#every kind of interaction is good interaction :3c

[sysig]

A lot of early concept stuff was expression/pose brainstorming - there’s the classic six Webkinz emotions (which, I learned have been largely pared down to just four after a point! Since they got rid of Dr. Quack’s role, there’s no more “sick” expression and most ‘Kinz’ tired and sad expressions are the same! >:0 What’s the point of having an easily editable puppet with the spaghetti code intact that you have to put an image there AnyWay and not make a slightly different expression!! H’f) as well as the main Sakura poses - so if I’m already making up expressions, why no go a little further! :D

One of the expressions I definitely needed up top was Mischievous - working with a cat, that’s the only logical conclusion really. I think it’s funny that she swerves the compliment only to pay it right back as well lol

The ticklish expression is one I’m still going back and forth on! I’m half tempted to have it be somewhere between happy and angry - maybe a mood gradient, starting out just positive and slowly moving into “Hey stop! >:0″ if it’s too many times in a row? It’s a thought haha

Similarly so, messing with her ears - bothering your pets is a very important element of socialization (lol)

As seen above, I’d reallyyy like to figure a way to have a dual-visual mood system - both the ‘Kinz body language/expression/emotion and a more exact stat bar. I’m still chewing on this idea a bit, no pun intended lol. That and click-and-drag with an actual image you can drag around your screen, hm and hm! Much to think about. Her face here turned out cute and funny haha, helped me push the expression more comedic

Much better :) Webkinz already has some well-known food dialogue, my favourite is probably “Mmm to the mmmax!” haha

Each low-mood would have their own emotion tied to it, but what about somewhere in the middle? I like the idea of the ‘Kinz getting bored if they’re left alone for too long! And little paw taps, showing off her embroidered paw pad haha ♪

[kyri45]

✨ShadowPeach Bio Parents Bio AU Q&A! 07/12✨

Welcome to the Q&A! A space where I can answer related or similar question about the Shadowpeach Bio Parents AU! If you submitted your ask anonimously, then you’ll have to check the whole post if it’s answered here, if it’s not, worry not! Your asks might have been used for a future comic or just in the queue~

Anonimo ha chiesto: Ok hear me out, what if Mac and Wukong talk about how afraid of dying Wukong is and how that fear now also applies to MK and maybe even Mac too

aaaaahh how about the fact that now Wukong is MROE afraid of MK dying than himself (since that's basically what happened in S5)

Anonimo ha chiesto: I am just imagining how will shadowpeach relationship improve that they will start courting each other and mk is like.. :0 DAMN U SURE UR THE SAME MONKEYS AS WHEN YOU WERE TRYING TO KILL EACH OTHER!!!

BOY SURE THEY ARE!!!

@kristea9ay ha chiesto: Love your last post! I need more Spicynoodles content ISTG 😭 but the last post got me thinking, has anyone told Red what MK attempted to do? Or did MK just randomly mention it during a conversation. MK: oh yeah, I found out I could teleported right before I was about to sacrifice myself- Red: YOU-WHAT?! MK: right?? I didn't even know I could do that! Do you know how much easier delivering noodles would have been? Red: no- you- NOODLE BOY-!

LMAO POOR RED SON EVERY DAY MK PULLS OUT A NEW SHENANIGAN

Anonimo ha chiesto: Please show us Macaque courtnapping wukong in the past 🙏🙏🙏 Anonimo ha chiesto: Can, can we see what Macaque actually DID to courtnap Wukong? Please? Please and thank you? With a cherry on top? AND with an ice cream sundae!!!

I wasn't lying when I said it really was the tickle war. A very jealous tickle war.

@beanspassin ha chiesto: OMG I just had a thought!!! What if when MK finally gets the hang of his shadow powers, shadow portals to be specific- ITS WHEN HES COURTNAPPING REDSON!!!! >:3c

AAAWW THAT COULD BE ADORABLEE!! Unfortunately MK is not able to make shadow powers at all, there are certain powers that just he didn't inherit

Anonimo ha chiesto: What will we see first Shadowpeach marriage OR spicynodlles marriage??

Oh man I don't know, I want to say Shadowpeach since Spicynoodle is still a pretty new couple. They are both young (I mean, MK is) and still need some times to know each other.

Anonimo ha chiesto: I need more of wukong and Mk picking up there boyfriends like there bags of grapes. love me some stronk boyfriends

THEY ARE STRONKKKK I would see Wukong just lifting the whole fam

Anonimo ha chiesto: 1st- I LOVE YOUR COMIC! Is so good! Your stories make me want to draw and create and I really want to thank you because they do inspire me. I love your linework and your use of shape and YOUR EXPRESSIONS!?? Ugh! they are lovely 💕 With that said. And I am sorry if this is a weird question but with MK and Swk being trans and Mac seemingly not, I was wondering if you had any hcs with Mac’s gender? I’ve seen a bunch of the fandom hc mac as either nb, genderfluid or a trans woman. And I found it funny that he is now the cis monkey 😂. So I though I’ll ask. Also totally fine if you hc him as cis! Is just that at least with the fandom I interact with the one that tends to be the trans one is Macaque so It was honestly nice se SWK for a change! But I still wonder, you know? Anyways! Have a good day!

mmmm nope I don't. I don't have any preferences either so any of you can feel free on giving them any kind of headcanon. Anonimo ha chiesto:

*Jumps through window* OW OH HI JUST WANTED TO POP IN AND SAY I LOVE YOUR SHADOWPEACH SERIES OKAY BYE *runs through a wall* @honktraband01 ha chiesto: OUGHHHHHH YOUR ART AND STORYTELLING IS PHENOMENAL!!!! I CAN’T GET ENOUGH!!! (Especially the ShadowPeach AU omg) and I’m so excited for whenever the next part comes out I practically screamed when Mac dropped part of his glamour omg. I may or may not have decided to finally start binging LMK because of this au… and may also be working on various bits of fan art…. So THANK YOU!!! I’ve been in-between hyperfixations and this fixed it :33 @mistress-of-nightmares ha chiesto: So I discovered your Shadowpeach bio parents AU two weeks ago on a sunday evening and my weekly phone screentime thingamabob came this Monday and. My tumblr activity has tripled in a single week. Bc I re-read your comic like four times. Jsyk 👌 Anonimo ha chiesto: I just wanted to let you know that your art is amazing, and your shadowpeach AU is the reason I binged the entire LMK series in 2 weeks. Anonimo ha chiesto: This is not a question. I just want to say I love your shadowpeach bio dad au, and I hope you have a good life and be happy and never give up what makes you happy and I know I like it because when something makes me feel less tired and more happy I know it is a great thing to have so keep it going 💜💜💜

majoraofmask ha chiesto: I LOVE YOUR ART AO MUCH! Both of your comic series have my brain in a chokehold and I do not want to let go! Your art and character writing is so tasty! Gradients my beloved ♥️♥️ zazzalonies ha chiesto: Your comic brings me life, I was drifting out of the fandom until I found this and it’s the best thing I’ve found on tumbler, that you for your work 🥰🥰 m4delin ha chiesto: I have never seen the lego monkey kid series, but I'm super hooked onto the bio dad au. it's amazing

AJCCBOADCB THANK YOU FOR ALL THE LOVE GUYS!!!

@dragonaboni-blog ha chiesto: Hi! I'm thinking of doing a redraw of a scene from Shadowpeach AU (I won't say which one, it's a secret ;3) But I'd like to know if you have a color reference of Redson, pretty please~ OwO

If you wait just a little more I might draw him with colors, but until then very sorry but not at the moment.

Anonimo ha chiesto: So Umm since we got macaque being under moonlight shall we get wukong with sunshine??

Well he is most of the time under the sunshine but maybe we will see him absolutely shining.

Anonimo ha chiesto: does Mac experience anything else during esclipes? Mood swings? Angst? 👀 Hormones? 👀👀👀👀👀 I suspect SWK would be right there for him. It would be so cute to see him help Macque. 🥰

I guess he does have mood swings and also tirediness. He's more sleepy but at same time can't sleep. It doesn't hurt him but he feels the fact that he is weaker.

Anonimo ha chiesto: Ok but in ch.14 of vol.1 of JTTW, Wukong pilfers one of Tripitaka's old shirts and Tripitaka sees him wearing it and says he can keep it. Canon Wukong steals clothes from the people around him!!

AWWW HE GOT A COLLECTION OF LOVED ONES CLOTHES!

[lovelyhan]

Kai hi! Don't know how and why but, I've been experiencing severe Seventeen brainrot in general so, I'm here to supply hard thoughts. (Also, I reread the JeongCheol x Reader trilogy you wrote and it remains a favourite of mine.)

I don't know who to start with so, I'll go with my man lol. The thought of being forced to cum on Cheol's ridiculously thick fingers makes me need to sit down. You know he'd be running his mouth too and, telling you how good you're doing for him.

the svt brainrot is well-deserved <3 and JAAHFJHD i'm so touched you reread inflection point thank you so much TT BUT HELLO? being forced to cum on cheol's fingers.... [kai.exe has stopped working]?!??!?

it kind of reminds me of the oneshot i wrote after he posted those pics on ig :| his fingers,,, what i'd do to get to cum around them /gen,, you can treat this drabble as a short continuation to that fic :3c

⟣ forced orgasm with cheol ⟢ wc: 0.8k words minors do not interact!

Choi Seungcheol is a man of his word.

When he tells you he'll pick you up at seven o'clock on a Friday evening despite his harrowing schedule, he'll pull up at the curb in front of your apartment with five minutes to spare. When he promises to call you every night he's away on tour, he'll phone you despite the time differences, and the fact that he sounds way too tired to be asking you about your day.

So when your boyfriend promises to stuff you full the next time you see each other, you know better than to call his bluff.

About twenty minutes since he hung up, you hear the telltale knocking on your door. You don't bother putting your underwear back on -- fully confident of the identity of your late-night visitor.

It's safe to say that when Seungcheol sees you behind the crack in the door wearing nothing but a flimsy tank top with your pert nipples straining against the fabric, you were completely at his mercy.

You don't even make it back to your room. Seungcheol simply brushes past you and makes himself comfortable on your couch -- dark eyes hooded with equal parts arousal and disappointment as he manspreads all over the cushions. Fuck.

"If I wasn't the one who was outside, what would've you done then?" he asks gruffly. "I didn't know you were such a fucking slut, princess. Answering the door wearing nothing but that top of yours. Might as well have done it naked."

You humor him with a laugh before striding over to take a seat on one of his thighs, making a mess of his sweatpants as you rub your needy pussy all over the fabric.

"That's just how badly I need you, Cheol," you whimper, sliding your hips against his thigh for the friction you've been craving since you saw those pictures he posted. When you feel those big, warm hands of his sliding up your thighs, you can't help the moan that spills from your lips.

"Turn around and sit on my lap," he commands, and you're much too willing to comply.

The moment your back is pressed against his broad chest, Seungcheol pries your legs apart -- gathering your slick between his fingers before prodding your lips with them. When your boyfriend whispers a quiet, "That's my girl," you practically preen at his praise.

And that's how you find yourself writhing on your boyfriend's lap as he fucks you open on his thick, large fingers -- whining and crying as your walls clamp down on each digit. Seungcheol deigned to start with three, as you've already loosened yourself up during that sultry phone call you shared before he came over, and he delights in how depraved you are from his mere fingers alone.

"Such a good fucking girl for me, aren't you?" he rasps, sinking those digits into your cunt before curling them just so. "You miss me that much, baby? Want to keep me all to yourself?"

"F-Fuck, Cheol!"

You can't even bring yourself to respond. He's so thick, and so, so deep, and he hasn't even brought out his dick yet. But when your brain manages to make you remember how you felt seeing all those fans thirsting for your boyfriend, you end up hissing through your teeth as you grind down on his hand.

"Mine, mine, mine. You're mine," you mewl, barely hearing the sound of Seungcheol's amused laughter before he smashes your lips together.

"All yours, princess," he whispers, and you cry out when those few, subtle words end up becoming the catalyst for your inevitable release.

But even as your walls spasm around his fingers, Seungcheol is relentless. He continues fucking into your cunt with unending fervor -- as if he means to engrave the idea of how much he's missed you as well into your body. You're practically twitching on his lap as he mumbles an incoherent string of words against the skin of your neck, but you're not exactly in the right headspace to tell him off.

"My beautiful baby, always so pretty when you cum for me," is what you first hear when the white noise finally recedes from your ears. You realize that you're still moving your hips despite the overstimulation, so fucking desperate to have any part of him inside you again. "You want more? I've fucked you stupid with my fingers alone, and you still want more?"

You do. You do want more.

"I remember a certain someone saying he'll blow my back out the moment he's back here with me," you sigh, tilting your head so you can kiss the corner of his mouth. "Is he going to make good on his promise?"

The ravenous glint in his eyes is enough of an answer. After all...

Choi Seungcheol is a man of his word.

[albatris]

Snippet Sunday......

snippet sunday? :3c?

“Hi!” Nat said. “I just, um—I wanted to thank you for helping me out before. With the Larsons. I really appreciate it.”

“Don’t sweat it, amigo,” Ripley said. Then she frowned, thoughtful, serious. “Hey,” she said. “Hey. Are you up for an adventure? I have some errands to run and I just had a killer idea for what we can do after.”

“What kind of idea?” Nat asked warily.

“The office was closed when I finished my ghost tour so I had to take all the equipment home with me,” Ripley said. “How about we go on a little hunt?”

“You mean… you mean a ghost hunt?”

“Duh. Come on! It’ll be fun!”

“Ghost hunts usually happen at night, don’t they?”

“I know some sick abandoned buildings we can explore. Trust me, it’ll be plenty spooky,” she assured him. “Plus, we’re vampires. Daytime is kind of our nighttime, right? The sun’s pretty scary, right, Nat?”

Nat made a wishy-washy hand motion.

“But first—grocery shopping,” Ripley announced. “You’re coming with me.”

“Oh,” Nat said. “Okay.”

At the supermarket, Ripley tore her shopping list in half and handed the lower half to Nat.

“Race ya,” she said, and with that the game was on.

Nat collected paper towels, oranges, cornflakes, risoni and sundried tomatoes. He hovered for a good five minutes at the shampoo and conditioner, since Ripley had left no further instructions—what was her vibe? What was her signature style?—before eventually plucking out some mango-scented colour-save bottles. Every time he ran into Ripley in the store, she was talking to someone new.

“Your outfit is so cute! I love your vibe!”

Or, “Is that Payton on your keyring? I love Quantumfish! Have you played the revamp?”

Or, “Hey, can you reach that couscous on the top shelf for me?”

Nat’s own interactions with strangers didn’t extend beyond the occasional customer eyeing him down suspiciously, and him shuffling out of their line of sight and into the next aisle. He’d been taking his medication religiously this week, but he still felt like he was being followed. What if it wasn’t Quinn who had eyes on him, but the Ethels, too?

How would they know you were driving that car?

He reconvened with Ripley by the self-service checkouts. She’d beat him there easily. They shoved all their items together; she scanned while he bagged.

“Insert cash or select payment type,” said the machine.

“Insert cash or select payment type,” echoed Ripley.

Nat nodded sagely. “Insert cash or select payment type.”

They piled back into Nat’s car and dropped the groceries home. Then they piled into Nat’s car once again, this time with ghost-hunting equipment in tow. Ripley directed him to Maud Street, Galaxy Gardens, to a dilapidated, long-abandoned department store.

“Ready to get your spook on?” Ripley asked.

Nat sincerely had no idea.

[ladiemars]

I love Nor and her giant sad puppy eyes, I would love to know more about her

thank you!! have a hastily drawn nor ft. her giant sad sopping wet puppy eyes:

+ a giant nor lore dump below the cut જ⁀➴

➸ her whole character was inspired by that one textpost that’s like, “characters with both the abject terror and desperation of an animal that knows it is cornered and destined to be eaten. you just can't get that kind of angst out a successful hunter” and this quote by james harriet: “if having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.”

➸ she’s is the product of a union between a drow woman and a deep imaskari man. for those who don’t know, the deep imaskari are a human subrace (from 3e) that have stone-like skin and hair that’s white or black. because that’s nor’s human half, most people assume she’s completely drow upon meeting her, since did not inherit any features from her father that would make her look less like her drow mother.

➸ the deep imaskari live longer than other humans—up to 550 years—so nor ages at a rate more akin to drow and elves than half-elves or humans. nor believes she’s currently around seventy years old, though she could be off by a decade or two. she’s not sure when she was born and has long periods without human contact. she really isn’t sure how much time has passed.

➸ she has no given name, but eventually ended up going by the name ratcatcher, which is what the locals in baldur’s gate called her. halsin is the one who names her nor shortly after they meet, which is the elven word for “passion” and also “run.”

➸ this excerpt from one of my fics sums up her urchin/orphan to urban ranger/beastmaster pipeline pretty well:

➸ around the age of twenty, nor grew to resent humanity so much that she decided to leave baldur’s gate and live in the forest with only animals for company for half a century. (this is when she lost track of time completely.) in the forest, she became an expert in survival, attuning her ears to the slightest twitch in the air, to every noise and smell. she lived in a cave and slept curled up beside velvet on a bed of willow leaves. the events of baldur’s gate 3 is the first time in decades that she’s had social interaction.. and it shows.

➸ she has a little wolfdog companion named velvet. (i’ve drawn him and her and halsin and scratch here). he was another half-breed who didn’t quite being anywhere, so they bonded very deeply. (fun fact: velvet killed the elder brain in my first playthrough as nor. he’s a legend in faerun now.)

➸ laezel is her bestie. they are ride or die. neither of them understand a damn thing about faerun or its inhabitants. but that also means they don’t judge each other for anything, cause they both just kind of assume what the other is doing is normal

➸ a big part of her character is her dynamic with the emperor. she gets manipulated by him so bad because he tells her everything a forgotten, unloved creature wants to hear: i need you, i’ll protect you, you’re not like other people, we’re a team, you can trust me, i want you to join me, you aren’t alone. it’s not until he begins to pressure and compel her to become illithid against her will she starts to fear him and his power over her, and after certain revelations she realizes he was using her and turns on him altogether.

➸ obviously she romances halsin. i love the dynamic of beastmaster/druid. they’re extremely well suited because they’re both such inherently good people and they bond a lot over their love for nature. they are also the only two people who can really understand each other’s animalistic quirks.

i’ve written some fics with her that you can read here if you’re interested. >:3c

[notnights]

i legit love the idea of jax leaving anonymous gifts for gangle, and enjoying being on stage w/her bcs he's actually challenged and active enough to a point where he isn't feeling boredom or dread. also, there's a certain escapism in taking on the role of a character.

hmm, other ribbun scenarios? i can imagine gangle infodumping to zooble abt smth she used to watch, and jax feeling irritated by her rambling at first, but soon becoming accustomed to it and enjoying hearing her voice and opinions. perhaps he even remembers some of the shows she talks about. maybe he chimes in absentmindedly from his hiding spot and zoob n gangle are both like "u were here this whole time ??"

or what about caine using his ringmaster authority to make sure that jax is kind to gangle for a day? and now he has to do whatever gangle asks, and he's not allowed to break her mask. i wonder what she would do with that opportunity? dress him up in silly outfits? get him to pose in different ways for art references? like a mannequin doll.

i love seeing dynamics like these in moments where they have to work together for a common goal, as well. like, they get paired up together in an event and the reward is like. new crayon colours and a can of silly string/sticky hand/centipede or smth. i imagine a lot of yelling and fighting and cartoon violence shenanigans, but maybe, mayhaps, a "good job! we crushed em!" every here and there when things go well.

i also think jax trying to drag gangle away from a teaparty (hosted by ragatha ofc, no jaxes allowed) so that he can have an accomplice in ruining said teaparty for everyone would be fun. he wants to cause some chaos with his favourite victim

anyway hope u like these misc thoughts. idk im new to their dynamic :3c

1). Yeah it's a good thought! For a moment he can be someone else, someone who cares or someone who is open about being in the company of others.

2). I like to think sometimes Jax enjoys Gangle talking... but that's also why he doesn't like it. Doesn't like that something as simple as Gangle going on about something she likes makes him happy. Doesn't know why yet. Too close, too sentimental maybe. Feelings he's not ready for. So then he breaks her mask to shut her up. :(

3). I really want to imagine Jax and Gangle can get along in that way a bully and his lackey does. Bully picks on his lackey too but sometimes they get up to nonsense together and laugh at others together. Comedy!Gangle liking funny things too, which can range from something as silly as giving one ice cube to someone who asked for a couple, to seeing people get physically hurt (to the extent it happens in the DC anyways).

She won't go as far as Jax, when the going gets tough she'd start feeling guilty before Jax does, but up until then she's laughing and fooling around at Ragatha stepping on and getting slammed in the face by a misplaced rake.

Rare moments where they get along because Gangle is acting more willingly in Jax's interests. Idk if this idea has any merit with what we've seen so far. We still have no reference for Comedy!Gangle, and Jax atm really doesn't have any respect for her as an actual friend, at least when she's Tragedy!Gangle. I can only really imagine him getting along with Comedy!Gangle if she really is completely different though, and again we don't know if she is yet.

So it's an idea I haven't worked too much with despite how much I want it. I want them to be silly together. They both ave forever smiles in that aspect.

(concept for the next chapter-promo for the zooblecaine fic)

Anyways, with that said yeah something that gets them working with mutual goals is a good way to get that kind of interaction going. Awful together in a different way. Awful at each other vs Awful together at others lol.

4). Yeah I like the idea he'll drag her to help him with things too. Much to her dismay but she goes along with it, she doesn't really have a choice poor girl. Drags her around like a wet rag until he gets bored of dragging her because, what a drag!

"Wants to cause some chaos with his favorite victim," is such a good line also. I hate Jax, love to see him be awful. My poor girl Gangle deserves better.

[pastel-medic]

Do the mercs often interact with their other team counterparts? (other than the Medics of course) Do they have opinions of eachother? :0

Sort of! Aside from the Medic brothers I can summarize a small list of the dynamics between the counterparts!

The Scouts sorta get along somewhat, tho they do bicker like most siblings would like getting in brawls or calling each other names :P (Only reason Theo is a bit nicer to him is because they have a shared dislike for Pierre)

The Pyros may as well be besties cuz they immediately act as if they grew up together 💖 If they were left to their own devices they'd probably burn both bases down in a matter of seconds (also Kasai is much shyer than Cyrus)

The Soldiers kinda dunk on each other constantly and nobody can tell if it's all in good fun or if they genuinely are trying to one up the other. Who knows? Could be both!

The Heavys are casually polite to each other but otherwise don't ever interact with one another. They do talk to each other about their families tho! It's kind of a comforting way for them to not forget that the enemy they kill each match are also living people with their own lives

The Engineers get along very well and have actually collaborated on a few projects together under the Administrator's nose :3c their mutual respect has its limits tho, they do know better than to get too friendly with the enemy

The Demos are kinda like long distance friends! They go out to drink once or twice every few months to catch up. Only reason the Administrator hasn't done anything about this is cuz Tavish always forgets they're friends (cuz of da brain scooping from Ludwig) after hanging out so he's still ruthless during matches, yet he has their hang out days marked on his calendar so he doesn't forget to meet up

The Snipers are like oil and water. Neither get along but they also don't hate on the other. Assassins are polite and respectful after all! Also Austin is a rambler kind of talker while Ethan is completely mute and simply listens

The Spies don't talk to each other much even tho they are aware of their familial relation (that doesn't mean they don't care of course >_> they just hide it very well). Maxime tends to talk more to Axel tho in terms of whose sibling relationship is stronger. Pierre keeps to himself a lot so he barely has much a bond with them

Their opinion of their teammates' counterparts tho is a whole different story and I'm not about to make an ENTIRE blog post about that or it'll be too long and boring 😂

[ryuichirou]

Is there any Styx headcanons for the six overblot boys? I would do one ship ask for that hcs but couldn't pick much so have six of them together.

Anon! Sorry for the late reply.

Even though there aren’t a lot of characters there and it shouldn’t have taken this long, I wasn’t sure how to approach this list but also really didn’t want to skip it?? I think it ended up being partially about the six overblot boys in general or with each other, and partially about their interactions with the Styx staff. Some are more neutral, but some are surprisingly specific lol

Thank you for your patience, and I hope you like it.

Riddle – kind of post-Styx so idk if it counts?? But he really wants to continue playing videogames at least sometimes after experiencing them for the first time, and he really wants to ask either Idia or Ortho or, god forbid, Azul or Floyd, but every single option is bad. In result, he just looks longingly whenever Ace or Deuce play anything, waiting for someone to suggest him join them, so he could refuse, act like he is above it, but still sit down and play.

Leona – despite constantly complaining about wanting to sleep and “falling asleep”, Leona didn’t sleep at all during the whole Styx thing. He was just listening to whatever everyone was talking about… and contemplating the fact that Ortho basically called him a cute little kitty cat lol which affected Leona more than it should have.

Azul – the moment he was left alone in his room after an entire day of testing and all kinds of stress, the frustration seriously hit him: he couldn’t believe he was so close to a person of such high and powerful status and knew nothing about it. He misdirected his frustration at Idia at first, cursing him in his mind, but then started thinking about how powerful of an alliance they could have… in short, he ended up thinking about Idia and him getting married, and had a dream so sweet and nice that he woke up with drool all over his face.

Jamil – he is probably having the best time out of everyone here. Of course, he is super worried about Kalim, but at the same time for some reason he isn’t…? He’s just chilling. He even entertained the idea of joining Styx because a lot of their technology looks pretty convenient, and it would probably make separation from the Asim family possible… but ah no, I guess joining Styx would mean he won’t be able to travel, so he still ends up losing his freedom. Whatever then. Also, there is one staff member who got a crush on Jamil, but this isn’t surprising at all.

Vil – there are some Vil stans in Styx… there also are people who aren’t necessarily Vil stans, but enjoy being close to a celebrity. As the result, some of the staff ended up taking advantage of his vulnerable state and watching through a lot of his private memories. This violates Styx regulations, but if no one finds out, it’s all good right? Ah yes, some of them also stole Vil’s underwear.

Idia – he is kind of disappointed that Azul didn’t like his super quick shower thing. He thought that Azul, who appreciates efficiency over anything, would appreciate how quick and effective it is. What also got him a bit annoyed is the fact that Azul has some gaming experience and he didn’t tell him >:(

Ortho – since he probably has full access to every camera in Styx, he could’ve easily peeked at whatever the overlbotted boys were doing alone in their rooms. He even thought that it would be a fun idea: to see who’s watching anime, who’s just sleeping, maybe someone’s being naughty! >:3c But as we all know, Ortho had a lot of other things to do and to think about that day…

[foxgloveprincess]

I'd love to hear your horny thoughts on Tony :3c

Let me see….

Warnings: Horny Thots, Objectification. Minors do not interact (18+).

Tony is a genius billionaire playboy philanthropist meaning he’s experienced, versatile, and lives to satisfy

I just can’t help imagining him in that mechanic kind of state

Treating you like a precious invention

Laying you out on top of his workbench

Manhandling you so you’re in the perfect position

Hands touching you everywhere until you’re squirming

Hushing you when you try to beg but still cooing over you

Calling you gorgeous and precious and asking you if it feels good

Stripping each layer of clothing from your body until you’re naked

Lights blaring down on you so he can see everything

His fingers poking and prodding

That pleased little smirk on his face when he finds you dripping onto the metal tabletop

Comments about how well lubricated you are

Fucking you with his fingers until you come again and again—for science

Until finally you’re so ready for him your legs are shaking and he slides you down the table

Your feet dangling off the edge before he wraps them around his waist and finally slides home

Taking painstaking care to make sure you’re still feeling good and getting a little floaty as he fucks you

Hands still exploring your body as he thrusts

Taking notes on every reaction, whimper, and sigh, documenting everything with your permission

Until you’re both so lost in it, everything else falls away and it’s just the two of you

Skin against skin, breaths panted over parted lips, bodies slippery with sweat

Tony trying—and succeeding—at getting the timing right for you to cum together

The meticulous way he cleans you up afterwards

Wrapping you up in luxurious blankets and slipping beside you to cuddle

Soft kisses and sweet praises exchanged between you

An afterglow accompanied by the gentle light of his arc reactor

[localplaguenurse]

I am just nosy, forgive me. Can you describe each one of your mutuals?

Buckle up people and prepare to get complimented >:3c

First and foremost, they’re all absolute sweethearts to me.

There are my irl friends, such as @wretchedshade, @granolabird, @siriuscitrus and @scales-of-stardust or beta as I usually refer to them. I share the same braincell with these people.

Wretchedshade has been my best friend since we were ten, we’ve been there for each other for 11 years. I initially got her into anime, and then she got me into jojo, and every once in a while we cry about Doukyuusei again. She’s a great artist and is really good at writing sad shit, which is why I write sad shit; to have the glory of finally making her cry. She kicked cancer’s teeth in a few months ago so it’s about goddamn time something good come her way and I WILL fight someone on that.

Granolabird is the dm for my dnd campaign, and like I said, absolute sweetheart, chaotic adhd haver (actually like most of my friend group is like this lmao we’re all queer and neurodivergent). Either way, we used to share thoughts on each other’s original stories, and we still do sometimes but it’s mostly just sending each other tiktoks/reels like “this you” or “this your oc.”

Siriuscitrus is usually pretty hyper, but also tries to be v considerate of everyone’s feelings. If you said that the McDonald’s employee put pickles on your burger when you said no, they’d probably be the one to tell them. They’re also scarily good at vibechecking people and told me I give “future he/they vibes” and like a week later I said “fuck you’re right oh my god.”

You’ve probably seen me and beta’s interactions on here or in the ao3 comments. We enjoy our like playful rivalry/enemyship. I like to torment tease her and she usually gets me back pretty good, it’s all in good fun. It’s also really funny to me whenever we meet up, I tell myself “you are friends with them for reasons other than fic so do not make it about fic” and then we’ll spend literally hours talking about and brainstorming fic ideas. It just Happens.

I’m also gonna add @memory-mortis into here because while we’ve not met irl I’ve introduced him to my friend group. Yet another sweetheart, love her art style a lot, and she was one of the first comments I got on ginkgo trees to motivate me to keep going. I was kinda worried about bringing him into my friendgroup because like if I’m not overthinking I am not thinking At All. I was super relieved and happy that she like IMMEDIATELY fit in with everyone so :D

For some of my other close but only on tumblr/ao3/outside my general friendgroup mutuals! (There are too many so I’m sorry if you’re not here it’s mostly people I interact with more regularly ;-;)

@crimson-ashes who I have occasionally with absolute love called my “askbox gremlin” because they live in my inbox. I need to stress this is affectionate because genuinely, I love opening tumblr and seeing I’ve got asks from them. They gotta stop posting Astarion though because I’m feeling So Tempted to play BG but I know my laptop would kill itself (joking).

@crystalflygeo and I know I’ve called everyone sweethearts but genuinely, she’s probably one of the sweetest people I’ve had the pleasure of talking to. She’s really wholesome (unlike her writing which is never gonna be a complaint in my book, good soup) and super supportive of other people.

@madamemachikonew who’s super polite and really kind. She’s also really creative/smart when it comes to referencing real world art and philosophy in her writing and integrating it into her own worldbuilding. I would have never thought to have done that, and it makes her writing very unique!

We don’t interact as much but @probably-doesnt-exist, @ethve, @euniveve and @ainescribe are such talented artists and super sweet, have literally made me screech and cackle with utter joy whenever they draw the characters from ginkgo trees. I rotate through which art becomes my phone’s lock/home screens.

This is long af but fuck it, I wanna brighten people’s days and I told myself to say “I love you” to my friends and family more, so consider this one big “I love you!” to y’all. It’s a pleasure talking to y’all!

[toxi-works-at-culvers]

also what are some of your headcanons for him? i'd love to know:)!

ohh i have so many thoughts about him, thank you for asking! :3c

some general stuff first i guess? i think he genuinely loved his kids! and i think that he also liked kids in general, since he opened up fredbear's and all. i don't think he was the best dad, but i think he genuinely tried. and i don't really like when he's portrayed as abusive because i don't feel like it makes sense for his character.

basic stuff: 6 ft 2 in tall, built like a fuckin twig, scariest gray/green eyes you will ever see. charming bastard smile. missing a tooth because he's definitely gotten into a fight before. wears purple in almost every outfit and dresses more formally than needed. bisexual. somewhere in his mid-30's in 1983

hobbies include robotics, designing animatronics, acting, journaling, and juggling (canon btw)

british. that's not even a headcanon but i feel like it's being forgotten lately (matthew curtis' voicelines for him + he's not gonna have an accent in the movie… sad!)

very afraid of death

has a very high opinion of himself

probably had a cat at one point. i feel like he would

i think his hair would start graying kind of early because of stress. the man's a workaholic and has definitely done more than a few all-nighters :P

i also think he got married kind of early (in his 20's or so) from societal pressure and also oopsies!! accidental pregnancy! so yeah. michael was an accident but william still loved him - but once elizabeth and evan were born william kind of ends up ignoring michael in favor of them. and that causes michael's teen angst to get especially angsty which is why the bite of 83 happens

he 100% used to have a thing with henry. there's no way they weren't at least a little fruity. (from the silver eyes, "a search of his house had found (…) stacks of journals full of raving paranoia, passages about henry that ranged from wild jealousy to near worship." tell me that's not homosexual.) but anyways they both have families now, yet william still lowkey kind of wants henry. but will never have him because they are both doomed by the narrative :) (edit to also say. they are like a divorced old couple tbh.)

his opinion about henry swaps around a lot. sees henry as being superior and better than him even if, technically, william has made wayyy more advanced animatronics. or sometimes thinks that he's the best and henry would be nothing without him.

and now his personality!! i kind of try to base most of it on how he's portrayed in the books, with my own touch added on. basically he's silly! he's a great actor and he's very theatrical. he's also very charismatic, good at interacting with people as well as getting what he wants. but underneath all that he's kind of an asshole, he's really selfish and only really cares about himself. he's egotistcal and he doesn't admit his faults because he thinks he can't be wrong. so yeah. (this actually got really long so i condensed it down. more elaboration under the cut)

gets springlocked and dies in 1993. returned to the fnaf 1 location because he wanted to destroy the old animatronics, thinking that it might free the souls and let him avoid their wrath or something idk. kind of backfired on him.

post springtrapping he's had a lot of time to reflect, but rather than feeling guilty he feels like he needs to get revenge. he wants to kill everyone who's ever wronged him and that's what keeps him going, even in death. (also the only one he might ACTUALLY somewhat regret is killing charlie, because of how it broke his relationship with henry. but otherwise he doesn't feel guilty at all.)

and most importantly, the fnaf 6 ending (with henry's speech) is canon and he's dead after that :) no glitchtrap, no mimic, no FUCKING FEAR GAS!1!1!11

(the original, longer version of his personality here lol) i think that william is actually a very silly goofy guy! he's dramatic, he's an entertainer and an actor as shown by how he acts when he's wearing the springbonnie suit. although he's definitely playing it up for an effect there, he's still kind of uhh. theatrical i think. but he's also very charismatic and could probably smooth talk his way out of prettty much anything, which is part of the reason he doesn't get arrested after the MCI (also the lack of evidence). at the same time he has kind of a weird vibe to him, you can just tell there's something wrong with this dude, like maybe he's trying a little too hard to look normal.

and thennnn there's what's beneath the surface. william is kind of insensitive, self-centered/selfish, and egotistical. he also absolutely refuses to admit his own faults or shortcomings. something bad happened? not his fault! he was wrong about something? no he wasn't! another thing, william is very paranoid and usually feels like anyone or anything could be a threat to him (mostly because of that one passage from the silver eyes, "had spent so much of his life fighting like a cornered rat." and ANOTHER thing from the silver eyes, "he had taken on the mantle of bitter sadism as an integral part of himself. he would strike out against others and revel in their pain, feeling righteously that the world owed him his cruel pleasures.")

at first he kills charlie because he wants to bring evan back, and feels he deserves some kind of revenge on henry because it was HIS animatronic that did the bite after all, right? but along the way he realizes he enjoys killing. and that it feels so good to have power when he hasn't for most of his life. so he keeps going, and eventually all that comes crashing down on him. and it's tragic! because he used to have what many would call a perfect life. but he completely ruined that with his own selfish desires.

[sysig]

Scribbly silly squirrel shenaniganary (Patreon)

[blue-unifox]

if we can submit multiple characters for trhe ask thing.........bows my head in shame and avoids eye contact

i think you can, hee hoo

First impression

I mean, her first appearance was pretty nice, tho not very clear what kind of character she would be. Though, her interaction with Almer was cute... and I could relate to the awkwardness and being unable to communicate clearly what you mean.

Impression now

Ahhh she's precious, she's the tism creature that also has all the angst. And yet she's still holding on strong! She just wants the good for everyone! Be nice to her please! I love that she's being treated well by every character and isn't infantilized, even tho she might seem "weird" to most.

Favorite moment

OH GOSH there's several good ones.... hmmm if I was to pick I'd go with when she and Jodi talk about her past and then just hug. ITS SO PRECIOUS??? IM SOBBING 🥺🥺🥺🥺 Girlie had to go thru so much, yet she's still smiling.... And Jodi is just like... so happy for her genuinely... ough

Idea for a story

No ideas yet but... Who knows, maybe I'll cook smt in the future 👀. There is certainly a lot to explore.

Unpopular opinion

I'm not reeeeally the biggest fan *ae and Almer being romantically involved... like, I like some fan depictions, but just as is in canon she doesn't seem very interested in romance at all, so it's one-sided at best. Though again, if it's your favorite, I don't judge!

Favorite relationship

Hough... dogdeer or Jodi mom.... Hard to choose, tho in canon I'd say I like her relationship w Jodi more... They're just OUGH 🥺🥺🥺🥺(as evident by the scene above)

Favorite headcanon

I do quite like your hc about *ae liking bugs... Like this makes a lot of sense, is one of those "weird niche interests", and just fits her in general :3c.

[amischiefofmuses]

♪

For every ♪ in my inbox I'll post a song I listen to for character inspiration. || Accepting always

I'll do three hellaverse nerds >:3c

Stepdad - Parrot

Most often, I stay level-headed. As they say, I'm on the ball. Sometimes, my mind wanders, and I don't know where he'll end up at all. Then I feel like a pet store parrot, ever spouting words. And when I've had a few too many, I get quite excited, I start talking very loudly and this is when- I've said a fair share of stupid things that I can't hide My wonderful friends just roll their eyes, stay by my side

This song just gives me such FIZZ energy. It's this delicate balance between being himself and being a people pleaser than he feels he never quite manages, always a touch too abrasive, too silly to the point of being annoying, yet those who care about him still stick around.

GHOST - The chattering lack of common sense

Moving along, dancing along, playing along - I am Waiting for it, preparing it, looking for it - I am Feeling around, messing around, looking around - I am Laughing a lot, losing a lot, looking at you - I am And what the hell should I do? I've been feeling out of order. I've been sorta noticing. Fallacies and things that see me. Surely, you've always known, I'm a little out of sorts. First impressions reborn. This is what I've come to be (This is what I shouldn't be). This is what I wanna be.

Not only is the music itself the right kind of unhinged (with a touch of canned laughter that fits Al so very well) but the song itself talks about masking things with smiles, planning interactions, it all just screams manipulator but perhaps one desperately grasping for control. Also that last line fits my Al so well because he LOVES who he is in hell, loves the power that comes with being the Radio Demon and would never want to go back to just being a man.

My Chemical Romance - Heaven help us

I'm at this old hotel, but can't tell if I've been breathing or sleeping or screaming or waiting for the man to call, and maybe all of the above. 'Cause mostly I've been sprawled on these cathedral steps, while spitting out the blood and screaming - Someone save us Heaven help us now, Come crashing down. We'll hear the sound, as you're falling down. And will you pray for me? Or make a saint of me? And will you lay for me? Or make saint...? 'Cause I'll give you all the nails you need, cover me in gasoline, wipe away those tears of blood again, and the punchline to the joke is asking - Someone save us

I can literally picture this being after episode 5, where Luci is just pleading to the heavens - figuratively - that nothing bad happens to Charlie. That maybe, just maybe, Heaven will listen but he doesn't have high hopes and he's so fucking terrified she's going to get hurt. He'd rather sacrifice himself that allow that to happen. I legit have a full animatic in my brain that I definitely don't have the focus to make but it'd have little flashbacks to his fall or moments afterwards and just aH. SO GOOD.

[intertexts]

SHAKING U BY THE SHOULDERS. TELL ME ABOUT UR P5 HEART PLAYERS YOU KNOW I LOVE THOSE !!!!!!

HHHSDFHBGHDFG HDFHGDHBBBBJFGJ <- BEING SHAKEN NOISES.

OK. ok. my p5r heart players... god. so there r three of them & they all are character foiling each other & all mirroring each other in like, notably similar ways. (a LOT of the character work in p5 IS based around like,,, characters mirroring each other, their trauma echoing or having common roots, similar issues, etc. but these three + another guy r all specifically parallel 2 me.) heart as an aspect is all about... identity, right? who you are + who you pretend to be + the tension btwn those, & also yr relationships + how u interact with others... (which is SUPER fucking p5 coded in general-- like... the entire crux of the game is 50% identity shit + 50% the way u form bonds with others changes ur life)

anyway the one i'm thinking about most rn is called kasumi yoshizawa! she is a very nice cute pleasant high school freshman who's very good at gymnastics & wants to pursue it professionally, and she's dedicated her art to her dead younger sister, sumire, who unfortunately passed in an accident about a year ago and who she really misses...

... except it turns out that she's actually her dead sister :) she's sumire, and she was... brainwashed? by the antagonist of the arc into believing that she's kasumi-- because the antagonist really just wants the world to be a kinder, better place; he wants everyone's wishes to come true :) and sumire's wish is that she (inadvertently responsible for her sister's death)'s more like her sister, because her sister was perfect and amazing and better than her in every way. which is fucking horrifying-- everyone else just,,, knew she was sumire, but she just. Went around the world dressing in her dead sister's clothes and fixing her hair like her dead sister and using her same mannerisms and believing she was her!!! for a year! genuinely a nightmare scenario. do you think she slept in her dead sister's bedroom. do u think it made her parents sick. anyway her conflict between "i literally NEED to be anyone else i CANNOT be myself i cannot live in my own fucking skin i can't do it vs. what. should i just live out a lie? keep living in her dead skin?? drag her corpse around after me because i'm too selfish to let her rest?" insane to me. good lord.

the next guy, goro akechi (MY LITTLE GUY!!!!!!!!!! THE ONE IM BONKERS ABOUT!!!) is ALSO a nice pleasant boy hes also very charming and such :) he's a famous cute celebrity also!! hes super popular as a genius cute boy detective >:3c he. ummm. god. where do i even begin. well. he's also clinging to ghosts & dead bodies & such. he spent his formative years entirely alone and being bounced around the system. he literally fucking genuinely like no shit has a god out there making his life as fucking miserable as possible. like im being dead serious here theres a whole ass god up there making his life the worst it could be. so. well. he's so fucking desperate (like, sickeningly desperate. the kind that's really kind of offputting like you know that's not gonna get you anywhere man.) to be loved or even appreciated he becomes a mass murderer about it. his seven year plan is

-kill my dad

-fake my whole personality so im lovable because theres no way thats happening otherwise

-fuck it we ball.

guy with the most fragile and convincing veneer of pleasant charm possible and under it is this seething morass of hatred and shame and jealousy and anger. anyway he's a heart player because 1. he's a 1 for 1 foil of akira (the next heart player) & 2. because his whole. Deal is being insanely fucking conflicted about himself. he genuinely believes in justice and like. Morality and such, he always keeps his deals and repays his debts. and he's often just a vicious bitch & also a hitman working for one of the worst people on the planet! i'm not explaining it very well but he mirrors sumire so heavily in like... conflict btwn his self + who he wants to be + how he's perceived + what he Wants + what he thinks he wants + the way he interacts with the world... aughghghhhh. their partitioning off of Different Selves for different things is very. well. & they both also heavily parallel each other re: being VERY different than they appear to be initially & being so hard 2 Know. etc.

speaking of partitioning off different selves-- the third guy!!! akira kurusu!! the protag of the game!!!!!! his whole DEAL is that he has a hundred different masks he sifts through & wears for every different occasion, he's a different guy to his friends & his mentor figures & his enemies & the world in general!!!! not that any of them are Fake, just that they are... not the whole thing, you know. absolutely key to his character also is that he's Very sharp and observent when it comes to dynamics btwn people & very good at making connections btwn people (he could Also be a blood player. but like... he Literally Steals Hearts. it feels too on the nose to pass up.) anyway. auugjfjfjfgghkbgh they r all SO DEAR 2 me they r all such good characters.... all of them have such an interesting dynamic together!! three massive liars with insane relationships to selfhood. etc.

[addcests]

deflection :: ao3 mirror

pairing the addcest is there if you believe

words 3619

rating [G]

summary deflection (verb) to cause a piece to move to a less suitable square. typically used in the context of a combination or attack, where the deflected piece is critical to the defense.

note: this fic was literally made out of madness thanks to a tiktok video: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianphilosophy/video/7349654120619330847 (around 1:03 but the whole video in general is good) me at 3am seeing this vid again later: me: yeah so what if dom said this to om and that's it that's how the fic was made! but when i started it i thought also "let's add in chess" because why not that's fun right and then instead of finishing it in one day like i meant to, i went "well what if i Actually map out a legit chess game/tactic for them and use it in the fic" and then that's how this became a chess fic with a chess tag (???) anyway i just wanted to make dom knock om down a peg just a smidge 🤏🏽 this isn't quite the dom bullying om i have in mind usually but after turning into a small character study for me, it sure itched that scratched for me :3c hope ya'll enjoy it too

Overmind was an… adjustment, for lack of better words.

Dominator’s other long-time roommates had had their opinions after a few exchanges with the younger man. 

Paradox claimed he found him amusing for numerous reasons; reasons that he apparently didn’t feel privy to share, so as always it was an enigma with that one. Though he feigned his disinterest, he could see Paradox’s droopy eyes stalking Overmind’s excessive yet eloquent chattering through the halls as if he could learn everything he needed to know about the doctor just by picking at each and every word that was constructed. (And maybe he could; Paradox was uncannily precise about his observations when he bothered to be.)

And then there was Doom Bringer. Doom Bringer, too, kept to himself about his opinions, like Paradox initially but that in itself was much unlike the forthcoming man. The brawler was quiet and didn’t offer much when asked, only hummed low to himself. Eventually, though, he caved and mumbled, “... well, don’t be mad,” which was followed up by, “you want my honest thoughts? He’s like your mirror, or somethin’.” But Dominator knew better. Knew that Psyker knew him better (and best, he thought rather smugly), so of course he didn’t need to be mad. Not when he knew Doom Bringer had more to say as he pressed on to add, “Like a mirror… but something is off, ya know?” Doom Bringer hummed to himself. “And of course, I don’t mean it physically. Obviously not. But you have to admit it’s there right? But,” Again, Doom Bringer struggled but finally found just the words he needed, “something is awfully manufactured about him.”

—-

They all had their own ways about interacting with the new addition to their household and he settled in rather well despite initial sentiments, being quite amicable and doing his best to get along and to get on everyone’s best side. He’d made some sort of bargain with Psyker about studying alongside him, in return he got to use him as literal data. Meanwhile, Paradox had sunk his claws into Overmind, shadowing him and poking and prodding at the man but Overmind took it with great stride and soon found himself a semi-permanent resident in his own quarters. (“He insists it is most comfortable in my bed,” Overmind had said, smiling through it with a helpless shrug of his shoulder.) It was almost a seamless transition, as if he had been here all along.

So that was how he often found himself, along with a chessboard, and Overmind regarding him with a kind smile on the opposing side as if they’d done so each day, like years old friends.

“I do so enjoy a small game of intellect to stimulate the mind and gaze into one’s daily motivations. What better way than this to understand one another?” 

Dominator could not agree more.

“I must admit,” Dominator began, returning Overmind’s smile as he set up the board, “I fear I may be slightly rusty. After all, it’s rather hard to wrangle Paradox into a game from start to finish and Psyker would sooner do his silly little training or workouts instead.”

“Ah, I understand. Though, perhaps we could change their minds? With my eloquent words, and you by my side, our combined might will be more than enough to convince them ” He chuckled at his own playful suggestion, eyes following the scientist’s careful and methodical movements as he finished setting up his side of the board, holding the black pieces. “Besides that, there’s no need for fear. After all, this is just a simple, ah… friendly game between housemates.”

“... of course,” Dominator replied rather slowly, starting on his marble white pieces. “And, there. We are all set.” Suddenly, a hand was thrust into his field of view and he followed the motion up to find Overmind holding his hand out—a handshake. For but a split second, Dominator only regarded his hand without doing anything, but in good nature, took his hand in his and shook it. 

“Best of luck,” Overmind mused while shaking his hand still. Before Dominator could reply, he hurriedly added, “If it’s not too presumptuous of me, I feel it fair that the first move be yours, Dominator.” When Dominator did not reply, the doctor continued, “ah, due to your fear of… being rusty was it?” And then, he smiled a little too kindly, lips curled in telling amusement that Dominator knew wasn't from the kindness of his heart.

Inwardly, the scientist scoffed at this roundabout way to downplay his skills.

Still, he was rather tickled by the offer as Dominator’s gloved hand muted back his own laugh, a fist to his mouth. He was not one to turn down a leg up on an opponent, friendly or not. “How generous,” he cooed, as he started his opening move. Standard pawn placement. “I shall make the best of it then.”

They exchanged a few turns, settling into the game as they set up their pawns’ planned placements. Eventually, they fell into a steady rhythm and found that they were going through the motions of playing rather naturally, so much so that they ended up playing more than just the one game. By game three, each had snagged a victory from the other. Currently, it was anyone’s game, however Dominator noticed that Overmind took to… being quite talkative throughout his matches while nudging pieces to their doomsday, sacrificing pieces left and right as long as it netted him the win or a good exchange. 

“Have you had much of a run-in with Ciel—ah, I mean Abysser by any chance? I, too, played a friendly game with him and it cost the butler his beloved daggers.” Overmind’s ever stretched smile remained on his face, though the kindness there seemed to disappear as he recounted this tale. “He may have had a knack for games and the like, but there’s nothing that can quite trump efficient strategy and planning.”

Dominator regarded Overmind then turned his attention back to the game, noticing that again, Overmind was sacrificing pawns. If he did not want to use them to make more powerful pieces towards the endgame, then who was he to complain? The scientist added yet another of the black pawns to his capture. “I don’t imagine he’d let that slide so easily.”

“Of course not, but he’d lost.” Overmind practically bragged, then reeled back in his composure as he assessed the playing field and took Dominator’s bishop. With his index and thumb, he lifted the defeated piece from the board into the air, dangling it like some play thing. “But in lieu of his daggers, well, let’s just say he would rather owe me a favor now instead.” Pure delight burst across Overmind’s face as he laughed. Most likely at his own cunningness and triumphing over the lord demon butler. 

They’d moved onto yet another game. (Dominator was starting to lose count.) Dominator was backed into a corner but he took it with great stride.

But of course Overmind had a spiel he just couldn’t go without saying. “My, Dominator, I think you do yourself a great disservice. After all… I’d say you were more competent than that butler… vastly so, one might even say.”

Was that supposed to be a compliment? If it weren’t for that smile that was grating the scientist’s nerves, he’d almost believe his counterpart. 

Barely.

(Was this how Psyker felt when Dominator tried to compliment him, always complaining about his delivery? He’d need to sorely rectify that.)

The flow of the games continued, despite Dominator slowly coming to realize that Overmind’s welcoming appearance was all but a lie, disserviced due to the underhanded observations and backhanded prods at his expense, he was still enjoying himself. It’s not that Psyker or Paradox couldn’t go head to head with him, but it was rare to get more than two games out of either pair. He just wished Overmind did not… run that mouth of his so much.

(Was this also what Psyker felt like when Dominator accidentally slipped into one of his many monologues? At least his tone didn’t make him want to snap back at him!)

Their conversation landed on many topics, this time though, Dominator led the topic as Overmind was too busy trying to run himself out of an unfavored position. “I heard you study with Psyker sometimes, perhaps we could collaborate too? Though my work lies mostly in my automations and devices, I think there could be a great benefit for us both.” Again, Overmind claimed victory, putting him in the lead with wins, securing four victories to Dominator’s three. They agreed to one more final game.

And though they were near equals in the game, the upturned chin and cocky way Overmind sat, knees wide apart, one hand poised carefully on his armrest while the other toyed with one of the many pieces he had captured from the end of their game, a white queen. “Truly?” The way Overmind had asked was not one of sincerity, not to mention the way he’d not respectfully hold eye contact with Dominator any longer but instead directed all his attention to the dangling, helpless, captured queen between his fingers just proved that the doctor’s true colors were finally revealing itself. “I think not. Not to decline such a… gift, I find your method a little lacking for my tastes.” Finally, he turned his gaze back to Dominator, “Machines can be wonderful tools, you see. However, they’re limited, much like these pawns here.” And Overmind made a grand gesture to the board that’d been refreshed for their final showdown. “They serve their purpose and then beyond that there’s nothing else to them.” Overmind opened, moving first, he set his black pawn two spaces to f3. 

Despite the obvious figurative slap to the face, Dominator still said nothing other than, “Well, that makes sense, I suppose. The way you recklessly sacrifice your pawns.”

“Is it reckless or just using the weak to serve my purpose for something better, for something stronger?” 

Dominator nudged his white pawn one space out, unlike Overmind, to e5. “I think that your tools are what you make of them and that is their limit, much like the pawn who has very little to offer at first glance but can be a critical piece to defend, capture, or force the hand of your opponent.” 

Overmind insisted on shoving his pawns into the field, opening a possible slot for his black bishop to move. His just moved pawn now sits at g4. He also insisted, with an incessant bite to it, “There are better tools at your disposal, Dominator. Be serious now.” 

The scientist saw the opening and sighed, not at Overmind, but to himself. Despite the matches being Overmind taking jabs at him through carefully layered words with his intent hidden, Dominator understood now, and smiled rather fondly. 

“What are you smiling at?”

“I’m rather happy we got to play as we did; you were right, this is a great game to reveal things about oneself. You see, I’ve learned a great deal and,” and Dominator moved his queen to h4, effectively shutting down any further plays for Overmind. It was over. “Checkmate, or as they say, Fool’s Mate.” 

“It—you!?” He snapped forward, fist slamming on his armrest as he leaned over the board to see indeed that his king was trapped by the very same pawns he’d mocked earlier as well as the bishop he so favored to move prior to his defeat. “In four turns?!” Overmind was clearly fuming to be bested in such an embarrassingly short amount of turns. Then, it was as if he suddenly remembered himself, he composed himself, reigning those nasty emotions and his outbursts, that mask sliding over the clear cut irritation that flashed in eyes mere seconds ago like a perfectly fit glove. “... I must say. I’m quite hurt, Dominator. You lied to me. You were not rusty at all, were you?” 

“And what of your constant lies to me throughout the game as well as all the backhanded remarks on my behalf and otherwise, hmm? All those pretty words, all those carefully constructed reflections, all that fluff just for your ego, hmm?”

“I—have no idea what you mean, Dominator, if I offended then I—”

Whatever else Overmind had planned to say, Dominator was no longer interested in those lips wagging any more bold faced lies so plainly to his face. So he sought to correct that. Reaching out, he yanked Overmind over the table by the end of his tie; it wasn’t a rough gesture. Just enough to jostle the younger man forward enough so they could meet face to face without that obvious attempt to deflect any longer. And the action had Dominator’s desired reaction: he now had Overmind’s full attention. (And if Overmind’s face was a little more tinged with color than a few seconds ago, well, he wouldn’t tell anyone.) 

“Much like your pawns that fell prey to my deflects, you are in quite the critical position with no defense in sight. And much like your king, you are right where I want you. So, I think you will listen to what I have to say now. As the Overmind a few seconds ago, not the doctor so insistent on hiding behind fluffy words to protect himself so desperately.”

To that, Overmind for once had nothing to say, still straining over the board as Dominator held his tie.

Satisfied with his control and demands being met willingly or not, Dominator allowed his lips to quirk up into the tiniest of smiles. He then released Overmind to retreat as he may, or stay hovering close; it bothered the scientist not.

With gentle care that contrasted his actions mere seconds ago, Dominator turned his gaze back to the board, where only four pieces were out of position for an early checkmate. He began to slowly reposition each piece back to its original base. When his hand brushed across his black pawns, the one further out on the board, he offered his thoughts to Overmind finally, “You called the pawns weak, if my humble memory serves me right.” Unlike Overmind, Dominator picked up the pawn in a tentative manner, not dangling it by its head like some bored child. He held it in his palm at its base, eyes focused on the black chess piece. “And yet, it was because you were so intent on throwing away the pawns, so quick to dismiss something because it seems weak that this line of thinking ultimately led to your downfall.”

He continued, “Perhaps my little trinkets and toys are just that, and yet I dominate them with a sheer willpower unlike anything you’ve seen. They are, by extension, a part of me as much as I am them. If something is weak, then I will expand upon it, make it better, make the best use of it. It is only as weak as I allow it to be. And even something as weak as a tiny an insignificant drone has its uses that you’d be remiss to overlook. Each cog has its proper place in a well-oiled machine.” He closed his fist over the pawn, obscuring it from sight. “Just because it is weak, Overmind, does not mean we can simply deem it worthless. Calling your tools weak and weeding out that which does not serve you is not true strength.”

Without waiting for any response from the doctor, Dominator reached over, rolling his eyes playfully at the other flinching, and grabbed a similar gloved hand and opened it. Then, he placed the object into Overmind’s hand.

No longer flinching, Overmind opened his eyes to see Dominator’s gloved hand covering his own closed fist. Once he retracted it, warily, he eyed the scientist then his hand and opened his palm to reveal two pawns, a black and white one. 

“If you keep discarding things that do not benefit you on the surface level, you will find that you’re the one that is weak.” Dominator stood up leisurely, moving from his side to stand beside the still seated Overmind, watching as he followed his eyes movements. “The idea that strength is dominating others is a weak man’s idea of strength. True strength is when you can dominate yourself—authority is always silent. Authority is always composed.” And with the conviction behind his words, with all the determination he could command, he locked gazes with Overmind’s eyes, able to see a flicker of his true self deep down, past the facade and performance he played for him today. 

Still, Dominator continued, “If you truly are as powerful and as strong as you say, why must you make such noise about it? You fussed endlessly,  as if you seem a little insecure and unsure but needed to flaunt this anyway to me.” Too kindly, Dominator smiled as if he understood everything about Overmind, “Do you wish for my validation that badly?”

“You—!” Overmind finally had enough as he abruptly stood up, fists clenched, chair screeching back a horrid noise but doing little else. 

Unlike Overmind’s belittling chuckles, Dominator just laughed with an unfounded fondness that bewildered the doctor, face taking on many expressions as if he was unsure to settle on which. “Apologies, I felt that I was allowed a little monologue of my own while being frank as well after what I had endured in those many games.” He nodded his head towards Overmind, then looked him over, noticing his tense stance. “Anyway, my offer still stands.”

At that, the longer hair male paused, as if he was even more confused by the abrupt change in topics once more. His posture relaxed but not out of calmness, but rather being dumbfounded. Dominator could literally see the question marks floating above his head, Overmind clearly flabbergasted.

“I mean, if you would like, my lab will be open to you.”

“I—you are so!” Overmind tsked to himself and then balled his fists by his side, the color back on his cheeks. “The nerve!” Without another word, he stalked off, leaving Dominator and the chessboard behind.

—-

“Eh, so that’s how it went, huh?”

“Perhaps, I was a little too harsh on him.”

“Iunno, I wasn’t there,” Doom Bringer yawned rather loudly through the earpiece Dominator was currently wearing. “But, he's fine. Just give him time t’ cool off, ya?”

Disgusted by his blatant rudeness, the scientist had been about to reprimand the brawler for his gross lack of etiquette when he received a notification via Apocalypse of one of their housemates wandering into his lab, having just gone through the entryway. “Hmm?”

“Visitor, eh?” After hearing the alert himself, Doom Bringer asked a little too knowingly, as he could see his other half was distracted and soon enough would have his hands full. “I’ll let you get that then,” and the brawler promptly ended the call.

Dominator swore he heard a muffled snicker before the line dropped.

“Dominator?”

And all too quickly, he understood why Psyker rushed off the call. Though, he was of the opinion that he needn’t hang up. After all, he had nothing to hide unlike the one that was approaching him now. “Overmind,” the scientist greeted cordially, whirling his seat around to face this visitor. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” 

At first, it seemed like the doctor was hesitant to talk. That bafflingly performative smile nowhere to be seen. Without the glory of his acting and the yapping to go with it, Overmind seemed naked without it. Or, perhaps, that’s simply what Dominator was assuming as it looked as if the younger man was just uncomfortable by standing here at all. But despite Overmind’s possible inner turmoil unknown to Dominator, the good doctor found his wits and began, “Your chess pieces, I… seem to have mistakenly taken them last we spoke.” And he rushed close to deposit them quickly into Dominator’s hands and stepped back, like he was doing his best to avoid the other, touch and all. “My apologies.”

“None needed.”

A silence stretched between them that Dominator allowed because besides just these mere chess pieces, there was more to this than that. He just needed to wait.

And soon he was rewarded, “Before I go…” Again, the hesitancy was unlike Overmind, but he composed himself to stare down Dominator with determination. And maybe the scientist was being a bit egotistic himself, but he was sure he saw a hint of admiration even. “About what you asked me earlier as well...”

“Refresh my memory?”

“Do not be so obtuse!”

“Only if you remain like this instead. I much prefer you this way,” Dominator snarked, no remorse in sight.

Overmind willed away any  heat from his cheeks and sighed to himself, pinching the bridge of nose, resigned to the fate that his housemate (and possibly the others) were immune to his grand acting. But, perhaps, this was for the best after all. There was something refreshing about not needing to follow a script unwillingly to please someone. No longer resigned but accepting, he nodded and stepped forward, taking back one pawn—the black one, his color. Dominator seemed confused until Overmind finally spoke up, “I meant, about the collaboration. I assume that wasn’t just you feeding me lies?”

Finally, Dominator smiled. “Not at all, I have some time in a few hours.”

“Excellent, then I shall see you then.” With that finally settled, Overmind felt lighter and offered his older counterpart a genuine smirk, not his plastic thin smile. “Oh, and Dominator?”

“Hmm?”

Overmind pointed his pawn aggressively at Dominator. “Be ready for a rematch as well.”

“Of course, doctor. I look forward to it.”