#but i wouldn't be afraid to change names or give them different designs

[funakounasoul]

How would you go about localizing she loves to cook and she loves to eat?

I had to re-read this one because, for a moment, I thought, "Wait a minute. The manga IS translated." No no, you mean a full on rework of the story to suit a different audience (in my case, US since that's where I'm from)

Well, keep in mind, Anon, that everyone has different ideas of how to go at it. I personally grew up with the localization styles of DiC/Cloverway with Sailor Moon, Pokemon in general (especially when it was heavier on the Japanese themes) and ADV (at least with Azumanga) and in those instances, they were still in Japan, but a few things got changed up to find US equivalents. Pokemon was worse (jelly donut, anyone lol) but I digress.

The main things we would need to keep intact in a localization would be the following:

It's a story about two adult women coming together via food

It would still have to have the mentions of social issues women and lgbtq folks go through this day and age

It needs to still be lighthearted and uplifting. It can have "hard read" moments, but there needs to be a sense of of a gentle reminder to take it one step at a time, breathe, but keep pushing for a better future, especially with those you love dear, even if they are found family.

I think the main cast should still have the same orientations/gender identities they are in the original. I mean, I think it'd be okay but the end of the day, it's specifically about women (transwomen are okay too!). The acespecness of most of the cast? Please keep that intact, for sure. There's just not much rep in general! Oh and they still should be older women (at the very least keep the general age order that Yuzaki-sensei has provided us of Yako>Nomoto>Kasuga>Nagumo) and Kasuga has to be the tallest and heaviest as that is litetally part of her character, too.

Anything else can change, really! You want a poc cast? Make them poc! You want American Nomoto to be like...from Kansas and American Kasuga from Maine and they became neighbors in an old, giant house that now serves as apartments in upstate New York? Yeah! There's your setting! (Especially as even Kasuga is surprised at some of Nomoto's Miyagi dish variations despite having moved from only one prefecture away, so wherever she's from in canon sounds like they share similar platters like where they're currently living...which I think is Yokohama? Just based of what I've read, anyway. It's a guess, but near Tokyo is what I'm saying lol)

The only thing that is a struggle is the whole last-name addressing that is pretty iconic for the story. We don't really call people by last name all too often, do we? Maybe in a work setting, but they don't work in the same place. Like...how does one even translate the use of that without sounding awkward?

Canon Nomoto and Kasuga are polite toward one another, yes, but you can still translate their dialogue to fit their age equivalent casual speak in other languages thanks to dialogue nuances and body language

I guess they could both have names that sound old-school but can be given nicknames (because, eventually, even original Nomoto and Kasuga will start using given names! Surely!!)? Like I dunno. Someone is named Elizabeth and is called Elizabeth by the other woman, and then for The (Eventual) Moment, or even when American Nagumo tries the -chan naming equivalent, we get to hear something like "Lizzy" and it speaks volumes to that character.

...Well! That was a lot of typing. Definitely helped pass the time at work. I think I turned it into an adaptation more than a localization, though. Whoops~ But honestly, I think similar points can be used as localizing the base story.

Feel free to use these thoughts as starter points if one ever wants to make a "their country" AU fic or something lol

[shadowy-suitcase-herring-neck]

EXTREMELY interested in The Cube AU- Very fun already! Do you have any other details you could share? Like- The Gang's relationship? Or even how the Stars' felt about being cubed? How did the council even manage to send them there? How do the Gang, Error, and the Stars feel about their... transformation? How did Nightmare get the mask and do any of the others have odd curiosities on them too?

grab your popcorn this got kinda long. i mean i could have made it longer but i kept some things too be included in separate posts.

The gang at first kinda hated each other. to Nightmare they where his henchmen. he says he only gathered them to aid in his spreading of negativity. though deep down he knows this isn't why but is constantly convincing himself of it. Too be honest Nightmare was lonely , but he is constantly self sabotaging his chances of ever actually forming any sort of relationship with... anyone tbh. he's afraid It takes awhile for him to realize he doesn't want too nor have too be the demon he was told he was. he was the only thing keeping himself from feeling happy. Horror only really stayed because of the food promised to horrortale. He didn't like Killer at all and Dust didn't really interact with the gang much outside of missions and fighting with killer. Horror did start to make friends with Cross though. Mainly because cross wasn't stab happy, and also didn't waste food, or skip meals like Dust and Nightmare after Horror had already made food for everyone. Dust like stated before would be constantly avoiding everyone when he could. he spent a lot of time in random places around castle that where hard to reach. and even harder to find. he mainly talked to "Paps" a lot. In this au paps is just a hallucination not an actual ghost. The main reason he is avoiding everyone could be that killer takes any chance to antagonize him. Killer is sort of stuck in the mental loop of always trying to gain more exp. Kind of ironic tbh. most of his emotions are dulled and Fighting gives a sort of rush that too him feel.. something. So he is constantly chasing it. Cross doesn't really know why he's there tbh. he's kind of lost. their relationship slowly shifts too found family but it is certainly a journey. -

The Stars felt betrayed more than anything. They had spent years defending and trying to make the multiverse a better place. Dream already has that small voice in his skull telling him it was because he had failed somehow. That he wasn't good enough. Blue is left wondering just why... WHY. Ink is... confused. he hadn't messed up THAT bad right? he wasn't a terrible person... right? In reality it was partially due too the fact The stars would have tried to shut down the Cube if they had Known more about it. As far as they where concerned it was just a high security prison. They didn't know about how it was designed to essentially be an elaborate form of torture. a world where everything was uncertain, your own body untrustworthy, and everything wants you dead. Dream was starting to get suspicious when he was denied seeing his brother. -

Nightmare's mask has something to do with another character I've made. A scientist who helped make the Cube named Jane. I don't think I'll explain all of that here but i will include it when i post her character. -

As for other oddities and transformations... I think it's time to talk about the mutations caused by the change from magic based to something more physical. The claws on the ends of Nightmare's tentacles are an example, as well as the much less goopy nature. Goop wouldn't stay together without magic after all. Though Nightmare's changes are a little less visually different than some of the other mutations. Mutations are for the most part very very random though.

for Killer: Killer had three fingered hands, and a venomous bite. The hatred that dripped from his sockets is technically just a poison now. His soul kinda got fused with his rib cage so it just looks like a sort of target shaped burn scar in a way. it do glow tho.

here's a doodle of what his hands look like tho.

Dust was one of the more drastically changed individuals. it's possible his blaster attacks had somehow influenced his mutations so now he has a face like this:

when his jaw is closed he can almost pass for completely unchanged. His voice has a strange chittering too it now. the buggyness was completely unconnected too the blaster jaw. but it is there. Dust wears a scarf a lot too hide it.

Cross os the only other one i have Mutations made for atm. He got floof. and ears. honestly this was just kind of for fun

biiiiigg yawn.

he can 100% percent bite someones head off if he wanted too. I wasn't going for any sort of similarity too any animal in particular. but yea... floof... he poofs up if startled. anyways this was certainly a long answer huh :D i hope you enjoyed <3 if you want me too go in even more depth on any of these just ask and i will gladly do so.

[wwormdoll]

The Jill Valentine Problem

Okay so I know how the title sounds but please hear me out because I am a HUGE fan of Jill and thinks she deserves so much better than what shes been given.

It feels like in a lot of more recent pieces of media with Jill in Capcom seems to be completely forgetting who she is.

The main culprit that I'm thinking of when I write this is death island. Don't get me wrong I really enjoy the movie, and am re-watching it as I type this but there are so many issues that I have with it.

Namely the fact that they use Jill's RE3 model. The reason she was wearing the tank top was because she was caught off guard in her apartment and was not able to get into more appropriate gear. You have Chris there constantly in his uniform and Jill just wearing casual clothes.

She isn't the only culprit of this, with Claire also falling under the same trap but arguably it isn't the same issue as Claire was never really a soldier on the same level that they want to be portraying Jill as.

Also they talk about her Wesker mind control time. So its set after that. So my question is where is the scar? It would be visible if she was wearing the tank top but they simply didn't put it in despite them drawing attention to that plot point very early on.

In my opinion Capcom is too scared to change her. Largely because she is a woman and people are attracted to RE3 Jill. They have no issues changing Chris and Leon's models to make them older or give them different hair or facial hair. But Jill always looks the same. Same outfit, same hairstyle same everything.

Sure they have the thing where she doesn't age but that doesn't mean that she wouldn't change. After Wesker her hair is blonde, not dyed but permanent. I get she would likely dye her hair brown to reclaim the person she used to be, and that she would probably cut her hair again. But before Wesker her hair was longer anyway, so its not just that being an issue.

I really desperately want a new Jill design that moves her forward to where the other characters are because it feels so lazy despite whatever story reasons they give for it. It feels like capcom don't want to change her appearance so they're making up ridiculous plot contrivances to mean that she doesn't have to change.

I really want to see more from her, new looks.

I would honestly just settle for one new canon outfit, not just a skin in games. They give Ada outfits, hell she even got a redesign for RE8 (which was scrapped but they still did something with her look to show how much things have changed and hos she has matured).

I'm really hoping that we get to see more of Jill. Not just have her in more games but see more of her as a character, what she chooses and learn about her through her design. But at the moment its so lacking for such an important character that Capcom claim to be a main character.

They clearly aren't afraid of updating character models since they've done it before for every other character. I'm so tired of them being lazy with Jill. She deserves so much better for what an interesting character she is written to be. Its like they put effort into everything but her looks.

But that's just my personal rant about her character design because I love her so much and really want to see more of her.

[sariels-world-ella]

Conundrum of morality (The Game that I am co-creating, where I am the artist, music composer, co-story writer, dialogue writer and character design/developer) will have a minor/background character named Sandra Bakire-Faól, Mystic's Sister-in-law, who gets referenced and makes a few cameos (a photo of her in Mystic's office and a possibly an old voicemail on Mystic's phone once we reach the point of adding the phone mechanics, may or may not make a physical appearance in the full game)

Her design isn't 100% finalized so there is some inconsistency in her appearance among the drawings/concept art of her, also some was left out for not being very good.

Without dialogue:

Comic regarding Sandra's age: (I don't like her facial appearance in the first one and was tempted to discard it)

Hand drawn sketches/drawings, click/tap to fully view, transcriptions below the last drawings:

Concept art of possible sprite appearance:

Comic 1:

2 single frame drawings

Transcription of Comic 1:

Sandra: so my cousin shot in the head by a home invader who was mad at her because she couldn't save his wife. My husband(Your brother), fighter jet exploded, then my parents died of complications of old age, whose next? Me? You? My kids?

Mystic: I've got shot 28 times in the 30 years I've been in law enforcement, I'm not going anywhere, Sandra.

Sandra: well, not everyone is bulletproof, Mystic.

Mystic: I'm not bullet proof, I am just relentless.

Sandra: I wasn't being literal.

Sandra: why do you take everything literally?

Mystic: it's not my fault you don't say what you mean.

Transcription of the 2 single frame comics:

Sandra: I'm going to slap the silly out of you.

Jophie: Mami? Are we going to get to school?

Sandra: not now, Jophie, Mommy is busy chewing someone out. Trivia/character information under the cut:

“Sandra Bakire-Faol, the cousin of Cylda Da’brine, widow of Parker Faol, Sister in law to Mystic Faol and single mother of 3, is a charming empathic, sometimes being short tempered, lady who wants the best for everyone but is never afraid to give someone a piece of her mind. She wishes for everyone to have a chance to succeed in life. She wants to keep her late-husband’s memory alive and visits her husband’s cenotaph at once a month. She is deeply saddened by her husband’s unfortunate demise as an airforce pilot, however Sandra still believes it's best to move forward with life, though it can be difficult. Mystic has notably started visiting Sandra more frequently after Parker’s passing”  

Since Mystic is older than Sandra, Mystic will be referred to by Sandra by the word variations for someone who is older than her while Mystic will do the same but for someone who is younger than them in the planned Japanese translation. Example (if my memory is correct): Sandra will call Mystic 義兄 (gikei) or 義姉 (gishi) while Mystic would call Sandra 義妹 (gimai)

The only exceptions of Sandra's name spelling changing in different translations is when the game releases it's planned translations into Russian and Japanese, with her name being spelled as "Сандра" and "サンド��" respectively.

Since the 8 year age gap, and Sandra mentioning she looks young for her age with Parker being the opposite, looking older than his age, this could be a factor on why they have an 8 year age gap in the first place.

due to the 2 year age gap between her and Mystic, this makes it possible that Mystic and Sandra went to school together (if this is true, then they were not too close as it probably feel a bit awkward and much weirder for Parker and Sandra to be in a relationship).

If Sandra knew Mystic prior to her relationship to Parker, it could play another role in why Parker and Sandra have a large age gap, as if Sandra knew Mystic is older than Parker, it probably wouldn't make Sandra automatically think Parker is a whole decade younger than Mystic, (even with the world record for the biggest age gap between siblings being 41 years, I don't think Sandra would realistically think Parker was too much younger than Mystic, as large age gaps between siblings are apparently uncommon, and the average age gap between siblings is a surprising measly 2 years, but it does mean that Sandra would think that Parker could have easily been the same age as herself or extremely close to her age)

Since she is 46 and the game takes place in 2021 (when we first were developing the game) her birth year is 1975 thus alive during the 1981 school disaster, thus being one of the few alive and well-rounded minor characters to be alive at this time, other being Daniel Morgan (but he could be argued to be more of a prominent character in the game, as he makes a physical appearance and has talk/face dialogue box sprites.)

it's very clear that Sandra is in close contact with Mystic after Parker's death, but she still was before Parker died.

Only her daughter, who is the youngest child, has a known name, that being Jophie (it's "Sophie" but with a J), pronounced and sometimes misspelled as "Josphie", her sons' names are never mentioned.

If the game does well and a side stories DLC gets released, she’ll make an appearance with the side story revolving around Mystic’s late-brother Parker. this side story is about grief and taps into Mystic’s family life.

She is a lot older than she looks. She gets extremely annoyed when people think she’s younger than she is, because she feels that people would disrespect her more and assume she had her children while she was underaged. 

She was 30 when her eldest child was born, her son is currently 16 thus making her currently 46, thus younger than her sibling-in-law Mystic (age 48) by 2 years

Abby is her adoptive first cousin once removed, but refers to Abby as “My Niece, Abby", "My late-cousin's adopted child" or just "My Niece”

Since she is Cylda’s Cousin this makes her Grandparents Da’brine’s (Abby Da'brine's caregivers) niece. 

Sandra knows karate and self-defense, also being strong enough to carry Parker Bridal style, but it's implied Mystic is physically stronger.

Sandra got in an argument with a life insurance agent for two hours, possibly stated by Mystic in a chance dialogue in the full game, since the demo wouldn't have those type of chance dialogues.

Though Sandra is usually passive unless provoked, she is good at protecting herself and not afraid to stand her ground.

Sandra believes that she shouldn't be as sad about Parker’s death than Mystic should be because Mystic was Parker’s older sibling and grew up with him. But, Mystic's stoicness makes Mystic seem to have "absent grief".

When Sandra and Parker had a wedding, Sandra accidentally smacked her hand into Mystic’s face when she threw the bouquet of flowers, as she didn't know Mystic was standing next to her trying to ask why she was going to throw the flowers for.

Though Sandra is mentioned to be a lawyer, Mystic has completely memorized Arieon law, unlike Sandra, admitting Mystic reads and rereads Arieon Law books multiple times a day.

Sandra thinks Mystic’s restricted amount of interests and unwillingness to explore/gain new interests, lack of showing visual emotions, and taking things literally is somewhat strange and a bit annoying at times.

Sandra speaks fluently in the Arieon native/official language and usually prefer to using profanity in that language than English.

Sandra is either a second or first generation immigrant to Arieon (the fictional country the game takes place in), while her cousin, Clyda is second.

She's the only character who wears cosmetics, and the second only character to wear piercings(ear rings) with the other being her cousin Clyda Da'brine, evident by Clyda's picture in Mystic's office.

she is the 3rd character to have canonically deceased parent(s), with the others being Abby and Gunther, though Gunther's parents are completely unknown as he was an orphan for an unknown reason, but it's safe to assume his biological parents are dead as Gunther is chronologically 116 years old. With regards to Abby, only her adoptive Mother is dead as her biological parents' status is unknown.

It's unknown what country her family/she immigrated from, however judging by her race, it's most likely an European or North American country.

Depending on her immigration status, either Parker met her overseas and she immigrated to Arieon where some of her family happened to also live, or she was born in Arieon and her parents immigrated to Arieon. the latter may be more likely seeing she knows the native language, some of her family lives there and Parker doesn't have much of a reason to be overseas in the time frame of before he joined the military, but this could be argued against.

if the game had to have a romantic subplot it would be about Sandra and Parker's relationship, even though he's deceased.

She's the second known character to have lost a spouse, though Daniel Morgan lost his spouse through a divorce due to an unknown reason, also making Sandra Bakire-Faol and Daniel Morgan the only 2 single parents with biological children, and Sandra Bakire-Faol, Daniel Morgan, and Clyda Da'brine the only single parents in the game.

if Sandra makes a physical appearance in the game, it would be at the end of the linear route's neutral ending in Soliarin Cemetery, if the player is unable to keep Abby from ending up dying from a blunt force impact in Chapter 2, she'll be watering flowers on Abby's gravesite and if spoken to the first time, she will reassure Mystic it wasn't their fault and Mystic tried as much as they could. interacting with her a second time she says that Parker wouldn't mind her spending today with Abby at the moment, implying that she usually goes/plans to visit Parker's cenotaph on this day or the day the linear route ends is on Parker's birthday.

Regarding to the fact above, it's likely the latter is the case as by her dialogue being easy to assume that she was supposed to "visit him" that day, though other possibilities are that it's the end of the month or she has no other days available in that month to visit his cenotaph at the Arieon Capital, Atyrau.

Dialogue Changes in different Translations:

Sandra's voicemail dialogue changes in different subs/translations when translated back into English: in English she greets Mystic, and introduces herself as "this is your sister in law calling" and says her son's talent show is next Thursday and it would mean a lot, ending with "Please respond as soon as you can! Sincerely Sandra then mumbles to herself "oh wait, do you say that in a voicemail? Ugh, nevermind, it doesn’t matter"

in the spanish version, her dialogue is the same except she says "I want to know if you can come, your nephew really wants you to! Call me when you can, sincerely, Sandra" and mumbles "Oh wait, I'm not supposed to say "sincerely" in a voicemail Ugh never mind never mind"

In the French version the dialogue changes just a bit and , but the major change is that she says "I just want you to know that my son is in a play at school and he wanted you to come ... Call me back soon! cordially Sandra!" and mumbles "Wait, that's not a letter, I'm not supposed to say cordially"

in the German version, she says at the end "I would like to know if you would like to come or not. It would mean a lot to me if you did…! Please reply as soon as possible. Kind regards Sandra! (Oh wait, isn't that exactly what they say in letters? Oh, never mind, it doesn't matter)"

in the Russian version, it's a concert, besides that nothing changes but her mumble at the end is a bit different being "oh wait, should I say this at the end of the voicemail? Ugh, whatever, it doesn't matter"

in the Japanese version, quite a few things change, she refers Mystic using the -san honorific, she doesn't say "this is your sister in law", instead she just says "this is Sandra" she also says it's her son's birthday and he wants Mystic to attend not a talent show. she ends with "Please call me back if possible. With love, Sandra! Oh wait. Unlike actual mail, we don't verbally sign your name on voicemails. Hmmm, ignore that."

[stfu-im-thinking-abt-blorbo]

Thoughts about each TDI Reboot episode, starting at 1. SPOILERS UNDER THE READMORE.

Chris' new voice is certainly... a change. I don't mind it, and I think Terry is getting his acting and emotes for him right, but it's definitely gonna take some time to adjust and not immediately think it's Don.

"Hey, what's up I'm here to slay" from the intro is killing me in the best and worst ways. Rip the old intro song.

Also there's a very VERY small detail for the campfire. When Raj looks back to the screen, only one of his eyes follow. Either an animation error, or he has a lazy eye.

It's been 15 years since the beginning of the show in canon?? That means the gen 1 and 2 casts are roughly between 28-31 I think?? And yet Chris and Chef Hatchet don't look any different. Also since og Island premiered in 2007, this one is taking place in 2022 and NOT 2023.

Either way this gives me a good excuse to practice character design with a 15 years timeskip and make adult designs for the gen 1 and 2 casts.

Priya. WHAT. GIRL GO TO THERAPY AND GET AWAY FROM YOUR PARENTS. Also Owen cameo.

Bowie is gay like I thought he'd be. Now way he wasn't a reference to David Bowie. Getting some vibes of him being the new Heather tbh.

I, like many others, thought Ripper was going to be the new Owen. He's only a small bit Owen with a dash of Duncan, and a whole lot of Scott. Respect to Ripper for how spicy he likes his food, tho lol.

Chase and Emma are exes. Chase is a YouTube/Twitch personality T-T. Here's hoping that Emma broke up with him bc she's a lesbian. Really want her and Bowie to be besties.

Scary Girl's real name is Lauren >:(

Zee is both the smartest and dumbest character. I want him to be the blorbo of the season, but I'm getting the feeling it's gonna be Bowie.

Wayne: "What'd you think, Rajey?" 🥺

Nichelle is the only one to not get an audition tape. Interesting. Also a Madonna reference?

Julia called herself an influencer. She better be an early boot for that.

MK, Axel, Caleb and Damien are the only ones I don't have any comments about. Sucks 'cause I was hoping I'd really like MK and Axel.

Drone of Dispair. Somehow the worst idea yet lol. Can't wait for a joke about one of the contestants flying over private airspace and getting shot.

Ripper called himself the alpha male nooooo

EVEN BOWIE IS CALLING WAYNE AND RAJ GAY LMAO

And Bowie immediately goes to the girls' side of the cabin to talk shit about Chase with Emma. Love them sm.

Ripper: "Where'd you get the soda from??"

Zee: "...I have no idea."

Rip Bowie's heart glasses, hope cartoon logic kicks in and he has a million of then.

If Damien thinks they can't show Ripper's censored ass on TV, then I wonder what his reaction would be to a show like Naked and Afraid.

Emma and Chase didn't break up over lesbianisms unfortunately. But messing up her car's breaks and causing her to crash is still a valid reason for her to break up with him and be incredibly upset. Like, he could have killed her, other bystanders, or any of the puppies at the shop she crashed into. Yet I think the show is treating Emma as being unreasonable? It's just a prank bro.

Also MK calling Emma out for saying 25% of the money instead of half like she did when talking to Bowie earlier. Maybe there's more to the break up story?? Like she's lying?? But that still wouldn't make sense if the show is already treating her as unreasonable beforehand. Idk.

Bowie really do be like "are the straights okay? 🙄"

Raj: "Wayners" 😭

Also Wayne and Raj both have the same accent as Ezekiel.

Goodbye Caleb, we barely knew ya. Have fun hanging out with Staci and getting no character development like her. Maybe one day he can come back like Justin.

BOWIE IS THE NEW HEATHER, I WAS RIGHT AND HE IS GONNA BE THE BLORBO

Overall, fun first episode. Not a smash hit or anything, but a pretty good hook. Also the animation and character design is such an upgrade. I was hesitant about the new cast's designs, but actually seeing them in the show and moving makes it work so much better to me. After rewatching the first half of og Island, it is amazing to see how far this show and its animators have come from 2007.

[humanityinahandbag]

Posting my own thing that I left in the replies onto here (with some adjustments and additions and edits because I can't let things go). I hope that's okay @steddielations!

(I'm still finishing up a few of my fics on AO3 while also being very slammed at work so this was my catharsis.)

-

What about a coverup?

It might even be Steve's idea. A boy who had learned how to be kind after so much hurt, who still is afraid some days that King Steve will return.

"No," Eddie will say, horrified, when Steve speaks that fear out loud and gives it shape. "No, you're too good for that, Steve."

But King Steve will always be there, Steve explains. Always underneath. It doesn't mean he's bad or wrong. He's just found ways to patch better things over. And maybe Eddie, he says, can do the same.

"Would you come with me?" Eddie asks.

And Steve, with his boyish smile and sure eyes, grabs Eddie by the wrist and tells him that he can't wait.

Eddie will shyly bring in a design to a new artist in Indy. Someone who isn't as gruff as his last one (though he'll always have a soft spot for the guy). Instead he finds someone he might have never gotten before.

She's soft; soft eyes and soft clothes and soft, colorful tattoos down her arms of flowers and ladybugs. When she smiles it reminds him a little of Chrissy.

He hugs her hard when she's done with the first part and books another appointment.

"It's different," Eddie says on the car ride back.

"It's perfect," Steve says in return, looking over at Eddie's arms, carefully exposed beneath clear wrappings. Eyes on the road, he extends a hand out towards Eddie.

And Eddie grins a little wetly, reaching to lace his fingers through Steve's, because he's learning through this kind, paper mache boy that different and perfect hold hands just as well as he and Steve do. And maybe he can be brave enough to reach back for what Steve is offering.

Wayne will be at home when they walk in together, him and Steve. Will get to see Eddie roll his sleeve to show the mess of scar tissue and red, raised skin where the bats used to be. Only now, they'd been changed. Vines crawled up his arm, around the scars, over his chest, over the demon. Only these vines, so similar to the ones that had wrapped them up in the Upside Down, sprout flowers.

This is a quiet, colorful rebellion growing from below.

Wayne tries not to show how he's tearing up. Especially when he sees his name wrapped through the leaves.

And then notices Dustin's.

Robin's.

Nancy's.

Steve's.

Even Chrissy is given a place through the pink petals of a tulip.

"It was Steve's idea," Eddie says quietly, ears pink. "He said something like how the sun made plants grow and I needed to think of what kind of Sun I'd add. Some schmaltzy shit like that. Only the sun burns my pale ass skin so he told me I had to think of other bright things instead."

And so he had. Their names, laced through. The suns that makes these flowers blossom across his skin.

Underneath can't just vanish. It will always be there, on some level. But he controls what he plants above.

(And my God, if he and Steve aren't together yet, then wouldn't this all just be a great way for Steve to begin making his moves. Because I can absolutely see them getting together when Steve decides he'd like his own tattoo and drags Eddie to the appointment with him.)

eddie thinks he has a ‘tattoo curse’ because he realizes the awful irony of the puppet master and the bats on his arm, somehow predicting or even causing what happened to him, so he has a fear of getting anything new because what if it marks his Doom again

and when he finally works up the courage for a new tattoo (maybe something small and sweet to remember chrissy, like she was, nothing that could Doom him) it’s only because steve is there holding his hand, comforting him and keeping him from overthinking and panicking

[yinses]

B R A N D E D

| he would make sure that everyone knew who you belonged to |

tattoo artist! sukuna ryomen

rating: t

a/n: this is going to be a three part series. it got too long because i couldn’t shut up. thank you to @teoran for beta reading !! 

you should have never informed yuuji that you were thinking about getting a tattoo, because of course his first response would be hey, sukuna owns a shop. why don’t you stop there. as if you didn’t already known that. your other friend, unfortunately had not known how to be subtle about it.

its when you go to hand off your card that they gasp audibly, drawing the attention of both yourself and the woman behind the counter.

“you’re not going to ask for a discount? i mean you know the owner, right?”

she jumps back quick enough to dodge the errant elbow you throw her way.

you knew you would regret telling her.

the woman is undeterred as she take your card, looking bored with the news. “so you know sukuna, huh?” the way she said it implied that it wasn’t the first time it had been made known to her.

you had known the man long enough to know where her thoughts were going with that assumption. sukuna wasn’t only popular for his art. a shudder rolled through your body at the idea of being categorized as one of his flings.

it wasn’t as though you were intentionally shaming the women. but it was sukuna. the same guy who locked you and his younger brother out on the patio whenever he was meant to keep an eye on you. and then blamed you for hiding from him when the responsible adults got home.

in hindsight, maybe you should have chosen another location. but now your card has been charged.

you scribbled your signature on the receipt, “uh yeah, awhile now. im not requesting him or anything.”

“his appointment book is full anyway. he doesn’t take walk ins.” its not said snidely, just matter of fact. as if she was seasoned with dealing with these kind of customers.

the man of topic strides in then, carrying a few bags of take-out that he drops carelessly onto the counter. he doesn’t m look unlike any other day, a loose white sleeveless shirt with a low hanging v-neck that just invited attention to his skin. the swirls of black ink made permanent by his hand only. though that was the advantage of this field and owning your own business on top of it.

sukuna was prepared to ignore the clientele planted at front desk, until he did a double take. those vermilion eyes took you in, morphing from speculation, to shock, a pinch of awe, then back to postulation.

“what are you doing here?”

a small frown mars you face. you didn’t actually consider that perhaps sukuna wouldn’t want you here. it was one thing to know the guy, but whether you wanted to accept it or not, you weren’t just another customer. so you unsurely respond with, “getting a tattoo?”

the snort he gives isn't one of annoyance. in fact its almost comforting to see the minuscule curl of his lips until they start to part, “yeah, missing something aren’t you?”

you realize with a frown that he’s referring to his brother.

“i have other friends.”

that slow smile wides as he gives your friend a brief look of appreciation. suddenly all those years of witnessing him cart his flings around rise to the forefront of your mind.  really nothing rarely changed. “ i can see that.”

his gaze cuts back to you, “what are you getting? your boyfriends name?”

you cant tell if he’s teasing, fishing or a combination of them both.

he turns to lean over the counter, arms flexing at the action and pinches the fresh design still hot from the printer. you resist the urge to shuffle in place as he inspects the image with more interest than there were lines. it was hardly all that complex, just as you intended.

sukuna finally voices his opinion, to no surprise of your own. “yeah? kind of small isn’t it?”

“its my first sukuna,” you drawl.

you realize too late that the wording isnt best around him.

“no kidding.”

he tugs a styrofoam box free from the plastic bag before gesturing to you with a tilt of his head.

“alright, lets knock it out.”

you look to the woman expecting her to complain about his pending appointments but she only returns it with a pointed look. when it came down to it, what the boss wanted goes.

right then.

turning, you address your friend who seemed more invested in watching sukuna’s departure. “are you coming?”

her gaze snaps to you and she doesn’t even bother to pretend. she shrugs, “you may not be squeamish about needles but i am.” her hand waves vaguely towards the lounge area near the coffee station and stack of assorted snacks. “i’ll come running if you scream though,” she teases as you turn down the hall.

sukuna’s voice carries from the right in guidance where you find him setting his food off to the side. the room is neat. though you don’t know what you were expecting given the health expectations lining his work. then again, you’d spent the better part of the decade watching him cart week old pizza boxes out of his room so it was hardly a baseless assumption.

aside from the desk of tools and variety of inks the only other defining feature was the wall at the back. there was no rhyme or direction to the madness. the once white wall was littered with varying penmanships and messages. almost like an autograph book. some derogatory, others genuinely thankful for his work - you think you see a few numbers too.

the cushion of the seat protests under his weight as he rolls to the center of the room. he has the stencil of your chosen art held up in expectation.

“where is this pretty little thing going?”

“oh my rib- here on the right.” you think nothing of bringing up the hem of your shirt to expose the skin just under the curve of your breast.

he almost looks impressed, though there is some doubt. he wheels closer and gives no warning as his hand palpates the area. “over the bone? that’s daring for your first tattoo, princess.”

the name was nothing new, an accompaniment to yuuji’s ‘brat’.

part of you actually grateful that its sukuna. the entire shop had good reviews but it was best known for his talent. besides, the charge was already sitting on your card.

“i can handle it.”

he’s still squinting at your side, fingers tickling at your skin.

“yeah?” he answers absently. nimble digits you didn't think had any taste for delicacy carefully peel the plastic from the stencil. he doesn’t second guess himself in the slightest before pressing it to your skin.

when he pulls away, the chair follows him as he collects a hand mirror from his desk to reflect the design back to you.

“double sure?” he’s still rallying your resolve, but there is a hint of warning to his voice as professionalism seeps in.

with a firm nod you seal the deal,” yeah.”

“aright, pin up your shirt out of the way. tuck it into your bra if you want.”

you were expecting this already, given the location you’d decided on. with sukuna that action comes effortlessly without thought. it was no different than the times he’d seen you in your bathing suit, your brain reasoned. at least you still had your pants this time.

sukuna rests back into a lean against his small desk. absently you note that his eyes haven't left you once since you’d entered the room.

“eager little thing aren't you?”

but its sukuna.

you shrug.“ i guess. kind of been saving up for this one.”

the noise he makes is non-committal as he nods to the angled chair.

without your shirt there was no barrier between yourself and the leather. you expected the cold chill but the lack of stickiness kind of surprised you. once again you were reminded of the indisputable list of reviews at your fingertips.

sukuna goes about collecting the materials to disinfect your skin, angling the bottle and cotton over the trash can to catch the excess drops. satisfied with the saturation, he slides back.

you try to absorb the brief shock you feel when he applies the alcohol to your skin. it was hardly a substitute for actual bracing to come but it was good practice. when you look up, you catch his gaze again.

he’d been more observant in these last few minutes than you could ever recall sukuna caring before. maybe it was the job. though the thought of him excelling at customer service has you fighting a snort.

“cold,” you supply and he gives another grunt.

he chucks the cotton ball into the trash with all the efficiency of a man who has made a sport out of it and probably keeps score.

deciding on a solid color eliminated the need for him to break away to change shades, eliminating any surplus time keeping you in this chair.

a gloved hand braces your side, pinching the skin, while the other holding the gun rests against your sternum. when the motor starts you take a careful breath in. sukuna’s eyes raise at the sound.

“not nervous?”

you blink, expecting him to just get to it.

“uh, not really? i’ve never really been afraid of needles.”

he pauses. just when you part your lips to ask what wrong the buzzing starts.

its impossible not to tense at the first bite of the needle. but you fight the urge to jerk. it stings. the vibration of the motor is uncomfortable against your ribcage but it's not unbearable. you certainly wouldn't cry.

sukuna seems to notice it as well.

“not going to lie thought you’d be more of a cry baby? weren't you the one sobbing after you stubbed your toe.”

you latch onto the idle chatter even if it's a jibe.

“i was eleven and i sprained that toe.”

he gives you a quick glance. “sure, princess. completely called for the waterworks.”

you snort. “yeah well it made me stronger. im barely affected today.”

your words are followed by a shift of his hand as it turns to follow a line, the movement pressing firmly against the underside of your breast. you're too attentive to the needle pinching at your skin to take notice.

but sukuna does, eyes narrowing without your awareness.

“yeah, i can see that.”

rather than closing your eyes to block out the pain, you find a more comforting distraction in tracing the lines of his tattoos with your gaze. you can hardly make out the first tattoo he’d gotten at the age of seventeen after forging his parents signature. 

the abstract design had now branched out, interlocking with new styles to map out the formation of a sleeve. it was almost like his own branded language. a dialect of bold shapes and bands. you’d never thought to actually ask what his tattoos meant. nor did you expect an honest answer.  

sukuna works rather quickly and efficiently while your mind wandered. even if he hadn’t squeezed you in during his lunch break this felt like the usual pace for him. he looked so in the zone as he followed the pre-made lines to perfection.

you weren’t the model customer, still having your brief moments of weakness but he rolled with the interruptions better than you expected. sukuna was brash growing up and didn’t tolerate nonsensical people. you’d had your fair share of opportunities to be chewed out by him.

and earned a reasonable amount of them, though your returning attitude said otherwise.

but this sukuna was softer, if you could put it like that. he knew the right time to give you breaks but didn’t let your nerves settle too much. when he wasn’t adding a layer to permanency to your skin, an errant finger would smooth over the swelling flesh.

more than once you heard him throw out a quiet good girl. that you knew was meant to be encouraging but it came with additional implications that tickled your skin.

he tells you that you should be grateful that the artwork doesn’t need any shading. that it was never a good fit for beginners.

your chest expands the furthest it had in the last half hour when he finally rolls back.

“alright, princess, go ahead and take a look.”

you take the offered mirror again and angle it to take in the fresh piece. the reflection you get back is- amazing. you’d been so concentrated?? on micromanaging the pain that you failed to take in the little details he’d added along with the original design.

as if reading your thoughts, he snorts. “it's not my art if i don't leave my mark. you can tell me it looks good you know.”

if you didn't know any better, you’d say he was authentic in his attempt to bait your approval.

and you had no reason not to provide.

your legs are a little shaky but you manage to balance yourself before brining the eldest itadori into a hug. sukuna goes stiff for a moment before returning the embrace and doesn’t resist when you press your face into his shoulder. there’s an awkward pat before they release each other from the hold.

sukuna .. before he’s shrugging you off.

“god, what a noob. at least let me cover it up. you’re going to irritate the skin.”

when he turns back to rummage through his desk you note the hint of a flush creeping up his nape. you know better than to mention it, instead just smiling at his back.

there is a scowl on his face as he applies the cotton square to your skin and tapes it in place.

“please do not itch this shit. i don’t care if you feel like your skin is going to fall off.”

he presses a small tube of antibiotic into your hand.

“and apply this daily. you don't need it drying out. “

you’re grateful for the little slip of printed instructions that follow. you were able to remember the sensible directions but it couldn't hurt to have additional guidance when you started to question the progress.

“oh and no sex.”

that was definitely not on the list.

sukuna raises a brow in all seriousness. “what? if you get your blood pumping too much.”

you call him on his bullshit,” this small? hardly. “

he raises his hands in mock surrender. “alright, try it yourself if you want. i charge for touch ups though.”

the two of you size each other up. just like old times.

with a sigh you relent, “fine, no sex.”

“good, see me in two weeks.”

his words stop you short. it wasn’t as if you needed anything added and he wasn’t a physician checking on your progress. if anything, you would only revisit your artist if there was a problem.

“what for?”

the dawning grin would follow you for the next fourteen days.

“to make sure you didn’t have sex.”

[westiec]

June 17: Chengxian 💜🖤💕

childhood friends to lovers/QPPs, ace Jiang Cheng, bi & aro Wei Wuxian, modern AU

(A/N: If you're wondering about a certain other someone, he will have a wonderful, full life of his own in Suzhou in this AU but is not in this story. 💙 There are some brief mentions of offscreen ace-antagonism, not by anyone we know.)

Read on ao3

Jiang Cheng had been Wei Ying's best friend in the whole world for his entire life.

Okay. Well, not quite his entire life, but certainly since Wei Ying’s parents moved to California when he was little little, which was about as far back as Wei Ying could remember anyway. Wei Ying’s baba and Jiang Cheng’s baba had grown up in Wuhan together and been best friends when they were kids, so naturally, when Wei Ying’s family moved into the same neighborhood as the Jiangs, it made perfect sense for Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng to become best friends too.

It was Jiang Cheng who had taught Wei Ying that he didn't have to be afraid of dogs, by introducing him to Princess, Jasmine, and Lil' Love. Lil' Love lived up to her name, coming and quietly sitting in all her fluffy glory on Wei Ying’s lap every time he went over to play.

It was also Jiang Cheng who Wei Ying got drunk with for the first time. They snuck booze from the cabinet where Wei Ying’s parents kept it and laughed at the faces each other made with every shot until they stopped tasting the harsh burn, and then laughing more just because.

(Wei Ying’s mom had not laughed, not at the time, when the two teens had been sick as anything the next morning, but instead made them a gloriously greasy late breakfast and gave them lots of advice about proper hydration.

Then she told Jiang Cheng’s mom and let her scold them.)

It was Jiang Cheng who came out first, their first semester in college, when he told Wei Ying he didn't think he wanted to have sex with anyone, ever, and asked if Wei Ying thought that meant no one would ever want to date him. Wei Ying hugged him tight and told him he didn't know about everyone out there, but he knew Jiang Cheng was the best guy in the world and would be an awesome boyfriend, and he'd fight anyone who said differently.

Jiang Cheng found a group on campus for third culture LBGT kids, and Wei Ying went with him, as a supportive ally.

Which was how Wei Ying figured out that he was not just a supportive ally.

In listening to the others talk about orientation and identity and attraction and cultural expectations, Wei Ying realized that what he'd always assumed was normal—finding all kinds of people physically attractive, regardless of their gender—was actually his bisexuality. So that was kind of cool.

"So yeah, now we can be queer together!" Wei Ying said, when he excitedly shared his newfound realization with Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng snorted. "Yeah, 'all' and 'nothing,'" he joked.

It was Jiang Cheng who'd helped him practice what to say to his parents when he wanted to change his major at the end of sophomore year, and Jiang Cheng who reminded him to eat and sleep and "take a fucking break, Wei Ying," those next couple semesters when he took way too many hours so he wouldn't have to rack up a whole extra year's worth of student loans to finish his new degree plan.

It was Jiang Cheng who graduated first, on a gorgeous blue-skyed sunny day in May, and Jiang Cheng who suggested Wei Ying keep living with him at his new apartment, so he wouldn't have to try to find a one-semester lease until he finished in December.

(They renewed the lease together every time.)

Jiang Cheng ribbed him playfully each time Wei Ying met someone new, but he was always there each times things fizzled out after a few months for reasons that never quite made sense to Wei Ying.

Jiang Cheng occasionally dated too, and Wei Ying was glad he never did have to fight anybody—though he did drive Jiang Cheng to the emergency room the time he came home with split knuckles from punching a guy who, "seemed to think I didn't know my own mind about certain things."

But dating sucked for everybody, right? It wasn't like Wei Ying or Jiang Cheng were in any hurry to settle down and do the whole spouse and kids thing or whatever. Wei Ying tried to imagine it and just... couldn't, though the image of Jiang Cheng with a baby was admittedly pretty cute.

~

It was not Jiang Cheng, but Jiang Yanli, a few months after she proposed to her girlfriend and they started planning their wedding, who Wei Ying finally asked, "Yanli-jie, how does a person decide someone else is their person?"

Jiang Yanli looked across the room to where Jiang Cheng was showing her soon-to-be-wife how to put side spin on a billiards ball and smiled. "I think you just know," she said. "You meet someone and you get to know them, spend time together, then one day you realize you love them and want to build the rest of your life with them."

Wei Ying wrinkled his nose. "I dunno if it works that way for me. Just some random person? I've never met anyone I can imagine wanting to live with all the time. Well, besides—huh..." he cut off suddenly and darted a look over at Jiang Yanli, who just calmly sipped her drink.

"Have you ever told him that?" she asked, after a moment where Wei Ying reassessed his entire life and dating history. "I think he might appreciate hearing it."

"I... huh. Yanli-jie, you're kinda blowing my mind here," he complained.

"I gathered," she said wryly, before fixing him with a smile that made all the hair on the back of his neck stand up. "Of course, I trust," she told him, "that I do not need to explain to you of all people how very dearly I hold my didi's happiness and well-being."

He swallowed and raised three fingers in the salute he'd used ever since the summer that—hah—he and Jiang Cheng had decided as kids that they would make their own oath of brotherhood like the heroes of their favorite show. "I, Wei Ying, swear to you that I would kick my own ass before I did anything to hurt him."

Jiang Yanli leaned over to knock her shoulder against his and nodded. "That's what I thought."

~

Turned out, dating Jiang Cheng didn't suck at all.

It felt easy in a way Wei Ying’s past dates never had, less like trying to keep up with a game whose rules everybody knew except him, more like... well, like spending time with his best friend in the whole world, but on purpose. There was also a tension in the back of Wei Ying’s mind that seemed to have lifted, though he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was that had gone.

It was Jiang Cheng who helped him figure it out.

"I think it's that now I'm able to count on this. On us," he said, when Wei Ying brought it up. "Before, whenever you went out with someone new, I wondered if this would be the time you'd find someone to fall in love with and leave me behind."

"Aww, Chengcheng! I would never!"

Jiang Cheng huffed and rolled his eyes, but his cheeks were pink. "Well, I know that now," he said, a pleased little smile breaking through his attempts at a scowl.

"As long as you're sure—" Wei Ying began, still getting used to thinking about himself with the word "aromantic." Still a so very sure that Jiang Cheng deserved to be fallen in love with.

"Hey!" Jiang Cheng cut him off. "None of that. I know you. And I know you don't see it this way, but I personally think it's pretty damn romantic that you choose to love me, on purpose."

"I simply have exquisite taste in life partners," Wei Ying sniffed, embarassed the way he always got when Jiang Cheng declared something he'd done "romantic."

"You do," Jiang Cheng agreed. "Someone told me a long time ago I was the best guy in the world and would make an awesome boyfriend, and that he would fight anyone who said differently."

Wei Ying laughed. "That's you and your sister I've promised to kick my own ass if I ever break your heart, then. Guess I'll just have to keep you forever."

"Damn right, you will," Jiang Cheng agreed, grinning smug and happy and breathtakingly beautiful. Wei Ying leaned across the couch to give him a sweet, closed-mouth kiss—the kind Jiang Cheng had shyly admitted he actually did like, a lot—and smiled too, at how lucky he'd gotten to be with his best friend in the whole world for his entire life.

🖤💜

Today's (extremely long!) thread was inspired by this WONDERFUL art of ace Jiang Cheng and bi & aro Wei Ying! Go give Midori some love on Twitter!

I spent a nonzero amount of time googling to double check when various terms and flags came into vogue, so if you're wondering, WWX & JC were in college in the early 2000s, before the ace and aro flags were designed. By the time they get themselves figured out, they can get their cute wristbands.

...which, yes, means these dingdongs spent about a solid decade living together before realizing that was what they wanted to do forever. 😉

This also means Jiang Yanli and her unnamed wife here are getting married between when California started recognizing same-sex marriages in 2008 and the Obergefell v. Hodges ruling in 2015! THIS SHIT'S RECENT!!!

Happy Pride, thank you for reading, check out more LGBTQIA+ sweetness on my #PrideMonthSnippets Masterpost!

[sarahdraws-sometimes]

Thinking too hard about the mask maker at midnight... Sorry for the long read.

Sooo, the mask maker is a character that probably makes the least amount of sense to me. I've read their dialogue on Wikipedia about a dozen times, and I'm still confused as fuck. They're always talking about how they are a figure that has made masks for the entirety of Hallownest, to those who weren't "blessed" to have a face. Though to me this makes no goddamn sense.

Outside of the mask maker, we don't hear anything about masks, or the importance of them (at least from what my baby brain remembers). You know, if masks were to give a bug higher thought, you'd think we would hear more about it, maybe from Lemm or some shit, since a mask providing mindless bugs with thought seems sort of, I dunno, important???

I think maybe, the mask maker made masks primarily for the insects of Deepnest, since even after the Pale King gave the bugs of Hallownest sentience, the creatures of Deepnest were still mindless af. For example, I think, "A wonderful thing to have, a face. Not a thing with which we all are blessed," is referring to the fact that the creatures of Deepnest weren't 'blessed' with higher thought after the Pale King's influence, and so the mask maker's purpose was of course to provide sentience for Deepnest in place of the Pale King. Aside from that though, I don't think the Pale King gave bitches a literal face to give his people sentience, so like, what the fuck. I think the mask maker's use of the word "face" is metaphoric, used to describe sentience, or maybe a personality, of sorts..?

Going to a slightly different theory (which is the one i think i like more), There's still one thing I wanna mention. "To change a face; to conceal it fully within another- comes with a sad consequence- the original mind is destroyed..." A mask's purpose according to the mask maker is to replace an ugly face. (Actually thats pretty spot on with how masks are typically used metaphorically in art and stuff) But anyway, this pretty much makes no sense. I mean, if masks were used to give a bug a mind, then how is it erasing a previous mind that hardly even existed? I mean, has the mask maker seen the shit for brains deepnest fucks?

Jokes aside though, were there masks that were created with the intent to brainwash? What if bugs were given a mask unwillingly? We know characters like Brumm from the travelling circus wore a mask, and he explains to the player that he is enslaved by the Nightmare Heart. Once you ruin Grimm's ritual with Brumm, you find Brumm in Dirtmouth with a different name; Nymm, and his mask is completely gone and oh god the fucker now looks like a cat. He acts differently, and has no recollection of the Troupe. Perhaps this is a prime example of this quote in action, Brumm and Nymm are practically two different characters, and all that's different design wise is his mask, and the lack of one. The mask maker's choice of words here is also super weird, like they're saying in the quote above that to wear a mask is to change a face, to replace one with another. Maybe the reason we did not hear about the masks outside of the mask maker, is because the masks don't quite do as the mask maker says. Deciet is a topic that this game isn't afraid to explore, so I wouldn't really doubt it...

TLDR: So in the end, I'm thinking the mask maker is half of a lying ass bitch. Masks can influence the mind, maybe even have the possibility of granting higher thought, but maybe not in such a positive way. A mask has the potential to corrupt, and destroy and replace one person with another.

....According to one of Zote's many wise precepts, if something requires too much hard thinking, then it probably is not worth thinking about, so this discussion is tabled for now unless anyone wants to theorize with me here.

Strategically posting this dead at midnight so no one sees it

[your-brilliant-lady-m]

Part 5 - Basic Concepts of Miraculous Ladybug: Guardians

Helloooo! Did you think I was done? No!

My PhD thesis chapters were approved last week, so have some celebratory meta. I haven't seen the latest Season 4 episodes, so do forgive me for not being up to date.

Welcome to the next part of my analysis of the basic concepts of Miraculous Ladybug. Today we are talking about Master Fu, Order of the Guardians and how little everything here makes sense. I highly recommend reading previous parts to fully understand this one, but I'll try to quote most parts of earlier posts.

Order of the Guardians

Order is an international and ancient organisation (New York Special showed us the guardian from North America and he was dressed like Su Han). Presumably, Miraculous jewels were created by these people. Guardians are responsible for the preservation of jewels and knowledge about them. They also distribute Miraculouses to worthy people around the world to combat mostly magical threats, but sometimes jewels are used against normal threats too. It's implied that Master Fu used Miraculouses during WW2 when he was in Paris. Perhaps he performed some spywork with Marianne, but the magical nature of his interferences was discovered and he was forced to flee, before returning to France many decades later.

Why does the Order need so many people to take care of a 3 Miracle Boxes? If its only purpose is to preserve knowledge, keep magical secrets and distribute Miraculous jewels then wouldn't it be more logical to have Master-Apprentice system? It's much easier to keep magic knowledge a secret and train a few people in martial arts than doing the same in the self-sufficient temple full of people, keeping in mind that a good part of them are teenagers and children, who are bad at keeping secrets. Also a single person can travel around the world much easier to give out Miraculouses. Imagine that we have a few active guardians traveling the world with Boxes. What do other people at the temple do in the meantime? They teach the next generation about the powers of each Miraculous and Mirakung Fu, but besides that?

Master-Apprentice system gives us more personal conflict between Fu and his mentor and makes his relationship with Marinette and Adrien more nuanced. In this scenario Fu accidentally caused the death of his Master at 14 because he wasn't careful. It makes sense for him to take on only 1 or 2 students if this is how things were done with Miraculous Guardians. This Wang Fu is very cautious and protective, he spent the majority of his life afraid of hurting someone else and never took an apprentice as a result. But now he is ready to try again, since he is not getting any younger and he likes these 2 kids. He wants them to succeed. Maybe Master Fu, becomes the father figure for Adrien in this situation and a guide for Marinette. Just think about it. This way writers avoid the need to develop all these extra characters (Su Han) and traditions related to the Order. All inconsistencies I mentioned before and later in this post are gone now! Hell, even memory loss and the changing of the Miracle Box shape could make more sense. We also raise the stakes post-amnesia, if it happens of course (the whole Season 3 finale didn't make sense, so stay tuned for my next meta). Marinette and Adrien are on their own now, there's no one who can give them answers. It's very fun scenario, which has potential to be brilliant. Any thoughts on that?

The existence of Order of the Guardians is not quite a secret, at least it wasn't in XIX century China. Master Fu in "Feast" says that guardianship was considered "a great honor". It implies that people who lived close to the temple of the Order knew about Miraculouses and what exactly guardians did for the greater good.

The existence of other Miracle Boxes around the world makes sense from a real-life perspective. Writers have the ability to create many stories set in the same universe and use them for merchandise and an almost unlimited amount of content. Judging by the unholy amount of specials in production, this is exactly what the creators are going to do. It probably won't go down well, but who knows?

However, it doesn't work in our main story. The main conflict is Paris-centred. Gabriel's motivations revolve around Emilie's resurrection and Season 4 gives us more reasons to suspect that Adrien's mom wasn't as wonderful as everyone says. Hawkmoth still remains the main villain of the show and most likely it's going to stay that way. There's no point in moving the main story to different places for the sake of introducing more Miracle Boxes from around the world. Ladybug and Chat Noir aren't needed to fight something halfway across the world unless Hawkmoth also changes locations.

LB and CN are centrepieces of this franchise. They brought success and money to ZAG. Creators constantly need to remind the audience that this new piece of media with new characters who will never be mentioned again is connected to Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Writers have to come up with reasons to include our heroic duo into the story even if makes no sense.

New York Special had to introduce American Heroes whose names rarely come up in the fandom because people stopped caring about them or their stories shortly after the release of the Special. I barely saw any content dedicated to them. In order to bring LB and CN into the story, you have to include Hawkmoth too. Gabriel suddenly needs to get his hands on the Eagle Miraculous and goes to USA. Marinette and Adrien suddenly have a class trip to New York. Unfortunately, their presence in this story is required only to expand the world of Miraculous and attract fans of the show, so that they could keep an eye on new content related to newly introduced characters.

In the end, it's not their story. Events of the special don't affect main story of the show and the development of the love square is merely an illusion, because Adrien and Marinette are no closer than before. In season 4 LB and CN are growing apart and their test of trust in NY Special doesn't matter. Perhaps, some people don't see it that way and it's their right, but I find it hard to see NYS as a valid contribution to canon. I mean, even people in large portion of the fandom state in the tags on AO3 that "specials are not canon", "specials didn't happen" or "ignores both specials". It speaks volumes about continuity and preferences of your fandom.

Shanghai Special didn't give us more information about the Order, which is located in China, history of Miraculous jewels. We still don't know much about how Gabriel and Emilie found Peacock and Butterfly. Maybe, Marinette's family had connections to Miraculous jewels. Maybe, Adrien does some snooping and discovers research his parents made while Gabriel is away. All of these are relevant to the main story. However, we got something much different in the end.

Marinette chases Adrien across the globe and they make new friends. Fey becomes Ladydragon and now has a direct contact with Marinette through her uncle. Gabriel's desire to get his hands on the Prodigious comes out of nowhere. Apparently, he had been planning this trip for years, presumably even before Adrien was born. It probably happened at the same time as Agrestes found 2 Miraculouses. He bought bracelet-key (which is also a Miraculous apparently, but its Kwami is a Guardian of the Prodigious and they existed separately for a very long time - and let us not dwell on this mess) from some shady mafia boss, who can easily find out just who Gabriel really is (fashion designer billionaire) and use this information to blackmail him. This Special didn't answer important questions, but it gave us a new superhero character.

The real question is whether Miraculous as a project will survive long enough for writers to create content for every minor character they introduced in all specials. This is only a beginning after all.

Miraculous is not a global show and it can't be globalised in a way that makes sense, at least with Ladybug and Chat Noir in the centre of action. Case closed.

Mirakung Fu

I liked the idea of Mirakung Fu introduced in "Furious Fu". It makes sense and things rarely do in this show. Miraculous grants its holder superhuman strength, stamina, endurance and ability to fight. This means that essentially transformed heroes are guided by magic in combat. There's nothing personal in the way Miraculous holders fight. You can predict their moves and learn how to fight this magic guidance, which is what Su Han does.

However, if the holder has any special training, skills or knows any martial art in their civilian life then they become more dangerous opponents during transformation because now their fighting is a mix of magical moves and their personal knowledge, tricks and style. Therefore, Adrien and Kagami as skilful fencers have more chances of winning against someone who knows Mirakung Fu than Marinette, for example.

Memory loss

At the end of season 3, we find out several things:

apparently, now Miracle Box can change appearance to suit its guardian;

when Guardian passes down the Miracle Box to someone else, they lose memories not only about everything related to Miraculous, but also about pretty much everything in their life (Fu doesn't recognise Marianne, instead he experiences the love at first sight)

Master Fu trains Marinette to be the proper holder and next Guardian off-screen. He says that her training as the holder is complete in "Feast" and wants her to become the next Guardian. Fu told her lots of things, and yet, he never mentioned the fact that he would lose his memory after relinquishing the box, nor the fact that Marinette would lose her memory afterwards. She finds out about this from Wayzz after the battle with Miracle Queen and the letter that Master Fu gave her. That's not proper training! How on Earth do you forget to mention this memory loss? How?

Master Fu's amnesia is a convenient plot device that removes him from the narrative almost completely. That's mostly all there is to it. Why? Because it doesn't make sense.

Fu was around 7 or 8 when he started his training. The disaster at the temple happened when he was 14. He stated that his training was never complete, which means that he never passed any magical ritual, never swore an oath or was bound by some kind of spell that made him subjected to the rule of memory loss.

Miracle Boxes belonged to the order, not Fu. Their design reflected their country of origin because these Miraculous were made and kept in China. They were just standing there on the shelves not magically bound to anyone in particular. When Feast attacked, monks just tossed Wang Fu the miracle box and grimoire. No one at the temple lost their memory after Fu took the box with him (Su Han is the proof). Su Han not only remembers Fu and his mistake but everything that happened that fateful day as well. In "Furious Fu" Marinette explains Su Han that Master Fu lost his memory in the very first conversation they have. However, after Ladybug and Chat Noir fight Su Han on the roof and escape with the Miracle Box, the latter searches for Fu and attempts to take his staff from him. In this scene, Su Han acts like Fu knows very well what is going on and who he is.

Su Han should be aware of the memory loss rule as the Celestial Guardian. He remarks on the different shape of the Mother Miracle Box and calls her "incorrect", which means that Su Han should have been able to easily tell that previous Guardian lost his memory and the Miracle Box is now bound to someone else. But he doesn't say anything. Moreover, since Su Han is supposed to know about amnesia, he seemed awfully chill about forcing this 14-year-old girl in front of him to give up the box and her memories. Hell, Chat Noir wasn't on board with this. But we get zero reaction from Su Han.

During the first conversation between Marinette and Su Han, he doesn't ignore what she is trying to say, instead he actively comments on every word. Even if Su Han didn't listen when Marinette told him about Fu's memory loss, than he still should be able to understand that Fu doesn't recognise him, because of common sense and the "incorrect" shape of the box. But nothing of the sort happens. Because writers apparently forgot that "memory loss" is supposed to be known to everyone in the Order. On-screen it looks like Su Han is not aware of the "amnesia rule".

"Furious Fu" makes the concept of memory loss a plothole no matter how you look at it. Just like "Timetagger" and "Chat Blanc", as well as "Kwamibuster" this episode is not consistent within itself. It does not surprise me, however.

Grimoire and Guardian Staffs

Let's talk about the Miraculous Grimoire. Good things first.

There are no illustrations of Miraculouses in camouflage. Kwami can't read its contents, only guardians can. Certain elements are written in riddles as an additional precaution. The book contains only the information people have learned so far, which means that Miraculouses have more unexplored potential ("Mr. Pigeon 72"). It describes powers of each Miraculous, provides information about weapons, has instructions for potions that don't make sense (see previous parts).

Unfortunately, everything is about to go downhill from here.

Guardians are taught how to read the writing in this book. They can read it just like people learn to read texts in a different language. This means that one can read Grimoire like any other book (you don't need to consult some guide to decode each letter or word). Master Fu proclaimed Marinette an almost fully trained Guardian. He should have taught her how to read the Grimoire then (he doesn't know the code very well, but he knew enough to understand the general meaning and content of the book according to "Collector"). He didn't. We don't know why. He shows her powers of every Miraculous but doesn't teach her the code.

Master Fu knows that Grimoire now belongs to Gabriel Agreste. He knows that it's dangerous for someone else to have it. If they knew how to read the Grimoire, they could discover all secrets of Miraculouses and harm Ladybug, Chat Noir and other heroes. It's very important to keep the information about the code top secret because Fu is not the only one with the source material.

What does he do then? Master Fu proceeds to write a French translation of Grimoire for Marinette, a translation that he doesn't even need. He carries it with him at all times on a tablet (without any precautions) just like the Miracle box after "Feast". Naturally, it means that in "Miracle Queen", Gabriel and Nathalie easily managed to get their hands on the tablet and Miracle Box. It allows the plot to happen, sure. But it doesn't make any sense.

"Furious Fu" created another curious plot hole. It will probably be ignored, of course. Su Han has a staff with a magical compass that allows him to find any Miracle box, but not the Miraculous jewels for some reason. How does the staff work? Can it locate the box without the Miraculous? If yes, then it seems useless. What's the point in the ability to locate an empty box? If it can locate the box only with the Miraculous jewels inside, it implies that the staff can track the location of every Miraculous too. So, Su Han could just locate the Butterfly and Peacock without any problem. But he talks about reassigning Ladybug and Black Cat to adults and defeating Hawkmoth like locating the Butterfly is not possible. This situation makes the Guardian Staff a simple plot device that creates plot holes and its only purpose is to explain how Su Han found Marinette.

Also, I have a few more words to say about this. Master Fu had a Guardian Staff that was never mentioned before. I wonder why? That's because the staff didn't exist before "Furious Fu" was written. Writers just went: "Do you know what would be cool? If Fu's cane was really a secret Guardian Staff with a compass all along that he decided to keep even after he lost his memory? It would make people wonder whether Master Fu is faking amnesia, and everyone will definitely call him an awful mentor after this even though we kind of tried to make him a good and responsible person."

Fu didn't give it to Marinette and didn't mention it to her. Why? When he gave up his memory, he should have written about this in his letter at least. Why did he decide to keep it? He can't use it anyway now.

Please note how in the flashbacks Fu didn't take any staff with him when he escaped the temple. Su Han seemed to know how Fu's staff looked like. It means that Master Fu didn't make this staff himself, because it belonged to the Order.

Su Han wasn't even surprised that Marinette didn't have the staff as the current Guardian. Was she not supposed to have it? He never questioned the fact that the former Guardian without memories has the staff. Su Han actually returns this staff to Fu after he is deakumatized and Fu acts like they have never met before. Why did Su Han gave the staff back when he knows what it is and to whom it should belong (to him or to Marinette as the current Guardian)? The staff is useless in the hands of the civilian. Does Marianne know about its secret? We'll probably never find out, unfortunately.

Guardian Staff of Master Fu has a compass too and therefore this also makes it a plot device, just like Su Han's staff.

[ggyuwwoo]

heaven's cloud : Paradise

- in the afterlife where we get to choose our own paradise, two souls unexpectedly meet.

genre: soulmates!au, but also involves idolverse, kinda fantasy whimsical, afterlife-paradise world; fem!reader x lee chan warnings: mentions of death, magical creatures, not really sure what else i guess word count: 2.4k + i generally am not good at making these infos, bear with me sorry! also not really fond of the fic picture, but i also suck and still is learning,,,,

next | masterlist

-

Lee Chan, for your exemplary journey in life, you are hereby bestowed a place in Paradise.

"I'll take the clouds if I may,"

Then to the clouds you shall ascend, Heaven's Cloud.

-

Eleven months of (not) living in paradise, Chan had adapted well into his afterlife. The Guides had placed him in his own haven of his choosing, the Clouds. Fluffy white and softer than cashmere, the touch is cooling and healing, peace and quiet were also a given. To Chan, it's his very definition of heaven.

Despite being the only soul - apparently, no one has chosen the Clouds for centuries - Chan has been never alone. He had the little fairies and spirits to keep him company while wandering around the forests. Stars often appear in his nights to cast a light show for the boy. Cancer loves to see Chan's awe-stricken face as the constellation shows him a few tricks.

The Clouds inhabitants and surrounding astronomical beings grew fond of the boy. Hence, Lee Chan never felt alone.

Though it was a blissful experience and a beautiful memory, there was only one month left. One month until the end of his livelihood above the world.

You will be given twelve months of afterlife until your next life begins.

Chan still doesn't understand why they must be sent back to Earth, living another full life that may or may not be 'great'. Though the thought of living on Earth, whatever their life might be, is already a disappointing thought. After having to exist in a paradise of your own, nothing else would come close.

But apparently, the universe believes differently.

The fairies and spirits told him once, 'Universe sought in a cycle, to them it's the perfect way as it does not end, leading to the continuation of life and its purposes.'

"But what exactly do those purposes serve if there is no end to it?"

'There is none silly, if there was to be an end to it, then life itself would cease to exist. It serves to preserve life as we know it, and well - the Universe.'

Chan pondered the thought for a while, "What if, just really hypothetically, someone happens to break the cycle, what happens then?"

The fairies' expression saddened, 'Hopefully it never happens.' Some of them flew to sit on Chan's shoulder, a calming place for them. 'But if it were to happen somehow, life wouldn't perish instantly, but the Universe and everything in it will meet its end, including the afterlife.'

The boy nodded before noticing the frowns on the beautiful faces of the winged creatures, the atmosphere had taken a drop turn. Choosing to lighten the somber mood, Chan raised another question. "Well then, um, what about aliens? Do they exist?”

-

Throughout the time he was there, Chan spent it listening to the stories of the creatures, exploring the cloud haven that seemingly doesn't end, and conversing every now and then with the astronomical beings -- when they so happened to be passing by.

It didn't get boring for the boy as the stories that the fairies had been plenty and new, never losing the interest of Chan, and the beings were more than happy to talk with him about almost anything.

Of course, all this was okay and fine, revealing the Universe's secrets and whatnot, Chan wouldn't remember this anyway when he enters his next life.

On the first day of his twelfth month, Chan woke up from his sleeping quarters in the usual well-rested sleep. Walking out to do his routine of visiting the forest and later on relaxing by the Serenity Sky Lake. But before he could reach the outlines of White Forest, he saw a figure walking through the field, he couldn't see clearly who it was, but what he registered in his mind was enough to make him gasp.

It was another soul. A human.

As quickly as his feet could take him, Chan sped through the flurry landscape of clouds, wanting to figure out this stranger.

"Hey you! Hey!"

The figure turned to the general direction of where Chan was coming from, revealing its appearance. Upon view, Chan stumbled over nothing, causing him to fall forward into a roll and tumbling on the ground until he laid flat on his back. Luckily, there were clouds under him.

"Oh my God! Are you okay?" He heard the figure shout before rustling and someone appeared by his side. Chan scrunched his eyes trying to block the light coming from above while identifying the person looming over him. The first thing he noticed was long brown hair, the strands were flowing almost magically. As if hypnotized by it, Chan could only stare. Until finally, he saw the stranger's face.

She’s ethereal.

~

You were quite confused as to why you were where you were. All you could see for miles were… white? Your body was standing on nothing, or at least that was how it looked. A sudden voice interrupted your wonders.

Welcome _____, you are in Paradise.

You turned back to find the source of the voice but all you found was a blinding light that caused you to squint your eyes.

“Wh-what? Where?”

Paradise dear, the afterlife.

Your mind went blank, the afterlife? No way. Your brain tried remembering the last thing before waking up in this weird place.

There’s no use child, your memories are long gone. But I can tell you this, you went in peace. You weren’t in pain.

Were the voices capable of reading minds? And who were they? You were a bit frightened.

To answer your question, yes we can read minds. We are the Guides, here to assist the souls in the afterlife. There’s no need to be afraid.

“Uh, okay, ...thank you?” You voiced out, still a little overwhelmed with whatever was going on.

Well then, perhaps we should take you to your choice. Please, follow the green path.

Just as the voices finished speaking, a sudden green line appeared in front of you. You couldn’t see what was ahead, just the green line until the end. You decided to follow through, whatever this was.

As you walked on the path, you were gradually transported to a different place. When you were finally able to understand your surroundings, there were screens that had different landscapes and writings in different colors under them. The scenes displayed were (what you could only describe as) heavenly. Each of them has its own set of vibe and warmth to it. Unconsciously your hand moved itself to touch one of the screens, but then the voices returned prompting you to pull it back.

What you see in front of you are the places in Paradise, according to how one lives their life on Earth, you have a series of options that you may choose from. I shall provide you a look-through.

The screens suddenly disappeared and now you were standing in what looked like those busy city streets, only not so busy.

First is the Silver City. Its appearance resembles the metropolitan areas down on Earth but without all the pollution, noises, and busy traffic. Many people who had used to live in these areas usually choose them, sensing a familiarity to it, they say.

As the Guides explained its landscapes, you were admiring the tall buildings and skyscrapers around you. The architectural designs were marvelous and even if you didn’t remember if you had studied such things, you can’t help but stare in admiration.

Aside from the buildings, the streets looked beautiful as well. The sidewalks were arranged perfectly as if it was placed with the most proper city planning. But one building stuck out to you most, it was majestic. A silver mansion, with tall gates and filled with all kinds of trees and plants. Before you could step towards it, the Guides were already finished explaining the Silver City and had transported you instead to another location.

Second, the Golden Countryside. As the name states, this place is best likely your ultimate countryside farm paradise. A quaint farmhouse with animal livestock to nurture and many forests to explore and spend time in. Families often choose this place for their resting, it’s quite homey.

True to their words, you couldn’t believe what you were seeing. It was a vast field of grass with a simple two-story house that looked like it could fit six bedrooms. Beside it was a giant farmhouse and animals roaming around it. The view itself was doubled in beauty as the sun (or whatever source of light that existed here) sets from behind, casting a soft orange glow over it. Somehow the silver mansion from earlier was placed way aside in your head. Yet again, before you could ask any questions, you were immediately transported once more.

The third is Cosmic Space. Ever wondered how it is to live in Space child?

You heard the voice give out a sound that was similar to a laugh, but somehow not quite.

More people than you’d expect actually dream of this. It may not be as simple as the City or the Countryside, but it’s nonetheless paradise. To them.

Now you were most definitely floating, though despite floating in the middle of random space, you could breathe easily and see easily as well. You thought that space may be too wild for you but as you were looking around, you saw one of the most magical things you have ever seen.

“A comet shower…”

The Guides seemed to have heard you as they projected the shower closer, now holographic space comets were right above you, shining as they continued the rain of them. Mesmerized was all you could feel, the meteors were almost hypnotizing you.

“Whoa…”

Beautiful isn’t it?

Was the last thing you heard before you felt the sudden pull of transport again, at this point you were no longer fazed with the continuous changing of locations, though you did wish to have been able to watch the shower longer.

Number four, the Pearl Waters. For those who favor the deep sea and vast oceans. Of course, many souls who felt close to the waves chose this. The afterlife here is often intriguing, staying with the many creatures and traveling wherever paradise takes you.

You found yourself standing on a deck of a ship, it was modernized though some parts resemble that of an older version. Heading to the flanks you watched the blue ocean as the waves sloshed around the sides. As if welcoming you, dolphins suddenly jumped above the sea, whalebacks spurting water, and schools of fish could be seen from the clear water. You were most surely amazed. As the sea creatures displayed a water show, you felt something touching your arm on the railing. You looked to find a woman with green-blue hair, her cheeks had features similar to scales, and as you peered further you realized it wasn’t a woman at all.

“A...mermaid?”

Ah yes, indeed. Each paradise also has guardians that help care and maintain the afterlife. Mermaids are the Pearl Waters guardians. As for the Silver City, we have the Elves. Golden Countryside has the Shapeshifters while Cosmic Space has Angels.

“Wait what?” You were pretty much confused all together, mythical creatures? Well, then again, it is the afterlife, who knows what actually exists here. But still, you found yourself in confusion and quite the shock.

Not to worry dear, you’ll have plenty of time to get acquainted. Now for our last destination.

The mermaid who was staring at your side gave you a small smile before disappearing back into the ocean. You continued to stare at her general direction before your view changed into that of...clouds?

Last but not the least, Heaven’s Cloud. It’s truly magical here. Not many people find it appealing though, but of course it always depends on who’s choosing. Essentially, it's the skies. The guardians here are the fairies and spirits. Quite the peculiar and very friendly creatures.

As your eyes set on the landscape, you couldn’t help but let out a gasp. It was breathtaking. It was as if you were standing right in front of the Sun but at the same time, you weren’t. You knew for one you’ve never been in a place like this yet all you could feel from the surroundings was home. You leaned down to touch the fluffy ground and it was the softest thing you’ve ever felt. As quickly as the previous location visits, the surroundings changed again back to their original place with screens.

Now _____, because of the well-lived life that you have gone through. You, _____, are given the choice of one of the five Paradises that you have just seen. Speak now for your choice.

You didn’t know if it was your own voice and mind that spoke, or your conscience, because the sound that erupted from your body sounded firm and almost unbreakable. You didn’t even realize that you had spoken your choice after it was said.

“Heaven’s Cloud if I may,”

The Guides paused for a moment as if they were thinking about something, before continuing.

Very well then, your heart has spoken. To Heaven’s Cloud, you shall go.

One last time, you were again transported to a field with white clouds, similar to the earlier landscape you visited. This time without the voices. Somehow you suddenly felt alone, scared, and unsure of what to do. Wandering aimlessly, you tried looking for the guardians - the fairies and spirits. Then you suddenly heard someone shout.

“Hey you! Hey!”

You turned back to see a man, brown fluffy hair swaying atop his head, running towards you. Well, was running, until he stumbled down and started rolling across the field.

“Oh my god! Are you okay?” you shouted before heading towards the boy. As you reached his side, you saw he was unhurt and fine, just squinting his eyes. You sighed in relief, although it should make sense, after all, it was clouds underneath them. Before you could say anything to the stranger, you caught him staring right at you, and somehow you stared back as well.

The boy looked mesmerizing.

[the-blind-geisha]

Template by Kindred on Twitter!

Did one for Oreana, and now one for Ignatius. There is a small talk of eating problems about Jin's area, so skip him if you don't want to see that. It's mostly nondescript, but just incase. ♥

(Top Left) Seiji Date from Yoroiden Samurai Troopers – Though honestly it can be Sage Date or Ronin Warriors because back then—everybody got a name change that was from anime. To be honest though, I think the main thing that came from him was the side swept hair without even thinking about it... Then I went through my memory folder and was like 'oh yeah... he was a huge part of my life'. So I think somewhere subconsciously I implemented some things into Ignatius from him.

(Top Right) Jin the Wind Master from Yu Yu Hakusho – So people wouldn't know this (because I storaged the file on DeviantArt), but Ignatius' original design was going to be very similar to Jin. The main reason? A very dark and heavy past of mine was littered with such emotional grief that I nearly died from an eating disorder. It was so hard to function. I would try to watch TV and just fall over and go to asleep as I had little to no food to keep me awake.

I knew YYH was running and a thing, but I never bothered with it because it was everywhere. As they say: hype can easily ruin a thing. I just saw no reason to get into something that was literally everywhere at the time. However, during the Dark Tournament, I had nothing better to do, so I turned it on. While it was Touya that was on the screen and had such lovely eyes (seriously, google Touya the Ice Master and see them lol), that I stayed to watch the show a bit. And when Jin hit the screen. Wow. First time in years I found myself feeling emotions other than misery and sorrow.

He came into my life and inspired me for like...7 years I want to say? I cannot recall, but it was a while. Either way, I wanted to put him into a story or two of mine in my own ways, but that didn't exactly happen. While I won't forget what he's done for me, I highly doubt I could put him somewhere that would truly be fitting. But, Ignatius was still a naga with four arms and a shapeshifter as well, but his original name was Adalir Galestrider at the time with crazy, red hair identical to Jin's, only longer and braided.

(Middle Left) Link from the Legend of Zelda Series – This actually comes a bit more from his twin brother's design in regards to the positioning of the hair Ignitus has. However, the very stoic personality that is often seen from Ignatius does come from Link. I know Link can be a goofball in the mangas and all that, but in the games, he very rarely shows a different side unless he's alone or around people he trusts. I wanted Ignatius to be identical in this manner. They both will loyally serve the princess they protect.

(Middle Right) Ignis Scientia from FFXV – Am I really giving anything away when I say Ignatius (Ignis) was named after this guy? lol Also, the glasses came (not only from my obsession with characters with glasses), but him as well. A good 50% of Ignatius is from Ignis given, again, how much the character slowly healed me during a rough as hell time. I had managed to escape from an abusive fanbase sending me death threats, and right when I thought I had been emotionally destroyed in all ways, he kind of revived me—even if I am not afraid to say I hated him at first. XD; It was because of my lucid dreams that I fell for this man. I wanted nothing to do with him, but he wanted to prove he could love me. My dreams gave me a very slow burn of a story with a semi happy ending that I documented of in private.

A lot of what my dreams with him have done a lot for Ignatius' story with Oreana. Taking Ignis' dirty blond hair and giving it to Ignatius as well, the very devout attitude to those he serves was also driven over to Ignatius. Even dagger usage came from Ignis.

(Lower Left) Demiurge from Overlord Light Novel – I say the LN specifically because in the anime and manga, they butcher what he's capable of... immensely. The demon nature and darker skin comes from Demiurge as well as the assassin, callous, and torturous side Ignatius is capable of. A lot of Ignatius' abilities are more on the scale of slow torture as he is adept at getting information out of a target no matter the means. Even before he met Oreana, Ignatius would kill women and children if they were in his way or care not to mourn the innocents that fell from his attacks. When it comes to standing beside Oreana, he doesn't really change. He's only kept at bay by her orders.

Just like Demiurge, Ignatius isn't one anybody would want to mentally go up against as he can plan peoples' destruction quite swiftly. The only people Ignatius cannot mentally outwit are the fallen generals of Osiris—Irie being the worst for him. The one on his side who can predict him is his own twin brother, Ignitus.

(Lower Right) Speaks for it self. I have a type. Don't at me. xD

[behindthegalaxy7]

LITTLE NIGHTMARES OC: HORA

Here's a small introduction to my main Little Nightmares OC, Hora! Disclaimer: She is NOT a self insert in any way, shape or form. Her hair is black and purple while my dyed hair is red and a darker purple. The birthmark on her face is also on a different spot on mine and I draw myself with an eyebrow slit. Just wanna get that out of the way bc I don't want people mistaking me for another Erin Clover (if you know, ya know). Here's a visual comparison on Hora and how I currently draw myself!

Anyways, let's get the basic shtuff out of the way!

Basic synopsis

Hora is a 12 year old girl who, if canon, would be one of the protags in a third game and the ending towards the time loop arc. Unlike the rest of the protagonists, she didn't really have to scavenge and hunt in the outside world. Her biological parents left her as a baby for some unknown reason and a woman named Ranza (a former escapee from the Maw) took her in and raised the child as her own. Ranza is VERY overprotective of Hora and doesn't let her go outside the cave they live in.

One day, Hora decides to try to find food for them to prove to Ranza that she can manage. Hora runs into a traveling circus and meets Six there, of course, captured. Once they break out, she rushes Six back to her cave. Ranza was pissed, but before she could properly scold Hora, the Ferryman finds them. Ranza hides the girls, but the Ferryman takes her instead. Hora's arc begins when she and Six have to save Ranza. Along the way, Hora learns that she can stop and slow down time, maybe even reverse it for a short while. She is also connected to Mono/Thin Man. When Hora is passed out, she can relive the events Mono went through the second game as well as communicate with him/Thin Man. That's where I'll stop for now since I wanna develop her story a LOT more!

Personality

Hora is a very bubbly and energetic girl! She doesn't let anything get in her way and is always willing to help. She's also very naive, letting her instincts overshadow her thinking.

Relationships

RANZA: Ranza is the only person Hora truly relies on. Their relationship, while still loving, is a bit distant due to Ranza's past in the Maw. Regardless, Hora still views her as a mother.

SIX: At first, Six and Hora do NOT get along well. They would bicker and argue over what to do. Six at first wanted to use Hora for her own survival and then ditch her. However during their journey, they start to grow closer. Because of her, Six really starts thinking about the terrible actions she has done in the past and wants to change. Their relationship starts to grow as an almost sisterly bond.

MONO: While Hora was trying to communicate with Mono, he was very distant from her, constantly pushing her back and to leave him alone. He didn't want another Six. But Hora wouldn't give up on him. Once she arrived at the Tower and saved Mono, he starts to really put his trust in her and ONLY her. He even starts developing a little crush on her, even though she's completely oblivious to it.

THIN MAN: Like Mono, he was distant towards Hora. They would talk as the door was the only thing separating them. Thin Man viewed Hora as a powerful yet annoying child, but he got through his heart at the end.

TRIVIA

Hora was originally supposed to be a boy with a mask on, but I wasn't satisfied with the design.

Hora is Mexican (her name even means "time" or "hour" in Spanish).

Hora was based off of Emma from the Promised Neverland and Eleven from Stranger Things.

The more she uses her time power, the more she loses blood.

Her purple and black hair are natural.

Hora's favorite food used to be nopales, but she discovered sweets.

Hora is 12 years old, which is the same age I headcanonned Mono!

AND HERE IS SOME ART I DID OF HER!

And yeah! Thats it! I have MANY other Little Nightmares OCs that I would be so so so happy to share! And don't be afraid to make fanart and tag me! I'm ALWAYS down for fanart!

[angelbabyszn]

Just The Way You Are (Oscar X Plus Size Reader)

Requested!

A/N: I decided to make this a full plus size imagine. Plus size women are not appreciated enough and society needs to change their view on people's body types like why are you so obsessed with what people's bodies like? Worry about yourself and change your body for you, not other people.

Plus size is slowly starting to get accepted but not enough. Hopefully, the world would accept us completely without saying anything negative about it because it was how our bodies were built and made by God himself one day.

I'm proud to be one. If you don't accept it, you can completely stop following me and not read any of my imagines again. 

If you are one like me, you are so beautiful and amazing! Take time everyday and appreciate where your body takes you everywhere and love the amazing curves you got! Plus size/slim thick is trending now so, go ahead and walk into that room in that outfit you don't usually put on and make people give their full undivided attention to your beautiful, amazing, outgoing self with your beautiful curves!

I hope you enjoy this. I just have to say that to anyone who doesn't believe in plus size women. You can still read this if you're not plus size. You are welcome to request an imagine with any different size, race, height, sexuality, anything you can think of.

Remember, your body is beautiful and don't change it for nobody except for your amazing self! Bye! Thanks for the support and reading my imagines all the way till now. This becomes my 50th imagine omg 🥺 okay, I'm done. Enjoy. Bye ily -angelbabyszn ❤️

OMB Masterlist

F/C - Favorite Color

F/F - Favorite Fruit

"Y/N!" shouted your younger sister, Monse in front of you annoyed.

Monse was shouting out your name for the past two minutes, trying to get your attention but you weren't answering.

You continue to write lyrics on your towel underneath an umbrella while listening to your beat you made through your headphones.

Music is the only thing that understands and helps you get through community college and all of the negative comments about you.

Where's the negative comments coming from? People usually make small comments of your weight. You're a plus - size girl.

At certain times, some comments could ruin your day but you don't let it in your head too much.

Monse growled in anger and took off your headphones quickly. You look up at her crazy.

"Monse!"

"Come on and have fun with us. It's a good day to be out here on the beach. Spooky's here..." said Monse grinning, knowing that you like him.

You hit Monse in her left arm and she faked being in pain with no sound coming out.

"I know that! We're just friends. Also, he wouldn't like a girl like me. Nobody don't like girls my size." you said as you start to get sad again. 

You tried to grab your headphones back but failed. Instead, you got a hit from Monse which actually hurt you.

"Monse!" you shouted while grabbing your right arm with your left hand at the spot where she hit you at.

"What did I tell you about talking yourself down! You're so beautiful! Anybody is blind if they don't see it!" said Monse.

"Okay, sure. Now, can you hand me my headphones?" you asked after you got up from your towel and have your hand out to her.

"Y/N! Sweetie, what are you doing?! Your very fine a*s Spooky over there and you're not in your good-looking swimsuit seducing him!"

"Jasmine." you and Monse said in sync looking at her with a dirty look.

"What? I'm just saying. He likes you." said Jasmine and took a sip of her soda she has in her hand.

"No, he doesn't. I'm just a big-"

"Say something negative about your curvy thick self, I'll slap your negative mind to the moon." said Jasmine with a scowl face. Your and Monse's faces become full of fear.

"Now, we got that settled, take off those clothes and show your beautiful a*s self to the world!" said Jasmine excitedly. She went over to you and grabbed the end of your shirt but you stopped her. 

"Um, Jas?"

"Yes?"

"I'm not used to people taking my clothes off of me." you said while taking off her hands off of your shirt slowly.

"Oh sorry," said Jasmine and she put her drink down next to her beach chair and started going back to the guys in the ocean having fun "don't be afraid Y/N! You got this!"

You nodded softly and you took a deep breath as you grabbed the bottom of your shirt but stopped in fear.

"You're beautiful." said Monse and you felt your mouth curving into a smile.

"Thanks. You're beautiful too." you commented back and both of you did a side hug. 

Monse smiles at you and she turns around to jog back to her group of friends.

You took another deep breath again and grip the bottom of your shirt again with both of your hands.

"Y/N!"

You quickly looked up and you felt a blush crept on your face to see who called you. 

It was Spooky who was looking at you with a smile plastered on his face. He was shirtless in his swim shorts with the sun beautifully shining on him.

Your jaw fell a bit at the sight of him. He was glowing. F*cking glowing. Making his muscles and abs more defined than it was.

Your face went emotionless not knowing what to do or say. This is definitely not helping at the moment.

Spooky grinned at you and looked down to the water because of the sight of you. It was hard to control himself by the way you were looking at him.

"Um, you coming?" shouted Spooky with his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes narrowed to not get blind by the sun while looking at you.

You shake your head to get back into reality and quickly nod your head in response. Spooky nodded and turned back to Cesar's friends.

"You got this." you said to yourself grabbing your end of your shirt again. You took a deep breath and you started taking off your clothes.

-

"Looking good Y/N! I see you! I see you." said Jasmine with a beam on her face as she saw you entering the ocean for the first time today.

You were wearing a F/C one piece swimsuit that has a skirt to cover your bottom and was decorated in gold designs.

"Thanks. Um, where's Spooky?" you asked the group of friends while trying to get used to the cold ocean.

A moment later, you felt ice water fall on your head rushed on your body. You close your eyes to protect them as water is poured on you.

You open your eyes again to see you drenched in cold water. You start shivering only for a few seconds because it was super warm outside.

You shake some extra water that was dripping on you from your hands into the ocean. You look up to see the friend group with their eyes widened and jaws dropped.

You immediately slapped a fake smile and you started to twitch your smile and your finger. The young teenagers start to be afraid as you start to twitch your head to the right knowing you were full of rage.

"I DIDN'T DO IT!" shouted Jamal and put his hands up in defense. The rest of the friend group look at him with a stupid faces.

"What? I'm making my statement. Making sure nobody don't blame me like y'all always do!" shouted Jamal and Monse rolled her eyes at him.

You turn around very slowly with your fake smile to see your only guy friend, Spooky with a huge stupid grin on his face with a blue bucket in front of him.

"Y/N-"

"SPOOKY!" you yelled interrupting Ruby's concern. You growled furiously and you went full on hunter mode. Spooky quickly put the bucket over your head and started to swim away.

You screamed as you quickly took the bucket off of your head and threw it behind you not caring where it landed. You continue swimming to catch up to Spooky to kill him.

"HEY!"

Jasmine, Monse, Ruby, and Cesar follow the sound of the voice to see Jamal's head covered by the blue bucket. It landed on him unnaturally.

The group started to laugh hard as Jamal crossed his arms against his chest upset underneath the bucket. 

"How inconvenient is that?" said Ruby as he was laughing.

"It's not funny!"

"Oh, it is." said Cesar laughing and he puts his left hand on Jamal's right shoulder with a grin on his face.

Jamal turns to Cesar and he quickly puts the bucket on his head. Jamal starts to laugh at him.

Cesar quickly took off the bucket, threw it behind him, and tackled Jamal into the water causing a play fight between them.

Ruby continued to laugh at his guy friends until he saw blue in front of him unexpectedly.

"This did not happen." said Ruby with his right point finger pointing at the bucket on his head.

"Okay, babe. You know I'll still date you even if you're wearing a bucket." said Jasmine and she quickly grabbed and hugged him tight.

"Jasmine! Let go!" shouted Ruby in annoyance while trying to wiggle out of her arms, causing the bucket to fall off his head and into the water.

"Spooky! Come back here!" you shouted angrily at him a few feet away from you.

"Come get me, babygirl." said Spooky and he turned back and winked with a smirk on his face. It made you forget what you were doing at the moment.

Spooky starts to swim away again and you quickly start swimming again to catch up to him. A few moments later, you felt yourself getting lower, and lower into the ocean.

"Spooky! Ah! Help!" you shouted quickly as ocean waters started to move a bit too quickly for you and you felt no ground to your feet.

"Spoo-"

You went underwater and you felt yourself sinking. You try to swim up but you feel your weight pulling you down faster.

Your eyes widened and felt your eyes starting to close completely. You try to move upwards again but your eyes completely shut. Was this your last moment of life?

-

"Y/N! Y/N! Wake up!"

You slowly opened your eyes and you saw your worried sister, her friends, and for the first time ever, a worried Spooky.

You start to lean up but everybody around you starts to talk over each other saying to lay back down so you did.

"What happened?" you asked while bringing your right hand on top of your forehead to get your mind waking up again. You jumped a bit when you felt a cold ice pack put on top of your forehead.

"You almost drowned. Luckily, Spooky was there to save you." said Ruby and you turn your head to Spooky on your right looking back at you.

"Um, I'll stay here with her. To make sure nothing happens," said Spooky. He grabs his dry shorts, pulls out some money, and puts it in Cesar's hand. "go get some food. Bring something back for us."

"Okay." said Cesar and Monse leans down to you and starts to caress your cheek "I'm glad you're okay. I love you."

"I love you too." you said and the core five got up and started walking to find something to eat.

"You gonna tell me where you got that money from?" you asked, looking at Spooky stupidly and he started to laugh.

"What did I tell you, mami? It's none of your business." said Spooky and you roll your eyes.

"Anyways, I'm sorry if I was so heavy to save. You didn't have to." you said as your smile starts to fade and negative thoughts start to flow through your head again.

"You weren't. It's no problem. I can carry you anywhere if you want." said Spooky and you look at him with a twisted face.

Your eyes start to flow down to his body to see his abs and muscles that were still defined and water dripping after being out of the water. You shake your head mentality to get back to reality again. 

"Yeah, sure you can." you said and you start to laugh a bit knowing he can't. A few moments later, you screamed as you felt yourself being lifted in the air by Spooky.

"Put me down." you said with a pout face with your arms crossed against your chest. Spooky was currently carrying you in maiden style.

"I don't want to, I like this position you are in. In my arms." said Spooky and he scans up and down your body until his eyes meet yours again.

You did a shy laugh as you looked away from him. You didn't want him to see the blush that was forming on your face.

"Hola hermoso."

You and Spooky looked up to see a good-looking girl with a great body in a two piece gold bikini. Spooky put you down softly and both of you look at the girl with weird faces.

"When you're done talking to that fatty, you should come over here and I'll change your life." said the girl and she blows a kiss at Spooky.

You felt your heart burning in jealousy and also breaking into million pieces. It still hurts you when people say things about your body. You just wanted to blow her head off.

"I'm not interested." said Spooky and he crosses his arms against his chest.

"Oh, come on. I know you're interested. I can tell. I got this amazing body that everybody would die for. Not this ugliness over here." said the girl walking closer to him and starts to touch his right arm muscles.

You couldn't take this no more. You almost die by drowning and now you're getting bullied again by another gorgeous girl for the guy you're interested in.

You started to cry hard, making Spooky move away from the girl quickly going over to you. He sees you grabbing your things quickly and putting on your overall clothes.

"Y/N! Wait!"

"No! Just be with that gorgeous thin model! You could care less about me!" you shouted and you quickly threw the ice pack in the sand. You start going to your car leaving before Spooky could chase after you.

You try to dry up your tears in the car but they keep on flowing down. You were done with every negative comment that every single person has said to you that made you worse and worse. 

You know what you have to do now and it's the only way to calm you down and make you feel good about yourself.

-

An hour later, you sighed feeling numb as you walked back into your homemade studio in the backyard storage.

Once you got home, you immediately took a shower, changed into dry clothes, and went in there with no hesitation.

You couldn't believe what happened on the beach today. You don't even want to talk about it. Music was you escaping at the moment but today it was so bad, it wasn't working like it used to.

"Okay. Y/N, calm down. It's over." you said calming yourself and start eating F/F while drinking a small water in your homemade studio.

You were playing different beats that had no lyrics yet to choose what to record today while enjoying your snack break. A few beats later, you immediately got up with your eyes widened.

You quickly grab your pen and start a new page in your songwriting notebook as lyrics are just popping in your mind. You replay the beat and at a good time, you start writing your lyrics.

-

"Coming!" shouted Monse after hearing the front door knocked a couple of times. She opened the door and gasped to see Spooky's front of her.

"Hey. You mind telling me where Y/N is? I've tried contacting her for hours while going to her favorite places. She's not answering or at those places." asked Spooky.

Spooky been worrying about you for hours. He hates seeing you hurt especially when somebody says something about your weight.

It makes him want to hurt the woman. Obviously he couldn't hurt a woman so he just calls her a puta and walks away.

It took him a while to be friends with you. You were not easy to crack into and he completely understands it because people would become your friend to just break you down again.

It didn't take long before Spooky started to develop feelings for you. Spooky would sometimes flirt and you would never catch it at all which amuses him.

Now, he can't find you anywhere in Freeridge. He just hoped he would find you soon and didn't miss his chance.

"She's in the backyard. In her "homemade studio". said Monse while using her index fingers kinda annoyed.

"Can I see her?"

"No, you can not! You broke her today! Have you done enough! Y/N deserves better-"

Monse quickly turns around and puts her right hand on top of Jasmine's mouth to stop her talking. Now, she was regretting bringing Jasmine here to her house after the beach.

"I'll show you." said Monse with a fake smile on her face and opened the door wider as Spooky came in.

Monse slowly took her hand off of Jasmine's mouth and started to lead Spooky through her house to the backyard where you were.

Once he was outside again, he heard singing in the distance but it was muffled. He looked ahead to see what seemed like a storage room but lights were on.

"There she is. Please be careful with her words. You kinda know how my sister is. Anything bad happens, I'ma pull Jasmine out here." said Monse looking at Spooky with a serious face and her arms crossed against her chest.

Spooky nodded quickly and Monse hit his left shoulder a few times with her right hand for encouragement and walked back into the house.

Spooky took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. As he enters the room, he sees you with your back faced to him singing into the microphone with your headphones on.

You were in the middle of recording and Spooky grinned as he heard you singing. He never thought you could sing but you really could and sounded real good.

"You can sing, hermosa." said Spooky and you jumped in horror causing you to stop singing.

You wouldn't usually jump when recording and hearing Monse's voice. You hearing a deep males voice caused your fright. .

You slowly turned around and became blank seeing Spooky was here, in your homemade studio leaning against the doorway looking at you.

"How's it going?"

You grab a bat, the first thing that would probably help kick him out of your studio. You start charging at him with the bat in your hand about to swing

"Wait!," shouted Spooky with his hands up and out in front of him, looking at you with his eyes widened. You stop charging at him but you was in a position ready to swing "before you go all Harley Quinn on me,"

You rolled your eyes at Spooky comparisons. "I just want to talk to you."

"What is there to talk about? Where's your new girl, eh? She's probably in your car." you said. Your heart starts to burn again in jealousy but quickly stops knowing he would never be interested in you.

"Nah. I never wanted her. I don't like my chica with nothing to grab." said Spooky. You slowly start to put your bat down as his sentence starts to process in your mind.

"W-well. What are you doing here, anyways?" you said stuttering a bit.

"To see you." said Spooky while walking into the studio completely and closing the door behind him.

"Why? I didn't think we were that close." you said and completely dropped your bat on the floor and sat down on the small couch.

"Yeah, we are," said Spooky as he sat next to you. "I've been so worried about you. You just ran away after coming back from almost drowning. I was looking for you everywhere."

"Really?" you asked looking at him and he nodded. You felt your heart skipping a beat. You didn't know he was looking for you all this time. He was actually worried. Does that mean anything?

 "I'm sorry for the trouble. You didn't have to. I was fine here." you said and you turn back to your studio in front of you.

"Well, I didn't know you have a homemade studio or you could sing. I'm still learning about you everyday." said Spooky and he slowly puts his arm around your shoulder, making you tense up a bit.

"Is this okay? You seem kinda scared of me."

"No! I'm not! Really, I...just never have everybody wrap their shoulder around me." you said trying to convince him but he already understands. You slowly start to get comfortable with him again and your tension goes away.

"Why are you so...invested in me? I'm just a plus size girl that nobody wants to be friends or be somebody's girlfriend with." you asked and turned away starting to feel negative about yourself again.

Spooky grabs your chin and leans it towards him. He continues on holding it in his left fingers. You felt tension again as you started feeling his soul burning into yours by his eyes. 

"Y/N, I like you. I really do. More than friends. I hate that you're putting yourself down everyday like it's okay but it's not. You're so beautiful, amazing, smart, unique, and your body is a special feature of you that I love so much." said Spooky and he grabs your waist with his left hand and starts to caress it softly.

A warm rush through your body as you felt his touch on yours. He does it so softly that it causes you to blush straight up at him.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"God, you're cute." said Spooky in a very husky voice, making you shiver your whole body for a few moments.

Seeing him getting closer is making you even more nervous of what's going to happen. Spooky knowing he got to lead in this, he continues this vibe at the moment.

"Don't think, mi amor." said Spooky and all of sudden, you felt lips connected to yours. Your eyes widened at the sight to see him kissing you softly.

You hesitated as you started to get more and more into the kiss until you were kissing him back completely. You couldn't believe you were kissing the guy you were interested in for months. It's unbelievable.

Both of you ended the kiss and looked into each other's eyes deeply. You didn't know what to say.

"That was so worth it." said Spooky with a smile on his face.

"It sure was." you said and you gained a huge grin on your face, causing him to chuckle a bit.

"What am I going to do about you?" asked Spooky and you shrugged not knowing what to do.

"Let me kiss those lips again." said Spooky and he quickly pulls you on your lap. Your legs ended up straddling his waist to the couch, making you gain a red blush.

"Spooky-"

His hands landed on your waist and carefully caressed it which caused a huge warm emotion going through your body again. He kisses you again, making you lean into him kissing him back.

This day completely flipped as you finally got a boyfriend who actually loves you and your curvy body. You never want to change anything in this moment for the world.

[drethanramslay]

Late nights, Date nights

Pairing: Ethan x MC (Leah Garcia)

Word count: 4.1 K words

Warning: There is fluff and humour in the beginning and smut towards the end. If you are not comfortable reading it, I have distinguished is with asterisks (*)

Taglist: @miyakokurono @trappedinfandoms @openheart12 @sekizincimektup @junggoku @ethandaddyramsey @edith-eggs1 @ethanramseysgirl (let me know if you want to be added or removed from the tag list 😊)

Songs: Eyes off you by Prettymuch and Unbelievable by Why Don't We

Forgive me if there are any mistakes.

Ethan was pacing around in his office, marching so hard, that it left tracks in the carpet of his office.

C'mon Ethan, Leah is your fucking girlfriend. You can eat her out but, can't ask her out on a simple fucking date??!!

It was their six month anniversary, after months and months of pining over each other. When he thought about it now, he wondered why was he so against the concept? He thought that he was doing the right thing by not giving in, but in the end, he just ended up hurting himself and his Leah.

Leah... His sunshine.

The concept of nicknames never really appeased him. It was such a ‘teenager’ thing to do. When he was with Harper, the word 'babe' made him cringe so hard that it made him want to throw himself off the railing of the mezzanine floor of the hospital.

But with Leah, it was different. She breathed back life into the parts of his soul, which he thought were long dead. She constantly challenged him, pushed him to be a better doctor, a better friend and a better partner. She brought light, to the valleys of abyss and grief. Just like nothing can escape light, Ethan could not escape Leah's affection.

And he didn't want to run anymore..

He had never felt these intense emotions in a very long time. His mother leaving him at a tender age of eleven, made him grow up way to soon. It fucked him up. It made him close up and build walls to protect his heart from such earth shattering pain. It made him distant and cold.

But now he laughed more. Smiled more. And he knew that Leah was the one who saved him.

His salvation. His saving grace. His sunshine.

He decided enough was enough. He spoke to HR and Naveen and they gave them the green light. Leah had already made a great reputation in the hospital for her work ethic, her passion and her compassion. So why waste anymore time?

Ethan was so lost in thought that he didn't even notice Leah come in. "Woah woah Ethan. Are you trying to wear the carpet thin? You just got this office?!" Ethan looked up and saw Leah leaning against the door, with a smile. She was wearing a green blouse with a black pencil skirt. Ethan approved mentally.

"Hey sunshine."

"Hey yourself." She said as she closed the door and stepped into Ethan's embrace. He buried his face into her hair, and inhaled the lavender scent, which immediately soothed him. To him, she smelled like spring. She was perfect.

God, could you be any more sappier Ethan? Be a man.

But he knew, that if Leah even looked his way, he would be down on his knees.

"How was your day?" Ethan asked as he kissed her crown.

"It was so productive. I saved a nine year old girl today. Seeing her parents happy... It was beautiful."

"Well, I never doubted you once." He said with a tender smile, cupping her cheeks. "Also, do you have plans for tonight?"

"Yeahhhh, today is just an ordinary day, with no anniversary whatsoever. I was planning on going home and binging on greys-"

"Sunshine, don't talk shit."

"Hey, but you still love me."

"That I do... Anyways I have made a reservation in 'Osteria' tonight to celebrate our anniversary."

"E, you know that I wouldn't mind staying in bed and drinking cheap wine right?"

"I know, but I want to spoil my baby!! Be ready, I will pick you up by seven."

"I will be ready."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ethan rolled up to Leah's penthouse and send her a message. He had donned his black tux but had skipped the tie. He unbuttoned the top buttons of his crisp white shirt. He was going to call her again, when he heard a tap on the window. He looked up and the phone almost fell out of his hands.

Leah stood in front of him, wearing a black evening gown. It was an off shoulder, which showed her collarbones. She was also wearing the ruby stone necklace, her birthstone, which Ethan had gifted her on her birthday. Her jet black hair had been tied up to a messy side bun, a few rebellious strands blowing in the night wind. He steeped out to open the door for her when he almost tripped at the sight.

The dress had a slit which almost went up to her thighs, putting those glorious bronze legs on display.

God, she was gonna be the death of me.

"Wow. You look gorgeous Dr. Garcia."

She blushed red. "You don't look so bad yourself Dr. Ramsey." He pecked her on her lips.

"Shall we?" He opened the door for Leah, like a true gentleman.

"Yes, we shall." Leah giggled and stepped in. Ethan walked around and sat in the driver's seat, and they pulled out of the curb.

The entire ride was filled with jokes, heated gazes and silent promises. Ethan had placed his hand on her bare thigh, slowly caressing it. Leah knew that it was risky to wear such a gown, but she took the chance anyway. And now here she was, slowly going crazy with Ethan's hand on her thigh.

She wanted to devour him. He looked delectable and so very handsome in a tux. The open buttons, gave her a peak of his collarbones and she literally salivated. Collarbones have always been her weakness.

Soon, they showed up at the restaurant. After handing of the keys to the valet, and borderline threatening him that if there was even one scratch, he would have a nice chat with the manager, they headed towards the restaurant.

"God Ethan, you are such a Karen." Leah giggled.

"I maybe old, but I got that reference!! And no, I am not. I am particular."

"Whatever floats your boat babe." She linked her hands in his and they headed towards the hostess.

"Welcome sir and ma'am. Do you have a reservation?" The hostess asked.

"Yeah... Please check under the name Ramsey."

The hostess checked the log book for a long time. Ethan started sweating. What was taking her so long?

"I am afraid but, there is no reservation under that name sir." The hostess replied timidly, after Ethan's cool eyes landed on her.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Hundred percent sir."

"But it does not make sense...I called two months before to get a reservation... Do you have any empty tables?" Ethan said, pinched the bridge of his nose, slowly getting frustrated.

"Sorry sir but... All the tables are occupied."

Goddammit Ethan!! You had one fucking job.

He led Leah back to the valet and ran a hand through his hair. "I am so sorry sunshine. I just wanted this evening to go perfect and I had to go fu-"

Leah put a finger on his lips. "No. You haven't fucked anything up. It's the gestures that counts. Also, the night is young."

"But you heard the hostess-"

"Well, I have some ideas on how we can spend our anniversary." Ethan just gave her a quizzical look. She took the car keys from the valet and turned towards Ethan and winked. "Get in the car Ramsey. Get ready for the best night of your life."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So your 'best night' includes shopping at Target??" Ethan asked amusement sparkling in his ocean blue eyes.

"Shut up. Where we are going, we need a little more casual clothing."

"But I like your gown. It helps me slip my hand-"

"Shh Ethan!! We are in public. Keep it PG 13 for now." Leah said, as she blushed red. Ethan just laughed, enjoying teasing her.

Leah proceeded to pay for the clothes and pushed Ethan into the changing room with his set of clothes. Ethan simply obliged because by the look of the determined glint in her eyes, he didn't want to be trampled by a woman on a mission.

The dark jeans fit him perfectly and the grey V-neck fit him snugly. He was wearing his slip ons when Leah came out of the dressing room, smoothening her outfit.

She was wearing a black tank top which she tucked into a baby pink skater skirt. On top of the tank top, she had slipped on a denim jacket. "How do I look babe?" She asked as she observed herself in the mirror.

"You know that even if you wore a potato sack, you would still be the prettiest woman I have ever laid my eyes on, right?" Ethan said earnestly.

She gave a soft smile and kissed his bearded cheek. She plopped down next to him and slipped on her white converse hightops.

"Seriously sunshine? Converse again? You literally have so many at home."

"Well I don't have this style. And you know what they say, 'once a converse girls, always a converse girl'." She said as she brushed him off.

"Sunshine.... literally no one says that."

"It's all in the details, E. C'mon let's go."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a half an hour drive, Leah pulled into the make shift parking lot near the docks. They got out and Ethan let out an appreciative whistle. "Wow."

Leah had brought them to the annual fair, where there were tonnes of food stalls and gaming places. The entire place had been decorated with LED lights that were illuminating the Boston night sky. The Ferris wheel stood tall and proud, moving at a gentle pace. The place was littered with a number of game stalls like 'shoot the bottle' and 'ring toss' where people competed to get a prize. Fairy lights hung from the trees around there and a number of people were sitting under them, laughing, eating and drinking cheap beer.

On the other end there were a number of food stalls open, which were being catered by the numerous food joints in the city. The crowd near the ice cream vendors and the cotton candy vendors were unreal.

"Oh. My. God. Ethan they have go karting as well!!" Leah exclaimed grabbing Ethan's arm and pointing towards the make shift track. The karts had designs in various neon colors and the entire track had been painted with glow in the dark paint.

Leah continued to point at the different places and stalls, talking excitedly, but Ethan's eyes stayed glued to Leah's face with a small smile. The child like wonder in her brown eyes made Ethan melt. Her voluminous dark hair blew with the wind, caressing Ethan's face. The way the neon lights reflected on her caramel skin, the way there was an pearly smile on her face and the way she clutched Ethan's arm made his heart do somersaults.

"Are you even paying attention?" Leah asked, breaking Ethan from his reverie.

"Sorry, I didn't get the last part. Was blow away by how beautiful the view is."

Leah rolled her eyes and smacked Ethan's arm. But there was a small smile on her face.

"Let's go to the go karting place."

"Oh yes. Can't wait to see you behind in the dust." Ethan said with a teasing smile.

"Oh honey. I can't wait to see your face after I defeat you. If you think I am going to go easy on you just because I love you, you are very very wrong." Leah said with a coy smile.

"Oh you are so on. Winner can ask the loser anything and buys snacks."

"Let's do this." Leah said as she cracked her knuckles.

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"So...what do I ask you?" Leah questioned herself, with her fingers tapping against her chin. She had won hands down. She got a tacky medal which she decided to wear for the rest of the evening. She just continued to wear a smug smile on her face, so that she could annoy Ethan.

"Please, just get it over with." Ethan groaned as he munched on the caramel popcorn.

"Hmmm.... Which is your favourite place to kiss me?"

"Hmmm..that's a tough question.. see, my favourite place is your pussy but I think your neck would be my favourite place to kiss." Ethan mused.

"Why?" Leah asked as she took a bite of bite of the cotton candy, letting it dissolve on her tongue.

"There are three reasons- One, the moment I kiss your neck, you have that wanton and 'fuck me' expression which drives me crazy. Secondly, the moans you let out are....oh Lord. Just thinking about them gives me a bad case of blue balls. And lastly, you become so wet and ready for me... It makes the experience much more memorable." He said nonchalantly as he continued to munch on the popcorn, seeing Leah's reaction from the corner of his eyes.

Leah was blushing wildly. Ethan may come across as a gentleman but his dirty talk made her knees weak like jello. He could speak things that would make a priest blush. "That's not true." Leah weakly objected as she stuffed her face with cotton candy.

"Oh really? So if I do this.." Ethan reached to place a hot, wet kiss on the spot below her ear. Leah's mouth opened slightly at the intense feeling. Her body flushed wildly. Her toes curled as Ethan continued to lick and suck. She felt herself getting wetter and wetter when his teeth sank into the tender spot on her neck. After what seemed like eternity, he pecked it and moved back to admire his handiwork. "....it won't do anything?" He asked in a husky voice.

Leah didn't dare to look at him because she knew that if she would, her face would betray everything. Also she didn't want to see the shit eating grin on his face.

"Shut up." Leah grumbled as she tore and ate her cotton candy more aggressively.

"But I didn't say anything!"

"I know what you are thinking so shush."

Ethan laughed a deep laugh, his dimples on display as he wrapped his hand around her waist. "It's okay sunshine. You can tie me up and have your way later." He said as he kissed her crown.

"Oh look, there is a shooting booth." Leah said, changing the topic before her mind could go into full fantasy mood of Ethan being below her, moaning her name as she rode him six ways to Sunday.

They reached the stall which was decorated in a western country style. "Howdy! Wanna shoot somethings?"

"I'm a healer but.." Leah picked up the shotgun and loaded it while Ethan rolled his eyes. He will never understand her obsession with anime.

"Shoot all the balloons on that board and then you can choose what prize you want." The guy with the handlebar moustache said.

With quick precision, she shot all the balloons in a matter of seconds. She then twirled the gun around her finger and blew the smoke away. "And that's, how you do it in the wild wild west." She said in a smoldering voice.

Ethan and the gamekeeper had their jaws on the floor.

Could she get any more attractive? Ethan asked himself.

"Damn girl.." the old guy with the funny moustache spoke.

Leah gave out a short laugh. "If you don't mind, can I get those rose tinted glasses?" She pointed to a pair of cat eye sunglasses.

"Sure girlie."

After wearing them she grabbed Ethan and walked hand in hand towards the next booth. "Sunshine, what is the point of these glasses if they can't even cover your eyes?"

"These are stylish and I can wear them when I am going out."

"I don't think I can ever understand your sense of fashion."

"Uh duh!! You guys can't even distinguish between 'peacock blue' and 'turquoise' colour."

"Is there even a difference between them?" Ethan asked incredulously.

"A fine example right here."

Ethan lightly shoved her but Leah just held onto their intertwined fingers. She pulled him to her, went on the tip of her toes and kissed him. Ethan cupped her cheek and kissed her slowly and tenderly. The sounds of people talking, the mainstream pop music playing through speakers, everything disappeared as they kissed each other under the neon lights.

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"Oh god...I am so full!" Leah groaned she leaned back on her hands. They were sitting under a secluded tree, with golden fairy lights hanging off them.

"Sunshine, I think you will have to roll me out of here." Ethan groaned as his hands caressed her bare thighs, which she had thrown over his lap. He picked up their popsicle sticks, and threw them in a perfect arc, into the nearby dustbin.

"I can't roll out a 6 feet something skyscraper on my own. I would die."

"Sucks to be short." Ethan stuck his tongue out.

"Hey your tongue is blue!!" Leah exclaimed.

"And your is red from the strawberry flavour." He observed.

"Wanna make purple?" Leah asked slyly, waggling her eyebrows.

Ethan guffawed at the expression and soon she also joined in his laughter. She clutched her stomach. "Oww....shouldn't try to laugh too much. Gosh, I shouldn't have taken that second helping of Quesadillas."

"C'mon let's take you home." Ethan stood up and grabbed Leah's hand so that he could pull her up to stand. She dusted her skirt and then intertwined their fingers. She leaned against him, as they headed towards the exit.

"Sunshine?"

"Hmm?"

"I had a lot of fun today. Thank you."

"You can thank me in different ways later." Leah said, as her brown eyes darked with desire.

Ethan just smirked and squeezed her to his side.

"That's a promise baby."

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The moment they entered Ethan's penthouse, Ethan pressed Leah against the door. Leah's let out a sharp breath and she looked up at the stormy blue eyes. She could see the desire and the lust swimming in those blues of his and she could also feel the desire in her, ignite like a slow fire.

Ethan cupped her cheek and pulled her in for a heated kiss. She went on her tiptoes to meet him half way. With their lips locked in a passionate embrace, she still felt that he was too far away. So, she hooked her fingers on the belt loops and tugged him closer to her.

Getting the memo, he moved closer until they was no space between them except their clothes. Ethan reached to take her jacket off, which he threw across the room. The need to get her naked, writhing and moaning under him, was becoming overwhelming.

She took out Ethan's shirt and moaned when she felt his warm skin on hers. She wrapped her arm around his neck while she laid her other hand on his bare chest. Her dainty fingers seemed to have a mind of their own. They caressed his chest, his back, his abs and were about to go lower, to his happy trail when he growled and caught them.

He grabbed her thighs and lifted her so that her legs were around his waist. He took her hands and pinned them against the door. The kiss was a fight for dominance, where nobody seemed to be a clear winner. Leah slipped her tongue into his mouth and he groaned appreciatively.

He tastes like ambrosia, sweet nectar and all the good things in life. Leah knew that she could never ever get over the way he tasted.

Ethan lifted her with ease and led her to the first surface he found, the dining table. He moved his hands under her tank top and groaned when he found out she wasn't wearing a bra.

"God Leah, you know how much control it takes to be around you? That when you pull such stunts on me, I just want to bend you over and fuck you on the first surface I find?"

"So what's stopping you?" Leah asked. She pulled him in for another searing kiss.

"After I am done with you...you won't be able to walk for a week." He spoke in a husky voice, filled with need. He took of her tank top and growled appreciatively at the sight of her breasts.

Leah smiled coyly. "Don't make promises you can't keep Ramsey." Ethan just narrowed his eyes and kissed her with so much force, that it made her gasp. His hands reached for her ass and squeezed it.

He then descended on her neck kissing and licking the small droplets of sweat accumulated on her neck. He slowly grinding against her heat, making her aware of how badly he needed her. His hands went from her ass to her breasts. He massaged it before pinching the nipples. Leah yelped. Ethan did not once show her mercy, as he stimulated each sensitive spot on her body. Leah felt as if her nerves were on fire.

He slowly made his way down south, leaving fiery hot kisses on her body. Not having any patience left, he just lifted her skirt up and quickly slid her panties out. Seeing her exposed pussy just made his jeans tighter around his growing erection. He blew air on her wet cunt, leaving goosebumps on their wake. "What are you doing?" Leah asked breathlessly. She was finding it hard to keep her eyes open due to the desire coursing through her veins.

"What we do on a table Sunshine.... Eat." His dark blue eyes met her brown ones and he licked her dripping slit, slowly. Leah thought she was going to loose it at that very instant.

He gripped her thighs and threw them over his broad shoulders and proceeded to eat her out, properly . He swirled his tongue on the sensitive bud of nerves and then went on to stick his tongue into her wet pussy.

He let out a moan, which resonated deep in her core.

He never once slowed his pace. He continued to lap up all the moisture. He alternated between her clit and her cunt. As he pushed his fingers in her, and fucked her, Leah climbed higher and higher. Her stomach started to tighten, with the need to release.

"Oh god...I am gonna come..."

Ethan stopped his hand movements and rose to his full height. Leah's eyes snapped open and she glared at him.

"Fuck you Ethan!! Who the hell gave you the fucking righ- ohhhh."

He shoved his dick slowly into her, enjoying the way her walls clenched around him. They fit each other perfectly. Like two jigsaw puzzles. You couldn't differentiate, where he ended and where she started.

This..this was heaven.

He slowly moved, in and out. But Leah wasn't having it.

"Ethan, I want you to fuck me."

"Are you sure you can handle it sunshine?"

"I ain't no weak bit-" Leah couldn't complete her sentence because at that moment he snapped his hips and started fuking her. He held her hips with one hand for leverage and his other hand gently squeezed her throat, feeling her rapid pulse under his hand.

He did not let go of the punishing rhythm he had set. He moved his hips in such a way that he hit her on that spot which made Leah see stars. It was quite a view for Ethan. The moonlight streaming through the glass facade and illuminating her sheen skin. Her eyes half closed, her breasts moving with every stroke and her legs wound around his hips.

"Please, please, please let me come." Leah choked.

Ethan also felt a tingle in his lower back and his abs constructing. He was close too. His strokes became faster and shorter.

"Okay sunshine. Come."

Just that one word and Leah obeyed. She felt a burst of pleasure rush through her body, setting every part of her alight. She saw fireworks behind her eyelids. She hadn't even come down when, Ethan's release caused her to have another mini orgasm.

It was too much. Way too much.  Aftershocks racked her body and tears streamed down her face as she soared through cloud nine.

Without pulling himself out, he gathered Leah in his arms and took her to the bedroom. He gently laid her down on the bed and pulled out and headed to the bathroom to get a  washcloth. Leah winced and felt empty like a crater.

Ooooh boy, gonna feel that tomorrow.

Her eyes were closed as she tried to catch her breath and get her head straight. Ethan slowly wiped her neck, her stomach and her sore centre, instantly cooling her body down. He threw the washcloth into the laundry basket and slid into his bed. He wrapped his strong arms around Leah and pulled her close to him. He bent down to kiss her lips tenderly.

"I love you sunshine."

"Happy six months, babe. I love you." She gave a tired smile and they both slipped into a dreamless sleep.

Wow that was the longest I have written. *wipes brow*

Like, reblog and let me know how you liked it :))

[hot-boy-jimin]

Bullet Wound | stranger things 2|

^^( this is the link to the wattpad version, it's the same but you can also check out my other work)

Three-

Seven's eyes fluttered open slowly as she arose from her slumber.

She was confused at her surroundings, but a look of realization crossed her face when everything came back to her. She looked around the room and saw that the sun was now starting to rise.

She knew she had to get out of here and start looking for Eleven, so she slowly got up in pain, and tried to stand. She ended up tripping and falling on the man who saved her life.

~

Billy was not expecting to wake up like this. He had opted for sleeping on his floor that night to make the mysterious girl comfortable, but here she was sprawled out on top of him.

He smirk devilishly as he looked at her face.

Seven felt her face heat up in embarrassment, as she looked at the boy's piercing blue green eyes. He had the audacity to smirk at her and she felt her blush travel all the way down to her neck.

"Good morning to you too princess."

Her face hardened when she realized that this should not be happening. She immediately started to get up and Billy's smirk broadened as he realized he had made her flustered.

His brows furrowed when he saw that she was putting on the shoes he had taken off of her last night.

"Did you change my clothes?"

Seven realized that he had. When looked down she now wore a large white shirt with a pair of boxer briefs. They were his obviously as they were all at like at least four times bigger than her size.

"Yeah, the stuff you were wearing was soaked in blood." He responded as he started to stand.

She felt her blood run cold. She didn't know this guy and he could've done anything to her and she wouldn't know.

Billy saw the way her body tensed.

"I didn't do anything if that's what you're thinking."

She scanned his face and realized he was telling the truth.

"I'm sorry." She stated now feeling slight guilt. "And thank you for your help, I appreciate it."

Billy didn't know what to say, he'd never been the type of person to help others and do what was right and he couldn't understand why he was doing it now.

"You can take a shower in my bathroom and I'll get you some fresh clothes."

"You've done enough to help me and I've put it you enough danger already. I'll be leaving, but thank you."

Billy was heavily confused. He wanted to know what danger she talked about.

He watched as she gathered her things and made way for his window.

"At least give me your name." He stopped her by grabbing her arm.

Seven gasped when she saw flashes of his memories.

She saw a man that looked like an older version of Billy punch him to the ground. With a gasp she pulled her hand from him and looked at him with wide eyes.

'Why did people hurt the ones they're supposed to protect?' She thought.

"I don't know." She responded to his question.

"You don't have to be scared, I'm not going to hurt you." He said earnestly.

"I'm not afraid of you, I just don't know the answer to your question." She showed him her wrist now and continued to speak. "All that i know is that this is the only name I've been referred to, and that my sister is in this town with our father, and that I need to find her before he hurts her again."

The words spilled out of her mouth without thinking and Billy looked at her sympathetically.

"Who shot you?"

"Bad men, and they'll do the same to you if I don't leave."

She turned around quickly and opened the window. Before she jumped she turned to the boy.

"Thank you, Billy, and it'll get better."

Billy watched as she jumped, and he sprinted to the window with a confused expression as he looked out the window and the girl named seven was no longer there.

~

Seven was in the woods again. She was drained now, because she used her powers with no food or water in her system and a wound that needed to heal.

She let out a weak and shaky breath and looked down at the gear she possessed. She had two handguns, a hunting knife, and two ring daggers that were attached to a thigh holster. She knew she couldn't carry those around carelessly without being spotted, with weak legs she got up and scanned her surroundings.

'No one should come out here.' She thought to herself.

She then took off the boxers Billy gave her, they were black and large enough for her to put a gun and the daggers in. She wrapped the weapons and rested them by her bare feet, she grabbed the black leather pants that she owned and put them on tucking the large white shirt inside loosely.

She grabbed her boots and put them on with a fee grunts of pain coming from her mouth due to the wound she possessed. After her boots were laced up she slid the large hunting knife on the side securing properly. Next was the gun she was keeping on her, she placed it in the back of her waistband.

There were a few problems though, she was hungry, tired, cold, and had no idea were anything in this town was.

'Maybe, I should've stayed with Billy.' She thought to herself, but she quickly disregarded that notion when she realized she would only bring trouble for the boy.

~

Billy only knew how to express himself with anger and lust. Mostly anger.

That's why he was even more agressive today and that's why he kept taunting the Almighty king of Hawkins high school.

He tried to blame his anger on the fight got into with his asshole of a father this morning. He knew that was only a small portion of it, the real reason he was taking his anger out on this kid is because he couldn't stop thinking about Seven.

He was curious about her and he couldn't deny that she was beautiful, but he also wondered if she was okay, and if the 'bad men' got her.

It was now the end of the school day and Billy was currently sitting in his car waiting for his little sister.

He wouldn't admit it to anyone but he actually cared for the little shit, but he didn't know how to express without coming off as a sociopath.

He glanced at his watch and let out a sigh filled with annoyance. He stepped out of the car and sat on the hood, he the pulled out a cigarette and put it between his lips.

He lit the tiny stick of death and took a long drag from it. When he glanced at the entrance of the middle schools he saw Max arguing with a boy who was around her age.

His face turned hard at the way they were going back and forth. He was a very protective person and he wanted nothing more than to release his anger on the kid, but his thoughts were cut short when he spotted a head of blonde hair.

~

Seven had food a story called seven eleven and she was no trying to figure out how she was going to get food.

The only thing that was good about her being with the Russians was that she got to she different places and learn basic things, like knowing she needed money in order to buy things, even though she never really did unless she was on a mission.

As she scanned the store she saw that it was basically empty, with only three cars in its parking lot. She knew she would have to steal and she had to do it in a way that she wouldn't get caught, and her powered was something she couldn't use.

With a heavy sigh she grabbed her mask that concealed her entire face and put it in. She then tucked her long blonde hair in her turtle neck and took the clip out of her gun, and putting in her back pocket.

She didn't need to kill anyone, she just needed to scare them a bit.

Before she knew it she was in the store with her gun in hand. No one had spotted her yet surprisingly as she was in the back of the store behind a rack of food. She placed her gun in her waistband and started stuffing random packages in her shirt.

While she was doing so she heard the door of the store open and she heard the cries of a young child.

"Papa!!!"

It was as if she wasn't there anymore, she was now a room that looked like it was designed for torture, and it was.

It was cold and hot at the same time for seven.

As she tries to lift her arms to wrap them around her body it was as if they were super glued down.

She called for her papa but he didn't show up, instead it was a man in a green uniform with the a red patch attached to the arm part.

All of a sudden she was panicking, as she she remembered who the man was. She thrasher around as he came closer to the machine to her right.

He turned the machine on and grabbed to large needle that was filled with a neon sky blue liquid. She knew what it was, they gave it to her every month to erase her memories. The moment the needle pricked her skin she broke out of her trance.

She gasped when she saw the child she heard from earlier looking at her with wide and curious eyes. Seven scanned the shop and saw that no one else had notice her, she then placed a finger on her mask covered lips as an action for the girl to be quiet, and the little girl nodded slowly.

Seven snuck out the back door of the shop and ran back to the woods as quickly as she could.

She was now leaning against a tree breathing heavily with a pain in her abdomen.

She took off her masks and slid her body down the tree and thought,

'I should've stayed with Billy.'

_________

1736 words.....

Unedited.......

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