#and she doesn't want the idiot prepared for a visit

[sesshy380]

I should not like shifts where all I'm doing is working stock as much as I do, especially since it means coming in a bit later in the day. Though today's goal is to haul-ass and get as much of the back room onto the floor as possible.

[mire1li]

Reader as Alastor's Mother part 2

Part 1!, Part 3!

𓋼 You would absolutely decorate his microphone with a bunch of ribbons you found!

And he would absolutely allow it in fear of upsetting you, although he began to take them off later on when he had to leave, but seeing you get sad at his actions changed his mind… It did not help that the ribbons were glittery.

“Oh look, Sparkles got sparklier!” Angel had said when Alastor was passing by.

𓋼 He wants you to be happy but don't even try having feelings for anyone in hell, they'll most likely 'disappear under mysterious circumstances' and then you'll just so happen to hear their screams on Alastor's radio broadcast <3

Lucifer tries to flirt everytime he sees you outside (or once he comes back to see the hotel which… would be 'some' time later…) But it's not long before Alastor shows up bcs he has a shadow follow you everywhere

“My mother certainly would not want someone so… ancient…”

“are you trying to make me sound like a fossil?”

“Maybe~ I can’t say for sure though!”

"Y'know, I've stolen wives before… maybe it's time to steal a mother instead!"

"I'm going to fucking kill you"

𓋼 Lucifer would play silly games with you and bring you gifts by leaving them at the hotel’s doorstep, although you never received any (like he thought you did) because Alastor would always take them before you saw them. Or he would make them his own to give to you if you were having a worse day than usual!

“Mother, I had noticed that you weren’t feeling all too great so I brought you a wonderful gift!”

“Oh, thank you, darling!”

Your mood always brightened when he gave you these gifts. 𓋼 One time when Lucifer visited the hotel, he went straight to you to ask you about how you liked the gifts.

"[Name]! Hello, deer, how are you? Did you like the gifts that I left you?"

"Hello Luci, I'm fine, thank you! … Gifts? what gifts?"

"The ones… that I left on the doorstep of the hotel!"

"I dont recall seeing any gifts there… but Alastor recently started leaving the hotel more often! Not for very long though…"

And then Lucifer realised. You never received his gifts because Alastor got to them first! After that, he made sure to put a note with his signature on them. Though, that still didn't deter Alastor, to Lucifer's dismay.

𓋼 One time, Angel returned to the hotel at an unreasonably late hour, so you went to make sure everything was alright.

"Are you alright, Angel?"

"Huh? No, I'm totally fucked!"

"Why? What happened?"

"You know Valentino right? My boss?"

"Of course I do, everyone hates him quite a bit here and you always talk about him"

"Right, well, fuckin' Val made me work an extra 10 hours!"

"He what?!"

"Yeah! Absolute bitch move."

Naturally, Alastor was watching and listening to you two so you turned to him, with quite the menacing look in your eyes.

"Oh Alastor, prepare your radio broadcast!~"

𓋼 You noticed that most of the residents of the hotel all came to you for advice quite often (except Niffty, she's just an entirely different entity)

"It seems they have become quite fond of you, Mother"

"They have, haven't they?"

Alastor's expression was always one of annoyance whenever someone came to you for help. He wouldn't dare admit it, but he was most certainly jealous of anyone who even stood too close to you, let alone talked to you.

𓋼 Because of that one time that Alastor stood right next to Charlie to spite Lucifer, Lucifer decided to stand just that close to you to get back at him.

"An eye for an eye, Mr Radio!"

"I recommend you watch yourself."

𓋼 One time, when you were out of the hotel and walking around Hell with Alastor, Vox just so happened to see you on one of his tv screens, Valentino sitting by him, messaging someone.

"Hey Val, who the fuck is that with that old-timey prick?"

"Hm? No clue."

"You didn't even look, fuckhead"

"How would you know? You're too busy eyefucking Alastor."

"I am not"

"She's probably just another one of those redemption hotel idiots. It doesn't matter"

But Vox still just glared at the screen.

𓋼 Vox continued to keep an eye on you, seeing just how wonderful you are and so when you were outside the hotel alone (or so he thought) he went up to you. Somehow he didn't catch onto the fact that you're Alastor's mother.

"Hello-"

"What do you think you're doing?" Alastor, of course, suddenly appeared out of thin air, standing in between you and Vox, with an even more annoyed smile than usual.

"Alastor, is this another one of your friends?"

"No-"

"Yes, absolutely, ma'am. Great friends, in fact!"

"Ha! Well, you see, this is my Mother."

"Your what?"

Yeah, Alastor simply walked away with you whilst Vox was buffering.

𓋼 Vox constantly tried to talk to you alone but Alastor was always there to stop him, so unfortunate.

"Would you stay away from my Mother, you-! Ahem, my apologies, Mother."

"Hah! Your mother? I think you meant our mother!"

𓋼 Alastor would absolutely cover your ears when swearing at, or insulting, anyone.

𓋼 When you first met Valentino, you were so mad at him on Angel's behalf that you knocked him out and brought him back to the hotel with you. Of course, Vox was there with Val but he was like a lost duckling, just slowly trailing behind you, unsure what to do.

"I'm back!"

"What the fuck did you do??" Angel was lying down on the couch when you entered, dragging the unconcious Valentino behind you.

"A favour to you and hell!"

"No, but how?!"

"That's a secret~"

"Ok… so why'd ya bring him here?"

"Redemption"

𓋼 Back to Lucifer! He would tell you random animal facts to try and impress you! He would also unironically ask around, and search up (if necessary), how to impress a woman.

𓋼 Lucifer would suddenly start playing the violin for everyone in the hotel 'for everyones' entertainment' as he called it. (It was meant for you though). Each time Lucifer did this, Alastor told you that something important happened that required your attention. You always stayed for the beginning though.

𓋼 One day, you were baking cookies and you and Alastor left the kitchen for a while whilst they were in the oven, however, you both somehow managed to forget about them… so when the smoke alarm suddenly rang, you ran into the kitchen, everyone wondering what happened.

"Fuck!"

"Language, Mother."

"Don't you 'language' me, young man!"

𓋼 You redecorated his room. He wasn't a fan of all the new colours, but he still appreciated the gesture. (There was a lot of glitter involved)

𓋼 After a while of you staying there, everyone definitely sees you as a mother figure (Alastor didn't appreciate this much either but he's willing to look past it for his friends)

𓋼 As small gifts, you made everyone items that resemble them and filled them with different colours of glitter and paper that remind you of them. Bonus: Behind the scenes! 1. Yuri's bad timing:

2. Vox and Val:

[cherry-romper]

When They're Injured

+ Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Marco, Jean, Connie, Sasha, Levi, Erwin, Hange, Reiner, Bertholdt, Annie, Porco, Pieck, Zeke

Eren; • He either pretends to be fine or cries like a baby, there's no in-between. • Most of the time he doesn't even acknowledge your presence in the room. He thinks it's a waste of time watching over him. • Tells you to grow up if he sees you crying over him. • "I have the power of the titans, I'll be fine. Just stop your crying already, it's making me uncomfortable." • Still thanks you for caring though, in his own little way - probably by asking you to be his sparing partner instead of actually saying thank you.

Mikasa; • Unfazed by her own injuries and cares more about you taking care of yourself. • Stays in bed for a day before she's back working out and doing chores, no matter how bad her injury is. You have to physically restrain her and put her back to bed (it never goes well). • Asks if you've eaten and slept well before you get the chance to ask her. • She's grateful for everything you do while she's recovering. • She picks you some flowers afterwards to say thank you. She even cooks you food.

Armin; • Upset. You console and reassure him a lot because he keeps crying about being weak. • You read to him though, and even play chess while he recovers. • You promise to train him some more when he's able bodied so that he feels better prepared next time. • You bring him food but he refuses to eat it. You end up doing the "here comes the train" thing with him to force him to eat out of embarrassment. • You brought him flowers and he loved the gesture so much that he now uses one of the dried flowers as a book mark.

Marco; • Grateful to be alive. • He sometimes panics and has nightmares that he's back on the field where he was injured and you have to calm him down. • He sometimes gets annoyed at you for always being beside him because he knows you're not looking after yourself properly. • Forces you to leave so you'll finally wash and eat. • Jean also visits often and you all share stories about your childhoods. The duo never fail to make you laugh.

Jean; • Dramatic. Does the whole "don't look at me, I'm hideous" thing, and refuses to let you into the room. • You have to physically stop him from covering his face and reassure him that he's just as beautiful as before. • He switched up real fast after that and pretended he wasn't even injured to try and impress you. He went from being a cry baby to trying to work out with a broken arm. • You gave up trying to stop him because he wouldn't listen to anything. • Cries when he's alone because he doesn't think he's strong enough.

Connie; • Doesn't change a thing. He's still just as idiotic as before. • Laughs it off. He keeps telling jokes so he won't think about it and if he's laughing then he's happy. • Wants you by his side always, and get upset when you need to leave. •"Y/N, I'm telling you, I'm immortal." • He doesn't really cry, he had a few tear when he was alone, but he's more focused on training when he's better so it doesn't happen again. • Secretly likes being injured because you're particularly nice to him.

Sasha; • Dramatic. She thinks the worlds is going to end. Gathers you, Jean and Connie around as she says her "last goodbyes". • It only takes you waving some meat in her face for her to snap out of it and start acting normal again. • Sobs into your arm. She's more worried about if she'll be able to eat and hunt again than her actually injuries. • Food works better than medicine.

Levi; • Sleeps it off. He'll be fine the next morning. • Hates when you baby him. Even if you're just being nice, like bringing him food, he'll think you're being condescending and gets pissed off. • It really doesn't take long for him to recover, but Erwin orders him to take time off to be sure - you're happy Levi will always have Erwin looking out for him. • You leave him little notes instead of actually staying with him. He smiles to himself when he sees them, he adore the little things.

Hange; • Refuses to stay in bed. Levi knocks them out to force them into bed. • They get bored very easy. Erwin doesn't let them work while they recover, so most days they just sit and stare at the ceiling. • Gets a little dramatic and starts crying because they can't visit their titans. So you visit them yourself and draw them for Hange - even if you're bad at drawing, they are overjoyed. • Cries when you bring them flowers.

Erwin; • He's appears fine externally, has a strong mentality and is sure he'll heal in no time. • No matter what he's still working, you have to physically pry the papers from his hands so he'll actually rest for once. • He gets kind of annoyed at the babying. He just wants you to see that he's okay to work, but you have none of it. • You buy him flowers and other little trinkets - like a little girl was selling knitted teddy bears, so you bought him one. He got emotional after that because he realised how much you meant to him.

Reiner; • Goes through a crisis. He's used to being injured, but not this badly. • It takes him a lot of willpower to not just heal it in front of you. • Spends most night debating if it would be easier to just die. • Some days he doesn't know who he is and acts like a soldier and others Bertholdt has to remind him that there are bigger things out there and he has to pull through so they can go home. • On they days where he's a warrior, he pushes you away, only letting Bertholdt and Annie in the room with him.

Bertholdt; • Pushes everyone away, aside from Reiner - not even Annie can see him like that. • Gets unnecessarily angry. Debates just turning and finishing the mission right then and there, and he was about to when you turned up. You made his whole world stop and he just stared at you. • He cried into your arms that night, and most nights after. He'd never felt so vulnerable. He thought you were the one who came to save him. • You knew he was feeling better when he went back to his "synchronised sleeping," as you called it, and you'd find him with his head nearly on the floor.

Annie; • Stoic, as per usual. • Hates when you make a fuss. • "It will heal. Please, give me some space." • Doesn't push people away, just kind of distances herself. For example, she doesn't spar with people when she's feeling better, she uses a training dummy instead. • Only happy when you're with her. She wouldn't admit it though. • She wants you to stay, but would never go out of her way to ask you too.

Porco; • He gets dismissive. Uses the word "whatever" like it's going out of fashion. • You try to reassure him but he just gets defensive. "Stop it. You're acting like I'm going to die. I'll just heal overnight. You're so dramatic." • Secretly enjoys the attention. He's not used to people willingly caring for him. He normally bullies people into following him around, but you do it out of the kindness of your heart. • You praise him for being so brave and it makes him blush.

Pieck; • She loves that you stay with her. She thanks you everyday. • Holds your hand a lot. • You talk about whatever but most of the time there's just a comfortable silence. • For some reason, she thinks the best when she's injured. Meaning she still attends strategy meetings, but asks you to go with her for support.

Zeke; • Refuses to stay in bed, no matter how bad the injury. • He sleeps for about 3 hours, and heals in that time. After that he just walks around like normal, still doing his work like he wasn't floored a few hours ago. • You barely get the time to worry about him. He appreciates the sentiment though. He likes when you worry about him, it makes him finally feel cared about. • He does spend more time with you after that. After seeing your reaction he realised how much he actually likes you, how much he cares for you.

[spiderman2-99]

✨:guilty-Gabriella

[5.20.2022, TRN-1042]

Gabriella had been… unusually sullen in the car ride after school today. Today was PTA meeting day, and one of the discussions was about some C’s in certain classes. The teacher told Miguel how he could help, that otherwise his daughter was a treat to have in class, etc etc., sometimes kids just struggle with some subjects. Miguel understood just fine, promised that he'd help, reassured that it was just a monetary setback, all that.

But Gabriella had been sulking in the passenger’s seat the whole ride home. At best, she’d give monosyllabic answers to Miguel if he asked anything— a far cry from the usual ball of energy he'd come to know and love over the last couple months.

She curls up a little in the seat, her forehead leaning on the glass of the window, arms crossed. She looks… disappointed in herself. Or apprehensive, maybe? Miguel won’t claim to be emotionally intelligent, as much as he tried to be for Gabriella’s sake. He never had to be until Gabiella. Shock. He still has so much to learn. Too much to learn.

He swallows thickly before finally breaking the heavy silence that descended upon the car ride.

“Gabi,” he begins, his voice gentle yet firm, "something's clearly bothering you. You've been silent since we left school. Is everything okay?"

Well. That was a lame start that, as expected, didn't get an answer beyond a half-hearted shrug. Dios en el cielo. He really doesn't want to pull teeth.

"Is it... about the C’s in your report card?"

The last sentence makes her wince slightly. So that was a yes.

(Miguel can't stop the awful thought of what if the other Miguel yelled at her about grades? He has to physically shake his head slightly to clear it.)

She shifts a moment in her seat. “I know, I’ll study harder…” she murmurs like she’s preparing herself for the gallows.

Miguel lets out a sigh through his nose. He isn't entirely an idiot, he figures it's more than just the report card— or maybe something so pressing that it's causing the slip. The problem is trying to get to it delicately; which is much more difficult than it should be for him. Being... soft, gentle, paternal just doesn't come naturally for him. He never had that sort of role model, and now he's flying blind in a life he stole, at any moment about to ruin it, and the sweet little girl that came with it-

Okay, no, no. Breathe. Get your head on straight, O'Hara. You're better than that.

“It’s not just about the grades, is it?” he urges. “There’s something else bothering you, and I want to know what it is."

He risks a sidelong glance. She has to know he's serious. "I’m here to listen, Gabi. I promise."

“I dunno… it’s kinda dumb, but…”

Out of the corner of his eye, Miguel can see Gabriella sit up straight, hesitating, trying to collect her thoughts. He won’t rush her.

“You’ve been forgetting a lot lately. Like… remember when I told you about Emily’s birthday? I’ve been friends with her forever, but you had to use a GPS to find her house. And sometimes I’ll tell you about something we did a year ago, and I can tell you’re trying to act like you remember but you don’t. And when we visited Abuela, you acted weird around her, like you didn't know her at all.”

Shit. Shit shit shit. His daughter, his beautiful, wonderful, smart daughter, noticed the discrepancies between him and the man he’d replaced; the gaps in his cover. It was only a matter of time before she put the pieces together.

"You've been forgetting events for school, and getting lost in our own city, and when tío Gabriel visited, you couldn't even keep up with the conversation he was making 'cause he was bringing up things you didn't remember..."

Then, Gabriella turns to him and gives him a look with those big, watery hazel eyes that makes him want to throw himself off a cliff. “Did you get hurt at work, Papa?”

...

Well. Maybe a little more time.

He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, his fingers clenching the steering wheel tighter. "No, sweetheart, I didn't hurt myself at work," he reassures, but the lie tastes bitter on his tongue. "It's just..."

“Something complicated again?” She interjects, going back to looking out the window.

Miguel grumbles in frustration. He should’ve realized his daughter would be just as much of a smart-ass as him. "Yes, mija, it's something complicated. But I promise, I'm handling it."

'Complicated' is an understatement. It’s a whole paradox, a breach in reality, a cosmic crime against nature. He hates not being honest with her, but how the hell is he supposed to say ‘your real father is dead and I replaced him’?

God, he's a coward.

Miguel would give everything, anything, to make sure she’s okay through all of this. But the more time passed, the more he knew he didn’t deserve to be her father. He isn't her papa. He could never be.

"It’s nothing you need to worry about, okay?” he continues through the lump in his throat. “It’s something... something only adults have to deal with.”

"Everyone always says that; it's always something 'only adults deal about'," she retorts, glowering at her father. "It's affecting me too, but anytime I ask—"

"I can't tell you, okay?" he snaps, his voice strained; the tension rising between them as foreboding as storm clouds in the horizon. He has to take a deep breath before he continues, forcing a calmness in his voice. "I can't. Please, you have to trust me. It’s- it's for your own good, mija."

"And that's another thing they tell me; it's aaaalways 'for my own good'-"

"Gabi..."

"-but how can I trust you when you don't trust me, huh?"

"Gabi."

"When you're acting all weird and not telling me anything anymore and-"

"Gabriella Angela O'Hara."

She winces and shrinks back into her seat. Christ in Heaven, this is going all wrong, and it feels like all Miguel can do is watch it happen.

"You think I don’t want to tell you?" He continues, grinding his jaw to keep the rising anger out of his voice. The last thing she needs is his anger. He can't act like George O'Hara. "You think I want to keep you in the dark? Do you think I like hiding things from you? I’m doing this to protect you, because..."

Miguel's words trail off. He can’t say ‘because I’m not your real father.’

Baffled, hurt, she presses on. "Because what? You- you think I'm too stupid or something? I can't handle it?"

Christ, isn't that a wonderful, ice cold jolt to his already frayed nerves? "No! No, it's not that! You're not stupid, you're the most brilliant, amazing child I've ever met."

He swallows hard. The lump in his throat feels like a brick.

"It’s not that I think you can’t handle it, it's that you're still just a kid! And you shouldn't have to handle it!"

Gabi lets out a long groan, slumping her head against the headrest, but seems to drop the subject.

Momentarily.

Long enough to lull Miguel into a false sense of security. Long enough for him to pull in their driveway before he hears--

"Still get to feel it all go to shit though," grumbled under her breath; only audible due to Miguel's enhanced hearing.

He kills the engine and just... sits there a moment; the silence thick and oppressive, thoroughly killing any semblance of energy he had left. The language suddenly doesn't even feel worth reprimanding.

Slowly, he turns to look at her. His daughter. His sweet, beautiful, brilliant baby girl. The only thing left in the world that is truly good.

I'm ruining her.

Then again, he ruined her the second he inserted himself into a life that wasn't his. He should've known this charade would blow up in his face. God knows he can never have anything nice without having to fight for it; tearing into it with his teeth and shocking it all up from his own desperation.

When he finally speaks, his voice is quiet, pained.

"Gabi," he begins, his tone heavy with a mix of guilt and frustration. "I... I'm doing the best I can. I'm trying."

She doesn't even look at him. "Not trying good enough."

Shocking hell. Out of all the things she could inherit from her father, did it have to be his bull-headedness and the ability to cut where it hurts? It's bad enough on him, but when it's someone else? When it's the truth?

He has to fight the urge to snap back, to say something he’ll regret, to prove his own inadequacy correct. Instead, he closes his eyes and takes a breath in an attempt to collect himself.

Operating word being 'attempt'.

Bile still leaks into Miguel's voice as he grates out, "Get out and go to your room."

"What-" So now she decides to spare me a glance.

"Get out," he repeats, low and deliberate, "and go to your room. I don't- I can't be with you right now."

The pause that follows as his words sink in isn't just pregnant; it's straight-up post-due with a necrotic placenta and a calcified fetus.

The words are already out; no taking back even if he felt they deserved to be. Gabriella's expression morphs from horrified to disgusted to a sort of passive anger.

Finally, the silence is broken by the sound of her seatbelt clicking. Then, "fine. I don't wanna be with you either," followed by the car door slamming.

There's no parting barb, no further vitriol thrown at him. Maybe there should've been; there'd at least be some sort of outlet for Miguel to let out his metric shitton of pent-up frustration and sheer, utter rage. They'd both deserve it then.

But there is nothing.

Just a broken, run-down, irreparably shocked up man trying to pretend to be a father; the role fitting him as good as if he'd skinned his alternate's face and wore it on top of his own. Why did he bother? Gabriella doesn't deserve her life being ruined by a genetic abomination from another world deluding himself to be something capable of loving.

He slumps his head against the steering wheel and screams.

[ixiot-ghostrebel]

Sagau but the reader travels often to other worlds and often brings back with a kids and acolytes are like

Acolytes: your grace who is that kid?

Reader: well the world I visited the kid was treated like the trash by pepole so....I taken the kid and NUCKED the pepole of that world = )

Acolytes:oh........WAIT WHAT!?

something like this and that often happens to point of the reader creates orphanage for "mistreated kids of the multiverse" and like there are characters of other games anime or cartoons who were treated badly becose of bullshit reasons reader didn't like that of the took the one or more kids( sometimes reader takes even 100 kids onec) and nukes the places that were responsible for making those kids live miserable now image the archons reaction the first time that situation happens vs the situation where the archons gose with reader to stop them form radical decision but something happens that passes archons so much that they helps reader

Ooh, interesting...sure, let's give it a try! I'm not gonna mention who the other kids of the other universes and series are in this, so prepared for very vague descriptions of them. Sorry, Anon—I'm having a little bit of writer's block as I'm doing this.

I also hate to inform you but I also deleted your other request :') It's mainly because I don't have any motivation and I'm too lazy to look at my old posts LOL- But still, sorry :')

(Disclaimers: Might be OOC, Mentions of Violence, Kidnapping adopting children from other fandoms, implied other fandoms (though never mentioned) & Mentions of Nukes & Nuking)

You love Teyvat. You really do—but many times, it gets a boring. It feels like there's nothing to do.

But! Luckily, you had a good solution to this. You could travel the other fandoms/universes you like, just to see your favorite characters and enjoy the scenery around you!

So you did. It was pretty okay, all of the trips, honsetly.

Until it wasn't. Just who did these pesky idiots think they were? You were going to show them what they truly are.

Dead Meat! (no pun intended/not copying from Dehya's elemental burst now that I think about it-)

— — —

Your acolytes were surprised that you brought back an unknown child. A child that looks...unlike the Almighty Creator, and certainly not of Teyvat. How strange...

"Your Grace, who is this?" one of the acolytes speak. You look over at them blankly, before beaming with a smile.

"Oh, this little guy here?" You show the child. "I save them from people of another world that kept treating them like trash—so, naturally, I nuked the entire country and left."

Ah, so that's where the child came from....

Hold up a minute, WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!

Nahida

While she certainly likes the fact that you were protecting others, she doesn't exactly like or even want to know what kind of arson you committed on behalf of the child...

Nevertheless, she'll help try to make the new friend welcome to Teyvat, so that everyone is happy!

She was certainly not expecting you to bring more children from other worlds here on Teyvat, to the point you even established the "Mistreated Kids of The Multiverse Centre" (MKOTMC for short), where every single child you kidnapped adopted would go to. Nevertheless, she'll still try to befriend all of them!

"Let's go and get some snacks after we play!" Really nice and welcoming to them all—after all, she's a child herself! Yet, despite this, she can't help but feel a little concerned of your methods of taking in children and even going as far as to destroy worlds for their sake...

Where those other worlds that bad?

Venti

Now, as much as this guy can cover his emotions, he cannot mask the shock he felt when he saw the amount of children at the MKOTMC for the very first time.

I'm starting off at this part because this man was not one of the acolytes that were informed of the Almighty Creator's return. And it ticked him off, he wasn't going to lie.

Nevertheless, he decides to take on the job and be the children's entertainer! He is a bard for a reason, you know~

"Haha, the same song again? Well, if you all insist, let this humble bard begin his song!" Other than Nahida, Venti is literally their favorite babysitter. This guy plays them music with a lyre and it's super good!

He wouldn't really care much about your "adopting" phase you're currently going through, but he is telling you to stop killing every world you despise.

Yes, he's getting flashbacks to Khean'riah because of it. That's why.

Ei

She would definitely be there the moment you "adopted" your first child from a different world. She is absolutely a) horrified of what the child has gone through (you put the effort to going into detail to what they've been put through without the child there, ofc) and b) pretty terrified of the fact that you would explode an entire world just because of it.

of course, she does try to justify your actions in her own head—she doesn't like the idea of putting blame on your image, even if it might be true.

She doesn't exactly know how to deal with children, but she does swear that she will protect them with all her power. She's trained heavily in the martial arts for a reason, and Ei is determined to not let it go to waste.

"Worry not, Your Grace—there will be no danger to the children you adopted so long as I shall stand to protect them." Literally makes it an oath, and you have to take it seriously or you will be shocked at the guard shifts the Electro Archon made.

She and the Puppet Shogun make sure that they manage both Inazuma and the grounds of MKOTMC.

Because you know there will be others that would take the job of guarding the children at the Centre, as well as Ei's guard shifts she established, you promoted her to "Head of Security Shifts" and, boy, she if you thought she was taking it seriously before, she is taking it BEYOND serious.

Really, if someone wanted to kidnap a child from the Centre they are facing the Musou no Hitotachi head on.

Zhongli

Old Grandpa was also there when the first child was brought to Teyvat. This guy makes it his mission to a) try to persuade you to not nuke an entire world just for the child and b) try to entertain the child with folktales of all the seven nations of Teyvat.

When MKOTMC was established, all the children basically knew this man as the Storyteller since he loves to indulge them in past times and old stuff.

Not only that, but most of them are pretty addicted to what he's gotta tell them.

"Ah, you wish to hear another story? Hm...very well. I have just the one." Would gladly indulge them ngl.

Joins the MKOTMC Security Squad once you established thanks to Ei's persistence. Though he tries to minimizes the amount of shifts he takes because he still wants to retire from being a War God and all that.

Also is traumatized of the Khean'riah incident and would also try to talk you out of destroying worlds you despise.

AND WE ARE DONE! BOY, I AM SO TIRED 😭 BUT ITS ALR SINCE THIS IS WHERE MOTIVATION COMES FROM—

Alright, see you all around! :D

Ghost Rebel Side Notes: Not even related to what I wrote but AZHDAHA MY BOY YESSS LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO—

Ahem, anyways, back onto topic. I tried to vaguely mention which fandoms the children are from because, let's be honest, there is way too many fandoms out there and I cannot even begin to imagine how much research I'll have to put in just to list a few for this fanfic. I would've died before I even get to write it lol.

I also mainly decided to focus on how the archons would take care of the children after the initial shock. You know—just for more tea and all that lol. I hope you all liked it :)

Check Out The Ghost Rebel's Blog Description To See if Their Mailbox is Open!

[mikachacha]

𝚆𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝙼𝚒𝚗𝚎 (𝙱𝚊𝚍𝚊 𝙻𝚎𝚎 𝚡 𝙹𝚁! 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛)

Synopsis: Bada likes you, the only problem is you're straight or so you thought.

Warnings: Language, some identity crisis, idiots in love

(A/N: Made this while half asleep so not my best work 💀💀)

🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸

"When will she ever notice that I like her??? This is getting ridiculous now.." Bada groaned as she looked at you from across the room. Bada has been head over heels for you since the day you came to JustJerk to teach.

"She'll notice if you confess." Lusher says and Bada could only sigh. She's been trying her best. She doesn't know if she's the one who's lacking or you're just too innocent to comprehend that Bada is so damn gay for you. She spent nights after nights, facing her mirror and trying to come up with ways to tell you how much she's so in love with you. But it's now four months and you still have no idea about her feelings. Bada didn't give up though. Everyday she makes an effort to talk to you, even giving you coffee every morning since she knows it's your favorite way to start the day. She's just hoping, praying even that one day you'll realize everything she's doing, that you'll realize her feelings.

Unbeknownst to her, you knew. Even before the whole coffee thing. But you're scared. You knew your whole life that you're straight but then Bada came along that made you question everything. You're confused and very much conflicted with this whole situation that you didn't even realized that it has been four whole months.

"Audrey, my love.. I don't know what to do anymoreeee. I mean, I wanna be friends with her but I also want to be more than friends but I don't know how this works??? I've never been with a woman before.. I am stressing out!" you ranted to Audrey, one of your closest friends when she visited you in Korea. Well her group is competing against Bada's team for this show called Street Woman Fighter.

"I mean, if you really like her that much then go for it. What's the worst that could happen? You let fear rule over you to the point you're missing out on what could be the best relationship you'll ever experience. I'm not saying that you should rush things but damn girl! 4 months of her showing you her intentions and you still didn't budge? Not even a date???" you pondered on your friend's words. She's right though. You wasted months because you were scared of exploring yourself.

"Damn since when did you become a love expert?" you joked and she only rolled her eyes playfully at you.

"Well my bestie is a whiny little baby that whines about her love life. I have to keep up and adapt." She jokes back that made you laugh. A bit harsh but it's true. You always whine about your romantic life to her.

The next few weeks have been pure agony. You wanted to talk with Bada about the whole situation but she's busy with the competition or when she's not, she's teaching. Now you're the one who's chasing her around and you didn't like it at all.

"Hey.. Can we talk real quick?" you asked as she's getting ready for a class. Seeing that she still has 30 minutes to spare, she nodded at your request to talk.

"Hi.. So what's up? What did you wanna talk about?" Bada asks and you awkwardly picked on the hem of your jacket. You thought you came in prepared but now you're face to face with Bada, it seems like your whole mind went blank.

"I.. Uhm.. I don't know how to say this.." you tried to speak but there's that fear again. You're scared about how she would react. Your thoughts are racing and you just wanna get out there, fast.

"Are you okay, Y/N?" Bada asked, seeing that you're very nervous about something. She wanted to hold you to comfort you but she's not sure if you'd be comfortable with that at all.

"Y-yeah I'm good.. I like you, Bada.. Okay shit.. I don't know but I seriously do. I thought I was straight and all but then you came along and started showing interest then I got confused. I got scared of my own feelings.." you blurted out and Bada stood there, shocked and still processing what the hell just happened. She looked at you and her lack of response made your heart hammer inside your chest, more thoughts raced through your head and you feel like you're about to faint.

Bada noticed the look on your face and immediately wrapped her arms around you, rubbing your back gently as soft sobs left your mouth. Although it was pretty heartbreaking hearing your sobs, she also found it rather cute that you're crying after you just confessed that you like her. Bada tried her best to calm you down and when you were a bit okay, she lets you go for a bit to wipe your tears. She could just stay in that moment, marvelling about your cuteness.

"I like you too, Y/N. I like you a lot ever since you came to teach here. Although we like each other, we're gonna take this slow, yeah? I don't want you to feel that you have to rush into anything. I want to take you out on dates, get to know you more and maybe when that time comes, you can decide if you want to take things to a whole new level with me." Bada says and you nodded your head. You're glad that you weren't late into confessing. Bada still likes you and you're thankful that she wants to take things slow so you can get used to this whole set up.

"Thank you, Bada.. Really. I don't know how things work in this kind of relationship and I don't want to do some stupid shit that will hurt us, or hurt you.." you admitted and Bada smiled, placing a kiss on your cheek that got you blushing like a tomato. You're normally stoic when it comes to lovers or people you like kissing you on the cheek but with Bada, it was a whole different story. She gets you blushing like a tomato even with such a simple gesture.

"Anything for you, beautiful. Wanna wait up for me so we can grab dinner together?" she asks and you nodded, grinning. You're excited to see how your love story unfolds with Bada.

[tryingmybestpls]

Fourth of July

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader, Steve Rogers x Reader

Summary: Bucky visits the cemetery the first since Steve funeral, but he isn’t the only one that’s mourning on the Fourth of July.

Word Count: 2.3k

Rating: R

Warnings: Grief, self-harm, depression, death, mourning, mentions of infidelity

A/N: Listen, this has been in the works for a year, but I’ve been redoing this whole time. I wrote it listening to “Fourth of July” by Sufjan Stevens. Slight AU because I like to think that Bucky didn’t know that Steve was gonna do that shit. 

It was humid in the city, making it feel a lot hotter than it actually was. He had started to sweat under the sweater he had pulled on and he tried his best to ignore the discomfort. The slight breeze made the various red, white, and blue decorations flap in the wind and carried the scent of someone grilling nearby. Hot dogs, he thinks.

As the sun started to set, the smell of gunpowder started to fill the air as the streetlights started to flicker on. Children ran past him as he walked on the sidewalk, sparklers held high in their hands. They giggled and laughed, their families yelling at them to be more careful. The man just keeps on walking, quickly crossing the street as soon as his destination came into the view.

Bucky shoved his hands into his pockets, keeping his cap covered head down as he walks into graveyard, gravel crunching under his feet. He hasn't been here since the funeral and he didn't really want to come today, but he knew he should.

A part of him still wanted to scream at his best friend, wants to ask him what was so special about Peggy Carter that he had to go and upend so many lives. The other part of him just wants to stand there and cry, mourn the loss of his best friend, his brother, the only tie to he had to his old life.

Yet, someone had beat him to it to that second one.

He didn't expect her to be kneeling there in front of the shining marble headstone, her body as still as the statues that dotted the cemetery. She doesn't hear him, or possibly just chooses to ignore that someone else was here to mourn over the same person today. He can see that she's saying something, but even with his super hearing he can't hear it.

Bucky stopped in his tracks, not knowing exactly what to do in this situation. Should he let her be, let her mourn? Should he call Sam and ask her to come sit with her? Raynor hadn't prepared him for this. He was barely getting his own feelings under control, so how was he supposed to help anyone else? Fuck, fuck, fuck.

He had only met her a handful of times, with most of them being before a fight. The first time that he had met her, the first time he actually can fully remember meeting her, was after the mess in Berlin, when his arm was caught in a vice because none of them knew if he was still Bucky. She had smiled at him and said in a saccharine sweet voice, “I will not hesitate to put you six feet under if you do that shit again, understood?”. It was after that comment, after Sam and Steve had both look at her almost in shock, that the latter had introduced her as his wife.

Before he knows it, his feet are carrying him towards her, his footsteps almost silent on the grass until a twig snaps and announces his approach. Y/N's back straightens, her body tensing. Bucky's feet don't stop though, not until he is standing right behind her. She keeps her eyes locked on his headstone, tears having left black colored tracks on her cheeks.

"Are you alright?" Bucky questions, immediately kicking himself for how stupid his question was. Of course she wasn't fucking alright. The woman was crying at her lover's grave on the man's birthday. You're a fucking idiot, James Buchanan Barnes. He watches as her eyes shut and she tilts her chin upward every so slightly, letting out a shaky breath. In the distance, fireworks go off, shimmering in the sky.

"You don't have to say anything-It's okay." He quickly replies, knowing that he wouldn't want to open up to someone that he hardly knew. Y/N sighs, her eyes fluttering open and she looks back down at the slab of marble. In front of it was dozens and dozens of offerings. Flags, small shields, candles, plastic red, white, and blue flowers, action figures of the man himself-all left by people they didn't know.

"I didn't think anyone was going to be here. I thought that since it was getting dark that everyone was going to be watching the fireworks." She tells him, her eyes scanning over the words on the headstone over and over again, as if the name was going to change, "I guess I was wrong."

"I didn't want him to be alone on his birthday." She cuts through his thoughts with a knife, stopping him in his tracks. Her voice sounds small, almost faraway as she continues, "I didn't want to come, didn't want to be here, but-but, I knew he shouldn't be alone on his birthday. No one should be alone on their birthday."

Red explodes in the sky, bathing them both in scarlet. Another flies past it- a green one this time-and bursts as the other fades, just as Bucky takes a seat beside her. He gives her ample space  as he tries to get comfortable on the grass.

"No, no he shouldn't." Bucky echoes as he picks up a small action figure of Steve. The eyes are slightly crooked and the colors of his suit have been discolored by the sun, "Did he ever let you throw him a party? I tried, but the punk never let me. Always told me that we shouldn’t waste money on shit like that."

"A couple of times, but nothing too big. Just something small, no gifts, no frills." She answers, a faint smile appearing on her face, "Always gave me something to do. I've never been patriotic."

A bright white firework exploded in the sky, making it look like a thousand more stars had suddenly burst into existence before flickering out.

"You aren't patriotic but you married him?" He questions, holding the action figure in the air. She her smile grows ever so slightly as she shakes her head, her eyes turning towards the sky. Bright blue illuminates her, turning her cobalt for a few seconds.

"I see the irony in it too, don't worry."

There's a moment of silence between them. He looks away from her, his eyes focusing back on the headstone in front of them. The noise of the city celebrating still sounds then, the whistles of the fireworks flying into the sky, the cheers of happy children.

She had disappeared after the funeral.

No more public engagements, no more paparazzi shots. Sam had said that she hadn't been calling, hadn't talked to him at all since they laid Steve to rest. The lights were always off at the house she used to share with him in Brooklyn, but they knew she was home.

She didn't have anywhere else to go.

Her friends were either dead or spread to the wind. Her team was gone, splintered far beyond repair. She would’ve had her husband, but he had made his choice and now she sleeps in a bed that’s too big for her, in a house that’s too quiet, too empty.

"Do you think-Do you think we are allowed to be mad at him?" Her voice is no louder than a whisper when she decides to speak. Her eyes once more on the slab of marble, looking at it like the man himself was sitting there with them. She continues, her eyes watery, "I don't-I've been trying not to be angry with him, but I can't."

"I think so. He-He kind of screwed us over, didn't he?" Bucky answers, turning his head to look at her once more. Her thumb was twisting her gold wedding band around her finger, trying to calm herself, rating to rein in her emotions. 

She was there was Steve came back, hair white and skin wrinkled. She hadn't said anything-No, she just looked at her husband, tears filling her eyes. There was no screaming, no sobbing, no real signs of any outward emotions other than her watery eyes. Steve had tried to talk, tried to explain himself, but she had just walked away. She knew what he did, where he had went. There was no point in arguing with him, with fighting over a choice he had already made so she didn’t. Bucky wonders if she had cried after that, if she had screamed into her pillow after being betrayed by the man she loved. 

He didn’t know that an oh so familiar numbness had started to taken a hold her as she had walked away from the situation. She doesn’t remember any of the drive home-she honestly doesn’t understand how she able to drive at all. The next few days were a blur-she didn’t leave the house, hell, she didn’t even leave her bed unless she had to.

It had taken four days for it to finally settle in, for the pain to crack through and force itself through that numbness. There had been a lot of crying, of screaming during that time. Shattered picture frames, broken dishes. She kept to herself, not wanting to take her anger out on anyone as she processed everything.

At the funeral, she didn't say much to anyone. Everyone's condolences were met with a small smile and nod. She had stood in between Sam and Bucky in the front pew. Her back was rigid, her head held high. Her makeup and hair done perfectly-she had been the dutiful wife and now it seemed like she was becoming the perfect little widow. For a second, Bucky had thought she was processing this all well-better than him, at least-until Sam suddenly grabbed her hand in the middle of someone's eulogy. She had been scratching the back of her hands until they were bloody and raw, her pale pink nails discolored by garnet.

Another firework screams its way into the sky, exploding and illuminating them in emerald for a brief moment. She shifts in the grass, drawing her knees into her chest, making her look smaller than she actually is.

"I miss him. I-I don't know if I should, but I miss him. I still love him." She announces, barely loud enough for him to hear, "No matter what he did, I still love him. I-I wish I didn't, I think it might make it all easier."

"I yelled at him, both Sam and I did. He tried to justify it, wanted Sam to convince you to forgive him." Bucky confesses, his eyes still on her. She turns her head to look at him, brows furrowed, “He didn’t understand why you were so angry with him.”

“I talked to him before he-He didn’t want me to be mad at him. He didn’t want to leave with us with in the middle of fight. Didn’t want to leave it like that. He couldn’t stand it when we fought and these past five years-God, it felt like that was all we did. Everything I did wasn’t good enough fir him.” She looks back down at the ground, fingers picking at the grass, “I kept askin’ him ‘Why?’ and he couldn’t give me an answer. He told me that he loved me, but he also loved her. He acted that’s all he needed to say.”

“I know he had a family with her. Had kids, grandkids, the whole shebang. He had told me-He told me that after we fixed everything-after we brought everyone back that we were gonna settle down like we always talked about, that we could start trying and God, I knew it sounded too good to be true.” Emotion is wrapping around her neck like a noose, making her words strained as tears start to roll down her cheeks, “And I wanted it so bad. I wanted a family with him, even though things were shit and he was pushing me away, I still wanted that. I thought-I thought that finally everything was okay and I feel like an idiot for believing it.”

Her words hang in the air above them, above his grave. They weighed heavily on Bucky, forcing his shoulders down. Steve had promised her a family, a quiet life-some semblance of normalcy and had ripped it away for what? For a woman he knew less than a year? Bucky had asked him if he had regret what he did and Steve hadn’t responded. He had just changed the subject, deciding to instead talk about the quality of his hospital food.

“You’re not an idiot. You didn’t-You didn’t know he was going to do this. None of us did.“ Bucky replies, his voice just as quiet as hers had been moments before. She just sits there, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Both of them just looked at the grave in front of them, a dozen different emotions flowing between the two.

The tears on her face have started to dry. In the distance they could hear music playing, people laughing, and celebrating. They continued to sit quietly in the cemetery, the buzzing of cicadas and fireworks turning into white noise.

-

"Shall we look at the moon, my little loon?

Why do you cry?

Make the most of your life, while it is rife

While it is light

Well, you do enough talk

My little hawk, why do you cry?

Tell me, what did you learn from the Tillamook burn?

Or the Fourth of July?

We're all gonna die"

[moonempire]

Omg more Soft Bf Jean Headcanons!

Idk if you guys can tell but I love Jean Kirschtein <3

This one is going to be more of if he was a uni student

.defo an arts major, much to his fathers displeasure. His mother is supportive though. .His family is also well off so he has stuff to fall back on i.e. family businesses. .also doesn't understand Uni costs money. ."what do you mean you've just been eating cup noodles?!" ."Honestly public transport is a bitch just get a car I'm serious." .yeah he's got it all figured out .But I'm not saying he's ignorant he understands he's privileged he just can't imagine that you aren't too. .When he finally wraps his head around it he starts to try to help out .Will pick up and take you where ever you want to go, randomly gets you fruit when he sees you, random items of clothing. ."yeah I was just shopping and stuff and I thought it would suit you its not that deep." he says looking away from you. .Remember how in the OVA his mother comes to visit, same thing here .He complains about it the upcoming days ."I'm doing fine she doesn't need to check up on me" secretly very excited .Ofcourse you guys have to meet, he forces you to come over every single day she there. .His mother obviously brings his baby pictures .This is because Jean's told her all about you so she's come prepared .You two bond over how Jean was cute little chubby baby ."Yeah alright whatever, I'm hench now so." .Gets very pissy over the whole situation .Also this idiot forgets to hid his cigarettes, it's not like his mother doesn't know she just doesn't like it .She starts complaining to you once her eyes are laid on them ."I don't understand why he needs them it's such a waste of money he should go buy flowers with the money he spends on them." .Que pissy jean again.

okie that's all i got enjoy :)

[aishangotome]

Ellis Twilight: Blind Love Ending Ch. 25

Chapter 24 Premium Story

If life were a fairy tale, finding happiness would be easy.

All you'd have to do is fall deeply in love with someone.

And then, most fairy tales would conclude like this:

"And they lived happily ever after, the end."

But in reality... even if you fall deeply in love with someone, the story doesn't end.

Happiness is like the twilight sky, the moment you capture it with your eyes, it immediately changes color.

It never lets go of your heart, yet you can never grasp that same moment again.

That's why––.

Jude: By the way, ya don' have any complaints 'bout this guy?

Ellis: Huh?

William: Hmm?

Jude points at William, who is elegantly sipping his tea, with his thumb, and asks Ellis.

Ellis: What do you mean?

Jude: This guy is practically the reason Kate was kidnapped.

Kate: Ah, that matter?

Come to think of it, the story was that William knew I was going to be kidnapped but did nothing.

(It's so like Jude to tenaciously remember something that both Ellis and I had completely forgotten about.)

As I think this, my eyes naturally meet Ellis's.

Kate: But I'm safe and sound...

Ellis: I have a feeling Will did this knowing it would turn out this way...

Jude: Ya guys really...

Grimacing as if exasperated, Jude falls silent.

William: Ahahahaha!

William: I was prepared to be denounced or even have a knife pulled on me.

William: What broad-minded subordinates you have, Jude?

Jude: That idiot over there ain't my subordinate.

William: Since she's doing secretarial work, I naturally assumed you had formed some kind of employment contract.

(An employment contract with Jude...)

(Then I could make Ellis happy during work too, couldn't I? ...hehe.)

Jude: Don't gimme that "that's a great idea" look.

Jude: Make yourself more useful before ya suggest that again.

Kate: Eh? So it's okay if I become more useful?

Ellis: Should I teach you how to do the work?

Jude: Haa...

William: Listening to your conversation is like listening to the chirping of adorable little birds, isn't it, Jude?

William smiles with a cup of coffee in his hand.

Just then, Harrison and Liam appear for breakfast.

Liam: Morning, Will—huh? You seem to be in a good mood?

Harrison: You must be plotting something sinister.

William: No? I've just finished witnessing the conclusion of a scheme, I suppose.

Liam: Witnessing...?

William: It seems Ellis has become true to his desires, which is most gratifying.

Harrison watches the two of us from afar, and his eyes soften as if he understands.

William: That's surprising. I thought you'd be opposed.

Harrison: Haha, I'm not so uncouth as to interfere with someone's love life. Though I do think we should keep an eye on them.

Liam: Aha, Harry's talking like a big brother.

William: With so many meddlesome older brothers, it must be tough being the youngest Crown brother.

––William narrows his eyes at the peaceful morning, no different from usual.

-

In the evening, I visited the palace office.

After submitting my report as a Fairytale Keeper to Victor, Ellis was waiting for me outside the palace.

Ellis: ...Welcome back.

Kate: Ellis! You could have waited for me in the manor.

Ellis: I couldn't wait, so I came to get you.

He's become a little more demanding and mischievous than before, but he's still the same devoted and sweet lover, and it makes me smile.

Ellis: What did Victor say?

Kate: He left the choice up to me.

Kate: ...I think that was his intention all along.

*earlier*

Kate: I want to stay at Crown Manor and continue my work as a Fairytale Keeper.

Victor: Choosing something also means giving something else up.

Victor smiled happily, yet with a hint of sadness...

Victor: I will do everything I can to support you, so that your choice doesn't dim your smile.

In the end, he agreed with his usual smile.

Kate: Thank you.

Kate: Ah, there's one thing I'm curious about... May I ask?

Victor: What is it?

Kate: You never intended to kill me in the first place, did you...?

Everyone in Crown knows both the light and darkness of this country.

Especially Victor and William, who were involved in its founding.

(And yet, they gave me a choice after I learned about the dark side.)

It's better to know and be able to choose than to remain ignorant.

It's my freedom to choose how I want to live.

At my question, Victor laughed and shook his head.

Victor: I'm not trying to pretend to be a good person with a belated excuse.

Victor: But right now, I want you to freely choose your own happiness, according to your own will.

Victor: Just like I want that for the other members of Crown.

*back to present*

A white bird spreads its wings and takes flight in the sky as dusk approaches.

Watching it go, Ellis coughs softly.

Ellis: ...I see.

His unruly, soft hair shines, illuminated by the golden light.

Kate: Ah, I also cleared the other mission!

That was the promise I made with Ellis––.

Ellis: Victor's secret scone recipe?

Kate: Yes!

I hold up my notebook with a flourish, and Ellis claps his hands excitedly.

Kate: With this, I'll bake scones today, and tomorrow morning we'll have a picnic in your room!

Ellis: Yay!

It's something I've been looking forward to ever since we made the promise a few days ago.

As I put my notebook away, our fingers naturally intertwine, and I walk hand-in-hand with Ellis towards the manor.

Kate: Now that it's official that I can be with you from now on, Ellis...I'm so happy.

Ellis: Hmm...how happy?

At his question about the magnitude of my "happiness," I can't help but smile as I ponder.

Kate: Hmm...about as happy as waking up refreshed earlier than expected.

Kate: But...I'm sure I'll be even happier tomorrow.

Ellis: ...Yeah, you're right.

-

I fell in love with someone who kills people.

He was someone with a very deep, heavy love, to the point that he wished to kill his beloved at the happiest moment.

If someone were to see the plot of my love story, they might think it a tragedy.

But for me, it's a precious, once-in-a-lifetime love that I chose of my own free will.

Kate: Nn...

I woke up in bed with the dazzling morning light pouring in.

Last night, after baking the scones and waiting for them to cool, we shared many kisses in the kitchen.

We packed the cooled scones and cranberry jam into a basket.

After we tumbled into the room...we made love until we were more gooey than simmered jam, and then fell asleep.

(Ellis is still asleep...)

I gaze at the sleeping face of Ellis, who is offering me his arm as a pillow.

I wonder if he's okay staying in this position for so long?

Will his arm go numb?

...Thinking such trivial things feels incredibly blissful.

Ellis: Nn...

Kate: Ah, Ellis... Are you awake?

Ellis: Mmm... Morning, Kate.

He pulls my head closer with the arm he's using as a pillow and gives me a soft kiss on the forehead.

Happy, I return the kiss on his lips.

Kate: Good morning. It's a perfect day for a picnic.

I smile, still leaning on his chest, and Ellis blinks his eyes as if he's finally fully awake.

Ellis: ...That surprised me.

Kate: ...What did?

Ellis: It was so blissful, I thought I was still dreaming.

Kate: I don't know of any other morning that was this happy from the moment I woke up.

Kate: But you know, Ellis, we're going to be even happier from now on, right?

Ellis: ...Hehe, that's right.

He rolls over, and I'm held tightly by Ellis, who is now on top. The sound of my heart beats sweetly.

Ellis: Kate, you're still naked.

His large hand explores my body, and my skin trembles.

I feel like I've been drowning in the pleasure his hands give me since last night.

Kate: It's not fair that it's only me...

When I pout and complain, Ellis takes off the shirt he was wearing.

Our bare skin touches–– and the room fills with the sound of our laughter.

Laughing like children, we snuggle under the same sheets, still bare skinned, and pull out the scones and jam from the basket––.

We taste the cranberry jam we simmered together.

Ellis: Mmm, delicious.

Kate: Really? Did it turn out well?

When I ask, his palm cups my cheek.

Ellis: Here...

Kate: Nn...

Ellis presses the sweetly simmered fruit against my lips with his tongue, and the sweet, sweet jam slips through my slightly parted lips, making my tongue tingle.

Ellis: ...See?

Kate: Mmm...delicious.

Just a moment ago, we were frolicking like children rolling around in a meadow at midday.

But as we whisper to each other, our lips still touching, I remember how we made love last night.

The memory evokes sweet sensations.

My body, melting and dissolving into the dazzling morning light, is invited into the moist, heated night...

Without separating or connecting deeply, we share kisses that merely graze, swaying between day and night.

This moment is incredibly happy.

When I look up at Ellis, it seems like he feels the same.

Ellis: ...Maybe this is it.

Kate: The happiest moment?

Ellis gazes at me and nods.

Ellis: You're the most beautiful you've ever been, and you look so happy.

Kate: ...Hehe, maybe you're right.

This happiness, too, might soon fade away.

If that's the case, then before everything fades, I want to end things while we're still happy.

When you love someone from the bottom of your heart and wish for their happiness, perhaps it's a feeling that wells up in your chest, very naturally.

Kate: Right now, I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life. ...But...

Ellis: Yeah...but?

Even so, I can't simply give up on what comes next.

(Because I want to laugh together with the person I love for as long as possible.)

Ellis & Kate: "Maybe tomorrow will be even happier"...?

Our voices overlap, and the moment we look at each other, smiles bloom on both our faces.

Ellis: ...Hehe.

Kate: Ahahaha!

Ellis: Someday, I'll kill you.

Ellis: So...for now, just let me kiss you.

-

––What is happiness?

It's like the twilight sky, the moment you capture it with your eyes, it immediately changes color...

It never lets go of your heart, yet you can never grasp that same moment again.

That's why––tomorrow, I'll show you an even more beautiful twilight.

The day after tomorrow will be better than tomorrow, and the day after that will be better still... and someday, when we're both certain that we've found the greatest happiness, we'll stop time together and become eternal.

Until then...I'll spend these happy days with you, as they fade and are repainted anew.

.

.

.

.

.

Blind Love Epilogue

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[cowboywritersworld]

365 days to fall in love

General Masterlist | AEW Masterlist | Claudio Castagnoli Masterlist

Characters: Claudio Castagnoli, Reader, Sheamus, Jon Moxley, Darby Allin

Plot: Claudio is the boss of a mafia family with Sheamus and Jon as his right and left hand men. What happens when Reader discovers her big brother owes them way too much money and can't afford to pay them?

AN: This fic, which will get part of a serie, is partly because of @madhatterbri, who has been fueling my insane ideas. ♥

Claudio looks at himself in the mirror, while tying his tie. Together with the jacket, that is the only piece of clothing he is still missing. His tuxedo is totally black, while his button down shirt is of a different color: white. From the corner of his eyes he can see rays of sunshine timidly make their way into his suite. His bed is kissed by them, but it is empty... Far too empty for his likings.

Hir Rolex shows that it is already 8 am and he sighs, knowing that he should hurry up. He rolls his cuffs, walking to the chair, from where he takes the jacket and wears it with a swift movement of his callous hands. As the Swiss born man finally gets out of his suite, he notices Sheamus - his right-hand man - there waiting for him.

"Is the car ready?" Claudio asks as they walk through the corridor and down the stairs.

"Yes and everyone is ready to go." Sheamus follows him and when they get to the car he opens the door for his best friend and boss, sitting down next and buckles himself in.

"The idiot better has the money he owes us." Claudio contemplates. He doesn't really like that family and he feels fooled by the man who owes them money, ever since he has noticed a badass motorcyclein their yard, the last time they visited. "We have already left him some hints, he should know better than let us wait anymore." There is litte to no room at all for him to get away with it. "Me, you and Jon will be at the door, the others will stay behind, in the car, so he doesn't see them." The boss looks out of the window, while Sheamys simply nods at his words.

Y/N is in her room: she just got ready for University, wearing some tight black pants, a long sleeve shirt and a motorcycle jacket, so she is protected in the very rare case she should have an accident. In the two years she has had her driver licence, she never had an accident, but one can never be too sure about that.

She fluffs out her curly long hair, putting her notebook and pencase together in her backpack, where she already has the clothes she will change into at the coffee shop for her shift. She loves her part-time job, even though it has nothing to do with what she is actually learning, but it helps with her student fees, so she is not a burden to her parents.

"Ehy big bro, do you want me to prepare some breakfast for you as well?" She calls out while walking down the stairs.

"Yes please. Some scrambled eggs and bacon, if you have time?" He is not sure when she is set to start, her lessons aren't always at the same time.

"Don't worry, I still have more than one hour, you take your time." She normally likes to wake up early, take a shower, get everything ready for the day and at the same time listen - through her airpods - at the last lesson she had with that day's teachers. She starts cooking the bacon, while cracking the eggs in the heating pan. She hums while she juggles between the pans, almost jumping when the door bell rings. The clock shows 8:15 am, so who could it be that early in the morning? "I'll take it!" She turns the stoves off, making sure that the food doesn't burn, cleans her hands and finally gets the door while drying them. "Uh... How may I help you?" She is confused, those men all in black are huge and she can't recall ever seeing them there.

"Wo ist dein Bruder?" The tallest man asks her. He seems more intimidating as well and she would love to answer, but she really has no idea what he asked her.

"We don' hav' da whole day!" Jon snorts, but Sheamus smacks him on the nape, before Claudio can get nervous.

"Where are your manners, men?" Sheamus sighs and turns to Y/N. "Please excuse them. Someone apparently forgot not everyone in the States knows German." He points at Claudio. "He asked you where your brother - Darby, if I recall correctly - is. Is he - by any chance - still at home?"Even by being a man from the Mafia, Sheamus tries to be polite. She seems already scared enough.

Claudio sighs, nodding at his right-hand man's words. "Yeah, sorry. We are looking for your brother." That girl is beautiful and very cool, he has never seen her before, but Darby and her are so much alike. The boss licks his lips, taking more interest in her with each movement she makes.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know a single word in German." She turns slightly around, exposing her bare neck to them for a brief second, looking around before calling her big brother out loud. "Big bro, someone wants to speak with you."

Y/N is not sure she should let them in, so she just waits there. The more seconds pass, the more she feels like she is naked in front of those three men. Even with being half turned around, she knows the tallest man between them isn't taking his eyes off her body, especially not off her legs kissed by those tight black pants and she doesn't feel at ease. The situation feels even worse for her, when the man rambling about not having the whole day, starts to smoke. It is one of the few things she can't stand: she literally hates it. She coughs when the smoke reaches her nostrils, feeling relieved when Darby finally comes downstairs.

"What do you want?" He asks coldly, taking Y/N by one arm and bringing her behind himself. "Go to your room, I'll handle this." He doesn't want her to get involved in any way, nor for her to hear about their financial problems. He puts himself more between Claudio and her, not liking how he is looking at his sister.

"Oh no, there is no need for your beautiful little sister to go to her room. There are no secrets and she is old enough to know about this meeting, Allin." Claudio's voice is sharp, not letting room for a no.

Y/N looks down at Darby first, then her gaze meets the German man's and she has to take a step back, a bit scared. "I-I think I'll stay here." She claims, stepping back a bit more though.

"Imma go to da car, don' take fuck'n too long." Jon leaves them there, rolling his shoulders and still smoking.

"What are you all doing here?" Darby has to pretend: he knows exactly what they want, but he still doesn't have the money.

Claudio bursts out laughing, taking a step closer to the younger man. "Oh, I am sure you know more than well what we are after." His gaze crosses once again Y/N's, and the girl blushes just at the silent and single staredown.

"Let her go, she doesn't need to know about our problems." Darby squeezes her hand, in a silent affirmation that he is fine and everything will be as well.

"How old are you, Y/N?" Claudio keeps looking at her, not even caring about the small man in front of him. The more he looks at her, the more she seems interesting to him.

"I turned 19 last month, Sir." Chills run down her spine, while she registers his deep voice, now strangely tender, than where he was talking with her brother.

"Don't talk to her!" Just the way he looks at his little sister, is making Darby sick.

"So? She is old enough, no need to keep it a secret anymore." Claudio smirks, raising an eyebrow at him. "Playing the protective brother's role? You are very laughable." He shoves his head, staring back at the girl. "I can decide who to speak with." He adds, hissing.

"I don't have what you are searching for. Neither does my little sister." Darby doesn't care about what may happen to himself, he is more worried about Y/N and her dream to become a doctor. "I'm asking you one more time, man. Let her go, she is learning at the University, she wants to become a doctor. She has lessons to be at." Why should he even expect mercy from men like them?

"Oh, so you are a future doctor? How convenient." Claudio licks his lips once again, laughing at Darby's snort.

"Stop looking at her like that. She will never be yours!" That man is really testing out his patience, but he knows he will be in serious trouble if he dares to hit him. "What kind of future do you think you can give her? She doesn't belong to your world or business." He makes the bold and stupid decision of spitting down at his feet, enraged.

"Trust me when I tell you that she would live a better life with me, rather than staying here with you and your family." His eyes get dark, he can't stand that insult anymore. His hand moves quickly, but it never really reaches Darby's face. The hand around his wrist is tiny in comparison to one of his, but it's still quite strong.

"You...!" Sheamus wants to grab her, but Claudio raises a hand in a silent request to not take action about it.

"Such a strong and fiery little woman you are, Y/N." The Swiss man deep inside is angry, but he is deeply amused by the guts she has.

"My brother may have said wrong things and I apologize for that, but I won't let you hurt him." She doesn't let his wrist go at the moment.

"I like your behaviour, you may be young, but don't let anyone get over you." Claudio wriggles his wrist easily out of her hold. "Fine, you can go. What me and your brother need to talk about takes more time than you actually have."

Y/N takes a deep breath, taking her backpack and the helmet, together with the keys of her blue Yamaha R1. Darby lets her through and, when she goes past the tallest man, she feels one of his hands rub on her right arm. From the corner of her eyes she looks at him, walking to the garage, where her motorcycle is. She brings it out on the street, getting on it, before looking back at the entrance of her house. She can see that they are still there and she can't help but look at Claudio, who has his back turned to her. His broad shoulders and his entire body are interesting for her. She still has no idea about who those men are: she is sure Darby never had friends who speak German, but it doesn't matter. With a sigh she finally drives off, still feeling that brush on her arm.

"Now that your precious little sister is gone..." Claudio looks darkly at Darby. "This is your last notice: you have ten days. If when we come back you still don't have my money, there will be consequences." He grins now. "You sure have a pretty sister." He underline, leaving rhw discussion at that. "Ten more days, Allin. If I was you, I would make sure to get the money." He turns halfway around. "Let's go."

"Fuck you!" Darby screams at the top of his lungs, closing the door hard behind him.

*************

Five days pass by and even if Y/N tries to get answers from her brother, he always dismisses her. That day is a Saturday and she is working full time at the coffee shop, since she has no university and the boss needs her as an extra help. She reaches her boss at the register, still putting on her apron, smiling at her. That old woman has always felt like a second mother to her.

Normally Y/N would get assigned to the private rooms, if anyone asks for one of them, else she normally helps out in the three normal rooms they have. The private ones are fancier and require a level of attention which is higher than in the shared ones.

"So Y/N, right before you came in, three men sat in Lounge 1, so I would say you focus the first hour on them. If they are good and help is needed out here, you can come help out." Lysa adviced her: whenever Y/N is there, she does that, since she is so good at what she does. If she wouldn't have university, Lysa would surely offer her an open-ended work, full time.

"Sure Lysa. I'll get directly to them, so they won't wait anymore. You all know where to find me, if needed." Y/N smiles at her coworkers, walking towards the lounge she has been directed to, getting her palmtop ready to take the order. She freezes at the door, as she hears the men talking between themselves. She can clearly hear that German accent she had heard just five days prior. She hates how it sends chills down her spine, but she brushes it off, getting professional. "Goodmorning gentlemen. I'll be your server for today." Is it a coincidence that they are there?

"Good-" Claudio's words die in his throat as he clearly remembers that voice and that figure. "Will you be serving only us, Y/N?" He needs to speak with her and that opportunity is perfect, rather than having to wait for her to finish her shift.

"I am assigned here, but if my coworkers need me, I'll have to leave you alone and help outside, Sir." She has no idea why he would want to know something like that and it kinda creeps her out.

"Good, because I need to speak with you. It's good that we stopped here to have my daily dose of coffee." He looks at Jon and Sheamus: the first rolls his eyes, the latter chuckles instead.

"He can't live without coffee, don't mind him too much." Sheamus sits comfortable on the couch, smirking at Claudio.

"Stop that, Sheamus." Claudio rolls his eyes as well, glancing back at the girl. "Put in an order for an iced caramel macchiato for me, please." He is strangely tender and gentle this time around.

"Black coffee both for me and Jon here." Sheamus adds, elbowing the other man when he groans.

Y/N nods and sends the order, standing there awkwardly, not knowing what to say. "So..."

"No, let me speak, Y/N." Claudio stops her from speaking any further, still being gentle though. "Come here for a moment, please."

"Sir, I don't think -" She looks around: surely her boss or her coworkers can't see her, but that's not professional.

"I won't hurt you. I know our first meet has not been one of the best, but I promise I don't intend to hurt you in any way." He kist lets his hands rest on his knees, after turning around to face her better.

"I..." Y/N sighs, getting some steps closer to him, stopping not too far away. If he reaches a hand out, he can touch her.

"Good girl." He sits back in his chair, so that she can feel less tense about the whole situation. "I knew you could be a good girl for me." He slowly raises a hand until it reaches some strands of her long hair, snaking through them.

Y/N looks at his hand, following each of his movements, holding her breath until she is sure he won't really touch her so directly. She wasn't prepared to get praised by him. so she isn't sure about what she should say. "I haven't -"

"Sh..." Claudio shushes her, raising his hand until it reaches her lips and he places a finger on it, lightly pressing on it. Her shaky breath seems to be engulfing it and that makes him smirk. That girl really is interesting.

She can feel her heart beat faster, her breath catches up, but she can't bring herself to react, apart from still melting because of the praise. She bites her lower lip, torturing it.

"Very good girl, listening to me." He taps on her lips. "Don't torture this cute lips." He smirks, letting her finally peaceful. "On a more serious note: I wanted to apologize for what you had to see. I apologize that you had to see that part of me." He sighs. "Your big brother owes me a lot of money and I can't wait forever to get it back." Claudio hates to have to tell her that, but he is sure Darby hasn't told her anything, even with the last timeline he has given him.

"Darby what?" She gasps, shocked at those words. "Why..." Her mind races, she doesn't understand why he never told her anything, not even after what happened some days prior. She takes a couple of steps back, almost as if she has burnt herself.

"I am sure he loves you so much he didn't want to drag you into this mess." Claudio lets her take distance, but he is not at fault there.

"How much does he owe you?" She may not have much on the side, because of university fees, but she wants to do something.

"Why do you want to get involved, Y/N?" Claudio is amused once again, but she is different from before.

"They have done so much for me, I owe them so much, so please do tell me. I'll do anything." She rubs a hand on her arm, nervous now.

"I appreciate you wanting to help, but a woman is not in a man's business. Your brothwr knew what he was getting into when he signed a deal with me." The gentle tone is now gone.

"Don't hurt him please!" Tears threaten to roll down her cheeks and she feels like she is about to have a mental break down. "Is... Is there any way for me to help them out?" She needs to go take some fresh air, but she has to work as well.

"There is literally nothing you can give me or that you can do, Miss Y/N. Your brother is a little weasel, he'll go around, tell that I let him go and everyone will think I have become soft." He pinches his nose, now he only wants his coffee, he feels bad enough for her.

"I'm sorry Sir. I'll bring your order quickly."

She is relieved when she hears the bell with which her coworker Jenny is calling her. She lets the three men alone, getting their order from the counter with a smile. She is back into the room not long after, leaving the coffees in front of them without a single word, before getting out another time.

"Jenny, can you please cover me for a moment? My stomach is hurting." She just eeds to go to the bathroom and cry, she can't hide the tears anymore.

"Of course Y/N, just go."

Y/N can tell that Jenny is concerned, worried about her, but she smiles fondly at her, running to the bathroom, where she leans against the door, finally letting the tears stream down her cheeks. She absolutely has to find a way to help her brother out, but she can't think straight at the moment. It takes her a few minutes before she is calm enough to get out there after wiping her cheeks. She assures the boss that she can go on working, now feeling better, before Jenny gets back to her.

"They are waiting for you. I tried to help them out, but they were very adamant on having you there, Y/N." She smirks at her. "You never told me you have such handsome friends."

"Thanks for covering. I'll get back to them." You blush at her smirk, even though they are not her friends, they are indeed handsome. "Because they are not my friends." Y/N leaves her there, going back to the lounge. "I'm sorry, here I am." She smiles as much as she can, but her eyes decieves her.

"May I get another iced caramel macchiato, please?" Claudio looks up at her, feeling bad at seeing her red eyes. "You have been crying." He finally states, confusing her.

"Sure, Sir. Anything else for you as w-?" Why would he even care about that? "Something got in my eyes, Sir." When Sheamus and Jon both shake their heads, she sends the new order.

"Here, take this." He hands her his business card. "We'll be back in five day, but if you want, you can call me before and we can come to some sort of agreements."

Y/N takes the card cautiously, turning it around in her hands for some moments. "What kind of agreements? I want to know the options beforehand." But should she really do something like that?

"You come stay with us for a whole year. I'll take care of you, of course. If by the end of that period you fall in love with me, your family's debt will be extinguished and you'll stay with me, If it doesn't happen, at the end of the year you are free to go back to your family and the debt will be extinguished as well." Claudio doesn't think too much about it, he is sure of himself. "You can add stipulations, of course."

"Da f'ck? Are ya outt' yar mind, Claudio?" Jon rolls his eyes, quite shocked at those words.

"Let's pretend I'm okay with this stipulation..." Y/N starts to say, getting Claudio's complete attention. "I still want to be able to go to university. To become a doctor has always been my dream and I've sacrificed so much for it. Plus, from time to time, I still want to work at this coffee shop, exactly like nothing happened." She waits eagerly for his answer, really hoping he would be okay with that.

"Fine, that's a possible deal. Think about this and let me know. If I don't hear from you, we'll surely see each other when the time is over."

Claudio stands up, leaves her 50 dollars, letting her know she can keep the change, before walking out with Sheamus and Jon. She just nods, taking the cash, changing it at the register. For the reminder of the time, she works flawlessly.

*********

Four days after, Y/N is laying down on her bed, turning the business card in her hands with a heavy sigh. She knows very well that her brother hasn't gathered enough money,m even without knowing exactly how much he owes that man. The house is silent: her parents are at work and Darby is... Somewhere. She has woken up completely alone, so she has no idea where he has gone. Reaching out to her phone which is on the nightstand, she unlocks it, typing the number written on that damn card.

"Claudio Castagnoli speaking." His voice is calm as he answers at the third ring.

"It's Y/N." She tells him, his voice once again sending chills down her spine.

"I was thinking you would never call me. You are amusing me each day that passes." Claudio grins: he knows what that call is about. "What do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

"Let's do it. 365 days. If I fall in love I'll stay with you, if not I can come back here when it is over." She states quickly, before she can change idea. "With my stipulations too." She finally adds.

"You made the right decision, Y/N. Pack your things, I0m picking you up in 30 minutes." He stands up to get ready.

"My motorbike as well, of course." She says firmly.

"We'll get that taken care of as well."

When he gets there, he lets her know with a message, helping her to load the suitcases in the limo. She looks back at her house, sighing sadly. She is doing that for her family, but she'll still miss them dearly. It is hard to go without saying goodbye, but if she stays, it'll be even harder to go.

[glass-bride]

Diabolik lovers Lost Eden Subaru Sakamaki Short Story Translation

Scans and translation review by: @karleksmumskladdkaka

Please keep in mind I'm not 100% fluent in japanese and english, I did my best, but it may have mistakes, feel free to dm me if you find any. Hope you enjoy it anyways.

The World Tree stick roots in the ground of Eden.

This one, as if in order to inform the end of world to me, continues to lose leafs.

I'm realizing it everytime I visit here.

The fear dominates my mind.

Like, that I can't be like the old man... ...

But, no matter how much I've been thinking, the answer is something that isn't coming.

When I kicked the ground while shaking my head, the feeling of fear desapeared a little.

And then, I thought about a woman's face. That chooses me, no matter what.

That vowed to be by my side... my beloved woman.

"But, she hasn't come yet, huh... ..."

Where is she, and what the heck she's doing? While looking up to the sky, i release an indescribable sigh of anxiety.

The woman expected to be by my side at this time usually, ain't revealing her figure now.

Well, whatever, because it's not like she promissed anything.

That's why I don't know what this woman is doing.

That's right, for example, even if she is involved with my other brothers, or if she is in good terms with the founder guys and the mukami family, who have started to visit me excessively at my place... ...

It's not related to me.

"... ... ... ... Shit!"

I don't want to stay in this place for a long time. Just because of this I'm leaving.

After giving this proper pretex, I turn my back to the world tree.

It's not... ... to search for this woman, I got around the surroundings in order to investigate the eden.

"You... were you still doing that?"

"Su- Subaru-Kun... ... !?"

Unexpectedly, I found the woman easily.

The place was at the Eden flower garden.

We frequently visit here to recover the withered plants of Eden.

By looking at the crouched woman's hand, I understood that she was planting in the ground awkward artificial flowers.

Are you leaving me alone to take care of the garden?

As soon as I thought it, my own confined feelings disgusted me.

"Hey, let's go back to the bedroom quick"

"Could you wait for me just a little longer? Since I'm almost finished."

"... ... ... ..."

I see the woman shaking the head and I get terribly discouraged.

In addition,  you can go back before me, she means.

She doesn't know my feelings.

I sit on the ground and give a deep sigh.

Without a doubt, she thought I would end up leaving.

The woman looks at me in a strange way.

"... ... ... ... Because."

"Eh?"

"... ... Because! You're in trance with that thing like an idiot... ... I'm saying that you should be more aware sometimes! (1)"

I wonder if she undertood my intention.

The woman's cheeks turn red for a moment, and she covers her face.

Simultaneously, I fall in self hate.

I didn't mean to say something like that.

The embarrassment controls my mind, and I fell like I want to scape right now.

At this moment...

"... ... !?"

I breath surprised.

The delicate body that was right in front of my eyes untill just before, was now dived inside my chest.

This way, she passes her arms around my back, and grabs my clothes with her thin fingers.

It was so sudden that I couldn't embrace, or push her aside, just kept dazed.

I felt like a really long time was necessary to comprehend the situation.

Could it be, that she wanted to be hugged... ...?

The moment I realize it, several minutes seem to have passed.

While the woman makes a slightly upset face, she turns her eyes towards me.

"... ... Ch. Don't make this face! (2)"

But even this treatment, stirts up her said greed wish.

Overwhelmed by love, I pull the woman inside of my arms.

This way, I kiss her nape.

The woman was moving as if ticklish, so I dropped my lips there many times to immobilize her.

"We're getting back to the bedroom for sure. Prepare yourself to what comes after this... ... okay?"

As I whisper it close to her ear, she looks so embarrassed, but responds to my expectations with nothing but a nood.

Untill some time ago, I lamented my own lack of power, and then got jealous that she didin't pay attention to me, but now it wasn't remaning on the corner of my mind anymore.

I held her hand with strength, and quickly traced the way towards the bedroom.

Now, I just want to feel her.

The warmth, the touch, the voice, the shape... ... I wanted to put my hands in everything.

.

.

.

Translation notes

1 - Subaru used the verb 構えって here which means "posture", I've found an article explaining this word can be used in martial arts as a command to get ready, so I thought that probably he was upset with Yui because if someone attacked her she would be stabbed without time to try defending herself, since she wasn't aware, she wasn't in "posture" to fight.

2 - He uses here 調子 which means mood, and 乗る which is a verb utilized to talk about taking means of transport, if I translated it word by word would end up in something like "don't ride this mood".

[tokoyamisstuff]

Halloween with the Hellsing Characters Pt. 2

Anon wanted part 2. More platonic than romantic. No warnings. GN! Reader

A/N: This has been written in kind of a hurry, sorry if it's messy and uninspired. Did I forget anyone? Let me know!

Heinkel and Yumie:

They're 50:50 on this. On the one hand it goes against their religion and they don't wanna disappoint Anderson, on the other hand this sounds like so much fun??

In the end they'll tag along, claiming that they are only here for your protection. You'll go trick-or-treating with the orphans without the nuns knowledge, and later on sneak out to visit a party. Not the first time they do something forbidden, you later learn.

Those two will get wrecked and you'll see a whole new side of them. They're dancing, making silly jokes, cling to you and proclaim how much you mean to them. Either they really got a mental blackout or they'll just act like they don't remember the next day.

Will absolutely get in trouble and argue a lot with other guests unprovoked. The guy complimenting Yumie's 'sexy nun costume' regrets it to this day.

Maxwell:

Oh, he'll be the biggest nag. Hates holidays, hates children, hates anything and anyone. This is beneath him, this is immature and stupid, the list is endless. He'd definetly do whatever you ask of him but he will be a bitch about too.

Acts annoyed the whole time but is actually having so much fun, his inner child is thriving. He was secretly afraid to involuntarily ruin the mood, but you tolerate his attitude so well that he actually gets over himself and comes out of his shell a lil' bit.

Finds himself enjoying to coddle the children, much to his surprise. Compliments their costumes, at least in his wry indirect way. Doesn't have any sweets so he'll give them money lol, they ain't complaining.

Won't talk about it again but you will find a list on his desk with ideas for the next year, and gosh that man will prepare an amazing experience for the children. Obviously only for your sake, not because he wants it...right?

Luke and Jan Valentine:

They really don't need a special occasion to do scary stuff and don't understand the hype around it, but if you insist.

Luke is a total showoff, dresses up and claims it's a costume bc he wears his hair different. Jan comes covered in blood but unsettlingly doesn't specify whether it's fake or not. You on the other hand could wear a potato sack and they'll act like you got the funniest, most beautiful costume ever - and anyone that disaggrees or doesn't acknowledge it properly is in for a horrid experience.

Whatever you have planned to do, you'll probably end up in a completely wrecked place with two idiots that try to one-up each other.

Rip Van Winkle:

A real big fan, but you're the only one she confesses this to. Feels relieved she doesn't have to hide it anymore and to have someone to commit the festive with.

Possesses a lot of related knowledge: All the scary stories and history behind the holiday, can recommend you the best movies, will be informed about every cool event worth going to.

Wears a hyper specific costume. Like gurl what do you mean you're the lighting post from Hereditary?!

Her bullets make for a pretty cool lighting show in the dark, but she'll most likely use her musket to make every pumpkin she sees explode.

Zorin Blitz:

Fuck that boring ass holiday, do you wanna see real horror? That was a hypothetic question, you got no choice.

Digs deep into the occult. Wanna speak with ghosts? Summoun a demon? Make a blood pact or sth? Human sacrifices? You'll witness some shit if you don't dampen her enthusiasm.

After persuading her into some more tame things she'll still find a way to make it more 'interesting'. You'll play truth or dare and she forces people to relive their most traumatic memories, calls it 'bonding time'.

[bagely]

HI! this is a translation of a fanfic I already published in AO3 but, I'm trying to prove myself and write in english, Soo yeah my first lenguaje it's not english is Spanish and because of that this work would have some mistakes 😬 sorry for that I do my best but I'm still just learning, so you can correct me, I would appreciate that.

Oh, and its in Missa's pov

Title: Can I have your number?

Words: 2,009

Ao3 link:

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I walked through the door of the small university café, feeling the warm aroma of coffee fill my senses.

The barista, whose name is Starboby, was very welcoming, and there was nothing strange about her until I saw the bar where someone was preparing coffee with their back turned. I didn't recognize that haircut or the same tone, and I could say that with certainty since I had worked part-time at this place many times before.

«It seems like Roier has hired someone new» I thought, as I didn't recognize any of Roier's blonde friends. There weren't many people in the place, it was still very early. I adjusted my hair, which was longer than usual and a bit uncomfortable.

I walked confidently to the bar, and the barista turned around when she heard my steps and stood in front of me, several meters away. I stopped instantly.

"Oh, I didn't hear you," he said with a warm and cheerful voice while smiling at me. "Do you need anything?"

He was gathering some hair into a ponytail, and her deep blue eyes stirred something within me.

«WHY IS HE SO HANDSOME» I started feeling my heart stop or perhaps start beating so fast that I couldn't measure it myself.

"Uhm... I...just–" I was trying to forced myself to talk. I took a step back and said, "uh... I forgot something... I, uhm... goodbye"

Did I run away or walk very fast? I don't know, the point is that I was already two blocks away from that café. I slap myself.

«Missa, why do you always embarrass yourself? Fool, idiot, idiot...» I wanted to hit myself harder.

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

A few days had passed, and I had "forgotten" (or rather ignored to maintain my sanity) that encounter at the café.

Rivers, a classmate, ask me if we want to do some homework together, and since my house was a mess due to my lack of organization, she decided it would be better to go to Starboby, Roier's café at the university. And here I am again, and he is here.

If someone asked me to organize the 5 most embarrassing moments of my life, what happened in this café a few days ago would occupy the top 5 places.

I'm behind my computer while looking at him, hoping he doesn't notice. After half an hour in the place, I only know one thing about him, and that is his name, which is Philza, and I only know that because I noticed the shiny name tag that I didn't see on my first visit.

I want to ask for his number... I would love to be able to get up and approach him, act like a normal person, and just talk to him, but at this point, I'm sure he thinks I'm a weirdo. I am a weirdo, but I don't like to think that he knows it.

"You could ask Roier for his number," Rivers brought one of her pens to my face and started poking my cheek with it insistently.

"And seem like a stalker? No, thanks," I replied in a somewhat annoyed tone because of what she was doing to my face, but I couldn't complain much anyway since I'm a bit behind on our task.

"Sure, you don't want to seem weird to your boyfriend," she started sarcastically, and she moved away from me in her chair while rolling her eyes. "Okay, be subtle and keep staring at him like a crow."

"I'm not...–" I don't even know what I was about to say because my mind freeze when my eyes were caught by his.

«Did he notice?» I felt a bit scared, I immediately looked away, but I heard a slight laugh coming from him. «he got me.» my face is completely red. I couldn't look in his direction for the rest of the afternoon, which was beneficial for Rivers since we were able to finish some work in one day and organize the ones we have left.

I started packing up my things to leave the café, and I felt someone behind me. My body tensed up when I turned around and saw him there. Time felt slow as he handed me a piece of paper. «His number?» That thought made me blush again until I looked down to see the piece of paper he had given me.

"Thank you for coming," he smiled at me, well, at us, Rivers is still here saddly "Again."

I'm sure that last part is for me, but he only gave me a receipt, just a receipt.

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

Today the café is a bit more crowded, it's rush hour, so I should have expected it. The line is at least 10 people long, and when it's my turn, I find myself too excited. I'm at the front, and I see him. He smiles at me but turns and moves away behind a door to the back. I'm late.

"Missa, what's up?" Roier is now at the bar, smiling at me as if he had just heard the best joke in the world. "Have you seen my new barista?" The look Roier gave me was so indiscreet that I almost hit him, it's obvious that Rivers told him everything.

I restrain any aggressive impulse that grows within me because if I expose myself more than I already am, I'm sure he won't leave me alone.

"Cold coffee, and remember to sweeten it well... You always make it a bit bitter," I tell him, completely avoiding the topic.

He laughs and turns around to start doing what I asked. I lower my head to the counter where the desserts are, I only came to the place for coffee and to see Phil, but it wouldn't hurt to have a donut anyway, one of the things I wanted to see wasn't there, I need a consolation prize.

"Are you ordering something?" That voice makes my heart skip a beat, and it makes me lift my head to see Philza on the other side of the bar with his ever-present kind and reassuring smile. I could die at that moment and be satisfied. "Didn't he finish his shift? Oh, it doesn't matter, my prayers were answered," I say.

"Yes," I say, perhaps a bit too loud.

"Phil! I see you've met Missa," Roier's joyful voice also stirs my guts, but in an unpleasant way, as I'm sure of what's coming.

"Oh, yeah, I've talked to him before," Philza replied, nodding.

I'm not saying anything, and it's awkward because this conversation is about me, but I can't do it, everything in me prevents me from commenting on what's happening.

"You need to treat him well" Roier speaks again, and I have the urge to run away from there, again. "He's not new here, he's one of our most loyal part-timers. A VIP customer," Roier says.

"Roier, no, don't exaggerate," I finally speak, looking into the brown eyes and begging him with my eyes to shut up for once.

"I see," Philza laughs, I notice how easy it seems to make that man laugh, which defensively doesn't bother me, I would love to hear that laughter for longer. I look at him again, and he returns the gaze. "I'll take good care of him then."

If he continues to be like that, I'll probably have a heart attack and die.

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

It's almost the end of autumn, which means it's been a month since I met Philza, and I still haven't asked for his number. But I'm making progress, I'm at the point where I can say a complete sentence without stuttering. Anyway, I'm sure he thinks I'm weird because that's the only part of my personality that I've shown him throughout this month.

I'm at the café again, but I'm smart and learn from my mistakes. I don't go to the café during hours when I'm sure Roier will be there. I made that mistake twice, the last time was last week, and the man managed to embarrass me by telling Phil about all my mistakes when I was a rookie.

I'm not hiding behind my laptop this time; I'm "reading" a book. I read on the internet that people who look intelligent are more attractive, and I must use everything I can to my advantage.

Although I haven't talked to him much, I now know a few more things about Phil than just his name. For example, he's 25 years old, which means he's only three years older than me, and apparently, he knows Roier from his boyfriend, and knowing Cellbit's great social skills, he's probably a classmate or a fellow student.

Among the little things I know, I also managed to ask him if he's dating someone in the most discreet way possible, which means I told Rivers to ask him, and I was next to her to listen, and miraculously, the answer was no. I had never felt luckier in my life. I think I almost screamed when I found out, almost because I managed to maintain my composure as much as I could.

"Are you going to order something?" His voice, his terribly charming voice, snapped me out of my thoughts. I didn't realize when he had approached me, placing his hand on the table in front of me.

«Your number» I didn't say it. I wish I had said it. Damn it.

"I'm... I'm fine, you know, just chill.. yeah.." I said, and I'm sure that every word coming out of my mouth It's getting worse and worse.

"Right " He said, and I felt something strange inside me when he sighed after speaking.

Phil seems very committed to his work, he always comes to ask me if I need anything, even if there are several people around. It's very admirable.

He's about to lift his hand from the table and walk away, but I don't want him to. There's no one else here, and a force that I hadn't felt all month pulls my hand, tugging at the sleeve of his white shirt, back to the table.

I turn to look at him, and that momentary force leaves my body.

"Yes?" He asks with a lopsided smile that suits him torturously well.

My eyes sink to the ground. I can only see his shoes and mine.

"Uh could you...uhm" I'm sure I must look like an elf, with my ears burning from the amount of embarrassment I feel. "Can I have your number?" Somehow, that sentence came out in full.

"I already gave it to you."

"WHAT?" I shout. Because there's no other way to express what was going through my head at that moment. I'm trying and searching through hundreds of memories if that ever happened and I have nothing...

"You threw it in the trash, I thought you had rejected me and now you were just giving me confusing signals." Well, with that, I raised my head, he still looked calm, only with a hint of blush almost imperceptible on his cheeks.

"Who was giving confusing signals to who?" My brain was melted, or maybe I was swapped in the middle of the night into someone else's life because all those things he says don't make sense. "Me rejecting you? I'm not insane."

He laughs, and I feel the atmosphere lighten. "Well, you did it." He speaks through clenched teeth, holding back laughter. "When you were with your friend, I gave it to you on the back of the receipt and you threw it in the trash."

«Idiot, idiot, idiot, WHY DIDN'T I SEE THE BACK?»

"I... I didn't see it." His hand goes to my cheek, and his face begins to approach.

«Am I dreaming?» I'm completely paralyzed.

He lightly taps his forehead against mine and then takes a few steps back, but I stand up so we're still close. He takes my hand and intertwines his fingers with mine.

"Dumb" He says to me in that charming tone of voice that I'm sure I'll never get tired of.

[calextheneko]

Mario RPG Post Game Bosses Quick and Dirty Guide

Okay, so I can't promise the tactics I'm going to suggest here are the best effective tactics in the game for defeating each of the bosses in the post game. But I will say they let me roll through all of them pretty fast. Also bosses are pretty much in the order I encountered them. If at any point you're unsure if what boss you should be fighting you can go talk to Frog Sage at tadpole pond to be hinted at where to go.

Before Any Fights

Make sure you've fought and defeated Jinx three times and beaten Culex in Montro town and got the Jinx Belt and Quartz Charm accessories.

Level up as much as possible. You can buy the EXP Booster from the frog coin merchant in Seaside Town which doubles the XP of the person who has it equipped even if they're not in battle. The Lucky Egg bought from the Treasure Hunter in the Moeville Item Shop can be used to double your XP earned a lot for the party if you're good at the shuffle game.

Buy the Earlier Times item from the Frog Coin Merchant in Seaside Time. When RNG just goes bad or you mess up this will let you restart the fight right away rather than having to slowly die and resume from the last save point.

Make sure you have a Feather. If you didn't get won from beating Dodo in the statue mini game you can buy one, or if you want a second buy a second one from the Treasure Hunter in the Moeville Item Shop.

Make sure yo have the Lazy Shell (Weapon and armor) and Safety Ring.

Get as many Kercolas, Red Essences and Rock Candies that you can.

Practice timed hits and perfect blocks because both are required for multiple boss fights and will be the difference between life and death.

Consider getting the Star Egg from Grate Guy's Casino if you can stand the torture that is winning 100 Games of Look the Other Way. It deals a flat 100 damage to all enemies so isn't the best damage but it's reliable and reusable so comes in handy when you need something to damage everyone.

Now to the bosses.

Belome

Fought in Belome temple. Don't be an idiot like me and immediately run through all of Kero Sewer and then have to do Midas River because he's not there. Frog Sage told me he was up to his old tricks. So old tricks made me think the sewers. It was the temple. Travel to Monstro Town and enter the temple from there to get to him instantly.

Belome is frustrating but easy. But you can get rid of most of the frustrating part. Take any party members you want but I recommend including Peach for healing like I will for every fight. You don't need any special preparations to beat him but immunizing your entire party to sleep will save you a lot of grief. I did not, I only had Peach immune to sleep. She had the Safety Ring. Belome spams Sleep attacks so Mario and Geno went to sleep A LOT.

Belome's main gimmick this time is that he can't be injured by any attack as long as he has a clone out. He'll basically bounce back and forth between creating a clone, attacking and attempting to put the party to sleep. If you're prepared (unlike me) and immune to sleep 90% of this fight is solved. Just need two characters who hit hard to rip through the clone as soon as it comes out and beat down Belome. He doesn't really have anything dangerous and aside from not taking damage and so much sleep spam is really not that different from previous fights.

Jinx

Since I was already in Monstro Town decided to go visit Jinx yet since based on the wishes I read on the Pink Stars (You'll see them when you start the post game and follow the story leading to the boss rematches) that he was one of them.

Preparation

Jinx is going to spam mortal blows on your party. Accessories like the Safety Ring and the Quartz Charm are absolutely mandatory unless you have flawless mastery of timed hits to the point you never miss, even so good to have them for safety on the occasion you mess up and they're both really good accessories. Party members, someone, anyone that you're really good with their timed hits and Peach for healing.

Jinx is a bit different in that you're not looking to deplete his HP. All you have to do is use a Team Attack and you instantly win. But before you try to be a smarty pants and go in with a 100% gauge prepped he will set your gauge to 0 when the fight starts. It doesn't matter if the team attack actually deals damage, Jinx wants to duel you to see how to get in synergy with your partners to do a team attack and so you will instantly win as soon as you use any attack. Recommend Lazy Shell and Safety Pin go specifically on Peach.

Jinx hits fast and hard as usual. Anytime you miss a timed hit rather it be attacking or healing Jinx will counter with an instant death attack. This is why you want protection from Mortal Blows. Basically, this entire fight is just a practice of your timed hits and defenses. His attacks can deal massive damage and sometimes one shot characters but all of them can be negated to 0 damage with a properly timed block. There's really no trick to it beyond that. Just used timed hits and blocks to build up your gauge and fire it of as soon as its full. Make sure all party members are up and able to perform the attack. Summoning Toad is not what he needs, you need all three party members. Peach with the Lazy Shell and Safety pin will survive anything he throws at her, so just use her to heal up and revive anyone that goes down while you build up that gauge. Don't lose your cool and keep that timing up and victory will be yours.

Punchinello

Preparation: Not a whole lot you can prepare to do on this fight. Like Jinx this fight is going to revolve entirely around getting your Timed Hits right. And you'll mostly be dealing with attacks that can kill you instantly if you fail to block. But they're not guaranteed 9999 damage like some later bosses they're just really strong attacks, might be survivable with something like Lazy Shell + Ghost Medal. Speed is probably the most important factor here though so the Lazy Shell armor can be a liability. Since Speed is important Geno is naturally one of the best fits for the party. And again I make Peach the third for reviving and healing others.

The Fight Itself

So like I said this game revolves around timed hits. You can't damage Punchinello directly. You can only attack the bombs he throws out. If you do a perfectly timed hit, the bomb will change the direction its facing and face him. Then when the bomb goes off it will explode on Punchinello and damage him instead of you. Be careful to watch the bombs before you attack them some of them will already be pointing at him leave those untouched. This is why speed is important. You only have four party members and he'll drop four bombs. And of course only perfectly timed time attacks will turn them around so if you screw it well hope you can go again before that bomb goes off. The bombs can be killed if enough damage is done but this is kind of a last resort sort of thing and you're more likely to kill one on accident from it taking damage when you damage all enemies with your perfect hits. Mastering the timing for a perfect block against the bombs is mandatory to survival. If you have a hard time feel free to use Earlier Times if you have it to restart the fight until you get it down. Basically hit A right before the bomb hits you. But if a bomb hits you and takes you down you either have to swap that party member out or waste a turn reviving them and lose up to two attacks possibly resulting in more bombs going off on you. Because your timing has to be perfect you they won't spin around loses happen sometimes. Just, best of luck with the perfect blocks and perfect timed hits.

Boster

Preparation

I hate this fight, with all of my hate. This is the first fight to kill me in the entire game. You must bring Geno for this fight, and equip him with a Feather to boost his speed. This fight is just... not a good fight, and is absolutely terrible design in an otherwise wonderful game because there is a very specific solution to the fight and it's just, screw you if you don't know it. Super fast Geno is that solution. Bring Peach for healing, and give Mario the Quartz Charm for damage.

The Fight

So at the start of every round Booster will start building his train. If it gets to his turn he will finish building the train and crash it into your party for 9999 damage. Coincidentally, every turn one of his Sniffets will cast Morale Boost that increases his speed every single turn. See why I hate this fight? The trick is Booster must be attacked before his turn each round to interrupt his building. Which is why you need Geno because the fight will quickly get to the point where no one can out speed him but a speed boosted Geno. Make sure he gets interrupted each round. Then I murdered the Sniffets next, in hind sight it might have been easier to go straight for Booster. Either way just deal as much damage as fast as you can. Rock Candies are useful to deal significant damage to everyone, Geno Flash, Psych Bomb (but only if Peach doesn't have the lazy shell) and of course if you're good at it Super Jump is always amazing. If you're not, kick a lazy shell into them. Just kill the Sniffets or Booster as fast as possible and be aware you might have to restart. If your backline party tags in I recommend immediately restarting the battle with an Earlier Times (You can buy it with Frog Coins in Seaside Town) because Mallow and Bowser will not be fast enough to really do anything unless Booster is low on health and they can finish him off right there. I don't know his HP but you can always have Mallow use Thought Peak once to see his HP if you go for killing Booster first to track the damage on him and know how close you are to killing him. Also, can charge a team attack before coming to the fight and swap Peach out for a turn to Mallow or Bowser to do a damage dealing team attack. I do not reccomend swapping out Geno because you want him there to interrupt Booster from building when the next attack starts. Roselina freaking Luma this fight is easily the hardest in the game for me and just so obnoxious. Best of luck.

Now then whose next... I honestly forget so I had to go google the post game fights. And it turns out it's the freaking cake again in Marrymore. Make your Portal references now.

Bundt Cake

Preparations: Not a ton of prep work here, Quartz Charm and Black Belt are recommended. Peach will put this fight into easy mode so should be included for something other than her healing. Other than her big your favorite damage dealer. Probably put Safety Ring on Peach as usual. She won't be focusing on damage.

The Fight

So the goal is to put out the candles just like last time. The catch this time, the chefs are there and will keep lighting the candles and if they light all the candles bad things happen. Which I never found out what would happen because I never let them get that far. So, you need Peach or as many sleep bombs as you can carry. Peach is better, because you're going to cast Sleepy Time to put both chefs to sleep. I believe if you spin the stick enough to max it out it's 100% chance of putting both of them to sleep but I'm not 100% sure. All I know is I never saw it fail when maxed out in the fight. I also never failed to max it out.

After you put the chefs to sleep, it's just a matter of dealing damage to the cake and healing up as needed. Chefs will wake up every now and then and need to be put back to sleep but as long as you keep them under control this fight is easier than the original fight with the cake. No wonder I forgot this one. I don't know when I actually did it. Just make sure to play it safe and keep yourself healed up and those chefs asleep and you'll be good.

Johnny Jonathan Jones

Preparation

This is going to be a one on one fight between Mario and Jones. Prepare accordingly and equip Mario with your best accessory. Quartz Charm is my preference. Can also do Lazy Shell Armor and Safety Ring if you want to try to turtle your way through the fight. Just a quick warning, there's no way to heal in the fight at all. You can't use items, and only Mario can fight. I guess Jones is a Melee player. Anyway before the fight you'll be asked to choose which party members you want cheering you on. You won't get anyone to fight but you will get buffs from the party. Best way to beat Jones is to take him down as fast as possible so I took Geno and Bowser for damage up and I guess defense up but mostly damage go up.

The Fight

This fight was the second one to kill me. It can be rough. It's going to test your ability to do perfect blocks. Jones will attack with both spells and physical attacks so you need to be ready to block them... And that's really all there is to this fight. Be able to block his attacks and strike back till he's dead. He doesn't have a lot of HP thankfully since the fight is 1 v 1. If you're a master of Super Jump you can probably kill him in one turn. I don't know I'm not good at Super Jump. Though I finally found out it was because unlike what Toad told me it's not hit the button right before the attack lands but actually when it lands. So with that new knowledge I will have to go back and try super jumping things again and get to 100. Right back to Johnny. So, again it might take you a few tries but you just keep practicing his fight until you can block all his attacks with the correct timing and then take him out. There's not really any shortcut or trick to this fight (Besides Super Jump) just gotta learn the timing.

Culex

Preparation: Here's the one we've all been waiting for. Let's get down to it. Culex is the main course and all the other bosses were just an appetizer before him. So first off, Lazy Shell and Safety Ring on Peach. Second, Geno with Quartz Charm and Mario with Black Belt or Safety Badge. Might want to also consider Zoom Shoes or Feather on Geno and give the Quartz Charm to Mario instead depending on how you want to play it. Finally, go into the fight with your Team Gauge already charged to 100%. We're going to be using Mario, Geno and Peach's Team Attack A LOT this fight. Savs-Us-All blocks the next attack each party member takes and will work on anything.

The Fight

Culex is as expected a beast. And the third and final character I have met my end by. Oh wait, no I didn't because every time I was in danger of dying I used Earlier Times. HA! Take that Culex! You technically never sent me to the game over screen, and I technically beat you on my first try. Anyway, his newest jerk move is to use an HP that deals your max HP -1 in damage. This is important. His new spell Meteor is not HP to 1, it is your max HP -1. If you have even a single point of damage on you the spell will kill you. Now, after he opens the fight with that he'll use it every five turns and give you a counter, and responding to that is going to be a large part of our strategy for how to beat him. Finally, make sure you are maxed out in your inventory on Red Essences, Rock Candies, Kercolas, and Pick-Me-Ups.

First off, surviving the first round is the most important and hardest part of the fight. Once you make it past the first round the fight becomes a lot easier. The largest problem is that depending on your set up there is a high chance that Culex will open the fight dropping your party's HP to 1 and then the Wind Crystal will go off and use an AoE killing your entire party. It's that kind of fight. So, you have two choices here, can keep using the Earlier Times item to restart the battle till you have at least two characters alive or can give Geno the Feather pre-fight so he can move faster and have him use a Kercola. Regardless of which method you use Geno will go first and use a Kercola to get the two or if if you're really lucky your entire party up to max health. Peach on her turn if anyone is dead use Come Back unless the living characters are in need of healing because they will get KOed if you don't keep yourself healed up. Basically priority is as follows

Negate or Survive Culex's Meteor Attack > Heal HP > Revive Down Allies > Deal Damage.

Now, on negating Culex's attack. There are a couple ways to do it. Peach should be going last each round while Culex goes first meaning she'll always go off before him. When the first Cooldown hits 1, have Peach use the Team Attack Save-Us-All on her turn and you'll just straight up negate Meteor when Culex uses it on 0. Other options is once you have someone guaranteed to go after Culex is to use Kercolas, but remember you only have three. Another is to throw a Red Essence on Peach and then have her heal everyone and the two others use Max Mushrooms as needed. Try to save Pick Me Ups for reviving Peach if she dies and use Comeback to revive your other allies, but if you need to get everyone up fast use it. Anytime you have your team gauge fully charged use Save-Us-All with Peach right before Culex casts Meteor. Obviously it won't be charged every turn and that's why you'll need to make do with Kercolas and Red Essences. Save the Red Essences for Peach you don't have enough of them to use on your entire party and last till the end of the fight.

Now... As for actually defeating the enemies. I recommend starting with the Wind Crystal it's weak to special attacks, all special attacks so Geno Flash or even just Geno Beam will make quick work of it. If you're good at Super Jump you can probably take out the Wind Crystal right away.

From there I took out the Water Crystal but I think it may have been a better choice to go after the Earth Crystal. One of them can summon Bowyer's button locks and seal one of your commands. I think it's the Earth Crystal that does it but not 100% sure. Fire Crystal felt like the least threatening of them so saved it for last.

While this is going on always be aware of when Meteor is coming and prepare accordingly. Remember that if Meteor goes off any character with damage on them will die unless Save-Us-All is active. Mario and Geno should focus on damage and killing as much as possible. In the rare event the party doesn't need healing on Peach's turn she should use a Rock Candy to damage everyone, or if you run out of those the Star Egg. You can also use the Fire and Ice bombs just be aware the naturally a the fire crystal resists fire and the water crystal resists water.

Once all the Crystals are down the fight becomes much easier to deal with. Culex will replace Meteor with Final Claw, an attack that deals 9999 damage, but it only targets one person, and it can be blocked with a perfect block. Timing is a bit tricky but it can be done. But either way losing one person is a lot better than the entire team and you have a countdown till he uses it just like Meteor so whenever Team Attack is charged can just use Save-Us-All and bam no Final Claw. So like the previous fight when Team Attack is charged always pop it with Peach when Culex's counter is on 1 to just negate his ultimate instant kill attack. At this point it's just a matter of keeping yourself healed and beating Culex down. Keep persisting and use that Team Attack anytime its charged to negate Final Claw and victory is finally yours.

And with that, you get a completely useless key item per Final Fantasy Superboss tradition that just says you beat the hardest boss. Huzzah! Hope that helps. Not a perfect guide by any means but this is what worked for me.

[knickynoo]

Back to the Future: The Animated Series, s02ep09 “Hill Valley Brown Out"

Previous episodes linked here.

In this episode: Clara and Doc's dynamic continues to upset me, the townsfolk can't decide if they love Doc or want to banish him from Hill Valley, and a reference to a '90s show makes me do ten minutes of research.

The opening sequence with Doc is super quick and not particularly interesting, so I'm going to skip it and get right to the cartoon.

The citizens of Hill Valley are preparing for the annual Founders' Day celebration, which is a thing that I know about from watching Little House on the Prairie and The Waltons, lol. Both of those shows had Founders' Day episodes as well. We see a statue dedicated to the founder of Hill Valley with a plaque that reads, "The Old Pioneer and His Mule Standing on a Hill."

We then go to the Brown home, where the family is very busy preparing for the festival. Jules and Verne are hard at work making a papier-mâché mule, Clara is putting together a handmade costume, and Doc has been put in charge of the food booth. Unfortunately, Doc is being his typical bumbling cartoon self, and he ends up making a mess of things in the house. Clara, as usual, is angry and annoyed at him and sends him out of the house with these parting words:

If you read the post for the previous episode, you'll recall Clara and Doc flipping out at each other and having a major fight, and they've been unkind to each other in other episodes as well. It's particularly prevalent with Clara, who seems to have this whole "I married an idiot" thing going on??

I do not like it. Always amazed at how little these characters resemble the ones from the movies sometimes. Clara is often framed as the nagging, long-suffering wife, Doc is so ridiculously goofy and incompetent at times that it's a little much even for a cartoon, and Marty is just Some Generic 90's Cartoon Guy that they slapped the name Marty McFly on and called it a day.

This series could have been good. It could have been so good. Alas.

Anyway, Doc goes off to the garage, where he soon gets a phone call. It's the sheriff, calling to remind Doc not to partake in any "monkey business" prior to the Founders' Day celebration. Doc assures the man that all will go smoothly.

As soon as he hangs up the phone, Doc gets a visit from Biff who asks to borrow some chairs for a party he's throwing. While he's there, Doc sees it as the perfect opportunity to test out his invention for the town celebration: a machine that cooks and serves 1,000 hot dogs per hour.

As expected, the machine malfunctions and ends up covering Biff in the food (as well as slapping him). Doc makes up for it by loaning Biff a bunch of his specialized folding chairs. After Biff leaves, Doc attempts to clean the machine using "super sudsy soap" he's invented. Does it work as it's supposed to? Of course not. This guy invented several fully functional time machines, but he's yet to invent anything in the cartoon that actually functions properly.

The soap is SO SUDSY that it flows out of the garage and into the house, where Clara is busy fixing her costume and muttering angrily to herself about her husband. As she does so, she mentions Doc's full name, and it's at that point that I discovered Lathrop isn't pronounced "lah-throp" like I'd thought all these years; it's pronounced "lay-throp." I don't know why this bothers me, but it does. It doesn't look like it should be pronounced like that.

Clara, absolutely fed up with Doc's shenanigans, gets into the DeLorean and tells him that she's taking the boys into town for the tractor pull contest. Jules and Verne are utterly delighted and seemingly oblivious to the fact that their family is one step away from crumbling.

As she pulls out of the driveway, Clara says, "And find a new lab, or you'll have to find a new family!"

HELLO??? I know married couples fight but. What is happening with these two?? This is ridiculous behavior.

Doc takes his invention over to the McFly house, hoping to use their garage as his workspace. We've never seen the McFly home in the cartoon before!

The outlets in the garage don't have enough voltage for Doc's power tools, but he decides it's a good idea to tap directly into the nearby transformer to get the power he needs. He proceeds to cause the entire town's electricity to go out.

The next day, Clara is harassed and then chased by an angry mob of protestors outside the grocery store, and Verne is tormented on the playground by kids who are singing a taunting song about Doc.

Later on, as Doc sits in the yard with Einstein and wonders if he'll be allowed back inside the house tonight (Clara had kicked him out), his wife and the boys appear and shut down that possibility real quick.

Yes, she's making him eat dog food. Also, why does he have a dog bowl, and why does it say "Doc" rather than "Emmett"? WHO PUNCHED MY BOY JULES IN THE EYE??

Doc believes he has a solution to restore electricity to the city, and he heads off to gather supplies. While walking in town, he's picked up by the sheriff, who drives him to the city limit, tosses him out of the car, and tells him not to show his face in Hill Valley again.

Things are not looking good for our pal Doc.

He quickly finds a loophole, though! Doc sneaks over to the McFly house, explains to Marty that the sheriff said not to show his face, and then shows off his new disguise.

As confident as Doc is, the disguise doesn't work all that well. A worker at the hardware store recognizes him instantly, and all I got to say is...how? That does not look remotely like Doc. This plan should have worked. Back at the garage, Marty offers to go pick up whatever Doc needs, but Doc says Marty going to the hardware store would look suspicious.

He eventually finds a way to get his supplies and is able to build a giant generator that runs off of water, wind, sunlight, and moonlight.

It works, the town gets power back, and the sheriff welcomes Doc back to the town. Back at the Brown home, Clara is relieved to have the power back, as she'd been busy using an exercise bike to power the TV.

Side note: She says, "What I go through so we won't miss Northern Exposure." This led me to then look up what that was, and I discovered it was a popular show in the 1990s. The imdb page lists this as the synopsis: "A city doctor is forced to work in the remote Alaskan town of Cicely, where he encounters peculiar locals, including a former NASA astronaut, as he adjusts to small-town life."

And right away, my brain went, "That just sounds like Doc Hollywood but in Alaska."

So, I fell down some additional rabbit holes and found several articles and message boards of people also discussing this connection. Doc Hollywood premiered a little over a year after Northern Exposure did, but some people mentioned that the show might have been inspired by the 1979 book called "What? Dead Again?" Doc Hollywood is based off of.

So, basically, it might have happened like this...

Ok, I need to get my train of thought back onto the tracks because that distracted me for several minutes.

Clara welcomes Doc back with a hug, and the townspeople declare Doc a hero.

The happiness doesn't last too long, though. The power is back, but Doc later discovers that there's no way to turn anything off. Every light and appliance in the entire town has become permanently on. A mob forms to run Doc out of town. Again. Before they do that, they decide to try to shut the generator down. Biff pours soda on it, which shorts the device out.

We get a brief shot of the local movie theater, which is playing Back to the Future. (this can be seen in a past episode as well)

Everything around town starts exploding. Lampposts, traffic lights, etc. It's a disaster. The very people who were ten seconds away from driving the Brown family out of town then beg Doc to help. He springs into action, shuts down the machine, and the angry mob goes back to cheering for him.

What a wild ride this episode is.

We cut to the Founders' Day celebration, where Jules, Verne, and Marty are grumpy since the destruction of the generator means the town has fallen back into not having electricity. The boys complain that all the fun parts of the fair need power (bumper cars, rock concert, etc). An old man then approaches and tells them that the original Founders' Day didn't have electricity either, and they still had fun. Marty concludes that they can still enjoy the day by participating in other activities like the citizens did back in the day.

Btw, the old guy looks just like the guy from the statue shown in the beginning.

After his inspirational speech, the old man asks Clara to take him back home in that "fancy carriage," which confirms that Clara had gone back in time to get him so that he could offer the town some encouragement. This brings us to the end of the cartoon.

We return to Real Doc, who, long story short, ends up accidentally opening the water reservoir gates on the Hoover Dam. Don't worry, he fixes it right away. All is well.

This feels like the longest post I've done for this show so far. It took forever to watch the episode and type it up. Though that may be due in part to me getting sidetracked by the Doc Hollywood thing.

Definitely not one of my favorite episodes. I'm so tired of Clara being mean to Doc and acting like she doesn't love him. I hope the next episode is better. I'm not even going to look up the summary because I want to just go into it without any background.

If you managed to read this whole thing, this is for you.

[thegeminisage]

STAR TREK UPDATE TIME. on time for once. last night we did ds9's "homefront" and "paradise lost." im sticking them together since they're essentially a two-parter:

main issue w these episodes is the Message...which is that paranoia bad. and i do agree with that. i think we're talking like more red scare than anything but every time someone said "we can't let fear rule our lives" all i heard was my mom explaining to me why we absolutely needed to start going back out to restaurants in summer of 2020.

it also sort of clashes w sisko's "the problem is earth" speech. like, the idea that because things are SO perfect on earth the people there don't know how to deal with adversity because they've never had to. so the first half of this storyline painted them as bumbling idiots for not realizing the threat was real and yes some lifestyle changes had to be made but the second half of this episode was like sisko you're an IDIOT for falling for this trap you let your own paranoia do the work for you! and i guess that's the "twist" but it also feels like they're trying to have it both ways

some of what ds9 does pretty well is deconstruct the idea of starfleet and the federation as a utopia...these episodes seemed to scoff at that notion, like, of COURSE utopia is real, and you guys with you "war" and you "real problems" almost ruined it!!

like, sorry, but odo's right. there literally is still at least one changeling on earth. are we doing fuck all about that or what. no you can't blood test everybody and jump at shadows but ???

b plot: i like grandpa jope, but he scared me. he showed up and he was sick and i had to pause the episode to make sure he didn't die. i would have stopped dead in the middle

he reminds me of my own mom, who also doesn't <3 take care of herself. but you can see so much of sisko in him and it's easy to understand where sisko got so much of his personality

i wish we had gotten to meet sisko's sister! seemed weird that if you can beam to anywhere instantly she wouldn't come for a visit when he is on earth so rarely :(

ALSO HI NOG. i love that he became a regular here just because he knew the owner's grandson and now this guy has to prepare bugs for him even though this isn't that kind of joint.

i guessed as soon as they were mentioned that the red squad were changelings and they turned out not to be but they WERE up to no good so i get Points.

also oooooh when that other changeling was mean to odo. oooh that was so evil and fun

HI. ALSO. ODO LETTING HIMSELF BE EXPERIMENTED ON...HE GOT SHOT 13 TIMES

i'm glad he was able to call it quits when HE wanted AND that they said thank you. you can't just do that to him that's his trauma!!!!!

i loved getting to see him transform into so much stuff...i feel like it's been forever. seagull odo my beloved <3

TONIGHT: voy's "prototype" and "alliances."