#but I think screaming and crying will totally help and be productive

[katyswrites]

hi everyone. For obvious reasons, I’m not doing amazing right now.

[binders-and-beanies]

.

[nelle-y]

I loved your recent Alhaitham fic! I was wondering if you would consider writing a pt. 2 where Alhaitham regrets how he treated you and attempts to win you back (maybe 4ggravate finds out and attempts to help Alhaitham to win you back)? I understand if not. Thank you for sharing your writing!

Thank you so much for liking my first fic! Feel free to request anything genshin-related and I’ll try my best to provide!

You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath (pt. 2)

It was rare, I was there

Here’s part 1!

Synopsis: despite the neglect and everything that happened, you both still longed for each other…

Content: Alhaitham x fem!reader, wingmen!4ggravate, implied Dehyarzad, Collei, absent Cyno, Tighnari, second chances, writer!reader, angst to comfort, reader is with someone else

Warnings: slight cursing, long intro again (I can’t help it), mild spoilers for Sumeru archon quest chapter 3 act 2, Collei goes missing

Note: this part can be optional for you. If you prefer to end it at part one, then feel free to do so! But, if you’re a sucker for second chances (like me), then consider this a treat from me to you!

—

Nothing. You could hear nothing.

Not your heart pounding to the rhythm of your feet. Not the screaming in your head as you spotted familiar grey hair walking around the city. Your thoughts immediately tasted bitter—if he had the time to walk now, how come he hadn’t back then?

You surmise that you weren’t worth the step.

The weight of his absence hung over you like a storm cloud, casting a shadow over the warmth of the day. Despite your efforts to push the pain aside, it crept back, heavy and suffocating. Your mother's words echoed in your mind like a haunting refrain, a reminder that perhaps you had been foolish to invest so much in someone who couldn't reciprocate your love.

The shops were as busy and ever; merchant services, inquiries about products, scholars out in the open. You were out for groceries, almost ashamed for showing your face after the scene you caused 15 days ago. The world needed to know you were strong, though, so you put a big smile on your face and a new perfume worth Alhaitham’s salary. You even reached out to Cyno about the book you mentioned; so far, everything has been accurate, according to him.

“Y/N?” A familiar voice called to you. Turning your head in that direction, you see Dehya in the distance waving at you. Once you’ve said hello, she looked at you with a smirk on her face, “Wow, did a flower barf on you? You look radiant!”

“Radiant?” You humble yourself, “I don’t remember putting on any jewelry.”

“No, silly!” She gestured to your everything, “There’s this aura you’re emitting and it’s making you glow!” Glow? All you did these past few days was cry, eat, and write. Perhaps it was the tears that helped. They irritated your eyes so much it gave you a softer, more approachable look. “Do you think you could lend me some of that eyeshadow?”

Try crying every hour, Dehya. “Ah, I just did a favor for a friend studying cosmetology. I’m not entirely sure what products they used,” you lie. Thinking about Alhaitham will certainly eat you alive; you change the subject despite the flattery you enjoyed. “What brings you to the city?”

Enthusiasm spouts from the mercenary, “My lady Dunyarzad invited me over for the Sabzeruz Festival; and you know me, I gotta be there for my lady!”

You found it adorable—almost enviable—how they still keep in touch even after Dehya’s resignation. Call a spade a spade, that is real commitment. It makes you wonder if you’d be here, ‘radiant’ and ‘glowing,’ if you were treated that way.

“The Sabzeruz Festival? I didn’t realize it was so close. Wow, time surely flies.” Suddenly, you feel excitement rush through your veins, a new experience after days of steady tides.

“Couldn’t agree more,” said Dehya. From a distance, you both heard Dunyarzad call her name. “Ah, it looks like she needs me back there. I better go check on her. If you want, you should totally come over the bazaar once the festival is ready. Dunyarzad and I would be lucky to have you celebrate with us!” After you gave an accepting nod and farewell, Dehya ran off to the woman in purple, practically skipping on her feet.

As you watched their lively interaction, a surge of envy and longing swept through you. Their easy camaraderie and genuine happiness a stark contrast to the emptiness and loneliness gnawing at your insides. You had longed to experience that kind of connection, to be enveloped in the warmth of love and companionship once more. But deep down, you knew it was a distant dream, a fantasy you could never reclaim.

You weren’t a religious person, but out of sheer desperation, you prayed.

Lesser Lord Kusanali, please free me from this torment. Let the flowers in my garden bloom of life, let the fruits grow ripe even without much sun, let the trees reach the highest of buildings.

—

Simple greetings and little nods, Alhaitham wouldn’t have minded if those scholars were you. In fact, instead of returning those nods and hellos, he would embrace you, lift your feet off the ground and spin you around like you always wanted.

After you stormed out the tavern, Cyno went ahead and asked what happened to the both of you. For the first time, he couldn’t give a straight answer. Every excuse seemed to damage your image, and that was the last thing he wanted. Kaveh ended up taking over to save him the embarrassment.

The 15 days he burned for you were like falling into the abyss, fighting every day to the brink of death, unable to eat the sustenance that came from your warmth.

The now Scribe Alhaitham needed something to keep you off his mind. He considered attending a meeting, but none seemed to pique his interest. Every thought ended up on your doorstep, making him think of dropping by. “Kaveh,” he called the architect scribbling on his notebook, “have you seen Y/N, as of late?”

“No, she hasn’t been feeling well these past few weeks. Shouldn’t you be in a meeting?”

“Shouldn’t you be paying rent?”

Kaveh cursed at Alhaitham, “I’m trying to make the money, goddamit!”

“Maybe you would have the money if you stopped settling for your clients’ low budgets.”

“Is it hard to find me considerate?”

“I’d rather call it pathetic.”

“Go catch whatever Y/N has,” he shooed Alhaitham away, “maybe that would give you some perspective.”

The scribe stood silent for a few seconds. He knew his roommate was right, he should’ve thought about how you felt before anything. Kaveh was about to believe he had won a squabble for once, but then he suddenly revealed, “Y/N… is angry at me.”

Kaveh pshawed at him, “With the way you talked to her? No shit.” Alhaitham didn’t move an inch. “Hey, what happened there, anyway? It wasn’t like Y/N to burst out to you like that. Are you hiding something?”

With a sigh, the grey-haired man decided to reveal everything to his roommate. He listened intently, gasping and scolding him for his lack of attention towards you, adding salt to his open wounds. Upon recalling the words the scribe had said, Kaveh took a slight breath, “You fucked up.”

“I know.”

“You need to go fix this.”

“I know.”

“And you were calling me pathetic!”

“I know! I just-“ he couldn’t believe he was saying this. “I need help.”

As he was popularly known, Alhaitham wasn’t one to ask for help. Not because he had too much pride, but because he knew how to solve things like the back of his hand. He had access to numerous files from the Akasha, and he had connections to powerful people, being the scribe and all.

But this was a different situation. Every solution did not guarantee a 100% success rate, 87% at best, and that was not enough for Alhaitham. He was ready to do anything for you, to get on his knees and raise you to the highest regard, to even beg.

“I could ask Tighnari,” Kaveh began, “The Sabzeruz Festival is coming soon, maybe you could ask her out?”

Right, now that he’s perceived as a hero of his nation, he is expected to attend these festivals. He never bothered to come before, and he wouldn’t now, but he was willing to if it meant getting to see you again. “I don’t think she’ll be accepting me as her date.”

“Then we’ll talk to her.”

“Will she be willing to listen? Wait, isn’t she sick?”

Kaveh sighed, downhearted, “Right.” Then he clicked his fingers at the scribe, “I have an idea!”

—

“Collei? What are you doing here,” you said after opening your door. She drew a small grin with worried eyes, holding a box of goods for you. It’s been a while since you saw her, she grew up well, taller since your last meeting.

“Hello, miss Y/N! I heard from Master Tighnari that you weren’t feeling well,” yes, you distinctly remember lying to them (Tighnari, and Kaveh) so they wouldn’t see you as often. “So I thought I could bring you simple remedies.” The little girl observed you. “But now I think there’s no need for that,” she chuckled.

“Ah, yeah, don’t worry, it was just a small cold. Speaking of Tighnari, how come he isn’t here with you?” You ushered her in and sat her down for some tea, placing her box of medicines on the counter.

“He had some business to attend to with a merchant and allowed me to visit you. It’s been a while since you’ve travelled to Gandharva Ville, miss Y/N, do you have any plans on visiting?”

“Yes, I’m thinking of basing the rainforest as the main setting for my new book, actually.”

You both chatted about everything you could as you waited for the water to boil. Afterwards, you served a hot teapot, dwelling in mint and lotus herbs. “Ah, Collei, how long are you and Tighnari staying in the city?”

“Just for three days, though I would like to stay until after the Sabzeruz Festival,” she chuckles, holding her now warm cup in her hands.

“You could come with me if Tighnari would allow it.”

The little girl’s eyes beamed with stars, “Really? Oh, I’ve been dreaming of going to one for ages! Miss Nilou will be performing, right?” You nod to her delight, “Yes! Archons, I really hope Master would let me.”

As if he heard his name, Tighnari knocked on your door. Opening it, he looked glad seeing your healthy state. “Y/N! Good to see you’re feeling well now.” He peaked behind you to see Collei sip from her cup.

Upon recognizing her master, Collei got up and greeted him. “Hi, Master! Miss Y/N and I were just talking about the Sabzeruz Festival, and that I could come with her to see Miss Nilou perform!” Her enthusiasm was as contagious as a cold, you couldn’t help but laugh.

“As long as it wouldn’t be a hassle for Y/N, and that you would always be careful when purchasing products,” Tighnari worries like a mother. “Always look at the expiration dates, check if there are anything you’re allergic to.”

He goes on and on for about 5 minutes until you cut him off, “Alright, alright, Tighnari, it’s not like she’ll be going all alone; she has me with her!”

With this, Collei wrapped her arms around your waist, ever so thankful for your support. You thought of her as a niece, and she thought of you as an auntie, willing to give her advice on anything, trivial or not. After a few more words exchanged, and details for the festival, the pair decide to head to their cottage.

For once, you enjoyed your time and not think of Alhaitham once!

Oops.

—

It was the day of the Sabzeruz Festival; you had already picked Collei up from their cottage and are on your way to the Grand Bazaar. You could see thousands of attendees, travelling merchants, and familiar faces on the way.

As the vibrant colors and lights of the festival unfolded before you, the once a source of excitement and anticipation now loomed before you like a daunting reminder of what you had done. Despite Dehya's invitation, you couldn't shake the feeling of being an outsider, a solitary figure adrift in a sea of joyous revelry. Each smile, each laugh felt like a dagger to your already wounded heart, a painful reminder of the love you had lost and the embarrassment that now consumed you.

But this was no time for dwelling upon the memories that brought misery, remember, Collei is counting on you to give her a good time.

“Y/N, Collei!” You spot Kaveh in the distance waving and walking your way. Collei happily waved back. “I’m so glad I could run into you guys, you have no idea how terrified I am of meeting a client by accident.”

You laughed, “Do I have to accompany you, too, Kaveh?”

“Actually, I was thinking of letting you have some fun while I take care of little Collei here.” He ruffles her neatly-done hair, now messy but more natural-looking. This led Collei to bring out a small comb to fix it.

You felt irresponsible leaving Collei in someone else’s care, you’d said you would take care of her, and it felt like you would be breaking a promise if you agreed to his offer. You tuck your hair behind your ear, “I don’t know, Kaveh, something feels wrong about that, no offense. Plus, if something were to happen to Collei, we wouldn’t hear the end of it; you wouldn’t like Tighnari when he’s angry.”

“A fair point, but you’ve been locked up in your house for two weeks, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. You deserve to be out there, butterfly, spread the wings you grew from being in that cocoon!”

That somehow felt too specific. Does he know something? Collei starts to agree, despite seeming so excited to go with you. “Even you, Collei?” You sigh, “Fine, but if something happens, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

You weren’t expecting to have so much fun here. The lights, the music, even the people were a blast! At first you were anxious for Collei, checking in from time to time, then as you continued to do so, your vists would be more spaced apart. You drank some punch with Dehya and Dunyarzad, who seemed to be doing really well for themselves, then you danced with the crowd in the name of Lesser Lord Kusanali.

After all of that, it was time for one last dance before Nilou’s grand performance. The band began to play a soft, romantic folk song. “Alright, Sumeru City,” called the lead singer, their voice sonorous with seduction, “before we settle down for the reknowned Nilou, let’s have a little treat for all the couples out there. So, grab your partner and dance along.”

Just as you were at the height of excitement, everything seemed to come crashing down again. You stood on the sidelines, feeling lost and out of place. Dehya and Dunyarzad swayed together, hand in hand. A lot of other couples came together and danced. The passion embedded in the song they sang only made you feel more alone, the walls of the Grand Bazaar growing taller and taller as you gazed upon them in longing.

You felt a hand on your shoulder, a man you don’t remember meeting. “Excuse me, miss, could I trouble you with a dance?” He looked about your age, a nice smile and an energetic demeanor. You were cautious of his intentions, though. It’s possible to have fun while maintaining a distance, right?

You accepted his invitation, all of the sudden you felt a sick knot in your stomach, like you were cheating on Alhaitham. But you weren’t together anymore, why would you stop yourself from meeting new people?

The man said his name was Hafan, a mercenary from the Corps of Thirty. He offered to buy you a drink once the dance was over, and again, you gladly accepted while the sweat in your palms said otherwise. You talked with every step you took, getting to know each other and telling stories. He made you laugh—a lot—and you impressed him with your witty comebacks. Perhaps this was the Dendro Archon’s response to your prayer? A hand to guide you through the maze, and to help you believe in love again?

But just amidst the merry atmosphere of the festival, a lingering anxiousness settled within your stomach.

Then, you saw him.

Alhaitham stood in the corner of the room, the desperate merchants and harmonizing of the band seemed to die down as time stood still. The vibrant colors faded into shades of grey as your heart clenched with a mixture of dread and longing.

It was as if a gate had opened within you, unleashing a torrent of emotions you had struggled to contain. Guilt gnawed at your conscience, regret tore your chest open, and love gave your heart to him.

As Hafan twirled you gracefully across the makeshift floor, you held your gaze with Alhaitham, your heart torn between the past and the present, between what was and what could’ve been.

Maybe you had been thinking too rashly, maybe he had changed over the course of your absence. The way he looked at you with such burning could not make you think otherwise.

In that moment, with all the crowds in the festival and the ache of your fractured heart, you knew for certain—no matter how hard you deny it, no matter how fast you tried to run, you could never escape the grasp he had on your soul.

The dance had ended, though it felt like it just started. Before Hafan could get that drink he promised, you said, “I’m sorry, Hafan.” He looked at you in confusion. “You must be looking for someone to—I don’t know—spend the rest of the festival with, and I don’t think I can fulfill that position. You’re a sweet guy, truly, I’m just not in a good place for anything right now.” Archons, you sounded ridiculous. But to your suprise, the man hardly took it personally.

“It’s okay, I get it. I had fun with you tonight, Y/N. You’re a great person to be around.” You almost regret having to end your time with him. “I’ll see you around, yeah?” He gave you a nod of farewell and left your side.

You looked in the direction of Alhaitham, again, hoping to catch that feeling of familiarity, but you had found he was no longer there. Perhaps it was your imagination.

You then searched for Collei and Kaveh, but they were nowhere to be found. They weren’t near the stalls, or in front of the stage.

They were nowhere in the bazaar.

The panic you felt shook your entire foundation, the pillars that kept you from going back home, back to the pain.

What if they had been kidnapped? You trusted Kaveh’s words, that he would take care of her, but for all you know they could be in the middle of the desert right now! What if Kaveh had run into a client and got distracted? What if Collei got injured or hospitalized?

Your heart began beating in your ears, your breath hastened with every thump. The air seemed so thin in the enclosed space, you needed to go outside. Yes, perhaps you could have a better chance at finding them out there, too.

As you walked out the doors of the Grand Bazaar, Collei’s name immediately echoed through the night. “Collei!” After numerous calls left with no answers, lumps of tears began crawling down your cheeks. “Oh my archon,” you sobbed. You could imagine the look on Tighnari’s face, the worry, the anger, the disappointment.

The feeling of losing them was clawing to your soul, like a mother bird losing her chick after their first flight. If they go missing, it was your fault. That fact will forever stain your soul, haunting your remaining days until the sweet release of death.

You sat on a curb, just near the entrance of the bazaar in hopes that the little girl and the architect would return unharmed. More tears had revealed themselves as your thoughts grew more and more intense, terrorizing, even.

The streets were so quiet, only the music from the festival and the first chirps of the crickets seemed to fill your ears, your sobs excluded. No guards or matras were present with you. Who the hell was in charge of security here!? The starry sky brought a comfortable cold instead of blazing heat.

You then heard footsteps from the bazaar and a person sitting beside you. “I walked them home,” a gruff voice sounded, “Collei was getting tired.”

Just your luck, the man who sat with you was no other than Alhaitham. Despite the conflicting emotions that came to you in a flash, you were relieved that Collei was safe. You let out a heavy breath. “Thank you,” you sniff, brushing away the tears that stained your face.

It was quiet again, for a while. You could hear Nilou’s music from outside; “Collei would’ve loved seeing Nilou dance,” you thought aloud. “I remember her basking about it when she had just became Tighnari’s pupil.” Suddenly, you felt calmer, safer now that the eerie silence accompanied you with the presence of the man you knew as well as breathing.

—

Alhaitham couldn’t say anything, busying himself gazing upon your eyes and your weakly pulled smile. There was still sadness lingering within them, covered by a coating of relief. He felt remorse for taking Collei away from you, for making you worry like this, for leaving you in the dark for a long, long time. Nonetheless, he was happy it led to you talking to him again. He was almost certain this day would never come.

Then he is reminded of you dancing with another man. His heart pounded erratically against his chest, each beat echoing the tumultuous storm of emotions raging within him. He had come to the festival in search of hope and redemption, a fleeting reprieve from the pain that chewed up his soul. But instead, he had found more heartache, contrary to the plan.

As he watched you twirl and sway with the man’s hand in yours, he felt as though the world tilted off its axis, leaving him teetering on the precipice of anguish. How could you be dancing so freely with another when every fiber of his being yearned to hold you so close, to feel the warmth you gave him once more?

His hands clenched into fists against his knees, his jaw tightened with unexpressed emotion. He remembered how badly he wanted to look away, but the flow of your hair and how gracefully you moved wouldn’t let him, it was as if you had casted a spell upon him, forever tormenting him to stay on the sidelines, to repress the overwhelming desire to be the one twirling you around and making you smile.

A surge of conflicting emotions washed over him—a searing pang of jealousy intertwined with a profound sense of regret and longing. Then just when he was ready to cross the bridge that separated you, he felt a small tug on his darkened cape. “Mr. Scribe Alhaitham,” Collei said meekly, sheepishly rubbing her eyes, “Did the plan work?”

He remembers Kaveh’s words, so filled with determination, She’ll do anything for Collei, so if she asks to go to the festival, Y/N will for sure accompany her! Once the slow dance starts, that’s when you’ll swoop in and declare your love.

And if it doesn’t work?, the scribe raised his eyebrows.

It will! I’ll make sure no one gets near her.

Boy, did that plan go to shit.

He gave the little girl a soft smile despite the mind-numbing pain in his chest. He knelt down to her level, “Isn’t Kaveh supposed to be with you?”

“Someone was talking to him just a while ago. It seemed pretty heated, so I slipped away when I got the chance,” she yawned.

“Of course,” Alhaitham muttered. Must be a client of his. “You look tired, Collei.”

“I think I’m ready to go home now, Mr. Alhaitham.” The drowsiness in her eyes could barely hold her awake. It was getting late, she must not be used to staying up at times like these.

Alhaitham looked back at you, wondering if you were still keeping your eyes on him. To no avail, it was like you had vanished like a ghost with the beautiful, painful sight he had witnessed along with you. A heavy feeling lingered in his chest, leaving him to wonder if you would lock your gaze with him again. Then he left, accompanying Collei back to her and Tighnari’s cottage.

On his way back to the bazaar for reasons unknown, he found you weeping in your hands, curled up like a shriveled bug beaten down, calling out Collei’s name. After he assured you of the little girl’s safety, you began talking about your experiences with her. Ever so glad, he listened to your voice, melodious and soothing like a lullaby to put him to sleep. The euphoria he experienced was one like no other, it was the first time he felt at peace for eons against the stars and the cool breeze. Then, he wondered, were you feeling the same?

“They found a new Grand Sage,” he announced.

“Is that why you have the time now?” Your words stung his morality, picking on the weak scabs of his mistakes.

He took a moment to respond. “I’m sorry,” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “I never meant for any of this to happen.”

Unable to meet his gaze, you managed a casual tone, “I know, Alhaitham.” His name sounded like a song whenever it came from your lips. “Besides, it’s not your fault.” Your voice was then hoarse of emotion, fingers picking at the dirt beneath you. “I shouldn’t have let myself to get lost in my own thoughts.”

“But I should’ve been there for you,” Alhaitham insisted. “I should not have made you feel like you were alone.”

“But it happened anyway.”

For a moment, silence enveloped the space between you, only broken by the distant sounds of the festival. Then, slowly, you turned to meet his gaze, in a light that had no remorse, for the first time since you told him to leave.

“I don’t know if I can forgive you,” you admitted, your voice trembling with uncertainty. “But I do know I’m willing to try.”

With this, Alhaitham took you in a warm embrace, letting out a shaky breath as he buried his face in the crook of your neck. He then held you by the shoulders, teary as you released him from this torture. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right again.”

As you looked into his eyes, you found the sincerity in his voice, determination reflecting upon his irises. Despite everything that had happened, you couldn’t deny the hope that ignited in your stomach. Maybe, just maybe, there was still a chance to find your way back together.

You held his hands first, then traced your way to his cheeks, warm with anticipation. Then you pulled him into a kiss that was long overdue, Alhaitham almost tumbling from the force you had exerted.

As your lips meet, there is a softness, a tenderness in the way they press together, as if each touch carries the weight of a thousand whispered promises. Time seems to stand still as you both lose yourselves in the sensation, senses heightened by the intoxicating blend of warmth and desire. It's a symphony of sensations—a gentle caress, a fleeting brush of lips, a silent exchange of emotions that speaks volumes without a single word. And in that fleeting moment, you find solace, connection, and a sense of belonging in each other's embrace.

Slow as the breeze blew your hair, everything froze and only he brought the fire to relieve you of your vains. Alhaitham’s lips were soft and cold, clearly waiting for this day to come. When he leaned back for air, foreheads connected together, you breathed, “I love you.”

As you heard the crowd’s applause from a distance, as if cheering for your reconciling, he replied, “I love you more,” before pulling you in for another well-deserved kiss.

—the end.—

[yenqa]

ADVANTAGES

in which…

on jay’s live, fans point out a stuffed animal on his bed, one that seems to be the other piece to your notorious missing pair. as imaginary pieces start to connect for fans, the viewers beg for some kind of interaction. and though you and jay have never met before, why not use this situation to your advantage?

warnings : crying, panic attacks, depression is depicted but isnt really said, lots of bad self talk, food/eating, having no appetite, just lots of bad mental health talk and depictions, hurt/comfort, god this chapter is PACKED

wc: 1829

i’m sorry that i couldnt be your teenage dream.

not proofread!

☆

It had been a week and a half since you had seen anyone.

Well other than the cashiers at the local grocery store but that made you look even more pathetic. 

You haven’t been well, at all.

It was a horrible sight, honestly you couldn’t even look at yourself in the mirror without cringy. You had no productivity and had planned to do nothing for as long as possible. 

You were surprised your body hasn't exploded yet, since all you had ate was instant ramen or the three meals you could cook total. 

Today was one of the worse-r days. Three hours into the new day but your mind couldn’t seem to sleep one bit.

You had zero appetite, your room was a mess, it was worse that you couldn’t even sleep away the days even though you were so tired. Your eyes were glued shut at night but your body couldn’t stop fighting the feeling of sleep. 

So here you were, eye bags almost able to give the color purple a run for its money, and so puffy it felt like a balloon was stuck in there. But your eyes hadn’t shed any tears, instead you felt like nothing. Like you were just floating around with no purpose or any feeling at all.

The empty feeling in your head made you unable to do anything but scroll on your phone, letting hours after hours pass by rewatching your favorite show at least a billion times. It seemed like the world had gone gray, like the world was ending and you were the only one feeling it.

A part of you screamed at yourself to get a grip, to stop being so dramatic and realize there are still good things in life. 

You tried to get better, you really did. You had researched on how to get over this drought but you never could. So every night you would lay in your bed, trying to figure out what was wrong with you.

Mornings have always been your least favorite part of the day. But it seemed to get worse with every second that passed. 

Realizing you still had a whole day ahead of you seemed utterly impossible to finish, but still you would reach your hand out to the finish line, only to miss every time.

You had six hours until it was the appropriate time to wake up. You couldn’t call anyone for help, you couldn’t text anyone in the middle of the night. It was your burden, so you had to keep it to yourself and hope and pray it washes away over time.

Your phone has been your only sense of livelihood during your dull days. If you had been wasting hours after hours at least you had been doing something. 

Before you could think of the consequences, you had thought of searching yourself on the internet, just for fun. You clicked on the first source, hoping that someone would see your side of the story.

No it was not fun–you wish you could warn yourself because the title of the article read; “All you need to know about Y/niora and why she’s trending”

We’ve all seen the names “Y/n” or “Y/niora” trending on X, who is she? Some might wonder. In this article I’ll be going over everything she’s done wrong, and why fans hate her for it.

Y/n is a popular streamer on twitch, known for her funny commentary and her boyfriend Jay, but recently she’s shown a darker side to her.

Her boyfriend, Jay, is also a twitch streamer, a much more popular one at that. He’s known for his good looks and his random reactions that have us crying with laughter, but why would he date a nobody like her? 

If you’ve seen Y/niora’s X account, you can see that she posts provocative photos of herself, things that only lead to temptations of male fans. Fans speculate this is the reason they met, saying that she seduced him and used him for money, fame, and views.

If you know anything about streaming, you know BlueJay and his friends. Who stole the internet's hearts with their looks and cute personalities. But things start picking up between Jay and Y/n when she posts their matching stuffed animals, officially presenting their relationship to the world.

This seems to be a bad move on Y/n’s part, as her facade starts slipping through and we get to see her for the calloused person she is. 

She continuously shows her disinterest in anything he’s saying. Making him repeat everything he’s said to her. This strikes up the question, does she really care about him or her fans?

Arguments of this exact topic have been trending among fans, some saying

You closed your phone before you could read anything else. Flipping your body over you could feel tears start to form in your eyes, your vision goes blurry and your breath starts hiccuping. 

Wiping your wet cheeks, you start to panic when you feel like your throat is closing up, placing your hand on your chest to try to calm yourself down. 

That clearly doesn’t work. As you swear you can feel the walls closing in beside you. In a last effort to stop your ugly sobs, you open your phone once more, your breath quickens when you open the phone app, calling the person that you need the most right now.

The ringing on your phone shakes you more, “Please answer, please answer, please answer.” You croak out desperately, glancing at your window to realize it’s the middle of the night, and he’s probably getting the nice sleep he deserves. 

Unlike you who only makes things worse, and can’t even get a wink of sleep at night.

You sob harder after the fifth ring, realizing that he’s not going to answer. And you have to do this on your own–

“Y/n? Are you okay?” His voice brings relief to your ears, that’s until you realize the state you’re in. 

“Jay I’m so–so so sorry for calling you this late.” You rasp out, “I just don’t know what’s wrong with me, I can’t stop shaking and crying, I just–fuck” Bringing your hand up, you grab a fist of your hair, not knowing what to do or say.

“Are you at home?”

“Yeah, I am.” You choke through, words barely coherent.

“I’m coming. Stay there, okay?”

“Okay.” 

His tone is so soft it scares you. How could he be talking to you so sweetly knowing the mess you made? How could he be talking to you so sweetly knowing that you are burdening him at such a late hour?

Your throat tries its best to keep your hammering heart inside your chest, but it closes up, your breath is so uneven you're not even sure you’re breathing at all. 

That is until you let out a soft apology into your phone, but it’s covered by your staggered breathing, and the sound of you stuffing up your snot back into your nose.

The silence coming from him is apparently meant to drive you insane. Because the nausea of it all starts to get to you, your condition is crippling so you can’t even move from your curled up position on your bed.

You can hear your door slam open, eliciting a strong flinch from you. 

Your heart seems to be racing too fast for your liking, almost like it’s fighting to get out of your chest. “Jay?” You mutter, as you can see his dark silhouette standing through the doorway. 

Before you can actually decipher if the man is actually Jay or just some random burglar who found your spare key, you feel his arms wrap around your body, tucking your head into the space between his neck and shoulder. 

You conclude that it’s Jay’s warmth you’re feeling right now.

For a second you feel safe, for a second you feel like he’s just hugging you, not because you are literally having a panic attack. 

That snaps you back into reality. God were you really having a panic attack over an article? That you chose to read? 

Feeling your chest tighten and your eyes water up, you tuck your head impossibly deeper, letting your tears and snot get all over his shirt. 

It’s grossing you out how you can physically feel his shirt dampen with your tears, but you’re too focused on figuring out how to breathe rather than the mess you made on his shirt.

“You can let it out, or you can just cry, I don’t mind.”

You sob even harder than you were before.

He’s so warm. He’s so warm. And you have no idea why it’s the perfect descriptor for him. 

“Jay,” You mutter, being muffled by his shoulder, “I’ve ruined everything.”

His arm rubs your back gently, “You haven’t ruined anything, pretty.” He whispers, talking like if he speaks any louder you’ll crack into hundreds of pieces (you actually might but that’s not the point).

“I have! You can’t even deny it without lying,” You hiccup, “I mean—I’m trying so hard, but I can’t do anything right.” You pull your head back to look up at him.

He stays silent, letting his hand cup your face, wiping away any tears that fall down.

“And I’m so tired. I’m so tired of doing everything I can but still being hated for not doing enough. I mean who wouldn’t? I can’t even cook a proper meal, it just goes to show how hopeless I am.”

“Y/n you can’t possibly think about yourself.”

“I can because it’s the truth.”

He tucks your head back into his shoulder, “Y/n, not being able to cook a proper meal is okay. Some people never learn how to cook an egg.”

Your breathing calms down slightly, you let out a small chuckle, trying to stay forever in his warmth.

“I’m sorry for calling you here so late, I know you’re tired from streaming or something.”

“I could never stay away from you for too long, even if it’s in the middle of the night.”

Letting out a breathy smile, you look back at his face, a small smile spreads through his face looking at you.

Your eyes were tired, for the first time in a week your body was tired. “I’m going to go to sleep. Thank you, Jay, seriously.”

He gets up from your position, you feel the absence of his warmth even though he just got up, he’s about to walk out the door when you build up the courage to ask, “Can you stay? Just for tonight?”

Looking back, there's a smile on his face as he replies “Always.”

Walking back to you, he lays himself under your blanket, tucking you in before wrapping his arm around you, he pulls you into his chest.

And for the first time in what felt like forever. You fall asleep, in Jay’s arms.

☆

back masterlist next

yenqa > um title is reference to teenage dream by olivia rodrigo! umm hope u enjoyed while i ripped my heart out and put it in my writing… thanks!

taglist (CLOSED): @yeokii @hanniluvi @euncsace @jongsiemain @mrchweeee @fakeuwus @ashy1um @rikisly @filmofhybe @nwjws @yizhoutv @soov @tocupid @tzke1ta @yannew @manooffline @mars101 @haechansbbg @enhaz1 @teddywonss @en-happiness @kim2005bomi @be0mlvr @luvswonyoung @flwoie @lilriswife4life @nicholasluvbot @ikeusol @lylovw @alwayswook @astrae4 @choi-beomgyulvr @aishigrey @infpistj @jiawji @planethyuka @mari-oclock @222brainrot @jakevascaino @rory-cant-sleep @hyehae @vixensss @hearts4hanni @kgneptun @tongtongie @www-jungwon @lovejunz @fluerz @jiyeons-closet @nyuzip @leehanist @heerinnie @eneiyri

yenqa © please do not copy, steal or translate.

[bendydudeinc]

YOU GUYS ARE INSANE. I just started writing on here like a week ago, to be honest I didn’t think I was doing that well, and I already have nearly 500 likes in total. Thank you incredibly so much for supporting me, I’m having so much fun!

Now, for a little late Valentine’s Day treat because what kind of father would I be if I didn’t feed you sluts?? February 14th is overrated anyway (all characters are aged up 18+/when they become pro hero’s)

MHA CHARACTERS AND HOW THEY’D SPEND VALENTINES DAY WITH YOU💘

Izuku

Absolutely loves spoiling his baby for Valentine’s Day ugh

Makes your favorite breakfast

Gives you head and makes you cum on his face at least twice before you get up to eat

Runs a rose and salt bath for you and gives you a massage after

Sends chocolate and flowers straight to the house for you

Sweet texts throughout the day even when you’re next to him hehe

“Hey baby you look so beautiful next to me on your phone rn”

Loves making cute home-made anniversary gifts together awh

Sends you a video of him jerking off in the bathroom as you watch TV

You send one back of you cumming on the vibrator he got you as one of your presents

Ravages you on the couch when he comes back

The cutest notes ever on all your gifts omg

LOVES home-made meals and staying in with his baby for holidays

Let’s you help will Valentine’s Day dinner and teases you the whole time

Grazes your ass or kisses your neck every time he passes you in the kitchen

Get ready for the most sensual, skin on skin, sweaty, lewd sex you’ve ever had in your life

Shower with round two after of course. Uses the shower head on you until you’re shaking uncontrollably <3

Makes hearts on your body with hickeys and takes pictures to “admire later”

Katsuki

Imma be straight up, he thinks Valentine’s Day is fucking stupid

BUT. We all know he’s sensitive. If he knows you like it, it’s all for you

Sends stuff to your work so everyone knows you’re taken

Gets you a ton of presents, boys rich

Takes you out after work to all of your favorite stores and lets you pick out anything you want

Nearly gets hard in public when you innocently pick out a cute lingerie set

Scoffs at all the cringy Valentine’s Day gifts, makes you giggle

Angrily makes out with you in public whenever anyone dares glance at you

Gets you matching boxers hehe

Gets “annoyed” and acts patronized when you get him gifts but secretly keeps them forever

Orders food to the house, prefers spending the evening alone with you

LOTS of physical affirmation. Precious boy gets nervous with words

Mmmmm body praise. Not one inch of you is left untouched or without kisses

Is touching you all evening and night long, gets you worked up over hours of tantalizing foreplay

The sex is rough, needy, and filthy. You see god multiple times throughout it

He has stamina like the devil. Can’t handle it? Yes you can he makes you handle it

Wax play

Makes you scream and cry so everyone knows you have the best fuck for Valentine’s Day

Amajiki

SWEET BABY AH he definitely likes Valentine’s Day

He’s embarrassed by it, but loves the cringy couple stuff

Makes you breakfast in bed and runs you a bath with all your fav self care products

Couples face masks and matching pjs omg cute

You both get each other a ton of gifts

So many stuffies for you

Lots of validation and kisses for both of you all day <3

Doesn’t care if you go out or stay in, just wants to be with you

Looks soooo good in a suit if you decide to go out though, teases you for it over dinner oh lawd

Long, sweet, sensual sex. Lots of switching and very vocal

Tentacles, overstimulation mmmhmmm

Loves seeing you brain dead and melting from pleasure on top of him

Loves cumming inside of you and claiming you

He’s soooo soo sensitive, could cum from your voice

So fun to overstimulate him and see his face contort in embarrassment and pleasure <3

You fall asleep in his arms, him whispering how thankful he is to have you

Mina

THE goddess of Valentine’s Day

Expects you to ask her to be your Valentine. SO excited when you do

You make Valentines breakfast for each other and watch cute movies

Shower together afterwards and suck each other to tears

Matching Valentines Day outfits or she refuses to go out in public

Valentines shopping spree, you spoil each other hella

Matching lingerie sets, you take a bunch of sexy Polaroid photos

At home couples nail and spa day

Her Valentines makeup would be amazing too omg, she’d giggle at how flustered her beauty makes you

Lots of cute pictures of her and you together are getting posted

You both leave the other persons name spelled in hickeys on your thigh

take her to all her favorite sight seeing places and bring some 🍃

Mmmhmmmm high car sex with Mina

You get mcdonalds and get stoned for Valentines dinner

You watch the sunset and 69 on your back patio hehe

Denki

I think he’d hate Valentine’s Day until he gets with you. Then he’s all over it

You wake up to him kissing down your body, marking every memorized sensitive spot

“Goodmorning sweetheart. Happy national fucking day” that had made you giggle

He insisted on making you breakfast despite your protests

He sucks at cooking. You ended up convincing him to make it together

You feed each other messy ass pancakes while trying to keep a straight face

It turns into both of you giggling uncontrollably and covered in syrup

Which turns into you spread across the table as he cleans maple syrup off of your body with his tongue

Takes you out wherever you want, but I think he’d like going to a bar

Sexy matching valentines outfits gahhh

Y’all are practically humping each other at the bar

Fucks you like a wild man in the bar bathroom when one of your dances gets him too riled up

Fucks you again when you’re home, the slow kind that drives you insane

You have a gift exchange for each other, he def spoils his baby

Gets you a ton of cringy Valentines Day stuff for you both to laugh at

Can’t keep his hands off you, touching you in some way all day

Mmm electricity play and overstimulation after you smoke weed

Shotou

Doesn’t really get the whole Valentine’s Day thing, but is happy to just be with you

Goes wherever you want no hesitation, keeps asking what else you want to do after each activity

Has his hands touching you in some way almost all day

Gets everything you look at despite you saying not to, boy has hella money y’all

Gets you two the most beautiful promise rings ever

Little simp is grinning at you all day, just can’t stop admiring you

Gets you every different flower bouquet at the store because he forgot your favorite and didn’t wanna miss anything

It made him really happy when you hung all of them up in the kitchen to dry and keep after a few weeks

He has hearts in his eyes when you show off all your new clothes for him

He ends up getting you off on his thigh and cumming in his pants

“Sorry honey. You looked so wonderful putting on a show for me.”

Oh fuck this man looks good in a suit, and he knows it gets you

Takes you out somewhere fancy for dinner and squeezes your thigh every time the waiter talks to you

Makes you cum under the table with just his finger grazing your heat through your clothes

He knows you get yourself worked up seeing him so handsome

No I don’t think you understand. He looks so absolutely sexy in a godamn suit

Finally gets you home after dinner and fucks you sensually in missionary for hours

Fills you up with load upon load

Your pleasure is his

Goes absolutely feral hearing you moan his name

“Just like that sweetheart, messy little thing. Making me feel so good.”

Aizawa

Oh lawd almighty. You’re his all day no matter what

Prefers staying home with you, needs to be all over you all the time

Deep, passionate kisses all over your body as if it’s the last time he’ll ever touch you

Marks you up real good and takes pics to admire later

Makes you all three meals and literally doesn’t let you do any work all day

Takes you out somewhere nice for dinner after you beg him, you want to dress up

He’s not complaining, he doesn’t stop checking you out once over dinner

Makes you wear something that reveals the love bites on your neck

Gives you a full body massage and fucks you in the bath when you get home

Loves the way your moans echo off the bathroom walls. Makes sure you’re loud for him

Gets you your favorite flowers and a basket full of all your favorite snacks and goodies

Leaves it on the table for you to find because he doesn’t like being sappy

Gets you a new vibrator and lingerie set to try out in front of him

Ties you up suspended in the air when you get too shy and try to cover your crotch

Makes you look at him as you cry for mercy and beg him to remove the vibrator from you

He doesn’t, loves the way you soak through your lingerie as you gush into your underwear over and over

Licks the mess off of you and proceeds to give you head for another hour of overwhelming sensitivity

[starsurface]

Hii! Can you do hcs for little Kenshi from mk1 please?

Man I adore Kenshi!! He's super cool. :3

TW: Mentions of the Yakuza, references to hitting, and references about his eyes

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Regressor Kenshi Takahashi HCs

❤️ Regressed to about 3-6

❤️ Very rarely, but sometimes he'll regress to almost babyspace

❤️ Found out about regression from Liu Kang

❤️ The God was worried because before age regression, Kenshi's coping mechanism was fighting/sparring or training until his feet gave out beneath him

❤️ Was a bit, lot, skeptical of it at first but ended up slipping very quickly with Liu Kang's help

❤️ His main CGs are probably Johnny and Liu Kang (Tomas too, avid Smokencage shipper over here)

❤️ Likes having Raiden, Kung Lao, and Syzoth baby sit him from time to time

❤️ Sento will also help too!! That's their grand baby after all!!

❤️ Sento’s actually a slightly difficult provlem because sometimes Kenshi wants to see when hes small but also has a habit of unsheathing the katana

❤️ ^ Luckily Sento's Guardians will scold him because he knows he's not suppose to play with the pretty sword

❤️ Which is so totally unfair btw, he might be small, but that doesn't mean he'll hurt himself!! >:/ (has accidently cut himself multiple times while small and came blubbering to you about it)

❤️ Well, he can't exactly cry because, uh, he has no . . . eyes

❤️ But his lip will start quivering and his face will get all red and he'll make the sounds of crying

❤️ It also kinda stings a bit, since his tear production will works, even if it's damaged, but doesn't have anywhere to go

❤️ Will sometimes freak out over his eyes and start gawing at them with his hands

❤️ You've gotta gently grab his hands and tell him that he's hurting himself and can't do that

❤️ In moments like these you just gotta hold him and rock him, letting him feel your heartbeat and hold onto something soft like his blankie

❤️ He's normally very good with the rules and doesn't like breaking them

❤️ Like, he knows if he draws on the floor or the walls, he's gonna have to clean it up and his pretty art won't stay, so why try it?

❤️ But if he does get in trouvle, he has a small habit of throwing hissy fits

❤️ Foot stomping, raised voice, throwing whatever he has in his hands at the ground (never you though, even in these moments he doesn't wanna hurt you)

❤️ These can usually be delt very quickly with an arms crossed and that look that just screams he's in trouble

❤️ I know he just yelled at you, but don't yell at him please

❤️ Stern voice is okay, but he will be fearful if you raise your voice and try to go hide away somewhere to feel safe again

❤️ Don't hit him either. There are times he might flinch when he knows your upset and then go completely silent on you

❤️ You've gotta just hold him and remind him that he isn't with the Yakuza anymore, they can't hurt him anymore

❤️ Best punishments for him are the naughty corner, but he has to be able to bring his blankie (more on that later)

❤️ He doesn't exactly baby regress but on days where all he can think about is his Yakkuza life, he feels very small and fuzzy and all he really wants is to be held, comforted, and loved

❤️ ^ These days he goes mostly nonverbal, and can get fussy if you don't immediately know what he wants

❤️ It's not your fault, nor his fault, he's just feeling a lot of negative emotions right now and doesn't know how to process them

❤️ When he does get that small, I can see him being a padded regressor out of comfort, but I dunno

❤️ Absolutely adores sippy cups (and cried one time because Johnny teased him for it, don't worry!! Johnny apologized for it and they made up)

❤️ Favorite regression item he owns is this smallish soft, fuzzy blankie he owns

❤️ He had to kinda hike his knees to his tummy if he wants to be wrapped in it, but it's still his favorite

❤️ This blankie is his best friend and he will drag it everywhere (never actually draws it though, kinda just holds it in his arms or on his lap)

❤️ His favorite part of the blanket is how soft and fuzzy it is because he can just shove his fave in it and appreciate the textures

❤️ Gets absolutely destroyed when you have to wash it

❤️ No amount of explaining will help your case, he'll either sit by the washer going ‘🥺’ until it's done, or will steal your blankie because it smells like you

❤️ Cuddles and physical affection is a must, especially is Sento isn't around

❤️ ^ Even if Sento is around, he still wants (silently demands) cuddles

❤️ Favorite little nicknames are Kenny, Honey, Little Guy, and Baby

❤️ Although if you called him any nickname, he'll be all giggly and hide in your shoulder

❤️ I can also see him as a kitty regressor

❤️ Will paw at your leg and snuggle on your lap, demanding head scratchies

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

He's my baby, I love him. 🥺

[bigmack2go]

Newsies as things my family an i have saidpart two bc the other one got too long

Jack (too his newborn): naw look at you, you’re just an idiot! you can’t even do anything yet!

Baby (2 months old): *knocks something over*

Spot: you fucking idiot, why would you??

Albert (to baby): naw look at you you’re just so stupid!

Jack: can you stop calling my child stupid please?

Albert: no.

Albert: wait a minute you called him an idiot before too!

Jack: yes but he’s one year old now, he might understand you!

(In addition to that🔼 one:)

Elmer: well you called our cat fat

Jack: that’s because he actually is!

Elmer *deadpan*: well have you ever considered your son actually is stupid?

Race: listen kid

Jacks baby:

Race: it’s okay to be dumb.

Race: youre just one year old. You can’t help it.

Race: and even if you were older,

Race: that would be alright

Race: some people are just idiots

Race: and that’s okay!

Jacks baby:

Race: Alberts an idiot. And we still love him.

Race: IM an idiot

Race: and look how far i came

Race:…

Race: actually don’t look how far i came

Race: im a bad example

Jacks baby:

Race: look

Race: AHA York is an idiot

Race: and look how far he came

Race: youre gonna do wonderful

Jacks baby:🧍‍♂️

Albert: *screams back the same way the baby screams at him*

One year old: drops food

Mush: can you- EXCUSE YOU?!

Race and albert: *playing store with jacks kid*

Race: sir i‘m not sure you’re gonna pass probationary period like this. You need to stop eating the microphone.

Albert: the little Racer Higgins would like his parents to get him from the play isle

Albert: woah, i‘m a payin‘ customer np need tl scream at me

Race: Mr Kelly what did we say about takin products from customers

Albert: *whispering coworkers gossip to the kid as Racer comes in* OH HI BOSS we were just uh—

Albert: Sir, you need to pay for that! SIR! STOP THE THIEF!

One year old: babbling jsusiwhwvdkvkvbbsjsublemblemblemblemblem

Ike: same dude

Ike: i totally agree

Ike: wait really?!

Ike: *gasp* and what did you say to her???

Ike: some people just need to shut up!

Ike: no you did the right thing!

Jack: y‘know if it weren’t for the circumstances, Adolf would be a pretty neat name

Davey: WE ARE NOT NAMING OUR KID ADOLF

Race(fighting his nephews teacher): You can’t teach them that, they’ll think they’re stupid!

Race: I tried those. And I didn’t get them. How are they supposed to get it right?

Races Nephew(a first grader): uncle race I didn’t even try those yet-

Albert: why is he allowed to suck titties and i aint?

Albert: *points at baby*

(Race: because you’re gay and the kid‘s two

(Albert: how would you know that the kid is too??))

Albert: *whispers to four year old* just you wait you little— OH HI DAVEY

Albert: so when he’s missing the obvious, it’s cute but when i am it makes me an idiot?

Davey: al—

Albert: NO!

Albert: we need to normalise adults being idiots

Albert:

Davey:

Albert: actually scratch that

Albert: we need to accept that babys are idiots.

Spot: SMART „FOR HIS AGE“ And „SMART“ ARE NOT THE SAME THING

(Albert: THANK YOU)

Mush: Jack, your two year old daughter can tie better loops than your five year old son

Mush: i think she might be gifted…

Jack *LOUD*: HA

Mush: huh?

Jack: sorry im just relieved. I thought you were gonna say that he’s not

Davey to his crying 5 months old baby: ugh you’re SO melodramatic

Baby: crying

Davey: did he just fall on his face?

Davey: *sees that jack is holding the kid*

Davey: JACK WHAT DID YOU DO

Jack: HOW IS IT MY FAULT THE IDIOT IS TOO DUMB TO WALK???

[miyakuli]

A Space for the Unbound

Stand by Me

After the emotional When the Past was Around, a game I was particularly fond of, Mojiken and Toge Productions are back with another hard-hitting title. A Space for the Unbound plunges us into Indonesia in the 90s, where we follow young high-school students Raya and Atma as they confront the end of their world (I won't reveal any more than that, as the story is well worth the candle). What can I say, I can only recommend it, because once again, it's a game that left a deep mark on me:

❤ A truly moving story that touches on singularly human and mature themes. The script skilfully juggles between sweet moments and much more psychologically harsh scenes, and easily draws us in with the way it gradually distils clues about our characters and the world around us. And I'm not even going to mention the masterful ending - I still think about it with great emotion. A little gem of writing! ❤ Endearing characters, both human and animal ;) (ps: you can pet and name all the animals in the game, I'm screaming!) ❤ I'm a big fan of pixel art, and I can say that in terms of design, it's superb. From the detailed and nostalgic backgrounds, to the distinctive and memorable chara-designs, to the beautiful gameplay animations and cinematic sequences… it's a real treat! ❤ Not to mention the excellent soundtrack that accompanies the game. The music is pleasant, comforting at times, but also emotionally charged in the strong moments. And yes, the song at the end totally helped to make me cry :') ❤ Gameplay-wise, it's partly a fairly basic point & click, with little puzzles here and there that aren't too hard, but the game also offers different gameplay phases (such as QTEs and even an Ace Attorney-style court phase :p), so there's never any real sense of redundancy.

+/- I found all the quests relevant, even the more secondary ones; each one allows us to really learn about the protagonists' neighbourhood and its residents, and therefore to really feel at home there, which reinforces the nostalgic aspect of the game. On the other hand, some of them perhaps take up a little too much time for what they add to the story.

✖ Some actions require you to go back and forth quite a bit at times (and long!) ✖ Atma walks so slowly that you end up running all the time. So what's the point of the walking option x)

This is the second game from this studio that has brought tears to my eyes. They have a real talent for gently conveying emotion, through both storytelling and gameplay. I regret not having played it sooner, as it would definitely have got my vote at the Game Awards 2023, where it was nominated in the 'Game for Impact' category. Because yes, I'm not likely to forget it, and as the game wanted to teach me, cherishing your fondest memories is important for living and moving forward <3

➡ My Steam page

[ralexsol]

Thank you for being the only reasonable person I've seen in this godsforsaken fandom

I think a lot of people are reasonably upset, but are taking a somewhat harmful approach to making things better.

It's difficult to see a show with such openly queer characters and not your own demographic (poc, disabled, women). They think that they should have a place there too, which they should! But you have to consider situations in part of a bigger picture of where we're at as a society.

Right now, the queer community has a lot of attention, and it's easier for pretty much all people to take a walk in their shoes. "I'm a man who loves women, you're a woman who loves women. Well, the only thing that's different is who exactly you love, but you still love, so I don't have a hard time imagining your circumstances."

And while poc have been crying out for attention for years now, most notably in 2020 with the BLM movement, it's much harder for a white man to imagine the experience of a black woman. And considering that if you do it wrong you're canceled, it's easy to see why people shy away from it. People say, "Oh, it's just a person! Act normal!", and yes that is true, but the white man may still accidentally perpetrate a stereotype. And then he's yelled at for not doing research first. It's a cycle that people can get stuck in.

As for physically disabled people, depictions of them are so stigmatized in media at this point that it's hard to know right from wrong. There are going to be mistakes made. That doesn't make it totally okay, but progress is a process. Disabled people have been silenced for a very long time, and they deserve a hell of a lot better. But if we just tell the Council to include them, how are the Council to know exactly what that looks like? We need to give them ideas, we have to guide them.

And as for women, yeah, there's definitely a lot to be desired. Frankly, they're a bunch of white guys; it's bound to happen. What we can do is clamor for more women who aren't only milfs. Yes, we love them, but regular, strong ladies like Jay are needed all throughout the campaigns. Give Jay some love. She's amazing. Condi does great with her.

The JRWI community has the unique position of being able to actually influence the creators. While Disney artists and writers are hidden away behind a big corporation and continue to pump out the same white, straight, cisgendered characters, we have one on one contact with the Council.

Tell me: if you went up to a Disney executive and screamed at them to include a black ambiguously bisexual or lesbian woman in one of their movies, do you think that would help the issue? No, they wouldn't care. They'd just say you're trying to brainwash their children again.

Meanwhile, the Council are a small group of four white, mostly cisgendered and straight men. And yet, they've included gay, lesbian, bisexual, nonbinary, unlabeled, asexual, transgender, and black people! That's awesome! We should be celebrating the fact that this podcast even exists! It's incredible.

Don't scream at them. That's counter-productive. Have civil conversations, encourage them to do more, show them what representation should look like while giving them room to be creative with it. Tell them what they do wrong and then point them kindly in the right direction.

I don't want this community to kill the podcast. I don't want all of this negativity to force Grizzly to leave - and I think it could get to that point if things continue the way they do.

Art is the best way to influence the Council. Draw the pcs with mobility aids! Give the poc characters love and attention, expand on hcs. Make ocs that showcase aspects of these lesser-represented communities. There are so many things you can do.

[meaningtotellyou]

i feel like most people these days don't actually know WTF virtue signaling is, like if someone that voted for kamala (actually tired to make it so trump wouldn't get a presidency again which like correct me if I' m fucking wrong is actually supporting the cause against right wing extremism and oh idk the potential decline into total fascism under trump???) wants to make friendships bracelets as a way to not only cope but maybe as a way to be like hey i promise not to hate crime you like i think that's valid and fine personally. I feel like third party voters virtue signal the most then point fingers at people that actually get how this country functions and vote in ways that are productive and helpful to any causes instead of voting for fucking JILL STEIN OR RFK JR im gonna SCREAM also my dumb fuck idiot of a brother didn't bother to vote before he left the country and i just had to deal with him crying about trump winning and his daughters being mad at him in the car and its like well why tf didn't you vote before you left you fucking idiot, you have two half Taiwanese daughters who are both neurodivergent and queer ofc they're going to be pissed at you for not fucking voting

YOURE RIGHT and i also cannot feel sorry for the otherwise unbothered people now crying because he won. if you sat and did nothing then you got EXACTLY what you clearly wanted

[acredb]

🩶 - Hey! Please ramble about your current favorite AU you have, it can be an AU of anything. I love when people lore dump on me <3

hi anon! i have so many AUs that I can't pick a favourite, so i might just give a [not so] quick summary of all if thats okay!

Shattered Souls- JSaB [with headcanons from the pink corruption] AU

MC: Cube

This AU was probably the one that got me through some of my darkest thoughts, and because I was a mere youngin when I created it, it's obviously mostly foom, gloom and despair. Not long after the [pink] Corruption ended across Paradise, when all the corripted shapes were either purified/cured, reformed or exterminated, one of Cube's friends, Lycan, decided to host a house party in his and the other hero's favour. Several toasts were made, a lot of noise and commotion, loud thank yous and sorrys, you get the point. Now the thing is it that Cube sucks at social interaction, even in Present Era SS. Man's trying his best to hold out, but the large crowds are doing numbers for his already frazzled nerves and he ends up closing himself in the bathroom, trying to avoid a panic attack. He kinda succeeds, kinda fails, and this is where one of the recurring themes in SS starts to come into play: possession. While he's trying to avoid a nerbous breakdown, a little spooky demon thing ever so kindly tries to influence him to let þem take control. Unfortunately, because Cube’s stress and nerves are lying on beds of needles, þey don’t even need a ‘yes’ from him, and end up starting to poison his thoughts, his words, his actions. He catches on, though, and leaves the house party in a rush, Heli sees him, and follows after. She loses him, before finsing him again, kneeling [almost limp] in a clearing of the nearby forests/woodlands. She goes to help, and he, uh, violently and brutally kills her. Well, not him. Anyway, when the sneaky demon bratty boy[neutral] decides þey’re done with him, they leave him to pass out and wake up later, next to the bleeding corpse of one of his closest friends! How thoughtful! When he comes to, he [understandably] freaks out. Mental breakdown level freaks out. Holding the desecrated body of that helicopter in his arms, blood dripping down his hands, his jaw, he ends up crying, screaming apologies to the corpse in his arms, not noticing the rustling in the bushes behind him. Speaking of the bushes, behind them peeked a golden coloured hexagon, whose eyes immediately widened when she saw the carnage. Holy shit. Cube just fucking murdered someone. Also freaking out, she runs off, shaken, while Cube, also shaken with no idea of what to do now, just leaves Heli there while he also flees. [Man didn’t even bury her…for shame… /j] Cut to him back at his house, desperately trying to wash the blood off his hands, his robes, under his nails, between his fingers…but oh god, the feeling isn’t going away…so he gives up. He doesn’t look bloody at least…man proceeds to pack up his shit to throw in the wash when he’s calm enough to think again. Which he isn’t. No matter how many times he wipes his cheeks, the tears just keep flooding back. So what can he do? He can’t go to the cops, they’ll have his head on a stick! B’sides, who’d even believe him? He blacked out in a forest and woke up near a corpse? How totally believable! So he doesn’t do anything. Super productive, I know. /j Eventually, the cops do come knocking, asking about the disappearance of some helicopter from the Cyan Peninsula, and asking him if he knows anything because he was close to her. Cube’s starting to freak out, not gonna lie. Uh oh. He tries his damndest to make his fear look like nervousness, worry, an allat, and it seems to work, even though the police don’t seem to believe him. They ask a couple questions, he gives a couple answers, they seem satisfied, and it all runs smoothly. Up until he’s mailed a letter about a court trial. Shit. Gonna skip some parts, Cube gets found guilty of murder and exiled, before people find out about the demons from other experiences/sources. He’s told he can come back, which he barely believes. He’s just scared to, to be honest. I mean, he hasn’t been so stressed in his life. Amd of course, because ol’ acred’s AUs here can’t have a moment of peace, when Cube returns some kind of sickness starts to spread, spreading through the landscape via some black goo/slime subtance amd through shapes by turning the-

limit

[forestryfae]

"can people please be quiet with teh doors" "yeah you can have attention tomorrow" FUCK OFF. DIE. I CAN SLAM THE DOOR AT FUCKING EIGHT PM IF I WANT TO, FUCK OFF WITH THE TALKING TO EVERYONE THROUGH SNAPCHAT CUS YOU HAVE A PROBELM WITH ONE PERSON AND THE SECOND CUNT. man i am SO glad he sSO much better and more mature than everyone else, he totally is so much better than me for not slamming doors and he has SUCH a good handle on his emotions that when hes mad or annoyed or cranky he doesnt just straight up insult people or get bitchy or bite at them or act like a complete cunt, he totally didnt completely stop talking to a friend just cus she didnt liek him romantically, he totally doesnts it in the livingroom being crankya nd sulky and bitchy all fucking day so its uncomfortable for everyone else to sit in there.

not that anyone has any issue with it when this third guy slams the front door and slams the chair when he moves it and all that shit without being fucking angry or upset, he does it just for fun. noone complains when he and this girl literally ran like fucign idiots up the stairs and made a huge fucking racket at nearly 11. the same guy who slams the doors for fun fucking played music at full volume WITH bass for months and noone complained cus hes "sensitive". i can hear someones fucking music right now and its not that looud but its still fucking annoying, and it usually lasts until WAY past 11

but if i get angry its "attention whore" and "dont slam doors" and i dont see ANYONE and if im still angry when they come to talk to me noone wants to be around me. fuck me, im not allowed to be angry ever and when i am and its fucking righteous and fair and welldeserved im still a bitch and i need to widen my tolerance window. FUCK that

and somehow im supposed to make friends and be a productive member of society and live on my own independently?? how the fuck am i suppose dto do that when im not allowed to do shit. i cant try to be social, i cant be sad or upset, i cant be happy or someone will do their best to ruin that, i cant be angry, i cant even be fucking hungry or tired, theres noever any excuse that is good enough and its all my fault because i dont take responsibility, and no matter what im always fucking annoying everyone. noone is ever on my team either cus it entierly depends on whether or not they agree or disagree with me, whether theyre annoyed at me or not, and whether its a neccessity that isnt fulfilled that im not worth enough to be allowed to have. everything is my fault, im not given any grace that is given to anyone else because i dont fucking deserve it, i am awarded nothing for being capable of doing things that are hard for me no matter what because i dont fucking deserve it for doing the bare minimum, i dont deserve to be helped and im not good enough to get help no matter what i do, im inherently THE worst person in the world and no matter how little i care about myself and how little i feel just to make other people comfortable its never going to be enough

youd think not hitting people or breaking stuff and only slamming doors even though youre fuckign furious and could scream and bite people was on some level actually a good thing. and yet here i am being told im an attention whore for slamming a door and hiding in my room and crying as quietly as i can so noone can fucking hear me. cus im not fucking allowed to be upset and removing myself from a situation that fucking infuriates me and makes me want to scream. ud think removing myslef so i dont scream at people cus people dont like that would be a good thing but no. thats also fucking bad. not that anyone fucking cares either, staff doesnt come check on me. staff doesnt care. my parents dont care. friends dont give a shit. noones gonna come comfort me or actually help with the underlying issue or the constant repeating pattern of bullshit. nah fuck that its my fault for being angry at bullshit to begin with. im an asshole for this, noone else is at blame for being shit at communication or treating me like shit, and i just need to stop having any emotions that annoy other people. god fuck off and eat shit. what the fuck.

[taralen]

This is an excellent analysis that I would like to add to as someone who [[suffers]] deals with mirroring mental health issues like him, in addition to having over a decade of [[top-rated]] customer service and sales experience.

Spamton's unusual dichotomy between a total bastard and a sympathetic yet broken person can also be attributed to psychosis paired with a strong and near-constant state of mania. These conditions fuel illusions of grandeur and irritability and can cause someone to have displaced feelings of time and space, thus limiting their impulse control and rational thinking. At any given moment, he could think something is a good idea and then probably regret it mentally after the deed's already been carried out. Someone can act like a complete jerk on the outside but be screaming in agony on the inside, and I strongly believe this is the case with Spamton. He is terrified of people discovering his inner self: a sad man who likely still has the insecurities he once did as an ambitious yet foolish Addison.

He battles constantly with his sense of self, ambitions, and delusions that fuel his entire state of being. As a former professional salesman (with implied business ownership) and media darling, his public image was the most important thing to him. Without an audience, he has no reason to put this mask up, so he's become rude, belligerent, and morally bankrupt over time. It's the mindset of, "Why should I be kind to these people when I did all these things for them only to be tossed out like yesterday's trash?" He feels slighted by them, so he's always rude and grumpy despite knowing how to talk smoothly (and perhaps de-escalate situations) in the past.

Isolation and lack of social support will screw someone with an already fragile mind into a state of self-sabotage. No matter what he tries to sell, everyone sees it as trash, and he knows what a quality product is since he used to sell stuff people wanted. The storefront is likely just another delusion or coping method to "re-live" his past. It's highly unlikely that anyone, not even that sentient trashcan, is willing to purchase anything from him due to being, quite literally, canceled by the same people who used to praise him.

By the time Kris meets him, he's already at rock bottom. He's desperate and acts impulsively. He is just incredibly lucky to run into someone like Kris, who sympathizes with him and has a Lightner's soul. Kris is also young and impulsive for trusting a stranger, but like Spamton, Kris is desperate for answers and solutions to their problem, which is still unclear to the audience/player at the time of writing this.

Also, going by the route where you use ATTACK on Spamton, he cries [HELP], then goes on a rant about how he was beaten up. Based on previous dialogue trees, we can assume that he's projecting a past experience of getting beaten up since the scenario he's describing is not what Kris was doing. Why would anyone want to be nice to people when he could be assaulted?

I used to work in one of the roughest cities on the West Coast of the USA, and I had co-workers who would come in with cuts and bruises just because some total asshole decided to beat them up on their way to work, and these were honest, hard-working dudes just trying to get by. How much more for a homeless man like Spamton, who faces social isolation and scrutiny?

Although this is up for debate, it's implied (somewhat heavily) that he wasn't always a puppet. The "puppification" process probably didn't help his social image and branded him as a "freak" to the other citizens. His past fame made it difficult for anyone to understand his problems clearly, and now that he looks "ugly," people only see him for his outer appearance and not the man crying out for help inside.

This is a minor aside, but I experience a similar (though not exactly the same) problem of being unable to express myself easily in person. I get a warmer reception than he does, but people often assume nothing is wrong with me. I blame it on my training in customer service and public speaking, which conditioned me to always talk as confidently as possible when in person or on call. I suspect Spamton faces a similar problem of not knowing how to shake this off. In his case, we only know he is suffering because of Kris's POV. He doesn't want to show this side of him to anyone else, hence why Ralsei and Susie were not allowed into his "store." People likely assume he's a crooked salesman and nothing more.

Anyway, this literally turned into a college essay, so I'll leave it at that. I love the stuff you pointed out and wanted to expand upon the ideas. Sorry for the omega-long post!

One reason why Spamton still compells me as a character, is that he has so much character.

He lived a pretty shitty life advertising to a crowd that wouldn't hear him. He lived in luxury in a mansion run by a very unserious ruler. He lives in dumpsters scattered around the city, and has a shop located in the Trash Zone.

How much does he know? We don't know.

He's unbelievably impolite. He's pushy and a prick. He literally scams you after you Already agreed to help him. He thanks you for clearing out the city with Noelle. He considers Kris a friend and wants to Help them as much as he wants to help himself.

He's a car salesman. He's a spam email. He's a digital character. He's a ventriloquist dummy. He's draped in black and white. He has the most ridiculous color palette out of any boss in the game. He claims to only care about money. We see him care so deeply he gives away his only remaining possession. He takes things too seriously. He makes a good amount of jokes throughout his mission.

He's a walking contradiction and I love him. I love him so much.

[notanotherblorbo]

My mom absolutely refusing to get me tested for adhd and then getting mad and confused when my symptoms cause me to fail is so funny and I love it and I don't want to scream and cry.

I love that my symptoms are making my job 10 times more difficult and I can't explain to people why I'm struggling so much because no one would fucking believe me.

I love that not even the fucking therapist can listen to me because the anxiety I feel when I see her makes it impossible for me to actually talk about my problems. Making it where she only sees a stressed out kid instead of what I actually came there for.

I love that being totally overstimulated at work and working more than I ever have is making it impossible for me to do anything productive when I'm at home because I'm to tired and then it gets too late.

Love that I get so upset and confused every time someone calls me out for doing something wrong and then being scared of telling people about my mistakes because I don't want them to get annoyed or judge me just leads to them getting even more exasperated when they find out I've made a mistake.

Love that my sleep schedule is fucked because I stay up as late as possible distracting myself from everything so that I don't have to stay up worrying about it.

Love that my adhd has causes increased symptoms of anxiety that have my mom convinced that I'm just stressed and confused. And that I've just found the wrong answer, and that her trauma regarding school and her own disabilities have made it impossible for her to believe that getting tested or getting diagnosis could be helpful.

Love that I'm baisically living exclusively off of my hyperfixation foods cause everything else is just unappealing. And that because they are all unhealthy and I eat a ton of them as a sort of stim when I get stuck scrolling in executive dysfunction hyperfixation space out mode that everyone just think im just a lazy glutton that sits and eats. And I feel gross and weak all the time cause I'm not eating healthy but I don't know how to eat healthy and my parents keep complaining about us eating unhealthy and then not trying to get healthy foods that we will eat and I just.

And I get so so so scared when I try to talk to my parents about it that I can't do anything. Because my dad doesn't care and my mom is convinced that a diagnosis would ruin my life.

LOVE LOVE LOVE IT AND I IM NOT CRYING SOMEBODY FIX ME IM SO FUCKING TIRED.

Of course I'm making excuses. Sorry for trying to reach out for help guess I'll just drown.

[violetrainbow412-blog]

Hair emergencies [E. M]

Eddie Munson x reader

Word count: 1.1k

"Eddie?" you asked, slamming the trailer door hard "Ed?" you repeated in a scream, without stopping your blows. He hadn't been to school that day and you thought he was just being lazy, but what really bothered you was that you spent a whole hour waiting for him in the theater room with the Hellfire club and he never showed up. That's why you drove so late to the Munson trailer.

“Y/N?” you heard from inside. His voice sounded weird, like something was covering his nose, and your first thought was that he was sick.

"It's me, can I come in?"

"Nope!" he practically screeched, making you frown.

"Are you sick?"

"No, just… go away, please"

"What is the matter with you?" you exclaimed in confusion, getting as close as possible to the door to try and hear something. "Why didn't you go to Hellfire today?" you murmured. There was no response from the other end and that was the straw that broke the camel's back of your concern "Eddie?" you repeated with fear, without being able to imagine what was so bad as to have left the most talkative boy you knew in the world speechless.

It was then that the door opened and your body fell slightly inwards, revealing a figure standing shyly. Eddie was wearing red pajama bottoms with black plaid, a shirt so worn you couldn't even read the band's name anymore, and his eyes were red and puffy. But what caught your attention the most were the strands of blonde hair that were cut unevenly.

“I look horrible” he cried, flopping down against you for a hug. You had to confess that you imagined something very different from that, so you were surprised.

"What the hell…? What happened Eddie?” you asked, looking over his shoulder at the tangle of curly hair. It was enough to inhale a little to realize that he smelled of peroxide and understand what had happened "Did you try to dye your hair?" you exhaled, hearing you unintentionally amused, while he continued to cry on your shoulder. You forced him to separate from you so you could look at him more closely and no matter how hard you tried you couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Don't mock!" he sobbed loudly, as he hugged himself. He really looked shattered and you pulled him back into a hug, placing your cheek against his.

"Oh, Ed…" you murmured pityingly, running your hand up and down his back. "How did this happen, honey?"

“I thought it would be easy and the box said to leave it on for 30 minutes, but I wanted it to look lighter so I could paint it differently and I left it on for 1 hour, and then when I took it off the hair got all nasty and it started to fall and I wanted to cut it, but it looks horrible and Wayne isn't here to help me and I'm… my God I'm so ugly” he stammered, then burst into tears again. You really wanted to laugh at the situation, but you knew that Eddie would never forgive you so you did your best to stay calm while trying to calm him down.

“Yeah, yeah, my love. It's okay, we can fix it” you exclaimed, maintaining the soft tone with which you would speak to a small child who had just ruined something with a mischief. A smile crept onto your lips as you did this, but he couldn't see you.

You kept holding him for a while until he finished crying and when he did you lifted his face with both hands. He had a red nose and the same eyes, which made you feel a lot of compassion and in a certain way tenderness too.

"Do you really think you can fix it?" he asked as he rubbed the back of his hand to wipe away his tears.

"Yes, I can do it," you said gently, as you took his hand and led him to a bench in the kitchen. You went to his bathroom to get some scissors and there you found strands of hair along with the box of dye, as well as a pair of gloves full of product. You shook your head, totally amused, and went back to him, who was already a little calmer "I have to cut the damaged part, but I'll try to make it as long as possible, okay?" you said in his direction, receiving a nod.

"Okay"

It wasn’t such a difficult task to cut his hair, since regularly Wayne was the one who did it and always let it grow like a mane. Eddie felt your hands taking strands and cutting them, the sound of the scissors filling the silence of the room. After a long time you finally managed to get rid of the blond and burned strands of him, leaving him a cut above shoulder height, almost at the level of his ears.

"All set, handsome," you said cheerfully. He had already stopped crying, but he still looked quite sad "Don't worry, it's not that bad"

"Are you serious?" he asked, guiding one of his hands to his messy mop of hair. "Jeez, I'm so fucking stupid," he sighed, throwing his head back and closing his eyes in obvious pain. You walked over to him and wrapped your arms around him, allowing yourself a small laugh.

“How did you think leaving the dye in twice as long was such a good idea?” you scoffed, hoping he wouldn't start crying again. But instead you heard him let out a bitter laugh against your chest "What color were you going to paint it?"

"Red" he replied, feeling extremely embarrassed.

"Next time ask me for help, airhead" you exclaimed amused, while you left a kiss on his crown. The atmosphere was more relaxed and Eddie felt calm now that you had come to fix it. Your very presence made him feel better.

“Do you still like me like this?”

"This dumb?" you joked, but from the bite he gave you on the side you figured he wasn't very amused “Of course I like you, Eddie. I like you, not your hair”

"Thanks for coming. I probably would have shaved my head out of desperation,” he confessed. He raised his head in your direction and stretched his lips towards you for a kiss, which you gave without complaint. The contact made the tension in his shoulders disappear and he practically melted in your arms, completely forgetting the stress that had accompanied him all afternoon. "Will you stay tonight?" he asked in a whisper, desperate that this kiss wasn't the only one he received that day.

And well, to those bright and pretty eyes you could never say no.

TAG LIST: @sweetdayme4427 @smol-book-nerd

[dagdasgodslayer]

[Thankfully, Mr. Bell didn't ask anything more of him; he'd rather not dredge up trauma or fumble a totally fabricated backstory. He needed time for...both of those, really.] ❝ Thank you, sir. ❞

[Nanashi may have misinterpreted his teacher's complaints, but a suppressant really sounded like a good solution for any sleeping problems ( assuming it was his abilities that were bugging him ). Maybe not, then. At least Mr. Bell was taking it in stride!]

❝ Heh, okay -- I hope they figure out a way to teach that, then. I wonder if there's a super with, like...sleeping powers. ❞ [For therapeutic purposes, of course. Having nocturnal abilities sounded more like a villain thing, though...putting people to sleep would be too much of an advantage.]

[His teacher's reassurance meant the world to him; they were his number one priority and concern in all of this ( and the opposite was probably true for them ). He wanted a guarantee that, no matter what he did, they wouldn't be put in any danger whatsoever -- he'd never forgive himself if his actions jeopardized them. Mr. Bell made it clear that they would be alright; that was enough.]

[Nanashi couldn't help a laugh at Mr. Bell's question -- if Nanashi had cared about his family's rules, he wouldn't be skipping class or taking on gangs. Accepting rides from strangers was a no-no he'd been taught since he was a little kid, but Mr. Bell wasn't a stranger. Nanashi trusted him -- his dad did, too. There wasn't a real rule-break here.]

❝ Nah, don't sweat it. You're on the good list -- I'm sure Dad wouldn't mind you giving me a ride. ❞ [He probably wouldn't accept Nanashi being whisked off to Afton Robotics without permission, but...he didn't have to know.]

[Nanashi dutifully followed after his teacher, trying to suppress his returning anxiety. It was hitting him again -- this was it, a make-or-break that could set him up for life. God, he hoped Mr. Bell hadn't been exaggerating about how hard it'd be to disappoint them.]

[Mr. Bell's car was surprisingly unremarkable, but it was an older model that he could appreciate -- his dad had sparked Nanashi's interest in cars, especially "ancient" makes from the fifties. This might not be a fifties car, but it was a model that interested him nonetheless, no matter how plain. As an added bonus, Mr. Bell's personality really shone through in the mementos he'd decorated the interior of his car with. There was even a makeshift fox plush on his dashboard! It seemed impressively complicated. Cool.]

[Their conversation didn't die down once throughout the drive -- unproductive in terms of thinking up a backstory, but extremely productive in easing Nanashi's nerves. It was tough for his anxiety to creep up when he was so busy distracting himself with idle chatter. He was really grateful for it.]

[As they pulled up, Nanashi was taken aback by the opulent entrance; the architecture screamed "fancy" and "modern." Nanashi had seen it in pictures, but those were nothing compared to reality. It was gorgeous and sleek, all while avoiding the oppressive atmosphere of similar buildings. He was immediately struck by the feeling that he did not belong here -- he'd grown up in middle class poverty all his life. This was a far cry from his home.]

[Steven pulled Nanashi away from the metal detectors and into a luxurious lobby. The sheer elegance of this place was intimidating. Couches, chairs, and vending machine might not seem like much, but Nanashi was used to depressing folding chairs and tables. It almost reminded him of those fancy vibrating chairs in the middle of the mall that he'd always insisted on sitting on -- the only difference here was that the luxury was all-encompassing.]

[He'd been so distracted admiring the place that he almost forgot that the point of a waiting room was to sit. He felt like a total outsider as he cozied up on one of the chairs. He'd never get used to this.]

❝ ...Not really. ❞ [He admitted; it wasn't that he didn't want this as a home, he just felt...undeserving. That had been today's overarching theme.] ❝ This is a lot. I can't see myself ever getting used to this. ❞

[Nanashi nearly jumped out of his chair when Dagda spoke up again; since Dagda's voice was imperceptible to anyone other than Nanashi, it wasn't like Mr. Bell would hear, but it still startled him.]

❝ You'd better start, kid. This is what you wanted, isn't it? ❞ [His voice sounded smug, but what struck Nanashi was the demon's sudden support. He'd encouraged all of this. He even acknowledged that it was more Nanashi's dream than his own, but he was still willing to let Nanashi pursue it. Yeah...Dagda wasn't so bad.]

[Nanashi quietly smiled, giving a subtle nod. He didn't want to freak Mr. Bell out now, just when he was about to formally introduce himself to the company.]

"Don't sweat it. You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. I know this stuff can be difficult to talk about."

He is disappointed, but again-- his job is practically completed. He'll leave it to his teammates to wheedle out the extra details.

Steven has to stifle another laugh at the kid's blunt assessment. Nanashi's not wrong.

"Yeah! Wait, uh-- no, that's not-- I don't want a suppressant. That's not what I meant." He would gladly trade a few headaches here and there for all the good his powers offer.

"It's really not so bad, I'm totally used to it by now. I mean, people take medication for all sorts of things. The only thing they could do for me now is teach me to have self-control in my sleep. Heh."

Steven flashes a thumbs-up, turning to tidy his belongings into his shoulder bag. He's been careful not to personalize the classroom too much, so it's easy to pack up everything for a hasty get away. Tomorrow, someone will come in and kindly explain that Steven's had a family emergency, and that they'll be bringing in a very qualified replacement to finish up the semester. Bell half-wishes he had waited to approach Nanashi, but he's far too professional to delay an acquisitions assignment just to finish teaching his class. Who knows? Maybe he and Nanashi will get the chance to chat about this stuff if they ever cross paths in the office. That'd be nice-- Steven really does find Nanashi's interest in the coursework refreshing.

"Of course. Don't worry, they'll be just fine!" he says, and believes it. His own parents are living very well, far, far away, with the sort of stipend necessary to support a lifestyle they could never have dreamed of when Steven was young. The difference between him and Nanashi is that Steven doesn't have to lie about where the money comes from-- his parents are the ones who signed him up for the program in the first place. In Nanashi's case, if he wants to support his family financially while also keeping them in the dark, he might have to get creative about suddenly becoming a very wealthy teenager. Even standard AR internships don't pay that much.

"Are they okay with you, um, taking rides from teachers? Not that you'll be telling them about any of this, but... still. I don't know. I don't want to make you break your family rules."

Bell's already beginning to walk out of the classroom, however, and Nanashi has already indicated he's willing to head out now; unless the kid expected AR to send some fancy transport to pick him up, he probably knew he'd be hitching a ride over.

Steven's car certainly doesn't look like the vehicle of someone with ties to one of the biggest companies in the country. It's old, unremarkable, and almost exceptionally plain-- at least on the outside. Inside, there's finally a hint of personality, little trinkets here and there (including what appears to be a hand-made Foxy plush sitting on his dashboard) and a backseat littered with the spoils of Steven's last antiquing trip.

Steve is (unsurprisingly) chatty on the half-hour drive out to the local Afton Robotics office complex. He does his best to keep conversation light and give Nanashi time to collect his thoughts before he overwhelms the poor kid again by actually showing him around his workspace.

Afton Robotics is exceptional, after all.

Any pretense of unassuming normalcy is abandoned at the entryway; clean, bright, modern architecture sprawls before the pair, classy but without the cold, clinical air one might see from similar companies like Oscorp. There's a security checkpoint that Steven circumvents with a flash of his badge, leading Nanashi away from what appear to be metal detectors directly towards a more comfortable waiting area decked out with couches, chairs, vending machines, and displays describing the many advancements made "in these very halls"!

Steven flops into one of the chairs, shooting off another quick text to let the others know they've arrived. It won't be long now until he and Nanashi part ways.

Again, he feels a twinge of regret-- he'll miss the kid.

"So... yeah. This is it. What do you think, Nanashi? Ready to call this place home?"