#could be considered a pack? maybe XD

[muffinsin]

Ooooo can we have Dani ones?💞

-picture anon📸

Awhh, some love for our baby girl! Absolutely :)

New posts; a Bela oneshot and HCs are up and below this one at my profile👀🥳

Tap for better quality

[ibrithir-was-here]

If you're taking doodle requests, maybe the Castle Dracula family engaging in a game night due to Jonathan bringing home a pack of cards? He and Quincey start out their games small, using gold coins as chips, then Mina joins in.

Dracula, being Dracula, is caught between turning up his nose and wanting very badly to join/ruin the fun.

All bets are off as to what the ultimate results are when, naturally, Luck > Skill in 90% of these games, and things get Competitive+ when the two resident chess master-Vampires can't simply outmaneuver anyone beyond being able to bluff.

(Jonathan considers just picking up a puzzle or two next time.)

I hope its ok this is all memes cuz that's the first things I thought of for this prompt xD

(The top one is a very self indulgent visual pun about how Jonathan could have canonically played Nintendo, if not the Nintendo Gameboy xD)

Ghost Quincey Cameo!

Dracula throws the whole deck out the window after losing. "Tis a foul bauble of man's revelry!"

[mauv-the-bluest-cat-ever]

hey mauv what if zed brings back the gamemaster skin in s10. he did say hes gonna do loads more minigame things

head in hands I !! THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!!! i rotate that thought in my head from time to time. going to explode about it thank you for asking 👍

it would probably be a fresh new skin. maybe ringmaster suit with pink instead of red because branding and shit lol.

and considering this is going to be 10th season there could be a nice parallel with s5 when zed came to hermitcraft. a lot have changed since then. zed could specifically attempt to manage gaming district again ( because i can't really think of why would he bring gamemaster skin back otherwise ) but, for one, he is much more sociable, and hes is probably also more prepared compared to last time xD. probably has some minigames in mind already and how they would connect with each other ( <- you dont even know the shit im imaging here. higher then third dimension zedaph. you agree ) if he is going to be in charge. and minceraft had changed a lot too since then. maybe he will dabble in custom resource packs more.

[laufire]

I'm not going to pretend I'm not embarrassingly cliché and a stereotype... Dick Grayson for the DC Character.

That being said, if you *also* want to do Duke, Jason, and Dick as a team/dynamic, I wouldn't be opposed :P

I'm not really feeling the idea of tackling a proper Nightwing run. Let's see how the new writer deals with... all that lol.

Instead, what I'd want to do with him is a one-shot. One of those looooong ones, a la Willworld (my opinion on DeMatteis's writing is at its lowest rn, but Willworld is my reference here lol). Not so much... trippy, like Willworld itself, but definitely something leaning into the wackiness of comics, before it turns into horror and despair aldjdjdj.

My first thought was time-loop :D. A case goes wrong, Dick is beating himself up, and the day resets. He solves it, but something else goes wrong. Over and over and over again.

I'd have to fight hard for the ending not to be either "Dick solves everything" or "you just need to accept things you can't control!!". This one has to be a downer!! Maybe what pulls him out of it is external, and it turns out the time-loop was artificial. Or it was a time-loop and Dick insists on returning to it despite it paying a physical toll on him. Fun stuff, u know.

As for Dick & Duke & Jason... I could give Dick one of the cameos in the Duke & Jason run lmao (new code names for both pending!). It would. Also not be a particularly cheerful story lmao. As I said in that pocket universe of mine the batclan is in shambles, and Dick is trying to pull it back together in some semblance of what it was before (even if he too is furious at Bruce), but it can't happen. This one could be about Dick having to accept there are things he can't control, and one of those are his relationships with other people, who also get a say in how the dynamic will work going forward.

But err... in order to make it more fun, let's bring up some cool rogues, or monster of the week stuff where he can really show off other talents xD. Or, well, I don't consider Slade either of those things, but as Dick's antagonist he brings good stuff to the table, and he'd be the kind of target this team would go against. Maybe Roy is also there and he looney toons the guy. IDK. I just want to pair a more action-packed, comic-book-typical plot with the personal, bittersweet angst lmao.

[teecupangel]

Related to the Velociraptor!Desmond thing: what would Jurassic Park look like? Like would Desmonds be in it?

The “Desmond becomes a Velociraptor and ‘accidentally’ made the world call velociraptors as ‘Desmonds’” idea.

I’m gonna go for the OG Jurassic Park movie for this one for no reason than I love that movie XD

Yes, ‘Desmonds’ will definitely be in it and they would be promoted to hell and back because Desmonds are the most well known ‘dinosaur’ in AC world thanks to Leonardo da Vinci’s painting titled “Desmond”.

This also sparks a lot of ‘controversy’ because Jurassic Park PR admitted they enlarged Desmonds from its cute turkey-size canon size to… well, their size in the movie. The art world is generally appalled because why would you change the size of one of the most popular and well known old world ‘animal’? For what?

PR team says it’s a way to showcase what the team in the Park can do as well as to give people a better view of the Desmonds since turkey-sized Desmonds could be considered too slow.

Of course, this turns into a huge uproar loud enough that the PR team had to fly two experts into the Park to get some good graces… at the same time Dr. Alan Grant’s grandchildren visits him.

Now, we can have an initial of two ‘guests’ for this one:

1. Keep it purely Modern Day:

The guests are Shaun Hastings, a professor who is one of the leading experts of Da Vinci’s works (not just the artworks but his journals and inventions), and his assistant who introduces himself as “Just call me Des.”

2. Make it a sorta maybe reincarnation AU:

The guests is an artist and the leading expert on Leonardo Da Vinci’s style and life, Leo, who is rumored to be Leonardo Da Vinci’s descendant and his ‘bodyguard’ Ezio Auditore.

(1) has Desmond and Shaun pretending to be art expert (Shaun would say HE IS an art expert) and assistant who are really there to check if the Templars had any hand with this. (Technically, yes? They tried to get a partnership with Grant but Grant rejected their offer but they still want the technology behind the cloning of dinosaurs)

(2) Ezio is an Assassin who has the same mission as Desmond and Shaun in idea (1) but Leo is really just his BFF who may or may not know about his Assassin affiliation.

In (1) they learn that the Desmonds have a ‘you’re one of us, our leader’ vibe when they see Desmond and Desmond has no fucking idea why this is happening to him and he is embarrassed because he’s named Desmond and the Desmonds count him as one of them.

In (2) Desmond the Desmond actually wakes up as one of the cloned Desmonds and recognize Leo and Ezio. He leads the Desmond pack in this one.

(I just realized your ask could have just been how different the movie is but instead I went off-tangent with an AC x Jurassic Park AU. Anyway, Desmonds would definitely be there but they won’t be turkey-sized and that would cause an uproar. Shaun hates the movie just because of that little thing and everyone teases him for it)

[cometcon]

I uh... I did it again. XD My brain has been going brrrr over this fucking GORGEOUS artwork by @zunkome2 on Xitter (click the view on Twitter button to see their art) and it inspired me to write fanfic of it. I love this art so fucking much!!!! I hope I can keep practicing and be as good as them one day. :D

So yeah, I could not stop thinking about this and I love that Blitz is canonically such a horse-girl, and I can totally see Striker realising and using that to his advantage in trying to draw Blitz in and hopefully get him on his side.

Anyway, my brain decided it was time to take like 5 hours of my day on and off making me try to write this to the best of my current ability. Enjoy. XD

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

Blitz was in Heaven.

An ironic descriptor, considering their actual location, but picking a better one would have been impossible right then; especially with a hellhorse nuzzling his chest ever so gently in search of another rawhide strip. Her mouth may have appeared vicious - and technically yes, that Lovecraftian maw was capable of crushing flesh and bone to mush in a single bite - but the non-business parts were also far softer to the touch than anyone less familiar with the creatures might expect.

"Sorry. I'm all out," he murmured regretfully, giving the beautiful beast a scratch on her forehead as she shoved her muzzle into his other hand. He had to take a small step backward however when she suddenly whipped her head up and to the side with a greeting whinny. Strange. What was that abou-

"Lot of others would've lost a limb for that." The unexpected voice made Blitz tense, tail shooting straight out behind him in surprise before curling tightly, an embarrassed flush rising to his cheeks. He peered around the hellhorse's neck, praying his mortification wouldn't be obvious to the cowboy now leaning against his mount's side. How the fuck had he arrived without him noticing? Striker plucked the wheat stalk from between his teeth and smirked. "She likes you."

Blitz coughed awkwardly and began backing away, mind and mouth both rapidly trying and failing to come up with a believable excuse for his actions. "I was just- uh… I was looking for… We had them at the circus, see, and I thought maybe- Strips are really good for their teeth, you kn- I mean of course you'd know that! I just-" Striker's eyebrows had been climbing steadily higher beneath the brim of his hat the longer Blitz waffled on, and in desperation he found himself resorting to a ridiculous escape route he hadn't used since he was nine years old. "Ah, I think I hear Luna calling me! Coming Loonie!" 

He skittered across the corral and clambered over the fence, cheeks burning hot as he cursed himself silently. Why had he turned into such a blathering idiot in front of the one person he'd actually hoped to impress this weekend? Blitz knew a ruthless killer when he met them and Striker was clearly I.M.P material. After a pathetic show like that though, there was no way he would want to-

The ground under his boots had begun to vibrate while he fumed, faintly at first, then increasing to a thundering roll. He instinctively darted to the side and kept walking, expecting whoever it was to just barrel past him at the reckless speed they seemed to be going. But his path was abruptly cut off by a fiery grey mass, Striker expertly bringing his mount from full canter to a standstill in a cloud of dust. He swung her around to stand side-on so he could look down at the choking imp, that shit-eating grin Blitz was quickly becoming familiar with exposing a gleaming gold fang to the sunlight.

"Pretty sure your hound went bean-pickin' with the rest an hour ago," Striker commented, leaning forward to rest an arm on the pommel, free hand tapping his thigh absentmindedly, "Since you got so much free time to burn, how 'bout you come help me check the fences? Got a few posts loose on the South end thanks to that pesky varg pack last night." The hellhorse shuffled under him, pawing at the dirt and snapping her jaws a little at the mention of vargs. "Bombproof wouldn't mind catching a few either, I bet. Maybe you'll get to see her on the hunt."

"Oh, uh…" Perhaps he hadn't completely blown his chances after all? Striker certainly wasn't behaving like he thought Blitz a dithering moron, literally chasing him down to offer another opportunity to spend more time together and bond with Bombproof. What an incredible name for a hellhorse… No, focus! He could salvage this. He just had to pull himself together and show what a great prospect his group would be compared to farm work in the boonies. Preferably without turning into a rambling mess this time. He forced a nonchalant shrug. "Sure, why not?"

Striker slipped his boot free of the stirrup, hand extending in clear invitation. Blitz's brain stuttered, immediately dropping every part of his own peptalk as it dawned on him what the other had actually meant.

"What, you plannin' on walkin' there? It's miles of Wrath terrain. C'mon Blitz, I don't bite," Striker drawled, head tilting as his eyes took on a knowing glint, "Unless you ask nicely."

Well that decided it. Blitz was reaching for the proffered hand before he could second-guess himself, so caught up in his whirling thoughts Striker had to correct which foot the distracted imp tried mounting with. Blitz didn't have long to stew in his humiliation at least, preoccupied by the ease of how he was hauled into the saddle, hands directed to grip the pommel while the taller demon reached around him to grasp the reins. Striker nudged his leg out of the way, retaking the stirrup and leaving Blitz to squeeze Bombproof's sides tightly with his thighs as she responded to her rider. A moment later they were galloping down the driveway, wind whipping past their faces and her powerful form surging below them.

Blitz was wrong. His time in the corral had been a beautiful experience, but still only comparable to Earth at best. 

Now he was in Heaven. 

And he never wanted to fall.

[total-drama-brainrot]

Unpopular Opinion: Island of the Slaughtered doesn't make much sense to me honestly... I don't hate it, but the serial killer wouldn't last a day after there's revealed to be one on the island... Because Chef is a psycho that probably went to war and would snap the killer like a twig... Or Chef and Chris would get guns and shoot the killer down... Also, some of the contestants are strong enough to take down wild animals... The killer wouldn't stand a chance against their combined forces... Plus in canon, Chris and Chef did try to save Gwen from a killer (and Gwen defeated the killer)! XD

Island of the Slaughtered was actually what initially drew me back in to Total Drama as a whole, which is ironic because the AU itself kind of got overshadowed by the source material for me.

I like the concept, and the execution is really good too, but I haven't really interacted with the AU at all besides following the Tiktok uploads when they dropped last year. So please excuse me if anything I say here is inaccurate.

But I'm fairly certain that a pivotal plot point of the AU itself is the fact that both Chris and Chef abandon the campers on the island at the first sign of foul play; Chef wouldn't be there to fight off the killer. And that's not exactly out of character for them either- both Chris and Chef are shown throughout canon to not care for the safety and wellbeing of the contestants, and the two of them would believably prioritise their own wellbeing over the campers' survival.

And as far as the strong contestants go, the only characters in Island who would really stand a chance against an active serial killer would be the likes of Eva, Izzy and maybe Duncan- who all survive the massacre because the killer never targets them. I don't know if that's a sign of intelligence on the killer's part or pure coincidence, but it's true nonetheless.

Courtney later shows off her physical prowess in Action, but throughout Island there's nothing to indicate that she could take on a serial killer alone. Since the AU is based in the canon of Island, she doesn't count as a "strong" camper. In the same vein, DJ is very strong, but he's also a 'gentle giant' who's hesitant to cause physical harm to anyone- he wouldn't have the courage to confront the killer.

In the AU itself, the killer works more as an ambush predator than your stereotypical "hunt and kill" murderer; the only time a contestant is ever killed is when they stray from the pack. A huge aspect of this AU is "safety in numbers", the only time someone ever dies is when they're alone and/or in a vulnerable position. This implies that the killer themself is never too far away from the cast; they're always watching, hidden in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to pick off the weakest links as they stray too far from the safety of their group.

Would it have made more sense for the group to attack the killer as a united front (allowing the likes of Eva, Izzy and Duncan to subdue/kill them in turn)? Probably. But at the end of the day, these are frightened teenagers- they're not going to think logically when they're being hunted for sport. They're going to follow the safest route of their continued survival, which in this case is remaining together as a tight knit group and waiting to be rescued from the island.

I, personally, think the plot of the AU makes a lot of sense when you consider the above factors. And, of course, because it's a Horror AU- you'd need to suspend a lot of the cartoon logic to make it somewhat believable, which includes the fact that Gwen canonically 'takes down' the real killer by insulting him. That kind of stuff wouldn't fit the tone of the IotS AU.

Not that I'm saying you have to like it. You're entitled to your opinion! This is just how I understand the AU.

[ohallthecrushes]

You're a storm in a teacup and I'm starting to like the chaos.

I've been written this story since the last episode of Criminal minds Evolution that I've seen, which was...around one year ago. And this is so far the longest story I've ever written. Damn. I'm impressed by my own hyperfixation on this. xd I've never published it anyway, cause honestly, it was for my own amusement. Kind of self-inserted main character, you know. But since I've almost lost the whole story, I've decided to put it here to make it immortal. Who knows, maybe there are fans of CME that will find this story interesting (or sick, or both, hopefully both) and who love Elias Voit as a character (I don't recommend falling in love with someone like him!)

Without further ado!

Summary: Evelyn is a young-troubled woman who's just escaped a highly guarded psych ward (twice, but this time causing havoc on her way out)

Now she's running through the city, hiding from police. A not-so-accidental encounter with a man named Elias Voit will change her life forever. And she'll change his. His seemingly selfless help is laced with danger, hidden agenda, manipulation, endless tension, and...love? Slow burning inteligent-idiots-in-love trope. But mind you, just because it's a love story, doesn't mean it ends well.

General warnings throughout the story: Manipulation, illegal activities, murder(s), Stockholm syndrome, kidnapping, explicit content, language... The whole pack. It's Criminal minds after all.

In this episode: 🎶Should I stay or should I go now?🎶 Elias starts messing with her head, manipulating her into thinking he's her best option to survive. Plus a little bit of smug flirtation on his side.

Her brows furrowed in a mixture of anger and defiance. Couldn't he give her a break? She met his gaze. "You're kidding."

A smirk played on Elias' lips as he watched the play of emotions on her face. Her initial surprise quickly turned into a defiance. He'd known she'd consider escape, that a chance of freedom would be too hard to resist. Gaining her trust was proving more challenging than he'd anticipated. She had a rebellious nature, it was clear to see. And that could be a big problem if he didn't find a way to keep it at bay...

"Look, I've put some effort into finding you, not for you to run away immediately. I need a quick rest and I need to be sure that you'll be here when I open my eyes."

Yet, the way her eyes narrowed, the way she crossed her arms in a protest, held a perverse kind of fascination for him. That rebellious spirit, that flame that refused to be extinguished... She challenged him from the beginning, refusing to submit to him. He liked that.

"Stubborn," he drawled, his voice laced with amusement. "Just like I predicted." He extended the handcuffs towards her, the metal made a soft clank sound. "Come on, Snow White. Let's not make this any harder than it needs to be."

She looked at him with her chin up. She wouldn't agree to be cuffed. not unless he forced her with his gun...but that would be a contradiction to what he'd said to her earlier and he wouldn't sound very trustworthy now. She gulped, either way she hoped the gun wouldn't be the extension of his persuasion.

He smirked, he knew she wouldn't go for it willingly. She wasn't the type to be easily subdued. But unlike the naive doctors and clueless police, Elias understood her. Much better than she understood herself.

He tossed the handcuffs onto the table with a nonchalant shrug. "Alright, alright," he conceded, feigning exasperation. "You win. No cuffs. But don't think for a second that we're done talking." His voice softened, but there was a warning in his eyes. "You're more than capable of taking care of yourself, that much is clear, but you're not making it easier for yourself by being blindly unruly."

Even though it looked like a backing down, he knew exactly what he was doing. It was a risk though, offering her a choice, the illusion of a choice to be honest, but it should appease her need for rebellion.

She stared at him as she analyzed his behavior, her gaze unwavering. The absence of force, the offer of a choice, was quite unexpected. Was he manipulating her decision? Trying to lull her into a false sense of security?

"I'm not blindly unruly, Elias," she finally said. "I'm just not a fool."

"Fine." He says as he shrugged. "And not a fan of playing with handcuffs, get it. Maybe some other time."

She rolled her eyes at him and watched him settled down on a worn-out sofa.

He looked at her one last time before lying down. He wasn't naive enough to believe she'd decide to stay, but he trusted his instincts. He stretched out, feigning exhaustion. Or maybe not feigning, he did feel tired. A little shut-eye wouldn't hurt.

She locked her eyes on him, watching him with a steady gaze. He sighed heavily before he spoke.

"Your eyes are piercing through me. Keep staring at me like that and I'll really think you have a thing for me."

"You wish." She said as she looked away.

She was contemplating ugly wallpaper and a couple of spiderwebs for some time until she heard soft snores. Ah, finally. She smirked as she slowly stood up and crept closer to the sofa. Her eyes watching the steady movements of his chest, her mind focused of one mission – the car keys.

As she stood above him, making sure he indeed had fallen asleep, she carefully extended her hand. Her fingers slid inside his pocket. She basically prayed for him not to wake up right now. She didn't want to hear another suggestive comment about putting her hand into his pocket. Really slowly she pulled out the glinting metal – the car keys. Freedom was suddenly within her reach.

But as she held the keys, a mischievous idea crept into her mind. The gun. The ever-present symbol of power tucked into his waistband. What if she stole it too?

Her hand hovered, fingers inches away from the weapon. The thrill, the potential for control, was tempting. But she hesitated and shook her head. Better not to push her luck. Elias wouldn't be easily disarmed, even in his sleep. That would be a stupid move.

She carefully backed away from him and slipped back across the room. She had what she needed. A manic grin stretched across her face as she left quietly. The car was outside as if waiting for her return.

Sliding behind the wheel, a wave of excitement washed over her. She'd done it. Escaped once again. She could now drive away, leave Elias behind and disappear into the night.

But as she turned the key in the ignition and gripped the wheel, a strange disquiet settled in her stomach. The thrill began to recede, replaced by an unsettling doubt. Why the hesitation? Her escape had been flawlessly executed. This was what she wanted, right?

Yes, there was a twinge of guilt for lying to him. But that alone shouldn't be enough to hold her back from running away, right?

She paused. What if he was right? Did she really have better chances to survive alone than with him? The engine humming softly beneath her as she felt torn between two conflicting desires. Part of her wanted to hit the gas and run away, But another part of her hesitated, unsure whether she truly had the strength to face the future alone.

Loneliness, the chilling spectre of isolation, might prove to be a more terrifying monster than Elias himself.

Speaking of Elias... He cracked open one eye, then the other, the scene before him confirming his suspicions. Evelyn was gone.

Surprise? No. Disappointment? Not a flicker. It was as predictable. She was a creature of flight, she relied on her ability to escape more than anything else. He knew that this wouldn't be her last escape attempt to flee from him. But that was aright. He was experience with runaways and confident in his ability to track her down if necessary.

A low chuckle escaped his lips as the rumble of a car engine reached his ears. He rose smoothly and padded towards the front door. Stepping out onto the rain-slicked porch, he found her just as he imagined – sitting inside the car, engine purring, but not moving. Maybe she was finally beginning to realize that he was her only hope. That she needed him whether she liked it or not.

He approached the car calmly and smirked as he saw the look of annoyance on her face. He knew that she was annoyed that he was right and angry at herself for staying.

He leaned against the car door and looked at her through the open window. "Having second thought, Snow White?" he didn't even try to hide amusement.

"Don't flatter yourself" She glared at him. "I'm just thinking."

"Thinking is good. It means you're considering your options." he nodded, his voice softening a touch "we both know you won't last long out there. You're a rabbit, not a fox. But I…" He paused. "I can offer you safety, understanding and a chance to catch your breath. And what do you have to lose to stay with me?"

Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel, her mind racing. He saw the flicker of doubt in her eyes. He made a compelling argument as much as she hated to admit it.

She met his gaze, her eyes still filled with defiance. "Fine." she said grudgingly. "But if you try to pull anything, I'm gone. Got it?"

He nodded, a satisfied smile spread across his face. "Got it. Now, let's get out of here before the old man wakes up."

Elias knew he had won this round, but it was far from over. Defeated, she wasn't. Just… offended. He watched her climb out of the car. She marched around the car with a stiff back, then slid into the passenger seat, the very picture of resentment.

As they drove on, the first rays of dawn painted the sky with streaks of pink and orange. Evelyn remained silent, her gaze fixed on the road ahead. He stole a glance at her. This silence, this charged tension, was both irritating and boring to him. He thrived on engagement, on the push and pull of conversation.

"So," he began, feigning nonchalance, "what's the plan, Miss Thorne? Hold your breath until you pass out, or grace me with the music of your voice?"

It was a deliberate attempt to provoke her and to his amusement, it worked.

"Oh, believe me, Elias," she spat, her voice laced with ice, "you'd be begging for silence if you knew the symphony my thoughts are composing for you right now."

He laughed. "There you are!" he exclaimed, a hint of relief lacing his voice. "I was starting to think you were a malfunctioning robot. You don't have to be silent, you know. Conversation can be therapeutic."

She rolled her eyes. "Therapeutic? Coming from you, that's rich."

He chuckled. "Fair point. But seriously, you can talk to me. I'm not the enemy here."

She raised her brows, skepticism clear in her expression. "Right. Because making me break into a house and then threatening to handcuff me screams friendly."

he shrugged, a grin tugged his lips. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. Besides I think we make a pretty good team. Don't you?"

Despite herself, a tiny unwilling smile played on her lips. The tension hadn't abated, but at least it was crackling with something other than pure hostility. "You think we're team?"

"We're getting there." he said lightly "Every good partnership starts with a bit of friction. Keeps things interesting." He leaned back at his seat, satisfied. The silence was broken and he felt confident that he was getting through to her, bit by bit.

The sun continued to rise, bathing the world in a golden light. she watched the scenery for a moment before she asked him a question that had been gnawing at her.

"How exactly do you see our partnership?"

He glanced at her, a smile playing on his lips. "I thought you'd never ask," he said, his tone light. "Picture this: a network, a web of individuals all working together, orchestrated by someone with vision. Someone like me. I see your abilities, your cunning, your resourcefulness fitting perfectly into this web. You'd be an asset."

"An asset." she repeated, her voice dripping with skepticism. "To what exactly?"

He was careful not to divulge too much. "Think of it as a highly organized group. We're efficient, strategic, and always one step ahead. With your skills, you could be part of something... bigger."

Her eyes narrowed. "So, you're some kind of mastermind?"

He chuckled. "Something like that. But it's not just about power or control. It's about survival, about thriving in a world that doesn't understand people like us."

She didn't buy it, but she couldn't entirely dismiss it either. Elias had already proven his capability and cunning. Was he delusional? It was hard to say. But underestimating him would be a fool's game.

"I’m not agreeing to anything." she finally said, her voice low and steady.

He didn't seem deterred. In fact, he looked almost amused. "That's fine, Snow White," he said, the nickname rolling off his tongue with a playful lilt.

She bristled. "Don't call me that."

He smirked. He liked that she was engaging with him, even if it was out of annoyance. "Why not? It suits you. Pale skin, dark hair... a mysterious allure."

Heat rose to her cheeks, a mix of annoyance and… flattering. He was deliberately getting under her skin, and for some inexplicable reason, it wasn't entirely unpleasant.

"Fine," she snapped, her voice tight. "But don't expect me to play your little fairytale princess."

A slow, predatory smile spread across Elias' face. He knew she wouldn't.

[perelka-l]

(Drayton really calls Hassel danna??!) hey I've been wondering, besides the Kitakami siblings do you have any other Drayton ships particularly at the forefront of your thots recently? Like for me, I'm thinking of an AU where Drayton graduates (lol) and while interning under Raihan they naturally start hooking up. Or maybe while in Galar he also dates Bea who sorta reminds him of Kieran bc of her love of sweets and hardworking discipline.

And actually, while I'm asking, any other Kieran ships too?

YEAH!!!! (I am a bit sad this didn't carry over to eng version... He's calling him master Hassel in my heart ;w;)

On a Drayton shippy note, let's start with that: bratty Drayton/trying to resist good teacher Hassel? But both are Dragons and Hassel kind of gives into his instincts and get to teach Drayton a lesson to not do it again (Drayton is a very bad student though and an even worse dragon).

(Drayton graduating sure is an AU xD)

Aside from Kitakami students, I like to consider that Drayton absolutely has a Thing for cute freshmen and such case is Crispin who, and that's a Drayster take, is a perfect wife material. Attentive, will cook for you, is a cute shota, what more can a guy want from life? (It's not very serious of a relationship but Drayton deeply appreciates he can just swoop in and demand comfort and get some in an instant, 10/10, Crispin would be a perfect wife.)

Back home, there is ofc Iris for sweet sweet incestuous angst plus I think they would be really cute together. Drayton definitely has plenty of unsatisfied big bro instincts (Kyoodaaaaii) so there is that.

And yeah, I did mention his massive grandpa issues. Like, you can't look me in the face and tell me he wouldn't jump Drayden given a glimpse of a chance. Like, Drayden is a hot gilf and I bet that bisexual awakening for Drayster has arrived pretty much the second he looked at his grandfather the moment he started to feel any sort of attraction. He has issues. He just wants to bury his head in those giant packs and get hugged by those strong arms (like he surely saw Drayden carry dragons arround, that would make any sane person salivate), he doesn't have normal issues, he has grandfather issues. (This one is heavily impacted by a series of comics from JP twitter on which younger Drayton sleeps around with older white-haired man and doesn't care about who they are and where they come from - if that's not Drayden, he really doesn't care.)

On that note, he'd Pay Attention around Drake (muscular dragon gilf with admirable facial hair and sweet bonus of having his tits out? Bruh.)

One more that comes to my mind is him and Benga. I feel like they are of at least similar age, so they could be buds when teens and before Drayton went to BB... I deeply enjoy the thought that they could so contrast in undertaken paths! Drayton is a slacker and went as far as he could (namely, BB Championship) and just left it at that, he's in his comfort spot. Benga always aims to go higher, to become better, things like championship of little to no meaning to him. At the same time, they have such nice contrasting visuals, Benga feeling more natural, more attuned to nature (he carries stuff to make fire on his back gdi) while Drayton is more modern. Kind of a theming matching to Unova lads, plus Benga has some Dragon theming surrounding him, he pretty much only has (and gives out) dragons when you ignore his Volcarona lol

In terms of Kieran... Crispin also comes to mind, it's the shota magic~ Plus they are classmates, so I feel like they could have plnty of excuses to come close.

Tbh nothing else comes to my mind, I blame that entirely on Drayton being a whore lol

[executables-sims]

Get to know you: Sims Style

Thank you so much for the tag, @goatskickin! :D I am ill rn, so please excuse the rambling. x) Long post ahead!

What’s your favorite Sims death? Maybe fright? I've only ever had it happen once via ghost, the anim is pretty funny. :)

Alpha CC or Maxis Match? My Simblr probably says otherwise, but I don’t have a preference! I’ve had nearly every possible CC style under the sun throughout my years of playing, and I constantly think about reviving my 'semi-realism' folder (living vicariously through you, other simmers!). I didn't play with CC until early 2006 though, so MM is a little bit more nostalgic. :)

Do you cheat your sims weight? Hell no! I'm still in awe of Nysha's townie body diversity mod finally letting townies be fat. :D I wish the game had a better way of managing bodyshapes so I could add more variety that way.

Do you move objects? Of course!

Favorite Mod? Of all time? Impossible! My continued interest in gameplay is always because of new mods. :)

I did gain a new outlook thanks to a mod recently, though! My wild romance sim Blaze Biermann ended up 'mood swinging' to fortune before he went to uni, and instead of reverting, it got stuck.

He had a few flings still (pleasure secondary), but after he returned home and met his daughter (for the first time since her birth), he started cringing whenever I directed him to romance his dates. It felt like he had grown as a person, and I loved it!

TL;DR: Randomly change your sims' original aspiration/s to give them interesting character arcs! First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack? I mean, not my decision, but our first TS1 EP was Hot Date. I'm pretty sure I got TS2 EPs/SPs in order of release (miss those days of unwrapping a new one every birthday/christmas!).

Do you pronounce live mode like aLIVE or LIVing? We're LIVE, baby! 🎥

Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made? I don't usually get very attached to my first-generation sims, but maybe Evonne Milos, from the gameplay/story hood I accidentally destroyed in four days? Never actually played her, but I had a lot of ideas for a corrupt 'sexpot' politician. x)

Have you made a simself? Lots! 99% of the fun I had playing TS2 as a kid was me and my best friend making ourselves and our respective crushes of the week, and we'd always live in one of those Veronaville lots that was two houses connected by a balcony. I can't even tell you the amount of times she got me pregnant against my wishes whilst I went to the bathroom, lmao.

Which is your favorite EA hair color? For colour consistency, probably brown? But there are a lot of brunettes in Brunwick (must be the name!), so I enjoy the recessives popping up in gameplay. :)

Favorite EA hair? Does an EA download count? Jeanette is lovely.

Favorite life stage? Ohhh dude, that's so difficult to answer. They all bring different challenges and dynamics to the household! I feel like I've started to appreciate the child lifestage more since Brunwick has grown large enough to have multiple friendship groups. It's fun watching them goof around with each other and be actual kids, instead of sitting indoors skilling. I really need to build a park! :)

Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay?

Are you a CC creator? Yes, I really love how this game has led me to so many creative hobbies! Would like to tackle BHAVs one day. :)

Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad? Yeah! I consider us all friends over our shared enjoyment of the game really, but as a chronic lurker I'm not the best at cultivating connections. x) Does anyone wanna make a secret club? xD

Do you have any sims merch? No, but I do have a bunch of rad sims memories. 👉😎👉

Do you have a YouTube for sims? Nope, but I watched plenty of sim music videos back in the day! Found a lot of songs that way. :) Some formative memories here: One / Two

How has your “Sims style” changed throughout your years of playing? I sadly don't have screenshots of my oldest saves thanks to a combo of no external HD and no screenshot program, but here's one example:

But gameplay-wise, a lot! My early years were probably based around creating stories more than actively playing, but when I did I would just emulate perfect families, attempt legacies, and restart BG hoods over and over. x)

Now I'm all about wants-based gameplay; witnessing and interpreting a story, as opposed to creating one from scratch. But I will add drama if I find my interest waning! x)

Who’s your favorite CC creator? Again, super-duper impossible to answer because everyone's CC makes the game fun, but my most recent CC shopping spree was Honeywell and HugeLunatic! :) 🛒

How long have you had Simblr? Technically 2011, officially 2013, but if we're being pedantic, I finally made a dedicated Simblr (this) in 2016. x)

How do you edit your pictures? These days, just sharpen and shrink! CC previews aren't too complicated either- a blurred out screenshot for the BG and a shadow.

What expansion/gamepack is your favorite? Ooh… maybe Nightlife, by a smidgen? I feel like it gave us a lot of new features and items, and the subhood was nice (as a non-builder at the time!).

Tagging: @daman19942 @aondaneedles @eulaliasims @profesionalpartyguest @tvickiesims @and everyone else, I love reading these! :D

[melancholy-marionette]

Hi hi! I'm a fan of your yandere games and I just recently found out about your Tumblr account while hunting for fandoms of your games X3 I just finished playing Solipsism Reigns after letting it just sit there somewhere on my laptop for a whole year cuz I got attached to Kuro XD Ik your hands are already full from the amount of visual novels you've been creating so far but would you consider re-creating SR if you can? You don't have to feel obligated to ofc, I'm already impressed with the amount of visual novels you've cooked up XD (I'm quite nervous asking this cuz SR is so underrated and it's rarely talked about these days)

Hey hey! That’s awesome :D Super glad to hear it <3 

Yeeeeah, I mean, I don’t know for sure cos I’ve never looked, but I can’t imagine there's much in the way of fandoms for any of my games since they tend to fly under the radar x3 (my own fault for being incapable of using social media to promote stuff, I know T_T haha)

Since my following is mainly concentrated on itch I guess maybe that doesn’t help since other devs tend to post stuff in places like this and interact with people more. Heck, one of my supporters was even kind enough to make me a Discord server, which is incredible! But even with that, I struggle to use it regularly cos I can’t cope with live conversations very well >.< My social processing power is extremely limited T_T

The most frustrating thing is that I would like to be more active with social stuff, I just can’t handle it very well thanks to my ASD :( It only takes a little bit of social media for me to become completely overwhelmed and have to force myself to come off it so I don’t shut down, haha. It sucks.

Anyways, I’m rambling, sorry x3

That’s so cool you played SR :D my original baby, haha. It looks so old now T_T Every time I see it on my itch dashboard I end up thinking of all the things I would change now I have more experience as a dev! It makes me a happy bunny to hear that you got attached to Kuro though ^-^

Funnily enough... I had already planned to remake SR at some point :D 

As much as the project will always have a special place in my heart with it being my first-ever VN, there are many things about it that bother me too, haha. 

My hope is to eventually remake it from scratch (I kinda have no choice in that anyhow since I no longer have the old Tyranobuilder project files x3) in Naninovel :3 Cos I know Tyrano was kinda clunky >.< In Nani, I could make it all work more smoothly + add more in the way of visual FX and stuff too.

On top of that though, I plan to go over all of my writing because there’s sooooo much I’m not happy with (mainly glaring at the student route >.>) + with any luck add an entirely new route as well that I cut from the original release due to a lack of time to write it properly when I found out Kuro’s VA was going to be moving to another country and putting voice acting on hold, haha. 

There was also a BxG version in the works that’s currently on hold but features redesigned sprites by LazyPolarBear + CGs for a male protagonist x fem Kuro.

I’m not sure what I want to do about the music in the project because I feel like I chose the tracks well to fit the game, BUT, I’ve heard those same tracks in soooo many other people’s games now that I kind of hate that I used so much from Incompetch, haha. Kevin’s music is incredible, but since it’s very generously free to use, it does mean it’s kind of overused in games >.< I didn’t have any other option at the time cos I couldn’t make my own music and I didn’t have any money to buy asset packs.

Now that I tend to create my own OSTs, it would seem kind of insane not to make one for SR in the process of a proper remake. It’s just it would require me to make a lot of tracks x3 I’ll probably give it a go though + maybe keep a handful of Kevin’s ones that I really like too much to let go of, haha.

So yeah, my hope is to eventually remake the original otome version of SR in a different engine with edited + new writing, some new art, new UI, new FX, possibly an OST, and I guess new VA to go with the new writing :D 

I don’t really know when because I need to finish CiQ, DD, and Blue Blythe’s route in Bitter/Sweet before I tackle any more long-term projects x3 So it won’t be any time soon. Once I’ve managed to finish all of those though, I’ll probably make it my next long-term priority project :3

I’m genuinely flattered that you actually liked SR enough to even ask this! It always amazes me when anyone leaves a positive word about SR because I assumed that it had kinda just been lost to the sands of time at this point xD I know it’s definitely showing its age, haha. It’s nice to know there are still people out there who are willing to give it a chance if they happen to come across it somehow ^-^

I feel like my games are probably rarely talked about in general, haha. I mean, since I’m a fan of yandere games and play them myself, I do lurk in some communities + sometimes look at recs threads other people post to get ideas for things to add to my own playlist, and it’s not often that I see any of my games mentioned on recs or being discussed x3

I always kinda hope it’s cos people don’t know they exist rather than it being a case of them thinking they’re not worthy of mentioning xD Either way isn’t exactly great though I guess, haha. 

I just can’t promote stuff for the life of me cos I find it too overwhelming & exhausting + I don’t really have the self-confidence to try and put my games in front of people anyways cos I always feel like what I make isn’t good enough >.< I’m basically 100% reliant on other people sharing my games for anyone to even discover them x3 Either that or searching the yandere tag on itch, but even then, they might be kinda hard to locate cos they’re not super near the top since I don’t get as many people rating my games as other devs do. SR is my oldest game and it doesn’t even have 100 ratings yet on itch xD

If you search the yandere tag on itch and sort by ‘top rated’ 14 Days With You is first with a whopping 1238 total ratings as of searching right now while I type this… my first game to appear is Darling Duality as the 13th result with a mere 427 ratings by comparison, haha. And I’m pretty sure DD only got rated that much because of Manly’s video x3 Bitter/Sweet is next with only 228 total ratings by comparison.

I know people can just click on my itch profile if they happen to find and like 1 of my games and maybe want to see if I’ve made others, but a lot of people don’t realise you can do that, or they don’t know that I primarily make games with yanderes in x3 So they just go unnoticed.

Heck, Dawn of the Damned is related to Darling Duality, and even though DD is my most popular project, I can’t seem to get people to check out Dawn of the Damned, haha. At this point, the tiny demo for DD has 44.7k downloads (this still blows my mind o.o), and yet despite Dawn of the Damned being a completed project and set in the same universe featuring future DD characters, it only has 4036 total downloads as of today x3 If I can’t get the majority of my own followers to check out a game I made that’s set in the same universe, I have no hope of getting them to find my other yandere stuff T_T and even less hope of getting my games in front of people who have never heard of me as a dev, haha.

I’ve even had a handful of people tell me that they think Apartment No.9 is my best game, and that Doyle is their favourite ever yandere guy, but the project only has 3680 downloads x3

But yeah, my analytics on itch are really skewed cos pretty much all the numbers are for Darling Duality and my Yandere Heaven fandub. I may have somehow managed to get a fair few followers on there over the years, but I think probably something like 90% of them (possibly even more than that) are waiting for DD and aren’t interested in my other projects.

My poor Yandere Heaven fandub has received some attention (in fact, it’s actually beating DD on total downloads somehow), but there has been a lot of negativity + a looooot of 1* and 2* bad ratings on itch because, for some reason, people don’t realise it’s a fandub even though I put that very clearly on the page T_T So they rate the game badly with comments saying the story sucks, or that having no choices is stupid, the characters are dumb, or that it’s too goofy and OTT. None of which is even my fault since I’m trying to faithfully recreate the original content. All I wanted to do was make a Japanese drama CD into a VN fandub game >.< haha. 

I can’t believe I’ve rambled so much anyhow xD I’m so sorry, haha. It’s just one of those things that causes me a lot of confusion x3 I know I can’t handle social media very well and I fail at promo, but I can’t understand why a majority of my projects receive so few views/downloads in comparison to DD >.< I can’t for the life of me figure out what’s so appealing about DD and not my other stuff, haha. Unless it’s literally just cos Manly played it x3

Before I go though, I just wanna say a big thank you for playing my stuff :3 It really means a lot! I hope you get to have a super duper year ahead <3

[that-creature-thing]

For Here There Be Dragons, will Prowl get some type of chewing stick? For animals it helps destress them. It does the same for humans as well along with keeping our teeth straight.

Since Prowl is a dragon disguised as a mecha, will he have trouble with an instinctual response to chew on something as a destressor? Based on how you describe his strength I assume most materials will be too soft for a satisfactory chew.

Also, I wanted to ask a few other things. Because Prowl has been underfueled for a long period of time, does that mean he's smaller than average for a dragon of his age? Are there subspecies for dragons? If so, then what subspecies would Prowl be?

Concerning Jazz, will Prowl have any instinctual courting behaviors? With anyone else, would he display any pack behaviors?

Sorry for the amount of questions, I just got really curious for dragon species worldbuilding.

You're good! These are great questions!

The idea of Prowl enjoying something to chew on is absolutely adorable. I imagine through all life stages dragons would enjoy it. But their age/size determines just what they can reliably chew on. In fact, I like the idea that certain strong metals could slowly be consumed and help the dragon grow. So they get the benefit of something to chew on, and over time get a good source of nutrients!

Prowl getting anxious/stressed, maybe he has gone through countless styluses. He didn't do the best job at shaping his mech teeth either and as a result has some pretty gnarly, sharp molars and fangs. Jazz has been trying to learn more about dragons, so maybe he'll be able to help a dragon out. Maybe see if Wheeljack has any spare extra dense metals lying around XD

Prowl likely is smaller than he should be. Since he wasn't full grown when dragons fully went into hiding, but especially since living 100% among mecha, he is probably considered a bit scrawny! But he's not quite aware since he hasn't been around other dragons in a looooong time.

There are indeed different types of dragons! Different sizes, different body types, different wing types, no wings, preferred biomes, abilities, etc. I haven't nailed down exact distinctions yet so I still don't have Prowl's type completely figured out.

Prowl will certainly have some instinctual courting behaviors. Giving him gifts, especially shiny gifts, grooming, showing off how pretty his wings are, etc. Although Prowl has made an effort to NOT behave like a dragon and maintain some distance from most meche, thanks to Jazz, he just might start behaving a little oddly around others. We shall see :D

Thank you for the questions! They give me plenty to think about. When I started this fic I didn't have a lot ironed out. I just decided 1 day I wanted to make a dragonformers AU since there aren't enough of those. I jumped right in with a loose plot!

[zarvasace]

girls & gazettes

Welcome. This is silly. I'm shipping Traysi and Meghyn in this one, specifically TotK-era but with very very minimal spoilers. (the only spoilers are for the bright mushroom haven quest and where Traysi is.) It's just crushes. That's it. It turned out really well, actually? Why did I write this.

---

Meghyn isn't as into mushroom hunting as her sister is, but she *is* really into the girl who runs the Lucky Clover Gazette. Her crush is not quite as subtle as she thinks it is.

AO3 link here. 3.1k. Traysi/Meghyn! XD No warnings beside the spoilers.

---

Pale sunshine filters through the patterned canvas of the low tent walls, not doing much to warm up the interior. Meghyn tugs on her other boot and tries—again—to not grumble about the cold and the hard ground. It's been a few weeks since she and Nat left home, a few weeks that were fun and miserable in turns. It's more miserable right now, in the freezing early morning. 

She can hear Nat outside the tent, frying something that honestly smells delicious. Meghyn slides on her coat and starts to clean up their bedrolls for travel. The two of them divide the chores here the same as they do back in Hateno, with Nat doing most of the cooking and driving forward, and Meghyn cleaning and dragging her feet. At least they'd camped on a dry patch of ground last night. 

"Perfect timing!" Nat says brightly from her spot by the fire as Meghyn emerges from the tent, rolls of blankets under her arm. "Breakfast is about ready."

"Give me a second." Meghyn ties the rolls to their packs and starts to disassemble the tent. Thank Hylia for collapsible stakes. 

By the time the tent is packed away again, Nat has the fire snuffed. She hands a skewer of meat and mushrooms over, which Meghyn takes happily. She might grumble about her sister's insatiable appetite for mushrooms, but Nat really does do an excellent job cooking them. 

It's a beautiful morning, if any morning can be called that. The snowy mountains sparkle like diamonds around the hollow they'd camped in, with a few trees adding color to the landscape. The few cylindrical stones fallen from the Upheaval stand out like rather dull flowers on the mountainside. Meghyn isn't much of a morning person, so she focuses more on eating and walking than admiring the landscape. 

"You know, I've been thinking," Nat says as they start down the path between two cliffs. "There's only one other person who knows where the mushroom haven is, that one kid."

"Mhm," Meghyn responds, her mouth full. 

Nat has far too much energy in the mornings. She all but bounces as they walk. "And you just know that it's the perfect conditions for all those mushrooms to grow back in a month or two. So, what I'm thinking is that we might be able to start selling mushrooms and mushroom tours! Package them up all nicely and have a wagon to take people out there and show them the cavern."

Meghyn raises an eyebrow, intrigued but wary. She knows Nat has a lot of ambitious ideas. 

"We could market them as extra-special mushrooms. Nat and Meghyn's Bright Shrooms!" 

"That sounds like drugs," Meghyn says as she finishes off the last of the skewer and tosses the long twig off to the side. 

"No, it doesn't! Okay, well, what about Fancy Fungus?" 

"That's worse." 

Nat doesn't seem to hear her, caught up in starry visions of mushrooms and rupees. "I know! MeghyNat Mushrooms!" 

"Can we go back to the drug name?" 

"Stick in the mud." Nat rolls her eyes. "Anyway, I'm picturing, in the far future of course, an entire spa built around those hot springs, maybe an inn and a restaurant, all mushroom-themed!  We could team up with Cece, even, people love her!" 

Meghyn sighs, though it's fond. She doesn't know if Hyrule has a tourist trade big enough to support a niche, out-of-the-way attraction like that. The stables themselves are just getting big enough to consider expanding, and even a few of them are closing down, selling to other companies. 

Like the Lucky Clover Gazette. Meghyn smiles to herself as she thinks of the odd office and the staff that works there. Penn is exuberant. He and Nat feed off each other, escalating until they're both screaming in excitement. Juannelle is sweet, if a little reserved. And Traysi, well. 

Something cold and hot flutters right under Meghyn's ribs when she pictures Traysi. Even that huge old parka couldn't hide how… cool she is. She clearly found her niche, running a newspaper and a growing intelligence network with hard-won skill and admirable ruthlessness. Meghyn and Nat are technically part of that network, passing on information and gossip to Penn when they find him, or to Traysi herself when they find themselves at the Gazette headquarters. Perhaps Meghyn can convince Nat that they should head that direction again… 

"—listening to me?" Nat says, waving a gloved hand in Meghyn's face. She pouts.

"Of course." Meghyn blinks back to reality and watches the vapor from her words float away. "Hey, we should go to the Gazette. We're in the area."

Nat's eyebrows rise in a smile that tells Meghyn she missed something. "That is where we're going, silly."

"Wait, it is?" The fluttery feeling in Meghyn's stomach returns, but it isn't an unpleasant one. "Why?" 

"Where better to advertise our new business than in the Gazette?" Nat answers. She looks at Meghyn sideways as they fall into step again. "Why did you suggest it?" 

"Uh… for the same reason," Meghyn lies. 

"Riiiight." Nat doesn't believe her, but that's fine. She'd never guess the real reason. "Well, we should be there soon. By my map…" She pulls out the well-worn parchment and flips it open to navigate. She's usually pretty good at that, though they've gotten lost before. "Right around that bend, so another hour, I think."

An hour is all? Meghyn stops walking for a few seconds, then jogs to catch up. She looks down at herself and wishes that she'd bothered to wear her cleaner blue tunic today, instead of saving it. Her hands feel hot in her gloves, and she tugs them off to wring them in her fingers instead. She should've done her hair today, too. Is her face even clean? What would Traysi think if Meghyn came running up covered in dirt and sweat? Certainly nothing flattering. 

Nat goes off about her ideas, heedless of Meghyn's miniature crisis. She talks about the ad she wants to run, and the bottles they'll need to source from Rito Village. Meghyn hums in acknowledgement when Nat gasps and says that they should make truffle oil, too, from the recipe their grandmother gave them. Nat's ideas are grand, but if Meghyn focuses, she can see how they can be broken down into something that'll actually work. 

She's not focusing right now. 

The smoke from the stable-turned-Gazette puffs above the nearby pine trees, and the path turns to something more trodden. Meghyn tucks her gloves into her coat pocket and runs a hand down her hair, that fluttery feeling multiplying. 

A call from above stops both girls in their tracks. Meghyn shades her eyes to look up and watch Penn land in front of them, blowing cold air into their faces from his wings. 

"Hello, you two!" Penn looks ready for another trip across Hyrule, decked out in his goggles and bags. "Right on time, things are ready for—" He cuts off. His eyes watch Nat, standing behind Meghyn. 

Suspicious, Meghyn whips around, but Nat's just standing there with a wide smile on her face, holding the top of her backpack straps. Her smile falls suddenly into surprise, and even Meghyn can tell it's entirely fake. 

"Oh, no!" Nat says. "I left my pan back at the campsite! I have to go back to get it!" 

Meghyn frowns. She does almost remember seeing something like that left behind… "Your nice one?"

"The only one I brought, silly! I'm gonna need that. I'd better go back for it." Nat heaves a sigh. 

"That'll be another two and a half hours—" Meghyn begins. 

"No! No, I'll be fine, you go on ahead! I know you don't like the cold."

Somewhat confused, Meghyn puts her hands on her hips. She's fine in the cold. Doesn't Nat know that? "It's too dangerous to go alone, Nat."

"Yes, but—" Nat looks imploringly at Penn, who raises his wings in surrender. 

"Don't look at me. I got places to be, chirps to hear. I'm headed out right now."

Nat frowns, but then her face lights up. She reaches out and somehow snatches an entire person out of what seems like thin air. Her elbow wraps around his and pulls him closer. 

He looks startled, blue eyes wide and mouth opening, but he calms when he recognizes them. His shoulders drop, and he just looks baffled. Unlike the last time they'd met, he's not wearing a parka and Rito corset, just a sleeveless blue tunic with odd designs. It looks nice. Maybe Meghyn should ask where he got it. 

"The Link lookalike will come with me!" Nat announces, smiling widely. She leans in and covers her mouth with a hand to whisper something to him, and Meghyn narrows her eyes. 

The Link clone's eyes burn with the light of revelation as Nat whispers, and when she's done, he grins and holds a thumbs-up with his weird hand. 

"I don't know…" This is very fishy, but not unlike Nat. She thrives on dangerous spontaneity, and Meghyn really would prefer to get to the Gazette rather than go back for Nat's pan. She doesn't know this Link clone, but she does respect him for finding the bright mushroom cave first. Maybe Nat can talk him into an exclusivity contract. 

Nat sticks out her bottom lip and flutters her eyelashes. "Come on, Meghyn! He'll protect me from any monsters, I couldn't be any safer. Pleeeaase?"

The Link clone nods vigorously and smiles brightly, agreeing. He almost looks like he's laughing. 

Meghyn stares at the two of them for just a moment longer, remembering the way Nat had tried flirting with him earlier. Things are taking shape in her mind now. She sighs, letting out a cloud of vapor, and rolls her eyes. "Fine. Go have fun."

"Yay!" Nat bounces back up to full height—a head or so taller than the Link clone—and pulls him back onto the path. "You too, Meghyn! Bye, Penn!" 

"Be safe!" Penn calls as the two of them disappear around the ridge. 

"She's really crushing on that kid, isn't she?" Meghyn says to Penn. 

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean, she clearly set this all up so she could go on a date with him."

Penn starts coughing, and Meghyn turns, unsure if she'd be able to help if he's choking, but he gets over the fit quickly and stands straight again. "Yep. Really stuck on him. Anyway, I should get going. See you around!" 

Meghyn waves a hand and waits until Penn is a speck in the distance to turn back toward the Gazette's smoke and picture her next step. 

Oh, Hylia, she's going to go meet Traysi alone. It's a very exciting prospect, but also terrifying. Traysi is… a whirlwind, to say the least. She's aggressive in pursuit of news, and so put-together, and pretty… Meghyn bites her lip, imagining herself sweep dramatically into the Gazette, a rugged adventurer. Traysi would be there alone, and Meghyn would say something entirely dashing, Traysi would snap at her, but as the day wore on, they'd both soften and end up cuddling around the fire, and maybe Traysi would invite her in…

Meghyn feels herself blush bright red at the thought. No, no. Nat would be here soon, three or four hours max. Juannelle would probably be there, or one of the younger Rito teenagers employed to distribute the newspaper. Meghyn and Traysi would not be alone, and who's even to say that Traysi would be open to… something like cuddling around a fire? With Meghyn, no less? She probably stinks. 

That brings Meghyn back to the present. She looks down at her hands, then at her dirty tunic. She can't get to Rito Village without passing the Gazette, and she really does want to maximize time away from Nat right now, so a bath is out of the question. Still… 

Meghyn finds a hollow in the cliff nearby, shielded from the road and everything else by evergreen trees. The late morning sun shines right into the spot, giving her light. Quickly, so as not to expose herself too much to the cold, Meghyn changes her tunic into the clean blue one and takes a bit of extra time to lay down her vest and belt nearly on top. She digs into her pack and pulls out her travel mirror, and uses a handful of snow to wash her face. There. That's as nice as her appearance will get, out here. She'll be content with it. 

Nervously braiding a section of her hair, Meghyn walks back out to the road. The closer she gets to the Gazette, the worse her butterflies become. 

The area around the Gazette headquarters is exactly as she remembers, if a little more deserted. A campfire burns merrily out front, and two horses rest in the attached stable. Meghyn can't see Juannelle, though, or anyone else. 

She can hear someone yelling, muffled. 

Meghyn falls into a run, worried. The yelling is coming from inside the Gazette, along with banging. It stops after a moment, and Meghyn pauses in the Gazette's main office. Maps, documents, and notes cover every inch of table and wall space. Some of the scattered pencils have chewed-off ends, very clear evidence of Traysi's presence. It's a bit chilly, even in here, but the shelter from the wind helps. One very obvious folded note stands out among the clutter, and Meghyn picks it up. 

I'm going to stay the night in Rito Village! (The key is in cubby 6B!) -Juannelle 

Oh. Meghyn frowns. No Juannelle, no Penn… Where's Traysi? Did Nat really go so far for a dumb little date with the Link clone? What did the note mean, key? 

One of the employees-only doors rattles suddenly, something heavy slamming into the other side. Meghyn jumps at the sound, eyes falling on the heavy chair wedged under the doorknob. Someone has to be trapped inside. On purpose? 

Meghyn locates cubby 6B and finds a little brass key quickly. Whoever's on the other side of the door smashes something else into it, something that sounds like it shatters. The door rattles again as Meghyn struggles to pull the heavy chair away from it. 

"Ow!" It's definitely Traysi trapped behind the door. "Juannelle! You're not getting the week's bonus for this! Let me out!" 

"I think she left," Meghyn says loudly, hoping her voice gets through the door. She gives another tug, and the chair comes away, though the door remains shut tight. The momentum sends her crashing down to the floor. 

"Wait, who's that?" Traysi demands. "Where's Juannelle?"

Meghyn grunts and stands back up to fit the key in the door. "There's a note that says she went to the village for the night. It's Meghyn, you know, Nat's sister? We hunt—"

"Truffles, yes, I know." Traysi goes quiet for a moment, shuffling around. "Can you get me out?"

"I'm trying." Meghyn wiggles the key in the lock, but it refuses to turn. Is it the wrong key? She scowls and tries again. 

"You have to lift the handle while you turn it," Traysi says, sounding closer. "It's old."

"Right. Who locked you in there, anyway?" Meghyn gets the key to turn a little, her heart leaping, but it sticks, so she pulls it out to try again. 

Traysi huffed. "Juannelle. I don't even know why—oh." 

"Oh?" Meghyn lifts the handle as hard as she can and gently turns the key. The lock finally clicks. 

She opens the door and freezes. Traysi is standing right there, with that huge parka on but unbuttoned. Her dark eyes glitter in the ambient light, and strands of her brown hair have flown away from the tight braids she usually keeps them tied in. She's red. Why is she red? Meghyn stares for a second, then stumbles back, swallowing. 

"Right, um. There you go."

"Thanks." Traysi steps out of what looks like a storage room, avoiding Meghyn's eyes. 

This is a disaster. 

"I'm so sorry," Meghyn says. "I think Nat went a little too far, trying to get a date with that Link lookalike—"

"Link lookalike?" Traysi spins, caught on the scent of gossip like a sunflower to the sun. "Nat set herself up? But… wait. Meghyn, are you jumping to conclusions? I don't think we have the full story here."

Meghyn pauses. She thinks over what she knows again. "Penn met us on the road and said something was ready. Nat insisted I go on ahead, because she left her pan at the campsite. I said she couldn't go alone, so she snatched the Link lookalike from somewhere and he agreed to go with her. I got here, found a note from Juannelle about her being gone and the location of the key, and then… well, rescued you." 

"My dashing adventurer," Traysi says, headed to the table to look at the note Juannelle left behind. Meghyn freezes. She pictures herself steaming from the ears at those words. She needs to sit down. Her stomach feels… like it's full of sunshine or something. Summerwings, maybe. Did Traysi really just say that? Meghyn's not really thinking clearly. 

After reading the note, Traysi sighs and turns, hands on her hips. She meets Meghyn's eyes and flushes. "I don't think Nat meant to go out with Link. I think they all worked together to set us up."

"What?" Meghyn bursts. She's elated, she's dreadfully embarrassed. She wants to sink into the ground and have dark dirt surround her on all sides. Her hands fly up to cover her face. "Oh. Traysi, I'm so sorry for Nat, she's enthusiastic, and—"

Traysi takes a step closer. "Meghyn, calm down and don't apologize. Do you see me complaining about being here alone with you?" 

Meghyn peeks out from between her fingers. Traysi's smiling, amused, if still somewhat red. "...no?" 

"You're right. I'm not complaining, not one bit. Unless you don't want to be here?" 

"No, no! I mean, I do!" Meghyn scrambles for words, but Traysi's looking at her like that, and… 

"Good." Traysi's smile could cut through a thousand lies. "I do, too. Do you want tea?" 

Meghyn isn't daft enough to not realize that she's head-over-heels. She's known about her crush for a while, and thought it was just that. A dumb little crush. She could admire from afar. She could. She hadn't realized that Nat could tell, though. And apparently Traysi liked her back, to the point where her friends would conspire to give Meghyn a shot. 

Well, she wasn't about to waste it. 

"Yeah. Yeah, tea sounds nice."

[cloudninetonine]

*sprints on in like I have a lynel on my heels* I CAME AS SOON AS I HEARD AND AS SOON AS IRL STUFF RELEASED ME AND THE SLEEP DEPRIVATION SETTLED HOLY MOTHER OF FARORE-!

First of all, everybody say thank you very much Monarch Cloud, for you have fed us incredibly well and I am FERAL over this recent meal in Player's Aid showstopping, amazing, unparalled, incredible I feel so well fed you have no idea. You're an incredible writer, who allowed you to be this good? Whoever they are I'm going to shake their hand so hard, you're an absolute trooper for writing this well and posting even while tired and I hope you know we're all glad, really grateful and wish you a lot of good stuff in life (or at least me and my dog who had the pleasure of stealing my food when I was trying not to scream at the update like the little land piranha she is), so really thank you, was an excellent surprise and pick me up ^^.

Now to hopefully stop overstepping too much and actually yelling about what I liked so much about this chapter XD.

First of all, the reactions of the Chain and specially Wild's and Hyrule's, it's gut wrenching, it's heart stabbing and it's overall incredible and very in character, why? Because all of the Link's have deep trauma of losing people they care for or failing them in some way (I can make up a whole list from the first Zelda game to BOTW and now TOTK, by the way how we feeling about that gameplay reveal?), But specially Wild and Hyrule and even more so now that they remember Player, so losing them like that to what is basically an obvious trap is like tearing open a scar with a rusty serrated knife and then pouring salt and boiling water on the wound, Wild thinking over the worst case scenarios immediately due to his failure and almost spiralling over it if not for Twilight being the first to reach him to snap him out of it, showcasing both their bond and in a way how Wild's adventure is the most recent as far as he knows it (cause I think the only other Link's to not have more than two adventures under their belt are Twilight and Warriors, albeit for very different reasons), so having the trauma slapped back in his face is obviously not going to do him good since he already failed and lost them once just like how he likely feels he failed the kingdom, Zelda and the Champions. How Hyrule who has more experience under his belt is equally livid and terrified and fully willing to paint the walls of the castle black and red if it means getting the one person who truly, really, was literally always by his side at his best and worse in a ruined world because he doesn't want to lose one of his first friends twice plus the natural Fae instinct of being kind of maybe sorta very murderous when people touch what they consider theirs (which I fully believe to Hyrule would be the Chain nowadays and Player), how Time remains level headed and does his best to keep everyone together, how Sky recognizes their rage as a mirror of his own for what Demise did way back when, pure, mortal fury that could down even the divine for having the daring and AUDACITY to harm someone whom they consider theirs or under their protection in some way (cause I kind of feel like The Chain is a bit like a wolf pack, once you're considered by one, you're basically the person of them all even if it will take time for them to warm up or trust you, because trust hurt all of the Links before but once they trust you or at least know one of them trusts you, they're very ride or die in a very mythologicallg inspired way, fitting for the Hero's Spirit), how even if they're in a high stakes situation any idea goes no matter how stupid or dangerous it is as long as it brings victory (because it's such a Link thing they all share and it makes me blinking hysterical in the best way, because honestly doing instinctual stuff or going off on a gut feeling and STILL succeeding by either pure luck or their instincts being right is very in character for them all), it's all great, chef's kiss, 10/10.

Second of all, Dark Link. DARK LINK. I adore his portrayal here and it's great and amazing, he really comes off as this wrong, unnatural, eldritch glitch in the matrix straight out of some analog horror series, the way his voice warps? How it's pitch is never fully determined? His inhuman aspects like the talons, the look in his eyes being like a feral predatory animal who is likely cornered and willing to drag anyone down with him? How his appearance changes from Link to Link when Player looks at him? How he delights in their fright and revels in the mere though of the heroes dying and suffering? How he basically IS the embodiment of the primal fear of the unknown all humans have and how he clearly should NOT be in the narrative anymore that it seems like the world itself rebels against his presence, but his unrivaled, unmeasurable rage and fury through timelines keep him going and refusing it? Magnificent, unmatched, outstanding, really digging the horror elements on him and he definitely stole the show the entire chapter and makes for a great antagonist, plus I just love Eldritch Dark Link in general which is something we really need to touch upon more because as a shape shifter he has a lot of potential for some really great horrifying moments straight out of nightmares, it's in the details of uncanny valley, in a way it reminds me of this one character related to the Stranger in the Magnus Archives (a great horror podcast), that has a laugh which is multiple of people's voices layered together, and another one who literally is a shape shifter but I won't say much more due to spoilers, and this gives me that same vibe and I love it to unhinged bits.

Third of all, Player's reactions, they really capture what someone in a life or death situation react like, specially an ordinary person like Player who's from our world aka modern times in general, they aren't used to life or death situations, to their life really being in danger or the possibility of needing to take a life to survive like the Chain likely is after so long of living a in a world like theirs. They can't flee and fawning sure as heck won't work with Dink, so they practically freeze, then genuinely confused (and honestly I'd be too in their situation, given they don't remember being the Guide and Dink seems to be pulling a Vaati here aka going after myths without actual much research or reading the fine print {I have, way too many thoughts about Player's Aid and theories, but the word count will probably nerf me so I'll probably save a full on breakdown of it and theories for either another time or AO3}, they're both unreliable narrators because they don't have all of the puzzle pieces and that is something I really like), and then to fight (honestly I couldn't help but laugh at their cursing, and was literally mentally chanting "go for the eyes" because I know for a fact that works specially if Player has long-ish nails, don't ask, my highschool years were kind of wild after this one other kid almost set the classroom of fire, but then they did me one better, plus at least they know he bleeds now? If it bleeds it can die! That's usually how it works anyway), How adrenaline basically kept them going with the will to survive and fight tooth and nail for their life and then only once they're out of danger (aka with Wild, whom they recognize as a safe space), do they fully break down and descend into freeze as their situation well and truly daws on them and how close they were to death and it's honestly very touching, heart wrenching and realistic, plus their inner commentary is simultaneously hilarious and serious and realistic as always and just a blinking mood, I adore them as an MC your honor.

And third of all, the stasis scene, need I say more? The way that Player may or may not be realizing that hey maybe they are a protagonist for real in this situation after all ala Kim Dokja in ORV but is too panicked to really dwell on it because they can't waste the chance, how they punch Dink to buy even more time which is really smart? (Thank goodness they're a clever protag, not overly so but just enough they don't do the obvious of just running away when they remember what stasis does and how they can buy themselves more time and distance) How the dings match their heartbeat and build up tension because it's quite literally the clock ticking down for the guillotine to come down on their neck, honestly all of the imagery in this chapter is just really nice and I really like the descriptions, also that cliffhanger was evil but I can't even be too hung up on it cause I love it so much.

Once again, thank you for all your hard work! You did a wonderful job ^^

Also, glad the Fia thing (official doc file title being "Player's Increasingly Bad Day") was somewhat well received? It's just a snippet and I'm not that good of a writer, but I'll send in another snippet later on (featuring Una this time, spoilers, she messes with Fia a lot over Player, and uses an axe) and tag you on my secondary blog once the full thing (and the Lora one) is out if you want? English is not my first language, so I'm not fully satisfied with it, but I did what I could XD.

Now I go tend to my dog, she's trying to steal my coffee again, thank you so much once more!

-Just a Very Awkward Summertime Musician.

Monarch Cloud? You're gonna give me a big head, Sum! But also thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! As for the hand you're shaking that's just another of mine that I totally didn't steal because writing was certainly my passion! Also you're not over-stepping at all! Tbh I'm an over-sharer anyway IUFHOIEUFHFEIU

I'm really glad you enjoyed my depiction of Dink, this was one of the things I was most nervous about because I didn't want him to come across as the normal video game character but an actual visage of horror that he could be in real life! Some people have already mentioned how disturbing he's been described as and I'm so glad for it!

[scruffyplayssonic]

Professor Scruffymatt will return

Hey friends, just an update regarding my Twitch channel and how barren and tumbleweed-y it's been since April. 

So as you may already know, I've gone through a lot of lifestyle changes in the last few months. In late April I flew to Canada and married my partner after we decided that a 12 and a half year long distance relationship was more than enough. When I returned to Melbourne in May I immediately came down with some kind of virus. It wasn’t COVID thankfully, but it still took me out of commission for almost two weeks. Not ideal when I was supposed to be finishing up work and training a replacement during that time. Oh well, I had sick leave and I bloody well used it. Once I was at least partially back on my feet I had to go through the process of packing up my house and deciding which of my belongings I was going to ship to Canada and what I was going to get rid of. And after looking at shipping rates, I ended up keeping a lot less than I'd been planning to. RIP, most of my classic gaming and DVD collections. </3

I left Melbourne in early June and spent a month or so with my family in Western Australia before finally making the return trip to Canada in early July, where I am now happily living with my new family. One thing that my partner's wanted me to have since I got here was a space for myself, but unfortunately the spare bedroom was a cluttered mess when I arrived. So we've been going through a long process of getting it into a decent state, and it's now almost ready to become my office. I just need to buy a desk and a chair, and then I'll be ready to get back to streaming again. I'm also still waiting for my belongings to be shipped to me (which should be some time in the next fortnight), especially because they include my Xbox. 

So yeah, hopefully I'll be up and running again soon. I do plan on finishing up my Classic Era Sonic marathon, which I had to put on hiatus back in April. But there's a number of other games I want to stream as well, such as Arkham Origins: Blackgate (gotta finish my run of the Arkham games eventually, right?), a new game I recently discovered called Thank Goodness You're Here, and I might possibly continue some other series I've streamed in the past such as Dead Rising and Ace Attorney. Once I’ve gotten my Sonic comics back, maybe I could try to figure out what I’d like to do with a review show. And maybe eventually I'll even live up to my avatar and do a Professor Oak challenge on stream rather than just tweeting my daily progress. Anything's possible. Oh, and on the topic of my latest Professor Oak challenge: that’s on hiatus for now. I’ve really gotten into the recent release of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon on the Switch’s GBA app, and most of my gaming attention is going to that right now. In all honesty, I probably needed a break between Professor Oak challenges anyway.

One other change I am going to have to make is to my streaming times. Saturday nights were fine for me when I was living alone, but things are different now that I live with people I actually enjoy spending time with. xD Also, if I were to try and get back into the exact same time slot I used to stream in, that would be the middle of the night here in Canada! Tuesday mornings or afternoons will probably be a good streaming time for me, as it’s the only day of the week my partner doesn’t work from home. But on the other hand we do have a mischievous 1 year old doggo to consider, whom I wouldn’t want to leave alone unsupervised if I’m in the house. And while I am excited at the prospect of finding a new audience now that I live in a time zone that’s compatible with North America, I also don’t want to leave my Australian viewers out in the lurch. So I’ll probably be doing some evening streams as well, which my fellow Australians should at least be awake for. It’s far too early for me to lock in anything just yet, and I’ll probably be experimenting with different days and times for a while to find out what fits best for my family and I. Maybe I’ll follow my partner’s usual Sunday streams, to give her an opportunity to send raiders to me? We’ll see.

Anyway, sorry for the long ramble. I didn’t intend to go on quite as long as I did, but as it’s been so long since I disappeared from Twitch I felt you guys deserved an explanation. If all goes according to plan I should be streaming again some time in the next few weeks, so keep an eye on my usual social medias for announcements. You’ll also get notifications when I go live if you follow me on Twitch, of course, and I’ll be continuing to upload the VODs to my YouTube channel after each stream. I’m planning to kick off my return by continuing the classic Sonic marathon (Sonic Labyrinth is up next, god help me!), so if you’d like to catch up on what I’ve played so far, I’ve got a playlist that can help you with that. Thanks for reading, and I look forward to seeing you on Twitch again soon!

Cheers,

Professor Scruffymatt

[leffee]

Day 16: Riptide

Ok, so, the "normal" definition of that word is different than what I wrote, but I had zero ideas for that normal definition and then I found this one:

I decided to go with this definition of the word. Admittedly, I only found this sort of meaning for riptide on two sites, plus I have never heard of this word myself, so I'm sorry if this definition is wrong or doesn't really fit :') then again I really don't think you care that much about those prompt words, do you xd?

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“So, because of this wedding, next week I am flying to India with my parents. Since the occasion arises, we decided that we might as well stay in our homeland for the next seven days too, reconnect with it for a week.” 

Ever since Sunil casually provided that information to their group his friends have known - for a while they would be treading on thin ice, and no one was quite sure whether to be grateful or worried that Vinnie just happened to be too busy that day to hear about his best friend’s departure.

“I think I should call Vinnie; he would like to know, I am sure.” Back then Sunil started reaching for his phone, but Russell grabbed his wrist in a flash.

“N-no, don’t worry yourself with that, you already have enough on your plate with that visit, we will tell him… later.”

It was a good enough solution for a while until the dreaded later came. After seeing Sunil off at the airport, who admittedly was surprised by the absence of his best friend, but Minka managed to rig up some half-believable excuse, the five friends gathered at the pink-haired girl’s house. One delivered message later they all became tense and, on their toes, dreading what might as well be considered as a small-scaled apocalypse.

“Alright, everyone,” Russell started with a shaky breath, sitting on the couch squeezed from both sides by his tightly packed friends, “knowing him, he will be here in a few minutes at most and then we will… tell him all about Sunil’s week-long trip. R-Remember, just be calm and it will all work out, he can’t smell fear if it’s not there…”

“We try that each and every time and it never works!” Pepper accused and shifted on the couch. “I don’t think this is going to work, Ferguson.”

“Maybe just this time it will, it has to one day, I mean, nothing else ever did!" Russell’s voice raised in pitch with every syllable. He tugged on his hair, redirecting his shaky gaze at Minka. “And Minka, please, this time don’t, let’s say, yell the news before it’s supposed to happen, alright?”

“Ahaha.” His interlocutor giggled hurriedly with an askew smile, “I know, I know, I won’t, promise. I just don’t think thisisgoingtowork…!” 

“Well, just don’t do that,” Zoe replied with downcast eyes, her hands playing with the rim of her dress. Her expression was the calmest out of the bunch, or well, has been until that moment. “Maybe we just shouldn't tell him at all? Maybe we can hide Sunil’s departure for an entire week…?” She finished; whatever crumbs of confidence were in her voice dissipated with each word.

“No! This will never work. I’m pretty sure Vinnie can smell Sunil and once he realizes that the scent isn’t there, he’s gonna freak! But… I've been thinking of an idea of sorts.” Before the group could question either of those claims, the creaking of the front door seemed to reverberate throughout the entire house causing the five individuals to either flinch or full-fledged jump on the couch and cling to one another.

“Minka!” Penny whispered through her teeth. “You didn’t lock the door?!”

“Guess not, I was too nervous, probably, and I must have forgotten.” Penny couldn’t even blame the other, all of their minds had been preoccupied with just one matter after all.

“Hi guys, there you are.” The new voice entering the room caused all of them to flinch again and turn slowly towards Vinnie. 

“Hi, darling!” Zoe quickly let out, with a bit too much enthusiasm penetrating her greeting.

“‘Sup,” Vinnie waved haphazardly and blinked at his friends’ peculiar positions. “Uh, okay…” His eyes scanned all of them in sequence. “Hey, where’s Sunil? You said that everyone would be here, and I knocked on Sunil’s door on my way here and he didn’t answer, so how come he is not here either?” His neck made a snapping sound as he quickly tilted his head to the side, his pupils appearing just a bit smaller than before.

Russell gulped, his shoulders rising up. He exchanged a rapid glance with each person on the couch before opening his dry-feeling mouth but in advance of any words coming out of his mouth, there came an impossibly high-pitched screech from the right end of the couch.

“Minka, no, don’t say anything-!” However, that’s not what happened. Instead, the girl got up and in no time made her way to the other room, disappearing quickly from the view. After they stopped gazing in the direction of Minka’s mad rush, everyone slowly turned back to now eye Vinnie. He stood there, seemingly rooted to the spot, staring in the same direction as everyone a second ago.

“Damn, Minka, you traitor, leaving us like this,” Pepper whispered through clenched teeth, her own legs shifting. Vinnie’s head snapped back to now look at the remaining quartet, breathing heavily through his nose.

“...”

“Vinnie, wait, I can, um, explain.” Russell swallowed, his flat hands moving in front of him. It was now or… well, not never, it was now or now. “You see…” He started but as soon as he looked at Vinnie again the words got stuck in his throat, “see… see… um… Sunil… he… he, he, he…”

This wasn’t getting anywhere, was it? With each of his stutters Vinnie’s hands got closer to forming into fists, his pupils becoming smaller, his teeth more bared.

“He’s not here, he’s in India this week,” Zoe finished for him, letting the word flow out quickly yet just slowly enough to be recognizable. Her squeezed-tight eyes throughout the whole sentence now snapped open, just in time to see Vinnie rushing at them. 

“AH!” They all gasped and clung immediately to one another as he jumped, all of their eyes now closed, getting ready for whatever was to come next. But just then-.

“STOOOOP!” Minka’s voice hollered. “Please, take this!” They took in a truly offbeat sight. At some point, Minka had appeared in front of them and was now holding something cardboard up in her hands, seemingly for Vinnie, who momentarily stopped in mid-air, his eyes losing their fire once they stopped on the item.

“Oh.” He allowed himself to fall back to the floor and eyed the object with a now curious stare while Russell, Zoe, Penny, and Pepper still clung to one another, exchanging unnerved glances.

“S-see?” Minka swallowed. “I know it’s not the same, but uh, how about you just take it for this week, or-or however long Sunil’s not here and, um, uh…”

Vinnie was completely silent once Minka failed to try to find her words, still staring at the same point. His expression was a poker face with a tinge of surprise and remaining anger, but just then as if someone flipped a switch a delighted smile grew on his face, and he snatched the cardboard from Minka’s hands.

“Sunil!” He squealed happily and hugged the thing, turning around with it and allowing the rest to finally see it from the front - it was a cardboard-cutout of Sunil…

“Is… is this one of those cardboard-cutouts you made of all of us when you said you miss us when we’re not all together?” Penny whispered as all of their eyes followed Vinnie’s every move cautiously.

“Yeah,” Minka replied in an equally hushed tone. “See, this is the idea I was talking about.”

The grip of the rest of the group loosened gradually from around each other until they were all standing free again, though remaining undeniably close. 

“I can’t believe that worked.” Zoe scratched her nape, all of their eyes on Vinnie who was now firmly squeezing “Sunil.” Next, he dipped the cutout and went for a kiss on the cheek.

“Uhm, Vinnie, maybe you shouldn’t…” Russell’s voice trailed off when Pepper put her arm in front of him.

“Would you really rather he started freaking out and possibly tearing Minka’s entire house to shreds?”

“No… no, I wouldn’t. I just wonder if this will be enough for an entire week.” No one tried to provide any answer. Only time would tell, but for now everyone’s sanity, and material goods, were saved.

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Since I don't remember when I really started loving Vinnie I have a theory it was when he destroyed the daycamp in Sunil's sick day. I mean, what a man! Little freak <3

Yeah, that honestly only semi-fits even this definition, but I think it will do.