#anyway calm down iggy

[just-a-carrot]

Hey, Carrot!!

Just wanted to confirm you that your self-indulgent does, in fact, also mean "us-indulgent" 🤣🤣

I've just played the game and I loved it🤩🤩

I was kind of mad when I saw that I could only choose the options with the hand so many times before the bar depleted and lost the chance of getting the true ending. (I wanted to "make a jest" so bad every time it appeared 🤣🤣)

I adore the menu screen once you get THE ending, it's just so sweet I will stare at it forever🤧🤧

Btw, the whole game reminded me a lot of that one piece of art from some time ago and I can't help but wonder: did this piece sparkle the idea of the game (like, the conversation that they could have given their roles, which would eventually become the game)?

Or maybe it's simply that they both happen in the same place and are inspired by dd2(?🤣🤣

(Also, I know almost nothing about dd2, what does it mean when his hand started glowing?)

WAH

i'm really happy you enjoyed it... 💕 thank you for playing! lkdjflaksdf i'm sorry about forcing you to choose other options 🤣 there are a couple different ways you can reach the end. i think you only need to save up will for like... maybe 2(?) choices. and there are a few possible choices where not choosing the hand option will still let you proceed

the rest of this got kinda rambly also with vid/images so i've put it behind a cut (what's wrong with me)

LOL i wouldn't say this game was directly inspired by that specific art piece, moreso that that place in the game is just really inspiring to me because it's so beautiful, so it fills me with all sorts of soft feels (and ideas) and also just gives me a sense of calm. it's also why i have so many shots of it in the music video LKDJFALSKD i think i've spent literal hours there i have so much footage there of just clips like this:

so it was more just me wanting to do something soft and sweet so my mind immediately went back to this place

re: the glowing palm scar LKDJFALKSDFA THAT'S...

ok so. mmm. the scar itself in-game is essentially a symbol of his connection to the arisen (iggy). it glows every time he gets summoned from a rift stone and is reunited with iggy... i think it might possibly glow at other (canon) times though it's hard to tell because until recently genzou's outfit always had gloves and/or he's often holding a weapon in his right hand (so i can't tell for instance if it glows when he's revived...)

on the left is the best shot i've gotten of it when not glowing. on the right is the only good shot i can get of it glowing because for this cutscene the game removes his glove lol... now that i have him in the new outfit with half his hand showing though i'd like to see if i can get a good shot of him being resummoned to see if i can see the glow. i need to try pausing and zooming in because i only have this faraway shot:

however for him to be resummoned it means he needs to die and that hurts my heart (and makes his affection go down LKDJFLADS) so i don't like doing it (but i would do it for science...)

ANYWAY. there isn't any actual explanation or lore given for it in-game besides being shown it and knowing that all pawns have this scar and it's their symbol. but ofc like so many things about this game, my head ran away with me and started coming up with many of my own head canons about the scar. mostly that i have decided it reacts to like... their connection in general. strong emotional responses between them (like when they kiss... ldkfajsldkfa). a literal symbol of genzou's internal psyche in relation to iggy and it'll flare up sometimes as a strong reaction to something about iggy, etc. i like to think that genzou gets embarrassed by it because it'll flare up if he's feeling particularly strongly LOL

i-it's just very precious to me... i think it's very sweet and cute and i love it very much...💦

I'M SORRY FOR RAMBLING I LOVE TALKING ABOUT THEM AND THESE SILLY HEAD CANONS LKDJFALSKDF

[creatorbiaze]

Meet Videns; one of the most feared Draconic Deities

just some snippets of Videns's chaos antics that I couldn't think of full short stories for

"w..what are you doing, Videns?" Blaze asks, watching Videns inspect a small rock while sitting on the table in the lab. She's learned by now not to leave Videns unsupervised in the science room.

"Science!" Videns almost-whispers, smiling widely as she tosses the rock into the bucket of water on the ground beside her.

Blaze jumps back when it starts to spark and pop, catching fire, "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!?"

"sodium metal," Videns replies, tilting her head and giving a closed eye smile, "it's highly reactive with water."

Cobra frowns while watching the energetic teen dart around the lab. 'This is the Guide of the Vengeful, the most dangerous Salhan Deity...?'

"What are... you doing... anyway?" Cobra decides to ask, cautious.

"got bored, tryna learn more about the acid you guys have. Salhan Draconics have mildly poisonous blood because of how we process Salha's poison, you guys are naturally scavengers and have an acid in your saliva that helps you eat basically anything that used to be alive. Fascinating, isn't it?" the teen replies, speaking quickly, before finally looking at Cobra directly. She's smiling widely, like always, and holds a metal cup out for Cobra, "hey, your family has venom in your fangs too, right? Can you do me a favor and gimme some venom? I wanna see how it interacts with things."

"w-wha-"

"Venomize the cup, Cobra," They cut off Cobra, smiling brightly.

"Where are you leading me...?" Pandora asks, following Videns down the worn path, looking at the flora around them. None of the plants were familiar to her. She sees a beautiful star-shaped flower, and reaches up to gently touch one of the petals.

"The Celestial Pantheon. Oh, by the way, if you see a star-shaped flower with sky blue-to-periwinkle petals, don't touch it, it'll kill you," Videns says with a cheerful smile. They smile even wider when they hear Pandora shriek in fear and jump back.

"Kidding, kidding, it's actually suprisingly harmless," Videns laughs, waving her hand dismissively without looking back at the human, before she points up to a blood red bell-shaped flower, "That one will kill you very painfully, though."

Ignis sat at the dining table, stirring her cup of tea, while glaring at the icy eyed hybrid across the table.

"Stop sm-"

"No," Videns smiles wider, propping her cheek on her palm, watching Ignis.

"Don't-"

"Can't control my mind reading," Videns shrugs, lying through her teeth. She could very much control it, she just preferred to know what everyone's thinking.

"At lea-"

"I already know what you're trying to say, why let you finish speaking when I can just reply?" Videns gives a closed eye smile, knowing how much she's pissing off Ignis with her interrupting.

"I h-"

"I hate you too, Iggy~"

At this point, Ignis throws her spoon at Videns, standing up and storming out of the room. Videns just waves bye, leaning to the side to avoid getting hit in the face with a hot spoon.

"How do you get Videns to calm down..?" Blaze asks Vizerxa, frowning as she watches Videns annoy Dawn Shadow.

"Quite easily, actually," Vizerxa replies calmly, looking around. She walks away, soon returning with a candle and a lighter. She doesn't even need to say anything for Videns to dart away from Dawn Shadow, getting a sheet of paper and jog over to Vizerxa, who lights the candle and sets it on the table.

"just give her fire, trust me," Vizerxa shrugs, watching Videns tear off small pieces of the paper and drop them into the candle flame, giggling as they catch fire.

"...I feel like that's actually very risky," Blaze murmurs, frowning slightly in concern.

Vizerxa shrugs, "you're the one that adopted someone who loves fire, while living in a very flammable place. Thought Dusk repeatedly burning the kitchen would get you to change the materials of your living space, but apparently that didn't work."

[shithead-123]

KOTLc character and if they're a dog/cat person or other animals.

I can't pick 1 character to make posts art so I stay pathetic and do all of them. Stina's in this one now! neither can I stay on prompt so-

Sophie: I think she likes cats more, but dogs are the animal that actually bond and enjoy her company. Marty was the only exception. honestly there should be an AU where Marty joins Sophie and they have adventures together. ily Marty. But Marty hates sophies guts. But not really. we should do Marty POV. and the whole time he's complaining abt sophies stupidity(im sorry Sophie ily girl. Marty's just a meanie). Marty hates iggy too. and Silveny. Marty is filled with rage. Marty will hunt you down. For angst we can do something where Sophie's abt to die from like a stab wound or something. and it' stop deep for Elwin to fix so. she's just bleeding out. and Marty finally lets her pet him. and then he curls up on Sophies dead body and. ok Marty secretly loves Sophie.

Keefe: Bc he's an empath, and bc of his personality in general tbh, all animals like him a lot. He's an animal guy. Marty would love him. wait. Keefe as a horse boy. Stina horse girl. they should bond tbh. Keefe dex and Stina, committing crimes and lowering students confidence with well placed insults. Anyways, his animal, whether dog or cat would be primarily an emotional support animal. Bc He needs something happy in his life. Keefe obvi sneaks the dog/cat into Foxfire w him. bc he's Keefe. Aw the dog/cat sometimes aids in his pranks. Like painted paw prints on the roof of the school is included with one of Keefe's pranks, and no one ones how they got there. bc Marty is my newfound obsession im gonna say that Marty tolerates Keefe, and it's a surprise for him bc generally animals love him. Marty low-key bullies Keefe. idk how a cat would bully an elf. but Marty does it.

Fitz: He's the exact opposite of Sophie. He likes dogs, but cats love him. imagine with me, Marty see's fitz, runs to him, starts scratching shoppe when she tries to take him back from Fitz. Silveny may love Sophie (and Keefe). but sophies childhood pet and companion, the one who has been with her since birth, nah. Marty sneaks into sophies school bag to see Fitz. Marty is the real reason Sophie's so mad at Fitz in Unlocked. She's just jealous that Marty love him more. Also Fitz is a total Disney princess so alllll the woodland creatures congregate at his balcony when he like opens the window. Singing abt how much he loves the sunrise or some shit. And then birds land on his arms and sing in harmony w him. And then Biana socks him with a shoe.

Dex: I am honestly not sure. On one hand, he's super busy & can't take the time to properly give attention to a dog, and in that sense, would prefer a cat. But also he's a Dizznee, and dogs are arguably more hyper and active than cats, which is something he would like & be used to. Or maybe he would like an animal that's calm bc his family is so chaotic....girl idk. I think he's more into smaller animals actually, like guinea pigs, or tomples, or a gremlin. Now that I think abt it. Hasn't dex spent more time with Iggy than Sophie? Girl what if Iggy likes Dex more than Sophie. all her pets are abandoning her! Marty likes that Dex keeps re-dying iggy, bc he hates iggy. So he lets Dex pet him, everyone and a while.

Biana: U know those girls with like the rlly big dogs that they like tell to sit and everyone starts sweating bc for some reason telling a dog to sit is hot????? That's her. She is a dog person all the wayyyy. She goes on walks with her big ass dog and ppl look the other way bc she's Intimidating. She's also Disney princess core tho so, the birds love her too. she's just not annoying abt it like someone else. Marty likes fitz, so by proxy, he sadly has to put up with Biana. Of course, on Marty's long lists of things he hates, are big Dogs. So he kind of runs away from her. He doesn't hate her, but he does fear her.

Stina: I mean, this is redundant but like.....horse girl. Of course we're talking abt dogs and cats, and ik dogs r used to herd sheep and goats n stuff, so maybe dogs would be useful for herding horses/unicorns too? I mean by proxy of her horse girliness, she's a farm girl too. And generally, dog r more useful for that. So she would have a pretty active and veryyy Bark-ey dog. She has a dog whistle. Stina is mean, Marty is mean. They get along. they're chill.

Tam: I mean. W all know he's a cat boy. There's no argument. He would want a quieter animal so he could like read in peace. He doesn't actively look for cats, but like, cats like him, so he keeps a bowl of food outside Tiergan's house (forgot what it's called) and gives them all names. and pets them from time to time. But they're all stray cats, they're not actually his. And Tam is cool w that. So in this vein, Marty likes Tam. He might be Marty's third favorite person.

ok I'm too lazy to do the rest. also I might write a Marty AU now. or I should do Marty rankings.

[galaxycunt]

The weirdest thing in the world was when Iggy was like 12 weeks or so old we went to get his shots and he like freaked out I guess bc we weren’t in the room with him and like 5 techs had to hold him down and it was like all chaotic bc they’re like bursting into the lobby and just handed us meds to sedate him next time and a trainer bc they didn’t believe me that he was in puppy classes and that he never done this before (he’s a baby so like ???? Of course he cried) and he’s just labeled reactive at the vet even tho he’s not in any other situation like when he was attacked by a dog at the park he let a vet examine him until one of the techs came into the room and they all got mad at me??? Bc they’re like all heelers are reactive you should know this 😡 but like Iggy let’s anyone touch him?? It’s so weird but anyway long rant to say I’m stressed out but it’s the only vet in town open after 5 and on weekends so we like HAVE to go and he’s due for his shots next month

And like we trained him as soon as they told us about it and evan was pissed they just gave us drugs bc it’s like he’s a puppy he doesn’t know what a needle is and it’s like not helpful bc he’s so calm and listens when we practice a vet exam and when a trainer does it or when a stranger is like lemme see those paws u pretty baby so it’s like he’s not reactive u people are assholes 😤

[breezy-cheezy]

Oh maybe Iris from FFXV b1 please?

Here ya go!! Poor babs....someone embarrassed iggy and is going to be stabbed aijsdiuhfiuhruger

Also you ever think how maybe Iris realized she’d probably never have to repair the moogle doll ever again? Ever think how sad that would make her, to lose Noctis, who was basically family???? :))))))) (I didn’t know which chart you wanted so I picked the sadder one;;;;  )

[junosartsthetic]

Hi hi helloooo im having a bit of polnareff brainrot and id like to ask for a scenario where the sdc crew gets a lady crewmember with a strictly healing stand, but does all the fighting herself. On the battlefield she's a monster but when healing she's the sweetest mother hen and she gets really close to pol bc he's always getting hurt. These two are the best of friends who (not so) secretly have the major hots for eachother. Like to the point where even Avdol is like "jesus, get a fuckin room"

Hurt

This was such a cute prompt, thank you so much for suggesting it! I changed a few things up a tad but I hope it still meets your standards! I too am having Polnareff brainrot. Actually, I think it’s less of a rot and more of a sucker fish that has permanently attached itself. Basically, I love him. Okay. Enough of me. Anyway, enjoy.

Warning(s): suggestive content, Polnareff is naked, sexual undertones, tension, voyeurism mention, Jean's dick is mentioned (oops), nothing too bad.

--

The situation you found yourself in was nothing new—sitting beside an injured Jean Pierre Polnareff as your stand worked its magic patching him up. It was so un-new, in fact, that you had been in the same situation almost everyday for the last month. And as much as you loved helping your companions out after scuffles on the battlefield, there was a point where you had to speak up about a certain Frenchman’s bad luck streak. 

“Jean,” you began, examining the blood running down from the gash in his brow bone, “I know you’re not doing this intentionally, but I can’t help but wonder what curse has latched itself onto you. My stand has no issues patching you up, but I do like to use it for more than just nursing your wounds, you know. I should be out there fighting.” You pressed a damp cloth to a scratch on his cheek while your stand worked on quickly stitching up the slit above his eyes. Though having a precise stand that utilized razor-sharp threads and cauterizing abilities was more than useful for healing, you also yearned to assist your other friends in fighting off the stand user just a few blocks away from your hotel. Of course, Polnareff just had to anger Iggy directly beforehand, leading to his current facial injuries. 

“How do you think I feel?” the silver-haired man shot back, a hand resting on his chin as he pouted. “I haven’t had a break since I started this journey! I’m not even a Joestar, so why am I always the one getting hurt?” He gestured to the various scars littering his exposed arms and upper torso. 

“Well, technically this time was your fault—you know Iggy doesn’t like being picked up unless he says so,” you said, leaning forward on your chair to look closely at his now sewn injuries. 

“He’s a dog. He doesn’t say anything,” Jean huffed, crossing his arms and turning his head away. You rolled your eyes, grabbing his chin to recenter him. Patching him up would go a lot quicker if he quit squirming around like a fussy toddler.

“You know what I mean. He’s smarter than you think. Plus, he’s a sweetheart when he warms up to you, you know.” Your hands moved gently over his facial features, double-checking each cut was sewn and cauterized. Were you slightly over-dramatic when it came to checking your work? Yes. But you’d never forgive yourself if one of your patch-works went wrong. As something of a caretaker for the crew, you held yourself to the highest standards. 

“Are you finished yet?” he whined, crinkling up his nose when you brushed your thumb against the tip of it, wiping off a smear of dirt. You licked your thumb, repeating your actions. Jean reeled back, swatting your hands away. “Okay, okay, okay. I think that’s good. No need for saliva.” His normally pale face grew red, highlighting the soft freckles dotting his cheeks.

“I was getting some dirt off. Calm down. I don’t have cooties,” you muttered, shooing him away. “You look fine. Now go lay down or something. You look like you have a fever.”

“I’m fine,” he replied curtly, brushing off your comment. “You’re not my mom. Don’t worry so much.” He stood up, heading towards the bathroom. “I’m taking a shower. Let me know if you hear anything from the others.” 

“Whatever,” you said, dismissing his attitude. You couldn’t blame him for the sour mood—he must’ve been in pain constantly from all his little cuts and bruises. Even with your stand, you couldn’t take away the pain, no matter how much you wanted to. Your heart sank thinking about all that Jean had gone through. He had it rough, but still managed to put on a charismatic face. You didn’t know how he found it within him, but adored his personality, nonetheless. You adored everything about him, actually. Every little freckle spotting his cheeks. Every scar littering his broad shoulders and muscled arms. Every silver hair that stood atop his head. You just. . . loved him. And though you tried not to let it show, it was obvious. It wasn’t just Polnareff’s wounds that had you always at his side—it was also your insistence to heal every little scratch you could.

Others you’d stitch up major wounds, making sure they’d live, but with Polnareff. . . It was different. You didn’t want him to just survive. You wanted to take away his pain. Not just physically. But emotionally.

You wanted to scream at him for always putting himself in danger. He always had to play the knight in shining armor. He always had to call out his stand, fighting off everything that tried to touch you. He always had to protect you. And for what? All he got in return were scars. No amount of chastising would stop him. And you hated it. Hated his determination. Hated that he cared too much to let anything happen to you.

You didn’t understand why it was only you. But it didn’t matter. You just wanted this trip to be over so he’d never have to put his life on the line to protect you again. 

A loud thud scattered your thoughts. You jumped out of your chair, heart thumping hurriedly as you raced to the bathroom door. You knew it came from inside the room. Was he attacked? Was he okay? Did you miss a wound? Not sparing a second, you threw open the door, examining the room. There was no enemy. No blood. No death. Only a soaking wet Polnareff, laying on the ripped off shower curtain. You were relieved. He must’ve just tripped and fell. Otherwise, he looked okay. More than okay, actually. He looked. . . well he looked like a very attractive naked man now staring at you, an unreadable expression on his face. You quickly rebooted yourself, staring at the ground. “You okay?” you asked, looking at him through your peripheral. You wanted to respect his privacy, but also something told you that he had to have some sort of bodily injury from tumbling out of the shower, especially given his luck. That’s the only reason you were trying to sneak a peek. That’s all. 

“I’m starting to think I am cursed. I get in the shower, start it up, when out of the blue my knee cramps up, and next thing I know I’m tripping over the damn shower curtain! Mon Dieu!” he exclaims, sitting up and running a hand through his wet hair. You noticed blood begin to trickle down his forehead, and quickly lept in to investigate. You knelt down beside him, disregarding his flustered features as you looked at the damage. You brushed his hand away from his head, combing through his hair to spot a thin scrape just under his hairline. You knew it. Of course he’d manage to hurt himself in the few seconds he was alone. And just after you had healed him, too. 

Not wasting a second, you summoned your stand, making quick sutures and cauterizing it gently before Jean even got a chance to speak. You leaned back just enough to take in his full face, hands gently raking through his long silver locks, feeling for any bumps or blood. You felt nothing, and so retreated your hand, letting out a sigh of relief. 

“I’m starting to think I can’t leave you alone,” you muttered, closing your eyes as you rubbed your temples. “Do I have to give you baths now, too?”

“Only if you join me—”

“Don’t be nasty,” you interrupted, smacking his bare chest. “You know I don’t like when you flirt with me just for the fun of it. Anyway, don’t kill yourself taking a shower. I’ll be outside.” You said, straightening yourself up. You took one step forward before your foot slid against the now wet floor, sending you reeling backwards. You squeezed your eyes shut, hoping nothing would break after you made contact with the bathroom tile. 

Instead of bare tile, you crashed into Jean, who quickly cradled you against his chest, dampening your clothes and smushing you against his naked body. You caught your breath, eyes wide as you took in your situation.

“Who’s got bad luck now, hmm?” he chuckled, breath tickling your neck. 

You internally debated as to whether this was the best or worst situation you’d ever been in. One one hand, you were wrapped in the arms of the man you’d been pining after for months. On the other. . . You couldn’t actually think of any downside. Embarrassment? Possibly. But at least it couldn’t get any worse.

The hotel door swung open, and your fellow crusaders stepped inside, Avdol leading the way. Of course the bathroom door was still wide open, with you still in the lap of a naked Polnareff, who was currently using your body to shield himself from their gaze.

Avdol glanced your way briefly before double-taking. His eyes went wide. “If you must participate in. . . whatever you are currently doing, please have the decency to close the door or get a different room.” 

You scrambled to get up, but Jean’s grip on your body remained. “What do you think you’re doing?" you hissed.

“I would very much like to avoid exposing myself!” he shot back.

“Well I’d very much like it if I wasn’t forced to be your human shield! Plus, I can feel your dick poking me!” Silently, Avdol shut the door. He was not about to continue to bear witness to the scene before him. Whatever was happening, he did not want to be a part of it.

Jean finally loosened his grip, and you rushed upwards, grabbing a towel off the rack and tossing it to him. “I am never checking on you again,” you panted, cheeks burning as you tried desperately to forget the feeling of his skin pressed against yours. “Now the rest of them think we’ve got some weird voyeurism thing going on! This is not how I wanted to see you naked!” you blurted out. 

He stifled a laugh, standing as he wrapped the towel around his waist. The white fabric did little to mask his nude form. “You wanted to see me naked? Oh, mon ange, I am flattered, but you could have simply asked.”

“Oh, God. I didn’t mean to say that out loud. I meant that—” there was no getting out of this one. In a panic, you just admitted your attraction, and you knew damn well he wasn’t going to let it go. “Look. I am attracted to you. Okay? But I don’t want that to impact our current friendship or the group as a whole and—”

He closed the distance between the two of you, pushing you against the bathroom wall. A large hand reached to caress your burning cheeks. They mimicked his own red visage, which looked suddenly serious. “I swear I am serious when I say this—I have felt the same way, but never had the confidence to confess. Knowing my bad luck, it wouldn’t have worked out in my favor. But now that I know the feelings are mutual . . I am afraid I don’t know if I’ll be able to resist.”

Your entire body was frozen, eyes staring at his own blue ones, looking for any kind of laughter or jest. You saw only passion. “Jean. . .” you whispered. “Just don’t break my heart. Okay?”

“Never, mon cherie, never.”

He closed the gap, lips pressing against your own.

[scientiastudy]

The Night Shift (Chapter II)

Chapter 1.

Grief is a funny thing, quiet as the night and loud as a bomb all at once.

Pairing: Ignis Scientia x Reader

Word Count: 1.9k

Rating: T

Content: Heavy angst, major character death, established relationship, grieving, canon-compliant

Author's Note: I promise I'm going to write happy Iggy stuff soon I promise. I just needed to round out this story bc it felt a little incomplete to me. Anyways next up is some happy fluffy Ignis that y'all are gonna eat up ;)

When Ignis finds out about the attack on Insomnia, everything stops.

For a moment he just stares at the newspaper on the stand, shock coursing through his veins. On the cover is a picture of Insomnia in flames. Magitek troopers dot the streets as smoke billows from his home– their home.

His mind flashes to his uncle and his parents, who are undoubtedly back in the city. The urge to call them makes his fingers instinctively twitch towards his phone. He resists it, his first duty is to relay this news to the prince.

Then, a revelation that knocks his world off its axis.

You.

The Citadel would no doubt be a target in the siege. Ignis is no fool, he knows what happens to servants loyal to their masters during an occupation, especially when those masters are part of the regime that’s being overthrown.

A pit of despair grows in his stomach, the dark ball growing and growing until it feels like it may consume him whole. He fights to keep his composure, his hands flexing at his sides as he tries to calm himself. His duty to the Prince is first before everything. He cannot fail now, not with the weight of Insomnia on their backs.

His hand shakes as he grabs a paper off the stand, wordlessly handing over 5 gil to the clerk as he makes his way back to the room they had booked for the night. As he walks he scans over the article, his stomach sinking as he reads. When he reaches the room he tries to school his expression into one of neutrality before he opens the door, ultimately failing when he catches the gaze of his prince. After so many years Noct has gained an uncanny ability to read his retainer’s mood.

“What’s that look for?” He asks, the innocence in his eyes making Ignis dread his news all the more. He hands the newspaper to Gladiolus silently, not able to meet the gaze of his Prince.

“It’s in all the papers.” He replies, fighting to keep his voice steady as his emotions rush back anew.

“What is?” the Prince asks, his voice slightly agitated.

“‘Insomnia… falls.’” Prompto reads the headline aloud. Ignis tightens his jaw. He cannot lose his composure now. His duty is to care for the Prince, who is going to need him more than ever. He silently thanks the Astrals that everyone’s eyes are on the paper as he feels a lump grow in his throat. Not now, later. He promises himself.

“Is this your idea of a joke?” Noct barks, reeling Ignis back to reality. He bristles slightly at his accusatory tone.

“I need you to calm down so I can explain,” Ignis says, finding familiarity in the disciplinary nature of his own tone. This is familiar, this is what he has done for the past 16 years. He can do discipline, he can do parental, he can do this.

“I’m as calm as I’m gonna get,” Noct shoots back, advancing on Ignis as if to intimidate him.

“There was an attack,” Ignis begins slowly, choosing his words wisely. “The Imperial army has taken the Crown City.” Just as Noct begins to open his mouth again, Gladiolus begins reading from the paper.

“‘As treaty room tempers flared, blasts lit the night sky. When the smoke about the Citadel had cleared, the King was found… dead,’”

“No- wait- hold on-” Noct stutters. Denial clouds his tone as Ignis steels himself for the fit to come.

“We had no way of knowing,” He replies, knowing it is of little consolation to the Prince. After all, it is of little consolation to himself.

“What? Knowing what?” Noct retorts, advancing on his advisor once again.

“That the signing was last night– that Insomnia,” Noctis cuts him off.

“But the wedding- Altissia-” He says, his voice rising.

“I know,” Ignis says, his own voice rising as he turns to face Noctis, his patience running thin. “That was the plan, yet the reports of the invasion are all the same. How could every headline in the kingdom be wrong?”

“Lies,” Noct hisses back.

“If only,” Prompto mutters, and for once Ignis is grateful to have the blond tagging along. Better Noct hear it from a friend than him.

“What else do we know?” Gladio asks, ever the tactician. Ignis shakes his head. There is nothing to know, the Empire are no fools, they’ve undoubtedly cut all communication lines, save their own, from the capital. “Well, then we can’t be sure until we see it with our own eyes,”

“And that means we go back to Insomnia,” Prompto adds. Ignis bristles at the suggestion. Yes, Prompto is hotheaded, but he’d never imagine he’d go this far. And Gladio? He should know better.

“It is not safe for us there,” Ignis retorts, stating the obvious,

“Yeah, well it isn’t safe for us here,” Prompto shoots back. Ignis hates that he’s right.

“Turn back?” Gladiolus asks Noctis, all eyes in the room landing on the Prince, who sits in quiet shock.

After a long pause, Noct breaks his silence.

“Yeah.”

Gladio and Prompto nod their assent, and Ignis joins them despite his trepidation. This is Noctis’s journey now, not his.

“I’m gonna see if I can get ahold of Iris,” The Shield says after a moment, making his way towards the door. Before he exits, he puts a hand on Ignis’s shoulder, drawing him close. “You should try and call her, just in case.”

Ignis nods silently, following Gladiolus outside as Prompto sits down next to Noctis. Ignis has never been more grateful for the blond than he is in this moment. A friend can comfort the Prince better than he and Gladiolus can.

The two servants walk in silence, parting ways when they reach the parking lot. Gladio walks towards the rocky crags of the hills while Ignis makes his way to the shoreline, his shoes sinking into the sand.

When he pulls out his phone, he doesn’t immediately dial. His heart sinks as he realizes he’s faced with a choice: call and face the painful truth or live in anxious ignorance.

The emotions from before well up in him. He’s angry, angry at the Empire, angry at the world. But most of all? He’s angry at himself.

He hates that he wasn’t there for you when you needed him the most. He hates that he’s bound to his post when all he wants to do is jump into the Regalia and tear the heart out of the Imperial occupation himself.

For a brief moment his anger boils over and he curses his family for swearing a life of service. He curses his post, curses that his loyalty to the Prince won over his loyalty to the woman he loves. He stares at the black screen of his phone and briefly debates throwing it into the sea. He imagines himself taking the Regalia and never looking back. He’d shack up somewhere quiet like Maidenwater and live in blissful ignorance, no kings, no princes, no crystals or rings. But just as quick as the thought comes he banishes it.

His loyalty is here, his life is here. Whether he had known it or not, the moment he had stepped out of Insomnia he had made his choice. There was no backing out now, he’d see it through to the end.

With his resolve steeled, he unlocks his phone. His thumb hovers over your name, a picture of you grinning greeting him.

His mind flashes back to when he’d taken the photo. You two had a rare day when your schedules aligned and you’d gone to the Insomnia market together. There had been a stall selling rare berries and fruits imported from Altissa and across Eos. You had spent your own money on a small basket of them for yourself and Ignis. He had never seen someone take such joy in such a small thing, your lips stained red from the fruits as you gushed about the tastes. Ignis hadn’t been able to resist taking a photo of you as you smiled at him. In that moment there were no gods or kings, just you and him.

His grip on his phone tightens as remorse floods him. All he can think about are all the nights he came home to an empty house, the notes in his ingredient baskets that went unanswered. He remembers all the mornings he woke up after you had gone to sleep, how it had pained him to leave you alone in your shared quarters.

He remembers the rare mornings you spent together before the sun rose. Dozens of images flash in front of his eyes: you in an apron making pancakes, the way you smiled when you came home and saw he was awake, how you’d carefully split the newspaper in half so you both could read as you ate.

Bitter tears rise in his eyes as he remembers he’ll never have any of it again.

Realistically, he knows there’s nothing he could have done. Had they still been in Insomnia, they would have undoubtedly been killed just as the King had. There was no reason to take you on their journey either. While you were proficient at all things in the way of housekeeping you had no combat skill and no strategic abilities. Not to mention that depriving the Citadel of its royal housekeeper would be a massive blow to the staff on duty.

However logical these thoughts may be, they don’t stop the flow of emotions threatening to drown Ignis under their waves. Anger, grief, regret, guilt, hurt, and a choking sadness that he fears will strike him down where he stands.

He moves to turn his phone off and return it to his pocket, but his shaking fingers accidentally press the call button instead. He holds his breath as he sees the call begin, reluctantly raising the phone to his ear.

He feels an ember of hope stir in his chest as the line rings, his brain racing to create a scenario where you survived. Maybe you had been at the market when the Imperials struck and been saved the worst of the combat, or the Imperials had simply taken you prisoner to maintain the Citadel. Maybe you had even made it out of the city and were sitting somewhere in a refugee camp waiting for his call.

However, as the line trills on, he feels that ember of hope slowly flicker and dim.

It’s when your voicemail message plays that he loses his composure.

Your sweet voice echoes through his speakers as he feels tears rise in his eyes again. He curses everything as he drops his phone into the sand. He curses the Imperial army, the Six, himself, his duty, anything he can think of. He curses the cruel world that would take his love away from him so soon, glaring at the heavens through his tears.

‘If you are listening, if you are there, I will never forgive you,’ He thinks. ‘I will guide Noctis to you, I will fulfill my position, but know that you will never have my gratitude again.’

He takes a few steadying breaths, slowly leaning down to pick his phone up out of the sand and mentally steeling himself for what is to come.

When he turns around and meets Gladiolus’s gaze, he shakes his head in solemn acknowledgment.

His heart, now beating for yours, cracks in his chest.

[knockoutqueenoftheunderworld]

SAW:

Krolmeister pays for Nancy Drew and who he assumes is her ‘boyfriend’ so in the beginning of the game they have to switch to two rooms instead of sharing a bed lmao. Henry checks in just fine and then Nancy steps up and the fucking picture falls off the wall.

Leaving Iggy in River Heights with Ned.

Henry gets the ghost in the mirror haunting, runs out screaming to Nancy talking to Rentaro in the garden, has to calm down from a panic attack before he can explain.

Nancy sits him down and gets him to fix the portrait backing to distract him. It takes him four hours, which is still better than my record time.

Henry gets addicted to the Pachinko parlor. Yumi thinks he’s adorable.

Takae likes Henry better than Nancy so he gets stuck listening to her long boring stories. Nancy is too curious. “Henry-kun does not ask so many questions, Nancy-san. This makes him a better companion. You could do well to learn from him.”

Henry is killer at bento but intimidated by Yumi’s outgoingness.

Henry knows exactly what Logan should get for Bess. Nancy figures out to use the outfit program but Henry is the one making the ultimate decision on the all-pink clothing.

Nancy gets pushed underwater when they find the will. Henry fucking wrecks the robot with his fists because he’s so fed up with haunting.

They expose Rentaro at the end and involve the police in the sabotage and dangerous stunts he pulled bc i hate that man

CAP:

Iggy is with Ned again

Markus isn’t pleased about flying two people out to Germany because money but Nancy insists they’re a pair and Henry tries not to get emotional about her fighting for him to be there

Henry knows from the first second at the castle gate that he will have a Rough Time at this mystery (Henry is not good with kids)

Henry, Nancy and Karl playing endless rounds of Raid because Nancy knows that Henry likes to buy things from the gift shop and they need to get money somehow

Meanwhile Henry secretly loves Raid and is finding coins everywhere anyway, he has a secret stash of cash the boy was deprived of fun as a child leave him alone

The one time Henry talks to Anja, she can tell he’s having ‘boy troubles’ and Henry makes a hasty retreat because his crush on Ned gets worse with every daily selfie with Iggy that Ned sends

So Nancy handles Lukas and Anja, Henry mostly takes Renate and Karl (downstairs people problems amiright)

Henry: So I asked Renate if she has a home-

Nancy: Oh god i’m rubbing off on you, your tact is diminishing as we speak

Nancy wears the dress and Henry is like weirdly butthurt that he didn’t get a festive outfit too? Even though it’s kind of a threat because her clothes were shredded? Henry just wants to be included

Henry’s exploring the woods and Nancy’s splashing around in the tunnels and suddenly she comes up behind him thanks to the forest exit and Henry nearly has a heart attack

They return Renate’s scarf together

(trying to solve the wall image puzzle)

nancy: can you please hold the flashlight steady

henry: i literally have trauma but go off i guess

Henry grabbing Nancy’s hand in the dungeon in the endgame because he’s terrified

nancy: I know it’s you-

henry: lukas

nancy: uh, no, it’s anja

henry: sorry it just felt right

Nancy & Henry Solving Mysteries: An Unfinished Timeline

My HCs for Henry joining Nancy in cases after cry. Features/alludes to my myriad of ships, possibly including: ned/henry, frank/nancy, deirdre/george, joe/sonny, frosty/chase. I might update this when more inspiration hits.

CRY:

Henry totally crushed on Ned when they first met in college and he got a little irked and disappointed when he found out Ned had a girlfriend, so he tries to date Summer to get over it, which is why he kind of acts cold to Nancy when they first meet, because Ned literally sent her to his house lmao (courtesy of lauren)

VEN:

Henry rooms with Colin

I need those interactions in my life

Colin is the definition of an incel

HAU:

Nancy talking to Ned in the phone booth with Henry awkwardly hovering outside the phone booth because car-crashed banshee late-night the-weird-guy-in-the-den-with-the-bruise-kinda-flirted-with-me-and-idk-what-to-do-with-that separation anxiety

And Ned's being a weirdo because of the party side plot going on, only sounding interested/relaxed when Nancy mentions henry and how Iggy won't let go of Henry's neck due to being spooked in the crash, how Henry made friendship bracelets on the plane to calm his flying nerves, how thrilled Kyler is that nancy brought a plus one, etc

Nancy mentions Kit and Kyler's weird dynamic but how he hinted at sleeping with Henry or something and Ned gets very quiet

Like the "..." In the chat in these games

"...Guess he's over Summer then?"

"Oh, Henry's just outside if you want to talk to him!"

Cue Ned loudly protesting while she forcefully shoves Henry in to talk to Ned because shes the least tactful person ever

And they have an awkward conversation about Kit and dating and Ned's like,, "Hey, love who you love, man. As long as you're happy, I'm happy."

BUT HIS VOICE BREAKS ON THE SECOND SYLLABLE A LA FRANK TALKING TO NAN IN CAP

anyway. when they're trudging around the grounds Nancy and Henry have a discussion about Kyler and Matt's unhealthy relationship and Henry's experiences with unhealthy relationships

and at the ceremony Henry and Nancy are lowkey side eyeing each other because this marriage won't last lmaooooo

But anyway, Henry asks Kit to dance at the reception because he is growing beyond his past yay

RAN:

Henry is very anxious even before arriving at dread isle

Because he's gonna meet some of Nancy's besties and THE PRESSURE

But he and George hit it off pretty quick

He can't stand Coucou and doesn't love the monkeys but he's SO GOOD at the games they play. Even the spinner game. He kicks ass and Nancy sucks

WAC:

Nancy is a student, Henry is a snack shop employee

Henry: “hi what can I get for you”

Girl: um,,,,, toasted bagel with uh, lettuce

Henry: ????

Henry, texting Nancy: this is her third bagel today. Each time she orders a different topping. I’m beginning to get concerned.

little does he know theyre just going there to see him lol

Henry: oh yeah Rachel? She’s secretly a twin.

Nancy: WAT

Henry: obviously

Henry: if you werent so distracted playing games against leela you would have noticed

Henry snooping through Izzy and leelas room with Nancy: THIS is Jacob?!!??! what has society come to

Henry: at least date a player that’s halfway ATTRACTIVE

Henry: Jacob is a chad

Henry: Mel probably has good taste

Mel: I'm gay

Henry: see? Taste

Henry, to the camera: okay not going to lie tho Mr. Harris is kind of a snack

“….don’t tell anyone I said that”

“I have a reputation”

and Henry is the only snack not on sale at the snack shop

Nancy walks upstairs to find Henry in the sitting area looking deep in thought, staring at Mel's door

Nancy: "what's up?"

Henry: "how many scales can one person practice in a day before they lose their mind?"

Nancy: spots the white squirrel on the branch outside her window "I'm gonna climb out and get it."

Henry: "I'm literally begging you to do anything else."

Henry just has a plethora of Edgar Allen Poe knowledge stored away from his EMO emo phase in high school

Nancy saying, "but what was the deal with all those glass eyes?" In the bathroom is her on the phone with Henry lmao

(all of this courtesy of cambria, maddy and lauren)

TOT:

Chase reminds Henry of Ned because he's so wholesome and kind

When Henry mentions it, Nancy remarks that frosty reminds her a bit of Henry

Henry uncovers that Frosty and Chase are a couple thanks to the flash drive

OOooooOoOoooohh cIneMaTiC paRAlLels

Nancy mentions Ma to Pa every 5 seconds and Henry elbows her every time but she just. keeps. going

Henry tries to calm Frosty down with the mice thing but fails and then Chase comes in and Frosty is fine is 2.5 seconds and Henry is exasperated and Nancy is all-knowing

Debbie adores Iggy and pet sits him while Nancy drives Henry around to photograph clouds bc Henry is far more artistic and Nancy is more logical

Henry and Ned have been texting since wac

Nancy also intoduces Henry to Frank and Joe over the phone

Joe wont stop texting Henry ab random shit but its okay

Henry's phone has been blowing up between Bess and Ned and George and Joe and occasionally Frank and Kit a couple of times

So he's becoming more confident and feeling loved!

"Who are you texting?" Nancy asks

"Hm?" Henry asks, pausing while posing for a selfie. "Oh, Joe wanted another pic of Iggy." Iggy blinks at Nancy from his perch on Henry's shoulder. "C'mon." Nancy crowds in and he wraps his arm around her. They're both wearing plaid, mostly as a joke. They grin.

Iggy croaks, smiling as well.

Henry sends the snap, laughing to himself.

Nancy catches his eye. "Joe's single, you know," she says mildly.

Henry raises his eyebrows. They've never really talked about his sexuality, or his dates, Kit notwithstanding. "So is Frank," Henry replies.

Is she - is she blushing?

"Yeah." She bites her lip. "It's hard to know -" she sighs.

Henry doesnt know how to break it to her. How do you tell your best friend you have a thing for her ex-boyfriend? "Joe's awesome, but... he's not my type."

"And that's okay," Nancy says. "You know you can tell me anything?"

"I know." Henry pauses. Holds his breath. Lets it out. "Almost ready."

Nancy laughs. "Just tell me when."

After Scott blah blah blah....

"It's too bad, yknow." Henry says. The team looks at him, Debbie with tears in her eyes, Chase gripping Frosty's hand, Nancy with her hands on her hips, defiant. "He was kind of a DILF."

Chase roars in laughter, Frosty fake gags, Debbie giggles, Nancy is yelling in delight.

Henry snaps Scott's arrest to Joe and Bess with the caption "rip scott's career he was a dilf". Across the country, Joe cries tears of pride and Frank sighs, long-suffering. Bess' skin has cleared, her crops are watered, Henry has reached his full chaotic potential, all is right with the world. George looks at Bess' phone over her shoulder and scoffs.

Thanks to Lauren ( @henrikvanderswoon ), Cambria ( @an-american-teen-against-crime ), and Maddy ( @professorhotchkissesta )

[dancingamongstdust]

sdc group when their partner sneakily joins their Egypt mission? And they only find out when it's too late for them to return?hcs pls?

Yes! My first Jojo's request! Hopefully I get more of these in the future because I love this show.

· You didn’t even make it onto the first plane before you sensed Jotaro’ large presence standing behind you.

· You turned around with a big smile and tried to pretend that it was a complete coincidence to see him there. He just stared while you slowly made your way through the boarding terminal with your ticket out.

· His plan was to send you home the moment that you next landed.

· The fight with Tower of Gray caused a problem with that plan though the stand itself had little effect on your trip. You only noticed when the group went bustling towards the cockpit, their tones betraying the importance of what was happening.

· You had ventured over and asked about the situation.

· The majority of the group had attempted to usher you out and Jotaro didn’t even respond. Still, Star Platinum kept you safe when the plane hit the water and you were practically carried into the lifeboat with the rest of the group.

· Your comment about the trip being more hazardous than expected earned you a glare.

· The rest of the group didn’t realise anything was special about you until you all arrived in Hong Kong officially and Jotaro led you alongside them to the hotel.

· Details about your relationship with him were quickly brought up after that though he seemed content to mostly ignore everything that was said. You found yourself enjoying the conversation with Joseph though he too felt that the trip was too dangerous for you to be on.

· Jotaro didn’t share a room with you in the hotel, instead having his grandfather get you one that was next door to his.

· Before he could disappear after making sure you were safe, you quickly apologised and asked if he was upset. He was always quiet but there was a heaviness to the air that made you feel as though you’d upset him.

· He told you that you hadn’t and that was the last of that.

· You missed your flight the next day when it became clear that Dio hadn’t sent just one person after the group. Star Platinum’s tendency to hover in front of you (whether you could or couldn’t see him) made it clear that you weren’t to be put in danger.

· Jotaro thought it would make you an easy target to send you back alone after you had been seen with the group.

· He was right and you quickly found yourself an occasional target for those who didn’t know any better. They never injured you badly but scratches and bruises became expected as you continued on the journey.

· Jotaro wasn’t affectionate normally but his coldness built up until one day, you asked if he resented you being there and apologised for your brash actions. You had no idea that the things they were involved in broke the lines of reality and fiction.

· He stared at you for a bit before sighing and wrapping one arm around you.

· That was all that you needed to fling your arms around his middle and squeeze him as tight as you could.

· He didn’t need to say it for you to understand that he didn’t hold it against you. Despite the constant danger that you were in, he had found himself calmer about the situation thanks to your presence. It would have been a much harder trip without you being there.

· Kakyoin thought he saw you several times but brushed it off as wishful thinking until toward the end of their Singapore stay.

· You were remarkably good at remaining undetected but more and more creepy things were happening, and it made you want to be closer to the group. It felt like the better option if you were putting yourself in danger anyway.

· There was a moment of silence when you made eye contact – your attempts at sneaking around now thwarted.

· So you raised your hand and waved.

· Kakyoin wasn’t sure what to think. For a second, he was sure that he was imagining it but your reaction to his unexpected departure had been suspicious in hindsight. You had gone from being devastated that he was just leaving without warning, to supportive about whatever he had to do.

· And this would be why.

· You made a joke about being mildly codependent when you sat down next to him, awkward and unsure of how he would react to you being there. It was followed by a question about his sun tanning wear that made him chuckle.

· Somehow, he wasn’t overheating in his uniform even though you were dying in just casual summer clothes.

· You apologised for not telling him that you were coming but pointed out how weird he’d been acting for the past few months. Sure, he had gone back to normal afterwards but you were worried. Especially because you knew fully about the slightly weirder aspect of his life.

· Whether you could see him or not, you felt Hierophant Green appear at the mention. He wrapped around your waist as usual. Close even when Kakyoin couldn’t be.

· As if to prove your worries correct, the first thing you found out after spending a day at the pool (pretending that you were just a couple on a regular vacation) was that an imposter had been walking around as Kakyoin.

· The others weren’t entirely on board with your presence and Kakyoin wasn’t happy with the amount of danger you were in.

· Several times he attempted to convince you that it would be safer elsewhere. He even asked Joseph to get you a plane ticket home at one point but each time you would see or experience something that added to your worries.

· The only way you were going home was if he was with you.

· You managed to remain mostly out of danger despite everything. The main threat you faced came in the form of Death 13 who quickly found a way to manipulate your cares for Kakyoin.

· After the first nightmare, you had started staying up later to make sure he was okay before going to sleep – thwarting the stand’s plans in a substantial way.

· When he nearly lost his eyesight, you didn’t sleep for days on end. You sat alongside the bed and waited for him to recover. Often, you’d think you should call somebody back home to let them know what was happening but he always asked you not to.

· While he was recovering, he asked you again to go home. The trip had almost doubled in danger and he didn’t trust Hierophant to be able to protect you fully.

· You refused once more and reiterated that you had come this far.

· You weren’t going to be going back without him at your side.

· Yeah, Polnareff wouldn’t have noticed you were following at all if it hadn’t been for Jotaro.

· It was shortly after they had arrived in Varanashi and you had accidentally drawn attention to yourself by laughing at Polanareff’s attempts at flirting with Nena. Though he himself hadn’t noticed that you were there, Jotaro had and he quickly come to the conclusion of having seen you before.

· You had made eye contact with him and quickly realised that continuing to hide was going to turn dangerous.

· So you waltzed over to your very distracted partner and draped yourself over his shoulders, playing with the earring and smugly smirking at whomever he had been flirting with.

· He was a flirt, that part you had never minded, but it was always satisfying to show off that he wasn’t truly available.

· Not having expected your sudden appearance, Polnareff had almost fallen over in his scramble to get away from you. After the shock subsided however, he had gasped and swept you into the air with an excited greeting and a seemingly endless stream of French.

· After you were put down, he rapidly introduced you to the rest of the group before realising that you weren’t meant to be there.

· You gave Jotaro an apologetic smile and mentioned that you hadn’t meant to cause trouble with your following.

· He had rolled his eyes and gone back to staring at nothing so you had to assume it was all fine now that you had shown you weren’t an enemy.

· Polnareff on the other hand had begun interrogating you to find out exactly why you had been in India when he remembered saying goodbye to you in France. Though admittedly, that memory was hazy due to the fleshbud having been in effect during time.

· When you explained his suspicious behavior was why you had followed in the first place, he gathered you close and squeezed you as tightly as possible.

· Your unexpected appearance came at the right time. After the bittersweet experience with the Hanged Man, Polnareff had been struggling and you acted as the best possible solution.

· You are a distraction, that much quickly becomes obvious, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing.

· Unfortunately, you did end up getting injured quite frequently while you were with the group but never once did Polnareff mention sending you home. You were never hurt in a way that would leave more than a small scar.

· The others did suggest it once but Polnareff had instantly shut that down.

· He could make sure you were safe. Why wouldn’t he want you with him at all times?

· You got quite a bit of attention during the trip, primarily from other men who all took great interest in you. It was entertaining to see the contrast between your casual attraction of attention and Polnareff’s active seeking of it.

· The only time either of you got actually jealous during the trip was of Iggy who had quickly realised how to exploit both of you.

· Surprisingly, you managed to follow the group all the way to Singapore before you were spotted by Avdol.

· You could have made it further still without notice but you had been so worried when their ship didn’t arrive in time that you just ran into Avdol the next time you saw him, hugging him as though he was going to slip from your fingers and never return again.

· Avdol was confused though he held it in well enough, just stroking your hair and reassuring you that he was alright.

· After you had calmed and pulled away, he touched your cheek before asking what you were doing there.

· You just shrugged and he sighed.

· Introductions happened then and you made an incredible impression on the rest of the group. Apparently Avdol had been sending you updates about his trip but due to your following, nothing had gotten through and you had to be caught up with everything they had learned.

· Stands were far from a foreign concept to you but you found yourself fascinated by the newer ones.

· Magician’s Red came out shortly after you had examined Silver Chariot closely – betraying Avdol’s otherwise well-hidden jealousy. He simply smiled and winked when you had given him a look because of it.

· He knew their trip would be difficult but Avdol couldn’t bring himself to send you home.

· You had spent such little time together since his first encounter with Dio (him having to flee Egypt shortly after) and he genuinely missed you more than he cared to admit. Additionally, Avdol was very certain that their group could protect you with the combination of knowledge and power they had.

· Avdol kept you well protected while you travelled. Nobody suspicious even got close to you while you were near him.

· He guided you away from dangerous situations with a hand around your waist and a smile on his face. You never even knew there was a problem. Those who got too close quickly found themselves at the mercy of Magician’s Red.

· Even if you couldn’t see his stand, the warmth of its presence would quickly alert you to its appearance. If you could see it though, Avdol would find it harder to brush off things as ‘precaution’ though he would still try.

· After his initial encounter with Hol Horse, you felt your entire world shatter around you.

· That was the end of your journey with the Crusaders as, after he was stabilized, you refused to leave Avdol’s side. You tended to him as best as you could while secretly hoping that he wouldn’t rejoin their quest after this injury.

· But as he recovered you realised that wouldn’t be an option.

· You volunteered to come with him again. Though you hadn’t been much help on the earlier parts of the journey, he was still injured and could probably use your assistance.

· The incident had been frightening to both of you however and when he next left, you weren’t with him. Before he left, you clutched at his clothing in a silent plead for him to stay.

· After the submarine disappeared beneath the waves, you sat down on the beach and just stared at the ocean for hours to come.

· You got to India before he noticed you and it was a complete accident.

· There was a problem with your hotel booking so you had to remain in the lobby for longer than anticipated – a hand propped on your hip and a bored expression on your face. You hadn’t anticipated that the group would make their way downstairs again, a problem with some missing room service.

· Honestly, he really should have noticed sooner given that the additional charges were coming from his account.

· To the others, nothing was wrong. Joseph just kind of stopped walking and you offered a simple smile in hopes that neither of your covers would be blown.

· He didn’t allow that to last.

· His shout of confusion made everybody jump and you turned around sheepishly. There were a few seconds while the rest of the group realised that you were the source of the commotion so you volunteered your information.

· You had been worried after Joseph’s stand developed (having been there when it happened) and you realised something dangerous was going on. While you weren’t planning on getting involved, surely it couldn’t help to at least know what was happening. From his stories, he didn’t exactly live the quiet life.

· Avdol – having met you before – had a feeling that you were trailing him and is pleasantly surprised to be proved correct.

· Joseph was irritated and worried and happy all at once which resulted in a half-hearted but very loud complaint about why you couldn’t understand what the word ‘dangerous’ means.

· He immediately demanded that you take the first plane home and you very simply responded with ‘no’.

· This resulted in a pretty one-sided argument where he continuously tried to urge you to stop being stubborn and just get back to safety. Your response remained the same to pretty much everything until eventually you just smiled and said that it was good to see him.

· That flustered him enough to cut off his tirade.

· A small silence was broken by the return of the hotel receptionist who couldn’t find a spare room to make up for the booking not coming through on their system. She began apologising when Joseph cut her off.

· It didn’t matter, you would be staying with him either way.

· Avdol sighed and commented something about having to change rooms when the question was finally asked by a very irate Jotaro.

· Who the fuck were you?

· There was a great deal of awkward stammering from Joseph before he eventually settled on saying that you were his assistant. You raised an eyebrow at that but went along with it.

· Though it was obvious that nobody believed it, the matter of your identity wasn’t pushed any further.

· You stuck around after that, mostly remaining at the hotel, and occasionally getting slightly hurt. Joseph made very sure that you remained far from any potential stands and you really didn’t mind that all too much.

· A rule was quickly made to make sure you weren’t ever left alone but that was just fine. You ended up dragging Joseph into too many stores, him complaining about it all the while, until you both left with at least one bag each.

· Jotaro didn’t warm up to you for a long time and even then, it’s more tolerance than anything else.

· The trip didn’t leave you badly injured but it strengthened your relationship with Joseph more than you had ever expected.

[helpimhyperfixating]

What if all the stardust crusaders were also mermen?

This is my first time writing for the other Jojo’s, so I’m sorry if they’re ooc. I tried 🤷‍♀️

Didn’t know exactly what you wanted so I just did some random things XD (sorry for the weird formatting)

What if the Crusaders were also Mermen? Chaos, that’s what. Just imagine a journey across the seas just to beat up the sea snake that is Dio, but then think ten times harder. Going from the Pacific Ocean, to the Indian Ocean, into the Arabian Sea all just to get his ass.

Enemies are still sent by Dio, but now Dark Blue Moon is no longer special, kek. No but, while the enemies remain similar, Stands aren’t really a thing and therefore it becomes more a fight of physical strength. When Mer can come in all sorts of shapes, colours and sizes however, the battles always remain with an unsure outcome. Vanilla Ice the Giant Squid was a very close call.

The journey itself was tiresome, with them having to swim the entire way instead of being able to use transportation. Not to even mention other things. Every day is chaos - not even taking enemies into account - when travelling with the crusaders:

Polnareff won’t have to worry about clean toilets for once but still always seems to be complaining about something, Kakyoin and Jotaro are both still adolescents so they don’t quite have a grip on their instincts yet, more easily distracted by small things such as animals they don’t yet know or a shape quickly fluttering away in the current (must be chased and caught!!!), Joseph is basically an overgrown adolescent even if he is the patriarch of the pod so he usually shoots along with his grandson and friend. Iggy is there but then he isn’t??? And then he is again?? All in all, Avdol should get a medal, award, title, anything and everything really for his patience and ability to keep the others on track and keep them going.

Now, personality wise:

The Joestar pod is a big one. Family and friends coming together over time to form a larger and larger pod until it is eventually one of the largest out there. All kinds of Mer have come together to form this giant family unit and - apart from one defect (Dio) - it has stayed surprisingly tight knit.

Jonathan:

He is the pod patriarch, making the decisions together with Erina, who is the matriarch.

Super protective of the pod. Would shield the entire family with his body if he could. But since he can’t he’ll settle for just shielding all the pups, since the others can protect themselves. He is large enough to do so anyways.

Best play mate possible. All the pups love him.

I imagine he either has the body of a seal, or a blue whale. Very different yes, but he is just an excited ginormous puppy, hence the seal. But he is also a gentle giant, hence the blue whale. And also... other, more obvious reasons (*cough* he buff and giant *cough*).

Joseph:

In his younger years, he is the bane of existence of all the adults in the pod. In both his adolescent as well as young adult/adult stage, Joseph is a hyperactive troublemaker. More than once he has snuck out of pod territory, only to come fleeing back with an angry sea creature on his tail, needing resident buff protector Jonathan to step up and chase his attacker off.

In his older years, he has mellowed out a bit, needing to be since he inherited the position of pod patriarch from Jonathan. He is however, still a prankster and always will be. He will play a prank on the pups every so often where he pretends to have died in the night when they come get him for meal- or play time (He’s been scolded by Suzie Q for that after one of the pups burst out crying. He promised to never do it again, but he definitely will).

I imagine he has the lower body of a dolphin. Dolphins can be real assholes. But also very playful and agile, which Joseph stays, no matter his age. Either that, or a sawfish. Their faces look a little silly, but don’t bloody mess with them. They are fast as all hell and they can also get to be fujking big. About 7 meters (23 feet) on average to be exact. But then again, Joseph wouldn’t get the face so he has nothing to worry about.

Jotaro:

Oh, Jotaro. Our resident grumpy Mer. In a pod dynamic he usually has one of two moods. Tolerant, or, leave me the fuck alone. Usually it is the latter.

Surprisingly enough however, his personality seems to appeal to several of the pups. It’s about a 50/50 chance whether they’ll be scared of him, or think he is the coolest. Oftentimes a disgruntled Jotaro can be seen, followed by about two or three small Mer who are chatting his ears off or chewing on his side fins as they teeth.

Thanks to this, Jotaro is often the one who goes hunting. It finally gives him a bit of that peace and quiet he needs. Yare yare indeed.

I imagine Jotaro to have the body of a bull shark. Not the biggest or most aggressive shark out there, but part of the top 3 for sure. Also, Mer have the tendency to have their tails be bigger than their animal counterpart, such is definitely the case with Jotaro. Male bull sharks averaging in about 2 meters in length while just Jotaro’s tail is already almost double that.

Josuke:

Josuke has inherited some of his father’s hyperactivity unfortunately. The young Mer can often be heard from a mile away whenever he is hanging out with his friends.

Speaking of which, one day Josuke just turned up with several Mer in need of a home. Guess they’re part of the pod now!

Josuke is always quick to help anyone who needs it though. Need a hand? Josuke is there. Want someone to watch the pups? Might be a bit of a hazard, but Josuke will gladly do so. Need something that is very specific and probably quite a swim-distance away? Josuke is already on his way there.

He just wants to help and be useful, let him do stuff please 🥺

Still somehow has his hairdo, even underwater.

I drew Josuke as a Nurse shark a little while back, but for some reason I can also really see him being a sting ray?? I don’t know why, I think a sting ray fits him but that may be my bias towards stingrays.

But the lower half I can really see him having is that of a sailfish. (Have you seen the sails on those fish? They are just as impressive as Josuke’s hair. It’s a perfect match) they are fast as fuck boiiiiii, perfect for our lovable goof.

Either that or he is an otter cause they are bloody adorablez

Giorno:

Giorno wasn’t born as part of the Joestar pod unfortunately. Growing up, his father, Dio, had different goals and morals and broke away from the Joestar pod. Oftentimes Giorno heard him talk about the old pod he was once a part of, and how he vowed to wipe it from the sea.

This sparked a curiosity in the young Mer and when he was old enough, he decided to just up and leave the Brando pod. His initial goal was to find the Joestar pod he had heard so much about, but on his travels, he came across a different one. After spending some time with them, he decided to remain with Bucciarati and his pod of misfits.

All kinds of sea creatures flock to Giorno. For some reason, the calm and confident aura he gives off makes many animals feel safe and protected, hiding under or against his body if he is resting or sitting down on the ocean floor, or - if Giorno allows it - following him as he swims.

Giorno. Hmm, Giorno. I think he might have the lower body of a barracuda or a lion fish. Sleek, streamlined, dangerous. Or, pretty, yet hard to approach with his poisonous spikes poised unless he trusts you and allows you near. His spikes will lie as flat down his body as he can get them to show this. Not many Mer have this honour.

(Or he is part of the requiem shark family, lols, sorry I had to)

Jolyne:

Jolyne can be energetic or standoffish, you can never really tell which of the two it will be. Her dynamic in the pod differs from day to day depending on her mood, but when it comes to it, there is nothing she won’t do for it.

Very playful and giddy. Loves to hang out with her best friends and is the unofficial appointed forager with how much stuff she brings back whenever she goes for a swim.

Jolyne’s lower half. Hum hmm. Her body either somewhat resembles a butterfly fish, only- updated to be more mermaid like by being more stretched out, her tail fin mainly resembling the fish while her tail is more classic. It’s very pretty though and she somehow has some octopus genes in her, making her able to change colours, which she absolutely loves to do, nearly coming in with a new colour every day (though she has a few favourites) Either that, or she resembles her dad a little more with the lower half of a spinner shark. She’s sleek and agile. A swift and dangerous predator you should not mess with. She might look harmless when she’s chatting with her friends, but when she is spinning at you with claws poised and no way to escape, you’d click a different tune.

Haven’t read part 7 or 8 yet, sorry :(

[arrowflier]

Fic prompt: How do people who tangentially know Ian react when Gay Jesus goes viral? Do they reach out to Ian/the Gallaghers? Lip's college friends, Milkovich cousins, ROTC classmates, Kash and Linda ... Is Gus Pfender telling someone Gay Jesus was his brother-in-law for 4 seconds? :D

I Heard it Through the Grapevine

“This is a pretty new one,” Gus Pfender said into the mic, sitting onstage at a little bar on the outskirts of New York City. “About a girl I knew a while back. A girl that was totally crazy, you all know the type.” He paused and waited for the knowing laughter to die down.

“No, but really though, she was!” he continued, idly tapping on the neck of his guitar as he talked. “She got me to marry her and everything, then slept with her ex, then tried to marry some other guy before we were even separated! Can you believe that?”

The laughter was more awkward that time, but he didn’t notice.

“Anyway, turns out she came by crazy honestly, runs in the family or something.” Even his band mates were starting to get a little antsy behind him, but he wasn’t quite done throwing his ex under the metaphorical bus.

“Yeah, get this—her little brother started a cult, called himself Gay Jesus or somethin’. Just saw him on the news—he blew up a van!” Gus laughed so hard he almost fell off his stool, but the audience was quiet.

The drummer cleared his throat behind him, and Gus finally got with the program, righting himself and coughing into the mic before saying, “Anyway, here it is; sing along loud if you know it, maybe she’ll hear us all the way back in Chicago.”

And he launched into the opening chords of “Fuck You Fiona”.

In the audience, Mandy Milkovich straightened up at the first round of Fiona’s name echoing around the dimly lit room. Her date—well, her client—touched her arm, and she jerked away before she could remember herself. Remember that she was supposed to like being touched, now.

“Sorry,” she simpered at the short older man, putting her hand on his when he let it fall to the table between them. “You just surprised me, hun.”

She smiled at him sweetly, pressing her tongue to the back of her teeth until it hurt. “Be right back,” she promised him quickly, before standing and grabbing her purse from the back of her chair. “Just need to go freshen up for you.”

She cringed as she said it, but it had the desired effect, the man just waving her away as he turned his attention back to the stage just in time for the rousing chorus of “fuck you”.

As soon as the bathroom door slammed shut behind her, Mandy was leaning over the sink, breathing heavily. Chicago. Fiona. Crazy family. Little brother.

Ian.

She fumbled in her purse for her phone, a sleek black thing that one of her more dedicated clients had bought for her. She swiped past the homescreen that he had set to a picture of the two of them, and opened up her browser.

Ian Gallagher she typed in, holding her breath as the results of the search loaded.

It came out in a single whoosh when she saw it, leaving her limp against the dirty porcelain.

Chicago’s Ian ‘Gay Jesus’ Gallagher Charged with Arson and Destruction of Property read the very top headline. Mandy skimmed the rest through the tears that filled her eyes, not daring to let them fall.

Ian Gallagher, middle child of six, pled guilty by reason of insanity at his trial last week, claiming his unmedicated bipolar disorder was the reason for his irrational behavior.

Oh god, Ian.

Last time she saw him, Ian had his shit together. He had a job, and a boyfriend, and he was taking his meds, and he kept her calm and helped her deal with a fucking body and gave her a place to stay for the night. What had happened since then? How had things gone so wrong for him again?

She didn’t know. She needed to know. She needed to know that he was okay.

Mandy bit her lip, mind racing as she considered her options. None of them were good. Mickey was gone. She didn’t speak to the rest of her family. She could call Iggy, or Colin she supposed, but she wasn’t even sure they weren’t in jail themselves. Besides, if they weren’t, she didn’t want Terry overhearing.

With shaking hands, she dialed a number she had been pretending she didn’t know, instead. A number that she had been trying her best to forget.

Phillip Gallagher picked up on the very first ring.

“Yeah, alright. No, I know, Mandy. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you posted.”

Lip sighed as he pressed the end call button, rubbing a hand over his face. Joaquin, sitting next to him, blew a stream of smoke in Lip’s face until he straightened again, coughing.

“The hell was that for, asshole?” he asked, waving the smoke away. “You know how much shit I’m gonna get if Tami smells that on me?”

Joaquin snorted. “Still can’t believe you shacked up with your baby-mamma, man,” he teased. “You have a kid now, what the fuck?”

“Yeah, well,” Lip muttered, reaching over to steal the joint right out of his hand despite his warnings about the smell. “A lot of things have changed since the last time I saw you.”

No shit. The last time Joaquin had seen Lip Gallagher, he’d been helping him steal money from the high-end startup Lip was working for. Then he’d just disappeared, only to wander into the little cafe where Joaquin liked to take lunch just a few days ago. They’d been catching up a little bit each day since, but Joaquin’s head was still spinning trying to equate this short-haired, run-down family man with the brilliant guy he knew back in the day.

“So, who was that?” Joaquin pried. “Who’s Mandy? You two-timing your girl already, Gallagher?”

“Fuck no,” Lip exclaimed, nearly spitting out the joint. Joaquin snatched it back immediately—the Gallagher he knew never would have risked the good stuff like that.

“No,” Lip repeated more calmly. “I uh, used to date her,” he revealed. “Before I knew you. But that was a long time ago.”

Joaquin nodded. “So what’s she callin’ you for then?”

Lip rubbed at his lip—Joaquin giggled in his head at that thought—and went quiet for a long moment. Joaquin just sat by him and smoked, content to wait it out.

“She was asking about my brother,” Lip answered finally. “They were friends.”

“Which brother?” Joaquin questioned. “The janitor, or the crazy one?”

Lip eyed him oddly. “The janitor is the crazy one,” he said, but Joaquin shook his head.

“No, no,” he rambled, “the little guy, the one you thought was dealin’.”

“Carl?” Lip clarified, and laughed, fingers picking idly at the knee of his jeans. “Nah, Carl’s actually doin’ alright now, I think. It’s Ian. The one you met.”

“What’s goin’ on with him?”

Lip hesitated, and then, “You heard about Gay Jesus?” he asked, and Joaquin felt his eyes go wide. He almost dropped the joint himself this time.

“No way,” he breathed out. “That was him?” He gestured wildly. “With the kids, and the cult, and the van?”

“That was him,” Lip confirmed grimly. “Off his meds, we think. That’s what he says, at least.”

Joaquin whistled, and handed the joint back. “Think you need this more than me right now,” he said.

Lip didn’t disagree when he took it.

Linda looked up when a stranger entered her store, then promptly rolled her eyes and went back to her magazine. The kids were with the sitter and the store was practically empty, so there was no reason not to take some time for herself for once. A single stoner wandering around the aisles wasn’t that much of a concern.

Still, she kept an eye on him as he poked through what they had to offer. He wasn’t bad looking, despite his floppy hair and red-rimmed eyes—reminded her a little bit of a young Kash, even.

She promptly hated herself for thinking of her absent, no-good husband, and hated the stranger in the store for making her do it.

So when he finally came to the counter, holding two bags of chips and a Red Bull, she might have been just a tad ruder than normal.

“Put it on the counter,” she ordered gruffly when he just stood there, staring into space.

“Whoa, yeah, sorry, sorry,” he rambled, doing as he was bid. “Just came from visiting a buddy, guess I left my mind behind a bit, huh?” He giggled. A grown man just giggled in her store.

“Maybe you know them, the Gallaghers?” He continued while she rang him up. Her hands barely paused when she heard the name. That was a long time ago, and they didn’t come here anymore.

The stoner was still talking, though. “Man they’ve had some bad luck, you know?” He shook his head. “First with Lip’s stuff, now his brother again?”

Linda stilled, bag of chips still in hand.

“Which brother?” she asked despite herself. She shouldn’t care, but somehow she still did. That little shit had stolen her husband, got his boyfriend shot in her store, and bailed on her with no warning, but when he had been there, he had been good to her. Helped her run the store, even helped her with the kids if she begged. She’d been sad to hear it when he went off the rails, but the rumor around town was that he was doing better, now.

“The crazy red-haired one,” the stoner answered, and she guessed a rumor was all it had been. “They call him Gay Jesus now, he blew up a van and everything.”

“Ten seventy-five,” she told him, not commenting any more on the topic. It wasn’t her business.

But as the stranger walked out the door, leaving her to her magazine again, she considered sending some sort of basket to the Gallagher house. For old time’s sake.

She was so caught up in her thoughts, she didn’t even notice the bell over the door ring a second time as someone else hurried out.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Iggy Milkovich muttered to himself as he rushed off down the street away from the Kash’N’Grab, forgetting to even steal anything in his hurry.

Ian fucking Gallagher. Gay fucking Jesus. How had nobody around him seen that coming?

Iggy remembered when Ian was living with them, before he went crazy the first time. Or while he went crazy the first time? Who fucking knew, that kid was always off the rails if he thought taking up with Iggy’s kid brother right under Terry’s nose was a good fucking idea.

But there was that one time, when things were mostly still going good, when he remembered hearing Mickey talk to his boy about crashing some funeral. A funeral for a fairy soldier that Ian knew when he was going by his brother’s name out at bootcamp. They’d come home from that thing with Ian practically vibrating, bouncing off the walls with fury at the protest they had wandered into, and he had seen the way it made Mickey freak out.

Mickey was in Mexico now. Iggy knew that. Everybody fucking knew that, even if they pretended they didn’t. And it was a bad fucking idea for him to find out about this, for so many reasons.

But Iggy couldn’t do that to his brother. He couldn’t hide something like this. And if Mickey found out some other way, from someone else…well. There was no saying what stupid shit that fucker might do.

So when he got home, he hit the bong to calm his racing heart. Then he picked up the phone, and dialed a number he wasn’t supposed to know.

“Yeah, thanks Ig,” Mickey said into his burner phone. “I already knew.”

His partner for the day, some new cartel wannabe that got paired up with the Gringo to see how he managed the streets, gave him a weird look as he shoved the phone into the pocket of his jeans.

“Who was that?” the burly man asked, voice rough, and Mickey rolled his eyes.

“Your girlfriend,” he answered dryly. “Wanted to know if I had dropped your ass in the grave yet so we can go fuck in peace.”

The idiot looked like he actually believed it, and Mickey snorted.

“A fuckin’ contact, okay?” he revealed. “And none of your fuckin’ business ‘til you manage to climb the ladder past ‘basic bitch errand boy’, so get the shit and let’s get movin’.”

At least the moron followed instructions.

Mickey wiped a hand over his face while the other man’s back was turned, gathering himself. It was confirmed, then. First by those weird-ass rainbow shirts, and now by Iggy, who wouldn’t lie to him about something like that. Ian Gallagher had gotten himself in trouble, and Mickey wasn’t there to save him this time.

He sighed as his partner came back with the rest of the goods, and they set off to a new position on the next corner.

One way or another, it looked like Mickey Milkovich was going back to Chicago.

[ahoge-fish]

AU where Alex is a marine biologist and the Crusaders are a pod of mermen who save her from drowning and eventually befriend her. also Iggy is a seal

To the rescue!

Alexandra's team was on the boat getting ready for their last dive in that territory, checking their equipment to make sure that there wouldn't be any problems.

Their ask was to check on some corals that were under control. Easy, right?

Well, at first yes. It all went well.

They dive down to the corals, the water was pretty deep and it was even deeper where there weren't any other corals that they had to check.

Alex and her dive buddy were... not so friendly towards each other in that period. But for being young adults, they were mature and they knew that if something went wrong, they had to collab to not end up dead in the ocean.

So they made this agreement and they were all good.

Or at least that's what she thought.

They stayed under the water for a pretty long time, noting everything on their waterproof notepads. They also saw some fish swimming in that zone.

When everyone was low on air, it was time they had to go up.

Alex's dive buddy makes her a thumbs up, telling her to get on the boat.

The young woman being distracted with the wonderful world underwater didn't even notice that it was time to go. So she checked her air on her divecomputer and it was a little bit low.

But Alexandra was not done finishing her work, so she pointed at him and then made a thumbs up to tell him to go without her.

And that was her biggest mistake. It was even her buddy's mistake because instead of insisting to go up together, he just shrugged and leaved her.

Then the current started to increase. Strange, when they checked if there was to be any current they saw that the sea was supposed to be calm that day...

So after that, Alex decided to go up. She saw from afar that her teammates were doing the same, while others where already at the top doing some decompression safety stop. Near them was her dive buddy.

But when she took her last glance at the coral reef, she saw a turtle that was struggling to swim. So Alex started swimming towards it.

She saw that a fishing net was around its fin and now also around some corals, making the turtle unable to move.

The young woman took her diving knife and then started to cut first the net around the turtle's fin. She had to be very careful since the net was tightly wrapped around it. That must be feeling painful, poor guy.

After the turtle was free, it swimmed happly away and Alex waved slightly at it; putting the net in her little bag. She then looked at the coral and started carefully cutting the net from it.

In the mean time, the current started to increase by a lot, making it difficult to stay in place.

But Alex didn't want to go up after she cut all the net from the coral. It was difficult, because the current kept moving her to the side.

She tried her best not to kick with her fins on the corals under her and by doing that, she failed in remaining still.

The current increased enormously and Alex was trying her best not to go too far from the boat.

Then when she tried to swim up, she notices that it was very difficult to do so. And then she realized:

She was cought in a down current.

Water kept pushing her far and down while she tried to swim against it. It was exhausting.

She tried to keep her breath steady to not consume any more air, but it was nearly impossible since she was doing so much work with her legs and she also started to panick a bit.

She couldn't even hold her breath to avoid using more air, because doing so was very dangerous. She must continue to breath underwater no matter what.

While she was kicking hard to try going against the current, she checked her divecomputer and she was dangerously low on air.

She snapped her head towards her dive buddy that now, was very far from her. That bastard! He didn't even bother checking if his dive buddy was coming up. And she couldn't even see her other teammates!

So she understood that she had to go through this alone.

She tried to hold herself by grabbing some corals and rocks, but she kept slipping from them and also sadly breaking some of the fragile and sick corals.

She thought to put more air in her BC, but then it would've costed her some precious air. And as said before, she couldn't even hold her breath under that depth.

She then thought to put just a little bit of air in her BC and then taking off her weight belt, but even that would've been dangerous. She could've popped out from the water like a ball after you forcefully put it underwater! And she wouldn't even be able to do a decompression safety stop, causing her decompression sickness.

While she thought of that, her legs started to slow down for exhaustion and the very strong current kept dragging her far and deep from the boat; into the depht of the ocean.

She was officially panicking, favoring to the fact of her breathing faster and consuming more and more air.

She checked one more time her dive computer and saw that the tank was almost empty.

Tears of fear started creating in her eyes. She was starting to feel dizzy from the panicking and the exhaustion.

When her head started spinning, she thought 'fuck it' and decided to put some air in her BC. With the little air that remained, she took one last short breath and put the rest in her BC.

This situation was extremely dangerous.

Her vision started to black out when she tried to reach for her weight belt.

Before she could've even do it, all of her strenght leaved her body and all she saw was black.

She let the current dragging her far and deep.

It was the end for her. She fucked up really bad this time, but no one could've scold her after hearing from her this absurd story.

Because dead men tell no tales. (See what I did there? R e f e r e n c e)

----

Alexandra had still her eyes closed, but she felt weird. Like she was out of the water and she felt... warm?

Is this what the afterlife was like? Weird and warm?

Alex then tried to process if she was standing up in front of the heaven's door or laying on the ground. Or perhaps... sand?

She even heard the waves crushing on the shore. So she felt warm, sand under her hands and waves. Huh. Heaven must take in your favourite place to go apparently.

She then heared some voices, but she couldn't understand what they were saying. Maybe they were the angles.

Alex's vision slowly went from black to red, due to the light passing through her eyelids. She squeezed them and managed to move her head a little.

Then she heard like something was dragged on the sand, and then heard a voice saying something.

Alex heard some other dragging on the sand and other noises coming towards her, before slowly opening her eyes, regretting instantly doing so for the strong light.

Before shutting them again, she saw some strange figures towering on her. Damn those angels were massive.

She fluttered again her eyes open, weakly bringing her hand towards her face to rubbing one of them.

When she finally decided to give them a better look, that's when she realized that maybe those weren't angels.

They were mermans.

She widened her eyes and slowly moved from a laying position to a sitting one. But she then started coughing.

While she was doing that, the red-headed merman patted her back to help her cough out all of the water.

In the mean time, the others speaked to her telling their names and what happened.

There was even a seal!

And those mermans where huge. Like, okay she had a little body in the first place, but damn these guys were big.

They told Alex that they saw her sinking to the bottom, so they picked her up and brought her there.

They didn't brought her to her crew, because it was too risky for them, but hey at least she was alive!

She was alive...

At the thought, Alex started crying from happiness. The silver-haired merman named Polnareff approached her and hugged her.

But then she asked why they saved her. The older merman simply said that they saw how she treated the marine life in these days that she was here. She was so kind a gentle. Man that day she even risked her life for saving that turtle and remove the fishing net from the corals!

They understood that she was part of that little slice of "good humans", so letting her die when they could've saved her seemed a waste.

She thought that no one deserved to die, especially in a scary way that she experienced. But at least she was glad that she was still alive.

They asked her what happened, and even if she doubted that they knew how the diving gear worked, she told them anyways about what she experienced.

But then it clicked: where the hell was she and how she'll get home? The mermans at that reassured her that she wasn't so far from the land lived by people.

Of course her crew would've be panicking, but they couldn't go dive again and search for her that same day. Following that, they might've have thought that she was dead or that the strong current brought her away.

Either way, someone had to search for her. But how much time could've that take? Maybe tomorrow she'll be home? Will it take some days, weeks? Will they even find her? Would her crew even report that she was missing?

The young woman started to worry and she slighty breathed heavier than before. The ravenette merman named Jotaro noticed that and said to her to stop worring. He reminded her that they weren't so far from land, so sooner or later someone that fished in that zone would've spotted her and helped her.

Polnareff then suggested to take her directly where the other humans lived, but the dark skinned merman named Abdul responded saying that it was too dangerous; he then said that waiting was the best option. He finally said that they could've helped her by bringing her food while she waited for someone to come and rescue her.

After some other arguments, they sticked up to Jotaro and Abdul's plan.

Since Alex started her dive early in the morning, it was just late afternoon in that moment. The sun was close to setting, but it was still there making light and making warmth.

And since it was hot, she decided to take off her wetsuit and to remain just in her bikini. Polnareff was immediately fascinated by her smooth legs, and so he started being his flirty self; making the other sigh and laugh.

Their time together on that island passed with talking, laughing and knowing eachother. All good memories.

She slept on the sand and even if she told the mermans that she will be alright during the night, they insisted on taking turns to stay with her while she rested and recovered.

The next evening, fortunately, Alex was rescued and brought to her crew.

The young woman and her dive buddy made peace with eachother and they promised to not make any other mistakes in the future.

But it wasn't a goodbye for Alex and the mermans, since they promised to see eachother again.

And as it said, it happened.

★★★★

Idk about you guys, but the draw that I've made + knowing that they looking at Alex layed on the sand kinda reminds me of this photo

And I've said everything. Have a good day >;)

[satanisnotapogostick]

sam playlist liner notes

1. jesse got trapped in a coal mine – goodnight, texas

dean picking sam up from stanford in the pilot: jesse getting trapped in the coal mine

(he never DID marry his girl)

2. me and bobby mcgee – kris kristofferson

to me, me and bobby mcgee is about when sam runs away from dean and hangs out with meg before she outs herself as a demon

3. dorothy - mewithoutYou

“one turned into sr. Margaret, and I said "if you can change your shape that easily can you take the form of my dead father?”… then last night I was somewhere near virginia rebuking satan with ironic faithfulness. and satan turned to me: have you thought much about that cry?"

lucifer AND john themes???? yes.

4. life during wartime – talking heads

this song is sam adjusting to being a hunter and being at war, where he’ll stay for the rest of his life <3

5. this is how we do things in the country – slim cessna’s auto club

ok so this song is about sam killing madison. when you murder the girl you’re sweet on but it’s righteous and everyone thanks you for it. this is how it’s always been! this is how we do things in the country! (and also getting amy killed, a little bit, but that hasn’t happened yet. this is still early seasons)

6. clampdown – the clamp

“the voices in your head are calling. stop wasting your time, there's nothing coming, only a fool would think someone could save you… but you grow up and you calm down, and you're working for the clampdown.”

damn maybe we’re not the good guys. anyway!!

7. smith & jones forever – silver jews

smith & jones (salmondean) together!! forever!!

8. everything you did – steely dan

oh bro you slutted around with a demon and let satan out. what have you done

9. tortoises all the way down - mewithoutYou

“everybody knows, son. everybody knows what you've done!!”

just crazyass guilt song

10. up jumped the devil – nick cave

the tiger. he destroyed his cage. yes. YES. the tiger is out.

11. (ghost) riders in the sky – marty robbins

“then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride. tryin’ to catch the devil herd across these endless skies”

just s5 endless chase vibes

12. needle in the hay – elliott smith

demon blood detox time baby

13. emperor – mark lanegan

“why can’t I get right? all these demons to enslave me. who’s left to fight? oh, just the emperor.” the emperor being lucifer. obviously.

14. skating away (on the thin ice of a new day) – jethro tull

they have the horseman rings!! sam’s about to jump into the cage!! your world is about to end, but it’s okay!! you’ve done it!!

15. the passenger – iggy pop

and lol now he’s possessed by lucifer

16. the mercy seat – nick cave

okay now we’re at stull and he’s REALLY going to the gallows (jumping in)

17. when you die - MGMT

I imagine this song happening during the fall itself from stull into the cage. honestly this is a weaker entry but like. haha tfw you die

18. fifteen feet of pure white snow – nick cave

thee cage song.

“I waved to my neighbot, my neighbor waved to me. but my neighbor is my enemy. I kept waving my arms til I could not see, under fifteen feet of pure white snow. is anyone out there please? it’s too quiet in here and I’ve beginning to freeze. I’ve got icicles hanging from my knees, under fifteen feet of pure white snow”

you’ve even got icy temperature themes!

19. loverman – nick cave

yeah <3

“there’s a devil waiting outside your door (how much longer?) there’s a devil waiting outside your door and he’s bucking and braying and pawing at the floor and he’s howling with pain and crawling up the walls…. loverman!!! till the bitter end!!! while empires burn down forever and ever and ever and ever amen”

nick cave count: 4

20. satan it’s you – jett screams

@polishnatural recommendation. cellmates (and bunk buddies) with the devil in hell type vibes

21. relax, take it easy - mika

the war has already been won and nothing that happens in here has any effect on the real world. why not relax into the simplicity of it all!! (sometimes it’s just better when things are bad type vibes)

22. don’t lose your temper - xtc

we’re out of the cage! and starting strong with a mocking song bc he already lost his temper and grew mild and that’s why he’s too tired to fight. so this is the only hallucifer era song on the playlist

23. first wave intact – secret machines

war metaphors. extended wars. unwinnable wars.

“I wonder what you're waiting for. I wonder what you're working for. I wonder what you're living for. I wonder what you're dying for”

same king

24. mexican war streets - mewithoutYou

“but how long before our tails are caught by our "free" thought?” INDEED

“nature had another plan (& failed to run it by me!) nature had another plan, some other surrogate self to live in the sediment of so many somebody elses' innumerable lives and you were right: it's not a person who dies but worlds die inside us”

SO TRUE. we’re fully breaking into late seasons here

mwY count: 3

25. screen shot - swans

these are all sam’s meditation mantras. he’s offering a course: how to become okay with really horrible situations that you are also complicit in. “love! now! breathe! now! love! now! breathe! now!”

26. god’s away on business – tom waits

IT WASN’T GOD IN YOUR HEAD SAM

27. when the lights come on – they might be giants

when the lights come on (when lucifer brings you back to life)

28. light’s on

TWO songs about sam’s resurrection at lucifer’s hands??? yeah ;)

“the lights are on, you don’t know just who your friends are. the lights are on, and it’s light you’ll never know”

29. devil’s resting place – laura marling

I mean. yeah. his time in the cage with the devil coming back to haunt him

30. failure - swans

see my edit that I won’t link bc I can’t find. but anyway yeah. this guy fails a lot

31. last song about satan – slim cessna’s auto club

ding dong the devil is dead!!

32. president – max frost

@girlkingsam recommendation. late seasons sam vibes for sure. plus this song can be read as being about hell politics which is fun. I don’t give a damn who’s president (of hell)!

33. the road goes on forever – the highwayen

cycles of violence, etc. the road goes on forever, nothing ever (really) changes. (also yes sonny is dean and sherry is sam. I guess)

34. careers in combat – parquet courts

the namesake of my little fanfiction.

“there are no more summer lifeguard jobs, there are no more art museums to guard. the lab is out of white lab coats cause there are no more slides and microscopes. but there are still careers in combat my son!!!”

king of hell ending please please you’re nothing. anyway he’s been at war his whole life and war is his legacy. anyway.

[mehbzz]

FFXV A/B/O au 18+ includes fingering, yandere, controlling behaviour, alludes to forced breeding, depression, mentions of self harm, low self esteem/weight issues. F!reader/Ignis/Gladio

So this was going to be a pretty dark forced breeding kinda fic but my mood changed and it ended up being half the beginning of a forced breeding fic and half depressed reader suffering from a depressive episode. The change in my mood is very noticeable half way though and probably a little jarring so we shall pretend that the second half happens a month or two after the first half, when the topic of kids has been soothed over and temporarily forgotten! No proofreading, no beta.

EDIT- Just correcting a typo that was annoying me!

“….having children.”

“What??” You’d been spacing out, a mixture of the Eos version of antidepressants you were taking and the fact that this meeting with King Regis was more than a little boring. Or had been at least. The end of Regis’ sentence shocks you back into reality abruptly.

Ignis shushes you quietly and you look at him aghast, but he ignores you, focusing on the King.

“Apologies Your Majesty.” Regis briefly glances at you then back to Ignis, “She is your mate? Bonded?” “Yes Your Majesty, myself and Gladiolus.”

Regis looks back at you “And the nature of your relationship with my son is….?”

Ignis answers before you can, “She is companion to all pack members.”

“Can she speak for herself?” Your gaze flicks to Ignis and he nods. “Yes Your Majesty I can.” You feel foolish and more than a little embarrassed as your voice echoes in the hall.

“Your pack keeps you close, understandably so, although I have heard you do not have much freedom?” The King watches you, waiting for a reply you think but you’re not sure what to say. “She’s very quiet isn’t she?” It feels like a jab, and you look at Ignis for direction who looks uncomfortable. He shakes his head minutely so you bite your tongue. Regis sighs and you feel a little like you just missed an opportunity.

“I believe that as Pack Alpha and as The Prince of Lucis Noctis should have first breeding rights.”

Ignis freezes and you bite your tongue so hard you taste blood. Breeding rights?? “I am unsure if that is something Noctis –“

“It doesn't matter,” The King interrupts with a wave of his hand. “I let my son live as independently as possible, and have allowed him to start his own pack but having an omega is an opportunity to continue the Caelum line. An opportunity we may not see again and one that should not be denied.”

You feel incredibly taken off guard with this whole conversation. “You cannot be – “

Ignis grabs your hand and silences you with a tight squeeze of your fingers. You must be dreaming right? This is not truly happening. The floor feels like its tilting beneath you and you have to look down at your feet to make sure it’s not.

“I will let you discuss it with Noctis and within your pack but I hope you will not forget my opinion or interest in this matter.” Regis gazes at you for a few seconds. “Apologise to Noctis on my behalf, I will not be able to make our dinner this evening.”

Ignis bows and you reluctantly do the same. You feel dazed. Ignis tight grip on your hand doesn’t let up as you leave the throne room. He keeps giving you concerned glances out the corner of his eye as you walk back to your quarters, but it takes you until you’re walking down the corridor to your room that you shake yourself out of your stunned stupor enough to say anything.

“Did we just negotiate over which one of you gets to knock me up?” You ask incredulous. He doesn’t answer you but he frowns at your choice of words.

“Ignis, you – please tell me I just hallucinated that whole meeting.”

He sighs “we will need to discuss it.”

“You are not serious. The answer is no!” “It's an omegas role.” He snaps and you flinch, not used to Ignis’ anger.

“My apologies. If the King has taken an interest we will need to discuss it.” he repeats.

“He cant make me have children.”

Ignis hesitates barely a fraction of a second but it’s enough to send a pulse of terror through you that he immediately picks up on. he stops, turning towards you and cradling your face in his hands. “I nor the rest of your pack would force you into anything you didn’t want love.” He lets you go and takes your hands again. “However it is the future of the royal bloodline, it will be something we need to talk about seriously in the future, whether we want to or not.” “We do not! I don’t want kids Ignis!” He flinches and something dark flickers across his face as he looks at you. It’s gone before you can interpret it as he turns away, pulling you after him as he continues walking.

You feel tired. “I thought I was your mate,” you say sullenly “not Noctis’.” “You are, unfortunately it’s more complicated than that.” You think you should be more upset by this than you currently feel. The medication you were on was new and felt a lot stronger than the antidepressants you had been taking back home. It left you feeling a little more numb and placid than you think you would have been otherwise.

He stops outside your room and pulls you into a kiss. Moaning softly when you immediately respond. He’s purring, trying to comfort you and you give in to the calm emotions it provokes, not wanting to feel the disorientated confusion anymore.

He leans closer, pushing you into the wall and his hand tugs up your dress until your thighs are bare. “You did well talking to the King, I was proud of you.” His praise makes you shiver. You thought Gladio was the one with the high sex drive but as his fingers stroke up your thighs you think Ignis is just as bad. Although a little more polite and less aggressive about it perhaps.

You're both quiet as his fingers slip between your thighs and he rubs softly at your clit. He presses harder and increases his pace at your gentle sigh and you turn to bury your face into his neck as the pleasure builds. You’re panting into his neck and he has his face buried in your hair, you’re not sure why you feel like you have to be quiet but you do your best to hold back your moans. He’s saying nothing, breathing hard he slips his hand up, pressing onto your abdomen before dipping into your panties and sliding a gloved finger inside of you. He gives you no time to adjust before he starts fucking you, like he’s desperate to make you cum. His palm grinds against your clit as he adds another finger, your orgasm is building fast, and as he continues his ruthless pace you feel another kind of pressure building slowly low in your stomach. It makes you gasp out his name in mild alarm, “Sl-slow down, I’m gonna pee!” He nuzzles against your ear, his purr increasing in volume. “No you’re not love, just relax,” he nips at your ear, “Let go for me.” He curls his fingers, stroking your walls quickly in just the right way to have your back arching. It’s a quick hard orgasm that takes you by surprise and has your whole body jerking and shaking as you ride out the aftershocks, biting into his shoulder as you try to control your twitching muscles. He seems a little disappointed but he’s still purring quietly and it helps calm your racing pulse. “Good Girl” he slowly withdraws his hand and removes his gloves. Leaning around you to open your door he gives you another quick kiss. “Noctis will be disappointed about this evening, perhaps we should eat together?” Your legs feel shaky as you enter, Prompto is sat on your couch, watching what sounds like a musical and Gladio appears in front of you, pulling you into a kiss before you can even say hello. The kiss Gladio gives you is ravenous, his teeth nipping at your bottom lip. Both hands squeeze your ass as you try to pull away, conscious of the growing slick between your already wet thighs. “Gladio!” He chuckles at your breathless gasp and pulls away, letting you go. He slaps your ass hard as you walk away, almost crossing the line into genuinely painful but he only grins at your glare. You wince as you sit down next to Prompto and he gives you a sympathetic smile. He pats his knee “Lie down.”

Head resting in Prompto lap you half-heartedly watch the musical as he enthusiastically tells you the plot. You gaze flicks between the TV and Ignis and Gladio talking quietly by the door. You can’t make out what they’re saying but you have no doubt what they’re talking about. You’re still a little shook from your meeting with King Regis but you trust your pack to look after you. --------- “She looked to me for permission.” “hmm?” “When the King spoke to her. She looked to me before answering.” Gladio surprises him with a kiss to his cheek. “We trained her well.” “It’s not the way I wanted this topic brought up.” Ignis says after a few seconds and relaxes a little as Gladio strokes a hand down his back. “I didn’t realise that was what the King wished to discuss.” “Relax babe. We’ll do damage control, it’ll be fine.” Gladio watches Ignis expression closely, “She wasn’t happy with the idea I take it?” “She said No. Emphatically.” They both stand there quietly, watching you as you’re subjected to Prompto’s retelling of the film’s plot. “Accidents happen.” Gladio says quietly. Ignis frowns. “She’s on birth control and heat suppressants.” “You're in charge of her medication Iggy” Ignis finally looks at him, but says nothing. “Who can really tell one little pill from another?” Gladio shrugs. “Just saying.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Noctis said you cancelled your plans with him today.” Ignis stands next to your bed watching you. He frowns slightly when you don’t respond, gently pressing the back of his hand to your forehead. You push him away and he sits next to you on the mattress. He sits and waits watching you patiently until you give in and make eye contact with him. He's worried about you, it’s written clearly across his face and it makes you feel ill. You shrug. You're half expecting him to force you to go anyway.

“Bad day?”

You don't answer and snuggle deeper into your duvet.

“Love?”

“I'm fine,” It’s an automatic answer and a lie. “Just tired.” Not quite another lie but close enough. You are tired. Just not the type of tired that's going to be helped by the 12 hour nap you want to take. You try to force a smile but it feels awkward and it’s obviously not convincing from Ignis expression.

He sighs and cautiously shifts a little closer but you flinch away when he goes to stroke your hair. It's a dirty greasy mess and the thought of Ignis touching it fills you with disgust and embarrassment.

“Don’t.” His nostrils flare as he scents you and the surge of hatred for that invasion of privacy makes you feel physically sick. Nothing is ever just yours anymore.

“Talk to me love, I care about you.”

“Why?”

It's a choked sob and you angrily bite your lip in an effort to stop the tears.

“Because I love you.”

“Well you shouldn't.” It’s a snappy angry retort but he doesn’t flinch or pull away.

He reaches forward, gently brushing some of your hair away from your face. “Sit up.” You scowl but you do as he commands. He pulls your hair gently in to a ponytail, combing his finger slowly through it to ease the knots before tying it with a band.

“Have you eaten today?” You shake your head reluctantly. You hadn’t even got out of bed today let alone eaten or drunk anything. “Have you taken your medication?” His questions and attention are starting to irritate you. You just want to be left alone. “Love?” You shrug. You genuinely don’t remember. “I can take care of myself.” “Can you?” You don’t reply, annoyed at his patronizing, but probably correct assumption and instead lie back down and curl up into a tighter ball and try to ignore him. He sighs and entwines his fingers through yours despite your attempt to pull your hand away.

“I will go get you something to eat.”

You don’t want to eat but you want to be left alone so you nod. He looks almost sad, maybe disappointed and it feels you with a surge of guilt.

”Tell Noct I'm sorry”

“You have nothing to be sorry for love, but I will talk to him?”

It's a question and it surprises you for some reason.

You don't want him to know, it makes you feel pathetic. Ignis notices the way your thoughts have gone and links his fingers back through yours. “He'll understand.” He squeezes your hand on the last word and you look up at him. Noctis is the one most likely to understand you know that but it's still embarrassing.

“I won't tell him anything you don't want me to, just enough to ease his concerns.”

You nod reluctantly, but the thought that Noctis could genuinely be worried about you feels absurd. “Will you be safe on your own?” his gaze sweeps down your arm as he stands, you know what he’s looking for, what he’s thinking, and you feel irritated at yourself for having shared so much with him in the past. The frustration at his question is unfair, you know that but you still feel it.

“I’ll stay.” Gladio’s voice interrupts your reply. You watch with increasing exasperation as they talk quietly by the door, wishing they'd just go away before Ignis comes back to you. You squeeze your eyes shut and try to ignore his intense gaze. He presses a gentle kiss to your forehead and entwines his fingers back through yours. You crack open an eye when he doesn’t move away. He looks so concerned about you that you find yourself crying before you can stop yourself. “I’m sorry.” It’s half choked half sobbed from your throat. “You don’t need to be sorry” he repeats. He makes no move to come closer and you feel grateful for that. You don’t think you can handle too much affection without breaking down completely.

“Why do you put up with me?” you whisper, voice cracking. “I don’t do anything, I can’t fight, I can’t help with hunts, I just do nothing. I’m a burden.” “Love.” he sighs. “You are not a burden.” He kisses your palm. “You are a part of our pack. Our omega. Our mate.” He kisses you. “We love you.” “Why?” you sniffle. You can’t wrap your head around it. He wipes away your tears with a sad smile, “Because I do, because it’s you.” You’ve fooled him somehow, tricked him into loving you. Your stomach twists painfully.

“I won’t be long.” “Ok.” It’s a weak feeble reply but he doesn’t pull away from you, instead waits until you let go of his hand. You watch him leave, expecting him to go and not return now he’s seen what you are truly like until Gladio steps in front, blocking your view.

He stands next to your bed, arms crossed as he looks down at you. “Can I?”

You hesitate in answering and he takes that as a yes.

“Move over,” he says expectantly. Pushing his way into your bed and nudging you gently with his elbow when you don’t move.

You feel guilty that he’s having to stay with you, the urge to make it up to him is strong. You hook your leg over his and slide your calf over this crotch. He grunts in surprise and grabs your leg. “Relax baby.”

“You don't want to?” You're not surprised really, you probably don't look or smell very attractive right now but it still hurts. Why would he stay if you can't give him what he wants?

“Always, but we're napping right now.”

You don't believe him, and even though you don't even want to have sex you still feel the sting of rejection. He notices and presses a kiss to your forehead. Grabbing your wrist he tugs your hand to his crotch. “I'm always half hard for you omega.” And he is. You curl your hand around the bulge in his pants and squeeze tightly. His hips jerk forward and he chuckles pulling your hand away to rest on his chest. “No, don’t be naughty.”

You slump down on his chest, somewhat sullenly, still a little sore from his rejection.

You lose yourself in Gladio’s presence for a while, his heart beat strong and steady in your ear. “Wanna talk?”

“No, just cuddle.”

“I can do that.” He tightens his grip around you, pulling you until you are practically on top of him.

The self hatred comes back and you tense. You try to pull back but he tightens his hold.

“What's wrong?”

“I'm –“ Was he really going to make you say it?

“I'm heavy.” You mumble it into his chest.

“What?”

“Aren't I too heavy?”

“No you’re perfect.” he slides his hands down your sides to your ass. “I love every inch of you,” he continues his movements, gripping your thighs. “You know how much Prompto goes on about these thighs? Gets me jealous with the amount of marks he leaves on them.”

You want to cry. He freezes as your breath hitches.

“We can work on it if it's something you really want baby.” He says it hesitantly, quietly, like he's scared of upsetting you further. Linking his fingers with yours he tugs your hand to rest over his heart.

You don’t know if it is something you want, you can’t separate the dark voice in your head from the logical one. But he’s listening to you. He’s not dismissing you, and he’s definitely not ignoring you and it makes the tears run freely again. Youre not worth such care. His free hand is still wandering, soothing strokes that start at the nape of your neck, swirl down your spine to your ass and dip just barely under the hem of your shirt. It’s a soft gentle caress and even when his hands slip a little higher under your shirt there’s nothing but love and tenderness in his touch. “You’re sexy and you’re smart,” he kisses your thumb, “funny, kind,” he makes his way along your fingers with each word, a kiss pressed to the tip of each one. “brave, and my favourite kind of brat.” he nips at your pinky with the last word, before moving onto your other hand. His hands still when he hears you sniff. ”Want me to stop?”

You bury your face into his chest to hide your tears. “Yes,” you hiccup “No.”

He squeezes you tighter and lets your hand drop, resuming his touch down your back.

“and I like you on top of me,” he says his voice dropping to a low whisper “I love watching you ride me.”

His horniness is predictable, and you smile into his neck, and although it doesn't last long it is a genuine smile.

“I felt that.”

You feel him relax underneath you, he’s not purring but you feel grateful for that.

You're still tired, still sad but the heavy dark emptiness in your chest lessens slightly as you lay there and listen to Gladio’s heartbeat. You feel like you can breathe a little easier. You turn on to your side away from him and all though he looks apprehensive he lets you go.

You shift and squirm until you are comfortable on your front and reach behind you to pull Gladio’s arm across your back. He goes willingly, only resisting when you try to drag him on top of you. “The weight feels good. Please? It makes me feel,-“ It’s hard to describe how it makes you feel exactly, “…safe.” You finish quietly. He opens his mouth to reply and you beat him to it. “No talking, just squish.” His amused huff rustles your hair but he does as he’s told, draping himself over you until your half wedged under him and wrapped tight in his arms.

“I lo-“ “Don’t” you interrupt him quickly, with a surge of panic. You can’t hear that right now. “I’m- I cant. Not now.” You’re pretty sure you’re not making sense, that he’s not going to understand. “Ok.” It's murmured against your hair, a simple acknowledgment but it makes you feel better. “Can I touch you?” You nod and he slips his warm hand under your shirt to rest across your ribs just under your breasts, holding you snugly against him. It still doesn't sit quite right. His affection, his obvious care, still feels alien, wrong, like it’s meant for someone else. The feeling that you’ve tricked them into caring about you and your depressed mood still linger, and probably will for a while. But you’ve been through this before, you’ve made it through this before, and with the sound of Gladio’s steady breathing in your ear as he holds you, the heavy emptiness in your chest lessens a little bit more.

[dessarious]

Guilt and Consequences Pt12

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Lila walked out of her building with a duffle of clothes to last a few days and her computer. She still had no idea why she was agreeing to stay. Well other than the fact that Marinette’s mother terrified her. She would admit it was nice being around adults who didn’t only take notice of her flaws though.

“So what’s your game now? Get close to Dupain-Cheng so you can get better dirt on her?” Lila looked around in confusion for a moment before she spotted Chloe leaning against the building. How did Chloe even know where she lived?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I meant what I said today.” The girl just scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“Forget for a moment that you want me to believe a serial liar suddenly decided to tell the truth. If you really wanted to get expelled why didn’t you just go the direct route and come after me? It wouldn’t even take much to make that happen.” Lila let out a sigh. She’d considered it.

“Because your dad can cause problems for my mother and once she finds out it’s because of me I’m screwed. I want to go back to homeschooling, not end up locked in my room for weeks at a time or sent off to a reeducation camp for an attitude adjustment.” She shuddered at the thought. That had happened two years ago and she still had nightmares about that place.

“You’re serious aren’t you?” When she looked at Chloe the other girl was looking at her like a puzzle that needed to be figured out. A lot of the class seemed to be under the impression that the girl was your stereotypical dumb blonde but that look said otherwise even if Lila hadn’t already known better.

“Yes I’m serious. None of this was supposed to happen. Everyone was supposed to recognize bullshit when they heard it and ostracize me for it. After that it’s a quick road to me going back home.” She could hear the frustration in her own voice and tried to take some deep breaths to calm down. She was so tired of going over this with people.

“What are you going to do about it now? That scene this morning was only the beginning. You’ve seen how stubborn those peasants are.” Lila shot her a flat look.

“That’s none of your business or concern. I don’t see why you care anyway given that you hate me and Marinette.” That just got another eyeroll.

“Hatred is for equals which neither of you are. You’ve been a nuisance so far and I want to know what you have planned so I know if it will inconvenience me or not. Or I can have Daddy have a talk with your mother.” Damnit. She should have realized telling her that was a bad idea. God she hated people.

“I’m transferring, I hope.” Given her mother’s record of refusing to listen to her Lila was going to have to come up with an amazing argument.

“And Dupain-Cheng?” Chloe’s tone made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

“I don’t know.” It wasn’t technically a lie. Marinette still hadn’t made up her mind. “She still seems to think they’ll all get over it in a few days.” Chloe actually laughed at that.

“That definitely sounds like her. She has no understanding of the way most people hold grudges. It’s sad really.” She gave Lila a searching look. “Let me know if you have any issues with that transfer. The sooner you’re gone the sooner I can get things back to normal.” After that she just turned and walked away. What the hell?

Lila spent the entire walk back to the bakery trying to figure out what the girls game was. Maybe she just didn’t like change, but if that was the case why hadn’t she done something about Lila sooner? It seemed like she wanted Marinette to stay at the school but Lila had no idea why. She didn’t really have an answer by the time she got back and she wondered if she should say something to Marinette’s parents.  

“Lunch is upstairs. After that you two should start filling out the forms for the scholarships and transferring.” Lila blinked at Sabine in surprise for a moment. She had only been gone for half an hour and they’d already convinced Marinette to transfer?

“I’m still not sure my mother will allow it.” Especially if she didn’t qualify for scholarships. It seemed like any extra expense was an automatic no. It was one of the reasons Lila was surprised she got sent to a therapist in the first place.

“Let me worry about your mother. You just get everything filled out so we can send it in. What?” Lila wasn’t certain what the look on her face was but it was apparently enough for Sabine to comment.

“I don’t think it’s a great idea for you to talk to her.”

“Why is that?” She was using that overly cheerful tone again. This was going to be bad. Lila stared at the floor when she answered.

“It usually just makes things worse. She really doesn’t like people disagreeing with her and it almost always ends up with me losing something.” Lila got more nervous as Sabine stayed silent. Finally she cleared her throat.

“Can you give me an example?” Her tone was off again and Lila peeked up at her but all she saw was confusion and concern.

“We were at some function outdoors and I brought my camera with me.” A camera she had paid for with her own money, but that never mattered either. “She told me to put it away and one of the other attendees said she should let me take photos instead of just getting bored. It was someone she didn’t want to argue with so she dropped it but when we got home the camera went in the garbage.”

“Did you argue with her about putting it away?”

“No. I don’t ever argue with her in public especially about something so small.” Honestly the only thing she tried to argue about anymore was school and even that was more out of habit and desperation.

“Go eat and get those forms filled out. We’ll deal with the rest when we see if the two of you get in.” Sabine gave her a little push to get her moving towards the stairs and Lila figured this wasn’t something worth arguing about either.

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[secret-engima]

spideypoolalways

Does Regis ever ask how Titus has papers for the boys? Whats Cor or Clarus' PoV of this? What are some things (fluff or humor) that the boys get up to? Because I can see them getting adopted into the Ulric Clan because of shenanigans and Nyx going 'Yes, these are my people' since LCs just remind me of Ulrics with magic. And how do the Galatians take to the nephew of the Nif Chancellor and clone of the Crown Prince? Since I'm imagining that Titus told some of them and the

spideypoolalways

rest are guessing anyway. And does everyone assume that Noctis and Nox's magics resonated since they're kinda sorta close to each other/are the same person? How does Regis take the news that the only reason that Noctis got healed is because Nox pretty much felt everything Noctis did? /Both/ of his sons were basically attacked by a daemon and he only knew about one of them at the time and didn't do anything to calm or reassure Nox? (Clarus: Only because you didn't know

spideypoolalways

About him, Regis. Regis: Thats no excuse, Clarus.) Does Iris get to be a Shield or did Nox latch onto Axis or one of his kids? Does Acastus find Prompting and drop him off with Noct/Cor? Does Nox hang out with Noct, Ignis, Gladiolus and Prom all the time or does the memories act up enough to make him feel weird about it? How does Regis take his brother and son's Sick Days? What about Dissidia? The 3 youngest Royals getting snatched and the group watching on Crystal

spideypoolalways

Vision? Dad Titus/Regis freaking out over their kids having been summoned to a death match? And how exactly does Titus see the boys? Sons, brothers, cousins? Oooh, more Trauma. Noct, Nox and Acastus w/others playing and end up in the Crystal room. Cue the boys lighting up, maybe passing out because the magic hits their young system really hard (its why Royals aren't supposed to be Presented until 18) and everyone freaks out, and news makes it to Regis and Titus that they

spideypoolalways

Are in the infirmary and the gist of what happened via panicked guards and rush there immediately and are jumped by panicked kids talking and crying about what happened. I didn't realize I had so many questions. But now I need to know. 👀👀 Please!🙏

spideypoolalways

Oh! Just remembered a little more! Does anyone pick up on the people/places that he shouldn't know? Do they assume that Nox got some of it from Noct, like with the Marelith? Or are they assuming LC/ Oracle DNA mix?

Me: Yes, Regis asks about the papers and Titus doesn’t OUTRIGHT admit he did an illegal but he does grudgingly explain that he needed papers in case the NIfs came looking and he ... knows ... a few people who can help ... “recreate” papers for refugees who lost theirs in whatever fire or tragedy drove them from their homes.

Regis mulls over that for ten long seconds then blatantly pretends he never heard it in the first place. Those “people” likely saved the life of his son and half-brother, he can let it slide this once.

I need Nyx Ulric to adopt these two now JUST so Nyx can tease that he’s related to Captain (then later when he learns that they’re Lucis Caelums he can quietly die in a corner because OH NO HE’S RELATED TO THE KING). Not sure how or when Nyx adopts them, but he absolutely does.

It probably happens when he's just a wee bit sloshed. Not enough to be incoherent or insincere, but enough that he doesn’t feel any fear offering to adopt the pair while babysitting them because Captain had to work late and Nyx is off the combat roster until his ankle heals. Once he’s sober he is a Panic™, but Captain takes it surprisingly well and Nox loves his new braid. Acastus just looks Amused™.

Lib slaps Nyx over the head because IDIOT THINK THIS STUFF THROUGH then gives him another drink because TWO MORE ULRICS. It’s a good thing Nyx is an Ulric Keeper in this AU, because he can teach them most of the Ulric Clan stories and dances and make them proper Ulrics.

Acastus loves introducing himself as Acastus Ulric Drautos, both because it’s fancy like “Lucis Caelum” is and also because it made both Titus and Nyx spit their coffee the first time they hear it.

The Galahdians ... have mixed feelings at first. But the predominant one is that it doesn’t matter that this kid is clearly related to the Chancellor (at first they all think the Chancellor bedded Captain’s Aunt, since they don’t know about the LC blood, and that’s why he looks like Ardyn) because Captain has clearly staked a claim on him. Galahd (in my HCs) is a Very Adoption Heavy culture and big on judging people by their current family rather than any previous blood ties, so ... mostly the Chancellor thing gets intensely ignored. Acastus isn’t an Izunia, he’s a Drautos (and then later an Ulric). So they will treat him as such.

But in private there is some debate on exactly what happened, for the Chancellor to vanish around the time his ... relation (son? They mostly assume son), shows up in Drautos’s care.

No few number of them think Titus stumbled on Ardyn with the two kids and killed the Chancellor to save them.

For Nox ... the Lucis Caelum blood is basically impossible to hide. This boy LOOKS like a literal carbon copy of the Prince but younger and he’s young so his control over his magic is ... not. Not that good. Especially not when there’s so mUCH of it.

All of Galahd listened to the Glaive who was on babysitting duty when Nox had a rare tantrum and skewered the wall with ghostly blades and all privately, immediately agree to Never Tell Anyone. Ever.

Well. To be fair, they do debate whether they have a duty to tell Regis, but again the Adoption Culture comes into play and they decide it’s up to Titus to spill that secret. A few Glaives do ask Titus about it (Titus nearly has a heart attack because SINCE WHEN DID THEY KNOW) and when they ask if they know who the mother was, Titus looks very grim and very, very quiet for a long time, then admits:

There is no mother. There never was.

They stare at him in confusion until Acastus, lurking nearby with too-sharp eyes, gives a smile that could cut and says brittlely that “amazing things that can be done with science these days you know. Truly amazing. Why, get a blood sample and a tank of the right solutions and you could probably grow anything you wanted”.

The Glaives are Horrified™. So is the rest of Little Galahd when it gets around and then is made a Clan Secret by all the Clans unanimously. The secret never leaves the borders of their little slum.

Also yes, people assume that Noctis’s and Nox’s magic resonated because Nox is a clone and it freaks them out.

Regis is Such A Guilt when he finds out how Acastus knew about Noctis’s injury. No it doesn’t matter that he DIDN’T KNOW NOX EXISTED. One of his son’s (his FIVE YEAR OLD son) was suffering. Was screaming in agony and terror and Regis didn’t do a THING about it and no amount of logic can make that better.

Nox latches onto Axis’s triplets in this AU so while Iris will be best friends with him, his Shield, Hand, and Sword are actually all made up of Axis’s three kids. Axis is a BIT of an internal Scream when Nox is at the age people start making noises about him building a Retinue and taking Iris as his Shield and Nox goes, “NO. I have a Shield already! A Hand and Sword too!” And stuff spirals out to reveal Axis as Clarus’s kid (Clarus takes it much better than Axis thought he would, tho Axis didn’t expect to see Lord Amicitia go deathly pale and sit down hard in the nearest chair).

Honestly Iris might be the future love interest in this AU you never know. It would be hilarious if nothing else.

Bold of you to assume Acastus didn’t find Prompto early and bring him home to NOX because “Look Beloved Nibling I Found You A Friend!”. Prompto is a confusion because Nox is like- 4 at the time. But Prompto likes babysitting and playing with Nox and hearing Acastus’s stories and Titus just kinda- sighs his way through the playdates until he realizes that Prompto has been staying in his house for about two weeks with no sign of the parents.

Titus, after much snooping later, sitting at the kitchen table of Grandma Ostium quietly pulling his hair out: HOW DO YOU ADOPT A THIRD CHILD. DOES IT COUNT AS KIDNAPPING IF THEY COME OVER AND STAY WITH YOU FOREVER AND THE LEGAL PARENTS NEVER NOTICE. ACASTUS WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME.

Acastus: I regret nothing. Do you want me to fake Prompto’s death? I’m sure there’s enough Prompto’s out there that nobody will notice if you gain a nephew called Prompto Drautos.

Titus, holding his face in his hands while Grandma Ostium laughs at him in the corner: NO, ACASTUS. DO NOT FAKE THE DEATH OF THE CHILD. How do you even know how to do that? Nevermind I don’t want to know.

Roughly a year later when Everything Gets Revealed, Titus and Cor: *intense staring contest over Smol Blond Child*

Cor: You don’t know where he-

Titus, growling like a cranky Behemoth that might very well bite off someone’s head: He’s a Niflheim created clone. I know.

Cor: ....

Titus: He's been living in my house for a year. I’ve seen the barcode. It’s not like I wasn’t raising one already.

Cor: His legal parents-

Titus: Is me. The Argentums were emotionally neglectful and didn’t even notice when he hadn’t come home for a week and a half.

Cor: *guilty angry silence*

Titus: ...Kid could use an uncle. If you want to man up and be part of his life.

(hgfhg this is post is getting long Imma try to speed through the last questions a bit)

Yes, Nox hangs out with the Chocobros when he can because he adores them (especially Brother Prompto and Team Mom Iggy) but he also has his own friend group in the Little Galahd community so it doesn’t strike anyone as odd really. Nox is a naturally loving child for all he’s shy and Iggy and Gladio are Noctis’s friends and Prompto is his adopted brother (and later Noctis’s best friend).

Regis does Not take the Sick Days well. It makes him alarmed and angry because Lucis Caelums aren’t supposed to get sick days from their own magic and it speaks of BAD THINGS that both of the presumably experimented on and tortured LCs have them.

I’m going to have to come back to Dissidia another time (someone remind me) because this post is too long to ramble here but it would be- it would be Great. Honestly. It would either be the 3 littlest, just Acastus, or just Acastus and REGIS for some brotherly bonding and any of them would be Great and Chaotic. Crystal-o-vision absolutely happens.

The Crystal Room is under 24 hour guard so I don’t think the kids could wander in by accident, plus Acastus would actively avoid the area because of his Trauma.

Now Acastus being presented when he turns 18 on the other hand... >:))))))

Short Version: Much shouting, much alarm, much angst from Regis and Titus and everyone and also the first Sick Day Acastus has had since he turned 17 and by far one of the worst he’s ever had in his (second) life.

I might to a longer version later but not right now.

For Nox’s oddities and odd knowledge they kind of assume both? At first they think it’s just him resonating with Noctis so deeply that there’s a transfer (cue angst from Regis because what is going to happen to Nox when Noctis fulfills his destiny as Chosen King???) but then when Nox starts knowing stuff Noctis doesn’t/can’t know, they start to wonder if the scientists ... Tampered with his DNA. If they got their hands on Noctis’s, which should have been impossible, then it’s not all that out there they got their hands on Oracle DNA.

Sylva is ... very alarmed and very confused when Regis secretly contacts her on a secure encrypted line to ask if there were any ... symptoms to look for in an Oracle child. Because- yes there were but WHY DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?

Regis: they wouldn’t happen to be *lists very specific things*

Sylva: ....Have you seen any Messengers nearby lately.

Regis: Carbuncle, a black puppy that disappears into thin air, and a bird woman who can summon wind storms. She calls herself Garuda.

Sylva, having a minor crisis behind her Queenly Facade: I am Very Sure I only have two children so please explain this. Right Now.

Regis: Well............. NiflheimclonedmysonandIthinkmixeditwiththednaofyouoryourdaughterandhehasseerpowersandImayormaynotbepanickingrightnowpleasehelpme.

Sylva, slowly running that over in her mind and figuring out what Regis just said:...

W H A T.

XD Honestly Niflheim might invade Tenebrae only to find the royal family gone because Sylva coincidentally packed her backs and took her and her children on a secret trip to Lucis to have a look at Nox, then since they’re there when Niflheim invades and a spy gets word on what just happened Sylva and Co just- stay there. Oracle Mom Death averted.

Also they absolutely think that it’s Luna’s DNA they used to make Nox because of how instantly Nox gloms onto Luna like a limpet- JUST like he did with Noctis and Regis, and how Luna gets this dazed look in her eyes as their magic tangles and she whispers, “I ... I know you. I know you, don’t I Little Prince? I met you in a dream.” Luna starts crying softly as she pets Nox’s hair and when Sylva asks in alarm why she’s crying, Luna blinks and whispers, “Because he was crying in the dream, and I couldn’t comfort him.”

Acastus lurks in the shadows, watching it all with ... very mixed feelings.

Oracles. He could have gone his entire second life without meeting anymore Oracles. Aera she looks so much like you is that what our daughter would have looked like and oh astrals I KILLED her. I killed the girl with your eyes and your smile and laughed about it later.