#chatty writes

[elmswriting]

Title: The Paradox of Love and Power, Revisited

Setting: Malfoy Manor, during the First Wizarding War

Lucius Malfoy stood in the opulent drawing room of Malfoy Manor, a setting of luxury that belied the tension in the air. Tonight, the manor's walls would reverberate with dark incantations and whispered conspiracies—the clandestine meeting of Death Eaters. He looked around, his eyes falling on the masks and dark robes strewn about, stark reminders of his double life.

Across the room, separated by a world of unspoken complexities, was Narcissa. She stood at the periphery, her ethereal beauty contrasting sharply with the dark room. She was no Death Eater, but her life was inextricably linked to one. It was a paradox, a cruel kindness that Lucius felt deeply. He wanted to protect her, shield her from this world of darkness, yet his actions exposed her to it.

Lucius' Internal Dialogue: I've brought her into a realm of danger, thinking it's to protect our family, our legacy. Is it bravery or foolishness?

Narcissa felt his eyes on her and looked up. His gaze was intense, a palpable force laden with unspoken emotion. It was a blend of power and vulnerability that sent ripples through her usual composure.

Narcissa's Internal Dialogue: He looks at me as if I'm his sanctuary, but what if I'm also his Achilles' heel? We're entangled in this perilous reality, and our love is both our armor and our vulnerability—an open secret.

Drawn together as if by an invisible thread, they found themselves standing closer, isolated from the ominous gathering. The air between them was thick with sensual tension, a palpable heavy lightness that seemed to defy the gravity of their situation.

Lucius' Internal Dialogue: To touch her would be an ephemeral escape, a sweet sorrow as the walls of reality close in again.

In a moment that felt both fleeting and eternal, Narcissa reached out and lightly touched his arm. Her touch was full of contradictions—a comfort and a torment, a simple gesture echoing their complex reality.

Narcissa's Internal Dialogue: I wish to assure him we'll survive this, but that would be a comforting lie. It's a paradox, a form of enjoyable suffering.

Lucius looked at her hand on his arm, a simple touch that shattered his typical self-assured thought patterns. He felt compelled to say something, to encapsulate the storm of emotions within him.

Lucius: "We'll find a way through this, Cissa."

Her eyes met his, mirrors reflecting the same mosaic of fear and love, hope and despair. It was a minimal exchange of words, yet it felt as if they had laid their souls bare—a gentle betrayal of his emotional reserve.

Narcissa: "I believe we will, but at what cost, Lucius?"

The question lingered, a form of organized chaos encapsulating the essence of their relationship. They were each other's sanctuary and their own battlefield, a paradox both bewildering and inherently understandable.

Lucius' Internal Dialogue: She's right, as always. The cost is an enigma, a riddle with no easy answer. All I know is I would pay any price to keep her safe—even if it endangers us both. A foolish wisdom.

Narcissa's Internal Dialogue: And I would follow him, wherever this dark path leads. An intelligent folly.

As Lucius returned to the inner circle, his robes swirling around him like a cloak of darkness, the contradiction of their existence was palpable. Their love was an oxymoron, a complex interplay of opposites—fear and courage, darkness and light, bondage and freedom. Yet it was real, as tangible as the war raging beyond their walls, a love that defied simple definitions. It was their precious bane, their lonely crowd, their sweet sorrow.

In a world increasingly filled with contradictions, they were the most beautiful oxymoron of them all. And as they faced an uncertain future, that oxymoronic love remained their one unwavering certainty.

Thus, in a room brimming with paradoxes, they stood as the most intricate—two souls deeply in love but ensnared by a world that might tear them asunder. A complex enigma that neither could untangle, and yet, neither wished to.

[geryone]

Night Poem, Leila Chatti

[scribblestatic]

Amputee!SY incoming. Round Two, fight!

Prev: Part 6

---

For a moment, there was silence.

Then the next, an uproar.

Demons and cultivators alike loudly rebuked Cang Qiong Sect, the cultivators doing so out of outrage that the most prominent cultivation sect would do something so cruel, and the demons doing so because even most of them, for as dog-eat-dog as demon society often was, wouldn't go so far as to pollute their siblings with spiritual qi.

Of course, it was convenient to blame it all on them. Demons and cultivators outside of the sect had surely done worse, depending on the situation. But that wasn't what Luo Binghe cared to clarify.

What had once been understood as a failing purely on Shen Qingqiu's part was now understood to be the negligence of the sect he sought refuge in. The sect whose lead disciple, whose future sect leader, he had saved. He wasn't bad at cultivating, he was almost willfully sabotaged by those he should've been able to trust.

"Since this lord has been able to assist him, he has not suffered another deviation. His core has stabilized, and his power grows increasingly precise. How many can say they can precisely control a quill and write a letter using their qi alone?

"Since this lord has been able to find a balance with his own demonic and spiritual qi, so too has Shen Qingqiu. Ah...well, that is, if you wish to still be called that, Wife."

Shen Yuan was gazing toward the ground quietly. With his fan on his lap, they could see the blank mask he'd forced his expression into. There was no rage, no anger...not even resentment.

Just contemplation.

His eye closed and he huffed, his fan rising to cover the lower half of his face again.

"...This one prefers the name Yuan."

It pained him to hurt his beloved like this. He clearly was hurt, considering he didn't give even a little token protest to being called a 'wife' instead of a 'husband.'

To dig up old wounds and lay them bare once again was something he had hesitated to do. But this would be the final time he did so, and not for his own self-service, but to further legitimize Shen Yuan's position as his empress.

He would clear Shen Yuan's name with this, and Cang Qiong Sect would be witness to it.

"Of course, A-Yuan."

As much as he wanted to kiss him, he had that tense energy about him, the kind that said he'd prefer to be left alone. He must be thinking of so much... It would do well for him to simply get this done with as quickly as he could.

---

"So now, you reject the name given to you by your shifu?"

"Peak Lord He, this lord dares not assume that your wine also hinders the mind. Surely, if you were so thoroughly betrayed by your shifu, would you want to keep the name given to you by them?"

The man scowled. "Does anyone reject the name given to them by their parents? Hate it or not, betrayed or not, he was given the name Qingqiu as a courtesy to his position."

"Ah, but this lord has yet another point, one that helps shed light on this charge and another. Three, Shen Qingqiu's legal insanity, specifically his psychosis, were in part triggered by his courtesy name and even my own, leading to his targeted hatred toward me. In addition to this, this lord wishes to address the charge against Shen Yuan for the murder and eradication of House Qiu.

"My love, how do you plead?"

"Guilty."

"Cease this!" Qi Qingqi bellowed. "That charge is not for you to try to absolve! Do you intend to overwrite Qiu Haitang's justice for the sake of this farce of a crowning? To betray one of your wives to put another, a man, in the top position of your harem?"

"Peak Lord Qi, your misandry has nothing to do with how I run my harem. And, to clarify, no, I have no intent to overwrite Qiu Haitang's justice...instead, this lord intends to question whether the ruling was fairly just or needlessly cruel, as my own punishments toward him had been."

With the inward curl of two of his fingers, guards entered the area. Between them, they held the arms of a struggling Qiu Haitang. They didn't hold her particularly tightly, but her cultivation was apparently rather weak.

They carefully released her, and she pulled away, huffing and looking particularly wronged.

"What is the meaning of this, Husband? I already accepted that you came to love the one who killed my whole family more than me. I've even accepted that you want to give him such a high position, one he can lord over me for as long as your affections allow! Why do you continue to antagonize me?!"

"Tang-er, don't exaggerate. Shen Yuan killed all of the men of your clan, but he left the women untouched, did he not?"

"That's the same as killing my family! You agreed back then!"

Luo Binghe nodded morosely. "That I did. However, this lord must admit to his faults. I believe it is imperative that the hatred between you and Shen Yuan be alleviated."

"Hah! Never! How dare you ask me to do such a thing!! I have no say on who you allow in your bed, but you cannot...you will not control my emotions! I know the truth, and that truth is that I will, forever, hate Shen Qingqiu for what he did to my family!"

"Hmm, I see. But what about what your family did to him?"

Qiu Haitang froze, clearly affronted.

"What my family did to him? What did we do? Elevate his position? Feed him? Clothe him? We brought him into our family when he was a mere slave, and he repaid our kindness with slaughter. All because A-Luo didn't want him to abandon our engagement!"

"'A-Luo'?"

"Yes, A-Luo! My elder brother and head of our family, Qiu Jianluo! Why do you act as though you don't remember him?!"

"'A-Luo'...yes. I do remember us discussing him at length. You'd said he was a tad firm, but an otherwise loving brother."

Aggrieved, tears sprung to Qiu Haitang's eyes. "He was... He was! He, and Lao Tao, Lao Yang...our servants, our family, everyone... I loved them all dearly. And he stole them away from me! That slave abandoned the people who gave him an education, who taught him how to behave, and he brutalized them, all so he could raise his status to that of a lofty immortal, unfettered by our engagement!"

"Mmm, yes. This lord remembers. We also discussed how, by happenstance, a childhood nickname of mine sounded incredibly similar to it. Your brother's A-Luó, and my A-Luò. Why, they almost sound the same."

"They do! That's why...that's why Tang-er thought you were like him, but if you're going to... If you're going to humiliate me to such an extent, to allow the man who killed my gege to become your empress, then I need not stay! Release me from your harem and let me go!"

"As you wish."

Qiu Haitang finally went quiet.

"...Excuse me?"

"I said, 'As you wish.' This lord will divorce you right now, if you so desire."

Stricken silent by his assertion, she didn't say anything. And so, Luo Binghe decided to move things along.

"Wife."

Shen Yuan's eye flinched before his fan bapped softly against the hand closest to him.

"Who's your wife?"

The happy smile Binghe gave him, despite the coldness he was faced with, surprised many in the crowd, including members of the Cang Qiong Sect entourage. It was more like how one would look at a feisty kitten testing their bitty claws on their hand, all smiles as it scratched little raw strips into their flesh.

He was positively besotted.

Of course, only those close to Shen Yuan would know that his response was a sign that he was managing with the situation. He wouldn't reveal how thin his face could be if he truly felt too distressed. Shen Yuan was uncomfortable, but he could get through it.

Even so, that endeared look faded to concern.

"...This lord hates to ask this of you, but could you tell us how you saw Qiu Jianluo?"

Shen Yuan pressed his lips tightly together, his gaze falling to the nearby floor.

"You said nothing during your trial, and we only pursued judgement under Qiu Haitang's account. But since we've been married, you've talked to me. This lord doesn't want to put you in this position, but we need your account as well."

He didn't budge.

"...You will be heard this time."

Silence.

A breath in.

Then, Shen Yuan's eye snapped open.

"I would've rather remained a slave on the street than to ever have been sold to House Qiu."

---

Shen Yuan felt a tad weird.

A little like he wasn't alone in his body. Or, well, maybe he was, but it felt like there was someone behind him.

It wasn't a feeling that made him afraid. No, just a bit disjointed. Like he and the one behind him were pressing together, back to back.

The dreams he had about House Qiu, once more difficult to detail, sprung to his mind with ease like a core memory. And with it came all the feelings that attached to the memory, causing his chest to clench and teeth to ache.

As though piloted by the other one...or, perhaps given the energy necessary to pilot it himself, Shen Yuan allowed the words to fly from his mouth.

And with each word, a little bit of weight attached to them disintegrated.

---

Liu Mingyan had heard a Shen Yuan rant before. He'd done several about her works, always expressing what he liked but being just as expressive about what he hated, remembering to calm down and say his critique was purely because he knew she could write even better.

And it wasn't as though he was wrong. Her book reviews under her penname had indeed improved in sales. A gaggle of nuns she'd befriended, wives that amicably returned to their sect after separating from Luo Binghe, asked who her editor was and how much their rates would be to have the mystery editor review their works.

They'd been quite tempted to return to the harem when she revealed who'd helped her. But it made sense, didn't it? Shen Yuan, formerly Qingqiu, had been second-in-command only to the head of Cang Qiong Sect, the leading cultivation sect under the heavens. He was an renown expert in the four arts, literature included.

And he critiqued trashy yellow books as severely and wholeheartedly as tomes of great historical magnitude.

Yes, she's heard more than one Shen Yuan rant before.

This one had to be the most severe. The most raw. The most painful one she'd heard.

And it hurt to hear it, because she had no doubt that every word that left his mouth was true.

He spoke inelegantly. Elegance would've perhaps cheapened his account. There was no room for it. Inelegant as it was, it was narrative. Illustrative.

"Do I look like a martial arts dummy to you? A bled and slaughtered hog? Because he sure loved smacking his fists against my ribs like he was tenderizing meat for the nightly dinner I never got to eat."

"Taught me to write? Hah. He figured out I could write just before he was going to beat me to death for using qi to get his horse to stop running through the streets like a maniac. I didn't know how to write a whole lot, but all he had to do was throw books at me. I learned by my own damn self."

"Got tempted by a wandering cultivator? I was barely let outside! Freed from the slave contract? Where'd you hear that?! It's all dogshit. Either that perverted bastard came up with it, or Qiu Haitang put a bunch of mismatched information together and came up with it herself. Which, at that point, I can't really blame her. I'm not sure the ladies of that house would've told her what I dealt with. It's completely fair to want answers."

"A-Yuan, one moment," Luo Binghe interrupted. "Why did you call Qiu Jianluo perverted?"

At that question, his mouth shuttered briefly. This time, when he spoke again, his voice was stilted.

"...He... There was a reason he didn't hit my face. Everything else was fair game, but not my face. Qiu Haitang picked me up because of my face..."

He pursed his lips briefly, then continued.

"...Qiu Jianluo also liked my face."

"Lies!!"

Qiu Haitang screamed at the top of her lungs, moving forward as though she would stomp up the stairs to the throne and try to rip Shen Yuan from his seat. The guards quickly stopped her before her foot could touch the first step. Her squirming did little to move them.

"You're lying! You're lying! My gege was nothing like what you've said! You can only accuse him of these things because he's dead! You killed him! He never hit you! He never hurt you! He treated you with nothing but kindness, and you're the one who went insane and killed everyone!"

"Not everyone."

Although she was too far gone in her rage to notice it, Liu Mingyan heard the icy tone in Luo Binghe's voice, his dark eyes staring down at her with an increasing amount of derision.

"Only the men... Only the men."

Only the men.

"Oh gods," Liu Mingyan muttered.

"...You need not say more, A-Yuan, if it is too much."

"Ah, uhm... No, wait. I mean, he did threaten to... He just." He paused. "He threatened to...watch. To watch me. With other men in the house.

The words seemed increasingly hard to get out, his face turning red.

"He didn't rape... He didn't rape me. He threatened to. Threatened that others would. Had them..." Breathe. "Hold me down."

Only the men.

"...What happened the night you escaped?"

Quiet. Qiu Haitang kept screaming that he was lying.

"Were you prompted you to do what you did? If so, what happened?"

"It's a lie! Binghe!! Don't believe him!"

"A-Yuan. Please, tell me if you can."

"He's a liar! He's lecherous! You know what Ning Yingying said!!"

"...That's...right. That's right! Where is Ning Yingying! She accused him of grooming her!" Qi Qingqi called out. "Are you sure about his account now?"

"Wife."

"We took you in! We fed you! We clothed you! How dare you do this to us! How dare you do this to me!!"

"Can we really trust what he's saying? He's molested his own disciple!"

"You-!! If you hated us so much, why not kill me, too?! Why not kill everyone?! You pervert!! You lecher!! You mangey dog!! You beast!"

Luo Binghe's eyes snapped upwards, rage curling on his face.

But he didn't get a single word out before—

"Call me that again, and I'll be tempted to rip your throat out like I did your brother."

Shen Yuan stared coldly at Qiu Haitang, eye wide and a tad unfocused. A few moments passed, and the focus returned to it, as did the blood to his face. He began panting slightly, like he'd suddenly ran a great length or like he'd been holding his breath.

Recognition slowly came onto his face.

"He didn't rape me. Because I ripped his throat out before he could. And then I grabbed a sword with my qi when the guards came because they heard him gurgle. And I stabbed them. Then I stabbed Qiu Jianluo. Again and again and again.

"I stabbed him until I couldn't recognize his face anymore. And I started stabbing everyone who could've done the same thing he was going to do to me. Ones he'd threatened to watch. Ones who never helped. Guards. Servants. All of them."

Silence.

"How did you rip his throat out?"

Shen Yuan turned toward Binghe with a movement that seemed too smooth, like his head was on a swivel.

"...With my teeth."

"Did you remember doing this before now?"

"...I don't know."

"Wife?"

"Mm?"

Binghe frowned, moving to kneel on a knee beside Shen Yuan's throne, placing his hands on his face. Despite the open display of affection, he didn't move away.

"Do you know where you are right now?"

"Hmm? Oh. Yes."

He blinked, then glanced upward.

"...I think I'm dissociating."

"Deviating? ...Your qi is sluggish, but—"

"No, no. Dissociating. Detaching from reality, triggered by stress or trauma. A feeling of daydreaming or intensely focused while not naturally integrating consciousness, identity, memory, or perception. The Falling Sun Dewdrop produces a similar sensation to depersonalization if you...uhm. Maybe I shouldn't explain how to do that. I think I won't.

"Unlike a qi deviation, which essentially shuts down one's consciousness and causes their body to react erratically in response to their charging qi, dissociating is...mmm... Depends on if its depersonalization or derealization. Sorry, I'm feeling a little—"

"Shh, don't. Don't apologize, A-Yuan. You've done well."

"Mm."

"Thank you for telling me."

Shen Yuan leaned his cheek against one of Binghe's hands, his eye closing calmly.

"...Mm."

"We can stop now, if you want."

"...Nah."

"Why not?"

"The bandage is removed and the wound is festering. Let's cut it all the way off." Shen Yuan smiles and raises one of his arms a little. "You're good at removing limbs, Binghe."

Although Shen Yuan didn't see it, Binghe bowed his head, still holding his. A clawed thumb brushed his cheek softly.

"...This lord wishes he wasn't."

"Oh... It was supposed to be a joke. I'm sorry."

When Binghe couldn't manage to respond, Shen Yuan opened his eye and leaned further toward him.

"Hey... Hey, Binghe. It really was a joke. I was wrong to you, and I did a lot of terrible things, so I'm not mad. You were just a kid, Binghe. And I shoved you into the Endless Abyss because I felt like I finally had a good reason to hate you. Even though I know humans and demons aren't all that different. I thought, 'Men, and especially Luos, are all the same,' and treated you badly, falsely blaming it on you being half demon.

"But I used it all as an excuse. You didn't deserve any of what I did. You didn't deserve my jealousy over how strong you were at cultivating, or me assuming you'd grow up to be like Autumn Tangled Net and ensnare everyone or treat me like shit. And though you kinda did, it wasn't your fault. I was like your Qiu Jianluo, without the weird pervert shit. And you cut my limbs off. And I think that's fair."

The demon emperor, bewildered, let out a choked laugh, raising his head to look at him again, eyes misty.

"Was that meant to be reassuring, love?"

"Yeah."

"I'm afraid it didn't quite work."

"Awwh... Hey, do you think we could keep going in...uhm. Well, you asking me questions? Stuff is kinda starting to feel real again, so, uh, I'd like to answer whatever you want to ask before I combust out of embarrassment. You know, like a total mess. I'll never be able to be empress at this rate. No one would approve of me. My reputation is ruined. Why'd you marry me?"

"Because I love you."

"Embarrassing. Shameless. I love you, too. Say that again."

This time, when Luo Binghe laughed, it was genuine. He leaned forward and whispered into his ear, presumably saying those requested words again. He then kissed the huadian on Shen Yuan's forehead before he stood, shedding the calm softness he'd put on for his future empress.

"...Time and time again, Shen Yuan has had to face difficult and demeaning circumstances without letting out his fear and instability. Surely, none would ridicule him for finally, after years of persecution, cracking under that pressure."

When he turned to the crowd, it was as though he'd shed all illusions that he was anything but some wretched beast that crawled from the Endless Abyss. A rictus grimace seemed to unnaturally split his face, the whites of his eyes bright. His zuiyin glowed a fierce red.

A terrible murderous intent befell the others, leaving them unable to move in the face of a predator.

"Right?"

"Binghe."

And immediately, the moment ended, the man turning a kind smile to his wife.

"Alright, alright."

"...Fuck."

Liu Mingyan jolted slightly before turning toward Sha Hualing, who, at some point, moved closer to her. Her arms wrapped around one of hers, moving a little bit behind her.

"Reminded me of that freaky Binghe that almost killed me."

"Ah."

So that's where she recalled that killing intent.

----

Oh, by the way, I'm a huge fan of horror!Binghe. I want that half-demon boy to come back from the Endless Abyss irrevocably changed, and, of course, Shen Yuan looks at him and is just like, "Look at my sweet boy, who has done nothing wrong ever."

They're freak 4 freak, fr.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7: here Part 8 Part 9 Part 10

Part 11+: links on Part 10

AO3

[conscydraws]

Order 38. Undelivered.

[sixteenth-days]

avian-ificated scar? or watcher joe. for the fanon swap!

Scar woke up with a jolt, an echo of catastrophic damage still ringing in his ears.

Respawning back on Hermitcraft after a final death on the Life Series was always disorienting, so he didn't bother to rouse himself right away, instead staring up at the intertwining branches above his head and letting himself readjust slowly.

Well, at least the last one hadn't been his fault! And for all Grian's fretting, too. So far as Scar was concerned, that made them even. He drew in a long breath, released it.

There was Jellie's warm weight next to his leg. There was the sound of the leaves, rustling faintly in the wind. There were a few aches and pains in his knees and ankles when he moved, which was pretty standard, and some soreness in his back, which was less so. He yawned, stretched his arms over his head. His back popped satisfyingly.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of black and white feathers, and blinked.

"Grian?" he said, out loud, even though that didn't make any sense, because he was very much alone in the room, and Grian's feathers were very much red anyways, but-

Huh.

Scar sat, and watched the wing unfold. It was largely a black that gleamed blue in the sunlight, interrupted by a broad swath of white down the middle.

Jellie, roused by the movement, cracked an eye open irritably, raised a sleepy paw to bat at the long feathers trailing from the wingtip. Scar, on some instinct he didn't entirely understand, flinched, and the wing flinched too, twitching away from her claws.

Scar blinked.

GoodTimeWithScar -> Grian: uMMMM GoodTimeWithScar -> Grian: SORRY FOR CAPS GoodTimeWithScar -> Grian: I HAVE A PROBLEM

[thorougly-melted-brains]

Ghost develops Hanahaki and knows who it is immediately. He’s coughing up fucking thistles. There’s only one Scottish patriot who’s made himself (a now painfully literal) thorn in his side.

It gets resolved quickly. No matter how melodramatic as Ghost can be, first and foremost he’s a man of action. Also because he couldn’t wait to see Soap go green when he reveals he was throwing up thistles, whole.

[sommerregenjuniluft]

@jegulus-microfic june 19 — mechanic — 843 words aka motocross enthusiasts to future boyfriends

James hastens to unclip and throw off his helmet. Carelessly, he throws it to the side where it lands with a dull thud in the foliage while he runs over to the person that just slipped off their motocross bike in front of him.

They were racing each other.

He came out of nowhere, appearing on the trail right next to James. As if he’d materialized himself out of thin air. Decked out in all black and bike an atrocious lime yellow-green that doesn’t blend with the background of the forest even if it wanted to.

He’d snaked his way in front of James when their twin paths united again. Two fingers were tipped from his helmet in a mock salute and then he’d accelerate hard and fast, swirling dirt at James’ helmet visor.

And, well. James has never said no to a challenge a day in his life. Especially from such a cheeky opponent. So James had revved his engine and done his best to keep up and find ways to overtake his mysterious challenger.

The thing is, the other guy was fast. Quick and nimble on his bike, winding between trees and seeking out every opportunity to get a good head start. Jumping off hills instead of taking them easier, dangerous maneuvers, snapping branches and leaving behind angry wheel tracks.

And James was chasing. As soon as the trees cleared a little James managed to pull almost level with him. The biker threw multiple looks over his shoulder when he noticed and James’ grin sharpened when he heard a short laugh from his front left. They parted ways when James chose to round a hill instead of going up and over it, slowing down to keep out of the other’s landing range.

But just as quickly James’ smile was gone.

Maybe the ground was muddier than the guy thought or he got too high-spirited. His hind wheel slipped right from underneath him upon hitting the ground again, making him tumble forward with the remaining momentum and his bike sideways.

Now, James skidders down onto his padded knees next to the body laying in the dirt. “Fuck, hey! You okay?”

He gets a groan in response, raspy and breathless.

And then James gets all breathless when the other guy weakly shoves off his own helmet. It’s pale skin contrasting starkly with his all black getup, dark curls tumbling onto his forehead and stormy eyes fluttering up at him.

Oh.

The gorgeous man on the ground grunts vaguely, “Never been better.”

James makes a skeptical noise. “Hey, open your eyes for me again. Can you see clearly?”

Slowly, grey eyes blink open and try focusing on James’ figure kneeling over him. His lips part around a silent gasp once they’re wide open, looking at James intensely. “Um, yeah,” he answers.

James’ mouth tips into a grin. “Hi there.”

“Hi,” the other breathes weakly.

“And your name is?”

“Regulus.”

James hums, “And how many fingers do you see, Regulus?” He holds up 3.

“Three,” Regulus answers dutifully.

James switches his fingers, holding his thumb to his forefinger, the tips of both of them creating a little heart. “And how many now?” James smirks.

Regulus’ wide eyed glance turns into a scowl, lips pouting as he pushes James’ hand away with a grumbling noise. James doesn’t miss the way his cheeks pinken though.

Regulus tries to sit up but he immediately plops back onto his elbows with a groan.

“Don’t be a hero,” James admonishes and pushes him to lay back down.

“How’s my bike?” Regulus wants to know. It’s quiet safe for the sounds of the forest, birds chirping, wind rustling the thicket.

James looks over his shoulder where the lime green atrocious is laying sideways in the leaves. The motor isn’t on anymore but it doesn’t look bent or scratched. “Looks in okay shape,” James replies, turning back to Regulus. He’s looking up at him with an uneasy gleam in his bright eyes. James drives a hand through his hair, licks his lips. Regulus’ eyes follow the motion. ”Easily fixable, I bet,” James reassures, “Probably just some of the electronics impacted.”

Regulus lets his head thump back into the foliage with an unhappy groan.

James grins. “Hey, y’know what? I’ll take you to my mechanic. Guy’s awesome! Funniest person I know and he really knows his bikes.”

James expects Regulus to lighten up and be thankful for the offer but instead he’s met with an almost patronizing smile in return. “Hard pass. I already have a trusted mechanic.”

James narrows his eyes, feeling defensive. “Well, your loss then. Sirius always does a flawless job for a good price. Plus,” he grins again, “His fancy ass espresso machine makes a mean hot chocolate. And he lets me have one every time.” James nods to himself, feeling victorious.

Something flits over grey eyes and then Regulus’ own lips tip onto a smirk. “I know,” he answers and James is properly confused for a few momentps before Regulus goes on. “I bought it for my brother.”

[yuseirra]

Ch 161~

Can't draw so much during the week..!

More commentary about 161..

I'm actually convinced Fatal and Mephisto should be Kamiki's song?? I think some things hint of it.

and that he DOES really care about Aqua.

and that he does have to do with Sarutahiko, Amenouzume's husband(although this part is a speculation)

More stuff in the read more:

(first written in another language and chatGPT helped me translate it... I can't write things like this twice ;v; it's a great world here. so convenient~)

Honestly, it's frustrating and a bit agonizing; what is this even about? The plot is stressful, but...

Still, being able to focus like this... I guess it’s a good thing to find a work that hooks you and makes you think deeply in some way.

LOL, it also means I’m living a life where I have enough time to care about a manga, even though I’m currently in a pretty tough spot.

This manga, whether it's in a good or bad direction, seems to be driving me crazy in its own way.

If I’m disappointed, I can always go read something else, (I even got permission from someone to draw a Persona fanfic fanart, but I’ve been too hooked on this manga to do it.. that fanfic was so good.. I need to do it sooner or later..).

But I was so confident about my analyses. Like, really... I’m usually good at picking up on these kinds of things? This manga is great at psychological portrayal, and it was amusing to analyze that, There are just too many things sticking out for me, and things feel uneasy.

It’s not about the pairing... It just keeps bothering me... Am I really missing the mark on this? I’m usually good at sensing these things...

Without the movie arc, this development would be fine, but that arc is sandwiched in there, and I interpreted the character based on that too...

Honestly, every time I listen to the songs, I get this strong feeling like, "This isn’t Aqua." The kind of emotions in these songs, it's not him that's singing them. It's the dad. I immediately posted about it when I first heard it in July. As soon as I heard it, I thought, "This is it," and got a gut feeling.

I really want to feel that emotion again.

Even if Kamiki does turn out to be a serial killer, I still think these songs could describe his inner state.

I think we’ll get some explanation in the next five chapters or so, even if it takes a bit longer.

Also, the expression Kamiki makes when Aqua stabs him is so genuine. Until that moment, he had been smiling, but...

If that expression was because he suddenly felt threatened with his life, it’s a bit pathetic. But... I don’t think that’s the case. What I really pay attention to are the emotional flow and expressions.

When Aqua says he wants to watch Ruby perform, the smile on Kamiki’s face... it’s soft. That’s... definitely a look of affection. It’s not like, “Oh, I've won him over!” or, “Yes, I’ve convinced him!” I interpreted it as Kamiki having paternal love, and there was a scene that backed up that idea earlier. I’m sure he really likes Aqua.

That’s not a bad expression. It’s more like, "Yeah, you wish to see Ruby, don't you. Go ahead, watch her. Keep living" (Which makes me wonder, is he really planning to harm Ruby? If he harms her, maybe he plans to do it after the Dome performance? But even that doesn’t make sense. Does that mean Aqua would have to come back to stab him AGAIN after that takes place?? Does it really add up to his logic for telling him to go watch her?)

Aqua says Kamiki will destroy Ruby’s future, but...

How exactly is he going to do that? Hasn't this guy literally done nothing? If they're talking about the Dome performance, at least that should go off without a hitch, right? So at least until then, Ruby would be safe?? So, Kamiki isn't planning to harm Ruby now at least, right? Even with that weird.. logic that he proposes (I hope he's lying about that tbh)

Then when Aqua smiles and says something like, "Haha, but I’ll just kill you and die with you," while pointing the knife at him again...

Kamiki’s expression at that moment really stands out, and it’s not like a twisted look of being frustrated about things not going his way. It’s not anger or annoyance he's feeling. It’s the same shocked and despairing expression we saw in chapters 146 and 153.

Aqua seems to have no clue what kind of person his father really is, huh? He can’t read him at all.

Honestly, from the way Kamiki speaks, I get the impression that he’s actually quite kind. He’s not saying anything too wrong.

Remember the scene where Ruby gets angry because people were talking carelessly about Ai’s death? Kamiki probably knows about that too. I think Aqua and Ai, and Ruby and Kamiki, are quite alike in nature. Kamiki might’ve felt a lot of grief over Ai at that time. I do believe he loved Ai.

The phrase, "People don’t want the truth," is pretty painful, especially if you think about Ai. That’s why Ai lived telling lies. Isn't Kamiki thinking about what's happened to her, then? By bringing that up? He should have felt it, loving/watching a person like her and what unfolded.. Ai died because of the truth that she had kids with him. Ugly fans like Ryosuke and Nino couldn't take her being less than perfect. Wouldn't this have hurt Kamiki too? The fact that they loved each other(At least Ai did genuinely, we know that) was unwanted. People could not accept that, and that's one of the reasons why they had to break up.

From the way Kamiki talks, it feels like he genuinely doesn’t want his son or daughter to go through that kind of pain.

I think Kamiki has a pretty good nature. When you look at how he speaks, it’s gentle, and he seems to genuinely care about Aqua and knows a lot about him. Maybe he’s been watching over him from afar for a long time? He probably even knows who his son has feelings for.

It really feels like Kamiki is trying to persuade him: "I’m fine with dying. But you, you have so many reasons to live, right? Shouldn’t you return to the people you care about?"

And, the way Kamiki reacts after Aqua stabs him also shows it. He’s visibly agitated afterward. His expression noticeably shifts to panic and darkness.

Wait... stop it, don’t do this! That’s what he says.

The way he’s talking to Aqua in that moment.

It’s not like, “How dare you?” but more like, “Aqua, please don’t do this.”

It really seems like he doesn’t want Aqua to die.

He’s really shocked by it.

From his expressions, he seems more shocked by Aqua getting stabbed than by his own fall, like he didn’t even know how to react properly. He's being grabbed onto but he isn't looking at the hands that are grabbing him, his line of sight is on Aqua there

The final expression he makes can seem really pathetic, but...

Oh man, I think that’s the truth of that situation.

And it makes sense because Ai dreamed of raising her kids with this guy. I think he could’ve been a really great father who adored his kids... at least until the point they separated. He was just really young back then.

Doesn’t this guy really love his kids? Even without the movie arc, there have been hints of his concern for them.

I’m not trying to interpret him kindly just because I particularly like or find this character attractive.

If he’s a serial killer psychopath, then yeah, he should die here. When I first got spoiled, my reaction was completely merciless. "Well, he should die if he's like that," I said. But...

I don’t think that’s the case. It really seems like he cares about Aqua.

Oh, and Kamiki’s soul being noble in the past is mentioned, right?

So, he was a good person before?

Well, I guess I wasn’t totally off in reading his character? LOL.

Does that mean he could be a fallen god?(could be a stretch, but there IS a lyric in fatal about fallenness!!!)

Sarutahiko is often described as a "noble" and "just" god, so it’s quite possible that Kamiki’s true nature is based on Sarutahiko, the husband of Ame-no-Uzume = Ai.

That couple was very affectionate, and according to the Aratate Shrine description, they even go as far as blessing marital relationships. Those gods really love each other. In that case, Ai being so fond and loving of Hikaru also makes sense. It could explain why she asked her kids to save him...

So, can't “Fatal” be his song? Maybe he’s fallen from grace?

The lyrics in "Fatal" say things like, "What should I use to fill in what’s missing?" Could that be about human lives? But did he really kill people? How can you save someone after that? That’s why I don’t think he went that far.

"Without you, I cannot live anymore"

“I would sacrifice anything for you”

This isn’t Aqua. This is Kamiki.

Would Aqua do that much for Ai? He shouldn’t be so blind.

When I listened to "Fatal," I immediately thought of "Mephisto" because the two songs are so similar in context.

They’re sung by the same narrator, aren’t they? That made it clear what Kamiki’s purpose was, which is why I started drawing so much about him and Ai after that.

He keeps saying he’ll give up his life and that he wants to see Ai again. This isn’t Aqua! These feelings are different from what Aqua has.

At first, I thought because Ruby = Amaterasu, with Tsukuyomi having shown up, and Aqua perhaps having relations to Susanoo (he’s falling into the sea this time, right? LOL) I wondered if Ai and her boyfriend’s story was based on the major myth of Izanagi and Izanami, since they’re so well-known.

That myth is famous for how the husband tries to save his wife after she dies, though he fails in the end.

The storyline is similar to Mephisto’s, so I thought, "Could this be it?"

And then I realized Sarutahiko and Ame-no-Uzume's lores also fit really well. Ai thinking Kamiki was like a jewel when they first met is similar to how Ame-no-Uzume saw Sarutahiko shining when they first met. Sarutahiko guiding Ame-no-Uzume is similar to how Hikaru taught Ai how to act. They even had descendants that have a title that means "maiden who's good at dancing" The two also fell for each other at first sight. The shrine the characters visit in the story is supposedly where those two met and married. If they REALLY are those gods in essence, It feels like something went wrong with the wish because one or both of them became twisted.

Anyway, I think Kamiki was originally noble but fell from grace, and it’s likely that Ai’s death was the catalyst.

But I’m not sure if he really went as far as killing people.

What is Tsukuyomi even talking about? I’ve read it several times, and I still don’t fully understand.

I really hope she's wrong because… killing others to make Ai’s name carry more weight? That doesn’t make any sense. What does “the weight of her name” supposed to mean?? I don't think that's something that should be taken just at face value, I feel like there's more behind this idea.

What kind of logic is that? And on top of that, I can’t understand why Ai’s life would become more valuable if Kamiki dies. It just doesn’t follow.

Why would he even say that?

He must be really confident... Does he think he’s someone greater than Ai?

Even so, how does it connect?

I read two books today, because I started wondering if my reading comprehension has dropped. Thankfully, I’m still able to read books just fine. It’s not like I can’t read, you know? I’ve taken media literacy classes and pride myself on not having terrible reading comprehension.

I tried to make sense of what exactly the heck this may mean, and I think.. if it were to mean something like, “I’ll offer my life as a sacrifice to Ai,” I’d at least get that. That kind of logic, in a way, has some practical meaning.

Kamiki talked about sacrifices? tributes? offerings? in chapter 147. I really remember certain scenes clearly because I’ve gone over them carefully. In that case, if Kamiki dies, then the weight or value of his life would transfer to Ai, and that would “help” her, right?

If the story is going in that direction,

when I look at “Mephisto” and “Fatal,” I can see that by doing this, Kamiki would have a chance to either save Ai or get closer to her. At least that makes some sense.

But is it really right for Ai to ask someone to save Kamiki, who killed others? As soon as the idea of it came up, I knew something was up.

Because of what Ai's wanted, I think it’s possible that Kamiki didn’t actually go that far. In the songs, they talk about gathering light and offering something, but they don’t say anything about killing people… Kamiki said he’d sacrifice his own life. People around him may have died, but…

Kamiki’s true personality doesn’t seem like the type to do that… And looking at his actions when Aqua was stabbed??

He hasn’t shown any direct actions yet, so I still don’t know how far he’d actually go.

It’s not that I don’t believe Tsukuyomi’s words entirely,

but I don’t think the conclusion is going to be something like, “Ai should’ve never met Kamiki.”

Every time we see Kamiki’s actual actions, there’s this strange gentleness to him, and that’s what’s confusing me.

The more I look closely, the weirder it feels, and something about it just bothers me. If Kamiki were truly just a completely crazy villain, I’d think, “Oh, so that’s who he is,” and I wouldn’t deny it.

But each time, I start thinking that maybe Ai didn’t meet someone so strange after all? Ai liked him that much, so on that front, it makes sense to me. I want to believe that’s the right conclusion. I mean, doesn’t what he says sound kind? Isn’t he gentle?

No, but seriously, when Kamiki listened to Aqua’s reasons for wanting to live, I thought his expression was warm. It didn’t seem like some calculated expression like “according to plan” like Light Yagami. It felt more like a fond, affectionate expression. I draw too, you know. I pay a lot of attention to expressions. This character often makes expressions that really stand out.

It’s like he’s genuinely trying to convince Aqua not to do anything reckless. Maybe I’m being soft on Kamiki because he’s Ai’s boyfriend? But actually, it’s not like that?

I mean, I’m the type who’s like, “Anyone who did something bad to Ai should die!!” It’s because he’s a character. If this were a real person, I wouldn’t so casually tell someone to go die or say such strong things.

But… he seems like a good person.

+It’s a small thing, but why did Kamiki drop his phone while talking about Ruby? Ppft If you drop it from that height, it’d probably crack. Was he trying to look cool? (It’s an Apple phone, huh.) Is he a bit clumsy? Well... since it looks like him and Aqua are about to fall into the sea, maybe it was a blessing he did so. The phone might be saved after all. If he manages to climb out of there, he could contact someone with that phone.

[honestlydarkprincess]

writing patterns

tagged by @jeeyuns, @devirnis, @exhuastedpigeon mwah

rules: list the first line(s) of your last 10 posted fics and see if there's a pattern!

we made it (knew that we would be alright) - buckley siblings, rated G “Not that I’m not happy to have lunch with you, Mads, but it was kind out of the blue, everything okay?” Buck asked, putting his drink down after taking a sip. They were waiting for their food at this cute little diner that they loved to come to together and Maddie had been nervously fidgeting for ten minutes now. Buck couldn’t take it anymore and had to ask.

send a flare up in the dark (and i'll come find you) - buddie, rated T “Why are we here, Natalia?” Buck grumbled, looking miserable as he took a big sip of his beer. He picked at the plate of fries that sat on the table between them, shoving one of them in his mouth with a sigh. “We could have just stayed in.”

whatever shall we do - buddie, rated T Buck was immediately suspicious when Eddie sat down across from him at the table in the loft and gave him a wide smile. “What do you want?”

race to the sun (rest when it's over) - buddie, rated E Buck knew that he shouldn’t taunt Eddie while they were fucking. Really, he did. But it just got Eddie so riled up when Buck was a brat that he couldn’t help himself.

i could be the one to make you fall (again and again) - bellarke, rated E Normally, hanging out with the Blake siblings would be a very good night for Clarke. It was her preferred way of spending an evening to be honest. She loved spending time with her best friend and her best friend’s older brother— who also happened to be her crush. Falling for her best friend’s brother was not something Clarke had intended to do and it was times like these that reminded Clarke of just why it was a bad idea.

new sensations, sweet temptations - thiam, rated E When Liam’s mom Jenna started dating his classmate Theo’s adoptive dad David, Liam hadn’t thought all that much about it. His mom hadn’t really dated since his father had died when he was a baby, so he hadn’t thought this would stick. He had been friendly enough when she had brought David home, even played nice with his son Theo. They didn’t get along all that well at school but there were never any problems. Not in high-school and not when they ended up at the same college. Not until Theo became a more concrete part of his life.

all in - hangster, rated E If you had told Rooster a week ago that he would be stumbling into his base housing with Hangman, making out against every surface Rooster could push him into, he would have called you a liar. As it was, he still couldn’t quite believe this was happening, even though Hangman’s tongue was currently in his mouth.

in the middle - buddie/natalia, rated E Eddie jogged up to Buck’s apartment, whistling absentmindedly as he played with his keys. They were planning to go out to a bar tonight for a couple of drinks and then come back to Buck’s for a movie. Eddie would admit that he didn’t really want to go out tonight, would much rather stay in and get all of Buck’s attention on him. But Buck was really excited to try this new bar and Eddie couldn’t say no to him.

help me to help myself - bellarke, rated E Agreeing to live with Bellamy was not, objectively, one of Clarke’s better ideas. Crushing on her college roommate’s older brother turned best friend? An even worse idea. They had been best friends for years now and the pining was getting a bit ridiculous.

make me crawl, make me beg, make me bleed - hannigram, rated E Hannibal let out a gasp as he was pressed against the filthy brick wall of the alleyway outside the night club. He could feel the beat of the music pulsing along the wall. The guy he had picked up took his gasp as one of pleasure, grinning in a way that he probably thought was seductive. But to Hannibal, it was sleazy. Ugly. Beneath him. Yet, this is the guy Will had chosen and since it was Will’s birthday, Hannibal had left the choice of mark up to Will.

tagging: @bigfootsmom, @usersiren, @morganofthefairies, @swiftietartt, @princessfbi, @loserdiaz, @monsterrae1, @giddyupbuck, @father-salmon, @underwater-ninja-13, @hoodie-buck, @spagheddiediaz, @malewifediaz, @eddiiediaz, @eddiebabygirldiaz, @spotsandsocks, @hippolotamus, @wikiangela, @theotherbuckley, @watchyourbuck, @fortheloveofbuddie, @buck-coded, @daffi-990, @911onabc, @arthursdent, @disasterbuckdiaz, and @maygrantgf

[littleplantfreak]

Assigned Hybrids (according to me!)

Anon said I should assigned my moots as hybrids so I had the people interested like that post

In no particular order!

@oceaneyesinla Rox is…not a fox despite my tag for them. I’m thinking a mouse hybrid. You’re cute and I do think you would squeak.

@nyxypoo nyx is a bunny. Idk I don’t make the rules well i made the post but and I can see u doing the bunny stomping thing especially when Endo’s on the brain irritating you. Reaching for your tail secretly….

@birinboom a lamb if only so we can frolic together and you’re a bit of a troublemaker despite your cute looks. Otherwise you are a pampered kitty like Duchess from the aristocats.

@o-sachi Sachi my beloved you’re a lion hybrid I think. Or another big cat, but lion was the first to come to mind. Please let me pat your head regardless.

@ironlotus13 Emi! You give me deer vibes. Not fawn but like full on deer. Looks delicate, but certainly isn't when it comes down to it. I could imagine you still have the spots though cause they’re cute. Gives you little antlers cause theyre also v cute aesthetically

@voidcat You’re a cat hybrid. You constantly knock things closer and closer to the edge of the table. Maybe that’s why you like Gen. Cat vs cat but you keep dragging him by the neck scruff with your teeth. 10/10 would still try to pinch your cheeks despite the obvious dangers

@vinomino Mino you’re a bird hybrid I have decided. You remind me of my dad’s parrot he had when I was younger. Sometimes I have the urge to put a blanket over you when you’re up super late like they do with birds.

@hayatoseyepatch Sam you’re always kinda elegant but playful to me and I dont know if it’s Suo’s fault but I get fox hybrid vibes. Otherwise you’d be a swan, but fox was my first pick!

@maruflix you’re a puppy hybrid like me i think Maru! You’re affectionate in a puppy way and very lovable as well. Definitely one that has one of those tails that smack someone’s leg and they go “holy shit” because its like a whip

[elmswriting]

The Assay of Love

Sirius Black was not one for introspection. He lived his life by gut instinct, propelled by the thrumming energy of the present moment. But today was different; today he found himself at an impasse, unable to proceed without first assessing—assaying—the purity of his emotions.

Remus Lupin was the catalyst for this newfound need for evaluation. For months now, they had been toeing the line between friendship and something... more. The tension between them was palpable, filling the room like a storm cloud, demanding attention.

"It's like living on the edge of a cliff," Sirius had once confided in James. "I don't know whether to take the plunge or to run in the opposite direction."

But that was the thing about cliffs—you never knew how high or low they were until you looked over the edge. So, for the first time in his life, Sirius decided to assay, to test the strength and purity of his feelings for Remus. It wasn't a metal or a substance that could be melted down and evaluated for its components, but it was something infinitely more valuable. It was love—or so he hoped.

Meanwhile, Remus was embroiled in his own assay. Being the more contemplative of the two, he often found himself mired in self-analysis. But this was different; this was an evaluation that could change the course of his life. Could he afford to love Sirius Black? Was it a luxury or a necessity? Was it pure emotion, or was it tainted with desperation, fear, or loneliness?

He pondered this as he watched Sirius from across the room, laughing and joking with James and Peter. He looked so carefree, his eyes dancing like embers in the dim light, and Remus felt his heart swell with affection. Or was it love? That was the question he needed to assay, to test for purity.

The moment came unexpectedly, during a quiet evening in their shared dorm. They were both reading, absorbed in their respective worlds, but the tension was there, humming beneath the surface like a hidden vein of gold waiting to be discovered.

Finally, Sirius put down his book and looked up. "Remus," he began, uncertainty edging his voice.

Remus sensed the gravity of the moment and set his own book aside, meeting Sirius's gaze with an openness that took his breath away.

"I need to know," Sirius continued, "what this is between us. I can't pretend any longer."

For a moment, Remus was silent. Then he spoke, his voice tinged with the same uncertainty that Sirius felt. "I've been asking myself the same question."

So they sat there, in the stillness of the night, each assaying the emotions that lay between them. It was a test, a measure of purity, but it was also a gamble. Yet, as their eyes met and their souls touched, they both knew the answer even before it was spoken.

"It's love," Remus said, finally breaking the silence. "Pure, unadulterated love."

And as Sirius leaned in to kiss him, he realized that the assay was complete. The love they felt for each other had been tested and found pure, and that was all they ever needed to know.

[salty-an-disco]

(Explore) Did you expect there to be more doors?

Not necessarily.

Of course I’m aware this story will most likely have different mechanics from my previous assignment, what do you take me for? I’m not some ignoramus who just assumes everything works the same everywhere else.

Voice of the Hero: No one here said you were.

Yes. Of course no one did. Because I’m not some ignoramus.

Voice of the Hero: You’re really just digging your own grave by repeating that, mate.

[dandelioncasey]

Just came across a post which mentioned this concept and now I'm wondering - has anyone found any fics where the shooting was about Hen and Chim, not Buck and Eddie? Or where the tsunami was Chim and Denny not Buck and Chris? Because I am DOWN to read those if anybody has written them, that would change the plots so much and I'm so curious 👀

[onelastsailxr]

I love writing fanfiction but I also hate writing fanfiction.

I'm halfway in with one fanfic and the next minute a new thought crashes in like a tornado, bumping every other idea out of the way like 'here I am! (rock u like a hurricane!)' and then I have to sit there, like the mad woman that I am, because damn it's not a bad idea actually, so now I'm including this prompt to my list (of like 8 fics I have written on so far, from the like 100 ideas I have)

[rgbtrio-once-in-awhile]

sleepover at slingshot's cafe :3 (ft. monoxide leak)

at the café, it was about closing time, Slingshot had flipped the sign, sent everyone else home, and was tidying up the place for when it opened for business again after the weekend.

what he didn't expect, was Skateboard bursting in, and calmly informing him that there was a monoxide leak in his apartment and he needed a place to skedaddle to in the meantime.

the café owner plopped the skater in one of the seats, clearing off the tables of their items and storing them in the back. keeping an ear out for anything he might say, while also being productive and cleaning up. Skateboard was making little pyramids out of the free toothpicks, Slingshot took away the chopsticks before he could ruin a set or two.

"so yea, i was just chilling, and turns out there was a carbon monoxide leak, and that's why my head was all dizzy."

Slingshot froze, staring at Skateboard, mouth agape. "the- i'm sorry what??"

"yeah!" Skateboard snickered, taking the situation much lighter than Slingshot, clearly. "pretty crazy not gonna lie, glad you don't mind me stayin here for now Sling! by the way, you uh, get a haircut recently?"

Slingshot couldn't tell if he should scold the other, or just bite his tongue for now. "right.. so, i'm sorry, how long was the leak going on? because if you've somehow acquired more brain damage than you probably already have from ramming into walls-"

"relax! my head's on right, trust me, Sling." Skateboard grinned, tapping his helmet adorned head with a smug look.

"uh huh.." Slingshot glanced to the side, flicking his tail, going to the other tables in the café and wiping them down rather than making a counterpoint. to which Skateboard crossed his arms and scoffed jokingly.

"so mean to me! tell me again why i cant just crash at bb's place?"

Slingshot huffed, she'd be getting her café closing duties done a lot faster if Skateboard wasn't there.

"because he's out at a gig tonight, and its/ rude/ to show up uninvited, cough cough."

Skateboard pouted, propping an elbow on the table, his jaw rested in his palm. even the free toothpicks weren't entertaining. and Slingshot seemed dedicated to not being fun. Skateboard then looked up, deciding to get up from the table, and as quietly as he could, tried sneaking toward the kitchen/backroom. however a small paper ball whacked him in the head.

"what- 'ey!!"

Slingshot twirled his namesake, before a smile broke onto his features. sighing and walking over to the red horned demon.

"you know what, I'll let you back here. just this once, cause otherwise you'll probably spontaneously combust. but im supervising you, got it?"

"aye aye, captain!" the skater spoke with a grin and a faux salute. dashing into the back as she chased after him, feline tail swishing.

Skateboard had grabbed some snacks, consisting of chips, a loaf of bread, two cookies, and a few of those funny marble melon and strawberry flavored sodas from Thieve's Den. going back to the main area. setting his treasure on the table, clapping his hands together and interlocking his digits. making a business proposition to Slingshot.

"alright, hear me out Sling. you let me make a lil' fort out here, by the time i gotta head out, I'll make it look good as new, and I'll wash a round of dishes, yeah?"

"..two rounds."

Skateboard would've huffed, or shown annoyance, but getting to build a fort in Slingshot's cafe was practically a dream. he stuck a hand out with a toothy grin, he was beaming.

"deal!! you wont regret it Slingyy!" Slingshot didn't even get to shake Skateboard's hand before he ran off, scouting the area.

using his street knowledge, Skateboard could spot his materials. if you were smart, like Skateboard was in his own opinion, anything could be a wall, or a roof, or a violation of some law the big purple one was mad about now.

Slingshot just shook her head, smiling. even if it was an absolute pain at times, she was a big fan of how energetic her friends were. it made things fun, and Slingshot, while she tried to be more mature, and succeeding in her opinion, she was silly, and liked running around, living in the moment. going in the back to get some unused fluffy curtains to contribute.

the skater demon was ecstatic when he found out the other was joining in making the fort, as a duo they made it even better. a stack of tables made up the lower walls, with chairs as the secondary walls. the feline demon grabbed an umbrella from the outside seating, brought it in, and used it for a roof.

laying out the fluffy curtains, as a more comfortable flooring inside. at that point they shed their shoes, not wanting to dirty the floor of their awesome fort.

Skateboard at some point, retrieved his snacks and put them in the corner he named 'the rad corner', of which Slingshot was banned from. Skateboard was in his corner, sitting criss cross apple sauce or whatever he called it. snickering as he typed out something on his phone. the blue demon was sitting with his legs folded under himself, chewing on a frosted cookie. eyes narrowed, he looked at the giggler in the corner, suddenly suspicious.

"..Skate. what are you up to?"

his head shot up, staring at Slingshot in silence. before a grin appeared on his face as he spoke in a sing-songy tone. "guess who's joining the forttt?"

Slingshot was quiet, then groaned, pinching the space in between his eyes. "no way, you're /not/ bringing the dude with the crystal i swear-"

Skateboard burst out into laughter, cutting off Slingshot. "oh, nah! you don't gotta worry about having a catfight. 'sides. he's out.. somewhere, probably campin out somewhere. trust me, i told him i was gonna crash with you and he dipped." he paused for dramatic effect, when Slingshot opened her mouth, confused about the silence, Skateboard spoke again super quickly. "it's our good, lovely pal, Boombox. his gig ended so he's comin over now."

Slingshot let a breath out, relieved. Boombox was honestly, a pretty pleasant guest wherever he was. made sure people have a good time, while also not being reckless in the name of 'do it for the vine' like… a certain demon.

"oh, actually. yeah. that's fine. he's coming in the fort then?"

the skater gave a shrug "i aint gonna make him sleep on the floor." he blinked then clarified. "the non-curtained floor! i mean."

"i figured."

Skateboard had popped his 2nd marble soda, Slingshot reminded herself to start charging him. when the front door was knocked on. the feline demon was about to get up, when the other had already gotten up and dashed at the door. a familiar DJ at the doorstep.

"yo! glad you made it B!" Skateboard grinned, offering a fistbump as Boombox laughed. fistbumping in return, and giving a nod of greetings. Boombox then looked behind, seeing Slingshot and giving her a wave.

"hey Sling! woah, this place looks completely different. going in a new business direction?" the green horned demon spoke, jokingly at the end as he looked at the big fort in the middle, and the big umbrella. it was pretty hard to miss after all.

Slingshot opened his mouth, but only silence came out as he looked at the fort and grinned sheepishly. "its uh, long story. anyways, you wanna come join us?" Slingshot shook his head, smiling and walking over to the other two, offering a fistbump to Boombox as well, tail curled upward.

"alright, fair enough. and of course i wanna join in dude! this seems like an awesome slumber party." Boombox looked around the main structure, eager to see the inside. his LED visor flashing to two upturned semi circles. "you two gotta show me around yeah?"

Skateboard giggled, his tail wagging back and forth, grabbing Boombox's hand and dragging him over to the entrance of the fort. to which Slingshot could be heard trailing behind, calling out about Boombox's shoes to be removed before he got drug in by a certain skater. to which the green horned demon did, of course.

Boombox's eyes widened, which they wouldn't be able to seeing not for the LED visor switching to star eyes. grinning as he was guided inside the fort, seeing the cushions scattered around, the fluffy curtain being used like carpeting. and of course, Skateboard's snack corner.

"woahh, you guys really outdid yourselves! i think this is probably the best fort i've seen. in a café nonetheless!" he spoke, walking around the medium sized area, it could comfortably fit the three of them easily. glancing at Skateboard's snack corner and pointing. "are these up for grabs? i could use a snack or two to be honest."

Skateboard dashed over, as Slingshot watched with an amused smirk close by. "woah woah, see, this is /the rad corner/! only super radical demons can enter and take from the stash!"

Boombox blinked with slight surprise, as Slingshot snickered and shook her head. "oh? then.. am i a 'super radical demon'?"

Skateboard narrowed his eyes, putting his hand on his own chin as he looked over Boombox, who stood there with a semi confused smile, unsure what was going on. but absolutely willing to go along with whatever bit Skateboard was partaking in. Skateboard took Boombox's arm, lifting it, then setting it down, then poking his horn, as if inspecting a car or something. before stepping back and smirking.

"hmmm.. i think.. you pass! you're rad enough to enter.. THE RAD CORNER!" Skateboard shouted with a grin, sticking his hand out for a highfive to which Boombox reciprocated with a hearty laugh.

"aw, hell yeah! thanks man."

"woww, so you let him in but not me? i'm totally- ..why am i arguing against this. i can literally get as much stuff from the back as i want." Slingshot crossed his arms, speaking teasingly. before mentally facepalming at engaging in Skateboard's antics. even if it was pretty fun.

Skateboard laughed a bit and started poking Slingshot's cheek repeatedly. "you're just mad you cant get in the rad corner 'cause youre not rad enoughh!"

Slingshot swatted his poking hand away, Boombox laughing at their interactions. Slingshot then grinned and spoke again. "oh yeah? well- hows this for not rad enough??"

before either demon could react, Slingshot had leaped at Skateboard, tackling him to the soft flooring. to which the skater yelped, thrashing and rolling around with the other. they were tussling around playfully, grinning as they both tried getting the upper hand on the other.

Boombox couldnt contain his laughter, watching them scuffle in the fort. until he saw them about to slam into the main support of the fort the large umbrella. to which he quickly crouched over them and tried to push them away from it. pushing Slingshot off, causing him to roll to the ground next to Skateboard, as Boombox hovered over the both of them.

Boombox had a warm look on his face, calming down from his laughter and gesturing to the umbrella pole, tapping it with his horn. "yeah, i know i didn't exactly make this, but i've got a feeling that's important?"

Slingshot and Skateboard blinked, looking at eachother. Slingshot sat up and rubbed the back of her neck. "yeahh, might be a /bit/ important that doesn't go down. and Boom? thanks for not letting us get totally crushed, by the way. that would've.. sucked a bit."

Skateboard shook his head, sitting up as well and smiling a bit sheepishly. "yeah, my bad, bro. ..anyways it was totally Sling's fault-" he got cut off by a smack to the back of the head. pouting as he shoved Slingshot's face.

the DJ simply rolled his eyes, even if it was concealed, his visor displaying down-turned semi circles. "i think you both kinda started that. anyways..!" Boombox grinned, the room a little quiet for his liking. "you guys mind if i play somethin? i'm thinking something more chill since its getting late out."

the two agreed, letting him know it was all good and to go ahead. they always liked when Boombox played music from his namesake, it was pleasant, and he always seemed to have others in mind when he played a song. perfectly tuned to their tastes, especially when playing music for people he was as close to as Slingshot and Skateboard.

Boombox started up a playlist he had pre-made, playing some relaxing, lofi hip-hop beats. Slingshot nodded her head a bit as the first track started. giving Boombox an approving look.

"oh yeah, nice. i like this one. thanks B." Slingshot spoke, flicking her tail and getting up, smirking at Skateboard and offering a paw to help him up. to which he rolled his eyes and took, standing up with her help.

Boombox gave a nod, feeling happy that they were happy, like a warmth being transferred to him. Slingshot then looked around a bit, then spoke. "you guys tired? i could head to sleep about now to be honest."

Skateboard shrugged, he wasn't exactly tired, but wouldn't mind getting comfortable. Boombox had a similar sentiment, though he himself was pretty tired. DJing was fun, and lively, but even he had to rest. and he was more than happy to.

Boombox responded verbally. "oh, sure. i'm good with wrapping things up. we sleeping in here?"

Slingshot smiled and nodded, tail flicking a bit. "yep! i mean, its gonna be the most comfortable spot in here. now cmon, we can all sleep right.. here." he pointed to a spot with the ground covered in cushions, with the fluffy curtain draped over. "hope you're all good sleeping in your clothes, i don't exactly have pajamas tucked away in the kitchen or anything."

Skateboard shook his head, but decided taking off a few things might be more comfortable. shedding his skating gear and putting it in the rad corner. "nah, its all good with me."

Boombox smiled, seeing Skateboard and deciding that was a good idea. shedding his various accessories, bracelets, tie, gloves, and such. setting the smaller stuff in his hat which he set in a corner. sitting down where they agreed to rest, unbuttoning the top button of his button-up shirt. not wanting to choke in his sleep or something somehow. and unclasping his visor from his horns. blinking and subconsciously squinting as he was met with a familiar, blurry world. setting his visor to the side somewhere safe, he sat in the middle and waited for the other two.

Slingshot snickered, seeing Boombox's squinted eyes and knowing he was seeing practically nothing. going over and sitting on Boombox's right. putting his head on the others shoulder. mumbling to him, yawning a bit. "they should call you Blindbox, dude."

Boombox had a flabbergasted expression on his face, before snickering and attempting to shove Slingshot, but missing the other's arm entirely. face heating up with embarrassment as his hand collided with air. put his face in his hands semi jokingly. "whatever! i don't need to be taking this.."

"there there.." Slingshot says, somewhat teasingly as he pats Boombox's back.

seconds later, someone collided quickly into Boombox. he flinched, looking up from his hands with a yelp as he felt Skateboard jump right next to him on the other side. "hey..!"

then the aforementioned demon threw his arms around Boombox and dragged him down to lay back on the cushions. to which Boombox let out an 'oof'. their horns bonking together, to which Skateboard murmured a sorry. but Boombox didn't mind, allowing himself to be maneuvered by the other as he laid back and relaxed, letting the gentle music run through his head.

Slingshot shuffled around a bit. curling up to Boombox's side, paw rested on the other's chest. tucking his fluffy tail across the DJs stomach. the fur tickling Skateboard's arm, who had them laid across Boombox's waist. Boombox let out a contented sigh, laying his head back and shutting his eyes, happy to be held there by the two. Skateboard had his face basically pressed face-down into Boombox's shoulder, not wanting to poke him with his horns.

Slingshot was close to falling asleep, but smirked, looking at Skateboard, then Boombox's closed eyes. and beginning to gently purr. a rumble coming from his throat as he snuggled close to the demon in the middle. Boombox's eyes opened and widened in surprise, looking at the blurry shape representing Slingshot and smiling softly. finding it adorable yet incredibly comforting.

"mmm.. that's awesome. goodnight guys. love you." Boombox spoke, looking up at the 'ceiling' of the fort. the warmth on either side of him taking a familiar red and blue color in his mind.

Skateboard spoke, word's muffled by Boombox's shoulder, not feeling like just simply lifting his head for some reason. "love ya too. you too Sling."

"..love you guys too. 'night." Slingshot spoke with a yawn, resting her head and shutting her eyes. the purring continuing as she fell asleep though.

Skateboard was the next asleep, with Boombox close behind. the three demons tangled up together as they slept peacefully within the walls of the fort, and also the walls of the café itself. they hardly stirred during the night, comfortable in eachother's hold.

[coffeeandcalligraphy]

sorry I will drop this after today but I think it's so interesting that when I make writing posts/content geared toward helping writers feel better about their processes, helping writers feel less isolated/overwhelmed in the vast ecosystem of writing advice that exists online now, etc, the assumption is then that you can't do that AND also critically engage with writing craft. that is very revealing.

anyway my whole thing is centering joy in the process because that's not an easy thing to do in a capitalist context where it's assumed all artistic endeavours MUST monetarily meet the public eye because moneyyyyyy. & how I centre joy is by doing what I wanttttttt. my instinct will never be to commodify a craft I love.