled in his mind, he felt a strange sensation, as if invisible strings were tugging at his limbs. Panic surged through him as he realised he was moving against his will, his body tracing the exact path of his memories. He tried to speak, to cry out, but no sound escaped his lips.

“No! Run! Dark Enchantress is coming! Evacuate the cookies!” he screamed, his voice hoarse with desperation. But the words seemed to dissipate into the air, unheard and unheeded. The cookies outside moved about their routines, oblivious to the impending doom. Children played in the streets, vendors hawking their wares, and guards patrolled, all blissfully unaware of the threat looming over them.

The nightmare would unfold before him with horrifying clarity. His friends—the heroes—were nowhere to be seen. Instead, dark silhouettes had taken their place, shadowy figures that seemed to mock his efforts. Was it because of the Souljams? Could this memory not replicate them because of the artefacts which housed their power? 

The endless battle raged around him, the air thick with the stench of smoke and the cries of the wounded. Cake monsters swarmed the castle, their grotesque forms looming over the terrified cookies. Pure Vanilla’s attempts to heal his people felt like trying to stop a flood with a sieve. Every spell he cast seemed to evaporate into nothingness, swallowed by the overwhelming darkness.

The invisible strings tightened around him. It constricted his movements, squeezing his mind. His autonomy slipped further away with each passing moment. The fog in his mind grew denser, suffocating his thoughts.

He felt every wound, every drop of jam that spilled, every life that was lost. He could see the faces of his people contorted in terror and agony, and hear their screams echoing in his mind. His friends fought, their forms blurred by exhaustion and jam. Yet no matter how hard they fought, the cake monsters kept coming, an endless tide of destruction.

The sky would fill with magic circles, blue eyes of the runes staring down at the target as he used magic that he swore to never use, for the second time. He would see her malevolent grin, and feel the agony of the explosion that followed. 

And then, he was back in his bed, the cycle beginning anew. The loops continued, over and over, each one more harrowing than the last. As time stretched into eternity, Pure Vanilla Cookie felt his thoughts growing quieter. Centuries seemed to pass, each loop eroding a bit more of his will. He couldn't move, couldn't speak, and soon, he feared, he would no longer be able to think. In the moments of silence, his mind would turn to White Lily Cookie, the one he had loved so deeply. She had become Dark Enchantress Cookie, the architect of his suffering and the destroyer of his kingdom. Yet, despite everything, he still loved her.

The pain of that love was like rose thorns digging into his heart, a constant, aching reminder of what once was. He had loved her so dearly, had kept her transformation a secret from their friends, hoping against hope that she could be redeemed. But now, as he watched his beloved kingdom and its innocent people crumble time and time again, the anguish was almost too much to bear.

To love White Lily Cookie was to love a rose. To love her was to let the rose crawl up him, letting its hurtful thorns dig into his fragile dough. His jam would paint the delicate petals red, and once gone, wounds and scars would be left to taunt him of his foolish desire.

She had been gifted a bouquet of hearts, yet the only one his moon had taken was his own. She dangled the prize in front of him like a carrot on a stick, and he ran the race despite being the only competitor. She blindfolded him of the fact, and let Pure Vanilla run himself ragged until he could give no more. Then, she left. Left with everything that was Pure Vanilla, left him empty and hurting. Trapped. Left in all her gentle and loving glory, as her beautiful soul was tainted and twisted into the monster that had taken her place.

He did not care for the traitorous thoughts wondering if he was feeling the wrong feelings and thinking the wrong thoughts. He could not care, for he loved her nonetheless. Loved her poisonous, uncompleted promises. Loved her for the nights of waiting by the academy garden, gazing up at the sky, at clouds that would never part to allow him a glimpse of her smile. Loved her for the incomplete dances she swore she would return for, leaving him alone and abandoned in an empty ballroom. He loved her unconditionally. And for this, White Lily Cookie had become his greatest torment.

Each encounter felt like a knife twisting deeper into his heart. The sight of Dark Enchantress Cookie, her once gentle eyes now filled with malice, was a reminder of everything he had lost. She had been his moon, his guiding light, and he had loved her with a purity that he had thought unbreakable. But the darkness that had taken her was relentless, and it had shattered her, and him, beyond repair.

The White Lily Cookie he loved was gone, replaced by the Dark Enchantress Cookie who revelled in his suffering. She was the creator of his endless torment, the reason his kingdom lay in ruins, and his people were lost

What a fool he was.

Pure Vanilla Cookie, awoke in a bed not his own. His limbs were not strung by strings that cut into his dough, and his thoughts were…loud. Clarity such as this was so incredibly rare.

He took in the room, noting how the other cookies, the ones who had…saved him, were still asleep. Quietly, he slipped out of the room, his steps soft and deliberate, as if any sound might shatter this fragile moment of peace. The hallway was dimly lit, shadows playing along the walls. He moved with purpose, though his heart was heavy with the familiar ache of his memories.

Reaching the garden, he paused for a moment at the entrance, breathing in the cool night air. The scent of flowers and earth was a reminder of simpler times. He walked towards the patch of lily flowers, their white petals glowing softly under the moonlight. 

Sitting down among the lilies, he stared up at the moon, its pale light casting a gentle glow over the garden. The tranquillity of the night wrapped around him, and for a brief moment, he felt the weight of his sorrow lift.

His thoughts turned, as they always did, to White Lily Cookie. The moon reminded him of her—bright, beautiful, yet distant and untouchable. He remembered their nights in the academy garden, the way she would laugh and talk about the future with such hope. Those memories were bittersweet now, coloured by the centuries of pain.

The garden was silent except for the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. Pure Vanilla Cookie closed his eyes, letting the memories wash over him. He could almost hear her voice, see her smile. But then the image would shift, and he would see her as she was now—cold, dark, and filled with a malice that seemed impossible for someone who had once been so kind. He hated that he loved White Lily, a love that had once been pure and untainted. But he loathed Dark Enchantress to the point it hurt.

As the night wore on, Pure Vanilla sat alone. Though he could pretend that he was not, that there was another by his side. Perhaps…even four, all five of them together, underneath the starlit sky with the scent of campfire smoke in the air.  He did not know how long this clarity would last, how long before he would be pulled back into the muddy thoughts and fog. But for now, he rested in the peace of the garden, and the bittersweet memories of the one he loved.

Under the moonlight, surrounded by the lilies, he allowed himself to simply be. To remember, to grieve, and to love, even if it was only for a brief, stolen moment.