#he's just naturally suspicious like that. i know.

[gabseyoo]

FIFTEEN SECONDS — SAKUSA KIYOOMI

content: female reader, friends to lovers, love confession, fluff, bit of comedy. word count: 1,2k.

note: here’s a little something for valentine’s day, hope you like it!

What should I say?

“Here.” No, too dry.

“Here, it’s for you.” Shit, still too dry.

“I bought this for you, I hope you like it.” Okay, that one wasn’t so bad. 

For the past ten minutes, Kiyoomi had been locked in a brutal staring contest with the small black box sitting on the café table. The thing wasn’t even looking at him, and yet he was the one losing.

This was ridiculous. He was ridiculous.

He had bought the damn gift two weeks ago. Two weeks of overthinking, of waiting for the perfect moment, of nearly shoving it to the back of his closet out of sheer nerves. But then Valentine’s Day crept up on him, and he thought—maybe this was fate giving him a chance.

Or setting him up for humiliating rejection.

Kiyoomi had rehearsed this moment in his head. And still, here he was, breaking into a nervous sweat over a bracelet. What if you didn’t like it? What if you thought it was stupid? What if you liked someone else?

Then, in the middle of his internal crisis, a familiar voice nearly made him jump.

“Hey, Kiyoomi.”

He looked up so fast he almost knocked the gift off the table. There you were, standing in front of him with that impossibly pretty smile, your presence alone enough to make his pulse go haywire.

“Did you already order, or should I—?” You asked as you sat down in front of him. 

“I already did.” He forced his voice to stay steady. “Iced latte with two shots of vanilla, right?”

Your smile grew. “You know me so well.”

Yeah, because I’m hopelessly in love with you.

The words were right there. On the tip of his tongue.

Relax, Kiyoomi. Ease into it.

That was the smart thing to do. You didn’t just shove a confession at someone out of nowhere—there should be a conversation first, something natural.

“So, uh…” He wracked his brain for something—anything—normal to say. “How’s work?”

You blinked, caught off guard. “It’s fine?”

What the hell was that, Kiyoomi? It was comical how his calm and collected personality seemed to disappear at this moment when he needed it most. Was love always this complicated? Or was it because it was about you?

You tilted your head. “Are you okay?”

No. No, he was absolutely not okay. His fingers tapped anxiously against the small box. The longer he waited, the worse this was getting. His nerves were eating him alive. He could already feel the impending doom of chickening out.

Screw it.

With zero transition or warning, he grabbed the box and shoved it across the table. “Here.”

Goddamn it. 

You blinked in surprise. “For me?”

A stiff nod. This was fine. You’d open it, love it, and then he’d tell you. Smooth. Simple. Foolproof.

Except…

You were taking your sweet time untying the ribbon.

Kiyoomi clenched his jaw, resisting the urge to do it for you. Why were you so slow? Was this some kind of test? Did you already know he was panicking and just wanted to see him suffer?

Finally, you lifted the lid. Your lips parted as you took out the delicate silver bracelet, the small star charm catching the café’s warm light.

“Oh, Kiyoomi…” You breathed. “It’s beautiful.”

His fingers twitched under the table as your eyes widened slightly. “Wait… this is—”

Kiyoomi looked away, pretending to be fascinated by the café menu on the wall. “Yeah.”

Your fingers traced the charm, realization dawning. “This is the bracelet from that shop at the mall, isn’t it?”

He cleared his throat. “Maybe.”

You turned to him, eyes suspiciously bright. “You went back for it?”

Kiyoomi picked up his coffee, taking a slow sip as if that would somehow make this moment less humiliating. “You wouldn’t stop staring at it.”

“I looked at it for like, five seconds.”

“It was at least fifteen.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “You’re unbelievable.”

This was it. The perfect moment.

He took a breath, preparing to say the words that had been stuck in his chest for way too long.

“I—” He began, but the words he had rehearsed for days were interrupted when a waiter appeared at the table.

“Here’s your order! One vanilla iced latte and one black coffee.”

Kiyoomi clenched his jaw so hard he thought he might crack a tooth. Not now, man. 

He nodded stiffly as you thanked the waiter. Okay, fine. Minor setback. 

“What were you saying?” You asked after the guy turned around, taking a sip from your drink.

His heart was about to beat out of his chest. Now. Now is the time. Just say it: I like you.

Kiyoomi opened his mouth, determined to do it, but then— 

“Do you need any sugar?”

Oh my god.

Kiyoomi glared at the waiter. Who was back. Did this man have a vendetta against his love life?

He mumbled a half-hearted, “No, thanks.”

“Cream?”

“No, thanks.”

“Any appetizer? We have a special red velvet cake because of Valentine's Day.”

Was this a joke?

“We’re fine.”

“Actually, I want a slice of cake.” You said.

Before the waiter could leave, Kiyoomi muttered, “Make that two.”

The guy finally left, and he was beginning to get irritated by his bad luck.

Just do it now! He scrambled at himself mentally. 

“Y/N, I bought–” He hurried to say, but then the loud hiss from the blender machine drowned out his voice.

Was this the universe making fun of him? 

By now, he was one more interruption away from actually losing it. So, ignoring the annoying noise, he decided to just keep going, “I bought this because–”

“Oh! Look at that dog outside.”

Kiyoomi stopped mid-sentence as you turned to the window, grinning at a fluffy golden retriever wagging its tail on the sidewalk. Are you serious?

But, when he turned back to you, you were watching him with amusement.

You two made eye contact for a few seconds, he blinked, you blinked, and then— you laughed.

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “What?”

You smirked. “Kiyoomi, don’t be so shy.”

His stomach dropped.

“I like you too.”

For a full three seconds, his brain just ceased to function.

You… what?

His ears burned. His grip tightened on his cup. His entire soul left his body. “You knew?”

You giggled, tapping his hand lightly. “Of course. I actually got something for you too.”

You reached into your bag and pulled out a small gift box, setting it on the table in front of him. Kiyoomi tried—really tried—not to look too eager as he picked it up and carefully lifted the lid.

Inside was a watch. The watch. The one he had lingered on in the mall that day.

“You looked at it for at least fifteen seconds.” You teased, a knowing smile playing on your lips.

Kiyoomi froze. His fingers tightened around the box as the realization sank in.

You had noticed. Just like he had noticed you staring at the bracelet. You both had thought of each other.

For a moment, he couldn’t speak. His throat felt tight, his chest oddly warm. He looked up at you, something soft, something real in his gaze.

“This is—”

“Here they are! Two slices of red velvet cake!”

Kiyoomi visibly twitched.

Oh, come on!

[dark-lord-of-awesomeness]

Shifty is a delight. I love how baffled and stressed he makes his new friends. I'd love if he met "Dirty Ford" and the rest of the canon crew because I think he'd also make them baffled and stressed (except the stressed is mostly just Dipper seeing this guy who says he's his alternate dimension cousin, an alternate version of the shapeshifter that tried to kill him, his sister, and his friends).

Shifty's just having a great time. His alternate tried to murder his not-cousins. Fascinating. Is this more evidence that nurture has more to do with the morality of shapeshifters, or do shapeshifters work differently in this dimension? Maybe he can track down alternate Marcy, Darcy, and Jon and ask.

Dirty Ford is feeling retroactive guilt about Shifty being sentient. Like he definitely heard Cat Ford mention that but he did not process that until confronted with Cat Shifty.

Mabel's chill and excited about this Shifty. Sure, his alternate scared her pretty bad but he's just a silly guy like Grunkle Ford. He comes from a world where Grunkle Stan turns into a cute little cat. She needs to know all the alternate family tea.

Stan's like that's a bit weird, but he did punch a pterodactyl to save a pig and triangle to save the world, so alternate shapeshifting nibling is just, sure why not. Although he wishes he would stop telling the kids so much about how his alternate self got cursed to become a cat every time he steals (lame). He's worried this might give the kids (Mabel) ideas about turning him into a cat.

Inflicting cat dimension shifty on most other dimensions is like this honestly. Shifty doesn't make it out of the bunker in most cases, but cat Shifty doesn't hold it against his alternate family, because that's not him. He's not frozen in a bunker, and while he might feel bad for the other guy, he's living life just fine.

Which just makes everyone feel more guilty about the whole thing. Shiftys contemplating the differences between nature vs nurture, and how fascinating it is that his alternate self maybe almost killed his alternate parents and cousins. Meanwhile Fords going :( did I freeze a kid? Would my shifty be like this if I gave him a chance? Is it too late? (The answer to that last one is yes, too late to have his shifty be anything like cat shifty).

Mabel starts out uncomfortable, but she warms up pretty fast. Cat shiftys right after all! He is a different person then the one who almost killed her! He's also weird and funny like her grunkle! He's sharing all the fun stories about his family with her! How come her grunkle Stan can't be a cat :(

Dipper spends the entire time trailing him and watching every move suspiciously. He's a shapeshifter! They're evil! C!Shifty just shrugs. Maybe shapeshifters are evil here? He doesn't know! Eventually C!Shifty would win him over with his crazy lore drops. What does he mean he has four parents? Who's Carla? There's a coven in town? Why were you fighting dinosaurs? Dipper would get so lost trying to figure anything out about him and forget to be scared.

Stan is unaffected, except he would rather this guy stop telling everyone about his alternate self. That guy's lame, turns into a cat and snuggles people? Stan wouldn't be caught dead doing that. Ever. He needs his family to stop throwing puppy dog eyes his way about it. It's not happening.

[the0-tdh]

UNDER THE MASK

---/•/------/•/------/•/------/•/------/•/------

Jake had always been good at keeping secrets. Balancing his double life as a college student by day and the city's masked vigilante, Phantom, by night was second nature to him. And most importantly—his boyfriend, M/N, had no clue.

Or at least, that’s what Jake thought.

---/•/------/•/------/•/------/•/------/•/------

MASTERLIST / REQUESTS

---/•/------/•/------/•/------/•/------/•/------

"You’re late."

M/N crossed his arms, standing at the entrance of their shared apartment, his gaze locked onto Jake, who had just stumbled in—hair messy, clothes slightly rumpled, and a faint bruise peeking out from his collar.

Jake froze for a second before flashing his usual sheepish smile. "Traffic was bad?"

M/N raised a brow. "You don’t even have a car."

"Uh… subway delays?" Jake tried, scratching the back of his head.

M/N narrowed his eyes. "Really? Because I checked, and the subway was running fine."

Jake mentally cursed. He had fought off an entire gang of high-tech robbers an hour ago, chased them across half the city, and barely made it back before M/N got too suspicious. He could deal with criminals, but M/N’s interrogation skills? That was a whole different kind of danger.

M/N sighed, stepping closer. "Jake… this isn’t the first time you’ve come home looking like this." His voice softened, concern replacing his frustration. "Are you in trouble? Because if you are, you know you can tell me, right?"

Jake’s heart clenched. He hated lying to M/N. But he couldn’t just say, “Oh yeah, babe, I’m actually a superhero fighting crime every night. That bruise? Totally from getting thrown into a wall by a guy with laser gloves.”

Instead, he cupped M/N’s face gently, forcing a reassuring smile. "I promise, it’s nothing bad. I just… help people sometimes."

M/N studied his face, searching for something—an answer, the truth, maybe even a lie that felt less suspicious. Finally, he sighed and leaned into Jake’s touch. "Just… be careful, okay?"

Jake kissed his forehead, guilt gnawing at him. "Always."

But deep down, he knew the truth wouldn’t stay hidden forever. And when that day came, he just hoped M/N would still look at him the same way.

---

Jake thought he had gotten away with it.

M/N had finally let it go—for now—and Jake told himself he’d be more careful. No more close calls. No more coming home looking like he got hit by a truck (even if, technically, that had happened once… but he healed fast).

But life had other plans.

It started with the news.

“The city’s masked vigilante strikes again! Witnesses report seeing the mysterious hero, known as ‘Phantom,’ stopping an armed robbery downtown before disappearing into the night.”

M/N had glanced at the screen, then at Jake, who had been sipping his coffee way too fast to be normal.

"That Phantom guy is all over the news lately," M/N mused. "Kinda cool, don’t you think?"

Jake had just nodded, trying not to choke on his drink. "Y-Yeah. Super cool."

M/N tilted his head. "You ever wonder who he is?"

Jake nearly dropped his mug. "Uh—what?"

M/N chuckled. "Come on, aren’t you curious? A random guy running around saving people, never getting caught? That’s gotta take serious skill."

Jake forced a casual shrug. "I guess."

M/N leaned in, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. "What if it was someone we knew?"

Jake’s heart stopped.

M/N was messing with him. He had to be. There was no way he knew.

So Jake did what any normal person would do in this situation.

He laughed. "Pfft, yeah right! Like who?"

M/N tapped his chin, pretending to think. "Hmm. Maybe someone who always shows up late, with bruises and really bad excuses?"

Jake’s soul left his body.

M/N stared at him, waiting. And then—

He laughed. "Relax, babe. I’m joking."

Jake let out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding. "Haha… yeah. Joking."

But as M/N turned back to the TV, Jake saw it—just for a second. That look.

Like he wasn’t completely joking.

Like he suspected something.

And that? That was dangerous.

Because if M/N kept looking too closely… he might just find out the truth.

And once that happened, there was no turning back.

---

Jake had been extra careful ever since M/N’s joke—that wasn’t really a joke.

No more close calls. No more last-minute arrivals with bruises he couldn’t explain. He even started taking taxis home just to sell the “traffic was bad” excuse better.

But fate had other plans. Again.

---

It was supposed to be a normal night. A quiet dinner at home, a movie, maybe falling asleep on the couch together.

But then Jake’s phone vibrated.

An alert from his secret comms.

[Armed robbery in progress—6th Avenue. Multiple hostages. Police can’t get in.]

Jake’s jaw tightened. He couldn’t ignore it.

But M/N was right there, sitting across from him, eating takeout and rambling about something that happened at work. He looked so happy. So peaceful.

Jake clenched his fists. He hated lying. But he had to go.

He forced a smile. "Hey, babe, I just remembered—I, uh, left my wallet at the café earlier. Gotta go grab it before they close."

M/N blinked. "Your wallet? That’s… weird. You never forget stuff like that."

"Yeah, well… first time for everything!" Jake stood up quickly, grabbing his jacket. "I’ll be back soon, okay?"

M/N narrowed his eyes. "Want me to come with you?"

"No!" Jake said, a little too fast. "I mean, it’s fine. You stay here, relax."

M/N didn’t look convinced. But he sighed and waved him off. "Fine, fine. Just don’t take forever."

Jake pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. "Promise."

And with that, he was gone.

---

An Hour Later…

M/N was starting to get annoyed.

Jake was still not back.

And then—

BREAKING NEWS: LIVE FOOTAGE OF PHANTOM TAKING DOWN ARMED ROBBERS ON 6TH AVENUE!

M/N turned to the TV just in time to see the masked vigilante flipping over a counter, dodging bullets with insane speed, taking out three men in seconds.

And the way he moved…

The way he fought…

M/N’s heart pounded.

Because that—

That looked exactly like Jake.

He stared at the screen, watching as Phantom took down the last guy with a spinning kick, then disappeared before the cops could catch him.

A minute later, his phone buzzed.

[Jake: Hey, babe. Just got my wallet. Heading back now. Love you <3]

M/N knew.

He knew.

And now, there was only one thing left to do.

---

When Jake walked through the door, M/N was sitting on the couch, arms crossed, eyes locked on him.

"You get your wallet?" M/N asked, voice eerily calm.

Jake hesitated. "...Yeah?"

M/N stood up, stepping closer. "Funny. Because I just watched Phantom take down an entire gang on the news."

Jake froze.

M/N tilted his head. "You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you, babe?"

Silence.

Then—

"...I can explain."

M/N smirked. "Oh, you better."

[sturniololuvz]

Could you write a reversed version of “Scarring Family Memories” so its reader and her boyfriend instead of chris and his girlfriend ??

yesss! sorry i haven’t been getting to these , probably gonna stay up late doing them , even tho i have to wake up at 5am tmr 😭)it’s 10 already 😞

“No That”

Sturniolos x sister

Warnings : yelling,

The Sturniolo household was always loud—whether it was the boys messing around, arguing about something dumb, or just their natural chaotic energy filling the space. Tonight was no different. Chris, Matt, and Nick were all in the living room, sprawled out on the couch, engaged in some heated debate over which fast food place had the best fries.

“I’m telling you, McDonald’s fries are elite,” Matt argued, waving his hands dramatically.

Nick scoffed. “Bro, no. Wendy’s fries with a Frosty? Unmatched.”

Chris rolled his eyes. “You guys are both idiots. Five Guys fries? Game over.”

They continued bickering, but Chris found himself zoning out. Something felt… off. The house was never truly quiet, but for the past few minutes, there had been an unusual silence coming from Y/N’s room. Their little sister, at seventeen, was usually blasting music or FaceTiming friends, yet now? Nothing.

Chris sat up, listening closer. That’s when he heard it—faint whimpering and hushed moans. His stomach twisted uncomfortably.

“The hell?” he muttered, furrowing his brows.

“What?” Matt asked, glancing over.

Chris held up a hand to silence them, tilting his head toward the hallway. The noises weren’t loud, but they were there—and undeniably suspicious. His protective instincts kicked in immediately.

Without another word, he got up and made his way toward Y/N’s door. His heart pounded as he reached for the handle, hesitating for only a split second before pushing it open.

And then he froze.

His brain short-circuited as he took in the sight in front of him—Y/N tangled up with some random guy, both half-dressed, their bodies way too close for comfort. His eyes widened in pure shock.

“WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. FUCK?!” Chris shouted, his voice echoing through the house.

Y/N and the guy jumped apart instantly, scrambling to grab their clothes. The boy—who Chris didn’t even recognize—looked like he had just seen a ghost.

Chris turned on his heel so fast he nearly tripped over his own feet, slamming the door shut behind him. His heart was racing, his face twisted in a mix of horror and fury.

He stormed back to the living room, his hands on his head. “Dude, I did not just see that,” he muttered to himself.

Matt and Nick looked up, confused. “See what?” Nick asked.

Chris ignored him, pacing. “What the fuck was that?” he mumbled, running a hand over his face.

About two minutes later, there was a loud shuffle from the hallway, followed by the sound of footsteps sprinting. The boy—still fixing his shirt—bolted out of Y/N’s room like his life depended on it, not even bothering to look at anyone as he rushed out the front door.

Chris clenched his jaw, shaking his head in disbelief. And then, a moment later, Y/N appeared in the hallway, her face flushed with embarrassment. She looked like she wanted to sink into the floor and disappear.

Before she could say anything, Chris exploded.

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME, Y/N?!” he yelled, throwing his arms up. “A boy? IN YOUR ROOM?! WHILE WE’RE HOME?!”

Y/N winced, hugging her arms around herself. “Chris, I—”

“NO. NO ‘CHRIS, I—’ WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, turning to Matt and Nick for backup. “Guys, please tell me I’m not the only one losing my damn mind right now.”

Matt looked just as shocked, but he was trying (and failing) not to laugh. Nick, however, shook his head and sighed. “Yeah, Y/N, what the hell?” he said, his voice calmer than Chris’s but still firm. “That’s so reckless.”

Chris was still fuming. “Like, you couldn’t have waited until we weren’t home? Or, you know, never?”

Y/N’s face burned hotter. “I didn’t think you’d hear anything!” she snapped, defensive.

Chris let out a sarcastic laugh. “OH, WELL, GUESS WHAT? I DID. AND NOW I’M TRAUMATIZED.”

Y/N groaned, covering her face. “Can we please just not talk about this?”

“OH, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT IT,” Chris shot back. “Because if you think for one second that this is ever happening again, you’re dead wrong.”

“Chris—”

“NOPE. No boys in your room. No sneaking around. And DEFINITELY no… no that when we’re home.” He made a disgusted face, shaking his head. “Holy shit, I’m gonna need therapy.”

Matt finally lost it, bursting into laughter. “Dude, your face right now is priceless.”

Chris whipped around to glare at him. “Oh, shut the hell up, Matt.”

Y/N, still mortified beyond belief, groaned again. “Can this conversation be over now?”

Chris exhaled sharply, his anger still bubbling under the surface. “Fine. But if I ever catch a guy in this house again, I swear to God, Y/N—”

She held up her hands. “I get it! I get it! No boys, no sneaking around, no ‘that’ while you’re home.”

Chris narrowed his eyes. “Good. Now go back to your room and think about how stupid that was.”

Y/N rolled her eyes but didn’t argue, quickly retreating back to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Chris stood there for a moment, still trying to process everything. He turned back to his brothers, shaking his head.

“I need a drink.”

Nick smirked. “Or therapy.”

Matt grinned. “Probably both.”

Chris groaned, collapsing onto the couch. “Worst. Night. Ever.”

[lionserpent]

Orube and Cedric is the "i can fix him" trope done right, and that's why this is one of the best romances I've ever seen in media.

The point is, that actually, Orube never intended to fix Cedric. She did it by knowing her truth and living it, even if that meant going against the one she fell in love with.

Orube showed a great trust and intuition when she turned to a person with a dark reputation loathed by her friends. That was quite a reckless thing, but intuitive things like that fit her somewhat feral nature. Throughout her character arc she had learnt how to be patient and resilient, had learnt the struggles of being a stranger in a foreign world and of staying true to herself no matter the circumstances. And the results of her growth have shown greatly in the Book arc.

But!!! As soon as Cedric showed the slightest suspicious signs, her mercy was over and she would never let her guard down after that. Orube wasn't trying to force anything towards Cedric, wasn't trying to be kinder and softer to him hoping to melt his rotten heart. As soon as he crossed a certain line, she knew she couldn't trust him anymore, although she had been ready to give him a chance. And this was a marvelous writing. After all, how often do we see a female character prioritizing her own values over a man? How often do we see a girl giving up on "fixing" someone who is clearly not ready for that yet?

And Cedric, as one of the main villains of the ceries, was also done justice here. He didn't have a face-heel turn and didn' really become 'good'. Yes, he couldn't think of hurting Orube and even aknowledged his feelings towards her, but this was a possessive and immature kind of feeling. All he wanted was just to have her by his side, without even taking her feelings and values into conscideration. His suggestion to join him in a fight against the Guardians was the PEAK of emotional blindness, and this basically sums up the nature of his feelings and his own character.

And the final change tbat Cedric has aknowledged at his deathbed didn't happen because of Orube's love and devotion to him. It was her resilience, honor and truthness that moved him. Unlike him, she knew exacly who she was and what she was fighting for, and she taught Cedric by example, not by becoming his allforgiving ally.

Conscidering all said above I don't know how to feel about fan versions about their romance rebound after Cedric miraculously survived. Is he really capable of getting over his power-seeking and villain-serving behavior? Would simple life on earth without superpowers and world-conquering ambitions satisfy him? And most importantly, would Orube, who knows her moral code and follows it religiously be able to forgive him? These are the questions left unanswered. And although I would love to believe in a happily ever after for these two, my outlook on their perspective as a healthy couple is not that positive.

Is this a healthy ship? Nope. Is it a good writing and character development? Absolutely! Is happy ending for these two even possible? This is a question I can't answer. It would be nice to see them as a power couple, but that would mean one of them completely abandon their old ways. Would any of them be able to do that? It's really hard for me to tell.

However, despite all above, these two have the sickest chemistry in the entire series without a single kiss. I've been obsessed with them for 10 years and can't get enough.

[umbral-stigmata-unbound]

He scoffed at the exaggeration and paid it no more mind, still holding the others hand as he looked around. "Hmm, over here. I like these tops, and I prefer deep colors, ya know. Ones that a striking against my vibrant nature, ya know?" he joked, before pointing him towards some good stuff for himself so he could indicate to Reno what more he might prefer.

He already had stuff in mind to look for, of course. He just hoped this place had enough options. He was going to overwhelm Shivan, in the best way, as much as he could without making the other too suspicious.

"I don't care for loose pants, so focus on tight ones, got it?" he advised further. "Jackets are cool, but not always necessary outside'a work."

He lingered a bit longer, to see if Shivan had enough to go on, before he could go hunting on his own.

He couldn't help a snicker, playing along and pulling a bit harder while making a show of it. Until Reno moved suddenly and Shivan felt his balance shift. A small squeak escape him as the movement stopped, pouting as Reno's grinned.

"You almost sent me flying." He announce dramatically- although there was no attempt to move away from Reno's grip. "So you get to watch me try on things first. Only fair- and, you know this place better than I do. So, while you look, you can show me where the good things are."

It was easier to be relaxed in a store like this. Unless it was a gift, Shivan bought second hand. Thrifting was the best money saver he had, so seeing items that he was sure would end up on some rack at his usual shopping spots was comforting. It wasn't a top end designer location, so maybe he could splurge a little more on Reno. He made a silent note to look for some accessories as he stuck his tongue out.

[father-in-lawliet]

i keep seeing pictures of people depicting what they thought light and i did when we had to sleep during the yotsuba case. i think they're amusing simply because of what i have in my own memories. and i thought it'd be even more amusing if i just drew a diagram:

[rystiel]

so like in college do u think ford always goes home for winter break…? he wanted to get away from home so bad, would he even want to spend the holidays there? if he decides not to, do u think fidd ever invites him to spend the holidays with his family instead? he asks ford how he usually celebrates hanukkah and tells his family they’ll be adding to their holiday plans this year?

[ofgrenvde]

Her directness kept pulling him in deeper, past all the careful defenses he'd built. Perfect match? The thought should have sent him running, yet it made him want to lean in closer. Her comment about fate had him fighting back a grin—she had no idea how many times he'd deliberately positioned himself to create those "chance" encounters. The way she handled the conspiracy angle fascinated him. Most people either dismissed it entirely or went full tinfoil hat. But she walked that line with practiced ease, like someone who knew exactly which parts were true. "Not all money is clean money" hit closer to home than she realized. The casinos laundered enough dirty cash to fill an ocean, and here she was, casually dropping truth bombs like they were discussing the weather. Her cunning smile told him she knew exactly what game they were playing. When she called him out about finding her suspicious, his mind raced through all the surveillance footage he'd reviewed of her casino visits. She moved like someone who understood security systems, always staying just outside camera angles while appearing completely natural. "You caught me there. But in my defense, you do have an interesting way of conducting business." The real question was whether she'd figured out how much he actually knew about her operations.

An audible gasp escaped when she mocked his open book comment. She had him there—transparency wasn't exactly his strong suit these days. The real question was why he kept letting her push past his carefully constructed walls. Maybe because for the first time since Chicago, someone saw through the act without trying to tear it down completely. Or maybe he was just tired of keeping everyone at arm's length. Her challenge about finding out what he wanted sparked something dangerous in him—a desire to show her exactly how much he'd been holding back. But old habits died hard, and complete honesty wasn't a luxury he could afford, not with the shadows still chasing him. Still, he found himself wanting to give her more than the usual deflections. "I guess I'll just have to keep sharing meals with you. What better way to get to know each other, right?" This was some dangerous game he was playing.

The smart move would be backing off before this got complicated. Instead, he found himself drawn deeper into her orbit. She represented everything he should avoid, sharp insights that cut too close to home, questions that probed his carefully maintained façade, and an uncanny ability to make him want to lower his guard. Yet here he was, actually considering letting someone past his defenses for the first time since Chicago. The truly dangerous part wasn't that she might be playing him—it was that he found himself hoping she wasn't.

Cynthia wondered if Ezra would ever break, but doubts began to set in as he was consistently and effortlessly keeping up with her. She really wanted to know if he was doing this because he was interested in her or was he doing this all for information. Surprisingly, her gut was telling her it wasn’t the latter, especially with how authentic she was being in this dynamic, she believed he was doing the same. However, that tiny voice in her head that was trying to protect her, was overall doing their best to be the voice of reason and so, she had to reconsider the opposite as well. “Then we’re a perfect match.” she concluded with a nonchalant shrug. “It now makes sense why fate has us always stumbling into each other. Your loss if you don’t take me up.” 

With her current career and alliance, it’s a no brainer for Cynthia to be aware of the true Devil’s Junction. Majority of the conspiracy theories were either known or done by her and the Onyx Circuit, but she wasn’t going to downright admit that, especially the latter. Instead, she kept it high level, if he’s going to keep her guessing then she might as well mirror Ezra’s behaviour. “Not all money is clean money.” she concluded and with that, she reached her glass to conduct a fake toast and downed the rest of her wine before breaking out into a cunning smile. Will he be revealing his truth? She could only hope and would rely heavily on whatever patience she had left. 

Once Ezra responded to what he did for a living, the assassin started piecing together everything she knew about him up until now. It all started to make sense why he is the way he is, from being observant, the attention to detail and being standoffish. Perhaps she’d been made given that she’d been hanging around the casinos here and there, but in her defence it dealt with money, more importantly her clients’ money. Boy, did this get even more complicated. “How fitting. So I’m assuming you found me suspicious?” she mused. “You’re a poor liar though, ‘always been an open book’ my ass. It's more like pulling teeth when it comes to learning about you.” When Ezra spoke about what he wanted from her, the cliché answer had her laughing as she shook her head in disbelief, "And how will I find out?" she asked.

[thatonebipotato]

Bernard definitely "knows a guy"

idk what situation he would need a guy for, but i feel like it wouldn't really matter. His life is just such a collection of weird situations, and he always just happens to know a guy because of it

Did he meet them through some weird online conspiracy boards? Did he meet them through the cult? Did he just extrovert really close to the sun and get away with it? Has this exact situation just happened so many times that he just knows the person he needs at this point? Honestly, he doesn't even know anymore

You know what he DOES know? A guy

[therealslimshady]

of all the side characters in the skin stealer's son, the weaponsmith is my absolute favorite. She's all caught up in keeping her people safe after they've been enslaved for generations and then in waltzes the world's shadiest boy, about to wreck havoc across the heldlands and expedite all her plans by several decades

[here-comes-the-moose]

Sorting The Bad Batch By Which Side Of My Family They Would Most Fit In With

My mom’s side- Wrecker, Tech, Omega

My dad’s side- Hunter and Crosshair

Both- Echo

[phosphorus-noodles]

i need you guys to do me a favor and kill me before i make a luca au

[atopvisenyashill]

do love how this is an asoiaf blog but i did not put either show in my top 10 this is the world we live in

[sskk-manifesto]

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[mxdotpng]

best part abt having an ff14 oc is creating side content for ur wol's character development, completely unrelated to the msq going on