#ghosty writing time

[ghostywriter]

Rating: Teen & Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Category: Gen Fandom: Soul Sacrifice (Video Game) Relationships: Elaine | Sympatha & Percival | Radux, Elaine | Sympatha & Vidiara Additional tags: Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, First Meetings, Healing, Childhood Trauma, Taverns, Identity Reveal, Additional warnings in note Sympatha, known as Lenixion by greater society, hides his identity for the sake of meeting new people. He's filled with a mix of dread and hope when she meets Vidiara and Radux, two people who might be more like her than he expects.

A heretic savior, the child of a monster, and a half-blind palm reader walk into a tavern. What could possibly go wrong?

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GO READ MY FIC!!!!!! I DO NOT CARE IF YOU FOLLOWED ME FOR FMA. SOUL SACRIFICE DELTA BE UPON YE 🫵😐

[bluerosefox]

The Drakes

It's been years since the Bats had seen Red Robin much less Tim Drake-Wayne. It started with a rather dumb argument that after years of holding back his tongue and the stress of being a TEENAGE CEO that Tim finally ripped into them.

They were too stunned by the end of his speech, him also admitting that yes he has his own problems and mistakes but at least he's trying to make amends or get over himself unlike others. It was their prolonged silence that was the final straw for him it seemed though, because Tim finally announced he was done, he was done bleeding for those that kept him on the edge of the family and that he wanted to rest, and with that Tim turned and left the Batcave for the final time.

They of course didn't take Tim's retirement announcement seriously, after all Tim was the last person other than Bruce they all believed would ever leave the life of a vigilante and a hero behind, and they all knew Bruce would keep working on the 'mission' even as a frail old man. It took them a few weeks before one of them finally decided to go see Tim and try to... talk about everything he said.

Only when they reached Tim's Nest, they discovered it was empty and he was no where to be found did they realize he was serious. It was a quick call to Wayne Enterprises to see if he was in and Tam no doubt holding back her sharp response to them that she told them that Tim had stepped down from CEO weeks ago and hasn't been heard from since. The one who went to see Tim immediately called the others, which sent many of them onto goose chase of false leads, arguments, and pointing blame.

Despite looking for their long lost Red Robin, he was good at hiding his tracks and any who might have an idea where he could be weren't talking.

So yeah it's been a while since the Bats had heard any news relating to their lost bird.

So imagine their surprise when Ra's latest attempt to upset the balance in their family again (did he want Damian to return as his heir? Take control over Gotham in the shadow? Upset Bruce? None of them honestly knew what his plan was anymore. Same old song and dance) and having captured them all that he brought up Tim to them. Or rather "shame the Detective is going to be late, but I'm sure his little family shall inform of things once he gets here."

None of them were expecting for Ra's to look away from them and with a snap of his fingers, three assassins brought forth into the room two others. One was being dragged by two assassins, black hair, pale skin, and lean swimmers build of a body. He looked roughly around the age Tim would be. He was placed on the floor right by Ra's boots, arms and legs tied up, clearly but alarmingly breathing low and slow from the raise and fall of their chest. He wore a simple T-shirt but had dark jacket that was covered in stars, NASA logos, and other galaxy themed patches all over it, his dark jeans also held some star patches but also held everyday stains from being outside in the grass and other normal day to day thing. All in all this person seems like a normal civilian individual and none of the Bats knew why Ra's had taken him.

The other assassin that had walked into the room was holding a toddler, a girl from the little pigtails on her messy head indicated. Her hair was just as dark as the passed out male by Ra's and her skin was shade healthier than him. She wore grass stained and messy paints caked overalls with a plan shirt under it and two different kinds of kids shoes (one was a green with dinosaurs and the other blue with little stars). She, unlike the young man on the floor, was awake and was looking around the room while sucking her thumb in clear distress, she also used her free hand that wasn't in her mouth to push the assassin holding onto her away from her as far as she could and was squirming her tiny legs enough to kick their sides. Thankfully the assassin didn't look too hostile or upset meaning she wasn't doing to much damage or being too annoying.

"What a lovely family the Timothy has gained for himself don't you think? I will admit Daniel put up a rather interesting fight, it was only due to us having the element of surprise that we managed to take him down and his little Eleanor has his fighting spirit it seems." Ra's said as he slowly reached over to the toddler to lightly fiddle (just to unnerve them as well) with her hair. However the moment he touched her hair, the little girl's eyes flashed from frosty blue to neon bright green and she had spat her thumb out of her mouth in order to hiss like a cat at him, her little feet kicking hard enough to cause a small 'oomph' from the one holding her.

Ra's gave an amused chuckle as he stared at the toddler in fascination before also casting his gaze down at the passed out young man, remembering the way his eyes also had flashed from blue to green and the amount of power he had saw bubble to the surface when they had ambushed the two in their home. As Ra's said before, if they hadn't had the element of surprise on their side when they went after Timothy's little family it wouldn't had worked. No doubt little Eleanor Drake was a hint of power Daniel Drake held.

Ra's turned to look at the Bats, and could clearly see the emotions on their faces which amused Ra's deeply, and couldn't help but say "Although I wasn't expecting him to marry a being with pure Lazarus blood flowing in their veins. Quite a interesting discovery that was. And that his offspring seemed to carry it also from birth. What lovely and priceless boons he has granted the League to have once he joins us."

Ra's could clearly see the questioning, fear (for the family in his clutches), confusion, and disbelief on the Bats faces and knew it would be so entertaining to watch the little.. family reunion he had set into motion.

He was so amused watching Batman the others he never noticed the light twitch on Daniel's face or the shifting breathing pattern. When he would later check to see of the large amount of tranquilizers they had given Daniel was still in-effect he was none the wiser that it had already wore off and that Danny was merely bidding his time for a opening.

[kadextra]

q!Bagi’s analysis of q!Bad’s ability to keep secrets

THANK YOU BAGI. YET AGAIN SHE UNDERSTANDS!!!

[yeetmyboi]

Don’t Feed a Stray if you Don’t Intend to Keep it.

Chapter 1 : A Wandering Stray

Nothing in this line of business was consistent nor guaranteed. Money, weapons, comrades— even your own survival. Fate and fortune were just two sides of the same coin that dictated each and every one of your missions.

That’s just the way it was. And you were fine with that.

Embraced it, even.

You’ve worked for a US Private Military Company, Hollow Inc, a up-and-coming PMC for a year now. Which has allowed you to keep those skills that were drilled into you sharp.

All that’s really left from your time in the military.

Being the US’s ‘legal’ version of a mercenary, meant that you were always on the move. Contract after contract. Getting paid large sums of money to act on whomever hired you. Some were with groups of other US military, others by yourself acting on part of the US. Miles and miles of places you’ve visited adding up like the ever growing number of scars and marks that littered your body.

In turn, you learned to be adaptable. With too many unknown variables involved in your line of work, it was best to assess information quickly and effectively, then act. ‘Think flexibly, cope with change easily, and always maintain a good attitude’ as a wise friend once told you.

Well, that last part you were still working on…

Your mission contract had just expired with your previous employer. Just another successful job under your belt. Already on your way back. To a small ‘luxury’ apartment in a bustling city, that was where you called home. Not even a few minutes of walking in and dropping your duffel bag, the burner phone you were given started to ring. Buzzing in your pocket with that annoying default ringtone. With it being given to you just before the end of your last contract, you suspect it was another ‘job’ calling. At least work has been consistent lately. A rare thing these days due to the company’s still developing reputation. Even if your bones begged for a break.

Idle hands are the devil’s tools, you reminded yourself.

“Hello?” You answered. Flipping the phone open and pressing it to your ear. Static filling the air for a moment before a female voice could be heard.

“Ah, Lieutenant. Glad to know you’re back on US soil.”

Your brows furrowed slightly. This voice wasn’t one you’ve heard before. Let alone, this woman was addressing you by your old title.

One you no longer held…

“I have a job for you. When’s the soonest you can get to the café down the street?”

In your mind’s eye, you knew exactly where it was. A quaint little place run by a sweet older lady whom you’ve exchanged pleasantries with numerous times. It had quickly become your favorite place to read and enjoy a hot cup. Merely 5 minutes away.

“I can be there in 15.”

“Excellent.”

Then the line was dead. Short, simple, and sweet. At least this job was already seemingly cut and dry, if that single conversation was anything to go off of.

You quickly change into something more casual. Going for civvies rather than something that screamed ‘military-trained killer’ that you are. Can’t be scaring the locals now, can we? Active wear being your most comfortable choice.

Given your hair has seen better days, you opted to wear a light gray beanie. Just to hide the awkward indent your hair held onto. All from being in a tight ponytail for far too long. Slipping on your white tennis shoes, you headed out the door.

The café wasn’t too busy this time of day, the late morning. Most people having already gotten their caffeine fix by now. Making it easy to spot the person you were to meet up with. A lady sitting in the outdoor patio section, the only one with two coffees.

She was a petite woman, looking up to see you through her blonde bangs. Slowly, she rises and welcomes you at the sleek metal table set. The steel squealed on pavement as she pushed her chair back, rising to extend her hand out to you in a well-practiced handshake. Her coffee, half drank, implied she had been here for a short while.

“Hello, Kate Laswell, nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, ma’am.”

“Please, have a seat,” gesturing to the adjacent seat, she slid back into her chair.

You join her, briefly glancing at the coffee set before you then back up to her. Business first. Catching your drift, Kate gave a tight lipped smile and continued, “Your file is quite impressive, and you’ve come highly recommended from your company.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“We went ahead and ran a quick check on you. You’ve been cleared and given the green light.”

You give a small nod, itching to get at the meat of the conversation.

“See, we don’t really reach out to others. Rather, we are the ones others reach out to. However,” Laswell paused, moving to pull out a manilla folder. Your folder. Her deft fingers flipping it open, and pulling out a pen, “We are looking to expand our team for an indefinite time, due reasons I can’t yet discuss. With the skills you possess, it would make a great fit.”

You tilt your head slightly, eyes stay steady on her. Working with a team wasn’t unusual for you. Done it multiple times. Even when you rather preferred your own company. What was unusual was that there wasn’t a set amount of time.

Moving forward to lean on your elbows, resting them against the cool metal table, you nodded once more. Conveying your interest but not wanting to interrupt her.

“But there’s one thing I have to ask. Tell me, why did you leave the military in the first place? Only to continue your work elsewhere just a year later?”

There it was. That dreaded question. Same one you’ve been asked over and over this past year. Yet it still had a habit of making your throat instantly go dry.

Surely your file already explained it? Your contract with special forces was just about up when it happened. You remember the exact moment your commander broke the news to you while out with your platoon. That you were heading home, and quickly.

Next thing you knew, it was 18 hours later, and you were there— kneeling bedside by the last person you considered your true family.

It’s just a quick psych evaluation on the subject, you reminded yourself.

You give a small nod while clearing your throat. Your smile not faltering. Reaching out to that coffee in front of you, you take a sip. The coffee had long since lost its warmth. It’s bitter and barely lukewarm as it travels down your tight throat.

“An unexpected death in the family. I was needed to come home to sort a few things out.” You state simply, setting the cup back down. “I was put in charge of settling everything.”

“Ah,” Laswell nods, “I see. Apologies for your loss.”

You watch as she clicks the pen and scribbles something down in red ink. Your eyes flickered down to her writing before snapping back up. You manage to keep a polite smile, but already wanting to move off the subject. Still, you could tell she was trying to be understanding.

“Well, that’s it then. Welcome to the team,” Laswell clicked her pen and closed your file.

“Thank you, ma’am. How soon am I shipping out?” You asked, gauging how much time you had to wait before being pulled right back into action.

“That burner will text you the location and time. Dress warm.” Laswell gave a warm, knowing smile while moving to stand. You mirroring her movement. Both of you shake hands and part ways. While she walked away, you turned to head inside the café. A hot coffee, sweetened to your liking, you found yourself suddenly craving.

[monstersandmaw]

You know when you’ve got the kernels of new characters and snippets of their plots whirling and rattling around your head, but you can’t grasp any of them long enough to figure out who they are or what their stories are?

Yeah.

That.

[iamrizaka]

When Luke is worried, he fumbles with his bracelet. He doesn’t even notice it.

It usually happens when Lee is away for way too long. Most of the time, it's nothing serious — just some issues at home or picking up his siblings from the strawberry picking, maybe even getting a scratch during Capture the Flag. But there were few instances when Luke genuinely thought he had lost him.

During their first winter, Lee went to spend Christmas, and New Year with his family. It would've been nothing, but he wasn't at camp when he promised and didn't answer any IMs, so Luke left to search for him. He found him far away from his grandma's house, with bruises on his neck and arms, hiding away. Luke didn't want to let him go after that.

(Thankfully, it was just bruises. He managed to escape his mother and her boyfriend's car before anything serious happened. Didn't mean that he was happy about the whole situation.)

The other time, Luke couldn't find him after the end of Capture the Flag. The only reason he found him was because someone was calling for a healer. Luke didn't leave his cot for hours, waiting for Lee to wake up.

(He just hit his head, nothing too bad. But the panic Luke felt when Lee didn't open his eyes after promised two hours were too much. And when Lee started screaming, when he wasn't seeing Luke? Absolutely painful.)

There were many times Luke was worried about Lee, and most of them were just paranoia. But he can never forget the days when it was real and he was scared and praying for his friend's life.

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Wild and Time bonding while the other links are just staring at them with mixed reaction of whatever they're bonding about

*points* also make sure to relax

The group had settled into an inn, and though room assignments had been divvied out, some still lingered in the den.

“The sun’s going to be rising soon, so we should all get what rest we can,” Warriors advised.

Wild shrugged. “Eh. I don’t sleep some nights anyway.”

“That doesn’t sound remotely healthy,” Four noted.

“Leave him be,” Time admonished gently. “Sometimes we all struggle with sleep.”

“Sleep gives me anxiety sometimes,” Wild admitted softly with a sheepish shrug. “You know, the whole… will I wake up the same kind of thing?”

“Uh… no. I don’t know.” Wind said hesitantly, eyebrow raised.

“Sleep is wonderful,” Sky added.

“I understand,” Time chimed in.

Wild perked up a little. “You do?”

“Yes,” the eldest Link replied. “I would go a couple days without sleep sometimes. Eventually my body would win out. It isn’t an advisable or healthy strategy, but I understand the anxiety. Sometimes you simply can’t fight that, not at your age. Not when it’s been too soon.”

Wild sighed, a relieved smile playing at his lips. “Yeah, I… I know it isn’t healthy. But… yeah.”

Time clapped him on the shoulder. “We can stay up and chat. The rest of you go to bed.”

Sky looked hesitantly at Twilight. “So… are they okay?”

Twilight sighed. “I honestly don’t know half the time.”

[hollowsart]

things that live rent free in my mind:

Beck chasing Acedia all over the holiday party in Otto's home during Christmas. He's been trying so hard to get her under the mistletoe, but she keeps slipping away.

She's playing hard to get and teasing him, he's so desperate and wanting a kiss. He's gonna catch her eventually and get all the kisses he wants from her before the party ends.

alternatively... the party has just reached its end and everyone else has left, it's just him, Acedia, Adrian, and Otto left. Adrian and Otto are in another room chatting and cleaning up. Beck is sitting by himself, disappointed he couldn't get a kiss from her before midnight.. or so he thought as she leans over the sofa behind him to give him a kiss just before 12.

she tries to pull away, but he grabs her and drags her onto the couch with him, making her giggle on his lap as he covers her in kisses. she totally sticks a present bow on his reindeer antlers headband in the process.

[marithefriendlyghost]

Lautski Week Submission!!

This is my first time posting my own content here which is wild. But ever since I saw @lautski-week I was super motivated to write about these prompts and share my work with others! ( and share them just too late) I do writing so I posted all the work under here!

It is almost 4am as I post this and the last two prompts are not done, I know the week is over but I wanna finish the prompt list, so I'll get around to posting them when they are finished!

[thecollectionsof]

Gigi and the ghost of Crystal pass corporeal Crystal while on a walk and Gigi freaks out. Also, Gigi and Crystal have a chance meeting which leads to some shower fun :)

[aroaessidhe]

2023 reads

Saint Juniper’s Folly

YA paranormal mystery

follows a foster kid returning to the small town he grew up in, who runs from the judgemental townspeople and ends up magically trapped in a mysterious house in the woods

a boy who lives a boring life in the town until he finds him, and wants to figure out how to save him

and the young witch from the town over who’s heard the woods calling since her mother died, and wants to help

m/m, friendship & investigating a mystery

[ghostywriter]

Rating: Mature

Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Category: F/F

Fandom: Soul Sacrifice

Relationship: Ardroth | Minotaur / Similia (Soul Sacrifice) (implied later), Ardroth | Minotaur & Similia (Soul Sacrifice)

Additional Tags: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Trauma, Blood and Injury, Near Death, First Meetings, Color Blindness, Mentioned Parricide, Alternate Universe - Past Recursion

Chapters: 1/?

Summary:

"There was no coherence to Ardroth's life. One moment she had killed her father and the duchess, the next she'd woken up thanks to a sorceress. One of a passive, wicked code, no less. She can't decide whether she wants to kill the strange woman or thank her. Probably kill her.

Similia had seen many former monsters in her time as a sorceress, but there had been none who hadn't known of her lineage by reputation. This one was different. Similia liked odd things, and this one she might just take with her."

[nii-chans-rabiddogs]

Promotion?

TW: gun mention, choking. wrote this in an hour, based off of a dream i had lol.

@cupcakes-and-pain @kim-poce @maracujatangerine if yall wanna read <3

“Detective~ what's with the warehouse? I thought I was the villain, silly.” I called out, trotting towards Detective Gunner in the middle of the messy warehouse. Tools and papers were scattered everywhere on the floor and tables, inviting me to parkour around them, so obviously I chose the loudest route possible. 

“Guess what? Today, I went to that one cake shop, y’know, the one with the glitter? Can you believe they didn’t let me buy one? It’s not like I was ordering everything on the menu, either, I just wanted a chocolate cake with blue frosting and they said no! Like, c’mon. You steal a cake one time- hey, what’re you doing?”

“Ghost. Leave me alone, or shut up.” 

Well, that was rude. For a guy so Detective-y looking, you’d think he’d be nicer. Or polite-er.

“I mean, I know I talk alot, but that’s a bit unwarranted, ain’t it? I just got here, and you’ve been avoiding me for forever now. Wait, isn’t that Hunter? Why’re you looking at photos of Hunter? I mean, I guess he is kinda hot, but he’s the city supervillain, and you’re like, the ugliest detective here. Your personality could maybe probably sorta make up for it. I can-”

“Ghost, Fuck. Off. I’m not dealing with your shit today.” 

Damn, he practically snarled at me. Maybe I should leave him alone? But where’s the fun in that, besides, it's not like he can do much. Also I wanna help him hook up with Hunter, but how would I get Hunter’s attention? I guess I could- oh yeah, Phoenix. He knows all about Hunter. 

“I suppose I could, but only if you promise to let me help you two hook up!” I loudly stated, walking around him in my 18th circle in the five minutes we've been talking. Detective Gunner looks pretty pissy, I wonder why. Wait, those photos look like those case ones, but I don't remember him ever having access to supervillain cases. He finally got promoted? 

He finally looked up at me, and yeah, he’s an angy boi. He stomped off towards what might be a coffeemaker in the back, so I followed him. And also kicked everything I could on the way. Glancing over the table with the maybe-coffee on it, I saw more photos and case-stuff about Hunter. There’s also a box full of handcuffs, but not the super-handcuffs. Either the Detective is very into this man, or he really, really, really wants to arrest him. 

Detective Gunner just downed a whole pot of coffee like a shot, w h a t t h e f u c k. He turned and looked at me, just staring for a bit. Maybe five minutes, maybe 32 seconds, who knows? Not me! I stared back while grabbing a handful of handcuffs to mess with. I can turn these into noisemakers, oooooooohhhhh, fun. Mr. Gunner Sir very suddenly glances towards the cuffs with a very odd face that I Do Not Like.

“Detective? What’s- hey, lemme go, what’re you doing? That hurts, jeez-” I yammered, trying not to trip over all the stuff on the floor. Detective Gunner ignored me, yanking me along by my wrist to the pipes at the back wall. The cuffs in my other hand jangled with every step, and he very abruptly ripped two outta my hands, OW. Wait-

“You’re not seriously gonna cuff me up back here? It’s so lonely, I can't even see you past that oddly tall toolbox. Why do you even have a- OW, hey! That, why is that so tight, it hurts, stop!” 

Detective didn’t say anything, but he yanked my left hand out to the side and cuffed it onto the pipes too. I can feel my right hand losing blood flow already, why are these so tight? The detective was already back at the coffee desk, shoving things around like he’s looking for something in particular, which isn’t a fun thought.   Finally he pulled out a handgun, staring at it for all of 3 seconds before whipping around and grabbing some rope before storming his way through the mess between us. I don’t want him to get any closer, actually, so-

“If you could stay back that’d be great, please. That- i don’t like the look on your face, don’t, stop getting closer, I-” I yelped, yanking hard on the cuffs, cringing back into the wall. Detective isn’t supposed to be scary, why is he like this?! 

He glared at me, grabbing my chin and slamming my head back into the wall, before yanking my jaw open and- argh! I choked on the muzzle of the gun, thrashing and trying to get the damn thing out. It hurt, digging into the back of my throat, making me tear up and cough. I stared at the Detective, helpless as fuck while he looped the rope around my head and over the handle of the gun, then crossing another loop around and finally knotting it tight against the side of my face. Blinking back tears,  I tried to breathe, but I choked again on the damn gun. The detective got up and walked off like i wasn’t choking to death on a fucking handgun he shoved down my throat. I know he was angry, but i didn’t think- he never does anything, why, it hurts-

I tried to watch where he was going but the fucking tall ass toolbox blocked the way. He wasn’t just gonna leave me here, was he? I tried yanking on the handcuffs again, but they just cut into my wrist and made everything worse. Why is he so mad? 

I tried to ignore the pain, but the lack of breathing was a lot harder. I can’t even grab anything, not with how he cuffed my hands out to the sides. Pausing and focusing on not choking every other second, I tried to figure out what to do, but it was getting increasingly hard to think rationally.

“I’ll be back in a bit, Ghost, I finally got a lead. After this, HR can’t not promote me, and Hunter will be in jail. Maybe if you learn to shut the fuck up, I’ll let you go.” Detective Gunner shouted, and- wait, he can’t just leave me here, that’s not, this isn’t how it's supposed to go! He slammed the door and- and he actually just left me here. He- he left. 

Suddenly, the gun wasn’t the only thing stopping me from breathing. The panic I’m trying not to focus on just got so much louder, and the tears I've been holding back finally start to fall. He’ll be back, right? He has to, he- he has to!

[total-fandom-tr45h]

Ghosti's Plexverse

Aria: Enter stage left

"Starting tomorrow, your duties will be to man the register in the gift shop, restock the shop, and whenever the daycare attendant requests help, you are to temporarily close the gift shop and go help, unless it's drop-off or pick-up time, that's when parent buy things from the shop the most. Got it?" The employee told the new hire, who was looking around in awe. 

"O-oh, yes, got it! Mainly run the gift shop, restock the shop, and help the daycare attendant when requested except during drop-off and pick-up." The girl said, looking at the employee showing her around. 

The employee nodded in satisfaction, then handed the girl a slip of paper. "Now, before you leave, go get your personal security badge so you can get into the storage rooms and such. You'll need to go to the main security office to get one made, and this paper will help you get there, just show it to a security guard and they'll help you. That's all I've got for you, so see ya." With that, the employee walked away, leaving the girl on her own. 

Looking at the slip of paper, she used her open hand to twist some hair around her finger, holding it there as she left the daycare to find the security office. After a while of wandering and asking around, she finally made it, breathing a sigh of relief as she showed the security guard the slip of paper. 

The guard let her into the office, where another employee was waiting. "Name?" They asked without looking up. 

"Aria." The employee typed the girl's response into the computer, then hit a few more buttons. After a few moments, a security pass plopped out of the machine onto the desk, which the employee grabbed and handed to Aria. 

"There ya go. Buy yourself a lanyard, you'll need it." And with that, they returned to what they had been previously doing, gesturing for the girl to leave the office. 

Aria looked down at the security badge with her name on it, and smiled. "Alright, it's time for a new start! Let's just hope it goes well..." 

The next day Aria arrived to work early, eager to begin her new job. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress and fixed the star hairpin she decided to wear after seeing the posters around the daycare of a sun and moon character. She started to single out a strand of hair when she heard someone approach from behind, startling her. Turning around, it turned out to be a security guard, who looked at her quizzically. 

"Aren't you going in?" They asked, gesturing towards the daycare. 

"Oh um, This is my first day, I didn't know if I had to wait or..." Aria replied awkwardly, and the guard laughed. 

"You've got a badge, don't you? You're allowed to go in whenever, as long as you're not late for your shift." The guard laughed warmly. The girl nodded and smiled in embarrassment. 

"Oh, right... thanks. I guess I'll go in then." She said before quickly heading into the daycare, fighting the strong urge to slide down the slide.

 She opened the gate of the gift shop, the lights inside the small room turning on as she entered. Clutching onto her star pendant, she walked behind the counter and checked out the register, making mental notes on where things were. Aria checked the time, surprised to see it was almost time to open. Stuffing her bag under the counter, she headed out to the displays and checked everything over, glad to see someone had stocked for her. 

Soon she heard the tell-tale sounds of excited children as the daycare opened, and she stood behind the register with a smile. A few parents bought stuffies and other toys for their kids before they left, and once there were no more parents coming in, Aria went about her other duties, restocking the shelves. 

After about an hour of trying to keep herself busy, Aria heard a new voice call out from the children's play area. "Excuse me, new friend! Could I ask for some help?" She dropped the hair she had in her hand, her eyes lighting up in excitement. 

"Of course, I'll be right there!" She replied as she stood up from where she had been sitting, then headed over to the large set of doors leading into the play area. 

She stood there for a moment, trying to figure out how she was going to open such heavy doors, when one of them opened a little. "Quickly, before any of the little ones try to leave!" The strange voice said, to which Aria complied and squeezed inside as the door closed behind her. There were children running around the large play area, laughing and screaming wildly. "Alright! First, what's your name, new friend?" The voice asked from next to Aria, and she looked to see who it was that had called her. 

To her surprise, she had to look up, as the figure next to her was taller than the average human. In fact, it wasn't human at all, but in fact an animatronic. This animatronic looked like a caricature of a sun, but dressed in a jester-like outfit, complete with frills and even bells on the wrists. 

"Aria. I-I'm Aria." She stuttered, feeling a bit intimidated by the height of the animatronic. It noticed, because it crouched down slightly as it grinned, and Aria could finally see its features better. It had a state-of-the-art face system, allowing it to make different expressions. 

"Well, Aria, it's great to meet you! I'm the daycare attendant here, but you can just call me Sun!" It said joyfully, bells jingling as it held out a hand. Aria shook Sun's hand, enthused by the bells like a child. 

"It's nice to meet you too, Sun... So, what did you need my help with?" She asked as they let go of each other's hands, Aria bringing hers to her head to fiddle with her hair. 

"Oh! It's time for arts and crafts, but I'm out of a few things and the young ones are being very rambunctious, as you can see." Sun said, gesturing around the daycare. "Would you mind helping and getting me a few things so I can settle them down?" Aria smiled, shaking her head as she knew all too well the struggle of taking care of rowdy little kids all too well. 

"I don’t mind one bit! What do you need? I'll go grab it from the storage room, I know I saw tons of art supplies there." Sun beamed, clapping their hands together. 

"Oh goody! Well, we're going to need a new box of crayons, a glue stick, more red and pink glitter glue, and some popsicle sticks." They rattled off, and Aria scribbled the items on her hand with the pen she had pulled out of the waistband of her apron. 

"Alright, I'll be right back!" She said with an excited smile before struggling to go through the door. 

A short while later she returned to the play area, a box of the requested art supplies in tow. Aria noticed that it was a bit quieter as she squeezed through the door. Sun suddenly appeared next to her, causing her to let out a small shriek and clutch her chest, dropping the box of art supplies. "Oh Jesus, you scared me." She panted, trying to calm her heart rate as Sun frowned. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you! Please, follow me with the art supplies, the kids are waiting!" They said as they gestured for Aria to follow. She picked up the box and followed the animatronic, who led her to some tables that had been set up where all the children were gathered. 

"Kids, this is Miss Aria, and she's going to do some arts and crafts with us today!" Sun said cheerfully, opening his arms like a person presenting a piece of artwork would, causing a few kids to giggle. "You need to listen to her, and can ask her for help if you need it. Now, let's get to it!" They said as they took the box from Aria, setting the supplies on the table in front of them as kids rushed forward to grab stuff. 

Like a child herself, Aria grabbed a sheet of paper and went to one of the tables with the kids, sitting next to them.

She grabbed a crayon and began coloring, making sure to keep an eye on the kids at the same time. After a while, Aria felt a tap on her shoulder, and she looked up to see a little kid holding a pair of safety scissors and construction paper.

 "Miss Aria, can you help me? I can't cut this out..." The child held out the paper, which had a drawing of what seemed to be a cat.

"Of course I can. But first, what's the magic word?" She asked, smiling softly. The kid looked puzzled for a moment before realizing what she meant. 

"Please?" Aria nodded and patted the child on the head with a proud smile. 

"Good job! Now let me have the paper and scissors and I'll cut it out." They handed the things to Aria, and she carefully cut out the cat, handing the cut out drawing, scissors, and scrap of paper back to the child. "There you go. Let me know if you need more help!" With a smile, the child nodded before walking back to the table they came from. 

Not long after, Aria heard a frustrated yell from somewhere near her, and she looked over to see a little girl getting angry at something. Aria got up and walked over, kneeling down next to the girl. "What's the matter?" She asked, and the girl grumbled. 

"The crayons keep breaking- see?!" The crayon the girl had in her hand snapped, and she threw it onto the table angrily.

"Woah, calm down, it happens, okay? It's no big deal." Aria said, making sure the crayon didn't go towards another kid. The girl picked up a new crayon, gripping it tightly in her fist. Noticing this, Aria reached her hand over to gently touch the girl's hand. 

"Don't hold it so tight, that's why they keep breaking." The little girl looked up at Aria then back down at her drawing, loosening the grip on the crayon before starting to color. After a few moments, the girl looked at Aria again and smiled. 

"Thank you!" She said before going back to coloring. 

After arts and crafts was over, Aria helped get the kids cleaned up and ready for snack time. Some of the children weren't cooperating with Sun, so Aria went over to help. When her kinder attempt at getting their attention didn't work, she sighed, then straightened herself up and cleared her throat. 

"Kids, it's time to get cleaned up, not play around. You will not get a snack if you don't wash your hands." She said in a firm tone of voice but not yelling, which got the kid's attention and they quickly went and washed their hands. 

"Wow, how'd you do that?" Sun asked Aria as she checked their hands when they were done, making sure they actually washed them. Aria laughed softly, looking up at them. 

"Oh, I work with kids quite often. That was what I like to call my 'Mom voice.' It always gets the kiddo's attention." She replied, smiling proudly before checking over the group of kids, whom were all waiting for their snack. 

Aria quickly went and grabbed the snacks, making sure the allergy friendly snacks were apart from the regular ones. Once all the kids got their snacks and started eating, Aria sat down. She was genuinely happy, as she loved working with kids, and it showed on her face as she smiled lovingly at the little ones. She began to fiddle with her hair, pulling out a strand every so often as she watched, making sure nobody choked or anything. 

A dozen pulled hairs later snack time was over, and Aria made sure the kids picked up the trash after themselves. The messy kids had to wash their hands again before going to play, and Sun came up next to Aria as she made sure the last few kids took care of their trash. "Usually they just run off and I have to clean up the trash." They commented, causing Aria to look up at them and cross her arms, seemingly disappointed. 

"Every child has to learn to clean up after themselves, otherwise they'll become lazy bums." She said as though it was obvious. 

Before Aria could say another word her eyes went wide when she looked at the play structures. "No, get down from there, that's not safe!" She shouted, running over to one of the slides where a child was climbing on top of it. 

Sun chased after her, reaching over her head to pluck the child off the slide and set them on the ground. Aria put her hands on her hips, frowning. "That was incredibly dangerous, you could have fallen off and gotten hurt! Don't ever do that again, got it?" She scolded, and the child dropped their head in shame and nodded. 

"Yes Miss Aria." They muttered, and Aria patted them on the head. 

"Alright. If you've learned your lesson, you may go play again." She said, and the child ran off to another part of the play area. She let out a sigh of relief, putting a hand on her chest before looking up at Sun. "Thanks for getting them down, there's no way my short as- butt could've gotten them down. Sun simply nodded, waving their hand dismissively. 

"I deal with that all the time, I'm used to it." Aria shook her head before laughing. 

"You almost NEED a team of a human and an animatronic to take care of kids. That or a really tall human." She snorted then covered her nose and mouth, holding in her laughter, embarrassed. Sun cocked their head. 

"Did you snort?" Before Aria could answer, a kid piped in from inside the play structure. 

"Miss Aria snorted!! She snorted like a piggy!!" A bunch of other kids started making snorting noises, giggling like madmen as Aria's face turned bright red and she hid it in her hands. 

"Don't make fun of Miss Aria, it's not nice!" Sun said as they put a hand on Aria's shoulder causing her to look up at them, her face as red as a tomato from embarrassment. "Are you okay?" They asked, and she nodded in response, taking a few deep breaths.

Soon it was lunch time, and Aria had to run and open the gift shop as some parents came to pick their children up, leaving Sun alone with the kids. "Where'd Miss Aria go?" One of the children asked Sun while eating lunch. 

"Miss Aria had something to do, she'll come back after lunch." The kid pouted, frowning at their pizza. 

"Okay..." Sun chuckled. 

"You really like her, don't you?" The kid looked up at Sun and nodded. 

"Yeah! She's really nice, and she helped me today!" The kid said before taking a bite of their pizza. 

Once lunch was over, Sun convinced the kids to clean up after themselves by promising that Miss Aria would read them a story for naptime, which got most of the kids to listen. The few who didn't want to listen were told that Aria would be mad if they didn't clean up before nap time, and that got them to hustle and clean up. 

Sun began getting out the blankets for naptime when Aria returned, squeezing through the doors. She hurried over and took some of the blankets from Sun, helping to distribute them to the kids. Once all the kids were settled in, one of them looked up at Aria excitedly. 

"Now will you tell us a story?" Puzzled, Aria looked at Sun, who shrugged with a chuckle. 

"I told them you'd read them a story if they cleaned up after themselves, that's it." With a sigh, Aria found herself a cushion and sat down, then began telling the children a story from memory, the last child falling asleep about halfway through the story. 

Sun had almost drifted off to sleep themself, but startled awake as they spotted Aria by the light switch. They scrambled to stand up, hoping to stop her, but it was too late. Aria flipped the light switch, turning off the lights in the daycare as she hummed softly to herself. Sun backed out of her view as she returned to the children, looking around to try and find them. 

"Sun? Where are you?" She whisper-yelled before being grabbed by the waist and hoisted into the air, causing her to let out a squeak of surprise and fright. She looked down to see a pair of arms that looked almost identical to Sun's, aside from the fact they had different colors on them. She squirmed and whoever was holding her laughed in an unfamiliar voice. 

"Don't squirm unless you want to fall." They said, causing Aria to stop moving. "Good girl." The voice cooed, and Aria tried to see who it was holding her. 

"Who are you? Wh-why am I in the air?" She stuttered, gripping onto the arms holding her. The voice chuckled again, and they began to move in the air. 

"The name's Moon, and I've been dying to meet you." They said, flipping Aria around to face them. She had squeezed her eyes shut as she was turned, and as soon as she could she wrapped her arms around this 'Moon', holding on for dear life. "I'm not going to drop you, calm down." They said, using the cable to make a sort of hanging chair thing.

They sat there with Aria clung onto them, finding it funny that she was so scared. "Hey, c'mon. Open your eyes." They said, and Aria slowly lifted her head and opened her eyes. The face she was met with looked similar to Sun, but grey and black, with red eyes and a blue nightcap with stars on their head instead of rays like Sun. 

Moon gestured outwards, grinning. "Look out." Aria slowly shifted, still holding tightly to Moon as she looked out. From where they were, the two could see the whole daycare, including all the kids that were asleep. 

"O-Okay, this is cool, but could you please put me down now?? This is freaking me out." Aria said, shaking slightly. 

"Aww, alright. But I'll be up here if you need me." Moon said before undoing their seat, lowering down and setting Aria down before rising toward the ceiling again. 

Aria breathed a sigh of relief and smoothed her dress, fixing her hairpin before going to sit next to the children. Once naptime was over, Aria turned on the lights and woke up the kids, still wondering about that curious Moon character when Sun approached her from behind, tapping her on the shoulder and causing her to startle, letting out a squeak. 

"Oh, it's you Sun. I've got a question for you." She said as she folded a blanket neatly, setting it on the growing pile. "Who is Moon?" 

Sun froze when she asked the question, and they hesitated before responding. "You... weren't supposed to meet Moon. I forgot to tell you the number one rule here; Keep the lights on." Aria blinked in confusion before frowning, hanging her head. 

"Sorry, I had no idea... I mean, it is my first day after all..." Sun grabbed the blanket Aria had stalled on, folding it the rest of the way. 

"It's alright, just keep that in mind from now on, alright?" Aria nodded silently and she and Sun finished folding the blankets. She went and put them away as Sun got the kids together for their afternoon lesson. 

The rest of the day went by without anything else interesting going on, a couple of the kids didn't want Aria to leave when she had to go get the shop ready for pick-up time. "Noooo, don't goooooo!!" One child said, holding onto Aria's hand as she tried to leave. She chuckled and patted the kid on the head. 

"I'll be here tomorrow, I promise. Okay?" She said as the kid looked up at her and nodded, letting go of her leg. 

"Okay... but you better keep your promise!" They said and stomped their feet, and Aria laughed. 

"I will keep my promise. Now, see you tomorrow, alright?" The child nodded and Aria left the play area, heading to the gift shop and restocking the shelves before the parents came in to pick up their children. 

A few parents stopped in the gift shop with kids in tow, and all of the kids smiled at Aria and waved before leaving the shop. Once all the kids had been picked up and parents had all left, Aria restocked the shelves again before closing the shop, yawning as she looked at the time. She stuck her head into the play area, looking around for Sun before just calling out. 

"See you tomorrow, Sun!" Aria said before clocking out and leaving, completing her first day of work.

[mellifloraa]

i'm writing the last graded story for my creative writing course and i'm writing a story about a girl with a ghost for a roommate and it's GAY and i'm living for it

[monstersandmaw]

Good news: the desire To Write is back *yaaaay, cheering*

Bad news: actually doing The Writing is still completely overwhelming *ugly sobbing*