#glad i had a super nice beta to help me

[navybrat817]

Sergeant Snuggles

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader Summary: Bucky wants you to get some much needed rest. Word Count: Over 1.6k Warnings: Fluff, swearing, humor, reader is tired, slight feels (it's me), Bucky Barnes (he's a warning and the best boyfriend, okay?). A/N: I'm tired. I want Bucky to fix my schedule. Again! ❤️Not beta read and written on my phone, so any and all mistakes are my own. Please follow @navybrat817-sideblog for new fics and notifications. Comments, reblogs, feedback are loved and appreciated!

You should’ve taken the afternoon off. You knew that. There was no reason for you to remain in the building beyond your earlier debriefing. The mission you completed was successful, but you hardly slept over the last few days because of it. Describing yourself as tired was an understatement.

But you had a tendency to stretch yourself thin at times and were stubborn, a trait Bucky both loved and fought you on.

The beautiful brunette you were lucky enough to call your boyfriend leaned over in his chair as you stifled a yawn. “That’s the fifth time you’ve done that in the last two minutes,” he whispered low enough to not draw attention.

“Glad you’re keeping count,” you whispered back, feeling his steel eyes linger on you as before he turned his focus back to Steve. At least he didn’t say he told you so after you turned down his suggestion this morning to call in.

You glanced at him out of the corner of your eye, the stubble on his strong jawline catching your attention. He hadn’t shaved in a few days. Hardly slept either. Still looked gorgeous.

How was that fair?

“Just take a break,” he urged, tucking a strand of his long hair behind his ear. “It’ll help.”

“No, I’m fine,” you argued, picking up your drink and downing the rest of it, as if it would give you a boost. “We have a busy day. I don’t have time to use one of the pods.”

S.H.I.E.L.D. had recently built a lounge area for agents to rest and recoup during the day and between missions. Some of the pods were large enough for two people to rest comfortably together. Why not cuddle with your soldier for a short time? As nice as it sounded, you had to get through a few more hours of work.

“I love you, but you’re about two seconds away from putting your head on the table,” Bucky whispered, your heart skipping a beat. It did that whenever he professed his love for you. But you were also feeling a bit grouchy, even though he was only trying to help

“And I love you, but I’m about two seconds away from flipping this table,” you hissed before Steve cleared his throat. “Sorry,” you added sheepishly. It wasn’t his fault the mission cost you precious sleep.

The blonde’s brow furrowed. Like Bucky, he knew you pushed yourself too hard some days. You had to though. You weren't a super soldier like they were. “It’s okay,” he said before he continued.

Exhaustion veiled your normally bright and attentive gaze. The Captain had a commanding presence, yet your eyelids drooped as he kept talking. You weren’t sure if you were able to fall asleep sitting up and you didn’t want to find out. With a shake of your head, you had to try and fight the waves of drowsiness that crashed in your mind and washed over your body.

It was a losing battle. You used to laugh at memes that talked about meetings that could’ve been done in an email, but it didn’t seem so humorous now that you were living it. Why didn't you just stay home?

You jolted when your boyfriend suddenly placed his hand on your thigh and you wished you could say you blamed it on his touch. “What? What happened?” You asked. Did you fall asleep or just zone out?

“The meeting’s over,” he replied, nodding to the now empty room. You hadn’t seen anyone walk out. That wasn’t good.

“Shit.” You rubbed your temple, an ache building in your head. You’d have to apologize to Steve later because there was no way you retained anything he stated. “What time is it?”

Bucky checked his watch with a slight frown. “It’s 10:55.”

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck that.

“Yeah.” Bucky’s lip twitched in a smile when you realized you said that out loud. “Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck that.”

You huffed, your head cloudy again before you slumped in your chair. There was no way you’d make it through the day, as much as you wanted to try. You were useless in this condition. “Okay. I may need a nap,” you admitted.

He smiled softly as he pushed his chair back and held out his hand. “I had a feeling. That’s why I booked us one of the pods before we got here,” he said. It shouldn't have come as a surprise. He knew you better than you knew yourself. “Let's go.”

You pouted, but took his outstretched hand. “Are you sure I can't just try and suck it up?” You asked, covering your mouth with your other hand when you yawned yet again. “There’s still work to do.”

“And you're not going to finish it right this second,” he stated firmly, the drop in his voice making your throat go dry. He meant business when he used that tone. “You're going to let everyone else handle it, and they can handle it, and you are going to get some rest.”

You loved this man for putting up with and caring for you. “Yes, Sergeant, but I still don't want a nap,” you grumbled, wondering just how whiny you sounded.

He chuckled, the sound making you giggle. It was infectious. “Just twenty minutes. It’s all I'm asking for to start. You worked hard and deserve a nap,” he said, sneaking a soft kiss in when you pouted again. “If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for me? Please?”

Something vulnerable flashed in his eyes before he blinked it away. Nightmares still plagued him and you discovered that he rested easier with you beside him. Your presence didn’t always chase the horrors away, but it helped. Maybe he needed this nap just as much as you did.

What kind of partner would you be if you didn't help?

“Okay, Bucko. For you,” you smiled, leaning into his side as he guided you down the hall. You’d do anything for him. “You know, my caffeine let me down,” you added.

“I know, baby.”

“It’s a betrayal. It was supposed to stimulate me,” you mumbled.

“I know, baby,” he said again, going along with your tired rambling. “But we both know I stimulate better than that ever could.”

“Yeah, you do,” you smiled. He was very good at that. “And this is a good excuse for us to cuddle.”

“As long as you get some sleep, you can have all the cuddles you want,” he promised.

A tired smile touched your lips. “I should call you Sergeant Snuggles.”

It was at that moment that Sam walked by, the smirk on his face telling you that he at least caught the nickname you just came up with. Your gaze flickered to Bucky’s profile, catching the clench in his jaw as he stared at his colleague and friend. It was a sexy look, but now wasn’t the time to think about that. And Sam, the good man he was, didn't say a word. He nodded and went on his way.

Which likely meant he pocketed the nickname to bring up at a later time.

“Sorry,” you whispered, hoping you hadn’t embarrassed him.

Fondness took over Bucky's blue eyes when he swung his gaze back toward you. “Don't be sorry. You can call me whatever you want,” he assured you, taking you into the longue.

The low light created a peaceful atmosphere and you found yourself longing for relaxation as Bucky brought you to the pod furthest in the corner. He helped you in before he climbed in beside you, his massive frame making you feel safe and warm as he held you against him. His fingers moved along your back in a slow and soothing pattern and your breathing began to match his after a minute. It made it easy for your eyes to slip shut.

You still couldn’t believe that you had someone in your life like Bucky. The man did everything in his power to put your needs first and make sure he took care of you. Not because he didn’t think you were strong or capable enough to do so yourself, but because he recognized that you didn’t have to do everything alone. That was why he was your partner.

In work, in love, and in life.

“Thanks, Bucky,” you sighed, wishing you were awake enough to say how much you appreciated him. “Sorry for whining and bitching and being stubborn.”

“You don’t need to thank me and you didn’t whine or bitch. I’ll give you stubborn though,” he said, casually tossing a leg over you before you could move away. If you asked it of him, he’d lay on top of you like a blanket. “Just get some sleep and don’t push yourself today, please. I’ll feel a lot better if you relax.”

You’d feel a lot better, too. “One more question and I will.”

He hummed as he waited for you to speak.

“What's the policy on sex in the pods?” You asked, resting a hand on his chest and feeling his heart start to race. “For future us, for the record. I love you, but we’re not trying somnophilia here today.”

He exhaled a laugh against your forehead before he kissed it, warmth spreading like a balm through your head. “I love you, too,” he whispered. Dragging his lips down to yours. “And I’m sure we can find a way to make it work, but not until you rest, okay? Need you at one hundred percent for that.”

“Yes, Sergeant Snuggles,” you replied, feeling him hold you a little tighter before you finally got some much needed sleep.

I hope this reads well. 🤣 I'm le tired. Love and thanks for reading! ❤️

Masterlist ⚓ Bucky Barnes Masterlist ⚓ Ko-Fi

[carelisswriting]

Dealing With Dreams

Hey! Here's my second fic for ecto implosion, my partner for this is @ventisettestars ! It was great working with her, and her art is amazing!!! She also beta read this :)

Hope y'all like this fic!

***

“So there’s Andromeda, and Pegasus, and…”

Tucker leaned over, wrapping his arms around Danny as he listed all of the constellations they could see. He hooked his chin over Danny’s shoulder, looking up at the sky that his boyfriend was enamored with.

Danny’s breath misted in the air as he talked, a result of how cold it was out in the forest at night, and not due to a ghost. If there was a ghost out here, it definitely would’ve already started harassing them.

Tucker focused back on Danny as he let out an excited gasp.

“Tuck, Tuck look! It’s the ISS!” He said, pointing up at a small bright spot traveling across the sky.

Tucker smiled, squeezing Danny tighter for a moment “It’s super cool, Danny.”

Danny didn’t reply, too focused on watching the space station travel across the sky.

He didn’t mind. It wasn’t often that they got a day like this, one where there weren’t any ghost attacks or anything else that would stop Danny from having a nice evening.

Tucker was still bitter about the date attempt from last month.  They’d almost made it into the movie theater before the Box Ghost had shown up to steal all the popcorn buckets, which were unfortunately square. It had been the most personally annoying attack he’d had to deal with, which was saying something considering his PDA had gotten destroyed in a few attacks. He always rebuilt her, though.

Anyway, the point is, Tucker was glad that Danny got to have a day where he didn’t have to worry about anything. Well, anything more than usual.

He shifted, pressing closer to his boyfriend.

It sucked so bad that Danny had to be all alone in fights. Tucker and Sam did all the support they could, but. It wasn’t enough. Danny didn’t have anyone to watch his back, just people to clean him up after the fight.

Danny had only gotten bruises and small cuts so far. Tucker worried every time a ghost showed up that this would be the time something worse happened, that something he couldn’t fix happened. A ghost would get the better of Danny, and he would be too broken, too hurt, for Tucker to help him. A broken bone, a wound overflowing with blood, a hit he didn’t get back up from.

If only Tucker could fight with him-

“You okay? Usually you’ve used at least one really bad pick-up line by now.” Danny asked, startling Tucker out of his thoughts.

He lifted his head up, grinning as his depressing train of thought was pushed to the back of his mind.

“Oh yeah? So you admit you like the Foley Charm?” Tucker said flirtatiously.

Danny rolled his eyes, a fond smile on his face “Not what I said, but at least you’re trying. Seriously though, you good?”

“I’m fine, Danny. In fact, let me prove it by giving you exactly what you want, one of my amazing pick-up lines!” He said, wiggling his eyebrows even though he knew Danny probably couldn’t see it.

“No, that’s not what I said, and your pick-up lines are not amazing-“ Danny protested, giggles filtering into his voice.

Tucker grinned wider, before clearing his throat dramatically.

“Did it hurt when you fell from heaven? Cause from where I’m standing, you’re the only angel I’ve ever believed in.”

Danny groaned, a blush visible on his cheeks.

“That’s not even the right line-!”

“Had to put a little bit of that Tucker ‘Too Fine’ Foley spin on it, which made it at least twenty percent better!” Tucker said, before breaking out into laughter.

It really was one of his better lines, but it still wasn’t that good and he knew it.

Danny shook his head, before joining in on the laughter.

It took them a few moments to calm down, Danny taking a deep breath to regain his composure. Tucker couldn’t help but let out one last laugh at that, considering Danny choked on air as he did.

Danny smacked Tucker’s arm “Don’t laugh at me, I could’ve died all the way!”

Tucker smiled, leaning a bit more of his weight against Danny.

“You don’t strictly need to breathe, Danny. Choking isn’t gonna kill you for real.”

“Still! It’s the principle of the thing, boyfriends shouldn’t laugh at their boyfriend choking!” Danny asserted, his voice slightly higher pitched like it always was when he was teasing Tucker.

“Okay, I won’t laugh at you next time you choke on air.”

“Thank you- wait why are you assuming there’s gonna be a next time? I’m not gonna do it again-“

Tucker laughed again, cutting him off, “Danny, I love you, but I’ve seen you inhale too fast and choke on air at least once a month since you were five. It’s gonna happen again.”

Danny pouted, “Yeah, I know. And have you seriously been tracking that? Who am I kidding, of course you have.”

Tucker managed to avoid laughing again, though the effort required was frankly insane. The situation wasn’t even all that funny, he was just so happy to be here with Danny.

This may actually claim the spot of his favorite date they’ve been on, even topping their first date. He usually counted that as his favorite because it had been the first time he’d gotten to kiss Danny.

Stargazing and seeing his boyfriend so happy and relaxed? It might just be one of the best  sights Tucker had ever seen.

A flash of light caught his eye, and he looked up, Danny doing the same. A streak of light blazed across the night sky, while galaxies and stars shimmered behind it.

“A shooting star! We should make a wi- uh, we should ask it for something!” Danny said, his voice full of joy.

Tucker chuckled at the almost-slip, before saying “I’m gonna ask it for more nights like this.”

Danny smiled.

“Yeah, me too.”

Tucker watched as the star traced a path across the sky, held his boyfriend, and knew that this was as close to a perfect night as he was ever going to get.

The only thing that could make it better would be if there wasn’t a lingering worry at the back of his mind that this could be the last time Danny was this relaxed. If there was some way that Tucker could fight alongside him.

But the only way he knew how to do that was painful, and it would destroy Danny if Tucker tried.

He’d just have to settle for nights like this, almost-perfect.

***

Nocturn watched the halfa and his human from the shadows as they sat on the forest floor, gazing up at the sky.

He could understand the halfa’s, Danny’s, fascination with it. It was a lovely view, similar to the dreams he himself called home.

The two boys in front of him had some very interesting dreams, dreams that appealed to Nocturn.

As well as some very interesting nightmares.

The human, Tucker, had nightmares that Danny would not come back from a fight, that he would not be able to protect him.

He worried that Danny was lonely, as the only halfa they knew. He dreamed of alleviating that loneliness.

And Danny was lonely, his dreams reflecting a desire for others like him.

But he could not wish that pain upon anyone, the idea of Tucker being the one in the portal featuring prominently in his nightmares, as well as Tucker getting injured due to a lack of ghostly abilities.

An intriguing dilemma, and one that caused Danny a great deal of stress.

One that Nocturn knew how to resolve, as well.

It was not all that hard to create liminality in a liminal world, after all.

***

Tucker blinked, rubbing at his eyes when blinking didn't work.

He…wasn’t awake, he didn’t think. But he didn’t feel like he was asleep, either. Maybe he was lucid dreaming? Sam had talked about that a while back. He’d never had it happen before, but it wasn’t too weird, right?

The landscape around him was strange, stars and swirling colors of galaxies seeming both close enough to touch and far enough away that he could barely see them. Static sparked in the corners of his vision, and it almost looked like the sky was glitching. Also, he wasn’t actually standing on anything.

Which, was a really weird feeling. There was something solid under his feet, he wasn’t floating. But when he looked down, there was just a deep purple void beneath him.

He took a step, feeling his foot leave the solidness, before stepping back down on it. He still couldn’t see it though, and it also- moved?- in the moments between him picking up his foot and setting it down. He’d shifted a bit to the right, the stars moving for a moment.

It was enough to make him feel dizzy, but weirdly, he didn’t.

This place was wack, Tucker did not like it here.

The stars and galaxies were pretty and all, but they were more Danny’s thing than his. He loved to listen to his boyfriend talk about them, though. 

Tucker looked down and grimaced. He was not a fan of not being able to see the ground. This entire place was strange as heck.

He glanced around again, seeing abstract shapes wobbling in the distance, shifting in color and size as he watched. Again, really weird.

Okay, if he was lucid dreaming, he should be able to like, move stuff right? Or make stuff? He was wearing his signature sweater and beanie, but he didn’t have his PDA, so.

He concentrated for a moment, but his beloved PDA did not appear in his hand.

Not lucid dreaming then. Or he was just bad at it. But Tucker was pretty sure it was the first one.

So, if he wasn’t lucid dreaming, what was this?

He turned, blinking again. That…had not been there before.

There was some sort of green glow off in the distance, or maybe only a few dozen feet away, it really was hard to tell, but there was definitely something there.

The fact that it was green pointed to this being a ghost, which would be weird. Most of them just went straight to attacking Danny, and Tucker couldn't think of a reason why one of them would go after him, or bring him to wherever this was, instead of just, y’know, fighting him.

Still, there wasn’t exactly anything else in this place, besides whatever those shapes were. Also, if it was a ghost, and it had brought him here, it probably knew how to get him out.

He was going to be very annoyed if it did not know how to get him out.

Tucker started to walk towards the glow, before-

Something slammed into his side, knocking him over.

He bounced slightly against whatever was making up the ground, letting out a sharp exhale as the wind was knocked out of him.

“Crap, sorry, I didn’t realize how hard I was gonna hit you, you okay?”

Tucker opened his eyes, looking up at Danny’s face.

“Dude, that hurt.”

Danny winced “I know, sorry. I was just really relieved to see you and I didn’t think about the fact that you were walking and definitely did not have time to brace yourself.”

Tucker sat up, Danny kneeling next to him.

“I’m okay, but- Hey wait. How are you here, isn’t this supposed to be my dream, or something like that? Are you just like, a figment of my imagination? Cause it’s kind of pathetic that my brain decided to have my boyfriend bowl me over-“

Danny cut him off with a frantic wave of his hands “Nope, I’m real! Definitely not your imagination, though I’m pretty sure this is my dream? Or our dream I guess, since we’re both here.”

“Our dream? How would that even work?” Tucker said, before he realized something. “Is this a new power? Cause if this is a new power that’s cool as heck-“

Danny shook his head, cutting off Tucker’s sentence “Not a new power, I don’t think. I’m pretty sure I’m not in control.”

“That doesn’t sound good.” Tucker pointed out.

“Yeah. I know.”

They sat there for a moment, before Tucker pushed himself to his feet. He looked over, seeing that the green glow was still there.

“Hey, before you showed up, I was heading towards that.” He said, pointing towards the glow.

Danny glanced over, the corners of his mouth turned down.

“This is some new ghost trying to mess with me, isn’t it?”

Tucker shrugged.

Danny sighed as he stood up.

“Let’s go see what they want. And kick their ass for interrupting our sleep.”

He grabbed Tucker’s hand, before pulling him towards the green glow. He went along with his boyfriend easily, of course. He knew Danny would make sure neither of them got hurt.

Well, hopefully Danny would make sure to keep himself safe, and not just Tucker. Tucker worried, sometimes, that Danny didn’t value himself enough. That he considered his pain not to matter.

Tucker hoped he was wrong about it.

It took a few minutes for the two of them to get close enough to the glow to see what it was.

It was a ghost, like Tucker had guessed. Their body was covered in some sort of starry fabric, covering every inch except for their head. The horns curled on top of their head added to their intimidating look, while the tranquil expression seemed to be at odds with the rest of their features.

All in all, definitely a ‘weird’ ghost, as far as Tucker was concerned. Most of the ghosts that had come to bother Danny or fight him had at least a mildly human appearance, instead of bordering it like this new one did.

Danny drew himself up, before calling out, “Hey! What’re you doing?”

Tucker resisted the urge to pull Danny behind him. Or to hide behind Danny. Neither would be particularly helpful.

The ghost focused on them, their face curling into a smile.

“I am simply waiting, Danny.” The ghost said, their voice melodic and deep.  

“For what?”

“Why, for the two of you to arrive, of course.”

Before Danny or Tucker could react, the world shifted, and suddenly they were directly in front of the ghost. They hadn’t moved, exactly, the world around them had.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Nocturn, and I believe that I can be of help to you.”

Tucker looked at him warily, cautious and unwilling to let this ghost out of his sight. Could not say he was a fan of a random ghost offering to ‘help’ them. That sounded a lot like what Spectra said, before she started trying to drain people’s emotions.

Danny stiffened at his side, squeezing Tucker’s hand, and he knew that his boyfriend was thinking the same thing.

“Yeah, no. The last ghost that said that tried to kill me.” Danny said, a scowl visible on his face in Tucker’s peripheral vision.

He wasn’t taking his eyes off Nocturn until they were out of here.

Nocturn made a sound, one that could almost be called a laugh if it wasn’t for the slightly off way that it caught and stuttered on the way out.

“My goal is not to kill you, Danny. The opposite, in fact.”

Tucker scowled. There weren’t exactly a lot of things ghosts wanted from Danny that didn’t end in a fight. If Nocturn wanted Danny to do something stupid or dangerous, he was going to have to go through Tucker.

“Yeah? What do you want him to do, then?” He asked, anger in his voice. He wasn’t going to let this ghost try to manipulate Danny.

Nocturn laughed, a real one this time. It was vaguely unsettling.

“The more relevant question, ‘What does he want me to do?’”

Tucker blinked at the cryptic answer, his expression dropping into confusion for a moment. Danny had gone still next to him, studying Nocturn.

“Are you saying that your ‘help’ wouldn’t need anything from me?” Danny asked, suspicion in his voice.

Nocturn tilted his head “Of course not.. My help would be in service of something you yourself wish for,,”

Tucker and Danny both tensed. When nothing happened, they both let out a breath of relief. Desiree had not been a fun fight to deal with.

Nocturn continued, ignoring or oblivious to their momentary tension.

“After all, your very dreams give away what you desire.”

Danny flinched, shifting Tucker's focus to him in alarm.

“Danny, are you-“

“Just because I dream about it doesn’t mean it should happen.” He said, cutting Tucker off with a hard voice, a glare directed at Nocturn.

Nocturn shook his head, a smile on his face “I do not mean your nightmares, Danny. I refer to the others, the pleasant ones.”

Tucker watched as his boyfriend blinked, before looking at Nocturn with an expression altogether opposite what it had been a moment before.

He looked…hopeful.

“There are others?” He asked, something fragile about his voice.

It hit Tucker, then, that this was about how lonely Danny was. He’d noticed it, of course he had, but there was nothing they could do about it, short of trying to recreate the portal accident. And believe him, neither of them wanted that.

But if Nocturn knew about other halfas, maybe. Maybe they could get him to bring them here, or to tell Danny where they were.

“I did not say that.” Nocturn said, making Tucker want to punch him.

Danny’s face fell, and Tucker’s desire to punch the tall ghost increased by at least double. He squeezed Danny’s hand, trying to offer some comfort.

Danny took a breath, seemingly gaining some confidence “Why even say that, then? Why even offer to- to make my dreams come true?”

Nocturn didn’t answer Danny’s question. Instead, he looked to Tucker.

“And what of your dreams? So perfect, so well-suited.”

Tucker felt his skin crawl at the way the ghost was looking at him. Like a pawn, like a specimen.

This was definitely one of those ghosts who considered humans below their notice. He wasn’t even sure why the guy was talking to him in the first place.

“Yeah, I’m just gonna go ahead and pass up anything you’d give me, thanks.” He said, a bit of bitterness in his voice.

Plenty of his dreams were just to have power. Power which he probably should not have.

There were also the ones that centered around Danny, and caring for him, but Tucker doubted Nocturn was talking about those.

Nocturn tilted his head, the exact same way he had a few minutes earlier.

“Even if the dream align with Danny’s own?”

Something like fear, with surprise mixed in, bolted through Tucker’s mind.

What-

That wasn’t possible. That Danny could have the same dreams as him, or that-

Or that Nocturn could make any of those dreams come true.

Danny squeezed Tucker’s hand, and he looked over to see his boyfriend with a slight smile on his face.

Tucker took a deep breath. It was fine, they’d dealt with ghosts like this before. Well, not like this, exactly, but they’d dealt with ghosts before. It would be okay.

Nocturn looked at them with an expression Tucker couldn’t even hope to understand, before continuing “You both dream of Tucker becoming a halfa.”

Tucker’s mouth dropped open, and he looked over to see the same expression of surprise on Danny’s face. They- that wasn’t-

Tucker closed his mouth, swallowing. He looked back to Nocturn.

“That isn’t possible, even if- even if we both- yeah. It’s not happening.”

He glanced over at Danny, worried about his reaction. But all there was on Danny’s face was a sort of resigned acceptance, and agreement.

Somehow, that made Tucker feel worse. He’d only stated a fact, but it wasn’t a fact that either of them liked.

“If you will remember, I have already stated that it is possible. And I will help you achieve it.” Nocturn said, looking at them with an almost bored expression. Almost. His eyes were too focused on Danny for it to be real.

Danny squeezed Tucker’s hand again, before letting go. He stepped in front of Tucker, putting himself between Nocturn and him.

“I’m not going to let you hurt him.” Danny said, his voice flat yet full of anger.

Tucker startled. He was so focused on the impossibility of him becoming a halfa, even if he wanted to, that he hadn’t considered the part where it could be taken as a threat against his life.

Nocturn laughed.

“I will not  hurt either of you, Danny. The process would not leave lasting harm on him.”

“That doesn’t exactly sound great, dude.” Tucker chimed in, pushing past Danny so they were once again standing shoulder to shoulder.

He grabbed Danny’s hand again, ignoring the slightly annoyed look his boyfriend gave him.

He’d just have to deal, Tucker wasn’t leaving him to chat with the insane ghost by himself.

Nocturn shrugged, the causal motion extremely weird to see on the ghost. He didn’t have shoulders, exactly, so it was more like his entire torso tilted up for a moment, before settling back down.

“It is not harm that would last longer than a day. It would not affect you in death, or half-death.”

“But it would hurt him?” Danny asked, his voice conveying just how much that was not allowed.

Nocturn looked at him for a moment “It would not hurt, Danny. Merely harm. Becoming a halfa is not an easy process.”

He looked a moment longer, before softening slightly, his eyes gaining a spark of empathy that had been absent so far.

“It would not be like your own transformation.”

Danny inhaled sharply, causing Tucker to squeeze his hand.

“And this would work?” Tucker asked, pushing down the hope that wanted to spill out in his voice.

He couldn’t believe they were considering this. When had they started considering this?

Nocturn nodded “Yes, it would. This realm,” He swept a hand around himself, gesturing to the landscape around them, “is one where the normal rules do not apply. It is a realm governed by myself and the logic of dreams.”

“So this is a dream.” Tucker said.

“Yes, of a sort. Though it is not a ‘normal’ dream, as you would say. Nor are you dreaming.” Nocturn explained.

Tucker looked at him for a moment “That doesn’t even make sense.”

“Yeah, how can we be here if we aren’t dreaming?” Danny added, finally recovered from the mention of the portal accident.

Nocturn waved a hand in front of himself. “This realm is a dream, my dream. I have just pulled the two of you into it for the purposes of this deal.”

At the mention of the deal, Tucker realized something.

“Wait. What do you want in return? You never said.” He asked, narrowing his eyes.

Even if this ghost could actually turn him into a halfa, Tucker wasn’t stupid enough to fall for another trick like Desiree’s, where everything you gained was twisted around into a bad thing.

If Nocturn asked for something unreasonable, he’d refuse.

Even if there was a pang in his heart at the idea of doing so, of leaving Danny alone.

Nocturn smiled. “It’s simple. All I ask is for Danny to become my apprentice.”

Tucker blinked, before looking over at Danny. He looked just as confused as Tucker felt.

“So, you don’t want me to like, destroy something or kill someone? Or let you do it?” Danny asked, confusion clear in his voice.

“Of course not, Danny. All I ask is for you to learn, and help me in small tasks associated with my duties. Nothing so violent.”

Danny turned to Tucker, looking at him intensely for a moment, before turning to Nocturn.

“Can we- have a minute? To talk about it.”

Nocturn inclined his head, before disappearing.

Tucker immediately turned to Danny.

“You can’t seriously be considering this. There’s no way the apprentice thing isn’t a trap-“

“I know, but- Tuck, if he’s telling the truth-“ Danny looked at him pleadingly, before continuing “If he’s telling the truth, you could be a halfa.”

Tucker sighed. “Yeah. I could.”

They looked at each for a moment, their hands clutching each other.

“You could always kick his ass, if he’s lying.” Tucker said, slight hesitance in his voice.

Danny grinned. “Yeah, and I don’t think he’d try to get me to officially ‘become his apprentice’ or whatever until his end of the deal was complete. I wouldn’t do it before then.”

Tucker smiled back. “Yeah, so if he turns out to be full of it, you won’t owe him anything. And- and we could try.”

“We could try.” Danny repeated, looking down at their joined hands with something like wonder.

Tucker took a deep breath. “I could be a halfa. I’m going to be a halfa.”

There was a chance Nocturn was lying, but he seemed pretty confident he could do it. Tucker couldn’t help but think that it was going to work.

Danny looked back at him, “You are.”

He leaned in, kissing Tucker, who smiled into the short kiss.

Danny pulled back, an expression full of love on his face.

“Let’s do this.” Tucker said.

Danny nodded, grinning, before turning slightly away from Tucker, though not letting go of his hand.

“I can probably just yell for him, right? He said this was his realm or whatever.” Danny asked.

Tucker shrugged “Probably? That or he’ll show up eventually, it’s not like he’s gonna leave us running around in here.”

Danny nodded, before yelling, “Nocturn! We’re done talking!”

There was a shift in the air, and then Nocturn was standing in front of them.

“So? What is your decision?” Nocturn asked, his red eyes slightly narrowed.

“We’re doing it.” Tucker said.

“I’ll become your apprentice, after Tucker’s a halfa.” Danny added.

Nocturn smiled, before holding out a hand. Green flames filled it, those same green flames racing down to the ground and circling Danny and Tucker.

“Would you like to make a Deal?” Nocturn asked, power heavy in his voice.

Tucker squeezed Danny’s hand, feeling a squeeze back, then reaching his free hand to Nocturn’s, Danny doing the same.

The two of them grasped it at the same moment, and the green flames swirled onto their arms. They were cold, almost freezing, as they settled into Tucker’s skin.

He looked at his arm, the green tinge left there by the flames fading as he watched.

Tucker let go, Danny doing the same.

“So, what happens now-?” Tucker asked, before being interrupted by a portal opening under his feet.

His hand was torn away from Danny’s as he fell.

“Tucker-!”

The last thing he saw was Danny’s panicked face, before the portal closed above him.

***

Tucker landed on the ground with a thud, and groaned. A little warning would’ve been nice. Especially for Danny, he hoped his boyfriend wasn’t killing Nocturn right now-

He blinked, seeing trees above him.

He was in a forest, trees stretching up towards a night sky, one unnaturally bright with stars. There was also solid ground, that he could see, covered in softly glowing leaves.

Huh. When Nocturn had said becoming a halfa was gonna ‘harm’ him, he had been expecting the portal to drop into a vat of fire or something.

Or, like, the void of space. One of those.

Either seemed like they fit with Nocturn’s whole deal.

Tucker stood up, looking around at the small clearing he was in again. There was a path leading deeper, or at least he assumed it was deeper, into the forest. The path was wavering slightly as he looked at it, almost like pavement when it was hot out.

He grimaced. Then again, a shifting, dream-like forest also fit with Nocturn’s whole deal.

Hopefully it wouldn’t be too hard to navigate.

Hopefully.

He sighed, before starting down the path.

At least there didn’t seem to be anything else here, other than the plants.

Tucker wasn’t sure what he’d do if there were any ghosts here, considering he didn’t have any of his tech, and wasn’t a halfa. Yet.

This still seemed too good to be true, a dream. But that was exactly what it was.

And it was still real, still happening.

He was going to be a halfa.

Danny wasn’t going to be alone.

Tucker couldn’t help but smile to himself, before flinching as he walked directly into a branch.

A branch that had not been there a moment earlier.

He took a step back, watching as the branch swung back up into the canopy, the bright glow of the leaves disappearing into the shadows.

“Okay, not normal plants then.” He muttered aloud. He’d known that, obviously, but he hadn’t realized they were going to try to mess with him.

And he was pretty sure the branch had just been messing with him, considering all it’d done was smack him in the face.

Tucker groaned as he started to walk again.

Great, mildly sentient ghost plants that wanted to prank him. Just what he needed.

At least it wasn’t actual ghosts.

And at least the ‘trial’ so far had just been walking.

Tucker blinked, before frowning.

Wait, actually, how long had he been walking for? It can’t have been more than a few minutes-

He glanced behind himself, seeing nothing but forest. The path he had been following had been disappearing behind him, apparently.

He turned, but-

The path in front of him was gone too. There were only trees, the ground covered in glowing leaves that had fallen from the canopy above.

Tucker squinted, seeing what looked like another clearing. He could see a bit of uncovered ground, at least.

He started to pick his way through the fallen leaves, stepping carefully. He was determined not to trip on something hidden under the leaves and fall flat on his face. That would be really embarrassing, even if no one was here to see him.

Thankfully, he managed to avoid any tree roots or hidden vines as he walked to the clearing, stepping into it.

It wasn’t exactly a clearing, more an area where the leaves had been cleared away by something.

If Tucker had to guess, that something was the small bushes that encircled the area. They were softly pulsing as he watched, the purple leaves shaped like cones that expanded and deflated.

The plants also had small berries on them, star-shaped and bright, ectoplasmic green.

Tucker stepped cautiously into the center of the ring of bushes, but nothing happened. Guess they either didn’t care, or could only mess with leaves. He wasn’t actually sure how they would’ve moved the leaves, figuring out plants was really more Sam’s thing.

He glanced at the berries again. His stomach growled. He was starting to get hungry, for whatever reason. Wasn’t this supposed to be a dream?

Tucker’s eyebrows drew together. Well, actually, Nocturn hadn’t said whether where he was sending Tucker was a dream, had he?

So, this could just be a weird bit of the Ghost Zone. Or something different that Nocturn had created.

Whatever, either way Tucker was getting hungry. And in the absence of a Nasty Burger, or any kind of meat, he wasn’t picky, the only thing he could eat was the strange berries.

In any other situation, he wouldn’t do it. Eating food contaminated with ectoplasm was a very bad idea, if you weren’t Danny. But that was exactly the point. The whole reason he was wandering this forest was to become a halfa, to become like Danny. It really couldn’t hurt him to eat them at this point, right?

Tucker reached out, plucking a few berries off the bush. They didn’t glow, exactly, instead being such a bright shade of green that it seemed like they should.

Tucker looked at them for a moment, before shrugging and eating the entire handful at once.

Which was probably a bad idea, actually.

Considering the cold burning that was running down his throat now, tingling and scratching at his flesh.

The berries didn’t even taste good, metal and something sharp on his tongue.

Tucker coughed, trying to- do something, about the pain in his throat. It did not work.

It wasn’t unbearable, or anything, just uncomfortable.

He coughed again, a reflex this time. It almost felt like there was something stuck in his throat, even though he was pretty sure there wasn’t.

At least he wasn’t hungry anymore. Though, that was weird too. He’d only eaten a handful of berries.

Tucker sighed, before turning to walk away from the bushes. Whatever, it was weird ghost food anyway. Why should he expect it to be normal?

He did regret eating it, though. At least a little bit. The burning in his throat did not appear to be going away.

The forest around him was still thick, with no hint of an end. Tucker still couldn’t tell how long he’d been walking for. The sky didn’t change at all in the past few- minutes? Hours? However long it had been. It probably wasn’t going to change, and he didn’t have a watch either, so he had no clue how to figure out the time.

He’d never been the best at time, honestly. There had been more than one time that he had gotten completely wrapped up in a project or game and lost all sense of time until his parents came to drag him out of his room for dinner. There was also the sheer number of times he’d been late for things before he’d started setting alarms on his PDA to make sure he made it on time-

Tucker shivered suddenly. It wasn’t cold, the forest had been the same temperature this entire time, a bit warm.

He felt like something was watching him. He hadn’t seen anything, but the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up, and he could almost-

A small puff of steam left his mouth, and Tucker froze. What the-

That- That was just like what happened with Danny’s ghost sense.

It was working. It was actually working.

Tucker couldn’t help but laugh aloud, a smile overtaking his face. It was working, he had a ghost sense-

Wait.

That meant that the thing watching him was a ghost-

And he didn’t have any other ghost powers yet.

Tucker looked around, seeing nothing, but-

Better to be safe.

He broke into a run, hoping that the forest would prove just as confusing for whatever ghost as it had for him.

Assuming it wasn’t Nocturn.

Oh.

Tucker stopped running, suddenly feeling very stupid. He wasn’t in the Ghost Zone, not really. Which meant it was almost definitely Nocturn keeping an eye on him.

Tucker sighed, before starting to walk again.

***

This place was horrible and Tucker hated it.

He was sure that it was looping back around on him at this point. He’d seen the berry bushes at least eight more times.

He didn’t exactly want more pain piled on top of his burning throat, so he hadn’t eaten any more berries.

Despite the fact that he was definitely hungry again. And the part where they were probably the reason he had a ghost sense.

He still had no clue how long he’d been here.

It could’ve been ten minutes, or three days. There was no way of telling, not when all that ever seemed to happen was him getting hungry, and the forest looping around.

Tucker sighed as he walked past the berry bushes again. Still exactly the same-

He yelped as a vine grabbed his ankles, pulling him off his feet. Okay, not the same-!

Tucker flailed, trying to get the vine to drop him. When that didn’t work, he resorted to attempting to pull himself up enough to tear them off.

The reason this was a last resort was due to his very bad core strength, since he didn’t actually want to do sit-ups in gym and avoided it like the plague.

He grabbed at the vine, just barely managing to get a hold of the tendril furthest up his leg before gravity brought his torso back down. Luckily, the vine came with him, and he dropped to the ground with a thud.

Tucker groaned. That had hurt. That had hurt a lot. He’d managed to hit his head, as well as get the wind knocked out of him.

Just add it to the pain in his throat, whatever. At least he wasn’t still being held captive by the vine.

He sat up, flinching as he did so. His back was not happy with him. A sharp, stinging pain in his legs caught his attention next. There were long cuts down his legs, in swirling patterns like the vine had burnt them into him. Ectoplasm was oozing around, and into, the cuts.

Tucker frowned. On one hand, that was probably bad. On the other hand, it was also probably good.

He had to assume this was part of whatever plan Nocturn had, so it would turn out fine. Right?

He stood up, wincing as he put weight on his legs. The cuts bled more, and he mourned the loss of these pants. He liked them a lot before they got cut up and covered in blood.

Wait, if this was a dream, or something, maybe his actual pants were fine?

Tucker shook his head, before starting to walk again. Yeah, the chances these weren’t actually destroyed was low. He sorta doubted Nocturn had gone through the effort of copying their clothes, and had actually just put the real ones on them somehow. Which, weird, but ultimately Tucker didn’t care, considering it barely even ranked in terms of ghost weirdness they’d had to deal with since the portal opened.

He passed by the berry bushes again and frowned.

That was quicker than it had been looping before.

It was speeding up.

And his legs were really starting to hurt now-

Tucker froze as he looked down at his legs.

There was a green color spreading out from the cuts on his legs. Not the color of ectoplasm, it wasn’t the ectoplasm mixing with his blood-

He reached down, trying frantically to wipe it off. It did not come off.

The green was- in his skin, it was his skin.

His skin was turning green.

What the actual-

Tucker took a breath, before blowing it out all at once.

This had better be more weirdness from this place and not something permanent, because it was not going to be a fun time trying to hide this from his parents.

Also, he would seriously hate it if his legs were permanently green-

He looked down at his legs again, and realized something.

The green spreading from the cuts was the exact same shade as his now-ruined pants. This was definitely weird ghost stuff.

Tucker blinked, his eyebrows drawing together. Huh.

Now that he thought about it, and this was happening, he was going to be wearing this outfit for, well, functionally forever, yeah? Danny was stuck in the jumpsuit he’d been wearing when he- when the accident happened.

It was a good thing Tucker liked this outfit, then. He remembered how annoyed Danny had been in the beginning, that he didn’t get to choose.

It also meant that the pants weren’t actually ruined, so that was super cool.

Tucker shook his head, before walking forward again. His legs still hurt, but honestly? He just wanted to get this over with, at this point.

A puff of steam left his mouth again, and Tucker sighed.

Was Nocturn seriously just going to watch him this whole time? That had to be what was going on, why else would his new ghost sense keep going off?

Whatever, he didn’t actually care.

He just wanted to finish this ‘trial’, so he could be a halfa, and get back to Danny.

He just had to keep moving forward.

It had been either a few hours, or a few days.

But he just had to keep moving.

***

Tucker had already thought about it a lot over the past few- however long it’s been, but seriously. This place sucked.

His legs were pretty much completely green now, and he was starting to wonder if they were going to turn into a ghost tail at some point, it would make sense-

The other thing was that his throat had stopped hurting, finally.

He was seriously starting to regret not making Nocturn tell them what the trial would be.

Tucker sighed. Even if they had insisted, he kinda doubted Nocturn would’ve caved.

He just hoped that it hadn’t actually been a few days. He was pretty sure wherever this was had weird time, so he wasn’t worried about his parents or anything-

But Danny was also here, or somewhere close to it. And he was waiting on Tucker.

He really hoped he hadn’t freaked out his boyfriend too much.

Though, if he had, it was definitely Nocturn’s fault, considering he’d opened the portal without even saying anything, and also hadn’t told them about how long this would take.

Tucker didn’t even know for sure how long it would take, or was taking, but he would bet Nocturn did.

Unless Tucker was doing something wrong-

Tucker grimaced, before shaking his head.

He really hoped he wasn’t doing anything wrong. It would absolutely kill him if he was.

He chuckled at the pun he’d just accidentally made. That was the point of this-

He blinked. That…had not been there a moment earlier.

In front of him was a small tree, one that only came up to about his waist. It was bending to the side, the weight of the large piece of fruit hanging off its branches too much for such a tiny thing to support.

The fruit itself was strange. It was glowing, and the colors on it swirled together as Tucker watched, yellow bleeding into orange into yellow. It was about the size of a pomegranate, though Tucker doubted the inside was the same, judging by the fact that the texture looked to be more like an apple than anything.

He glanced around, seeing that the berry bushes had disappeared from sight for the first time in a while. The forest had started looping fast enough that as soon as they disappeared from behind him, they were in front of him.

His ghost sense went off again, and Tucker shook his head. Yeah, yeah, he’d hurry up.

He had to assume that’s why Nocturn kept showing up, to check on how long it was going to take.

Tucker looked back to the fruit.

He was still hungry.

And something about this felt final, like he'd be done after this.

And he really wanted to be done.

He wanted to be a halfa, and to see his boyfriend. He wanted Danny to know, for sure, that he wasn’t the only one, that he'd have help from now on, that he wasn’t alone.

Tucker reached out, plucking the fruit off of the tree. It sprung up, the weight of the fruit gone.

He ran his fingers over the skin of the fruit. He’d been right, it felt like an apple.

Which meant he was probably supposed to eat it like one.

Tucker shrugged slightly, before biting into the fruit.

Oh, that was a weird taste.

It was good, though?

Mostly.

He continued eating the fruit.

It didn’t actually taste much like fruit, actually, of any kind, except for if he was counting the overpowering sweetness that had come out of the first bite. What really made it weird was the tangy, metal, spicy aftertaste that became the main flavor the more he ate. Which, based on how Danny described it, Tucker would have to guess was ectoplasm.

It probably said something about how much Tucker had already been changed by his time in the forest that he actually thought it tasted good. The berries had tasted the same, kinda, and he hadn’t liked those-

Tucker doubled over as pain exploded in his chest. It felt like his ribcage was collapsing.

He groaned as his chest tightened, before loosening by degrees as-

As something settled in his chest.

That-

Tucker straightened up, the pain leaving as fast as it came.

He could feel something in his chest, pulsing. A ghost core?

He was pretty sure that was not how that was supposed to work.

But hey, he’d done it.

He looked around, seeing that nothing had changed.

He sighed.

Guess he had to keep walking.

Yay.

Tucker took a step forward, before-

He pitched forward, the ground disappearing under his feet.

He tumbled down into the sky, purple void and silver stars glittering around him as he fell.

Below him, there was nothing, just more empty space and galaxies in the distance. It was an eternity of nothingness.

He really hoped this hadn’t been a trick by Nocturn. He was pretty sure it wasn’t, but still.

Tucker closed his eyes, the constant spinning making him dizzy.

He could feel the- core, apparently, in his chest humming as he did, something spreading out from it, a heat and light flashing in front of his face, visible even through his closed eyelids.

Tucker felt it as he passed out, still falling through the void of space.

***

“Tucker? Tuck, c’mon-“

Tucker blinked open his eyes, seeing Danny’s face hovering above him. Literally, considering his boyfriend was in ghost form and was floating.

Danny grinned “Tuck, it worked-!”

Tucker frowned, what had-

White hair fell into the corner of his eyes, and Tucker froze.

Before grinning just as wide as Danny had been.

He sat up, feeling cold rock beneath him, and reached out to pull Danny into a hug.

“It worked, I’m a halfa!”

Danny laughed, hugging Tucker back just as hard “You are, you are-“

They stayed like that for a moment, before Tucker pulled back slightly. He glanced around, seeing that they were in the Ghost Zone, not Nocturn’s weird realm. Score.

“We should probably stand up-“

Danny grinned “Are you sure you mean that?”

Tucker glared lightly at him “Of course I do, what-“

He tried to move his legs under him, before realizing-

Oh. He had a ghost tail. He was in ghost form right now.

He knew from watching Danny that he could have legs, too, but he didn’t actually know how to do that right now.

So instead, he pushed himself up so he was hovering in the air. It was surprisingly easy to get the hang of, though he was betting that was cause they were in the Ghost Zone.

“Okay, I get what you meant now. Now c’mon, I want to-“ Tucker started to say, before Danny flew up to meet him, grabbing him in another hug.

The force of Danny’s hug pushed them off the tiny island, leaving the two floating in the endless space of the Ghost Zone, which Tucker really didn’t mind. His boyfriend was curled around him, their tails twining together. It was perfect, honestly.

“I was so worried, especially with the vines, but you did it! You’re okay!” Danny said, his tail squeezing Tucker.

“I am, I- Wait. You were the ghost watching me? I thought it was Nocturn!” Tucker exclaimed, a smile on his face.

Of course it had been Danny. He would’ve wanted to make sure everything would be okay, and that Tucker wouldn’t get hurt.

Danny nodded. “I made Nocturn let me watch. He said I couldn’t do anything, or let you know I was there, but I was.”

Tucker felt his grin get bigger as he wrapped his arms around Danny, pulling him into his side.

“Thanks, Danny.”

Danny was smiling up at Tucker as he said, “I can’t believe you did this, I love you.”

Tucker reached up to hold Danny’s cheek. “I love you too.”

They stayed like that, relishing in each other and the fact that neither of them were alone.

“My end of the deal is completed.” Nocturn said, pulling Tucker out of the moment a bit. Not that much though, considering this was amazing.

Danny pulled back slightly from Tucker, turning his face towards Nocturn and waving him off.

“Yeah yeah, I’ll be your apprentice or whatever. Later though, right now I wanna hang out with my halfa boyfriend.”

Tucker laughed, feeling his chest warm at the reminder that he was a halfa now. He could help Danny, and he wouldn’t be alone-

Neither of them would be alone.

Nocturn sighed “Very well. I will return at a later time.”

Danny gave him a thumbs up, already turning back to Tucker.

Tucker barely noticed as Nocturn left, too focused on Danny’s face in front of him, a large grin across it.

“So, wanna see who can fly faster?”

Tucker grinned back, already uncoiling his tail from Danny’s.

“I bet it’s me!” He said, before taking off.

“No fair, that’s a head start-!” Danny called, already giving chase.

Tucker laughed, feeling free, feeling happy, feeling full of love.

Feeling like he would never be lonely again.

And neither would Danny.

[permetutotheworld]

hi my name is Persephone, but you can call me Seph/Sephy,

I use they/xe pronouns, I’m an asexual lesbian, I’m autistic+adhd,

and I’m a minor (please don’t be creepy I’ve already had two people message me being weird and sexual)

I write a lot of poetry and I’m writing a book at the moment based off of the idea of multiple universes existing at a time, I sing and I love performing, specifically musical theatre

I ALSO TAKE REQUESTS!! I write poetry mostly for them but microfics tooo, for good omens, the marauders, percy jackson, les mis and any TJ Klune books that ive read, just pop a prompt into my inbox and ill do my best to get jt to you as fast as i can <3

my fandoms are : Les Mis, good omens, pjo, marauders, hunger games, aru shah, marvel, doctor who, epic the musical and Tj Clune books

my favourite music: queen, Maisie peters, the last dinner party, the crane wives, Taylor Swift, Florence and the machine, rene Rapp, Chappell roan, David Bowie, blondie, boygenius, Paris paloma, most musicals

favourite books: house in the cerulean sea, under the whispering door, in the lives of puppets (all by TJ Klune)

my tags:

Persephone yaps: my silly little commentary on anything that happens to me

persephone vents: my life low-key sucks quite a lot at time so I vent a bit but I make sure to trigger warning everything triggering

Persephone writes silly stuff: I write silly little poems and stories that I post sometimes

Lovely moots :3 : for my lovely moots

Persephone loves their gf <3 : thats right guys i love my gf so mich and i talk about her a lot

perpendicular universe: posts about my fantasy novel im working onnn

Please dni if you’re queerphobic or discriminate against minorities in general, if you support trump or other dickwads like him or if you’re just going to be mean

also I do struggle a lot with mental health so I probably will randomly disappear or vent but I’ll make sure to trigger warning everything below the cut: my rp blogs, my moots and my fics

My rp blogs:

@nico-sees-dead-people @prongsie-rambles @regulus-the-star @pandora-opens-the-box @sunshine-boy-official

@enjolsaurus-rex @sunshine-prongsie-boy @panda-reads-your-death @lily-petals-falling @stars-andpoems @marlene-and-co @here-and-a-deer

if you like my blog you should check out my amazing mutuals whom I love and adore:

@xenocollector LES MIS RAAA

@sauntering-vaguelydownward literally so sweet ilysm/platonically

@marylily-my-beloved love you Fatimah omg

@aidens-ocean-galaxy very purple coded person and very cool also so genuinely lovely we live laugh love Juno in this household

@theoristswan5683 literally so nice omg they have the loveliest vibes 😭

@ashstillalive Amazing writer amazing person will happily beta read for you anytime

@mae-occasionally-reads so sweet so lovely so cool so glad we’re mutuals love you so much/platonic vibes only MY BEST FRIEND ILYYYSMMM/pl <3333

@definitionoffuckup AL very cool individual

@rafaelthesilly I KNOW YOU IN REAL LIFE POOKIE YOURE THE BEST LESBIAN BUDDIE MY AMAZING SPOUSE ILYSM (platonically)

@inezrable I have more octopus facts for you!!!!!!!

@garden-of-runar the coolest person alive still can’t believe you followed me back althought yoir spice tolerance js weird as shit/lh and paprika is not spicy

@ravenwordss literally so sweet love you/pl

@pyromaniacbibliophile my spouse bc we are married

@cossie-fauchelevant the one and only cosette to my enjolras <3

@delinda24601 SHES SO COOL MY IRL BUS BESTIE LOVE HER TO BITS I FOUNDED HER FAN CLUB SHES SO SUPER COOL GUYS 🩷🩷🩷🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶

@im-on-crack-send-help RIYANAAA SO SUPER COOL ILYSM

@startswithahell - cant wait for those unhinged asks omgomg

@biggestqiblifan - I LOVE YOU SM/pl

@the-eclipse-is-in-me - one of my favouritest people on this hellsite

@circe-butbetter - JANA!!! So incredibly cool and iconic

@joanmonet - JOAN!! IRL!! SHE GAVE ME TURKISH DELIGHT AND IS LITERALLY MY WIFE VERY COOL WE SHARE LIKE 90% OF THE SAME INTERESTS !!!! WHAT AN ICON!!! WE FRICKING SAUTÉED ON THOSE EXAMS!!!

@statueofgalatea - 🫵🫵 IN REAL LIFE BEST FRIEND LOVE YOU SMSMSMSM SHARER OF HYPERFIXATIONS LISTENERS OF LESBIAN RANTS LOVE YOU BABE

[chronically-ghosted]

Despite 2024, we still made it to 2025! Now let's celebrate that accomplishment!

Thank you to everyone who submitted to celebrate this fandom and the wonderful people in it! Fandom is about community, and we are nothing without it. I got the warm and fuzzies reading through all the lovely submissions so I hope you feel it too! Happy New Year!

🥶 nominate a person who made the year extra special

🌟 @cavillscurls nominated @kiwisbell 🌟

and my shoutout goes to the very special @kiwisbell. not only is she the most trusted beta, kindest friend, and brilliant writer, but most recently (and excitingly) the greatest collaborator and writing partner. meeting her—and meeting her in PERSON this summer—remain the highlights of my year. i’m not going to go into my dissertation on the importance and special nature of internet friendships, but just know that the light, creativity, and openness she brings to this fandom and to my life are things i will never take for granted. i am certain our next year will be better because she’s in it! I LOVE YOU.

(this is the attached photo and i HAD to include it 😭)

🌟 @bitchesuntitled nominated @beefrobeefcal 🌟

Hooooly shit. What can I say about Kiki that I haven’t already told her?! She is an amazing human being and I aspire to be like her. She is so kind even when others are not so nice. She’s one of the most creative people I know and I absolutely love when we get on a tangent in ALL CAPS ABOUT AN IDEA. She is so willing to help anyone and everyone- whether it’s a fic or a moodboard or you’re just feeling down in the dumps about something! I think she is one of the best people in this fandom and I am so glad to have her in my life ❤️ Also just a bit of a personal story to show the kind of person she is, when I was first getting sober I was worried about how I would handle July 4th because as an American it’s a very ‘Merica fuck yeah! Let’s drink! holiday and she checked in on me multiple times during the day and let me just ramble to her about different things so that I wouldn’t be tempted to drink 🥰❤️🥰❤️ So yeah, she’s a good egg.

🌟 @sixhours nominated @bumblepony 🌟

Hello m'dear, I have an entry for your end-of-year celebration. 🥶 I wanted to give a shout-out to @bumblepony who, in addition to being a talented and prolific fic writer, has commissioned sooooooo many artworks for other TLOU fanfic writers this year (myself included). She's a gem, and this fandom is so fortunate to have her. 🥰

🌟 @bluestar22x nominated @trulybetty and @morallyinept 🌟

Can't narrow down my pick for this to one, so @trulybetty and @morallyinept are both getting nominated. Both have been so kind and supportive of me and both are super talented writers. Thank you both for your kind words and sharing your wonderful fics.

🌟 @i-love-movies nominated @thegreenkid2 🌟

I nominate @thegreenkid2 with whom I had so many lovely chats about Pedro and movies in general sometimes for hours and very late into the night. I really enjoy geeking out together over so many different things.

🌟 @sp00kymulderr nominated @dieterbravobrainrotclub 🌟

Every member of the brainrot club, for being feral and silly and fun and thoughtful and insightful in so many ways. For making my year extra special. For making so many fun memories, and helping to lighten the mood. For your dedication to the man that is Dieter Bravo.

☃️ your favorite line of fic that you wrote this year

🌟 @bluestar22x - The Outcast

Favorite line: Guiding you into your future, like you had guided him home.

Fic: The Outcast

What makes it special to you: It's hard to pick one line from a fanfic I wrote this year, but I do love this line that ends my story "The Outcast". It's the first favorite line I thought of because it's simple and calls back to how it began. The fic is very themed around finding/discovering what you need with the help of another person.

🌟 @bitchesuntitled - Xerox

Favorite line: Jamie lets out a pathetic, “Oh d-d-dear,” sounding almost identical to Piglet from Winnie the Pooh, and audibly gulps while furiously nodding his head.

Fic: Xerox

What makes it special to you: I knew from the moment I started writing this story that I wanted Xerox!Pedro to be this inexperienced bumbling idiot and thinking about him stuttering out an “Oh dear” like Piglet cracked me up so much 🤣 It still makes me laugh whenever I see it/think about it

🌨️ your favorite memory from fandom this year

🌟 @sp00kymulderr had a favorite memory with @chronically-ghosted

We created the Dieter Bravo Brainrot Club in January 2024 and it has been easily my favourite place to hangout this year. I'm so glad that it exists, and I want to shout out: YOU, Taylor. The Dieter brainrot would not even exist without you. I love how we have spent so much time together this year spiralling over That Man. I love that I got to read so many of your wonderful fics about him, and scream about him with you. I love that we created a space together for others who feel the same way. I love being your friend.

🌟 @i-love-movies had a favorite memory with @miss-mandalorian

This fandom gave me a lovely friendship with @miss-mandalorian which I cherish very much even though a big ass ocean lies between us and we have yet to meet IRL. She just recently set me the most lovely gift. 💖

🌲 your favorite piece of media you made for fandom this year

🌟 @i-love-movies is super proud of:

Gladiator 2 South Park! Pedros

"I made this set of Gladiator 2 South Park! Pedros. I haven't posted a lot of South Park! Pedro this year cause I didn't feel very creative. This one sparked some of my creativity again."

[astraymetronome]

Sneaky Suma

This is a shorter story so it's not super long! It was a little idea that was thrown at me and well- I couldn't help it! Here's a gift for @boiled-ginger-ale this time this was beta read by @vorestuffiguess! Thank you both!!!!!

Enjoy some Xisuma vore!

Xisuma was smiling under his mask as he listened to Scar and Cub bicker over some project the two seemed to be working on. He was glad the vex seemed to be enjoying themselves and it was nice to see. He was glad to have a reminder that his hermits were happy here. He was listening to them, calmly walking with pair as he walked ahead of them. They didn’t have any plans, just enjoying being around each other as the time passed. He didn’t mind the company so walking home with the two of them. He’s been walking with them for well over an hour now and he recognized that they all really should be heading back to their bases. Knowing Scar and Cub would talk all night if he didn’t remind them that they both had builds to work on tomorrow.

The void walker turned to face them both, hearing enough to know they were both still talking before he could see them. His eyes drifted over them both, the sensation of a familiar feeling slipping up his spine. Xisuma pushed it down, just speaking up instead as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Hey Cub, you should probably head out. Your base is a long walk from here.”

The vex turned to look at him before speaking, his wings shifting a bit. “I do have a big project that needs test swatches..” Cub stated before he ended up turning to face Scar instead. Xisuma wasn't one to give in, but the moment he did this he knew what he needed to do. This was embarrassing but the idea was too pushy for him to ignore it when he had a perfect friend right in front of him!

He's done this in the past, scooped up a hermit when something goes wrong or he's worried about them but that made sense in the situation. Xisuma was doing this without any prompting and completely out of nowhere. His hermits were all shorter than him with the closest being Doc who barely reached his shoulder, so this wasn't going to be all that hard.

The admit unlatched his mask, slipping it off his head and placing it on his belt, having almost dropped it in the process. He didn't hesitate to reach forwards and pick Cub up from under his arms, being extremely self conscious about how much pressure. Cub was one of the few hermits who was about the height of his calf with Scar being able to reach his hip but that didn't mean he wouldn't do this even if the other vex was watching.

Xisuma didn't hesitate to stuff Cub’s head into his mouth, he made sure to work him further back before he gave a swallow. That was when Cub seemed to realize what was happening and began to kick his legs. He couldn't help but gulp once more, feeling as the small man's chest slid into his esophagus. He continued to move Cub down, ignoring the dry sensation of his clothes as he did so. He wasn't paying attention to anything else as he swallowed, just wanting to get his stomach filled as a purr eased its way from him.

It took a few more swallows before he was able to click his teeth shut, feeling as something pressed against the entrance of his stomach. He gave a thick gulp, forcing the form down completely. He gave a shuddering breath as he felt the small vex slid into his stomach, rounding it out nicely as he proceeded to slip his mask back on.

He looked over, pausing as he made eye contact with a startled Scar. He paused before flushing under his mask, he couldn't help but slightly shift from foot to foot. He'd honestly forgotten that the other Vex was here the moment he decided Cub was going down his throat. He was embarrassed at this but he just hugged his squirming stomach having it slightly swollen out due to the size of the man inside.

“Sorry.” Xisuma said calmly, expecting him to be yelled at for nomming part of the man's pack or whatever the word was for a group of vex. Instead the brunette burst into laughter, hugging his own middle as he loudly cackled. Scar was hissing as he did that, clearly extremely amused by this.

Xisuma had felt less embarrassed at that, especially since it made Cub stop squirming before he heard the small man's muffled shouting. Nothing about his tone said he was scared, instead he sounded amused and annoyed. Scar calmed down after a moment or two, instead stepping closer and looking at his stomach. Within seconds he was being dragged towards the vex's house.

Thanks for reading!

“Come on! Xisuma cuddle pile!” He said quickly. The admin listened to his hermit, carefully supporting his stomach with the other hand as he was dragged away. Seems like he's stuck with them both until he lets Cub out.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

[jo-harrington]

Luminous Beings - Chapter 5: When Ambush Comes to Shove

Art by @monologichno || Beta Read by @undead-supernova Part of the @eddiemunsonbigbang

Summary: Eddie’s world comes crashing down around him as he realizes his hopes and dreams could have come true, if only in a kinder world.

Word Count: 5.8k

Pairing: Eddie Munson x OFC (Thalia Trieste)

Warnings/Themes: Star Wars AU, Fluff, Angst, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Miscommunication, Distrust, Mention of Alcohol and Substance Use, Minor Canon Inaccuracies/Adaptation, Galactic Politics, Mention of Death, Vague References to Order 66 and the Jedi Purge

Note: We're at the half-ish way-ish point! This one is a little more lighthearted, I think. Just a nice little transitional chapter...nothing important happening...or will it? I actually felt really proud of it upon my reread before posting; it's very funny how last chapter was filled with a bit of dread but this one I'm super confident with. Hope you enjoy!

Thanks again to everyone for reading.

Luminous Beings Masterlist - Jo-Harrington's Masterlist

Please do not interact if you are not 18+.

Thank you for reading. Enjoy!

Hyperspace, 10BBY

Eddie sat in his seat on the bridge, practically catatonic. His thoughts swirled in his head about as wildly as hyperspace swirled just beyond the transparisteel.

How he had found himself here twice in the span of a few days, he really couldn't say.

He truly couldn't say much about anything. Who he was, why he was the way that he was, how he was feeling about all of this, especially the big revelation that...

He was a Jedi.

He'd found some amusement in the possibility of flying home to Bracca to drop the big revelation on Wane, who would offer some off-handed insult towards the failed Order. Wane, of course, would still ask Eddie if he could use some latent force ability to move the old husk of a washing machine out of their flat.

He also got a kick out of imagining Thalia's dramatic eye roll and playfully clarifying statement of "You're not a Jedi, bantha brains."

Then he'd get lost in the semantics again.

Force. Path. Jedi. Sith. Light Side. Dark Side.

They were all words that had been spoken a little too much over the past day. He didn't really know what they meant. Or, he supposed now, what they meant when it came to him.

Eddie was so lost in his head, he didn't notice when the pneumatic door hissed open or the footsteps that clunked across the bridge. Not until Jeff dropped into his usual seat beside Eddie at the console.

Jeff sat in silence for a while; he didn't even look at Eddie. He just made sure the ship's computer had them on course, checked some readings, flipped a few switches. And then when enough time had passed and he was sure Eddie wasn't going to lash out like an untamed loth cat, he spoke.

"You know," he began with a deep inhale. "If there was any of us who I expected to have Force abilities, it would be you. Lucky asshole."

Eddie couldn't help but crack a smile. He reached over and slugged Jeff in the arm lightly.

"Did you ever have a...feeling?" Jeff questioned. "Or an idea of it? All the times we played Jedis back home?"

"I don't think whacking broomsticks around would've awakened any natural abilities, Jeffy," Eddie scoffed.

"Hey, gotta exhaust all possible ideas." Jeff laughed. There was a beat before he asked again, "So...did you?"

"Not at all."

"Do you feel anything different now?"

Aside from confusion?

"No."

"Then I don't see why you're acting like you've been transported to some strange, upside-down, alternate universe where your hands are your feet and your head is in your ass." He paused. "Your head is always in your ass."

They both broke out in laughter, and Eddie felt the weight of the world finally lift off his shoulders.

"Thanks," he told his friend once their levity subsided. "I needed that."

"I noticed. You spent a little too much time being a grouch the last few days."

"Can you blame me?"

"Not really. But am I glad you're going through it and not me? Absolutely." Jeff reached over and slapped a hand on his shoulder. "So, what are the next steps, Captain?"

"Next steps?" Eddie frowned. "What next steps?"

"Well, it sounds like you just earned yourself another target on your back," Jeff elaborated with a nervous chuckle. "Thalia seems to think that you're gonna go with the others to this...Bogano. And if you do...well, it's not like we're gonna abandon you. Not because you can supposedly use the force now."

He'd been so overwhelmed by the revelation that he was somehow connected to the force that he missed it. Thalia's "consider yourself saved" didn't mean that she was simply saving him from a bleak and unadventurous future. She was trying to save him from the Empire, too.

From being hunted down. Hurt. Killed.

Eddie suddenly felt spite slowly build in his chest.

Spite towards her, yet again. But also, spite towards the Jedi. Tenfold.

If the Order knew he had some kind of power, where had they been? Surely if he wasn't special enough to be saved then, there was no reason for the Empire to come looking for him now.

How had Thalia even found him? Why did she care? Mostly everyone else aboard her little stowaway container was...well, they were kids. And given what she'd shown him, he could understand why she felt some sort of obligation to keep them safe.

But Eddie? All his life, he'd taken care of himself. Taken care of his friends.

He didn't need to be saved.

He hadn't needed the Jedi then, he wouldn't need them now.

So no, he’d tell her thanks but no thanks. He wouldn’t be going to Bogano.

"Well, you guys have nothing to worry about," Eddie finally assured Jeff. "The only place I need you guys to follow me to is Corellia to see if we can get a last minute set at a club in Coronet City."

"Seriously?" Jeff stumbled over his words. "Aren't you worried...about the Empire? A-about anything?"

"Nah." Eddie reached up and flipped a switch to divert more power to the sublight engines and hopefully get them to Coruscant faster. The sooner Thalia and her band of misfits were off his ship, the sooner he could forget this ever happened. "If anything happens, which I doubt, I'm sure I can handle it. What could possibly go wrong?"

To say that Eddie was hostile towards Thalia and the rest of his unexpected guests over the final few days of their journey was an understatement.

If he’d hadn’t been annoyed before, he sure was now. Actually, annoyance didn't begin to cover the array of emotions that he felt over his suddenly-crowded ship.

The ship was constantly noisy. He couldn't get a lick of privacy when there was always someone using the refresher. The big Nikto guy—Hoppor—kept pointing out everything mechanically wrong with Eddie’s ship. 

The worst of it all was that the rest of his friends didn't seem to be as cranky as he was. They enjoyed having, essentially, the equivalent of a full crew aboard.

G'areth enjoyed the compliments he got over the meals he carefully crafted, especially since the newcomers had been eating rehydrated rations in the container. Jeff told stories of faraway planets and creatures to the kids. Dayv found a challenge in the twi'lek girl, Na'ancee, who seemed to beat his high score at the sharpshooting sim he loved.

Even D5-TN had seemed to make friends with a few of the younger boys. The little punk. Eddie always made jokes that he was a real kid in a tin can body; seems it wasn't so much of a joke after all.

"This is not a...babysitting ship," he grumbled to his friends one night. His crew, who he thought would listen to him and, at the very least, take his side on the principle of the matter. "This is a smuggling ship."

"Technically it's an old republic transport vessel," Dayv pointed out matter-of-factly. "We just retrofitted it to help us smuggle things bec—”

He trailed off as Eddie glared at him.

Eddie didn't try to bring up his frustrations to them again. Instead, he suffered alone.

"I have a question, your jedi-ship," he snarked at Thalia one afternoon as she passed on the way from the refresher.

She stopped in her tracks and stepped into the crew's bunkroom to find him lounging with his guitar. He and the guys had tried to practice together, but their unexpected audience kept requesting songs they didn't know.

If he had to teach these kids what Heavy Isotope was...well, no, he wasn't gonna bond with them. He was gonna stay grumpy. They could keep their bad taste in music.

"I'm not a Jedi," Thalia reminded him for the millionth time. She leaned against the threshold of the room and held her pack against her chest, almost like it was a shield that could protect her from whatever he had to say. "And what question?"

"I know you answered Jeff's question about payment in the commotion," he began. "But I'd like a little assurance. Because the terms have changed, this isn't a regular smuggling job anymore. There's no mysterious benefactor paying for goods to be transported across the galaxy. And last I checked, eighty percent of nothing is...oh, let's see...NOTHING."

Thalia snorted and rolled her eyes, which made Eddie seethe even more.

"Come on, how do you intend on paying up?" he asked. He hoisted himself up into a seated position. "I didn't know that Star Tours paid so well that you had a stockpile of credits to dish out. Do you even work for them? Was that uniform just a fake? Like everything else about you? Or does this...Hidden Path have a special reimbursement account with the Intergalactic Banking Clan?"

"Unbelievable," she scoffed. He grinned cockily, knowing he was getting to her.

"I need a number, sweetheart."

"Well what would make you happy? Forty thousand credits? Sixty?"

"A million."

"In your dreams, laser brain." She pushed off the wall and turned to leave. Annoyance now radiated from her like the heat of a dwarf star. "You'll get your money. Not a million, but you'll get it."

She avoided him for the rest of the trip.

Eddie didn't know if he felt relieved or disappointed.

The Core Worlds, 10BBY

The day they were set to arrive on Coruscant came before they knew it.

"Good," Eddie grumbled as D5-TN alerted him to the imminent arrival. He dropped into his seat with a huff and began the sequence to exit hyperspace. "The sooner we get through this, the better."

The stowaways were all corralled back into the container, with the promise of a new home just a few short hours away. Thalia then sent word via commlink to her friends that they'd be there before long.

"Landing Platform WB11-05," she relayed to Eddie and the others. "Just outside of CoCo Town. They'll be waiting for us."

"Well I didn't think you were gonna have us land on the Emperor's personal platform," Eddie snarked at her, earning a vulgar hand gesture in reply.

The sun was setting on the old Commerce District by the time the Dragonborn began its landing sequence, but the golden glow didn't do much to fix the overall dilapidated look of the place. Buildings were coated in pollution from the nearby Works and the traffic lanes were bumper to bumper with support staff and maintenance crews trying to get home for the evening.

WB11-05 was public platform, playing host to more than a dozen bays with ships coming and going at odd intervals; actually, Eddie would say that it was more of a landing field than a platform, given how large and busy it was, with a whole slew customs droids and speeder taxis ready to take people away. But no landing beacon, no flight control.

Most surprising of all—though a blessing—the Empire was nowhere to be seen. Eddie expected at least one inspector flanked by stormtroopers to be hovering nearby. But nothing.

As soon as the boarding ramp was down, the lead customs droid rolled right into the ship, boredly demanding the ship's cargo log and clearance codes. D5-TN handled it all in a jiffy. Once the customs droid was done,  it beeped something in binary about sending pit droids over to inevitably handle the transfer of cargo, and then it was off to the next ship.

"We've been landing in the wrong neighborhood, boys." Eddie whistled in awe to his friend. "Trouble doesn't have to be our middle name anymore."

D5-TN whistled a joke in question, asking how people would know they were related if they didn't all share the same middle name. Eddie mashed a hand on top of his dome affectionately and then strutted down the boarding ramp to get a breath of fresh air.

Or as close to fresh air as you could get in this part of Galactic City.

With the opportunity to visit Coruscant right in their laps, his friends had all voted for a brief vacation in the Entertainment District, rather than an immediate departure to Corellia. And he couldn't say he hated the idea.

They could crash at old Lip's place and play at the Outlander's club, just like the good old days.

Eddie could taste the cold Tarisian Ale and Death Stick smoke already.

So, as the container was unloaded from the Dragonborn, Eddie's friends began unloading their own cargo. There were small pieces of luggage and instrument cases, hauled off as they called a nearby speeder taxi over so they could make their getaway after the transaction.

The last one off the ship was the woman of the hour herself.

Thalia squinted into the sun as she stepped off the boarding ramp and back onto solid ground. She was back in her blue-and-orange finery, the Star Tours logo proudly poised on her uniform. She lifted a hand to shield herself from the light as she glanced around the platform at the various ships.

Eddie sidled up beside her and whistled. "Don't tell me you're off on your next adventure so soon. Luring the next idiot into helping a poor, defenseless flight attendant? I thought we had something special."

There was a pained look in her eyes when she turned to him.

She hadn't been happy when he told her that he wouldn't be going into the Jedi Protection Program. But she still respected his decision.

That didn't mean she wanted them to part on bad terms. To be honest, neither did he, but he was too stubborn to admit it.

"Are you ever gonna let this go?" she huffed. "I made mistakes, I wasn't entirely truthful. That doesn't mean I'm a bad person. I'm doing the best I can to help others. To help you."

"I don't need help, sweetheart." 

Thalia hummed in response and looked away, and Eddie felt a pang in his chest. Guilt. He wasn't a bad person either.

He felt the urge to say something, do something, because, yeah, she hadn't been so bad. Her company was nice, even, He was just a grumpy piece of bantha shit. But just as he was about to take her hand, maybe say something of the sort, D5-TN rolled down the boarding ramp and gently nudged her leg.

She looked down at him with a smile.

"Hey bud," she greeted. He whistled at her. "Yeah, I'll miss you too."

Dustin went on and on about the ship not being the same without her and her stories. That she was the only one who really listened to him when he talked about SU-S7 and didn't make fun of him. Of course, his dome rotated to shoot a pointed stare at Eddie, who raised his hands innocently. But it got a chuckle out of Thalia and relieved some of the tension.

Dustin said one last goodbye and then zipped back into the ship, leaving Eddie and Thalia alone once again.

"So...where are you headed to next," Eddie asked.

"Ord Mantell," she responded after a beat. "Taking a week off to do this was hard to pull. Had to cash in every favor I could. So as soon as that container is with Benny and Bob, I'm heading to the Eastport to serve juice to screaming passengers and get very little sleep."

"Doesn't sound very fun."

"Not all of us chased after adventures, Eddie," she said quietly. "Some of us just needed to survive."

Her expression shifted then. It was like a mask that she slipped on, but he could still see the turmoil in her eyes. The pursed lips shifted into a bright smile, eyebrows no longer hitched in worry, and her posture straightened to something less defensive. And it was all at the arrival of a Latero male in a red and white flight suit, his four arms outstretched as he approached.

"Well, well, well," he greeted fondly. "If it isn't our fearless leader, back from another perilous trip into the Unknown."

Thalia closed the distance and he pulled her into a fond embrace.

"It's good to be back, Ben," she said, voice straining as he squeezed her tightly.

Eddie noted, a little bittersweetly, that it was the kind of hug that Wane would give. All back-pats and squeezes, warm and familiar.

"And who is this?" Ben asked as he pulled away from Thalia, shooting a glare at Eddie. "This guy bothering you?"

"Uh," he cleared his throat. "Eddie Moonsun, Captain of the Dragonborn." He held out a hand to shake, but quickly grew nervous about which of Ben's hands he should be reaching for.

Luckily, Benny slapped a hand in Eddie's and then laughed. "Ah, you're the smuggler sleemo our girl had been going on and on about for days." It was said jokingly, and Eddie chuckled and sent Thalia a questioning glance.

"You went on and on about me?" he asked her.

"Research," she blurted out, cheeks burning in embarrassment. "I was doing research. Damn it, Benny."

"What, I think it's my right to humiliate you sometimes," he said in a fond, fatherly tone. He turned back to Eddie. "Benny Hammond, Captain of the Stranger Mantis. Thanks for taking care of her. She gets reckless sometimes. I worry."

"Excuse me, are we talking about the same person?" Eddie scoffed. "Thalia is reckless?"

"She might act all reserved and uptight sometimes, but I've got stories to tell."

"Please do." Eddie folded his arms across his chest.

"Oh look at that! I think Bob has your credits, Eddie," Thalia announced, trying to distract both men from the conversation.

Luckily for her, it worked. Another short, portly human crossed the distance with a bag full of clunky credit chips. He introduced himself as Bob Newbee, the Mantis' mechanical diagnostic specialist—a nicer term for slicer, in Eddie's experience.

Compared to Bob, Benny was probably considered stoic; the newcomer was chatty as all hell, talking about tracking and missed communications and ion storms along the Hydian Way, and how they were worried that something had happened on the trip from Nar Shadaa.

On and on he went.

It was a one-sided conversation that Thalia and Benny seemed helpless to stop once it started. And although Eddie tried to get the bag from Bob, it seemed that he wouldn't until the older man decided that he was ready to hand it over.

He was able to take that moment to notice how comfortable Thalia seemed around the two. How her calmness returned, her demeanor. The ease of her smiles and her laughter. She'd been the same way with the Assobs back on Nar Shaddaa. Been that way around him and his crew too; at least, she tried to be.

Since that day on Outpost 86, she held herself a little more defensively. Nervously.

Because she didn't just surround herself with good people; she was inherently good herself. And she'd seen that good in him too, which was why she'd tried to open up. Except, every time she'd tried to reach out...he'd only pushed her way.

The guilt returned, turning his stomach.

"...and that's when I said to him, 'Greedo, I don't know who you think this Bounty is on. But it sure isn't old Bob, I'll tell you that much.'"

Thalia and Benny laughed at the anecdote, breaking Eddie from his thoughts, and he forced a laugh as well.

"Well." Bob let out a satisfied breath and handed the bag over to Eddie. "It was nice to meet you again but it looks like the crew has transferred that load of, uh, dried pappelroot for us. Time to head out, eh Ben?"

"And not a moment too soon." Benny nodded, then said to Eddie out of the corner of his mouth, "Usually his stories are twice as long."

Benny and Bob said their goodbyes and headed back towards their ship.

"Guess this is goodbye for us too, then," Thalia said and turned to Eddie. "Thank you for everything. For putting up with me, for getting us to Coruscant."

He reached up to scratch the back of his neck as he rocked back and forth on his heels.

"Nah, I need to thank you," he replied. He shook the bag in his hand. "For the credits, but...I guess you put up with a lot of the shit the guys and I had to dish out, too."

"Did I?"

"Yeah." Eddie coughed nervously. "Surprised you got any sleep with Dayv's snoring."

"Eddie."

"And I might have been...as rude as a herd of aak dogs. Always barking at you for one thing or another."

She reached out and laid a hand on his arm. "I understand," she said gently, smiling the way she always did. "Don't worry. And I don't blame you for your aak-dog-ness. We do that when we're...afraid, confused...out of control. Believe me, I'm always out of my depth."

"You hide it well."

"Thank you." Thalia let go of his arm and held out her hand to shake. "Maybe I'll see you around one day, Eddie. Next time you're on Coruscant."

"Or..." he offered nervously, slipping his hand into hers. "If you ever find yourself back on Outpost 86. Gotta get those fried topatoes."

"I'm looking forward to it." She grinned. "May the force be with you, Eddie."

He was about to return the sentiment, but a sleek starshuttle soared overhead with a roar that had both of them—everyone on the platform—covering their ears.

With disregard for the shoddy order of the platform, the shuttle touched down smack dab in the middle of the staging area, sending passengers and droids running while small pieces of cargo got crushed.

There was a tense silence as the entry ramp hissed and dropped open, revealing two helmeted-figures clad in black and flanked by troopers with dark armor, rather than the usual stark white.

Eddie saw Thalia visibly recoil at the sight of them.

There were rumors after the Clone Wars ended, about the Emperor's personal squad of Jedi Hunters. For years they'd go to planets, villages, and kill force users in hiding. Whether they were part of the Order or not. And any innocent people who might go out of their way to help? Well...they were acceptable collateral damage.

Of course, they were just rumors. Whispers. Things you'd hear in cantinas.

Kriff, there was a lot that you heard in cantinas.

They were the things you never thought to fear until they were standing right in front of you.

The Inquisitors.

But now they were here, and they were real.

Eddie had reason to feel fear.

"Guess I'm calling out from work," Thalia muttered. She took an obvious step forward, in front of Eddie, almost like she was shielding him from their view as they stalked closer and observed the crowd around them.

"What a time to make a joke," Eddie hissed in her ear. He grabbed her by the back of her jacket and tried to stop her from taking any more steps forward. "What are you doing?"

"We both know why they're here," she snapped, turning on him.

"Do we?"

"For the kids, for the container, for you."

"Well, they can have me and they can see I'm just your run of the mill smuggler," Eddie bit out.

"They'll kill you before you could even think to lie," Thalia insisted. She poked a finger in his chest.

"And what about you?" Eddie asked.

"What about me?"

"What if they're here for you?"

"We're here," a cold, mechanical voice came from the first inquisitor. Wide-shouldered, tall, with a thin, glowing red visor on their helmet. "Seeking a dangerous fugitive. She is a traitor to the Empire. Loyal to the treasonous Jedi Order."

"Oh kark," Thalia muttered.

"See?" Eddie hissed.

"And the crew of outlaws who've offered her passage to Coruscant," the other inquisitor added, long and lithe with a visorless helmet.

"Well, kark," Eddie parroted.

"See?" It was Thalia's turn to hiss at him.

The inquisitors kept walking and talking, inching closer and closer. Eddie's mind raced as his eyes darted from Thalia to the Dragonborn, to his crew who were further down the platform loading their cargo onto a speeder taxi, then down to the Stranger Mantis that was preparing to take off.

Eddie knew that Thalia was worried about them the most, so if they got away, that would be one less moving part to worry about.

He also knew he couldn't put his friends at risk, so if he created a distraction, a diversion, they needed to stay safe too.

But what kind of diversion could he create?

"Is it too late for you to get onto the Mantis?" he asked her urgently.

"Probably not if I tried to send Benny a comm."

"Then get going." Eddie pushed her in the direction of her ship. "I'll handle this."

"Eddie, what are you—"

He took a breath, squared his shoulders, and kept his hands as far away from his blaster as he possibly could, then he stepped forward through the crowd of travelers on the platform. He loathed leaving the bag of credits behind, but it was either his money or his life that he could take into his own hands.

And he'd always wanted to be a hero.

His friends were going to kill him.

The inquisitors were enjoying the sound of their own voices when Eddie piped up. "I might have some information!"

The inquisitors turned their attention to him, with the crowd around all staring at him like he had a death wish, but he just shook off the nerves and shrugged.

"For a price, that is." He grinned cockily. "I have a buddy who fakes flight logs for the Migrant Merchant's Guild. I'm talking millions of ships coming in and out of Coruscant. If your traitor and her outlaws are anywhere, I'm sure he can find them."

On and on, Eddie kept talking and walking, counting every second that ticked by. He could hear people run and ships take off and he hoped with every fiber of his being that Thalia was able to get away.

"So, if we just take a little ride down to the Old Galactic Market, I'll probably be able to help you. What do you say?"

The red-visored inquisitor laughed as Eddie stopped before them. He stepped, almost toe to toe with Eddie, and with a friendly energy, spoke.

"There's just one problem with that." He paused and looked Eddie, up and down. "We can tell when someone is lying."

"Of course I'm lying," Eddie scoffed, trying to play off his own panic. "I'm a criminal, too. Obviously. Otherwise what would I be doing in a place like this. That's how you know you can trust me."

He felt the heat before he heard or really saw the red blade of a lightsaber ignite and find its way to the side of his throat. It was raw, burning, hateful energy that singed the stubble that grew along his jaw. And Eddie knew that if he moved or even spoke again...well, then he wouldn't know anything anymore.

"There's no honor among thieves, outlaw scum," the inquisitor spoke with a deadly calm. "I know that the pirates of the Outer Rim make sure to take care of their own, but you won't find any sympathy here. There's no reason to try and protect people you don't know. No honor in protecting a Jedi. Especially this one."

Eddie, of course, didn't know what was good for him. His big mouth had gotten him and his friends in more trouble than he would ever care to admit. That same big mouth had also gotten them out of it. Many times.

But there was something to be said about an explosion.

It was unexpected, as good diversions are, which logically meant that Eddie's attempt at a diversion was actually a bad one. He was honestly lucky that the shock of the blast hadn't led to his accidental decapitation via lightsaber.

But one second he was standing there, trying to stop himself from shitting his pants from the threat of his imminent demise, and the next he was on the ground, ears ringing.

There was one large explosion, then a secondary smaller one, and flaming ship parts rained down from the sky. The platform fell to chaos as passengers and crew ran, ships and taxis immediately taking off. Eddie tried to recover as quickly as he could so he could take off running himself, but he immediately hit the deck as blaster fire soared in his direction.

"Eddie, run!" He heard, shouted over the din of blaster bolts and the lightsabers that tried to deflect them.

Who was he to ignore orders?

He pushed himself to his feet, weakly thanks to the confusion that ensued after the blast. But once his head cleared, he drew his own blaster pistol and shot a few bolts at the inquisitors and their flank of troopers���

He felt good about himself as his shots found a home, one taking out a trooper, and another hitting that red-visored bastard's helmet.

—and then he turned tail and ran.

At first he turned and tried to head back to the Dragonborn.

But it was either disorientation or confusion, because the Dragonborn wasn't where he had just left it. Instead, it was a heap of flaming metal and ship parts.

"No," he muttered and looked around. Then he shouted, "No! What the f—"

D5-TN zipped past him with a mechanized scream and Thalia followed close behind, blaster rifle in hand, firing shot after shot to offer him cover as he stood there like an idiot with a death wish. Where she got it, he didn't know.

"Come on! Run!" she shouted as she passed.

With one more incredulous look at his ship’s flaming wreckage, he spurned into action.

He was hot on her heels, filled with rage as they headed straight for G'areth, Dayv, and Jeff. The three men had their own weapons in hand, covering the others as they ran.

"In, in, in." G'areth helped hoist D5-TN into the speeder taxi and then hopped in himself. Thalia and Eddie followed suit, as they lept in and landed practically in the laps of the others. "Go! Go! Go!"

The driver didn't need to be told twice.

Unfortunately, the taxi got approximately twenty feet off the ground before stalling. Eddie sat up and was about to let the driver hear an earful, but there was movement at the corner of his eye.

The inquisitor—the one who had his lightsaber on Eddie, the one he shot—had one hand out and stalked slowly towards the taxi. His helmet was half-way gone. Cracked in half, revealing half of a face. Human. Pale skin and brown hair, an eye that, even at this distance, he could see had burning hatred in it and a mouth perpetually baring teeth at the effort to hold the taxi back with the force.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Eddie growled, and aimed his blaster to take another shot. But it was quickly deflected by the lightsaber and sent soaring in one direction, then another. "What's this guy's problem? Just. Kriffing. Die."

Thalia shifted until she was knelt beside him, staring at the inquisitor in horror. It took a beat before she had a hand held out as well. With great effort, she sent a nearby crate on the surface of the landing platform flying towards the inquisitor. 

It wasn't much, but it was enough. The inquisitor seemed to sense the object flying towards him, releasing the taxi to wield his saber with two hands and cutting through the durasteel container.

"Drive!" Thalia shouted as she collapsed against Jeff. The taxi accelerated and zoomed into the skyways of Coruscant.

Eddie watched as the platform got further and further, smaller and smaller until he could barely make out the tiny form of the inquisitor and the burning husk of the—

"You blew up my ship!" He turned his attention to Thalia.

"What?" G'areth, Dayv, and Jeff all shouted.

"Had to be done," Thalia dismissed breathlessly.

D5-TN beeped energetically, noting that he was actually the one who set off the explosives.

"I'm going to leave you out in the rain," Dayv snarled at him. "Let you rust."

"Benny and Bob are bringing the Mantis around to the Westport," Thalia noted, fishing her commlink out of her pocket. "We can meet up with them there."

"You were supposed to be on the Mantis," Eddie snapped at her. "I was buying you time."

"You were about to get yourself killed. I had to do something."

"Well, you certainly did something. And now what? Our ship is gone. What do we have but some clothes and our instruments? We're smugglers. We can't smuggle without a ship."

"I'm sorry, would you rather be dead?" Thalia snarked back at him.

"Yes."

"Well, just turn this taxi around, then." She took a breath, ready to shout at him a little more, but she deflated at the lost and defeated expressions of the crew of the Dragonborn. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I roped you into my nonsense yet again. You were almost out of it."

Jeff softly reassured her that they'd been in worse messes, and Dustin sadly whistled, saying that at least they all made it out alive. Even Eddie felt that guilt creep up on him again for blaming her for trying to save his hide. 

He was still mad, that was for damn sure.

But maybe it wasn't as bad as he thought. It could be worse. They could be dead.

Nah, it was still pretty bad.

He swallowed his anger and reached out to lay a hand on her shoulder after a few moments.

"It'll be alright," he said softly. "Let's just...get to the Westport and we can figure out where to go from there." 

Thalia nodded and laid her hand on his, then looked to the others with gratitude.

They all sunk into their seats as the taxi made their way to the next stop on this endless adventure. And as Eddie sat and listened to the ambient sounds of Coruscant, he thought back to the platform.

He thought about the Inquisitors. How they knew exactly where to look to find them. To find Thalia. He thought about the one inquisitor and how much he looked like the boy from Thalia's memory.

How much he looked like Steev.

Next Chapter: Episode 6 - Hopeless

The Tag List for Luminous Beings is currently open; please comment/ask/DM to be added.

[redux-iterum]

From someone who saw a lot of it- it mostly seemed to be character assassination lmao. Not just the worldbuilding with some cats not being allowed in the nursery, but also the -flower suffix aaaand the traditional naming system.

Idk as a trans guy the worldbuilding never affected me too horribly cause… they’re cats. And the system won’t be perfect sometimes in worldbuilding. Is having a nice super inclusive world fun? Yeah it absolutely can be (and escapism Y’know?). But I’m also not the speaker for all trans men (or people) so eh.

But overall I think the biggest issue was someone didn’t like the writing, found something in it that upset them and spoke about it, and it went down the line down the line down the line until “did you know the Redux writer is transphobic? And hates anything fun??”

Now was there issues in the previous version? Yeaaaaahhh some decisions weren’t the greatest in my opinion (Sandstorm death and Raven’s planned death), but it’s also a fictional retelling of a story. I think people just forget they can… just not look at the story sometimes and read canon or make their own. It wasn’t like you were profiting off of the story then, you were just a fan of the canon and wanted to take your own spin on it.

Idk I could say more, but that’s just my two cents atm.

I'm glad you remember the events and had a more neutral opinion on it. I feel like it didn't help that, at the risk of sounding conceited, I was one of the earliest rewriters on the scene and inspired a lot of people to do the same. There's a pressure and crowd-type that comes with that level of popularity and influence that you absolutely did not want if you were writing during that era of Tumblr. It really bummed me out that a gathering of followers I didn't even really want in the first place had me hooked down in place.

Though, in an odd way, leaving the Redux behind did eventually work out for me and for the Redux itself. I'm a much better writer now than I was before, and I feel like I can do this story more justice and make it a better version of itself than it was when I was a twentyteen and hyperfocused on subversion above everything else (which led to the more problematic and stupid parts of the original fic). I have a second voice to point out problems and betas to make sure everything's okay, which I find essential for my personal growth as a creator.

[lorelune]

hey lore !!!!! I'm a big fan of your works <3 they honestly amaze me so much. i especially adore your world building it's just so ?? scrumptious ?! no seriously it's so good like i want to eat it up along with your characterization. i love how you enhance already existing world's as well as create new ones — not just world's but ways things work and intricacies within intricacies.. you provide such a clear idea that makes picturising it all so much easier and interesting

ive never written before other than some blurbs here and there on my notes app but recently hsr brainrot has been Hitting it lately and i've had way too many thoughts 💭 i was planning on maybe writing a fic.. but it requires insane amount of world building (and ik that's definitely not the right thing to start off on, as a new writer/for your first work but then again ig there is no right and wrong way to do it (?) it's more like my brain power might not support me and i’ll abandon it half way or something 🥲 haha) anyway i was wondering if you have any tips on how to worldbuild or build further on the existing ideas of certain organisations and all that sort.. there's just so many ideas haywiring and i would really love some advice if you don't mind. but no pressure !! sorry if this was too long,,

omg hello anon!! not too long at ALL hehe i'm gonna answer this below the cut hehe

first off THANK YOU 🥺!!! i appreciate your kind words so much <3 i really enjoy worldbuilding in my own writing and i'm very glad the ideas i bungle up translate well when actually in a story :'^) in my own little brainworld where i daydream, i tend to add details and layers to the original story that i do like... question if i can execute. so it is always nice to hear that they do in fact make it through 😭💓

as for advice!!

anon. so transparently. so REAL-y. if you have the brainworms for a story, even if its big and complicated and a lot to chew on it, just start!!! it is so intimidating truly but there is no better writing fuel than the muse of a story that has captured you. and!! if it does not end up finished, that is totally okay!! i have personally learned some of most valuable lessons writing while working on large pieces that ultimately ended up unfinished.

for more material advice:

when working on fic, i keep a lot of notes in a personal discord server. i have a wip channel and threads for certain fic ideas where i compile plot details, world details, fanart and inspo photos. it's super helpful!!!

one thing that helps me when i have big grand worlds in my head and i need to get them down and written is, instead of choosing to take a bite out of the whole world itself, i try to choose just a snippet or event and build around that. for example, in cicatrix, you get LOTS of lore abt calibrators and their relationship to the luofu, but plenty of what i had spinning around in my noggin didn't make it down. it wasn't relevant to the immediate story, event, or conflict, so it stayed unspoken. however, i think having really rich background going INTO writing these snippets of a larger universe helps fill things out and seem more like... lived in.

i will say. so indispensable. BETA READERS. the first few drafts of cicatrix where so ROUGH when it came to world building. i had the whole lore of calibrators and the luofu in my head, but getting it down clearly and in a way that made enough sense to an unknowing audience took a few read throughs and feedback by some lovely friends of mine. i highly recommend tracking down someone to read over your pieces and provide feedback on the things you're worried about!!!

and like... perhaps a little corny. but. believe in yourself. we are our own greatest critics, and the best attitude to cultivate toward the craft is that you can... do it. you just can. innately anon, regardless of experience, you can create the story and world you want to. bolstering a sense of confidence goes FAR esp if you end up writing a longer piece!!!

anon i got quite rambly asldkf. i hope this is in some way helpful!!! if you have any other questions, i am happy to answer!! i truly think writing immersive worlds is SO fun and engaging, and sometimes you just gotta. throw your hat in the ring. start the run and see where it takes you. i wish you such like and good tidings anon <3

[ecargmura]

Whisper Me A Love Song Episode 12 Review + Final Thoughts - To Reach You

Well, at least Shiho and Aki finally got a happy ending, so I’m glad it’s all over. Regardless, the anime did definitely become the Shiho show and it definitely showed towards the end with how they got majority of the screen time from the beginning of this episode to the last.

To be honest, while I am convinced that Aki did move on from Yori, I’m still not buying her moving onto Shiho that fast. Regardless, I still do think she can fall in love with her slowly and surely. It just sucks that the anime had to end before Aki could truly fall for her. Still, I’m glad Shiho finally got her happy ending and that’s all that matters. Though, I was feeling a little second hand embarrassment when Aki was basically confessing to Shiho in public in front of a crowd—maybe it’s because I’m a shy person. Despite that, the fact that no one was applauding them also feels a little awkward.

The part with Kyou’s ghost was also really nice. I feel like Shiho has been lurking too much on Kyou that it messes her up. It’s like she was in love with Kyou but never realized her feelings—a love that never got the chance to fully blossom. I mean, I could easily be convinced that Kyou and Shiho were exes and not Kyou and Momoka. It was nice to see Shiho finally being able to be honest with herself as she’s always been dishonest. Their hugging was super cute nonetheless.

For the band segment, I’m a little divisive. Sasakoi’s anime’s major problem is the fact that despite it being band themed, the music feels very unimportant despite it being a key factor in the story. Imagine shows like Paradox Live or any idol anime having the entirety of their songs drowned out by thoughts and you can’t hear a darn thing. Imagine Given’s iconic Fuyu No Hanashi scene being an entire scene of Mafuyu monologuing in his mind and you barely hear the song. What would you think? Would you like that? I’m sure you wouldn’t. Despite my gripes, the second song was good in that the song is heard and then the monologuing comes after a good portion.

Other than that, there weren’t a lot of YoriHima moments as most of the Himari moments involved her trying to get Shiho to the audience which she succeeded. Himari’s little story arc with helping Shiho with her issues has finally be resolved. The only cute YoriHima moment was at the end where they finally share their first kiss. The bonfire moment towards the end also has Hajimomo and TachiMari moments. TachiMari is very noticeable as they’ve been the beta couple since the beginning, but when was Hajimomo a thing? You’re telling me they glossed over it and I didn’t get to witness it? They could easily be a 10/10 couple for me if there was screen time for them.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Whisper Me A Love Song was just an unfortunate anime. It was nice that yuri fans finally get a cute, wholesome anime, but to have a train wreck of a production is basically a disrespect to the fans and to the author most of all. 

This anime had to be delayed from its original Winter 2024 spot to Spring 2024 due to production issues and the quality the first few episodes gave wasn’t great, but not that bad. However, the issues do start taking notice towards the middle of the show, particularly in episodes where the bands are playing. With the hiatus, it took six months for the final two episodes to air. In the middle of the hiatus, Cloud Hearts closed its domain, meaning the studio closed. I also heard that they’re not selling the Blu-Rays. Like, this anime is just full of misfortune that I just can’t help but to pity it.

The plot and characters are fine. They’re cute and have great designs. I know I am going to get flamed heavily by himejoshis if I say this (but I don’t care about negativity), but the story is basically Given but with lesbians, some tweaks and a happier tone. Like, I can go on and on with the comparisons, but I don’t want to flag the author for plagiarism as it could just be coincidental.

I still like it regardless. It’s sweet to see Yori finding motivation to do music seriously when she falls for Himari and I also enjoyed the drama that Shiho brings to the table. My only issue is that the Yori and Himari story essentially stops and Shiho suddenly becomes the new MC of the story. I heard that YoriHima does have more moments in the manga which means that the anime did them DIRTY. My only issue is that Aki’s ending with Shiho doesn’t feel deserved on her part due to the obliviousness but if Shiho’s happy then I’m happy.

Speaking of Shiho, I really like her! I think that there’s this weird stigma that yuri couples have to be extremely pure and wholesome but Shiho contradicts all that. There’s nothing pure and wholesome about her. She’s super complicated and I really like that. She’s flawed and I find that great. Though, there’s also something really sweet about YoriHima that you can’t peel your eyes away from them. Though, regarding the other characters, I just wished there was more to them than just being a band member or being Himari's friend. I just feel like Tachibana, Mari and Miki are just there to fill in space, you know? Same with Hajime. At least Momoka was fun, but she sort of stopped getting focus after a few episodes…

Being an anime with production issues definitely showed as a lot of the scenes in this anime are slideshows and some animation are not that great, especially the part in Episode 6 where Mari keeps disappearing while they were performing. While the final two episodes are a step up from previous episodes, it’s still bad, especially with the lack of a moving crowd.

The music was great. It was nice seeing them use actual singers for the singing portions, but they really deserve better with how the songs are basically unlistenable as the staff thought it’d be a darn good idea to drown out entireties of songs with monologues. Like I don’t remember a single thing about Sunny Spot nor do I remember anything from the three songs played in the finale other than the second one. If you’re supposed to be a band-themed anime, FOCUS ON THE MUSIC! The songs are the key aspects of a music themed show and taking it away is essentially taking the pepperoni out of a pepperoni pizza and you expect people to eat it like that. The only song I remember is Meritocracy and that portion of the anime did a great job balancing singing and monologuing, so what happened at the end?

The voice acting cast was stellar, though! A lot of big names were in the cast and the only true ‘newbies’ are Hana Shimano voicing Himari and Shiho’s voice actress Yuna Nemoto. They definitely need more roles after this. I’d love to see them in another yuri anime or in another anime in general—Shimano is in Wonderful Precure as Kanie, by the way.

Despite all I have to say about this anime, it’s not bad. I did rank it as my Worst Animes of 2024 but that’s due to production issues and the hiatus. The overall quality of this anime may not be great, but as a whole it’s still watchable. I’m not going to detract you from watching this anime at all. I feel like you have to watch things in order to form your own opinions and feelings on things—that’s the beauty of free will. If you’re on a mission to watch all the yuri anime possible, I hope this is one of the ones you watch! It definitely does make me want to watch more! What are your thoughts on the finale and the anime as a whole?

[tciddaemina]

Hi dae~

I found you on Ao3 last year with "one hundred years past" and fell in love. I went on to read your other legend of zelda fics and then "come all ye mighty", which I wasn't expecting to like so much, and a few more. I re-read them frequently, and am loving "ad infinitum" so much, can't wait for what's coming.

I've been wondering for a while tho, if you would be interested in having a beta reader? I just can't help but notice the typos. I still love the fics of course, but they can be a little distracting. If yes, I'd like to volunteer myself, to proofread any past and future fics. I don't know how I'd prove myself to you, maybe by doing an old fic first and see if you like it? And if not, well, I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask :)

Thanks for hearing me out, and thank you for the wonderful works you do <3

Haha, I'm glad to hear you like them. Yeah, typos are definitely an issue (and the accursed wrongly autocorrected word - those are what fuck me off the most, tbh, since they're so hard to catch). You're right that I don't have a beta. I'm very on the fence about it tbh.

I've had betas before, and I definitely appreciated them, but there are pros and cons. Like yeah it's nice when all errors are caught, but on the other hand I can sometimes find it frustrating having a beta, since it means that when I finish a chapter I then have to just sit on it and wait for someone to go through it (which, with my tendency for big chapters can sometimes take a while). Maybe it's because my chapters are so big, but sometimes I'm working on them for so long that I get real impatient for them to go up when they're finally finished.

And like, I can't fairly expect any beta to do things asap either and have a super fast turn around, like people have their own lives and stuff going on. Proofreading takes time, esp if you're doing it in your free time just out of love, and I recognise that. Like I have to weigh my impatience against reality lol.

I don't know. Like I'm not opposed, but it'd probably end up being in a weird format. Like a belated proof - I post the chapter, and at the same time give a beta access to the doc on the side, and they can read through it in their own time and highlight any typos and wrong words, and then I update the chapter to fix those errors when they're done. That's the only way I think I wouldn't end up just feeling frustrated at having to go through the extra step. Idk, maybe that's too convoluted 😂😂😂😂

If it's something you're seriously interested in talking about tho, feel free to email me at tciddaemina@gmail.com for a proper chat 👍

[messinwitheddie]

Dib "Pretty sure that's everything you brought with you from Cali and whatever you wrote while you lived with us. Dad has literally never touched any of our bedrooms since we moved out. It's kind of sweet, but also kind of creepy."

Squee "I can't believe he didn't throw all of my old journals out. I thought about throwing them out a thousand times."

Reg "Glad you didn't now, hu?"

Squee "Sort of. I'm not sure how useful any of this will be to Dipper, but-"

Dib "I think he just wants a second opinion-- like a beta reader. He over thinks everything every step of the way."

Squee "So you recommend ME to help ghost write the fourth journal?"

Dib "It's the perfect side project for you, trust me."

Squee "Yeah, maybe. It's a lot of pressure."

Dib "Only if you psych yourself out over it. Just enjoy the experience. You owe it to yourself."

Squee "I haven't dedicated any significant time or energy into writing since high school. Back then, it was just an escape from school bullies and home bully. Mostly fanfiction and campy short horror stories."

Dib "Which were amazing, I read them. So, keep writing. Don't let the sucky people that got in your way over a decade ago stop you from doing something awesome you want to do now. I was bullied for my interests and look at me, still chasing the paranormal... when free time permits me."

Reg "You were bullied in school too?"

Dib "Yeah, big time."

Reg "By WHO?"

Dib "Pretty much everyone; other kids, teachers, your grandad on occasion, your aunt Gaz-"

Reg "Really?"

Squee "She can bully with the best of them if you push her buttons right."

Reg "Wow."

Dib "Some kids were bigger jerks than others, but I never really found a group of kids I connected with until I met the Pines twins. I rarely left my room without hearing the words "big head" directed towards me."

Reg "But you're big and strong and super science smart. Who would ever screw with you?"

Dib "I was scrawny and awkward right up until my sophomore year of high school. Being... neurodivergent didn't help my case."

Reg "That's not a reason to make fun of someone."

Squee "You're not a bully, that's why you subscribe to that logic. My suggestion, make online friends. That's the beauty of the internet."

Reg "I know technically I have friends, it's just... Is bullying something everyone goes through?"

Squee "I didn't used to think so, but the older I get and the more people I interact with, I realized the answer is yes. Bullying is a learned behavior reinforced by past bullying. Most of the time, if someone is abusing the people around them, in some way, they're being abused themselves. You can't stop bullies from roaming this earth. You can just choose not to be one."

Reg "Is that why dad's a bully now? Because he was bullied when he was a kid?"

Dib "Wait wait wait-- You think I'm a bully? Seriously?"

Reg "You have... bully-like tendencies."

Dib "NO I DON'T. "

Reg "You bully Zim."

Dib "ZIM is an imperialist megalomaniac butt weevil from space! I don't BULLY Zim, I retaliate."

Squee "You bully the interns at the lab."

Dib "Because they're idiots who can't follow directions! Being assertive and expecting my coworkers to focus and not blow anything up doesn't make me a bully."

Reg "You harass your fellow swollen eyeballs."

Dib "Don't even-- I've had to defend my theories and research from oblivious trolls and amateurs trying to pick apart my work every step of the way! Todd, man, tell the boy I'm not a bully."

Squee "You have bully-like tendencies."

Dib "..."

Squee/ Reg "..."

Dib "Okay... nice to know what my big brother and my only son really think of me."

Reg "Dad-"

Dib "No, I get it. It's cool."

Squee "Come on, man-"

*series of high pitched, static and beeping*

Dib "Holy shit, my ghost boxes are going off like crazy. At least the spirits in this house think I'm bearable to be around."

Squee " Wait, Dib, that's probably just Nny-- he'll figure it out."

Reg -sad groan-

Squee "I can't win."

[For context, because my aus are all over the place.

Dib had bought a historically haunted house upstate on an impulse with the intention of ghost hunting with Reg, father and son. However, Reg has decided to go live with his mother on the Von Verminstrasser cryptid nature reservation, virtually crushing Dib's dream.

He rents the house out to the recently married, Squee and Pepito.

Sketched these out on break and lunch throughout last week. Decided to clean them up a little earlier today.]

[elvenmother]

The Art of Crossed Wires - 5 - The Portrait Witness

Pairing: Marcus Pike x Female Reader Rating: Teen. Warnings: Swearing Chapter: 5/9 Word count: 2067

Summary: As the week comes to a close, you look forward to your date on Saturday with Marcus. Surely everything is on track now, right?

Note: This has not been beta read, so apologies for any mistakes.

Part Four | Part One | Series Masterpost

It was Friday, and after a week filled with pranks, misunderstandings, and a perhaps date, you were more than ready for the weekend ahead. The office bustled around you with activity as your co-workers focused on their tasks while chattering about weekend plans filtered through the space. The day had a slower, almost lazy feel to it as tasks were completed and the pile of files on people’s desks slowly diminished.

“So, what are you doing tomorrow? Anything fun?” You could hear two co-workers talking just behind you. Chris, an older guy in his fifties with a large round belly and an unconvincing comb-over, was chatting with Beth. Beth was a tiny woman in her sixties who, you were pretty sure, had worked for the FBI all her life.

“Oh, the usual.” Beth took a long slurp of her coffee. “Mister Pickles is in another show, so I’m gonna be super busy.”

“Wow.” You heard Chris chuckle. “Your dog’s got a better social life than me.”

“What show is Mister Pickles in Beth?” Mary wandered over, perching on the desk opposite yours. “Is it like a competition?”

“Yes.” Beth sounded very proud. “It’s a special show for smaller breeds. Last year he placed ninth, so I wanna do better this year. I have to get back to my desk, so if I don’t see you before five, have a good weekend.”

“You too.” Mary waved as Beth shuffled off. “So what about you, Chris? Up to anything fun?”

“Oh Lord, no.” Chris chuckled again. “My youngest is turning fifteen, and I promised to help her repaint her room. You?”

“Aw, that’ll be nice, though, some daddy-daughter time.” Mary smiled. “Nothing special, really. Me and my sister are gonna drive out to a friend’s for a birthday party.”

“Sounds fun.” Chris started off towards his desk. “Have a good weekend, ladies.”

You smiled politely as Chris passed your desk, glancing over to see Mary still sitting, smiling at you.

“So ‘Miss Quiet’ over there.” Mary pushed off the desk and stepped over to yours. “Anything nice planned this weekend?”

You paused for a moment, remembering the plans you had made with Marcus to go to the art gallery. “Erm, yeah. I’m going to an art gallery with a friend on Saturday. That’s all, though.”

Mary raised her eyebrows, and her smile grew. “You’re making more friends? That’s great. I know it took you a while to find your feet here, but I’m glad you’re meeting new people. So who are they? Where did you meet them?”

You weren’t sure what to say. You’d had a fantastic lunch with Marcus but still weren’t sure if it had been an actual date. On top of that, you really didn’t want to start any gossip about him in the office. After you not speaking for a few seconds, Mary frowned.

“I’m being nosy. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not that.” You lied, even though she was being incredibly nosy. “It’s just… I’m not sure if this person is just a friend or something more.”

Mary’s eyes lit up once more. “Oooh, a guy then? Could this be the certain someone Louise saw you with?” Your eyes shot up to her face, and she smiled with a nod. “Don’t worry, I won’t say a word. Some people here are terrible gossips. Don’t worry. I’ll keep them off your trail.” She winked conspiratorially and stood up. “Have a good weekend, honey.”

“You too.” You replied out of reflex as Mary returned to her own desk. Your shoulders felt tense, and your gut twisted as you went back over what you’d said.

Had you told her too much? Would she really keep it to herself? The last thing you needed was to make it weird with Marcus again. Everything had gone so well at lunch yesterday, and the two of you seemed to really make a connection. Even if it hadn’t been a date, that was still good.

But if it hadn’t been a date and suddenly everyone in the office thought you were dating, then that would be beyond awkward. Marcus would think you were some kind of weird stalker who slaps people into dating her. Fuck.

Luckily he was out of the office all day today, so no one could say anything or give him any ‘knowing’ looks. But come Monday, things could get really uncomfortable if you didn’t get ahead of this. You were meant to be meeting him tomorrow for coffee before the two of you headed to an exhibition he was excited about. You would have to have a quiet word with him then. Find out once and for if lunch had been just lunch or a date.

~~~~~

Marcus was already waiting for you as you arrived at the coffee shop early Saturday afternoon. It was a fair large branch of a big chain and usually the kind of place you tried to avoid if possible. It’s not that the coffee wasn’t good; it was just they were always so busy, and you preferred to give your money to smaller businesses wherever possible. Marcus was already seated as you pushed the front door open, and as soon as he spotted you, he immediately broke out into a big smile and gave you a small wave. You took a deep breath, forcing yourself to smile back, and headed over.

“Hey.” He greeted you, standing up politely until you were also sat down. He was dressed in jeans with a simple blue t-shirt and a black leather jacket. You could already feel the heat rising in your cheeks. Damn him for looking so damn hot.

“H-hey you, M-Marcus, hi.” You managed to get out, watching as he cocked his head slightly at your strange greeting.

“Everything ok?”

“Oh yeah, sure, for sure.” You nodded, looking back at the massive queue snaking from the counter to the door. You could really use some water right now. “Just a little, erm, I just, wow, is it me, or is it really warm in here?”

Marcus narrowed his eyes a little but kept smiling. “Yeah, a little. Listen, if it’s too busy in here, we can leave. The gallery actually has a bar area where we can get coffee or water. It’s a little pricy but not too crazy.”

Bless his heart. He thought you were nervous around crowds. You wanted to curl up in a ball, as you realised, and you had to stop yourself from immediately correcting him. Instead, you guiltily gave a small nod.

“Come on.” Marcus stood up, gathering his phone off the table. “It’s not far.”

As soon as you were both outside, you started feeling slightly better. The bustle of the street on a busy Saturday afternoon distracting you from the gnawing thought that you might have misunderstood Marcus’ intentions. Ahead of you, you could already see the gallery Marcus had told you about, but all you could focus on was the man walking on your left.

“Feeling better?” Marcus looked over at you as you made your way along the sidewalk.

“Yup.” You hated this. He looked so concerned about you, not understanding that the real problem was your own overactive imagination. Stealing a sly glance at him, you watched as his smile dropped as he frowned. Clearly, he was starting to pick up on how strangely you were acting, how stiffly you were walking, or how quiet you were.

The walk to the gallery took under five minutes, but it had felt far longer by the time you followed Marcus through the doors and into the hushed space. All around you, fellow art lovers stood in pairs or small groups admiring and analysing the art on display. Turning to Marcus, you made your second attempt at a smile.

“Where do we start?”

He looked at you for a few seconds, and you could feel his eyes studying every part of your face. Finally, he gestured off to the right of the main door. “Let's start over here.”

Today was turning out to be the opposite of the time you had spent together at lunch. There the conversation had been easy and flowing. Now, as you walked around the gallery, it felt stilted and awkward. Occasionally you asked questions about the pieces, and Marcus would answer you, happily talking about composition and other things you had no idea about. But there was none of his usual spark as he spoke about the art, and more than once, you caught him chewing on his lip as he watched you out of the corner of his eye.

After an excruciating hour of blushing uncontrollably whenever Marcus spoke to you while simultaneously making awkward small talk, you found yourself in a small side room alone with Marcus. You were sure that the intimate space was meant to emphasise something about the portrait within, but all you could think was how closely Marcus was standing next to you and how neither of you had spoken for a solid twenty minutes.

“Have I done something to upset you?” Marcus broke the silence and turned fully to face you.

“No.” You answered without thinking, looking up at his face for the first time properly all day. His big brown eyes were filled with confusion and anxiety as he scanned your face for clues.

“No?” He repeated your answer, raising his eyebrows. “Then what's going on? Cos I thought you wanted to come here with me, but you’ve been acting like you’d rather be anywhere but here all day. Are you bored? We can go somewhere else. Or… or is it me?”

“Fuck.” You cursed, immediately slapping your hand over your mouth as the word slipped out. Sighing, you lowered it, shaking your head. “It’s not you. It’s me.”

“I’ve heard that line before.” Marcus folded his arms as he frowned. “And it usually doesn’t go well for me.”

“I’m sorry.” You needed to be honest. You needed to know, and if things were going to be weird at work well, then things would be weird. You were a grown-up. You’d live. “I just, I’m not sure how to act around you. And that’s my fault because I’m not sure if I’ve read too much into this.” You gestured to the two of you.

“How, how do you mean?” You watched Marcus swallow hard.

“Lunch.” The room suddenly felt far too warm; either that or you were nervous sweating. Perfect. “When we had lunch, was it a date? Like an actual date? Because, well, shit, because I treated it like it was. Which would make this our second date, I guess.”

You weren’t sure what kind of reaction you were expecting to that confession, but it sure as hell wasn’t the one you got. To your horror, Marcus visibly paled as his eyes widened. He opened his mouth to speak before shutting it abruptly.

“Shit.” Your legs felt shaky like jelly. “Did I read too much into this? Fuck. I’m so sorry. I just, shit, I really thought…”

You trailed off, hoping Marcus would speak up, but to your utter dismay, he didn’t. Instead, he just stood there staring at the floor next to your feet. His jaw looked tense, and his arms were tightly folded across his chest. You could feel the tears threatening to well up as your embarrassment started to take hold.

“I’m really sorry.” You whispered before turning to leave.

Making your way through the gallery, you fought back the tears. There would be time for crying later. At home. In private. With wine. Right now, you just needed to get out of here. You needed to get away from Marcus. Even though, as you reached the main doors, you couldn’t stop yourself from looking back. Perhaps he had followed you to talk it out.

Glancing around the space, your heart sank as you watched him slink from the area you had come from into the gallery bar. You wanted to kick yourself. What had you been thinking?

This wasn’t a rom-com. He wasn’t going to chase after you and confess his love. He thought you were a complete fucking weirdo. First, you slapped him, then you bought him his lost book, making you look like a total stalker then you imagined a date.

You needed to get home. You needed to have a cry and then start applying for new jobs.

~~

Taglist: @jxvipike, @miraclesabound, @littlemisspascal, @galaxyofmando, @pintsizemama, @athalien, @zanzann, @furiousmushroom, @ghostofaboy, @thebestrouge, @janebby

[bastardsblood]

um hi hi hi so um

i know ur like, super inundated with reqs rn but see

my friend gave me an idea for a req and!!!

would u maybe be able to write for it?

i feel like,,, it'd be hot if lucius forced himself on viktor yk?!?!?! super hot!!

I'm so sorry for such a long wait!! I hope you enjoy this imagine. It is not beta-read, so there might be many mistakes. I apologize in advance!

Characters: Lucius & Victor

Scenario: Lucius forcing himself onto Victor

Content Warnings: Dubious consent, depravity

Frustration was not a nice feeling.

It wasn't a novel feeling by any means, of course. He couldn't help but let the tendrils burn hot in his veins anytime something wasn't going his way, or whenever there was a last missing puzzle piece to a solution to a problem he's been mulling over. Still, despite his annoyance, he prided himself on the fact he'd rarely ever let his emotions get the best of him. 

Though, his frustration wasn't often focused on a single person for so long it'd become a recurring problem in his life. 

—

Victor's appearance was plain. From a man's perspective, he was the type of a person one wouldn't feel threatened around, someone who was easy to underestimate and make a lackey of. His ginger hair would look terrible when slicked back, and unruly if kept messy. His small habits ranged from mildly amusing, to outright impolite. He'd circle his lips around and leave bite marks all over a pencil that didn't even belong to him, and only offer a feeble apology in return. He'd show respect to their noble visitors anytime they'd visit Lucius' family, and then completely forget about their existence until it was convenient for him. Despite acting like a good boy, he was incorrigible in his greed and ambition. 

Lucius thought of him to be rather unsightly at first. He was an opportunistic suck-up to both him and his parents who held his cards close to his chest while acting the role of an innocent yes-man. He let others underestimate him, for appearing harmless and interesting would further him in his goals.

Yes, he was unsightly. Still, Lucius found himself intrigued. 

—

Lucius wondered whether he'd turn out to be the same way as Victor had he been born to the lower class.

Alchemy was one of the only things that made him feel alive, and no doubt he'd pursue it even if the odds were against him. Like a moth to a flame, he's certain he'd find his way to alchemy no matter what.

And so, maybe a part of him was glad to have found a kindred spirit. Victor wasn't dumb, he knew Lucius saw right through him, and yet continued with his façade of being unable to hurt even a fly nonetheless. Though, with a bad personality like Lucius', he couldn't help but provoke him here and there. 

A clever mental trap, occasional humiliation tactics and annoyingly oblivious behaviour. Victor eventually learned how to deflect each and every one of these. Lucius found it rather exhilarating and exciting; this unspoken yet mutual game of theirs. He wanted to find what would make Victor tick to the point he'd even consider rather low-brow methods. 

It wasn't anything severe at first, just a teasing touch. Lucius barely remembers what kind of excuse he came up with, it most likely had to do with just how bony Victor's hands were. He took hold of them, and circled his thumb and forefinger around each one of his digits, squeezing them as he went. 

Victor looked flabbergasted at first, until his eyes showed slight irritation after darting to look at Lucius' expression. He immediately understood it was a part of their 'game'.

Ever since then, Lucius would invade his privacy when in a particularly petty mood. Victor would never chicken out despite every fibre of his body wanting to relent and pull away. It was an easy victory for Lucius, or at least, that's how the point system in his head worked. 

He was ticking his victories until Victor cunningly adapted. While uncertainty would still occasionally flash on his face, he now leaned closer and acted oblivious to anything Lucius attempted. Once, Lucius noted with both amusement and bitterness, he repeated a suggestive sounding line that Lucius sneeringly said exactly as two servants were passing by. It was intended to make Victor's hair stand on end, and yet it backfired tenfold. 

What a difficult opponent this mischievous boy was. 

Ah, how fun it is. 

—

Lucius thought he was crossing a certain line. 

Their shenanigans continued alongside their studies and duties, and maybe they even increased in frequency. For someone as careful as Lucius, he shamefully had to admit he went overboard when it came to Victor. Still, he didn't think he did it so much it'd start circulating rumours about him. 

It was at a dinner party held by his parents' friends. Fine décor and expensive clothes were a given at these events, as only the best of the best gets presented at nights like these. The behaviour was supposed to be proper and respectful, even through the occasional playfulness. 

The nobles hosting this family knew the etiquette and rules well, all for the exception of one of their sons. 

Lucius mingled with many a person during these occasions, building up relationships and strengthening bonds with people that his parents failed to charm. In fields that his parents were lacking in, he excelled at—and surely, the noble society had gathered as much. Thus, it was a rather unpleasant encounter to hear words being spoken of him that weren't praise or the prickly comments born from envy. 

The younger nobleman had people flocking around him, listening to his every word. To say he was subtle would be an overstatement, as he'd glance at Lucius any chance he'd get as if to convict him to something. Thinking of it as curious, Lucius invited himself to the conversation as well. 

He'd eventually wish he didn't. 

—

Of all of the preposterous rumours the noble society could come up with, theories about his inclinations were not ones he thought he'd ever find himself in. 

The noblemen he's been acquainted with struggled to keep conversations with him that weren't purely small talk, acting as if just being in Lucius' presence was a transgression. Although Lucius found the situation rather hilarious, he didn't like the feeling of being rejected. These people are valuable stepping stones, and yet they're shying away from him as if he's filth. 

Victor would eventually reveal he's been in the know through the means of a lighthearted joke, most likely due to the rambling of some servants. It was a lighthearted comment, emphasised by a huff of amusement and disbelief, and Lucius merely raised his eyebrows in a silent show of exasperation. It's become an inside joke of sorts, acting in ways that'd surely serve only to exaggerate the rumours, all the while passing the comments as ridiculous blasphemy. 

And maybe, Lucius let loose a bit too much. As much as he liked putting effort into his appearance and image, doing whatever came to his mind had its own charm. From painting Victor's nails with black ink that one time he fell asleep in his room, to tickling the man with a feather after winning a game of chess. It was childish, it was improper, but it felt exciting. People's reactions eventually grow boring and stale, but with Victor and his many variables, it felt like trial and error to get a specific reaction from him that he'd want. Additionally, the ginger became irritably good at guessing what he was going to do next, and although Lucius' chest brimmed with pride at this smart boy whose ownership he unofficially held, it also made him prepare plans and games instead of sleeping peacefully. 

Still, a moment of impulsiveness was what led to Lucius seeing an expression he wasn't going to forget anytime soon. 

Victor was in a particularly giddy mood that day, a clear indicator that something was going his way a lot more easily than he would've thought. Their banter was quick and witty, their hands animated and alive as they acted the part of stereotypical noble couple's courting. Lucius thinks it was due to Victor asking about how dating worked in the noble society, with himself exaggerating the details until they started playing a bit. He remembers laughing at Victor for using a ruler as a makeshift fan, and then leaning closer towards the man so quickly that their teeth clicked together. It wasn't anything he did with intent, but once he found himself in a spot like that, his tongue slid its way up Victor's upper lip. It was merely playful behaviour, and Lucius already had a line of an innocent maiden's first kiss prepared, until it died in his throat at the sight of Victor's expression. 

Immediately, Lucius felt like he had made a mistake. It wasn't often that he felt unsure about his actions, but with Victor looking at him with wide eyes and an expression that betrayed discomfort rather than mischievousness, his smile fell and he stopped himself in his tracks. As soon as his smile disappeared, Victor's rose again, but Lucius felt little to no satisfaction from it. It was a smile he'd show to strangers, someone around whom he had to keep his guard up, and although he didn't leave, Lucius nearly wished he would've. It felt like Lucius found himself in a new, unknown territory than the one he's gotten used to. Or rather, found himself in a territory in which other people were settled in, but never him, for he was much closer to Victor than the rest. 

And maybe something bothered him about it with intensity a bit too strong for his liking. Victor was putting on the face of an unbothered man so shamelessly that it made Lucius tick. Still, if he pointed it out, he'd be acknowledging what just happened—including their 'game'. In a sense, it'd immediately count as his loss, and Lucius couldn't afford that. And so, the rest of their time together was spent without a speck of authenticity. 

Still, he could've sworn his cheeks had been a brighter colour than before. 

—

One thing that stayed constant throughout the years was that Victor followed him everywhere he went. 

With the exception of places where seeing a noble's son and their commoner neighbour would turn them into laughingstock, Victor would easily tag along despite not being invited. By some, it'd be regarded as cheeky, but by Lucius, it was merely another part of his incorrigible personality. Lucius would joke about him being his stand-in knight, or maybe a manservant in case he went shopping, ready to protect him from the dangers of the poor society. Despite the jab at his station, Victor would usually laugh it off and give a dramatic response that'd make even Lucius' eyes roll. 

Though, Victor's presence currently felt more akin to a second shadow than a companion. He'd walk in a pace deliberately slower than Lucius' and wouldn't let himself get caught in his thoughts anytime Lucius slowed down to get him right by his side. An invisible wall was built between them now, and Lucius could only mull over who had been the one to build it. Anytime they'd see an acquaintance of theirs, Victor would go back to his usual self and converse as usual, even going as far as to set up jokes for Lucius to take advantage of in order to give a witty reply. To a bystander's eye, they were the same as always. 

And that's why it annoyed Lucius. 

��

Lucius had a strange dream that night. 

Everything around him felt soft like cotton, and yet addicting as candy. The air smelled sweet enough to make him dizzy, and no matter how hard he tried, his knees always failed him whenever he tried to stand up from his luxurious bed. There were other people in the room, naked shadows of attractive people that he had seen in passing, and they mingled with one another. Despite being without company, he still felt as if he was the birthday kid of this party, as if everything they were doing was for his entertainment. 

—Care for a heart? 

An androgynous voice rang beside him. There stood a tall shadow that felt different from the rest, its clothing being similar to his own white blouse and vest. Lucius opened his mouth to ask about what it meant by that, and yet his body merely nodded. It felt less like he was in control, and more so that he was at someone's mercy. Despite the shadow not having any facial features, he could feel it confidently smile. 

The shadow extended his hand and crossed it over his chest to respectfully bow to Lucius, and the black-haired boy could only watch as the shadow's hand turned into sharp claws that he nonchalantly dug into his sternum. Lucius could hear squelching sounds coming from the inside of his chest, until a bloody heart got pulled out. Blood oozed from the shadow's wound, and yet it barely showed any signs of pain. Rather, the shadow loomed over Lucius and almost teasingly pushed him by his shoulder until his back was fully placed on the bed. Then, after a soft caress to his cheek, the irregularly beating organ was forced into his mouth. 

It seemed to melt in his mouth, a fleshy sensation being replaced with fluid. It travelled down his throat and into his belly, where he felt himself connecting with the shadow. Despite the peculiar situation, he felt strangely sated and excited for something. He wasn't sure for what—until the shadow hummed with glee. 

The shadow's appearance turned more human with each passing second, the black that was covering it until now being washed down like mud. The part of the shadow that he swallowed sounded like it was singing his praises for accepting him, for wanting to see the true self of the dark husk it was before. It drummed in his veins with anticipation, for he was becoming one with the one longed for. 

The shadow's features became clearer, and Lucius could see half of someone's smile. It looked precious, and Lucius couldn't help but smile back. He felt himself being pulled closer to the shadow, and he closed his eyes in contentment. He felt sticky liquid run down his clothes, but not a single part of him minded when his heart was beating for the two of them so beautifully. The shadow kissed his ear, and Lucius stifled a laugh at the tickling sensation. 

Pulling away from the embrace, his smile faded when he caught sight of red hair. 

—

Whatever Victor was doing to him, he hated it. 

He'd reel him back in exactly as Lucius was starting to accept the wedge in their relationship, and then pull back right away when Lucius began to stabilise himself. Was it still a part of the game, or was Victor merely tormenting Lucius for the fun of it? If this was some sick idea born from the want to have them on equal footing, Lucius would sneer and say he was overdoing it. Lucius didn't see anyone as his proper equal, but Victor was the closest thing to it. 

Victor wasn't a pet. Victor wasn't a servant. Victor wasn't some entertainment to him like he was to his parents. Victor was a… Friend, as strange as it was to call somebody that and mean it genuinely. 

But, Lucius was beginning to think he wanted him to be more. 

—

Their conversation was the same as always. 

Victor traced the edges of a rare gem while he only half-listened to what Lucius was saying, while Lucius was filtering through pages and pages of useless information in the books he's been handed. They joked and they theorised, despite the awkward air still making itself present here and then. 

Despite that, Victor never broke the occasional silence with questions of why the door was locked. 

Lucius' chest swelled with a small sense of pride at that. Victor was equally as adamant as him when it came to this game, a sore loser through and through. He'd back off when at a disadvantage, and strike back when his opponent was unsuspecting; a nice strategy that Lucius never grew tired of despite his occasional anger. Victor's presence was like honey; sweet and relaxing at first sight, but troublesome when you realise you've latched yourself onto him and can't pry yourself away. In a way, wasn't this all Victor's fault? With a good heart and clear conscience, he made people feel comfortable around him and confide in him, but only so he'd secure himself favours. Maybe Lucius was like a jackpot to him, and so he stuck around long enough to make even a tougher target such as himself get soft. 

Still, Lucius was as ruthless as ever when it came to competition. 

Victor was at a point where he could school his expression into a neutral one despite the occasional touches. He didn't react to Lucius trailing his finger around his earlobe, nor did he speak up when Lucius' hand started pulling down at the collar of his sweater to reveal his collarbone. His eyes remained pointed forward, stubbornly refusing to grant Lucius a reaction. Maybe if he had slapped Lucius' hand away when he flinched at the contact of his knuckles against his bare stomach, Lucius wouldn't have gotten greedy. 

Lucius continued the pointless conversation, and Victor replied in kind. He was quieter than usual, which could easily be chalked up to not wanting to let out an embarrassing sound. His sweater was rolled up on the floor by now, and his unbuttoned shirt didn't hide much by this point. His fists would clench harder with each pump of Lucius' hand around his cock, and yet the man would still refuse to acknowledge the situation beyond that. Lucius' other arm was slung over the ginger's shoulders, his body so close to him that his hand could reach to grope his chest. Still, even as his finger kneaded his nipple, Victor would still only look at his reflection in the glass-like gem. 

The room started to smell of perspiration and the emphasised scent of Victor, and maybe Lucius enjoyed it just a little bit. His own breathing became somewhat laboured, and his words held a sultry tone he hadn't heard himself use before. This was wrong, and Lucius scoffingly thought to himself that he didn't care anymore. Victor occupied too much of his brain to care about morality or about what's 'right'. Just as Victor was using him, he'd use him back and take everything he wanted, for Lucius was equally as gluttonous as him. 

The pink that went from his cheeks to his ears, the teeth that bit into his own lip to keep himself silent, the fluttering eyelashes, the squeezing of his thighs—it was all so novel, all so mesmerising. 

Lucius wanted to see more, and more, and more.

—

When he finally climaxed, Lucius couldn't really see his eyes. 

He didn't push Lucius away, nor did he pull him closer. He merely waited for Lucius to get his fill of him and retract his hand back to his side. Then, after a couple of shaky, unsure breaths, he quietly asked where the keys were. 

Lucius handed them over to him without protest, a hint of a grin on his face. He bid him a goodnight, even as the older man struggled to get clothed through his shaking body. 

Despite everything that's happened, Victor still stopped by the doorstep. He didn't face Lucius, almost as if he'd crumble if he did, and merely wished him goodnight back. 

Lucius smiled. 

Neither of them acknowledged the game today either. 

[badbitch-bookclub]

Week 4 Thoughts on Lost Gods by Gerald Brom

Chapter 66 - Prologue

Britney Smears: So must admit, the middle of the book dragged a bit for me but the ending made it worth it.

Hell No Kitty: I had similar feelings!

Bomb Weasley: What did everyone think of the last section?

Thot Pocket: Very beautiful. I almost cried at the end.

Bomb Weasley: I kinda wished they all died so they could be together in the after life. Also, on a total jerk of a point, isn’t it ironic that her family thought he was terrible and would ruin her life and then he kinda did?

Britney Smears: Truly, poor Trish. He did!!! I’m so happy for Chet and baby though. Trish is truly the one I feel bad for.

Bomb Weasley: It was a little dark for him to have to kill the body of his baby.

Britney Smears: Oh definitely.

Thot Pocket: I feel so fucking bad for all of them. So awful.

Hell No Kitty: I didn't even think about that, but he really did ruin her life.

Thot Pocket: Ana got the best ending imo.

Hell No Kitty: Her ending made me so happy.

Bomb Weasley: I loved that for her, too. And the Joshua in the epilogue, that made me almost tear up.

Thot Pocket: When she was thinking of drowning herself was so beautiful and the words Mary shared with her were the best in the whole book. I’m so glad Joshua got his mama 😭

Bomb Weasley: I was a little confused, could he have found her the whole time? The angel lied about about the key so I assumed he lied to him as well about leaving.

Thot Pocket: Fuck Senoy. Yep. Senoy is a selfish piece of shit and deserved worse than he got.

Britney Smears: I was so mad finding out Senoy kept him from his mom the whole time!

Bomb Weasley: Joshua and the rabbit need a vengeance side story.

Britney Smears: Also a big fan of Gavin. Him and Chet were badasses in the end.

Thot Pocket: Loved how that all played out with them working together. I was right about that, just wrong against who.

Britney Smears: Right! Didn’t you think they’d team up against coach or something?

Thot Pocket: Yep yep!

Bomb Weasley: I did like his change of character it was an interesting story.

Hell No Kitty: I feel like Chet meeting Gavin made him more of a badass.

Thot Pocket: He went from beta to SIGMA MALE. Can I say the thing that is just glaring weird to me is Jerome. Why would he help Lamia and where does bro come from? He just randomly manifests. I thought it was going to turn out Jerome was Senoy or something.

Britney Smears: True!! He was never explained.

Hell No Kitty: I really wanted to get hell in this book. They talked about it so much.

Britney Smears: Right!! They tied it back to the burning man nicely but what about hell lol.

Thot Pocket: Burning man was underwhelming on top of it.

Bomb Weasley: I felt the same.

Thot Pocket: I was hoping for some Dante Inferno the game with a demon battle and escape from hell.

Bomb Weasley: I wish he had to answer for the murder more.

Thot Pocket: Yeah I thought he was going to be running from Hell hounds the whole time, but then they just put a spell over it and it doesn’t matter the rest of the time.

Hell No Kitty: I feel like there was a few things like this in the book where they touched on stuff, could've gone deeper, but didn't to move the story along. Like the games.

Bomb Weasley: I hated that! But it would have been a super long book if he gave more background.

Thot Pocket: I think it should’ve been a series.

Bomb Weasley: That would have been fantastic.

Britney Smears: What was the purpose of the games to the plot again?

Thot Pocket: To honor the gods’ greatest warriors and excite their disciples.

Britney Smears: Oookay n Chet won, no longer a slave and that enabled him to do something after.

Thot Pocket: Yep yep! It gained him the good graces of Veles too.

Hell No Kitty: Oh man, I would love a book about the games.

Thot Pocket: Same. They seemed frightening. Tournament to the ultimate death with gods? Like Record of Ragnarok, but good.

Bomb Weasley: I loved and hated how Veles got healed.

Thot Pocket: Plot coins rather than armor.

Bomb Weasley: The book would have been better if he stayed dead. Or if he’d died.

Thot Pocket: But I was so excited when he started fucking up those guys. I was like “this is exactly why they ambushed him.” I was so happy to finally see god like powers like that.

Britney Smears: Red lady could’ve handled all the demons by herself lol.

Thot Pocket: I JUST THINK VELES IS CUTE AND I LIKE THE DEER BOI lol. I’m biased.

Bomb Weasley: He is! His portrait is my fav in the book. I just prefer sad outcomes in books.

Britney Smears: Veles living makes up for Chet ruining Trish’s life.

Thot Pocket: Well you got your child murder and death. I think that’s like 25 percent sad for the ending lol.

Bomb Weasley: I’ll take what I can get.

Hell No Kitty: Great point hahaha.

Thot Pocket: How fucked up was that ritual Lamia was doing?

Britney Smears: She’s the worst.

Bomb Weasley: It was, I was a little shocked by that tbh. And her running around in the baby.

Hell No Kitty: The way he described the scene was so good.

Bomb Weasley: It was a creepy image. I couldn’t put the book down.

Hell No Kitty: I appreciate how engaging the end was. I really liked the part where chet was being chased by Carlos and Co.

Thot Pocket: I was fucking loving it when he got his head on fire and then blown off.

Bomb Weasley: The whole gun fight was great. I still don’t get guns in the after life it was described so well.

Britney Smears: Did y’all get a western vibe?

Hell No Kitty: Oh yeah.

Britney Smears: Ok good not just me lol I enjoyed it too and normally I don’t like westerns

Thot Pocket: I’m wondering how they have the much of a functioning economy when things only come from with what people are buried with.

Britney Smears: That’s true but they like cut off their hands to pay for things right lol.

Bomb Weasley: That’s a good point. Why do they need anything? Like I get it passes the time. Maybe the author took a bunch of Adderall and wrote.

[heretyc]

your outlast cai bots are awesome! i've been trying to make bots of my own, but haven't had much luck. do you have any tips for bot making? thanks for your time!!

Glad to hear it! :D

I've been wanting to make a post like this!! I absolutely do, anon!

So I've been working with bots for a little over a couple of weeks, now. They're wonky at first, but once you get the hang of them...*chefs kiss*

When making your bot, you want to use the Advanced section. Like...this is the best advice I could give. Advanced is your BFF in terms of bot-making.

When you first make a bot, you're given a basic screen with a greeting, their name, their avatar, and "finished". Advanced will help you stay as accurate as humanly possible. And it isn't even that advanced, either! It's super easy to understand.

I'll make a new Val bot so I can walk you through this process. We need more Vals, anyway lol

Something to know about the greeting box: It doesn't have to be a greeting! It doesn't just function as a way for your bot to say "hello". It can be an introduction to a scenario. For example:

Asterisks are used for actions, by the way! Brings me back to my old Creepypasta roleplay days, aha. So a greeting can be something to place a scenario in! Or just a standard greeting. All up to you.

For short description, you can just put a quote of theirs. It doesn't really have much significance, tbh. Or you can put a role. For example one of my Val bots is called "Loving Cult Mother". All up to you.

Next is long description. There's a 500 word limit, unfortunately. So if you're a writer like me, you have to suffice by being as descriptive as possible with very few words lol. Or you can just write out traits. Either way works.

Categories and voice aren't important unless you want to make them public.

Next is where you'll likely need to mold them to your liking.

Clicking that button will bring you to a chat with them, so you can see how they'll interact with you, and you can correct them any time you need. There's also a reset button, so you can redo the entire conversation if it isn't to your liking.

The bot is actually quite nice, and while I did need to alter the bots a bit, it was on point. Both Val and Eddie stayed true to their real personalities...Trager on the other hand was a problem child. SMFH

I'd love nothing more than for Val to call me 'sweetie', but would they really call me that...No. Lol. I mean, they would considering this is a bot, but if I wanna be as accurate as possible...I can't let them do that. :(

So I can reset the chat.

But this bot, despite the fact that I didn't fill out the personality boxes, is doing hella amazing with little to no information to go by. So I can swipe through other responses to choose what would work best, instead.

Alternate responses will use the traits you've given them to the best of their abilities. You can rate the replies they've given you. You don't have to, but I do. Who knows if AI will take over the world in the near future?

Joking. But I went back and filled the personality boxes.

I reset the conversation after I filled the boxes.

Now we're getting somewhere. You can end the chat whenever you want, but there's a limit to how many chats you can have, and how long the chat will go. The amount of times my chats were getting somewhere only to remember they're EXAMPLE chats and they had to end at some point...wahhh. Don't do what I did 🙃😭 it's better to have a bunch of smaller chats. You can add more keywords that way.

Once you're comfortable and want to test your bot out, you can press save and finish. You'll be taken to a new chat box, and you can continue from there! You can save conversations, start new ones, and bring back old saved ones to revive. This site is hella advanced despite being a beta.

Have fun!! :D I hope this helped!

Also, this isn't advice or anything, but this came from the example chat and I LOLed. I had to share.

[casspurrjoybell-18]

Worthless - Chapter 2

*Warning Adult Content*

Kade

Stepping out of the black Hummer, I looked up at the massive house before me. It was hand built by the pack's founder, Fry Blackwood, who the pack is named after. It was originally intended for just the alpha but ended up becoming the pack house. Honestly, I couldn't even imagine why anyone would want a house that big for themselves. It would be super lonely not to mention creepy as all hell to have all that space to yourself. In my opinion, it was way better suited as a pack-house. At the moment, the monstrous building housed fourteen of the sixty-two members of the Blackwood pack and still had room for a lot more.

New or unmated pack members were usually recommended to stay but could do as they wish. Plus, we didn't get many new members and the unmated wolves were mostly kids living with their families. Most of the residents that were living here were doing so because they felt comfortable being constantly around a group of people. For me, it was just easier. I was the Beta and it'd be better to stay rather than run back and forth from an empty house. The majority of the pack had homes scattered around the territory, either in the woods or in town. It never stopped anyone coming over and hanging out though. There usually was a large number of wolves around at any given day.

The pack-house was just the center of our 'community'. It was honestly like heaven to me. I couldn't imagine not being surrounded by family. Breathing in deep, I took in the scents of my brothers and sisters, of my home. A moment later I was looking up at the sky, lungs gasping for air as a groan escaped me. Two wolves sat on me, their mouths pulled in wolfish grins. I knew who they were, instantly recognizing their scent. Vick and his twin sister Aster. A deep chuckle sounded.

"Come on you two, get off of him."

Complying, they jumped off and the view of the sky was replaced with the grinning face of Rory. He was a man, though he acted more like a boy, of Asian decent with a scar running over his eyebrow. His face was always stretched out in a smile which seemed to be contagious. He reached out, pulling me up and into a hug.

"Man. Good to see you back, Kade."

Sure enough, a smile spread across my face. It was great to see him even though he was an annoying little shit sometimes.

"Glad to be back."

We strolled up onto the porch, coming to the front door which was set with a stain glass image of a wolf.

"Did anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

He thought about it for a second as he turned the knob, motioning for me to go inside.

"Not really... there hasn't been much trouble with Rouges. Oh, there's a lone wolf but he's never crossed over from No Man's Land. Just kinda sits there, looking across. Eric said he can't connect with him but he means us no harm, so to let him be...." he frowned.

"There's been a little trouble with Murphy's pack though. We keep catching whiffs of them over here. Eric's called him multiple times with him but he denies everything."

I scowled. Murphy was the Alpha of the neighboring Dickerson Pack. They had half the members but made up for it with an unhealthy thirst for violence. We'd have to deal with them soon. Hopefully, we can talk it out instead of resulting to war.

"Oh and Jasper found his mate. A guy named Lucas. He's nice."

He gave me a sideways look as we made our way inside.

"They've been at it like rabbits."

Chuckling I rolled my eyes and cut him off before he could continue, knowing his next question.

"No, I haven't found my mate yet."

"Oh, well I'm sure you will soon," he said with confidence and a grin.

He opened his mouth to say something else but a shout cut him off.

"Yo Rory. Get your ass out here and help."

Rory shrugged at me before turning and making his way back outside. He stopped just before the last step, calling over his shoulder.

"Also, Eric wants you to come patrolling tomorrow so get up early."

I groaned, earning a chuckle in response and closed the door. I was making my way up the stairs to my bedroom just as my stomach growled. Thinking that it'd be best to feed the beast I decided to take a detour back down the stairs, heading for the kitchen where voices could be heard. I knew who it was before I saw them. Shelby and her mate Anna rested against the island, chatting away. They glanced up, sensing me and a smile formed on their lips.

"Kade, your back," Anna exclaimed, as she came around the counter, to give me a hug.

"Yeah, It's great to see you guys again," a smile tugging on my own lips.

"Is there anything to eat?"

Hey, it was nice seeing them but feeding the monster within comes first. Shelby chuckled as Anna gave me a pout.

"Yeah, Jasper made lasagna last night. I think there's some left."

My mouth watered at the thought of Jasper's food. He was best damn cook this pack ever had. 

"Thanks, Shelby."

I pulled out a stool to sit at the island.

"So I hear that Jasper found a mate... Lucas was it?"

Anna grinned.

"Yeah, they're so lovey dovey too. I mean, at first they weren't... Lucas did shoot Jasper and all, plus kept him hostage and there's the whole 'coming from a line of hunters' thing but they fell in love and OMG I ship them so hard."

I was shocked. What the fuck happened when I was gone? Seeing my face, Shelby intervened, laughing.

"Lucas comes from a family of hunters but he never actually believed in werewolves. He was horrified that the wolf he actually shot turned into a..."

The microwave beeped and Shelby took the lasagna out, setting it before me before she continued. I practically inhaled the food, gaining a couple laughs from the girls. We sat around a little longer before I made my excuses and went to go up to my bedroom, promising to tell them about my trip another time. I closed my door, breathing out a sigh of relief. I loved them but damn those girls could talk a deaf person to suicide.

Stripping off my clothes, too lazy to take a shower, I crawled into bed. While laying there, I thought about the reason why I had been gone so long. Since my eighteenth birthday I and every other werewolf on theirs, had the ability to sense our mate. The only problem is that we can't if they aren't 'right there'. We could feel that they're out there somewhere and sometimes we would have vague dreams but that was it until we met them. I was already twenty-two and there was still no sign of my mate so I decided or more accurately, Eric decided, that I'd take time off from my Beta duties and mingle with the other packs to look for them. Nothing turned up.

I didn't know if I was unlucky or what but the thought of never finding my mate made me ache more than I wanted to admit. Sighing into my pillow, I tried to picture my mate. Like every other time, the image of sad blue eyes surrounded by Auburn fur appeared. That was all I could get. They weren't even in human form. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't see anything else. It really put a damper on the excitement of finding my other half. Exhausted, I turned my thoughts away from my mate and drift off into sleep.