#anyways gloom out i must sleep

[doomordestiny]

i finished ep 113…114 tmrw its so fucking long i am so afraid

[pondslime]

invasive

bo sinclair x afab!reader

rating: explicit

wordcount: 941 

Reader POV. Your dreams take you to different places, but you’re never too far out of reach. 

EXTREMELY dubious consent as always. Mostly weird prose, but there’s some smut thrown in here as well. Somnophilia, cockwarming. 

A/N: It’s been raining for nearly a week straight where I am. Every single day has been grey. This idea burrowed into my brain and now I’m inflicting it upon you. Similar vibes to poacher’s dream. I just...really wanted to write something that reminded me of the feeling I was trying to capture with that fic. Somnophilia’s been on my mind ever since I read this absolutely electric fic by our lord and savior, @visceravalentines​. Definitely go read it if you haven’t already. It features a lovely man who is not at all like the one in this fic. We should all make out with him instead, probably. We won’t.

You’re lost in a quagmire of green, knee-deep in muck.

You’re running from something, but you aren’t sure what. You feel like it must be close. You can hear crashing, the sloshing of something at your heels. The water is dark here, it’s deep. You need to watch where you’re going, but you won’t. It feels familiar.

Maybe, if you push a little further, you’ll reach the edge of the marshland.

The trees crowd around each other, their bulbous trunks bursting out of thick green algae. It’s so dense here, impossibly heavy with warmth. It soaks through your clothes, bleeds under your skin. If someone sliced you open and cracked your bones apart, you’re sure you'd flare hot. Chalky white and exposed, scattering chunks of marrow over the swamp. 

Things end up here when they have nowhere left to go. They get caught in the hanging moss and become part of the scenery. 

You’ll make a mess of this place, but it won’t matter. There are animals here, bigger than you, and they’ve been waiting. You couldn’t ever run very fast. These kinds of games are about losing.

It wasn’t behind you, anyway. It caught your ankle underwater and pulled you down, tumbled you underneath its weight. You’re spinning wildly, rolling and churning, filling your lungs with water (but it’s so hot here, and you like that stuff).

It’ll play with its food until your neck snaps. Trailing blood in the water, dragging you back to a den squashed in the mangroves. A place of dead things, hobbled together out of reeds and a dozen people’s bones. You wonder if they sparked like yours, if they’re kindling too.

Your body is perched on top of a waterlogged tire and hid away until it starts to rot. It makes it easier to eat when it’s soft like that, when the botflies come. Practical things are sometimes the cruelest.

God, you’ve never been anywhere this hot.

You wake up with your face pressed into the pillow, huffing out shallow breaths. The room is bathed in pale light, milky grey with the faintest wash of blue.

The grey disorients you. There was so much light before. You blink a bit in the gloom. Water is still rushing away above you, beside you. It’s impossible to tell what time it is or how long you’ve been asleep. It feels like forever. You lived and you died long before you were spat out here.

Out of the heat of your dream, you’re surprised to feel your skin prickle with goosebumps. You must have thrown the sheets off in your sleep. The position you’re in feels unnatural, one leg hoisted away from you. It rests on something solid, something warmer than this room.

You feel so full (of water, of bugs in your belly eating away the soft tissue, of life).

Stop, look at the window. You’re not underwater. It’s raining, dripping tears down the glass. You’re awake again and the fullness is the pressure between your legs.  

Bo’s hand cups at your breast, jiggling the flesh to test its weight in his palm. He catches your nipple between his fingers, tugs at it. When he rolls his hips, you let out a soft little noise, mouthing at the pillowcase. His cock pulses inside you, thick and warm. 

He’s already so deep.

“Couldn’t help myself.” He murmurs into your ear. “Not with you movin’ round like that.”

His hand wraps around your thigh, easing you down. You let out a whine as you feel your walls stretch around him. He hisses out a breath, digging his fingers into your skin.

“You’re so wet, baby.” His voice is husky, the rasp of sleep still thick around his words. You can feel how slick you are, how easy it is for him to push in. “What were you dreamin’ ‘bout?”

“You.” You’re not lying, not exactly. He doesn’t need to know the specifics.

It’s the right answer, or, at least, the one he was expecting. You’re never really sure with him. It doesn’t matter, really. Your dream is getting away from you now, chased away by his hands and his lips and his cock. You were somewhere. He was there. You remember heat, you remember weight. 

(Or maybe that’s all there is now and you’re getting things confused.)

“Thought you were tryin’ to kill me, baby.” He nips along your neck. You clench down around him, moaning into the pillow. “Asleep, squeezin’ me like that.”

Good, you almost say. If I wrap myself around you enough times, you can’t breathe. Neither can I, but I only need to do it once. 

People get rid of snakes, throw them off into the swamp. They’re not supposed to be there. But this looks enough like their idea of home, doesn’t it? They’ll adapt or they’ll get eaten, and that’s all you could ask for. 

His breath is warm on your skin. You reach back, your fingers curling into his hair. 

“You ready to stop teasin’ me?”

(I couldn’t stomach you if I did. I’m not supposed to be here, anyway.)

You almost ask him if he had the same dream. Was it hard, waiting for the rot to set in? Waiting for softness? Did you taste better like that? Would he do it again if you asked him to? Could you return the favor?

Your hand tightens in his hair, giving it a sharp tug. His teeth are on your neck and it hurts in the way it’s supposed to hurt—scorching away inside you.

You’ve never been anywhere that hot, but maybe he has. Maybe he’ll take you there.

“Yes.”

[shadyruinskryptonite]

Insecurities

Warning: Disordered eating, insecurities, depression, anxiety, self-loathing, references to s*x but no descriptions and not smut, unemployment, language, super negative self-talk (reader calls herself a bitch and fat), pet names (babe, baby, love), not proofread

Genre: hurt/comfort, established relationship, Modern AU!Eren x fem reader

A/n: Italics mean it’s the reader’s thoughts. Sorry that this is very dark and sad. As with any of my writing, it’s very self-serving. I promise that I’m alright, just feeling a bit insecure (I’m on the bigger side) and this will be comforting for me and therapeutic. Take care of yourselves <3

WC: 2390

y/n, texting: Hey Ren! You think we could hang out after work?

Ren: Sorry, I’ve gotta go to the gym and have some errands to run so I don’t think I can tonight 😢I should be able to tomorrow though if you’d like!

I sigh, feeling the familiar pressure settling on my chest as my stomach growls.

y/n: Oh, yeah. That’s fine. Tomorrow works! Love ya!

Ren: Love you too, babe.

I toss my phone to the side, heaving another sigh as I flop my head back. 

I can’t expect him to realize something is wrong if I don’t tell him. How can you be both so good at hiding how you feel AND expect Eren to see through it? Dumb bitch, this is why you are disappointed so often, people can never live up to your unrealistic expectations. 

Tears prick my eyes and I decide that the growling of my stomach is too obnoxious to ignore, so I walk to the fridge knowing I won’t find anything satisfactory. Settling on some cheese sticks, I fill the gaps with a bit of sparkling water.

If you want to like how you look in pictures, this better be the only thing you eat today. 

Nodding to myself, I go back to my bed to finish my snack before sliding under the covers. Having not had more than one meal each day for longer than I can remember, I’m definitely exhausted. I’ve been searching and applying to jobs so often that I’m mentally just shot.

You should’ve never left your job. Sure they treated you like shit, but at least you had a paycheck. You’re so stupid for thinking you’d get a job quickly. And any place you work is going to be the exact same since you’re so fucking lazy.

I squeeze my eyes together before I turn on my white noise in the background hoping to drown out my own thoughts. Slowly, I drift off to a nap.

---

When I’m snapped out of my sleep, the room is dark. I rub my eyes, extremely disoriented because something that wasn’t my alarm is what pulled me awake. I glance at the time and realize I had been asleep for at least three hours. There’s a knock at the door, and it dawns on me that this is what must have pulled me out of my sleep.

Wearing just Eren’s hoodie, I stretch before calling out, “One minute!”

You’re not really going to answer the door like that are you? Even though the hoodie covers your ass your fat thighs with their stretch marks are out. You can’t have someone seeing that!

I groan before stepping into my closet briefly. I pull on a pair of leggings but quickly realize they’re tighter than the last time I wore them. 

Ugh! You’re better off having your fat out. Just look at how these show the shadow under your gut! It’s disgusting.

For what feels like the hundredth time today I fight off tears not wanting to open the door looking like a crying mess on top of how shitty I already feel. I pull off the leggings in a huff and go to the door, too tired to care anymore.

When I glance through the peephole, I’m surprised to see Eren standing outside my door. I fling it open, confusion evident on my face. It’s only as he’s looking me over that I realize how messed up my hair must be so I quickly pull out the hair tie that was realistically only hanging on by a thread anyway. 

His warm smile that crinkles his eyes and his musky scent envelope me, momentarily lifting the cloud off of me. But just as quickly as I felt better, the doom and gloom returned along with guilt.

Look at how handsome he is, it’s so unfair of him to be stuck with you. You were too obvious about how you felt and now you’ve forced him to come over here instead of doing the things he was planning on doing. Always a burden.

Fighting off the thoughts, I smile up at my boyfriend, trying to convey that I really am happy he’s here. A little worried about his response, I ask “what happened, I thought you were going to the gym and had errands to run?”

There’s an almost imperceptible furrow to his brow and I can tell he knows something is wrong.

Fuck! Don’t make him worry about you!

“I got off a little early so I’ve already gone to the gym and I decided that my errands could wait. You seemed off over text so I wanted to come check on you, and…I think I’m glad I did. What’s wrong baby?”

I pull him into my apartment and say, “nothing Ren, what makes you think something is wrong?”

I don’t want to worry him but, god, there’s nothing I need more than him right now.

As the door closes, the room is once again enveloped in darkness. “Well,” he says as he flips the light on, “for starters I can tell you just woke up from a nap.”

“I nap all of the time Ren, that’s nothing special” I say with a giggle, and to an untrained ear it sounds so very genuine. Not to Eren though. Wanting desperately to change the subject I ask, “Have you had anything to eat? If you went to the gym you must be hungry.”

As I go to walk towards the kitchen, he gently grabs my arm. “I had a smoothie, so I’m fine.” He’s still holding my arm when he looks behind me and sees clothes discarded on the floor of my closet, only he’s almost certain that they aren’t dirty. When he looks back to me, I can tell the expression on his face has bloomed into full-on worry. 

“Talk to me, y/n,” he almost whispers. 

I can’t hold his eyes so I look away, his thumb now rubbing loving circles on my arm. I steel myself so I can try to keep up the already fragile wall and look back at him with a softer smile this time. “I’m okay love, I promise. I appreciate you making sure I’m okay, though,” I say before getting on my toes to peck him on the lips. His eyes narrow slightly but he doesn’t press the matter.

Moving to the couch, Eren lays down with his head resting on the arm of the chair and invites me into him. I happily oblige. He has some random show on in the background, but as soon as I settle onto his chest and into his arms, my lip starts to quiver. My face is hidden in his chest, and I can tell he’s looking at the TV and not me, which is good because this time I couldn’t hold back the tears that had been brewing the entire day and, honestly, for the last nearly month. 

I lay there, crying quietly as some stupid sitcom plays. Only there came a point where my crying wasn’t so easily hidden anymore. I move my hand to my mouth in hopes to cover any noise but there was no hiding the sob that racked my body. This got his attention.

Shit! Shit! Shit!

“Hey, hey, look at me baby, just look at me,” Eren says with increased urgency as he shifts so I can comfortably look up and make eye contact. When I fight looking at him, he changes strategy. Holding me impossibly close with one hand on the back of my head and the other on my back, he rubs comforting circles anywhere he can. “Shhh, shhh, it’s okay baby. I’m right here. It’s okay, I’m not going anywhere.

My sobbing gets harder before it starts to calm down, and if I could’ve seen his face I would’ve known how each new cry broke his heart all over again. When my crying had mostly subsided, I tried to choke out an apology which only made me begin to cry harder.

Now, Eren insisted on me looking at him. As he held my chin he asked, “Why the hell are you sorry? I don’t even know what you’re upset about yet.”

Through shuddering breaths, I manage to say, “I-I’m sorry for c-c-crying and I’m s-sorry for making you w-worry and f-f-for being a burden and, and, and… just for everything!” I try to bury my face in his chest again but he stops me.

“Baby! You never have to be sorry for crying. Where the fuck did you get the idea that you’re a BURDEN?” As he speaks, he looks almost hurt that I would say such a thing.

“I-I took you away f-f-from your plans,” I whine out.

“That doesn’t make you a burden love,” he says as he strokes my cheek. Shifting again to get us more on eye level, he continues, “this is not what’s making you cry this hard though. Please talk to me, y/n. I just, I feel so helpless if you don’t tell me what’s wrong.” By now he’s holding my face, so I can only glance down to escape his eyes.

I know what I’m about to say will make him mad, so I keep looking down as I whisper, “why do you even care?” I feel his hands get tighter on my face. Not so tight that it hurts, but tighter nonetheless so I know he IS mad just like I was worried about.

What I wasn’t expecting was to be met with silence. When I look up, his eyes are wide and his mouth is hanging open. Wanting to escape the situation, I say, “close your mouth, you’re going to catch flies like that,” but as I reach up to his face to gently shut his jaw, he grabs my hand hard.

“Why do I even care? I really can’t believe you just asked me that.” Mistaking his incredulity for annoyance, I frantically begin to apologize again as fresh tears spill over.

“Please stop apologizing, y/n. You don’t have anything to apologize for.” This shuts me up and for a moment we just sit in silence before it’s his turn to look away and he asks, “Have I not been doing enough to make you feel like I care? I’ll do anything you need, I-”

“What?! No! That’s not what I mean at all, you’re an incredible boyfriend and you make me feel so loved every day, it’s…it’s just that…” I pause to sigh. The last thing I wanted was for HIM to feel guilty. But how do I even begin to articulate what the problem is?

Eren waits patiently as I battle internally. Finally, I look down and continue, “It’s just that I don’t understand why you care about ME. I’m…I’m…I’m repulsive! I mean, just look at me!” I gesture to myself, still not making eye contact. Now I’m getting really worked up as I say, “We have no good pictures together because I ruin them all! I haven’t been able to contribute to a date in months because I have no money and on top of that you’ve had to bail me out financially more than once! I’m just…I’m useless! Fat, and lazy, and useless, and-”

I’m suddenly pulled into a crushing hug. Tangling one hand into Eren’s hair, I cry into the crook of his neck. For the first time in a while, I’m able to feel some of the weight lifting off of me. We stay like this for a moment and as my crying begins to subside, I can hear Eren speak through gritted teeth. Anger radiates off of him as he forces out, “did someone say something like this to you? Because if this is someone’s fault I’ll ki-”

“No one said this to me, Ren.” I lean back and realize he’s got tears glistening on his cheeks. I feel so bad for making him cry, but his silence implies he wants further explanation. I cup his face in my hands to wipe away his tears before I kind of chuckle and say, “No, no one said something to me. It’s just, I mean, I have eyes.”

“Well maybe you should get them checked then!” he bursts. I’m taken aback but it doesn’t stop him from continuing, “Because we must be seeing different things! Because when I look at you I just see happiness and love and sunshine.”

I chuckle again before I say, “Thank you Ren, but, to be fair, you’re my boyfriend. You’re supposed to say that kind of shit.”

Without an ounce of humor, he interjects “Well if I’m supposed to say it, then I must not be saying it enough. There are so many things about you that I love, like how smart you are and your humor and your kindness, but I never would have even wanted to get to know those things if I didn’t find you jaw-droppingly attractive. Your hair that looks soft and shiny no matter if you leave it natural or style it, your eyes that I find myself getting lost in every time we make eye contact, your smile that can genuinely turn my day around. And you’re every man’s dream because I don’t have to choose between tits and ass,” he squeezes both as his says that, making me genuinely laugh which reflects in his own smile before he continues, “and while I know you don’t like your stretch marks, I love them both because I think they’re like pretty tattoos but also because the skin is more sensitive so it gives me another way to drive you crazy any time we have sex.”

Before I can respond, he finishes off by saying, “You asked why I even care, but the answer is simple, and it’s because I love you. You are the greatest person I’ve ever met, and I will spend the rest of my life proving this to you if that’s what it takes.” He then kisses me softly yet passionately, conveying exactly how deeply he means everything he just said.

“It’s not something I’m just immediately going to believe about myself, but thank you. That really helped, Ren.” I kiss him one more time before saying, “I love you so much baby.”

“I love you too y/n.”

[erstwhilesparrow]

"You must still have loads of time," Martyn blurts out, some night after the kill. Their beds are just far enough apart that he couldn't possibly reach out and touch the fish-pale meat of Scott's arm where it lies beneath the moonlight.

"The early boogey kill helped," Scott supplies, drowsily. "You're not that low, are you?"

"Nah."

"And you know you can always ask, if you do get there."

"Right."

He probably could reach Scott. He would just have to get out of bed. That would be awkward: tumbling over him, grappling with the rough coral growths sprouting like a crown of bones from his skin. Would Scott's skin be soft, if he touched it? Martyn wasn't paying attention, underwater.

"Why do you ask then?" Scott says around a yawn. He sleeps on his back most of the time, Martyn's noticed. Belly exposed. Except more and more lately Martyn's been blinking awake in the dark of night to see Scott turned on his side, limp. It's a little alarming to realize Scott can look even more unguarded than when he's awake.

"It's noisier than I was expecting," Martyn says. It's a bit of a lame excuse, but Scott's going to nod off any second now and forget all this anyway. Who's watching? "The ocean, I mean. Hard to tell who might be sneaking up on you."

"Everyone's yellow, yeah? No one can come for us."

"But if it changes in your sleep--" Martyn says. It's just that he can't stop thinking about it, okay? "They'd know where your bed is."

Their beds may be be separated by more than one arm's-length, but if they both died, they'd wake back into this dream so close as to be entangled.

"It's not going to change tonight," Scott mumbles. "We've got time."

Ha.

"I'd know where you would be," Martyn says. "I could... I could be here when you respawned."

"Aw, that's sweet of you."

"No, I mean, I could-- anyone could be here. Anyone could--"

The thing is, he didn't really get to feel it, underwater? Blood like long banners gone ethereal, fading into the tang and glide of the ocean. But Martyn's felt Scott's shirt heavy with water before, the bones of his shoulder under Martyn's palm. He's been in claustrophobic spaces with too-low ceilings and no light but a torch. He knows how blood makes his grip slippery and how the tone of Scott's voice changes when he knows he's in danger, when that danger goes from creeping to violent. He knows the give of fresh-woken, unarmoured meat.

He puts these things together like puzzle pieces. His fingers twitch for building blocks.

"Anyone could what?" Scott asks. "Martyn, we're fine. We can set our spawns somewhere else in the morning, if you're still worried."

But I would still know, Martyn does not say. Scott's eyes are pale and shiny, open, as he stares back at Martyn through the gloom.

[callahanisms]

May I request something how would Jace, Aemond, Aegon, and Helaena react to a bard s/o, please?

hi anon!! yes you may! i happen to realize that i have written plenty about bards (see my eddie munson medieval au fic).

anyways i’m using beautiful in a gender neutral way (because everyone deserves to be called beautiful!).

aegon targaryen

you have to have some sort of reputation in order to be allowed within the walls of the red keep. and that reputation is a good one, because you are renown throughout the seven kingdoms for your gentle songs and melodic voice. aegon had to hear it for himself. and during his name day feast (or at least the name day feast before the hunt), you played him a special song. prince aegon, great is he for he carries the conqueror’s name and his name is enthroned within ruby stones. and he had you join him in his room. and accompany them to the hunt to celebrate his name day. you were to reside in his tent during the whole trip.

“sing that song for me again (y/n). i want to hear about your travels. it sounds so freeing, to travel. i wish i could go with you. or maybe...i could just keep you with me. and you can go everywhere i go.”

aemond targaryen

aemond has seen many a bard, heard many a song. but there is something about you that captivates him. he keeps a low profile and goes out to see you. it starts with small things, like an extra tip given to you by a mysterious man. your songs make him feel comfortable, but he is shocked when he hears one of your new songs: a song about him. aemond one-eye, son of the stars, with a crystal eye and a sapphire heart. aemond one-eye, beautiful is he, husbands close your doors and windows for aemond one-eye will charm your wives with that sapphire eye. he’s a quiet patron and thinks you don’t notice him. but you do.

“i...i did not think you would recognize me. that song you sang was...beautiful. and not because i was the subject of it. all of your songs are beautiful. and you are to! i mean!”

helaena targaryen

the princess is not allowed out often. and sneaking out could open the floodgates for whispers, which is something alicent doesn’t want. but for her name day, the queen approached you personally to come to perform. you were just starting out so this was a shock. but you agreed because this could set you for life! and when you entered the hall, helaena was taken aback by your beauty. she had always dreamed of a partner and you fit that image perfectly. and she listened to you play. fair, fair helaena, a lady with silver hair. fair, fair helaena, a gentle dragon is she. fair, fair helaena, for the stars weep when she sleeps. the princess just had to approach you afterwards to come to her room. and when she asked for a price, you said there would be none aside from her presence.

“your name is (y/n), right? good, good. i would like you to come to my room tonight. i will pay whatever you want....oh, you flatter me! my presence cannot be enough for your beautiful music!”

jacaerys velaryon

even amidst gloom do festivities call. his name day was upon them and rhaenyra was more than happy that he had lived to this age of ten and eight. so she has a bard well known throughout the stormlands to come as entertainment (aka. you). when jace sees you, he stumbles because that is how beautiful you are. and your music was even more beautiful when you sang. prince jacaerys, the black dragon thrust upon a throne. prince jacaerys, the black dragon with stars embellished in his throne. you have never heard an applause so loud before until him.

“you must come down to the beach with me tonight. whatever the price is, i will pay. but i would like to show you the beaches of dragonstones. perhaps it could be the inspiration necessary for a new song?”

[twilightknight17]

So, P3R.

This is an interesting experience for me, because, remember, I’ve never actually played 3 or 4. Just 5s and Qs. I was an anime person. So I know what I’m getting into, but not all the details.

And so far, it’s fascinating. Where I stopped, it’s April 20-something, the world is not ending (yet), and Minato is both having and not having a time.

First of all, the game opens with a warning about the heavy themes of suicide, among other things. Which I do think is appropriate. What happened with Shiho in P5 is horrible, but it was one event, with a mostly-positive outcome in the end. Shiho was okay, she got better. Suicide is a much more... prominent? theme in this story, and I know that can be too much for people.

Anyway.

It’s strange seeing this translated differently after so long of knowing “You will be given one year. Go forth without falter, with your heart as your guide.” God, I’ve been in this fandom for approaching eight years. When did that happen.

Always delightful to see how unconcerned Minato is with everything, even though they sort of imply later that he’s never experienced this before. I like to assume he’s lived most of his life with his own localized Dark Hour and has either never been out at midnight or just slept through it, so maybe he’s used to the green, but you’d think the coffins would raise some eyebrows at least.

Hello, baby boy. I dunno if it counts as choosing this fate of mine own free will if I don’t actually know what’s going on yet.

...I wonder if we ever get an answer about why he’s playing errand boy for Igor?

Ms. Toriumi mentions that Minato has lived in lots of different places, which definitely gives me the vibe of being passed around orphanages and foster families and distant relatives. He’s had a decade to internalize that he has nothing and no one.

It’s also hilarious to note how differently the opening of this is from P5, just from the perspective of like… Everyone is awkward, but well-meaning, and the primary rumor running around is about how you walked to school with Yukari and how there MUST be something between you. Like, random classmate, I have been in Iwatodai for MAYBE 9 hours and most of that was sleeping. We are not “close”.

But no one thinks I’m going to stab them! :D Sorry, Akira.

Also, I met the Female Student:

Walking around Gekkoukan is an experience, because I knew it was like a super-fancy private school, but it’s fucking enormous. Observatory? Indoor pool? MASSIVE entryway? Fancy courtyards?? All of it.

Time to leave school and go wander the town. The strip mall is mostly restaurants, which is cool. And I found something interesting in the back alley.

Red Hawk, huh? I gotta come back here, even though I don’t know how to play mahjong.

Weird having only 3 social stats to worry about, but I’m not gonna complain. Less burgers to scarf down to talk to one random adult. :P

Also weird that the command room has cameras in SEES’s bedrooms? Or just Minato’s, but like… Ikutsuki. Stop explaining the Dark Hour to two people who already know what’s going on and stop being a creeper watching me sleep.

After a blissful two days of school, the first full moon arrives, and Akihiko, darling dumbass, leads the magician directly back to the dorm.

The new Dark Hour screen is really cool.

And the Magician is awful. Like gloom hands if they were carrying knives. So, awful.

This entire cutscene is so pretty, though. Orpheus is beautiful, and then the part where he immediately gets shredded by Thanatos clawing out of him while he screams... The screenshots don’t do it justice. Orpheus explodes and then Thanatos kills the Magician in like ten seconds flat.

I love them.

That’s my future husband, Akihiko. Shush.

So Minato apparently passed out for a WEEK, and in the meantime, I checked out the trophy list. I dunno how to nurse a cat back to health yet, but there’s a trophy for it, and by god I will obtain it.

Yukari then proceeded to dump her entire backstory the instant Minato woke up. Which… at least she acknowledged that that was weird.

Ikutsuki wants to talk, to explain about the Dark Hour and ask us to join SEES, and I have to question Minato’s observational skills, because like…

Mina. Sweetheart. Beloved. You were just unconscious for a week after fighting a monster with a concept that ripped itself out of the manifestation of your soul. Extra hour is nothing.

But we’re part of SEES now! Meeting adjourned.

...sir, even if you weren’t you, I’d still want to punch you.

Anyway, tomorrow is Sunday. Time to go to bed and hopefully tomorrow I can explore Paulownia Mall. I wanna see how close it looks to what I was picturing.

...Minatooooo. I know the end is coming and you’re a sleepy mess, but come on. ALL DAY?

Whatever. Tartarus Time.

This teleporter makes me think of the teleporter in Xibalba/Ameno Torifune, and then I remember that the Kirijo Group broke off from SEBEC and probably took some of the blueprints and they’re probably manifesting in a similar way as the one in the ship.

OR I’m just looking for stuff to blowtorch. XDDD

Tartarus is really interesting, and I like it so far. It really does emphasize that the Thieves knew absolutely fuck-all about what was going on all the time, though. Mitsuru and Akihiko know what they’re doing. They’ve got a weapon supplier. They know how to fight. They know how to navigate. They’re explaining everything they know so far, and SEES is coordinated and functional.

Even Morgana was guessing on a lot of stuff. The Thieves were making it up as they went.

No wonder my Akira and Mitsuru are constantly butting heads. :P

After Tartarus, I went to sing karaoke by myself so I can be brave enough to go in Club Escapade, worked a shift at Chagall Cafe, and went to the Velvet Room to play with fusion.

...I mean yeah because Minato is the first Fool Wild Card, but Tatsuya is right there, canonically doing NG+.

It’s so weird to have Igor commenting on my menuing and prompting me for choices and like… doing his job. I’m so used to P5, it’s hysterical. But like… I’m glad he’s here. And the menu is nice.

Why are these arcade games $10-$15????????

Anyway, where I stopped, apparently I gotta go join the track team or something. I can’t picture Minato in organized sports, but whatever. XD I’m already flailing my way through my first social link, Kenji. I’m completely helpless. The realization that I don’t know this person, don’t know how he wants me to act, and also that he’s weird as heck was like getting smacked upside the head.

He’s going to ask out a teacher or something. Godspeed, my dude, but also like… why.

Actually, don’t tell me. I’m gonna go join the track team.

[fioreofthemarch]

Finding Her - Chapter 6

Link makes notes, takes photos and keeps time on his quest across Hyrule, in the hopes of finding Zelda and staying sane until he does. [ Previous | Next | First | AO3 ]

Log date: 13:50, 6th month, 6th day 104AC Location: Bedrock Bistro, Eldin Weather: Hot

Couldn’t sleep. Rose before dawn, just as the stable hands were starting their day. Took my horse and rode north at first light. No time for breakfast. 

There’s a third geoglyph near here. Just north of Lanayru Wetlands. I saw it while doing the topography scan at Eldin Canyon Tower and skydived so fast towards it that I nearly landed face first on the rock. 

Found another dragon tear. Another vision of Zelda: trapped in the past still, looking for a way home. No solution yet but the people there were kind to her and wanted to help. It’s just good to know she wasn’t alone. And she has time powers now? Not surprised. Time always seemed to slow with her around. 

The next tear is not far but, Eldin first. Something definitely going on there. Death Mountain has a halo of Gloom all around it, and the lava flows have stopped so the whole place looks like dried-out nutcake. Plus every Goron I run into must’ve rolled the wrong way out of his rock bed or something, and they’ve all got glowing red eyes (in my experience, not a good thing).

Think I have it partly figured out though. Stopped over at Bedrock Bistro for lunch. Was looking forward to some rock roast (the tougher the better) but the new menu they’re carrying looks… off. I admit I’ll try anything put before me in bowl, plate or cup but this ‘marbled rock roast’? It’s creepy. It’s made of rocks and it’s creepy. And everyone is eating it. 

Just going to eat any sunshrooms I can find on the way to Goron City. Wish I’d had breakfast.

A photograph of Cooke, the owner of Bedrock Bistro, munching on a large portion of marbled rock roast. His red-hued eyes are vacant, looking at but also not at the camera. 

Caption: Could swear that rock roast is wriggling. 

---

Log date: 12:00. 6th month, 7th day 104AC Location: YunoboCo HQ Weather: Hot

Made it to Goron City. Finally got a second to myself. Yunobo’s been apologising for the past five minutes for attacking me. ‘I can’t believe that mask made me do all that, goro, must have been wearing it wrong!’ Had to pretend I was out of fireproof elixir and could feel myself burning up. He rocketed away in search of some. 

Wasn’t expecting Yunobo to be the one peddling the marbled rock roast. When I arrived in Goron City, he rolled up with a real rock in his shoe and next thing I know we’re battling it out at his company headquarters. Seems like that kind of thing would be bad for business.

Anyway, it sounds like Yunobo hasn’t really been himself since the Upheaval, so no hard feelings. Still got a nasty bruise on my right side from where he clipped me with his new fire power. He’s turned Lord Daruk’s old defence into one hell of an offence. Would be more impressed if it didn’t hurt so much. 

Off to Death Mountain next. On Zelda’s trail again. I think I saw her talking to Yunobo before I had to fight him to get rid of that mask, and he remembers meeting her on Death Mountain just before he got ahold of it. Says he doesn’t remember much after that. 

I just can’t shake a terrible feeling though — an ugly kind that I don’t want to write down. When I saw Zelda talking to Yunobo, I couldn’t help but call her name. I thought for sure she’d have heard me, but after the fighting was done she left without a word. Just like at the Wind Temple, back in Hebra. I want to trust her. I want to believe in her. But instead I’m just starting to get… angry.

(Did I do something wrong? To make her act like this?)

Yunobo is on the way back now. He’s carrying more elixir jars than he can handle. Better go make sure so he doesn’t break them all on accident and I really do catch fire. 

A photograph of Death Mountain, long tendrils of gurgling Gloom rising up from its peak into the sky above. The air around the mountain is hazy and red, its rim is characterised by unnatural rock shapes that are speckled with molten lava. 

Caption: A welcoming sight. 

---

Warning: Maximum Purah Pad operational temperature reached. The Purah Pad is not rated for temperatures above 500 degrees. 

Core functions shutdown in 17… 16… 15… Would you like to continue operating the Purah Pad?

> Yes

Please enter extreme conditions authorisation code Core functions shutdown in 13… 12… 11… 

> PURAH

Incorrect code. Core functions shutdown in 9… 8… 7… 

> ROBBIE

Incorrect code. Core functions shutdown in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…

> PASSCODE

Code authorised. If the Purah Pad begins making any crackling or popping noises, evacuate the area immediately 

---

Log date: 14:10. 6th month, 7th day 104AC.  Location: Fire Temple, The Depths Weather: ERROR  

Quick break. Yunobo brought rock roast for lunch — the real stuff, no marble in sight.  

We followed Zelda all the way to the Depths, fighting off some kind of lava monster on Death Mountain and rediscovering the lost city of Gorondia along the way. Each time we saw her I was waving my arms, shouting her name. Then I caught sight of her on the steps of Gorondia, heading inside. I sprinted after her. So fast I almost stepped straight into a lava pool. And she didn’t even turn.

Yunobo somehow got hold of me before I fried myself. By the time he set me down on some rocks, I’d lost it. Legs scrambling, arms flailing, shouting, ‘let me go, we have to catch her!’ He had to tell me to calm down. 

So we’re taking a breather. Yunobo’s sure Zelda will be waiting for us, and that she has some grand plan and is keeping us all safe by not telling us what it is. Still hurts, hurts bad, to be ignored. 

A photo of the Gorondia, the Fire Temple, emerging from the Depths. It is flanked by lava falls and seems carved from the bedrock itself. Unseen to the photographer is a small, ghostly figure of a young woman, with blonde hair and green eyes, standing on an upper level of the enormous structure. She looks at the camera with a blank expression. 

Caption: Are you in there?

---

Log date: 07:00. 6th month, 8th day, 104AC.  Location: Rollin’ Inn, Goron City Weather: Hot 

It went pretty quick after all that. A welcome blur. 

Fire Temple. Five gongs. Too many minecarts, too many tracks. Just enough Soldier Constructs to take some feelings out on. Marbled Gohma (big rock crab — blow up his legs, whack his eye, repeat). Nothing I can’t do with my eyes closed. 

Then it went about the same as before: Demon King. Secret Stone. Imprisoning war. And a vision of Zelda, who is now either locked away in the past or avoiding me in the present. Eugh. I managed to cheer up long enough to congratulate Yunobo on becoming the new Sage of Fire and to accept his vow, but I think he noticed my bad mood anyway. I should apologise. Maybe fry him up some sautéed rubies. With ripened flint seasoning.

Wish I could get her out of my head. I’m lying here replaying everything I can remember about her from before the Upheaval. Travelling, talking, telling stories, evenings by the fire, mornings in bed, making crepes (with the hand whipped cream and banana slices that she liked), the fancy way she did her braids, the way she hummed to herself when writing notes, the way she smiled when teaching her class. Because I’ve been thinking — there’s only one way any of this makes sense. 

In the vision I saw, in the geoglyph, that Zonai woman said something about a forbidden way to return home that would change a person forever. What if Zelda did come back but… not all of her made it? What if she changed somehow? Maybe she’s confused. Maybe she doesn’t remember anything. I’ve been there before, I can help her. If I can find her. 

But it’s not enough. It’s not enough. It’s not a comfort to know she might gone, real gone, and always was. I can say ‘I’ll find her’ ‘I’ll help her’ but what if I can’t do any of those things. What if she isn’t herself, or doesn’t know me anymore or doesn’t want my help or anything to do with me. If it was all for nothing, how do I

How do I

There is no photograph attached to this log.

[arius6454]

The light at the end of the tunnel

Story by: Arius6454

Chapter 1

* (When reading, the pov may change to third person and to a character’s POV. When it changes there's a two space gap between the lines. If you can’t tell, compare it to a line before a character’s POV)*

If Eric’s room looked like anything, it was a pig sty. Garbage bags lay around each corner, peeking out of them were cans, empty noodle cups, and whatever a teenager needed gone. He walked in, the room in front of him spinning. His evenings always spun. They only started when it happened. He plummeted into his bed like a log, but his teacher’s concerns lurked in his mind, keeping him awake.He rolled over to his side, desperate to quell the constant questions and his growling stomach. The latter got the best of him however. He searched his kitchen for food and unexpectedly, cups of noodles sat in his fridge.

“Guess I’m having instant noodles…again”. Eric said. Maybe someone would hear him and stock his fridge with something delicious. He moped around until the kettle’s furious hissing brought him to reality, and he prepared his dinner. It was Eric’s cycle of life: rest in best, eat, and sleep till the sun reclaimed its throne in the sky. And sleep he did as he collapsed in his bed afterwards, not even caring that he still had his school uniform on him.

The sun teased him through the curtains, his light blue eyes lit by the sun’s rays. Eric dragged himself to the bathroom despite being half-awake, and while brushing his teeth, his eyes latched onto his reflection.

"Great. The bags under my eyes seemed to have gotten worse over night.” he sighed. He was terribly unkempt too. It was a wonder child protection services hadn’t rang his doorbell. His blond hair was shaggy and the blue in his eyes were almost grey from gloom.

“Whatever,” he pushed the thought aside, “No one would care anyway.”

But he couldn’t shake the feeling off. He couldn’t even make his cereal warm, the cold milk numbed his tongue. After throwing some random books into his bag, he headed to school. He rode on his bike, the sky above him as clear as a spring morning could be. The wind was a betrayer, stealing the warmth from his ears and playing with his hair. What people enjoyed about spring was beyond him. It was worse as he walked through the school hallways, where whispers and snickers were branded with his name.

“Look at those bags under his eyes. He must be on drugs”

“His uniform is so untidy”

“Yeah, he went from a role model to a homeless man”

“I can’t imagine how he screwed up his life”

All Eric could hear was his schoolmates jeering at him, their faces full of total contempt. Old news. Too tired to care, he walked to his desk and rested his head on the table. He wished he could rest – their words made him sick to his stomach.

*Eric’s POV*

What was the point of getting my grades up if no one notices them? Why do I have to face this alone? If only I could know what it feels like to be loved. Heck, even having a friend is fine with me. But I know it's never gonna happen.

The school bell stopped his train of thoughts. In strode his maths teacher and began an hour of what Eric defined as gibberish.

"Why does the teacher have to ramble on about maths all day?" Eric thought, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"I'm sorry I'm late", a voice woke Eric up from the day’s monotony.

Eric's eyes followed to where the sound came from. It was a stunning girl, her eyebrows furrowed which made her facial expression look dominant. Her hazel hair flowed down her back, her blue eyes standing out like the

"Since it's your first day, I'll let it slide but this shouldn't repeat itself", my teacher said, arranging his glasses. My maths teacher, Mr Johnson has always thought of himself as a genius since he graduated with the highest grades. How ironic for a teacher on minimum wage.

My teacher’s gaze wandered the class, “I could set you up with a seatmate: not everyone has one”.

The girl scanned the room, her gaze locked on the empty seat beside Eric. “I’ll like that seat”, she said, her eyes now on a shocked Eric. His doubt practically sprung into a frenzy.

“Why would she want to sit with him?”

“Can’t she notice he looks like a beggar?”

“If I were her, I wouldn’t even look at a hopeless soul like his”

She sat next to him, and unpacked her bag. Up close, her electric blue eyes stunned Eric even more. Sitting at the far left of the class, Eric’s mind wandered to the window next to him.

*Eric POV*

The school bell rang, signalling lunch and the end of my nap.The school decided to adjust lunch times to much later in the evening, which was terribly inconvenient for my scheduled school naps. Someone tapped my shoulder and I jumped, frightened. It was the new girl, her hands placed on her hips.

“You slept the whole period. Are you okay?” she asked, her eyes softening.

“Yeah…I’m fine”, I answered, my voice a hoarse whisper. “And what are you doing here? It’s lunch break.”

“Before I tell you, my name’s Helen. Helen Wyatt”, she said, taking my hand and shaking it. This girl violated my personal space more than anyone in school ever has. “And the reason I’m here is…to join you for lunch!”

“What?” I asked. Why me of all people? Is this a joke? This doesn’t feel right.

[cacodaemonia]

Author asks 18. What is a line/scene you're really proud of? Give us the DVD commentary on it.

Okay so this took me a while, haha. I don't tend to remember specific lines very well, and if someone were to mention a particular scene I've written, I could be like, "ah yeah, that one," but it's hard to think of one instance out of all my fics.

Anyway, I'm still really happy with this scene from Fading Light and Cooling Space, a fix-it fic that doesn't take place in my main AU and is uncharacteristically angsty for me, haha. It has a happy ending, though, or I'd never have been able to write it XD;

I'll put it under the cut since it involves Umbara and MCD (that gets fixed though!!).

Hand shaking, Boil reaches out and fumbles for his right vambrace before he realizes what he's doing. He has to comm Waxer, has to tell him... tell him what? Fingers hovering over the button combination that's pre-programmed to ping Waxer's wrist comm and HUD, he reminds himself that the 212th lost contact with Nabat Platoon shortly before Tal Squad got back to camp. It was to be expected, what with the Umbarans jamming transmissions, but he has to tell Waxer... tell Waxer to—

Pain flares under Boil's ribs, so sharp he's sure that camp must have been ambushed and he's been hit by a blaster bolt or shrapnel. Strangling a cry, he thrashes, pushing the sleeping bag down and pressing a hand to his stomach. There's nothing, though; he's not bleeding and his blacks aren't even torn. When he looks around wildly, the walls of the tent are intact and there's no noise outside to indicate a disturbance.

Clapping a hand over his mouth to muffle a sudden sob, Boil blinks into the darkness, bewildered, as tears sting his eyes.

Waxer. I have to get to Waxer, he thinks frantically, struggling to sit up. Scrambling back despite the stabbing agony in his gut, he runs up against the trunk of a tree—no, it's synthweave. He's still in their tent but... the purple gloom of Umbara is fading in and out around him, like the tent walls are translucent. The voices of brothers, muffled as if Boil is underwater, are saying something to him, but he can't understand. He chokes on a whimper, overwhelmed by the pain and shock-fear-guilt—

It vanishes abruptly, and he sucks in a ragged breath, slumping to the floor of the tent. But then something far worse, like a yawning void edged in wickedly sharp teeth, opens up inside him. He hears himself make an odd, broken sound, and then he's curling into a ball, the side of his face pressed to the hard, lumpy ground.

Waxer.

Every thought in Boil's head is swirling desperately around the idea of Waxer—steady comfort and safety and love—that's suddenly gone.

Wax, please, he thinks, though he doesn't understand why. Please don't—no no no no.

Boil squeezes his eyes shut, and tears trickle hot over the bridge of his nose and across his temple, into his hair. He can barely breathe around the absence inside his chest, in his head, in the tips of his fingers. He knows he must be going crazy, or he's sick, hallucinating, but— Shuddering and muffling his sobs in the synthweave beneath him, Boil wraps his arms tighter around his middle, and all he can think is Waxer, Waxer, Waxer...

I'm not really sure what to say about it, but I think I did an okay job of putting the reader in Boil's head and hopefully conveying his confusion and shock and grief. ; __ ;

[chososhoeso2]

Guys I need to stop playing TotK. I just took a nap and I had the most vivid, meta dream. I'm already starting to forget most of what I did in the dream, so I will just try to type out what I can remember. Also because it's a dream, just imagine that the scaling, look, and vibe are distorted. I am also still groggy from just waking up, so I'm sorry if there are a lot of typos or if it just doesn't make any sense.

So, I was exploring the depths as Link and I had come across this area that was super lit up that I hadn't come across before. It had a similar vibe to the construct factory in that I was mostly that white concrete and wasn't like any of the other mining facilities. I also saw that there were I think too little pools/fountains. The whole thing was on a ridge, so one of the pools was at the bottom of the ridge and the other was above. So I'm gliding into the area and headed straight for the upper pool in the hopes that it's got fairies or is a hot spring. I'm pretty sure I was either running away from a massive monster, had just gotten nerfed by a massive monster, or both (probably both) before I came across this place. Well, since this is an important area that I haven't visited before, there are gloom hands. So as soon as I drop in from my glider the hands start popping up all over the place and I jumped off the cliff and used my glider to turn around towards the lower pool. There are still hands and big monsters everywhere and there are even hands in the little pool (which at this point is definitely more like a fountain than a pool). Well I had this idea that the hands couldn't get me if I was in the water. I put away the glider to fall into the fountain but then I was actually myself instead of Link. And I was my outside of the game, human size (this is where the scaling is a bit off bc it definitely wasn't an accurate ratio of game:irl size)- not the small, in-game character size. So I drop into this fountain like a damn titan and I'm desperately trying to fit my massive feet and hands into this fountain so the gloom hands that are also in the fountain won't be able to get me. As I'm struggling to fit into the fountain, the gloom hands really start to try to get me and I must not have been fully in the water like I had thought I was, because as soon as a hand started to grab for me, I woke up. I also woke up sweating, so that was gross. Anyways, I need to stop playing. Especially right before sleep, because right before my nap I was exploring the depths in the game.

[theunderneath67]

Part 1 – Reinvent: Yourself!

~I~

A sweet disorder in the dress Kindles in clothes a wantonness; A lawn about the shoulders thrown Into a fine distraction; An erring lace, which here and there Enthrals the crimson stomacher; A cuff neglectful, and therebe Ribands to flow confusedly; A winning wave, deserving note, In the tempestuous petticoat; A careless shoe-string, in whose tie I see a wild civility: Do more bewitch me, than when art Is too precise in every part. —Robert Herrick, Delight in Disorder

A full perigee moon provided the singular light on the otherwise cool, still blackness that hung over the grounds of Castle Tarleton. The stillness of the gloom outside belied the frenzy of activity inside the manor itself. Honora, the eldest princess of Lord Tarleton, was to be wedded the next day to a nobleman and business partner of the Lord. Thusly, last-minute preparations were alight in virtually every room of the palace.

The bride and her court stayed in the parlor going through chests of jewelry for the perfect bauble for each of them. The maidens poured over petite diamond pendants searching for their reflection in the pure, precious, crystal clear gems. Honora, herself, searched for the large sapphire brooch her mother had worn at her wedding to Lord Tarleton. The parents of the bride sat in the main dining hall going over the definitive guest lists and seating arrangements ensuring no family or representative was left out (or let in) inappropriately and that their place at the tables was appropriate for their social standing.

 In the kitchen, where the menu has been set for months, the final dishes were being prepared and counts were being checked and rechecked to ensure there would be more than enough to go around. Kegs of beer, mead, and wine imported from the inns, vineyards and breweries of the local towns were brought by the steward’s stout young servants through the back service entry two-by-two down to the vaulted undercroft of the great hall. The boys winding their way through the chairs, banquet tables and benches that were being set up and artfully arranged by the housekeepers and their attendants. The chaplain prepared his remarks and the order of events for the ceremony and his assistants prepared the chapel for the nuptials.

For all of the hustle and bustle of the planning festivities, one member of the wedding party was noticeably absent. The lady-in-waiting had begged off the festivities for the pains of her monthly courses. She had quickly and absently chosen a random amethyst bauble from the jewelry chest and politely excused herself to attend her malaise to the quiet concern of her family, friends, and employers. Truthfully though, Elizabeth Forrester didn’t feel particularly unwell or pained. Quite the contrary, excitement flushed her body. She nearly floated up the roughhewn stone stairs to the rooms on the upper level. Elizabeth was not in need of some cure to womanly ills; what she needed was a reason to get away, to be alone and unescorted.

Once Elizabeth reached her suite, she quickly slipped inside and locked the door behind her. She moved a small letter desk to block the door… just in case. She strode to her bed quietly and fully undressed. Running her hands along her fully exposed body Elizabeth couldn’t help but admire the femininity of her curves and imagined how it must feel for a man to have these curves for the first time. She wasn’t a particularly conceited girl by nature, but Elizabeth Forrester knew that… her gifts… well, these gifts anyway, were abundant and desired. She slid beneath the sheets of her bed and tried to sleep lightly to change her mood from the frenzy of the events going on downstairs. Unfortunately, her anxiety about the next day… and some lingering guilt about leaving her friends in a moment of such importance… left any sleep elusively just out of reach.

She rested nude in her bed in that hazy space between asleep and awake patiently hoping for the man to come. Though her mind was foggy and dreamy in the dim environment, her body’s excitement was apparent in its shallow, rapid breaths and its inability to still itself for more than a moment at a time. A light rain misted in through the open window of her castle bedroom until well past midnight; a gentle breeze blowing the lace curtains in with each gust casting dancing shadows on the walls. Her full voluptuous body was cool in the night breeze. Save for a row of lit devotional candles that lined the mantle of a small fireplace situated across the room, the glowing full moon, once again, provided the only light in the room.

Suddenly a large shadow passed through the window quickly. It wasn’t the drapes blown in from a strengthening wind. The shadow was tall. It moved with the fleetness of a whisper. The slowly worked his way across the wall. Skimming past the painted landscapes and sconces that lined the wall, the shadow floated across the floor to the side of the room where the bed was positioned. Stopping in front of the painting of some long dead duke, he studied her for the moment. She lay, mostly, exposed to him. A sheer cotton sheet was her only cover. The girl’s face was beautifully pale, her flowing red hair and pouting ruby red lips contrasting perfectly. Her large breasts hidden under the sheet with hard deep pink nipples prominent through the fabric. His gaze continued over her soft ample round belly to her luscious voluptuous hips that peeked from underneath the covers, luscious thick thighs that rose to a full patch of that same red hair. Her thick delicious legs splayed to either side of the bed. He loomed for the moment admiring his prey. This is the one, he said to himself and returned to his deliberate gliding gait toward Elizabeth.

Coming to the foot of the girl’s bed he emerged from the darkness. Her eyes fluttered and she could make out the shadow. Her eyes took in his full height as it towered over her. Elizabeth was still unsure if she was dreaming as she gazed upon his wide frame and broad shoulders. His entire countenance seemed impossibly overwhelming. The shadow’s bald head gleamed in the moon’s radiance lending light to a long face and a flowing full beard that hid a strong steel jawline. The form’s coal black eyes pierced straight through Elizabeth’s soul. Those same ebony eyes framing slits of deep crimson pupils.

The shadow clambered onto the bed and straddled the girl. Despite his immense size and weight, she still lay in that restless haze only partially aware that he was really there. His mouth went to her neck and Elizabeth moaned. The shadow began sucking at her soft neck, licking, kissing, and sucking the supple ivory skin. Slight sighs escaped Elizabeth’s lips as she gradually emerged from her fog to become fully aware of the presence.

“You came, “she purred and pulled his mouth firmly to her neck.

The shadow did not respond but continued to suckle at her neck while the pulsating of her carotid artery temptingly thumped faster and harder with every touch. I will quench in time, he thought, for now I will enjoy her. Moving his way across the front of her neck nipping with light teeth along the way, he began nuzzling the other side of her neck to the small soft spot behind her ear.

Elizabeth pulled his head even closer to her, as he began nibbling and biting, increasing the firmness with every clench. Moving back down to the front of her neck, he worked his way down her sternum, he could feel the blood pumping through her racing heart as it was almost beating through her chest. He took her breasts into his mouth and drew circles around the areola of her left breast sucking the plump tender nipple in quickly between his firm lips. Flicking at the nipple, he took it between his teeth and began to bite down. Elizabeth jumped at the sudden pleasure/pain of that, and the shadow released it. Kissing his way back to the right he did the same thing to the right nipple. Taking his time with the areola before taking the nipple into his mouth flicking with a sudden quick nip at the firm bud there.

Moving further down to her plump soft belly he lay soft kisses there admiring the alabaster skin and soft yielding warmth of it. Down further he went reaching the vulva. A soft patch of sparse red hair met his lips and he suckled on the down to taste the faint moistness that had formed there. He paused briefly to inhale the musky scent of Elizabeth’s center before swallowing each drop of her essence there. Kissing, suckling, and nipping she felt his beard tickle her thighs.

At once, a sharp stab came to that tender skin in the inner thigh. She winced slightly and thought he, perhaps, bit a little too hard. The bite was definitely not unwelcomed; it was even expected to happen at some point. Elizabeth would’ve been exceedingly disappointed if it didn’t. It did however, shake her from her haze momentarily and she quickly had to put herself back into her setting. Her arousal and his soothing, suckling, and lapping helped her to quickly plunge back into her fog of sensuality.

Elizabeth pushed the shadow’s head further down. The shadow continued and pushed on with pleasuring Elizabeth and exploring her womanhood. His mouth explored her. His hands explored her deep in her femininity. He pleasured her until she reached the crest that was the waterfall of complete ecstasy. Every nudge, every touch, every kiss brought her ever closer.

With a final flourish of his snakelike tongue, the shadow pushed Elizabeth Forrester over the edge. Waves of electricity flowed through her body one after the other. It came to her that the waves were not one after the other but one on top of the other never knowing where one started or ended. Her body bucked; her body shook. Her belly convulsed in seemingly endless pleasure.

The shadow mounted Elizabeth and took her… completely. He filled his lover completely, not just physically, but mentally as well. Her mind filled with his manhood. Elizabeth Forrester felt as full as she had ever been. She had never had this intense sort of pleasure, almost to the point of pain. She was, again, lost in his work, when at once his body stiffened and released. She went with him over the edge and began a second set of rhythmic waves of current engulfed her body.

Elizabeth lay spent. After a minute or two, having somewhat gathered her sense, the girl turned to her lover. Her lover was gone. The shadow had slipped back across the room to the window and was out before her mind and body could recover from the sweeping pleasure she had just experienced. She lay back in the damp mixture of her release and his. She felt a stream of moistness begin to flow down the inside of her thigh. Absently she touched her fingers to it wondering if it was him. It was not him. It was blood.

She could then feel the sting of the wound that was the source of the blood. The stream grew stronger, more blood flood in increasing volume. Elizabth succumbed to the vampire’s bite anticipating her turn. The vitality that was Elizabeth Forrester’s life began to rush down her leg in deep burgundy ribbons and then poured from the open, widening wound. Elizabeth began to feel weak. Her lower limbs went numb.

This is turning. I want to become. I’ve waited for this moment so long, she thought.

Consciousness began to elude her murky brain and the room began to spin. The girl could feel the blood gush from her thigh and pooling underneath her. Her surroundings began to fade from her view. Deep in the background, Elizabeth could faintly hear a harpsichord playing a familiar melody. In the last moment, she found the shadow watching from a darkened corner. Her vision went black. Elizabeth was gone.

[mangleschmidt]

They're not finished yet...

He'd have different sets of skills and weaknesses, a couple of additional passives ect. that I don't have the energy to make lol.

Adjusting the Sleeping Memories Passive a bit because that just made Gregory too weak against Foxy for no reason. Stealing from another canon boss's passive lol

Sleeping Memories

When clashing with Foxy, Clash Power -3 Win Encounter if Foxy dies. (Phase 3) Foxy loses 5 sanity points at turn end

Gregory gets his hot choco and pizza after the fight! None of the felt good about beating up a child.

Idk if I cooked here (might have burnt it) but hehe small bonus:

Combat Event Idea for Phase 3:

"The Afton Family must burn to hell." "I will burn it all down. Fazbear Entertainment, the pizzeria, all of it!" His wrath and anger is burning hot through his rampage. I don't think he realized that we are not the Aftons. Someone needs to get him to realize that that we are not the Aftons. That we are not his enemy. We need him to hear us out. Bring back his senses. Gloom/Wrath Advantage Special Check - Axel Check Value Check Pass - Axel Axel looks at me with doubt, unsure if he is the right the person for it, but reaches out to the frenzied spirit anyways. "Mikey!" Axel shouts at the top of his lungs. The spirit turns to face Axel. "... Foxy?" His voice now laced with sorrow. The spirit reaches out his hand. "It's me!" The spirit stops his hand for a moment and howls angrily, lashing out on. "I don't understand..." "If this is Mike after he lived a full life, then he should have remembered. He is angry now, he should be angry at me after..." I placed my hand on Axel. "<... I don't know everything yet, but we have keep going. For them.>" Axel nods solemnly. Remnant Mike gains 5 Haste and 3 Attack Power. Axel loses -10 hp and gains 10 SP All Sinners gain 2 Haste and 5 Damage Up

imagine losing most of your life (childhood memories and friends, awful job that wants you dead) to a pizzeria, living somewhat normally for less than thirty years, then being dragged back into the whole situation with your kids for another decade before reincarnating into a complete happy ending override. mike would be in his right to burn utah down at that point

Considering what Mike had the potential to do and what Gregory has shown to be capable of doing so far, I'm hardpressed to figure out which form is the more dangerous one. LMAO

The only thing currently sparing the Afton Family and Fazbear Entertainment is Mike's memories being a shredded mess cuz if Gregory ever got more than just what he has now, that kid's rampage would probably wreck the state economy for the next few years.

[hiraya-rawr]

I Love You So 4 {END}

about: the neglected, sickly wife trope in a contract marriage with a man that doesn’t quite know how to show his love

inspired by: When It's Lonely @lunargrapejuice || I Love You So - The Walters 🎵

contains: fem! reader, unspecified illness, trauma mentions, old fashioned marriage ideals

note: I hope that both their traumas show in this finale bc that's what it's really about; a slow burn of trauma

chapters: one | two | three | four | masterlist

༻✧༺ Quotes Recap ༻✧༺

(1)

"I think we've had enough talk for today," You stand up, there's a tremble in your voice and knees but your face remains cold. - Reader to Kaeya (End of Pt.1)

"I think we're done here." Diluc states, looking down on the table with knuckles turning white as he clenches a dirt rag. - Diluc to Kaeya (End of Pt.3)

(2)

"The least I can do is let him do as he pleases." You angrily rub at your tears, ignoring his hand that reaches out to brush them away for you. - Reader (Pt.1)

The least he could do was do everything for you while you focus on your own health and happiness. - Diluc (Pt.2)

(3)

She is bright and beautiful, capable and strong, even in the dead of the night she contrasted everything from the dark wood of the manor to Diluc's coat on her shoulders. - Lumine from Reader's POV (Pt.3)

Dulled hair and pale skin, weak and incapable, you blended in with the gloom of the manor. - Reader from Diluc's POV (Pt.3)

(4)

"You are aware that... our marriage is simply a contract." - Diluc to Kaeya (Pt.3)

"I'm a contract wife, Kaeya!" You glare at him, admitting the obvious truth. - Reader to Kaeya (Pt.1)

(5)

He looks at you without an ounce of guilt or shame and you wonder how a pyro user could act so cold. It was ironic. - Reader's POV

The winery should be warm enough for you — it's a shame that he can't tell. Ever since he got his pyro vision, everything but Dragonspine felt warm for him. - Diluc's POV

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"Shouldn't I greet lady Y/n? I wouldn't want to suddenly intrude-"

"It's alright. You must be tired; It's late and Y/n should be asleep by now."

Lumine nods along. She was exhausted, having just wrapped up a fight with the Fatui playing their games outside of diplomatic jurisdiction. If it weren't for a certain darknight hero appearing to offer his coat and home for the night, she was sure she'd be snoozing away on the open fields by now.

But sleep was the last thing on her companion's mind. "Recount to me today's events with the Fatui, I have an inkling of what they're planning." was what he said before placing his coat on her shoulders. Truly, she felt more of a business partner than an acquaintance, not that she's complaining if it helps her to find her brother faster.

Thinking back now, she's grateful for his generosity anyway: The winery was beautiful and large with traditional Mondstadt furnishing, a testament to the centuries of heritage it holds. Eyes skimming the perimeter, Lumine notices a peek of H/C hair from behind the redhead, a figure trying hard to blend with the shadows of the manor. She recognizes you as the madame of the winery, having heard a rumor or two about the famed wife who never quite had the strength to leave the adobe.

Hiding away in a corner, you glanced anxiously at her.

'Y/n should be asleep by now, eh?' Lumine giggles quietly to herself, inconspicuously offering you a soft smile. Dealing with an overly worried husband was definitely something she could relate to when it comes to her brother, Aether. As much as she understood his concerns, it wouldn't hurt to sneak around every once in a while! With that in mind, she resolves to help you just this once.

Lumine wraps her hand around Diluc's wrist, leading him away from you. "Now where was the guest room again? Let's talk and get this over with. I'm exhausted!"

She hopes she gave you enough time to escape.

•

"Welcome back." Your voice cuts through the dark main hall. Diluc almost drops the coat he took off.

"Y/N? Why are you still up- your fever-" He quickly puts a hand over your forehead, tsking when he could barely differentiate your temperature from the warm disposition of his palm. He slips his hand lower and you wonder if he wanted to cradle your cheek, instead, it rested on your upper arm. "You're still sick."

Dulled hair and pale skin, you blended with the gloom of the manor. The memory of your wedding night – how you looked, how you suffered – flashes in his mind before it's gone by the next blink. His worry soared all over again, adding to the anxiety caused by Kaeya's words in the tavern a few hours prior.

"Why are you up?" He clenches his jaw, hands gripping onto your upper arms. Don't you know how dangerous this is?

"I was waiting for y-"

"I told you you didn't have to do that!" He drops his hands from your sides, voice raised more than he means to.

You stayed quiet for a while, oddly calm before questioning. "Were you with miss Lumine again?"

Diluc's brows furrowed, taking a step back to exhale, an attempt to hold back his growing frustration. It wasn't that he's frustrated at you, no – well, perhaps. He just wanted you resting in bed dammit! You didn't need this wifely duty of waiting for him to come back simply because of your obligations to a contract.

You didn't need to know about his business with the Abyss and Lumine.

"No, I was closing up the tavern."

"But she was here last night, right?" You inquire, hands pulling the shawl over your shoulders closer. He eyes this intently.

"Yes? What about it?" He didn't mean to sound harsh, he really didn't. Diluc was never one for words and with his mind elsewhere (on sickbeds and abyss mages, on Kaeya's words and if you're warm enough) .

You bit your lip, huffing out. "I understand that... you can meet others and that this is your manor but-..." You pause, looking for the right words to say. "For the sake of reputation, wouldn't it be better in the tavern? You have apartments in the city, the one above Angel's Share, in particular, is beautifully designed, you-"

"What?" Diluc interrupts, there's a settling feeling of anxiety in his stomach, "Meet others? My manor? Reputation?" He repeated, boots loudly making their way back to you as you step back by reflex.

"You... think I'm having an affair?" Diluc faltered in disbelief, "An affair."

You look away from the towering redhead, suddenly interested in the hardwood flooring. Nervousness crept through your skin in goosebumps as you start to ramble. "Of course, there's no problem at all in that, I mean, you can do as you wish. We're free to love who we wish and-"

No problem at all.

Free to love who we wish.

These sentences slowly register in his mind as your voice drifts away. Kaeya's words in the tavern echo to him in memory.

Keep acting like that and it won’t be long before I have her all to myself. The cryo user had claimed with so much ease and confidence, as if you were on the tips of his fingers, only one snatch away-

"Kaeya." He mouthed, almost as if he didn't mean to. "Archons, you love Kaeya." His hand quickly makes its way to cover his face, he wants to groan into it but he bites his cheek. His brother, of all people.

He remembers how he took the contract from him.

"Kaeya? What?" Your stutter, "Love him? Diluc, what on earth are you going on about!"

He took away your chance for love.

"That's why you invited him out for tea, right? That's why he's- he-" A crackle of lightning and thunder graces the sky, illuminating the room with a flash. Diluc's expression is a mix of heartache and frustration, yours equally matching his. The penetrating sound of rain waves through the tension between you.

"That's not it! That's not it at all!" Your shawl falls off your shoulders, tears welling up your eyes.

"Then what is it, Y/N!" His voice rises and he isn't sure why. He's exhausted and he's losing you and he's scared. "What is it!" He demands again and all you can think of is him.

"The truth is, I love you." You could say but you don't. Your tongue holds you back and you choke on the weight of your own lungs, avoiding his expectant gaze, you turn away to the foyer. Hands quickly make haste on the oversized brass handle as you push open the door, running out into the heavy rain.

"Where are you going?"

You don't respond.

Perhaps you were delirious, sick with fever, impulsive– It was terrible how you shivered, gasping on your own breath. The rain poured and soaked you, the occasional thunder resonated with the thumping of your heart. It was freezing.

"Y/N! Get back in here!" You hear him call after you.

"No!" You screeched, hands rolled into fists by your sides, tears cascading down each cheek as they join the falling rain. How could you ever return? You were a parasite. Leeching off everything when he deserved so much more.

Your emotions were overwhelming you, your thoughts spiraling into an endless abyss of him him him; of medical bills on his office table; of a bright blonde traveler and her wide smiles; of your stupid parents; of stupider contracts; of wine you can't drink and weddings over your budget; of him him him-

So you run and run and you think you've gotten far but his footsteps splashing on puddles never faded from your hearing and soon you're stumbling, foot lodged in mud, shoulder bumping into the wood of a grapevine, nightdress dirtied. With a glance behind you, you realize you barely made it far at all.

You can't even run away.

Diluc is immediately by your side, warm hands pulling you closer to an even warmer torso. Even kneeling in the cold of the rain, in the dead of the night; even in your shivering and gasping to breathe properly, he is warm.

Yet you scuffled out of it, hands weakly trying to rip his arms away, fists hitting on his shoulder, form squirming to get away from these oh-so-complicated feelings you've bottled up for too long and-

"Please," Diluc's voice breaks you out of your struggle. "Please. Please, just- you can love Kaeya." His voice cracks and there's a tremble in his arms. "I won't say anything anymore. You can stay in the city, take any apartment there. What do you want? What do you need? Anything- everything in the winery is yours, it's all yours, just please come back inside with me, please."

With the declaration out in the air, you hesitate to reply, scared of what emotion might show in your tone. "Why?" You ask.

"You'll get sick," He responds, "You're still sick. Your fever- please, let's go inside."

He wonders if you'll refuse him again as you allow him to help you stand. Maybe you'll run further away from him, far from the winery, into the city and in someone else's arms. What would he do then? Can he really handle the heartache of taking out the horse drawn carriage to drop you off Kaeya's apartment? He feared the worse when you don't follow the pull of his grip. Your hands intertwined, palm against palm with his.

"Why?" Voice resembling a plea, your E/C eyes meet red ones, "Why are you offering so much for me?" You inquire.

"If you get worse, I'll lose you." He states.

"What does it matter?"

"Why must it not?"

"We're a contract."

He hesitates, eyes scanning yours.

"To you," he starts, "To you I've been a contract. And forgive me if that's all you've ever expected of me but I-" Thunder crackles.

Diluc was never good with words, but he should have done this long before he slipped the ring on your finger. He didn't have to mean anything to you but goddamn will he hold back and let you think you mean the same to him.

"I have loved you for the longest time and-" A crack of thunder, "For archon's sake will I ever let you get so sick again over something I'm entirely capable of preventing. I have loved you and I'm not about to lose you. I have loved you. I love you and you plague me. I'm in love with you. I can't think of anything else; I don't need anything else." He chokes out, composing himself as fast as he lost it, "So please allow me to love you. Please come home with me."

It's like a dream come true; it is a dream come true with the way relief washes over you with every mention of love.

He loves you.

He loves you.

"Alright," You mumble out, squeezing his hand tightly with yours, "Let's go home."

•

"By the way," You hum. It's been a few days since the incident, the worse of your fever passing. Diluc sits by your bedside skimming through paperwork as you rest, reading a book.

"I really love you too," You smile and he freezes, staring at you.

"Diluc... your papers are on the floor... Diluc?"

What stupid idiots in love.

•

"Happy anniversary!" The small group cheers, clicking their glasses of wine and juice with an echo of laughter.

"They're acting as if it's their anniversary." Diluc narrows his eyes, arms crossing and wondering why he even bothered to bring out some of his finest wines for them. Your giggle breaks through the noise and his expression softens. Ah yes, he knows why.

"It's not every day the esteemed master Diluc invites everyone, much less the knights, for a free drinking party in the tavern." Kaeya muses, tilting a glass of alcohol to his lips.

"For the record, it's an anniversary celebration. Not a drinking party."

"Still. It's the first of its kind!" The cryo user added, "Not so bad a result if I do say so myself. I was getting tired of babysitting your relationship. To think you only needed a push in the right direction~"

The redhead groans, shoving the other with his shoulder but despite the annoying attitude, there's a ghost of a smile twitching the corners of his lips.

"Although," Diluc sighs, unfolding his arms to look at him, "You didn't have to go as far as saying you'll take her for yourself just to get a rise out of me. That was just low."

Kaeya laughs, one arm about to wrap over the redhead to which he quickly slaps away, "Why, can't take a joke? I must say, it did end up working a bit too well."

"Yeah, yeah," Diluc shoves the cryo user before walking away to approach you you you-

You who looked just as pretty as the day a teenage Kaeya Ragnvindr saw you from the top steps of the winery staircase. Kaeya who wanted to catch a glimpse of what an old contract had to offer, nervous and shy, worried you wouldn't be too keen over an adopted orphan yet you waved ever so gently when you spotted him.

Kaeya Ragnvindr who believed he could find love if it were handed to him by your hands. Kaeya who wanted to take you far away until he caught a glimpse of his brother's lovesick face.

Diluc Ragnvindr who perfectly greeted you like a true noble's son; Diluc who wasn't much for small talk yet your conversations transversed through topics like you were desperate to hear every syllable pronounced by his tongue; from his role as the Cavalry Captain to your hobbies, everything bloomed with life and laughter as Kaeya could only watch his first family and first love fall in perfect sync.

Kaeya learned of love the day he handed the contract to his brother.

Kaeya smiles at the sight of your husband pulling you up to dance before turning to the bartender.

"Another glass, please."

•

"You shouldn't be drinking." Diluc says as he approaches you, "We just left the doctor's office and you're already-"

"It's grape juice, love." You chuckle as he leans down to plant a kiss on your cheek.

"Oh how sweet, to think I'd see the day Diluc Ragnvindr take his wife to her doctors appointment together~" Lisa teases as the redhead rolls his eyes.

"Speaking of the doctors, Y/N, how's your condition? We're still up for next week, right?" Lumine inquires, placing a hand on top of yours.

"Yes, we're still up for next week, Lumine; The new medication works wonders; And honestly, Lisa! Diluc's followed me in every doctors appointment now. It's nothing new."

Lisa laughs, "It's just so amusing that it took him a year to get over his crushing stage. Tell me again how it happened? A confession under the rain, was it? Oh, so romantic!"

"Oh, oh! And I heard from the maids that he carried her bridal style all the way back home~" Lumine adds, a teasing grin on her face.

Diluc groans, pulling you up and away from the Librarian and traveler. You wave them goodbye as you follow.

"Everyone thinks some kind of love story happened." He mutters to you once you're far enough away.

"Well, it's better than admitting how you clung to me in the rain~ And you cried so cutely as well-" He cuts you off by popping a grape to your mouth.

"Keep talking and I'll tell everyone how you puked on my shirt right after confessing."

That shut you up real quick.

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consider supporting me on ko-fi !

A little character/story analysis to end the series!!! I really like doing these huh

First thing's first! How did you like the perspectives? Like over analyzing Lumine's gestures when they were barely spared a second in Lumine's own POV (Ch3-4); Or your POV of a cold Diluc when he was actually just distracted from work; or Kaeya's POV of workaholic Diluc when he's actually thinking of you this time?

Unreliable narrators are the best for misunderstandings!

Diluc and Reader belittling what Kaeya always wanted, "a contract" is probably what pushes him to the edge

If you read through all the chapters you might notice the subtle hints on how busy Diluc is. I wanted the idea of a busy Diluc to justify how out of touch he's been with you.

From the flashbacks we see a sort of trauma Diluc has in being selfish with Reader. Sure at some point he could've thought "Maybe they'll fall for me if I take action" but look where that lead him: to you being deathly sick on your wedding day. He wanted the wedding celebration, he wanted to see you under a veil, now he's paying the price. (ch.3) It's the "I almost lost you bc of me" trauma

And if you remember back how he practically killed Crepus to put him out of his misery :D then you know why he's so scared of being your trigger

Of course, this was all in his perspective. He wanted you to do/have whatever you want and if that meant him leaving the picture, then so be it.

Likewise, you're a disaster of insecurity and dependence.

While Diluc's reason was trauma-oriented and his general difficulty in communicating, yours was more about codependence. You hesitated to even talk to him, if you could help it, you'd rather exist by not existing in his life— yet at the same time, you're only human and repressing your emotions could sometimes lead to outbursts.

If you've ever heavily relied on someone, then you'd understand the feeling of never wanting to burden them with anything. Especially if you're useless to them (which sickly reader kind of is). You were ready to let Diluc do whatever he wanted, including taking in a mistress.

Had this been a longer series (and if I had been a better writer), I would've gone into depth on reader obtaining her own sense of independence, but I'm keeping it short instead to keep the essence of a dialogue fic :>

Anyway that's all! I truly hope you enjoyed I Love You So, it was such a pleasure to write about and it's definitely one of the more fun works to brainstorm! lots of love, have a great day!

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Taglist

@d-1-ce @milkypompon @instantmillktea @kfcspicychickensandwich @lonelygranpa @dori-mon @reveltica @soapsoftheworld @danny-yagami @nocturnalcreature998 @loveperfectionchaos @like-wathever @imanayatosimp @ryobf69 @qingxinteaa @krenko @mich-cola @momo89657 @cinnare-blogs @fanfictwarrior @coleluuviida @nhinxsworld @spookyrule @abvolat @d1nne @patchi-chi @feartheuwu @lunabunny-12 @mrcompresssimp @chloeloe @thesleeplessindolent @boundedbyfate @x-zho @kakiwrites @daisukesimp34 @aruaruaru @local-mr-frog @kyomihann @thedivinepriestress @heyimkay @nishayuro @megsthings @leoriominaj @tanspostsblog @kiyoomiwo @iamfriedpotato @akebcshi @hikari3601 @shrynkk @kazeniya @lordbugs @skarlletthepig @simpforayato @leoriominaj @ayamvirus @littleagxs @eissaaaa @deimmortales99 @zannivrs @nejibot @nishayuro @mavix @nejibot @boundedbyfate @sadlonelybagel

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Want more I Love You So content? Check these brainrot replies to asks!

alternate ending brainrot // reader dies? not rly

why you shouldn't be sad for Kaeya (kind of)

Want more of Diluc & Kaeya? Try Family Roots!

Family Roots (2 chapters)

Reader looks for their lost "sibling" after being abandoned 15 ago; Kaeya just wanted some wine, not some reunion; Oh and, Diluc's bartending.

[middle-earth-mythopoeia]

Give me some Gollum hot takes

I would love to! Thanks for the ask! :)

It’s not really a hot take, but Sméagol is honestly one of my favorite characters in LOTR. It’s partly because of what he represents in terms of the importance of pity and mercy in Tolkien’s works, and it’s partly because I just find him a really interesting and enjoyable character. Yes, he’s a scheming, lying murderer, but he’s not all bad, and I can’t help but feel sorry for him. He’s repulsive, but also pitiable, and somehow kind of...adorable?

Here is proof, for those that don’t believe me—a recording of Tolkien himself voicing Gollum: https://middle-earth-mythopoeia.tumblr.com/post/625469443457351680/i-cant-believe-i-just-found-out-that-tolkien-did

Just listen to the way Tolkien does the Gollum voice! Like, yes, Gollum is a murderer and a would-be cannibal, but he sounds so cute! I’m not ashamed to say I reference this scene all the time, because it’s just so fun to quote. "Is it nice, my precious? Is it juicy? Is it scrumptiously crunchable?" Also, Andy Serkis’ version of Gollum is so clearly based on Tolkien's own Gollum impression, and I love him for that!

There are so many good Sméagol scenes, but I love the part in LOTR when Sméagol is thinking about what will happen if he gets the One Ring back, and he says, "Perhaps we grows very strong, stronger than Wraiths. Lord Smeagol? Gollum the Great? The Gollum! Eat fish every day, three times a day, fresh from the sea. Most Precious Gollum! Must have it. We wants it, we wants it, we wants it!"

It’s adorable that eating fish every day is Gollum’s only goal if he gains ultimate power. But it’s also really sad! That's all he wanted. He was corrupted by the Ring for hundreds of years, but he was still just a hobbit at heart, wanting to be left alone to eat his favorite food in peace.

A scene in The Two Towers that really gets to me is this one:

And so Gollum found them hours later, when he returned, crawling and creeping down the path out of the gloom ahead. Sam sat propped against the stone, his head dropping sideways and his breathing heavy. In his lap lay Frodo’s head, drowned deep in sleep; upon his white forehead lay one of Sam’s brown hands, and the other lay softly upon his master’s breast. Peace was in both their faces. Gollum looked at them. A strange expression passed over his lean hungry face. The gleam faded from his eyes, and they went dim and grey, old and tired. A spasm of pain seemed to twist him, and he turned away, peering back up towards the pass, shaking his head, as if engaged in some interior debate. Then he came back, and slowly putting out a trembling hand, very cautiously he touched Frodo’s knee – but almost the touch was a caress. For a fleeting moment, could one of the sleepers have seen him, they would have thought that they beheld an old weary hobbit, shrunken by the years that had carried him far beyond his time, beyond friends and kin, and the fields and streams of youth, an old starved pitiable thing.

This breaks my heart. Poor, poor Sméagol.

Anyway, this wasn’t meant to be a sad post, it’s a Sméagol appreciation post. I think it’s really impressive that Tolkien wrote him as a character who is so sinister, threatening, and dangerous, and yet also managed to make him so wretched and pitiable.

And on a totally different note, one of my favorite things about Sméagol is the strange way he talks, not just the hissing and the "gollum, gollum" and "my preciousss" but the odd vocabulary. Like this scene in Dead Marshes:

‘No, we have got no fish,’ said Frodo. ‘We have only got this’ – he held up a wafer of lembas – ‘and water, if the water here is fit to drink.’ ‘Yess, yess, nice water,’ said Gollum. ‘Drink it, drink it, while we can! But what is it they’ve got, precious? Is it crunchable? Is it tasty?’

I love that Gollum says “crunchable” in both The Hobbit and LOTR, and they used it in the LOTR movies too! In the movies, Gollum says, “No, no birdses. No crunchable birdses to eat.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLtR5r-2YGM&feature=emb_title)

And I have a kind of embarrassing story about that. I sometimes forget that not everyone has memorized the entire script of the LOTR movies, and I (erroneously) assume that when I quote them people will get the reference, which has led to some really awkward moments... Like the time I was eating lunch outside with coworkers, and I saw some sparrows on the ground, and since the sparrows were cute, I pointed to them and said, "Ooh, crunchable birdses!" Well. My coworkers did NOT get the reference, and suffice it to say they were a bit disturbed.

[leggerefiore]

are we gunna see more of the mystery dungeon au? because i def have a soft spot for the twins and guzma (and a guilty pleasure for volo lol) anyway thank you for the writes i enjoy them!!

probably not because I can't think of anything interesting with it tbh

eh, have this

---------

You sighed as the supernatural warmth from Ingo's body soaked into you on the awfully chilly night. He was always so pleasant to touch; a burning flame quite literally in him. Emmet coiled around himself in the pool of water near your shared bed with the Chandelure hybrid. Judging by the faint scraps of light peering just through the treeline, you could tell it was early morning. A purple gloom covered the room still, courtesy of Ingo's flames. You yawned and buried your face deeper into his chest.

It had been over a year since you first arrived in this strange world where humans were extinct, and hybrids essentially had taken over in their place. Society hadn't advanced as it had in your world, as hybrids seemed to rely more on their innate abilities of technological advancements. You had joined a rescue team at first with little direction as to how to exist in this new world, but it soon was deemed too dangerous.

Turning to the transportation twins, they were more than happy to let you live with them. You were shown around the land carefully by the two. If anything tried to attack you, they were quick to chase them off with ease. Emmet was an apex predator even on land, while Ingo was vicious and terrifying with fire and ghost attacks. You soon discovered ancient ruins, to which they allowed to look around while sticking to your side tightly.

They proved to be extremely loving and caring, but perhaps a tad overbearing and worrisome. Ingo spent time with you when he was free of his transport duties, cooking you delicious meals from the use of his ghostly flames. Emmet often did the hunting for said foods, proud of his talents and ability to feed his family. They provided a safe, stable home in the strange chaos of your new world.

Dating them was pleasant, aside from the strange title of 'mate', but that seemed common in this world. Marriage wasn't really a thing, so much as just simply moving in with one another and calling yourselves mates. The title must hold weight when used. You sighed as you watched them rest. Ingo's arms held you close to him, and his breaths relaxing you. There was nothing more comforting than mornings like this.

Soon, Ingo would wake up and give a soft smile at you before calling to wake up Emmet, who would hop out of his pool. Your poor sleep clothes would be soaked from his water and slime while he pressed kisses to your cheeks. The older twin would sigh, and the younger would giggle. You would all get ready for the day, them leaving for their rail cart and you either joining them or staying behind.

This was never to come to fruition again.

Not after what you had read in one of the ruins.

A reminder to why you were sent here; a duty that called for you to fulfil it.

You crept from the bed and got your old adventuring bag. It hurt, but you must go. The entire world was in danger, and you agreed to save it. One last glance was spared to the sleeping hybrids. Ingo felt the empty space in his bed distressingly while Emmet still slept peacefully. A silent farewell was bid, before you left again.

If all went well, they would never see you again, as your duty would be complete.

~~~~~

Ingo woke up in a panic. His hand grasped the empty sheets behind him as his flames flickered from the strong emotion. He cried your name loudly, eyes scanning the room. Emmet jumped awake from the volume of his voice. Ingo rushed from his bed to search their home for you, but you were nowhere to be found. “Sh-she's gone, Emmet!” he turned to his brother in panic. The Eelektross hybrid gazed around, sniffing the air. To his distress, your scent led him to your pack and out the door.

They followed until they reached one of their rail cars, now gone from the depot. The twins turned to each other in terror. You used one of their cars. Why? Emmet felt himself tearing up and hiccuping, leaning into Ingo for support. Ingo caught him with a terrifyingly cold feeling in his limbs.

You were all alone in this dangerous world without any protection. They had failed to keep their mate safe.

A nearby Togekiss hybrid watched the brothers with amusement.

[thethreeeyed-raven]

Journey to love

chapter one - the call

chapter two - road trip

chapter three - gas station

chapter four - the spectacular (weird) plan

chapter five - heroes

pairing : Dwayne Hoover x gn!reader

warnings : none?

word count : 1k

a/n : i doubt any of these songs i mention would be on an iPod but anyway-

paul dano master list

wattpad version

ao3 version

After a few hours of driving, Richard finally pulled up at a motel, so you all could rest to be ready bright and early the next day.

Sheryl gave everyone their room keys as you walked up the stairs.

"Can I sleep with Grandpa tonight?" Olive as Sheryl as she walked along side her.

"Well, you'll have to ask Grandpa."

"Grandpa?"

"Well, I got two beds." Edwin gave Olive his permission to share a room with him. "You could still use some rehearsing."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking."

"All right everybody, we have a long day tomorrow. I'll knock on your doors at seven am."

"Frank, you guys will be okay?" Sheryl asked her brother in concern.

"Yeah, we're fine."

Everyone said goodnight, and entered their rooms. You entered the room where Frank and Dwayne were.

"I'll change after you Frank." You told him. "Dwayne, you need to change too."

Dwayne shook his head at your request, making you shove him playfully.

"You're disgusting." You said, scrunching your face. Frank chuckled at you two, shaking his head.

Oh, teenagers.

Frank went into the bathroom and you and Dwayne layed on the double bed.

Through the walls, you could here Sheryl and Richard arguing.

"You don't have to listen to that Dwayne." You got up and rummaged through your duffel bag.

"Here." You handed him your iPod and put on Asleep by The Smiths. "Listen to that."

He put the ear phones in his ears, the song was a low, calming melody, but it wasn't enough to drown out the yelling. You layed beside him, and wrapped your arms around his torso, watching as his lips curled into a smile.

"You're so cheeky, Dwayne." You hit him lightly, knowing he was smiling because his mother and step-father were arguing. But you didn't know he was also smiling because you were hugging him.

-🌻-

You guys were woken up early that morning by Richard frantically knocking on your doors and rushing you into the van.

The news had hit you like a brick.

Grandpa Edwin had died.

Olive said that he wasn't waking up, that must have been traumatic for her as she was only seven.

You looked towards Richard in the drivers seat. You actually felt sorry for him, his father just died.

-🌻-

The hospital wasn't that far from the motel you were staying at.

You all sat in the small waiting room, no one else there but you and the rest of the family.

Everyone sat, faces full of gloom. Olive didn't fully understand what was happening, so she just played around with the leaflets.

"Want to take an eye test?" She asked anyone who was listening. "Uncle Frank? An eye test?"

Frank just shook his head.

"Olive, come here. Put those away." Sheryl beckoned Olive towards. "We're gonna have a family meeting. Dwayne, family meeting." She called to Dwayne who's hand was resting on your shoulder. You decided to stay out of it and go and stand in the corner.

"First of all, the doctors are doing everything they can right now. He's had a long, eventful life, and I know he loves both of you very much. But if god wants to take him, we have to be ready to accept that, okay? Whatever happens, we're family." Sheryl's voice began to crack as she spoke, tears pooling in her eyes. "And what's important is that we love each other. I love you guys, so, so much." She put her head in her hands, her children just staring at her.

Dwayne didn't know what to do in these types of situations, he's never had to deal with anything like this before. He took his notebook from his pocket and clicked his pen.

He showed his note to Olive. 'Go and hug mom' it said.

So Olive got up from the chair, and wrapped her arms around her mother, trying to comfort her.

"Are you the family of Edwin Hoover?" A Doctor came into the room, a defeat-full look on his face.

"Yes." Richard said as he rushed over to the Doctor. Everyone standing up in usion, waiting to hear the news.

"I'm sorry, we did everything we could."

Upon hearing this, you walked over to Dwayne, wrapping your arms around his torso in an attempt to comfort him. He just rested his hand on top of yours.

"He was uh- Well, it was too much," Was all the Doctor had to say. "He probably just fell asleep and, never woke up." The Doctor was careful with his words, a child being in the room. "I'll have someone come talk to you about handling the remains."

All Richard could do was thank the man.

Olive looked up at her mother, asking if Grandpa was dead. In the nicest way possible, Sheryl told her that he had passed away. They both sat down, Olive resting on Sheryl's knee. She then began to cry, little sniffles coming from her, almost making you cry, but you kept it in, along with all your other feelings.

A few minutes later, a woman going by the name Linda, entered the room. She stopped and looked at the distraught family.

"Hi. I'm your bereavement liaison, Linda."

Richard walked up to her and shook her hand.

"My consolations for your loss."

"Thank you."

-🌻-

After the woman shouted at Richard for his constant questions, she led you all to the hospital bed where Edwin's body was, he was covered with a white blanket.

Sheryl and Olive stood looking at Richard, Dwayne and Frank were looking at the body, and you were looking at the floor holding onto Dwayne's hand.

Richard set the documents the woman had handed him seconds before down, then walked up the body of his father, then lifting the blanket to get one last look at his face.

"Goddamn it, Dad. Goddam it!" He muttered. His face turned red as tears welled up in his eyes.

"We'll go to Little Miss Sunshine next year, okay honey?" Sheryl whispered as she bent down next to Olive. "Next year."

"No. No. We've come seven hundred miles. I will be damned if I'm not making that contest Sheryl." Richard disagreed with his wife.

You admired Richard's enthusiasm, but you didn't think it would be good to go and compete in a beauty pageant right now.

"Well Richard, we can't just leave him here."

You had to admit, Sheryl did have a point, but-and you couldn't believe you were about to say this-maybe Richard did too, maybe it wasn't just a bad idea, maybe Olive could actually win, and if she didn't, so what? At least she tried.

Richard took the documents and threw them in the bin. "We're not gonna leave him." He opened the curtain slightly and peeked through.

"Richard, what are you doing?"

Everyone else just watched in silence.

"Fuck." He looked around the room, then fiddled with the blinds, forming a plan in his head. He reached a window and came to a conclusion. "Dwayne, go around outside."

You looked at Dwayne then at Richard confused. And it looked like you weren't the only one curious, as Frank, Olive, Sheryl and Dwayne himself were giving him looks.

"Richard, what are you thinking?" Sheryl harshly whispered, careful not to draw the attention of any Doctors or Nurses walking by.

"We're gonna take him with us." Richard finally announced his big plan.

"Crazy, but, could work?" You finally spoke. Sheryl turned to give you a look, making you shrug in response.

"No, no. That is not happening."

"He's better off with us than these people." Richard argued, he then turned back to Dwayne whilst moving the blinds and opening the window. "I want you to go around outside and underneath this window." He said as he threw the van keys to Dwayne, making him let go of your hands to catch them.

"Dwayne, don't you dare move."

Dwayne looked at his mother, unsure whose instructions he should follow.

"Honey, you stay here. We'll take Olive, Frank can drive."

"No, Sheryl. We'll be there in two hours. Listen to me, I'll call a funeral home once we get there." Richard was determined to get Olive to that pageant. "If there was one thing my father would have wanted, it's to see Olive perform in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant. Now, I believe we'd be doing a grave disservice to his memory, if we were to just give up now." Whilst saying this, he was tucking the blanket under Edwin's legs.

Even you couldn't argue with that, so Sheryl just had to agree.

"All right? There's two kinds of people in this world. There's winners and there's losers, okay? You know what the difference is? Winners don't give up."

What an inspiring speech to be honest, you thought.

"So what are we here? Are we winners, or are we losers?" Richard turned to you all after fully wrapping Edwin in the blanket, looking at Sheryl expectantly. You noticed his face and his eyes looked bloodshot, from him trying not to cry in front of everyone.

"Huh?"

Dwayne slightly nodded, actually agreeing with something Richard was saying for once. He was still gripping the keys.

"Okay, okay, okay. Let's do it." Sheryl said as she began helping her husband lift Edwin's body. "You guys go. Olive, you watch the curtain."

Dwayne and Frank did as instructed, with you following after them. You quickly walked past Linda, as to not look suspicious.

-🌻-

All three of you stood in front of the window ready to grab the body when Richard pushed him through the window. You were keeping watch of the entrance of the hospital incase you were caught.