#anyway these two I'm focusing on atm

[kuuranen]

Tell me about your ocs, who are they what are they up to?

Oh man I have so many ocs. Here's something about the ones I'm drawing the most at the moment!!

Here is Ryland and Arto:

They’re kind of... half involved in some supernatural and occult-y stuff, (mostly) accidentally. 

Ryland owns a used book store somewhere in the UK, and his book deals in rare books and old occult and supernatural related books. He is obsessed with knowledge and is kind of self righteous which tends to lead to him thinking he is morally superior to others. He tries to do good but tends to have a “the end justifies the means” approach to many situations. (He looks different in every single picture I draw of him cause I just can’t figure out what he looks like)

Arto is originally from Finland but he is an employee in a strange apothecary that exists in a pocket dimension. He doesn’t really know how he got there or why he is working there, but he likes to have a place where he belongs. The apothecary he works at can appear anywhere, at anytime, and it can be found randomly by people who are seeking for a “cure” for some problem of theirs. Arto has been officially reported as missing and none of his family or friends know where he is.

Ryland knows some things about supernatural things and he is trying to figure out what the hell is going on with Arto and the apothecary.

[spideyanakin]

10 things i hate about you - chapter 6

eddie munson x harrington!reader

summary - a new rule strikes the Harrington household: if Steve wishes to date ever again, his sister needs to find a boyfriend first. As Steve becomes desperate and thinks of everything in his power to set her up, only one guy comes to mind that will take up a challenge such as that: Eddie Munson.

warnings - the moment you have all been dreading (I'm half sorry), mentions of death, eddie and his questionable dares, joyce buying christmas lights in april, some fluffy fluff, and ofc; a sprinkle of angst

word count - 8.8k

thank you to the amazing @inknopewetrust for proof reading most of this series <3

series masterlist

eddie munson masterlist

"Eds!" Gareth clapped his hands in front of his friend's face. 

“What?”

"You're sulking"

"I'm not sulking."

"Why are you sulking?" 

There was a pause, a short, challenging silence slithering between the trays of food and drinks before Eddie spoke again with solemn words;  "I think I'm in love with her." 

And just as the words left Eddie's lips; Gareth huffed loudly alongside two other Hellfire boys. Gareth sent a piercing glare towards his dungeon master–ripping a piece of white bread from his tray and throwing said piece towards Eddie’s face, making it land in his curls.

“Hey! What was that for?” Eddie swatted the bread away, watching with raised eyebrows as his three closest friends fished for something in their pockets; simultaneously pulling out twenty dollar bills. Eddie watched, eyebrows creasing to a frown as the three twenty dollar bills traveled across the table; right into Oliver’s hand.

"Did you have to say love?" Jeff whined.

"Yeah, the bet was lower at like, or really liked," Gareth gruffed, Oliver simply shrugged while Eddie stared—too dumbfounded to speak. The blonde guitarist counted his money before neatly folding it and placing it in his back pocket.

"I'm going to pretend like you guys haven't betted on me," Eddie said before poking his fork around his plate, attention focused on the carotte he was making dance across the paper. “Anyways, it’s not that bad, you guys should be happy for me!”

"Yes it's bad, terrible even!" Oliver dropped his can of mountain dew, drops spilling out from the harsh clatter of it against the table–and Eddie gulped when he made eye contact with the daggers in Oliver’s eyes.

Unfortunately, all his lost heart could do was look back at him like a lost puppy–big eyes pleading for help rather than judgment, and just for a moment–Oliver caved. 

A short sigh escaped the blonde’s lips, and he leaned back on his chair in thought. That action caused a new silence, one filled with short huffs and glances from the boys; right until Eddie broke it again.

"I know," he pushed his tray away before leaning back, imitating his guitarist, "I don't know what to do."

"Call the deal off?" Gareth suggested.

"Yeah, that's the most obvious thing, Gareth!" Eddie almost screamed. "One problem; Steve keeps handing me bills like he’s a fucking ATM machine. I have three hundred fucking dollars from him that I refuse to use!"

"I thought that's what you wanted, extra cash," Oliver’s voice was dry, and it almost made Eddie flinch.

"I don’t think I ever took the deal for the money…” He closed his eyes, sighing through his nose, “I think she kind of always fascinated me.”

“So, let me get this straight. Instead of just asking the girl out, you made a deal with her brother that he’d pay you to go out with her?”

“Kind of?” He winced at his own words. “I didn’t realise how fucked up this whole situation was!”

“As if we hadn’t warned you!” Olivier exclaimed, tone almost condescending which sent a new pang across Eddie’s chest. 

He didn’t want this. He didn’t need judgment from his best friends, his own internal turmoil was enough.

He was asking for help and Oliver was throwing hard cold judgment across his face like the iced daggers he’d write about for his campaigns.

He felt like Boromir. Tempted by the worst of forces–hypnotized by his mistakes, too enticed to step back–and now he was paying the consequences, as invisible arrows were shot right through his heart.

“Hey calm down Ol’,” Gareth defended, humming in the best soothing tone he could muster; “screaming at Eddie won’t make this any better for him.”

“Right, because he so understood when we told him this was a bad idea three weeks ago,” and with his words, the table fell silent.

Everyone looked at each, carefully assessing the situation and how to proceed. Would anyone dare to break the silence? Even Jeff wondered if he could chew his food and finish his lunch without all eyes turning to him.

Eddie crossed his arms over his chest in subconscious defense—gaze to the side and fixed on the back of a random blue cafeteria chair.

He truly didn’t know what to do. Everything in him wanted to cancel this stupid deal, tell you the truth and just hope that you wouldn’t hate him forever. 

Or maybe he could call the deal off and never say a thing—but he’d have to live with that secret for the rest of your relationship.

But thinking about the possibility that you could discover the deal on your own made him shiver. He knew that would hurt you the most, that you’d most, probably, definitely hate him for the rest of your days, and he could say goodbye to ever even being close to you again.  

“Hey boys,” your sweet voice broke the undeniable tension, and like a bee pulled towards honey; Eddie turned his full attention to you.

He didn’t know if you noticed the energy, but if you did you didn’t say anything. He did notice your shoulder tense as every eye around the table turned to you, an oldy intimidating silence slithering up your spine–but the second Eddie’s hand reached your waist, it dissolved into a content smile.

“What were you talking about, I didn’t interrupt anything, did I?”

“Spring Fling.” 

“Our next performance.”

“A campaign.”

Eddie flinched, internally cringing at the multitude of answers that rang across the table at the same time.

“O-ok?” You raised an eyebrow, hand resting against Eddie’s shoulder–silently asking for clarification.

“Mainly, Spring Fling, babe,”

“Ah,” you squeezed his shoulder, already pouting before the next words came out of you, “will you be mad if I say no to going?”

“I get you for not wanting to go,” Oliver chimed before chugging the end of his mountain dew.

“Yeah, staying home too?” You asked.

“Oh no, I’m going, don’t know why though,” and as the words left his mouth, he eyed knowingly at Gareth. 

“See, Eddie! Olivier is going! Gareth is saved! We don’t have to go!” You squeezed his shoulder and Eddie gulped. This was not going to be easy.

“Y-yeah,” he could barely reply and Gareth shot him a quizzical look. 

Eddie was digging his grave right then and there. 

He really needed to break that damn deal.

~

“Hey Y/n,” Nancy caught up with you, ponytail bouncing as she ran the short distance between the cafeteria door and the lockers.

“What’s up?” You smiled once she was at your level, closing your locker and tightening the notebooks you were holding as you continued your way through the mass of students.

“Have you seen Barb?”

“No,” you frowned. “I haven’t seen her all day, actually, I was going to ask you. She didn’t have lunch with you?”

You watched her frown deepen, “no, she wasn’t there, I sat with Steve and his friends. I–um I haven’t seen her since yesterday at your place.”

“Oh, well I’m sure she’s fine, probably called in sick or something,” but your words didn’t soothe Nancy’s worries.

“I called her mom,” she averted her stare from yours.

“And?”

“She didn’t come home yesterday, or this morning.”

“Oh,” your heart sank down to your stomach, the uneasy feeling threatening to swallow you whole.

“Are you sure she left your place last night?”

“Yeah,” you matched her frown. “You don’t think-?”

“That she disappeared like Will?” 

“I don’t know… This whole situation just seems odd…” You looked around, maybe in search of something, just to be met with the mass of students that walked through the maze of hallways that was Hawkins High. No one seemed bothered; no one looked worried or stirred by what was silently unfolding in the city.

“Yeah…”

You brought your gaze back to Nancy, trying to hunt for a topic to change the subject–anything that could hook both your attentions elsewhere.

Then you saw it: the bright pink and yellow poster for Spring Fling. You huffed, ripping the poster from the wall and crumbling the paper, just to throw it in the nearest trash. An attempt at rebellion, maybe.

“Who the heck would go to that antiquated mating ritual.”

“I would!”

“Do you seriously want to get all dressed up so some rando with a boner dressed up in the first suit he found at Gap can feel you up while you’re forced to listen to a band that by definition ‘blows’?”

She scoffed, “the rando in question is your brother, may I add.”

“My brother?” You raised your eyebrows, “but I’m not going, he won’t be allowed to go.”

“You’re not?” She squeaked, eyes darting to your hands as you unfolded the wires of your walkman. “Steve told me you would. I think he assumed Eddie asked you.”

“Steve has no business assuming what I will or will not do, and Eddie has asked me, I told him no.”

“Why? I thought you liked Eddie.”

“Going with someone I like, still doesn’t change the fact that I find these gatherings dumb,” you accentuated your words by harshly placing your headphones around your neck, and locking your walkman onto your backpocket.

“Are you sure you won’t go? Just for me? Just so Steve will go, and by extension I will?” Her big blue eyes pleaded, lips forming into a pout, and for a split second you faltered, wondering if you could do this for your friend.

“I’ll see.”

“You are incorrigible,” she rolled her eyes, already knowing this meant no.

“Indeed I am,” you looked around, gaze flickering from the lockers to Nancy, “so do tell me, you and Steve last night, hm?” 

“Oh, shut up!” Her shriek made you giggle, and you would have continued teasing her if not for the hands that latched onto your waist, you jumped, shrieking before feeling yourself getting picked up into the air.

You immediately recognized the laugh that echoed in your ear, and Nancy’s smile gave the owner of those hands even more away.

“Eddie, let me down!” You giggled in echo with him, hands wrapping around his own before he dropped you back on your feet.

“Don’t you have a class to get to?” You mumbled as he pressed a kiss to your cheek.

“Mrs. Day called in sick, I have a free period.”

“Oh lucky,” you hummed, shoulders slumping at the anticipation of your next hour.

“Eddie?” Nancy spoke, making Eddie’s curls brush your cheek as he turned to face your friend. “Have you seen Barb by any chance?”

“Not since yesterday,” he shook his head and he sensed the way you tense up in his arms. “Everything ok?”

“We think she’s missing.”

“Missing? Like the Byers kid?”

“According to her mom, she didn’t come home last night, and skipping school isn’t like her,” Nancy bit her lip as she looked to the side.

“I mean, maybe she did. I’m not one to say that skipping school isn’t fun,” Eddie concluded, smirking slightly. He knew that this subject was reaching a dead end, and he sighed before turning his attention back to you. “What are you doing after school?”

“Nothing, why?”

“I found this new card game at the comics shop, and maybe if the game gets boring I can teach you D and D.”

“Are you asking me out on a game date?”

“Are you saying yes?” Instead of answering directly with words, you pressed a soft kiss to his lips, muttering your answer as you pulled away. 

“If you two will stop face fucking in the hallway, we’ve got class,” maybe it was jealousy that your brother wasn’t as sweet as Eddie picking at her stomach, or the stress from Barb stacking up, but she ripped her stare away from the two of you to stare at bright blue lockers on the other side.

“Sorry,” you giggled, slipping out of Eddie’s arms after stealing one last kiss. 

“I’ll see you after class, Eds.”

~

“What do you think they’re up to?” Your hand gripped Eddie’s a little tighter as you watched your brother and his friends laugh towards Johnathan. The poor Byers brother was being thrown around by the greedy hands of your idiot brother, the grim look on his face turned to disgust and anguish. You watched your brother, a loud chuckle ripping from his mouth. Your frown deepened as Tommy gave him one last push, Steve snatching pieces of paper from his grip.

Jonathan watched as Steve and Carol ripped to shreds the papers, they all laughed one last time; Tommy giving him a last cruel shove that almost made him trip before walking away. 

You took closer steps towards the parking–maybe in a quick attempt to help, but unfortunately, the group was walking right for the two of you, waltzing away from the mess they created towards god knows where.

“What did you do?” You grumbled as your path crossed your brothers, glancing behind his shoulder to spot Nancy jogging the distance between Johnathan and her group of new so-called friends. 

“You’ll never guess, the perv took pictures of us yesterday!” 

“What?”

“He was in the woods by our place, snapping pictures of us in the pool, even snapped shots of Nancy while she was changing.”

“Why?” You raised your eyebrows, squeezing Eddie’s hand.

“Caus’ he’s a perv?” Carol snickered, “and that’s all he’s found to do with his miserable life?” Tommy chuckled at his girlfriend’s words, and they disappeared behind you again, snickering as they left towards the field behind the High School building.

“Weird,” you muttered, watching Johnathan getting back into his car and leaving.

“You think he took my good profile?” Eddie, like always, pulled you out of your thoughts with a dumb joke, making you snort and playfully shove his shoulder. “What?” He offered a new laugh and you rolled your eyes.

“C’mon, let’s go try this new card game, I’ve had enough of this place for the day,” you tugged at his arm, dragging him further towards your car.

“Understandable,” he muttered, watching as you toyed with your car keys. “Hey, how about we pass by Melvald’s first? Grab some snacks and stuff.”

“Yeah, I’d like that,” your hand brushed his as you parted ways to climb in the driver’s seat.

Apart from the Metallica blasting from the speakers; the ride was quiet, peaceful almost, as you bathed in each other’s presence. It was nice, seeing the streets of Hawkins with someone you liked by your side–it almost all seemed less… daunting. It was soothing, knowing you’d get to have careless laughter over junk food and a pack of cards, letting the week’s worries and Steve’s torment slip away for just a few hours. 

You almost smiled when the red writing of Melvald’s came to view, stomach already growling not with hunger, but envy for cookies and candies–anything that could be considered a bad excuse for a dinner. 

You parked next to a mattered brown truck, mud stains on its wheels and rusty doors. Eddie placed a hand in his hair as he exited your car, a poor excuse at trying to tame his curls, but you smiled when his hair stayed as wild–it suited him better.

Your hand found his as you walked into Melvald’s. The shop seemed pretty empty apart from a few stray heads bopping out of aisles. 

“Afternoon,” you smiled at the owner behind the counter, he nodded before you both headed for the cookie aisle, grabbing one of those cheap red plastic baskets on the way.

“What are your favorites?” You hummed playfully as you scanned the shelves.

“I’d say Oreos are good, or um,” he thought, fingers going over his lips in thought. “Chips Ahoy! I love Chips Ahoy” 

“The white chocolate fudge ones are the best,” you turned to Eddie and watched his face turn in pure horror. 

“What did you just say?”

“That the white chocolate fudge cookies are the best?”

“I think you hit your head too hard as a kid, sweetheart. The normal milk chocolate ones taste so much better.”

“Hey! That is so not true,” you pressed on.

“They’re so sweet,” he scrunched his nose, “makes you sick if you eat too much.”

“Whatever,” you rolled your eyes, jokingly vexed at his hatred for your favorite.

“Oh my god, I used to love these as a kid,” Eddie’s face lit up as his eyes crossed paths with the a small white cardboard box, big smiles drawn over it. 

“Says the guy who called White Fudge Chips Ahoy too sweet,” you narrowed your eyes as he picked up the pack of Giggles from a shelf.

“You don’t want to get them?” He raised an eyebrow.

“No, no. I still love these, put them in,” you grinned, raising the basket so he could dump them in next to the pack of Oreos.

“What else should we take?”

“Drinks?”

“Yeah,” 

In twenty minutes spent in the store, your basket was already full with enough food and drinks for the entire of Hellfire. Cans of coke laying against bright blue cookie packaging and other junk food that had caught your attention. Eddie had ended up carrying the basket when it got too heavy, and now it rested by his feet as you waited in line. 

A middle aged woman was in front of you–a toddler in her arms as she fumbled with the coins in her wallet. The baby’s small hands were fumbling with strands of her red hair–babbling something as he watched his mother pay for her groceries.

You were so enthralled in the scene–trying to see how much strength the toddler could tug on the women’s red locks with, that you hadn’t noticed the familiar face settling in the cue behind Eddie. She was almost hidden behind a pile of boxes that laid upon one of her hands, the other gripping the bar of a shopping cart, and you only recognised her by her anxious sigh as she tried to balance the boxes in her grip.

“Oh, hey Joyce,” you smiled, a gentle smile that bled with your compassion and she suddenly turned her attention to you. 

Eddie also turned his attention to her–immediately realizing who this was. He’d seen her behind the counter more times than he could count, and he was also eighty percent sure that Wayne briefly knew her from High School, remembering their short conversations from the hundreds of times he helped his uncle shop here.

“Oh! Y/n, I didn’t see you there!” She spoke, almost startled by your simple greeting. 

She looked tired, like she hadn’t properly slept in days. Her hair poking all over the place, and she was anxiously tapping her foot against the white floor of Melvalds. You assumed she was off work with everything going on, since she wasn’t standing behind the counter like usual.

But what really caught your attention was the amount of Christmas lights she had gathered. At least twelve boxes had been stuffed in the kart, leaving no room for the five others that she held in her free hand. You couldn’t begin to wonder why she had bought everything out of the clearance section, but your heart ached as you watched her gaze falter to the window for a split second before going back to you. She shifted her grip on the boxes, and a new huff left her lips before she handed you a tight smile.

“Is Johnathan with you?” You wondered, eyes briefly going across the aisle visible from your spot in the line.

She shook her head, “he’s probably home right now,” you nodded at her words and watched as her gaze flickered around again–as if she was suddenly comfortable. Maybe it was the mention of her son; maybe a conversation or two about Will that caused tension to seep between them, when in fact they should be sticking together.

Her gaze faltered, becoming softer as she took new acknowledgment of you again. She sent a smile to you and turned to Eddie who was yet to talk.

“This is Eddie, my boyfriend,” you watched the expression on her face change–impressed, slightly surprised maybe.

“Wayne’s nephew right?”

“In the flesh,” Eddie smiled, politely nodding.

“Also I wanted to tell you,” you spoke again, Joyce’s gaze dancing back to yours. “If you need anything from us, you have my number, Joyce.” Her whole face softened, gratitude seeping in through her eyes.

“Thank you, honey,”

~

Eddie’s trailer felt just as you left it the day before. A cozy haven for the loneliest of souls to find refuge on cold nights. But to your surprise, Eddie didn’t remove his shoes once he crossed the threshold–he even told you to wait for him by the entrance with the multitude of bags filled with the sweets you’d bought. 

You watched as the metalhead bounced across his living space, shedding his leather jacket on the living room chair after he had complained that the spring sun was suffocating him, before he disappeared to his room, and came back with a small blue and orange metal box. His card game.

“Follow me,” Eddie swept past you, grabbing the two shopping bags and jumping the small steps out of his trailer. You raised an eyebrow before following him through the grass patch around his trailer, passing through a laundry line that hosted a few band t-shirts that could only be Eddie’s, and tattered work jeans that you assumed were Wayne’s. 

You intently watched as you both faced a small, thin ladder that climbed up to the trailer’s roof. “Can you take one?” you nodded as he handed you one of the plastic bags.

Eddie stuffed the small card game in his back pocket–you silently questioned him, he could have simply just put it in the bag he was holding. But that didn’t stop him from anything, and you carefully observed as Eddie hummed a ‘follow me’, before starting to climb the rusty ladder. 

You landed on the roof with a huff, and noticed that Eddie had already settled himself on a far off corner, the plastic bag neatly placed next to his feet. 

“Nice view,” you noticed. Smiling as you gazed across the sea of trailers, each painted in their own uniqueness. it was far off from the white picket fence houses–a sea of odd shapes and colors, but it was all the most comforting, lively even. Smoke coming out of barbecue grills, laughter spilling out of small backyards and the light breeze making the bright colored laundry dance. 

“You like it?” He grinned as he admired you trot towards him. 

“I love it,” you settled beside him on the floor, dropping your bag next to the other one and started fishing inside of it for your well earned snacks.

Your hands settled for a pack of oreos, settling it in your lap as you wiggled yourself to be more comfortable. 

"This feels like that one Elton John song."

"Which one?" He raised a playful eyebrow.

"We sat on the roof," your soft voice hummed, slithering into the soft breeze and to Eddie’s ears.

“Kicked off the moss,” he hummed along with you, making a giggle escape your lips.

“You listen to Elton John?”

“On occasions,” he murmured, busying himself with the bag next to him to fish for a can of soda. 

“Wow, didn’t take you for the Elton John type.”

“I’m a man of many mysteries,” he dramatically sighed.

“Shut up,” you giggled, rolling your eyes before grabbing your own can of coke–popping it open before finally speaking again, “so, that game of yours?” 

“Yes!” 

Eddie grabbed the small box from his pocket, eyes sparkling as he opened it and placed the lid at his side. He took the cards in his hands and started mixing them. 

“So, rules are simple, I think.”

“You think?”

“I didn’t read the rules.”

“Eddie, you can’t play a game if you don’t know the rules,” you giggled, grabbing the box at his side and taking the paper out.

“The guy at the shop told me how to play it, I thought I’d remember.”

“You’re impossible,” you huffed, unfolding the little paper and scanning through the words. You raised an eyebrow, reading through the instructions, “ok, so,” you licked your lips in thought before looking at the cards in Eddie’s hands. “We have to start with the card that looks like the cross path thingy.”

“Ok,” Eddie listened before flipping through the cards and placing said card in between the two of you; right next to the oreo pack. 

“Wait, Eddie.”

“What?”

“It’s from three to eight players,” you giggled. “Eddie, we can’t play.”

“What?” His eyes widen, ripping the rule book from your hands. “Oh,” he hummed, realization hitting. “Well, this sucks.”

“Yeah, dumbass,” you giggled, grabbing a new oreo.

He sighed, placing the cards back in their box before dropping them at his side, sharing a gaze with you. 

“What should we do?”

“Dunno,”

~

The sun had started to set across the trailer park, and a tumble of giggles seemed to be the main theme of your afternoon. One lone cookie was left in the Chips Ahoy pack, and the stacks of plastic wrappers and cans were starting to pile up; a show of the evening slowly dying out into night. 

“Ok, ok,” you giggled, leaning closer to Eddie. “Truth or dare?”

“Dare,” you raised an eyebrow at his reply, a smirk dancing across your lips.

“I dare you to compliment your neighbor’s dinner,” your gaze traveled to the elderly couple eating in the garden beside Eddie’s trailer. They looked happy–a couple who danced through time together. You could faintly hear their conversation in the distance, but barely making out words, and if Eddie shouted just enough he could easily spring a conversation.

“That’s so stupid,” he grinned.

“I know,” you giggled back and Eddie rolled his eyes before turning around to face his neighbor’s garden. 

He took a second to observe. The barbecue grill on the opposite side was still smoking from its use, and he spotted the home made burgers on their plates. That would be easy to compliment. Plus, Eddie didn’t mind, Wayne was on good terms with them, maybe less so Eddie as he often bothered them when playing guitar. But if the odd comment could bring a good laugh out of the two of you, then Eddie would gladly plunge into your dare. 

“Hey! Mr. Carol!” The elder man turned from his grill as the call reached his ear. “Good job on the burgers! They smell amazing!” You had to place a hand over your mouth to stop the giggles from tumbling like a waterfall as you watched the poor man’s face twist in an awkward smile, both of his eyebrows raised to the sky as he watched his teenage neighbor send him a compliment from his trailer’s roof. 

“Thanks Eddie.” The man awkwardly replied and Eddie saluted him before turning back around to you.

“Happy?”

“He looked so confused.”

“He did, didn’t he?” Eddie smiled with you, grabbing another oreo, before mumbling with a mouthful, “truth or dare?”

“Dare,” you smiled, keeping your gaze on Eddie as you grabbed the last Chip’s Ahoy, crumpling the wrapper in your hands and throwing it to the side to join the pile. 

“I dare you to take off your top,” your eyes went wide at his request.

“And flash the whole trailer park?” You shrieked and a loud laugh tumbled from Eddie.

“Well, already you did it for me once,” he dramatically sighed, poking at your ribs, creating another laugh to leave you. 

“I did it to save your ass.” 

“I know, I'm only kidding,” he smirked. “I’ll keep that dare for another time,” he smiled, knocking at you before looking down at the oreo’s in between you, “I dare you to fill your mouth with as many oreos as you can.”

“and?”

“If you manage to put seven in without almost choking, you get a prize.”

“Why seven?”

“Because that’s my record.”

“That’s so stupid,” you noticed.

“C’mon, do your dare.”

You rolled your eyes, keeping eye contact as your hand traveled to the cookies. You grabbed one-easy. The next one slipping nicely against the second one. You couldn’t look at Eddie anymore, the look in his eyes was enough to make you laugh and want to spit out the whole thing. The next two managed to fit, somehow, and you could hear Eddie chuckling, your gaze focused on the blue wrapper in concentration. 

But when you reached for the fifth one, about to place it in your mouth–you caved. Making eye-contact with Eddie. He was laughing like an idiot; watching your chipmunk cheeks with a devilish spark in his eyes. But that look was fatal, and a laugh climbed right through you, causing you to spit everything out to the side. 

Eddie roared even more with laughter and you had to playfully slap his shoulder in order to keep yourself from laughing too.

“You lost, I’m so sorry,” he patted your shoulder, using his grip to bring you further towards him, kissing the side of your mouth.

“What was the prize?” You questioned, chewing the last bit of crumbs that were left in your mouth as you leaned against him. 

“A private concert,”

“As if you don’t willingly do them, all the time.” he shrugged at your comment, making you smile and remember your game, “Eddie.”

“Yes?”

“Truth or dare?”

“Truth,” 

“Tell me a secret,”

“Ok, I hate peas.”

“No,” you giggled, “tell me something real, something no one else knows,” you grabbed a twizzler, pointing to him with it once you had taken a good bite out of it.

“Ok,” he smirked, a mischievous glint passing by his gaze. The grip on your waist became tighter and he leaned even closer to you, tucking a strand of your hair behind your ear with his free hand before kissing your cheek. “You’re sweet,” he pressed a new kiss to your other cheek “and sexy,” a new kiss to your lips, “and completely hot for me,” you gasped a laugh.

“You are amazingly self assured, as anyone else told you that?”

“I tell myself that every day, actually,” he chuckled before locking your lips into a new kiss, and suddenly an invisible sting pulled him back to the reality of the pact he had made with your brother. “Come to the dance with me tomorrow.”

“Is that a request or a command?” You attempted to joke, but he continued.

“Come on, go with me.”

“No.”

“Why not?” He breathed out a sigh, toying with your fingers.

“I told you already, it’s a stupid tradition.”

“C’mon, people won’t expect you to go.”

“Eddie, why are you pushing this? What’s in it for you?” Maybe you wouldn’t have asked, but Barb’s words suddenly came bouncing into your mind, like an unstoppable bouncy ball hitting the walls of your brain and shuddering through your spine. 

“Nothing, just the pleasure of your company.”

You paused at his words. Mind twirling in the multitude of possibilities. Eddie had been pushing this, but maybe that was just his attempt at trying to be a normal high school couple. 

Would Eddie really want this? Would Eddie really enjoy a gathering full of sweaty hormonal teenagers, with no alcohol, weed or anything else you could think of that he’d use for a good time, all that mixed with awful music? You couldn’t be sure, and you were getting anxious about an ulterior motive.

Barb had made it clear she didn’t trust Eddie, and your heart pinched at the thought. 

You sighed, eyes dancing across the setting sun as it reached further down the sky, casting yet a new glow of colors across the trailer park. 

Your grip on Eddie’s shoulder tightened; “It’s getting late,” you hummed, turning your gaze back to Eddie, “I should go.”

“Y/n-”

“No, it’s fine Eddie, don’t worry about it,” you gave him a tight smile. “Thanks for the evening,” you stood from his grip, dusting the crumbs from your jeans before nodding back to him, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

~

The next morning, you opened your locker, just for a bright neon pink paper to slip out of it, flying down just to land on your feet. 

You huffed, gladly stepping on it. It hadn’t even happened yet, and you already had enough of this stupid dance. 

You wanted to throw up, first Will, and now no one seemed to even blink twice about Barbara. Maybe if she had been some popular cheerleader, a Tammy Thompson, or a rising star like Chrissy Cunningham she would have the whole town at her feet trying to find her, caring for her. And a part of you wondered if anyone would even care if you would ever go missing yourself..

"Are they really still throwing Spring Fling when two students are missing?" You gazed at Eddie who was leaning against your neighboring locker, fumbling with his walkman. 

“Is Barb officially missing now?”

“Police thinks she ran away,” you angrily stuffed some books in your locker, Eddie noticing the stress lines forming on your forehead.

“Hey, I’m sorry about yesterday, I should have gotten the hint the first time you told me you didn’t want to go.”

“S’okay,” you hummed, keeping your hands fumbling with the contents of your locker as your gaze stayed focused on its insides. “I’m not mad at you, I’m just- I don’t understand why everyone is acting so calm. Nancy was balling her eyes out on the phone to me last night, assuring me that Barb was gone missing. She went on, telling me her car was still parked not far from mine and saying that she felt a creepy presence in my backyard,” you finally managed to neatly place the books like you wanted, and closed your locker door in a loud, angered thud. 

“Oh,”

“Yeah,” you chewed on your nails and Eddie didn’t know what to say, or what to even do with his own hands. “What if something bad has happened to them? And I mean bad, bad,” you rested your back against your locker. “I can’t imagine what it would do to Dustin, imagine Barb’s parents? I-, I feel desperate in this situation and I feel like I’m one of the only ones to actually care.” 

“We could try and play detective, if you want? I mean, D and D does make you pretty good at piecing things together,” he offered you a short smile and your heart warmed a bit at his words.

“Maybe.”

~

You didn’t understand Nancy. 

As much as you loved her, you couldn’t begin to piece her out. Last night, she was calling you crying about your missing friend, and now she was begging you for a distraction you weren’t willing to give out. 

“Please, please come,” she whined over the phone, and you eyed Steve as he walked across from the kitchen to the living room, giving you his biggest death glare as he did. 

“Nancy, you know my answer,” you groaned–wanting to slam your head onto the wall next to you. “Do you realize that two people are missing, and you’re ready to just forget all of that to go dancing with idiots?”

“Y/n, I think we both need this, we can continue searching tomorrow.”

Was this really the same Nancy you had chatted with the day before?

“You’re in a relationship now, you should understand this!” 

“Understand what exactly?”

“That I want to spend time with my boyfriend. The world is falling apart and I’m stuck home with my thoughts. Wouldn’t you ask the same thing if the roles were reversed? Wouldn’t you beg Steve and I to go to a Ren Fair or I don’t know a Metallica concert if you couldn’t?”

“Spring Fling is far from being a Metallica concert, Nancy,” you chuckled at the idiocy of her comparison.

“But what if Spring Fling is my Metallica concert?”

You fell silent over the line. Were you that selfish? Not letting your friend get that date with your brother and miss out on an event everyone wanted to go to. You sighed, rethinking your life one last time before sighing out; “Okay,” head falling against the wall by the telephone. “I’ll tell Steve to come pick you up.”

“Oh my god I love you!”

“Yeah, yeah, love you too, I’ll see you there,” and with those words you hung up, dread seeping into your bones once again. “Steve! Get fucking ready, you’re taking Nancy to that stupid dance!”

“I’m what now?” 

“You’re taking Nancy to Spring Fling,” his eyes widened, mouth agape.

“Oh my god, I love you,”

“Oh, shut up,” you rolled your eyes, watching Steve scurry away to the upstairs bathroom. You sighed before crossing the kitchen, eyeing for any one of your parents. 

“Hey darling,” as if she knew you had been searching for her, your mom’s soft voice echoed from the laundry room, through the corridor and right to you.

“Right here,” you hummed back, trotting to meet her there.

“Oh perfect,” she smiled, “could you bring this up? Half of this is Steve’s and then the other half is yours.”

“Are you obliging me to walk through the pits of tartarus?”

“If this means, entering your brother’s room to drop off his laundry, yes I am asking you.”

“Fine,” you hummed, grabbing the basket of folded laundry from your mother’s arms. “Also, Steve and I are getting ready to leave, we’re um- going to the spring fling thing.”

“Oh,” her eyes widened. “You’re going?”

“Yeah. Nancy convinced me.”

“Alright,” she let the shock seep through her. “I’ll let your father know.”

“Thanks,” you smiled before scurrying away, jumping up the steps–the quicker you got this done, the quicker you could get ready, and the quicker you were out of the house, the quicker you would be back. 

You dropped everything that was yours on top your bed–not bothering with putting it in your cupboard before waltzing towards Steve’s room. You could hear the stream of the shower, and if you were really careful, you could hear Steve faintly humming a Kate Bush song. You rolled your eyes before opening his door, ready to be met with the utter mess that you remembered his room to be–but to your surprise, it was neat and even smelt nice. 

You blinked in shock, taking in the well done bed, the freshly vacuum carpet and the organized shelves. Even the desk was neat, two pots of pencils stood proudly in the corner, while only a stray eraser felt out of place–sitting next to an opened agenda. His desk lamp illuminating his scruffy writing, creating a halo over the white lined page. 

Once the surprise was seeping in, you blinked; remembering your original mission. You dropped the basket on his bed, sighing before turning back around.

And that’s when you caught the writing across the white paper of Steve’s used notebook.

MONEY SPENT

March 30 - family video $6

April 2 - Maldev’s $2, lunch $5

April 5 - lunch $2

April 11 - Lunch $7, family video $3.

April 12 - Eddie $50

April 14 - Scoops Ahoy $6

April 15 - Eddie $100

The list went on–Eddie becoming a recurrence since ‘April 12’, the money only adding as the days went by. Your heart thumped in your chest–why in the world was Eddie’s name on Steve’s wannabe accountant list, and secondly, where in the world did Steve find this kind of money?

You wondered for a brief instant if Eddie had been dealing to your brother, but then you had only seen Steve high once, and it had been two days ago, at that wretched gathering.

Barb’s warning echoed in your head, and for a mere second you allowed yourself to feel the worst. Was this why Eddie had been bugging you to come to the dance with him?

You refused to make it make sense, but then April 12 had been the day Eddie had first tried to ask you out. 

Your breath suddenly caught in your throat, and you could feel your heart thumping in your ears. No. This couldn’t be happening. You couldn’t be sure of anything yet. 

Nonetheless, you didn’t have time to think about it. You were on the clock with a promise made to your best friend, and strolling out of Steve’s room, you noticed a frown on your face you hadn’t even realized was there.

You let out a shaky sigh as you entered your room, being met with your reflection in the mirror.

You had made Nancy a promise,

You’d have to confront either of the two after the dance.

~

“Eddie, there’s a girl outfront for you.”

“Huh?” He lifted the book from his eyes, dropping it on the coffee table before lazily sitting up, limbs cracking as he did. He looked at Wayne in question, not bothering to fix his pyjama shirt as he walked to the kitchen area and looked through the window.

His eyes weren’t failing him–indeed there you were, the window of your car rolled down and Eddie could see you all dolled up in a pretty dress he’d never bet he would ever see you wear. You looked straight at him through the window and honked, a signal for him to come over.

“What the fuck,” he muttered under his breath as his socked feet walked him to the front door. “Hey, what are you doing here?” Even though shock was seeping through him, he smiled at your sight.

“Get in loser, we’re going to the spring fling,” his mouth was wide, agape like a fish as he registered what was happening. He blinked, and stood there a second too long because you honked your car horn again. “C’mon! We don’t have all night!”

You watched as Eddie blinked again before shaking his head and scurrying back inside. You heard faint mumbling from the trailer and his running around. You even thought you heard a loud noise that was most probably Eddie falling as he tried to get the suit of his pants up. 

His hair was wild once he opened the door of the trailer again, but he was brushing it back with his fingers as he walked down the metallic steps and walked to you.

“Where did you get a tux last minute?” You grinned as he opened the passenger door, his slime had made all anxiety wash away from your body and you felt yourself melt a little further into your car seat, butterflies brushing the side of your stomach at the sight of him in a suit.

“Oh, you know, just something I had, laying around,” he shrugged, pretending to be brushing something off of his shoulder “Where’d you get the dress?”

“Oh you know just something I had, laying around,” that made him laugh, eyes intently scanning your figure as you started driving away.

“What made you change your mind?”

“Nancy wouldn’t stop bugging me about it, thought I’d take a break from being a heinous bitch, for a change,” you smiled, and your mind brought you back to the writing in Steve’s notebook an unsettling feeling tugging at your heartstrings as your gaze went back to the boy next to you. 

“Respectable,” he grinned, already opening your glove box for a cassette–fishing out a Black Sabbath mixtape he had made for you.

And for a golden second, as you watched him grin like an idiot over the cassette he had so carefully designed–your worries washed away.

Eddie had been so caring. He had come into your life, bulldozing everything you had trapped yourself in. He brought a new breath to your lungs and you felt yourself again, you felt whole again.

And maybe, just maybe you could let yourself believe that Eddie’s name on Steve’s notebook was something entirely different.

~

Spring fling was everything you had expected it to be. 

Bright colored balloons floating across the air, handwritten banners hanging from every corner, large tables with various beverages and food laying across it. Music was bursting out of large speakers lodged at every corner of the room–and not to mention almost the entirety of Hawkins High. 

Toto’s Hold The Line was ringing in your ears, and you felt your hand grip Eddie’s a little tighter as you walked past a group of cheerleaders, all giggling at something Cameron Ness had said. The star jock was wearing his best suit, a blue ruffled jacket that made all the girls cling to him like moths to a flame. Each of them were in close competition with your brother at the amount of hairspray they had, hairstyles more and more elaborate the more you stared. 

You did not feel in your place at all. 

It all felt intoxicating.

You spotted your brother, long gone into a conversation with some brunette jock named Jeremy. You looked at Nancy–she seemed so happy for once; a bright smile plastered on her face as she leaned against Steve’s navy vest. 

And maybe, just maybe the thought of your best friend getting to have a good time made it less hard to stand the suffocating gym.

“Wanna dance?” Eddie turned to you, a smile on the corner of lips, “while the music is still somewhat tolerable.” Eddie lifted his hand, silently asking for yours.

“Yes,” you slotted your hand in his–butterflies brushing the sides of your stomach as you marched towards the dance floor.

Maybe the evening wouldn’t be so bad.

~

“Eddie?”

“Yeah?” 

“Can you hold my drink, I need to go to the bathroom,” you smiled as Eddie was already offering his hand.

“Of course.” 

Eddie’s gaze traveled around the room, and an unsettling feeling crossed his stomach when his gaze met your brother’s. He was at a different spot this time, chatting with Nancy over a cup of punch.

This was it. 

This had to be his chance. 

He didn’t think twice before crossing the room, fingers brushing through his hair before speaking; “Hey, Harrington.”

“My man!” Steve cheered, and wrapped an arm around him. Eddie awkwardly nodded towards Nancy who had handed him a tight smile upon his arrival.

“Can we talk?”

“Sure,” Steve nodded and asked Nancy if she could hold his drink–to which she accepted and nodded them away.

Eddie noticed Steve was maybe more than a little tipsy as he walked beside Eddie, mumbling jokes and saying hi to everyone who crossed their way. He thought this would be a never ending nightmare, and it would probably be hours before he reached a quiet spot. And after torechous minutes of Steve greeting everyone who met his eyes as he was dragged through the mass of students, they finally reached the quiet corner next to the bleachers.

“So-”

"The deal is off."

“What?” Steve suddenly felt himself sober up. “Why?”

“Because I can’t continue like this.”

“But why? I thought you needed the money-”

“This isn’t about the money, Steve,” the name felt bitter in his mouth–maybe because he blamed him for his suffering, or maybe Eddie blamed himself–but right this minute the lines blurred in his mind and he felt his stomach bubble with a new kind of anger. “This is about your sister, it’s killing me to be doing this to her.”

“Why would you care?” Steve snorted, and Eddie almost took a step back at the cruelty he was witnessing first hand.

Did Steve really care so little about you? 

“Because I’m falling in love with her,” the words tumbled out of Eddie’s mouth faster than he could think, and he had to bite his lip once he realized his confession.

Steve’s mouth fell open wide, the room starting to spin—and this time it wasn’t the snuck in vodka that made him feel this way; but the way his plan was biting him back. 

“No, no, no. You can't be in love with her,” he felt the words leave faster than intended, his own interests getting the best of him. 

“Who are you to tell me what to feel or not feel, Harrington.” 

Steve blinked–stunned, “no, you’re right. But you can’t be falling for her! I never said you could actually date her, you’re going to be a bad influence!” 

“Excuse me? Says the guy who hand picked me.”

“Because you were the only one good for the job!”

“Exactly, and that’s why I’m putting an end to the whole thing.”

“She’s smarter than you give her credit for, you know? She’s going to figure it out soon enough, and it’s going to go all to shits. She might hate us both in all cases, but I’d rather her learn about this fiasco the right way.”  

“No-no, you can’t tell her anything! What about me? What about Nancy?” 

“Are you fucking serious right now?” 

“Look, I’ll pay you double, we continue the deal like it was, you continue to date her, and we can just forget this whole conversation happened, okay?”

“Did you not hear a word I just said?”

~

You sighed, fixing a strand of your hair as you looked at yourself in the mirror—smacking your lips together to spread the gloss you had just reapplied. 

You pushed the heavy bathroom door, sighing once it closed behind you–the school hallway staring back at you. You could faintly hear music playing from behind the closed doors, but murmurs from a nearby corridor caught your attention. 

“Did you hear?” Mr. Arnold fiddled with his hat, twisting the material between his fingers. 

“Hear what?” You recognised Mrs. Gilbert–the drama teacher, she was fixing the sleeve of her sparkling dress before a content smile appeared on her lips.

“They found him,” now they had your full attention. Head spiking up like a cat, and breath catching in your throat.

“The Byers boy?” She whispered, the smile getting whipped off her features. 

“Yes,” Mr. Arnold had a grim look in his eyes as he stared down at his shoes. “They found his body at Sattler Quarry about an hour ago… Poor kid drowned himself.” 

Your shoulders tensed and you felt your ears ring

No.

No, no, no, no, this couldn’t be happening.

Will, the shy boy you babysitted a few times. 

Will, the quiet one with a mind of gold and an ever growing imagination. The one who came up with creatures, monsters and wizards D and D magazines and Eddie’s campaigns could only be envious about.

Your body hit the back of the lockers, and you could only hope that Mrs. Gilbert and Mr. Arnold didn’t hear the thud that accompanied the movement. Head spinning and heart unstoppably racing as you tried to tame the buzz in your head. You couldn’t hear anything, an uncontrollable numbness hitting you as your fist clenched the material of your dress. 

Why?

Why had a boy full of life like Will had to meet his end in such a way?

What about Dustin? Did he already know? 

Your heart only shattered into more pieces as you thought of him. 

You had to tell Eddie.

You walked back into the gym, the air feeling stuffy again and the music barely hitting your numbbed ears. Seeing everyone so full of life made you sick to your stomach. All these people who didn’t even care that he had gone missing, and now they would wake up tomorrow morning with the news of his death, and move on with the rest of their lives as if nothing happened.

It didn’t take you long to find Eddie in the crowd. He was a few meters away from the door, in a corner talking to—your brother? 

He had a large frown on his features, and your brother was waving his hands around frantically like he did when he got frustrated. You watched as Eddie groaned, a hand flying up to his hair as he tried to reason whatever argument your brother had thrown. 

You moved faster than your mind registered, feet gliding over the polished ground of the gymnasium. Something in you wanted to save Eddie from presumingly a horrid conversation with the gremlin that you were cruelly related to. 

You were about to go through the last small group of people, you could clearly see them from your spot in between the dancing bodies—and Steve’s voice became clearer over the fading music.

“No-no you can’t tell her anything! What about me? What about Nancy?”  

What the fuck was that suppose to mean? 

“Are you fucking serious right now?”

“Look, I’ll pay you double, we continue the deal like it was, you continue to date her, and we can just forget this whole conversation happened, okay?”

You stopped in your tracks.

Steve’s writing suddenly became clear,

your worst assumptions were true.

Eddie was paid to date you,

And had been since the start. 

[sunlit-mess]

WHAT’S YOUR ELDRITCH LUCIFER’S PERSONALITY LIKE?? Sorry if this question makes no sense

Tbh I cooked up a whole narrative for it (because I'm dying to fill non-existent lore)... But it's so long and scattered so I'll yap about it someday.

Anyway, here are the ideas I revolve with:

All of these are just from random thoughts focusing on the ' BAD ' side + curiosity idk " my physical shell can be torn apart, smothered, stretched, bent by my own mind " (Angel Lucifer): Innocent face, underlying horror. (Canon/demon Lucifer): One body, that feels like two souls.

- somehow I can connect this with the ideas in Angel Luci's behavior LOL im too sleepy to fix a timeline for it atm.

Evil is a part of him that can't be erased so he learned to overcome it, but never fully accepted it. So upon his silly demeanor, beneath are the true reasons why he is banished from heaven. Sob story? Yeah, that's what they believe in...

Bro lives with this eternal punishment and I'm about to make that reason worse.

[themultifandomgal]

Jay Halstead- Work Husband Pt2

Jay and I end the day at Mollys having a drink with Burgess, Atwater and Erin

"Atwater is the cheapest" Kim says laughing

"Oh really?" I place a beer in front of Jay and Erin then sit down

"I mean, the cheapest guy you will ever meet. We drove... wait for it, we drove around for a half hour yesterday looking for an ATM that wouldn't charge him a withdrawal fee"

"There's a two-drink minimum. So start knocking 'em back. All right, men" Atwater tells us as he's set up this business proposal

"Okay, then I want mine in that cup" Erin points to Atwater

"Next time"

"So you used to be a flight attendant" I wiggle my brows at Burgess "ever attend the mile high club?" I chuckle

"No and it was just while I was waiting to get into the police academy. How about you guys? well I know about you YN"

"I was in the military"

"Huh. You" Burgess nods towards Erin

"Just kicked around nothing glamorous"

"Hey YN" I turn around to see Kelly and Leslie walking towards me "we're heading off, you want a lift?" Severide asks

"Errm yeah, I've had one to many to drive" I start to get up from my seat when a hand is placed on my shoulder

"No stay for a bit. I'll drop her off"

"You sure?" I ask Jay

"Yeah, it's fine"

"Ok. I guess see you at home" Shay smiles and I wave off my two roommates then look back to the others

"It's getting late. Think I'm gonna head out" Burgess gets up from her seat, grabbing her jacket

"I'll get us all another drink" Erin says getting up. I watch Jay's eyes linger on her as she walks to the bar

"Has Jay got a little crush?" I nudge Jay chuckling

"What?" he looks back at me with shock "what no. And anyway when I joined this team I was told to keep it in my pants" this makes me laugh

"Voight just wants us all focused and anyway you didn't answer my question" I give Jay a smirk

"Erins a good looking girl yeah, but no I haven't as you say got a crush"

"Hmmm" I hum as Erin comes back placing another beer in front of each of us and then takes burgess's seat while I continue to sit next to Jay

"Jay, has YN let you drive the car yet?"

"No" he huffs crossing his arms

"Told me today he felt like a house husband" this makes Erin chuckle

"Don't worry Jay, it took me 3 years to get YN to let me drive when we were partners"

"3 years!" Jay practically yells

"I just like being in control of the car" I shrug.

Jay drops be off at the end of the evening

"Thanks for driving me back"

"No problem"

"You didn't need to come to the door with me"

I laugh as Jay leans against the wall

"It's late anything could happen"

"Even though the car is literally there" I point to Jays car which is barley 10ft away

"Can never be to carful" Jay shrugs

"Well thank you" I give him a smile when the door opens revealing Kelly

"Thanks Halstead" Jay just nods his head

"See you tomorrow" I tell Jay then head into the house. Kelly shuts the door behind us

"So you and Jay"

"What about us?" I ask frowning

"Well you've been out with him all night"

"Nothings going on. We work together that's all"

[gracies-baby]

could you maybe do a gracie x younger reader? i'm thinking reader is 19-20 years old and gracie 24 like she is atm. And maybe reader still goes to college?

i'd really appreciate it but no pressure 🫶

thanks!!

Thank you so much for the request! This was so much fun to write! 💛

Studying

(Gracie Abrams x Reader)

——————————————————————————

Y/n sits in her dorm studying before she hears her phone begin to vibrate, signaling that someone is sending her a message. She picks it up and smiles when she sees the name on her screen.

Gracie❤️

Come over? I miss you xx

Y/n💙

I can't, I have to study 😔

Gracie❤️

Study over here. I'll even help you

Y/n💙

Gracie we both know if I come over, no studying will get done

Gracie❤️

I guarantee we'll do some studying 😏

Y/n sighs, telling her girlfriend she'll be over soon before grabbing her keys and driving to her girlfriend's house. She drives for about 10 minutes before parking in her girlfriend's drive way and knocking on the door. The door is opened to reveal a brunette with a wide smile.

"You're here!" Gracie exclaims excitedly as she pulls her girlfriend in for a kiss.

"I am, but I really need to study now. I've got a test tomorrow" Y/n tells the brunette as she walks into her house and puts her books on Gracie's desk.

"Babe, you're so smart. You don't even need to study, you're gonna pass anyway" Gracie assures the girl, trying to get her to give her attention.

"Just let me study for a few hours and then I'll give you all the attention you want" Y/n replies as she focuses on her books causing the brunette to sigh and pick up her guitar before sitting on her bed. After trying to write a song for a while, Gracie gets bored and tries to convince her girlfriend to give her some attention again.

"Babe, you know what? We should totally take a bath. I'll run us a bath and then we'll order pizza, and we can just spend the rest of the night in bed watching whatever you want. How's that sound?" Gracie whispers into Y/n's ear, successfully taking her attention away from her schoolwork.

"Yeah, that sounds nice. I'm done with this anyway" Y/n replies with a soft smile as she turns her head to press a soft kiss against the older girl's lips.

"Perfect. You just lay in bed, and I'll be there in a minute" Y/n goes to her girlfriend's bed while Gracie went to the bathroom to start running the bath and to order the pizza. A few minutes later, the two girls get in the warm bathtub. Gracie sit with her arms around Y/n's waist as the shorter girl has her back against the brunettes front.

"How's the new album going?" Y/n asks softly as she enjoys her girlfriend's company.

"It's great, we're nearly done. I've got a few interviews this week, that's kinda tiring but it'll be fun" Gracie murmurs in reply as she presses a soft kiss against Y/n's hair.

"Are there any songs about me on there?"

"Baby, all the songs are about you" Gracie replies as Y/n smiles brightly before the two share a deep kiss. A while later, the two of them get out of the bath before the pizza arrives and they cuddle in bed watching TV.

"Are you staying the night?" Gracie asks as she softly runs her fingers on her girlfriends back, Y/n's head laying against her chest.

"I dunno if I can. I've got that test early in the morning" Y/n replies with a tired sigh.

"Could you be convinced?" Gracie asks with a smirk as Y/n lifts her head.

"Maybe. Just how convincing can you be Abrams?" Y/n asks teasingly before Gracie leans forward, connecting their lips and slipping her tongue into her girlfriend's mouth. Y/n moans softly as she tilts her head to deepen the kiss.

"Is this convincing enough?" Gracie mumbles against Y/n's lips as she nods intensely before Gracie pushes her onto the bed and gets on top of her.

--

Gracie wakes the next morning to the sound of someone rushing around her room. She slowly opens her eyes to see her girlfriend collecting her things causing her to groan.

"Come back to bed. It's so cold without you" Gracie whines while reaching out for her girlfriend.

"I can't. I have to go to class, but I'll be back tonight. Go back to sleep, it's still early" Y/n replies as she walks over to Gracie, leaving a soft kiss on her forehead. Gracie mumbles something before falling back asleep. Y/n smiles at her girlfriend, leaving another kiss on her forehead before leaving the brunette's house.

[captainmera]

Depression has hit me really hard, and a lot of things are happening at the same time.

I'm simultaneously burnt out and on the verge of a collapse, but like... I can't really do anything about it. I'm just sort of waiting for the stick to break so I can work thru it and move along.

I can't even focus on important things like replying to mails without my brain circumventing into something else.

Avpd and burnout is putting me in a constant brain fog these days. And severe maladaptive daydreaming.

I'm trying to be social and grounded, but I feel like everything around me is drowned in mist, and when I speak, it's through molasses.

I know I'm disappointing ppl by putting certain things on hold, like fanfics, my comic, or asks. But I just can't do it r/n. it will come in whatever speed it comes at.

And frankly I'm just too fried and tired to extend more than a sigh of empathy to your frustration with me. I understand you, I do. But I'm just some guy. I'm not getting paid. I'm broke and tired, and I can't be arsed to even be upset.

Atm, I'm doing this Caleb-focused comic mainly just to do something else than hyperventilate or maladaptive daydream. It's helping me have some control over what I disappear into, something physical, rather than sit on the floor and stare off into space.

I could do it for ibwr, I should be putting that energy there.

But there's some stressful things going on there with contracts and whatnot that's put a damper on things. Money is stressful. At least a stressful damper. So it's difficult to concentrate on it with that humming in the background, y'know?

Anyway.

Bear with me, please. I know people are impressed by my productivity and speed - but it's not so impressive once you know I'm just unwell and trying to cope. I also have a lot of time on my hands.

I'm fine, really, I am. /GEN I just can't do four projects at once. I can do two tops. And right now it's the caleb comic and IBWR. That's it.

I'm aware it's not super great to work so much when I'm burnt out.

But know that I'm choosing one pest lesser than another greater pest. So the constant "REST!!" Comments aren't, like, fantastic. I just feel ashamed for not being better than I am or being able to practice what I preach.

Lo and behold, being mentally unwell and not being wholesome healthy about it. Who would've known it is complicated to be unwell, actually? /LHJ /GEN /notSarcasm

I know I don't owe anybody anything. But I just kinda wanted to have a sigh and vague-post-gesture at what I'm standing in to the void of the Internet.

Because I do get comments and asks asking where an update is, or why I didn't draw their ask, or why I'm putting energy in X instead of Y, etc.

So I'm just......... I'm just gonna like....... ignore it. It's not personal.

I love and appreciate your love for my work, I really do. Thank you for all of your excitement and your feedback. Its been a delight. /GEN

But... I'm just gonna have to ignore what the majority of people crave from me and do what I want in the pace I need to do it.

okay? :(

Look. Just allow it fam.

Just allow it.

Using memes to try to communicate some essence of lightheartedness.

[icey--stars]

Stories To Be Told: Azriel x Reader

Series Index (complete series)

A shadowsinger, a warrior, an Illyrian, that's what she was. Trained by one of the most formidable female warriors. Escaped the Illyrian camps and her clipping when she was barely sixteen and is now the holder of 6 siphons. What happens when she tries to sneak into the City of Starlight? And starts down a whole new road of chaos?

↢ 『 ☾ 』 ↣

Hi everyone- I write for ACOTAR a lot in my freetime, but I almost never share it. This particular one I'm posting is almost 30k words long so far, and isn't finished. It's a slow burn, obviously. I can't promise everything will be good, sometimes I skip around in my writing so that I'm not bored or losing motivation. So, when that comes, just do your best to imagine what happens in between, but know nothing of interest happened lol

I plan to split up the series best I can- but some chapters may be long, some short. Just depends on how I can split up my writing. Normally I don't write in chapters. I just... write. There are some POV changes, but they exist only in the beginning atm.

anyway. enjoy.

↢ 『 ☾ 』 ↣

I was carrying everything I had, on me, strapped with the bag that rested between my wings or on my person because it was a weapon. I peaked around the rock outcropping, spotting the city I was sneaking around down below. I didn’t mean any harm. I was just curious how everything was fairing, seeing as it had been about 15 years after Hybern.

I breathed just a little bit too hard, the great Illyrian wings behind me shifting around as I prepared to get a little closer to the city. If I could get in, that’d be great. Maybe I could afford to get some bread and cheese as a treat.

But then I heard the sound of a sword being drawn and I whipped around.

Two huge Illyrian warriors greeted me. One… one was covered in familiar darkness. Shadows. This… this was a shadowsinger in front of me. And there was only one shadowsinger I knew of in the vicinity. And he was right in front of me. I noticed the armor on both of the warriors next, 7 siphons a piece.

“Don’t move or we will kill you,” the warrior with longer hair growled.

I paused, hand resting at my thigh, just above a dagger sheathe, but I moved it up when I saw the shadowsinger eyeing the sheathe closely.

I knew who they were. The spymaster and general. Part of the Inner Circle of the Night Court. Under the High Lord, Rhysand, himself. Azriel, the shadowsinger and spymaster and Cassian, the general who had long hair apparently. Not that I judged him for it. I just preferred my clipper-short length, to long hair for fighting. It didn’t get in the way.

They kept their weapons pointed directly at me. I didn’t move, keeping my hands poised away from my sword sheath and out, but up and away from my weapons. This was bad. If they thought I was an enemy, I was fucked.

“What now?” I questioned, adding a bit of snarky tone in. “I’m not here to cause harm to you or the city below us.”

“As if we believe that. You’re strapped with weapons galore,” Cassian scoffed. “What even are you?”

I chuckled, lifting my chin up to reveal my six siphons that were attached to a leather collar around my neck.

“An Illyrian,” I responded. “Female, yes I know. Such a shocker.”

Cassian eyed me, but Azriel just seemed unnaturally still, as if frozen in place. But he kept his gaze solely focused on my hands and where they went.

“Why are you here?” Cassian growled, stepping closer with his sword. I backed up a bit closer to the cliff, putting distance in between us.

“I was curious what happened after Hybern, to Velaris and I came for food if I was able to walk in. Seeing as I cannot, I’ll leave you all in peace,” I responded.

“No,” Azriel spoke suddenly. First word he said the entire time. “You are heavily armed. So you will face an interrogation to ensure the safety of Velaris.”

I scoffed. “I hardly think that’s necessary.”

Cassian stepped forward again. I stepped even closer to that cliff.

“If you jump off that cliff, we will kill you,” the general reminded me. “So stop moving. If you are truly not here to harm anyone, prove it. Because currently you are carrying at least 5 daggers and a sword, and probably more if I had to guess.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not going with you,” I growled, wings flaring slightly in frustration. “Sorry for coming so close. I’ll just go to Hewn City next time, gosh. Nobody is allowed a bite to eat around here.”

Azriel suddenly leaped into the air, and too fast for me to dodge, he kicked my head, knocking me unconscious.

-----

My head pounded when I woke up, groaning as I flickered my eyes open. 

I assessed my situation for a moment.

I was tied to a chair, wings tied at the apex to each other and limbs each strapped to a chair leg or arm. My weapons and things were gone. My siphons remained luckily, I noticed as I flexed the power, causing the dark blue stones to glow a bit.

I looked around the room best I could. Gray stone walls. A completely empty room. A wooden door behind me. Hard to spot with my wings. Probably did that for a specific reason.

I pulled at my ropes a bit. No budge. They weren’t coming off which meant I needed a way to prove my innocence to the literal spymaster of the Night Court.

The door opened behind me and I jerked my head around to see.

“Good, she’s awake Azriel,” a new voice said behind me. 

The male walked around to let me observe. Bright violet eyes, no wings and tussle black hair. He had the tan skin of an Illyrian though, which was a bit odd. More footsteps came from the other side of me. Azriel, I noticed. He had a very well sharpened dagger out in his hand.

The door slammed shut behind me. Whether it was someone or magic, I didn’t know.

I took a deep breath and faced the two males in front of me.

“What is your name?” The unnamed male asked.

I rolled my eyes. “Y/N.”

“Y/N,” he repeated. “Do you know who we are? And why you are here?”

“I don’t know you. I’m here because I was caught with weapons near Velaris and this idiot and the general are assholes,” I responded.

“Very well then. Let me introduce myself then. I am Rhysand, High Lord of the Night Court. Azriel, here, is my spymaster,” the male replied.

Shit, I thought. This was the High Lord? Oh I was going to have fun escaping this, I thought with a groan in my mind. Speaking of said mind, I felt a very sudden and violent attack on my mind’s shields. I tensed, building it up against the claws attacking. Just like Rainne, my master, taught me.

“A shield, interesting,” the High Lord mused. The attack on my mind stopped, but I was weary. “Who taught you to shield from daemati?”

“An old master,” I replied. “No one of concern.”

“No one of concern?” Azriel spoke up. “Why are they of no concern?”

I narrowed my eyes and glared at the spymaster. “Because they died,” I replied simply, turning away the best I could from the male.

“Why were you so heavily armed when sneaking around Velaris?” Rhysand suddenly asked, switching the subject which I was thankful for.

“I was curious of how the city looked since I last saw it during Amarantha’s time and I also wanted some food,” I replied simply. “My weapons are for my safety.”

“Why would you need all those weapons to prove safety? Are you trained as an assassin?” Azriel asked.

I chuckled. “Might as well be, but no. I need the weapons because Illyrian males from the camps don’t exactly like me.”

“Why is that?” Rhysand spoke.

“I escaped from a camp that’s run by an asshole who holds old grudges,” I replied simply. “You all don’t need my life story, so what do you want from me?”

“Escaped?” Azriel said, narrowing his eyes. His hand falling from where it’d been picking at his dagger’s edge. “Explain.”

I glared in his direction. “No. Fuck off,” I replied.

Azriel stepped forward then, a knife coming to rest under my chin, pulling my gaze up.

“Explain,” the male ordered again. Rhysand remained silent, watching. 

“You don’t need my entire life-“ Azriel slapped my cheek hard. I snarled from the hit, reeling and struggling against my bonds.

But Azriel had frozen. He looked to Rhysand and then to me, and then he was gone, only a flowing bit of shadows remained for a moment.

Rhysand remained very still, staring at me more thoughtfully now. “Interesting,” he mused before he walked out the door.

I growled, thrashing in my seat. The slap hadn’t hurt, it just triggered an ingrained instinct to snarl when someone, especially a male, hits me.

I breathed for a moment, staring at the wall blankly. Nothing to do, I thought with a groan of boredom.

-----

Azriel was losing his mind. He’d slapped the female Illyrian he was interrogating and then something had slapped him in the face in return. The feeling of a knot in his chest, and a roaring instinct to stop what he was doing and instead protect said female in front of him.

So he’d winnowed out into open sky, trying to figure out what the fuck just happened. There was a knot in his chest that was a bit uncomfortable, and it connected to a very loose string. It was beyond weird.

He saw Rhys flying out of where the interrogation occurred and coming straight for him.

“What was that?” Rhys asked as soon as he got close enough.

“Something was wrong,” Azriel replied. “Very wrong. I cannot hurt that female. When I slapped her, as if the touch caused it, a knot attached to a loose string now is attached in my chest and my instincts scream at me to protect the female.”

Rhys eyed him. Then the High Lord chuckled. “Interesting that your mate is literally the one you knocked out.”

Azriel’s gaze locked on him immediately. “What?” He demanded.

“The feeling you described to me sounds exactly like what I experienced with Feyre before she knew about the bond,” Rhys laughed. “Now this is just hilarious.”

“It is not,” He protested. Then softer, “are you completely sure?”

Rhys laughed. “You feel like you must protect her, right? If I wanted to slap her myself, would you willingly let me?”

Azriel’s instincts roared up all in unison. He shook his head to try and clear it. “Alright, fair point.”

A heartbeat moment later.

“Shit what the fuck do I do now,” Azriel breathed.

Rhys laughed, wings still beating against the air. “Well, first I say we let her out the ropes, and then we plan a formal dinner at the House of Wind and have a chat.”

“How the hell do I tell a female I literally just kicked unconscious that she’s my mate?” Azriel thought aloud.

“I mean, I did do some pretty bad things to Feyre before, so I’m sure it’s amendable,” Rhys offered. “Just take your time. Get to know her. Court her. Need I explain more?”

Azriel sighed in frustration. “What the fuck. Why now world,” he whispered to himself. Then louder so Rhys could hear. “Let’s go let her out I suppose. Make sure she’s aware she won’t be harmed first, and then invite her to dinner.”

Rhys nodded. “I’ll be your wingman, with wings,” he said cheekily.

“Idiot,” Azriel responded affectionately.

-----

About 30 minutes went by and then Rhysand and Azriel returned. I felt a sudden release of pressure as a knife was brought right up near the membrane of my wings to cut the ropes off. I barked out in sudden adrenaline.

Then Azriel cut my other restraints and I eyed him more closely.

“Be more careful with that thing,” I growled at Azriel. “My wings are right there and I don’t think you’d like a shape object that close either.”

“It was that or touch the wing. I think you prefer the former,” Azriel replied. “Plus I’m much more able with my dagger than you think.”

“Why am I being unrestrained?” I asked, standing up to even my height with theirs a bit more. I spotted wings on Rhysand and only let my gaze settle on them for a moment before I met Azriel’s gaze with fiery intensity.

Rhysand replied, “We’ve concluded you are most likely not a danger to Velaris. So, as an apology for these events, we’d like to invite you to a dinner at the House of Wind up on the mountain.”

I eyed them closely, massaging the ropes’ feeling out of my wrists and shaking it out of my wings. “Why,” I simply replied.

“We’re interested in you, that’s all. We’ve yet to meet a female Illyrian who claims to have escaped a war camp,” Azriel spoke up. “So perhaps we can talk over food in a more peaceful setting.”

I glared at them for a second. “If I get my things back, then I’ll go to your dinner.”

Rhysand snapped his fingers, and there, my weapons and bag were.

“How and when do I get to this House of Wind?” I asked, sheathing a few of my daggers. And putting my sword back at my hip. Just because they didn’t say they were going to hurt me doesn’t mean they won’t.

“It’s a short flight up this ridge. You’ll see the balcony,” Azriel replied. “Come when the sun touches the horizon.”

“And am I allowed outside in the meantime?”

“I’d avoid the city, but yes,” Rhysand answered. “We will see you later Y/N.”

Then they were gone. Winnowed away.

[voiceofsword]

hi mimi :] guess who got new "matching" voicelines . i think i might be a bit delusional but it's a saga in my HEART and i will now rough tl/paraphrase them for you as i haven't the time to do it properly atm ( i'm at work but i had to inform you asap )

niki: i'm developing new recipes for a cooking segment on a new show i was put in charge of ! i'm thinking of focusing on spring vegetables ..

rinne: ( yawn ) i went out with niki early in the morning to dig up bamboo shoots, and we stayed there until pretty late in the evening, i've been so tired .. i think i'll sleep a bit now

niki: rinnekun told me spring was a great time for picnics, so i'm going to make a bento ! what would go nicely in it .. 💭

i swore there was another one but i don't feel like checking the shop atm to see if i missed a line . will update you if i did o7

WAUUGHHH THANK YOU... IVE SEEN A FEW COMICS ABT THEM BUT HAVENT GOTTEN THEM MYSELF so thank u so much for keeping me updated. now i will ramble

thinking about rinne being like (grumble grumble) why am i up this early (grumble grumble) damn you niki (in spite of agreeing to drive him the night before).... but still driving him, and joining him in digging up the bamboo shoots, and they end up having such a good time that he forgot he was even that tired at all to begin with. cue rinne and niki sitting in silence for like 5 mins in the car before he starts playing stuff from a playlist he made for the two of them and they immediately start singing/humming along

and in the following bento line i can imagine that happening almost before rinnes, like oh, bc rinnes doing this for me ill make us some food since he said spring is nice for picnics :) itll be fun and yummy food is always good~ (not just thinking about the food, obviously, but specifically remembering that tiny detail and wanting to Share That with the person he loves)

so by the time they have a few bags of bamboo shoots and are exhausted and covered in dirt nikis like ta dah!!! i made us bentos!! and rinnes thankful but also like omg, is this a date, does niki like me? i wouldve gotten dressed nicer 😳😳 nikikyun, you shoulda told meeee (super teasing, everyone knows theyre dating, hes being silly) and niki jokingly smacks him like no way! not like you wouldve done the laundry today anyway!! (but makes no attempt to reject the date idea) and and and.

idk i just started thinking about this scenario, i always love the "oh i have to do this thing" and the other immediately joining in like "well duh obviously i gotta go with you" both in the more serious sense and with more everyday activities like this, as much as they complain they treasure each others company so much IM DEADDDDDDD

[mtkay13]

hi! I have a question, i dont quite understand why zhou zishu is drawn to wen kexing, would you be able to help me? Esp in the earlier chapters, i just get the vibe that he's annoyed with him and doesn't want the guy's company. Do you know when he starts having feelings for wkx or how it progressed? I know zzs is very composed and in pain due to the seven nails so maybe i missed it while being focused on the plot, or maybe the translation is confusing me

Hello there!!! I'm sorry for the time I took to reply, I've been quite busy lately and I am currently taking sort of a break from this fandom (I'm not done or anything haha, just focusing on other things atm.) Anyway! Since you sent two asks, I'm going to quote the other one as well here and reply to both at once! :) Here's your second ask:

i think i answered my own question, i saw the ask where you recommended a certain translation, and the translation is completely different from the one i read. In one, zhou zishu comes off as annoyed w wen kexing and i had a hard time figuring out why tf he was even bothering to meddle. In the other, he comes off as an inquisitive person who suspects more to the situation and to wen kexing, and he's drawn in. Not to sound like an idiot but i understand why there's so many translations of greek classics now. The word choice make the interpretation completely different. I wish i could learn mandarin and learn what the original work says. Random but do you know if it'll ever get an official translation? It has a TV show and all, wouldn't it be marketable to western audiences? Question by the same Anyonymous person

As you put it yourself, yeah, the translation and tone does a lot to indicate what ZZS sees in WKX. I feel like there has been a widely shared sentiment that ZZS is pretty much fed up with him for the better part of the book's first half, and while I think it's a front that he puts up indeed, I feel like the original version and some of the translations do a good job of showing how ZZS finds WKX very intriguing, likely very strong and quite handsome (haha). I like to feel like he started developing a crush quite early on in the book, already seduced by WKX's deep and suave voice in chapter 2. From then on, more and more details about him catch ZZS' interest--WKX's appearance, mystery, his strength and martial arts expertise, and of course the way they seem to profoundly understand each other. It seems to me like there's a big shift during the campfire scene where ZZS recognises WKX's sword technique as being Wen Ruyu, the two of them thus discussing WKX's ancestry and, following that, what it means to be a good or bad person. The connection feels so strong during that conversation that it seems very likely to me that they both started falling in love from then on. Overall, where the translation may play a big role in perceiving ZZS' attraction is how "human and lively" he may seem in some versions. His quirks and "humanness" come out stronger in the ones I have recommended (IMO at least) and thus comes off as much warmer and fun. Through that characterisation, the nuance of him expressing one thing (annoyance) but feeling another (interest) is easier to understand. So yeah, indeed, translation sure is something! Haha, and there are many stories of disagreements and re-interpretations of classics even within professional translators (because for how much I can sometime criticise some versions of TYK, it's important to reiterate that these are all fan translations provided by people kindly dedicating their time and ressources to translate for free--most of the time (cough)--and share for free as well.) Well, I can only wish for you to get to read it in mandarin one day, because it's really, really great (and mandarin is just a fascinating language altogether!!) As for the official translation... I'm not very optimistic. It seems like getting publishing rights is rather complicated to begin with, and on top of that, TYK is currently locked on jjwxc (the website where it was initially published) due to censorship, which I feel makes it even more difficult. Priest has expressed in a rather recent socmed post that she didn't want to edit TYK (whether to censor it or for publication) because it was too old, so it's quite possible that she just isn't interested in putting in the work for TYK to be officially published and translated. That being said, it's just my opinion/analysis of the situation, and I may very well be wrong! Anyway, many thanks for coming to me and trusting my opinion, and I wish you a wonderful day!! 💗💗💗

[villainessxassassin]

Hello! I wanted to ask when will you be posting the part 2 of child!riddle x child! Reader? Because I am SUPPERR excited to read the next! Oh but if you're too tired for that at the moment, please take your time taking care of yourself^^

Ahhhhh I'm glad you're hyped for it! I panicked when I saw the date you sent this and I'm really sorry for making you wait this long😭, but to answer your question I'll be posting part 2 rightttt now!

How sweet (PART 2)

child!Riddle x child!reader

✧|: Riddle being salty cuz he doesn't want a babysitter tutor at home so he's really mean to you at first but then you start doing all these really nice things that makes Riddle want to cry in a good way and now he doesn't know what to do.

w: cute jealous riddle ahead, he wants to show you smthing but you're busy atm and it makes him sad :(, also a lil bit of angst but I make it fluffy in the end by shoving a tart down Riddle's throat/j (unless-)

༶•┈This will be part two (2/2?)

Riddle has made it his life's mission to get the message across that he just loathes your entire existence.

You hand him a handkerchief after he's done with his meal? He's offended you think he can't get one himself! In which he is perfectly capable of doing, but he let's you anyway with a small pout on his face as he receives the said cloth from you.

The small check-ins you do to make sure he's not overworking himself? Why, do you perhaps think you can catch him off guard when he doesn't notice? Hah! nice try, but he can see through your fake acts of concern! (as he says)

When you help him tidy up his things after your study sessions? You're just playing nice! trying to outdo him in everything no matter how small. What do you take him for? some sort of mindless bafoon? Why are you always trying to iritate him in the smallest of ways? Begone with you!

Riddle doesn't like being in the same airspace as you. It's suffocating, yet whenever you leave the room he can't help but hold his breath, looking up from his book from time to time to see what you're up to, but the moment you return, you'll find his brows knitted while trying to go back to the page he was on.

Right now, Riddle is once again plopped onto a stool, book in hand, as he recites the formula's that you helped him memorize for the upcoming test he'll have on monday.

"Hey, This one's a little confusing, do you mind if—" It takes him a moment to realize he was talking to complete thin air when he gets no reply in response to his question. "Where- oh." That's right, it was the weekends, meaning you didn't have to tutor him on these days, meaning he just assumed you were here with him when he's been alone the whole day studying.

Your presence really was leaving a big impression on the red head life, and before he even realises it he's been counting down the days to hours to how long until he see's you again.

"It's usually your mother that comes to greet me at the door. Perhaps you've been missing my presence which is why you're so eager?"

"What a delusional way of thinking, I just don't want to waste time with my mother's and your exchanges."

What nonsense am I spouting? He's become aware of the way he acts around you, how he's so much eager to learn when you're the one teaching him, how he's come to like listening to history lessons when it's your voice narrating the stories, how he's started to try harder when you give him praise for getting a question right.

He's already gotten so used that your attention was always on him that he forgets you're your own person sometimes.

There was a time where Riddle wanted to show you this new project he's been working on, he carried it all the way from his bedroom to the living room with a pep in his step and sparkles in his eyes, excited to show you his great creation!

"Y/n, remember that new project I was telling you about?" but once he arrived, your attention was on a book in your hand, flipping through the pages, perhaps too focused on the interesting plot to acknowledge the red head in the room.

"Sorry Riddle but can it wait? I'm getting to the really good part of the book and I'd like for there to be no distractions while I read."

"But—" Riddle chokes on his words, it dawns on him that he really was excited to show you his work, but when has he ever been this happy to have to show you of all people? the one person he should be hating for sharing the same air as?

He let's out a small apology, quickly retreating back to his room, project in hand. He closes the door with a sigh, he shouldn't be this disheartened, It's not like he made sure to include a few of the things you liked into his project, it's not like he had you in mind when making it. Of course you have other things aside from him that need your undevided attention, but in that very moment, Riddle had wished to yank that book out of your hand and toss it into the fireplace.

From your point of view however— you almost broke your facade, after you said those words and took a small peek from behind your book, you felt bad after seeing the smile on Riddle's face turn into a frown, it looked like a child getting rejected of the toy he wanted.

There were also other instances that made Riddle question what he was doing. Your job was to be a tutor for Riddle, but after all that work gets done you were back to being a regular kid free to do whatever you wanted. Riddle didn't have that kind of freedom, he was a student outside in school and inside his own home, but as time went on he didn't have anything to complain about for as long as he had you as his companion.

So this situation at hand has really left him conflicted with his feelings.

Usually after he's done answering, he'd have you check his papers for any mistakes, but to his suprise, instead of seeing you in your usual place by the living room, he see's you leaning by the window, to what seems to be you chatting with the kids from outside.

"Hey, why don't you play outside for awhile? It must be really boring being cooped up in there all day!" Giggles and laughter errupted as the kids coaxed you in to playing outside with them.

Riddle's breathing changed patterns, that familiar ringing in his ears returning once again. You wouldn't leave him just to play outside with some strangers right? Riddles eyes were searching, but what exactly is it that he wants from you? To listen to you reject their offer, to say that you'd prefer to be here with him instead? how childish

"Sure! but only on one condition." Whispers were shared as the kids nod in agreement, you didn't even think twice as you bolted outside, leaving Riddle standing in the middle of the room, papers crumpling under the grip of his small hands. You didn't even bother to let him know you were leaving.

He should have known, but in the end he never blamed you. He expected as much, after all he wasn't the very nicest to you either, but a part of him knew he was trying, trying to be a better person to you, for you. He was huddled up under the blankets, small whimpers leaving his mouth as he tried his hardest to not looked like a kicked puppy when you returned, but he couldn't help it. His feelings got hurt by his most favorite loathed person.

It wasn't long until he heard the closing of his bedroom door, and the errating breathing you let out, panting out heavy breathes, he hears the crumpling of a paper bag you set down on his bedside table.

"H-had fun with your new friends?" He was trying his hardest to keep a firm tone with you, that's how it would have turned out if not for how he was sniffling under the covers. You didn't respond, instead choosing to snatch the blanket and throw it over his head, revealing the hidden red head.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" He was beyond frustrated at this point. Couldn't he be vulnerable without you having to do that so aggressively?! his heart is already in tatters and he doesn't need the same done to his blanket.

But before he could scream his lungs out you pulled out the most amazing sight Riddle has ever laid eyes upon from the paper bag. He couldn't believe it, right there being held by your tiny hands on a plate was a strawberry tart, no imperfections and in perfect condition, being displayed right infront of his face.

"How..."

"I had to make a deal, and that was if I played for a bit with those kids outside, they'd give me a strawberry tart for joining them! Really sweet deal if you ask me, and in the end I kinda just ditched them once I got the tart, plus I know how happy you'd get once you've gotten a bite."

"You did this... for me?"

"Well, what other reason would I have done all that for?"

He really was crying now, tears of frustration and joy. You always managed to get his feelings all tangled up, but managed to untangle them in a way that left a warm feeling in his chest.

Ripping his heart out only to give it back mended by your delicate hands was a round a bout way to do it he supposes, but he wasn't gonna give you that amount of satisfaction so easily.

"I can't eat this, what would mother think if she see's me with this in my possessions?"

"Well I'll... tell her I forced you to eat it as punishment for not getting a question right!"

"Then you'd get punished."

"I already went out of my way to get this and give it to you, the least you can do is have a taste."

You give Riddle a pat on the head while feeding him the tart, helping him wipe away the tears that are still falling down his cheeks.

"...It's salty."

"Then stop crying! or else I'm shoving this whole tart down your throat!"

Who would have thought something so bitter ended up being the sweetest reward in the end. Indeed, how sweet that is.

[lightdragon789]

I'm going through a bad burn out and art block right now, it's been a roller coaster for me atm.

So, I decided to share some pieces that I've done in the past but never got around to uploading. That being the rest of Nash's family. His mom Clara, his father Howard and his younger sister Agnes (Kid and young adult).

I'm going to give a brief description of his parents, as I haven't figured much out for Agnes yet. Just know she's a very cute kid with lots of energy. Plus that Nash never got to meet Agnes until he venture through Aakahn with Bodie to Montell. This is due to their father never coming to Nash's place for them to meet and Nash never visited due to going through his own mental struggles relating to his father. In the story Nash wrote a song for Agnes, thinking she had their mother's hazel eyes. But she didn't and it disheartened Nash and made him realize just how much of his sister's life he missed.

But anyway, let's start with Howard! Nash's father worked at Aakahn's hunter's guild. He was known as one of the best hunters in his prime, catching many beasts. Bears, wolves and even some avian half-bloods. He was a fighter but also a strategist with traps. It wasn't until Nash was around six that a half-blood from silverben, damaged his leg severely. To the point where he was to use a cane due to his bad limp, thus retiring early from being a hunter. This gave him the push to start training Nash into becoming a hunter like his fathers and brothers before him.

When Nash was showing lack of interest in becoming a hunter and more into the arts though. His father did all he could to disway him from that path. Drilling it into him, how he'd be nothing to nobody if he didn't become a hunter. Stating it was in their family's blood to be a hunter and that he had all the qualities of a hunter. Even when years passed and Nash still didn't show much interest, he took Nash to Montell to shoot an avian folk he caught before him injury with a crossbow. He was proud that Nash took the shot and advanced his training from then on.

He never noticed how much this was effecting Nash, only seeing his progress and showing his pride when Nash did what he was told. Then when Nash was 15, he helped him move out so that there would be space for his younger sibling. He never visited Nash after helping him move, as when he found out he became a librarian instead of a hunter. He grew ashamed of him and focused on his wife, but then she died in child birth. Leaving him to seek a caretaker for the baby while he worked in a more easy place.

It isn't until Nash passes by with Bodie does the two meet again after 4ish years. He's impressed and proud of Nash for catching such an impressive beast. But Nash isn't the same anymore and asks why his dad never visited him or came to console him after his mom's death. To which Howard is dismissive but it makes Nash more annoyed, to point where he lash out with all the years of anger flooding out. It's here he learns that Howard didn't visit due to being ashamed of Nash's choices and Nash disowns his father. Citing they were only tied by a last name and that was it, and how he wants nothing to do with him anymore and leaves with Bodie.

SO, yeah that's Howard! Onto Clara!

Clara all her life wanted to go to Thessla and train to become a mage. As she always was fascinated by glyph magic and knew she had some strong times to her affinities. However, her family was anti-magic and forced her into jobs around Aakahn. It made her feel tied down as she practiced magic on the side, away from her folks. But then they set her for an arranged marriage with Howard and there wasn't anything she could do about it. Thus stopping her magic practices and being wedded to Howard. Then having Nash as their first son. At first, due to postpartum depression. Clara distances herself, only feeding and caring for Nash when he cried.

However, things were easy as Nash was a very relaxed baby. Then as he got older, Clara would still be distant emotionally at times but tried her best to help Nash in anyway she could. Even showing off glyph magic to Nash when Howard was off working. When he went into retirement due to his limp, and started training Nash. She truly saw how much of a toll it was taking on their son. She tried to voice her concerns but was shot down multiple times by Howard. So, she'd make it up to Nash by taking him on nature walks, going to the library and in the summer time watching the fireflies.

She even saved money and bought Nash a violin, after his 11th birthday. Seeing how shaken up he was after shooting the avian half-blood. There wasn't mush she could do, other than say how sorry she was due to all of events his father put him through. Even the day he moved out, all she could muster was a teary sorry as he left. Even still, she waited for her son to visit. Writing letters and sending him the stories he would write her on her birthdays and Mother's Day. After she passed away giving birth to Agnes, she never blamed Nash for never coming but only wish to Div that he lives a better life than she did.

That was a lot to write....

BUT I hope you guys like the rest of Nash's family and I hope you all have a lovely day!

Characters and art belong to me!

[clairedaring]

tag game ✨

huge thank you to the lovely zey @thasorns for thinking of me. i love you too (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)

1. why did you choose your url?

no one remembers her but claire dearing from jurassic world will always hold a special place in my heart.

2. any sideblogs? if you have them name them and why you have them.

poomphuripan - the bl sideblog that i started just because my main got deactivated for a bit but i guess for now, it's mostly uppoom and msi-focused. in december, it'll probably be torjj and spare me your mercy-focused. i think i'll probably just be using these for the ql series i have a crazy hyperfixation about.

huiyanan - a pentagon yanan/hui focus sideblog

coryjeacoma - my musical theatre sideblog for random audio bootlegs and sometimes musical gifs

ryuvachirawich - my unused (mostly lakorn) gifs blog for extra gifs i make but that doesn't make it into any main or sideblogs. at first i was trying to keep this sideblog lowkey but then i needed to tag the gifs w my gif tag anyway so i could search for them so disclosing is fine 🤣

3. how long have you been on tumblr?

2014... what do you mean it's been a decade since i started using tumblr.... time isn't real

4. do you have a queue tag?

i tried but i've given up on queue-ing in general so i don't. my tumblr is constantly in two modes: super active or going months without a single post lmaoooo.

5. why did you start your blog in the first place?

i wanted to be where all the gifmakers are but i have too much interests so this shall remains a multi-fandom blog or more like a "whatever media claire is consuming atm" blog 

6. why did you choose your icon/pfp?

dirk gently is the single most perfect holistic detective in existence. sometimes i'm too attached to my url and my icon, i don't think i can ever change them. headers i can but i haven't changed my url/icon for 3-4 years i think.

7. why did you choose your header?

i feel you linger in the air is THAT series for me. dethroned almost every other thai series on my all time fave list (i say almost because bad genius series is still holding its crown well)

8. what’s your post with the most notes?

i just checked and apparently it's my first and only merlin gifset 😅

9. how many mutuals do you have?

i have no idea but i love all my mutuals （づ￣3￣）づ╭❤️～

10. how many followers do you have?

i hit 1k recently. crazy to me because i've left this tumblr empty for months before starting being active again last october???

11. how many people do you follow?

4000+ but that's only because i'm too lazy to unfollow people. so yea i rarely see things on my dash. i just end up scrolling through my fave gifmakers tags to find things they make.

12. have you ever made a shitpost?

i don't think so????? i mean the closest is probably me saying super random things on this tag.

13. how often do you use tumblr each day?

it used to be once a week... but these days it's really a daily routine lmao. although i'm pretty sure i'll leave my tumblr dusting once my stand-in ends... who knows... we'll see...

14. did you have a fight/argument with another blog once?

how can i? i'm so non-confrontational, i reblog things in private to argue with op 😭 lmao (arguments that op will never see lmao, i'm saving them and me both the trouble really). just enfp things.

15. how do you feel about ‘you need to reblog this’ posts

huh why do i never get them on my dash (⊙x⊙;)

16. do you like tag games?

sometimes i forget but i love being tagged in them because i get to know about all the great mutuals i have on here, especially music tags because i always get incredible new music recommendations

17. do you like ask games?

apparently i had my asks closed without knowing for quite some time so i haven't received asks for so long. maybe one day i'll do them but i have bad records of answering asks so ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

18. which of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

i'm not sure if being THE certified way apologist/way gifmaker qualifies her as tumblr famous but maybe sasa @zhouxiangs is the most famous mutual i have

19. do you have a crush on a mutual?

let's call this mutuals whose editing skills i wanna steal (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)

lana @sherrymagic whenever you see me reblogging lana's joe sets every week, you'll see me gushing about the consistency in her coloring and that's because that's something i'm obsessed with, especially considering my stand-in's grim/dark cinematographic coloring. also i don't know how lana chooses the perfect lines from each eps to do her recap sets because most of the times i can't even choose between which scenes to gif.

eva @alienwlw eva makes the most beautiful lyrics set and is willing to do my most niche requests and i'm always looking forward to seeing her gifs because it's always so warm and grainy and crisp and i'm just like wahhhh *heart eyes emoji* every time

20. tags?

no pressure tagging anyone today ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪

[thefourchimes]

encanto undertale au thoughts part 1 rahhhh

so, encanto undertale au, i've mentioned it already in this post before but it was very vague

so lets do our best to expand a bit more

though fair warning that it's been a while since i've touched undertale in its full, and even then, i was never fully aware of every single lore detail in undertale, so i may miss or be wrong about something, feel free to tell me though woooo

wait, help, i'm realizing that the two have opposite problems: undertale has so much lore that it takes a while to take in, even if some are up to interpretation because at least there's already a basis, while encanto has so little information to work with since the only concrete source we have is the movie, posts from the creator, some comics and books (the latter three not even being 100% sure either)

but anyway, i actually still dont have full thoughts besides the general vibes but onto the thoughts (warning, it's a long post):

i mentioned before that the grandkids will be falling down into the underground for this au

just to be clear though, i am really not sure how to deal with the huge gap between time periods (1950s for encanto and 211Xs for undertale) and i dont think im in the right mindset for that atm so i'll leave it vague, thank you AUSIFHASUF

not unless this will be encanto but modern, but that's still up in the air, and i'm hesitant on it too since i want both encanto and undertale to be as canon accurate as possible oof

though there is a possible way by focusing on how disconnected the encanto is to the outside world, but not really sure either

i am also not gonna be diving much into the setting and place of undertale, and just generally all the parts about both encanto and undertale that can be left up to interpretation unless it's completely necessary (i'll try another day, but just not now IUAFHUAHSF)

anyway, let's make things on both sides clear first before fusing them together

so for encanto, we'll have it set around the months of rebuilding casita, so that means no gifts, the movie besides the very end of all of you already happened, the family's issues are already brought into light but are not fully mended yet (since that takes a long time—plus more fuel to add into the fire for this au mwahahaha), and they can get out of the encanto

on undertale's side, we'll have it all be and set generally the same, keeping the general timeline of it for the sake of continuity, so the kids will fall the same sort of way and "time" frisk does in canon game

i was kinda imagining that the mountains the miracle created would be sort of connected to mt. ebott somehow? it's a thought but i'm unsure on the execution of it, just spit balling a bit here

then again, we don't know the magic's full origins so maybe that can be played around with, but still up in the air, really

even though im not sure of it yet, following the previous thought, it's been a couple of months since they started rebuilding casita, and the kids were taking a break from it to take their time to bond with one another (everyone in the family has been bonding with each other as much as they could when they weren't helping in the rebuild, and this was likely established after the fall since they're all trying to do better with each other)

they had decided to take a walk near the mountains, but rather than on the side of the encanto, they're on the outside, so they went through the crack the fall had made (they did this for the new scenery and exploration, plus they wanted to see the river, so yeah)

after a while of walking and conversation, they find a cave (you know the one)

from here, i'm not sure on how they'll be falling into the underground yet (other than that it will be chaotic but also likely angsty), but they will be falling in

so that will be the start of the journey and full crossover between the two

while the kids will be going through their journey in the underground, the adults and townspeople will be dealing with the kids' disappearance, but i'm not sure how long it will be

i know undertale canonically only took place in a day, but that was with frisk, and i'm not sure if that will be the same case with the madrigal grandkids

i still find it wild though that the entire game of undertale took place in only a day, it has the same vibes as "it only took days for casita to be rebuilt again" except the 1 day for undertale is canon, but i digress

the entire journey is still vibes, but i do imagine some thoughts, plot, and interactions that can and will probably happen in the au:

the kids not being surprised that there's magic (cause duh), but that there's more magic in the underground through the monsters

they're all gonna be in awe of all the magic they see too, considering the variety of it

though they will be missing their gifts more because of seeing all the magic around them

mirabel's definitely not gonna have her insecurities rearing its head again, oh definitely not— (welp, sorry mirabel)

them wondering about the colors of their souls, and how it doesn't fit their signature color help—

the kids thinking flowey was isabela's doing somehow lmao

they're all definitely getting whiplash on the violence that will happen with flowey, and eventually the rest of the underground

the older three, especially luisa, will immediately be taking up the protecting role though

isabela having a crisis because of flowey the psychotic flower, considering her gift (as non-existent as it is at this point in time)

they will not be understanding any game references here, nor the existence of the phone, not unless it's modern au, but again, still up in the air

antonio is gonna be having fun with all the animal-like monsters, and they can talk too, so it's like he still has his gift but his siblings and cousins can hear them too

luisa would be the one to push the rocks (including the talking rock) in the ruins since that's one of the things she had done when she had her gift

them being scared of napstablook at first because ghost but it will all be fine in the end

dolores and napstablook will likely bond through music later on too

toriel reminding them of julieta and her warmth and her cooking and baking

but when toriel is trying to stop them from leaving the ruins and is disappointed, she would probably remind them of abuela, which is fun lmao

each new terrain will leave them surprised and intrigued, especially for the ones they don't know about (like hotlands for example, i doubt they'd have encountered lava at any point in their 5-21 years alive, stuck inside the encanto—again, unless this is modern au)

huh, im kinda realizing that both the encanto and the underground are similar in the sense that both places are trapped and isolated (encanto with the mountains and undertale with the underground), leading the inhabitants to miss a lot of different things (undertale with the sky and stars, then encanto with the different terrains, and both with other people/humans)

sans and camilo are gonna get another prankster/jokester to work with here lol

i also feel like sans' laidback attitude will remind them of felix's own laidback attitude, along with how they both try to make everyone smile with jokes

papyrus trying to prove himself by joining the royal guard, along with his loneliness and want for friends, would definitely resonate with the kids, especially mirabel

also papyrus and agustin are similar in the sense that they're seen as innocent and clumsy respectively, but are actually really smart in their own ways, plus the feeling of wanting to belong is definitely shared by the two of them

not sure about the dating side quest with papyrus, but it will definitely be chaotic if it happens the way it happens

does the encanto have waterfalls anywhere? if not, then first time seeing a waterfall in...well, waterfall

isabela would probably wonder if she could make echo flowers, if she still had her gift (she wonders if she could have made so many of the plants they'll find in the underground)

meeting gaster would be fun, whether it be all of them or just one of them, though if it was the latter, i'm not sure who'd it be, though i'm imagining it to be dolores as of now

antonio cheering the snail on in naptsablook's snail game real

undyne would definitely terrify the kids at first

she's like a weather of chaos, whether it be through a rain of spears or rays of flames from a burning house, similar to pepa in that case

both are outgoing and outspoken, which definitely has the kids reminded of pepa

not fully sure yet but i feel like it will be one of the warm siblings who'll splash undyne with water when they reach hotlands

undyne (once she's not killing them lol) and the kids will be bonding through the cooking lessons, except we know how that ends

i imagine luisa and isa being the ones to take on undyne in both fight and bonding chaos sense ASHFUIAHSF

oh boy, alphys, this one's hard considering how modern things are at this point, even with her nerdiness and anime

but i do think the fact that alphys is hiding something will be noticed by the kids, considering how they were all hiding something for years before

also they'd be reminded of bruno considering alphys' similar vibes in a sense

especially with how they both ran away and hid from their problems (bruno to the walls and alphys to the true lab)

mettaton is fun, they'd probably appreciate him more as a performer if it wasn't for the fact that he was trying to kill them AIUSHFUIAS

ngl though, by hotlands going forward, it's gonna be hard imagining things since the kids will not know a lot of the modern stuff and tech here, but i guess we'll have to see how it goes

plus we can always play off the fact that the encanto is so disconnected from the outside world that they aren't aware of a lot of things, so yeah

but anyway, the core just being a maze will be fun, but whatever was going on with alphys here will be ringing alarm bells immediately

but mirabel will definitely be feeling for her here, considering she knows how it feels

mettaton's whole fight is just gonna have them be confused considering they never knew what tvs are and stuff (unless bruno shared more about the telenovelas he saw through his visions before they fell into the underground)

sans being serious in the judgement hall will give them whiplash lol

though in this sense, this probably emphasizes the similarity with felix in a way

asgore is very kind but is bound by his duty to his people, similar to alma in that case

and mirabel will likely be the one to realize that, as she knows and understands abuela's reasons in the fullest sense (i imagine the whole family got to talk about it already, but mirabel is the one with the emotional intelligence and empathy to notice how asgore is feeling, and also to make the sort of connection between abuela and asgore)

before i continue, all throughout, i realized how the madrigal adults and the ut characters are really similar in some ways to each other (whether personality, struggle, vibe, or others):

julieta = toriel

felix = sans

agustin = papyrus

pepa = undyne

bruno = alphys

alma = asgore

it's obviously not one to one, but the similarities are definitely going to be fun to notice, i think

i think asgore will be less "we'll take care of you and become a family" since they already have a family up top, and more "we'll help you figure something out so we can get out of here and you can go back to your family"

but of course flowey comes and ruins that

omega flowey is...a thing i don't even want to imagine, ngl, that's gonna be so brutal...

they'll beat him of course (with a ship's load worth of trauma as a gift) and they'll be out of the underground

but we know that's not gonna be the end, not yet

continuation in another post because i just hit word limit aaaa

part 2

[ninjagirlstar5]

Dude did you know/read -2+2 before i started interacting with your posts here or did you heard of it from seing me ramble about it? Also PLEASE get your work done first! This chapter is enormous and i wouldn't want it to ruin someone's schedule.

Also I'd love to hear your thoughts on it, not necessarily just the trial it could be of the story in general, if you feel like rambling that is ^^'

Don't worry, I spent my entire morning finishing my textbook chapter and completing a video question that I could finish in like, five minutes tops. I even shut off Discord to focus. It took four hours of my day to complete cause that's college for ya, haha. :']

Yeah, I read -2+2 before we ever interacted on Tumblr! Ngl, I didn't realize the author was you until I scrolled through your Kizuna tag on your blog and went, "hey, wait a minute, I read this fic-!" As for my thoughts on it so far, I loooove it! I love how Kizuna is forced to face the consequences of her actions while Ayame is grappling with the fact that she was this close to choosing to kill someone to save another and that her motivations weren't as pure and good that everyone makes it out to be for saving Kizuna. I love seeing how different the group dynamics have become thanks to how everyone is split up: the majority of the students sticking together, Yuki being forced out of that group due to his secret note but ultimately forming a little trio with Akane and Ayame (and I think Kizuna and Kanata, too, but they're more focused on each other atm when it comes to her recovery), and the lone wolves of Rei, Tsurugi, and Kinji. It really shows how fractured the group has become and that everyone's opinions are pretty complex and different from each other's, even when they stick to one side. I have yet to read the trial as of writing this, but Kanata's death hurts to witness, especially with how...simple it was. I believe she didn't even struggle, she was just sleeping and now, she can never wake up because someone (Kinji) took advantage of that vulnerability and killed her. I'm thinking that Kakeru, at some point, seemed to have walked in and saw what happened, whether it's his attack on Kizuna or Kanata, and tried to attack Kinji or stop him or something but I'm not sure. But her death definitely hits harder due to how simple it is and we can focus on the tragedy that Kizuna will never be able to fulfill the promises she gave to Kanata, her first friend. And how her grief quickly transforms into anger...ooooough, that's so good and in character for her, especially with how hard she's trying to improve herself now. Also, can I just say, I love how socially smart Kizuna is with her words and how she was able to bypass the third motive just by being clever with how she says things. There are many different ways for being intelligence, so seeing that play out with a character that is trying to redeem themselves is great. Ayame is also just...doing her best while grappling with herself and the thought of almost actually murdering someone, but is trying to be supportive of the others. At least being able to confide in Akane allows her to keep going, and she gets to befriend Yuki! It's so sweet...until you remember the twists with these two, haha, gotta love that dramatic irony. Oh, if (or when) we actually get there, that angst is going to huuurt. </3

Anyways, I do love rambling. And I love this fic! (Totally off-topic, but I hope my boy Teruya is gonna be okay from the whole near death experience of guns and stuff. He's gonna be okay, right? Right? I hope he's okay. I don't want anything bad to happen to him even though I know that's gonna be impossible in a killing game genre although I know his survival is pretty much guaranteed since you mentioned that you don't plan to change the death order. Doesn't mean I don't worry for his mental health though.)

[decepti-thots]

who's your fave tf character that you feel you don't get to talk about enough??

I've been sitting on this ask a couple days because I was busy, but: IDW Arcee.

That might sound sort of surprising because I feel like I talk about IDW Arcee more than a lot of fandom overall, since I'm a big exRiD fan... but I talk about her so much less than I do other characters I love on the same level, like idk Minimus or Rodimus or Prowl or whatever. Some of that is because I am better at talking about these things when I have someone to bounce off, and when other people are giving their own opinions on characters elsewhere in the fandom so I have other perspectives I'm thinking about and comparing my own with... and with a couple notable exceptions, it feels really rare to get that for IDW Arcee atm. It feels honestly like IDW Arcee overwhelmingly exists in fandom at the moment as one of two things: 1) a character discussed in the abstract in terms of her metatextual importance to the continuity and what she represents, but not as an actual character, or 2) a bit of a punchline, tbh.

The second one I know I've discussed my increasing discomfort with before, though I think I ultimately deleted the post. But IDW Arcee is mostly the butt of (ostensibly positive? progressively worded?) jokes about being a violent raging murder queen who Loves To Kill which. Mmm. Well. I have feelings about where that comes from. Maybe one day I'll swing a bat at that hornet's next. Anyway, that also fails to really connect with her actual arc in phase two, so it's not... very inspiring!

I really want to do a full reread focusing on Arcee's interactions with the themes of exRiD sometime. I think it was quetzalpapalotl on here who called her arc basically the 'thesis statement' for exRiD/OP as a whole, and I would agree with that, I think. At least a major part of it. There's a lot of stuff I've rarely seen in-depth discussion of that I'd like to try and dig into a bit, like actually talking about her relationship to Aileron in detail and what it does for the story, which is very specifically a post-war story in which Arcee is someone who lived through multiple periods of cyclical war, and Aileron is a civilian who has never directly seen any war, and they are both in a situation where nobody is quite sure if it's really peacetime or not yet.

[burning-omen]

Loki Laufeyson x Royal! Gn!reader headcanons

(a/n: pretend I've posted more than once this year PLEASE! Also the request is over a year old at this point so uuuuhhhh)

Warning: mentions of stitches and blood, mention (1) of possible sex.

Requested by anonymous: Hey, I think you are taking requests atm? If you're not I'm very sorry, could I request being royalty and dating Loki would include headcanons, and gn reader maybe?

Your relationship with Loki was a secret.

Mostly because, as the current ruler of (kingdom), it was in your best interest to keep up a modest and disciplined appearance.

Dating a terrorist didn't exactly scream modest or disciplined.

recovered terrorist.

Well, with your current position, dating was completely off the table anyways so you might as well go all out.

You could have been dating the most normal, sainest person in the universe and they would have still called for your immediate removal.

Luckily, you and Loki could keep a secret

You met when he, very gracefully, crashed into the side of your castle. Having nearly broken your window, only to land- unconscious- on your balcony.

It was late, but as luck would have it, you were awake- reading of all things.

After calming your guards, who'd burst in upon hearing the massive collision, you went out to see what hit you.

When you saw the man you thought that he was an assassin, but the giant gash on his forehead (from hitting a massive, stone castle at 200 miles an hour) led you to think that the man was harmless- and probably going to die due the blood loss soon anyways.

You did eventually decide to bring him in, patching him up with a hand-me-down sewing kit and laying him in your bed.

He was enraged when he woke up, having been knocked out of the Bifrost by Thor roughhousing.

You didn't know who Thor was- or what a bifrost is- but the way he raved about his ‘moron of a brother’ made you laugh

He didn't stay long after that, letting himself rest in your bed and be dotted on by a sovereign (yes, he was royalty himself but being cared for by maids and servants just felt different, it felt static and practiced- you were different, your touches were elegant, but unknowledged in the act of serving- you were warm and caring- and still carried an air of hard earned superiority. It was odd), before leaving.

The next time you saw him was on the news years later, despite your family and your kingdom as a whole being old fashioned, you were still allowed some modern luxuries- like a television.

The knowledge that you'd rescued a god was rather jarring, but not as jarring as the fact that he was trying to take over the world.

Skipping ahead, the two of you met again over a decade later. For him, the time had passed like nothing, considering how long gods live, for you, that decade had dragged on longer than you could have ever predicted.

You met at a ball, despite being the current ruler for over a decade your parents, who were thoroughly retired, insisted that you'd still mingle with the lower lords and such.

After hours of small talk with various dukes and lords and princes, you met him again.

You talked, far longer than your parents had ever taught you to talk to a single person at a social gathering. You had other people to meet, other connections to make, yet you stayed with him.

The party ended in a blur, you were eventually pulled away from Loki to see the guest off.

By the time you got back to where you last saw him, he was gone.

A bit defeated, you returned to your room, the guards posted by your door wishing you a good night.

To your surprise, when you entered your bedroom- he was there, sitting at your desk, a book in hand and a gentle, yet focused look on his face.

“Lord Loki, what a surprise.”

“I don't think our conversation was quite finished yet, I figured you wouldn't mind me waiting here for you.”

Despite your last meeting being brief, the two of you were able to click together like old friends. Talking into the late hours of the night.

As you stood behind the dressing screen, tossing your royal party garnets- or “the itchy ones” as you so affectionately named them as a child, over the edge, running your mouth about all the current drama that has been accumulating within your court.

“Lord Isolles, the short man with the long, gray mustache, half of his children are illegitimate, born completely out of wedlock, and he's married too, their mothers are various other duchesses and princesses, I guess he's very popular with the older women in my court-”

Stepping from behind the dressing curtain, practically running for your wardrobe, quickly scavenging for something less uncomfortable to wear than your previous outfit, then running back.

“-I don't see what they see in him but 70 is a bit out of my age range.”

“You do know that I'm over a thousand years old, right?”

“Yes, but you're a god- so it's different.”

You did, eventually, end up in your bed (sexually or not is up to you).

In the morning, he was still there, his back facing you. Without much consideration, you wrapped your arms around him, pulling him closer to your chest. You felt his stir for a bit before settling. One of his hands resting over yours.

He is a surprisingly heavy sleeper. Though, after a while of dating, you kinda figured out that it was a biological thing, considering the other asgardians you end up meeting, including his brother, who just confirmed what you already thought.

The two of you stroke each other's egos to the point that it's concerning.

He will kneel at your feet and praise you in your (empty) throne room as long as you are willing to do the same for him.

Matching crowns, jokingly calling him your consort until it stops being a joke, Loki purposefully getting captured by your guards just so he has to stand trial before you, being wildly inappropriate the entire time, you enjoyed it- of course you did, he was a bastard but he was a lovable and entertaining one.

You wanted to kill him afterward, but he was forgiven eventually.

“Various” lords and lady’s visit you only for it to just be Loki in disguise

He likes to think that it's his way of giving you a break on your busy days.

If you wear Asgardian style royal attire he absolutely swoons, actually, if you wear anything he gives you he’ll swoon. Be it a pendant or a full outfit.

Taking you to little Asgard to meet his brother, because despite everything he does love him.

Telling you about his mother and how much you would have loved each other.

Eventually moving into a bigger room to make space for him so he can stay with you permanently.