#cause you could easily see it being platonic or romantic
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watermelonolemretaw · 10 months ago
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watch episode four of hazbin hotel and tell me with a straight face you're not attracted to men
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aviiarie · 5 months ago
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⊱ ۫ ׅ ✧ TO BE LOST. dazai, ranpo, chuuya, akutagawa & reader !
synopsis. how do they handle losing you? contents. written as platonic but could be read as romantic if you squint. warning for death (ofc). gn!reader. angst, no comfort. 750 words. notes. @rainswept ehe
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⊱ ۫ ׅ ✧ DAZAI — doesn't know what to do with himself. For a long time after your heart stopped beating, he continues to clutch your hand; rubbing his thumb along the side to stave off any wandering chill. The coldness doesn't register in his mind, he's too busy focusing on the faint sound of a heartbeat rattling in his ears.
(It's his own, but for a moment he closes his eyes and pretends it isn't.)
Death has a cruel sense of humour, cutting the strings of his lifeline while keeping him painfully alive, but life was no kinder. It taunted him with every day he spent still breathing; a walking corpse, damned to keep living even as he begins to rot and decay. The pain is agonizing, but he swallows it down without a word; he doesn't deserve to be soothed, to be comforted.
You were gone, and he was still there, and he would never forgive himself for it.
-----
⊱ ۫ ׅ ✧ RANPO — can't accept it. He doesn't want to think about the possibility of a day where he doesn't get to see your face, when he has no one to share sweets between one sugar-covered hand to the next. The idea isn't fathomable; it felt like in one moment your laughter sang to his ears, and the next your lungs were cresting their final gulp of air.
In the end, he doesn't accept it. His open cases are swept aside, in favour of poring over every detail of your death. Natural causes? You were far too young for that, he isn't buying it. An accident? He would be a fool to give up that easily, of course he isn't ruling out foul play. Every piece of 'evidence' is analysed and evaluated, until the image of your lifeless body is burned into his vision.
In the end, it is him alone in the office after all the other detectives have left. Condolences are whispered, offers of help refused. He sits at his desk far more rigidly than usual, tearing open the packet of yet another desert made for two. He eats in silence, the sweet taste burning bitterly on his tongue.
-----
⊱ ۫ ׅ ✧ CHUUYA — is angry, first and foremost. Not at you (never at you) but at the memory of holding you close as you stumble your way in and out of consciousness. He is angry at himself for not being able to protect you, at the world for daring to keep moving forward even when you don't.
If his missions are carried out with a touch more violence than is strictly necessary, none of his subordinates have the courage to point it out. His strikes land fast and true, hitting his opponents with all the fury that has built up inside him spilling out and into his blows. The dust settles, the anger fades, and he is left with a lifeless body at his feet.
(For a moment, the sight reminds him of you—sprawled across the ground like a puppet with their strings cut. His heart lurches, but the image disappears with a blink.)
It changes nothing, in the end. When he downs another glass of wine at the bar, tasting your name on his tongue, there is no one to occupy the seat beside him.
-----
⊱ ۫ ׅ ✧ AKUTAGAWA — can barely feel anything except a dull ache in his chest. It presses down on his lungs, with twice the pain as usual. The feeling is subtle, barely there at all. (It hurts anyway.)
The numb pain follows him with every step he takes, all throughout his day. There isn't a single tear that sheds, even as he replays every memory of you over and over in his mind like a well-loved VHS tape.
He thinks about your smile, the gentle warmth putting him at ease even in his recollection. Play.
The sight of your tears, tracking shiny streaks down your face. Fast-forward.
The tender rise and fall of your chest, growing slower and slower. Stop. Rewind.
The memories are a double-edged sword; soothing the pain in his chest one moment, and pressing down on the wound in the next. It's only when he is alone that he allows himself to play the final memory he has—holding your cold hand in his own, pressing two fingers to desperately find a pulse. It's only then that his blank expression begins to crack, and slow, bitter tears start to fall.
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© aviiarie 2024. do not copy, repost, translate or use my work to train ai.
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forever-rogue · 6 months ago
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Hi babes! So I’ve had this idea running around my brain for days.
Basically Cooper Howard and the reader knew each other pre-apocalypse (up to you wether it was romantic or platonic) but after the bombs go off, the reader makes it to a vault where she is put in a cryopod for 200 years to see that the rest of her vault is dead from asphyxiation (I definitely didn’t think of this by playing fallout 4). So she escapes and later finds Cooper (she recognises him and then realises it’s him), it’s up to you how it goes from there 🫶🏻.
Anyway, I love your work! Hope you’re doing great! 💗
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AN | I love this concept. Enjoy❤️
Pairing | Cooper Howard (The Ghoul) x fem!reader
Warnings | language; mentions of canon typical violence
Word Count | 3.1k
Masterlist | Main 
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
“You look like you’ve got something on your mind, sugar,” Cooper came up behind you and wrapped his arms around your waist before resting his chin on your shoulder. You made a small sound of content before leaning into him and turning your head to press a kiss to his stubbled cheek.
“I’m just…thinking,” you whispered before turning around so you were facing him. The warm evening breeze swirled around the two of you as you leaned against the porch railing, and looked down the Hollywood hills. He took your face in his hands, brushing his thumb along your cheek.
“You do that a lot,” he teased as you rolled your eyes in amusement, “too much thinking ain’t good for you.”
“Well, between the two of us, one of us has to use a brain cell once in a while,” he scoffed as he gently squeezed your cheeks before pressing a kiss to your lips. When he let go, you wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him closer, kissing him a few more times, “I love you, you know?”
“I know,” he confirmed with a soft nod, “I love you too, sweetheart. You gonna tell me what you’re thinking about?”
“I suppose,” you sighed lightly, resting your hands on his chest, “do you think that...it seems silly, but do you think that it'll ever happen? The nuclear war. Or do you think it’s all just a big pissing contest?”
“I think,” he took one of your hands and brought it to his lips in order to press a kiss to your knuckles, “that you worry too much too often.”
“I know,” you agreed, “I know I do. I just can't help it sometimes. What if something happens?”
“If anything were to happen, we’d face it together and figure it out,” he promised and while you liked the idea of his sweet words, it didn’t totally alleviate your worries. He’d been trying to convince himself as much as you.  It had been a constant in his mind as well. He wasn’t as good of a liar as he believed he was.
“Rest assured Cooper Howard,” you whispered softly, “that I will always find you and be with you. No matter what life brings.”
He pressed his forehead to yours and let out a small sigh. You echoed the sound sweetly before kissing him again, “I promise, Coop.”
“I promise too.”
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
“Cooper?” your brow furrowed as you looked at the tall figure standing in front of you. The first time seeing a Ghoul had almost caused you to have a heart attack; you hadn’t been expecting to see someone so…crispy. Being asleep for the last two hundred years hadn’t prepared you for half the things you’d seen in the short time since you’d escaped Vault 111. Like the radroaches - seriously? Weren’t those things bad enough normal? Nature had definitely fucked up with that one. 
Some things you could get used to easily, but other things were definitely going to take time. Two hundred years had passed and you hadn’t experienced a single thing. In some ways it felt like you’d been a lamb left to slaughter. 
After you’d gotten over your initial shock at the Ghouls, you’d realized, with a heavy heart, that they were just people too. People had suffered unfortunate circumstances but they were still just people…mostly. Realistically you’d been rather lucky when it came down to it. You had a long nap while others suffered.
But you’d recognize him anywhere; you’d memorized every part of him so many years ago. You weren’t sure if you could ever forget him. 
But this…this wasn’t who you were expecting to see. Honestly, you didn’t expect to see him ever again, but here he was…alive and breathing. Maybe.
“Cooper,” you took a step closer while he took a step back, his hand brushing along the holster at his side. You held up your hands in a meek attempt to show your innocence; it still made your heart constrict to see his response to you, “i-it’s me.”
“I’m ain’t fallin’ for that one, sweetheart,” he drawled, causing a frown to tug down the corners of your mouth, “I know when I’m hallucinating and I’m not about to go feral.”
“What are you…talking about?” you watched in confusion as he reached into his pocket and grabbed a small vial before downing it in one go. He tossed the bottle to the side, letting it clink off the side of a building, “I don't ... I don’t know what’s going on! I don’t understand anything here, but I know it’s you. I’d know you anywhere.”
He made a sound at the back of his throat as he blinked a few times, still looking at you as if he was trying to decide if he’d already gone feral or whatever it was called. You wondered if he would even possibly shoot you. 
“That’s impossible,” he said quietly as he studied you. It was like you were frozen in time - you looked exactly the same as you did two hundred years ago. It wasn’t possible for you to look like that when he looked like…a monster, “you look just like her but you can’t be her.”
“Cooper Howard,” you sighed in exasperation, running a hand through your hair. You’d always done that and he’d seen that look on your face a thousand times before, “I don’t know exactly what happened to me. I-I woke up and I was in one of those weird vaults that they used to talk about and there was no else there. A couple of skeletons and a bunch of these giant cockroaches-”
“Radroaches.”
“Radroaches,” you rolled your eyes and that almost had him let down his guard, “and I got out. I don’t know what year it is and I don’t know what’s happened. I’m just here. And I have no fucking clue what I’m doing or where I’m going or what’s even happening in the world anymore. But I found you. I know it’s you. I told you that I’d always find you.”
He allowed himself to relax as he tried to put the pieces together to see if your story made sense. The worst part of it all was that it made sense. The day the life as he’d always known it stopped, he hadn’t seen you. But he knew that you’d been at the Vault-Tec headquarters that day. It made sense. It made sense.
He hated that. Hated that you were forced to experience this strange new world, and even more that you had been all but abandoned to figure it out for yourself. But he couldn’t deny that there was a palpable feeling running through his entire being at the sight of you. Your smile was just as pretty as he remembered; he thought about it a lot. Thought about you a lot, still to this day, despite the fact that it had been literal centuries. 
He’d accepted that you were dead a long time ago. But here you were, a ghost of a life that once was. 
You let out a nervous laugh at his silence, feeling like a fool, “are you gonna say anything or am I just going to keep standing here like an idiot?”
“You should turn back around and walk to the nearest vault and pray that they take you in,” was all he managed to choke out as you felt the tears start to sting at the back of your eyes. You opened and closed your mouth a few times, trying to figure out what to possibly even say to him, “you ain’t cut out for his world. You weren’t made for it. You ain’t gonna survive up here on the surface.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” you stomped your foot, an unwitting little habit that you had, “you want me to just walk away?”
“Yeah,” he pulled the brim of his hat lower, voice gruff, “I do.”
“Oh,” you scoffed, trying to hold back all that you were feeling, “and what? You’re cut out for this world?”
“Look at me,” he growled deeply, “I’m a fuckin’ monster made for this world.”
You flinched at the sound of the self hatred in his voice. He wasn’t anything like you’d remembered or expected, but he was still your Cooper. 
“You should get going, darlin’.”
You turned on your heel, ready to walk…somewhere. Anywhere other than there, left to be humiliated.
“Tell me one thing,” you turned back to face him, finding that he was still watching you intently, “what year is it?”
“2296.”
Your heart almost stopped for a moment as you tried not to panic. 
Over two hundred years since you’d last walked the world. You’d been sleeping for over two hundred years while Cooper had been suffering. You had so many questions, but more than anything your heart hurt for everything that he’d been through.
You offered him a nod before walking away, this time for real, trying to figure out what the actual fuck you were going to do.
Cooper watched you go wordlessly, eyes on you until you were but a small speck in the distance.
“Who was that?” Lucy appeared at his side along with the canine companion they'd named Dogmeat, a curious expression on her face, “did you know her?”
“It was no one,” the sharpness of his voice caught Lucy off guard and she raised her eyebrows in question, “just lost.”
“Okie dokie,” she hitched her backpack higher onto her shoulders, “we should keep going before it gets dark.”
“Yeah,” he agreed with her, finding his heart wasn’t quite in it, “get a move on kid.”
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
This was a weird world. Like really weird. There were creatures that you'd encountered that appeared to be descendants of the ones you'd known during your previous life. Roaches definitely weren't supposed to be the size of dogs. Dogs really shouldn't have been up to your shoulders. And that thing that you'd encountered that was maybe a fish? Wild.
It was all so much to get used to and it felt like you were a child all over again. You had met a kind woman that had taken you into her diner (or whatever a diner was these days) and helped to get you back on your feet. The first order of business? Getting rid of the vault suit; not'd noticed an immediate shift in how people treated you once the suit was gone. 
The one thing that hadn't changed? Men. Men continued to the worst, leering shamelessly after you. Looks like not even radiation can evolve that out of men.  
You still had not clue what you were going to do with your life or anything really, but at least now you had a safe space to learn to adapt and overcome. Now you just had about two hundred years of history to catch up on. Learning about places called the New California Republic and New Vegas definitely told you that something big had happened.
Everything else, you hoped, would fall into place over time. You did, however, have your suspicions that Vault-Tec were nothing but a bunch of liars confirmed. There was that at least. And you'd learned what a Ghoul was - what Cooper was. It didn't sound like it had been a fun reality for him.
At least if you were going to start aging naturally, you wouldn’t have to suffer in this hell forever.
You were helping around the diner one afternoon when the doors swung open to reveal Cooper, along with a young woman and a dog. Funny, you thought to yourself, Cooper had always adored dogs.
The rag dropped from your hand as blinked wordlessly at them. Neither you nor Cooper said anything, silence thick and heavy between the two of you.
“Do you have any pie?” The young woman asked, a nervous chuckle escaping her lips as she looked around, “and maybe some water?”
“S-sure,” you stammered nervously pointing at the table towards the back, “I'll get that pie.”
And just like that, Cooper was back in your life.
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
Without Cooper, you weren't quite sure what to do. Honestly, you had been sure what you'd do once you left the vault along, but you figured when you found him that things would fall into place…or make a little more sense anyway. But as you'd made your way through the skeletons that littered the vault, you weren't entirely convinced that this wasn't some sort of fever dream.
And Cooper had turned his back on you.
Only to come back to rescue you.
“What happened?” He asked, his voice dropping softly, almost like he was letting down his guard, “how did you end up in one of those pods?”
“I don't know,” you admitted, wiping your hands on your knees as you looked at him, “I-I remember bits and pieces but not the whole thing.”
He made a small sound of acknowledgment but didn’t say much else. You’d been wracking your brain for weeks now - ever since you’d escaped the vault - about what exactly happened before you took a centuries long nap.
“The last thing I really remember was speaking with that Maclean kid, the one that had recently started working at Vault-Tec. We got into an argument about something and he shoved me around and then…I think he hit me. The next thing I can remember is waking up.”
“Life is funny, ain’t it,” he pinched his brow before looking at you with a pained expression, “Hank Maclean is still alive. The girl I’ve been traveling with…she’s his kid. I think everyone finally found just what kind of a person he is. And it ain’t a good one.”
“He’s still alive,” you breathed out heavily, trying to decide if you were angry with him or…in a twisted way, thankful. You supposed the last two hundred years could have been a lot worse than just sleeping through them. But then again, if you’d been awake and aging, you’d have been long dead by now, “this is all so…weird.”
Silence fell over the two of you for a few bit, as you started at the roaring fire. It was dangerous, or so you’d been told by almost everyone you’d encountered. But somehow with Cooper by yourself, you didn’t feel scared or nervous. 
“I looked for you,” he said after a short while as your attention snapped to him, “for a long time. Decades.” 
“Really?” your voice cracked on the simple question as he nodded.
“After a while, I realized you were probably dead,” your heart twisted at that, “it was the only logical answer. Unless you’d ended up like me and I would never wish that on you.”
“What happened, Cooper?” you asked softly. You wanted to know but you also didn’t want to push him either. You still had so many questions about this strange new world, “you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”
“Your curiosity was one of the things I always loved about you, sweetheart,” he chuckled, almost sounding just as you remembered, “to put it simply, radiation. I got a little bit too much of that radiation and then I became like one of them radroaches, adapting and surviving.”
“Radiation,” you repeated softly, “fuck me. Am I going to-”
“You’ll be fine,” he reassured you, “radiation levels are livable now.”
“Oh,” you swallowed thickly as you gave him a nod, “that’s good…I think.”
“You don’t deserve to have to live in such a world,” he caught your eye and looked at you intently, “in a way I wished you’d never have had to experience it. It would have been easier if you’d just…died that day they dropped the bombs. But in a selfish way, I’m glad you’re here, sweetheart. Still the prettiest face I’ve ever seen.”
You snorted in amusement as your face warmed up, “still the biggest flirt I’ve ever met Cooper Howard. In a selfish way, I’m glad you’re here too.”
“You’re telling me that you’re happy to see his ugly old face?” he asked, his voice turning gruff and bitter, “darlin’, you could be looking at a gulper and it’d be a prettier sight.”
“What’s a gulper?” your mind reeled with possibilities of what in the actual hell a gulper was. 
“I…nevermind,” you didn’t need to know about those horrors just yet, “there’s a lot of things that are prettier than I am.”
“Agree to disagree,” you insisted with a soft laugh, “I’m glad you’re here, you know. Even if it sucks and this whole world sucks. I’m glad you’re still here. Selfish or not.”
You stood up and brushed yourself off before walking over to him and plopping onto the ground next to him so you were facing him. You reached for his hand and took it in yours, giving it a squeeze so tender that it almost made him cry. He never thought he’d get to feel such a touch ever again.
“So,” you whispered softly, “what’s next?”
“You’re not ready to run for the hills and hide?” he joked, half serious.
“Nope,” you promised, “besides, what the fuck am I going to do here by myself? I know nothing about anything anymore.”
“Want to help me and the kind find Hank Maclean?” he asked as your eyebrows raised up, “it’s a long story.”
“I’m in,” you promised, “but there’s one thing I want to do first.”
“And what’s that, sugar?”
“This,” you leaned in and took his face in your hands, before gently leaning and kissing him. When you pulled away he looked at you in surprise, “that’s all.”
“C’mere,” he put his hands on your hips and hauled you onto his lap, “you should know better than to start something you can’t finish.”
“Oh, I fully intended to finish,” you grinned, “I’ve missed you, Coop.”
“I’ve missed you every day for a long time,” he sighed, “I’m not letting you go again.”
“Good.”
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the-s1lly-corner · 6 months ago
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Hi, may i request some headcanons for Toby, Ej and Ben with a S/O who is really clumsy and always has new bruises?
toby, ej, and ben x reader who is clumsy
my legs hurt i hate how they tense up when i get stressed out it hurts so much notes: reader is gn, ben is platonic as i do not feel comfortable writing romantic for him, heavy hcs for all of them naturally but esp ben cws: edit
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toby
he has a little bit of a disconnect between pain and injuries- both for himself and other people. obviously for himself its because of his CIPA, and that leaks into how he perceives others. he knows it hurts for them but he doesnt fully understand to what degree
still, he does his best to sympathize with you when you get hurt- actually you guys likely come up with a system.. a scale to rank how painful it is.. not just for physical pain! i can easily see this being used as a general thing for you guys to rate an experience both lightheartedly and as a serious thing
gets you meds as well as an icepack for your bruises so youre not too sore- hopefully
keeps an eye on the coloring of your skin, headcanon that he keeps tabs of the look of how an injury looks to determine severity.. as well as generally having a curiosity
he doesnt outwardly judge you all that much for your clumsiness, he knows his tics have caused some accidents so hes not going to fault you for a lot of your accidents
eyeless jack
tries to find a reason for your clumsiness, or at least tries to clear it of "okay do you have something internally thats happening", and if you actually do he does what he need to accommodate you
makes sure you dont needlessly get put into a situation that can lead to you getting hurt, he doesnt babyproof his place or yours.. nor does he treat you like youre a kid, but he does make precautions
lightly scolds you for not being careful if youre careless and roll with it as you get hurt- he doesnt want you to get hurt even if its something small
knows some tricks to lessen bruises before they get too bad, as well as ways to relieve any pain and swelling
medical interest really coming in clutch!
he hears crashing sounds and he just preps himself for whats about to transpire
he loves you but he does try to help you manage your clumsiness
ben
he thinks its a little funny that youre constantly hurting yourself, as long as its not a major injury- he also thinks its a little... pathetic... its a little mean for him to think that but hey, hes a bit of an asshole so its to be expected
he cant do much most of the time on account of him not being physically there- stuck in your phone or computer or some other device. but he does try to verbally be there for you- there in spirit!
if hes connected to the internet and hes able he does try to find some solutions to either lessen your clumsiness or how to make your bruises fade faster
tries to see if theres a cause to your clumsiness but its mostly him bullshitting you
"it could be a tumor" "you little shit its not a tumor"/ref/hj
more of a "lets move on and forget about it" kind of person, which isnt terrible especially if you find yourself embarrassed by your clumsiness
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saturnsbabyboii · 11 months ago
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🍓Synastry Astro Observations🍓
(Cause I haven't been active for three months)
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🍓Regardless of the sign a planet is in, it is important to check the aspects it makes to other planets. This is especially the case for synastry charts and readings as aspects create an activation that can enhance, block or overturn the energy of said planets.
🍓People with Sun conjunct Sun aspect are very competitive with one another. This is usually exasperated when one or both have this aspect in a Fire house.
🍓Natives with Mars squaring others Neptune are usually challenging people realities. For the Mars native, the Neptune person is usually a cause of drama or someone that is petty or inauthentic. The Mars person can easily see through the Neptune person facade. However positively, the Neptune person can soothe the Mars native, despite their defensiveness. For the Neptune native on the other hand, this could be a relationship where the Mars person helps them overcome and outgrow harmful cycles, or actualize their dreams. Worst case, the Mars person is very harmful to the Neptune native mental health and psyche. They could be an abuser of sorts.
🍓Mercury trine Mars are people that can help each other process things and brainstorm as they work very well with one another balancing ideas and workload. This is the dream team for any project.
🍓People with their MC in square aspect to your Sun might feel embarrassed to be seen with you in public. Best case they prefer to be more personal and private with you, bringing you into their personal space and away from their outer persona.
🍓Personally, I have found that the predominance of Squares usually only works in context of friendship rather than in romance, sex or family. Although it could create conflict between personalities, when done right, it can signify support, companionship or even someone that'll be instrumental in helping you break out of toxic patterns or elevate into a higher level and field.
🍓MC square MC is an indication of having drama or a falling out publicly.
🍓Lunar Nodes in aspect to your personal planets have a strong effect on you, although it would be temporary. Meanwhile, someone Nodes in your angular houses (1st, 4th, 7th, 10th) will play a big role in your life. This is would be particularly true if they're in aspect to your Ascendant/Descendant/IC/MC.
🍓Aspects between Venus and Venus create more harmony and attraction than positive aspects between Mars and Venus/ Mars and Mars.
🍓Jupiter conjunct Saturn are two sides of the same coin. They're two people with the same ideals and principles yet they approach and practice them differently.
🍓Even though it is not "official" or as widely done, but I give great importance to the compatibility between the houses in synastry, regardless of the planets present. Since the houses are a reflection of our life map, it can help us better understand our similarities and differences, plus our possible standpoints.
🍓When looking over synastry with a parent, take a good look at the aspects made by their Saturn and Chiron to your personal placements. Chiron in specific can show where/what they unleash or heal their trauma through you.
🍓Mars opposition Saturn is a high indication of a relationship being described as a "Cold War".
🍓Having Chiron and/or Pluto conjunct someone inner planets means you're are here to serve them karma or bring them justice.
🍓Ascendant conjunct Venus creates a very beautiful pairing. Whether it's romantic or platonic, this pair accentuate one another's beauty.
🍓Check the aspects your Neptune makes to the other person. The planets aspected indicate where do you overlook traits, paint a false picture, or what are you in denial about regrading the person. This works in terms of justifying behavior, making up a connection, and possibly lying on or magnifying "bad traits" in others that don't exist. It also goes the other way around.
🍓The placement of someone's Moon in your houses can summarize their emotional state towards you or what they find in common with you on a deeper level. For example:
Someone's Moon in your 1st house can be a person that feels endowed or in awe of your appearance (especially when their Moon is inconjunction with your Ascendant). You may carry yourself in a way that they relate to or deeply desire. This person may also be someone that shares superficial feelings of you or thinks that you're shallow. Possible jealousy.
Someone's Moon in your 2nd house is a sign of codependence, specifically of the Moon native towards you. Since the 2nd house rules resources and self esteem, this person may require a lot from you, and might be a bit too comfortable taking things from you. You yourself may also enable this behavior and don't see a problem with it. In some cases, this could be a person that is emotionally supportive and reinforcing of your own worth. In contrast, this could be someone that creates blockages and hinders your material growth.
Someone's Moon in your 3rd house will be a person that you feel very comfortable talking to. This can be someone you find out that they're from the same hometown as you or have lived/is living in your childhood neighborhood. A potential life long roomie. An indication of a nurturing or "motherly" way of communicating with one another.
Someone's Moon in your 10th is similar to that of the 1st, in that the Moon person would be either in awe or jealous of you. In this house, this is exhibited overtly. This person could be your biggest cheerleader or biggest hater. Something about you succeeding (or even failing) affects them deeply. It's likely that this person won't have your best interest at heart and may use associating with you as a way to gain fame or monetary wealth. In positive cases, this person could be a confidant in professional environments.
🍓People that have more than two planets in your water houses (4th, 8t, 12th) will have a profound effect on you for the rest of this lifetime. These houses are not only related to our deeper selves and private life, but they're also karmic. Our relationship with such people is much more darker and intimate, showing hidden aspects of ourselves that we may not be aware of. Being around them may be draining as those relationships can feel like a blood oath, to say the least. Particularly for the 12th, this person can unravel you in the best (and worst) ways possible. As the house of hidden enemies, this person might be harmful to you in an unforeseen ways. If both of you share planets in these houses then it's an indication of trauma bonding.
🍓A person with their natal Mars in your 8th house can be someone oddly provoking. Its giving "why do I even like you?". These are not the people you usually find attractive yet they have a strange hold on you. They're your forbidden fruit.
🍓Aspects made to the ascendent can explain ones first impression of another. For example, Venus in aspect to the ascendent describes a sense of intrigue and attraction based off of desire (Opposition), envy (Square), resonance (Conjunct), belonging (Trine), or curiosity (Sextile).
Bye Ugly xoxo
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anonymousewrites · 7 months ago
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A Not-So-Disastrous Romance (Book 1) Chapter Eight
Kusuo Saiki x Reader
Chapter Eight: Valentine’s Day Chaos and Movie Night Misunderstandings
Summary: Saiki tries to get chocolate and to see a movie without spoilers, and neither goes well.
            Saiki arrived at school with zero interest in the chocolate that Toritsuka was so excited over receiving for Valentine’s Day. Sure, he liked sweets and knew people could give them as thanks and platonically, but he didn’t want the hassle of having anyone mean it romantically.
            “Good morning, Saiki!” greeted (Y/N) cheerfully. They were slightly nervous thar morning. It was clear why. Inside their bag, which Saiki could see through easily, were wrapped sweets. Valentine’s Day gifts.
            Saiki nodded to them in greeting. All his previous distaste for the holiday flew out the window at seeing them. Those feelings were slightly different when it came to (Y/N). Saiki wouldn’t mind (in fact, he wanted) chocolate from them since sweets they gave/bought him were always nice (and, obviously, it was just friendship, so he had no worries, nothing had at all, everything was normal).
            His mood was dampened somewhat when he spied the gifts on their own desk, but he simply sat down next to them. Hopefully, their chocolate was for him (he just wanted sweet treats, and they were always best when they came from (Y/N)), and they’d have a chance to give it to him. However…
            “Have you heard? Teruhashi brought chocolates for someone!” announced a boy.
            Saiki nearly groaned. Once again, Teruhashi’s strange interest in him was causing problems. She was planning to give him her chocolates, and that would cause him to be the target of the other boys’ wrath. He would have to avoid her outside of classes today. And that meant…he wouldn’t be around (Y/N). He wouldn’t get any sweet treats from them.
            There is no God…
            Saiki was forced to sit through class after class while listening to Teruhashi and all the boys’ thoughts. All the while, (Y/N) hadn’t made a move to give anyone their chocolates. That, at least, gave Saiki some relief. Obviously, he wanted the sweets, and it would be a disappointment if the chocolate went to someone else since he wouldn’t have anything nice to eat. That would be the disappointment.
            After school ends, I’ll give these to Saiki! He’ll be so stunned by the perfect pretty girl thanking him—
            Saiki’s thoughts were interrupted by Teruhashi’s plotting.
            Thanking me for what?
            —And he’ll say “Oh, wow!”
            Yare yare.
            The teacher dismissed the students. Quickly, Saiki speed-walked out of the building and around the corner before anyone could catch him. He could hear Teruhashi’s thoughts from above him as her fans tried to get in her good graces. They wanted to receive her chocolates, and she had hidden in the bathroom.
            These are my only courtesy chocolates… If those guys outside find out that I gave them to Saiki…he’ll definitely be…! Teruhashi pictured Saiki beaten up by thugs. No, not only that. A World War will break out! O-Oh, no! To think that my chocolates are the most dangerous weapon known to man! I can’t give this to him at all! She opened the bathroom window and tossed the chocolates out. I’m sorry, Saiki!
            The gift dropped next to Saiki in the grass.
            Yare yare. That’s a tad overdramatic. He reached out and placed his hand on the chocolates. Easily, he teleported it to Hairo’s bags of sweets. It would blend in there and not go to waste. Saiki couldn’t eat them. Even his sweet tooth was subject to his emotions. He wanted only (Y/N)’s chocolate on Valentine’s Day because…Well, because they were the only person he could truly admit he had a connection—friendship—with. Saiki stood up and walked towards the school entrance. Now that the situation was fixed, he could leave without being chased by Teruhashi. He rounded the corner and paused in surprise.
            (Y/N) was sitting on the curb at the gates, swinging their legs idly. The sun shone down on them, giving them a glow akin to Teruhashi.
            Oh, wow.
            A small voice in Saiki’s mind whispered the two forbidden words, and he cleared them away immediately as (Y/N) turned and saw him walking towards them.
            “Saiki!” They beamed. “I’ve been waiting!”
            “You waited for me?” It was…sweet. He liked the warm feeling it brough to his chest.
            “Of course!” (Y/N) answered as if it was obvious. “I’ve got something for you!”
            So it was for me. Saiki was glad.
            They brought out their chocolates from their bag. “Here you go! For being such a wonderful friend!” And the one I like. But I can’t tell you that.
            Ever since their realization, they’d battled their feelings and come to the conclusion that they’d just be a good friend to Saiki at most. They wouldn’t cross his boundaries since he didn’t seem to like anyone having a crush on him. (Y/N) would just be his friend. It…hurt a little, but they wouldn’t give up a good friendship for a ruined attempt at romance. (Y/N) valued Saiki as a friend as much as anything else.
            Saiki blinked and took the gift. “Thank you very much.” He was constantly blunt, but somehow, those words felt more truthful to his heart than any others he had spoken in his life.
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            (Y/N) skipped towards the move theater happily. They were excited to see the Specializer: Live Action movie. They were more delighted when they spied Saiki entering the cinema.
            “Saiki!” They waved to him. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
            “I’m a teenager at the movie theater.” Saiki was being sarcastic as usual, but (Y/N) was right, he didn’t go to the cinema anymore. His telepathy caused too much trouble. Now, however…he had his very own germanium ring. Saiki didn’t have to hear people’s thoughts anymore. He wouldn’t have anything get spoiled.
            (Y/N) shrugged. “Fair point. Are you here to see Specializer?”
            “Yes.”
            “I am, too!” They grinned. “Let’s go get tickets!”
            For all my bad luck, it looks like God is actually helping me out today.
            “That’s a nice ring!” commented (Y/N) as they walked in. “They look like the same metal as my earrings.”
            Saiki shrugged in answer.
            “Two tickets to Specializer,” said (Y/N) to the saleswoman.
            “Oh, how nice, a date to the movies!” remarked the lady.
            (Y/N)’s cheeks warmed. “Oh, uh, it’s—”
            “Yes, it’s nice,” said Saiki shortly, paying for the tickets and walking away. “No point in arguing with her. It’ll just waste time.”
            (Y/N) jogged to keep up with him. “If you say so.” They pushed away their stomach doing flips. “Let me pay for snacks at least. Now I have more money to spare on it.”
            Saiki nodded and let them buy the popcorn and sodas. While they walked to the theater, he easily avoided all the people who might have spoiled movies in the past. He and (Y/N) got nice seats in the theater, too. Things were actually going well for Saiki. He couldn’t help but smile.
            A germanium ring and (Y/N). It seems today is working out surprisingly in my favor.
            “Saiki, (L/N)?”
            I spoke too soon.
            (Y/N) nearly groaned. They almost got over an hour of time alone with Saiki (extremely difficult to obtain and rare), but, of course, a wild Teruhashi had to appear and ruin it. (Y/N) had nothing against Teruhashi, but…she attracted attention, especially from boys, and it made (Y/N) a bit insecure. Plus, it annoyed Saiki, and (Y/N) didn’t want him to have a bad day.
            Next to her, Saiki was also nearly groaning at how much the world hated him. He was also realizing that he could have avoided Teruhashi if he heard her thoughts early and cursing germanium again.
            “Hi, Teruhashi,” said (Y/N). They managed their usual cheerfulness and smiled.
            “Wow! What a coincidence! Are you two on a date?” Teruhashi’s eyes darted between the two.
            “Um, no, we aren’t,” said (Y/N) while Saiki shook his head.
            “Oh!” Teruhashi’s cheeks turned pink. She was happy to know that, although she couldn’t admit it to herself. “W-Well, I guess we’re all watching the movie together.”
            “Yeah…” answered (Y/N).
            I can’t hear her thoughts…That’s a problem. But I’ve been wanting to see this movie for a while, and I’m having a decent time.
            “D-Don’t this is an excuse,” said Teruhashi, “But I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.” She looked at Saiki, obviously speaking more to him than (Y/N). “You see, I’m here with someone, and…”
            “Oh?” Even Saiki was surprised on that one.
            “Kokomi! I bought some popcorn!” said a male voice. It was a boy with blue hair and sunglasses on.
            I swear I know him from somewhere, thought (Y/N). Probably someone famous since Teruhashi thinks he’s worthy of her.
            “Hey! Hey, you!” The boy took his sunglasses off and glared at Saiki. “What’s your relationship with my Kokomi?” He caught sight of (Y/N). “And what’re you doing with this poor teenager!”
            (Y/N) tilted their head in confusion at the statement.
            Yare yare. I never thought that (Y/N) would bring me unwanted attention.
            “Ah! Hey! Don’t take off your sunglasses!” exclaimed Teruhashi.
            Suddenly, all the patrons of the theater recognized the boy. It was Toru Megumi, the star of the film. They immediately crowded around him, obscuring any sound or view of the screen. Saiki decided to leave. The commotion would cause the showing to be canceled anyways. When he looked around, however, he could barely see (Y/N). Only their hand was visible. Using a bit of his super strength, he pushed through and grasped their wrist. Saiki pulled them out of the crowd and the theater.
            (Y/N) took a few deep breaths. Being nearly trampled was not a pleasant experience. “Thanks, you really saved me back there,” said (Y/N), chuckling through the adrenaline.
            Saiki simply nodded at them. Of course he had. They were his friend.
            “I’m sorry you didn’t get to see the movie. Do you want to go watch one at one of our houses?” asked (Y/N).
            “My mom has been asking to see you,” mentioned Saiki. It was a good excuse to invite (Y/N) over without admitting he tolerated them.
            “She’s sweet!”
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            Saiki and (Y/N) had long since finished the move that had been playing on TV, but Mrs. Saiki invited (Y/N) to stay over. Now, the two teenagers were sitting on the couch reading comfortably as Mrs. Saiki turned on the television. Saiki was holding the book while (Y/N) looked over his shoulder from where they lay on the couch (He had taken off the ring by now). So far, it was a relatively quiet, domestic night. In fact, Saiki was quite enjoying having (Y/N) over. And his parents liked them, so slowly but surely, (Y/N) was somehow becoming part of the Saiki household. Their parents were often away, so (Y/N) spent time in the Saiki home. Saiki didn’t mind them being a permanent part of his life. It was nice to have them around. Saiki supposed having it as a constant would be even better.
            But what that meant evaded him in a strange manner. He had the disconcerting feeling he was missing something.
            “Ah! Toru is on TV!” gushed Mrs. Saiki.
            “Who?” asked Mr. Saiki.
            “Oh, you don’t know him? It’s Toru Mugami,” said Mrs. Saiki. “He’s the most popular young actor today! I’ve become a huge fan of his! He’s known for his good looks, charm, and talent! Many people admire him. What do you think of him, (Y/N)?” Mrs. Saiki had taken to calling (Y/N) by their first name since she viewed the teen as a kid (and hopefully an in-law, if she had her way).
            (Y/N) shrugged. “I like his movies, but he’s not my type.” They glanced at Saiki for a moment before looking carefully away.
            Not their type? Maybe Kuu is! They’d be so cute together! thought Mrs. Saiki.
            Saiki’s eyes widened minutely. He hadn’t expected that.
            “Honey…who do you like more? Me or that Toru guy?” asked Mr. Saiki.
            “That’s a no brainer! Of course, it’s you, honey! Compared to you, he’s a fly on dog droppings!”
            “Isn’t that a little harsh?”
            “Your parents really love each other,” observed (Y/N), smiling softly.
            “Yeah.”
            “I hope to have a love like theirs. Not as energetic, but…true, enduring love,” said (Y/N). They laughed sheepishly. “I guess it’s a little silly, isn’t it?”
            “No, it isn’t.”
            Saiki knew what they meant. He saw people at school get in and out of relationships frequently, but although his parents were annoyingly in love, he preferred their constant affection compared to rocky relationships. He’d rather find one person he’d want to be around forever than be “passionately” into different people every-so-often. Besides, only one really fit his temperament.
            Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and the moment was broken.
            “Oh, a visitor!” remarked Mrs. Saiki, still hugging her husband while they used their strange fly on dog poop metaphor.
            “Geez, can’t they see we’re having a moment?” said Mr. Saiki.
            “Coming! Who is it?” Mrs. Saiki opened the door and gasped.
            “What’s wrong, honey?!” cried Mr. Saiki.
            “It’s the fly…I mean…!”
            “Sorry to bother you this evening,” said Toru Mugami. “Is this where Kusuo Saiki lives?”
            Mr. Saiki looked from him to the TV. “It’s the guy from TV!”
            “Why is Toru at our place?!” cried Mrs. Saiki.
            “Quiet. You’ll upset the neighbors.”
            Finally, Mr. and Mrs. Saiki managed to compose themselves and set out a drink for Toru in the dining room.
            “Thank you very much!” said Toru. He looked at the two teenagers. “Kusuo, (Y/N), do you remember that we met at the movie theater? I thought you might’ve gotten the wrong idea, so…To tell you the truth, Kokomi and I are siblings.”
            “You do look quite similar,” remarked (Y/N).
            “People often mistake us for a couple,” continued Toru.
            (Y/N) made a weirded-out face. Ew.
            “Wait…your Kokomi’s…?” Saiki’s parents were surprised.
            “Toru Mugami is my stage name,” explained the idol, “My real name is Makoto Teruhashi. Kokomi is worried that Kusuo and (Y/N) got the wrong idea, so I came to explain it to them. I’m lucky (Y/N) was here and not at their home.”
            “I wonder why she’s worried, right?” Mr. Saiki still believed Teruhashi was his New Year’s wish for Saiki come true.
            There are much better options for me, Dad. Saiki wasn’t really sure what those options he kept thinking of were, but the word kept coming.
            Mrs. Saiki noticed the time. “Ah! I have to make dinner.” She and Mr. Saiki walked out of the room.
            “Your parents sure are cheerful,” chuckled Makoto as they left. “Oh, that’s right. I have one more message for you.” He faced Saiki. “This one is from me. Could you hear me out?”
            (Y/N) looked between them and sipped their water to avoid feeling too awkward.
            “Stay away from my sister, you stupid piece of trash.”
            (Y/N) spit out the water in surprise.
            “And stop drawing other innocent people into your schemes!”
            Confused, (Y/N) tilted their head.
            “I don’t know if you’re my beloved Kokomi’s classmate or what, but don’t push your luck, you little snot,” said Makoto. “She’s out of your league, you worthless four-eyes.” He looked at (Y/N). “And you!”
            They pointed at themself awkwardly. “Um, yeah?”
            “Don’t get trapped by this perv who clearly wants a harem!” declared Makoto.
            (Y/N) nearly died on the spot.
            “I don’t want that at all.”
            “Then, you at least want my Kokomi! And I won’t allow it! You’re a fly on dog droppings!” sneered Makoto.
            “I never knew that was such a popular analogy…” mumbled (Y/N).
            “Don’t start using it.”
            “Do you think you have a chance?” questioned Makoto scornfully.
            “Nope, not thinking that,” answered Saiki frankly.
            “Since you see her every day and can even say hi to her, you probably think that you’ll get married after a long courtship, right?” rambled Makoto.
            “Not thinking that, either.”
            “This is really detailed…” commented (Y/N). “It’s pretty concerning.”
            “Stop dreaming, you scum,” said Makoto.
            “I said I’m not, didn’t I?”
            “She’s such a pretty girl. It’s just natural that you’re drawn to her just like hyenas to dead flesh,” said Makoto.
            “In that analogy, Teruhashi is dead flesh.”
            (Y/N) stifled a laugh.
            “Kokomi isn’t just a pretty girl!” declared Makoto. “She’s a masterpiece created by God!”
            “I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration.”
            “So the only one who’s suitable for Kokomi is me!” Makoto pointed to himself.
            Saiki, and even ever-bubbly (Y/N), turned blank.
            “What the heck is he talking about?”
            “That’s just wrong,” said (Y/N), staring at Makoto. They were deeply disturbed
            Even (Y/N) doesn’t like him. That meant Makoto was truly terrible.
            “Your just her classmate,” continued the weird boy, “I’ve been by her side since she was born!”
            “Yeah…because you’re siblings,” pointed out Saiki.
            (Y/N) nodded, their face showing their growing concern (and disgust) for the state of Makoto’s mind.
            “The one who’ll marry my sister is me!” cried Makoto.
            “I see. So he’s a perv.”
            (Y/N) shuddered. “Gross, gross, gross.” They edged behind Saiki slightly.
            “I’ll never have some filthy nobody have my Kokomi!” Makoto had crazed eyes. “The only one who can lay their hands on her is me, her brother!”
            How did his parents let him get this bad?
            “Ahhh, Kokomi! I love you more than anyone else in the world does!” declared Makoto.
            “Obsession doesn’t begin to cover this…” muttered (Y/N) uncomfortably.
            “Don’t you ever get near my Kokomi,” sneered Makoto to Saiki, “Don’t try to make a harem with her and this teenager. Don’t even look her. In fact, don’t even breathe the same air she does.”
            “Yare yare.”
            Suddenly, they all heard a knock at the Saiki household’s front door. It gave (Y/N) and Saiki the perfect opportunity to escape the stifling room. They stood, but before they reached the door, Teruhashi herself opened the door.
            “Kokomi?” exclaimed Makoto.
            “What’re you doing here?” asked a frenzied Teruhashi.
            “Wow, she easily figured out where he was,” remarked (Y/N).
            Actually, I called her here.
            “Hey, what’re you doing here?” repeated Teruhashi.
            “Well, you were worried that Saiki and (L/N) got the wrong idea, right?” said Makoto, smiling innocently.
            “What…? I didn’t tell you that…How did you…,” stammered Teruhashi.
            “I always know what you’re thinking,” said Makoto. “You no longer have to worry about it. I explained anything.”
            “I-I see. I’m gla— What?” she cried. Does that mean Saiki knows I was worried he got the wrong idea?!
            She really isn’t concerned about (Y/N).
            Makoto continued, “I’m always—.”
            “Why…” said Teruhashi lowly. “Why did you have to stick your nose into this?! I hate you, big brother!”
            Makoto’s world collapsed around him.
            “Will he leave now?” said (Y/N), peering down at Makoto and poking him with their shoe in distaste.
            “I hope so.”
            (Y/N) breathed a sigh of relief.
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kandlewick · 6 months ago
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since its taking so long, im gonna drop a preview of my leona's ''i'll dry the villain's tears'....... this one is special because i unfortunately decided mid writing that i wanted it to be romantic but alas that means i had to scrap a lot of twst lore to fit my narrative hghfg so think of this one as an au to my usual entries. an interest check. these entries were MEANT to be strictly platonic but a few of them (leona, MAYBE azul and malleus (between lilia and the reader)), just gave me so many ideas.
SO IT IS UNFINISHED! its 4k words but still unresolved unless people like, want me to scrap twst lore as heavily as i did in this lmao
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i'll dry the villain's tears pt. 3.1415926535897
you get reincarnated into a role that became the breaking point of the villain's story and you, be it an unwillingness to cause them harm or a desire to survive, must work hard to make sure they grow into a better (or at least safer) person.
all entries are USUALLY to be read as platonic however this one wouldn't go away. All are USUALLY meant to be taken place in the TWST universe accurate to the game but this one is special because I love leona and he'd be so cool as a manwha love interest.
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You awaken one day with perhaps the largest bump you've ever seen placed nearly perfectly center on your forehead. You don't remember how you got it exactly but the two princes never left your side (Falena would not stop crying and despite his claims of laughter at your expense, you can tell his brother was equally worried), only being dragged away by their tutor as soon as they let their guard down.
You looked down at the hands on your lap and clutched your fists open and closed over and over again. Gone were your long fingers and wide palms, instead you looked down at the chubby hands of a child no more than six.
From what your handmaiden had told you, the three of you had been playing spelldrive together and Leona, in his eagerness to best his brother, had shot the disk perhaps a bit too strong and instead of flying in to the goal, it had changed course and struck you hard enough to knock you unconscious for the rest of the early hours of the morning.
You remembered this event. It's what led to Falena's betrothed sticking closer to him and farther from Leona. What once was a well balanced trio had become a teeter totter with Falena and her on one side and Leona alone, unable to change anything with what little weight he had to offer.
Falena's betrothed; that was you. From the story you had read, the two were deeply in love and ruled the kingdom hand in hand towards a brighter future... all while unknowingly leaving the youngest brother in the shadows, forgotten and alone and desperate. You couldn't afford for that to happen.
You don't see the two of them until late that evening. Falena looked exhausted, like the tutoring had beaten any last bit of energy he could spare and with a loud yawn, had eagerly hopped into the cot next to you on your right. Leona was slow to join the two of you but settled himself to your left, his shoulder bumping yours as you turned to give him your attention, curiously returning the gesture. Leona matched your gaze, looking you over for any signs of pain before he opened his mouth.
"You look ridiculous," he spoke aloud, glancing at your bruised forehead. Subconsciously, you reached up and checked the tender spot and gave him an unimpressed look.
“I only look like this because you can’t shoot a disk right.” You huffed, choosing to ignore his presence, instead cuddling up to Falena who was more than eager to reciprocate, easily wrapping a comforting arm around your shoulder and nudging your chin in a friendly hug. “At least your brother is being nice to me.”
However, despite your teasing voice, Falena was quick to come to his defense, “Leona’s just not good at showing he was worried about you. You should’ve seen his face when he saw you fall over, I’ve never seen him run that fast in his life.” Leona rolled his eyes but made no response as his brother laughed, choosing to settle himself in your cot while closing his eyes, his tail lazily curling up behind you. Your beastman tail - you don’t know when you would ever get used to that - sat itself besides his, curling the two into a gentle hold. Leona glanced over at you from the corner of his one opened eye but chose not to comment about it.
Even at your young age, you could tell that Leona communicated in a particular way. His words may be harsh, but his actions were tender.
“Mmm, someone had to.” Leona muttered, nuzzling himself deeper into the pillows, “Falena was too busy crying about you to be of any help.”
Falena made no effort to deny the claims and sheepishly smiled at you, “He is not wrong, haha. I was very worried for you! You should’ve seen the maid’s face when they saw you passed out in the field!” He reached out and plucked your hand into his. When you looked at him, you could still see the red dotting his eyes from how hard he had cried. It was no wonder your body’s original owner had fallen so head over heels for this boy. While he and Leona were brothers, they couldn’t have been more night and day. 
“You shouldn’t have worried too much, Falena! I’m fine, really. Kifaji said that I should be fine in a few days.” You waved his worry off with your hand, gingerly pressing the tips of your fingers against the small lump, “There wasn’t a concussion or anything but he wanted to make s- Hm?”
Falena and Leona both looked up at you with wide eyes, both of their gazes making you feel small. You slumped in your seat and blinked at the both of them, silently feeling sheepish all of a sudden, “Is something wrong?”
“Why are you calling me by my name!” Falena looked almost scandalized as he let go of you, his hands floating at your sides like he was too scared to touch you, “Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong?”
“Eh? Eh?”
“Looks like I hit her a little too hard.” Leona chuckled, watching in barely contained amusement as his brother’s soul practically floated out of his chest, “What happened to calling him, ‘husband’?”
This body’s former owner was a precocious little child, wasn’t she!!! You couldn’t believe the audacity, calling your ten year old fiance ‘husband’!
As required of any royal belonging to the Sunset Savannah, you were expected to build lasting relations with other tribes and honorable guests much like any other adult and as such, other than the two royal siblings, you were given many playmates. Some were older than you and some were younger, but they were many and varied and always tried to stay on your good side. And as such, they were exceedingly worried about you when you arrived late to your most recent playdate with a freshly bandaged head.
“My liege, what happened!” the youngest cried, quickly latching on to your arm, tears welling up in his shiny eyes, “Are you alright? Does it hurt?” 
You waved them off with your hand, a soft but embarrassed smile on your face. Their eyes watered, their large elephant beastman ears flopping up and down wildly as they looked you over head to toe for any sign of injury. You could hear them loudly sniffling as they bit back tears. They’ve always been a bit of a crybaby from what your memories could tell you. A shy, but friendly young boy… if a little bit of a hypochondriac. One of your older playmates rolled her eyes but you could tell she was worried by the subtle way she refused to leave your side, glancing over at you from the corner of her eye.
“I can’t believe Prince Leona would do something as clumsy as hurting his brother’s fiance!” One of your newer playmates huffed loudly, her eyes narrowed in annoyance, “Really, he’s lucky his brother forgave him so fast - ah! You as well, it’s good you forgave him too!! He doesn’t deserve it if you asked me!” She huffed loudly as she played with your toys, her jaguar tail batting the floor loudly. She paid no mind to your two companions sounds of offense, instead choosing to meet your gaze from over her shoulder.
You blinked at her, your eyes wide in confusion. Your two other companions matched your expression, the two of them surprised she would dare to say anything like that outloud. Leona hadn’t meant to hit you after all! You were playing…
Your newest playmate, so new you could hardly remember her name scoffed at the three of you, obviously annoyed you didn’t join her in her thoughts. “For real, who does he think he is? He’s the second son, he should be bowing on his hands and knees at your feet! You’re the future king’s fiance, he should be grateful he’s even allowed to play with you two! W-”
You don’t know what came over you and why you did it, but you felt your body react to her words, and somehow, your fist made contact with her cheek sending her sprawling on the floor. The sound of her collapsing was loud enough to shock you out of your stupor, a dull ache throbbing around your knuckles. She looked up at you with wide eyes as she cradled her cheek, you staring down at her with equally large doe shaped eyes. You couldn’t believe you had just done that!
“Leona is my friend.” Your lips began moving before you could even think. You were firm on this even as tears began welling up in your eyes. Ah, you sighed. Even if your mind isn’t young, your body still is shaking like a leaf. The hand you had punched the child with quivered from nerves. “Dont - don’t speak that way about him!” Your voice raised in pitch, “His brother and I love him very much!”
The little girl bared her teeth at you, unwilling to take your actions lying down, “How can you say these things? He hurt you!” She hissed.
“It was an accident!” You matched her tone, the sadness quickly evaporating into anger, “Sometimes accidents happen when you’re playing! He’s good and kind and would never, ever hurt me! Ever!”
Your shouting was quick to alarm the servants stationed outside your playroom’s walls. Kifaji was the first one in, eyes sharp as he immediately separated you from the other children, stepping in the way with his back to you. “What is going on here?” He questioned. There was no room for nonsense in his expression and his words matched that as he gazed around the play area. The girl cradled her cheek as she glared at you, unwilling to speak up. She may have made the mistake of bad mouthing the second prince in the presence of other children, but she knew better than to say those words around another adult that wasn’t her own parent. Kifaji raised his brow at her silence before turning to your gorilla and elephant companions, silently questioning the two. They shrunk under his glare and made no move to open their mouths instead choosing to nervously shuffle closer to you. 
You tugged on Kifaji’s robes, the fabric soft between your trembling fingers. Glancing over at you, he leaned down and crouched to match your gaze. While his eyes were hard and strict, you could tell that he cared about you and the princes. He would listen to you. You could trust him.
“She was talking badly about Prince Leona…” You whispered to him, “so I punched her.”
Kifaji made a face, but nodded his head slowly. You hoped he understood. With a heavy sigh, he gathered up his robes and picked himself up.
“Come along,” He gestured to the girl, “Let us find your parents. I believe the playdate has come to an end.” and with a gentle hand, he helped her up as she began dabbing away at her eyes but not before shooting you a glare from over her shoulder. You stuck your tongue out at her. As soon as the adults exited the room, you quickly reached up and wiped away the tears staining your cheeks before returning to your friends, the mood sufficiently ruined for the rest of the play date.
It wasn’t until later that evening that Kifaji returned, a cross expression on his face. The guards at his sides were quick to disperse as he approached you, his robes billowing out behind him like colorful plumage. With practiced precision, he kneeled down to your eye level and reached out, bringing your small hands into his. His rough hands itched against your soft ones.
“What you did today could have ended very poorly, my liege.” He spoke softly, but his tone was firm, “You must remember, your position here in the palace is not final. If you cause too much of a ruckus…”
Was the king’s advisor really telling you to ignore this? That you should let Leona be bad mouthed by those in power? You were quick to glare at the older man, ripping your hands away from him and taking a few steps back, eager to separate the two of you.
“I’m not going to let people say whatever they want about Leona.”
Kifaji, shocked, stared for a moment before narrowing his eyes, “This is what I’m talking about, my liege. You are too quick to anger. You must calm yourself. I am not saying you must ignore the problem, but what I am trying to say is, your position in the palace as Falena’s future spouse, is not permanent.”
You hated to admit it but he had a point. You bit your lip but said nothing, cowed under his words. It was the truth. If you wanted to protect Leona, despite having the best intentions, you couldn’t exactly expect to have the sway as an adult. You were a child and easily replaceable. A glorified playmate.
“That is why, my liege,” Kifaji brought himself to his feet, dusting off his robe with a flick of a wrist, “you come to me.”
You turned and looked at him, not expecting the protective glint to his eye. He nodded his head before continuing.
“I will make sure that these things are handled correctly without repercussions. As the king’s advisor, I am not so easily replaceable.” He chuckled, fixing his glasses with a precise motion, “I will admit I am not as… in touch with the other servants in the palace and diplomats are always so careful with their words around me, it’s difficult to gauge their true intentions but with you, they will surely slip up and speak more plainly then perhaps they should.”
You stared up at the man in awe. You couldn’t believe your luck! Kifaji was taking your side and was going to actively help you in your quest to project Leona. Maybe before he was never given the opportunity, never had the time to set aside to investigate. Maybe he never knew. Now, however, he was given the chance with you to defend the prince. You very nearly teared up but were quick to wipe them away as Kifaji laughed, his hand reaching down to ruffle your hair affectionately. 
And so the two of you were quick to act, swiftly cutting contact with merchants and dignitaries that shared less than favorable feelings for the second prince. You and Kifaji would have monthly meetings together with snacks courtesy of the king and his wife as you spoke of matters in the palace. You had a special role, scouting out and spying on maids and soldiers that gossiped in the servant’s quarters. Nobody expected anything when you even brought in your two playmates, Magani and Akut (the gorilla and elephant beastmen respectively) to join in on the spying. This carried on for several years as you heavily vetted all coming through the palace all without letting Leona see the work you pulled behind the curtains. All the strings and wires were yours to control and you were going to make good use of the opportunities you were given. 
But, for some reason, Leona never seemed to want to leave your side. While you worked on your schooling, he would sit and while away the hours under the light of the sun from his favorite perch right beside your desk. Even in this life he was a lazy lion, preferring the quiet you brought then the loud personality of his elder brother. Sometimes you would join him on his naps, your tails quietly intertwining in a silent embrace. It was a comforting feeling. Moments like this were always a relief after the hours you and Falena had to spend together in your diplomacy lessons. A lot was expected of you as the future queen of Sunset Savanna. There were many late nights where you both stayed up till the crack of dawn together, stubbornly unwilling to give up with tears in your eyes as you studied until your vision blurred. It wasn't an uncommon sight for Kifaji to find the two of you bundled up together with books piled at your feet in the early hours of the morning.
Afternoon lunch dates with Falena and Leona were also rowdy and fun. While Falena was always quick to stay by your side and fight for your attention, Leona was seemingly content with letting your future husband monopolize your time. It wouldn’t be uncommon for Leona to doze off while Falena tried to do ‘couple-y’ things with you
It was all perfect.
Until Falena was accepted into the Royal Sword Academy. 
“You’re… breaking our engagement?” 
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xjulixred45x · 5 months ago
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Can i request headcanons of hunter with a Romantic and platonic s/o that is like flutershy from mlp? Like,extremelly shy,meek and sweet,loves all animals no matter how dangerous they are and probably a beast keeper,i hope is not to much for you,keep doing good work and take care🫶
Oh yes! Yes! Thanks for the Request!
Hunter Noceda x Fluttershy! Reader
Genre: Headcanons
Reader: female
Warnings: this include Golden Guard Hunter so, he's kind of a adorable jerk sometimes, but it gets better, Reader is very shy and kind, Reader is a Beast Keeper, References to Belos but nothing grafic. Fluff.
As always a little context.
reader has always had a great connection with animals (perhaps her parents could have been farmers or already part of the beast coven?) and this was both a great advantage and a double-edged sword.
On the one hand, she could be quite safe in Bonesburgo compared to the average, since she could VERY easily tame the creatures that came across her, be they fairies, spiders, any creature.
Her family may even have been able to make a living from this lol
However, it also had its bad side since reader was not able to see that most of these animals and creatures were only friendly and docile to HER, generating incidents such as fairy infestations, bringing honeycombs of fire and causing injuries, things for the style.
Although, being bonesburgo, most people only saw readee as a very tender killing machine whom they should respect more than anything else xd.
Apart from that the affinity with animals only increased as she grew, drawing more attention.
reader joined the coven of beast keppers very early, gaining even more prestige, much to her bad luck.
Because precisely having had so much attention from such a young age made her become more shy and in a certain way reserved.
She simply doesn't like to be the center of attention, so she tries to be as discreet as possible.
More when sometimes she gets involved with famous creatures in smuggling or that Belos does not explicitly allow.
Maybe even thanks to this, reader tried to live as far away from people as possible, simply because that way she could raise her little animals and not so little animals in peace.
but obviously you can't always make a living from what you do in the garden (I would like to) and you go to the city from time to time for supplies.
NOW, I have two versions of how Hunter and reader may have met.
1- on one of these trips to the city or 2- the reader could be the apprentice of Eberwolf (the leader of the Coven to which she belongs).
For a certain matter of ease, I'm going for the second.
Training with Eberwolf is... strange, mostly because reader has to interpret everything he "says", but it's not as bad as one would think considering the feared reputation of the coven leaders.
Hunter would probably know at a superficial level about the existence of reader, mostly from the incidents involving her "little animals."
but I don't think they interact as such until the episode where Hunter wants to earn the respect of the Coven leaders.
There not only Hunter interacts with Darius and Eberwolf, but also with reader.
Maybe Eberwolf is trying to get Reader to go with Hunter to improve her social skills since they are both of a similar age, or maybe he just wants to annoy her, we don't know.
or even reader may be one of the few people who actually stay when Hunter calls the Coven leaders because well, he's the Golden Guard! He technically has a higher position than her and doesn't want to get into trouble.
and thanks to this small show of respect and "discipline" Hunter drags her with him to his mission as an "assistant" which, to the reader's discontent, involves interacting with people.
Regardless of how she has been assigned to Hunter, reader at first is used to just following him because she doesn't really know what to do in this situation, she is almost as socially inept as Hunter, so when they try to come up with ideas of how to get more people in to the emperor's coven, they unintentionally end up sabotaging themselves.
H: Do teenagers like the same things that we don't? rules, train-
R: fierce but cute animals? follow the strongest? silence?
H: animals that end our enemies for us? you are a GENIUS-
In a way they do bonding through their VERY WRONG ideas of normality and when they go to bring recruits they fail even more than in the canon.
(I imagine reader doesn't think much about FlapJack at first, she just can't help but see the Palismans as animals too, so she pretends she didn't see anything every time Hunter talks to him).
However, when the topic of the Flying Derby comes up, things definitely start to take shape.
I don't think Reader is weak basically, you have to have strength to handle wild animals even if they are tame, so when they practice a little, Hunter ends up QUITE impressed with how much weight she can actually carry.
(When he makes a comment about it he meant it as a compliment but it sounded ruder than he intended. He facepalmed for a long time).
Reader quickly becomes friends with Vinny and hee griffon, even telling her everything she knows about his specific breed type, diets, allergies, clothing size--
reader compensates her lack of speed with strength and her animals, speed is Hunter's strong point so they both complement each other quite well.
reader may even share a little of her philosophy with the animals (and people) to Hunter when they win, having a better understanding of each other and the "opportunities" they were given.
Even when the mission ends and Reader has to return to Eberwolf, Hunter continues to seek her out for other missions after that.
I would say that for quite some time their dynamic is like a "villain" that no one takes seriously with a faithful "servant", except that Hunter treats the reader as a sidekick or teammate. He doesn't feel like he can do the job without her.
especially when her positive affirmations become something he EXPECTS, or he gets used to having hair from whatever animal the reader brought with her that time, or when he learns to sharpen his hearing to hear whatever the reader murmurs when she thinks that He's not listening (which he's not doing! Not at all!)--
Let's say it's obvious to everyone except them.
If we talk about a relationship in general, it is a perfect balance.
Hunter wants to pretend for a long time to be the perfect guard, who doesn't make any mistakes and who is arrogant and so on. but in reality he is much more in need of attention and AFFECTION than he wants to admit.
reader is someone who evokes a certain tenderness and kindness, someone who you would think would be incapable of harming a fly, but is much stronger than she seems, she could perfectly turn all the fauna of the Boiling Islands against you--
Hunter learned quickly not to underestimate reader and sincerely likes that she can handle herself, of course, it doesn't mean that he doesn't like to show off a little and protect her from time to time, but knowing that she can protect herself leaves him very in peace.
Hunter wants to know as much as possible about the reader's interests to be more helpful when her "little animals" get out of control.
I honestly think Hunter is surprised how the reader can find any of the creatures on the Boiling Islands remotely endearing (except maybe King?) but he definitely understands how her connection to nature (which doesn't want to kill her) helps the reader.
Hunter supports any animal his partner brings in as long as it doesn't bite her off a limb.
although the Hunter post Time Skipe is definitely much more into the topic of animals and will happily introduce the reader to the WORLD OF WOLVES.
Hunter is happy to have a partner with so much empathy and who sees the good even in beings who objectively cannot see them that way, having lived with Belos all his life. Hunter is truly touched by how the reader takes care of the animals as if they were her own babies.
Hunter will definitely fight for the reader's animals (not only for her, but because at this point he is as in love with her as he is with the animals).
Hunter himself is shy, and although at first it was difficult for him to adapt to his partner's shyness, he quickly adapts and even feels safer with her because of it, because he knows that she will not judge him for having problems communicating certain feelings.
👏introduce👏reader👏to👏Darius����both he and Eberwolf definitely saw it coming from afar, but Eberwolf still made good money.
READER TEACHING HIM HOW TO MAKE ANIMAL EMBROIDERY AND THANKS TO THAT HE DECIDES TO MAKE A FLAPJACK EMBROIDERY I CAN'T---
I know I just said that Hunter would not be overprotective, but I can see him being cautious in social settings since the reader's personality can be the target of either 1- teasing or 2- attempts to make her feel bad for that very reason, and Hunter ITS NOT HAVING IT.
Don't even get me started on unity day :,) Hunter would insist the reader not only not go to the congregation, but to RUN AWAY AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. If reader didn't do it and, worse, was with Hunter by the time the drain spell passed, both of them would be heartbroken to see the other in so much PAIN.
We could say that it is even the reader's personality that helps him in especially dark moments, like when he is in the human world (without reader) he probably tries to cheer himself up or tries to think of an alternative plan thinking just " What would do reader?" and so even if it's just being a little happy thinking that "she would probably hug a "bear" or whatever that thing is"
GHAAAA DURING THE COLLECTOR SPECIAL HUNTER WOULD BE SO WORRIED ABOUT READER AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO PHYSICALLY PREVENT HIM FROM COMING AFTER COLLIE IF HE TURNED HER INTO A PUPPET---
reader is like his TORCH of hope in the black sea where Belos left him, which encourages him to get out of there, see all the possibilities, be HAPPY. and Hunter wouldn't trade it for ANYTHING AT ALL.
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twstfanblog · 1 year ago
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*~Period Drama~*
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A/N: This was a funny idea I had and Now I'm gonna do another series with my Yuu OC. Note that I write most of the cast in a platonic sense with my OC because that's how their story formed. I'm fully open to doing requests with characters in a romantic sense. Word Count: 4.7K Warnings: Period mentions, allusions to sexual assault (They are assumed, nothing actually happens), She/They OC Pronouns Pairings: Azul/Reader (Poly), Jamil/Reader (Poly) Enjoy! Start (Here), Part 2 (Octavinelle), Part 3 (Heartslabyul), Part 4 (Savanaclaw), Part 4.5 (Diasomnia pt.1), Part 5 (Diasomnia pt2), Part 6 (Pomefiore), Part 7 (Scarabia)
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Yuu was forgetting something, she knew she was. But sitting in her pjs on a Saturday morning, an over-filled bowl of sugary cereal in hand, she couldn't be bothered to really care.
It was shaping up to be a good day too. None of the staff needed her help with anything, her friends all had their club meetings, and the kitchen was stocked with easy-to-grab snacks for Grim. the cat monster himself had even started his homework on Friday night with minimal fighting. Literally, nothing could be wrong, but she still felt uneasy. They woke up feeling weary and oddly bloated.
With an inquisitive expression, she taps her spoon against her bowl. They really hoped they weren't going to spend all day in a strange sense of deja vu…
Then she sneezed and everything made sense. Yuu blinks, moving back to pull the seam of their pj pants, looking down as they groan, "Ah, shit…"
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Azul loved Saturdays, they were his biggest money-maker days. Students came to the Mostro Lounge either to get a head start on homework, grab a drink after practice or clubs, or merely have a freshly cooked meal. It also was the day he had most of his workforce available so he could spare the time to walk around campus or catch up on his own paperwork.
But, what he's trying to do was gather his courage and think up a plausible enough reason for him to go visit his date-mate. Not that he usually needed one, they were very vocal about how he was always a welcomed presence in their company.
But, Yuu had been…easily irked? Prickly? Upset. Yuu had been upset for most of the week but anyone who questioned their mood was quickly shot down. The prefect would then tensely state they weren’t mad and then questioned why people thought they were mad. Sure they had a very intense resting bitch face but who didn't at Night Raven? (He's fairly certain you needed to either be handsome or have the most terrifying resting bitch face to be admitted to this school).
So he wasn't too pressed about his date-mate's mood until Floyd said something. He had come into the back office pouting of all things, saying 'Shrimpy smelled off'. They had also punched him when the eel merman attempted to pick them up, which wasn't normal.
Jade handled his twin, trying to cull Floyd’s decreasing mood, while Azul opened a few text chats to ask if anyone had caused Yuu reason to want to kill someone. The genuine confusion and concern that answered back only made him more uneasy.
Now, on a sunny Saturday, Azul made the long journey toward Ramshackle. With an obscure board game tucked under his arm and a bag of exclusive gummy candy in hand, he was on a mission to improve his dear pearl’s mood.
Or he was until he was suddenly being dragged down the dirt road in a different direction. He yelped and shouted, trying to angle himself to see what was pulling him through the mud and sticks. The answer was Sam’s shadows, the black willowy wisps quickly yanking him into the shop and setting him on his feet. Azul looks down at his outfit, scowling at seeing the dirt and grass stains. Sevens, did he rip his slacks?
“Lil fish.”
Azul jolts, eyes wide and semi-fearful at Sam’s echoing tone. The man stood behind the counter, a number of medical supplies laying across the surface as his nails gripped at the wood. Sam’s eyes were wide, pupils pinprick as his amethyst orbs almost glowed under all the shadows. Speaking of shadows…Azul looks around the shop, feeling actual fear stir in him. The shadows were everywhere, zipping through the aisles, slithering in and out of the back room, and some were even racing out of the shop, “Uh…Yes, Sam? H-how can I be of assistance?” He didn’t stutter, he refuses to admit he stuttered.
“Do you know what a pad is?”
“Like…Like a notepad or-”
“NO!” Sam slams his fist onto the counter, the lights of the near-endless shop flickering wildly at the force of it. He rests his face in his hands, paying no mind to his makeup and hat that fell to the counter. Looking up, his intense stare was replaced with one of desperation, “You’re killing me here, kid. Look, if you know what a damn pad is, just tell me where to get one! I know you and the lil pup talk!”
“I swear, I have no clue what you’re talking about, sir.” Sevens, had Azul ever felt scared of Sam? He didn’t like this, why was his fellow businessman so frazzled? What kind of pad was he talking about? Why couldn’t he find it and assumed Azul would know where and what the damn thing was?
Sam groans, hands running furiously through purple-tinted lock braids. With a snap of his fingers, the wisps all stop. Either quickly entering the shop or bleeding into the shadows to hide once more, “Look just…Go see the prefect. They called me asking for sanitation pads? That’s the business name they told me anyway…That and just…a lot of pain potions.”
Azul clicked out of his confusion, growing nervous at the potions request, “I…wait are they hurt? Shouldn’t they be in the infirmary?”
“I suggested that, but they insisted they didn’t need to go, just the potions. I’m sending them over soon, Crewel is due to deliver my order in an hour or two. I’ll send him over after ya once he gets here.” Sam grumbles under his breath as Azul rushes out of the store. ‘Primadonna dog hates when I call him while he’s brewing…’
Azul pulls his phone from his pocket, sending a text to both Jade and Floyd. Yuu was in pain, they had requested something called a ‘sanitation pad’? Whatever those were. By the name he could only guess they were used for cleaning of some kind. He sent the twins a message to meet him at Ramshackle ASAP, potentially 119 status. Yuu had always joked about the Octavinelle trio being the first ones they’d call if they needed to hide a body. But, it seemed when it came time for them to actually make the call, the poor thing must have been overwhelmed. He could only think they had done it in self-defense, but the cause didn’t matter. There wasn’t going to be a body in a few hours.
Halfway through the woods to Ramshackle, he hears other footsteps hurrying to catch him. Looking over his shoulder, he raises an eyebrow at the extra amount of people, “Why are they here?”
Ace, Deuce, and Jamil all kept a quick jog behind Floyd and Jade’s long-legged walk. Floyd rolled his eyes, pointing behind him with his thumb, “I was at practice. Crabby and Sea Snake saw the text and wanna help lil Shrimpy too…”
Deuce raises a hand, "I saw them leaving the gym on my way to track practice. Yuu's my classmate and friend, it's only right I help them."
Jamil hisses under his breath, side-eyeing Azul as he sped up to walk beside him, “Plus, they’re my date-mate too, asshole…”
Rolling his eyes, Azul sighed, waving Jamil’s attitude off, “Yes, yes. We can meet with Draconia later about our timeshare lover's crimes. But for now, we need to go and assist them with the dead body I’m sure is on their property.”
Ace sighs, relaxing more as he leans back, arms folding behind his head, “Yuu finally did it, huh?”
“I mean…They can only threaten to murder someone so many times before they’d snap…” Deuce pipes up, rubbing the back of his head, almost dreading getting blood on his uniform again.
Floyd giggled, “I can’t wait to see who Shrimpy squeezed~. I bet they made it real messy!”
“Hmm…I wouldn’t put it past Yuu to kill someone via strangulation. But their MO seems to lean more toward bludgeoning.” Jade smiles to the group, eyes closing in barely hidden glee, “If anything clean up will at least be interesting if we’re just dealing with some blood splatter and a puddle!”
 Ace and Deuce wince, watching Floyd, Azul, and Jamil simply nod at Jade’s examination.
The mood was instantly broken once they came into view of Ramshakle. Floyd and Jade tensed, their smiles dropping off their faces before racing toward the dorm as two teal-colored blurs. Azul shouted, only to choke on his tongue at the smell. Blood. His nose wasn’t anywhere as sensitive as Floyd's or Jade’s but even at this distance, he could smell the sharp iron smell. He jogged to catch up with his dormmates, his expression of panic causing the other three to speed up as well.
All he could smell was Yuu’s blood. Sharp and salty, but spiced and sweet because of their diet. A hint of some type of alien fragrance that no one could place and Yuu couldn’t name mixing it all together perfectly. And that was all he was smelling, not even a hint of another person’s blood.
When the rest of the group had made it to the front porch, Floyd was pounding on the door, eyebrows creased while Jade searched the bushes for the hidden key, “Shrimpy! Open up! Shrimpy!”
Jade’s fingers had just grazed the false rock when the door’s locks clicked open. Floyd swung the door so hard it nearly sent Grim into the hallway wall. The feline monster kept to the ground, eyes wide and teary with fear, “Yuu’s bleeding all over everything and they won’t tell me why!”
Deuce was the only one who had the mindset to scoop Grim into his arms, the rest of them instantly rushing up the stairs toward Yuu’s bedroom. The sound of their footsteps pounding on the floor echoing in the house, each of them calling out in panicked voices. Azul could only grow increasingly worried, the scent of blood growing stronger and stronger.
Jade slams the door open, Ace instantly diving into the bed and startling Yuu awake.
“The-The fuck- hello?”
Ace cupped their face, using what medical lessons Riddle had drilled into his head to see if they had a visible injury, “Yuu! Can you hear me? We were calling you all the way downstairs- Ay!” He tumbles off the bed when Yuu shoves him aside, dark eyes glaring down at the redhead.
“Yeah, I was sleeping. Why are all of you in my house?”
“We smelled blood shrimpy!” Floyd kneeled onto the bed, sniffing around trying to find the main source of blood. Ignoring or nipping at Yuu’s hands trying to shove his face away from her body.
Azul stepped forward, eyes roaming in barely concealed haste, “Sam sent me over. He was worried by a request you had called him about? It’s sent him positively spiraling.”
Yuu raises an eyebrow, having given up on getting Floyd off their bed and wrapping an arm around him instead, “Yeah I was about to ask. Octobaby, what truck did you get dragged behind and did you at least get the license plate?”
Whatever positive flow of atmosphere that was building ended, Floyd grasping the duvet covering them and pulling, “Shrimpy, where are you bleeding-”
A single tug was all it took for Yuu’s bottom half to be flashed. They all look in stunned silence. Fresh red blood on a series of towels under them, a smear on the inside of their bare legs. Yuu shouts but none of them respond, minds spiraling at what could have possibly happened.
“Floyd! By the Seven, I’m not wearing any pants!” Yuu snatches the blanket back, draping it over their legs with a huff. They turn to Floyd only to have their face gripped harshly. Floyd stared at them with a dead expression, his single golden eye almost glowing with the force of his anger, “Floyd?”
“Who?”
“Wha-”
“Who?”
“Floyd.” Jade’s hands come into view, pulling Floyd’s grip off of their face and his brother off the bed. Jade was no better, a pleasant smile on his face but eyes wide and void of any emotion, “It’ll do no good to pressure them into telling us. Let us let our two professionals deal with this. The two of us can brainstorm methods of...disposing of the unsavory culprit once we have a name or description.”
Yuu watched them slowly leave the room. Floyd just barely letting Jade pull him along as his expression started to finally morph into a look of anger. His fists clenched as he gritted his teeth, body so tense his movements were more shaky than his normal loose glide.
Looking beside them, Yuu catches eyes with Ace and Deuce. Ace quickly turned away, a hand covering his mouth as a single tear slid down his cheek and his shoulders shook. Deuce was no better, gripping Grim in his arms as he hiccuped softly with just barely contained sobs. He looked like he was fighting back the urge to go into 'delinquent mode'.
Jamil finally moves, a hand on each of Ace's and Deuce's shoulders, guiding them to the door. Softly pushing them out too once Jade had managed to pull Floyd out of the room, “Let us talk to them…We’ll…we’re gonna figure this out…”
Yuu watches stunned as Azul walks toward them as though he was approaching a wounded animal; softly, with just a hint of fear and pity, “Azul…What’s-?”
“It’s ok.” Jamil closed the door, still facing it so Yuu wasn’t sure if he was saying it to them or mumbling to himself, “It's…It’s ok, you’re gonna be fine…”
Azul had finally reached them and they could clearly see the unshed tears in his eyes, “It’s not your fault. This is not your fault, do you hear me?” He ran his fingers through their hair, his other hand gently cupping against her cheek as his thumb shakingly caressed their skin. He opens his mouth, closing his eyes while he sighs a shuddering sob. Gathering his wits again he opens his eyes, a fiery determination glowing in them, “We’re here for you, my pearl.”
“Wha…?” Yuu could only wrap their arms around Azul, the merman diving to embrace her in what had to be the most protective hold he could do with just his two arms. It felt safe and sturdy, like a cool blanket was wrapped around their body. While it was welcomed, Yuu only grew more confused feeling a wet spot start to form on their shoulder where Azul’s face had snuggled into, “I’m…very confused…”
“Yuu.”
If Azul wasn’t holding them, they would have jumped off the bed. Jamil stood right next to them with a blank expression. His face pulled into a mask of neutrality, but his eyes were steely, an ice-cold fire in them waiting to find a victim.
“Who. You can tell me, you can trust me. We’ll handle everything, you won't even have to look at the bastard unless you want to beat him to death yourself.” He kneels on the bed, his hand moving to touch her covered thigh before retreating, a pinched expression breaking his mask before it was back in place, “You have to tell us who did this to you, hayati.”
Did what to them?
Yuu stared at Jamil, blinking when he finally had to look away to bite his lip. He looked to be holding back tears, fully turning around to put his face in his hands to mutter under his breath. ‘How could he let this happen? Why couldn’t he have just one thing with nothing to ruin it?’ a teary sob of ‘Do they not trust him?’
“My pearl?” Azul pulls his face away from their shoulder, sniffling before he removes his glasses briefly to wipe his tears, “Do you…Would you like me to draw you a bath? This can’t be comfortable-”
“Azul!” Jamil whipped around, glaring at the merman, sparing them a worried glance before turning back to Azul and whispering heatedly, “They can’t take a bath until they get checked, you moron!”
“What’s there to check Jamil!? We can all clearly see what happened! Why put them through the extra…extra poking and defilement when we know what happened!?”
“Because we need evidence!”
“What we need is a name! Or a description! I’m not even going to entertain the idea of bringing this to a court. We have plenty of manpower on campus to bury whoever did this 12 times over.”
“Excuse me, what the fuck are you guys talking about?” Yuu spoke up, eyes glancing between the two of them, “Because if you mean the bleeding, that’s pretty standard at this point.” Maybe they just…forgot they had a vagina? Boys normally didn’t react well to period talk in the first place, but this was an all-boy school and Yuu was more non-gendered than female-gendered. Maybe they just honestly forgot.
But, what they said had only made things worse, both Azul and Jamil looking at them in absolute horror. Standard. This was normal. This had happened multiple times already.
Azul starts to openly sob, wrapping himself around them in a way to keep everything else away, nuzzling his head into her neck and whimpering out apologies. Jamil covered his mouth, a look that Yuu could only call devastation on his face before he stood from the bed to pace the room. Mutters grew in volume and speed before Yuu finally realized what they thought had happened.
“Oh. OH!” They quickly pull Azul from their neck, hands pressed to both his cheeks to keep him looking into their eyes, “Sevens! Guys no! That isn’t what this is, I promise! No one hurt me like that!”
“You expect us to believe that!?” Jamil turns on them, eyes wild and red with held-back tears. He gestures to the bed, alluding to the mess of blood under the covers, “What else could this possibly be!? Why are you trying to defend them!?”
“Jamil, I’m on my period!” Yuu looked back at Azul once her words seemed to hit Jamil, “It’s just my period. No one hurt me. I’m…well, not fine. Periods are a bitch. But not that…I swear it wasn’t that.”
No one made a sound past Azul’s labored breathing, the merman’s expression slowly morphing from one of despair into confusion. Once his breathing was finally under control, he pulled Yuu’s hands from his face, a single brow raised, “Your…your period?”
“Yeah…It’s just my period.”
Jamil pulls a face, eyes looking down as his brain worked to understand what Yuu was saying, “...Like the punctuation?”
Yuu frowned, turning to Jamil, “Don’t you act fucking dumb with me.” They press a kiss to Azul’s forehead, letting him slump against their chest, not seeing the gears turning in his head, “You and your sister are basically the same petty soul shared between two bodies. You know what a period is Jamil.”
The two mages catch eyes across the room, both…so painfully confused. Azul takes his time to finally untangle from Yuu, giving a small smile and patting hesitantly at the blanket, “O-okay…A period…right?”
At Yuu’s annoyed nod, Jamil sniffs, checking that he hadn’t cried before looking over to the door, “And…Najma will know. You’re sure she will?”
“I mean basically every girl gets a period so I would think so Jamil…”
The two boys share another look, communicating in a way Yuu hadn’t learned to do with them yet before they turn back to them with those soft, weak smiles. Azul caresses their face again, saying they should go back to sleep and that someone will bring up something to eat later on. It was slow, they clearly didn’t want to leave, but they both closed the door behind them. They share another look in the hallway, nodding before moving to regroup with the others.
The contained chaos they walk in on was almost comical if the reason wasn’t so mortifying. Jade had a hand gripped on each of Floyd’s shoulders while they took up the loveseat, whispering to the taller eel as he held him back. The whispers growing in intensity as his eyes widened in manic glee every time Floyd growled and moved to pull out of his brother’s hold. Ace was leaning against the wall, anger clear on his face as his nails bit into his forearms. He was the only one who looked up when they walked into the room. Deuce sat on the couch, curled around who they could only think was Grim, his shoulders shaking with barely contained cries.
Ace speaks up first, calling everyone else’s attention to their entry, “Well? Who’s the bastard we’re hunting down?”
Jamil and Azul pause, Jamil looking to the side and sighing, “They say nothing happened-”
“They’re lying!” Grim cries from Deuce’s arms. 
The spade Heartslabyul soldier sniffles, raising his head to look from over the couch, “Grim said they’ve been bleeding since this morning. From before he woke up…”
Jamil pulled out his phone, already dialing his sister, “They said Najma would know what’s going on…They were…so sure nothing…happened…”
Ace opened his mouth to yell only to be cut off at the sound of Najma picking up the line on speakerphone.
“Jamil? What’s wrong, you never call me?”
“...” Jamil gulped, gripping his phone before speaking, “Najma, I need you to be completely honest with me. Swear on your life levels of seriousness. Do you know what a period is?”
“...Like the punctuation?”
Azul bit his lip, a hand moving to cover his mouth and start to pace around the room. He walks closer to Jade and Floyd to explain, the two eels listening to his quick words in clear confusion.
“I…Najma, something happened. Is it…normal to…” He let out another sigh, almost wishing it would take his soul with it, “Is it normal to bleed…out of your vagina?”
The beat of silence almost gave Jamil hope. Maybe it was some super secret girl thing that no male was allowed to ever know about. Maybe everyone in the room would have to be killed once Najma confirmed its existence. He knows he would at least prefer that over the alternative.
“Jamil, what the fuck? No!? No, that's not normal!? Jamil who do you know that’s bleeding out of their-”
“Don’t have time, I’ll call you back once this is all settled.” He’s never hung a phone up so fast. It quickly rings again, but he just declines Najma’s call and silences his phone. Now looking around, everyone else in the room is just as confused if not more so than he and Azul were.
“...What?” Jade tilts his head to the same degree his brother does while they both study Jamil, each trying to find…something in the conversation they just heard.
Azul spoke up, leaning his elbow against the fireplace, a hand coming up to rub at his temple, “They said they were simply on their period and that this was normal. They were also very certain Najma would confirm this sentiment, claiming it was a natural thing girls did.”
Deuce sat in thought, his brain working overtime to try and piece together the information they had, “Maybe…Uh…Wait, I can ask my mom!”
“What is your mom gonna know, Deuce!?” Ace hissed, more frustrated than actually angry.
“I don’t know, she’s like...an older girl? Maybe she knows more about it than Najma would?”
“...” Jade looks toward Azul with a shrug, “It’s another source of information. We’re literally going in blind with this.” He looks down in worry, feeling Floyd relax in his arms. His brother wasn’t calm by any means, more so his mood had finally reached so low that his homicidal urges couldn’t properly latch onto it. He just kept Floyd in his arms, holding his taller brother under his arms as though he was a cat.
Deuce pulls out his phone with one hand, the other keeping a grip on Grim as the monster whines. It only took a very rings before the phone was answered again.
“Hi, Deuce! I was just about to send you a text. I found this new cafe and they make the cutest parfaits-”
“Mom, that’s cool. Send me a picture later but. Um…I got a really weird and private question to ask you-”
“Deuce, we talked about this sweetie. There’s nothing wrong with liking certain things-”
“NOT THAT, NOT THAT!” He blushes, quickly cupping his phone away from view of the others. He whispers his question into the receiver, waiting with bated breath when the other line was quiet.
“Sweetie. Am I on speaker?”
“Uh, yeah?”
“That isn’t…that isn’t something that should be happening. Is this…Deuce, is this about your friend Yuu?” At the affirmative, she continued, “I know you said they weren’t from around…anywhere really. But you boys need to tell your teachers about this. Whoever told them this was normal lied to them.”
The nervousness returns, everyone sharing a look, Deuce thanking his mom before hanging up the phone. Pass the stray sigh or muffled rambles no one spoke, each one of them was scared to voice their theories. Everything easily pointed toward…assault. But Yuu was such a level of certain that it was hard to deny the doubt that grew at the idea. There were magical ways of getting the truth out of people, they had Jade and Jamil, so it wouldn't be hard. But none of them wanted to break the trust Yuu had given to them. Not to mention the small chance that something did happen, and forcing Yuu to recount the horrible situation was cruel even by Night Raven standards if they were trying to actively suppress it. 
It seemed like they sat in silence for hours before they all heard the front door slam open, footsteps quickly stepping through the hall before a signature black and white coat filled the doorway. Crewel stood with one hand on his hip, the other impatiently tapping his crop against his leg.
“Ok, what’s going on? I’ve had students running around terrified from Sam’s shadows. I go to see Sam to ask about it and he informs me that he sent you runts to check on my puppy.” Crewel looks around the room, his frown turning into a scowl before he schools his expression again, “And there's no sign of my puppy in this pack of dogs, so what’s happened?”
After a prolonged silence, Ace groaned, deciding to bite the bullet since no one else wanted to, “Yuu’s bleeding from…from their vag and won't tell us why.”
“...” Crewel stepped to the side, light gray eyes seeming to look past all of them while he used his crop to point down the hall, “Get out.”
“Sensei-”
“Get. Out.”
The scramble they did out of the room was like a pack of dogs released into the wild, each of them refusing to meet the glacier-level stare of their teacher as they ran past. They didn’t leave Ramshackle property, choosing to instead stand outside and wait to be fully dismissed.
Crewel took the stairs two at a time, flinging Yuu’s bedroom door open. The sound of it slamming into the wall made Yuu groan in protest. He walks to the bed and sits, a hand instantly brushing their bangs back to alert them to his presence. He couldn't tell through his gloves, but they had seemed flushed, “Puppy? Puppy, talk to me. What's happening? I can’t help if I don’t know what’s wrong.”
Yuu hums, just barely getting back to sleep before Crewel woke them up again. A hand pressed to their lower stomach and grumbled, “Hmmmm….Period…” “...Pup. What’s a period, explain it to me.” He keeps his hand in their hair, petting in a way to soothe both of them if needed. Period, Yuu clearly wasn’t talking about punctuation. All his mind could reach then was that period was speaking of a state of time. Meaning this was something that happened on some type of schedule.
Groaning, Yuu sits up, letting her head rest against Crewel’s shoulder, “Period, monthly bleed and all that. It’s girl stuff, you know biology, Crewel…”
Taking her in his arms, Crewel rubs at their back. Monthly…It’s at times Crewel is made painfully aware of how lacking he and the rest of Night Raven College were in knowledge about Yuu’s biology. “Yuu…That’s not a thing in Twisted Wonderland.” He can feel the moment they tense up, letting them pull back to look at him.
Yuu stares at their pseudo-father, eyes searching for some sign of the past hour being nothing but a really bad joke. Seeing none, they feel a cold realization hit, “Oh…Well, this is gonna be a real interesting time…”
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bonefall · 7 months ago
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Opinion on WhistleFrost: do you see it as platonic or is there something more there in your eyes? If seen as romantic, how high are the odds that they’ll be a canon couple in the rewrite in some way? I know you say no changes done until the arc is done but I gotta know what your brain is thinking about them in the moment because they are my favoritist thing ever rn
I definitely see them as not entirely platonic. They're giving me big Mothwing/Leafpool vibes.
It's the way that whenever they're at their lowest, the only person that could come through to them was the other. Throat slashed and losing blood fast, her mother's command to trust no cat swirling in her fading mind, Frostpaw's heart still guided her towards Whistlepaw. The whole world crashing down, her Clan having punished and mocked her for how she'd helped her friend, the only one who could pull Whistlepaw out of her self-destructive desperation to save her sister was Frostpaw.
Like they remain the one stable thing in the chaos. I'm reminded of the way Leafpool was afraid Mothwing wouldn't belive a vision she had, especially knowing she was faithless, and she simply responded, "I believe in you, Leafpool."
So when it comes to BB, I know that there needs to be one or two significant moments where Frostpaw's love of Whistlepaw makes her realize things about herself. One of them I'm pretty deadset on.
Instead of it being Smoky that goes against Frostpaw's wishes while she's injured, violating her trust in him, and this somehow NOT causing a massive backslide in Frostpaw's tentative ability to trust people (thanks i hate it), Frostpaw realizes that she's forcing Whistlepaw to watch her die.
Whistlepaw is too inexperienced to deal with these injuries, but she's doing everything Frostpaw asks. She didn't grab her mentor. She isn't going to the humans. She's desperately trying to treat her best friend and feeling her slip away below her paws.
How can Frostpaw let this happen? Whistlepaw loves her so much, she'll lose her. It's then that she lurches up from her deathbed, drags herself out onto the moor, and calls the humans.
In BB, they're a team of researchers who study the Clan cats. It's why they were able to field dress her so easily, as opposed to this... random horse farmer who happens to carry a syringe of cat tranquilizer in their pocket. Minor detail that bugs me more than it should lmao.
BUT that aside... I need to know how ASC ends before considering if they can be a canon couple or not. As much as they love one another, I feel like it's unlikely Whistlepaw would leave WindClan, and she is a Cleric subject to the Vow.
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umbrella-show · 1 month ago
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It's best to train you how to use a bow, he decided, just in case a situation ever occurs where you would have to defend yourself.
This was for @dollyrin, but anyone can insert themselves into the short story. Can be interpreted as platonic or romantic! 💞
“Hold the bow steady.” Wind Archer gently instructed, pulling back the bowstring of his bow and watching you attempt to do the same. You focused carefully on following his every move, fixing your posture to mimic his. He nodded gently in your direction, watching your eyes light up as he acknowledged you were correctly following his actions. His head turned as he faced the target, aiming his bow with precision.
“Hold the bow lower. To hit the bullseye, you always have to aim lower and slightly to the left or right, depending on your dominant hand.” You could easily see Wind Archer’s eyes gently close and he took a deep breath. “Being calm is crucial. Panicking only leads to messy shots and potentially missing an important chance.” You took a deep breath after him, your eyes trailing to the still target around 10 yards away. You looked back at him for further instructions.
Wind Archer cookie’s scarf and hair blew gently in the breeze, his movements fluid and completely at ease. You were almost too busy admiring him but snapped out of it when he let go of the bowstring. The arrow detached from the bow, cutting through the air rapidly. The arrow glowed and glittered green, and you watched it find its way to the center of the target. A bullseye.
You awed silently as your eyes were fixed onto the arrow that was perfectly lodged in the dead center of the target. After a few seconds, the arrow vanished into a green glow, appearing back into the quiver of arrows hung on his back. He glanced at you, nodding his head. “Give it a try.”
You blinked up at him, before looking towards your target. You did your best to copy his technique. You straightened your back, aiming the bow and holding the arrow resting on the bowstring close to your face. You looked through the sight window, gently biting your tongue as you concentrated. Once you felt satisfied with the position of the bow, you relaxed your hand, and watched the wooden arrow propel forward and land into the inner blue circle on the target. A 6.
“Not bad for a first try. Quite impressive, actually.” Wind Archer remarked. He could feel your gaze on him, causing him to glance over to see your proud wide smile and wide bright eyes from his praise. He patted your shoulder, his eyes softening. “With enough practice, you’ll be able to hit bullseyes with your eyes closed. If you’re willing to keep practicing-”
He stopped himself when you noticed you already began to load the next wooden arrow, eager to keep practicing with him. You swear you saw his mouth spread into a small smile at your motivation from the corner of your eye, but it was gone as quickly as it came.
“Very well then. Let’s continue.”
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ladyloveandjustice · 1 month ago
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Summer 2024 Anime Overview: DEAD DEAD DEMONS DEDEDEDE DESTRUCTION
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A giant mothership is hovering over Tokyo. The aliens haven’t done anything or even made themselves known yet, but Japan and America are already trying to blow that UFO up, and show off who has the best weapons, causing many civilian casualties along the way. While all this happens, two girls are just casually living their lives. But are they as normal as they appear?
One thing I want to say is if you watch this anime and care about being intensely spoiled, do not watch "episode 0" until you've finished episode 16. It actually slots chronologically between episode 16 and 17, and that's where the episode took place in the manga, so I have no idea why they did that. Fortunately I had someone to warn me about that, so I will be that someone for you.
Dead Dead Demons DeDeDeDe Destruction or De x 8 as I will be calling it, can be really tough show to watch—not because it’s bad, it’s very good, but because of how depressing and visceral it is at times, and how devastatingly accurate it is to the shitshow of our world. This tends to be balanced a bit by the touching friendships (and possibly? More?) of the very likeable cast of teenagers…but you also feel a huge sense of dread about their safety as things ramp up and their stories deepen.
The anime goes hard on criticizing the military industrial complex, Japan’s government, America’s government, xenophobia, treatment of immigrants, rich people, and conspiracy theorists. All things I also hate, so that’s great. What hurts is how you could easily see the events happening—waging war on the aliens despite no provocation, people using an app to to hunt down and slaughter them...
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It shows how even some of the protestors of the genocide use their movement to cover their own selfish motivations, meanwhile countries taking the situation as an opportunity to vie for power and dominance, rich government officials lie to their people and abandon them…obviously there's a lot of commentary here on how we dehumanize immigrants and minorities and enable genocides for capitalism and political power.
It's very bleak, and there were a lot of episode that had me just feeling sad, especially comparing it to current events. But there's also this interesting focus on normal people trying to live their lives during this alien "invasion", and the kids who still go through the dramas and upsets of everyday life. And especially the “I’d burn down the world for you” intense emotional relationship between Kadode and Ouran, the two teen girl leads.
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Ouran is the main lead, and she’s a chuuni beyond chuuni, acting wacky and cheerful and spouting nonsense-- except if you pay attention, she's saying some pretty valid things—critiques of capitalism, war, government surveillance—but then following it up with something wild like “and that’s why I should rule the world”. You get the sense she’s cloaking an awareness of how shit the world is in humor, and as the show goes on and as her surprisingly intense and weird backstory unfolds, it becomes clear why that is.
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The relationship between Ouran and Kadode is the center of everything--their bond IS the show. It's that kind of ride-or-die, I'd-kill-for-you, I'll-be-by-your-side-even-if-the-whole-world-is-against-you, in-every-life-i'd-find-you-and-love-you, soul-bonded, fiery devotion and love. They are the most important person in each other's lives, full stop. It's those kind of relationships that are so transcendent it goes beyond simple definitions of romantic and platonic. In other words, my kind of shit exactly.
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But, as far as romance goes, Ouran, at least, is definitely queer and the depths of her determination to keep Kadode safe in a world that wants to destroy her girl that would make Homura Madoka Magica blush. (Kadode is more ambiguous, but she’s definitely soul bonded with Ouran. And honestly should just date Ouran because god she needs to be rescued).
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There’s also a gentle empathy for marginalized people underneath all the horror—the girls befriend an alien trying to survive in the guise of a human, and it doesn’t seem like a coincidence that the first person our alien tells absolutely everything to is the gnc/potentially trans person of the group, Makoto (To be specific, they seem to still be figuring out their identity, but they definitely present feminine and specifically came to Tokyo because their small town wouldn’t be okay with how they like to dress). The way Makoto immediately shields their alien friend from others when they make the reveal that they saying “Don’t let them see, it’s not safe” and how it’s followed up by the alien reassuring Makoto that their friends will be okay with it if they take their wig off to swim...it makes the metaphor extremely clear, and it’s always nice when a series can explore marginalized characters both textually and metaphorically.
Through the kids, we get kernels of hope in this story, a reassurance there are kinder people in this world, and a hope that kindness will endure.
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As depressing as the story can be, what it has to say is important and it doesn’t hold back in making you see what it’s going for—from the “Cool Japan” logo flashing right before the  Japanese government gives a weapons demonstration that will later kill citizens and destroy innocents...
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...to the Trump-alike American President (and let me tell you it’s startling to be watching a show in Japanese and suddenly Donald Trump impression in perfect English) *(had to use the manga here because Crunchyroll didn't close-caption this part :/)
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Then there's the American tourists, who were clearly va’d by someone really good at English, potentially a native speaker, and it’s incredibly funny how much of their dialogue has “fuck” in it and seeing the subtitles skip over that. Also much of their dialogue is treating the devastated Japan as a tourist attraction and saying how funny it all is to them. Logan Paul has entered the chat.
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De x 8 very clearly hates America and recognizes it as a blood thirsty colonial power, which is correct, but the show is just as hard on it’s own country, saying the Japanese government would happily get back on the colonizing horse if they had an excuse, and many citizwns would mindlessly support them.
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A small thing I appreciate is far from the usual anime aesthetic where everyone is blandly cute, the anime gives a ton of people ridiculously cartoony features that make everyone distinct—and being goofy looking is not meant to indicate a character is stupid or ugly—Makoto’s a super sympathetic character with giant cartoon buck teeth and one character that’s even pointed out as pretty has like, a pig snout nose. (It also makes it so the character noted as being drop dead gorgeous...actually is, instead of coming off as just as conventionally attractive as the rest)
Soooo a lot of good stuff going into this story. Let’s talk about some caveats.
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There’s a continuing storyline between Kadode and her adult teacher, who takes her to his place to have sex with her. When he does, she ends up ditching him because of her feels for Ouran (gay) and I thought that would be the end of it, but nooope he’s a groomer, they pick up dating again when she’s in college, literally months after the previous encounter. The dude is presented as a scumbag, he cheats on his girlfriend, he seems generally apathetic, his clear discomfort with Kadode calling him “sensei” shows that he knows what he’s doing is wrong …and ultimately the relationship is shown to be unfulfilling, with Kadode directly stating so and acknowledging he’s just advantage. That doesn’t stop it from being uncomfortable though, especially since it’s confirmed he and Kadode have sex eventually (offscreen, thank god) and honestly, I felt it dragged on way too long. The first encounter pretty much demonstrated everything we needed to know about the whole thing in my view.
And of course there’s a ton of potentially triggering content in a story like this—from genocide to suicide to child murder to almost anything you can think of. Also like, one character has a sister complex, but on the milder side for anime. One where it’s conceivably platonic, and it’s not like he goes after her boyfriend Yuri Forger style, so it doesn’t bother me too much. There's also a good dose of fatphobia. And finally moment where a woman reveals she has ADHD (which I've never actually heard anyone say in anime so I actually got a little excited the more fool me) and then is almost immediately shown to be faking it.
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The ending…is another big sticking point for me. It feels disconnected from the rest of the series, mainly focusing on a character we barely know and likely don’t care about and spending very little time with the characters we do, presenting an interesting status quo and immediately abandoning it, and while earlier episodes of the series presented "actions have consequences and we gotta live with them" as a major theme, it was suddenly like, actually they don’t!
The ultimate ending, again, hinges on a decision from a character we don’t care about and honestly feels like a deus ex machina. It felt almost like the author really wanted a happier ending but knew that wasn’t in line with the story he’s told so far, so he just tacked it on. Or maybe it was an editorial mandate, who knows. I think the most satisfying way to see watch episode 1-16 as its own pretty satisfying complete story (which works really well), and then treat episodes 0 and 17 as their own separate thing, a potential additional ending but not the definitive one. At least that’s what I did.
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Overall, De x 8 is a show with a lot to say and it gives you plenty to chew on. While it is often depressing, it is very rewarding. The unbreakable bond between two messy girls, as well as the moments of ordinary joy and small human/alien journeys are the core of the show, and what makes it shine. I definitely encourage you to give it a watch. It's being really slept on, and it shouldn't be.
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7ndipity · 1 year ago
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Falling for a friend: Maknae line
Maknae line x Reader
Summary: How they would handle and confess to having romantic feelings for a friend
Warnings: swearing, mentions of drinking,
A/N: As promised, here's the maknae line lists! I'll also link Hyung line here in case you haven't read those. Hope you like them!
Masterlist
Requests are open
°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•
Jimin:
Tbh, Jimin was the hardest member for me figure out, because the only word that came to mind was 'confusion'.
Like, it would be a near 180 from Namjoon's scenario. No one knows wtf is actually going on with you two, except maybe him. And even he's all over the place about it.
(Literally half your friend group thought you were already dating? Help?!)
It's not even like he intentionally meant to confuse you(or at least, not completely), but he's such a naturally massive flirt that sometimes it's hard to tell where you stand with him.
Honestly feels kinda guilty when he realizes his feelings aren't purely platonic, cause he's not sure if you feel the same, so he kinda starts testing the waters, like Hobi, to see how you respond, but starts to worry if he's manipulating the situation to fit his wants.
Big on casual affection, both giving and receiving, but he's kinda sly about it. Says shit like "oh, your nails/rings/etc look so cool!" so he can grab your hand to examine them and then just... doesn't let go?
Flops his head in your lap and is just like 🥺"Pet my hair?"(he's basically like having an overly affectionate cat)
But heaven forbid you get too close or flirt with somebody else, because he will get salty af and sulk.
Finally confesses one night when he comes over to hang out after a particularly long day. As had become typical routine, the two of you were sat side by side on the floor at your coffee table, eating takeout and watching TV.
At ease for the first time all day, he could feel the fatigue begining to catch up with him, letting his head droop to rest on your shoulder. Without missing a beat, you offered him another bite of food, which he accepted with a muffled "thank you."
The two of you stayed like this til the end of your show, him looking up at you sleepily, a small smile teasing at the corners of his mouth as he watched you, his heart giving a little twist.
"I love you."
You looked down at him in surprise, his expression leaving no room for misunderstanding.
"I love you too." You replied.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." You smiled.
"Good." He shifts around so that he can wrap his arms around you more comfortably, pressing a kiss to your cheek before settling against you again.
Feeling his breaths begin to even out against your neck, you feel yourself being lulled to sleep, sinking further into his hold.
The two of you wake up later in the same position with sore necks, but you couldn't care less.
Taehyung:
Honestly? Unbothered(lying)
Don't misunderstand, it's not that he doesn't care about those feelings, it's more that he doesn't mind them, if that makes sense? Like, of course he's in love with you, who wouldn't be?
Pendulum swings between cocky and shy with you.
Easily impressed by you doing anything. He hears you sing and he's like🥺. Doesn't matter if you sound like an angel or a cat trapped in trash can, he's so down hard for you and applauding either way.
Thrives on skinship with you, giving out hugs for anything. You passed an exam/got a promotion? Hugs. You bought his favorite snacks? Hugs. You breathe? HUGS!
Doesn't hide his feelings for you, but doesn't act on them either.
Like, y'all have sleepovers and he'll joke like "And there was only one bed!" But then nothing ever happens.
Kinda likes the weird limbo state you're in, until he thinks someone else is also into you and he turns into a sulky baby, ranting about it to one of his hyungs. "What are you so worried about, I thought you guys were already a thing?" "No, it's not like that." "Then what is it?" And he just doesn't have a good answer for that.
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth." You say, scraping more batter out of the bowl sat between the two on your tiny kitchen table as you played the game that had become a habit for you.
"When did you realize you were falling for me?" He asks with a cheeky grin.
"Dare."
"You can't change answers now!" He laughed.
"Says who?"
"Me!"
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were on the official rule committee for truth or dare."
"If you don't answer, I win."
"You always win." You grumbled, making him grin, thinking that was the end of it.
"My birthday."
He looked back up at you surprise, not having expected to actually get an answer. "What?"
"It was right after I had moved here, and I didn't really know anyone yet, except you." You said, fiddling with your spoon.
"I remember." He said, watching you closely.
"But you showed up with balloons and a cake, saying you couldn't let me be alone." You shrugged. "I don't know, it made me feel... special."
You were now very aware of his eyes on you, making you nervous you'd said too much. "Nevermind, it's dumb-"
Before you could finish, he had caught your face in his hands and kissed you.
Jungkook:
As I think I've mentioned before, I think he gets small crushes pretty easily, to the point that when he notices the shift in his feelings for you, he doesn't really acknowledge it at first, figuring it'll go away in week or two, no biggie.
But then it doesn't.
And then he panics a lil bit. Ghosts you for like three days, then goes back to normal without any explanation, and you're just like "???okay???"
He decides he's just gonna play it cool, but he is not nearly as subtle as he thinks he is.
You're each other's comfort person, so you're together constantly which means even a tiny shift in his habits or behavior stands out.
Although it's not hard to notice how much clingier he's become(and jealous of FUCKING EVERYONE), so it's not difficult to put two and two together.
Would probably have realized you like him too, if he weren't so busy trying to act slick and come up with excuses to hang out all the time.
Y'all play flirt constantly too, which blurrs the lines between 'friend' and 'definitely not friend' even more, but sometimes you manage to catch him off guard.
One night when you're hanging out together, and he's a couple drinks in and lets his guard down. And you complement him on how good he looks or smth, and he just smirks.
"You want me so bad." He says in a low voice, trying to tease you,
And it's then as you're sitting there watch him, you decide fuck it, and just put it out there.
"Yeah, I do."
Nearly giving himself whiplash from how fast he spins around, he turns to stare at you wide eyed. "Wait, what?!"
"What?"
"You said-." His eyes are so big now, you can almost see the wheels turning as he tries to make sense of what just happened. "You like me?"
"Yeah." You shrug, trying to play it off. "Is that okay?"
He nods slowly, a smile beginning to creep across his features. "I like you too."
You're both suddenly aware of how close you're both now sitting.
"Can I kiss you?" He asks, already starting to lean in, before jumping back abruptly.
"Wait, ugh, my breath stinks like beer, lemme go brush my teeth!" He says, practically vaulting over the sofa and running for the bathroom, leaving you sitting there, unable to bite back the laugh that slips out because he's just so... him.
But that's why you love him.
Taglist: @fandems
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tmntfixationxreader · 9 months ago
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"Heyyyy could I get some general hcs (romantic or platonic) with an easily overstimulated autistic/neurodivergent reader? 🙏"
Thanks for the request!!
As someone who gets easily overwhelmed and overstimulated, this was really easy to write because I based it around my own comforts. Don’t worry though, I kept it open to all sorts of comfort and needs :)
This is an amazing idea, thank you! :D
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♡Overstimulation head cannons♡
Warnings: Mentions of overstimulation and breakdowns (See notes), but it’s comfort for those things. Mentions of the Turtles having breakdowns.
Notes! All of the breakdown stuff is in green, so you can skip over it if you would like :) Also I hope I didn't miss anything, I was pressed for time so only read through this once after writing it-
Words: 1088
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♡To start off, each of the turtles would do a little of everything to make sure you are comfortable when you are overstimulated, and would never push boundaries you are uncomfortable with, and would do their best to get you whatever you needed. They also sense whenever you are getting overstimulated better than anyone else does, and are always there to help give you a ‘way out’ of overstimulation situations, and if you can’t leave them then comfort you through them. This can be either with a little thing for you to shift your focus on, or holding your hand for you to squeeze through the whole thing. Either way, all of the turtles (And April or Casey if you like) would have your back during and after the situation.
That being said, here are some headcanons I think the turtles would do for you while overstimulated or overwhelmed, after the events that caused it.
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♡Mikey would be by your side the entire time, whether that be just sitting next to you if you need him, or cuddling and holding you if you need physical affection or compression. He is also understanding if you don’t want to be touched, but would still be nearby/ next to you in case you needed anything.
He would make sure that you’ve eaten something right away, and if you haven’t he would make sure you something. He also always seems to know if you are lying about eating food to avoid eating, and makes sure you eat to get a little something in you anyways. He would make you your favorite foods, or something that sounds good to you.
Mikey would also offer for you to engage in your favorite or stress relieving hobbies, watching your favorite movies, and doing your favorite things to help you calm down or cool off.
If you were to the point of having a breakdown, he would hug you through the whole thing, talking to you, holding you, rubbing your back until you calmed down.
Overall Mikey is completely understanding about everything, and is ready to make anything happen for you.♡
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♡Leo is one to try and cheer you up. Funny movies, jokes, games (not any games with loud noises or flashing lights) anything to make you happier.
Leo is also a big cuddler. He could cuddle you, hug you, turn you into a blanket burrito, anything to make you feel compression if you need it. Heck, he would be a big-ol blanket for you if you wanted. And if you don’t want to be touched, he would make sure you are comfortable where you are at, and leave you be, but still be with you near or next to you.
Leo would always do little things to comfort you, hands through your hair, back rubs, physical affection (kisses, hugs, cuddles), anything to make you happy.
If you were to the point of breakdown, Leo would talk you through the whole thing. He’s had his fair share of breakdowns, and he knows how to comfort you. He holds your hands, hugs you, holds you, and talks you through the whole thing. Counting method is his go-to in helping to calm you down. If you can talk, he’ll have you tell him what you're feeling, and if you can’t he’ll do the talking for you. He knows that sometimes breakdowns just happen, and trying to stop them will only make it worse.
All that Leo really wants is to make you comfortable and happy.
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♡Donnie knows exactly what it’s like to be overwhelmed and/or overstimulated. He deals with that himself, and as much as he helps you out in those situations, you are helping him too… Chances are pretty good that if you are overwhelmed, so is he. Despite this though, he always makes sure you are comfortable first, even if that puts his overstimulation and comfort at odds.
Donnie isn’t big on touch, but he would give it to you in a heartbeat if you wanted it. Cuddles, affection, anything you wanted he would give it to you. Even though he isn’t the best with touch, he still loves it when you lay on him, giving him that compression.
He would also be one to make sure you’ve eaten/drank.
Donnie makes sure that your surroundings are calm, and that you are comfortable when it comes to textures of your pjs and blankets. He also makes sure everything is quiet if you need silence.
Donnie has a little bit of a hard time not breaking down when you break down. You two are very similar when it comes to why you break down, so when you start, it takes everything for him not to start. He absolutely refuses to break down and not be there for you though, so he is strong for you. He rubs your back, tries to talk to you, and does whatever you need to help you through it. He does whatever you need him to do, and is always there for you. He’ll hum for you, speak quietly to you, anything to sooth the thoughts going through your head. Even with this, he is the quietest when it comes to comforting you.
Donnie is always there for you when you need him, and makes sure of it.
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♡Raph’s main goal is comfort. He always makes sure you are comfortable, picking you up and carrying you like a baby to the bed where he tucks you in like a burrito. If you need sleep, he makes sure you are comfortable and lets you sleep, asking if you want him there or not.
Raph is a cinnamon roll, and he feels so bad when you are overwhelmed, and does everything in his power to make you better.
He's helped Donnie through enough overstimulation moments to know how to find out what you need, and how to help you through it to prevent a possible breakdown.
And if you do break down, he is holding you the entire time, rocking you back and forth until you calm down. He stays like that long after, too, usually until you fall asleep or ask to be put down.
Raph has helped his siblings so much through the years, that he knows how to help you when you break down. He holds you, gives you the compression that you need (if you need it) and whispers to you. He doesn’t pressure you into telling him what’s wrong, and says things more like “Raph’s here…” “Don’t worry about it anymore…” “Nothing is going to hurt you…”
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♡The turtles will always be there for you when you need them, and would drop everything to help you in a heartbeat. They are always wanting to give you comfort, no matter what kind of comfort you are needing. They are always there for you♡
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the-guilty-writer · 2 years ago
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Perfect Anyway
Request from anon: ‘you flinched’ with Reid x Reader plsss
Spencer Reid x GN!reader
Summary: Wounds don’t always heal perfect, but Spencer makes sure you know just how perfect you are.
A/N: Thank you for the request! This could be platonic or romantic depending on how you read it. I hope you like it either way!
CW: reader is held by an unsub, gunshots, cuts and scars, Spencer helps reader change their bandages because its is my favorite display of affection in fiction whether it’s platonic or romantic
---
You looked down at the crime scene photos in front of you, hoping to find a pattern. There were a few you had already spotted- the victims were all high risk, all dumped in similar locations, and the killer used the same method every time.
Having worked at the BAU for over a year now, you were used to seeing these types of things. Photos of bodies, detailed files on murders, and horrifying signatures weren’t accompanied by the same churn in your stomach that you’d had during your first few cases. Everyone on the team had been upfront about how working this job could cause you to become desensitized to the worst of humanity- and how that sometimes felt as if you were being deprived of a bit of your humanity as well.
But this case brought all your humanity back to you as you saw a pattern you couldn’t ignore- all of the victims looked like you. From their hair color and skin tone, all the way down to body shape, you fit the unsubs type like a glove. Victim type, of course, was one of the first things the team identified when the case came in, but no one on the team had the courage to verbalize that all the victims looked as though they could be related to you.
It was well known throughout the team that you weren’t an easy person to spook, but the steady rhythm of your heart was beginning to speed and sputter. Adrenaline pitched you forward in your seat and you had to catch yourself from biting at your nails or twirling your pen.
“(Y/L/N),” Hotch said. “When I say that the entire team needs to go to the hotel and get some sleep, that means you too.”
“Yes, sir,” you said. “I’ll clean up and be right out.”
“Don’t keep us waiting too long,” he warned. It was a fair warning- if he hadn’t come to get you, you probably would have been staring at the photos all night trying to piece something together. You gathered your files and shoved them in your bag, taking one last long look at the evidence board.
“Hey,” an unfamiliar voice came from behind you, causing you to jump and turn.
Yeah, this case was definitely spooking you.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” the officer said. He was taller than you and buffer than you, but his face and haircut showed his young age. “I just wanted to know if you have found anything yet. I’m just a beat cop, so they don’t tell me anything.”
He approached you slowly and easily, so slow and easy that if you weren’t a profiler you probably wouldn’t have noticed. You felt the pressure of his nearness and his gaze coming down on you.
“Nothing yet,” you said, though that wasn’t true. Over half the profile was finished, but there was a small voice in your head telling you that something wasn’t right about the situation happening. “Sorry. Hopefully the team will have something by tomorrow. Goodnight.”
You turned to leave no faster than you normally would so as not to cause suspicion- so far everything the unsub did was controlled and organized with no sign of falling into disevolution any time soon. Even if the officer was the unsub he wouldn’t dare stray from that control unless he was in the position where his psyche would snap.
And it did.
He seized you from behind, bringing a knife towards your throat to control you. With the other hand he yanked your gun from its holster and tossed it away, though you wouldn’t have been able to grab it anyways. You yelped as the blade grazed your skin just enough to draw blood from a cut across your collarbone.
“I’ve been sitting here all day,” the man whispered in your ear, his breath hot on the side of your face. You wanted to turn away from him, but the knife pressed against your throat kept your head still. “I’ve been watching you work… going over those photos again and again. I didn’t know whether you were testing me or whether it was a gift to see such a beautiful specimen examine the art I would turn it into.” He caressed your face. “The other ones weren’t so lucky.”
“Drop the knife.” You had never been so damn thankful that your boss was a stickler for punctuality. Hotch stood in front of you, gun drawn. Reid was next to him, his revolver in his hand as he slowly moved around so they had the unsub trapped at two angles.
Hotch moved forward. “You heard me,” he said sternly. “Drop the knife and let Agent (Y/L/N) go. You’re not getting out of this.”
“But I’d get to see them.” The hand that the unsub was holding the knife in was shaking now, causing the blade to bite into your skin. Hot blood ran from the cut it was creating. You only hoped now that you’d live long enough for that cut to become a scar. “I’d get to see them as artwork one last time.”
“They’re already artwork,” Reid said. You gazed towards him, but his eyes were locked on the unsub. “You see- there’s already blood drawn on their collar. Look.”
The unsub looked down at the shallow cut that he never intended to make, but was a result of his haste.
 Reid made eye contact with you as if he was trying to silently communicate something. “They aren’t a blank canvas anymore. You can’t make them look perfect.” He looked back at the unsub. “You messed up.”
In the shock of the statement the unsub faltered in his hold on you. You slipped sideways out of his grasp and fell to the floor.
There were one, two, three shots and a body hit the floor behind you.
You scrambled to get away from the unsub, even though he was dead, needing to get as far away from him as possible. Suddenly someone else was grabbing you. You went to pull away but-
“(Y/N)- (Y/N) it’s me.” The softness of Reid’s voice helped calm you and turned to look into his hazel eyes. They were wide with worry and concern.
You threw your arms around him, pulling him against you as you felt your body shake with the fear that paralyzed it before. Reid held you tight, rubbing a gentle hand on your back to soothe your nerves. “You’re safe (Y/N). You’re safe.”
---
You got on the jet the next morning and opted to sit alone on the couch instead of at the table with the others. There were bandages over the cuts on your skin. They didn’t hurt, but they needed to be re-dressed with cream and fresh gauze every few hours to promote proper healing. Hopefully, they would scar over into thin lines, just a shade lighter than your skin, hardly noticeable unless you knew they were there- but the chance of the skin healing darker, or with wrinkling, or bulging was far higher.
The clatter of something hitting the floor caused you to flinch away from the sound, looking up from the book you were reading in an attempt to distract yourself. Rossi’s pen had rolled off the table. He leaned over and grabbed it without a second thought, but someone was looking at you.
It was Reid.
You averted your eyes from him and back towards your book, but it was too late- he had already seen that your shell had a crack. He walked over to you, his gait long and lanky as always.
“I thought you were playing cards.” You glanced at him.
“You looked like you could use some company,” he said.
“I’m fine, Reid.”
“You flinched.”
The pause that filled the air wasn’t any more still or any more quiet than how the jet was before, but it felt like it.
“And I came to remind you to change your bandages.” He changed the topic, breaking the tension.
“If it’s a few hours late it won’t kill me,” you said back, trying not to look up at him. “I need a bigger mirror than the one in the bathroom anyways.”
“I can do it,” he said. You didn’t even have time to argue before he was opening your bag and pulling all the supplies out. He carefully removed the old bandages and pulled wipes out to clean the sites. “I didn’t mean it, you know.” He pulled an alcohol wipe from a disposable packet and began to carefully sterilize your wounds.
“Didn’t mean what?”
“The thing about you not looking perfect.”
You snorted. “It was true for the unsub. And it’s true now. These could scar over really ugly.”
“Or they could scar over beautiful.” He carefully dabbed healing cream over the site.
“And if they don’t?”
Spencer placed a clean bandage on top of the dressing before looking you in the eye. “You’ll look perfect, anyways.”
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2kiran · 1 year ago
Note
I read through your rules and i think my request should be fine but even so, please let me know if you don't wanna write it!
If you're still doing requests... can you write something for Price x male reader where Reader's a bit younger than him and he's never drank before ever. And he hides it to not seem like a loser or anything (lol) but when the team goes out drinking after a mission he gets served higher alcohol content bc they thought he'd be a heavy drinker?
No smut, just maybe hurt/comfort and fluff? Ignore this if you wouldn't like to <3
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꒦⁺ DRUNK (NOT AGAIN) —— JOHN PRICE
modified 30.08.24 | HURT/COMFORT
content ˖ ࣪ ˖ affectionate price, male reader, may be read as platonic or romantic, reader is 2+ years younger, descriptions of injuries, mentioned violence, tf141 included, insecurity (love, towards r), drinking, tipsy reader, crying (r), kissing & hugging
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The mission was successful. The medevac helicopter was arriving soon, allowing time for a small discussion. Only minutes prior, it was havoc, alerting all of you. The enemy had set a trap, causing a few fuck-ups on your side.
Soap clutched at his side with a cloth, “Aye cap, think we can go for some drinks ‘fter this?” He let out a pained grunt when he applied too much pressure.
Price sighed in response, opening a box in the deserted warehouse that had the necessary equipment for a few stitches. “As long as you don’t pass out right now.”
Gaz sent a wary glance at their way, dabbing a cotton that was soaked in antibiotic ointment on his slashes. Ghost, who stayed in his own corner, only had a few small cuts. Your own injuries were long forgotten as you registered their words.
The problem with their agreement was that you’ve never drank, not even one sip. Ever displaying a good image of yourself, you didn’t want to find out how you were when you’re drunk. Alcoholic beverages have never been one of your interests. Being aware of the fact that people who were younger than you spent their precious time clubbing and drinking away their problems without a care made it worse.
You didn’t want anyone to view you negatively for that, especially them. That included not telling a single soul and rejecting invitations to parties. You just didn’t want to be seen as a ‘kill joy’ when you tell them that you’ve never touched alcohol.
It also meant avoiding questions from drunkards and lying when they’re pestering you too much. The constant ‘what if’s of being just average ate away at your brain. You didn’t want your team to see you as a good-for-nothing loser that they could easily discard at any given time. Maybe if you left they—
“Hey.”
You didn’t respond.
“Hey.”
One, two, three, four seconds pass.
“Look at me.” You blinked.
Your vision refocused, blurry gaze dissipating. You had zoned out. Price stood in front of you, urging you to tilt your head to look up at him. The blinding lights hung on the ceiling, leaving prominent shadows across the room. The silhouette gracefully traced over his features.
The both of you were in the infirmary, all patched up and wounds cleaned. Left alone together, away from the others. “Sorry. You were saying?” You asked, embarrassed warmth spreading across your cheeks.
A ghost of a smile quirked from his cheeks, “Are you okay?” His voice was hoarse from exhaustion.
“Yeah, I’m good. Are you?” You slightly stumbled over your words as an ache from your side had you stilling. He nodded, eyes traveling over your form. His usual sharp eyes softened upon continuing his inspection of you as if you were made of extra fragile porcelain. The certain look in his eyes and how his attention lingers on you could be compared on how he stares at his precious hat for far too long.
“We’re going to a bar. You joining, love?” A tentative question, which makes you ponder on answering. You hum in agreement, not wanting to ruin the moment.
-
Maybe you should’ve rejected the offer like you always did.
The bar was dimly-lit, lights darting throughout the space, while slow, almost seductive music danced from the speakers. There were several people in the bar, including the bartenders. All harboring the same mysteriousness that you took for suspicion. It wasn’t quiet, booming laughter erupted from some, while the rest had their voice hushed in a whisper. Most of them were drunk, you noted.
“Finally.” Soap dramatically sighed, stretching his arms as he chooses a booth.
“It’s really been that long?” Gaz responded in a question to soap’s enthusiasm. Surprisingly, Ghost joined. He wasn’t going to drink for the sake of privacy, of course, the sergeants just managed to convince force him. The three sat close to each other while you and price were next to one another. It made you tingle in anticipation and fright.
A waiter approached, and they all responded with ‘something heavy’. You gulped nervously, telling the man the same thing.
Every minute that passed had you fidgeting, made you begin to bounce your leg up and down as you waited and waited and waited. You itched to tell them the truth, but you’ll only look like a coward. The others spoke about nonsense and such, while the captain’s attention was on you.
He was aware that something was wrong, but he couldn’t point his finger at what it could be. The impulsive side of his brain wanted to ask you directly, right here in front of the team. But he knew how closed off and irritable you could get in situations like these, so he rather keep his mouth shut.
The waiter arrived with your drinks on a tray, foam sizzling and a dented lemon on the rim of the glass. It whiffed of high worth, the house of the liquid appearing expensive itself. The stem was thinner than you originally thought it would be. It was appetizing, and you start to understand why people spend their time on drinking this. However, you’ve heard of people’s first times, most of them stating that it tasted bitter in the beginning.
The sergeants grabbed their drinks like starving animals, nearly spilling it on themselves. You examined their expression, their brows furrowed as they gulped down the first few sips before their face relaxed.
“Feeling drunk yet?” Soap questioned, gaze directed towards the captain. He began sipping away at his too, seemingly unbothered by all of the alcoholic content. He pulled away from his glass, “Could have this all day.”
“You gonna drink that?” His monotone voice suddenly placed its attention on you. Responding with a ‘right’ before gripping the glass, you copy the way they were holding it.
One taste couldn’t hurt, right?
Unknowingly, you did it a little too eagerly.
“Yeaaah! That’s the spirit.” Soap cheered on and Gaz let out a giggle at that. Ghost’s focus was on scanning the room for suspicious activity that could possibly harm all of you. Price thankfully wasn’t paying attention on you for once.
You could definitely get used to not having to tolerate him stupidly looking at you like you wronged him. They downed their drinks and you followed suit.
It was a rash decision, you soon learned, as your body began feeling warm. Even if it was the slightest of breathing, you could pick up on it. And is it just you or is the music a lot louder than before?
The reality crashed down on you, hitting you like a truck. You were always awfully attempting to please others, but you’ve never thought if that’s what you truly wanted. You feel like a loser. Drinking even though you knew you didn’t want to.
With you being painfully unaware in the state you were in, Price took notice in the change of behavior. Your eyes were watering and your lips were subtly trembling.
Everything felt too overwhelming, too loud, too bright. It was all too much for you. Barely mumbling a ‘I’m going to the restroom’ before you practically sprinted to the only place you could possibly find comfort. They didn’t seem to hear over their obnoxious argument about which weapon was superior and what sucked ass.
Price waited a few minutes, and then telling the group that he needed to use the toilet too. He noticed that you were stumbling in your footing, strange for someone who’s drank a lot more than this. You were only halfway through your drink before you seemed out of it. Maybe it was because of how long your missions lasted, making your tolerance become a little skimpy. It was even weirder to him how you left the door ajar.
Believing that you were alone, you couldn’t hold it in anymore. Your tears began streaming down your cheeks, lightly huffing in pained breaths. You despised this feeling.
Price carefully pushed the door open, exposing your vulnerability to your captain. Looking up at the mirror, you gasped. Quickly realizing your mistake in forgetting to lock the door, but it was too late.
“Love...” he began, eyes boring into yours in concern. Striding towards you, he hugged you from behind. A staring contest made from the mirror. “What’s wrong?”
You sniffed, trying to wipe away your tears but failing as more spilled, “I-I can’t—I’ve, I’ve never drank before and I-I wanted to impress you all.” He stopped himself from immediately speaking about how you would be always perfect despite something so little as not drinking, letting you continue, “I d-didn’t tell you be-because,” a hiccup, “I tho-thought you’d see me as a good-for-nothin’.” Sobs wrecked through your being shamefully as you slurred your words.
“Love.” He said firmly as you opened your mouth to apologize, preventing the words from escaping you. “The team and I would never belittle you.” He kisses your cheek, rubbing your sides to soothe you with his thumbs. “Nothin’ wrong with it, okay? It’s not your fault. Don’t apologize.” Another kiss, using his knuckle to wipe away stray tears, “don’t ever be afraid to speak up ‘bout somethin’ like this.”
You hiccuped more, guilt searing within. He doesn’t stop talking yet.
“Stop feeling guilty about it. There’s no shame in that, others who think otherwise are just little shits. You’re better than them.” He kissed your jaw, ever showering you with affection in any way he was able to. He grabbed your hand, holding it to intertwine his fingers with yours. He tilted his head back up to kiss the trail of wetness on your cheek, hushing your weak sobs gently.
“Let’s go order some food, yeah? And we should get some water too to help the tipsiness. Just let me know if you want to try drinking again so I can help you through it. C’mon, love.” A smile spreads across his lips when your eyes light up in appreciation. He was happy that he had you as much as you were happy to have him.
If soulmates existed, he was yours.
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