#anyway I figured out that’s what’s been making me so unhappy

[afaroffsong]

I’m so sick of my job.

also I haven’t gone through my notifications from yesterday or the day before if anyone’s waiting for me to reply to something I just haven’t had time

[vaguely-concerned]

just going about my day idly contemplating how some of the ways hawke can interact with a romanced anders are not at all unlike how they interact with leandra (and a bit of carver too, especially with a purple hawke), and then thought about my hawke in the timeline where he romances anders and was hit straight in the face with 'was he ever actually in love, or was he just desperately trying to renegotiate with his mother's ghost in any way he could' and now i need to lie down. this is the power of dragon age 2

[blondedmuse]

MISERY BUSINESS

felix catton x reader

synopsis. ꩜ based off of this request.

author’s note. ∿ i need this man so bad it’s not even funny. smut (fingering, oral f receiving, fingering, unprotected vaginal sex, praise, marking, voyeurism I guess idk) it's been a while since I wrote something on this account and its not proofread so be nice, also a bit of a rushed ending??

word count. ⨾ 2.7k

The harsh thud of the car door closing awoke you from your mid-day reverie by the lake. The sun was beaming down on you almost bare body, only covered by a bikini. It was hotter than usual and everyone else at saltburn seemed to share your complaints. The heat aside the weather was pleasant—Felix on the other hand looked less than.

He looked annoyed, almost upset, even from far away. When he exited the car Oliver and Felix went their separate ways, Oliver looking just as unhappy. You wondered what happened in just few hours that could’ve soured their moods but it was only a few moments later when Felix approached you, grinning in attempt to hide the scowl he was dressed in minutes earlier.

Once he reached your figure he towered over your body as you laid on the dock. Having well acknowledge the heat now and your lack of clothing he discarded his shirt and quickly lowered his frame over yours so that his was barely hovering over yours.

“What’s wrong?” You asked.

He shook his head with a small grin. “nothing.”

You scoffed. “Liar.” He raised his brows.

“What’s wrong?” You prodded again. He dropped his head in hesitation, his lip between his teeth as he contemplated telling you what happened on his and Oliver’s road trip, what he felt, what the truth was—but he couldn’t. Not yet anyways.

He looked up at you. “I- Oliver just said something and it hurt me more than I thought it would.”

You sat up, the two of you adjusting your bodies as you did so. You stared intently at his face, watching how his eyes glossed over and how he could barely hold your gaze. It was a different demeanor than what other people knew, one of the more human parts that made people fall in love with him.

You lifted his face towards yours. “I’m sorry.” The silence that followed after your statement determined he wasn’t interested in sharing anything deeper than the surface of the matter.

He looked back at Saltburn then back at you. “Don’t be.”

You scrunched your brows. “Hm?”

“I don’t know,” He said earnestly. “It’s not your fault, I should’ve listened to you earlier. You kept saying you had a bad feeling about him and I didn’t really take it to heart…til’ now I guess.”

“Oh, Felix,” You sighed, cupping his face, your hand over his jaw subliminally believing that it would release the tension he held there.

“He’s out tomorrow.” His hand caressed yours as it rested on his cheek.

“Really?”

“Really.” He confirmed. “Maybe now I can get you, alone, yeah?” His body pushed yours back down on the doc so he was hovering over you once again.

"Felix," You laughed. "Always distracting me, aren't you."

"No 'm not," he mumbled, nipping at your earlobe. "You weren't doing anything important anyways."

"I was going to ask another question," You giggled.

"Okay," He answered, pushing himself so that he kneeled above you, a knee on either side of your torso. "What?"

When he was playful like this he was such a beautiful sight in front of you, you almost felt bad asking him a question as if you were ruining the mood.

"You're not really kicking him out are you? I feel bad."

He sighed. "I am kicking him out and you shouldn't feel bad, he’s in the business of misery it’s almost like his job to make people feel bad." He crawled back over you once again, something heavier within him now. You could see it in the way he clenched his jaw, his clouded eyes. His mouth made its way back to your body, this time trailing down your stomach, beginning to leave marks you knew you’d have to hide at the party tonight.

“Felix,” You frowned. “I just-”

He cut you off. “Enough, alright. He was a creep anyways, you said it yourself,” He told you and you nodded, internally agreeing.

“He’s going home after the party.”

The feel of his voice as he mumbled into your skin was enough for you to stop thinking about the situation for the moment. It wasn’t until nightfall you were reminded of Oliver's unrelenting presence—it was his birthday after all. Still, no matter where you were in Saltburn, you couldn't help but feel a pair of eyes upon you, you couldn’t help but feel that you were never alone.

"Can we go somewhere a little more private?" You asked Felix and he hardly registered the question. His hands up your dress the lights were dim, colored strobe lights bleeding in from the outside. The room was close to empty but the music could be heard throughout the house. You could ask him anything to anyone and it wouldn’t really mean anything—and it didn't help that the two of you were getting dizzy on champagne.

So, you didn't ask you question again but your eyes flickered to the maze that could be seen from the window and he understood what you wanted.

"Whatever you want, angel." He grinned, pulling his hands away to grab yours, taking you to the garden.

You scrunched your brows together. "I should be calling you that y'know."

He laughed with you. "You have wings too."

"But I'm a fairy"

"Close enough." You laughed to yourself as you and Felix walked through the house and towards the maze. There was a bottle of champagne in your left, Felix’s hand in your right, grounding you with each step. The more the time passed the less ideal it felt to walk in heels—you thought of ditching them all together. Still, they held the integrity of your costume, matching the chosen Midsummer Night's Dream theme. You'd dressed up as a fairy, donning flowers in your hair and a frilly slip dress, the costume obviously incomplete without wings.

Your heels pierced through the dirt once you’d made it to the grass, your feet sinking slightly with each step. You groaned to yourself, not going unnoticed by Felix.

“You okay?” He asked, stopping to turn to you.

“My heels,” You answered.

He furrowed his brows. “What about them?”

“Well…” You hesitated. “They’re killing my feet and they keep sinking into the dirt. They’re gonna get dirty.”

“We’ll we can’t have that know can we,” Felix replied, picking you in on fell swoop, your body now in his arms, your legs dangling from his grasp.

"Felix," You giggled his named through broken laughs, surprised with the immediacy of his action.

"What? You know I'd do anything for my best girl," He told you, returning the wide lipped smile on your face.

"I didn't ask you anything."

"You didn't have to."

You went limp in his arms as you sighed, comparable to an act of defiance as if you were annoyed, as if he did something wrong; but you knew he couldn't if he tried. He shook his head but the smirk on his lips was undeniable as he carried you the rest of the way to the center of the maze.

"You're insufferable, won't even let me carry you," He carped, putting you down and letting you lean against the cold metal of the statue as you put the bottle of champagne on the ground beside you.

"I did and you love me," You retorted, inching your face towards his, leaving a sliver of space between your lips. The bronze on your back that chilled your skin was a stark contrast to the heat radiating from Felix's body, from the warmth of the air around you. It was intoxicating, his breath on your skin and the breeze of the wind. Looking up at him you could see that carnal glimmer in his eyes when his hands roamed your body only moments earlier, and this morning on the dock. It was something you craved and that was something he knew and savored the fact.

"Well I can't deny that," He smirked before closing the gap between the two of you. You could feel the indent of his grin as he kissed you, his lips turned up into a wicked smile, something more depraved, but still, nonetheless, Felix.

"Why don't I finished what I started earlier, love?" He asked against you not bothering to pull away and you only moaned in approval. His lips traveled from yours to the lobe of your ear so he knew you could hear him clearly.

"You need to use your words, darling."

"Yes," You keened, wanting—needing more than what was being given.

"Good girl," He hummed, his hands drawing down the straps of your dress before they traced down the rest of your body all the way to your thighs. He hooked his hands under them, lifting you to sit on the base of the statue.

"This okay?" He asked, looking into your eyes for conformation, the raise of his eyebrows encouraging it verbally as well.

"Yeah," You sighed breathelessly. "But I still need you."

He smirked again. "Let me fix that then."

Felix's hands gently lowered the front of your dress, exposing your breasts and taking one of them into his mouth, moaning around it.

"You're beautiful, darling" He mumbled, groaning as his tongue slid over your hard nipple. His words were genuine but you couldn't help but feel a little cheesy, kicking your foot playfully at his leg and you felt his erection, hard as you did so.

"And you know that already," He chuckled, sucking your nipple more aggressively. "But it's true." His words made you ache with impatience, whine with desire. Felix pulled back before lowering himself to his knees, his eyes not daring to leave yours. Only when he licked an agonizingly slow, sloppy stripe against your clothed cunt his eyes focused on the sight in front of him.

You breath hitched in anticipation as he pulled down your panties with his teeth and taking them off, shooting you a wink as he pocketed them. Immediately after his gaze moved back to your wet pussy, wasting no time in tasting you.

He dropped his head and his tongue slithered to your clit, flicking the pearl a few times before wrapping his lips around it. Your core was hot against his face, your scent, heady and electrifying; he could spend hours between your legs. Your hand went to claw at his hair, your fingers entangling with his brown locks.

"Ri-Right there," You breathed, attempting your best to string a coherent thought together, but it was hard when one of his hands massaged the outside of your thigh while the other came up to your empty hand. Your fingers interlocking, his thumb kneading the side of your palm as he sucked harder at your clit. You squeezed it as you released strangled moans, strained from the attempt to stay quiet.

"You can be louder, love. No one else is going to hear you except me." You didn't believe him, swearing you heard something in the bushes move along with the fact that there was a full blown party happening in his house right now; but you couldn't help yourself either.

He slipped two fingers into you, eliciting a lewd moan with ease. Your legs pressed together and he almost felt suffocated at the momentary feeling of being entirely enveloped by you—but it was exactly what he wanted.

"Oh God, Felix," You fingers digging deeper into his scalp and he groaned.

His movements were mindless and uncalculated, but they had you reeling each time. He knew your body like a book, where to touch to have your head spinning. The longer he spent between you legs, the louder your moans got, your hips helplessly bucking up to meet his fingers and mouth.

"Atta' girl," he murmured against you core. "Cum for me, love, I can feel you squeezing me."

Your movements got sloppier, raunchier, as your orgasm approached swiftly. It struck you like a bolt of lightning, your body overtaken with rapture and relief. Felix watched as you come down from your high, his fingers still working you over.

"You did so well f'me," He coaxed, finally removing his fingers from your core and scaling up your body, his moving to cling to yours and swallowing any soft moans you had left.

"Need you," You whispered as his lips nipped at yours.

"Need me or my cock?" He chuckled, drunk on you.

"You know what I mean," You replied, hands already to undo the buckle of his belt.

He stopped you before you could go any further. "I know, I just want to hear you say it, darling."

You rolled your eyes in annoyance, the smile on your lips indicating otherwise. His brows darted up, goading you on.

"Please?" He pressed and you exhaled in pleasure, in desire.

"Need you inside me, Felix." The corners of his mouth turned up into that smug smirk you've known for so long and he nodded in thanks.

"As you wish, my love."

He was rock hard, heavy and hot in your hands, precum dripping from his tip. You were just as wet and desperate as he reached down as he lined himself up with your entrance, sheathing himself inside you without another moment of hesitation. His arms caged your body under him as he hissed at the feeling. He gave you a a moment, letting you adjust to his size, his cock completely filling you up as he was buried deep inside of you.

"You're so tight," He praised as he kissed you, moaning into your mouth as he began to move. The pace of his hips started slow, gently rolling into yours, your clit brushing up into his pelvic bone at just the right angle. Felix tuned into how your moans falter when he hit just right spot, the sensation going straight to your core.

"Feels so good," You keened as you wrapped your arms around his neck, bringing him closer to you.

"Yeah? Tell me about it," He asked as he increased his pace, the speed of his pounding becoming relentless, evoking obscene noises from you. You wrapped your legs around his torso, heels digging into his back as you gave him the perfect angle to go even deeper as his cock hit your g-spot repeatedly.

You were sure your nails were going to leave a mark as they clawed into his shoulders while his hand slowly travelled to your core, rubbing fast circles on your swollen clit to help you reach your climax. You clenched around him in a manner so desperate, cunt fluttering around his cock. You didn’t have time to tell him you were cumming, screaming and sobbing as ecstasy hit you like a brick wall. You arched your back as his name fell from your lips again and again like a hopeless prayer. He followed suit seconds later, soaked with you as buried his head into the crook of your neck. He came with a strident cry as he bottomed out, filling you to the brim. You went limp under him as he panted weakly with his voice hoarse in your ear.

Still hazy from your climax your eyes widened as you saw Oliver walk into the maze. Felix didn't hear him, but he took note of your expression.

"What? Are you okay? What's-"

You interrupted him. "Oliver." Felix's head whipped around to the man standing behind him.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" Felix exclaimed and you pulled your legs from his torso and fixed your dress. Felix pulled up his trousers, buckling up his belt before fully turning to face Oliver.

"What are you doing here, mate? I mean, really?" You didn't say anything, composing yourself as Felix stood in front of you. Oliver opened his mouth to speak but Felix cut him off before he could explain himself.

"Actually I don't wanna fucking know, I've seen enough." He sighed and looked back to check on you.

“I think you should go,” You said to Oliver. “Before you do anything more to embarrass yourself.” The words were harsh as they came out of your mouth but you didn’t know what else to say. You watched as he walked away with his shoulders slumped, no doubt some guilt weighing them down.

“Are you alright?” Felix asked you, turning back around. You nodded still processing what had just happened as it seemed the champagne had worn off a while ago. You grabbed the bottle off the ground and held it up, offering it to Felix with a smile he didn't hesitate to reciprocate back.

"To Oliver's fucking party!" You laughed confused as ever, taking a swig of the bottle before he grabbed it from you.

"To Oliver's stupid fucking party."

[jinkiezzsstuff]

At First Sight PT2

Alastor x doe!reader

PART ONE PART 3

this is a short part 2 to a request, tbh i didn’t think about continuing it before so i struggled a bit and it’s quite short! i’m so sorry gang ;-; i hope it satiates yall if not lemme know what i can cook up for you

Warnings: love sick alastor + reader, ooc alastor, mates/soulmate trope, mentions of reproduction and pregnancy (dw yall i didn’t do the no no there is no pregnancy it’s just mentioned bc it supposed to be gn), short short, swearing, not proof read, hmmmm i think that’s it lmk whatcha think

wee little taglist for the people who asked kiss kiss: @fairyv-ice @chirimeimei

Tucked underneath Alastors chin you laid comfortably alongside him in bed. You’d been awake awhile now tail thumping softly behind you as you watched the demon sleep his smiled soft and barely showing. He laid in pyjama bottoms only chest bare and on display for you. You absentmindedly traced the scars along his torso feeling him respond with goosebumps every now and again.

“Goodmorning my doe,” Alastors voice rang out, killing the silence. It was shocking to hear his static gone and his regular voice out on display, dripped in sleepy sultry. “Good morning my buck.” You reply sickeningly sweet while crawling up to lean over his face, his eyes were lidded now gazing at you with a loving look in his eyes.

“Did you sleep well?” You asked playing with the stray hair that swept across his face. “Indeed darling very well. I should be good for several days.” He chirped happily, ears flicking. “We should head down, i need to talk to Charlie.” You say with a grimace.

Last night when Charlie caught you and Al, you felt guilty, you knew Charlie was a sweetheart but you practically abandoned her all day for Alastor, then scared her silly with a deal and sex! Groaning you grab your head while Alastor stood. With a snap of his fingers the two of you were dressed, and that did take a load of stress of you. “Come now my doe, I’ll be there the whole time, no shame and if there is we’ll be ashamed together!”

Alastor seemed pretty bright in his exclamation holding his arm out to you. Obviously you trusted Al you gave yourself and soul to him and only him just last night. So while attached at the arm the two of you trotted downstairs.

Arriving downstairs interlocked you were both greeted by all the patrons already in the living area next to the bar. Charlie was the first to make a noise gasping, meanwhile Angel was practically vibrating in his seat. Just as Angel was about to talk Vaggie interrupted. “You made a fucking deal!?” Screamed the fallen angel, hands thrown behind her as the rest of her body lurched forward. Frowning you bit your lip, of course this was gonna be an awkward conversation with Charlie, but with the whole hotel listening. Even worse!

“Neva mind that Vagina! Let’s talk about the real stuff. How big? Seven? Eight? Twelve?! Ouch-“ Vaggie knocked Angel over the head with the back of her spear. “Yikes alright, twelve is greedy…. ten?” Angel whispered cackling at Vaggie who growled at her. Alastor, obviously unhappy, began to crackle with static, black shadows oozing out from the floor and encompassing the room slowly.

At the sight of Alastor’s figure demonically stretching the room fell silent, you only gazed up at the deer slightly aroused by his stature and the way his antlers screwed out like branches. “You’re quite the sight.” You say dreamily, barely even noticing you spoke to begin with, Alastor’s head cracked down to you. Coming back to himself Alastor hummed out adoringly, petting your head but wanting to kiss you, unfortunately that was a step too far for him right now.

“Uhm anyway, YN, can you please tell me about the deal?” Charlie begged worry on her face as she looked to you and Alastor. You felt the guilt crawl at you again. “I… well I’m not sure why but there’s just this pull i have to Alastor, he asked me to be his i said yes i…” You veered off feeling too embarrassed by all the eyes, thankfully Alastor pulled you in theatrically waving his microphone around, taking the attention off you.

“Well this lovely doe was just made for me you see? I’m perfectly capable of protecting such a divine creature and though I don't doubt your ability, princess I'd feel a lot more comfortable being the one to do so.” Alastor fired off sounding like a proper radio host as he did so. Charlie looked confused but then perked up happily.

“This is thee perfect redeeming quality Alastor, love is so pure! This is great!” As Charlie felt giddy, Vaggie felt suspicious eyeing the red demon. “So what did you even sell- what was the deal?” You hummed tapping your finger to your lip; well you didn’t know, just that you gave yourself to him.

Looking up to Alastor for help here he happily obliged. “Worry not you angry little woman,” Alastor replied, pinching Vaggies cheek, her angrily pushing him off. “The contract was nothing greater than marriage.” The entire room, yourself included, was surprised at this. You knew this was a soul binding contract, but for him to make that connection on his own was well to you sweet as ever. Your tail flicked happily behind you as you looked to Alastor who returned to your side.

Charlie was as equally as happy as you were, but Vaggie and Husk kept within the same boat of apprehension. “Why so suddenly?” Asked Vaggie again, but Alastor shrugged her off. “I’m unsure dear, just that i couldn’t resist this little doe. Like fate.” Alastor pondered meanwhile you briefly seethed at Alastor for referring to Vaggie as dear.

“Maybe it’s like some soulmate bullshit between deer?” Angel pipped up, putting in his required two cents. Husk groaned at that, but Charlie squeaked jumping up. “That is totally possible! It happened with my dad! Well, y’know in the beginning.” Charlie chuckled, brushing her hair behind her ear. Alastor shook his head rapidly a soft laugh echoing out of him.

“No way dear, how is that possible?” He mocked bopping Charlie atop the head with his mic, you again weren’t happy hearing him call another demon dear, but you let it fly. “Well you both are deer, could it be instinctual?” Charlie reasoned her pitch, giving away her uncertainty.

You hummed looking up towards Alastor to see him already looking down to you. “I think Alastor and I would need to talk about it privately before we have a group conversation about it. It’s kinda of embarrassing.” You admit already tired of the discussion. Charlie however didn’t like the idea of not having an answer, so with a plan in mind she turned to Vaggie. “Vaggie can you take them to the library, maybe look some stuff up online? We need to figure this out.” Charlie asked giving Vaggie a look that conveyed this was more of a do this rather than a can you do this.

Nodding her head Vaggie looked at you, who looked at Alastor. Alastor shrugged and muttered he didn’t see the issue, so long as you were safe. So you and Vaggie headed off, meanwhile Charlie calmly asked to speak with Alastor in private.

Alone in Alastor’s radio tower, Charlie sat on one side of the broadcasting table while Alastor sat behind it, tunes playing out of him. “So Al,” Charlie started breathing out a deep breath. “Can you please tell me what’s going on with the deal, listen i can’t have them get hurt! I’ll even make a deal.” Charlie said sadly gazing off, she didn’t want to make a deal, but she would.

Alastor watched her, and pitied her odd behaviour. Resting his chin on his hand Alastor sat quietly for a moment, Charlie waiting with a hopeful gleam in her eyes. “It was nothing malicious that i can assure you. Although, i’m not sure what happened between them and myself, I felt pretty agressive in my feelings to protect them. Of course that private moment between us should’ve stayed private,” Alastors words were stern as he glared down at Charlie who shrunk bashfully in her seat.

“But suppose since you know i will confess in that moment of intensity, i did the only thing I knew how to do to my dear. I’m not particularly good with emotions, and so I simply ensured I’d have them with a deal.” Tapping his nails on the desk Alastor kept his composure but inside he was scolding himself for even letting that much truth out. Charlie seemed to like the sound of that though, nodding her head in agreement.

“So you won’t, and you don’t have any plans to hurt them?” Alastors ears pinned back subconsciously, he didn’t enjoy being accused of cruelty when it came to you, and he didn’t know he could be any more truthful. “My dear i swear, on my mother, not a hair on their pretty doe head, will ever be hurt by me.” Holding his right hand up, head high Alastor watched as Charlie eased into a smile. Nodding at him.

Rejoining the crew downstairs Alastor and Charlie were shocked to see you and Vaggie had returned. “How come you guys are back so quick?” Vaggie turned at the sound of Charlie’s voice, eyes bugged slightly. “Yeah you won’t believe what we found.” Vaggie said handing Charlie a book about demons and mating. Charlie didn’t seem too keen on the book ‘uhs’ immediately falling from her mouth.

You stepped up, opening the book to the checked marked place. “It’s species dependent on how mating affects someone, in this case Doe’s are more of a rarity in hell meaning it was an instinct for the two of us to kinda ‘mate’ or ‘bond’ to one another, as if we had to worry about going extinct.” You scoffed watching as Charlie glazed over the words while listening to you. “Weird. It must be because you’re a hellborn and an angel, so technically you can reproduce.”

A record scratch sounded out from Alastor, the lot of you looking towards his stiff figure. “Don’t worry Al, we’re pretty sure you’re still unable to.” Charlie hushed to him, before giving you a look that told you, she didn’t really know that to be true. You weren’t worried though, almost a hundred percent certain that he would not be able to have children. “Welp, at least now we know that’s a thing,” Angel sighed from the background, Vaggie glaring at him.

Pulling you into his side Alastor grinned his poise returned. “Look at us figuring stuff out why wasn’t this just the teamwork we all needed, good job.” Alastor applauded slightly condescending, but Charlie was happy with it nonetheless giving two thumbs up to you and Alastor.

[willowser-but-nsfw]

and if i said incubus bakugou. what then.

because think about coming home after a long, infuriating day of work; you're tired, your back hurts, you're hungry, you're sick of being in these stinky work clothes — and all you want is a shower.

so you go to run yourself the hottest one known to man, tossing your clothes haphazardly on the floor because you're irritable and want to be a bit of a brat because you couldn't be one at work. you get all the way through washing your hair, are rinsing the soapy suds off your body when you're finally starting to calm down. thinking about what to eat for dinner, if you'll get that takeout you've been thinking about all week. you think you deserve it.

and then a heavy hand is banging against the glass of the shower.

"jesus christ!" you hiss, curving into yourself as if he hasn't seen you naked multiple times now. on the other side, bakugou is glaring at you, his own arms folded like the GROUCH that he is. "what the hell is wrong with you?"

he ignores the question. "y'gonna let me in?"

the sight of his stupidly handsome, supernatural face has you gritting your teeth, mouth twisting into a scowl as he yanks the door open anyway. "since when have you ever needed my permission to do anything?"

bakugou bares his little fangs, temper flaring like the black wings that threaten to stretch out behind him. you hope they don't; you're tired of having to pick up everything he knocks over. "hah?" he hisses, crowding you into one side of the shower because of how big he is. "don't act like you ain't been begging me to fuck—"

"alright!" you snap, cheeks heating. his own nose scrunches up — in disgust, maybe — and you can't stand to look at how horrifyingly beautiful he is, so you turn away. after a minute of awkward silence, with him just looming behind you, you ask, "have you figured out how i can get rid of you yet?"

several bottles clatter to the floor.

"you're the one that fuckin' summoned me here, brat—"

"and i was trying to summon up some goddamn money!" you turn to glare at him over your shoulder, eyes dipping down when you see his totally normal and equally as handsome human form, as he collects your shampoo and conditioner from the ground. "it was an accident."

"yeah," he grumbles, "so you've said."

you turn away again as he rises back to his full height — still otherworldly, despite his disguise. the deep red in his eyes always makes you shiver, both terrifying and oddly sexy. "well," you pout, though he can't see it. "don't act like you haven't been enjoying it, too."

"that's my whole point, shitty human!"

you're demon-handled around rather roughly, as is typical, and he's got you spun to face him, back pressed against the shower tile as he gets all in your face. his blonde hair is flat against his head, dark eyelashes heavy and sticking together, making his eyes seem that much bigger and brighter.

you take the chance to commit his face to memory; most of the time, you either can't keep your eyes open to look at him or don't want to, because he's so incredibly infuriating.

— but so up close, you see the deep, unhappy lines of his face, how far down his eyebrows arch. his lips tremble, just the slightest, in their frown.

"that's my whole fuckin' point," he tells you again, quietly. "'s'all 'm good for."

it's startling enough that you feel — bad. guilty, like you're taking advantage of him in some way, though it's always him that's appearing on his knees in your kitchen or waking you up in the middle of the night with his hand in your underwear. you feel like you should offer some kind of comfort to him, despite the menace he's been, because you have found relief from the world with him. many times.

but the moment passes and before you can think of anything to say, bakugou's eyes are hardening and he's pressing his mouth to yours, as his hands begin to trail down your body.

[smieska-draws]

Laplace's Spamton - 03

thumbnails almost done! I think I have the majority figured out... sorry for the constant scribbles, I have to otherwise I would be overwhelmed and stop lol (which are constantly in my thoughts, ough). What's fun about trying to visually tell a story with music is when the song's instruments align with whats on screen. My favourite being when melodies go up or down or around, theres a visual up or down or around happening too!

Most recent example I can think of is the Transcendental Cha Cha Cha music video: the melody goes down, the face goes down ; the melody goes up, the face goes up. Its a small thing but I love little details like that

...anyway. I always feels like a crazy person when this stuff goes through my mind all the time.. even more so if I try to explain it to someone ... i'm sorry

i just... put a lot of thought into it and it makes me vibrate that it needs to leave my brain i need to draw it out communicated visually, in this animatic essay, I will --

I've also been reflecting on the whole 'finished, not perfect' principle, to not be a perfectionist about things but mainly to encourage me to get it done, but I find that principle doesn't help too much personally...I've had a couple of things where I wished I spent longer on it (idk maybe its the point?) or in this case, I kinda want to amp up the animatic from sketches to something more polished because I know I'll be unhappy if I present it as sketches.........whiiiich is probably why I'm doing these little reports lol. To not be intimidated, even if I am just speaking into the void of tumblr.

[batsplat]

like the motogp unlimited moment where joan is kinda terrified of him and marc looks like he's trying to figure out whether he can muster the energy to eat him

😂😂😂😂😂😂

This one is going to carry me through the day. Picturing cat marc contemplating with his tail swishing if he wants to raise his paw and squish this thing or go back to nap.

(extremely belated follow up to this)

referring to this clip from motogp unlimited, on the off chance anyone hasn't seen that masterpiece yet - in which we get to see mir on camera criticising marc for his towing addiction, mir panicking about the media reporting how he criticised marc for his towing addiction, and then mir telling first the honda guys and then marc himself how the media had made up that he had criticised marc for his towing addiction

say what you will about that show, but this clip is just absolute perfection. it has been living rent free in my head from the first time I saw it. the editing is on point... how it completely stitches up joan with the juxtaposition between him literally criticising marc and him insisting he totally hadn't been criticising marc... the way it cuts to a random clip of marc entering a building with the air of a trigger happy warlord, as if he's about to order joan's execution... joan talking to the honda guy - the "you'd better say to his face" line, mir visibly deeply unhappy at this response... hard cut to mir's tremulous explanation to marc. mir's gaze wandering somewhere bottom right while marc is serving full cannibal realness and is staring right at mir with a wide grin and dead eyes. the painfully obvious relief on mir's face when marc accepts his explanation. if you told me marc was sky high on painkillers during this whole conversation, I would not question it for a moment

this is not a grin I would want levelled at me. it's the kind of grin where I'd start worrying if I might find myself chopped up in pieces in the other guy's freezer in the immediate future. at this point in his life and his career, marc had bigger things to worry about than being criticised for something he had been repeatedly criticised for already and would be criticised for again countless times. this whole episode does matter in the vague sense that mir was the defending world champion who had replaced marc, but realistically it's just not the sort of thing marc will have spent more than two minutes thinking about. which was really mir's best hope - that marc simply could not be bothered to make space in the freezer for him

I compared this moment in the mind games post to casey suffering a mild case of headloss because he thought valentino had deliberately hidden his tyre compound from the competition (bridgestone had run out of paint) - and there is something to how your reputation for mind games can become so strong that eventually you don't really have to be doing any work because your competition will freak anyway. marc isn't actually doing anything in this clip... he's just vibing. admittedly he's doing so in that uncanny valley ever so slightly inhuman way he has about him, like he's currently hashing out the logistics of sauteing your liver, but he is just vibing

[kiame-sama]

Results on the poll are in and the majority wanted Romantic Yandere Zestial with a rival. (I was honestly surprised, but seeing as romantic and platonic were so close, I'll make it platonic to slow burn romantic)

Warnings; Yandere temper, Yandere behavior, Yandere relationship, yandere v yandere, Sin Eater reader, Gender Neutral Reader, slow burn platonic to romantic yandere, rival yandere, surprise rival yandere, violence, blasphemy, reader gets one hell of a backbone (only for a bit), God, yelling in the presence of God, brief surprise guest appearances, lucifer and others call reader young/kid (mostly affectionately),

~~~~~~~~

Zestial felt a small playful grin tug at the corners of his mouth as he watched his wayward charge curiously poke around his home. The halls of his manor had been rather quiet and the change to having company was certainly a welcome one. Despite his long life and the many lovers he had entertained in the past, he felt a true connection to the Sin Eater whose very soul he held claim over. They were not only a novelty in their soul's unfortunate proclivity to violence towards sinners but they did not immediately fear or despise him upon meeting.

"(Y/n), thy curiosity is truly an endearing quality."

His grin only widened as he noticed the way you startled at his sudden presence. Though he didn't wish harm or misfortune upon you, he was still a sadistic overlord who adored the fearful looks others gave him. You looked up at the tall arachnid that loomed over you, relaxing when you realized it was just Zestial poking fun.

"Hi, Zestial. I was just-"

"Being the curious nymph thou oft remind me of."

"I guess? Anyway, Carmilla wanted me to come over and talk to her about the exterminations. Apparently during the last one, the angels were looking for a Sin Eater down here."

This made a deep frown pull at Zestial's lips, feeling a kind of anger take over his being at the idea of an exorcist getting their hands on you. His change in temper was easy for you to notice as Zestial often seemed pleasantly aloof excepting for when he was angry. Zestial was certainly unhappy at that moment.

"I see... And, did Carmilla share with thou the intent of this angel?"

"No. I think that's what she wants to talk with me about."

"I shall accompany thou in thy to visit Carmilla. I, too, would like to know how oft these angels seek thy presence. The attentions of Exorcists are oft a negative omen."

"Okay. I'm sure Carmilla would like to see you too. She always seems more comfortable when you are there with me."

Zestial hummed at this, well aware that his presence often put Carmilla at ease whenever she interacted with you. She still didn't trust you because of the many unfortunate interactions she has had with Sin Eaters, so having Zestial nearby calmed her. So long as you are still on Zestial's leash, she trusted you wouldn't act out of turn. She figured she could always call upon him should your hunger get out of hand while nearby. The deal you had with Zestial also kept you safe from Carmilla as she would not dare try to slay a soul he had claimed.

~~~~~~~~

"Wait, so I was supposed to die when they threw me into Hell, but now they want me back? How does that fit in with Heaven's logic?"

"I'm not an angel. I wouldn't know."

You frowned and pondered what you had been told. It was confusing, but it did make it easier knowing that though Carmilla may dislike you, she didn't like the angels talking about you. According to Carmilla, the angels expected you to be slain shortly after throwing you into Hell. The fact you were still alive upset and irritated them.

"If Carmilla's informant is correct, it twould seem they shall be searching for (y/n) specifically. I refuse to be one to allow these feathered nuisances to harm a hair atop thy head. They shan't have you."

You noticed the way Carmilla slightly frowned, glancing to the side as Zestial swore to protect you. Her clear respect and somewhat attraction to Zestial had been weighing on you as you didn't want to drive a wedge between the two seeing as they obviously had gone through quite a lot together. The most you could do was hope that Carmilla didn't dislike you for befriending Zestial even though she clearly disliked that you were a Sin Eater.

"Ms. Carmine? Though I know you likely told me this for Zestial's benefit, I still appreciate you letting me know about all of this. Thank you."

Carmilla seemed surprised at first before her eyes somewhat softened from her typical hard glare to a gentle expression. You had only seen her use that expression when talking to her two daughters.

"Don't be so quick to trust anyone in Hell, Sin Eater. If you weren't Zestial's soul, I would have killed you myself."

"I know. That doesn't mean I can't be thankful to you for your help."

The smallest of smiles pulled at Carmilla's lips for just a moment before she returned to the hardened expression she usually wore.

"Take care, (Y/n). I can see why you were sent to Heaven first before they betrayed you and sent you here. Heaven may want you dead, but I won't let them have their way."

~~~~~~~~

Extermination day was a brutal yearly event in Hell that always seemed to be more violent than the year before it. Zestial insisted you remain inside his estate with the curtains drawn while he left to an overlord meeting, making it clear he wanted you nowhere near the angels. You weren't keen to argue seeing as the angels were likely going to be gunning for you the moment they noticed your presence.

What you hadn't expected was the frantic knocking at the manor doors. Desperate souls in hell trying to escape the extermination going on outside. They were willingly to do anything, even sell their souls to the ancient being Zestial just to have a chance at escaping the angels.

Though you wanted to open the doors to let the poor sinners in, Zestial had been more than clear that you were to leave the doors sealed. However, those on the other side of the door did not take kindly to you not offering them sanctuary as the door suddenly caved in, a large axe blade sticking out of the door.

The body of a sinner fell into the doorway and a frighteningly familiar figure entered in. His large horns and dark mask looked identical to when you saw him at the gates of Heaven. He sneered as he removed the axe from the poor sinner he hunted down.

"How d'ya like that, demon bitch? Try and fucking run from me and I still got you!"

It was while he was taking in his surroundings he realized you were standing there, your gaze filled with terror and confusion. He didn't seem to recognize you at first before his smile became manic and sadistic.

"Found you. Did you know, you are one tough unlucky fucker to find. But Sera heard you survived, so I gotta drag your ass back to Heaven. Just had to screw up your one job, right? Now the Big Man wants your ass in His office, so You're gonna be a good little bitch and don't fight."

The fear coursing through you set you on edge as you took a step back from the man. His mask covering his face made him seem like more of a monster and set actual fear into your heart. You did the only thing you could think of, hoping beyond hope that he would answer you even if he was in a meeting with other overlords.

"Zestial, please... Please help me!"

Your plea seemed to be unanswered for a moment as the man reached towards you with a grin of triumph. Right as it seemed his hand was about to grab you, you found yourself suddenly stumbling to the side and into a pair of arms.

"Woah there! You alright?"

You looked up at the sinner holding you only to pause in confusion. The person you saw looked far more human despite his pale white skin and bright red clownish cheeks. He watched you in confusion even as he steadied you on your feet and let you lean on him to find your footing.

The room you found yourself in was not where you had been only moments ago. It seemed like you were somewhere high up as you could look down at a fair portion of The Pentagram from the windows nearby. None of it looked familiar.

"Where's Ze-?"

You were cut off by a bright light that drew your attention to the windows on the far side of the room. Several overlords- Zestial included- and even a few rather intimidating looking sinners you didn't recognize were present in what seemed to be a meeting room. In the open space before the windows was a blinding light that faded only slightly as a being emerged from the light. The being was humanoid in shape, but you couldn't make out what their face looked like as light continued to shine brightly enough to obscure them.

"Come, Sin Eater. It is not ideal that I had to retrieve you myself, but I shall do what I must."

"Who-?"

"You may call me Father, Creator, or God. Whichever you feel has enough reverence."

"You're-?"

"The one creator of all things, Damned and Heavenly souls included. And you, young Sin Eater, have defied your odds to exist to this point. Now, come and we shall discuss your afterlife."

You watched in silence for a moment, feeling anxiety racing through you as you looked at this intimidating figure before you. There was a part of you that wanted to do whatever the intimidating man told you to, but another far stronger part wanted you to yell.

You wanted to yell for the injustice of it all. To yell for being thrown into Hell with no warning. To yell for the clear suffering so many other sinners endured. To yell at the cause of all this suffering and senseless slaughter.

You needed to yell.

"No."

"Excuse you?"

"I said 'no'. If you want me to go with you I need a few things first."

The Man scoffed slightly in an incredulous manner, folding His ethereal arms over His chest. Though you couldn't see His face, you could tell He was scowling to some degree.

"A bit big in your own shoes, eh? Fine. What is it you believe you can ask of God?"

"Save them."

"Who?"

"The sinners screaming outside, being slaughtered and cut down at your behest. Save them first, or you are nothing but talk."

"They made their choice. They are reaping the rewards for sinful life."

"Really? Then what was my time down here? What do you call it when you kick someone out of Heaven and send them straight to Hell? Is that not an injustice? Is that not an undeserved fate? I went to Heaven first, and this is what I got instead."

"And I am taking you back to Heaven, is that not forgiving of me?"

You frowned deeply, feeling anger bubble up in your chest as you slowly walked forward. Step by step you approached the Heavenly being that claimed to be God Himself.

"Forgiving for what? What did I do that needs to be forgiven?"

"..."

"You claim to be the Creator of All, yet you turn a deaf ear to those begging you for mercy. You claim to be loving and forgiving, yet my only crime was an affliction I did not put upon myself and I was still thrown into Hell. You claim to be all of these things yet you refuse to save those that need it most."

He slightly dipped His head, as if He were refusing to meet your gaze and your blood only burned hotter. This Man stood before you claiming to be divine and forgiving, yet He couldn't do anything you asked of Him. He may not see it, but as far as you were concerned, He owed you a bit of grace.

"No. I will not go with you. Until you can open your arms to the damned and forgotten, I will not go with you. Until you uphold the morals you claim to purvey, I will not go with you. Until Hell itself is empty and I am the last one standing, I will not go with you."

"You belong in Heaven."

"Not any more. Those here showed me more kindness than your supposed 'angels' ever did! These damned sinners showed me mercy when I didn't deserve any from them! I belong here. And until you can prove to me that you are more than just talk, I will go nowhere with you. I'll even spit in your face if I have to, to prove I belong here!"

The Man was silent for a long moment, your anxious nerves sparking wildly as you stood before your Creator and told Him to go fuck Himself. The words spilled from your mouth like water from the head of a river, flowing forward with no regard to the end destination. All you felt was rage.

"You may have me when you earn me. Until then, find someone else to preach to."

The silence was near deafening as He stood, letting your words soak in even as you glared into the blinding light that emanated from Him. No one spoke until the sudden crack of what could have been thunder, and with a pop He was gone from view.

It was then your nerves hit you, making your knees buckle and your body sink downwards as all you had said and done weighed in your mind. At the least, you forfeited your one ticket into Heaven and a peaceful afterlife. At most, you pissed off God Himself and made it clear that His words could never reach you despite His efforts. You were forsaken regardless.

"Well, holy fucking Hell. I sure as shit didn't expect that!"

The gruff voice of one of the strangers present drew you from your downward spiral. He had a heavy Aussie accent and seemed to be some kind of abomination cross between a jester and a Christmas tree. His greenish-yellow eyes were wide with surprise, as were the eyes of the rest that were present. Even Zestial seemed surprised.

A hand rest on your shoulder and you sharply looked up to see that same man from before watching you with a gentle gaze and warm smile. His red eyes seemed so full of understanding and compassion that you could scarcely believe he was likely a sinner.

"Not bad, kid. Not bad at all. Honestly, I'm surprised He didn't strike you down for what you said, but I can definitely say that I am proud of you."

"Thank you... I think? I just- I couldn't stand how he was so happy to let others suffer yet he still thought he was the merciful one. I- I'm sorry, I don't even know who you are and I'm putting all of this on you. I'm (Y/n) (L/n). I'm a-"

"A Sin Eater. Yes, I could tell by your soul. Not many of your kind down here, but hey, Hell has plenty of room for all. Lucifer Morningstar, pleasure to meet you, (Y/n)."

"... Morningstar..? Oh. Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry, Sir! I didn't mean to be rude, or intrude, or not bow. I was just calling for Zestial's help because that one angel who sent me here broke in and- I- I'm sorry, I'm rambling. I-"

"Take a breath there," Lucifer chuckled in a good-natured way, "to think, you'll spit in the face of God with no trouble but you apologize to me for not bowing when you didn't even know who I was. You've got some moxy, kiddo. I'll give you that."

He stood up again, holding a hand out to you which you gratefully accepted. It still felt like you were in an emotional limbo state given all that happened, yet you still found a bit of comfort and happiness bloom in your chest. Who knew Lucifer was such a chill guy?

"Gotta love a sinner who can stand up for themselves. Mmm. Takes guts."

A beautiful and deep baritone voice grabbed your attention and drew it to the owner of such high-quality brass pipes. Sitting with their legs crossed appeared to be a humanoid that was some kind of cross between a rooster and a Lion with three faces. They wore a finely decorated suit that seemed to glow in the low light as if they held some kind of light within.

"Guts? Talk about bringing the fire baby! Where you been hiding, Cutie? No way you've been anywhere near the other sinners with a soul that unique."

A female figured humanoid spoke up with a feminine voice, her figure much like a bee mixed with a fennec fox. Her stomach reminded you of a lava-lamp as the pink and blue colors within moved in a fluid maner. The group she sat among being the many you did not recognize.

Your eyes scanned the rest of the room where you had seen the various overlords prior, quickly finding Zestial among the faces. The relief you felt was quickly taken over with a sudden and fierce hunger.

Something about the way you or your soul looked must have changed because the overlords and even Lucifer reacted to the difference. There was something wrong with this hunger that made it different from your typical drive to consume sin. It was a deeper, more primal craving that seemed to only get worse with every passing second as you doubled over in pain from the crippling hunger.

"Damn Him! Of course He wouldn't let something like that slide. They're gonna turn feral unless they feed."

"Allow me to bare this load, your Highness. (Y/n) is still one of the souls I consider to be mine. The duty to feed should fall to me."

Zestial now stood, coming over to your side with several contracts in hand with the intention of curbing your hunger before it got too far. Before he could summon forth the sinners to feed you, another sensation overcame you that soothed the hunger significantly. A faint glow seemed to increase for only a second from Lucifer before fading back down.

"No need, already took care of it. Knowing Him it wouldn't have been a simple thing to quell. If anything, I would guess He made their sin-consuming affliction worse for talking back to him. It's possible that only a Sin can help them now. No offense."

"... None taken."

"Well, guess that just means I'll be seeing more of you, (Y/n)! I can tell we're going to get along just fine."

[genshin-obsessed]

Water Tasting | Neuvillette x Reader

This was a joke between my friend and I, but seeing as how I've entered my Neuvillette obsession phase, I might as well throw out at least one fic for him. Enjoy~

Word count: 832 Unedited; please don't mind <3

"I'm sorry I came here so late. I didn't intend to get lost." You said with a slight dry chuckle. Neuvillette sent a small smile your way, waving his hand a little.

"Not at all, I said my doors were open to you at any time of the day. Besides, I'm also taking a bit of a break, myself. So it's quite perfect."

You followed Neuvillette further into his office and found a nice seat for you, while the long-haired man looked over at you.

"Are you thirsty? I have a wide array of beverages you may like." You eyes lit up and you sent him a smile, along with a nod.

"Oh yes! I'm absolutely parched."

"You're in luck." The chief justice walked over to a large cabinet and opened the doors, revealing many fancy bottles, decorated with beautiful text and adorned with gems. Honestly, you weren't even sure you wanted to drink such expensive looking beverages.

"This one is from Mondstadt, you've been there, yes? It's quite the popular one. I wouldn't say my favorite, but I do like to indulge every now and then." You were certainly familiar with the variety of drinks offered in Mondstadt, so you figured it was akin to dandelion wine. The bottle had the colors of Mondstadt and even had a small symbol. You couldn't make out the writing from where you sat, but the bottle, itself, was absolutely beautiful.

"Oh, like dandelion wine, right? I've had it before, it's great."

"No, it's not wine. What gave you that idea?" He asked, which confused you, honestly.

"Well you mentioned it was popular in Mondstadt... they're known for their dandelion wine..." you elaborated but Neuvillette shook his head. Without hesitation. Maybe he didn't like alcohol? You knew a guy like that- a certain tycoon.

"Oh, so it's more like a juice. I know their-"

"No, it's water."

What...?

The long silence hung in the air as the two of you stared at one another. You really weren't sure what to say to that, but the awkward silence was getting to you.

"Like... triple digit water? It's not their famous spring vale holy water right?" Knowing how that water was bottled, you'd feel awful knowing Neuvillette fell for such a scam. However, much to your delight, he shook his head.

"Anyway," he reached for another bottle, one that looked like it brandished Liyue's design and markings. "This one is from Liyue and I heard even their own Archon was quite in favor of it. I, myself, have enjoyed it every now and then but it's not my favorite."

"Is... is that water too?" You asked, making Neuvillette give you a sweet smile and a nod. You only returned the nod as you realized... all of those bottles on the shelf were water. Just water. Unflavored, plain water.

"This one, however, is my favorite. It's a brand from Snezhnaya and it's best served chilled." You almost laughed at his words but buried it deep, deep down.

There was something so innocent and sweet about his fascination with different brands of water. The passion in his voice just brought a smile to your face and somehow the awkwardness of the situation lifted as he got into the other various bottles, claiming the one from Inazuma did seem to have a sweeter scent and flavor to it and was one of the more comforting drinks in his collection.

You found yourself getting lost in his voice as he kept going on and on about the different varieties of waters from all over Teyvat. He claimed there were still a great many he hadn't tried as he doesn't have the chance to leave Fontaine with his position being so high up in the court.

"Well? Is there one that beckons you? Or are you unhappy with the selection?" Neuvillette asked with a slight tinge of disappointment in his tone. Maybe even a hint of shyness.

"No, that's not it! I was just expecting different and you surprised me." You assured him, waving your hands a little.

"Oh? What were you expecting?"

"Like Fonta or something."

"No, we don't drink that garbage here." Ok, now you had to laugh. You threw your head back as the fit of giggles finally escaped your system before you calmed yourself. Neuvillette just stood by, unsure of what could possibly make you laugh like that.

"I'll take your favorite then. We can enjoy it together." His confusion melted into a smile and he nodded, grabbing the Snezhnayan water and closing the cabinet. He walked over to you with two- what you would call chalices- and poured you a generous amount. He sat down across from you and you lifted the cup to your lips.

Taking a small sip, the cold water rushed across your tongue and cooled down your entire mouth. Water was water, but there... was indeed an interesting flavor behind this one.

Maybe Neuvillette had a point- water had flavor. This one did anyway.

[horreurscopes]

so after months of apartment hunting hell and many rejections from apartments i fell in love with that hurt more than any romantic breakup i have ever had, i moved into a new place about two months ago and i thought i would love it but there were many little things here and there that were obscured from me during the tour and it's not working out and it's making me so incredibly unhappy (unresponsive management, loud neighbors, and it's so filthy from the last tenants [bathtub has jets??? which i thought was sick until i found out they were full of biofilm because they have never been cleaned out and yes i have disgusting pictures] and it's really dark because it's north facing and has scaffolding around it and the broker just made stuff up about the scaffolding being about to be taken down but it seems its just not going to come off because it's cheaper for the owners to have the scaffolding there to comply with safety law than it is to actually fix whatevers wrong with the building) anyway. so now, a really cool gorgeous place that's significantly cheaper and SO sunny and much better that i immediately fell in love with went up on streeteasy, so i thought, hey, it will be super mega tough to pull off but i can probably transfer my lease (wherein you find someone to take over the contact and are free of it) and move again, but then the listing agent messaged me that the current tenants had decided to stay and i was bummed out because the same thing had happened to me months ago during the beginning of my search with another place i really liked, so i looked it up and hey, turns out last time it happened it was the same leasing agent. so what i think is happening is that because it's such a desirable place at such a low cost, the broker probably has too many people who want it and just brushed me off with a lie because they can just do whatever they want. so i pretend i didn't see the cancellation email and show up to the building anyway, and ring the apartment number, and im LET IN but when i go up the stairs and walk into the place turns out it was true and the tenant's friend IS taking the apartment and they're like oh we're so sorry the broker was supposed to cancel ): and I'm like oohhhh nooo...... oh well! because at least i got closure lol

but i shit you not, as im walking out the tenants yell at me through the window to come back in because they JUST heard from their friend that he backed out and actually, the apartment is back on the market, and im the only person who knows and has seen it. so i stay for a solid hour just talking to the tenants who let me know the #honest ins and outs of the place, and that the broker basically did nothing (what is new) because they took the pictures in the listing and the guy hadnt even stepped foot in the place.

anyway it's a great story, kismet meant to be etc, im imagining my entire life in that apartment, until i realize i can't move in because the broker's fee that *im* supposed to pay (on top of first month + security deposit, which i would've had to figure out/loan out anyway because i definitely don't have enough money to put those payments in before getting the security deposit and rent refund for the rest of the month back from the CURRENT place) is fifteen (15)(IX) FIFTEEN percent of the annual rent. fifteen percent of the annual rent. FIFtEEn PercEnt. Of The Annual Rent. For Doing Nothing. so long story short i briefly thought I'd try to fundraise like $7k for all of moving expenses but then i deflated like a depressurized blob fish..... the unstoppable force of panache grit and scrappiness alone will get you far but it's not enough against the immovable object that is nyc capitalism. hashtag american dream hashtag bootstraps

[ancha-aus]

RealAgeAU Drabble - Friends Reunite

It is here! The moment has arrived! @spotaus are you ready friend?!

First Drabble Prev Drabble Next Drabble

I don't think we need an introduction to this part :3

*----------------*

Nightmare watches out from the porch as he waits. They are waiting for Horror to finish putting their tools away.

As they wait Nightmare pulls on his clothes. feeling very nervous.

Killer grins "You look fine nighty."

Nightmare frowns "i guess..." he is wearing some of his new clothes. nice colourful ones. Things he never really wore. warm orange and pink today. it is loose and pretty. with a few nice ribbons as well.

Cross smiles as he helps him check his outfit "aren't you excited to see your friend again? I thought you missed him?"

Nightmare looks down as he rubs his arm "I do... Ccino is nice..." he isn't sure for a moment but tells them anyway "I was actually... When i thought you guys didn't... want to be near me... I had been on my way to him." he figured if there was any safe place for him it would be Ccino's.

Cross hugs him close "I am still so sorry we left you."

Nightmare shurgs and leans into the touch "you came back." that is what matters. they came back.

Horror walks over and rubs his skull and Nightmare leans into the tocuh with a happy sigh. Horror smiles a thim "ready to go little light?"

Nightmare feels embarrased at that new nickname. Sure he got used to Nightlight by now but little light is still new.

Horror chuckles and pets his skull again "ready?"

Nightmare leans into it still and nods "okay." he really wants to see Ccino. see if ccino still sees him as a friend.

after everything

after not visiting for so long.

after... now that he is different.

He doesn't fight it as Killer picks him up and holds him close "You sure you feel okay? Spine fine?"

Nightmare rolls his eye lights and nods "I feel fine." his spine only aches nowadays. Yet none of them seem willing to let him walk around a lot.

Nightmare doenst mind honestly. It is nice to be close to them and be held. like a long hug. it just feels nice and warm and safe.

Cross takes out his knife and cuts the fabric of the universe. a portal opens and cross smiles "ready to go."

And they step through.

The leave the warm autumn air for a chiller spring air and nightmare shivers slightly. Not truly becuase he is cold but mostly because he hadn't expected the sudden change.

Killer just holds him closer.

They are in an alleyway and Nightmare can see both Dust and Cross look around the corner. Nightmare feels so nervous. he tries to get any wrinkles out of his clothes as he waits.

What if Ccino didn't want to meet him again?

What if he was angry?

what if he hated him now?

Dust looks back at them "store is closed as we requested. I don't see anyone near."

Killer looks deeply unhappy but then he looks at Nightmare and sighs "okay. lets do this." still nightmare can feel himself be pulled closer and his face is hidden by killer's shoulder, making it a lot harder to see.

they move around and walk over.

he hears nothing for a while before a familiar voice speaks up.

"Wow you really are quiet..."

That is ccino. Oh no... maybe this was a mistake?

Dust hums "I pride myself on being quiet and unnoticable. I see you wanted to do this meeting after all."

Ccino sounds unamused as he answers "of course i do! But... i can't help but notice i don't see nightmare."

huh. guess killer is hiding himself and nightmare both behind the others.

DUst sounds unbothered "oh he is here. I just need to make sure nothing here could endanger him."

This time ccino actually sounds mad and insulted "I would never bring harm or danger to someone."

a moment of silence before Dust answers sounding very amused "good answer. Then I hope you also understand that all of this will stay between us and a secret from the multiverse as a whole?"

Ccino huffs "obviously."

Dust probably does something like a nod because the next thing he says is just Killer's name.

Nightmare feels killer move and probably step out into the open.

A dead silence around them. Nightmare takes a deep breath and pushes the anxiety down as he pulls back a bit from killer's shoulder and glances at ccino.

Ccino just stares at him. shock clearly on his face as he just takes the sight of him in. But... there is no anger or hurt or hate on his face.

Nightmare slowly raises a hand "hey ccino... it has been a while?"

Ccino shakes before smiling brightly "nightmare! You! It is actually you and you are okay!" then worry "wait are you okay?" he glares at dust "why is he a child?"

Dust shrugs as Cross slowly holds up the old Dreamtale book "yeah... that is a long story... at least as much as we know..."

Ccino looks between them before sighing but then he smiles "guess we can all just sit and talk? I will get the drinks and snacks."

nightmare leans against killer and the stress leaves his body. it is okay. ccino isn't mad. he doesn't hate him.

This is fine.

--

Nightmare pets one of the many cats that had swarmed him. all of them being the cat versions of his dads who all try to nuzzle and clean him.

Nightmare looks abck and notes that his dads are done explaining the situation to ccino. well as much as they know and understand it.

Dust's cat has disappeared a while ago but the other three are making up for it as they refuse to leave his side.

Ccino leans back "that... that is a lot..."

Killer snorts "that is putting it lightly. We have just decided to lay low."

cross smiles "yeah! Out of sight out of mind kinda deal. and it worked because they sned out the news about nightmare!"

ccino nods and seems to get it "meaning no one will bother you guys anymore..." he hold shis cup and frowns "then why? why risk any of it and come here?"

Dust shrugs "ngihtmare wanted to."

ccino blinks before smiling and shooting him a look. only to freeze and snort "you okay?" which makes the others also look over and stare in shock. probably noticing the very familiar looking cats.

nightmare speaks up "I think i need assistance..."

Dust is quick to free him from the cats's clutches but it doesn't discourage them as they just follow him again.

ccino chuckles as he hears the very confused questions about why the cats look like them. ccino shrugs "i don't know why. they just kinda show up here. and i can't exactly risk letting them wander and someone else who visits this universe find them."

which he then smiles brightly "This all does explain the new cat so much!"

nightmare blinks and tilts his skull "new cat?"

ccino grins and goes to the counter. he ducks behind it before removing a cat, dust's cat. then he walks over with noot in his arms but... nightmare frowns. his cat version doens't look so great.

Ccino gently lays it in killer's lap and killer immediantly starts petting it "holy... that is nightmare's cat?"

ccino hums and looks amused "from back when he had the god apples yes. but... about a year and a half ago he just got weaker and weaker and weaker."

nightmare puts it together "when i lost the apples's power."

ccino nods "i don't think Noot is your cat... but the apple's cat." ccino grins again and goes behind the counter for another moment before returning again. holding a very tiny kitten and- that is his own eyes staring back at him.

ccino carefully hands the kitten over to nightmare nad nightmare stares confused at his own cat.

ccino grins "i think that is your actual cat version." moments later dust's cat jumps into their laps as well and cleans the kitten's head for a moment before focussing on nightmare himself.

Nightmare shoots Dust a look to please help but Dust just watches him fondly. Not in any way in a hurry to save him from this very obvious and clear problem.

Killer snorts "The cats love you Night night."

Nightmare feels himself start to blush as Ccino nods "They always did. would follow him around and always gravitate towards him no matter where he sat." Ccino grins "Also when he fell asleep. They would refuse to leave his side."

Killer gasps and grins at Nightmare "Nap time with kitties? And you didn't invite me? I am hurt Nighty." he huffs but still grins "To make up for it... mmmmh... I want one of the kitty cuddle pictures." he holds up his camera.

Nightmare feels so embarrased and glares at Killer "Stop that."

Killer pouts "But you would look so cuuuute!" he says it like a whine and pouts "It is unfair he got to see it and not us!"

Nightmare huffs as he crosses his arms, it is slightly harder with Axe in his lap trying to get pets but he manages, "I was in the adult body back then anyway so it wasn't even cute."

Ccino shrugs "I mean. I must admit it was a very different side of your character that no one seemed aware of." he grins and shrugs afterwards as Ngihtmare stares at his friend with betrayal.

Ccino shrugs at the questioning look thrown his way by the others "I don't have pictures. I don't take picutres of customers that is weird. And even if i did i wouldn't do it of nightmare. too much risk someone finds it and realises he came by here a lot." he shrugs again.

Nightmare feels a bit smug and smiles a tiny bit "Told you Ccino was great." it takes a moment before his mind fully catches up and he feels embarresed again.

Ccino looks confused as Horror chuckles and shakes his skull "He is six. Nightmare is sitll getting used to some aspects of it."

Ccino blinks and looks curiously "and he was always six?"

Kilelr nods "Yup!! Just our tiny baby moving around a fake adult body made by god magic."

Ccino nods and looks thoughftul before muttering "explains feeling protective at least..."

Cross looks curious "What do you mean?"

Ccino blinsk and shrugs "after like the first visit? I felt very protective over nightmare. which is weird because god and all that. But this information? I guess my soul picked up on the fact there was an actual child in there even if i didn't know..."

Dust frowns "how could that be possible?"

Ccino shrugs again "Maybe it is because i work with animals a lot? I am already sensitive to their needs and theri shenanigans. Maybe it just included this as well. I am not sure." Ccino grins "It is also very new to me."

Cross frowns at him "How come you are this calm about this all? Nightmare visiting and stuff?"

Ccino blinks and shoots nightmare a look. Ngihtmare watches his friend, having wondered the same thing himself but never wanted to call attention to just how strange it had been.

Ccino looks at them "I just... never saw it as my place to question why the gods did what they do. You can try find logic in things sure... but there is no garentee that they would like... use the same logic as we would use. I figured nightmare was doing stuff for a reason and eventually i heard about balance stuff through the gossip and figured it was that." he rubs his cheek. "My biggest worry is honestly keeping the cats out of the cat treats. They are crafty."

Killer laughs and Nightmare watches his family actually relax and enjoy themselves.

See? This is why Nightmare loves Ccino's place. it is nice and peaceful and safe. It was why Nightmare had been planning on coming here after all.

Not that it ever came to that.

Ccino ends up going to the counter and retrieving some cake. Nightmare sits up and stares at the treat. it is his favourite! it is a vanilla cake with some peach frosting.

Ccino grins and gives everyone a piece and Nightmare happily starts eating his.

Ccino puts down a cup and Nightmare reaches for it only to frown "No coffee?"

Ccino laughs "Sorry Nightmare. I figured giving a six year olf caffeine isn't the best choice."

ngihtmare glares nad mutters "technically i am like 556..."

ccino looks unimpressed "Say that to your body, mind, magic and how all of our souls react to the sight of you. enjoy your chocolate milk." and he goes back to giving everyone else their drinks.

Nightmare grumbles but sips it. it is so warm and sweet and nightmare forgets his frustration as he enjoys his treats.

THe shop is warm and nice. it is all so familiar and the treats are just like that. his body relaxes and he feels so warm and happy.

Safe.

He is really safe... isn't he?

his treat is gone before he knows it and he tries to focus on the conversation of the others but it is all just warm and he feels so safe and he had been worried but there was no reason to worry at all.

He yawns and leans back against the large chair he is on. petting one of the cats near him as his sockets slowly close.

--

A soft plof gets their attnetion and they turn only to freeze.

holy shit.

Killer grins as he slowly pulls out his phone.

Nightmare had fallen asleep and has rolled up with some of the cats. One being his kitten version. the goop cat sits by his skull. clenaing him.

Killer aims the phone and siletnly takes a picture. that is 100% going on their picture wall!

Ccino grins and whispers "told you it happens."

Killer finishes taking the pictures and just leans against the chair. Nightmare is sound asleep. clearly the stress was higher than they thoguht it was if he is already this tired again. poor babybones.

Ccino gets to work on cleaning the plates and killer watches as Cross quickly offers the help him. Killer goes to play with the cats for a bit as dust and horror watch over their babybones.

God the cats are all so cute. though he can't pick a favourite. the others relax but it is very quickly time to go.

Dust gets up and mutters "we shoudl go. get him in bed so he can rest."

Ccino looks thorn but nods "Yeah. I get that- oh wait a second! I will be right back." and he rushes off.

Cross frowns "Why didn't he teleport."

Ngihtmare yawns as he rubs his sockets "Ccino can't teleport." he yawns againa s he leans against Dust in his hold "going home?"

Dust nods and nuzzles the tiny skull "That is the plan. you feeling oaky?"

Nightmare hums and nods "Yeah."

Ccino rushes back in and sighs in relieve "oh you guys are still here. good." he joins their side and grins as he holds up a set of keys. just two. Nihgtmare looks up confused but holds out his hand and Ccino places the keys in there. "for emergencies."

Nightmare looks at the keys confused before looking at Ccino.

Dust shoots him a look as well "what is that about?"

Ccino rolls his eye lights "calm down. As i said. It is for emergencies. if anything happens and he needs to hide anywhere. he can come here. I just want him to have his own set of keys in case i am not here." he huffs "I had been planning on giving him a set ages ago but... well... he couldn't visit for a while."

Killer huffs "We have a safe place and home." who the hell does this guy think he is?!

Ccino just looks at him unimpressed "Wasn't your hide out also safe?"

silence.

Ccino sighs as he rubs his face "Look. It is just a backup. just in case he needs to hide somewhere for a while. people won't expect him here."

okay... maybe that can work. Killer still shoots him a glare before nodding "fine." but if this guy even thinks about stealing their babybones...

Nigthmare however smiles a tiny bit "thanks ccino... means a lot..."

Ccino smiles and looks a bit more nervous "Can I hug you goodbye? I get it if you don't want that."

Ngihtmare considers it for a moment but nods as he looks at Dust. Dust watches Ccino for a moment but ends up handing over the tiny babybones.

Ccino just holds and hugs ngihtmare close and shakes slightly "I am so happy you are okay."

Nightmar ehums and seems to think for a moment before speaking "When... when i left the hideout... before they found me again.. I was on my way here."

Ccino blinks and looks surprised as Killer freezes.

He hadn't been making his way to dreamtale. Holy shit they had gotten so lucky that they managed to catch up with him.

Killer can't even be mad or jeaous about it. He feels a bit sad but even that is undeserved. They had deserted him. Left him behind when he was vulnerable. Of course he was trying to get to the one place that could give him shelter and safety.

Ccino laughs and nuzzles the tiny skull "You are always welcome here. You all are. I am happy to be able to call you my friend."

Ngihtamre blinks before smiling brightly. then he turns back and reaches for Dust. Dust immediantly moves forwards and takes their babybones back and only seeing dust holding him again calms Killer fully down.

Killer had never considered that nightmare had been any other end destination but Dreamtale. He had always figured that if they hadn't found Nightmare along the way they would have foudn him there.

Aparently it wouldnt have been that easy.

Nightmare would have gone here. to an AU they hadn't even been aware of. hiding away from preying eyes with someone who had no trouble lying through his teeth to anyone and everyone.

There is no way they would have found him. Not fast enough at least. Not fast enough before Ngihtmare got fully settled and comfortable. counting on someone else but them.

Ccino is unaware of the actual crisis this interaction caused. or maybe he is aware and he is just good at acting as if he doesn't know. He reassures them that he won't tell antoher soul about their visit and if they want to come by just send a message and they can figure it out.

The trip home is silent.

They enter their house and Dust goes straight to the nest where he rolls up with nightmare.

Nightmare looks up at him sleepy and confused "dad?"

and the doubt melted away. Killer fully relaxes and sees his mates do the same thing. Dust smiles nad nuzzles their babybones "Nothing. did you ahve a good day?"

Nightmare nods and yawns again before pushing himself closer to dust "yeah...."

dust hums and nzuzles the tiny skull "How is your spine?"

ngihtmare looks a bit more grumpy as he is kept away from his nap time "it is fine. doesn't hurt."

dust nods and nuzzles him "that is good."

Killer watches his mate and child fall asleep. All is well. their baby is happy and has a friend.

And now that he thinks about it? It is actually really good that they had a back up spot just in case.

Killer does not trust the multiverse with his mates and child.

*----------------*

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[stellar-skyy]

♡ - free as a bird. platonic collei & reader !

☆ — if you're craving a drink, make sure to stop by the teashop!

i. SUMMARY: Collei and her fellow test-subject escape, but find themselves cornered. ii. CWS & NOTES: mentions of canon-typical human experimentation, self-sacrifice, mild violence. PLATONIC collei & gn!reader. angst. ?k words. iii. A/N: ordered by @umgatochamadopercyval! i accidentally deleted the ask, but here it is anyway!

Under the scorching heat falling across the forest, between winding trees that surrounded their vision and over countless roots and vines on the ground, two figures trudged slowly: hands linked, and bodies weary. Birdsong chimed from above the treetops, singing a pleasant tune to drown out the aches in their bones. It might have eased one of the traveller’s pain—or at least, it served as a soothing distraction from the bruises still stinging on their arms, and feet raw from walking—but their younger companion was less easily placated.

“H-How—” Collei gasped out, clutching at her chest. “How much longer?”

“We have to get to Mondstadt.” [Name] said stiffly, tugging on her hand to pull her along. She made an unhappy noise, but dutifully stumbled into step beside them. The young girl looked so small standing next to them, with limbs far too thin and bony for a child her age, and almost every inch of skin wrapped in layers of bandages. A petulant scowl crossed her face, one that had hardly left since the moment they had met her. It had been years, but the memory would never escape their mind; when Collei was still a sickly bird locked in a cage with a monster holding the key, back when their wings were freshly clipped, and they had no fight left in them.

Collei had been shoved in the same dingy room, kicking and screaming at the doctor as he brought her in. Every movement was sluggish, and yet filled with more aggression than they had ever seen a young girl behave with before. She clawed her nails down his jacket until her fingers were red and raw, but none of the viciousness fazed the man. He simply picked her up by her scarf, like a mother cat holding her kittens by the scruff, and tossed her harshly onto the empty twin bed.

The girl stumbled to her feet and lunged at the man, right as he closed the door behind him.

“Let me go!” She cried out as she slammed both fists on the door, her voice reaching no one who could help her. Her screams soon mellowed out to wretched sobs, wracking her small frame.

It was apparent that either her eyes had glossed over the second presence in the room, or she determined them unimportant in that moment. No matter the reason, the young girl was far too consumed in her misery to pay any attention to the other person sitting cross-legged on their bed. Her distraught, pitiful howls echoed painfully throughout the room, searing into walls that had heard little more than stifled sobs for years.

They stood up, taking small steps towards the crying child. Their experience in comfort was scarce; ever since they were brought into the lab, ‘comfort’ came in the form of a reprimand or a slap to get them to shut their mouth and stop crying. They were even less capable of giving it to others, after years of isolation from all other souls but the monsters that poked and prodded at them.

Even despite that, they couldn’t help but lay a gentle hand on the girl’s shoulder in what they hoped was a soothing gesture.

“Hey…” They started, their voice husky and tender from disuse. They swallowed dryly, clearing their throat with a wince. “Hey… it’s okay.”

“How can you say that!?” the girl hissed, wrenching her shoulder from their hand. Her eyes were wild, puffy and red. “Nothing is okay!”

A chuckle left their lips, and she glared even harder at them. “Yeah… poor choice of words. I’m [Name]. What’s your name?”

“…Collei.” She said stiffly, curling up against the door with her knees pressed against her chest.

“That’s a lovely name, Collei.” They said, forcing a smile. It was a Sumerian name. She mustn’t be far from home. “How old are you?”

She hesitated. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know how old you are?”

“Um. I… I don’t remember. I have a birthday, I have to. But they never let me celebrate it, so I lost track of the years.” Collei paused, lost in thought. Absentmindedly, she began to count on her fingers, murmuring numbers under her breath. “Seven… eight… oh, that was years ago… so—eleven! Or maybe twelve. Around that number.”

They swallowed back the wave of anger that bubbled up at Collei’s casual admittance. It was said with far too uncaring of a tone, like missing so many birthdays one forgot how old they were was a common childhood experience.

“How did you end up here?” The softness they’d taken with their earlier questions barely masked the shaking anger in their voice.

Collei scrunched up her face. “Um. I was in another facility ever since I was little. Lots of experiments. They moved me here to… they wanted… they—”

Her eyes grew watery again, and she burst into tears. They startled at her sudden outburst, crouching awkwardly beside her as she rocked back and forth.

“I just want this to end,” She wailed. “It’s not fair! It’s not fair, it’s not fair!”

The sight looked far too familiar for comfort. It would only take a squint of their eyes and a tilt of their head to see their younger self, screaming about the injustice of it all. They were the same: two caged birds, crying out for their chance to fly again.

The experiments had stolen every last scrap of resolve [Name] once had, leaving them a husk of their former self; missing the willpower to escape their situation, cursed with the longing to do so anyway. Give it a few years, and Collei would be the same, singing mournful songs through the bars of her cage.

They couldn’t let another one suffer their fate, not a young girl already so scarred from this world.

They had given up on their freedom a long time ago, but they would lose it all over again if it meant freeing an innocent like her. And as if the kindling inside them never burned out, a flame flickered to life in their chest, warming up a heart long-frozen over. For the first time in years, they felt something like a purpose spark in their mind; an urge to protect overriding their only desire to survive.

Their lips moved before their mind did, blurting out something they never thought they’d say. “Don’t worry. We’ll get out of here.”  

Collei sniffed loudly, looking up at them. “That’s what they told me last time. But no one ever gets out.”

“But we will,” They clasped her smaller hands in their own, giving them a squeeze. “We’re gonna get out of here, okay? I already had a plan for myself before you showed up.”

They were lying through their teeth, but Collei’s eyes widened. “R-Really?”

“Of course.”

“P-Promise! Promise me!” Collei shoved her hand in their face, her pinkie extended.

Gently, they linked her finger with theirs. The spark burned in their chest, warming them from head to toe. “I promise.”

Promises were another rarity in that forsaken place for a reason, but this was one they swore to keep. And they did, months later—around the time Collei had mulled it over for a while and concluded that she had to be thirteen by then. The moment the opportunity presented itself, they fled; escaping into the night with a handful of other test subjects and a dozen Fatui agents on their trail.

From there, the two never looked back.

“Please…” Collei choked out, her pained wheezes pulling them sharply into the present. “It hurts. Can we—can we take a break?”

Their face softened, and so did their words. “It shouldn’t be too much further; we’re already almost at the border of Sumeru. There should be a village not far from here.”

“How far?” She said doubtfully.

“About...” they paused, thinking. “Half-an-hour.”

“Can we get food?” Collei asked, brightening up slightly.

“Of course.” They promised, giving her hand a squeeze.

She beamed at them, through her fractured breathing. “I think I can push on a little bit longer then.”

They smiled down at her, and the two lapsed into silence. The quiet only lasted several moments, as Collei paused to look around herself with a dull confusion.

“The birds have stopped singing,” she mused. Their attention flickered back to the sounds of the forest around them, long enough to notice that the birdsong had in fact gone silent.

“They have, haven't they...?” they said absently, still straining to hear something, anything. “I wonder why.”

“It’s quiet.” She said. Too quiet went unspoken, but it was on both of their lips. The silence felt entirely too thick, pressing on the pair from all sides.

The lab was never silent. It was hushed at times, but if they strained their hearing and pressed an ear to the door of their room, they would be able to hear distant screams or sobs from other test subjects. Quiet only came in the times between, when the doctor had finished with one subject and was moving to the next. They had learned to fear the lapses in noise, knowing any moment his hand might turn the doorhandle.

“[Name]…” Collei pulled her scarf further up on her face, eyes darting between the trees. “I think something is—”

A shadow appeared in the corner of their vision and they instinctively shoved Collei behind them, in time for a knife to lodge in the trunk of a tree, inches away from where her head had been moments prior. She fell to her feet coughing and spluttering, as the shadow took a familiar shape.

A Fatui Agent, stalking through the spaces between the trees. A glint of steel appeared in his hands, and their heart stopped.

“Run!” They yelled, pulling Collei to her feet and forcing her into a sprint. The two stumbled through the uneven undergrowth, running wildly in a desperate attempt to dodge the hurling knives.

Behind them, the sound of boots slamming against the ground grew louder.

“I can't—” Collei’s voice was strangled. “I can’t run!”

“Just a little further!” They gasped.

They were close to the village that they had seen on the map of Sumeru in their pocket, but at the pace they were being pursued, their throats would be slit before they could even glimpse it. If they ran fast enough, they might be able to reach the outskirts and yell for help, but doing so would take something to slow down their pursuer. A distraction, an obstacle… a sacrifice.

In their mind, it finally clicked.

The chance of the both of them living to see the sunset was slim. One of them would live to fly another day, if their cards were played right, but not both. And in the moment between leaping through the grove and making eye contact with their companion beside them, they reached a decision.

They slowed to a halt, letting go of Collei’s hand. She turned to look at them incredulously.

“What are you doing?” She cried.

“Keep going!” They yelled back, pushing her forward. She stumbled, eyes darting wildly around her. The Agent had vanished into a shadow again, but they didn’t cower. They stood resolutely, waiting for him to reappear. “Come out, you coward!”

“[Name], no!”

“Just go! Find Mondstadt, go—” Their plea was ended with a wheeze, as the Agent appeared and shoved them harshly to the ground. Collei screamed, as agonised as the day they met.

“There’s no escape,” the Agent hissed, holding them against the dirt. “You can’t run from debt.”

“You say that—” They coughed, struggling to breathe through the grip on their chest. “—And yet I made it this far. Seems like you’re not very good at this ‘debt-collector’ thing.”

“Insolent brat.” He growled. Their gaze swept past him to Collei, who was still frozen at the tree-line. They jerked their head harshly, signalling for her to leave, and she staggered back a few steps.

“I’m going to enjoy collecting my dues,” The Agent said with a low laugh, oblivious to where their attention was focused.

Collei met their eyes one final time, waves of tears streaming down her face. They curved their lips upward in a desperate grin, manic and fleeting. “Go,” they whispered, knowing she couldn’t hear them. The Fatui Agent held his dagger above his head, glinting a harsh silver in the sunlight.

“Go!” they screamed in a strangled voice. Collei turned her back sharply and took off, soaring through as the agent’s knife made a graceful arc downwards—falling onto them like an executioner’s blade.

They closed their eyes, and dreamed of flying.

reblogs are appreciated! ♡

[artificial-transmutations]

Country Boys

Walter glanced nervously at the car clock as the black company car hobbled over ill maintained roads. He didn't mean to be so obvious, but the younger man on the passenger seat picked up on it immediately.

"Are we going to be late?" asked the young man with the carefully styled black hair and the immaculate suite.

"Probably", answered Walter. He, too, was wearing a suit as he had done on every working day for the last twenty years. His suit tidy as well, of course, although not quite as much as the one the trainee was wearing. His slowly graying hair was combed and neat, but over the years he had stopped caring too much about looking perfect. He was good at his job, but the real secret to selling insurance policies wasn't to look like a suit model. It was all about charisma.

"That's not what worries me, though. If they live that far out, they deserve to wait for a few minutes. Besides, it's a pathetic deal, only a minor upsell regarding a small farmhouse. Barely worth driving out here if you asked me."

Walters tone left no doubt on what he thought about it.

Harry, the trainee next to him, looked at Walter quizzically.

"But Sir, isn't it company policy to value each of our customers the same, no matter how big the deal is?"

Walter shot a disapproving glance at Harry and snorted, almost laughing. "Oh, come on, Harry. I'm sure you know that's bullshit. You need to figure out who is important and who isn't. A small farmer in the middle of nowhere? Not important, won't pay much anyway. The CEO of a multinational company like the one we are meeting this afternoon? Very important, that's where the money is." Walter made a hand gesture as if to swat away Harry's naive suggestion. "The farm they live on? Oh, I don't think it's even worth 50 thousand. But don't worry, it's good practice to make the deal if the client wants it. Still, if we spend too much time out here, we will be late for our actually important appointment."

Harry looked unhappy with the explanation but before he could answer, Walter saw a signpost. "Ah, that's them. It should be just up ahead."

He turned his attention back to the road and stopped the car. They had arrived at the driveway of the farm they were supposed to visit.

Before leaving the car and following Walter, Harry quickly checked his reflection in the rear view mirror. This was going to be his first sale today and he needed to look sharp for it! He straightened his suit, checked his hair one last time and finally got out of the car.

The small farmhouse was a real dump. It had seen better days and the garden was overgrown. Walter gave the impression of a man who didn't like being here.

"I can't wait to get back to civilization" he muttered under his breath, while Harry passed him and knocked at the door.

"Sir! We are from Gastins, the insurance company, we..."

He was interrupted by the farmer opening the doors. The man was massive, hairy and dirty. Harry couldn't really tell if he was smiling because of the dense beard that adorned his face.

"... talked on the phone." Harry finished his sentence, a bit quieter.

The farmer took a long look at the both of them before giving a grunt, somewhere between permissive and disapproving and went back into the house, leaving the door open.

Harry looked to Walter in search for reassurance, but the older man just shrugged and mouthed an inaudible "your client".

Straightening his back, Harry put on a charming smile and followed the farmer inside.

The interior didn't look much better than the outside. The furniture was mostly wooden and worn, but sturdy and well made. The old wallpaper looked like it hadn't been changed for the last twenty years and it felt like it might start peeling off any moment.

"Sir, my name is Harry, and this is Walter. We are from the Gastin insurance company." Harry introduced himself properly. "We already talked on the phone, and I have the necessary documents with me to discuss the expansion of your current insurance policy. If I may?"

After a nod of the farmer, Harry sat down on the kitchen table and opened his laptop.

He quickly checked his browser history to find the email he had been working on the night before and began his sales pitch. "Your current insurance coverage covers everything that might befall your house and your belongings, which is excellent. However, we here at Gastin Insurance also offer additional insurance for houses that you can buy."

Harry was excellently prepared and navigated the farmer through the new contract, making sure to explain everything in great detail so the other man wouldn't be surprised by anything that might or might not happen.

The older, bearded man listened carefully but didn't speak a lot. From time to time, he had a surprisingly clever question that Harry had no problem answering. Even though Walter, who mostly sat and watched the trainee, glanced at his clock more than once, Harry had the feeling this was going to be a sure deal.

So, it came as a big surprise when finally, after a good two hours of presenting the new contract, the farmer crossed his arms in front of his muscular chest and shook his head. "Sorry, kid, but no."

Harry swallowed. This wasn't the reaction he expected, and it certainly wasn't what he wanted to hear. "That... comes as a bit of a surprise, Sir. Can you explain why?"

The older farmer sighed. "Your paperwork checks out and you're an honest kid, but all in all, you're just a city boy, not a real honest and down-to-earth man. I've made it my principle to never trust a city boy and I'm not gonna change that."

Walter stood up, clearly annoyed. "Why didn't you say so from the beginning? You could have saved us all a lot of time. Now, if you'll excuse us..."

He didn't get to finish, because Harry raised his hand and interrupted Walter. "I'm sorry that you feel that way, Sir, but I assure you, both of us are absolutely honest and grounded men. Please allow us to prove it to you."

Walter looked at Harry and pointed at his watch less than subtle. This time it was Harry who mouthed a "my client." to him, making Walter roll his eyes.

The farmer was clearly surprised by Harry's request and scratched his beard. "I suppose. Tell you what. If you manage to repair the fence outside, I'll sign your contract, 'cause you're clearly a man then."

Harry nodded enthusiastically, while Walter looked at him with a disbelieving stare. "We will get right to it!" asserted Harry and was already at the door.

Grimacing, Walter followed the trainee, and only once they were outside, out of earshot of the farmer, he angrily began to speak: "What the hell was that about? We certainly don't have time to repair a stupid fence! Just let it go, that guy isn't worth it."

Harry turned to Walter, his eyes burning with determination. "This is my client. I have to prove myself to him." He went to a nearby shed and opened the door, grabbing a toolbox.

Walter watched the trainee for a moment, shaking his head, but eventually followed.

"Do you even know how to repair a fence?" Walter asked while looking at the tools.

"No, but I will learn." Harry said simply while picking up a hammer. "*We* will learn" he corrected himself and gestured towards the toolbox.

Walter sighed again and shook his head but grabbed a wrench and got to work on the fence anyway.

Although the ground was wet and muddy, the sun was burning hot from the sky and quickly, both men were pretty sweaty. Of course, a fine suit wasn't the ideal piece of clothing for manual labor, so it was only a matter of time until there were several mud stains and a few holes in Harry's jacket. The area under his arms was wet from his sweat, and he was feeling uncomfortable in the suit, like it wasn't fitting him properly. He took his jacket and shirt off, while Walter stared at him.

"What?" Harry asked, suddenly insecure about his body.

Walter shook his head again, as if to clear it, before answering. "You know, I didn't expect that from you."

"Better than ruining it", Harry replied and added: "Perhaps you should take off yours, too."

Reluctantly, Walter agreed and soon, both men were working topless. Harry couldn't help but be somewhat impressed. He had guessed that Walter would be weak and probably would sport a beer belly under his shirt. However, the older man was actually pretty fit. In fact, the longer they worked, the more details Harry noticed that somehow didn't fit the Walter he was used to. His toned muscles, his flat stomach, the light tan. No, something wasn't right.

When Harry looked to Walter's face, he would find his suspicions verified: Something weird was going on! Harry had been certain Walter had had graying hairs - but the unkempt hair on top of the other man's head was anything but gray - it was dark and full.

"Say, how old are you again, Walter?" Harry asked. His own voice sounded funny, too. Deeper somehow.

"32" answered Walter immediately. "No, wait, that's wrong. I'm... 31?" The last part sounded like a question, but it fit his surprisingly masculine and handsome body. However, Harry was more focused on his own appearance right now. His body looked alien to him: It was way fitter, tanner and broader than he was used to - and it looked somewhat older than he was used to, too.

"Is anything wrong?" The smooth and dark voice of his coworker, sounding like dark honey was new and Harry looked at Walter again. Surprisingly youthful, with a sweaty and muddy body full of muscles and a mildly concerned face was what met his eye. There was no doubt, this was a long way from the former Walter. Still, Harry couldn't look away. The masculine body with the light coating of hair and the five o clock shadow had him captivated. But the gentle and friendly brown eyes sucked him in, and he could hardly look away. What was happening to him? To them both? Harry had been certain he was straight, but when he looked at the other man, he felt butterflies in his stomach, and he could feel his body reacting.

"Hehe. Is that for me?" Walt asked with a hint of amusement and pointed down. Following his finger, Harry noticed that he had a clearly visible boner that was stretching his brown work shorts, mirroring the similar bulge in Walt's pants. Didn't he wear suit pants just some minutes ago?

No, that didn't make sense. He had never worn a suit in his life, that was city boy attire. He was a country man and only put on practical clothing and sturdy boots. However, that wasn't very important. He smiled and brushed his blonde hair out of his eyes before grinning at Walt mischievously.

"I think it's time for a break."

[pearl-the-artist]

(You called for me) Gabriel / Reader Oneshot

Ok please be patient with me on this. I spent over 24 hours in a car on a trip to Russia a few days ago and it made me do something I've never dared to before: write a fanfic. On my humble Samsung notes.

If this isn't a total flop I might make more? I dunno? Maybe hop on ao3?

Criticism and feedback is appreciated ok thank youuu have fun

Another restless night, another hour spent lying in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling above you. The room was shrouded in the comforting night air, more illuminated than usual by the soft glow of the full moon outside.

You look at the clock on your nightstand; precisely midnight. Two hours after your drunken father came home again, letting his pent-up frustrations and anger out on you in a one sided yelling match. Of course, as usual, neither was your mother of any support; only giving you that same disapproving, disdainful glare. You were never really welcome, not even in your own home- your parents biggest mistake lingering around only to weigh them down, and remind them of what they could've had. Or so they've told you, many, many times before. Tonight was no exception.

When the broadcasts first announced the new threat infesting the county, "alternates" they called them, you were, admittedly, both terrified and somewhat relieved. You were never really one to believe in the supernatural, but who knows, your parents were just superstitious enough to maybe fall for their schemes.

The first announcement had been around, what, a year ago now? Not much had really changed admittedly, although the population had begun falling drastically since then.

Your parents had of course used this opportunity to also confiscate your phone, the CRT TV in your room and old little MP3 player gifted to you by a relative, god forbid you let an alternate in to potentially threaten them, your own safety not even really a point for consideration to them.

Living with your parents was already hell, but getting by without your favourite albums and shows? Torture.

So tonight when you lied in bed unable to fall asleep, your mind wandering as usual, it may have wandered a little too far.

You recalled something you overheard your parents talk about. A friend of your dad's, a man of unwavering faith, who had been found dead in his own home a few weeks ago, seemingly in the middle of his usual prayers. Even though his family mentioned having seen an odd, ghostly figure outside their home that night, the doctors seemed to blame the cause of death on a brain hemorrhage.

It made sense, come to think of it. When you first saw the emergency PSA, it explained all kinds of methods to protect yourself from alternate attacks, one of which being avoidance of religion, faith, and philosophy.

So then, the alleged "ghost" that visted that poor man just might've been... Well.

This gave you a bad idea, but you weighed the options available to you.

Either you would die in a similar way as the old man, or... you might just get lucky and bargain with it. Alternatively, nothing happens, and you remain stuck with an unhappy married couple that hates each other as much as they hate you.

It was definitely stupid, but at this point it seemed like you had nothing to lose anyway. You weren't really much of a believer yourself, so you didn't exactly know how to pray, but you gave it your best shot. Sitting up in your bed, hands clasped together with a bowed head and closed eyes, you tried your best to focus.

If there was a god out there, may it hear your pleas. Wordless whispers called for help, begging to be heard, while you did all you could to try to concentrate on any spiritual connections. All the while you knew you may as well be praying to a literal demon.

A few minutes passed as you racked your brain for what to say before you stopped, your hands falling back into your lap.

What the hell were you doing? Yes you hated it here, and you couldn't even run away if you wanted to, but inviting an alternate to your house just like this? It was a death sentence, and not a pretty one, that much was certain.

You shook your head. It probably wouldn't have worked anyway. Right, this was all just some silly superstition, not that different from those "send this to 5 other people or you'll die tonight" chain e-mails. You laughed internally at how silly it was that you even thought this would work to begin with, and, admittedly, felt a brief sense of relief. You decided that you were ready to just go back to sleep, and just as you pulled your blanket up to crawl back underneath it- you almost jumped.

It was a voice, faintly audible outside your window. You didn't even process it until a few seconds after, a barely legible, strained whisper.

"I heard you praying."

You froze. A cold wave shot right to your stomach. Slowly, agonisingly so, you turned around to face your bedroom window.

A tall figure stood outside, its hands clasped together similarly to how you just had a few minutes ago. With long, flowing white robes and silver, wavy locks that reached down to his shoulders, he looked... Ethereal. Not to mention the massive, pure white wings folded neatly behind his back. His head blocked out the full moon, the light creating something almost like a halo around him, making him appear even more angelic.

"Woah."

You couldn't help the little gasp of awe. He seemed to find it amusing, his grin spreading a little too wide for comfort. Admittedly, you almost doubted if he even was an alternate at all. Maybe you'd come out a person of faith yourself, after this.

"Are you... An alternate?"

You whispered hesitantly, quiet enough to try to conceal the trembling in your voice and also not alert your parents sleeping upstairs, though you weren't sure if he actually heard you at all.

He didn't respond for a moment, tempting you to ask again, before that inhuman whisper was heard again.

"You called for me, and now I am here."

Avoiding your question, huh. Suppose he was an elusive sort. You quickly glanced around your room, eyeing the door in particular just in case; you really hoped your parents were asleep.

"May I... Come closer?"

You couldn't even recall the last time you were this polite to someone, though it was your best bet not to piss him off while he was still friendly, if you could even call it that. You had no point of reference, though he wasn't actively trying to harm you, so it was a start.

The angel, his smile unwavering, simply nodded, waving his arm in an invitation to approach.

It took a moment for you to will your body to move from the initial shock, but with slow, careful steps you moved to open the window to properly speak to him, a pleasant cool breeze inviting itself into your room.

"So... What's your name?"

Did alternates have names? Suppose they just took on the name of whoever they were trying to mimic. You leaned onto the window frame, trying to catch a good look at his face; and for the first time in god knows how long you were met with eyes that, albeit a bit creepy and lifeless, looked back into your own with an unfamiliar lack of hostility.

"You may call me Gabriel, child."

Gabriel? That name sounded familiar- Oh! The Saint Gabriel's church at the edge of town. Suppose that made sense, given his angelic appearance, if it wasn't just one morbid coincidence. Your thoughts and scrutinizing stare dragged on for a bit longer than you were aware of, though, as his voice pulled your attention back to him.

"Are you lost, my lamb? I can save you. Let me in. Let me into your mind."

The last bit seemed a bit more... Pushy than the rest, making your stomach feel just a little heavier. You gathered your thoughts anyway, trying to push that feeling aside for now. You did do this for a reason, after all, though now that he was actually here you were starting to second guess things.

Gabriel seemed to take note of your hesitation after a while of you not responding.

"Open your eyes, my lost little one. Look at me. I can grant you anything you wish for. You just need to let me in."

An odd mix of dread and comfort you'd never felt before settled in, and the feeling was almost... Refreshing, in a way. You quickly glanced back up at him, and he was still staring at you, ever so patiently, eerily.

"Uhm... I was just- well, it's probably kind of silly."

No backing out now, not when he was already here. Even if you wanted to, you don't think he'd let you go so easily. As you verbally stumbled over your own thoughts, he simply waited, his unblinking eyes staring into you, gouging out your soul. Or so it felt.

"I just thought... Is it possible for, well... Is there a chance for humans to be able to ally with alternates? Can I join you?"

Surprisingly, that got his smile to falter, if only a little bit. A flicker of emotion you couldn't quite explain showed in his eyes- surprise, perhaps, or consideration.

"What for, my child?"

That uncanny whisper of his never gave away any emotion, monotone and unfeeling, yet not unfriendly. Admittedly, his question made you pause; you hadn't exactly thought of how to explain this to him. You hadn't even expected him to show up at all.

Fidgeting nervously, unsure of whether to tell him the truth or not, you tried to think of what to say. Despite your rationality screaming at you for being an utter moron, you knew you were in too deep at this point.

"I don't think I'm any good to these people at all anymore, I just... don't know what to do anymore. With myself. I have nowhere else to go. And, maybe..."

You weren't sure if you should say it or not, you already let more vulnerability slip than you wanted to. But your spite driven words were quicker than your brain, and man did it feel good to open up for once.

"...maybe for revenge, also."

Gabriel listened to you surprisingly attentively, very interested in your words. At your last statement, he perked up with an almost malicious twist to his grin. Before he could respond, though, you suddenly heard the sound of your parents creaky old bedroom door and footsteps from upstairs. And you could tell by the sound of them that it was your mother. And she was pissed.

For a very panic filled moment you weren't sure what to do, your thoughts racing- instincts called for you to jump into bed and pretend you were asleep like you usually would... but with Gabriel here, you couldn't- and that's when you realized you really only had two real options.

Stay here, and continue living this miserable life, and also deal with the imminent outburst of your mother.

Or go with him, and then... Well, nothing and no one could possibly guarantee what would happen to you then.

"Choose wisely, my dear lamb."

Your dilemma seemed to be rather palpable to the "saviour" as he pulled you out of that mental spiral, and you were rather grateful for it. As much as it made you nauseous with uncertainty and anxiety, you finally snapped out of that paralysis and turned towards the window.

"Please, help me. This is the only favor I'll ever ask of you. I will do anything you want in return, I promise."

You began to plead in an urgent, hissed whisper, practically leaning out of the window, causing him to take a step back.

Desperation and panic shook your words as you glanced back at your bedroom door.

"Get me out of here."

He chuckled, an amused sound mixed with something you couldn't quite explain that made you feel more fuzzy than you'd care to admit.

"Come. Come to me, my child. Step outside."

For the first time tonight hesitation became a foreign concept as you practically leapt out that window. Your bare feet felt the cold gravel beneath, just in time as the door to your room swung open.

The angered yelling of your mother were drowned out by the feeling of suddenly being lifted off the ground, Gabriel taking you up into his arms like your weight was akin to a feather.

He was cold, lifelessly so. And yet the soft silken robes, the way he held you in his arms, and his deceitfully promising whispers were lulling you into a sense of security you hadn't felt in a long, long time.

"A lost little lamb, asking their shepherd for guidance..."

His eerie, yet strangely comforting laugh filled your ears once more over the noise of your mother not yet realizing you weren't in your bed. You're surprised she wasn't hearing him at all. Maybe it was another mind game of his.

"You made the right decision. I knew you would. Such a smart, yet scared little thing you are, are you not?"

You leaned your head against his chest, sighing deeply, beginning to forget what you were ever doubtful about during the start of this whole fiasco. Your weight began to sink into his arms as you relaxed. He held you a little tighter in turn.

"Of course I shall guide you, my child. Come with me; you will be mine. You will be safe."

Just as the furious woman realized to check the opened window, Gabriel vanished as swiftly as he appeared, leaving behind the sight of nothing but an empty garden, peacefully quiet, as if you were never there.

[exeggcute]

well it's been almost six months which I think is long enough to break my posting embargo, so, uh: guess what! I got liposuction lol. specifically hip/thigh lipo to quell some pretty wicked dysphoria that stemmed from having such a feminine silhouette… and I have to say I'm really, really pleased with the results.

tbh my initial plan was to keep things under wraps for good which is why I haven't said anything about it yet (and even as I'm typing this up I keep debating whether to post it or trash it)—partly because I was/am worried people might Act Weird about it and partly because I get a little embarrassed talking about bodygendershit in general. but here we are. one reason I do feel compelled to finally share, other than being super happy about how everything went, is that I haven't encountered a lot of discussions about body sculpting as a possible avenue of gender-affirming care (although, to be fair, maybe I just haven't been looking in the right places) and I figured at least one person out there would be interested to learn about what I did and where I've ended up so far.

anyway. pics/details under the cut—nothing even remotely risqué (or yucky), I just know that body image stuff is fraught + not everyone is eager to hear surgery talk.

to be precise: I got tumescent liposuction of the inner and outer thigh, plus this ultrasound thing to help the skin shrink. a different surgeon who I consulted (but ultimately did not go with for a number of reasons) said that even if I got the results I wanted from lipo, which he claimed was unlikely, the affected skin would look loose/baggy/weird forever... and that surgeon was wrong on both counts lol. my elasticity was great bitch!!!!

they didn't take out that much fat overall, only eight pounds or so, but it's way more about the Where than the How Much. my actual surgeon (who kicks ass btw) said lipo isn't that great for weight loss per se, and what it's really good for is sculpting targeted areas—so basically exactly what I did. six months post-op I actually weigh about the same as what I did pre-op, but the distribution has held steady; more weight goes to my stomach now and less, proportionally, goes to my hips since there are fewer fat cells in that area now. so my silhouette retains its new shape!

the overall change is admittedly on the subtle side, since I'm pretty short and have wide hip bones (and you can't change your literal skeleton) but it's still gone a looooooong way. the main thing I requested from my surgeon was "I want to fit in men's pants" and boy did he deliver.

also a good place to note that if you're in the las vegas area looking for a plastic and/or cosmetic surgeon—this guy is board-certified in both btw—then I absolutely have the guy for you. feel free to DM me for details. lipo is clearly his specialty (and it shows!) but he also does a lot of breast revisions/mastopexy (i.e., fixing implants that other surgeons did a bad job putting in), regular implants, and face work (particularly facial feminization surgery). one thing that sold me on this guy was an enthusiastic yelp review from a local stripper who said he hid the incisions for her breast lift in her armpits so none of her clients would notice that she'd had work done... a true master of his craft

okay you've scrolled enough so I'll give you what you're here for lol. I don't have many pre-op pics because I was obviously unhappy with how I looked and was not taking full-body selfies on a regular basis, but here's a few I took ~2 weeks beforehand:

these super thin men's joggers were my go-to dysphoria pants, to the point where I bought five pairs in different colors, but now they're so baggy on me that they have the opposite effect and make it look like I have wider hips than I do. so I retired them from my wardrobe...

...except not immediately because I had to wear compression garments 24/7 for the first three months post-op and these joggers were just loose enough to comfortably wear a medical girdle underneath them at all times, 110° degree temperatures be damned. (not that I was going out much for the first month since I was soooooooooooo fucking bruised and sore lol.) here's a few post-op pics in the same style pants:

(first pic is less than 24 hours post-op, about to go to my follow-up appointment, looking greasy as fuck because I wasn't allowed to shower yet; second pic two days post-op and also post-shower, thankfully; third pic is about a month post-op.)

so, like, CLEAR improvement already. I will not be posting pictures of my black-and-blue-and-swollen-all-over legs but considering how puffy I was from getting internally pummeled with a cannula it's wild that I still saw improvement literally as soon as I came home.

recovery was obviously not a blast in the moment but I got off easy, all things considered. I was supposed to get drains put in and was Not looking forward to that at all lol. the first thing I asked when I woke up after surgery was "how many drains?" because they weren't sure if I'd end up needing two or four, but it turned out the answer was zero. no drains!!!

I did have to lie with my feet elevated for the first two weeks straight, and had major bruising that receded over the first month (you could barely see my regular skin underneath all the mottled spots), but little to no nerve pain, no weird complications, and I was more or less back to normal after six weeks. also noelle took very very good care of me and was brave about injecting me with blood thinners so I wouldn't get clots and die :)

when I went into it I was fully expecting to get huge vertical scars up and down the sides of my legs (and had made peace with it!) but instead I wound up with four tiny incisions like this, each less than two inches long:

what's totally crazy is that the scars are basically Gone now. like even when I'm trying to find them I struggle to locate the ones in the front. I joked to noelle that if someone did an autopsy on me they might not figure out that I'd had cosmetic surgery, especially since the skin on my thighs is back to its normal color and texture. (in this scenario I like to imagine that it's dana scully giving me the autopsy and I'm in an x-files plot where instead of regular lipo I got alien lipo and mulder figures it out purely by accident.)

with lipo it can take up to a year to see the full results but I already feel so much fucking better in my body that seeing old pre-op pics throws me for a loop. and I can absolutely wear men's pants now—pants for short and stocky men, to be fair, but actual regular men's pants and not exclusively Pants For Men With Huge Butts And Legs. which is the only style I could even hope to fit in before. and even then it was a stretch.

big pic dump of shitty mirror selfies taken over the last few months:

:)

(also I really debated sharing this one but I already included it in the yelp review I left my surgeon so fuck it: here's a tasteful before-and-after in my undies where you can see my bare legs for easier comparison. left pic is one week pre-op, right pic is about five months post-op. including it as a link instead of embedding it in the post in case your boss happens to be reading over your shoulder at this very moment. also this is the one and only time you will ever see me stripped down on tumblr dot com so don't get used to it lol.)

[salty-croissants]

your work is really incredible 🥰 if you're not too busy, how about bullfrog and rayman/ramon getting sick and reader taking care of them?

Thank you for the request ! 

This is such an adorable scenario , I love the idea of the reader taking care of the boys , very wholesome stuff :,) ❤️

Hope this turned out okay !

Details : use of gender neutral reader ;

established relationships ; 

presence of slightly suggestive elements at the end , but other than that no warnings needed

Bullfrog 💚

Knowing just how much he cares about those around him , I imagine Bullfrog is going to try to ignore the fact that he is sick , doing his best to carry on like usual with his routine and his missions …

But he didn’t consider the fact that you know him better than anyone , so you were quickly able to figure out that he wasn’t feeling at his best . 

< Okay Bullfrog , what’s wrong ? You’ve been looking really tired today … >

< Non non , nothing is wrong , my love … please don’t worry about me , I’m going to be just fine .

It’s … just a little headache . >

< Still , I really think you should get some rest . Come on sweetie . > 

< y/n , wait I - >

He knows that there is nothing he can do to convince you not to take care of him , and honestly he can’t say he’s unhappy .

The first thing you do is making sure he has everything he could need : 

a warm blanket ? Something warm to drink ? You’re on your way to immediately fetch what might help Bullfrog to feel better . 

In the meantime , he just watches you from the bed you’ve made him lay down on , shacking his head in front of your eagerness to help him …

< Mon amour , there is no reason to do all this , it’s not that bad … >

< I know you don’t want anyone to worry about you , but I’ll be honest , this doesn’t look like “a little headache” : you’ve been pushing yourself too hard lately , so I want to be there for you the same way you’re always there for me . 

You deserve to be cared about , love … more than you might think . >

Your sincere words just have a way of putting Bullfrog at ease , and if he wasn’t sick I assure you that he would drown you with kisses and affection right now .

If he knows there is something important you need to do , Bullfrog will definitely insist that you go deal with it before spending the rest of the day with him : 

he really doesn’t want to get you in trouble by having you stay by his side for too long …

< But sweetie , what if you suddenly need me when I’m away ? Then I won’t be able to know ! > 

< y/n , mon cher , I assure you that I can take care

of myself .

Besides , if you finish that up beforehand we’ll be able to spend time together more comfortably . > 

< Yeah , but … hmm , I don’t know … > 

< Trust me , I’m going to be just fine , you’ve already done so much for me … 

Now would be a good time to get going , I’ll be waiting for you right here . > 

< *sigh* … alright , but please be careful : you should probably lay down for a while longer , get some sleep if you can … 

Oh - you should also remember to drink some tea or some water to stay hydrated , and - > 

< Hehe … don’t you worry , I will take care of

myself .

Thank you for caring so much about me sweetheart … I’ll be looking forward to spend some more time with you again when you get back ~ > 

After you’re done with everything you had scheduled for the day , the next hours are all going to be spent next to Bullfrog , just the two of you cuddling and enjoying each other’s warmth .

It’s not long before he is completely relaxed , something that happens only when he’s with you , and that’s when he’ll start whispering sweet nothings in your ear : you may not be able to fully understand all of them , but hearing him speak so softly to you is just so sweet … it’s enough to make you forget about all the terrible things going on outside for a little while , only leaving this precious moment of intimacy .

< Did I tell you how much I love you today … ? >

< You did , but … tell me anyway ~ >

< Heh , vous êtes merveilleux , y/n … je t'aime de tout mon coeur , you really do mean everything to me … >

< Easy , honey … just close your eyes , you really need to get some sleep . >

Rayman 🧡

As someone who overworks himself very , very often , it’s not unusual for Rayman to get sick … however , now that he has a loving partner by his side things have changed … for the better : 

no matter what he says , you will get him to stop what he’s doing and take a break , and there is no way to argue about this . 

< Please y/n … I gotta study the script for the next show , it’s important … the Board of Directors said - > 

< Well , I think the Board of Directors would agree that letting you perform while you’re too exhausted to say a single word would be very counterproductive .

You can’t ignore your health like this , Ray … it’s not good for you , at all . > 

< *sigh* … >

< You can get back to the script when you feel a bit better .

Can … you do that for me , love ? > 

< Heh … now how could I say no to that ?

You really put me in a trap , sweetheart ~ > 

Rayman would be very grateful if you stayed with him while he recovers , not only because he loves spending time with you but also because your presence helps him to suppress the urge to get up and continue working despite his sickness …

< Heyy , I see you over there … lay back down ! > 

< Ah damn - I was really close this time … > 

< Not on my watch : I’m your Rest Guardian , and you better believe I won’t let you escape from me , darling ~ >

< Pfft -

I just … I love you so much y/n ~ > 

He loves it when you sit next to him , talking to him about how your day went and telling him all about your interests …

Your voice is like music to his ears , it brings him a feeling of peace and tranquility that he desperately needs given all the stress he has to deal with daily : 

Rayman honestly thinks that he wouldn’t be able to feel better without you … and he doesn’t only refer to his current condition .

If you decide to lay in bed with him and shower him with sweet little kisses ? 

This man will absolutely melt . 

< Don’t worry , I’ll take care of you … I’ll always be here to take care of you … >

< y/n … god , I can’t believe you’re actually real .

You’re amazing … I don’t know what I’d do without you . > 

Ramon 🖤

Okay , so now that the two of you are wanted by pretty much all of Eden’s allies for the murder of the Board of Directors , Ramon has grown to care less and less about his health , too worried about hiding and keeping you safe …

That’s something that you won’t allow tough , so whenever he gets sick you take care of him just like you did before : without giving him any chance to argue about it .

< Why are you making such a big deal out of this ?

I told you already , I’m fine . > 

< You … aren’t , tough . > 

< Yeah ? And how do you know that ? >

< Because I’ve been with you long enough to know when you’re sick … and also when you’re not telling the truth about it . 

Please , Ram , let me be there for you … I don’t want you to neglect yourself like this … > 

< … heh … put me in a trap again , I see . >

Ramon is grateful for your kindness and love , and even though he doesn’t always makes things easy he really wants you to be there with him … 

He … doesn’t really have anyone else . 

Ramon definitely takes way longer to become less tensed , constantly worried about someone sneaking up on you two out of nowhere , and since he really does need some rest to recover one thing you do that always helps him calm down is holding him in your arms and gently caress his hair : 

it works surprisingly well , and after a few minutes he already looks more at ease .

He needs to feel you next to him to make sure you’re okay and nothing bad happened to you , so trust me when I say that after he gets a hold of you Ramon isn’t going to let you go that easily …

< Sweetie , come on , I just need to go and get some more water for you … > 

< Mmh … 5 more minutes . >

< But you said that 5 minutes ago … > 

< You’re right … 10 minutes then ~ >

< Come onnn ~ >

Ramon still loves it when you kiss him while he’s in bed with you , just like you did in the past when he was still hosting his show , and sometimes he might even surprise you with passionate displays of affection out of nowhere .

< Hey now , you … mm … said you were going to sleep soon … > 

< Yeah yeah , I’ll sleep love , don’t worry …

I just wanted to repay you for everything you’ve done for me today … I think you deserve something nice , don’t you ? ~ > 

< Heh , alright … just a few more minutes then … > 

< Couldn’t ask for more … ~ >