#and you'll have a better idea of what it is

[ladykittenfair]

PREV (you can't hide this truth in the tags)

#'but I only want to read the good stuff' THAT MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE#THERE ARE HIDDEN GEMS YOU WONT EVEN FIND#also you know what you TRULY want? fics recs it's called fic recs but hey cant have that if you dont read THE FUCKING FICS first

This is such a "you're new here" moment, isn't it? Like. We don't do that. Do you know why we don't do that? Because this isn't a mop, okay. You can't say "does it do the job or doesn't it" because entertainment is subjective.

I personally cannot with horror, gore, or explicit sexytimes. I can't. But, I have friends who like things I like and that. I can't read what they write when it's like that, and they don't share those recs but I don't think those works are bad. Say it with me, people:

"I didn't say it was bad, I said I didn't like it."

Now say,

"I am not the target audience. This is not for me."

Internalize this. Internalize don't like, don't read. And move on to something you do like! (May I suggest searching the tags within a fandom you enjoy?)

ALSO!!

If this isn't enough please let me rec Ao3's fantabulous filter system. On the navigation bar there is "Fandoms" "Browse" "Search" and "About"

We want "SEARCH" which takes you here (https://archiveofourown.org/works/search)**

**you can also search bookmarks, tags, and people/users!

The one I linked to you lets you search in fantastic detail for your dream fic, either a specific one you lost the Ao3 link to or a selection of fics that fit what you want. Isn't that so much better than an algorithm that choses what it thinks you want? Sure, it's not spoon feeding you, but it gives you choices, and agency, and frankly does a better job (speaking as someone who uses both Ao3 with no algorithm and YouTube with a funky algorithm.)

FINAL NOTE (I promise)

One of my writer friends has started leaving links to her own work at the end of fics of hers that have something in common. A little "if you liked this, you'll probably like this thing I also wrote" and I think that's brilliant.

'ao3 needs a like and dislike button'

what you need, my algorithm-rotten minded friend, is a grip

[cosmosluckycharms]

Show☆Time

Why do I cry?

You finally got your stupid little stage.

You didn't think it was stupid, but everyone you know told you it was a dumb idea.

When you told your father, all he did was hand you his credit card without looking and go back to working on his computer.

When you told Dick, all he did was ruffle your hair and walk away and promise he would be your first fan.

You knew it wasn't true, he never followed up on his promises. He had better things to do anyway.

When you told Jason, all he did was put his earbuds into his ears and go back to reading.

When you told Tim, all he did was tell you to shut up and left to his room.

When you told Damian, all he did was scoff and go back to painting.

At least Alfred tried to pay attention to your ideas, even if you knew it was out of pity.

You knew deep down none of them believed in you.

People not believing never stopped you from achieving your dreams.

You spent countless hours at your stage preparing and cleaning fixing and practicing moves.

You spent a while trying to bring in other performers You couldn't find any.

Not until you found Tsukasa Tenma.

He had just gotten rejected from being a performer at a theme park, so you took him in.

As soon as you showed him the stage, you knew he didn't believe in you either.

But you could try and make him believe!

You begged him to reconsider his quitting before he started, and you promised people a show!

While Tsukasa was leaving, you accidentally clicked a song on his playlist labeled UNTITLED.

You got transported to your Sekai, a world right at your fingertips.

You found out that the sekai was made of Tsukasa's true feelings.

You were so curious and excited!

You decided not to tell anyone in your family.

You knew they wouldn't care either way, it wouldn't hurt to keep this one small thing a secret☆

Once you guys left the Sekai, you ran into your next group member a purple-haired boy named Rui!

You watched as small little robot animatronics crowded around him.

..You also watched as he got chased by the police.

Tsukasa ended up bringing Rui again

Soon enough, that friend brought in another friend.

Sure, she was a robot named Robo-Nene, but you'll take anything at this point!

Everything was going well!

Tsukasa had stayed up finishing the script for your play.

Rui had been setting things up.

Nene stayed up practicing for the show you guys were doing.

Because she stayed up while practicing, she forgot to charge her robot.

That wouldn't be an issue if the robot hadn't frozen up on stage and fallen on Tsukasa.

Suddenly everything was falling apart.

Nene was being yelled at by Tsukasa.

Rui was yelling at Tsukasa for yelling at Nene

You didn't know what to do.

You started this because you wanted everyone happy, only for everyone to be sad and mad.

No one was smiling.

You ran home.

You didn't know what to do.

You finally got to the manor, on the verge of tears.

For the first time, you expected and hoped that as soon as you went inside, you could be ignored like always and slip away to your room till dinner.

You didn't realize that on the door there was a water bucket prank meant for your father, by the bat kids due to a prank war happening between them.

You didn't even know there was a prank war going on.

You walked in and immediately were surrounded by everyone while a bucket of cold water hit you.

You see everyone staring at you shocked, clearly not expecting you to walk through the door.

You could hear them start to laugh a little.

You fumbled as you tried to get up from your sitting position.

You felt a tear run down your cheek.

Then another.

Then another.

Soon enough, fat globs of tears were falling.

Huh.

Why were you crying?

You told yourself you wouldn't cry anymore, so why do you keep crying?

It couldn't have just been from the prank, you would not have cried if it was just a regular day.

Unfortunately for you, it wasn't a regular day.

You didn't know if your dreams were falling apart.

You didn't know what to do.

You got up and walked to your room.

Everyone was shocked. They'd never seen you cry.

For all they knew you were a cheerful girl, one who never cried.

You didn't see you cry when you missed your mom.

They didn't see you cry when you missed your grandpa.

They just stared as you walked upstairs in your dramatic performer costume.

They don't even remember you buying that, Where did you get that from?

You just wanted to go home back to your Sekai.

hi guys ik technically you guys wanted a pt 6 of Bug Like Angel but my emu!reader fans have been neglected soooooo

kinda short isigh

taglist:@shirp-collector-of-fixations @maybeethan69 @iluvcatzz @tacendxx @ninihrtss @tsxukikami @d3sperate-enuf @staarflowerr @chaoticmoontimetravel @crazycaoticsimp

[sp0o0kylights]

Steve has no idea how he got talked into this.

Actually, that’s a lie, he knows how it started: a phone call, his mother, and a sudden way for her to be in the spotlight for her yearly fifteen minutes of Hawkins fame. He just can’t recall why he agreed to it.

“It's an opportunity, Steven." She says, heels clicking against the department store tile.

An embarrassment is what it was, but Steve knew better than to tell his mother that.

"You should be honored that Wendy--that’s the head chair of the charity board, you remember her don't you? She used to attend your piano recitals--she asked for you personally." His mother expertly plucked a shirt from the rack, holding it up to the light.

"Those were your parties mom, not my piano recitals." Steve reminds her as she holds the shirt out to him. He took it, adding it to the stack he had in his hands.

The parties were the exact same kind of shit this as this “Valentine's Day Fundraiser” a way for rich people to celebrate themselves by making others uncomfortable.

Only instead of being forced to play piano so his mothers friends could wine and dine with the famous Harrington's, he was being hauled up in front of the entire town (or whoever was attending this stupid event) and auctioned off as a “date” to the highest bidder.

(“It’s for one day, Steven, don’t be so dramatic. Why is your generation entirely incapable of taking a joke and having fun?” His mother had said, when he tried to tell her he wasn’t comfortable with the idea.

Of course there was no answer that would please her; soon enough, Steve found himself dragged about town as his mother played dress up.)

"You'll be standing alongside the Mayor, the fire department, even that idiot, Mary Marie--"

She stops for a moment, eyeing a jacket with a critical eye.

Just as quickly she dismisses it with a hum, prowling on to the next section.

"--the point is that there will be plenty of candidates for the children to pick from, but you’ll be the only hero up there."

That same critical eye turns on him, appraising him like he was no more than a horse in her stable, adding up imperfections and dividing amongst his best qualities.

(Despite a lifetime of training, it still takes everything in him not to squirm.)

"Not to mention a Harrington.” She purrs, taking a step closer to run a manicured hand down the front of his shirt, smoothing away a stray crease. “Women will be throwing money to win a day with you."

Steve has to fight not to outright shudder.

"Which means you have to look your best. Now stop whining, we’re almost done.”

Steve doubts that, but it doesn’t matter; he never had a choice to begin with.

xXx

Four hours, one shower, and several rounds of his mother’s nagging and meticulous styling, ,Steve finds himself back in Hawkin’s High, staring at the gym.

His mother had long swept past him, having spotted some high school friends and gone over to lord her lifestyle and general wealth over them.

For a fundraiser, the charity board in charge had spared no expense in dressing the gym up. Red, pink and white balloons decorated the doorways and a large stage hauled to one end.

Tables with thick, white table cloth are artfully arranged about the floor, caterers swiftly moving between them.

This is probably the fanciest this gym has ever looked, and Steve wants to be anywhere but inside it.

“Oh--Steve.” A gentle voice says next to him, and Steve turns his head in surprise to see Chrissy Cunningham look nervously up at him. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“Me neither honestly.” He tells her, watching the way that makes the younger woman smile. “But I’ve been volun-told to be auctioned off. What about yourself?”

Chrissy runs her hands down her dress, a modest if not beautiful blue halter dress , wincing as she snags a nail on it. “The school held a vote at lunch about who would represent the school tonight. All of the varsity cheerleaders and basketball players were involved.”

“I see.” Steve says, keeping his voice gentle and playful. There had always been a part of Chrissy that had reminded him of El. Someone who needed kind words in their life. “You got voted as tonight’s sacrifice, huh?”

Chrissy laughs at that, hand flying to cover her mouth. “I guess you could say that.” She says, and seems surprised at herself for it.

“Did Jason get picked too?” Steve asks. It would make sense if he was, the guy was the basketball Captain after all.

Chrissy nods, then chews on her lip. “Yes but--he’s not happy about it,”

Steve snorts and tries to cover it with a cough. “None of us are.”

“It’s more that I’m being auctioned off.”

Chrissy must catch the look on his face because she rushes to add; “You know, like any boyfriend would be! I know it’s just supposed to be a fun silly thing and they’re not really dates but…” She trails off, voice growing quieter at the end. “He worries.”

The word “worry” sounds like it means something else entirely.

Steve feels for her.

“Hey, if Jason’s an ass about it, let me know.” Steve says after a moment of shared silence. “You don’t deserve to deal with him being a kid about this shit.”

Chrissy blinks up at him at that, hand almost to her mouth as though she’d subconsciously raised them up to chew on her nails. “Thanks Steve. That’s nice of you.” She whispers it, and Steve nods and smiles at her.

“There you two are!” A woman says, rushing over with a clipboard. “Steve Harrington and Chrissy Cunningham, right? We’re gathering all the dates behind those doors.” She turns and points to the opposite end of the gym. “If you both would follow me please?”

Steve motions for Chrissy to go first, and moves to follow her when a flash of curls crushed down by a blur of white, blue and electric yellow catches his eye.

He turns automatically, seeking it out and sure enough, ducking down the hall is Henderson, Sinclair hot on his heels.

A familiar mixture of emotions lights up Steve’s spine, and he knows immediately he won’t be able to rest until he figures out what the gremlins are up to--because their Hellfire Club was supposedly canceled today on grounds that Munson had stolen a microphone, or some other crap.

“I’m really sorry, I’ll join you in a second!” Steve calls, before darting down the hall, after them.

xXx

Here’s the thing about the kids.

Mike can be downright squirrely when he wants to be.

The guy is all long-limbs and ever-changing moods, and the second he spots Steve he vanishes around the corner and leaves no trace of himself behind.

Dustin, similarly, is catty.

The kid’s not fast, but when cornered, he has a tendency to do the most insane, ridiculous things.

Currently Steve is ninety percent sure he just saw him jump out a window, and the only reason it’s not one hundred is because his eyesight isn’t the greatest these days, and it’s entirely possible Dustin found something to put that stupid Weird Al shirt on and threw that out the window instead,

It wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened.

Knowing this, Steve automatically goes for the easiest target: Lucas.

See, Lucas is, of course, the most athletic and the only one likely to give Steve a run for his money should he too, decide to bolt.

He also was the most likely to stop and actually talk to Steve, because unlike his friends, he possessed some emotional maturity.

Or just maturity in general.

“Come on Luc, what’s going on?” Steve calls out, the second he rounds the corner and spots the kids. “You’re freaking me out.”

That makes Lucas stop and come to him, while the other two dipshits bolt.

Steve leans against a wall, eyebrow raised as Lucas slinks forward, but knows instantly from the grin the kid’s trying to hide that whatever’s going on right now, is their usual kind of bullshit.

(An internal part of him, the part that has to deal with the unusual bullshit every six months or so, sighs in relief.)

“Okay, you have to swear not to be mad.” Lucas starts, which is never a good sign, but at least it’s coming from Steve’s second most trustworthy kid.

(Will still holds first place, after the time he ratted out Mike for dumping nail polish all over Max’s jacket.

“She was super rude, but she didn’t deserve that.” Will had said with a stubborn set to his jaw.

Steve had ruffled his hair and together they had plotted a way to get revenge on Mike without letting Max outright murder him.)

“We uh, might have heard that you were being auctioned off tonight.”

Which was not at all where Steve thought this was going to go.

“Okay?” He hedges, waiting to see where Lucas spills the part that makes Steve worry.

“So you played D&D with Erica and Dustin, and neither of them will stop bragging about it.” Lucas says, a slight pink coloring his cheeks, “--and Mike won’t say it, but I know it bothers him too so we thought we could, uh, buy you. For the day.”

Lucas sends out his gigawatt grin, the one he uses when he’s trying to be his most charming. “To make you play D&D with us.”

Something warm and soft blooms in Steve’s heart. A kind of love he’d never had before hauling the little shits out of the line of fire the first time.

These kids were gonna be the death of him, he just knew it.

“If you ever tell the others I said this I will deny it ” Steve says, pulling out his wallet and forking out a handful of twenties. “But I would be happy to play your dungeons and dipshits game with you.”

Lucas doesn’t even correct him as he accepts the money with a grin--a real one this time. “Really?” He says, and it's so stupidly hopefully it makes Steve’s heart squeeze.

He reaches out, pulling the kid in for a hug for a second. Claps him on the back a few times before pushing fondly at his head.

“Over being taken on a date by some middle aged woman? Absolutely. But like I said,” He playfully shoves Lucas away, “You tell anyone and I will deny, deny, deny.”

“Sure Steve, whatever.” Lucas says, before running off to go find his friends.

Steve watches him go for a moment, smile on his face, before turning back to the gym.

He’d rather play D&D with the kids any day over dealing with this farce.

(The shocking thing, he finds himself thinking as he wanders over to where the other dates are situated, is that he means it. Even if a hot, beautiful girl bid on him--he’d rather spend the day with the kids.

Doesn’t that just say something about his life these days?)

xXx Eddie xXx

His club was going to kill him.

Normally, missing a game would be downright heresy. Betrayal of the highest order, particularly considering he’s the damn dungeon master. Sure, other people can DM, but not for the current ongoing campaign, which means Eddie landing his sorry ass in detention disrespected the sanctity of both his club and his people.

A fact he will need to beg on hands and knees to makeup for.

The siren song of the microphone, nevermind the idea of having an honest to god stage to prowl around on at lunch was simply too much for Eddie to resist, particularly when it came to his anti-Valentines Day speech.

Not that he was the type of guy to roll his eyes at all the lovey-dovey crap floating around, but more that people could be so stupid about it.

…and maybe he was a little bit jealous.

Eddie convinces himself it’s fine. He plans to have a session for the missed game on Sunday, when he knows his friends had planned to hang out at his place anyway.

Still feels bad about it as he walks down the halls of Hawkin’s high, annoyed that detention took as long as it did.

There’s people milling around, in the kind of stupid dressed up clothes that wasn’t formal, but could be described by evil words like “business casual.” The best skirts and knitted tops, slacks for the men paired with button up shirts or polos.

Like a fucking swarm of Steve Harrington’s--without any of the guys charm.

Not that he had any charm.

Definitely not.

Eddie gives an overactive shudder to clear his head, making his way out of the school as fast as he can.

Because life, the universe and everything in it hates him, he’s interrupted.

“Eddie! Oh thank god, look guys it’s Eddie!”

For the briefest of seconds after hearing Henderson’s voice, Eddie’s worried no one thought to tell the kids that Hellfire had been canceled.

Or, considering Eddie’s over the top response to the first time one of them had tried to miss a campaign night, they might be worried he’s dying (rather than simply an “unbearable idiot” as Jeff had called him earlier.)

His freshman lambs quickly swarm him, three pairs of eyes staring with weird amounts of hope (Sinclair, Henderson) and awkward embarrassment (Wheeler.)

“Eddie! Eddie, they're only letting Juniors and Seniors place the actual bets!” Dustin sounds frantic, practically vibrating in place before him. “They won’t let any of us bid on Steve!”

Any fondness Eddie felt evaporates in a puff of vexed smoke.

“That sounds like a you problem.” He challenges, raising an eyebrow.

For once, the freshmen don’t cringe back.

Instead he’s treated to steel sliding across Henderon’s face, Sinclair right behind him and Mike, who refuses to meet Eddie’s eyes, but stands with his friends anyway.

“Come on, think of all the chaos it’ll cause!” Dustin is pleading, his hands waving in the air in a way that reminds Eddie of himself. “Isn’t that like, you’re whole thing? Going against ‘the Man’!?”

Yes, because publicly buying Harrington for a date in front of Hawkin’s self-proclaimed elite was a great way to stick it to ‘the Man’, instead of, say, painting yet another target on his back.

“I don’t think getting into a bidding war over taking Steve Harrington on a date is going to go over well.” He deadpans.

Dustin throws his hands in the air. “It doesn’t have to be a date! ”

“Jennifer’s mom’s friends bid on her. For a girls night.” Mike adds so quietly it takes a minute for the words to process.

“Just saying!” He adds frantically, as though Eddie is going to call him out for this betrayal.

Considering the downright fearful look he’s wearing, Eddie might just do it for shits and giggles in his next campaign.

“We’re begging you, don’t you want to see Steve play D&D? We promise you can even watch the whole thing and embarrass him or whatever!” Dustin continues, hands clasped together in front of him.

“There you idiots are.” A judgey, annoyed voice calls, cutting into the conversation.

Eddie has never met Sinclair Jr. but immediately assumes the girl walking towards them with her arms firmly on her hips must be her “Steve’s up next, idiots. I know you know how auctions work, so I shouldn't have to remind you about having to physically be in the room to bid on him.”

She stops, cocking her head challengingly. “Unless one of you is going to call in from a payphone?”

Cheeky.

Eddie loves cheeky.

Even if she is eleven.

Muted calls ring out again from the gym. Apparently Hawkin’s middle aged women have started their fight for a day spent with one of the “young, local heroes”.

The very thought of Steve, all scraped up in the stupid Scoop’s Ahoy sailor uniform, guiding kid’s out of the mallfire with his broad chest and buff arms and--

“Eddie.” Dustin whines, bouncing frantically in place.

‘Head out of the gutter, Munson!’ He thinks, annoyed at himself (and perhaps, a little bit more understanding of the ladies shouting out numbers in the gym).

“Do you still only have five dollars?” He says, and it's not defeat, not yet, but he can see the hope reignite in their eyes.

This was stupid. A stupid, stupid, stupid idea!

“We have a hundred now.” Lucas says firmly, which is at least a lot more than five.

The calls from the gym are playful but there’s a catty undertone now. Those women really want that date with Steve, and Eddie knows walking in there, bidding on Harrington is a death sentence.

Dustin’s done something to his eyes. They’re wide, shined over like he’s about to cry. Like this fucking matters to him.

It drills into Eddie in a way he hates. How the three of them, (even Mike who is still trying his best not to act like he wants this) are handing him all their dreams. He’s someone they look up to, someone who can make things happen, and he’s always liked that feeling--but this?

This was asking a lot.

“Eddie man, please. You’re our only hope.” Dustin says it softly, and goddamn him, it’s like he knows Eddie is weak for this shit. That under all his leather and chains that he cares.

About them.

He just wishes what they didn’t care about was fucking Steve Harrington.

He knows they think the guy hung the moon. Just as he knows he'll need more than money to fend off the competition and actually win Steve: he'll need a plan.

Knows, even, just how he’ll do it.

“Baby Sinclair, a word?” He crooks a finger, walking a few paces backwards as a plan rapidly forms.

She flicks her eyes over to him, and with an appraisal that says she had already judged him and found him lacking. “It’s Erica.”

Eddie bows low to her, arm brushing the floor. “My deepest apologies, Lady Erica.”

She rolls her eyes but comes over anyway and lets Eddie whisper in her ear.

Read the rest on A03: LINK

[loveandleases]

Since we do not have our sweet puppies to pet our stress away, how would the ROs feel about MC wanting to comb through the ROs hair with their fingers?

Well, for those who choose to, Angela is ready for a few pets. Below the cut~

❤️ Cam - That is probably one of his favorite things to have MC do. (you'll see mention of it.) It just helps calm him, when he was younger and sick, Aunt Em would do it whenever he struggled to sleep. Ever want to calm down an angry Cam, just massage his scalp for him,

twist some strands of hair around your finger. He's all putty after that. Granted, with MC, there is an added intimacy; it changes things a bit, and you better believe once they try to move their hand, Cam is grabbing and whining for them not to stop.

💙 G - They would have let MC play with it before when they were elbow-deep in term papers and more assignments than they had time for. It would break that little spell they put themselves under when studying. They would wonder if it feels different because G has changed their hair over the years. They get a bit embarrassed about how much they enjoy it. Pretend they don't want MC to do it, only to end up resting their head in their lap and nudging their hand. "Why are you rubbing me like I'm a cat?" They ask brow arched as they eye MC. And the moment MC moves their hand, G grabs their wrist, making them rub once more. "I didn't say to stop."

💚 Kara - Very dependent on the state of her hair. Suppose it's freshly styled, no way. "No can do, sweetheart." But if it's when they're alone and hanging out, she would ask MC to braid it. Even willing to teach them if they don't know how. She would even try to get MC to help put in her hair oils or leave-in-conditioner when she's fresh from the shower. It's new to her, that sort of intimacy, and far more soothing than she ever thought it could be.

💛 M - They're completely still, no idea what to do. No one has ever played with their hair. Is it supposed to feel this good? Is it weird that it does? They're thinking it all over in their head and only really calm down when MC asks if they prefer they stop. "Fuck, no-," M blurts out, clamping a hand to their mouth and cheeks tinted over with color. They'd try to move some of their hair so that it can help cover their eyes so they don't get caught staring at how nice MC looks. Only to find they end up saying it instead.

💜 Isaac - "If you wanted to touch me that bad, all you needed to do was ask?" They try to change the subject, instead offering to rub MC's head. Isaac likes it, and they do. But the last person they let do that… well, remembering that level of intimacy and what happened after leaves a bad taste in their mouth. Once Isaac begins to warm up and stop hiding behind all that flirting, when they realize how much they can trust MC (and care), Isaac will like it. Isaac would even ask why MC isn't massaging his scalp when they're cuddling.

🖤 Ardent—So, this can go two ways. Either it's calming and enough to make him wrap his arms around MC's waist and hold them tight until he's asleep, or… if MC is applying more pressure, maybe raking his nails along his scalp and pulling slightly, that changes things. "C'mon, I know you can tug harder than that."

[ultramaga]

"the idea of annexing canada as the 51st state?" Awesome. Canadians would be allowed to defend themselves again.

You know how indigenous people keep their rights?

The Second Amendment. Don't leave home without it. "fighting over greenland?" Russia and China have talked about doing exactly that, yes. It's an excellent launching point for an invasion on America.

There's no chance it can survive as an independent State, so the question is - would it be better off united with the Americans, or as a client state to the Kingdom of Denmark? Annexation has been floated for a century now. America has had a huge military presence there because they know they can't afford to lose that territory to the enemy. If you live in America, you might want to check up what is happening to the Ukrainians before deciding you will let Russia and China have their way. Oh, and I forgot the armies of North Korea are now marching across Europe. So - just tell me - I promise I won't notify the draft board - what's your address?

Either America is strong, or it is weak. If it is weak, war across the world is inevitable. Why are Leftists fighting so hard for another World War?

Do you really think you'll get to be in The Party when they are done? Mate, you'll be lucky if they just use you as a crash test dummy.

sometimes it feels like we’re living in a bad alternate universe... but it’s real—and it’s terrifying. the idea of annexing canada as the 51st state? renaming the gulf of mexico to the gulf of america? fighting over greenland? it sounds absurd, but it’s part of a bigger, scarier pattern.

the mass deportations, the immigration raids, the open hostility—it’s all happening now. and it’s hard not to feel like the country is spiraling into a place where power is prioritized over humanity.

i’m worried for the future. for the people caught in the crossfire. for what’s coming next.

#politics #stateofthecountry #immigration #humanrights #worried

[destinedfordiapers]

That’s What You Get

“Stop pouting, little one. This is what you wanted! Why else would you have watched that ‘permanent incontinence’ hypnosis? You do understand what permanent means, right?”

FAFO.

I almost feel bad for her. Almost

It’s too late for her. There’s no going back. She’ll be in diapers for the rest of her life.

And it’s all her fault.

“I…I didn’t think it would work! I just thought it was hot and…it’s not fair! I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in diapers!”

I believe her. I really do.

But it doesn’t matter what she wants anymore.

Welcome to the finding out phase.

She has no idea how much her life is going to change. How much she’s going to lose.

Look at her. She’s beautiful. You’d have thought someone who prides herself on her appearance would have been more careful.

But here we are.

She doesn’t know it yet, but we’re about to get rid of all the old clothes that are no longer appropriate for someone in diapers.

It’s not even to be mean—seeing all her old clothes will only make it harder for her. Besides, it’s not like she has any need for them anymore.

What’s the point of keeping her collection of those sexy, lace panties? It’s not like she’ll ever wear them again. That drawer is better used for her diapers anyway.

And all those beautiful, skin tight cocktail dresses that hugged every curve of her body? I can’t imagine worse clothes to hide a bulging, soggy diaper.

Until recently, diapers were a fun, kinky escape for her. It was just so hot for her that she, a beautiful, sexy woman, wore diapers for her Daddy.

Nothing turned her on more than when I took off her panties after a long day of work, telling her she was done being a big girl. Unceremoniously tossing aside those panties, replacing them with a thick, crinkly diaper.

It was so hot because it was a contradiction. The duality made it hot. She was a beautiful, powerful woman by day. And my sweet little diaper girl by night.

But now that duality is imploding. There is no more separation of the two.

She’ll be a diaper girl day and night now.

I finish taping on her diaper—the first diaper she’s needed since she was potty trained. I admire my handwork.

Not perfect, but I’ll have plenty of opportunities to practice.

“How does that feel, baby? I don’t want you leaking. You won’t know you’re wet until you’re done tinkling anymore.”

She looks at me, mortified. She knows it’s true.

“I-it f-feels okay.”

“It feels okay…Daddy,” I add. No point in dancing around it. I’m not role-playing Daddy anymore.

“Y-yes, Daddy,” she whimpers.

“Good girl,” I coo, patting her diaper, “I think Daddy is appropriate now that I’m on permanent diaper duty.”

She blushes violently.

“Alright, babygirl, why don’t we start getting rid of your old clothes. We need to make room for the cases of diapers coming tomorrow.”

“My c-clothes? But why?” she pouts.

“Sweetie, you have a drawer full of panties here. You don’t wear panties anymore, remember? You wear diapers. Into the trash they go.”

“But! But what if I…what if I need them again?!”

“Need them again? Why would you need them again? You'll never wear panties again. Diapers are your panties.”

Defeated, she waddles over to the drawer. She looks at her panties like they’re her most prized possessions. Relics of a world she left behind.

I stick out the trash bag in my hand. “You know what to do, little one.”

Huffing, she grabs two handfuls of panties and drops them in.

“Good girl! That wasn’t so hard! Only a few more!”

She grabs the rest and adds them.

“I know it’s sad honey, but you don’t need any reminders of your life before diapers. Now, let’s find all the dresses you can’t wear anymore. We can donate those to someone who needs them more than you.”

Someone who isn’t diapered.

After 10 minutes, her closet is nearly empty and eyes full of tears. Almost everything she owns is incompatible with diapers.

“I’m sorry baby, but we can get you new clothes. Ones that are better suited for a diaper girl! You don’t want your diapers to be obvious, right?”

“N-no, Daddy.”

“That’s right, little one. You’re done dressing sexy. That part of your life is done, okay? From now on you’ll wear clothes that hide your diaper while still making it easy for me to check and change your diaper.”

She whimpers again.

It must be hard having to let go of the person you used to be. Knowing she’ll never get to wear her favorite clothes—the ones that made every guys head turn at the bar.

Knowing she’ll never have the same independence again. She’ll always need to be close to Daddy in case she needs a diaper change.

Knowing she’ll never be free from potential humiliation. She will always be at risk of squatting down and filling her diaper right then and there.

Even if it’s when she’s giving a presentation at work. Or on a night out with her parents. It doesn’t matter.

She’s diaper girl now.

Daddy’s diaper girl.

Of course, she’ll also never have sex with me—or anyone else—ever again. I’m not interested in going down on someone whose poop I wiped clean an hour before.

But that’s a conversation for another day. She’s already going through enough today.

It may not be what I expected, but I’ll be the Daddy she deserves.

The Daddy she needs now.

[damnfeelings09]

VALENTINE'S DAY COUNTDOWN

First date - Shadow the Hedghog

Pairing: Shadow the hedghog x female reader Tags: fluff, comfort, awkward crush. Word count: 750. Prompt: you and Shadow have been friends for a while, and although he has a massive crush on you and is dying to have you as more than a friend he's not willing to take that step (secretly he's very insecure okay) after a little encouragement from Sonic he asked you out he never imagined how it would end. Notes: First valentine's day prompt and what better way to start it than with my eternal love Shadow. I'm love/romance depraved so these promts will be fluff in its cheesiest and purest form (like melting chocolate in a super sweet cotton candy ice cream with a Cherry on top kind of sickeningly sweet) This time I'll try a different style so let me know if you like it.

Shadow wasn't afraid of anything. He was the ultimate lifeform after all, then… why did his pulse quicken every time he was near you? Why did he feel his palms get wet each time you smiled at him? Why did his fight or flight response activated every time you were there?

Shadow wasn't afraid of anything. But maybe, maybe he was afraid of what he felt for you, afraid that he would become addicted to the feeling of you caressing his cheek, afraid that he couldn't go on without seeing the sparkle in your eyes every day, afraid of getting used to the warmth of your hand on his, afraid that if he said a word of what he felt he would lose you, because let's be honest, who could love a monster like him?

He was unsure, and every time that happened he went to Rouge, however the bat was not at home, so he went to his second best worst option. Sonic

Sonic with his usual cocky grin as Shadow explained the situation. Sonic, the same Sonic that he punched every chance he got just to release some stress and because he enjoyed it, the same Sonic that screwed up time and time again running away from Amy was the one that Shadow had decided to approach for romantic advice.

“Just don't think too much about it Shads” Sonic had said ”She likes you, trust me”

“Easier said than done”

“Well, it's either that or you'll be stuck with ' what could’ve been' forever.”

Honestly, Sonic hadn't been much help, but at least he had planted the seed of doubt in Shadow. What would be the worst that could happen if he kept his feelings to himself? You would probably find someone, that someone would take your hand, receive your caresses, taste your lips and you would forget about him, leaving him aside, alone, unloved.

No. Shadow wouldn't let that happen, the little bit of love he got from you was too addictive and he wasn't about to let anyone else have it. He had made up his mind and although the chances of you feeling the same were low they still weren't 0. He still had no idea how he managed to do it, well maybe he had a little idea. He knew he had walked you home, he knew he had said a few embarrassing things as you walked together making you laugh, what he didn't know was where he had gotten the courage to ask you out when you were about to enter your house.

“See you tomorrow Shadow,” you said waving goodbye to him.

“Wait” he said almost in a whisper. You turned, shaking your head to the side “I... ah...” he scratched his head.

“Is everything okay?”

“I wanted to... I wanted to ask you out.”

“Sure! You know I love going out with you Shadow”

“As... in a date”

“Oh...” oh? What did that mean, it wasn't the yes he was expecting but it wasn't a denial either, it was as if he had surprised you, as if you didn't imagine he could have feelings for-

“I'd love to” you cut off his thought bringing him back to earth. The smile on your face showed shyness but the pink blush on your cheeks and the loud thumping of your heart confirmed to Shadow that his feelings were reciprocated. “I... I'd like you for a while, just didn't know of you might... like me too” you said, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear meeting your gaze with Shadow's causing him to blush. If this were a cartoon his eyes would have turned into hearts and little blue birds would fly around his head.

“I've been feeling like this for a while too, just...”

“It’s okay” you smiled “I'll see you tomorrow for our date” you walked up to him and deposited a kiss on his cheek, waving your fingers in a goodbye motion and closing the door behind you. Little did he know that you slid down the door frame, hand on your heart triyng to stop the rush in your body.

Shadow stood outside your door, his hand holding the very spot where your lips had touched his cheek trying to capture the warmth of your touch, his stomach felt funny as if something was churning inside him just remembering your kiss. It was then that he realized that maybe allowing himself to be happy wasn't such a bad thing.

[saint-vagrant]

going into surgery tomorrow :^)

man. i waited most of my life to get here! with repeat disappointment no matter how hard i tried— i think i crowdfunded for this back in 2017, even, so although it's been a while, massive massive thank you to the kind friends and strangers who contributed to that originally. and everyone since— your support of both myself and anka has gone a long way. now everything i could say seems so flat and simple, you'll have to forgive me, because after so long, it's actually hard to believe it's real. i hope to find better words later.

no idea what my recovery will be like (note: not because i don't know the gist of it, it's because i have a complicating autoimmune disorder) so i'll see you whenever. remember me as i was: talking nonstop about the vision of escaflowne. read SUPERPOSE. read BIRTH OF THE SUN and THE SOLAR SYSTEM. change da world...

[a-d-nox]

Hi idk if its possible but i want to ask what aspects can indicate someone regretting losing u or them just coming back to u

what causes a person to regret losing the relationship/connection in synastry

we will do one of these questions today and then another wednesday because i feel this is a double header.

time for a mini chat though because questions like this make me itch as a sagittarius venus... a shadow work proposition: why are you so focused on someone from the past? if they truly valued you, they wouldn’t have left - or at least they would have made it clear they will want to return (in my opinion this can also be a gut feeling). instead of dissecting astrology for their (and you face the potential you'll find its your) potential regret, ask yourself: do you even want them back, or are you just attached to the idea of closure or validation? the energy you’re likely putting into this could be better spent on yourself, your growth, and the people who actively choose to be in your life... closure is fine but validation is something you should consider working through individually instead of within a relationship.

paid reading options: astrology menu & cartomancy menu

enjoy my work? help me continue creating by tipping on ko-fi or paypal. your support keeps the magic alive!

your saturn aspecting their moon or venus: they likely felt serious about you, and losing you may feel like a lesson in love.

your saturn aspecting their venus: they feel bound to you - they have deep feelings regarding you no matter the distance or interval of time that passes.

your neptune aspecting their venus: they are likely to idealize you and might find in other relationships they compare their connection with you to the connection they currently have. often this aspect also leads to on-and-off connections (neptune can be flightiness and venus often wants what it can't have) but also regret of having left in the first place.

your pluto negatively aspecting their venus: this indicates a deeply transformative and intense bond that lingers in their memories/heart.

your south node aspecting their personal planets (especially their moon or venus): your connection for them has a strong karmic / past-life feeling that they can’t forget. they feel as though they “belong” with you.

have ideas for new content? please use my “suggest a post topic” button!

return to nox's guide to metaphysics

return to the masterlist of relationships: composite & synastry

© a-d-nox 2025 all rights reserved

[drdemonprince]

if people are curious about hypno audios where do you recommend they get started?? for context, have never been into the idea until recently in large part due to the asks people have been sending in and your responses and now im just like 👀👀👀👀

you're gonna hate this, but I really recommend starting with an actual hypnotist. An audio file is not magic, it requires a lot of conscious intention and practice in order for it to work, and more than that a familiarity with what a trance state feels like for you, and that's hard to dive into cold without any guided experience. Some in the community might not agree with me here, and that's fine, but I honestly think it's better to find a play partner on SleepyChat or a Discord group than it is to fire up a basic file off of Youtube and wonder if it's working or not. Even better than that is locating a hypnotist in person if you have a local erotic hypnosis scene or any conventions, of course, but that's admittedly even harder to do.

Now I know realistically that a lot of people won't start that way, or that it won't be feasible, in which case I recommend you pop onto Youtube and look for real, not necessarily kinky depictions of hypnosis and what hypnotized people look like. I found it easier to get into the headspace once I understood what the commonly recognized levels of trance are and what a deep or light trance can look like. You can also find some panels and teaching resources on hypnosis on Youtube.

Mark Wiseman is a great figure to get into the work of. I also reallllly enjoy some of Mark Cunningham's stuff (note: the content of what he talks about and has subjects experience is not sfw). Sammi Hypnotized has a ton of real-life demonstrations and files to look into. Material High, FF Productions, and Hypnosis on Display also release a lot of real hypnosis videos. Most of this stuff is pretty horny even on Youtube. But there is more casual street hypnosis type stuff too.

Hell, here have my entire hypnosis playlist on youtube. It's a mix of audio files, depictions of real-world hypnosis, and just porny clips from media.

Outside of what I've already recommended, the Two Hyp Chicks podcast is really informative and looks at a pretty wide range of activities that can be incorporated into hypnosis. One of the hosts, sleepinggirl, has also written books on hypnosis that are quite excellent. Her style is Ericksonian hypnosis, which is not my personal bag, but it may be yours, and at any rate she's a real scholar of hypnotic practice and history, so it's a good place to begin. Just don't give up on hypnosis if the style doesn't suit you. There are many different ways to play with this stuff.

After you have watched hypnosis work quite a few times, you may begin to empathize with the subject's mental state, or just really really want it for your own! That's when you'll be in better shape to try a file on your own. But really, you can try just following along with the instructions of hypnotists in these videos, keying into the sensations displayed by the subjects, and see if you start to feel a little something. A hypnotic state is a lot more subtle at first that most people are able to recognize, unless you're super suggestible or dissociative or otherwise "good" at it, but it's a muscle you can strengthen.

[blueishspace]

Hero, Villain God 59

(Prev) (Next) (First)

*Scar's pov*

You never really liked hospitals, they are empty and dull and white and you go there only when something bad happens... Never a pleasant experience, you of all people have bad memories of them...

This time It's really silent too, the association pulled all the steps to keep Grian far from other patients, maybe to prevent his identity being discovered by someone wandering around.

Cub stops you in front of the door right before you can enter.

"Before we go in, Altostratus and Ocean Queen don't know Cuteguy's identity"

You forgot about that, you didn't even consider it... you feel awful, you got distracted and- not the time, you'll feel bad later, you can just ask Grian what he wants to do...yeah.

Altostratus crosses his arms and rolls his eyes. "And?"

You are the one to speak up this time around. "A-and the choice to reveal his identity is still his" Your words get caught up on eachother a bit but they must understand what you are trying to say.

"So, I'm going with Cub to ask him if he wants to do it." That should be ok right?

Altostratus goes to say something but is shushed by his wife (You are still shocked about that and no, you will not let this go, how did no one notice??). She nods in his place and hits him the head slightly when he tries to protest...

You open the door and step in, there is a corridor in front of you and at the end of it is Grian's room, as you do you hear Ocean Queen call Altostratus a "Nincompoop" from behind the door...you have no idea what that means and at this point you don't think you even want to ask.

Grian is waiting for you, you don't really question how he knew you were coming, as far as you know he just has been waiting like that for hours... You hope he hasn't done that. Maybe he just heard you! That makes more sense! You didn't really care about the noise you made so he must have noticed when you and Cub came in.

"Scar! Cub! Finally!"

He's excited? You of course It's good that he's doing good of, that's the most important thing, butbyou didn't expect this from someone who just woke up from almost dying. You just don't know how to feel, you expected him to be angry or sad or something, more then that it feels like you don't deserve to see him so happy since he got hurt because of you being careless.

"You can't believe how bored I was! Here all alone ... waiting!"

He was...bored? The room is mostly empty except for some medical machine stuff, that does seem like it would be pretty boring. You are wondering if your thought about him waiting for you the whole time might actually be what happened- Wait, you need to say something, you are usually a lot better at talking over thinking.

"Well, eh...no time to be bored with me here. And I brought friends!"

Cub nods and adds "They are heroes...but still, seeing them would have you reveal their identity to them, Scar insisted we ask you first. I agree with him."

...

Grian looks thoughtful, this is probably a really big choice for him so you understand he might need some time to make the choice-

"Sounds good to me!"

Nevermind! That was a bit fast though, you hope he doesn't feel like he has too.

"Are you sure Grian? You can say no, no one is-"

"Nah! I'm sure, bring them in! I wanted to meet the others for a while now anyway."

Oh. Oh? Oh! Well, that's good news then Cub nods again and leaves to get the others... Hopefully they'll get along well.

...

Well this is weird, Altostratus and Grian are just staring at eachother. Like they know eachother already??? I mean, Altostratus is a top hero so it makes sense for Grian to know OF him but this feels different, like they met face to face.

But you would know if something like that happened right? Grian would have definitely told you. Cub beats you to it though, you aren't surprised he noticed it too, he's very smart about these things.

"Do you two know eachother already?"

The two answer at the same time, Grian with a no and Altostratus with a yes....Ok so, something strange is definitely going on here, you akwardly look between the two. For a second Grian looks actually angry???? Frustrated at least. You don't think you ever seen him make an expression like that, it disappears immediately but you can swear it was there.

. . . Huh

*End of Chapter 11*

[theiaphage]

This is a really well worded post and I generally agree! However, I think I got another angle of this same conclusion based on the idea that Amy's original redemption arc never really concluded only to backslide -- rather, that her expectations about redemption fundamentally change what that redemption arc means in-text

Like you say, it absolutely falls well within the typical narrative-trope parameters of the expected 'redemption arc,' she hits all the core points -- but, like with a lot of tropes related to pain, trauma, healing, forgiveness and so on, the typical narrative portrayal isn't often a realistic one. In that way I think Amy acts as both a good example and, with further context, a deconstruction of the redemption arc, because under further examination a lot of the arc itself isn't necessarily as positive as it first came off. In so many of her attempts, she's trying to do better according to all she knows when surrounded by the worst influences possible. She doesn't have a solid safe role model, and hasn't for her entire life. Someone to tell her that sometimes you just won't be forgiven, that not every fight ends with a hug and back-to-normal at the end.

In that way, Amy's attempts at doing the right thing in Worm, though absolutely noble in conscious intent, still betray a few of her failings and the places she was failed. Like you say, she really does try to get better, she does the things she may know broadly lead to healing or help or forgiveness, but a lot still ends up being more about her than her efforts.

The tattoo here absolutely stands out to me -- even before Ward went and had her all but explicitly say that the tattoo holds a different meaning now, even in Worm it still seemed imperfect, questionable potentially, but with heart behind it. It was a memorialization of pain and a reminder to do better -- but like so many pieces of art about pain or failure, it could inadvertently romanticize the subject just as much as it condemns it. Amy is, in a very real way, actively working this tragedy into a part of a narrative -- one she tries to use for growth, but ultimately fails in.

I'm trying not to be too harsh on Amy here, but vibes-wise I'm reminded somewhat of something like an ex-boyfriend, leaving flowers at the door of someone who dumped him, or cry-singing a song about how they were a bad boyfriend on the car drive home. Sure, the pain is real, the acknowledgement of failure likely is as well, but at some point the gesture becomes more about the boyfriend's pain than the actual relationship, or even the breakup. In this moment Victoria, a victim who literally cannot speak for herself in this instance, is 'memorialized' in a very real sense, turned into a symbol by a person that already as a base nature of their power and life can feel so disconnected from the humanity of others.

So many of these choices by Amy center her -- her attempted growth, her attempted retribution, her attempted change. It's the kind of thing that in real life really can be done for the right reasons, but can also be done for worse ones -- that ex-boyfriend working out thinking of their ex, getting a job thinking of their ex, hanging a picture of their ex above their bed to motivate them to get up in the morning. Amy's actions aren't even this extreme or pointed, but I view it as them sharing a sort of kernel of trying to do better because they really want (or even need) better in turn -- and thus, Amy's arc in Ward is what happens when the textbook redemption arc doesn't work.

When all those acts of memoriam, distance, betterment, health, are done with the kernel of hope in your mind that it means you'll be forgiven, that it all will be fine again and you can go back to how it was.

And that's why I see her redemption arc as never having completed -- she's trying, she's hitting the right steps, but ultimately at the conclusion of this redemption (which I would argue is a long period of time, starting with Vicky's new body and coming back up again for a while) would come when those attempts were tested, when Victoria refuses to forgive her and she's forced to either accept her betterment without Victoria, or let go of it and keep pushing for her -- she begins to choose the later.

In this way it's less of a backslide and more of a recontextualizing moment. She is backsliding in behavior, but it's not that she got foundationally better and then became foundationally worse again, and more so that she tried to get better, put in real effort, but ultimately failed. This version worked for me because it seems to be what Amy acts like right out of the gate; annoyed that Vicky won't accept her, continually trying to do things 'for' her or based on her happiness when Victoria wants nothing to do with any of that.

These give some context to her past actions, allow you to re-examine Worm in a way that both provides answers and adds a new layer in a way many readers (myself included) missed at first simply because yeah, Amy's arc does have all the pieces of a redemption arc, and it takes Ward to get people thinking about whether or not those pieces add up.

I do want to state to conclude that yeah, her portrayal (and especially the initial choice to tell this story surrounding Amy of all people) has its issues, many major, but the portrayal of someone who falls into toxicity and abuse because they thought they were doing everything right and still didn't get what they wanted out of it; A person who still didn't get that one selfish prize they latched onto in a moment of pain that they tried to be a saint to deserve or make up for wanting? Yeah, that's pretty unique and powerful, and despite its flaws it really hits home as an accurate-to-the-point-of-painfulness portrayal.

Okay, fuck it, I've built up enough goodwill with this sideblog - let's risk it all by sharing my opinions on how Amy is handled in Ward.

It's kinda complicated I think.

Okay, now that I've resisted the urge to immediately hit post for the bit: I think the way her interludes are written substantially flattens her character in a way that I find distasteful and unpleasant, but I find the overall shape of her arc and her role in the narrative compelling. The things I dislike have been well-covered by plenty of other people in the fandom, so I'm going to focus on the things I like.

To talk about Amy's role in Ward, I first need to talk about my interpretation of Ward as a whole. To me, Ward is, above all else, about trauma and recovery. Society is traumatized by the end of the world, the shards are traumatized by the death of Scion and their loss of purpose, individuals are traumatized by all the things individuals are traumatized by. As an aside, this reading is a big reason why I'm not too bothered by a lot of the world building choices that other people frequently (and fairly) criticize - I think many of them serve this theme effectively.

One specific facet of that reading that I find particularly compelling is Ward's interest in people who are traumatized not just by the harm done to them, but by the harm they've done. Characters don't just regret what they've done, they don't just want to be better, they are traumatized by it, and their reactions to that trauma are as messy and complicated as any other traumatized people. I don't always agree with the stances the text takes on how to deal with having done harm and been traumatized as a result, but I find the exploration of the topic compelling.

Enter The Altruistic Amy Dallon.

Amy's arc in Worm was, to a degree, a prototype of this kind of storytelling. She is repeatedly and horrifically traumatized, the actions she eventually takes in response to that experience inflict equally horrific trauma on her victim, and she is further traumatized by her own actions almost to the point of ego death. She removes herself from the environment she was in, begins rebuilding her sense of identity and ethics, and reemerges having grown, prepared to do better going forward and to make reparations for her past actions as best she can. Arc done! It's satisfying and cathartic, and we leave content in the knowledge that the part she's on will take her to better places. It's the quintessential appeal of a redemption arc, and it's a strong example of its type.

There's something people like to say a lot when talking about mental health and personal growth in real life, and that is that progress isn't linear. It's an important truth to understand.

It's rarely true in fiction. Very often, in redemption arcs, in personal growth arcs, after a series of false starts and setbacks, the character reaches a critical point where they resolve their conflict and either overcome it or succumb to it. From that point on, their nature or behavior is fundamentally changed - if they've grown they never relapse past a certain point, or do so only fleetingly, or else never improve past a certain point. This makes sense from a storytelling perspective, but it doesn't map to how growth often works in real life.

In Ward, Amy occupies the very rare narrative position of being who completes her arc of growth and redemption, who crosses that critical threshold of lasting, meaningful change... but backslides anyway, to the point of essentially losing all that progress.

It's an outcome that I find very believable for her, honestly. Her newfound worldview and conviction were forged in the very insular environment of the Birdcage - of course they would be impacted by her new environment. She says at the end of Ward that she had been able to excuse all of her worst behavior because she had convinced herself that she could fix anything - and at the end of Worm, I can see how she would come to think that! She's been pardoned and released from Forever Prison, she overcame her old aversion to brains to create Khepri and thereby saved the world, she's formed a positive relationship with the father she never thought she'd meet, she's receiving love and support from parents she never felt good enough for, she's using her powers to help people in a way that doesn't make her want to die, and she even "fixed" Victoria, when failing to do that before was the final nail in the coffin she just finished clawing her way out of! The sheer number of seemingly impossible things she's accomplished, of apparently irreversible failures she's seemingly put right, is mind boggling! It'd be the easiest thing in the world to let that go to your head!

Her social circle is also a perfect environment to enable her worst tendencies - there's no one left in it whose opinion she trusts that's willing to call her on her shit. Marquis doesn't see anything wrong with her behavior, Carol is trying to make up for a decade of neglect and unwarranted criticism, Mark just wants everybody to get along and be happy, and Riley and Rinke are pretty shaky on this whole human decency thing themselves! With a (not unjustified) pride in how far she'd come, a circle of willing enablers, a complete lack of moderating influences, and a bulletproof get-out-of-moral-culpability-free card, and two years to spiral, I find her backsliding to be completely believable. And given that Victoria is the fly in the ointment to all of this, that her continued refusal to have anything to do with Amy gives lie to Amy's belief that she can fix anything, and thereby puts the entire edifice of her self-rationalizations at risk, it also makes perfect sense to me that Amy would become fixated on her, on proving that she really can fix anything.

Of course, being believable isn't the same thing as being compelling. The thing that makes all this so resonant for me is that, at the end of Ward, after being this grasping spectre that haunts Victoria the whole book, after rejecting countless opportunities to demonstrate a hint of self-awareness or the slimmest motivation to change - Amy does. She sits down with a therapist. She rips off the band-aid - both the metaphorical one and the literal one made out of Victoria's skin, jesus christ Amy - looks at what she's done, at how she went awry, and resolves to do better. And we end with her in essentially the same place she was at the end of Worm: prepared to do better going forward and to make reparations as best she can. But the journey she has taken to get there gives the destination entirely new meaning for me. She's already fumbled her chance at redemption! But her journey gives lie to the idea that you only have one chance, or two, or any finite number! Every moment you draw breath is a chance to do better.

To me, Amy Dallon's arc in Ward shows that the most important step you can take is the next one, and no matter how many times you walk up and down that road, it never stops being true. And I find that compelling as hell.

[postmoe]

Yandere: Squid Games Satoru Gojo

I'm trying to get a fic done by valentines day but i'm worried i won't have it in time :(

just some bedtime thoughts. I have a lot more but i am e x h a u s t e d. might do other characters and games, or more 'Toru!

murder, killing, groping, red light green light

.

For so long now, Satoru has been harassing you. He's sabotaged your work, your friendships, your incomes, all so you'd be forced to fall into him and accept his kindness. It almost works, too, you almost find yourself begging for him to make it all stop, to help you.

Then, you're given an opportunity of a lifetime. You're invited to a game, a shit load of money up for grabs. They usually offer people down on their luck to give you a fighting chance. It's perfect. You need the money, he doesn't so he wouldn't be invited.

You should know your stalker better by now.

Being one of the richest families in the world, Satoru obviously knows about these games. He couldn't care less, it's just an event for billionaires to flaunt their wealth and make fun of the poor.

Then, your name comes up on the listing. Backgrounds, numbers, names and pictures appear for those who want to gamble.

Oh, his poor darling! He's going to have the spy's life he had tail you ruined for not reporting this to him.

Only to see the spy is also part of the games.

It's all too easy to get in. Almost everyone here wants Satoru gone, his business a threat. When he says he wants to be part of the games, they're shocked, confused, but no one objects.

Throw your life away? Go for it.

Satoru Gojo doesn't care about his life. He only cares about being next to you. If this is where you two meet your end so be it. Dead or alive, you'll be in his arms~

...

When you get an opportunity to escape your stalker, to get a shit load of money that you can take home and help your sick family with, all for playing some games, how can you say no?

Satoru won't leave you alone, but, they say no one will be able to follow you here, only participants in the game will allowed to go to the venue. It's crazy, you wouldn't normally step out of your comfort zone, but here you are!

Being drugged and essentially kidnapped is not what you thought would happen.

You wake up on a bunk bed, groggy, in different attire with hundreds of other people in the room. Hands feel over yourself to gauge that everything is in place.

Looking down, you see a number on your chest, "456".

The people around you are also numbered, confused, and heading to the centre of the room.

You're one of the few that stay on your bed, legs crossed, waiting for an explanation.

People in pink suits with shapes on their masks and guns, literal weaponry enter from the door. Contestants demand answers, pink people remain calm, and by the end of it, a large, clear piggy bank descends from the ceiling with a fun, little tune.

You jump off your bed in awe, is that thing really going to be full by the end of the games?

That kind of money seems impossible.

There's a tap on your shoulder, your head whipping around to see who wants your attention.

Satoru, fucking, Gojo. You're stalker. Who just so happens to be number 001, because he's just that perfect.

"Yo!" He greets, as if this was expected. He even got his fucking, circular, black glasses in.

Your eyebrows furrow and you hiss at him, "What are you doing here?! You're not supposed to be allowed in."

He taps at his number proudly, "I'm a player, see? They couldn't keep me away even if they wanted to."

Your fists clench in anger and frustration, "You don't even need the money, arsehole. Quit."

"I'm not here for the money," his hands come to your face, fingers starting to brush through the fringe of your hair, "I'm here for you-"

"Don't touch me!" Some people are looking your way, you don't care, maybe the staff will do something, "You already ruined my life. Just let me do this."

He laughs at you, hands in his pockets as he leans back on his heels, "Oh, honeypie, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. If only you took your place by my side when you had the chance~"

They announce the first game is about to commence, you just huff and hit your shoulder against his arm as you stomp passed him.

.

Red Light Green Light. How nostalgic, a game that always made your stomach curl as you thought of creatures like weeping angels.

Satoru was a few people away, stretching his limbs as he grins and winks at you. You don't acknowledge him, keeping your gaze straight ahead.

The first few rounds are successful, it isn't until a quarter in that someone missteps.

Gunshots ring out, blood splatters, and the ground goes silent.

...

Before the screaming and running take place. You were isolated enough that no one hit you, only a few getting shot before your eyes, most being picked off behind you.

You couldn't believe what was happening.

When the doll turns its head around again, you stay still.

Satoru stands in front of you, unfazed by all the terror. He keeps a casual pose as he says, "There's a timer up there," your eyes see it, behind the doll, "If you don't make it over the line by the end, you'll die too."

Green light, he takes your hand and you start off walking. Tears now trickle down your cheeks, voice soft in a whimper, "Are they really dead?"

Red light. You both stay silent and still.

Green light, he makes you walk a bit faster, "Yeah, they are. It seems they're not playing around here."

Red light. You're standing beside a body, the man groaning, begging to be helped.

Green light, Satoru ignores him and you both run. Just before red light, he spins you around and holds you close to him, chest pressed against chest. You see the piles of corpses against the doors you came through, eyes widening. He speaks into your hair, "I'll protect you, though. We can get through this together."

You turn and jog away when it's safe, "You're way too calm about all this."

Red light, he has you in his arms again, face buried in your neck. His mouth is open, tongue licking and slobbering on your skin while you can do nothing about it.

The clock is ticking down, and as you're getting closer and closer to the line, he's slowing you down and hanging off of you, "I don't care about those people. Why do you? They're strangers after."

"People were just killed, Satoru! We could be next."

He holds you still, a few metres away from the line. The clock is ticking down, multiple rounds go through but he uses the moment to grope you, squeeze your flesh, kiss and bite your neck, "Nah, I won't let that happen. Just stick with me and you'll be fine."

One minute left, one minute and you either die or survive. You remember you're not just here to get away from him, you're here for the money that could help your family. To restart your lives.

"I don't mind, though. I'd be happy to die with you in my arms, too. Some people say I'm picky but when it comes to you, I'll do anything."

30 seconds, the light goes green, he's not moving. You have to stop your jaw from trembling so hard, "F-Fine. Fine! Please, let me go so we can get across!"

Red light. There's no way. This psychopath just killed you.

Green light. He laughs, picking you up and sprinting with long strides, making it over with one second to spare.

You fall to your knees when he sets you down. The stragglers are being picked off. He bends over to steal your line of sight, "I'm so happy! You really know how to drive the suspense."

He's laughing his head off, your mourning these people's lives and your freedom.

[chenlezip]

jaemin, scream ♡

⤷ summary : when y/n receives a mysterious phone call and finds that her friends are being killed, she suspects that a serial killer may be on the prowl, who is also linked to her mother's murder.

warnings : death, swearing, if you've watched scream you'll know :) idk what other warnings to put im so sorry!! not proof read either eek

annas note : sooo.. i wanted to write a lil something about jaemin and scream.. and this is the better idea i had in mind — one thing you guys NEED to know about me is that i am a horror fanatic.. and so pairing this with jaemin was super fun (maybe i’ll make a horror fic series with nct one day..)

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you're in your bedroom, sat at your desk on your computer as you worked on an assignment. you heard glass breaking outside your window and you stood up, walking closer to check it out. maybe it was one of the cats that roamed around your street?

as you peek out your window, you feel a hand grab your shoulder and you scream, pulling back. "hey- it's just me," your boyfriend jaemin says gently.

"jaem, what the- what the hell are you doing here?" you scold him as he makes his way inside of your room from the window, "you sleep in that?" he gestures to your night dress.

you sigh, "yes i sleep in this. what are you doing here though? my dads in the other room, you can't be here!" as soon as those words left your lips, your dad opened the door but it was jammed with your wardrobe door being open.

you walk over, talking to him as jaemin hid down the side of your bed. as your dad left, he got up, holding one of your plushes as you asked again why he was here.

"well, it occured to me that.. i've never snuck through your bedroom window. i was home.. watching television.. the uh.. the exorcist was on." he continues, "it got me thinking of you."

you're a little confused, "it did?" you ask. "all the good stuff was cut out, it was edited for tv and it got me thinking of us.. how two years ago we started off hot and heavy and now things have changed.." you shake your head at his words, knowing what he's getting at.

"oh, so you thought you could climb through my window and we'd have a little raw footage?" you ask and he laughs, "no.. no, i wouldn't dare think of breaking your underwear rule."

it was the next day at school, you were sat on the edge of the fountain with your boyfriend, jeno, yeri and haechan. they were rambling on about the recent murder of someone you all knew - winter.

"hey, jen, didn't you used to date winter?" you ask as jeno looked away from his girlfriend to you, smirking, "yeah for like.. two seconds." haechan butts in, "before she left you for anton~" he teased. yeri moved away from jeno to look at him, "i thought you dumped her for me?"

"i did. he's full of shit," he glared over at haechan again. "and are the police aware you dated the victim?" haechan pushed up his glasses, pretending to act nerdy. "hey- what are you saying? that i killed her?" jeno and yeri both have an argument with him, and you groan to yourself, not again.

you end up leaving them, kissing jaemin goodbye as you left for the bus home. after doing chores, watching the news but immediately turning it off after they showed your mother who got killed, you just decided to take a nap to take your mind off of things.

you soon awoke to your phone ringing, the loud dial tone ringing through your ears. you whined, "who the hell is calling me?" you ask yourself out loud as you lean over from where you were on the couch, grabbing the phone and putting it to your ear. "hello?" you ask with a sigh as you hear your friend, yeri coming through the other line, "practice ran late. i'm on my way, okay?"

you check the time, "it's past seven.." "don't worry~ winter and her boyfriend didn't cut it until after 10, you're fine." yeri says as she continued, "i'm gonna swing by the video store for us, okay?"

"whatever. just hurry, okay?" "see ya, n/n~" yeri hung up the phone. you smile and let out another soft sigh, placing the phone back on the stand but after a couple seconds, it starts ringing again. "yeri, just get in the car-"

it's not yeri. a creepy voice rings through your ears as he says your name in a greeting. you run a hand through your hair, "uh.. hi, who is this?" you ask softly as you sit up on the couch. "you tell me," he says as you scrunch your brows in confusion, "i-i have no idea.."

"scary night, isn't it? with the murders and all it's like something out of a horror movie." you chuckle, "haechan! you gave yourself away.. are you calling from work? because yeri's on her way over." you get up from the couch.

"do you like scary movies, y/n?"

"i like that thing you're doing with your voice, hae, it's sexy," you giggle to yourself as you turn on your lamp. "what's your favourite scary movie?" 'haechan' asked you. you rub your chin, "oh come on, you know i don't like that shit."

"why not? too scared?" the voice asked as you sigh, "no. it's just.. what's the point? they're all the same. some stupid killer stalking some big-chested girl who can't act, who's always running up the stairs when she should be going out the front door. it's insulting." you explain, ranting about the movies that you've seen.

you shouldn't of said that because a tall figure wearing a cloak and a ghost face mask appears and attacks you. you try running out the front door but you're fumbling with the locks so you just run upstairs, screaming. you make it into your room and close the door, locking it and backing away from it. your heart is pumping, your thoughts are clouded and you feel petrified. what the hell just happened?

you hear someone once again at your window and it's your boyfriend, jaemin. "jaemin!" you shout for him as you run toward him, helping him in. "the doors locked. i heard screaming - is everything alright?" jaemin looks at you with a worried and concerned expression. "the killers here.. he's in the house!" you bring him closer to you as you ease into the comfort he gives you, you needed this.

"he's in the house. he's got a knife, he's gonna kill us.." you mumble as you try and cling onto his sweatshirt. "he's gone." he whispers to you, holding you tightly against him. you sob into his shoulder before feeling and hearing a phone drop beside him on the floor. you look down and gasp, pulling away from him.

"what?" jaemin asked as you glared at him, removing his arms from your waist, "n/n, what?"

you shake your head and whimper, creating enough space between the two of you before you unlock your room door and run out of it. "wait! wait wait wait wait! what's going on?" you hear jaemin chasing behind you as you continue to try and escape him. "y/n, come back!" he shouts from the stop of the staircase.

you open your front door and scream, seeing the ghost face mask being held up. jisung, who was at the door holding it up, screams too. "sorry! i found this, come on!" he shouts at the other officers, ushering them inside.

jisung finds jaemin and detains him, shoving him roughly against the hood of his car. "alright come on, keep your hands together."

after a rough couple of days and staying close with yeri ignoring your boyfriend, she takes you to a party that jeno is hosting. you thought about not going but you really needed something to take your mind off of everything that happened so you end up going. you enter the kitchen as yeri places bags down on the kitchen counter, smiling at her boyfriend.

you both end up laying on the couch in the living room, jeno following as he brings yeri to his chest and smiles. you look through the movies that haechan has, "how come jamie lee curtis is in all of these movies?" you ask. haechan smiled, leaning near you, pressing his hands together in a prayer, "she's the scream queen."

"with that set of lungs, she should be.." jeno butts in, someone adding a "yeah.." to agree with him. yeri rolled her eyes, looking at you, "tits, you see?"

after spending a couple hours at the party, the curfew ends and everyone starts leaving. "yeri, come on!" you shout upstairs. you haven't seen her since she left to get drinks for jeno. you're a little worried. you turn to jeno who is seeing the party goers out the front door, smiling.

"do you know where she is?" you ask as jeno shakes his head, "i haven't seen her." and then you hear 'agh!'. you gasp, turning around to the front door and seeing jaemin smiling sheepishly. "oh.. jaemin, hey," you give him a small greeting as he looks at you. jeno seems to act suspicious, rubbing his chin, "jaem, hmm.. i wonder what you're doing here."

"was hoping i could talk to n/n, alone."

and he.. did have the chance to and a little more than that, you both got dressed after having an intimate moment in the bedroom upstairs. "you still don't think it was me, do ya?" jaemin asked you as he glared at you from behind, sitting on the floor tying his laces. you chuckle, turning around and sitting to face him, "no. no. i was just thinking, if it were you, it'd be a very clever way to throw me off track."

as you were talking about things, jaemin leans into you and before you know it, ghostface was behind him. "oh my god- jaemin, watch out!" you scream as he gets 'stabbed' multiple times, "oh.. my god.. jaemin.." you whimper.

after an extreme chase with ghostface and escaping the house, you find yourself back there because you saw a cop car outside. you're searching jisung's knocked out body and find a gun, haechan shouts for you, "i found yeri! i think she's dead i think jeno did it-" he panics as you aim it toward him, "stop right there!" jeno runs and stops beside haechan, "don't listen to him y/n!"

you decide to run inside the house and you see jaemin, he fell down the stairs and groaned, "y/n.." you help him up and lead him to the front door, "we need help.." he shakes his head as he opens the front door and haechan pushes his way inside. "look- i think jenos gone mad!"

"we all go a little mad sometimes," jaemin smirked as he turned toward haechan, a sinister look on his face. "fuck!" haechan whispers loudly to himself before getting shout in the shoulder, shouting out in pain and falling to the floor. "hae!" you shout.

jaemin chuckled, "anthony perkins, psycho.." you run over to haechan, kneeling over him as you stare at your so called boyfriend. "no.." you whisper as you try and run but you bump into jenos chest, staring up at him as you beg for him to help you. he holds a voice changer to his mouth, smirking, "surprise y/n."

tags : @injvns @polarisjisung @mejaemin @ayukas @hyckvr @yizhrt @blondemrk @astrasng

[itsabouttimex2]

Yes! <3 I love the concept of Macaque and Y/N both being yandere for Wukong!!! How do you think they would react when they see Wukong in the future (after Macaque is resurrected) as a retired deity!? With a student (MK)?! Oh I would love to know how they plot to get Wukong back and the punishment for killing Macaque?! I wonder how the other characters would feel about it? Do they know about Wukong’s obsessive/possessive “lovers” or do they think that Wukong is overreacting and see nothing wrong with them?!?!

Our Sweet Sage

(Yandere Y/N and Macaque x Sun Wukong)

Even "just" putting Y/N beside Macaque as a yandere for the Great Sage himself is going to; though perhaps not radically, change the story, because the reader would basically have to be part of the Brotherhood alongside the two Mystic Monkeys (This is assuming Y/N isn't the Long-Armed Gibbon or Red-Buttocked Baboon themselves!) if they and the resident umbrakinetic are working in tandem to snare this lovely simian as their mutual "darling".

The most likely course being ran is that you and Macaque are partners already, on your end spending long loving days in your own little corner of Flower Fruit Mountain, lathing tongue to dark skin and darker fur and secretly, shamefully, simmeringly longing for a brighter hue, counting from hours to minutes to the tortorously long seconds that you spend away from him, sweet, sunny, him. Him, him, him, on your mind and in your heart and struck through the core of your being, leaving the desire to take and have and love.

gold eyes and soft fur and sweet lips and a thousand more "ands" that leave your mind spiraling into a pitch abyss of obsession, too snared to crack these lovesick chains and be content with here and now when then and there are and is him him him with his laugh and smile and perfect fangs that you would feed and nourish to bring happiness to him and only him and never anyone but him because he should be yours like you want to be his and then he would love you like you love him him him him him

Sun Wukong, Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Future Mate and Husband-To-Be, waiting for a wedding ring and a diamond cuff around both wrists and maybe a chain between them or even a collar and a leash with a shiny golden tag so that EVERYONE will know that- HE. IS. YOURS. and there will be NO EXCUSE!! or FORGIVENESS! if ANYONE or ANYTHING on this wretched and UNLOVING planet dares to touch WHAT! IS! YOURS!

And the one day that you let it slip, the truth fed by wine held in a goblet, only at your sweetly poisonous lips for the fact that it is held by your umbral mate, purring and upon you in arm and leg and tail, wrapped like a snake but twice as toxic, crooning for you to take more and more and more because there's still some love left in his heart for you and inebriation will soften the truth's blow, perhaps, so he quenches you with man's oldest potion.

And then it oozes out, easy and low and sick, "I wish Wukong were here instead~" and Macaque agrees. Because yes, a hundred lives and deaths over, yes, it would be better if the Great Sage were here!

And it starts-

"His perfect fangs-" "And those soft lips-" "All his lovely fur-" "That sweet scent-"

-until neither of you remembers who is saying or has said what, and every loving detail has been remarked upon at least twice, and you both have drained half the cellar, as much as half because you needed to toast to how perfect your mate is, as few as half because you'll need the rest to celebrate a three-way marriage already in the making and there will be hell to pay if the love of your lives is not happy and drunk with you.

You and Macaque. Both. Always. Because even with all the obsessive longing, you still love each other just enough to share, to plot, to scheme in tandem, in perfect, twisted harmony.

The idea is so natural, so blatantly obvious, that you wonder why it never took root before now. You love Macaque, yes, but hardly with every "breath and pulse of your being"- the space in your heart has always had a third shape carved into it, waiting to be filled with warmth, and Wukong, your radiant, incandescent star, was obviously meant to burn there.

Macaque sees it, as clearly through your eyes as he sees it through his own, and though his smirk is slow and knowing, his own claws tighten possessively at your wrists, tail curling at your waist. You are still his, and he is still yours, and now, so soon, so inevitably, Wukong will be something undeniably and mutually owned.

"We'll make it work," Macaque murmurs, voice velvet and honeyed darkness, pressing his forehead to yours. "We'll have to, if we want him."

You lay together, lip to lip and hip to hip, entwined like leeching vines and between you is a plan unfurled like the petals of deadly nightshade.

Sun Wukong, for all his strength and cunning, has a weakness or two-and there is one you both know well. He trusts. He believes in his own charm, his own invincibility, his own legend. And you, oh, you and Macaque, you are shadows and whispers and waiting teeth, predators in love.

And that is a behaviour that persists long after the Brotherhood fails, all through the agony he endures buried under the weight of a mountain built five centuries strong, even after he is stolen away by that damned monk, and... you lose Macaque. Your plans are sunk for at least a few hundred years, and you run off into the night, bunkering down to scurry for scraps of power in order to enact an old ritual.

In return, the king receives a a life of peace, of redemption, of something more than battle and blood.

He retires.

Steps away from the chaos of gods and demons, finds a place to rest his weary soul. Takes a student, even! A bright, eager boy with a wide grin and an open heart, someone to teach, to mold, to guide away from the mistakes of his own past. It’s a good life, a quiet one.

But good is a fragile, fleeting thing.

And the past does not stay buried.

You claw your way back to your partner in obsession, your tether in darkness, and Macaque claws his way back to you. The ritual works. It takes centuries, a hundred whispered incantations and sacrifices, the unraveling of fate itself- but it works.

Macaque breathes again. His heart beats again. His lips curl into that slow, knowing smirk again.

And he asks, first thing, “Where is he?”

Not "What happened?" and not "How long has it been?" and not even "Did you miss me?"- because of course you did, and of course he knows you did. But that's not what really matters. What matters is the third piece of your puzzle. The missing part of your hearts.

Sun Wukong, radiant star and light of your life.

It takes time to get back to him. Macaque has to regain his strength. You hardly have to remind him of all your many plans, to retrace old schemes, rekindle the flames of love, sharpen the edges of your devotion. All you have to do is play nurse, and dream of a happier life when the king is back in your hands. And when you do- oh, when you do- it’s almost laughable how easy the tracking is.

Wukong is right where you imagined he would be, on his mountain with all his little monkeys.

And a student.

A student.

Macaque laughs at first, a low, rasping thing, dark and rich and so very cruel. He leans into you, his tail winding around your waist, his hand finding yours and squeezing. "He thinks he can just play house? Like none of it ever happened? Like he doesn’t belong to us?”

Your heart pounds, your fingers twitch and then curl around the nearest limb, settling deep into black fur. Tamed. The word sours on your tongue, because—no. No, Wukong is not some house pet to be caged by the mundanity of mortal life. He is a king. A warrior. A god.

Your nails bite into his arm and Macaque hums in bitter approval at the raw hatred in your gesture.

You watch Wukong from the shadows, from just beyond the veil of his peace, unseen but ever-present, and every soft moment he shares with that boy, every little laugh and casual touch, makes something ugly and feral curl in your stomach.

He should be yours.

And yet, the king sits there as if he belongs to this- to this false little family, to this child and the friends he dares to call his.

Macaque clicks his tongue. “I bet he hasn’t even thought about us,” he muses, voice lilting, teasing, but you can hear the barely masked venom beneath it. “I bet he hasn’t even dreamed about us.” He leans in closer, the warmth of his fur seeping into your side, breath hot against your skin as his lips brush the shell of your ear. “You know what that means, don’t you?”

Your breath shudders, hot and heavy and hateful. You do know.

He needs to be reminded.

He needs to remember.

And if that means tearing him away from this little fantasy, from this fragile, laughable life he’s tried to build- then so be it.

You have a king to collar.

[mcflymemes]

AS SAID BY NEVE GALLUS - PARTY BANTER *  assorted banter from dragon age: the veilguard

we're under fire! look out!

i've got you covered.

that's one way to handle it!

we're getting somewhere!

might want to stay quiet.

well, isn't that a treat?

i'll take your word for it.

you helped me as much as i helped you.

do i want to know where this is going?

what do you need?

guess i'm still stunned.

it's easier to hide.

a stake out's easier in the dark.

does it bother you?

it'll be just like old times.

you ran into him?

he was the meanest pie maker i ever met.

what was it doing in the middle of a crowded market?

where's the truth start and the rest begin?

that's how the whole job started.

i heard you and [name] arguing.

sounded like you were ready to kill each other.

i get why you're worried about [name].

we need both sides of the coin to have a shot at this.

the place has quite the atmosphere.

i heard it from a friend of a friend's cousin.

fair enough.

they seem like the types to enjoy a spooky story or two.

is fighting monsters about the hunt or about the victory?

you've got a funny idea of fun.

are we going to sell flowers?

guilt comes out in funny ways.

you hear something different?

you know [name]. probably sprained an ankle.

you want to know if i've tried it myself.

you keep things quiet.

he walked into my office.

there's a case. i've got a lead.

i'm not sure yet, but i'll get back to you.

you don't need magic for that.

i'm connected. whether it's well connected depends on who you ask.

i probably know someone.

that step's a formality.

someone's always willing to take a chance.

who's going to stop it?

you wonder why i'm busy.

someone's been visiting the fancy part of town.

i'm a sucker, that's all.

right, should have guessed.

you've done well for yourself since.

i wasn't trying to pry before about where you came from.

i just notice things.

might even get some sleep tonight!

for that, i'm sorry.

you'll give it your best shot.

i'll take your word for it.

you think they'll come through?

are you getting used to your new abilities?

you're getting the hang of those powers.

this should be interesting.

i watch everyone.

we don't know that.

we'll manage something. might even make it out alive.

that would make sense.

if you ask the question, maybe i can answer it.

are you mad at me for something i did in a dream?

you know him better than i do.

i'd hate for assassins to find me predictable.

don't flatter yourself too much.

i don't trust anyone on first meeting and i keep an eye on everything.

you're just so serious.

it wasn't personal.

does this mean you trust me less?

you don't have to.

find me at midnight and we'll test the theory.

it was your call to make.

i might have a weakness for seafood and candlelight.

we have our moments.

my work leads me to strange places.

you're not bad to work with.

thanks for noticing. not everyone does.

isn't this exciting?

you've got me there.

i've got the feeling i've missed something.