#but I'm looking at some of the au stuff we've made and shared and just. pic au....... my beloved.....

[floating-far-from-earth]

so while not quite birthday art, a doodle of the two of them for the birthday~! the sillies......

[xxkissesforchanniexx]

𝐏𝐥𝐮𝐬 𝐎𝐧𝐞

Pairing: childhood bff!Chan x fem!reader (non-idol au) Word count: 3.4k Genre: Fluff 🥰💖, Smut 🔥❤️ (angst if you squint) Warning: Weddings... (lord help me), pro best friend chan, mentions of familial favoritism, semi rough sex? , soft dom!chan, sweet name calling(babygirl, princess), slightly jealous chan, comfort, lord someone teach me how to make better warnings, i think thats all? (someone needs to teach me to proof read.)

A/N: THANK YOU FOR 100 FOLLOWERS I LOVE YOU <3 I'm working on improving the formating of my works so >.> bare with me if some of the stuff doesnt translate over well on different devices, especially the text message part >.>

When you were young, you often got compared to your sister, your sister who loved pink and poodles and tutu skirts. She was younger than you by a year and yet, she always out did you, always was a step ahead, always beating you in everything. Yeah, you loved her, but the pain of comparison drove a wedge between you two.

You were 5 when you met Chan. He was very silly, always playing games and smiling, you happened to attend the same school and after he stood up for you against an older boy at the park you two were inseparable.

Chan, who sang for you. Chan, who shared his food with you. Chan, who taught you how to dance. Chan, who teased you for acting like a nerd. Chan, who was your best friend.

Chan was sitting on the couch in your apartment, watching a cringey romantic comedy with you when your phone rang. You gave it a glance and cringed, your grandmother's name appeared on the screen with a image of the woman with an almost plastic smile.

"You should probably answer." Chan said, "Would make it worse if you didn't."

You gave your best friend a side eye. "Nah really?"

He laughed lightly as you answered the phone.

"Hi, honey, you are joining us this year for the whole family get-together aren't you?" The old woman's voice came through the speaker to your ear.

"Of course Grandma-" You started.

"That's what you said last year, and you didn't come."

You made a face, the reason you hadn't gone was because you were sick. "Things happen Grandma."

"And the year before that?"

You pursed your lips, glancing at Chan. You weren't avoiding your family really you were just... avoiding the conflict that ensued when you were with your family. And by conflict you meant the constant onslaught of questions and disappointed looks you got whenever your family asked about anything you were doing with your life.

"And anyway, it's been so long since we've heard from you, we want to see how you've been, keep the family together, bring new people in along the way." Your grandma sounded so happy.

"What do you mean?" You were confused by the "bring new people".

"Oh dear. Did your sister not tell you?" Your grandma sighed, "She has a surprise for us this year."

You sighed. Your little sister always was one better than you, or two, or ten...

"Y/n?" Your grandma's voice brought you out of your daze and Chan leaned forward looking at your face.

"I'll be there this year grandma, I promise."

"Alright. Bye bye honey."

"Bye..." You said in a small voice hanging up.

Chan smiled slightly at you. "So?"

"Help."

His eyes widened slightly before darting around. "You know I really would if I could read minds but it's awfully sad I cant."

You rolled your eyes at the man. "My family dislikes everything I do."

"And?" Chan leaned back, raising a brow.

"They don't dislike you."

"What are you trying to do here?"

You clasped your hands and gave your best friend the most innocent pure pleading gaze. "Come with me, so they won't hate on me."

Chan made a face. "No-"

"I'll pay for the wifi in your apartment for the next two- four months." You grabbed your friend's big hands in yours, "Please!"

"Just because they don't hate me doesn't mean they won't hate on you." Chan said exasperated.

"BUT they'll find someone to compare to you so I won't have to be put down by this." You give him a pleading look.

"Y/n. I've done a lot of dum shit before this is my limit."

"Channie!" You begged. "Come on! I'll pay your netflix subscription too!"

Chan groaned. "Fine! You're making me feel guilty."

"AH! You're the best Chan." You smiled hugging you friend.

He rolled his eyes and patted your hair. "You're lucky netflix is expensive."

So there you were dinner, with your family, your grandmother quick to jump and compliment Chan and compare your father and uncles to him when they were his age. Everyone complimenting your sister and asking her what the big news was. Your dad looked about ready to leave when your younger sister stood. tapping her spoon against her glass gently.

You looked at her, she smiled at you, a smile you couldn't read.

"I have a big announcement to make." She looked at her boyfriend. "Well.. we have a big announcement to make."

"What is it dear?" Your mother asked.

"We're getting married!" Your little sister jumped and smiled. Everyone started clapping.

The initial excitement and congratulations ended, leaving a gently chattering at the table.

Cue your grandmother.

"Y/n dear, what about you?"

Silence.

Everyone looked at you.

Your sister sighed slightly. "Granny, you can't pester her. Give her time, she might get married before 40."

A soft laugh rippled over the table, you stared at your little sister. She smiled innocently, your fist clenched under the table. So what if she was younger and prettier and more successful. You made a move to excuse yourself but Chan grabbed your fist under the table, you relaxed your grip and his fingers slipped between yours and squeezed gently. Your heart skipped a beat and you looked up at your best friend, smiling.

Her Majesty the Queen 01:53 She was obviously out to get you.

Butt Hunter 01:53 I agree

🐶 01:54 Go to the wedding in white.

Baby Chick 01:54 💀

. Me 01:54 I'm NOT going to my sister's wedding in white!

Beanie boy 01:54 He's giving real solutions here.

Squirrel 01:55 Just don't go?

Bread. 01:55 All you do is avoid conflict.

Squirrel 01:55 NO I DONT

Noodle Spirit Survivor. 01:56 shut up. it's 2 in the fucking morning.

. Me 01:56 Sorry Chan, we'll shut up now.

Beanie boy 01:56 Erm actually it's 1:56 AM

🐶 01:56 It's called silent old man.

Bread. 01:56 LMFAO

Baby Chick 01:56 LOL

Butt Hunter 01:56 I don't think his phone box has a silent button.

Squirrel 01:57 😭

Her Majesty the Queen 01:57 💀

You put your phone down and picked up the invitation to your sister's wedding, 4 months... all you had was 4 months to get someone to go to the wedding with. You sighed, going to the app store and downloaded for the nth time, tinder. Cringing.

You had four months to at least meet some expectations, get a nice guy for maybe a month or two, ask him to be your plus one to your sister's wedding then what? You shrugged to yourself and shoved your phone under your pillow before going to sleep.

Chan realized he was screwed, he watched you get ready for another date.

"Honestly." You sighed sitting down to put on your makeup. "I might just go with a random guy. Or maybe I could take Hyunjin or Jisung."

He pursed his lips. Was he even an option for you? What made this guy from tinder so important you had to doll yourself up to go see him. Chan bit his lip, you were his best friend, he could fix the problem, he could be your plus one, he could ask. but he didn't. He was too scared to.

He remembered his conversation with Changbin and Minho a few days earlier. Maybe he was being too much of a pussy. He'd known you for ages, he knew how you liked your coffee and the music that calmed you down, he knew what part in silly romance movies made you cry, he knew when you were uncomfortable and when you were too angry to speak.

"If you keep beating around the bush with how you feel you might never get a chance."

Changbin's words rang in his ears and he bit his lip.

"Y/n what if-" He started.

The doorbell rang as you finished applying your lip stick. "Oh, I gotta go Channie." You stood and hugged him. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck." Chan gave you a small smile and the moment you were out the door he was cursing himself for not stopping you. "Damnit."

Chan wished he hadn't wished you luck. You and Seokmin, your date, apparently hit it off. For the next two and a half weeks Chan felt like a third wheel in his own friendship with you, if you weren't on the phone with Seokmin, you were texting him, and if you weren't texting him, you were talking about him.

It really came to a head when Hyunjin invited the entirety of the group chat to go out for karaoke and you were busy with Seokmin the day off.

It hand't really been his intention to show up at your place angry, just the thought of you not just ghosting him but the whole friend group. He knocked a few times. no response.

Chan knocked again. he still got no response. Sure the key in the dirt of the potted plant hanging under the sign of your apartment number was for emergencies only, but this was an emergency. (to him anyway.)

Chan opened the door and entered your apartment, expecting to hear lewd sounds or... what else was he really expecting. But as he approached your door his heart ached. It wasn't a sound he heard often from you but it was one he could recognize any day. Chan pushed the door open slowly. You sat on your bed, hugging a pillow, eyes red and puffy, tears streaking your face, you didn't notice him until he closed the door gently behind himself.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

You quickly wiped your tears. "Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

Chan sighed. "Come here." He sat on the bed and opened his arms.

You leaned into him muttering, "Seokmin is a dumass."

"What happened?" Chan asked, rubbing your shoulder gently.

"He blocked me." You sniffed. "Out of the fucking blue."

Chan hummed softly. "His loss."

You looked up at your friend, "You're so dum."

"Nuh uh, I think I'm pretty smart princess." Chan smiled gently.

"I don't think so." You laughed softly.

He looked down at you. "'M smart enough to stay your friend."

You nod slightly, "I stayed attached to you at the hip is more like it."

"Didn't have a problem with it."

"Chan." You rubbed your friend's arm.

"Hm?"

"Go with me."

"Where?" he asked dumbly.

You sat up and flicked his forehead. "You know where."

"I don't get anything out of it." He rubbed his forehead.

"I'll uh..."

"Worry about it later." He huffed and stood, smoothing your hair. "Should we get (comfort food)?"

"I was wondering when you'd ask." You punched him softly and led the way out of your room.

The day of the wedding you were wearing a long pastel blue dress, and Chan a matching suit, it wasn't the first time you'd matched with your best friend, but this felt more special. Your grandmother and parents gave you side ways glances during the wedding procession, and once the reception had started so did your grandma's vulture like flocking.

"Y/N i really thought you would've come with someone other than Chan, maybe your sister was right you just need time." the old woman sighed.

You sucked in a breathe but Chan grabbed your hand under the table, his words making you freeze, "Is there a problem with me attending as her boyfriend?"

You turned to Chan and he squeezed your hand as if urging you to play along.

Your grandmother looked at you stunned. "What? Since when?"

"The dinner really opened my eyes, maybe guys don't approacher because I'm around, I do look like her boyfriend don't I?" He glanced at you, "Why not give it a shot?"

Your family must have heard your grandmother's cry because your mother and father came over a few moments later and you watched as Chan worked his charm, a mask on his face the entirety of the time.

Your sister looked between you and Chan, blinking quite a bit. As your parents congratulated you on not being single for the first time, you felt like you out did your sister, you looked at Chan, he smiled gently at you and your heart jumped.

After a lot of drinks and cake you decided it was time to head home.(Chan had to drag you out.)

The ride back to your apartment was quiet, you were too buzzed to speak and Chan was focused on driving.

Chan smiled softly, glancing at you. "Wasn't so bad was it?"

You took a moment before you spoke. "Did you mean what you said?"

Chan's brows furrowed, "About what?"

"Did you actually think of me like that after the dinner?" You looked at him.

Chan sucked a breath, squeezing the wheel. "Would you believe me if I said yes."

"I don't have a reason not to."

Chan pulled off the highway onto the smaller road that lead through the city and to your apartment.

"Well?" You asked.

Chan bit his lip and nodded. "I meant what I said."

You remained quiet until he pulled into your apartment complex. And even after he got you into your apartment. You stood there, looking at... Chan. Chan who knew you better than you knew yourself, Chan who always calmed you down, Chan who got angry for you, Chan who bought you food when you were sad and held you until you grew tired of it(you never did you never could), Chan your...

"You meant it?" You were completely sober now, picking up the conversation as if you hadn't been silent for the past half hour.

Chan nodded.

"Is that all there is to it?"

"No." he breathed, stepping closer to you.

"Tell me. What else?" You asked quietly.

"How do I even begin?" He laughed slightly. "I'm sorry-"

"Why are you apologizing?" You looked at him confused.

"For not telling you how I felt from the get go." he smiled, "If there's anything that makes me sleep at night it's you, if there's any place I feel safe it's with you. You make me more happy than I can describe with words alone, there isn't another person I'd be with in any life." He reached and caressed your cheek. "I wanted to fight myself when I let you go out with Seokmin. I want you, I need you, I..." He paused, scanning your face for a signal, any sign to keep going.

"You're going to shut up now when you're at the climax of your speech?" You laughed slightly.

He smiled and rolled his eyes, "I love you. I always have."

"You're really an idiot." You kissed him gently.

Chan blinked in shock. "I-"

You smiled, proud of yourself. "Now-"

Chan grabbed your face and pressed his lips to yours again, you stared for a moment before relaxing into the kiss wrapping your arms around his neck. His tongue fighting yours before he pushed into your mouth to taste you, biting your lip gently.

"Wanted to do that for so long." He breathed against your lips, pulling away slowly.

You grabbed his collar. "If you don't finish what you started I will."

Chan's eyes widened and a smirk grew on his face. He kissed you again and his hand moved to the back of your dress. "May I, princess?"

"You may." You giggled as he removed the dress and your made quick work of his buttons before he shrugged off the jacket and shirt, picking you up and carrying you to the bed.

You squeaked as he threw you onto the bed and got on top you. "Nervous?" he asked laughing lightly.

"No... Of course not." You said looking away.

He smiled and turned your head to face him kissing you passionately before he moved to suck a dark mark just next to your jaw. "So pretty, just for me."

You gasped softly and nodded. "Just for you Channie." Chan continued his assault on your neck before removing your bra and smiling at your chest, he kissed your lips gently. "This is my favorite part of you," He moved to kiss your chest, sucking a nipple into his mouth and biting gently, relishing in the cry that escaped your lips, "But this is second best."

You blushed, "Stop doing that?"

"Doing what?" Chan chuckled against your right breast, pinching the left.

"You-"

"Huh?" He kissed down your belly and bit hard beside your belly button.

"Ow-" You gasped and grabbed his hair.

"Gotta make sure they know you're taken if you wear a crop top." he murmured and moved lower kissing your thigh and pulling your legs apart. "This is mine hm? I think I waited for it long enough." He kissed your thigh before pulling your pantie off. He tossed it haphazardly over his shoulder. He took amount to admire you and you shifted slightly.

"Channie. You're staring." You muttered.

"That a problem princess?"

"Pervert." You rolled your eyes as Chan tugged you to the edge fo the bed.

He rubbed your clit with his thumb applying just enough pressure to make you moan, he smiled. "That feel good?"

You nodded, panting.

"Use your words." He said rubbing your clit a bit faster.

You moaned and tried to move away but his hand came to hold you down. "No, no."

You blushed, "Meanie."

He smirked kissing your belly before slipping a finger into you. You moan as your wall clenched around his digit, he moved it in and out slowly, thumb still working at your clit.

You gasped and bit your lip as he pushed another finger into you. He paused looking at you.

"What?" You tried to move for friction but he held you down.

"I want to hear you."

You blushed furiously, eyes wide.

Chan laughed lightly and started fingering you again, his middle and ring finger curling to find your g-spot.

You let out a loud cry and Chan smiled, he moved to kiss you, his tongue forcing its way into your mouth, he started grinding his palm into your clit as his fingers moved deeper. You moaned into the kiss and squealed, legs kicking slightly. Chan slid a third finger into you and you squirmed.

"It's too much!" You whined.

"I think you can take it." He said kissing your neck, "Just a little bit more, princess, wanna feel you cum on my hand."

You moaned louder as he pinched your nipple, sucking on the other one. You gasped as he started grinding his tented crotch against your thigh.

"Are you going to cum for me?" he cooed into your ear. "Cum for me, please, princess."

You moaned loudly as you came hard on Chan's hand.

He hummed and lifted his fingers to his mouth, licking them clean before leaning to kiss you. "You taste good babygirl." He stood to remove his pants letting them fall to the floor.

You moaned at the lewdness of the action as Chan moved between your legs, tapping his cock against your clit.

"I'm gonna make you feel good, make you mine." He said, his voice thick with lust.

You bit your lip and nodded. "Please. "

Chan smiled kissing you gently as he pushed into you.

A throaty moan erupted from your throat and Chan groaned. "Sound so pretty," He pulled out slowly and pushed in deeply, you cried out at the slight burn. "I'm sorry baby," He kissed your cheeks gently. "Can I move now?"

You nod and before you could ground yourself Chan was pistoning into you, fucking you as if he wouldn't get to again. You held onto him tightly, clawing at his broad shoulders. He moaned and squeezed your hips tightly. "You're so tight princess."

He moaned softly against your neck, kissing and biting, leaving marks that would surely become hickeys by morning, as he rutted into you over and over. You moaned louder, panting into the heated kisses he granted you. The bed creaked and slammed against the wall with the force of it all, the sound of sin slapping against skin filling your bedroom, you were positive the neighbors could hear but it wasn't like you had room to care.

Chan's hand slipped between your bodies and he began rubbing your clit. "C'mon baby. Cum for me again."

Your mouth fell open in a silent cry as he began thrusting into you harder, hitting your g-spot.

"Cum for me princess." He said through grit teeth.

Another thrust sent you toppling over the edge and you came hard, vision going white as you let out a broken cry. Chan followed quickly, his thick length throbbing inside you as you milked him for everything he had. He kept thrusting his gaze distant and glassy.

You whimpered and trembled as he overstimulated you slightly. After a few more thrusts he finally slowed down and relaxed on top of you.

"Let me take you out on a date..." He muttered against your shoulder.

"I'd like that." You said running your fingers through his curly hair.

What da cringe ending 😭 I really want to thank everyone for 100 followers LOVE YALL <3 requests will reopen soon, I'm still busy with school but I hoped you liked this it took really long to make.

[valarioncy]

Let's Talk About the Hollow Fandom (and dead fandoms in general)

Hello, The Hollow fandom. This is Cyrokin. I'm sure you all don't need to be told that our fandom is kinda lowkey dead. Activity is hard to come by. I'm one of the senior members of the fandom myself, but I don't get any more activity on my posts than anyone else does.

Look, we can #save the hollow and tell Netflix all day how much we want our show back. But we don't exactly have the fandom to back our wishes. If we want more the Hollow, we've gotta make it ourselves. Fan art, fanfiction, fan animations, fan comics. There are SO MANY fanworks in this fandom left unfinished. Unstarted, even. And it's a crying shame because you guuuuys we have so much potential!

We're a creative bunch! We're an odd bunch! We love what has been broadly cast aside as average! We are a fandom with untapped potential, loving a show full of similar untapped potential! Let's explore that! It'll be fun!

How do fandoms become dead? Fandoms die when fans stop creating, yes. But more importantly, they die when fans stop engaging with what is created. Fans can do their own thing and create stuff all day. But when nobody seems to care, it's discouraging. Eventually some people just give up.

Fandoms aren't corporate machines that pump out products and content to be consumed. Fandoms are made of people sharing love for their favorite characters and stories. Fandom is built on community. When the community dies, the fandom and any interest in it dies too.

So, Hollowers, I implore you all. Those of us who remain. PLEASE, support rather than tear down your fellow fans. Engage with them when they ask for engagement. Like their posts, reblog their posts, share your own creative works. Hell, the fanworks you like the most? Make fanworks for that too.

Please, for the love of fandom, NORMALIZE making fanworks for fanworks. Draw fanart of AUs you like. Write stories set in someone else's AU. If it inspires you, make something with it! This should not be a taboo!

Support your dead fandom, because the few of us that are here, we are all we've got. The Hollow can live, but it's gotta live through us. Netflix failed us. We can't fail us. We've gotta build the world we wanna live in. And if we want a thriving fandom, we've gotta make it ourselves.

-Cy

[quitealotofsodapop]

Ok, but in the Mother-Child Preggers Tang au... what if it crosses over with Slow Boiled au?

Referencing this post I made about Tang accidentally drinking from the Mother-Child River while the gang are travelling in S3.

Oh gosh i love the idea. In all the chaos of Wukong having his Stone Egg, Tang accidentally gets himself in a similar postition. XD

Throughout the Slow-Boiled Au, Pigsy and Tang frequently prove themselves to be good parents, and with all the talk of Wukong's overdue baby, the freenoodles pair both start to wonder...

Both brush the thoughts off cus they're in their 30s at least, and MK is enough. But the thoughts still crop up time to time.

Then cue Tang getting so thirsty during the S3 team-split, that he takes a big mouthful of river water without boiling it first. Pigsy initially blames the scholar's cramps on giardia. But they were oh so wrong.

Scorpion Queen pretty much forces herself into the gang because she's the only one around who *knows* how the Mother-Child River works. And she's not gonna let her new friends get hurt with all this bone demon business!

Pigsy, unsure: "Hey, Scorpion? I have something I really need to ask about the River." Scorpion Queen: "Sure thing! Ask me anything!" Pigsy, hesistating: "Will... will the baby look just like Tang? Or is some... river god involved?" Scorpion Queen, catching on quickly: "OH! Oh no no no! Theres no river god baby-daddy!" *starts laughing* Pigsy, relieved: "Phew!" Tang: "Aww! Piggy, you were worried!" Pigsy: "I dont mind our kid being a mini-you. I just dont want some gross minor god to have his mitts on ya'." Scorpion Queen, still laughing: "Nah dude! You guys are gonna have a cute little piglet!" Pigsy & Tang: "Wut." Scorpion Queen: "Couples came to the River to have babies all the time! If the drinker had a mate, then the baby would take on the appearance of their partner by absorbing some of their dao. If it didn't, then the Kingdom of Women would have been overrun with inbred clones!" Tang: "Ah, that makes sense." Pigsy: *completely dumbstruck with joy* Wukong, quiet until now: "...wait. Did the ladies back at the village think Master and Zhu Bajie were a mated couple that fumbled the process!? Is that why they laughed so much!?"

And ofc because of their shared situation, Tang and Wukong bond over the rest of the roadtrip. Tang would 100% wear a cringey matching maternity shirt with the Monkey King if they had time to stop for some shopping.

Pigsy breaks the news to the rest of the gang in an... unelegant fashion after the Samadhi Fire ritual went belly-up.

Pigsy: "So uh... stuff happened when we all got separated back in the desert." MK: "Yeah, you said Monkey King got amnesia and thats how Scorpion Queen joined the team." Scorpion Queen: *delighted wave!* Tang: "There's more to it MK..." MK, panicking: "Oh gods, you guys aren't hiding a world-ending secret too, right!? Cus I cannot deal with-" Pigsy, cutting him off: "Tang is pregnant. And we've decided to keep the baby." MK: *struck silent* Sandy, joyfully: "Congratulations! I hope the Monkey King didn't hear too much of you guys making it!" Pigsy, blushing furiously: "NOT LIKE THAT!!!" Tang, amused grin: "How else are babies made, Piggy? I'm certainly not having a stone egg.~" Pigsy, red-faced: "'CUS YOU DRANK THAT STANKY MUD WATER, THATS HOW!" MK, frozen stiff: "Wut."

Needless to say, MK is happy for his parents, but the timing isn't ideal. After LBD is defeated though, MK fully embraces his upcoming baby sibling! XD

Unfortunately the timing also means that Tang spends S4 in a very compromised position.

Yeah, Mother-Child River Tang isn't having a fun time...

[prettyflyshyguy]

Hello, I appreciate you exploring your interests and I'm interested to hear more about the Live Free and Twihard SPN AU

HI. I HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTS. So does @snackhouse and we've been screaming at each other about this.

She came up with the name "Live Free or Twiharder"

We just really wanted to see the episode go further and double down more mostly.

Anyway gonna dump post some stuff from our conversations under the cut!! We've been bouncing back and forth a lot of ideas, writing snippets, and lamenting on how we wish he had better teeth.

Y'know girl talk things. "I wish this man had really fucked up teeth"

"Yeah"

This is a mix of ideas and comments from the two of us, so full credit goes to Snack for being a local legend and playing handball with me with our shared blorbo. Worse Dean Winchester.

We wanted Sam to have his soul, because the angst potential goes up 200% and we're all here for that. Instead of Sam watching Dean get turned, he gets there too late, and blames himself for what happened.

He's full nihilism mode, genuinely thinks this is the end, Sam tries to explain that there's a cure but Dean's too stubborn and too deep in the downward spiral to really take it in. He has self sacrificial tendencies and just immediately decides to take the fall.

"Dean please just listen to me for once."

"Look at me man, I'm a monster."

Our man is not coping.

So we're both like OK what if it takes longer to heal him. What if he's stuck for a bit longer. Ya gotta hang in a few more days. So then maybe he runs into Lisa, or she reaches out to Sam. She loves this man and after he has the worlds most bizarre and erratic behavior she's going to be really fucking worried, especially since he was aggressive out of seemingly nowhere. She's terrified of him AND for him.

We're cooking so hard the kitchen is on fire.

We are making an environment that is so toxic.

Snack's been cooking hard on how bad can the cure possibly be.

_

Everything was quickly becoming too much. Every sound, smell and sight was bombarding his brain like a 18 wheeler hitting a squirrel.

“My mouth tastes like blood and creepy-dude sweat.” Dean grunted, stepping towards the bathroom.

It was a bullshit excuse and they both knew it, but Dean didn’t think he could make it another minute standing so close to his brother. Stepping into the cramped bathroom he took a second to breathe in a space where he couldn’t hear all of Sam’s veins pulsing with blood, Dean’s gaze drifted towards the mirror.

I wonder if I’ll even recognize myself by the end of this…

He already knew what he was going to find, it’s not like he couldn’t feel them.

Gently peeling back his lips, Dean struggled against the waves of nausea that spilled over him at the sight. Feeling the fangs where there was different from actually seeing them. Now there wasn’t any doubt as what he was now.

Lightly poking the exposed tip of the fang, Dean could feel how sharp it was. Moving his fingertip upward, he slightly pushed the gum above the protrusion, pushing the tip of the fang out like massaging a cat’s foot to see its claws.

The other needle-like teeth seemed to be eager to join their friend, as the rest of the fangs slid from their slits in Dean’s mouth. He wrenched his hand back in horror. He could feel the sharp new additions sliding over his normal teeth. Like the bars of a cage they sealed away any signs of humanity he saw in the mirror. In a matter of seconds he found himself grasping the toilet bowl for purchase has he emptied his stomach.

-

^That's a Snackhouse special right there

-

His shaking hands rattled the keys, clanging in his ears. It made him wince. Pressing his eyes closed he felt for the lock and fumbled for a few agonising seconds in the searing light of the hotel corridor before he heard the familiar clack of the latch sliding open. Stumbling inside, he was relieved to find the interior of their room cold and dark.

“Dean?”

Sam’s familiar voice called out from the table.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

Dean groaned as he lurched towards the kitchen, eyes fixed on the floor as it began to shift and spin. Waves of nausea had flowed through him all night, rolling through his body, shifting from his stomach to his chest. He crossed by the beds, leaning on them for support.

“... You ok?”

He stiffened as the feeling rippled through him.

“I’m good, Sammy.”

He heard his brother start to speak again, but stopped. Thank god. He needed a beer or two. Or three. And a nice dark corner, as far away from the table, and the windows, and the noise from the upstairs room, and the opposite corridor room. And the pipes. And the heartbeats.

He could hear two of them as he leaned on the wall, breathing heavily as he recovered from the growing ill sensation in his abdomen. His back was to the table but that didn’t stop him sensing and feeling and hearing. Every. Pump. One heartbeat was significantly faster than the other. Samuel must’ve gotten back early, he noted. He’d had moments of nervous spikes, but generally was taking things well, as expected. Sam on the other hand…

He grunted as he shuffled infront of the fridge and yanked the door open. The hinges whined and creaked, spiking the building throbbing pain in his head. Staring at the contents in dismay, he assessed the rations.

One beer, three cans of soda, two mason jars of cows blood. Both were almost full.

Scrunching his face in disappointment, he reached for the beer. He pressed himself up against the kitchen bench, gently nudging the fridge door closed with his right foot. It glided shut with another sharp and piercing squeal. He growled at it in response as he twisted the bottle cap open.

“I uh… accidentally… ran into Lisa just now and–”

He paused to take a swig of beer. The cold sensation was refreshing, but the taste was stale, and wrong. He gagged on the mouthful before forcing a swallow.

“Augh, what the hell.”

He brought the bottle up to examine the label. He’d had it before and it’d tasted fine then. Frowning, he turned his focus to the table.

“Hey did you–”

Sam was staring at him. He was fiddling with a bottle of the same beer, empty, in front of him. Samuel was not with him. Dean’s heart sank as the sounds of the water pipes, the street, the tv upstairs all began to fade out. She was sitting opposite to Sam, bottle in hand. She looked terrified, worried, confused. She was staring at him the same way she stared into his eyes when he was in her room, though she seemed to recoil in her seat slightly when he returned her gaze.

“Uhm, the uh, the eye thing is to be expected.”

Sam’s voice was a whisper but Dean heard it as if he was standing a foot away. His mind jumped to the nest. In the gloom, when the light caught their eyes, it reflected, like a deer when the car headlights scanned the countryside.

Or like a wolf.

Oh god.

“I gotta go.”

He barely blurted out the words, tossing the bottle of beer into the sink as he beelined for the bathroom door. Past the table. Past the sound. The unbearable, overpowering sound.

“Dean wait!”

Slamming the door behind him, he cursed when he remembered there was no locking latch. Pressing his weight into it, he felt the door handle turn gently. He pushed back against it, digging the heels of his boots into the grooves of the tiled floor as he slowly slid down to sit at its base, panting. The bathroom was his escape, the walls dampened the sound, he could turn the tap on to create white noise. The shower was the only time he felt safe. The drowning sound of the water droplets blocked everything else in the world out.

He could hear the thumping behind the door. Two channels in parallel, overlapping. The beating, beating, beating, beating, beating.

-

Creaking the door open just enough to peer out, he sighed in relief when he saw the hotel room was empty again. Sam was standing near the door, the lamp on the table turned off. He turned around and began to walk back towards the table, hitting the corner of one of the beds in the process. Dean would have laughed, if it had been any other day.

It suddenly occurred to Dean that it was dark. It was late, the blinds were down, and all the lights had been turned off. He could see everything as clearly as if it was a normal, overcast day. Sam was clearly struggling in comparison, as he slowly walked holding his arms out to avoid crashing into another obstacle. Once he had made it to the chair, he sat down and looked in the direction of the bathroom, though Dean could see he wasn’t exactly sure where to look.

“You can come out now, Dean. She’s gone.”

He could have told Sam that.

“The hell’d you let her in here for in the first place Sam!”

He gingerly took a few steps out of the comfort of the bathroom. The low thrum of Sam’s heartbeat was noticeable, but tolerable.

“She was owed an explanation, Dean. She reached out to me, practically demanded and honestly, she deserves to know what's going on.”

Sam was staring at him now, with that stupid puppy dog face he always used to get people to listen to him. Typical emotional bullshit.

“I almost bit her, Sam. I came so close and I–”

“I would have stopped you.”

“Would you have?”

Sam was silent. Grinding his jaw slightly, he breathed out and looked back towards the door.

“Shit, I’m sorry. Look, it's not your fault.”

He once again reached for the fridge door, pulling it open despite the creaks and squeals in protest.

“Augh, god. Fuck.”

“What’s wrong with your arm?” Dean glanced over at Sam, then down to his bandaged forearm. The white gauze was just visible underneath the edge of his rolled up sleeve as he reached into the fridge. The light bathed it in a sickening glow, the spots of red poking through were nearly impossible to hide.

“Nothing.” he responded curtly, slamming the door closed and shutting off the light.

-

^That's a Shy 4AM special for you. You ever open a fridge door and flashbang yourself in the hotel room? (Sorry I only have 5 jokes and they're all in constant rotation with a different skin like a videogame gun)

What you're all here for though, is TEETH TEETH TEETH TEETH

"Stares lomgingly at blood bag" nice

Anyway we started talking about the x files LMFAO but here's the most and best of what we've cooked together so far; we've had a lot of fun.

[negpos-comments]

HELLOOOOOO TUMBLR!

So i'm not sure if someone has created a multifandom!helluvaverse (hellaverse?) but I've got some stuff written down in a google docs document I'd like to share. also, as it turns out, I don't actually know that many fandoms, so I'm requesting input from you lot. SOOOO, Introducing my take on the

MF!Helluvaverse (WIP)

everything about this is a WIP including the name i just thought it'd be funny cuz it kinda looks like it says MotherFucker!Helluvaverse-

Few Notes: I am a big Undertale fan and I tried to curb that here but i kinda made all the rings of hell UT/UTY Locations Im sorry- There are some ships that will result that are, hm, odd, to say the least. I tried to curb that a little bit. I'm trying to go with personality matches here, but i will have to be flexible with a lot. That flexibility will actually show up a lot, but as long as the basic concept can stay the same I'll allow it.

With that said...

Charlie Morningstar - Frisk (Undertale) Razzle, Dazzle, Kiki - WIP Vaggie - Chara (Undertale)

Ok, so the Frisk and Chara interpretations are based off of fanon rather than canon, since there's not much we know about Frisk and Chara's behavior in canon. I feel like I don't need to elaborate much here? I mean, I thought it was clever with the Vaggie-Chara thing, since they both fell from the victorious/more powerful world above, don't like talking about it that much, etc. etc. Charlie-Frisk i feel makes a good bit of sense. This does mean Charisk is a ship in this AU but considering I ship them I'm cool with it. If you don't like it maybe they're not in a relationship but are just good friends/see each other as pseudo-siblings? Any suggestions for Razzle, Dazzle, and Kiki? I had the inclination to use temmies but i feel like i used enough Undertale (especially looking later on with the rings)

Alastor - Bill Cipher (Gravity Falls) Niffty - Peridot (Steven Universe)

So. Alastor-Bill Cipher I feel needs no explanation. They're both tumblr sexymen with cool powers and evil tendencies (personally I feel like Pilot!Alastor is a tumblr sexyman and S1!Alastor doesn't but that's a can of worms for a different time). Niffty-Peridot is the one out of the initial six i spent the most time trying to think of, because I couldn't really think of anyone for Niffty, but then i remembered that she's kinda socially inept/unaware, and then I just thought of Peridot.

When Bill last went up against [Vox], The [Vees] had managed to place a spell on him, draining him of most of his power. The one he made the deal with lent him some power in exchange for his soul. His motivation is to defeat the [Vees], break the spell, and end the deal.

The Spell would be like the Magic Barrier in Gravity Falls, preventing Cipher from spreading his chaos beyond the town, except instead of limiting where the power extends to, it just limits how much power.

Angel Dust (Anthony) - The Ink Demon (Bendy) (BATIM/DR) Fat Nuggets - Boris (BATIM/DR) Husk - Cuphead (Cuphead)

Get ready for some real creative liberties on my part. So. Bendy would act more like the Bendy from that Hell's Kitchen AU rather than a canon version of Bendy. He's basically done with making films (whether you want that to be cartoons or porn films like in HH is up to you) but he still has to do it because of the contract. Meanwhile, I considered how Cuphead went to that casino and gambled his soul away. I also drew a bit of inspiration from the Casino Cups AU and how in that AU Cuphead ended up working for the Devil's Casino serving drinks and stuff. So, we've got a Cuphead who gambled his soul away to Bill and is at a very low point in his life. Because HH is gravitating towards HuskerDust, that would mean that in this AU BendyxCuphead is a ship. Uhh, take with that what you will. If you don't like it maybe they're not in a relationship but are just good friends or smth. Actually you can do this with all of the ships. Boris would be more like a small wolf/dog Bendy has as a pet rather than an actual person/character

Sir Pentious - Dr. Doofenshmirtz (Phineas and Ferb) Eggs - Perry the Platypus Clones (Phineas and Ferb)

This one is the one out of the main cast im most iffy about. Pentious and Doofenshmirtz are both science geniuses that try to be evil but fail every step of the way. Eventually they get redeemed. uhh i just chose lil perry clones cuz i thought'd be funny

Cherri Bomb - Harley Quinn (DC, Harley Quinn)

Chaotic, Fights for the people they care about, i think you can see the connections here

Zestial - Golden/Shadow Freddy (FNAF)

They're spooky people we dont know much about. That's all there is to it

Mimzy - Spinel (Steven Universe Future)

Now, when I say Spinel, im not talking about the Spinel from the Movie. The characterization of Spinel is drastically different between the movie and the epilogue series. Future paints Spinel as just an overly annoying and excited character that doesn't feel like that's what Spinel should be after the events of the Movie. SUFuture!Spinel feels like a good fit for Mimzy (plus they have the same voice actor, innit?). SUMovie!Spinel doesn't. I just wanted to clear that up here.

Emily - Crowley (Good Omens) Sera - Aziraphale (Good Omens)

Now, when I say Crowley, I mean Pre-Fall!Crowley, like the one we see at the beginning of S2 creating those stars and stuff. They're both really loving life and trusting of Heaven's plan but then they find out some stuff and things go awry. If you believe Em's gonna fall later in HH there's more parallels. Aziraphale believes in Heaven's plans and all that jazz, sticking to those beliefs and stuff, which I feel kinda mirrors Sera's insistence on the current plan Heaven is using.

Lucifer Morningstar - 10th Doctor (Doctor Who) Rubber Ducks - Mini K9's (Doctor Who)

Originally I was debating on whether or not to use the 10th or 11th Doctor, but i eventually stuck with the 10th. Sure, 11 is more silly, but i feel like 10 is just kinda angsty-filled while still retaining that charm and silliness. Plus, I liked the idea of having K9s as Rubber Ducks

Other Stuff

Heaven - Gallifrey (Doctor Who) Hell - Underground (Undertale/UTYellow) Exterminators - Red Guards (Squid Game) Ring of Pride - Ruins/Dark Ruins (UT/UTY) Ring of Wrath - Hotland (UT/UTY) Ring of Gluttony - Dunes (UTY) Ring of Greed - Snowdin (UT/UTY) Ring of Lust - Steamworks (UTY) Ring of Envy (No appearance yet) - Waterfall (UT) Ring of Sloth - New Home (UT/UTY) Belphegor (No appearance yet) - Medic (TF2) Blitzø - Dave Miller (DSAF)

WIP/Needed I'm still brainstorming and lookin for ideas. If you've got any suggestions for these (or for any of the others), let me know!

Upper Angels Pentagram City Imp City Satan (No appearance yet) Queen Bee Mammon Azmodeus Leviathan (No appearance yet) Moxxie Millie Luna Cherubs Dhorks Stolas Stella Octavia Fizzaroli Striker Crimson Adam Lilith Eve Roo (No appearance yet) Lute Happy Hazbin Hotel Razzle, Dazzle, Kiki Carmilla Carmine Odette and Clara Cannibal Town Rosie Vox Valentino Velvette

Welp. That's everything. I'll be taking any feedback

[blackstarchanx3new]

Creations AU, But I obnoxiously over explain it PT 4

Pages 91-120

NO I WON'T SLEEP TONIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT

OH OH

I WANT SOME MOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE-

Lmfao Michael I know you love your dad but does he abuse you or not? He does.

He flip flops on that it seems...

Ennard is obviously upset Michael would rather hang out with a FIIIIILLLTHY HUUUUUUUMAN.

People REALLY did not get Ennard's character on webtoon so let me go into another rant if you will:

People saw this scene, of emotional manipulation and putting someone down and went

"Ooooooo Ennard's JEEEEAALLOUUUUSSSS!~"

Bro.

What are you five? Like actually? The lack of emotional maturity and awareness about just how fucked their dynamic is genuinely ASTONISHED me.

This isn't cute or silly. Ennard is being abusive and he KNOWS he is.

Ennard DOUBLES DOWN on the verbal abuse claiming literally no one other than him will understand Michael.

This isn't from a place of understanding either. This comes from a "I want to trap you with me" place.

This isn't a "Even if nobody else does, I will always have your back."

This is "Nobody other than me likes your stupid ass don't leave me or you'll have no one"

Ya know. Abuse.

Also no I'm not addressing the obvious.

I had to sit through SO MANY PEOPLE not noticing the obvious...Yall gotta sit through me being cheeky about the obvious thing going on here. :)

Alright fine.

I'll mention it fuck.

Michael has beautiful very normal eyes- UwU

Coming from THAT scene, we jump into one where Bonnie and Michael are hanging out. Because we've established they are friends too.

Haha Bonnie why are you blushing?

BONNIE.

BONNIE WHY ARE YOU BLUSHING.

They're a little zesty that's all-

Is it one sided? Are they fucking boyfriends? Who knows...

Look the straight people have comics where the entire cast is straight.

Every single one of my comics the entire casts are queer that's just how it is-

Gayness aside: Michael seems comfortable around Bonnie:

We can deduce this from MANY THINGS:

He shared his interest of plushies, something he immediately hid from Mike out of shame, WITH BONNIE.

He runs up to hug Bonnie, William had to force a hug out of Michael so maybe Michael doesn't hug everyone?

He's shared his past with Bonnie

He ONLY met with Mike because of Bonnie's nudging so he trusts Bonnie's judgment.

Micheal jests here but it's obvious this shit comes from a place of genuine concern considering how Ennard is lmfao.

Bonnie continues to be an absolute chad because if you haven't noticed he IS my favorite character in the FNAF 1 arc. He is a devine entity with no flaws.

No we're not talking about his smoking, he is perfect. He's being enabled leave him be- Also he's a robot who gets no ill affects from it lmao

Also yes the screens are showing LOZ and animal crossing stuff hah. I liked LOZ even back when I made these pages. We had no idea what that'd evolve into....

Bonnie also references the other Freddy from Circus Rentals again, who we saw a glimpse of earlier.

Also him and Freddy ARE good friends. Okay.

From this interaction we can gauge a lot about why Bonnie and Michael are close:

Bonnie isn't controlling or possessive, he cares about Michael's interests and helps him indulge in them.

He's the opposite of Ennard.

Bonnie, is a pretty good friend.

Michael's wording here is very interesting.

Bonnie's the absolute best friend. He can tell when the vibes are off. He's upfront about shit. He knows Mike HAS some kind of alter motive and doesn't really hide that from Michael. But also acknowledges Mike's kinda just fucked up right now and probably needs some support.

Also people were confused as fuck why the claw machine/Bonnie is sparking

He's skipping using tokens or smth on the machine by messing with it's power. I thought that was obvious as hell but what do I know.

Because Bonnie's a bad boy.

It is also amusing Ennard is Michael's designated daddy therapist and Bonnie is Michael's Ennard therapist. Though who's to say if Bonnie doesn't know about William's shit considering there's a LOT we don't know about Michael and Bonnie's relationship at the moment.

If you're FNAF savvy you'll recognize a lot of characters in the claw hah.

anyways Bonnie again tells SOME stuff about other people without telling their stories for them. What Bonnie left out of Michael's story will be very apparent as we go on.

Something cool I just like about Bonnie: Bro just wants both of them to be happy. He considers both of them his friends and thinks them being friends could help each other out.

Bonnie's just a bro. True to his word he's nice to just about everyone. Even someone he started off on rocky footing with.

Despite Mike's weird behavior Michael is determined to actually be a real friend to him.

So Mike's rambling but the shit on the walls is 100xs more interesting than anything he has to say rn.

Specifically the FNAF rap lyrics being on the wall. X'D

Also a bunch of Freddy doodles are seemingly mocking him.

My favorite just might be "MEOW! YOU'RE A LITTLE MEOW MEOW!"

Anyways what Mike is talking about:

William with blood on his hands is humorous because his own faults led to his kids dying.

The Bonnie panel is pretty self explanatory.

Bonnie's possessed by someone, presumably the "Jeremy" he specifically asked about earlier on.

Something to note: he asked if Bonnie knew anything about Jeremy's death. As if Jeremy's death isn't CONFORMED.

This leads to the conclusion: Jeremy's body was never found.

So Mike's mission here is becoming more clear: Find out who's putting people in robots and why, find Jeremy.

This is smth Webtoon struggled to comprehend: This series does NOT spell stuff out for you. You gotta build an understanding by paying attention. You can figure a LOT out just by reading what the characters say closely.

Hehehe...That might not be true...You are the guy who carries around a giant kitchen knife at all times aren't ya? ;)

Or maybe he just means innocent people...

This isn't the first time Mike's been an unreliable narrator/protagonist and he only continues to be as the series goes on. Something people also STRUGGLE to comprehend:

Protagonists aren't always "Good people"

Mike is a morally grey person. As are MOST of my protagonists.

Mike bribes Bonnie with his vices and manipulates people. But he's not exactly a BAD person per say. He isn't TRYING to hurt Bonnie or Michael. He doesn't have ill will towards most people.

Something HAS made itself very clear though: Mike has nothing to lose.

Mike is acting the way he does because he presumably: Has nothing and no one.

And he's in a very dark place mentally. The man has seemingly no support system when it comes to keeping him from NOT trying to off himself at a place he has AWFUL history with. So there's that.

Even further: Freddy's is established to be DANGEROUS. Mike acting the way he does makes a lot of sense considering he is basically a lamb being thrown into a lion's den of "you can't trust anyone". The way he acts keeping people at arms distance and not being too genuine with anyone makes a lot of sense considering ya know: The owner is most likely murdering people for his sick robot fantasies and he for sure could be next.

Having said all that he does bring up a good point: What WOULD be the goal of putting people in robots be?

If you've been paying close attention you probably already know the answer to this or are coming to your own conclusions. I will avoid saying for now tho. ;)

Considering Mike's words...It's WAAAY more than just this "Jeremy" person who's gone missing though.

The "You" he's talking about here is clearly Jeremy.

PARANOIA PARANOIA PARANOIA EVERYBODY'S COMING TO GET MEEEEEE-

WELCOME TO THE MIND FUCK-

Alright enough joking. Shit's going down for the second time and we know the one behind it. Mr. Funny yellow bear in the cyan jacket aka "Fredbear"?

Shit never seems to go right with him around.

The goofy doodles continue to mock Mike as he comes to this realization, the drawings becoming more sinister and oozing blood.

This is a reference to one of the scenes in the Silver eyes book/graphic novel by the way because I love referencing FNAF shit in my doofy FNAF comic.

Ya see this shit is what I meant by "I like horror in my comics"

The writings continue to mock him because they're awful.

The lyrics from the FNAF fan song "Run run" are amusing to me. XD

"Lmao you tripped" and "watch your step" - GF

are also funny.

These show that despite this being a tense scene for MIKE, the one behind this is laughing their ass off at his terror.

Also a poster of the Golden Bear trips him. Because reality is a joke.

Weirdly this bear is not wearing the same get up as the one we saw stalking Mike earlier in the comic...

Weird.

Guys gals and pals.

This is buildup. :D

The fucking boarders of the comic are oozing, SOMETHING IS COMING. Mike's so scared he just sits there and cowers for a moment, he's terrified to turn around.

I woulda shat my pants so ya know. Kudos to Mike for not doing that.

The giant bloody head is just disturbing but there's some oddities with this that we'll get into later~

I really wanted this horrific mouth to show how fresh and sticky that blood be.

Like ew.

Mike's trauma really just on full display here.

The repeating "Remember to smile" will be familiar to those who have heard the FNAF 2 phone calls (I think it's from FNAF 2 it's hard to remember. X'D)

"Remember to smile, you are the new face of Freddy Fazbear's pizza"

Easter eggs: The poster of Freddy tearing his own head off is the poster you can see while trying to spawn Golden Freddy in FNAF 1.

This bear walking is warping he floor to look like Fredbear's family dinner.

Also uh, he's a headless figure...

But is the floating head...HIS HEAD?

Also the poster mocking Mike while he cries is so hilarious to me I'm sorry I'm mean to my characters.

Mike was apparently coping with his trauma well before coming here, assumably so much so he decided he COULD come here.

Seems Mike had to mentally prepare himself to come back to this place after seeing the bite, but also Jeremy's disappearance here.

Huh, normal hallway.

Must be all good now! :D

You know you're screwed when a poster is laughing at you.

The giant head is just lurking...

Mike just resigns to asking for this nightmare to stop.

This situation is like, straight terrifying though:

You're trapped, can't leave just walking aimlessly down a looping hallway with the symbol of one of your worst memories just behind you at all times. It's not outright attacking you, just lingering making sure you're aware of it's presence.

It's like an actual nightmare.

Yeah singing a little song will help buddy.

Oh hey, Cyan jacket Yellow bear is there amongst all the others...Funny.

Oh he's pissed now.

Nothing is working. Coping mechanisms ain't working here.

Ngl the "WHAT" panel makes me laugh.

It's so absurd.

Mike is still under the impression this thing is haunting him because of his in-action.

Hehe wait-

Those teeth aren't like the one from befoooooooore...

Mike's so fed up with this.

Also the titular "It's me" line from FNAF 1 and, everywhere in the series. I had to include it.

Mike's just exhausted.

Bro is beyond exhausted at this point.

Also notice how he mentions "The dark"

you afraid of the dark Mike?

Bro's having mood swings like crazy. Not that I'd blame him I'd be pissed off if this ghost was just taunting me like this too.

Seriously tho- Mike you cracked that door with that punch is your hand okay????

Also we can note something about Mike: he's apparently right handed, or at least leans on using his right hand.

Yes that's relevant. X'D

Oh hey, Cyan jacket bear is back.

How long has Mike been putting up with seeing this bear ghost?

Huh. So even Mike notices the difference...

Mike I wouldn't touch that thing-

Mike. You stopped going to therapy!?

Apparently in the past he couldn't feel this bear. So he HAS seen it before in an alerted mental state.

And oh no it's got him-

Big ol bear hug! :D

OH. LORE.

Stuff we know but conformed for sure.

Bear is listening.

Oh. HELLO THERE. HE CAN LAUGH.

Mike's confession is real funny apparently.

Considering ALL the notes/drawings on the wall, this character is kind of a sadistic ass so this reaction makes sense.

So: They share a birthday how cute.

Oh.

That terrible day was on Mike's birthday lmfao. Ouch.

Mr. Cody bear does this to people A LOT. Often enough he knows how they usually REACT anyway.

Also there's a typo ignore that i'm not gonna fix it lmao

Aaaand the "Mike is a freak" gag comes back once again. XD

Meaning he's been watching Bonnie and Mike talk to each other...

Stalker.

He's been stalking Mike in general since he entered the damn building.

Creepy.

Oh my. Oh dear.

Lore.

Why does everyone pat Mike's pretty head????

So Cody wasn't tormenting Mike because of a vendetta: He's just an ass.

He also doesn't want an apology showing he's got SOME emotional maturity to know it wasn't Mike's fault. This kind of maturity shows off even though he might have DIED as a child, he is not STILL a child. This is in stark contrast to a character like Ennard who keeps a childish mentality towards others.

Josh Afton was the one wearing the "Foxy mask" and inadvertently killed his own brother.

WOOPS. IT WAS JUST A PRANK BRO.

Seems Cody isn't over that...Getting pissed Mike even brings up his brother. Possibly angry Mike even KNOWS that much about him?

Cody just leaves.

Mike is terrified to be left alone, he'd rather hug the bear who's been tormenting him than be alone.

They take a peek back into the room and it's darkness is OMINOUS.

Cody's eyes also flash red when he's angry or annoyed, hold onto that detail.

And with that, THE IMAGE LIMIT FOR ONE POST HAS BEEN HIT.

Hope ya enjoyed the show so far we'll pick up again when I finish my blabbing.

[kuramirocket]

I'm on book 2 of Warriors, Fire and Ice, left off on ch. 18.

The brief moments we've gotten of Fireheart meeting his sister, Princess again and sneaking off to visit her; Sharing memories of her when they were kits and washing off her scent when he returns to Thunderclan. Thinking of how these are such happy moments for him, so much so that he feels confused and almost torn in his duties and loyalties to Thunderclan. Coupled with the resentment, bitterness and anger towards some of the cats within the clan who view him as beneath them for having been born a "kittypet."

And I just. Okay, where are my shipcest shippers at!! I haven't really been active in the fandom yet because I want to avoid spoilers (though I do more or less know what happens between them later. Lol).

And anyways, does this ship have a name? I tried looking it up, but didn't really find anything. If it does not have a ship name, how about Fireprincess? I think it sounds cute and is perfect because if I'm not mistaken Fireheart's name changes again later on to Firestar.

Anyways, Greystripe has the storyline I would have loved to see for Fireheart and Princess. LOL. I want to see the drama and more confusion of Fireheart having to be angry and defend himself seeing his sister who is a non clan member and worse for Thunderclan a "kittypet." I want more drama and angst of Fireheart having to choose where he would rather be - Thunderclan who accepted him, despite some of the cats attitudes and those he has come to care for or his sister who he just found and connected to again. Princess who is so kind and gentle and loves him for who he is. Warrior, Kittypet, it doesn't matter.

I don't know how it would work with the current storyline though - Bluestar being on her last life, Fireheart's apprentice in bad shape, Tigerclaw's shady character, Shadowclan and Riverclan's plots, Greystrip seeing a riverclan warrior. So much stuff happening. Lol.

I just want to see a fic that just focuses on that drama I mentioned regarding Fireheart and Princess. As for the actual shipcest. I'm not far enough into the series so I also don't know how the clans and kittypets would view a brother/sister relationship that is more than just sibling love. But for, sure I am all for the forbidden romance trope it could bring! Adds to the drama and angst!

It could make it even more better if imagine an au, where for his sister, Fireheart decides to leave Thunderclan no matter how grateful and how much he has come to love some of its members. I can see Bluestar respecting his wishes because she's a very wise and patient leader. Idk how Greystripe would react, guess it depends if his own love plot is still in this au. Lol.

But anyways, Fireheart decides to leave and imagine him starting his own clan made solely of kittypets. The ones he grew up with. Maybe like a best of both worlds scenarios. The kittypets can still live with and enjoy their two legs, but also have their own territory close to the two legs they guard and patrol. So they can be somewhat wild, but still have the comforts of a kittypet life. Idk how feasible this scenario would be, but I just think it's fun to think about. Especially, if Fireheart and Princess are sort of the "queen" and "king" of the clan and can eventually and finally be free to fully love each other and share a life together.

Idk what any of this is. I have lot of thoughts. Lol. I would love to hear everyone else's thoughts. Though, I would be thankful if spoilers could be kept to a minimum if possible cause I want to try and avoid spoilers as much as possible! I just had to make this post cause Fireheart x Princess (FirePrincess if it truly has no ship name) sounds like a cute ship xD

[idleglowingpixels]

Can't remember if I said this already or not, but I finished the drawing I had made, I'm just nervous about posting it XD Bianca's not really in Ch. 6 outside of the beginning if memory serves me right, so it doesn't exactly fit with the chapter but I might release it with the next update anyway

Incoming ramble, only adding the Keep Reading thing so this long post doesn't clutter my blog as you scroll haha, it's kind of an XXY mini-update but also just a blog update in general

I think my main thing is that initially, I wanted to keep my Tumblr & AO3 separate from my main accounts but my art style would very clearly give me away if you happened to find my main username. But at the same time I also...Don't really care??? Like I'm a very passionate person about the things I make, and while it may be seen as cringe or some stupid shit, without fanfiction, fan art and just fan work in general I would NOT be nearly as good at most of what I do as I am now. Fandom over the years has brought me a LOT of like, unruly mess, but it has also brought me so far along on my creative journey.

In fact, the only reason my username here & on AO3 is different is because I had felt a sense of like shame in it at first ig, especially since I started on AO3 posting XXY at 17 and wanted to be able to abandon the account if I felt the need to. (Don't worry, I no longer feel that need, I wouldn't have made a Tumblr blog for my fics if I did)

But now I'm the furthest into XXY than I ever have been, and Ik the pacing has been relatively slow (we've progressed a grand total of like...3 days within the span of 5 chapters XD) but a lot goes on in the beginning and dynamics are re-established for the characters and the Teen AU thing -- point is, I'm proud of how much work I've put in and with I believe a 22k word count by the time Chapter 7 drops, that's already a lot of work I'm proud of for me.

Also since G3's release last year I've been working on releasing my Monster High AU character designs around this October/November (1 each day for a total of I think 33? Cause Jackson & Holt and Meowlody & Purrsephone were gonna have their designs posted together, I have to double check my list), along with a few one-shots if I ever find time to get around to them, and those designs do NOT take a short amount of time for me to complete so I was gonna be like "idgaf" either way eventually XD

Thing is I like both of my usernames so instead of altering all of my accounts to one or the other, my main will be where I'm more professional and focusing more on developing a portfolio of completed works, whereas here I'll just be a little more unhinged lmao

Might make an alt Instagram to match this account so I can focus my fanfics and art and stuff over to that account XD But idk

Now enough about me and my self-reflections, here's what to expect next month:

Chapter 6 is looking just fine for release on July 7th, I'm feeling pretty good about it (probably because it's Butch's POV haha) and I'm excited for his and Buttercup's dynamic to really be shown off since Chapter 3 didn't have them around each other much. I've got an event to attend tonight and a couple of things to do tomorrow but I should be able to give Chapter 6 the usual final edit on Sunday.

Like I said before, I'll probably share my Bianca & Barbara drawing on the Chapter Update post and I'm hoping I'll have a drawing of our 6 leads by the time Chapter 7 rolls around. I've been very much in an art mood lately so it's been taking up a lot of my time, and I've also felt really rejuvenated by drawing to get back to writing little by little.

Also before you ask, unfortunately I might have an update gap between Chapters 7 & 8, as my writing has been very slow over the last 3 or so months. I do apologize for that, but I hope you understand. The last few months have been a lot on me to say the least, but I love sharing XXY with you all, and I just really enjoy seeing emails from AO3 when I check it pretty much every morning. I'm so happy to have others enjoy my work. That being said, I'll do my best to make the gap as small as possible, and hopefully I'll only have to skip a month or something.

Thanks for reading my rambles, and as always, the link to XXY is in my introduction post.

[normal-looking-male]

Not people making art of Barten Of Ganban!! Hypocrisy out the wazoo, yeah, yeah, but just. Really? The most soulless and effortless """game""" on the market? The one without an ounce of personality or originality?? The one with THOSE designs that wouldn't pass for some YouTube Kids knockoff shit???

Rant incoming.

It's so unfair how these incredibly skilled artists and writers seem to have way more passion and care for these miserable """characters""" than the developers of the game. It's nothing new that 70% of the actual story and characters is carried by fandom in an indie project. We've seen it with Nive Fights Fat Reddy's, Nello Heighbour, Pendy, and now Bobby Blaytime especially. Fainbow Rriends from way back when already felt like one of the lazier examples of that kind of bait. But this... This is irrationally upsetting.

It's genuinely touching how fandoms can form around the things you least expect. Just talking about something, analysing it, sharing it with others is a precious experience, it is a form of art. But all of it feels so thoroughly wasted on things like this, where maybe two or three people behind the original project had any love for it, and the community survives on just those crumbs of love for it, doing most of the legwork. Fans end up making so much good, amazing stuff even, with so much heart and character in it, they may as well just take full ownership of the media, because they clearly care more about it than the actual people behind it.

But the reason they could make it was because they were offered this barebones foundation. One with just enough shits given for the gears to turn in people's brains, and get them to pump out storytelling and content for the developers. I struggle to find an example outside of gaming, but Uneven Stiverse reads to me like a similar situation as well, where the community literally made up several "AU's" with far better stories and themes than the showrunner halfway in, while the breadcrumbs of "lore" they were tossed to theorise about were quickly and hastily finished after skimming some quirkier fan-theories.

Projects like this just have no worth without the people that care. Obviously, if nobody is there for any story, nobody will know about that story, but a good... Thing. Just thing. Movie, book, podcast, show, game, legend, that thing can stand on its own, if it has something to say, if it has a heart, if it's used as a vessel to speak by the person who made it, and who genuinely cares about it as something more than just a quick cashgrab, using an impressionable and exciteable fanbase, ravenous for more content.

Barten Of Ganban is worthless. It does not deserve any positive or negative attention. There is no care or love put into it. It has nothing to bring to this world. I sincerely hope it's forgotten by the people that were unfortunate enough to give a damn about it, and that they can find better ways to pour their creative hearts out.

Side Note: I feel like people attribute all the "bad" parts of a fandom to just the younger fans getting too excited and therefore "cringe", but sometimes we need to stop and take a hard look at the media we so furiously want to "protect" from children. See if it's actually geared towards general audiences, or just kids. I don't think it's a bad thing that kids like horror or cute'ify it. Horror is just a genre, some people like it, some don't. Coraline is very much a horror movie made for kids, and I'm happy for everyone that fell in love with it, and everyone that figured out the genre wasn't for them, and everyone that tried to adjust it to cater more to their preferences in media. Even if those preferneces are far away from horror, and lean more towards. I dunno, romance and comedy.

Hell, teens and adults can engage with spooks in a similar way, too. People should be able to have fun, and engage with the things they like without being mocked and bullied for it. But I do wish they got to engage more with projects that actually have some heart behind them. Otherwise it's just another forgettable piece of content, that attracts the attention of the least "weathered" demographic online. A demographic that's easy to exploit, making merch for parents to waste their money on, spinning mysteries upon mysteries and vague shit upon vague shit to keep people talking about it. And just because some adults also fell for it doesn't mean it was ever geared towards them.

[ninjagirlstar5]

YEAH, it's quite funny looking back on that. It was something of a gradual change over time due to Hiro originally being an OC for...

Sighs.

...Five Nights At Freddy's.

Listen, she was created all the way back in high school when the fourth game came out and my friend brought me into his online friend's FNAF AU, and it just spiraled from there as we went crazy with the lore and made a TON of OCs for the series. A lot of which didn't really fit FNAF in general as we really went ham on the supernatural aspects like ghosts, angels, and demons and stuff, plus a few sci-fi elements thrown into the mix. And with how often the lore kept getting updated and changed with each installment in the series (and franchise), we were constantly adjusting a bunch of stuff in our stories for the AU.

We were (mostly) cringe-free back then, and I'll admit, I'm still attached to a lot of the ideas we came up with back then (hell, I still like FNAF). That being said, at this point in my life, I've been thinking on separating my OCs from FNAF altogether, mostly cause the lore we've come with doesn't really fit the FNAF world anymore as the stories we had listed out as planned (but never got around to finishing or even starting) started straying further and further away from the original appeal of the series, which is, "Security guard works at a kids' pizzeria which turns out to have haunted animatronics of dead children cause there was a serial killer back in the 1980s" thing. We got so wrapped up in the lore and certain elements that the animatronics just almost never appeared in a lot of these story ideas, except for, like, two of them, and just loosely tying in other canon characters.

With that context outta the way...I do have posts on Hiro. The thing is, though, this was from a time where I barely used Tumblr to share my own stuff, just liking and reblogging other people's posts. So it turned out I only had...two posts on Hiro. And that's from the Random-Questions-Fairy that I came across and liked and reblogged for some OC questions.

The first is about, "Does this character has pets or would like a pet?"

The second one being, "What kind of situation would your OC be willing to compromise on their values/morals?" (The third reason isn't wholly accurate anymore since I've been thinking over on what should be changed and such, especially since I want to separate Hiro's story from FNAF, so the context of the situation may end up quite different. It's still loosely accurate to her situation, but still.)

Also, I did actually write and post a fic on Hiro and her trauma back in 2022, I just completely forgot about it until now. Oops. It's kinda old now, especially since the few times her physical appearance is touched upon, it's based on her old design as I had given her a new one now. And I feel like if I were to write this scene into a story, I might change it, but I dunno. I haven't reread it in a long while. But if you want an idea of Hiro's story in the FNAF AU we made, there it is.

These were the only posts I've ever shared on Hiro, two on Tumblr, one on AO3. Honestly, I wished I talked about her a bit more, I still love her a lot, but I've always been nervous about talking about her and her lore due to her ties with FNAF. And also cause, well, my fixation on FNAF has waned quite a bit and SDRA2 basically dropkicked it into the far reaches of my mind. (I still think about it every now and then, but that did affect how I think about Hiro - which is, not as much as I used to.) But since you asked, I might as well take the opportunity to talk about her more and what her story would be like without FNAF in the picture.

Her full name is Hiroko Arai, and she was born in America. As a Japanese-American, her parents decided to give her a Japanese name so that she'd have ties to her culture. It's probably spelled with the Kanji, "to forgive, to pardon" and "child, offspring, young, junior, small thing", while Arai can either mean "new well" or "new residence" depending on spelling (I went with "new residence" as the spelling). Her friends and family all call her by her nickname, Hiro. The meta-reason why Hiro ended up with a Japanese name is because I was a lot more obsessed with anime back in high school. ^^;

Hiro has Time powers alongside her brother, which she inherited from her father and grandfather. Neither of which were actually human, but rather supernatural creatures of a higher being. The grandfather had initially come down to the mortal realm to fix some issues with the timeline as someone had restricted many possibilities of what could happen and had to be stopped (basically the backstory for an overarching story), even going as far as to create Hiro's father, but they never figured out a solution. The grandfather and the father had a bad relationship to the point that he cut ties with him, but he had mentioned him before to his wife, which came in handy when he had ended up passing away suddenly due to a car crash and the family needed a place to stay so she chose to take a risk. While the grandfather didn't fully understand what they did wrong, they had tried to be better for their son's family, and ended up having a much more amicable relationship with their grandkids. Tomomi (explained below) still found them unnerving at times.

The flat cap Hiro wears (pictured below) was her grandfather's. She was the closest to them and loved learning about clocks and their ideas on time and such. She never would've guessed that they were trying to help prepare her with her powers without forcing it onto her, as even if they were to remain dormant for the rest of her life and never were to realize that she had it, it would always be a part of her. She got her flat cap after her grandfather's mortal vessel expired ("passed away" in human eyes).

Hiro has a twin brother named Tomomi, which is spelled with the Kanjis, "wisdom, intelligence, knowledge" and "snake, serpent" ("智巳"). While their personalities were quite different from each other, Hiro being far more emotionally open, kinder and eager to play while Tomomi was more withdrawn, a loner, and far more quiet as he buries himself in his books, they were rarely seen apart. If one is not seen without the other, it's usually assumed that they were nearby but doing their own thing. Hiro and Tomomi bicker a lot, but were always the first to protect and support one another as they deeply love each other as siblings. Hiro always called Tomomi, "Tomo."

They were only ten-years-old when they were murdered, Tomomi poisoned with his body tossed into a river and Hiro having walked in on the scene of the crime, running into the forest in a panic and getting killed there via blunt force trauma. Tomo was found only twenty-four hours after his death. Hiro was found a year later by some hikers, her body haphazardly buried in the dirt.

Their deaths was when they found out about their time powers as the emotional pain of death made Tomomi unwittingly turn back time. However, since they were half-human, their time powers weren't as strong as their father's or even their grandfather's, so they were only able to go back one hour. This results in a time loop as Tomomi desperately tries to save himself, and eventually, Hiro. She didn't even realize what had happened at first until things started repeating over and over again and, due to retaining her memories of each loop thanks to having the same powers and awareness as her brother, tried to help save him as well. But due to the constraints of their powers, they were unable to escape their Fates, and kept dying over and over, and over again. The two of them end up giving up at some point, with Hiro being the first to give up and try and accept her death while leaving some kind of evidence behind for the authorities to capture their killer, while Tomomi took the longest as he was determined to not lose what he had...but eventually snapped and just let himself be killed.

Unfortunately, their pain doesn't end there as they end up becoming ghosts. Ghosts come into existence once someone has died, usually when they have a grudge to settle or some kind of unfinished business to attend to. The former usually happens when someone is killed in an uncommon way (murder) and the victim was aware of what happened to them or if they had beef with a living person upon their death and feel as if they deserved to finish what they started before moving on. The latter usually happens a person dies but still has some kind of final wish or even just wants to protect someone they loved. Many ghosts will move on with a bit of time or accomplishing their goals, but others get stuck in the mortal realm when they're unable to emotionally process what had happened. (This is usually when an Exorcist comes in to help the ghosts come to terms with their death, appeases their souls, and even help them with their goals...if it's morally sound, anyways.) Both of them were in pain for dying the way that they did, but Hiro was a bit more willing to move on as she just wanted some peace. Tomomi, who was broken and filled with resentment, is convinced that he's stuck like this, and doesn't even want to move on, not until he gets on their killer. Hiro is uncomfortable with her brother's change in behavior (she never saw and fully understood how desperate he was to survive their killer due to the time constraints of just trying to escape together and live), but chooses to stay by his side and support him.

Hiro and Tomomi's relationship starts to deteriorate over time, as while they both have the same trauma with experiencing their deaths over and over and over again through the time looping, neither of them are handling it very well, but ESPECIALLY Tomomi. He's become obsessed with getting revenge, trying to track him down through any means necessary, and he just keeps taking things too far to the point that people get hurt. Hiro tries to get him to stop but he won't listen, even snapping at her a few times for getting in his way. This comes to a point when Tomomi accidentally gets someone killed, which shocks both of them. But Tomomi, his soul having become tainted, tries to justify it to himself, saying that they merely got in the way, but Hiro snaps at him as they're LITERALLY dead, Tomomi! They...They caused that, Hiro having shown some taint on her as well for her minor role in the situation. This sparks an argument where Tomomi ends up talking over Hiro and proclaiming that if she's acting this way, then she can't possibly understand what he's going through, the pain and suffering he's felt for just losing his life over and over again! If accepting their death means letting go of their murderer, then he wants no part in it! Hiro is hurt by this, quietly biting back that yes, she does understand, because she's been put through the same thing he did. She just doesn't want other innocent people to lose their lives on this path of revenge. Tomomi wonders if they're even innocent, but eventually apologizes for snapping at her. Hiro apologizes as well, though, saying that she didn't meant to start an argument. Tomomi quietly begs her to stay, as he doesn't want to be alone so long as he remains as a ghost. Hiro is, again, uncomfortable...but continues to stay with him as he's her brother. Of course she can't leave him alone like this. However, their relationship doesn't improve from here as Tomomi continues to go down his path of destruction, Hiro struggling between supporting him and stopping him, but unable to choose between either. Hiro feels as though she can't speak up, and the few times she does, Tomomi ignores her or brushes her off, saying that once the killer is gone, things will go back the way it was before. Hiro, after watching another person die before her eyes, can only hope so numbly.

The Taint is basically what happens when a ghost does something immoral to another living being, causing harm to them in some way. Destroying relationships, driving someone insane, getting someone injured, or killing someone have different levels of taint but ultimately lead to one ending if the taint gets to a certain point the soul can't handle: the transformation of a Demon. There are at least two types of demons: one that is naturally formed from Hell and defined by a certain type of sin (ex. Pride, Greed, Wrath, etc.), or one where the soul of a ghost can no longer contain the taint in their thin forms and bursts, a shadow of their former selves as they go searching for more prey to feast upon. Young demons will usually go after any stray ghosts they come across as they are often easier prey than a human, who have far more protections to use against them, especially if they're able to resist any of their temptations. But older demons are far more dangerous as they're able to slip through the cracks of human society and manipulate a human into doing certain things that make them more vulnerable as time progresses, sucking away their energy until they can no longer resist and leaves them open for death. Many of these older demons have some kind of power that makes it easier for them to gain souls. This is why it's important exorcise both demons and ghosts, to keep people safe and to prevent a ghost's soul from being lost to the Taint.

There were other victims like Hiro and Tomomi, ones they sometimes came across during their journey they've been tracking down. However, they had never met the ghosts of these victims, either because they lacked the awareness of being murdered, wandered away from the location of their death, or just passed on over time. Hiro always tries to leave some kind of gift behind so they can rest in peace.

Hiro comes across a doll, one that seemed to have been tossed to the side, and decides to take it with them. After many years of trying to find their killer, she had grown used to her ghostly powers like teleportation, possession, and even telepathically carrying items. Hiro and Tomomi have grown very distant with each other over time, as Tomomi has become more toxic, clingy, and controlling of his sister, unwilling to let her leave his sight lest she ran into a demon and gets her soul taken. It's not an unfounded fear in this world, but he's not giving her any freewill on the matter, which makes it harder and harder for her to speak up on her feelings. But with the doll she has now, Hiro starts to talking to it in private, giving herself an outlet to let out all of her pent up emotions. She's desperate for a friend or even an adult she can rely on, someone that would support her and love her as she tries to cope from the stress of her watching people die, watching her brother become someone he's not, someone twisted and destructive. This continues for a long while until Hiro starts to break down a little, holding the doll close as the energy of her own soul brightens, begging for someone to help her. This imbues the doll with parts of her soul, and since Hiro was a half-human, it ends up being a very powerful one. One that transforms the doll into a tall, gangly being with strings attached. Hiro is shocked to see this, but since the being was imbued with Hiro's desire for a friend and an authority figure to rely on, they're quick to reassure her that everything is alright, having inherited traits that Hiro has perceived in the adults she grew up with: her mother's intelligence, her father's compassion, and even her grandfather's perseverance. The being proclaims itself to be Hiro's Guardian, and while Hiro doesn't necessarily understand what that means, she knew that she now has a friend to rely on and immediately clings to them. They play with her, recalling long forgotten childhood stories Hiro has heard to her, and give her a listening ear. Hiro has a good time, and even when her brother comes back from surveying the area, she greets cheerfully with her new friend, a jarring display if Tomomi ever saw one since he hasn't...seen her so happy in so long. He questions who the doll is, and they simply explain themselves to be Hiro's Guardian, willing to extend that same title to Tomomi as they are siblings. Tomomi is still suspicious but Hiro reassures him that they didn't offer any kind of contract, they just simply...came into being from the doll Hiro had. Tomomi isn't sure that that alone can be trusted, but decides that it doesn't matter now and tells Hiro to follow him. She reluctantly agrees, as she had hoped that Tomomi would at least get to know their new friend, which they simply reassure her that he may come around with time. For now, they ask her to give them a name, and Hiro thinks on it before settling on Mari. Hiro cannot remember how to do Kanji due to it being so many years, but she believes it can mean "Truth," "Reason," or "Love." Mari accepts their new name and shapeshifts back into their doll form so Hiro can hug them as they leave. They spend most of their time together, and even when Tomomi is at his worse, Mari is always there to help Hiro process her emotions, although due to being created from a part of Hiro's soul, they struggle to confront Tomomi themselves to get him to stop, especially as a part of them knows that they would do anything to protect these kids and struggle to wrap their head around Tomomi hurting Hiro. They're basically a young adult that doesn't really have much experience in dealing with children despite loving them a lot. But Hiro doesn't mind. She's just relieved to finally have a friend after feeling so lonely. Ha, lonely...she was never lonely around Tomomi but nowadays...she's not even sure she knows him.

Circling around to the concept of Guardians, Guardians are basically people that have passed onto the AfterLife, and are assigned to be a living mortal's support and protector. Usually Angels, people that have gone to Heaven for going above and beyond to help other people, are assigned to be Guardians, sometimes for a relative, sometimes for a stranger. But it's not uncommon for Lost Souls, people that have lived average lives and weren't exactly good or bad, in Purgatory to be assigned as Guardians as well, as a way to help them come to terms with their deaths, lack of purpose, and eventually bring them closer to being accepted into Heaven. It's almost unheard of for souls from Hell to become Guardians but if one were to try and reform, it is an option...but only for those that weren't reprehensible enough to get stuck in the lowest levels, as not everyone is allowed a chance for redemption depending on their record. These people are not necessarily demons, but due to how they have lived their lives when they were alive, harming others and perhaps even destroying lives, they are given far more restrictions as a Guardian, and that's only if they pass the test on whether or not they're genuine in trying to do better. Those on the lowest levels aren't even given chance due to how vile of a person they are...and they don't even want to change either. These types of Guardians are very rare...but it happens. Occasionally. Not just anyone become a Guardian, even as an Angel and a Lost Soul, as those who are more weak-willed may succumb to taint, even after giving a protective seal on their souls. They're also given permission to use certain powers if it will help them protect their mortal better. Mari, however, is a type of Guardian that can sometimes manifest in someone's time of need, usually in a beloved object they hold dear, and while Guardians don't usually protect the dead (they're meant to protect mortals, after all), if a ghost were to imbue an object with a desire like Hiro did, they would still be bound to protect that dead person. These Guardians are also ones ones that would take the initiative to protect that person but lack the seal to protect themselves from the Taint as they form outside the bounds of the ones that enforce how a Guardian is chosen, so it's generally frowned upon since they can be just as dangerous as a loose ghost or even a demon. So, not only did Hiro create herself a Guardian as a ghost, she accidentally broke a taboo in the process. Oops.

Demons also have their own versions of being "Guardians" through Contracts. They try to offer a human, usually a vulnerable one, a deal: they can give them this, so long as they're willing to offer them their soul by the time they accomplish their goal or when the contract expires. The demon will then support and protect them as they give the human power to accomplish what they need to do. Taking a demon's deal never ends well, as this is one of the first steps a demon will take to convince a human to commit atrocities throughout the duration, a slippery slope that gets harder and harder to pull yourself out of the more you're willing to bend your morals. And by the end of the contract, the Demon will take your soul, leaving an empty husk of your body behind. You may not even get to experience the rewards of what you've accomplished, but many humans think they can outwit a demon by reaping the rewards and then trying to get rid of them as soon as it's all done. This always seem to backfire as humans have already signed away their soul on those contracts, bound to give them up regardless of whether or not they want to back out. There is no way out, and an exorcists' advice is to ALWAYS never listen to a demon and run away while you still can. However, there are rumors of humans that have managed to accomplish turning the tables against a demon, but there doesn't seem to be any evidence of that ever happening. At least, for now...

Back to Hiro, their little group has come across many people as they search for their killer, but this was the first time they've come across an exorcist. The exorcist was clearly on a mission, asking them what they're final wishes are. Hiro doesn't get to answer as Tomomi brushes the exorcist off, saying that it's none of her business. The exorcist sighs, simply saying that she can help them move on and wrap up their final business. They don't have to keep tainting themselves anymore. But Tomomi doesn't believe her and tells her to go away, which only prompts the exorcist to shrug and say, "Suit yourselves. It took a long time to find you kids, I even spent all my down payment trying to keep up with you for weeks. But I have a job to finish, and if I have to do this by force...well, you're better off in the AfterLife. Trust me." And immediately attacks. This surprises both of them but Mari immediately jumps to defend them as their Guardian, shocking the exorcist but laughing along as she seems happy to get a bit of a challenge. It wasn't a very long fight...but it was one that Hiro didn't forget as Mari, in the snap of their fingers, freezes time for a few seconds and brutally cuts the exorcist with their strings. Hiro is shocked to realize that Mari has the same powers as them (due to them having a part of her soul) and watches as the exorcist goes down but is still alive. She cusses as she admits out loud that she had underestimated them. Mari goes to give the final blow, but before Hiro could even step in and beg Mari not to do this, she would never want this, the exorcist pleads for them to wait. They stop, ready to pounce at any moment, but giving her the time of day, even when Tomomi comes over to tell them to kill her, now. The exorcist laughs, saying that she was lucky that she had come prepared on more than one level before grunting as she pulls out an object: clear jeweled brooch, one that gave off a strange eeriness to everyone in the vicinity. The exorcist offers a deal: if she gives them this Brooch of Life, they'll let her go and she won't go after them anymore. Tomomi questions if she would keep her end of the deal and she simply replies, "Do I even have a choice? Just take this brooch and you'll be able to walk with the living again. Although I'll admit, I have no idea what effects it'll have on a ghost." They all exchange looks before Mari carefully takes the brooch from the exorcist before quickly backing away. When Mari proclaims that this is actually legit, the exorcist immediately drops a smoke bomb that explodes upon contact, quickly making her getaway. Mari almost goes after her but Hiro actually stop them. She's gravely injured, and didn't attack them like she said she would. They should let her go and follow their goals. Tomomi agrees, taking the brooch from Mari without a word but not putting it on. As they follow after him, Hiro tells Mari not to do that again. Mari says that it's their duty as their Guardian to protect her and they will do everything in their power to make sure she's never harmed again. They have seen what's been done to her through her memories, the repeated deaths, the lack of closure for her family as the police lose track of her own killer. They won't let any of that happen to her ever again, the taint all over their hands. Hiro is disturbed...but ends up letting it slide, simply asking them to promise to be more careful going forward. If they're going to be her guardian, she doesn't want them to kill unless they absolutely have to. They promise.

They finally track down their killer, Tomomi confronting them by making himself more visible to his eyes. Luckily, he is very sensitive to the supernatural, allowing him to both sense and see Tomomi, and Hiro without much effort. Since Mari has always been a doll at their core, they're pretty much visible as is. Tomomi corners their killer, demanding that he dies a miserable death like theirs. The killer laughs, saying that they have no idea why he did what he did, but he won't tell them since it's already too late. He's accomplished his goals and there's nothing they can do about it. This confuses Hiro but Tomomi doesn't care, trying to attack the killer on the spot. Mari, however, stops him, saying that he doesn't seem to care at all that they've tracked them down and that it could be a trap. Tomomi just stares at them...before suddenly grabbing their strings, taking control of Mari and using them to brutally kill their murderer. Hiro, for once in a very long time, immediately intervenes, fighting for control over Mari to protect them as they scream in agony, the Taint from Tomomi transferring over to them. Tomomi, on the verge of bursting into a demon, yells at Hiro, asking why can't she just trust him? Why can't she just accept what needs to be done? Why can't she just support him like she's supposed to!? Hiro, after putting up with Tomomi's toxicity for years, screams that he can do whatever he wants to her but never to her own friend! And turns the tables, taking control of Mari and wounding Tomomi's soul. This shocks everyone, Tomomi crumbling as he tries to keep himself intact. Hiro drops the strings and Mari, despite being in pain, scrambles over Tomomi, telling him that it's going to be okay, it's going to be okay. They have a solution, it'll be okay. They form a box between them, putting Tomomi inside and wrapping it all up until he disappears into their chest. Once Tomomi was gone, Mari tries to get their taint under control, pushing down Tomomi's memories, the murderous intent, the pain and suffering in his heart, feeling every single bit of it before it finally, finally subsides. They feel...different. But at least they had their free will back. Mari turns to Hiro to ask if she's alright, but sees the Brooch of Life in her hand. Tomomi must have dropped it in the scuffle. Mari didn't understand why Hiro was staring at it so intently, but for Hiro...Hiro realized something. She realized that she can't have a future like this. Not when Tomomi might disappear for good. Not when she's a ghost that has remained stagnant, hurting as the taint over her arms and face grew and grew. Not when she...she can't even age, for she is dead. But this brooch...if it works just like that exorcist said, even if she didn't know what would happen if a ghost were to use it...It wasn't even a question. Hiro puts the brooch over her heart and in an instant, her body glows bright, her body feels heavy (feel, she can FEEL), and she can taste the stale air, the smell of blood, everything all at once...until she passes out from her senses being completely overwhelmed. Mari catches her, shocked that she had actually done it without a second thought...but if that was her choice, then they would follow and protect her to the very end. And thus, they carried her out of the building, bringing her to a hotel for her to rest at.

Being sensitive to the supernatural is different for everyone. Some may notice a ghostly presence while another can just walk on by without even a shudder. Being sensitive to the supernatural is a basic survival instinct that humans still use to this day, as being aware that something is off can encourage people to avoid certain supernatural hotspots or even a single ghost or demon that may have ill will and just waiting for a chance to pounce on a vulnerable person. It's a sixth sense of sorts. However, being too sensitive to the supernatural can be very detrimental to one's mental health, some even losing their sanity for seeing so many dead people, creatures, and demons in the vicinity. Other times, lacking any sensitivity at all can lead to someone walking right into danger without realizing it. In the end, you're better off being more in the middle. At least your sixth sense will be going off every now and then without driving you paranoid.

Hiro's recovery was a slow one as it's been years since she's been an actual, breathing human. Mari always took the time to dote and take care of her, doing research on what kind of food she'll need and giving her plenty of entertainment through stories and TV time. The TV is a little different but she recognizes it as one that she's familiar with back when she was still alive so she grows comfortable in the hotel. The cartoons aren't familiar at all, though. In fact, the graphics don't match up with her memories period. It confused her. And scared her. After a few days and when she was able to start walking on her own, she asks Mari for a calendar as she's know when she died, she died on a holiday after all, she just needed to know what year it is. Mari does what they're told and brings her a calendar from the desk. She nearly drops it as soon as she reads the year. Hiro, she...she knew. She knew it's been years since she died. She saw how different certain things were as they traveled, how people's clothes had changed, the glimpses of different kinds of toys she never recognized, and the way people talked as she listens when she had nothing better to do when no one else can see her but Mari, Tomomi, and the occasional supernatural sensitive person. She just didn't realized it's been three whole decades.

And that is essentially Hiro's backstory, plus a few side notes on certain lore elements to explain what each term means in this world. There are certainly more elements to her story but I figured I'd cut off there in case I ever decide to actually sit down and write her story. Which won't be in her POV, at least not at the start since her revival is meant to be a mystery in the beginning as her childhood friend encounters her right in front of her own grave and freaks out, kickstarting the plot as he tries to figure out who, when, and HOW this even happened while Hiro keeps her mouth shut due to her own trauma, the struggle of realizing that everything that you were once familiar with and called home had changed drastically including the people you once knew cause they're now middle-age adults, and just overall figuring out if she even belongs in this new era or not despite coming from a past long since gone. Which she is dealing with all at once, with the depression and anxiety just a cherry on top behind her attempts to remain positive to an almost toxic extent (unless she's with Mari). It doesn't mean her cheerfulness is a complete facade, most of it can be genuine when she's taking things slow and can actually be very fascinated with the new technology that's surrounding her. It's just! A lot! To take in at once! To the point that she can sometimes feel a little bit alienated around others, including kids that are suppose to be her age.

Hiro is still an 80s kid before her death. She does not know what a smartphone is.

Due to the state of her own body, a.k.a. being a ghost, when Hiro used the Brooch of Life, it had to create an entirely new body of hers by scratch, which included the same clothes she had died in but without the dirt and scratches. So now there are two of her own bodies that exist in this world: the one that is buried in her grave that has long since decayed over the years, and the one she has now. As a result, Hiro is in a state of being alive but also dead. She can now grow older, which is what she wanted as she wanted to grow up and experience what it's like to be a teenager and an adult, something she never had the chance to do. But she also still has her ghost powers, from small bits of telekinesis to being able teleport (although this time she teleports through transforming into a swarm of butterflies and zipping over to the other side instant of being instantaneous) except for possession. There are also some side effects like her reproductive organs not functioning at all, something she learns much later down her life as a teenager. She's...actually upset about this since the thought of having her own family one day has crossed her mind a lot in her new life, so finding out that she can't have kids period was a gut punch to her. She's otherwise healthy, sure, but...that's cold comfort to her.

Her butterflies are parts of her soul, and she can "split" one off of her to fly into a location she can't appear in as herself. As a result, she can survey the nearby area, mapping it all out and eavesdropping on certain conversations without no one noticing. As long as they're not sensitive to the supernatural, at least...

Because these butterflies are a part of her soul, she has to bring those butterflies back to her body. If something were to happen to that butterfly, such as being crushed, she will feel the pain as if someone had actually attacked her physical body. Her body is actually quite fragile due to her state of being both alive and dead at the same time, so any pain or injuries she's sustained can easily become life-threatening.

It's a good thing that she has Mari with her, then, as they would more than willingly protect her with their life. However, after the incident with Tomomi and Hiro, and the Taint on their body, Mari has been struggling very hard to keep themselves in check. They are now paranoid of any threat that may be posed to Hiro, becoming overprotective of her and even becoming downright threatening with the intent of murder if someone so much as go near her. They want to keep their promise to Hiro, they really do. But due to their lack of experience and knowledge around humans outside of Hiro and Tomomi's memories, ones that are constantly overshadowed by their own deaths by a single man, they struggle to trust anyone at all except Hiro. Hiro recognizes that they're doing their best to help support and entertain her, though, and so she does her best to be patient, even when she's uncomfortable of the signs she sees in her friend.

Mari has the same powers as Hiro has, although they can actually teleport without needing to transform into something else, it's more or less instantaneous for them. This also includes her Time powers as they have inherited part of her soul (and Tomomi's when he had taken control of them), and can both rewind and freeze time like Hiro can. However, like Hiro, they cannot rewind time beyond an hour and can only freeze time for a minute. But unlike Hiro, they are far more creative in the use of this power, especially when in battle. And they can get quite merciless...unless they're in the mood to toy with their prey.

Yeah, prey. Due to the taint that Mari has, they are in danger of bursting into a demon. They're able to keep things the taint at bay for the time being, but they won't deny that the thought of gaining souls to become more powerful to protect Hiro isn't...tempting. But they know better than that. They know.

The butterfly pin Hiro has on her flat cap actually came from Mari. They totally didn't steal it.

Her new body also ended up being slightly different as the other half of her heritage becomes more apparent in her slightly pointed ears, her golden eyes that look a lot more like a clock, and the horns on her head. Yeah, she's not just wearing her hat for sentimental reasons, it's also to make sure no one sees the horns she has as she doesn't want to risk being made fun of or worse, be demonized. She's very uncomfortable about them as she doesn't know what to make of her new appearance anymore, wondering if this is what she gets for letting her brother go as far as he did...(She does not know that her grandfather and her father isn't human at this point...at least, not yet.) She also has a ton of scars on her body due to her past deaths and the reminders aren't! Great! She's really not happy with her body, but her friends don't judge her at all, simply expressing empathy for everything she's been put through. Hiro eventually comes to accept that this is what her body is now.

The reason why she comes off as creepy to others isn't because she is, but because the people she's trying to reach out to that are even remotely familiar with her are freaking out on the inside when they see their childhood friend, who's suppose to be dead, pop out of nowhere into their lives. Showing up at her own grave the very same day you were going to visit her with flowers? Oh God, I either finally snapped and started hallucinating or the supernatural IS real, time to run! Showing up at an author meet and greet and seeing her in the crowd, scanning a copy of her book that isn't really meant for kids? Very creepy as you try to act natural even when she asks questions when it's her turn to talk to you! Seeing her at a bridge with her against the railing while you're walking home? Okay, to be fair, that's a lot less creepy and more like, "Are you okay, kid?", even when there are alarm bells ringing in your head as you question if that's even your old friend or someone else entirely. Those are essentially the thoughts that are going through her three childhood friends' heads, and you can't really blame them since, uh, the dead aren't suppose to come back to life and they're not even sure if she's even the same Hiroko Arai they knew and cared about as kids. They do eventually get their answer as Hiro is indeed the same Hiro as before, but they were definitely trying to wrack their brains over what the hell is happening at the start since they don't know any of the context Hiro has, and Hiro hasn't exactly been open about it due to...everything she's dealing with right now. So at the start of story, the three of them get together, alongside Hiro who keeps insisting that she tags along despite them trying to tell her that they're doing "grown-up" things, start their investigations on the past, the murders, and what kind of insane supernatural things are going on right now, reforming their old bonds in the process as our main POV character has isolated himself from the friends he had left due to losing his best friends to the murderer, among other things.

I'm also just a sucker for the "grumpy middle-age adult that begrudgingly takes care of a sad child and the two of them healing over time together" except this time, it's an entire friend group pitching in to co-parent this child together, who also just so happened to be an old friend of theirs from way back then that came back from the dead.

One of the old friends 100% does the "board with red string" meme at some point.

While we never got around to finishing the stories we had planned out back then, I always saw the themes of this AU as, "Actions have consequences, ones that may end up affecting newer generations as time goes on," "don't let the past define you but also don't abandon it and pretend that it didn't happen," and, "breaking the cycle can be hard, but worth the effort for those you love and yourself, as you deserve a happier, healthier life like anyone else." A lot of shit may happen in these stories, especially to the characters...but they do get a happy ending out of all this, or at least a bittersweet one where everything isn't perfect, but they can still move forward to a new future together.

And with that, I'm finally done talking about Hiro. *lays down* I tried to cut down on my rambling but I have clearly failed on that. I clearly have a lot to say about Hiro, even now, and I do genuinely want good things for her. She's such a sweet kid that just doesn't know what the best course of action is, knowing something wrong but eventually growing scared of confrontation as she believes speaking up would only worsen her relationship with others. Even though it's not even her fault, some people simply won't stop until it's too late or never learn. She and Tomomi was essentially my version of the ghost kid(s) that haunted Marionette back when I first joined my friends on their little FNAF AU. And I think that was around when FNAF 4 came out. There's a lot to adjust for the story to separate itself from FNAF but I think I'm satisfied with what I came up with and shared for now.

Here's Hiro's design, btw.

Honestly, it's about time I shared this art of her. It's old but I still love how her design turned out...even if it's not completely accurate to the time period she came from but shhh. She gets to be cute and happy here. She needs that positivity in her life. Let's hope it doesn't border on toxic positivity. ^^;

OCs are a funny thing where you start off with this initial idea that you're pretty down for, but as you develop them a bit more and maybe even sit down to design them, you realize that they're giving off a different vibe or you come up with a different idea that seems more suitable for character. Bonus points if this is an old OC that you had when you were younger and they end up changing a lot over the years as you grow older and become more mature as both a person and a creator.

This is kinda what happened with my OC, Hiro, as she used to be this creepy kid that came back from the dead after a few decades and was okay with murder as a form of justice. But nowadays she's a kid that comes off as creepy when in reality she's just a depressed kid that's desperately in need of help and support in a time where everything had changed since she's been dead for a few decades and is struggling to adjust to the modern setting after reviving herself. And she hates murder in general now. Her concept was still technically the same, it's just the surrounding details about her that changed a lot.

(Interesting to know that Hitaru was going to be a lot more spoiled and like her parents since she's never been abused like the rest of her siblings. It would certainly hammer home the idea of continuing the cycle one way or another, but I like who Hitaru is now. She's so sweet and I wanted to destroy Mrs. Nijiue SO BADLY the more I learned about her and her husband.)

THAT'S LIKE,, THE FUNNIEST INSTANCES OF THIS HAPPENING the oc does a 180 and becomes the complete opposite of the idea you crested them for in the first place, absolutely insane.

Yeah if i had kept her as an asshole it would show how sometimes the cycle just can't be broken but i think she's much more interesting the way she is not because it's surprising? In a way? Like, this is the oldest of the Nijiue siblings and the one born with a natural talent for arts so you'd expect that she would be treated the best by the parents and take after them due to that but Hitaru has it just as badly as her siblings and took it upon herself to not be like the parents and help them in the only ways she could while being in such a terrible situation. It's a nice break of expectations i think

Akemi also charger quite a bit from my original idea for the character, she was a lot meane when i first created her for voidswap, but then Mod Bubbles picked the siblings up for Asoot and it lef to her becoming a much nicer and nuanced character which is really cool because i think that's the first time an oc of mine changed because of my friend's ideas rather than something stemming solely from me so that's fun

I guess we could include Beni in this list too, but also not really? Because Beni herself really hasn't had major changes to her character ever since creation, she's remained largely the same, i just added more and more stuff to her

Even her design has been pretty much the same ever since this first sketch lmao

The thing is that before she came into my mind i had this different idea for a character which was this girl who woked at the foundation's police division alongside Ryutaro and Keisuke and she was this scaredy cat type character that was always stressed and hated her job, but I wasn't super into the idea and the design i had in mind just looked a lot like Maki + i wanted someone that could have some form of connection to the Dra so cue to me remembering Kanata had a younger siblings and coming up with Beni after i checked the list just to be sure

(Also dude do you have posts of any kind about Hiro and whatever world she comes from? It's such an interesting concept I'd love to hear more about it 👀)

[i-cant-sing]

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTR5jyERH/

Wholesome ish au where Dabi got custody of his daughter.

God- this is the best tik tok to exist 😭😭 like I just know that the man gonna give her the best life and its so beautiful 💕

As for Dabi, bro- he's way more emotional. My dude has tears streaming down his face as he finally hugs you.

Like I'm seeing Rei and Enji had gotten custody of you after Rei framed Dabi and made him kill cops. And maybe it took a couple of years (maybe 5, maybe 10) before Dabi was finally able to come out of hiding and with proof that he was framed or something to prove he was innocent. And then it was the start of a year long custody battle, and all the odds were stacked against him, especially since Enji and Rei had a whole firm working for them while Dabi only had 1 lawyer (someone like Saul Goodman lol) that he had blackmailed into working for him.

Dabi had to see Rei drag you to court and have you witness as the lawyers pulled up his past criminal life and all his villainous activities to prove that he was unfit to be a father. He hated the way they brainwashed you, the way they tried to turn you against him. He could bare it all, but he couldn't live with you fearing him. Not you.

Rei had gotten a restraining order against Dabi that prevented him from reaching out to you in any way until the custody battle was over. He couldn't even talk to you, defend himself, tell you that it's all a lie.

After 6 months of court hearing, Dabi earned ti feel that he was gonna lose the case. So he decided to do something he never wanted to do.

He went to Enji for help.

Dabi asked him to drop the custody battle, that they could both have joint custody of you, to help his son that he knows isnt as vile as they potray him. But Enji told him "I know, son, I know. But your mother- she wants full custody of Y/n. She wants you out of her life, forever." And Enji didn't budge, as much as it hurt him to watch Dabi beg on knees to help him, he couldn't.

Another month passes and the reality of losing you forever to Rei is dawning on him. It makes him depressed, he stops eating, stops sleeping, stops taking care of himself.

It isn't until the doorbell rings and his siblings walk in. They're shocked at his state, and immediately start taking care of him. Fuyumi cooked food, Shotou cleaned up around the house and Natsuo checked on Dabi.

Dabi only played around with food as he kept thinking about you. "So, how is Y/n?" He asks Natsuo, and he sees how the 3 of them share a concerned look.

"We haven't seen her... in a while."

Dabi's eyes flick up at them. "What?"

"Dabi." Fuyumi grabs his hand. "Mom- she hasn't allowed us to see Y/n for a long time now."

"How long?"

"A year."

"What?!"

"She's been keeping her at home too. Locked up ever since you demanded custody." Shotou said. "She's not a nice person."

Dabi looked at his youngest brother. "What do you mean?"

The 3 shared another look before Natsuo spoke. "Mom... she's not in the right state of mind. She's very paranoid, and as much as she loves Y/n, sometime.... her paranoia gets the best of her, and Y/n gets hurt because of it."

Dabi couldn't believe what he was hearing. Rei- she'd been hurting you? All this time, all this time that she insisted that she loves you- she's been hurting you.

"Dabi." Fuyumi called out to him. "We need to save Y/n."

"How?"

"We've got some stuff that'll help you." Natsuo smiled.

"We'll show up at court even if we have to." Shotou promised.

And for the first time in months, Dabi felt like he had a fighting chance against Rei.

"Okay."

-

Natsuo pulled some strings and got Rei's past medical history (aka the part where she was put into an asylum). Fuyumi had a few pictures of wounds on your body that you'd gotten from Rei (and Fuyumi took these pictures in the past to ask Natsuo for medical help). And Shotou? He spoke up as witness to Rei's abusive behaviour towards you, and to him in the past when she'd thrown hot water on him.

And just like that, Dabi had won the case.

All I can see is you just being frazzled as Dabi hugs you to his chest, and starts crying. You're confused and scared because Rei had told you that he was a bad man. But... he doesn't feel like it. He feels so warm, so familiar.

He feels like home.

Reluctantly, you put your arms around hum and burry your head into his chest, sobbing.

"D-dad?"

Dabi just crumbles to his knees right there and then, pulling you down with him. It's been far too long since he heard you call him that.

"Its me, baby. Its me." He hugs you tighter. "I told you I'd come back, didn't I?"

You cried harder. And Dabi could understand why. He just kisses your forehead and rocks back and forth with you. "I'm sorry I took so long. But its gonna be okay now."

His siblings run over and join in on the hug, and Dabi feels complete.

It's gonna be okay.

And then you live happily ever after with your father and his siblings💖💖💖

[kawaiijohn]

A gift for a friend

So @floralflowerpower has been having it rough lately and I wanted to write something wholesome for her as a thanks for being such a damn good friend.

So without further ado, here's some UFS (Danny/Wes) comedic/fluff bullshit :D

College AU kinda, rated T for swearing. If they don't swear then what's the point????

"Can it, Fenton!" Wes threw this other shoe at his boyfriend, and as he suspected, the fucker turned intangible again. "You mean to tell me you've been the damn GHOST KING the entire time we've been together and mentioning it just happened to 'slip your mind'???"

Danny winced. He knew his tendency to lie by omission would bite him in the ass again. Sam was right, he should have brought it up before their one-year anniversary. Maybe if he did, the two wouldn't be in their shared dorm with an Observant watching their lovers' spat. "Hey, you know I have issues remembering stuff! It happens with shit like eating too!"

He turned intangible as a stuffed spaceship joined in the wonderful sport of being thrown at his head- if not for his ghost powers it would have smacked him right in the nose. Danny laughed a little- the one disadvantage to dating a basketball player was his on-point aim.

"Yeah, but I would think being the King of all Ghosts is a bit more pressing to tell your human boyfriend about, and not wait for the oversized Minion to show up and drop the ball while he's in his bunny slippers!!" Wes panted, having thrown several more plushies and his pillow at Danny.

"If I may interject... Lord Phantom's concubine...?"

He chokes a little at the 'title' and Danny laughs. Wes notes to kill him all the way later, after all of this is done. "Wes! I'm Wes! Wes Weston!! Danny's boyfriend- why the fuck would you call me a concubine?????" He sputters and rolls his eyes at the tall know-it-all ghost. Motherfucker made him choke on his cereal when he showed up through a portal out of nowhere. "Jesus, you can't even pretend to be polite! No wonder Danny tells me to avoid you eyeballs."

"We know who you are, Mistborn. Our Order keeps note on all non-humans who may pose a significant threat to the timeline." the Observant scoffs in disgust, as if it were obvious. "We simply did not know how to refer to the King's lover in modern terms. Kings normally do not have 'boyfriends', nor do they normally engage in... activities with those of the opposing plane."

Oh so they wanted to play that game, huh? "Listen, if you don't mind I have to talk to Danny about this, so if you could kindly fuck off out of our dorm before the RA comes and tries to figure out why there's a glowing light coming out from under the door at 7am." He crosses his arms and pouts, appreciating that Danny started chanting 'ooooooh' like he was a high schooler watching someone get called to the principle's office. "Danny you're the King, right? Just tell your weirdo minion advisor to fuck off already."

"Oh yeah I can do that." Danny crosses his arms to copy Wes and grins, fangs bared. "Get the fuck out of here Gerald. I'll be back to the Keep after my classes today, so unless Clockwork personally calls me I'm going to stay here and be normal for a few hours."

"But sire, planning for the Truce is-"

Wes feels a shiver race down his spine as Danny growls. He always loves when his boyfriend gets a little less human. If only he'd realized it before obsessing over revealing his secret to everyone, he could have enjoyed being Phantom's boy much sooner.

"Fine, King Phantom. We will await your return later tonight." Gerald rolls his eye and vanishes through another portal.

Danny's shoulders sag and he laughs. "Oh man! I hate when they do that, but they always run away as soon as I start bossing them around. They're all bark and no bite nowadays!!"

Wes turns to absolutely glare daggers at his boyfriend. "You're not off the hook, Mr. King of all Ghosts," he spits "So Danny, tell me about how long you've been neglecting to tell me this secret and why these minion looking motherfuckers know so much about me." He smiled dangerously.

"Well uh, you see," Danny swallows, "I've been king since... the whole 'town getting sucked into the Ghost Zone' business and just didn't know until I was an adult and those assholes showed up with this stupid thing." Wes watches as the air around Danny's head shimmers and a crown made of black metal and ice materializes on his head.

"HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING THAT????" he yells.

"Duh, since I was like 18. I just said that." The crown vanishes to nothing once again as Danny rolls his eyes. "For someone as observant as you, you can have really selective hearing."

Wes looks for something soft to throw at Danny again, but alas finds nothing. "Fenton you are infuriating, you know that?" He takes a deep breath and centers himself. "But I love you anyways, you cryptid idiot."

Danny smiles and kisses Wes on the cheek. "I can properly explain it if you give me a little time- maybe I can ask Tucker to make a PowerPoint. You seem to like those a lot." Danny teases.

"They're the best way to present information, you can't change my mind." Wes nods proudly.

"Anyways, I can clean up the mess- it's only fair since I kinda lied by omission the entire time we've been a thing. So don't worry about putting all the plushies in their place."

Danny begins picking up the pile of plushies behind him. The two fall into a rhythm of picking up and getting ready for class before Danny still and looks at Wes, worried.

"Gerald said he keeps track of non-humans when talking about you..." Danny starts.

"You're right. He did. Called me Mistborn too."

"I... think I'm gonna ask him what he meant by that tonight. You know, just to see if he was fucking with me. They say some cryptic shit like that sometimes."

Wes could tell Danny was rationalizing, lying to himself. He didn't like the insinuation, but it makes a bit of sense. If one of his brothers is psychic it's not too far to think there's something weird about him too, but he allows himself to ignore the feeling of dread in his stomach.

Class starts soon, after all.

[onceuponaloonatic]

So I've been thinking about Jihyo in surrogate AU. We got to see a lot of Minayeon during Sana's pregnancy with the quads. But we've not really explored Jihyo's side of things during Sana's pregnancy with Nico. Only little glimpses here and there. I'd love to see that explored. That dynamic of them just being two bffs that made a baby. But she's still an alpha and she loves Sana. She loves looking at her best friend and watching how she glows while growing their baby. She also is there for her while she works through old traumas that this brings up. Being a mom to this new baby when she knows she has 4 little girls out there somewhere without her. 🦄

so i split this ask into two parts because it ended up being so long. i haven’t finished the second part, but it’s probably about the same length as this. enjoy !!

(1)

“Jihyo?” Sana got the younger one's attention, breaking her very intense gaze on Sana’s stomach. Jihyo looked up at Sana, her eyes displaying a level of curiosity Sana wasn’t used to seeing. “You don’t have to stare. I’m not going to immediately appear pregnant.” 

“I know.” Jihyo sighed. “It’s just… A weird thought.” Jihyo caught Sana’s gaze again. “The last person I thought I would have a kid with is you.” “Mean.” Sana pouted. “I don’t mean it offensively or anything I just, you are my best friend and-”

“Jihyo, I'm kidding.” Sana giggled. “You're so tense about all of this already.”

“I know, I know.” Jihyo sighed. “I’m sorry. I just- this is a lot.” “I know.” Sana sighed, taking one of Jihyo’s hands in hers. “And I’m sorry about all of this.” “No, don’t apologize.” Jihyo nodded. “This isn’t your fault. Both of us made the baby.” Jihyo let out a breath. “We’re going to have to tell people about this… Aren’t we?” “I can’t hide it forever.” Sana shrugged. “We don’t… Have to tell people the baby is yours if you want. I’m not dating anyone right now but we can pretend I had a one night stand or something.” “No it’s not that.” Jihyo nodded aggressively. “Really, I want to be a proud sire and all that stuff. I’m just worried about…” “Chaeyoung?” Sana finished for her friend, Jihyo nodding quickly in response. “That one is a little complicated.” “I have to tell her at some point. I assume I’ll take the baby some nights and you can take it others. It would be hard to just call it babysitting if it happens like every other night. Especially with all the stupid sire hormones I’ve heard about.”

“Sire hormones?” Sana giggled. “Is that what we are calling them now?”

“It’s the best way to explain them.” Jihyo shrugged. “I just- what if I’m one of those sire’s who gets all crazy and protective and growls at people when they try to touch our baby or you? What if I do that to one of our friends?” “Jihyo I don’t think you're going to growl at people for trying to touch me.” Sana laughed. “And besides, I think most of our friends would just laugh at you if you did that.” “I’m serious.” Jihyo pouted. “I don’t want to growl at one of our friends. Might I remind you most of our friends aren’t alphas, that could be intimidating-”

“Jihyo most of our friends knew you in middle school, they know you aren’t intimidating.” Sana rolled her eyes, but couldn’t hide her amused smile at the thought. “Who isn’t intimidating?” Both of them jumped when they heard Momo’s voice. Momo had been sleeping in, so they had no idea she was awake. They still hadn’t told anyone else about the baby, not even Momo, but it was a conversation they knew they were going to have to have soon.

“Jihyo.” Sana answered.

“Yeah, sorry Hyo. I don’t think I could ever be intimidated by you.” Momo giggled. 

“Rude. I can be scary.” Jihyo pouted.

“No, you're all bark no bite.” Momo teased. “Why are we talking about this anyway?” Sana and Jihyo shared a look. They knew they couldn’t keep this from Momo for long, and both knew they couldn't put off the conversation much longer. 

“Should I tell her?” Sana asked, looking at Jihyo.

“I don’t think there’s any other option.” Jihyo squeezed Sana’s hand. “Tell me what?” Momo asked. “You guys are scaring me? Since when do you hold hands?” “Momo.” Sana sighed, getting her friend's eye contact before continuing. “I’m pregnant.” “Very funny.” Momo rolled her eyes. “Now seriously, what’s going on with you two?” “I’m serious.” Sana whined. “I’m pregnant.” “Wait like… For real, for real?” Momo asked. “I mean, you were supposed to have your heat last week and that did throw me off cause yours is two weeks behind mine and you haven't restocked the tampons like you said you were going to because your period was coming up right before your heat- and oh my god you are pregnant.” 

“Yes.” Sana nodded.

“Who is the si- I mean c-congrats.” They could tell Momo was trying to force herself to not sound too judgemental or like a bad friend. “I’m the sire.” Jihyo answered. “When you were at your work retreat a few months ago during the… Anniversary… I was in rut and Sana and I both decided to um…” “Fuck?” Sana finished the thought for Jihyo. 

“You don’t have to put it like that.” Jihyo pouted. “But yes. We haven’t been involved since and I promise you are the first person we have told.” 

“Okay I have like a million questions.” Momo looked between the two of them. “But they are mostly superficial and they can wait for now. The main thing is: are you two keeping it?” “Yes.” Sana took a deep breath. “Then congrats.” Momo finally let out a smile. “Nice to know our little group is getting a new addition. Maybe I will finally have someone to go on walks with.” 

“You don’t- you don’t mind?” “No.” Momo shrugged. “I mean, it’s a big step. But hey, one of us was going to take it eventually. Maybe we can say we are dating each other and the baby is all of ours so my parents will get off my back about grandchildren.” “Like I would ever date you nerds.” Jihyo scoffed, faking offense as her hand slipped out of Snaa’s. “Hey! Might I remind you of who has gotten every single moon in Mario Odyssey? Or who has over 100 hours of time in Mario Kart?” Momo accused. “At least I have less than two hundred hours in animal crossing.” Jihyo defended. “Well-”

“You're both nerds.” Sana rolled her eyes. “But it’s okay, nerds are cute.” 

“Shut up!” 

(2)

Jihyo smiled as Sana squeezed her hand. She had to admit, she also felt nervous. Being at the doctor's office for their first ultrasound made everything seem so much more real. The baby wouldn’t just be a figment of Jihyo’s imagination anymore. They were going to see it, their baby. She couldn’t help but feel both nervous and excited beyond belief. 

“The baby won’t look like much.” Sana broke their silence. They were the only ones in the waiting room, and Jihyo couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the pictures of babies everywhere. “Not at this point. It will just be like a little blob.” “What if it’s twins?” The question had been eating at Jihyo since Sana told her she was pregnant. Sana had had multiples before, and even if Jihyo would love both of them, she couldn’t help the fear that filled her at the thought.

“It won’t be twins.” Sana rolled her eyes. “My body knows better than to conceive multiples again.” “I mean- it could be.” Jihyo argued. 

“Jihyo, calm down please.” Sana sighed. “This is terrifying, yes, but trust me. Everything will be fine.” Jihyo took a deep breath. “You're right.” Jihyo sighed. “Thank-”

“Miss Minatozaki?” Sana pulled Jihyo’s hand as the nurse called on them. Sana gave her one last reassuring smile before they went to the back. Once there, Sana talked to the doctor like a pro while Jihyo just sat and watched. She knew this wasn’t Sana’s first time, but it still surprised her how composed Sana was with it all. Once they move onto the ultrasound, Jihyo moves to be closer. “And there’s your baby.” Jihyo did not anticipate the rush of emotions that hit her when she saw the baby for the first time. It was easy to think about being a sire. Jihyo had accepted that ages ago and was more than comfortable with the idea of being a sire. But seeing her baby, their baby, for the first time was overwhelming. So many protective emotions and loving thoughts filled her. She had never really experienced love at first sight, at least until then. “It looks nice and healthy. It’s a good size. Do you want to hear the heartbeat?” “Yes.” Sana answered, giggling at the state Jihyo was in. “It sounds perfect.” The doctor gave them a polite smile. “I would put you at around nine weeks. Which, looking at the calendar, means your due date will be in late December.” “Just like my birthday.” Sana giggled. “Hyo, did you get that?” “Huh? Oh yeah.” Jihyo broke out of her trance to look at Sana and the doctor. 

“When’s my due date?” Sana asked.

“Months away.” Both the doctor and Sana giggled at Jihyo. “What month?” “Uhhh… October?” Jihyo guessed.

“December.” Sana rolled her eyes. “Oh sorry.” Jihyo nodded, turning her attention back to the ultrasound. 

“I’ll get you two a print to take home. Would you like one or two?” “Two please.” Sana requested, moving to fix her shirt after cleaning herself off a bit. The doctor nodded before leaving, Sana giggled at the look on Jihyo’s face as she turned to her. “We’re really having a baby.” “Yes.” Sana giggled. “You know, this is a lot different than the first time I was here.” Jihyo’s face changed at the comment, moving to squeeze one of Sana’s hands. “It feels a lot more… Personal?” “That’s good.” Jihyo smiled. “You deserve to have a baby experience that's personal.” 

“I’m not sure I follow.” Sana giggled. 

“I just mean, you’ve been through enough before. You deserve to be able to look at the ultrasound of your baby and know that it's yours. To be able to smile and not hold back the immense amount of love you carry for everyone in your life.” Jihyo explained. “You're going to be a mom, Sana. This time, for real.” Tears burned their way into Sana’s eyes at the statement. “Are you crying?”

“Hormones.” Sana argued. 

“Baby.” Jihyo teased. 

“This is your fault.” Sana argued, causing Jihyo to erupt into giggles. When the doctor came back and handed them their pictures, they both smiled and thanked her before getting up to leave. The smile on Jihyo’s face is unbreakable as they leave. As Sana goes to the bathroom, she fishes the photo out of her pocket and can’t help the warmth that fills her as she looks at the little blob. Sure, this was not how Jihyo planned any of this at all, but a part of her couldn’t help but be excited about the fact she was going to be a sire. 

That is, until the unmistakable sound of the special ringtone she had picked out for Chaeyoung entered her ears.

(3)

Jihyo knew that there were going to be a lot of hormone changes for both her and Sana through the entire process of having a baby. She just was not expecting the changes to be as dramatic as they were. 

The first time it was highlighted was the first night Jihyo slept over at Sana and Momo’s since they had found out about the baby. It wasn’t uncommon for Jihyo to spend the night, especially considering how far her apartment was. But for the first few weeks of Sana’s pregnancy, the need for spending the night never really arose. Until one night a couple weeks after they found out about the baby. It was raining pretty hard, and in the interest of safety, they decided it would be best if Jihyo spent the night. 

Recently, Jihyo had been noticing a change in how she treated her friends. She knew Sana could take care of herself, and that Momo would always be there for Sana if something happened, and normally that was fine. But she had found herself calling Sana or just worrying about her more in general. 

“Jihyo?” Jihyo hummed as she finished up the dishes. Sana and Momo always tried to stop her from doing them when she came over, but she always insisted. “Do you think this still fits?” Jihyo turned to Sana at the question. Sana was standing in front of her in a pair of sweatpants and a white blouse that looked almost a little tight. 

“I mean, what’s the occasion?” “Parent teacher conferences are coming up.” Sana answered. “Ah. It might be… A little tight for a professional setting.” Jihyo shrugged. “We can go pick you up something a little more comfortable this Saturday if you would like.” “I mean- work clothes are expensive.” Sana sighed. “God it’s only been like three and a half months and I’m already so overweight.” “Sana, don't say that.” Jihyo rolled her eyes. “The baby is the perfect size and so are you.” 

“I just, last time I was pregnant with multiples, so I just thought the baby was going to be… Smaller this time.” Sana sighed. “And I mean, it is. But I thought I wouldn't look pregnant at this point.” 

“Sana, you will be four months along next week.” Jihyo argued. “You're in your second trimester, I feel like it's concerning it's not already clear.” 

“I don't know.” Sana sighed. “I guess showing just makes all of this feel a lot more real.” Jihyo completely understood that comment. She felt like the weeks were flying by so fast she didn't have time to keep up with them. 

“I get what you mean. It feels like we still have years, but I know the baby is coming a lot faster than it seems.” Jihyo sighed. “I know.” Sana sighed. “You haven’t even told Chaeyoung yet, have you?” Jihyo sighed in response. 

“I know I have to.” “It’s just, not like you to put something off like this.” Sana moved to be next to Jihyo. “I know. I just- Chaeyoung and I have only been together for like two months, and she’s two years younger, and just all of that stuff. As a couple, we aren’t ready to be parents.” “But you're not going to be.” Sana nodded. “You having a child does not instantly mean you and Chaeyoung are parents. It does make you a parent, yes, but Chaeyoung doesn’t have to be one if she doesn’t want to.” “I don’t follow.” 

“What I’m saying is, you having a child doesn’t mean you and Chaeyoung have a child. Chaeyoung doesn’t have any ties to the baby other than you, and if she doesn’t want to be a parent, I would understand. And I’m sure you would too. She could treat the baby like, a niece or nephew or something. We could introduce her that way too.” “That… Could work.” Jihyo sighed. “I just, it’s a bit overwhelming to be thinking about so far in the future for a two month old relationship.” “That makes sense.” Sana wrapped an arm around Jihyo. “I’m really sorry I put you in this position.”

“This isn’t your fault stupid.” Jihyo nodded. “It takes two to make a baby. And as for Chaeyoung, I know plenty of single parents who make dating work, so maybe it won’t go as horribly as I think it will.” “That’s a good attitude.” Sana smiled. “I really hope it works out for you. Now, can the mama of my child get me something?” 

“What?” Jihyo giggled at the title. “Chocolate.” Sana answered.

“Yeah. I’ll be right back. Do you guys need anything else?” “Nope. Just chocolate.” Sana smiled. “Thanks Hyo.” “Of course.” Jihyo smiled. “Anytime.”

xx 

Jihyo groaned as her phone’s ringtone echoed loudly through her bedroom. Normally she was a pretty deep sleeper, so to compensate she set her alert volumes to loud when she was asleep so she would be able to hear them. But right now, she was severely regretting that decision. Because as she looked at the clock, she saw that it was three in the morning. 

“What?” Jihyo grumbled as she answered her phone.

“Hyo.” “Sana?!” Jihyo was instantly awoken by the sound of Sana’s voice. She sounded like she was crying, and given the late hour, she was terrified something bad would happen. “What happened? Are you okay?” “No.” Sana sobbed. “We’re out of ice cream.”

“What?” Jihyo asked. 

“Ice cream.” Sana repeated. “Momo ate the rest of it without telling me.” “Oh.” Jihyo sighed in relief that something bad wasn’t happening, but it quickly turned to annoyance. “Why are you calling me?” “Can you get more ice cream? I tried to go but Momo isn’t letting me go because it’s not safe or something. I asked her to go but she said I would be fine. But now every time I think about ice cream I get sad and I just-”

“Okay.” Jihyo interrupted. “I’ll get you ice cream. What flavor do you want?” “Chocolate?” Sana suggested. “Sure.” Jihyo sighed. “Give me like twenty minutes. Do you think you can survive that long?” “I’ll try.” Sana answered before hanging up. Jihyo groaned as she got out of bed, pulling an old sweatshirt on and looking for a pair of sweatpants that made her look at least somewhat presentable.

“Babe?” Jihyo sighed when she heard Chaeyoung’s voice. “Where are you going?” 

“Sana wants ice cream.” “Okay, so why the hell are you getting ready to leave?” Chaeyoung asked. “Can’t Sana get her own ice cream?” “It wouldn’t be safe.” Jihyo shrugged. “I’ll be back in like an hour.” “Okay.” Chaeyoung yawned. “Can you get some eggs while you're out? You ran out yesterday.” “Sure.” Jihyo nodded. “I’ll be back.” As she kissed Chaeyoung’s forehead to signify goodbye, Jihyo couldn’t help but feel the weight of her cowardice weighing on her heart. xx 

“Chaeyoung.” Jihyo sighed as her girlfriend sat next to her on the couch. They had just gotten back from Momo and Sana’s house and Jihyo could feel the way Chaeyoung had been staring at her the whole night. 

“We need to talk Hyo.” “I know.” Jihyo sighed, massaging her temples. She could already feel the headache coming on. “Ever since Sana announced she was pregnant, you’ve been treating her differently. You go to their house every day, you get all growly when someone tries to touch Sana, you’ve been holding her hand in public. Jihyo, those aren’t things normal friends do. And I know you know you aren’t being sneaky, so please just tell me whatever it is you're holding back.” “I- I’m sorry. This isn’t an easy conversation and I just- wanted to avoid it for as long as possible. I really like you Chaeyoung, and I like what we have. But, before we got together, Sana and I had a night where our judgment… Wasn’t the best. I swear it was weeks before we got together and Sana and I haven't done anything like that before or anything like that since. Well- what I mean is, I’m the sire.” 

“God Jihyo.” Chaeyoung sighed. “Honestly, I could have guessed it from your actions. And well, to be honest, I’m a little pissed you didn’t tell me about this sooner. Sana is five months along Jihyo.” “I know, the timing just never worked out and I didn’t want you to be mad-”

“What I’m more mad about is you keeping this from me for so long.” Chaeyoung interrupted. “This is pretty important stuff.” “I know.” Jihyo sighed. “And honestly, you don’t have to take on any roles with the baby you aren’t comfortable with. You can just be “Mama’s special friend” or an Aunt or something. Sana and I don’t expect anything out of you.” “That’s not what I’m pissed about Jihyo. Sure, the kid thing is… A lot. But I know if anyone is going to be amazing parents, it’s going to be you and Sana. I’m just mad you had to wait five months to tell me that your best friend was pregnant with your sire.” “I’m sorry.” “I know. But I think, for now, we should spend some time apart.” “What?” Jihyo asked, tears rushing to her eyes at the statement.

“I’m not breaking up with you or anything, but I need space to think.” Chaeyoung explained. 

“Okay.” Jihyo took a deep breath. “Thinking time is probably… For the best.” Jihyo agreed. “Take your time, I’ll be waiting for you.” Jihyo just hoped Chaeyoung couldn’t see the tears in her eyes as she walked out of her apartment.

[heart-wit-strength]

I did write a bit of a small drabble for this au once I'd be happy to share :3

Pls know this writing is from 2 years ago so it's nearly not as good lmao

~~

"We've never been in such a bind before, and I thank you for the consideration, Ms. Boonchuy, you really saved the day." Marcy said gratefully as she led the blond woman down the hallway.

"Yeah, of course. No problem." Sasha smiled at her, tucking her hands behind her back. "So...how does this work? Are you gonna pay me up front?"

"I-I don't understand." Marcy blinked.

"Oh y'know…It'd be great if you could pay me right now in cash." Sasha replied, nervously ruffling a hand through her hair.

"Don't worry. We can get to that by the end of the day."

"And when is the end of the day?"

Marcy paused in track, continuing to eye her deadpanned, which almost made Sasha fluster. "3 o'clock. Thought you'd know that."

"Do you mind if I can cut out a bit sooner? I have some other stuff to do." Sasha paused as she saw Marcy giving her a firm look. "I mean-"

"Ms. Boonchuy," Marcy stated, voice firm with authority, the gentle tone vanishing. "This is considered the best elementary school in all of Newtopia. And I hope you understand we have a reason to maintain a strict code for our reputation. I expect you to take this seriously."

Sasha blinked, unsure whether to be jittered or intrigued by her sudden change of attitude, "O-Of course I'm taking this seriously. And you don't have to worry about me, I'm a hard-ass and if a kid misbehaved I'll gladly make them fall in line," she rolled up her sleeve, only for Marcy to immediately cut in.

"Please, no. We don't do anything like that here. Ms. Boonchuy, if you have a problem with any of your students, just send them over to me, and I'll do the disciplining."

"Works for me." Sasha finger gunned with a wink.

Marcy led her into the classroom, the kids who were running around quickly rushed to take a seat at the sight of the principal. "Please take a seat everyone." She announced cheerfully.

"Miss Wu, is that our new teacher?" Ivy sat in the first row and was the first one to speak up.

"I'd like to introduce you to your new substitute teacher. Miss Boonchuy." Sasha slowly walked into the room, giving a stern gaze to each of the kids in the room, some of them looking down or away in discomfort. Marcy sensed the tension and gave them all a pleasant smile before turning to the girl. "Why don't you write your name on the board?"

"Yep, sure. Why not?" Sasha walked over to the board, grabbing a piece of chalk and began writing her name.

'M-I-S-S B-O-O-O…'

Sasha really wished she had learned better how to spell right now. She couldn't risk the embarrassment of misspelling what was supposed to be her own name in front of the principal. "Y'know what?" She erased the board. "Why don't you just call me miss. B? It's more efficient." Marcy nodded in approval and turned to the students.

"Miss. B has never taught here before so I expect y'all to be on your best behavior." She stated, getting some nods from the kids and turned back to the teacher. "That's all, are there any other questions you've got?"

Sasha stood sloppily with a foot upon the table and gazed at Marcy. "Yeah, dude. When's the lunch?"

Marcy's smile vanished into an annoyed grumble. "The kids just had their lunch." She hissed. "Anything else that you need?"

Sasha scratched the back of her neck and shrugged. "Well, I'm a teacher, all I need are minds to mold." Marcy forced a smile herself and left the room, closing the door behind her. Awkward silence filled the room before Sasha eyes the students and let out a heavy sigh. This was gonna be a handful.

So apparently I had an amphibia school of rock au long ago with Sasha being a jobless rock artist freeloading in Anne's apartment and this close to getting kicked out by the Plantars, impersonates Anne to be a substitute school teacher, falls in love with principal Marcy while teaching the kids rock music in secret

[wh6res]

UP IN SMOKES — DOYOUNG

psych student! kdy | tw. college au, violence, a knife, GASLIGHTING, hallucination, psychosis, swearing, just pure manipulation, minor charac death, there's a court scene, this is a repost! | wc. 10k she a beast

life could’ve been simple;

you shouldn't have met kim doyoung.

what does a freshman in college hate the most other than the high-stress levels of moving into a new dorm? a shitty roomie and a smelly, moldy mattress. the girl you call roommate refuses to help move the mattress because it will ruin her new manicure. what a fucking classic. 

"sounds like a 'you' problem. figure it out yourself, plain jane." 

she said before heading out, annoyingly popping her bubblegum as she kicks a few of your scattered boxes by the front door. you roll your eyes; classes haven't even started yet, so why is she already making your life miserable? as much as you'd like to snap at her, you don't, merely glaring daggers at her back as she finally turns the corner of the hallway and disappears. 

"bitch," you mutter under your breath. 

you eye the abomination that is supposed to be your bed, cursing how you shouldn't have made a 15-minute pit stop to starbucks for a drink when you could've just bought one from the instant coffee vending machines in every corner of the hallway of this dorm building because if you didn't, maybe you could've beaten regina george wannabe from taking the better bed. sighing, you suck it up and start getting to work. life's full of shit, anyway; no point sulking.

moving a moldy mattress is easier than you thought, to say the least. you can't ask for help from the other freshmen you bumped into in the hallway because they, too, are under a huge amount of stress from the move and are busy getting their affairs in order. it was a good thing, though, that a committee was formed specifically for this day to help out the freshmen if they were to stumble upon problems or mishaps with moving in. they were all around the campus, and they prove to be way friendlier than your batch mates. since this morning, three people have already offered help in carrying your luggage — which you have politely declined.

"hey, uhm… is this the stall for the welcoming committee? oh, wait. i'm sorry, there's a sign right there —"ugh.

you mentally shut your eyes in humiliation. why do you have to be this bad, this awkward at communicating with strangers? why couldn't you be born like all those socialites who already (probably) got their contacts filled with new numbers on the first day of school or something?

"yeah, this is them — welcoming committee, i mean. how can i help you?" he smiles, sweet, radiating the epitome boy next door aura as he looks up at you from where he's sitting behind the stall. your eyes quickly land onto the name tag stuck on his varsity jacket before meeting his eyes again. 

"i have an issue with my mattress. it has mold, you see..." your voice slowly trails, becoming quieter as you feel small under the weight of his piercing stare. oh, come on. he's just a guy with a beautiful face, woman the fuck up.

"really? let me see..."

he needn't finish rounding the stall when his nose is hit by the pungent smell brought forth by your mattress. frankly, you weren't that picky. you could've covered it with bedsheets and call it a day, but the odor is too strong to ignore. you mentally hope the smell didn't latch onto your clothes, especially not when someone so cute is around — what a bad first impression.

"oh, god!" he exclaims the moment he lays eyes on it, taking a step back. “now, that has to go. and you lugged it from the fourth floor?" 

ah, yes. according to tradition in these dormitories, which you've only found out today, freshmen get the curse of climbing four flights of stairs up while the seniors strut into their rooms on the ground floor like the hallway is a goddamned runway. 

"doyoung! help me carry these!"

someone calls his name as you both turn your head to spot a chestnut-haired girl clad in the same varsity jacket he's wearing. you grimace at the sight of her. for someone so small, she just had to volunteer to carry all those heavy bags. however, he doesn't move in front of you and brushes her off as if she doesn't look like she's carrying rocks over her shoulders. "i'm already helping someone else! go find taeyong or something. i'm sure that shit's loitering around here somewhere!"

"oh, it's okay, you can go help her. i'll just look for someone else —"

"nah, it's fine!" you try hard to school your face into indifference when you notice his gummy smile. "plus… trust me when i say no other person from the committee will help you with this. this shit smells like my roommate's sweaty basketball socks!"

you can't help the smile forming on your face as you help him carry the mattress off to the side of the hallway, the stinky thing leaning vertically against the wall and behind a huge terracotta plant pot. "don't worry, let's report it to student affairs so they'll get you a new one. congrats! you'll have to share beds with your new roommate tonight, freshie. it'd be a great ice breaker."

the universe truly hates you.

your expression must've been a dead give away because he's suddenly patting your shoulder, regarding you with utmost sympathy. "been there, done that. i hated taeyong, too, when i met him last year. still, for some mind fuck of a miracle, we've grown to be friends and developed a talent of not wanting to kill each other every two seconds."

"highly doubt i'd be friends with a regina george-level bitch, but thanks, anyway," you mutter under your breath. suddenly, you whip your head towards him after internalizing what he just said. "you met your roommate last year? you're a sophomore?"

he scoffs, leaning down to your height to lowly mutter against your ear as he eyes the lobby's front desk. "why? do i look like some 4th year who radiates 'don't touch me' energy?" 

you feel the heat on your cheeks with how close he is, only releasing an exhale when he finally gets out of your personal space. "i'm kim doyoung. you've heard it from wendy earlier, but anyway — i'm a 2nd-year psych major."

"no way!" you exclaim, a little too excited. "i'm taking psych, too!"

"oh, you are? well, if you need anything or if you don't understand stuff…" he winks. "feel free to approach me anytime."

hmm… how sweet of him. 

it was only hours later that you found out who kim doyoung is in your department during the acquaintance party. and for god's sake, you found out from your best friend who is a major in english lit and has never even seen the guy. "seriously, you didn't know he's a genius? i hear the professors call him a prodigy, girl! a fucking prodigy. if i were you, i'd ask for his help in every subject."

"you know i prefer keeping to myself. how'd i know stuff like that when i have no one to talk to in the psych dorms?" you look down, making the ice cubes in your drink clink against each other. "i didn't think he was this big shot or whatever. he looks normal, and everyone treats him normally."

"well, what do you expect?" she hisses, hitting your arm. "the other students don't want to make him feel alienated or something just because he's tons smarter than them. but anyway… the real question is…"

you roll your eyes when she pauses for effect, tentatively leaning closer to whisper under her breath. 

"is he cute?"

you didn't want to answer her question, but he's been stuck in your head since he offered walking with you to the student affairs office. doyoung had smiled his cute gummy smile and had even ruffled your hair before leaving you for committee duties — saying he's cute would be an understatement. 

"you have no idea."

for his first act;

he gains your trust.

fast forward to one year, many things have changed, but the only constant remaining is the handsome sophomore — who is now a 3rd-year, by the way — whom you've met on your first day. coursework has been pretty tough this year. instead of the content written in your textbook, your mind is plagued by the horrible twist of fate your best friend had encountered; she didn't have enemies. or so you thought.

she disappeared in the middle of christmas break last year. her beaten up body was found only a month later, in january, floating around the university's lake. happy fucking new year. 

the first time she chose to spend the holidays with you instead of her family back in her hometown, and that happens? some rotten luck you both have. it's why you didn't put it past her family to hate your guts with strong convictions. it's okay. the feeling's mutual. after all, it had been your best friends' own family, the same ones who had been so willing to take you in when you got kicked out, that were so eager to pin you as the murderer of their child. all under the argument that you have been the last person seen with her. 

oh, the things her mom said about you when she had stormed into the police station, red in the face, tears streaming down her cheeks..."i warned my baby not to hang out with that — that bitch. came straight out of a cursed family, that one. abusive dad, a nutjob mom. that bitch is a danger! probably got her dad's nasty temper and beat my baby to death! i want her on the electric chair!"

in those times, you once again realize this world is fucked up and cruel in every bit of its glory as you fought tooth and nail to defend yourself. but even then, they never believed you — the law will only favor the rich . the prosecution had been so sure it was you until a certain witness appeared and presented himself before the jury.

"do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" 

doyoung raises his right hand, fixing his stare straight at the judge. "i solemnly and sincerely declare that the evidence i shall give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

"how long have you known the defendant?" the prosecutor asks, arms crossed in front of her chest as she paces in front of the witness stand.

the boy briefly meets your gaze, and it's enough to make his heart sink. doyoung can't bear seeing you in those grey overalls when he knows it himself. you're being accused of a crime you didn't commit. "i've known her for one year."

"how'd you meet?"

and the questions went on and on; your defense attorney isn't all too keen on winning the case and had never once yelled "objection!" in her seat, but what could you expect? all the evidence kept stacking against you, and some of those you knew were even fabricated. you've never felt this hopeless in your whole twenty years of living. 

"what's the point in this, anyway?" doyoung snapped in the witness stand, fiercely glaring at the prosecutor. "how is my history — or lack thereof — with the defendant any relevant to the case? you're not even asking me about evidence nor what my statement is!"

"easy there," the prosecutor retaliates, jaw locked. "i have to first measure what exactly your relationship is with the defendant for us to think twice about your statement. who knows..." the prosecutor makes a grand gesture of turning her head in your direction, affixing you with a condescending stare. "she might've just hired you to say these things."

your attorney doesn't come to your aid.

"perjury isn't my thing." 

the prosecutor seems to have taken offense by the tone of doyoung's voice, but he doesn't let her speak further. "the victim isn't all sunshine and rainbows, you know. she'd been a part of a sorority and one with quite a nasty reputation in the college, too. i have to say she made very poor decisions, ones i'm sure her family didn't even know about. you see, they take their oaths and pledges very seriously. the victim wanted out. they didn't like that."

"and you have evidence to support this claim?"

without a moment to waste, he digs around the front pocket of his jeans before proudly presenting a black usb between his slender fingers. "knock yourself out."

the professor calls your name, snapping you out of your reverie. this isn't the first time your mind had transported you back to that particular day in the courtroom, where doyoung had swooped in and saved you from a lifetime in prison. the whole ordeal had been so scary, so frightening that you remember everything vividly as if it had only happened yesterday.

the classroom is empty. even your social psych professor has long packed up his stuff and is already standing by the classroom door. damn. were you that out of it?

"i'm so sorry." you mutter under your breath monotonously as you walk past him and out the door without another word. this is bad, very bad. no one would help, much less lend their notes to someone charged with murder — especially of their very own best friend. whether you were innocent or not doesn't matter to the student body. you've been ostracized, gossips of your problematic family spreading like wildfire, and the ridiculous part is only a fourth of the gossips are true.

the damage is done. 

at this point, you realize with a heavy heart that you have to face doyoung again sooner or later. you haven't talked to him at all since the start of the new school year, ignoring his lighthearted greetings in the hallways, rejecting his calls, ghosting his texts. you are afraid people would judge him harshly for hanging around you. frankly, you were embarrassed to ask any more favors from him with how much he's done for you already and the fact that he had seen you in such a state of vulnerability.

but you also didn't want to fail your subjects and lose the one thing holding your life together — your scholarship.

that is why you found yourself standing before him, in his favorite spot in the library tucked behind shelves upon shelves of books, next to the windows overlooking the empty football field. he's wearing black-rimmed glasses and is clad in the usual navy blue sweater as his head turns to and fro between a textbook and his notebook. the air had been so silent, you hear the aggressive scratches his pencil makes against the paper.

you feel a little hurt when he makes no move to acknowledge your presence, but you think back to what you have been doing and figured he has a right to act this way. 

"hey, doyoung." your voice is meek, hesitant.

"if you're not here to explain nor give me an acceptable reason why you've been ignoring me for the last few months, then please get out of my sight. i'm busy, as you can tell." he is brutally honest, knocking down the remaining hope you have left of ever reconciling with him.

something within you snaps, the steady streams of tears running down your cheeks as you pinned your stare on doyoung's open pencil case lying on the table. you have nobody left. your family — father, specifically speaking — has disowned you for taking a course your heart wanted, and the one friend you have lies motionless in a white coffin buried six feet under the ground. you didn't want to lose doyoung, too, no matter what role he plays in your life.

"i'm sorry," your voice cracks. "life's been… fucking shitty, and i'm sure you of all people know what i've been through. i've thanked you before for — for what you did, and i'm thanking you again right now but — i'm sorry, i'm really —"

your voice cracks when you feel him pulling you into an embrace. you feel the tension in your body breaking loose as you crumble in his arms. all those months grieving and wallowing in self-pity took such a heavy toll that you can't help but tightly clutch the sides of his hoodie, scared he'll slip through your fingers.

one of his hands comes up to push your face against the crook of his neck, muffling your cries in the silent library. doyoung felt like a jerk for snapping at you the way he did. how inconsiderate can he be? however, he felt elated because you sought him out yourself and wanted his help of all people.

his eyebrow raises in amusement. 

well, not that you have a choice, anyway.

it took you a few good minutes to calm down, cringing when you see the wet patch on doyoung's sweater because of your tears. 

"why don't you tell me everything, hmm? i'll help you as much as i can."

you sheepishly look down, fiddling with your fingers as you sit across him, the open textbook and notebook before him long forgotten. "well, i've been so out of it lately? my mind's just a whole bloody mess and i can't focus on any of my subjects at all and if i can't, then i'll lose the scholarship and it's the only thing i have in my life right now —"

"hey," doyoung cuts you off, placing a warm hand against your forearm to calm you down. "you won't lose that scholarship. trust me, okay? why don't we arrange tutoring sessions and i'll even lend you some of my notes from last year. what do you think?"

"okay... thank you, doyoung."

"for the record, you have me in your life, too. i'll always be here for you."

in the first session, you woke up from your deep slumber with only 15 minutes to spare from the scheduled time, but thankfully, your tutor only lives one floor down with the rest of the 3rd-years. bringing nothing with you but a pen and a pad of paper, your textbooks were destroyed as some students from your batch thought it'd be fun to throw them into the lake to "honor" your friend. 

you offer a small smile when taeyong opens the door, sporting an oversized shirt and track pants, eyes wide in shock when he sees you. "hi? can i help you?"

"hello! i'm here for doyoung. he's tutoring —"

"he doesn't live here anymore. his mom bought him a place outside the campus."

what?

"i'm sorry for disturbing you, then. do you by any chance know where he lives?"

that's weird. doyoung never mentioned he's already moved out. you feel a wee bit irritated that he forgot to tell you; it would've saved you the embarrassment of interacting with the varsity player. you weren't stupid, you can see the hints of repulsion in taeyong's eyes the moment he opened that door and saw you standing before him, no doubt thinking about: oh, look, it's the crazy murderer with a fucked up family standing in front of me.

he had shut the door in your face. you stood awkwardly for a good minute in the hallway until the door reopens, taeyong handing you a small piece of paper with doyoung's new address scribbled hurriedly in black ink. he doesn't give you a chance to thank him for he's already closed the door again without another word. 

you opted walking to his place instead of catching a ride because the money you have on you is enough to buy yourself dinner. to say the least, the apartment building is mediocre, not too grand, nor is it too rundown. double-checking the floor level written on the paper before pushing the elevator's button, you then realize doyoung lives on the very top floor of the building.

the hallways are painted a boring brown. some acrylic number signs plastered on the doors are broken, hanging vertically with one screw left. it says on the paper he resides in room 720. taking the right hallway, you mentally count as you eye the mahogany doors. 718… 719… there it is!

when you raise a fist to start knocking on his door, there is a tinge of hesitation surging through you. perhaps being alone with a boy in his apartment is not the best setting for a girl like you should end up in, but this is doyoung we're talking about. if he had ill intentions for you, it would've manifested a long time ago. you shake your head, feeling bad for thinking of him that way as you slowly knock on his front door. not long after, it swings open, revealing the 3rd-year in a white shirt and boxers as he lazily dries his hair off with a small towel. 

"you're late," is the first thing he says to you before spinning on his heel to disappear further into his humble abode. 

"you didn't exactly inform me you've moved out of the dorms. so, whose fault is it?" you retaliate, inviting yourself in and closing the front door shut.

"whatever. let's get started!" he plops himself on the floor, coffee table filled with loose papers as he struggles to find a specific one amongst the mess. "i've already scanned, exported to pdf, and emailed you my notes. it should be in your inbox by now. anyway, answer this quiz i made so i know what i'll be working on."

"you didn't really have to send your notes, doyoung. i could've just read everything from the textbook," you sit down across from him because otherwise, you'll be too distracted to remember information. 

a thought crosses his mind. with what textbook?

"i just think it's missing some essence. that's why i love reading over other psych books in the library for fun. be grateful, those notes are like my babies and i don't simply give them to anyone," he looks at you pointedly. "they've all been summarized and explained in layman's terms so you wouldn't have to spend grueling hours of reading and trying to make sense of the big words as i did — i know that's not the definition of 'fun' normally, but it is for me, and that's why i do it."

"okay, doyoung. you sound so defensive when there's nothing to be defensive about," you tease, feeling pleased with the hint of red on his cheeks as he averts his gaze from yours, muttering incoherent words under his breath.

you spent the following tuesdays, thursdays, and sundays like that; hours upon hours with no one but your tutor, laptops with tangled chargers, a printed copy of his babies, and a mountain pile of loose papers filled with the specialized quizzes doyoung makes to measure your progress. the location varies from a cafe or his flat. but in what you've gathered from the time you spent with him, doyoung's a homebody. cafe tutor sessions are rare, and he always complained about how "noisy" the atmosphere was — "i can't stand it."

but the conversation hadn't always been about academics. 

sure, for the first few sessions, doyoung kept an image of professionalism and had heavily insisted on it — "it's for your learning experience!" — despite your lighthearted teasing. but as time passed and he eventually grew more comfortable in your presence, you find the strict 15-minute break he had initially imposed between 45 minutes of studying turned into hours of talking about whatever; how he likes his eggs in the morning, your favorite coffee brew, his favorite show, your strongest pet peeve. 

and you wholly welcomed the change, not minding that it's practically dark out whenever you go back to your miserable dorm. you feel butterflies in your stomach whenever doyoung offers to walk you home but never had you taken his offer, still cautious of other people seeing you both together despite his constant reassurances. you've already thoroughly ruined your image. you didn't want to ruin his, too. 

kdy the cute tutor, 2:14 pm —last day of midterms! & its all majors today  —good luck —remember what i taught u —lets get ice cream after u cant say no

you shake your head bemusedly. his texting style is the most doyoung thing he does and it's as if you can hear him say these things to you in real life. too caught up in your own world, you fail to detect another student sitting next to you and had nearly fallen off your chair in shock when they spoke.

"why are your notes like that?"

you fight the urge to glare at the person, especially when you turn your head and see lee jeno looking at you in genuine curiosity. he's the only batchmate that treats you a wee bit nicer among the rest. although he isn't technically your friend, at least he doesn't look at you like you're a piece of bubblegum stuck under his shoe like all the others.

"what do you mean?"

"they're… the definitions are all jumbled up. where did you even get that?" 

what? jumbled up? doyoung himself said these notes are a combination of most of the psychology books he had read last year concerning his subjects. how would it be jumbled up? then again, lee jeno was not tutored by the prodigy himself. maybe things are bound to seem "jumbled up" when information is too great to understand for a feeble mind. 

just as you were about to claim these notes aren't yours, the professor has already waltzed into the classroom with a thick wad of papers — the exams. after one last concerned glance directed your way, jeno averts his gaze with a confused tilt of the head. 

hours later, you walk out of the classroom with the biggest smile on your face. aced it, you thought. your hands feel numb with how much you wrote on the essay portion but it's worth it if it meant you get the full 25 points, which you no doubt will as it was a topic you surely tackled with doyoung. speaking of... he sure is a man of his word.

"what are you doing here?" you hiss, head ducked with hair framing your face as to not draw attention from the rest of the students filing out of the testing hall.

"i texted you that we're getting ice cream. remember?"

"i did. but i didn't remember agreeing."

he shoots you a comforting smile, planting his hands firmly on your shoulder. “i told you, y/n. i don't care if they all see us together, so what? we all know you didn't commit that crime and it wasn't your fault you were born into the family you had. i don't care about the trivial things, baby, so don't shy away from me, okay?"

how the fuck can you say 'no' when he's looking at you the way he is as he brushed a loose strand of hair behind your ear? doyoung's just so bewitching that he has you wrapped around his slender fingers. he seems pleased when you stumbled over your words as you come up with a reply, caught off guard by his bold gestures.

"i just — you, uhh — fine..." you gave in, rolling your eyes out of pretense.

he just had to call you 'baby' and erupt the butterflies in your stomach.

it had been doing that for the last few months now and it had only truly manifested today when he took you out for ice cream to celebrate the end of hell week. and since you didn't want to go back to your dorm yet, you asked if you guys can watch some movies in his house but it had simply become background noise to your heart-to-heart talks. and what better accompaniment than the classic, chicken and beer?

you listen to him drone on and on about the little realizations he had on some of his past lectures even when you barely understood anything he's saying. doyoung's so lucky to be extremely good at something he's so passionate about, talks about the human mind and the complexity of a person's behavior will never fail to make his eyes light up in interest.

he calls out your name.

your eyes snap open.

"why don't we get you home? it's past 10 and it's alright, stupid, you don't need to pretend to be interested in my psychological findings." he chuckled light-heartedly, stealing the can of the now room-temperature beer from your hands before you can protest. 

"i wasn't dozing off, i swear."

"i caught you in the act. stop lying."

like all the other times he has you as his guest, doyoung once again offers to walk you home and you decline for the thousandth time. it really isn't that much of a long walk anyway. you don't see the need for him to go out of his way to secure your safety. plus, you were the one who insisted on hanging out in his house anyway. you weren't that thick-skinned to let him take you home, too.

"you're drunk!" he scolds.

“no, i’m not. i can perfectly handle myself."

"but —"

"bye!" 

you feel a little guilty for shutting the door in his face. still, a minute longer of his persistence and you would've taken his offer. unfortunately for doyoung, you are one stubborn girl. only if you don't make brisk movements with your head, then you won't see doubles. you'll be fine, it's just a quick walk and it's not as if you're stupid enough to pass by deserted alleys. 

but you had underestimated the divine prowess of your fucked up fate.

everything happened in a matter of three seconds; one, the blinding headlights illuminate your path from behind; two, you hear the loud honk, and as you turn around — three, the vehicle sends you rolling against the asphalt.

you should have taken the alleyways.

for his second act;

he alters your reality.

when you open your eyes, you thought you were dead and your spirit is wandering elsewhere — because you don't believe in trivial things like heaven and god — until an agitated doyoung comes into view. for a split second, you thought, is he dead, too?

"i'm not dead, you idiot." too dazed, you hardly register his anger. "i can perfectly handle myself, she said. i'm not drunk, she said. this wouldn't have happened if you had simply let me walk you home! you're damn fucking lucky you're alive and breathing right now!"

a person clears their throat.

"i don't think it wise to… nag at the patient the moment she wakes. don't you agree, sir?"

pink splotches on doyoung's cheek as he looks down, embarrassed at getting scolded as he stands closer to your bed. "i'm sorry, doc."

you didn't know when your vision cleared or when you started hearing normally again, but it was enough to find out what exactly had transpired on the very night of your tragic accident. a hit and run. fifty-fifty chance of surviving. doyoung getting a call from the hospital in the middle of the night —"they were trying to contact your dad, but he wasn't answering. i was the last person in your call history." 

six months in a coma. but today, you wake… only to find out your world has crashed and burned.

"what do you mean i lost my scholarship?"

"baby, listen to me —"

"why did they take it away? is it because of my accident? i'm behind by one term only and i swear i can catch up. they need to let me back in the program. there must've been some mistake —"

"your gpa didn't reach the cut-off grade."

that can't be possible.

"but you tutored me!" you claim with conviction, pointing an accusatory finger at him until you groan, bowing in pain as you clutch your head.

doyoung springs into action. the chair's legs screech against the tiles as he jumps to your aid, ushering you gently back against the hospital bed despite your refusal. "you're not well. lay back down, please."

you don't hear a single word he says, not when you had lost something so crucial. "i put in the effort and learned everything you taught me... i aced those fucking mid-terms! i know i did!" you were on the brink of tearing up as doyoung settled himself in front of you.

"i… i actually saw your papers," his lips set in a thin, hard-line. "everything was all wrong, sweetheart. what happened to you? i tried reasoning with the professors, mentioned your state — you know, with your best friend dying — but they didn't relent. i'm sorry y/n. i'm so —"

gone. everything is gone. the money. the dorm. what if they ask you to pay the fees from last year? what if they ask you to pay the tuition fee for this year? you have no money, no family, no relatives. no one to help. who's even going to pay for the hospital fees?

you weren't able to process anything after that. not with the sudden news of your now revoked scholarship. doyoung pulls you in a tight hug. "i was a bad tutor," he says, snapping you out of it. "maybe i shouldn't have pushed you that hard to learn them. why were your answers even mixed up y/n? i thought you knew those topics already…"

he pulls away, observing your confused state as your eyes dart everywhere in the room. "what — how are they mixed up? i know i got them right. there has to be some mistake. you taught me those topics, remember?"

"i did... "he averts his gaze. "but i don't remember teaching them to you mixed up, darling. i think you did that all on your own."

"but… why would i mix up my answers? that's —"

"see, what i mean?" he cuts you off, raising a hand to give your cheek the most delicate caress. "you're not well, baby. you need to be treated, especially with how much you hit your head during the accident. don't worry, i'm here. we'll try asking if you can stay in the dorms at least until you find another place —"

"am i a charity case to you?"

oh, the surprise on the junior's face when you push him away as you pin him with a hard stare. you just don't get it. why is kim doyoung so adamant about helping you? in becoming your hero, even when you never asked him to be? if you let him help you this time around, that'll be the 3rd time he came to save your ass. it's not as if you're ungrateful. simply, you've had enough of his help. you don't know how a person like you, who literally has nothing, can return the favor to someone like doyoung.

"what are you saying —"

"i'm saying…" you fix him a hard stare. "you helping me out doesn't even benefit you in the slightest. so why do you do it?"

he pauses, staring at you with hesitance in his eyes as this seems to be the very first time you've truly seen him speechless. when doyoung opens his mouth, he mumbles, and you hardly make sense of what he said. 

"do you really want to know why?" 

you urge him on with an arched eyebrow, his softened tone creeping into your heart. 

"you're someone special to me y/n. i don't know how or when i admitted it to myself, but you are, and it hurts me to see how shitty your luck is," he cracks a small grin, slowly settling back onto the hospital bed as he grabs your hand. "it's okay to seek help from others. it isn't a sign of vulnerability or weakness. i help you because i want to, and i'm more than willing to take care of you. will you let me?"

you're not blind. you've noticed the way he had slowly started coming closer as he continued to speak, hands held securely in his as he looked straight at your eyes then down at your lips. and so, you act in a way you know that will surely answer his question — with a kiss. 

the man before you immediately reciprocates, overpowering your own eagerness as he curls the tips of his fingers into the roots of your hair. he pulls you close, cradling you against his chest. you can taste his desperation in the way his tongue dances against yours, the kiss transporting you into an alternate reality where your world revolves around doyoung and doyoung alone. 

when he pulls away bleary-eyed, both of you ignore the thin strand of saliva connecting your lips. "how about you come live with me for the time being, my love?"

still high off his kiss and natural scent, you hardly mull over the question he asks you. "okay."

days later, after you've been discharged (he wanted to chip in for your hospital bills but you had given him a firm no), doyoung had been the one to show up at the dorm to collect all your things after leaving you in his apartment. the cutie had refused to simply drop you off and had deliberately accompanied you up the elevator, through the halls, and finally into his apartment. 

"i'll be out for just a minute, sugarcube."

"oh, can you get take out?"

doyoung had smiled, playfully booping the tip of your nose. "no, because i'll be cooking for us tonight as a little celebration for you getting discharged. you'll love it; i'm making your favorite!"

it was funny how the night had been nothing but utter bliss. the foreign feeling of being taken care of sprouting in your chest as you watch him cooking from behind the counter. it felt… nice. but funny enough, as if doing a 360, you both had immediately gotten into an argument the next day. 

"i don't see the need for skipping another day if i feel perfectly fine! i'll figure something out once we get there, doyoung, so can we just —"

"you' re not fine, babylove — hell, you got discharged yesterday! i'm not just about to let you back into the arena with those students. they've only grown more immature since your coma, love. i seriously don't want you near them."

"fine! then i won't talk to them. simple." you throw your hands up. "there. problem solved. now, can we please just go to uni? i need to talk to the dean and the head of student affairs, too —"

"i'm going to uni, not you."

maybe it had been the way he firmly stated his claim, the way his eyes pierced through your soul as if daring you to argue further with him that made you snap.

"i'm not a prisoner in this apartment, doyoung! don't treat me like i have the plague! i'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself — jesus christ, i've been doing it nearly half my fucking life!"

too caught up in your anger, you've failed to notice the tears pouring down his face as he sets his gaze on the floor. 

"you're right," his voice cracks. "i shouldn't be pushy like that. i'm sorry. you just mean so much to me and i'm so scared of losing you again. with your coma — i just — it's like i was fighting a losing battle each day that passed when i saw you in that hospital bed. i've never felt so scared in my whole life and i hated myself for not being able to protect you that night."

his tears run like waterfalls, and when you step forward with your arms wide open, doyoung sobs harder as he pulls you against him. you hardly comprehend what he says as he spoke, shaking against your frail body as you felt his tears stain your blouse. "i'm sorry, i never should've dictated what you felt — i'm so sorry."

"no, it's okay. i was feeling a little lightheaded, anyway. i'll stay here and i can come back to school next semester, right? doyoung? just… please stop crying."

he lifts his head, staring at you with bloodshot eyes before giving your forehead a kiss. you let a relieved sigh escape your lips, melting into his warmth as you prop your chin on his shoulder. if you had only been more attentive, you would've seen the reflection of his wicked grin on the tabletops. too easy.

living with him became a blur after that incident. everything fell into a routine for the next four days as you spent the day watching netflix, eating, reading, sleeping. nothing felt fun anymore. but your peaceful life had ceased during the fifth night — the whispers, they woke you up. you can hear them from behind your door at night, and when you rouse awake, you see doyoung walking around the hallway from the tiny gap at the bottom of the door. you had sighed, falling back into your plush bed as you pray to god, he keeps it down. 

but what he told you the next day rendered you speechless. "me, walking around the hallways? whispers?" he says, confused. "i was already asleep, love. knocked out cold the moment my body fell on the bed."

"but…"

he doesn't spare you a glance as he takes his sweet time skimming through his notes on the dining table, coffee in one hand. "maybe it's just the meds kicking in."

"no, surely it was real! i literally woke up in the middle of the night," you repeat. "it's okay if it was you, doyoung. i'm not mad."

he sets his coffee mug down a little too loud. 

"well, you can't be mad at me, sugar, because like i said — it wasn't me," it doesn't take a genius to notice he's awfully cranky today. you observe him, dark half-moons under his eyes as he relentlessly reads his notes with instant coffee in one hand. 

"you're just imagining things, okay? stop acting crazy."

for some reason, the way he had uttered certain words like 'imagining' and 'crazy' made you curl into your seat in embarrassment. he was right that your doctor did prescribe a generous amount of pills per day, but his tone made it feel off, made you feel like there was something wrong with you even when there wasn't… 

right?

you didn't say a word after that and had hesitantly pecked him on the cheek before he left for school. with the amount of time you're with him, two things stood out to you — his keen sense of observation and his knack for reading people. you highly doubt he didn't notice a shift in your behavior but a part of you thinks it's just the stress talking. he is about to take his finals and had recently started on his research paper. 

every psych student is required to present a paper in accordance with the department's annual theme. it could be anything from proposing a theory (if you dare) to constructing a well-developed psychology model. if you don't turn one in, you don't graduate — the paper's that important, and you've been bugging him for so long about sneaking a peek on what his study is about. but he always refused. 

the next week came rolling around, and both of you had been spending every day together due to the semestral break. the arguments have significantly lessened, but your episodes — eventually, you started calling it that way because that's how doyoung labels it — have only gotten worse. you end up moving out of the guest room and into his. privacy be damned. the whispers stopped momentarily but what came next became your imminent downfall.

the first time you heard it, you thought you were dreaming. but the doorknob kept rattling aggressively even as you sat up. just as you climb off the bed, your half-asleep boyfriend asks where you're going. 

"bathroom," you lied.

you were always the one to snort when it comes to the supernatural, claiming it's all bullshit. yet, as whatever outside continues to fight its way inside the room, the rattling progressing into loud bangs against the door, you're not so sure of your beliefs anymore. you're not crazy. nothing is wrong with you, and you're perfectly fine. this apartment is cursed, and you are going to prove that to doyoung.

grabbing your phone from the bedside table, you turn the flash on, pointing the camera at the door as you take a footage of the mad entity that has been playing games with you. a squeal escapes your lips when a particular bang! reverberates louder in the room than all the others. the phone slips your hand, falling onto the floorboards. you don't bother to retrieve it as you scramble to get yourself back under the blanket and into doyoung's comfortable warmth.

you snuggle yourself plush against his chest, shaking as you wrap your arms around his waist, inhaling his natural scent to anchor you back. 

bang! bang! bang!

you didn't get a wink of sleep last night.

"can't the video wait? there's a new episode of start-up, and i want to watch it already!" he whines, shoving his face further on the throw pillow situated on your lap.

you giggle, shaking your head as you scroll through your gallery to find the video. i'm not imagining things. i'm not hallucinating. i'm not crazy. "here! watch... i'm telling you this apartment is haunted, and the ghost probably likes you, which is why it doesn't bother you —"

your lighthearted rambling cuts off when you notice no sound emitting from your phone. weird. you could've sworn you started recording right when the loud banging has already started. your heart drops upon the wary stare doyoung shoots you before he continues to watch the video. 

no, no, no, no — please!

you quickly scoot over to his side, watching as the video unfolds before your very eyes. the shot was messy as the phone was handheld, not to mention you were panicking at the time. but the video is silent. not a single noise of a rattling doorknob or banging on the door can be heard through your phone's speakers. 

"maybe — maybe you didn't turn the volume up?"

you hardly contain the mortification in your face when you realize the volume's at 100 already. and as if on cue, your squeal is heard in the video and the noise of the phone hitting the floor.

doyoung's silence shakes your whole being. as you kneel before him teary-eyed, your voice breaks. "i swear, i'm not crazy."

but at this point, you don't believe yourself anymore.

for his third and final act;

he triumphs.

his deprivation began in minuscule ripples. 

it didn't take much effort on doyoung's end to convince you to stop studying for a year or two, at least, only until your hallucinations aren't as severe anymore. everyday felt like hell on earth as the fine line between what's real and what isn't has blurred over one too many times. in sheer paranoia of accidentally hurting him in his sleep, you moved out of his bedroom and had started sleeping in the guest room again — much to doyoung's frustration. 

but he's a smart man, one that recognizes an opportunity amidst the hurdles thrown on his path.

"why does my door need a lock outside again?"

he approaches you, who’s sitting cross-legged on the bed, after screwing in the last of the screws that came with the new doorknob. doyoung is familiar with the look written on your face, has observed and studied you enough to navigate his way inside your pretty little head with ease.

he can't have you doubting him, can he?

"you know i'm all about protecting you, right?" he starts. you nodded. "i've been doing it for a year now, and i will continue to do so until you need me to. the world is a bad place, sweetheart, remember? your own best friend's mother tried framing you. your dad disowned you. you've been ostracized in the whole college... do you think i'm just like the rest of them, baby?"

doyoung has already mastered the perfect expression of a kicked-puppy, one that easily pulls at your heartstrings and has you cooing at him.

"no!" you say with conviction, reaching forward to thread your fingers through his. "i know you're different, not like any of them at all. i know you're only doing what's… best for me."

he ignores the underlying hesitance in your tone. that will be corrected, sooner or later.

doyoung tightens his hold as he kisses the back of your hand. such an innocent gesture — but such ill intentions.

"the outside lock helps me in protecting you, love. you don't need to worry about anything. just focus on getting better, alright? i'll keep the bad guys away from you."

it was during his first semester of senior year, a few months back, doyoung and a good few students of his batch had been granted the opportunity to intern for a mental hospital located near the edge of the city. he was supposed to decline the offer but you convinced him to take the spot. it had only been a two-week “job” yet it was enough for doyoung to conclude — he’d rather kill you than subject you to the horrors of what the patients have to go through in the loony bin. 

eventually, the small ripples shift into unforgiving waves, dragging you into the depths as everything comes crashing down before your very own eyes.

it should have been like any other day inside the apartment. doyoung's already gone in the morning to attend classes. though not before setting a tray of your brunch on the nightstand, making sure to lock your door on his way out. he knew your nightmares and anxiety kept you up at night, resulting in longer hours of sleep during the day. 

turns out, you moving out of his bedroom had been a blessing in disguise. coming home to an empty apartment has become his biggest fear yet, and you unconsciously found a solution for him. one that doesn’t have him fidgeting on his seat as he counts down the minutes ‘til he’s back by your side.

doyoung smiles unconsciously as he listens to his professor drone on and on in front of him — his mind at peace, knowing you're safe and sound in your little prison.

until he received a text that made his blood run cold.

ty, 11:34 am —im done.

meanwhile, you rouse awake once more to thunderous poundings against your bedroom door. oh no, you thought. it's happening again. this time, there'll be no doyoung barging into your room, half-asleep and hair messy, as he tries to calm you down. you throw the blankets over you as you sob, hugging your legs against your chest as you try to 'wake yourself up' from the hallucination.

the person outside calls for your name, the desperation in their tone alighting a new-found fear in your heart. you don't know what's real anymore. is this truly happening, or is it another hallucination your fucked up mind has conjured up?

"please! it's taeyong! y/n, can you hear me?"

taeyong?

slowly, your head peaks above the blanket, warily staring at the door. doyoung has warned you about these kinds of things, has practically ingrained in your mind that whoever comes looking for you will take you away from him. not to mention, doyoung slipped one time and said he isn’t friends with taeyong anymore.

the banging on the door progresses.

“are you in there? answer me! i can’t find the key!”

you don’t say anything, merely pushing the covers off your body as you keep your eyes fixed on the beating door. it looks like it’s about to pop out its hinges as taeyong relentlessly fights his way inside your room. what are you going to do? do you open the door? oh. right. you can’t do that on your own accord. the key is with doyoung and he isn’t in the apartment at the moment.

all your thoughts come to a halt when the boy outside sends the door flying open, finally breaking the lock with one powerful kick. you flinch back, his actions pushing you on your feet, wanting to place a maximum amount of distance from the intruder. 

taeyong looks frantic, disheveled as he immediately notices your alarmed state. he approaches you cautiously, hands up to show his empty palms. “hey, hey… it’s just me, y/n. i’m not going to hurt you. i’m not the enemy here.”

“doyoung doesn’t know you’re here, does he?”

the look of surprise on his face is an answer in itself. for someone doyoung had proudly claimed to have “broken” you’re still quite quick to catch up on things, taeyong observed. and he doesn’t know what to feel about it — pity? guilt?

“that’s not important!” he claims, boldly surging forward to grasp your shoulders with a firm grip. taeyong felt his heart dropping when you flinch under his grasp. 

“listen to me. we need to get you out of here. doyoung isn’t — he isn’t everything you thought he is!” he can’t help but raise his voice, panic surging through him because there’s not much time left and you aren’t exactly cooperating. you’ve been trying to shrug off his hold the whole time. 

“do you think he actually loves you?”

“he does! stop saying bullshit!”

“doyoung never loved anyone and you want to know why? because he’s too in love with his research to care for anything else!” taeyong felt bad to have been so direct, especially when he sees the tears now falling freely down your cheeks. “listen to me, y/n! i’m not the enemy! if there’s anyone you should be pushing away, it’s doyoung! he turned you into his lab rat! you are nothing but a variable in his study! don’t you get it?”

taeyong grabs a firm but gentle hold of your head, trying to make you look at him straight in the eye for the gravity of what he’s about to say to you.

“doyoung had his eye on you since sophomore year. i told him this was a bad idea and that he should change the topic of the research and he was. fucking hell, he was about to scrap the whole thing until your bestfriend died and did you know what that psycho told me? that it was a sign for him to continue the research! and i’ve been pestering him so much that he moved out because he claimed i was going to get in the way of his discovery.

tell you what, if you can tell me right here, right now, that he has mentioned anything — anything at all — about his study to you then everything i’m saying is a lie.”

you have asked doyoung for the longest time about that research but the answers have always been the same. “not yet, my love. it’s not time for it to be seen with your eyes. soon, okay?”

with a voice not louder than a whisper, you ask. “what… what’s his research about?”

you fail to see the sorry look on taeyong’s face. “in psychology, they say a person only develops psychosis mainly through genetics or drugs. although you’re technically already a worthy “lab rat” considering your mom and upbringing, he wanted to expand the external factors of what causes the disorder — grief, grades, toxic family relations…”

you hear a ringing in your ear and a sudden urge to throw up. only, you didn’t have anything to hurl because your brunch remains untouched on your bedside. 

“but he hadn’t been successful. and that’s… that’s where i came along. doyoung thought the medications he’s been giving you isn’t doing what he wanted it to and he knew he needed a little push. i was… i gave him that push. remember the whispers, the banging on the door at night? it was all me. he made me do it. you know what that means, right? you’re not crazy. you don’t need to stay here cooped up like some kind of pet, believing all his lies as if it’s written in a fucking bible —”

he stops. and if he hadn’t, you wouldn’t’ve heard the familiar beeps of the front door’s automated lock going off. doyoung’s home. 

in lightning speed, taeyong has you sheltered behind him, throwing his warm coat over you in the process, hoping to give the smallest comfort amidst the chaos that’s about to erupt. there’s no point in pretending or hiding — one look at that lock and his crazy friend would know something’s off. 

taeyong feels you flinching behind him with every heavy footstep against the floorboards as doyoung wastes no time in getting to your room. and when he finally appears, hands braced against the door frame, you’ve never been this scared your whole life. his eyes are drawn into slits, fixated on taeyong alone. “how fucking dare you?”

“it’s over, doyoung. give it up or you wouldn’t have to suffer a longer sentence than you’ll already get.” taeyong tried with his whole being to appear intimidating.

“what’re you saying, yong? i meant, how fucking dare you barge in here and disturb my girlfriend in her sleep? that’s not very nice of you…” doyoung sports a disarming gummy smile as he approaches, hand outstretched and beckoning towards you. “c’mere, baby. i don’t think you’ve eaten lunch yet?”

“drop the fucking act, you psycho!”

“what act?” doyoung tilts his head innocently, gaze shifting from taeyong’s and yours, who keeps peeking from over his ex-friend’s shoulder. luring you out is a piece of cake unless taeyong decides to make things a wee bit more complicated, doyoung thought. “i’m just concerned for my darl —”

“we’re leaving.” taeyong cuts him off, breaking eye contact as he places a firm grip around your wrist. he pulls you towards him, farther away from your supposed lover as he tries walking past doyoung. 

but the said man pushes taeyong back with a humorless smile on his face. “and who told you that you can do that?”

a pregnant silence befalls the room as the two men size each other up. they regard each other with such hostility, you can't help but unconsciously fist the back of taeyong's sweater in nervousness, prompting the man to turn his head over his shoulder for a swift second to check up on you.

but a second is all that doyoung needed to deliver the first kick towards taeyong's legs, throwing him off his balance. if it was one thing doyoung knew, is that he needed to eliminate taeyong's agility all together if he wants to win against him. 

but taeyong isn't one to back down. the moment doyoung straddles him on the floor, with a fist raised to throw a punch, taeyong grunts as he rolls them around. doyoung now receiving taeyong's rain of fists as he yells. "fuck you! you manipulative asshole!"

you sat on the corner, horrified of the scene happening before you. you've never seen doyoung this way. he has always been your sweet, caring bunny, but after everything taeyong said, you aren't so sure you even know the man you've been living with. 

"everything i did, i did it for her!" you flinch at the sound of bones breaking as doyoung kicked taeyong's ribs. "she had nothing to lose! i saved her!"

the door is open, you noticed. wide-open and inviting you to make a run for it. and you would have made a run for it...  but taeyong. you can't leave him behind, not when he lays there bloody and grunting in pain as doyoung lets his anger take over him. so, as stupid as may be, you did it. you had to.

"you didn't save me," you say, schooling your face into indifference as doyoung whips around, forgetting about taeyong in the bat of an eye. "you caged me in here, treated me like there's something wrong with me, gaslighted me into believing everything you said! and... what did you say? 'saved me'? you made me go through hell!"

the whole time, taeyong tries his hardest to stand upright, but his broken ribs don't allow him to. the pain too great that he had no choice but to crawl instead, arms pulling his weight as he drags himself across the floorboards, desperately trying to get doyoung's attention back on him even if it meant getting beaten to death.

meanwhile, he had his eyes trained on you the whole time you spoke, sobbing as you walk backward in fear as doyoung approached you with a dark glint in his eye. he doesn't like what you're saying; that much is very clear. he wanted to yell at you, to scream of your ungratefulness despite his constant care but instead, he says.

"i thought we were making progress, baby. i guess i have to drill everything in your brain again. you're not okay, but you will be after i treat you."

you try to fight the urge to look at taeyong as he finds his strength, silently rising up from the floor to ambush doyoung while he's so busy preaching about you. 

"what i said is true, baby. do you actually think this scum over here is doing this to save you? do you actually believe everything he said? i've been here since day-1, my love. literally. and have i ever let you down? no. everything i'm doing is for us. even this damned research!"

taeyong surges forward to put him in a chokehold, but everything happened so fast, and the next thing you knew —

"did you actually think i'd fall for that?"

you didn't know the sound of a knife cutting through flesh could sound that loud, but nothing could beat the strained gasp that tumbled through taeyong's lips as he shakily held the knife pierced through his heart. you would've been concerned about how doyoung got it so accurate in one go or where the knife even came from. but you were too busy screaming, collapsing against the wall as you let out a broken sob. 

"no," you mutter. "no, no, no..."

you can't bear to avert your eyes from taeyong as he lies dying before you. the look of fear in his eyes would forever be ingrained in your mind, and no amount of brainwashing or gaslighting would ever make you forget.

doyoung killed him. you lost.

the knife clatters loudly on the floor as he slowly turns around as if he himself has yet to register what he did. you didn't know what to expect from doyoung's reaction but certainly not the eerie smile that starts spreading on his face. 

"now... how about that lunch, baby?"

✉ : a repost no one asked but i respectfully dont give a fuck <3