#i have natural talent to draw every character tired
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justsmiledoe · 7 months ago
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burningcheese-merchant · 18 days ago
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I NEED MORE BURNED CHEESE CONTENT, could you please feed this poor hungry soul some burning cheese kids? Imagine the SUPER protective burn during Golden's pregnancy, or, or helping her with the children's dough (and already planning the next children)
The kids will be here soon, I promise :( they're at school right now, Spice and Golden have to go pick them up. It won't be too long. (I have something important to do irl and that takes priority. I'm hoping I have time at the end of this week to sit down and try to draw them. Everything else is ready, their characters sheets are done, got their whole lives on lock lol. All that's missing is to put them on paper. I only have about half a gram of artistic talent so I'll really be pushing myself here... but I want you all to see them really badly, so I'm happy to do it haha)
I don't have to imagine anything, I'm already there with you, buddy :') I hc them as already married by the time the kids come along, and yeah... Spice is SUPER overprotective lol. Very, very gentle and doting, but fiercely protective and downright hostile towards literally everyone else as a consequence of that protectiveness. He won't leave her side unless absolutely necessary, and he'll be snapping at whoever forced him to leave her and then rushing back to her as soon as he can. (She feels kind of claustrophobic at times, because he literally becomes her shadow during those 9 months lol.) But really, he's at her beck and call from beginning to end. She's craving something? He gets it for her. She's sore? Hugs and massages and nice baths. She's tired? He carries her to bed and doesn't allow anyone to bother her for any reason for the whole rest of the day. She can't sleep? He's up with her all night, talking to her and soothing her and doing whatever he can to lull her back to sleep because she needs all the rest she can get. He's Peak Husband during this time lol.
(He's just... beyond happy. I also hc this as being after Spice has redeemed himself and been accepted back into society, but still not having 100% let go of his dark past (which he never truly will, you can never fully forget something like that, unfortunately). So really, he takes this as one of the greatest rewards for his change of heart that he's ever gotten, and as a sign that he really has become better. The day Golden came to him and told him she was pregnant was the best day of his whole, entire life. He fell to his knees and cried when she told him. Not only has he managed to forsake his destructive nature and instead create something, but he's engaged in the most profound act of creation there is: he helped create a life. And he created this precious life with the woman he loves, who helped kickstart his journey to redemption in the first place. It just shows how far he's come, you know? From a cruel tyrant to a beloved king to two peoples... from a bloodthirsty psychopath destined to live and die alone to a much more even-tempered man who has atoned for his sins and learned to be a good friend and person again, as well as became a beloved husband and father... still a force for destruction, but now in a positive way, not a negative one. It's been a very long road, but it really feels like he reached the end, and this victory is sweeter than any he's had before.)
...And same thing if they're cookies, honestly lol. Peak Husband. Burning Sweetheart Cookie here, jumping for joy when Golden tells him she wants a child. He goes hunting for a Witch Oven of his own accord, going to quite literally every corner of the earth until he finds one, then they go to it and he's just like a kid on Christmas Day lol. They're making the batter together and he's just grinning that big, pointy grin he's got, beaming like the sun. How much of his dough should they mix in? How much of hers? What will happen, what sort of child will they create? Golden thinks he's so cute lol. He won't even sit still while the kid is baking in the oven; if he's not pacing back and forth in anticipation, he's picking Golden up and swinging her around and smothering her with kisses, and going on and on and on about how great the kid will be and how they'll be a fine warrior just like him and Golden. He's yanking the oven door open as soon as that timer goes off and they both hear crying... she has to tell him to slow down so they can both take the baby out together (he was so excited that he was just going to do it by himself lol)
TL;DR: The woobification of Burning Spice Cookie on this blog is complete, he is now Burning Sweetheart Cookie, reformed villain who loves his bird wife and their babies with all of his spicy heart
And to feed you a bit of extra content (and to keep everyone on the edge of their seats), I shall feed you a bit of information about the kiddies:
There are two of them, a son and a daughter. The son is the older one by a few years
I did research and took inspiration from both Egyptian and Hindu mythology for their design and some of their personality traits (I will explain this in detail soon. I actually really enjoyed learning about these religions, even if for a ridiculous reason, and I look forward to rambling about all the little bits and pieces of myths I cobbled together to make these two lol)
Each one resembles a parent quite a bit (but I will not specify which child looks like which parent yet)
One of them has wings like Golden Cheese does
Something really bad happens to the son in the future
Here are their soulstone descriptions, because yes, I really did go above and beyond creating these little guys lol
"This stone holds a piece of [REDACTED]'s soul. It feels warm and light, like a rare, refreshing breeze on a desert morning... But is that a single grain of self-doubt, nestled deep within its core?"
"This stone holds a piece of [REDACTED]'s soul. Though it burns very hot and bright, and feels difficult to handle at first, the kindness and unyielding strength resonating from within are nevertheless unmistakable."
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h3nry-3mily · 10 months ago
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Henry thoughts but I feel like my HC for him is so jank in comparison to others bc he's like. Not The robotics guy he doesn't do the engineering despite that actually being a pretty major thing when it comes to canon
And the REASON it's like that is literally just bc my Henry HC is held together with duct tape and hope since I made a lot of it up after just looking at the game lore
But yeah have some Henry (and William) thoughts:
-William handled robotics while Henry made them less nightmare fuel, Henry's talents lended themselves to character design and development. The less involved Henry is the weirder the animatronics get, which is why you can go from something cute like Freddy and Co to some freaks of nature like the human animatronics in SL
-he knows the basics though, he can preform maintenance and repair them fine but he wasn't great at building them from scratch or developing them on his own. He had lots of IDEAS but not the ability to bring them to actualization
-also had a springlocking Incident, ironically due to William's own accident making him worry for the other's safety. Thankfully it was while he was testing the suit for maintenance and not when he was in public and performing
-springlocking messed one of his legs up pretty bad, hence the use of a cane. Decorated it to make it a little more fun looking bc he kinda hated it plain. He can walk without it and preform in fredbear but it'll start hurting pretty bad if he's not careful.
-he very firmly denies having a favorite of William's kids (it is evan. He won't say it but it's evan.)
-trans!! Fat hairy trans man who's content with his body as it is! He got his tits removed but they're still kinda there just because of his build but he doesn't mind, he knows he'd look doofy if he had a fully flat chest.
-him and his wife got along well but they never really loved each other very deeply. Henry never really got over his thing with Will in college and being with his wife never made him feel the same way as that so he kinda just had those feelings on the backburner for like, years, and now he's kinda fucking weird because of it.
-t4t with wife, works out because half the reason either of them got married was they wanted a kid. Henry carried, decided he fucking hated how being pregnant felt, and proceeded to get his whole damn uterus removed as soon as possible after having charlie. She was the light of both their lives though and I don't think they let their own lacking romantic feelings affect how they raised her.
-while he was generally pretty warm and inviting interacting with guests he did not fuck around when it came to the legal and business side of things. Refused to let anything bad happen to his company, it was his child almost as much as his ACTUAL child, hence all the comments about liability and the like that come up throughout basically every game. You will not get him in trouble with your silly little injuries, no sir.
-he always enjoyed drawing springbonnie and fredbear together. Years in the future even after finding out what William did he still doodles them on occasion.
-A solid cook, I think he liked making things and then bringing leftovers over to the aftons
-physical affection above all else, he loves hugs and would pick up the kids in his arms on the regular. Mike got tired of it as he got to his mean teen phase, much to Henry's disappointment.
-got the songs from fredbears stuck in his head all the time, would hum them to himself pretty often
There's more but I can't think of anything to add rn
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j0kers-light · 1 year ago
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Hii! If requests are open could I request Heath ledger’s joker with a digital artist s/o? They’re constantly ranting about their OCs and showing him drawings/animations of them, etc?
Hey hi anon 🖤✨
Mad respect to digital artists!! I love you each and every one of you and the work you share with the world!! Keep on keeping on!
As someone who can’t draw a straight line I be envious but I’ll stick to what I love. Which is why you’re here 🤭Let’s get into it! Please enjoy to your hearts content!
Joker is used to you bent over your drawing pad, stylus in hand (wrist brace on; carpal tunnel ain’t no joke! I know from experience 👀) that the visual of you is second nature to him when he walks through the door
He knows when you have your headphones on and your tongue is sticking a bit out of your mouth, that it’s drawing time.
Joker leaves you be until you come to him to ask for constructive criticism. J is always honest and tells you things no matter if it hurts
You shove the pad into his face and begin rambling about if the shading is off, are the lines too harsh? What about the anatomy because you HATE drawing (insert) maybe you should focus attention away from that by drawing a secondary figure?
“I could add more to the background or maybe soften the edges? What do you think? Should I just start over?”
Joker knows you’re the toughest critic regarding your own work so he genuinely tells you it’s great.
The shading is amazing and he personally likes the outline still visible through your signature style. It makes the whole piece feel more natural that way than full on illustrated (he’d hate for you to be called out for using AI) 🙄🙄 he’d probably kill someone for flaming you.
He subtly reminds you to add your watermark signature to the artwork in a unique way because you forget to when you critique your work so much.
You are constantly on your drawing pad day in and day out and it’s not the latest tech so… you run into a problem early on: it breaks.
You don’t tell Joker since you’re been saving up for a new one for a while now but…. you’re not quite at your goal. It’s all good, you take a break from drawing and focus on another skill
Rest assured Joker instantly notices you’re not drawing (how dare you; he adores your work!) and goes out and buys steals the most state of the art equipment for his bunny.
I’m talking a rig that the professionals use with all the bells and whistles. It’s already set up at your workstation the following morning and your head over heels thanking Joker with hugs and kisses
Joker fully supports your craft and knows it’s your source of income sooo he uses different accounts to commission you for the most random artwork so you stay getting paid and he helps you draw out of your comfort zone while ultimately improving as an artist
You are none the wiser and people start to notice your work with the endless flow of commissions Joker asks for.
He may or may not leave your username/digital card in the most random places across Gotham. It’s free exposure at this point.
Joker doesn’t get tired of listening to lore about your OCs and their world.
He knows so much about each character that Frost, Mac, and Neo are fully convinced they’re real people with how much J talks about them.
“OC’s name went viral the other day. I think it’s because of the new uhh, underwater.. ani-mation Y/n made. Very err crisp.”
“Is you talking about Y/n’s drawings?” Mac asked.
“It’s noT just a drAwINg!” Joker quickly defends your work.
Mac’s dumb comment prompted J to threaten ask them to pull out their phone and subscribe to your Pateron account. And it better be the highest tier or risk J’s wrath.
He pays them enough to afford a monthly subscription and it’s worth every penny
The four of them spend the rest of the night scrolling through your online portfolio. They oo and ahh over the hard work you created. You are beyond talented.
A low level goon knocked on the door and got their attention but was floored by the illustration shown up on the projector. It looked like a literal masterpiece. It was so detailed and some elements were animated, he asked for the artist’s link.
Joker was forever grateful you used a pseudonym for your work so he had no issues of your identity being compromised by association
Neo provided them your username, lith0useart, on all platforms and told them to get back to work. They did while spreading your work like wildfire amongst the others.
That same night you called J screaming in joy to tell him about all the new Paterons and commissions you got! You were on your way to being an artist full time and Joker couldn’t be more proud.
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tinylittleobsessions · 2 years ago
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What if “House of the Dragon” characters took the MBTI test?
Call me obsessed, but a while ago I wrote a Tumblr post about what personality type would each Narcos: México character get on the MBTI test. I had a lot of fun doing that, so, as my obsession for the last few weeks has been House of the Dragon, I decided to do the same with it's characters.
If you don't know this test, it's a personality test based on a theory written by Carl Gustav Jung that divides people in 16 different types of personalities. The personalities are defined by different combinations of letters that represent specific aspects of our behaviour and way of thinking: "I" for "Introverted", for example, "T" for "Thinking", "J" for "Judging", and so it goes. This way, your result will be something like "ENTJ", or "ISFP".
This test is not universally accepted as scientific, true or correct, BUT, as in the case of zodiac signs, I think it's a lot of fun. 😆 If you don't know your MBTI yet, you can take the test here.
SO, wich MBTI profile would correspond to each House of the Dragon character? My "methodology" here was the following: I took every MBTI profile and thought about wich character it reminded me more of. A few of them were a bit... off: I couldn't really find any character that seemed like an obvious INTP or an obvious ISTP to me; and there were a few characters I could see in more than one profile (Rhaenyra, Daemon, Corlys, Viserys).
Also, though I read the book, I tried to think mostly about the series when writing this; as some characters are a bit different in each story (Alicent, for example, is two different characters for me, if I compare book-Alicent to TV-Alicent). And, OF COURSE, a bit of it was inspired by headcanon: I don’t think we have that much information about Jacaerys or Lucerys, for example, so I may have been kinda influenced by what I read in fanfiction.  😬😅
I have to say I LOVE character study and discussing character personalities in detail, that's why I love writing this kind of post. 😌 I don't mean hate to any of them, and that's okay if you don't agree with me, this is supposed to be just fun. Let's examine each one of them, shall we?
THE ARCHITECT (INTJ- INTROVERTED, INTUITIVE, THINKING AND JUDGING) - Otto Hightower
(I think Larys Strong also belong in this personality type)
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- Rational and quick-witted, they pride themselves on their ability to think for themselves - They aren't afraid to break the rules or risk disapproval - Want to be successful, not just inventive - Don't mind acting alone and prefer making decisions without asking for anyone else's input - Insight, logic, and willpower - May be cynical about human nature, assuming that most people are lazy, unimaginative, or simply doomed to mediocrity - Tend to prioritize rationality and success over politeness and pleasantries: they'd rather be right than popular - For these personalities, life is like a giant game of chess
THE LOGICIAN (INTP - INTROVERTED, INTUITIVE, THINKING AND PROSPECTING) - Lucerys Velaryon
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- People with this personality type hardly ever stop thinking: they often lose themselves in thought - Have a reputation for being pensive, detached, and a bit reserved - Tend to get tired out by extensive socializing - Can overthink even the smallest of decisions, having a tendency for anxiety - It's a bad idea to lie to them - Open-minded, curious, original and perfectionistic
THE COMMANDER (ENTJ - EXTRAVERTED, INTUITIVE, THINKING AND JUDGING) - Rhaenyra Targaryen
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- Natural-born leaders - They embody the gifts of charisma and confidence, and project authority in a way that draws crowds together behind a common goal - Use their drive, determination and sharp minds to achieve whatever end they've set for themselves - They love a good challenge, big or small; and they firmly believe that given enough time and resources, they can achieve any goal - Have a particular skill in recognizing the talents of others - Tend to be dominant, relentless, and unforgiving - "Fake it 'til you make it"
THE DEBATER (ENTP - EXTRAVERTED, INTUITIVE, THINKING AND PROSPECTING) - Daemon Targaeryen
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- Quick-witted and audacious - They aren't afraid to disagree with the status quo: in fact, they're not afraid to disagree with pretty much anything or anyone - Known for their rebellious streak: no belief is too sacred to be questioned, no idea is too fundamental to be scrutinized, and no rule is too important to be broken - Knowledgeable and curious, with a playful sense of humor, they can be very entertaining - The ultimate devil's advocates - Take a certain pleasure in uncovering the value of underdogs and outliers - Original, energetic and charismatic
THE ADVOCATE (INFJ - INTROVERTED, INTUITIVE, FEELING AND JUDGING) - Viserys Targaryen
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- Success doesn't come from money or status but from seeking fulfillment and being a force for good in the world - They care about integrity, and are rarely satisfied until they've done what they know to be right - Move through life with a clear sense of their values, and aim never to lose sight of what truly matters (not according to other people or society, but according to their own wisdom and intuition) - Carry around a sense of being different from most people; they don't always fit in with those around them - They typically care more about altruism than personal gain; they aspire to fix society's deeper problems - Tend to act with great thought and care, and it can frustrate them when other people don't recognize their good intentions - Creative, insightful; sensitive to criticism
THE MEDIATOR (INFP - INTROVERTED, INTUITIVE, FEELING AND PROSPECTING) - Helaena Targaryen
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- They have vibrant, passionate inner lives: creative and imaginative, they happily lose themselves in daydreams, inventing all sorts of stories and conversations in their minds - Are known for their sensitivity: they can have profound emotional responses to music, art, nature, and the people around them - Idealistic and empathetic, they long for deep, soulful relationships; but may sometimes feel lonely or invisible - Introspective to the core, they're exquisitely attuned to their own thoughts and feelings, but they yearn to understand the people around them as well - They are compassionate and nonjudgmental, always willing to hear another person's story - The troubles of the world weigh heavily on their shoulders, and these personalities can be vulnerable to internalizing other people's negative moods or mindsets - May reveal their innermost thoughts and secrets through art, metaphors and fictional characters - Generous and idealistic; emotionally vulnerable and self-isolating
THE PROTAGONIST (ENFJ - EXTRAVERTED, INTUITIVE, FEELING AND JUDGING) - Jacaerys Velaryon
(I don’t know, Jace just has this “big brother” energy to me 🤣)
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- Thoughtful and idealistic, they strive to have a positive impact on other people and the world around them - Rarely shy away from an opportunity to do the right thing, even when doing so is far from easy - Tend to be vocal about their values, including authenticity and altruism - When something strikes them as unjust or wrong, they speak up - Are motivated by a sincere wish to do the right thing rather than a desire to manipulate or have power over other people - Reliable; lead by example
THE CAMPAIGNER (ENFP - EXTRAVERTED, INTUITIVE, FEELING AND PROSPECTING) - Corlys Velaryon
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- True free spirits; they stand out in any crowd - Are devoted to enriching their relationships and their social lives - Independent and creative, they're always on the lookout for the magic and meaning in everyday life - Believe that everything (and everyone) is connected, and they live for the glimmers of insight that they can gain into these connections - Imagination, creativity, and curiosity - Can get restless and struggle with self-discipline and consistency - Will spend a lot of time exploring different relationships, feelings, and ideas before they find a path for their lives that feels right
THE LOGISTICIAN (ISTJ - INTROVERTED, OBSERVANT, THINKING AND JUDGING) - Rhaenys Targaeryen
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- Pride themselves on their integrity - They mean what they say, and when they commit to doing something, they make sure to follow through - Have an ability to stay grounded and logical, even in the most stressful situations - Rarely hesitate to take responsibility for their actions and choices: they are quick to own up to their own mistakes, admitting the truth even if it doesn't make them look good - Might unfairly misjudge people who can't match their self-control, suspecting that someone is being lazy or dishonest when that person might actually be coping with other challenges. Even if they don't speak these judgments aloud, their disdain can come through regardless, earning them a reputation for being somewhat strict or unempathetic - Dedicated, responsible, and honest - May find themselves doing other people's work (and not getting credit for it) - Aren't known for expressing their emotions readily
THE DEFENDER (ISFJ - INTROVERTED, OBSERVANT, FEELING AND JUDGING) - Alicent Hightower
(I think that, in the books, Alicent is much more ambitious. In the series, however, everything she does seems influenced by her father; or else out of a sincere desire to protect their children. So I think she fits this profile)
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- Devoted, people with this personality type feel a deep sense of responsibility to those around them, and rarely demand recognition for all that they do - Despite their reserve, they tend to have well-developed people skills and robust social relationships - May feel guilty or stressed when they contemplate changes (even necessary changes) to themselves, their relationships, or the way they've done things in the past - People with this personality type can be meticulous to the point of perfectionism: "good enough" is rarely good enough - They tend to underplay their accomplishments, but that doesn't mean that they don't enjoy recognition, or that they're fine with being taken for granted - Loyal, dedicated, thoughtful, observant and supportive - Repress their feelings and are reluctant to change
THE EXECUTIVE (ESTJ - EXTRAVERTED, OBSERVANT, THINKING AND JUDGING) - Erryk Cargyll
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- Representatives of tradition and order - Embracing the values of honesty, dedication and dignity, they happily lead the way on difficult paths - Demonstrate dedication and purposeful honesty, and an utter rejection of laziness and cheating - Even against heavy resistance, they stick to their principles and are more than willing to dive into the most challenging projects - Always meet their promises - Loyal, patient and reliable
THE CONSUL (ESFJ - EXTRAVERTED, OBSERVANT, FEELING AND JUDGING) - Laenor Velaryon
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- Generous and reliable, they believe in the power of hospitality and good manners - Have a talent for making the people in their lives feel supported, cared for, and secure - Take seriously their responsibilities to give back, serve others, and do the right thing - Supportive and loyal, they build lasting relationships and can be counted on to show up whenever a helping hand is needed - Outgoing, they can always be spotted at a party - Sensitive, warm - Vulnerable to criticism and often too needy
THE VIRTUOSO (ISTP - INTROVERTED, OBSERVANT, THINKING AND PROSPECTING) - Harwin Strong
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- Natural makers, moving from project to project, learning from their environment as they go - Love to explore with their hands and their eyes - Cool rationalism and spirited curiosity - Explore ideas through creating, troubleshooting, trial and error and first-hand experience - Enjoy lending a hand and sharing their experience, especially with the people they care about - Friendly but private; calm but spontaneous - Their decisions stem from a sense of practical realism, and at their heart is a strong sense of direct fairness - Struggle with boundaries and guidelines, preferring the freedom to move about and color outside the lines if they need to
THE ADVENTURER (ISFP - INTROVERTED, OBSERVANT, FEELING AND PROSPECTING) - Laena Velaryon
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- Are true artists, although not necessarily in the conventional sense: for this personality type, life itself is a canvas for self-expression - Driven by curiosity and eager to try new things - Have exploratory spirits and ability to find joy in everyday life - Unassuming and humble - Embrace a flexible, adaptable approach to life: they take each day as it comes, doing what feels right to them in the moment - Tolerant and open-minded - They are arm, friendly, and caring, taking wholehearted enjoyment in the company of their nearest and deares - Live in the present, and they know that they do'’t need to dwell on past hurts or frustrations - It can upset them if they don't feel liked, approved of, or appreciated
THE ENTREPRENEUR (ESTP - EXTRAVERTED, OBSERVANT, THINKING AND PROSPECTING) - Aemond Targaeryen
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- They keep their conversation energetic, with a good dose of intelligence, but they like to talk about what is: or better yet, to just go out and do it - They have a unique skill in noticing small changes: a shift in facial expression, a new clothing style, a broken habit. People with this personality type pick up on hidden thoughts and motives and use these observations immediately, calling out the change and asking questions, often with little regard for sensitivity - Leap before they look, fixing their mistakes as they go: they live in the moment and dive into the action - Are the likeliest personality type to make a lifestyle of risky behavior - It makes more sense to use their own moral compass than someone else's: rules were made to be broken - May get too caught in the moment and take things too far (or forget to take care of their own health and safety) - Love to be the center of attention - Enjoy drama, passion, and pleasure - Bold, direct and original; impatient, defiant and risk-prone
THE ENTERTAINER (ESFP - EXTRAVERTED, OBSERVANT, FEELING AND PROSPECTING) - Aegon Targaryen
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- Utterly social, they enjoy the simplest things, and there's no greater joy for them than just having fun with a good group of friends - May get caught up in the excitement of the moment (and want everyone else to feel that way, too) - They love the spotlight, and all the world's a stage - Though it may not always seem like it, they know that it's not all about them: they are observant, and very sensitive to others' emotions - If the problem is about them, they are more likely to avoid a conflict altogether than to address it head-on - Are often so focused on immediate pleasures that they neglect the duties and responsibilities that make those luxuries possible: they are more focused on leaping at opportunities than in planning out long-term goals - Complex analysis, repetitive tasks, and matching statistics to real consequences are not easy activities for them - Recognize value and quality - Unfocused and easily bored
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genderqueerdykes · 2 years ago
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oh my gosh the way you draw anatomy is so splendid. i have a tummy similar to the one in your artwork and it made me so happy. you are an amazing being, thank you 🙏
hehehe!!!!!! thank you that means so much to hear, truly, and if i'm brutally honest that's why i decided to finally draw an accurate self portrait. i've been an artist since i was a kid, i started drawing as a toddler and never stopped and it's one of the talents everyone encouraged in me.
i actually lived off commissions somewhat in the past. but i realized i started feeling more and more alienated from the greater art communities i was a part of because i just wasn't seeing art that made me feel at home or like i was being represented. i felt like all the art i was seeing was to escape or create an "idealized" version of one's self. i was seeing art that was being used to cover up insecurities. i have no qualms with people who do this, because for many, their art is their shield
but for me i was tired of being held back. i was tired of having to give into the expectation that all of my characters would have to be either thin or hyper muscular, 1 fat character at best, that they would have to be majority cishet, able bodied, and so on. i just got so tired of it i went. well sometimes you have to go back to basics. and i just literally stood in front of the mirror for a rly long time and looked at my body and actually observed it and for the first time in my life i didn't hate it because i was looking at it from a realistic perspective
i see soooo many people with bodies like mine every day! and i want people who look like me to feel seen. people treat fat bodies like they are inherently ugly, and they're not! my body is beautiful, it has so many unique curves and shapes i've not seen on another person. my body is also not inherently harder to draw! that is the biggest lie anyone has ever told you- i do not have to try to achieve for some supernatural inhuman standard when i'm drawing my own body- it's a real thing i can reference and look at. it's not harder to draw a body i have a reference for
i am naturally androgynous to the point of looking like a hermaphrodite (please note that only intersex people should reclaim this term) and i think there are other people in the world who look similar to me who want to felt seen, too. i think other chubby, fat, plus size, crippled, and queer people are tired of not being represented as who we are. we don't have to pretend like our bodies look a different way. let us be who we are as we are and let our art reflect that
i think we're all a little tired of the airbrushed people we see on TV. i think art should reflect beauty, not "perfection". my body is beautiful, and so is yours. i will say it has helped me that i've had very fat positive partners in the past to the point of almost being "worshipped" (not in an uncomfortable way, in a very flattering way), and it's been healing. it's actually very good to surround yourself with people who just like fat people, like fat bodies, and are okay with them.. it's good actually lol
sorry i rambled like a mf but chubby/fat liberation is also important to me bcus we're treated like we have to get skinny or pretend like we don't exist and i say fuck! that! i've actually tried to lose weight and i've had so little food and have been so fatigued over the past 3 years of my life that i have been eating 1 meal a day at best many days. modern medicine says i should lose weight, but i never do! over the past 3 years despite decreasing my intake and changing to a vegetarian diet, i'm still 300+ lbs. and you know what, that's fine by me. it turns out human bodies have a weight they naturally try to attain and it is beyond our control. you cannot control how your body wants to be- at the end of the day it still does what it wants. we are beautiful and we deserve to take up all the space we need as we are, right now. take care of yourself!
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hong-kong-art-man · 2 years ago
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The Most Promising ACGN Artist In Hong Kong—Pen So(蘇頌文): “Why Do I Like Black-and-white Comic Drawings? Why Do I Like Nature Disaster As My Theme?”
It was said, “You may be the only person left who believes in you, but it is enough. It takes just one star to pierce a universe of darkness.” My friend, my young friend, never give up when you are tired, uncertain or frustrated! Try to believe! The ordinary people are usually happy because they lack ambition. They have no mountain to climb or assume that they are already on the top of the world. We, the ambitious ones who never settle for less, are unlucky, as we always find a reason to struggle, strive and do better until what is the ideally best, or until we fully utilize the talent that God has given.
For an inborn gifted artist, the moon danced with the stars on the night when he was birthed. The young comic artist in Hong Kong Pen So(蘇頌文) laughed, “I believe that every person is born with a particular kind of talent. The question is whether you have explored it and are insistent that your career battle must be won!” Pen always talked calmly, persuasively and systematically.
Do you know the trend of ‘ACGN’(animation, comics, game, novel) as a pop art? It is now a common way to combine the 4 elements into an artist’s work.
Pen was recently waxed and shining. He was victorious in acquiring the Silver Medal of Japan International MANGA Award in 2022 out of 77 country contestants. Pen liked to make black and white drawings out of what he feared most: natural catastrophes.
This young artist is always confident, positive and well-organised with his thoughts. Pen said with a smile, “I was just an ordinary guy with unimpressive school examination results—except the subject of art. My parents love beautiful things as they are in the fashion business. My elder brother is a web designer. My whole family cannot run away from creativity. Comics are the power and desire for me to feel and imagine. Unfortunately, I, by mistake, thought when I was a teenager that the subject of product design would be the nice compromise through which I could make a good living and yet satisfy a yearning for my artistic pursuit. I went to Hong Kong Design Institute, Kwon Tong to study commercial design and finally graduated in 2008. I got immediately a job offer from a company which made licensed Japanese character products. Yes, I dealt with commercial cartoons and figures every day but it was not what I enjoyed!”
I asked, “Why?” Pen chewed on his lip and answered, “Hmm, commercial stuff can be repetitive and boring. I created but only subject to the approval of my clients. I earned some money but felt an emptiness in my soul. I indulged in playing video games every night after work. I finally told myself, ‘Hey, you should accomplish for greater things in life!’ Accidentally, I discovered a comic course by the great master Ma Wing Shing(馬榮成). The course aimed at incubating young comic illustrators in Hong Kong. I applied for it in post-haste.”
He happily remembered, “In union, there is strength, Master Ma led his pupils very well. My classmates and I organized exhibitions, publications, talks and even sales relating to comics. True change is the rebirth of the way that I really like. In 2016, I finally decided to change. I almost used up all my savings and published a very exquisite but ‘strong-flavour’ book of drawings titled Hong Kong Disaster. The book received great responses and I got numerous awards. I told myself that I should have the courage to cease my commercial practice. So, I closed down my design firm and set up a small studio in Kowloon Bay concentrating the artistic creation of my comics on Hong Kong streets, old buildings which had vanished and people’s livelihood activities—all in black and white.”
I asked, “Now, game recognises game. You are regarded by the trade as the most promising alternative comic artist in Hong Kong. How would you feel?” Pen was sealed up in thought, “The key to making things happen in life is just one word: persistence. Persistence has a high mortality rate but you still have to try if you do not wish to end up in being wiped out. I once gave up comic art by accepting myself as a mere commercial designer. I got good money. But, I hated to see my soul turning its back on me by accusing me as a coward! I will not make mistake again. Comics have a strange but important place in my life and I do let it be my spiritual guidance. The persistent desire for comic achievements is capable of giving me the encompassing power not to fear. I will regret by the time when die if I simply mess around with my talent now. Although I become cynical about what I am doing: black-and-white comic art is becoming more and more the interest of cultural minority and the market shrinks every day. Since comics are my destiny and I will not go against it, I will only win the match by working harder and harder in future. This is what I mean by ‘persistence’.”
I am interested, “Do you set a goal for yourself?” He paused, “I want to make an animated feature film one day as me passing another milestone on the road to success. Of course, it is a very impossible dream but I hope with the combined forces of luck and persistence, I may cause it to happen.”    
Well written, well drawn and well printed, the black-and-white comic books of Pen So have been an antidote for his fans and myself, when we are terribly paralysed by stress. At the sight of good comics and animations, I feel reborn, from the childish inner to the senile outer again…
Maurice Lee
Chinese Version 中文版: https://www.patreon.com/posts/xiang-gang-liu-81450653?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
Local Comic Artist Pen So Interview  https://youtu.be/ZGEw0tKKqok  Acknowledgement-ArtmanHK蟻文
Shinkai Makoto’ s  movie “Suzume” trailer  https://youtu.be/hRDN2pnCIxo  Acknowledgement-International Film
Pen So Drawing  https://youtu.be/X4MhSrh2A-w  Acknowledgement-Pen So
Yaumatai, Tsim Sha Tsui and Mongkok: Inspirations for Pen So   https://youtu.be/9dqWh-ovSnU  Acknowledgement-小旺士多 siuwong
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kass-storycorner · 3 years ago
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Love languages - HC
Idea/Prompt: me just talking about what i think their primary love language might be and how it shows
Rating: SFW
Genre: fluff, romance
Characters: Albedo, Childe, Diluc, Kaeya, Zhongli
Authors note: this was supposed to be a post about the small ways they love you, but it ended up as this? though I will make another post in the future talking about small acts of love because honestly I’m so soft for this, for small things people do that show how much they love one another. And maybe I will re-do this one day, going more into depth but for now I just like to share this. It’s short but that’s okay!
Albedo
His love language: physical touch
Albedo doesn’t seem to be a touchy person - and he isn’t! He prefers to keep a certain distance with people, but only because he didn’t know how touch starved he was before. Since you came into his life he understands now how much he carves the touch of another person - well, mainly you. When he’s hunched over his papers at his desk, books surrounding him and his brows furrowing at a new conundrum before him, he much prefers your hand on his back as a silent way of support than any words that might disturb his train of thought.
At the beginning he will be a bit awkward, only because he lacks the experience with stuff like this, but once he gets over himself and isn’t shy about being open how much he cares for your touch - he will pull you in a hug as often as he can. Small touches from you are always welcomed. As stated before Albedo enjoys your silent touches, showing him that you are there without disturbing him with words. Once he get comfortable enough he will be open about what he needs. Hugs, kisses, no matter what he will ask of it in such a nonchalant manner. Though what albedo loves the most is when you pull him into a hug on your own or offer your lap for his head, stroking his hair.
Childe
His love language: receiving gifts
Childe loves getting gifts! He doesn’t care about what he gets, a gift always shows that he was on your mind, that you thought of him. It reminds him of the days when his younger siblings gave him self-made gifts or just drawings. Don’t tell anyone, but Childe secretly has a drawer of his desk full with drawings his younger siblings made he gets with the letters that his family send him.
So because Childe loves getting gifts he tries to show his affection towards other people with them too! Since he joined the Fatui he even doesn’t have to look at the price tag of anything he sees that he wants to give to you. Though it’s through gifts Childe feels loved / appreciated by you, it’s not the only way he will show you his love. But whatever you gift to him, he will cherish it for forever.
Diluc
His love language: acts of service
Diluc always put actions above words. Even before his 18th birthday he was known to help every Mondstadt citizen with whatever they needed when they asked him for it! No matter if the task was suitable for the young Cavalry Captain or not, there never was anything beneath him if it was for the people of the city he swore to protect. This hadn’t changed, at least the philosophy of it. Diluc now might not run endless small errands for Mondstadt citizens, but their safety was most important to him. And yours too. He might not be in the service of the Knights, but Diluc will be forever one of Mondstadts servants - even if it’s in secret at times.
So Diluc tends to show you his love through actions. You need to get a task done? Don’t worry, he’ll help you. He will make time to do small things for you. Some might not expect it, but he’s a very talented cook and while you both are busy, Diluc with the winery and his (k)nightly duties, he will make sure to bring you something small he made for you. Small acts or big acts, Diluc always makes sure to show you how much he cares. However don’t forget, acts of service is his love language - so speak to him in it. When he comes home after a long day (or night) it makes him so happy to see that you have prepared a meal for him, not the maids. When he’s too tired and just falls half-unconscious into the shared bed help him get changed. He’ll profusely apologise for causing you any worries or troubles the morning after, secretly however he’s just happy that you care for him. You can tell him a million times that you love him and while he likes to hear you speak those words - but when you both get ready for bed, you brushing his hair out, carefully untangling any knots in it, kissing his scalp when you finished… in these moments he feels your love the most.
Kaeya
His love language: words of affirmation
Kaeya is a sweet talker. He’s charming and there is a good reason for why the older folks I. Mondstadt see him as one of the best son-in-law candidates. He definitely is a flirt when talking to the citizens or strangers, but there is a difference when he talks to others and when he talks to you. Kaeya always makes sure through his words that you know what a wonderful person you are, how much he cares about you, how important you are to him and that he loves you very much. A certain Traveller and floating person might say he’s quite the phoney, though his words towards you are always sincere.
He likes to tell you how much he loves you, he likes how it’s so easy to speak the truth with you. But don’t be mistaken, words of affirmation is his love language! Kaeya might not show it, but he secretly doesn’t think very highly of himself - and while it’s not your responsibility to make him feel better about his shortcomings, help him see how much you love him through your words. Reaffirm that you won’t leave him (he has some abandonment issues for sure) and that you love him very much.
Zhongli
His love language: quality time
Zhongli knows the importance of spending time together. He knows that the life of a mortal is easily cut short and the natural span of their life isn’t long to begin with. So for him it’s important so spend as much as time with you and all the other people he loves to make memories. Once you will leave him behind you can then continue to shine like gold in them.
spending quality time with each is a way for him to show you how much he loves you - though don’t be mistaken. It’s his love language, he might communicate it more towards you though it is what makes him feel loved. So make sure to always have some free time to drink tea with him and talk about Liyues history. Your time and presence are more worth than all the Mora in Teyvat to him.
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4dtk · 3 years ago
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heloo! can I request hand-holding (3), kisses (6, 12) hugs (32) and touching (12) with renjun, thank uu^^
why do my renjun drabbles always end up so long LOL . btw age old kiss under the mistletoe <3 never too early for x’ams imagines i guess LOL, enjoy!!!
hand-holding, 3: cold hands in warm hands
hugs, 32: long-lasting hugs
kisses, 6 & 12: slow kisses, kisses on the corner of their mouth
touching, 12: pushing a strand of hair behind their ear
renjun’s eyes couldn’t leave yours. well, more of your body as you talked with mark, gesturing grandly about his new single that he dropped. he remembers you playing it whenever you met up, rapping the lyrics back to him that only had renjun groaning in embarrassment. staring around the room, he scans over the members in the party with a smile. having had taken a rest from the all the alcohol earlier, he was glad to be left alone to his… indulgences where no one could interrupt him.
“hey.”
“gah! wh- what the hell?” haechan shocks him out of his stupor, easily avoiding a smack on the back from renjun. his laughter gains attention from others, but otherwise they just return a cheeky laugh back while conversing. soon, the other is able to pick up on his loneliness, partially blaming it on the crazy challenge he dared renjun to do earlier. the partial reason, however..
“are you ever going to confess to (y/n)?” haechan raises a brow.
“keep it down! christ, hyuck. just because some members here have their partners on their arms doesn’t mean i should rush to make (y/n) mine.”
“oh, but you’re so obvious that it’s tiring to watch,” haechan sighs, taking a swig of his drink. the both of them admire the theme of the party for a little bit, red and green decorations hung from the spacious dorm, held on the fifth floor because they were the ‘cleanest’ (against jungwoo’s wishes and with kun’s agreement, they settled for an early celebration on the 23rd).
the speakers blasted christmas music, no doubt from the talented mr. bublé who was a compulsory artist to listen to, along with other renditions of christmas songs that just felt good. fairy lights from the members’ rooms were brought to be set up. plus, with ten’s recent sunset light purchase that he bought for the felines, the room was soon bathed in joyous lighting that could rival decorations outside.
“dude. the members had to have their partners fly in because they’re both so busy. (y/n)’s already there, c’mon the opportunity is right there — and this is the one time you’re able to unwind and relax. just go for it, man,” haechan is relaxed and laid-back, haven’t yet experienced the palpitations whenever one looks at their crush. the only exception was probably a rookie idol back then, but that was old news.
“if you happen to want to cuddle or fuck later, we’ll leave you alone.” this time, renjun was able to land a punch to his shoulder, expression turned into a scowl.
“you’re right, i guess. i’ll see what i can do.”
a gasp, “renjun admitting i’m right? rare.” renjun gives the other a lighter smack with a smile, chugging down the last bit of his water before heading over to you. he feels like he’s walking through snow whenever he wants to get to you, the resistance strong with each step. curling and uncurling his fingers, he loosened his freezing hands as you wrap up the conversation with mark.
“renjun! have a good rest? donghyuck was trying to avoid you for the past fifteen minutes, because he knew you’d get another headache if he talked to you.”
“i’m having one right now,” renjun jokes, emphasising his point by rubbing some fingers on his temple.
your laugh is like first snow. or like the heater that’s currently fuelling the house with heat. he isn’t sure what to choose, but he knows he likes it and wants to make you laugh more.
“do you need to rest again? i’ll promise i’ll be quiet-“
“delivery?” someone calls out. with a shout, you’re already at the door, receiving another batch of booze since the grocery shopping you went on earlier severely underestimated how much these boys can drink. “oh- uh-“ renjun swoops in like prince charming, hand brushing over yours while he steps forward to help you. they tingle like electricity, deciding against pulling away which would leave you to struggle.
“miss (l/n) (y/n) and mr huang renjun. please freeze in your place,” haechan’s annoying voice penetrates throughout all the conversation happening and you swear the man beside you mutters a curse as you two try to haul the booze past the member. “place the beer down. you aren’t going anywhere, anyway.”
before any of you can ask for an explanation, he points above you which displayed a mistletoe. “surprise!”
the delivery man’s voice scares you, until you realise it’s johnny, hidden under a very smart disguise of a fake moustache and a replica of the uniform. your mouth hangs open even when johnny squeezes past you with the booze effortlessly hanging from one arm, sighing inaudibly at the absence of the heavy drinks.
“so?” the members are looking at you expectedly like they’re watching a movie. there’s endless thoughts swirling in your mind even when renjun grabs your hand with his timid one, but it calms you down just a little when he brushes a thumb over your skin. it’s like you’re waiting for the director to yell out ‘cut!’; even you thought you’d do better on a movie set.
“(y/n)-“
he’s cut off by your lips crashing onto his, garnering a few ooohs and ahhs, including the satisfied smiles and sighs of relief. renjun’s lips taste like a mixture of the candy cane drink he spat out earlier, and some whiskey with coke. it’s a confusing taste, but with the pace your lips are moving with each other, it allows you to draw out every other time you imagined kissing huang renjun.
it doesn’t even come close, if you’re being honest and even if you’re standing in front of countless other men he calls his members in a ridiculously sized k-pop group. renjun deepens the kiss when he turns his head, cold, but clammy hands coming up the cup your cheeks. they shock you for just a bit and there’s a shameless smile into the kiss as renjun continues to deliver pecks onto your own.
he chuckle and it sounds like well-written christmas movies, or the very first listen to michael bublé’s christmas album. you aren’t sure what to choose, but you know you like it and want to make him chuckle more.
in a blink of an eye, you’ve grabbed his hand, heading straight for one of the rooms that you often see when renjun’s gaming with haechan. you recognise it straight away from the set-up and in a rush to shut the door, you stumble just a bit before meeting the hard wood of the door in a roar of laughter.
“great, now they’ve locked two people out,” haechan nudges johnny.
“three!” johnny’s partner calls from the doorway, which makes the living room shake in another round of cheers, getting back into the natural flow of things before everything got interrupted by a plant. faintly, you hear them ask if the plan worked, and haechan’s prideful answer right after.
slowly, you peek out of your hiding spot being your hands. renjun’s eyes shine, “so you like me.” it comes out flatter than he expected and he winces.
you snort, taking a step closer to him on the door, half leaning on it. without any prompting, the other’s arms encircle your waist, now pulling you flush against him while your head rest on his front. the next moments are spent in comfortable silence, the rowdy party going on outside giving you a little of a main character moment. your breathing syncs up, chest expanding and contracting with the deep breaths you take. there’s always a puff of mist leaving your lips, but it appears less now that you’re in your crush’s arms.
“yeah. i like you,” you nod, coming to face him after the tight embrace. his fingers touch your cheek experimentally and you flinch, the pads freezing cold to the touch. maybe it’s because he didn’t touch whiskey for the past half ’n hour. gently, you take his hands in yours. “why’re you always freezing?”
“ugh. you figured me out. tactic to get you to hold my hands.” throwing your head back in a silent laugh, you shake your head in disbelief.
“at least you haven’t caught on to me, holding your hands down so you won’t have to-” a kiss to one corner of his mouth. “restrict me from-” another to the other. “doing this.” lastly to his lips.
renjun entertains your dramatic flair with his jaw hung open. it doesn’t last long, though. “why would i restrict you from doing that?” you shrug, letting go of his hands now that they gained sufficient warmth. renjun silently decides it’s not enough, but first, he wants to kiss you again. his fingers are less freakishly cold now, brushing against your skin to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. it sits there obediently, dissimilar with the way you did it. ‘it always falls out!’ you want to tell him later, but first, you want to kiss him again.
“huang renjun, you drive me crazy.” grinning, renjun knows it’s your way of confessing before his lips collide with yours with the fervour that hallmark movies lacked, and ironically, a plot which hallmark movies embodied. and just like that, you wish you could hold a pause icon over your head, because you wanted this to last for as long as it could.
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t00thpasteface · 3 years ago
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Expanding on the ask about the TES fandom having stage IV terminal Hiatus-Brain (paging @allroadsstilllead and @pleasespellchimerical):
It's a blessing and a curse, really. I love that it's become such a close-knit, creative, and supportive community for all sorts of OCs, canon divergence art/fic, speculative worldbuilding, you name it. Honest, it's wonderful!
But (and I don't know how to say this next bit without sounding like a total wet-blanket buzzkill) when you spend far, far more time creating and engaging with completely fanmade fabrications than the actual games/canon, even if it’s beautiful and bespoke and very lovingly crafted, I think there's definitely a line you cross where canon-- the actual thing you claim to like-- is really just holding you back.
And I mean this in a completely 100% affectionate, positive, even admiring way. The TES fandom has the most brilliant, creative, galaxy-brained, and just plain talented artists, writers, and worldbuilders I've ever seen in any fandom in all my years. And I think Todd is holding them back!! I firmly believe they could all easily launch into their own 100% original illustrations, short stories, comics, novels, you name it, to raucous applause. They have the talent, the drive, and the loyal fans!
If nothing else, I think they could benefit from seeking out things that already have what they want. Yes, it's hard to find anything with good, positive representation for all sorts of people and places. But TES, Bethesda, Zenimax, Todd himself... they will never give you any of that representation, either. I'm not going to use the phrase "consuming media" because (I despise it and) I think it waters down the profound experience of engaging with art. You need to engage with new, fresh, vibrant, different art. It’s wonderful to be inspired by art, to let any art move you into creating your own art, but being inspired to expand on something and being compelled to fix something are two completely separate ballgames. And they are not interchangeably constructive. One is buying brand new running-shoes and the other is tying lead weights to your bathing suit.
And, yes, even mass-produced blockbuster AAA games are art. And being inspired by art, creating things derived from the art you love, is a natural and wonderful part of the human experience. And it is because, not in spite, of those facts that I think you should never limit yourself to only the same tired art that ultimately makes you unhappy just because it is comfortable or familiar.  You don't owe Bethesda anything, any loyalty or continued affection, just because you have enjoyed their games in the past. You can shake off that chrysalis and find something that truly makes you happy as it is, without you putting it through the wringer of ten million fix-it fics.
I can’t say I’ve ever felt compelled to get into this degree of speculation and worldbuilding with TES in particular, but goodness knows I’ve gone through this a hundred times myself with my own fandoms. Over the course of only five or so years I went from wearing Eridan’s horns to class and talking everyone’s ears off about my own theories in high school to hardly breathing a word of Homestuck once I started college. My love of Overwatch pulled me out of a catastrophic months-long depressive episode where I didn’t draw from June to September until I just had to sketch McCree again and write pages and pages of fic, but I just flat-out do not play it anymore, and it’s not even installed on my current computer. I wanted them to be things they weren’t and could never be. I wanted the characters to grow and thrive beyond what their creators would ever write for them. And with every new update or lore tidbit I was left bitter and unsatisfied and ultimately resentful that I liked it only for its potential.
As an autistic woman I’ve had a new identity crisis with everything I thought was a crumbling cornerstone of my artistic identity-- I wanted the dopamine to hit in the exact same way forever. Ultimately they sloughed off like dead skin. Even an inferno can cool down to an ember, and they weren’t the only flames in town.
I mean, if you don’t like Picasso, why do you spend your precious time and money seeing Picasso exhibits? If you don’t like the taste of fish or shrimp or crab, why are you eating at the same seafood place every Thursday just to get your unsatisfying bread rolls and hush puppies? If you don't like your boyfriend one bit, you bicker with him all the time, and you wish you could just change everything about him from the ground up, why are you still dating him?
And if you don’t like the game-- the game itself, as the ones and zeros published by Bethesda Softworks, not the game as it exists in the nebulous aether of the fandom’s collective subconscious-- why haven’t you uninstalled it and played/watched/read something you really, truly, genuinely love?
Just sweetrolls for thought, I suppose. Again, I mean all of this affectionately, sincerely, and passionately, with nothing but love and appreciation from the bottom of my heart for all my wonderful artists and writers in the TES fandom. Todd doesn’t deserve you. You’re too good for him. All of you.
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whaleofatjme1920 · 3 years ago
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Hello! I’m not sure if you write for these characters but could you do a scenario of Puppeteer and Bloody painter having the same crush on Reader? Maybeee a friendly clash between besties ‼️
- 🕴🏼
Little Snapshots (Bloody Painter X GN!Reader X Puppeteer)
[Warnings: like, none?]
[AN: Something really short because I'm still getting to know both of these characters,,,,,, honestly just let me know what you think about this one and feel free to message me if it's not up to par]
Helen looks at you like you are a work of art, something beautiful, the lines of a drawing come to motion. Everything about you is breathtaking - the curve of your body, the shine in your eyes and the smile on your lips. He looks at you like you own the moon.
Every day he finds himself falling deeper and deeper in love with you.
Unfortunately for Helen, he realizes his best friend is just as in love with you as he is.
Jonathan looks at you like poetry in motion. Your voice is music to his ears and your mind is a beautiful thing. The golden eyed man could watch you and see nothing but sonnets, poetry, and he swears he hears a symphony.
It’s a disgrace they both fancy the same person. They both feel they can provide for you in different ways.
And you? You are quite literally unaware of the two best friends who are locked in a cold war
-
-
“Excellent shading,” Helen compliments as he leans over to look at your brushstrokes. “Good use of light-”
You cut him off by giggling and shaking your head. “You are being far too kind!”
He shakes his head, smiling softly in response. “To you? Never.”
You roll your eyes and lightly before turning back to the Youtube video the two of you have on. It’s a Bob Ross painting party - with just the two of you. You’re so oblivious to the way that Helen looks at you, his gentle sighs, the soft smile and fleeting touches… You’re honestly focused on your masterpiece!
Drives him up a wall.
-
“And you’re sure you’ve never written anything like this before?” Jonathan asks, a brow raised as he reads over your newest work.
You nod and smile at him from where the two of you sit in the coffee shop. “Nope! First time writing poetry of that caliber,” you grin.
Jonathan’s eyes widened. “No way,” he murmurs before his face blooms into a smile. “Goodness, Reader, you have a natural talent!” He compliments, his voice rich and smooth like honey.
You giggle. “Stop stroking my ego,” you report playfully, pushing away his praise. “You’re just saying that.”
“I would never,” he defends, that smile never leaving his face.
You fail to notice how he looks at you with such admiration, such pure love. His touches are so gentle and soft when he hands you your notebook back. All you are focused on is your writing and the grade you might get from your professor as a result.
He knows how Helen is feeling.
-
-
Deciding he needs some air from the party, Jonathan steps onto the balcony of the apartment they're all holed in and is surprised to see Helen already there, cigarette in his fingertip, blowing rings of smoke. "Fancy seeing you out here."
Helen glances over his shoulder and hums, a slight nod. "You look nice."
"And you do as well."
Helen chuckles. "Why are you out here?" He asks in a tone much too prickly to ever be considered sweet.
The tall, black haired man shrugs. "Needed some air. Felt kinda stuffy in there," he attempts to explain, crossing the short balcony to its rail. He props his forearms on it.
"You want a cigarette?" Helen asks.
"Sure." He takes the white stick handed to him, holds it in his lips and pulls a lighter from his back pocket. Deeply, Jonathan inhales the smoke and allows it to cloud in his lungs. "Thanks," he says after puffing it back out, watching as the white smoke wisps, and twirls, then disappears into the night.
Every now and then, they glance at each other, chuckle, maybe smile, maybe even make a noise of 'look over there!' but no words are actually said.
It's only when a silence crosses between them and becomes much too uncomfortable does one of them finally say something. Prior to this, the sounds of the party and your laughter, had been the only thing keeping them audible company.
“You are terrible,” Helen finally says, his words cutting through the budding uncomfortable silence like a knife as they both overlook the city at night.
It’s not often that they’re in the same area together anymore, but when they do, they’re still peas in a pod. However, there’s a rift in between them, and unfortunately, that rift is you.
“Am I now?” Jonathan replies, voice smooth as silk. “You’re the one trying to take them to gallery shows and the like-”
“Am I not allowed to take friends out on dates?” Helen defends
Jonathan snorts. “Is that what you call outings between friends? Dates? Freudian slip if I ever saw one,” the dark haired man chuckles coldly.
Helen crosses his arms. “You know what I meant.”
A pregnant pause passes between them. Down below, the sounds of the city continue on, horns, tires on asphalt, the smell of their exhaust, all of it. Passing conversation and the hiss of busses as they pull into their stops.
“You aren't good enough for them,” the two men admit at the exact same time, thoroughly surprising the other.
Helen takes in a deep, shaky breath and focuses on the world down below.
Jonathan crosses his arms over his own chest and minds himself of his breathing, wondering why he'd say something like that to his best friend.
Both men feel far too cold to say anything, caged in blocks of ice, preventing them from being close like they used to be.
The air grows awkward, and it’s only broken by you calling for them.
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some-kindofgnome · 4 years ago
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tastes so bitter (tastes so sweet)
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You’re driving back from an out-of-town mission with Hawks when your car breaks down on a very sparsely-populated highway. While you await relief, things get... personal. 
characters: takami keigo (hawks) x f!reader
word count: 7.1k
warnings: smut (18+ please!), car sex, pro hero!reader, angst, emotionally unavailable hawks
notes: ta-dah!!! the car sex fic! this turned out way longer and way more feelsy than I ever intended it to be. but I’m grateful for the chance to show you how I play with plot and emotion as well as some good porn. porn with feelings, y’know? 
EDIT: The supremely talented @la-saffron​ has created an absolutely spectacular piece of artwork for this fic! Please go and look at it right here, it’s really quite splendid
Masterlist
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The shadowy trees on either side of the highway cast a chill across the pavement as the sky went dark.
It was far from sunset, but the woods were so tall and thick that the light had disappeared from the road a long time ago. The overpriced navigation system laid into the dashboard of Hawks’ luxurious car was no help at all; not when you were taking the only road for miles around.
The highway narrowly passed for two lanes, winding precariously down from the mountains. Dotted with reflective yellow signs- deer crossing, bear crossing, creatures-of-unimaginable-horror crossing. Bigfoot himself could have wandered into your headlights and you barely would’ve flinched.
But that was to be expected, given where you’d come from.
That day’s mission brought you both far, far away from the city. There was a national forest about three hours away- one of the biggest in the country- and you and Hawks had been called in at the crack of fucking dawn to drive all the way out to the woods and investigate some ‘strange reports,’ as the rangers cared to call them.
Most park rangers knew what they were seeing when guests came in from the woods reporting abnormal happenings. Nobody was truly immune to fear, though, when faced with the impossible.
Whether there were paranormal creatures lurking in those woods or not, you couldn’t have been sure. But after spending the day exhausting both your quirks combing every spare inch of those woods, you were relieved of your overnight duties by a group of other, more nature-savvy heroes.
Hawks had been miffed, but too exhausted to argue. He didn’t like to think he’d been overshadowed. You were just thankful to be going home to your own bed.
“Okay,” you sighed, nursing the last of a lukewarm soda from a burger joint at the edge of the only one-horse town you’d passed through. It was a pretty unassuming stop for dinner, but you and Hawks both agreed that the burgers were way too good to be sold to so few patrons.
Keigo was driving, with one palm splayed lazily across the bottom edge of the wheel. His scarlet wings stretched into the backseat, draping over the shoulders of his black leather backrest like some bizarre kind of seat cover.
The fact that his car was so luxurious was not lost on you- although you were more surprised to find out that he had one at all. Hawks seemed like the last person in the world to need a car, after living in a fantastic downtown penthouse. And owning a pair of wings, come to think of it.
He owned it because he could. And because he knew how good he looked in the driver’s seat.
“What?” He turned a curious eye toward you, though he never quite pulled his gaze from the road.
“I know we started this conversation on the way here,” you began, “but… we never exactly finished it.” You swirled what was left of the ice chips in the bottom of your cup, considering the best way to voice your thoughts.
“Alright.” He sounded vaguely amused, slouching a little further down and drawing an idle palm over his feathered hair. “Shoot.”
“Well…” You trailed off. “You’re kind of… a city guy.” You were already starting to talk with your hands. The racket coming from your half-drunk soda was proof enough.
“What makes you say that?”
“You are,” you defended. You let a playful edge creep into your tone. “And the agency’s kind of a city thing.”
“Am I really as one-note as you’re making me out to be?” He was chuckling. Your cheeks were going hot. You weren’t sure how this became a personal conversation, but you were determined to steer it in the proper direction. You course corrected.
“I just mean, we don’t take a lot of jobs outside the city. Like… ever. So, what’s with this one? Why this call?”
He didn’t answer right away. When you glanced across the car, he was licking his lips and appearing to be, very genuinely, thinking.
“Well,” he began. There was an immensely appealing depth that wore around the edges of his voice when he was deep in thought. You hung on tightly, trying your best to hide how intently you listened.
“I was just… bored, I guess.” He gave a lazy little shrug. His eyes were still trained on the windshield, but you could feel the weight of his urges. He wanted to look over. You turned your head, willing him to.
“Probably sounded like bullshit, now that I think about it,” he confessed, “but if there really was somethin’ freaky in those woods… I dunno. I wanted to see it.”
You resisted the urge to snort.
“Maybe you should start a ghost hunting branch at the agency.”
“Aw, c’mon,” he protested. This time, he really did drag his eyes away from the road for a second. They glinted playfully in the dark. You got a flash of pearly canine from the barest hint of a grin, but it was enough to put a stupid smile right across your face.
A sickening thud from beneath the hood zapped any false confidence you’d been building. There was a dull pop, then the engine died.
“What the- shit.” Hawks scrambled to put both hands on the wheel, navigating the car with what momentum remained over to the narrow shoulder. The tires hit gravel and soft mud, rolling pathetically to a stop and settling in damp silence.
“What the hell was that?” You leaned over the dashboard as your pulse came down from near-terminal velocity. There were half a dozen lights blinking away on the dashboard- symbols you couldn’t understand.
“Not sure.” Keigo was doing his best not to sound too perturbed. As a result, he was just perturbed enough.
You knew what those lights implied, though. Service due. Oil change due. Battery maintenance due.
“Jesus Christ,” you hissed, “when was the last time you took this car in for service? It’s a miracle you even made it out of the goddamn garage.”
Hawks was in the process of mashing the engine start button like an arcade game. When you spoke up, he pushed it down and held. The engine gave a dull, sad sort of sputter, but nothing roared to life.
“Look, look,” he dismissed, waving a hand in your direction as he unbuckled his seatbelt. “I don’t drive this thing that often, okay? I’m gonna go check under the hood.”
He climbed out of the driver’s side and slammed the door before giving you the chance to remind him to pop the hood. For a minute, you let him wallow in his mistake, watching gleefully as he pried at the seam of it. Finally, you unbuckled yourself and leaned over, flicking the release for him.
He gave an unamused glance toward the windshield and lifted the hood, obscuring all but the very tips of his drooping wings from view.
After about fifteen seconds, he ducked back into the car with a rush of cold air behind him. He rubbed his palms together as you watched, arms folded over your chest.
“So?” You prompted. He gave a sideways glance in your direction, blowing into his chilled hands.
“So what?”
“Oh my g- what’s wrong with the car?” You tried your best not to let panic set in.
“I don’t know. It’s just a bunch of pipes and wires under there. They didn’t exactly give me a map of the thing when I bought it.”
You’d seen Hawks pull people out of burning buildings before. You’d see him think on his feet, devise a plan and act on it in the blink of an eye. Usually, he was impulsive. Confident. Clever.
Tonight, on the other hand, he was demonstrating a very clear affinity for money over brains.
You flopped into your seat, scrubbing your hands over your face. You were not going to freak out. You refused to. It didn’t matter that Keigo had suddenly become useless in the face of disaster. You were heroes, even if you had to save your damned selves.
“Oh,” he quipped from beside you. “Still got bars. See?” As you peeked over at him through one cracked eyeball, he waved his illuminated phone screen at you. “It could be worse, kid. If this were a horror movie, this thing’d be dead.”
He tapped away on the screen, seeming very pleased with himself. Even his wings gave a little ruffle, draping themselves smoothly over the back of his seat again.
“I’ll call us a tow. We’ll be outta here in no time.”
A few minutes later, you had a map pulled up on your phone while Hawks’ brow creased deeper and deeper.
“Uh-huh.” His voice had taken on that irresistible deepness to it again, but this time it was sending pangs of dread through your gut.
“Right.” He brought a palm up to smooth over his jaw, fingertips bending and pressing idly against the patches of scruff that dusted it. “Y-yep, yeah, I understand. Fifty miles is a long way. I know it’s gonna be a lot to send a truck that far. But-“
As he was abruptly cut off by the other end of the line, those idle fingers slipped up to his temple, pressing inward and rubbing in stiff little circles.
“Okay. Alright. Yeah, I guess we’ll wait, ‘cause there’s not much else we can… I understand. Yes, thank you. Thank you. Okay, we’ll be here. Or within a ten-foot radius. Thanks. B-“
He blinked rapidly at the screen as he pulled it away from his ear. “Have an excellent night, sir,” he muttered under his breath. He let out a deep sigh, lifting a hip to tuck his phone away again.
“They said they would send someone,” he said, “but the depot is, like, fifty miles from here. Could be a couple of hours.”
“A couple hours?” That cold dread was settling into your chest again. So much for sleeping in your own bed.
“Yeah. C’mon, get out.”
“What?” You glanced past him at the frosted driver’s side window. “It looks freezing out there.”
“Well then, you’d better bundle up. C’mon. I’m gonna fly us back to the city.”
“No way. Hawks- Keigo.” You grabbed his arm and squeezed tightly as he made to get out of the car.
“What?” Exasperation was creeping into the edges of his voice. The sides of his gaze, too, as he landed against the seat back with a thud and turned his cheek to look at you.
“You’ve been flying all day. Your wings are shot. You’re not flying anywhere.”
“What? They’re fine.” He gave the appendages in question a defiant flutter and a cloud of expiring feathers floated into the backseat.
You folded your arms across your chest. Hawks gave a frustrated growl.
“What do you suggest, then?” He retorted in fierce opposition to your silence. “Just sit around and fucking… die of old age before the tow truck comes?”
“Oh my god, you’re the number two hero,” you snapped back. “When did you become such a drama queen? Yes, we’re going to wait. Like a normal person would have to.”
“I’m not being dramatic; I’m presenting you with a legitimate solution and you’re ignoring it!”
“If you try to fly us both out of here, you’re gonna hit the ground before we’re halfway home. And then we’ll be really stranded, with no water and no shelter. So, if you’d like to fly back all by yourself, I can’t stop you. But I’m not going to let you kill both of us.”
“Fine!” Hawks’ cheeks were flushed with temper as he kicked the door open and clambered out of the car. He kicked it shut again so hard the whole body rocked, and for a moment you were left, trapped in shocked silence.
He was really going to leave you out here. Alone.
Half a dozen heartbeats passed before his boots crunched on the shoulder and he wrenched the door open again, flopping back into the car with an immense sigh of irritated defeat.
“Fuckin’ freezing out there,” he muttered as quietly as possible.
You wanted to punch him.
“You ready to wait?”
His wings stiffened behind him, then drooped so lowly they seemed to disappear into the backseat. He looked at you from the corner of one tawny eye.
“Yeah.”
For the first hour, you honestly enjoyed yourself. As soon as Keigo accepted his fate, he got much closer to his usual mellow self. You finished off cold fries from dinner, listened to true crime podcasts on your phone, (you listened- he talked over the whole thing) and played a few ruthless games of hangman on a couple of napkins you found in the glove compartment.
You’d spent a lot of time with Hawks in a professional capacity. As partners, you took most of your missions together. You were well-versed in the way that he liked to think, the way he approached a job, a conversation. You worked well with each other and you were drawn to his quick wit and laid-back humour. Even if he was a piece of work at times, you made a strong team. But you didn’t do a whole lot of hanging out.
“Okay, that’s it,” he chided as you added an extravagant top hat to the completed, dressed hangman scrawled onto the inside fold of your last napkin. The word he’d failed to guess was ‘patience,’ and the irony of his struggling was not lost on you.
“Aw, c’mon,” you protested. “You’ve still got gloves and a bow tie left.”
“No, no, no.” He held up a palm, shaking his head. There was a good-natured grin curling his lip as he bowed toward the door. “I’m callin’ it. I gotta take a leak.”
You snatched your soda cup from the drink holder, clutching it protectively against your chest.
“You’re not going in here.”
Next, it was Hawks’ turn to shoot you a deadpan stare.
“How about in the woods? Is that allowed?”
Your cheeks went hot. “It’s pretty dark out there.”
“Aw.” Hawks shoved the door open. There was an unfamiliar glint to his eye as he tossed a mischievous look over his shoulder. “Guess you won’t be able to sneak a peek, then.”
You slammed your fist into his back. “Shut up and go take a piss.”  
As the car door clicked shut, you turned the other way out of sheer habit. All you could see in the opposite window was the reflection of your own face. Maybe it was just the dim light, but you looked exhausted. Keigo had seen you caked in blood, streaked by mud and soot before. But you’d both been awake since four o’clock that morning and there was a special kind of ugly feeling that came with overtiredness.
You were dreaming about the first thing you’d do when you got home again when Hawks climbed back into the car. He looked considerably brighter as he ducked inside, and he brought a flush of rich, earthy forest-smell along with him.
“Don’t tell me you couldn’t find it in the cold out there,” you quipped. Payback.
But Keigo just chuckled, shaking his head.
“Close the door,” you whined as the frigid air from outside finally reached your bare arms. “It’s already cold enough in here.”
“Aw,” he crooned, tugging the door shut behind him. “You scared of a little cold now, kid? It’s not so bad out there. Feel.”
He lunged at you, ducking rapidly to rub his frigid cheek against your shoulder. You let out a terse yelp and squirmed, trying to shove him back amid a sea of chilled giggles. He got a few passes of his icy skin on yours before you both realized how close you’d gotten.
Hawks cleared his throat and scooted away from you. In the bare light from the shitty overhead lamp, you were starting to see the outline of a flush creeping into his cheeks.
The light abruptly went out, leaving you in darkness again.
“Tell me something,” he mused, grabbing for the abandoned takeout bag and digging a hand into it. He produced a tiny wrapped square and tore it open with his teeth, removing the folded alcohol wipe from inside and gliding it with impossible grace over his fingertips. He eyed you sideways.
“How come we don’t hang out more?”
Your chest went cold. You’d been dreading that question all night. Longer than that, even.
“What d’you mean?” It was a gut response, but you instantly kicked yourself for even attempting to play dumb.
“You know,” he chided, dumping the wipe back into the paper bag once he was finished with it. “We work. We do interviews together. We do those bullshit PR functions together. I’ve known you- what, two years? And we’ve never even been for a drink. What gives, kid? Don’t tell me I grate on you.”
“I get plenty of you on company time,” you retorted. You were starting to panic. You weren’t ready for this conversation, but it didn’t seem like you were going to be rescued by the timely arrival of the tow truck.
“Okay, okay, I’d take that,” he laughed, “if you hadn’t agreed to take this mission with me. C’mon, this wasn’t exactly a nine-to-five gig.”
He paused. “Come out with me this weekend.” He nudged your shoulder with a bony elbow. You tried your best not to snap.
“Stop,” you pressed quietly. “You know why we don’t.”
The smirk slipped from Keigo’s face.
“What? Why?”
“Don’t make me say it.”
“Wait a second, there’s an actual reason? What the hell is it?”
The confusion was genuine on his face. Hawks could be a smarmy little shit when he wanted to be. But you could tell he wasn’t fucking with you.
“Oh my god.” The words slipped out like a deep breath. Your hand drifted to your mouth as cold shock ran over your skin. “You really don’t remember.”
“No.” His confusion was bordered with fear. He sat back a little, letting his eyes drift over your expression. “No, I really don’t.”
You swallowed hard. You should have known that you’d have to talk about this eventually. But he didn’t even remember the night that had been changing the way you acted around him for nearly a year.
“Last Christmas,” you began. Your breath was so short that it put a desperate hush to your voice that you absolutely hated. You revelled in your ability to act casual around him, but the more probing he got, the harder that composure was slipping.
“At the agency gala. You remember the party, right?”
Hawks rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, and I got trashed.” He paused. Realization dawned on his face, and he shot you the deepest, most sincere look of concern you’d ever seen. Even more sincere than the look that crossed his face when you got shot off the roof of a house and broke a rib.
He leaned forward.
“Did I do something?” He swept a palm over his mouth, fingertips dallying at his chin. You knew exactly how he felt in that moment. You’d been there before, too, realizing that you’d lost control. Blacked out. Understanding that you might have done something you were going to regret.
“You really don’t remember a thing?” It was your turn to be horrified. How could something that consumed your every thought stay so damned far from his?
His fingers were still curved around the point of his chin. He’d gone white, and he shook his head as his eyes cast down to his lap.
“You fucking kissed me, okay?” You snarled with a whip of frustration. “There was mistletoe and you kissed me under it and-and Christ, I can’t believe you.”
“What? What?” He demanded as his voice grew defensively sharp.
“I had no idea what you were gonna do. What you were gonna say, what was gonna change between us. I showed up to the agency the next morning and your hungover ass acted like nothing had ever happened.”
“Of course I did,” he defended, “I didn’t think anything did happen. Oh my God, did I really kiss you?” His wings were coming to life all of a sudden, bristling on either side of his seat. There was a dull whisp as one edge of them brushed against the window. They seemed to expand, along with his horror, to fill the entire car.
He pushed further. “Well, did you… did you want me to?”
You could see where his thoughts were taking him. The answer was an impossible dilemma. To lead him further down that path would not only be cruel, it would be untrue. But to tell him the truth- that you had wanted it- would be to shatter the fragile illusion of casual, platonic intimacy that you’d been building over the last two years.
You chewed your lower lip. Hard enough to hurt.
“Oh god, you didn’t,” he gasped. That was enough for you to lift your chin and shoot him a sudden, sad, pathetic little look.
“Jesus,” he gasped again, deeper this time. “You did.”
“Look,” you snapped. “I was never gonna say anything to you. I was never gonna push it. You didn’t feel that way and I knew that and I just wanted to work.”
He told you enough about his personal life as it was. Every date he swung in from on Monday morning, every Friday night he spent preening in the last hours of the workday hurt enough already. If you’d grown close, fallen harder, it would’ve become too much to bear.
“What do you mean, I didn’t feel that way? What way don’t I feel? How could you even know that?” He was beginning to raise his voice back at you and the adrenaline was pushing you way too far to listen.
“Because you never said a fucking word to me about that kiss! You pretended like it never even happened, Kei! What was I supposed to think!”
“If you’d asked me, you woulda known that I didn’t speak up ‘cause I didn’t remember a goddamn thing!” Keigo jammed a finger into his temple. His golden eyes flashed. He was so fucking hot when he was angry, but this was not a fight you ever wanted to have.
Luckily for you, he was having it without you.
“What do you want me to say to that?” He snarled. “Huh? What- you want me to tell you that I’m sorry for not having psychic powers? That I’m sorry I didn’t hire a mind-reader to tell me what the fuck was going on with you?”
He scrubbed his hands over his face. You were on the verge of tears.
“I-I never-“ you began, but Keigo beat you to the punch,
“You know, maybe I noticed that you were actin’ funny around me. And maybe I should’ve asked. But maybe if you ask yourself, and if you really, honestly give yourself the truest answer, you’d be able to admit that you knew how I felt about you. That you always knew.”
“Of course I knew!”
Your response echoed raw and deafening in the silence of the car. You’d lost your temper and shouted it at him with every decibel left in your breathless chest. Your fists were clenched atop your frigid thighs as you bent over in your seat, shivering. To your immense embarrassment, warm tears trickled down the sides of your nose.
He was right, after all. Every sideways smile he’d given you was just a little too broad to be friendly. Every time he caught you by the hand, he held it just a little too long. Every time he offered you the crook of his elbow at a stuffy charity gala and every time he poured you into a cab at the end of the night, he promised to take good care of you. Every time he looked at you at all it was with a depth that you had recognized, but never understood.
“But look at us, Kei. Look at what we do to each other.”
You sniffled, scrubbing tears off your cheeks with the heels of your hands. He reached for you, seeking to comfort, but his hands twitched midair and he drew back instead.
“Yeah,” he croaked. You tossed a glance in his direction. He looked more dejected than you’d seen him in a long time. He rested both hands on top of the wheel, the rest of his body sagging against the seat back.
“Except now I’ve told you,” you continued. “And now we both know, so everything’s fucked no matter what.”
You were met with silence. The truth was dawning on you. You hated to even consider it, but it felt like what needed to be done.
“When we get back to the city,” you started. Hawks interrupted you with a low rasp of your name.
“No, when we get back, I’m giving you my resignation.”
“Fuck, stop.”
Keigo lunged, grabbing you by the back of the neck and pulling you toward him. He rested his forehead against yours and closed his eyes. The warmth of his closeness weighed on you like a heavy quilt. You couldn’t even pretend not to be immensely comforted by affection from him.
“I’m not gonna let you do that, kid.”
You were both drawing deep breaths- slow, rolling gulps of air that matched over gradual time. You licked your lips, bracing your chilled palms on his shoulders. Your fingertips brushed the very edges of his feathered hair, dull and soft in the dark.
You’d talked each other down from bigger, badder edges before. But this one had sharp, jagged rocks waiting at the bottom. This one, you were going to have to jump from together.
“I can’t do this,” you pleaded. “I can’t keep myself away from you like this.”
“Don’t.” His voice was hushed and so achingly tender, like he couldn’t take the command himself.
“I can’t-“
“Then, don’t.”
He was firmer this time, and the pad of his thumb brushed the bottom of your lip. He pulled back just a hair, grazing the tip of his nose across yours. The heat of his breath puffed over your lips and his blonde eyelashes threatened to tickle your cheek.
He drew in a slow, calculated breath.
“Lemme kiss you. Lemme try again. I’m not gonna forget it this time, I swear.”
“Keigo, please.”
“Just lemme try. Just once. I’ll never ask you again, if you don’t want me to.” He pulled back the rest of the way and your body keened at the loss, but he looked deeply into your eyes. Deeply like he’d never been allowed to look before.
You licked your lips. Considered it for half a heartbeat. Then you gave a slow little nod.
“Okay.”
To your surprise, he didn’t lunge again. He took his time with you. He cupped your cheeks tenderly between his bare palms, memorizing the curve of your face. He stared, taking you in like this. At his mercy.
Finally, he leaned in and captured your mouth in a soft kiss, heartbreakingly loving. You responded eagerly, blossoming beneath his touch and bracing your hands on the broad plane of his chest. Your fingers curled in the fleece that lined his coat.
You kissed back with near-desperate urgency, shamelessly showing him how touch-starved you’d become. Dating was pointless when Keigo stole your whole heart every time you showed up to work.
The quiet press of his tongue had your jaw going slack in his hands. Your kiss went needy all at once, and he licked into your mouth with a hunger behind his movements that you never anticipated sensing from him.
You broke from him first, turning your cheek to him as your lungs burned. Your mouth was swollen, and you gasped greedily for whatever stale air lingered between you. He grabbed your chin and forced your eyes back to his.
His gaze was fearsome. Ravenous. You were powerless beneath it.
You combed your fingers through his hair like you’d always wanted to, settling your palm at the nape of his neck. Your own voice was nearly unrecognizable, nothing more than a feral growl.
“Get in the back.”
Hawks took one look at the narrow gap between his seat and yours and sat up, nudging the driver’s side door open. He climbed eagerly into the road and then back into the back seat, settling in the center with his legs and wings splayed wide.
Meanwhile, you took the opportunity to wiggle out of your boots and pants and slam dunk everything into the foothold of the passenger’s seat. You climbed over the center console in your underwear and settled into his lap.
Even though you had to bow your head against the cushioned ceiling, it was a holy sensation. Your thighs settled perfectly into the crooks of Keigo’s legs, and his hands slid so naturally over the curves of your hips. It was as if you’d done this before.
You kissed him again, using the weight of your newly boosted height to descend hard and loving against his lips. He grabbed you hard by the ass, drawing you smooth and tight against his hips.
“God,” he groaned eagerly into your mouth.
“You’re so. Fucking. Perfect,” you hissed back into his, and he squeezed you harder, breaking his lips from yours to trail a hungry path of kisses along the edge of your jaw. His scruff scratched at your chin just like you imagined it would. You loved him like this- trimmed, unshaven. The rougher, the better.
“Don’t say that,” he purred dangerously close to your ear. “You’ve seen me at my worst.”
You tried not to grin, remembering Keigo barfing over the balcony of the Plaza after one too many charity-benefit martinis. Keigo caked in ooze after cutting open that sludge villain from the inside. Keigo on the verge of tears, just a few minutes ago.
“I still think so,” you pressed, and he smiled against your cheek. His wings, tired and bruised but majestic as ever, stiffened proudly. They were capped firmly by the cramped space that surrounded you, but the feathers that spread across the back seat were sleek and graceful.
You dug your fingertips between his jacket and his t-shirt, feeling the warmth of his torso all over. He did his best to shrug it open, but the material was caught up on his wings- no getting it off now.
He wound his hands into the hem of his shirt and tugged it up for you. The skin you could feel by slipping your fingers underneath was all you were going to get.
Not that it mattered to you. It was far more than you’d let yourself so much as picture before. While you felt your way across his heated abdomen, he dipped his head to your pulse point. He scraped the points of his teeth across your tender flesh, making you sigh and shiver. He pressed a hand to the small of your back to keep you close and nibbled all the way down to your neckline, leaving a trail of tiny welts in his wake.
They would fade by morning. Tonight, the feeling was enough.
He glided smooth, tender fingers up your sides. You straightened, letting him wedge your long-sleeved t-shirt up around your shoulders. You had to bend even further and press your forehead awkwardly against his shoulder to wrench it off. Once he peeled the fabric over your head, you tossed it haphazardly toward the front seat. Keigo was already going to work on his fly.
The tender press of his erection had grown apparent by that point, stiff and needing down one thigh of his thick pants. You reached between your legs and palmed it indulgently. There was an answering throb of arousal in the pit of your belly as you felt the shape and thickness of it trapped against his body, and an even stronger one when his hips pressed into your touch and he gave a low rumble of approval.
“Don’t act so surprised,” he crooned. With his pants unfastened, and the bulk of his cock shifted to the stretchy pouch of his undershorts, he slid a fingertip down the plane of your belly and curled two graceful digits between your thighs.
“Are you wet for me yet?” He shot you a deep, lustful stare. You rocked your hips against his fingers, hopeless in resisting the pleasure he offered. Keigo nudged the crotch of your thong easily aside, dipping his middle finger against your slit.
He sucked a sharp breath through clenched teeth as you gave a simultaneous yelp of stimulation. When he looked up at you again, he bore a sly little grin. You’d seen it a thousand times before, but never with such desire. And never all for you.
“You’re drippin’, kid.” He arched his palm, slipping that finger slowly upward and easing it inside you. There was no stretch, but the sensation of intimacy- of being felt in such a way by those hands that you’d never dared to fantasize about- was intoxicating in its own right.
Keigo was, apparently, feeling it, too. His eyes were deeply lidded, glazed completely by his own desire. The tip of his cock had found its way over the waistband of his undershorts, weeping shiny precum against his stomach and the bottom of his shirt.
He curled a blunt fingertip inside you, massaging your tender front wall. The feeling rappelled up the column of your spine and brought deep trembles forward. It brought fresh handfuls of wet slick from your depths, gliding down his palm and between his fingers. He took the hints your body offered and rubbed faster, watching the way your expression morphed from desire to pleasure.
“Stop,” you hushed, leaning forward and pushing your lips to his. He drew his hand back from you immediately, settling it on your thigh. The wet little print it left against your skin wasn’t lost on you.
“Something wrong?”
“No,” you replied. “Just ready for you.”
He gave a low, loving little chuckle and shifted beneath you. “Can’t hold out any longer?”
You smiled into his hair. “Don’t want to.”
“Fair enough.” His smile was even, but the tug in his voice betrayed his fraying nerves. It thrilled you to know that you weren’t the only one putting way too much emotional stock in this. It was immensely validating to discover that he’d been anticipating it, too.
He wiggled and squirmed against the backseat, shucking his pants and underwear down over his thighs and letting his cock pop out. It bobbed against his stomach- thicker than you’d imagined- framed by a trimmed scruff of tawny hair that disappeared under his shirt.
“Fuck,” you sighed in spite of yourself.
“I know, right?” He rasped. He reached for you, cupping your jaw. He brought your forehead down to his, giving a weak laugh. “What the hell have we been waitin’ for?”
“We just needed the bottle episode to shove us together,” you giggled. “C’mon, we’re a walking trope right about now.”
“We’re about to become a different trope if you don’t let me fuck you.” It was his turn to play the desperate card. But the ache between your thighs had not dulled, even a little.
He wrapped his fingers around the base of his shaft and you lifted your hips. He gave the heated tip a playful little swipe along your slick slit, but his game backfired when both of you let out tight cries of sensation.
You rocked your hips forward, taking his tip eagerly inside. The sensation was toe-curling, made even better by the way he held you tightly against him, nosing at your ear and kissing any patch of skin he could reach.
He brought his free palm to your ass as soon as you were situated, helping you slide the rest of the way onto his cock. With your knees braced on either side of his lap and your feet pressed tightly against the front seat, you let him bottom out. And for a moment, you just sat there.
“Jesus,” Keigo sighed, lolling his head against the seat behind him. You still had your head deeply bowed, trapped in the space that seemed just an inch too tight.
“I…” Your thighs shuffled. Your hips gave a little squirm. It felt good, but it wasn’t enough. Keigo cracked an eye and lifted his chin, sensing a problem.
“What’s the matter?”
“I just…” Your cheeks went hot. You licked your lips. “I can’t move.”
His gaze cast downward, to the place where you were joined. He took in the press of your thighs, the curve of your neck. He snorted.
“No, you can’t. C’mere, kid, I gotcha.” He planted that palm on your ass again, drawing your hips forward and up, as far as you could take them. Your head and neck bowed with the rest of your back as he draped your upper body over his chest and held you tightly against him.
Then he planted his feet and gave one good, deep thrust. Your innards gave a jerk. Oh, fuck.
“That’s it,” you panted into his ear. He nodded tensely.
“Yeah?” He prompted. “That’s workin’ for ya? Alright, alright. We’ve got this, kid, c’mon. Lemme show you somethin’ good, okay?”
One thrust sent you spiralling. But the rhythm that he dove into- steady, tough, fluid- sent every nerve through your body into meltdown. You were entirely incapable of dealing with such pleasure, combined with the emotions that swirled through your lovestruck brain.
It felt as though you had been holding out needlessly for all this time. Like all the hurt and frustration and heartbreak you shed over him would be evaporated, now that you understood that he wanted you like this, too.
Like that was all there was. You, Hawks, and the free love you could now share.
“I’m n-not-“ Keigo stuttered, piping up after a series of breathless pants and airy groans, “n-not gonna last much longer, kid, you’re… really gonna make me feel it.”
“Yeah,” you breathed back. You looped your arms tightly around his neck, tilting your hips forward. You could feel the barest hint of stimulation when your clit brushed his belly, so you leaned into it- aching for your own release.
His rhythm doubled as the intensity of your pleasure spiked dangerously high, and when you gripped him hard and rocked your hips in time with his, there was a low, warning pull that echoed all the way up to your throat. You were close. Very close.
Your head dropped backward and Keigo leaned forward, drawing his mouth up the vulnerable column of your throat. He panted hard and heavy against your pulse point.
“That’s it, kid, that’s fuckin’ it, baby, oh, God, I’m g-gonna f-fucking… I- shit, I- can’t… fffuck!”
Keigo let a vicious roar tear from his throat as he reached his vibrant peak. His erratic thrusts brought you to a tight little climax, too, and you clung to him and whined and rode through the pleasure as he fucked madly up inside you, spurting messy shots of cum into your depths.
Gravity took hold of his pleasure, dripping it onto his shaft and pooling it in a sloppy mess between you. And when it was all finally over, you collapsed against his body and you both stayed, airless and spent, wrapped tightly around one another.
It was the bright flash of headlights on the back of his neck that brought you to the surface, moments later.
The inside of the car was warm and stuffy and damp. Had you just come in from outside, you might have realized that it reeked of sex. Sweat and breath and fluid and feeling. The windows were near-opaque, fogged by the dampness of your lovemaking.
It was a moment you might have loved to capture, if you weren’t about to be so rudely interrupted.
The light in your rear windshield was bright white and flashing orange. Unmistakable.
“The tow truck,” you wheezed, scrambling off of Keigo’s lap. “Oh, fuck.”
“Get dressed,” he muttered weakly, already scrambling to get himself cleaned up and decent. He was far more dressed than you were, so you did your best to climb back into the passenger’s seat and slide back into your own clothes. You banged your shin hard on the center console, and your head on the ceiling as your body flailed in retaliation. You crumpled into the front seat and nearly kneed yourself in the mouth trying to scramble back into your pants.
By the time you climbed out of the car, fully dressed, with a few additional bruises, Hawks was already standing on the shoulder, talking to the driver. The driver was wagering a few guesses on what might be wrong with the car. Hawks’ eyes had already glazed over.
“Hey,” he greeted, as he spotted you emerging over his shoulder. He introduced you quietly to the driver before the ballcap-wearing, bearded man spoke again.
“Yeah,” he gruffed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ll give you a lift to garage nearby. It’s kinda late, but he keeps weird hours. I bet he’ll take a look for you, it’s prob’ly an easy fix.”
“That sounds great,” you gushed, clasping your palms together. There was a lot of stiffness settling in around your hips and thighs. You couldn’t be sure if it was a result of the compromising position you’d nearly been discovered in or the whole lot of not moving you’d done for hours before that.
Either way, it felt good to stretch your legs.
“You c’n go ahead and hop in the back,” the driver directed, waving the key that Keigo had apparently already given him in indication. “I’ll get you hooked up, no problem.”
Keigo opened the truck door for you, and you climbed over the passenger’s seat into the back. He followed closely behind you, tugging the door shut and slouching into the opposite side.
You sat in silence; hands clasped between your knees. A confusing air settled between you.
You felt vulnerable and raw and moony. You wanted to hold his hand and curl up to him in the back seat. Kiss his cheeks and tell him how good it was, tell him how much you felt.
For you, though, it could never be that simple. There was no free love for heroes like you.
Pay later, always.
Keigo felt the weight of your gaze. He turned to meet your eyes and shot you a thin smile. You’d seen the look that he’d turned to hide from you, though.
The truck driver climbed into the front seat before words could pass between you. But you didn’t need to hear them to know what they were going to be.
You didn’t need a warning to understand what Monday morning at the agency was going to look like.
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nagito-kissmaeda · 4 years ago
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Arcade - Komaeda x Reader
ミ☆  Just a silly thing I wrote about an arcade employee being baffled while Komaeda clears out all the machines lol ミ☆ I’ve been feeling kind of down about my writing so i just wanted to do something fun. It’s not very good haha. I’m tired and i can’t write good asjfkakd
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Night shift at the arcade is usually pretty quiet. Most people start leaving around dinner time and while there are usually still some hardcore gamers lurking around until the AM, most of them only come in on Friday’s or weekends. So the job is usually easy breezy, most nights you lean up on the counter and browse the internet on your phone until your shift ends.
Tonight though, you have been acutely watching as this guy moves from machine to machine. Absolutely clearing them out. You’ve never seen anything like it. Presently, you are crouched behind a claw machine filled with Hello Kitty plushies as this guy slips two bucks into the Big Bass Wheel cabinet. Your eyes drift over to the last cabinet he used, the Wizard of Oz coin pusher. It is empty , you have never seen that happen in the whole time you’ve worked here. You weren’t even sure it could happen.
The guy spins the wheel, it spins and spins and spins. Jackpot. Your eyes narrow, a jackpot isn’t too uncommon, it honestly isn’t even worth that many tickets, but then he nonchalantly slides in another two dollars and hits jackpot again . This is starting to get suspicious.
The machine is spitting out tickets now, so many tickets. Even the guy looks surprised, you are definitely surprised. Two jackpots is not worth that many tickets, but they just keep coming and coming. Machine fault? Must be. The guy looks almost resigned at this point, sighing unhappily as the tickets keep spewing out, like they’re wasting his time and not like this was a superhuman feat of luck. Then, the machine starts smoking.
“Shit!” You hiss, jumping up from your hiding place behind the claw machine and dashing over to the guy before anything catches on fire. You’ve caught him by surprise, he probably didn’t realise you were following him around, “out of the way, please!”
He ducks out of the way, pulling his armfuls worth of tickets along with him as you switch the arcade cabinet off at the wall. The machinery inside stops whirring and the smoke calms down. You wipe your forehead with the back of your hand, you’ve never seen a machine fault this badly before, you were probably going to need to file an indecent report. What a pain.
“You okay?” You ask the guy. He is a lot taller up close, and the shock of messy white hair on his head only makes him seem taller. He sways like a palm tree in the breeze, clutching onto his massive wad of tickets for dear life.
“I’m sorry. I broke your machine.”
Oh...his voice is softer than you had expected it would be. The lights from a nearby Daytona cabinet are reflecting in his green eyes. You swallow, “You didn't break anything, machine fault, it happens sometimes.”
His eyes drift away from you and over to the cabinet, the smoke has stopped now, it doesn't look like there was too much damage, but he looks very upset about it anyway.
“Hey, seriously, dont worry about it.” You give him an awkward pat on his forearm, “The machines in here are really old, stuff like this happens all the time.”
“Oh...ah…” He bites his lip, “If you’re sure…”
You smile, “Yeah, don't even sweat it. You can keep the tickets by the way, once they're out of the machine it's a nightmare to get them back in again, so consider it an apology for almost setting you on fire.”
He laughs weakly, “Thank you.”
“Hey, uh…” You start, not so subtle eyeing his ticket collection. A decent chunk of it was from that Big Bass Wheel malfunction, an already exorbitant number was won legit. More than you had ever seen anyone win before, “are you a cabinet master?”
“A...what?”
“Like, you know all the sweet spots on the machines. Technically not cheating, but not entirely legal either.”
His eyes widen, “Did I do something wrong?”
“No!” You shake your head at him, “You just won a lot of tickets is all. I’ve never seen someone win that many tickets.”
“I’m just really lucky. It’s all i'm good at, honestly.” He’s fiddling with the tickets in his arms, “My friend’s birthday is coming up and i'm trying to win her that Sailor Moon statue.”
It is true that there is a coveted Sailor Moon statue amongst the arcade’s prize collection. It’s huge, beautifully painted and according to your boss, incredibly rare . It’s been sitting there on the shelf for god knows how long, still tight in it’s shrinkwrap. Generally the most any player is able to afford is three or four sticky hands and a glow in the dark spider ring, but this guy is getting tantalisingly close.
You cross your arms and smirk at him, “You’re really that lucky?”
“Most of the time.”
“Okay then. You’re going to play Monster Drop next, it's the hardest cabinet we have.” You start heading over to the machine in the back of the arcade, it’s huge, you always forget how huge it is. The guy is diligently following behind you, shoulders hunched like he’s trying to make himself seem smaller. The pile of tickets in his arms rustling as he walks, “I’ve never seen anyone get a monster jackpot on this thing. Also my boss filled it with a bunch of different sized balls, so it's basically impossible to get a standard jackpot too, even after practicing at other arcades.”
“Hm. Is that really fair?”
You shrug a shoulder, “Nope. It’s big and loud, so lots of people want to play it and Boss doesn't want too many people winning. there's a catch though, raise the difficulty and you also raise the ticket payout. So if you manage to beat it, you'll be able to afford Sailor Moon.”
The current ticket payout is displayed in flashing red lights, 72,483 . With every failed attempt at hitting the monster jackpot the payout just gets higher and higher, those tantalising numbers draw in more kids hoping to be the one who gets lucky. A number that big means the cabinet has never been won, a smart arcade goer knows that a number like that means stay away.
“How do I play?” He asks, dropping his ticket collection on the ground at his feet.
“Ah, it’s deceptively simple.” You grab his hand and tug him over to the machine, gesturing up at where the balls drop down from, “You just need to press the button to let out a ball, and that’s literally it. The base of the machine spins around to make it harder to get the balls in. Monster jackpot is in the middle, so you would think a straight drop down would jackpot you every time but-”
He smirks wryly, “it’s never that easy is it?”
“Of course not! We’d never make any money if it was.”
He laughs to himself, pulling another coin out of his pocket and clinking it into the machine, “Ah, only one turn?”
You hold up a finger, “Just the one.”
He laughs again, “Brutal.”
“Very.” You take a step back to give him room to familiarise himself with the machine. Most people like to observe it from a few angles, take some time, watch at least one cycle before using up their one shot, “Good luck.”
He turns to you and smiles, “Thanks, but like i said, this is the one thing i'm good at.” He pushes the button, he isn't even looking at the machine, the rotating base hasn't even finished half a cycle. This guy is ballsy.
Despite his gumption, the ball falls a little short of the monster jackpot, “Aw, bad luck-” you start saying, but then it starts bouncing. Once off the base, three times off the sides, up high into the air and then plonk . Straight into the monster jackpot. All you can do is stare. Not only did he get the jackpot, he got it in a rigged machine while he wasn't even looking .
He laughs politely, the sound barely audible of the cabinet’s furious ringing bells and sirens signalling an impossible feat just happened here, everyone look! The tickets have started dispensing, with over 70k to print, it's going to be a long wait, “Jeez, that was scary. I almost thought my luck had run out there!”
He looks completely relaxed as he starts folding the fresh tickets into the neatest pile he can manage, “Are you a god or something?”
“Huh?” He says, blinking down at you, “That’s such a strange thing to ask me.”
“You just beat Monster Drop without looking . I’ve seen professional cabinet masters come in here and still lose after examining the machine for a good two hours!”
“Oh, no need to be impressed. I didn't actually do anything.” He smiles sadly and continues collecting his tickets, “It’s not really much of a talent, but i suppose it comes in handy sometimes.”
You clap a palm to your forehead, unable to believe what you are hearing, “You’re going to have enough tickets for the Sailor Moon statue and enough leftover for like...unlimited sticky hands.”
He taps a finger to his lips, “Oh! I would like some sticky hands.”
“How many?”
His brow creases as he considers it, “Three or four, i guess.”
“Three or-” you start laughing, “Buddy, i could pour the whole box into your bag if you wanted.”
“I don't think i need that many sticky hands, but it's very kind of you to offer.”
“We also have glow in the dark spider rings, and a robust selection of slinkies. Oh! If you really want to splurge we have a pair of slippers that resemble a character from Rick and Morty.”
He grimaces, “I would prefer the slinkies.”
You hear the arcade cabinet’s ticket dispenser finally come to a stop, and despite his good natured effort to collect the tickets in a neat pile, they are still all bunched up around his ankles. You are about to ask him another question when you quickly realise that the Monster Drop machine is now also smoking.
He sighs, “I should have known.”
You don't have time to look into that comment, you are too busy scrambling around to the back of the machine so you can turn the power off at the wall. Much like last time, you catch it before anything actually catches on fire. This has been a very eventful day.
“Hey, uh-” you start awkwardly, pulling yourself up from the ground and moving to help the guy contend with his ticket pile, “I finish in like half an hour...if you need help carrying your miscellaneous arcade prizes back to your car or whatever…”
He blinks at you as you both reach the prize counter and deposit the monstrous ticket collection onto the bench, “I should be okay on my own...but if you want to come I wouldn't mind, though I can’t guarantee I won’t set anything else on fire…” he chuckles nervously and you give him a quizzical look.
You do want to go with him, you aren't sure if it’s just a morbid curiosity about his luck with the arcade machines, or a fascination with the soft halo of white hair falling into his eyes, but you want to get to know him better, “I’ll come with you. You don’t have anywhere near enough fingers for all the glow in the dark spider rings I’m about to give you.” You say as you round the counter and start organising his tickets into more manageable piles.
He smiles, “that does sound like a good idea. I don’t want to drop any of my brand new sticky hands, after all.” He leans forward on the counter, blinking up at you. He’s got really pretty eyelashes, “I’m Nagito Komaeda, in case you were wondering.”
You laugh, “Nice to meet you, Nagito. Now give me 20 minutes to count all your damn tickets.”
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tomboyneedshercoffee · 4 years ago
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Lovedust Epilogue || Peter Parker x Stark Reader
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Epilogue: The end to a new beginning
Word Count: 1.3k
Author’s Note: PLEASE READ!!! And just like that, that concludes this series. I want to thank you all for supporting me and my writing, I couldn’t ask for sweeter followers to have along the way and because of you guys, this story has grown into something that has stuck with me through my everyday life. Every comment, every like, every reblog means the world to me and it is thanks to YOU that I felt comfortable enough to continue to share this story. I love these characters so much and I’m sad to see them leave but I can rest happy knowing that things ended the way they should and with that, I have my peace with them. Also peep the last few lines that are the same as the first few lines of the series ouch. Sorry to get so gushy but wow, after over 30k words, 8 parts, and many tears/laughter, lovedust is officially over. 
Warnings: Fluff because you all deserve it
part one || part two || part three || part four || part five || part six || part seven || part eight || epilogue 
[five months later]
‘Some things never change’ you thought to yourself as Peter’s music slipped its way through your bedroom walls. You had asked for a lazy Sunday morning and the promise of being woken up to sweet but inevitably burnt pancakes. 
The music wasn’t dreadful; you didn’t recognize the melody but it was eerily similar to something you would hear Steve play in his room from time to time whenever he wanted to feel nostalgic. Go figure, you and Peter had always teased Steve to ‘drop the oldies but goodies’ playlist so you couldn’t complain now that Peter got his hands on it. 
You slipped on your robe over the pajamas you had no intention of taking off for the remainder of the day before exiting your room. Once you had made it to Peter’s room, you didn’t bother to knock and instead, opened the door to find your boyfriend scrolling through his phone to change the song. 
“ I was promised breakfast in bed so unless you’re looking up how to make the pancake batter, you better make your way into the kitchen Parker,” You teased lightly, causing Peter to throw his phone to the side of his bed. 
“ I didn’t think you’d be awake so early,” Peter stretched his hands out to you and just like second nature, you stepped into his arms and leaned against his chest,” you never wake up before twelve on the weekend.”
“ Well I was working on my paper but someone had to play their music so loud,” You looked up at Peter who only gave back a sleepily, sympathetic smile. 
Peter hummed a soft apology as he moved his hands down to your waist to pull your frame closer to his. He could smell your shampoo- no- he was sure you had used his shampoo yet again but decided to spare you from another lecture of stealing because of how relaxed you felt in his embrace. 
With the music playing in the background, he started to sleepily sway side to side which only made you laugh again.
“ Are we dancing right now? What about my pancakes?” 
“ In a second, I just want to hold you for a little bit longer.” 
“ These better be some pretty bomb ass pancakes then.”
“ Just be quiet and let me dance with you.”
You huffed but didn’t resist, instead, you melted into his embrace even more and closed your eyes. 
With your summer drawing to an end, you could only hope to savor these precious moments with Peter, especially since you had no idea what the following fall would have in store for the two of you.
You knew he would always be around but things wouldn’t be the exact same. You two had taken advantage of living only a few feet away from each other but it seemed like life was moving too fast for your liking now that you had college right around the corner. 
The past couple of months had been nothing short of a blessing. It was a lot to handle at first as the two of you sorted through whatever insecurities or mistakes that occurred before the relationship but slowly, you two managed and tied up any loose ends that were still poking out. 
You weren’t afraid to say it outloud, of course you loved him. But there was something even stronger that helped you two through it all and that was forgiveness. There was no point in holding anything over each other’s head because the end goal was as clear as day and you were relieved knowing that the past was the past. 
Although you would catch yourself thinking back to the terrible memories you had of tormenting each other, it almost felt like you were looking back at ancient tapes filmed through a different lens. You both grew from it so now, when you looked back, all you could see was growth and effort.  
Your heart sunk for a moment as you swayed in his arms. You held him tighter at the thought of change and how different things would be in the future. Who’s to say that you two would even be together forever, of course, you wanted to be with him forever but this life wasn’t guaranteed. 
You could hear his voice right now, telling you to stop thinking of your morbid hypotheticals and so you did. You wanted to enjoy this moment right here and now, you just wanted it to last a bit longer. 
You hardly flinched as you felt Peter’s bare foot step onto your toes, only smiling at the apology that slipped out of his mouth. He could tell he had snapped you out of your daze and Peter, being the ever so curious one, asked you what you were thinking about. 
“ We’ve come a long way huh?” You said as you felt Peter nod above you,” I’m going to miss you.”
“ Hey, hey, don’t be sad. You know I’m always going to be around baby,” Peter pulled away to study your sad expression, his thumb coming up to wipe underneath your eye to make sure you weren’t crying. 
“ I know I know. It’s just...this is the end of a chapter and I don’t know if I’m ready to say goodbye to it just yet. What happens after all of this?” You asked as Peter pressed a soft kiss on your temple to ease your mind. 
“ Like you said babe, breakfast in bed,” He teased, knowing that it would make you laugh. 
He felt his heart skip a beat when his attempt had done the trick, even if the laugh was short, it was still a tally in his book. 
“ Things will change and that’s okay,” Peter said after a moment as you stayed quiet,” we’ve changed a lot and look where we are now. Did you ever think months ago that you and I would ever be this close without killing one another?”
“ Definitely not.” 
“ Exactly, but you know what won’t change?” You looked up at your boyfriend as he smiled back at you,” I’ll always love you, no matter what.”
Your heart swelled at the profession. It was almost like a talent of his to find the right words to say to make your anxieties seemingly evaporate off of you. 
Even though it came out as a whisper, you meant it with your whole chest, those three words you couldn’t find yourself ever getting tired of saying. It slipped so easily out of your mouth, almost as if someone was asking you something as simple as your name. 
“ I love you too-”
Peter barely professed all of it before you pressed your lips against his, his shoulders instantly relaxing at your action. He has kissed you over a hundred times within the last couple of months but each time, he still felt over the moon when given the chance to be intimate with you. 
It was always when you pulled away that suddenly, he was grounded but in a way that still made his heart feel feverish with pure adoration. 
You always smiled after pulling away from his lips because just like the first time you two ever shared a kiss, he always wore the same loving but goofy grin on his face as if he was a schoolgirl. And you loved it. 
Peter couldn’t help himself to kiss you again and for the next few minutes, you found yourself either swaying with your boyfriend to the soft sound of the instrumental love ballad or stopping for a moment to press your lips against his. 
The moment was fleeting after your dad had barged in a minute later, grumbling about how the door needed to be opened at least five feet but even so, you knew the feeling would stay in your memory for life. 
So as you came out to the kitchen to watch your ‘super-family’ attempt to make an edible breakfast, you couldn’t help but smile to yourself. 
You weren’t sure how much room was left in your heart but you knew a person who you would always have space for. Peter Parker.
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turtlegirlave · 4 years ago
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So this has a ton of opinions which I usually stray away from but i really let all my opinions out here. Also there is definitely fact mistakes, probably name mistakes and some incorrect singing terms in here, I wrote this at 2 A.M. with a limited knowledge of theater I’m just trying to get a point across.
Why s2 of hsm the series should have been newsies instead of beauty and the beast:
They say straight up in the show “we need a real Alan Menkhen musical” and they pick beauty and the beast instead of newsies, a literal Broadway stage production???
At first I assumed it was because the cast was primarily male, but that isn’t even a reasonable argument. 1)as shown by s1 when a boy played sharpay, gender doesn’t matter when being considered for a role. 2), a cast with multiple male leads would give the gay men in the show a chance to shine, instead of shoving them to background roles like Chip. Not to mention Carlos is a dancer, and newsies is a musical driven by choreography. 3), since nini moved there are only like 2 lead females anyway, which works for the 2 female roles in newsies.
Casting Wise, the play works SO MUCH better!
Ricky: jack kelley is a much better role for him than the beast for many reasons. First, their personalities are very similar with the mischievous main teen vibe, so the role would be like Troy where Ricky can slip into it easier. Second, it fits him better vocally. It is very clear from listening to Joshua basset sing that he has a relatively high vocal range, and singing low notes or in a deep voice doesn’t come as naturally to him. Jeremy Jordan has a similar vocal range, where he stays in higher octaves and more rarely uses a deep, monotone voice (at least never to the beast’s extent). Ricky would sound perfect singing in Jack’s vocal range. The beast, however, sings almost exclusively in an extremely deep, monotone voice that Joshua cannot easily perform.
Ashlyn: not only does she look quite similar to Katherine, but they have similar personalities as well. Also, katherine’s high and bubbly singing voice would sound lovely with Ash’s, which is also high and bubbly but often softer. This would allow her to push herself to sing louder and more confidently. And she still gets to play a smart bookworm lead female role.
Kourtney: she was born to play miss medda larken. Mrs. Potts’ debut song “beauty and the beast” is a soft romance ballad, which does not match kourt’s stadium reach, strong, powerful voice. “That’s rich” not only shows off her vocals better, but matches her personality and voice much better with the grit and power behind it. Also, Mrs Potts as a character is the soft, motherly type. Miss medda is a rambunctious, empowered, “I got men if I want em but I don’t need em” kinda woman. Which role better fits the girl power, loud, activist, personal cheer squad type person that Kourtney is?
Carlos and Sebastian: not only would this stop shoving the gays and only interesting men other than Ricky to background roles (sorry big red), but it would show off their talents. Seb would make a wonderful crutchy, with his innocent nature and likeness to the character. It would also give him a chance to flex his vocals and sing a duet with Ricky in Santa Fe, further developing the friendships in the show. Carlos could play really any of the main boys, I mostly think he would kill in this due to his dance and choreography skills, which newsies really emphasizes.
Big red: PLEASE this boy would be perfect as Ben Cook’s role (can’t remember the newsie’s name). They’re both the kinda dumb but endearing friend type, and he leads “king of New York”, a song with a killer tap dancing break, which is the whole reason big red wanted to try out! His chemistry with Ricky as crutchy would make that a fine role for him too, but since Sebastian has stronger vocals I think it’s better for him to take a more prominent role while big red relies on his dancing skills over singing.
Gina: though there’s no more lead girl roles, I think she would kill it as mr. Pulitzer. They could add some spice to the character through her insane dance skills, and she would play a great “cunning yet intelligent buisinesswoman” type. This dude also gets 2 or 3 songs, and honestly I don’t remember who she plays in Beauty and the beast so idk.
EJ: I admit Gaston is a perfect role for him and I can’t fit him into newsies well. He would play a good spot conlin, though it is a significantly smaller role. No one really cares about ej though so small loss.
Plot valuability:
doing newsies makes literally way more sense. Firstly, they are kinda planning entering this show last-minute compared to the competition, so to pick a show already written and choreographed for stage production would really save time. (Even though it would still need work to be condensed for a high school production). Second, miss Jen is so determined to stand out from the crowd and win the contest so she picks... beauty and the beast? One of the most popular Disney movies (and honestly with one of Alan’s weaker soundtracks compared to tangled, Aladdin, and the little mermaid imo). Having them do newsies, especially when switching up gender roles like casting Gina as Pulitzer, would actually make them stand apart from the dozens of schools performing Disney movies. It would also give a significantly more impressive vocal and dance performance, since the songs were written for Broadway singers rather than actors. The set is also more cheap and condensed, while still looking professional, which would help with their “we’re too poor and late to afford a straight-up aquarium so let’s do the most with what we’ve got.” Putting the characters in these roles would also not alter their development or main story plots much, besides strengthening certain friendships and pushing aside less popular characters (ej). It would also give more rep for the gays as well as switching up gender roles. Imagine, the gay guys get actual things to do in the show and aren’t defined by the sole plot of “my boyfriend rich” relationship drama! (I love these two but I am a tired ace). Also jerjor performs in both this and tangled the series, so it’s a double whammy for Alan menkhen representation.
Marketability: I know the musical has to be widely known and appealing to viewers. People watched s1 because they love hsm. People also love beauty and the beast, so viewership may raise with fans of the movie. Newsies doesn’t die here, though. It is a very widely popular play among theatre people, and existed first as a movie musical so it isn’t exclusive to theater kids. Also, fans of Newsies are generally between their tweens and early twenties, the exact age demographic for the show. Beauty and the beast is a classic and more widely known, but also doesn’t draw in large numbers of the exact age group you want. Also, the fact that newsies is a little less mainstream only helps the plot point of them choosing it to still have something well known while also standing out from the competition. Doing beauty and the beast is not only an awful choice for casting that limits the actors vocals or is completely out of their range, but it also makes them blend in with the crowd.
Final notes: beauty and the beast was IMO the worst choice for the play this season. Movies like Aladdin and tangled both have very energetic and loud soundtracks that allow these characters to belt their hearts out. Beauty and the beast has a very folksy, quiet, ballad type of track that limits the actors. The only actor that I think sings ballads better than big booming tracks is Nini, who isn’t even in the play this year. Ricky also sings great ballads, which is why ballads that are still slow but also emotional and powerful like “Santa fe” or “something to believe in” (which would sound AMAZING in his and Ashlyn’s voices) fit much better than the deep voice of the beast that he can not comfortably sing in. Also, the beast has very few songs whereas newsies would allow him to belt his heart out in nearly every song with that lovely voice he has. The age range of the newsies cast (that characters are supposed to be 17) fits better with these very teen actors than a movie about old fashioned French young adults. Really newsies was the best musical choice for this season, but I also believe beauty and the beast was the last one they should have chosen.
(After reading comments I rescind my statement that beauty and the beast was the worst choice, but it’s still second to newsies imo)
Feel free to debate me in the comments or point out my mistakes, I’m very open to other points of view
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rocorambles · 4 years ago
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Reminiscent
Pairing: Daichi x Reader
Genre: SFW, 5+1, Soulmate/Reincarnation AU, Angst (there is technically a character death, BUT THERE’S AN ULTIMATELY HAPPY ENDING, I SWEAR), Fluff 
Prompt: You woke me up at 3 in the morning for this?
Summary: 5 lifetimes Daichi and you just weren’t meant to be and the 1 lifetime you finally found your happy ending together.
Author’s Note: This is my contribution for my HQ Discord Server’s SFW collaboration. There are so many talented writers on the server and I highly encourage you to check out the collaboration masterlist here to see how everyone decided to run with this spicy prompt. (Masterlist goes live December 1st!)  
Tagging @sawamooora  since I accidentally scarred her by making her read only the section where there was a character death without the heads up...OOPS, so I guess you can have your happy ending now~
I.
When Daichi meets you in this first lifetime, he can’t help but notice just how different you are from him and he stares at the luxurious fabrics beautifully accentuating your figure, wishing he could wipe off the meticulously and elegantly layered on makeup and see more of your bare face, wanting more than anything to know who you are beneath the graceful and well-mannered smiles and bows you grace the court with. But when he looks down at himself and sees the memories of crimson blood splattered all over his skin and robes, hears the sound of his sword piercing flesh, remembers the way your father enthusiastically thanks him for another job well done as a flash of fear races across your eyes at the corpse of proof he drags in, it’s all too apparent just how different the worlds you live in are. 
And really, that should have been it, he should have stopped himself right then and there, stopped thinking about you, stopped his gaze from trailing after you when he sees you roaming around the clan property. But his heart has different plans and here he is, a well respected samurai who works underneath your father, pining after you, a clan leader’s daughter, someone already betrothed to the son of a neighboring clan, someone much too pure and innocent for his blood soaked hands. 
He smiles when he sees your posture relax, your body slouch in relief when you think no one is watching you, no pretenses and facades to keep up when it’s just you, unaware of the brown eyes watching you. He clenches his fists so hard his nails threaten to break skin when he hears your secret anguished sobs as he guards your bedroom the night after you meet your fiance for the first time and realize you’ve been doomed to a life with a man who’ll never love you, a man who doesn’t see you as anything more than a political tool. He dreams of a life where he can whisk you away, a life where there would be no consequences if the two of you ran off to live a peaceful, happy life together far far far away from the cruel and cold world of money and power you’re both entangled in. 
But there are consequences and he lives with the constant shattering of his heart as he watches the light dim in your eyes as you continue courting your fiance, the cool indifferent look you wear on your face throughout your own wedding ceremony, the way you seem like just a shell of the vibrant young woman he once knew and fell in love with. And yet, he doesn’t do a thing, remaining faithfully by your father’s side and serving your clan for the remainder of his days.  
II.
Something jolts inside of Daichi when he sees you in the second lifetime and he can’t help but feel like there’s something familiar about you, something nostalgic about the situation you’re both in as you humbly bow before helping him dress and get ready for the busy day of meetings he has. And you watch in awe as you dutifully trail after him, making sure all his needs are attended to, amazed by just how hardworking, intelligent, and kind the young lord is, so different than the stories you had heard of royals. Not once does he ever treat you as anything less than an equal, not once does he ever lay an unwanted gaze on you, let alone a finger and you find yourself jumping to please him and aid him out of something more than just a sense of responsibility as your heart flutters from just his presence. 
You feel honored by how much he entrusts you with when it’s just the two of you in his room and you patiently listen when he throws his disciplined manners out the window, grumbling and ranting about the power-hungry ploys of his fellow royals, the way greed and privilege have corrupted them, how he can’t trust anyone anymore. But when he wonders if he needs to change, to adapt in order to thrive, you surprise the both of you with your vehement outburst as you blather on about how he’s perfect the way he is. And then there’s silence as the two of you look away, both your faces heating up at the hidden message in your words, a message so incredibly inappropriate considering both your positions and the time you live in. But before you can open your mouth and stutter out an apology, you freeze at the warm smile Daichi sends your way, heart racing at the heartfelt, but quiet thank you he utters in response. 
Of course nothing happens after that. This is real life after all and Daichi is far too respectful of his family and their reputation, far too noble to smear his clan’s name with taboo affairs, far too kind to hurt his future bride despite the fact that he’s never even met her yet, doesn’t know the first thing about her other than her name, to pursue something just for his own pleasure, his own satisfaction, something that could potentially harm so many others. And you understand. After all, these are the reasons you fell in love with him, and you’re just happy to be able to remain by his side for the rest of your days despite the lancing pain in your chest every time you see him with his wife, with his future children, living a life where you just exist on the sidelines, watching and longing for something you know you’ll never have. 
III. 
In the third lifetime Daichi meets you in, he can’t understand the regrets of a missed opportunity he feels when you introduce yourself to him, welcoming him to the neighborhood with a basket of freshly baked goods. He knows he should smile, graciously accept your kind (and delicious smelling) gifts and he does, but as he bites into the still warm cookies after you leave, the image of the gold wedding band around your finger is branded in his mind. 
In a small rural community like yours, you’re bound to run into each other, especially since your farms are right next to each other and he thinks you look ethereal each morning with the sun rising behind you, a soft golden glow framing you as you gather eggs, milk the cows, and water the crops. But there’s a sense of bitterness he can’t explain when your husband joins you, a hulking stoic figure besides you as he helps you on the fields, and he turns his back on the two of you to tend to his own chores. 
There’s nothing “wrong” with your spouse, nothing Daichi can truly fault him for and if he’s honest, if Ushijima wasn’t your husband, he’d have only respect and admiration for the man. He certainly can’t complain about how he treats you and something bittersweet churns inside of him when he sees Ushijima’s usually stern face soften whenever you’re around, when he sees the way Ushijima’s broad shoulders relax whenever you affectionately hold his hand. And although he internally chides himself at night in private when he dreams of what it would be like to be in Ushijima’s shoes, he can’t help but feel relieved, glad that you’ve found someone who loves and treats you well. 
But he laughs the silly thought away. Of course you had found someone who loved you. Why wouldn’t you have? And yet that night he dreams of your face, dressed in a beautiful silk robe better suited for the historicals eras of Japan, seated next to someone he somehow knows is your husband, but there’s only loneliness in your eyes and he wakes up with tears in his eyes, unsure why he’s crying, why he’s hoping you never feel alone ever again. 
IV. 
Daichi should be scared of you when he meets you in the fourth lifetime, but although he’s certainly wary of you, staring at you with his beady eyes from the branches high above your head, he can’t help the curiosity he feels when he sees your small furry body try to leap and paw at him despite how far the distance between the two of you is. And despite all his natural instincts, he feels himself relaxing, cawing teasingly at you as you tire yourself out, fluttering down a few branches closer to you when you give up and just sprawl out on the floor, tail flickering back and forth in interest as you watch him draw nearer. But before he can get any closer, he hears a human voice calling for you and the two of you lock eyes before you rush back to your owner and even after your body squeezes through the little cat door that had been built in the front door, he can’t help but watch your home closely, wondering if he’ll see you again. 
To his delight he does see you again, every single day as a matter of fact. On sunny days, he spreads out his wings and swoops down to meet you when you lazily curl up at the base of his tree and sometimes the two of you just lay there together, basking in the warmth of the beautiful day, sometimes the two of you take a stroll together, you trotting down the sidewalk as he flits from tree to tree beside you. He’s learned that rain and water in general don’t sit well with you and on gloomier days he glides over to the outside of your favorite window, peering through the glass and cawing warmly when you jump up and curl up on the windowsill, his beak and your nose pressing against the glass across from each other. 
But time is limited, especially for a crow like himself, and as you grow bigger and stronger, he begins to lose his appetite, begins to struggle flying for as long or as well as he used to. And although neither of you can speak to each other, there’s an intuitive understanding as you tone down your playing and spend his last remaining days just laying side by side, his feathered body curled up in the warm plush of your fur, your body and tail wrapped protectively around him until he passes away peacefully. 
V. 
Daichi only has himself to blame for the fifth lifetime being a complete loss. You had caught his eye in a way no girl ever had before when he saw you skillfully racing across the court at the Tokyo training camp. He can’t explain exactly what draws him to you. Sure, you’re attractive, but he’s been around other beautiful girls before, hell Shimizu is the manager of his team and even she’s never captivated him like this. Maybe it’s the fact that he hasn’t seen many talented female volleyball players up close before? But that can’t be it. No other female player in the room even remotely peaks his interest. No...it’s something deeper than that and he swears it feels like there’s an invisible thread tying the two of you together. 
He watches and watches until a lanky arm is thrown over his shoulder, a sly voice purring in his ears. 
“Sa’amura. My, my, my. I thought a country bumpkin crow like you would have better manners than to gawk at our pretty Tokyo girls like a creep.” 
Daichi scowls at the messy haired Nekoma captain, but his face heats up when he realizes how strange he probably looked just staring at a gym full of female athletes. But before he can spout any excuses, Kuroo hums in interest as he follows Daichi’s gaze to see who he had been looking at so intently. 
“Well well well. I guess birds do attract each other. You have some good taste, Sa’amura. She’s a great player, although I personally think she would have been a better fit at Nekoma than Fukurodani. She moves a lot like a cat, doesn’t she? But if you want to get closer to her, try talking to Bokuto. They’re both pretty close.” 
A cat? Daichi wordlessly waves goodbye to Kuroo who’s strolling away before turning his attention back to you. And he’s surprised to see that there’s something eerily correct about Kuroo’s observation, something about your feline movements that nags at a deep unconscious thread inside of him, and it’s unnervingly easy to imagine you with a tail swishing back and forth behind you, to imagine you with soft ears and claws. But when he blinks, there you are, completely human once again, celebrating a point your team had scored, no cat appendages anywhere in sight. 
He doesn’t take Kuroo’s advice, never approaches Bokuto to learn more about you, and he leaves training camp without even exchanging one word with you. But from time to time for the rest of his life, he’ll dream of you, dream of a friendly cat he feels like he used to know and he’ll wake up with a pang of regret, wondering what would have happened if he had the courage to talk to you all those years ago. 
VI. 
Daichi groans, nursing a hangover as he groggily sits up in bed and turns off the ear splitting alarm. Thank God for humans and their habits, his brain not needing to work at all as he methodically brushes his teeth and throws on his uniform. But as he makes his way to the precinct, he pauses at the corner of the street, intrigued by the sight of a newly opened cafe. There’s technically coffee at work and the smarter and financially responsible choice would be to just wait and drink the free caffeinated liquid, but something draws him into the quaint storefront and before his mind can even catch up to his body, he’s already pushing open the door and walking towards the counter. 
He hears your voice ring throughout the small store, telling him you’d be with him in just a moment and he takes his time to peruse the menu, the soothing scent of coffee whetting his appetite and making the pastries in the glass case look even more appealing. He’s narrowed down his options to either the chocolate frosted donut or the coffee cake when he sees you approaching from the corner of his eyes and he smiles only to freeze when he sees your face.
“Do I know you-”
“You look familiar-”
Both of you start and stop talking at the same time and there’s an awkward silence before you both burst out laughing. As you prepare his order, both of you throw out possibilities of where you may have met before, but nothing pans out, and you both shrug your shoulders as you hand over the paper wrapped pastry and piping hot coffee. It’s a big world with tons of people. Perhaps both of you had met someone who looked similar to the other. But as Daichi sips his coffee and as you wait in the cafe for your next customer, neither of you can stop thinking of the other, wondering if you really hadn’t met before. 
And maybe it’s that curiosity that leads Daichi to regularly return to your cafe on a daily basis, that leads you to always perk and brighten up when he walks through your door. Daily morning coffee runs before work is how it all starts, but pretty soon you’re seeing him at all times of the day. Sometimes he pops in to order a sandwich and some chips for lunch. Sometimes he’ll plop down at one of your small tables, plugging his laptop into an outlet as he works for hours on end even on the weekends. And sometimes, when there’s no one else in the store, when you’re technically closed, you’ll join him, sharing a new dessert you’re testing for the menu with him and chatting away into the wee hours of the night. 
So really, it shouldn’t be a surprise when Daichi nervously enters the cafe right before closing one day, making sure no other customers are around before asking you out on an official first date. And even though you knew that the day where you two would discuss what your relationship exactly was would come soon, your face still heats up. But you eagerly nod, fingers instinctively interweaving with his when he hesitantly reaches to hold your hand and as the two of you walk hand in hand to the restaurant he’s chosen for dinner, you both can’t help but feel like your hands fit perfectly together, like you were made to be with each other. 
Romantic candlelit dinners become more frequent casual affairs after a while and the two of you find yourself cuddled up on a couch in comfortable clothing, eating a meal the two of you had cooked together more often than not. You make fun of Daichi’s bachelor closet, dragging him to go shopping and ignoring his squawking when you pay for all his new clothes while he’s still changing in the fitting room. He teases you for how flustered you get when you see him in his cop uniform, purposefully striking a cheesy pose in the doorway only to bend over in a belly bursting laugh when you just wordlessly gape and stutter at the sight. 
But the change that both of you love the most is never having to sleep alone again and your bodies slot together perfectly like two puzzle pieces when you curl up with each other in bed, letting sleep, body warmth, and rhythmic breathing lull you both into the best nights of sleep you’ve ever had. 
Well, usually that would be the case.
Daichi grumbles as you insistently shove his body until he begrudgingly sits up in bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and batting away your hands that keep on nudging him awake. He looks at you in confusion and maybe the slightest hint of irritation at being woken up at such an ungodly hour of the night, but the bright smile you flash his way softens him and he internally groans about how weak he is for you as he stumbles out of bed, sleepily accepting the bundle of clothes you throw at him and haphazardly throwing them on. 
He lets you drag him out the door, shivering a bit as the cold night air wakes him up and he holds you close to him, his cop instincts keeping him alert as he continuously scans the area. You live in a safe neighborhood, but it is the middle of the night and he’d be a hypocrite to not be aware of his surroundings when he’s always warning people not to be out by themselves late at night. But the two of you make it to what he assumes is your final destination unscathed and his jaw drops in disbelief when he sees that you’ve brought them to the neighborhood park. 
“You woke me up at 3 in the morning for this?” 
You giggle at his outburst, slapping his arm in mock anger as you pull him to sit beside you on one of the benches. 
“I checked the weather and tonight’s supposed to have the clearest skies for stargazing! And you and I both have off tomorrow, so it seemed like perfect timing. Don’t be such a grumpy old man.” 
And how can Daichi possibly be angry when you’re practically radiant, the soft glow of the stars illuminating your features as you stare up in awe, holding his hand and snuggling into his side as your free hand points at the different constellations you recognize. But the two of you freeze when you hear rustling nearby, letting out a sigh of relief when only a stray cat stalks out from behind a bush and you both watch in amusement as it regally walks towards your bench before plopping down with its stomach bared right at your feet. 
But just as Daichi is about to reach down and accept the invitation to pet the furry creature, a loud squawk echoes throughout the area and suddenly the cat is leaping to its feet as a crow swoops down and hops around on the ground just a few feet away. And the two of you watch in amazement as the two creatures play with each other, paws lazily batting at the bird while wings spread wide and teasingly brush against a whiskered face in a practiced friendly dance. 
It should be just a light hearted scene, maybe heartwarming at most, but to the two of you it’s more than that and your hearts ache, tears streaming down both your faces in a strange combination of soul crushing sorrow and gratitude for the present. But why is it so sad? Why are you both crying? The two of you shakily laugh, apologizing for your strange behavior as you hurriedly try to wipe the salty streaks away, but they don’t stop, only growing worse and turning into body wracking sobs as pain, loss, regret, and unrequited love built over what feels like multiple lifetimes slam into both of you all at once. 
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. 
But like magic it all instantly fades away when the two of you find yourselves tightly wrapped in each other’s arms, your body somehow now in Daichi’s lap as you bury your tear stained face in his chest, his arms wrapped around you in a bone crushing hold as he buries his face in the top of your head. And the two of you just stay like that for a bit as the calming breeze swirls past you, as the creatures and sounds of the night begin to fade away, as the morning sun begins its ascent into the sky, all the while exchanging words of love with each other, words of gratitude for finding each other. 
And when the tears have finally all been wiped away and the sun is shining brightly down on both of you, the two of you share a smile before Daichi is ushering both of you back home, jokingly whining about immediately going back to sleep once you both return home, both of you animatedly bantering as you walk away, ignorant of the way the cat and crow lay curled up beside each other, both their eyes never straying from your retreating figures until you’re out of sight. 
Neither of you ever discuss that night again. Neither of you ever try to understand and explain the chaotic overwhelming mess of emotions that had bombarded both of you. But every now and then, even after the two of you exchange vows, even after your shared home is filled with children’s laughters and voices, the echoes of that night follow both of you in your dreams and you wake up with tears in your eyes and a lingering ache in your hearts. 
But all it takes is a quick glance to your side, the reassurance that both of you are together, right where you belong, to completely snuff out any negative emotions and you let the comforting warmth of love lull you back into slumber, smiles gracing both your lips as Daichi holds you just a bit closer and tighter to him, as you snuggle just a bit more until you’re firmly tucked underneath his chin.  
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