#granted idk what chapter they’re at

[valleynix]

i’m back in the boat of not respecting someone’s comment of “the story doesn’t make sense” with TPtM when they blatantly misgender Reader

[fiveredlights]

i was wondering why alpine didn’t make an outright statement condemning the abuse towards esteban after monaco but now it makes sense

[alxtiny]

Ad Astra per Aspera

Episode 2

Pairing: Pirate!Ateez x Navigator!reader

Genre: pirate!au, fluff, angst, maybe smut

Word Count: 7.1k

Warnings: blood, death threats, more head injury (yay), swearing, storms (idk)

Notes: sorry for the late update T.T I had to go for a two week long workshop and I didn’t get any time to write but i hope you like this chapter :>

Playlist : the emptiness machine by linkin park | smells like teen spirit by nirvana | thunder by imagine dragons

Series Masterlist | Episode 3 | Episode 1

The next morning was bright and full of promise, but you surely weren’t. You woke up aching despite the surprisingly comfortable bed. The throbbing in your head had returned, though not as intense as before, and you groaned as you sat up, rubbing your temples in a futile attempt to ease the dull pain. “What will it take for me to relax for once?” you muttered under your breath, feeling the weight of everything that had happened pressing down on you.

You dragged yourself to the small basin in the corner of the room, splashing cold water on your face to wake up properly. As the water trickled down your skin, you couldn’t help but yearn for the simple comforts of a home—a soft bed, a toothbrush, clean clothes that weren’t scavenged from a pirate’s stash, it had been way too long to say that you could remember what it all felt like. The ship’s water was salty, leaving an unpleasant taste in your mouth as you rinsed, and it made you miss the fresh, clean water you’d taken for granted.

Just as you were wiping your face dry, a knock echoed from the door, followed by the sound of the lock clicking open. You tensed, still not accustomed to the idea that you were on a pirate ship with little to no privacy. You walked over cautiously and opened the door, revealing the burly looking man from the previous night.

Now that you could see him clearly in the bright morning light, you noticed things you hadn’t before. His face, though rough around the edges, had a certain charm to it—too nice for a pirate, you thought, especially with the way his face stretched wide into a cutesy, dimpled smile. His eyes crinkled at the corners, disappearing into crescents as he grinned down at you. If he weren’t a pirate, you would’ve been tempted to pinch his cheeks and call him cute.

“Good morning, Ms. Navigator,” he greeted cheerfully, his smooth voice carrying an unexpected warmth. “Here’s some clothes for you—a sort of gift of welcome you may say, they’re sent by our captain. Get dressed; he wants to see you in his room.”

Before you could ask anything, he turned on his heel and started walking away, his movements smooth and almost silent, like a cat. You called after him, your voice trailing off awkwardly. “Thank you, but…I don’t even know your name. Who are you?”

He didn’t respond, just kept walking, the only sound being the soft padding of his boots against the wooden floor. You watched him disappear around the corner, wondering how someone so large could move so quietly. It was a little creepy, to say the least.

Sighing, you closed the door and latched it from the inside, turning your attention to the bundle of clothes he’d handed you. They were surprisingly nice—an off-white shirt, brown leather pants, and a loose navy cardigan. The simplicity of the outfit was appealing, yet the stitching and the quality of the fabric hinted at something much more expensive than you’d expected from pirates. The clothes looked almost brand new, and you couldn’t help but wonder how and where they had gotten women’s clothes that fit so perfectly. You wondered if the previous owner had died at their hands or something.

Despite your unease, you put the clothes on, surprised once again at how well they fit. The shirt was soft against your skin, and the leather pants hugged your legs comfortably without being too tight. The cardigan was a nice touch, and clearly whoever chose it had a good sense of fashion. You had to admit, you were impressed, but that only made you more suspicious. There was no way this was a coincidence.

Dressed and somewhat ready, you took a deep breath and prepared yourself for whatever awaited you in the captain’s quarters. The memory of casual way he’d spoken about tossing you into the ocean still lingered in your mind, making your heart race with anxiety. You knew you had to be on your guard, but you also knew that you had to play along if you wanted to survive.

With a final glance at your reflection in the small cracked mirror by the bed, you straighten your posture and braced yourself for what was to come. The captain wanted to see you, and you had no choice but to face him—whatever that might entail.

You walked out and saw the tall man waiting for you outside. He reminded you of a beanpole at first but seeing him now made your heart flutter for a moment. His eyes were closed, his head tilted up to the sky as if savouring the warmth of the sun. The golden light fell on his face, highlighting the gentle curve of his nose and the soft shape of his lips. It struck you as odd—how all these pirates were so handsome, each one with features that seemed better suited to a noble’s court than a pirate ship. His relaxed demeanour and perpetual smile made you wonder what had him so amused all the time, and how he managed to maintain such a cheerful facade in a life filled with such horrors and chaos.

You cleared your throat, breaking the silence, and awkwardly muttered, “Uh..morning.”

Without opening his eyes, he responded in his usual bright tone, “Ah, I see you haven’t tried to kill yourself yet.”

You raised an eyebrow at his comment, and despite yourself, you couldn’t help but reply with a hint of sarcasm. “Even if I did, your captain would probably force me back to life just so he could kill me himself.”

He chuckled at that, a genuine laugh that seemed to fill the corridor with warmth. Slowly, he opened his eyes and turned to face you, his expression softening with amusement. With an exaggerated flourish, he bowed deeply. “Shall we?” he asked, offering his arm with an air of mock chivalry.

You rolled your eyes and swatted his arm away, a small smile tugging at the corner of your mouth despite your best efforts to remain serious. “Lead the way,” you said, shaking your head at his antics.

He straightened up, still grinning, and turned to lead you down the corridor. As you followed him, you noticed that his cheerful demeanour didn’t seem forced; it was as if he genuinely found joy in every little thing, a trait you couldn’t quite understand. Life on a pirate ship didn’t exactly lend itself to happiness, yet here he was, acting as if he didn’t have a care in the world. You had decided, this man was definitely a puppy in his past life, perhaps a golden retriever.

As you walked, the sounds of the ship began to filter through the wooden walls—the creaking of the hull, the distant shouts of men working above deck, the rhythmic slapping of waves against the hull. You tried to keep your thoughts focused on the task at hand, but the more you walked, the more your mind wandered back to the captain. There was something that seemed off about him, and those stupid sunglasses he wore even in the darkest of rooms annoyed you. You weren’t sure what kind of man you were dealing with, and that uncertainty tormented you.

Your guide, seemingly sensing your tension, kept up a steady stream of chatter as you walked. “You know, the captain’s not so bad once you get to know him,” he said, glancing back at you with a wink. “Sure, he’s a bit…intense, but he’s fair. He doesn’t waste good talent, and from what I’ve heard, you’ve got plenty of that.”

You scoffed lightly. “I’m a navigator, not a pirate, and where could you have possibly heard about me, for all you know I might be lying.”

“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong,” he said with a grin, completely ignoring the second part. “On this ship, we’re all pirates. Whether you like it or not, you’re part of the crew now. But don’t worry,” he added quickly, seeing the flash of alarm on your face. “We’re not all bad. Some of us are even quite charming, wouldn’t you say?”

You gave him a sidelong glance. “Is that your way of telling me to trust you?”

He shrugged, his grin widening. “Trust is earned, not given. But I like to think I’m off to a good start.”

Before you could respond, he stopped in front of a familiar door—the one you recognized as the captain’s quarters. The cheery man turned to you, his playful expression softening slightly. “Don’t worry,” he said quietly. “The captain might be intimidating, but he’s not unreasonable. Just don’t lie…he doesn’t like that.”

You nodded, though your heart was pounding in your chest. The man knocked on the door, then opened it, gesturing for you to step inside. You took a deep breath, composing yourself, and walked through the doorway, feeling the shroud of the heavy atmosphere settle around you. As the door closed behind you, you were once again alone with the captain, who stood by the large window, the morning sun casting long shadows across the room. It must be his respawn point, you thought to yourself.

He turned slowly, that same unsettling smile pulling at his lips, and you felt an involuntary shiver run down your spine. “Good morning, navigator,” he said, his voice feeling sickly sweet at that moment. “Let’s see what you’re really made of, shall we?” Without waiting for a response, he continued, “Come with me. We must make haste; there’s no time to waste. We need to reach the Northern Aurora Islands within the next three days.”

His sudden urgency surprised you. He walked to the door, pausing just before opening it. “I hope you realise,” he said, his tone low and threatening, “that your position here is as good as temporary. If you put me or my crew in unwarranted danger, you will find yourself meeting your maker sooner than expected.” He let the threat linger in the air for a moment before adding, “And of course, any information we discuss in private stays between us. If I hear a word of it from anyone not involved…” He trailed off, the unspoken consequences clear in his dark look .

He opened the door and gestured for you to go ahead, his eyebrow arched in expectation. With a deep breath, you stepped out into the corridor, feeling his gaze burn into your back as he followed. The two of you made your way up onto the main deck, the bright sunlight forcing you to squint. You noticed that the captain had never once removed his sunglasses. You were tempted to ask about them but thought better of it when you saw the serious, impatient look on his face. Instead, you asked the more pressing question. “Where exactly are we now?”

He glanced at you briefly, his expression unreadable. “You were taken from the slaver ship three days ago, near the Light Marshes. We’re nearing the Dark Marshes now.”

His words made your stomach drop. “I was out for two days?” you exclaimed, horrified.

He chuckled, a sound that sent a chill down your spine. “Yes, we reckoned you might not wake up at all.”

You looked at him, mortified by how casually he joked about your near-death experience. But before you could say anything else, you reached a large door at the end of a corridor. The captain pushed it open, revealing a spacious room that seemed to be some sort of meeting chamber. A large table occupied the centre, its surface scattered with maps, compasses, and various instruments—some of which you had never seen before. Your curiosity piqued instantly, your fingers itching to touch the cool metal and figure out the purpose of each tool.

But before you could act on your impulses, the captain’s hand gripped your shoulders roughly, steering you toward the table. “Sit,” he commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument. You obeyed, trying to calm the sudden rush of panic that surged through you when he walked back to the door, closing and locking it with a decisive click. Your flight or fight, mostly flight, instincts were thundering. The sound echoed in the room, setting your nerves on edge.

You took a deep breath, trying to focus on the task at hand. But your mind was racing with questions—the highlighted question among them being the identity of these men. “Excuse me,” you stuttered, your voice trembling slightly. “May I at least know who you are?”

The captain turned back toward you, his usual grin spreading across his face as he walked closer. “Are you familiar with the name ATEEZ?” he asked, his tone laced with amusement.

The name sent a cold chill down your spine. Of course, you knew of them. ATEEZ is infamous, a name that struck fear into the hearts of the most seasoned of sailors and even the marines.They had surfaced around six years ago and quickly built up a reputation as the most feared and ruthless pirates in all the seas. The tales of their exploits were legendary—and terrifying. Your eyes widened in horror as you processed the realisation, your voice barely a whisper as you tried to confirm, “Is that really you?”

The captain laughed aloud filling the room. “Yes, indeed,” he said, performing a mocking bow. “Captain Kim Hongjoong, at your service.”

You stared at him, your mouth hanging open in shock, unable to form any coherent response. The horror on your face seemed to amuse him even more, and he was about to say something else when another voice suddenly cut through the tension.

“I’m Yunho!” The cheerful voice was jarring, completely out of place in the heavy atmosphere of the room. You turned toward the sound, your eyes landing on the tall man who had been with you earlier. He was standing in the corner of the room, a wide grin on his face, hands on his hips as he proudly declared, “Jeong Yunho, ship’s engineer!”, he had apparently materialised out of nowhere.

You blinked slowly, your brain struggling to keep up with the situation. Before you could fully process what was happening, you let out a scream, which was quickly muffled by Hongjoong’s hand clamping down over your mouth. “Shh,” he hissed, his face dangerously close to yours. “Calm down, or people might get the wrong idea.”

You nodded frantically, and he slowly removed his hand. You took a deep breath, your heart pounding as you turned your wide-eyed gaze back to Yunho. “Where the hell did you come from?” you whisper-yelled, your voice shaking.

Yunho chuckled, completely unfazed. “Oh, I was always here. You just didn’t notice me. I was fixing up some tools and stuff. Like I said, I’m the engineer.”

You looked at him in disbelief, finally noticing the welding goggles perched atop his head and the smears of grease and paint on his cheeks. “You could have at least told me you were there!” you snapped. “Made your presence known, maybe?”

He just laughed again, the sound light and carefree, as if you weren’t in the middle of the most terrifying situation of your life. Before you could say anything else, Hongjoong cleared his throat impatiently, cutting off Yunho’s laughter and drawing your attention back to him. His expression was serious once more, and the playful banter evaporated from the room.

“Let’s move on now, shall we?” he said, his tone sharp, silencing the room as you steered yourself towards whatever task awaited you.

He crossed his arms, his sunglasses reflecting the faint light filtering through the room’s small window. “As I said, the Northern Aurora Islands are where we must be in the next three days. There is a man I need to see regarding certain… business. Your task right now is to find the safest and quickest route. Even a day late, and I might miss the deadline.” His voice was low, you could barely catch the latter of what he said.

Your expression grew serious as you switched to professional mode. “The Swartz Peninsula could pose a problem around this time,” you began, examining the maps before you. “The marines usually like to patrol that area, especially with the merchant ships docked for the off-season. We need to find a better way out.” You paused, debating whether to ask the next question or not, but decided to take a chance. “May I ask who this man you’re meeting is? And what’s the deal with the deadline?”

Hongjoong’s pointed gaze flicked to you, his expression hardening. “Those details do not concern you… yet.” The emphasis on the word ‘yet’ was a clear warning. You opened your mouth to argue but quickly shut it, realising it wasn’t worth agitating him.

He nodded slightly, acknowledging your silence. “You’re correct about the peninsula, but that’s why you’re here, isn’t it? To solve these kinds of issues.” There was a rising edge to his voice, a simmering anger just beneath the surface. He didn’t have much in the patience department you figured.

“Yes, sir. I’ll get to work right away,” you replied quickly, sensing the urgency.

“Alright then. I’ll leave you to it,” he said, turning towards the door. “We’ll meet again in the evening. If I don’t see significant progress… well, you already know what could happen.” His words were threateningly calm. He glanced over at Yunho. “Yunho, you’re to assist her today since you have nothing better to do anyway.”

Yunho groaned loudly. “Wait a minute! Who said I didn’t? Hyung, you can’t leave me here with her,” his previously cheerful demeanour shifted into frustration. It was the first time you had seen him express an emotion that wasn’t sheer happiness, and you had to be the reason for it.

But Hongjoong ignored his protests and continued toward the door. Yunho followed behind like a lost puppy, his face pleading. Before Yunho could argue further, the captain quickly opened the door and then slammed it shut in Yunho's face, leaving no space for negotiation.

Yunho sighed dramatically, dragging his long legs and pulling up a chair beside you. He plopped down with a loud huff, his shoulders slumping forward as he grabbed a random map from the table and started unfurling and furling it with clear boredom.

“What is wrong with working with me?” you asked, slightly offended by his clear reluctance. “I’m such a nice person. You should be honoured if anything.”

Yunho turned to you with a deadpan look. “Let’s just get this over with. Studying maps isn’t exactly how I imagined spending my day today,” he muttered, tossing the map he had been playing with back onto the table and leaning over your shoulder to see what you were doing.

You scoffed, deciding to be the bigger person and ignore his comment. You grabbed a pencil and began making notes along the margins of the map, your mind already mulling over the possible routes, calculating distances, and marking areas of potential dangers. The hum of the ship’s machinery and the distant calls of seagulls filled the silence between you.

Yunho shifted in his chair, tapping his foot against the floor, very clearly uncomfortable with the silence. He watched you for a moment, his head tilted to the side, before speaking up. “You really know what you’re doing, huh?” His tone was almost begrudgingly impressed.

You didn’t look up from your work. “Of course. I’ve been doing this a long time. And besides, if I don’t do a good job, your dear captain might just make me fish fodder, and it's too bright of a day to swim with the sharks.”

Yunho chuckled softly, his expressions lightening up a little. “Yeah, he’s not big on second chances,” he admitted. Then, leaning closer, he whispered conspiratorially, “But between you and me, you’ve got a better chance than most. He wouldn’t have spared you for even a second if he didn’t think you were useful.”

You glanced at him out of the corner of your eye. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

He grinned. “Maybe.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help a small smile from tugging at your lips. There was something about Yunho’s casual attitude that was oddly comforting. “Alright, if you’re so bored, why don’t you make yourself useful and get me an estimate on the weather conditions?” you suggested, gesturing to a stack of weather charts on the side of the table. “We need to know if we’re going to have to face any storms or unfavourable winds.”

Yunho’s face lit up slightly at the idea of having something to do, even if it was not ideal. “Aye, aye, navigator,” he said with a mock salute, grabbing the charts and flipping through them.

As you continued to study the maps, making annotations and considering various routes, you found yourself feeling a little lighter. Maybe, just maybe, this wouldn’t be as unbearable as you thought.

Hours passed as you meticulously combed through various maps and charts. The sun was already making its way towards the west, casting streams of golden light across the room. You remained focused on your task, occasionally glancing up as Yunho wandered around, fiddling with various instruments, and scribbling random notes on rough paper. Despite his earlier complaints, he would sometimes offer surprisingly useful snippets of information about the ship’s capabilities — like its 54-knot speed and the height of its masts and stuff related to air pressure.

But soon, his restlessness began to influence your own mind. You could feel the fatigue weighing down your eyelids, words had started to swim in front of your eyes. At least you had managed to outline a few potential routes. All that remained was the daunting task of presenting your findings to the captain. Hongjoong still unnerved you, but you were becoming used to his constant threats.

Deciding to rest a bit, you leaned back in your chair, glancing over at Yunho, who seemed deeply engrossed in dismantling a peculiar-looking box. He probably wouldn’t mind if you closed your eyes for a moment. You leaned your head back, let your eyelids flutter shut, and welcomed the warm blanket settling over your thoughts.

Just as sleep was about to sweep you away, a loud bang jolted you awake. The door to the room had been flung open with such force that it slammed against the wall, rebounding with a sharp creak, causing you to startle and lose your balance. You fell from your chair, landing hard on your side with a groan. Blinking in surprise, you looked up to see a man standing in the doorway, his appearance dishevelled, his hair blown out at odd angles, and parts of his clothing drenched in seawater.

It was the same man who had suggested selling you off the night before. A flash of anger surged through you as you side-eyed him furiously, but he seemed completely oblivious to your presence. He turned his attention straight to Yunho, his voice urgent and strained.

“Storm flashes,” he panted, catching his breath and putting his hands on his knees. “They shouldn’t be happening right now, but Captain wants you and the navigator. We need to secure the ship. The waters are unpredictable, and we haven’t even hit the big one yet. The lower masts are already wavering,” he pointed behind him.

Your anger melded into confusion and then horror. You had read about storm flashes — violent bursts of wind and icy rain, accompanied by deafening thunder and blinding lightning. The rain felt like tiny blades cutting open your skin, and the wind could be so strong that it could pick people up and blow them away. Though you had never experienced one firsthand, the descriptions you had read were enough to fill you with a sense of dread.

Yunho's face had lost its usual playful expression, replaced with one of concern. He shot up from his place on the floor and nodded sharply. "We don’t have much time,” he muttered before glancing back at you. “You heard him. Let’s go.”

You scrambled to your feet, you were afraid, you couldn’t just die after enduring so much pain and not finishing what was started. You were on a pirate ship in the middle of dangerous waters, and now you were about to face a deadly storm, surely you would make it, just like the other times. Unfortunately, there was no time to dwell on your fears. You nodded, brushing off your clothes, and hurrying after Yunho.

The man at the door, who seemed to have been partially soaked by the storm’s initial onslaught, looked back at you with a calculative gaze, as if he was checking how useful you’d be, before moving out of your way. “Stay close and follow instructions,” he snapped, his voice hard. “We can’t afford mistakes right now.”

You followed Yunho up to the main deck, your heart racing with every step. The wind outside had already begun to pick up, the pressure dropping, and the skies were a deep, foreboding grey. The ship creaked and groaned under the strain of the rising waves, and the air was thick with the smell of salt and you could almost taste the electricity in the air.

Crew members moved frantically around the deck, securing ropes, fastening cargo, and shouting instructions to each other over the deafening roar of the wind. You could see Captain Hongjoong standing near the helm, his face calm but focused, barking orders at his crew.

“Get those sails down! Prepare for the storm flashes!” he yelled. His voice, though firm, seemed almost calm in the face of the chaos, as if he’d done this all before, which he probably must have. He turned his head, spotting you and Yunho. “Navigator, up here!” he called, waving you over to the helm.

You made your way toward him, gripping the railings tightly to keep from being blown off balance by the gusts of wind. Yunho was right behind you, still keeping his eye on parts of the ship that might need securing.

When you reached Hongjoong, he didn’t waste a second. “We need to find shelter, fast. The storm flashes are already upon us, and we haven’t even touched the big one yet. Can we make it past the Swartz Peninsula, or do we need to find another way?” he shouted, his voice barely audible over the wind.

You glanced at the map you had been holding tightly in your hand. Your mind raced as you quickly calculated distances and potential obstacles. “We can try to cut around the peninsula, but it’ll be risky,” you shouted back. “If we can’t make it past before the storm intensifies, we’ll be caught in the worst of it.”

Hongjoong nodded, considering your words carefully. “Then we have no choice but to risk it. Yunho, get down to the engine room and make sure everything is secured. If the engines fail, we’re as good as dead, and raise the reinforcements.”

Yunho nodded and turned to leave, but not before giving you a quick, reassuring smile. “Don’t worry,” he said softly. “We’ll get through this.”

You nodded back, gripping the edge of the helm as the first flashes of lightning illuminated the darkened skies. The ship lurched forward, fighting the rising waves, and your mind raced through every bit of knowledge you had about this treacherous part of the sea. You closed your eyes, mind going faster than light, trying to figure out something- anything that could help. Then it clicked, your eyes shot open.

There was a little passage along the peninsula that most sailors didn’t know about — but you did. Your teacher had spoken of it with a certain fondness, referring to it as one of "her places." She had told you about several of these spots, hidden pathways and secret routes that she seemed to treasure. You never quite understood why she called them hers; she didn’t own them, and it wasn’t as if she had discovered them, but there was always a special gleam in her eyes when she spoke of them.

After she passed, these places remained a mystery, an unfinished guide left behind for you to complete. When you started taking odd jobs as a navigator for small merchant ships, you began to test her secrets. You soon realised that no one seemed to know of these pathways — they weren’t on any maps, and even the most seasoned sailors seemed oblivious to their existence. They were often the easiest routes, bypassing dangerous reefs or cutting through the most anarchic parts of the sea. You kept this knowledge to yourself, claiming that you had stumbled upon them by accident, and surprisingly, no one ever questioned it. Over time, they forgot about these secret ways altogether. But you hadn’t.

And now, one of those secret routes could save all of your lives. This passage was exactly what you needed: a sea cave that ran beneath the peninsula from one end to the other. The best part was its entrance — a narrow opening concealed by a wall of sea stumps, jagged rocks that jutted out from the water and looked like an extension of the land itself. From a distance, it seemed like an impassable barrier, and most sailors wouldn’t even think to venture closer. The only way to reach the cave's entrance was through a slim strip of water, just wide enough for a single ship to slip through. You had only passed through it once before, on a much smaller vessel, and even then, it had been tight.

You glanced back at Hongjoong, who was gripping the wheel with focused determination. The wind whipped his hair around his face, and his eyes, still hidden behind those dark sunglasses, seemed to pierce through the storm ahead. "There might be another way," you yelled, trying to make your voice heard over the howling wind. "There's a passage, a sea cave that cuts right through the peninsula. If we can find the entrance, we can make it through to the other side."

Hongjoong looked at you, his expression incredulous. "A sea cave?" he repeated, his voice half-drowned by the noise of the storm. "And you’re sure it’s real? Not just some sailor’s tale?"

“It’s real,” you insisted. “My teacher told me about it. I’ve used it before. But it’s tricky — the entrance is hidden, and the waters around it are narrow. We have to be precise.”

He studied you for a moment longer, then nodded. “Show me where,” he ordered. You quickly unfurled the map, your fingers tracing along the contours of the peninsula, then pointing to a spot where the line of the land met the sea.

“Here,” you said. “It’s hidden by sea stumps, but there’s a passage through them. If we keep our heading slightly to the east, we should see them soon. The opening will be small, but we have to get through before the storm closes in completely.”

Hongjoong nodded sharply, his jaw tight. “Alright,” he called out to the crew, “adjust the sails! Bring us slightly eastward — keep a sharp eye out for jutting rocks.”

The crew moved quickly to follow his orders, and the ship began to veer slightly to the right. You could feel the sparks in the air, and tension thicker than the storm clouds above. The wind howled louder, and the first drops of rain began to fall, cold and sharp against your skin. You felt sharp crystals of ice scratch your skin. You winced, touching your cheek and feeling the smallest droplets of blood.

Yunho returned from below deck, his face serious. "Engines are secure, but we’re running hot," he reported to Hongjoong. “We don’t have much time.”

“We don’t need time,” Hongjoong shot back, his eyes fixed ahead, for the second time you saw his sunglasses off of his face, and the grey of his eyes fought against the stormy clouds with equal persistence. “We just need luck.”

You leaned forward, squinting through the rain, searching for any sign of the sea stumps. The waves were growing more violent, the ship pitching up and down with increasing force. Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the water for a brief moment. And then, you saw them — dark shapes protruding from the sea, just where you expected them to be.

“There!” you shouted, pointing. “There’s the entrance!”

Hongjoong steered the ship toward the stumps, navigating carefully through the narrow waters. The crew held their breath as the ship drew closer to the hidden opening. You could feel your heart pounding in your chest, your fingers gripping the edge of the helm so tightly your knuckles turned white.

The ship inched forward, titling dangerously and straightening back up, the waves slapping against the hull with a deafening roar. You looked at Hongjoong, veins in his neck protruding from the strain of it all. The narrow strip of water seemed impossibly tight, but the ship kept moving, squeezing through with painstaking slowness. You held your breath, praying silently that you had made the right call, that the cave was deep enough for a ship this size.

And then, with a final heave, the ship slipped through the opening and into the mouth of the sea cave. The walls of the cave rose up around you, sheltering you from the wind and rain. The noise of the storm outside seemed to soften, though the roar of the water echoed loudly against the stone.

For a moment, there was only the sound of your breathing, the creak of the ship, and the steady drip of water from the cave ceiling. You had made it — for now, at least.

Hongjoong turned to you, a rare grin breaking across his face. "Not bad," he said, his voice echoing off the cave walls. "Now let’s see if we can get through the rest of it alive."

Without missing a beat, he raised his voice to command the crew. “Wooyoung, assess overall damage while we still have light!” he yelled at the man stationed at the lookout post. “Yunho, get on with the minor fixes. Take Mingi and San if you need help.”

You wondered briefly, who the other men were, breaking from your thoughts on hearing a chorus of “Aye, Captain!” behind you. The deck was suddenly alive with a flurry of movement, ropes being secured, and tools being fetched.

"Move aside, miss," a soft voice spoke over your shoulder, startling you. You turned and found yourself face to face with a tall man who looked like he had been resurrected from a shipwreck — dark circles under his eyes and a pallor that suggested he hadn’t slept in days.

"Ahh, who the fuck are you?" you exclaimed impulsively, unable to mask your surprise.

The man remained unfazed. "Park Seonghwa," he replied evenly. "Quartermaster and occasional helmsman, which is what I must do right now if you’d so kindly give me some space."

You blinked, momentarily thrown by his calm manner, before stepping back to allow him access to the helm. He slid smoothly into position beside the captain, his hands deftly taking control of the wheel. Hongjoong moved away, satisfied, and motioned for you to follow him.

You broke away from the spot where you were frozen in place, trailing behind him as he made his way to a small covered area behind the main mast. The rain was still pounding down outside the cave, but inside, it felt almost eerily calm.

"You have proved your worth, Miss Navigator," Hongjoong began, his voice low and thoughtful. "I’d like to keep you around since you are of use. Not that you have a choice, of course." He paused, looking you over with that keen gaze of his. "This is not where our journey ends. According to you, our estimated time of arrival should be…?”

You thought for a moment, running the calculations quickly in your head. “Approximately nine hours until we leave the cave, and then another day or so to reach the eastern port towns of the Northern Aurora Islands.”

He nodded, seeming pleased with your response. “Yes, that’s good. We’re much ahead of schedule, which I must say I appreciate. It means we have time to do just one more thing, which I will brief you on once we’re on the other side. Until then, you can rest or do whatever you need — maybe get your head bandaged again; it seems like the wound has reopened.”

His fingers lightly touched your chin, tilting your face so he could inspect the injury. For a brief second, the world seemed to narrow down to the space between you and him. His touch was surprisingly gentle, his thumb brushing the edge of the bandage. The moment felt oddly intimate, a flicker of something almost like concern crossing his eyes before he released you.

The second his fingers left your skin, the throbbing in your head returned wanting nothing but revenge. You winced, realising he was right — the wound had indeed reopened. You sighed, resigned to another trip to see the doctor. At least, you thought, the prospect of visiting the surprisingly gentle physician wasn’t so bad. It even made you feel a tiny bit happier.

You nodded at Hongjoong, bidding him a quiet goodnight. “I’ll get it checked out,” you promised, relieved to have some time to rest before he decided to thrust another herculean task upon you.

Hongjoong gave a small, satisfied nod. "Good. We’ll reconvene after we’ve made it to the other side," he said, his expression returning to its usual seriousness. "Rest while you can."

As you made your way below deck, the noise of the crew bustling around, repairing the minor damages and securing the ship, faded into the background. You felt a strange mix of exhaustion and relief settling in.

You found your way back to the makeshift infirmary, knocking lightly before entering. The familiar sight of the doctor — with his soft, steady hands and kind eyes — was a pleasant sight after what you just went through.

"Back again so soon?" he asked with a gentle smile, not phased by the events that transpired outside, his eyes flicking to the reopened wound on your head.

You managed a tired smile in return. "Seems like I just can’t stay out of trouble," you replied.

He chuckled softly, motioning for you to sit down. "Let’s get you patched up again, shall we? I’m starting to think you might be enjoying my company a little too much."

You couldn’t help but laugh at that, finally allowing yourself to loosen up for the first time in hours. “Of course, you’re currently my favourite person—apart from the part where you agreed to throw me off the ship. That was not cool."

He pouted in defence, looking genuinely affronted. “Hey! I never said that. I just said I didn’t revive you just for you to get killed anyway. It took a lot of work, you know!”

You laughed harder at his expression, amused at how his serious attitude melted into a childish pout. "Fine, fine, I’ll let it slide,” you teased, only to yelp softly when he lightly smacked your shoulder. “Sit still and let me work,” he scolded, but there was a teasing lilt in his voice that made it hard to take him seriously.

You apologised, still trying to stifle your laughter, and as the conversation fizzled out into a comfortable silence, you felt the tension ebb away out of your body. His hands were steady, the familiar scent of herbs and clean linen filling the air as he patched you up again. You closed your eyes, the soreness slowly slipped away, as his magic worked wonders on your injury. By the time he finished, the pain had pretty much vanished.

"Thanks," you mumbled, your voice heavy with the sleep that was already threatening to pull you under. A yawn escaped before you could hold it back, and when you blinked your eyes open again, you found Yeosang staring at you intently, a strange emotion flickering in his dark eyes—something that you couldn’t understand yet.

He quickly blinked and turned away, busying himself with packing up his supplies. When he helped you stand, there was a soft smile on his lips, though his eyes avoided yours. Without a word, he walked you to the door. “Goodnight,” he said gently as you stepped out, his voice as soft as the smile still lingering on his face.

But just before he could close the door, you hesitated. "Wait," you called, making him pause. He raised an eyebrow at you. "You never told me your name."

His eyes widened slightly as if the thought hadn’t crossed his mind. Then, his expression softened, eyes crinkling at the corners as his lips stretched into a smile. "Kang Yeosang," he replied, his voice gentle. “How very nice to meet you.”

You smiled back, the name rolling around in your head. “Hmm… Yeosang,” you tested, a soft giggle escaping your lips. “A pretty name fit for a pretty boy.”

For a moment, Yeosang stood frozen, eyes wide as if he didn’t quite process what you’d said. “Y-you think I’m pretty?” he stammered, his cool, calm facade cracking.

The realisation of what you’d just said hit you like a tidal wave, and your cheeks immediately flushed crimson. "Goodnight!" you blurted in a panic, not waiting for his response as you quickly turned on your heel and rushed down the hallway, your heart thundering in your chest.

Behind you, you could hear Yeosang chuckle softly at your antics, but you didn’t dare look back. You practically ran into your room, slamming the door shut behind you. Pressing your cold hands against your burning cheeks, you tried to calm yourself down, heart still racing. Had you really just called a pirate—*that* pirate—pretty? What was wrong with you?

You flopped onto your bed, staring up at the ceiling in disbelief as the events of the day replayed in your mind. You had somehow managed to make it through a storm, navigated through a secret passage, and now… you’d gone and flirted with the ship’s doctor. Just amazing.

Despite your embarrassment, a small smile tugged at your lips as you thought of Yeosang's flustered reaction, it was kind of cute. You still slapped your cheeks to remove these thoughts from your brain.

Slowly, exhaustion caught up to you, and your racing thoughts began to fade. You drifted off to sleep, your heart finally calming.

© alxtiny . Do not steal, plagiarise, translate, repost, or use my works on any platform in any way.

Comment under masterlist to be added to taglist

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS PURE FICTION AND NOT RELATED TO THE MEMBERS OF ATEEZ IN REAL LIFE PLEASE DO NOT TAKE IT SERIOUSLY

Taglist: @yandere-stories @passionandsuga @beabatiny @sadtoru @pixie0627 @nagynomi98 @bunnychui

[a-b-riddle]

I read the 8 chapter of 'can't stop thinking about' and i was wondering if you are planing on showing us the guys's perspective of the break up? Is Johnny being silent because he's sad about the break up? Is John barking orders at others because he's frustrated? Is Kyle working out all the time to take his mind of reader? Is Simon even more silent and intimidating because he knows his fuck up broke reader completly, which led to the break up? Are they trying to came up with something to try and get her back? Because i have a feeling they took her for granted and forgot they also have to contribut to the relationship.

These are just my head cannons to them grieving, also sorry it's so long. It came out conger than i planed.

I’m thinking about it but idk how that would go honestly.

May contain spoilers:

Johnny is more so tucking his tail and feeling like a piece of shit after reader left him because all he can think about is how he made her feel like that…

John is always on edge with work, but honestly doesn’t interact with the others as much. Like Gaz has his own friend group, Johnny has his family, so everyone isn’t exactly living like one big family. But overall, he’s been just kind of silently stewing. He doesn’t shout, but the glares he’s been giving recruits on base since the breakup is LETHAL.

Kyle would be basically avoiding everything he did before. Bailing on plans with friends. Keeping inside. Essentially all he does is work when needed, go to the gym and stay home. It’s not that he’s sad and wants to sulk like Johnny. But he doesn’t want to come to terms with the fact that everything else he indulged him made him lose you.

Simon is the one telling the others to let her move on. As long as she’s safe, what she does and with who isn’t their concern. You go on a date? You’re to be left alone. But someone touching you without consent (I’m fucking looking at you Percy) then they’re to put a stop to it.

John, Kyle and Johnny are all working on themselves to be better and Simon is just wanting you to move on to something he feels would be better

[lemonmatronics]

THE POPPY PLAYTIME CHAPTER 3 TRAILER IS SOOO!,?!.?.!.

What a great treat to wake up to—Excuse me while I go insane and spill some thoughts, reactions, theories, and predictions below please

ahem

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

SO LIKE FIRST OFF this chapter is gonna fuck, like this looks SO good holy shit

The setting and environment looks amazing but also the new hands mechanic along with the mask ohhhh this is gonna be FUN

Okay rambling about screenshots I took time

First off the environments look great, holy wow

The house itself looks kinda small so idk if that is the orphanage itself or some kind of set. Cause you can see fake sky walls around it, but like this is Playtime Co they would definitely do that to the orphanage also to give an illusion of outside. Either way it looks GREAT and I’m really excited to explore this setting

Just a nice shot of all the critters

I’m really curious if all the critters are gonna be utilized somehow. We know about Catnap and Dogday already, especially after the trailer itself. Though there was also the footage of Bobby running down the hall, looking like a normal plushie, and possibly seeing Hoppy in the trailer too. (I’ll touch on that later)

New Poster

Definitely looks like some company propaganda to try and keep kids from being afraid of CatNap. Judging by the files we got before looks like the results were a mixed bag. Considering the gas is there in the poster it’s definitely a company only poster, not something they could sell outside. They manipulated this kids so bad man :(

A CLEANER LOOK OF THIS THING,,,

THATS A SKELETON COMING OUT OF PUGAPILLAR’S MOUTH…Like that’s just straight up human remains.

I don’t think we’ve ever seen that before in this game. Like blood yeah plenty but BONES? They’re definitely amping things up for this chapter and I’m 100% here for it.

Besides that there’s a ton of plushies and such stabbed onto this weird thing. Is it a shrine? It doesn’t look like it could really move tbh, and if it was meant to be alive those parts aren’t doing anything to help it.

This poor mf

I’ve seen a lot of people speculate this is DogDay, which is a valid guess, but tbh my first thought was Hoppy. You can tell they have long droopy ears, which lines up with both candidates to me. Though I think the ears look a bit slimmer than what Dog Day’d would be, plus the angle on the head looks more like they’re dropping from the top of the head rather than the sides. I feel like if this was DogDay the whole head silhouette would be different because of the ears, which makes me lean towards Hoppy more.

I know her toy gives her long pointed up ears, but going off art and animation her ears can definitely fold

So I don’t think it’s out of the question that as a Bigger Bodies being her ears could fold over like that, especially while stuck like this.

Now I could be the one wrong here but I really think this is Hoppy. Won’t know until the game itself though so, I won’t treat either as divinities yet. It could just as easily be the case everyone else is right and it is DogDay, there’s evidence for that as well (Again, I’ll touch on that later).

So much happened here where do I even start

Obvious out the bat I guess, Kissy Missy is back!! And looks like Poppy isn’t ditching us alone either! Man I cannot tell it Poppy is good or not at this point, gray area? Trailer dialogue definitely sounded like she was supporting us.

“We’re coming! Just hold on!”

It’s really nice seeing Kissy back, really excited to see how she’s gonna help and play into this. I’ve been on the stance that she’s good ever since she helped in chapter 2 so this is really cathartic for me lmao.

As for what Poppy says here I found it interesting, like really interesting. Like, hearing it the first time made me think she casually confirmed something massive interesting. Granted, actually thinking about it longer, it could mean something else entirely. But was that the whole point?

“What’s happening down here is bigger than all of us. I need you. So we can revenge on those monsters who’ve tortured you, who’ve tortured us.”

“Those monsters who’ve tortured you”

Now, once I thought about it this is most likely referring to the literal monsters in the factory. Huggy, Mommy, CatNap, so on and such. But that’s not what my initial assumption was.

When Poppy referred to “monsters”, by first thought was the people working at the factory. I thought she said people at the factory tortured us.

I thought she confirmed that we’re a toy.

Once I thought about it longer, it doesn’t actually confirm that. But what if that’s the entire point? A double meaning line?

Now the player being a toy theory is something that’s been around since chapter 1, a theory I’ve fully stood by since then and still do. I like to think that’s why our character is completely silent, we’re a toy that can’t speak. Mute toys is something we’ve seen plenty of in the factory, more so than toys that actually talk. (Unless you count stuff like the Smiling Critters cartoon or the cardboard cutouts, but I’m talking purely living beings here.)

So while this doesn’t confirm the theory, this line is definitely throwing wood into the fire for me.

DogDay

Wether or not the chained Bigger Body above us DogDay or Hoppy, we have it confirmed here that DogDay is featured heavily in this chapter as an enemy. Again, I really wonder if the other Smiling Critters will show up as threats as well. Maybe a mixed bag of good and bad critters. If the chained up Bigger Body is DogDay, I wonder why he chases us after we assumingely set him free.

One note I’ll give that is to evidence for the chained bigger body being DogDay is that in the thumbnail you can see a shackle on his wrist

His arms are also long and lanky, which is why I won’t completely rule out it possibly being him there. It’s just as possible that it is him, both feel very plausible to me.

Though looking at the game footage, I’m not sure if can can see anything on his wrists. Additionally his arms look much wider than the one in thumbnail.

Additionally, the DogDay in the thumbnail looks so much like a…mascot suit? You can see seams and stitches all over him. Even other Bigger Bodies don’t look like that. Which is something I wanna give its own post to to figure deeper on.

So is this even the same DogDay at all?

It’s not completely out of the question there could be multiple DogDays, though that begs the question, what about other Smiling Critters? What about other toys as a whole?

Here’s my prediction on it. One Bigger Bodies experiment, and then there’s smaller ones approximately the size of their normal toys.

I think the DogDay in the thumbnail is a result of the Bigger Bodies testing, and the one actually chasing us is just a smaller more “normal” DogDay.

But if that’s true then it begs the question, what about other critters? We’ve seen a smaller Bobby before, does she also have a Bigger Bodies version?

Do they all have a Bigger Bodies equivalent?

Is there still a normal CatNap?

Again, all speculation but this chapter especially is really tickling my brain.

And finally we’ve got the man of the hour

Man he is so much lankier than I thought he would be. That definitely explains why his face was so high up on that one cam footage though. Here I was thinking he’d be bulky!

There isn’t too much to say here other than CatNap is definitely gonna be an imposing threat, and I’m very excited to see him in game. So far we’ve mainly seen him through silhouettes, and light peeks at small portions of his design. Seeing him better is game is gonna be a thrill and I’m so ready for it!

Additionally, just for the sake of adding on, we’ve seen these posters apparently from overseas get spread around lately

Both of these definitely look like they’re meant to be company only posters, ones you’d find in the schooling and orphanage areas.

The left poster telling kids to go inside right away when recess is up, nothing super deep here. Just a peek at the schooling that had here, and that these kids had their lives completely contained within the factory.

The second poster is CatNap telling Huggy to go to sleep, another attempt at convincing children CatNap isn’t dangerous. If Huggy is fine they will be too, right?

Anyways that’s my initial thoughts and reactions right after watching the trailer. VERY excited about this game, it’s been awhile since I’ve been able to brainstorm on my own over a game like this so I’m really looking forward to what this chapter has to give.

[cressthebest]

Crimson Rivers thoughts pt. 15

chapter 26: (check tags for triggers)

1. james’ stab wound will heal, but of course he’s gonna have to use a cane for the rest of his life. my poor darling. but also! CHARACTERS WITH DISABILITIES THAT WONT BE ERASED!!! HELL YEAH!

2. this nurse is pissing me off. sirius is asking if james and reg are gonna be okay, and all she can talk about it appearances and scars. not if they’ll be okay

3. sirius and reg are reunited. thank god. this is what the world needs

4. “"I love you. You're my brother; of course I love you. Always have, always will, and nothing—absolutely nothing in this world could ever change that, do you hear me? You're enough for me, and I love you. Never, never fucking doubt that."” AHHHHHHHHHHHHH reg needed to hear that so bad, and james needed to say it so bad

5. 😧😟 reg is vomitting blood. yikes. wow. that’s yikes. it’s not even HIS BLOOD that he’s vomiting. and i wanna know who’s blood filled that river. i want to know who was killed to make blood for that river

6. “”It's fine. I didn't even like this shirt.” (Sirius really liked this shirt.)” 😭😭

7. 😊 siblings! sirius wipes reg’s face, and reg threatens to vomit on him again

8. reg questioning if he actually made it out. that breaks both mine and sirius’ heart. “"I—I thought it made sense, because why would I have scars if I was dead?””

9. reg breaking down and sobbing to his brother. wow. i- wow

10. gosh, remus and sirius are already like a married couple. i love them

11. regulus would just wake up and ask for james. that hurts. in no way was my experience any where near as bad, but i know it must suck to wake up, calling for someone, and them not to be there. when i woke up from wisdom tooth surgery, i called out for my mom many times, and the nurses jsut told me to be quiet, and i can’t see her. i was so distressed that i cried. my pain is not anywhere like james or reg’s but i know that it sucks.

12. sobbing. reg needs to shower, but doesn’t want to get in the water. he’s scared of the water. like wow

13. god, james wakes up and starts fighting people. he never should have had to go through that.

14. james is begging to see regulus, and regulus begged to NOT see james. idk how zar could have hurt me any more, but here we are

15. james and sirius have matching scars! that’s horrific! but! they’re matching!

16. sirius’ words before james went into the arena. we get to know them. and it’s both healing to know the memory, but also hurts like a motherfucking truck

17. sirius asking for remus to kiss him! consent!

18. shit. remus realized he loved sirius. like. loved him. wolfstar better be granted happiness in this universe

19. authors end note: “you think regulus is unhinged? sirius is so, so much worse 😳”

chapter 27:

1. god, regulus needs to take a shower. he must STINK. but also, i do not blame him for not wanting to

2. i appreciate remus’ honestly. he will not dance around the point with reg, and honestly, that’s what he needs

3. oh my god. is remus gonna get reg to take a bath? honestly, if anyone could do it, it would be remus. nobody else could do it

4. remus sharing the petty hallow drama 😭😭

5. james and sirius friendship is all i need in this life

6. oh wow. sirius is hurt that james never told him about his crush on regulus. not that james likes regulus. i love when fics do that instead of sirius being angry

7. i love that it’s no issue for james and sirius to share a bed. they need comfort. they share. that’s that.

8. sirius not letting james have a drink cause he knows it’s a slippery slope >>>>>>

9. ✨remus lupin✨

10. 😧 reg but sirius as a reflex from the arena. and immediately apologized. he’s never hit sirius before. and wow. that-

11. sirius is admitting something he never even told james. that he accidentally hit effie. and 😧😧😧

12. AWWWW REMUS CALLED JAMES SWEETHEART

13. honorable mention for all pandora did in this chapter. she is a lifesaver, she is a queen, she is a goddess, and she deserves so much

[athenamikaelson]

I come here to read YOUR story, if I want to dictate how the events in this story go I’d just make up a story in my head and hyperfocus on it for the next week while listening to a banging playlist

Or idk I’d just write a story myself?

Please don’t listen to anyone who tries to tell you how to write your own story or I mean do if you like their suggestions but yknow what I mean sorry I’m wording this really badly but what I’m trying to say is don’t listen to anyone who’s trying to force you to do something that you don’t want to do like ik u know this but reading those texts has got me to have to say it

Your story is a banger, make any decision about it that you want regardless of what other people say and also ignore everyone who’s telling you to make chapters faster.

Every other creator I know takes weeks (not hating like rightfully so I be taking 6 hours to write one paragraph) and the fact you do it way quicker isn’t an expected standard or a right, it’s a privilege, it’s like a blessing you bestow upon us that should never be taken for granted and everyone who is doing that, is factually insane and they need to go out into the real world and try writing something or follow literally anyone else who will also be writing fics in the same time, probably longer.

I know they’re probably trolls because it’s so obviously a wild thing to ask but like either way, it’s not funny??

Anyway I’m so sorry for going on a long tangent but TL;DR

I love your series and will continue to love it whichever way you want to take it, I love how quick you post content but if you want to take longer that’s totally okay I’m just grateful I can even read it and don’t listen to any of those trolls they have no life

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to write this ❤️. I totally understand what you mean you worded it perfectly!! I l love you guys and would never want to disappoint you all so hearing this makes me so happy

[cha1cedony]

Psst. Hey. You.

(I approach you in a fedora and shades, and I start whispering in your ear in a New York mobster voice.)

Yes, you. Did today’s episode of Dungeons and Daddies make you emotional? Perhaps because Grant and Darryl have such a sweet and tragic relationship? Yeah, me, too, kid.

(I discreetly slip a business card into your hand. It looks like the cards from American Psycho, but it has nothing but an AO3 pseud printed on it.)

I’m Donny. Cal C. Donny. But my friends call me Chalcy. And we’re friends now, ain’t we?

Listen. I’ve got the goods… It’s called OKAY I CAN’T KEEP DOING THIS BIT. IT’S NOT WVEN FUNNY

I usually don’t do this but uhhhh… shameless plug for my DnDads fic Silver Linings! >:) It’s about 13-14 year old Grant and his relationships with Darnell and Darryl and Carol and? Other people! As well as his mental health and stuff.

It’s currently 70k+ words and counting (projected to end at ~100k words; currently at 7/10 chapters). It’s a no-Forgotten Realms AU. It’s sometimes fun but usually angst. There are unfortunately a good amount of OCs, but they’re mostly unimportant and are introduced slowly, so don’t let that intimidate you.

Idk what else to say about it. I love working on it and seeing comments from you guys! :) I just posted a new chapter last night, so I wanted to promote it hehe. My AO3 is chalcedony if you’re interested in checking it out! Thanks for all your support! <3

(Sorry I’m still super hyped up on today’s episode haha ^_^)

[lovehotelreservation]

Deeper Than the Ocean Is - Monday

Summary: Habit or fate–there was an aspect to your life that was nigh impossible to break away from.

And that was your devotion to the sons of Rosfield, and their devotion to you.

[Contains plot spoilers for Final Fantasy XVI]

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: Joshua/F!Reader/Clive

[Next Chapter]

idk i was watching mr jungkook's seven video and i couldn't help but think his hair looked like joshua's elegant mullet 🧍

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

It was a day like any other.

You, Joshua, and Clive–all seated at the large dining table of Byron’s grand estate. Rather than restoring Rosaria as a whole to become a desperate clutch at former glory, the effort to re-develop the duchy into the welcoming haven that Elwin always dreamed of required some needed attention from its two former royal inheritors. 

This was especially the case while Valisthea in its entirety slowly stepped forward into a future that was free from the demanding rule of magic.

Yet while citizens from each region steered themselves together with hopeful eyes towards the change that awaited for everyone in the days to come, some habits were still firmly and stubbornly rooted in the past.

Namely the poked, prodded yet uneaten scoop of glazed carrots on Joshua’s plate.

The lingering orange presence only deepened the pout on your lips and strengthened the grip of your fingers on your fork.

While Clive watched on with amusement from the side in-between bites of his steak, you had spent the past few minutes trying to get his brother to part his lips to eat the single piece of carrot that you skewered just for him.

“I don’t see why you still harbor such a grudge against carrots, Joshua. They’re good for you!”

While the look in his eyes twinkled with affection towards you, even he couldn’t hold back his exasperation as he dodged each offering of your fork. “While good and blessed in nutrients, there are simply better foods to savor.”

“And such is why you will always be my baby brother, Joshua.”

Both you and Joshua snapped your heads towards Clive, who only grinned teasingly as he proceeded to effortlessly cut himself another piece of steak with one stroke of his knife.

Needless to say, Joshua was aghast. 

“Clive! You would go so far to say tha–ack…!”

And prone to ambush.

Without a moment’s hesitation, you took his slackened jaw as the opportunity you needed to finally plunge your fork into his mouth.

His baby blue eyes widened, his tongue retracting in his mouth slightly to avoid having to savor the taste beyond the glazed sauce and right to the heart of the carrot, which in turn led him to cough in repulsion when his panic caused his worst fear to transpire.

You were pleased.

Clive was laughing.

Joshua was soon plotting.

His intentions made itself known in the form of his voice as he spoke, his tone dipping an octave down.

“If there is something that you must insist on having me taste, please indulge me with choice at least…”

Suddenly, it was your turn to seek avoidance of any contact.

Yet without another word and his lips curling into a grin, Joshua went on to slip down beneath the table, positioning himself over to right before where you sat. Feeling your hands grasp at your thighs, you only shuddered as they were parted, granting him more space for him to plant his lips against your inner thigh, his kisses quick and eager to settle right between your legs.

While you were caught up in the beginnings of what would be Joshua’s relentless retaliations, you gasped as you then took note of the presence that was now standing behind you instead. You soon felt large hands move down to rest upon your shoulders before giving them an affectionate squeeze, which contrasted with the pressure applied–an unspoken request for you to remain in place just before they moved to cup your breasts.

From even partnering up with you to now joining in on Joshua’s revenge.

You couldn’t hold back your whine.

“Clive, you too?”

He was all smiles in response, taking the moment to lean down and bring his lips along the side of your neck, dragging it up towards your cheek.

With this, his lips then fell by your ear, his voice in a low murmur as he declared,

“What can I say–if my younger brother is being antagonized, I simply must step in.”

With your panties pushed aside as Joshua’s mouth now happily planted upon right in-between your thighs and Clive’s big and heavy hands massaging and groping your breasts, you truly felt like you were in the heart of paradise.

After all, it was another day spent with these two.

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

another day, another founding chapter for what could be a new fic collection owo ty for reading!!!

[inkdemonapologist]

Yknow if were talking about rarepairs/crackships….how about Sammy/Grant? Listen hear me out- i think I started shipping them a few years ago back during the og fandom days, but since my interest in bendy has been reignited, so has my interest in this ship lol. And im ngl, have you ever noticed how similar Grant’s office is to Sammy’s Sanctuary? They both play that same whispering effect when you enter them, they both have an ink pipe in them, they both have a bendy item in them (sammys bendy plushie and grants bendy clock), both have writing on the wall…

Even just beyond that, its implied they died the same way too, from drinking ink? And how they both seem to put the blame on others for joeys mistreatment (sammys whole “useless sheep” bit in that newspaper and grants “STOP THE WASTERS!!” bit on his office walls). and even though theres like, BARELY ANY GRANT CONTENT IN CANON, he does have a minor connection to the ink demon, as one of the flashbacks in chapter 1 is of the ink demon on level S near his office, and although this probably doesnt mean anything, the fact that the first time we see sammys cult is when we open the door to the archives via a handle we had to get from grants office specifically….👀

Plus just the miscellaneous stuff like grants va being a musician, one whose song was specially placed in sammys office- idk, *marge voice* I just think they’re neat! :)

THATS AN INTERESTING ONE… I’ve seen it around a fair bit lately but it feels recent??

Before I dive in, I do wanna address the ink-drinking – I’m a little biased, since I tend to headcanon the ink-drinking as unique to Sammy, but I feel like Grant also drinking ink is not something that’s implied so much as a headcanon that got popular? We can pretty easily accept that Grant transformed at SOME point, and the shared whispers imply that they were both under some inky influence, but that doesn’t tell us that ink-drinking was to blame. The note in BatDR about Grant looking ill could certainly be used for an ink-drinking headcanon, too, but as far as Evidence I think all it tells us for sure is that Grant was Very Stressed. [also trying to merge BatDR Grant and BatIM Grant into one entity seems messier the longer I think about it but I CANT GET DISTRACTED BY THAT NOW, THATS FOR ANOTHER POST]

ANYWAY, all the little things about this one having a valve in that one’s office and this one being voiced by a guy who did a song that’s in the other one’s office are neat but ultimately I feel like that stuff isn’t want sells a ship, for me – the biggest thing is a compelling dynamic between the characters.

There’s so much between these two that complicates them –

-- good money and hiring his own people were Sammy’s two big asks when he took the Music Director job, so he could easily be a source of financial strain and seen as one of the “wasters” Grant is so frustrated with, and it’s also not hard to imagine Sammy blaming Grant as one of the useless sheep who can’t do his job right once paychecks start coming in late. Add to that Grant being described as having no creativity at all in the Employee’s Handbook, and trying to imagine what he would relate to in Sammy “my special interest is music” Lawrence. Though I don’t know, that one could be fun. Does Grant like music despite not “getting” it? Can Sammy and Grant relate to each other through the intersection of music and math? Or does Grant just conceptualise music as a kind of math, which Joey thinks is boring but Sammy knows is not far off, and Sammy with his partially jazz background is INTRIGUING to Grant because what he’s making sounds good but isn’t following the rules…? IDK, Grant and Sammy learning to understand each other through understanding each other’s work is a neat thought.

On the surface they’re both frustrated men who want things to be under control and are frustrated with Joey’s spontaneity, but while Grant is having a meltdown over WHAT WILL JOEY SAY?, Sammy is screaming about pleasing a god rather than a man and certain that he’s found the one who will Set Them Free. Grant’s characterisation could be taken in a lot of directions, but it’s not hard to imagine him as the phobic to Sammy’s counterphobic.

Which is INTERESTING, because you get a dynamic that seems to work, as Sammy gives the impression of a leader who can offer certainty and something to depend on – and you CAN depend on him – but he’s actually a follower at heart who desperately needs someone to answer to, someone to believe in, and I don’t know if Grant can be that someone. Sammy and Grant BOTH want to be the one behind the scenes with someone else in the spotlight. On the other hand… we know Grant’s massaging numbers and fudging things and illegally hiding assets. It wouldn’t be hard to characterise him with a bit of ruthlessness as well, someone who’s not afraid to break the rules when he feels he has to; while Sammy seems frustrated, overstimulated, and perpetually at odds with a system he doesn’t fit in, Grant is willing to learn the system well enough to bend the rules to his advantage and know how to get away with it.

If you go with this take, you get a pair that could be dangerously effective but also dangerously fragile. I don’t think they would challenge or change each other so much as just reinforce each other’s ruthless caution – as long as they’re in cahoots, they’d be loyal to each other and value no principle above each others’ well-being. But the instant either of them mistrusts the other, they’d combust.

[davyjoneslockr]

IDK IF ITS TOO LATE FOR THE CHARACTER ASK GAME buuut trish if ur still doing it!

(For this ask game)

First impression: I guess I didn’t really think much about her at first? I loved her intro and her almost breaking Narancia’s wrist + dunking on Fugo for no discernible reason was so awesome of her. But she unfortunately kinda took a back seat for the beginning parts of Vento Aureo, and I just found myself wishing there was more of her, and that she was granted more agency by the narrative.

Impression now: LOVE HER SO MUCH. After like the halfway point of VA she very quickly became a highlight of the part for me. The way she doesn’t hesitate to question what’s happening around her, chooses to become an active player instead of letting her (very justified) fear consume her, and when she not only gets a stand, but one that presents her softness as a strength and demonstrates the incredible resolve she has? So so good. I also really really love her in the Purple Haze Feedback bonus chapter, where she meets Bucciarati’s mom and ponders whether he was a good person after all, and I think she was a great perspective to frame the Giorno vs Mista fight in the flashback. I only wish she had more time in the spotlight, and that she had a more active role in the final fight (which. Sorta ties in to other criticisms I have of the part as a whole).

Favorite moment: Obvious answer, but the Notorious BIG fight. Like I said before, I think Spice Girl is a perfect stand for her, and I like that she’s sentient, which allows her to basically interact with her own conscience while she’s suddenly thrust into a life-or-death situation only she can handle. And we finally have a fight where it’s not Giorno stepping in to save everyone – because without Trish, Giorno would’ve been out of commission for good. I also just found the way she struggles, has to think on her toes, and ultimately perseveres very refreshing and human in a way that reminds me of what I loved about Jonathan in Phantom Blood. And her “arrivederci” at the end is so awesome I clap and cheer every time I see it. Again it makes me wish we had more Trish-centric arcs, because Notorious BIG was so so good and she was what made it such a highlight for me.

Idea for a story: Post-canon Trish aughhh I love you. Whether it’s immediately after Vento Aureo where Giorno isolates her from her only living friends, and she has to navigate life on her own after her world was shattered over the course of a week, or years down the road where (I think) she eventually reunites with them, has to confront Fugo now that’s he’s back, interacts with Sheila E. (so much tragic toxic foil relationship potential), and balances her stardom with her ties to the criminal underworld. I need to write more about her there’s so much to talk about with her.

Unpopular opinion: As much as I love AUs where she joins Passione in some capacity, I don’t think that would be a good or satisfying ending for her. I think she retains those relationships eventually, and she definitely wont ever be able to live a “normal” life after everything she witnessed, but the fact that she ultimately leaves Passione and does something else with her life is good, actually. It builds on her contrasts with Narancia (where he didn’t take the chance to lead a better life, and she did), and, frankly, I don’t think she deserves to have to do horrible things and fight to survive for the rest of her life.

Favorite relationship: Her and Narancia!! The parallels between them are so awesome, and I like how Narancia projects onto her at first, but eventually gets to actually know her as a person – and while they’re different in many ways, they’re still similar, and Trish grows to trust him, too (love that one of the first things she does after the body swap is to run to “Narancia” for comfort). And her friendship with Mista by the end is so fun and silly too, and quickly turns tragic with the PHF bonus chapter stuff. Let them go to the mall together please I’m begging no more horrors </3

Favorite headcanon: When she’s older and far into her music career, rumors start spreading around that she’s involved with the mafia. They’re generally treated with the same level of seriousness as the “Paul McCartney/Avril Lavigne died and was replaced with a lookalike” conspiracies. Eventually, she puts out a rock opera concept album based on a “fictional mafia story,” with a couple strangely-dressed musicians nobody can place a name to – a guitarist and a pianist – joining her usual lineup. Everyone praises her for being a meme savvy queen.

[exitpursuedbyavulcan]

First I want to start by saying that I absolutely LOVE your writing and have read the first part or WIB at least 5 times! Every time I read it my heart breaks more and more for wifey😭!! But that being said I don’t necessarily have a question but a possible outcome(s) of the story. I’ve just kept thinking about what can happen next ever since I read the first chapter so this is all my opinion and my delusions 😂 so please don’t take me too serious (or do idk). Anyways the first thing I’ve thought of is that she asks Aegon to annul her and Aemond’s marriage and in an act of kindness he not only grants her wish but also gifts her dragonstone so she can raise her child there and only come to court when it’s necessary. Meaning her child will barely know its father or she can choose to keep him/ her from Aemond until they’re old enough to decide whether they want to get to know their dad or not. The second is Aegon can annul their marriage and propose that wifey marries him instead (He won’t force her to but will give her the choice to accept or deny). Now obviously I know the only man she loves/ will probably ever love is Aemond but this is more of a marriage of convenience since Aegons kids are gone so the council will advise that he remarries. Now if she does accept he can either claim her child as his heir and treat him/ her like his own (and completely disown Aemond as it’s dad 😭) or they will at least have one kid of their own (duty duh), although I would imagine that he’s crippled like in canon or feels bad enough for her to not force her to do anything with him at all. Forcing Aemond to be referred to as uncle by his own child because after everything he’s done he does NOT deserve any happiness that wifey and their baby can give him. But I’ll stop here since this is getting pretty long, can’t wait for the next part!!

This was so much fun to read! And I loved how you suggested Aegon marry Wifey instead, since that was his backup plan, after all.

I hope you enjoyed part II!

[dbfacets]

Facets: Chapter Ten

Summary: Evil is once again brewing in the Demon Realm.  This time, however, even the Grand Priest is concerned with how things develop, especially when it involves someone from his past...

Author Notes: ive said this about a few other chapters but this is one of my top fav chapters for sure!!!  got some beloved characters of mine in here :) enjoy!

--

Shot begins with a view of the Demon Realm.  There’s spiky rocks and shit like that idk.  Shot focuses on some commotion down below on the ground, where a group of demons are arguing over who’s going to rule next.

UNNAMED DEMON 1 I should be the one to wear the crown!  I’m more worthy than all of you combined!

UNNAMED DEMON 2 Get real!  I’m obviously the strongest!

UNNAMED DEMON 3 You’re both wrong!  I should be the new ruler!

While they’re all bickering, the camera focuses on ESTO peeking out from behind a rock formation.  He looks peeved.  He slinks behind the rock and growls to himself.

ESTO Petty fools…  Don’t they know none of them are worthy of ruling this place?  They hardly compare to King Taoreta…  Hell, even Taoreta pales in comparison to those that came before him.

Shot changes to show silhouettes of past demon rulers.

ESTO (off-screen) This realm used to be crawling with powerful demons, all worthy of being rulers in their own right.  If it weren’t for that damned Omni-King erasing them and their universes, they’d still be here to settle all of this and bring order to the Demon Realm…

Shot changes to show ESTO brooding angrily.

ESTO If only they could be brought back somehow…

He seems to get an idea suddenly, and he then grins wickedly.

Shot changes to show some shinjin planet.  There’s shinjin running around playing and having a good time, I guess waiting to be chosen to be Supreme Kais.  Shot focuses on one shinjin in particular--SUT.  They stop what they’re doing and look over to a tree, where ESTO is peeking out from behind it.  He waves them over.  They curiously look at him for a moment before heading over to meet him.

SUT Who are you?

ESTO I’m just someone looking for help.

SUT Really?  What do you need help with?

ESTO This may sound silly, but...I need help gathering the Super Dragon Balls.  I want to make a very important wish that will help a lot of people.  I don’t know the language of the gods, so I need someone who can make my wish for me.

SUT That does sound important…

They look over their shoulder for a moment before turning back to ESTO.

SUT I think I can help you.  I have really good sight, so I can definitely find them for you.  I’m also fluent in that language, too.

ESTO smiles, and there’s a hint of something sinister in it.

ESTO Thank you so much.

Cut to a shot of the Super Dragon Balls with the dragon being summoned.  SUT and ESTO are floating in front of them.  SUT turns to ESTO.

SUT Okay, what’s the wish?

ESTO grins. Shot changes to show the GRAND PRIEST standing somewhere in ZEN-OH’s palace.  He seems to hesitate as if he senses a disturbance, and he then summons his staff.  He looks into the ball at the end of his staff for a moment before looking shocked.  Cut back to ESTO and SUT.  The dragon disappears and the dragon balls disperse.  SUT looks at ESTO again.

SUT That was a pretty big wish!  I never thought anyone would do something like that.

ESTO Yes, well...it was an essential wish.  I thank you for helping me get it granted.  Unfortunately...that is all I need you for.

SUT looks at him questioningly, but then there’s a look of fear on their face when ESTO pulls out a dark energy sword.  Shot ends with him holding it up to slice.

Shot cuts to show the Demon Realm again.  Everyone’s still bickering.  It focuses on a demon named POI, who’s just kind of watching from the sidelines.  ESTO soon returns, and POI goes over to him.

POI Esto!  Where have you been?  Things have gotten crazy down here!

ESTO I was taking care of some important business.

POI Business?  What business?

ESTO grins.

ESTO Patience, Poi.  You’re about to find out.

The two of them look off into the distance, where a huge silhouette of a crowd of big demons is approaching.  Slowly, they come into view, and there’s a ton of nasty-looking demons of all shapes and sizes walking forward.  ESTO looks very pleased.  The big demons start to part, and a smaller demon woman walks through the path that’s been cleared.  It’s MAZAKA, and she looks badass. ESTO Your new leader has arrived.

POI Leader?  You can’t mean her!

The big new demons (two of which are KOKKUTA and CHOVE) grin evilly.  The previous demons start crowding around them.  POI hops down and runs to the front of the crowd to meet them.

POI You can’t just show up outta nowhere and claim the throne!  You have to wait in line like the rest of us!

MAZAKA So, you’re saying I have to clear you all out first before I can claim my throne?

POI Yeah!  All of us!

MAZAKA grins softly.

MAZAKA …  Very well.

She lifts a hand and holds it out before flicking her wrist upward.  Shot shows the silhouettes of POI and all the smaller demons getting straight up impaled by a bunch of spikes that come through the ground.  ESTO is just smirking at the scene.  MAZAKA and her underlings walk around the forest of impaled demons and approach ESTO.

ESTO It’s been too long, Mazaka.

MAZAKA Indeed, it has.  I assume you are the reason we have returned?

ESTO Yes.  I felt that it was time for you to--

MAZAKA suddenly grabs ESTO by the throat and chokes him.

MAZAKA It took you a millenia to resurrect me.  I dearly hope you don’t expect praise for this, do you?

ESTO N-no, Your Majesty, I wouldn’t dare…!

MAZAKA squints at him before releasing him, leaving him to rub his neck and cough.  She walks by him with her minions following.

MAZAKA Then tell the others that their ruler has come home.

ESTO is left behind to nervously watch her walk away.

Cut to the white space where the GRAND PRIEST has called for meetings with the other deities.  He teleports in on his podium as usual, but when he arrives, he takes on a look of surprise.  Shot changes to show various new gods standing around with the previous gods of the 8 universes, and they’re all looking at each other in confusion and shock.  The GRAND PRIEST rubs his chin.

GRAND PRIEST I...see.  It seems someone has resurrected the universes that had previously been erased after all this time.  But, who?  And...why?

Shot shows IVE standing with MOJA, POLI, and MARDUK.  They all look frightened.

GRAND PRIEST Alright, everyone…  I called you all here so that I may confirm these happenings with my own eyes.  Now that I have...I suppose you should all return to your respective universes until I call for you again.  I must speak with the Omni-King to decide what course of action we are to take.

The gods look at each other before starting to teleport away.  Eventually, GRAND PRIEST is left by himself to think.  Suddenly, the ground behind him starts to crack, and he looks back.  The crack grows larger, and smoke starts to come out of it.  It soon breaks open completely, and MAZAKA emerges from the smoke with a little grin.  GRAND PRIEST looks very displeased to see her.

MAZAKA …  You don’t look too happy to see me again, Priest.

GRAND PRIEST frowns.

GRAND PRIEST I was under the impression that you were erased with the rest of the demons from your universe.

MAZAKA starts approaching him with a little laugh.

MAZAKA Oh, I was.  Luckily, someone was thoughtful enough to bring me back, along with all of my friends.

GRAND PRIEST looks disgruntled.

MAZAKA Oh, don’t look so upset, Priest.  You act as though you never liked me at all...when we both know that isn’t true.

She gets closer to him until she’s in his personal space, and he looks away with a scowl.

MAZAKA Remember when you used to call me Maz?  You were always so cute, you know.

GRAND PRIEST That was before you decided to side with the Demon Realm and give up your status as a deity in favor of ruling over them.  Things have changed.

MAZAKA is still smiling, but there’s a wicked look in her eyes as he continues to speak.

GRAND PRIEST You and the rest of your ilk received the punishment you asked for when you tried to rebel against us.  It would do you well to remember that your actions have consequences.  Now, I suggest you go back to the Demon Realm before I am forced to take action.

MAZAKA …  And you wonder why I left in the first place.

MAZAKA finally backs up and waves her hand dismissively.

MAZAKA Very well, I will leave you.  But, don’t expect me to stay gone forever...Priest.

With that, she disappears back into the smoke, and the crack in the ground seals itself up.  GRAND PRIEST is left standing there uncomfortably.

Cut to MOJA pacing around while ROWHEA, IVE, and POLI watch.

MOJA I just don’t get it!  Where did they all come from?  The other universes were supposed to have been erased thousands of years ago!  Is it some kind of trick?

POLI I don’t believe it was a trick, Lord Moja; the Grand Priest seemed genuinely concerned with the situation.

MOJA I just don’t see why someone would go against Grand Zen-oh’s decision like that.  What are they planning?

IVE tilts his head.

IVE Why is it a bad thing…?  Isn’t it good that the other universes are back?

MOJA No!!  Zen-oh made the decision to erase them, and bringing them back is going directly against their word!  Someone must be plotting something serious to do something so stupid.

IVE looks disgruntled at this, but says nothing else.

Cut to the Demon Realm again.  MAZAKA is rallying the demons while ESTO, KOKKUTA, and CHOVE stand behind her.  They’re all standing on a rock formation that’s acting as a podium.

MAZAKA Fellow demons, thank you for your warm reception.  It is good to be back home.  I feel as though a celebration is in order, don’t you?  As it turns out...I have the perfect way to celebrate our return.

She gives an evil look.

MAZAKA It is time to wage war against the gods.  With our newfound numbers, we are more powerful than we’ve ever been.  It shall be easy to overrun the gods and take what is rightfully ours--the power to rule over the Mortal Realm.  They’ve looked down on us for far too long, have they not?  Don’t you agree it’s time we show them how powerful the Demon Realm really is?  Don’t you think it’s time we show them why they should fear us?

The crowd of demons goes wild, blowing fire and cheering and stuff like that.  MAZAKA’s subordinates all grin darkly.  MAZAKA turns her attention to a few demons at the front of the crowd.

MAZAKA I will be leading this effort, of course.  However, I have appointed a few trusted allies to aid me in order to make sure things run smoothly.  They are all Demon Lords of their respective universes.

Shot focuses on SHAZA.

MAZAKA Shaza, of Universe F.

Shot focuses on ABORA.

MAZAKA Abora, of Universe N.

Shot focuses on AKAL.

MAZAKA And finally, Akal, of Universe U. Shot shows the three Demon Lords standing together as MAZAKA speaks behind them.

MAZAKA These three are all very determined to get their revenge on the Omni-King for erasing them, which tells me they are motivated enough to be very reliable allies.  I trust that they will prove quite useful in the final battle.

MAZAKA seems to notice something off to the side.  She looks over to see SIRACHA just kind of floating there casually on his back, without a care in the world.

MAZAKA …  And who is that?

ESTO leans in.

ESTO That is Siracha, Your Majesty.  He’s one of the more recent Demon Gods to appear.  He hasn’t proven himself very trustworthy or useful for that matter; he’s quite unpredictable.  I would just ignore him.

MAZAKA A Demon God, you say?

MAZAKA watches SIRACHA for a moment, then grins.

MAZAKA …  You.  Siracha, correct?

SIRACHA looks over at her when he’s called, rolling over.

SIRACHA That’s me.

MAZAKA I hear you’re quite the interesting character.  A Demon God, even.  You seem like the type to enjoy a bit of fun.

SIRACHA I’d agree with you there.

MAZAKA You are also well-informed on the activities of the other gods, are you not?

SIRACHA I get around.

MAZAKA I see.  Then, would you be interested in being my informant?  I would just need you to keep me updated on what the gods are doing during this operation.  You will surely be rewarded for your efforts when this is over.

SIRACHA hums before rolling over again.

SIRACHA …  Sounds interesting.  I’m in.

MAZAKA grins evilly.

MAZAKA Good.

Shot cuts to MOJA’s castle.  MOJA and POLI are in the kitchen having a discussion.

MOJA This is still so bizarre to me.  Who in their right mind would want to gain Zen-oh’s attention in such a bad way?  Do they want the whole damn multiverse to get destroyed?

POLI I’m not sure.  What I do know, however, is that the Grand Priest believes that the Demon Realm plans to wage war on the gods now that their strongest leader has returned as well as a very large number of demons.

IVE can be seen eavesdropping from behind a wall.

MOJA Yikes.  That sounds about right, though.  He better talk to Zen-oh fast before things get out of hand.  At this rate, there really will be a war, and if that happens, it’s possible that the Mortal Realm will be affected, too.  It might even get destroyed as collateral damage.  I say Zen-oh needs to just nip this in the bud while there’s still time.

IVE seems concerned with this information, and he heads off down the hallway.  Cut to IVE finding ROWHEA.

ROWHEA Hey, dude, what’s up?  You look worried about something.

IVE I am.  Rowhea, I need you to cover for me for a little bit.  I have to go take care of something.  It’s really important.  Can you do that for me?

ROWHEA Uh, sure, no problem.  Don’t do anything too crazy, alright?

IVE nods.  Cut to IVE in his room holding a button similar to the one Zen-oh gave Goku to summon him.  He presses it, and a projection pops up from it.  ENLIL can be seen on the projection, and she soon notices IVE.

ENLIL Ive?  What’s wrong?

IVE This is going to sound stupid, but can you take me to Zen-oh’s place?  I really need to talk to them.

ENLIL …  You’re right, that does sound stupid.  You know what’ll happen if you say something wrong, right?

IVE I know…  I wouldn’t be doing this normally, but something awful is about to happen and this is the only way I know of stopping it.

ENLIL …  Okay.  I’ll be over in a sec to get you.  But if you mess this up, I’m not going to cover for you.

IVE Thanks, Enlil.

Cut to the two of them teleporting to the Omni-King’s place.  GRAND PRIEST is there to greet them.

GRAND PRIEST Oh, Universe X.  I was not expecting to see you today.  You’ve come at an unfortunate time, however; there are important things I must be tending to.

IVE steps forward.

IVE That’s actually why I came.  I know you’re thinking about having Zen-oh erase the universes again, and I don’t think that’s the right answer.

GRAND PRIEST’s expression falters.  ENLIL stiffens up.

GRAND PRIEST …  Ive, was it?  I appreciate your concern, and I have praised you for preventing the erasure of Universe A in the past, but I must warn you that there are some things that you would be wise to let those above you handle themselves.  What is happening does not concern those who are not considered gods.

IVE I’m training to become a god, doesn’t that amount for something?

GRAND PRIEST For this?  I must say no.  Please return to your universe at once.

ENLIL tugs on IVE’s arm.

ENLIL You tried, Ive.  Let’s just go.

IVE No, I know there’s a better solution than erasing whole universes.  Can’t I just talk to Zen-oh for a little while?

GRAND PRIEST looks peeved, now. GRAND PRIEST I will not ask you again, saiyan.

IVE shrinks back a little before hanging his head in defeat.  ENLIL holds his arm.

ENLIL We apologize for the disturbance.  Kai kai.

The two teleport away, leaving the GRAND PRIEST to frown.

Shot changes to show ENLIL and IVE in IVE’s room again.  They’re sitting down.

ENLIL I can’t believe you talked to the Grand Priest like that.  You’re so lucky he didn’t annihilate you on the spot.

IVE Why was he so adamant about getting rid of the universes again?  You’d think he’d be open to ideas that didn’t involve damaging the whole multiverse…

ENLIL Sometimes you should just not question people’s decisions.  They must know better than us.

IVE I seriously don’t think he knows what he’s doing.  The other universes shouldn’t have to suffer because of some war they don’t even know is happening.

ENLIL Well, what do you plan to do?  If war is going to break out between the Demon Realm and the gods, then Zen-oh is surely going to show up and end it before it even begins.

IVE thinks for a moment.

IVE …  Then I guess we’ll have to show up and meet them there and convince them not to erase the universes that way.

Cut back to the Demon Realm.  MAZAKA is rallying her forces.  She lifts her staff and casts a spell that opens a huge portal.  She then addresses her troops.

MAZAKA This portal is a gateway to the realm of the gods.  When we pass through, war shall begin.

The demons look like they’re about to go absolutely feral.  Cut to the other side of the portal, where all the gods are gathering behind GRAND PRIEST.  He looks serious as he observes the portal.  Shot shows MOJA, POLI, and MARDUK.  MARDUK leans over to MOJA.

MARDUK Where is Ive?  Shouldn’t he be here?

MOJA The Grand Priest specifically ordered me to leave him behind.

GRAND PRIEST …  They’re coming.

Shot shows MAZAKA’s shoe coming through the portal, and soon enough she fully emerges with a grin on her lips.  She and the GRAND PRIEST have a stare-off.

MAZAKA Hello, Priest.  It’s so nice of you to have gathered all of the gods here to welcome me.  It’s a shame that you and the rest of them will all be gone soon.

GRAND PRIEST You have one chance to turn back and call off your armies before you meet the same fate as before.

MAZAKA You mean Zen-oh?  Oh, Priest, you really think things will play out the same way they did last time?

As soon as she finishes speaking, KOKKUTA and CHOVE fly out of the portal on either side of her, heading directly towards GRAND PRIEST.  He scowls and lifts up his hands, stopping them with one big attack (they get obliterated). GRAND PRIEST You’re sorely mistaken if you believe I’d succumb to a few lowly goons.

MAZAKA Perhaps it’s not the goons that you should be worrying about.

GRAND PRIEST suddenly notices a huge spell circle underneath him.  Before he can react, the spell activates, and he’s caught in some sort of dark energy that freezes him in place.  The other gods look shocked, but they’re soon caught in the same energy.  GRAND PRIEST seems to be struggling.

GRAND PRIEST Even the angels…  They’re your children!

MAZAKA gets a sour look on her face, but she’s still smiling.

MAZAKA Oh, so now you decide to play the family card.  How sweet of you.  But, didn’t you say it yourself?  Things have changed.

Shot changes to show IVE and ENLIL watching all this from a crystal ball in his room.

ENLIL This is bad.  The Grand Priest can’t call Zen-oh to come take care of them before they can start the war.  Now there’s nothing in their way…

IVE That means Zen-oh isn’t going to show up…  I guess we have to go to them instead.

ENLIL Right.

Cut to the two of them arriving at Zen-oh’s palace again.  They fly up to the palace, and it cuts to them running down the hallway to the throne room.  Two guards stop them before they enter.

ZEN-OH Move, I can’t see who it is.

The guards move out of the way to reveal ZEN-OH standing there with a neutral look on their face.

ZEN-OH Oh, you’re that one guy from earlier.  Do you need something?

IVE Y-yes.  Grand Zen-oh, something very bad is about to happen.  Your Grand Priest can’t call for you, so I had to come instead to tell you that the Demon Realm is about to wage war on the gods.

ZEN-OH Mmm.  It’s because all those universes got revived, right?  That’s okay.  I can take care of it.

They lift up their hands to erase everything, but IVE steps forward with his hands out.

IVE W-wait, stop!

ZEN-OH What?

IVE You don’t have to erase all the universes to prevent it!

ZEN-OH What do you mean?

IVE Don’t you think it’d be unfair to all those living in those universes who aren’t even involved?  They just got brought back and they’d be disappearing again even though they have no control over what’s happening.  It would be...kinda mean, I think.

ZEN-OH Mean?

They lower their hands and think for a moment.

ZEN-OH …  Mmm…  Okay.  What should I do instead, then?

IVE There’s only a few people responsible for what’s happening.  If you get rid of them, the rest of the demons should be discouraged and call it off.

ZEN-OH Are you sure? …  Okay.  I’ll be right back.

Cut back to MAZAKA standing there grinning as the gods and GRAND PRIEST struggle to move.  Suddenly, ZEN-OH appears in front of her, and she’s startled.

MAZAKA W-what?!  How did you--?!

ZEN-OH lifts their hand and erases her, just like that.  The magic holding the gods and GRAND PRIEST disappears, and they all fall to their knees.  Cut to the Demon Realm, where ESTO and the three Demon Lords are also being erased.

UNNAMED DEMON SOLDIER Huh--?  Where’d they go?

SIRACHA can be seen hiding behind a rock.

SIRACHA Whoops.  Time to go.

He then disappears in a puff of smoke.  Cut to the portal closing up, and everyone’s confused.

UNNAMED DEMON SOLDIER What’s going on?  Aren’t we supposed to attack?

ZEN-OH appears before the armies in the Demon Realm, which scares everyone.

ZEN-OH Don’t pull this again or I’ll erase the entire Demon Realm.  Okay bye.

They disappear, leaving all the demons scared and speechless.  Cut to ZEN-OH reappearing with IVE and ENLIL.

ZEN-OH Okay, it’s done now.

They start to walk to their throne, but they stop and look at IVE for a second.

ZEN-OH You’re not a god, are you?

IVE N-no, not yet…

ZEN-OH You should be.

IVE blushes a little.  ENLIL places a hand on his shoulder.

ENLIL We should get you back home now.

IVE R-right.

Cut to later at MOJA’s place.  ROWHEA and IVE are just hanging out.  MOJA steps in after a moment.

MOJA Ive.

IVE Yes, Lord Moja?

MOJA It’s time.

Shot of IVE looking nervous, but somewhat excited.  Cut to MOJA, POLI, and IVE teleporting in to the white space where the gods gather.  All the other Gods of Destruction and their angels are there waiting on them.  GRAND PRIEST lowers to greet them.

GRAND PRIEST Ive.  Before we begin, I...owe you an apology.  My mind was clouded back then, and I realize it would have been a good idea to listen to you.  Once again, you made a good decision.

IVE smiles.  GRAND PRIEST claps his hands.

GRAND PRIEST Now, let us begin the ceremony.  Everyone, please gather ‘round.

The Gods of Destruction all gather around IVE and GRAND PRIEST in a circle.  God, I have to draw 26 gods, huh.  I have to draw the angels hanging back, too.  Anyway the gods begin to recite something in an ancient language that I’ll probably make up on the spot.  Some magical energy begins to surround IVE, and he starts to lift off the ground.  It fully envelops him for a moment as they continue chanting, and the GRAND PRIEST simply watches from above.  Soon, he is lowered back down, and the gods fall silent.  GRAND PRIEST holds his hands behind his back.

GRAND PRIEST Ive, you have now ascended to the ranks of the gods.  From this day forth, you will be known as the God of Destruction for Universe X.

IVE looks happily up at him, then turns to see MOJA smiling proudly and clapping along with the other gods.  Cut to them arriving back on MOJA’s planet.  ROWHEA runs up to them.

ROWHEA You’re back!  How was it?  How do you feel?

IVE It was great!  All the other gods were there for the ceremony.  It was really cool.  You would have liked it.

POLI and MOJA walk by them.

MOJA You two take a minute to celebrate while dinner gets prepared.

IVE and ROWHEA Okay!

MOJA looks over his shoulder at them before walking inside.  Cut to him walking into his chamber and going over to his nest bed thing, where he stands there and looks down.  He then sighs to himself.  Cut to IVE running into the kitchen, where POLI is cooking.

IVE Where’s Lord Moja?

POLI You should check his room.

IVE Okay.

IVE runs to MOJA’s room.

IVE Lord Moja?

He floats up to his nest bed and looks around curiously.  He then notices MOJA’s uniform resting in the nest.  MOJA is nowhere to be seen.  IVE gets closer and picks up the uniform, slowly realizing what’s happened.  He looks really sad suddenly.  POLI comes up behind him and places a hand on his shoulder.

IVE …  He...didn’t even say goodbye…

POLI You know him…  He was never one for sappy things.  But...he did want you to know he was very proud of you.  He knew you would become a great God of Destruction one day, and he was happy to know you proved him right.

IVE looks dejectedly at the uniform.  Cut to ROWHEA downstairs at the table already eating.  He sees IVE and POLI come in, and IVE is wearing the uniform instead of his usual bodysuit.

ROWHEA Hey, nice outfit!  You look like a real God of Destruction now!

He notices the look on IVE’s face.

ROWHEA …  Hey, why so blue?  Where’s Lord Moja?

IVE Lord Moja is...gone.

ROWHEA Huh?  Where’d he go?

POLI Otherworld.  There was no need for him to remain in this world any longer.  Ive is now in charge of his duties officially.

ROWHEA Oh, man…  I’m sorry, Ive…

IVE It’s...okay.  I think I expected this to happen.  He taught me everything he knew, so...I’ll be fine, I think.

POLI gives him a reassuring smile.  Cut to a shot of the sky outside of the castle.  IVE is sitting on a log looking over the forest surrounding it, and ROWHEA is there with him.  ROWHEA nudges him.

ROWHEA It’s pretty cool I get to be best friends with a god.

IVE Heh…  Yeah.

ROWHEA You’re gonna do great things, Ive.  I know it.  And Moja did, too.  I’m sure he left with confidence knowing you’d be here to take care of things for him.

IVE looks up at the sky.

ROWHEA This is the start of something really great.

Shot ends with a view of IVE and ROWHEA watching the sky together.

[natdoespolls]

Idk if I’m late to this but i’ve got some lesser-known dndads quotes if I’m not (sorry this is very long lol):

Darryl:

Glenn doesn’t care that his kid smokes weed, but at least he would have killed Hitler (season 1 episode 44)

I just really wanted to eat some bread, and they’re not going to give us bread if we tell them that their son died (season 1 episode 63)

Henry:

I SILENCE HIS DUMBASS WITH A KISS (season 1 episode 1)

Darryl, what do your dilf eyes see? (season 1 episode 14)

Let’s table the soccer versus football versus vaping conversation (season 1 episode 18)

You always start at the asshole of the tuna can (season 1 episode 19)

What the frickin’ ding dang gosh dark dilly willy heckin’ shark tooth banana chicanery hootin’ tootin’ raspberry frickin FUCK are you two doing here?? (season 1 episode 41)

Why is everyone getting hotter but ME?? (season 1 episode 54)

Ron:

Grant, buddy, I’m going to give you some advice. It’s something Glenn and I were talking about when we were in the toilet (season 1, episode 18)

Glenn:

I’ll die happy, baby. I’ll see my son in Hell, BITCH (season 1, episode 60)

Tell Darryl: Good news! I died and I went to Hell! (season 1, episode 68 pt 1)

Season 1 NPCS:

I have seen your futures. And they are very, very stupid. —Bill Close (season 1 episode 6)

I don’t need to love myself because I. Love. ANIME!! —Well Actually (season 1 episode 55)

I think this concert’s going to be full of FOMO. It’s going to be full of: Fire, Opportunity, Murder… Other thing —Scam Actually (season 1 episode 63)

Carrots are fucking dope —Erin O’Neil (season 1 episode 33)

I’m babysitting the weird knife boy?—Nicolas (Foster) (season 1 episode 55)

I fuckin’ beat ass, this kid (gesturing to Nicolas) sucks —Paeden (season 1 episode 50)

Link:

Let’s just take a break here for a moment. Fuck the car, are you saying you could turn any one of us into spider-man at any moment?? (season 2 episode 15)

She’s not supposed yo be IN THERE!! (season 2 episode 30)

ATMOD:

This is why I don’t have tuberculosis —Stud (chapter 3)

Sir, I’ll let you know I’m not just a train virgin —Robert (chapter 2)

Also some Anthony quotes because there are so many good ones:

You wouldn’t want to tap dance threateningly in this situation (atmod chapter 3)

There is no way on god’s green earth I am going to describe your dick sizes (season 1 episode 4)

Flesh is subjective (season 1 episode 21)

Henry’s body reacts the way that anybody’s would when being licked by a stranger, which is to say, not significantly (season 1 episode 57)

You can know about my ass, you can’t know about my heart (season 1 episode 60)

The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a bad ass is a good guy with a good ass (season 1 episode 65)

And then you get a room together, and you don’t train, you just fuck (season 1 episode 65)

Again sorry this is super long but I had a bunch of these saved and I wanted to send some in

These are some deep cuts, I love it!!! I had forgotten about some of these moments. They’ve all been added :)

[lumyart]

hey i know we have a fuckton of headcanons so i have a suggestion 👀 it came to me bc i know none of us want this fanfic to end and we’re all too attached to it and so excited about it but we also know it HAS to end you have made perfectly clear it’s gonna be nine chapters and that’s it and so… what about ending the fic but not the universe? like you could reserve some of the three and half million headcanons we shared with you and write separated, random one shots from time to time? just simple fluff or light angst or smut that wouldn’t fit in the main fic’s pace. i think it could even help to cleanse your palate while you write other things or if you reach writer’s block sometime??? idk like i said it is only a suggestion bc i find it really entertaining when writers drop random pieces of a main fic i feel like they’re deleted scenes we’re lucky enough to be granted with so… yeah, there’s that 🥺💖

i definitely thought about this and i don't think this fic will be the end of the universe, you're right! (if i'm still writing then, you can pretty much expect another 3-4 chapters to be added next christmas cause i already have the ideas written down actually but 🤫)

i'm 100% open to adding chapters to it later this year whenever i feel like coming back to it - cause i will surely miss them at some point😭 the 9 chapters are more of a way for me to be happy with it and with the main plot but it doesn't mean it will end forever❤️ and it's also a way for me to start writing other fics without feeling guilty and overwhelmed! i'm still heavily inspired by this one, mostly thanks to all of you on Tumblr and all the great comments i get, but i also know i'm starting to feel excited about other fic ideas and it's time i get onto writing these as well :o

i'm definitely gonna keep your headcanons on the side for this fic don't worry<3

[luminecho]

Writing is fucking exhaustingggggg how do people do this