#i just. wish i was not in this much pain right now

[marauders1971-1978]

This is the post I channel for James' characterisation for years 1-3

The dormitory grew brighter around him at a snail’s pace, the weak Autumn light struggling through the flat, white cloud cover. Remus was exhausted and frustrated, but still, infuriatingly awake. He gave up trying to get any rest and clambered over to the bottom of his bed to pull out a book from his trunk to read until it was a reasonable time to be up. 

His eyelids were just drooping over his copy of The Wishing Chair, Again that he’d brought from home to lend to Lily when something heavy and unexpected dropped onto his legs. 

“Morning!” James whispered over Remus’ grunt of pain. He was beaming, and looked like he’d slept outside in a hurricane. 

“Yeah, morning.” Remus pulled his legs from under James, lest he break them, and put his book to one side. “You’re up early.”

“I suppose. Hey, sorry to spring this on you, but I forgot to ask yesterday with all the excitement. Are you a werewolf?”

Remus lunged forward and clapped his hand over James’ mouth, looking over to his left in a panic. Peter was still snoring. 

“Jesus Christ, James, shut up.” 

James pried Remus’ hand away from his mouth and grimaced apologetically. 

“Sorry mate,” James apologised, keeping his voice hushed. “Anyway, you are, aren’t you? I double-checked the lunar charts over summer-”

“James, are you mental?” Remus groaned. He couldn’t take much more anxiety in one night. “What do you mean, you were ‘checking lunar charts’? It’s like, five in the morning - why are you asking me this right now?”

James looked horrified. “Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry. I was so sure I was right - I suppose that was a bit presumptuous. Please, ignore what I said, I’m so sorry-”

“No, you’re right, it’s just that-”

“Wait, I’m right ?”

Remus wanted to obliterate himself on the spot. What an idiot. 

Well, he supposed at least he could stop worrying about it now. 

“Yeah, you’re right.”

He stole a tentative glance at James, expecting disgust, or horror, or fear. Instead, he looked… smug?

“ Knew it!” he hissed. “I’m such a great detective. Sirius isn’t going to believe that I figured it out before him-”

Remus couldn’t believe his ears. Was it simply that James hadn’t thought of the reality of what he’d discovered? Perhaps it was still all a game of Cluedo to him. Perhaps, once he’d had a few minutes for the horror of what he’d said to sink in, he’d go straight to Professor McGonagall, or Professor Dumbledore, and ask that Remus be housed elsewhere, or expelled, for their own safety. 

And he’d be right to. 

Remus flinched as a hand waved before his eyes, far too close to his face. 

“Hey, Lupin. You okay there?”

Remus blinked at him, waving his hand away. He didn’t want to touch him. 

“Am I okay?”

James huffed. “You keep just repeating me.” James seemed to stop, pull the breaks on his own train of thought, and really look at Remus for the first time since he’d sat on the bed. Remus could feel his eyes searching him. “Sorry. I think I’ve made a mistake.” 

There it was.

“I’ve really freaked you out, haven’t I?”

Freaked him out?

“I bet it’s been really hard for you, you tried to keep it a secret. And here I am blabbing away about it. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I can keep a secret, I promise. Especially for a friend.”

Remus refused to cry for the third time that day, so he leaned forward and hugged James roughly, before he could think twice about it. James squeezed him back.

BONUS - Peter

“I guess this is about the werewolf thing?”

Remus snapped his head up, bashing his forehead on James’ chin as he did. Peter stood beside the bed, sleepy eyed. Remus rubbed his head and looked bewildered at Peter. 

“How do you know?” He asked, incredulous. 

“You were sick at the full moon and your scars don’t heal,” Peter shrugged. “I supposed you were trying to keep it a secret, so I didn’t say anything. Seems like that’s over and done with now though.” He smiled up at him and Remus felt his chest ache like someone had reached inside him and squeezed his heart. 

How did he deserve this?

James unlatched himself from Remus and huffed at Peter. “Wait, when did you figure this out? I thought it’d gotten it first?”

“No way, I figured it out end of last year - I’m sure you only put it together in the holidays-”

“That’s not true, I was just double checking! I knew last year-”

“You did not, you’re a liar-”

Remus: Oh no. You don’t want to befriend me. I’m a handful.

James: [excitedly] I have two hands!!!

[doodledrawsthings]

you. Oh my god, you. (Positive)

listen. Before I had internet access, all I had was 1 hour of allotted browser time, bing image search, and a single dantdm play through of a hat in time that never got finished. I googled fanart and got pretty much nothing, I googled fancomics and got pretty much nothing, but you know what I did end up finding?

your art.

from ages 11-14, my goal in life, in art, was your art. I can’t tell you how much I loved finding random screenshots of your posts, because I was always just so impressed by how clean and consistent your sketches are, how the characters always stay on model, the shape language, how you could somehow sketch a character in like 20 lines when it took me 50 to draw sans in my little spiral notebook— like! Holy shit! For years I have looked up to your art! There’s still a photos folder on my dads old huge-ass 12 inch work iPad labeled “holy crap” and filled with your art. Because it inspired me so much. It’s become an undeniable part of my artstyle, now — I still have fanart I drew way back in the day of Hattie and the rest, I didn’t even know anyone’s names because I couldn’t play the game, but you’re the reason I eventually did play the game. Your coffee shop au and different versions of the prince— one of those ieterations inspired the main character of my novel! Well, novel that I tried to write, I was 13 so it was eh, but I tried!!

I’m submitting this on-anon because I don’t want to out my age on the wide internet (I like my privacy) but. Your art has really meant a lot to me. It’s the reason I played hollow knight, and it’s the reason I kept trying to develop an art style I was happy with. You’re the reason I started scribbling comics in my notebooks. Being 13-14 was pretty much the worst two years of my life, but I had Bing image search and the occasional glimpse of your signature, and I’d be so happy every time I found a new (if crusty) three-times screenshotted jpg. You literally introduced me to the concept of polyamory and nonbinary-ness with the coffee shop au. I had no other access to that in my household, and. Yeah. It meant a lot to me.

Anyway. I’m so glad I’ve finally tracked you down (in the most non-ominous way possible) and I’m so glad you’re still active— Please never stop making art. Your art is incredible, and amazing, and also you never know who’s out there on Bing image search. Thank you for creating for as long as you have. You’re pretty much the reason I’m shooting for an art degree (Wish me luck!) so just…Thank you.

(Also I had no idea you were a professional storyboarder, which is insane because that’s what I want to be when I’m through college. Hey, maybe I’ll end up storyboarding a remake of something you’ve storyboarded! hehehe)

Hi anon!

So right off the bat, I gotta tell you that this message made me start bawling when I woke up and saw it. Like I had a full-on cry session while reading your message and lying in bed for almost an hour. I am crying as I am typing this response, on my phone, still in bed. It’s 11am and i woke up at 9. So I hope it turns out coherent.

The last two years have been. weird. I say that a lot because I wanna say “rough” but that still doesn’t feel quite right. I’m almost hyper-aware that there are so many people that have it worse than me rn, so it feels hard to even acknowledge when I’m going through anything, myself, sometimes- REGARDLESS, it’s been kind of an all-time low for my mental health. There was a point within in the last year where I just HATED drawing. I struggled to bring myself to work, I struggled to bring myself to even draw for fun. It felt like I was posting just to post, trying to keep people aware of my existence and it almost felt physically painful to force myself to sit down and do it, sometimes.

I’m getting better now, I think, but. Yknow.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the “oh I can make money off this,” “oh I can get attention off this,” “oh I can prove myself a functional person in society with this,” of it all. I forget why I actually do this, sometimes, or if I even enjoy it. And then I get messages like yours, about the kid with limited internet access looking for A Hat in Time fan art on Bing image search, and I get taken back to when I was a kid scrolling Google images and deviantart for the same thing.

I don’t mean to like. Foster some kind of parasocial thing with you or any one of my followers. There’s a reason I’m saying all this, I hope it ties up in the end.

We don’t know each other. I’m not some mysterious legendary artist, or whatever. I’m a person who gets burnt out, and jealous, and insecure. I need inspiration to function, just like you, and when I don’t have it, I get art block. But I also really like to draw fictional characters kissing and hanging out. I like coming up with comics and stories and playing out dramatic and funny scenarios in my head like I’m mashing Barbies together. And when other people tell me they enjoy the stuff I put out when I do this, it makes me really, really, really happy.

I think I needed to read your message, probably. With the state of… Everything… Right now, especially recently, I feel like a lot of artists are also struggling with a sense of purpose, pride, and reason as the world makes it harder and harder to even BE an artist, these days. And when I read this message it was like Anton Ego at the end of Ratatouille, I got taken back to when I was a kid looking at my favorite artists and studying their style and striving to be better and better at it over years of my life. Not just because I wanted a job for it or cuz I wanted to be a famous Disney animator or whatever, but because it was fun and I just liked doing it.

Thank you, SO much. I say this in the most genuine and earnest way I possibly can possibly express. I wish you luck on your own path in art and art school. And if you decide that animation industry is your thing, then I wish you the best in that endeavor, as well. I think I will keep making art for a long time.

Peace and love on the planet earth ✌️✌️✌️

[cjlouwho]

Death at the Farmer's Market

You guys all decided on this poll that Tommy should get stabbed at the farmer's market, so here you go! *no major character death, a murder/suicide plot is briefly discussed*

He supposed the farmer's market wasn't the worst place to die. He'd prefer to be elsewhere, but it could be worse than the farmer's market.

He hoped his dad never found out he died right by the fruitcake stand. He could hear the jokes now.

Actually, his dad probably wouldn't come to the funeral, but he'd have to tell his buddies at the bar at some point.

He'd either completely ignore the whole “he was right by the fruitcakes” part, or he's use it as a silly little anecdote to lighten the mood.

Either way, Tommy wished he would've been stabbed literally anywhere other than by the fruitcakes. The soap booth would've been nice. Or by the bracelet lady. Hell, even the woman trying to get rid of the clothes she purchased at the height of some MLM scheme would've been preferred.

In fact, the MLM woman was super helpful at the moment as she used one of her checkered shirts to apply pressure to one of his wounds.

Tommy had managed to get the man on the ground before the stabbing happened. He just wished he'd known the guy had two knives instead of one.

He hadn't been the target. Had seen this man storming toward a woman and her daughter. She must've known him; she shouted his name when Tommy tackled him to the ground.

Tommy didn't let go of the man- Charlie, he thinks- until he stopped moving. The pain didn't register until the little girl screamed, pointing at him. He looked down to see blood soaking his shirt, and a knife sticking out of his chest.

He collapsed to the ground soon after that.

Right by the damn fruitcakes.

Thankfully, someone had the brains to yell out and make sure no one removed the knife.

Miss MLM dropped down beside him and pressed her clothing onto the wound that was bleeding the worst.

In his slightly dazed state, he tried to reach into his back pocket for his wallet. Felt the need to pay this lady for destroying her product.

Beside him, some man took his hand. Reassured him over and over that it'd be okay, help was on the way.

Tommy had heard that line before. Hell, he'd told people that line before. Not that help was coming, because he was the help. But he'd often tell people they'd be okay. Especially when he knew they wouldn't be. It's easier to die when you think you won't.

Tommy coughed. Ignored the taste of copper in his mouth. “T- The wo... woman?”

“She's okay,” another woman said. Tommy couldn't see where that voice was coming from. “You saved her.”

Well, at least he had that.

Then, there was another voice. A very familiar voice.

“Maddie?” Tommy mumbled.

Someone had called 9-1-1. They'd put her on speaker.

“M- Maddie, no... no one- eight-” he was cut off by another coughing fit.

The phone must've been near his head, because he was fairly certain she heard him.

“Tommy?! Tommy, is that you?”

The man holding his hand patted it, getting his attention. “Tommy? Is- Is that your name?”

“Mmmhm,” Tommy managed to hum.

“Yeah, his name is Tommy.”

Tommy was sure he heard an, “Oh God,” on the other end of the line. If he wasn't in the middle of dying he'd tell her she needed to work on her subtleties. Then she was off the line. Whether it was brief, or for a while, he wasn't sure.

“Hey, hey!” Hand-man exclaimed, hitting Tommy's hand harder now. “Keep your eyes open, Tommy! Come on, hang in there!”

Tommy glared at the man. He didn't need to be told what to do. If he wanted to close his eyes, he'd close his damn eyes! What the hell did it matter anyway?

Suddenly, people were yelling, and sirens could be heard in the distance. A path was being cleared seconds later, and familiar people with actual names dropped beside Tommy.

“Well look at this,” Chimney said, and Tommy made a note that he hid his panic much better than his wife did, “here to save your ass, yet again.”

“I ha- have... I have s- saved your ass a- a bunch,” Tommy deadpanned.

“Yeah, yeah, don't rub it in.”

“He's not wrong though,” Hen agreed, cutting Tommy's shirt open.

Tommy was about to attempt a joke about how he wouldn't have skipped his workout had he known he'd be exposed like this, but he was stopped before he could start.

“Tommy! Tommy!”

Tommy's eyes drifted up as Chimney and Hen continued working on him. “Ev- Evan, I didn't-”

“Shh,” Buck soothed, running his fingers through Tommy's hair. “Don't try and talk, just- just relax, okay?”

And oh, it ran in the family, because Evan was not doing a good job at keeping his tears in his eyes.

“S'okay,” Tommy said. His arm flailed up limply beside him until Buck took it. “S'okay. I- I'm okay, E-” He was cut off by another round of coughing, followed by severe pain, and ten suddenly, everything went black.

*****

Tommy wasn't exactly sure how death worked, but he was fairly certain it didn't involve waking up in a hospital bed.

He groaned as he blinked his eyes open, his body feeling stiffer than it ever had in his life.

“Tommy?”

He looked over to see Evan sitting in the chair beside him, eyes wide and wet. Their hands were tangled together, Evan's knuckles white from the tight grip.

“M- Morning,” Tommy muttered, voice gravelly.

He managed to get a little smile out of Evan with that. “It's actually ten at night.”

“Oh. Sorry for, um, sleeping all day.”

Buck rolled his eyes, letting go of Tommy's hand to grab a cup of water off the tray table.

“Sip,” he instructed, and Tommy obeyed.

“So... not dead, then?” Tommy asked once he was finished with his drink.

Buck sat and took his hand again. “Nope,” he confirmed. “Couldn't let you die by the table of fruitcakes.”

Tommy laughed, wincing when a flash of pain came over him. “Thanks for understanding.”

“Of course.”

“What... What about the other guy?”

“He... He didn't make it,” Buck replied. “I guess you two were, um, st- stabbing each other at the same time?”

“Didn't know he had the second knife,” Tommy said. “I'm not upset h- he's dead though.”

“You shouldn't be. He had a note with him. He was there to kill his ex-wife. Daughter too, then himself.”

“They'll... They'll be okay, won't they?”

Buck smiled. “They've already contacted the hospital. They'd like to visit, when you're up for it.”

Tommy looked down at their hands, giving Buck's a squeeze. “A day or two.”

Buck nodded.

They sat in silence for a moment, Buck rubbing his thumb over Tommy's. “I have a question.”

Tommy shook his head. “Here we go.”

“Why were you at the farmer's market? Alone? On a work day?”

“Are you sure I'm not dead? Positive th- this isn't purgatory?”

“Tommy.”

“I may have told a little, tiny fib about whether or not I could get off work early.”

“Thomas Buckley-Kinard!”

“I wanted to get you some flowers!” Tommy defended. “And I- I was gonna get the house all ready. Make you a special dinner, dessert, th- the whole nine yards.”

“See, this is what happens when we lie.”

“We get stabbed on our second wedding anniversary?”

“Exactly.”

Tommy sighed, pouting out his bottom lip at Buck.

“Don't do that!” Buck whined. “I can't deny your pout!”

“It's because I rarely bring it out. Forgive me, Evan?”

“I can't not forgive you after you got stabbed.”

“It would be very unfair,” Tommy agreed.

Another eye roll and Buck stood, leaning over the bed to press a kiss to Tommy's lips. “I love you, Tommy.”

“I love you too.”

“Don't ever get stabbed again, okay?”

“I'll try,” Tommy promised. “Especially not by the damn fruitcakes.”

[theactualsunshinechild]

If Castorice is cursed to kill whoever she touches and Mydei is cursed to be immortal, do you think Mydei ever goes to Castorice on a really bad day and is like, hey can you put me down for a bit please? I'm having these phantom pains from fatal wounds and injuries that don't exist anymore and they're keeping me up, I want a nap.

And obviously at first Castorice is like "L-lord Mydei, please rethink this, death is not something to be trifled with! Even with your condition, I cannot guarantee your safe return..." and Mydei takes the time to reassure her that, no, he's sure about this, and yes he is willing to bear the risks, no he doesn't care if it will hurt, please euthanize him. It takes a bit of convincing but eventually she agrees to risk it, and, fear in her heart, gently places a hand on his shoulder.

Mydei wobbles and collapses dead on the spot. Castorice lets go and starts fretting internally, stepping back and circling around, frantically searching for any sign of life. How long does it usually take for Mydei to come back? Will he come back at all? Her own curse is clearly effective on him after all... To her relief, it only takes a few seconds for Mydei's eyes to flutter open again to find himself supine, with limbs bent at various awkward angles from the way he ragdolled.

It was a very peaceful few seconds, no pain, no blood, just an pleasant floating sensation as the familiar dark waves of the Styx rocked him side to side gently, before a bright guiding light forcibly pulled him right back. If not for the uncomfortable position he came to in, he'd even say the experience did some old aches a lot of good. The slight relieved smile that comes across her face as he explains this belies how many years of uncertainty and grief she's experienced over the many deaths she had enacted prior. She must have had no way of knowing for sure, until now, whether or not the deaths she delivered were as gentle as she hoped, Mydei realized.

It takes slightly less convincing to have Castorice try again. This time, they arrange more comfortably, Mydei sitting down against a wall, Castorice taking his offered hand in hers. As his hand goes limp in hers, his skin slowly cooling, she draws comforting circles on it with her thumb, more for herself than for his unfeeling body. After several minutes this time, each feeling longer than the last, she lets go and backs away once more, waiting with bated breath for the moment he shudders back to life, taking air back into empty lungs, eyes bright again, fierce, lively and visibly well-rested.

They agree to never exceed 15 minutes, Castorice explaining he would likely not enjoy coming back to the discomfort of gravity having caused all of his stilled blood to pool and settle inside of his body, let alone his body having cooled. Mydei agrees easily and assures her that he will keep his requests for deathly repose infrequent.

Castorice often passes the time Mydei spends dead trying to occupy her hands, the nerves never quite leaving her alone. Knowing logically that Mydei will come back and fearing that maybe he won't come back this time are two separate things after all. She tries many things, from bringing a scroll to read, to embroidery, shoulder pressed to his, trying to ignore how much bolder the red tattoos look against the pallor of a dead man. When Mydei wakes to Castorice's fingers pricked and bleeding for the third time, he frowns and offers for her to braid his hair next time if she wishes.

The next time, a month later, they arrange slightly differently, Castorice sitting on a bench, Mydei lowering his head into her lap, his hair an offering she wills herself to accept. Having assisted with many a funeral rite, Castorice is able to lose herself in the process of carefully weaving the messy soft locks into shape. The texture is strangely soothing, despite how unnaturally still Mydei remains, and Castorice imagines that this must be similar to what it feels like to pet a lion's fluffy mane. When the sand stops flowing, Castorice moves Mydei's head out of her lap to walk five places away once more. He comes to, gasping for breath as usual, and reaches up to feel at the new braids he sensed in his hair. A ghost of a smile graces his face when he finds them to be satisfactory, and he wears them for the rest of the day as a sign of appreciation. Castorice fiddling with his hair while he is dead quickly becomes the standard for their little meetings. Sometimes he wakes up with no new braids, but he doesn't question it so long as Castorice doesn't appear to be in any distress.

The first time Phainon spotted Mydei with his head in Castorice's lap, Castorice gently running her fingers through his hair as if he were a very large cat, Phainon almost passed them by with how peaceful they looked...

Then did a double take and panicked.

Anyway, that's my headcanon at least for how Castorice can say that the death she brings with her touch is peaceful. I think discovering that killing Mydei with her touch grants him what is essentially a banger nap from his perspective, probably helped her find an amount of peace in those early years. Truly putting the rest in "putting to rest"with this one.

Obviously she'd still prefer to be able to touch people and creatures without having them die, but at least she has learned that it isn't painful when she kills this way.

Additionally I like to imagine that while being killed by Castorice feels soothing, getting killed normal ways feels like shit, painful the whole way through, and then you get dunked violently into the Styx. And for Mydei specifically, it's more like he gets dunked into the Styx only to get yoinked right out, soul still sopping wet and cold, and forced back into a body that is fully repaired but it's happened so fast to him that his nerves have him feeling the aftershocks of the injuries that are already gone.

[melodyanqel]

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐌𝐄 ── ★ h.jh. (004. no truth just lies)

love at first sight happens between the police officer and a bright, innocent woman. they shared a deep connection that meant they needed each other more than anything, even when they experienced the same nightmare.

⤷ pairing: hwang jun-ho x fem!oc

⤷ genre/tags: fluff, angst, thriller, psychological drama, established relationship, team bonding, financial issues, games, action, betrayal, foreigner!soft!oc, protective!junho

⤷ warnings: crying, suggestive themes

⤷ wc: 2.3k words

⤷ note: omggg tysm for 300 followers! i didn’t expect to gain so much luv and support but very grateful. to help you all understand or a recap of the story so far junho and lily have been in a relationship since 2022 and after jun-ho woke up. now in the present day they’re engaged. throughout their relationship junho has never mentioned anything about the squid game, or his unexpected encounter with inho because he wants to protect lily and his mother. plus lily has never met inho in her life. so yea i hope that helped 

⤷ language key: korean, english

⤷ melodyanqel taglist: @hwallazia @rubyredish @analysisiinternet @ilovebtsomgie @aylinbsx @jsprien213 @your-writer-beta-side-piece

Great. She looks like someone attacked her. 

Lily is in the bathroom checking her face. The bruises are not prominent, but they sting. She then looks for antibiotic cream in her drawers to soothe the pain. Lucky for her, Jun-ho isn’t home yet, so she has time to cover them up with foundation and concealer. But at the same time, she asks herself, was it worth it earning the money or she played a goddamn fool of herself. The salesman appeared as a mystery but offered actual cash for some reason. 

When she came home, Lily checked it by shining a bill through a light and the print was visible. So, is this stranger doing it for the right purpose or something else? It’s not every day you’d get money from a random guy. However, it didn’t make it better that he smacked her face as a penalty. It would be counted as an assault if a cop saw it, but the people around the station didn’t interfere, which was understandable. Regardless, it doesn’t sit right with Lily. 

“My love, I’m home!”

She hears her boyfriend’s voice. 

“I’m in the bathroom!” Lily shouts back and finishes putting on the makeup. Again, she will not tell Jun-ho. But for now, she has to clear her mind and be in her love’s comforting arms. Lily turns off the bathroom light and goes to the living room. She sees Jun-ho sitting on the couch, watching T.V. with snacks on the coffee table. After the birthday party, the two cleaned the place but kept the Pochacco balloon. 

Lily joins him. She rests her head on his lap and her body is on the couch. Jun-ho grins, looking down at her lovingly. “Was it a fun date?” He asked about the girl’s day. Lily responded, “Yes, I had fun. So-eun cried when I told her about our engagement.” She tells Jun-ho about the emotional moment. 

He chuckles and says, “That’s good. I also told Han-gyul and he was surprised yet happy for us. He also wishes you the best of luck in this marriage.” Jun-ho has yet to tell his chief and other colleagues. He would share parts of his personal life at his workplace because they all know each other on a deeper level. 

“Aw, that’s sweet!” Lily feels warmth across her chest because she adores the people in her life. “I like Han-gyul. For someone at twenty-one to strive in law enforcement is impressive. I was doing the opposite of him. I found a man at a bakery.” She lets out a mirthful laugh. Jun-ho’s full lips make a smirk. He softly brushes her brunette locks with his fingers. “And now you can’t escape from that man.” His words sounded genuine yet a little daring. 

Jun-ho watches his woman sit up to straddle her legs on his hips. Lily is comfortable on his lap with a tender smile. The emotion in his warm brown eyes has her heart racing. He yearns for his angel. Lily shakes her head. “Nope, I can’t and I have zero regrets.” She stated confidently. 

The officer takes the teacher’s left hand to kiss her ring. He raises his gaze at his blushing woman. Her beauty is out of this world—silky brunette hair, snow-white flesh that looks porcelain, plump rosy lips, and his favorite of all is her enchanting russet eyes.

Jun-ho gets lost in them, even at one glance he’ll go crazy. He puts Lily’s hand down to his lap and still holds it. Jun-ho then tells more about his day. “I’m glad you accept my confession. I also told omma about the news and she screamed through the phone.” He video-called her and she burst into tears and cheered with her friends. 

Lily’s lips play a big smile, “Yay! I have yet to announce it to my family. I hope they don’t mind waking up in the middle of the night.” She snickers because the time zones are one of the issues of living in different countries. Jun-ho lets go of her hand to rub her arm. “I’m sure they don’t. I can announce it with you, whenever you’re ready.” He has the patience like a true gentleman and Lily won’t stop falling for him. 

“Thank you.” She appreciates her beautiful love. Jun-ho watches Lily move closer to him without breaking eye contact. Her soft lips are placed against his like a puzzle piece. Jun-ho uses his right hand to hold the back of her head to deepen the kiss.

He starts to feel the burning passion inside him. Jun-ho wraps his left around Lily’s petite waist to have her body flat on the couch. He hovers over Lily and the kiss gets more intense. He slips his tongue into her mouth to intertwine with her timid licks. She has her arms enveloping his neck.

His brawny hands grab her bare legs to pull her close to his hardness. Lily whimpers between the kiss and her wetness starts to form through her panty and pajama shorts. She wears a cami top which makes it more enticing for Jun-ho to see her pretty breasts nicely snugged from a thin material. 

They parted their lips to take a breather. Jun-ho grins tenderly at Lily’s flushed-out face. It makes him grow harder. “I would like to continue this somewhere else.” He puts his finger on her clothed pussy and brushes it to make her moan in pleasure. 

Lily mutters, “Okay. Can you not be gentle this time?” She sheepishly summits and requests something new. Jun-ho chuckles darkly which sends shivers to Lily’s core. He smirks when he feels her getting dripping wet. “Anything for you, my love.” The hot officer is willing to do whatever his gorgeous fianceé tells him. 

Jun-ho gently carries Lily in his arms, bridal style, to the bedroom. 

ִ ࣪𖤐.ᐟ

❰ OCTOBER, 2024 ❱

A month later, things started to change. 

Jun-ho had to end his island search because there wasn’t any luck nor did he think he would succeed. Even though it was disappointing, Captain Park understood and respected Jun-ho’s choice. So, the officer continues to do his regular duties normally with Han-gyul. He also visits Lily’s place more often because his shifts are now shorter. 

Boyfie (Jun-ho): hey I can’t make it tonight. i’ll be in a meeting with the chief. 

Angel (Lily): that’s fine! make sure you have your umbrella ready for tonight.

Boyfie (Jun-ho): i’m always prepared.

A smile etches on Lily’s lips when reading the text message. Tonight’s weather will be gloomy, but it’s common for the autumn season to get colder and drippy from the rain. It’s also common for Lily to be the nagging girlfriend. She has a reason because Jun-ho forgets things easily. He once forgot about his badge in one of his dirty dress pants and Lily almost washed it. So, he better have an umbrella with him. 

The windows of the classroom are open and the sound of the tree leaves blowing creates a melody. It’s always comforting on a quiet afternoon. Lily is at her desk, grading her students’ homework. Everyone was well-behaved and in a pleasant mood as usual. She loves seeing their happy faces whenever she clocks in because they’re so precious. 

Lily checks the time on her phone to notice it’s half past five. She sighs and stretches her arms. She has been sitting for an hour and there are more tasks to do. Lily created more schedules for the following days, tutored students who were struggling, and organized the classroom. It’s a lot but anything to keep her apartment. 

Inside his car, Jun-ho’s content expression disappears when he reads the messages on his phone. He has yet again lied to Lily. He doesn’t have a meeting, he has a plan to do. While he was in the city with Han-gyul, they stopped a driver because they were speeding. After they drove off without a word and received a ticket, Han-gyul told Jun-ho that the driver was a man and had a collection of phones and tablets. Jun-ho thought it was suspicious so he made sure the rookie cop ran the man’s ID. 

Seong Gi-hun. No criminal record was found.

After reading the scanner, it made Jun-ho’s heart drop. His mind went back to 2020 when he met a man named Seong Gi-hun and entered the game. Jun-ho did some digging to figure out if it was the right person. His guesses became true. However, he has no idea what or how Gi-hun managed to get out of the game alive. 

Jun-ho's destination is to check the office building called “Sunshine Capital.” Supposedly, that’s where Gi-hun’s rental car comes from. He’ll be heading over there at night to avoid getting caught. Jun-ho understands he should let it go and move on because his brother is no longer the Hwang In-ho who he loves and admires. But a voice at the back of his head is telling him to keep searching because there is more to In-ho’s secrets. 

He may act and look like he has the ambition to find his brother again but deep down he is afraid. Jun-ho puts his palm over his left shoulder, the healed gunshot wound. That moment still haunts him. Jun-ho did tell himself he wouldn’t continue on his island search, but maybe there would be luck, eventually. 

For now, it’s time to reunite with Seong Gi-hun.

ִ ࣪𖤐.ᐟ

“Hi, mama.”

“Hello, darling. How are you?”

Lily has the phone call on speaker while looking at the evening sky through the open windows. Her mother wanted to contact her because it’s been days since they’d last spoken. Lily responded, “I’m doing well. Seoul has gotten chilly, but I’ll be fine.” She tries to keep the conversation positive and not bring up her issues. 

“That’s nice to know and stay warm, my dove. I’m assuming Jun-ho is the same as you.” The woman mentions her future son-in-law. Like Mrs. Hwang, she wanted him to be part of the family and grow together. Lily’s father agreed too which was a shocker because fathers would be nervous about their daughters getting married. But her father does love Jun-ho as much as her mother and sister. 

“Yes, he is the same, but he also thought about moving into my apartment whenever he is ready. Mrs. Hwang is okay with it as long as knows how to be the man of the house.” Lily informed about Jun-ho's decision to live with her. She gets a hearty laugh from the other end. Mrs. Reed says, “She reminds me of your grandma when I told her about sharing a space with your dad when we got engaged. If so, I hope you two live happily and healthy.” She gives her words of wisdom. 

Lily begins to tear up and sob. Hearing the sound of her mother’s voice soothes her mind and erases her stress. If only she has the chance to see her in person along with the rest of her family. The young beauty uses her hands to wipe the tears away. She sniffles and clears her throat. “Thank you, mama. I’ll notify you whenever it happens.” Lily will thank her mother endlessly. 

After the much-needed phone call, she finalizes her shift by saving the cleaning for last. She also shuts the windows because when it gets completely dark, the rain starts pouring. Lily expected a light shower, but it came down hard. It seems like she’ll have to hurry her way home. Good thing she brought an umbrella. 

Sometime later, Lily packs her belongings and turns off the classroom lights. She also makes sure the door is locked. As soon as she walks out of the building, the heavy rain welcomes her. Lily shivers when a strong breeze hits her fair cheeks. “Great. The struggles are real.” She huffs, opens her pastel yellow umbrella, and heads to the subway. While walking in the streets, Lily notices people passing by, trying to get to wherever. 

Now at the station, Lily does the routine of waiting for her ride to come. Even though it’s been a month since she encountered that strange man with Ddakji, she wondered if he was still doing it. Lily hadn’t seen him in a while, and it was good because his intentions were outlandish. From that night, she almost didn’t want to return home through the subway and have Jun-ho pick her up. Of course, it would’ve been safer, but it was a one-time thing that can be forgotten. 

Lily brushes off the wonderment of the salesman and focuses on getting back to her place. She needs a nice cup of hot chocolate with sugar cookies. 

When arriving at the apartment, Lily spots an envelope in between the cracks of the door. Confused, she takes it and goes inside. She tears the item open to pull out a paper. It’s from her landlord, telling her the next payment is on October 31st with 2,144,295 won. Lily’s face is crestfallen. She carelessly throws her keys and purse on the dining table. Her body reaches the couch to sit down and calm herself. 

It gives her a headache how rent increases. Not only that but she also has to pay off her student debt because it adds more effect to her credit score. Lily borrowed money during her college years and paid little by little. However, it doesn’t cover everything. She brushes her thumb over the numbers.

She is grateful that the school allows her to work extra hours. Lily once told Jun-ho about needing more money, but she never told him about the monthly rent payments. Even though she can ask Jun-ho and his mother for help, the burden will make her feel like she isn’t doing well financially. Lily is someone who is extremely independent and tries to look for solutions to solve problems.

There has to be a way.

series masterlist | five

[moodymisty]

Hardcore lurker and long time purveyor just dropping by to extend my well wishes! I just got home yesterday from having my gallbladder removed so I truly, deeply sympathize. Just wanted to thank you for what you do and hope that you can recover quickly!

Funny coincidence! Honestly the worst part of it all was my insurance xD on Thursday I was only able to drive myself to the closest hospital (I could barely see straight from the pain and my father sent me the address there) which turned out to be out of network xD they ended up fasting me for 4 days trying to just discharge me so I could outpatient my surgery which, given my pancreas was VERY ANGRY and kept giving me a 100 fever, wasn't happening. I got transfered eventually when insurance blocked the surgery, spent another day waiting, and finally got it. Left next day.

Worst pain was just the one spot right where the gallbladder was after, it ached but I just whined and they gave me pain meds and it was gone in a few minutes xD the gallbladder attacks were FAR worse than having it removed.

Thank you so much for the well wishes! I've been dealing with my gallbladder for over a year now, so I'm excited to feel better and get back to work in a few weeks.

[manias-wordcount]

Hi so I saw you write for legend of Zelda

Urbosa x male hylian knight reader

So could you do a short story during the age of calamity that while the champions were defeating ganon they got word that an army of monsters and yiga thousands strong was marching towards gerudo village and that it's only defense was urbosa's voe lover

And when urbosa and the champions arrive, they find not a single gerudo harmed and thousands of defeated enemies, and in the center of it all, a HEAVILY wounded, reader their shield broken and sword on the verge of shattering and when asked by a rightfully worried urbosa why they stood alone reader says while healers attend to him

"I swore the day we got together, on my sword and my soul I'd protect everything you love...and you love your people more than anything else..so i made sure not a single drop of gerudo blood stained the sands"

How would she react to this

Heavyweight (Urbosa x Male! Reader)

𝗔/𝗡: 𝗜 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗿𝗼. 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗵𝗲

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚!! 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰, 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱.

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 ����𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚?

Heavy. Your body feels so, so heavy.

You want to say that the pain is gone. You want to say that it has gone away- traveled to a different, more deserving person. That you never even knew what it was like to experience it in the first place. But that would be a lie. Because the pain? It’s still there. But it’s huddled under murky feelings of numbness and knowledge that you’re supposed to feel something else right there, but you just don’t. You just don’t. Not right now, at least.

But it’s hard to express that. It’s hard to share or say that. Because your body feels so, so heavy. And the person in front of you can’t seem to understand that as much as you want to answer her, you can’t. Because your tongue won’t work. Your lips won’t work. Your arms and legs are still there, but they won’t work. They only burn as sand rubs up against them. They only creak and groan in protest as you try to move them. They only hurt. They only exist to hurt. You only exist to hurt.

Because you’ve done all your other jobs. And you’ve done them well. But now, it’s time for you to pay the price. Still though…

“What did you do?” 

You absolutely hate to make her worry like this.

“What did you do?!” Urbosa’s voice cuts through the silence like a knife as her fingers dig into your shoulders. She’s kneeling before you. And if your mind was clearer and if her fear of you bleeding out right in front of her wasn’t very, very real at the moment, you both know you two would have done everything in your power to keep your composure. Especially in front of the troops that she leads. You can already see the blurry blend of faces as they lean into each other and whisper, faces half-hidden behind hands. This is a side of Urbosa that they have not seen before. This is a side of Urbosa that they have never needed to have seen before. But yet, here it was. “What did you do?!” 

Here it was being revealed for everyone and for all to see. All because of a man. All because of you.

You wish it hadn’t come to this. You wish you could have saved her the fear and the worry. You wish you could have been stronger and faster. You wish you could have fought harder and for longer. You wish you weren’t the reason she was breaking down in front of a group of her mightiest fighters, tears pooling in the corner of her eyes as she begs for an explanation- a reason why she found you all covered in blood with one foot in the grave. But you didn’t have that luxury. You couldn’t try to fix your positioning so you still sat up straight. You couldn’t try to move further away from the sacred city to at least avoid painting its historic walls red with your blood. In fact, you could do little more than hiss and groan as your love shook you awake every few seconds in order to keep you alive and working. 

“Tell me! Tell me, what did you do?!” 

But it’s just so heavy. 

You sword by your feet. The armor you eventually had to shed when it started to slow you down. The dead bodies you had to carry away from the walls of the village to ensure they wouldn’t get stained with such filth. Your head as you try to lift it to meet Urbosa’s eyes and ensure her that you’re fine, really, and that you were just trying to keep your promise to her. It’s all so heavy. It all weighs down on you. Makes your heart work harder. Makes your body move slower. Makes everything a lot more difficult than it needs to be. But you promised. You promised.

“I…”

So you had every intent to keep it. You had every intent to keep your promise. You owe it to her. You owe it to them.

“I swore…”You try to force something out. Anything, really. Just a response. That’s all you need. Just a response. And the words start off slow. They stumble around. They tumble around. They climb up your throat and refuse to jump off your tongue time and time again. But she’s counting on you. She needs you. She needs you to be okay. She needs you to answer her. She needs you. So you try again. With a voice that’s dry and cracks every other second. With a throat that aches from being choked and screaming out in pain and existing only to be part of you- part of your body that fights and battles and defends. You try again. “I swore…” 

“I swore…the day we got together…on my sword and my soul…”

She tries to say something. She tries to stop you. Tries to warn you against working so hard when you’re injured. Tries to warn you against making her heart hurt and ache and break for you more than it already has. But you can’t stop now. Because you didn’t stop then. She asked you what you did. She asked you why you did it. And as the words come out of your mouth, one by one…you don’t feel as heavy. You don’t feel the weight or the pain or the numbness.

“That I'd do anything to protect everything you love. Anything…”

You just feel her hands as she holds onto you. You just feel her gaze as she looks at you. You just feel the love that you have for her. And the love that she has for you. And for her people. And her village. And her troops. And for so much more.

“...and you love your people more than anything else. So I made sure…I made sure…”

And you used that. You used those feelings. You used her expression. Her touch. Her care. Her heart. Her soul. You used that to lift yourself up in this moment. To lift yourself up like those same feelings and memories lifted you up in battle. To lift yourself up like they did all so that things don’t feel so, so, so impossibly heavy anymore. So you can keep your promise. So you can keep on fighting. So you can keep on being strong.

“...that not a single drop of Gerudo blood stained the sands. Not a single drop”

At least, for just a little while longer.

[flamesignite]

He pulled his hand back from him when the other pulled away from him as he gave him a sad look. He knows the other wants him to be upset, but he had no right to be upset because the things he’s done he can’t take them back, and the inner self hatred he feels for himself show.

“It doesn’t matter how I feel, Atem. I don’t have a right to be upset for how you feel. That’s what I am, a murderer, a war criminal. Those titles will follow me for the rest of my life. I can’t take back what I have done, and you have a right to feel the way you do about it. If you don’t wish to be with me for this reason alone, I understand.” He looks at him seriously.

“This is something I have done and I’m holding myself accountable. It won’t change the past, it won’t bring back the people that are already gone because of me. I still wish to make everything right, even if I die in the process. That’s why I took this path, because I don’t want to see anyone suffer and I don’t wish to kill anymore people in such a way again.” He takes a shaky breath.

“I’m glad you were honest with me. Whether you understand or not why I think that, it’s because you’re a good person with a good heart. When you cause someone pain you feel guilty too. I don’t expect you to just sit there and accept the things I’ve done. Nobody should accept it, the things I did were terrible and should be condemned. I was naïve and a fool to think at first what we were doing was just following orders. I should have stopped them from doing this, I should gotten replaced, but I was too much of a coward.. so I went through with it, I continued to do as ordered, when I did it I wasn’t myself, i wasn’t the young teen that I used to be with dreams of protecting my nation. I was a monster, a murderer, following orders. I never forgot the people I’ve killed. I remember all of their faces. My brain doesn’t let me forget. These haunting memories will follow me for the rest of my life.”

He looks down looking at the hands as they shake softly as he whispers. “This is why I never wanted to get close to anyone. I don’t deserve it, and if you don’t wish to be with me because of this, I won’t stop you. If you hate me truly, if you don’t wish to be with me because of all that I’ve done, you don’t have to stay. I want to be with you, but if you really don’t want all of me, if you don’t want any of my demons that will follow me for the rest of my life even after death, I won’t stop you from walking away right now. “ He swallowed softly, his shoulders trembling.

“What right do I have? I never deserved any of this, yet when you accepted me for me, I was surprised.. Especially after seeing the archive… you still stayed, you even said that these blood stained hands deserve to hold the person I love. I won’t force you to stay if you don’t want to. I love you, you’re my everything. You’ll always be my everything. It’s up to you.. I don’t have a right to ask for your hand. After all that I’ve done… I don’t deserve happiness.”

This was his inner self hatred coming out of the wood work, it hadn’t been as bad as it usually was because of Atem always being there to make him happy and tell him how much he meant to him. With the real feelings Atem had though, they came back ten fold, reminding him how much of a pathetic piece of garbage he thought he was.

"What are you doing?!" Atem snapped back, flinching at Roy's touch as soon as he felt it, shifting away from him. As he looked at Roy, his eyes were no longer flickering red, but that familiar softness of purple once again, hot tears streaming down his face (he had to have run out of them to shed by now).

"I just called you a murderer! My own fi- my boyf- y-you... I called you heartless and a murderer! I just said that I don't forgive the actions I have no right to pass judgement on! I belittled the desire of someone who wants to start a family with me because he destroyed so many families, so many innocents, in a single snap!" Roy may or may not have heard that during the outburst but he definitely heard it now. "And you have the audacity to try to comfort me and tell me it's okay?! What is wrong with you?!"

Everything was out in the open thanks to that dark other, as once again he succeeded in exposing Atem for who he really was: a walking contradiction, a failure of a supportive partner, but most of all... a weak, pathetic, and overemotional Coward.

"The one thing I told myself to bite my tongue on... because I wasn't involved. Because everyone else had looked past it. Because Aibou forgave you! The one thing I told myself to never even think about, not for a second, because I didn't want to hurt you! I didn't want to undo everything we had built because I couldn't look past what you've done! And you're telling me it's okay?" He felt his arms wrap around himself, a sign that a certain emotion was starting to creep up on him. "This isn't okay! None of this is okay! Listen to what I had just said! Does none of that hurt you? Make you sad, or angry, or... something? Anything?!"

"I... I should have never watched that archive, and just lived in ignorance. At least then... things would have been easier. Now..." Hitched breaths were coming out of him as his voice choked up, body starting to wear out from all his crying. "I've ruined everything."

[winchestersisterimaginessss]

Hey, I wanted to ask if you could write a story where Y/N has really bad period pains and the boys take care of their sister and get her things like chocolate, a hot water bottle etc.. In fact, they grant her every wish and do everything she wants, just to make her feel a little better. 🌻

A/N: Hope this is what you were looking for! requests are always open :)))

Sam and Dean Winchester x Sister!Reader

I was curled up in a tight ball on the couch, clutching my stomach as waves of pain crashed through me. The cramps felt like a vise around my lower abdomen, squeezing harder with every passing minute. My body felt heavy, my muscles sore, and I could barely breathe without the sharp pangs of discomfort hitting me, radiating through my back and down my legs. I couldn’t find a position that didn’t make it worse.

It was impossible to escape the feeling of being completely trapped inside my own body, helpless against it. Tears had long since blurred my vision, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak. Even talking made the cramps worse, and the more I moved, the sharper the pain got. I just wanted to curl up tighter and disappear into the silence of my own misery.

I could hear the door creak open. Dean’s voice filtered through the haze of pain, loud and concerned. “Y/N? You okay?”

I didn’t answer. It was too much.

Dean stepped closer, his footsteps heavy, but it was Sam who crouched down beside me first. His hand gently pressed against my back, and his voice was calm, knowing, as he tried to read me. “Y/N?” he said softly. “Can you hear me?”

I couldn’t answer. I couldn’t do anything but try to breathe through the cramps, each one hitting harder than the last. But I could hear Sam’s steady voice beside me, and the warmth of his presence calmed my racing thoughts just a little.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Sam murmured, his hand still rubbing my back in slow, soothing circles. “I know it hurts, I know sweetheart”

The pain was so overwhelming that I couldn’t even manage a response. My entire body felt locked in this tight, painful knot that wouldn’t loosen no matter how hard I tried. I just squeezed my eyes shut tighter and let the tears fall freely. The cramps kept hitting, relentlessly, waves of sharp, nauseating pain that didn’t let up.

Sam’s hand stayed steady on my back, and Dean moved around, clearly trying to figure out how to help. “We’re gonna fix this, okay? What do you need, Y/N? What can we get for you?” Dean’s voice was louder, less sure now, but still carrying that protective edge he always had when something was wrong with me.

I managed to lift my hand just slightly, trying to say something, anything, to let them know I wasn’t completely lost.

“Chocolate,” I whispered, my voice shaking from the pain. It wasn’t much, but it was the only thing that made sense to me right now. My stomach felt like it was going to tear apart, and chocolate—sweet, comforting chocolate—was about all I could manage to ask for.

Dean was already up and moving, his boots clunking against the floor as he hurried to the kitchen. “Chocolate. Got it. Anything else?”

I winced, another cramp tightening deep inside me, and I nearly curled into an even smaller ball, trying to ride it out. The pressure was almost unbearable, and I could feel my whole body tensing with the effort to deal with it. My breath came in short, quick bursts as I tried to push past it.

“Medicine, heating pad” I finally managed, barely more than a whisper.

“Medicine, heating pad, chocolate,” Sam repeated, his tone soothing, as if he was cataloging everything I needed. “Dean’s on it, Y/N.”

I nodded slightly, still clutching my stomach, tears streaming down my cheeks as the cramps ebbed and flowed. Every wave felt like it might tear me apart, but I did my best to focus on Sam’s words.

“That’s it, breathe,” Sam encouraged, his hand gently moving across my back, pushing away the tension. “In through your nose, nice and slow. The pain will be gone soon, bug.”

It felt impossible, but I tried to follow his lead. Slowly, I began to draw in a breath, the sharp pain easing just a little with each deep, steady inhale.

Dean came back moments later, holding a mug of hot chocolate in one hand and a bottle of painkillers in the other. “Here, kid,” he said, kneeling beside me and offering me the mug first. “We didn’t have any chocolate, but I figured some hot chocolate could hold you over for now. You drink this, I’ll get the heating pad on you next and then I’ll head to the store to get your chocolate and anything else you want. ”

Sam helped me sit up a little, holding the mug for me as I carefully sipped, the warmth spreading through me as the chocolate soothed me in ways the pain couldn’t. My body trembled as the cramps continued, but it was almost like I could feel the edges of the pain starting to soften.

“Thanks De,” you whispered.

“Anything for you, kid,” Dean said softly, his voice full of that same protective care that always made me feel safe. “Now here let’s get this heating pad on you.”

Sam helped me adjust so that the heat could settle on my lower back. The relief was immediate, but not enough to completely ease the sharp pains still lancing through my abdomen. Still, it was something. Dean left to run to the store, and as soon as the door closed behind him, you could feel your body slowly start to relax. The waves of pain that had been so intense began to dull, the heat from the pad soothing your aching muscles. Sam’s hand remained steady on your shoulder, grounding you as you breathed through what was left of the cramps.

“That’s better, right?” Sam asked, his voice soft and reassuring.

You nodded, your eyes still closed as you sniffled a little, your cheeks damp from the tears that had come earlier. “Better,” you whispered, your voice hoarse.

“Good,” Sam said, his tone calm. “We’ll get you feeling back to normal in no time, okay? Just focus on relaxing for now.”

You nodded again, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling in. You closed your eyes, letting yourself drift into a light nap, the warmth of the heating pad and Sam’s presence lulling you into a rare moment of peace. The pain was still there, but it wasn’t as sharp. You slipped further into nothingness, only waking up when you heard the sound of the door creaking open.

“Hey, kiddo,” Dean’s voice was gentle, but familiar, pulling you out of your sleep.

You groggily sat up, rubbing your eyes and stretching a little. “Hey,” you mumbled, still trying to shake off the sleepiness.

Dean grinned, carrying a couple of bags into the room. “I got you a bunch of chocolates, some ice cream, candy, and—” He stopped and made a show of pulling something out of the bag, “your favorite Cheez-Its… buffalo wing flavor.”

Your face lit up at the sight of your favorite snacks, your smile widening as you tried to sit up straighter. “Thank you, De!” you squealed, the joy in your voice enough to make him chuckle.

“You’re welcome, kid,” Dean said, his grin softening as he took in the sight of you. He looked you up and down, eyes lingering for a moment before he added, “How you holding up?”

You paused, taking stock of your body, and noticed the slight ache that lingered in your stomach, much better than the sharp cramps you had earlier. It was a relief, but still uncomfortable.

“I feel better,” you said, flashing him a quick, grateful smile. “Like I can actually sit up now.”

“Yeah, you were out for about forty minutes, bug,” Sam said from beside you, his voice gentle and steady. “The rest was good for you. Your body needed it.”

Dean flopped down on the other side of me, grabbing the remote off the coffee table and flipping through channels. “You want to watch something? Something funny? You just say the word, kid. We’ve got all the snacks in the world now too. Whatever you need.”

I was still exhausted, still sore, but I felt like I could finally relax. Dean made sure to give me some space, but I could still feel his presence right next to me, like a shield.

“I want to watch Mean Girls,” I exclaimed.

Dean smiled, his grin wide and genuine as he slid the remote into my hand. “Mean Girls it is. You got it, kid.”

A few moments later, we were all sitting together on the couch—Dean with his usual bowl of chips, Sam next to me with a bowl of ice cream, and me with cheez its and a chocolate bar. The cramps had subsided enough that I could focus on the movie, and the laughter and lightheartedness of Mean Girls began to fill the room, the comfort of my brothers surrounding me like a blanket.

It wasn’t perfect. The pain hadn’t disappeared completely, but with Sam and Dean looking after me, making sure I was comfortable, the world didn’t feel quite as heavy. The cramps would ease up more soon, and until then, I was exactly where I needed to be—safe, loved, and cared for.

Dean paused the movie halfway through, turning to me with a mischievous smile. “Two scoops of ice cream, huh? You know, I think we’re gonna need more for the next round.”

Sam chuckled softly, a teasing glint in his eyes. “If that’s what it takes to keep her happy, then bring on the ice cream.”

I smiled, my heart lighter now, feeling the warmth of their love surround me. For once, the pain was something I could handle, as long as they were by my side.

[wanderingmind867]

Ranking the Seven (plus Nico):

1. Nico di Angelo: Just…ever since I was a nine or ten year old boy reading Rick Riordan's books, Nico di Angelo was my anchor into the world of Percy Jackson. Lonely, an outcast, the one person everybody else shunned…he was always just a vessel for all my real pain and fear. He still is. All my loneliness and sadness and stress and anxiety…it can all be channeled into him.

And to think more about it, he really is just like me. He never opens up to others (same as me, he probably has a fear of judgement), he's got no real friends for most of the books (which is still true of me at 20, no friends except my dad), he's just…god, Nico di Angelo is the character in these books i've always loved most. And I wish he got all the happy things that I feel i haven't had yet.

Frank Zhang: Frank was like the second main character who always spoke to me. Not just because he was Canadian (although that certainly helped), but because he was a heavier set kid who didn't have many friends. His mother died; whereas mine was more just dying (dead now, of course). And I always did like how he was good with a bow and arrow. A ranged fighter with a preference towards support (despite how his looks make him appear), Frank Zhang had a lot of relatable aspects too.

Honestly, nobody in these books ever had a 1 for 1 backstory line up with me (it'd be incredibly bizarre if there was one, I suppose). But Frank and Nico are two of the ones who come closest to hitting me right in the heart. I definitely can see myself in them, and I love them both a lot.

Jason Grace: Jason is a character i've heard be called bland many times. But are you all reading the same books!? Jason Grace is not bland! He is the paragon of virtue, a great kid who always does what he thinks is right. And I really relate to his existential issues. He's a confused person. Is he Greek or Roman? Who is he? Where does he belong? Will he ever belong? A great many of those questions feel like they apply to me as well as to him, and that makes him all the more relatable.

Also, Jason seems to value order and fairness. I respect that. I, too, value order and consistency in my actions. Who doesn't? I'm that weird kid who liked my teachers ten times more than I liked my fellow students. I never got along with other kids. I always felt like I was somehow more mature in some ways. So that's why Jason Grace and Cyclops are like some of my favourite fictional teenagers. They remind me of myself.

Leo Valdez: I almost put Leo in front of Jason, but one thing changed my mind: I hate machinery and mechanics. Don't get me wrong: I like machines. As someone who's wasted way too much time talking to AI chatbots (and who always relates to characters like Vision or Red Tornado), I definitely like machines. But I don't like getting my hands dirty. Mechanics and hands on work was never my thing. So, you know, that was the deciding factor here.

Still, I really relate to Leo. His avoidant streak (which is super relatable), his insecurities about being the most useless member on the team (which is also relatable), even the fact that he covers his insecurites by acting overly confident and personable gets to me. Because while I don't do that one, I do understand all of Leo's insecurites. He's definitely one of my favourite characters.

Hazel Levesque: A girl from out of time. She doesn't quite fit in with this time period, and I can relate to that in some ways (i've always felt like an old soul myself). She's from New Orleans (possibly the one locale in the US that I really like, due to watching Disney's Princess and the Frog as a kid). She's even got magic powers, thus putting her in with the group of people I tend to like most in fiction: mages.

Hazel is a great character. She makes my top five because she appeals to almost all of my many interests. She was never my number one favourite, but she's definitely up there.

Piper McLean: I loved Piper's story. I don't like how native american stuff is never explored in US media (while up here in Canada, we at least get frequent documentaries and sitcoms stuff about indigenous people and culture). So just…whether it's fully accurate or not, props to Rick Riordan for even giving us Cherokee representation. I can't think of any other native characters in american media off the top of my head, so he's already succeeding because of that.

But I also really liked Piper for her struggles with being aphrodite's daughter, and with being a famous celebrity's kid. These things aren't all too relatable on the surface, but the way Rick Riordan wrote about them…god, you know it's good writing when i can grow to feel empathy and love for a character (even despite our many differences). So Piper is cool.

But I do have at least one minor complaint with her story: did her dad really have to forget she was a demigod? That part of the Lost Hero really let me down, and I still don't see the logic of having it happen. So that's why she's number six here.

Annabeth Chase: Annabeth is often relatable, but mostly just when i'm reading from her perspective. From her POV, I really do feel her. I really do love the chapters from her perspective. But when it's other characters talking about her or dealing with her…she is a lot less likeable. She can be downright rude to many characters.

I remember how she hated Tyson. She had decent reasons, but it still really got to me. I didn't like how her and percy started with a bit of an antagonistic attitude towards each other. I also never really felt too much of her issues in regards to her home life. I always kind of related to Frederick Chase, and so I never saw the issues with her home life. When we see it in The Titan's Curse, it seems downright pleasant. So I never understood her.

But let me make something kind of clear: Annabeth is way better following the Mark of Athena. In the Mark of Athena and House of Hades, i've loved her every scene. In all the previous books…it was a lot more love/hate. So I don't despise her (I would never go that far), but I just have some hangups that seem to be personal to me.

8. Percy Jackson: Oh, boy. This opinion is gonna be controversial, I already have that feeling. But i'm gonna stand firm here. Percy Jackson isn't that great. His supporting cast usually always outshines him. He's funny sometimes, sure. But think about his actions. He was just as judgmental towards Tyson as everyone else, at least initially. We read about him admitting he didn't like being related to him! And that action is just the tip of the iceberg.

He abandoned Calypso to rot on Ogygia (while Leo actually had the decency and moral fiber to rescue her). He didn't fulfill the dreams he said he believed in, either. He said he wanted the gods to claim all their kids, yet Camp Half-Blood only added maybe seven new cabins. That's not nearly good enough. That's half assing it. Look what Jason Grace did! He honoured all the gods, even if they were minor ones like Kympoleia! Anything Percy did, someone else did it ten times better!

And let's not forget Nico's treatment here! Percy also didn't seem to like Nico that much, considering he was way too easily annoyed by him (when there were far worse kids out there). Nico got screwed over by Percy, and I won't let that one go! Only one who screwed him over worse was his own sister (abandoning him for the hunters when she knew she was all he had)! But I digress. I just… Percy doesn't live up to any of the high potential set on him. Especially not when compared to the other seven.

So there are my rankings. I kind of feel like mine are probably going to end up sort of uncommon, but this is legitimately my opinions on each character. If anyone else wants to share their rankings, feel free to. At this point, i'm kind of interested to see what other people's opinions are.

[milkweedman]

managed to fuck up my wrist to the point that i can pop the radius back into place but it just comes right back out as soon as i stop putting tons of pressure on it. also it hurts so bad :/

have caught myself genuinely considering breaking my wrist several times now so that i can get some kind of treatment or medication for it. bc the baby tylenol level shit that pain management gives me is um. literally not doing a single goddamn thing. as always.

[eclipsed-lord]

[ It was such a struggle to hear Horus speak those words. Not just because he could hear the pain in his voice, but the context as well. None of this was Horus's fault. Whatever the hell this strangely familiar monster was, it was unnatural. Not supposed to be here. It was the sole thing to blame. ]

" Let's try this. I'll stab you... and I'll do one thing to help him. How about that? "

[ Nodis tilted his head to the side with a crack, dangling Val around to cause him more discomfort. ]

" S-Stop fuckin'-! Yeah! Yeah, fine! Do it! Stab me anywhere if it mean y'can make sure he ain't gon' die! "

[ Poor little Demarco. He has no idea that things can reset. ]

" Ah, the fun way! Alright. Hold still. "

[ It's pretty difficult to hold still when you're in so much pain! But if it meant giving someone else a chance at living, he'd try his damn hardest! It sure would be convienient if he could remember how unreliable Nodis's word was. ]

❗️GORE WARNING❗️

[ With yet another sickening crunch and a squelch, the cowboy cried out in pain, tail rattling wildly as he spit venom out of instinct. right into the side of his stomach. Nodis had aimed just right, where nothing vital was punctured, but it was still horrible. He wasn't thinking straight enough, but if he was, oh, he'd wish that the tendril would stay in place forever. For when he slipped it out... he felt his insides move and slide to fill the now empty place. Such a sickening feeling, causing him to hack and throw up both bile and blood onto the floor so far below him. ]

[ Nodis looked on in disgust. He enjoyed his pain... but he had gotten vomit onto his tendrils. What a filthy creature. He hoists him upright, wrapping him snug in tendrils ( and thankfully keeping the insides from becoming outsides in the process, bringing him down to see Horus closer as the dark lord leaned in as well. ]

" Quit your whimpering sheriff. You may cry about it later. You agreed, after all. It's basically your fault... chin up. Now is the reward. "

" I ain't... damn whinin'... "

" Please. You sound like a sick little puppy. "

[ A very weak growl from the mutant, spitting out blood to the side. ]

" Horus... I wonder if he can even hear my right now. I have just the thing for this little birdy who fell from the nest. "

[ Holing out his arm... as it shifted into a large shadow claw that he balled into a fist. ]

[ Val's eyes widened (at least as far as they could right now), looking between the fist and Horus in a panic. ]

" Y-Ya said somethin' t'help 'im, dammit! "

[ Knuckles crack, a grossly cheery hum as he raised his arm. ]

" I did. And it will. Sometimes pets need to be put down. "

" No- NO! HORUS! HORUS! "

[ And with that, the sheriff was only left to cry out in desperation as the little bird's skull was absolutley crushed in by the solidified shadows. ]

[ Watching. Waiting. Planning. ]

[ Many beady eyes were locked on the priest ever since Lucian had entered his temple. Even small things such as walking past the windows, anything that the darkness could manage outside of the temple, the shadows stared back. And it was filled with hate. ]

[ Horus- no... the pest couldn't stay in there forever. The horrid filth that took his vessel would have to come out soon enough, and Nodis had all the time in the world to wait. ]

[ And wait he did. No matter where Horus ran off to, where he hid... the shadows would watch. The sun was down, and Horus chose to take one of his night walks... a foolish mistake. Perfect. The god allowed him to get out of the light entirely, before out of nowhere, a tendril suddenly whipped the back of his head, rendering him unconscious. ]

( @eclipsed-lord )

Horus couldnt take it any longer. He'd locked himself into the temple for weeks now- He hadn't seen Hansen, or Lime, nor any of his own babies back home for ages now and it was tearing him apart

He was a bird. He was born to fly free in the skies. To go wherever he pleased whenever he pleased. He was not meant to stay in a cage, no matter how dearly he loved it. And so, while Lucian was sound asleep in his office, Horus fled the temple. Wandering through the cobblestone streets of the village, his talons click click click'ed against the cool stone...

He doesnt have enough time to react, Horus crying out briefly at the attack before he falls into a limp pile of feathers, cracking his head against the cold ground. Your time is up, birdy... I wonder what Nodis has planned.

[wishchip106]

Erik when Charles showed him the brightest corner of his memory system and telling him there’s good in him:

[ryllen]

Look what came through the mail today! The letters & ( •̀ω•́ )σ 3 little gremlins from letterstoear.

Just wanna say i adore the flower stickers on the letters too much, they are that much worth mentioning.

[torchickentacos]

I hate it when my chronic illnesses are chronic and my disabilities are disabling and my seasonal affective disorder is seasonally affecting me

[statementlou]

.