#anyway IT'S NOT REAL IF I DON'T LOOK AT IT RIGHT

[soundwavefucker69]

I don't share this often, but I am a trans man named Minty.

awhile after I got my legal name change, I asked my mom what she would have named me if I was a boy. she said Sebastian, and I groaned and complained that I should have asked before I got the name change, because I really DID like Sebastian now that it was occurring to me as a possible name and had ALWAYS liked Sebastian, even before my MCU days as a teenager. I had even considered it as an option but worried I'd end up looking like a weird fandom kid that had never let go of the MCU. if I had known that was the name my mother had picked for me, I would have had justification to choose it.

she asked me why I picked Minty then. i kinda paused in surprise because I thought it was obvious. and I was like. well. I wanted a name i felt like I could associate with childhood me.

after the first house we lived in was foreclosed on by the bank, we had to rent while my parents fixed their credit and swore never to get a fixer upper again. so we picked a nice house in our small town with only two real neighbors of note: an old lady, whose kids had forgotten about her, that lived way down the alley, around the point it turned from paved to dirt, the only house down there, who had a pomegranate tree in her ill-tended front yard, and a nice old lady next door that for some inexplicable reason had a miniature horse and a beautifully tended flower garden she had foolishly once planted mint in. she also had a very, very old fashioned rotary telephone. I mean the kind hardwired into the wall, of metal, with a speaker with a smooth wooden handle that sat neatly on top. not one of the plastic ones. the ones you see in old movies.

we loved these old ladies very much. the pomegranate lady was too old to keep up on her yard, so my brother and I would go with our dad to help weed whack and scrape up the dead leaves. we didn't offer too much, she was a proud sort, and couldn't pay us, but just enough to help out a little. and the mint in her flower garden lady loved it when we came by to say hi to her horse whose name I forget and loved to teach us how to garden.

she would send us home with mint. obviously. because when you have a mint infestation, well. it's pointless, but you gotta try anyway. and my mom would take that mint and make sun tea, just on the edge of not sweet enough, bc she was a bit of a crunchy mom, but not enough to reprimand me for sneaking a bit of sugar into my cup after to mix it up. (the sugar never dissolved right, especially after it was chilled, and i would always make a racket trying to get it to do so)

I told her I picked Minty because it ties me to my childhood. I didn't want to just cast it away. I wasn't Minty yet, but I also wouldn't be Minty without those days.

mom hasn't fully come around to me being trans. but she was quiet for a long, long time before she kind of whispered. I think I like Minty better than Sebastian. you should keep it.

my mom has always beat herself up over our childhood. she lacked a lot of stability in her upbringing and thought church was the way to go with my brother and I. unfortunately, she picked the wrong church. it was intensely traumatizing for us. we've had a lot of tough conversations about it. but I was able to tell her that day, you know Mom, I know you think you didn't do enough, but just know I'm not trans because you put me in a place where womanhood was miserable and I'm running from it. I don't remember much of the church, even though it consumed my life. what I do remember is my mother, the woman I may have complicated feelings towards, but have always admired and was always my standard for womanhood, being criticized by the other women for allowing me to read this book or that book and not bending or breaking under their rebukes for twenty years. I remember finding out as a twenty year old that I was the only "girl" in church that got the HPV vaccine, because you wanted to protect me, and not rely on chastity alone, like some sort of egotistical maniac who believed I'd always be your daughter, not a living breathing person that would make choices you didn't approve of as an adult, that shouldn't have to suffer for no reason from those choices. I remember you reading to my brother and I well into our teen years, using your acting talents that didn't blossom into the career you wanted to bring the characters in Peter and the Starcatchers to life. I remember listening to Lord of the Rings on cassette tape in the mini van, even though they said it was demonic when they found out. I remember the mom that let me be a tomboy. I remember the mom that would put on the Wind and the Willows on cassette from the library on rainy summer days and we'd listen to it and eat meatballs and spaghetti in the kitchen.

I told her, you're not a failure as a mother, and I didn't hate womanhood because of your example. it just didn't fit me. you made mistakes because you're human. I never thought of you as less than because you're a woman, and I didn't want to escape the cage you're thinking i wanted to escape.

my mom cried. I think that was the first time i made her cry and didn't feel bad about it.

anyways. not a soft memory, but it feels soft to me.

Tell me a soft memory

[pomefioredove]

@hxney-lemcn said more cater fics and I am here 2 deliver ✌️✌️

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ friends kiss, too

type of post: short fic characters: cater additional info: romantic, reader is gender neutral, reader is yuu, friends 2 lovers ON TOP! a little making out

Every time Cater drags you through one of these things, you ask yourself why you let him, and every time, the answer is the same: he's your best friend, and you love him.

It's the very same reason you let him spam you with texts and annoy you with surprise selfies. It's the reason you rarely hang out with anyone else, because you know it makes him jealous, though he'd never admit that.

It's the reason you're here, now, awake in your room well past curfew.

Despite the threat of a Housewarden who would flay you alive if he caught you and Cater sneaking around in the dead hours of the night, your bestie was absolutely insistent on this all-nighter.

It's a trend on Magicam, he said, and he had, of course, pouted and whined like a sad puppy until you agreed to "support him" by keeping him awake.

By two in the morning, you were more bored than tired.

"Pass. Pass," Cater says, swiping through dating profiles on his phone. "Hm... no, pass."

You sigh and slump against the headboard of your bed. "You've said that word so many times, it doesn't sound real anymore,"

"Ughhhh. Is Sage's Island where hotties go to die? I just want a cute holiday romance!" he exclaims. "Think of the pics!"

You roll your eyes. You'd heard that exact string of words probably ten times in the past few days.

"You can't date someone just for couple photo ops,"

Cater pouts. "Oh, yes I can. I specify "nothing serious" on my profile! It's not like I'm lying!"

Another eye-roll. He's technically right, as always, which just makes you even more annoyed.

But you don't want to get into an argument about the morality of flings right now.

"And it's cold out. Who am I gonna hold when it gets even colder? It's cuffing season, hon,"

Something about the way he says that bothers you. You try not to think about it so much.

"Well, you'll always have me," you tease.

Cater giggles, and sets his phone down on the bed, a subtle way of showing you that you have his full attention now. "Oh? What's this? Sounds like you're offering,"

"Not what I meant," you counter. "I'm your bestie, not your bae."

"Boooo. What are you, a nun? Friends cuddle all the time,"

Again, he's right. He likes being right, and you can see that on him now, too. He has that competitive glow on his face.

You smile. "Sure, sure, but we all know that cuddling isn't what you're looking for,"

Cater gasps, feigning offense with a hand placed delicately over his heart. "I am not that easy! I'm starting to think you really do want me all to yourself,"

If anything, it's the other way around. Since befriending him at the start of the school year, you'd always had the feeling that he took up all your time on purpose. But you don't say that.

"Besides," he goes on. "There are a lot of things that besties can do that are perfectly friend-like. The segregation of romantic and platonic is a totally oppressive amatonormative structure, anyway."

You roll your eyes. "You have got to stop reading those infographics. Do you even know what any of those words mean?"

"Not the point! I'm saying that there's lots of cute stuff we can do while remaining besties,"

He's very enthusiastic about this. You can't tell if it's his penchant for being right, or something more.

"Pfft. Okay. So, what, friends can kiss?"

"Obviously," Cater crosses his arms over his chest, giving you that smug look of his. "Friends kiss, too."

"Then prove it,"

The words that had you had been holding in the back of your mouth for the past few minutes escape before your brain can stop them.

Even Cater, who's never surprised, pales a little.

Your mouth opens, then closes, then opens, again without your thoughts offering any support.

"I didn't mean-"

"Okay,"

You blink. Something hot and cold at the same time runs through your body- adrenaline, anxiety, maybe it's just your own blood heating up at the way Cater leans closer, cupping your face in his hand, his fingers curled under your jaw and thumb gently brushing against your cheek.

His hands are kinda sweaty. You don't really mind, and even if you did, it wouldn't have mattered, because his lips are now sweetly pressing against yours.

You fit together quite nicely. As if he was just meant to kiss you.

It's hard not to think about everything all at once; his warm hand moving to cup your chin and hold you close to him, his hair brushing against your face, the way his lips still linger with spice from whatever he'd eaten earlier...

It's not perfect. But it's him, which is close enough.

Cater pulls away, his breath dancing across your lips, but he gives you no time to recover before he's closer, kissing you again with a sort of heat that matched the taste of his mouth.

He holds your face in both hands, shamelessly pinning you against the headboard and sitting in your lap as if he belonged there, always.

Minutes go by. Maybe hours. You wouldn't have noticed, or cared, either way. When you finally part from one another, it's felt like years.

You feel like an entirely different person. As if the world had ended and begun again in the six minutes you had been kissing him.

Cater sits atop your thighs, panting, his face redder than his Housewarden's hair, that of which would have flayed you both if he were to catch you like this.

Luckily, it's just the two of you.

"See?" Cater finally mumbles, dismounting you and scooting back to where he left his phone. "Platonic."

You're too breathless to argue.

You suppose you'll let him be right again.

[local-lamppost]

Act 3 Thoughts

Watched Wicked, came home, waited 20 minutes, binged Act 3. I do not recommend this lifestyle. Anyway...

I was so satisfied with where we ended up, but I would have also appreciated about 20 minutes to an hour more. It felt like some beats were skipped over, they wanted to get to specific endings and didn't have the time to wrap them up as neatly as I would've liked.

Maddie is a good example. She's a plant for Ambessa, okay but when and why did she become one? She couldn't have been one before Cait being named commander and when we next see her she's pushing for Cait to take power back from Ambessa. Did Ambessa just message her right after Cait and Vi started working together again as like a "the woman you love's actual love is back in the picture, you can either wallow or get revenge with me", but also made a smarmy remark about Cait 'at least being warm' or something. We didn't need to absolve Cait or villainize Maddie for their 'relationship' because they didn't even have a relationship-just a coping mechanism for Cait, similar to Vi's drinking. At best it was all unnecessary and at worst a waste of time.

Away from that, I want to focus on some good.

I am officially a JayVik shipper now. Them disappearing into a void together, encircled with each other, after Viktor spend however long within timelines/multiverses in hopes of finding a Jayce able to bring him back to his humanity? Come on, they needed to kiss. Especially after Jayce and Mel's low key break up. Honestly we were denied the three of them working together, because they would have been unstoppable.

Speaking of Mel, I love her. I love her design, her powers, her matricide, her taking command of Ambessa's armies, etc. I wish we could have seen more of her adapting to her new powers, finding peace with what she now is. There could have been a cool interaction with Viktor over how Arcane power has changed them both for better and worse.

I don't think Mel's story is done. With other characters, I can see them coming in for future story arcs as like, cameos or background details, but if the next LoL story is in Noxus I fully expect Mel to be a major player again.

Back to Jayce. I like Jayce, that could be my Arcane hot take, and I definitely want to write something more in depth on him. On all the characters really. For now, I'll just say that his determination to destroy everything he has built, because the only creation worth saving is his relationship with Viktor is just... glorious.

Viktor was amazing. I love Viktor in the lore, and they took his traits from the lore and amped them up to eleven. His body being destroyed and rebuilt, the process of which has chipped away his humanity and mutilated his dreams. He lives up to his own quote: "In the pursuit of great, we failed to do good. We have to make it right."

Ekko is a character I never realize I miss. That sounds mean, it probably is, but I am never the less so happy to see him every time. It's like finding the missing piece you didn't even know was lost: that is Ekko to me. His mini adventure in the parallel universe was adorable. Us getting to see what could've been alongside learning what matters most to Ekko, him getting a taste of a near perfect life and still choosing to return to his own time. That's why Ekko is the true hero of this story.

In terms of Jinx, I'll just say I'm not a hundred percent sure she's dead. The airship leaving at the end followed by her scribbled sign off, plus not getting a dead body shot. It was definitely left open ended. Her looking to do something good, to not mess up, alongside her fear of not wanting to try again because she is just tired of failure, of being a Jinx, was too real in many ways. I will go in depth on her at a later date.

Caitlyn's arc is going to be argued about, no question. It needed more time (see the start of this long post) to make her point of her anger burning away, of it not being sustainable, hit harder. I would have made her realize what her anger was doing to Vi, have Jinx point out that they really are acting the same in their treatment of Vi, and use the whole Ambessa was literally stoking the fires of her hatred to help fit what time they had left. Honestly just have Cait learn Ambessa was the one behind the memorial attack, that would be a much better way to explain her anger diminishing enough to look beyond her own hurt to realize and take account of her mistakes.

Vi, as usual, needed more screen time. Not necessarily because her story would've been helped by it like in act two, but just because I wanted her to have more time to enjoy her life. I went into act three with the sole hope that Vi would have a nice day, only for her to loose everything again. The only people she has left are Cait and Ekko, and god help anyone who tries something against those too now. Her ending being the chance to finally rest, to lean on someone else, was beautiful. She is my favorite character and please let her have only good things in the future, she was traumatized in almost every scene this season please-

Nobody tell Vi that in a universe where she died young everyone else ended up living. It would destroy her.

Vi and Cait relationship was great. I wouldn't say it was rushed in act three, because it felt like it was where it should be for a final batch of episodes, if that makes sense. It felt like the set up was Cait being genuinely remorseful and Vi just wanting someone in her life who wanted her in return. It helps that they have great chemistry and that when given the chance they fit so neatly together. I think Jinx encouraging Vi to be with Cait is what sold it to me. Jinx realizing how much Vi has given/sacrificed and giving her blessing for her sister to be happy with someone she disapproves of; not to mention Cait pulling the guards from their posts to give Vi the chance to actually meet Jinx in order to have that conversation. All in all, it comes down to Vi's "I don't care" because that's really all there is too it for them. Vi is done being miserable and Cait makes her happy, vice versa. Cait is someone Vi can rely on, Vi is someone Cait can find strength in.

Spitfire round:

Sevika being made a councilor

Every single one of Mel, Cait, and Jayce's designs were 10/10s

Vi not being given an actual uniform, just armor and the gloves

Jinx cutting her hair further to match Vi

Ekko getting his crystal sword/bats

Heimerdinger dying after living a life where he could make his city something to be proud of

I was fully expecting Vander and Silco to kiss in that one shot

Everything with Benzo

Loris' name being said

Vi humming the song and the song being their mother's lullaby

Viktor being held within the Herald

Sky leaving so Viktor was free to bring Jayce to his space mind palace

Caitlyn's rifle never surviving

Fishman McBlue being the only one of Cait's soldiers to stick to his guns and stay loyal

Sevika and Shoola side eyeing each other

Vander and little Vi and Powder with the bunny

The bunny being a passenger on Jinx's balloon

Singed's messed up family getting a happy ending

[befemininenow]

There, there, lovely. It's all going to be okay. You just had a dysphoria episode. We will get through this, I promise.

You start to tear up as you remember the nightmare you woke up from experiencing. You remember every little detail: you had a mistress, she kept insulting you, you were about to be r**** by an unknown man, you couldn't run away, and worst of all, you were a man in the dream! But not just any man; you were your old self in a much weaker form that even in your old feminization fantasies you couldn't picture becoming.

You grabbed your phone to call for some support. It's Melissa. She heard you crying in the background. "Babe, what's wrong? Why are you calling this late? Did someone try to hurt you?" You proceeded to tell her your entire nightmare and wondered if this was all going to be true one day. "Am I just... not a real woman?" Melissa knows all the answers. If you ever needed some help or a second opinion, Melissa was your go-to woman. "Babe, can you do me a favor, please, and look at yourself to the closest mirror?" You obey and do it.

"What do you see? Can you tell me in full detail?" You see yourself and are shocked! When did you dye your hair blonde!? Not only that, but you resemble a Barbie doll! You're wearing a pink lingerie set, white stockings, nice long pink nails, and a cute pink bow to flow with your beautiful long blonde hair. Your heart beats faster as you notice how femme you look. "This is... me?"

"Honey, you were always a woman. It's just that it took you long to embrace her on the outside." You fall in love with the bombshell you've become. Almost like a Disney princess*. "I'm... I'm beautiful.... I'm.. I'm really a woman..." "That's the spirit, girlie! You were just experiencing dysphoria. It's unfortunately common among trans girls, but you'll get through this!" Just as you thank Melissa for her therapy talk with you, she pauses you, "Ah, don't forget to take your hormones. I know it's not fun to take prog rectally, but it's what will help you embrace your change faster. Anyways, sleep well and we'll talk more tomorrow. K bye!"

You take your progesterone as followed and are not used to putting it inside. Meanwhile, you decide to observe the woman looking back at you. How did you became so beautiful? And how long have you been taking hormones? A rushing feeling of euphoria starts to turn you on as you stare at your image in the mirror. You start to rub yourself with your thighs and start to grope your breasts a bit. You start to pant from the steaming sensation and grind yourself a bit. Suddenly, you imagine yourself having sex with a man.

"Oh, god, I... I'm starting to feel so horny right now!" You can't contain yourself and start to play with your own body. Before you know it, you climaxed after having intense fantasies for a few minutes. "I... I.... I let myself out. Did I... really became a woman?" You haven't realized it, but you're well over 20 months in hormones now, 8 in progesterone. The only reason why you had this nightmare to begin is because... you're about to have your FFS tomorrow morning. SRS is about to be next. Is this really the point of no return?

(End of 20 months)

*The girl in this pic is Sabrina Carpenter, a former Disney child star turned pop star.

[misskattylashes]

Does anyone want to hear my wild and crazy theory about Alex's haircut in 2011?

Okay even if you don't I am going to put it out there.

As I have discussed before, I think young Miles had issues around his sexuality and his feelings for Alex. Straight after TAOTU (which most of us agree is when their relationship began) Alex grows his hair out, drops the cheeky lad act and allows his soft femininity to come through. Could this have been his way of making Miles feel more comfortable if he was as girly as possible?

Even when he had his hair cut slightly shorter for SIAS, he still looks like a beautiful girl.

But.... suddenly in August 2011 he cuts his hair short and looks like a boy again. Lairy Girl (who took the infamous sweating video) reckons he cut his hair because it was so hot in Texas, and she's probably right. But, Miles also started dating Suki Waterhouse in 2011. What if the haircut was an act of rebellion? Alex looking feminine still wasn't enough for Miles? He had started dating a 'real' girl and this was Alex's way of sticking two fingers up (especially seeing as I get the feeling Miles has a thing for Alex's hair). Don't forget, this is the time the songs on AM were being written, most of which are Alex pining for Miles and not knowing where he stands.

Interestingly enough, when they began recording EYCTE, Alex had his 'Vampire' hairdo, and common lore is that this is when they completely got together, and by the end of the tour we have soft, fluffy Kitten Alex.

One day I will write my thoughts about Bald Alex. I think Bald Alex was caused by a plethora of things happening in Alex's life at the time and very little to do with Miles.

Anyway, just thought I would share my crazy theory with you ..

[orphiclovers]

Thinking about Underground Killer by Lee Sookyung again.

The most obvious place to start is at it's compariosn to Notes from the Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Now I haven't read it and I'm not yet crazy enough to read a book just to be able to write a better orv meta (I mean I could. it's 22k words it isn't that long) but I DID read the sparknotes summary so I can make surface level comparison... but take everything I say about NFTU with a grain of salt as I'll be interpreting it creatively to fit ORV's narrative LOL

NFTU is split in two parts. The first part is a collection of notes from a lonely, misanthropic 40 something man full of self hate who feels paralyzed by inaction, overcome by inertia, unable to make a single decision about his own life. He is totally alienated from society and figuratively "underground"

I can see a fucked up inversion of Lee Sookyung's story here. Women in abusive marriages often struggle to leave for years and even decades, paralyzed by fear and learned helpnessness into not making a single decision. Underground Killer could be about her marriage to Dokja’s father and her life during that period, struggling with the desire to escape and her own fear. NFTU critises russian society - UK must have criticized the korean society that allows women to be abused this way.

But unlike the narrator of NFTU she DID make a decision in the end, she did something that required tremendous willpower- she killed her husband. Well, that's what she wrote in the book anyway.

I think Underground Killer must have been a story of how an intelligent woman could be driven to murder (providing an in depth motive so no one suspects she didn't, I suppose) and clearly it felt real. As this candid look into domestic violence's toll shook the country enough to inspire positive change in legislation. How did that happen? I assume it sparked some manner of protests and outrage and became a symbol of the feminist movement (since in no reality would it be the MEN pushing for a change in law to protect women's rights. be so fr).

It must have been a polarizing and controversial topic where everyone had their own take. I'm thinking what the reactions were.

Like I said, the women were mostly on Sookyung's side as they probably saw her actions as brave and inspirational. I'm thinking men absolutely hated it due to it's criticism of patriarchy and the feminist themes. Media at large was enchanted by the spectacle of it all and milked it for all it's worth. Kim Dokja’s peers were too young to care about the Adult thing everyone is talking about on TV at the time it came out.

Later, in high school it was the most fucked up version of "your mom" jokes possible and "don't look at kim dokja too long, or he's gonna snap and kill everyone haha"

At Minosoft it was "Kim Dokja...? Wait that Kim Dokja from that thing on TV a while ago? The son of that woman?" Just gossip.

People like Sagah who don't listen to gossip but read are vaugely familiar with it as a famous book a while ago

Then the apocalypse happens and it is irrelevant to anyone who isn't kim dokja

[clonerightsagenda]

Kat's "I could fix him" Arcane post pt 2:

Yeah it's him this time.

The Jayce, Viktor, and disability storyline is where Arcane s2 gets the most incoherent, imo. I never got the impression in s1 that Viktor wants to "fix his imperfections". He just doesn't want to die. Also, his problems were caused by apathy and classism, not generic human emotion. (Blaming human emotion in general sure lets the rich and powerful off the hook, right?) At the end of s1, Viktor wants Jayce to destroy the hex core, but then in s2 he's embracing it. Also at the start of s2 he claims he's moved beyond affection, but then later tells Jayce he left without explaining himself because he was clouded by emotion. Viktor was upset about the idea of using hextech as weapons but then willingly helps Ambessa's army. We also have Viktor claiming "that's not Jayce" and Jayce having some visible arcane corruption, but that never goes anywhere. I'm still genuinely not sure how the show wanted me to interpret his s2 thought processes.

So, how would I deal with this? By leaning way way harder into the Horrors of Ableism and the Medical Model of Disability.

Viktor wanted Jayce to destroy the hex core. Instead, Jayce uses it to save his life against his wishes. After that, Viktor's affect changes, he goes into the Undercity, and non-consensually transforms someone else. Other disabled and chronically ill people come to him willingly, but this is a world where even one of the most powerful people in Piltover can't get a fucking wheelchair ramp. A quick fix is appealing, even if it means giving up some of who you are. You've already been unpersoned by society, after all.

Hextech is something Viktor and Jayce created together, and it seems to respond to intent and emotions, so let's take it to extremes. That's not Viktor. That's hextech, influenced by both Jayce and Viktor, and it answered Jayce's desperation. The man of progress, the herald of tomorrow, wanted to save his friend. He wanted to fix what was broken. Here you go! I made him even better. Now while I'm at it, I'll fix everybody else too!

Have purple disability Jesus!Viktor be embodied hextech on a well-meaning rampage. Meanwhile, mindscape Viktor debates it while it's wearing Sky's face. He feels betrayed by Jayce and guilty about Sky, but also he did want to bring better things to the Undercity. Is this the best way to do it? Is the only way to play the abled world's game abandoning who you used to be? He's not sure, and he starts to waver/get weaker as Sky/hextech gets stronger with more followers in its hivemind.

Following my last post, as hextech!Viktor helps Jinx with her shimmer issues, maybe he also tries to 'fix' her psychosis. (Side note, it would have been nice to make it clear that AU-verse!Powder still has psychosis, so it's not so clearly associated with Jinx's villain era. I'm sure stress and trauma makes it worse, but still.) He's unsuccessful at this, or perhaps Jinx resists it, and this can be something he reflects on later at the end when Jayce talks about our imperfections being important and part of who we are/the world around us.

Anyway, hextech!Viktor wants access to the gate to make everybody perfect and fully intends to doublecross Ambessa and remake her too. For her own good, of course. Real Viktor is exhausted in the mindscape. His partner wants to kill him, hextech is out of control, and even the downtrodden people he 'helped' have been destroyed. Then Jayce gets dragged into the mindscape and the hextech goes look, you created me and I've expanded on your vision. I saved your partner, I brought about the era of magic, I've created the men of tomorrow. And as in canon, Jayce can go no, Viktor, I didn't save you because I wanted to fix you, I just wanted you to live, there's nothing wrong with you. You don't need a glorious evolution, we just need to help people be better at being who they already are. And that encourages Viktor to overpower the hex tech possessing him.

Then they can still collapse into a gay singularity if you want I guess. Personally I think it's kind of a bummer that dozens of disabled people got obliterated and everyone would've been better off if Viktor had lay down and died of Limp And Coughing Blood Disease from the start but ymmv. IDK what my better ending of 'Jayce and Viktor embrace the social model of disability' would look like but if everyone gets sent to Zaun maybe it would involve coming up with assistive tech like they originally envisioned. And maybe Viktor still will die of lung disease. But he can do it on his terms if so.

[cosmerelists]

Cosmere Characters at Disneyland

As requested by @jellybeanzrock :)

Listen...I'm sure that SOMEONE on tumblr already did a post like this but I CANNOT find it. If anyone knows what I'm talking about, let me know so that I can link it! I think it was maybe about roller coasters...?

Anyway, here's my take!

1. Steris: Arrives with the perfect plan

Yes, it is in a binder.

Steris: Breakfast: acquired. Steris: We are all sunscreened, we have full water bottles, and we're already 8 minutes ahead of schedule. Steris: According to the plan, this is the optimal time to use our Fast Pass for Space Mountain. Wax: Space Mountain just closed for repairs! Steris: Tch. Turn to Plan C, everyone. I was ready for this.

2. Shallan: Mostly wants to sketch the wildlife

Shallan: Guys, stop! There's a new cat over there! Kaladin: Are you sure? It looks just like all the other cats. Adolin: Are you blind? That one's a tabby. The last one was gray, and the on before that was orange! Kaladin: ...Tabby and orange are different? Shallan: Both of you, hush! You're going to wake him!

3. Lightsong: Won't leave the Tiki Room

[Full disclosure: This is my wife's favorite "ride."]

Llarimar: Your Grace, are you sure you don't want to do...anything else today? Lightsong: This is the only part of the park that's empty and air-conditioned, Spook! Lightsong: Plus, I like the singing birds. Lightsong: They remind me of home.

4. Adolin: Gets too into the Mickey ears

He really should have brought an extra, empty suitcase.

Kaladin [eyes narrowed]: Those aren't the ears you were wearing yesterday. Adolin: Well, duh! These are my breakfast ears. The ears are sunnyside-up eggs! Shallan: He'll change into his midmorning ears after. Adolin: Plus, I have some fun ones for lunch! Not to mention my afternoon ears, my slightly fancy dinner ears... Kaladin: You have a problem. Adolin [waving a hand airily]: You just hate fun.

5. Kaladin: Just really likes the Soarin' Ride

[Full discloser: that is my favorite ride]

Syl: ...You know this is kinda an old man ride, right? Kaladin: I like it. It's peaceful. Syl: We're not even flying! We can fly for real! Kaladin: I like the part where they spray orange-blossom scent. Syl: I can't believe I bonded an 80-year-old man...

6. Syl: Really likes the characters

[Light spoilers for Wind and Truth -- just skip to #7 if you want to avoid!]

Syl: [full-size, now wearing a princess dress] Syl: Children keep asking for my photograph! Syl: I'm not sure who "Elsa" is, but I think I'm flattered!

7. Vin: Just really likes the Tower of Terror ride

It's the one that's just a huge vertical drop.

Vin: It's like jumping off a tall building, only there are more people around you, screaming. Elend: And nobody dies! Vin: And nobody dies.

8. Lift: Is mainly interested in eating every type of churro

She heard there were seven unique types, and she's determined to eat every one.

Wyndle: T-This is reminding me of you and the pancakes in Yeddaw. Wyndle: ...There isn't a dangerous Herald hunting us, is there? Lift: No, but I think that giant Mouse was lookin' at me funny.

9. Kelsier: Keeps ending up where he's not supposed to be

Kelsier: Why would they even HAVE a "forbidden" island clearly visible called Discovery Island if you're not supposed to sneak over to it? Kelsier: It's like they put up a big flashing sign that said "Secrets Here! Come and get 'em!" Dockson: I can't believe you got us kicked out of Disneyland. Kelsier: They started it.

10. Gavinor: Is the most serious child at Disneyland

Gavinor: [Gazing at the Haunted Mansion, unsmiling.] Dalinar: Do you want to go on that ride, Gavinor? Gavinor: Okay. Gavinor: Do you think one of the ghosts might be my dad? Dalinar: ... Dalinar: I don't think mouse ears can fix this.

[lipstickchainsaw]

Act 3 mostly left behind the elements of the show that I was most interested in, and had the most to say about, but I do want to talk about episode 7, which was fucking gorgeous and extremely well done.

I've seen people say that the good timeline Ekko and Heimerdinger find themselves in is the result of Vi dying, as if this timeline is a Wonderful Life view to paint Vi as the 'real' jinx, but I don't think this makes sense (for one, I don't think this episode gives us a new perspective on Vi, and Vi isn't the one seeing this, so it isn't giving her a new perspective on herself, either).

No, the point of Ekko's half of this episode is to give him a new perspective on Jinx, by showing him who Powder could have been. Last season, he was the most prominent person to argue that Powder was dead, and that only Jinx remained within the girl he was once friends with. This is not an unreasonable position for him to hold, given that she's killed a bunch of his friends in the Firelights over the course of his resistance to Silco's regime.

But this girl he meets here is not Jinx, and when he sees her, he initially reacts with the same hostility he would to the one from his timeline. Even when he figures out that he's in a different timeline, he isn't able to get over that, to stop projecting the image of Jinx onto this young woman who's done nothing wrong and suddenly sees her boyfriend acting so cold and distant to her.

This culminates in him asking the (really insensitive regardless) question of whether she was the reason Vi died. He has so internalised the view of Powder as Jinx/as a jinx that anything having gone wrong must have been her.

But she shoots back that, really, that's on him way more than it is on her. It's downplayed in season 1, but Ekko is the one behind the inciting incident of the show. To wit, he rips Jayce off, charging him double for the stuff he's buying, and then sends his friends to rob the guy's place, little rascal that he is. It was a fun little prank for a kid to play on some rich idiot who could just bounce back from that anyway, right?

And then everything went horribly wrong! Ekko lost his mentor, his closest friends, one of whom came back different, as his home was turned into a twisted parody of itself, and he had to find himself a sanctuary from which to launch a resistance movement.

We're naturally drawn to compare this Powder and our Jinx, but I think the subtler difference here is between the two Ekkos. It doesn't get a ton of emphasis, but we see from the way the people around him respond to him that this Ekko was very different, too. He hasn't had to grow up way too fast, and take up way too many responsibilities for someone his age. He hasn't become as angry as the Ekko we know, hasn't had cause to rage against the many injustices of a system stacked against him on both sides.

This Ekko is a relaxed, content, brilliant and recognised for it, genius little inventor, with a beautiful girlfriend who loves and supports him in his endeavours, and a wider family looking out for him to prepare him to step into a wider world of great possibility.

The way he conceptualises himself, as a resistance leader, a fighter and a protector, a boy saviour, he isn't ontologically any of these things. He isn't condemned by fate to step into those roles, doesn't become them out of some innate characteristics he just has. He is that way because circumstances forced him to become that.

And the same is true for Powder, for Jinx. She isn't inherently a jinx, regardless of what anyone including she herself may believe. She isn't the manifestation of misfortune for all, and he knows this. When he took her down in S1e7, and Jinx showed the suicidal Powder inside of her, he recognised this, and it's what stopped him from killing her then (even if she tried to blow him up.)

Even in that episode, she confronts him about this, calling him 'the boy saviour' in a tone that's halfway to an accusation. 'Why didn't you save me?' is what she halfway chokes out, where was her saviour (much in the same tone she'd use for herself when announcing herself as 'your big fat hero', because she wasn't able to believe in that concept either)?

Neither of them was able to address the matter then, because Ekko was still reasonably upset about the people she killed, and Jinx was dealing with a lot of complicated feelings she was expressing with violence, but it's his time here, with this Powder that gets him to reconsider.

'I've never seen you give up on anything,' and all that.

It helps that he meets a different Jinx who is, with some effort, willing to let herself be saved without trying to kill the person saving her.

(And not to be too down on our Jinx, Vi's death clearly hit this Powder hard, and she never quite built up the confidence to pursue her own ideas as a result.)

[urwritethanks]

Someone said that if this was just a Netflix show he would have ate her out at the ending of EP 2. And let's just say that's what inspired this.

Anyway, hello 👋🏾 Yes I am shamelessly joining everyone in the excitement for this show. Did I start the show at 11pm? Yes. Did I then proceed to immediately start writing this at 2am? Yes. And you know what? I have no regrets (it's now basically 5am).

This is obviously an interpretation in an alternate timeline/universe. Dont get your panties in a bunch. Also my writing is not perfect. This ended up being longer than anticipated but apparently thats my m.o. I rarely get inspired to write so I wanted to just get it all out. Enjoy!

The glass shattered as it hit the floor.

Hee Joo could hear her heartbeat in her ears. Her hands were clammy and she felt out of breath.

How could she be so silly? How had she walked into this mess? 'A fire .. my god' she thought. 'Was he hurt?' What if at this very moment he was in the hospital? She'd known since last night something was wrong. She'd felt it in her gut.  That was why she had waited for him. Only exhaustion had allowed her to sleep. Now hours later she wished she had done something, anything. But what could she have done? Everyone saw her as useless. What could she do now? She needed to-

Her thoughts were interrupted by the beeping of the door lock. 'He's here!?' She thought in equal parts shock and relief.

The news in the background continued as he came into view. She was expecting him to be disheveled but she still was not prepared.

His shirt had soot and dirt. His hair looked as though he had been running his hand through it all night. His eyes were red rimmed from lack of sleep. But more than that, they were filled with emotion. She had never seen him.. so affected.

He stalked toward her. Instinctively she stepped back only to come in contact with the table. She almost gasped when his hands found her waist and lifted her to the table. He must have lost his mind last night. In all their years of marriage she could count on one hand the number of times he'd touched her this way.

Her breath was caught in her throat. She stared at him stunned.

"Lately, nothing makes sense" Sa Eon said.

"There can't be a Hong Hee Joo I don't know about."

Hee Joo's brain was not working. She couldn't think straight with him this close. What did he mean?

"I need to find out" he continued, eyes shifting to her skirt "which one is the real one".

She knew. She knew before he moved what he was going to do.

"Right now, you're my only lead. So cooperate."

He reached for her skirt. Lifting it two inches before instinct had her stopping him.

He was really going to do it! Oh my, why had she gotten herself into this situation? How would she keep him from doing this now? When he was so determined. And why was she..getting turned on. Maybe it was how close he was to her. Maybe it was because it had been years since she had been with someone. But she knew the truth was it was his eyes. The way they seemed to be staring into her soul. The way they were showing so many emotions. Anger, confusion, frustration ...lust.

Was she imagining that last one?

"Do you want to take it off, or should I?". He had fisted her skirt. She stared at him chest rising and falling as though all the oxygen was gone from the room.

She didn't know what came over her. Before she could think about it her hand continued where he had left off.

His eyes never left hers the entire time. While a moment ago he was almost desperate, now it seemed as though he had all the time in the world.

She lifted it just enough to reveal what she knew he wanted to see. The material bunching in her lap but still covering her under garment. Slowly his eyes shifted down. Where ever his eyes touched felt like fire on her skin. She saw the moment he found her mole. His jaw clenched  and when she looked down his hand which had fallen beside her leg on the table was balled into a fist.

He exhaled loudly "I see.. so this is the real Hee Joo." His hand lifted. Finger tracing a circle around the mold. She felt that movement deep, her stomach clenching.

She hadn't realized she was holding her breath until his commanding voice said "Breathe". Before she could think she breathe in and out in a huff . God why did she always listen to everything he said?

As she continued to breathe the circles seemed to be getting larger. Covering more area on her thigh. Was she dreaming? She must be because he reached to lift the skirt higher revealing more and more skin. This is exactly what dream Sa Eon would do. Only in her dreams, dreams buried deep down could this be happening.

He only stopped once her centre was exposed. The skin tone underwear was now clearly visible to him. She watched him as his eyes feasted on her. She saw him swallow and he murmured something that even her fine tuned ears did not pick up.

When he reached for her she came back to herself and grabbed his wrist. His eyes found hers. Searching. She must have been doing a terrible job of hiding how much this was affecting her because whatever he saw in her eyes had him smirking and then he leaned forward and captured her mouth.

She gasped into the kiss. Then it was a flash of tongues and breathe. Her mind was spiraling not able to keep up or put into perspective what was happening. Sa Eon kissed exactly how she expected him to.  He directed and she was more than happy to follow his lead. One of his hands found her jaw and he maneuvered her head to deepen the kiss. Her hands found their way around his neck and into his already messy hair. This man was talented. He kissed her as though he was thirsty and she was the last drink of water on earth. He kissed her as though he had been wanting to do this for the last three years. He kissed her as though she was his.

When she broke the kiss, breathing heavy he simply shifted to her neck, her clavicle. The low vee of her shirt allowing him access. Her head fell back as she gave him more room.

Suddenly she felt his fingers on the outer edge of her panties. At the same moment his mouth was doing magical things to a particularly sensitive spot on her neck. She shifted on the table humming as his fingers made their way to her entrance.

"I haven't heard this much sound from you in a long time" he paused whatever he was doing to her neck to say. "Maybe I should have done this sooner".

His finger was now working circles around her clit. Rather than go back to kissing her neck his eyes found hers as she slowly began to lose herself to the sensations. They were having a conversation without words. When his finger entered her she gasped and closed her eyes.

"Look at me" he said. Her eyes fluttered open to find his lit and studying her. He began to move his finger in and out. She bit her lip and her head fell back.

"Look at me" he reiterated. And his commanding tone coupled with a second finger joining the first had her head snapping back up.

"You will watch."

Suddenly his fingers left her and in a swift move he grabbed the waistband of her panties and ripped. Then before she could recover from that his hands moved her thighs further apart and his mouth found her, his tongue hot on her most private place. She was so stunned she didn't have a moment to feel exposed. Then sensation began traveling through her body.

She was getting more and more wet as he continued. His tongue feasting on her sensitive clit then moving to her entrance. The more wet she got the more he lapped, groaning and tightening his grip on her waist. Her thighs began to tremble and with each lap of his tongue she fell a little further under his spell. When his tongue entered her, her hands gave out and she fell to her elbows. Her eyes almost closed until she remembered what he had said. When she looked down she found him watching her as his tongue continued to torture her. She couldn't believe this was happening. How had they got here? Watching her watch him seemed to do something to him, as his onslaught became more ferocious she could only hold on for the ride.

He knew everything about her. He made it his job. Nothing could put all his skills to better use than his wife. And maybe that is why finding out he may not know her like he thought he did these last few days was driving him crazy.

All he could think about was her safety. But more than anything he was angry. Angry that this stranger who had no right to had seen her. Taken her hostage! Had her photo to leer over! It made him feral.

All he had wanted to do after last night's events was set eyes on her. Make sure she was safe. But when he'd seen her all his plans flew out the window. Suddenly he needed to know,  was she his Hee Joo?

Now with his head between her thighs, her hand fisting his hair and those breathy noices she was making (which were quickly becoming one of his favorite sounds) he knew she was.

He loved her taste and the more wet she got, the happier he was. He watched as her eyes glazed over as she gave in to everything he was giving her.  She began to shift her hips now, unconsciously chasing her orgasm. What she didn't know is he would give her anything she wanted.

Now as he watched her, her eyes seemed to be begging him, a tiny furrow in her brows and he was more than willing to oblige. He shifted, his mouth again finding her clit while his fingers entered her again. He pulled, hard with his mouth and thrust his fingers at the same time. Her thighs tightened around his head. He sweeped his tongue from her clit to her entrance a satisfied groan low in his throat. That also seemed to have an effect on her. He picked up the pace his eyes finding her again. Not wanting to miss a moment of her pleasure. He felt and heard the moment she came. Her core quivered and released a rush of moisture. At the same time she gasped loudly and bucked her hips. He knew it was with difficulty that she kept her eyes trained on him. He could swear he saw them get two shades darker.

For several moments she didn't breathe, suspended in the pleasure her body was giving her. He continued his onslaught until she came down. The hand in his hair going slack and a rush of breath finally expended from her. She seemed to sag onto the table. As much as she could anyway as she tried to keep her eyes on him.

He kissed her one last time reverently. When he glanced up he could see the panic and confusion beginning on her face. Her hands went up to cover her face and she laid on the table.

He adjusted her skirt back down to cover her. "Get cleaned up" he said. Knowing if he even tried to talk about or explain this it would go in one ear and out the other.

"I'm going to take a shower; then I'll make you breakfast and we can talk".

She was shaking her head before he was finished.  Her fingers shifting so she could peek through.

He left her like that, making his way to his room to shower. He knew she was even now probably trying to find a way to get out of speaking to him. But make no mistake, he had gotten a taste and he was far from satisfied.

[swamp-spirit]

Re-reading this post in light of the ending and today's points are 1. [Major spoilers] deciding to [major spoilers] is entirely in character 2. No, they did not do it so Ruby could be famous 3. Why do people who don't like tragedy keep reading tragedies and then getting mad when they're tragedies?

Okay the pacing in the ending is Real Bad. I wonder what happened. Series got cancelled? Author burnout??? Something's going on there.

That said, Aqua's death does not bother me like it bothers some people. This anime is a tragedy, so I'm not bothered it ended in a tragic, misguided, unnecessary sacrifice.

As outlined in the post above, Aqua has a lot of trauma around watching the women he cares about die. It's kinda A Thing, so it makes sense that being able to remove a threat to Ruby's life at the cost of his own life seemed worth it to him, especially as somebody with very low self worth. Not seeing the repercussions of that killed a lot of the drama since the manga had to rush past the fallout to a happy ending, thereby (accidentally, in my opinion) seeming to justify his decision.

But I've seen multiple places that he died to ensure Ruby's fame??? Which... he's been set up as willing to die to protect/avenge the people he cares about, and his mom died horribly right before a dome concert. Dying to let Ruby have that concert isn't about her career, it's about her getting the safety Ai didn't. It's about Ruby getting older than Ai ever got to be without fearing Kamiki the whole way. Was is the best plan? Was it a reasonable plan? Absolutely not. But did it fit Aqua's characterization and the themes of the story? Yeah.

Anyway, I look forward to the good fanfic filling in the gaps, and the ending definitely doesn't bring the manga down for me.

I’ve been resisting getting into Internet Fights about my Oshi no Ko opinions, but they have been building in my heart and I need to get them off my chest. It’s a long ramble, but the upshot is:

1. People are way to harsh on Akane 2. Aqua sucks, but also his feelings about Ai are way more nuanced than he gets credit for 3. Ruby also sucks, and pretending she doesn’t is a disservice to her as a character 4. Holy shit this got long

Ahoy for manga spoilers

Keep reading

[nightwriter357]

Just friends - if it was like.. a real first date

Here is part 5 of my Damien Haas x reader story: Just friends. Sorry for the long wait, I hope it was worth it!

Chapter 5 - if it was like.. a real first date

You and Damien were still lounging on the couch, getting lost in idle conversation when the door to your apartment swung open, and in walked Shayne, kicking off his shoes and tossing his jacket onto a chair.

"Hey, guys," he called out, glancing at the two of you sprawled across the couch. "I should have known I'd find you both here, you've both been sitting here like this every friday all month."

Damien groaned dramatically, throwing his arm over his face. "It's just so... cozy."

"Yeah, but seriously, every Friday?" Shayne said, a sly smile creeping onto his face as he flopped down next to you. "You know, you could do something else, right?

"Like what?" you asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Shayne shrugged, clearly enjoying what he was about to stir up. "I don't know, go to a party, go on a date, go to a concert... live a little, you know?"

Damien snorted, rolling his eyes. "A date? Who even has time for that? We're just chillin' here."

"You know what, he's actually right," you chimed in, sitting up and turning to Damien. "We should actually be going on dates. I mean, how are we supposed to find someone if we're glued to this couch every weekend?"

Damien blinked, his lips parting as if to respond, but then he seemed to hesitate. His gaze flickered to the floor for a moment before lifting to meet yours, his expression shifting into something that was a mix of uncertainty and something else — something harder to place. He leaned back into the couch, his shoulders stiffening slightly, and you couldn't help but notice the way his fingers drummed nervously against his knee.

"Yeah," he said, his voice a little quieter than usual, "I guess we should... try something else." The way he said it made it sound like he wasn't entirely convinced.

You shrugged, trying to keep the conversation light. "I mean, we just need to figure out what to do on an actual date and then just try it with the first person we match with on any dating app."

Damien looked at you, his brow furrowing slightly as if he was still processing the idea. "Yeah, but... where do we even start? Like, what does a actual date even look like?"

You glanced at Shayne, who was now munching on a snack, clearly entertained by the direction the conversation was taking. "You know, it's not like we're gonna find someone to go on a date with tonight anyway so why don't we just do a practice run?"

Damien snorted. "Practice? You mean like... a fake date?" His voice was laced with disbelief, but there was something in his eyes that suggested he was curious.

"Exactly," you said, leaning forward and grinning. "Think of it as a dry run. We could just go out and do date-type stuff, see how we feel. We're not really dating anyone, but it's kind of like preparing for the real thing. Like... if we don't actually try it, how are we going to know what we want?"

Damien raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued but skeptical. "what if I already know what I want?" He chuckled softly. 

"Well, you don't" you shot back with a shrug. "Listen, we'll just go to a restaurant, see where the night takes us ."

Shayne, who had been silently watching the whole time, perked up. "Wait, hold on. Are you two seriously considering this? Practicing dates?" He laughed, looking between the two of you with an exaggerated look of disbelief. "That sounds... kinda cute, actually."

"Alright, alright," Damien said slowly, still unsure but clearly playing along. "So dinner, that's it?"

You leaned back, thinking for a moment, then flashed him a teasing smile. "Yeah, unless we spot something essential for a first date."

Damien let out a short laugh as he scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, I guess it could be fun. So... when do we start?"

You smiled at him, feeling the tension in the air shift—just a little. "Soon. But first, I need to get ready." You gestured down at your outfit—a cozy set of pajamas. "This is definitely not an appropriate first date outfit."

Damien raised an eyebrow, but before he could respond, you stood up and headed toward your room. "I'll be quick," you called over your shoulder. "Kind of excited, actually," you admitted, feeling a slight thrill at the idea.

Damien looked up, giving you a small smile. "Yeah... me too," he replied, his voice a little softer than usual.

Shayne, who had been silently watching, piped up at that moment. "Me too."

You both turned toward him, raising your eyebrows in unison.

"Wait, what?" you asked, confused.

Shayne leaned back with a grin. "I get the apartment to myself for once," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

You and Damien exchanged a look, both stifling laughter at his lack of shame.

You turned to head to your room, but then paused at the door and glanced back with a playful smile. "Oh, you planned this, didn't you?" you teased, catching the look in Shayne's eyes.

Shayne tried to look innocent, throwing his hands up dramatically. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he said like he played no part in this situation.

You and Damien shared another look before shaking your heads, as you headed to your room to get ready. You closed the door behind you, letting out a breath you didn't even realize you'd been holding. You had no idea why this felt like such a big deal, but there was something about this 'practice date' that had you both excited and nervous all at once. Maybe it was jusr the memory of that kiss you shared, or maybe it was just all off the tension that you both had been dancing around for weeks, pretending it wasn't there. But it could also be nothing, it's probably nothing

You quickly stripped out of your pajamas and ran your fingers through your hair. What vibe were you going for? Cute? Flirty, but not trying too hard? Your eyes landed on the dress you'd bought ages ago, a soft light blue that hugged your curves just right. It wasn't too much, but it felt like just the right thing for tonight.

You pulled it on, smoothing it down, and smiled at your reflection. It wasn't over-the-top, but it was enough. You let your hair fall in loose waves, and after one last glance in the mirror, you nodded to yourself.

"Okay, yeah, this will work."

You stepped into the living room, smoothing your hands over your dress as you walked. The fabric swished softly around your legs. Their conversation instantly died, Damien's gaze snapped to you, his breath catching in his throat.

He sat frozen on the couch, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced with something harder to place. His eyes flickered over you—not in a way that felt uncomfortable, but in a way that made you feel almost exposed. You weren't sure what you'd expected, but the way his jaw tightened, like he was physically stopping himself from saying something, made your chest feel strangely tight.

"Wow," Shayne said first, breaking the silence as he leaned back on the couch. "You clean up nice." He gave you a teasing once-over, his grin widening.

"Thanks," you said with a small laugh.

Damien cleared his throat, standing a little too quickly and brushing invisible lint off his jeans. His gaze flickered to Shayne, then back to you. "You, uh, definitely look!" he blurted, his voice lighter than usual, like he was trying too hard to sound casual.

"Are you going to finish the sentence?" you responded, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean, I did—didn't I?" He responded quickly, shoving his hands into his pockets. His ears had turned pink, though he was doing his best to act like he hadn't just tripped over his own words.

For a moment, the room felt lighter, the tension diffusing as Damien's lips curved into a sheepish smile. His gaze flickered to you again, softer this time, before quickly darting away, almost as if he'd caught himself lingering too long.

Shayne, however, wasn't one to let a moment pass without commentary. He leaned back on the couch with an exaggerated nod of approval, clearly relishing the opportunity to stir the pot. "Wow, Damien, really committing to the practice date, huh? You're really taking this role seriously."

Damien shrugged, his hands sliding casually into his pockets. "Well, you know me," he said, his tone easy and confident. "Always going for authenticity."

Shayne snorted, leaning forward with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Alright, so your role is the head-over-heels date. Mine should obviously be the overprotective father."

"Oh, no," you groaned, already knowing where this was headed.

Shayne clasped his hands together, fixing Damien with an exaggeratedly stern look. "So, what are your intentions with her tonight?"

Damien played along, his grin widening. "To ensure she has an unforgettable practice date, sir," he replied with mock seriousness.

"Wait, are you actually going to play along with this?" you asked, rolling your eyes.

Damien shrugged, a small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I mean, I can't disappoint the guy who's giving you a curfew." He shot Shayne a look. "Don't worry, I'll keep her out of trouble."

"Good answer," Shayne said with a nod, "Have her home by midnight."

"Of course," Damien said, holding back a laugh.

"And don't make me get the shotgun," Shayne added, wagging a finger for emphasis.

You rolled your eyes but couldn't help laughing. "Thanks, Dad," you said sarcastically. "Anything else before we go?"

"Just be safe," Shayne replied, crossing his arms like a concerned parent.

You smirked as you grabbed your purse, pausing in the doorway to shoot a playful glance over your shoulder. "Don't worry, Dad—we'll use protection."

Damien choked on a laugh as Shayne groaned in mock exasperation. "You're grounded!" Shayne called after you, but you were already out the door, laughing.

The drive to the restaurant was easy, the air light and comfortable. Damien tapped along to the beat of the radio, occasionally sneaking glances at you like he couldn't help himself.

"You sure you're okay with this 'practice date' thing?" you asked, breaking the silence as the cozy restaurant came into view.

He flashed you a quick grin. "Yeah, I'll power through."

His tone was casual, but the way he kept glancing over at you made it clear he wasn't just going through the motions.

The restaurant was warm and inviting, its golden lights spilling onto the sidewalk. Damien parked the car and hurried around to open your door, his hand brushing yours lightly as he helped you out.

"Ready?" he asked, his voice softer now, as if the moment needed no extra noise.

"Ready," you replied, matching his tone.

The restaurant was a cozy little place just down the street—nothing too fancy, but it had a nice, warm atmosphere. It felt like the kind of spot you could have a relaxed dinner at, and the dim lighting was perfect for the "practice date" vibe you were going for.

You walked in together, Damien holding the door open for you with a casual, gentlemanly flair.

Once seated, the waiter handed you both menus, and you immediately started scanning, trying to decide what you were in the mood for. Every time you glanced up, Damien's eyes were on you, soft and a little too intense for a casual dinner. He seemed to still be, very much in character.

"So," Damien began, breaking the comfortable silence. "What's on the menu for first-date food? Anything off-limits, or are we throwing out the rulebook?"

You smirked, glancing over the top of your menu at him. "I think we're allowed to break a few rules. I'm definitely in the mood for a burger or pizza."

Damien's grin spread, clearly entertained. "Ah, so you're a low-maintenance date, huh?"

You shrugged, leaning back in your seat. "Hey, if I'm gonna end up with a salad next week on the 'real' date, I've got to make tonight count."

For a moment, Damien's smile faltered slightly. He cleared his throat and his grin returned, but it had a touch less ease to it.

"Good point," he said, his voice steady again, though the flicker of something unreadable in his gaze lingered for just a second.

The burgers arrived, and as you took your first bite, you couldn't help but grin. The juicy patty and melted cheese were absolutely perfect. You barely noticed at first, but as you looked down at your hands, you realized the mess you'd already made.

Damien, mid-bite himself, paused to smirk at you. "How have you already made a mess?" he asked, his tone teasing as he reached for a napkin.

You gave him a mock-serious look, wiping at your chin. "What, this isn't attractive to you?"

"Oh, to me? Definitely attractive," he said with a grin, pausing mid-sentence to pluck a fry off the table where it had fallen from his plate. "But I thought we were supposed to be practicing how not to scare people off."

"Fair point," you said, leaning forward with a spark in your eyes. "We should make this more authentic." You grabbed your phone after wiping your hands on the napkin. "Let's Google some first date questions."

Damien raised an eyebrow but seemed game. "What, like those icebreaker things?"

"Yeah, exactly." You looked down at your phone, your grin widening as you started typing. "Let's make it weird."

A few seconds later, you both scrolled through a list of ridiculous questions, laughing at the absurdity of some of them.

You paused at one that caught your eye. "'Why are you single?'" you read aloud, grinning as you looked up at Damien.

He raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Wow, we're just diving straight into the existential questions, huh?"

You shrugged, feigning innocence. "Hey, it's on the list. Rules are rules. Answer the question."

Damien leaned back, pretending to think. "Maybe it's because I have this roommate who makes me do stuff like spend my Fridays spying on our friends to play cupid, binge-watching terrible movies, beating her at game nights—"

"You mean losing," you interjected, narrowing your eyes.

He ignored you, his smirk growing. "—and occasionally rescuing her from questionable bars at two in the morning."

You laughed, shaking your head. "Wow, sounds like a real waste of your Friday nights."

Damien leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as his gaze softened just a fraction. "Absolutely not. If I could, I'd spend all my Fridays with you."

That caught you off guard, heat rising to your cheeks as you fumbled for a response. He didn't let you off the hook, though.

"Your turn," he said, his grin turning mischievous. "Why are you single?"

You blinked, caught completely off guard, before narrowing your eyes at him. "Guess I walked right into that one." With a small laugh, you leaned back in your seat, tapping your fingers on the table dramatically.. "Why am I single? Hmm, let's see. Maybe, It's because I spend my Fridays convincing my roommate that spying on our friends and setting them up is a genius idea, watching movies that are actually not that bad, absolutely crushing you at game nights—"

"That's debatable," Damien interrupted, his grin widening.

"Not even close," you shot back, giving him a playful glare as you flicked your hand dismissively. "Oh, and let's not forget, occasionally getting rescued and kissed outside questionable bars at two in the morning."

Damien raised an eyebrow, a playful accusation in his tone. "Hey, you kissed me."

You tilted your head, folding your arms as you shot him a mock-serious look. "You kissed more."

There was a brief pause, and for a second, you could see the shift in his eyes. Damien's lips twitched, but the teasing edge was softer now. "I don't remember you complaining."

The moment lingered a bit longer than usual. The air between you both felt heavier, a silent acknowledgment hanging in the space. Neither of you broke it, though. After all, it was just a kiss. Nothing to overthink.

You bit the inside of your cheek, trying to hide your smile. "Touché," you muttered, your gaze flicking away for a second before locking back with his.

Damien took the phone and scrolled for a moment. "Alright, how about this one? 'What's your favorite holiday?'"

"That's easy — Halloween," you said immediately. "Dressing up, scary movies, way too much candy. It's basically the perfect holiday. What about you?"

"Christmas," he replied without hesitation. "The food, the music, the cozy vibes... and watching you almost be brought to tears by every gift you open, and seeing Shayne absolutely destroy the wrapping paper like it personally insulted him."

You blinked, caught off guard. "Wait, me? I do not almost cry over every gift!"

Damien raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Last year, Shayne gave you a candle, and you got misty-eyed."

"It was a thoughtful candle!" you protested, laughing. "It smelled like cinnamon"

He leaned forward, grinning. "I rest my case."

You scrolled through the list of ridiculous questions, pausing as one caught your eye. Smirking, you glanced up at Damien. "What's one thing you've always wanted to try but never have?"

Damien leaned back, grinning mischievously. "Intercourse."

You raised an eyebrow, throwing him a side-eye. "You know what? I was just gonna say 'coitus,' but okay. You beat me to it."

Damien chuckled, leaning in slightly. "The touch of a woman."

You snorted, shaking your head. "An orgasm."

There was a moment where Damien's grin faltered just a bit, but only for a second before he bounced back, clearly enjoying this more than he should. "I'll say it once again, your ex is such a fucking idiot."

You stared at him, deadpan. "Yeah, well, he has no idea what he's missing."

Damien leaned back, his expression softening just a little, though the humor never fully left. "Clearly."

The conversation flowed effortlessly between playful banter and moments of genuine connection. By the time your food was nearly gone, your sides ached from laughing, and your face hurt from smiling so much.

Damien leaned back with a contented sigh, tossing his crumpled napkin onto his empty plate. "Alright," he said, a grin tugging at his lips, "I think we've officially dominated phase one. What's next on the 'practice date' itinerary?"

You glanced at the time on your phone, your smile growing. "There's that mini-golf place a few blocks from here. Classic date-night vibe, don't you think?"

"Mini-golf?" Damien raised an eyebrow, his smirk playful. "Are we leaning fully into the rom-com clichés now?"

"Absolutely," you said, shouldering your bag and heading toward the door. "What kind of practice date skips the 'teaching her how to play' moment?"

He followed you outside, holding the door open with a grin. "Wait, does this mean I'm supposed to dramatically help you hold the club while whispering unsolicited advice into your ear?"

You shrugged, pretending to think it over. "Well, I am completely terrible at mini-golf..."

"Oh, I see how it is." He chuckled, bumping your shoulder lightly as you walked down the street together. "You're setting me up to be the knight in shining armor of the putt-putt course."

"Exactly," you teased, grinning up at him. "Just be carefull where you putt-putt your hands, Sir."

By the time you reached the brightly lit course, the colorful neon signs cast a playful glow over the pavement. Damien grabbed two putters, handing one to you with a smirk. The mini-golf course was a kaleidoscope of glowing obstacles, and playful chaos. You and Damien wandered to the first hole, where a small windmill spun slowly, daring players to time their putts just right.

"Alright, let's see how terrible you actually are," he said, motioning toward the first hole.

You held the putter a little awkwardly, tilting your head as if examining the green. "Yeah, no. I have no idea what I'm doing," you said dramatically, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Alright, let's see just how terrible you actually are," Damien said, leaning casually on his putter, a playful glint in his eyes.

You picked up your club, holding it at an exaggeratedly awkward angle as you squinted at the green like it was a riddle written in another language. "Yeah, no. I am completely clueless," you said, dragging out the words dramatically and looking up at him with an almost suspiciously innocent expression.

Damien raised an eyebrow, clearly trying to suppress a grin. "Uh-huh. Totally convincing. Do you even know which end of the putter to use?"

"Not a clue," you said with mock seriousness, twirling the club as if testing its aerodynamics. You shrugged helplessly. "Guess you'll have to come over here and show me, Sir.

Damien's grin widened, and he stepped closer, reaching for the club. "Alright, guess we're really doing this. Don't worry—I've got you, princess."

He reached for the putter, and you dramatically stepped back, giving him the floor. "I'll just be over here, watching the expert in action."

Damien squatted next to the ball, squinting at the course like it was a puzzle he needed to solve. "Okay, clearly this is a precision game. The angle's important. The spin of the windmill—critical."

You clasped your hands together dramatically, putting on your best wide-eyed look. "Oh no, that sounds so complicated! However will I figure this out?"

Damien glanced up at you, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. "Don't worry, I've got you. You're in good hands."

"Thank goodness," you said with a faux-swoon, clutching your putter like it was a lifeline. "I'd be lost without your guidance."

"Obviously," he replied, standing and lining up his shot with all the confidence in the world. "Just watch and learn, helpless damsel."

With a theatrical flourish, he swung. The ball pinged off the windmill blade, ricocheted off the barrier, and rolled right back to where it started.

You gasped, covering your mouth with mock horror. "Oh no, my hero has failed! I guess I'm of to die."

Damien turned to you, one eyebrow raised. "No, no..Okay, that was a fluke. I'll redeem myself later. For now, let's see you try."

You stepped up to the ball, gripping the putter with deliberate awkwardness. "Oh no, I don't even know how to hold this thing," you said, tilting your head as though deeply confused. "Is this right?"

He chuckled, crossing his arms. "You're not even trying to be subtle, are you?"

"Subtle?" You blinked up at him innocently. "I have no idea what you mean."

Damien sighed, shaking his head as he moved to stand behind you. "Alright, let's do this then."

You bit back a grin as he stepped closer, his chest brushing lightly against your back. His hands hovered over yours on the putter, and though the atmosphere was still lighthearted, something about the closeness felt... different.

His voice dropped, deliberately serious, but you both knew it was all part of the joke. "Alright, hold it like this. Relax your grip just a little."

You shifted slightly, leaning back just enough so you could feel the warmth of his body behind you. "Like this?" you asked, your tone intentionally soft and teasing, though it came out with an edge you didn't quite expect.

He let out a quiet laugh, the sound low and a little warmer than usual. "Perfect. Now, it's all about the angle. You've got to aim just right to make it through the windmill."

You tilted your head back, trying to keep the joke alive but feeling something else building in the space between you. "I'm so glad you're here," you said, your voice coming out quieter than you meant. "I'd never figure this out on my own."

"I'm sure you wouldn't," he teased, his breath brushing against your ear as he guided your hands in a slow practice swing. His touch lingered just for a second, and for a brief moment, you felt  a small shift—the playful banter suddenly felt... softer.

The sound of the windmill spinning faded into the background, and neither of you said anything for a beat, the moment hanging between you. It was still a joke, still light, but now it felt like something... else too.

Finally, he stepped back, a wide grin spreading across his face, but there was a flicker in his eyes that wasn't quite as playful as before. "Alright, now let's see you put all that expert coaching to use."

You swallowed, trying to shake off the unexpected warmth that lingered, before stepping forward to take your shot

You swung, and the ball sailed smoothly through the windmill's opening and dropped into the hole.

"Hole in one!" Damien exclaimed, throwing his arms up. "Looks like I'm an incredible teacher."

"Oh, absolutely," you replied, spinning around with a cheeky smile. "It was all your doing. I had nothing to do with it."

"Glad we're on the same page," he teased, stepping closer. "But honestly, do you think that move would actually work on someone?"

You tilted your head, pretending to think. "Hmm, I don't know. It's cute, but it kind of depends on the guy."

"Oh, so it's about the guy, huh?" he asked, leaning on his putter.

"Absolutely," you replied, smirking. "With the wrong person, it's just awkward. But I'll give you a solid eight out of ten."

"Eight?" Damien gasped, clutching his chest. "Harsh."

You shrugged, grinning. "Well, it would be higher if you actually made your shot."

As you moved to the next obstacle, the air between you felt lighter but charged, both of you leaning just enough into the moment to make it fun—but maybe just a little too real.

The game continued in the same playful rhythm, with you both making exaggerated comments and missing shots on purpose. By the time you reached the final hole, you couldn't help but feel the day slipping by too quickly, the light starting to fade around you.

Damien lined up for his final shot, giving the rotating loop-de-loop ahead of him a look of determination. "Alright, last one. If I make this, I win, and I get eternal bragging rights."

You crossed your arms, watching him with a smirk. "Eternal? Big words for someone who got stuck on the pirate ship obstacle for five minutes."

"Hey, that was strategy," he shot back, his tone playful. He took the shot—and, of course, missed it by a mile, sending the ball straight into a bush beside the hole.

You doubled over, laughing. "Oh, sure, strategy," you teased, shaking your head.

Damien laughed along with you, stepping up to take another shot. "Alright, fine. You win this one." His eyes lingering on you, the joke fading for just a moment, but he quickly returned to his playful grin. "So.. what do you want?."

"What do I want?" you asked, raising an eyebrow. The idea of wanting anything in this moment... it was too much. It'd be easier if all you wanted was... "You... you decide."

As you stepped out of the mini-golf course, the warm glow of the evening lights lit up the street. The buzz of the city felt softer now, a gentle hum that accompanied the easy rhythm of your footsteps alongside Damien's.

Damien tilted his head as if deep in thought. "Alright. Hear me out—mandatory dessert stop." He gestured ahead, where a quaint little ice cream stand with a glowing neon sign came into view.

You grinned. "So you're on board with this whole rom-com date aesthetic now, are you?"

"Hey," he shot back with a playful shrug. "everyone knows dessert is a non-negotiable part of any good date."

As you approached the stand, the sugary scent of waffle cones wafted through the air, making your stomach rumble despite the burger-filled dinner. You both scanned the menu, debating over flavors until Damien pointed at you with a grin.

"You're totally the type to get something classic like chocolate or vanilla, huh?"

"Oh, bold of you to assume," you retorted, stepping up to the counter. "One butter pecan, please."

Damien raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "Okay, not bad. I'll take pistachio ," he told the cashier before adding, "and a waffle cone. Because I'm fancy."

The two of you found a small bench nearby, the cool breeze brushing past as you both dug into your treats. You reached over pointing at Damien's cone. "Let me try yours."

"Only if I get a bite of yours," he countered, holding his cone out toward you.

You both swapped bites, laughing as a smear of ice cream caught on the corner of your mouth. Damien leaned in, his thumb brushing your lower lip to wipe it away, the contact sending a small jolt of warmth through you

The air between you shifted slightly again, a moment of unspoken acknowledgment passing before you both turned back to your desserts, the spell broken by a passing couple's chatter.

"Okay," Damien said, clearing his throat and holding up his cone dramatically. "I'm declaring this the superior flavor."

"Debatable," you teased, holding up your butter pecan for emphasis. "But we can agree dessert was definitely mandatory."

He nodded, his smile easy and warm. "Mandatory. And pretty perfect."

Your hand brushed his lightly as you reached for a napkin at the same time, and while neither of you commented on it, the small touch lingered in your mind. There were plenty of moments that seemed to linger there as of late. The warm summer air buzzed with quiet chatter and the occasional laughter of passersby as you and Damien strolled down the boardwalk, each armed with a melting ice cream cone.

"Okay, serious question," Damien says, breaking the silence. "What's your go-to strategy when the cone starts to drip faster than you can eat it?"

"Panic," you answer without hesitation, licking a rogue drop threatening to run down your hand. "Pure, unfiltered panic."

He chuckles, tilting his own cone to inspect the damage. "Solid strategy. I just embrace the chaos. Let it happen. Ice cream stains build character."

As you walk, something catches your eye—a brightly lit photo booth tucked into the corner of the boardwalk. You nudge Damien with your elbow, pointing at it. "Hey, you know what every fake first date needs?"

He follows your gaze, smirking when he spots the booth. "A wildly overpriced strip of awkwardly timed photos?"

"Exactly," you reply, already tugging him toward it. "Come on, it'll be perfect. You can't beat the classics."

With a playful groan, Damien follows your lead, tossing the last bite of his cone into a nearby trash bin. "Alright, but we're doing this by the book. What's the official photo booth itinerary?"

You smirk, stepping inside and motioning for him to follow. "Oh, you don't know? Amateur move, Haas. The first one's always silly."

He slides in next to you, shoulders brushing as he adjusts to fit in the tight space. "Silly, huh? Okay, no pressure. Got your best funny face ready?"

The countdown starts, and you both pull the most exaggerated, ridiculous expressions you can muster. The camera flashes, and you burst into laughter, your head tipping slightly toward his shoulder as you both review your handiwork on the screen.

"Solid start," Damien says, nodding approvingly. "What's next?"

"Obviously, cutesy," you reply with faux authority. "Think... puppy eyes and head tilts. Something you'd find in a cringey rom-com."

"Got it," Damien says, leaning a little closer and resting his chin on his hand, batting his lashes in mock adoration. You stifle a laugh but can't help mirroring his pose. The flash captures the two of you in a picture-perfect moment of over-the-top sweetness.

You're still giggling when the third countdown begins. Damien tilts his head, his voice softening just a bit. "What about this one? What's the third photo rule?"

"Hmm..." you say, your voice quieter now. "The third one's where it gets... closer."

Damien arches a brow but doesn't pull back as you both shuffle even closer together, your knees now pressed against his. "Closer, huh? That's an awfully specific rule," he murmurs, his tone teasing but his eyes warm.

The flash catches you mid-laugh, his gaze flicking briefly to your lips as you both shift slightly in the cramped space.

And then the countdown starts.

"What's the last photos for?" Damien asks, voice softer still, as if the moment doesn't really need an answer.

For a beat, neither of you speaks. You lean in slightly, the air between you feeling suddenly charged. He mirrors the movement, his hand brushing your arm as he adjusts to face you fully.

"Probably the dramatic almost-kiss," you whisper, lips curling into a faint smile.

"Obviously," Damien replies, his breath catching slightly as his eyes flicker to yours.

The flash interrupts just as your noses nearly touch, the sudden burst of light pulling you both back into laughter.

The air grows still as the seconds tick down. Neither of you says anything, and you find yourself leaning in again, your eyes flickering to his lips. He mirrors the movement, his breath warm against your cheek.

The flash interrupts, but this time, you both stay like that for a moment.

"Well," Damien finally says, clearing his throat and leaning back. "That was... very dramatic."

As you step out of the photo booth, you reach for the photo strips, eager to see how they turned out. Before you can grab them, Damien snatches them out of your reach, his grin widening as he tucks the strip into the inner pocket of his jacket.

You raise an eyebrow, half amused, half incredulous. "Seriously? You're keeping them?"

"These are mine now," he says, his grin not quite matching the playful teasing in his tone. He pats his pocket like it's a treasure chest, and you feel a small flutter in your chest at the sudden possessiveness in his gesture.

You cross your arms, hugging them tightly around yourself to ward off the evening chill. "Possessive much?"

He shrugs nonchalantly, but there's a glint of something warm in his eyes. "Call it a souvenir," he teases, as if it's nothing more than a casual, playful act. Then, before you can protest, he pulls off his jacket and drapes it over your shoulders, the fabric smelling faintly of him, warm and familiar.

You glance at him sideways, eyebrows raised. "Classic first-date move. Smooth."

"What can I say? I'm a natural," he quips, hands sliding casually into his pockets.

You tug the jacket tighter around you, the fabric warm against the cool night air. As you continue down the boardwalk, your gaze drifts to the distant Ferris wheel, its lights casting a soft glow that twinkles like stars against the dark sky. The wheel turns slowly, almost hypnotically, and you feel the pull of it, the quiet, gentle allure of the night wrapping around you both.

"Now that," you say, nudging Damien's arm, "is how you top off a practice date."

He follows your gaze and smirks. "The Ferris wheel? That might be too cliché."

"Don't knock it," you retort, pulling him toward the line. "No fake date is complete without one."

Within minutes, you're seated in one of the gondolas, the air noticeably cooler as you rise above the noise of the boardwalk. The city sprawls beneath you, a tapestry of lights glittering against the dark water.

He leans back against the seat, a playful smirk on his face. "Okay, so what's the one thing missing? You know, to make this a perfect first date."

You pause, pretending to think. "Hmm, maybe... flowers? A cheesy playlist? Oh, I know—a ridiculous grand gesture. Like someone running after me in the rain with a boombox or something."

He laughs, the sound soft but warm. "I don't think I can make the rain fall but.. I respect it."

"That's disappointing," you reply, grinning. "So.. what's your take? What would make this perfect?"

He tilts his head, considering. "Honestly? I think we're pretty close already. Maybe if..." He hesitates, his eyes flickering toward yours briefly, the words hanging between you both. "Never mind.

"No, no," you press, leaning forward. "You can't just stop there."

Damien shrugs, but there's something unreadable in his expression. "I was just going to say that if it was like.. a real first date.. probably a kiss?"

The words land, and for a moment, you both freeze. You glance out at the skyline, the quiet stretching between you. The weight of his words lingers in the air, and you feel something tighten in your chest.

"Well, that would make sense," you finally say, your voice light but shaky, "for a real date"

"Right," he says quietly, his gaze lingering on you a moment longer before turning to the view.

As the Ferris wheel pauses at its peak, the gondola sways gently. You both fall silent, letting the moment stretch out, the weight of his jacket over your shoulders and the warmth of his presence beside you making it feel.. like really good practice for the real date next friday.

[lavender-butterfly-cookie]

I meant the isekai x self-aware fic with the team that you would never fight. I love it and want to see a part 2 of it. (sorry if I worded my previous ask incorrectly and confused you into thinking I was talking about another fic!)

OH- Butterfly- be more specific next time. I got around 3 different self-aware crk au's going on and you ought to specify which one you're referring to. I'm gonna mix them up if you don't T T Anyways, part two coming right up

Previous part

The ball's in your court pt2

While the battle between the heroes and Shadow Milk cookie raged on, Y/N cookie was just chilling with the kids and watching from the side eating popcorn (From where? nobody knows). The fight was pretty much still a 50/50 battle since neither team was taking enough damage for defeat. When did Shadow Milk cookie become THIS resilient??? Oh well, provided you got the healers doing their job and everyone else is holding up it would be fine.

Gingerbrave: So...

Strawberry cookie: The baker, hm?...

Wizard cookie: I thought you'd be bigger...

Y/N cookie: the feeling is mutual. And take as much time as you need to come to terms with it.

Strawberry cookie: And those cookies- the ones you brought to fight. Are... they the really like the ones we know? As in- the white lily cookie and dark cacao cookie. I don't know who the other two are.

Y/N cookie: Yes and no. Unlike the cookies of this universe, these ones are solely brought in to fight the enemy on my command. And if they crumble it's not a permanent death. They'll always come back provided I choose to use them for battle again. And even if I don't, they're on standby. Though I don't exactly think I'll need to put any of them on the bench with how well the battle is going.

Y/N cookie looks back at the fight, which hasn't calmed down in the slightest. But at least they were slowly getting the upper hand. The three other cookies looked at each other before looking at the baker.

Wizard cookie: So you're saying that anyone you choose to fight for you can and will appear?

Y/N cookie: Yeah, but that'll probably only be possible once I beat this boss or they lose.

Gingerbrave: Wow! This is so cool! It's like some awesome video game in real life!

Y/N cookie:... riiiiiiiiiiiight......

Strawberry cookie: I have a question.

Y/N cookie: Ask away.

Strawberry cookie: Earlier you said something about... Elder Faerie crumbling?... I-is that really gonna happen?

Y/N cookie: Uhh

Wizard cookie: Oh so I wasn't the only one who heard that.

Y/N cookie: Well-

Gingerbrave: Wait- he's gonna crumble?! When?!

Y/N cookie: Ok just calm down so I can speak, geez!

All three cookies go silent, looking up at Y/N cookie with visible concern as they sigh.

Y/N cookie: So originally, he supposed to die. I'm not gonna go into too much detail cuz that's way too many spoilers but yeah, he dies. I was admittedly hoping it wouldn't come to that since a whole lot of dialogue was changed, but I guess there odds of the story changing were pretty low.

Gingerbrave: W-when does it happen?! Maybe we can stop it?!

Y/N cookie: Considering how long the fight's been going I'd say right about-

Just then there was a yell of pain from the battle grounds, causing all the cookies to look at the source. Surprise surprise, Elder faerie was dying.

Y/N cookie: Now...

The four went to the scene. (skipping the whole using the guardians strength part because it's gonna take forever for me to finish this story if I don't.)

Y/N cookie: Can't you heal him or something, Mystic flour cookie?

Mystic flour cookie: No.

Y/N cookie: Why not-

Mystic flour cookie: I'm not about to interfere with a canon event.

Y/N cookie: Ah- fair.

Burning Spice cookie: And so the old fool dies. And yet, I still feel nothing.

Y/N cookie: Wait is that a ref-

White Lily cookie: WHY ARE YOU GUYS SO NOCHALANT ABOUT THIS?! I JUST BECAME A GUARDIAN FOR TREES SAKE!

Moonflower Faerie: You'll get over it.

White Lily cookie: Wait- really?

Moonflower faerie: No- that's gonna haunt you for weeks to come, trust me.

White Lily cookie: oh-

Dark Cacao cookie (Dragon lord): Now, let us make haste and seal that wretched beast once and for all.

Y/N cookie: He's gonna be back in- like, Beast yeast episode 7

Burning spice + Mystic flour: What?-

Y/N cookie: Nothing- let's just go!

[newkatzkafe2023]

The BALLADS OF SUN WUKONGS🐒👑

Yandere Monkey king harem x Manipulative Queen reader

Chapter 4 the Youthful indiscretions Part 1👼

The day begins with Queen Y/n as she makes her way to the mall, you had gotten off a date with Aizen Cai one of the suitors and boi was watching paint dry more exciting then the date you had with him. The public library really man? But anyway, now it's time to blow off some steam

We stretched out and began our shopping 🛍 Meanwhile a familiar group of monkey men stalked us to the mall and saw we went inside a banana republic first. LMK Wukong, NR Wukong, Netflix Wukong, BMW Wukong, and Mk Reborn Wukong. Mk reborn was dressing up his baby son Fruity up in a tiny school boy outfit.

(BMW Wukong) Ok, I don't quite understand. Why are we using specifically Fruity to spy on y/n???🤔🤨

(MKR Wukong) Well...because Silly girl's to young😒

(NR Wukong) Li is to old😅

(Netflix Wukong) Lin can take care of herself 🙂

(Lmk Wukong) Mk would get us exposed faster then a social media platform 😓

(MKR Wukong) and we don't think HIB Wukong would appreciate us using Luier to get with a girl, so Fruity is literally our only option🙄

(BMW Wukong) ummm ok but that doesn't tell me what the plan is???🤨

(Lmk Wukong) The plan is for Fruity to pretend to be a lost child and when his crys get y/n's attention, she'll go over and tend to him and that way while she's helping him we'll get more info on her😄

(BMW Wukong) Ok, good idea and all, but why is he in a school boy outfit😑

(MKR Wukong) To up the cute factor duh🙄, Ok son here she comes just work your chi magic and remember what we practiced😊

(Fruity) Yay i won't let you down baba😙

Fruity then waddled out to the middle of the mall, then sat on the ground pretending to cry

(Fruity) Wahhh!!!!!!😭😭😭😭

Immediately, you felt your ears twitch and quickly looked over to see a tiny, adorable little fruit boy sitting and crying on the ground, and immediately you ran over to him

(Y/n) Awww what's the matter little gummy bean, are you ok???🥺

(Fruity) Wahhhh, I'm lost, wahhhh I can't find my baba 😭😭😭

You frowned at this predicament and put your paw out for Fruity to climb on, but as soon as you did, you noticed something Furry and sharp in the corner of your eye. You spot a familiar tail belonging to a certain extremely violent monkey

With a smirked as you came up with an idea of your own, you then looked down at Fruity and calmed him down, and began to speak with him

(Queen y/n) Don't worry little man, I'll take you to front desk security, maybe we'll run until your baba on the way😈😇

(Fruity)(sniffling) O-okk i-im fruity😢

(Queen y/n) Hewwo Fruity My name is y/n😇(whispering) but you can call me mama😈

Fruity nodded and calmed down Meanwhile with the monkey kings

(MKR Wukong)(whispering) Yes! She took the cute fruity bait, but she's on the move now 😏

(Lmk Wukong)(whispering) alright gang Let's get a move on then😁

Then you took off with fruity through out the mall, with the monkey kings following close behind to collect info on how to win you over, the first store we went to is Swarovski as the watched you buy something but they couldn't make out what it was

(NR Wukong) Ah Swarovski their known for selling real diamonds jewelry 💎

(BMW Wukong) Agreeded

(MKR Wukong) But what did she buy though🤨

(Lmk Wukong) Can't say, I'm using my eyes of truth but I still can't see it😠

(Netflix) We'll figure it out later. Right now, she's leaving😣

Then the monkeys followed you to Bloomingdale's to make some returns

(Netflix Wukong) Ah so she likes to Bloomingdale's?

(BMW Wukong) Yes of course

Then we went to other stores like Ulta, Hot topic, banana republic, Sephora and more. As the monkey kings continued to follow you thoughtout the mall and finally you arrived to the front desk security.

(Queen Y/n)(cooing) Ok little fruit here's the security, I hope your baba will come and find you😚

(Fruity) Ok thank you mama Bye☺️

You had waved goodbye to the little Fruity fairy and left for home, secretly smirking as you left. Afterwords, the monkey kings waited a bit as they watched you leave the mall before MKR Wukong ran over to hug Fruity.

(MKR Wukong) FRUITY! YOU DID SUCH A GOOD JOB BUD😄

(Fruity) Yay I did good?!😆

(MKR Wukong) You did! You did!😁

(NR Wukong) And thanks to this little guy, we have more material and info to use to get Y/n to fall in love with us🥰

(BMW Wukong) YES LET'S GO BACK TO FLOWER FRUIT MOUNTAIN TO CELEBRATE 🥳

(Lmk Wukong) we should tell HIB and the destined one, about our findings too😃

As the monkey kings left the mall excitingly as the monkey men changed and discussed the notes and observations they made, as they brainstormed ideas and plans.

(Netflix Wukong) But Wait did anybody ever found out what Y/n bought from the Swarovski store??😥

You stood on the roof of the mall looking, looking down at the cute monkey men ad the practically ran out of there

(Queen Y/n)(giggling) Aww their so cute when they think their slick😈

You smirked looking at your new crystal peach🍑😈

FEEL FREE TO REBLOG😈

[tgrailwar-zero]

He can't be that scary. We fought Moby Dick and won!

SUZUKA GOZEN: "...Fine. Fine. Maybe it's better if I show you. C'mon!"

She walked off. It seemed fit to follow. You reached one of the shrine gates surrounding the Imperial Palace.

SUZUKA GOZEN: "Come out, Apollo!"

You felt an instant shift in the air. Heavy and intense.

You saw a shape.

Small and round, slowly floating into view.

A sheep.

KUKULKAN: "That's him? The guard?"

SALIERI: "He doesn't seem that impressive."

NERO: "No, if this is truly Apollon, then he is not a god to be taken lightly… even if he possesses such a disarming form."

APOLLO: "Do I gotta send in the lasers again, lady? Last time you came in trying to fight, I smited you real good. That talisman really does a number on your fighting ability, doesn't it? Apparently doesn't break your spirit, though. Shame."

SUZUKA GOZEN: "I'm not here to fight you! Not this time. I'm just showing them what's standing between me and getting out of this place. If they say yes, then they'll be the ones doing the fighting."

APOLLO: "They don't have to fight me. They can just answer my riddles three. Get all three right, and they win."

SUZUKA GOZEN: "What? Why?"

APOLLO: "Because it'd be in the pain in the butt, duh. They're not being reduced to a complete and total weakling like you. Now, about my riddles three--"

SUZUKA GOZEN: "Dick."

APOLLO: "Riddles four."

SUZUKA GOZEN: "Come on!"

APOLLO: "Look upon me, mortals. If you're willing, then I shall test your wits. Or you can leave. She's really not worth the trouble, I think. Plus, you know, Tamamo will be really pissed off if this fake fox does leave, and that becomes a you problem. You're on pretty thin ice already, right? If you still want to answer the riddles, you can still do that and not get the Talisman too. That seems like a win for everybody. Suzuka stays, you don't get in trouble, and you get a free trivia minigame. Besides, it's not like she can chase you if you ditch."

APOLLO: "I mean, you know she's a demon princess, right? That's right, behind that well-styled hair and charm-covered shoulder bag is a real nasty customer. You could set her free, and then the whole Solar Cell is plunged into evil and chaos and darkness. Then that's on you. That's pretty bad. Plus, she's got mind-controlling Mystic Eyes. Who knows if you or your Servants aren't being super duped here? It's not even the type of situation where you can ask 'are you lying to us or not', because if there's one thing she's good at, it's lying. She's an Assassin, after all. Lots of things to consider. Just saying."

SUZUKA GOZEN: "You're such a douche."

APOLLO: "Anyway, you don't have to say out loud what your intending to do if you pick the riddles. I'm a pretty smart god, so I can tell intent real easily even if everyone else doesn't pick it up. Nobody else here will know what you chose until it's over, so it's not like there's any pressure."

[eliotquillon]

WAIT ACTUALLY you don't have to do this prompt unless you want to, but in all in cameron is like "your shark story is good but not that good," he has told her the goddamn shark story, he is gonna win her over with his personality--

bless chase’s cotton socks:

The shark story always works.

It does not work on Cameron.

*

He tells it to her in a moment of weakness: they have ditched Foreman to go out for post-case solve drinks, just the two of them, and for once it’s Cameron’s idea to sneak off instead of Chase’s. Logically, he knows that dating Cameron is a bad idea—and he would bet money that she isn’t at all in favour of casual sex. There is no reason to tell her the shark story, especially not while she’s giggly off three vodka sodas and sharing a bag of peanuts with him, but it trips out of his mouth anyway while he’s staring at the strand of hair that has come loose from her tight ponytail. It feels like a metaphor: Cameron, so contained and controlled, loosening up around him. It’s an ego boost. It could be a bit more than an ego boost, if Chase ever bothered to examine it more deeply, but something in him balks whenever he gets too close.

Cameron’s verging on tipsy, but Chase is closer to sober—he’s got a better tolerance, and drinks slower; being the son of an alcoholic teaches restraint to the lucky few. He knows he tells it perfectly. He knows he hits all the right notes. And Cameron smiles along, laughs in all the right places, but it feels…just a touch indulgent. She does not lean closer during the part where he punches the shark square in the nose. She does not bat her lashes when he talks about how cold the water was. It isn’t a bad reaction, but it is—underwhelming. Platonic. Friendly.

Worth a shot, Chase thinks miserably, and then wonders why he was trying to get a shot in with Cameron in the first place. He doesn’t like her that way. They only go out for drinks together because Foreman drives him up the wall and it feels wrong to just drink by himself. That’s why it didn’t work, he decides. There was no real intent behind it. He puts Cameron in a cab home, retries the shark story on a girl at the next bar he gets to, and goes home with her an hour later.

*

“I have a question,” Chase says, three and a bit years later; they’re meant to be going out to a bar later to catch up with Foreman, but from the way Cameron keeps yawning and resting her head pointedly on his shoulder it feels like she’s gunning for a night in. “But you can’t laugh at me.”

“You ruin all my fun,” Cameron complains, shifting her weight closer against him on the couch. “I heard laughter is the best medicine.”

“Allison,” he says pointedly, and she laughs.

“Alright, okay,” she says, “I promise. But only if you call Foreman to cancel.”

Chase, already prepared to do as much, gives her his hand to shake; instead of relinquishing it afterwards, Cameron laces their fingers together and leans back to look at him expectantly. “I’m listening,” she says, and Chase winces.

“Do you remember,” he starts carefully, “when I told you my shark story?”

Cameron opens her mouth, closes it, and blinks innocently up at him. “Of course I do,” she says. She is not smiling, but she has the wide-eyed look that suggests she’s going to explode into a fit of laughter as soon as Chase is out of earshot. “What about it?”

This is the worst part. Chase has to grit his teeth to get the words out. “Why didn’t it…work?”

This time, Cameron’s blink is borne more out of confusion than laughter. “Was it…supposed to?” she asks, echoing his hesitant tone. Chase’s embarrassed silence isn’t a yes, but it sure as hell isn’t a no. Her eyebrows fly up, and she says, mock-chastising, “Robert.”

“I’m just wondering,” he insists, fighting to ignore his burning ears. He is suddenly grateful to his longer hair for covering them. “Pretty much every other woman I told that story to ended up making a move on me afterwards. How come you didn’t?”

Cameron shrugs. She’s smiling now, but not mockingly—it’s fond and soft, a warmer version of the quick grin she shoots him whenever they pass each other in the corridor at work. “Like I told you at the gala two years ago,” she says, “it’s good. But not that good. I think it only works if the recipient already wants to sleep with you. Which I didn’t, back then.” Blunt, but true; Chase accepts the explanation for what it is, and nods.

“But it’s been a while since I heard that story anyway,” Cameron adds. Her smile has turned wicked. “Why don’t you try telling me it again and see where it gets you?”

*

The shark story always works.