#i liked initiating it was so scary but it was fun to surprise her by asking her in the nicest way i could think of

[gorillaxyz]

i think im a good kisser but who knows

[retiredteabag]

An Uninformed Narrative

Synopsis: You had lived in Stardew Valley for a year before you met the hunter from the adventures guild, Sukuna Itadori. It did not take long for him to catch your attention but you couldn't help feeling as if his affection resided anywhere but you.

Pairing: Sukuna x Reader

This is a Sukuna stardew valley au, heavily inspired by @tearzintheclub's similar series with butcher!sukuna, I highly recommend reading their work, they are super kind and were a big motivation for me to make this!

〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰〰・♡・〰

You had been dying for a decade before coming to the valley, still, unmercifully, alive. The bitter years you spent milling away on a computer, endless days blurring onto the next. A monotonous cycle of tireless work for a corporation that left you unfulfilled, complacent, and depressed. Holed up in a city you did not even like.

It was corrosive, only now, a year later, could you look back and realize that life didn't begin for you until you moved to your grandfather's farm.

It had been hard work. You knew it would be. Still, the labor it took to keep up with crops and farm animals had been more than you anticipated. But you had friends now, and goals. And that was more valuable than anything.

One year ago, when you came to the valley, romance was quite possibly the last thing occupying your mind. Only now, being able to comfortably settle into your home, could you allow yourself to think about things other than the prosperity of your land and the health of your animals.

That brings us to now.

You had read books about the Stardew Valley mines back in the mountains north of town. Harvey, the village doctor, had warned you of its treacherous depths. Having focused most of your efforts on farm/house maintenance, you had not traversed into dangerous territory beyond upgrading your tools and acquiring bug meat.

This is why, after a whole year of living in the valley, you were surprised to receive a notice in your mailbox from "The Adventurers Guild", an initiation of sorts, requesting you to slay 10 slimes to be granted entry.

You had thought about it all evening. By the next morning, you felt up for the challenge. After taking care of the chores you left you made your way up past the carpenter's shop, dropped off a fish you caught the night before to your friend Linus, and entered the mines.

It had been scary but you protected yourself well and acquired some gems and geodes to show for it. It was late when you made the trek home, but you were determined to enter the adventurers guild the next day.

It had been a delight to meet Gil and Marlon, the two men who ran the guild. They sold weapons and protective gear, offered rewards for monster slaying, and purchased monster loot. Still having some on you, you traded them in for the cash. With a smile on your face, you decided to go into town to buy some icecream for Yuuji, Jas, and Vincent.

Penny, the town's teacher, had the kids in the museum for lessons until 2 PM, so you traveled quickly to meet them in time.

Penny was always a delight. Kind to everyone, even if they did not deserve it. She was so good with the kids as well, and dedicated much of her time to their education.

You had met Penny just a few days after moving to the town at the local flower shop in the Cidersap Forest. You had learned she was quite fond of Poppy flowers and the owner of the little place, Jin Itadori, was unbelievably generous, always interested in hearing about your farm, and always willing to give out a flower or two.

Yuuji, being the florist's son and Penny's student, became a quick friend of yours and always wanted to talk whenever you came by the shop. Of course, you never minded and listened intently whenever the boy felt like sharing a fun fact about the flora in his home.

--

Time passed with the changing of the seasons and it wasn't long before fall was upon you.

Ever since entering the mines and joining the Adventures guild, you have been thinking about the quests Marlon and Gil have sent you on. Though it is dangerous, scouring the mines for the flesh of monsters, it brings you a thrill to know you are doing something good for the community.

A post had gone up on the community board in town about collecting bat wings and bringing the population down to a manageable level the other day, and in your spare time, you had been working on completing the quest.

It was late one night when you began to make your way back up to the mountains from the mine's elevator, you had quite the collection and enough time to sell it at the Guild before making your way home.

"You've been keepin' busy." Marlon greeted you as the wind pushed the door open along with your arm.

You smile at the man, unloading the backpack of your finds. "Well there's always something to do around here." you reply.

"True as the day is long...." Gil rocked back and forth in his chair, pretending to hear your conversation.

"I must say I'm glad to have you 'round. The quest board in town seems to be worked through much faster now." Marlon takes the post you handed him and the 200 bat wings, he was just about to hand you the payment when the door to the Guild swung open.

The hinges seemed to rattle with the shock of the large man's blow of it. He's huffing, yanking a balaclava up and over his face.

He has thick, pink hair and bright red eyes, he's enormous, having to duck just a bit so as not to hit his head on the door frame.

You looked at him, a bit shocked at his garish entrance. He looks so familiar, but his face is covered in tattoos. A unique style you've never seen before, certainly not in Stardew Valley

Despite being at the counter yourself, the lumbering man strides right up next to you, a crumpled piece of paper in his hand. And just then, you have a thought.

Was he doing town board requests too? He was clearly not from the village, you would have met him by now. But Marlon does not spare him much of a glace, even when a stack of bones and a collection of rings is placed on his counter.

"Those damn haunted skulls are somethin' else." The man looks at Marlon with a gaze of distaste but the Guild leader just laughs. The large man doesn't look at you once.

Despite the chill of fall present in the air, he has sweat glistening on his exposed neck, he runs a hand through his hair and you can't help but notice how handsome this man is. The only thing, who was he? And why was he monster hunting in the Valley's mines?

"You got a problem?" Shocked from your thoughts, you look up. You hadn't meant to stare but upon his antagonized question your eyes bulge a bit.

"No! No, no, sorry..." You turn away, collecting the gold Marlon left out for you, ready to turn and leave when the man behind the counter made a gesture with his hand.

He called your name, "This is Sukuna, likely haven't met em' have ya? He's real reserved and all."

So he lives here? How could that be? "Oh, it's nice to meet you!" You go to shake his hand but he just looks you up and down, effectively dissuading that desire.

"So you're the rookie taking all the board requests in town, hmm?" He looks so domineering, still, even having just met him, you can reasonably assume that's just what his face looks like.

You shuffle where you stand, "Er... maybe so, yes... I'm sorry, I didn't know that was your area..." You wave your hand to the array of loot he had seemingly just acquired. He scoffs.

Marlon looks to you, "Sukuna is our most tenured monster hunter-"

Gil interjects from his rocking chair, "If ever there's a board request this here man can't handle, I know hell's right about frozen over."

The man before them did not crack a smile. A shiver went down your spine.

"I see, well, I live on the farm behind the Cidersap Forest-"

He cuts you off, looking almost annoyed, "I know who you are."

Oh.

Okay...

"Gotcha, sorry, well... it was nice meeting you." Sukuna stares at you for a moment before turning back to the Adventurers Guild leaders.

The awkwardness of the moment was painful, you already know youll be obsessing over this first impression for the next month or so and your shaking leg is telling you it is time to escape the embaressment before this man shuts down any more small talk.

You wonder if perhaps Sukuna is upset with you for "taking his job". Or maybe he had a bad day. If he really had been hunting Haunted Skulls, he had probably been dangerously deep in the mines.

Even though his gaze had been piercing, his frown looked permanent, and his tattoos gave off a highly intimidating look. You could tell there had been no malice behind his demeanor. And that, would be a small comfort as you mulled your way through the darkness.

You spent the whole walk home thinking about the large man. You had been everywhere in Stardew Valley yet had never met him.

He must live out of town, you thought as you checked the weather for tomorrow.

Rain. That meant another day in the mines. You needed an upgrade on your equipment if you were going to continue supplying for your growing crops' demands. That meant plunging deeper into the depths of the mine.

Sleep pulled at you even still, just as your eyes fell shut the memory of the pink-haired man popped back up into your brain.

His shirt stuck nauseatingly to his toned chest, his neck glimmering in the firelight of the guild, and those eyes. The red, sharp eyes he had looked you up and down with.

"I know who you are."

It was a small town. Even if you were from the outskirts. It was a shame though... having not met the man before... he certainly seemed interesting.

You shook the man from your thoughts as your dog climbed into the bed and the two of you began to doze off.

Unknown to you, a long and unexpected day awaited you at dawn.

[10diamondz]

A Night to remember

Summary: Capitano and his wife (Fem!Reader) decide to go on a long-overdue date, leaving their young daughter Alina in the care of Arlecchino, despite Alina's initial hesitation about the "scary lady." To ease the evening, Arlecchino introduces Alina to Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet, who quickly win her over with magic tricks and playful charm.

The night had settled over Snezhnaya, its icy grip lingering in the air, though inside your home, warmth and laughter filled the space.

You sat on the couch, watching your daughter, Alina, spinning in circles with a blanket tied around her neck like a makeshift cape.

Her raven-black hair, so much like her father’s, bounced with each twirl.“Look, Mama! I’m just like Papa!” she giggled, pretending to swing an imaginary sword. 

You chuckled, your heart swelling with love as you adjusted the "cape" that had started to slip from her shoulders. “Alina, tonight, your papa and I are going out, so we need someone to watch over you.” Alina stopped twirling, her tiny brow furrowing in confusion.

“Why can’t I come?” Before you could answer, the familiar sound of heavy footsteps approached. In the doorway, your husband—Capitano, stood with his intimidating figure. His armored silhouette filled the room, and though his face was hidden behind his dark mask, you could feel the affection in his gaze as he looked at the both of you.

“Not this time, little one,” Capitano said, his voice gentle despite its deep timbre. He walked over and picked Alina up with ease, her small hands resting on his chest plate. “Your mother and I need some time alone. But don’t worry—we’ll have a day just for us soon.”Alina pouted, crossing her arms. “But who’s going to watch me? No one else is as strong as you, Papa.”

You exchanged a quick look with Capitano, both of you knowing that the next part might come as a surprise. “I’ve asked Arlecchino to look after you tonight,” he said, carefully watching Alina’s reaction.Her eyes widened. “The scary lady?” she whispered, glancing over your shoulder as if expecting Arlecchino to pop out of the shadows.

Arlecchino, known for her strict, no-nonsense demeanor, was an intimidating presence to most, especially to a little girl like Alina. Yet, despite her rough exterior, she had shown a strange fondness for your daughter in the few interactions they’d had.

Still, leaving your precious child in her care for the night felt like a big step.“She’s not that scary,” you said, trying to ease Alina’s worries. “And she’s bringing some friends with her—Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet. Remember? They’re really nice, and I think you’ll have a lot of fun with them.”At the mention of new playmates, Alina’s expression brightened. “The magician and the diver? Really?”

Capitano smiled behind his mask, pleased to see her excitement returning. “Yes, really. But you have to be on your best behavior.”“I will!” Alina nodded eagerly, already distracted by the thought of Lyney’s magic tricks and Freminet’s mechanical gadgets.

As if on cue, a knock sounded at the door. You stood to open it, your heart skipping a beat when you saw Arlecchino standing there, her sharp eyes scanning the room. She stepped inside, her dark cloak billowing slightly as she glanced between you, Capitano, and Alina.

“You’re late,” Arlecchino said with her usual bluntness, though there was no malice in her tone. “Are you ready?”Capitano stepped forward, his hand resting on Alina’s back as he handed her off to Arlecchino’s care. “We trust you’ll keep her safe.”Arlecchino’s lips twitched into a small, barely noticeable smirk. “Of course. She’ll be fine with me.”

Alina hesitated for a moment, her wide eyes looking up at the intimidating woman before her. But when the door opened again, and three familiar faces walked in, her fear melted away.

Lyney, “Ah, the famous Alina! I’ve heard you’re quite the little knight.”

Lynette, gave her a small wave, while Freminet, shy as ever, offered a soft smile from behind his mechanical device.Alina beamed at them, her excitement bubbling over.

“Are you going to show me magic?” she asked Lyney, practically bouncing on her toes.

Lyney grinned, pulling a small card from behind her ear with a flick of his wrist. “Only if you promise not to figure out all my secrets.” As Alina laughed, utterly captivated by Lyney’s charm, you felt a sense of relief wash over you. She would be in good hands tonight.

You glanced at Capitano, who nodded slightly in agreement. With that, you turned to Arlecchino, giving her a grateful smile. “Thank you.” Arlecchino shrugged, as if the whole ordeal was nothing to her. “I’ll keep her entertained.” With one last look at Alina, who was now fully engrossed in Lyney’s tricks, you and Capitano stepped out into the cold Snezhnayan night.

The streets of Snezhnaya were quieter than usual, the snow crunching softly beneath your boots as you and Capitano walked side by side. It felt surreal, almost like stepping back in time to your early days together, when the weight of the world hadn’t yet settled on your shoulders.

Tonight, you weren’t the feared Captain and his wife. You were just two people, enjoying a long-overdue night out. As you approached the quiet restaurant where your first date had taken place, Capitano finally spoke, his deep voice cutting through the silence. “Do you remember this place?”

You smiled softly, looking up at the modest building, the warm glow from inside spilling out onto the snow-covered street. “Of course. How could I forget?”

That first date had been simple but perfect. It was before all the complications of Fatui life, before Alina had come into your world and changed everything. Back then, you and Capitano were still figuring out who you were to each other. “Back then, I didn’t think we’d get this far,” Capitano admitted, his tone quieter than usual. You turned to look at him, surprised by the vulnerability in his voice. “What do you mean?”

“I was so focused on my duties, on being who the Tsaritsa needed me to be. I didn’t think I had room for more.” He paused, reaching up to remove his mask. For a moment, you could see the man behind the title—the man you fell in love with. “But then, you showed me I could have both.” Your heart swelled with warmth as you stepped closer, placing your hand on his cheek.

For a moment, it felt like the rest of the world melted away. It was just the two of you, standing in the cold but warmed by each other’s presence. Capitano’s hand rested gently on your waist, pulling you closer until your foreheads touched. “Thank you,” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the soft wind.

“For what?” “For staying by my side. For giving me a family.” You smiled, your heart full. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

Back at home, Alina was thoroughly enjoying her evening with Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet.

The three siblings had quickly become her new favorite people, especially Lyney, who had already shown her several tricks she couldn’t begin to understand. “Can you teach me how to do that?” she asked, eyes wide with wonder as Lyney made a coin disappear.

Lyney grinned, leaning down to whisper, “Maybe one day, when you’re older. Magic takes patience.” Arlecchino, watching from the corner with her usual stern expression, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of amusement at how easily the performers had won Alina over. She had anticipated the evening to be more of a chore, but Alina seemed to have a way of softening, even the most hard-bitten individuals.

As the night wore on and Alina began to grow sleepy, curled up beside Freminet who was showing her one of his gadgets, Arlecchino stood and walked over, her bunny slippers (Bruh, i don’t want arlecchino to wear THAT heels for 24 hrs) slapping softly on the floor.

“Time for bed” she said, her tone firm but not unkind. Alina yawned, rubbing her eyes but nodding obediently. “Will you tell Papa I was good?” Arlecchino’s smirk returned. “I’ll tell him you were better than good.” With that, Alina drifted off, the warmth of the night still lingering as she fell asleep, dreaming of magic and knights.

[thebearer]

i LOVED your making the bed series. It's so accurate and realistic to carmens character. the fact that you wrote all three parts in three days just baffles me! what do you think their relationship would be like afterwards? regarding all aspects such as conversations, arguments, sex, etc...

ahh thank you so much!! it was so fun writing it lol I had a blast even tho it was angst.

i don’t think it would be an immediate just “completely back to normal again” type thing. i mean, this was probably the biggest fight they’ll ever have and it was hurtful. he’s apologized but his words will still linger and it’s not something that can just be completely swept under the rug, but it’s also not unforgivable especially since this was carmen’s wake up call to get some help in a way. you leaving was scary but taking teddy and anchovy? terrified him.

i do think that you would forgive carmen before he forgave himself. like a few days go by, things are feeling more normal. he took off work just to be with the two of you. still on his sabbatical and really wanting to make up for it, spend time. i stand by what i said in the previous ask that he’d be just an endless cycle of anxiety, guilt, dread, self loathing.

I don’t think there’d be any arguments so to say. if there was it’s because carmen’s broken down and started talking bad about himself again, and you’re having to stop the spiral.

as far as sex… I think you’d have to initiate it (i know i said teddy was a newborn but maybe i’ll speed it a little forward where she’s at least eight or nine weeks old lol. that’s still newborn right? haha)

carmen wants to but he feels like he shouldn’t, like he doesn’t deserve it. he’s worried that you’ll think he’s just using you but he wants to but he’s not initiating. you’ll have to do that.

first time after the fight is definitely like a true, passionate, make up sex. slow and really intimate and clingy. i feel like you arrange for someone to watch teddy for the night (maybe pete and sugar since mj and maggie will not stop asking to see her and anchovy again) you surprise him when he gets off work early to an empty house and make your move. he’s definitely the one who has to be reassured but once it happens, it’s kinda like the final thing that gets you back to a place of normality. like he still feels like shit, still is trying to make it up even tho he’s been forgiven, still going to therapy, but now it’s like everything is at least back to normal. one of those nights once you start, it doesn’t stop. all night type thing just slow and making it up.

i have also seen the begging for a post fight smut and i promise I will begin working on it soon lol. a full works for all of you. maybe a second more fun smut too bc I was planning on doing a baby making one anyways lol

[may-russell]

Just the two of us… 🎶☕️

You work at a coffee shop and once Hamzah notices you, he becomes a regular.

Word count: 2744 (sorry if it's too long)

!hamzah x fem reader.

Part 3/3:

You had spent a few days texting and facetiming just to get to know each other a bit more.

Every new thing Hamzah learned about you, was just another reason why he liked you. It was scary, he was experiencing so many feelings in such a short amount of time. It was the first time someone had swept him off his feet, but you brought him so much peace that focusing on anything other than the way his chest felt everytime he thought about you was pointless. Time was relative.

On Thursday, as you were finishing a long day at work, your phone rang. It was Hamzah. His voice alone was enough to calm you.

"Hey y/n, how was work?" he asked.

"Hi... ugh, it was rough. I'm exhausted, but it was good. I like staying busy, you know? I never run out of things to do."

"Haha, I don't know how you do it, but I'm glad you enjoy your job. You should get some rest though; you'll need it for tomorrow..."

You could hear the smile in his voice, hinting that he had something planned.

"Tomorrow? What's happening tomorrow?"

"...Our big date!! If you're free... Are you free for dinner tomorrow? I found this place I think you'd really like."

Your heart started racing. It was finally happening. Initially, you had doubts, but Hamzah had given you the time and space to get to know him, and you appreciated that. He was patient and understanding, passionate about his job, and struck a perfect balance between fun and serious. Though you hadn't known each other for long, you trusted him enough to say yes.

"Yeah," you said with a big smile—the same one he always complimented you on. You had once confided in him about your insecurity growing up, and he had made it a point to always appreciate it. "Where are we going?"

"Well, you're always talking about jazz, so I asked around and found this 'invitation-only jazz club'... and I managed to get us invites!"

"Oh... Wow! I see being an influencer has its perks. I've always wanted to go to a place like that."

"Haha, I knew you'd like it. Meet you at 7?"

"You know me well. Yeah, text me the address and I'll meet you there."

"Great. See you tomorrow then."

"See ya!"

The date was set.

Saying you were excited was an understatement; you had always dreamed of meeting someone who wasn't afraid to show genuine interest in you, someone who listened and cared deeply about your feelings. It felt surreal. Sometimes, you thought about the "random" ways the universe worked—what were the chances of Hamzah walking into THAT coffee shop on THAT particular day and time? If not for that serendipitous moment, your paths might never have crossed, and your life wouldn't be this nice.

As soon as you got home, you couldn't wait to share the news with Anna, your roommate and best friend. Her eyes lit up with happiness for you. “It’s good seeing you like this y/n, it was time you finally met a nice guy,” You could see it in her eyes, she meant that. “Do you know what you’re wearing yet?. “I have a few ideas” You said.

The excitement was mutual, as soon as you hung up Hamzah texted Martin. “GUESS WHO HAS A DATE TOMORROW!!!!” He had gotten a haircut the day before to make sure it looked nice by Friday, and already had an outfit in mind, he had planned on picking you up with some flowers, him walking up to your door and surprising you with them, giving you a big hug and smelling your perfume. But you told him you’d meet him there instead, so he had to come up with a new plan to fantasize about.  

FRIDAY

The time leading to the date seemed like an eternity, work was slower than usual, everything was quiet, except for the incessant ticking of the big clock on the cold, white wall in front of you. Across the room, your coworker in her fifties, mindlessly scrolling on facebook on her phone, the screen glaring brightly as she burst into laughter at every funny post. You and Anna had joked about her contagious, "funnier-than-the-joke" laugh just last night.

Hamzah would text you every once in a while throughout the day, and you’d reply trying not to show your excitement, but you were giggling all day long, your mind kept drifting away from your tasks to the infinite possibilities of what could happen tonight, what he’d wear, how he’d react to what you’d be wearing, would the food be good? Would you guys dance? Or just talk and enjoy the music in the background. You kept trying not to get your hopes too high up, in case anything went wrong, what if he canceled last minute?What if–Stop overthinking- You told yourself, -Let’s find something else to do instead-. Hamzah had awaken a lot of feelings within you, most of them sweet and cheesy, but you had found yourself feeling more self-conscious than usual at times, not because of him. First dates are always nerve wracking.

Finally, the workday came to an end. You packed up your things, said your goodbyes, and headed out to the parking lot. Unlocking your car, you climbed in and took a deep breath. As you turn the engine on, you noticed a weird sound, but chose to ignore it. The drive home was filled with a mix of nervous excitement and cautious optimism.

Arriving at your apartment, you hurried inside. You kicked off your shoes and headed straight for the kitchen, were Anna was already heating up lunch for the two of you, she gets off work earlier than you, and she loves cooking, something you were very grateful for. As you both ate your meals, you checked your phone again—another text from Hamzah.

"Hey, are you getting excited? I can't wait to see you tonight 😊"

You smiled at his message, feeling a rush of warmth. Quickly composing yourself, you replied, "Definitely excited! Looking forward to it 😄"

Anna noticed your distracted state and teased, "Someone's got a big date tonight, huh?"

You chuckled nervously. "Yeah, it's just... I really hope it goes well."

Anna grinned knowingly. "It will. Hamzah seems like a great guy. Relax and enjoy yourself."

Over lunch, you shared the latest updates with Anna, including Hamzah's thoughtful messages throughout the day. After eating, you took an “everything shower” and went to your room to decide on an outfit for the evening.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of multiple outfit changes and fleeting thoughts about the evening ahead. After a few moments of deliberation, you settled on a black backless dress, heels and you hair in a messy but stylish bun.

With a final glance in the mirror, you grabbed your purse and phone, checking for any last-minute messages. There it was—a text from Hamzah.

"Heyy, I'm almost there! Can't wait to see you. I'll be by the entrance."

Your heart skipped a beat as you read his message. Taking a deep breath to calm your nerves, you replied, "On my way! See you soon 😊"

You headed out the door, the cool evening air adding to the anticipation building within you. As you got into you car, you could feel something was off, you tried to turn it on but it wasn’t working –Shit.- You quickly grabbed your phone again and ordered an uber, luckily there was one just a couple blocks away from you.

After a few minutes, you were finally there. You got off the car, spotting Hamzah waiting just as he described, wearing the cutest glasses, your nerves eased. His smile widened as he saw you approaching, and you couldn't help but smile back.

"Hey," he greeted warmly, reaching out to give you a gentle hug. "You look amazing."

"Thank you," you replied, feeling a flush of happiness. "So do you."

“I wanted to get you an actual bouquet,” He says, revealing a red rose he was hiding behind his back. “But I thought it would get in the way when we started dancing. I’ll get you one for next time though.”

“We’re dancing?!” You said with a huuuugeee smile, “God I love your smile-OF COURSE we’re dancing! I didn’t look up ‘How to dance to jazz tutorials’ for nothing”.

“Thanks, really” It’s all you managed to say, staring into his eyes, the night had just started and it was already everything you’d dream of. “Come on, let’s go inside” He said as he wraped his arm around you and led you in.

As you entered the jazz club together, the soft strains of music enveloped you. The ambiance was cozy, with dim lighting casting a warm glow over the intimate tables. Hamzah led you to a table near the stage, where you settled in comfortably. The air was filled with the sweet aroma of good food and the gentle hum of conversations.

The evening unfolded beautifully as you and Hamzah delved into meaningful conversations, sharing stories and discovering mutual interests. You told him about you car breaking down and he offered you a ride back home. He was attentive and sweet, making you feel at ease with his genuine charm and personality.

Dinner arrived—a delicious spread of gourmet dishes that delighted your taste buds. Between bites and sips of wine, laughter bubbled up naturally between you, punctuated by moments of shared glances, soft innocent touches and smiles that spoke volumes.

As the music shifted to a soulful jazz melody, ‘Just the Two of Us’ ;) Hamzah stood up, extending his hand to you with a playful grin. "Care for a dance?"

Your heart skipped a beat at his invitation. You placed your hand in his, feeling the warmth of his touch as he led you to the small dance floor beside the stage. In the soft glow of the club lights, you swayed together to the rhythm of the music, feeling the subtle electricity between you.

For a few blissful moments, the world outside faded away as you immersed yourself in the magic of the night. Hamzah's movements were graceful yet assured, his hand on your waist guiding you across the floor. Your hand in his and your foreheads touching. You couldn't help but admire how his eyes sparkled with genuine happiness, mirroring your own.

As you moved together in sync with the music, the distance between you seemed to dissolve. Each step was a testament to the growing bond between you, a silent promise of more moments like this to come. The rhythm of the jazz, the soft glow of the club lights, and the subtle scent of his cologne enveloped you in a cocoon of intimacy.

In the quiet pauses between songs, he leaned in close, his breath warm against your ear. "You're an amazing dancer," he murmured, his voice filled with admiration.

You smiled, feeling a rush of warmth at his words. "You're not so bad yourself," you teased softly, the playful banter adding to the lightness of the occasion.

As the music continued, you found yourself lost in the dance, savoring each fleeting second as if trying to capture the essence of this perfect evening. The world outside seemed distant and insignificant compared to the connection you shared in that moment.

Eventually, the song ended, as you returned to your table, hand in hand, the evening continued with a renewed sense of closeness and connection. The jazz club buzzed with life around you, yet it felt like the two of you were in your own little world, cocooned in the warmth of newfound companionship.

As the night came to an end, and the jazz club began to empty, y/n and Hamzah stepped out into the crisp night air, their breath visible in the glow of city lights. The date had been enchanting, filled with laughter, shared stories, and a dance that seemed to suspend time itself.

As they walked towards Hamzah's car, y/n's thoughts flickered back to the Uber ride that had brought her here. She had enjoyed the evening and was grateful for Hamzah's company. The offer of a ride home from him now felt like a continuation of his thoughtfulness.

Reaching the car, Hamzah unlocked the door and held it open for y/n with a gallant gesture. She smiled appreciatively, settling into the passenger seat. The warmth of the car enveloped them both as Hamzah started the engine, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between them.

"I hope you enjoyed tonight," Hamzah said, glancing over at y/n with a gentle smile.

"I did," y/n replied softly, her gaze meeting his. "Thank you for inviting me and for the ride home."

"My pleasure," Hamzah replied warmly, his eyes reflecting the streetlights as they drove through the quiet night. "I'm glad we had this time together."

As they navigated through the familiar streets towards y/n's apartment, conversation flowed between them. They discussed their favorite jazz tunes from the night, shared funny anecdotes, and delved into deeper topics that revealed more about their passions and dreams.

The drive seemed to pass in a blur, the connection between y/n and Hamzah growing stronger with each passing minute. By the time they arrived at y/n's apartment building, she couldn't help but feel a sense of reluctance to say goodbye.

"Here we are," he said softly, pulling up to the curb outside y/n's building. He turned off the engine and turned to face her, his expression earnest. Hamzah hesitated for a moment, stepping out, he hurried around to y/n's side and opened the door for her, offering his hand to help her out. She accepted, feeling a flutter of warmth at his gesture.

"Thank you," y/n said softly as she stood beside him, their eyes meeting in the dim glow of the streetlights.

"You're welcome," Hamzah replied, his voice gentle. "Let me walk you to your door."

Together, they walked towards the entrance of the apartment building, the night air cool around them. The silence between them now felt comfortable, filled with a shared understanding and the promise of more to come.

As they reached y/n's door, she turned to face Hamzah with a smile. Him looking at her as if contemplating his next words. "Thank you again for tonight. I really enjoyed your company."

"Me too," y/n replied sincerely, moving closer to him, a warm smile gracing her lips. "I had a great time."

"Would you like to do this again sometime?” He said, his hand gracing hers.

Y/n felt a rush of excitement at his suggestion. "I would love that," she answered.

"Great," Hamzah said with a smile, relief evident in his voice.

Their closeness drew them together naturally, and suddenly, y/n found herself wrapped in Hamzah's embrace. Her arms were around his neck, fingers gently caressing the curls at the back of his head. His arms encircled her waist, drawing her in as she rested her head against his chest. The intimacy of the moment enveloped them both, a silent acknowledgment of the connection they had forged over the course of the evening.

“Y/n?” Hamzah murmured softly.

“Yeah?” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Can I kiss you?”

Their hearts raced in unison, the anticipation palpable between them. Y/n lifted her head, meeting Hamzah's gaze with unwavering certainty. Their noses brushed against each other's, their breath mingling in the quiet space between them. And then, without hesitation, Hamzah closed the distance between them, his lips meeting hers in a tender kiss.

Time seemed to stand still as they shared this intimate moment, the world outside fading away. The kiss was gentle yet filled with passion, a culmination of the emotions they had both been feeling throughout the night.

As they pulled back slightly, their foreheads resting together, y/n couldn't help but smile. It felt right, being in Hamzah's arms, their hearts beating as one.

Hamzah brushed a strand of hair away from y/n's face, his touch tender. “I'm glad I met you, y/n.”

"Me too," y/n replied softly, her fingers tracing the line of Hamzah's jaw. "I'm really glad."

They stood there for a moment longer, savoring the closeness and the newfound connection between them. In that quiet moment, they both knew that tonight had been more than just a date—it had been the beginning of something beautiful.

Thank you for reading!! This was so much fun.

[marzipanandminutiae]

you know, the Horrible Histories "Victorian names were WEIRD!!!!" skit leaves out some important info on some of the names (assisted by Ancestry.com searches):

Lettice Berger: "Lettice" was an anglicization of the Roman name "Leticia." Berger is just a normal German surname. Yes, they had the word "lettuce," and I'm sure the similarities occurred to them. But nobody named their child "lettuce" like the vegetable.

O.K. Johnson: Probably just the kid's initials. "O.K." as a slang term was invented in 1830s Boston, but without any evidence of when little O.K. lived (they don't cite any sourced for these names, how convenient), it's impossible to tell whether it would have crossed the pond by the time he was born.

Never [they pronounce the surname Rookrook]: I found a LOT of Nevers in the UK with Indian surnames. So uh. There's that. And a lot of census records online seem to have notes written by the census-taker mislabeled as names- "never opens door" was one I noticed. Just saying. I also found multiple "NEVA Rook" census entries- which probably would have been pronounced "NEE-vah" but sounds like "Never" with a British accent if you tilt your head and squint.

Toilet: Surprisingly common modern misreading of "Violet" on 19th-century censuses with bad handwriting.

Baboon: Found one census where it's a misreading of "Barbara;" others were non-Anglo names like Baban, Babyon, Babboni, etc.

Susan Semolina-Thrower: That's just two unfortuate surnames, I'm guessing? I can't find their sources, again, but I do find a lot of records of "Semolina" as a surname in the UK during the 19th century. The poor parents had no control over that, did they?

Happy: ...yeah, it's a virtue name. And? How is that weirder than Faith, Hope, Grace, Patience, Prudence, etc?

Evil: Another census misreading- usually "Evie."

Minty Badger: "Minty" is short for Araminta/Aminta/Arminta. Still sounds like a Discworld character, but nothing would sound normal with "Badger" as a surname. Araminta Badger at least makes more sense to modern ears, though.

Freezer Breezer: Breezer was a real surname, and parents can be cruel. I don't doubt that- my dad went to school with an "Emily Memily." that being said...I did find a "Fred R. Breezer" born in 1873 in England; see above re: census misreadings. Just throwing that out there. I found it as a corruption/misspelling of "Fraser/Frasier" too.

Scary Looker: I actually found this one. It was a misreading of "Jeany" on a census- the girl's name was Jane Looker, born 1841 in Lancashire to John and Elizabeth Looker. Nice research there, team.

Farting Clack: Fasting Clack or Clark, born 1863 in London. Another lovely misreading from the census. True "Fasting Clark" is not NOT a weird name, but it's a lot less horrible than "Farting Clack" and it makes sense under the Hyper-Christian Parents category.

Princess Cheese was real, not a nickname, and not a misreading or misspelling. Princess May Cheese was born in 1896 in West Bromwich. She married one John T. Brookes in 1914- possibly eager to no longer be a Cheese?

Multiple people really have been christened Bovril, most notably one Bovril Simpson, married in West Ham in 1911.

Incredibly, Raspberry/Rasberry/Roseberry is a real given name, and Lemon a real surname. Most people named Raspberry seem to have been men.

So that's only three of their Wacky Victorian Names that are actually 100% real. Nice job, there, team. I love Ghosts, but get your collective act together!

(They did once have a skit insisting that Victorians called trousers "the southern necessity" when that's actually a phrase from the writings of famously terrible 19th-century author Amanda McKittrick Ros, whose work her contemporaries loved poking fun at. So I shouldn't be surprised)

[asexualbookbird]

insert Imagine Dragons Radioactive Gasp Here

Hi. Coming up for air. I'm surrounded by yarn ends and fabric scraps I'm sweaty and covered in paint. I was a tiny bit productive this July! Made lots of progress on the Irish Lullaby Blanket, painted our balcony, started a few projects I really shouldn't have, and oh yeah! READ EIGHT BOOKS?? Who am I. I'm twelve books ahead of schedule according to goodreads, eleven by StoryGraph standards. It's wild. It helps that my library is holding an adult summer reading bingo contest and I fully intend to fill out the entire board.

The City We Became by NK Jemisin ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- WAOW. I initially rated this four stars, but sitting on it and coming back to it now, it was absolutely a five star read. I would love to reread it, the world was intriguing, and the AUDIO NARRATOR WAS STUNNING! I do try not to judge the contents of a book by it's narrator, but what a performance! When library bingo is over, I'm listening to book two ASAP.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Oh look! A Classic I actually enjoyed! I don't want to judge horror on whether or not I'm scared, because it IS kind of tough to get to me, but this was fun! I could see the spooks! Even if it wasn't spooky For Me, Personally, it was still a fun time!

The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Oh. Ouchie. A shortie, but a goodie, I'm kicking myself for returning the ebook immediately because I would've liked to go back and reread bits of it if not ALL of it. A not exactly new take on fae, but an interesting one that I actually enjoyed.

Starling House by Alix E Harrow ⭐⭐⭐⭐- I did NOT intend to read this directly after Hill House but I am SO glad I did. THE PARALLELS!!!! The circular story!!!! THE STARLINGS!!!! I laughed, I cried, I yelled at Arthur, there were surprises I genuinely didn't expect, but made so much sense in hindsight. I don't exactly buy the romance, but I'll let it slide this one time.

Ghost Station by SA Barnes ⭐⭐- Two stars is Very Generous. And I'm sticking to it because the concept is still intriguing and if you squint there was some Leech stuff going on. Maybe I should just reread Leech. Sigh. Ophelia was hired to do ONE. JOB. To make sure none of the team members have Want To Murder Disease. And then Birch shows signs of Want To Murder Disease and she KEEPS IT QUIET BECAUSE *checks notes* HE KNOWS HER DAD HAD WANTS TO MURDER DISEASE. Everyone is stupid. They're scientists and everyone is fucking stupid. It wasn't scary, because EVERYONE WAS FUCKING STUPID. Biting all of them.

Thornhedge by T Kingfisher ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Oh T Kingfisher, you have never disappointed me, why do I read anything else. Another fun take on the fae! It's so hard to get me to like a fae book, so GOOD JOB KINGFISHER! I liked the new take on Girl Locked In A Tower, I liked that Toadling was surrounded by love and still encouraged to do what makes her happy. Again, I almost reread (listened. Whatever) this immediately just for funsies. Another banger from T Kingfisher.

The Sun and The Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro ⭐⭐⭐ - I've been waffling on this rating a LOT. Disclaimer that I haven't read any of Riordan's stuff since the OG Percy Jackson series, and that was ages ago so I can't compare this to that. This was a fun little book, but it felt a little heavy handed with the themes even for a middle grade. It doesn't make me want to read more, but I'm not mad I read it at all.

The Scapegracers by HA Clarke ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Okay. Listen. Look. Look at me. Was this The Perfect Book? No absolutely not. Was it a banger? Did I have fun? YES ABSOLUTELY YES! It's a book I could've needed in high school, but I wouldn't have been mature enough to appreciate it so I'm glad I have it NOW. Angry Queer Teen Girls will run the world. And I'm here for it. So looking forward to the rest of the series, I need to know what sort of mischief these girls get up to. I hope they curse another fuckboy. They deserve it.

BONUS! I also watched The Haunting of Hill House on netflix! One bingo square said "read a book then what the movie" and I really thought Mike Flanagan's Hill House was a movie but no it was ten (10) hours of spooky fucked up family dynamics. Also Nate Ford was there. Naturally. It was good! It was creepy! I wanna watch it again JUST FOR THE TREE HOUSE. I was skeptical when I first started because who the hell are you people (Steve, Shirley) but no it was fun! But also. Fuck Steven and Shirley. Congrats to Theo and moving in with her girlfriend of one week, peak lesbian stereotypes. Biggest complaint is with Mike Flanagan and his need to not only kill cats, but get close up shots of said dead cats. What's up with that my dude. What did cats ever do to you?

Plans for August (how am I saying that) are The Bone Season side by side comparison with the first edition and the tenth anniversary edition. I'm counting that as two books, I think, because it IS two books, and looking at them next to each other, there's a pretty sizable difference in page count! No clue about word count. This is part of book bingo (reread a book you didn't enjoy the first time), and this has helped me realise that I've been avoiding this for a Reason. I truly and surely did not enjoy The Bone Season and have no desire to experience that again. Don't know what to do with this information. So. I'm rereading it. Yay.

I have a few sewing projects I'm working on, and I am SO CLOSE to finishing the Irish Lullaby Blanket! It's exciting! So lets go!! Bring it on, August!!

[bronzeageyuri]

Today marks three years of Dianthus existing! I made my first concept sketches for her on 11/20/23 💖 this also means it's been three years of Diathesterius! I sometimes use the date I uploaded Dia to toyhouse, the 21st, as the anniversary date just in case I'm late... but I managed to finish colouring this <3 I had actually wanted to do something for this earlier in the month, I even made some very elaborate plans for it... but it ended up not happening! Which is okay 💞 but I still wanted to draw a little wedding piece... so I did! I'll make something fancier when I have more time later on... 💝 I used my own handwriting here for authenticity, but at some point... I'd like to be able to rewrite in Greek for More authenticity <3 Uncropped version (and long rambling post) under the cut 💕 I get a little Vulnerable so don't read it if you're gonna be mean or else I'll like Get You or something

I've made posts in the past talking about why Theseus and Asterius mean so much to me, but I don't think I've made one on why Dianthus herself means so much to me.. so for her own third year anniversary, I'll do that here! before I begin...! the fruit in dia's hair here are from the strawberry tree, arbutus unedo. I associate the tree and its fruit with Theseus but... it's honestly been so long, I don't remember exactly why! Just that, for some reason, I imagine thathis childhood home had a tree of these fruit blossoming just outside his mother's room, and thus he has fond memories of it. Lady Dianthus... she who loves all things pink, actively hates celery, and still has a job at the library despite being so fogetful and clumsy... she who met Theseus and immediately became obsessed because it was the first interesting thing to happen to her- not a parent or someone she's close to, but herself! her first time feeling as if she had a true purpose. She who didn't understand Theseus' obsession with Asterius until meeting he Minotaur, and promptly decided "he's not scary? he's not scary at all! he's just a cow!" I've made sona and the likes before Dia of course, but she was the first in a long time who was truly meant to resemble me in all ways (except for the setting, of course...). I made her design simple so I would easily be able to redraw her, and gave her one of my favourite palettes pink and green and cream and gold. At first I really didn't expect to get that attached to her... I went months without drawing her after her initial creation. but the more I drew her the more I realized how much fun I was having with her...! It's funny looking back on it... originally I had a much more comedic idea for her story, and di not intend to ship her with Theseus in any serious way. It was going to be a completely one-sided love (with Dianthus taking the role of "crazed fangirl" - which she still is, in a way). I'm sure it isn't a surprise but it didn't take me long at all to start drawing ship art of them, creating artworks and writing of Theseus and Asterius was a self indulgent joy for me, so why not selfship art too? I ended up invested, of course. Using Dia I put a lot of my own feelings into a story; a sense of otherness, her loneliness, feeling lost and out of place. I had removed it later on because I felt uneasy with how vulnerable it was, but at one put I had placed one of the most traumatic events of my life into Dia's story- sometimes I think about adding it back, because I know giving her an oppurtunity to open up about it with her beloveds would be something beneficial to Me irl(!). But that's besides the point here... she's a stubborn girl, sweet but arrogant is my usual go-to descriptor for her; that's how I think of myself too, just based on what I've been told (I have a hard time thinking of myself as nice, though others always say so to me...). That may be part of why I tend to look for those features in (fictional!) lovers... something feels good to me about being able to butt heads due to this shared traits, but still coming together and making amends despite it. I do think it's a little funny that the sonas I've gotten the most attached to so far- Dianthus, and now Nerine- have some sort of theme of death with them. Dianthus is literally a ghost, and Nerine is metaphorically one (and maybe liteally, if I ever make up my mind...). Maybe that's just fitting for me, though... hmm... I'm not sure what else I want to say here... I think of Dianthus as "Me but in Hades Game / Ancient Greek context." Of course some events that happen in her life didn't happen to me, or, sometimes, I dramatize it (Dia's mother leaving her and her father to become the wife of a god was inspired by the fact that for the first few yers of my life, my parents were separated... but they always had a positive relationship with one another! Unlike Dia's parents), but she's become a big par

t of me all the same. Just as I am happy and hoping to spend many more years with Theseus and Asterius, I hope to spend many more years with her as well. i think that's all I'll write for now <3 if you read this thank you for being curious enough about me to be interested in all this 😭

btw, here's the first ever post of her... (yes thats my priv </3 i briefly unlocked it to search for this... don't try and follow me over there though it's crazy over there)

[leggerefiore]

Nervousness flooded Cyrus's mind as the salty waves lapped around his waist. Of all times to lose sight of Cyllene… His tail raised him higher out of the sea, desperately searching above the waves for any sight of her. Having swum underwater in searching, he had found nothing. Not her, nor the Popplio hybrid that had put the idea of the ocean in her mind. His daughter was perfectly fine in her pond. It was surrounded by a beautiful garden that he had carefully tended to. But, no, a surprise visitor who accidentally got in had to tell her of the sea… And, of course, she would be enamoured and wish to see the salty waves for herself.

A Primarina hybrid was following close behind, but he felt unable to rest without Cyllene near him. Magikarps were notoriously fragile – that included her. Barely any attacks to defend herself and left at the mercy of those around her… He kept her in that pond for safety. She could be guarded easily. Nothing could hurt her. The ocean was full of dangerous pokemon. She knew nothing of this world. His breath caught in his throat. What would become of her? A shape lurking nearby almost made a rage overtake him. He forced down those instinctual feelings and recalled that attacking such a hybrid would only end in disaster for himself.

The Eelektross hybrid popped up from the water and tilted his head at him curiously. Something about the features of the man felt eerily familiar, but he could not recall immediately why. The electric type swam closer, revealing a few injuries on his body. Cyrus worried momentarily if he was going to have to initiate a fight in the end after all. For his daughter, he could not allow himself to become prey to any pokemon or hybrid.

“… Are you looking for your daughter?” the hybrid suddenly asked in a low voice. Cyrus blinked. Fear suddenly rushed through his mind. He… He could not… No… Panic swirled in his mind as he frantically tried to crush any worries about what may have come of Cyllene. The rage began to burn within him again – Harsh, unwanted feelings mocked him. How dare he try to find some semblance of peace or happiness in this world? He was being mocked by the universe for his attempts. “Calm down,” the Eelektross suddenly said, “… She is with my nephew. I was sent to find you. She is worried about you.”

Cyrus froze. His words… He stared at the other man for a moment. His features were truly like that of the Popplio hybrid. He blinked. Just, what was this family? No, he would prefer to remain apathetic. “Is that so? I would be grateful if you led me to her then,” he spoke carefully. Emmet narrowed his eyes.

“Mmm… I understand,” he said unexpectedly, “Taking your daughter into the ocean is verrrry scary. I worried too much for my darlings. But they are fine.” Water shifted as he began to swim. Not another word was spoken. Cyrus followed dutifully. An arrival at a coral reef revealed a small Magikarp hybrid hiding carefully while a Popplio hybrid searched for her. At least Cyrus's game of hide and seek was over.

Cyllene popped up at the sight of her father, stating the other child. She swam over to him and brought her arms tightly around his chest. He stroked her hair unconsciously. Erin moved over to his uncle, who just shrugged.

“You promised to stay near me,” Cyrus began to lightly scolded her. Cyllene's cheeks lit up with colour, and she buried her faced into his abdomen. He was momentarily overwhelmed by how impossibly small she was.

“I am sorry, father,” she mumbled out softly, voice much quiet. He pressed her closer into him lightly, “... I was having too much fun… I forgot…”

He sucked in a sharp breath. Bubbles flooded around from the intensity. His heart hurt. “… No, no… It is fine… I just ask that you don't stray so far from me again,” Cyrus reassured her. She nodded silently.

~

Nearby, Emmet watched curiously while Erin felt confused.

“You and them don't act like that…” Erin's mind drifted to his Eelektrik cousins, Inka and Emma. Both were quite adept in the ocean, but Emmet still panicked whenever they went off on their own. The Eelektross hybrid hummed.

“… I think he may be worse than I am, yep,” he nodded to himself.

Erin was now even more lost.

[sspookyspoonss]

I watched the fnaf film today (Britain moment) and omg I loved it.

Spoiler free review:

The plot is not revolutionary, it’s what you’d expect. Fun rather than scary. Definitely a film for fans (and one they will love, I have never heard a cinema react more than with this film nor have I had such a blast watching one).

Now for spoilers. I just need to collect my thoughts somewhere so this may be a complete mess but I don’t care, I’m just so happy.

Characters:

Mike and Abbey: They had a good dynamic. I was a bit concerned with how annoying Abbey was at the start but she ended up really adorable. The initial bratty behaviour really helps build our relationship with Mike. I also like how she just acts like a kid, she gets excited when she sees cool animatronic animals and reacts as you would expect when she thinks her aunt is gonna take her away. I really liked her which surprised me honestly.

Congratulations to Mike Schmidt for having common sense and communication skills. This man actually accepts what’s going on and rolls with it and this is definitely to the films benefit seeing as we know what’s up with the animatronics. Also, instead of going ‘oh no my sister is drawing stuff I see in my dreams guess I’ll look concerned about it’ he actually sits her down and talks it out which I really appreciated. I genuinely felt awful for Mike, the guy clearly has it rough and still is struggling due to his brothers murder. The scene where he sees what he could have had was genuinely touching and made me really feel for the guy. I think he was a solid protagonist.

Vanessa was cool, a fun character but not explored too extensively. She’s Williams daughter and knows exactly what’s going on at Freddy’s (possessions, bodies in suits and all) and has kept quiet due to William’s abuse. This is stated right at the end of the film and her having some history with Freddy’s is hinted at throughout. My non-fnaf friends missed that William’s abuse is why she never did anything because it was only stated in like at a push two lines and never shown in a flashback. This was a bit of a shame as it would’ve characterised her and William more and added to the sympathy we felt for her because she is still hiding that 5 kids bodies are in the animatronics while on the police force. Other than that I loved her childlike excitement when with Abbey and building the fort but also that she clearly had some deeper trauma related to Freddy’s.

William Afton: That Spring Bonnie entrance HOLY SHIT. The Silver Eyes! Genuinely the best shot in the film, it was creepy and so cool from a fan perspective, the cinema was hyped. From the get go when he’s in Steve Raglan mode and is describing Freddy’s, Matthew Lillard is nailing it. You immediately get that this is a sick man who is getting so much glee out of describing this place and knowing he’s getting another victim out of this whole thing. When he appears again at the end and taunts Vanessa it is again amazing characterisation, really sells that this guy is just an awful abusive plank. The way he shouts and kicks Mike, while a tad goofy because animal costume, was another great character moment, the sick joy he’s clearly getting from torturing Mike is evident from the line delivery. We also get a glimpse of why he does it, degrading the animatronics as they surround him and taunting them that he made them like that to hold on to the feeling of power he gets from his murders. Like I said before, I would’ve liked some content of him and Vanessa when she was younger to flesh that dynamic out more, but overall I loved the portrayal. It is all that I thought William Afton would be, a cruel egomaniac with no remorse and a God complex. The moments we got of him were highlights.

Golden Freddy/vengeful spirit kid: Another great character lifted from the games. From what we know of Cassidy, boy does he live up to vengeful. Very cold and downright manipulative towards Mike in the nightmare scenes where they interact directly. The bit at the end where he stands staring a William dying in the suit was just fantastic and a great nod to UCN.

The aunt: She does her job, you hate her and makes you root for Mike but beyond that nothing noteworthy.

Moments in the film:

Cold Open: It was very exciting. Great to see the animatronics in action. The acknowledgement of the 2nd and 3rd games vent mechanics where also cool. Probably the most downright scary it gets.

Opening credits: An amazingly animated scene which explained the backstory and paid homage to the 8-bit mini games of the series. We also got our purple guy actually purpling. It was very cool to finally see the actual luring in some form in official media. A lovely mini tribute to a core aspect of the games.

The Foxy runs: Yes they did it 3 times. Lazy? Maybe. But did it have me giggling like a schoolgirl each time? Absolutely. The humming ripped from the game made me smile like a child on Christmas the first time I heard it. The second run was fantastically shot. Seeing him at the end of the hall and cutting to a close up shot/jumpscare was great, up there with one of the best moments for me personally.

The break in: WAS THAT THE BITE OF ‘87?!? Freddy bit that woman fully in half and it was incredible, probably the scariest the film gets. There is only so scary you can really make the animatronics outside of the game setting so it wasn’t especially scary outside the previously mentioned bite. I was just smiling the whole time while these people were getting murdered because I have waited for 7 years to see this stuff happen on the big screen. Is the cupcake (which is used multiple times) goofy? Yes. But boy does it do some damage (that poor man’s face) and is a fun Nightmare Chica bedroom jumpscare nod.

Seeing the endo’s: Just wow, it looked so good.

They build a fort: The animatronics just join forces with the main character about half way though and build a fucking den in the middle of the Pizzeria. It was very funny and plain good fun. Bonnie fell over which was very dumb but in the charming way. It’s nice to see the film acknowledge that these are children haunting the suits, of course they’re gonna want to do dumb kiddish stuff like this given the chance. Not what I was expecting at all but Freddy Fazbear held a chair so my life is now somehow complete.

The weird ghost attack: Jeez Mike goes through it from those ghost kids. I’m glad they did it that rather than having him get beaten up by robot suits. But boy does he get it rough, properly gets beaten up.

Golden Freddy in Mike’s house: Pretty cool. Again vengeful spirit does a lot of the lifting on the scary part but God is Golden Freddy’s design cool. Genuinely one of my favourite renditions of the character design wise. It’s unfortunate we never got to see him slumped over.

The explanation to why the ghost are attacking: This wasn’t explained great. Basically, William is somehow manipulating the kids since they don’t remember anything however we only I get an ‘I don’t know how he does it but he does’ from Vanessa which isn’t very satisfying. That said I’m not sure how else the film could’ve explained it. The whole ‘show them what really happened’ hardly made any sense apart from the ‘kids learn through pictures’ stuff given at the beginning.

Saving Abbey: Not scary, but the animatronics are cool and the Freddy snapping over in Mike’s direction was awesome. However, overall the final act wasn’t the strongest aside from the few minutes William showed up.

The Springlocks: It. Happened. Was it overly gory? No. No screaming in agony either. But it was so cool to see it happen. I know others will probably be disappointed with it but I honestly felt it was completed by the later scene where William is still dying in the suit and reaching out for Cassidy to help him. Basically it wasn’t as extreme as what everyone hoped for (basically that amazing fan audio that I don’t know where comes from) but it was still great to see. I also liked how the animatronics dragged him off while he writhed, though the writhing was subtle due to how bulky the suit was.

‘I always come back’: This got cheers and was good to hear. My initial reaction was that it felt forced because he says it as he puts the suit head back on as he dies but my non-FNaF friend had a different perspective which made me kind of like it. He thought it was him saying ‘I’ve always been come back and have been using you to hurt others and you didn’t realise,’ as a final taunt in line with his previous ones. It made me think about it more and I think I get the intention now. I think he was declaring that the ‘yellow rabbit’ that killed them will reappear to hurt them again because even if they kill him, he knows he will come back because he will possess the suit like the children have. In putting the suit on he’s just making sure he can haunt and hurt them longer. So yeah, with some deeper thought, I quite like this moment, it makes the agony of he’s in in the following scene with Cassidy more karmic, he might still be able to come back now but GOD is he suffering for it.

The credits: WE WON. They played The Living Tombstone! First two notes and the cinema erupted, I’ve never heard anything like it when watching a film, not even with Avengers: Endgame way back when, you could tell everyone was elated. The waves of nostalgia! I was smiling and dancing in my chair and my non-FNaF friends will probably never let me live it down. I cannot describe how good it felt to hear that song, felt like my childhood was completed.

References:

These are the ones I noticed on a first viewing-

Right off the bat the book with ‘Dream Theory’ plastered on the front made me chuckle and immediately made me know that I was gonna have a blast watching this.

Chica’s Magic Rainbow as a ice cream shop(?) logo was a fun little nod to fnaf world that I’m glad was put in.

The ‘It’s Me’ in the mirror.

The Foxy kid screamed and had black inky tears out of his eyes which is a double whammy reference for the ghost children designs in games and also remnant (a concept which goes unmentioned).

Rouge blurry Bonnie plush in a shot was fun.

Fnaf 1 poster in the office.

The infamous box in parts and service.

Bad Chica Halloween costume mask.

Abbey hiding in the Ballpit being an ‘Into the Pit’ book reference.

Balloon boy of all characters unironically having the most startling jumpscares in the entire film.

The Springlock suit that they tried putting Abbey in was Baby, her design from the books, more precisely the design off of the 3rd ‘Fazbear Frights’ book which made me slightly giddy. It looked REALLY cool as a suit regardless of if it was a reference.

The ‘Save Them’ at the end of the credits: Holy hell my jaw hit the floor, such a fun treat for staying right the way through them.

Cameos:

CoryxKenshin: We already knew about the first one but he appears mid credits and gets Balloon Boy-ed which was very funny.

MatPat: The cinema went mad, properly shouting with excitement. Apparently he had a ‘that’s just a theory’ reference in the line he said but everyone was cheering too loud so I couldn’t hear it. It made me very happy he was there considering he’d played it like he wasn’t asked.

The fnaf YouTubers on the wall: Don’t think you got a good look at it so you wouldn’t know if you hadn’t already heard it was a thing.

To conclude:

Overall it was a film I really enjoyed, just a blast to watch that, while flawed in places, made me smile, laugh and excited point like an idiot at the screen. Films are allowed to be dumb fun and this is one of them, especially for a fnaf fan. I love this film and I don’t care what anyone says because it is 2 hours of my childhood.

[nowoyas]

koi no yokan 25: preliminary (nishinoya yuu/reader)

First - Prev - Next (coming 11/30!) - M.list - Ao3

A/N: sliiiightly early because I have a busyish day tomorrow at a writer's conference! I may return to this chapter to rework some things bc I just couldn't make myself happy with it, but I hope you enjoy it all the same!

Summary: The first round of preliminaries for the Spring Tournament begin and end.

Warnings and tags: none!

Words: 3600+

The first school that your boys are going up against looks like it's comprised entirely of delinquents. You don't necessarily like to judge people based on their looks, but now that you're on the court for warm ups, you get to listen to them taunt Tanaka and confirm your initial impression beyond a doubt. Of course, it's getting to Tanaka, and more importantly, it's getting to you.

"Is it just me," Yachi says, hugging her arms to herself, "or do volleyball players just all naturally look pretty scary?"

You nod. "I bet they're all talk, though, I mean, look at them."

"I am looking at them!" she replies in a hushed whisper. "They're big! And scary! They are literally picking a fight with Tanaka-senpai right now!"

You shrug. "Yeah, I bet they feel really good picking a fight from the other side of the net. But like, you see that hair? Dude obviously cares more about how he looks than things like actually being cool or actually being good in a fight. I could probably kick his ass myself." Just for fun and because your head is starting to hurt, you make it a point to raise your voice a little bit. "Guys like that always chicken out the second they actually have to do anything real."

Yachi goes deathly pale and grabs at your arm harshly. "[name]-chan! They're gonna hear you! I think one of them did!"

You feel a little bad, but not for that—being heard was the point, thank you. It's more to do with the way she's more worried about your safety than she is assured by your absolute confidence. "Deep breaths, Yacchan."

Though you would love to keep talking trash, it probably isn't the best sportsmanship to start fights with the other team, even as a manager. That, and Yachi might actually pass out if you keep threatening to fight them. Instead, you begrudgingly keep your mouth shut for the rest of warmups.

When the time comes to head up to the stands with Yachi—only one manager allowed on the court for the match, after all—Noya pulls you to the side with an expectant look. You roll your eyes, but the Ohgi Minami guys are watching and looking for shit to talk, so what else is there to do but play it up?

"Yes, Senpai?" you ask sweetly, making it a point to tilt your head ever so sweetly.

He blinks in surprise. "…what are you doing?"

A saccharine smile. "Your opponents are pissing me off. Yachi looked like she was going to pass out when I told her I could take 'em in a fight, so I'm being forced to resort to the next best thing: being a girl who acts all cute and sweet with you guys and rubbing it in their faces."

He laughs and ruffles your hair. "That's good. You're still not allowed to get into any fights, but we'll make sure to beat 'em for you. You gotta promise me something, though."

"Mm?" You tilt your head cutely.

"Stop being so damn cute, I'm trying to propose right now. You gotta marry me if we win, okay?"

You smile and laugh right back. "I'll marry you if you hit the quota and win for me. We have a deal?"

"You didn't even have to ask." He pulls you into a quick side hug, and you flash a smile and wave on your way out to the hallway. The grin only widens when you catch sight of a few fuming guys on the other team who obviously witnessed the exchange. Too easy.

There aren't many people in the stands today. Part of it, you think, is the fact that surely, high school volleyball can't be that popular. Then again this is only the preliminary part of the Spring Tournament, and apparently, all the really big, fun matches are yet to come. Most of them won't be until the end of October.

Still, there are a few people who come to watch. Some fisherman type who, based on the exchange between him and someone else who's just joined the cheering section, is from the neighborhood and comes to support Karasuno. The other guy comes in with two kids who must be in early middle school at the absolute oldest. The kids⁴⁰ take an immediate interest in you and Yachi.

"Nee-san, why aren't the two of you also on the court?" one of them asks.

Yachi takes immediate offense. You pretend not to. "D-didn't you know that only one manager is allowed on the bench?"

The other kid peeks out at the court and spots Shimizu. "Ooh. Karasuno must be really cool to have three whole managers!"

Yachi flinches, her eyes darting to you. For a second, you think she's about to say something on your behalf. You would rather that she didn't, so you speak up. "More like, they create so much trouble that they need three whole people running around after them." You roll your eyes playfully. "But really, the redundancy is good. We make up for what the other can't do."

"[n-name]-chan��"

You grin, rest your arms on the railing and your chin on your arms. "Like, Yacchan here's better at talking to people, and creative stuff. I can do heavier lifting and throw troublemakers across the room as needed."

"A-and you're back on that again…" she sighs. She turns to talking with the kids—good for her. You don't know the first thing about all that, so you're happy to leave the job to her while waiting for the match to kick up.

And kick up it does—it seems to fly by. Asahi starts off by absolutely nailing the new serve, and you can't help the little swell of pride as the guys on Ohgi Minami's team seem completely shell-shocked by that alone. Wait until they get to actually play.

From what you've been able to gather, the boys aren't exactly unknown. You'd listened in with pride when, during set-up time, some guys from another school were gossiping about them. All, Kitagawa Daichi's Kageyama and Chidoriyama's Nishinoya, best libero when he was in middle school and they had Seijoh on the ropes at the Inter-high. (They'd immediately killed the intimidating vibes, courtesy of the usual culprits messing around, but it had been a nice moment to overhear.)

The intimidation is well-earned, it seems. That first point hadn't been a fluke—the boys are completely on-point today. Even without the new quick in action just yet, they pull through the first set—16 to 25, hardly even a contest. Not only that, but you're even more confident that these guys aren't fighters now—the way the captain just watched a ball go that he might've saved. This is more serious volleyball than the training camp, and your boys are taking it seriously, but…

You sigh. As fun as it is to watch them kick ass, they're a bit more fun when they have to push themselves.

For a moment, you think things will be different for the second set—someone on the other side yelling at the Ohgi Minami guys from the stands, and even their declaration of battle, imply that maybe they might get there. And maybe in that second set they do try harder, but so do your boys, and in the end, you get one really interesting rally to watch at the very end and, more importantly—

You're not sure if Yachi hugs you, or you hug her, but there you are, cheering as it sinks in that the boys have won the first official match. You feel a little bad about the other team, but not nearly bad enough to not smile with Yachi and then immediately tone it down before a certain someone sees you getting all excited.

You meet up with the boys in the hall, get your Noya-mandated hugs in, pass out drinks and light snacks to keep them fueled as they watch the match of whoever they're going to be playing next. It's one Kakugawa High School versus Nishida High School, and Kakugawa has a very tall guy, so obviously they're kicking ass. Apparently.

"Being that tall isn't even fair…" Tanaka breathes as he peeks in through the gym door. Behind you, Hinata's talking something about fusing with some random shark species? You don't know what he's on about.

"Is being that tall that big of a deal?" you wonder to Noya. "I mean, I know it's an advantage or whatever, but…"

"Aw, are you worried?" Noya teases. "It won't be easy, but watching him play… let's just say, I've got some ideas."

You tilt your head. "Like…?"

"Just watch, and keep giving me your luck." He flashes that usual smile.

You have no fucking clue what he's talking about, but sure.

Your headache builds over the course of the next match. The first set goes to Karasuno, much more balanced than before. Your cheering grows quieter—not because you're less excited, but because the longer you watch, the more your head hurts and the less you can keep up with anything. You're aware enough to know that you should have bothered Sensei for painkillers between matches, that you really should go outside and get some air. Aware enough to remember the moment of genuine worry at the beginning of the first set, and the cheer when the disaster duo broke out the new quick. That, and the horrific spike in pain at the crowd's reaction.

And they win. Of course they win—you of all people know how hard those boys worked. They've earned it.

Then comes packing up, a full spinning hug from Noya that leaves you dizzy in a bad way, and, when Noya and Tanaka offer to Shimizu to help carry the bags, your out to calm down and catch your breath somewhere quiet.

"I'm going to check and make sure no one's left anything behind," Shimizu says to you and Yachi.

You step up with your best smile. "Can I handle it? I need to run to the bathroom, anyway."

She arches a perfect brow. "Are you sure? I don't mind."

"Please? No one let me help carry anything. I wanna do one useful thing today." You smile sweetly, bat your lashes. And, of course, get your way.

"Alright. Meet us outside?"

You grin, nod enthusiastically. Rush off to where everyone had been camping out between matches today.

("Is she okay, do you think?" Shimizu asks when the coast is clear.

Yachi shakes her head. "She was getting really quiet towards the start of the last set. I think her head's acting up again."

Noya crosses his arms and watches you disappear.)

It takes all of two seconds to find a familiar bento box, even though you're purposely lingering now that you're out of the team's sight—Hinata's, wrapped up in some cutesy cloth you'd considered teasing him about earlier today—and confirm that nothing else is remaining. Then, you find a quiet place to sigh and try to regain your bearings.

You just gotta make it through the bus ride home, and then the walk home. You can tell Noya your dad's home, so then you can get alone and go right to bed to sleep off the headache…

Yeah, it's doable.

A deep breath. You press the heels of your palms into your eyes in hopes that the pressure will do something, anything to soothe the growing ache.

You'd never blame Hinata, but right now, you really wish you could be mad at someone for this. You're so fucking tired of the headaches, of not being able to make it through the day. When you get back to school, you—

A presence interrupts your spiral, and you drag your hand down your face to find that you're being cornered by two strangers—troublemaker types by the looks of it. The one who catches your eye and smiles, walks right up with all the confidence in the world, has an undercut and, when he speaks, you catch the flash of a silver tongue piercing in his mouth.

If your head wasn't starting to spin, he might be slightly attractive.

"Hey there," he says with a smooth tone. "You doing alright? Anything I can do to help out a pretty girl like you?"

"Leave me alone, for one thing," you reply. "I'm gonna be running late real soon, and—"

"Aw, come on, don't be like that. It doesn't have to take long, if I could just get your number we can talk after you catch up with whoever it is."

You sigh. "With my boyfriend?"

Somehow, he's not that fazed. "When you break up with him, then?"

"Excuse me?" You raise an eyebrow. God, if you were two percent less dizzy, you'd—

"Um!" comes the interruption of a very familiar shout, and then Hinata's sliding in between the two of you. "S-sorry, but [surname]-san's our manager and we really need to go, so!"

He grabs you, tugs you along. You struggle to keep up, stumble after him, but then he's literally throwing Hinata to the side, and oh hell no—

Your hand balls into a fist. You're about two seconds from actually decking this guy when Hinata full on leaps in the way (holy shit he could probably jump over you if he wanted) and completely distracts the guy, who goes on some complete other tangent that you don't have the energy to follow beyond thank fuck he stopped trying to get my number.

He leaves. You sigh.

"Thanks, Hinata. Sorry about that. You didn't get hurt when he pushed you, did you?"

He shakes his head. "I'm okay. You?"

"Just… head hurts. Probably good. Probably would have gotten arrested if my head didn't get in the way."

"A-arrested!? [surname]-san—"

You laugh, wave it off. "I get a little heated sometimes. He was pissing me off. I was a moment away from punching him, that's all."

"Well… okay…" He frowns.

"Seriously, though. Thank you for helping out. But, um, could you do me a favor and not mention what happened to any of the guys?"

"About your head?"

"No, about that guy hitting on me. You know what Noya-senpai's like. It'd be a whole thing and I just—can't handle things until the head clears up."

There's a beat where he registers the request, and then he nods. "No problem! I'll keep my mouth shut!"

"Great. Thanks. By the way—this's yours, right?" You wave the bento at him. "Cute cloth."

He flushes. "It's—uh���I borrowed it from my little sister!"

If you'd had more energy, you'd tease him properly. As it stands, you can barely muster the energy to drag yourself along beside him on the way back to the bus. There, you're greeted with twin I'm so glad you're safe!s from Noya and surprise guest Tanaka, loud enough to make you cringe and to make them sheepishly apologize.

Painkillers from Sensei, earplugs brought along, and resting your head on Noya—though you'd insisted he sit with one of the guys, since you didn't plan on being an interesting seatmate—delivers you most of the way home. Unlike the Tokyo trips, this drive is only about half an hour, so you don't even really get to fall asleep so much as space out for a little while. When you give up on trying to sleep, you take out one earplug and listen in on whatever conversation has your pillow moving disobediently beneath your head.

"You remember that I said I wouldn't help you with the summer homework⁴¹, right?" Ennoshita is saying.

Noya sighs in defeat. "Right…"

Hinata lets out a pained noise. "How long do we have to finish that, again…?"

"Like a week. You should be fine if you actually sit down and do it."

You whine. "Do you think they'll waive it for me? I haven't even looked at it."

"N-not even you, [surname]-san?"

"My head exploded. I have an excuse."

Yachi turns around from the seat in front of you. "I'm mostly done. Do you want to work on it together?"

You pick up your head, teary-eyed. "Y-Yacchan…"

"Yachi-san! [surname]-san! Do you guys wanna work on it together, too? Kageyama and I need help…" Hinata pipes up.

"We could host something," Noya offers. "You guys all wanna come over tomorrow?"

Suddenly, the conversation is off the rails—they're discussing logistics, hosting, whatever while you completely fail to keep up. One thing you manage, though—shooting off a text or two.

[name] to Rina-san at 16:53

[name]: hi rina-san! Sorry to bother you—Senpai's talking about maybe having like five people (including me) over for a couple hours tomorrow for a summer homework session and I think he forgot to run it by you lol. Is that alright? I was already planning on handling the snacks

Rina-san: that's perfectly fine with me. Thank you for asking! I'll text the girls and make sure they know

You slip Noya's phone out of his pocket just as it buzzes with a new text or two.

Okaa-san to Nishinoyas at 16:57

Okaa-san: girls, yuu's gonna have some friends over tomorrow if there's no objections

Okaa-san: no one has any plans right??

Satsuki: why is yuu not telling us directly hmm

Okaa-san: [name]-chan was the one to let me know

Satsuki: say no more. Bring on the idiot friends + [name]-chan

Yuu: aw, be nice. They're all smart, they just don't worry about academics until it gets in the way of volleyball

Satsuki: DIFFERENT TYPING STYLE SPOTTED

Satsuki: IS THAT THE BONUS SISTER I SEE?

Yuu: I stole his phone again 💝 he's discussing plans with the others but my head hurts too much to keep up so I figured I'd worry about the other logistics. Like making sure he could actually invite a bunch of people over

Mei: hi [name]-chan! How were the matches?

Yuu: volleyboys did great. We're almost back at the school

Yuu: they'll be moving on to the next stage of the qualifiers at the end of october! 🎉

Kaede: CONGRATS YUU (whenever you give him his phone back)

Mei: 🎉

Satsuki: dammit now I have to wait at least a week before calling him a loser. Worst possible news 

Yuu: which means we now have to worry about summer homework. Which I haven't started bc in my defense, the concussion,

Yuu: we're hoping to study session our way to actually getting stuff done. Which means probably me and our other first-year manager corralling four boys who can only focus when volleyball is involved

Satsuki: oo the mythical third manager is coming? Is she cute?

Yuu: she's adorable. Full-on cute aggression is involved

Satsuki: 👀 gay?

Yuu: unclear. She hasn't really shown interest in anyone of any gender.

Yuu: but if noya-senpai wanted to protect ME from you then she definitely couldn't handle you, nee-san. She's too sweet, sorry 💔

Satsuki: 💔

"Oi, is that my phone?" Noya's voice cuts in suddenly.

You glance up with a grin. "If you couldn't feel me literally reach into your pocket to grab it, I think that's on you. Rina-san says it's okay to have people over tomorrow, though."

"Oh! Great! I totally forgot to ask."

A laugh. "I figured as much. Don't worry, Senpai, I got you. The girls hold no objections, either, but I'm getting the weird sense that Satsuki-nee's gonna pop in at some point, as a heads up. She's curious about the mythical bonus girl. Yacchan, you're coming, right?"

"Yeah! It sounds fun!"

"Cool cool, I've warned Satsuki."

"Um—warned?"

You laugh. "Don't worry about it. Nee-san's just a little forward."

"Oh, um, okay—wait, forward?"

"Again, don't worry about it!"

This does not seem to placate her as the bus turns into the school. Eventually, you have to give Noya his phone back, and on the walk home, you bicker over snack logistics in preparation for tomorrow. You just hope that your headache will calm enough to get something done tomorrow.

40. I did some SCOURING about these kids and found out, essentially, that we don't know shit about them other than they're Old Coach Ukai's students. On one hand, this means I get to do whatever I want. On the other hand [anguished wailing] I HAVE TO NAME THEM??? I may end up not doing so, since I don't plan for them to be extremely plot-important and also I don't want to.

41. You would not believe how insistent the internet is on just NOT FUCKING TELLING ME shit about high school summer homework. I basically know that it exists, but all the information in English is about, like, "I have an elementary schooler and we want to travel during summer break how do summer homework" or the kinds of things elementary and maybe middle school students do for summer homework. The main thing I was able to find related to specifically high school students beyond summer homework existing was actually a paper⁴² analyzing the disparity between how important teachers thought specific summer homework tasks were and how important the students performing them thought they were, and this study was solely limited to English courses and related homework. In the end I decided to just handwave it as "they've got a bunch of worksheets and practice problem packets and maybe some stuff to read".

42. Tsunehisa Isaji, "Relationships Between Teachers' Instructions on Homework to Japanese High School Students and Their Homework Activities" Japan Society of English Language Education 20 (2009): 211-220. https://doi.org/10.20581/arele.20.0_211

Tags: @deeplightgarden @idonthaveanameideayet @dusstory @kazunish

[cairavende]

Worm Arc 16 second half thoughts (after Defiant interlude, 16.7 to end):

I'm very glad I split this arc where I did cause WHAT THE FUCK

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!

WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK

Tattletale . . . the entire time . . . in secret!

And Coil's whole crazy plan at the town hall debate!

And and and Rachel held Taylor's hand and it was gay BUT IT WAS SAD GAY!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And the bug box (I'm sorry, "The Famine Engine") what the fuck

And Taylor was shot and almost lit on fire and she become a fucking terror demon scary bug monster and got away from all the people and set off some grenades and and

passes out

...

ALSO MY DAUGHTER KILLED COIL! SHOT HIM RIGHT IN THE HEAD!

Taylor sees her dad and argues with his friends a little and realizes that things aren't as clear as she thought they were maybe but whatever I just want to get to know Lacey better. For reasons.

I knew something would happen at the town hall. Once Dragon was taken care of I figured it would be Coil but I wasn't sure what he would do and I didn't expect this. I thought he would mostly be trying to take out Skitter or something.

Happy to see Uber and Leet again, even if they are working for the asshole. They are fun.

Getting more info on Leet's power and I'm even more fascinated then I was before. He couldn't make the teleporter work if it was putting the target into instant danger, like a bomb or a vat of acid. Wild. I wanna know more.

ALSO COIL LEGIT CONSIDERED DROPPING SKITTER INTO A VAT OF ACID!

He really did go full supervillain right at the end. Monologuing, using cheesy lines, stopping the execution of his enemies when one of them yells "Wait!" and letting them talk. Crazy elaborate plans. Good for him I guess.

The Wards new "teleport without swapping matter" tech is quite fancy and it can apparently do a heck of a lot of people at once! Which I could see becoming a big deal. I had initially assumed it was Kid Win who made it (since he did the same with is guns before) but with how stuff has bounced around I'm legit not sure.

OH AND I KNEW I LOVED CIRCUS FOR A REASON, WHAT A WONDERFUL LITTLE GENDERQUEER! THEY GET A PASS FOR STABBING SOME PEOPLE CAUSE THEY DESERVE TO GET TO STAB A FEW PEOPLE.

I had fully called Coil being Thomas Calvert by now, so that itself wasn't a surprise. But I hadn't expected Thomas to have gotten back to working with the PRT. Makes sense if he can make it work, that is a wonderful source of power.

Too bad Tattletale pulled the fucking rug out from under you Thomas!

Taylor leaving her dad at the hospital without stopping to see him is unfortunate I guess, but not really unexpected. I've kinda given up on their relationship getting repaired. Besides who needs Danny when shes got me!?

Oh and I guess Taylor can't really see now. Cool. I'm sure that will just get better right away with no issues! /s

I mean it isn't really a huge deal for her vs most people. But still.

OH AND SKITTER'S DEAL WITH COIL WHEN HE WAS GOING TO KILL THEM ALL INCLUDED "Ta

Oh and Skitter's deal with Coil to turn off the dead man's switch included "Take care of Bitch's dogs!" GAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!

And "Tattletale gets to live!" like ya ok sure it was all so she could get Tattletale here and such I get that but whatever, it is also GAY! GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY!!!!!!!!!!

But for real Tats has been coming in with the fucking long con OH MY GOD. I legit didn't see it coming. Coil losing this arc? Sure, maybe not likely but possible. Coil dying? Again, was surprising but not shocking. But Tattletale having payed off have the mercs in a carefully planned coup in the works since Arc 3 at a minimum? Blindsided me. Just hit by a bus. HOLY SHIT!!!

Fake Skitter shot Bitch!!!! AHHHHH!!! But she was ok. And the speed of her accepting that real Skitter didn't do it and not staying mad at her!!!! GAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!

Seriously though Skitter breaking out of the house she was teleported into and getting past all those troops? God. Using the swarm speech for physiological warfare? Chef's kiss

I wonder how Cauldron is feeling with Coil dead? I don't know exactly what they needed him for but he sure ain't doing it now.

And Dinah at the end!! Just me sobbing.

I'm sure the whole thing with Noelle (or should I use my cape name for her when she's on a rampage - Traveler in a Vault, or TiaV) will just blow over and won't be a bigger deal than arc 8 in the end. Everything is fine.

Marquis interlude thoughts:

TINY PRISON! I love tiny prison.

Look I'm sorry I don't make the rules but Marquis and Lung are totally gay for each other. They are both terrible people. I don't ship them because I want to, I ship them because there is no other option. I do what I have to do.

Glaistig Uaine is my new favorite. She is terrifying and I love her. Forget Bonesaw's passangers or Coil's agents, they're called head fairies now.

I'm sure Amy and Glaistig Uaine working together in the future won't be bad at all.

[inkedroplets]

⭐️🌟💫

I went back and forth on so many different sections to talk about in depth. I finally settled on this one.

I'd rather not dream at all, Lena thought, thinking of how often even her most pleasant dreams so often turned to nightmares, hoping that the sheer exhaustion she felt would be enough to keep them away. She watched Kara go as she waited for the light to change, too tired to work through everything that had happened, what still had to happen but unable to stop herself from trying. She watched the crosswalk light tick down and got ready to shuffle across when she felt a very light tap on her arm. Expecting Kara, Lena turned around and was more than a little surprised to not see anybody, until she felt another tap on her arm and saw that the culprit was just short enough to limbo underneath her eye line. A young girl with a bright yellow bow stuck in her hair that for some reason looked awfully familiar. "Hi!" the girl said, beaming up at Lena. Lena could only stare as she tried to figure out just why the girl looked so familiar, urging her incredibly sluggish brain to cough up the right memory when it came rushing back a few moments later. You were crying because you ran away from home... The confusion on Lena's face fell away and she smiled warmly at the girl. "Hello, Kara." Hello, Kara. Kara was already half a block away when the sound of Lena's voice stopped her in her tracks. She came to such a sudden stop that the man walking a few steps behind her had to very hastily sidestep around her, muttering darkly as he found his footing and began to walk faster in a bid to put some distance between the both of them, glowering at her, although Kara didn't notice. She was too busy trying to figure out if she had really heard what she thought she did or just imagined it. She stepped a bit off the sidewalk so as not to make other people have to walk around her and listened more intently and picked up the sound of Lena's voice, still standing out front near the coffee shop. How have you been? Kara's brow furrowed and she took a few steps back in the direction she had just come from. Are you talking to me? Kara mused, not sure what to think. She stopped when she heard a child's voice answer Lena's question. I'm good. So is my mommy. Thanks to you. She has a new job. She's inside now getting coffee and hot chocolate for me! I'm glad to hear that and I just had coffee too. With a friend. But it's Superman that helped. "Superman?" Kara said aloud, more confused than ever, eyes wide and her heart pounding. You walked me home. Well... Superman did too. Your mom will be worried if she sees you're outside talking to a stranger, you should go back inside. Promise again that you won't run away ever again? I won't. I promise. Thank you again. You're very welcome. I hope you had a good birthday too. I did! Oh, I wanted to tell you that I really like your helmet. I thought it was scary at first but now I think it's really pretty. I wanna dress up like you for Halloween. Kara swayed where she stood, like a boxer at the end of a very long round. She could feel her stomach twisting in on itself, while the same solitary thought pounded in time with her rapidly beating heart. It can't be true... It can't be true... It can't be true...

I had many, many ideas about how Kara would find out that Lena was the vigilante. And none of them involved Lena getting the chance to tell Kara the truth because where's the fun in that? I think initially I was leaning towards a big dramatic reveal. One during the penultimate chapter would have fit the bill but to drag that secret all the way to the finish line never seemed all that appealing. Kara managing to overhear Lena talking about her double life seemed plausible but the ethics of Kara always listening in never sat right with me. And as far as Kara figuring it out herself... I quite like the notion that for Kara and Lena that they are each other's blind spots. For as smart as they are or the clues that should seem obvious they just don't see them either by accident or design. When Lena ended up helping out the young girl who had run away from home, I had the epiphany to name her Kara. Something that seemed like a throwaway line at the time. Fun foreshadowing to stumble into as a writer. And it fit thematically since Lena unmasked to put her mind at ease and that's how Clark ends up finding out that it's Lena that's been prowling Metropolis and much (much) later how Kara found out as well. Kara hearing Lena call her name from far away seemed like something she would be actively listening for and while she did eavesdrop it was never malicious. I wanted there to be a lot less baggage. With how carefully Lena and Kara had begun to heal their relationship, I didn't want it to be something that could endanger that. They'd come to far for that. It might not seem all that important of a passage but I'm quite happy with how it came out and that Lena's first "fan" just happened to be a girl named Kara.

[angellayercake]

The Diary of Cardinal Terzo Four

Cardinal Terzo x Assorted Characters | NSFW | AO3 | Intro | Two | Three | Interlude

Based on this funny little article we start to read about some of Terzo’s creampie adventures in his diary.

disclaimer I know this is the farthest thing from safe sex but let’s pretend in this universe there is a special secret satanic sti and pregnancy protection just for fun

02/02 New ghouls are so inquisitive.They have glimpsed our world only from the depths of hell but that does not prepare them for having a tangible body and all that  it entails, the new sensations that it offers. They explore the world wide eyed and gorge themselves on all the new and exciting experiences on offer to them. Art, music, nature, food, drink and of course, pleasures of the flesh. Sometimes they seek out their fellow ghouls, or Siblings of Sin but the recently summoned quintessence ghoul had caught my eye. He was more reserved than some of the others, hung back and observed rather than leaping into the fray. He was tall and broad, his chest straining at the buttons of his robes when he moves and strong arms straining the taught material. It seemed I had caught his eye as well. His intense gaze was tracking my movements across the welcoming party and it would have been rude not to introduce myself. His name was Omega and he accepted my invitation for a tour of the Abbey, the gardens, the common areas, the library and of course the clergy wing. Naturally the tour ended at my personal quarters, in case he ever needed to visit me. He didn't hesitate when I invited him in and tonight he got his first taste of the joys of a tight, warm, willing human body. Creampie count: 59

19/02 Nothing makes you feel more like a rockstar than having a beautiful woman bouncing on your dick in the back of a limousine. I'm sure I will be in trouble with my fratello when he sobers from his celebratory bender and probably Imperator too but the sweet thing I picked up wanted the ride of her life. The Ghost project and the entourage which I was a part of always garners attention at these award ceremonies being the big scary spooky satanists that we are. It can other us but it also creates a lot of intrigue which is often a lot more fun. She was a typical popstar, tanned, long blond hair, and more make up then Papa and she wanted a taste of darkness. Commandeering the limo was easy enough and then I had her. I left the drivers partition open so Alpha, the lucky ghoul could watch as I stripped her and took her apart. It was easy to tell she was used to faking her pleasure. Her initial moans practised and meant to flatter a fragile ego but I soon had her shaking and gasping on my fingers until she was clawing at my cassock to get to my cock. I let her find her pleasure for a time aquainting myself with her unnaturally sculpted but still beautiful body. But then I had to show her what it is to be fucked by someone who always embraces the sin of lust completely. Creampie count: 89

15/05 She was a Senior Sister when she had arrived at the abbey. I saw so many faces come and go as I had risen through the ranks of the Clergy, it was not surprising I had seen her somewhere before, but that hadn't stopped me propositioning her. She was beautiful, confident and commanded the attention of everyone around her. I had to have her, if she would let me. I tried everything and she just laughed. She laughed! But the way she rebuffed me was so charming I couldn't even be offended. But today! Today we were  discussing party tricks, of all things. 'Do you have any party tricks Sister?' I asked innocently. 'One,' she replied. 'I can swallow a sword. Right to the hilt.' I was frozen to the spot and could feel the blush rising on my face. 'Would you like me to show you Cardinal?' I couldn't speak or move or do anything. Her hand was on my chest as she waited for my answer and I had to do something before I lost my chance. I nodded, so awkwardly it makes me cringe to remember but she was as good as her word and showed me exactly how much she could take down her throat. Her talent in this particular trick was unmatched, exceeded all expectations. So it was only fair that I showed her my party trick and if I do say so myself, I was unmatched too! Creampie count: 259

[blushblushbear]

You could say he already counts as one, but what would a werewolf AU involving Volks be like?

THIS CAN GO SO MANY WAYS HONESTLY I COULD MAKE SO MANY OMG

but my main two OKAY SO

in a modern setting:

You are a barista (surprise it's also a coffee ship au) and Volks comes in one time, not even for him, it's for his mom. And it's kind of an awkward meet cute sort of thing where he thinks you're kinda weird but he thinks that about everybody and you're not that bad (and maybe kind cute) so he'll give you a pass. Not that it matters cause he doesn't drink coffee and he's not coming back here again shrug

EXCEPT--- that was the best cup of coffee his mom ever had. And she ends up sending him back a few times when she has to work the night shift. And he's such a mama's boy he does it every time she asks without question. And honestly coffee from your cafe becomes one of her favorite parts of her week-- AT LEAST UNTIL A NIGHT WHERE YOU WEREN'T WORKING. Then it wasn't as good. And when Volks let's slip it was a different barista that made it she now knows it's not the cafe it's you and she basically makes him only get coffee from you for her lol. She even comes in on a day where she's running errands with Volks! You're her favorite! And between the forced proximity and the fact that his mom loves you he couldn't help but start crushing BIG TIME. So his life is a little complicated now but in a good way. A fun way.

UNTIL....

one night he's out on one of his usual solo camping trips when he gets attacked by a strange wolf. It ran super weird and was way bigger than a wolf usually is. He got bit and ended up in the ER, which was very scary for his mom. Over the course of him healing you actually stop by and bring him flowers and food while he's getting over his injury... you even started dropping off a coffee for his mom each night since he's out of commission. You promise you'll stop by again to help him out and he sort of wants to refuse but he also can't seem to tell you no.

In between that first and second visit however, he has one weird night... lots of sweating and feeling a sort of burning pain all over... along with a really freaky dream of him running through the woods...

It happens 3 times and on the 3rd time he finds his back door open and dirt trailing from the open door to his bed. He's not sure what to do or who to tell cause he doesn't wanna give his mom a heart attack. That's when the doorbell rings and he opens to find you standing there with food and flowers. Knowing he has no one else to turn to, he lets you in and asks if you can keep a secret... a very weird secret.....

In a fantasy setting:

You are a child of a noble and he is the son of the village healer who has be offered nobility so long as his son marries the family into it. His mom is initially against the very idea of marrying her son off for money but he insists he go through with it. He wants a better life for his mother and he doesn't care about things like love or marriage, so he agrees.

Meanwhile you are being married off to the village healer's son to form an alliance and you are--- not feeling it. Like at all. You attempt to run away from your first ever meeting with your husband to be and end up crawling out a window where you fall into the bushes and meet a very nice young man who helps you out of said bushes. Before you can take off he asks what your running from and you respond with a sigh 'my fiance. I never met him and I'm sure he's a nice guy but--- no. Just no. I'm out.' He smiles and asks if you would like some company, 'in case there are any wild bushes you need to climb out of'-- also he admits he also has a meeting he's looking to avoid. So you two end up playing hooky. You spend the day together, learn a bit about each other, he's very quiet but you like to chatter so it's okay. He's not half bad, and he seems to think the same of you. When you finally head back it turns out your parents have been looking for both of you (his mother is worried and your father is PISSED), oops, he's your fiance.

He says that he wasn't looking forward to this either, but after a day with you, maybe this won't be so bad after all.

You two start to spend a lot of time together. There seems to be a day out of the month him and his mother refuse to see anybody, it's apparently a special family day or something. You try to ask about it and he's cagey at first. Eventually he gives you a sort of half answer that seems to satisfy enough.

UNTIL, one day you go out to their distant farm house for some reason-- maybe you had a fight with your father, maybe they forgot something, maybe you're just curious-- but when Volks and his mom aren't in their home you immediately get worried. You hear a noise coming from the shed in the distance and with dagger in hand you go to check it out, fearing all kinds of worsts.

What you find however is something you never could have predicted-- Volks, beastly and thrashing, chained to the walls, as his mother attempts to sooth him through the pain of his transformation.

Thus the family secret is now out-- what ever shall you do next??

These are both rough ideas and frankly I wanna make fanfics for both of them AHHHHHH

[kickthecan-revolution]

Peach had a big day today. He’s been exploring the other parts of the house but has mostly spent a lot of time under my sister’s bed in a drawer (his favorite spot here as well). He keeps all of his toy mice there and his favorite wand toys, which is adorable. He loves Rupert but the dog has been scary for him. And I’m not surprised, when I was at the trailer trying to catch everybody, there were two really aggressive dogs that would chase the cats, I remember the first time I saw peach he was frozen in fear when one of the dogs almost got to where he was underneath the trailer so I was worried about that.

He’s a fearless little cat and for the last week or so, goes up to Lumen’s crate and hisses, then walks away and runs back into my sister‘s room when she comes out. But today he was out in the living room for most of the day with Rupert, and the dog. He was playing so hard with the cat, when Lumen came out of the crate, it was like he was torn – do I stay out here and keep wrestling or do I go to my safe space? So he would run back-and-forth, and it was hilarious (my sister is literally live streaming this whole experience for me so it’s like I’m there ).

A few years ago, the kids thought it would be funny to teach Lumen to chase Rupert, and sometimes Rupert initiates it so that’s what Lumen thought would be good to do with Peach who decidedly does not enjoy that at all. So this sweet puppy is just trying to figure out what the new rules are because we think he really misses spending time with Rupert. My sister’s been giving her a ton of love and attention so she’s OK, but it was such a massive step for everybody to be on my sister’s bed today. The kittens were there snuggled up and sleeping , and Lumen quietly slipped up. I guess Peach stared at him for a solid couple of minutes as they both laid down and then went to sleep, and everyone had a good long nap together. I’m no expert, but I don’t think a cat is going to fall asleep if they don’t feel safe.

That this is happening in just a couple of weeks is such an incredible blessing, it’s almost like it’s not real. I can’t explain how much I love this little kitten and to have him in a place where he’s so loved and having so much fun it’s just everything to me. I miss him for sure that the grieving would’ve been so much more terrible had he gone to a stranger. It’s just such an incredible happy ending where a lot of things really could have gone wrong, but didn’t.