#ever wanted to escape the random forest clearing

[circeyoru]

Dead By Demon

[Killer!Alastor x Survivor!Reader - Dead By Daylight AU]

By some interesting world reason or whatever phenomenon that is still unexplainable to your feeble little mind, you got sent to a game you’ve been forced to play by your friends called Dead By Daylight

It’s a horror game that’s designed to be a match based game. Each game there are 5 players, 4 as survivors and 1 as the killer. In each game, the players are all sent to a randomized map. Each side with a different goal

The goal of the survivors is to survive, how? By fixing 5 machines called generators, then 2 exit doors on the map will be allowed to be opened and the survivors can escape through that. The killer’s goal is to kill all the survivors, either offering them to the entity by putting them on another machine called a hook or executing them

Of course, the game is not as simple as that, since there are other variables that can give the players advantages and disadvantages. Not to mention the play style of each gamer is different, on top of the ever changing maps and new characters for survivors and killers. As a beginner moving to somewhat more causal player, you were proud to say you are familiar with the mechanics of the game and can survivor flawlessly

THAT IS IF THE KILLERS AND SURVIVORS WERE THE SAME AS THE GAME YOU KNEW

Somehow, the killers and survivors were all major characters from a show you watched called Hazbin Hotel. You didn’t understand it, when you were brought in, they were all familiarity with the game’s mechanisms. Everything that happened in the show was distorted as their background information

You were a survivor. The others were Charlie, Vaggie, Angel, Husk, Niffty, Adam, Lute, Sera, Emily, and Saint Peter. You’re not surprised the hotel staff was all put in the survivor side, but you were surprised that the angels were all on your side as well. By guess, you can bet that the King of Hell and Overlords were all the killers

You learned that the hotel staff members were the first to arrive on the scene, then they were quickly sent to the maps of their former allies, Alastor and Lucifer

Alastor was formerly a radio host and serial killer during his days as a human, his maps were based on his hometown but the variety spread to a few, including his beloved home with his mother and the murder scene of his father, his radio broadcasting studio and work station where he writes his scripts and ideas, his swamp where it was his body dumping grounds, and his forest where it was his hunting grounds and death

Lucifer as the King of Hell also has a few maps. One was a smaller scale of Pentagram City, another was his garden, then his ducky workshop and kitchen, and last was his musical room which was still a giant map

There didn’t seen to be an issue with the first map as the 4 sent survivors were keen on escaping and Alastor was keen on killing them by placing them on hooks or executing them. For Lucifer though, he was a softy for whenever Charlie was present, always letting her survive while showing no mercy to the others

The first match was the scariest since they thought their lives were on the line, but when it was clear that they were only dead during the match and revived when the match ends, everything was more chill

But that depended on the killers and survivors. If there were bad blood between, things could get petty like taunting and letting other teammates die. If the killer wanted, they can watch the survivor suffer a bit before killing them. It was a twisted repeat day after day. Luckily, it was only 3 matches a day and the same survivor won’t be allowed to join more than 2 matches a day

Matches are placed in the morning, afternoon, and night. All players are random unless one volunteers, to which the opposite side would be notified and no other volunteers are allowed to allow for fairness. Matches can be quick or slow, depending on the players. Rewards for a win in a match are what the player wants. Like better living quarters, better food, entertainment items, etc

Outside of the matches, survivors and killers live in separate areas divided by a wall of flowing water. If a survivor or killer is injured, their condition will be fully revived during the match but returned to the way they are if they lost the match

All these information was all so overwhelming for you since it was on top of trying to adapt your new surrounding, but they were all used to it since it was slowly introduced to them. The second wave of survivors were the angels from Heaven and then the rest of the Overlords

It was only a matter of time before you also got used to all the stuff that you were thrown into

There was one change after your arrive. Whenever you were in a match, any other participants had more control over their own actions and mindset. The former desire to survivor or killer was weaken to none the longer and more experienced and familiar you got. You even found yourself getting familiar with the killers or former Overlords

Albeit you were trying to survive by buying time through chatting. The highest of success was high usually. Sometimes it doesn’t work because you don’t know much about them cause there was a lack of information revealed in the show

However, even though Alastor’s a favourite of yours. You hate being in the same match as him. Watching him from the safety of your home when he was just fictional was fine, but having him chasing you with a knife or a shotgun and a crazed smile? No! HELL NO!!!

Whenever it was revealed that Alastor was the killer in your match, you would immediately run to find your other teammates no matter who they are. You just can’t be left alone with him, even when you serve as a good bait to buy time and let your teammates fix the generators so they can open the exit for you to run towards

“There’s a limit to my mental stamina!!” You screamed at the top of your lungs while running away from the deer demon behind you. “I’m so beating you guys up when this match is over!”

Meanwhile, all your teammates are mentally thanking your sacrifice. “Keep up the good work, almost there.”

Before your arrival, Alastor could never enjoy his hunt. It was like he was wired to hunt and kill, there was no thrill, no entertainment as he would prefer. It was so dull and boring

Find a survivor, scare them, chase them, stab them till they can’t run, put them on a hook and watch them die or go hunt the other survivors, repeat repeat repeat. That was how predictable the matches became after the first few times. It got to the point that he doesn’t even try anymore when he was sent into a match, especially when he was so well off in his living conditions

He didn’t need the wins anymore, it was all meaningless

Then he heard from Zestial who got the honors of participating as the killer for your first match. He told the others after the last meal of the day when everyone was gathered around a bonfire to see if someone wants to volunteer for the next day

According to Zestial, when he entered the random map that was Carmilla’s weapons workshop, there was a weaken desire to hunt and kill the survivors, even more so when it was the unfamiliar figure he met. He had found a survivor fixing a generator, he tried creeping up to the poor soul, but your head was looked around as if you felt him

The moment he got one step closer, you bolted up and ran away from the area. His hunting and killing urge came back and he gave chase, when his claws came into contact with your figure and you screamed, he felt an unfamiliar ache. He watched your speed increase and ran out of sight as it was normal whenever a survivor was slashed by a killer, then he looked down to his bloody claws

That inferno desire weakened again, like he was returning back to his true self when he was outside of the match

Killer’s volunteer table was quickly filled up as everyone wanted a chance to test Zestial’s words. Though, only some were able to actually be in the same match as you, and fewer got the chance to see you. Turns out, you were a sensitive and perceptive survivor. If you were a killer, they knew you’d be something like an assassin or a sniper

When Alastor finally got a chance to experience a match with you, he was relieved that he could pick a target like the good old days and not whichever survivor that was around. Or even the ‘obsession’ that was randomly picked in the survivor team per match. He felt sweet control to do as he pleased

So he set out to find you. His mind raced. Will he hunt and give chase like his desires drive him to in his previous matches? Will he immediately try to slash you and bring you down so he can hook you? Will he have that weakened desire like Zestial did? What was your effect? Why are you special?

Finding you was easy as lucky wasn’t on your side. You were diligently trying to fix the generator but ended up busting it every so often which alerted him of your location, then that teammate of yours, Adam, as he recognized the golden wing design on his back, leave you and didn’t even warn you of the incoming killer

He got a fast ambush, a deep slash on your arm that definitely need mending else risk being rendered immobile. You quickly ran away like other survivors would, no difference. Yet, he was just standing there watching your form fade from his sight, leaving a trail of blood splatters in your wake

His legs moved as he decided he can’t let you out of his sight. No way, not after he felt that control and real killer instinct. You’re like his prey back in the days, he wants to get to know you then have the best chase of a lifetime. Cut you up and watch the lovely red paint you in beauty and posh

The best part was, he didn’t have to worry that it would be a one time thing. Both of you will never dead as long as this stupid game is on

“Darling, why are you running from me? Let’s play a game. Let’s enjoy our matches.”

Note: Okay.. I've been away for some time.... Haha.... I'm fine, just out of town and didn't have time to write. Plus I've been busy with a new game. Anyways, wanna get back to it with this and see how things go. So what you think of this?

Circe Y. 

My Works: MASTERLIST

Taglist:

@aconfusedwonderland @crowleysthings @donustellaron @mistpurpl3 @lucifers-silhouette @fluffy-koalala

[ohbo-ohno]

I'm gripping the bars of my cage desperately, I'm chewing at the bars, begging, pleading for more zombie ghoap x reader au.

zombie ghoap x reader au coming right up chef 🫡

btw this is super similar to charliemwrites' jaw dropping ghoap x reader "the (scottish) cabin in the woods" so you need to go read that immediately (and leave a nice comment because charlie rocks)

cw for noncon puppyplay below the cut

i was talking to ceilidh a tiny bit about this earlier, and i think that johnny and reader met in like a cannibal cult kinda thing. very much so like that episode of TLOU, yknow? they both think they've found a little commune safe haven, but it very quickly becomes clear that that's not the case.

anyways, they end up trying to get out together when they realize what's going on, and have to kill a few of the cult members :/ they've been "stuck together" ever since

they threaten to leave the other for dead (or kill them in the middle of the night) constantly. it hasn't happened yet, obviously, but boy oh boy do both of them bring it up nonstop. they act like they hate each other, but honestly they just need to fuck

but they're sorta stuck together now. you're better off paired up with someone than on your own, that's something they both learned pre-cult fiasco. and, really, they don't dislike each other nearly as much as you might think based on the way they gripe

enter ghost. he spots these two survivors wandering through the forest, one injured and both filthy, and basically thinks to himself "hm. could be good in home entertainment"

(here's the deal with puppyplay like this - it's absurd, and we're just going with it. alright??? just WORK with me here)

if you didn't see, i put in the tags of the original post "#btw - he takes you home then chains you both up outside and says something like “this is where dogs stay” :/#dont worry you're perfectly safe (he has a high fence keeping zombies out) but he likes to hear how scared you get when you're out there all#you're both quite well behaved when he lets you in for dinner the next night <3#he only has to scold you once when you both complain about being made to eat while kneeling on the floor next to him"

you're probably both "behaving" because you don't want him to. you know. fucking KILL YOU. but this is also a zombie apocalypse au, so you're both totally feral too. and this is an apocalypse ghost too, which means he's probably way harsher and way rougher around the edges than he even is in canon

anyways i think soap and reader here are more likely to be like "lets wait this out and try to escape when he's not expecting it" except they're like... really bad at trying to play along

ANYWAYS!!!! ghost takes you two back to his compound, ties the both of you up outside for the night. he wraps soap's ankle first, gives him a stern command to stay off of it, and goes back inside like everything is normal. he watches you two over the camera while planning out how he'll build some outdoor kennels for the two of you

you're both cold and tired and hungry and scared the next morning, so it doesn't take much coaxing on his part to get you inside. it takes a lot more coaxing to keep you two on your knees :/

honestly johnny's ankle is so fucked that it's almost a relief to keep pressure off of it (even if it means crawling around on the floor like an animal) but you care a hell of a lot more. ghost threatens to break your ankles before you finally listen :/

he ties the leashes to your wrists, to keep you both out of trouble as much as he can. it's not like either of you are eager to go very far - his house is warm and you're both chilled to the bone from your night outisde

anyways. that's all i've got like, linearly. but i can offer some random little tidbits about their lives after

ghost makes you both eat from the floor. he gives you plates (no silverware) at first and lets you use your hands, and gradually works the two of you up to eating from bowls with just your mouths

you and johnny bicker constantly and simon frequently makes the two of you kiss to make up :( forces you to make out with each other while he smokes a cigarette and enjoys the show. no matter how mad you are, you both end up needy and humping the air when he finally lets you stop

he tries to have you two sleep in the same crate, but it does not go well. ghost very quickly realizes that you two will try to tear each other's throats out if forced that closely together for an entire night

sometimes one of you will try to get the other in trouble. there's one particular night where you trick johnny into misbehaving and he's stuck in the outside kennel all night - but it rains. and every time you glance out the window you see how sad and cold he looks :((( ghost lets you love on him the next morning, and soap is more than eager for a bit of comfort after such a miserable night

[hacked-by-jake]

𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄𝙩'𝙨 𝘼𝙩 𝙄𝙩𝙨 𝘽𝙚𝙨𝙩

Character: Jake (mention of Jake x MC (she/her))

Warnings: Angst - !Major character death! - Burning wounds/injuries - Sad memories - Loneliness - Last breath - (anything else?)

A/n: Well, I don't exactly know what this is. Just a short random some some. I only had the last sentence and I wanted to do anything with it. I had many idea but this one was the only one I could get down. I've not really checked for mistakes or if it's too fast or whatever, so I'm sorry. It's probably very sloppy. But I still hope it's somehow enjoyable for you. Please don't judge for wrong wording xD My brain isn't braining but I was happy to get something done. Whatever, thanks for reading. 💚

The forest was suffocatingly quiet and was only interrupted by occasional crackling of extinguishing ember in the distance.

Jake staggered through the dense forest, every move was a terrible effort and only the adrenaline allowed him to walk at all. His skin, blistered and raw, withered with every movement.

The fire had come out of nowhere for him, he was surprised by the explosion, seconds later some walls collapsed. The flames ate their way through the stone corridors so quickly, climbing from one wooden support to another and the heat devoured everything, relentlessly. He ran through the ever narrowing tunnels, only his memories drove him to the place where the last hidden exit lay, about which he had not told anyone. It was his ace up in his sleeve. But to his horror, fire had already broken out there. Yet, it was his only way to escape.

The moment he wanted to pass the last passage, another pillar broke in and knocked him to the ground.

The flames threw itselves at him, robbing the fabric of his jacket, digging down to his skin.

The next few minutes he blacked out, not aware how he had freed himself and got out of this mine.

Next thing he knew was how he threw his backpack, jacket and mask on the floor, which he had only carried in his hand, just like himself, to suffocate the last ember.

The FBI agents had surrounded the place and their voices echoed through the trees as they searched for him.

Now, far from the burning debris, Jake finally collapsed on the cold ground. It was miles from civilization, surrounded by towering trees and stars glistening in the clear night sky. The pain was unbearable, every breath reminded him of the rage the fire carried.

He looked up into the sky, the stars shining as bright as ever. It seemed peaceful, an ice-cold contrast to the inferno he had escaped just minutes ago.

Right now he was thinking about the countless hours he had spent in front of glowing screens, the thrill of maneuvering out those who wanted to catch him. But now that he was consciously facing death, everything seemed meaningless.

The forest ground was hard and merciless, but in the silence of the night there was a calming atmosphere.

His thoughts drifted away, fragments of memories and regret interwoven with pain. He had been a loner his whole life, a ghost in the machine, now he was just a shadow between the trees.

He never thought his life would end like this, but somehow it was okay for him, he was tired. Tired of the fight, tired of life on the run.

If there weren’t the thoughts of MC creeping in the back of his head. He believed that this was the only thing he really regretted; never seeing her in reality, never kissing her. Above all, the broken promise that he would still be there after Hannah’s discovery would be broken, and he could do nothing about it.

The cold slowly crept through his body, the hacker’s breath flattened. His powers waned and the stars above him blurred into a hazy vortex.

His life, marked by secrets and loneliness, slipped out of his fingers. In his last moments he found comfort in the quiet beauty of the night sky, a reminder that even in his darkest hour he was part of something greater.

His insides showed him single pictures of his youth, single pictures of his mother, he saw the emails he had exchanged with Hannah. And he saw MC, the pictures he had seen of her. The sky gave him peace, but not as much as seeing her eyes, her lips, her laughter one last time.

He could have done many things differently in his life, he could have prevented many things, so many chances he had not taken. So many missed situations, so many untapped opportunities. But he wouldn’t have regretted anything as much as missing the moment to confess his love to her. It was almost as if he knew how this night would end.

He had gathered all his damn courage and refused to leave until he had told her what he felt for her. It was the scariest and biggest thing he had ever done, but she had returned his love. Without hesitation, without thinking. She loved him.

And while he was lying here, this thought comforted him very much. His life was not beautiful, but her light had finally led him through the darkness. Even though all this had brought him to exactly this point, it had made his last months on earth the most wonderful time he had ever had. And he was happy to learn what it feels like to be loved. How it is when there was someone who was worried and someone who was happy when he showed up.

MC had given him everything he wished to feel.

And how do they say? 'Leave when it's at its best'

With a final, trembling breath, Jake closed his eyes, the hacker who had eluded his capture until the end. The forest stood as a silent witness, the stars above twinkling in eternal indifference as Jake’s life disappeared in the night.

His vision blurred, the world around him darkened as his body succumbed to the injuries.

Long live the hacker, long live the love.

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

I don't know if you're taking requests right now

And if I'm bothering I apologize :'D

But I have a request to make! You can ignore if you want

So it's with skellies

So, their s/o was chilling inside their hom, and some random stalker break into the house and ries to kill them for dating a monster, but s/o kill the human before in self-defense

What would happen if the skellies came home and saw the mess, the dead stalker's body and a panicked s/o not knowing what to do?

(Sorry for my terrible writing, english it's not my first language :'D)

Undertale Sans - First, he checks on you to make sure you're alright, and then asks you to explain what happened. He's not too worried about you getting in trouble since it was self-defense, so he calls Undyne to explain her the situation. He tries to keep his calm so his natural chill rubs on you and helps you to calm down. He's just glad you're ok, the rest can wait.

Undertale Papyrus - He's not really helping as he's freaking out as soon as he gets home, first because you almost got killed, and second because there's a human corpse in the middle of his kitchen and he doesn't know what he's supposed to do? After going outside to run to calm down a bit, he comes back with the head more clear and calls Undyne for help. He's angry when Undyne says she has to arrest you, but he trusts his friend who told him she's sure you'll be out in a few hours. He's turning in circles while waiting for you, until he gets kicked out of his own house because it's a crime scene now. He goes to tell everything to Sans, who is now freaking out as well.

Underswap Sans - He stays calm, and quickly calls his colleagues to ask them to come. He then takes his S/O in another room and asks them to explain what happened. He's clearly horrified they probably escaped a terrible fate, but he tries to stay calm, and explain you what's going to happen next. As a police officer, he knows these things, and he promises he will find the best lawyer for you and that he'll be there every steps of the way. It's self defense, you're probably safe, but he knows how difficult these cases can be.

Underswap Papyrus - When he sees all the blood on the floor and covering you, Honey freaks out completely, unable to hold his screams and making sure you're ok again and again. You stopped counting the times he asked you if you're injured. He's so scared right now. Eventually, he calls Blue for help, who is quick to take action and takes them in another room. An ambulance comes to check on both of you, as you're in a state of shock. It's alright though. Blue has your back and will make sure everything is fine.

Underfell Sans - Well, shit. Red is not even shocked actually. He calmly calls his brother to ask what to do with the body, which Edge comes to take care of. The brothers make the corpse disappear. That's not the first time, and they don't have much remorse about it. Red makes sure you're alright and assures you that you don't have to feel guilty about this. It was them or you, and you made the right choice. You can tell Edge is respecting you a little more after that as well, which is rare.

Underfell Papyrus - He feels terribly guilty you had to face that alone. Even if you managed to call him during the attack for help, he arrived too late. He's glad you're ok, even though you're trembling uncontrollably. Edge keeps telling you he's sorry and that you're not going to have any problem. He's taking the matter at hand and getting rid of the body. He will make sure it never happens ever again. He's also going to be a little overprotective for a few days.

Horrortale Sans - He's badly triggered by the body, but he tries to stay calm to not freak you out more. It's just a body, he saw plenty of them already. What matters for now is that someone intruded his house to hurt you and he couldn't prevent this, which is bothering him so much. He takes the body in the forest, and then works for a few days on the farm to make sure no one can intrude it again. He's a bit silent, you're not sure if he's doing ok or not. He keeps telling to not worry, but you can tell he's more affected than he pretends he is.

Horrortale Papyrus - He's having a panic attack when he sees the body. You're pretty much on your own, as Willow is completely lost in the past and thinks he killed the man, despite how many times you told him he didn't and you did. A bit panicked, you decide to call Toriel and Grillby to explain the situation, as you know they are the only people the skeleton brothers are trusting. Toriel comforts you saying you did the right thing, while Grillby goes to burry the body somewhere in the forest so neither Sans or Papyrus has to get into trouble. With Willow, you're both going to live at Toriel's place for a few days, the time Willow calms down and you recover from the shock.

Swapfell Sans - He won't lie, he's quite impressed you managed to kill that guy all alone. He's twice your size and he was armed. He understands how bad you're feeling, but he assures you there's nothing to worry about. He's going to install more cameras to make sure it doesn't happen again and throw the body in a river. If it can make you feel better, he can teach you a few self-defense fight techniques as well. It's kinda his job. Knowing what to do in these situations can be very useful, even if he hopes it will never happen again.

Swapfell Papyrus - He's angry at his brother it happened, even though it's not really Nox's fault, since it's not even one of his rivals who did it. Rus can't help it though, he needs to find someone responsible for this and he's going to scream at his brother for this. Now you're even more tensed as Nox obviously didn't react well to the accusations. You try to explain what happened to Nox, but he assures you he's not mad at you, or at Rus. He's playing along because he knows that's how his brother is going to realize he's wrong. Rus apologizes a few hours later, calmer. He will still be on edge for a few days, jumping at any sound and always close to you in case someone tries to attack again. It was a pretty traumatic experience for everyone.

Fellswap Gold Sans - He did as fast as he could but lost contact with you after a bit. He runs home, scared to see you injured or worse, but loses his jaw when he sees the man dead and you bruised, but fine. He's so relieved you're ok. He doesn't care that much about the body. He apologizes to you for not being here to protect you and promises it will never happen again. He's going to get rid of the body later in the day, making sure to ruin its face to make sure no one recognizes them. He's going to be very protective for a few days.

Fellswap Gold Papyrus - He's... Freaking out as well when he's coming home, asking what you did again and again as he's wondering what he's supposed to do. You killed a man! That's crazy! He doesn't want you to go in prison or anything, how else is he going to cuddle? He can't cuddle in prison! When Wine comes home, it's the apocalypse. Coffee somehow convinced you that you both need to leave the country and you're packing your stuff in panic. Wine asks them why none of them even thought for one second to call him to get rid of the corpse. Is he a joke to you?

[forlovvers]

( meant to be )

pair: prince!jake x princess!reader | genre: fluff, meet-cute, royal!au | warning(s): none! | wc: around 1k | synopsis: in which you plan to escape from meeting your husband-to-be. 

lynne’s notez🗒️: HAPPY BIRTH MONTH TO MY MAN JAKEEE😵‍💫😵‍💫 i cannot explain in words how much i love jake !!  also this is soooo inspired by bridgerton queen charlotte 

Climbing out of a three-story window, in an Indian sapphire encrusted gown should be considered a triathlon with the way it had you panting as if you had just swam thirty meters, ran five miles and cycled through a rusty forest. The old Victorian window was also no help at all, the way it wouldn’t open without some elbow grease.

Your grip tightens around the ivy vine as you feel yourself slip ever so slightly. You needed a better way to escape. You jump and almost lose your grip when a gentle voice appears from behind you.

“What are you doing?” the voice asks, laced with curiosity. The cold wind of the night blows and it makes you wish you had thrown on something a little bit more covering as the chill settles over your skin.

You roll your eyes. “Baking cookies,” you say with sarcasm. You assumed the voice was a random maid, prying on your royal life. You ignore him, hoping he’d be uninterested and leave. You loosen your grip and drop down just a bit, almost touching the ground with the way your gown draped just over the soil. 

“Do you want help?” the voice offers. He sounds amused and that boils your blood. How could he laugh at the princess trying to escape from meeting her royal suitor? 

“No. I don’t. Now please, leave.” You shut your eyes and pray he’d listen to you. “That is an order from your princess.” You say (a bit embarrassed), trying to assert your dominance and instead of leaving like you asked, the voice laughs. 

“But, I can’t just leave a damsel in distress.” He says and you can almost picture a smirk on the mystery person. You groan indefinitely and throw your head back. He just wasn’t going to leave you alone, was he?

“Well, are you just going to stand there or help a damsel?” You say irritatingly. He chuckles and you can hear shuffling from behind you. He reaches up and suddenly a strong pair hands of wrap around your waist. You slowly let go of the vines, pleading to the angels above that he doesn’t drop you. 

His grip tightens and you feel a bit a flustered. He’s impossibly close as he gently lets you down and you feel your feet hit the earth once again. 

You look down at your dress and pretend to dust it off, thanking the moon for not shining down your rose-dusted cheeks. Your heart was beating so fast and loud, you were sure he could hear it. Deciding you had had enough, you gather your skirts and begin to walk away. 

“Wait a second,” the voice says and his hands catch your forearm, spinning you around and into his chest. He holds you by the waist as you stare into his big brown eyes. He smells of vanilla and fresh parchment. He has high cheek bones and pink lips that curve into an adoring smile, one that makes your stomach turn. His hair is swooped neatly and his clothes are adorned with gold finishes. Your breath shortens and you want to lean in. Lean in and be close. It’s enticing the way his pretty eyes invite you in. 

And then it dawns on you. He is no random maid. 

“I found the princess!” You hear one of the royal guards yell. The mysterious man lets you go almost instantly at the sound of new voices and takes a step back to clear his throat. You cough awkwardly, letting the new thought sink in. 

Your head snaps up at the sound of your mother’s voice approaching you hastily. The queen is walking quickly towards the two of you, a stern look on her face. “Y/n, where on earth have you been?” you can tell she’s trying hard not to raise her voice.

“I believe she went to take a moonlit stroll in the garden, which I must say is lovely.” The mystery man says, showing off his heart-melting smile. You’re slightly stunned. He just saved you from a long and terrible lecture from your mother. 

And it must work because your mother nods and her face relaxes. “Well, I see you’ve meet your suitor.”

“Prince Jaeyun of Bane, your majesty.” he bows and he suddenly takes your hand, his lips meeting with your knuckles, leaving a small kiss on your skin. You swear your knees buckle and you lose your balance. 

Jaeyun smiles his smile as your mother turns away and orders for the front doors to be opened. His steps fall into tune with yours as you walk. 

“You did not tell me you were my suitor.” You huff, cheeks pink with embarrassment. You refuse to at look him and fall under a spell once more. 

“You did not ask.” He says simply. Jaeyun bites his bottom lip as he tries to get you to look at him. He finds your embarrassment quite cute. Strands of your hair escape from your loose bun and he reaches out to tuck some behind your ear. 

This sets your heart on fire. You finally turn to look at him and Jaeyun fights back a smile when you give in to him. 

“I am not ready for marriage.” You say clearly, anticipating his reaction. Instead of becoming upset like most people have when you told them, Jaeyun’s smile only grows. 

“Then I am willing to wait for you.” Jaeyun says surely. He laces his hands with yours and your heart swells.

Maybe you are meant to be.

[shadovan]

Drabbling of events (with @never-surrender & @apalestar)

He wished he could say he remembered the Feywild. There was some subconscious part of his memory that knew precisely which direction to venture toward, but if Tareque were ever put in a position where he had to recall the finer details, it would be a fruitless effort. Too much of his mind had been lost to the void over the years, the warping and twisting of his soul each time he regenerated from being felled or giving whim to constructs of a darker nature.

The twilight-like skies were all he had to gauge his location, the only recollection of finding his way through the mostly foreign plane. There was some ways to travel and he begrudgingly doubted he would be returning to the meeting point with Astarion within the timeline he had been given.

Aurelia is going to be furious, he realized, having not taken into account the passing of time varying between there and Faerun until that moment. It wasn't that he had been oblivious to the knowledge, but more that he'd never had reason to account for it until events of recent.

While many of his actions could be viewed as impulsive, Tareque had not run into this blindly. His unseen personal artillery of scrolls and potions was perhaps more a threat than his spinal blade, and he had no hesitation to cut down and Nilshai in his path.

The sky had blackened nearly a dozen haunting times before he finally found her, and the woman screamed a bloodcurdling yell when she spotted him, laden with the phosphorous blood of the sorcerers he'd obliterated.

"A bit overdramatic," he muttered, using the sharp of his sword to cut the bonds around her wrists.

"Tareque...?" The woman stared at him with a combination of fear and confusion in her eyes, because what mother would not recognize her own son, even beneath the ichor and rot that his own convictions had twisted him into. "What have you done?" The hushed whisper barely touched his ears, but it was enough to make his chest clench.

"What does it look like," muttered out, not at a question, but a curt response.

Her aging body clearly was not at a disadvantage when it came to aiding their escape from the settlement, but he still lifted her to carry her over the poisonous lichen that jutted from the rocks in clouds of orange sickly fog.

When they had finally cleared the most dense region of the forest, Tareque's destination became the lingering cities of glass spires, intent on returning the matron to the civilization she knew.

"No," she had decided. "The people are leaving," Callia, his mother, explained to him. "They flee to Faerun. A retreat, some say, but is it truly so if it assures survival? I want to join them."

Tareque stared to her with utter surprise. She wanted to accompany him to Faerun? The prospect of having the only family member that remained to him on the same plane was a possibility that had never crossed his mind. Yet, after abandoning the Feywild behind him, how could he ever deny her that if it was in his realm of capability?

So it was that the search for a portal began. The magic of Sildeyuir was unstable at best, so interplane openings were practically random. And when they did encounter one, it was less than optimal.

"The strength is weak," Callia said quietly. "We could not both traverse through."

Of course... Tareque simple let out a slow breath in a quiet acceptance. "Go on. I will make my own way. I will find you when I return." He handed her his sword and his bag, because those were not items that could regenerate with the lich. She looked to him with a lack of understanding, but merely nodded. What other option did she have? With that, she stepped through the portal.

Just as she had said, the weave flickered in her wake, the portal warping and snapping in a distinctive sound before it vanished entirely. Tareque waited, just in case it might reappear or leave some scar of magic in it's wake, but there was nothing but silence.

Good...

Now, that left him in quite a position. Tareque knew exactly what he was doing, however. He drew the dragger from his belt and turned his head back in the direction they had just fled from. It would mean his death, but that was precisely the intent. A regeneration was a one-way ticket back to his tower, and he would slaughter as many of the realm's invaders as he could in the process. Sure, he could have simply slit his own throat, but this was a far more dramatic way to end one of his countless lives. For her. And for Sildeyuir.

He was oblivious to how much time passed between then and when the fight of his body finally gave up, his mind spinning into that blackened state of death before the phylactery grasped his soul and began the process of regenerating his form.

The dirty stone of the crypt was cold beneath his skin.

That was the first conscious thought.

He could hear the echoing drip inside the well.

It had worked.

When his body allowed him, Tareque scrambled to his feet. He all but tripped up the stairs as he ran, rushing into the main foyer of the tower, entirely nude and -- Face first into Aurelia--!

"My love!" He planted a heavy kiss on her lips before pulling away with speed. "I will be right back!" Grabbing for whatever cloak was nearest to the door, he fled outdoors.

Was that a lamb-? No, he would worry about that when he returned.

It took fleeting amounts of magic to locate Callia amidst Faerun's borders, but when he did, he collected the woman and teleported them both back to the front of the tower.

"Is.... Is it pink?" The woman asked, incredulously.

The lich blinked and peered upward. His vision was incapable of sorting out the hue. "Is it?"

And... those were definitely animals. Oh dear. How long had he been away?

[joy-haver]

Have y’all encountered this “would you rather be alone in the woods with a man or a bear” thing that’s going around?

It’s pretty much all over my feed on social media

The gist is, women are pretty much all saying they’d rather be alone in the woods with a bear. Which, I think is largely a reasonable choice. People say things like “well the worst thing a bear will do is kill me, a man would probably rape and kill me”. Or “people would believe me if I was attacked by a bear”

And…I get where they are coming from. From the numbers people are posting, it seems like men are wayyy more likely to kill a woman than bears are. And I’m sure that’s still be true if we only compared examples of men in the woods and bears in the woods. And I think there is a genuine fear of men that a lot of women (and people perceived as women) have of men being violent.

But……at the same time….

I think there’s a lot of harmful things that are happening in this trend.

I think there is a misattribution of where that violence comes from, what the scale and frequency of that violence is, and, I think there’s an over emphasis on the danger of the woods as a place

The vast majority of gendered violent attacks don’t happen by strangers. And they don’t happen in strange places. Most gendered violence is interpersonal. Taking place between people who know each other. Its partners, parents, family, coworkers, community members. It arises from power dynamics, and communication issues, and domination.

And it just bothers me how much people seem to want to attribute that violence to random strangers. That they want to think it comes from some evil creep, who has some evil plot and plan, lying in wait for you. I think that misattribution gets in the way of us actually addressing these problems.

I also think it’s just a bad idea for us to frame woodlands and natural areas as these dangerous and evil and scary places. Even in the example where people are choosing the bear, the assumption is still that *things are in the woods to hurt you*. And, in reality….thats not very true.

I’ve spent my whole life in the woods. As a little kid (albeit, before transition) I would camp out in the woods all the time. It was a refuge for me. A way to escape a home life of abuse and hard labor. A place of safety. And I encountered a lot of men there. And they didn’t hurt me. They were some of the kindest, nicest, friendliest men i ever got to interact with as a kid.

And now as an adult, I see random men in the woods pretty much everyday. And I still have the same experience. Even when they are clearly bigoted, conservative, white men, sometimes with confederate flag tattoos or other symbols of bigotry. They are less cruel in the woods, not moreso. They are kinder. It’s an easier place to have a conversation. We talk and they see me as human in a way that in city streets and jobs and schools they just..wouldn’t.

But that isn’t most of the men I encounter either. Most of the men I see out in the woods are men who are trying their damndest to create a loving relationship with nature. They are kind, gentle listeners. They are often patient, and old. Or young, and recovering from something. Many are new parents, or retirees. Some are young boys wondering.

But the thing is. None of them scare me.

What does scare me, is that in all of these comment sections I see men saying “I won’t go to the woods anymore….i don’t want you to feel threatened.” And I see women saying “see, this is why I don’t go to the woods. That place is dangerous”

And I can’t help but think of how many parks have been closed down from non attendance. How many forests cleared because they had no defendants. I can’t help but think of the gay men arrested for cruising in the lovely natural locations.

And in the end, I guess I would just say this. I’d rather be alone in the woods with the bear. Not because I’m afraid of men. But because I love men in the woods, and I see them everyday. And if I saw a bear, I would have more to talk about with them

[proudfreakmetarusonikku]

couldn’t sleep much but brain revised an old au while I was briefly dreaming.

basically, the idea is that dream is the last of a very ancient shapeshifting race and he lures in human prey by mimicking the sounds of distressed humans. but bc he’s a sentient being who hasn’t had any social interaction since he was basically the equivalent of a child he’s deeply lonely.

he lures tommy into the woods but decides not to eat him and instead keep him- pragmatically, to learn to mimic the sound of a human juvenile in distress better, but mostly because he’s desperate for any sort of companionship. he keeps tommy trapped in an old ruin, preventing him from leaving with physical force, and alternating between causing harm seemingly at random to mimic the distress, and being incredibly clingy. he brings tommy “gifts”- both things he found in the forest like flowers, gems, and fruits, and the contents of any bags his human prey have, and tommy finds accepting them tends to mean he’s in the aggressive mood less.

tommy initially thinks dream is some weird wild animal, basically. a blatantly supernatural one, with its ability to slip in and out of darkness and it’s tendency to transform into an exact duplicate of him and mimic his every move, but he assumes it’s basically a very confused animal that for some reason won’t let him leave but lashes out in fear. being very fond of animals, tommy views dream with a lot of sympathy despite basically being held captive and tries his best to be kind to him, in the way you are with a wounded animal, bc he assumes that’s basically what dream is.

but as time goes on it’s clear dream is more intelligent than that. he starts mimicking tommy’s speech and tommy, finding it amusing, starts talking to him… and is very surprised when dream quickly picks up a rudimentary grasp on english (taking on the name dream as one of the first words it learns, after tommy calls the situation a bad dream- he doesn’t learn what the word means until after he decides to call himself that). tommy initially is excited, hoping that he can explain to dream that he has a family and a life and needs to go home, but it very quickly becomes clear that dream simply doesn’t care.

he sees himself as above humanity- though in his thousands of years of isolation, he’s come to be very admiring of how they never seem to be alone, and through his interactions with tommy he’s decided he’s fond of them, in the way humans are fond of pets. he’s deeply curious, but has no sense of morality, being both unaware and uncaring of the concepts of good and evil, only discovery. he’s incredibly childish- having had no social interaction since he was a child- but he pretends to be aloof and mature when he very clearly isn’t and gets defensive when it’s pointed out. and, above all else, he’s lonely, in a way that leads to him being viciously possessive no matter how miserable it makes his only friend, because he can’t bear the thought of being alone ever again. he misses his kin and sees tommy as somewhat of a replacement- not exactly in a way that maps onto any human concept (dream’s species reproduced asexually and as such didn’t have any concept of parents or siblings or anything) but he allows tommy to map it onto them anyway.

tommy is obviously pissed, and refuses to play nice knowing that dream isn’t simply doing this out of ignorance but callousness and a twisted curiosity. he’s angry, fighting back in whatever ways he can- not physically, dream is way stronger than him, but he refuses any gifts, refuses to eat unless physically forced to, is very verbally aggressive and angry, and constantly attempts to escape. dream is genuinely concerned- he doesn’t understand why tommy would be upset, and he doesn’t want to lose him, and nothing he does seems to fix it. he tries being nicer, and he tries being crueller, and tommy doesn’t go back to ““normal””.

eventually he gets so frustrated that he hurts tommy badly, and immediately regrets it- not because he cares about hurting tommy, he finds it amusing, but because he’s worried he’ll die. desperate, he shifts into the guise of one of the humans he’s ate to drop tommy off at a hospital, deciding he’d rather have tommy alive and avoiding him back at home rather than dead, if only because tommy being alive means he might potentially be able to force him to come back someday.

tommy’s incredibly surprised at the whole thing, but at first he just is happy to be home, but he finds himself struggling to adjust after almost a year of captivity. his foster parents aren’t cruel, but they are distant, and he has no friends, and he finds that being alone for more than a few hours makes him feel anxious now. he’s not used to the richness or amount of food in civilisation, and it makes him feel ill. he’s heavily behind on schoolwork, not that he even bothered in the first place, and he’s defensive and always ready for attack. he finds himself unable to explain where he’s been, and can’t get any help for his trauma. he doesn’t feel at home here, and while he hates dream, at least things made sense there. civilisation feels wrong and confusing. too loud and too crowded.

eventually, though, he makes a friend. his names tubbo- an odd name, for sure, but for an equally odd person, and as far as tommy’s concerned that makes him the only sane man in the town. he tinkers with electronics and lets tommy copy off his homework if tommy plays smash with him later. they bond so close it’s almost like they were friends their whole lives- neither have a great homelife, though not a bad one necessarily, and both have issues preventing them from otherwise making much friends, so they instantly get really close. for a while, everything seems perfect, and tommy can almost write off his time in those woods as a bad dream.

and then one night, he wakes up to hear tubbo’s scream echoing.

he instantly knows what’s going on, but he can’t ignore it if there’s even the slightest possibility tubbo is alive. he rushes into the woods, and of course, dream is there, with an injured tubbo he lured in. dream is ecstatic when he talks about how he’s been watching tommy and found a way to get him to come back, entirely oblivious to how terrified, upset, and angry both tommy and tubbo are. he says he’ll let tubbo go… if, and only if, tommy agrees to stay. and of course, reluctantly, he does.

tommy hates at how relieved going back to the awful routine makes him feel. he’s not angry, anymore, just… numb. not even sad, numb. but dream is overjoyed, and starts seeing tommy as… not exactly equal, but closer to it than anyone else. he starts taking tommy to the ruins of where his people used to live and explaining all he knows. there were many secrets they had that dream hadn’t learnt yet, as he was little more than a child when humanity fought back and annihilated them. but they once ruled over humans, treating them like servants at best and livestock at worst, and they knew many rituals that could shift reality like they can shift their bodies. dream wants to figure out two most of all- how to create a child, and immortality. one to repopulate his species, and one to keep tommy alive forever. he’s noticed that he’s different- taller and just a little older looking at seventeen than the form dream has of him at sixteen when he first met him, and it greatly distresses him to be reminded that tommy ages and dies unlike him.

meanwhile, tubbo starts visiting the old ruins- at first trying to sneak in, but after finding that dream is overjoyed at the idea of another human visiting instead of angry like he predicted he drops the secrecy. he and tommy stay friends, and tubbo trades him info on the outside world and stuff dream can’t consistently get from his hunts and the forest. at first it’s confusing because tommy and dream in tommy’s form were very hard to tell from each other, so dream starts shifting into a form somewhere between tommy and his monstrous true form. dream tries to befriend tubbo, but gives up after finding him far less interesting than his tommy, and generally ignores him except to curiously mimic him and observe him unblinkingly. when asked why, dream says he needs to understand humans for when he’s able to bring his people back, and they’re the ones in charge again, except he’s not gonna be cruel like them- humans are far too precious for that! no, he’s going to help guide them. and sure, he’ll eat a few of them, and hurt a whole lot more, but he still genuinely doesn’t get why that would upset anyone. at this point, tommy struggles to, either. it’s routine, now, the scars coating his body and the bones scattered in the ruins.

idk just. a cool au ig.

[miss0atae]

Random thoughts about Dead Friend Forever ep 4:

▪️ Fluke was a damn nuisance. I can't stand this guy. He is so self-centered around himself: how he will be a doctor, how he needs to have a clean record, how he needs to survive... F*** this guy! He doesn't deserve a single thing. He treats people like shit. He was annoyed when he had to care about Por but also Top (when he suddenly went back to the house) and he was terrible to White. I also want to know why he thought White would be the killer. Poor guy knew nothing about the shit they've done to Non. In addition, Fluke said he knew what happened but told no one and it's not because he wanted to protect his friends. It's just because he wants to save his own ass. He made me so mad. He was ready to shoot people just to protect himself. Why did he stopped the ride from coming to help them and broke their only way to communicate with people outside the forest? His logic makes no sense. If he is innocent... he risks nothing. He should die next!

▪️ Por finally died in this episode. May his soul rest in peace... but I'm not sure he deserves it because he was involved in what happened to Non. At least, he survived during four episode with the help from Fluke the insane soon-to-be doctor (I think he can forget about it after this episode but the guy is delusional). I didn't expected Top to be the one who would put him out of his misery. To be honest, I thought we would never see Top again. I was socked to see he was the one hiding behind the mask but there was this all possession act... It was weird. Is he really the killer or is he someone who is possessed? It's not clear.

▪️ Then we had Tee. I'm sorry for White because he found the worst boyfriend ever. Tee arrived late at the house after White was bullied by Fluke during half of the episode and also he seems to have a quite dark past. We had a small conversation between White and Fluke talking about his uncle. If you've seen the picture, I'm not sure this uncle is really a good news. We learnt how Tee hid deliberately some part of his life from his boyfriend. Last episode, I said how suspicious he was and I was right. Two characters already told us how Tee is responsible in what happened to Non.

▪️ Phi and Jin did nothing in this episode. They escaped the coffin but as a result Jin dislocated his shoulder. It wasn't already hard to survive without having injury but now Phi has to care about him. He also had a vision of someone dead and freaked out because of it while Phi tried to understand but couldn't because he wasn't able to see what Jin was talking about.

▪️ Next episode should bring us some answers about the past and Non. It's about time because it was annoying how so many characters tell us that something happen, they know something, it was terrible... but we are still left in the dark. In addition, I believe we already establish how Tee, Top and Por were not that great... but what about Jin and also what about his relationship with Non. I got a feeling, they were together.

We'll see.

[fandomn00blr]

sappy prompt for you - "a bowl of soup" and "heart eyes" for anders/fenris?

Auggghh...they are just the most sappiest, aren't they?! Thanks for this! I really enjoy any excuse to get these two arguing about food...because yes, that's what this is really about. Just the soup. That's all... ;)

(Oh, and FYI, this is set in my retro-modern-futurish y2k post-apocalyptic zombie Dark Sprawl AU, but all anyone really needs to know is that Link=Mage, Facility=Circle, and uhh, Justice is benevolent malware...yeah, that should clear everything up!)

"Awwww…” Anders fawns over the steaming bowl of soup Fenris has just placed in front of him on the island where he’s currently perched, looking absolutely ragged after another double shift at the clinic. “You cooked…for me?"

"It's soup. I just opened a can and put it in a bowl and microwaved it."

"That's three whole steps more than you're usually willing to take in order to feed yourself!" Anders exclaims. “I’m quite flattered.”

“Don’t be. You look like shit. It literally is the least I could do…”

Anders seems unfazed by this as he takes a big slurping spoonful of the soup. "Ow!” He spits it back into the bowl. “Fuck…too hot still…"

Fenris doesn’t even bother trying to stifle his chuckle. "Try blowing on it next time, maybe?"

"Thanks for the tip.” Anders smirks. “Not sure I fully trust it coming from someone who only eats seeds and berries and other random things gathered from the forest for every meal, though."

"I'll have you know that I can cook."

"Oh?"

"Yes…” Fenris eyes him suspiciously for a moment, then his face softens a little as he explains, “It used to be a hobby of mine. Back when I had half-way decent ingredients available to work with…"

"Back in Tevinter, you mean?"

Fenris nods. But doesn't say any more than that. Which Anders has learned through trial and much error to take as a sign that he's getting dangerously close to poking at something painful. He's trying to be better about not prying too much, though it's hard for him, and for Justice, not to demand to know more about what, or who, made him want to leave such a marvelous-sounding place where Links aren’t all just rounded up and institutionalized and there are apparently enough fresh ingredients available to inspire even Fenris to take up cooking. For fun!

"Well, you've just got to be a little more creative here in perpetually post-apocalyptic Kirkwall," he says, trying to veer around it without completely changing the subject of Fenris’ cooking skills.

"Creative?” Fenris snorts. “You mean like Merrill? Bio-engineering chickens and hacking fruit trees to grow and thrive where they've no business doing so?"

Anders grimaces. "I try not to think about all of that when she gifts me a basket of fresh produce or delicious jumbo eggs. But if you're so dead set against using her stuff, I'm sure there's plenty of ingredients to be scavenged from the pantries of these abandoned estates."

"Years past their expiration dates, I'm sure," Fenris scoffs.

"Oh, c’mon! Most of those dates were just made up to get people to keep buying more!”

"I don't know if that's entirely true…"

"Fine. Continue eating your boring birdseed, then, while I enjoy these supposedly 'expired' canned goods." Anders takes another, more cautious slurp of his soup and finds it to be less scalding, at least.

Fenris watches him swallow it down with a forced smile. "You're not exactly selling it."

"It's not…the worst soup I've ever tasted. The stuff at the Facility was always watered down and flavorless, like they thought we might somehow be able to channel our connectivity through salt or seasoning and escape via our taste buds. This at least tastes like…something…"

Fenris grabs a spoon from the silverware drawer and pulls the bowl of soup across the island to himself with a frustrated huff. He dips into the bowl and tastes it, frowning.

"Needs more acid…" he mutters as he turns and heads back into the pantry.

He returns with a bottle of some dark liquid with a fancy-looking label in Tevene and drizzles it over the top in an effortless spiral, then passes the bowl back to Anders.

"Try it now." He steps back, bracing himself against the sink, and Anders can't help but appreciate the expectant look in his eyes. He seems to have stumbled upon something here. A hidden passion maybe, and the fact that Fenris is willing to share it with him…well, best not get ahead of himself. It's just a bowl of soup, right?

"What is it?" Anders asks, trying to temper the unexpected flood of fondness he’s feeling with a bit of feigned skepticism and his usual sarcasm. “Arsenic? Cyanide? Deadly nightshade?”

"Balsamic vinegar…very well aged," Fenris snorts, exuding so much smugness at his own terrible culinary joke that Anders now fears he may have unwittingly unleashed a monster.

He mixes it into the soup and tries another spoonful.

"Better?" Fenris asks, looking downright impatient now for his opinion.

"It's good," Anders drawls. But he can’t seem to resist the opportunity to needle him a little. "I think you could balance it out with something creamy…got any powdered milk?"

Fenris makes a disgusted face. "Powdered milk?!" He throws his hands up in dismay. "Are you deranged?"

"Creative…not deranged." Anders laughs. Maybe he is deranged. Or perhaps it’s the exhaustion hitting him now, or the relief he feels here, in Fenris’ ridiculous mansion, of all the places he could’ve ended up tonight…but seeing Fenris, who is normally so measured and stoic about everything, react so dramatically to a bad recipe idea makes him finally just lose it.

“What is so funny, Link?” He hears Fenris catch himself saying it, and he hears the hesitation in the softness of it. He hears him try to sharpen it awkwardly just at the end, too, but it's too late. Anders already knows it’s become a sort of pet name to him.

"It’s just…” He won’t mention the slip up. Not yet. It’s a bit too new and precious to him still. But Fenris is watching him with such heavy expectation again, so surely the situation calls for some kind of teasing? “Fenris…” he breathes, trying to draw it out a little bit longer.

“What is it?”

“I guess...I just didn't realize..." Fenris leans a bit closer, his eyes growing even wider with anticipation. "I had no idea you were such a foodie!”

Anders grins cheekily. And he’s pretty sure Fenris knows exactly what he's doing judging by the annoyed face he makes. But spite is a heck of a motivator…

“If Merrill has any interest in raising goats and making cheese from their milk, I may be persuaded to change my stance on her methods,” he tells him.

Anders can't help looking at him now with all the affection he's been trying to keep in check. “I’ll…be sure to let her know."

😍<- Anders (ok, me), at the thought of having Fenris and Merrill collaborate on a rotating dinner party schedule...

[futelco]

Druids of Sisyphus Gardens Log

Like most years before it, 2022 was a fantastic year to be Druids in the woods. We enjoyed all the calls we received, even when the Callers needed to “talk at” more than “talk”.  This year we worked on a very quick explanation for callers thinking they called a wrong number. We love accidental calls too!

2/10 Voicemail. “Hello, my personal teleportation device has apparently left me in Portland, Oregon, in the year 2022. It is approximately-“ click

3/16 Caller just wanted to thank me or anyone for the Futel node on Taylor. Said they just have a burner phone, and Futel is just great.

4/8 Voicemail. “The prisoners have escaped from Sub-Unit 4 Alpha! Please initiate aerial search immediately! …Just kidding, this is a prank.”

4/10 Caller and I said “hi” and “hello” to each other four or five times. The traffic was really loud, but the caller was happy to have a new Futel in the neighborhood. We chatted about the weather and the Party Line zine. Caller claimed to be the printer. We wished each other great days.

4/28 Voicemail. “Keep pushing those trees up the hill!”

5/28 Operator called, and it was the clearest sounding Futel call ever. Hope those phone sanitation stations are still active. Save the human family.

6/28 (Caller was laughing throughout the entire call.) “Who is this?” The Druid of Sisyphus Gardens. “What is this?” A free phone, you can call anyone for free. “Free? I just put in a dime (haha)” You didn’t have to. “Why would anyone need this? (hah)” Well, not everyone has a cell phone. “But how does anyone make money off of this?” It’s a non-profit. “Now that’s how you make money, non-profits. (haha!)”

6/26 Caller from Detroit reported that it was actually hot in Detroit. Said that they had been to the Shakespeare festival in southern Oregon, and that they are really stoked about a working street phone. We co-lamented about the loss of the last working street phone in NYC.

6/30 A senior in high school was looking for Druidic advice. We spoke of school, hiking, and taking time out for friends.

7/17 Detroit called looking for the Druid, I confirmed it was the Druid. It was 89℉ in Detroit and 90℉ here. We talked about the weather, fire, and life. “OK.”

8/9 Portland caller wanted to visit the Druids. I asked if they knew anything about our woods, or if they were a random stranger. They knew about it from Futel, and are scared of the internet and the I-5. I gave them instructions anyway. As of 1/7/23 they haven’t shown up.

Sometime in late summer, I obtained a secret way to call the Upright Futel rotary phone. I called just as they had just repaired the phone moments before, coincidentally. The Upright operator was confused as to how the Druid was calling just then, and confused me in turn, and then a mob of customers entered, immediately ending the call.

9/3 Caller wanted to visit the Druids’ meditation retreat in Forest Park. This place does not exist, and I could not provide further information or wisdom to their inquiries. They asked if there is an option to call a priest instead.

9/25 Voicemail. “Who ARE you?” followed by “The Girl from Ipanema” for a full minute.

11/11 Answered as the Druid of Sisyphus Gardens. “I was trying to call myself” I explained that I was not them, but they weren’t sure. I told them that it would be really weird if I was, and maybe this was a missed connection with their True Self. Then they handed the receiver to their friend, and I explained what happened to their friend, as they explained it “telephone-style” to them/me/us. “Thanks!”

11/5 Caller was looking for Brad. They told me Brad was the one with the knowledge. When it was clear I didn’t know Brad, they recited a long poem and then asked what I was doing. I told them I was chilling with my sweetie and they asked about my favorite things to do. I told them about building animal habitat sculptures. They thanked me for doing that, and then started joke-workshopping for a future open mic standup, and after that, another long poem. Then they asked me to send them money. No way, I replied. So they offered to volunteer. I directed them to the website.

11/5 The same caller regaled both Druids on our “party line” - a new feature, we added another phone to the kitchen. Regaling us, all while the Futel line constantly rang loudly for another line, that no one ever answered. More poetry and jokes in between dialing tones. Caller said they pressed over 30 buttons before reaching us.

11/5 Same caller spoke to the Druids of poetry, jokes, life and their health issues while drinking vodka. I thought these calls would automatically hang up after 15 minutes.

11/5 Same caller thought I was a different operator. Said that they had just talked to two people out in the woods and if I minded if they drank during the call. They started telling me the same jokes they were workshopping, and if I wanted to hear a poem. I said “no”, and hung up.

11/5 Probably the same caller. Picked up the receiver, then hung it up.

[light-lanterne]

hi ✨💖 i love your writing ❤️ can you briefly explain the titles of your stories? they are very interesting! 🥰💕

hello ! thank you so much~! glad you like my stuff :] i'll try to keep it brief~

🌷 the darkest eyes: this is just a random name, tbh. there's no grand message or complex metaphor; it's just a reference to mike's eye colour as perceived by hopper.

🕰️ the trees are growing restless: so, these are actually the lyrics of the 1994 song 'summer dying fast' by cradle of filth, one of my absolute favourite extreme metal bands. to be completely honest, i was just listening to the song as i worked on the first chapter so the lyrics don't fully fit the story. that said, i think they do fit the last scene of the show rather well~

i watch the storm approaching, the darkness calls my name. the trees are growing restless, they feel the season change. their fruit has putrified, forbidden once and bound to die. the thread of life lies severed on the brink of paradise. grinning winds of hate unfurled. dash towers tall that grip the sun. talons stretch her veil. reclamation, our time has come…

🐈‍⬛ maybe i was destined to—: more lyrics! these are for the song 'strangers' by bring me the horizon. these fit the mood a bit more~ if you search for it, please mind the video. it's very creepy :S

break me down, break me down, make me get better. i confess that i'm a mess, some kind of error. well, maybe i was destined to disappear. we're just a room full of strangers looking for something to save us; alone together, we're dying to live and we're living to die. it never stops, can't erase this, so cross out my eyes, tear the pages. 'cause you and i, we're just dying to live and we're living to die. where did we go? we're all alone, all alone. no place like home; take us back to yesterday. sos, save us from ourselves.

🎻 4'33'': this is another musical one, albeit weirder. it's a reference to an experimental composition of the same name, conceived in 1947 by john cage. i think it's best if you look for it if you want to understand what type of song it is; the meaning and correlation to the story should be relatively clear once you listen to it~!

🕊️ sin deep, my darling angel: another reference to cradle of filth! this is a slight variation from 'sin deep my wicked angel', a rather beautiful and haunting instrumental piece from 2001~ i changed it so it fit the theme better :]

🦇 when our hearts lie six feet under: uh,,, another cradle of filth one x.x listen, their lyrics are beautiful, okei? this is from 2021, from their song 'necromantic fantasies'

when the moon is full and the wolves howl in the forest, would you take my hand and lead us both on our final voyage? would we share our dreams, those necromantic fantasies? really, could we ever be apart when our hearts lie six feet under?

fun fact, the title of the song has a double meaning: the obvious interpretation about dark arts, and a play on words! necro (death) + romantic = a romance that can only happen in death~ i thought it fit the vampire theme rather well

💐 how many tears to nurture a rose: ,,,yeah, uh,,, hi. my name is angel and i get hyperfixated on things x.x anyway, more cradle of filth !! the song (also from 2021) has the same title, but this one doesn't really fit the story all that well :( alas, it was a great title for the concept so here we are !

i did try to use some lyric from another song, 'discourse between a man and his soul', but it's far too dramatic of a title for this story x.x these lyrics are very pretty and fitting, thought~

oh my beautiful friend, i will love thee until the end is nigh. and in time, i'll find thee in my arms on the vast other side.

🔪 ...but here is one: okay, we have escaped the hyperfixation~ we're still on the songs, though. this is from the 1995, stunning song 'all flowers in time bend towards the sun', by jeff buckley and elizabeth fraser. it's an unreleased little song, very intimate and tender, and it's referenced in one of my main inspirations for this story, 'the cat lady'.

all flowers in time bend towards the sun. i know you say that there's no-one for you, but here is one.

in the game itself, it's mentioned by one of the main characters, who is trying to get through to our very depressed protagonist. she's essentially letting our protagonist know that some day she will find happiness, and that she's there for her~

🚀 until the stars all fall down: last but not least ! another song one, this is from the soundtrack of the inspiration game itself, it's called 'everything's alright', by laura shigihara. i shan't spoil too much of it; just know it plays at perhaps the most emotional moment of the game x.x

when this world is no more, the moon is all we'll see. i'll ask you to fly away with me. until the stars all fall down, they empty from the sky. but I don't mind, if you're with me, then everything's alright.

edit: the story is now called “telomeres”. it's a reference to the sleep token song of the same name.

and that's that ! i hope this isn't too long x.x thanks for the question and for being so sweet~!

[hastings727]

FFXIV will always have my love.

Ever since I first set foot on the internet some 20+ years ago, beyond all the games and random information websites, my favorite activities were chat rooms and social games. Anything that you played co-operatively or in Player versus Player were games I loved the most.

I was bullied alot as a child, and in an abusive household. So the internet was a way to learn about things, to experience things I'd never seen before. It was escapism. Even as I got older, that want for escapism remained. Games like Halo 3 and World of Warcraft were some of my favorites. Many hours were sunk into both, but WoW always held my love. Throughout all the terrible things that I dealt with in that game, I always have a soft spot for it. I can't go back, what with the shitty things Blizzard has done to it and the many negative experiences I had. I can't deny I'm sad though. My final main character, Lartou, will be some lines of code somewhere, just sitting there in a menu screen, waiting to be logged into.

...But this is about FF14, not World of Warcraft. I had tried FF14 about two separate times before it finally stuck with me. Once in Heavensward, where I got to the first dungeon and that was it, 2nd time was in Stormblood, where I got a bit through ARR before dropping again. And finally during the early-middle of Shadowbringers did it stick. My wife joined me, and together we went through every expansion, making it to Shadowbringers. Along the way we found a wonderful Free Company, The Forest Owls. A Pro PoC and LGBTQ+ safe space, ran by a trans Native American. As a LGBTQ Native American myself, I felt so comfortable. Through Shadowbringers we continued, and eventually my wife, who is more of a casual fan of games, finally lost interest and let me continue on my own. I was a bit sad, as we got married in-game and had spent alot of time together in it. But I persevered, beat ShB, and about a month before Endwalker dropped, cleared MSQ. And I was proud of myself! Even if, in reality, it hardly mattered that I beat it before the latest expansion: Content never truly goes out of style in FF14, what with level syncing. All that goes is the memories of when that content *was* the most recent content. Crafter and Gatherer jobs flitting to and fro to get the newest materials to create the latest armor, weapons, foods and potions to be bought by raiders for the latest boss content. Raiders jammed together on Tuesday mornings to fight those latest raid bosses, new strategies being posted left and right, twitch streams posted to see which raid team will clear the entire wing the quickest. The beauty of FFXIV is that this is the barest and most classic MMO taste of the game. There are so many ways to enjoy the endgame of this game, not of which is simply clearing the MSQ and taking a break. There's something wonderful about being able to say, "This is where my journey ends, until the next story update". It's so antithetical to what I think MMOs are about, but FF14 accommodates that. I have friends whos entire endgame was the Golden Saucer, basically an in-game Casino filled with mini games that award alternative currency to buy prizes. It also houses the card game, Triple Triad, Chocobo breeding and racing, and House of Vermillion, a strategy game involving the many minions you get on your travels in-game. Still other friends simply played dress-up via the glamour system. Fashion is nearly the most important aspect in FF14, to the point that entire websites and social medias were created just to showcase fantastic mixes of in-game clothing. Some even use their fashion to create elaborate role-playing scenarios. And not just fantasy role-playing, nope. Entire communities buying housing to create cafes, or bars, or nightclubs, all to mingle and role-play with other like-minded fans.

My own endgames were the classical ones: Raiding. Fighting the bosses with friends, and enjoying the story that comes with it. About a year ago to now, circumstances in my life changed and we couldn't pay for my subscription to the game. And so I said goodbye to my character for a while, and kept up with my FC via discord. up until about 3 days ago, when a login campaign dropped for 4 days to come back for free.

and so I came back, cleared all the relevant content. And here I am. At the end of Endwalker, the end of the Hydaelyn and Zodiark saga. I just finished the final Alliance raid quests, and to know that Oschon the Wanderer, my patron deity, could not bear to leave us, even to join his Ancient brethren in the lifestream, was so moving.

It makes me think about how all the content made between 1.0 and now was one giant story, and how its finally going to be moved on from. It's so emotional. I feel that same feeling I did when I first played WoW in 2007. "I wish I could experience this for the first time, again." Perhaps thats why myself and so many FF14 fans are so welcoming to new players. We all know what it was like to make our character, pick our first class, enter the gates of a new city and learn about this world. There are so many songs and sound effects that make me emotional, but so especially after finishing the last Alliance Raid, the songs in The Black Shroud will always stick with me the most. This regions was where I started with Revima, my character. This was where I got married, in the chapel in East Shroud. So much has happened, and will continue to happen.

Eventually, Revima will end up like Lartou, Selicius, and Revius, and the myriad of other MMO characters I've made over the years. Lines of code, sitting in a menu screen, waiting to be logged into.

I'll always have those fond memories of partying with friends, laughing and crying at the MSQ and all of the little side stories littered throughout the world.

In 3 days, I'll have to say goodbye again. Hopefully I can afford to play again soon, as it tears my heart up a bit to see it go.

Maybe its a bit overreactive. It is after all, a subscription based game. I pay $15 a month to enjoy it. But I can't deny that I have such an emotional connection to this game, to the people I play it with. I've made long lasting friendships thanks to this game, and even if I can't afford to play it, I'll always have the friends, and the memories.

[hiraethhh-h]

doodle

prompt used: A doodles on scraps of paper when they’re bored and accidentally leaves them scattered around. B keeps finding them and gets invested in the drawings and scribbled thoughts. 

pairing: jason voorhees x gn!reader

some jason content to soothe the soul <3

also creative title right? HSDKFJ

there was never much to do around camp crystal lake now that you actually lived there. don’t get yourself wrong, you loved it here. the scenery was absolutely beautiful, and living in the middle of the woods opened up so many doors for adventure. when jason was busy clearing his camp of unwelcome visitors, you had no choice but to stay cooped up inside to avoid his wrath (not that jason would purposely harm you. ever). and well, since it was summertime, you could imagine how many horny teens were revving up their engines to party at the infamous camp crystal lake.

another tired sigh escaped from your lips, your head falling back onto the pillow behind you. colors flashed on the tv, characters dancing across the small screen, but you paid them no mind. your eyes drifted to the clock mounted on the wall. jason wouldn’t be home for another 10 hours or so. “great.” you stood from your spot on the couch, striding over to the hall that led to you and jason’s shared room. after grabbing your diary, extra paper, and writing utensils, you made your way back into the living room. music from the tv filled in for the silence as you sat down in front of the coffee table, setting down your supplies and flipping the journal to a blank page. 

you began to write about your day, filling the page with any and all of your idle thoughts. journaling was something you often did to pass the time, and pass the time it did. the pen began to go slack in your grip, the ink smearing under your hand. a loud yawn left your lips, your body slumping forward onto the table. you rested your cheek against the cool glass, exhaling softly. “just for a bit…” you murmured, allowing your eyes to flutter shut.

gentle tapping on your shoulder was quick to snap you wide awake, your body shooting upright. you grimaced as pain shot from your neck and traveled down your spine. well, that’s what you got for sleeping practically folded in half. a familiar hockey mask appeared in your peripheral vision, your body deflating at the sight. gently shutting your journal, you turned to jason with a tired smile. “back so soon, jase?” you hummed, jason nodding at your words before he shuffled back to sign. “i didn’t want to leave you alone for too long.” warmth blossomed in your chest, a soft giggle leaving your lips. his head slowly turned to your long forgotten doodles and random word dumps. jason gently took a piece of paper in his gloved hand, seeing there was a cute little drawing of him and you holding hands in the middle of the forest.

you cleared your throat, rubbing the back of your neck sheepishly. “i um… started writing and lost track of time.” you tapped your finger against the cover of your diary, avoiding jason’s gaze. you thought he’d find your doodles to be childish, but when he brought the paper closer to his chest and gave it a small hug, your eyes widened. jason set it back down on the table, slowly rising to his full height and extending his hand to you.

“let’s get you to bed. i’ll clean up out here, okay?”

[cdroloisms]

I really love when people write about c!wilbur manipulating c!dream so I was wondering if you could write on about the smp realizing that c!wilbur manipulated c!dream into being a lap dog for him but a hell lot of trouble for then and if you could add c!wilbur taking advantage of the fact that dream is a god during a fight that would make my day. Hope you have a great day.thank you. Love your work.

ooh yeah - c!wilbur is back and GGG-ing as good as ever, , which Really makes you think abt what it’s gonna be like when he interacts with c!dream again. this ended up being a little more c!sapnap centric than i intended, hope that’s alright haha. (and thank you so much for the kind words!) 

tw: implied abuse, torture, drowning, dismemberment, manipulation, unhealthy relationships, emotional distress, dark content, prison arc/pandora’s vault, c!sapnap critical? not really?, dark portrayal of c!wilbur (typical MAD duo shenanigans)

Sapnap isn’t expecting to find anyone when he storms out in the middle of the night - he’s tense, they all are after the fiasco at the prison, but really his thoughts are filled with Karl once again going inexplicably radio silent for days on end and Quackity ignoring all of his questions with a simple “i’m busy” that he’d failed to follow up even twelve hours later, so Dream and Wilbur and whatever the hell happened that left Pandora’s Vault - obsidian, indestructible, tall and dark and proud - half-crumbled and sunken into the sea are just about the last things on his mind.  

Even so, he’s not an idiot, so he had enough foresight to pack a few potions and gather his armor and weapons before stepping into the summer night - it’s cool under the moonlight, a soft breeze cutting through the otherwise stifling weight of the humid air, and the comfortable night is enough to make his anger die down, just a little. Kinoko Kingdom glows soft and warm from the lanterns Foolish had scattered all over the place, thick with the earthy smell of fungus and flowers, and he takes a deep breath before walking to the city outskirts to hopefully clear his mind.

He’s no stranger to late-night walks; his temper had always been fiery, even as a child, and he’d figured out pretty early on that the easiest way to deal with it was to walk or run until his brain was too tired to think anymore. Walking at night also meant he could take out some of his frustration on mobs as well as the satisfaction of setting a random patch of forest on fire without worrying about burning down someone else’s property, and once he got good enough with a sword and shield to come and go relatively unscathed, Bad had stopped his worrying enough to let him do whatever as long as he came back in time in the morning. Sapnap frowns as he hacks at a random branch in his way with an axe, watching as it falls in a spray of leaves and crashes to the ground; he hasn’t seen Bad in a while, not since he became obsessed with the whole Egg thing. Quackity had mentioned some cryptic things, and Karl was adamant that they avoid the Egg as much as possible, but he probably should’ve at least visited, or something. Bad always knew what to say when it came to messy things like this.

Though - Sapnap laughs wryly - it’d never been this bad, before. Karl distant and absent, Q somehow even more so with a new glint to his gaze that sent a shiver down his spine. George, usually asleep, never around, expression perpetually foggy like he doesn’t know where he was. Dream- evil, insane, awful, somehow so familiar it hurt and too much of a stranger to recognize. He wonders when it all got this bad. He wonders what it says about himself, that he didn’t notice until it was far too late.

“Fancy seeing you out here.”

Sapnap whirls around, sword drawn; the figure staring back at him doesn’t even flinch. His eyes narrow at the sight, stance widening, shoulders tense.

“Wilbur?” He keeps his voice wary, guarded, trying his best to keep surprise from coloring his tone. Wilbur grins at him, tight-lipped, the planes of his face faintly lit by the moon shining over them, facial features only barely visible in the dim light. Without really meaning to, Sapnap cranes his head to look around at the surrounding forest, but nothing moves or makes itself known outside of the figure still staring at him, smirking. “What- what are you doing here?”

And where’s Dream?

Because Sapnap might not know much about what went down at the prison and what Dream’s plans are and the whole mess that he’d been so desperate to put behind him and utterly failed at doing so, but what he does know is that the two of them - Dream and Wilbur, Wilbur and Dream - had been all but inseparable, strangely attached to each other in a way that spelled out nothing but trouble for the rest of them. The rest of the server had been compiling sightings of the two in the hopes of being able to stop whatever it was that they had planned, but Sapnap knows his former friend, brother, and even if he doesn’t know Wilbur, his reputation more than precedes him: the two of them are smart, not to mention paranoid as fuck, and the rest of them have a better shot shooting targets in the dark than figuring out whatever the hell was going on in their heads with the two of them working together. Either way, he knows that they’d never been sighted apart - it was always Wilbur standing on a hill with Dream sitting next to him, or Dream hacking through mobs as Wilbur followed, or the two of them stepping into a fortress and leaving minutes after - until now.

“Could ask the same of you,” Wilbur laughs, just a shade to the left of friendly, and the moonlight scatters through the leaves and glints off his glasses. “Don’t be so tense, man! I’m just going on a walk, thought I’d enjoy the night. Didn’t see anything like this in Limbo, you know.”

Sapnap winces at the reminder, that Wilbur is here and alive in defiance of law and reason and the universe itself, but Wilbur barrels on, seeming unaware of his unease.

“Anyway - how are you doing, man? Haven’t seen you around in a while.” He leans back, hands shoved deep in his jacket pockets, stance loose, relaxed. “I’d ask Dream, but he’s been in prison for a bit, you know? Most of what he knows is pretty - ah, outdated, not that I tell him that.”

“What are you planning?” Sapnap snaps, grip tightening around the handle of his sword. “You and Dream. What do you want?”

“Who’s to say we want anything?” Wilbur seems to grin wider, and the expression on his face is unsettling, makes something cold slither up his spine. He shakes his head to rid himself of the feeling, half-wishing it was brighter so he could better see the other’s eyes.

“I mean-” he stutters. Because Dream always wants, he almost says, bitter and angry, that all-too-familar swell of betrayal rising in his chest at Dream, forever insatiated, forever wanting, forever looking for more more more. Because if he were to escape, and if he were to want nothing, then what did that mean for the rest of them? Because if he didn’t want, if he wasn’t left wanting, then did Sapnap ever mean anything at all? The thoughts stick to his skull like tar, words clinging to the roof of his mouth as it goes dry. Wilbur seems to stare at him, unimpressed, and he feels his face go hot.

“He’s not- he’s dangerous, you know,” Sapnap says instead of answering, because untangling the awful, knotted feelings that make up his remaining ties with Dream, half-frayed and neglected and forgotten, is more work than he can handle and more emotions than he has the energy to bear. It doesn’t matter, in the end, because Dream is still dangerous; he knows that, resolutely, and maybe it’s lucky, that he found Wilbur without Dream whispering plans and manipulations and meaningless words by his side. It’ll give him a chance to warn Wilbur, bring him back to their side instead of risking his life (again) in the company of his friend-turned-tyrant. Dream is dangerous, whether he wants or not, because Dream is Dream and he’s been in too many manhunts to face him with anything less than one hundred percent confidence. “You don’t want to be with him, Wilbur. He’s hurt- so many people.”

Wilbur’s expression doesn’t change, seeming as indifferent to the words as ever; if anything, he looks a little amused. “Really,” he hums, almost to himself. “Dangerous, you say?”

“He’s Dream,” Sapnap insists, because it’s the truth, and it’s the simplicity of it, really. It’s Dream, and Dream is dangerous whether he’s on your side or not, forever ruthless and unheeding as long as he gets what he wants. He’d been in Wilbur’s place, once, convinced that Dream’s strategies and planning and infallible logic had meant they had no way of losing. He knows better, now. “You’ve fought him before! He doesn’t care about you. He doesn’t care about anything.”

And if the words are a little more bitter than they should be when he says that, who but he is going to notice?

Wilbur’s eyes stay on his, completely silent, expression unreadable. The quiet gets awkward quickly, Wilbur’s expression seeming unchanging, nothing but the faint rustling of the leaves around them to break the stillness of the air, and Sapnap feels his gut roll uncomfortably as he looks off to the ground, waiting for Wilbur to react in some way, any way. It’s hard, he knows, to realize that someone you thought was on your side had been using you the entire time, he’s been there before and he gets it, but- it’s still strange, how still Wilbur has become. How he still hasn’t reacted - is his expression going to change?

And suddenly, starting quiet and then swelling in volume, Wilbur begins to laugh.

“Goodness,” Wilbur drawls through his chuckles, voice low and dark and sending chills down his back. “I thought he was exaggerating, man - you really do hate him, don’t you?”

“What- what’s so funny?”

Wilbur smiles, teeth flashing white as the faint light from the moon bounces off of them, “I have to give you my thanks, truly. I’d thought that Quackity did the most of it, or Sam, but you- I really couldn’t have guessed.”

Sapnap’s head is spinning. Wilbur’s expression is positively gleeful, eyes dancing, smile wide and brilliant, bouncing from one name to another with little explanation to how any of them tie together. Sam? Quackity? Nothing is making sense. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Oh Sapnap,” Wilbur croons. “You really don’t know, do you?”

He twists his hand in a flippant gesture, eyes directed into the forest surrounding them.

“Let’s just say that his, ah- stay, in Pandora, wasn’t exactly what I’d call a five-star experience. But you know that, don’t you?” Wilbur directs a flat smile his way, and Sapnap swallows, throat dry. Briefly, images flash behind his eyes - walls, dripping with crying obsidian, the lava’s heat hard to bear at his back, even for him, mining fatigue pulling at his limbs and making them heavy. How startlingly bare the cell had been, even through the haze of his anger, Dream, slumped in a corner of the cell, barely moving, barely even breathing as it seemed sometimes, sunken-in cheeks and sagging shoulders speaking of nothing but a bone-deep exhaustion. “Apparently, being psychologically and physically tortured for months on end has an interesting effect on the human psyche. Even more so when, say, your best friend comes once in the entire time to tell you that he’ll kill you if you ever try to escape.”

“How-” he trips on his own words, lungs seizing, “how do you know that?”

“He tells me things. A lot of things, really. Did you know it takes one and a half regen potions to reattach an arm after it’s been cut off? It takes three and a half for a leg, he thinks, but the blood loss made it rather hard to remember.” Wilbur steps forward. “Did you know that scars created by healing potions tend to be much thicker and more prominent than those made by regens? Or that he can hold his breath for a little more than two minutes before passing out?” Wilbur smirks, jagged, threatening. “Did you know that I can tell him just about everything, and he’ll believe me because there’s no one else to tell him otherwise?”

“Wh- what?”

“I’ll be sure to tell him what you said; I’m sure he’ll love to hear how his brother is doing.” Wilbur waves. “And when you see Quackity, be sure to give him my thanks, will you?”

“Wilbur, what- come back-”

And with a flash of purple particles, Wilbur disappears, leaving Sapnap alone in the middle of the forest. Stasis chamber. His heart pounds in his ears, breathing all-too-loud, and he stares desperately at the empty space where Wilbur had stood like it’ll bring him back again.

Fuck, he swipes his hand across his face, startled when it comes back wet. What does he do now?