#guys that are super ripped or whatever. good for them and they’re great. i just really like when someone has y’know.

[hinakyuu]

im having a fucking… tantrum over how big sasha is. like. he’s just so fucking broad and solid and sturdy. his shoulders and his thick arms and chest. just. god. a guy with so much to grab onto hnndndnnf

[spacedace]

“Hey, I need to get married for bullshit Infinite Realms reasons, you two in?”

“Tt, of course.”

“Sure thing! Do we need to get going for that like, right now? Or later?”

“Eh, like in a couple of hours? The Observants are demanding some Royal Ball or something and they pulled out some stupid old laws out of their collective asses that if I’m not married by the time it starts they can assign me spouses of their choosing, can you fucking believe that shit?”

“Woah, what the hell? Can they even do that?”

“I was under the impression they were only permitted to observe.”

“Right? It’s total crap, but apparently there’s like this super old law on the books and they didn’t bring it up until now when there’s like no time left to try and force me to marry someone they pick.”

“They are training to gain influence over you?”

“Eh, more like they’re trying to get control of my Dad by way of me. But still fucked as hell.”

“So why do you need to marry both of us? Or do you just need to marry one of us and we should play rock paper scissor for it?”

“Technically I only need to marry one of you, but I don’t want them pulling out any loopholes or something. So, it’d be great if one of you could be my consort for my role as Queen of Mirrors, and one could be my consort for my role as Crown Princess. You two can figure who’s who on that all that, I’m good with whatever.”

“Oooh, can I be consort for the Mirror Court? I can annoy Kon more that way.”

“I am amenable to that. Grandfather will have a fit when he learns that I can cut his access to the Pits off at my discretion and there’s nothing he can do about it.”

“Awesome, okay are you two good for meeting up at like, three? We can pop over to my Lair and get everything sorted out there.”

“Works for me, my only class til this afternoon is at one and the professor already said we’re cutting out early because she has to go out of town this weekend.”

“Four would be more agreeable if possible, I have to take Titus to the vet for his checkup.”

“Okay let’s aim for four then. It’s just signing some paperwork, making some quick blood-slash-ectoplasm pacts and swearing a couple binding oaths… Should only take like five or ten minutes?”

“They’re not gonna make you have a huge royal wedding or anything?”

“Nah. Dad keeps things pretty chill so as long as the paperwork is all in order we’ll be good. Though once Auntie Dorathea finds out she’s absolutely gonna make us have one. She loves planning weddings. Swear its what she makes her hoard out of somehow.”

“So long as we have a say in some of the proceedings I have no issue with that eventuality.”

“Same, it sounds like it’d be a fun way to annoy the Observants even more.”

“Don’t for get all the weirdos trying to be my suitors and all that bullshit.”

“We have an accord then. We can reconvene at the usual place.”

“Awesome, you two are the best! I gotta jet and let everyone know and get the ball rolling on the paperwork stuff. See you guys at four!”

With that, Nomad - Stella Phantom, Crown Princess of the Infinite Realms, Queen of Mirrors, Core of the Speedforce and ghostly hero of the Titans and the Justice League - tore a rip in the fabric of space and time and darted out of the room the same way she came. Through the mind-bending tear in reality the eerie, eye-searing green of the Infinite Realms glowed in all its unsettling glory, Phantom Keep a glittering expanse of night sky made solid in the distance.

Jon waved at her cheerfully as Damian gave a nod of farewell before both silently turned their attention back to their respective tablets as the portal closed behind their friend and teammate and the glimpse of the Ghost Zone disappeared again. Completely unbothered by the conversation just held or the life changing implications that came with them.

Jon was humming as he tapped away at something on the screen before him, Damian propping his head up on his fist in vague boredom as he frowned down at the information he was reading.

The rest of the room Nomad had left behind was caught in a frozen, stunned silence in the wake of the baffling conversation they’d all just been witness to. All eyes in the room darted between Flamebird and Pheonix seated calmly at the end of the table, then to the space where Nomad had disappeared to, back to the young men, and then towards the head of the table where Superman and Batman sat looking bewildered and a bit on the verge of heart attacks.

The short status update meeting was about to become much, much longer it seemed.

Though a lot more entertaining.

[callsign-rogueone]

that time of the month

fourth wing boys (Aaric, Brennan, Bodhi, Dain, Garrick, Liam, Ridoc, Sawyer, Xaden) x reader

how our favorite boys would take care of you when you’re on your period [request]

words: 588

🏷: no book spoilers. gender neutral, no pronouns used. mentions of periods, cramps,, etc. soft and fluffy. these are kinda short bc it was hard to not make them repetitive — I think they all give excellent care + cuddles ��

Aaric is a quiet support kind of guy to me. he’ll be by your side, but not overbearing or too touchy. really good at playing with your hair and massaging the back of your neck if you get migraines (like I do) he also sleeps flat on his back and perfectly still like a total weirdo, so he’s great to use as a body pillow.

Brennan is the number one man for the job, and I’m not just saying this because he’s my favorite. he’s a mender, so he can literally stop your pain, and he can get stains out of clothes super easily. also just a very nurturing and gentle person, takes excellent care of you all week.

Bodhi is going to use this as an excuse to cuddle you and take naps all week (I love how the Bodhi girls have collectively decided that he’s just a lil cuddlebug 🥺). expect lots of murmured words of affirmation about how strong you are and how much he loves you.

Dain, the overgrown boyscout he is (I say this affectionately) is prepared. he knows when that time is coming up, and he is properly equipped to take care of you. has everything you need in both his room and yours. also gives a 10/10 back massage (canon, actually.)

Garrick insists that you spend the week in his room, because his bed is more comfortable (it honestly is) and that way he can take care of you. he’s very nice to cuddle up with. lets you sleep in his clothes, too, for maximum comfort. has a secret stash of all your favorite snacks, too — he’s been getting them from the fliers. don’t tell Xaden. (Xaden totally knows, and is also getting snacks from them.)

Liam makes sure you’re eating even if you have no appetite, and that you’re staying hydrated, etc. you might grumble about it, but absolutely nobody can say no to that face. he knows not to take it personally if you get mad at him, because you’re hormonal + in pain. gives fabulous cuddles, too, and lots of sweet words.

Ridoc knows not to make any jokes at your expense or fuck with you when you’re feeling fragile, instead showering you with cheesy verbal affection to get the grumpiness out of your system and get you feeling a little better — as much as you can, when you feel like your insides are being ripped out. uses his hands like ice packs for you, holding them on any place that’s particularly achy.

Sawyer was a little awkward about it at first, but now he’s a seasoned boyfriend who knows what you need and does it without you needing to ask; snacks, cuddles, back rubs, so on and so forth. helps you with whatever’s particularly difficult this week. ties your shoes for you so you don’t have to bend down and strain your back, etc.

Xaden can sense that you’re in pain, and the minute he’s able to, he’s scooping you up and whisking you away to rest in his arms. abuses his wingleader privledges a little bit, letting you have the worst day(s) off. don’t bother trying to lie to him and say that you’re fine — he knows you aren’t. don’t question the sudden change in his normal tough-guy persona either; just enjoy it.

++ none of these men are at all scared or grossed out by a little blood. they’re men, not boys, and they’re used to it anyway, going to this deathtrap of a school.

[alldni]

ranking the ada by how good the blunt rotation is.

number one is kenji. he is a good young man and never touches it which is why he’s the best. other people get really weird when they’re sober around high people and start treating them like little kids. but kenji looks at you like this 😃 carries entire cases of water bottles to you and tells you stories about cows and gardening that would be so fucking boring sober, but are absolutely resplendent when you’re high as fuck. he can one hand carry you to bed too so you don’t have wander through The Fog to curl up in the sheets if you green out. unfortunately the one downside is that if you smoke in front of kenji kunikida puts a gun to your head

two is tanizaki. he’s just so totally chill about it. he owns a beautiful ornate bong that always has crystal clear water. you sit there and smoke and eat fritos the whole time and it’s beautiful. now unfortunately his illusion is super freaky so if he’s high and using his ability you might have a bad time. but also he could make sesame street appear before your eyes and you’d have such a beautiful time.

coming in at number three definitely atsushi. the first time he smokes he is terrified horrified crying shaking sooo nervous but the second time you can tell he did a bunch of research and suddenly he’s like super expert at it. or less that he’s expert and more that he’s so desperate to prove he’s good at it he starts taking furious bong rips so fast you think he’ll die and his ability is probably the only reason he survives. also he becomes insanely hilarious and out of pocket

fukuzawa at four. this experience would be heavenly. you’d feel like an eighty year old lounging on the front porch in the sun. you smoke from a perfectly rolled joint and listen to him share every opinion he has on everyone in the ada or whatever and then he starts showing you pictures of his cats. he has a medical marijuana card for joint pain. he tells you he loves you and starts listing all your strengths and then lovingly explaining in vivid detail how he thinks you can improve.

kunikida at five purely for humor factor i think. in high school he was a super stoner and now he has seven bongs hidden under his bed. if you somehow got him to smoke with you he would manage to, in mere hours, procure the most amazing heavenly fresh weed you’ve ever smoked. you’ve gone to the garden of eden. unfortunately (and the reason why this is number four) he gets high and starts like reading shit from his ideals notebook to you and now you know too much about his ideal woman. and the next day he refuses to look you in the eyes. BUT he would be great at taking care of others while high i think — he’s the guy making sure everyone guzzles water at the sesh

lucy at number 6 for sure. the weed she gives you is so strong so lightning mcqueen quick-hitting so pungent… it’s probably a new strain called rainbow ballzapper4000 that francis bought from an illegal dispensary in america and she’s been waiting for the perfect moment to smoke it. she would end up taking you to her stupid pocket dimension because she would think it’s really really funny but you would feel like you’re trapped in your own personal hell. a mirage of pink and candy lord almighty. and you would be rapidly weakening shriveling up dying while she only gains strength. and you would want to kiss her

naomi at 7. i would rather kill myself than think about this further

number eight definitely yosano like this would be hell. because she would be so beautiful and transcendent and funny and cool and suave while you’re absolutely fucked up with whatever bullshit hopped up illegal strain she just presented you with. and if you started greening out she’d like give you water or whatever but then she would decide the height of comedy is like describing all the ways you could suddenly die in that moment. “did you know you could get vitamin E lung poisoning from smoking carts? do your lungs feels tight right now? 😃” and it would almost seem like she hoped you say yes. however she would actually try to keep your physical well-being in mind and she would make sure you ate and drank and got to bed ok etc

nine dazai. the ninth circle of hell. i would rather smoke with like francis or something than with this guy. dazai hears “smoke sesh” and asks chuuya to procure him weed and chuuya goes to his basement where he has the saddest most shriveled up little plant and he carefully harvests some flower and carefully prepares it and carefully rolls up two joints and kisses them both (in case dazai smokes from them both) and then you smoke this sad weed that barely hits and you sit there and wait to get high and dazai doesn’t even smoke anything. and you’re like dazai what the fuck. and then dazai pulls something out of his pocket and it’s fentanyl laced shit he got from somewhere else and he starts talking about how much he hopes it’ll work. and then he stares wide eyed and pathetic faced at you and starts ranting about how much he hates chuuya. and then he hands you the fent laced weed

last ranpo. if you start greening out he just starts reading you to fucking filth and you’re mentally destroyed for a week.

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #302: Senji Muramasa

happy new years, babes! today on Fate and Phantasms we’ve got 2023’s next top saber, Senji Muramasa! he’s a Forge Cleric to make the swords, and a Kensei Monk to draw as much power out of them as possible. as long as they’re katanas.

check out his build breakdown below the cut, or his character sheet over here!

next up: we already did the genji-killing genji, so… bird up!

Race and Background

yeah, Senji’s a Human. that means he gets +1 Dexterity and Constitution, as well as proficiency in Investigation to figure out swords better and the Fighting Initiate feat for some Great Weapon Fighting, letting you re-roll 1s and 2s on damage dealt by two-handed weapons. that’s not a huge help out the gate unless you really like quarterstaves, but we’ll get there, I promise.

making swords all the time is kind of a Guild Artisan sort of gig, if you squint. that gives you proficiency in Insight and Persuasion. you’ve gotta sell those swords somehow.

Ability Scores

if you want to get all you can out of your swords (and survive long enough to do it,) you need some Dexterity. and if you want to see so good you can look into the future, that’s Wisdom, in more ways than one. third up is Constitution, again to survive all that sword-fighting you’re about to do.  After that, some Strength is in order. Shirou isn’t super ripped, but he’s got some muscle on him. that does mean your Intelligence isn’t that high, but tbh we only need to know about swords, and you do! finally, we’re dumping Charisma. you’re a crotchety old man, you only really care about the art, and you did technically work for the alien god that one time, which is… oof. still, we’re glad you make the heel-face turn when you did.

Class Levels

1. monk 1: i’m sure your sick swordplay skillz actually came after your forging knowledge, but i like living! so we’re going with the class that has unarmored defense first. that adds your wisdom to your ac while you don’t wear armor or shields! no problem! you’re not running around with unlimited chainmail works after all.

you also get martial arts! you can use your dexterity when attacking with monk weapons and your fists, plus you can make an unarmed attack as a bonus action when you attack with your main action! on top of all that, you get a martial arts die that grows as you level up, and all your monk-y attacks use that as their damage floor. if you’re using a weapon with a bigger die, use the normal one. if it would have a smaller die, use the martial arts one!

2. monk 2: second level monks can use ki to dodge, disengage, dash, or attack twice as a bonus action! you get your monk level in ki points every short rest, so feel free to go fast! you also get swordy options for your ki later, don’t worry!

on top of that, your unarmored movement helps you move a little faster than other swordsmen. or it would if we didn’t keep giving swordy people monk levels! still, u go fast, stay out of people’s reach. good strategy.

3. monk 3: at third level you set down the way of the kensei, teaching you the path of the kensei, which is a totally different thing. actually it’s like four different different things. anyway. you can grab some kensei weapons, one melee and one ranged. you get proficiency in them if you don’t have that already, and you can only pick weapons that aren’t heavy or special. grab a longsword for a fance katana, and whatever for the ranged attack. it’s whatever, who cares. not a sword.

while you have a kensei weapon in your hand and make an unarmed attack, you can make an agile parry for free, getting +2 ac for the rest of the round. good stuff for a guy dressed in regular clothes!

*sigh* if you really want to throw things around like some kind of… archer, you can use a kensei shot as a bonus action, making all your ranged kensei weapon attacks deal an extra 1d4 damage that round. funnily enough, this doesn’t need to be your ranged weapon- it just has to be a ranged attack. so even dnd supports emiya being an archer, throwin swords willy and nilly!

you also get the way of the brush. it’s a tool proficiency!

that was a lot for one level, and we’re not even done yet! third level monks can deflect missiles as a reaction, reducing incoming damage from an attack like an arrow or bullet. if you reduce the damage to zero you can even throw the attack back by spending a ki point! we rlly didn’t intend this build to be so archery, i swear.

4. monk 4: use your first asi to bump up your wisdom! smart smarter, dodge tougher, all that jazz. plus you can slow fall as a reaction. when you think about it, falling doesn’t deal damage- landing does. so all you have to do is block the earth before you hit the ground, and boom! no fall damage. genius.

5. monk 5: fifth level monks can make an extra attack each action! more sword! more! you can also turn your melee strikes into stunning strikes, forcing a constitution save on whoever you hit. if they fail, they’re stunned for a round. then you get advantage on all melee attacks against them for a bit! hit ‘em like a big fleshy pinata!

if you’re having trouble hitting, try spending some ki on your focused aim. spend ki points on a missed attack, add to the roll, maybe don’t miss. easy peasy. just make sure you’re spending on stuff that might actually hit, no point wasting resources on nat 1s.

6. monk 6: sixth level monks get ki empowered strikes and become one with the blade, which practically do the same thing! now your unarmed attacks and kensei attacks are magical to overcome resistances. you can also make a deft strike once per turn, adding your martial arts die to your damage roll. more dice! more rerolling! more! more!

7. cleric 1: if you want to make good swords, you need to have the power of god and anime on your side! HAAAAAAAAA! by that i mean ur a forge cleric! when you pick this class, you get proficiency with heavy armor and smith’s tools, one of those does not matter. betcha can’t guess which one! it’s the armor. y’know, the unarmored defense and all.

fortunately, your blessing of the forge is a little better, letting you turn any armor or weapon you touch into a +1 version at the end of a long rest for the rest of the day.

you also get some spells, tho tbh this build doesn’t really care about them too much. outside of like, two spells, your domain list is fine. speaking of, you get Identify to figure out any cool magic swords you find and Searing Smite. swords are cool. fire is cool. fire swords are extra cool, ironically. hit someone, watch them burn for a bit.

8. Cleric 2: second level clerics can Channel Divinity once per short rest in two ways. Turn Undead is whatever, we haven’t had to deal with skeletons much since Fuyuki, the real draw is Artisan’s Blessing. now you can spend an hour to turn raw metal into any nonmagical metal item worth less than 100 gold. we’re here for swords, but you can realistically make a lot more than that. you can even duplicate items if you want. that being said, we still have a price cap, so these aren’t masterworks just yet. still, make one of these and apply blessing of the forge, then once a local lord is impressed by your craftmanship you can just pump out regular swords and charge through the nose!

9. Cleric 3: third level clerics get second level spells like Heat Metal and Magic Weapon. annoyingly, you can’t heat your own sword for extra damage, it just hurts you if you do that. ugh. you can also grab one of the two spells I’d want from outside your subclass, Augury. now you can spend a minute sizing up a creature to figure out how well fighting them will go. if you might win, you’ll get weal. if you might lose, woe. you can also get both or neither, and using it over and over again will make the spell less accurate. if you’re really worried about your odds, upcasting smites tends to make people win.

10. Cleric 4: when you finally get another ASI, use it to grab the Slasher feat. aside from just being a cool genre of movies it also powers up your slashing attacks and your dexterity- once per turn, you can reduce the speed of a creature you hit with slashing damage, and now your critical hits give enemies disadvantage on attacks for a round. you are the sword guy, you get sword feats. if I could give you great weapon master in a way that would actually work, I would.

11. Cleric 5: fifth level clerics can Destroy Undead when they use their Turn Undead CD. if the undead in question is CR ½ or lower and fails their save, they die instantly. DEATH! DEAAAATH! or redeath, i guess.

you also get third level spells, like Elemental Weapon and Protection from Energy. now you can get a permanent fire sword that doesn’t constantly make you try to drop it! again, we don’t really need other spells. I mean smoke ‘em if you got ‘em, I’m just saying this guy’s a saber. cleric’s got one of the most stacked spell lists in the game, don’t let me stop you from abusing that.

12. Cleric 6: sixth level clerics can Channel Divinity twice a short rest, and you can use the Soul of the Forge. that means you have resistance to fire damage, and you get +1 AC while… wearing… heavy armor. yeah, these classes don’t exactly match up, as you can see.

13. Monk 7: bouncing back to monk, you can use your Evasion to dodge fireballs too, giving you complete negation on a successful dexterity save, and half damage on a failed one. which is then halved again if you’re actually dealing with fire. they have their moments.

you can also use your Stillness of Mind to counteract an effect charming or frightening you as an action, which is nice since we can’t focus on wisdom in this build as much as most monks.

14. Monk 8: use this ASI to grab the Piercer feat! most swords are slashing, but shortswords are still swords, so we have to be thorough. with this, you can re-roll a die of piercing damage once per turn, and you deal an extra die of damage with critical hits. I prefer the bigger swords, but you do you. rapiers are also pretty valid.

15. Monk 9: ninth level monks get an Unarmored Movement Improvement, letting you run up walls and over water as long as you end your turn on regular ground. servants get up to some wacky shit, I wouldn’t put this past them.

16. Monk 10: tenth level monks have a Purity of Body that makes you immune to disease and poison. neat. again, something most servants would have if we could afford it in every build.

17. Monk 11: at eleventh level, we get our last goodie from the way of the kensei, letting you Sharpen the Blade. as a bonus action, you can spend up to 3 ki points, adding that amount to your kensei weapon’s attack and damage rolls for up to a minute, as long as you aren’t already using a magic weapon with a bonus to attacks and damage rolls. get the most out of any sword! even a wooden plank is deadly in your hands.

18. Monk 12: use this ASI to bump up your Dexterity again. if you want to get the most out of a sword, your swording hands need to be at their best.

19. Cleric 7: seventh level clerics get fourth level spells. sure, Wall of Fire is nice, but your other subclass spell is fantastic. Fabricate lets you turn any amount of raw materials into a finished product after ten minutes. you can create a larger or smaller object, or medium if you’re making it out of metal or stone. you need better materials for better product, but masterwork products require proficiency with the tools you’d use to make them in the first place- fortunately, you have proficiency with smith’s tools, so you can quicksmith the hell out of these swords.

you also get your second spell we actually want here- Divination. you need to spend 25 gold, but it only takes an action to ask a god a question about something happening within a week. figuring out the future of creatures you’re fighting so you can sever it sounds like a good choice. that being said, your DM isn’t actually able to see the future, so expect some leeway. also, casting it over and over makes it less reliable, so don’t rely on your clairvoyance too much.

20. Cleric 8: our final level of the build is surprisingly busy for once. you get the Tough feat for an extra 40 HP, but your Destroy Undead also affects creatures of CR 1 and lower, and you make Divine Strikes once a turn, adding 1d8 fire damage to your weapon attacks.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

you are good with swords, and you are good with just about every sword. just about any sword that deals less than a d8 of damage gets its damage boosted already, and you can make any sword you touch into a masterpiece of magical damage in a single bonus action. and that’s all before we add in any deft strikes or divine strikes, all of which get their damage rerolled by your great weapon fighting if you’re using a longsword like you should be. you deal a good amount of damage, you’re consistent, and you always get the best shake out of any weapon you use.

everybody wants weapons, and you can make weapons out of just about anything. if it’s metal, artisan’s blessing. if it’s not? fabricate. you can turn anything into a sword, and you make any sword good. it’s also a pretty easy way to make money if you need it. it’s a dangerous world out there, nobody wants to go it alone.

you are incredibly accurate, which is a lifesaver against high AC enemies. with a maxed out dexterity, plus your proficiency, plus a sharpened blade and focused aim, you can add +20 to an attack roll if you really need to hit something. and with smites, you only need one attack to count for a lot of damage.

Cons:

your multiclassing doesn’t quite work together at points. for example, you can’t use blessing of the forge on your own weapon for a consistent boost if you plan on using Sharpen the Blade on it at all that day. also, the forge cleric’s heavy armor stuff just doesn’t work at all, which stinks.

kensei monks don’t use Ki quite as fast as most others, but they still burn it nonetheless. sharpening the blade all the way will cut your ki pool by 25%, all for one fight. fortunately, clerics have cool stuff to use their bonus action on beyond just flurries of blows, so it’s not all bad.

you have low charisma, so you might have trouble getting your money’s worth out of your swords if you plan on selling them yourself. maybe hang out with a bard or something. oh wait, is that why you switched to Guda’s side?

[ruminate88]

Why the narcissist makes you angry ….

For me, I don’t just date people. It’s a very big deal for me. I’m very selective and protective of my heart/feelings. (Flirting I’ve done a lot of but not dating) I had my first major heart break when I was 24, I had chased the same guy, Jesse, for 10 years and I realized he was always going to choose someone else but not me. So I already had a bad attitude towards my life. I felt mad like why the world would show me a guy I thought my was soul mate, let me be close to him only to rip him away… I went into narcissistic abuse with this mind set. I was so desperate to feel that great feeling of “I could’ve found the one” again that’s why when I met Cody directly afterwards and he “love bombed” me, it was a little familiar but very extra for sure. Jesse never love bombed me or dated me but did notice me sometimes and pay me compliments! (Little drops of attention)

Cody ghosted me and that traumatized me. I felt nothing… just numb/cold. I was shutting down and giving up on my life and myself but then I met Andrew less then 6 months later and he re-kindled that fire when he came along and started bread-crumbing me for a whole summer. I thought Andrew was normal and that nothing was wrong with him!! There was no proof on his social media that showed he was a psycho …. 😆

but as time went on and Andrew continually acted funny/weird towards me, I started to see that possibly there were truly some issues with him but I didn’t wanna believe it. I wasn’t truly angry with Andrew UNTIL after we broke up and he started to really gas light me and say to me “I wasn’t mentally well” and “I needed to make changes in my life” !!!

I mean, after all that love-bomb, cheating and lying, discarding me but not breaking up with me, he made me break up with him, tried to still have control in my life after discard by pretending to be “friends”‘ with me but what frieeeeeend sits with you during a suicide attack and tells you “you know, you’re not well” like…. I’m NOT stupid. I know he love bombed me and told me super romantic things. I had screen shots of conversations to prove it but he would always deny what he actually did or said towards me. He would always lie “in the moment” and say whatever I wanted to hear but would never actually mean it!!! He would always just want to manipulate and use me. He could never actually care about me!!

my advice to anyone who is angry over their ex-narc, the anger isn’t forever but it’s real and your ex caused it. You weren’t angry prior to meeting them, nor were you angry when dating them. They made you feel stupid with the way they “play off” the relationship as if it was never a big deal.. (it was a huge deal to you, you were essentially obsessed with them) they lied and cheated, then acted as if you made everything up in your head!! They too make up ideas and stories about you and the relationship in their heads too.

they KNEW what all they did to you but they saw it differently than you did. You hurt them, not the other way around. (Don’t ask, I can’t explain that one) but they know you’re hurt and YET, they can’t feel sorry for you. They don’t feel empathy for what you’re feeling or going through, that’s why they start to lie and change up the story about what actually happened, to basically down-play how bad it really was.

FEEL THE ANGER because it’s there but then eventually you’ll have to learn how to accept what happened to you, even if you don’t understand why it happened or why they chose you. Just accept that they’re not truly sorry because they don’t see it the way you do and you should feel sorry for them/pray for them to become better people. Feeling sorry for them takes A LOT of courage and forgiveness on your part!!! (Trust me) you’re not alone!!! You’re not crazy!!! It’s good to forgive the narcissist because it frees you from the guilt and shame. You don’t forget what they did, you just accept it and don’t contact them!! Leave them alone! 🥺🥺🥺

[pandawarrior]

Avatar Character Ranking: part three

C and B tier

C tier

26. Jet’s bestie #3

He was friends with Jet and all of them are just there. I rate them more than Jet though.

25. Air mechanic man

He was working with the fire nation which is not super cool but he switched sides and was doing the madness afterwards so good job him. 

24. Air mechanic son

He is so cool it must be said. One of my favourite irrelevant characters. There’s not much to say about him unfortunately but wow what a cool guy. The flying wheelchair?? Amazing, Spectacular even. 

23. Jet bestie #2

Same as the other one except this one is cooler because she was like “Jet chill they’re not firebenders and even if they are I do not care we just trynna chill”. Love #2 for that. Also points for being called smellerbee.

22. Jin

So real. Lovely character. She knew Zuko was a firebender and didn’t say anything. Love her for that. Wish we saw more of her like give my guy Zuko an earth kingdom girlie for a bit he deserves happiness.

21. Jet bestie #1

He is the no1 Jet friend. He didn't even talk and he ate all the other flops up. Also he had a cool hat. Great guy.

20.  Zuko’s mom

She ate up the tem minutes of screentime she had. Scolded Zuko, shaded Azula, killed Azulon and dipped. Absolute queen. But also she tanked when she neglected my good sis Azula. Also, her facecard never declined. 

B tier

19. Lizard lady

I only remember her when they used her lizards to hunt for Aang at the end of the series. But she is a fat slay. She gets money, her body tea. She super thick, she super pretty. 

18. Moon Girl

She is really pretty and also she is the moon and I love the moon. She was Sokka’s first girl, which is nice or whatever. But she is THE ACTUAL MOON!!!! HOW AWESOME IS THAT!!!!!!!!! But also imagine she has to watch Sokka with other girls every night. Poor girl :(

17.  King Bumi

He was so funny and he was a great character. MAN WAS SO RIPPED DID YOU SEE HIS MUSCLES???? AND HE COULD EARTHBEND WITH HIS FACE!! And he helped lead Aang to Toph! +100000 points for that (can you tell I love Toph??) HOWEVER, he just let the fire nation take over Omashu. I know he had a reason but bro come on at  least pretend to fight. Second favourite white lotus member. 

16. Katara and Sokka’s Dad

He was a warrior and even though he left his kids he still cared about them and was out battering the fire nation. We can’t get mad at him for that. Also I feel bad for him. He probably has lots of guilt about Katara's mom being killed and he couldn’t save her. Sad times. 

[y0ud0ntkn0wwh0]

Alright, I might be half a year late to the party, but I gotta do it. Here’s my (completely unqualified) review of

The Dungeons and Dragons Movie: Honor Among Thieves

(About 6 months after I first watched it.)

4/10.

Alright, let me explain.

The movie itself wasn’t too bad. But, if you’re going to label yourself as a “D&D” movie, I expect there to be a bit more meta in it. Like, more spells straight from the book, effects as written, and generally just sticking to the OG content. A couple of examples

• The Key Item that the BBEG goes after has, as far as I know, never been in a single (official) D&D book. Neither have most of the other magic items. There’s one magic(?) Item that I identified on my first watch through, and (I’m pretty sure) it wasn’t even a D&D item. It was the Darksteel Axe, from MTG. I mean, sure, it’s technically “WOTC” material, but if I’m right, it means that there’s more MTG items than there are D&D items in the movie.

• The Druid. Everyone who’s seen the movie knows what I’m talking about, specifically the scene where she transforms like 10 times. Fine, rule of cool. I can get behind that, if it applied to ANY OTHER CHARACTER as well. Seems like the DM gave her special treatment.

• The Druid II: Electric Boogaloo. The final fight scene is gereally really tense and well thought out, until the very last shot, where it’s all pushed aside for a joke. A joke that’s almost ripped straight from Marvel. There’s a scene where Loki stands in front of the Hulk and says something along the lines of “I’m a god, you can’t defeat me.” To which the Hulk responds by grabbing him and swinging him around like a bag of sand. It’s blunt, straight forward, and pretty in character. The druid? It’s pretty out of left field. The BBEG is dazed after getting hit by a rock, and the Druid’s been pretty calm and non-aggressive unless she needs to be, up until this point. She goes absolutely ham on a, frankly, weak lady who got absolutely obliterated 10 seconds ago. She’s only strong with her magic and that’s gone. I felt kinda bad for her.

• I wish there was more obvious signs of characters playing by the rules of their class, race, spells, whatever. Like, the Sorcerer. I’ll give them points for having a low CHA Sorcerer, and the palpable repercussions of that, but I guess he’s suppose to be wild magic, when that only comes up once or twice? And the Bard! Sure he used Bardic inspiration, but other than that, nothing. And the Barbarian? Fighter? I don’t know. She fought a lot and was really good, but she didn’t rage, so probably not a Barbarian. However, I’m not sure she used any fighter abilities. Also, dice rolls. Like, I thought maybe there’d be a slow shot of them doing something awesome if they rolled a Nat 20, or of them screwing up if they rolled a Nat 1. Nope, none of those.

• The humor. Three “jokes” stuck out at me. One, the “fat dragon” joke. It was funny for the first half of the joke, then I kinda felt bad for the poor guy. Two, the bridge. This poor guy goes on and on about the great creation of this bridge, and genuinely got invested. Until I realized, “they’re gonna break the bridge, aren’t they?” And YEP. Completely shattered. Genuinely disappointed, which was then compiled with the instant solution of the Staff of Hither-Thither. Loved the item, hated the execution of introduction. Three, the poor paladin that doesn’t get sarcasm and social cues. This absolutely could be the tiny Social Justice Warrior in the back of my head, and I might be well in the wrong, but isn’t that just kinda… autism? Like, super direct, knew a ton about the bridge, doesn’t understand social cues, lives by a general set of rules. Again, could be 100 wrong, but those were the vibes I got.

• The actual plot resolution itself. They didn’t deal with the threat of the item or the lady (at least, not onscreen), they didn’t deal with the hoarde of undead (I don’t think), and the whole arc of “should I revive my wife? Or should I just let what was, be, because after everything that’s happened it wouldn’t be the same?” It was a really nice and genuinely touching arc that they just COMPLETELY OBLITERATED when they had the Barbarian die.

Just real quick, before I finish, I’m going to compare to other pretty successful media.

• Right after this I saw The Super Mario Movie, another film that loosely adapted their main story to a film that was trying again after a massive flop many years ago. The Mario Movie pulled this off really well, I thought. It was funny, and explained some of the lore in the games, albeit retroactively.

• Legend of Vox Machina: A D&D Campaign adaptation series, that I enjoy quite a bit. I find myself pointing at the screen and saying “Oh, that’s totally an action surge” or “Failed CON save right there.” Beside that, there was some good humor (both child friendly and not).

• The 201X Jumanji Movie. It has the same basic premise as DND:HAT : a party of people who each have their own role to play all have to get to some objective through an RPG style campaign. Again, alright humor, maybe not the best movie, but it’s one I want to watch again.

anyway, I’m writing this at 1:00 local time, so me tired. But yeah, these are my thoughts. Just had to get them off my chest.

(also, please tell me if I got something wrong. I’d rather feel stupid for two minutes than look stupid for until college.)

[wow-cool-robot]

Episode 17: Amuro Deserts

wonder what the final straw is for amuro this episode

the transformation from core fighter to gundam is silly, but them doing training exercises makes up for a lot

also the op into actual content, then narration is nice

interesting that the word translated to "deserts" is "dassou". weird linguistic convergence there

amuro is gaming! on paper and pen with a 70s computer doing green and black results. really cool stuff!

the interrogation room is very funny to me.

oh you just see a tit in this episode? wild what you can get away with on japanese tv. not even done in a gross way, just stood out to me

also if this was made today the kikka thing would be so much grosser. honestly, even if it was done the same way i'd still be worried about the show

did that serve any purpose beyond it being kind of funny to see amuro all flustered?? we'll see!

hamon and ramba ral look sick with those coats

he looks way older than her, but apparently he's only 35???? anime ages are wild. i can buy her being ~35 i guess

sayla coming in clutch in this escape attempt! also he's right, they are amateurs

why is amuro in the guntank? a lot of things are going wrong rn

that's super important info that got leaked! char knew, but he might have been the only one to survive, and i'm not sure he really cared

sayla doesn't have a great track record with pointing guns at people

"mr bright doesn't really understand tactics yet." you are 15!!!! "fighting everything with the gundam isn't always best" ah well i know you have no way of knowing this but the show is mobile suit gundam not guntank!

if i were amuro i would never get in the guntank. strictly inferior. unless the gundam is still being repaired

lmao at the little loony tunes eye gag when he trips on haro

amuro tactics fail

i don't think you should bazooka the airlock room door! that's important if you go back to space!

rip that guy. good on him for not taking the kids hostage though

sayla ice cold!

i think they ripped this music for evangelion! (17:20)

they're really selling ramba ral as a threat here

amuro's really going through it, huh

brights right, but idk if that's going to convince amuro

him overhearing that conversation is convenient, but whatever

jesus bright! spare a moment to remember the person!

i thought the title would be about amuro leaving and coming back at the end, like that one episode of eva, but he's leaving at the end. wonder what comes next to make him come back?

also i guess the bathroom scene was just pointless? maybe they had time to fill and decided fanservice was what the show needed. oh well, it wasn't too bad

[uppermocns-moved]

𝘢𝘰𝘵 + 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘥

eren, armin, levi, jean

𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 – nsfw (minors don’t like/reblog/respond), mentions of hard kinks, female reader. shifts in and out of canonverse/modernverse so use your imagination! 

𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘫𝘢𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘳 

always dominant. can be hard or soft dom depending on the mood.

into harder kinks (with heavy communication and consent): somno, breeding, impact play, breath play, free use, etc.

super high sex drive and usually always horny. when he’s bored, he’ll jerk off to pictures you’ve sent him and porn you’ve made together (he’s not camera shy), but never let himself cum, just lazily edge.

he edges for days at a time – not only goes it feel so fucking good, but it gives him thicker loads to pump inside you later.

obsessed with cumming inside you. he’ll fuck load after load as deep as he can inside you, watch in awe as it leaks out of you, then use his fingers to push it back in. he’s not shy about his possessiveness and this is just a further reminder that you’re his.

secretly doesn’t mind when you scratch up his back – he loves looking in the mirror and seeing visual evidence of how good he made you feel.

also secretly loves when you give him hickies in obvious spots. he does absolutely nothing to hide them, he loves reminding everyone of his place. it’s a nonverbal way of saying “i’m taken, fuck off”

wouldn’t care if he broke his neck from you riding his face. he welcomes it, actually.

heavily into bdsm (emphasis on the s&m), and dom/sub dynamics. while he loves perfect little subs that’ll treat him like some sort of god, he adores when you get bratty and talk back. makes things a lot more fun.

loves embarrassing you.

“my god, baby, can fuckin’ hear how wet you are.” “soaking your panties and i didn’t even fuckin’ touch you. what’s got you so wet, sweetheart? thinking of my cock?” “that felt good, didn’t it? don’t hide from me, pumpkin, let me see your pretty face.”

threesomes. foursomes. you name it. while eren’s possessive over you, he doesn’t mind sharing with his friends (if you consent, of course). he loves knowing how worked up everyone gets over his girlfriend, loves fucking you in front of them to show everyone how wrapped around his finger you are.

safeword! mean and rough is what eren does best. even while he’s slapping you around and calling you dummy, or an eager little slut for his cock, he’ll still check in with you and make sure you’re still feeling good and enjoying yourself. he may like hurting you, but he never wants to actually hurt you. never forgets aftercare, either, you’re still his precious angel that he loves more than anyone.

he’s incredibly vocal – dirty talk, moaning, growling, cursing, degradation.

if you’re too tired to go all the way, he loves mutual masturbation, or jerking himself off while you talk dirty in his ear. always wants to hear what you want him to do to you.

big fan of including toys, usually always fucking you with your magic wand on your clit.

sex without the power dynamics is still very intense and passionate. lots of making out, scratching his back and pulling him closer, deep thrusts, curses, eren telling you he loves you, kissing your forehead while you cum.

𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘵

doesn’t really involve himself in strict power dynamics. he’s very versatile and the role he assumes depends on the mood.

prefers biting over spanking and choking you with his fingers over wrapping a hand around your throat (but he will do both).

loves eating pussy and will tease you by gently kissing you through your panties. definitely bites your inner thighs. whispers to you from between your legs and tells you how good you taste. makes you cum over and over, each time moaning into your core and tightening his grip on your thighs to keep you right where he wants you. he only stops when you’re crying and twitching, physically unable to cum one more time.

loves when you’re rough and press his face into your pussy or pull his hair to guide his mouth where you want it. you can hurt him a little. as a treat.

loves when you grab him by the chin and pull him up for a desperate kiss after he eats you out for hours.

goes heavy on the body worship, especially when you wear pretty lil outfits for him.

memorized your body and knows it better than you do. he knows when you’re close, you can’t hide from him.

his possessive side comes out hardcore during sex – armin doesn’t share. he’ll bite marks into your flesh and use his sweet, soft-spoken voice to get into your head. he wants to be the only thought in your mind, the source of all your pleasure.

“mine. you’re all mine. not fuckin’ sharing you.”

if you want him to, he can be fucking mean. he contrasts his harsh words with gentle touches, or tells you sweet things while patting your cheek just a little too rough. it’s almost scary how effortlessly he can change his demeanor to someone entirely different.

loves when you come by to “help” him study (lazily jerk him off while he does his required reading and assignments).

actually just loves when you jerk him off for that matter, especially when he gets to rut into your fist until he’s overstimulated and making a mess of your hand.

easily excitable – just gotta kiss him with tongue all soft and slow and he’ll get all flustered poking against your leg

obsessed with having his mouth on your tits – sucking them, licking them, letting his hand palm and grope at the one not receiving attention.

eye contact is a massive turn on and makes everything feel so much more intimate. he’ll gently grab your chin and redirect your sight, or give your inner thigh a little nip to make you open your eyes again. “focus on me, sweet girl.”

armin’s weaknesses are praise and heavy personal attention. sometimes he’s stressed out and just needs you to take care of him. he’ll sit between your legs, back pressed to your front, and let you stroke him until he’s overstimulated or so pent-up from denial. it makes him dizzy when you whisper praise in his ear, telling him how pretty he looks and how good he’s being for you.

“you wanna cum for me, pretty boy? that feel good? you like when i touch you like this, don’t you? such a good boy for me, armin.”

𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘪 𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯

no defined power dynamic/roles – you do whatever the mood calls for. sometimes he’s pounding you into next week, sometimes you’re denying him orgasms for two hours straight until his voice cracks when he begs.

that being said, levi is a natural brat-tamer and can be a hard dom when he’s agitated and needs to blow off steam. his job is literally to keep brats in check – he doesn’t tolerate insubordination or backtalk (sometimes you test that out though). 

restraining your arms behind your back with his belt, spanking you until you can’t sit, reprimanding slaps, filthy degradation, punishing thrusts. he can be mean. 

“soaking through your panties and i didn’t even touch you. pathetic.” “i wasn’t fucking asking. knees, now.” 

he’s a masochist and loves when you scratch up his back, wrap a hand around his throat, bite him, pull his hair, etc.

borderline sadistic in the way that he will make you cum twenty times before he even considers letting up. he’s relentless. 

loves watching you get yourself off, or make out with you while you get each other off 

gets weak when you pull him in by the shirt collar

holds your hands :)

quickies are usually the only option due to your chaotic schedules. you get at least five minutes alone together, you don’t take it for granted. 

slow morning sex is his favorite – the sun is barely peeking over the horizon and you don’t have to worry about the outside world yet. it’s just the two of you and you can really take your time. 

starts off kind of shy about being vocal and you need to ease him into it

after he finishes, he’ll take a moment to caress and admire your pretty face and kiss your forehead, then make a teasing comment about how you’re sweaty. 

gets a little carried away and accidentally rips all the buttons off your shirt

giving you head is a form of stress relief for him, he really just loves pleasuring you 

takes incredible care of you afterwards – acts as a crutch when your legs are too shaky, gets you water, wipes away messes with a damp cloth, even runs you a bath if you have that much time.

“tch. don’t say i never do anything for you, brat.”

likes when you give him hickies in spots that his uniform will cover. it’s a secret that only the two of you are in on.

levi gets a little publicly affectionate when you return to your duties after having sex – still incredibly reserved, but he’ll ruffle your hair and look at you with the fondest eyes. maybe give your hand a squeeze if nobody’s looking.

𝘫𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘬𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘪𝘯

naturally dominant. typically a softer dom unless you provoke him, then he has no issue roughing you up and fucking you into a drooling mess.

so big and strong and loves any position that demonstrates that – fucking you against the wall with your legs wrapped tight around his hips, stand-and-carry, having you on top and bouncing you like you weigh nothing. 

loves when you dig your nails into his back

slightly prefers ass over tits but is overall a leg/thigh kind of guy. includes feet. i’m so sorry.

stockings/thigh high socks/fishnets/garters absolutely knock him out 

great stamina while you’re fucking but almost instantly falls asleep when you’re done. or just wants to cuddle. 

mildly into somnophilia (receiving – loves being woken up with blowjobs)

praises you heavily while you’re riding him

“that’s it, just like that. good girl. good fucking girl.” 

can get a little too romantic when he’s really close and not thinking clearly

“gonna make me cum, angel, love this pussy so fucking much. love you so fucking much.” 

prefers cumming inside you but he’s really just happy to be included 

he gets a little goofy during quickies and does things like bite your asscheek before eating you out. 

secretly loves when you tie his wrists to the headboard and use him however you want. overstimulation is one of his favorite things, especially when it’s your hand forcing orgasm after orgasm from him. 

generally into rope-play but also really likes using his hands and sheer strength alone

bite his bottom lip or gently touch his upper thigh and he’s instantly hard

he’s a hopeless romantic! masturbating alone isn’t the same! he likes dirty-talking on the phone with you when you’re not together, or he just waits until you are. 

will break the headboard and dent the wall if he gets carried away

loves shower sex after stressful days

gets hard from making out – especially if you’re half-dressed on his lap and grinding against his bulge. sometimes he can feel you all warm and throbbing through your panties and he almost blacks out. 

worships your pussy but he will actually start writing his vows the moment you take him down your throat. 

request your fav here. more of my writing. 

[marauderundercover]

How We Fell: Ch. 23

Day 23: Cheer/Goodbye

AO3

Prev

For a holiday that she hadn’t really planned to celebrate, Marinette was having a really good time. Damian’s family was amazing (Bruce had been more present than she’d expected, but she suspected that Selina Kyle had something to do with that), and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was super cool. Her favorite part was definitely all of the different costumes and outfits. There were the ones featured on floats, some of the balloon handlers had special costumes, and then of course the Broadway performances. Some of the dance teams and marching bands had outfits that weren’t…great, but she also understood that they were trying to dress large numbers of people with a certain budget. So she could forgive them. Heroes and villains, however? They were open season. And Jason was determined to hear as many of her opinions as possible. She was still upset that one of her classmates had posted the video of her confrontation with the Riddler (her parents had flipped).

“What about Superman and Superboy?” Jason asks, a shit-eating grin on his face. Everyone was curled up on one of the couches in the den, stomachs full, and (most, anyway) were more than content to listen to her rip apart different aspects of hero costumes. She guessed it was because they thought she had nothing bad to say about the Bats’ costumes. They were, of course, mistaken. Marinette huffs, remembering how easily she’d figured out Jon’s identity. She was almost positive Nino knew too, and the only reason she didn’t know if Chat knew was because she didn’t know if Chat had ever interacted with Jon’s civilian identity.

“I think that all of them are ridiculous for not wearing a mask. And I know that they’re technically aliens or whatever, but why do both of the Superboys wear jeans instead of something armored? Or at the very least an actual uniform like Superman. I have several problems with the capes as well, but I’d have to get up close to see if my concerns are warranted.” She rambles, pressing into Damian’s side as everyone stares at her. “What?”

“Why would you need to be close for the capes?” Tim asks, eyebrows furrowed. Marinette ‘oh’s’, and gives a lopsided grin.

“A cape can be a major hindrance if there isn’t some sort of quick release system.” She explains, sitting up fully again. The whole ‘cape’ debate was something that she felt passionately about. There was one time Chat Noir had shown up with a cape, but she’d vetoed it pretty quickly. Call her paranoid, but she’d taken that speech about capes in The Incredibles pretty seriously.

“Really?” Bruce asks, quirking an eyebrow. She resists the urge to give the man a Ladybug glare. As both a hero and a designer, she felt she had enough knowledge to back up her stance. Not that they knew that. She nods.

“Have you ever had someone grab the back of your shirt or jacket as you were trying to get away?” She asks, trying to use a scenario that she was sure they’d faced. After all, Gotham paparazzi was no joke. Bruce and Dick both nod immediately, the others nodding or shrugging half heartedly. “It stops you. Most of the time, if you’re stronger than whoever grabbed you, you can get away pretty quickly. However, a cape is just a bunch of fabric hanging off. It’s not attached to a person like a shirt or jacket is. Which means that a bad guy could easily get a good grip on the fabric and use it against the hero. Whether it’s to restrain them or choke them, or something else, a cape can and will be used against a hero. Which is why I said they’d need a quick release system. If they can get the cape off quick enough, it doesn’t matter how good of a grip the villain has on the cape, the hero should be able to get out.” Marinette finishes her ramble, blushing slightly as Selina whistles lowly.

“That’s pretty insightful, kitten. Need anymore friends here in Gotham?” She asks. Marinette ignores the soft huff from Damian and the glare Bruce was giving Selina, nodding instead.

“I could always use some more friends.” She says happily. Selina grins.

“Fantastic. I have some other friends, we usually have a girl’s night on Fridays at one of our apartments. Usually involves watching movies, judging them, and then eating a bunch of junk food.” Selina says. Marinette laughs, grinning.

“That actually sounds like a lot of fun. I’ve made a couple of friends in class, but they’re just like…class friends. Like we’ll go study or grab a coffee, but nothing like I had in Paris.” She says with a half hearted smile.

“Are you regretting coming to Gotham?” Damian asks, his eyebrows furrowed in worry. Marinette shakes her head.

“Not at all. I love it here, surprisingly. And I love not having to control my emotions 24/7. It’s just…different. But I don’t regret it. At all.” She reassures him, linking his pinky with her own. She knew he wasn’t a big fan of PDA, but he also looked like he needed reassurance that she wasn’t upset about being here. About being with him. His face relaxes slightly. Before Jason can ask her about yet another hero costume, her phone rings shrilly. Marinette winces.

“Sorry, I’m just gonna step into the hall.” She says, frowning down at the caller ID. Honestly, she loved Adrien (as a friend, of course), but he had some bad timing.

“Mari!” He says, a wide grin on his face the second she answers the facetime request. Marinette raises an eyebrow.

“Adri. Aren’t you supposed to be, oh, I don’t know, spending time with your boyfriend’s family? Just like me?” She asks. He opens his mouth, then shuts it, wincing.

“Okay so I may have forgot that you were going to see Damian’s family.” He says, smiling apologetically. Marinette sighs.

“It’s fine. I just assumed you would be too busy trying to impress Jon’s grandparents to call me today.” She teases slightly, laughing at the blush that covers her friend’s face.

“Don’t tease me, I was terrified. But guess what? I didn’t have to be! They’re awesome, Mari. And they actually like me, which I totally don’t deserve-”

“Adrien Agreste if you do not stop talking down about yourself, I swear that I am coming to Paris to slap your father and then slap some sense into you.” She says firmly. Adrien frowns.

“Why would you slap Father?” He asks. She huffs.

“Obviously because he hasn’t done a good enough job of reassuring you that you are amazing. Seriously, Adrien, you need to love yourself a little more. I know it can be hard, but you’re an amazing person. And whoever told you you aren’t is a freaking liar.” Marinette rambles, glad that akumas couldn’t reach her in Gotham. It made her so mad that Adrien’s father had done such an awful job of making sure Adrien knew that he was loved. And that it was okay for people to love him. That he deserved it.

“But I’m not amazing, Mari.” He says quietly, a prominent frown on his face. “I mess up all the time. I make mistakes. And sometimes, I’m not as reliable as I want to be-”

“But you try, Adrien. And that’s a lot more than some people can say. You try to do what you think is best, and you try to be reliable and be there for your friends. You don’t have to be perfect to be amazing. You don’t have to be perfect to deserve love.” She says, smiling sadly at her friend. He sniffles slightly, and her heart breaks a little. She couldn’t wait to go home for Christmas. She was definitely going to wrap him up in a big blanket and make him watch Christmas movies with her. And then, when they got tired of those, they’d watch Disney movies. Because it was obvious that her friend was hurting, and she wanted nothing more than to help him.

“God, I miss you Mari.” Adrien says, wiping the tears from his eyes. Marinette smiles.

“Miss you too, Adrien.” She says. He sighs, looking at something she can’t see.

“I should probably go. The Kents are going to be wondering why I’ve been in the bathroom for so long.” He says, his face reddening as she laughs.

“You are such a mess.” She says fondly. He shrugs, grinning.

“But I’m your mess.” He teases. She snorts.

“Bye, Adrien.” She says, waving. He grins.

“Goodbye Marinette!” He gives her one of his blinding smiles before he hangs up. She lets out a breath, shaking her head. He’d be okay. And once this contract with his dad was up, she’d do everything she could to help him leave. She’d help him leave now, if he really wanted. They’d just have to find a lawyer willing to do the work to break his current contract. And she wasn’t completely sure she’d be able to find a lawyer willing to go against M. Agreste like that. Pushing the thoughts aside, she walks back into the den, ignoring the curious gaze that Bruce had locked on her. Honestly, he didn’t have to know everything. She respected him as both Batman and her boyfriend’s dad, but he kind of annoyed her.

“Everything okay?” Damian asks, softly enough that no one else could hear. She nods, giving him a small smile.

“The Kents didn’t hate Adrien. He was very relieved.” She says. Damian rolls his eyes.

“I do not believe the Kents have the ability to hate someone unless they have done something awful.” He scoffs. She shrugs.

“That’s what I tried to tell him yesterday, but it’s Adrien.” She says. He nods. He’d been able to see a few of Adrien’s panic attacks while he was in Paris. Most of them revolved around Jon and how his Father would react. Which was interesting. Marinette tunes back into the conversation everyone else was having.

“I’m telling you, it would be a Katniss/Peeta situation.” Dick insists. Marinette frowns.

“What are you talking about?” She asks. Tim huffs.

“We’re trying to stick known heroes into the Hunger Games. And Dick’s convinced that not only would Ladybug and Chat Noir win, but they’d use the same ‘star crossed lovers’ act that Katniss and Peeta used in the movie.” He says.

“And book.” Jason adds. Tim glares at him. Marinette frowns.

“I don’t know about that. Ladybug has always been very vocal about not having feelings for Chat Noir.” She says, thinking back to the multitude of interviews and statements she’d made throughout the years. “Someone even got akumatized once because they were heartbroken that Ladybug and Chat Noir weren’t a couple.” She adds.

“I think it’s a ruse.” Dick says, shrugging. “If they came forward about a relationship, that just gives their enemies amo. They would know a weakness to exploit.” Marinette bites her tongue. Because Dick had a good point. And she knew that chances of her convincing him (without outright saying ‘I’m Ladybug and have no romantic feelings for Chat Noir’) were slim.

“Who did you pit them against?” Damian asks.

“Superboy, Wondergirl, Kid Flash, Robin-” Tim starts listing, but Marinette laughs.

“There’s no way.” She says. Tim quirks an eyebrow.

“Such little faith in your hometown heroes?” He asks. She shrugs.

“I’m being realistic. First of all, you were working under the assumption that Ladybug and Chat Noir would still work together, correct?” She asks. He nods. “Okay, well what’re the odds that these other heroes wouldn’t just team up? I’ve seen pictures of at least some of them working together. And they all have mentors in the Justice League, right? So chances are they know each other. Even just a little bit. If they don’t team up to the end, that’s fine, but they’d definitely team up to get rid of the outliers, right? And that’s what Ladybug and Chat Noir are. Outliers.” Tim blinks at her as Dick frowns.

“Do you not like the French heroes?” He asks. She shakes her head.

“That’s not what I’m saying at all. They’re great. One time when an akuma tried to take me on a date, Chat Noir saved me. And Ladybug’s Cure is the only reason my parents and I are still here. I’m just saying, they’re not on a bigger team. They kind of just have themselves, right? So it makes sense that, if put up against all of the other heroes Tim was talking about, heroes that have help from the League and other big named heroes, it just makes sense that they’d be the first out. I wouldn’t want that, but I’m just being realistic. Besides, this is just some silly what if situation, right? I mean, I don’t think Ladybug and Chat Noir have done anything to get on the bad side of the League.” Marinette laughs a little at the end, realizing how quiet the room had gotten. She scans the room, from Damian’s scowl to Jason’s pursed lips, and realizes she may have overshared just a bit.

“You’ve died in attacks?” Jason asks, his voice tense. Marinette winces, memories rushing her all at once.

“Um, yeah. I uh, yes.” She fumbles, not loving the reminder of some of her worst memories. Akumatized individuals didn’t remember what they did. But their victims? The innocents caught in the crossfire? They remembered. They were the ones to wake up gasping, the memory of drowning too much. Or the memory of being impaled with a sword. Or beaten with a lead pipe. Some people who were killed traumatically left Paris, too afraid that their memories and ensuing panic attacks would cause them to be akumatized. Marinette wasn’t that lucky (back when she lived in Paris). She got to remember her deaths and also not let them get to her because she had a city to save. Kagami had actually been Ladybug the times that Marinette had died. Obviously, she didn’t know Marinette’s identity, but Tikki knew it was safe to go to Kagami when they needed a Ladybug. It helped that Kagami had such a set-in-stone view of what Ladybug should look like, that her costume was practically identical.

“Marinette.” Damian says, Marinette blinks and looks at him, frowning at the realization that he must have been calling her name.

“Sorry.” She mutters.

“Do not apologize, Miss Marinette. This has long passed being an appropriate subject.” Alfred says, giving the boys a look. Marinette just smiles awkwardly, resisting the urge to pull out her phone and do something so that she doesn’t feel like everyone’s looking at her anymore.

“Well, it’s getting late. I think I’m going to retire to my study. Thank you all for coming today. Selina, if I may have a word with you for a moment.” Bruce says, standing and nodding before walking out of the room, Selina trailing behind him with a roll of her eyes. Marinette frowns, glancing at the clock on the wall. Must be time for them to get ready for patrol, she thinks.

“I should probably get going too. I’m kind of behind on a few projects.” She says. Damian frowns, but stands.

“I can drive you back.” He offers. She smiles and agrees, giving the others quick goodbyes before following Damian to his car. They sit in silence for a few minutes, before Damian clears his throat. “I apologize if the earlier conversation brought up some disturbing memories.” He says. She glances at him, frowning at the worried look on his face.

“It’s not your fault. And it’s not that bad, just not something I’ve had to think about for a while.” She says, shrugging. Damian sighs.

“Did you say you had projects as an excuse?” He asks. She shakes her head.

“No, never. But I also figured it was time to leave. I didn’t want to overstay my welcome or anything.” Marinette says.

“Would it be presumptuous to assume that I am welcome to come upstairs to watch a movie with you?” Damian asks, glancing at her with a hopeful look. Marinette grins.

“Not at all. I love spending time, just us.” She says. His lips twitch up into a small smile.

“Good. I also enjoy that.” He says softly. Marinette just smiles, relaxing back into the seat. Her first Thanksgiving was definitely an interesting experience.

Next

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Story tag list: @kking13 @jayjayspixiepop @ritacrow-blog @fangirlingfanatic @basenikon @toodaloo-kangaroo @maribat-calendar-events @hammalammadamdam @kittyditzydancer

[mrs-evadne-cake]

S4: The Good, The Mediocre and The Weird

Yep, after the mess that was S3 I’m apparently easier to win back than your Intrepid Girl Reporter High School Ex, so there isn’t even a bad category, I truly enjoyed most aspects of the season. Hell, I have so much good will toward it even Murray was tolerable (might just be dead inside, who knows).

The Good:

The Characters: They’re back! They care about each other! They don’t act like they absolutely can’t stand each other for no reason and treat each other like trash! I was expecting pointless multi-episode bickering about if Lucas Had Really Betrayed Them or no one believing each other about supernatural shit absolutely arbitrability, but nope. I kept being pleasantly surprised as characters showed love and concern and logical priorities. Even minor characters like the Parents or Callahan and Powell, or Chrissy (RIP, I really liked you Chrissy) got some excellent, compassionate beats. 

There were also so MANY great little moments that actually show development (Nancy nearly breaking down in tears the SECOND she sees The Gang back together because she knows it’s happening again absolutely sent me) and so many great big ones (everything Max and Lucas do all season). Which brings me to-

Max: Season 4 belongs to Sadie Sink. It’s an understatement to say I was dreading Max’s plot line and thought she was going to end up reduced to a mouth-piece to retcon Billy into A Super Good Guy but I will HAPPILY eat crow. Fucking phenomenal, heartbreaking examination of survivor's guilt and trauma.

And she saves herself with THE POWER OF KATE BUSH AND FRIENDSHIP. The POWER OF FRIENDSHIP IS BACK GUYS.

Eddie: I’ll just keep the ball rolling on things I was wrong about. I honestly thought this character was going to be extraneous at best and eat up time that the show could really use for the main cast. Nope. Absolutely fantastic addition and fantastic character that I missed when he was off screen. Joe Quinn is incredible. 

Vecna: I like a spooky tentacle monster that talks to you in your head, drags your mind into another dimension, and breaks you down using visions of your fears and insecurities. Who would have guessed?

The Horror: Between the Crunch of Vecna and Hopper Gerald’s Gaming his foot (twice) there was some great, truly gnarly shit this season. Nice shout outs to Silence of the Lambs and Hellraiser and of course, Nightmare On Elm Street 3 Dream Warriors. Robert Englund is the GOAT as always.

D&D and The Satanic Panic: S3 felt like it was LARPING the 80′s, S4 goes back to actually feeling like it’s set in them. The introduction of the paranoia and general psychosis of Satanic Panic is really welcome and Mini-Patrick Batemen is finally the Unambiguously Sociopathic 80s Yuppie Jock that we deserve (if he gets fangirls I am going to throw myself off of a bridge). For anyone who lived the 80′s/90′s as a weird goth a PTA mob is nearly as scary as Vecna and genuinely uncomfortable to watch.

Speaking of D&D Eddie actually knows how to DM which is a nice change from...whatever it is the kids were doing before. 

MK Ultra : Evil U.S. Government Agents are back where they belong on the top of the Villain Pile.  

Steve and Robin, Juggling that Brain Cell: God, I love these two. I love that Steve continues to be cautious and genre savvy (”Everyone in this room has almost died like, 100 times so-”) and still rocking his nearly-supernaturally good instincts about when things are Going Wrong until the SECOND he gets the place at the grown-up table and IMMEDIATELY grandstands and nearly gets eaten by the flying motherfuckers from The Mist. A+ Steve-ing.

I’ve heard some complaints about Robin this season, but I thought she was great. Definitely getting some neuroatypical vibes and she just generally seems like the Same Robin but much more comfortable being herself around the people she’s with than S3. Like every character last season I always thought there were times that she was a little TOO acerbic for no reason so definitely not missing that. Let my girl be excited by Nancy’s ridiculously cliche bedroom.

Stancy: I'm pretty agnostic when it comes to shipping but I do like portrayals of the fact that people aren’t static and just because someone wasn’t right for you at one point, doesn’t mean they never will be ( or vise versa; sometimes people just grow apart and that’s okay). So I actually like it fine in concept especially since last season made it pretty clear the writers really don’t know where to go with Nancy and Jonathan and aren’t interested in trying to work it out. Which brings me to-

The Mediocre  

Stancy (Again): Can we PLEASE have Nancy actually break up properly with her current boyfriend instead of falling in love with whoever has been fighting evil next to her for more than an hour? This is a straight up habit at this point and it’s a really...questionable character trait. I blame Murray and his shared trauma BS for this. 

The Upside Down: Between how relatively easy travel was, and how fast they got out this place is undergoing some serious Eldritch location decay. Also I know they’ve all been read into the secret (and Steve’s been in the tunnels, if not the Upside Down proper) but a few seconds of Existential Angst from everyone but Nancy about the scale of the Hellish Dead World they’re trapped in would have been welcome. But no one’s got time for that ‘cause we gotta get to to-

Russia: Look, it’s better. IT’S WAY better. If S3 was Rocky and Bullwinkle this is fucking Chernobyl in comparison so I don’t hate it- and Dmitri is ANOTHER fantastic new character and David Harbor is bringing it so hard it almost makes be forget what a giant tit Hop was S3 but it still feels like a plot tumor when I just want to get back to plucky teens fighting evil. And speaking of plot tumors-

Joyce and Murray Go To Russia To Fight Russians: *sigh*

That Half-Hug: Mike Wheeler I will rip your face off with my teeth, you little fucker. I could have gone without another Season of the Mike-Will-El Dynamic being the exact same Will Pining, Mike Being Inexplicably Mean to Will, El and Mike Fight. I don’t care who ends up with who but can we like...move this shit along?

The Flash Backs: The director thinks we have retrograde amnesia again. STOP BREAKING UP INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCES WITH POINTLESS FLASHBACKS.

The Weird

Stancy (Again, Again): Okay, writers, what the fuck. Why are we stopping scenes to have characters that barely know them as a couple try to put this relationship over?  The first time this happened it was weird, by the third I thought I was having a stroke. Eddie. Baby. You are IN A HELL DIMENSION IS THIS REALLY THE TIME? No it is NOT. STOP MURRAY-ING. They were doing fine with the two of them quietly starting to rekindle the affection they had for each other-  stop turning random characters into yentas every time you want Nancy to get some.

California Road Trip Crew : I don’t...even know how to feel about this group. When it first started I thought I had wished for Stoner Jonathan on a monkey’s paw and was ready to go full ‘Look how they massacred my boy’ but everything about it has grown on me and by the time they were burying a federal agent in the desert I just gave up and decided to enjoy... whatever the hell this is. Which is good because boy howdy-

Susie’s House : Does anyone else smell burning toast? Sure, lets do a random 15 minutes of 80′s/90′s Unsupervised Child Comedy. Fuck it. I’m in. 

[cupidsintern]

shot thru the heart, pt 3

pt 1 //pt 2

-

Steve staves off actually caving and asking Billy for the notes for as long as he possibly can. Which is like, four days.

He actually needs those notes, for real, because he hasn’t been able to write a single fucking thing except the day’s date on his paper since…. Since Billy started sitting behind him at the beginning of the semester. It’s just been distracting, okay? That’s all.

That’s all.

And if Steve thinks about this anymore his head is going to literally explode so-

“Hey, Hargrove.” Steve catches up to Billy just as they are both leaving class. And he spaces out for a millisecond thinking how every time he thinks about blonde-curls-blue-eyes he thinks Billy, but what he says is ‘Hargrove.’

Billy slows, looks over his shoulder a little like he’s letting Steve know he’s allowed to continue, but he doesn't stop walking. He’s a faster walker than Steve, even though Steve’s legs are longer. Too long- he feels like a fucking. One of those. Desert-deer things. Antelope? No, a gazelle- it’s a gazelle.

“I, uh,” Steve realizes he’s never actually walked anywhere with Billy before, and has never entertained the possibility, but he started talking, so he may as well keep going. “If you’re still cool with it, borrowing your notes would be like, really helpful.” Why does he sound so stilted?

“Sure.” Billy seems so impartial to the whole thing, but Steve grins, a little relieved.

“Great! Uh, thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” Billy nudges past him.

Now Steve’s standing alone on the sidelines of the main hall. And he feels warm all over again.

Steve is sitting at his desk the next day when a small stack of notes gets dropped in front of him- the paper snaps a little against the desk’s wood top.

Steve turns around in time to catch Billy sliding into the seat behind him.

“Hey,” Steve smiles, tries to think of something else to say like ‘thanks again’ when Billy goes,

“That's everything I have from this unit. Don’t write on them cause I want them back.”

“Okay,” Steve thinks Billy seems like he's trying to compensate for something. “Thanks again.”

Billy shrugs. But he does smile a bit. One of his nothing-matters-I'm-cool smiles.

“Maybe we could study together sometime-” Steve says before thinking about it at all, so it comes out way lower than he means it to so he has to clear his throat and go “If you want.”

Steve panics for a split second, something trying to flip over in his chest and he worries Billy’s gonna think he was asking something else, is gonna get him all wrong- but-

“If I didn't know better I’d say you were asking me to hangout, Harrington.” Billy laughs just a little. A little huff, sharp off his tongue.

Steve looks away, then looks back to Billy. “I mean, sure, yeah.”

Steve can swear Billy lights up for a second, smiles a little brighter, sits up more- but then, no. Billy only looks nonchalant again. “Hm. Maybe.” Then he looks back at his own notebook. And Steve takes that as a signal that the conversation is Now Over.

He turns back to his desk. Billy’s notes are still there.

It's days before the test, and Steve is sure that Billy's notes would be super helpful if he was actually reading them for clarity and understanding or whatever, but instead he’s discovered something entirely different, scribbled in the margins of almost every page; commentary. Billy writes literal commentary, more scrawly and casual than the rest of his legible nites.

Shit like; “Incorrect date in lecture but who’s gonna notice that certainly not the guy whos supposed to be fucking teaching us this no sir” and “just saw a bird out the window” and “Five minutes in and you have no idea what’s going on huh?”

That last one seems a little sweeter than the two before it, though. Like Billy’s talking to someone, other than himself.

Steve loves looking at those notes.

Loves the slopes and slants of the writing. Loves the commentary. Loves the little doodles Billy does in the margins. A knife with a spiraly handle. A skull that’s actually pretty good, could make a good tattoo maybe. Roses- lots of them. All different sizes. And a little heart with an arrow shot through it. Steve didn’t know Billy likes to draw. He’s not half bad. Steve smiles to himself a little. Runs his hand over one of the roses absently, wonders if they’re Billy's favorite because they’re Steves favorite, because they’re the classic-

Steve should probably be learning a lot more than he was though.

Steve actually studies for a few days. Like two, but still. He looks at Billy's notes multiple times. Actually invests time and energy into learning shit. So, you know, good for him. Good for him, managing to get good enough with Billy to actually reap the benefits of almost-friendship, because honestly maybe they could be friends, right? Maybe.

Hopefully.

Steve kind of likes sitting near Billy now, kind of likes the banter they have going, likes how Billy never makes him feel dumb, even if he calls him dumb…

But he still leaves class right as the bell rings, quick as a whip crack. Steve can barely even get in a ‘goodbye.’

He’s only a little disappointed, but it’s not like he has any reason to care-

He looks down.

Billy’s notebook. On the ground in the desk aisle.

It must have fallen out of Billy’s backpack on his brisk way out.

Steve scoops it up, shoves it in his backpack, and is out the door without so much as a second thought.

The second thoughts kick in when Steve gets home. When he tosses his backpack on his bed and paces around like that's gonna do anything before walking back over and pulling Billy’s notebook out and just, Holding it. Looking at it. Feeling overcome with.. Something.

He should open it. No, he shouldn’t, it’s not his.

But he wants to.

Billy ripped out pages to give him notes, clearly there’s stuff in here for Billy’s eyes only.

Steve can’t help himself.

He opens it.

And honestly, it’s pretty standard stuff. Old notes. More commentary that Steve relishes with every new word. A doodle of Bugs Bunny holding a joint that’s actually pretty good.

And a half-ripped page in the back that reads:

“Literally so beautiful it’s impossible not to-

But I don’t think you’re a dumbass-

I promise. Which is dumb, bec-

but I can’t help myself. I-

wish you knew how -

wonder if I’m i-

smells good-

Stupid-”

It’s a love letter. Steve’s dumb, but he’s not stupid. No doubt in his mind- this is a love letter.

Steve sits there. Reading the broken up sentences, over and over.

Billy wrote a love letter. Unmistakably his handwriting. Pieces of beautiful ideas about someone Billy is clearly crazy about-

And Steve’s heat sinks. Sinks all the way down from its high-falutin place in his throat, pushing at the back of his tongue down, down, into the darkest pit of his stomach. Immediately he knows-

That warm feeling from before? The all consuming too-hot cinnamon and grease feeling from before was not jealousy.

This is jealousy.

The idea that Billy cares about someone enough to write them a letter in his perfect pretty collected handwriting makes Steve sick with envy. He just sort of figured he was the only person relevant enough to take up Billy's brainspace. Not like anyone else thinks about Steve in any way anymore…

Steve drops the notebook back on his bed like it burned him. He sits on the edge of his bed, tilts his head up to the ceiling, closes his eyes.

Fuck. Fuck please dear god why now.

Steve wished this was the first time this had happened. The first time he'd stumbled his way into thinking about a guy like that.

But it wasn't. God he didn't want to have to think about this. He tries never to think about this shit. It wasn't like it happened all the time, wasn't like he couldn't just wait for it to go away like he had before.

But it did mean he had to stop talking to Billy right the fuck now.

No more copying his notes. No more maybe-hanging out. No more fucking banter in class. Steve needed to crush this… fluke. Before it became anything worse.

But if he was so resolved to not think about Billy like that, then why couldn’t he just get rid of the torn letter?

-

part 4 coming sooon! the thrilling conclusion !!!

[dialovers-translations]

DIABOLIK LOVERS MORE BLOOD Vol.5: Mukami Yuma [Track 9+10]

Original title: どうでもいい & オレが噛み砕いてやる

Source: Diabolik Lovers More, Blood Vol. 5: Mukami Yuma [CD not owned by me]

Audio: Here

Seiyuu: Tatsuhisa Suzuki

Translator’s note: I survived another More, Blood CD...but I’m not sure if the same can be said about the MC in this one, oof. All of these early era CDs end in a super vague way where you can’t really tell if she ends up living or dying from blood loss. The latter seems more likely but logic doesn’t apply to the DL universe most of the time. :p I did enjoy translating this one because I just love the way Yuma talks. I used to struggle with him the most in terms of translating, but I’ve finally found a style I’m comfortable with and now he’s one of my favorite characters to translate for. 

Track 1+2 ll Track 3+4 ll Track 5+6 ll Track 7+8 ll Track 9+10

→  LIKE MY TRANSLATIONS? SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI!

TRACK 9: Whatever

*Rustle rustle*

“Fuck...I didn’t approach ya with this intention but...The more I suck yer blood...the better it becomes...Haah...I see...Right...I can just suck ya completely dry...then hand over yer empty, withered body to him. Hehe~ Aren’t I a genius? ...Ya think so too, don’t ya?”

*Smack smack*

[00:50] “Oi...Are ya listenin’? ...Ahn? Ya want to remain mine as well, don’t ya?”

*Rustle*

“Ah...Fuck...I’m thirsty again...The fuck’s goin’ on? This is bad...Did I get bewitched by yer blood as well?”

*Rustle rustle*

*Thud*

“Haah...Ughーー”

*RIIIIIIP*

“Haah...I bet you’re hidin’ even delicious blood somewhere, aren’t ya? Show me...!”

*RIIIIIP*

“Ughーー! Where is it!? Show it to me...!!”

*Sniff*

[01:44] “Haah...Smells great...Yer back smells lovely too...Aah...Your blood is more fragrant...than any perfume out there...”

He starts licking your back.

*Sluuuuurp*

“Haah...I can taste it even through your skin...Hahn...Mmh...”

*Sluuuuurp*

[02:26] “...I’m ashamed of myself...I’m actin’ like a starved dog right now...”

You beg for his fangs.

“Hehe...Aahー I don’t mind plungin’ my fangs in right away but the nerves here are really sensitive, ya know?”

*Rustle rustle*

[02:49] “Am I gonna go mad after I’ve indulged in every drop of blood flowin’ through your veins...? In that case, I want to take my time and savor the taste of yer blood for as long as I can...”

*Rustle*

“Mmh...Nn...Yer body is seriously sweet...This is messed up...Were ya made to be a Vampire trap or somethin’...?”

*Sluuuuurp*

[03:26] “I bet they got pushed ‘round by ya like this as well, didn’t they? In that case, they might be feelin’ relieved now that they’ve finally been freed from ya...Or perhaps they’re already frantically lookin’ to get ya back?”

*Rustle*

“But...Haahn...”

*Sluuuuurp*

“Aah...Hah...I won’t give ya up...Not to anyone...You belong to me. Don’t ya dare offer yer body to any other guy. Haah...”

*Sluuuuurp*

[04:14] “I see...All these dirty marks left across yer body are proof of possession, aren’t they? Hehe...Now it all makes sense. ...You’ve had all these guys leave their mark on ya from head to toe, yet you’re still not satisfied? Haha...What a greedy girl ya are. Ya disgust me.”

*Sluuuuurp*

“Hnnー!”

*Sluuuuurp*

[05:01] “Ugh...Haah...!! Haah, haah...It has started flowin’ out...The blood from here...is really sweet too...How to put it...? Like a fruit...It oozes out like juice the moment you bite down...Haahn...”

*Sluuuuurp*

“Hah...Mmh...Nn...”

*Sluuuuurp*

[05:36] “Aahー!! It coats the inside of my mouth...Seepin’ inside my body...Haah...This shit’s dangerous...One sip is enough to completely ruin ya...However, the moment ya get a taste, you’re done for...Haah...I don’t even want to imagine havin’ to go back to drinkin’ any other blood...Ahー For some reason...I no longer give a damn ‘bout anythin’ else.

[06:25] ...I want you...I want your blood...oh-so badly...I don’t know what to do with myself...I bet ya want me to mess ya up real good with my fangs as well, don’t ya...? I can tell that yer whole bein’...that yer blood is seekin’ me out...wantin’ me to bite ya all over...until ya drown in me...”

TRACK 10: I’ll Rip You Up With My Fangs

*Rustle*

“Haah...Twist your body more...Writhe around...tryin’ to lure me in...Come on. Where do ya want it next? Haah...Look at ya lyin’ there pantin’ while havin’ a guy hover over ya...Haha...It’s hilarious...”

*Rustle*

[00:39] “At this rate...I might end up devourin’ ya whole...I must have a few screws loose as well...It’s all yer fault tho’...Aren’t ya infected with some weird virus or somethin’...? One that makes Vampires grow exceptionally attached to ya...”

*Rustle*

“Well then...Where do ya want my fangs next? I’ll plunge them right in...Deeply...Down to the very core...”

*Rustle*

Yuma bites you again.

“Mmhーー!!”

*Sluuuuurp*

*Gulp*

“Mmh...Nn...”

*Sluuuuurp*

“...Aah...”

*Rustle*

[01:49] “I sunk my fangs into yer lower back...Hehe, bet ya can no longer even tell where I’m bitin’, can ya? Hah...”

*Sluuuuurp*

“Nnh...”

*Sluuuuurp*

“Mmph...Nn...”

*Sluuuuurp*

“Hah...Ughーー!!”

*Rustle rustle*

[02:24] “Oi...Say somethin’...If it feels good or not...I don’t want to feel like I’m gettin’ it on with some lifeless doll after all. Ah...?”

*Rustle*

“Oi...”

*Smack smack*

“Hehe...Guess you’ve really had all the energy sucked out of ya, huh? Oi, we’re not done yet. Haah?”

*Rustle*

[02:52] “Ugh...Haah...Not yet...Don’t lose consciousness just yet...Give me every single drop of yer blood...I’m still nowhere near satisfied...Neither are ya, am I wrong?”

*Rustle*

“ So...don’t be slouchin’ just yet...Ya can still offer more blood, can’t ya? Ah? Oi...Look this way.”

You turn your head towards Yuma.

“Exactly...Look at me....”

*Rustle rustle*

[03:28] “Come on, keep yer eyes on me. It’s much better than havin’ yer blood sucked while we can’t see each other’s faces, right? Hehehe...Chicks always want it their way after all...”

*Rustle*

[03:47] “Your body’s all twisted and turned...Ahー But I no longer care whether ya make it out alive or not...For some reason, the thought of havin’ some other guy runnin’ away with ya makes me burn with anger.”

*Rustle rustle*

“Mmh...”

Yuma bites you once more.

*Sluuuuurp*

“Hahn...”

*Sluuuuurp*

“Haah...Am I bein’ stubborn...? But if that means I get to keep ya all to myself...then I don’t give a damn...”

*Rustle rustle*

[04:45] “I’m just so parched...I want yer blood and that’s the only thing I give a flyin’ fuck ‘bout...If I have to hand ya over to someone else...I might just destroy everything and everyone ‘round me...Hahaha...Haah...Yer blood’s hella scary...I never thought I’d say these kind of things...Ya might not expect it, but I consider myself to be a pacifist. Gardenin’ is my hobby. Aah...If only you were one of the vegetables in my garden, then I could gobble ya up and just grow ya again afterwards...But I guess life isn’t that easy, huh?”

*Rustle*

[05:59] “I have no other choice...So I’ll love ya plenty, seekin’ ya out...As long as yer blood is this incredibly sweet at least...Haahn...”

*Sluuuuurp*

“Mmh...”

*Sluuuuurp*

“Nn...Mmh...”

*Sluuuuurp*

*Rustle*

*Sluuuuurp*

[06:48] “Leavin’ bite after bite...Until I’ve ripped ya apart with my fangs...There might be nothin’ of ya left by the end, but that’s what ya want, isn’t it...?”

*Rustle*

[07:08] “It’s written all over yer face...That ya want me...Want me to crave ya like this...Come on...Submit yerself to me...I’ll make ya feel amazing.”

*Rustle*

“Haahn...”

*Sluuuuurp*

“Mmh...Nn...”

*Sluuuuurp*

ーー THE END ーー 

[astaroth1357]

Demon Brothers Meeting the MC’s Family

I mean, if they have any family at all, what could they even tell them anyway? “Sorry Mom, still in Hell so I won’t make Thanksgiving but I’m doing great though!” This is another long one folks, but I lowkey kind of love it a whole lot. Sooo fun to write. One of my favorite posts so far.

Lucifer

Thinks it's a little weird that they’re so adamant to introduce their family to a literal demon but also kinda gets it. Family is the most important thing to him too.

Is very focused on making a good first impression, from image to attitude. Their approval isn’t going to do jack to stop him from being with the MC but he’d still take pride in being able to charm them for a night. Besides, if the MC cares then so does he.

Has more experience with the human world than the others so he’d know a lot of the do’s and don'ts already. They won’t need to worry about him making some kind of slip up.

Would love the irony if the MC’s family is religious at all. Christian/Jewish especially. May or may not play along with their little rituals but is going to make a lot of thinly veiled, passive-aggressive comments towards his "old man."

Would be most comfortable in a setting where there’s a lot of intellectual discussion or debate. He loves to steer a conversation down towards politics or other controversial things to get a rise out of people. The MC may need to reign him in if that’s a big no-go zone.

Isn’t really going to get along with any younger siblings the MC might have. Either he’s too stiff or too scary. If they’re looking for a playmate, look somewhere else.

Also not going to be particularly fond of any pets they have one way or another. Though he may take a shine to pitbulls or rottweilers because they remind him of Cerberus.

Mammon

You sure about this, MC? Him? Really? Are you really sure? He’s going to think they're crazy but he’s not going to refuse.

Will be so freaking excited if they’re from a well-to-do or, dare say, rich family. So much stuff to steal admire. Yeah, yeah no stealing from the MC’s family, he gets it... He’ll really try his best but it might be good to keep an eye on him.

Surprisingly though, he’s not going to be disgusted if they’re from a poor family either because the dude gets it. Money is hard to come by and things can be tough. He might even… pay... for some stuff while he’s there... You know, if he can. Don’t make a big deal out of it… He's got an image to keep.

He’ll try his best to not come off like a total scumbag and it may actually work. He’s rough around the edges but there’s plenty of chances for his better side to shine through as long as he stays on good behavior. 

They will have to be sure that he doesn’t get to talking too much because his dumbass will let it slip that he’s a demon. 

Mammon may not love kids but kids love him and any younger siblings are going to do the same. Even if he calls them little gremlins, he’ll let himself get roped into whatever game they’re playing and make it a lot of fun in the process.

Bring on the pets! He’s more of a dog person but he’ll play with a cat too. He may not be as animal-obsessed as Satan but he loves a good furry companion every once in a while.

Leviathan 

NOOOOO and you can’t make him!!! A social event involving strangers where he has to make a good impression?? Fuck no, that sounds like actual hell and he doesn’t want anything to do with it!

… But he also can’t just let the MC go back to the human world alone because what if they meet someone better than him and get reminded that they’re with a good-for-nothing otaku…? Okay he's going. But he’s going to pout about it.

His first impression is going to make him come off like a nervous wreck no matter what. There’s really no polishing this bundle of anxiety. The best he can hope for is to ride this thing out until it's done.

Will be pretty quiet and cling to the MC like a life-raft the entire night. Refuses to be left alone with their family in any capacity, he could not handle the awkward silence. If they’re going to the bathroom, then he’s going too damnit.

If they have a pretty nerdy family then he might be a bit more comfortable. Especially if any of their siblings/parents game or are into anime. Steering conversation more towards his comfort zones will help him out a lot...

If they have little siblings who play a lot of video games then he is going to be the coolest person in the world. Period. He knows all the best strategies to practically any game out there, demonic or human. He may even loosen up a little bit and start smiling if he gets to wow an audience with his gaming prowess!

Like Lucifer he’s not going to be all that impressed with pets either way. He’ll think fish are pretty neat and probably even reptiles too but don’t expect him to get too cuddly with a dog or anything.

Satan

Doesn’t hate the idea but agrees that his name is going to have to change if they’re really serious about it. “Hey everybody this is my boyfriend, Satan!” is only going to be appealing to very niche circles...

Like Lucifer, he's going to be mindful of how he comes across. He'd rather the MC's family likes him than didn't, even if it's irrelevant, so expect him to be very polite and sociable. Damn near the perfect gentleman.

… Until something/someone sets off his temper. He may not go full Wrath on the situation but it's probably best to get him out of the room real quick so he can cool down.

Would love if the MC comes from an super educated family but it’s not a must. He's the kind of guy who will ask a lot of questions about any person's profession/skills and how things work regardless of background. He's curious that way.

Either way, he is going to show off his smarts and make sure that their family knows where his intellect is at. He wants them to know that the MC picked someone with a good head on their shoulders, after all.

Best keep him away from small children and bratty teens. He isn't exactly opposed to kids, but it takes one little shit to set him off and NO ONE looks good yelling at someone else's kid. Deserved or not.

Will there be cats? Do you have a cat? Please say you have a cat! He's okay with dogs too but if the MC has a cat this man will be ecstatic. The cat will love him and he will love it right back. Honestly, he's already adopted it. It's his now. Who's MC?

Asmodeus

Baby, you can take him anywhere and he’ll be the life of the party! A little family gathering doesn’t matter to him.

Is going to make sure that the moment he walks through the door the MC's family is in awe of what a catch they've got for themselves. He wants them to be proud of their little MC! To him, that translates to looking good and being fun!

Hope this is a house used to physical affection because he will not (and probably cannot) turn it off. Everyone gets hugs. Everyone.

Extra affectionate the whole night. He'll hold the MC's hand or arm or waist or really any part he can get away with. Kisses on the head and cheek aplenty. He may also lowkey butter up their parents with loads of compliments no matter what situation they're in.

If he's told to cool it on the touching though, he may get offended.

Is going to be better with teenage siblings than little, little ones. The man lives to give dating advice, fashion tips, or makeovers, you name it. Though he has to be careful to mention just human products and not some of the stuff he has back home.

Animal fur on his clothes? After he dressed himself so carefully?? No thanks. You can have your cute puppy or your little kitty. He'll take pictures, but he's probably not going pet much.

Beelzebub

Is honestly kind of honored by the suggestion. The MC is already a part of his family so it only seems natural to make him part of theirs. Though he has some reservations, mostly around his appetite...

He doesn't go up to the human world very much because it's really hard for him to stay fed. He's well-known enough in the Devildom that restaurants know what to expect when he walks in. Not so much up there.

Arrange the meeting around a state fair, festival, or carnival where the food is plentiful and he's golden. Hopefully their family won't be too disturbed by how bottomless his stomach is…

Beel is a sweetheart through and through but his lack of knowledge about how the human world, or humans in general, work might come back to bite him. He may need a little 101 about human manners before going.

Truthfully, their family is in for a real treat! This giant may look intimidating, but he's as gentle as they come. The kind of guy who will carry their grandmother’s bags with a smile on his face just for the sake of being helpful. 10/10 Sweetie, mother will approve.

Ooooh little kids are going to love Beel. He'll let their siblings hang off of him like a jungle gym. Will also play games with them if they want him to. Doesn't matter to him, their family is his family too and he wants to see them all happy.

Man wants dogs. Preferably big ones that he can rough-house with but little dogs he can cuddle work too. Do remind him that he can't just rip a whole-ass branch off a tree to play fetch like you could with Cerberus.

Belphegor

Really? You want that? Lol, okay but no promises. This is pretty much the equivalent of sticking two unlabeled chemicals together in a beaker and leaning in to see what happens. Who knows, but now you're stuck in the middle of it.

He's not going to try especially hard to make a good impression or change himself in any way. If their family is into people who are kind of chill and sarcastic then he'll get along swimmingly. If they were expecting more of a Satan type, yeah. No. He's not holding open any doors.

Won't be taking the whole thing all that seriously to be honest, like, what are a bunch of humans going to do if they don’t like him? Tell MC? They're certainly not going to be able to make him leave. He's humoring them at best, even if he's nice, so why bother fussing about it?

Might be a disrespectful little troll at times like pretending to fall asleep or making casual jokes like "Oh no, ma'am. I'm not all that comfortable with that cross over there because I'm a demon. …. Got ya, didn’t I? That'd be silly." *shit-eating grin*

Would appreciate a quiet, slightly introverted family the most. He's going to start getting annoyed if people in the house are too loud and may speed the whole thing along as a result.

Kids are things he'd rather avoid than have to interact with, but if pressed he will humor the little ones too. Don't expect him to do a whole lot of moving, though. If they're happy to just show him things that he can semi-pay attention to, that works for him.

MC has a pet? Is it fluffy? Is it lazy? Bring'em here. Like Beel, he likes big dogs but would rather just bury his face in fluff than try to wrestle it. He may actually fall asleep with them if they lay still enough for it.

[ofmythsandmadness]

to be called beautiful | d.h.

❛ do you ever miss, having someone around to love you?❜

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

SUMMARY: vigilantes!au. you push the boundaries of your relationship, and ask for a wish you know won't be given back. (or — it's late, and after another night of patrol, loneliness sets in deep.) WARNINGS: slightly nsfw??? mentions to sex, no descriptions. it's not a sexual story, just a part of an inner monologue. WORD COUNT: 2.6k+ NOTES: reposting this in hopes it shows up this time (pls pls pls i'm gonna cry). i've been writing a whole other series that is a totally different writing style, but i've been trying to work out my emotions in small, focused pieces like this one when i can't focus. i might develop this into a small ficlit series of it's own, bc i think it's kinda fun — but we'll see how this goes.

THE BEAST THAT IS YOUR LONELINESS has been your burden for too long to say.

It's hold on you is a familiar ache, one you've felt for years, like a chronic tight tugging on your heart that refuses to give in no matter what you try. But you still refuse to name it for fear of coming to terms with the implications of it all. That you're really alone in this life and you're terrified of what that means and the fact that you can't have what your childhood stories promised would be yours.

Like the fool you are, you cling to the idea that it's just passing notions. You'll get over it one day. The flitting daydreams of a fairytale romance better fit for a vanilla Hallmark flick suck, but one day they won't hurt so bad. You'll numb and find a way to fill the void. And you try, you really do, pushing it down for the quick release of meaningless acts and walks of shames and cold bedsheets.

Sex is a toxic friend. You choose it's pull when your heart aches most and the loneliness begs for your breath to the point where every gasp of air is a privilege, not the bare minimum. It's not what you crave. There's no romance, no love. It's a trade and one that always leaves you feeling robbed of something you're not sure you ever even had.

You rarely remember their names. You know they probably won't remember yours. And why would they? The shudders, the whimpers, the cold moans that amount to nothing but crumbs of a supposedly passionate act only pass an hour, then they're gone. Or you're gone, if you're lonely enough to risk it. A bit of fun, a breath of pink and white and the feeling of someone pulling you closer, begging for your skin against theirs.

And then, it's all grey again. And you're alone at your apartment, washing your body free of the marks some stranger dared to press into your wilting skin, wondering what it would feel like for a lover to kiss you that same way. Running your fingers over every inch that has been caressed by so many faceless guests, trying to hold yourself in the way your foolish heart pounds for. But it's never enough. Your hands don't cup your flesh, don't mould and kiss and promise the carefully knitted lies any lover had dealt you in the past. And you're as cold as ever when they fall back to your sides. Nothing enflames your skin like you wishes it could — like those you wish would.

It's a discontent you live with. Just as you're sure millions of others do. That's what life is; you push yourself through the day, through your mundane day job and your taxing nighttime hobbies (because you sure as hell can't claim what you do as real work if your only pay is in blood and tears). You cling to the good times that happened too long ago to remember clearly, and make the moments that you're alone with your thoughts as small as possible.

But there's no time to consider all that now.

You scrunch your face up as tight as you can, squeezing your eyes shut to the point where you see stars, exploding like confetti in some absurd black void that hides behind your lids. For a moment you hold the pose, watching the stars erupt, until the position hurts too much and you have to release.

Surroundings blur and then clear as your eyes readjust from their disassociation. You stare blearily at the random coffee shop you and your 'associate' chose for the night. It's just as generic as the last five visited, a thousand shades of brown and red and weary smiles the bored baristas wear just for a cheap check that'll barely cover their asses. It's worn and empty; no one's hear except the two of you and the workers who probably hate you for being here so late.

Normally, you would feel like an asshole staying so late. But you can't bring yourself to move, or even suggest to. It's all too heavy. And even if it's in brooding silence, you don't want to leave your partner. Not yet, you beg the universe, just a few more minutes.

And, speaking of—

"What's got you so blue today?"

You blink. Look over to him, only to see him already watching you.

There's really no point lying. He always unravels you too quickly, too easily — it's the detective in him, unravelling anyone and scooping their truths from shivering flesh. Some sort of childhood trauma response he developed into another super power.

You used to hate it. Now...if you concentrate hard enough, his sharp gaze feels like one of a lover's.

"Don't know what you mean," you tell him, foolish and flustered. "I'm just fine."

"Bullshit. You've sighed a dozen times in the last five minutes."

"Tch. No I haven't."

"Did too!"

His teeth glint, white and clashing against the full pink of his lips. You wish you could denounce all the times you wondered what it would feel like to have them graze against your keening skin — but not even all the gods could cleanse of you of those thoughts. Those desperate, pleading, melancholic memories stain; he can't see them, but you do when you look close enough. And you can't escape it, much as you try.

"Seriously, though. What's up with you?"

Your gaze falls down to your hands, eager to escape his allure, though it's not a great distraction. It only makes you more bitter, really, taking in all the flaws that litter your weaponised limbs. They're calloused from a million fights. Your knuckles are scarred, aching from wounds you reopen every other night. A thousand scars from a thousand scrapes, cuts, slashes and grazes linger on once perfect skin. You don't know how many there are, anymore, only that you wish you could wipe them off. Start over, have a clean slate. Erase all your mistakes and be beautiful again.

"I'm just tired," you lie. It's tense and pitiful; you know you've screwed it up the second the words leave your lips. "S'all."

"Ri-i-ight, and I'm the goddamn queen of England."

The absurdity of his retort makes your lips twitch. It's not enough for a smile, your self-inflicted misery makes sure of that, but it's a seed of something. "Wow. Didn't know I was in the presence of royalty."

"Yeah, yeah. Shut it."

"My apologies, your highness."

"Shut up, you little shit," he grumbles, but it's as soft as you get from him. It's practically a cry of love — or your foolish mind paints it as such. You take his teasing insults as promises of adorations and his arguments are poems of lust and infatuation that tug on your heartstrings in ways you know they shouldn't.

You're partners, for crying out loud. Professional coworkers (if you call the bloody mess you two create work). You don't get to miss him, or crave him, or love him like you do.

"Something happen to you?"

You watch his own hands fold and unfold on the table. The long, delicate fingers stand out on a man like him; someone who paints himself in only sharp angles and cutting lines. But you think they match him well. They promise life. Bleed hope, even in the raised scars that lace his skin like your own. You've watched those fingers grip a blade, launch it into flesh, pull and push and dig and rip and take and committed acts of atrocity most people would run from. You know he probably thinks of his hands the same way you do. But you think they're beautiful.

"Nah. It's...it's nothing. Really."

You can't see his face, but you imagine his narrowed eyes and furrowed brows asking for an answer you're just not willing to give. "C'mon, just tell me. Can't be that bad."

Your body laughs. You hear it from some place far away. It's cold and hoarse; you wonder how long it's been since you've heard a genuine laugh from yourself. You wonder if he notices (and wishes he did, foolishly, frivolously...).

It's probably stupid, but you go for it.

"You ever miss having someone?"

Something creaks; his chair, groaning as he shifts his weight. One of his fingers taps against his empty coffee cup; idle music for a restless soul.

"Like, in what way?"

"I..." Your nails dig into your palms. This was a mistake, but one you have to follow through with. He won't accept silence after something like that. "In the cheesy, domestic sorta way? That whole, havin' someone to come home to, someone who you can talk to, someone who..." the words stick like molasses in the back of your throat. Try as you do, they refuse to give themselves to him, so you have to substitute. "Just, someone who likes you, past your body or, or whatever."

"Oh."

"Sorry." It's your turn to shift in your seat, awkwardly searching for something to occupy yourself with as this uncomfortable energy you've created carries on. But your cup's empty, and you don't have the cash to ask for another overpriced latte. "Forget about it. Let's talk about somethin' else, yeah?"

He doesn't answer that. In fact, he doesn't say anything at all for a moment, long enough to make you wonder if you've just crossed the line of no return. You can't bring yourself to look at him, hell your cowardice is painful enough to make you wonder if you should just make a run for it, say au revoir! to the bond you've built with this knife-obsessed robin hood and crush your heart forever.

It's tempting, and you consider it, but then he fills the silence.

"I miss Eudora sometimes."

Finally, your gaze tilts up. Your eyes meet his lips. He's not smiling anymore.

You guys don't talk about exes together. It's a forbidden topic, same as family or childhoods or the number of people that have cut you open and bled you dry for fun. It's too personal, and in this line of work, personal doesn't fly. But you know Eudora Patch, because this line of work requires a couple run ins with people like her, and because your partner in crime has never learned how to stop his emotions from bleeding into his expression.

"Not because I still love her, but y'know..." his fingers wave aimlessly. "It was nice, when it worked. I liked having someone to sleep with. In a non-sexual manner." His lip curls a little. "Guess the sex part was nice too, though."

You nod. "Yeah, I get that. It's...it was nice, having someone who knew you. Who wanted to make you feel good, not just for themselves but 'cause that sort of things matters."

"Mm."

"Y'ever consider pursuing that sort of thing?"

He shakes his head. His adamancy is a truck smashing into your heart — though you know you should have expected no less, it still hurts. "I can't. It never works, with people like us. Y'know?"

"Yeah. Makes sense." You want to say more. You probably should say more — but you doubt he wants to hear your woes about intimacy, and the pathetic ways you crave affection you probably don't deserve. "Yeah."

"Why?"

"Hm?"

His brows knot. "Why're you asking? Someone do somethin'?"

"What? No."

"Cause, like, if someone's hurt you, I'll—"

"I'm fine," you promise, and without thinking, you reach across the table to pat his hand. To reassure him like one would a lover. But just before your fingers meet his, the bitter reminder that he's not yours sets in and you draw back. Your hand falls a couple inches from his own. "And I can take care of myself, if I wasn't. Don't worry."

He chuckles mirthlessly. "Y'sure about that? You're still the dumbass that tripped over her own feet twice walking down an empty sidewalk, and—"

"—oh, you are such an asshole, why can't you just—"

"—so if you need someone to cut a bitch, I'm available."

You soften slightly. Try to smile, even if it's a false promise and probably hangs like a broken door on mismatched hinges. "I appreciate that. But I'm okay. Think I'm just tired, and a little lonely."

"What, I'm not good enough for you anymore?"

Bitterness seeps onto your tongue; it speaks before you can shut your lips around it. "You're fine as a partner against crime. But you're not anything otherwise, are you?" It feels like a taunt. You hadn't meant it to be — though, maybe you had.

If he takes your jeer poorly, though, it doesn't show on his face. He's still smiling and watching you, eyes simmering with a joke you wish you were in on.

"It doesn't matter though. Having someone's too complicated, 'specially for fools like us. Sometimes it's just..." you don't have a good answer. Not one he'd want to hear, anyways. "I just miss it sometimes. It'd be nice to have someone to talk to, or eat breakfast with in the mornings."

He nods slowly. "Yeah. Was nice, having another body around."

"Yeah. Ha. I," you stutter out a chuckle. Tug at your lip, nibbling at the cracked skin that comes with your long nights. "No one prepares you for how lonely adulthood is. Like, I'm half tempted to make friends with the takeout guys, just so I have a friend at all."

"We're friends."

"You know what I mean," you mumble, swallowing the bitter 'are we?' that almost makes its way off your tongue. "It was just nice when I had the time, to have a person around. Someone to like, hold hands with, or-or call me beautiful, sometimes. I-I can't remember the last time called me that, any..."

Fuck.

You hadn't meant for that last confession.

He wasn't supposed to hear that. It's too personal, too personal, too fucking personal for someone you don't even know.

Everything trembles; you're shaking like an avalanche, ready to sweep it all away under some snow drift. Never to be seen again. But you can't do that, there's no taking back the way your voice cracked as it reaches it's last word, and how your hand slips into a fist, ready to charge even though there's no punching your way out of this fumble.

You crack. Stumble out of your seat. Before he can talk you're moving, throwing a couple bills (too many for your poor wallet, you'll pay for that later) down and mumbling something about heading home. Your head's spinning and you just want to sit down again, pretend like this never happened and ask about some meaningless moment in a meaningless day that you wish could be yours and his, not just—

"—text me when you're goin' out again," you say, high and nervous. "I'll be around."

You turn.

"You don't have to leave."

"I got work tomorrow. Early."

"Thought you had the day off?"

Fuck, la deuxième acte. "Taking a shift for someone."

"Oh." He doesn't believe you. He would be a fool to. But he agrees anyways. "Okay."

"See ya, Kraken."

He doesn't answer you back. It's probably better that way.

BONUS

Many hours later, you're in bed, finally dozing off. You've rinsed off the filth of the night and resigned yourself to a barely adequate rest alone, too tired to consider what usually makes your mind race. It's been a long day; let future you contemplate all the ways you've screwed up.

Just as you're about to fall asleep, however, there's a small ping! that immediately wakes you up A notification sound reserved for only one person.

You groan but still roll over. Your heart may be a humiliated, burning mess, but it still beats for him, much as you've tried to stifle it.

kraken // 2:36 am. you available at 11p tomorrow?

kraken // 2:37 am. got word somethin going down at east docks, wanna check it out before it gets bad.

Relief is a sweet blessing. You exhale and smile into the darkness. He's still a professional, even if you seem unable to understand what that means.

you // 2:40 am. for sure. meet me at my place whenever and we can prep.

You leave it at that. Whatever he has to say after that, cannot be too important to waste your precious hours of sleep. So you roll over and shut your eyes and let yourself forget about the empty space that fills your place.

It's a decision you regret the next morning, when you wake up and realise what you missed.

kraken // 3:31 am. you ever get lonely for someone, feel free to let me know.

kraken // 3:32 am. might not make a great boyfriend, but i'll eat breakfast with you. so long as you're cooking.

A/N - I had a whole idea for two tired vigilantes (like what Diego does in season one, but partnered up) who both are really lonely and tired of life and all it's shit, and rely on each other more than they'll ever admit, and...I'll probably never write it, but this was a fun bit of that. two lonely emotionally deprived assholes who can't accept that maybe they can be loved and the person who wants to is right in front of them. :)