#and insist that you are beyond its effects..... I PROMISE you you aren't

[menlove]

atheists? generally pretty cool and decent people. some can be annoying but you can say that about any group ever. not believing in any god or religion is incredibly valid & understandable. ANTI-theists? most aggravating, up their own shit group of people on earth. somehow the most obnoxiously culturally christian group of people also while also smugly claiming to be above religion like. motherfucker you just redressed catholicism & are just as ignorant to history & human diversity as the most devout conservative of any religion. touch grass and smoke some weed or something. fuck.

[karume-everything-else]

Whumptober 2023

Day 26: "I don't want to let you down." [Reader x Beast (Hank McCoy)] {X-Men}

Scratching your head at the papers in front of you, this was just a little more than you could handle. Filing papers was never your strong suit, but you'd promised to help your lover while he wasn't feeling good. How a common cold was this effective against a mutant was beyond you, but he was supposed to be out of office until further notice.

Though in reality, you should have been used to this. Being a substitute teacher and all. But then again, Hank taught highly advanced courses and here you sat trying to grade essays. It was a little maddening, you were deeply tempted to take these to Hank and just... let him grade these things that didn't have an answer key.

That wouldn't help anyone though, sadly. So you just had to knuckle down, keep several research tabs open, and hope for the best. Hope that you weren't just handing out random grades to people who might have actually done the work properly.

But that all faded by the time you got home. Hank was sitting on the couch, looking like he was fine but you could tell he was still very much ill. Both of you had on masks to avoid spreading the illness around the house, but that was more a precaution than anything. Hank should be out of the contagious stages by now.

"Hello sweetheart." His voice even sounded clogged, "How were the students today?"

"Decent." You felt his forehead, still fairly high fever, "Though I don't know if I graded the essays they turned in properly or not."

He leaned into your hand, the coolness of your touch was soothing, "You didn't need to do that sweetie, I could have graded them when I returned."

"But you'll have so much else to catch up on, it wasn't that bad. I just... its hard to know if they copied anything."

"I promise, it wouldn't have been too much." Hank insisted, "I can't fathom why you'd try grading papers that are more free-form than the standard tests."

"Because." You moved to help clear away the mess on the coffee table, "I don't want to let you down."

"Sweetheart, you could never." Hank tried to stand, to move to help you, but he fell back onto the couch with a soft thump, "You wouldn't be letting me down, I know you aren't well-versed in my field of study and you don't need to push yourself."

"Like you trying to get up?" You half smirked, "Hon, I just want to help, to make sure that you don't work yourself sick after catching a cold. That would not be a good look for anyone involved."

Grateful for the mask covering his blushing face, Hank looked away. Some things were just far too predictable...

[antihibikase2]

Numeron Code : Final Wonderland

Long ago, I think I lost something in an unfamiliar place and cried, And a [ dark-eyed ] sorcerer took me by the hand and helped me [ He ] isn't going to come here, I remembered who [ he ] was I'm coming to help you now

The steps of the undersea castle were infinite, as if to dissuade their lone inhabitant from leaving.

Though Slater found the view enthralling, he knew he was not meant to stay here, no matter how loudly the ocean called for him.

The current was merciless- with each step bringing him closer to the light, he was pushed down as soon as escape was within his reach.

All he could see in front of his outstretched hand were bubbles from his throat, as the water pulled him back into the depths of the abyss.

For a moment, he had considered giving up, curling into the safety of the sea's embrace.

But the light filtering through the waves called out to him like a siren's song- and with it came a gloved hand.

He tries again.

No matter how hard he was put down, he had nowhere to go but beyond.

He had lost count of how many times he was brought back to the darkness.

But as long as that hand was within his reach, he could not stop trying.

...

Surrounded by the flames of the end, Piper knew this duel was going to end one way or another.

Either he performed a miracle, a blessing only given by the gods,

Or he, Slater, and Ghetsis would all burn in the flames of hell.

There is no outcome where Ghetsis will win. He refuses to entertain that.

As the wall of flames grew, he could barely hear the screams of his rivals- the ringing silence of the Heralds was all he could focus on, as he stared down at the limp body in his arms.

"I end my turn."

...

Pushed down into stone floors once again, The Herald of Perfection breaks its vow of silence.

"Why do you insist on leaving?"

Was he not so lucky, to be chosen by the angels?

Was he not thankful, to be worthy of their protection?

Was he not happy, to live in comfort in the depths of the sea, where he could not be touched or hurt?

Slater shakes his head.

No matter what treasures these angels offered him, he would not falter.

He promised someone he would meet them.

...

Burning Land's stacked effect with Dark Room of Nightmare, coupled with the charging Wave-Motion Canon-

"Desperate, aren't we?" Ghetsis mocks. "This isn't the strategy you had planned at all."

It wasn't- it was a bit of an old shame, to say the least. Piper never wanted his duels to come off as anything other than perfect, and he didn't want to resort to tactics like burn to gain the upper hand.

He was better than this, smarter, even.

But a cornered dog bites back, no matter how ugly.

Ignoring Ghetsis' taunts, he sticks to his new strategy- or, to be more accurate, he falls back on an old reliable.

"I activate the spell, Swords of Revealing Light. All face down monsters are flipped up in attack position. With this card on the field, you can't attack for three turns."

"Desperate and bidding for time."

It was all he could do, especially when Slater's eyes remained shut.

...

At some point, he had lost track of time.

He must have been expected to be driven to insanity- as for no matter how hard he tried, he could not escape the clutches of the legendary sea.

But, even as the Heralds of Green, Purple, and Orange lights swirl around him, ready to subdue him once more,

He reaches out for that hand at the surface yet again.

As their fingers brush together, he remembers their promise.

...

The heat continues to grow, melting the Sweet Hearts that Piper pops into his mouth in a panic.

With Jinzo on both their fields, Piper wonders how the rest of this duel was going to go-

And then Ghetsis does the unthinkable, and performs an Xyz Summon.

As a new monster emerges from the field, Piper realizes the control he initially thought he had was a mere farce.

Yet, he swallows the bittersweet chocolate down his throat, steeling his nerves.

Though this wasn't the spotlight he envisioned, Piper continues to fight for the sake of the only thing that matters-

But just as he's about to draw his card, he finds that he can no longer see clearly with one of his eyes- the one with the crest.

...

"Slater, I'm sorry I was so busy lately."

"It's alright! How are you? Are you doing well?"

"It's-"

"..."

"..."

"Piper?"

"..listen, Slater. Can we meet up? At our usual spot. I'll meet you at sundown."

...

And so, Slater waits.

Even as the sun sets and the moon takes its place, he waits.

Even as the inky darkness swallows the golden sky, he waits.

Even as an angel shows itself to him, its haunting chime a sign of bad fortune-

He waits.

...

The water slowly rises from the soles of his shoes to his knees.

Strangely, in the midst of this hot summer day, his Sweet Hearts retain their shape.

...

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. This is my fault."

...

"It's okay, I've forgiven you a long time ago."

Their hands meet, and Slater holds his breath as he's taken out of the water.

...

As Piper falters, his body does not meet the marble floor.

With shaky arms and an even shakier breath, Slater stands with his singed holy robes, holding him close to his body as they stood against the devil- the one who had played with their fates.

"The Diviner of The Herald," Ghetsis spits out. "To think you still had the strength to wake, even after all that-"

"Slater?"

"Piper-"

Oh, his throat felt dry. Each word pricked his throat with a thousand needles.

Yet, he smiles.

"Partner."

"Partner- yes, that's me, we promised-"

Ah, bad time.

He looks up at the banner- with only a thousand life points left, on turn fifteen no less, Slater wonders how to turn this duel around.

He wasn't that good of a duelist in the first place.

Still, just as Piper had reached for him, he would offer to do the same, even if his body perishes in hellfire.

With Piper hanging onto him for dear life, Slater summons his duel disk into his arm-

"Here, take mine. It's temporary."

Piper transfers the mark around his eye onto Slater's, in place of his missing D Gazer.

His indigo eye turns to a shining gold, the same shade as the light attribute that was forced upon him.

An angel-

The wings of his tailcoat were burnt off.

Even with these chains binding him to the heavens, Slater persists.

He would not allow himself to ascend.

"Partner," His voice quivers, especially as Ghetsis glares down at his form- "Please, you've done so much for me already. Let me share your burden."

And normally, Piper would not allow such a thing.

But, consumed by his own fatigue, he chooses to believe the sight before him was a dying dream.

"Partner," Piper whispers under his breath. "I'm counting on you."

His eyes shut as Slater fully awakens, having broken out of his dreamland.

As the flames lick up his arm, Slater prays that the angels who had taken him would at least part from his form with a blessing,

and bring about a miracle.

"My turn! I draw!"