#but if I went past six I know it’d go all day | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

willyoubemycherryy · 1 month ago

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“Isn’t it past your curfew?” (Salesman x reader)

Summary: What happens when you run into your father’s dark suited friend after dark? You get in trouble of course.

Contains: [deep breath]-> snacks and drinks because this one is LONGER, drinking, clubbing, panicking, choking, mouth spitting, everything IS consensual but it’s rough so, rough sex, spanking, kissing, pussy spanking, dacriphyllia, multiple orgasms, squirting, you suffer from ptw, that’s pvssy too wet, seriously, dom/sub dynamics, he’s still gross and fucked up, possessiveness, degradation, praise, he’s still mean :(((, manhandling, thigh riding, kinda in public for the first half, car sex, hair pulling, squirting, unprotected sex, one all expenses paid trip to poundtown, and cursing. There’s so much I probably forgot something but y’all get the gist.

A/N- enjoy the official second installment of the dad’sfriend au! ;)

Kisses for all starting with~ @dorayakissu @jae-mie @lcvsanaa @love2fangirl @jusferisnothere @dilfismz @mybahama @trentknd @reka13 @511rkive @gr-red

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The second time you and your father’s new friend meet, it’s not at all in the setting you thought it’d be.

No, awfully enough you’re mid-spin- throwing your ass in a club near the shadier part of the city, out way past your dads rules in a tight dress- cute manicured toes peeking out your heels; makeup laden eyes widening as you make eye contact with the same gorgeous man who wore you out almost 3 weeks ago. Leaving you with a card and legs that remained shaky for the next 2 days.

The morning after was a trip and you won’t even touch how you couldn’t wipe the grin off your face, smiling even as you went to pee; the stinging a pleasant reminder of the whole ordeal. And, true to your word, you indeed have been nicer to your dad. Kissing him on the cheek with a light “be back later dad, I love you”, whenever he was home and you were leaving just like you did when you were six and his happy smile was just the same. You also put a limit on the smart little quips where you could but not so much that it was obvious you had gotten a full body attitude adjustment.

You’d been so good.

Little did you know, he’d heard as much. Smirking inwardly like there was some in-joke whenever your father would be cheerier than normal sometimes on his early commute- telling him how you made breakfast, kissing him on the cheek with a sweet ‘bye daddy’ before you left for your day or how you were less snippy- instead you were pleasant. So now imagine his surprise seeing his friend’s perfectly pleasant young daughter in one of his clubs that you didn’t even know was his, in a snug dress so short that whenever you moved you were threatening to flash someone. The skimpy little thing didn’t even have a back.

He knows the exact moment you see him see you because the way your heart falls to your ass is written all over your face and it makes him grin even wider.

When he moves, his stride is perfect. Long limbs weaving seamlessly through the sea of bodies as he deliberately walks past you.

You who is internally panicking.

“Mmm he get to strokin’, ooh how I love when he chokin’ me! Bitch I’m a boss! I do what I want-!” Your friends yell the lyrics drunkenly as they move their ass against you and you wince, suddenly hyper aware of who’s watching. Even though you had been drinking, you weren’t drunk but that didn’t change the fact that you weren’t supposed to be here and now there was a witness who knew the reason why your fast ass wasn’t supposed to be here and could very well snitch to said reason.

You shout some nonsense excuse to your friends to where you’re going and they nod back before going back to partying. If they were less plastered you know they’d question you and insist on coming with so you thank your lucky stars they’re not because the last thing they needed to see was you getting slut out by a man twice your age while attempting to do damage control. Spinning on your heel you walk the same path he did but less gracefully as you try not to stumble in your heels or topple over anyone. Your heart beat is almost louder than the music as you look for the dark suited man and the further you walk the more intense it feels; flashbacks of devilish hands and a nasty mouth cloud your mind and you swallow harshly, willing away that heat with a shaky inhale before it can burn you.

Just as you turn, you’re yanked into a corner- the sound of your shriek swallowed by the music.

“Well if it isn’t daddy’s good. little. girl. Shouldn’t it be past your curfew?”

Fuck. His voice is just as deep as you remember and the name makes a shiver crawl up your spine, a familiar tingle settling in your cunt. Still, you refuse to give him the satisfaction, taunting him with your smart mouth even though he can see your (now hard) nipples poking through the colorful toss of glitter you called a dress.

“Shouldn’t you be in a bingo hall n’some retirement center near the exit of my damn business?” Fuck x2. Alcohol loosens your tongue something terrible on a good night so now the same alcohol coupled with adrenaline has you completely reckless- delayed sense of self preservation only loading at 34 percent. The looming realization of your fuck up comes in the form of a smile so wide that it creases his eyes as he begins to laugh. And laugh. And laugh until you’re giggling nervously too. It’s awkward sounding compared to the low timbre of his rich sounding one. You shuffle once and that’s as far as you go before his hand snaps around your throat; cutting off your oxygen, strong hold fastening as he gives a good squeeze, forcing you harder against the wall.

His grip is tight off the bat and just like last time you can’t keep your hand from flying up and gripping his hard forearm the same way you can’t help yourself from getting wet as blood rushes through your ears. He’s looking down at you like you’re nothing more than a thing- his little thing- as he watches you with a dark smile.

“Cute. And here I thought we fixed that smart ass mouth of yours.” He sneers in your face and you nod desperately because he really did fix it, you were just tipsy. You know for a fact that you can’t withstand another one of his attitude adjustments- especially somewhere so public- standing in uncomfortable shoes. Ignoring your pleading look completely, he slides his knee between your plush thighs, wedging it right up into your clit through your soaked panties, loosening his hold for his next trick.

“Let’s try again, okay princess?” The petname falls from his lips with the same condescension as all his other words but it doesn’t sound any less heavenly and you whine- blinking at him prettily through your lashes.

“..yes sir…”, The way you submit has his eyes fluttering shut for a second and the feeling that rolls through him is dangerous.

He truly is a sick man. He could ruin you beyond repair if he wasn’t careful.

“Why are you doing out so late in a place like this? Dressed like that too.”

“It’s the end of finals for the semester, m-me and the girls just wanted to have a little fun..” you sound so timid, like a brat caught drawing on the wall and he cooes at you.

“And the outfit?” You flush as you feel just how little you’re wearing- though the last time he saw you, you were wearing nothing at all. Even your face had been bare which was a hard contrast to now with your hair messy from dancing but lovely still, smokey eyeshadow that had flecks of glitter and pouty lips pretty and glossed. Bristling, you ask,

“What’s wrong with it?” There’s an undercurrent of more tone than he likes but he feels generous enough at the picture you paint not to make you pay for it as he smiles indulgently at you, raising a brow as he shakes his head.

“I suppose nothing besides the fact I almost missed it even when looking straight at you. Good thing it’s not any tighter or it’d be invisible.” He grinds his knee up into your pussy, catching you off guard with the sudden shockwaves of pleasure you’re subjected to at the expense of his taunting. He doesn’t take his eyes off of you for a second as you undulate your hips against his thigh in those messy circles you like so much, choked moans breaking through your every gasp.

You’re so lightheaded.

Nerves ultra sensitive from the lack of air and tequila buzz as you bite your lip, bringing your hands to your chest, pulling your bra and dress down to let your breasts spill out; pulling and tweaking the hard nubs shamelessly as you do. What was it about him that made you act this way?

You feel so good, you don’t even care to find the answer. Bathing in the heat of his stare, you rock your wet cunt back and forth over the hardness of his thigh, the fabric of his pants giving the most delicious friction against your throbbing clit. His brows furrow in arousal as he watches you fuck yourself on his leg, moaning like every bit of the slut you looked like with his hand around your throat. But you would get much louder than this- that he knew from experience.

Your attention gets bought back to the man you’re minutes away from coming on when his other hand wraps itself in your hair and pulls. It’s intense. White-hot pleasure that comes with the burning sting as you cry out, hips jerking as your legs shake at how close you are. He pulls again, moving your head farther back, exposing your neck as he licks a fat, wet stripe up the sensitive, sweat slick skin all the way to your mouth and you can’t stop moving your hips as your eyes roll back- heart racing from how much you’re feeling, soaked hole clenching around nothing. His voice clears some of the fog about to take you but his words cause the shame this time.

“Does your father know you’re here?” You pinch your lips together in embarrassment, because no- he didn’t know. You told him you’d be back before the set time but here you were almost 2 hours past. He jerks his thigh against your center harshly, cutting off your wail with a tight hand and you swear you see lights.

“Answer me, coherently. I want to hear those big girl words.” Fuck.

It’d be a lie to say you wish he wasn’t so mean. It was part of his charm, the edge that made him that more interesting and irresistible. You swallow as best you can, sniffling wetly through the water that’s already gathering in your eyes and the sight and sound make him so feral that he’s ready to take you on the floor, fucking you stupid on the glittering black marble.

“N-no..my dad doesn’t know-“, the faux shock on his face shifts into contemplation and you can not have that as you rush the words out,

“And you can’t tell him! Please! He’ll flip if he finds out..” He wasn’t a snitch but you didn’t know that, begging sweetly for him not to rat you out- even holding off your orgasm just for him and he’s filled with that same sick rush as before. You were so delectable. So sweet, so wet- your teary doe eyes too- and so pliant beneath him.

He shuts you up by bringing his face close to yours, smelling the flavor of your lip gloss while enjoying the suddenly shy look on your pretty face at him studying you so closely as he whispers,

“Open your mouth.”

Huh? He’s close enough to kiss you so is that it? Your heart threatens to give out at the thought of him kissing you. Kissing is so…intimate. So is sex but there’s something about both your eyes being closed as you lean in, trusting one to guide the other. Especially since you still hardly knew each other…

Would you like to know him?

You ignore the tear between your gut instincts and your feelings and open your mouth. The pleased hum he rewards you with makes you keen but as the hand around your windpipe tightens and your heart stops as you feel plush lips drag across your cheek…. Right before a warm wad of saliva hits the your tongue, sliding down the back of your throat. Did he just-

You swallow on instinct and only then does he kiss you on the mouth. It’s short but demanding and so, so good- your eyes fluttering shut, hips returning to their motions with more urgency than before as he absolutely devours your mouth, licking into it like he’s trying to find traces of him; pulling away with a mean suck of your bottom lip and you gasp wetly.

“Good girl.”

You bite your lip and the water that was already gathering in your eyes spills over, panting as you try not to be swept away by the consuming waves of crushing bliss but you can’t stop your fucking self from grinding your clit against his leg, humping it with pathetically watery sobs.

He knows you’re close, that familiar pained expression on your flushed face but instead of putting you out of your misery; he decides to- “Ah ah. No-“, but it’s too late and he knew that full well before he even started. He was already planning on you disobeying, that way your punishment would be that much more…satisfying.

He watches with lidded eyes as your orgasm rips through you, grabbing his wrist for stability, hips twitching out of their messy rhythm and you wail; coming so hard it hurts. The torrent of euphoria submerges you for what will go down as the longest minutes of your life and when you come down, you’re distantly grateful for his hand because you wouldn’t be able to hold your head up otherwise.

The spot beneath your pulsating cunt is wet and he leans his head back with a pleased sigh. He was going to fuck you up in the best ways. Your makeup is messier now thanks to your tears as you sniffle weakly, trying to catch your breath and he has to hold himself back from sliding your dazed self onto the ground and-

“Sorry…m’sor- I couldn’t hold it..”, you slur out as he moves his thigh, making you stand on wobbly legs; still lightheaded from your high. Mentally, he goes through all the things he can put your soft body through as he fixes your dress, pulling what little there is of it- down as he decides what to do with you.

“It’s ok. You’ll make it up to me.” He smiles at the way you nod almost dumbly, holding your hand- ready to take you with him before looking you over, eyes searching for something.

“Where’s your phone?”

You groan because the answer was embarrassing but one you were sure he’d get off on. Shifting uncomfortably, you mumble out; “it’s in the waistband…” Oh? His night just keeps getting more and more interesting. Your face warms more as his voice takes on a mocking sort of condescending.

“Waistband of what?” Your embarrassment is as sweet as you are and he barely holds back his smirk.

“…my thong.”

It’s a good thing you’re not looking at him because the dark glint on his face would’ve sent you running for the hills. Moving closer, he takes his time running his hand down your side, making your breath hitch as he runs it smoothly into the side where your dress cuts to open back, feeling around near your hips where the soft skin gives to the pressure of fabric until he feels your phone- pulling it out.

He really needed to stop touching you so casually. It wasn’t good for your sanity. But, he doesn’t care as he squeezes your hand, making you focus up again.

“What’s your password?” You narrow your eyes but tell him anyway because you know if you don’t, he’ll make you. You wait anxiously as you watch him scroll for a bit before pressing something and typing some more before he locks it, sliding it into his suit pocket as he pulls you along with him.

“What-”

“Now your friends won’t come looking for you.” Your heart thumps, pumping heat through your veins at the many implications of his statement. He guides you down through the back corridor of the club and you notice the farther you get, the softer the music is until it’s quiet and your looking at a neon purple door before being pulled out of the building into the cool night air, walking towards a large, dark fancy car parked across from it.

He never breaks his stride as he walks you toward it, letting go of your hand to open the backseat door, turning to you with dark eyes and a grin softer than anything he’s going to do to you tonight.

“Get in.”

•

He doesn’t take you home.

Instead, your snatched into the open space of the back and he’s right behind you; slamming the door as he kneels behind you, grabbing you by the scruff of your neck, he manhandles you chest down to the leather seat, cheek flush against the cool surface with your ass up. There’s a deep groan that shakes you to your core as he drinks in your form with greedy eyes. You looked so appetizing that he’s tempted to keep you even after he’s done with you. Smooth ass up in the air, back arched nice and pretty for him, legs open as one balances on the seat and the other on the floor giving him a clear view of your wet pussy- their swollen lips being outlined by the scrap of wet fabric barely covering them.

The backseat of his car is plenty big enough but because of his height, he still has to maneuver a bit, taking off his suit jacket he rolls up the sleeves of his shirt before winding his hand back.

Your nerves are already on high alert, panting as you hear the rustling of his clothes then nothing. The concept of relaxing your body doesn’t even fully make it to your mind when a heavy slap has fire blooming across your ass and you choke.

The initial pain is just a prelude though as you hear a low laugh and your thong is ripped clean off you before more spanks rain down on your asscheeks. Each hit is hard, making the sensitive skin tint as it recoils from the strength behind the burning hits. You end up coughing, trying to gasp but it ends in a desperate sob as the sting begins to warm and the sting of his palm leaves shockwaves of pleasure that fester in your lower body, making your cunt pulse as he watches slick ooze from your tight hole, pupils blown.

“I know exactly what to do with you.”

You hear him but you don’t get to respond, eyes fluttering back in complete bliss as you’re suddenly stuffed with 3 of his perfectly thick fingers. All three immediately curl up like they’re trying to poke your bellybutton before thrusting in and out, brushing his thumb against your clit after every nasty squelch. Each mean swipe of his fingers sends you closer to oblivion as you feel yourself start to drift. You fog up his windows with your moans, lipgloss smeared against his seat but it’s all pointless because you’re going to cum. And when you cum, it’s gonna be your ass because you can’t catch your breath enough to ask him coherently if you were allowed to.

The fingers inside you curl completely, grinding against that sweet bundle of nerves inside you and your inner thighs spasm as you wail- hiccuping loudly, you cry in pleasure when the dam breaks and oh god you’re coming.

Your eyes snap shut as you try not to pass out from all the sensations. It’s like you’ve been dunked in lava- your orgasm blazing as it consumes you. You don’t even scream anymore, just crying and whining as you shake; cunt spasming from trying to withstand the waves. You usually never cum so hard and you worry that if this becomes a daily thing it’ll shorten your lifespan.

It’s cute. Watching you struggle not to be overwhelmed by him. You don’t even hear him unzip his pants, fat cock bobbing as it beads with precum, cooing as a certain realization finally creeps up on you. That his fingers were still fucking into your tight snatch, grinding away at your g-spot.

“Since you couldn’t stop yourself from coming…”

Oh no. Nononononono-

“I don’t want you to stop coming.” The broken sob that reaches his ears has a thick shiver of arousal run through him as wretches his hand out of your hole only to smack heavy wet spanks onto your erect clit.

Your heart stops and a few seconds later you can’t hear or see either as you cum for the third time that night, mouth dropping open in a silent scream as you squirt all over him and his luxury car, drool spilling into the space under your cheek. It’s almost miserable as your arch deepens, body trembling until consciousness returns to you in a flood of lights and you go boneless.

Even in the mess he’s made of you, he likes this look much better than the polished party princess from earlier. You looked pretty before but now your fucked out form looked good enough to eat, punched out gasps leaving your chest. Taking his fingers out, he cleans your cum off them, eyes fluttering at the taste as he runs his other hand up and down your back, settling on your deep arch when he feels your shaky hand reach back to grip his thigh.

“G’nna fuck me now?” Oh, poor thing. He was going to fuck you stupid. Shame that you already sounded so dazed when the fun was just getting started. Grabbing his cock with the hand that was covered in you, he slides it between your folds, groaning at the hot slick, moving back and forth- fat head bumping your clit.

“Yeah, baby. ‘M gonna fuck you but”, he pulls your head back by your hair, the burn brings you out of your haze a bit and you hum to let him know you’re listening,

“You better not pass out. Understand?” You bite your lip, moaning from your throat as you wiggle your hips, feeling the weight of his cock against your hole but not sliding in until you agree.

“Mhm, yes sir-” He cuts you off with a snap of his hips, thrusting into your sopping heat with chest thick groan, hissing through his teeth- tingles buzzing through him. You were still so wet and tight, pussy almost choking his length as he set to thrusting right away; fat cock battering your insides.

The stretch hurt. But it hurt so good and you find that you missed being stuffed so full, crying out with the grip on your hair tightening while he fucked you like he paid for you. Broken wails spill from your throat at the harsh way he pounds them out of you, front snapping against your ass. Watching the bounce with hungry eyes, veins on his forearms popping out from every time he pulled- eventually burying his hand deeper- holding you down as he goes harder, hips snapping nice ‘n deep against yours and you scream in bliss.

You feel so fucked up because even though you were so sensitive that it bordered on painful you can’t keep yourself from whining for more. He was just as fucked up though. Apparently being a facilitator of murder wasn’t enough, now he was fucking his friend’s daughter- that he was much older than- senseless at almost 2 in the morning but you looked damn good while he did.

Messy hair and tear streaked makeup, bite swollen lips with your pretty little dress yanked up, dark handprints bruised all over your backside while you get railed with your ass up. Yeah. If you were fucked up for this then it was fine; he was beyond fucked up too.

Slick runs down the inside of your thighs and you groan, muscles spasming as you feel your impending orgasm get closer, bleating screams rising in pitch when you feel him grind filthily at the gooey bundle of nerves inside you and you don’t have the presence of mind to be embarrassed at the way your cunt leaks like a ruptured faucet, ruining his pants again.

His rakes his fingers firmly through your scalp and the sound that comes from you is nothing short of pathetic- making his smirk positively wolffish when he leans down close; licking a wet stripe from your cheek to your ear. It’s primal and he revels in your shudder, voice rasp with heady arousal as he purrs out,

“Cum. Squirt yourself to a headache f’me, princess. You earned it.”

You’re sure that in the moments that follow, you pass away. Unlike your previous orgasms that only ripped through you, this one rips you apart and it’s devastating. Chest burning, you black out. Molten hot euphoria makes every synapse inside of you sizzle until your nerves light off as liquid shoots from your cunt that’s tightened around his fat cock like a vice; milking him in the wake of your bliss. His own eyes roll back as he fucks you through both of your highs, cursing at the mind numbing pleasure.

He turns you over without pulling out, hissing at your wrecked appearance before leaning down to catch you in a deep kiss, moving your head with the force as your lips smack against each other. You jerk when you feel him tongue along the inseam of your cheek before he pulls away with a short gasp, pulling out with a sigh. Letting you watch him as he fixes his pants but not his hair, leaving the strands that had fallen in his face when he was inside you.

You sigh at the relief of pressure finally off your back, leaning into his touch when he moves to grasp your chin. All he has to do is raise an eyebrow for you to get it, making his chest roll in satisfaction.

“Thank you for making me cum, sir.” Your voice is still scratchy from the work he put your vocal cords through and he huffs out a breath, smiling gracefully down at you.

“Of course, baby.” The petname brings another surge of heat to your face as you look away from him. You’re cute. How you’re shy after everything you’ve done together. He moves his hand and shuffles back, long arm reaching behind him to open the door and you slam your legs shut, which did nothing since your little dress never covered a damn thing even when it was pulled down.

Getting out, he swipes his suit jacket off the back of a seat, dropping it over your near naked form with a chuckle before closing the door as he walks through the night air to the drivers side, starting his car the second he gets in before he listens to the thoughts telling him to just take you.

“…soooo- what now?” You ask shyly because you’re still unsure about whatever dynamic you two had; even though it was very fun, there was still the age gap and the fact that he was buddies with your dad. The soreness was already starting to set in and you’re tired.

“We are going to a store- so you can clean up and get something that actually functions as clothing before I take you home.” Huh?

“You’re not gonna tell?” The confusion in your voice makes him laugh as he flicks his eyes up at you through the mirror.

“No. I got something out of it too, remember?” You hear the teasing in his voice and it makes you jittery, nodding in response as he speeds up. He honestly had no business looking that sexy while driving, pouting until his voice breaks you out of your reverie; his next words send your heart racing.

“I’ll keep your secrets if you keep being a good little thing. Deal?”

You’re silent as you mull it over. You already have secrets so what’s one more? Biting your lip, you think of just how much fun this could be. A little series (😉) of rendezvous with a forbidden man. Your dad never had to know.

And since you know he’ll never tell….

“Deal.”

He smiles, dark eyes brimming with something unsettling. He couldn’t wait to turn you out.

You still had no idea who he was and for your sake, he hopes on your behalf that it stays that way.

Part 3…

#squid game #squid game x reader #squid game smut #the salesman #the salesman x reader #the salesman smut #gong yoo x reader #gong yoo #gong yoo smut #the recruiter x reader #the recruiter

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littleslaywrites · 19 days ago

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back to school | aaron hotchner x reader

nsfw, mdni

based on this request

summary: your return to grad school plants a fantasy in hotch’s mind.

word count: 2k

cw: smut, f!reader, age gap, soft dom!hotch, unprotected sex, oral (f!receiving), biting, brief fingering (f!receiving)

You had been working as a nanny for the Hotchners going on three years now. After you completed undergrad, you felt unsure about the path you wanted to take, and ended up working for Aaron. It started out professional, but he became harder to resist as time went on. You’d started dating six months later. Aaron was always a gentleman, scared to ask you out at first, especially considering your age gap. But his profiling skills came in handy, quickly figuring out that your crushes were mutual.

Your relationship had grown over the past two and a half years. You loved your job, and you loved your boys. Aaron loved you in return, thankful he'd found someone so amazing for his family. At this point, you were part of the household, always around for movie nights and soccer games.

“What do you think of me going to grad school?” you blurted out one night. The two of you were snuggled up on the couch, a movie playing on a low volume, so as to not wake up Jack.

“I think you should do what you feel would be best for you.”

You groaned at his answer. It was so him, wanting you to make your own decision as if you hadn’t been trying to figure it out before you asked him.

“But what do you think,” you probe. “I mean, I’d be way busier, probably too busy to be around for Jack, and I’d probably go somewhere in D.C. but it’d still be a commute which means I’d see you less–”

“Honey,” he stops your rambling, “you can’t be a nanny forever. If you want to go back to school, I’ll completely support you.”

His words cause you to let out a sigh of relief. “Are you sure?”

“I’ll work around your schedule. We have relatives around for when you’re busy. I don’t want you to worry about me this much, you know.”

Of course you knew, but you still worried about him. It was an exchange you two had. You both worried about each other secretly.

Aaron always knew you’d go back to school. He was happy for you, excited that you’d finally found something you wanted to pursue in a career. Insisting on helping you through the whole process, he proofread your essay, looked over the questionnaire, and helped you debate between programs.

Even though he would never admit it, he might have had an ulterior motive. At the mention of going back to school, he couldn’t help but picture you in the stereotypical outfit, short skirts and ties. The thought made him blush, imagining you with your head in a book and your mind consumed with your studies.

So, when you called him asking for outfit advice before your first day, he tried to lead you in the direction of his fantasy. You settled on a button down and a skirt with a sweater over it. When you sent him a mirror selfie, he felt a rush of blood go to his cock, observing the socks that went all the way up to your knees. It’d be a long day of waiting for your classes to be over.

On your way home, you call him again, starting to tell him about all your classes. He stops you, suggesting that you come over and tell him everything in person. You obviously agree, wanting to see him at every chance you could get, especially if it meant he’d come home from the office at a normal time.

When you enter the house, you can smell something cooking in the oven. Jack is sitting at the counter as Aaron washes dishes.

“It smells good in here,” you say as you set your keys down by the door.

“Jack thought you’d want pizza after your first day of school.”

“He thought right.” You take a seat at the counter, watching Aaron set plates on the table.

You share stories of your day over dinner, comparing professors and describing all the topics covered. It was mostly syllabus discussion in your classes today, so there wasn’t much to say, but the boys were interested in all the small details.

After the meal, you washed the dishes while Aaron put Jack to bed. You hung your sweater over the back of a chair and undid the first few buttons of your shirt. Flopping on the couch, you didn’t notice Aaron staring as you lounged. You assumed he'd join you soon, finding some show that'd serve as background noise while you leaned on his shoulder and he did remaining paperwork. You were only pulled from your thoughts when he leaned down and whispered in your ear:

“Come to bed.”

You knew what he meant, as it was far too early to actually sleep. Following behind him, you close the door to the bedroom once you’re inside. You put your weight against it, leaning so you can rub your thighs together, already wet from the sight of him removing his tie in front of you.

“It’s a nice outfit,” he says, eyes roaming your body.

You smile, knowing the unspoken words behind the message. “My boyfriend was very helpful in choosing it.”

Returning your smile, he presses you against the door with a kiss. You close your eyes, letting his lips wash away anything in your mind other than him. His hands plant on either side of your head, supporting him as he leans against the door. He kisses you until you run out of breath, breaking apart to gasp for air.

“You’re such a tease,” Aaron lets out between gasps, “walking around in that short skirt.”

Reaching down, he touches you lightly over your panties. Only offering a whimper in response, your hips move slightly, wanting more than he’s giving you.

“I bet all the boys were looking at those pretty legs,” he whispers, giving your earlobe a nip. “But only I can have you.”

His touch has you needy for him, rockin into the finger that’s rubbing you through the soaked fabric. “Only you, Aaron.”

Your words make him groan. He slides your underwear down your legs, but doesn’t replace his hand.

“On the bed,” he commands. Needing more of him, you follow his orders. When he has you like this, you can’t help but do everything he says.

“Hands and knees.”

Crawling on the bed, you arch your back, wanting to give him the best view possible. The sigh he lets out is a sign you succeeded, and you wiggle your ass around to signal your need.

“Patience, pretty girl,” he coos. He leaves you waiting as he undresses completely. You wish you could see him, but you don’t want to disobey him.

Finally, his hands return to your body, flipping your skirt up to feel your ass. His touch is reverent, needing to explore every inch of your soft skin. The brushes of his fingers alternate between slow and fast, the variation giving you goosebumps. The warmth of his large hands provides a stark contrast to the cold room, and you feel yourself leaning into his palms as they run across your lower half. Unzipping it, he peels the skirt away from you.

Suddenly, he flips you around. The sight of him above you makes your pussy flutter. The lust in his eyes is overwhelming. He leans over you to unbutton your shirt. He goes slowly, savoring every inch of skin that’s slowly revealed, pressing kisses from your chest to your low stomach.

Peeling away your shirt, he places one more kiss on your collarbone before moving down to your legs. He runs his hands along your thighs, grabbing at the plush skin. He lays down in between your legs, holding them open as he dives into your pussy.

Just like his earlier touches, the way he eats you out is almost like worship. Aaron is always like this in bed, adoration evident in every gaze and whisper. Usually, he has a rhythm, but tonight, his mouth is sloppy. He’s moving from your clit to your cunt rapidly, needing to have his mouth all over you. He only moves away briefly to nuzzle your clit in that way he knows you love.

He pokes his tongue into your hole, and you move your hand down to his hair. The slight tug has him moaning, the vibrations adding to your pleasure. His tongue traces around your folds, following a pattern only he knows. When he licks a stripe up to your swollen clit, you buck your hips into his face. He doesn’t stop you, letting you rub against his mouth as he suckles where you’re the most sensitive. Your grip on his hair has him humping the sheet below him. If he had less control, he’d cum at the sight of you writhing against him.

One brush of his teeth against your bud has you teetering on the edge. Recognizing the whimpers that you mindlessly let out, he fills you with two of his fingers. The curl of them against your walls is enough to send you into your orgasm. Aaron doesn’t let up, thrusting his fingers as your juices cover his face. He only pulls away when you yelp from the overstimulation.

Pulling back, he places a kiss on your knee, just above the top of your socks. You think he’s going to take them off, but instead he moves up, removing your bra.

Wrapping a hand around your thigh, he brings it up so it’s pressed in between your bodies. He strokes himself a few times, taking in the image of you in your knee-high socks below him.

You let out a broken sob as he sinks into you. You’re still recovering from the orgasm from his mouth, so every ridge of his cock is perceptible. Any other day, he’d pause due to your sensitivity, but he’s too desperate to feel you.

Bottoming out, his tip grazes your cervix. He pauses, taking in the feeling of your warm walls around him. He doesn't even realize it when he starts to rock against you.

Coming to his senses, he pulls all the way out, watching the way you pulsate, wanting to grab him as tight as possible. Pushing back in, you cry out, feeling the twitch of his cock inside you.

He falls into a rhythm, one hand supporting himself while the other plays with your tit. He runs his thumb along the nipple, occasionally pinching when he wants to get a squeal out of you.

Closing his eyes, he loses himself in the feeling of you sucking him deeper. Your body responds to every thrust, clenching while your moans punctuate his movements.

You move your leg to wrap around him, needing him as close as possible. You hold him tight against your body, slowing down his thrusts. His cock drags against your g-spot, and you can feel the shape of his tip against your plush cunt.

Aaron’s breaths grow ragged and his rhythm becomes sloppy. Unable to hold back any longer, he bites down on your shoulder as he fills you up. The sensation sends you into your own release, grabbing him into a tight hug. He lets himself fall against you, holding you close and resting his forehead against yours. When you start to whine, he places a kiss on your forehead and pulls out.

When he lays on his back, you wrap yourself around him, cuddling despite your warmth. You had learned that you have to pull him as close as possible to keep him from escaping to find a washcloth and a glass of water. You appreciate him taking care of you, but want to keep him in his relaxed state for just a little longer.

“I think I should wear that outfit more often,” you say softly.

“Please do.”

You giggle at him, resting a hand against his chest. If this is how Aaron responds to you going back to school, you might never graduate.

#criminal minds #criminal minds x reader #aaron hotchner x reader #aaron hotchner #aaron hotchner one shot #aaron hotchner smut #aaron hotchner fanfiction #hotch #hotch smut #hotch x reader

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lilac-5ky · 2 years ago

Text

Roommates from Hell, pt.1 (Toji x Fem!Reader)

Chapter 1: Stolen Fries taste best

(pic from loving yamada at lvl999, adorable manga, recommend)

Chapter 2 | Story Masterlist | Masterlist

Plot: Out of all the women that come and go in Toji's life, you're the only one he calls his friend. But when he suddenly forces his way into your apartment, the feelings you've kept from him are put to the test.

Setting: Pre Hidden Inventory Arc. Toji and reader are both in their late twenties, no Megumi in picture... yet :p

Themes: Cohabitation, Mutual Pining, Friends to Lovers

Warning: Slight sexual content minus the actual smut.

A/N at the bottom

“You’re late. Again.”

The small silver bell at the top of the glass door notified you of a man’s arrival, his heavy steps refusing to wipe themselves upon entry, spreading mud all over the now-blotted checkered tiles of the dimly lit diner. You’d been expecting the owner of those shoes for the past six hours, his untimely arrival coming as a bitter aftertaste to an afternoon full of childish joy and mayhem— popped balloons, colorful confetti, and half-eaten pieces of cakes swept into one big pile at the room’s southernmost corner by yours truly.

“I never said I was coming,” the voice retorted, its defiant sound overshadowed by the gruesome screech of a metallic chair. “Not interested in celebrating some brat’s b-day, ‘specially if it ain’t mine.”

“How many helpless children must have spent their birthdays without their no-good father, I wonder,” you wiped your hands against your cherry-red apron, pushing the broom back into place. “If your goal is to repopulate Japan, I’m certain you’ll succeed.”

Hefty fingers mindlessly combed through a head of obsidian black, little spikes forming and then settling back down. “None, as far as I’m concerned,” sarcasm dripped from his tongue.

“Well, I find that hard to believe,” you mumbled under your breath, circling through the room to ensure everything was dealt with: leftovers in the fridge, gift wrappings in the bin, and the large aforementioned pile of garbage waiting to be scooped up. “You’ve known Kenzo since birth. Even if this ain’t your thing, the least you could’ve done was make an appearance. He kept asking about his favorite uncle all night long.”

“Except I’m not his uncle. Don’t mix me in with your sister’s family, I ride solo.”

Sigh.

“My sister’s family might as well be your family, Toji. You know how much Hinata and her kids adore you.”

“Good for them, I suppose.”

Another sigh.

“Can you at least tell me what was so important for you to not even pick the goddamn phone up?”

As if the device had grown sentient, a generic tune began tooting from the back pocket of his sweatpants, eradicating your final hope that it’d simply run out of battery.

Without budging from his seat, Toji twisted an arm around his back to pull his flip-phone out, the silver-tinted lid slamming shut as soon as he’d peered at the caller’s number, his next immediate move being to drown the sound in a glass of leftover Coke, fizzy bubbles playing the device’s final requiem.

You didn’t need to ask to know it was a woman, and he didn’t need to answer that she, whatever the name of his latest conquest was, happened to also be the reason for his being unfashionably late.

It was always like that. He was always like that. He went out with one girl after the other; from women of extreme beauty and poise to mindless bimbos who couldn’t tell tea leaves and coffee beans apart. He’d spend some cash to butter them up with expensive meals at overpriced restaurants, or VIP entrance at the hottest club, or even pay for the name tag on their designer clothes, but come next morning, he was either caught stealing straight out of their pockets or checking whether the tag was still attached to the dress for him to return it to the store—at which point, the vast majority gave up, except for those few poor souls who earnestly believed they could fix him, though they never would.

If there were two things in this world that remained unfaltering and resolute throughout the eons, then that was the earth’s orbiting the sun, and Zen’in Toji’s being the bastard of a man you knew and loved— special intonation of that last part.

It was quite the oxymoron. To know him as an irredeemable scumbag with no intention of changing, and to love him for all he was; a sentence as contradictory and controversial as the man before you. What was there to love? He never gave two shits about the people around him dying, and if he could encourage or partake in their deaths then he certainly would. He gambled every cent of cash in his hands away, and his every attachment ended with the disposal of his used-up condom. He was vulgar, cynical, and brass, and he possessed a great charisma of making people dislike him at first glance. His only saving grace was his good looks and even those he managed to scrape on a daily basis.

So, really, what was there to love about a man whose place fitted best among the pile of garbage in the corner? What was the point in all that?

He never answered your question, and when you realized he wasn’t planning to, you dragged a second chair to his side, propping your elbows first and then your chin over the vinyl backrest, feet landing at each side. You took in his expression— sour and undeniably agitated, with a frown tugging at the scarred corner of his lower lip, and a glare too icy to be meant for the wall of American-styled neon billboards he mercilessly studied. Something definitely bothered him, and as a huff stiffened his chin, the reason became evident enough for you to point at it.

“Woman or work?” you gestured at the blood that dribbled below his ear and down his neck.

He followed your forefinger with his eyes, thumb scrubbing where the gush began. He seemed oblivious to his injury, though it wasn’t as if his becoming aware changed a thing.

“So it is a woman,” you gladly seized the chance to rub salt into his wound, drawing a frustrated grumble from him.“What did you do this time? Stole her car and crashed it into a tree? Blew all her savings on cockfight betting?”

“Horse races,” he had the nerve to correct.

“Or… did you by any chance bring an uncalled ménage à trois to her bed?”

“What kind of man you take me for?” Toji protested.

“A very, very, veeeery bad man,” you smirked, and he returned it. You knew him like the back of your hand. There was no need to pretend otherwise after well over a decade’s worth of friendship.

“If a very bad man is what I am, then why’d ya let me in?” he asked. “A young unprotected woman all by herself in the middle of the night letting such scum in never ends well. Thought you were smarter than this.”

“If I was smarter, then I wouldn’t be calling you my friend, would I?”

His grimace turned into a full-blown devilish grin, the kind that secretly had your heart buzzing against the frail set of bones of your chest. He always looked so dazzling when he smiled, that sometimes you couldn’t find fault in those women wanting to believe in his pretty lies, because you, too, wanted to. You hoped that whatever the price for those smiles was, you would one day be able to afford it and gain ownership of his heart, no matter how wretched or blackened it was.

“You are a real idiot to mix it up with me,” he conceded. “Though, you are a greater idiot for letting that term define us. I bet your nights serving meals at some kiddie place get rather lonely. But I could help. I could make you feel really good, Y/N. So good that you’d risk some prick getting in, lest he is me.”

His tongue poked out his mouth, giving his bottom lip a brief lick while he peered at you through half-lidded eyes. He had this way of turning things sexual in the blink of an eye, selling himself so well that your refusal to buy seemed commendable— despite the unmistakable affection you held for his face. Little did he know how much you longed to push that chair to the side and rip his cocky expression along his black-sleeved shirt off his body, making it so that neither of you had a place to hide from the other.

Now, that’d feel good.

“My nights are fine as they are, thank you very much,” you countered your instincts much to his disappointment. “And if I ever needed myself a helping hand, know that you’d be the last I’d call!” Not as if you’d pick up, anyway, you mentally added.

His gust of interest fizzled out as soon as it surged, your rejection forcing him to rock back and forth between the chair’s legs. He wasn’t interested in continuing this. It was enough for him to take in the dusty pink shading of your ears and smile to himself, knowing you were still the kind of woman affected by his charms. Yes, that certainly was enough, for now.

“I’ll clean you up,” you declared, getting off your spot in haste and strolling through the bar in search of a clean towel.

Once you found it, you let it soak under the faucet and brought it back to him, rubbing against his skin regardless of his petty attempt at gritting his teeth. You placed one hand on his shoulder and another at his jaw, pushing them apart to no avail. Every muscle in his body was stronger than your entire bodily force combined, and he was awfully willing to flex that difference between you, just as he was at letting you straddle his hips and climb all over his body like some sort of feral monkey in heat.

A string of profanities that ranged from “bastard” to “shit-eating-asshole-shithead” poured out your mouth while Toji smirked, and smiled, and grinned, and didn’t even try to stop you from knocking the two of you onto the ground, palms barely managing to stable your head over his face. Your pleated skirt had risen, or rather flipped, over your panties, revealing the strawberry pattern panties you were wearing to his greedy hands as they hiked up your flesh without an ounce of shame.

“Wh-What are you doing?!”

“What do you think I’m doing?” he cooed, burying his calloused fingers under the elastic waistband of your underwear.

You felt him trace the inward of your thighs in languid strokes, the fabric stretching the further his hand dipped— closer, and closer to your now-pulsing core, but never so close as to make actual contact. His hot breath tingled your lips, smelling of nothing in particular, but a sweaty tang of a woman’s deodorant that still lingered in his clothes. Had he fucked her before making it here, you wondered, heart tightening at the thought.

Your legs wiggled shut, unable to fully repel his hand, and for a brief moment, you considered letting him go through with this— whatever this was. Even if you came to be another conquest won, you didn’t care. All you needed was for him to hush all logic from your brain, and fuck you senselessly against the checkered tile floor of the “kiddie food place” you served meals at.

“Toji…” you begged, uncertain what you were begging him for until you felt the warmth in your thighs subside.

“Makin’ sure to preserve your maiden’s dignity,” he said as he fixed your skirt in place. “Wouldn’t want some perv catching sight of your cute little ass, would we?”

His condescending tone made you want to throw a slap across his face and then yours; for thinking that maybe this wasn’t a mistake, that you could really move past the pretense of friendship and aim at what you really sought. But he’d been right once before. You were stupid, stupider than all those girls combined, considering you knew and still wouldn’t mind being dragged down with him one bit.

“Fucking asshole,” you blurted as you pushed yourself off him, dumping the cloth on his smug face.

Your lip quivered as you stepped onto your feet, unable to quite shake the feeling of incompletion from your core, walls pathetically clenching around nothingness. You refused to look at him, lest you caved in a second time, and thus you paced around the booths, stopping before the one window whose blinds didn’t block the magnificent parking lot view. Only a black SUV was left— most likely his newest rental.

Following a beep, you watched the lights flicker white, his reflection in the window lifting the chair back up. You crossed your arms over your chest and waited, your impatience and frustration churning into a dangerous mix within your guts, as the asshole whose name wasn’t worth saying moved past you and walked straight to the door, not a single word or goodbye said.

“What about your phone?” you asked, at last paying him a look of spite.

“I’ll text ya my new number.”

“We both know you won’t.”

He glanced over his shoulder and showed you his pearly white canines, his expression not polished enough to be called a smile. You rolled your eyes in the opposite direction, spotting his old device blinking a variety of different lights, refusing to die just like its bastard of an owner.

“What should I do with this?”

“How the hell should I know?” Toji shrugged. “Get rid of it, or toss it in some burger. I’m sure no one will be able to tell the difference. Later,” the bell chimed as the door collided with the frame, chiming a second time as his head popped in a moment later. “Loved the raspberries.”

“They were strawberries, you scatterbrained swine,” you cursed, but he’d heard none of it. The car was gone, and so was he, and it was for the best that he didn’t get to witness the strawberry-colored shadow that loomed over both your cheeks.

Fanning some of that heat away, you returned to the table, surprised to find a white envelope with the name Kenzo hastily written on the front. Cash. Lots of cash. Enough cash to keep a low-end apartment afloat for at least a couple of months. An excuse and simultaneously the answer to all your previous questions.

“You fucking bastard,” you hummed, the term switching to one of utter endearment.

When the first instance of a wintry breeze came charging at the semi-exposed features of your face—a scarf’s fluff tucked right below your nose— you knew that walking all the way to the location where the unknown ID claiming to be Zen’in Toji ordered you to meet up was probably a bad idea.

For starters, you’d turn into an icicle long before making it back to your workplace. Not to mention you had no foolproof way of guaranteeing the person you were about to meet wasn’t some random impersonating psychopath. But when you finally spotted the yellow curvy “M” upon the rectangular red sign that spelled the fast food chain’s name, you narrowed down the psychopaths to that one cheapskate you happened to know.

Walking into the nearly vacant dining area —only the first two booths near the door occupying a family of four each— you detected him almost immediately. He was the only one seated in his wing. Head slightly tilted to look past the window, golden highlights showering the curve of a nose as it arched into thin eyebrows, calm eyes glinting with subtle emerald, and fingers that absentmindedly tapped away onto one of the two paper-covered trays. He had the decency to wait for you before getting into his food, though that didn’t stop him from munching on the occasional fry.

You tugged the handbag off your shoulder and slowly approached him, hesitating to enter his field of view, if just for a moment. He seemed so peaceful and serene, that if you had the guts, you’d snap a picture of him right then and there and make it into your phone’s wallpaper. But you didn’t. You’d never be able to explain it to him in a non-humiliating way, should he catch you in the act, and so, you shook the notion off and marched in his direction, his eyes lighting up in recognition.

“What’s the point of calling me out here for lunch if we are gonna have burgers?” you dropped your bag at the far end of the table. “Why not eat at our place?”

“I like the fries here better,” he bit onto one as if to affirm his claim, licking the salty essence off his fingers. “You should be glad I got you some, too,” he nodded toward the closed dome-shaped box that lay in front of you. “Nuggets over burgers, right? Didn’t know what toy ya wanted though. Cashier girl told me bunnies are quite popular with girls your age, so I went with that.”

Ignoring, or rather postponing your answer to his outrageous suggestion, you peered through the contents of your meal’s box, spotting the wrapped-in-plastic purple-colored bunny key chain right at the bottom between the small portion of deluxe potatoes and even smaller portion of chicken nuggets that still steamed hot air. You were surprised he remembered everything about your order, down to your preference for milkshake over other beverages, and perhaps you would have shown your gratitude if it wasn’t for that last comment of his gnawing at your pride.

“How old did you tell the cashier I was, again?” you gritted, trying to suppress the toy’s cuteness within your fist.

“Didn’t. Just said it’s for some kid I know. Probably thought it was for my daughter or something.”

A pair of googly eyes popped out from their sockets, the bunny’s head in serious danger of coming right off.

“Stop acting like an old man,” you muttered in embarrassment. “A nine-month head start in life doesn’t make you old enough to be my father.”

“Still older than you, kid,” said Toji, his fingers latching onto his wrapped-up burger. “Now eat up. Didn’t pay ya lunch for it to go cold.”

Annoyed by his remarks, but oh-so terribly starved, you decided to let things slide, the two of you lunching in a period of temporal truce. He went through his burger in big bites, clearing it out before you even finished your portion of nuggets. You mildly wondered why he’d held off if he was this hungry, but didn’t press on the reason behind his invitation until after his tray was half-emptied.

“So… why’d you wanna meet up? Got something to tell me?”

“Mhm, I actually do. How would you like us to be room—Nah, that doesn’t sound too right,” Toji shook his head off, dusting the excess salt off his fingers. “I decided I’m moving in with you.”

“You, what?!?” You shrieked, eyes wide with shock, resembling those of your newly acquired key chain.

“What I just said. I’m moving in,” he repeated as if you hadn’t heard him the first time around. “Got everything right here. I’ll pop by later so you can show me my room.”

You glanced down at what he tapped as “here”, spotting a large black duffel bag that rested on his feet. He wasn’t joking, you panicked. He was being 100% serious about this. Directing your milkshake to your mouth, you took a nervous sip, nearly choking on the plastic straw between your teeth, while Toji kept staring at you, awaiting no answer in particular. After all, he wasn’t asking. He was proclaiming.

“Why would you want that?” you asked once you regained the ability to think rationally. “Weren’t you the one who said you ride solo?”

“Numerous reasons,” he stated, drawing his forefinger forth as if to recount. “For starters, rental prices going up, gas too. Inflation in the market and all that crap. Your place is also closer to work, and” he leaned closer, “wasn’t your neighborhood the one on the news recently? You know, those serial break-and-enter cases? As far as I’m aware, the culprit’s still running loose, could be a cursed spirit or something. You can’t see ‘em, but I can. I’ll keep ya safe. Wouldn’t you want that? Sounds like a fair deal to me, at least.”

The repetitive pattern of a catchy pop song blasting from the speakers served as a backdrop to your thoughts, eyes flickering between the table and his face. He wasn’t exactly wrong about what he said. The girl next door was the robber’s last victim, and from what you’d gathered, it seemed like the ones targeted were exclusively single women in their twenties. Curse or not, that was the intruder’s type, and you just so happened to tick both of those boxes.

From a standpoint of reason, his suggestion sounded fair alright, but this was Toji we were talking about. The man whose name was your first thought in the morning and the final afterthought in the night. The man you were coincidentally in love with.

Living with him would entail being around him a lot more than you could handle. Waking and sleeping and eating in the same house as him, spending your days off together, bickering about bills, take-out, and the TV remote’s ownership, doing things that only couples got to do, and of course, sharing a bathroom, which on its own meant seeing him parade through the cramped little space of your apartment in nothing but a soggy towel, hair slick and teeth beaming as he’d be asking if you’d like to join him in the shower—

You hit the break on these thoughts and pressed your forehead flat against both palms, feeling the heat exuding through your fingers. You were only able to keep this relationship platonic because of the distance he put between you. If he were to suddenly close it, what would come of you? How on earth would you be able to hold back?

“Don’t you want me?”

“Huh?” you bit at the straw again, snapping it in half.

“I said, you hate the idea of living with me that much?”

Toji certainly didn’t mince his words, but the way he was looking at you, brows furrowing and lips quivering into a frown despite the edge in his tone, almost made it seem as if hearing your rejection out loud would hurt him, and because of that, you had no choice, but to shake your head in denial. You wanted this. More than words could express, you wanted to be with him like that, even if you refrained from disclosing that truth.

You wanted him.

“What about your girlfriends? Wouldn’t they be against you living with some woman?”

“Nah, I’m done with that. Done with all of ‘em.”

“But my apartment is too small. I don’t think it’d suit you—”

“I’ll manage,” he cut you off.

“I don’t even have a second bed-”

“We can always share,” he smirked, letting out a light-hearted chuckle as he watched color paint your cheeks. “Couch is fine, too. So, whaddya say, roomie?”

“…Fine,” you conceded, very well knowing you’d come to regret this decision. “But we need to set some ground rules! No trashing the apartment, no throwing your ‘work tools’ all over the place, no smoking, no drinking, no loud music, and no bringing in random women. No starting fights either! You’ll help around and pay half of what’s needed, so no gambling your money away. Those are my terms.”

“You drive a hard bargain, roomie,” Toji said, balancing his chin atop his elbow. “Fine by me. Told you I’m done with half those things anyway, and I don’t mind helping you with anything. I mean that.”

But I could help. I could make you feel really good, Y/N.

His words from that night still lingered in your mind like an unfulfilled promise, and when he phrased it like that, you couldn’t help but be reminded of how good his hands felt that night, creeping all over your skin as if he owned it— as if he owned you.

“G-good!” you said, picking up a fry off his tray and tossing it in your mouth, lest you said something stupid.

“No one taught you stealing other people’s food is rude?” Toji shot you a glare unequal to your crime.

“It’s not stealing if you are done with it!” you protested. “You haven’t touched your fries in over ten minutes now.”

His tongue clicked against his mouth’s roof, producing a series of “tsk” sounds while he shook his head in disapproval. “Didn’t take ya for such a brat, Y/N. Disrespecting me in my face right after we came to an agreement? That’s some bad business ethics.”

You rolled your eyes at his comment, barely keeping yourself from groaning. “I’m so terribly sorry, sir. I shouldn’t have stolen your esteemed fries, sir. Won’t ever happen again, sir. Please allow me to express my profound remorse, sir.”

Although Toji knew you only addressed him as such to get on his nerves, he was still pleased enough to grace with you an unsuspecting smile, seconds before you shoved a ketchup-covered potato against his mouth, smudging the left corner of his lips in a way akin to that of his right corner scar. He blinked, clouds of fury gathering in the bleakness of his eyes and cheeks puffing up, painting the most adorable expression you’d ever seen him wear.

“So cute,” you gushed, unable to suppress a hearty laughter that agitated him even more, red blooming across his cheeks— most likely by the lack of oxygen, you interpreted.

“Fucking brat,” he hissed, dipping the last of his fries in ketchup and then stuffing your mouth with it before you could even react. “I’ll show ya how it’s done!” he declared, your lips puckering against his fingers, condiment spreading all over like lipstick. His other hand forced your head in place, stilling your chin for him to work on his masterpiece, making a much bigger mess out of you than you had made of him.

“Hmphmmph!” you hummed while Toji laughed, a deep sound that reverberated straight from his guts, his eyes glinting along with his teeth in sheer joy that convinced you to give up so as to not spoil his fun. It was rare to see him genuinely happy.

“That should teach ya to behave,” he spat, smugness in every aspect of his features as he pressed his thumb onto his mouth, cleaning the ketchup off with a lick. “But you did address me properly, so you’ve earned the right to choose. Napkin or my lips? Which one?”

Stupefied as you were, you didn’t understand the full context of his question until you felt the sudden warmth of his mouth flutter over your skin, the tip of his tongue sloppily gathering the leftover ketchup off your right cheek. Your jaw popped open, a small gasp escaping as a result of his action.

“Too slow,” Toji whispered, hooded green eyes peering right into yours. “I’ll ask again. Napkin or my lips? What’s it gonna be, doll?”

“N-n-n-napkin!” you must have stuttered at least a thousand times before forming a comprehensible answer. He was so close that if he tilted his head any closer your lips were sure to touch. “P-please get me a napkin.”

“Please?” he chuckled, acting as if was really going to kiss you and then pulling away. “Be right back.”

Even after Toji let go, you could still feel the weight of his thumb holding you down, your eyes zeroing in on his black sweater as he set off for the other side of the room where the napkin and condiments stand was located. You heard a few whispers coming from beside your table, catching three pairs of eyes shooting daggers right at your back.

“Don’t they have a home?” a woman’s voice echoed first.

“Kids these days…” a man added.

“Honey, don’t look at their sinfulness, it’s the devil’s work.” A second woman concluded.

You were on the verge of experiencing a cardiac arrest, and you were pretty darn sure you would have if Toji hadn’t returned with the napkins in time, his hand snatched by yours as you forcefully dragged him out of the place, spelling frantic apologies at whoever was listening.

Once you’d made it outside, you sighed in relief, winter’s viciousness coming as a much-needed slap across your face. You took in a few breaths, letting go of his hand and padding a few steps away from the store’s windows, afraid you were still the focus of their attention. Toji followed, one hand stuffed inside his jeans pocket, while the other held the duffel bag over his shoulder in a lazy manner.

“Can you give me a lift to work?” you managed to ask, dodging his stare even as he stepped to the front.

“I would, but I can’t. Gave the car away.”

“You did what?”

Nothing about your reaction was funny in any shape or form, but he seemed amused enough to break into a soft chuckle, his eyes, too, softening ever so slightly.

“Planning to walk around town like a bloodsucker?” he asked, bringing a napkin to wipe your lips with greater care than you’d think. “How dirty,” he cooed, gently tapping at the center. “Next time, I won’t ask for permission to kiss you, roomie. Let’s go.”

“W-Where?” your voice came out so frail that you doubted he’d heard your question, his bag bouncing over his taut body with every step he took outside the parking lot.

“You asked for a ride, didn’t ya? Come.”

A/N: Launching a new series because I have so many feelings bottled up that I'm in danger of farting hearts and rainbows and shit. Decided to take the time off and write this fic for myself cause I needed it, but then I thought why not share it with the world? First time writing for Jujutsu Kaisen and Toji in particular, so hopefully it's received well!

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ordinaryschmuck · 1 month ago

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Why I Love The Owl House: Part Six-Praises, Problems, and Perotations

Prev Part

…Perotations is a synonym for “Conclusions.” Had to stretch for illiteracy, there…Anyways.

Salutations, random people on the internet who are already skimming past this! I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons.

Here it is, friends and followers. The very last thing I have to say about The Owl House. Or things, plural. You see, this isn’t like the previous parts. In the past, we’ve discussed the show in every possible aspect all while circulating around a common theme, whether it’d be the characters, their relationships, the arcs, and the messages that the series is trying to tell. However, there’s a lot more to discuss about The Owl House than just those four things. It’s just difficult to find a theme for each topic because, well, I don’t have much left to say. That and there’s nothing these last few points have in common with each other to lump into a shared post. So this final part of this whole long ass thing is sort of me just me listing out the last few praises and problems I have with the series before reaching that perotation. And yes, I’m still sticking with perotation. Might as well commit.

Also, to keep things fair, each praise I give the show will be immediately followed up with a nitpick—I mean, problem. That’s how it’s gonna go for this whole part, as we go back and forth from praise to problem, praise to problem, and so on and so forth until we reach the end. We’re in the homestretch here, folks, so let’s stop stalling and finally wrap up a review that’s three years in the making as I finally answer WHY I love The Owl House.

Praise: It rewards multiple rewatches

That’s the best thing to say about a serialized show like The Owl House. Knowing about big reveals or the direction of the story is going helps make rewatching it a little more fun. You get to pick up on all the little clues that the writers left behind or how moments can be recontextualized. There’s little stuff like how Amity tried running away from Luz in the ROMANCE section of the library or the proud look in Alador’s eye as Amity fends off the abomaton, showing that there were ideas that the crew were planning to set up but left behind these hints, both subtle and not, and making fans realize that the writers thought that far ahead (Most of the time). Even the little things like seeing a Grom poster in the background in an episode leaves a nice teaser for something fun that’s to come while making fans smile at that particular attention to detail.

But it gets better with the bigger reveals. Raine especially is a great example of this, as they have two big moments that recontextualize how they interact with Eda in previous episodes. In “Eda’s Requiem,” it’s clear that there’s some romantic tension between the two, with Eda particularly being a blushing mess. It leads viewers to believe that the two share feelings for each other, but never admit it, with a few fans even joking that Eda isn’t that suave if she’s so flustered around an old crush. Then in the VERY NEXT EPISODE, we learn that Eda and Raine aren’t old crushes but are instead exes. It makes all the romantic tension in that episode feel more engaging now that you have that information in mind, as it tells you that these two still have feelings for each other, with Eda’s being the strongest seeing how she didn’t want the relationship to end but willing to keep quiet because she’s not willing to admit it. It’s a great utilization of recontextualization that makes the text more engaging, with the crazy part being the writers do it AGAIN in the same season. In “Follies of the Coven Day Parade,” we’re led to believe that Raine’s brainwashed by some potion Terra gives them, with Eda’s attempts to break Raine out looking like they’re WORKING but not hard enough. The biggest sign that Eda broke through was a tear from Raine, but even then it didn’t look like much as Raine went right back to chugging Terra’s concoction. Only for “Them’s the Breaks, Kid” to reveal that Raine was NEVER under any hypnosis or spell. They used bard magic to change the mixture with just a whistle, which we see Raine do when they first drink something Terra gave them. Not only is that a brilliant case of laying down the groundwork for a bigger reveal down the road, but it makes all of Raine’s actions in that episode have an extra sense of drama to them as we now know they’re faking being brainwashed and are trying to push Eda away from the oncoming conflict. “Follies at the Coven Day Parade” is already an engaging episode, especially with the Eda and Raine subplot alone, but the prior knowledge of what’s really going on with Raine just gives it an extra bit of edge that it didn’t even need but I’m appreciative of it anyway.

The same applies when fan theories turn out to be true. Now, there were a LOT of crackpot theories in this fandom, some of them going so far as believing that Luz would be possessed by The Collector (Remember that?). As for other theories, the show didn’t have much that was as big as that. There was Hunter being a grimwalker, but the show basically spelled that out to us with how it practically shoved that spell book into our faces. There was King being a Titan, but that originally felt like a crack theory based on the SLIGHTEST things with no follow through only for the show to give us all the information we needed in one fell swoop. The only real theory that had any weight, large in part because the clues felt subtle enough to glance over and were frequent enough to remind fans of its possibility, is Belos being Philip/a human. I personally picked up on the possibility as early as “Young Blood, Old Souls.” He didn’t cast spells like other witches and his staff and parts of his robe looked more mechanical than magical. It made me think he had no natural magic of his own and, with humans being the only beings who lacked magic, the logical conclusion was that HE might be human too. Sure, his face revealed he had pointy ears, but they were noticeably smaller than most witches. Almost as if he sliced up his own ears to help make them look more like a witch’s. And I know you can’t SHOW something like that in a kid’s show, but you can heavily imply it…which the series did through a portrait in Belos’ mind. Regardless, the show always left the validity of the theory as a possibility, with new information being thrown into the mix of whether Belos used to be Philip. They certainly sounded similar and, upon meeting Philip, a lot more of the pieces started to fall into place. His charm, inflections, and demeanor all pointed to the signs that these two were the same guy, with “Hollow Mind” only confirming it to the audience. With all this proper build up and explanations of who Belos is and why he acts in a certain way, not only does it make forming and reforming the theory more fun, but it makes rewatching Belos’ actions become more engaging as you get a better idea of what he’s going for. We know why he’s vague about his plans for the Day of Unity, why he treats Hunter so disrespectfully, and why he wants a portal to the Human Realm. It makes an already threatening villain more vile and intriguing all because we know exactly who he is, rewarding fans who already got close to predicting the truth by giving them more than what they bet on.

This is the fun of watching a show like The Owl House. With its tight continuity and story consistently building off of itself, it makes you appreciate all the finer details and see how it all mostly lines up. Not everything was planned out, but, for the stuff that was, it makes rewatching the series feel better and better as you know the writers spent so much time making sure everything they make lines up perfectly as they could. By knowing the truth, it can make fans appreciate even the TINIEST of moments in Season One that would HEIGHTEN the experience once you you got to Season Three…Unfortunately, though, there is ONE thing that the writers didn’t fully work out, to the point where it kind of breaks the series when we get to that final season.

Problem: The timeline is all kinds of wonky

I don’t mean all the stuff in the past. Caleb running away with Evelyn, Belos’ rise to power, Eda’s curse and all the consequences that came with it all line up well enough. What I’m talking about is all the things that happened in the present. From “A Lying Witch and a Warden” to “Thanks to Them,” a lot of the show’s attempts at making a timeline of events falls short.

At first, it seemed that they were doing a good job of it. They said that “I Was a Teenage Abomination” and “Covention” were a week apart from each other, with the same being the case with the ladder episode and “Lost in Language.” There, the writers were explicitly giving us an exact timeline of events, being relatively easy to follow. But either they realized that they’re making the summer move along a little faster or they stopped caring about consistency, because they stopped mapping things out after “Lost in Language.” From there on, the writers become noticeably vague about how far apart these events occurred. “Keeping Up A-Fear-Ances” has Luz assume that summer is over, so it’s definitely been months since the first episode, meaning we’re probably in Fall…but then it gets trickier. Because by the end of “Reaching Out,” it shows us this calendar next to Camila that it’s currently the last week of August. Now, some summer camps don’t last the WHOLE summer, I’m sure…But Camila, in the very first episode, specifically said, “The next THREE MONTHS will fly by.” If it’s been three months, depending on the school Luz went to, we would be in August by “Keeping Up A-Fear-Ances.” However, it’s weird that we’re STILL in August in “Reaching Out.” In order for that to make sense, every episode after “Keeping Up A-Fear-Ances” would be a day apart from each other. Is that plausible? Probably. But ONLY if camp ended at the exact time as “Keeping Up A-Fear-Ances.” What we saw in the ending could have been a few days, maybe a week at some random point of August.

And even IF events were a day apart, that still wouldn’t work. Assuming it’s the middle of August, that either has not enough episodes or not enough days. And even then, to think that all of these episodes, EACH ONE, takes place a day after the other is INSANE. It definitely doesn’t do Hunter’s redemption arc any favors if it took less than a month to change his perception of reality. Plus, something Raine said in “Follies at the Coven Day Parade” makes things MORE confusing. They said they’ve spent a MONTH in bed. Could be a part of the “brainwashing” that’s making them say that, but still, a month WHEN? A month BEFORE or AFTER “Eda’s Requiem?” Because if it was a month BEFORE, why would the Emperor’s Coven make Raine think they’ve been taken care of BEFORE becoming an official Bard Head? And if it’s a month AFTER, then HOW?! IS IT?! STILL AUGUST?! I’m telling you, it HURTS the brain to think about, and it hurts even MORE when there’s a frickin’ scrap book in “Thanks to Them” that explicitly says the Hexsquad spent a SUMMER together, WHICH THE PHOTOS PROVE TO BE ACCURATE! When’s the last time you’ve seen people go to the beach in the mid to late September? Or go tubing when we’re getting close to October? Or relaxing in the sun or enjoying your time in the garden when it’s the middle of FALL?! The math is NOT mathing in this scenario, and it really almost breaks the series.

Now, the question is this: HOW did this happen? Well, there are two theories, one generous and the other reasonable. The generous theory is that, given most of the timeline started getting broken in the second half of Season Two, it’s possible that this was a result of the story getting shortened (Yes, I’m playing that card. Stick with me). The writers confirmed that the first half of Season Two was already written and put into production before Disney decided we can’t have nice things and shortened the series. There were a LOT of things that were likely to happen in that longer version of The Owl House, with a “summer” in the human realm being something they thought up as a way to make the story more interesting despite the constrained time limit. However, like I said, that’s being generous. Because the reality, in what I can assume, is that writers didn’t do the math right and failed to properly communicate with the art department. Stuff like the calendar and scrapbook is something made by the background, prop, and storyboard artists, likely trying to clean things up and add more fun to the story, only for it to turn out that they didn’t get the proper notes they needed. The results…doesn’t fundamentally destroy the series, but it does break things everytime you think about it. If you’re not paying attention, you won’t be bothered by any of it, but if the only solution is to tell people not to think about something in the series that’s so broken…is a bit of an unfair suggestion to make. You can’t tell people to ignore something wrong with the story, no matter how good the rest of it is. It’s still worth being brought up, even if it’s something small that turns into something BIGGER down the line. That way, it could help future writers, or people working on this show moving onto bigger things, to avoid facing a similar issue and make the NEXT story end up being a little less broken…But I can tell you what ISN’T broken in THIS series.

Praise: The Characters all feel solid.

“What does that even mean?”

Good question! Because I don’t know.

Yeah, this one’s more based on a FEELING I get when watching the show. It’s something I notice when watching it alongside Amphibia, Gravity Falls, or most other 2D shows. It’s even something I noticed with MoringMark’s comics, which often nails a close approximation of the show’s art style, but SOMETHING always felt a little off. And it’s not when looking at the show do I realize the reason WHY is because The Owl House has a certain…volume to it. Like, I can almost TOUCH these characters when they’re on screen. As for how, again, I have no idea. It could be how the characters are colored, the weight in their lines, the way they’re shaded, or even the ways they’re meant to move. I don’t know how or why The Owl House accomplishes this feeling I get from it, but I feel like it’s something worth mentioning, even if briefly.

See? Not every part of this final review will be long winded. Sometimes, I just gotta bring up small things that enough people talk about, to show how I appreciate The Owl House in most facets. Certainly helps when I bring up something that might get people angry.

Problem: The animation’s a bit too stiff at times

Not all the time, mind you. There are a lot of scenes where the series goes all out and adds so much fluidity in such a short scene. The problem comes when you realize how great THOSE scenes look causes the rest of the show to…NOT look like that.

To be clear, the animation’s not AWFUL. I’d say more times than not, the show looks good. It’s just that you can see where most of the budget went into for certain scenes. It’s a tactic that action oriented shows use all the time, to have the dialogue heavy and character focused scenes be slow and stiff so that they can save the best work on the weekly fight scenes. However…The Owl House isn’t an action oriented series. It’s a fully character driven one, as I’ve thoroughly established for five frickin’ parts now. There are only a handful of big fight scenes, with only a quarter of them having that smooth as butter animation. Yeah, while hype up the big battles like Eda’s duel with Lilith, there’s actually SOME fights where it’s the usual standard for the rest of the series, looking a bit stiff and slow. Sometimes, the same episode can have different animation for fights, with “Follies at the Coven Day Parade” having a stiff fight between Eda and Raine and a smooth one with Luz and Amity teaming up against Kikimora. The difference is noticeable and, the crazy thing is, I don’t dislike either battle, regardless of its quality. I think both are still good in their own right, but the noticeable difference sticks out and makes you realize…how the rest of the series looks. Again, it’s still good, especially in Season Two where it feels like most of the stiffness got cleaned up a bit. It’s just a thing where, despite how good some things look, it makes one almost feel that they’re watching a different show when it suddenly turns up the quality. It feels weird that the show looking amazing is a problem, but it only is when it sticks out like a sore thumb…That being said, though, the show DOES look frickin’ awesome when it wants to.

Praise: It has AWESOME fight scenes and cool uses of magic.

Is this contradictory? Only a little. And, to be fair, while there are times when the FLUID fight scenes DO stick out, they deserve all the praise in the world. Because unlike a certain book series that has magical fights in it, there’s more of an attempt to go NUTS with the action outside of “I’m pointing my wand as hard as I can!” Shout out to How It Should Have Ended for nailing that, by the way, because…Yeah, it’s accurate. If the best magical action you can come up with is characters pointing their wands at each other, it’s not really that visually compelling. Now, for The Owl House, you get a LOT more than pointing wands. You have characters dashing themselves away from big, magical blasts. Abomination goop being used as a shield, fists, or swords. Our plucky protagonist flying at the seat of her pants to try and defend herself from an evil emperor throwing everything he has at her. When the series wants to go hard, it does, regardless of how noticeable the quality difference is. And I appreciate the fact that The Owl House crew try so hard to make all magic that characters can do look awesome, regardless of it being an action scene or not. Outside of Oracle Magic, which never really got that much of a spotlight, all the other eight magical tracks are often shown to be–To put it bluntly–super cool. “Eda’s Requiem” has a ton of moments like that with bard magic, giving us an actual idea of what it’s capable of and, albeit briefly with a guard putting on earmuffs, imply that it’s limited by people being able to HEAR the tunes bards play. Plus, the final act shows the capabilities of Abomination and Beast Keeping Magic with Darius being able to teleport people with goop and morph his body into goo while Eberwolf has better tracking skills and being able to summon beasts. Sure, it adds intensity to the scene and proves just how powerful these two are, but it also shows us–Without telling us–what their magic types can do and how powerful one can get with a type of skill. Even something as simple as Viney casting a shield through healing magic or Bria making stone columns through construction is enough to tell the audience what we need to know about these types of magic and infer what ELSE witches like them can do in their respective tracks. It creates fun speculation on top of making the magic more interesting to watch as compared to the film adaptations of the unspoken book series. You should know which one by now.

However, as cool as the magic CAN be, how it’s casted could use some more punching up.

Problem: The magic system is kind of boring.

KIND OF. There being eight magic tracks is interesting and, as established, how those different magical spells are used can look visually intriguing. They definitely avoided the problem of characters just pointing wands for a fight, but they ran into this new issue of how the magic is casted. For every spell in every single track…it’s just the characters drawing circles. Sometimes big circles, sometimes small circles, and sometimes multiple circles at once. The only time a circle isn’t drawn is when a character uses a staff…most of the time. Even then, there are instances when a circle needs to be drawn, even if they’re not as frequent as a character casting magic without a staff. And I’m not gonna lie, this is an issue I’ve had since the first few episodes of Season One. It’s just such an uninteresting way for characters to cast magic, especially since it’s done by everybody, regardless of what spell it is. And you wanna know the worst part is? The show offers a more INTERESTING magic system than what most witches have.

Luz’s glyphs, much more than the spells, sucked in a lot of fans’ attention. There were people drawing their own ideas for glyphs that matched what COULD be in the show, or coming up with possible combinations when Season Two established that glyph combos are a possibility. And the reason WHY is because the glyphs are a more fascinating concept. They offer more variety of what they can do for Luz, and look more visually interesting than a circle in the air. What also benefits the glyphs are the limitations they have. They can do anything Luz wants, but she has to draw them EXACTLY as they’re meant to. No line can be out of place, and the circle has to be perfect every single time. Amity proved what happens if you draw the glyph wrong in “Reaching Out,” and that was just with ONE glyph. When it comes to drawing glyph combos, not only do you need to combine the right kinds of glyphs with a specific amount, but you need to draw them in a specific way. It’s more than just drawing two glyphs on the same page, it’s drawing one on one part of a circle that connects it to another. It’s complicated, and gets more so, depending on the spell. Belos’ teleportation glyph proves that you need more than paper to draw the whole thing out. And that’s not getting into the other limitations Luz has with glyphs, like how the invisibility glyph can only work for as long as the user holds their breath. That’s a cool concept and makes one wonder how other glyphs can be limited despite the power they present. Which is more than I can say about spell circles.

Spell circles are just missing that little extra OOMPH. It’s interesting that performing magic is more like a skill that a person needs to train themselves how to do. Like learning how to whistle or learning how to balance on one leg. Nothing strenuous, but nothing easy, either. Plus, the fact that there’s occasional strain from doing a spell too big or characters collapsing after doing one for too long does at least SHOW that magic’s not easy to do. It just doesn’t always LOOK hard, not from a viewer’s perspective. Maybe if something like Beast Keepers needed to make claw marks in the air or Plant Witches needed to draw squiggly lines to mimic vines. Or even if a spell requires a different colored circle, and being able to mix spells means you have to draw a variety of circles. Just…ANYTHING to make it seem like there’s more of an effort outside of drawing circles, all while impressing audiences with how cool the magic system could be. It doesn’t kill the show in any way, but it does feel like there could have been more creativity. It’d be difficult, but the show isn’t afraid to present something engaging through visuals. And not just through the fight scenes…

Praise: The show does great at showing development through outward appearances.

It might not be on the same level as an epic action scene, but this IS a nice attention to detail. You know why you often see characters wearing the same clothes in every episode, often with little variety? It’s because doing so makes it easier for the animators, giving them a sense of consistency to know how to draw a character each time throughout the series, only changing it up for one episode, specific scenes, or even a quick gag. So to either make a permanent or even gradual change to the character’s design as we reach a certain point in the story, it’s got to take a great attention to detail and continuity to make the change stay. Not only that, but there has to be a GOOD reason to do it. Sometimes, there isn’t. Like, for Eda, I feel as though some higher ups started to discover the lewd art fans were making and told the animators to show less skin on her (Didn’t work, they just made her look hotter). And for Gus, it’s just because the voice of his VA started getting deeper so they gave the character an older design to reflect that…even though, to this day, it makes me question what the hell “witch puberty” is. But while those are small cases that are either done “just because” or “for convenience,” there are some design changes that are often used to help tell the story and show how characters have grown and developed through the course of the series.

In a more permanent case, you have King and Amity. In “Echos of the Past,” King regains a piece of his old horn that Luz then glues back onto him…It’s weird that the horn fits perfectly and that it continues to grow as he ages, but, eh. He’s a baby god. There’s probably some god magic they’re that we’re not aware of.

Regardless of how the horn’s apparently magic, there’s significance to why this horn is now reattached to King. In that episode, he learns that there’s this new part of himself and his history that he wasn’t aware of before. Because of that, he wants to TRY to connect to his roots, even though he doesn’t know who or WHAT he is. Having his horn back is the first step in that journey, making him look more like what he EXPECTS his species to look like. It’s a small thing, but it still does so much to represent King’s character and the journey he’s about to take.

As for Amity, her big change is a bit more significant. After finally wanting to be her own person, she decided to change her hair to help reflect that. Instead of a colder shade of green that makes Amity look like her mother, Amity had it dyed into a warmer shade of lavender. Even how Amity has her hair made up offers this more welcoming appearance as opposed to looking like a smaller Odalia. Whether Anity wears her hair long or short, it frames her face in a much friendlier manner, showing off how much she grew into a kinder person. When I often think of Amity, I think of the nicer young lady with adorable cotton candy hair, as opposed to the snarkier, more intense teen with a colder appearance. It actually breaks my brain a little when I rewatch earlier Season One episodes, because I don’t associate that look with Amity anymore, let alone her behavior. It proves how much she’s changed, inside and out, all while trying to be her own person instead of a carbon copy of someone worse. Sure, the change was a bit jarring and, admittedly, I missed the green hair upon the big reveal, but it’s a necessary change to make the fandom’s favorite white girl happy. It’s not like everyone can have a more gradual change like the fandom’s favorite white boy.

Hunter’s interesting because he’s the only character in the show who has a different appearance in almost every episode. Whether it’s something subtle like a new emblem being added to his cape or something drastic like…whatever you could call his outfit in “Labyrinth Runners.” Either way, he never really sticks to the same style, and that’s fine. His whole character is about discovering himself and who he wants to be instead of becoming the soldier and symbol Belos wanted. It’s why, during the final season, he starts wearing messier, looser clothing that is an outcry to the more professional outfits he went for. And while he ends the series the most scarred he’s ever been, it’s a nice detail that it looks like Hunter is the happiest he’s ever lived through his smile, lack of eye bags, and more loose body movement. It’s a mix of subtle and obvious details that showed how Hunter became a changed person despite all the hardships he went through. It’s beautiful and he’s not the only character that goes through this kind of change.

When I saw what Lilith looked like in the past, and how the bright vibrancy clashed with Lilith’s cold presence in the present, I was hopeful that her road to redemption would be her trying to look more like her old self. And while her redemption was rushed in more ways than one, it is great that the art team did lean into the idea of Lilith slowly shedding her old design for a warmer, kinder one. She ditches a proper set of robes for some spare rags Eda had laying around, eventually gained a uniform when she found stability in her life, allowing her hair to curl once more while adding a pair of specs, and ends the series with her red hair fully returning. At the start, she looked like the most blatantly evil antagonist with how much darkness encompassed her design. By the time skip, she still wears those cold colors, but the short orange hair, the specs, and even how loose that outfit looks gives this sort of eccentric professor appearance. Sort of like she’s Miss Frizzle’s cousin, but one that goes against dressing brightly and colorfully. It definitely fits the vibe Lilith’s current personality goes for, and it works. It’s another case of a character’s improved behavior reflecting in their appearance. However, sometimes the show can do well in the opposite direction by showing how WORSE a character has gotten.

Luz and Belos are the main instances of this. Luz was more brief, as she looked disheveled during “Thanks to Them.” Her clothes were baggier, her smile is basically gone, and it looks like she’s stopped caring about herself or her appearance. It perfectly shows us the mental and emotional state that Luz is in throughout the special, caused by her stress and guilt formed by Belos’ manipulation. Speaking of, through the final season, Belos gradually looks more monstrous and decayed as he continues his quest to kill all witches. It appropriately reveals how much of his true self started taking physical form and overshadowing the charismatic manipulator, all while his body melts and breaks apart to show that time is catching up with him every second. It’s the best kind of visual representation of what Belos has become and this final season will be his final moments. Both him and Luz have perfect visual representation for how worse they got this season, even if Luz’s change was more temporary than Belos’. But, even then, she spends the rest of the season dressed as her hero Azura, making her look like everything she wanted to be in the Boiling Isles as she gains determination to save it. So even though this season started with Luz at her worst, she still managed to evolve into becoming her best self while Belos continued to devolve into his worst self. There’s some hero/villain symbolism for ya.

The art and animation team work their hardest in making the show look as good as they possibly could, often aiding the equally great writing. Changing up the characters outfits and designs can say so much without needing the characters to say anything at all. It’s the perfect cooperation of writing and animation that makes some of the best animated shows function so well. In this case, it offered a great attention to the story at play and made for great visuals at the same time…Though, those same visuals aren’t exactly PERFECT…

Problem: The color scheme is a little off.

“That seems subjective.”

Oh, it’s VERY subjective. I’m not one who knows color theory or what some colors represent (Honestly, I find the whole thing nonsensical). I’m a guy who goes off of gut feeling and thinking to myself “Do these assortment of colors look good?” And the colors in The Owl House don’t look AWFUL, as there’s never a point where I feel like the show is unwatchable. I’ve seen uglier looking works of fiction, all because the creator or director thought it might “improve” the film. Whether it’s to hide the obvious CGI or because the director wanted to match the “grittiness” of the real world, there have been clearer cases where artistic expression or intent tends to harm how a show looks. Even things I like, such as Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss, run into the problem where the red and black characters tend to blend too much in the red and black backgrounds. I get that we’re in Hell and the shows often look gorgeous otherwises, but holy hell this must be torture for people who are colorblind. But again, The Owl House never gets THAT bad, even though it matches a similar intent.

Dana Terrace wanted to make a magical world that isn’t as pretty as your usual fare. Doing that means you have to avoid using bright and inviting colors, allowing viewers to appreciate the beauty in what others considered ugly. A nice sentiment, sure, and they don’t completely use unappealing colors. For the most part, the orange, red, and browns of this world create this sort of Fall atmosphere, while the blues, greens, and also browns of certain creatures and characters look devilish and/or ghoulish. The intent is clear and it’s not a bad look at all, but there’s something a little off going on.

I THINK it’s how the colors mix with the characters? It’s hard to explain, but when I look at a character like Gus, who frequently wears his Hexside uniform, something is off. Like…the cold blues and blacks of his uniform clash with the warm hues around him. Or how something like Willow’s original casual outfit had colors that blended in the rest of the world. Or how Luz’s bright white and purple hoodie contrasts her dark jeans and leggings. I guess what I’m getting at is that the colors of the character’s outfits are the problem? They either clash or blend in, to my eyes, at least. Again, NOT a color theorist, I’m probably just talking out of my ass here and going too much into detail about something that’s basically a nitpick. The colors of The Owl House don’t ruin the show for me, I still like the majority of how it looks. This is just a little thing that stops me, personally, from saying it looks perfect. Don’t take it too seriously, this is, again, totally subjective. It’d be the same as me complaining about the show’s comedy or music…Speaking of the music, though, I have NO complaints regarding that.

Praise: The Music is amazing.

Told ya.

And again, this is totally subjective. A show’s soundtrack is either going to strike a chord in you (ha) or not. And while The Owl House doesn’t have an AMAZING score, it’s still one that often fills me with delight no matter what episode I’m watching. Composers TJ Hill and Brad Breeck do a great job in giving The Owl House its own sound. There’s themes that can fit a certain character, like with how The Collector has this very bouncy yet very off-putting base whenever they’re doing wacky nonsense. There are also motifs that suit a relationship, like how Luz and Amity had this little tune that got warmer and gentler as the two got closer to becoming an pair. And, there are cases where there are songs that play just for a certain episode or theme, like that beat that played during “Echoes of the Past” when Jean-Luc was on screen. There’s a lot of effort put into the music of the series like there is in a lot of the show, and it’s often pleasant to the ears like how the visuals are pleasant to the eyes. There’s a total of ONE case where the score got a little lazy and that’s when they played the same track for when Lumity became canon during the scene where Gus introduces Cosmic Frontier to Hunter. That’s a very specific score that never got used again, and works well for the FIRST scene it’s used in. To reuse it for such a minimal moment is baffling, but it’s at least the ONLY time the composers did it. In a lot of other cases, they go hard with the instrumentals, with TJ Hill’s theme for the show being a pretty good listen. Wouldn’t rank it among some of the best theme songs for cartoons, but definitely better than most.

The closest I can find to a problem with the show’s music, outside of the one weird reuse of a specific track, is that it almost sounds TOO similar to Gravity Falls. Like, if you were to play a few notes from the background, half the time, it’s gonna take me a minute to figure out if it’s from The Owl House or Gravity Falls. I can let it go, of course, because both shows share a composer and The Owl House has a bit more of a…magical feeling to its sound, I guess. You know it when you listen closely, and it helps give The Owl House more of that unique feeling…But since I brought up similarities, there’s more to notice than just the music.

Problem: The show feels…similar to other modern cartoons.

Though, to be fair, almost every huge show since Adventure Time and Gravity Falls feels similar. There’s definitely been a trend where modern animation tends to start as comedic and mostly episodic, becomes gradually serious over time, starts telling a more cohesive story arc, and shocking twists that even surprise a few adults a lot of the time. It’s a trend tiring for some while exciting to most, with The Owl House being one of the better examples of this pattern done RIGHT. I have no problems with what the show wants to be, but I can’t help but notice instances where it does something similar to other shows that came out. Dana Terrace and her writers have put their own spin on ideas, but don’t stop these feelings like how The Collector’s playtime is a chiller Weirdmageddon, or how the final season is a repackaged version of Amphibia’s. I already went over that ladder two parts ago, so I’m not going to repeat myself here. As for the former, I’m not going to dwell on it because more than enough people did when “For the Future” started. The Collector is NOTHING like Bill Cipher, so they both go about causing chaos in different ways, with The Collector’s actions being unintentionally messed up while Bill fully knows what he’s doing and loves it anyway. The differences lead to two apocalyptic scenarios that are unique in their own right. Still, the similarities ARE there and are fairly noticeable.

I don’t like giving problems like that attention, though. It’s a nitpick at best and it’s always people using surface level similarities just to make a nonsensical argument about how nothing is original anymore. As someone who believes that originality is a myth and that it’s near impossible for people to make something wholly original, I find it pointless to point out how similarities are a problem, especially if what’s being made is still good.

“Then why bring it up at all?”

Well…because it does stop The Owl House from standing out, just a little bit. If you offer a story that’s too similar to others, you need to offer some differences that make it more appealing. To make it STAND OUT more from the crowd of great cartoons that tell their own great stories. Otherwise, why bother watching a show when there’s another version of it that’s just the same, if not better? And sure, whether something is better or not is purely subjective. I personally enjoy something like The Owl House more than Amphibia, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks that. But there’s also people who disagree with that and treat Amphibia as untouchable where it’s The Owl House that’s flawed. Trying to be better isn’t a big enough difference because not everyone is going to believe your story stands higher than others. But keep in mind, that doesn’t stop the show from being GOOD. Even if there are some familiarities with other things, you’ll still have a good time with what you watch. But think of it like this: There are dozens of sitcoms out there, each of them following a certain formula or character dynamics. Yet the ones people remember the most aren’t just the funniest but the things they did differently. Boy Meets World sort of grew up with its audience by having its main character grow up, going from simple plots of Corey painting his neighbor’s fence for a super soaker to him defending the right to punch a guy who sexually assaulted his girlfriend. Malcolm in the Middle forgoes having a simple, caring family household for a messy family of a-holes that are often at odds with each other but still look out for one another, even if it causes chaos for themselves and others. And The Office, instead of having people go through extreme and almost cartoonish situations, has real types of people living out realistic scenarios and laughing at how stupid and secondhand embarrassing they can be…At least at first. Things get a little bit off the rails later on in the series. Regardless, shows tend to stand out in pop culture due to the differences they presented, not just the quality. The same applies for cartoons like The Owl House, which has a similar vibe to other shows, not just ones produced by Disney. Now, it has differences that make it stand out ENOUGH, but I can’t really blame people for thinking that the series is a little similar to others. I only draw the line when people treat it as an actual detriment when, again, it’s nothing more than a minor nitpick. YOU might not think it stands out, but there’s an entire fandom that says otherwise. And to keep things fair, let’s go over a few differences to prove how well the show stands out.

Praise: The look of the world is great

I said it in the colors section, but Dana Terrace didn’t want a PRETTY magical world. She wanted something a little spooky and demonic, taking art inspiration from paintings by Heironymous Bosch. And while things never get to that level of intensity, let it be known that The Owl House tries to match the same level of weirdness. Or, at least, try as much as Disney would allow. Because if you’ve seen Dana’s non Owl House art on her socials, you can see for yourself how much she was restrained by making something family friendly. Hell, by the time I’m posting this, the teaser for her next big show came out and it definitely looks like Dana Terrace unfiltered. But no matter the limitations, the final result makes for a pretty unique world. By the second episode alone, the show reveals that everything takes place upon the corpse of a Titan. That’s already an awesome idea that I’ve never heard of before and things just get crazier as we see the many demons, witches, and creatures that exist in this world. You have obvious reimaginings of classic beasts and monsters in mythology, with the series putting their own spin on both the designs and what they can do, making these creatures fit with the mythology that the writers are trying to make for this series. As for the NEW creatures that exist solely in this series, there’s not a LOT of ideas that the show puts a lot of emphasis on aside from slitherbeasts and those…weird butterflies, but there’s still a good amount of random one-off monsters, both friendly and menacing, that have a good amount of creativity that puts into how they look. Even that tentacle monster Luz said good morning to in “Witches Before Wizards” has a lot more effort put into its design despite showing up once for the entire series. In fact, that brings up another positive in the look of this world: There’s a lot of effort in making EVERYONE look unique. Every single character and demon that Luz interacts with has a different design to them, with it being rare for the show to reuse character models to fill out a crowd. Now, most of them don’t have a consistent VOICE, but at least the animators and artists did good in making the people of the Boiling Isles look as weird as possible. None of them really look horrifying, but that might help the series more than you think.

The whole point of The Owl House is finding beauty in the bizarre. To accomplish that, you need to create a world that’s weird but not horrific. Make the people odd but not creepy. Have the creatures look dangerous but not horrendous. Basically, it’s all about finding that balance of looking off-putting to any normal person but never to the extent that it isn't something you can’t get used to. The show applies this to characters and the backgrounds, creating a world that’s odd everywhere you look but in a way that’s almost inviting. The Boiling Isles isn’t a place that the main character would want to escape from, but wishes to stay in because of how “at-home” she feels. It’s handled well in every episode, giving the series a look that allows it to stand out on its own just well enough…I just wish we could have seen MORE of this world.

Problem: The world feels small.

I said this before when talking about the arcs, but The Owl House doesn’t really have that expansive of a magical world. Granted, it’s a character driven series, it doesn’t NEED to have a GRAND landscape filled with adventure, it needs a place that the characters can interact and hang out in. It’s totally fine to tell small-scale stories in a small, contained area. There’s just two problems with that: For one, Dana Terrace clearly wanted a larger narrative near the end of Season Two, and doing so led to realizing how little we’ve seen of the Isles. More than that, it makes a fan like me realize I simply don’t care about the rest of the Isles. I care about the primary characters and I don’t want anyone to die, but I also realized that I don’t have the same strong connection to the Isles that Luz does because I haven’t much of it.

As for problem number two, it feels like a waste to limit such an interesting realm. Everything is either near or in Bonesborough, while occasionally moving through forests during SOME adventures. There’s an entire ISLAND to explore and we mostly stay in one area. What’s crazy is that, after Season One wrapped up, Dana Terrace did a Q&A where she promised that Season Two would have more island exploration. And all we really did was see a new city and a FEW islands that were only made for one-off adventures. Granted, I think she promised this BEFORE being told that the show would get cut down, and it’s possible that plans had to change at the last minute, but it doesn’t change how the Isles feel smaller than they are. And with how interesting this world looks, it’s a shame we only get to see it in a microscope view instead of seeing it expanded. The story isn’t RUINED by this, it’s just a missed opportunity caused by spending most of Season One in the same five places and having no time to explore more. Fortunately, the show’s good at a lot of other things regardless of limitations.

Praise: They made something OUTSTANDING despite restrictions

And there are more than just THE BIG ONE. I’ll admit that The Owl House is one of the few shows that adjusted well to a forced cancellation, knowing exactly what to keep in the original plan, how to combine one plotline with another, and come up with an epic, satisfying ending even though it wasn’t the ending the writers originally planned. In all regards, The Owl House managed to soar past expectations and still make some really great episodes and specials when, for other shows, getting a shortened series may as well have been a death sentence (Just look at what happened to Danny Phantom). But as much as the show deserves this kind of praise, it’s also worth mentioning that a shortened series is NOT the only restriction the writers had to deal with. They also managed to surpass expectations when you remember EXACTLY what The Owl House is.

The Owl House, first and foremost, is a children’s cartoon on the Disney Channel. Because of that, there are ideas and elements that the writers and artists can’t go all the way with because Disney still wants to appeal to that family-friendly crowd. So when the show gets away with something that you wouldn’t expect, it makes you appreciate it all the more. Sometimes it’s getting incredibly dark, both in the story and it’s humor, and other times it’s as simple as showing two girls in love. This is a REALLY LGBTQIA+ friendly series produced by DISNEY, and that’s somehow more surprising than ninety percent of what happens in “Hollow Mind.” And that’s an episode filled with death, torture, and destruction, so that says a lot, really.

The Owl House, much like Gravity Falls and Amphibia, really tries to push the envelope of what’s okay for kids or not. To me, though, it feels like it managed to push things further, mainly because cartoons of the past really helped in pushing boundaries too but also because of how deeply it managed to strike a chord in me. Like, I was an ADULT by the time the first episode premiered. I was NOT in this show’s age range and yet I managed to be both impressed and invested with every episode and what it managed to do. And keep in mind, that’s not an easy task to accomplish. As I get older and older, the more I realize that cartoons meant for children aren’t meant for ME (Shocking, I know). Themes are fairly simple, stories are becoming predictable, and the humor’s definitely more for younger audiences and not just ME. So if a series made for children still manages to get strong reactions out of a schmuck my age, it’s clearly doing something right. That effect isn’t going to be the same for everyone, but I personally see it as the show doing something incredible. Dana Terrace wanted to tell a GREAT story with wonderful characters, all with themes and imagery that certainly challenge younger minds, and created JUST that…Though, the story itself isn’t exactly PERFECT.

Problem: There are noticeable retcons caused by the writers wanting to go in a different direction.

This isn’t new for ANY show, let alone serialized cartoons. Adventure Time basically improvised its lore and backstories on the spot, and every reveal and change is almost perfect with only the SLIGHTEST retcons to make it coherent. And don’t even get me STARTED on the things comics have done. Did you know that Alfred wasn’t Bruce Wayne’s family butler? He was just some wannabe detective that actively chose to work for Batman and Robin.

The point is that I get WHY retcons happen. Large or small, subtle or blunt, it’s all because the writers decide they want to tell the story differently and try to change things around so it can fit with everything else they’ve already written. At its best, you barely care that it happens. At its worst, it’s blatantly obvious and you can tell that the writers decided at the last minute that they didn’t like the direction they were going in. And The Owl House…is right between that.

Keep in mind, the changes the show made is almost never towards the story. The narrative is often kept intact regardless of forced shortenings and censorship. The only times the writers decided to make any changes was towards antagonistic characters that the writers wanted to be redeemable. Amity, Ed and Em, Alador, and The Collector are VERY MUCH different characters from how they were introduced and how the writers decided they SHOULD be written soon after. Amity is definitely the best written out of this lineup, as the writers already knew that she had to be redeemed sooner than later and laid out a plan to make it work. However, the plan kind of falls apart when they reveal Amity feels regret for being mean to Willow only to show no form of regret at all in “I Was A Teenage Abomination.” I went over that scene enough, but it still shows how flawed The Owl House is in changing course when it comes to these characters.

Even with changes that I like, it comes across as something more sudden instead of an idea they had from the start. If Edric and Emira were meant to be Amity’s support system, then why would they do something so heinous as leak her diary onto the internet? That’s not tough love, that’s reprehensible. And if The Collector was just a child who didn’t understand how dangerous they were, then why make him act so malicious in their introduction. Yes, it was in a memory and you could argue this is how Belos remembered the scene, but everything else was exact so why would JUST The Collector act differently? These are very clear cases of the show wanting to do something different but only AFTER they were too far into production with certain episodes and soon decided to change course when we see them next. I at least LIKE these changes, I prefer them, but there is ONE case where this type of decision making did NOT work out in everyone’s favor.

Yeah, let’s go ahead and beat the dead horse that is Alador’s redemption again. I originally said that I’m not TOO bothered by this. I get the intent and, to Dana’s credit, she DID state beforehand that Alador is more complicated than fans might think. So I get that redeeming Alador was always part of the plan, but given the strong negative reactions this decision had, especially from fans who have had BAD experiences with parents like him, it’s clear that the writers didn’t plan far ahead enough. You can defend this decision all you want. I’VE definitely tried. But there’s no escaping the fact that showing us Alador acting just as bad as Odalia only to LATER say he’s not is a bold and flawed choice that feels worse the more you think about it.

Who knows why these particular changes were made to these characters after introducing us to them. Maybe it’s a decision of the writers that they didn’t think through or maybe it’s Disney influencing how some characters are written. One thing’s for sure, I don’t want to use the “There wasn’t enough time” excuse for this one. These were sudden retcons that weren’t properly done when it came to changing these characters. At the end of the day, I still PREFER these changes but I would have loved it if they were better eased into the series. Especially since the show IS good at taking its time for other things.

Praise: The writers waste no time giving fans exactly what they want in a timely manner.

Do you want answers to your fan theories? Do you want to see if a ship you love becomes canon? Do you want one narrative to be continued instead of pushed to the side to the point where it’s basically forgotten? Well, good news! The Owl House gives you pretty much what you want to see and you don’t have to wait that long to get it!

It always amazes me with how little time is wasted in The Owl House. Almost every episode has SOMETHING going on with it, whether it’s a story thread being continued, a relationship being developed, or a character you love making another appearance. The series is often good at delivering what the majority of fans want and doing so without really having that much input to work with. The first season and a half of The Owl House was being developed before any of the cast or crew were aware of how big of a fanbase they’d get and were already on their way in making fans satisfied. I mean, there were already Lumity fans hyper fixating on the ship LONG before “Enchanted Grom Fright” confirmed that they WILL become canon at some point. And even then, the writers still planned to feed the fans well by making it canon halfway through Season Two, potentially hoping to have more episodes in the series dedicated to these two nerds being in love. They planned something this special, not knowing how popular a ship Lumity would be. Just like how they planned to give Hunter a lot of attention without knowing he’d be a fan favorite character or make Steve the most lovable coven guard without expecting fans to love a SINGLE interaction he had with Lilith. I’m sure Dana Terrace and her writers went in hoping to make every character, relationship, and story excellent, but when you’re making something, you can never be too sure what fans are going to gravitate more to. So the fact that they managed to hit a bullseye over what the majority wanted is VERY impressive. Now, not EVERY fan is satisfied. There are some underrated concepts, characters, and relationships that some fans wished would have gotten more attention, both in the show and the fandom. I can certainly understand that, but I can also argue that it's more of you wanting more from The Owl House instead of appreciating what it already gave you. And yes, I know I just complained about not seeing more of the world not that long ago, but there’s a difference between wishing to see the creator of this insane world create more insane things…and wanting an episode dedicated to Emira Blight. Yeah, I’d like that too, but sometimes you need to judge what the creator and their writers gave you and not so much what YOU wanted.

When I say that The Owl House gave fans what they wanted, I’m almost always talking about the vast majority, and they certainly seem pleased enough. Especially with how they didn’t have to wait long to get what they wanted. There’s a total of TWO episodes that I’d consider filler because of how little they offered, both for the series and fans (You probably know which ones). The rest of the time, the show is perfect at delivering what it needs to, and it’s almost always at the right time in the series. Things are constantly moving forward, and it sometimes leads to a small complaint about how the show is badly paced. For me, though, I always describe the series as differently paced. We’re so used to shows that take their time building up to a ship becoming canon, carefully integrating characters into the main cast, or slowly writing out this big arc that when something like The Owl House practically speedruns the whole process, it causes this idea that its pacing must be off. Except that I never really think that it is, as almost every interaction these characters have often feels like a natural progression as you’re watching these people improve themselves and the relationships they have around them. Or the way they’re running out of time to solve these BIG problems leads to feeling the intensity of the situation as there’s not much room for error left for them. It creates a new experience compared to other shows and it makes sense why The Owl House in particular wastes no time. Some say that the writing was on the wall that the show wasn’t going to get that third season, I say…that Dana Terrace knows how things work with televised animation at Disney. The average lifespan of a Disney cartoon is three seasons. Very rarely does anything get four and it’s even RARER to get up to five. Not everything can be like Big City Greens where it’s basically The Simpsons but for kids. And keep in mind, this is a problem BEFORE streaming made things ten times worse for televised animation. Disney does NOT play the long game when it comes to their shows, with it often being inconsistent with what lasts long and what doesn’t. Dana likely expected her show wouldn’t get much time so she planned accordingly, getting to those big moments for the characters and story as quickly as possible without it feeling TOO quick. For the most part, I still say that the final result is handled well, giving fans exactly what they want with little to no fluff or filler…However, there are SOME cases where I can’t help but admit–

Problem: The series clearly needed another season.

Stop me if you heard this before: This aspect of The Owl House would have worked better–

“--if the show had enough time.”

Yeah, you get it by now. EVERYONE gets it by now. It’s the main criticism thrown around a lot, being applicable to a good amount of the show’s problems. Not EVERY issue, mind you, as Lilith’s redemption in particular is still all kinds of rushed BEFORE the writers were told they only have a season and three specials to wrap up the series. Regardless, The Owl House is a series that is BURSTING with potential with dozens of characters, story concepts, and themes, only to be restricted with how much they can cover. And oftentimes, the end result is still GOOD. I almost never feel like there’s an aspect of the show that was handled poorly with the time that the writers were given. Yet, as good as everything is, I can’t help but often feel like it could have been handled better. Luz’s conflict about choosing the Isles or the Human Realm, Willow and Amity’s friendship, and Raine’s rebellion are just SOME of the things that would benefit with a longer series. And the thing is that I’m not blaming the WRITERS for most of this. They were given a bad hand and tried to deal with it in the best way they could. I still stand by that what they made is AMAZING regardless of how little time they had, even if it’s clear that some ideas had to be cut out entirely or get rushed to an adequate conclusion. It isn’t perfect, but our favorite media rarely is.

Still, I won’t say this fixes EVERY problem in the show. An extra season would have benefited in giving more characters and narratives focus, allowing the writers to further explore these ideas they had better, but not necessarily helping the OTHER problems in the series, especially ones I’ve mentioned before in this part alone. Having more time just allows the writers more of a chance to let the series BREATHE and fully expand on what was necessary. As is, The Owl House will forever be one of the most popular cases, to me, where a show reaching perfection got held back by a network limiting how much they could have done. It’s not the first, it likely won’t be the last, unfortunately, but it’s still one that comes to my mind frequently. And a part of me can’t help but wonder what could have been if the series was allowed to go on longer. As well as make assumptions as to why it wasn’t, because so far the best bet is that it has to do with the NEXT praise I have with the series.

Praise: It has GREAT diversity.

Before you say the shortening ISN’T because of diversity, Disney is currently trying to scrub out any sense of transgender storyline out of its popular programming and seems a bit too keen to end shows early that continues to diversify casts and normalize certain aspects in society. So don’t F**KING tell me that there’s not any other reason The Owl House suddenly didn’t fit the brand, when the higher ups are making it clear that they want the brownie points for being inclusive but don’t want to go too far to scare off their conservative audiences! Well, guess what! THEY’RE not getting the brownie points, Dana Terrace and the writers are…And they really do deserve it.

The Owl House has a pretty colorful cast, to say the least, with the majority of the primary characters being people of color with only a handful of white people thrown in. And pretty much all of them are on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, highlighting and normalizing different sexualities, genders, and gender norms with the show explicitly stating it, implying it, or having the cast and crew come in to confirm or deny certain headcanons. I know we should take Hunter and Willow being bi and pan with a grain of salt because DANA confirmed it instead of putting it in the show…but is it really going to stop anyone? I think when your show has two thirds of your main trio be confirmed bisexuals, I say it’s perfectly fine to believe that anyone in the show can at least be a LITTLE gay, confirmation be damned. The show is very LGBTQIA+ friendly, like I said earlier, with several characters that many people can see themselves in. Though, some viewers to have notes about how…perfectly accepted races and sexualities are, as that’s not exactly realistic or it ignores the experience that many people tend to go through. To that I say…valid, but I get why it’s not exactly handled here.

Dana Terrace has gone on record that she wanted to create a world without any REAL discrimination for the sake of escapism. Kids likely get too much of that crap enough, and this is a way to appreciate watching characters who look like them, act like them, and seeing it without being reminded of what the real world’s like. The Owl House is a series to help children feel seen without reminding them of the stress they have to go through. Would it be a BOLD choice to talk about the homophobia and racism in the Human Realm and the culture shock Luz faces when she realizes that doesn’t exist in The Boiling Isles? Absolutely. But I do feel like, because The Owl House is a kids’ show, you gotta keep the kids happy. Doing that means showing them that who they are is NORMAL and they shouldn’t feel shame for it. I don’t hold it against the series to do things like make Camila accept Luz’s sexuality, I just think it's beautiful that this series is telling kids they can and WILL be accepted by the right people. Unfortunately, that’s not going to be the case for everyone, but I still say it’s good to tell kids that there’s nothing wrong with who they are.

Another benefit is that because The Owl House is a kids show, it teaches kids, specifically white and/or straight kids, that there’s nothing wrong with ANYTHING The Owl House presents. The color of a person’s skin does not stop you from seeing yourself in them. That person’s sexuality also doesn’t stop them from being nice or welcoming. Gender? It doesn’t matter because this show goes out of its way to prove gender’s a social construct, if anything else. A girl can dress up as a boy, a man can dress up more flamboyantly, and some characters can just say “screw two genders” altogether and be non-binary. Heck, one of the short-term antagonists has He/They pronouns, that the characters inexplicably respect despite not knowing The Collector has he/they pronouns, proving that no matter what a person is like, you should still acknowledge what labels they go by. And that’s GREAT! Normalization educates kids who AREN’T part of these races or sexualities that they should be ACCEPTING of it. It’s okay if two girls want to kiss, it’s okay for two men of different races to raise a daughter, and it’s okay for a Black kid to be one of the highest performing kids in his grade. Even if SOME parents get so mad at these ideas that they break their child’s TV and Funko pop collection (That happened, by the way. It’s a core memory I have when seeing this show trend on Twitter once).

The Owl House doesn’t NAIL the full experience of all these groups, but that’s not entirely a HUGE detriment to the series. A kid is going to see Lumity become canon for the first time and feel happy to know that they’re not alone in this world. They’re going to see great characters like Raine and see that it’s good to look and be a certain way. It’s less about educating kids about the culture of lives these types of people might have, but it’s perfect in teaching children that there’s nothing wrong with being a certain way. I feel like the writers deserve SOME type of credit for what they wanted to do, because that in of itself is ADMIRABLE…But admittedly, there is ONE note that can’t be denied.

Problem: It puts a LOT more importance on the WHITE characters.

You remember that handful of white characters I mentioned earlier? Well, they seem to be the writers’ favorites with how often they get more attention than the POCs.

“But the main protagonist is an Afro-Latina!”

That she is…but how much do we know about Luz’s history and family compared to Eda’s? Or compared to Amity’s? Hell, you could argue that we know more about BELOS than Luz. We learn it through portraits in the background of his mind, but we still learn.

“So, what? You think that the writers are RACISTS?!”

I did not say that. I never said that. NO ONE who brings up this criticism has ever said that. The writers aren’t racists for putting a lot more attention on their whiter characters as opposed to the NON white ones. The non-white characters are still well-written and highly regarded in the fandom, with some having more popularity than most of the white characters. In fact, I think I see more fan art of Skara than I do of Viney, despite both having very little presence in the series. The writers did good at making us love the characters who are POC and wrote them to be endearing to anyone regardless of race. There’s just this imbalance between them and the white characters, and it gets more noticeable in Season Two when the fandom’s favorite white boy gets a prominent role in SIX episodes while his half-Korean girlfriend is forced to share one with him. And share HALF a role with her white best friend. And keep in mind, I…wouldn’t willingly trade away Hunter’s screen time. I love Hunter, and so does the majority of the fandom. INCLUDING the POC fans, who don’t like it when white critics talk FOR them in saying that only racists can like Hunter. I’ve seen it. But as much as I love Hunter and his story, I would ALSO love it if Willow got just as much attention in the show as he did.

“Well, maybe if the show had more time—“

Don’t do it. Don’t even try it. Alright? Because I told you, the extra season would have fixed a lot of problems but not ALL of them. This imbalance started becoming more of an issue as early as the FIRST half of Season Two, a portion of the series already written before the writers were told that the show would get cut down. In that first half, fans were already pointing out how little screen time characters like Willow and Gus were getting despite being in a close, chaotic friendship with Luz. The first season started with them being major characters, and now it felt like they were being written out of the plot. In an episode where Luz, Gus, and Willow are ALL expelled, it’s mostly about the family drama Amity has with her parents while Willow and Gus do nothing to save Luz so AMITY can look the most badass and Luz gets a crush on her. In an episode where Luz is too sick to go on an adventure, AMITY gets to go and help reform HUNTER, while Willow and Gus have to stay behind and look after Luz. And even then, they don’t do anything. They just sit there listening to whale songs with Hooty as they remain ignorant to a crisis. Plus, while Gus may have HALF an episode to himself, he’s playing second fiddle to Lumity getting closer to canonicity. Meanwhile, Willow got squat, despite being the third person Luz met in the Isles that became an important part of her life and having a ton more prevalence in the previous season. I first dismissed it as maybe it’s because Willow’s arc of finding confidence came to a complete end in Season One, so maybe they didn’t know what else to do with her…but looking back, that’s a pretty flimsy excuse. A completed arc doesn’t mean a show should just STOP using that same character. You just need to find more uses for them other than being someone defined by their relationships.

“Well, what if people thought Willow was boring?”

I mean…Fair? Kind of? Not everyone’s going to like the same characters and if one isn’t your cup of tea then you’re not really going to miss seeing them, regardless of what race they are. I remember seeing Schaffrillas’ review of the first half of Season Two, and he definitely didn’t shed a tear to there being not much Willow content because he found Willow so boring. However, just because it’s not YOUR favorite character, that doesn’t mean it’s NO ONE’S favorite. And after just going over how important it was that this series makes kids of any race feel seen in this dumpster fire we call a planet, it still feels unfair that those same characters are often pushed to the side so that the whiter ones can take more attention. The cast, crew, and FANS pride themselves on how good the representation is, but as good as things are, the imbalance is what makes it imperfect.

WOOF…That was heavy. Maybe we should move onto a lighter topic?

Praise: Its drama is SUPER compelling.

I said LIGHT–Aw, screw it, this is good to talk about.

As I mentioned earlier, I am a grown-ass adult man. So the fact that this show made for literal children managed to get me so invested in its drama is a TESTAMENT to how good it is. When a character cries, I’M almost moved to tears. When someone’s in danger, I feel nervous for them. When the main character is dying before my eyes, I’m screaming like The Punisher as he’s strapped to the chair while begging for these masked men to not kill his family! That is NOT an exaggeration, I still remember the trauma and it’s the main reason I don’t willingly rewatch “Watching and Dreaming” most of the time. And no, that’s not a joke either, it’s…it’s a heavy scene from a heavy episode…

But that’s my point. This show often leaves me an emotional wreck in a way that’s on the level with a few shows that are meant for adults. Again, THE SHOW FOR CHILDREN is making me feel the strong emotions that I would for any adult series. Not all of them, mind you, and it’s entirely possible that not everyone would feel this way…But you want to know WHY it works so well for ME? The same reason why everything else works in The Owl House: The characters.

That’s more than just a fourteen year old biting the dust, that’s my FAVORITE CHARACTER. Hell, she’s probably one of my favorite characters in all of fiction, one I was endeared with through forty plus episodes of her wacky hijinks and lovable antics. So when she goes through something heavy like the cold embrace of DEATH, I’m naturally going to feel worried and sad over her going through it. And that’s just the SERIES FINALE! All the way back in Season One, my heart cracked in half at the end of “Agony of a Witch” when Luz collapsed and started crying her eyes out over Eda being gone. I love this character, I love the relationships she has, and I love the characters IN those relationships. And it’s a good thing I do, because otherwise the drama would not have hit as well if these characters weren’t likable.

Even the personalities of the cast often helps aid the drama. If a happy and optimistic character like Luz is starting to feel doom and gloom, you KNOW things are starting to get dark. And if the usually confident Eda is bursting into tears because she’s feeling the pressure of being unable to protect her kids, then that just proves how bad things really got. It’s not only proof of how good the characters are, but how genuinely good the writing is. These writers aren’t messing around, making something adults can appreciate but never really going TOO intense for kids…most of the time. “Hollow Mind” is STILL very messed up.

And it’s good that the drama is so well-done because the comedy…sure isn’t.

Problem: Its comedy is often hit or miss

I’ve said it once, I’ve said it again, and I might say it once more in the future. But The Owl House…just isn’t that funny to me. Not always.

When the jokes hit, they’re hilarious. My mind always goes to “The choosey hat” bit or Hooty’s…general Hootyness when I think of what makes me crack up with this series. When it’s good, it’s great. When it’s not…it’s like a C-Grade MCU movie.

*Dodges gunshot*

More specifically, it’s sometimes what the internet THINKS a C-Grade MCU movie is like.

*Dodges several gunshots*

Yeah, hate me all you want, it really does feel like that at times. Not ALWAYS, but often. There’s just a lot of moments that a joke feels forced in because we gotta make the kiddos laugh between all this magic and adventure, and it’s awkward every time. Gus noting how Luz must run fast because humans have dorsal fins is on level with that glob thing in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantummania wishing he had holes. Or how Luz, after making this big hero speech being met with nothing, says, “Not the response I was expecting…” That’s on the same level of someone going, “Well, that just happened.” It’s pretty much the show’s humor at its worst, and it often makes me roll my eyes instead of smile.

“Well, maybe your first mistake was expecting a kids show to make you laugh.”

Okay, fair point. I DID just say that these are basically jokes to make kids in the audience laugh, so maybe it’s just a thing where I’m too mature for these jokes…Counterpoint: Hilarity knows no age. Because Gravity Falls, a show meant for the same age range as The Owl House, still makes me laugh as an adult, just as much as it would when I was a kid. And if you wanna go further than that, an episode of Bluey, a show for MUCH younger audiences, manages to crack me up far more easily than The Owl House ever has. Being a kids show isn’t what holds back The Owl House’s humor. It’s just…not that funny. Not to me. If it is for you, more power to ya. But for me, I feel like the reason why it didn’t work so well is because Dana Terrace didn’t put too much of a priority on humor. There was more attention put on the characters, themes, and eventually telling darker narratives that the show being FUNNY became something they didn’t worry too much about. Everything else seemed to have come first, with jokes being on the bottom of the list. There were some great laughs to have, and a few cute chuckles sprinkled in, but most of the time, it’s just not that uproarious.

And that’s it…That’s the last thing I have to say about The Owl House…And it’s a nitpick that’s more subjective, if anything else…That’s not fair. After spending six parts and about three years talking about why I love this series, it’s unfair to end it with “The show’s not funny.”

So, instead, let’s end it by finally answering this big ol’ question that’s at the beginning of every post: Why do I love The Owl House? Really, why is it THIS SHOW that’s stuck with me for so long and one that I’ve obsessed over for about five years now? It’s not really the best animated series ever made. It’s not even the best made within the last five years (Have you SEEN Arcane?!). So why is it that it’s The Owl House the show I obsess over? The show that I’ve written fan-fics, analysis posts, and entire reviews to show my appreciation for it? The show that I’ve dedicated FIVE YEARS of my life hyping up as one of the biggest things of the decade? Well, to put it bluntly…It just is.

That’s not a BIG answer, I know, but it’s the truth. The Owl House is something that I love because it did all the right things in all the right ways at the exact right time. And it did it for me and MANY other fans who came together and voiced their LOVE for this wacky series produced by the company everyone hates. It’s not perfect, NO show is, but the imperfections never really mattered. They exist and I can’t blame people for feeling the need to point them out, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying the series. NOTHING can stop me from enjoying the series. Dana Terrace would have to come out as a transmisogynistic Nazi who loves the tears of puppies for me to turn away from this series, and even then…it won’t be an easy thing to do.

The Owl House is exactly why I’m here right now. I’ve gained friendships, followers, and had expressed my creativity because of this show. A show I NEVER expected to like and who KNOWS what would have happened if I decided to NOT watch that first episode late one night during college. For all I’m concerned, I might have become the…Lily Orchard to the Amphibia fandom or something…*Shudders*

Will The Owl House stand the test of time and be fondly remembered in the animation hall of fame? To be honest…not sure. Not a future seer. But will it stand the test of time in my heart? Most definitely. Because I may forget some shows and I might forget some aspects of this series like who was the voice of Luz or certain fan-made projects that got drowned out over the years (Remember the “Little Miss Perfect” Animatic?). However, I sincerely doubt, in the deepest part of my soul, that I’ll forget moments like THESE:

The Owl House is FAR from a perfect show. I know that’s true. But to me, no matter what people say, no matter how much better shows will come out…it’ll always FEEL perfect to me.

Thanks again to Dana Terrace and her crew for doing more than changing my life. You changed it for the better, and I’ll always be grateful for that…

#the owl house #luz noceda #eda clawthorne #king clawthorne #amity blight #toh hunter #willow park #gus porter #what i thought about #the owl house reviews #long post #seriously #this was meant to be the short one and it's almost thirty pages LONG!#what's wrong with me!

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captain039 · 2 years ago

Text

PART 2 Fangs

Astarion x werewolf!reader

Warnings: hurt/comfort, feelings, vampire things, werewolf things, jealousy, swearing, intimacy, first times, swearing, anxiety, anxiety attacks

I love the ideas of soulmates xD so probably gonna make it soulmatish, but more on the terms of they turn into your soulmate, like a friend to best friend to lovers. You just click but have issues, but you work them out 🥹❤️

Sorry I was struggling to figure out where this was gonna go haha

Previous part <-

It was a horrible time, but you needed to go to the village, your clothing situation had seem to run thin. You gathered some items in a bag, a bed roll and small tent, you hated this journey. Your next shift wasn’t for another fifteen days so you’d not be shifting randomly any time soon. You made sure your chickens had lots of food and a source of water, you closed off your garden and locked what needed to be locked before heading out. The first night was daunting, you always hated going to the village, hated the amount of people in one area. You made it by nightfall though to the village and headed to the inn. You were hit with music and noise and wanted to shrink. You headed to the inn keeper mindful of all the body’s.

“How’s it going need a room or some drink?” The inn keeper smiled.

“Room please” you said and he nodded turning around and grabbing a key before handing it to you.

“Will you be needing some food?” He asked and you shook your head.

“No worries head upstairs, number six you’re staying in” he gave a wink and went back to serving the other customers. You thanked him and headed upstairs, you found your room and sighed in relief. The rooms door up from yours opened and you froze seeing a familiar paled haired elf you quickly went to unlock your door and hide but, failed.

“Hello” he drawled out smirking.

“Evening” you said cursing the key.

“I believe it says six on your key, not four” he commented and you looked to the number and flushed, gods you felt stupid.

“Thank you” you moved past him and checked the number before unlocking it.

“Not one for a party?” He questioned turning to you.

“No” you said curtly wanting to go in, but his words stopped you.

“Why’re you here? I thought your cozy little home had everything?” He asked and you sighed.

“I need things” you said not wanting to talk and just sleep.

“Don’t be dull, I mean you did try to kill me” he grinned and you glared at him.

“You-?!” You went to shout, but someone came up and headed into a room.

“You bit me!” You hissed quietly.

“I apologised!” He argued back.

“Argh, gods, I just want to sleep, so” you gestured and he sighed.

“Don’t let the bed bugs bite” he said as you headed inside and closed the door.

You sighed shrugging your pack off and going to the bed. You laid down and cursed the chatter downstairs, hopefully it’d die down. What was that vampires problem? He tried to kill you first! Probably would’ve sucked you dry had you not woken up. Gods you don’t even know him and he irritated you. You gave up quickly on trying to sleep, the thought of a warm meal too delightful. You headed back downstairs and ordered some food before sitting in a corner with the least amount of people. It was too loud in here, maybe you should head back to your room. Your meal came and you ate in silence before someone came over.

“Did the bed bugs bite?” You sighed looking to the pale elf as he sat beside you.

“I was hungry” you stated gesturing to your food and giving him a pointed look.

“It’s rather loud in here for a small village” he said and you hummed in agreement trying to ignore the rowdiness. He kept talking, but you weren’t listening. You tried to ignore the nausea in your stomach and the way you grew dizzy, your beast sought to protect your body and you quickly got up and left, the vampire following you.

“Why’re we running?!” He called confused as you ran into your room and slammed the door shut. Your hands were clammy and you panted harshly as you forced control.

“You know I was having a nice conversation! Even if you weren’t listening!” The vampire yelled and you cursed him as you sat down on the floor and began to shake.

“Little wolf?” He called and you shook your head slightly rocking yourself.

“I’m coming in” he stated as he came in and closed the door.

“Oh” he said as you groaned in pain, some bones shifting and shifting back. You panted and covered your ears, mind running a million miles and hour. You shook your head slightly forcing the beast back, you’d be killed if you changed! You didn’t even see the vampire by you till you felt his hands. You flinched roughly as you turned to him. He held his hands up, posing no threat, he had sat by you. He lowered his hands slowly and nodded as he wrapped one arm around your shoulders and tugged you closer. You felt your body fall on him and you sighed, you could hear a faint heartbeat in his chest and focused on that, your eyes closing. Some time past and you felt the world drown out, you only felt his cool skin and hear the faint beating of his heart. His hand on the arm around you began tangling with your hair, gently soothing you, it reminded you of what your grandma once did. You opened your eyes and focused on the bedroom, feeling your body ache from the few shifts your beast tried to enforce. You didn’t want to move from the vampire though, the contentness you felt was too nice.

“Your hearts calmed down” he commented softly and you took that as an indication to move. You sat up slowly, his hand leaving your hair.

“You didn’t have to move” he said.

“I was squishing you” you said sighing softly.

“You’re rather warm, it was enjoyable” he said carefree and you felt your cheeks grow warm.

“I assume loud people don’t agree with you?” He asked and you nodded embarrassed.

“People in general” you mumbled.

“Matches the whole hag out in the woods” he gave a small grin and you laughed lightly.

“My names Astarion” he said holding out his hand.

“Y/n” you held out yours and shook it.

“Now that you’re settled, I do have someone to seduce, I’m rather parched” he smirked standing up and you flushed and glared.

“Go away vampire” you shooed, but couldn’t help a smile as he helped you up.

“Of course if you do need me” he said suggestively and you groaned rolling your eyes despite the warmth that filled you.

“I was only offering a nibble” he teased heading to the door making you huff as he left. You shook your head a smile on your face as you repeated his name in your head.

Astarion headed downstairs on search of some warm blood, he had a problem though. Not if his looks or his suggestive smirks, no he kept thinking back to the wolf upstairs who’d he just calmed down. You looked terrified when he tried to touch you, but after you relaxed against him he felt like it was the most normal thing in the world despite not knowing your name and you trying to kill him. He left his little hunting grounds and headed to his room, he could handle not eating tonight, he only left because he was afraid of your reaction of him pursuing you. Odd really, he’d never had those thoughts, once he saw someone he wanted, he’d have them quickly, but you, you were different, your taste was different. Maybe it was the wolf inside you, or maybe it was just his imagination. When he first saw you passed out he was concerned till he heard a heartbeat and the need for blood blinded his actions. He briefly wondered why a naked woman was lying in the woods, but your scent was different from a normal human. The second time you met, he actually got to taste you, the powerful beast inside you made him yearn your blood more. You were quick in wanting to kill him though, he’d only gotten one suck in before you were using his own knife against him. Something had shifted in your eyes though, then your body began to crack horribly and he saw things shift under your skin, he hadn’t meant to touch you, but he did, you dropped the knife in pain and curled in on yourself. Being a gentlemen he took of his shirt to cover you quickly, he’d seen most of you anyway, gorgeous curves, even more gorgeous glaring with his shirt on, hells he’d just met you!

Seeing you panic made him panic, felt like his caring instincts kicked in finally and he sought to comfort you. You were awfully warm against, but he couldn’t deny how enjoyable it was. Your hair was a little uncared for, but he didn’t mind as he played with it, he felt your whole body slouch into his, contentness practically humming off your body, he found it cute. Seeing your flushed cheeks and avoidant eyes made him wonder if you’d ever taken a partner, when he offered with a smirk he knew his assumption of no was correct, you tensed and it was like walls covered you, he wanted to break those walls.

Next part ->

#astarion x reader #astarion #vampires #werewolves #x reader

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englandsgirl18181234 · 2 months ago

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Ok, im invested in your Chthonic!Apollo au now. What is Apollo’s reaction to waking up in the Underworld? Does he panic? Is he relieved that their uncle seems to have taken him in as well despite only asking him to take Athena? Do Ares, Artemis, and Hermes follow them to the entrance of the Underworld or do they stop chasing them beforehand? When do they find out what actually happened? I was thinking it’d be interesting if they find out from Hades the actual condition the two are in and that’s why/when they switch sides.

And how’s Hades’s side of things? Two of his niblings just showed up at his door badly injured out of nowhere, terrified and asking for sanctuary from their father. Did he know Apollo and Athena were on the run? I assume most people on Olympus knew seeing as it started so dramatically and chases like this aren’t all that rare, but Hades isn’t always caught up with what’s going on up there so he might not have known at all.

And third question (which is probably less relevant to the plot of this one), when in the PJO timeline does this happen? Cause I know Chthonic!Athena takes place like 30 years in the future, and this one is a few decades before so, is it still in PJO future? PJO past (in which case, I think that would change the entire plot of the books if Hestia’s in charge by the time Percy shows up)? Does it coincide with the ending of ToA (or whichever was the most recent book in the timeline)? That would be super interesting cause Zeus’s last punishment that Apollo was subjected to is still fresh in his mind.

First of all, thank you for these, they give me so much to think about!

Second of all, Apollo wakes up confused as all hell, in a lot less pain than he should have been in but still in a significant amount of it, and with no idea where he is or where Athena is. So it's safe to say that he Freaks The Fuck Out.

He basically bolts up, searches for Athena, sees Hades leaning over her, not that he recognizes him in his panic, and goes for his throat cause he's been running for his life for the last six months and if they get caught they're both gonna die.

Hades basically scruffs him like a kitten and says 'No' in a stern voice.

Apollo almost passes out again when he realizes who he just tried to attack.

Ares, Artemis, and Hermes do not follow them, but not because they wouldn't have. Apollo set up a decoy trail once he realized where they were that had them assuming the two of them were heading towards Atlantis. It takes about a day for them to realize it's a decoy because of how detailed Apollo made it, and by the time they track him back to LA, his trail has long since faded because of how overwhelming Hades' presence is in the city.

And they do find out what happened to the two eventually, but it's definitely gonna take a while. I actually kind of want Hades to imply that Zeus succeeded in killing Athena and Apollo. Only after a few months of war and them recovering in hiding with him in case something goes wrong, of course.

And I can see him then using that chaos and the later reveal to take Olympus and dethrone Zeus.

I'm not sure if I want that to be how Ares, Artemis, and Hermes find out they went to Hades though. I'd feel bad if they thought them chasing the two had a hand in killing Athena and Apollo.

Not that they'd be wrong if Hades hadn't taken the two under his protection, but I'd still feel bad.

And Hades has no Fates damned idea what's going on.

I'm thinking this takes place around the start of winter, so Persephone is in the Underworld, and like, a few months to a year after Apollo returns to Olympus after being turned human, my own version of that time anyway.

So Hades has basically been holed up in the Underworld with Persephone. He has no idea the two are even on the run until they barge in and beg for Sanctuary. He doesn't even know they're running from Zeus until Apollo wakes up for a few minutes and tells him. So he's going into all this completely blind and it's gonna be a wild ride for him.

And I'm going to say it's probably about 10~ or so years after the war with Gaia? Because Apollo was human for at least a couple of years, and the camps deserves a break for longer that six months at a time.

Also I did my math wrong for how many years it would have been since the Giant War. It would be 30 to 40 years if Percy's age group is in their 50's, not 20 to 30. I always forget how short the gap is between PJO and HoO.

#epic the musical #epic athena #pjo athena #athena epic #pjo #epic apollo #chthonic!athena au #chthonic!apollo au #pjo apollo

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mirkwoodshewolf · 8 months ago

Text

No following; Planet of the apes fanfic Chap. 7

*Author's note*

Here we go readers, here we now enter the world of DAWN of the Planet of the Apes. Now here is where the warnings are bumped up to at least 3x mainly due to the level of swearing involved and certain words which I will point out in certain chapters. But I hope you all continue to enjoy this series and follow along as Lin navigates through a decade later and find out she's hiding secrets from her past that will be explained further on in the story.

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things

@waddles03

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@gay-and-ready-to-cry

@queen-paladin

@psychosupernatural

____________________________________________________

Ten years. It almost doesn’t even seem that long ago, but in this day in age; one year can almost feel like 20-100 depending on who you ask. After Caesar and the apes escaped into the Red Woods, the world went to shit known as the Simian Flu. A global pandemic that swept over the entire world and in just six months there were over 5 million deaths worldwide.

I, however, was one of the unlucky ones to somehow be immune from getting the Simian flu. Caroline and uncle Will—they weren’t. Caroline got sick within a year of the outbreak and died just days later. Uncle Will and I were forced into quarantine after she had gotten sick and I was told he died 2 months after he had passed away.

Being the sole survivor of your family…..it’s hard. And it didn’t help when I came across a news feed of the government sending in the military to burn the Red Woods down. If somehow Caesar had survived up until that point, I doubt he and the other apes made it out of that alive.

In this whole chaos, governments eventually shut down, nuclear power was cut off and civil unrest occurred on a daily basis. Humanity was tearing itself apart and it’d only be a matter of time before I too might be killed off. If I don’t eventually get the virus, I could end up on the wrong end of a war and end up being another civilian casualty, hell I got lucky last time.

I was awakened by a wet tongue and a loud howl before a yip finally forced my eyes opened and I saw a red wolf pup staring me right in the face.

“Good morning Toboe.” He let out a huffed bark before sniffing my face and licking it. “Alright, alright, god you’ve got really bad breath.” I got out of bed and stretched myself out before heading downstairs. As the wood creaked with each step, three more wolves perked up at my arrival. A large dark grey wolf, a Mexican wolf, and a pure white wolf. “Morning Hige, Tsume, Kiba. You boys ready for breakfast?”

At the mention of food, Hige stood up and wagged his bushy tail and let out a several loud barks.

“Okay, okay Hige no need to get your fur in a twist. Just let me get dressed and my supplies and we’ll head for the woods.” I headed over to the chest and headed for the bathroom and changed out of my sweats and into my hunting/scouting attire. Some simple black leggings, a black tank-top and my old military camo-jacket (I’d rather not talk about my days in the military).

I also grabbed my bow and arrows that I handmade myself and ordered the boys to come and they followed right behind me. We came out of the house and I unveiled my bike from under the tarp. One can never be too careful, I’ve seen thieves from the colonies coming around this part of the neighborhood trying to get anything they can get their hands on.

I started up my bike and my wolves followed right behind me as we raced down the road and across the abandoned Golden gate bridge. A place frozen in time from when the apes first made their escape a decade ago.

After arriving at the entrance path to the Red woods, I shut my bike off and pocketed the keys and whistled for the pack to scout ahead. They took off running and disappeared into the forest.

If you’re wondering just how in the hell does a 28 year old know how to control four male wolves? Well I don’t. Nor can I, for one thing I know they’re wild animals, just like Caesar was. I respect them and let them be who they are. They just choose whether or not they want to stay with me. Hige had migrated from his normal home (since Mexican wolves were found near Arizona and not California) where I found him in a trap and I set him free. After that he kinda just stuck around (I think it also helped that since he had tried to get back in the trap for the food that was in there and I had tossed it to him. That wolf can get in trouble for his stomach I’ll tell you what).

Kiba and Tsume I found together injured and barely alive especially Kiba. Poor thing was covered in blood I almost had mistaken him for a red wolf. Both of them suffering from what appeared to be animal attack wounds. And I swore from the bite marks alone they looked like apes (since they were almost identical to human bites) but I brushed it aside as impossible. No one’s seen any of the apes since the forest burning eight years ago.

It took a long while for Tsume and Kiba to come around but eventually they did even though there are times I do get bit or growled at. And then there’s the pup of the pack, Toboe. He was found abandoned in the woods during one of our hunts just a year ago. Poor thing was so frail and skinny, I feared he wouldn’t make it. But two weeks rest by the fire and after being given some water and food he started to come around.

In total. I’ve had these wolves at my side for almost 3 years now and they’ve kinda filled in a void that I thought was long gone after uncle Will had passed away. I got up into the trees and perched myself on the first branch I could settle on and waited for food to come to me.

While it is true I grew up playing in these woods, lately with no human interference, there have been animals who were never native to this area had migrated their way down to California for the first time in hundreds of years. Last I heard from when I was making trade with the nearby colony, I overhear someone saying that grizzly bears were found in these woods now, and that the mountain lion population was starting to make a comeback more than it ever had before. So one can never be too cautious in these woods now.

I scanned the area and all I could hear were birds softly chirping or the occasional squirrel or two. I heard a rustle of the trees and readied my bow and arrow when out popped out a doe and following short behind her was her fawn. I lowered my bow and watched as the mother and baby walked across the woods and stopped right at the creek nearby for a drink of water. Even though it had been over 20 years since my parents died, I still think about them every now and then but lately their faces have become nothing but a blur.

Another sound caught my attention and I turned to see two squirrels trying to get one acorn. One squirrel already had the nut and was trying to chew it open but the other squirrel was trying to weasel it’s way in and steal the nut. There was chittering exchanged before the second squirrel stole the nut and a chase soon commenced up one of the nearby trees.

Even in the animal kingdom there will always be thieves. But seeing these two comical squirrels made me smile as I became invested in their little game of chase. That was until the snapping of a twig caught my ear. It was then I saw a large six point deer staring directly at me. I stared right back at him and slowly raised my bow and he took off running back towards the woods. But I released my arrow and just as he disappeared I heard him let out a pained yelp as my arrow managed to get him before he got too far into the trees.

I climbed down the tree and raced towards him taking out my hunting knife. I saw the deer struggling to get up as my arrow had gotten him in the ribs. I held my knife in my hand and said to him.

“I’m sorry.” I then stabbed him right in the back of the neck and gave it a twist and he immediately went still and ceased his screaming. I took back my knife and my arrow and cleaned them off in the grass before readying the deer for travel.

After stringing him up and getting him into the side cart of my bike I turned back towards the woods and let out a single wolf howl, signaling to the boys that I was leaving for back home. I started up the engine and drove back into town to get my meat ready for lunch and dinner.

After skinning and preparing the meat I dug into my deer meat and felt like I had died and gone to heaven. Lately my hunting hasn’t had the best game, really only getting the smaller creatures, hell my last deer catch was well over 2 months ago so to finally get the richer meat that is deer, god I could die happy now. After lunch and saving the rest of the meat for later tonight, the pack soon returned with four birds in their mouths.

Toboe was the first to set his bird down at my feet, I soon realized that they had all managed to catch some quail. Hige then came up next and set his quail on top of Toboe’s. Then finally, Tsume and Kiba set their quail before me. I smiled and told them.

“Thank you boys.” Toboe’s and Hige’s tails wagged softly while Tsume and Kiba just sat down and stared at me. “It’s time I went out and made a trade with the colony, who wants to come?” Hige and Toboe immediately back off and headed back for the living room leaving Tsume and Kiba with me. “Seems like it’s the three of us, or are you two gonna ditch me too?” they stood up but they didn’t leave.

I went to the back and grabbed the supplies I managed to find further up in the city that no one dared to go since the riots a year ago. I also went into my spare closet and took out my old sniper rifle. I grimaced at it before putting it around my back as well as placed my gun holster belt around my waist.

“C’mon boys.” I grabbed my cloak and placed the hood over my head and once again readied my bike for the drive down to the SF Colony. Tsume and Kiba running close beside me until we finally reached it within 10 minutes.

The colony was once the Quarantine center of San Fransico. Anyone who had come into contact with someone who caught the Simian flu was sent here like Will and I were after Caroline got sick. But this was no home, it felt more like solitary confinement. A steal-enforced room that was most likely an 8x10 room (just like a jail cell) with lights always blaring down at you as your temperature, blood pressure and vitals were constantly being monitored.

Will and I couldn’t even share the same hallway as each other so I never got to say goodbye to my uncle. Only be told that he had died after a nurse was going her daily checkup on me. After a year with no symptoms, I was let go and finally felt the first beam of sunlight and fresh air on my face.

Nowadays this former quarantine cell now holds those in San Francisco that remain immune to the virus. But when the colony was being forged and the two men who were running it had found me, I refused to be a part of this prison once again. However hunting and fishing can only get me so far in life, so I made a deal with one of them.

If I could go out and find supplies whether it be weapons, food, a source of fresh water, or by some miracle an alternate power source, I would be given some portions of their food and drugs. But there are some people who try to test me because I’m an outsider taking some of their portions but they eventually learned that if you attack someone with a sniper rifle and has wolves who walk calmly beside her, you don’t test her.

Once I came up to the gates, they immediately opened up and I walked inside along with Kiba and Tsume walking on either side of me. The crowd already making room for us to walk through the colony. I walked further in until I came up to the stairway leading up to the catwalk.

“No one’s seen you in two weeks Lin. Some were starting to think you were dead.” I turned my head and just on the other side of the catwalk was Malcolm. He walked over to me and I said to him.

“A girl decides to hold off on her deal to get more supplies and people start spreading rumors about me.”

“I see that once again you brought your….backup.” he nervously looked down at Kiba and Tsume who both licked their chops and stood like two alpha wolves.

“You know they only bite when they want to. Or if I tell them it’s okay. Whichever comes first. Where’s Dreyfus?”

“In his office. C’mon.” he guided us towards his office and there at his desk sat Dreyfus holding a dead i-pad. “Dreyfus, she’s here.” He stood up as I came in.

“Lin. This is a surprise, we thought…..”

“I was dead? Yeah, yeah Malcolm already filled me in on the rumors. Look I was scouting for more supplies so I could get more income. Last time you skipped out on me for food portions and I don’t take kindly to that. So this time, I’m making it worth your while.” I set the bag down on his desk and leaned against the door while the two men went through the sack.

There they found new reading material for the children, some ‘new’ cables and wires that they could use for their radios to get a signal out, several healing herbs I picked from the Red woods, and a few magazine clippings with live rounds inside taken from some of the police cars that still stood along the bridge.

“Lin, this is—”

“Don’t patronize me Dreyfus. I’m not doing this for you, I’m doing it for those here that really need it. Now my portions and drugs.”

“Right, right. I’ll personally see to it that Scotty gets your portions correct this time around.” I then turned to Malcolm and asked.

“That girl of yours still have the strong stuff?”

“Yeah, yeah I’ll have Ellie give you whatever antibodies you need.”

“No antibodies this time, I want sleeping pills. The strong kind, not anything miniscule.” They both looked at me perplexed. “It’s that or it’s no deal.” I threatened.

“We’ll go talk to Ellie.” He then escorted me out of Dreyfus’ office and we headed towards his corner of the quarantine zone where they used to store all the medicine for the fever and sore throats but now he had made it into his personal little one level home with his girl Ellie and his son, Alexander.

When we came in and Alexander saw Kiba and Tsume, he jumped back but Malcolm assured him.

“It’s okay Alex just don’t provoke them.”

“And don’t look them directly in the eyes. Wolves take that as a challenge, at least these two do.” I also warned. The kid remained frozen where he stood until Ellie came around the corner and when she saw me she said my name. “Hey Ellie. Look I need sleeping pills, the strong kind and strongest you’ve got and I don’t mean no Nyquil or melatonin BS. Find whatever you’ve got and I’ll be on my way.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll see what I have. It may not be much but I’ll just see what I’ve got.” She said turning back to look through her supplies. I then turned to Malcolm who has been giving me the side-eyed downward look like he was figuring out what to say to me.

“Spit it out Malcolm.”

“What?”

“Don’t play dumb. Ever since you saw me, you’ve been meaning to ask me something so just say it!” I snarled lowly. He took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose.

“We’re almost running out of power. We’ve tried to rewire and connect to any alternative sources but they’re all dried out. But we’ve discovered that hidden within the redwoods is a dam that could help us restore limited power. And being that you’re the only one with a clear expertise on navigating those woods, we were hoping you could lead a handful of us to the dam. Just to see if it still works.”

Kiba and Tsume huffed and lowly growled as I took my sniper rifle off my shoulder and admired it as I asked him.

“How many is a handful?” I asked brushing off my scope.

“About six of us. Ellie, me, Alex, Kemper, Foster, and Carver.”

“No.” I immediately said. “I’ll take the rest of you but absolutely not Carver. That sniveling jellyfish can’t be trusted with a gun much less a knife.”

“Look I know you two have a….history, but he did work for the water company before all this went down. He knows all the ins and outs of how to get it running.” I glared at him. “Lin please. If we don’t try our luck with the dam, we’ll lose…..everything. More than we already have. You can’t tell me you’ll really let all these innocent civilians die.” I remained silent for a moment before telling him.

“I’ll let you know by sunset.” At that moment Ellie came back in and said as she held out two pill bottles.

“I had a quarter of Eszopiclone and half bottle of Zolpidem. Don’t take more than one pill a night and don’t…..”

“Don’t mix with alcohol yeah, yeah I know. I’ve been to health class.”

“Don’t be a smartass.” She demanded. “These aren’t to be taken lightly.”

“That’s why I asked for them.” I said taking the pill bottles out of her hands and let out a whistle as I placed my rifle around my chest and Kiba and Tsume followed me out the door.

I saddled up on my bike as Dreyfus handed me my rations and I told him.

“And Dreyfus, next time you want to ask me for a personal favor, do it yourself don’t get Malcolm to do your dirty work for you.” I revved up my bike and took off with Kiba and Tsume running right behind me.

Time passed and it would be dark within an hour. I had written my message for Malcolm about my decision to lead them to the Red Woods, I tied the note to a carrier pigeon and let it fly off to the colony base and I let out a deep sigh.

“You think I’m doing the right thing boys?” the four of them looked at me heads tilted. “Yeah didn’t think so. But I can’t just let them die. Even if some of them are assholes who deserve it, particularly Carver. But if that base goes, so do I. Hunting can only get us so far boys, and we can’t really leave this city unfortunately. If there even is a chance at restoring power, we gotta take it.” I popped open one of the pills Ellie gave me and washed it down with just a bit of water before falling backwards onto my bed and shut my eyes as the sky went from grey to black.

#planet of the apes #planet of the apes x reader #planet of the apes fanfic #planet of the apes fanfiction #planet of the apes imagine #planet of the apes imagines #dawn of the planet of the apes #caesar #caesar x oc #caesar x reader #caesar imagine #caesar imagines #caesar fanfic #caesar fanfiction

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bridgyrose · 11 months ago

Note

Ruby and Maria were kidnapped, locked in a dungeon together. Their captors are Silver Eye Warriors, with their elder leader having a strong resemblance to Summer Rose.

(Not what you want exactly, but... this is going to be fun)

Ruby closed her eyes and took a deep breath to focus on the smell of a finished rain and to listen to water drip on the stones next to her. She hadnt the faintest idea how long she and Maria had been locked down here, the small window at the top of her cell always lit with a light that kept her from seeing moonlight. Though, from the meals she’d received, she figured she’d been in this dungeon for a couple of days. Six meals had come and gone, none of them particularly filling though that didnt bother her much since all she seemed to be allowed to do was move around the cell at her own leisure.

“Have you and your friends been kidnapped like this often?” Maria asked as she sat down her now empty tray. “You seem rather calm about this.”

“I think Weiss is the only one that’s actually been kidnapped, but I did fall down into an abandoned subway tunnel when the ground collapsed under me so I’m sure that counts.” Ruby sighed and tossed a rock down the empty cell, listening to the echo to gauge how long it was. “Though, I was only tied up for an hour or two before my friends came to get me. Being locked in a cell like this is certainly a first for me.”

“You fell into an abandoned subway tunnel?”

Ruby counted the seconds she could hear the echo, a sigh left her lips when she heard the echo continue to her other side. “Guess its a bit too empty to figure things out that way. Have you seen anyone come by to give us food? The tray always seems to be here when I wake.”

Maria shook her head. “No, I havent. “

Ruby slowly nodded and went back to leaning against the brick wall of her cell as she listened for any footsteps. She hoped her friends were still okay and that they had made it out of the blizzard after the ambush that took her and Maria. Not that she could really call it an ambush, it almost seemed like a panicked grab for both her and Maria. And to make matters worse, she lost the lamp that Oscar had entrusted her with.

Her ears perked up a bit as she heard footsteps echo from down the hall. She moved herself closer to the bars and slowly stood up so she could see who was coming and be ready to strike once they opened the door. With a deep breath, Ruby stood motionless as she waited as quietly as she could. Then, she froze as she saw a woman come into view that could’ve been a near spitting image of her mother.

The woman stopped in front of Ruby’s cell and started to unlock it and open the door. “Our elder wants to see you both.”

“Your… elder?” Ruby asked.

“Get moving,” the woman said as she pulled Ruby out of the cell and pushed her forward down the hall. “You do not want to be late and anger him.”

Ruby grunted a bit as she was pushed forward, catching Maria still in her own cell. “What about Maria? Is she going to come with us?”

“The elder wanted you.”

“And who is this elder?”

“No more questions until the elder deems you as one of us.”

Ruby sighed and spoke under her breath. “I dont know who you are.” She walked forward as she was directed and made her way down the hall. Her eyes glanced at the stone walls to the side of her, not quite sure if she recognized any of the stonework. Not that any of it really would’ve helped since Oobleck had always lectured about relics and old forts a bit too quickly for her to follow. Still, it’d be nice to know if she was still near Mistral.

She winced as she was nudged to turn left, still following the directions she was given as the woman who followed her made sure to keep her on track. Soon, the hallway led to a set of stairs that led up, lanterns still lit along the walls. Once she reached the end of the stairs, she opened the heavy door that led to a ruined courtyard, one that was long past it’s prime. Where walls once stood were now only stones barely poking out of the ground, A few buildings still in livable condition covered in snow and vines that only grew in the cold.

The woman pulled Ruby close and tied her arms behind her back. “Follow me and keep quiet.”

Ruby nodded and followed as she was pulled on a rope leash, her eyes glanced around to look for an escape route. The first thing she noticed were the people around, most of them looked like they could’ve been huntsmen or bandits, but what struck her as odd was that all of them had silver eyes. She wasnt able to look for an escape for long as she was pulled into what remained of the keep of an old castle, promptly pulled and practically thrown down to the ground.

“I brought her like you asked,” the woman said.

The elder, an older man who looked much like he could’ve been related to Ruby, turned away from a map that he had marked with a few pins and looked over Ruby. He walked over and lifted her head, almost as if he was looking for something. Soon, a smile crossed his lips once he found what he was looking for. “I’d swear you were Summer if I didnt know she was much older than you.”

Ruby paused for a moment. “You… you know my mom?”

“Your mother, huh?” The elder asked. “Well, that would seem to explain why you look so much like her. But enough of that, lets get you free.”

Ruby flinched for a moment as the ropes were cut and her wrists were freed. She gently rubbed them as she looked over the elder. “Who are you? A-and where am I?”

“This here, is the remains of those families who hunt grimm like in the fairytales,” the elder started as he went back to his map. “Most of everyone came here to hide while others grew up in this little clan of ours to help keep Anima safe. Though, when Summer ran off, I’d never thought her daughter would make it here.”

“You still havent told me who you are.”

The elder smiled and took one more look at Ruby. “I figured it’d be obvious. I’m your grandfather, Amadeus Rose. And you, Ruby, are home.”

#rwby #ruby rose #rwby ruby rose #maria calavera #drabbles #hidden bastion au

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whatstruthgottodowithit · 1 year ago

Text

Little Bird

Fandom: Elvis Presley, American Musician, RPF

Pairing: Elvis Presley x Addison Goodwin

Characters: Elvis Presley, Addison Goodwin, Jess Goodwin, Jess Presley, Lisa Marie Presley, Original Female Character, Jerry Schilling, Marci Cunningham,

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 4621

Summary: Walked down the aisle, breakin' my heart, Lay down my pride, I know I gotta let you go.

Tags/Warnings: One Shot, Elvis and Addison, Weddings, Flashbacks, Love, Established Relationship, Marriage, Angst, Fluff, Abandonment Issues, Kisses, Dancing, Love, Graceland, Pregnancy, Maybe time line shift, Song Fic, Halloween, Halloween Challenge, Writing Challenge, Little Bird // Jonas Brothers, First In Line // Elvis Presley

Notes: Another lil Elvis and Addie one shot for yall.

Honestly thinking of everything he missed makes me want to scream and cry.

ELVIS & ADDIE // SONG LINK // HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE

‘Ugh would you stop it,’ Jess snapped batting her sister’s hand away from her face as she tried to manoeuvre an uncooperative brown tendril away from her line of sight. Lisa pulled back, sighing as Jess’ own hand immediately went to the strand of hair as she tried to fix it herself.

‘Hey, it’s not her fault,’ came a voice from below them. Jess watched as her mother rose from where she had been crouched, unfurling the layers of her dress so they weren’t touching the floor, a chastising glare on her face before she said, ‘she’s only trying to help.’

‘Sorry,’ Jess said looking at Lisa who shrugged but smiled, ‘it’s just it won’t cooperate.’

‘It looks fine,’ Lisa said reassuringly as Jess looked past her mother, trying to tuck the piece of hair out of the way.

‘Lisa’s right,’ Addison said as she reached her hand out, moving the strand into a place where, much to Jess’ surprise, it stuck. Once it was tucked away Addison placed a tender hand on her daughter’s cheek and said, ‘besides, in five hours, hell probably five minutes you won’t even remember that silly strand of hair that was annoying you. All you’ll remember is the excitement and happiness of getting married.’

‘Yeah, I don’t even remember what I wore on my wedding day,’ Lisa chuckled.

‘Or that you’re meant to invite people to it,’ said a deep velvety voice from behind them. All three of the women turned to look at where it had come from. Standing there, decked out in his finest tuxedo, was Elvis. His lip was curled up in a smile as he watched Lisa roll her eyes once more.

‘Hey, I remembered to invite you guys…eventually,’ Lisa said as he walked towards them.

‘Yeah, six hours before it was set to happen,’ Jess teased.

‘It’s not my fault Jessie is the traditional one,’ Lisa said, ‘anyway it’d be boring if we were the same right?’

‘It’d give me less of a heart attack,’ Elvis countered earning himself a shove from his youngest daughter.

‘Anyway,’ Addison said moving them along, ‘traditional or a little… fast-paced-’

‘Rushed,’ Elvis said at the same time.

‘You’re both doing what you wanted right?’ she said looking at the girls.

‘Yeah,’ both of them said in unison. Addison smiled, touching her daughter’s cheek once again hoping that her words would calm her just a little. She could tell she was nervous and though she knew it was more excitement than worry she hoped she had helped. After all when Addison had been nervous her first thought had been to run, she didn’t want her daughter quite literally following in her footsteps. Yet as Jess smiled back at her she could see her words had soothed her.

‘So just enjoy it okay? It’ll go by in the blink of an eye and you’ll be wanting to do it all over again tomorrow I promise,’ Addison said.

‘I think my bank balance might have something to say about that,’ Elvis jested earning a swat on the chest from Addison though when she looked back at her daughter she was smiling.

‘Thanks Mom,’ Jess said.

‘No problem honey,’ Addison said.

‘Uh, guys,’ Jerry said from the doorway capturing everyone’s attention, ‘everyone’s ready. The wedding party’s downstairs waitin’ to head out.’

‘Well, I better go and take my seat then huh?’ Addison said.

‘I’ll come with you,’ Lisa said grabbing her bouquet off the dresser it had been laying on before she turned back to her sister and said, ‘see you down there, okay?’

‘See ya,’ Jess nodded, feeling reassured as she touched her shoulder gently and then headed out the door.

‘I’ll see you down there too. Remember just breathe, okay,’ Addison said. Jess nodded and then said, ‘I love you.’

‘I love you too honey,’ Addison replied.

‘What about me?’ Elvis said as Addison moved to walk away from them though she stopped, rolling her eyes as she placed a hand on his chest.

‘Jury’s still out,’ she smirked and though she was sure it would mean she would have to touch up her make-up she didn’t move away as he leaned down to kiss her, their lips meeting briefly before she headed out of the room.

Once she was gone Elvis’ attention fell to Jess who, though she was feeling a lot better, was watching her reflection nervously in the mirror. She had spent months agonising over this wedding. Since she had gotten engaged she had planned everything out meticulously and now it was all here. She sometimes wished she could be different, that she too could call her parents just hours before she got married and ask them to jump on a plane but she wasn’t built that way. She just hoped that all her stressing and obsessing would be worth it.

‘Ready honey?’ Elvis asked snapping her from her thoughts. Jess looked at him and nodded, allowing him to link her at the elbow before grabbing her bouquet so they could walk out of her old room. They walked across the hall and down the few steps to the landing where Jerry was waiting.

‘You look lovely Vegas,’ he said.

‘Thanks,’ Jess said, those nerves still swirling around inside her, ‘is everything ready?’

‘Yep,’ Jerry said making her nerves fade just a little. She peeped around the corner, spotting most of her bridal party gathered in the hallway, ready to head out onto the lawn where her fiancée would be waiting.

‘Well I’m ready when you are honey,’ Elvis said looking down at her.

‘I’m ready,’ she said. Jerry nodded and with that, he headed downstairs and started to direct everyone out the door. Jess watched as the pairs of groomsmen and bridesmaids started to filter out, flashes of a camera going off the moment they stepped outside. And at that moment she was glad to be hidden given that this was the last minute she’d have without all eyes on her. As she pulled back her pretty features going pensive Elvis watched her closely. He could see her getting into her own head, like she normally did when she had a lot to focus on, like her mother did. In all the years he’d known her she hadn’t changed; she was still that sensitive soul he had met at fourteen years old not that that was a bad thing. If anything it was the perfect balance. Where Lisa was outgoing, free-spirited and rebellious Jess was her opposite and yet he loved them both equally. It just meant that he parented them differently. As he watched her start to succumb to her nerves he deployed the tactic he always did when this happened. Where her mother would use logic and reason Elvis simply elected to make her smile.

‘So,’ Elvis mused making her gaze fall on him, ‘still wanna do this?’

‘Dad,’ Jess groaned though there was a smile on her face.

‘I’m just sayin’. Kitchen stairs are right there we could have you halfway to Texas by nightfall,’ Elvis joked.

‘I thought you liked Scott,’ Jess countered.

‘Oh you know I’m just playin’ with ya,’ Elvis said nudging her with his elbow as he pretended to sigh, ‘though I can’t say I’m happy both my girls are leaving me in the same year.’

‘We live right around the block!’ Jess giggled, ‘besides I thought this is what you and mom wanted. No more babies, living your kid-free life and whatnot.’

‘Yeah and then your sister got knocked up,’ Elvis said.

‘Oh come on you two look good as a Granny and Grandpa,’ Jess teased running her finger along the flecks of grey that now wove into his sideburns.

‘Don’t let your mother hear you call her that,’ Elvis retorted making Jess’ smile widen which in turn made his own smile grow, he’d succeeded. Whatever thoughts she had been fretting over now gone as she enjoyed their teasing. It had been a joke on his end and though he knew it didn’t mean anything he couldn’t help but feel there was a hint of truth to what he had said. He had given both his daughters away in the space of six months, one of them even preparing to have her own baby in the next couple. It was a change that was coming. One he hadn’t really prepared himself for and though it made him sad he was also happy for them both. After all, it wasn’t as if he wished the hardships that he and Addison had gone through to get together.

‘I’m happy for you Jessie,’ he said after a moment. She hadn’t been looking at him, instead, she had been watching as the final couple of the wedding party headed out, signalling it was time for them to head down the stairs, though she looked up as he spoke a smile still playing on her lips.

‘I’m happy for me too,’ she said.

✵✵✵

Addison had been right. Jess had barely had time to breathe throughout the day let alone worry about what she looked like. Fortunately, though the day had gone off without a hitch and once the ceremony was done out front, the dozens of pictures taken, and the meal completed she could finally relax. She had enjoyed every minute of it even if it had meant being the centre of attention, something she normally left to the rest of her family. Luckily, she only had more spotlight moment before the night would fade into drinks and dancing, she just had to get through it first.

Jess watched as her father climbed onto the small stage the band was on, immediately capturing everyone’s attention. He smiled as he stood behind the mic, looking towards her for a second with a smile before he said, ‘hello again,’ earning a chuckle from the crowd.

‘Now, I know you’re all excited to get to a night of dancing and drinks but uh first we gotta do something. When Jessie first told me she was getting married I was happy for her but I had one stipulation, please don’t ask me to help plan the damn thing,’ Elvis said earning another chuckle from the crowd, ‘fortunately for me she’s got quite the team around her so I didn’t have much to do though she did put me in charge of one thing. Music.’

‘God knows why,’ Jerry heckled causing a giggle to emit from Jess and the crowd.

‘Well anyway even with my limited knowledge I managed to find a band Jessie and Scott quite liked and if you’ve enjoyed them up to now I know you’ll like it when they really get swingin’ but uh when the topic of the first dance came up I was surprised to find out there was only one song Jess had thought of, I’d say Jess and Scott but I know my daughter well enough to know he probably had no say in the matter,’ Elvis joked glancing at Jess who rolled her eyes and Scott who smiled, kissing her temple as he held her from behind, ‘so if you’d like to help me welcome the happy couple to the dance floor for their first dance officially married I’m gonna do my only job for the night.’

As music started to twinkle through the airwaves, along with claps and cheers as the couple took to the dancefloor Addison made her way to the fray of the crowd to watch, but where most people’s gazes were on Jess and Scott hers migrated past, watching Elvis as his velvet-covered voice rang out.

When they gave out eyes like diamonds, That would shame the stars that shine, My darlin', my darlin', You were the first in line.

When they gave out lips like honey, That hold a new thrill every time, My darlin', my darlin', You were the first in line.

She didn’t know why Jess had picked it. It wasn’t one of his most famous, one of the ones normally played at weddings but it was Addison’s favourite. Though as she listened to the smoother, more mature voice ring out around the garden it wasn’t as though she was listening to him now. She was reminded of her favourite rendition, one performed in a voice much younger and gruffer. Though the night sky above them was clear she could almost hear rain battering against the glass of a windshield and feel Elvis’ fingers running through her hair. At seventeen, when her life had been ripped to shreds once more, this time by her mother, she had never dreamed she’d end up somewhere like here. That she’d be standing in her backyard watching her daughter sway gently to the music with a good man at her side. A good man like she herself had.

As she watched Jess she smiled though she could feel tears burning in her eyes. They surprised her, after all, she had managed to make it through the day without crying she had thought she was home free but as she watched Jess throw her head back, laughing at something Scott had said, she felt the happiness spill out trickling down her face. She turned around and headed to a deserted table, reaching for a napkin so that she could dab her eyes. Fortunately, more couples had taken to the dance floor now meaning that no one seemed to notice her absence. That was until she felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her middle, a pair of lips nuzzling into her neck making her tears disappear in an instant.

‘Hey,’ she said, allowing Elvis to hold her as she straightened up in his grasp.

‘Hi,’ he said with a smile before he spun her around to face him, ‘how’d I do?’

‘Good,’ Addison said placing her hands on his chest.

‘Just good?’ Elvis chuckled, ‘wow Addie I don’t think I’m gonna recover from that review.’

‘Well I’d tell you what I really thought but,’ Addison said making him quirk an eyebrow as she fiddled with his bowtie, ‘but we know what normally happens after you come off stage and somehow I don’t think that’s appropriate.’

‘Mmm probably not,’ Elvis mused.

‘Maybe we could dance instead,’ she smiled.

‘Sounds good to me honey,’ Elvis said.

Addison smiled, moving out of his grip and taking his hand as she led him towards the dance floor, which was now inundated with couples enamoured with one another as they moved slowly along to the song now being played by the band. As they moved to an open space Elvis’ hand went to her waist his other clasping one of hers as she nestled into his chest, his chin resting on the top of her head. They moved in silence, content with holding one another as they rotated in a slow circle. Addison’s eyes fluttered closed as she took in his warmth, his cologne a familiar comfort. Yet when she opened her eyes her line of sight was on Jess and Scott once more, still dancing in their own content little bubble, and her mind flew back to a memory.

‘Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?’ Marci said as she slipped on her shoes. She was lingering by the front door, a concerned look on her face as she watched Addison struggle to keep Jess in her arms. It was bedtime but Jess hadn't seemed to have gotten that memo, her bright eyes watching Marci as she tried to get to her.

‘No it’s fine,’ Addison said, wincing as her hair caught in Jess’ pudgy fist before she untangled herself.

‘I can you know,’ Marci said, ‘it’s only Bill.’

‘You cancelled last time,’ Addison said guiltily, ‘go. Honestly, have fun. We’ll be fine.’

‘Well we’re eating at Charlie’s if you need me,’ Marci said. Addison nodded.

‘Have fun,’ Addison smiled.

‘You too,’ Marci chuckled moving to pinch Jess’ cheek, ‘you be good for your mama now Jessie you hear me.’

‘Mama,’ Jess echoed making both women smile before Marci headed out the door. Though once she was gone Jess started to fuss. She moved her in her arms, trying to get her into a comfortable position but it was no use, she kept wriggling reaching for the door where Marci had disappeared.

‘Jessie,’ Addison huffed trying to get her settled, ‘honey she’ll be back later okay?’

But it wasn’t working. Jess was starting to cry, big shimmering tears glinting in her eyes before they ran down her reddened cheeks.

‘Oh come it’s not that bad,’ Addison cooed as she rocked her back and forth on her hip though as she stared at the doorway her friend had just disappeared through she couldn’t help but feel as forlorn as the screaming child on her hip. In fact she kind of wished she was headed out to the door too. Though with that thought she felt a wave of guilt crash through her. After all she had chosen this life, Jess. It wasn’t her baby’s fault that her other care giver had a life of her own, one she’d put on hold far too long for both of them. See, soon after Jess was born they had realised that sharing the workload didn’t always mean doing everything fifty/fifty so whilst Marci picked up shifts as the diner they both worked at and went to school Addison tended to Jess, working when Marci could be home. It meant that Marci was out virtually all day so when she did get the occasional night to herself Addison didn’t begrudge her that. Yet over the past couple of weeks things had been different. Marci’s school course had been on break for the holidays and so she’d been home more meaning that Addison could take the better paying shifts and Marci could watch Jess, studying once she was safely tucked up in bed. But as the holidays ended and they’d gone back to their normal routine Addison had found her daughter had quite taken to having someone else put her to bed every night. She knew it was a phase, but she couldn’t deny seeing her fuss and fidget for someone other than her hurt.

As Jess continued to move Addison wracked her brain for a distraction. She walked them through to the small room they shared, Jess’ crib pressed against the wall. She took the teddy bear that was resting in the cot and presented it to her daughter earning the bear a swift smack upside the head.

‘Not that then,’ Addison sighed. Then she spotted a pacifier on her nightstand and offered it to her, receiving a more positive reaction this time as Jess took it out of Addison’s hand and pushed it into her mouth.

‘See that’s better,’ Addison said though Jess still didn’t seem settled enough to place down in her crib just yet, ‘so, you're missing Aunt Mar? Well, you're not the only one…but she’s got a life too y'know. Can't be running around after us all the time.’

Jess looked up at her, a distinct pout on her face as though she could understand what her mother was saying. Addison smiled sadly at her, pressing a kiss to her forehead which to her surprise she allowed her to do.

She did miss her friend though it was hard because she was happy for her, she truly was. She was happy that at least one of them got to have a normal life. That one of them could go out on dates and be romanced and happy. Yet as she looked down at Jess, her big blue eyes, ones that were so familiar, she found it wasn’t just Marci she was missing. She missed Elvis.

She missed everything about him. How infectious his aura was. How no matter how bad of a day she was having he could make her feel better. She could almost hear his voice. If he were here he’d probably handle Jess with a natural ease, the way he did everything. She’d probably settle just being in his arms, that aura comforting her the way it had her mother, but that wasn’t their reality. Addison didn’t have Elvis to rely on and she couldn't keep depending on Marci. So she had to figure it out on her own.

Though as she thought about him an idea came to her and before she knew it she was singing, rocking their baby slowly as they danced in their tiny bedroom. Her voice wasn’t as good as his but Jess didn’t seem to care, in fact as she stared up at her, her pudgy hand wrapping around Addison’s finger as her fidgeting stopped.

There may be others that know you longer, Who pledge their hearts to you, But there's no other could love you stronger, Any stronger than I do.

As Addison continued Jess relaxed, leaning against her as they continued to dance, until eventually Addison glanced down to find her daughter’s eyes were now closed. Though the song ended she didn’t stop rocking her though as they moved she found an odd feeling plaguing her.

It was one of panic. She didn’t know where it had come from but it had come on with such a vengeance she felt tears start to roll down her face. It was one of panic because she knew that one day Jess wouldn’t settle in her arms. One day her comfort wouldn’t be needed. She’d have someone else.

Yes, she had managed to win her favour after two weeks of Marci being the favourite but what about in the future? What about when she met someone? Would she leave her? The way her parents had. The way Elvis had. The way Marci was sure to once she found a guy she could settle down with. Jess was the only thing she had, the only thing she had gotten right in this trainwreck she called life, and yet she knew one day she’d go too. One day she’d be alone. She shouldn’t have been thinking that way after all as a parent that was the goal right? Raise a child to be a well-rounded individual so that they could eventually leave the nest, and maybe find someone along the way who made them as happy as their parents used to when they sang them to sleep.

But it didn’t mean she wanted it.

She’d lost enough already.

Addison was pulled out of her thoughts as she heard Elvis’ voice rumble against her ear and she pulled back to find him watching her expectantly, those same eyes from her memories sparkling from the twinkling lights overhead.

‘Huh?’ Addison said making him smirk.

‘She asks me to dance and then she doesn’t even pay attention to me honestly,’ Elvis said shaking his head in jest.

‘Sorry,’ Addison said meekly. Elvis waved her off noticing there was something on her mind and then his hand moved to her jawline, stroking along it gently as he said, ‘what are you thinking about honey?’

‘Everything,’ Addison said with a wistful sigh as she glanced back to Jess, Elvis’ gaze following hers, ‘I can’t believe she’s grown up.’

‘I know. Both of them are,’ Elvis said as their eyes moved to where Lisa was dancing nearby, Danny’s hands on her baby bump as he whispered something in her ear to make her laugh.

‘What are we going to do with ourselves?’ Addison said.

‘Oh I’m sure we can think of plenty of ways to pass the time,’ Elvis said low enough that only she could hear as he pressed a kiss to her temple making her smile before she pulled back, finally tearing her gaze away from the girls.

‘I bet,’ she mused though her face fell as she admitted, ‘you know I used to worry about this.’

‘The wedding?’ Elvis asked his brows knitting together. Throughout this whole process Addison had been a rock. She’d kept Jess sane, him informed and everyone else in line. Not once had she shown any trepidation.

‘Yeah not recently…when she was little,’ she admitted, ‘I know it’s silly.’

‘Why?’ he asked curiously.

‘Because I was on my own,’ she admitted, smiling at him guiltily, ‘I had Jess and only Jess...and I thought once she finds her person that'd be it for me y'know? That’s selfish isn’t it?’

‘Not at all. Things were different back then,’ Elvis said feeling his own guilt creep in. They’d been together so long now he tended to forget what it was like back in those early days. How raw everything had been for both of them. Yet where he’d clung to anyone he could find, trying to push the memory of her from his brain, she’d clung to Jess, petrified that she’d lose her like she had everyone else.

‘You’re telling me,’ Addison said in a breathy laugh before her smile turned earnest as she looked at him and said, ‘you gave me more than I can ever ask for you know that?’

‘I’d give you anything you wanted,’ Elvis said honestly.

‘How about we renew our vows?’ Addison said. It was an idea that came out of the blue, tripping off her tongue before she had a chance to think about it. She couldn’t help it, after all, today had been all about declaring your love. Was it so odd to want to let people know she still loved him more than anything all these years later?

‘Like I said, let my wallet recover first,’ Elvis teased.

‘Har har,’ Addison said rolling her eyes.

‘Besides, I thought you didn’t like parties? You detested planning our wedding,’ Elvis said raising an eyebrow. That had been an amusement to him throughout the past year of planning this thing. Throughout their wedding planning, she had begged him time and time again to just run away and elope but he had made her compromise. He wanted the world to know they’d finally gotten their happy ending.

‘I like our actual wedding,’ Addison said, ‘the proper one.’

‘The one where we hid from everyone you mean?’ Elvis chuckled as he remembered the day she’d finally worn him down. They’d had their big wedding of course but they’d also had a day just them, their official wedding, away from prying eyes, filled with love and happiness.

‘That’s the one,’ Addison chuckled.

‘Okay,’ he said earning himself a smile, ‘but let’s get today over with first.’

‘Deal,’ Addison agreed. They danced in silence for a moment, their gazes watching all the other couples until they landed on Jess and Scott one more. Lisa was standing at her sister’s side, the two of them talking in whispers as the boys waited patiently behind them. As Elvis watched he remembered something. He was sure it had been a dream, but looking at them together he couldn’t help but feel he had been seeing this moment only years before it happened. Like Addison he had thought about this day. Of Jess flying their little nest. Yet it hadn't filled him with as much sadness because he knew that throughout it they’d have each other. When he looked back Addison was watching him.

‘We didn’t do too bad huh?’ Elvis said making her smirk.

‘No we didn’t,’ she said caressing his face gently.

‘I love you Mrs Presley,’ he said, no longer having to hope that she wouldn’t say it back. He wasn’t dreaming here. She was his, nothing would take that away.

‘I love you too Mr Presley.’

Cause I know if I'm doin' my job correct, Nights like these will happen less, So please just keep me in your heart, When you fly into somebody else's arms, little bird.

ELVIS TAGS

@girlblogger2002 @sania562 @caitlin1996 @literally-just-elvis-fics @notstefaniepresley @artlesson8892 @18lkpeters @velvetelvis @jaqueline19997 @elvispresleyxoxo @amydarcimarie @presleyenterprise @everythingelvispresley @elvispresleywife @lillypink @richardslady121 @lettersfromvenus @louisejoy86 @ccab

#my writing #elvis #elvis fic #elvis presley #elvis presley fic #elvis x ofc #elvis presley x ofc #elvis and addison #little bird #halloween challenge #elvis presley x addison goodwin

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friendsoup · 18 days ago

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In Your Arms, Again | Tennant x Reader

Recipe: Slight Continuation of Workplace Randevu, Canon to that story I suppose, Just like then the reader is implied to be female but it's not explicitly stated!, Mostly gender neutral with a hard feminine lean, Tennant is Pathetically in Love, Wet Dog Tennant, Jealousy on both ends, L-word Said (love, not lesbians), Reader is insecure about the relationship, But maybe Tennant is too?

WC: 1,300

Chef's Note: It feels SO good to be writing Tennant again. I missed my wife, tails. You can find the first official part here, but you don't need to read it to understand this one.

It’d been so long since you had a day off. Sure you had the weekends to yourself, but only barely. There was so much housework to be done in your tiny apartment. So many bills to pay, so many things to clean. It seemed like those two measly days a week went by in the blink of an eye. Leaving you more tired than when you came in.

But here you were, free as a bird on the most romantic day of the year. You’d spent half the morning preparing yourself for the night, doing your hair and painting on makeup. The other half was spent on your outfit, which you still didn’t feel completely comfortable in. It was a bit out there, showing off skin in places you weren’t used to showing off. Your gal friends had recommended the dress, even offered to help pay for it.

If you want to find love, you’ve got to show off the goods.

That’s what they told you at least.

You had love though. At one point. A certain blonde jeweler, who came in and out of your life as she pleased. Despite all your nights longing for her, she hadn’t shown her face in your city for six months. It was the longest you’ve gone without seeing her, and you were beginning to grow resentful.

You could imagine all the girls she was seeing, all across the world. All the hands she was holding, kisses she was giving away. It felt wrong, this jealousy. The two of you weren’t even an item. But you couldn’t help losing sleep over the girl you couldn’t keep.

That was in the past now, you were sure. Now you’re smarter, stronger. You were going to find someone that actually stayed in your bed past morning. Someone who really cared.

You gave a last spritz of perfume, inhaling the floral scent. It was a homemade brand, a friend of yours made with her own garden’s flowers. You weren’t usually the type for perfume, but you wanted to hide that smell of shame that'd been sticking to you since Tennant left.

You were a brand new person now.

You marched to the door, swinging it open with full confidence, only to stop in your tracks.

The woman on the other side seemed just as shocked to see you.

And all too familiar.

“T-Tennant?” You whimpered. Now this was a cruel joke. You were just talking big game about getting over here, and here she was. In the flesh. “Heya, doll.” She muttered back, rubbing the back of her neck with a gloved hand. She looked tired, there were clear eye bags under those piercing red eyes of hers. Her normally well groomed hair was frizzy, down and out of it’s normal loose ponytail. Even her clothes, which she always took great care of, were disheveled. There was a clear lack of ironing, and she was missing that iconic annoying hat she wore wherever she went. “What’s cracking?” “Why- I!” You puff out your chest. “I ought to knock you on the kisser! You’ve got some nerve, showin’ your face round here, after you left me high and dry for months! I swear, you must be daft or somethin’! Don’t you know how much heartache you left me in? I-I!” Tears begin to form in the corners of your eyes, which you quickly stifle. You don’t want to cry, not now, not in front of her.

“You’re right.” She says dryly. Her tone catches you off guard, with just how hollow she sounds. “I left you, and that wasn’t right of me. Darling, I’m sorry. More sorry than I’ve ever been in my life.” She takes a step towards you, lifting a hand to your face. “You’ve got to believe me when I say-” She pauses, and sniffs the air.

“What’s that?” She asks, leaning into your neck.

“What’s what?” You reply confused, placing your hands on her shoulders. You don’t want her to come too close. Yet.

“Perfume. You smell like perfume.” She states, her eyes narrowing. “In all the years I’ve known you, you’ve never put on perfume. Who’s is it?” She asks, eyes flickering back up to meet yours.

Is she… jealous? Your heart skips a beat.

“Ain’t nobody you should care about. I just happen to like the scent.” You bite back. “I’m sure you smell of a thousand perfumes.”

“I don’t-” Tennant begins to argue, before pausing. She can’t refute that statement. “You know it’s not like that.” “Not like what?” You push further. “You get to mosey on up to any Jill, Jade, or Joan. And I’m not allowed to wear a girl’s perfume? What kind of justice is that?”

“It ain’t justice, I’m just wondering.” Tennant pleads now, dropping her head on your shoulder. “I’m sorry. Please. I didn’t come here to fight.”

She sounds so tired.

Your heart continues to ache.

“What you come here for, then? Here to make good on your promise?” You ask, still acting bitter.

“No, not yet.” She sighs. “I ain’t got nothing but peanuts. I just…” She hesitates, squeezing her eyes shut. “I wanted to see you, doll. I couldn’t wait any longer.”

Your grip on her loosens. “How long have you been in town?” You ask, worried for the answer.

“A minute. The second I landed here, I went to see you.”

That was the response that you were scared to hear. It was words like that, that made it impossible to tell just how deep her feelings went. Did she want you for you? Or for the convenience of a lover in the city?

“And lucky me,” Tennant jokes, “You got all pretty for my arrival. You miss me that much, sugar?”

Your intelligent mind begs you to push her away. To shove her out the hallway, and slam the door in her face. She’s gotten you nothing but trouble, leaving you with pain beyond anything you’ve felt before. And yet you don’t move. You find yourself frozen in the moment, trying to push forward any such response.

She notices your falling tears before you do.

“Oh dove.” She lifts her head from your shoulder, wiping a tear with her thumb off your cheek. “Ma jolie colombe. Ma vie et ma dévotion. Mon monde.” She whispers to you, in a tone so light you’re afraid to breathe, lest you shatter it.

“French.” You observe aloud. “You speak french now?”

“Bits and pieces. I learned in Paris.” She explains, brushing a piece of hair out of your face. “Do you want me to show you what else I’ve learned in Paris?”

You can’t say no. Your body won’t let you. You nod softly, and she wastes no time pressing her lips to yours. Her hands move to your waist, while yours stay on her shoulders, the two of you holding each other in a waltz.

The kiss is unlike anything you’ve had in your life. The passion behind it leaves your entire body on fire, your head spinning as if you’ve gone drunk off of it.

She pulls away after what feels like an eternity, the two of you breathing heavily. You see that some of your makeup has smudged on her face. You’ve made a mark on her.

“I do what I must to make a sale.” She whispers to you, pressing her forehead against yours. “But never once, never, did my heart stray from your hands. I’m yours, fully and completely.”

“I love you.” You say, unable to keep the words back. “I…” She begins, finding it hard to speak. Your heart beats faster, the uncertainty of her next words weighing down the moment. Will she turn and run? Like she always has before?

“I love you. God, doll, I love you.”

You thank her with a kiss. It seems love has found you.

#x reader #reverse 1999 #reverse 1999 x reader #Tennant #Tennant x reader #Tennant x you #Tennant reverse 1999 #Let's Make Friend Soup!#valentines day #Pal's Valentines Day Special

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ncisfranchise-source · 21 days ago

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The CBS drama has already served up a couple of Franks-centric episodes in the procedural’s first season, but Monday’s installment gave viewers more insight into the start of his relationship with wife Tish [Tonantzin Carmelo] and just how messed up he was before he ultimately joined NIS.

Here, Kyle Schmid — who plays Gibbs’ irascible mentor Mike Franks — explains why it was important for fans to get a look-see into his character’s past and why he earned the moniker of “sexy Jesus” after doing the episode.

DEADLINE You rocked the Jesus look at the start of the episode.

KYLE SCHMID Oh my sexy Jesus! Look, you try doing serious work on set. When your crew is teasing you, calling you sexy, Jesus. It was so hard.

DEADLINE They seriously called you sexy Jesus?

SCHMID Ridiculous. My crew is very generous, thank God.

DEADLINE Where was the motorcycle scene shot?

SCHMID That was outside Santa Clarita, Calif. That was an old 1972 Harley. God, it was nice to ride. It’d been 10 years since I’d ridden a bike. The only thing, it was six o’clock in the morning in January, so it was like 58 degrees, and we went from shooting that scene to shooting the freezing cold water all over my head. So it was a chilly one.

DEADLINE Yes, let’s talk about that. Did you happen to notice how they slo-mo’ed that scene when you washed yourself off with the gas station hose?

SCHMID I laughed because I turned to the director at one point and said, ‘this better not turn out like a cheesy music video. I’m already wearing a white T-shirt. This ain’t a white T-shirt contest. This ain’t a shampoo commercial.’ They’re like, ‘no, no, just tilt your head up and do that.’ And then they did it. I didn’t know it was in slow motion though. I was as surprised as you were.

DEADLINE So this episode explores the most the show has about Frank’s past.

SCHMID Episode five was pretty big. It was a case that was very close to Franks, something that he was unable to let go. And then episode 11, we got into some flashbacks with younger versions of myself before Vietnam when I had been drafted. So we got to meet my brother, which we discover in this episode has become estranged in my life. But in this episode, I would say the most happens. We go from the flashbacks to my relationship with Tish and how we met. So it’s a very big episode for Franks.

DEADLINE When did you find out that Franks was a bit of a loser back in the day? Did the showrunners let you know at the start of the season?

SCHMID It was discussed between myself and the writers over the course of the last six months or so. Franks doesn’t have all of the qualities of a leader. I’m a byproduct of experiences in my life that get me from A to B. When I was the veteran, I hold the knowledge to be able to take orders, to be able to delegate, to survive. But nobody came back from Vietnam, and it was all rainbows and butterflies. Mike is broken. You can see by the way he is affected by all the cases in his life. You can see by his relationships, you can see by the way he’s unable to communicate He is a perfectly broken human being in a kind of wonderful way.

I think it’s unfair to call him a loser because, given the circumstances that vets were put in post-Vietnam, the government wasn’t taking care of anybody. The PTSD made it almost impossible to be able to carry a job. They were spat on and abused by US citizens for carrying out orders of a government. So he was a byproduct of a society that rejected him. Franks was lost. He felt disillusioned and unable to find an anchor in his own life. So he floated and perhaps found purpose in minimal tasks like, ‘hey, man, you want to drive some drugs across the states?’

And then he meets Tish. You have the beginning of this love story that is just kind of magical. But his wife is raped and he’s unable to protect her. Everything in his being supports his moral compass and his ability to protect those around him. Yet the person he loves the most in the world suffers at the hand of a stranger. What is his job? His job is to find these people. And she says, don’t. So in his head, he’s already failed.

DEADLINE How does it serve the story going forward, showing this chapter in his life when he was lost?

SCHMID I think that it’s easy to look at Mike at this base layer and think he’s like rough and tough, maybe Republican, screw the little person. The stuff that comes out of Mike’s mouth is very off-color a lot of the time. And not to use this example with that exact phrase, but he has a moment with Mary Jo, played by Tyla Abercrumbie. And they’re talking about trying to interview a little girl who happens to be Black. And he walks up and he goes, ‘Mary Jo, why don’t you go talk to her?’ She goes, ‘why? Because I’m Black?’ And he goes, ‘yeah.’ The simple fact is the little girl who happens to be Black and Mary Jo, who happens to be Black, will share more in common and be more comfortable around one another. But that doesn’t come out of Mike’s mouth very well. He just goes, yeah. Alright, move on. So in this episode we get to see a side of Mike that has been shit on, who has been tossed to the curb, who has been broken, who is a little more innocent and liberal than this kind of eccentric cop type that we stereotype in a show.

DEADLINE Why is Tish so opposed to you going after her attacker?

SCHMID She’s not afraid for my safety. Tish is the angel on Mike’s shoulder. But two wrongs don’t make a right period, no matter how much you want to justify it. Personally, I don’t necessarily disagree with what Mike’s doing. My moral compass might be spinning, too.

DEADLINE Is this split going to last for a bit? What can viewers expect?

SCHMID Tish is not gone. In episode 15 coming up, we’ll get a better look into who and why Tish is okay, and why she feels so strongly about what Mike is doing. Is the true love of your life ever really gone? They’re not. And I think the one important thing is that Tish gave Mike this mustache. At the end of the episode, she shaves him down. Every day that Mike looks in the mirror, he sees Tish. It is a reminder of the angel on your shoulder, the person who saved you from the black hole.

#ncis origins #interview #kyle schmid

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mydictionary-yume · 8 months ago

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A3! Event Story | A Year of Romance with You - Chapter 5

(Contains very minor spoilers for A3! Act 12)

Izumi: (Huh…? What’s Sakuya doing here this early?)

Izumi: (Wait, Lu, too?!)

Sakuya: Mmn…

Sakuya: Director?!

Izumi: Sakuya, what are you doing out here? And more importantly…

Sakuya: I’m really sorry, director! I know we shouldn’t have guests over without permission, but she was standing out there in the middle of the night, so I figured it’d be best if she just stayed, and-

Izumi: Relax, Sakuya. I’m not mad or anything, you did the right thing.

Sakuya: But still…

Izumi: It’s alright, really.

Lucille: Mm… huh?

Sakuya: Oh! Good morning, Lu!

Izumi: Morning, Lu.

Lucille: Ack-! I’m so sorry director, I didn’t plan on staying, it was my idea, I’m really, really, sorry, and-

Izumi: Woah, woah, you’re fine! You two really were made for each other, huh…

Lucille & Sakuya: Ahaha…

Lucille: Wait, what time is it?!

Izumi: Hm? It’s just past six. You two are up pretty early.

Lucille: Oh thank God, we’ve got time.

Izumi: Oh? What did you two have planned for today?

Lucille: Just a trip.

Izumi: A trip, huh? Sounds fun! Where to?

Lucille: Well, I guess it’d be fine to say now that it’s the day of…

Lucille: We’re going to Hokkaido for a couple of days!

Izumi: You’re WHAT?!

Lucille: Thanks again for the ride, Itaru!

Itaru: Hey, don’t sweat it. I’m the one who’s probably doing the least here. Except for maybe Masumi, but all he’s doing is moping about how he wants to do this kind of thing with the director sometime.

Sakuya: That’s fair! Still, you all didn’t need to go this far, I could probably live without going more than once a year…

Itaru: Yeah, but it’s just good manners to introduce your girlfriend to your parents, right?

Sakuya: You have a point.

Sakuya: (As nice as the sentiment is, I don’t know if this is the best way to go about it…)

Sakuya: (But they went out of their way to help us go on this trip, so I’d better make the most of it, right?)

Lucille: I think I’ve got all my bags situated. What about yours, Saku?

Sakuya: Hm? Oh, yeah, I do.

Itaru: A’ight, let’s head out.

Sakuya: I always forget how short that flight is!

Lucille: Seriously! I’ll definitely have to give props to Chikage for managing to even get a flight for us.

Sakuya: That’s a good idea!

Sakuya: So, where to from here?

Lucille: Well, Chikage managed to get us a few day passes for the trains around here, so I figured we’d settle in at the hotel for a bit.

Sakuya: Sounds good!

Event story masterlist

Divider credit

#GOOD MOOOOOORNING MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!<3333 #putting this one on blast too bc it's the next day #selfship #self ship #self shipping #selfshipping #self ship writing #selfship writing #selfship fic #self ship fic #selfship community #self ship community #a3! yume #yumejoshi #yumejin

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yourlocalartsonist · 2 years ago

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ROTTMNT Moths Fly In Packs - Chapter Six

A/N: GREETINGS! I HAVE RETURNED! And like, not much to say in this note imma be honest but I am gonna say this chapter is ridiculously cute and wholesome. It does kinda start delving into the more... traumatic aspects of the fic but still, overall just wholesome and sweet. Hope y'all like it <3

Also! Credit to: @sweaterrat for being my beloved beta reader!

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

Chapter One

Disclaimer: Chapter involves familial neglect, gaslighting, hinted abuse, injuries, self deprecation, harmful mentalities, hinted animal death, and curse words. If you're sensitive to that stuff, scroll past and stay safe! <3

I squinted at the pale blue ceiling and the blinding lights surrounding me. The air smelled acidic, kinda like the classic “doctor’s office” scent of medicine and alcohol. Groaning, I shifted around on the soft mattress trying to feel my body again.

“Look who’s finally up.” I remember that voice.

“Salena? Are you okay?” April?

I turned my head to meet April O’Neil’s stressed out face and the blue idiot next to her smiling with his half-lidded eyes.

“Y-yeah I’m okay, I thi- WAIT.”

My eyes shot open panicked to see April the human casually sitting next to Leonardo the fucking mutant turtle as if that’s a completely normal-everyday thing.

“L-LEO!? April? How- What? Um… d-do y’all know each other???”

“I could be asking you the same thing.” She laughed and lightly pat my head “Out of all the mutual friends we could’ve possibly had, it just happened to be mutant turtles. Who woulda thunk, aye?”

Leo shrugged at her comment “It’s a small world.”

They both seem so comfortable and at ease around each other. Meanwhile, I’m still trying to process the fact that my old tutor and my new turtle friend are together in the same room laughing and joking like they’ve known each other for years. Speaking of rooms actually.

“So um, where am I?”

“The med bay. April called for an emergency and when I portalled us here, my brothers and I found you on the ground passed out while she was panicking.”

“I didn’t know any hospitals nearby so I figured it’d be faster to just call Leo. Besides, probably would’ve gotten both of us into a lot of shit if I had to explain to a doctor how we ended up like this.”

SLAM!

The door slid open loud as thunder, nearly making my soul jump out of my body.

“SALENA YOU’RE AWAKE!”

“Easy big man, you’ll make them pass out again.” Raph walked into the room chuckling as the tiny tangerine squeezed me in a hug.

“OW! G-good to see you too, Mikey.”

“You were gone for days! Days! I thought you were dead!”

“WHAT?-“

“Mikey, you’re exaggerating, stop scaring her.” Donnie carried him off me to let me breathe. “You know, when I asked if you were mentally okay, I didn’t intend to have my doubts justified.”

I laughed nervously and fiddled with my hair, desperate to change the subject “How long was I actually out for?”

“About an hour, give or take. You lost a bit of blood but it wasn’t too bad. A cut on your temple, the bite on your arm, and a few bruises here and there.”

I lightly touched the bandage on my head and noticed my left arm wrapped in the same manner. Neat, clean, and professional. Definitely Leo’s work.

“We were worried about you, Salena.” Raph took a seat on the bed next to me “About both of you. What even happened?”

“You didn’t tell them?” I looked over at April, puzzled since I assumed her confirmed conspiracy would be the first thing she’d talk about.

“Uh, no? I was waiting for you to wake up first. You were my priority.” Oh. I stand corrected. “All I said was that there’s something funky going on with the government and possibly illegal science experiments.”

“Well, then. I guess we should start at the beginning?”

“But of course! And do not miss a single detail. I wanna hear absolutely everything!” The grip on his pencil was so strong, I’m surprised it didn’t break already.

We went on explaining the situation to the boys, getting them caught up with how the day went. Minus the reason I didn’t go to school, they respected it enough to let me keep it a secret. Quite a pleasant surprise, I must say.

“Wait you blew up the whole place? What happened to the animals?”

“With any luck, they’re dead. I just couldn’t see any other way to save them.”

Mikey looked so dejected. I don’t even blame him, I feel horrible doing it myself. “But what if the government actually treated them well? Maybe they weren’t actually hurt?”

“No, Salena’s right to assume they wouldn’t. Just a disclaimer, I’m not saying I’ve ever used living beings in my experiments-”

“Aside from your brothers?”

“Hmm, no that doesn’t sound like me.” Donnie ignored her eye roll. I definitely have to catch that story another time. “But I do know when animals and science are mixed together— even by a smaller company— it is usually not a good thing… One can only assume how the government would treat them, especially if it’s hidden from any public criticism. They probably wouldn’t have lived long under those conditions anyway, Mikey.”

Mikey clung closer to Raph, I’m guessing animals are a soft topic for him.

“Hey, guys? I’m honestly starting to wonder just how ‘natural’ those giant cats really were.” Her eyes caught my attention “Salena, you remember when they chased us the first time right? They stopped exactly when we left the military bunker-lab-thing.”

I nodded to let her continue. “But when you went back, I found them still chasing you way past the room’s doors. They recognized you.”

“But that ain’t new for animals, they recognize people all the time. That’s why Mayhem knows who we are.”

“Or why he always only scratches your face, Raph?”

“Leo!”

Ignoring the two goofs, the more thought I gave that theory the more sense it made. “You know, April might be right. When I was sticking on the explosives, some of the cats started swatting at them like they were trying to take them down. Like they actually knew I was trying to explode the place.”

“Argh, we need more evidence to be sure of any of this! But the lab’s gone now. There’s no way to go back and do more investigating.” Oh shit, that’s right... “All I’ve got are some pictures and these weird papers Salena found.”

“Donnie’s on it!”

He flipped on his goggles and inspected the papers as everyone else watched in anticipation. My brain, however, was still hung up on April’s words. When I exploded the lab my focus was on destroying everything to stop the government from hurting those animals. Stop their progress. I didn’t think that it would stop our progress too. Maybe I didn’t even think period.

“Strange, there aren’t any matches for it in my database. Must be a secret constructed language of some sort. If that’s the case then I don’t think I can really read it without an English translation to its alphabet, and if it’s supposed to be secret I doubt I’d be able to just find it on the internet.”

“So, it’s completely useless?”

“Yep, basically.”

I had a feeling he’d say that. “How delightful.”

A large hand gently rubbed my back “Hey, don’t get yourself so down in the dumps. You did what you thought best.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m not too hung up on it!” Lies.

I appreciate Raph trying to comfort me, I really do. But it’s not stopping the thoughts running through my head. He’s right that I did what I thought was best but clearly, I thought wrong so why does that even matter?

I felt a buzz on my leg, someone must’ve texted. It’s around four right now so school’s over, Jaiden and Zane might be wondering where I-

WAIT SCHOOL’S OVER!?

“Oh no!”

“Everything okay?” Mikey was speaking again. Well at least there’s that tiny drop of relief in the vast ocean of “Oh fuck”

“No! I forgot the school day ended already! I was supposed to be home half an hour ago! I always tell my aunt if I’ll be home later but I didn’t expect that to happen today.” I fumbled around trying to get my stupid phone out, seeing my nightmare confirmed reality as my aunt began blowing it up with texts. “Haha, I am so dead.”

“Can’t you just tell her you’re over at a friend’s place? That’s what April does.”

“Donnie, my aunt and April’s parents are very, very different.” I glanced over at April, then back at him “She’s not gonna let me stay. I need to go, like, right now.”

“Ah ah ah ah ah ah!” A pair of hands placed themselves on my shoulders and plopped me back down. “You’re not going anywhere. You’ve gotta rest up first.”

“But-”

“You weren’t deadly injured or anything, but it was still pretty bad and you healed suspiciously fast. Faster than you should’ve. I wanna monitor your health just in case it gets worse later so you need to stay the night.”

“Oh ho no! No no no no, you guys don’t understand! If I don’t leave now the only place I’ll be staying in is a coffin.”

He scoffed “Well, it’s not gonna be much different if you leave in this condition, either. Look, we’ll figure something out but I’m not letting you leave this room till I’m sure you’re not just gonna drop dead. At least not somewhere I can’t reach you.”

He crossed his arms. I was about to object till I heard April’s voice.

“Hey, listen. Just give your aunt a call, put her on speaker, and we’ll all tell her what happened together. And if anything goes wrong, just leave it to me, m’kay? It’ll be fine, promise.” She gave me a reassuring wink. “Better than letting you go back like this.”

April knows what my aunt is like, I’ve talked to her about it before and she’s even met her once. My hands are shaking but if April’s saying it’ll be okay then maybe it’s not such a bad idea. Besides, I could use some time to heal myself before I get back to housework.

Alright, Salena. You’ve got this. Just be calm. Like April said it’ll be okay!

I took a deep breath and clicked the call button. Not even one ring passed before she picked up and justified every ounce of my anxiety.

“SALENA! WHERE ARE YOU? YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE HOME!”

“Uh, h-hey Phuphu! So uh, funny story…” I twirled my hair trying to ease my nerves. “Well, first actually, you’re on speaker, I’m with some friends right now. W-we wanna talk to you real quick.”

“You’re with friends!? You left a ridiculous amount of chores lying undone and you’re out fooling around with friends!?”

“U-um no, not like that! Uh…” Well, there goes staying calm.

Raph cleared his voice “Um, hello Ma’am! My name’s Raphael, just wanted to clarify we’re not fooling around! Salena actually got-”

“Wait, IS THAT A BOY?” Dear sweet heavens have mercy. “Salena, are you neglecting your responsibilities to hang out with boys!?”

“No! I wasn’t trying to push any chores away, I promise!”

“Can someone tell me why us being male is such a huge deal?”

“S-she’s a little old fashioned, don’t question it.” I whispered to Donnie trying to hint at him to drop it. If my aunt went on another “boys and girls shouldn’t be friends” lecture my brain will physically combust and crumble into tiny shreds of cringe and pain.

“Another boy? Salena, how many are you with right now?”

“Four of us plus April, tía! I can call you tía, right?” Oh god no Leo PLEASE. “Look, while I’m sure we’d all love to chat and get to know each other, let’s cut to why we actually called you, hm? Salena got hurt today, they’re fine now but they need to rest. We’re planning on having her stay over for the night to make sure they heal properly.”

“YOU WANT TO STAY AT A HOUSE FULL OF BOYS? Oh my god, what is the matter with you?”

“Phuphu, I-I need to. I really can’t go home like this, I promise if I could I would.”

She sighed heavily through the phone “Salena, I know you’re not as pretty as Meeta but if you were going to fool around with men, you could at least make sure they’re rich.”

…

WHAT.

The room went so silent I swear you could hear my internal screaming.

I laughed a little too loud and grit my teeth “Phuphu, I thought I told you you’re on speaker?”

“Yes, and?”

“You know what, give it to me. I’ll take over.” I placed my phone in April’s open palm, astonished at how confident she sounded considering the rest of us were still fucking speechless “Hi there! This is April O’Neil, Salena’s friend and old tutor. You remember me, dontcha?”

“Oh, you. As if I could ever forget.” I could taste her bitterness from all the way over here. She never really liked April. Probably only ‘cause April didn’t hate me.

“Perfect! So, Leo already told you but Salena got a head injury today, kind of a big deal. They’re staying over at my place for the night since it’s too far to walk her home, the guys will leave after a bit. My parents and I’ll take great care of her so you don’t gotta worry ‘bout a thing!” She’s lying. Honestly, smart move, don’t know why I didn’t just try that first.

“Oh of course, because the dishes will just do themselves, won’t they? Salena’s being dramatic, she’ll be fine.”

“No offense, but I think you and your daughter can survive one day without them doing everything for you. But, if you really can’t, then I’ll help!”

Hold the fucking phone, what? “A-April, what are you doing?”

“And how much are you going to charge me for your ‘help’.“

“Nothin’! Since you’re family of a friend, my services will be free ninety-nine. She’s gotta stay in bed for- Leo when can they go home?”

“Probably tomorrow at noon. That’s the soonest I’m willing to risk.”

“Then they’ll be home by noon tomorrow. Till then, I’ll cover for them! I don’t have any classes left, anyway.”

“…Fine. If you can come later today to do her chores, then she can stay. But I’m not allowing another minute afternoon!”

“You got yourself a deal. Have a nice day!”

And just like that, it was over. I’m left wondering how the hell human hearts could beat so fast. April triumphantly hung up and gave me back my phone. She’s sure doing a lot for me today…

“Dang, slay April!” Mikey was the first to react “That was so cool! How’d you even do that so smoothly?”

“Thanks but I really just knew which buttons to press. Salena’s aunt and I met before so I’ve got a neat little cheat sheet on how to deal with her.”

“Ugh while we’re on the topic, Salena, your aunt sucks! Why was she making such a fuss over literally nothing? Seriously, she annoyed me so much I started hacking the call to track down her address! For reasons completely unrelated to violence, of course.”

“Uh, how did you even do-“

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Dontron, you know they live in the same apartment right?”

“Really though, does everyone in your life suck? I mean, we got your hoser friend, Zane, and now your aunt. You want another session with Doctor Feelings?”

“I’m good.” I’m tired. “Sorry for how she treated you guys. I honestly don’t know how my aunt and dad were raised under the same roof but alas, here we are.”

“Hey, don’t sweat it. Not like it’s your fault. Raph is sure none of us care a single bit about what that crazy old lady said! Right guys?”

“Correcto! But, now that we’ve got that bullshit settled, shouldn’t we go back to the true matter at hand?” He waved the paper in front of us, I’m kinda surprised it wasn’t trashed already. “April, you’re absolutely positive you can’t give me anything more to go off of? Anything at all?”

“Well, I can try. There’s gotta be something we’re missing or forgetting about.”

“Hey, hermanos, I am more than happy to talk more about this whole government conspiracy stuff, but maybe we should do it in another room and let Salena, ya know, actually rest?”

What? “But I’m the only other person who was there! I should be here to help.”

“You’ve helped enough, Salena. If Leo says you need to rest then you need to rest. I’ll be fine on my own.”

Her tone was soft. Her smile was warm. And even then, I can’t help worrying it’s just an act. I’m the reason she even has to do so much, there’s no way she’s not even a little bit upset at me.

“Isn’t it a bad idea to leave her here alone, though? Raph can stay behind.”

“No need to, big bro, I already texted Dad. He said he’s on his way so she’ll be okay.”

“Perfect, perfect, now onward, brethren! Mysteries and research are on the horizon and I can wait no longer!” After his dramatic exit, everyone followed Donnie in pursuit.

Leo paused, though. His head turned, looking a little conflicted before walking back towards me.

“Hey, are you sure you’re okay? No headaches or nausea or anything?”

“Yep, I think I’m feeling pretty fine.”

“Okay, well, in that case.”

Flick!

“OW! What was that for?”

“Stop impulsively jumping into everything like a maniac. You’re gonna get yourself hurt.”

“Hmph, look who’s talking.” I huffed and dramatically rubbed my forehead at the stinging sensation. It didn’t actually hurt that much but it did hurt my pride, so.

“Exactly! If I’m saying you’re being too reckless then you should probably listen.” His bright eyes dimmed, looking down for a slight second, then right back at mine. “Hey, I know I said you didn’t get hurt too badly but still. You just got lucky, Salena. You really need to be a little more careful and a little less of an… adrenaline junkie, as charming as it is. You’re not invincible, ya know.”

He’s being serious. “I know, I know. I’ll… I’ll try.” I didn’t realize how worried everyone would be over me. It feels a little bittersweet.

“Good enough for me. Try not to give me and my brothers a heart attack next time we meet, aight?” He slid the door back open, ready to join his brothers. “Oh, hey pops!”

Pops? Must be their dad.

…HOLY SHIT I’M MEETING THEIR DAD?

I quickly straightened up and smoothed out my clothes, frustratingly praying my hair didn’t look like a drunk pigeon’s nest. I was so distracted from everything else going on at lightning speed, I didn’t realize Leo just asked their dad to come in and basically babysit me! I can’t believe my first impression of him is gonna be when I look as presentable as a toddler in a restaurant.

“You must be the new friend.” I followed the new voice, lowering my head to meet the person it came from.

A round gray rat carrying a tray with two cups of tea. He was dressed in a bronze and gold-colored robe, their family symbol as the centerpiece in red. I don’t know why but I thought he’d be taller.

“U-um yes! I am. My name is Salena, it’s nice to meet you Mr…?”

He chuckled, setting the tray down on a table “Oh please, formalities are for old losers. Call me Splinter.”

“Right! I didn’t mean to call you old or anything. Well, nice to meet you, Splinter! My name’s Salena!”

“Um yes, you’ve already told me.”

“R-right again!” Dumbass, get a grip. “Sorry um, I’m not really all too great at this socialization ordeal so, ya know… B-but it’s nothing you did! Or said! You’re a really cool dude- er, rat! Whichever you prefer! Wow, I am totally blowing this.” I’ve been talking with my hands, awkwardly laughing, and fumbling with my words for a minute straight.

He laughed at me confirming that I did, in fact, look like an idiot. ”Calm down, calm down! Here, drink some tea. Your body will thank you.”

He handed me one of the small cups with bronze-colored tea, tiny citrus kernels sprinkled all over. I took a sip. A sweet aroma with a spicy ginger taste. I recognized it immediately. It’s been a long while since I’ve had a warm cup of tea like this. Definitely did the trick as my nerves started settling down.

“Thank you. Sorry about the awkwardness. I did intend to have a better first impression but, ya know.” I looked down at my bandaged arm and sighed “Didn’t quite work out that way.”

He smiled gently, “Yeah, life has a funny sense of humor sometimes.”

“Ha! You can say that again.”

We sat on the bed drifting off to our own private thoughts, the room now filled with a soft, tranquil vibe. Unfortunately, seeing as my brain hates me, a part of me was still antsy from the whole day just completely unable to relax. I feel overwhelmed and exhausted and it’s not even just physically. There’s just too much going on…

“Spit it out.”

Wh-what? “Spit out the tea?..”

“Yes- I MEAN no! Why would I ask you to spit out the tea?”

I shrugged “Beats me.”

He sighed and rubbed his head, still staring at the wall. “I meant I can tell something’s bothering you. I’m already updated on what happened earlier, so feel free to talk about it.”

“...I’m fine. Tired, but fine.”

“I’ve raised four kids and mentally adopted three more. If you think that’s all it takes to lie to me, then I have very bad news for you.”

My fingers combed through my hair, trying to soothe my stupid, restless mind.

“I mean, it’s not too bad. I’m just… I dunno, disappointed I guess?”

“About the mission? Or about yourself?”

I scoffed. “What’s the difference? The mission failed because of me. If I just listened to April, maybe things would’ve ended up better.” I vented my frustrations on the teacup, loudly setting it down on the saucer. ”Instead, I ran off and got myself hurt, and now well… I might’ve destroyed the biggest lead she had to solving all of this! Ugh, I’m such a moron- ow!” I slapped my forehead annoyingly forgetting how that’s the literal worst course of action I could’ve taken.

“You made a mistake, everyone does that.”

“Well, yeah, but I keep making mistakes! Over and over and over again! I got hurt, I worried everyone, I ruined April’s mission, I forgot to call my aunt so now April has to do my chores for me!” And I don’t even know what I did to upset Jaiden. Hell, maybe even Zane! Maybe he did know Jaiden had plans with me and decided to fuck me over cause he was mad, too! “I don’t know how but I keep screwing up everything I touch.”

“Salena, there’s a difference between thinking you screwed up and thinking of yourself as a screw up. And you” he paused, pointing a pink finger at me “are doing the latter.”

I raised my brow “Uh, don’t take this the wrong way but… why does that matter? The mission failed either way, it’s not like I can just blast back in time and redo it.”

“Correct! You cannot change the past!” Mimicking my actions from earlier, Splinter placed his own cup on the saucer. “You shouldn’t be dwelling on things you have no control over anymore.”

“I’m dwelling on it because I regret it! I regret hurting my friends.”

He let out a long sigh. “You know, you remind me of a young boy I used to know very well.” I do?

“He was annoying.” Oh. “And impulsive. And reckless, stupid, never thought things through.”

“Okay, I-I think I get-”

“Overly ambitious, overly terrified, constantly bickering, raging perfectionist,” He went down the list counting with his fingers as my soul kept dying a little bit more “but above all, he hurt people. He hurt the ones he loved and he regretted it. Even after his life changed its entire course, the regret never left him.”

He closed his eyes, deep in thought. “He focused on that regret, focused on his mistakes. He was raising four boys all on his own and still could only see what he lost or what he had done wrong. He regret all the things he couldn’t give them, the normal life he lost for himself and his sons. He regretted those things over and over again. And because of that regret, he pushed his family away. He hurt them even more. All because he couldn’t forgive himself for hurting them before.”

He looked at me as I realized who this was about. “Salena, I don’t know how life’s been for you to be so laser-focused on your mistakes. I can only hope it was kinder to you than it was to me. But, I’m trying to help you realize something it took me years to finally accept.”

“And that is?...”

“My sons never regret having me as their dad. They were never obsessed with my failures as much as I was, even when they should have been. You failed one mission, I’ve made years worth of mistakes as a parent. And yet, my kids forgave me. I’m sure they’ve already forgiven you, assuming they were even upset in the first place. All that’s left is for you to forgive yourself.”

The room went quiet again. I thought about his words, letting them swirl around in my mind. I couldn’t think of anything useful I’d done, at least he still raised four mutant children all on his own. But that could also just be my perspective. Maybe he’s right, maybe I am just being harder on myself than anyone else is. But I’m still so scared…

“Splinter?”

“Yeah?”

“Um… do you really think April isn’t mad at me? For… for failing as badly as I did?”

“Well, she didn’t look upset to me. But, I’m not April, am I? If you’re really unsure, just go and talk to her.”

I pursed my lips. “That’s never gone well for me before, though. I get yelled at when I try.”

“Then maybe you weren’t the problem. Maybe it was the people who yelled at you for daring to check if they were okay.” He gently placed his hand on mine. His touch felt familiar and strangely nostalgic. “Still, it’s your life, Pink. Your choice. Don’t feel pressured to do something you aren’t ready to. But, if you do choose to talk to her, I can assure you April’s way too patient to be upset at you for trying.” He chuckled “She’s friends with my boys, she has to be!”

There’s something so relaxing about his presence, I can’t help but smile.

“Thank you. I think I’ll try talking to her, just later when my mind feels clearer.”

He gave me a dorky thumbs up. “I’ll be rooting for you!”

They’re really lucky to have him as a dad.

“Would you like a distraction for now?”

“Yes, please. It’s been a really long day.”

“Great, we can watch some of my films! I’ll even give you my own personal director’s cut!” He pulled out his phone and my jaw dropped when I saw the man on the screen, someone I almost entirely forgot about.

“NO WAY!!! YOU’RE LOU JITSU!?” I literally could not stop my hands from flapping in excitement as I explained to him my family’s adoration of Lou Jitsu movies. We used to watch them together all the time, both mom and dad were obsessed with him! I don’t really remember much about the movies, though, so it’s kinda like getting to watch them for the first time now.

The rest of the night went by pretty smoothly. Mostly consisted of Splinter showing me his movies and commercials while giving behind-the-scenes anecdotes about them as I very enthusiastically listened. Mikey and Raph would drop by whenever it was time to eat and Leo checked my vitals every now and then. They’re all a little busy for the most part, though, so it’s a good thing Splinter was here to keep me company. Plus, he seemed to enjoy it just as much as I did.

I didn’t really see April even after she returned back from my aunt’s place. I can only assume she and Donnie were busy the rest of the day trying to pick at every minuscule detail to stretch into a working theory, at least one that satisfies them for now. I replayed Splinter’s words from earlier. His suggestion to go talk to her. I have no idea why but I’m feeling the urge to right now, the time just feels right. So I slid off the bed, shakily getting my footing enough to walk.

I dragged my body up the stairs to their living room, also known as Splinter’s man cave, and found April there packing her backpack and getting ready to leave.

She perked up when she saw me “Oh, hey! How’re ya feeling? Better than before?”

“Yeah, I think. My head doesn’t hurt as much anymore!” My nerves weren’t entirely gone so a part of me is still hesitating as I’m trying to properly form words. “Are you going home?”

“Yep, I need some serious relaxation after today. And shouldn’t you be doing the same? Doctor Leon’s gonna lose his head if he sees you waltzing around without any help.”

“Oh please, what’s he gonna do? Throw a pun at me?”

We laughed as the air in the room felt a little bit lighter.

“Actually I wasn’t really just walking for no reason. I wanted to talk to you, April.”

She cocked her head and smiled, sitting down on the floor and patting the area next to her to ask me to join. “Alright, shoot. What is it?”

“Well… okay, full disclosure, this might be a little dumb and just me being paranoid. Or, actually I’m starting to think more and more that it really is just me being paranoid. Point is, I just… I…”

She hummed to let me continue. I fiddled with my fingers and calmed myself down enough to let it out.

“I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

I looked at her, she seemed genuinely confused. “You’re seriously not mad at me? Like, at all? I mean I quite literally barged back into your life on a day when you had a very important mission, proceeded to tag along on that mission, and then ruined it by being dumb and impulsive. I blew it, literally. You’re not upset?”

“Is that what this is about?” Why’s she finding it so funny? “No, of course I’m not mad! You caused your first explosion, no biggie. We’re friends with four bozos who do that all the time! This shit’s normal in this household.”

“Okay um, first of all, what the fuck. Second, I still feel like you shouldn’t be so… casual about it. I mean, even if arson is normal, I still failed. You spent so long trying to track down any lead you can and the first place you find, I show up and explode it before we can get anything that actually made this whole mess worth it.” I can feel my nails in my arms. “And to top it all off, you’re still doing favors for me and taking care of my chores just so I can rest. Even though you need it just as much as I do! April, I just… feel bad. I shouldn’t have joined your mission like an idiot in the first place. I just didn’t wanna be alone. I was being selfish.”

I kept my eyes tunnel visioned on my hands, I can feel April staring at me and I know damn well if I look her in the eyes now I’ll start crying.

I heard her sigh “Hey, I’ll be honest, I would’ve done the same thing back when I was sixteen. Hell, forget that, I’d probably still do it now if I wasn’t focused on getting you to safety at the time.” Her hand felt soft on my shoulder “I’m not saying whether or not you did the right thing, I’ve got no clue about that myself. But you did what you thought best and that’s what matters.”

“Even if my best wasn’t enough?”

“Your best is always enough.”

She moved her hand away to wrap her arm around my shoulders. “And for the record, I’m actually happy you ‘barged back into my life’! We have more excuses to hang out now that you know the weirder side of everything.”

I laughed and felt myself relaxing. I could finally look at her again. “Yeah, I guess so! Although, I think things would go a bit smoother if I had an actual weapon like you guys do.”

Her eyes lit up, the look of mischief plastered all over her face. So much so it actually concerned me.

“I might actually know a little secret that can help you with that.”

It wasn’t long before the new information lit my eyes the same exact way. At least now I finally have the motivation to go back to school.

I slept pretty peacefully that night. Leo slept on the floor next to me just in case something happened so we ended up talking quite a lot before eventually passing out. The med bay bed is surprisingly cozy and my mind finally felt refreshingly blank.

I woke up in the morning, stretching my arms, and turning to see two long black gloves covered with white rings and a purple note placed on the desk. I picked it up and read it.

Because you’re seemingly unable of not injuring your fucking arms, here’s a gift to help. P.S.: I whipped this up overnight so if there are any broken features, malfunctions, or unintended explosions, report to my lab immediately. -Othello Von Ryan, Genius Extraordinaire.

I quietly laughed and tried on the gloves. They fit perfectly.

Next Chapter

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