#but I don't know if it would really stress me out

[ablobwhowrites]

https://www.tumblr.com/ablobwhowrites/777791359957532672/hear-me-out-on-this-yandere-crk-ramble-guys?source=share

Sorry if this is annoying but idea to add onto yap since I love it so much it activated my 'I want to make ideas based off this...'

The moment the cookies get y/n to the other side...y/n is shocked at first but next thing they know...the cookies are spoiling y/n and taking complete care of them. Massages often to work out stress, having y/n just relax all day instead of work, kid cookies loving to hang out with y/n to color in coloring books with then or playing games with them...and when y/n has that office work instinct...to do paperwork and stuff...cookies work on that so fast...lol!

(this is going to happen in some time as the cookies are trying to find a way to get y/n into their world. And y/n is oblivious to it rn)

Y/n would be reluctant to rest. They would bascially have to have every single strongest cookie in earthbread to make them take one single rest day as everyday they have a need to do something. Cause trust me if y/n told the cookies that y/n is a workaholic, always having a urge to get things done and without fail y/n will secretly try to get more work done because it's due in two weeks and the work is just to send it in but y/n wants to redo the whole thing because they see one mistake on a paragraph and now y/n is forced to under one of the cookies watch because of y/n's tendency to forget to sleep or eat or anything except to work.

But when y/n finally decides to rest instead of working, y/n doesn't know how to really relax as when they do it's weird to them because what if someone needs help or if work needs to get done then what would happen if they don't. They really act like it's going to be that important but it's really not. Also the beast trying to steal y/n back to their domains kinda freaks out y/n so they mostly try to stay away from them. I do imagine y/n not being able to walk around in their new form became of cookies being flat so it's hard for them to go around places for right now so some cookies help out y/n to walk around because y/n will fall flat on their face again like last time. Dr bones of course is a worrywart about y/n's health after being transported to the cookies world so some daily checkups are made by them. Plus y/n is kinda a celebrity now on earthbread and off earthbread because like they are the baker and seeings that they are actually nice and friendly makes them really really popular.

Choco Werehound Brute hangs around y/n a lot more and does growl at other cookies who try to get to close (I love Choco Werehound Brute dude) as they help y/n around more and is kinda like a bodyguard for y/n. Choco Werehound brute also sometimes gets into fights with other cookies who are physically strong but when y/n comes around all of them act as if they weren't going to rip each other apart. Y/n's pets and basically all of y/n's personal belongings where transported to the cookies realm and y/n finds that kinda scary cause what does their parents think in the real world cause y/n basically is missing in that world but the cookies try not to dwell on that but y/n is scared of them for that reason but hey at least they got their pets with them and don't have to pay rent now (and in this au, earthbread is a actual place like other games and the cookies severed on of the many connections to the human world so y/n will have a tougher time getting back home if they tried.) y/n does get a little freaked out about that.

When y/n actually decides to let the cookies help them relax. 100%, Sauna Egg Cookie would help y/n relax at a nice bathhouse he works at and he will try his hardest to give y/n the relaxation they deserve and then after y/n will kinda be forced to do yoga with yoga cookie and y/n if actually freaked out about how bendy and flexible yoga cookie is. She is obviously do only simple yoga stretches and stuff but y/n is struggling because they worked at a office cubicle and have such a shitty posture sometimes and now it's coming to haunt them. Butter Pretzel Cookie will get y/n into doing some painting and even if y/n can't paint at all or is actually good at painting, she is putting that painting in the fanciest frame known to man and treasuring it for the rest of time but then she'll ask y/n to be her model and yeah that'll be y/n's whole evening. Starfruit Cookie would probably have y/n star gaze with her as she tells stories about constellations and things like that as y/n falls asleep. Y/n does like living here but at the same time wants to go home but they'll never let y/n leave, not now, not ever.

(that's it for my yapping session for today. If you guys like it and want more please don't be shy and request any ideas for stories or y/n's. But for now please stay safe and drink water!)

[himasgod]

HOUSEWARDENS X READER

Where you are mute PART 2

How would the housewardens act towards you if you were mute?

kalim, idia, vil and malleus.

Part one with riddle, leona, azul is on my profile <3

Kalim Al-Asim

For Kalim, the fact that you're mute doesn't change how much he enjoys being with you.

If there's anyone who's never had any prejudices about how people communicate, it's him.

From the very beginning, he treats you with the same warmth and enthusiasm as anyone else.

His reaction to learning that you can't speak is more curiosity than concern.

"That's amazing! So how do you communicate? Do you have a special method? Teach me, I want to learn!"

He's not immediately good at sign language because he's a bit slow with memory :( but that doesn't stop him from trying his best.

If you use another method, like writing or using expressions, Kalim adapts quickly because he's already someone who is very guided by emotions and gestures.

Something he loves about you is that, even though you don't speak, you express so much with your eyes and your smile. He finds it beautiful how your face conveys so much without words.

When he's really excited, he forgets that you can't answer him right away and talks nonstop, but as soon as he notices you need a moment to type or respond with signs, he waits patiently with a big smile.

"Oh, sorry! I got too excited again, didn't I? Hehe, it's okay! Take your time, I want to know what you think."

Because he's so expressive, it's easy for you to understand him without him having to say much.

Sometimes just by looking at him, you know exactly what he's feeling, and that makes him even more attached to you.

If someone makes an insensitive comment about your muteness, Kalim flies into a rage. He's not the type to get angry easily, but if someone disrespects you, you can see the serious glint in his eyes as he says,

"Don't ever talk like that again."

Overall, Kalim is the type of person who loves and understands beyond words, and being with you is proof of that.

Idia Shroud

When Idia finds out you're mute, his first thought is like

“Great! I don't have to worry about talking out loud all the time-”

It's not that it bothers him when people talk, but he's someone who hates forced social interactions and finds it stressful to have to respond constantly.

However, when he starts getting closer to you, he realizes something important: it's not that you don't talk, it's that you have a different way of communicating. And that intrigues him more than he thought.

If you use sign language, Idia feels clumsy trying to learn it.

His fingers are fast for games, but when he tries to sign, it feels like he's casting a weird spell with his fingers.

“Ugh, this is harder than learning to program in five different languages…”

But if you use a device to type or communicate in other ways, he feels much more comfortable.

He programs a personalized app that helps you type responses faster, or even a voice synthesizer if you ever need it.

At first, he gets nervous trying to interpret your expressions, but after spending so much time with you, he begins to understand you with just a glance.

"Hey, hey, … in this new game, there's a character who communicates without speaking, just like you! Want to see it? I'm sure you'll love it."

If someone ever makes a hurtful comment about your muteness, Idia first goes pale with fright, then red with fury, and then hacks their devices to play a cruel prank on them

No one messes with his special someone and gets away with it :>

He may not say it out loud, but Idia truly loves how you communicate without words. After all, the best connections don't always require sound.

Vil Schoenheit

Vil has always believed that elegance isn't just about appearance, but also about the way a person communicates and expresses themselves.

When he meets you and discovers you're mute, his first impression is fascination.

“How interesting… You speak without words. It's a unique and beautiful form of expression.”

If you use sign language, Vil learns it without difficulty. He has an excellent memory and is a perfectionist, so he masters it quickly.

If you communicate in other ways, such as with expressions or writing, he watches closely. He becomes adept at interpreting your emotions with just a glance.

He loves the way you convey so much with so little. Sometimes, when others are filling the air with unnecessary words, he looks at you and feels that the connection you have is purer and more genuine than any empty conversation.

When you're in public with him, he doesn't let anyone make you feel inferior for not speaking up.

If someone tries to belittle you, a single glance from him is enough to make them immediately shut up.

“You don't need words to prove your worth. Your presence speaks volumes.”

Malleus Draconia

For Malleus, the fact that you are mute is neither strange nor worrisome.

He himself has spent centuries surrounded by awkward silences and conversations filled with empty formalities.

In comparison, your presence is refreshing.

From the beginning, he takes a genuine interest in how you communicate.

If you use sign language, he learns quickly, and whether you prefer to write or use gestures, he adapts seamlessly.

He isn't someone who needs words to understand you. Over time, he develops a special sensitivity to your body language, to the point where he sometimes asks you something and, before you answer, he already knows the answer just by looking at you.

"You don't need to explain anything. I can see the answer in your eyes."

He loves the reassurance you bring. In a world where people always fear him or treat him with extreme formality, the fact that you can communicate without words gives him a special kind of intimacy he's never experienced before.

When you go for a walk together at night, the silence between you isn't awkward.

Sometimes he simply sits beside you and enjoys the feeling of company without needing to speak.

If anyone dares to belittle you or mock your muteness, his dark presence becomes crushing. Suddenly lightning illuminates the sky man, and his gaze turns icy.

"You dare disrespect someone so precious to me? How insolent."

He's a prince, but to you, he's just Malleus, someone who understands you beyond words.

[revelboo]

Can I please have some crumbs of my male wife Skids?

I don't really get why he's so underrated in the fandom, but the fact you're writing fiction for him brings me such joy I can't even put it into words.

Thank you

Sure!

Hysteria Pt 5

Skids x Reader

• Never recharges well, processor humming away, too busy to rest. Running scenarios, probabilities and unable to stop. That’s why he hears the slide of your blankets. Hears when you stand and the barely there sound of your feet walking across his berth. Head turning, he dims his optics and opens them enough to see you toeing the edge. Arms slightly away from your body, you look like you’re about to take flight, rocking slightly. And then pitching forward. Swearing, he lunges, paint scraping on his berth as he snags you before you hit and you go wild in his grip, struggling and screaming. “What are you doing?” He snarls, servos trembling and you look up at him, hair in your face and terrified.

• “Skids?” Voice shaking, you look back at him. Why is he just holding you out over the side of his berth? Like he was about to drop you. Clinging to his servos as he stares at you, unable to stop trembling, you try to get a better grip on him. “Were you going to drop me?” And he recoils, hauling you up against his chassis. Why? If he wants you gone, if you’re bothering him, all he has do is tell you. Not hurt you.

• “No,” he blurts as your eyes go shiny, about to start leaking. “You pitched yourself off the edge, I caught you.” Why would you think he’d do that to you? But something about your expression snags at him. “You walked to the edge and then just fell forward.” And your brow furrows in confusion like you have no idea what he’s talking about. Like you didn’t just try to break your own little neck. Flopping back onto his berth with you cradled against the mesh of his neck as his spark anxiously thrums, he swears. “Why did you do that?”

• “I’d never do that,” you mutter, but he’s so distraught about it, you can’t really believe he was about to drop you. Had you been sleepwalking? You’ve never done that as far as you know, but you’re so tired, so stressed. All the time. Afraid. Nightmares coming for you about your captivity every time you try to sleep. Awake you’d never do that. But asleep? Don’t want to think about it as you shudder and curl against the underside of his chin. “Don’t let me do that again, okay?”

• Shuddering as he vents, he stares at the ceiling. You’d been so reluctant to let Ratchet scan you, to let anyone touch you but him. But Ratchet had insisted, and he doesn’t know what the medic had gotten from those scans, but maybe he needs to ask. “I won’t let you get hurt.” Not anymore. Servos sliding against your side and hip, he stares at the ceiling. Thinks about your question, about wanting to forget. Feels those missing pieces in his own processor, that aching sense of something right there on the tip of glossa, but forever out of reach. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you.” Even if he knows you’re so broken because something already had. Something you can’t talk about. Something you want to erase.

• Arms and legs drawn up against yourself, you can hear the soft sound of his internal systems rumbling under you, that soothing rhythmic thrum. Feel his servos stroking over you almost absently. Making promises he can’t keep, that you know you can’t hold him to. But you need to believe the lies, that you’re finally safe, that you’re never going back to that place. Because you do when you sleep. Can’t let go of the fear and pain, but they can make you forget. Skids had as much as admitted that there was a way. He doesn’t understand, doesn’t know what it’s like to be scared all the time even though it’s over. For it to feel like it’s not over, like what happened is looming over you even now. Waiting to drag you under.

Previous

[luigilore]

imagine having twins with luigi 🥺 like imagine being at the doctor and they’re like “here’s baby A and h”“BABY A!?” like it would genuinely come as a shock to both of you

i have 2 friends that have twins and my aunt and uncle are twins, each pregnancy was really rough on all of them. he’d be anxious the entire time but would also be the sweetest husband throughout everything

omgggg stop he would freak out

like the shock and surprise would then devolve into stress so quickly... luigi's even more insanely overprotective and overbearing and prob for good reason since it's inherently considered high risk...if he thinks about it too long he freaks himself out lol so he doesn't + he also would want to be strong for you bc he knows you're scared, in fact more scared, bc this is a lot! and exhausting and painful and luigi would truly be scouring the internet for remedies, stretches, advice, literally everything... would turn this up to an obsessive degree

he would be so worried about you and really not let you lift a finger at all like truly... would try to take a lot of time off work/work from home bc luigi literally is not productive when he's texting you every ten minutes asking for updates... has a routine of questions did u take ur meds, vitamins, did you do your stretches, etc lol that he goes through with you... would be extremely worried about you going into labor early

you tell luigi you don't need help with something and he doesn't push you but hovers and lingers a bit pretending he's not watching you struggle to put ur shoes on :') and you would finally be like "okay 🙄 fine" and he'd grin, like "thank you baby" <333

beyond all of the anxiety, he would be very very excited though he's always wanted kids plural sooo... tbh this is really getting me bc im ovulating rn and i always get baby fever when im ovulating #evil

[kanpeki-bekki]

Actually you know what I'm going to come back to this and continue my own tags

...like, one thing I remember being a struggle as a language teacher would be kids trying to answer with the "correct" answer... Not just as in "grammatically correct and using relevant vocab", which is what I want out of them as a teacher, but with the answer that is based in their own personal truth.

Which is great! Fantastic! Kids really relate to learning a language when it is based in real conversation between real people, and they can share their real opinions.

But sometimes the lesson would be "What did you eat for dinner?" or "What do you want to be when you grow up?" and the answer they have based on their own personal truth is ultimately "I don't know" or "I don't remember."

Which is fine, cool, whatever, but I need to give you a checkmark on whether you were able to make a list of different foods, and whether you used "want to be" correctly. And the kids freak out because they are looking for the answer that is Their Truth(TM), but there is no answer, so they waste their lesson time stressing about it and--worst case--may not even submit their assignment as a result.

But as a language teacher, I am not interested in truth or facts! You can lie to me!! Make up your own story! "I ate the last Dodo's egg with a side of dinosaur gravy." Wow, look at that use of past tense! And I'm so proud of you looking up the word Dodo! "I want to be Sailor Moon when I grow up. In the name of the moon, I'll punish you! Excellent! Go you, using that contraction!!

So I wonder if maybe using a language class name like that would help turn language classes into a game of pretend, especially for young kids, so they can escape the pressure of "truth" and instead focus on learning fun words and phrases. Because they aren't answering as [Redacted] anymore... From this semester forth, they are "Estelle." Or "Usagi." Or "George."

did you have an in-class name within the language you took in school? (i.e. a French name)

[bloodgulchblog]

@itsbasil has been reading The Fall of Reach and pasting things to me and I haven't looked back through Fall in a hot minute so I keep being struck like...

John has always been this fucking dork who just has this lacquer-thin veneer of cool. He's good at that but once you scratch the surface it's so over for him. He really is the most I-don't-struggle-with-this-I-have-a-system guy.

It's very easy to accidentally write him in a way where he just feels dumb and incurious, it might be my bias but I think late-canon MC novels have a tendency to do this. (I'm admittedly extremely soft on Nylund though due to the nostalgia.)

But I love him most when it feels like the dude is totally alert and focused and putting his whole engine into trying to figure something out and... the issue isn't that he isn't intelligent enough to understand. The problem is that all the horsepower is pulling in the completely wrong direction because he's missing a fundamental detail of how something works. Did you know being raised as a super weapon by the space empire doesn't produce a well-rounded dude good at understanding subtleties?

John's a little dumb, yes, but in this very specific way that speaks to how small his world has been required to be.

...For some context, I would argue he has improved a bit on the "any sacrifice is worth it to win" front in the last couple of years for him but it is a pretty recent improvement that only applies to other people that aren't him. This is him as a fully grown adult in mid 2552 and ohhh my god look at him, you understand why things are so hard for him and why he gets so miserable when he feels like he's doing a bad job.

Also like, his fucking priorities when he meets Cortana:

John boy breathing his biggest sigh because he's glad he's been promised that this new AI he's meeting would kill him for the sake of the mission if it was necessary. That's what he wants to know in order to feel comfortable. John needs to feel like someone working with him understands what he's for, otherwise this whole situation is going to be confusing and stressful and possibly awful because what if they mistake him for a person who deserves to be saved and it impacts the mission???

You see. You understand.

[auguryofjellyfish]

wada essay time!! (warning, it's super long.)

i've been thinking a lot about wada and hiroaki's relationship lately. specifically, the way wada expresses physical and verbal affection towards him, because it's different from how he acted towards anyone he's been close to so far. it's super interesting to me, so i wanted to analyze and speculate about it. before i get to that, i want go to through the other major relationships wada's had for comparison, starting with...

wada and tsuno.

tsuno was very generous with showing affection towards wada, often taking him into her arms at the slightest hint of upset, or saying that she loves him out of the blue and then moving on like it was nothing. but wada didn't really return her gestures, or initiate any, so for the longest time i was confused on how he felt about her. in [audio visual experience], when she called him her little brother, he said "you're still running with that?", thinking it's just been a bit. he was keeping her at arm's length, but he still clearly liked and trusted her so... there could be a few possible explanations for that.

some time ago, i said that wada seems like he doesn't really trust words. he looks at people's actions and behaviour, and he believes his own conclusions over what people say. tsuno frequently put up a front around wada, acting way too upbeat during dire situations or hiding when she was upset. she didn't want to burden him with her problems, but it does signal a lack of trust in him and his capabilities to support her back. and wada saw that. he knew that she was stressed and overworked, and that he added to that stress by being constantly sick and breaking down and generally needing a lot of care. but if she's always denying it whenever he brings it up, offering endless reassurances instead, even though those don't really work on him and he knows better... how is he supposed to fully trust her? to truly feel like he stands on level ground with her? so, maybe when he heard tsuno say that she loved him, that he's her little brother, it registered, but he didn't let himself take it to heart. 'maybe she's just saying that, like all these other things. saying what he wants to hear.' and, if she doesn't want his support, to rely on him, then maybe she wouldn't want anything else he has to offer either. wada likes to be of use to people he loves/trusts/is grateful to- so being denied a chance to helpful, being basically deemed in some way 'insufficient' for the task when he was 'taking' so much from tsuno, made him feel even more like a burden.

another possible reason: tsuno was an overwhelmingly kind person, helping others was her main purpose in life. she was a self-proclaimed superhero! so, why would wada believe that he was special to her just because she was kind and warm to him? that's just who she was. that was just a part of the job she took upon herself. so if he let himself be affectionate back, and it turned out that she was only being nice and helpful because that's who she is and not because she cares about him as a person specifically...hhhh...ouch. he's already been way too vulnerable with her. wada's parents hated him, he has been mistreated and unwanted his whole life. pure speculation now, but he might have been burned before, maybe in his foster families or elsewhere, when people made him feel that maybe that was finally it, until inevitably something went wrong. and so now he doesn't let himself get his hopes up without being very sure.

it kinda seems like i'm making wada out to be so distrusting of tsuno, which is not true. wada was audibly comfortable and happy whenever he was with her. wada knew tsuno wanted the best for him because of everything she did, and he was very grateful towards her. by now, i know that he loved her, he just wasn't expressing it very openly like she was.

it's just, the disconnect between tsuno's behaviour and reality, and her refusal to give wada a chance to support her created distance between them. all these factors were muddying the waters and causing him to let his walls down at a snail's pace.

the only time it was different was in the last moments they spend together, during chap 3's investigation. tsuno's manner was noticeably dimmer than usual. first, wada tried to cheer her up by talking about silly topics, like learning to play tuba. finally, he asked her if she was okay. and just because she was vulnerable, he finally had an opportunity to offer support- to be there for her in her grief. she didn't put up a front this time, she treated him as an equal, and was honest. and so, when she said she loved him, he said it back.

i think if tsuno had lived, and started being more real with wada, he might have began feeling more comfortable with expressing affection openly, but...i'm still glad she got to hear that from him, just once.

wada and isono.

isono is tricky, because they spend very little time being real friends, but how he acted towards her parasocially says a LOT about how he acts towards people he loves and admires. even though she was only one of multiple streamers wada watched and supported, she was still incredibly important to him. he had been watching her for long enough for a deep emotional connection to form regardless of whether he knew who she truly was. and, it was very real to him, even though it was one sided.

before the KG, she was his lifeline. although he had no one in his life, through her and other streamers, he felt genuinely cared for. this next part is going to be more speculative... there weren't many reasons for wada to get out of bed, but, whenever isono asked her viewers to take care of themselves, maybe he found it a bit more doable, like it was worth it. and he couldn't really let her down now after she said that, could he? through her, maybe...he found the strength to face another day. again, and again.

he had nothing to offer, but he needed to show his gratitude somehow. well...all he had was the meager amount of money he earned, so, he could support her and others with that. he didn't have a steady or large paycheck, and this money could really be put to a better use, something to truly improve his life, but that didn't matter- the streamers kept him going, they were the only ones he had, really. when they gave him so much, he had to give back, even if he was left with nothing.

presently, she's still the one wada has the deepest emotional connection with. so much so that even after tsuno dies, he still goes to talk primarily to isono's ghost. he feels like he can share everything with her without reservations, as if out of everyone, she was the one that truly cared for and understood him.

before she died, he didn't have many opportunities nor time to open up to her and show her affection, but still, they seemed like they were on the fast track to becoming great friends. isono loved to tease him and play harmless pranks, and she cared about him. they also had a few moments together as a comedic duo. and wada got to meet her, to talk to her, to get to truly know her... it must have been anxiety inducing but, in some way, also a dream come true.

isono's still the most important person to him. there's no comparison. and yet...

wada and hiroaki.

now this. this pair has been driving me crazy since chap 4. even though wada is not nearly as emotionally close with hiroaki as he still is with isono, the way he's acting with him is different than the way he's been with anyone else. after months of me being confused about how wada felt about tsuno cause he's been so closed off, with hiroaki i have zero doubts in my mind that he straight up adores him. it's bewildering.

physical affection. with hiroaki, wada initiated hugs on his own! i don't remember him ever being the one to do that with tsuno, she always had to beckon him towards her. but with hiroaki, he did that two times, completely unselfconsciously, despite hiroaki's protests, just because he wanted to. i didn't think much of it at first because what hiroaki did for him, giving him clothes + a haircut, was so significant that it warranted a big show of gratitude, but taking everything else into account? that was still unusual for wada.

wada's also been very verbally affectionate when the right opportunity presented itself. he's been calling hiroaki nagawa very consistently, but everyone's been calling him that so it's kinda nbd. however, last week's "we love you nagawa!" was like...what? i'm?? months ago i would never ever have guessed that wada would become hiroaki's biggest supporter after ojima. he was so happy at hiroaki making progress, he was almost giddy, and he said that like it was nothing! that sounded like something a fan would shout at their idol to cheer them on, so i had a thought that maybe wada's been feeling a little like hiroaki's something like his oshi. but then he said he was proud of him, and then repeated it again for emphasis. you don't say that to someone when you place yourself below them, you say that to an equal, (although i'm still holding onto the oshi thing). they're both flawed individuals who have difficulties with self-worth and expressing themselves, and who they want to be. hiroaki has very visible problems and weaknesses, he's been struggling hard with changing and growing as a person, and wada can heavily relate to that.

with hiroaki, he's not scared or reluctant of showing affection when he truly feels like it. he just does it. he loved tsuno, but he never was like that with her, so... i just wondered what made the difference.

wada and hiroaki didn't have much of a relationship for the first two chapters, at least on wada's side. he thought hiroaki was a loudmouth and a jerk, as did most other people. also he was lowkey scared of him due to the sketches hiroaki had made of him. that changed in [formentia] when wada watched hiroaki calm hama down from an anxiety attack. that was the first time he truly saw hiroaki's kind side. realizing that there was a lot more to him than meets the eye, he started calling him by his first name from that point on. another scene that was significant for them happened in [the other room], when ojima took wada away from okazaki and tsuno's fight and placed him in the room with hiroaki. despite his pretense of not being concerned, hiroaki offered him reassurance, and they had a nice conversation where they learned more about each other and bonded a little as fellow creatives.

this is a good place to mention that hiroaki also really likes wada, to the point where he doesn't bother denying it anymore. he had been hard at work on a gift for him for two weeks, and the conversations they had in chap 3 made him even more fond of him. so when wada came into the dining hall in [salvage], acting pissed off and shooting hiroaki down for no reason, when he had been nothing but demure and friendly with him so far? it hurt. really hurt, cause he didn't expect that from wada. hiroaki wasn't even being particularly hostile, he was just making a few dumb comments that wada normally wouldn't really react to. he was just being himself, which wada seemed to be accepting of... up until that point. so, in response to what was essentially a jab to the shoulder, hiroaki went straight for the jugular.

after that wada was back to being anxious around hiroaki, even becoming openly hostile and resentful towards him following tsuno's passing. and then it seemed like that was that- their tentative friendship was over... until [grieving process].

tsuno's death was the hardest moment wada's experienced thus far. after the trial, he was just crashing in his room. and here comes hiroaki, respecting wada's coping mechanism despite deriding it before, and making an effort to be vulnerable in front of him. and then... he gave him new custom clothes he had sewn himself, wanting nothing in return.

hiroaki put in hours upon hours of thought, effort and work in order to create something wonderful just for wada, which he didn't have to do at all. but he did, because he wanted to, because he felt wada was worth it. and then, he gave it to him in his darkest hour, to uplift him and give him strength. and so... wada now knows for sure that, no matter what, the person who reached out to him right then with the most thoughtful gesture he's experienced in his life, cannot be anything but kind at his core.

wada relaxes. his body feels lighter than it ever has. without a shred of selfconsciousness, he steps forward and gently wraps his arms around hiroaki. he feels safe. he doesn't pay hiroaki's words and tone any mind. he sees beyond them, and he understands now. he sees him.

that moment was beyond monumental. wada didn't have to do anything to "earn" this, or even ask for it. hiroaki just went completely out of his way, doing something completely selfless, and he didn't do that for anyone else but wada. this gesture was so big, so full of effort and time, so much kindness, specifically for him, it made wada lower down his walls in an instant.

i have no doubt that this made wada feel very special and loved.

it also helped that he definitely likes hiroaki as a person. he doesn't trust him 100%, he still prefers to speak his thoughts to empty air, but he can trust that hiroaki truly likes and cares about him, and that if he hurts him, it's never on purpose.

that. that one thing, hiroaki going above and beyond when he didn't have to, when it was completely unexpected, only for him, was what i think made wada trust him much faster than tsuno. categorizing these relationships, i would put hiroaki closer to isono than to her, which is???? remarkable to me when he knew isono for far longer. don't get me wrong- he LOVES tsuno. i'm not saying that hiroaki's closer to him than her or that wada holds him in higher regard. it's just...different. i'm holding off with the L word for now, even though he said it himself, but still. wada really really likes hiroaki a lot. cannot overstate that enough. despite me trying hard to understand why, it still astonishes me that wada wants to and feels like he can express his affection and support this openly and easily towards anyone. it's incredible. hiroaki didn't want any payment from him, so he just...offers his words and gestures instead. and hiroaki has been so protective of wada it's crystal clear to everyone too, like, tamba saying he dotes on him?? i think a lot of that protectiveness came from tsuno's death, but he's definitely truly fond of wada as a person too.

maybe if wada manages to willingly open up to hiroaki, then i will be able to say with certainty that he loves him.

for the end, i want to talk about [quick check] because it's been driving me bonkers. it's such a weird episode.

in it, wada comes across hiroaki, who checks up on him. and wada, eh...he doesn't really want to elaborate on his mental or overall state, but it seems like he still REALLY wants to have a low-stakes conversation with him. then he asks hiroaki a bunch of questions, which is amazing because he hardly ever asks anyone anything. he's trying really hard here. now this i know is a reach, but when he said like "omg i forgot, ken's waiting for me in my room, i just came here for water"....to me, it sounded a little like he wanted hiroaki to stop him?? to say something like "you're hanging out with hasezawa? that boring old nerd? no way, hang out here with me!" i have nothing to support that claim, it's just funny. but either way, what i'm sure of, just like his every other question, it was meant to act as a springboard for eliciting a sort of response from hiroaki that would get things rolling. buut, instead, all that wada gets are monosyllabic and dry answers...which is sad. at the end, he still waits a few seconds in silence to see whether hiroaki would engage him on his own, but nope. he just wasn't in the mood.

i might be misinterpreting it, but it would make sense with how much wada likes hiroaki. either way, it felt weird as hell... there's just something about it. if this episode turns out to be not in any way relevant to the plot later on i'll eat my hat.

[lambasi]

An Interview with Vivayth

Inspired by Bernard Pivot's and James Lipton's Questionnaire

What is your favourite word?

"There are a.. good number of them! Huh. Fervor, sterling... I think- my favourite word has to be an insult—I dare you to call me predictable for this. Anyway, if I really had to pick a favourite, it would likely be sarmissonays'um. There's no direct translation, but it means something roughly along the lines of 'wretched, unholy thing', or.. something like that."

2. What is your least favourite word?

"'Fetid', without a doubt. There is just- something so... I don't know, I don't like the way my mouth moves when I say it, I don't like how it sounds when people say it, I don't like the baggage- like, I keep hearing it be used in reference to swamps, and- well, I don't like to think of my home as a.. 'fffetid swamp', to say the least. Ugh."

3. What turns you on?

"Ambition! Passion! Just- spirit, I suppose? Nevermind the fact that is a seriously personal question, it will never not swell my heart when I can see the light in someone's eyes shine so brightly. We have all come from ash, and there can be no ash without fire, and through fire do we return to the ash from whence we came. And there's few things so beautiful to see someone glow with the energy and- and- the warmth that fire brings."

4. What turns you off?

"I can't stand excess. I look to the people losing themselves to their extravagance, the heaps of luxury that immerses our society at every class, and- there are still ways for some to impress me with their overindulgence and debauchery. Like- congratulations on just-... the emptiness. At least the body and mind are occupied? Ah... just- pitiable, is how I'd describe it. At best."

5. What sound or noise do you love?

"Not everyone would agree with this, but- growing up in Ebonheart, the rumbles of Ash Mountain were something so soothing to me. One might think- 'oh no, danger!', but it's hard for me to feel the shaking ground and think of anything but... life. The land is alive. I'd be worried about silence and stillness. 'Stasis asks merely for itself, which is nothing'."

6. What sound or noise do you hate?

"See, I would say loud noises, broadly speaking, just- bad. But that's not so much a noise as it is a volume. Anything at a high enough volume can be impossible to deal with, but that doesn't mean it's one particular noise, see? I think for me, a noise I really don't like is just- absence. The absence of noise. It's maddening. It's still, it's silent- no, no, worse than silent. It's nothing. Stillness does not belong to this world, it indicates there's something deeply wrong."

7. What is your favourite curse word?

"Seeing as I already sort of cheated with the earlier question, I'll just- answer for my second favourite curse word, which is 'nchow'. The 'oomph' that it has when you say it out loud after hurting yourself, or you run into some frustrating roadblock or- something like that, it's just- fun, I guess, to say, on top of relieving some of the anger. Nchow! That's the sound of something being kicked, I bet."

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

"I've been told I'd make a good mehra. Delivering sermons and offering my sympathies to the despondent... I'm told I've the lungs and passion to inspire the faithful of ALMSIVI. Were circumstances different, and the climate better, I would've considered it, maybe."

9. What profession would you not like to do?

"You could not pay me to be a caravan guard, or- worse yet, actually, a netchiman. It's not that there's something inherently wrong with the herders and their profession, it's just- I couldn't do it. The smell, the sting-barbs of the damn creatures... and I've heard enough about their temperament to, generally speaking, want to steer clear of them. That sounds like it'd be all sorts of stress that would not be worth the pay, however much netchimen net on average. Like- see, I wear the netch hide, I use their beaks and whatnot, like everyone else- I'm not some sort of... anti-netchiman— I feel like I'm rambling. Can we just move on to the next question?"

10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God the Ancestors say when you arrive at the pearly gates beyond the Waiting Door?

[long pause] "...'You did well', and... that's all."

[seyaryminamoto]

Fic-to-Art #51: Gladiator's Twelfth Anniversary

Alas... it is the 26th. And as much as my life has become VERY BUSY, I did not forget the occasion. Unfortunately, I couldn't pull off my usual insanely ambitious projects because I'm working on a whole other stupidly ambitious project atm, one that might just hopefully get me going in my professional life! Thus, as much as I hate having to cut myself short for my beloved predilect fic, I've had to do so a little bit, BUT...

I still wanted to do something to commemorate the occasion, so I asked my patrons what they would like to see for this month. The winning option in the poll was for a new cover for the story, and while I really love the one we've got going right now, this one, while simpler maybe, is a very fulfilling piece due to how long it's taken me to EVER depict these two properly in this scenario. I don't know why I never felt like I'd pulled it off, but I did it this time!

Of course, to the eagle-eyed, there are a few things to unpack in this piece, suffice to say it is a hint of things to come, but I won't make any promises as to the absolute, spot-on accuracy of the scene this is referencing, since I haven't written it yet. But I will, oh, I will... it will hit me in the feels very much, but I will do it when the time comes.

Alas, if you'd like to go down memory lane with me today, feel free to revisit the Tenth Anniversary art collection, it was the last time I had the chance to REALLY go all out 😭 one day, I hope, we'll have a new video all the newer art and we'll have a happy ending video rather than the super stressful tension-rising one that we've got her. Hope yoeu enjoy and happy Gladiatorversary! (?) (did I ever call it that before?? Welp I did it now!)

If you'd like to be part of the creative process behind these pieces, a $1 pledge on Patreon is enough to suggest prompts, vote in polls and read snippets of the next Gladiator chapters one week in advance!

[samsayswhatever]

https://people.com/patrick-schwarzenegger-isnt-going-to-watch-rest-of-the-white-lotus-with-his-family-11703152

I'm genuinely terrified

wtfff does that meaan

I knowww! I feel like there is going to be a lot of death, injury, and crazy twists in this last episode.

But the fact that Patrick won't even watch it with his family??? He seemed specifically anxious about his nude scenes being seen by his family, and even more anxious about the kiss scene and handjob scene because it was with his characters brother(or possibly just because it was a guy). He never talked about being stressed at all watching Chelsea's sex scenes, or the mildly graphic imagined murder scenes.

So that says to me there is a scene with him being nude either going further than a handjob with Loch, or with another guy. Expanded theories about ep 7 below:

I'm thinking that Saxon will continue to spiral in the next episode by going to Greg's party, getting crazy drunk, and having sex with someone. Who it is could be is interesting. Chloe mentioned a threesome between Saxon, Greg, and her, but that seems pretty doubtful based on how many people Greg is inviting over. If he wanted a threesome he wouldn't invite Belinda.

--

If Belinda goes to the party, she'll probably bring her son for support or he'll insist on going for support. If greg turns out to be actually chill and nice, that could put them at ease, and Zion could go off mother-protection duty. Belinda and Zion talked about relationships, and it seemed like he hasn't gotten any recently. So then if Saxon started flirting with him they could have sex! Which would be a fun twist.

I think Saxon would be interested in fucking a guy to see if the only reason he could cum with Loch was because he was gay. Saxon might be very anti-gay, but I think he's more anti-incest lol. So if he could convince himself he just likes guys, NOT only Loch, then maybe he could justify what happened in the threesome as not being about his attraction to Lochlan.

Idk what other guys will be at this party besides his dad, but if Saxon fucks his dad then I can see why he wouldn't watch this episode with his family at all. There is theme of confusing desire and identify, and Saxon does identify as wanting to be his dad, but it seems unlikely.

There is a chance that the three white ladies will go to this party for some reason. If so, Laurie could sleep with Saxon because she's mad about Jaclyn and Valentin, and Saxon might want to prove his heterosexuality to himself. However, it seemed like Laurie was going to go to the Muay Thai thing, so her friends could either go with her, or go to Gregs party in spite. I don't think Jaclyn or Kate would sleep with Saxon though, and I don't think that would keep Saxon from being about to watch this with his family.

--

If Piper ends up hating the monastery, then they might leave together and go to the party. Alternatively, piper will notice Lochy's not doing so well, and have a talk with him. I don't think Lochlan will say "I fucked our brother" in those words, but he might say, either "I can't figure out my feelings for someone," or "I messed up and hurt Saxon." Either way, Piper is likely to suggest talking it out with him. If she really likes the monastery at this point, she might say, "go on without me; deal with your issues." And then Loch will go home.

If one of the parents stay behind or is back already, they can direct Loch to where Saxon is at the party. Loch will show up, and Saxon will already be insanely drunk, and they will either have the talk they need to have, or they will just like fuck in Chloe's walk-in closet or something idk. I can dream.

If Loch leaves the monastery early enough, then maybe he will have a chance to talk to Saxon before he get's drunk, and there is a chance at some more tender and emotional moments. I would love to see this. I want Loch to walk into their room to find Saxon with his head in his hands, and they instantly know that they both remember. Aaaaggg. Anyway.

Another option is that Lochlan will stay at the monastery and meditate longer, and there will be a flashback to Saxon and Lochlan having sex after Chloe left the threesome. This plot point doesn't stop the others from happening, and is fairly likely based on the amount of flashbacks that have already happened. The show seems to enjoy surprising us in this specific way.

--

I think if there is any type of sex scene between Saxon and Lochlan then Patrick's insistence on not watching it with his family makes a lot of sense. If it's there is another make out scene between them, or a very clear confession, I can also imagine he would be embarrassed to play a character that explicitly and purposefully chose incest, compared to the more ambiguous previous scenes.

Anyway, TLDR I'm also terrified, but also excited 🥰

Thanks for reaching out anon! As you can probably tell, I love these messages

[rottenzombrainz]

Tkdb ghouls when you're on your period!

gender neutral reader! though they are afab.... obviously...

I feel like this isn't really my best work... but lovelies, I will redeem myself with my next big post I promise!! it's JirAlli smut again

Frostheim:

Jin Kamurai - Jin personally won't do much for you, but he will make sure you're pampered while at Frostheim. He might even buy you one of those adhesive heat pads!

Tohma Ishibashi - Unlike Jin, Tohma will personally take care of you, bringing you anything you'd need. As if he was your own personal butler. How fancy!

Lucas Errant - Sweet Luca will do everything he can to give you an easier time. He'll constantly be checking up on you and offering you snacks and asking if you need him to go get anything for you.

Kaito Fuji - You're on your period? Oh! He's heard about this online before! Kaito's gonna search TikTok for the best ways to take care of you while you're on the dot. He might not really understand it- but at least he's trying to help?

Vagastorm:

Alan Mido - I don't think Alan quite understands it all, but he'll tell you that you don't have to help around Vagastorm if you aren't feeling well, and then he'd hand you a cheap tampon he bought from one of those dispensers in the bathroom.

Shohei Haizono - Sho is making you sit down and relax. Don't you dare do anything. He will bring you food, food, and more food. Sho strikes me as the kind of guy to always carry around some tampons, so if you're running low he'll hand you some too.

Leo Kurosagi - Leo might tone down his bitchyness just a smidge while you're on your period. He also might give you some sort of menstrual product he saw on social media- like a massager or reusable cup

Jabberwock:

Haru Sagara - Haru is super busy with the park, but he'll constantly take the time to check up on you and ask you if you need anything while he's doing his rounds. He'll bring you painkillers most definitely, but I think it'd be cute if there was some sort of fluffy warm anomaly he'd let you hang out with! A little living heating pad that just cozies up to you and comforts you while Haru's busy.

Towa Otonashi - The moment you tell Towa you're on your period, hes vanishing without a word. And then.... quickly coming back with flowers! All of which are said to help with menstrual pain, so open wide as he feeds them to you, okay?

Ren Shiranami - Ren would seem really dismissive at first, but he would try and help you in some way. Most likely by letting you borrow a heating pad he already had or something. Don't expect him to do more though! But.... he will still check up on you through text.

Sinostra:

Taiga Hoshibami - Please don't come near this man while you're on your period .... I think blood sends him into some sort of frenzy like a shark. Taiga would just... tell you to free bleed. He bleeds everywhere all the time, why can't you?

Romeo Lucci - Romeo will see to it that you are pampered and cared for! All the stress that usually comes from menstruation... it's not good for you! Or your work ethic! He needs you in tip-top condition for when your cycle is over!

Ritsu Shinjo - Ritsu will give you a lot of space when it's your time of the month.. maybe too much space. He'll remind you every time you should change what you're using, and he'll even bring you some backup products too.

Hotarubi:

Subaru Kagami - Subaru's a little shy about it all, but he's still very hospitable. He'll make you some warm tea, bring you some pads, and overall just let you relax. He's such a sweetie!

Haku Kusanagi - Haku strikes me as the type to have a lot of sisters, so he knows just what to do. He'll give you space, bring you snacks, tell you that you look nice, he may even give you a massage!

Zenji Kotodama - Zenji probably wouldn't be able to bring you any painkillers or tampons or anything like that, so instead, he will soothe you with the cultural significance of menstruation! Telling you stories of how it's a way for those with wombs to give back to mother nature for letting them have such a blessing.... or something

Obscuary:

Edward Hart - Please... please for the love of God stay away from this man while you are menstruating....

Rui Mizuki - Rui's gonna pamper and cuddle you all week! Anything you need, he'll get it for you! Don't you worry about a single thing, alright? Every time you ask him for something, he'll drop what he's doing immediately to get it to you.

Lyca Colt - Lyca has absolutely no understanding of periods. But... it happens once a month... and it makes you feel bad? So it's like being a werewolf? He'll bring you lots of food when you two are together and he'll do everything he can to make sure that moth-eaten casanova leaves you alone!

Mortkranken:

Yuri Isami - You're on you're period? Well of course you'd come to the great Yuri Isami for help! Yuri'll give you a concoction he made just for you to soothe all the pain! You wouldn't be able to help around Mortkranken if you were curled up in cramp pain, afterall!

Jiro Kirisaki - Jiro is bringing you everything. He is getting you everything. Cramps? Here's a heating pad and some pain killers. Nauseous? Don't worry, he'll get some medicine and water for you. Heavy flow? He'll buy you a whole box of extra thick pads or whatever you feel most comfortable with. All the while he explains to you the cause of every symptom and the best ways to deal with it.

[sleepymothafterhours]

Med Student Zayne Headcanons

Part 1 Of med student!Zayne

part of reasons you shouldn't skip your 8AM

no warnings except another shitty professor

Au Master list ---> Here

let me know if you'd like to be tagged in anything regarding this fic pls

reblogs, likes and comments are appreciated <3

Med Student!Zayne who caters his schedule as much as he can to making sure you can at least get lunch together once a week

Zayne who after so long being with you sends you a text reminding you to eat something throughout the day

Med student!Zayne who seems to always run into people who know him while he's holding two bowls full of soup but only on specific days

who checks every morning to see the soup of the day and packs two Tupperware boxes, one for each of you on days he knows they have your favorite kind

Who does think it's funny how Caleb can hardly be around him without errupting with jealousy despite Zayne being loud and proud about his own girl

Med student! Zayne who looks at you seemingly blank when you talk about how you wish you could marry him now, you'd gotten obsessed with the idea after so many years with him

who supposed watching your friends show off engagements rings and talk about wedding planning could've been a fair reason

who kisses the top of your head and gives you a soft "my love we can't yet," When you mention how different the financial aid is when your married (no you totally hadn't looked into it)

Zayne who can't see you as often as he wants especially with how close he is to getting into graduate school and it drives him crazy

Who found you in a study room pouring over your essay after an exam went wrong with tears in your eyes sipping water to try and hide the hiccup of sobs, so distracted you don't even notice the double take he has to do to make sure it really is you

Med student!Zayne who was already plotting ways to tell his study group he couldn't go but now looking at you knew he wouldn't be lying when he told them there was an emergency

who startles you with the click of the door shutting and knows you didn't notice him when you start to say "Sorry I should have had the room for another-" only to trail off when you notice its him

Zayne who's never seen you this upset in all the years you spent together, stressed out of your mind? Sure, angry about a grade? absolutely but he'd at least never bared witness to you so upset

Who tries calming you down, its okay to not do well but the project was half your grade and you only didn't do well because of a couple shitty teammates who refused to do any of the work

he suggests an email, to which you show him the one you had been reading, it didn't matter if you did your part, he wouldn't regrade anything that would separate you from the other two people,

Med student! Zayne who knows the professor personally and after a very..strongly worded email to the dean and a quick talk pretends to know nothing when your grade goes back up to an A

nor the reason why the professor has suddenly stopped being such an ass to you...

[rustyr3dhe4d]

love on call - ln4 - 2/?

summary: you are the new trauma director with a past you won't share. dr. norris, the sharp-witted ER physician, doesn't let mysteries go unanswered. what starts as tension and rivalry shifts into something neither of you can ignore - but letting him in means risking everything.

pairing: doctor!lando x doctor!reader (fem)

warnings: probably mentions of surgery and blood! 💋

wc: 742

previous part ~ next part

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

hospitals never really slept, but there was something uniquely suffocating about westhaven's emergancy department. it was always moving- doctors pacing, nurses weaving through bodies, patients groaning through pain, the air thick with the scent of antiseptic and stress. it was the kind of place where hesitation could kill someone.

you never hesitated.

but apparently, dr. norris didn't either.

you hadn't even been here a full week, and you had already butted heads three times in as many days. he was the kind of doctor who walked like he owned the place, his presence commanding attention without asking for it.

you weren't intimidated- far from it- but you could tell he wasn't used to someone pushing back.

too bad for him.

today, you could already feel the inevitable clash brewing between the two of you, simmering under the surface. you just didn't expect it to come to a boiling point so soon.

the double doors to the ambulance bay slammed open, and the paramedics came rushing in, pushing a gurney straight toward you.

"GSW, male, mid-twenties. entry wound lower right quadrant, exit wound near the hip. BP dropping fast- 80 over 50 and falling. weak pulse, unresponsive en route.

you were already moving. "get him to trauma one-

"hold up."

the words snapped like a rubber band.

you turned sharply, already knowing who it was.

dr. norris stood there, arms crossed, eyes locked on the patient with sharp assessment. "we don't even know if the bullet hit anything major yet. we should stabilize before rushing him off.

you clenched your jaw. "he's actively bleeding out. if we waste time down here, he's dead."

"i'm saying we assess first." landos voice was calm, but there was a challenge in his tone.

you take a step closer, lowering your voice. "i don't need to assess. i can see what's happening. he needs surgery now."

the tension snapped into place like a wire pulled too tight.

for a second, neither of you moved. the only sounds were the beeping monitors, the rustling of the trauma team moving around you.

then his lips curved, just slightly. not quite a smirk, but close enough to make your irritation burn hotter.

"you always in charge like this?" he asked.

"only when someone's dying," you shot back.

landos eyes flickered- something unreadable- but he stepped back, gesturing toward the gurney. "by all means, chief."

the way he said your title- laced with sarcasm, like he wasn't sure i'd earned it- made you fingers twitch at your sides. you forced yourself to ignore it, instead barking orders as you rushed the patient down the hall.

still, even as you scrubbed into surgery, you could feel his gaze on you, like a question left unanswered

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

the surgery took just under two hours.

despite the blood loss, the bullet had miraculously missed the major arteries. a clean exit wound, no fragments left behind. he would recover.

by the time you stepped out of the OR, your body felt heavier than usual. maybe it was exhaustion. maybe it was the adrenaline leaving your system.

maybe it was the feeling of his gaze lingering on me as soon as i entered the hallway.

dr.norris was leaning against the nurses' station, flipping through charts like he hadn't been waiting. like he wasn't expecting me.

you sighed. "you hovering for a reason, or do you just like standing in hallways?"

he didn't look up. "just making sure you didn't kill my patient."

you scoffed. "disappointed?"

"surprised." he corrected. "you took a gamble, and it paid off."

your eyes narrowed. "it wasn't a gamble. it was the right call."

lando finally glanced up, dark eyes scanning me like i was some unsolved mystery. "some doctors second-guess themselves after moving to a new hospital. you don't"

you crossed your arms. "should i?"

"no." he tilted his head slightly. "which is why i'm wondering what your story is."

your pulse skipped.

you kept your expression neutral. "there's no story."

"bullshit." the word was quiet, but the weight of it pressed between us.

you turned to leave, but his voice stopped you.

"you don't talk about yourself much, do you?"

you didn't turn back. "nothing to talk about."

that was the lie you had told yourself for years. the lie that kept you moving, running, disappearing into new cities, new hospitals.

but for the first time, you weren't sure if he believed you.

and worse? you weren't sure you did either.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

[spinstertheuncommon]

Gotham's Sewist - A Bachelor's Suit [Part 1/2] | Bruce Wayne x reader

Tiz - a gender neutral version of ma'am/sir

Timeline: Reader and B are 27

Notes: swearing, reader crashes out, bruce might be out of character but hoe hum this is for fun

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

"what has gotten you so gloomy?"

"heh?" you half ass a response, too transfixed in mending a 8 inch hole in the cape. a magnifying glass sits attached to a desk arm, with your nose practically pushed against it. you bought it on a whim in college but it's been the best investment you've ever made. behind you, you hear the batman shuffle, always alert, and never one for your short answers. for a world class detective, he needs a lot of answers from me. can't he just sniff them out like a blood hound?

"you're tired. your shoulders are tense, you have been using your cane more often, which would normally lead you into going to the physical therapist but you haven't been there in over a month. Your avoiding it, which you do when you're stressed. you haven't left your studio in a week, as your biking boots are still covered in the same water damage from Mr freezes attack last Thursday, supplementing my concern further as you always pride in taking care of your gear. so i ask again, why?"

shit, maybe he doesn't need the questions. maybe he's board of my silence.

you heave a sigh, flinging back in your chair, needle discarded. rolling your head to face the bat, you've come to expect no concern or emotion in his face; it's only in his actions.

"you really wanna know? yeah? okay, my rent has gone up, and so has the cost of fabric. i can't possibly charge any of my clients more than i am because most of them who come here do it for a luxury and not a necessity, other than you and the alley kids, but you already pay me too much, and i'm never charging those kids anything. the stores front window, while yes it was smashed two weeks ago, still needs to be re-repaired because the guy who did it was cheap as and couldn't tell his head from his ass. can't believe i paid him, honestly. AND more so, my meds have stopped working and of course i can't get anything stronger because healthcare is non-existent for everyone but the wealthy, and that Mr freeze attack has caused every bone in my legs to seize up on top of the stress, so yes. i'm tired. and yes, I'm stressed, and ON TOP OF THAT there's this historical garment collection tour coming to Gotham in a few months that i really want to go to but i will never be able to afford a ticket..." your words slow, eyes full of water. the bat doesn't move for a moment, studying how close you are to crumbling. he then inches forward, and places a gloved hand on your shoulder.

"you're okay. it will be okay."

you crumble into his side, still sitting in the chair. since loosing physical connections with all your college friends after they moved cities, you forget how much you crave touch. never big, something small like a hand on a shoulder, or a light hug could send you careening into an unhealthy attachment with a person.

and what's more unhealthy to attach to than a man you don't even know the name of.

++2 weeks later++

low rent prices or a safer business area.

you picked the former.

look, moving was going to be about prioritizing your safety, but right now your income is only stable enough to support a storefront in a cheaper part of Gotham. so, you packed up and moved from crime alley to...

Bowery.

yeah... not really better, but it's cheap.

but do you know what's not cheap?

super fine pure wool. this wall of bolts was so massive, it needed it's own rolling ladder every six meters across. you felt swamped, both physically and mentally. each bolt of wool pulls you in, the only anchor you have is your cart, already weighted by the silk lining you've chosen, and the check in your pocket, one signed by the richest, most eligible man in Gotham.

bruce wayne.

you still don't think it's real. how would he know who i am? did the batman x Bruce Wayne fanfics actually have merit? my only other customers besides the bat were regular ass people and that one time a guy wanted two suits sewn together. that and the kids in crime alley i dress for free, but they're not really clients. so...who? was Bruce's child, Dick Grayson, one of the kids? i think I'd recognise him...

you still feel numb from the first phone call two weeks ago. answering it with all the professionalism you had in your body at 4:56pm on a Friday, you had a full system reboot when the man on the other line confirmed for the 7th time that he was in fact, the Bruce Wayne, instead of the prank caller you assumed he was.

i mean, why would Bruce fucking Wayne be calling me, a 27 year old, barely surviving sewist with no real display of my work, to make him, and his child, suits for a high priced gala?

so hear you are, having a conniption about what wool and silks to buy that would match the vague descriptions Bruce gave you over the phone.

this will be a long 3 months.

++one month down++

it was strange. you'd think that working for new clientele would alleviate the repetitive funk you've found yourself in. new faces, and new personalities, even if they were rich socialites with no inherit grounds to share with them. but that's fine, you don't need to be friends with your clients.

but no. this felt violently familiar.

despite standing in the most expensive room you've ever stepped foot in, running circles around the brick wall of a man that is Bruce Wayne, as a young boy and kind butler watch on, you couldn't help being swarmed with deja vu. it felt like wading water, pinning the muslin, double checking the flushed fit of the 3 piece suit that was asked of you, and measuring the span of his upper back almost made you panic.

he's got the same shoulders as batman.

gotta love a coincidence... right?

and... fuck me, is this Richard kid the same hight as Robin? oh my god ohmygodohmygod-

"Tiz, are you okay?"

"huh? oh sorry, sorry, yes, just... doing calculations in my head, i'm fine," you shuffle, cheeks dusted red after being called out. "i do think i have everything, though, so i can leave. Sir, please be careful taking off the muslin, i wouldn't want a pin in you."

Bruce chuckles, and you fear your cheeks will never cool down. You distract yourself by folding and refolding the mock up for Richard, or Dick as he insisted you called him. Whatever the kid wants I suppose.

said kid had a vibe you never really expected. it's not like you're in the dark to who Richard Grayson is. the amount of articles about this kid and the death of his parents, and then eventual adoption, could light a fire and fuel it for a month. it made you sick at the time, all the talk about it felt like tragedy porn. you couldn't even imagine what a kid was thinking about it. but from the look of things, nothing can stop this kid.

"how long would it take to make my suit? do you think it'll look good? i want it to be green, or maybe purple!" Dick jumped along the couch he was on, attentively not hopping off the couch, as the first few times he tried to see what you were doing, he got a stern look from Bruce. he was then told that if he wanted to stay, he had to stay on the couch.

"you already picked out your colour, champ. you're going in blue, remember?" Bruce, in just a dress shirt and compression pants, that made his ass look fantastic, went over and scooped up the 13 year old like he was nothing, and bundled him under his arm like a football. god, his smile is blinding, i get what all the gossip's about, he is smoking.

"Let me escort you to your vehicle," Alfred snapped you out of your daze, steering you away from the father and son with a gentle hand towards the door. and what an extravagant door it is. the mahogany wood sits inside the most extravagant stained glass arch, adorned with roses and antique gold solder, that perfectly matches the gold furnishings on the door. the same furnishings that mirror the fountain in the middle of the drive. The marble stairs that link the door to the driveway are so dramatic, you want to flounce around on them like meg from Hercules.

Stepping back from your daydream, you thank Alfred for holding your bag as you shuffle on your safety gear of a jacket and helmet. Before you turned on the bike, Alfred calls your name and pulled a card from his breast pocket.

“I hope you know there is no obligation, but Master Bruce and Master Dick wish for you to attend the gala that you’ve been making their suits for.” you take the invite, a little star struck. the card, the size of a business card, has embossed grooves over it and delicate gold leafing to resemble hemmed stitches, but it's the address that perked your interest.

"i-its at the Gotham historical fashion exhibit?" your eyes shone, practically in tears. oh my god i'm so glad he can't see under my visor, im crying about a invite.

"Master Bruce has an appreciation for all art forms, and takes any and all chances to highlight it. he believes that more eyes should see the pieces, and if he has to host a party, well, lets say he wouldn't mind." Alfred carries a twinkle in his eyes, one of pure childish wonderment, but there's a hint of something you couldn't quite place. was it pride? a secret? you couldn't tell. all you knew is you had an all expenses paid trip to the most decked out fashion collection and come hell or high water you were going.

"tell him thank you, then, i've been dying to see this exhibit."

"no thanks needed, this is payment in kind, along side the money of course. now drive safe, we wouldn't want you unavailable for the gala."

with a nod, you pull out of the Wayne Manor drive, and spend the next 20 minute drive to your studio giddy.

holy shit i need an outfit.

(To be Continued...)

+++++++++++

My next chapter for this should reasonably be split into 2 instead of stay one, but idk if I can be bothered, so the next chapter will be looong tehe!

Helloo!

So the fanfic curse is real lol. The last one I posted was my first ever post and the literal day after was a real shit show that I can't actually talk about lmaoo

See y'all nextime!

Spinster

Do not copy, steal, or repost my work! Thanks!

[call-me-liquid]

You know as a socialist I often fear the way I talk about billionares, the industrial complex, capitalism sounds in a way . . . Conspiratorial?

I'm trying to use recognizable definitions to reference abstract concepts and . . . I feel like the English language itself gets in the way if that? I'm not unaware that things that SOUND like socialist theory can be twisted in all kinds of ways, and it's actually kinda hard to communicate past that. Because, though people and their actions do make up systems, systems as a whole more or less manifest as entities unto themselves. The practical output of hundreds of different individual, flawed agendas and limited perspectives colliding with each other in sometimes random, chaotic, and confusing ways. . .

The funny thing about Trump, is that-- like, in a weird way, he is almost like the physical manifestation of that? Like, he is a flesh and blood man of his own interpersonal machinations we all can only speculate at but . . . Of it turned out he was a actually the literal manifested animistic spirit of the industrial complex. A sort of eldritch horror avatar we willed into existence through the power of something believed so hard it came true. . . You know. That would track. You feel me?

Because the way he's accidentally destroying all the institutions of capitalism at break neck speed while also being a figurehead of capitalism itself and all the social I'll it causes the word is a great encompassing of the actual problems with actual capitalism, the conceptual idea itself.

Capitalism operates on the assumption there are winners and losers in life, and that's the natural and correct order of things that cannot be questioned. But, really, there's losers, and even bigger losers. It's why an ACTUAL fully unregulated market burns hot and bright before crashing pretty quickly. It eats itself alive. It's a nation-wide pyramid scheme that runs out of suckers to exploit sooner rather than later.

Billionares are victimized by capitalism too. They're often just the last to do so. And billionares have the nasty habit of not realizing this until it's their turn to pay the piper.

Trump is screwing over his own lobbiests who put him in power. The oligarchy just got going for real and it's already on fire. Elon Musk is now the literal Man in the High Castle and I don't think he's ever been more stressed and miserable. The Heritage foundation is failing successfully. The stock market is crashing. Red states are suffering for what they voted for. MAGA got their monkey's paw wish. The American dream just did something many have tried but no one succeeded at: killed the American Dream.

Trump is not a god. Trump is a guy. None of this is wholly his fault personally. Nothing is almost ever wholly one guy's fault. But damn if he isn't like, the eye of the storm. The most capitalist capitalist who ever capitalismed capitalism. And maybe, if we're lucky, he might just be the death of it.

[vshiftsss]

ask game! (by @/avelineshifts)

🔖 ~ BLUSHING BOOKMARKS | A pink blush paints your skin, flustered from your s/o. Not scripted, not a memory, although it can be, but a moment that could naturally happen, your s/o shocking you.

🖍 ~ HANDY HIGHLIGHTERS | Hands slipping inside of your pocket, relief floods your system as you are on the verge of a life changing occasion. Is there an item/rule you scripted in that saved you from complete embarrassment? From demise?

🎧 ~ HEALING HEADPHONES | Dancing under the moonlight, stars gazing down, music plays through the air. You sway with the melody, latching onto the lyrics. The hands of your s/o hug you from behind, together you look out into the night sky. What song is playing? What's your favorite lyric?

SMALL TOWN DR Q&A - (ASK GAME)

thank you for the ask row!!!! sorry its so late...

this is about my small town dr, one i haven't necessarily introduced yet, but it will come soon! i've been fixated on this reality for a while so i thought it was fitting. i might write a bit in this post too...this is the best way i can paint the picture for both me and you :) hope it's not getting repetitive. also simon is ghost from cod! but not ghost at all! just his face, name, and vaguely his personality!

🔖 - BLUSHING BOOKMARKS...

"you read all of it? simon, i can't believe...and you even annotated it. of course you annotated it. god, how long did this take you?"

i couldn't help but run my eyes over the various dog-ears tucked away in a copy of my favorite collection of poems, each page a different interpretation of what love meant to the writer. whether it was familial love, love between friends, or romantic love, all of it was included. and i soaked up every single page time and time again, the words blending beautifully to paint a mural of appreciation.

this book had changed me in so many ways, but i would've never expected simon to read it himself. he didn't seem like the type to even read poetry; most of the books on his shelves were memoirs or historical fiction novels. the last thing i expected him to give me was another copy of my favorite book, covered in his thoughts and highlighted from page 1 to the acknowledgements.

i was so enamored, i couldn't even see the wave of red flooding up his neck, reaching his cheeks and ears.

"doesn't matter how long it took. i just...i thought that you would like it. you talk so much about it at that book club you lead at the library, so i assumed it would be a good read," simon spoke softly, shoving his hands into his jacket's pockets. finally, my eyes met his, and all i could see was a quiet uncertainty. as if he didn't know how i would react. "...do you? like it, i mean."

"of course i do, si. this is the best gift someone's ever gotten me, i can promise you that."

🖍 - HANDY HIGHLIGHTERS...

one thing i'm grateful for scripting in this dr is that almost none of the classes i substitute for are extra rowdy. my main job is as a librarian, but i'm also a part-time substitute for the town's high school. i get overwhelmed easily, and loud kids screaming all around me would drive me insane. also, i don't like fighting with kids and arguing to be heard, so scripting this would save me so much mental stress. plus i can actually build relationships with the kids that way!

i also scripted that i have a pair of apple earbuds that never get tangled or break, along with a playlist of songs i have saved in this reality (even though my small town dr takes place in 2013! i need all my music). listening to music and blocking out the rest of the world really helps with my anxiety! so i always have those on me.

🎧 - HEALING HEADPHONES

the first song that comes to mind is one i found fairly recently: meet you again by ebony loren and jason lapierre. it's such a sweet sounding song and it's the type of song i imagine me and simon listening to under the warm streetlights of the town park. we're just coming from chaperoning a school dance, and simon surprises me with a gazebo decorated with rose petals and fake candles. he says he wants to give us a slow dance of our own. and as we sway back and forth, the song plays softly from his phone.

i wish i could meet you all over again

can we go back to when we were just friends

so i can hold your hand for the first time

anticipate calling you mine

back where we began

if we could meet again

END OF POST - HAPPY SHIFTING!

divider.

tags... @visualcve @julianasversee @miaojune @avelineshifts

ask game :)