#are you still going on that denial??

[pia55tri]

“I just moved to my new Monaco apartment, but the removal company refused to carry my mattress upstairs, you live in my building, can you help me?”

thank you, anon, for sending this prompt in and all the other prompts 🫶

It’s just the universe laughing at him, really, that he’s gone and knocked on the neighbour’s door and it opens to Carlos Sainz Jr.’s perfect fucking face. In Monaco.

Oscar doesn’t even know why he’s so surprised. It was Lando who recommended this building to him, a little away from the more busy centre of the little-big city of Monaco. He said he needed it to be subtle, he needed a little bit of air. And Lando, who thrives in the bustle and chaos of the metro, immediately went, Ah! I know the place for you, mate. Check it out? Oscar did and it was perfect. And of course, he should have known that the place was exactly to his standards and needs because Lando heard about it from Carlos, who Lando has always liked saying is very similar to Oscar in all the ways that matter but that Oscar refuses to acknowledge.

“Oscar,” Carlos says with a pleasant inflection that mollifies the brief spike in Oscar’s heart rate. “What a happy surprise. Are you living here, now?”

And Oscar just looks at him with wide eyes. Oscar is still in his crumpled airport clothes and smelling of the sun and desperate for a nap. Carlos is — His hair is a mess about his head. His cheeks are covered with scruff darker than Oscar is used to seeing. And he’s shirtless, flushed lines all over his skin like he was just in bed. And. He looks like he smells like… fresh sheets or pancakes. Luxury cologne.

“Erm. Yeah. Yes. I just moved in today, actually. Actually, I knocked because,” he cringes, “because I needed someone’s help and you were the neighbour…” And, really! He should be grateful his neighbour just so happened to be someone who actually spoke the one language he could speak  and not one of the many languages he didn’t. “The moving company left my mattress downstairs and I was thinking of getting maintenance to help bring it up, but they’re all busy right now. I just. I need help.”

(Somewhere in the city, Lando Norris is laughing at him.)

Carlos patiently listens throughout his long, winding plea, and then, finally, nods, and says, “Sure. Let me just put a shirt on.”

“Right,” Oscar says.

Carlos doesn’t even bother closing his door, so Oscar stands there and tries not to watch his muscles moving as he tugs on a shirt that pulls tight around his unfortunately well-shaped biceps.

“Stairs?” he asks.

They’re not anywhere near the ground floor. So, of course, Oscar can’t turn down a challenge like that, and he says, dumbly, “Sure.”

That is how Oscar finds himself not staring at Carlos’s broad shoulders as they make their winding way down too many flights of stairs.

Oscar doesn’t even know what they talk about as they go. All he can think about is how warm it is in the stairwell, and how it makes Carlos’s lilting accent bounce around and settle into the folds of his brains. It must be the jetlag. Or the Monégasque heat. Or the insanity his sisters have always sworn he had.

When they get to the lobby, his mattress is exactly where the moving company had left it, laid mortifyingly out in the open. Thankfully, it is the middle of the day and no other residents are walking about the place to bear witness to this entire thing. Together, they haul the mattress to where it miraculously fits inside the elevator and pick up a rather lovely conversation that Oscar isn’t used to having outside a long plane-ride or at one of someone or other’s parties. What he is used to is ignoring how Carlos’s biceps bulge every time he moves or how his plush lips fall open when he breathes.

When they manoeuvre the mattress around his, actually rather sparse, furniture and onto his bedframe, Oscar is so relieved and grateful that he doesn’t even blush about his underwear lying on the floor of his room.

“Thank you,” he says, kicking a pair of Calvin Kleins behind himself. He tries for a smile. “Really appreciate it, mate.”

“It’s nothing,” Carlos shrugs.

“No, it’s really not,” he insists, leading them to the kitchen. “Actually, do you want to stay for lunch? It’s really the least I could do.”

Carlos raises his brow. “So polite?”

Oscar is about to say something smart when he abruptly shuts his mouth and spins back around from the empty fridge to face Carlos. “I. Erm.”

Carlos looks amused, eyes crinkling at the corners. Oscar can feel the heat radiating off himself.

Carlos laughs easily. “I’ll pick a place and you pay, okay?”

And Oscar nods, calm and cool. “Sure.” He can do that. It’s absolutely normal.

“I’ll drive.”

Oscar keeps nodding. “Erm. Cool.” Very cool. A ride in Carlos’s Ferrari. Nice. Cool. Chill.

But then, Carlos winks and says, “It’s a date.”

And Oscar, helpless, charmed, does not swoon. Instead, he says, “Yeah.”

[sincerelywhistler]

Eat your heart out, my bloody Valentine

guys… I miss Vega…

An ode of sorts to @gingerbreadmonsters ‘s incredible 18+ masterpiece, Resist and Elongate ft. my Vega🤍

slut ass girlypop high ponytail ftw

[miyuskye]

I know I'm reading too much into it, but the way Jon corrects himself, forces to correct himself to call Elias- Jonah really gets to me.

He doesn't do that at the beginning of s5, but around the middle he starts correcting himself and, soon after, Martin does too. They spend all of their time together so I'm thinking that he's either picking up after Jon or he just started doing it when Jon wouldn't stop correcting him if he did not. But he does so in a more uncaring way, like it doesn't really matter, to him, what name they're calling their enemy.

Both Martin and Georgie don't mind which name they give to Jonah, they just want to get rid of the mess he's done and go back to their old world.

Jon, on the other hand, is so stuck on punctuating that he is, Jonah Magnus, as if calling him with a different name might help him distancing from someone he cared for and respected a long time ago. In his dialogue with Georgie he really wants Jonah to be called by his name and surname, as if he is trying to separate the two people in his head. It's probably because he has already reasoned that Jonah Magnus is evil, he concluded that halfway around S3, if I remember correctly. He wants to stick the evil label onto a man he trusted, so that he can give a reason to why he was betrayed. So that it hurts a little less.

I think that Jon felt, of course, betrayed by Elias, by a man he still turned to when he needed help, even after knowing his crimes. And a little part of me wants to believe that Jon would have sat with him if he wasn't so good-hearted at his core. He surely was envious, by his admittance via Martin's words, of his state after the Eyepocalipse...

[lostmf]

Please don’t ever become a stranger who’s laugh I could recognize anywhere

Please don’t ever become a stranger who’s laugh I could recognize anywhere

Please don’t ever become a stranger who’s laugh I could recognize anywhere

Please don’t ever become a stranger who’s laugh I could recognize anywhere

Please don’t ever become a stranger who’s laugh I could recognize anywhere

Please don’t ever become a stranger who’s laugh I could recognize anywhere

Please don’t ever become a stranger who’s laugh I could recognize anywhere

…

Why did you ..

[ancha-aus]

RealAgeAU Drabble - Parentalbond Killer

Okay I am back at it again! Thanks to @spotaus for the original prompt :D

This was the next one I wanted to write about the gang all bonding with Nightmare and separatly growing into their new roles as caretakers/parents. (Nightmare is no doing this on purpose. He is even more surprised than the gang members are)

First Drabble Prev Drabble Next Drabble

Lets see... As always, unbeta'ed and uneditied. We are hanging out and having fun!

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

Killer grumbles as he sits on the bench. Trying to ignore the looks thrown his way as parents pull their children away from him.

Which, good! Don't come near him or try to get friendly. He isn't in the mood.

Killer glances around the small park he and Nightmare are in now. And idea from Horror, he figured it would be good for Nightmare to do actual child things which includes going to a park to play and interact wiht others.

Dust, the hovering and motherhenning bastard, had nodded and agreed easily. Until it became obvious that it wouldn't be him that would take Nightmare to the park.

Killer is still not quite sure what caused this... weird thing that Dust got going on. It isn't as if he acts differently, he is still Dust! He is just... Killer doens't know.

Anyway. Dust had been needed to help shadow people for intel. Killer huffs as he crosses hsi arms, he could have gone that just fine.

Horror and Cross however are looking for a magical hotspot to recharge their crystals. Cross could use his knife to cut between dimensions but his power is much more obvious than the crystals and leaves traces.

They pretty much did rock paper scissor to see who would stay with Nightmare. Nightmare hadn't looked like he cared but Dust had looked annoyed at their entics.

Look. Just because Dust was flourishing with taking care of a babybones for some reason meant that they all were!

Killer sighs as his sight easily finds Nightmare. Nightmare is just sitting in the shadw of a tree as he reads his book. Killer isn't surprised. Nightmare isn't exactly the most social babybones, he wasn't either when he was still in his adult form.

All that happened was that Nightmare is now more anxious and shy. Which, fitting for a kid even if Killer keeps getting surprised by it.

He leans back against the bench and jsut closes his sockets for a bit. At least Ngihtmare wasn't trying to run off all the time anymore. That is helpful. Seems that whatever caused Dust to be chill about watching a babybones also caused Nightmare to grow more comfortable with just being near them.

Which is fantastic! Killer had been half convinced Ngihtmare would never forgive them for their betrayal and that they would have had to get him a child leash.

Heh. Maybe still a fun idea to offer.

Killer snorts and chuckles as he imagines the insulted look on tiny boss' face. He would be so mad!

"Well hello there tiny one. What are you reading?"

Killer can't help but focus on the voice... something about it sounds off.

Nightmare's voice is much softer and harder to hear in the crowd but Killer is by now used to picking his voice out.

"... my book..."

A hum "I see. Is it interesting?"

Nightmare gives a non-commiting hum but not much more.

A chuckle "Not much of a talker are you? That is alright. Kids should know when to be quiet after all."

Multiple red flags and alarm bells. Killer's sockets snap open and he looks right back at where Nightmare was. He is still in his spot and he is holding his book close, a larger figure standing close.

Too. Close.

Killer growls as he jumps up from his spot and sprints over.

The other figure reaches for Nightmare but Killer is faster and Killer hits them with a kick right to the head to get them away.

Killer pants as he stands between Nightmare and the grounded being, a human by the looks of it.

Killer feels Nightmare grab his shirt and hide behind him. Good.

Killer puts a hand on top of Nightmare's skull for a moment before finding his shoulder and pushing him closer to his side. His sockets never leaving his target on the ground.

The human looks up annoyed before slight worry goes over their face goes back to annoyance "What was that for?!" they stand up and brush themselves off.

Killer hears other people mumble around them and Nightmare starts to shake under his hand. Killer just holds him closer as he rubs his back. Glaring at the human.

"What was that far?! Why the hell were you getting so close to my babybones?!" Killer hisses as he keeps Nightmare close. Staring the disgusting piece of shit down that tried to get near Nightmare.

The adult looks between Killer and Nightmare with a deep frown "I didn't realise you were his parent. I figured he was alone and was trying to find out where to find his parents." the human stands up and brushes off the dirt on him.

Killer just continues to glare.

The human huffs "Well? apologise."

Killer smirks "Why should I? You were preying on a child." and the only reason that disgusting human isn't dead yet is because there are too many witnesses and Killer doesn't know if the others are done with their job yet. They are trying to stay low profile.

The human gasps "I would never! I can't believe you just said that!"

Killer huffs as he dismisses the useless waste of space as he turns and picks Nightmare up. His soul finally calms down when it feels Nightmare close and safe against Killer and Killer's soul. It should have been uncomfortable but it is surprisingly nice. The way that Nightmare is warm and tiny and perfect to be held.

Okay. Maybe Killer kinda gets now why Dust seems to take personal offence to the idea of putting Nightmare back on the ground.

Killer walks away and is halfway across the park when a hand reaches for him. Killer turns and has his knife out and a snarl on his face in seconds.

The human, a new one, pulls their arm back and holds their hands up in surrender "right! I am sorry. I should have realised that youwould still be tense after... that." they look back at the other human, who is now surrounded by others, before looking back at him with a smile "My dad owns the ice cream store near here. I am sure he will be happy to offer you two a treat to calm down and relax after what just happened."

Killer frowns as he still feels the lightly shaking form of Nightmare in his arms "As... nice as that is... He is stressed and I don't think being around others will help him with that... Ice crema stores tend to be busy." especially as it is summer in this universe.

The human smiles "I will make sure it is empty! Give you two room to relax! If you don't like it you are obivously welcome to go. I just..." they rub their arm "I am sorry I didn't help. I saw it happen and was frozen and stuck on how i should act or behave. What I could do and what was... appropriate for me to do. You just. did whatever was needed!" they smile.

Killer looks at the human as if they are crazy. He shoots Nightmare a look and Nightmare looks just as shocked, through his own still slightly shaky state. Killer raises a brow at him and nods towards the human "What do you think tiny boss? Want ice cream?"

Nightmare pulls a face at his new nickname but gives ashrug as reply.

Okay yeah Killer will assume that means 'yes but i don't want to admit it because wanting things in the past always got me hurt.'

....

Killer is not at all projecting.

Killer nods and not much later finds himself in an empty ice cream store. the human having spoken to an older human, their father, and the grumpy old man just listened before nodding and changing the sign from open to closed.

A lot of taste testing later and they settled on a very sweet sunday of some kind. Some very sweet strawberry mouse kinda thing with white chocolate sauce with blueberries on top.

Killer honestly hadn't expected that but maybe he should have. Back in the castle Nightmare had always drunk his coffee with a lot of cream and sugar cubes. Killer snorts as he watches Nightmare enjoy the treat and slowly relax.

The old grumby owner stands by him "Well? what do you want?"

Killer blinks as he looks over "Oh. It is fine." he shrugs "Only got enough gold with me for his treat." Killer goes back to making sure Nightmare doesn't inhale something in his rush.

The human huffs "None of that. Parents who do the right thing and protect their children deserve a treat as well, what do you want."

It takes a moment for Killer to realise what the other said "Woh! wait! He isn't mine. Well. not technically. I am just watching him for friends!"

The human just raises a brow "Doesn't make your action any less worth. What do you want?"

Killer rubs his neck "Look I can get very specific and weird with my orders. It is fine..." low profile. low profile. You were the one who told everyone to keep a low profile. stick to it yourself.

the human does not look convinced and just waits.

Killer then grins "okay fine. I would love a hot white chocolate milk with cherry syrup." and he waits for the normal disgusted look his order gets. Grinning widely.

The man just nods "Easy enough. You heard that Lass?"

the other human, Lass, nods "Got it!" and they move around the counter.

Killer blinks "But it is weird?"

The human huffs and grins "Kid it is hardly the weirdest thing I have heard in my life." he looks at Ngihtmare "Is the ice cream good?"

Ngithmare freezes at the attention and shoots Killer a glace, relaxes a bit to see him, before looking back at the human and nodding. It takes amoment before Nightmare speaks "It is good... thank you?" it sounds more like a question than anything but Killer will count it! Their little Nightmare may be grumpy but he has manners!

The older human huffs and has a smile on his face "Good to hear. You two take your time." which is when Lass gets to them with Killer's drink before both humans leave to do stuff by the counter and back.

Killer watches them before leaning close to Nightmare "You good? Food actually okay and not bothering you?"

Ngihtmare shrugs as he eats another bite.

Killer grins "Come on tiny boss. Gotta use words or I will just keep talking and tlaking and talking-"

Nightmare groans and shoots him a glare. There is his grumpy buddy! Nightmare turns back to his treat before answering "It is good... Teeth hurt a tiny bit still..."

Killer nods with a frown "Probably still sensitive. We will have to look out for it..." make sure to keep his teeth healthy. Horror hadn't seen anything wrong with his teeth before and it may just be sensitive but they will have to make sure it doesn't get worse.

Killer takes his drink and sips it. Oh god it is so good! It is warm and soft and sweet and holy shit they but a full scoop of ice cream in there?! Amazing.

Killer purrs loudly as he drinks his drink. Loud enough to cause Nightmare to snort and look at him amused. Killer grins back and nudges Nightmare "Eat your own ice cream. this hot chocolate it mine." Most shops don't even try to make it good but this is sooooooo goooooooood!

Nightmare nods and eats his ice cream. Looking content and actually relaxed.

Killer... Killer feels warm and content. Just making sure the other is okay.

He for now is just going to ignore these changes and thoughts. They don't matter too much in the grand scheme of things. Nothing changes after all. Just that he may actually get why Dust wants to look after Nightmare so much.

Well! Guess Dusty is going to have to learn how to share!

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

First Drabble Prev Drabble Next Drabble

[finnitesimal]

Brother if he agrees to the wedding those aren't his boundaries at all

[isthe-protag-cluelesstho]

Okay, probably not a hot take, but imma scribble about it anyway,

I honestly think Cale Hetinuse/Kim Rok Soo has chronic pain/fatigue.

Like, everybody loves the whole coughing up blood/wet meow meow thing he's always doing, but personally? People who are that nonchalant about Shit Happening To Their Body, are typically people who are waaaaay too used to Fucked Up Shit Happening To Their Body,

It's just a head canon, but as someone who is chronically in pain, I absolutely do some of the stupid shit CH/KRS does, like carrying stuff I should NOT be carrying, or continuing to Do Things even when I should be sitting and resting. I also know several people who (like me) can be experiencing level 4-5 pain and not show a hint on their face/through their actions besides maaaaybe moving a bit slower/stretching more

And we know KRS has been on his own since he was itty bitty... And then he grew up in a world hell bent on killing everyone. I can't help but think that a tiny child with no one to help him with the general cuts/bruises/little hurts of childhood would 1) have zero frame of reference for what "okay" actually looks like 2) probably has never really received medical care beyond emergency assistance (which does jack for chronic conditions) and 3) has NEVER really had someone in his life long enough for them to catch his way of coping with pain (my very close friends can hear when I'm hurting/tired, everyone else only notices if I am visibly incapacitated)

So, Kim Rok Soo ends up in a world/body that "technically" hasn't experienced his life, HOWEVER fibromyalgia and PTSD are like goddamn pb&j. It's a condition that is deeply tied to a body's stress response. And what does Cale say once he has the Heart? "I feel BETTER"

And that just speaks to me of a person who is so used to pain, that it no longer really registers... I had daily headaches for 7 years, it wasn't until I moved and got a new primary that I found out that more than 4 headaches in a month was considered a concern... I got on some migraine meds and actually stopped having that daily headache, something id just accepted as "how my body works" gone,

I personally don't consider pain at a 1-2 as particularly bothersome, it's more like a general annoyance. Onces it's up to 6-7 it's hard for me to move, and yet I often will still do so, despite the pain. It's only at 9-10 so I stop moving entirely and focus on just weathering it. Usually when that happens, I sleep so much after as my body tries to recover.

And when I read Cale, so casually continuing forward, despite the work he takes on himself, after the constant planning and prepping and ass kicking, all I see is a person who has lived so long with his body's suffering that it's just background noise. Yeah, he coughed up some blood, but the pain is back to "normal" so how can he raise a fuss? He killed 3 monsters with a dislocated shoulder that one time, this? This is easy. And despite claiming his body is weak, he refuses to truly accept the help and rest he needs because (like I used to) Cale thinks "this is just how my body works"

Sometimes, I cannot remember how I lived prior to my pain. Sometimes, I cannot imagine a world where I do not spend half the night attempting to force my muscles to relax, so I can actually sleep. I cannot imagine a world where I am able to do everything I want in a day and not collapse at the end. And I see so much of myself in how Cale continues to move despite the weight of the ancient powers, the expectations of the gods and his own personal hopes. He seems like a character doomed to continue walking, his bones broken but refusing the care because whats the point if everything still hurts the same way in the end?

Anyway, Raon should invent a cure for chronic illness and force Cale into a year long sabbatical

[knght0wl]

someone on supergiant games' writing team read the odyssey rq (robert fagles is my preference) its only 24 chapters and theyre pretty short. then you can tweak a few things with his character's lines and the storyline and romance options please please please please please they were literally made to be together im on my knees ple

[dotthings]

I get why people aren't taking random twitter clout-chaser seriously but can we not do denialism on things that were already confirmed like the script draft with [OMMITTED] all over it and the finale having three different covers of Carry On while Dean drives and drives and drives, there were obviously scenes that were cut. Plus the fact we already know Dean and Cas were at one point intended to reunite at the Roadhouse and Misha said they had a nice exchange. Details unknown. You don't have to buy what twitter random says specifically but there was an intention at least at one point to have Dean and Cas reunite. And even after the covid cuts...that episode was shortened. There are missing scenes. And it's not the remote filmed phone calls with Jody, Claire, Donna, since those were in the draft I saw, but in addition to that there was [OMMITTED][OMMITTED][OMMITTED].

[possamble]

I'm not allowed to be on social media for more than two seconds today but I just wanted to say that Laios will absolutely have his own reaction to all this as someone who would die for Falin but has also imprinted on Marcille as his Emotional Support Comphet White Girl Not-Girlfriend along the way

[deiaiko]

#19.3 Unravel

It had been some time since Agni felt this nervous. Not even talking with Jinsung Ha recently had made him feel like this. He fiddled with the mask on his hand as he waited for Grace to come back. He had thought hard on how to deliver the news, but he knew that no matter how he phrased it, Grace would be upset. Velt nuzzled under his palm and Agni gave her a few pats, before deciding that she would be better inside her bowl in his lighthouse, just in case the shinsu acted up around Grace after he received the news.

Grace came back wearing the comfiest shirt and shorts Agni knew Grace liked to wear on lazy days. He joined him on the floor, and they ate dinner together. Agni always finished last, so while waiting for him to finish his meal, Grace told him about his day with Bam. Grace was intrigued by how much his way of thinking had changed, and how glad he was to be able to be by Bam's side when he was having a bad day. It reminded Agni of the hidden floor, when Grace faced his sworn enemy.

They left the used bowls on the coffee table and went to brush their teeth. Afterwards, they turned off the light and went upstairs to sit on their bed. Grace's curious gaze never left him, and Agni curled his feet nervously.

Grace was the one who broke the silence. "So…what is it?"

Agni's breath hitched. This was the part he dreaded most. "I talked with the crocodile earlier. Did you know that he could manipulate stone already?"

"Huh." Grace needed a few seconds to let the information sink in. "Didn't Rak learn it on the Hell train? How does he know it?"

"Turns out our crocodile also traveled back to the past like us. He found the young crocodile and taught him."

"What?!" Grace gasped, wide eyed. "That means our Rak is–!!"

"He's dead." Agni quickly snuffed out that hope. They had been in delusion for long enough; it was time that they faced the bitter truth. "He suffered a fatal injury from the explosion. He couldn't have lasted long without proper help." Agni omitted the actual cause for Rak's death, but still kept his words true. "I'm sorry."

"…Oh." Grace looked lost, just like Agni was. His lips parted a little, but they closed before any sound escaped.

Agni gently squeezed Grace's hand, encouraging and comforting as he let the silence stretch on, giving Grace some time to process the information.

"Agni…" Grace whispered, "do you think Hatz and Isu…?"

Agni bit his lip and avoided his gaze, as the nightmare of that day replayed in his mind. He witnessed Hatz get his arm ripped off when trying to protect him. He could still recall the clang of a sword hitting the floor, and Hatz's suppressed scream that gnawed deep at his guilt. He witnessed Isu get beheaded after being taken hostage, the memory of warm blood painting them both still vivid like it happened yesterday. 

Agni refused to acknowledge their possible deaths, because it felt like a nightmare that one day he could hopefully wake up from. He avoided the topic when Grace brought it up, so he wouldn't have to say it aloud and make it real. He had been so hard on himself, because he couldn't get rid of the feeling that he had failed Grace and everyone else involved.

Agni knew this had to change if he wanted to live better, now that they had gotten a second chance. So he swallowed down the lump in his throat that had built up over the years and asked mostly to himself; "What are the odds of their survival?"

"There's always a chance–"

"Grace." Agni looked him straight in the eye. "They were already severely injured before the explosion hit."

Grace fell silent and went still.

Agni felt a pang of guilt upon witnessing Grace's reaction. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap." Agni fiddled with his hands. He realized that he didn't know how much Grace knew of what happened. "My scar��do you know how I got it?"

"I…was told it was from the family heads' battle." Grace looked thoughtful. Agni knew he was trying to be careful with his words. "A stray attack?"

"It could have been worse." The memory of the scorching heat on his skin felt like it had only happened yesterday. He passed out right when he was about to heal Isu, and only found out later that he also lost sweetfish at that time. The days he spent recovering from the burn, to withstand the excruciating pain every second he was conscious, and finally coming to terms that it'd be a permanent scar, was one of the turning points that had changed him forever. Were Grace not there to care for him, he might have ended up destroying himself even more.

Agni hadn't realized he had his left hand clawing on his cheek until Grace pried his hand off and frowned, "You're doing it again."

"Maybe I should wear the mask…" Agni muttered to himself. After all, Grace gave it to him less so he could hide the scar but more to prevent him from unconsciously hurting himself. The only time he could safely take it off was when Grace was around.

Agni bit his lip nervously when Grace didn't reply. He no longer had the courage to look Grace in the eye that spoke so much concern, so he leaned close and rested his head on Grace's chest. "Rak, Isu, Hatz and Hwaryun were trying to get me out of that damned place. But we were caught while escaping, and…it was a bloodbath. I was…too occupied to react to the incoming heat. Rak shielded us from the explosion. And when I woke up…"

"They weren’t with you," Grace finished it for him after Agni trailed off a moment too long.

Agni nodded dazedly, "I've been telling myself that they're still alive, after a blow that could kill rankers. But…who am I kidding? I was lucky enough to survive with just this little–" Agni vaguely pointed to himself– "inconvenience."

Agni felt a hand gripping his arm, and he pulled away to see Grace looking at him with a pained expression. His eyes were glossy and his lips were pulled into a thin line. Trusting his instinct, Agni reached out to gently trace and cup Grace's cheek with his free hand.

"I'm sorry," Agni muttered. "I'm sorry, for not telling you sooner."

Agni silently witnessed tears that streamed down on his love's face. It was a bitter sight that Agni wished he'd never have to see again, that he had tried to avoid for so long by not telling him. He pulled Grace in and held him close to his chest, as if Agni was trying to gather his own crumbled heart back together.

Grace mumbled their late best friends' names as he held onto him tighter, shaking from each breath he took between sniffles.

Agni felt his own eyes sting with unshed tears. He remembered the years he spent climbing the tower together with his old team. Despite their banter being his source of headaches, Agni knew he too had come to acknowledge them as his cherished friends. Only when they were gone did Agni realize how much he'd miss having them around. Seeing the younger them didn't exactly close the gaping hole in his heart, but at least the emptiness was more filled.

Agni squeezed Grace tighter. "We have their younger selves with us now. We will protect them better this time."

Grace only nodded and sank further into his embrace. And Agni planted kisses on his hair, relishing the thought that after everything he had gone through, Grace was still a constant in his life. As long as he had him, everything would be okay.

When Grace started shaking again, Agni caressed his hair and hummed a comfort song they had known by heart. Still, it didn't make falling asleep any easier for Agni, especially not after admitting that his nightmare was very much real. However, as he had been through grief…this, too, would pass.

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[avadmortain]

the way this is so so so much more painful in this context 😭😭😭

[zeb-z]

Etoiles, bitter and resentful, still trying to be kind and still looking out for Bad, wondering where the justice is that he’s forgotten purgatory. Roier beyond angry, pissed, furious, breaking the stone of his basement and wondering just why everyone else seems to have forgotten purgatory. Red team with the only confirmed missing members, who grew to rely on eachother, now separated, while Bad, their biggest aggressor and source of trauma, gets to get off like nothing happened. Gets to walk around with his son. Gets to visit them all and start casual conversation as if purgatory never happened. But it did, and he can’t, not with Roier. Who tries to shoo Bad away, encourages him to drink lava. Not with Etoiles, who while he’s patient and seemingly gentle, keeps constantly reminding him about his actions in purgatory. Maybe with Phil, who’s tried since the beginning to be the one above it all, the bloodshed and the fallout.

I dunno. something about how Cellbit and Foolish haven’t returned, and Roier is taking care of another kid, and Baghera is gone and Etoiles just has to carry on with his duties in the resistance, and Max is dead and the island doesn’t even know, and their kids are all in a coma except for Dapper, who sticks with his father, and the rest of blue team don’t seem to be stuck with the anger and misery, don’t seem to remember purgatory like they do. red team won, and they’re the ones who lost the most. red team won, and they’re the ones who cannot move on, who will not move on, as much as the island wants them to. something about trauma, and the rage that comes with the aftermath, when people try to return to normal, because how can you act like nothing happened when we’re still without our family, our loved ones, how dare you act like nothing happened when it did happen, and we’re still suffering for it?

[b0tsbby]

It only concerns me a little bit I haven’t really seen a written introspection on Stampede Knives’ character, specifically him. 98 is 98 and Maximum Knives has enough elitists on his case to cover him, definitely not a fan favourite but people have broken him down.

I’m aware of how disliked he is, Stampede that is, but it really is something. Could I write it, and could I kill an analysis of him? Most likely. I’ve been injecting the character into my veins, breathing him in and out for a year, every incarnation of him.

But I’m so curious to see someone else do it. Curious to see if someone else will do it…Maybe to convince myself I’m not a complete fool, or stuck in delusion. Maybe to find someone else that got it.

Hate and disdain, is something I’ll never protect him from. He’s an asshole. But man, even he doesn’t deserve the shallow reading of him that’s too widely accepted I think.

But who am I to say what is and isn’t…

[i-lavabean]

WIP

[running-on-coffee-and-anxiety]

Noticed But Hoping For The Best Part 5

There was nothing wrong, Danny knew that! He was just getting more and more tired as the ghost attacks ramped up, but it wasn't like he could explain why he was so exhausted. What would he even say? 'I'm the one fighting all the ghosts and going home was stressful until Jazz managed to set the home security system to not target me'? No, absolutely not. Because of that, however, he was forced to endure people acting like he was sick or something!

Well, Jazz didn't at least. She was just doing her general check-ins after his fight, always fussing over him and yet they quicky figured out that any injuries he gains as Phantom? They show up as bruises of varying severity when in his human form! As the bruises faded, the wounds Phantom had slowly healed, though they of course looked how they were supposed to on his ghost form. It was actually really cool to know that he wouldn't end up severely scarred from any injuries he got defending Amity Park!

Still, his sister used any day after a fight as an excuse to fuss and make sure he was okay, even if it was something simple as making him a smoothie for breakfast- when did she start doing that, anyways? Did they really have enough non-sentient food in the fridge, or was Jazz keeping her own personal store of stuff-? Actually that would make sense, maybe he should start doing the same. Sometimes she went a bit overboard, though, like insisting she was the one to comb his hair or tie his shoes before they went out the door. Danny wasn't a toddler, there was no need to go that far!

Still, he good-naturedly rolled his eyes and grumbled, occasionally fighting it- she once tried to zip up his jacket for him! Just because his fingers were clumsy from not getting enough sleep doesn't mean he was unable to do it himself- but otherwise the teen let his older sister fuss, knowing it made her feel better.

Thankfully, Tucker wasn't acting any different, either! It would have been easy to see, since they were spending more time together while Sam was away, but there was no change- except for teasing about his appearance, or about his handwriting. Danny had noticed that about his handwriting as well, lines never seemed to come out straight when he started writing or tried to draw, but that was another thing explained away by exhaustion. The lack of sleep affecting small motor skills was something he'd heard his parents warn each other about when growing up, and after the portal opened Jazz had lectured them about it and forced them to go to bed several times so they wouldn't hurt themselves in the lab.

Sleep felt like a bit of a luxury at this point, like going a week without a ghost attack or a test somehow being cancelled. Sure, he wasn't going sleepless, Jazz would never allow that and the ghosts tended to attack during the day, but apparently six hours weren't enough. Why else would he be nodding off in classes? Or maybe he was just bored, Danny could easily find that to be the case.

And yet when he was Phantom? Oh, he felt fantastic! Completely full of energy, his hands seemed to obey his mind, everything was clear and sharp, it was like he'd downed a coffee just before starting his fights! However, that made everything so much more prominent when he switched back. His left side randomly twitching- probably from overuse, his muscles did tend to feel sore around those times- but at least his right side didn't seem to feel it. It was probably just because the shock entered from his left hand, it would make sense for things to still be healing, even if turning half-ghost fixed most of the damage.

But it really seemed like having to deal with the ghosts invading the town was effecting his life more and more. It was taking longer to heal from any injuries he got in his human form- Dash tripped him once, Danny faceplanted into his locker, got detention for finally yelling at him and the busted lip he got took over two weeks to heal, it wasn't a good day- his grades were starting to drop, Mister Lancer seemed to be increasingly irritated with him. It was so frustrating! He was trying his best!

At least everything seemed to be alright in science class, it was as enjoyable as always. Sure, he always had to ask his lab partner to handle the finer details, like anything involving pipettes, but it was still fun! Even if he didn't enjoy his parents flavor of scientific curiosity, that didn't change the fact science was one of his favorite subjects. So of course, it made sense his luck would work against him and ruin one of the few good school-related things he had.

it was just a normal class, and his hands were steady enough to accurately poor things and use pipettes! Danny felt like he was on top of the world, he hadn't had a good day like this in awhile! There was an idle smile on his face as he worked, his arm wasn't sore- there was no warning when his body decided to betray him. No heads up, none of the soreness he had been using as an indicator to avoid breaking things. His left arm jerked, a stinging sensation streaking up his arm, fingers reflexively unclenching-

The only thing he could think as the beaker shattered on the floor was that he was glad it was empty. The chattering in the room fell silent as everyone turned and just... Stared. It was only for a moment, but it was still unnerving, then Mister Lancer spoke. "Danny, clean up the glass and see me after class- and for the love of Shakespeare, don't handle any more of the glassware."

That... that hurt to hear, in a way Danny couldn't explain. Sure, it made sense- why let someone handle fragile things when there was a chance of it breaking?- but that limited his ability to participate. Was he just going to be forced to watch everyone and do nothing whenever they had lab? The frustration spiked, causing the teen to pause and take a breath as he felt tears prickling his eyes. It was an accident, it wasn't his fault! Still, he managed to take care of the glass without getting any cuts.

There was a feeling of quiet dread, though, when he stayed back after everyone else was dismissed. Was this the final straw or something? Or would it be yet another lecture? He'd been getting a lot of those recently, on top of all the detentions when Mister Lancer decided he'd had enough of Danny dozing in class. It was a complete shock, but also a weight off his shoulders when he heard the magic words, "Calm down, you're not in trouble." So no detentions, and no consequences, fantastic! But of course it couldn't end there. "We just need to talk about something."

Right, of course, his teacher wouldn't hold him back just to say he wasn't in trouble. Still, the moment of silence where it looked like the man was actually thinking about what to say? Terrifying. It was like when his parents gave him The Talk, and while he knew Mister Lancer wouldn't do that it didn't decrease the nerves. "I won't ask for any details, but clearly something has happened."

That was not good- sure, Danny didn't think it was being guessed that he was Phantom, but the fact his exhaustion made someone think that something bad had happened meant he'd probably need to come up with some sort of cover, maybe lie about a lingering flu-

"I have been harsh due to believing you were slacking off, but if this is a genuine problem, it's my job as an educator to make sure any special requirements you have are met." Wait- waitwaitwait, that was as good as an apology from the man! It was impossible not to look at him with wide eyes, but no, it was too good to be true, unfortunately.

"Now, the ban on you handling glassware will exist and stay in place-" That was one of the worst things Mister Lancer could have said. That would effectively ban him from participating in labs, removing the fun parts that made science his favorite class! It was just one accident, it wasn't his fault! It wasn't fair! "-however, you will be given paper assignments you can fill out instead of doing the lab. Partner with someone and watch the experiment, then fill out the sheet your given."

That felt like being kicked when he was down! He couldn't actually participate, but he'd be forced to watch others do things without being able to join in, and then he'd have to write about what he saw! Danny didn't want that, especially because writing causes his hand to cramp severely, no matter which hand he uses! Usually he would be upset, yeah, but... it felt borderline tragic. It had been his first truly good day in a long while, everything was going perfectly, why did something have to go wrong! And Mister Lancer was still talking.

"Every time you submit a written assignment, I would like you to stay back and help me read it; your handwriting is like another language to me. Understood?" It felt like there was something trapped in his throat, to the point it felt hard to breathe, doing his best not to cry as he nodded. On top of not being able to participate in lab, he'd always have to stay back after every end-of-day class because his teacher couldn't even read his handwriting anymore! Why was everything going wrong?!

"Good. You're dismissed." It took all of Danny's effort to choke out the words expected of him, "Thank you." It took all of his effort not to run as he stepped out of the classroom and started walking to his locker to get his bag. He felt a sick, squirming feeling in his stomach, mind twisting itself in knots after that interaction.

And last but not least, there was Dash. The bane of his school life, the closest thing his human half had to a mortal enemy other than Vlad. It seemed like he upped the mockery of his appearance- "Did you run into that lunch ghost on the way here, or do you always end up dumping food on yourself?" "Is it a hurricane out there or did you not bother to brush your hair?" "Jeez Fentoad, you're makin' it too easy if your trip yourself on your own laces!"

Sure, he wasn't the neatest-looking person around, but Danny didn't think it was that bad. Maybe it was because his mind had been looping around after the mini-meeting with Mister Lancer, but he never really focused on his food when eating, and that often led to spilling food. As for laces, it just felt like more effort than it was worth the retie his shoes every single time they came undone- they never seemed to stay in place anymore! But it was just so tiring, dealing with the taunts and jabs, the sore wrists and occasional busted lips from tripping that took forever to heal...

Eventually, Danny stopped jabbing back. Maybe it was because Sam wasn't there to keep encouraging him that that trouble was worth it, maybe it was his own exhaustion, but there were no more verbal responses to the taunts, nothing more than a huff when being shoulder-checked made him stumble. Dash seemed to be getting bored, though that didn't decrease how often he decided to be a pointless jerk all at once. The blonde was determined to drag him down it seemed, though. In the normal day-to-day, the taunting and shoving was decreased, but on the rare occasion Danny was having a good day? Everything went back to normal, and it sucked!

When he wasn't having a good day, though? Everyone was acting like he was sick- he wouldn't say diseased, though, since they didn't avoid him or anything, but the changes in how people looked at him and sometimes even interacted with him was. Conversations that suddenly dropped when he entered a classroom, people whispering to each other every time he passed by, barely concealed looks of pity. The weirdest part? Even Wes was giving him space! Wes! Explained with a handwave and a 'Obviously you can't be Phantom in your condition'. What did that even mean?!

Danny couldn't wait for Sam to get back, maybe she could help figure things out, everything felt like it had become twisted and everyone was acting like it was normal, he was going to go mad at this rate!

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