#i dunno it's just a vignette

[ladyswillmart]

Some Saturday Morning Portal Fic

Yeah, I don’t even know where this one came from. It’s called Little Blue Thing (yeah like the song, maybe I was inspired) and it just kinda sprouted up overnight like a patch of mushrooms around an old stump. It’s a meandering vignette about Chell in her Relaxation Vault (circa 1999-2000 or so), mulling over a number of loosely related things, as one does when one is lying in bed, trying (or so totally not trying) to get to sleep before Stasis Mode kicks in.

Actually, the impetus for this short fic came from a comment someone left on my last fic, which recalled a scene where Doug Rattmann met Chell on an elevator shortly before the latter went into stasis. Basically they asked: Would Chell have recognized Doug when they encountered each other again way after the end of Portal 2? And me being me, of course I had no satisfying answer. 🥴 But as a reminder I headcanon them as fraternal twins, separated at birth. So... No shipping happening here! Sorry!

Y’know I'm still not sure if I have an answer to that question yet even now, but here's me thinking about it!

~~~📺~~~

Thank you for watching Aperture Relaxation Television, an affiliate of Aperture Laboratories Access Television! This concludes today's scheduled broadcast. Our studio and transmitter facility is located in Aperture Laboratories Headquarters, sector Whiskey Newton. We broadcast a variety of live and pre-recorded programming, with all original content furnished by the Aperture Laboratories Public and Media Relations Department, whose offices are located in sector Bravo Ampere. Programming provided by our outside affiliates does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Aperture Laboratories, nor does it represent an endorsement by any individual member of our executive staff. For continuing information and entertainment, we invite you to tune in to 85.2 FM for our 24-hour radio service. From all of us at ART, we bid you a good evening and a successful stasis period.

And now, the Aperture Laboratories Corporate Anthem—

—Thwip.

With the push of a button—whose remote was tethered to the nightstand, natch—the television flickered off, leaving naught but its negative afterimage, a little blue thing floating in total darkness.

Chell reached for another button, this one positioned beside the switch for her bedside lamp, that would activate Extended Relaxation Mode after a ten minute timer. Then, she snuggled a little deeper into her bed, loudly.

Who snuggles into beds loudly…?

Beds aren't supposed to be loud but the ones in Extended Relaxation had these weird mattresses made of some kind of memory foam, and were lined on the bottom with this brittle and unusually vocal vinyl. The kind of thing used in public-facing institutions where making a bed was a calculated risk, one that involved a variety of unmentionable substances. It crinkled and smelled and forced her to reminisce about sharing cheap motel rooms with her dad and stepmom and stepsister during family vacations.

Come to think of it, they never went anywhere fun, not really. Disney World was for other kids. Hell, they couldn't even sneak a Six Flags in there every now and then. For Kid Chell, summers held the promise of nothing but that sweltering drive from Joliet to Kimberling City, MO, to visit her stepmom's mom.

So, step-grandma…?

Chell was instructed to call her "Nana" which she did, forsaking her own feelings about it to spare those of an old woman. Nana was a nice enough lady but she made a hobby of growing kumquats in her backyard and they tasted absolutely disgusting but Chell would have to choke down like a whole punnet of them every time her family came to visit. And then, one night out of a week already stuffed to bursting with tedium and cousins and indigestion, they would all load into Nana's red Aerostar and trek east to the big city—Branson!—for dinner and a show, always bland and oily and vaguely unsatisfying.

Before the ghostly knot of summers’ past could germinate in her stomach, Chell flipped onto her back and stared at the ceiling, the chiaroscuro of the room developing like an old Polaroid as her eyes adjusted to its darkness. The first thing she always did was triangulate the location of the room's Aperture Laboratories We-Don't-Know-What-It-Does-Precisely-We-Just-Know-It's-Some-Kind-Of-Detector Detector on the ceiling. Maybe it detected smoke. Probably not. But it had a tiny red light on its side that glared inexorably through the night.

This time she glared right back at it. She wanted to stay awake. Just once she wanted to feel it when Extended Relaxation Mode kicked in, to see what happened.

Kinda like trying to keep one's eyes open when sneezing.

Maybe she would succeed this time. Her brain seemed unstoppable tonight, ruminating on its own punnet of kumquats, determined to chew each one to a barely edible pulp that tasted of the body spray her classmates used to fumigate the girls' locker room after gym class.

"How did I get down here?" she asked herself (frequently, but especially now). "How did this happen? Why did this happen?"

You were looking for dad, read one kumquat.

Dad always told you not to worry about it—his job, whenever you asked him why his bosses at Aperture made him travel up to their HQ in Michigan every month, read another.

"Who's worried?" you'd always tell him, even if you did worry, even if you worried a lot, read another.

Because then one day he went up there and never came back, read another.

Aperture wouldn't say what happened to him, not exactly what happened to him.

They said it was an accident.

They said they were not responsible for it.

They said nothing more about him ever again after that.

And you said

"Bullshit!" Chell shouted her whisper into the void.

So you tried to get closer. Closer to the truth. Closer to the black hole without getting sucked in.

There is a hotly disputed theory in quantum mechanics that information entering a black hole is lost forever. Chell tried to count herself among the disbelievers; after all, even now she could see that red light on the detector on the ceiling and the little blue thing still floating around her headspace. She remembered the announcer thanking her for watching television that evening, and where Aperture Laboratories Access Television's transmitter was located. She knew that, for what it was worth, she was still Michelle [EDITOR'S NOTE: Curiously, there was once a surname printed here, but the ink has since smeared to the point of illegibility. Our sincere apologies for any narrative inconvenience this may cause].

But did anyone Out There know that she was In Here? Did anyone remember her name, who she was, what she looked like, what she liked and disliked, who she loved, who loved her?

You got a B.S. in Mathematics and a minor in Music (tuba) and a specialist certificate in Applied Scientific Modeling, her mind chewed on and on.

You turned down an offer from Black Mesa to try to get a job here at Aperture.

Aperture wouldn't hire you, but they wouldn't say why.

So you tried to become a test subject.

You got rejected, but they wouldn't say why.

"So then I… Ugh."

Chell didn't want any more kumquats. She shifted gears, flopping onto her left side this time while pulling the bed's comforter over her head. To the hand, its fabric was scratchy and deeply specific—the kind of thing with a lengthy tag sewed to one hem explaining how well it repels fire or bodily fluids while promising swift and severe justice to anyone (save the actual consumer) who would dare cut it off. To the nose, the blanket was only human and needed laundering. Meanwhile, the air conditioning unit beside the vault's approximation of a plate glass window kept chugging along, blasting out its penetrating draft and freon musk, softly rattling the vertical blinds in a sort of atonal plastic lullaby.

If she closed her eyes—she didn't dare, but if she did, it would be so easy to imagine hearing her stepsister's quiet snoring beside her, and feel the sporadic kick of a phantom foot.

Rather, she rewound to a less distant past.

This happened god knows how long ago in Real People Time, but by her own measure it was only a few bad sitcom episodes and half-eaten tubs of 100% REAL in the past—that day in mid-June, 1999, when she was taking the elevator down to the Vaults and that weird guy slipped through the doors at the last second. She remembered his face to photographic precision but the photograph was another one of those old Polaroids, kind of poorly exposed, dreamlike, obscure. He wore a white lab coat and necktie like everyone else who worked there, but he was so gangly and awkward that he looked like he was playing dress-up with Dad's stuff from work. Chell reckoned it was the bandages that made him truly memorable, all those bandages wrapped around his head but they didn't do quite enough to hide every trace of trauma, of blood or bruise.

Through another passenger, she learned his name was Douglas.

"Yeah, this happened here," was Douglas's diffident revelation about his head wound. "But it was an accident, so, no big deal."

Aperture Laboratories apparently did nothing on purpose.

Furthermore this Douglas had an uncanny quality to him. Politely paranoid, Chell recalled. He spoke softly but seemed to radiate this intense nervous energy like a rapidly decaying isotope. A real live wire, like in that one Talking Heads song:

Fa-fa-fa-fa, fa-fa-fa-fa-fa, fa, better Run, run, run, run, run, run, run away

He wasn't paranoid, he was trying to warn you about the contracts, read a sudden kumquat—the worst kind.

He was trying to warn you about the vaults, read another.

He was trying to warn you about the event horizon, read another.

He looked at you with eyes just like yours, pale and frozen furious, read the last one.

Well. One eye was pale and frozen furious. The other one he kept hidden underneath all those bandages. Assuming he still had it.

Well. Maybe he was trying to warn her about something. Maybe he was too afraid to speak of it so directly on company grounds. Maybe he too laid up at night wondering if verging too close to a black hole might put even the memory of one's existence at risk.

Well. In the end, he told her not to worry about it.

"Don't worry about it," he said. Exactly like that.

"Who's worried?" Chell muttered to herself and closed her eyes, momentarily pacified by the sensation, distant but distinct, of mutual remembrance.

[miras-false-pr0phet]

You are so Precious to me Cute as can be

Baby of Mine 🎵

Baby Nyx what a cutie patootie <3 Who never has any problems ever

Also proto-Phantoms are 100% baby Phantoms you cant fool me

[pulsedmaggot]

am i that transparent? ☣

set somewhere between the nebulous of wanyk-current era. the joot & tigger in my head need the slowest of slow burns to get into all this. enjoy | ship: jim root/corey taylor | words: 666 (can you believe this was unintentional) | warnings & tags: implied/referenced sexual content, fluff, they're kissin', thats about it unless you count their horrible. horrible pillow talk | summary: they've both wanted this for a while, and now that they have it, they're content. what's 30-odd years of pining, anyway?

read here or under the cut

Jim’s fingers fall along old strings, the acoustic sweep of a down-tuned guitar crackling through the afternoon air.

He’s sat on the floor, back slumped against his box spring, one knee bent to keep the neck of his guitar close. What started as a lame attempt at meditating- something he knew he was too hyperactive to sit down and actually do, but dealing with the silence after Corey went asleep was becoming unbearable- is now a mindful disturbance. His guitar might as well be his own half-ass meditation, even if he isn't actually playing anything, only fumbling and plucking over chords and notes that matched the pattern of his growing restlessness. He's not surprised Corey’s been able to sleep this long. For him, it isn't entirely out of character, as there's been countless times of his tendency to sleep in causing delays for their bands in the past. Leave it to Corey to test the patience of others in his sleep.

Jim’s very own patience was tested this morning. Every attempt he made at trying to get him up resulted in nothing but the soft snoring of a fucked-out man. His untouched serenity is what made Jim leave him alone. It's also what's making Jim pick up his tempo, the longer he thinks about Corey’s sleeping face.

The memory of Corey melting under his touch has his fingers wandering along the fretboard. His palm mutes a note as he thinks about Corey’s flushed skin, kneaded and pulled by the same palm so desperately, because he'll be the first one to be fucking honest about wanting him for so long. Last night he'd had him- finally, finally had him- and right now, as he's pulling at twos and fours, Corey is breathing on every odd note. The way he gasped under Jim’s weight echoes in the twinkling steps of Jim’s middle and index. Flashbacks of Corey’s bright smile matched the tune to Jim’s minor progression in perfect harmony. They were both beaming at a joke no one seemed to make. As Jim plays it over in his mind, they were definitely both reacting to each other’s post-orgasm faces.

Just as he's giggling to himself about it again- because Corey’s little nose pulled up into his brow as he panted like a dehydrated hound was actually really funny- the bed creaks, and the top of his hair is now tickled by a warm cheek.

“Some alarm clock you are.” Corey’s laying upside down, his voice like a twitching cicada trying to crawl its way out of molasses. Jim fucking loves it, unashamedly. Possibly hopes he can at least hear it for the rest of his life.

“You have to pay to get the ringtone sheet.” Jim pushes his nose into Corey’s, revels in the blush accompanying that laugh of his. “Remember ringtones?”

“Yeah,” Corey snorts, chasing Jim’s affection with a flurry of lips and chin, “we were only on, like, a dozen of those.”

“One for each album.” Jim knows he's smiling like an idiot and can't really know for sure if anything they've done together has been someone's jaunty little phone jingle, but Corey also doesn't seem to know, or even care. “Give or take some albums.”

“Speaking of,” Corey nods in the direction of Jim’s acoustic, an exasperated sigh pulling from his chest, “are we goin’ somewhere?”

Leave it to Corey to not know if they were supposed to be in the studio by now, and to assume Jim’s not-so-subtle way of telling him that was to noodle around for hours on end waiting for him to wake up.

“Nope.” Jim’s attention is still on Corey, but his fingers carry on with strumming, open notes fading out while his unoccupied hand draws patterns in the carpet underneath him. “Just keepin’ myself busy.”

“Good.” Corey doesn't wait for Jim to explain his plans for the rest of the day, only shoves their faces together in what can only be described as the world's worst upside down kiss.

[thegoldencontracts]

I've heard a lot of discussion about the octatrio and their dynamic. Sone say that Azul's still the twins' boss/in control at the what if things, while others say that, clearly, the twins pull the strings from behind the scenes.

Honestly though, I think a part of what makes the octatrio special is the lack of power dynamic. At the heart of things, they're all equals, messing around with one another on many an occasion, and - of course - caring for each other at the heart of things. There's a kind of charm that's lost in my eyes by the idea that Jade and Floyd are secretly evil satanic being who wish to eat Azul, or that Azul is their commanding nuisance of a boss.

I especially think people forget: Azul does mess with the twins. Jade's mushroom gets broken by Jack in Jack's lab coat vignette, Azul jumps on the chance to use the incident to make Jack work for the Lounge, and... Doesn't say anything about replacing the actual log. Which, a throwaway line confirms Jade did really care about. He's not a poor weeping angel doing naught but suffering at their hands.

However, they also clearly care about each other at the heart of if all. Just look at the way they act during Azul's overblot! Jade seems so genuinely concerned, Azul asks them to give them his power - even at his breaking point, while of the verge of being possessed, Azul still considers them allies above all others!

I dunno, I just think the Octatrio are better off as equals, friends who'll never admit it. Feel free to disagree with me in replies for reblogs or whatever.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

with jamil's birthday card preview out we got a new theme for this year's birthday card, that being relaxing my room. it got me thinking of what ace's groovy would be like (because i have biases and ive chosen to be biased to this guy.) i thought of how it could be of him playing basketball with that little hoop on his wall or just him taking a snooze and then it hit me. hear me out, his groovy is just him calling his brother. his brother has been a chara where ace learnt all sorts of tricks and other things about the world from, hes got a good relationship with his brother and has been overall plays a pretty big part of his character esp in his home life and such. in a vignette hes late to deuce's aware ceremony i think because he was up calling his brother. its got such a relaxed vibe of him just calling his brother as everyone is asleep i dunno i think it would fit the theme really well :D and also cuz big brother trappola appearance i mean WHAT now i really want that to be the card..

[Referencing this post!]

I was surprised by the reveal of pajamas for the 5th birthday line! It’s the first informal set of clothes; every prior iteration was a suit or like… full-on wizard robes 😂 I guess it’s nice to change things up a bit, especially going on 5 years now.

It being a pajama theme actually gives me mild anxiety because as cute as it is, uh… My mind immediately goes to what’s going down in the main story right now, which is anything but cute 😅 It’s… eerily relevant… That aside, it’ll be nice to see the guys comfortable and just lounging around on their sheets. They definitely need it after all the kidnapping attempts and nearly world-ending catastrophes they’ve gone through.

The vignettes you’re talking about are Deuce’s Ceremonial Robes! As you said, Ace is sleepy at the award ceremony because he was up late talking to his brother over the phone. That'd definitely be a neat idea and callback for Ace's Relaxing in Room card! We probably wouldn't see his older brother, but maybe we'd get a little bit more lore too. First I guess we'll have to see what kind of precedent Jami's Groovy and vignettes set though.

All this talk of Jamil and Ace in their pjs makes me imagine the guys in the VDC/SDC squad chilling in their sleepwear in Ramshackle after their practice is done for the day. Telling ghost stories, having pillow fights, doing each other's skincare (Vil's orders)... Sounds like a fun way to unwind~

[zinthelost]

The Wellness-Check

So after being drug into this ship entirely against my will, I've finally wrote something after 2 years. I guess it's working out for me, then. So here's a ficlet or a vignette or a wip, I dunno. There is a longer story attached to this in this in my head, but I thought this scene would make a good stand alone. (There's no AO3 entry for this.)

This fic pretends that TDP didn't happen cus that's the world I choose to live in. So the timeline is still progressing to the future we saw in DoFP.

-

“Professor?” Jubilee called as she knocked on his door.

“I don’t think we should bothering him. Either of them,” Kurt put in from the back of the small group in the hallway. “Dr. McCoy said not to-”

“We’re not kids anymore Kurt,” Scott cut in. “Hank might think we are but we’re instructors now. Someone should check on the Professor. Someone other than Magneto. Who might be injured too, right? After that, whatever. That was serious.”

“And the Professor has me completely blocked from his rooms,” Jean added in. “He’s never been so firm about his shields with me.”

“Professor?” Jubilee called again and a projection of the Professor appeared standing beside the door.

“Thank you, Ms Lee. I heard you the first time and I assure you all I am fine, as is Mr. Lehnsherr. You should be focusing on your own classes right now. After last night’s unpleasantness, normalcy will be good for the children. Only my own classes need canceled.”

“If you're fine then why cancel at all? And why not actually come to the door?” Scott asked and turned to glare at the door, as if daring it to open.

“Because I am occupied at the moment and there is no need for me to come to the door,” he replied simply and made to wave them off. “I made my announcement about my classes and I’m telling you now. I’m fine. Go about your day. Thank you for your concern.”

“If you’re hurt from that-”

“I am not, Ms. Gray.”

“It’s just that you’re being really cagey and-” Jubilee started but stopped as footsteps could be heard approaching the other side of the door.

“Well, this is one way to solve the problem…” Charles mumbled, looking exasperated.

The self-appointed wellness-check team stepped back as the door swung open to show... Magneto. In his boxer briefs and nothing else. He positioned himself firmly in the doorway, leaning against it casually. In one motion he effectively blocked them and laid claim to the rooms within and their contents. “How many times does it need to be stated? He’s occupied. And I intend for him to be so for the foreseeable future. Or until we’re both hungry,” he added with a shark's grin. 

“As I said,” Xavier repeated before letting his projection blink out. “Everything is fine.”

“Fine? Just fine?” Magneto asked slyly over his shoulder as he closed the door. “Not the word I’d use,” he growled playfully.

“Erik!” they distantly heard the Professor laughingly admonish through the door as Magneto’s footsteps stalked away back into the rooms.

The small cluster at the door stood there a moment. And a moment more. Before Kurt said weakly. “Oh mein Gott…”

“Well!” Jubilee added with an evil, joyous grin.

“...That would explain the shielding against me.” Jean said as they finally started back down the hallway.

“Hey, Scott. Remember way back when we were all so surprised that the Professor welcomed Magneto to stay at the school for a bit right after that crap with Nurr?” Jubilee chirped.

“Please don’t…”

“And we did not understand why he was so pleased to have him stay here for the Genosha talks?” Kurt tossed in.

Scott groaned.

“And then when he showed up to stay and help with the school and the Professor let him have free reign and we thought that was a stretch given the whole ‘dropped a stadium around the white house’ incident? But her just never left and the Professor was so happy to have him around?” Jean added, knocking in that last nail.

“I think we know why now.” Jubilee said in a sing-song voice, absolutely giddy with this new gossip.

Scott “we’re not kids anymore” Summers just covered his head, making the noise of a dying animal.

“And did you see him?!” she continued, ignoring her suffering teammate. “He’s like fifty, right?”

“I didn’t know a fifty year old guy could look like that. That was…” Jean agreed.

“Totally.”

“Oh come on!” Scott chimed in, breaking free of his torment in the face of this injustice. “He wasn’t that- I mean, he’s old.”

“And tight.” Jubilee couldn’t be deterred. “No wonder all those international incidents could be so easily forgiven. Well done, Professor. That’s a score.”

“This was such a mistake. Why do I ever listen to you all?” Kurt said as they stepped into the kitchen. “We’re back Dr. McCoy and-”

“Oh my God, McCoy! You would not believe what… we just…” even Jubilee’s happy announcement of juicy gossip dwindled out to nothing as they entered the room. At the island Dr. McCoy was quite focused on pouring himself a very tall glass of gin. At 10 am. 

“Um…” 

He said nothing nor acknowledged them as he screwed the cap on and set the bottle down. He then grabbed his glass and turned to leave with it but appeared to think better before turning back to snatch the bottle as well. Both in hand, he walked out without a word.

Jubilee leaned towards the others and loudly “whispered” to the others, “I think he knows.”

“Knows what?” Peter asked zipping in to the fridge and then popping back into vision here and there as he assembled a few sandwiches. 

“The Professor is getting it with Magneto!” Jubilee announced, all her enthusiasm returned.

Shockingly, Peter actually stood still for two whole seconds at that news before shaking his head. “Nope. That’s enough of that conversation.” And then he was gone with his sandwiches, though the bread and everything else was abandoned in his wake.

“Oh not cool… What, is it our job to clean this up? Jerk.”

[inbarfink]

Apparently some Ace Attorney fans don’t like this Plot Beat in the PLVSAA game? Like, they feel that it disrespects Phoenix or puts in on a lower rung of importance compared to Layton? But I really disagree, I have some other issues with PLVSAA, but this moment? That’s a perfect Phoenix Wright moment that shows a real understanding of his character and his appeal.

Because Phoenix Wright always shoves his nose right into the center of stories where he was not supposed to be in. That’s what he’s been doing since the beginning. 

Just look at the plot of the very first game! It’s all about Manfred von Karma and his Big Ass Weirdo Grudge against the whole Edgeworth family all two of them. In many ways, even if the AA narrative doesn’t typically use that framing - Manfred is kind of a Storyteller in a way, creating the Story of Miles Edgeworth’s tragedy and patricide. 

And in that ‘Story’, Phoenix was a minor character at best. He was just an ordinary kid who knew Miles for a few months in fourth grade, He’s not tied in with the Family Drama, he doesn't have any obvious special talents or anything. From any outsider's perspective on Miles' whole life, there's no reason to think his 4th Grade Best Friend would by in any way Important for anything but Tragic Flasbacks. But Phoenix put himself into that narrative. For him, Miles’ kindness and friendship for these few months of childhood are just as important as anything in Manfred’s Story.

He got himself into law and shoved himself right into Miles Edgeworth’s story despite how ridiculous it all is. And so, even as Manfred disregarded him as just yet another unimportant interchangeable Defense Attorney to be crashed under his heel - didn’t even remember his name and face- Phoenix was still the one to defeat him. Even as Manfred left the courtroom still cursing Edgeworth’s name - Phoenix has made himself, by choice, into the Hero of that Story. 

Miles and Maya would be Main Characters in anything related to the DL-6 mess whatever they’d like to or not, it’s just tied-up so heavily into their life and their traumas. Phoenix is the one who chose to be a Main Character in that Story. 

And that’s something that kind of repeats with a lot of the narratives Phoenix gets into. Because he’s, like, the one AA character without a Dramatic Backstory outside of the Class Trial, Phoenix is usually either playing backup to the real main characters of the narrative - or once again, making himself the Main Character out of sheer determination and love and desire to help others and choice. 

And doing it again in PLvsPW, establishing that he and Maya butted into both the Storyteller and Darklaw’d Stories just because they were both driven and curious and kind and wanted to help Espella so bad… that’s just perfect, especially for a story all about Stories that’s just perfect.

The thing that I keep thinking about is the few times AA has Stories that are definitively about Phoenix without him butting in or stumbling into someone else’s Story. ‘Justice for All’ is one, but it doesn’t really have a Grand Overarching Narrative. It’s more of a Phoenix Wright Character Study via a series of vignettes. The AA game that really has Phoenix at the center of a Story is ‘Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney’.

To continue the PLvsPW metaphor, AJAA is really the game between a bunch of rival Storytellers - PLvsPW had Arthur Vs. Evelyn, AJAA has Kristoph Vs Phoenix. Kristoph weaved a Story with Phoenix’s downfall at its center - and Phoenix waited until he had the chance to return the favor. I mean, I dunno, maybe my metaphor is a touch stretched but… Hobonick really is the closest thing to the Storyteller in the mainline AA games. The final AJAA case is almost literally him ‘designing’ a trial for his own purposes.

And the interesting thing is how controlling and railroading he is as a Storyteller figure. For someone who’s based his own entire damn life on defying the Stories and plans of others, he really does not let his own ‘Main Characters’ - least of all Apollo - that same sort of metanarrative agency. 

[sapphicfloyrid]

I am thinking so hard about Floyd's lab wear vignette rn.

Like, Jade asking Riddle if he misses Floyd's usually happy mood and teasing that comes with it and the latter trying to deny it is so cute when you think abt it. Like, it's pretty obvious that he misses that part of the day, but can't admit it, especially when Jade is the one who asks about it.

Or post this vignette, I bet Riddle found out from Adeuce that Floyd helped them with the colour changing spell.

It makes me think of a silly 'secret dating' scenario, where Florid actually date, but don't tell anyone because they know damn well Jade would absolutely tease the shit outta them. Ace too if he wouldn't be aware of the possibility of getting collared :'3

And in turn it makes everyone else just getting exasperated with these 2 because, to them, it's like these 2 keep circling the same bush.

Dunno... Just Florid trying to have a more peaceful relationship and literally everyone else not knowing and trying to get these 2 together because damn it's more frustrating than MLB's lovesquare U-Ub

They think it’s still a situation where they don’t know they’re obviously pining for each other and that would be a funny scenario like everyone around them going “GODDAMN JUST KISS ALREADY”

Meanwhile they are kissing, they just don’t know it yet.

Of course Jade would tease Floyd about it too so that’s why he doesn’t wanna tell him lmao

[asleepyyeti]

unnervingly domestic

platonic ghost/reader - these are just connected vignettes, not in chronological order [part 1] [part 3]

Simon slides a couple of papers under your nose while you’re reading at the kitchen table. You look up at him, questions obvious in your eyes.

“Time to renew our records,” he says like that answers anything, staunchly refusing to meet your eyes. You doubt he’s that invested in the Antiques Roadshow.

“Uh huh… I don’t know any of your information, Simon. I mean, except where you live. And your phone number. Though, hey, do you have a civvie phone and a military phone?”

“I do.”

“Huh. Well… what do you need me to do here, then?”

“Changing my next of kin,” he says, quiet. “Used to be this old nurse, only one at the GP that wasn’t seem afraid of me. Figure now I’ve got someone a bit more appropriate.”

You tear up a bit, but try and force it out of your voice. “What about your boys?”

“We’re on the same squad, can’t put ‘em down. ‘sides, likely that they’d be in the field with me.”

“But if something… happened. Would they be able to see you? In hospital or something?”

His cheek pulls into his mouth a little, like he’s chewing on it. “Dunno. Don’t think anyone could stop John. Guess you could always make demands, too.”

“I would,” you say quickly, “I’d force ‘em to let the boys in. Promise.”

“I know,” he says, a little smile sneaking onto his face. “‘s why I settled on you.”

You pick up the papers, then, look at them a little closer. You shuffle through them, checking what information you’ll be giving the military and the government, what you’ll be signing up for on his behalf. When you hold your hand out expectantly, Simon tilts his head at you.

“Well, gimme a pen, then. Wait, black or blue ink?”

He snorts.

[eisforeidolon]

Question: This is actually from my husband. We know you can sing. So was it actually pretty fun to get up there as Soldier Boy and um, just destroy Rapture the way that you did?

Jensen: Um, so I prerecorded that, right? Like I went to a, went to a recording studio one of the days I wasn't shooting with Phil Sgriccia. And he was sitting in the control room with the technician and I'm literally in a recording booth [gestures] headphones on, like recording an album kinda thing. And I just remember all the lyrics were in front of me, got the microphone, I got the headphones on and I went through one take of it and I was just like [mimes adjusting headphones] Phil, what - what are we doing? And he's - I can see him laughing in the control room through the windows. And he's like [makes continue motion, and speaks in tone of barely-controlled laughter] 'Do it again, do it again! This is so good!' And I just, you know - I think it was the same day I mighta done the cartoon voice over, too, for the eagle? And, oh, also I did Logical Point of View. So it was a full day of recording. And I just remember thinking, like, Eric Kripke has lost his mind. He is - this is my life now.

Jared: Did he ever have his mind?

Jensen: No, I dunno. And Phil and I actually on the day when they were filming other things, he got a small crew, was like, Phil calls it his misfit crew, and they go and they shoot these little vignettes and stuff all around, like interstitial stuff. And one of the things was the Solid Gold, and I remember walking onto this, kind of remote sound stage. And I walked into that set, it was like all the dancers were all dressed up with the lights and [gestures vaguely] I just - it was - yeah - I - it was hard to put into words. I just kept going, like, what's happening to me? What is happening to me right now?

Question: [something about the Solid Gold scene making the person's heart go pitter-patter, not sure of exact words]

Jensen: [laughs] Well, thank you. I oddly enjoyed it when I saw the final product. I was like, Okay. Alright. I'm proud of that one. I'm gonna hang my hat on that one. Solid Gold.

[moonyasnow]

SSR Timofey 'Spike' Orlov - Birthday Boy Vignette

"Happy Birthday"

PART 1 (PART 2) (PART 3)

[Savannaclaw Dorm – Birthday Party Venue]

NRC School Newspaper: A Birthday Interview with Spike

Hello, and happy birthday!

Oh hey! Thanks! And thanks for comin' an' all.

'F you wanna know what's what you're better off askin' 'Lona; the guys from the dorm set this all up.

Know where the food is but that's 'bout it.

How does it feel to be celebrating your birthday here at NRC?

Feels like I can't touch the party food. Looks too fancy. 'Fraid I'll hold it weird and get told off or somethin'? Dunno how to eat fancy stuff.

Gets me surprised every year, too! Probably 'cause've never been good rememberin' dates. Not even my own birthday.

Wouldn't've planned anythin' out. 'Specially not somethin' big n' fancy like this.

Plans…not my strong suit.

Had to set ten reminders for me and Neige's anniversary. Wasn't gonna let myself forget just 'cause my brain's no good with it!

Have you gotten greetings from anyone noteworthy today?

Let's see…

Got 'em from Neige, of course, 'Lona, Ruggie, Jack, a few dorm-mates, and the guys from the club.

What about presents?

Oh yeah, lotsa those too.

Too many to carry, even. Dunno where I'm s'posed to put some of this stuff!

'M not used to it. Feels kinda strange... Not bad strange. Different. Good different. Gets me a 'lil shy's all...

Didn't think folks'd wanna spend money and crap on me. Was just expectin' to watch a movie or play some game 'n hang out y'know?

Bein' showerd in gifts like this makes me feel special. 'S nice. Weird too.

Didn't think folks'd wanna spend money and crap on me. Was just expectin' to watch a movie or play some game 'n hang out y'know?

Is that what you usually do on your birthday?

Basically

This one time me'n some friends snuck into a theatre. Didn't have cash to pay for tickets. It was this romcom. Don't remember the name though...or much else to be honest.

Felt embarrassed saying I wanted to see a romcom so I told 'em I picked at random.

We were caught 'bout halfway through. Does mean I never got to find out the ending...

Tag list: @another-random-paradise @thehollowwriter @faefum @cactus13-rolloflammesimp @beneathsakurashade

@nyx-of-night @theolivetree123 @babyghoul138 @skibidibabygirl @screamintoad

@mishig

PLEASE TELL ME IF YOU WANNA BE TAGGED IN FUTURE STUFF!

[marointhemoon]

Malcolm is...

Chapter 1 - Weird/Wanting

A series of vignettes that peek into the various friendships Malcolm's had throughout his life. Most of them had never lasted. Until Enterprise. Alternate title: "Eight descriptors for Malcolm Reed, and one that's actually true."

Beginning-of-chapter notes: 22.9.2119. 4.

A new student had joined Marie's preschool class last week, called Malcolm. He’d gotten anxious with everyone pelting him with questions that first day, so Marie had decided to wait for all the fuss to die down. That didn’t take very long, with most of the class noticing Malcolm’s shyness and writing him off as weird.

She chose to introduce herself during a recess period. She'd noticed that he tended to keep to himself during recess, just quietly sitting on the swings or playing in the sandbox while everyone else played some other game. It had been raining all that day, so the class was stuck inside. As usual, while the other children had occupied themselves with each other's company, Malcolm was alone. He sat on the rug in the middle of the room, building some sort of tower with the wood blocks. Marie walked over to him, sensing that he wasn’t in the mood to talk. Still, she thought, he’s got to make friends sometime.

“Hullo,” she said, putting on her best, friendliest smile. “What’s your name?”

He looked up from where he’d been sitting. Malcolm blinked a couple of times, not smiling back.

“Er … Malcolm,” he said, before going back to what he was doing. Marie’s brows furrowed, her smile dropping. He was weird.

“Aren’t you going to ask my name?”

Malcolm looked back up.

“Okay. What is your name?”

She smiled again. Maybe she was getting somewhere. “I’m Marie.”

Malcolm blinked again. “Okay.”

He went back to building. With a huff, Marie sat down near him. What could be so interesting?

“What are you building?” she ventured.

“Dunno.”

“May I build with you, Malcolm?”

Malcolm paused again, thinking for a moment. Then, he gathered a small group of blocks for himself, before pushing the rest to Marie.

“Here you are.”

He then looked down again, going back to whatever he was trying to build. Marie stared at her pile, not understanding what she’d done wrong. It wasn’t as though she’d crowded him that first day or gone out of her way to exclude him like some of her friends had. Shouldn't he want to be her friend?

She looked at Malcolm, playing with his group of blocks, aware that she existed but not seeming to care. Making her decision, she stood. Clearly, he was fine on his own. She walked away, joining her friends at one of the tables. They talked and laughed about nothing in particular, including him.

---

Malcolm looked up, frowning slightly, not understanding what he’d done wrong. He wasn’t sure how he felt, but it wasn’t good. When he heard his name and ‘weird’ in one of their sentences, he felt his eyes burning. He blinked, refusing to let himself cry. Reed men didn’t cry, four years old or not.

Still, it hurt. But he was alone now, and he couldn’t do anything about it. He went back to his blocks, ignoring the ache he felt in his chest, throat, and eyes. 

Chapters:

1 (you are here) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

[tixdixl]

Emil Birthday Jacket Vignette - Part 2

Malleus: Shall we continue with the interview portion of our encounter?

Emil: Sure thing!

Malleus: The first question reads, “If you could take any one person with you to a deserted island, who would it be?” It also states that you can't pick someone from your dorm.

Emil, without hesitation: Kalim

Malleus, quizzical expression: Interesting… care to elaborate on why?

Emil: Sure! I don’t know if you’ve ever seen it, but Kalim’s Unique Magic allows him to literally create water out of nowhere. And since my best skills are predominantly in medicine, herbalism, and earth related magics? We’d have boundless food, water, and shelter all.while we sit and wait for help to come.

Malleus pauses, considering his answer for a moment.

Malleus: What if help doesn’t come?

Emil, with a smirk and a raised brow: You don’t know Pomefiore, do you?

Malleus: I can’t say I’ve had a reason to. Why?

Emil: When one of us is in danger or goes missing? The whole family jumps to action until we know that person is safe. Help would come. I have no doubt of that.

Malleus: Interesting…

Emil: What, you don’t believe me?

Malleus: No, I just am reminded how humans are so limited in their capacities. If it were me, I would just teleport my way off the island, and have the elements bend to my whim.

Emil, smiling brightly: That’s really amazing, Malleus. Though I’m sure that makes a lot of these hypothetical prompts and other issues seem really… I dunno, trivial?

Malleus: Then again… they are hypothetical for a reason. I’m uncertain how or why anyone would end up in a situation where they would be on a deserted island.

Emil: Crash landing.

Malleus: I’m… sorry?

Emil: Everyone’s worst intrusive thought about planes. Crash landings. Something happens to the plane, and you end up crashing in the middle of the ocean on a deserted island. From what one of my buddies says, it’s even the main theme of a lot of major films. So… *shrugs*

Malleus: …I’m not sure which I dislike more, the word image you just created, or the fact that you were able to answer that as quickly as you did.

Emil just sits there, grinning and beaming like he’s having an absolute blast.

Malleus: mm…

TO BE CONTINUED...

Part 1 || Part 3

Tag list: @cyanide-latte @simons-twsted-children @inmateofthemind @ramshacklerumble

@rainesol @elenauaurs @blithesharem @theleechyskrunkly

@thehollowwriter @boopshoops @starry-night-rose

Lmk if you want added/removed!

[yuurei20]

Trey Info Compilation part 23: Riddle (pt5)

Cater comments, “I dunno if you’re an amazing cook or just waaay too devoted to Riddle” in a vignette where Trey pressures him into using his unique magic despite his protests in order to keep Riddle happy.

In a Chat Cater compares Trey and Riddle to the King and Queen of hearts, saying, “As far as Heartslabyul’s concerned…you guys are both hashtag-indispensable!”

When Cater expresses concern with Riddle’s mood to Trey, Trey says, “Well, he hasn’t blown up yet today, so that’s progress, right? He’s working hard in his own way” and Cater calls him out for giving Riddle’s behavior a pass.

We see Trey defend Riddle’s poor behavior again during Halloween when he threatens laypeople with magic, saying, “In Riddle’s defense, he was exercising a lot of restraint. He knew he was dealing with guests.”

When Rook asks Trey about his excitement at the prospect of encountering Riddle during Beanfest Trey says, “I’ve never been gung-ho about competing with Riddle.”

Cater says that he can only imagine how many times Trey’s baking has saved the rest of the dorm from Riddle’s rages and Trey does seem to cook for him often. Trey picks up dried pineapples, oranges, kiwis, bananas, melon and dates during the Firelit Sky event that he says are all for Riddle, as he intends to use them to make him a tart.

When reunited with all five members of Heartslabyul during Spectral Soiree, Trey is the first person that Riddle calls out to.

When Ace comments on how he doubts that Trey was “that serious about studying from day one,” Trey says “When I knew Riddle was coming the year after me? Of course I was. Could you imagine what he would have said if I’d flunked any one of my classes?,” which does not seem to track with a different comment by Trey that Riddle didn’t have a reputation for getting angry before enrolling at NRC (he tries to give Riddle a pass for his behavior by saying that “maybe he’s just feeling the pressure of responsibility now that he’s housewarden”).

Trey is often taking on a supportive role to Riddle as vice housewarden, keeping his opinion to himself when he does not agree with Riddle’s comments and plying Riddle with homemade sweets to encourage him to relax.

When Riddle reacts with shock to the idea that his tsum looks anything like him Deuce says “it’s kind of…intense,” and Trey diffuses a potential situation by insisting, “it has a certain dignity about it.”

When Cater comments that he may be too devoted to Riddle Trey plays it off, and Trey apologizes to Riddle for catching a cold after performing a task on his behalf.

Riddle decides to try and help Trey feel better by making him soup but unfortunately runs into Lilia, who recommends adding strawberry tarts, ginger, garlic, eggs, bananas and yogurt.

Riddle lets “thoughts of Trey” guide him as he cooks and the end result is something with “a rather…pungent odor.”

Trey insists on trying the soup in front of Riddle and compliments him on his effort, later assuring Riddle that he finished the whole batch off.

[kittygirlpaw]

Well, that's it! press_start, one of my first real attempts to make a full-fledged story, point-to-point, is over.

I wrote a little retrospective, here, because I felt it was prudent to Say Something rather than just. Shrug, and move on, because it did end up becoming a big part of my life in a lot of ways I didn't expect. If you'd like to read, feel free to hit the read more.

TL;DR is - the story ended up meaning a lot to me, both as something to work on consistently and a part of my life that was always there, waiting to be touched up. I spent over two years on it, and even if I think I could've done things better, I'm glad I made it.

It feels weird. Especially after having well over a year of time where I looked at it as The Project. Y'know, that Thing, where you always start working on it when you're not doing anything else. It became one of the central pillars of work to do when I'm not doing anything else, it was basically on my mind 24/7.

It became how I got closer with a few people, it became how I gained a lot more confidence in my ability to dress a story and characters. I got a lot of practice with it, I managed to feel like I could actually make something. Set a goal, a long-term goal, and meet it.

I'd always dreaded actually setting pen to paper, and press_start was basically my first dart-throw at trying to make something bigger than vignettes, or quick one-shots. Something with a thread, with stories to tell, with lives lived.

There's a lot of things I think I could've done better, or differently. I think there's a lot of stuff that don't think I did great at, and a lot of the story was me riding by the seat of my pants and throwing things in the air faster than I could really tone everything perfectly. There's a number of unanswered questions, vague hooks, theoretical openings for another story to be told.

I'm not sure if I want to tell another story, there, though, for a lot of reasons that are both personal and informed by...I dunno. The story was, at the end, one about exploring very specific questions, and those questions got answered.

When it feels like there's no reason to go on, you go on not only for yourself but the people you love. It's easy to hurt yourself, but you will hurt others because of it, even if you only ever try to direct it inwards. Fixing yourself isn't trying to hurt yourself the "right way". Acceptance is the only real path forward. Things might be different, but they can still be good. Connection and community, trust and love, are things that you can find.

I went through a lot of changes during the brainstorming, making-of, actual writing, and finalizing of the story. Moved something like three, almost four times, further into my transition, left my bio family behind, entered a poly relationship, got married...

Weird as it is, press_start became a cornerstone for us. A marker by which we addressed change and time.

If I return to it, it'll probably be with little things to say, rather than another narrative. Stories of people, in the aftermath.

Maybe it was time to say goodbye, but that doesn't necessarily mean I was ready, in a funny way. I'll still do it, because it just means I can move on to another story to tell.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

HI RAVEN!!!! 🤔 kinda a random thought not really but would you consider ace and sebek to be like? RIVALS? or to have a strong dislike towards eachother compared to other first years/students? 🤔🤔 haven’t read much sebek stuff or book 7 so maybe it’s just the way I interpret things……..

🤔🤔 for me at least I feel like ace brings up sebek especially a handful of times? and to bash on him too or at least poke fun at him. can’t think of a lot off the top of my head but in ace’s birthday jacket vignette he picks at sebek specifically when going thru dorm choices. WHICH LIKE……. I DUNNO ITS GIVING VERY “I BEEF W HIM” VIBES. I figured it could just be because he’s a fellow first year but ?? jack or epel don’t get mentioned when he was talking about their dorms so i’m not sure 🤔

👁️👁️ but I wanna hear your take on it!!! are ace and sebek ACTUALLY beefing or was it all just a headcanon??? 😭😭 hopefully I didn’t yap too much. btw

Sorry for the lack of screenshots; I don’t own all the relevant cards in EN and didn’t want to include screenshots sporadically 💦

But!! I did my best to cite where I’m pulling my information from (main story, vignettes, etc.) and directly quote from the official localization. Hope that’s okay!

I mean… Sebek is pretty much always pissing off his peers because of the condescending way he talks to them. It’s no wonder why he rubs people the wrong way. As for Ace, he has indicated that he finds Sebek to be a pain in the ass. I don’t know if I would personally call it “beefing” though?? I see it more as Ace just wants Sebek to shut up and chill out (though Sebek would definitely shout at Ace and fight him) 😂

Point is, I don’t see Sebek having a particular disdain for Ace (he is abrasive toward everyone), but I do see Ace having a particular dislike for Sebek. They aren’t “rivals” in the same way that Ace and Deuce are, as Ace and Sebek don’t really compete for anything or get into many instances of bickering—at least not from what we see. That might just be a product of Sebek being formally introduced later than the other first years, but even counting vignettes and event interactions, it’s still pretty one-sided; often we see Ace commenting on Sebek but not the other way around.

According to Ace in 7-11, he knows Sebek because they’re in the same Magic Analysis/Enigmics (EN writes this class as both of these so it can get confusing) elective. He also implies (in 7-34) sharing other electives with Sebek. This means Ace has regular direct experience with Sebek compared to the other first years (except maybe Deuce?)… ie more opporunities to be annoyed by Sebek’s arrogant loner attitude.

Ace reports (again, in 7-34) that “[Sebek] insults people like, all the time. He even says stuff right to my face when we're in the same group, like, 'Don't you dare slow me down, human!' And he always finds some way to make every subject about Malleus, then drones on and on about how great he is." In regards to those intense feelings about Malleus, Ace says "[Sebek] takes it to a whole other level [...] I can see why people would idolize [Malleus]. But, like, you don't have to make it your entire personality, y'know?" Ace repeats these ideas in his Birthday Boy vignettes. “[Sebek]’s always yelling something or other about his precious Malleus. Oh yeah, and he talks down to us for being human. Dude's a total fae fanboy.”

In Sebek's School Uniform vignette, Sebek yells at Ace for running in the halls. Ace responds by calling him an "uptight nag" whose yelling will disturb other students. Ace also points out how pathetic Sebek comes across as after witnessing him trip over himself to apologize to Malleus. “Dude, nothing you say's gonna impress anyone after that sorry sight.” When Ace tries to leave the scene to make it to class, Sebek shouts at him. “You wait just a minute! I'm not finished! COME BACK HERE!” It should be noted that Ace is someone who always tries to find shortcuts or ways to get out of work whereas Sebek is strict and diligent. Their mindsets and values naturally clash.

This, I think, is a very good summary of most people's problems with Sebek. Ace is just saying what's on everyone's mind--and this makes sense for Ace's character, as he has consistently been the type of guy to call others out. He also encourages Yuu to do the same (in his Birthday Boy vignettes). This detail at least implies Ace finds it amusing on occasion to tease Sebek for his shortcomings.

We see Sebek’s behavior in class for ourselves in his Dorm Uniform vignettes. Ace actually appears in them too, remarking that Sebek is a “loudmouth”. This is something he echoes in his Birthday Boy vignettes; “Loudmouth doesn't even begin to describe him.” When Sebek starts arguing with his group members (some mobs) and refusing to work with them while simultaneously extolling Malleus, Ace says “Here we go again with Sebek and his ‘liege’… Man, imagine being grouped with that guy who […] All he had to do was play nice and let [the mob students] help. He CHOSE to make things harder. How does that guy even function in society?” Side note: In Ace’s Suitor Suit vignettes, he calls Sebek the “number-one worst contender” for a groom. Ace clearly thinks Sebek is unfriendly and annoying in areas extending beyond academics or school life. This is, of course, in addition to Ace finding his loud voice grating.

Later in the same vignettes, Ace and Deuce are forced to sit close to Sebek in the crowded cafeteria. Sebek insists to Lilia that his classes are going well, to which Ace starts snickering and reveals the truth: “Dude... No problems whatsoever? You've got nothing BUT problems, bro! Haha!” Deuce pitches in: “He got into a loud argument with some classmates during our defensive magic lesson. He called his groupmates ‘burdens’ and insisted on doing their entire project by himself.” Ace then says Sebek must think highly of himself and gets annoyed when his words are taken literally. “Do you not understand sarcasm either?” He tells Sebek to fix his attitude, but it doesn’t seem to work. Ace sighs and says he’s just wasting his breath on this.

Sebek’s Dorm Uniform vignettes illustrate Sebek’s general struggles to get along with all of his classmates, not just Ace or Ace specifically. Deuce notably also calls Sebek out for causing trouble for his peers, even stating “[…] as an aspiring honor student, I can't condone your behavior. Having confidence is fine and all, but you shouldn't make things harder for others. That's just being obnoxious.” Sebek pisses off the other first years in 7-34 too, calling them “shallow” and making a terrible first impression. Ace, who is also present, says that no one wants to be chummy with him anyway—not if he’s going to act like that.

In conclusion, Ace has explained his rationale for disliking Sebek many times over. Rather than saying Ace has a problem with Sebek, I think it would be more accurate to say that Ace has a problem with Sebek and is simply relaying the opinions that everyone else holds directly to Sebek’s face. (He gets annoyed that Sebek takes none of it to heart though.) As for the other party, Sebek chides Ace no differently than he would anyone else stepping out of line, not appreciating Malleus, or… just existing as a human 💀 He doesn’t seem to have issues with Ace other than his lax attitude (which could also apply to many other characters such as Leona).

In my opinion, Ace and Sebek are not rivals (at least not major ones), nor do they have specific beef with each other outside of one-off instances or whenever Ace is in the mood to lay down The Truth and embarrass Sebek. I see Ace and Deuce as your classic rivals and Sebek as like… a villain of the week who cameos here and there after his first appearance to cause shenanigans.