#cold in here / / kool aid

[mostlydeceased]

mhmm. icey ice ice water plzzzzz.

been chugging up my icey water so i stop sipping (chugging) the kool-aid. "why is that girl just drinking the all mixers?" "shush now! i want juice! vodka is meant to be drunk virgin. (without juice or pop)"

[local-new-kid-super]

Little things the Raccoon and Friends Squad do for a New Kid!Reader during and after a battle.

Raccoon:

☆ Shares food with you mid-battle, even his beloved honey-soaked sopapilla. He's pretty selfish on the field (as with everything else), so he doesn't share with anyone else. Expect the rest of the team to get pissy he's not sharing with them.

"Fatass, Captain Diabetes is literally collapsing, give him some fucking food!"

☆ Checks on you first after the battle, trying not to seem like he cares too much, but he's even willing to 'shed' his claws off for a moment because it's next to inpossible to bandage you up with them.

"The fuck?" He snaps, struggling to open up a band-aid pack with his sharp digits. "Fuckin' shitty Terrance and Phillip band-aids, these Canadians don't know anything about battle, New Kid."

Captain Diabetes:

☆ Stays right by your side, often in front of you. Most of his attacks are head-on, and he can take quite a few kid. Sweet Scott is more than willing to take a few hits for one of the few members of the franchise who are kind to him.

"Not to fear, new kid! No hits to tough for the power of diabetes!"

☆ Always asks for you to 'sidekick' for him. He loved being by your side when Cartman first had you partner up with him after joining the franchise. His desire to have a sidekick is a mix of it making him feel like a real, respected member of the franchise, and a slight fear if you hang out with the others, you'll realize he's kinda lame in comparison to guys like Raccoon, or heaven forbid you switch teams and meet Mysterion.

"New Kid, hey! Listen, if Raccoon assigns us partners today, will you be mine? I've even got some super snacks for us to share!"

Human Kite:

☆ Kite's always willing to provide aerial support, or pick you up to help you avoid an enemies attack. This of course pisses of Raccoon, who just gets laughed at when he takes a hit.

"Ey! Kite, you fucking traitor jew, save me! I'm the fucking leader!"

"Shut up, I couldn't lift your fatass if I wanted to! Hop on my back, New Kid."

"Ey!"

☆ He's got a bunch of little home remedies his mom gives him when he goes out to 'play', and even some packed food. After a battle, he's more than happy to plop down on the curb with you and laugh at Cartman crying post-battle.

"My mom made her special stew if you want some, it's cold as balls out here..."

Mosquito:

☆ To be honest, Mosquito can't do a whole lot to help himself, much less you, but he's gonna try and show off, just for you. Whether it means flying in and draining some enemy blood, or even taking a hit to the head because he's too busy flexing his barely visible arm muscles.

"Check it out, New Kid! I'm getting pretty ripped, bzz bzz!" He immediately gets clocked by an enemy, but please don't make fun of him crying 😥

☆ After battle, he's in charge of hydration, so he'll go around and hand out water bottles, and 'blood' for himself, which you've come to realize is kool-aid powder in sprite. He'll give you your water bottle, and hope you won't poke fun at his streaky tear marks and wobbling lip.

"H-heres a bottle, drink up for... for strength, bzz bzzzzzz." He's outright sobbing now.

Fastpass:

☆ Fastpass makes sure to crack extra jokes when you're hanging around, throwing away his respect for comedic timing to slip in a one-liner after every. Single. Hit.

"C-consider t-t-this ass-kicking e-expedited!"

"Did someone o-order t-this fist with s-s-same day delivery?"

☆ Fastpass is pretty much ready to take off after a successful fight, especially if it's the end of his patrol. Hop on his back, and he'll take you somewhere cooler than this storage facility you just whipped Prof. Chaos's ass in.

"L-lets go! I've g-got a coupon for City Wok, and I've got some post fight mu-mu-munchies!"

Super Craig:

☆ He's not really enthusiastic during battle, so if you get injured or knocked out, then he'll step in and fuck up the opposition. Otherwise, he's more than willing to ditch mid-battle and go doing something more interesting.

"This fucking sucks, new kid. Let's go get a slushy."

☆ He knows fighting can be pretty stressful from when he used to battle alongside Tweek, before the whole Freedom Pals incident, so he's happy to take you back to his house to distress with him and Stripe.

"Don't worry, Stripe. Me and the New Kid really showed those assholes not to mess with Raccoon and Friends. Now, give him a carrot new kid, he makes this real funny squeak..."

[ihazyourkitty]

Hogle Zoo is an AZA accredited facility, opening up a new area 3 acre area called "Wild Utah" to feature various native Utah species. 3 of those animals are going to be orphaned cougar cubs that were rescued and unable to survive in the wild on their own.

Note that 2 of these cubs have shortened ears and tails because of frostbite. They were rescued in Nebraska where the weather conditions were severe, and again, these cubs were unequipped to handle it on their own.

This would be a very positive story about giving orphaned cubs a second chance at a good place where they will receive all the care that they need... or so you would think.

Instead, multiple people on the comments were asserting that they were just going to prisons, one even going so far as to say that it would've been better to just let them die.

Wonderful. Nothing says "I love animals" than explicitly saying that they're better off dead than at an accredited zoo. Again, you will note that 2 of the 3 were suffering things like frostbite when they were rescued. There is nothing humane about letting animals that are within your power to help die like that.

I cannot, and will never, understand the "logic" behind this kind of mindset. Yes, baby orphaned animals die in nature all the time. No, we cannot save them all. But for those we can help... why not help them? And why is a life well cared for at an accredited zoo somehow worse for them than suffering a slow and painful death from starvation and exposure?

These animals do not have the same concepts of freedom vs. prison like we do. All they knew was that their mother is gone, and they were cold and starving.

Yes, bad or less than ideal zoos exist. Hogle Zoo is not one of them. Zoos and aquariums are not universally prisons, and if you think that, then let me just ask... what kind of prisons have you been to!? Seriously, all of the animals I've had the privilege to work with eat better than I do, and are treated vastly better than human prisoners are. How privileged must you be to think that all zoos and prisons are equivalent to one another!

Here's the reality: the zoological industry is a complex, nuanced thing that is ever improving and expanding. We're not stuck in the 1970s like you are. Stop judging animal welfare based on vibes, and stop drinking the PETA, HSUS et al. kool aid, because they're lying to you.

[casuallyanidiot]

The Beta Test | Chapter 3

[yandere M x Gn reader]

Local party animal and known social butterfly [name] wakes up to find that they've been abducted by their very reclusive and very wealthy classmate. Why, you might ask, did he do this? Well for one reason of course! He needs to know how he's going to talk to his crush! So now, with their freedom on the line, [name] has to figure out how to get this kid with the one of his dreams or risk never leaving at all. Lots of weird conversations ensue, of course.

1.8 k words Tw. Stalking, swearing, confinement, invasion of privacy, yandere Chapter 2 Table of Contents

“ Are you trying to starve yourself?” Javier kicked at the plate halfheartedly. His eyebrows were pushed up into a concerned expression.

 After a few more fucking hours, you had resorted to flopping around your cell in various states of boredom. Currently, your back was against the hard floor while your legs were straight up against the wall. All your limbs had gone numb and you were left feeling like they were made out of some atrocious energy drink that would’ve had a near-illegal amount of caffeine. Of course, you could barely understand what he was saying. It could have been all the blood rushing to your head, but it was probably more that you were literally five seconds away from going rabid with hunger. 

 “ No,” you said simply. It was a struggle to move, but you managed to roll over onto your side.

 “ Then why is all the food still here?” His voice was low and clear. From where you were on the ground, you could see the black leather bag that hung off one of his bony shoulders. It was slid off with a shrug and hit the ground with a threatening thud. You blinked slowly as you pressed your cheek into cold concrete. 

 “ I asked you for a fork but you didn’t give me one,” you answered with a weak shrug. His eyes widened in what you could only describe as a goofy manner as he shot his gaze down to his feet again. He became pretty flustered, shifting from foot to foot and crossing his hands behind his back. 

 “Oh…” He muttered out quietly. He turned away and began to fiddle with his bag, placing it on the table before pulling out various packets and folders. He refused to look at you now. You probably would’ve been more pissed if it weren’t for the fact that you were running on fumes. Not to mention, you were very thirsty and needed to pee. Like a lot. Some rummaging sounds came from him, but you weren’t exactly paying attention anymore. It wasn’t until you heard some faint clinking and his footsteps that you craned your stiff neck to look at what he was doing.

 “ Okay, um, so I’m gonna take you out now,” Javier spoke like he was unsure of himself, and for once you could see why because he was holding in his hands a pair of cuffs. 

 “ Uh what the hell is that,” you croaked out. 

 “ It’s handcuffs haha. You can see that right? Is your vision blurry? Maybe that medicine had a worse effect than I thought…” He was smiling at first, but his face soon morphed into one of worry. He rushed up to the bars and crouched slightly to better see you. 

 “ It was a figure of speech, man,” you lazily waved, and you watched as he slumped in relief. Wait- hold up. The thing about the drugs and all. Did he dope you up without knowing what it would do to you? Yikes, what a shitty thing to do. 

 “ Ah okay. Phew, alright, uh, I’m gonna get you out of here so you can use the um, bathroom and then I’ll get someone to bring you something so you can eat. After that we’ll get started.” he placed a bony, veiny hand over his chest like his heart was about to bust out like the kool aid man. All you could do was glare at him. Though it was hard to not perk up at the mention of another person. With the way he carried himself, it was very easy to forget that this guy was probably really well connected and (allegedly, though now you could say definitely) had a crazy amount of money. Anyways, considering all that stuff, it wasn’t illogical to assume that he had help with this fucked up plot he had hatched on you. 

But it wasn’t really a question if you could find someone else in… wherever you were, but rather if they would actually risk their job security and actually help you out here. 

 “ Uh okay, um, so I’m gonna go in there now. Just, um, stay where you are,” he said and pulled out his phone from his sweatpants. With a couple of harsh taps to the screen, a cool hiss came from one of the walls as a couple of the bars swung open like a little door seamlessly. Your mouth was wide open at this because why the hell would you not be absolutely floored by that amount of ridiculousness this man was subjecting you to. Javier entered your cell like it was the simplest thing in the world, and for once he seemed to actually take in your exaggerated expression. He glanced back at the contraption with confusion, and when he turned back to you, a smug little smile was plastered all over his face.

 “ Oh? This? I actually came up with the release and lock mechanism myself. It was actually pretty easy to figure out haha. Though, I don’t know if you would be able to say the same,” he explained as he stooped down to reach for your wrist. The cold metal bit into your skin as the band was clicked into place. He tugged at it for good measure before letting out a satisfied little huff. He was way too happy for you to feel anything but unease. Honestly, the nerve of him. 

 “ Okay, get up.” The chain from the cuffs was actually pretty long. Not that the fact made your situation any better, but it was kinda interesting. Or at least, it was interesting until Javier stuck the other one onto himself. You slumped your head back dramatically. Of course. Of course he would do that. Why would he not? After all, it was like it was his whole life’s mission to annoy you as much as he possibly could. When you didn’t immediately start pushing off the ground, you were nudged by his foot gently.

 “ Hey… uh come on.”

 “ My legs are asleep,” you explained dryly, not even bothering to look at him more. You weren’t lying. Over the course of the few minutes that he had been milling about in the room, your limbs had grown increasingly heavy and numb.

 “ Oh. Um, that’s alright. I can, I can help you.”

 His very chilly fingers grabbed onto your upper arm before he tried to jerk you up. Your legs came crashing down from the wall, and he seemed to be startled by this because he dropped your limp body back onto the floor. He let out a little gasp and covered his mouth with his hands as you groaned on the floor like a wounded soldier.

 “ What the hell man?” You groaned. You weakly rolled over and started to move your arms in an effort to finally get up. Using the wall as a guide, you managed to stumble up. You did all this with no help from Javier, of course.

" Okay! We're good now!" He said cheerily. You glowered at him a bit, but he didn’t notice and then started to pull you out of your cell. You tripped over your own feet, but the chain kept you moving forward. You stared at his back, shrouded and swamped in his large baggy shirt, and continued to keep your gaze steady when he would glance behind. 

You had met a ton of people over the years, and all of them were different in various ways. You had been acquainted with the most batshit, off the wall individuals in the world, but never had you seen someone so unwilling to actually listen to something else. This man was like a projector, and it seemed that he thought you were a blank canvas. Did he also view the girl he liked like this? Was she just some poor person who made the mistake of listening to his insane ramblings? What would he even ramble on about if he did? 

You blinked in surprise as the main door had been opened. Javier wordlessly led you through into a blank hallway all with other sets of doors. You curiously eyed the electronic pads stationed above the handles. He placed his hand on one, and it hummed before flashing green and beeping. He stepped back as it opened to reveal an all-white bathroom. 

“ Okay, here you go.”

“ Dude I am not going in with you.” Despite the fact that you were deadass tired, you still could muster the energy to wave your arm in a pissed-off manner. Javier just stood there like a deer in headlights. His eyebrows were pinched up in an almost frightened manner. Guess pissing was too far for even him.

So, you ended up doing your business with his back turned to you. As humiliating as it was, there was no denying that you had to go. Shame burned on your cheeks the whole way, and they continued to after you finished up and found yourself back in the room. Now you had been sat at the table directly across from him.  

The chain was laid limply on the flat surface; Your lips were pursed in a flat line as a plate was slid to you along with a pair of chopsticks. You shot him a nasty glare while he fidgeted. You gingerly held up the utensils and poked at the clumps of rice and vegetables. While you wanted to tear in so badly, you feared the large possibility that he had done something funky with it. Though, looking at it again, it wasn’t like you weren’t already deep in this hole, so you might as well chow down while you could. It was assumed that the meal had been brought by some phantom employee while the two of you had been in the restroom.

As you brought the food to your lips ( delicious, by the way. Almost worth getting kidnapped for), a manilla folder appeared right before your eyes. It held an ominous air around it. The bad vibes were so extremely potent that the wonderful bite you were working on turned into a flavorless lump. You swallowed hesitantly.

Javier didn't say anything. He was too wrapped up in fidgeting in his seat. His dark eyes slipped off into random corners of the space. Your brows furrowed as you took in his shifty form. Setting down the chopsticks, you reached for the small stack of papers. The ridges of the information inside pressed against the pad of your finger harshly, and you sucked in an uneasy breath. With a quick flip of the wrist, you were met with a photo of a smiling girl. Your palms instantly became sweaty; you looked up to see the nervous smile spread over his chapped lips. You steadied yourself with a long drawn out sigh as you brought the folder closer.

“ All right… Let’s get started.” 

Tag list <3 @crsdf4everr

[suzukiblu]

Day fourteen of fic NaNoWriMo; obligatory sugar daddy Tim/sugar baby Kon AU.

Kon comes back before Tim has finished having his internal crisis and immediately makes it worse, because as it turns out the clothes fit and he looks extremely good in cashmere. 

And extremely good in skinny jeans. 

Oh no, Tim thinks with no small amount of dread. A flash of self-consciousness slips across Kon's face, and then he puts on a confident smirk and strikes one of those stupid teen-magazine poses, which he unfortunately makes look very good despite, again, how stupid it is. 

Tim is so far gone, isn’t he. 

“What do you think, man? Is it my color?” Kon asks, smoothing a broad flat palm down over the chest of his sweater. Tim, very desperately, wants to be the person doing that. 

Jesus Christ, no one should be allowed to look like this in cold blood. Especially not in an outfit thrown together in four minutes and fifty-nine seconds. But of course Kon would, the asshole. 

“We should style your hair differently too,” Tim says, trying not to choke and die on how hot this stupid fucking bastard looks in stupid fucking cashmere.

“Why?” Kon asks, looking puzzled. 

“You'd be amazed how different changing your hair up can make you look,” Tim says. And also he desperately wants Kon to let him change his hair for weird, weird reasons that he doesn't want to examine very closely right now.

Later. He'll examine them later. 

Privately. 

“Uh, okay,” Kon says, and does in fact let Tim dig out his hair gel and a comb and re-style his hair. Tim tries not to obsess over having Kon’s hair in his hands and just slicks it back off his face with a little of the gel because that’s the most efficient option, although then he’s reminded of the Kool-Aid incident and Kon standing in front of him in the base in his soaking wet skin-tight suit and raking his rainbow-dripping hair back out of his bright, bright eyes and–

Later. 

Tim is in so much trouble here, he thinks in resignation, and then wonders both why he decided to re-style Kon’s hair himself and why Kon just let him. Why the hell did either of them let that happen? 

He steps back, trying not to think weird things like how Kon probably would’ve tasted like black cherry Kool-Aid and wondering what he might taste like now, and then a much, much worse thing happens to him, because then he meets Kon’s eyes again and realizes Kon just let him dress and style him. Just–everything but his boots, Tim picked out. Gave to him or did for him. That pettable sweater and the tight, fitted jeans and the slicked-back hair all out of the way of those bright, bright eyes and–

Fuck, Tim thinks with far, far too much feeling. 

“There we go,” he says, then reaches out for the shopping bag in Kon’s hand. “Jacket and glasses in here?” 

“Uh, yeah,” Kon says, blinking at him as he lets him take the bag in apparent bewilderment. It occurs to Tim that Kon has probably literally never had someone else carry something for him unless it was something exceptionally fragile or difficult to operate, but he’s committed now and also it’s not like it’s heavy anyway, so . . . yeah, he’s committed now. 

Anyway, having super-strength doesn’t mean Kon has to carry everything. Especially when the bag barely weighs a thing anyway. Tim can swing around Gotham one-armed while carrying a panicking civilian; a shopping bag with a leather jacket and a couple of accessories in it is not exactly an imposition. 

And, well . . . this is a date, technically. So why wouldn't he carry Kon's bag? 

Aside from the doomed effort that is mapping heteronormativity onto a non-heteronormative situation and possibly making Kon feel emasculated or awkward or potentially coming on too strong and–

Kon reddens, just a little, then grins brightly at him. Tim forgets literally every single thought in his head, which is actually a very impressive feat because Tim is usually thinking several layers of thoughts and they're always annoyingly complicated. This situation is more “head empty, stomach doing quadruple-backflips”, though. 

Kon grinning is bad enough when he's not doing it at him, though. 

Tim should've better prepared himself for this, but in his defense, in what possible world would he have been able to predict this situation? Really? What possible one? 

“Smoothie time?” Kon asks. 

“Smoothie time,” Tim agrees, because anything else would require the capacity to actually think straight and that's going to take a few minutes. 

They head across the courtyard towards the smoothie shop. Tim does not succeed in regaining the capacity to think straight because Kon continues to be wearing clothes he bought for him. Clothes he bought and picked out for him, specifically. 

That is . . . a whole thing, apparently. Apparently that's a thing. Suddenly Tim has to reexamine the way he felt every time he gave Steph a Bat-gadget and wish he'd thought to examine those feelings sooner.

Like much, much sooner. 

Tim orders a basic blackberry smoothie that has maybe four ingredients in it, counting the yogurt and almond milk base. Kon orders some ridiculous flavor monstrosity with basically every tropical fruit on the menu, which is the least Gothamite option he could've gone for but therefore not particularly surprising. There's guava in it. Tim doesn't even know what guava tastes like. He's not even sure he'd know what one looked like, if Poison Ivy wasn't a thing. Like–why would he, after all?

Tim pays, obviously. Kon gets a little bit of an odd look on his face again, but doesn’t say anything about it. Well–he thanks him, but nothing else. Tim considers that a good sign, or at least a good start. 

The smoothies come in clear plastic cups, and Tim's is a uniform purple with darker flecks here and there in it. Kon's, on the other hand, looks like a sunrise with a swirly straw stuck in it, because of course it does. Tim doesn’t know what else he should’ve expected, really. 

“Do you think they could’ve fit a few more islands in there?” he asks wryly. “Maybe a peninsula or two?” 

“I mean, it could use some päpipi, probably,” Kon says before taking a sip. Tim has no idea what that is, but is distracted pretending not to pay attention to his mouth. It probably doesn’t work, but Kon’s not always the most observant guy, so it’s . . . fine, probably? Hopefully? “Wanna try it?” 

“I’m good, thanks,” Tim says, because he cannot possibly handle even the implication of putting his mouth on something Kon has put his mouth on. Like, ever. 

Ever. 

“You sure?” Kon asks, grinning slyly around his straw at him. “It’s pretty tasty.” 

Tim is a very, very weak man. 

“Maybe just a sip,” he says.

[slaymbo]

yandere class 1a hcs because im a degenerate (seperate and togetherish)

okay, for a bit of context, the reader has an earthbending quirk where they can bend anything that comes from the earth (obvs) and theyre very talented at it! theyre so good that if theres even a speck of dirt in a glass of water they could bend it (which is why they get mistaken for having a quirk that controls all the elements instead of just earth)

however, a really big drawback is the fact that they have to be barefoot/wear thin shoes to bend properly so they feel more in-tune with the earth and whatnot

another drawback is that they can feel and "hear" a lot of things with their quirk as long as their wearing thin/no shoes, so hearing other people talk while they can feel the earth rumble beneath them is a bit overwhelming, which is why i feel that the reader wouldnt talk as to not overwhelm themselves too much

however, that doesnt stop the chaotic class 1a, because of course it doesnt

when y/n transfers to ua, the class immediately falls in love with them!

their bubbly personality, their kindness, their smile

if the class could make a list about all the things they love about y/n, it would be at least a lightyear long

i feel like tokoyami, darkshadow and the bakusquad would be the most adamant on trying to get them to speak to them

because even though they like it when they pay attention and sign to them, they need to hear their darling speak!!!

it'd be pretty funny if dark shadow scared them to try and get them to make even the tiiiiiniest noise and y/n turns around slowly and stares until he retreats back to tokoyami (he was a bit jealous that he wasnt looked at like that by them, but whatever)

one day, denki walks by y/n's dorm and hears a voice--their voice

his heart starts beating fast bc omg!!!! he finally heard their beautiful voice!!!

y/n, who can literally feel heartbeats thru their feet, opens the door and is in shock (the pun was intended) that denki is just standing there like the lovesick buffoon he is he totally got their voice recorded too

y/n asks if they can see his phone so they can "record" their singing voice

they then proceed to delete the recording

denki is FLOORED, his flabbers are ghasted!!!

uhhh i dont feel like writing more of the story so heres a rapid fire of random ideas

the whole class has definitely pretended to be sick/hurt multiple times so that their sweet darling would "nurse" them back to "health"

one time shoto used his quirk to make his body hot so it would seem like a fever and y/n touched his forehead and said "omg sho, ur so hot!!! :((("

he fainted from that and had to be taken to the nurse for realsies

izuku has broken his bones just so y/n would give him attention

which is, i kid you not, what made them realize they could bend bone

they taught themselves how to mend, break, and move bone to their will and izuku was so proud!!! (btw he totally has multiple notebooks abt them and their quirk)

iida and todoroki have tried multiple times to pay the reader to talk

mina got them to speak by giving them kool-aid jammers and white peaches

there have been so many times y/n has made ochako so happy that she floats

they have to use their quirk to get her downnnn

there was one time the class went to a pool and tsuyu said it was cold :( so y/n literally bent lava ever-so-slightly closer to the surface of the earth to make sure she wasnt as cold

bakugo has yelled at y/n to talk and they've signed "shh, im mewing" so many times

speaking of them signing, during the sports festival i feeel liek they could body shinso so easily

they learned that they could bend bone AND they never talk, so they just bend his ass out of the ring

[spookypete-94]

Strange Christmas Tradition

might seem a little early but was in stitches thinking about this

re-add! i was dumb and accidentally deleted my first edition!

Ghost groaned behind you, "What are we doin' here?" His feet dragged, kicking the soles against the ground.

"You'll see," you said, moving faster staying ahead of him. Ghost might say you're moving quicker then when you clear a building... a thought he would bring up later.

How happy you were when you found a local store from your area that had something meaningful to you. Deciding post mission that you were going to go visit stores while you waited for your flight tomorrow. Even more excited that Ghost decided to tag along. If Ghost were to explain himself honestly, he didn't want to go shopping necesarily, he just didn't want you out by yourself... and maybe wanted to spend some quality time with you. However, your current store of choice makes him rethink his life's choices at the moment.

You had walked into a crafting/hobby/nick nack store that was known for crazy Christmas ornaments.

"You're gonna love it Lieutenant."

"Yeah? Think yer' gonna be disappointed..." His tone flat and unamused.

"Oh quit your grumbling, nearly there," you said, turning into an aisle.

Almost skipping now, he saw what you were looking for. There were ornaments up and down the entire aisle.

"Wha' on God's green acres are we doin' here?" his tone flat and even - still unamused.

"My brother and I have this competition for Christmas to find the most fucked up ornament for the tree each year. I generally have to ship mine back home, but should be back in time this year."

"Your brother?" He asked, the first interest he had shown all day.

"Older. Tradition, we started to help us like Christmas again now that we're adults."

He was learning so much about you.

"How 'bout this one?" You asked, picking up a starfish dipped in chocolate, starting to laugh.

"Could go with this one." Handing you one that was of the Kool-Aid man when the button was pressed yelled OH YEAH! You both started to snicker harder.

"Oh, oh, here we go," you said selecting a sparkly deviled egg.

"Awh, come on, can do bet'er then that." His hand reaching right past your head leaning over you as he selected one up high to show you. Did he always smell this nice? It was a Turkey in a Christmas hat wearing pilgrims for slippers.

"Oh my GAWD, it's perfect, but I want to keep looking." So you both did, laughing hysterically. If anyone were to walk by, you both looked like deranged idiots. Tears were pricking your eyes so hard. You had to place a hand on Ghost's chest. you didn't even realize that you had, but Ghost noticed. Breathing hitched heart stopping at your laughter, how your smile stretched from ear to ear. Never in a million years did Ghost think one of his favorite core memories would be Christmas ornament shopping with you.

"I'm so fucking happy you came, are you still disappointed?"

"Not even close."

This made your heart soar to hear, glad that you changed his mind.

"Think I'm gonna get the ones we picked up. They are all to good to pass up."

The walk to the register was quiet, and once paid and out of the store, you broke the awkward silence.

"Do you have plans for Christmas, Ghost?"

"No." His tone direct and firm telling you that he didn't want to talk about this topic. Even with his short answer, you could see his hot breath turn to steam in the cold mid-November air.

Turning to look up at his Umber pools, you handed him a small bag.

"You wanna come with me to mine? Put your ornament on our fucked up tree?"

He took the bag slipping out the ornament you had picked for him. One that he missed, apparently, was a ghost figure wrapped in Christmas lights. He flipped the switch, lighting it up... how delightfully tacky.

"Ya' want me there?"

"Of course," you answered, heart breaking slightly at his question.

"Wanna see this tree, see if it's strange as you."

"So that's a yes then?"

" 'is a yes."

Unable to control yourself, you stepped forward, hugging him. You were pushing your luck today, but strangely, he was alright with it.

"Think I'm strange then?" You asked, feigning hurt.

"I do. But I like it."

His words and embrace back warmed you in the frigid air.

[comic-book-jawns]

Mine

CW: miscarriage, heavy angst; inspired by the scene from Fleabag

A month ago Kara would never have thought that she’d be counting down the minutes until she could leave a gala Lena was hosting… that she’d have tried to get out of attending the event in the first place.

But that was the thing: she wasn’t attending, she was covering. And, for all her gripes with him, she could admit that Snapper’s refusing to let her handoff the beat she’d been cultivating for literal years was pretty fair.

Of course, his conclusion that being more “detached” from Lena now was an “improvement” had made her want to Kool-Aid Man him through the nearest drywall.

But… it was fine.

She was here. She was doing her job. She just had to get through Lena’s toast, thanking the generous patrons of the Luthor Children’s Hospital and unveiling its new wing dedicated to the treatment of rare congenital conditions.

And then get an exclusive quote for CatCo…

She was so preoccupied running all the scenarios of how that would go — not well, in summary — that she was only just realizing that something was actually wrong.

The guests had corralled over five minutes ago and were starting to get antsy and the lanyard-clad organizers looked harried on the sidelines.

And that was went she heard it. A familiar thrum, an unfamiliar rhythm.

Her heels were all that stopped her from unconsciously speeding into a blur. And she counted it as a win that she didn’t break the door to the women’s room off its hinges. Surely, money could be spared to replace the crushed door stopper and broken wall tiles.

She only just stopped herself from ripping open the stall door. She knew Lena got heavy periods since they used to talk about everything.

Since they used to talk.

And, well, technically Kara hadn’t… needed to be told. Yet another thing Lena had undoubtedly put together by now and resented her for.

The point was Kara could tell — not that she was ever trying to — when it was Lena’s time of the month… and maybe it was, coincidentally. Coincidentally because menstruation did not smell like a crime scene.

Which only left one possibility.

***

Lena had always known her ex-best friend was smart. Truthfully, if she hadn’t been so dedicated to journalism, Lena probably would’ve offered her a job at L-Corp. It would have been a hell of a lot cheaper way for them to work together than what Lena had actually resorted to.

Not that she’d been lying when she’d told Kara she hadn’t bought CatCo as a favor to a friend.

It had been a favor to herself. An act of pure self-indulgence between sticking it to Edge and making Kara happy.

Kara, the once upon time love of her life who was indeed smart. Which was why Lena felt herself deriving perverse amusement from Kara gawking, wide-eyed and uncharacteristically pale, like an 11-year-old boy watching a video in health class.

And then Kara took a step forward, and the reality came crashing down on her.

“Don’t.”

As the threats went, it was far from Lena’s best work. Neither cold and calculating, nor base and bombastic.

“Lena.”

Fortunately, Kara helped her out as only she could. Mortifying as it was, Lena had come to the realization that Kara had always been a trigger for her in a way no one else ever had.

She’d been moved to National City with the dream of working with Supergirl.

She’d rebranded Luthor Corp because Kara had made her reconsidered what she wanted her company stand for.

She’d spent billions of dollars on that fucking tabloid that Kara — unbeknownst to her — wasn’t even working for at the time.

And, of course, she’d shot her brother in the chest because she could live in a world without him but not without her.

Which was still the case. She’d had her chance at Mt. Norquay — that she’d been trying to take it — and the close call had sent her running to heave liter of a coffee.

So, no, Lena did not want Kara dead. But she didn’t want her anywhere near her.

“GET YOUR HANDS. OFF MY MISCARRIAGE.”

Her throat immediately felt scratchy, like she’d been screaming for hours. She supposed rarely speaking at all these days was catching up with her.

So her next words came out a croak. But they made the light extinguish in those blue eyes all the same.

“It’s mine.”

***

After a nine-month sabbatical in Ireland, Lena gave birth at The Tower. They couldn’t exactly entrust a local OB-GYN with the care of a half-Kryptonian newborn.

Not that Alex, or any of them, were an expert either. But, like, Alex had finally started to feel like it all might be okay: Lena resting peacefully and Kara cautiously cradling their baby girl (not having moved any part of her body since Lena had placed Declan in Kara’s arms an hour ago).

“Sam!”

Alex startled at the shout, Kara still in the bedside chair but no longer gazing down adoringly.

Before Alex could ask what was up — and, frankly, why her sister wanted their friend when she was right there — Sam was rushing in, clearly with a similar question of on the tip to her tongue.

“I need you to take her.”

Sam didn’t hesitate, and Kara was immediately on her feet, turning to her. Alex had already assured her sister the team were on standby for any emergencies and was fully prepared to tell her to sit her ass back down.

“She’s bleeding.”

Alex tempered the initial flicker of panic, blazing as it was in the blue eyes looking back at her, before lifting the sheet.

And she then had to bury it in it. Because Kara was wrong.

“Alex!”

Her wife was starting to hemorrhage.

“Kara?”

Lena’s eyes were still closed, but the hand that been resting on her abdomen slid to the edge of the bed, palm up.

[chbnews]

CLOVISSSSSSS HOW DO I ASK OUT THE GUY FROM CAMP JUPITER???? HIS NAME IS DAKOTA AND HES TECHNICALLY MY BEST FRIEND'S BROTHER. IS THIS A BAD IDEA???

-Danae, cabin 10 💖

Well Clovis is out cold and I'm the resident Camp Jupiter Camper here so

Basically just get him a bouquet of kool-aid

-Thomas, cabin 13

[tragidean]

on the house [12.8k] (ao3)

“I’m from Reno,” Benjamin—Benji, as his name tag reads with the last four letters scratched out and replaced with an I—says, his smile so infectious that Dean can’t help but try to hide his. “Grew up in the casinos, actually. Never won much, though. I mean, if I did, I wouldn't be in this town.”

This town, Dean thinks, isn’t even on the map. Just some crossroads joint in southeast Georgia, surrounded by cotton fields and chicken houses, with the scent of pulp mills and freshly fallen trees lingering in the air. Years ago, apparently, someone built a bar in the middle of nowhere, conveniently located next to a motel and a Dollar General with not much else around. This late in the year, most of the cotton fields have been picked over, some stray bits still hanging on the stalks, awaiting the plow. A bitter cold awaits outside.

But inside, Dean sits at the bar, talking to a twenty-something brunette, his hazel-green eyes hidden behind glasses and his hair swept in every direction, like someone under the bar fucked his hair with their hands. At some point, he busted his lower lip, a clean scar sliced through the middle. Despite the late November chill, he wears a bright yellow Polo shirt with his collar popped high, and bland khakis that probably go just above his knee. Frat boys. “What made you come out here?”

Benji shrugs and finishes washing the glass in his hand, setting it beneath the bar. Someone at the pool table racks up the balls; a group of camo-dressed men in the corner laugh about something that happened earlier this morning. Dean makes sure to keep his voice low, keeps his lines hard, just in case someone might suspect. “Girlfriend’s family’s from out here, so I kinda went with her.” Straight, then—just his luck. “She works for the park service. Hey,” he throws in a wink, “you ever wanna get free admission, hit me up.”

“I’ll do that,” Dean lies with a smile. Not that he wouldn't want to, but touring parks has never been on his agenda, unless there was a monster involved. Most of his hunts take place at night—how am I supposed to enjoy nature in the dark? “Anyway,” he reaches for his wallet, his luck apparently run dry with Benji. Sam and Castiel are waiting back at the motel, and all Dean wanted was one drink and to replace the smell of rot in his nose with something more palatable. His back still aches, not that he plans on letting Castiel know that the ghoul threw him into a headstone. “I gotta get going.”

“Wait, before you go.” Benji darts across his small workstation and comes back with a shot glass, the liquid inside a deep red and garnished with the world’s smallest celery slice. “I’m kinda known around here for making my own drinks—” Dean highly doubts that, but lets Benji go on “—and I’m working on something new. Tell me if you like it?”

Dean eyes the glass and the liquid, glitter flakes swirling in the mixture that looks less like anything drinkable and more like he poured Kool-Aid into melted chocolate. It smells nice, though, like roses and not like half-rotted corpses left out behind a mortuary experiencing legal troubles. “This free?”

“On the house,” Benji smiles. He adjusts his collar, his eyes gleaming, anticipatory. “Just wanna see if I can put it on the menu.”

Where this menu is, Dean hasn’t seen, but decides to follow his gut rather than his better judgment. “Bottoms up,” he says with a wink, and downs the shot in one swallow. Only, the taste hits him just as his throat begins to work, and a sudden panic sweeps through him, his blood going cold. Oh my god. He coughs into the sleeve of his sweatshirt, fighting back a gag. “Dude, needs more Mary and less—”

Blood. Copper floods his taste buds, soaking into his every sense. His blood pressure spikes—Benji’s grin falters, his eyes gone wide, breath quick. “What did you do,” Dean demands, swallowing down what could be bile, or his liver.

“I didn’t—” Benji straight up lies, his back already to the exit and his feet to the floor. “You weren’t supposed to—”

His collar falls—now the split lip makes sense, and the slowly-healing bite mark to his throat. “You son of a bitch,” Dean hisses and launches over the three-foot-tall bar, just as Benji makes a break for it through the backroom door. Benji shrieks and bangs his way around shelves, knocking spare glasses and bottles to the floor, all for Dean to stomp across. The world begins to spin, his footsteps growing weaker, less structured and more aimless. Benji makes it out the back door—Dean follows him, and cowers at the sun hanging overhead, a splitting, unescapable headache pounding behind his eyes.

“You little,” Dean starts, but falls to his knees, just as Benji hops into a busted Honda Civic and peels out of the parking lot. The LayZee Inn’s sign looms high in the white-blue sky, a beacon, calling him home. Except, he collapses onto his face before he can even make it to his feet, the cold asphalt doing nothing for his head.

Son of a bitch, he thinks, right before the world grows black. Not again.

continue reading on ao3

[annemarieyeretzian]

no liveblog today obv but here's this draft I wrote who knows when ago – I don't remember much about it other than it being composed in a rage in direct response to a post I saw that stated orym was "directly responsible" for the pain and trauma bor'dor experienced – that I still stand by:

orym is not directly responsible in any way for the pain and trauma bor’dor experienced. bor’dor is directly responsible for the pain and trauma orym experienced. bor’dor drank the damn kool-aid and became part of a murder cult because *checks notes* his feelings got hurt. plenty of people don’t have their prayers answered and continue on with their lives without becoming cult members and/or homicidal maniacs about it. the ruby vanguard are all devoted to a cult leader who hands out empty promises and is, and always has been, solely concerned with how much power he can gain for himself. ludinus is capitalizing off of people’s pain and grief and anger. he doesn’t care about any of the cult members beyond their usefulness to him and his purpose. orym reluctantly killing members of the ruby vanguard – and, let’s remember, he didn’t want to, the others rushed in despite orym's warning and it became a necessity in the moment – is in no way the same as a) intentionally targeting the leader of orym’s people and b) then murdering orym’s husband and father in cold blood because they could. the two are not equitable. they will never be equitable. especially considering the ashari were very much living their lives and minding their fucking business and the ruby vanguard very much were/are not. why is orym expected to take responsibility for laudna’s choice (killing bor’dor) but bor’dor isn’t expected to take responsibility for his own choices. do you hear yourselves. do you. I’m tired

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Blonde!Phil Masterlist

A Leap in the Dark (ao3) - Bleeding Phass Incident (doctorwhat420)

Summary: Dan’s fingers brushed Lester’s face on the screen. Cold, plastic, hard… Yeah, it was probably just like the real deal.

Angelfish (ao3) - PyroStormIsBae

Summary: Dan once told him that there is every color star except for green. Green is Phil’s favourite color. Secretly. Even more than blue, but he tells people it’s blue because it’s what they expect from him. Like dark hair. There are never stars in London and no green stars in the universe and if Phil can’t find anything in the night sky how is he ever supposed to gather the stars up to dye them green with the bath towels?

Dan stirs gently but stays asleep. His movement is just further proof that Phil is breaking everything, even the empty shards of cruel ceramic sky.

Blonde (ao3) - philforscale

Summary: Phil went blonde. Dan loves it.

Blonde hair and broken lamps. (ao3) - TheWolfWithinMe

Summary: If you've watched the mukbang, you'll know where this is going.

Catch Me As I Fall (ao3) - serenity_sky

Summary: Dan jumps out of bed in anticipation of seeing Phil’s new blond hair. Unfortunately, he gets up quickly and faints. He expresses his frustration about Phil not catching him.

Dan Does Not Drink the Kool-Aid (ao3) - serenity_sky

Summary: After years of protesting, Dan gives in and starts doom-scrolling on TikTok. Feeling inspired by Phil’s blond era, a TikTok video about D.I.Y. Kool-Aid hair dye catches Dan’s attention. Good thing Dan and Phil are feeling crafty!

Escape the Backrooms (ao3) - SecretLlama_22

Summary: One misstep and Dan and Phil find themselves in The Backrooms. Upon a stupid fight they get seperated, and Dan really isn't sure how he's supposed to find his way back to Phil.

golden (ao3) - twinphantasy

Summary: phlonde era!!

Help Taking it Off (ao3) - cats_with_no_tails

Summary: I don’t know if Dan helped Phil pick out the phlonde-launch outfit, but I certainly imagine he helped take it off.

Set the day of Phil’s blonde hair announcement - Dan comes home to him in that cunty little midriff and wants to devour him.

I Love It (ao3) - cosmic_angel_writes

Summary: Phil dyes his hair blonde without telling Dan. Phil is nervous to show Dan but Dan wants to show him just how much he loves it.

in your high heel boots and your painted-on jeans (ao3) - jonsaremembers

Summary: After a fight, Dan drowns his sorrows in bourbon.

Phlonde (ao3) - greyskysss

Summary: Phil gets his hair dyed. Thats the fic

Phlonde (ao3) - yikesola

Summary: Phil has to admit though, stood here in the familiar shop aisles of cheap box dyes, the blonde box is calling to him.

A fic about change and control.

phlondes do it better (ao3) - wearealldoomed

Summary: The day has come around quicker than Phil had anticipated.

The day where Phil dips his toes back into the waters of dyeing his hair after months of letting his natural hair colour grow back through.

The day where Phil goes platinum blonde without confronting Dan about it first.

phlondes have more fun (ao3) - howell_slide

Summary: The morning after the Phlondening of 2024.

Super Graphic Ultra Modern Phil (ao3) - castrotophic

Summary: Phil buys a motorcycle. Dan can't decide whether he's horny or upset. Kissing ensues.

Tequila and Lime (ao3) - SecretLlama_22

Summary: Dan Howell never thought about himself as romantic.

Or hopeful.

Or even slightly optimistic for all it mattered.

But now, at this point, he couldn’t stop himself from staring at that platinum blonde colleague of his. Blonde since today, mind you. Bloody angel coloured, if you’d ask him. Every time Phil moved, Dan’s eyes fixated on the light reflecting off it and he thought about how soft it would feel to the touch. Almost like a small shimmer, a shine, a halo.

Or, the Dan and Phil bartender AU, where Dan has a crush on his recently phlonded colleague.

the angel in the marble (ao3) - ivylakes

Summary: “Can I just say,” Dan says, pulling away to look at Phil. His hand has drifted from Phil’s jaw to his hair again, because of course it has. “I took a risk with the angel thing. I didn’t think you’d like it that much.”

Or, Phil dyes his hair blonde, Dan calls him angel, and neither of them can get any work done.

You're the only story that I've never told. (ao3) - DumbGayVampires

Summary: Watching him, Dan felt the familiar grudging affection that came with a lifetime in each other’s company…

[everythingyouwilllistento]

MAC MILLER DISCOG RELISTEN FOR JANUARY 2025

yo, so im now dedicating part of this blog to sharing my thoughts and ratings for reviews so i can keep these thoughts on a place that isnt amazon or on a confusing site, might also copy this to something like substack.

ive also set this year for trying to consume tons of music as much as i can and that includes listening to 2 different artists' discographies (my own and a friend's recommendation) during a month. for my own choice this month ive wanted to listen to mac miller's discography again since "Balloonerism" is coming out this month and i want to go back and try to see if anything has changed context since his passing, if anything has held up besides that, and if my thoughts on mac have changed.

Best Day Ever (2011)

technically the first mac album listed on streaming services, since the "K.I.D.S." mixtape was reissued after this and his first album dropped later in the year after this tape and ILL,TY. the 1st and last act are def highlights with bangers and smoother production on "donald trump" & "ill be there" but good lord some of these beat choices on the mid section are so atrocious lmfao. it doesn't stop mac from being infectious and happy thankfully, the intro track and the mom ballad with phonte are insane tear jerkers now. if you're looking to actually start with mac miller, start with "K.I.D.S."

FAVS: Best Day Ever, Donald Trump, I'll Be There, BDE Bonus

WORST: Play Ya Cards (beat is terrible and this is def the weakest of mac's rhymes on the whole thing)

RATING: 67/110 (rating explanation)

K.I.D.S. (2011)

the most vibe-filled mixtape from the best white boy to ever do it. the spins is a 110/110 song. i don't even care if mac is rapping about drinking and taking a girl home to pipe after. beats are pretty tasteful and chill, mac is on his frat best for most of this, and its really apparent why he got signed so early.

FAVS: The Spins, Nikes On My Feet, Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza

WORST: Ride Around (BAD BARS DO NOT READ! and a very plain beat)

RATING: 78/110

I Love Life, Thank You (2011)

we love you mac, thank you. weirdly better than the debut album that came out after this, and personally, Bun B gets the pass from me on "All That". there's only 2 notable tracks on this but the tape as a whole is good.

FAVS: Love Lost, The Scoop on Heaven, I Love Life, Thank You, All That

WORST: Cold Feet (worst clams casino track I've ever heard and bad mac bars that have aged worst considering his death)

RATING: 77/110

Blue Slide Park (2011)

might be as weak as best day ever. only songs that are worth replaying are the ones that'll really stick to you. also not a lot of interesting flows or topics, its MAINLY about fucking and being so fly while stoned or drunk over some of the most intriguing beats, good and bad.

FAVS: Under the Weather, Blue Slide Park, Missed Calls, One Last Thing

WORST: Loitering (dawg what the hell)

RATING: 67/110

Macadelic (2012)

we are given hints before the greatness that is WMwtSO and you can hear it all over this tape with leftovers from the K.I.D.S. era. also any mac song with mikey rocks is so good, they go together like pb&j. the wayne feature is really bad even compared against juicy j's verse, i wont hear you out if you wanna argue about it because i think you're wrong. fight the feeling is incredible even with the moaning outro, and while there's some lame songs in here, it doesn't distract most of the mood and tone of the LP.

FAVS: Fight the Feeling, Thoughts From A Balcony, America

WORST: Ignorant

RATING: 78/110

Watching Movies With the Sound Off (2013)

haven't heard this since middle school and holds up incredibly well for most of its runtime (if you put aside the horribly aged slurs laced in some of these bars [i.e. Avian & Gees] and bad dark humor bars). faces took a bunch of leftover beats from this and more darker mac thoughts during that time but this reads better as an album overall. wacky as hell beats, goofy yet more monotoned and emotional rhymes, and heavenly moments make this an all-timer. "objects in the mirror" is the main stand-out among the whole record and its pain hits so much harder after his passing.

FAVS: Objects In the Mirror, Red Dot Music (alchemist beats are top tier), The Star Room (& the OG version too), I Am Who Am (Killin' Time)

WORST: Goosebumpz (diplo sucks and bad mac verses)

RATING: 89/110

Faces (2014)

turning 11 years old this year, and it still sounds so dreamy and trippy. mac had no clue what he was trying to say on most of this during his most darkest time and it shows: the most drug induced bars, bits of psychedelic harmonies, classic tracks, and he did it all without a drake feature.

FAVS: Diablo, Here We Go, Colors and Shapes

WORST: if i had to pick it probably be wedding or apparition

RATING: 99/110

GO:OD AM (2015)

"perfect circle / god speed" is incredibly tough to listen to now. beats are so lush and bouncy but there's some stink in here from early mac that thankfully doesn't stop the vibe of a rising sun after a shit day.

FAVS: Perfect Circle / God Speed, 100 Grandkids, Brand Name

WORST: When In Rome (just pretty standard for a mac song)

RATING: 88/110

The Divine Feminine (2016)

definitely a weaker entry since most of the lush and sexy production gets stale quick, but to say mac isn't in his best shape is like telling me lava isn't hot. "dang!" & "god is fair, sexy nasty" are crazy highlights

FAVS: Dang!, God Is Fair, Sexy Nasty

WORST: Planet God Damn

RATING: 75/110

Swimming (2018)

i don't think i can even listen to the next two albums without crying dude. it fucks me up severely that I'm now older than mac when he passed, and the hurt this and circles caused still hit all these years later. i hope mac has finally finished swimming to his rest and relief.

FAVS: What's The Use?, Self Care, 2009, Ladders, Come Back to Earth, Jet Fuel, Wings, Small Worlds, Hurt Feelings, So It Goes

WORST: Conversation Pt. 1

RATING: 105/110

Circles (2020)

it hurts. everything about this album hurts. we don't deserve to hear someone so cool, so close, so intimate after they're gone. every soft and smooth percussion, synth, and voice just make me tear up like no other album has. mac has been a huge influence in my life for music and for life. his depression and goofiness felt so close to mine but he feels like he's gotten past it with some trouble still lingering but not bothering. when this came out, it felt like something was completed, for better and worse. before it, i was depressed, lonely, and unsatisfied by way of living with family and no real career. the next year after listening to this album, i moved out and found the love of my life.

when people say this album saved their lives, i believe it. this album makes me sad and cry but in a way where i can see the future and hope there's something good for me waiting on the other side. this year, I'm planning on moving to another state again, but happily married and wanting to start hobbies and careers i enjoy instead of just sitting with a job because it pays well. 2024 was the year i started really writing down my thoughts and reviews on albums i like and enjoyed and this year will be the one i want to take it further and try to make a living out of. whether it be writing reviews for shit no one cares about, trying to make a career out of streaming for the umpteenth time, or find a job worth clocking in everyday for.

FAVS: Hand Me Downs, Circles, Good News, Everybody, Once a Day, Surf

RATING: 102/110

thank you mac miller.

here's to 2025, and to the extent of life as we know it. as a dream, as a physical quantity, and as music. i love you and have a great year.

[misty-caligula]

I’m so pleased with the pacing of yj, in general. If it wasn’t for that pacing I don’t think it’d hit quite so well. It’s the slow burn that really sells how they get there.

I’ve been telling my friends and people about yj that ep 1 act 1 scene 1 is a promise, not only of the level of intensity that we’re going to, but also that when we get there we’ll understand why, how we got there, we’ll have opinions on if they’re right about hunting pit girl, it’ll all make sense in the end and we’ll have the catharsis of knowing and empathy for an extreme situation.

I think that s2e8 REALLY fulfilled that promise, really put a lot of those little pieces together.

(I have no idea if this is an intentional motif, but I think it’s interesting that Walter’s GIANT puzzle featured two completely filled in chunks, two sections that were absolutely solid, amongst the noise, now that this episode really answers a lot of little questions and puts it all together in a very satisfying way for us. Hmm)

We were right about the queen, about the necklace, the system for choosing. The hunt began organically, I love that. I love that they got INTO it, I love that the doomcoming needed them to be fucked up on drugs, but now they’re in the exact same place without it. Literally, the same hunting pack, the same style, AND ONCE AGAIN NATALIE IS ON THE OUTSIDE.

The stopping to listen, the whooping and howling, the call back to Travis’ sacrifice. All cool aesthetic choices, but also I wonder...

Shauna can’t just stand there and coldly kill Nat. She can kill Lottie if her blood’s hot, she can do a lot of things when she’s psyched up. But just standing there, coldly, and holding the knife and looking into her eyes? You’ve GOTTA make it a chase, get the blood hot, hit those predator instincts. I’ve been wondering SO LONG why they chased pit girl, why they made it into a ... a game. And now it’s so clear, they do it because they HAVE to, for their own sanity.

When Javi went after Nat too I genuinely thought he was joining the hunt for a moment. I am an idiot. Oh well.

Misty!!! Misty’s SO much. She’s out here, genuinely trying so hard to solve everyone’s fucking problems. She’s in the cold attic with Lottie trying to look after a starved, internally bleeding half dead girl all on her own. She’s covering up for the adults because nobody tells her fucking ANYTHING and then she’s judged for it. She’s saving teen!Nat’s fucking LIFE... like she’s done before and will again. Misty fucking Quigley, greatest of all time.

I’m so glad the adults just fucking TALKED and got their shit aired out. I’m glad that Misty and Nat are on the same side of the table.

They’re not gonna drink the kool-aid right?

right?

....

right?

[noobiestnoober]

The Cost of a Prank (Damon x Reader)

This a one-shot fanfic between Damon and Y/N where Damon develops a close bond with Y/N after discovering that Katherine has deceived Damon all along. Enjoy the story <3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the dimly lit parlor of the Salvatore Boarding House, Damon Salvatore lounged on the vintage leather sofa, a smirk playing on his lips as he swirled a glass of bourbon. The flickering flames of the fireplace cast dancing shadows across the room, adding to the air of mystery and tension.

Across from him stood Y/N, her expression a mixture of exasperation and amusement. They had been sparring verbally for the better part of an hour, and the banter was starting to wear on her patience.

“You’d be a fool to say no,” Damon said, his voice dripping with a mix of arrogance and persuasion.

Y/N rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips, “I’d be a bigger fool to listen to you,” she retorted, shaking her head

Damon chuckled, a low, dangerous sound that sent shivers down Y/N’s spine, “Oh, come on. When have I ever steered you wrong?”

“Do you want the list alphabetically or chronologically?” Y/N shot back, unable to keep a grin from tugging at her lips.

“Very funny,” Damon said, raising an eyebrow, “I’m offering you a chance to pull the greatest prank Mystic Falls has ever seen. We could turn the town’s water supply into Kool-Aid for a day. Imagine the looks on their faces!”

Y/N’s expression softened slightly, her brow furrowing in thought, “And in the process, become the town’s most wanted pranksters? No, Damon. I won’t sacrifice my clean record for a laugh.”

Damon’s eyes narrowed, the playful glint replaced by a cold intensity, “A clean record is overrated. We’re here to have fun, to shake things up. It’s time you embraced your mischievous side.”

Y/N sighed, feeling the weight of his words but unwilling to give in. “I won’t do it, Damon. There has to be another way to have fun.”

Damon sighed, taking a long sip of his bourbon, “Suit yourself. But remember, when the town discovers their morning coffee is bright red—and they will—you’ll wish you had been part of it.”

With that, Damon rose from the sofa and strode toward the door, leaving Y/N alone with her thoughts. The crackling fire seemed to echo the turmoil in her mind, a constant reminder of the ever-present battle between caution and spontaneity.

“Why do you always have to be so infuriating?” Y/N called after him, frustration clear in her voice.

Damon paused at the door, a smirk playing on his lips, “It’s part of my charm, sweetheart.”

As the door clicked shut behind Damon, Y/N felt a pang of regret. But she knew in her heart that she had made the right choice. She wouldn’t let Damon’s antics drag her into trouble. Not again. Not ever.

_______________________________________________________

Days later, Damon found himself reeling from a devastating revelation. Katherine, the woman he had loved for centuries, had deceived him. She had never been trapped in the vampire tomb as he had believed. She had been free all along, playing with his emotions from the shadows. The heartbreak hit him harder than he ever expected, and he retreated to the solitude of his room, drowning his sorrows in bourbon.

Y/N, sensing his despair, stepped in to take care of him. She brought him meals, sat with him through his darkest hours, and listened as he poured out his anguish. Her presence was a balm to his wounded heart, and in those moments, Damon began to see her in a new light. She was kind, compassionate, and fiercely loyal—qualities he had longed for but never found in Katherine.

Despite the growing feelings he had for Y/N, Damon knew he was a bad influence on her. His life was filled with chaos and darkness, and he didn’t want to drag her into it. One evening, as she sat beside him, gently coaxing him to eat, he decided.

“You know,” he said, forcing a smile, “I think it’s time I pulled that prank we talked about. Mystic Falls could use a little excitement.”

Y/N looked at him, concern etched on her face, “Damon, are you sure that’s what you need right now?”

He nodded, though his heart was breaking at the thought of leaving her, “Yeah, I need a distraction. And I think it’s best for everyone if I step away for a bit.”

She didn’t argue, sensing there was more behind his words. She simply nodded, her eyes betraying the sadness she felt, “Just... come back in one piece, okay?”

Damon leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, “I’ll do my best, sweetheart.”

________________________________________________________

As the night fell, Damon left Mystic Falls without telling anyone. He knew Y/N would be safe without him, and that thought gave him a sliver of peace. As he drove away, he couldn’t help but look back one last time, the image of Y/N etched in his mind.

“Stay safe, Y/N,” he whispered into the night, knowing he was leaving behind the one thing he had been searching for all his life. But he also knew that sometimes, the best way to protect someone was to let them go.